#(I hope you all stay hooked with this! this is gonna be fun 😁)

[thebigshotman]

The receiver jingles back onto the receptacle on top of the phone, resting soundly for only a few seconds before starting its steady pattern of rings again.

His smile back to its usual, happy form-although there’s something tainted about it-Spaul starts moving away from the receiver. While talking to the Voice that’s still clicking away somewhere in his head.

*S0…YOU [[did you hear?]]. [Hazelnut]s F1NE W1TH THIS. YOU [[-know what time it is!]].

*Spaul…n-no. No, you can’t do this! You didn’t give Eileen the full story, and besides it’s 3:30 AM! Do you expect ANYONE to give you a straight answer at that time? At least think about it and-

*N0!!!!! I 4M [sick and tired] OF [go on, go on!] T0 YOU!!!!

With the sound of someone screaming incoherently, he picks up the blunt edge of the Broken Sword from earlier. It’s fairly obvious what he intends to do with it.

*GOING ON 4ND 0N ABOUT [[your safety is important to us.]] WH3N YOU D0N’T KNOW A DAMNED [interesting fact] 4BOUT ME!!!! YA KN0W WH0 DO3S???? E1LEEN!!!! I [[trusted you…]] A H3LL OF A LOT MORE TH4N YOU YA [loser]!!!!

*Spamton…

He shuffles over to the phone, raising the sword. Moving in half-frames. Eager, tired marbles appearing in his glasses.

*G1VE ME YOUR [Hyperlink Blocked]. [[Administrator Access]] T0 TH3 [[exercise tape]]. N0W!!!!

There’s a moment in his head where there’s completely and total silence, for the first time in 25 years. And during that time, he wonders if this is the right choice after all. His form glitching sporadically as he does. But then, in a burst of noise, everything returns. And he gets his answer.

*…Ok. Access has been granted. Whatever happens next is out of my hands.

*Just…be careful, Spaul. Whatever happens next, just—

She doesn’t get to finish her thought. With a mighty crash, the sword punctured straight through the rotary dial again and again, smashing the phone beyond repair. There is no more clicking or tapping now in his head. Just the garbage noise, static, and his own thoughts.

The sword falls out of his hands, and he raises them to look at them as he jitters and glitches. Finally noticing the thorns in them from before. He plucks them out without a second thought.

Finally…silence. He looks down at the remains of the phone.

*WH3N U [[gamers don’t die]]…1’VE G0T A [leave a message at the tone] TO LE4VE. D0N’T T4KE [[-lasts forever!]], OK?!?!

His grin returns to form as he walks away, busying himself by cleaning up the tattered remains all over the floor of his shop until the phone repairs itself.

Gifting Eileen a stone and tinfoil…what was he even thinking? This was going to be the greatest gift of them all.

[kirk-says-wah]

I hope you have people around to help with your depression. From personal experience, it can't be easy. Stay strong love ❤️

Also, I'm enjoying your one-shots!

And if it's alright, may I have a one-shot with Cliff and James? This is a weird one but James is feeling hurt because he thinks that Cliff is cheating on him. But Cliff is secretly doing something special for him. 😁😁😁😁

I love Cliff so I wanted something sweet with him in it.

Thank you!!!!!!!

Thank you so much bby 🥺 you’re honestly so sweet ❤️

You can also read it on ao3 here

Cliff isn’t here. Again.

The hotel room is empty, bar their stuff strewn about.

James doesn’t want to think it, really he doesn’t, but at this point he doesn’t know what else to think.

He runs a hand over his face.

He’s seen Cliff and Kirk sneaking about, whispering together, always close, too close.

And James doesn’t want to say he’s jealous, because he’s not, but Cliff’s not really payed that kind of attention to him in a while.

He’s cheating. Obviously.

It’s anger then that takes over, and he fists the room key in his hand before stalking back out in search of his lover.

He bangs on Kirk and Lars’s room. Contemplates whether to go get Lars so he can see that he’s being cheated on too but thinks better of it.

Lars and Kirk never really talk about what they’ve got going on, but James knows that Lars would definitely be upset if he found out.

He bangs on the door again until it opens, Kirk standing on the other side.

“What’s up man?”

James doesn’t know if it’s the anger or the alcohol but he barges in, slams Kirk back into the wall.

“You fucking him?”

Kirk has the audacity to look confused. James jabs a finger in his chest.

“Are you fucking him?”

Before Kirk can reply, a hand comes to James’s shoulder.

“James, what the fuck are you doing?”

James whips around, stares back at Cliff. He pretends the tears in his eyes are from anger.

“Are you cheating?” He says, shame crawling up his skin as his voice cracks.

Cliff just sigh, moves his hand to take James wrist.

“That’s not what this is.”

James bats him away.

“Then what is it?”

Cliff’s lips thin out. Kirk’s still presses against the wall out of the way.

“We were planning something.”

“To cheat on me?”

“Fuck no. Will you just listen to me?”

James relents then, sits at the chair in the corner petulantly, noticing Kirk still watching him warily.

Cliff sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“We were planning something for your birthday. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Guilt reddens James’s cheeks and he ducks his head.

“What?”

Cliff huffs a laugh, a smile spreading on his face.

“Dude, you need to trust me more. I’m not gonna just go sleep with someone else. And definitely not Kirk,” Cliff says, before throwing a no offence over his shoulder.

“None taken,” Kirk grumbles, finally moving to sit on his bed.

“So what were you planning?”

Cliff just laughs, shakes his head, straddles James’s leg, wrapping his arms around his neck.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” he murmurs before pulling him in for a kiss.

There’s movement behind them before the door opens and Lars announces himself, only to make a disgruntled sound at the sight of them kissing.

He turns his attention to Kirk.

“Why are you watching? Are you three having fun without me?”

James watches as Kirk’s face goes beet red before he flies from the bed, hooking an arm around Lars’s waist.

“We’re leaving,” he announces, steering a very confused Lars out the door.

James laughs, though it’s quickly smothered with another kiss from Cliff.

“I’m sorry I thought you were cheating,” he says when they pull away.

Cliff tucks a piece of blonde hair behind his ear, cups his jaw softly.

“I don’t blame you. We were running around like we had something to hide.”

“Still,” James says, kissing the inside of Cliff’s elbow. “I’m sorry.”

Cliff smiles, all toothy and wide.

“D’ythink we traumatised them?”

James guffaws, pokes at Cliff’s ribs.

“Because of a kiss? They’ve done worse shit than that in front of us.”

Cliff laughs, flicks his hair over his shoulder.

“We could do worse. We are in their bedroom yknow.”

James lifts an eyebrow, pulling Cliff down into another kiss.