#and insisting she's fine but she hasn't slept for more than an hour at a time in months and the only thing she's been drinking is coffee

[sugarsnappeases]

rita skeeter, at the end of the first war

[doom-dreaming]

Fic idea: he hasn't slept in weeks, except for a number of naps he can count on one hand. It's been nearly a month, and it's catching up to him in his quarters— he's yawning a couple of times, his sharp blue eyes are tired, and there are slight eyebags. He's never been this tired, he thinks. cortana notices this, and he insists he doesn't need sleep, and obviously, he's stubborn about it.

"I'm fine."

"You're falling asleep standing up."

"I'm fine, Cortana."

"Oh, what, you think if you repeat yourself louder I'll leave you alone? You know me better than that." She crosses her arms and tries to lean into his line of sight. He still wouldn't look at her. Stubborn bastard. "You've been running on adrenaline and thirty-minute naps for three weeks. Almost four."

"Nothing I haven't done before."

"That's the point I'm trying to make. You're not on assignment. You don't have to run yourself ragged for Palmer's training drills." She thinks she sees his eyes flick toward her, just for a second. "...a few hours, that's all I'm asking."

He turns toward the door without saying a word, but she's faster. There's an audible 'click-beep!' as the door locks and the light on the keypad goes red.

He stops in his tracks, but still doesn't turn toward the holodeck. She's expecting to hear her name again, but what comes out instead - in an annoyed growl - is, "Roland."

She can feel the other AI moving through Infinity's mainframe, quicker than lightning, focusing on this room, this holodeck. "Roland!" she snaps, just as his gold glow is starting to layer over her blue. "Do not open that door for him!"

Lovers' quarrel? Roland teases, tactfully keeping the comment inaudible to the human occupant of the room.

Cortana spears him with the digital equivalent of a glare and he backs off. Slightly. The golden light flickers and fades from the holodeck, but she can still feel part of him close by, curious. She doesn't bother chasing him off completely, even as irritating as it is to have him watching over her metaphorical shoulder. "I'm not unlocking that door until you sleep," she grouses at John's still-turned back.

"You're being ridiculous."

"Oh, I'm being ridiculous?!" How could a man be so smart and so stupid at the same time? "You're the one refusing to sleep until you—" she tosses her hands in the air, not that he can see it, "—drop dead, apparently!"

"Commander Palmer's expecting me in forty-five minutes."

"No, she's not. I told her you were unavailable." At this, he finally turns to face her. She's expecting to see annoyance, at the very least, but what she mostly sees instead is...fatigue. The petulant determination in his eyes is no match for the shadows around them. He's exhausted and he knows he is... It doesn't add up.

The energy between them shifts. The fight flooding her code ebbs away. It ripples out like waves, loosening threads of herself she didn't even realize had been wound so tightly, until all she's left with is the overwhelming desire to figure out what's wrong with her Spartan. "...why won't you sleep?"

His jaw tightens and he breaks eye contact, focusing on the floor instead.

She feels Roland finally retreat as her concern spikes higher and she sends a wordless 'thank you' after him. John still hasn't answered. She doesn't push him. Slowly, she sits, prepared to wait as long as he needs. Silence had never been uncomfortable between them, but she finds herself wishing she didn't have to be confined to the holodeck. She wants to reach out, to put a hand on his arm, steady him somehow. Reassure him. It'd been so nice, all those years ago. Circumstances aside, obviously.

His chest deflates in a sigh. "Dreams haven't been too friendly lately."

She hums her acknowledgement. They'd never really talked much about dreams - she usually wasn't in his head when he was having them - but she knew they could be strange. And sometimes painful. Sedatives wouldn't help; he had told her that, once. They forced him deeper, made things more vivid. "...I dreamed, you know. When I was..." she gestures vaguely toward the ceiling. "Out there." She didn't know if that was technically true. She didn't know what dreaming felt like. She knew what it looked like, neurologically, but if that was anything close to what she'd experienced... She doesn't particularly care about the semantics right now. That isn't what he needs. "Mind if I talk about it?"

He takes the bait. She watches him cross the room to his bunk, sitting heavily. "As long as they're good."

His voice is rougher than usual, edged with sleep deprivation, but she can hear the relief, the settling calm. He's grateful to have something else to focus on. She musters a smile and dims the lights. "I wouldn't have offered if they weren't." It was a white lie. Harmless in the short term, forgivable in the long term.

And she begins. Pointedly, at first. Stringing together half-truths of the best parts of what she'd seen, embellishing where necessary. He's horizontal after five minutes, on the brink of unconsciousness after ten. She doesn't stop talking. Not after his breathing has finally slowed into a deep, even rhythm. Not after an hour. Not after two. Not after three. She feels Roland swing by again, but he doesn't bother her, just sends curiosity-contentment-happiness toward her in a rapid succession of data pulses. She echoes back the last two and he's on his way again.

It feels good to be able to say what had been trapped inside her head for months, to try to make sense of it all. And to be able to say it to John without the expectation of any response. She doesn't want to put the weight of it - the reality of it - on his shoulders, too. Not really. She could figure it out by herself. And she would, eventually. But right now? She's just happy to hear nothing but the soft breathing of her Spartan in reply as he, finally, sleeps.

[lady-wallace]

Whumptober Day 15 - "Breaking the Habit" (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

More Hearts of Gold for today's @whumptober fic! This is my Bucciarati/OC series. We're going back in time in the series: this one is set very soon after Hearts of Gold, when Bruno and Maria are still newlyweds and Maria hasn't yet figured out that Bruno is very bad at taking care of himself.

~~~~~~~

Prompts Used: Makeshift Bandages, Suppressed Suffering, 'I'm Fine' Fandom: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5 Character: Bucciarati

~~~~~~~

Read on A03

~~~~~~~~

Bucciarati cringed as he threw the bloody cloths into the trash can of the hotel bathroom before re-applying zippers to his injuries. That would do for now until Giorno returned in a few days and if needed, he would ask him to fix them up. For now Bruno really just wanted to get back home to his wife.

He never used to think anything about being away on missions—they were tiring but part of the job. However, since marrying Maria almost two months ago now, he was less and less eager to leave for extended periods. Which is why he had promised her a night out as soon as he got back, for both of them.

Which…he needed to be leaving soon if they were going to make the reservation he'd had Maria book at their favorite restaurant that night.

He swiftly dressed, cringing slightly at the pull of fabric over the tender skin around the zippers in his side and thigh, then exited the bathroom to find Abbacchio already packed up and ready.

"Ready?" Bruno asked him.

Abbacchio glanced over, giving him a once over. "You good?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you didn't let me look at those injuries you got in the fight last night," Abbacchio said.

"There was no need to, they weren't serious," Bruno assured him, forcing himself to not limp as he went to grab his bag. Painful, maybe, but pain would hardly kill him. "Come on, I'm not going to miss taking my lovely wife out to dinner tonight."

"Don't worry, I was tasked with bringing you back specifically on time," Abbacchio said with a fond smile.

Bruno huffed a laugh. Honestly, the constant conspiring that went on between Leone and Maria behind his back was ridiculous. They were a force to be reckoned with.

"Then we'd best get going."

It was a couple hours' drive back to Napoli from the location of their mission and Bruno took that time to rest, trying to ignore how the seatbelt rubbed against the wound in his side. There'd been more opponents at the raid last night than he had suspected, and one man had come at him with a knife, slashing him a couple times before Bruno had taken him down with Sticky Fingers. He hadn't had time to deal with the injuries at the time, simply using his tried and true method of applying zippers to close them up as they cleaned up the rest of the operation.

He put a pair of sunglasses on and tilted his head back, trying to sleep. Clean-up had taken them until early afternoon, so neither of them had slept for over 24 hours now—going on 36. Bruno was feeling it more than he wanted to admit. He hoped he wouldn't look absolutely awful by the time he got to dinner.

He dozed fitfully, body warm and uncomfortable under the afternoon sun streaming into the car.

As they finally got back to Napoli, Bruno gave up trying to sleep, rubbing his head as he checked the time.

"It's gonna be a little tight," Abbacchio apologized.

"I still have to change too," Bruno said, and pulled out his phone. "I'll just call Maria and tell her to head over to the restaurant to meet the reservation time."

He blinked back the exhaustion, rubbing at his slightly swollen eyes as he dialed Maria's number.

"Hello?" her voice came over the line.

"Hello, my love. I might be a little late, so why don't you go on ahead and I'll meet you at the restaurant when I get back?"

"Oh, that's fine, but, Bruno, if you're too tired tonight, we can go some other time."

"No," he insisted. "A night out with you is exactly what I need right now."

"Well, I'll see you there then," she replied, a smile in her voice.

"See you soon, mi cara."

He tucked his phone back into his pocket and glanced at his watch again.

"Are you sure you're up for this? You look exhausted," Abbacchio asked.

"I am," Bruno admitted. "But a relaxing night out is a perfect remedy."

Abbacchio shrugged. "You do have a point. It's probably going to be chaos at home, especially with Giorno and Fugo also out of town."

Bruno chuckled. "That's your problem tonight, amico."

"Thanks," Abbacchio muttered.

Bruno leaned back in his seat, suppressing a sigh.

His body felt like a lead weight when they finally got back to the mansion and he dragged himself out of the car.

After the initial greetings from Trish, Narancia and Mista, he hurried to change into a clean suit before heading out.

He'd thankfully been able to shower at the hotel so it was mostly a matter of fixing his hair and changing into his black date-night suit.

His muscles protested even the small movement of taking his shirt off, an uncomfortable tug on the zippered wound in his side. Bruno prodded the area lightly, gritting his teeth against the pain. The skin around it felt slightly warm and looked red and irritated.

He didn't have time to worry about it, though, and took some pills as he buttoned his shirt up, pulled on his trousers and coat and headed out the door.

"Have a good time, Bucciarati!" Trish called to him.

He smiled and thanked her as he grabbed his keys and headed out.

XXX

Maria started with a glass of wine as she waited for Bruno, eager to see him again. He'd only been gone with Leone for four days, but she had missed him, especially with the addition of him going into a dangerous situation. She knew she would have to get used to it, but it still kept her up at night, alone in their big bed.

But soon enough, she spotted her husband coming toward her table with a soft smile on his face.

"There you are!" Maria called, standing up to allow him to pull her into his arms, with a chaste kiss to her lips.

"I'm sorry I'm a little late, but I didn't want to come in work clothes," he grimaced.

Maria got a good look at him finally, holding him at arm's length. There were definite dark circles under his eyes, but he also just looked a little wan and pale in general.

She reached up to touch his warm cheek with concern. "Bruno, are you sure you're all right? You look a little…well."

He shifted so he could kiss her hand with a smile. "I am a bit tired, but I'm happy to be back. A nice relaxing dinner will be much appreciated."

Maria smiled, though there was still a furrow between her brows as she led Bruno back to the table and they sat. The waiter came over, offering more wine and taking their orders.

All the while, Maria was watching her husband, trying not to show too much concern outwardly, but he did really look a little rough, slumping in his chair, his brow pinched slightly. She would make sure to put him to bed early once they got back.

Once they had finished dinner, Bruno suggested a walk in the park nearby. "There's a gelato stand as well—we can get dessert."

"Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Maria asked, trying not to sound worried. "I know you're tired."

He waved her concern away. "I'd rather get some fresh air," he told her with a smile, reaching for her hand. "Come on—tell me what went on while I was away."

Maria took his hand and talked as they walked toward the park. Bruno felt rather warm beside her, but she had been slightly chilly in the restaurant and didn't think much of it.

When a jogger nearly ran into her, Maria was forced to bump into Bruno to avoid being hit, and was surprised when he staggered slightly, a small gasp escaping his throat.

"That was rather rude," she muttered before looking up at her husband, seeing his face had gone pale and there was sweat beading on his brow. "Bruno? Are you okay?"

"I—yes," he replied, forcing a tight smile. "I just—maybe I am a little more tired than I thought."

She took both his hands in hers firmly. "How about you sit here and I'll go pick up a pint of gelato that we can take home and eat in bed?" she suggested with a fond smile.

Bruno chuckled and bent to kiss her. "Well, I can't really argue with that."

"Oh, Bucciarati!"

An older woman who ran a flower stand called to him and he and Maria looked over.

"Ah, Signora Galini!" Bruno greeted with a tired smile, squeezing Maria's hand before letting it go. "Let me go see if she needs anything. Pick out whatever flavor you'd like—you know I like all of them."

Maria smiled and cast a fond glance back as the old woman asked Bruno to help her load her stand into the small trailer attached to her vespa.

She hurried to go get the gelato, picking out a rich chocolate mocha flavor, before returning to see Bruno finishing up and waving to the old woman as she drove away.

His face as he turned around though was crumpled in pain, one hand going up to press to his side. Maria hesitated, watching as Bruno reached for the back of the bench, going to lean on it.

His hand missed and he stumbled, legs seeming to give out under him.

"Bruno?!" Maria cried and pushed herself into a run, collapsing beside him, not caring about the grass stains on her dress. His head lolled and she took his face between her hands forcing his chin up to look at her.

"Just…need a second," he murmured.

Maria looked down where he was still pressing a hand to his side. She opened his coat and pulled it aside.

From the light of a streetlamp she could see a patch of red against his white shirt.

"You're hurt!" she gasped. "Bruno, why didn't you tell me you'd been injured!"

"It really wasn't that bad," he sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry to alarm you, lifting the stand pulled at the injury and I think that made me a little woozy."

Maria pressed her hand to his cheek again. "But you're fevered! The wound could be infected."

She was already pulling the phone from her purse and dialing as she wrapped her arm around her husband, bringing his head to rest on her shoulder.

"Leone," she said shakily as the phone was answered wearily. "Could you please come pick us up from the park?"

"I can get back to the car," Bruno protested before Maria shushed him.

"What's wrong?" Leone asked.

"Bruno's hurt," she said sternly. "Please—the park by the restaurant."

There was a quick confirmation and the call cut out. Maria tucked the phone away and pulled one of Bruno's arms around her shoulders. "Come on, you can sit on the bench which we wait."

He cringed as he forced himself up, right leg shaky as he sank down onto the bench. She practically forced him to lay down with his head in her lap but once he was there he sagged tiredly, eyes closed as she ran her fingers soothingly across his brow, stroking his hair.

"Is that the only injury?" she asked suspiciously.

"That and my leg," Bruno said tiredly.

"Bruno!" Maria scolded, a lump forming in her throat. He reached up to take her free hand.

"I'm sorry, mi amore," he told her sincerely. "I should have said something."

"Yes, you should have," she replied shakily, hurt and fear clashing inside of her.

Headlights illuminated the area and a car came to a quick stop on the side of the road.

Leone got out and hurried over to the bench.

"Maria," he called, stopping as he saw Bruno laying in her lap. He huffed a sigh, reaching down to help Maria heave her husband up. "Bruno, I asked you if you were hurt."

"Yes, yes," Bruno muttered, cringing as they pulled him up between them.

Leone swore and Maria pressed her lips together. They got Bruno into the backseat and then headed back to the house.

"I think he might have an infection since he's running a fever," Maria said worriedly.

Leone glanced back at the injured man. "Did you just zipper yourself shut again?"

"I didn't really have that much of a choice, Leone, we were in the middle of a fight."

"Yes, and we had plenty of time to take care of them properly this morning when we got back from the job," Leone replied in exasperation, shaking his head.

Bruno was silent, slumped against the seat as they drove.

Once they got back to the house, Maria and Leone helped Bruno upstairs to their room and left him sitting on the bench in the bathroom.

"Help me find the medical supplies," Maria said to Leone as they left the room.

Once they were downstairs, Maria grabbed Leone's arm and glowered at him. "I can't believe you didn't try to discourage him from going out tonight if you knew he was injured! You should have let me know, Leone!"

"You're right, I should have told you," he admitted. "But I honestly didn't know how bad it was—the only time he ever lets me look at injuries if he's still standing is when I actually see them happen. I know that's not an excuse but—you're not alone in your frustrations."

Maria's eyes welled and Leone's face softened again, taking hold of her hand and squeezing it. "You know he's just like this. I'm hoping that you might change that in him."

"Well, apparently not," Maria sniffled, reaching up to wipe her eyes.

Leone pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "I think he'll start to see reason once he realizes how upset you are. But let's go take care of the idiot, okay? I think we still have some antibiotics around here somewhere."

They gathered what they would need and returned to Bruno who was struggling to undress, taking his trousers off with one hand while he steadied himself with the other.

"Here," Maria said quickly and went to help him, revealing another reddened injury on his thigh. She sat him back down and eased his shirt off. The sight of his old scars sent a different emotion through her than usual. Maybe he did have a point in these injuries being relatively minor when he had suffered such grievous ones in the past.

"Undo the zippers," Leone said.

Bruno sighed and waved his hand briefly. Maria watched as the wounds parted slightly and began to bleed sluggishly again.

"They do look infected," Leone said darkly. "We'll have to flush them out."

Maria nodded stoically, lips pressed together, as they helped Bruno to sit in the tub. He lay back wearily, wincing and making small sounds of pain every once in a while as they washed the wounds out with a saline solution.

"Is that all?" Maria asked as they finished.

Leone probed the wound in Bruno's side, maybe a little more harshly than he would have normally, causing the other man to tense. "There doesn't seem to be any puss yet, so, it should be fine with an antibacterial cream and the antibiotics."

Maria nodded, dabbing the wounds dry with a swatch of gauze.

Bruno was silent as they bandaged him up and helped him to bed. Maria brought him a glass of water and the pills.

"Please take them," she coaxed.

Bruno did as he was asked. Maria took the glass and sank down next to him tiredly as Leone cleaned up the medical supplies.

"Maria," Bruno finally said, reaching for her hand. "I'm truly sorry for scaring you."

"It's not about scaring me, Bruno!" she snapped, feeling the lump form in her throat again. "Don't you get it? I know your job is dangerous, I knew that from the beginning—it's not that I don't expect you to get hurt on occasion. I know it's just an inevitability of our lives." She sighed, shoving her hair back. "What I'm mad about is that you think you need to hide your pain, and you don't. Don't you think I would have been just as happy cuddling and watching a movie with you tonight while you recovered instead of forcing yourself to go out while you were obviously not well?"

Bruno looked chastised, eyes falling to his hands as his lashes brushed fever-flushed cheeks. "You're right. I know it's something I need to work on. You understand, when I started down this path in this life, I had no one. I had to be strong constantly, otherwise I would risk letting myself break under the pressure. It made me admittedly rather negligent toward my own care so that, even when I had people I could count on, I kept some very bad habits." He looked up at her again, reaching up to brush his fingers across her cheek. "But I'm not alone anymore, and I should remember that more often."

"Yes," Maria pleaded, placing her hand over his and holding it to her cheek. "Please remember that you have a wife at home, and a family who loves you."

Leone finished up in the bathroom and speared him with a look as he carried the first aid kit out. "Listen to her, Bruno. For the love of god, change your ways for her if not for the rest of us."

Bruno sighed tiredly as Maria tucked him into bed. "I'm going to clean up." She offered a tentative smile. "If you want, the gelato is a little melted, but I'm sure it's still good."

Bruno smiled back softly and nodded. "That sounds good, amore."

Maria hurriedly went to change into her pajamas and wash her face. She detoured to the kitchen to grab the gelato before one of the kids could find it and hurried back upstairs to her injured husband.

She crawled into bed beside him, producing two spoons and the pint of dessert. "Are you comfortable, darling?" she asked, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

"As comfortable as possible," he said truthfully. "I'm rather sore."

"Well, chocolate helps," Maria smiled, before she leaned over him. "And so does kissing it better."

She pressed her lips to his and Bruno reached up to cradle the back of her head, holding her close for a few long minutes as their mouths worked against each other.

When Maria finally pulled away, she met his love-blown eyes and said, "Remember that the next time you go on a dangerous mission and promise me you'll come home safe."

Bruno slid his hand down her cheek and brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. "I promise I will."

Maria, satisfied, tucked herself against his side and they both dug into the gelato.

When it was finished, Bruno could barely keep his eyes open another second and Maria kissed his cheek and folded the blankets more firmly over them both as she pulled his head in under her chin. He gave a soft sigh, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her shoulder.

"Thank you, my love," he whispered.

Maria kissed his head and played with his hair until he fell asleep. "Sleep well, darling. I'll look after you tonight."

[regular-lord-reckoner]

yesterday was pretty exhausting

my dad was doing okay enough that my mom decided to go in for one last day of work before taking off again and apparently upper management wanted to just let her go because she doesn't have enough hours anymore to do fmla and rather than just...y'know, take the situation into consideration, that's what their answer was

thankfully both of our direct managers fought for her and were able to work something out where she'll be able to do some things remotely until she can get enough hours and then they'll let her do fmla

truly cannot wait for the day i can tell his company to kiss the fattest part of my ass and fart in their faces while doing it, fuck y'all

but while she was at work it was me and our family friend here taking care of him and while i really appreciate having his help, i think my dad put on sort of a performance for him yesterday and pushed himself too much

i should have known something was wrong when he kept having me get him hot coffee

even though this man's body composition at this point is probably more coffee than it is water, here lately he hasn't been interested in it because he just wants cold drinks (the colder, the better, he doesn't even want room temp at this point)

and granted he'd only take a sip or two and then just leave it, but that was part of the performance, which okay fine, nothing too serious there, but he did go all day without letting either of us give him anything for anxiety

and i had a feeling that's what was going on because out of nowhere his breathing would get really labored and he'd be looking around a lot (i don't know that he fully slept throughout the day, he would wake up at the slightest little thing) but i kept asking him and asking him if he wanted his medicine and didn't want to force him to take something if he didn't really need it, because it does make him a little groggy so i just kept trying to do right by him, but it backfired

when our family friend left i was in tears by that point because on my own end i stupidly just...kept working the entire time i was sitting there helping take care of him?

from around 6 am to about 6 pm i was either helping my dad or on my computer trying to get caught up on work and i knew better than to do that but there wasn't really anything else i could do

we couldn't sit and talk while he was trying to sleep because it kept waking him up. i didn't want to watch anything on my phone because i wouldn't be able to use headphones.

apart from taking the dog outside and a few of my own bathroom breaks, plus a few minutes i stopped to eat some frozen burritos, i just...worked

and by that point i was starting to think, "okay, he's now got it in his mind this isn't happening, he's going to try to force himself through this (he even said, "i feel better today than i did three days ago!" and something about "shows what doctors know") and it's going to be even worse than what it already is" so my poor mom who's already exhausted and having a day from hell has to console me now. she sat with me for a little bit and calmed me down and sent me outside to the pool so i could cool off and recharge while she handled everything which i'm extremely grateful for

meanwhile, though, she gets my dad in the big bed because that's where he said he wanted to sleep and okay, cool, no problem

she gets him nice and settled and in no time he's having a massive anxiety attack

we're both beating ourselves up today because it just shouldn't have been like that

i think the plan originally was she was just going to work half a day and then come home, but i guess with everything she ended up working a whole day and even though she kept calling and texting to check on him and we gave her the updates, i guess we both just missed the signs that he was just putting on a brave face because of who was here and that we should have insisted more on doing what he actually needed

it's just so hard because i keep wanting to let him do what he wants because it very well could be the last time he does it, y'know, but i also need to really pay attention so that days like yesterday don't happen again because he'll hurt himself and make this harder for himself if we're not careful and nobody wants that

he's been doing better today so far, though

he's back in his hospital bed and has been sleeping his ass off because i'm sure yesterday was exhausting for him big time so my mom's on top of everything and i'm just sitting here in the living room plugging away at work waiting for something to do whenever he wakes up but i'm going to try not to overdo it like i did yesterday because christ

i think he's got a social worker who's supposed to come by today so i hope maybe too that'll help at least point us in the direction of being able to get him some more answers or reassurances or something

i was thinking about it from his perspective in all of this and i think he's at the point where he's just....waiting for permission, i guess?

he keeps asking if there's some kind of schedule or ritual to this and we just keep telling him that not necessarily, this is just what we're doing right now, but i realized that just puts the onus on him to more or less decide, y'know?

because if his body is really shutting down like this and all but screaming at him that it's time i think now it's just sort of up to him whenever he feels ready but i can't imagine having to decide that because it's like...what day do i choose? do i try to make it to my birthday next week or do i just pick a day? and what time? and then what, i just...go? that's it?

yeah, no i can understand why it's hard for him but i just don't want to be the person who gives him that answer because i know him and i know if he feels even a little like it's something we're pushing on him that he'll just give up and call it quits and i don't want that, i want it to be on his terms (as much as can be)

so i guess we'll see how that goes and just keep taking it day by day, moment by moment

[writerartistdreamer]

@whumptober @whumptober-archive

Title: I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?

Hello, everyone! Here is the next little story I wrote about these two adorable people (who are too oblivious to see that they like one another). My first presentation at uni went well, but I have another presentation tomorrow, so I am quite tired, but hey I wrote another story. I didn't have too much inspiration today, but this works. You can also find this on AO3. Enjoy!

Posting day: 12

Prompt day 12: "I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?"

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Characters: Belle, Rumplestiltskin

Summary: Belle notices something is not quite right with Rumplestiltskin and finds out he hasn't slept in days. Basically, Belle tries to send Rumplestiltskin off to bed.

As Belle was doing her chores around the Dark Castle, cleaning and dusting around like the dutiful little maid that she was, she noticed Rumplestiltskin spinning continuously at his wheel. While he did spin every single day, today seemed to be more than usual, the creaking of the wheel accompanying her every task. The man barely spoke to her throughout the whole day, though he usually stopped during his spinning sessions to offer a smart quip or two, share a story with her or simply delve into a normal conversation, which usually ended with the two of them debating over a steaming cup of tea for hours on end. The past few days, Belle had found Rumplestiltskin to be more distracted and erratic as usual, which showed in his spinning as the wheel never stopped turning and his voice couldn't be heard throughout the whole day. Unusual, she thought, for a man who was so set on conversing and cracking jokes each and every day.

The spinning became more and more erratic as she completed her chores and Belle decided to put a stop to things and see what was the matter with him. She dropped the duster on the table and walked over to his wheel, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. When she noticed that not even her touch could get through to him, she shook the man slightly and stopped the wheel from spinning. "Rumple!" Belle called out for him and the wheel stopped turning as he finally shook himself out of his daze and looked over at her, as if it was the first time he was gazing upon the beauty, with such awe and wonder. The girl felt herself blush, but quickly got out of the reverie and stood in front of Rumplestiltskin, arms crossed, wanting to find what's wrong. "Are you alright? You have not said a word to me all day and you have been spinning eratically for hours or days on end", the girl said to him, pointing out how strange it was.

Rumplestiltskin felt himself return to reality when she spoke and he nodded, his hands fidgeting with one another. Exhaustion was clearly visible in his eyes, yet it didn't matter to him as long as he could still be moving around, spinning and striking his deals. "I'm quite fine, dearie. I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?", he admitted, letting out a hunourless chuckle as he stared up at his little maid. Had her eyes always been that blue? They matched her dress quite prettily, he thought. As soon as he wanted to return to his spinning, Belle moved his arms away and dragged him away from his wheel. Taken aback and with little energy to fight back, all the sorcerer could do was do as he was told and follow the girl around.

"Days, Rumplestiltskin? Are you serious? You can't just go without sleep! Everyone needs to sleep. No wonder you've been acting so strange these days", Belle exclaimed, concern tinging her voice as she stared up at him.

"I'm the Dark One, dearie, I don't need sleep like a mere mortal", Rumplestiltskin replied insistently, trying to convince her and himself of the truth of that statement. He was clearly tired, his eyes ready to shut down at any point, his hands were fidgeting with one another as he tried to cling to every bit of energy he had left. Still, he couldn't lie to himself and couldn't lie to her about the state he was in, as she was clearly not convinced by his attempt at reassuring her that he was completely fine.

"You, Rumplestiltskin, need to go to bed and you need to go now", Belle spoke determinedly and dragged him away from the Great Hall, like a mother sending her child to bed, who insisted he stay up for 5 more minutes.

"I don't need to go to bed, dearie. You can stop bossing me around now", Rumplestiltskin addressed her, small frown in his brow as he observed how the small slip of a girl managed to drag him around at will and do as she wished. Since when did such a tiny slip of a girl start holding such power over him? He couldn't understand it, yet he could barely fight it as they left the Great Hall and seemingly headed upstairs to his bedchambers.

"You have not slept in days and your eyes are red, Rumple. Who are you trying to convince? You need to get some rest", Belle insisted as she turned around on her feet to face him, glaring up at him. She didn't realize how close they were, their noses almost touching, and she lost her breath, if only for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. He smirked playfully down at her, trying to insist that he was fine, probably noticing her reaction to their closeness, yet she quickly shook herself out of her daze, grabbed his hand in hers and dragged him up the stairs without another word.

"My, what a fiery little maid. Such attitude", he observed as he let himself get dragged along the castle's hallways and up the stairs, towards his bedroom. He could barely keep his eyes open and was grateful Belle had been so insistent on sending him to sleep, for he would have probably fallen asleep at his wheel, right on his spindle, if not for her.

When they reached his bedchambers, the girl opened the doors to let him in and stood there, her hand still clasped in his. Her gaze met his as their fingers remained intertwined. Her heart was beating out of her chest and, if not for her bashfulness, she would have walked right in there with him and cuddled the whole night. Still, she knew it was the height of impropriety to get into the same bed as a man, although it would not be for any reason other than the simple comforts of a pair of arms wrapped around her. Her hand left his and she stepped away, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she looked away from his gaze, down at the grasp she let go of. "Sweet dreams, Rumplestiltskin", she spoke ever so softly and walked away, ready to silence her thoughts with a new adventure found between the pages of a book.

Rumplestiltskin held on to her hand for as long as he could, gazing upon the beauty for a little while longer. He thought of inviting her in, of showing her the monster's lair and perhaps of offering to hold her at night, if only to banish the loneliness away from both of their lives and enjoy the comforts of an embrace. He almost asked her to stay with him, stay for a little while longer, stay and spend the night in his bedchambers or perhaps jhst stay forever. The man shook himself out of the reverie as the girl let go of his hand, knowing he would never dare utter such words, would never even think of making such an invitation and tainting his beautiful Belle with his darkness. How could she possibly stand to feel the arms of a monster around her, when one tries to look for peace and quiet at night? "Good night, Belle", he said ever so softly and entered his bedchambers, heading to bed to finally rest and allow for his mind to be quiet.

[yelenayena]

Sweet Candy

Pairing: Yelena x Fem!reader

Genre: Romance, fluff, modern AU

A/N: This story is a little bit longer, so I suggest you bring your fav beverage, play your fav songs, and enjoy your free time this weekend by fantasizing about Yelena 💕 Suddenly I wanna make a tsundere Yelena, and I think I love every side of Yelena. I gave the title Sweet Candy bc between you and Yelena are really sweet like a candy 🥺 💕 I hope you like it, and I hope you understand my English because I’m poor at grammar hehe.

Summary: Your apartment was on fire, your best friend, Zeke, couldn't help you bc he wanted to fix his relationship with his gf. He insisted you stay in Yelena’s house for a while. After you stayed in Yelena’s house for weeks, on Valentine's Day, Yelena did something that opens up your mind and changed your life forever!

Warning: Explicit Content!

You just started your first year in university. You decided to study abroad, because your childhood friend, Zeke, had already come and being an international student, and that was inspired you as you saw his student life looked so interesting.

A couple of months ago you came to the same university as Zeke, and only a few days ago you got an unpleasant event when your apartment was on fire. So today, Zeke told you to come to his best friend’s house to stay in their home for a while.

You have just arrived at Zeke's friend's house, and you are standing in front of the door. On the third knock, the door opened. The tall-ass blonde, the one who opened the door, looked at you suspiciously.

By ignoring her expression, you smiled widely. “Hi! You must be Yelena! I’m Y/N, nice to meet ya!”

Before she responded to your words, you stepped into her house. “Wow! Your house is so lovely!”

Yelena’s eyes widened as you came into her house. “I’m sorry, but who the hell are you?” She asked with an annoyed tone.

You turned your body around to look at her, “Ah! Zeke hasn't told you yet?” You threw yourself on the couch, “I’m sorry for coming to your house so suddenly without prior notice, but in my condition, I also have no choice. So he asked me to come to your house, and he will give you further details later.”

She stared at you with a gaze full of confusion. You smiled nervously, “I’m sorry but I’m really bad at explaining.”

She held her index finger to her temple, “just hold a sec!” She brought and placed you in front of the door then she closed it.

You sighed and smiled sadly. You can understand her conduct, however, you are just a stranger to her. You sat on the step in front of her house, waiting and thinking, if she refuses you, maybe you have to find another motel or guest house nearby to campus.

In the house. Yelena grabbed her phone on the desk and called Zeke. On the third ring, Zeke picked up the call.

“ZEKE! What the hell did you do to me?!” She said indignantly.

“I meant to call you. So, she must have arrived at your house?” he asked.

Even though she knew Zeke wouldn’t see her face, she still nodded her head. “Uh-huh! And why the fuck she came to my house?! I mean, who the hell is she??

Yelena can hear Zeke sighed, “Yelena, listen. Y/N is my hometown friend, my grandmother even considered her as her own grandchild and I considered her as my lil’ sister. She studied in the same university as us. But unfortunately, her apartment was on fire the day before yesterday, it was on the news, you knew it, right?

“I immediately brought her to my place when it happened. She only had me in this city because she hasn’t had many friends in her department. She slept in my place last night, but my girlfriend was really upset when she saw Y/N in my apartment.

“You know my relationship was on the rocks, so it’s hard for my girlfriend to believe that Y/N is just my friend. So please, accept her in your house until she finds a new apartment, or until my girlfriend believes me and allows her to stay in my apartment. Okay?” he explained.

“It's so sudden,” Yelena replied.

“Please, I'm begging you. I'm so worried about her, she had no luck in her life, so you're the one I can trust to help her,” Zeke pleaded.

“Does she really have no relatives or friends here?”

“No, she only had me. You know we’re foreign students. She just started her first year in our university. I can’t let her stay in her new friends’ house, I ain’t trusting them. I really want to help her but unfortunately, I can’t help her right now because I wanna fix my relationship with my girlfriend, I’m screwed without her. You owed me so it’s time to repay the favor by allowing Y/N to stay in your house for a while. I promise she won't do such annoying things during her stay. She’s a good girl.”

Yelena sighed, “fine! I’ll allow her to stay in my house JUST for a while.”

“I know I can count on you!” Said Zeke happily.

“I told you, I can’t blame your girlfriend because you fucked every girl you met before you dated her. So take your responsibility and be a good man! I’m out!” Yelena turned off her phone.

When Yelena opened the door, she saw you walk through the yard to leave her house. “Hey! Wait!” She shouted.

You turned your head immediately when you heard her voice.

“I just called Zeke and- you can stay here for a while,” she said.

You smiled happily, “really?!” She nodded. You’re walking toward her and hugging her. “Thank you!”

Yelena looked awkward, “whoa- whoa- what is it for?”

“It’s my habit to hug someone when I’m happy,” you answered. “And- this is the reason why Zeke’s girlfriend was upset when she came to his place and she saw me hug him,” you continued, speaking more to yourself than to Yelena.

But Yelena can still hear your voice, she let out a long sigh, “the two of you really are weirdos! Come in!”

This time, Yelena lets you come to her house. And since today, you’ll stay in her house together. You told your story about the fire in your apartment and when Zeke brought you to his apartment until his girlfriend came over. You convinced her that you won’t stay long in her house until you find a new apartment. You believed Zeke so much, so when he insisted that you have to stay in Yelena’s house, you obeyed him without question. If Zeke believes Yelena, so you believe her as well.

She lets you sleep in the guest room. You asked her how much you have to pay for the room, but she refused it and told you it was just for a while so you don’t have to pay her except you paid yourself for a meal.

You stayed in Yelena’s house for almost a week. You thought she was a little bit cocky with an unfriendly attitude, but she is just a straightforward person with an expressionless face. She's nice actually, at least she still lets you stay in her house until now because you discovered difficulties to find a new apartment. People might consider her as a male because of her masculine figure, and she is a very tall woman with a height of six feet three inches. For you, she’s the perfect figure for the androgynous look, she look pretty and handsome at the same time. Her hair is blonde in a short bob with straight bangs, and it suits her well. You bet she’s pretty famous among girls or boys.

Even so, you found that her friends are just Zeke and Onyankopon, a cool and nice black guy. You found out quickly because she rarely hangs out with other friends except for Zeke and Onyankopon, but she's good at negotiating with others. You often see her talking on the phone with her business partner, and in the end, she smiled with satisfaction and told you that she reached an advantageous deal. She’s also an ambitious person.

Yeah, she’s a third-year business student just like Zeke, so she often gets the assignments for making a brand or a start-up from her lecturers. Well, maybe now you can be her new good friend, you’re a friendly and funny person, so it’s not hard for you to get along with her.

“What the hell are you doing in the kitchen for hours??” Yelena asked you on the phone. You can hear the class ambiance behind her voice.

“How did you know?” you asked.

“You didn't realize? I’ve been watching you from the CCTV in every corner of my house. Even when you did some silly movements in front of the TV to workout,” she explained.

You turned your head to the upper corner where the CCTV hangs. You looked at that with surprise. How can you not realize that there are many CCTVs in her house, and she's been watching you all the time!

“You! You're a sly peeper!”

She chuckled, “my house, my rule. So what are you up to?”

“I’m making chocolate. Valentine's Day is almost coming, so I wanna make delicious chocolate for my crush. Don't worry, I'll clean up the kitchen when I’m done.”

“Chocolate? That sucks! Why are you in such a hurry? It's still a week 'till Valentine's Day.”

You rolled your eyes, “as you know, I suck at cooking, so I need to learn to make un chocolat parfait.”

“Ah! And I still remember how horrible an omelet you made!” her tone was almost mocking.

“I know you're really good at cooking, but please don't be so mean to me.”

She laughed slightly, “okay. Do what you want. Bye.”

You thought you would be able to make perfect chocolate for your crush instantly, but it’s not that easy! Luckily, Yelena was kind enough to permit you to use her kitchen often. Although she’s good at cooking, she can't help you to give you some advice to make chocolate because she hates sweets. You practice almost every day until the V day comes, and efforts won’t betray you, you did your best to make beautiful and delicious chocolate.

“Finally-” you said while straightening your back and stretching your aching muscles, feeling incredibly relieved. Today is Valentine’s day, now you can go to college before the morning class starts, and give this beautiful chocolate you made to a Mister Perfect.

“You did it?” asked Yelena, you saw her standing on the stairway in the kitchen, still wearing her pajamas. And she stepped down to the floor.

“I did it!” you said happily. You looked at the wristwatches, “and I can go to the morning class on time. How could I've been awesome with that! Ah, I bought savory croissants you like and made hot coffee on the dining table. It's just a little reward for letting me use your kitchen, and as a valentine's gift.” You smiled and winked at her.

For the first time, she looked at you with eyes that sparkled. She smiled slightly, “thanks- So, when are you going to give that chocolate to the unlucky guy?”

You smiled at her, sometimes, she can be an innocent, sarcastic woman. “Perhaps, during lunchtime. He’s a second-year student in the Political Sciences Department, and he’s the coolest guy I’ve ever met on campus. When he puts on his football uniform, he's even cooler!” you said full of joy while imagining your crush’s face.

She rolled her eyes, “I don't give a shit. Besides, giving chocolate to the boys on Valentine’s Day is kinda old fashioned. Why don't you give him a bouquet or a concert ticket?”

“I- I don't know. Isn't that something men always do?”

She clucked her tongue, “it’s women’s emancipation.”

“You're right!” you said eagerly. “Chocolate and flowers! That's cool! I’ll buy flowers for him, too! Thank you, Yelena, you're brilliant!” and you left her to go to campus.

In the late afternoon, it’s a beautiful day at the end of winter, the warmth of the sun is still accompanying people on the outside.

It’s valentine’s day, a day full of love. But all you can feel is the cold wind in your heart, the day gets grey, and pain haunts you. You remembered all the hurtful things he said to you, you feel so rejected by him. It really hurts when you expect so much more from a person you once liked so much. You’ve liked him ever since the first day of college.

Love can sometimes be magic but magic can sometimes just be an illusion. Before you realize it, the tears stream down your face. You walked so slow in Yelena’s neighborhood.

You heard the horn behind you. “Ayo, Taffy! Walking to my house?” That’s Yelena with her car, driving very slowly to follow your steps.

You turned your head to her. She looked at you with a surprise, “Hey, you okay?”

“I- I’m okay,” you said sobbing.

Without asking you first, she scrambled out of the car, and put you in the front passenger seat of the car, and got behind the wheel.

“What happened?” she asked gently.

You cried harder when she asked that. Moments later, you told her your story when you got a raw rejection from your crush. “He even called me fat and I'm not his type. I mean, I’m okay with his ridicule, it's a fact after all. But when he mocked my chocolate, that's when I felt hurt. Anyhow, it was my hard work you even helped me make it,” and you cried again.

“I did nothing, you made it yourself with love,” she said and she turned her vehicle around.

“Where are you going?” you asked.

“I’m going to give that motherfucker a lesson.”

“You- WHAT?”

“Gimme his location!”

“Yelena- No! Turn around your car! Let's just go home.”

She gazed at you in silence for a while, “just shut the fuck up and keep your seat belt fastened!” she spoke firmly.

In the end, you just let her drive to the university yard where your crush and his friends are hanging around. Yelena insisted on giving him a lesson. Your heart raced when you saw her walk through the yard and stepped closer to the table where your crush sat.

Your crush stopped laughing when she stood in front of him, it also gave his friends in silence and looked at her in confusion. “Ayo! Rough guy!” She greeted him with a condescending tone.

“Who the hell are you, tomboy?” he asked her.

“Nobody, just a courier. I delivered a package for you,” she showed him a chocolate box and a bouquet.

“Ah, that’s from Y/N, huh? Take back, I ain't gonna need that. If I take that shit, I’m afraid that fatty would think I will accept her feelings.”

Yelena spat on the ground, “you know I was relieved I never dated a guy, and the guy I hate the most is the guy like you. You're more gay than I am, y’know? Before you mocked her, look at yourself in the mirror whether you're better than her or not! You think you're perfect, huh?”

Yelena threw the flowers and the chocolate on your crush’s face. Her hands in the fluid movement to deliver precisely aimed blows to a startled opponent.

“What the fuck!” He shouted out in shock. Getting rid of the flowers on his face and the chocolate stains off his jacket.

“Take that, you motherfucker! You should've respected her! It shows her love and hard work!” Yelena grunted, “but at least I’m relieved she wouldn't fall for an asshole like you again.” And she left him without waiting for his response.

You watched what Yelena did to him far behind, and it gives you a new perspective that you adore her so much.

“Thank you,” you said gently when you and she sat in the car.

“For what?”

“For everything. Why are you so kind to me? I mean, I am the one who often troubles you, but you still want to add a new enemy, because of me. I’ve seen everything you’ve done to him, and I really appreciate it.” You laughed strangely, “you were very rude to him, but I think he deserved it.

She grunted, “that son of a bitch deserves worse. Why do you think I'm doing this to you?” She looked at you seriously with her deep voice.

You find it difficult to answer. In silence, you looked at each other. You felt an odd feeling when you looked into her big beautiful eyes. You felt captivated by the look in her eyes, so you couldn't move your body when you realized her body moved closer to yours as she tried to kiss you.

As though conscious of what she was about to do, she stopped and sat up straight again. She cleared her throat awkwardly, “and the only one who can make fun of you is me.” She stared at the last small chocolate box on your lap. “Oh, there’s one more.”

“Yup, there is. Don’t worry, I’ll throw away this thing.”

She grabbed the small box immediately, “don’t! I’ll eat it.”

“What? Don't you hate sweets?”

“It’s okay if it's your make,” she eats a piece of chocolate you made. “Umm- not bad, ” she smiled slightly after she finished eating, then she turned the engine on.

After the incident on Valentine’s day, you can't look at her in the same way again, you felt confused about your feelings towards her. You thought she was just your friend, but now you realized you want her more than just a friend. You don't want to ruin your friendship with her, you need to find a new apartment as soon as possible no matter how to keep a distance from her and reset unnecessary feelings.

Luckily, you got a new apartment so you can leave Yelena’s house. Yelena and Zeke helped you pack the stuff and decorate your new room. After those busy days, you can finally enjoy your free time in your new apartment, all alone. And it gives you extra time to prioritize your revenge plan, once you've accepted the insult of the guy you liked. And a wise man said the best revenge is to improve yourself.

On the other hand, you wouldn't believe how much Yelena missed you. She felt empty when she stayed alone, she missed your presence in her house. She once got so annoyed by your noisy existence, but now she really wants to hear all your ridiculous babbling. When she thought of you, she smiled slightly, she didn't believe she could fall for a silly girl like you. Silly but sweet.

Since when did this feeling grow in her heart? She didn't know. Little thing she knew, you're the sweetest, most sincere girl she's ever met. Sometimes she wishes you could open your heart to a girl like her, but she doesn't want to make you feel uncomfortable if she expresses any romantic interest in you. To get rid of all her thoughts about you, she occupied herself with the project the lecturer gave her. It is funny, you two are mutually interested in each other, but you two are too afraid to express your feelings.

Time flies so fast. Spring break is over. You are ready to open a new chapter of your life in this warm spring. You were viral by the rejection video of your crush to you, it was a nightmare because everyone recognizes you with something you don't want to be. But now, everyone on campus is amazed by the change you made to yourself. And the best thing is, your crush seems regretful that he has rejected and said something cruel to you. Now, you have some respect from others.

“Wow, I heard an issue that you're now some big news and one of the hotties in this university.”

You heard a familiar voice when you walked alone in the park near your faculty building. You frowned at your face and turned around your body, your eyes widened as you saw a big-beauty blonde standing behind you.

“Long time no see and, look at you, you've changed a lot! Now you've become- a Barbie doll? Eww! You look more ugly than before when you still have those fats in your body,” she continued.

You chuckled, “we’ve lived together under the same roof for almost three weeks, and I got your own dictionary. When you say no, it means yes. So when you say I’m ugly, it means I’m pretty?”

“Jesus, no! I tell the truth, I swear, the new you is ugly.”

“I, I just wanna love myself more by changing my lifestyle to make it healthier,” you said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Whatever. I rather like your old appearance because now you’re a little conscious. Many morons will steal glances at you.”

“What?”

She sighed heavily, “something that didn’t change in you is you still slow like a sloth! Then, I’m leaving!”

“Hey, wait!” You grabbed her long arm to hold her step, “it’s unfair you come and go like a fart!”

Just one touch from you gives her a magical sensation. She then grabbed your hands and pulled your body to get closer to hers.

“I miss you so much! I can’t even stop thinking about you once you leave my house,” she hoarsely whispered.

She bent over you and kissed you. You were shocked by her sudden act, but her kiss is pure, fresh, and thirst-quenching. You felt her stiffening in surprise when you kissed her back, then she continued to insert her tongue into your mouth and moved wildly to play with yours. You two now are kissing so passionately, feeling the burn by the lust of each other.

“So this means, we’re stepping to the next level” she asked with a broad smile on her face. She looked happy.

You smiled mischievously, “what do you think?”

I think Yelena is the type who can make a straight girl gay. Who can ignore this big-beauty-badass bae 🥵🥵

My fav quotes from Yelena in this story 💕

Yelena to your crush: “...I was relieved I never dated a guy, and the guy I hate the most is a guy like you. You're gayer than I am, y’know?”

[she acted like a gentleman 🥰]

Sweet moments with Yelena 💕

Yelena to you: “Why do you think I'm doing this to you?”

[and you two were looked at each other until she tried to kiss you but she stopped it 😔]

You to Yelena: “Yup. I’ll throw away this thing.”

Yelena to you: “Don’t! I’ll eat it.”

You to Yelena: “Don’t you hate sweets?”

Yelena to you: “It’s okay if it’s your make.”

[then she ate your chocolate even she hates sweets 🥺]

[lovethisletters]

I miss you

Idk how to even start this except for: I'm so SO SO sorry @melyaliz thank u for being so patient with me 😖💕✨ this year has been hard for all of us, online school is much more difficult than I initially expected but I would keep trying my best! Hopefully you will grant me the possibility of keep writing this amazing characters of yours even though your experience with me as a writer hasn't been the greatest :c , then again thank you for your patience, happy holidays! And happy new year! Hopefully this will be a better year for all of us. 💕✨

Faith is @melyaliz OC!

It started a few weeks ago, his obsession. Tim had been trying to get information regarding Black Mask's newest plan.

—I trust you, Tim— were Bruce's last words before leaving to attend urgent matters with the Justice League, this time in space.

And since then, he worked more diligently than ever before: going undercover and placing microphones and trackers at locations in the false-face society, interrogating thugs, hours glued to his computer trying to figure something out.

While this behavior was not unusual for Tim, Faith began to worry ... call it a hunch, perhaps a gut feeling but something told her this would not end well; however, she tried to bury it and pretend that it was simply her usual concern for Tim's habits and that once it was all over, things would calm down.

But the end was only the true beginning of things.

That night Tim was in the Batcave as usual, and the rest of the family were preparing to patrol, when they suddenly heard a scream of anger and frustration.

—No! No! No! Fuck you!—

Silence invaded the mansion and was only interrupted by the sound of Batmobile's tires screeching and running at full speed.

—What's the deal with him? —Damian (already in his Robin suit) asked while trying to look through out the window, but the vehicle was already long gone.

Faith wasted no time and sprinted towards the Batcave.

And there it was, on the screen of the Batcomputer a giant, green, question mark. Riddler.

In the morning the news reported Riddler's arrest at the hands of Red Robin but it wasn't until 4 days later that Tim returned to the mansion; Physically he was fine but his ego and self-confidence was beyond bruised after what had happened and the information he managed to gather from Riddler's lair:

Tim's efforts had been all in vain, Riddler had caught up to Black Mask's suspicious activity recently and also to the fact that Batman seemed to have disappeared, so he devised a plan, surprisingly alongside Cobblepot in a deal (the details of which Tim was unaware) that seemed beneficial to both. Riddler started a little investigation on his own trying to find blackmail material ... until ... he hit the jackpot. One of his undercover henchmen had been interrogated by Tim alerting Riddler of Red Robin conducting an investigation as well, so ... He did a little digging and found out that Red Robin had been longer in this. So why not just take it? That night Tim had unveiled the last piece of the puzzle in Black Mask's plans, when suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the computer started to go crazy, sending every piece of information to (apparently ... but not really ) different directions ending with the screen showing the infamous green question mark.

Out of frustration Tim tracked down Riddler, throwed him on blackgate, recovered most but not all the stolen information and piced it all together.

He felt enraged, stupid, mocked, useless. Why haven't he realized about Riddler spying on him? He was foolish! The safety of the Batfamily could have been in danger have he been even more careless than he already was! His brothers, His mentor, His family ... His beloved Faith ... he had disappointed them all.

Everything went down hill from there.

His bad self-destructive habits went from 60 to 1000, He talked, ate and slept much MUCH less and although various family members had tried to converse with him, they were simply ignored, including Faith.

At least 2 hours had passed, she watched; his fingers danced fleetingly and aggressively on the keyboard, his green eyes glued to the monitor, he hadn't looked at her even once since she entered the room so she wondered if he even knew she was there.

—Tim, you haven't eaten anything ... wanna go whit us at belly burger? Dick said is his treat! —Her tone was slow and gentle trying not to disturb him.

—I'm good, you go — He wasn't ... He was getting thinner, and to be honest he didn't even remember if he had eaten that day or the day before.

—Then ... you want us to bring you something? anything? —She insisted but only got silence as a response.

In other situations, Faith would have been a little bit more aggressive with his approach: nagging him a little, blocking his view of the computer by standing in front of it or even carrying him out of his room making him blush wildly; but this time was different. Faith could tell how much the words Bruce said before leaving meant to him. Normally Bruce would put Dick or Jason in charge of situations like this (because he knew how "diligent" Tim could be with himself), but ... this time he trusted Tim to handle it; I have tried harder than ever before, but by concentrating on one thing he had forgotten to see the big picture. He felt like a failure, unworthy and she knew it.

She knew him better than anyone, better than himself, she could practically feel his pain.

Faith always knew about Tim's self-esteem issues. He always tried to hide them, he didn't like to see himself as vulnerable, especially having the responsibility of a vigilante life, but she learned about them since the beginning of their relationship: He was so nervous to talk to her, make extra efforts on their dates and once she heard him confess to Jason: "How can someone so beautiful actually like me?" Jason had laughed and mocked him by saying "I was wondering the same" in his eyes it was only a joke but this small comment made Tim even more insecure about his blossoming relationship. Faith noticed ... He was a people pleaser, always complying with everyone else's request in fear of being left alone, with her it was no different, several times Tim agreed to Faith's wishes even if he wasn't all that ... excited about them: like that time they went cave-diving ... it was a mess ... So in their next date Faith asked "What do YOU ​​wanna do?" he said "Whatever you want is fine" but she wasn't having it, a relationship is mutual and she wanted him to know that "Nope, this time you pick!"

And it evolved from there: She being patient with him, letting him know that he did not have to comply with all his suggestions as if they were orders and that having limits is fine and him being gentle and understanding with her, letting her know that she could trust him with everything.

And now ... they felt just so far appart ... like he was no longer by her side.

But she wasn't going to give up that easily ... she was stubborn and he had told her millions of times that he adored that about her.

Tim flinched a little when he felt her arms gently circling his waist, his chin resting on her head before he gave a chaste kiss to her tousled curls and let out a small sigh.

—Timothy. Jackson. Drake ... I miss you — People tend to forget how much simple and straight forward words can make you feel, long and tiring speeches can bury the feelings we are so desperately trying to convey, so when Tim heard those words ... He understood, he understood how distant he has been from her, how much she had waited for him, patiently and understanding of his feelings.

—I-I-I'm sorry ... Faith-

He could only return the hug from his chair, allowing himself to cry, taking out all his frustration as she stroked his hair moving him closer to his chest so that he could listen to his heart and regulate his breathing to the rhythm of it, preventing Tim from starting to hyperventilate.

—I'm sorry ... I'm sorry, please forgive me, please ...— He wouldn't stop apologizing profusely, like he had committed the worst of crimes.

—It's okay, love ... I'm always here for you — She said, taking his face in her hands, wiping away his tears gently with her thumb like he had done with her a thousand times before.

—I will always be here for you ...

Me again! As an apology for taking so long and as a gift for the holidays here is this:

[canoodlincanary]

Hey.. Can someone write this.. Tony had a very busy week. Like 24/7 meetings, tinkering, the whole nine yard. He hasn't been sleeping and eating enough. One day, Tony got a visit from stephen. He collapsed. Thanks :)

Hi, anon! I hope this is what you were looking for! Thanks for the prompt!

Tony is tired. He’s just… tired. Everything seems so slow even though he’s been moving every day, on his feet constantly. It’s been meeting after meeting after meeting, then hours in the workshop finishing upgrading his and Peter’s suits. Then upgrading turned into new ideas and further time in the workshop.

Needless to say, by the time Pepper came to drag him to yet another meeting, it was four days later and Tony had been running on coffee and about four protein shakes.

Pepper sighs when she sees Tony working maniacally in the workshop. He’s moving around the room, tools clanging and music blaring. Tony’s desk and the floor underneath are littered with empty coffee cups, but she can smell another pot brewing somewhere in the mayhem.

Heels tapping across the floor as she skirts around the empty coffee cups, Pepper walks towards the genius. The music must mute her approach because Tony whips around when she brushes his shoulder with a tentative hand. His eyes are wide and he sways, taking an abrupt step back and blinking hard. “Tony!” Pepper gasps and reaches out to steady him. 

Tony brushes her off with a smile and shaking hands.

Despite knowing better, she wants to push another coffee into his hands in the hopes that it will still the tremors in his fingers. Maybe something laced with espresso? But she knows that won’t do anything for the long run and the goal at this point is to get Tony to the meeting, then into bed. It takes a few minutes, but she’s able to coax Tony out of the workshop and Pepper knows that’s half the battle.

They talk in the elevator. The fast ascent has Tony reaching behind him to anchor himself to the wall of the compartment. He’s lightheaded, little starburst flickering in his peripheral vision. But he blinks hard and focuses back on Pepper.

Pepper asks about how Peter has been doing - “he’s been busy with school and some petty theft thugs” - and about Stephen. Tony blushes at the question. The sorcerer has been spending more and more time at the Tower, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Pepper. It makes her smile because with the ever-expanding company, she hasn’t been able to spend as much time with Tony and it’s been eating at her. But knowing that someone (and she doesn’t mean Peter, even though the teen spends more time at the Tower than at school) is keeping an eye on Tony is a relief.

The elevator stops at the main floor and Pepper directs Tony towards the kitchen.

A gentle whoosh draws their attention and Tony watches as a portal opens up in the hallway before them. Stephen steps out towards him and Tony feels like his heart should be beating out of his chest. The sorcerer is watching him with a fond but confused expression and Tony can only imagine how he looks. He feels… off.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Stephen says, looking between Tony and Pepper. “I wasn’t sure if you had some free time, Tony.”

Tony’s heart skips a beat hearing his name said in that low voice. He sucks in a breath and shakes his head, the small starbursts reappearing. “Sure,” Tony opens his eyes wide and grins. His face feels tight and his fingers are tingling. There’s a spot on the wall just past Stephen’s shoulder that he can’t look away from. “Whassup, doc?”

“Tony, don’t forget the meeting,” Pepper says apologetically. Stephen pulls his gaze away from Tony to look at her. She shrugs and purses her lips. “It shouldn’t take too long and it’ll be the last one for a while, but-”

Tony just kind of… tunes her out. His eyes drift and he can feel himself swaying, but can’t stop it. He can hear Pepper and Stephen talking - something about time off and a dinner? - but it isn’t really clicking. All thoughts are on the little lights and the pounding behind his eyes. He blinks more - maybe that will help? His heart feels like it’s just, dropping.

And then he feels like he’s dropping.

Pepper likes talking to Dr. Strange. He’s intelligent and funny, but most importantly, he treats Tony well. He’s not looking for money or equipment or fame. It’s refreshing.

There’s a look of cool interest on Dr. Strange’s face as they discuss Tony’s schedule for the next week. She’s planning on cancelling any meetings that may require Tony’s presence in order to let him relax and she hopes that Dr. Strange will be able to free up some time to spend with Tony as well.

But Tony hasn’t said anything yet and that’s not normal. Usually the man is ready to go with a wink and some dirty insinuation. But now…

Pepper turns. “Right, Tony?”

It’s a split second. She turns to look at Tony, who doesn’t actually respond to her, just jerks around to gaze in her direction. Pepper exchanges a look with Dr. Strange, who’s face is creased in concern. The sorcerer reaches towards Tony, but he’s not fast enough. 

Tony just collapses as if his strings were cut.

He lands on his back and lays there, pale and still. The bags under his eyes look so much more pronounced now than when Pepper saw him in the workshop.

“Tony!” Dr. Strange exclaims and kneels beside him in one smooth motion.

Pepper hovers overhead. “Is he alright?” She asks, hands wringing together.

“I need a pillow or a box or something,” Dr. Strange tells her. “I need to get his legs above his heart.” She nods and moves quickly into the kitchen, grabbing a step stool that Tony swears isn’t for him to get to the higher shelves. Pepper returns to the hallway and sees Dr. Strange running a hand across the back of Tony’s head and letting it rest on his chest.

“Is he alright?” She repeats, handing the stool to him.

He lifts Tony’s legs with one arm and slides the stool underneath. “He’s breathing fine,” Dr. Strange states a little breathlessly. One hand rests on Tony’s chest, the other cradles the back of his head. “He should be up in a minute. When is the last time he ate anything? Or even slept?” The words are said calmly, but Pepper can hear the underlying frustration. The tension is clear in the doctor’s shoulders.

She sighs. “Honestly, I’m not sure. He’s been going to meetings with me but just seemed to be drinking coffee and I have no idea what he got up to when he was in the workshop.”

“S'goin’ on?”

Stephen breathes a sigh of relief before he looks down at Tony and smiles gently. “You fainted, Tony,” he says. “When’s the last time you ate or slept?”

Tony blinks. His mind feels fuzzy. “I dunno,” he hums.

“And protein shakes don’t count.”

“Ugh,” he groans. “In a few days… It’s fine, I’ve gone longer!” His mind feels clearer now, but he doesn’t want to move just yet.

“It’s not fine,” Stephen argues. “You need to take care of yourself! What would have happened if you’d fainted in your lab? You would have been alone, surrounded by power tools that could have seriously injured you!” The thought alone has Stephen’s hands trembling.

Tony has the good sense to look ashamed. “I mean, to be fair, FRIDAY would have alerted someone.”

“That’s not good enough,” Pepper speaks up. Her arms are crossed and she’s trying not to glare too much. “If you were that overworked, you should have said something. I wouldn’t have insisted on the meetings - I would’ve tried to get you into bed!” A ghost of a leer crosses Tony’s face, but she holds up her hand. “Don’t even.”

Stephen sighs and slides his hand off of Tony’s chest.

Tony mourns the loss. “Sorry,” he says quietly.

“Let’s get you up and into a bed,” Stephen murmurs. It takes both Pepper and Stephen but between them, they manage to get Tony standing under (mostly) his own power. “How do you feel?”

Tony shrugs. “Kinda wonky, but okay.”

Stephen nods and looks to Pepper, remembering that she had mentioned a meeting today. “Miss Potts, if you need to be somewhere, I can take care of Tony.”

Pepper glances at her watch and grimaces. She’s going to be late for the board meeting. “Are you sure?”

“Go, Pep. It’s fine. Stephen’s got this,” Tony smiles at her in understanding. She makes her apologies and leaves, but not before getting a promise from Tony to call if he needs anything. When it’s just them, Tony says tiredly, “Lead on, oh Sorcerer Supreme.”

The bedroom looks pristine. The evidence of being unoccupied for several days with the benefits of a cleaning service. Stephen’s jaw clenches at the sight.

It only takes a minute or two for Tony to be made ready for bed. Stephen can’t bring himself to leave, not wanting to risk Tony fainting again. Or at least, that’s what he’s telling himself.

Gentle hands guide Tony’s shirt over his head. They linger just long enough that Tony is suspicious, but Stephen is soon easing another cleaner shirt back over his head. A puff of breath against Tony’s forehead is indicative of a heavy sigh and the guilt he feels just increases. Trembling fingers go to help slide Tony’s jeans down over slim hips. The button is undone and the pants hang open as Tony grasps Stephen’s wrists.

“Hey,” he says softly, looking up at the doctor. “It’s okay. I’m sorry.”

Stephen sighs again and shakes his head. “You could’ve been really hurt, Tony. Even just now, you could’ve been hurt.”

“I know,” Tony murmurs. “I know. It was a mistake. One thing lead to another and I just..” He shrugs.

“You told me that you weren’t doing this to yourself anymore,” Stephen points out in exasperation.

“And I haven’t been!” Tony defends. “It was just one time!”

“God, you sound like an addict, Tony,” Stephen grinds out. This isn’t what he wants to hear. It’s the truth and he needs to know the truth, but it’s not what Stephen was hoping to hear. “We need to figure this out. This isn’t healthy.”

But Tony only hears and has to repeat, “’We’?”

“Of course, ‘we’,” Stephen rolls his eyes. “Don’t be an idiot.” His hands twist in Tony’s grip to hold onto the smaller man’s waist.

Tony grins and tries to step impossibly closer. “And just what are we going to do about it?” He leans up to brush his nose closer against Stephen’s. “Cause I can think of a couple of things…” Tony doesn’t know where this confidence has come from, but since Stephen isn’t pushing him away, he’s not going to question it.

“I bet you can,” Stephen says before he catches Tony’s mouth in a kiss.

It’s quick, too quick for Tony who tries to press up when Stephen withdraws. “Hey, wha-?”

Stephen laughs softly, breath puffing over Tony’s lips. “You need to rest, Tony,” he insists. “Rest for a while and we’ll continue this later.” Tony goes to protest, but Stephen presses another quick kiss to his mouth. “I promise.”

Tony sighs, but nods. “Fine, but if you’re fucking with me - remember, I know where you live.” Stephen snorts, but helps ease him into the bed. That tiredness Tony had felt - what, not even twenty minutes ago at this point - returns with a vengeance and he can’t stifle a yawn.

His eyes are so heavy.

“Stop fighting it, Tony,” Stephen says softly. “Rest.”

Cool lips press against Tony’s forehead and this time, unconsciousness is welcomed.