#I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we get there

[bluecloudious]

Deranged Italian is forming

[babacontainsmultitudes]

I probably won't be around tmr for the new episode (or if so only a tiny bit) cause I'm on a little trip rn visiting a friend but I'm lighting the candles around my elaborate shrine wishing for Anthony Burch to remember that Sparrow exists and not in a bad way happy dndads eve 😌🙏💜

[chaoticsoft]

.

Believing for the brown, curvy, leftist best friend of my dreams to find me soon. An emotionally mature, emotionally healthy (not in an ableist way, in a "you're aware of and have mostly processed your childhood trauma and it is no longer actively sabotaging your life and relationships" way) earth sign would be lovely. Or Scorpio or Cancer placements. Someone ideologically aligned with me, I'm so exhausted with the apolitical mentality of my past friends. Someone from a multicultural (or just a nonwhite) background; it is so deeply lonely being my friends' only "ethnic" friend; being the only one in conversations who has that lens they see the world through that my past and current friends are just oblivious and apathetic to.

I don't want to teach them. Challenge them. "Help them grow." I don't want to do that anymore. It is beyond exhausting. All my life I've been like water to my friends, adjusting myself to the shape of their container. Finally, I want someone who matches me, meets me how I actually am. Attuned and aligned with me.

[kendyzzlewp]

We’ll Keep Trying

pairing: art donaldson x fem!reader

tags: husband!artdonaldson, angst, domestic, married life, failed pregnancy

____________________________________________

You sat there defeated.

The negative pregnancy test seemed to mock you and your dream of starting a family. With a heavy sigh you tossed the plastic wand into the bin.

You wanted this so bad, not only for yourself but for Art as well. He finally slowed down his career, retiring from playing competitively, focusing on coaching and commentating on a couple of sports channels. The time seemed right. You both discussed it and were ready.

You’ve waited so long for this moment. The time to finally get pregnant and have a baby with the love of your life. Especially after supporting his career. for the better part of a decade. Joining him on tour when you were able to, never missing a game, eating the same diet as him in solidarity, working out together…you did everything a good wife was supposed to do.

God, you’ve waited enough and now that the time is right, your body won’t cooperate.

It had been months of constant disappointments for the both of you. One negative test after the other, one cycle after the other. Sex wasn’t even fun anymore. It was a job that had to be done in a specific window.

You missed the spontaneity. Having Art bend you over the kitchen counter, or over the dining table, or a chair or even a balcony railing. He loved bending you over anywhere he could but now, most of the time, sex consists of laying on your back with your legs raised

It’s still good. Art has always been generous with your pleasure but you miss the fun. The hair pulling, the ass smacking, the choking, the public rendezvous.

“Negative,” you announced as you walked into the primary bedroom. “Again.”

He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. His biceps bulged from the sleeves of his gray shirt. His brown eyes were filled with concern but you still saw the disappointment flash through them.

“We’ll keep trying,” he promised, his tone determined. “It’ll happen.”

You smile sadly, climbing into bed with a heavy heart. “I don’t think I can keep doing this,” you admitted.

Art crossed the room and sat beside you on the edge of the bed, his presence a reassuring anchor in your turmoil. He reached for your hand, squeezing it gently.

"I know it's hard, sweetheart," he said softly. "But we’re in this together. Remember that."

You nodded, tears welling in your eyes. "I just feel so...tired. Like I'm failing you."

He lifted your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze. "You're not failing me. This isn't your fault. We have to believe it will happen when the time is right."

You took a deep breath, trying to draw strength from his words. "What if it never happens, Art? What then?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it," he replied, brushing a tear from your cheek. "For now, we’ll keep trying naturally. Then we can explore every option. IVF, adoption—whatever it takes. We'll be parents someday."

His unwavering support warmed you, easing a bit of the heaviness in your chest. "Thank you," you whispered.

He leaned in, kissing your forehead tenderly. "We'll get through this. Together."

[jeannineee]

coming up lavender, part three

cassian x reader x azriel

part one part two

author’s note: part three!!! comment to be added to taglist <3

summary: reader tries to hone her abilities. cassian is down bad. azriel is too, but he acts like azriel.

warnings: suggestiveness!! this is an 18+ series.

“I can’t do it.”

Scowl, rise to your feet. Glare at Rhysand, picture of indifference, if not a little amused.

“You’ve been trying for all of thirty minutes. You’ll have to work at it.”

Cross your arms over your chest, avoid his gaze as you make your way across the room to pour a glass of water. "My power isn't summoned on command. It surfaces when I feel any strong emotion. I learned that a long time ago."

Rhys sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I think you're wrong. I think you're scared--"

Your whirl on him, seething. "I am not scared."

He holds his hands up, body tense as his violet eyes dart between your face and your hands. You follow his eyes, face heating as you notice your fists, encased in swirls of purple energy.

Sigh and murmur an apology as you force your power away. "I didn't mean--"

"I know."

"I just--I know my power. I don't think it will work the way you want it to."

Rhys nods. "We'll try again tomorrow."

Offer him a grateful smile, toy with your thumbs as you gather what little courage remains within you. "Can I--will I be able to leave the House soon?"

Rhys pauses in the doorway. "You haven't made much progress. It's been almost three weeks."

"I know that," you reply, picking nervously at your nails. "I just--I need out."

He ponders, remaining still for so long you almost consider relenting.

"I'll permit you to explore the city."

Your heart leaps out of your chest. "Thank you--"

"But you will need an escort. Myself or my inner circle. Whoever is available any time you want to leave."

Bite the inside of your cheek. "I'm not dangerous, Rhysand."

"You are. More than you know. But I'm not requiring you to have an escort solely because of that."

"Then why?"

"If our enemies knew of your power, they would stop at nothing to take it."

Take you, is the part he didn't say aloud.

"I don't understand."

"My inner circle are having dinner at my townhouse tomorrow night. We'll explain everything to you then," Rhys pauses, as if having a silent conversation with himself--no, with someone else. "For now, enjoy Velaris. My home is yours."

~~~

"You're my escort?"

Cassian sports a shit-eating grin as he approaches you. "Sure am. Who better to show you around?"

Close your eyes and sigh. "Fine." You step forward, place your hand on his bicep. Try not to notice how large it is. When you don't notice a change in the environment, your eyes open again, to be met with a confused Cassian.

"I'm more than happy to let you touch me, but I am curious as to why...?"

Groan and drop your hand. "Aren't we supposed to winnow?"

"Winnow?" Cassian barks a laugh. "No. I can't winnow. We're flying."

"We're what?"

"You heard me, sweetheart."

Glance down to the city. The very far away city. A couple thousand feet below. "I don't like heights."

"That's tough," Cassian says from behind you. "But it's flying, or climbing down ten thousand steps."

Loose a shaky breath. "You better not drop me."

A wide grin. "Didn't you feel my arm? I could bench press you for hours and not get tired."

Your cheeks flush. "Let's just get on with it. We don't have all day."

A chuckle from Cassian, and he places one arm behind your knees, the other behind your back, lifting you with ease. "Bossy. I like it."

He doesn't give you the dignity of a response before launching into the air. You bury your face in his chest on instinct, noting the way the wind whistles in your ears. The air is chill enough that you find yourself grateful for his warmth, trying ever-so-subtly to lean into his touch.

"Cold?" Cassian questions, grip tightening a bit.

So much for subtle.

"Just a little."

"You should look."

"Absolutely not."

Cassian scoffs. "I won't drop you. You're safe. Just look."

You slowly, very slowly turn your head, audibly gasping as you take in the view around you. Snow-capped mountains in the distance, a winding river leading into the sea, surrounded by countless ships and houses and people. So many people. "Oh, wow."

"I know," Cassian's breath fans against your ear, and you turn, only to find him staring at you, rather than the view.

Clear your throat as your face burns, remnants of that strange ache in your chest returning as you ask, "You've lived here your whole life--in Velaris?"

"Mostly. I've spent plenty of time in Illyria, though."

"I've heard it's brutal."

Cassian nods. "Not so different from your Court of Nightmares."

You study each other for a moment; some sort of unspoken understanding passing between you, before forcing your attention back to the scenic view; stomach dropping a bit as Cassian begins descending.

~~~

“That’s the best food I’ve had in a while,” you tell Cassian as you sit back in your chair, so full you’re fairly certain your stomach will burst.

Cassian hums and nods; speaking over a mouthful of food. “Told you so. Nothing like it.”

You sigh, tilt your head back. Grateful for the outdoor table; the sun in your face, warming your skin. Grateful for the salt-kissed air filling your lungs. Grateful for things you never thought you’d have.

“Doing alright?”

Cassian’s voice startles you from your thoughts, and you sit up, smiling sheepishly. “Yeah. Just contemplating.”

He arches a brow, silently urging you to continue.

“I never had…anything like this, back…” you swallow thickly, words caught in your throat, “…back home, if you can call it that. This is all new to me.” Fold your hands in your lap and pick at your nails; avert your eyes. "Nature, people, community...”

The silence stretches long enough that you begin to wonder if you've said too much.

"I slept outside, the first several years of my childhood. Not even in a tent. Outside. On the ground."

You meet his eyes, feeling a pull so strong you lose your breath. "I--I'm so sorry."

Cassian smiles halfheartedly, and continues, "I didn't know true kindness until I met Rhys. He was an ass, but the first real friend I had. My point is--I understand, how everything feels foreign."

“Like I don’t belong,” you mutter quietly.

“That will go away too, with time,” he says, before rising from his chair and holding a hand out to you. “If you’re ready, we can head back to the House.”

Slowly take his calloused hand, ignoring the flutter in your chest as you do so. “Lead the way.”

~~~

“Careful,” Cassian murmurs gently as he helps you settle after landing back at the House of Wind. “Didn’t realize you were so clumsy.”

Roll your eyes. “We’ve been walking around all day. My feet are bound to hurt.”

Cassian grins. “I’d be more than happy to carry you.”

You laugh, unamused as you turn on your heel. “Unnecessary, but thank—”

You trip over your own foot and curse, prepared to eat the floor, but Cassian grabs you, settling you upright. You lock eyes, face burning with embarrassment.

Cassian arches a brow. “You were saying…?”

“I was saying…” breath catches as you realize his hands are still on your waist, but you make no move to stop him. “I was saying that carrying me is unnecessary, though i’m sure you’d jump at the opportunity to show off—”

This time, you’re cut off by his lips pressing against yours. You tense at first in shock, but melt into him as though you’d kissed him a thousand times before. Stifle a whimper as his tongue dances with yours, still tasting of wine.

You aren’t sure how much time has passed when Cassian pulls away. His eyes search yours, almost worried. “Are you okay? I probably should have asked first—I didn’t think—”

You smile. “I’m fine. More than.”

~~~

That night, you lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to cease your racing thoughts. Those of your powers, of the consequences of leaving the Hewn City. But the main concern that won’t leave you:

Who are the Night Court’s enemies, and why were you relevant to them?

See a shadow out of the corner of your eye, and scoff as you sit up. It swirls around the foot of your bed; observing.

“Tell your master he doesn’t need to spy on me. No evil plots coming from me.”

The shadow remains. In your head, you hear a question: Are you alright?

“I’m fine. Get out of my head.”

The shadow leaves your room, though you still have the feeling of being watched. Surprisingly, it gives you some level of comfort. But as you near the brink of sleep, you can’t rid yourself of the impending doom; the sense that the worst is yet to come.

taglist: @cleverzonkwombatsludge @marina468 @cherry-cin @sevikas-whore @tequilya @nickishadow139 @thatacotargirl @skylarkalchemist @lilah-asteria @acourtofbatboydreams @esposadomd @aelincaddel @sharknutz @pruvii

[secondratefiction]

That 70's Show Drabble request: It's your and your twin brother Eric's 16th birthday, kitty and red usually remember but they forget yours this year, your boyfriend Hyde notices and gives you one of the best birthdays ever, including you two both having sex for the first time. Hyde also does a little cussing at red And kitty for forgetting their youngest daughter's special day.

'ello my love, always nice to see you around 😁

Afraid I might have gone a little off the brief for this one, but hopefully it still hits at least most of what you wanted 💜

(Ok, yes, timeline wise, Hyde was living with the Foreman's before he got the car, but this is basically the fandom versions of "...who's like is it anyway?" where the stories are made up and canon events don't matter, so... just roll with it)

You're blaming Eric for this.

He was the one who decided he didn't want to share a birthday party with you any more

Now, granted, you had agreed, mostly out of anger and annoyance with him in the moment - "Fine! Why would I want another stupid Star Wars themed party anyway!" - But you hadn't thought it would end up here...

The decision had been made after the disastrous aftermath of your last combined party, and it was something that had slipped your mind over the last year.

Of course in the month before, Eric was sure to bring it up, and remind your parents that you were doing separate celebrations... although, you weren't expecting exactly how that ended up working out.

Your mother had seemed to pull out all the stops for this year "Sixteen is such a special age after all..."

There were pancakes and all of Eric's favorites at breakfast... only Eric's though

And you tried not to let that get to you, but you didn't even get so much as a happy birthday out of any of them... not even your Dad which stung quite a bit considering that it was no secret that he had a tendency to favor you over Eric and even Lori.

But you sucked it up, put on a brave face, and tried to act like it wasn't a big deal... which you were actually pretty good at -

At least until you got sent down to the basement to collect a few things for your mom. That's when Hyde spotted you...

He sat up from the couch looking like he was struggling to wake up. Which, in all fairness, he was, "Hey, little Foreman." You rolled your eyes at him, leaning on the ack of the couch, "Did you sleep here again?" "Yeah." He nodded, leaning into kiss you. "You're gonna get caught..." He only smirked up at you with a shrug, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Standing up, he vaulted over the back of the couch to pull you into a proper kiss that honestly made you a little weak in the knees, leaning into him more as he pulled away, "Happy Birthday baby."

And just like that the damn broke...

You let out a strangled, broken laugh, quickly burying your face in his chest to try and hide the fact tears had immediately sprung up, and that you were losing the fight to keep them contained.

To say Hyde was caught off guard would be the under statement of the century. He almost panicked as he scrambled trying to figure out what was wrong, what he'd said to set you off.

All of this despite your poor attempts to assure him it was nothing. "Hey, no. Look at me," He pulled you back from him so you couldn't keep hiding, and waiting until you actually looked up to meet his eyes, "If you are this upset, it is not 'nothing'. Now, tell me what happened."

You tried to fight it, keep your mouth shut, but there was an intensity in his gaze that left no room for argument... he wasn't going to let this go until you told him, so you did, laying out all the events of the morning, "... I can't believe they fucking forgot my birthday."

For a moment Hyde's expression was unreadable and you had just started to ask what he was thinking when he grabbed you by your elbow and started walking you towards the door "Wait! Steven, what are you - I'm supposed to be grabbing a box for my mom." "Don't worry about it, I'll get it."

He walked you straight out of the garage, putting you in the Camino, still very confused before he turned around a disappeared back down the basement steps.

He grabbed the box you had indicated and made his way up to the kitchen. Smiling tightly and nodding in greeting when Kitty noticed him. "I didn't realize you were here Steven." "I just came by to pick up Y/N... plans for her birthday, you know."

He took the moment of realization and shock on her face as a chance to drop the box on the table and make a quick exit out the sliding glass door.

He was sliding into the driver's seat by the time Kitty could be heard shouting for Red inside the house, throwing his arm behind your head as he looked to back the car out of the drive

"Ok..." You said slowly as he turned around to put the car in drive, pulling away from your house, "So what are we doing?"

"Don't know yet, that's up to you," He said, smirking at you, letting his hand come to rest on your knee, "Tell me what you want to do, and I'll make it happen."

You couldn't help but laugh a little bit, almost beaming at him as you put your own hand over his, "Anything I want?" "Anything."

[roxygen22]

Babysitter

For those of you looking forward to Lofty's appearance in the My Little Cocoa Bean series, your wait is over!

Summary: Willy needs a babysitter ASAP. Lofty steps in begrudgingly. Ben/Bean is 5, and Charlotte/Charlie is about a year old (and crawling).

C/W: Derogatory remark toward children. Babysitter loses track of child. Minor injury.

<><><><><>

It took time for Lofty to grow accustomed to Ben's regular presence at the factory. He found the squirming tiny human tolerable when confined to that silly wrap on Willy's chest. Cute, even. But the fondness waned when the boy became mobile and was fully exhausted once he started to talk. Ben made a habit of following Lofty around, asking the most inane questions. "What are you doing?" "Why are you orange?" "Can I have green hair, too?" He was oblivious to Lofty's exasperation.

On the rare occasion when there were long spells between Ben's visits, though, Lofty would ask after him. "When can we expect the little troll again? I'm not used to actually being able to get my work done without tripping over him." Willy would just laugh and shake his head. He could see right through that callous exterior.

Today was the first day that Willy took both Ben *and* Charlotte with him to the factory. Lofty scoffed when he saw the family enter. "Two of them. Fantastic," he said flatly. He gave Ben the usual side eye, though Willy saw the small smile that lit up Lofty's face when he thought nobody was looking.

Willy had just gotten the children settled in the office when he spied an entry on his desk calendar. "Oh no, no no no! That can't be today!"

"What's wrong, Papa?"

"I have a very important meeting at 9 this morning that I thought was scheduled for tomorrow." He paled and scrubbed a hand down his face. You were at work today as well, and Willy knew how much it meant to you to start back again after Charlotte's birth. There was no way he was going to pull you away because he mismanaged his schedule. Noodle was at school, and there was not enough time for your parents to cross town to watch the kids. "Oh boy. I'll just have to ask Lofty."

Willy pulled out his fife to summon the little orange man. "Lofty, I need to ask a favor. Can you keep an eye on Bean and Charlie, keep them out of trouble just long enough for me to meet with the chameleon flower importer?" Willy implored.

"And why would I want to do that?" Lofty asked incredulously.

"Please, Lofty. If the deal works out, we'll have the ingredients again for those color-changing candies you like so much."

Lofty placed his hand on his chin in thought. "I suppose I can look after your crotch goblins. JUST for a limited period of time. JUST this once!"

Ignoring the jab at his babies for the time being, Willy gratefully shook Lofty's hand. "You're a lifesaver. Here's Charlie's nap and feeding schedule and her bottles. Here are Bean's snacks. I need to go brush off my coat and hat. This shouldn't take more than an hour, tops." Willy left the office in a whirl. "And Bean, stay away from the edge of the chocolate river!" he called out from the other end of the hallway.

Ben and Lofty just sat and stared at each other, not knowing what to do next. Charlotte seemed sufficiently entertained by chewing on her hands and babbling.

"Well, you two are more boring than guarding cocoa beans," Lofty lamented after a few moments had passed. "I need to go count bags of sugar. I will be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Take this whistle and blow on it if you need my attention. Keep an eye on your- hold on a moment, where is the newer one?"

Both he and Ben spun around to look, but Charlotte was nowhere to be seen. Unbeknownst to Lofty, the little girl was already quite proficient at crawling - something that Willy had failed to mention.

"Charlie? Charlieeeeeee!" Ben called out.

"Ba ba ba ba." They heard her babble in the distance in response to Ben's voice. Their heads swiveled until they caught sight of her crawling over the candy bridge. The bridge over the chocolate river. The bridge that does not have any rails to prevent someone from fa-

"Oh, good heavens. Charlotte, stop right this instant!" Lofty yelled. Thankfully, the girl paused. "How did she get all the way over there so quickly? How did she even get out of the office?"

Ben ran toward her, but Charlotte giggled and resumed crawling away at a faster pace, making a game of it. Lofty ran after both of them, but Ben's longer legs (even at 5 years old) prevailed. Ben would have caught up to the baby, too, had he not tripped over a group of candy toadstools at the base of the bridge. The poor boy fell forward and scraped his hands. Fat tears rolled down his face from the stinging pain and from losing sight of his sister again.

Lofty quickly looked Ben over once he finally caught up. "Buck up, you'll be alright. Get back on the proverbial horse. We need to find Charlotte. We know she went that way," he pointed across the river. "Let's split up. If you find her, blow the whistle."

Lofty pulled the boy back up off the ground. Together, they crossed the bridge. Ben went left and Lofty went right, each calling for the girl in hopes she would giggle or babble again. After what felt like hours of searching and chasing phantom sounds across the garden, they crossed paths under the chocolate cherry tree.

"I can't find Charlie!" Ben sobbed. The stoic Oompa Loompa was also nearly reduced to tears by that point as well. Willy would surely cast him out, just like he was exiled from Loompaland. Or worse.

A soft noise pulled Lofty from his downward spiral. It sounded like the tree was...snoring? He circled the trunk to find the source. "What on Earth? Benjamin, come look!" he whisper-yelled to the boy. Ben knelt down and spotted his baby sister cuddled up in a hollow at the base of the tree...asleep. Neither of them were big enough to pick her up and carry her back to the office, so they let her be.

"Stay here," Lofty instructed. "I will go find something to clean up the scrapes on your hands. If she wakes, you give her a great big bear hug and don't let go until I get back."

Lofty went to the storeroom to grab some rags and water. When he returned, Ben was asleep, curled up protectively in front of the den Charlotte had made for herself. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. The poor rascal had exhausted himself worrying over his sister. He didn't dare wake them for fear of playing another round of hide and seek. Instead, he sat down and leaned back against the trunk of the tree to-

Next thing Lofty knew, he felt a tap on his boot. He blinked the sleep away and spotted Willy's tall, lanky frame. Apparently, he had dozed off, too, and in his sleep had leaned over so that his head was resting on Ben's shoulder.

Lofty jolted up and looked to make sure both children were accounted for. Willy snickered. "Don't worry, Lofty. Your curmudgeonly reputation is safe with me. I won't tell anyone you were cuddling with my kids as if you actually like them." He winked.

"Cuddling! I...These menaces?" Lofty stammered. "Really, Mr. Wonka. I sincerely hope you don't plan on bringing more of these small humans to the factory. Now, can I expect to have more of those delightful color-changing candies again soon?"

<><><><><>

A/N: Ben will tell all once he wakes. Charlotte is going to be a handful!

<><><><><>

Masterlist

[cocktailjjrs]

This is the only good thing in my life right now...

The wholesomeness that is Twiyor ♡

Man really was so tired, that as soon as he stepped in the safety of his home, his adrenaline wore off and his body decided it was okay to let his guard down. i find it so funny that it did not happened with his subordinates who even know his true face and is supposed to trust with his life; but with the found family and wife, where everyone is putting on a facade on daily basis. That's so sweet.

And the way Twilight, the master Spy of WISE, just comforts Yor putting it clear in words leaving no room for second guessing. And the way Yor is starting to respond to it by doing the same...

This chapter might setup a stage for future angst, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

For now, enjoy Yor being Yor!

He fell again (literally). LOL!

[thorfemmes]

Now in Technicolor

part ii: "I found I could say things with color that I couldn't say any other way"

a/n: Surprise, I'm alive! This update has been a long time coming. I posted part one back in January, and then hit writer's block, and then my semester started, and then time just slipped away. but I'm on summer break so hopefully I should be able to write more! My ask box is always open for requests, headcannons, or just some fun chats about our favorite characters. I hope you enjoy!

read part i here

as always, reblogs, likes, and feedback are greatly appreciated!

Rated 18+: fem!reader x steddie, possible smut in the future, slight suggestive language (literally barely there), anxiety, brief mentions of nail biting and skin picking as nervous habits

Word Count: 2,667 words

When Steve woke up that Sunday morning he hadn't expected much. He had been called in to cover a shift last minute so he was dragging his feet all morning, upset that he had to miss out on breakfast with Robin and her new friend.

He quietly shrugged on the starchy green vest and crawled over his side of the bed to kiss Eddie goodbye.

Eddie groaned. "D'ya have to go? You weren't supposed to be scheduled," Eddie mumbled into his pillow, not opening his eyes.

Steve smiled softly. "I have to, baby. I called out last week so this shift will ensure a full paycheck for me".

"It's not my fault you called out".

"Oh definitely not. It's never your fault when you want to spend the day in bed".

Eddie opened one eye and smirked at Steve. "You weren't complaining when I fu-".

"Okay Eddie! I've gotta go, handsome. I'll see you this afternoon, yeah?"

"Of course. Bring home the bacon, babe!"

When Steve got off of work, he hadn't expected much. He stopped by Eddie's favorite Chinese restaurant and picked up food for an early dinner. Some Jade beef with extra steamed rice and a couple new movies sounded like a perfect night in for them.

When he got home, the front porch light wasn't on but Eddie's van was parked in the driveway.

"Hey Eds? I'm home," He shrugged off the vest and threw his keys in the dish on the front table. He walked into the kitchen and set the food on the counter. "Eddie?"

He heard a grunt come from the living room. He found Eddie sitting on the couch, his face in his hands and his leg bouncing up and down. Steve kneeled down in front of him and slowly rested his hands on Eddie's leg.

"What's wrong, Eddie?"

Eddie looked at Steve, eyes wide with stress. "I went to breakfast with Robin and Nancy this morning," Steve nodded. "And I met their new friend, Y/N. When we met, color flooded the rest of my vision".

Steve took a deep breath. "Okay..."

"I'm just… not sure what to do. I gave her my phone number so we could talk, but I wanted to talk to you. What does this mean for us?"

Steve glanced over Eddie's face. His eyes were glassy and his bottom lip was chewed raw. "Baby we've talked about this, it was bound to happen to one of us. Nothing is going to change unless all of us want it to. I still love you, do you still love me?"

Eddie's eyebrows furrowed. "Of course! It's just that, what if she's not your missing soulmate? Or what if she doesn't want me in her life since we're already together?"

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Did she say anything about us when you brought it up?"

Eddie shook his head. "No, not really. But she was cool with Robin and Nancy so I'm assuming she's cool with us. It's just different, obviously".

"Obviously," Steve smiled softly. "Let's just give her some time to settle. We can't worry about something that hasn't happened yet. You just met her today, I haven't even met her yet. Let's just relax and eat the Chinese food that I brought home before it gets cold. Whatever happens is meant to happen, it's out of our control now".

Eddie took a deep breath to steady himself. "Okay Stevie, it's your turn to pick the movie tonight". Steve reached up and gave him a quick kiss before heading to the kitchen.

Across town, Y/N was eerily quiet. She had been since breakfast. Rather than heading home, she headed for the nearest Goodwill and went straight to the book section. Scanning the shelves, she came across a book meant for newly found soulmates. One that could help her identify the colors around her. She quickly picked up the book, along with one on color theory (though truth be told she had no idea what that meant) and went to the register, thankful that it was a bored teenager ringing her up rather than a chatty old lady that would no doubt question her purchases.

She drove home, probably faster than she should have. She quickly ran into her apartment, locking the door behind her. She scanned her living room, now blotched with color. Various unnamed shades poked through her vision, overwhelming her. She wasn't sure if it was the colors that were overstimulating her, or the newfound knowledge that she had more than one soulmate wandering the earth. For most people, finally finding a soulmate was easy. You meet, you get to know each other, you fall in love, the end. What was she supposed to do with a soulmate that was already in love with someone else, with his soulmate. A soulmate that wasn't her. All of this made her head pound. She threw the book on the couch and made her way to the kitchen. She rummaged through her cabinets until she found some ibuprofen. A nap and a handful of Advil will do her some good.

Eddie hadn't heard from Y/N in almost two weeks. He had gone back and forth debating whether he should ask Robin for her phone number, but ultimately decided not to. It was up to her to reach out to him, and in her own time. Though truth be told life carried on as normal. Steve continued to complain about the middle schoolers trying to sneak rated R movies out of the store, Eddie continued to bar back at a local restaurant, and the two boys continued to build their lives together. The only thing that has changed is Eddie's ability to fully see color. He could tell Steve what matched and what didn't. He encouraged him to wear more yellows and browns that looked great with his slight tan and rosy cheeks. He also stopped Steve from wearing that god awful orange polo shirt with the green vest because c'mon Stevie, you have to know what an eyesore that is, even with your limited colored vision.

When she finally did call, Eddie wasn't home. Steve was getting out of the shower that evening, greeted by the shrill rings of their telephone. Sitting down on the bed still in his towel, he answered with a simple hello?

"Hi, is Eddie there?" A soft voice came through the phone.

"No he's not, may I ask who's calling?"

"Oh! Um, it's Y/N".

Steve stood up a little straighter. "Hey Y/N, it's Steve". The other end went silent. "Hello?"

She cleared her throat. "Hey, yeah. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting you to pick up, but now that I'm thinking about it, it makes perfect sense. Of course you guys live together, you're soulmates, why wouldn't you? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called. Please tell Eddie I won't bug him again, I-"

"Hey, hey slow down. You're perfectly fine, there's no reason to worry. Eddie's just at work, but I can tell him you called?"

She nodded, "Yeah, that would be great. Thank you".

"Of course. And hey, Y/N? I meant what I said, there's nothing to worry about. We're both excited to get to know you -if that's what you want".

"Thank you, I appreciate it. Let me give you my number".

After the phone call with her, Steve called Eddie at work.

"Hey baby, is something wrong?" Eddie was a bit worried. The last and only time Steve had called him at work was to let him know that he wouldn't be home for dinner because he was in the ER with Lucas who had a broken nose after a basketball incident.

"Yeah everything's okay. I just wanted to let you know that Y/N called. I'm not sure when you'll be home, so I wanted to let you know before I head to bed".

Eddie let out a slow breath. "Okay, thank you for letting me know. Sleep well, Stevie".

It was well past midnight when Eddie got home. He quietly meandered around the house, peeking through the pantry and fridge for a late night snack. He grabbed the quart of juice from the fridge and drank straight from the carton, something Steve would've chided him for. Nothing they had in the house sounded all that appealing to him, but his attention was quickly drawn away from eating by an empty envelope with Steve's chicken scratch on it.

Y/N's phone number, it read. Give her a call when you're ready, she's just as nervous as you. Xoxo.

Eddie let out a small laugh at the sign off. The microwave read 1:37 am, surely it was too late to call her? Something urged him to though, a small voice in the back of his head inviting him to the telephone in their living room. He sat down on the arm of the couch and pressed her number into the dial pad. Eddie immediately regretted the decision until she picked up after two rings.

"Hello?" She sounded almost hesitant, wondering who on earth was calling at this hour.

"H-hey," He cleared his throat. "Hey, it's Eddie".

"Hey Eddie," She whispered.

"How are you doing?" He cringed inwardly. Was he supposed to make small talk or cut to the chase?

She huffed out a small laugh, "I'm doing well, you?"

"I'm doing well," He paused. "This is awkward, right? It's not just me?"

"It's a little awkward, yeah. Um, what are you doing up so late?"

"I just got off work, I hope I didn't wake you up or anything".

She shook her head in response. "No, don't even worry about it. I couldn't sleep anyways. What do you do for work?"

"I bar back at Paolo's down on 10th street".

"Oh! I've been meaning to try that place. Is the food any good? I know there's a town-wide debate on whether Enzo's or Paolo's is better".

Eddie smiled again. "The food’s really good, but I may be biased. Enzo's was a little too stuffy for me. They wanted me to cut my hair and cover up my tattoos even though I work in the back of the house".

"Yeah, that sucks. I'm glad you found a place that works for you".

A minute passed by before either person talked.

"So I-".

"I think-"

They fumbled over each other's words.

"You first," Eddie said.

"I've been thinking, and I'd like to get to know you a little better. And Steve if he's comfortable with it. I'd like to have my soulmate -or one of them, I guess -be a part of my life".

Eddie sat up a little straighter on the air chair. "I'd like that, I'd like that a lot. Steve and I are both off on Thursday if you'd like to meet then? Just something easy like over coffee".

"Something easy, I'd like that. I get out of class around 2:00 pm, so maybe we could meet at 3:00 pm? I go to school outside of Hawkins so it'll give me time to drive over to you guys".

"Sounds perfect, sweetheart".

Eddie was going to have a heart attack. His anxiety was bouncing off the walls leading up to his meeting with Y/N. What does one wear to introduce one of your soulmates to your other soulmate? What if your soulmates hate each other? What if Steve isn't her missing soulmate? The mental gymnastics of even processing that he has to introduce two separate soulmates to each other was exhausting. Before it was all hypothetical; He didn't know if she wanted to be in his life, in fact he had assumed not since he hadn't heard from her. But now? Now Eddie had to face reality and jump over this hurdle.

Steve, on the other hand, was calm and collected. Almost too calm for Eddie's liking. He just went about his day normally. Sat and drank his coffee and watched the morning news. He got dressed without a second thought. He was eerily calm. Even on the drive to the coffee shop, Steve calmly drove with a supportive hand on Eddie's thigh. Meanwhile, Eddie was biting his nails down to the quick.

Across town, Y/N had already arrived. She bolted out of class and ended up getting there 20 minutes early. She saved a table near the back of the cafe. She debated whether she should order or wait for the boys, but ultimately decided to wait. To be completely honest, Y/N had no idea how she was going to stomach a drink during this meeting. She didn't know if she was more anxious about seeing Eddie again or meeting Steve. Selfishly, she hoped Steve was her other soulmate. It would make everyone's life easier. And if he wasn’t her other soulmate? Well, that’s a whole separate shitstorm to navigate. Let’s not get caught up on that right now. You have enough stress bottled up as is. Any more might shatter the glass.

She was jolted from her racing thoughts by the bell on the cafe’s door ringing out. She looked up and saw Eddie holding open the door for another man. A slightly shorter, more muscular man that was just as handsome as Eddie.

She quickly waved them over and stood up to greet them. “Hey Eddie, it’s nice to see you again”.

Eddie offered a soft smile. “Yeah, same. This is Steve. Steve, this is Y/N”.

She offered a small wave, too nervous to shake his hand and confirm their soulmate status so early in their meeting. Steve understood, keeping his hands tucked into the back pockets of his jeans. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Y/N”.

“Cool,” Eddie cleared his throat. “So, I’m going to go order for us. Y/N, do you want anything?”

“Oh, it’s okay! I can go with and order”.

“Please, I insist”.

She looked into his soft eyes, getting nothing but kindness back from him. Chancing a glance at Steve, she received the same look of patience and kindness from the man. She nodded and told him her order.

With Eddie standing in a line across the room, there was no longer a buffer between Steve and Y/N. Steve quietly motioned back to the table. They sat down, an intimidating silence fell over them. She picked at the skin around her thumbnail while Steve’s leg bounced -both of them filled with nerves. It was Steve who finally broke the silence.

“So, uh,” He started. She quickly looked up at him, giving her full attention. “Robin and Eddie tell me that you’re in school? Well, mostly Robin, but yeah”.

She nodded with a soft smile. “Yeah I am. I’m almost done, thankfully”.

“Cool, cool”. Another silence fell over them.

“H-how,” She cleared her throat, when did it get so dry? “How did you and Eddie meet?”

“Technically, through mutual friends. We had crossed paths in high school, but we really didn’t talk to each other until after I graduated. I was kind of a dick in high school, so we wouldn’t have gotten along much anyway”.

“The universe has a weird way of doing that. Throwing people into our lives when we least expect it”.

Steve smiled. “Yeah, yeah it does”.

The rest of their coffee date went rather smoothly. Y/N learned a lot about Steve and Eddie, and vice versa. She learned about Eddie's uncle, Wayne, who raised him as his own from a young age; and, that he had an affinity for thrash metal -especially Metallica and Anthrax -fantasy books, and DnD. She learned about Steve's upbringing and that while his parents were in his life, they were never truly involved or all that interested in actually being a parent. Steve's music taste varied, loving anything from the Beastie Boys to Simple Minds to Bruce Springsteen; and, while he would never openly admit it to anyone else, he secretly loved Tiffany's music. They learned about your family and your relationship with them. They thought it was interesting that you chose Hawkins of all places to settle down for college. Your music taste was also eclectic, but Eddie continually teased you about liking Madonna (Steve had to hold his tongue from calling Eddie out on loving "Vogue" and her Like a Prayer album). When it was finally time for them to part, Eddie offered a small hug, to which Y/N softly accepted. When they separated, she turned and offered a shaky hand out to Steve. He took a deep breath and shook her hand.

Time seemed to stand still again. Color flooded the rest of their vision. What was once murky grays and blobs of pigment quickly became a full painting with every shade imaginable.

Eddie looked at the two of you, hope sparkling in his eyes. “Well?”

Y/N and Steve shared a grin.

“Well, life just got a whole lot easier for the three of us”.

thank you so much for reading! more to come soon! <333

taglist: @alexxavicry @marvelous-musicals @kbakery @sillypurplemurple @munsonology @sidthedollface2 @sunnygrey99 @sigh-mon-says @pastelbabygirl19 @sleepy-bunny @bethanysnow @sllooney @cottagecori @saramelaniemoon @bestofbucky @luvrsbian @shotgunhallelujah @tiannamortis @hazydespair (please lmk if I missed you!)

[taylor-swift-bracket]

Battle of the Bridges!

evermore

Can't not think of all the cost

And the things that will be lost

Oh, can we just get a pause?

To be certain we'll be tall again

Whether weather be the frost

Or the violence of the dog days

I'm on waves, out being tossed

Is there a line that I could just go cross?

And when I was shipwrecked (Can't think of all the cost now)

I thought of you (All the things that will be lost now)

In the cracks of light (Can we just get a pause?)

I dreamed of you (To be certain we'll be tall again)

(If you think of all the cost)

It was real enough (Whether weather be the frost)

To get me through (Or the violence of the dog days)

(Or the violence of the dog days)

(Out on waves, being tossed)

(I'm on waves, out being tossed)

But I swear (Is there a line that we can just go cross?)

You were there

right where you left me

Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen?

Time went on for everybody else, she won't know it

She's still twenty-three inside her fantasy

How it was supposed to be

Did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion?

Breakups happen every day, you don't have to lose it

She's still twenty-three inside her fantasy

And you're sitting in front of me

🌁Please reblog!🌁

[putuponpercy]

Hi I haven't written a fic for this fandom in over a year but I saw the first couple paragraphs in my drafts last night and went in a trance at 1am finishing it anyways here's a little snippet from The Early Days section of my They're Just People AU enjoy

-

Thomas glared at the small flock of seagulls a short distance away, fighting over the small scraps of food Edward threw in their direction. "You shouldn't feed them.”

His colleague merely shrugged. "A little won't do too much harm," he said, chucking another scrap towards the hungry birds.

"Nasty things," grumbled Thomas, shaking his head. "Lost many a decent meal to them back when I was on the streets.”

"Well you needn't have to worry about that now. You're plenty fed.”

A tut and an eye roll was Thomas' only response.

Come to think of it, the young’un had been in a particularly sour mood for the majority of the day. More so than usual. Reaching into his lunchbox, Edward pulled out half a sandwich then held it out to his companion. “Sarnie for your thoughts?”

Thomas wrinkled his nose. “Ain't tuna is it?”

“Chicken and sweetcorn.”

Satisfied Thomas plucked the sandwich from Edward’s grasp, wasting no time in scarfing it down while Edward waited patiently for his colleague to spill the beans. He didn't pressure Thomas, even after the young lad had finished eating and opted for fiddling with the cuffs of his sweater in silence. He knew Thomas would speak up in his own time. For whatever reason, ever since that fateful night the pair crossed paths at Barrow Central Thomas had chosen to put his full unwavering trust in Edward, although Edward wasn't exactly sure why. All he did was offer the lad a hot meal in exchange for getting him and his engine across the bridge.

“Reggie and Bart returned to the Main Land this morning.”

Speaking of.

Edward's brow raised in surprise. “Have they? Huh… that's the first I've heard of it.”

“And Alfie and Raymond are leaving this evening,” continued Thomas. “Isaac and Harry too.”

Humming, Edward grabbed the flask sitting next to his lunchbox. He unscrewed the cap and took a small sip of his tea. “Seems more and more are heading back by the day.” After another sip he gave a reassuring smile. “Worry not, I'm sure it'll be us soon.”

“And then what? What happens after we leave here?”

“Well… I suppose it's back to passenger trains and goods runs across the Furness line. Shame really. Not that I'm complaining, no. But Sodor’s been a breath of fresh air I suppose. Nice to feel useful after…” Edward trailed off, trying to shake off the memories of how his coworkers back on the Main Land often spoke down or belittled him. “Still, the Furness Railway is my home.”

The two lapsed into silence, though it wasn't comfortable, the air still felt as if something was left unsaid. Taking a quick peek at his pocket watch, Edward wasted no more time in packing up his lunchbox. “Right, come along you. Sir Topham Hatt wanted to see us before our goods train this afternoon.”

“Is’at right? What could the Fat Controller want to see us for?”

Edward tsked. “I do wish you wouldn't entertain the other's idea of such a demeaning nickname.”

Thomas waved him off. “Shove off will ya, it's not like we call him that to his face.”

“I dare wonder if that makes it even worse.” Shaking his head, Edward continued, “Regardless, we should make haste. Who knows, perhaps he'll tell us our loan period is up ‘an all. That this time tomorrow we'll be the ones crossing that bridge back to the Main Land!”

“Back to Furness Railway, you mean?” Thomas asked quietly, expression unreadable.

“Precisely.” Tilting his head to one side, Edward frowned. “Hadn't we just gone over that?”

Abruptly, Thomas stood, balling his fists at his sides. “But Edward- I don't work for Furness Railway, remember? You picked me up off the streets because you didn't have a fireman. What's going to happen to me once we go back? They'll kick me out the moment they realise I'm not one of them! I can't go back to living on the streets, Edward - I can't go - I don't want to go back there! I-”

Two warm hands gently clasped Thomas’ own that had found their way up to gripping his hair somewhere amidst his panic. “Thomas, I need you to breathe for me. Deep breaths now, in - and out. Good lad, and again.”

Thomas followed suit, taking a few shaky breaths. When had his breathing gotten out of control? When did he start crying for Christ's sake? His hands slowly lowered from his head, feeling Edward give them one last reassuring squeeze before pulling away. “...sorry,” he said pathetically.

“Don't be daft, you've got nothing to be sorry for,” Edward replied without a beat. His gaze softened. “I should apologise. I had no idea how distraught you had been feeling about all this. I just wished you had brought it up sooner rather than letting it build up like that.”

“I’m sorry,” Thomas said again. “It's just that, coming here - to Sodor - has been the best thing to ever happen to me, least from what I remember. I have a roof over me head, I don't have to worry about when my next meal will be, I have a job, and you- Edward you've been ever such a good friend to me.” He paused, batting a hand across his damp cheek. “I'm terrified to lose it all.”

Edward swallowed a lump in his throat at being called ‘friend’. He never had quite gotten along with his coworkers back home, so in a sense, Thomas was his first real friend since joining the railway. He placed a hand on Thomas’ shoulder. “I wouldn't be such a good friend if I allowed you to go back to living on the streets, would I?”

Confused, Thomas asked, “But where else would I go?”

Edward shrugged. “Well, while my flat isn’t exactly grand in size I'm sure there's some room to squeeze you in.”

Blue eyes widened. “What? You're saying I can come live with you?”

“I mean- only if you'd like to-”

“Of course!” Thomas cried, leaping over to squeeze the other in a hug. “Thank Edward, thank you! I won't cause no bother I swear!”

Edward grinned. “No bother? That doesn't sound quite like you,” he teased, giving the other lad a pat on the back.

Pulling away, Thomas matched him with a cheeky smile of his own. “Well- within reason, of course.”

“Of course. And I'm sure we can try and get you work on their railway, although the chances are it won't be as my fireman, there are still plenty of opportunities. Even if it's something as giving Old Coppernob’s engine a good polish.”

“As long as it's nothing to do with stinky fish I'm up for anything!”

Chuckling at his enthusiasm, Edward took another glance at his pocket watch and almost gawked at the time. “Right, come along you, we're running late! Don't want to keep the Fat - I mean - Sir Topham Hatt waiting.”

Renewed with energy and anticipation for the future the pair climbed aboard their engine together ready to tackle the rest of the day ahead, unbeknownst to them that the Fat Controller was about to drop the bombshell that Furness Railway had expressed that they now had zero interest in having Edward, nor his engine, return home to them.

[mymindtoyours]

Discovery finale

I'm still not over that finale and watched it again. Random thoughts in no particular order:

I still can't believe there were no vows at that wedding. That was the minimum I expected. I see a lot of fun behind the scenes pictures so fingers crossed something was taken out?

Ah, the beach! I guess this marriage takes place on Kaminar though it's never really said. Is it just me who worries that there was pressure of Vulcan purists? And Duvin intervened and was like, let's just do this on Kaminar so we don't upset the Vulcan alt-right? (I hope I don't overthink this but...)

I'm still like the bangs, the dress, I want to fix it all! I wanted T'Rina to look as good as possible for this wedding! Also, more Vulcan x Romulan touches in the fashion and Burnham in Vulcan formal wear please?

Kinda hoped for a (modern) variant of "parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched" when Saru returned or at a different moment? There was so little Sarina dialogue in general.

Primarch Tahal, interesting! I feel they were setting her up as a major character and I'll miss not getting to know her more. "Ambassador Saru, are you insane?" was a great line. And I wanted interaction between her and Rayner

Speaking of Rayner, why are you even at this wedding? Saru saw you once... Also where's the cake you were supposed to bring? Is Tilly your date? I need more information. PS: I grew really fond of Rayner and I'll miss him lots

Loved the atmosphere in that progenitor tech and levels but that triangle puzzle.... lordylordy..... The escape room enthusiast in me cringed so much

That bit where Stamets is sad/heartbroken/angry all in one gaze when the decision to destroy the progenitor tech is made. Also a character I'll miss a lot

The epilogue moved me, but the very end was also quite niche. I didn't remember a thing about Calypso and was like what is this....? And I really really feel bad for Zora still!!! Why dump a sentient AI all alone in space this way? I think they could have bridged to that Short Trek ep, if at all, in a much better way. For a show that really represented AI in interesting and unique embodied ways, I'm so shocked that this is how it ends. I expected a completely different arc. For instance, for Zora to maybe get a body, Mass Effect style? Detach a bit from Calypso, I would say, to truly honor that character. Does it really matter what happens in the far future?

I'll miss all these characters a lot and I really hope we'll see some back in Tilly's academy show or a different spin-off. It pains me the show ends prematurely and I'm also quite afraid we won't see much media around these characters anymore, because other Trek titles like SNW gained more traction. Merchandise wise I think we can't expect much either, which is a pity for me & my Saru shelf...

Without source material, it's always hard to keep up the fan art and such. But I do still have some ideas and I'll keep creating a few things that are still on my mind this summer for sure, I hope!

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Some silly fluff about Ralsei practicing his hugging skills on his old training dummy. Enjoy this for now, because the next thing I write is probably not going to be... quite so fluffy, shall we say :P But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose :)

Please feel free to interact if you liked this! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated :D

[kissoflightning]

A Long Way Down

KissOfLightning

Summary:

What were Chris Miller & Gavin Reed up to that night after Hank & Connor took over the investigation at Eden Club?

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)

Relationships:

Chris Miller & Gavin Reed

Leo Manfred & Gavin Reed

Characters:

Gavin Reed

Chris Miller

Leo Manfred

Additional Tags:

Leo Needs a Hug

Hurt Leo

Emotional Hurt/Comfort

One Shot

References to Drugs

References to Depression

Suicide Attempt

Gavin Reed Being an Asshole

Chris Miller POV

Language:English

Series: Carl Dies

Published:2023-11-20

Words:2,371

Chapters:1/1

A Long Way Down

Notes:

What were Chris Miller & Gavin Reed up to that night after Hank & Connor took over the investigation at Eden Club?

First half is serious, second half is silly fluff~ Chris Miller gets a POV story like he deserves!   CW: Attempted Suicide

Work Text:

Saturday, November 6th, 2038

Gavin Reed was inspecting the crime scene; the man known as Michael Graham had been found dead at Eden Club. The scene showed the deceased man in a bed with bruises on his neck, and an incapacitated brown haired female Traci android across the room. Gavin examined Michael's corpse closely; the bruising was an indicator the victim had been strangled. "Now the question is..." Gavin speculated out loud as he crossed his arms. "Did the android act with the intent to murder him, or did he just not know when to call it quits? Is the killer a deviant or a defective android that wasn't inspected properly?"

The door to the room whooshed open. As the cop and detective noticed who had entered, Gavin opened with "Lieutenant Anderson and his plastic pet. The fuck are you two doing here?" He sounded confused.

"We've been assigned all cases involving androids." The android informed.

Oh Reed was NOT going to happy about that! "Oh yeah? Well you're wasting your time. Just some pervert who uhh...got more action than he could handle!" Gavin laughed boisterously.

"We'll have a look anyway. If you don't mind." Anderson told him.

Surprisingly Reed did not complain or cause a scene. "Come on let's go." He told Chris. The detective passed between Anderson and Connor wafting his hand in the air. "It's uhh..." He sniffled. "Starting to stink of booze in here." He purposely nudged against the android on his way out.

"Good night Lieutenant." Chris said in farewell before leaving. The cop did not have any personal qualms with Connor; he was polite and seemed to know what he was doing. As for the lieutenant, Chris held respect for him in the highest regard.

Gavin stormed off to the car and slammed the door shut after entering.

Chris settled into his seat. "Well you handled that surprisingly well." He pointed out.

The detective shoulder checked and pulled out of the parking lot. Once Gavin was on the road, he shouted angrily "It wouldn't have done shit if I had an outburst in there! It's FUCKING BULLSHIT Chris! Every time there's a case involving a fucking android, Drunkerson gets it just because he's been paired with that pretentious plastic prick! I'm SUPPOSED to be working in homicide - but my cases keep FUCKING getting taken over by that obnoxious tin can! At this rate I'm going to get my fucking job REPLACED before I can get a promotion!" Gavin angrily slammed his fist on the dash, and lost his grip on the wheel for a moment before it veered to the side.

Chris' heart rate escalated. In panic he exclaimed, "Shit Gavin! You're going to get us killed! How about we stop somewhere for a bit to chill out."

The detective took a heavy sigh. Chris understood Gavin needed to vent, but none of this was his fault. "Okay...there's a place I like to go when I need to think. We'll stop there for a bit." Gavin declared.

As Gavin drove along Ambassador Bridge, Chris noticed a figure standing near the ledge. "Shit! I think that person's about to jump!" Chris warned.

The detective stopped his car and activated his hazard lights. Thankfully there was not much traffic coming through. "Chris, stay a few feet behind me." Gavin ordered while cautiously stepping out of the car. "Hey, you! What are you doing?" He shouted to the individual standing on the ledge.

As the figure looked back and talked to Gavin, they recognized who it was. "I'm going to jump! Please leave me be. I can't go on anymore!" The man's name was Leo; they had seen working at the coffee shop until a few days ago. Chris recalled the detective complaining that everyone there had been replaced by a 'fucking android'.

"I'm with the Detroit Police Department. As per the law, I can't allow you to do that." Gavin stated.

"Why the fuck is taking my own life against the law anyway? I'm not hurting anyone except myself." Leo retorted.

"Firstly that's likely not true; you're hurting those that care about you. Secondly, if suicide wasn't illegal, there would be no way for us to intervene." Gavin argued.

"You're wrong on the first part; nobody fucking cares about me. Both my parents are dead and I don't have any fucking friends! I'm going through Red Ice withdrawal and I'll never make it out on my own. I'm better off dead."

Gavin's hands were shaking...he seemed really worried. He was probably fond of Leo, as Chris was; seeing the same people on practically a daily basis, you naturally grow attached to them. Despite Gavin being irritating seventy percent of the time, Chris saw him as his friend, and he would despair if something were to happen to him.

"I've been where you are Leo! You don't need to do this! It feels like you have nothing now but...hell my parents are alive, but they're fucking dead to me. I've been through hell and back, but I had the strength to pull myself out!" Gavin exclaimed. Was he really telling the truth? Or was this all part of an act to convince Leo not to jump?

"Well I'm not strong like you Detective Reed! I can't even function without Red Ice! I blamed the android but..." Tears streamed from Leo's eyes. "My dad DIED because of me! I broke into his mansion and stressed him out while I was high on that shit! He died of a heart attack." As Leo broke into a sob, Gavin cautiously moved closer, and Leo noticed. "Don't fucking come any closer! I'll really do it!" The man threatened, but his whole body was trembling.

Gavin took the gamble and gradually inched closer. "Don't do it. We can talk this over. We can get you some help."

"I'm a worthless piece of shit." Leo closed his eyes for a moment and steadied his stance. "I'm better off dead." As soon as Leo closed his eyes, Chris took the opportunity to sprint towards him.

Leo stepped over the edge, and Gavin lunged forward catching the man's right arm. However, Leo slipped off anyway due to the wet terrain resulting from the storm. "Shit.. I'm losing my...CHRIS!" Gavin shouted frantically.

"Help me. I don't want to die!" Leo exclaimed.

Just in time Chris clutched onto Leo's left arm, and Gavin readjusted his grip on Leo's right. "Okay on one...PULL!" Gavin ordered as they pulled Leo back up.

They were successful in their endeavor and in the aftermath, the three men were heaving. After catching their breath, Leo was trembling. "I...I'm so sorry. Thank you for saving me." He gasped with weariness in his breath.

"All in a day's work!" Gavin said cheerily as he smirked and did that weird double wink. For the life of him, Chris had no idea why Gavin thought that was appealing.

"How are you feeling?" Chris checked in on Leo.

"A bit traumatized but better...I think. I'm starving actually." Leo stated.

"Anyone feeling like going to Denny's?" Gavin asked the group.

"I could eat." Chris answered with a grin.

Gavin and Chris were seated in a booth beside each other and across from Leo. The officer was staring at the menu, having flipped through the whole thing over four times. "You decided what you wanted to eat yet, or are you going to continue reading that menu like it's a fucking novel?" Reed complained.

Chris always struggled with deciding what to eat. "Uhh...uhh."

"Just fucking pick something god dammit! I'm starving!" Gavin groaned.

The waitress approached, "Hi, my name is Tabitha, and I'll be your server today! Are you all ready to order?"

"Thank fuck! An actual human waitress! Yes, we're ready to order, right?" Gavin responded, checking in with Chris and Leo.

"Oh yeah! I know what I want!" Leo said cheerily. "Gimme a chicken tenders and fries. Hold on the gravy - your gravy tastes like shit!"

"And what are you having to drink?" She asked.

"I'll have a hot chocolate! Make it extra chocolatey if you can! With marshmallows, whipped cream, and sprinkles." He answered with a cheeky grin.

"Sure I can throw some Oreo chunks on top of it too for no extra charge if you'd like." She offered.

"Oh FUCK YEAH!" Leo chortled enthusiastically.

"What are you, nine?" Gavin ridiculed.

"It's my go-to drink when I've had a rough night, alright!" Leo protested. "Geez for a person who's trying to convince me to continue living, you're doing a terrible fucking job!"

Chris smirked. "That's just the way Gavin is. I think if he went five minutes without being an asshole, he'd spontaneously combust!"

Leo laughed at that.

"I'll have what he's having." Chris added. Chicken tenders and fries did not sound half bad, but the image of that hot chocolate was dancing in his head.

"And you?" The waitress asked Reed.

"I'll have a lumberjack slam with eggs over easy, and rye bread." Gavin ordered.

"And to drink?"

"I'll have a beer, like a REAL man. Pint of Guinness."

After the server left, Gavin stated directed at Leo, "I hadn't seen you at Starbuck's recently. When we were there it seemed to be completely taken over by androids. It's shitty your job got replaced by those fucking things!"

"I wasn't replaced. I was fired. I'm not surprised in the fucking least that the shitty manager wouldn't bother to hire any more humans. Sheryl and I were the only ones left. Some asshat decided to throw hot coffee on her because it 'tasted old'. She ran out crying. I jumped over the counter and beat the shit out of him." Leo explained.

"I'd imagine it'd be hard to keep a job after that." Chris concluded.

"Yeah, no shit. It wasn't the first time I messed up at work. I can't put up with that fucking shit at all without Red Ice. I've only gone 24 hours without it and I'm losing my fucking mind! I can't sober up on my own...I can't do it. And I have no-one...that's why I..." Leo expressed as he seemed like he was about to cry.

"Listen, if you need someone for emotional support. I'll be there. I don't have a fancy place, but you can stay in my apartment for a little while, and give you a chance to go through rehab." Gavin's tone softened to Chris' surprise. What could his ulterior motive be this time?

"Really, you'd let me stay with you? It'd be great to not be alone right now." Leo responded. Tabitha came up to the table with their food. Leo rubbed his hands together as he gleefully shouted "Thank fuck! I'm starving!"

"First the hot chocolate for the cutie." The server announced placing the drink on the table near Leo.

"Hey, what about me?" Gavin protested.

Blatantly ignoring him, Tabitha proceeded, "And the second hot chocolate for the handsome gentleman over here."

"Oh I get it! I must be the hottie then." Gavin assumed.

"And Guinness for the asshole." She deadpanned.

"The...hot asshole?"

"The average-looking asshole." She deadpanned once more before handing over the food. Her tone brightened back up as she cautioned "Careful sweeties, it's hot!" She glared at Gavin, "Except for you, you can burn your hands."

Chris and Leo laughed heartily. "Okay, that settles it! I'm paying for the whole table so I can give you a proper tip!"

Gavin turned to Chris and glared at him as the server left. The detective shook his head and shrugged. "She must just have terrible taste."

"Yeah, you keep thinking that." Chris sassed as he took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Fuck you Chris." Gavin grumbled.

"No thank you!" Chris replied. Leo belted out laughing.

"What about you, Leo?" Gavin asked as the man was sipping his beverage, pulling away and leaving a whipped cream moustache.

"Huh?" He responded.

"Do you think I'm attractive?" Gavin clarified.

"Oh- yeah I do!" Leo confirmed.

"See?"

"But I also have a terrible taste in men." Leo added with a giggle. Gavin frowned and Chris laughed.

After taking another sip of his hot drink, Chris stated, "Well your taste in men is nothing like your taste in drinks. This is damn delicious!"

"Can I try it?" Gavin asked Chris sheepishly.

"No. Thought you said men only drink beer!" Chris scoffed.

"Leo?"

"Nah! This is all mine! Order your own!" Leo told him.

"Pfft!" Gavin huffed.

After finishing their meal, a familiar Dean Martin tune played on the radio. Lay some happiness on me. Soon the brighter side, you'll see! No more loneliness to be! Lay some happiness on me. Leo started bobbing side to side. "Hey, this old ass song is pretty nice."

Chris expected the detective to make some snarky comment, but instead his gaze was focused on Leo. If the officer was not seeing it first hand, he would never believe that Gavin Reed could actually smile.

Tabitha came back to the table with a tray of dessert. "Three slices of apple pie on the house." The waitress announced as she placed them down. She looked at Reed. "You're actually a sight for sore eyes with that smile!"

Leo had taken a bite of his apple pie and complimented, "This pie is BITCHIN'! Thanks for the free dessert!"

"I'm glad you like it! Here's the bill. Pay whenever you're ready!" She smiled at Chris as she left the statement with him.

"Excellent service! We'll absolutely be coming back." Chris complimented. After the server left, Chris noticed that not only was Reed's gaze focused on Leo, but they were reciprocating with a soft smile. The officer thought back to when he first met his wife; she was a waitress at a diner when they first met and they looked lovingly at each other just like that. Chris looked forward to coming home and snuggling in bed with his beautiful wife. In the morning he would tell her and Damian about how his day went. He took part in saving someone's life today. For the time being, it felt like everything was going to be alright; he had not felt this blissful in a long time.

[The End]

Notes:

The second two thirds of this became an eating at Denny's scene with almost no actual plot, but I felt so fuzzy when writing this! I hope you enjoyed it too!

If you enjoyed the story, consider leaving a Kudos/Comment on AO3!

[blackjackkent]

VERY challenging fight among the mind flayer pods. I think this might be the first time Hector and Co. have actually fought mind flayers directly, and these fuckers are SCARY. They have an attack called Mind Blast which can (and did, on one occasion) stun the entire group out of their turns, and another called "Extract Brain" which didn't seem to do exactly what it said on the tin (thankfully) but did do an absolute shitton of damage. I had to restart the fight twice because Hector was unconscious for the subsequent conversation with Zevlor, which I wanted him to be awake for. XD

(I've realized recently that I completely fucked up redoing his build as an Open Hand monk and I need to redo it again, but I haven't been able to go back to camp since we went down the Flesh Slide. But for Act 3 hopefully he will be a little beefier. For right now I'm just pretending that he's doing more work than he's actually doing in combat. :P )

The thing I'm most worried about here is that we don't have the option of taking a long rest, and everyone is REALLY hurting and low on spell slots and there's got to be some enormous boss battle coming up. :/ But we'll cross that bridge when we get there, I guess.

Also, Zevlor and the two Flaming Fist who were also in the pods fucking KICKED ASS during this fight. I don't know if I buy the tieflings' story that he showed cowardice out in the shadow-cursed lands, because he was definitely not messing around against these mind flayers. My personal suspicion is that he tried to surrender because innocents were in danger of being hurt, and didn't realize that surrendering to the Absolute cult isn't like surrendering to sane people.

But I guess we'll find out because we can talk to him now!

"Hells. I didn't think I was going to make it... Thank you..."

Wyll chimes in before Hector can speak. "Zevlor."

Zevlor glances towards him - then does a double-take, registering the horns and mottled skin now gracing the man's face and head. "Watching gods... The Blade of Frontiers? Wyll? What happened?" he asks, startled.

Wyll smiles bitterly. "I paid the price of angering the wrong devil." His voice is surprisingly cool, cautious, despite having known Zevlor before. The tales they have heard of Zevlor's supposed cowardice have clearly bothered him more than he's let on; after all, he considers himself the protector of the common people.

Zevlor looks at him steadily for a moment. His own smile is sad, weary. "And shouldered the cost to spare someone else a worse fate, I'd wager," he murmurs. A pause; then he turns to look at Hector. "I... owe you an explanation," he says. "Much more than that. But first... please..." His glowing gold eyes narrow anxiously, betraying the placidity of the rest of his expression. "The others. The ambush... tell me they survived."

Hector nods slowly. He isn't really sure what to think of Zevlor at this point; the reports of his cowardice and surrender do not mesh with the image he has seen of the man himself. "They found refuge," he says cautiously. Well, most of them at least. "But what the hells happened out there, Zevlor?"

"You've heard some of it, I'm sure," Zevlor says flatly. "That I froze, or broke, or some other lie that is kinder than the truth." His gaze grows distant, lost in memory. "We were ambushed by cultists, yes. And then I heard... Her. Their false god, whispering promises in my mind. I would be a paladin again - with a god's purpose, a god's power. Everything I needed to protect my people." He swallows, squeezes his eyes shut, regret and shame written in every line of his face. "And all the while, the cult tortured them. They fought, and ran, and died around me, while I imagined myself their savior."

He scowls, opens his eyes again, though he can't seem to quite meet Hector's. "By the time I regained my senses, it was too late. I did not just surrender to the Absolute," he mutters. "For a moment, I welcomed it."

Oh, gods. Hector stares at him, unsure whether to feel sympathy or revulsion.

The great horror of the Absolute, he reflects, is not in all the death, or even in the eldritch transformation and absorption of the mind flayer hive mind. It's in the way that this enemy preys upon the deepest weaknesses and fears of those it consumes, stripping them bare, with no corner of safety or identity left to them.

He saw only a few minutes ago how Zevlor suffered during the aftermath of the Descent - a paladin of Elturel, attacked and exiled by his own people without cause, his faith shattered apart. Yet another flavor of that same lost emptiness that Hector has seen in Lae'zel, in Shadowheart, as they have seen a pillar of their life taken from under them. Is it any wonder that, given a vision of that certainty being returned to him, he should be tempted by it?

Hector could, no doubt, chastise Zevlor for the weakness - but what good would it do? It's obvious that Zevlor already feels more shame than he can bear for what he did, for the loss of control and the sacrifices that went with it.

Like Madeline, in the grip of He Who Was, grieving for those she turned over to the Justiciars. I cannot grant you forgiveness you deny to yourself - but I can tell you that I understand.

"It sounds like you were being enthralled," he says quietly. "It's not your fault.

"It would be nice to think so," Zevlor says; his shoulders relax just slightly at the expression of understanding but none of the tension leaves his eyes. "But whatever these monsters twist us into... I believe it begins in us." He lets out a heavy breath, steadies himself - the military mind taking over, although Hector sees in the moment something of his own rituals of calming and self-discipline.

"I won't make excuses," Zevlor continues, more briskly. "I can't make amends. But I know something of what you came to do - I want to help, if you'll let me." He glances past Hector down the slime-ridden corridor behind him. "Ketheric is below. He thinks you're no longer a menace. Descend and show him how wrong he is. If there are any more survivors to be found, I'll find them and lead them out of this place."

Hector nods slowly, impressed by the force of personality it is clearly taking for Zevlor to stand against his own shame and exhaustion. "I could use another blade in the fight to come," he points out.

Zevlor smiles without humor. "Only if you can trust it won't be buried in your back. The Absolute swayed me once before. I won't risk it happening again." He puts a hand against Hector's shoulder briefly. "Go, my friend. Please. Let me do this much."

He lets his hand fall, turns and walks away down the corridor.

----------

Hector watches him go, his eyebrows knitted together in a troubled frown. "Damn," he mutters. "What a mess." He sighs, rubs a hand down his face. "I'm glad we found him. He's a good man, in spite of... all of this."

Wyll raises one shoulder in a slight shrug. "I want to think you're right," he says. "But people died because of his moment of weakness. Innocent people. People who trusted him to protect them."

Hector glances sideways at him. "And who is to say what vulnerable spot of ours would not be dredged up to destroy us at this moment, if the Prism was not protecting us?" he points out. A rueful smile tugs his lips for a moment. "We all have our regrets. Things we would like the power to change. None of us are exempt from that."

Wyll tips his head to the side and returns the wry smile after a moment's pause. "I suppose I can't argue with you there."

[her-satanic-wiles]

I was tagged by the beautiful @da-rulah and @sodoswitchimage to do this. I never do these because I end up having no one to tag, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose.

Last Song: Dawn by Dario Marianelli and Jean-Yves Thibaudet from the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack.

Favourite Colour: Blood red or emerald green, but pastel pink comes in at a close third given my entire house is that colour and navy blue lmao

Currently Watching Reading: I don't watch TV much, but I'm currently reading a Freya Marske book. I won't go into detail because we're boycotting Macmillan and St. Martin's Press for their employee's violently racist remarks about Palestinians, but we still support authors.

Last Movie: Insidious the Red Door.

Sweet/Spicy/Savoury: Love me something spicy, but I'm a slut for sweet shit, man.

Relationship: Single, and going back and forth between loving it and hating it lmao. Unless you count my delulu relationships with fictional men, in which case I'm currently dating Copia and Astarion at the same time, lmao

Current Obsession: Ghost (of course), Victorian fashion, tea, reading and sapphicism.

Last Thing I Googled: The publishing house of the, the Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper.

Selfie: I don't take selfies anymore, but I do make a bunch of videos for BookTok, so here's a screenshot from an unpublished review video:

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this and hasn't had anyone tag them yet. I tag you.