#Jason was too hungover to question why he wasn’t in his own apartment | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

catxsnow · 4 years ago

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TRUTH BE TOLD D.G & J.T.

Request: Alright homeslice hear me out: dick x reader x jason love triangle. And reader is so oblivious and doesn't realize it. One night they're fighting someone and reader gets hit with like a love/truth spell and BAM angst and fluff galore

Warning: Fluff, Angst, swears

A/N: I hate love triangles but I made an exception just this once. I’m sorry about this ending.

Also if you don’t know, Klarion is a bratty Witch Boy. Pretty much all you need to know for this lol. Also I love Zatanna, okay I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST HER it was just for the plot.

GIF not mine

Word count: 4.2k

Damian was tired. He was tired of seeing his brothers so ridiculously pine over you. First off, you were far too beautiful to stoop as low as them. Secondly, they continuously tried to gain your attention that has made them look like narcissistic idiots. Whether it was trying to show of their muscles with some sort of cool move or prove their intellect, they tried everything.

You didn't work with Batman full time until moving to Gotham. It was the occasional team up that got Dick and Jason absolutely infatuated with you. When they heard that you were moving to Gotham for good? Well, they were in the least to say, very, very excited. Even with Dick in Bludhaven most the time and Jason off fighting around the world, it was a hell of a lot easier to see you when they came home.

Much like Bruce and his family, you were just human. No powers, no magic, just someone who wants to see the world a better place. Maybe that was the reason that Batman trusted you so easily - well as much as he trusted anyone. Being human meant that you had weaknesses, a lot of them.

One of those weaknesses included being completely oblivious to people's feelings about you. Most of your life you were cut off from emotions. If you wanted to do a good job of cleaning up cities from crime, you couldn't be distracted by caring for others. Year after year you told yourself it was just part of the job.

Until you moved to Gotham. Becoming part of the Bat-team made you realize that it was okay to let people in, even just a little bit. If the great Batman himself cared for a select few of people, why couldn't you? Damian had become the annoying little brother to you, Tim as well. It was with Jason and Dick where things became more complicated.

The two men had obvious feelings for you - everyone was aware about it except for you. They were allured by your skills, beauty, talents, and genuine selflessness. Night after night they had an endless war of trying to see who you would choose. You hadn't noticed either of their attempts at this, to you they were just being friendly.

This was why Damian was tired of it. You didn't even know about their feelings and yet they still fought about it when you weren't around. Jason and Dick would yell at each other, trying to prove who deserved you more. Bruce and Alfred had to pull them apart before things got escalated nearly every time.

It had been going on for years, and even though they both had been in and out of relationships over the years, it seemed that the end goal was always you.

"I'm getting really fucking sick of this guy!"

It was supposed to be an easy mission, in and out before anyone could even see you. Of course, things had to go wrong. Klarion the Witch Boy had been hiding within the shadows and the second that he laid eyes on you, all hell broke loose.

Objects were thrown in your direction constantly and it was becoming a struggle to continue to dodge them all. There was no way that you could get a clear shot on him with his force field protecting him and his stupid cat. No matter how many explosives and sharp objects you threw his way, there was no chance of getting to him.

It was against your wish that you had to call in for back up. After being on your own for this mission, you were quick to realize that Klarion was far too powerful for you to take down on your own. Bruce and Damian arrived as fast as they could to help you, the others were unfortunately busy with missions and couldn't come to you even if they wished to.

Their entrance had distracted you for only a sliver of a second, but that time was all Klarion needed to cast the first spell he could think of off the top of his head. A red blast protruded from the palm of his hand and went straight towards you. It hit your right in the chest and the force of it pushed you painfully into the nearest wall.

Your head smacked against the cement and black spots covered your vision because of it. As you tried to push yourself up off the ground, you could see Klarion getting away. He wasn't prepared for a fight against Batman himself. Your arms collapsed from below you and you didn't have the energy to even sit up.

The last thing you saw was Robin running towards you with worry on his face.

You woke up to bright lights. The small med bay that Bruce had in the cave was always lit up and each time you were stuck there you always wished he'd get different lights that didn't hurt to look at. The groan that you admitted while sitting up caught the attention of those who had stuck around for you to wake up.

Jason, Dick, and Damian were all there waiting for you to recover from the spell that Klarion had cast upon you. They were still unsure what he had done to you, but if you didn't seem to be in any danger from it, at least nothing that would be permanent. They wouldn't know until you woke up.

The three boys hovered over you, watching your every movement. "The last thing someone wants to see waking up is your ugly faces," you joked. The three of them rolled their eyes nearly in sync as they gave you some space. "What happened?"

"Klarion hit you with a spell," Damian informed you. "How do you feel?"

"My headache feels worse than the time that I showed up hungover for patrol with Bruce. Also, I’ve got the weirdest craving for a PB and J," You blurted out. Your eyes were wide at your answer - you definitely didn't mean to say that out loud. "What the fuck. I didn't mean to say that. What did that Witch Rat do to me?"

"We don't know," Jason answered. He glanced between you and Dick. Both of them wanted to hold you in their arms, to make sure that you were safe with them. Neither of them made a move to do so, not when they didn't know what was wrong with you. "Do you feel any different?"

You shook your head. You felt fine. Your body wasn't that sore and you didn't feel sick in any sort of way. Hopefully, his spell was nothing but a distraction to get out of there and not something that would leave you suffering for the rest of your life.

"Maybe we should call Zatanna, she might be able to figure out what he did to you. What do you think?" Dick offered. If anyone could figure out a magic spell, it would be her. Your thoughts immediately went to the time that she and Dick had briefly dated and your mind went sour.

"Zatanna was never good enough for you Dick, you always deserved better than her. She's a liar, and a sneak," you said aloud. This time, your hands physically covered over your mouth from what had just come out of it. There was no way that you intended to say that out loud.

"Whoa, (Y/N)," Jason held his hands up in defense. You were never one to be snippy with other people. There were the time that you got annoyed and flipped on them, but never behind their backs like this. What the hell was going on with you? "Tell us how you really fell," he continued to joke around.

"I feel like sometimes I meant to be alone in this life. That I'll never be good enough to have someone love me because of the things that I've done, the people I've killed. It's come to the point where I don't feel like I deserve to wear this suit because of how aggressive I've become while in it."

You one again held your palm of your mouth. Where did this come from? Why did you just reveal your darkest insecurities to them? Insecurities that you could barely admit to yourself, much less someone else. Even if you did trust these boys with your life, you didn't always trust them with your feelings.

"What the fuck!" you screeched. Whatever Klarion had done to you, it was taking effect. You would never say anything like this, everyone knew that. You were reserved when it came to any emotions, maybe just as bad as Bruce himself. The surprised look on the boy's face had made you feel even more embarrassed for what you said.

The shock quickly turned to pity. They had no idea that you felt that way about yourself. Dick and Jason both wanted nothing more than to just tell you how they felt, to assure you that you were worthy of love. They might not have had the cleanest slates either, but you still deserved to have someone love you.

"Klarion put a truth spell on you," Bruce had joined the four of you. You hadn't even noticed him arrive and wondered how much of that he had heard. Bruce knew that you had killed before, but he also knew how it tore you up at night and that it wasn't something that you were proud of. "You're lucky he didn't kill you."

"Because you think I can't do things on my own, don't you?" You questioned with hostility in your voice. "I didn't mean that. Yes I did. Bruce! Fix this!" You had a turmoil within you. No matter how hard you tried to stop yourself from blurting out how you truly felt, you couldn't do it.

Bruce said nothing else, but nodded once before leaving. As soon as his father left, Damian gained a bit of an evil look in his eyes. Before you could even try to stop him, he had already started talking. Truth spell that you couldn’t resist answering? He was going to have a lot of fun with that.

"Did you eat the last slice of cake and blame it on Jason?" Damian asked. There was no way that he wasn't going to take advantage of this situation with you, but he wanted to start off with easy questions to see how powerful this spell really was. You should have known that he was going to do this.

The list of questions that any of them could ask you was horrendously long. The more you thought about it, the more you really did have to hide from them. You were pretty secretive and without being able to hold back the truth, they could find out everything from you if they wanted to.

"Yes," you told them. Jason's gained a look of hurt at your words. "Damian was holding a knife! What else was I supposed to say. He scares me." Damian looked content with your truth about him.

"When I lost my helmet a month ago, was it you that took it?" Jason narrowed his eyes. It had disappeared only for a day. When he checked the next time, it was in the exact same spot that he left it. For a while, he assumed that he had just been too sleep deprived but the more he thought about it, the more he knew that someone had to have taken it.

"Yes," You told him. "I wanted to see what the tech was like but then I kind of was having fun and didn't want to take it off. I also stole your sweater when I went over too, it's still in my room but I don't want to give it back. And I took the left overs in your fridge and left the note so you would think it was Roy."

Jason scoffed and shook his head at your answer. He wasn't expecting you to admit so much to one question but he was glad that he asked. The things he was dying to ask you, he knew that he couldn't with everyone else there as well. He had to restrain himself from asking, the answers that were just at the ready for him were so tempting.

"Why does Alfred the cat hate you?" Damian leaned his body closer to you. You felt intimidated under his stare but no matter how hard you bit your tongue you couldn't stop yourself from answering again.

"He wouldn't leave me alone so I threw him in the water fountain in the garden."

Dick and Jason couldn't help but laugh at that one. Damian looked furious at your answer but you had paid for your mistake. Cat scratched lined your arms for the next week.

“Do you sleep naked?” Jason raised an eyebrow. The questions were surely going to get a lot more personal and if they weren’t surrounding you, you already would have made your escape. Unfortunately, you felt too weak to push them away and there was no way you could outrun them.

“Sometimes,” you answered. The truth spell didn’t seem to be quite content enough with that answer and made you spew out more unforgettable words. “Yes, all the time.”

"Wait, wait," Dick stopped his brothers as they both opened their mouths to ask even more questions. Though there was so much that he wanted to ask you, he knew that it was wrong to do so. "This is mean, we can't take advantage of (Y/N) like this. She has the right to her own privacy."

"Thanks, Dick," you half smiled at him. You appreciated that someone stepped up to stop anything from happening that you would regret.

"But," Dick continued. Your eyes widened at what he was going to say next. You were sure that they could hear the rise in your heart rate and the see the beads of sweat form on your forehead. being unable to hide what you wanted to say made you more scared than half the missions ever did.

Dick wanted nothing more than to ask you the question they had all been thinking: Jason or Dick? He wanted to know once and for all who it was that you cared for more and which one of them had a real chance with you. This back and forth arguing with Jason was tiring him out. He didn't, it didn't seem right to ask you this question against your will.

"You hooked up with Roy when we were part of the Teen Titans didn't you?"

"After every mission."

Between Damian's disgusted face at you, along with Jason wondering how Roy ever managed to hook up with you, and Dick's disappointment, you could tell that this was not the answer that they were wanting to hear. They wanted to know why you had hooked up with Roy rather than either of them.

Truth was, they just never asked.

It had been days and the spell still hadn't worn off. Everyone in the manor kept forgetting about your truthfulness. It was the simple, mundane questions that they didn't expect you to be so open about.

How was your sleep? Who forgot to make coffee? Why is there no milk left? You had openly admitted to them that you were on your period and would much rather take a bullet to the chest than go through this every month.

The worst time had to be when Steph asked about her outfit. She simply wanted another woman's opinion and had completely forgot about your open honesty. After that morning she vowed never to ask about an outfit from you ever again. You felt terrible for saying such awful things to her.

Each question got a very snippy, very truthful answer which you felt bad about. Thankfully, no one teased you anymore about asking ridiculous questions about yourself that you weren't wanting to share. Bruce had scolded his kids for being rude to you - you were a guest in their home until all this was over.

Since you were staying there, that also meant that Dick and Jason had decided to hang around as well. Although you were worried they were still going to ask you certain questions, you were glad to have their company. It had been a while since you had spent time with them outside of missions.

The two heroes were starting to lose their patience with each other. Jason wanted to ask you how you felt about them, it was the perfect time in his eyes to ask. There was no way that you could lie about your feelings and they would finally know the truth after all these years. Whoever you picked, would put an end to this war.

Dick on the other hand, saw this as too much of an invasion to your privacy. If you were going to pick one of them you either would have said something already, or weren't ready to admit it. Forcing you to reveal your feelings seemed like something you would hold against them forever.

Which had brought on another fight between the men. They yelling had caught your attention from your room, but it was the loud crash that followed that made you run downstairs to see what the fuss was about.

Damian stood between Jason and Dick, both of which had a vicious look in their eyes. If there was nothing blocking them, you were sure that they would be right in the middle of a fist fight. Damian looked relieved to see you standing there.

"I'm tired of this useless nonsense," Damian scowled. "(L/N), if you were going to date either of them, which on of these imbeciles would you choose?"

That was a question you had been dreading to be asked. Both men played an important role in your life. They were your best friends, your family. Each of them supported you in their own ways and you would always be thankful for everything that that have done for you. But having to pick a favourite? You didn't want to have to do that.

Jason was the kind of person that would stand up for you no matter what. After everything that he went through with Bruce, he knew that he could be a hardass at times. Jason protected you from things that you didn't even realize you needed protecting from. He kept you sane in this crazy world that you lived in.

Dick managed to always brighten your day on the worst lows you had. He had his ups and down in life and he knew how hard it was to get out of those valleys just by yourself. Without him, you weren't sure what kind of endless pit of self-destruction you would be in. He was there for you when you needed him most.

"I..." you stuttered over your words. These past few days, you hadn't had the choice to think about what you wanted to say. Whatever you felt deep within your heart and mind was the only option that you were allowed to say out loud. Now, you felt a relief in your chest, the ability to say whatever you so choose, not the deep, hidden truth within.

"I don't have to answer that," you told the three of them. Jason and Dick had egarely been waiting for your answer, it was all that they wanted to know within the past few years. Who would you pick? You did you think would treat you better. The questions had been on the tip of their tongues all week and it was finally Damian who had caved. "I think the spell's worn off."

"What?" All three of them nearly screeched. This was the one question that they had been dying to ask you and now that they finally did it, they would never get the real truth out of you. They had missed their shot.

"No, there's no way," Dick argued. He looked panicked, Damian had admitted that the two fought over you and now that they got the chance to see what your choice really was, it was taken right from the palm of their hands. "What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you out on patrol?"

The tightness in your chest that you felt when you had been asked questions didn't appear. You didn't feel the need to blurt anything out either. The spell that Klarion cast on you was finally out of your system, and just in time too. You didn't want to know what would have happened if you had answered that question.

Truth be told, you didn't even know the answer.

You shrugged to answer Dick's question - of course you could remember the most embarrassing things that happened to you, it was engraved in your mind for the rest of your life. Without another word, you grabbed your mug of coffee and headed over to the three of them. You kissed the top of Damian's head - to which he grumbled about it.

Damian left the three of you - there was no way that he wanted to be part of whatever was going to happen next.

"(Y/N)..." Jason trailed off. He didn't even know what he wanted to tell you. He wanted to be honest, to tell you that he loved you since the day that you had told him off. He loved the way that you protected everyone no matter the cost but still ruthless against your foes. He loved everything about you.

How was he supposed to compete with someone like Dick? The golden child. Mr. Perfect. There was no way that you would ever pick him over Dick, so why did he keep getting his hopes up? Why had he fought for so many years for your affection? That was what love was all about, he just didn't know it.

"How long has this been going on?" You asked. For years, you had no idea that they had feelings for you. Dick was the biggest flirt you knew, you had just gotten used to it. Jason was always kind to you, you assumed that he was just being the protective friend over you. All these years you were oblivious to how they felt.

"Years," Dick answered briefly. Just like Jason, he wanted to tell you his true feelings. There was nothing more that he wanted than for you to pick him. But how was he supposed to compete with someone like Jason? You were more like his younger brother than you were ever like him, that was how he assumed that you guys got along so well.

Jason was always the person that you leaned on when things were getting rough. He knew how to make you feel better about the terrible things you had done because he had done just the same. Dick was never able to fully understand the difficulties that you went through, not like Jason. After all these years, why did he keep trying?

You sighed, followed by rubbing a hand down your face. That wasn't the answer that you wanted to hear. After knowing them for half your life, you felt like an idiot for not knowing that they were feeling this way. The answer that you gave them about Roy, their reaction to it, it finally made sense. They weren't disgusted, they were disappointed that it wasn't them.

Back then, when you felt like your heart couldn't be broken and that you would never break someone else's, you would have happily had put either of them in Roy's place. Now? Now, the three of you were adults, vulnerable to heartache and mistrust. You were glad that neither of them had gotten the chance.

"I would take a bullet for either of you - I have taken one," You sat down on one of the stools that sat at the kitchen island. Both of them stood before you, waiting for you answer. The anxiety in the room had never been so high before and for the first time in your life, you felt uncomfortable under their gaze.

"And you both know that I care about you, a lot. That's something that's never going to change," you continued on. "There is no one that I trust more with my life than the two of you... But I don't think I could ever trust either of you with my heart. I'm sorry."

You stood up from your spot on the chair. The heartbroken look on their faces nearly broke you. You didn't want either of them to hurt from your answer. The last last thing that you ever wanted to do was hurt them. You loved them both, it was just never the way that they wanted to be loved by you.

With as much delicacy as you could muster through your shaking hands and wobbling chin, you placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. The men leaned into your touch, soaking up every ounce of you that they could get.

"You know that I love you both," You spoke once more just before exiting the room. Your back was facing them, turning around meant that you would have to put on a brave face and that wasn't something you were sure you were capable of. Tears threatened to spill down your cheeks - whatever friendship you shared with them, it was going to be different now.

You were all adults, something like this shouldn’t change a friendship that had been lasting for years. Yet, if they had been arguing over you since they were young, you were sure that their teenage mentality of this whole situation would overpower their adult intuition.

"You deserve better than me, you deserve someone that's going to love you unconditionally. I want you both to be happy, without me."

Truth was, they never would be.

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fluffy-marshmallow-heart · 5 years ago

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20 Seconds of Courage -Part 6

The Elementalist AU

Beckett x MC (Oriana)

Words: 2795

Warnings: NSFW

Catch up Here

Beckett was in the kitchen making breakfast for a very hungover Oriana. It was very early, much earlier than he would ever wake, but he knew she’d have to go home to grab some clothes. When the spread was ready, he went back upstairs to wake her.

“Hey, wake up Ori.” He murmured, laying down beside her and brushing her hair out of her face.

A groan came out, one of her hands flying to her head. “Oh my god.”

“I have Tylenol waiting for you, along with some bacon and toast. Need to soak up that alcohol.” He told her quietly.

She peeked one eye open. “Beckett? Why are you in my apartment?”

He frowned. “You’re in my apartment.”

She groggily looked around at her surroundings. “Oh.”

“Do you remember coming here?” He asked

She shook her head, wincing with the movement. “Did you pick me up?”

Anger started bubbling up inside him again. She doesn’t even remember. “No. You showed up here drunk off your ass. Now get up and get moving. We have work in a couple hours.”

“Crap, I need to go home.” She muttered.

“Yeah, you do. I’ll call my driver. There’s food and Tylenol downstairs. So get moving.” He said coldly, standing back up and leaving the room. He’d been planning on eating with her, but right now he just wanted her to leave. He went into the kitchen, fixing a container and shoving the food inside. A few minutes later, she came downstairs.

“The car will be here any minute.” He said, not looking up. “Here’s your food.” He turned around, shoving the container across the island to her. “You’re already standing next to the Tylenol and water. I suggest you take it.”

She stared at him a moment. “What’s wrong with you?”

He rose an eyebrow. “I just need to get ready for work.”

“You’re acting cold. Why?”

He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. “Seriously, Oriana, take the damn Tylenol.”

She complied before walking over to him, placing her hands on his hips. “Now tell me what’s going on with you.”

“I really don’t know how to be more clear with you.” He snapped. “I like you. I want more than whatever this is. So some jerk made you feel like crap. You were only together a couple months, are you madly in love with him or something?”

Hurt flashed in her eyes, and she took a step back. “We weren’t supposed to do this more than once. Somehow you keep convincing me this is a great thing.”

He scoffed. “Last night you said you returned my feelings. Was it a lie? Did you lie to me?”

“I don’t even remember coming here!”

“Then answer the question now. We’ll forget what you said last night. Do you or don’t you have any type of feelings for me?”

She cast her gaze to the ground. “I….”

Before she could answer, the intercom buzzed. “Mr. Harrington, Ms. Miller’s car has arrived.”

He stood there, waiting, but Oriana couldn’t give him an answer, at least…not one of them.

“I’m not in love with Jason. I never was. And yes, he’s a jerk and he made me feel like crap.”

“And the rest?”

She chewed her lip but hesitated long enough for Beckett to roll his eyes. “Your chariot awaits.” He walked to the door and opened it, beckoning her to leave. She swallowed hard…and left. He slammed the door behind her, back to being completely furious.

When Oriana arrived at the office, she only felt slightly better than she had before the Tylenol. Not only was she hungover, but now the one person she’s come to rely on is mad at her and basically kicked her out of his apartment. She’d gone home and showered fast, pulling new clothes on even faster, then hustled to the office, leaving her hair to air dry.

As she approached the office she shared with Beckett, she noticed the door was closed. She didn’t hear anything from the inside. Opening the door, she spotted him on his cell phone pinching the bridge of his nose, seemingly having an intense argument with someone. As soon as he noticed her, he hung up quickly and she could swear she saw a look of guilt cross his features.

“Oriana.” He greeted curtly.

“Hey, Be…”

“You forgot your food. I added a couple more Tylenol as well too. And your coffee.” He pointed to the container, the pills, and the steaming cup of coffee.

“You…why? I really thought you were pissed at me?” She questioned

“Oh, I am. But we have a job to do and you need to be on your game. I’m not going to pick up your slack because you felt like getting wasted on a work night.”

Her mouth fell open. “What the hell is that matter with you today?”

“Shut the door. We don’t need everyone in our business.”

Oriana furrowed her eyebrows, turned around and shut the door before walking back over to the desk. “You’re really that mad that I wouldn’t confirm my feelings for you when I was massively hungover?”

“I’m here to do a job, and I’m depending on you to help.” He responded, ignoring her question. “If you go out and drink yourself to death every time Jason says something you don’t like, it’s going to be a problem. Not only do I care for you, but I care about this job. I have a lot riding on this project, and you are not going to ruin it for me.”

Oriana flinched, feeling the sting of his words. “I have no intention of ruining anything, Beckett. I am damn good at my job. Don’t forget I’ve been here longer than you have, I have seniority here.”

“Coulda fooled me.” He muttered, his eyes reverting back to the papers sprawled in front of him.

Oriana hands balled into fists. “You’re being very irrational.”

“I need to know what you think of this.” He ignored her again.

“Beckett.”

He sighed. “I’m not having this argument in the office, Ori.”

She was both surprised and hurt by how fast he’d shut her out. “Thank you for breakfast.” She said quietly. “I can’t believe you brought it in for me. You could have eaten it yourself.”

“I made it for you.” He shrugged. “But I did steal some bacon. Because who doesn’t love bacon.”

She couldn’t stop the giggle from coming. “vegetarians.”

He shook his head vehemently. “That’s usually a lifestyle choice. If they weren’t vegetarians I bet they would love bacon.”

This time she laughed. “But some people medically need to be vegetarian.”

“That’s not the point, Ori. The point is, of people who can and do eat bacon…they love bacon.”

“I love bacon too. In fact…I love all kinds of meat.” She said flirtatiously.

“I literally have no idea what you mean by that.”

She sauntered back over to him, sitting in his lap, grinding against him. “I especially like your…meat.” She leaned in to kiss him…and he leaned back, turning his face away.

“We need to work.”

“Beckett.”

“Honestly, Oriana, I’m not playing these games with you.”

She stood up. “Don’t you think that’s a bit unfair? Weren’t you already single? I hooked up with you the same day I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me just a few weeks ago. And you seem practically ready for marriage.”

“Do not put words in my mouth that I didn’t say.” He fumed. “Just because I have feelings for you doesn’t mean I’m rushing out to buy a ring. Now, if you are incapable of working with me in a simply professional manner, then I suggest you ask for a different assignment.”

She shook her head sadly. “You know what? I’m glad you never got my text message last night.”

He snapped his head back up. “What?”

“I found it in draft. Turns out I never sent it. I’m really glad, because then I’d have to somehow take it all back.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Enlighten me, then. What did this message say?”

“My real feelings apparently.”

“And they are…?”

“Forget it.” She snarled. “There’s probably a reason I didn’t send it.”

“because you were drunk.”

“Because I knew I couldn’t trust them. I couldn’t trust you.” She grabbed a stack of papers out of her briefcase, sitting opposite him at the desk. “And goddamn it why don’t we have our own desks?”

Beckett said nothing, just leaned over his projections and began to work. Oriana did the same, the two of them working mostly in silence the rest of the day. At 5pm she gathered her things.

“Hey, Beck…” She started. “Thank you…for taking care of me last night. You never said exactly what happened.”

He watched her fiddling around, trying to take more time than necessary. “You showed up, late. I put you to bed. That’s all.”

“I was already asleep, wasn’t I? There’s no money missing from my wallet and I called a cab.”

“I covered it. It was nothing.”

She looked at him expectantly, but he never even glanced at her. “Well, uh…see you tomorrow?”

“Yup. See you tomorrow.” He responded shortly.

She left the building feeling hurt and to her surprise…completely devasted. She went home and flopped down on her couch, having no idea what to do. No, that wasn’t even true. She knew what she wanted to do, she wanted to fix things with Beckett. After a couple hours of internally debating, she grabbed her purse and left for his penthouse.

She strode inside, greeting the guard. I’m here to see Beckett Harrington.”

The guard nodded. “Good to see you again Ms. Miller.”

She frowned. She doesn’t recognize this guy. “I’m sorry, I…”

“It’s okay miss, you were asleep. It’s a good thing Mr. Harrington has a soft spot for you. If you weren’t on his permanent visitor list…well. You certainly wouldn’t have had such comfortable sleeping arrangements. I’m happy to see you looking recovered.” He swiped for Beckett’s penthouse before stepping out of the elevator. “Enjoy your evening.”

“Wait!” She cried, sticking her hand out to stop the doors from closing. “What do you mean, he has a soft spot for me?”

The guard shrugged. “You’re the only person allowed to come and go as they please. Other than him, of course. If you weren’t on that list, you would have spent the night in jail.”

She stood stunned as the elevator doors closed and whisked her to the top of the building. When the doors opened again, she stepped into him dimly lit suite.

“Beckett?” She called. She heard shuffling coming from another room and a moment later he was in front of her, looking quite surprised to see her.

“Ori? What are you doing here? I thought…”

But she’d already put herself right in front of him, pressing her lips to his, kissing him passionately as he returned it with fervor before pushing her lightly away.

“What are you doing here?” He repeated.

“I thought I could come and go as I please.”

“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to come back. Especially after….”

“I’m sorry.” She blurted out. “I should have been upfront with you. I don’t know why I hesitated. And then you were so cold to me today, and when I got home I realized…I didn’t want to be there, I wanted to be with you.”

“I said I’m not playing games, Oriana. I’m not a toy.”

“I get that…”

“I should have taken you off my visitor list. I simply didn’t have the time to do it yet.”

“Please don’t…”

“Then what do you want? Why are you here?”

“I want you.” She whispered.

He rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and pouring himself a glass. “You want my dick, you don’t want me.”

She was right on his heels. “I like you.”

He gave her a Look and she blushed. “Okay, I like your dick too, but I really like you.”

He downed his glass and turned around so they were just a breath away from each other. “I wish I could believe that. But I can’t even count the number of times you’ve pushed me away. If you really want me to believe it, you’re going to have to prove it.”

“How?”

“It would help if you showed me. But besides that…you can’t push me away again. I mean it. One more time, Oriana, and this is done for good.”

“Why do you keep giving me chances?” She asked

He shrugged. “There’s just something about you. But Ori, if we do this…we’re doing this. No hiding.”

“No hiding.” She agreed.

“No running off in the middle of the night. I’m not a booty call.”

She ghosted her lips against his ear. “You’re kind of a booty call.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he placed his hands on the small of her back, digging his fingers into her lightly.

She looked back into his eyes, brushing her lips on his. “But you’re so much more than that, too.” She reached her hand down, unzipping his pants, palming him in her hand.

He moaned lightly. “Then what am I?”

“You’re sweet.” She kissed his cheek. “You’re kind.” She kissed his other cheek. “You took care of my drunk ass.” She kissed his lips. “You made me breakfast, and when I forgot it, you still brought it to work with you, even though you were seriously mad at me.” She kissed his neck and along his jaw.

“You make me feel good.” She murmured.

He grabbed her hand with his own. “How good?” He asked darkly.

The corners of her mouth turned up. “You make me cum like no one ever has. You make me feel worthwhile. You make me feel powerful.”

He backed her into the kitchen island. “You’re staying here tonight?”

She nodded in return and he surged forward, capturing her lips with his own, his hands roaming free over her body, tearing open her button down shirt, causing her to gasp as the force of it sent her buttons flying.

“I love when you wear skirts.” He growled. “And this flimsy underwear.” He lifted her skirt and ripped her panties clean off of her. He grasped her hips and lifted her onto the counter, then with one hand he caressed her lower region, as the other yanked down his pants. “I’m taking you bare.”

“You already did once.” She moaned.

“This time I have condoms. But I’m not using one. You’re mine.” He thrust inside her, causing her to cry out at the sudden large intrusion.

“Say it.” He pumped in and out. “Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours” She whimpered.

“Say it again.”

“I’m yours!”

He dipped his head, sucking and biting the top of her breast, and she knew he was leaving his mark on the outside of her, same as he was on the inside. It surprised her to realize she wanted him to, wanted him to claim her, wanted everything with him, wanted him to show the world she belonged to him and only him. In this moment, he was making her feel like a Queen.

“Beckett” She breathed, receiving a grunt in response. “Beckett, I can’t be yours unless you belong to me as well.”

He lifted his head back up, his blue eyes penetrating her green ones. “Always.”

Never losing eye contact, they fucked harder. She clawed his back, and he encouraged her to do so. There was a sheen of sweat on both their bodies. The harder they went, the more the pressure builds, and soon they were both screaming in ecstasy as he exploded inside of her, shooting her full of his hot fluid. They were panting as they slowed, coming to a stop, finally breaking the eye contact and kissing like their lives depended on it.

“Are you okay?” He rasped.

She nodded, still breathless. “We’re never using condoms again. It’s just too good without.”

He grinned. “Good thing you’re on birth control.”

“Good thing.” She chuckled.

“What else do you want to do tonight?” he asked.

A slow smirk crossed her face. “Nothing else. We’re going to do this as much as possible all night.”

He lifted her back up from the counter, carrying her to his bedroom. “I’m glad you came.” He whispered hoarsely.

“I can’t stay away. And I don’t want to. Not anymore.” She responded, biting her bottom lip as he laid her down.

“How do you want me?”

“Any position that allows you to cum inside me. I love it. Fill me up tonight, Beck.”

He climbed over her. “Your wish is my command.”

@annekebbphotography @gardeningourmet @zigortega4life @eileendannie @thequeenofcronuts @drakewalkerfantasy @friedherringclodthing @coffeebeandragon @drakewalker04 @jlpplays1

@walkerismychoice @confessionsofabrokegirl @llamasgrl @lilyofchoices

@emerald-bijou @feartheendlesssummer @elainew13 @the-soot-sprite @paisleylovergirl @dottie-minerva-mikas @emichelle @kendrasgue @timmagicktoad @pbmychoices @flyawayboo @brightpinkpeppercorn @symonde @divergentofhogwarts @alesana45 @mfackenthal @desiree-0816

#beckett harrington #beckett harrington fanfiction #Beckett x Mc #beckett fanfic #beckett x oriana #the elementalist #the elementalists #choices the elementalist #choices the elementalists #the elementalists fanfic #20 seconds of courage #twenty seconds of courage #playchoices #choices stories you play #playchoices fanfic #playchoices fanfiction #fluffy-marshmallow-heart #fluffy-marshmallow-heart fanfic #fluffy-marshmallow-heart fanfic

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forthemultiverse · 7 years ago

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Sober Sensibility - Jason Todd x Reader

Part One

“I don’t have friends, I have teammates.”

Whilst you and Jason had been dating the first time, he had said that whilst describing his relationship with Roy. You could see through him though, even without meeting Roy, you could see that Jason cared about him. But if Roy was the exception, what did that make you?

His occasional girlfriend?

The reason he came back to Gotham at all?

Someone who would kiss his wounded pride all better on the rougher nights?

You had never met Roy. Did you even know what his job was? All you knew was that he traveled a lot and was one of a trio.

He was always coming in and out of your life whilst expecting you to just welcome him in with open arms.

Those were only some of the reasons you and Jason shouldn’t work out. You had started listing reasons when he’d broken up with you. One of your friends had told you to delete the text message, delete his number, and delete him out of your life.

But it was Jason Todd. You couldn’t just delete everything about a person who had meant so much to you. That’s how you knew Jason didn’t love you as much as everyone thought when you woke up the next morning.

Shame rushed through your head as you opened your eyes to see Jason’s always perfect hair next to you. You had a boyfriend that adored you, even if you didn’t feel the same amount of passion towards him…

You silently removed yourself from Jason’s arm and rushed all of your clothes back on, grabbing your phone off the floor and texting your boyfriend that you had to talk to him. You would have to break up with him now, maybe because part of you thought this meant Jason wanted you back, maybe because you knew that he deserved better than a text. Even if you and Jason weren’t getting back together, you would never stay with someone you cheated on, they deserved better.

Standing in the main room of Jason’s apartment, being hungover instead of drunk, meant you could think and see things a little bit clearer. You started making yourself some coffee and raiding Jason and Roy’s kitchen for anything you usually used to cure hangovers. There had been a point in time where everything you needed would be somewhere in this apartment, and not being able to find your foods made you look around a little closer.

The room was clean, Jason liked knowing where everything he owned was, he hated chaos. That meant your job was even easier. Where a photo of you and him on a cliffside you to sit, was a photo of him and Roy. So what, he got rid of a photo of the pair of you after you broke up, that’s completely normal.

You looked at the rug Jason had on his bedroom chair, you had bought it for him, except that it was gone, and so was the perfume you’d left at his house before the breakup, and so was every book you’d ever bought him as a gift.

You went to Jason’s evil closet, the place he dumped things he didn’t know where to keep. Nothing at all related to you hidden among the only messy place in the apartment. There was something in the mess that must have you in it. A scrapbook one of his siblings had sent in the mail, a scrapbook of events and other things that would have you in it.

Not a single photo.

He had been sent that whilst you were still together, and you had seen the exact same photo’s before, you had been in the photos before.

“What are you doing?” Jason croaked, walking into the room wearing sweatpants and nothing else. God, he was so good looking that it made your eyes hurt.

“Where am I?”

“What?”

“These photo’s had me in them, where am I?”

“I didn’t want you in them anymore.” he shrugged and walked into the kitchen area.

“Why not? We were happy in these photos, even if we broke up, didn’t you want proof that you could be happy?”

“Whatever.” he rolled his eyes. His walls had gone back up now it was daytime, and you weren’t tipsy and easily manipulated. His fun was over and he didn’t want you around when you wouldn’t just be his. Jason Todd, the man you were still in love with, but you held such hatred to him in your heart. You were jumping to conclusions, he had broken up with you, so he had gotten rid of all proof of your existence. That must have been how he coped. Just because you could never just erase a person didn’t mean that he couldn’t.

“Didn’t you feel anything whilst you did it? Was all the ‘you’re worth way more than a text,’ and ‘I love you’, from last night, all a lie because I was vulnerable?” you spoke clearly and calmly. Being emotional had gotten you into this situation, it had made you weaker. You needed to think.

“Can we not?” Jason poured himself some coffee too, obviously wanting to avoid having a real human conversation. That might mean he’d have to share details with you and act like a real person who’d been in a relationship with someone. Sure, meaningless sex was a thing, but you didn’t think for one second that last night had been meaningless for either of you.

“We’re talking about this, Jason.”

“Yes, okay, I’m in love with you.” he spat the word. Not the confession most people wanted, but at least it was something.

“Then how could you just get rid of me like this?” You motioned round his place. “I’m not playing a game anymore, I’m not being your easy fallback that you can come to and know I’ll always be waiting. I’m not putting my life on hold for you anymore because of fake promises and sugary sweet true love confessions and cliches.”

“You’re everything I’m afraid of (Y/N),” he spoke softly, looking at you with pure adoration and appreciation.

“You acted like you loved me, like the world was perfect with me in it. I deserve an explanation. You can’t just look at me like that.”

“Who’d know you’d hurt me like this…” it was like you weren’t even in the room anymore like he was talking to air in a frozen aside. But you couldn’t hear him, and time hadn’t stopped.

“I hurt you!” you took a deep breath, you weren’t going to let him think he had power over your emotions. “You dumped me, I love you, you clearly don’t feel that way about me.” you ran your hand over one of the photos, tracing where you used to be.

“It wasn’t easy.” he turned to a different page in the book. “But this place reeked of you. Everyone I love ends up dead, so I had to save you.”

“Keep using that excuse, never giving me context or reason to believe it isn’t just a lie created to make sure I keep coming back. Keep me thinking you’ll want me until eventually you get bored and never come back. At least I got a text this time, as awful as it is to read, what if next time you decide to be the hero and save me, you just leave.” You spoke sarcastically, broken at last. You loved him. You truly, one hundred percent loved him, but you weren’t some tragic side piece. You were going to walk out of his door and never come back before he could do it first.

“You don’t just delete people if you really care about them.” you grabbed the last of your things and opened his door. “And it hurts me to think that you could just do that. Give me a reason to believe you ever loved me.”

Jason didn’t say anything, instead, pulling his keys out of a bowl and pulling one of them off. He tossed it to you, and looked away, waiting for you to leave. A key. He wanted to prove he loved you with a key. A key that you’d never seen before.

Part of you wanted to just bin it. You didn’t need to go on some wild goose chase. But it hurt you too much, thinking he had never loved you. You wanted it to prove something. You wanted to key to have some kind of answer, so you either move on or go back to Jason and fix the mess your relationship had become.

The key had a label with an address and a number. An address that led to a storage unit space. You went along each unit until you found the one that had belonged to Jason.

Placing the key in, you began to question whether you really wanted to see what was behind the door.

Turning it and hearing the click, you should just leave, try to actually move on. Delete Jason the way he’d deleted you - but he hadn’t deleted your number.

Pulling the door up, listened to the sound it made, like it was mocking you for having hope.

Inside was boxes of things. Boxes of you. The original photos, everything he’d bought you that you’d left at his, everything you’d bought him. Every moment you had together. Stupid poems he’d written as apologies when you’d had an argument. Your helmet for his bike.

You dropped to your knees and picked up a photo from the first box. You didn’t want to cry, but seeing everything was an emotional wrecking ball into the walls you’d only just started building.

You pulled out your phone, you needed to text him what all of this meant. He had beaten you to it. A text waiting for you to read, once you’d seen his storage unit.

‘I could never get rid of you,’

- Sorry if this is a bit of a mess, but I hope everyone who liked Part One likes this part too. Thank you for the support 😊 xx Scarlett

Tagged: @portrait-ninja

#Jason Todd #jason todd x reader #jason todd one shot #red hood one shot #red hood #red hood x reader #Red Hood And The Outlaws #batman #dc imagine #dc oneshot

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deplcythebattery · 7 years ago

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sooo it’s your no.1 fan here,,, what about the first time whizzvin met after the two years??? id say make it fluffy but I KNOW you can’t live without angst so throw me your worst ;););)

Merry Christmas!! I’m gonna switch this up a bit Eddie!! I seriously think they met before, so I’m writing about that. And then finish with the baseball game. (Whizzer is trans but that’s a default by now)

Whizzer hadn’t seen Marvin since he’d been told to leave with a suitcase pushed against his chest. He’d walked out with his head held high, prideful arrogance in his eyes that concealed how badly his heart had broken. Whizzer really expected that to be the end of it, the end of him and Marvin, and for what felt like eternity - it was.

It had been months, longer than a year, when Whizzer saw Marvin again.

The doorbell rang and Whizzer was woken up from an unintentional nap. He pulled on a pair of sweats, not bothering with a shirt as he had his binder on. “Hang on!” He called out as the doorbell rang again, rubbing his head. It wasn’t unusual for him to nap nowadays. His seasonal depression had turned into something more and he barely left his house anymore. Of course he occasionally came back with a stranger to drown out the ache Marvin left behind, but that had been more relevant in the first few months. Now Whizzer just sat on the couch, hazy eyes staring wherever they’d stopped each time he moved.

Sighing, Whizzer opened the door, expecting to greet a salesman of some sort. It took his foggy brain a second too long to recognize who stood at his doorstep, but once he did, his heart sunk.

“Marvin,” Whizzer breathed out, eyes wide. His voice was met by a drunken grumble as the man fell forwards. Whizzer barely caught him, brows furrowed. It wasn’t like Marvin to drink. That was one trait Whizzer had always enjoyed; he’d had his share of alcoholic boyfriends. “Whiz— Whizzer— you’re sssso pretty— pretty boy—“ Marvin mumbled over and over, but Whizzer paid no mind to it.

Whizzer knew something was definitely wrong. Marvin kept mumbling, his words blurred and intoxicated. “Let’s get you inside, sleep it off for a little while,” voice soft, Whizzer spoke to his ex as he helped Marvin inside. It was definitely a workout and Whizzer almost stumbled more than once on the short walk from the door to the living room. Once there, Whizzer helped Marvin onto the couch, trying to keep him from instantly rolling off. Sighing heavily, Whizzer shook his head. “What did you do this time, hm?”

“This isn’t even anywhere near the neighborhood you live in,” Whizzer continued his monologue knowing he wouldn’t get an answer. He stood up and scurried around to try and find Marvin a blanket. Maybe it wasn’t wise to let in an ex lover who was drunk and who Whizzer had never really gotten over.

He did it anyway.

When Whizzer found a blanket, he walked back into the living room to find Marvin fast asleep. For a moment, he just stood there, watching the man he once loved. Maybe still did. Oh how naive he had been, thinking he had it all figured out. The first few months had been so good. Then Marvin had gotten irritable and Whizzer made sure to push his every button.

Sighing once again, Whizzer shook his head to get rid of the thoughts and walked over to drape the blanket over Marvin’s sleeping body. The man looked much older than he had before; like he’d been through hell. And Whizzer knew enough to know that to be true. It must’ve been hard with Trina and Mendel getting married and Jason not spending as much time with him as he used to. Whizzer knew that, because he still played baseball with the kid every now and then.

After tucking Marvin in, Whizzer ran a hand through his messy hair and down his face, a habit he’d picked up from Marvin that never disappeared. Then he looked around for a basket or a bin to leave by his ex lover, just in case. Whizzer brushed his fingers through Marvin’s tangled hair once before standing up straight and making his way towards his bedroom. Maybe he’d be able to get some sleep.

Now the questions that had been at the edge of his mind hit home all at once. Why was Marvin here? What had caused him to get blackout drunk? Was Jason okay? Was it trouble at home? Would Marvin get through it? Had he picked up drinking every night? Why on earth did he choose Whizzer’s door after over a year of radio silence? Of course there as no way he’d ever ask those questions from Marvin himself, but his heart ached with worry anyway.

Confused, Whizzer got under the covers, leaving his binder on against better judgement. He knew it wasn’t healthy, but the situation was just too much to handle. For some reason, he couldn’t imagine taking it off while Marvin was in the house. All of the trust they’d built was gone, but Whizzer alone wasn’t to blame for that.

After hours of tossing and turning and listening to any and every sound coming from the living room, Whizzer finally fell asleep. His dreams were restless, littered with nightmares and suppressed memories. Whizzer jolted awake in the early hours of the morning, his sheets damp with sweat and his heart beating too fast, spiraling into a panic attack. He sat on his bed, knees up, elbows resting on them, head in his hands. If things had been like they used to, Marvin would’ve been by his side by now, calming the hyperventilating young man. But it wasn’t like it used to be and Whizzer had to get through it on his own. Again.

It took a good half hour for Whizzer to be able to get his head out of the downward spiral. Even after his breathing had regulated, his hands trembled visibly and his heart had a harder time calming down. Whizzer gathered himself, stood up from the bed, and held his head high as he walked out of the room. Making his way quietly towards the kitchen, the young man glanced over the mess of a man sleeping on his couch.

Marvin had dropped his blanket with one of his arms hanging off the edge of the couch. Suddenly Whizzer was overcome with heartbreak all over again. There was something so familiar in the sight: Marvin used to fall asleep on the couch all the time when work kept him up. It brought back so many fond memories he’d tried to forget and he had to turn around to keep himself together.

Hands still shaking, Whizzer moved into the kitchen to start making coffee, eyes like bruises against his pale skin. The fatigue from not sleeping, depression, anxiety, and not eating enough had left their mark on the pretty boy. Sure he was still attractive as all hell, but it was clear he wasn’t at his best.

Once the coffee was dripping, Whizzer turned around and just leaned against the counter, lost in that hopeless head of his. Deep in thought, he didn’t hear Marvin groaning as the man slowly woke up, hungover. Only when Marvin stumbled into the kitchen to get something to drink did Whizzer get pulled back into reality. Immediately he stood taller, somehow managing that half arrogant half careless smirk of his.

“Morning sleeping beauty,” Whizzer teased as he watched Marvin get a cup and pour himself a drink. “Don’t, Whizzer,” Marvin grumbled in return, which just made Whizzer laugh. Or at least laugh was what Whizzer did. Who knew how real it was in the end. “You don’t happen to know how you got here?” Marvin just grunted and downed a second glass of water, shrugging, “I remember drinking far too much.” “No doubt,” Whizzer remarked with a quirked brow. They were both caricatures of who they used to be, pretending they hadn’t been broken apart.

“I didn’t do anything stupid, did I?” Marvin asked and rubbed his eyes, clearly embarrassed. Whizzer just chuckled nonchalantly and shrugged his shoulders in turn, “mhm. Define embarrassing,” he just said, knowing it would drive Marvin crazy. But this time it wasn’t to annoy him, it was just friendly bickering. Marvin groaned and shook his head, hiding a smile, “well I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.” Whizzer suppressed the urge to tell Marvin that he interrupted a session with another guy. It would’ve been too cruel. Maybe before Whizzer would’ve used the lie to get a reaction out of Marvin, but now he was just too tired to care.

Whizzer tucked at the binder to get it lower, trying to stop it from digging deeper into his skin. It had probably been longer than a day since he took it off the last time. He’d have to wait till Marvin left to feel comfortable enough to get out of it. Now he just hid the physical pain just as the emotional scars and smiled at Marvin’s remarks. “Don’t sweat it. You called me a pretty boy, which isn’t a lie,” he smirked before turning to the pot of coffee. “Coffee?”

Marvin nodded and the two of them continued the back and forth teasing for a while. When silence fell over them as they drank their coffee, Whizzer did everything he could to seem nonchalant. Soon enough Marvin cleared his throat, “I think it’s time for me to go. It was nice seeing you,” he stated and Whizzer just dismissed it with a wave. “Give Jason my love,” Whizzer replied as Marvin gave him a final once over, keeping his posture and careless facade, and then Marvin was gone. The door closing felt like a slap against Whizzer’s face.

***

When Jason told Whizzer about the game on one of their baseball afternoons, Whizzer immediately agreed on going. It was only after he made the promise that he realized just what he’d said. Going to the game meant seeing Trina and Mendel again. And Marvin. Oh, god, the last time they’d met Marvin had showed up at his door shitfaced, spent the night on his couch, and filled the morning with pretentiously cheery and stiff bickering. Whizzer had asked Jason all the questions, made sure that Marvin was able to keep it together. It was one thing to hear about him, but to see him after this long and with that being the last interaction he’d had with Whizzer?

How could Whizzer ever walk out there and pretend like nothing ever happened, that he hadn’t been thinking about that night? It had been months, making it over two years since him and Marvin had parted ways. As soon as Whizzer got home from spending time with Jason, he dived into his closet, trying to drown the anxiety by choosing the best outfit. When you feel your worst, you gotta look your best, right?

When the night of the game came, Whizzer couldn’t stay home. He just couldn’t. He spent the day walking around, but made sure he was fashionably late for the game. Pretending like he hadn’t been waiting for it.

Whizzer arrived at the stadium, lingering at the edge, trying to locate the tight knit family. When he did, he noticed Marvin sitting on the top row with two women holding hands. Trina and Mendel were in front of them. Clearly they were discussing something as Marvin shook his head and the two women burst into laughter.

Deciding that he’d watch Jason’s next round from the shadows and then go greet the people he once held close, Whizzer stood back with his hands in the pockets of his fake leather jacket. “Oh, kid, you need to keep your eyes on the ball…” he mumbled with a fond smile on his face as Jason missed yet again. He’d never been that great at baseball.

When Jason stood back, Whizzer decided it was time to make an entrance. He gathered himself, stood as y’all as he could, and walked past the seats with his eyes on the Jewish kids playing baseball. He had his sunglasses on, hair fixed perfectly, and as soon as he passed the tight knit family, he knew they saw him.

“What is he doing here?” Marvin asked from behind Whizzer. Trina gasped, though trying to politely hide it, and confronted Whizzer where Marvin lacked the guts. “What are you doing here?” Trina asked directly and Whizzer turned to her, taking off the glasses. “Jason asked me to come, since he asked me to come, I came,” he said calmly, glancing up at Marvin just momentarily. Trina and Mendel went on to grumble about Marvin’s ex lover showing up, but Whizzer was too busy intentionally ignoring Marvin to hear it. But when they went too far, Whizzer had to jump in, “Hey. I love baseball. I love Jason. That’s what I’m doing here.”

“You’re looking sweeter than a donut,” Marvin told Whizzer and Whizzer just replied with “Marvin.” Then he said hello to the lesbians next to his ex, Cordelia and Charlotte he learned, and sat by Trina on the bench. “Is he still queer?” Whizzer asked, unable to contain himself. He had to know. He just had to. Mendel said it didn’t matter, but Marvin’s remark was what made Whizzer laugh. “It’s been too long since I could tell,” Marvin said and imitated an old man. Whizzer shook his head and soon it was Jason up again.

Jumping up, Whizzer went to greet the kid. He gave Jason a few tips, forgetting Marvin for that short moment. When he turned around again, he had to remind himself that Marvin was a maniac. He was psychotic. Who else shows up at their ex’s doorstep drunk? Who else breaks up with someone over a chess game? He pulled down his sleeves that had ridden up a bit before sitting down again, in front of Marvin, where he’d been told to sit.

Marvin kept annoying Whizzer, touching his hair, making remarks. Whizzer shot lines right back at him and soon they were too busy insulting one another with the biggest smiles on their faces to notice anything else. Then, clearly after gathering courage, Marvin asked Whizzer the question Whizzer had been waiting for “would it be possible to see you or to kiss you or to give you a call?”

That moment was fireworks. It was magic. It felt like eternity. And then it was broken by Jason hitting the ball and Whizzer jumped to his feet, holding onto Marvin, cheering Jason on as loud as he could.

Finally everything was how it was meant to be from the beginning. Whizzer and Marvin had both grown and now… Now it wasn’t a battle every time they met. From there on, they were good together. Happy, truly happy, for the first time since they’d met. That was until Whizzer got sick.

#Whizzer Short #whizzvin short #whizzvin angst #falsettos Short #prompt #andrewrannclls #Eddie I love u I’m sorry it’s a little late #this was the only one shot I could get done today #everyone else’s presents will come a bit later!!!#I’ll make this a read more when I get my laptop I wrote the whole thing on my phone

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rosyredlipstick · 7 years ago

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Rental Love* (10\10)

(*Read Terms & Conditions)

Male/22/Long Island N.Y.C. Tired of showing up stag at holiday events? Want your family to stop thinking there’s something wrong with you? Just want some arm candy for a work event? Look no further. Your solution is here! I will attend holiday events with you as your paid date. Accepting all genders as applicants. Email [email protected] if interested. Interview & application will be set up there. - Nico di Angelo has been telling Hazel Levesque about his boyfriend for weeks. The bad part? Nico doesn’t have a boyfriend, the holidays are coming up, and not all of Jason’s ideas are horrible. They’re all a bit surprised about the last one. Read Part One Here Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine

With Will’s hand clenched in his own, Persephone rushing past them with a pleased smile thrown in their direction, Nico took a small, steadying breath.

Persephone disappeared around the corner, her arms piled with blankets and water bottles probably meant to comfort the literal crowd of hungover barely-adults in her basement, and Nico pulled his hand away from Will’s tight grip. It was harder then he would have thought.

Will’s fingers would hardly, just barely, twitch out to follow Nico’s hand as he pulled away, but he’d manage to force his hand back to his side, his gaze to the front, with only some difficulty. He flexed his hand at his side, almost like he was adjusting to the empty air now around it.

Nico pretended not to notice this, and only lead the way to through the parlor to the dining room, where the symphony of a busy morning was starting up.

It was a soundtrack familiar to their annual New Year’s Day brunch - high voices mingling together, Allegra’s cooking sizzling and popping in equal accord, the scrap of utensils across dishes, chairs against title.

He paused, an unexpected obstacle in his path, before continuing and stepping over a Stoll Brother, half curled up on the ground, half hanging off a couch cushion. It was, in no way, a comfortable position.

“Should we…” Will cleared his throat, and these were the first words they had said to each other all morning. His gaze was averted to the floor. “Should we do something?” He gestured vaguely to the boy, drooling all over Persephone’s antique carpet. She....would not be pleased with that.

Nico shrugged, his foot coming to poke to boy in the side. The boy - and Nico always had a bit of trouble telling the two apart, especially without the help of the slight height difference - only twitched, and let out a loud snore. Alive, then.

“The Stoll Brothers are invincible at this point,” Nico turned to keep walking, his voice even. “And I think I saw Mitchell force some water into this one before throwing him in this direction. He’s probably fine.”

There was slight commotion from the other room, and Nico paused, gathering himself for a moment. At his side, Will paused as well and, finally, his eyes flickered over to Nico’s. When he spoke, his voice was soft and fleeting.

“We’re leaving tomorrow.”

Nico swallowed, shoving his hands deep into his pockets with the action. He didn't want to risk a dangerous movement - like reaching out to the other boy. “We’re leaving tomorrow.” He could only repeat, his voice an agreement. There was an invitation there, in the other boy’s words, to pursue. Nico almost wanted to.

He had so much to say, still, so many questions. But was the parlor, only a room and a half away from where voices were drifting from, really the place to voice these things?

Nico didn’t think so.

He flashed the other boy a small, only slightly strained smile. “Coming?”

Will blinked a few times, his eyes falling low, his eyelashes fluttering against each other. He didn’t say anything, only a simple single nod before following the other boy into the kitchen.

The only ones seemingly awake were Hazel and Leo at the counter with food and coffee - Allegra must have been by - their bar stools leaned forward, and Reyna, who was nursing a steaming coffee cup by the table. She nodded at them as they entered, but turned her attention back to her cup. From the heavy bags under her eyes, Nico could understand.

They took seats at the counter, nodding in thanks as Hazel pushed the coffeepot towards them. Nico - a bit hesitant and unsure - poured them both cups.

“Where is everyone?” Will spoke up, his voice an empty bubbliness, nothing like the previous low tone he’d used with Nico. With this face blank, he accepted the steaming cup, with barely a beat of emotion thrown in Nico’s direction. Nico wondered if he had had to perfect that, in his line of business. Keeping his voice even, his face neutral, his eyes happy and dancing. Surely, he must have.

Hazel waved her hand vaguely towards the door, her head resting on her curled up arm. “Most of them have left,” she muttered, “Persephone and Hades started calling cabs and handing out breakfast sandwiches to the sobers and DD’s around five in the morning. The rest -” Her hand went up to wave towards the ceiling, “thrown in beds.”

“Lucky,” Leo, at her side and leaning heavily against it, groaned out. He buried his face in her shoulder. “I think I’m drunk and hungover like, at the same time.”

Her hand came up to pat him sympathetically on the back, her eyes never leaving Nico’s as they spoke. Nico claimed a chair at the counter, Will taking the one next to him.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” Nico was half tempted to steal away the other boy’s plate of fried eggs

as he buried his face in Hazel’s shoulder but decided against it. You don’t shoot a man while he’s down, and down Leo very much was.

Leo very slowly sat up to give him what was maybe supposed to be an obvious look. With his drooping red eyes, and frizzy mess of curls, it looked more like a beg for mercy.

Nico raised an eyebrow, waiting.

After a moment, Leo only dropped his head back to Hazel. “Allegra’s brunch, man.” He nuzzled his face into her pajamas, and she seemed as content with the action as much as he was. He gestured towards the plate in front of him. “You don’t miss out on her brunch.”

Nico could agree with that.

The chair beside him was being dragged out, and Nico looked up just in time to see Jason leaning down to press a quick kiss to Leo’s messy curls before sitting next to Nico. From his place half-draped over Hazel, Leo gave out a lazy, but satisfied, smile.

“You guys skipped out a bit early last night,” Jason muttered out as he sat, his voice just low enough for only the two of them, as Hazel and Leo began to bemoan the existence of hangovers. He kept his eyes straight, pouring out a glass of ice water, as he muttered the words. “Is everything alright?”

Nico didn’t turn to look at the other boy, and said nothing. He only rose one shoulder in a half-shrug, and left it at that.

It, afterall, said everything that Jason needed to know.

“Where’s Frank?” Will asked kindly, glancing around.

“Still sleeping,” Leo answered for her, as Hazel took a long drink of juice. “We managed to drag him onto a couch last night, and Persephone and Hades have been checking in on everyone every few hours, but he’s still knocked out.”

“Piper?” Hazel questioned, glancing to Leo and Jason.

Jason thumbed over his shoulder, “Same. We dragged her in bed last night around four as someone -“ He shot a quick unheated glare to Leo, who was shameless. “Convinced everyone the indoor pool was a great idea.”

Leo could only lazily fingergun at the other boy, “It was, wasn’t it?”

Jason sighed, “Not when you’re only of the only mostly-sober people in a group of drunk toddlers, no. And just for that, you can take the first shift driving back tomorrow.”

“Driving back?” Will gave them a curious look, coming back to himself a bit. He was still on the job, after all. “Didn’t you guys fly in?”

Leo waved off the question, “Pipes likes the drive home, and we stop by my ma’s old place.” He gave them a shrug, “It’s a nice tradition. There’s a great chicken place we hit up in Ohio too, totally worth it.”

Will nodded in understanding, glancing to Hazel. “Are you guys driving back too?”

Hazel shook her head, “Frank and I fly, but we’re staying an extra few days - my classes don’t start till later on.” She gave them all a too-sunny smile, impossibly bright for how hungover she was suppose to be. “Actually, speaking of when we get back, we should all meet up! Nico and I meet once a week.” She shot a quick look over to where Jason was seated, at the end of the counter. “Are you guys still going to have monthly dinners at your place?”

Jason shot a quick, almost unnoticeable, look towards his roommate at his side. Nico kept his gaze glued to the shiny counter, and didn’t look up to meet the other boy’s eyes.

Jason cleared his throat before speaking, “Yeah, I think so. I...don’t see why not.”

Hazel beamed, “Will! You should definitely come along to those, we have so much fun! We all bring a dish or drink and just potluck style it for -”

Hazel was cut off as Nico stood suddenly, his chair scraping harshly and loudly against the tile. He...he couldn't do this. Not right now, with Will still at his side. He couldn't grin and smile and laugh and pretend to make fake plans with his fake boyfriend and -

All eyes turned on him, and the breath caught in his chest.

“Excuse me,” he choked out, stumbling away from the counter. “I - I need a moment.”

He just barely made it out of the dining room, small noises of confusion following him. He didn’t look back, stumbling up a staircase instead.

Will only stared down at his plate, clenching at his fork. Almost everyone was staring after Nico, with Hazel standing hesitantly, and most of the few of them were gazing with concern and confusion at the doorway where he’d disappeared.

Everyone but Jason.

Jason’s low gaze was directly not across the room, but down the counter, where Will was tense and still and swallowing against the building emotion in his throat.

Hazel rushed through the doorway, not saying anything to their questioning gazes. She wouldn’t know what to say, honestly, only waving off their unvocalized offers of help.

She had heard the stumbling feet up the staircase, and it was after a bit of searching she found him - the third floor, curled up small in front of the dark wood double doors of the library.

“Nico?” She plastered a soft, gentle smile on concern on her face. “Nico, are you feeling okay?” Despite him not looking up to meet her eyes, she gave him a soft joking wince. “Is your hangover hitting you?”

Nico didn’t respond, only kept his gaze low, limbs tightly curled around himself.

Her smile slowly faded. “What’s wrong?” She asked, her eyebrow furrowed.

Nico looked up at her, knowing how red his eyes were and wishing he could hide it. He scrambled to stand, “It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

Hazel frowned, grabbing onto his wrist. “Nico. What’s wrong?” He could feel her worried eyes on him as she spoke. “Is it about Bianca?”

Nico sighed, glancing away. “No. It’s not…that.”

She slowly lowered herself to the ground, pulling him down with her. Her voice was soft when she finally spoke, “What’s up?”

Nico took a deep breath, tightening his arms around his legs. “I need you to promise me you won’t like, hate me or something.”

Hazel’s hand found his back, “Nico, I could never hate you. What’s wrong? You’re worrying me. Are you okay?”

Nico swallowed, and stared ahead. Horribly, his eyes began to burn. “I need to tell you something.”

She said nothing, waiting, curled into his side.

He kept his eyes on the ground, avoiding her gaze, blinking away the wetness there. “Hazel. Will and I aren’t dating.”

Hazel’s face dropped, “Did you guys break up?” Her face immediately shifted darker. “Did he hurt you? Nico, please tell me, did he hurt you?”

Nico huffed out a breath. “No, Hazel.” He shook his head, “He didn’t do anything. Neither did I.”

She frowned, scooting in closer. “What happened?”

Nico took a breath. “Nothing. We…we were never dating.”

Hazel leaned back, staring at him in confusion. “What are you talking about? You guys have been dating for months.”

Nico came clean. “I made up a boyfriend so you would stop worrying about me.” He stared at the ground, avoiding her gaze. “And then I hired Will to be my fake boyfriend for the holidays. I’ve only known him for a few weeks. We’re not dating.”

The weight and guilt was finally lifted off his chest as he spoke, and he nearly fell back with relief when he was done. Another emotion quickly replaced it - anxiety – along with a bit of fear.

Hazel stared at him for a long moment, long enough that Nico finally broke and looked back up to her.

“Are you…are you sure?” Hazel finally asked, her voice confused.

Nico gave her a look, “Am I sure what? That I hired Will?” Nico blew air up into his bangs, “I still have the receipt, so yeah. I’m sure.”

She blinked a few times, still adjusting. “That’s….surprising.”

“What do you mean?” Nico asked.

She shook her head, still a bit wide-eyed. “No, just…you and Will are really great actors.”

“You mean you’re not mad?”

Her smile was fond, her hand coming up to brush his hair out of his face. “I’m not totally up for the whole you lied thing, but…I don’t know.” She shrugged, “I get it. I can be a little overbearing – that’s why you did it, right? To get me to stop worrying?” She sighed, “I’m sorry Nico. I just want you to be happy.”

Nico blinked in surprise, totally surprised by her apology because um, Nico was the one who totally lied to her for months. What.

“And while I think Hades and Persephone will be devastated at your break up, they’ll survive.” She gave Nico a small smile, her voice teasing but soft. “But that still doesn’t explain why you’re upset.”

At that reminder – Nico was leaning back, his back hitting the wall with a solid thud. He took another breath, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

“You said we were great actors?” Nico sighed, burying his face in his hands. “I wasn’t really acting anymore.”

There was a moment of silence. “Oh.” Hazel said, “Oh, Nico.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, “I know, I know.”

Hazel sighed, her head falling back to hit the wall with a thunk. “This is…”

“A goddamn mess?” Nico finished for her, his words muttered by his hands. He kept his face hidden as Hazel hesitantly wound an arm around his back. He leaned into the touch.

Her touch was like the key to the floodgates, and the words poured out of him like they’d been dying to since...well, since they arrived. He never really kept secrets from Hazel before.

Nico took a steadying breath, and they both ignored the slight wobble that came with the action.

“I’m not pretending anymore Hazel - he’s just, he’s so funny and stupid and he gets on my nerves like no one else, and he’s probably the nicest person ever, even when he’s being a complete dick.”

Hazel arm tightened briefly around him. He took that as his queue to continue.

“And,” he cleared his throat, finally lifting his face from his hands to stare at the ceiling. “And I’m pretty sure he feels the same way.”

At that, Hazel’s hand paused where she had been rubbing comforting circles into his back, “Oh?”

Nico nodded, leaning his head onto her shoulder. “I - I think so. I really do. But I’m not even sure how it would work out - when we get back, I mean. We’re...really different. I’m, I’m not sure if we’d, you know, last in the real world, where we’re not in a little holiday bubble.”

“Do you….” Hazel trailed off, “are you…”

Nico sniffed, and mostly ignored the question. “I...I’m not, like, incomplete without him. He’s not my other half that completes me or anything. But I...I feel more when he’s around. I feel like I’m more.” Nico gave her a helpless shrug, “I like being around him. He makes me happy, just him being next to me, or smiling at me, or even just like, fuck, asking me to pass him the milk.” His head dropped to his hands, “I feel better when he’s around. I have more fun and it’s easier and shit, I even sleep better next to him, like -” Nico made a wild gesture, “what the fuck is that? Like, I don’t even have to be awake and I just feel....safe around him. Happy.”

Hazel blinked a few times at his onslaught of words, staring at the wall. “Well....fuck.” Her voice was a breath, her rare curse breezing out lightly. “That’s....” She shook her head, her arms tightening around him. “I think that’s love.”

“Yeah,” Nico swallowed, agreeing and cursing in somehow the same bare word. He let his head fall to her shoulder, his eyes fluttering shut with another soft, “Yeah.”

She let him sit like that, his head on her shoulder, half curled into the comfort of her soft voice and gentle hands, and they both ignored the hotness dampening up his cheeks. He was thankful for that, he thinks, the most.

Hazel was truly an amazing sister.

Afterwards, walking into the parlor with Hazel’s arm wound through his, Will would catch sight of the redness to his eyes, the harsh flush to his cheeks, and would dip his gaze away. Hazel’s gaze was quick, fleeting, over him, and Will would know.

Jason would throw his arm over Nico’s shoulders and lead him away from his sister and to the couch. Piper’d squish into his other side, Reyna at his feet, and Leo would sprawl over their laps, and Nico would feel grateful that this, at least, would not expire with holidays.

And Will would look away, and smile that stiff grin through some conversation, and excuse himself after a few minutes.

Nico gave him some time - enough for Hades and Persephone to start handing out trays of afternoon snacks - before he sighed. Jason’s arm dropped from his shoulder as he shifted forward, giving him a squeeze and look of sympathy before letting go. Nico stood, taking a breath, and slipped out of the room as Hades began loudly telling another one of his stories.

Nico climbed the staircase, his mind silent and heavy for once. This was something he - they - had to do.

He stood outside his bedroom door for a long moment. He took a deep breath, and pushed his hand against the wood.

And there he was.

Will was standing at the window, his body tight, and didn’t look up as Nico entered. The door shut with a click , and Nico’s hand were tight at his sides.

He took a deep breath. Before he could speak up, Will’s soft voice interrupted. He still hadn’t looked back at Nico.

“Are we gonna pretend nothing’s happening here?” Will asked, his eyes glued on something out the window. “We can, it’s fine, really.” He took a careful breath, the sound wobbling. “Really, it is. I just – I just need to know.”

Nico took a deep breath. “I need to pay you.” He said instead, thinking briefly of the crumpled up receipt at the bottom of his laptop bag. Half payment at signing, half later, it promised. It was a good system - one that Will must have perfected at this point.

Will was quiet for a long moment as Nico pulled out his wallet, standing stiff.

Will swallowed, his eyes still glued away. His voice was soft. “You...you don’t need to pay me.”

Nico took a step forward to the window, folding the bills as he spoke. “This is your job. I’m not going to take that from you.” He slipped the bills into the other boys pocket, letting his hands linger on Will’s waist. “It’s the holidays. Go buy your siblings some presents.”

Will turned to him, his gaze still averted to the ground, “You...you have to know I’m not doing this for the money. Not anymore. Not...not with you.”

Nico bit at his lip, his breath catching in his chest. The carpet was proving itself to be a fascinating eyecatcher.

He knew that, at least. That this wasn’t a job anymore, to either of them. But it was different, more concrete and real and even more terrifying and exhilarating, to hear it from the other boy. To hear that Will felt the same.

And that Will was scared too.

Nico let go of the breath building up in his chest.

“Prove it.”

Finally, with a glance, Will met his eyes. There was surprise and angst and hurt there, in all that blue. They were shiny and watery and even like this - red and slightly puffy - Nico could stare at them all day.

Will had the prettiest eyes Nico had ever seen.

“What?”

Nico ducked his head, and when he spoke his words weren’t as weak as he would have thought. “I am, um. I’m officially out of contractually obligated physical forms of affection. I paid you in full, and the service period is over.” Nico peeked a look through his eyelashes. “I am no longer longer paying you to be my fake boyfriend. So, if what we have is more than just a paid arrangement, well,” Nico paused, his chest nearly aching with the pound of his rapid heartbeat. “Prove it.”

Will stared at Nico for a long moment, at Nico’s avoiding eyes and soft hair that brushed at his collar. Nico’s reddened cheeks, such a contrast to his pale skin and dark eyes, that only deepened in color at the heavy weight of Will’s stare.

It was easy to bicker with and scowl at the other boy, but it was so, so much easier to do the exact opposite.

Will leaned in and pressed his lips against Nico’s, so incredibly soft, like Will was afraid Nico would break. It was chaste, and sweet, and it vividly reminded Nico was his first kiss at thirteen, nervous and quick.

And that, well. That wouldn’t do.

Nico pulled Will closer, just as close as he did on New Year’s, and opened his mouth so their hot tongue and breath could mix together. Will was only too happy to let Nico take the lead, losing himself in what was quickly becoming a familiar action between them. He was only too happy to go loose in Nico’s arms, letting go of any of the chaste emotion he began with, along with any fight in him as Nico pulled his wrists together and held them to the wall.

It was hot, it was heavy, and it was everything Nico had been daydreaming - and uh, literally dreaming of, on one hot occasion - for days and days now.

Will pulled away, his breath heavy, his eyes gazed.

“I don’t put out on the first date.” Will told him through panted breath.

Nico grinned, moving to kiss down the other boy’s neck so he could whisper the next words into his skin. “Good thing we’re boyfriends of four months, right?”

Will’s head hit the wall, his hands tugging free of Nico’s hold. “Fuck.”

“I’m tryin.”

“Oh my god,” Will pulled Nico’s chin up, a bit of a glare in his eyes. “Shut up. Are you always this annoying?”

Nico’s hands came up from Will’s waist, tangling into those golden curls he loved so much. “How about you give me a reason to shut up? You’ll have to be very persuasive, you see. I’m a stubborn man.”

Will’s gaze turned dark. “On your knees,” he ordered, pressing one last soft kiss to Nico’s lips before pushing him away. “I wanna see how quiet I can make you.”

Nico did as told, grinning the entire time. “Only so I can see how loud I can make you.”

“Oh, fuck -”

Laying together in bed afterwards, sheets tangled around them, more of one article of clothing mixed in with the jumble of blankets and pillows, Will spoke very softly.

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Will’s head was pillowed on Nico’s chest, and Nico’s fingers had been threading through the other boy’s curls.

“Yeah,” Nico agreed softly, “we are.”

“We are - I mean, this is -” Will bit his lip, and kept his head facing away from Nico. “This is something we’re doing, right? Us?”

At that, Nico’s hands slowly traced themselves down from instead Will’s head to his chin, tipping up the other boy’s head slowly. Will’s eyes - surprisingly vulnerable - were wide and open and so, so blue. Nico used the new angle to slowly and ever-so-lightly press his lips against the other boy’s.

“I was thinking maybe boyfriends, actually.” Nico pressed another kiss to his lips, “Whole nine yards. Flowers, candlelit dinners, anniversaries.” Another kiss, “I mean, you’re already met the family. Might as well do it backwards.”

Against his lips, he could feel Will lips perk up into a smile.

Hours later - late in the afternoon, long since Nico had disappeared with Hazel on his tail - they were finally showered (it took a few attempts before any actual showering got done) and dressed.

“What are we getting dressed for?” Will held up the thick coat Nico had tossed him, “Are we like, going somewhere?”

“We’re having a bonfire for whoever’s left over,” Nico told him, zipping up his own jacket. “One last thing before we all go home, you know?”

Will hummed, “Sounds fun.”

“I think…” Nico trailed off, pausing, before clearing his throat. “Do you think we should tell them? You know, the ones who know about the arrangement?”

Will thought that over for a moment, “I don’t see why not.” He gave Nico a considering look, “Are we telling Hades and Persephone? About everything”

Nico bit his lip, thinking it over. “I don’t know. But the rest of them - I think it’ll be good to let them know now.” He paused, “Or, I mean, you could just spent the night at the apartment, let them figure it out for themselves.”

Will knocked his shoulder into Nico’s, smiling. “I bet you’d love that.” He snorted, his eyes flickering up in thought. “I’d walk out in your shirt on a Saturday morning, all of them gathered in the kitchenette eating cereal.

“It’s a pretty picture, you have to admit.” Nico grinned at him, “Although honestly, they’d probably just pass you a cup of coffee and a good morning.”

Will considered that, as well as his limited knowledge on Nico’s group of friends. “That’s...very true.”

Nico, still in a bit awe he could, leaned in for another press of lips. Will, enthusiastically, returned the motion.

Despite meaning to leave immediately, they didn’t make it out of the room for another hour, at least.

Finally, he and Will managed to extract themselves from each other long enough to dress themselves decent and make their way downstairs.

It was a lot harder than Nico would have thought, simply pulling away from the other boy.

Most of their remaining guests had cleared out in the hours Will and Nico had been occupied with each other, leaving only a handful of young adults left over. Hazel and Frank, of course, and Piper, Leo, and Jason. Reyna and the others must have left to make their flights.

He’d make it up to the others with a short explanation - Reyna, in particular, who no doubt scowled upon his rudeness when he didn’t show up to say goodbye. She’d demand a smoothie, at the very least, or one of those fruit bouquets she pretended to hate. She'd forgive him eventually - she was good like that.

They grabbed blankets from the closet before going outside, the few guests left gathered outside. It took a bit longer than necessary, completely due to Will’s tendency - not that Nico was complaining - to push him up against a wall, apparently dedicated to making Nico show up as disheveled as possible.

Which - with his collar pulled to the side, his hair a mess from Will’s wandering, pulling hands, his lips swollen - Will had succeeded.

Hades and Persephone, thankfully, were busy with finished up the post-holiday duties. Hades would be returning back to work soon anyways, and those two always enjoyed spending time together. It worked out nice. Here on the deck, all of them circled around the bonfire Leo had enjoyed assembling much, too much, they were able to speak freely and softly.

“We have something to tell you guys,” Will let Nico start, squeezing reassuringly at his hand.

Leo and Piper, sandwiching a too-willing Jason, grinned up at them with sparkling eyes. Hazel was biting her lip with a wild grin on her face, while Frank stared up at them with open curiosity.

“So,” Nico smiled, starting out. “Will and I are dating. Now. For real.”

There was a beat of silence. Frank cast them a curious look from his shared seat with Hazel.

“Uh, what do you mean?” The younger boy questioned, cocking his head. At his side, Hazel leaned up and cuffed her hand to whisper into his ear. After a moment, his eyes went wide.

Nico stifled his laughter into his hand, “Yeah,” he agreed with Frank’s wide eyes, holding up his and Will’s entangled hands. “Right?”

“Well, let me just say we all totally saw this coming -” Nico flipped off Leo before he could even finish speaking, causing the other boy to hold up his hands in surrender. “What, we all saw that New Year’s Eve kiss. Put a bit of a show on for us, didn’t you?.” He shot a wink over to Will, pouting out his lip a bit. “It was very good, in all honesty.”

“Anyways,” Nico spoke over the other boy, “We just wanted to let you guys know, since you were the only in the know about the arrangement.”

“What about Reyna?” Jason spoke up for the first time, although he did look annoyingly satisfied with the turn of events.

Nico raised an eyebrow, “What about Reyna?”

“You told her, didn’t you?” A look of confusion came over Jason’s face, “Right?”

“Uh -” Nico furrowed his brow, “No?”

“Oh.” There was a beat of silence as Jason seemingly considered that, “Well, she knows. Totally. She spoke about it so casually, I thought that meant you told her.”

“Did you -” Nico cut his gaze over to Will, who shrugged helplessly.

“It’s Reyna,” Piper told him, like that explained everything. Which...it kind of did.

Nico sighed, “Yeah, it’s Reyna. I’ll talk to her when we get back.”

“In other more important matters -” Piper stepped over Nico’s words, leaning forward with a mischievously interested gaze, “I think we need to discuss something here.”

Leo, always on the same page, matched her gaze, grinning evilly. “I do think you’re right, Piper. Something very interesting.”

Even Jason - usually Nico’s only lifeline in the crazy of their friend group - was smiling slightly.

Nico almost didn’t want to know. “What are you talking about?”

Piper clicked her tongue, “What we’re talking about -”

Leo and Piper were so in-sync at times, it was past the point of creepy, as Leo didn’t hesitate to finish the girl’s sentence.

“-is that very dark, very new love bite on your neck, William.”

There was a moment of stillness, both Nico and Will frozen in place. Will’s grip tightened, and he turned to whisper in Nico’s ear in a flash.

“Nico -” he hissed, “Why did you -”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“But where -”

Nico paused, his eyes flickering over the other boy’s skin. “Wait, there’s no - ”

It was too late. The damage had been done.

Piper and Leo were nearly hysterical in their shared laughter, with even Jason and Hazel laughing lightly, Frank grinning in amusement at them.

Nico sighed, turning back to Will. “There’s no mark. They were….teasing us.” He spoke like it pained him to admit this.

“...Oh,” Will breathed out, “That’s...nice.”

“Alright,” Hazel, the savior of his life, stood with a small smile. “I think it’s time we whipped out the s'mores, am I right?”

Nico let out a breath, nodding in thanks at the girl as Leo was immediately swept up in the promise of sugar, Piper not far behind.

Will, at his side, rubbed his thumb across the back of Nico’s hand.

“C’mon,” Nico pulled him along, “Let’s grab a seat, and enjoy our last night in Chicago.”

“We’ll be back,” Will promised with a grin, “someday.”

Nico turned to him, sharing a smile with the other boy. That was a good thought - one he hadn’t really let himself have in the days before - of them having a future together. “Yeah. We will.”

“Hey,” Will called for his attention, later that night as both of their bags laid open and empty on Nico’s bed.

Nico glanced up from where he was attempting to fold his shirts as small as possible - honestly, Nico had no idea how he was going to fit everything, especially without a willing Leo to sit on top of his suitcase to squeeze down the contents. If Nico had packed early - like Will had suggested they do - he could have enlisted the other boy’s help before he, Piper, and Jason began their drive back.

Nico, foolishly but unregrettably, had insisted on….other activities.

He pushed down another shirt into a corner, meeting Will’s awaiting gaze as he did so. “Yeah?”

Will was having much better luck with his own suitcase - everything perfectly folded and neatly sectioned away. Clicking his tongue, he picked up one of Nico’s own shirts and attempted to help work through the small mountain Nico had assembled.

“You like coffee, right?” Will asked a bit absentmindedly, frowning at the mess overtaking Nico’s suitcase.

A teasing grin came on his face, “I believe that it’s listed as my second favorite drink in my personal section,” He poked at Will’s side, “Forget your required reading, did you?”

Nico didn’t have to be looking at Will to know he was rolling his eyes, “Right after purple slushies,” Will winced at that, “Not even a flavor. Just purple.”

“Purple’s good,” Nico shrugged, not even a bit ashamed. “I’ll get you to try one.”

“What, corn syrup and sugar ice water?” The gag was nearly vocalized in his words, “No thank you.”

“Anyways -” Nico changed the subject before their bickering could start up. As much as Nico enjoyed it, Will had started the conversation with a curious point. “If you knew I liked coffee, why are you asking?”

Will clicked his tongue, “Well I was trying to ask you out for coffee when we got back before you reminded me how truly disgusting your eating habits are. I might have to reconsider.”

Nico turned away briefly to hide the grin wanting to break out on his face. “Are you trying to ask me out on a date, Will Solace?”

Will’s sigh was heavy and much too exhausted, “It’s what I’ve been trying to hype myself up for since like, we got here.”

“Aw,” Nico turned back to the other boy to teasingly coo, “Such a romantic.”

Will took a moment to sit on his bed, and Nico didn’t hesitate to perfectly fit himself between the open V of his legs.

This was a nice place to be, Nico was realizing as Will wrapped his arms around Nico’s waist, pulling him in closer. Nico could stay here forever, in the close enough to soak up the other boy’s warmth, close enough for Will to smile and for Nico to see every freckle, wrinkle, and crease that came with the action.

“So,” Will ran a hand through Nico’s hair, pulling it out of Nico’s face. “Coffee?”

Nico leaned his head into Will’s touch, smiling. “You sure I can’t persuade you into an afternoon of gas station slushies?”

“The only way I’m ever going to taste gas station slushy is off your lips, babe.” Will gave him a teasing grin. Nico’s cheeks - stupidly - colored at that.

Nico pretended to consider that, playing along. “That can be arranged. But until then -” Nico leaned in to whisper against the other boy’s lip, the touch barely there. “Coffee sounds great.”

And the kiss after that, well, that wasn’t too bad either.

The next day wasn't as cold as the ones previous, and Nico was only too happy to make use of that.

Leaning against the car, his family in his direct eyesight, his own goodbyes already said, he soaked up the rare winter sun.

He took another drag of a rare cigarette, the smoke bitter and hot in his throat.

Jules-Albert, coming up behind him, eyed him with distaste. “You better not be thinking of smoking in my vehicle.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Jules.” Nico told him happily, taking another drag.

Jules held out a hand and Nico took a moment to pass along an unlit cigarette, trusting the other man to have his own lighter. He did, of course, because he was perpetually prepared for everything.

“I thought you quit smoking.” Jules said, taking a long inhale of smoke.

Nico shrugged, uncommitted. “I do on special occasions.”

Jules raised an eyebrow. “And this is a special occasion? Returning to school?”

Nico flashed him a wide grin, “Is it if you’re returning to school with a brand new boyfriend.”

Jules lifted his nose, the perfect picture of nonchalance. “Why, how should I have known? I was under the impression you’d been dating for months.”

Nico kept his wide grin in place, hopping up on the hood of the car. Jules would definitely scoff at his action, and probably eye him in annoyance, but wouldn’t tell him to get off.

“Get off my car.” Jules scowled, proving him wrong for the millionth time.

“Beatrice loves it.” Nico told him, taking another breath of smoke, Jules only glared in response.

Nico sighed but did as told, still balancing a burning cigarette between his fingers. He gave Jules-Albert an evil look.

“We’re gonna fuck.” Nico informed the other man gleefully after a moment, because it was always fun to see that red vein pop out of his forehead. Nico was the only one who seemed to actually manage its appearance, and he was kinda proud of that fact.

“Not in my backseat, I hope.” Jules only responded stiffly.

Nico shrugged with a low smirk shot in the other man’s direction. “Who knows. Put on a little Barry Manilow, lower the seats a bit. We could make it work. It’s what, twenty, twenty-five minutes to the airport?” He flashed a grin, “Totally do-able.”

Nico cackled with laughter at the disdain painted on Jules-Albert’s face.

Jules shook his head, ignoring his laughter in favor of his next question.

“Do you believe you will ever inform Sir Hades and Mistress Persephone of the ongoings of this holiday?”

Nico took another drag, mostly just to consider the question. “Maybe one day, if Will and I do make a good run of it.” He smiled slightly, looking towards the house where Will was still hugging goodbye to his parents. Hazel, at least, was acting civilized in comparison to Hades and Persephone’s matching waterworks show. But that could always have more to do with the fact that she would be returning to their university in the few days, therefore having closer contact to both him and Will. Her grin was knowing, her eyes dancing, as she glanced behind Will’s shoulder to eye Nico leaning against the limo.

Nico waved at her just as Will was turning from his family, a faint smile on his face. It dropped almost immediately at the sight of Nico, and he stomped over with a now faint scowl.

He rolled his eyes, plucking the cigarette from Nico’s fingers and stomping on it. “I’m not dating a smoker.” He told Nico, crossing his arms.

Two weeks ago, that move alone would have had Nico all up in arms, ready to bicker and fight about the simple sentence and action.

Instead, Nico blew out the last puff of smoke from his lungs, threw the pack in Jules-Albert’s waiting direction, and grinned. “No problem, babe.”

Will rolled his eyes a second time, more playful this time. “Don’t call me babe. And I’m not making out with you if you taste like cancer sticks.”

Jules-Albert was already passing along a pack of gum – peppermint, his favorite – and rolled his eyes at Nico’s thankful wink.

Nico popped the gum in, holding the door open for the other boy. “Ready to go, sweetums?”

Will, already rolling his eyes at the nickname, slid in the backseat as Jules-Albert readied himself in the driver's seat.

Nico threw himself in after the other boy, bouncing on the plush leather a bit as he did so. Nico laid his head on Will’s thigh, spreading out comfortably, before smirking up at the other boy.

“We’ve got twenty minutes to devirginize Beatrice’s backseat, and I’ve been dreaming about this moment since Senior Prom.”

Will wrinkled his nose but didn’t bat away Nico’s hand as it slide down his waist.

“Bye Jules!” Nico sang out, sliding the privacy divider close, already crackling with laughter. Jules shot him a quick glare before it shut completely, starting up the vehicle as he did so.

Will scoffed beside him. “I’m not having sex with you while the chauffeur you’ve known since you were ten sits half a foot away.”

“Oh, I know,” Nico flashed him a grin, “But he doesn’t know that.”

Will cracked a grin at that, “You’re horrible.”

“Up for one more acting exercise?” Nico cocked an eyebrow. He held up a fist, knocking it into the ground and let out a high, strangled sounding, “ Will!”

Will laughed, covering his grinning cheeks with one hand. He played along, stomping his feet down and moaning out Nico’s name, unable to keep the smile out of his words.

When they finally emerged from the limo, red-cheeked and heaving for an entirely different reason then what Jules was thinking, they were holding hands.

And Jules was glaring at them both.

Nice.

- Epilogue -

“Will you hurry up?

“Will you learn some patience?”

“I wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t taken a literal hour to get ready.”

“ You’re the one who woke up late.”

“It’s not late if I planned it.”

“You woke up twenty minutes before we were suppose to leave.”

Nico clicked his tongue, “And guess who looks fucking great after twenty minutes?”

They arrived at the front step, Jules-Albert grinning lowly as he came up behind them, their bags in his arms.

They shared a quick look of annoyance before the door before them was swinging open, cutting both of them off before either could start another round of bickering.

“My boys!” Hades boomed, throwing his arms around both of their shoulders. “My family!”

“You’recrushingus,” Nico immediately gasped out, squirming under his father’s tight grip. Will - gripping a heavy glass dish in his front two hands - had no such luck.

“Persephone!” Hades was yelling, almost directly into Nico’s ear, “Persephone, they’re here!”

In the next room, Nico heard a small crash, and hurried footsteps. Over Hades’s shoulder, he could barely see Persephone rushing into the room, smiling brightly at all of them.

Thankfully, Hades released them as his wife came into the room, but his gaze hardly left their faces - only briefly, in the quick moment it took to bounce back and forth between the other.

“Will, we’re so happy to see you.” Persephone took the casserole dish from his hands, putting it to the side, before gathering the blond boy up in her arms. Hades jumped forward to wrap his arms around his wife, cocooning Will in between them.

Nico breathed out a noise of not-really there frustration, sharing an eyeroll with Jules-Albert before the other man disappeared back to the garages. “I’m here too, ya know.” He told his father, teasing evident in his tone.

“Ah, yes, our other son.” Hades sniffed as he pulled away, “Sometimes I worry if you even remember I’m around at all.”

Nico gave him a playful look, “Hades, I call once a week, and we text constantly. What more could you want?”

Hades enveloped him in a tight huge, his feet coming clean off the ground, and sighed into his son’s hair. “Keep up our Snapchat streak, perhaps. I do grow desolate after weeks and weeks of not seeing my children’s faces, you know this.” Hades rested his chin on Nico’s head, probably still loving he could do that to his son. “Hazel and I are nearly at three hundred days, you know.”

Nico wrinkled his nose in protest, jerking his head away to glare up at his father. “You know Snapchat erased our streak!”

“You know, Will calls once twice a week. Sundays and Wednesdays.” Persephone informed him as he spun to give the other boy a look of betrayal. Will just shrugged, unashamed. “He keeps us updated on you. How’s your flu?”

“I hate you.” He hissed at the other boy, turning towards Persephone. “And I’m fine. I was hardly sick.”

“You were throwing up,” Will inspected his nails, “I skipped class to nurse you back to health. And after all that, you weren’t even sick?” The other boy sniffed, “I feel lied to, honestly.”

Nico let out a deep sigh, “I hate you.” He informed the other boy, his head hanging. “I really, honestly do.”

Will gave him an amused grin, “Right back at you, sweetheart.”

The two adults - supposed, anyways - only turned to each other to let out a small aww together. Before Nico could sigh out some remark - something he was already predicting a lot of this weekend - a high voice was interrupting them, too close for comfort.

“Nico!”

Nico barely had a moment to tense before Hazel threw herself directly onto his back, squeezing much, much too tight around his shoulders. “Will! You guys are finally here!”

Nico bit back his groan at Hazel’s weight hitting his back, instead grunting out a rough, “Hey, Hazel.”

“We’ve been waiting all day for you guys!” She squeezed him tight for a moment longer before hopping off his back, grinning widely, despite them seeing each other less than three days ago, over lunch.

And that still wasn’t enough for her, apparently, as she draped herself over Nico’s shoulders, grinning brightly. “C’mon! Hades bought at least, like, twenty-three of those cheap egg dying sets. We’ve got work to do, and I’m not losing to Jason, Piper, and Leo this year. ”

She turned to glare at the other side of the room, and Nico followed her intense gaze with an amused grin.

From their place across the room, Jason was beaming at them from his place at the counter, despite having seen Nico less than 24 hours ago. Piper was at his side doodling with a white crayon on one of the eggs spread out before her, and Leo was crackling happy over the stove of boiling water. The usual.

Hazel leaned over to coo over Frank’s small pile of already painted eggs - an assortment of little farm animal faces smiling up at them.

“More crafts,” Will breathed out next to him, “great.”

“It’s more of a competition, actually.” Hazel chimed in, giving them both an intense look. “And we’re not l osing.”

“And competition,” Nico added on with a grin, “I know how much you love our traditions, dear.”

“So much,” Will told him lowly, a tight smile on his face. “I am...so good. At crafts.”

“We also picked up some chocolate eggs,” Hazel grinned widely, a bit of evil in the action. “We’re gonna see who can eat the most in five minutes.”

“That’s….so much sugar,” Will’s voice was a near whimper.

“I’m so ready for this,” Nico told them all with a wild grin, Will near faint at his side.

Nico grinned at him for another moment, enjoying teasing the other boy. Finally, he gave in.

Nico clasped his hand on Will’s shoulder, a smile tugging at the ends of his mouth. After one more moment, he gave pity on the other boy. “Let’s go put our bags away and rest a moment, okay?”

Will nodded slowly, probably already envisioning the small pyramid of sugar Nico was planning on ingesting this weekend.

Gods, did Nico love the holidays.

Nico lead them up the stairs - stopping very briefly in the front entrance to grab their bags - smiling and laughing under his breath the entire time. After the small climbing the small staircase, he finally pulled the other boy into his room, their luggage weighing them down.

Nico dropped his duffel with a sigh, rubbing at his sore shoulder. Will, without any reservations, brushed past him to throw his own bag on his side of the room, relief evident on his face.

Will paused at the window, his fingertips coming up to just barely graze at the clear surface.

He turned to Nico, a half-grin in his voice, and smiled with memory.

“Remember the last time we were doing this? Getting ready for a holiday with your family?”

Nico allowed himself a small smile at that, “Like I’d forget. Freaking out and pretending the entire time I wasn’t already half in love with you, just because you yelled at me in a cafe.”

“Really?” Will cocked his head to the side, smiling. “That’s what did it?”

Nico shrugged, “All I’m saying is that it didn’t help my whole don’t-fall-in-love-with-your-fake-boyfriend cause.”

Will clicked his tongue, walking over so he was close enough to wind his wrists around Nico’s waist, smiling gently. “I’ll have to remember that, that coffeeshop fights are really what gets you going.”

“I mean, everything else -” he gestured towards the entirely of Will, “didn’t help either.”

“Aw,” Will teased, leaning down so his breath could fan over Nico’s lips. On instinct, Nico’s eyes fluttered shut. “You sure know how to make a guy feel special.”

Nico opened his eyes, a small grin in place. “C’mon special guy ,” he leaned in for a quick peck, his hand drifting down to Will’s wrist. “Hazel is probably waiting so we can get the egg dying started.”

Will groaned, leaning to bury his face into Nico’s neck. When he spoke, his voice was muffled, “I’m going to be so bad at this.”

Nico smiled, his hand coming up to entangle in Will’s hair. “Yeah, probably.”

Will sighed, and Nico had to bite down the shiver that came with the other boy’s hot breath fanning over his neck.

“At least it’ll be funny,” Nico pointed out unhelpfully.

“I hate you,” Will muttered against his skin, pressing his lips into a quick, dry kiss to Nico’s neck before pulling away.

“You too, babe.” Nico smiled, leading the other boy down the staircase, his grip on the other boy’s wrist loose.

By the time they arrived back downstairs, Hazel and Persephone had returned back into the kitchen and dining room with the rest of their guests leaving on Hades lingering in the parlor, a glass of dark wine cradled in one hand.

“Getting settled back into your room?” His father gave them both a fond smile, “It’s always nice to have you home, dears.”

Nico gave him a rare, fond smile and leaned against the couch, pulling away from Will for a moment. “Thanks, dad. We’re happy to be back, too.”

“The Easter decor is absolutely beautiful,” Will added on, “We passed the topiary in the front gardens as we came in and it’s magnificent.”

Nico had to force down an eyeroll as Hades beamed and nodded enthusiastically. “Jules-Albert suggested that perhaps the trimmings of several five-feet rabbits in preparation of the holiday was a bit much, but I knew my guests would find the beauty in it.” Hades sighed happily, “And it seems I was right.”

“The duck one was nice as well,” Will added, charming in every aspect. “I liked the detail of the Easter egg basket in its beak, it was very cute.”

“That was Persephone’s idea!” He exclaimed, happily. He sighed once more. “Oh, you’re going to love the summer holidays, William. We really do go all out for those.” Hades shot them both a charming grin, “I think perhaps the Vegas estate, or our California property would be more suitable for our celebrations this year.” He lit up for a moment, “Oh, Nico - just imagine the Los Angeles property all readied up for guests - actually, I should call about that soon…”

Nico bit his lip at the statement, feeling a bit uneasy - he and Will had discussed this a bit beforehand. Hades and Persephone would be requiring months advance notice if they wanted to keep the waterworks to a low flood, after all.

He met Will’s anxious gaze, a quick fleeting action, before turning to give his full attention to his father.

“Actually…” Nico took a moment to clear this throat, “we were thinking of spending the next holiday with Will’s sisters.”

There was a moment of stillness - Hades as he processed this, Nico as he bite at his lip nervously, Will tense with nerves. As quick as it has started - only a second, maybe less - Hades was jumping out of his chair, suddenly ecstatic.

“Persephone!” Hades was, strangely, beaming, throwing his hands into the air with excitement. With a high voice, he exclaimed words that only had Nico freezing in spot. “Persephone, the Solace sisters is coming for Fourth of July!”

“Wait, no - ” Nico tried to cut him off, standing and waving his hands at his father. Will stood with him and, desperately, Nico looked to him for support but -

But Will was grinning manically, and it was like his face was lighting up with Hades’s words. “Wait, yes.”

Persephone burst into the room, her eyes wild. “The Solace family is coming for the holidays?”

“No,” Nico hissed.

“Yes!” Will agreed.

They shared a look with the other - mostly glare on Nico’s part, mostly beaming excitement from the other. Persephone and Hades were already huddled together, their hands squeezing at each other’s.

“We only have three months to plan!” They seemed to be heartbroken with that fact. “Will we even have enough time to book the helicopter? Oh gods, you know Demeter’s catering service books up months in advance.”

“Helicopter?” Will repeated, only to be ignored by the entirety of Nico’s family. Good.

“Will,” Nico hissed through clenched teeth, “You know this cannot happen.”

“C’mon,” Will gave him a grin that he absolutely knew Nico was weak for. Nico locked his knees together, and only crossed his arms at it as Will continued, “Can you imagine? Your parents, my sisters -” he snorted, but continued. “Our families, it’ll be amazing.”

Nico was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, it was like ice vocalized. “We have a party on Fourth of July.” He looked up to Will, and his eyes matched his voice. “A party. With everyone.”

“Oh god,” Will realized, “This is going to be amazing.”

“This cannot happen.” Nico tried to emphasize, “Horrible, horrible things will happen.” He looked up in realization, his voice filled with horror. “Oh gods. They’re gonna meet Hazel. And Piper. And -” Nico took a steadying breath, “Reyna.”

“This is going to be best day of my life,” Will declared seriously, looking deeply into Nico’s eyes, “Oh my gods, seriously, this is going to be amazing.” He settled his hands on Nico’s shoulders, looking straight into Nico’s eyes. “Babe. Just consider it - this has the potential to be the best thing in the world.”

“The Stolls will be there,” Nico pointed out, a bit desperate. “They’re already planning this year’s prank, Mitchell told me.”

“My sister’s will destroy the Stolls,” Will told him seriously, “Neeks, just - imagine.”

Nico sighed, his eyes flickering back up to the other boy. “We’ll….” his voice drifted off, “We’ll about this later.”

Will’s face broke out into a wide grin, nearly beaming with the force of it. If his hands weren’t currently wrapped about Nico himself, he most definitely would have fist-bumped. Instead, he settled with his grin, and pulled the other boy in close.

He leaned in, pressing his dry lips to Nico’s forehead. “Happy Easter, dear.”

Even after all these months, Nico blushed and sputtered.

And, in the background, Hades and Persephone only sighed and beamed, their hands clasped together. They were, as usual, ridiculous.

Hazel was yelling from inside the kitchen, where Allegra was probably frowning and glaring at anyone attempting to make a mess in her kitchen. There was a chorus of laughter - Jason, he could tell, and Piper’s high bark of a laugh, with Leo’s low crackle following.

Nico smiled slightly, letting go of the argument that Will was almost certain to win, and let his hand falling into Will’s easily. He pulled the other boy along into the kitchen, where their friends were waiting.

Frank looked up with a beam as they entered, already setting aside a kit for both of them, and Nico held up a hand in greeting. Hazel waved from her spot perched on the counter, Leo seated close next to her, and Piper and Jason were too busy huddled together over a small bowl of dye to notice them walking in, the two of them being much, much too focused on the competition before them.

At his side, Will squeezed his hand briefly, and shot Nico a small, content smile.

They were ridiculous, all of them.

Notes:

AND THAT'S IT FOLKS

also what.....im not crying.....you're crying...........

will does end up drinking a slushie one day. i feel like nico bought him one during a particularly intense study secession and he spite drank the entire 40oz thing in like, ten minutes and then spent the next day throwing up orange syrup

sigh omg. it's over! thank you so much for everyone who's been reading since i posted chapter one, or who's just binge read the entire fic. i would have abandoned this fic 5 times over without y'all's wonderful support

#solangelo #nico di angelo #will solace #rental love #fic #my fic #rosy writes #holiday fic #fake boyfriends au #fake relationship #heroes of olympus #trials of apollo #Percy Jackon and the Olympians #FINISHED

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h-eckers · 8 years ago

Text

Consequence | Confession Part 2

A/N: Well... I tried. There’s not much to say except I really don’t love this. I re-wrote the whole thing six times over and this is the reincarnation I hate the least and I can’t write it again or I’ll go insane. So, here it is, and I hope you like it more than I do. (M’srry)

Summary: Everything has a consequence, it all depends on what you do that determines whether it will be worth while, or a mistake.

Word count: 3,881

Warnings: Nothing really, you’re safe.

Consequence. Everything has one, every move you make, everything you say, all of it has a ripple effect. As a domino hits another and topples a thousand more, one secret... One confession, changes a million moments thereafter. 'For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction', some might call that science, most would just call it life.

Sunday was uneventful, in the way that Jughead Jones spent all of it in the grips of what was the worst writer’s block he had ever experienced. Any thought lucky enough to enter his mind for a moment almost immediately became jumbled, he couldn't even force himself to make connections, and not when his mind was so far away. Usually at times like this he would resort to his research on Y/N, that wasn't an option currently, she was as mysterious as ever but now he was fully aware that the only place he could get answers was straight from her, and she didn't remember.

“Oh god, my head.” Archie moaned softly, rolling over in his bed to bury his face in the pillow to block out the light from outside, even on an overcast day such as this the light was far too harsh for hungover eyes.

“Rise and shine, superstar.” Jughead muttered monotonously, sarcasm lacing his words as it so often did, Archie grunted in response mumbling into his pillow unintelligibly even though it appeared he was trying to start a conversation, “Arch, usually I support your ventures, as a friend, but those weren’t words.”

“I said,” Archie spoke up as he lifted his head slightly off the pillow, “am I remembering wrong, or did you take Y/N home last night?”

“I did.” Jughead responded, tight lipped with frustration, he’d managed to get her out of his head for a single second and now she was back.

“Oh, weird, I could have sworn that was a dream.” He mumbled back, running his hands through his hair and groaning, letting his head fall back against the pillow. Jughead didn’t speak at first, he couldn’t decide immediately whether to just try and get back to work or to continue the conversation.

“We kissed, actually.” Jughead blurted out suddenly, even though his tone remained calm and cool, having chosen to bring it up. He wasn’t getting answers on his own, after all.

“WHAT?!” Archie almost yelled, scrambling up and instantly regretting it, he flinched and froze, “I am in…so much pain.” He whined, rubbing his temples as he settled back into a sitting position and leaned against the wall for support.

“You right there, big guy?” His friend asked and Archie rolled his eyes and sighed, breathing through the pain in his head.

“I’m fine and do not change the subject,” Archie demanded, looking over at his friend, “how did that happen? Did she know she was kissing you? Does she even remember that this morning?”

“I don’t really know how I happened honestly, and yes she knew it was me that was very clear, and no, I don’t think she does at all.” Jughead listed off quickly, pulling off his beanie to run his hands through his hair slowly.

“Wait, what do you mean you ‘don’t know’ how it happened? She hated you twenty four hours ago and now you’re telling me you kissed, that doesn’t tend to just happen.” Archie pointed out, squinting to minimise the light that entered his vison, he was grateful for the distraction Jughead was offering for the pain though.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” jug sighed, his whole body retracting until he seemed small simply because of how he was feeling, “I picked her up, we talked, and then we kissed, and now I can’t get my mind off a girl who doesn’t even remember it happened.”

“Why don’t you just tell her it happened?” Archie asked softly, his eyes would probably convey softness if he opened them enough for Jughead to see.

“I don’t think shed believe me even if I did.” And it was true, and it was tearing him apart, he was consumed by thoughts of her and it was uncontrollable. All of this from one conversation and a stupid kiss, shed gotten under his skin and there was no way to get her out, and until he found one he’d be stuck. Facing a blank wall with his writing as he tried to conjure up thoughts separate to her lips and failed.

Even with his certainty about her forgetting, he still couldn't help glance at his phone every few minutes, hoping for some kind of communication that he rationally knew would never arrive. After all, Y/N didn't even have his number, she’d called from Archie's phone. Suddenly, he was regretting going to get her at all, he desperately needed answers from her and there was no way to get them. He desperately wanted her, and that was just as hopeless. If he'd learned anything from the previous night it was to never leave questions unanswered, because he sat idly in his friend’s room, rereading the last sentence he'd written on Saturday over and over wishing he had an answer to what she had asked him.

"What will you do now? Now that I've told you, I'm not a mystery anymore. Where will you go when you get stuck?"

And he had no idea.

The day was dull and completely dismal, an almost humorous parallel to how Y/N herself was feeling. He head had been pounding violently since she'd woken hours ago and it hadn't stopped long enough to let her go back to sleep, not that she would be able to. With a mind aching and full of racing thoughts, sleep seemed a distant wish rather than a reachable reality. She remembered every second of the night before, and if she told the absolute truth, she wished she didn't.

Every time the events of the night before fleeted through her memory she smiled involuntarily, her chest tightened in the most pleasant way, heat swam through her veins like gentle fire... And the nervousness she'd always felt around him tripled. The thought of being with him made her feel blissful, and the thought of seeing him again filled her with an anxiety that bordered on indescribable. What do I do now?

Now, it was close to noon and her morning had been entirely spent in the sanctity of a cocoon of her covers, warm and safe. The gravity around her bed must have increased tenfold because she was finding it incredibly difficult to even drag herself into a sitting position, when she finally achieved such a feat the pressure in her head only got worse, a horrible sick feeling settled in her stomach, and her vision blurred and spun for a moment before she regained her equilibrium. "I am never drinking again." She lied to her empty room, for at least the fifth time that month.

"Y/N! Lunch downstairs!" Her mother's voice pierced her skull like a bullet and she was all of a sudden feeling very sorry for Jason Blossom. She might have objected if it had been a question but a lifetime with her mother meant she was well aware that she had no option. The walk downstairs was torturous, the ache in her head wasn't easing and her even her bones ached from the dancing the night before. Surprisingly (to herself as well), she made it to the table and fell into her seat at the head of the table she'd always considered far too large, her parents either side, only feet away from her.

"So, you went out last night." Her mother said bluntly, stabbing at a piece of chicken a lot more ferociously than was necessary.

"Mmhm." Y/N hummed in response, not having the energy to properly move her mouth to speak.

"I thought we talked about sneaking out." The severity in her tone made the air itself tense.

"Can't call it sneaking if you knew it was happening." She said, her voice groggy from sleepy and a dry throat.

"You can call it a failed attempt," The older woman had a sense of petrifying calm, even as her words were dripping with malcontent, "either way, you lied to me."

"Actually, I told you there was a party." Y/N shrugged, slouching in her chair and pushing her food around the table.

"You also said you weren't going." Her mother forced through gritted teeth. Her father leaned forward slightly, concern painted across his features.

"No, I said there was a party but I didn't have a way to get there." she smirked as she took a moment to savour the expectant confusion on her mother’s face that just begged for more before speaking, "I found a way there."

Rage burned in her mother’s eyes and Y/N just stared her down, smirking ever so slightly, the woman’s grip on her cutlery tightened until her fingers drained of colour and her father leaned across the table to grab his wife's hand gently.

"Meredith..." He said in a hushed tone, an unspoken request for her to calm down accompanying her name. Meredith sighed shakily and loosened her grip just enough to allow colour back.

“So how’d you get home, princess?” Your father asked, soft in tone as he always was. He was a kind and gentle man but it was a downfall in situations that pit him against his wife, who might as well have been a ball of flame and semi-dormant fury. As much as it caused Y/N problems, it explained her personality.

“A friend of mine came and picked me up.” She replied, shrugging slightly and pushing her plate away, her stomach wasn’t agreeing with food apparently.

“This friend wasn’t drinking, were they?” Her mother asked, looking over at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Nope.” She hummed in response, “He was completely sober, a complete gentleman.”

“It was a boy?” Her father chimed in again, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest, trying his best to look stern, but his eyes betrayed him, “Do I have to worry about this getting… serious?”

“Actually,” She sighed, smiling to herself as she stared down at the table, “you might.” She mumbled, her mind drifted back to the events of the night before, it was hard not to think about him at this point. Her father sighed and got up from the table, kissing her forehead gently and going about clearing the plates.

“Just be careful, Y/N.” He said, fatherly concern woven into every syllable he spoke, she smiled back at him and nodded as she got up from her seat as well and went to walk towards the stairs her mind again finding itself occupied with the boy in the beanie, as it often did. Now though, she remembered the softness of his lips and how he spoke like music. She spent the rest of her Sunday asleep, attempting to get rid of the pain in her bones and the ache that plagued her head, it was helped by the dreams of a raven haired boy and kiss that was unforgettable.

The halls of Riverdale high were bustling as usual, Monday morning had always been lethargic for most but if you cram hundreds of teenagers into the same space, energy just seems to vibrate off the walls no matter how tired they are.

Jughead arrived with Archie, an Archie that was now incredibly bent on pushing Jughead crashing into Y/N for some sort of resolution. Even as hung over as the football star had been he had noticed how upset the whole ordeal had seemed to make his friend, and he was entirely determined to fix that. Instantly Archie’s eyes were scanning the crowd of high school students for a certain set of eyes, Jughead could only lie to himself and say that he wasn’t doing the exact same thing, as hopeless as he knew it was, there was a part of him that was clinging to the tiniest sliver of faith that she may have remembered something, anything.

On the other hand Y/N had a very different plan, which consisted of a very simple instruction; avoid. Somehow her excitement and eagerness to see him again had lost to the incredible anxiety she felt at having to create words to say to him, completely sober. Foolishly she assumed avoiding him would be easy, there were a lot of kids at Riverdale high and it would be very difficult to single out one person in a sea of hundreds. Luck was against her however, in the form of Archie Andrews standing precariously on a drinking fountain to look over the crowd, she hadn't considered that tactic, but then against she hadn't considered she'd be avoiding Archie either, in fact, she was so oblivious to the redhead's involvement that she didn't really think anything of seeing him perched dangerously to get a look over the crowd, assuming he was searching for Betty or Veronica, she was wrong.

"Right, okay, I'm definitely confused." Her friend said, brow furrowed in confusion as she watched Y/N pull her books carefully from her locker. "So you kissed... And he doesn't know you remember, and now instead of telling he and fulfilling your wildest dreams you're going to continue to avoid him?"

"I wouldn't say wildest dreams," She mumbled back, only to receive a very disapproving look from her closest friend, "besides, it's more complicated than that, Cass."

"You've loved him since before you could spell love, how are you gonna tell me that isn't wild?" She sighed, "Anyway, wasn't the problem that you we're scared he'd reject you? That's obviously not going to happen so why don't you just talk to him."

"I-I just, I don't know, I want to." The stuttering and stumbling was back in full force, she knew Cass was right but it didn't help the fact that she failed to talk to him even in her imagination, "I know that if I try I'll just end up saying something mean or saying nothing at all and embarrassing myself."

"You didn't the other night."

"I was pretty hammered, I'm surprised I even remember it," Y/N shut her locker and sighed, resting her head against the cool metal "I just forget how to function when it comes to him." Cass smiled softly at her, pity playing on her face.

“I guess it’s my responsibility as your best friend to help you then.” she sighed loudly, over exaggerated, “Uhm, in saying that, you’re gonna want to run.” Y/N looked up quickly and almost screamed, Archie was on his way over with Jughead close in tow, his eyes locked with hers, the world froze, and so did she.

Y/N couldn’t move even if she wanted to which was confirmed when she tried to force herself to and she stayed stuck, staring at him, she could fall into his eyes and drown and not regret a drop of water that entered her lungs and it had her paralysed, for a moment. A moment long enough for the anxiety to set in and her stomach to turn in knots as she started trying to rehearse what to say and came up blank. Everything went from stopped to fast motion in an instant and suddenly they were right in front of her and Cass, Archie had a smug smile across his lips, Jughead just looked at he, she could feel the adoration in his eyes, the confusion, and the hope and if that was terrifying, she didn’t know what was.

“Hey, Y/N,” Archie grinned, her eyes snapped to him, bewildered and entirely afraid of what he was about to say in the middle of the corridor, “you have fun on Saturday night?” he asked slyly. Cass wound her arm through Y/N’s and smiled sarcastically.

“Oh yeah, it was amazing, we had a great time.” Cass jumped in, Archie frowned slightly.

“You get home alright?” Archie asked, directly at Y/N, she panicked, he knew. There was no mistaking it and no words were coming to her now, nothing witty, nothing scathing, just nothing. She was embarrassed and terrified and all of that culminated into one obvious solution.

“I have to go.” She sputtered, so quietly it almost wasn’t audible, not that that mattered because her intentions became obviously clear as she turned and sprinted off down the hallway like she was being chased. There were people who tried to stop her running, most likely to ask if she was okay but she just kept moving until she found a janitor’s closet under the stairs to duck inside, where there was no one. The bell signalled the beginning of class and a weight came off her shoulders as she heard people start to shuffle away to class, she stayed put.

Maybe it was a minute, an hour, three days, she couldn’t know. It’s not as though she wanted to cry or scream, she simply wanted to sit alone and imagine a reality in which she didn’t stumble over her words and screw everything up. “I used to live here you know.” His voice came suddenly and sent shivers down her spine, she just chuckled and looked up at him slowly.

“Well, if it isn’t Donnie Darko himself.” She muttered bitterly, he rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him, sealing them in complete darkness. Y/N shuffled over when she felt him moving to sit beside her in the cramped space.

“Speaking of dark, maybe this will help you talk to me like you did the other night.” He mumbled, there was no anger or fierceness in his tone, he was gentle and welcoming as always, it astounded her and settled her all at the same time.

“M-maybe, if we take it slow.” Y/N stuttered out, shuffling slightly closer to him, he smiled in the dark and she didn’t see it, but she could feel it in some odd way.

“How about I talk and you listen?” He suggested, silence followed, “You know I can’t see if you’re nodding or not so you’re going to have to say something.”

“Mhmm.” She hummed softly, she didn’t trust herself to speak yet, even in the dark

“Okay, well, I missed you.” He spoke slowly, unsurely, it was painfully clear that he didn’t speak this way to anyone often, or perhaps at all, it made it easier for her to know that this was hard for him too and yet she hated feeling his nerves, “Which, now I’ve said it out loud is kind of embarrassing I guess, but I did. I was terrified you wouldn’t remember, honestly. I got stuck the other night, after I saw you and since then I haven't been able to write a single thing. I can't get you off my mind and I don't think I want to, your mystery used to focus me and now the mystery is gone and I'm just left with you." He sighed, biting his lip as he tried to choose his next words.

"Sorry I'm such an inconvenience." She said and he could hear the smile in her voice and it made his chest tighten in the most pleasant way.

"You should be," he teased, nudging her slightly with his shoulder, "I haven't had writer's block this bad in months, but then again, I always had you to focus on, that seems to be my problem now though. You're like my new favourite song, stuck on repeat and I can't stop it, it's so distracting and yet I find myself worrying that it might stop rather than hoping it does. As much as you may be my favourite song, the tune is throwing me off when it comes to writing."

"So, I guess you gotta figure out what your answer is then," she spoke slowly, still unsure, but the words came so much easier now, most of her nerves replaced by a sweet warmth, "what are you going to do now when you get stuck?"

"I'll solve the mystery." He hummed, "I'll come back to you, maybe I know more about you because of the other night but from what I learnt I can tell you're incredibly complicated, and I want to know more. You are an entire universe and if you'll let me, I'd love the chance to walk through the stars. I suppose that means my answer is still you, if you'd be willing to talk to me when I get stuck." There was a long pause, in which Jughead's heartbeat tripled in pace and Y/N's cheeks heated ferociously.

"I think I could do that." She mumbled, clearing her throat slightly awkwardly. The way he spoke about her was incredible, it calmed her nerves and sent her heart wild all at once, she wasn't sure she'd ever adjust to that feeling but she knew that she never wanted to.

"Thank you, Y/N." He breathed out, as though his breath had been held for a million years in wait for her answer. If the truth be told, there wasn't a place in the world she would rather be than there with him at that exact moment, and it made no real sense, a boy she'd never let her guard down around now suddenly someone she wanted to know her entire mind inside and out, because she believed, for once, that he might understand.

"Hey Jug, do you think you'll remember this tomorrow?" She asked, getting onto her knees to face him in the dark, he chuckled and shook his head slightly. He went quiet as soon as he felt her move closer, so close he could feel the heat from her body and the warm of her breath across his lips.

"I think I will." He murmured into the small space between them, his throat caught as he tried to get air into his lungs. Until he felt her soft lips on his, delicate and gentle, and his breathing stopped all together. The first time had been absolutely perfect, this time was immaculate beyond a way words could describe, the way they felt were like they'd been crafted by the gods to fit with his, to move against him. There was no one like her, there was no kiss like hers, it was a kiss that made gardens grow where only weeds had been before and he couldn't help but fall a little bit in love with the way she felt, and with everything she was. Y/N pulled away, soft panting filled their otherwise silent broom closet. "I couldn’t forget you if I tried."

"Good." she whispered back, leaning into him again, his arms pulled her in, closed around her like a barrier to keep her from everything she needed to escape, he was safe, he felt like a protector in a way she longed for and she felt like home in a way Jughead couldn't remember feeling for the longest time.

Everything has a consequence. There isn’t a single action that is free of a reaction. However, sometimes, when the stars align just right, and an inexplicable amount of coincidence finds itself in the right place, things fall together, and people collide in brilliant catastrophe. Some might call it luck; most just call it love.

Taglist: Jughead tags: @princessjughead @unicornqueen05 Everything tags: @gryffndor @itsjaynebird @vanessa-sanch-blog People who wanted confession part 2: @full-dark-no-starsxx @sophiiemead @anything-pizza @theatregeek01 @bellasmash @cynicallydelirious @liss4life @betty-coopers-number-one-stan @sardonic-jug

(if you wanna be on the tag list hmu and I’ll make it happen.) (Shout out to @full-dark-no-starsxx for being amazing and doing the believe in me thing, it’s noice)

#Riverdale #riverdale imagine #riverdale fic #jughead #jughead jones #jughead fic #jughead jones fic #jughead imagine #jughead jones imagine #jughead x reader #jughead jones x reader #mine

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theonyxpath · 7 years ago

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The Primordial Feast

This week we dine on Trinkets, a story by Lauren M. Roy from The Primordial Feast, a fiction anthology for Beast: The Primordial.

“This place is a shithole.”

“A townie shithole.”

Dav and Galen aren’t wrong. The place in question is a townie bar, run by three generations of Stowes, frequented by three generations of Colebridge residents. Usually, we’d drink over at Jana’s place, or bring our booze to the park, but she’d wanted to come out tonight and this is where the cheap drinks are. That, and Jana’s hungry. She’s kicked back in her chair, eyeing the regulars at the bar the way some people eye a dessert tray. When she shifts, I feel her shoulder brush mine, even though we’re a foot apart.

Jason sits hunched over his beer, trying to make himself small as possible next to Jana’s bulk. He didn’t want to come out tonight, though I know he has to be hungry. Every time Jana’s laughter booms out across the bar, he ?inches. Her laugh draws attention, and even though Jason and I are technically townies, too, he doesn’t want to be spotted. His family and mine have lived here a good three-quarters of a century, but small town bullshit means some last names are more important than others.

High school was more than ten years gone, but that’s easy to forget in a town no one ever leaves.

It doesn’t take long for the elbowing and nudging to start. It gets more exaggerated with every round, until one of the former running backs comes over and leans down next to me. “Miranda. I thought you’d dropped off the planet.” He speaks to me but the gaze and the smirk are directed at Jason.

I want to send him packing, say something that’ll make him wet his pants and run back to his frat bro friends, but this isn’t the place for it. To a point, it’d be shitting where we eat and Jana frowns on that. Instead I clap a hand on his shoulder, turn him so he has to look me in the eye. “I haven’t yet. Shane, right?”

“Yeah.”

“My friends and I are having a conversation, but maybe I can catch you later?” The odds of him taking the hint and walking away are lousy, but it’s worth a try.

He doesn’t take it, shifts his gaze past me. “Hey, Jason,” he says, that syrupy,drawn-out, fake friendliness made worse by his drunken slur. “Hey, buddy. How are you? How’ve you been?”

Shane was huge in high school. He graduated and went straight to work for his dad’s landscaping company, so even though he got a little thicker around the middle in the intervening years, he’s still muscle under the pudge. Jason looks like a reed next to him.

But that’s why we’ve got Jana. My hand’s still on Shane’s right shoulder when hers comes clamping down on his left with a meaty smack. He lets out an urk at the force of it, and turns to peer at her. His muscles tense beneath my fingers as he gets ready for a brawl, then loosen when he realizes the dude who just dared lay a hand on him isn’t a dude at all, and he dismisses her as a threat.

That’s a mistake.

“What my friend is too polite to say,” Jana rumbles, “is fuck. Off.”

His mouth ?aps a second while his brain catches up. Jana leans forward a little, looming even more, and it’s suddenly very crowded at our table. Shane trips his way back to his feet and stumbles over to his bros. By the time he gets to them, he’s all eye-rolling and shrugs and pretending he didn’t nearly scream like a little girl. But I saw the way he waddled, like it took all his control not to let his bowels loose right then and there.

Dav snickers. He’s never been Jason’s biggest fan, but if nothing else, Jason makes good bait. And in the end, he’s family. None of us would let anything happen to him.

Jana swigs down her beer and orders another. “So, that’s dinner sorted,” she says.

She doesn’t mean it, not literally, but Jason looks like he’s about to throw up anyway.

• • •

I like it better when I can plan ahead, but it’s been a lean few weeks. The last few nights, my own Lair’s been trembling as Jana’s Horror stomps around hers. Her footsteps reverberate through the Burrows, setting the leaves of my trees shaking, sending ripples across the water of Jason’s pond. I imagine even the shadows in Dav and Galen’s shared Chambers shiver. It’s a small damned town, and there’s nothing bigger in it than Jana. For a while, that was what kept her fed. Even a town like ours has its bad neighborhoods, and she lorded over the down-and-out, told the gangs what to do, how to commit their crimes in a way that kept people afraid.

Until, that is, the new police chief got sworn in. Jana’s been laying low for a month, playing it careful while she figures out what to do about Chief Bessette’s pledge to straighten out the criminal element or send them packing. It was fine at first; she went with Dav and Galen when they raised hell in the posh section of town. Break-ins that never tripped alarms, smashed windows that had the selectmen investing in baseball bats and Maglites — not that they’d have done any good. It got the focus off Jana, but not her people, and the three of them backed off before someone got too brave and decided to play hero. But she’s still not sure whether the Chief can be bribed or manipulated or just plain needs to be run out of town himself, and it’s made her growly. Both her attitude and her stomach.

So now it’s my turn to feed us, and Shane’s the best candidate. I time my bathroom break to one of his; seems our little chat made him have to go, and once you break the seal, well. You could’ve set a watch by his bladder after that first trip to the can. Now he’s drunk enough, and arrogant enough, and questioning the size of his balls just enough that when I plant a hand on his chest, he’s ready to try again.

I don’t let him do much more than leer. My fingers play with the pendant around his neck, one of those thin, twisting cornicellos. Back in high school, he called it his Italian horny charm, and pointed it at whatever girl he was scoping out that lunch period. It’s supposed to ward off evil, but if I count, nothing’s happening. “I need some air,” I say. “How about you?”

He doesn’t even wave goodbye to his bros.

The park’s only a five-minute walk from the bar, across one busy street and down a much quieter one. We go in the back way, down the trail that leads to the row of log cabins the day camp meets in on rainy days. The park’s empty this time of year, just past Halloween. Once school starts back up, the novelty of trespassing after hours wears off quick. By the time fall nights get their bitter, first taste of winter chill, the kids have discovered much warmer places to loiter.

He’s sobered up a little as we walked, enough for a touch of common sense to creep in, for his lizard-brain to wake up from its beer-drenched nap and remind him that walking off into the woods late at night is a bad idea.

Which, hey, good for him. Except we’ve already stepped into the inky shadows that mark the edge of Dav’s Lair, and there’s no way Shane knows how to get out again. I lead him in farther, let branches brush at his face and roots make him stumble.

Part of me almost feels bad for him. Shane was loud and obnoxious back in school, sure, and if he ever gave me the time of day, I don’t remember it, but ignoring someone isn’t a crime. Then I think about the way he zeroed in on Jason, the cruel glee that crept into his voice as he said hey, buddy, and whatever fucks I was starting to give about Shane evaporate.

He’s getting nervous now. His breath comes in ragged gasps. In what little light Dav and Galen are letting through, I can see how wide his eyes are, how they roll towards every snapped twig and half-heard rustle. When I reach for his hand, his skin is clammy. I don’t hold it for long.

I know the twists of this maze, but Shane doesn’t, and losing him is only a matter of ducking behind a gnarled and twisted old oak and letting him stumble past, calling my name. I don’t answer. Why would I?

The hunt is on.

It’s for Jana more than any of us, and even though we’re chasing Shane through Dav and Galen’s nightmare woods, conjuring roots to send him sprawling, whispering in his ear, tracing icy fingers down his spine, we’re driving him inexorably towards her. She’s a dark shape through the trees, and when her Horror plucks him from the ground, lifts him up and up and up so he can look her in her red, red eyes, I can’t help but be in awe.

Shane shrieks. Dav and Galen echo it, mocking him with his own fear. Moonlight breaks through the clouds, but it brings him no comfort. Part of me is up there in the sky, my shadow skimming over the lake, dark wings beating in his ear, a talon grazing across his cheek. Above us all, Jana laughs.

He blacks out before she can lift him to her mouth, but that’s fine. Like I said, she wasn’t really going to eat him.

We leave him on the beach in the real world, roll him out of the Lair and close the path. Tomorrow he’ll wake up cold and hungover and more than a little ashamed.

I take the charm from around his neck, and realize Jason is nowhere nearby. I haven’t seen him since I left the bar.

Found out what happens to Shane, and what happened to Jason, in The Primordial Feast, now available from DriveThruFiction in ebook and print.

#Onyx Path Publishing #White Wolf Publishing #Beast: The Primordial #Beast The Primordial #Chronicles of Darkness

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magicianparrish · 8 years ago

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You’re Welcome

I will admit, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to happen, but then that got lost in translation from my brain to my fingers and computer screen. I mean, it’s the same general idea just a different approach. This also helped me get out of a big writing slump, and will probably hold me off for a while. Anyway, the first part of the fic may or may not be based off my daily morning struggle (hungover or not). And I placed some tv references in there...subtle but there. Anyway, so have some Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper and Leo with some of Percy’s little sister (who is not officially named as of yet), and some Sally and Paul because I love them all.

Percy let out a groan when he felt the sunlight hit him in the face through the blinds on his window. His bed just so happened to be strategically placed so the sunlight decided to greet him in a blinding glare every morning at the crack of dawn, even when he really, really didn’t need to be up that early, ever.

It just so happened that the garbage men come up his block at around the same time in the morning. The truck’s loud BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, coming from reversing towards the dumpster echoing up to his window and into his room shaking the foundations of the building so much sometimes Percy thinks there will be an earthquake.

Really, Percy could kill someone some days. He’s woken up in a sleepy daze many times to scream “Fuck you!” in a groggy voice before slamming his head back down on the pillow and trying to ignore the inconveniences of living in Manhattan and trying to actually sleep for once. It is a struggle.

Percy heaved his body to turn around and not face the sun, wanting to get just a few more minutes of shut-eye. Half his face was smushed into his pillow, and he could feel his nose twisting in a way that could be described as mildly uncomfortable, but he couldn’t care enough to do anything about it.

When he did finally wake up, he lifted his head a little off the pillow, letting out a large yawn and realizing he had some serious dry mouth and his head had the familiar pulsing that only came with having a hangover. He let out another groan and some cursing to Leo and Piper and Jason for taking him and Annabeth out on the town last night. He let his head slam back into his pillow, full face smothered and muffled a mixture of a scream and groan. He could feel the wet patches where he had drooled in his sleep, which didn’t make him feel any better. He just wanted to lay there forever and never have to worry about anything ever again. And for a few more minutes, that’s exactly what he did.

“I hate them,” he muttered to himself before lifting himself onto his elbows.

He blinked slowly, the crust of sleep still covering his eyes as he rubbed them out. The sunlight was still coming in, but it wasn’t nearly as intense as sunrise always seemed to be. He had no idea what time it was.

He swung his legs off the bed, letting his bare feet touch the wood floors sending a little jolt from the coldness. He hunched over and rubbed his palms across his face and then through his hair which was sticking up everywhere from serious bedhead and the fact he needed to shower. He would do that after he got something to eat, he was starving.

Percy stood up stretching his arms high over his head, feeling the pull of the muscles on his lower back and biceps and triceps. Then he let his arms hang limply at his sides for a few minutes as he cracked his neck and back. It felt really good to do that and shake the sleep and stiffness out. He let out a deep breath and opened the door.

Percy was thankful that the lights were off. Since it was daytime, there was no use for wasting unnecessary electricity that would make the bill higher at the end of the month. Percy didn’t even live in his parent’s apartment anymore, but he was staying the night and babysitting his younger sister Moira for the day.

As soon as he took a few steps, a wave of nausea hit him. Percy stumbled and leaned against the wall, hanging his head down low and trying to get a grip and not vomiting bile all over the hallway floor.

“Shit,” he whispered, “I am never drinking again.”

After taking a few deep breaths calming himself down, he slowly took some tentative steps towards the kitchen this time around. When he rounded the corner he saw that his mother was already cooking up breakfast for everyone, which meant that it couldn’t have possibly been too late in the morning or afternoon. He still had no idea what time it was.

He could hear the sizzling of bacon being fried on the stove, and the humming of the microwave as something else was being cooked in there. And at the kitchen table, sat Annabeth, Leo, Piper, and Jason. They all looked the same as he did: exhausted, nauseated, and very much hungover. It made him feel marginally better knowing he wasn’t the only one suffering.

He walked over to the table, pulled out a chair and slumped in it. He rested his elbow on the tabletop with his head in his palm. In the center, there was already a pitcher of ice water and bottles of Gatorade. Annabeth was bent over and resting her entire head on the tabletop, her blonde hair in a very messy bun with chunks of it falling out from the elastic. Jason appeared to be handling the hangover the best out of all of them, but he looked very zoned out going in and out of consciousness. Piper and Leo had pairs of sunglasses over their faces and were in matching zebra print Snuggies sipping light blue Gatorade from two straws from the same bottle.

“Morning Sleeping Beauty,” Piper said with a smirk on her face.

Percy opened his eyes and glared at her. This just made Piper bark out a laugh before taking her phone out and snapping a photo. Percy was too tired to give a crap at this point.

“I am never going out with you three ever again. You just drag me into situations that I horribly regret the next morning.”

Annabeth lifted her head up, her eyes were squinted and puffy but glared at the trio of younger demigods in front of them.

“I agree. I hate you, Leo for making me take Fireball shots with you. If I ever so much smell it again, I think I’ll vomit on the spot. You ruined cinnamon for me. Thanks a lot,” she croaked out.

Leo made an exaggerated slurping sound from his straw and then an exaggerated ahh when he finished. His sunglasses, which looked liked they belonged to a New York socialite slid down his nose as he looked at Annabeth. Then his lifted his palm and allowed a ball of fire to appear.

“Not everyone is made of hot stuff I’m afraid. Not my fault you aren’t,” he retorted.

“Oh fuck off. You’re supposed to repair things not cause the problems,” Annabeth snapped.

Jason seemed to come out of his own mind and smirked at Leo, who seemed just a little bit offended. He huffed, pushed the sunglasses back onto his nose and leaned back in his chair taking another sip of the Gatorade.

“Hey kids, mind not cursing and showing off powers in the house? We got some real kids in the other room, and I don’t want a situation to explain today,” Sally suggested kindly turning her attention to the young adults in the room.

“Sorry mom,” Percy apologized.

A chorus of “Sorry Sally”’s emerged after.

From behind Percy's head, the soft patter of footsteps and a hand landed on Percy’s shoulder. The touch was gentle, he still didn’t like being startled after everything. He looked up to see his step-father Paul’s face. His brown eyes were filled with mirth and just a tad of mischief.

“Hey everyone, since I know you all seemed to have had a rough night, I’ve done a kindness and bought everyone burgers and fries from Five Guys.”

With that, he dropped a bag filled with the grease filled stuff. Percy gagged at the smell and sight of it, and he saw his friends had similar reactions to seeing it. He heard Paul let out a hearty laugh, and then his mother joined in. Percy felt betrayed for a moment. He looked up at his parents.

“Traitors,” he groaned.

That only brought another round of laughter from his parents. Paul then went and picked up the bag putting it on the counter.

“You’re welcome. And you’ll thank me for this later. I was young once too, and I know a thing or two...or a lot about hangovers.”

A few minutes later, Sally wiped her hands on a dish towel. She and Paul set the table with plates and food. It was mouth-watering to look at. Sally walked over to where the living room was.

“Moira and friends, breakfast is ready!” she announced.

The pounding of little feet could be heard from the room as they made their way into the crowded kitchen. Everyone scooted their seats over to make room for the three seven-year-old girls who were joining them.

They were still in their pajamas. Moira’s brown hair was plaited into to two french braids, and she was in her Disney princess pajama set. Her light brown eyes were wide with all the food in front of her, and she looked ready to devour it. She turned her head and gave a big smile, filled with missing teeth.

“Mom, why does Percy and Annabeth and Piper and Leo and Jason look so tired?” Moira asked innocently.

His mother looked a little smug at the question, and a flush of red appeared on Annabeth’s cheeks from embarrassment. Percy felt his face heat up too. His mother sat down in a chair and looked at her daughter.

“Your brother and his friends had a little too much fun last night,” she gave a vague explanation without having to explain that they had all gotten very drunk.

“Is that why they were laughing and talking so loud last night?”

“Yes, sweet pea. No more questions, it’s time to eat,” Paul interrupted saving them. Percy sent a grateful look across the table.

He noticed Moira’s friends giggling between themselves at the interaction. All of his younger sister’s friends loved him. Everyone started to grab and pass plates of food across the table. His mother helped Moira with hers because she tended to be messy with just about everything. Percy stacked up his plate with pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and black pudding which made his stomach growl. He was slowly but surely recovering from his hangover, and now he was starving. Any food looked good enough to devour.

“Annabeth, pass the butter please,” he asked.

His wife reached over Jason and then passed it to him across the table. It was already melting from being out for a few minutes. He then started to cut and shove pancakes and eggs into his mouth savoring the flavor.

Moira was just hacking away with her knife and fork shoving unequal cuts of pancake that seemed to be too big for her mouth. She had chipmunk cheeks from all the food in her mouth. The conversation was lively between the younger girls, and slowly his friends were integrating into as well.

The apartment was filled with noise and life. Percy enjoyed the little things now, and he was happy to see that everyone was happy. He was married to the love of his life, he had friends and family who were safe, and it was what he dreamed he could have when he was younger. All the quests were a thing of the past. He still had the occasional monster attack, but it wasn’t anything he needed to worry about. He had a little sister who he loved, and who loved him back. His mother had come so far, and he was glad that he could be there with her every step of the way.

“Oh! It’s my favorite song!” Moira exclaimed spitting food out of her mouth.

His mother gave a chastising look, which Moira smiled bashfully at before turning her attention to the song playing on the television in the living room. Percy leaned in to listen and heard they were watching Moana.

She then started to sing along with Maui, and her friends joined in. Percy was humming it under his breath and eating at the same time. When the song was over Moira went back to eating.

“Lucy, Amy, did you know my brother is just like Maui?” Moira said to her two friends.

“Really, how?” Amy, the little redhead, who looked like a mini-me of Rachel asked.

“He’s a demigod! And he’s done so many things like Maui has!”

Percy had just put a piece of bacon in his mouth and he choked on it in shock. He saw Annabeth do the same with the Gatorade in her mouth. Piper, Leo, and Jason’s eyes widened and Leo’s jaw dropped in shock.

“Moira,” Percy whispered trying to stop her.

“He can control the water of all kinds! He does tricks for me all the time with it. It’s so cool,” she bragged.

Percy dragged Moira’s chair closer to him and put a hand on her head. She looked up with her brown eyes narrowed. Even so little she knew condescension gestures. He hoped he gave her a look that said shut it.

“Moira you are a crazy rascal, just because I’m good with water doesn’t mean I’m a real demigod. I only like to pretend that I’m one sometimes,” he deflected.

A little smirk formed on her face and she turned towards her friends. She seemed to have gotten the mistake she made, and he would punish her by splashing water on her and tickling her later for it. Her friends started to laugh like she made the greatest joke. Slowly, everyone else joined in the laughter to break the tension.

“You just love causing trouble, don’t you? You better not tonight,” Annabeth said with mock sternness.

“I am the perfect disciple of discipline, Annabeth.”

Percy turned to her with an impressed look. He knew then that she had been hanging out with Annabeth way too much. And she was definitely his mother’s daughter.

“And since I am just like Maui, you’re all welcome,” he said with a wink to his sister.

“For what?” Moira questioned an eyebrow arched on her face.

Percy shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of water which felt nice going down his throat.

“For everything,” he teased, “and you started this.”

#Percy Jackson #Annabeth Chase #Leo Valdez #Piper McLean #Jason Grace #Sally Jackson #Paul Blofis #pjo #pjo fic #seriously I don't really know what this is but here it is anyway #there's no real plot or anything to it #my writing

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