#and then get it beta'd

[nikikikiko]

Procrastinating while writing the fic (simultaneously! I'm multi-tasking :] ) Let's throw out some headcanons!:

At least one ""prank"" of Lucilla, Liberta and Eugene's was an organized attempt at a concert for a very early morning "i-just-woke-up" Gavus, and it consisted of Liberta playing the pots and pans (banging them together at random intervals), Lucilla somehow got her hands on an instrument and that was getting played (she was not talented, Gavus is pretty sure she was playing it wrong) and Eugene simply dancing badly in the background (he knows how to dance, he simply chose not to)

Eugene says it's a celebratory welcome back, Gavus says his ears have not felt true pain until that day

Lucilla has a pet spider!! another one !!! her name is Mountain Destroyer of Gods and Mortals but everyone calls her Cupcake

Liberta does not choose to be part of the mischief, he's just dragged into it

Gavus has a beer mug with 'dad of the year' etched into it and he has never put it down ever

it's his favorite mug

He's 99% sure it was stolen from a nearby pub but it's his favorite mug

Lucilla has, on multiple occasions, brought home:

a snake

another spider

a scorpion

a lizard

two lizards

a frog

a mouse

a puppy

a cat

and at one point she managed to get her hands on a horse but then GaGene realized she stole it by accident and that was a conundrum in of itself

either way, she has tried and failed to get more pets but Gavus is partial to a cat or a dog, mostly both. A dog to help protect their home and a cat to keep mice out of the house.

So he and Eugene are planning on surprising her and Liberta with a dog and a cat respectively (so they get to name each one)

Liberta complains about the pranks and Lucilla's immaturity at times but he cannot help but get sent into orbit whenever someone else falls victim

It takes EVERYTHING in his arsenal to not laugh and his thought process is "Don't laugh it's not funny don't laugh it's not funny don't laugh it's not funny" and he laughs anyways because it was pretty funny

Kadrin !! He makes visits when he can , or the family will come to visit him, but they try to make sure he's not seen with Lucilla or Eugene too often since, well, Hypogeans are still bad for business unfortunately. Kadrin is referred to as "Uncle Kadrin" by the kids and it makes Kadrin feel ridiculously old

How did he get a nephew and a niece.... how did his life turn out to be this way

and why is it the fault of a Rubik's cube ?????

He gives the kids gifts when he can and pointedly ignores Eugene's argument that HE [eugene] should get a gift too because no Eugene, your existence in Kadrin's life does NOT mean you deserve a present

Eugene and Gavus do have pretty sweet and tender moments together, mainly they spend a lot of time just quietly enjoying each other's presence. After being separated for so long, they aren't quite ready to let each other go, and that's okay.

[wisteriagoesvroom]

you just got me started (i don't think i can stop it)

🧡 a landoscar ficlet 🟢 rated G/T ✏️ 1.8k words 🎨 inspired by ki's beautiful art that just went up. + silverstone weekend 'cus apparently i'm still in my feelings about it. 🔗 read on ao3

preview:

“You sure you’re okay.” Oscar says.  “If you ask me again, I’m whacking you with the frickin’ console.” “Good to know you’re back to normal, then. Kind of.”  “Ha. It’s just.” Lando wriggles around a bit, but still doesn’t look up at Oscar. “Today was…”  Oscar understands this. How hard it is to put into words. But he kind of secretly likes it, too. When Lando relies on him to fill the blanks, put into words what he wants to say. It’s like they both operate on the same wavelength and Lando puts full trust in Oscar to carry him through when he can’t find the right frequency, when he can’t land the words to express the enormity of feeling he often carries inside himself. Oscar doesn't mind being his codex sometimes, because it is nice to be needed. “Incredible.” Oscar supplies, tangling one hand in Lando’s hair. He rubs his fingers in a slow, easy pattern, the way he knows Lando loves. Lando nods. And it wouldn’t seem possible for Lando to burrow deeper into Oscar’s touch, but he always does. 

[johnslittlespoon]

what if. i said tough and sweet ch7 is done. and accidentally ended up being 20k words with two Large nsfw scenes

[jester089]

…Can I have the digital circus gang with an s/o who kicks Jax’s a$$ when he goes too far in his ‘pranks’. So like, they’ll let a few remarks, jabs and ‘lighter’ pranks through if they don’t actually hurt anyone. But things like infesting Ragatha’s room with bugs, tormenting Pomni about her situation/mental state, breaking Gangle’s mask, stealing and hiding Zooble’s parts, demolishing Kinger’s impenetrable fortress or even royally messing up Caine’s adventures or shows for a laugh will get him in all sorts of trouble.

Sorry for the long request, rewatched TADC after Helluva Boss’s newest episode (omg so gooooood) and wanted some revenge for how much of a prick Jax is to everyone.

A well deserved A&% kicking

FINALLY! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REQUEST! I HAVE WANTED TO KICK JAX'S TEETH IN SINCE HE TRIPPED RAGATHA AND PUSHED GANGLE IN THE MEET THE CHARACTERS TEASER! Don't take that as I don't want fluffy requests for him. Cause I do. I've just waiting for enough reason to write about this concept for a little while. Jax x Reader who fights back

Jax hated you. Well more then the others at least cause you were the only one who wouldn't just let him get away with any and everything. And he despised you for that. Because of his track record you don't trust him, and can come across as a little protective over the others when it comes to him. You all are literally trapped in a digital circus. You don't need more problems. And Jax is just a walking problem. One time he found a pair of scissors and cut up Gangle and hid her in a box that he buried outside. When you found out about it you comforted Gangle and helped her get Caine so she could be in one piece again. You kicked the absolute s&@# out of him once you were sure Gangle was at least kind of ok. You wish you could do some actual damage but sadly that isn't possible in the circus. So you left him tied up and with tape over his mouth quiet corner that no one visits. He deserves it. And the week and a half he was gone was really calm and enjoyable only reinforcing the fact that he makes living here so much harder then it needs to be. In the time he was gone you broke into his room to make sure he didn't have anything else he could use to hurt others. You took everything that could be a problem as well as all his keys, so he couldn't get into everywhere anymore. But good news is you have made the circus a much safer and calmer place. And Jax's "pranks" have slowed a ton cause he can't just do anything whenever he wants anymore. He actually has to think about it and be careful not to get caught. Bad news is because of you his more sadistic tendencies have spiked since he can't constantly vent them. So the "pranks" he does do are much more messed up. His "pranks" can be awful at the best of times, and with you he actually has a reason and want to cause problems and pain. So watch your back. Cause you've made enemies with the most sadistic person there. (I wrote this in like a minute. I get it's kind of short but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. Thank you for the request! And I hope you enjoyed!)

(Little heads up I updated my request rules so please check back before you request something. Thank you again!) xoxo, Jester

Edit: I'm so sorry. I didn't see TADC crew's S/O. I thought you wanted just like my ideas. I can re write this if you want.

[the-hyper-fix]

Op turned off reblogs but I 1000% agree

[massharp1971]

mcshep and 16 for that kiss ask game 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

16…lazily. “We’ve been walking for hours. Just admit it, we’re hopelessly lost, and we need to just stop and wait til they come res- retrieve us.”

John glowered at Rodney. His sense of direction was atrocious, but his ability to admit this was non-existent.

“Which is fine. It’s…actually quite nice here,” Rodney tried to reassure him.

They were in a never-ending meadow. Full of flowers that Rodney was strangely unallergic to. The temperature was a still, soft 20 degrees Celsius and the sun was low in the sky at this altitude and non-burny. There were no people on this planet and no large predators in these parts. Close to paradise.

“When was the last time we got to just stop and chill out for a bit?”

John gave him an odd look but shrugged and dropped himself fluidly into a nest of long grass, sprawling there unnecessarily prettily. Rodney folded himself next to John with considerably less grace.

“You see?” Rodney said, “this is nice – we can watch the clouds. I haven’t watched clouds since grad school.”

“That one looks like a giant snail riding a pony,” John said, pointing upwards.

“What? No, it doesn’t. Oh…. Well okay, I can see it now actually.”

He turned to look at John and John grinned at him. They were lying awfully close, and since when had that happened? Rodney usually kept more distance with people he wasn’t dating but John had for a while now stepped into his personal space and made himself at home.

Well, the man was more than half cat.

“The marshmallow man from Ghostbusters on a skateboard,” Rodney pointed out.

John chuckled, turning to him again, his breath the only air movement on the so-still day. The surrounding flowers had a clean, soft scent, but it didn’t obscure the disturbingly delicious odour of John’s sweat.

Rodney fidgeted, more out of habit and a little bit of not knowing quite what to do with himself than real discomfort.

“If I had a pillow, this would be perfect,” he said, grumbling for the sake of it.

Instantly, John extended his arm out.

And oh, John just offering himself up for other’s benefit was right on brand but this? This was something Rodney didn’t know how to name but was powerless to refuse. He let John slip his nicely muscled bicep under his head and it really didn’t make anything more comfortable but was still strangely perfect.

“There’s a dragon smoking a hookah, right over there,” John said, as if nothing monumental had just happened.

And so it went. Check-in and retrieval would be in three hours, and the slow, soft day stretched out for them deliciously. Purple butterfly-ish things flitted round their heads and managed not to be annoying about it. Cyan bell-shaped flowers nodded with well-deserved vanity amid the grass. The cloud-spotting became typically competitive, but their voices got softer and slower.

Somehow, Rodney’s head eventually crept along John’s bicep and onto his shoulder.

“Damn,” Rodney said, an hour and half in, “I need to go water some flowers.”

John chuckled.

“Me too,” he said, an inaudible sigh moving through his body.

They extricated themselves reluctantly and strode a few paces in opposite directions, backs turned but not really shy after years of being out in the field.

Rodney talked down his semi, did the necessary, and turned round to find John heading back to their little nest, flicking his eyes over to Rodney just in time for their gazes to lock. Rodney could feel his cheeks heat – what the hell was going on with him today? Was there sex pollen in the flowers or something?

But he knew that wasn’t it, he could feel his mind and body’s languor from the long walk, the soft day, and the rare magic of nothing-to-do, but there was nothing altered about his state. Unfortunately, slowing down had enabled some feelings to catch up with him, and any intoxication was all the John Sheppard Effect.

As if by some unspoken agreement, they lay back down on their sides, propping heads up on bent arms, perfectly mirrored, facing each other conspiratorially close.

“Stolen time,” John said thoughtfully. “We can do what we like, right? Forced to play hooky from... all of that.”

The last word was so heavy and full of meaning Rodney would give anything to take its burden from John forever. Instead, all he could do was lean forward and press a slow, careful kiss to John’s mouth.

John’s lips parted gently as his body lost all its tension, melting back down onto the grass in a delicious slow-mo that eventually had Rodney’s body covering his. It felt oddly like the continuation of a long conversation, a natural, unhurried progression of an inevitable trajectory. There was well over an hour left until check-in and Rodney knew every moment was going to be taken up with the slow slide of their lips, the lazy probing of their tongues.

Kissing John Sheppard like they had all the time in the world. And maybe they did, because he couldn’t see them wriggling their way out of this entanglement now it had them in its delicious hold.

Nothing else was needed, as they kissed slothfully in the stupidly perfect meadow Rodney knew that they had been heading to this for a long, long time and now there was no hurry at all to find out what was next.

Except he was committed to making certain to dedicate a whole area of study to making John as soft and relaxed and loose-limbed as he was right in this moment. Thankks for the ask @acrowbyanyothername

[vivacia-18]

I'm about halfway to two thirds through You Feel It Just Below the Ribs, and asdjasdlkajsadjal

The reveals, the implications, I can't even - mentally I'm rolling on the floor frothing at the mouth. I want to go back and listen to season 3 and season 1 all over again, holy shiiiiit

[ittyybittybaker]

Rating: Not Rated

Relationship: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard

Characters: Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Betsy Dobson

Tags: POV Andrew Minyard, Andrew Minyard Has Feelings, Andrew Minyard Loves Neil Josten, Established Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Soft Neil Josten Andrew Minyard

Summary:

The problem was, Andrew didn’t know what he wanted. Wanting something was such a foreign concept to him. His whole childhood, he just wished he would disappear. The only thing he wanted was for his next foster home to not be as bad as his current one, and that never happened. When he finally found his family, all he really wanted was to keep them there with him at all costs. And if he was being really honest with himself, he had dug his claws in so deep that he had almost pushed them away entirely in the process.

He had wanted hookups, but only on his terms, and it was always just a means to an end. He wanted Neil. He wanted him so bad Andrew had thought it was a side effect of the drugs. But after Easthaven, Neil was still there and Andrew still wanted him. Getting to have Neil and his family should be enough, he never thought about wanting anything beyond that. But ever since their conversation on the roof, it was all Andrew could think about and it was driving him crazy.

or, Andrew thinks about Wanting and has a (very Mild) crisis about it.

My entry for @aftg-mixtape is a gift for Vievie_333 and also my very first fic! I hope y'all enjoy!!

Inspired by This Boy by Franz Ferdinand

Title from Guilty Pleasure by Chappell Roan

(See also: a mix of songs I listened to while writing!)

[fruitybashir]

two small chapter two teasers for the lovely people who follow me here hehehe ✌🏼

[gentil-minou]

a hop, skip, and a jump to you

Something about Wei Ying feeling safe in a place Lan Zhan regards as his own makes him flush, and his bunny ears turn pink again. But strangely, when Wei Ying gasps at the sight and reaches one of his hands over to run a gentle finger across the edge of one, Lan Zhan doesn’t feel embarrassed or ashamed by his ears at all. He feels something else entirely, something he doesn’t know what to call. Something equal parts terrifying as it is extraordinary, like the warmth from his mama’s hugs or praise from his brother. But more, somehow, and all thanks to Wei Ying. Just two soft magical bunny boys being soft together

Tags:

Alternate Universe - Magic

Witches

Shapeshifting

Rabbit Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī

Rabbit Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn

Fluff

Childhood Friends

Tooth-Rotting Fluff

Wangxian | Oneshot | 6K | Rated G

Based on this official merch art!

Preview under the cut

The back hills behind Cloud Recesses are a place for tranquility and rest. When cool mountain air kisses the soft blades of bright green grass and the sound of leaves rustling like wind chimes, one can feel at total and absolute peace. With only woodland animals for company, friendly white rabbits hopping around and squirrels darting from one tree to the next with their hauls, it’s Lan Zhan’s favorite place in the world and his most prized secret. A space away from the pressures of being a Gusu Lan heir. Away from all the near-constant staring and placing of expectations on his still small shoulders.

It’s a place for Lan Zhan to let himself rest and think, to be free to fail in the one thing he shouldn’t be failing in. But at least, here, no one will judge him for those failures.

All witches are born with a hybrid form that they must learn to control by age ten. At that time, they’re given their formal witch's name and may join the coven officially as a fully-fledged witch. It’s the goal of every young witch and the Gusu Lan pride themselves in teaching exemplary witches year after year.

But this year, Lan Zhan is afraid he will become the black spot on the otherwise perfectly pristine record.

Because Lan Zhan is nine and a half, his naming ceremony is only a few short months away, and he still can't control his large white bunny ears in his hybrid form. The rest of his bunny traits had been easy to control. He’d learned to suppress his hopping instincts and figured out how to tuck his fluffy cottontail away on the first try. Even his stubborn whiskers had receded after a few hours of diligent practice.

But for some reason, Lan Zhan hasn’t been able to manage his ears, and they continue to torment him with their perpetual floppy nature.

And if he can’t control his ears, then he will disappoint his family and his entire clan. He’ll never be the witch he’s spent his entire life working towards.

Today, his usually outgoing and curious critter friends give him a wide berth, as if they know Lan Zhan is not in the mood for pets and cuddles. Instead, he kneels in the soft grass with only the gentle wind for company, along with his unkind thoughts and his vexing bunny ears that are the root of all this mess.

They're big and unseeming, and Lan Zhan has always been embarrassed by the way his ears give away his feelings no matter how hard he works to keep his emotions regulated and controlled. It doesn’t help that as the only rabbit hybrid in all of Cloud Recesses, he is constantly the victim of teasing by the elders and older witches. Even Ge enjoys tugging on his ears, cooing at how “fluffy and adorable” they are, and taking obvious delight when their tips turn red.  

It makes Lan Zhan puff up with anger and pout. He’s almost ten years old! He’s not a little baby bunny anymore, why won’t the others see that?

He knows it’s in part because of the rarity of his species. Rabbits aren't common hybrids, and he's the only one in the family since his mother passed away. It also means that he has to learn the complexities of shapeshifting and form control on his own, spending hours studying ancient text after ancient text in the library while his peers attend more practical classes.

Even his brother, an elegant snow-white crane, learned how to control his form at only seven years old! The elders were sure that with Lan Zhan’s talent in all other magicks, he would follow in his older brother’s footsteps as a child prodigy worthy of the title of Second Jade of Lan.

Except, clearly their hopes were misplaced, and Lan Zhan is going to be the first Lan heir in over a century to never learn how to control his hybrid form.

But he cannot let himself fail, so every day after his midday meal, he heads to the back hills to practice in quiet seclusion. He goes through a series of meditations designed to allow one to focus on their internal structures and self-regulation. He follows every step perfectly, exactly as the manual states, including envisioning his long fluffy white ears changing form into something more human-like.

He casts the spell, following the instructions he’s gathered exactly and precisely...but for the fifth time that day, nothing happens. He lifts his head and sees his bunny ears flopping mercilessly in his periphery, the same as they ever were and seem to always be.

Water wells up in his eyes and it takes every ounce of self-control he has left to hold them back from falling. Tears not filled with sadness but with immense frustration and anger towards himself. Lan Zhan is at the top of everything! The best in his class, an accomplished musician, and a talented student. He can perform spells older students still struggle with. He’s even been scouted to teach the younger fledgling students once he becomes a proper witch.

But, how can he, when this one spell keeps holding him back? Why is this one spell so impossible for him?

His ears droop down and Lan Zhan uses them along with the curtain of his long hair to block out the rest of the world, focusing on the ground he's sitting on. He wishes desperately that he wasn’t so alone, that he had anyone else to talk to. He takes his emotions out on the grass, heedless of the Gusu Lan precepts to Be kind to all that is living, and starts ripping up the grass in front of him. He’ll punish himself later, but for now, this is all he can do to keep from letting his tears fall.

But then, another child’s voice calls, "Hey! Don't do that, you're hurting it!"

Read more on Ao3

[corvuscorona]

More Context-Free Footnotes From Fic Drafts On My Phone. smile

[taegularities]

regarding: colour me in – okay yall, i've been working on this chapter and writing and editing it since like 4pm and it's 10pm now :') i gotta go to bed in an hour and don't think i will finish. would y'all be okay if it dropped tmrw or later this week? 🥺

[souvenir116]

Happy!

“I brought her back with me,” Max tilted his head up in a challenging way, keeping a fucking poker face right where it used to be a dimpled smile with a happy, shining gaze.

Even his blue orbs looked dull.

Not like the cerulean depths of sea, or the sky at night in sapphire.

Just clouds and thunder, a fading blue.

“When I visited mom.”

Right, mom. Netherlands.

Charles had to fucking wake up to a morning where he’d have no texts or calls from Max.

[howdygravytrain]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Prompt #19: Taken

i'm not a writer by any means, but i absolutely had to take part in the ffxiv write 2024 challenge. this drabble is super rough and i may come back and expand on it later, but i'm just happy that i managed to write anything at all :^3

here's the link to the fic on ao3 if you wanna check it out there, otherwise continue below the break! many apologies for spelling/grammar/whatever errors, i don't know how to manage time efficiently totally not obvious by sharing something a day later UwU

PROMPT: TAKEN

Premise: He knew Gravy would dance with others at the ball, but Aymeric can't help but feel taken with jealousy as he watched person after person steal a dance with his Warrior.

-------------

“You can just go up and dance with her, you know,” a voice said, having successfully interrupted Aymeric’s state of brooding and startling the poor elezen. Quickly composing himself, the Lord Commander turned to the perpetrator to apologize for appearing so glum, but his shoulders sagged in relief when he saw it was only Stephanivien. “I wasn’t joking, go on and ask the girl to dance before you glare everyone to death,” the eldest Haillenarte added, making Aymeric wince.

“Is it really that noticeable?” Aymeric stated more than asked, already knowing the answer.

“My friend, I had to convince Artoirel that you weren’t going to pull out your sword and skewer the next poor sod who asked Gravy’s hand for a dance!” Stephanivien exasperated dramatically with a wave of his hand. “I personally think it’d be hilarious if you did; it’d certainly bring more excitement to this absolute waste of time.” The machinist ran a hand through his blond hair and huffed in annoyance, his pale blue eyes scanning the room. “Ugh, this is the last time I let Art coerce me into attending one of these. He knows I have much to work on at the shop, I don’t have time to be stuck with these pricks and their hors d’oeuvres! And I have to wear this ridiculous garb that father insisted– ”

Aymeric tuned out Stephanivien’s ranting at that point and graciously accepted a glass of wine from a servant. He didn’t bother with a sip and threw his head back and downed the entire drink in one go, promptly returning the glass to the stunned server. His eyes trailed back towards the center of the dance floor and landed on the lone lalafell of the entire room…and the bastard she was dancing with. He couldn’t quite place who the man was, but Aymeric immediately disliked him for how Gravy obviously struggled to keep up with the elezen’s much longer legs.

The Lord Speaker frowned as he watched the Warrior try to tell her dance partner something, presumably to shorten his steps. He replied with yanking her harshly by the arm and pulled her up to his chest with a wicked grin, making the dancers around them gasp. Rage filled Aymeric as he marched his way to the pair, ready to beat the ever living shit out the fiend, but stopped a few steps short when Gravy, in all her gracefulness, slapped the man’s face with a resounding SMACK.

All noise immediately ceased in the ballroom as the man cried out in pain and dropped Gravy to clutch his cheek. She got up and nonchalantly dusted herself off as her dance partner’s companions came rushing to his aid. With one hand on her hip and the other pointed to wailing elezen, Gravy loudly said,

“That ain’t NO way to treat a person, ya pompous fuck! You oughta be ashamed of yerself!”

Aymeric stood there in disbelief as the ballroom erupted in laughter as the offender was dragged out before he let out a small chuckle himself.

[connorsoddsock]

Detroit: Ground Zero | Ch. 3 (Connor x fem!reader)

Summary: You’re an aspiring psych student, ready to take on the world when life takes an unexpected, bloody turn. Flesh eaters now roam the city of Detroit in search of their next meal, an aggressive new deviant group rears its head, and you are caught right in the middle of it. Great…

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Profanity (as usual), descriptions of blood and gore, descriptions of death

A/N: Heed the warnings for this chapter, please! This story is only going to get darker, so I may only post on AO3, with only chapter teasers for Tumblr in future... we'll see!

Previous chapter | Next chapter

View on AO3

Chapter Three: Gone

You woke up the next day disoriented and squinting as the early morning sunlight filtered in through the windows of the Detroit Police Department. At some point in the night, the battle to stay awake became too difficult, and you’d slipped off into dreamland with your head resting on Hank’s desk. But, of course, that didn’t explain how you’d ended up lying sideways on a row of chairs lining the wall with someone’s jacket slung over your form.

It was all coming back to you now – the café, the streets, the zombies.

You sat up with a groan and rubbed the sleep from your eyes. You were quick to spot Fowler pacing in his glass office, mumbling lowly into his phone. The man looked unbelievably tired, but he still acknowledged you with a slight nod when he saw you were awake before returning to the person on the other end of the line.

 Then, there was Gavin leaning back in a chair on the opposite side of the bullpen, eyes closed with his arms crossed and his legs resting across what you assumed was probably his desk. You noticed he no longer wore his leather jacket, but it wasn’t the one currently draped over you. You eventually spotted it, thrown carelessly atop a counter cabinet in the centre of the room, still very much covered in blood.

You couldn’t see Nines anywhere, but Hank now occupied the desk you were at last night, scrolling through something on his terminal while Connor sat beside him with his eyes closed and his blue LED flickering. His jacket was missing, leaving him in a crisp white button-down that did little to hide his lean frame. You gingerly lifted the one off your torso, eyes widening when you spotted the faint blue glow of the notorious armband and logo.

You shot up a little too abruptly, legs wobbling in protest. “Ah, shit…”

“Mornin’, kid,” Hank acknowledged, his blue eyes barely leaving the terminal. “How’d you sleep?”

Connor stirred beside him, brown eyes fluttering open. He regarded you with that same small smile from last night, the one you liked a little too much.

You rubbed the back of your neck, “Surprisingly well, aside from the fact that my neck hurts like a bitch.”

“Happens to the best of us,” the lieutenant chuckled. “Feel free to help yourself with some coffee or whatever in the break room. There’re doughnuts, too, if the others haven’t eaten ‘em.”

You nodded before looking back to Connor, who, to your surprise, was still watching you. You flushed and held his jacket out to him, quietly muttering your thanks as he accepted it. His fingers gently brushed over yours, and you flinched at the contact. He seemed to notice this, for his brow furrowed slightly in question.

“I did what I could with your jacket, but I suggest a dry clean for a more effective option.” He remarked, choosing not to comment on your jumpiness. “I hung it over the door for you.”

 “Oh, thank you! You didn’t have to do that...”

“I think mine could use a wash, too, don’t you think, tin can?”

Your eyes rose to meet Gavin’s as he swung his legs down from his desk, fully awake now. The talking must have woken him.

You rolled your eyes, “What’s with that?”

“What’s with what?” He replied.

“The stupid little nickname,” you clarified. “Tin can? Really?”

“Why? You one of those android sympathisers or something?”

“I mean, it’s free not to be an asshole.”

An obnoxious laugh fell past his lips, “Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, doll?”

Connor piped up this time, “She wasn’t on a bed, Detective Reed.”

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, tin can-”

“Oh, shut the fuck up, would ya?” Hank groaned, pulling back from his terminal with a frown directed at the three of you. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, “It’s way too early for this shit.”

A quick glance at your watch told you it was half-six.

Gavin’s lips curled into a shit-eating grin as his eyes fell on you again, sending you an infuriating wink. You rolled your eyes for the second time and marched off to the break room, where the other three officers were tucking into their doughnuts and coffee. They greeted you, offering you a box of sweet treats to browse through while they introduced themselves.

“I’m Officer Person,” the female officer said warmly. She gestured to the others, “These two are Officers Lewis and Wilson.”

They nodded at you, and you waved, “Hey.”

Person nudged your arm as she leaned over, a hand blocking the view of her mouth as she pretended to whisper. “I’d take the whole box if I were you. These two here are dubbed the department’s ‘doughnut kings’ – and trust me, it’s not a compliment.”

Lewis grinned sheepishly around a mouthful of food while Wilson scoffed, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll remember that the next time Fowler orders those custard-filled Krispy Kremes you like.”

You giggled into your hand as a round of bickering ensued and left them to it, so you could fumble around in the kitchen for a bit, deciding to make yourself some hot chocolate. You absently paid attention to the news segment playing on the wall-mounted TV. It was only quiet, but you didn’t need to hear to know what they were talking about. Disturbing videos of people recording the infected – this was the official term for them now – wandering around outside their homes; others were holed up in offices, fast food restaurants, and so on.

The screen transitioned to another news chopper hovering above a ritzy neighbourhood you’d travelled past many times. The well-known freelance reporter, Joss Douglas, was talking up a storm, eyes wide as he gestured to the building in the background. The cameras then zoomed into a black chopper in the distance – SWAT?

That can’t be good, you thought with apprehension.

The others were paying attention, too, now. More hovering and talking, and suddenly, there was a thunderous booming sound. The camera shook violently before the live feed cut out to a black screen, and it wasn’t long before you heard the real thing in the distance, startling you as the ground rumbled beneath your feet. Your cup slipped out of your hand, spilling hot chocolate everywhere.

The reaction was instant. Chairs in the bullpen rolled back as their owners stood, alarmed, and Captain Fowler stormed out of his office with a slam of the door against the railing. Lewis, Person and Wilson went to join him in the bullpen, and you froze, unsure of what to do. A series of hushed shouting ensued, mainly between Fowler and Hank, so you decided to stay in your temporary safe haven until they finished hashing it out.

That is until you saw Nines. The tall android was lingering in the hallway; his eyes narrowed and calculating as he watched the scene unfold before him. His stance was rigid, his arms practically pinned to his side.

Was he there the whole time?

You wondered what was going through his mind. Was he worried? Anxious? Was he itching to get out in the field and regain some semblance of control? He looked like that kind of person. Someone that liked to be in control – liked order. Of course, you knew next to nothing about deviated androids and their personalities, so you were going purely off his appearance here.

Icy eyes suddenly met yours, and you faltered, quickly moving to clean up the mess you’d made. You could feel the burn of his eyes lingering on the back of your neck as you knelt down, preying he couldn’t tell how fast your heart was racing. What was it about him that… unsettled you?

Someone called your name, “Are you all right?”

It was Connor. He was crouching beside you with a trash can for the soiled paper towels. You subtly peeked around him, somewhat relieved to find Nines had disappeared again.

“Y-yeah, just startled, that’s all. What’s going on?”

“The government has issued an official warning to evacuate central Detroit. The military has set up a quarantine zone for survivors on the city’s outskirts.”

“Shit,” your shoulders slumped at the news.

You still haven’t heard anything from your parents yet. Should you try calling again? Should you bite the bullet and head over to the hospital?

Connor was quick to notice your hesitance. “I highly recommend going to the quarantine zone,” he insisted. “It’s the safest option for you.”

“What about you?” You asked after some thought. “Where will you go?”

Your question seemed to throw him off guard, his brown eyes flitting up to yours. There was something unreadable in his expression.

“I go where Hank goes.”

Your lips twitched into a smile at his response. Their father-son dynamic was really quite adorable. Your neck craned back slightly to maintain eye contact with him as he straightened up beside you, the last of the mess finally cleaned up.

“You reckon he’ll mind if I tag along?”

He returned your smile then. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”

The two of you joined the others back out in the bullpen after Connor kindly offered to rewrap your wounded palms and make you another hot chocolate. You’d stood at the bar tables yet again as he moved around the break room with surprising fluidity, blatantly checking him out every time his back was turned. It was difficult not to when there was nothing else to focus on.

Someone else had joined the ranks, you noticed – or re-joined the ranks, that is. Chris – the officer who’d stayed behind at the café – had returned, standing beside Gavin with folded arms. He looked a little worse for wear (no different to Fowler) as he nodded along to whatever his co-worker was saying to him. You didn’t know him, but you were glad he was safe. You could only wonder what happened to the others at the café and made a mental note to ask him later.

You tuned into Fowler’s words.

“Since shit’s hit the fan, I want all of you to take what you need. Head office has bigger things to worry about than some missing equipment. If things continue the way they are, then I doubt it’ll matter anyway...” He drifted off.

“Appreciate it, Sir,” Officer Wilson said gratefully. He clapped his superior on the shoulder, “I’m sure we’ll catch up at the QZ anyway, right?”

“I’m heading straight there!” Officer Person chimed in, “I haven’t got any family to worry about here.”

You wished you could say the same. You could only hope yours had gotten the message and were on their way already.

 “Alright, folks,” Fowler continued, looking disgruntled. “Do what you need to do, and for God’s sake, stay safe out there.”

Everyone was quick to disperse after that, quietly muttering to each other as they prepared to leave. You sat quietly at Hank’s desk once again after retrieving your jacket from the restroom door. The dark blood stains were noticeable, but it would have to do for now. Depending on what way Hank was heading, perhaps you could ask to stop at your apartment building if it wasn’t overrun. You could change into better clothing, and you couldn’t leave your cats to suffer.

Hank eventually joined you with a DPD-issued duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He inclined his head towards you, “Connor says you want to come with us?”

“If you don’t mind, of course.”

He chuckled, “Heh, if you don’t mind being squished in the backseat with him, then knock yourself out!”

“He’s not sitting shotgun?” You asked, finding it odd.

“He usually does, but Nines is coming, too. He’s bigger than Connor, so I figured I’d stick him up the front. Save you from being flattened and all.”

You pursed your lips. If Hank and Connor liked him enough to let him tag along, then surely, he was alright. On the other hand, perhaps you’d judged him too quickly. He could be the sweetest guy out there for all you knew.

It wasn’t long before the two androids joined you and Hank, Nines also shouldering a large duffle bag. You followed them as they led the way to the car. It was unnervingly quiet in the station’s garage, your footsteps echoing along with theirs. Your eyes widened when Hank unlocked his car. Finally, it dawned on you why he was so amused about you being squished in the back.

He pulled his seat forward so you could climb in. Once Connor hopped in beside you, there really wasn’t much room left. He apologised not once but twice as his knee knocked into yours while he tried to adjust himself into a comfortable position. Since he was tall, he had to keep his legs apart lest they dig into the back of the driver’s seat.

You buckled up as the car started, Nines now situated in front of you. You nearly shat yourself when the speakers blared heavy metal music. Hank swore and shut it off completely.

“Fuck, I really hope none of those things are around,” he mumbled under his breath.

“I scanned the garage upon entering,” Nines declared, surprising you with his deep voice. “We are the only ones here, save for Detective Reed.”

Despite what he’d said, you couldn’t stop your eyes from searching out the window. Thankfully, you only saw Gavin hopping into the driver’s seat of a black Jeep in the distance. He was shaking his head, most likely in response to the obnoxious show he’d just witnessed from Hank.

“What way are we headed?” You asked as the lieutenant backed out.

“Why’s that?”

You hesitated. “If it’s on the way, I wanted to stop by to grab a few things and let my cats free.”

Connor asked for your address, and you told him. He addressed Hank after a few flickers of his LED. “It’s not too far from yours, Hank.”

The lieutenant looked at you in the rear-view mirror then. “We’ll check it out, then.”

You gave him a small smile in thanks, tensing as the car pulled out into the street. Your eyes immediately landed on some infected wandering around out the front of the station. Those demonic screams you’d heard last night returned as they spotted the car and began sprinting towards it. Hank put his foot down and sped off, giving them no time to catch up.

Turning in your seat, you watched them as they did the same thing to Gavin’s black Jeep as it pulled out of the garage. You winced as he ran one of them over. Whether it was unintentional or not, you were unsure. Though, if you had to guess, it was most likely the latter.

Wonder where he’s heading…

Unsurprisingly, a few other cars were zipping around without a care in the world for the stop signs and lights they were flying through. Momentum had you sliding and bumping into Connor several times as Hank swerved to avoid them, cursing and flipping the bird in the hopes they’d see it. Unfortunately, they most likely wouldn’t.

“Would you like me to drive, Lieutenant?” Nines asked finally after another swerve.

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think there was a touch of cheek in his tone.

You caught Hank rolling his eyes in the mirror, “I’ve got it, smartass.”

You held in a giggle. So, Nines was being cheeky, then.

Ten minutes later, the car was parallel parked between some dumpsters in a quiet back street that led to your apartment complex. You fished around in your pocket for your access card and unbuckled your seat belt to get out while Hank went on about ‘being sitting ducks out here’ and that ‘you had ten minutes, tops’.

You were surprised when Connor followed behind you as Nines let you out but thankful to have the company. The two androids shared a silent look, their LEDs flickering before Nines left you to it. A flash of irritation slipped across Connor’s face, but it was gone before you could get a good look.

You frowned. What was that about?

Shaking your head, you took the lead and led Connor up to the fifth floor where your apartment was. The hallways were insanely quiet. No muffled noises of TVs from behind closed doors, no shouting from that noisy neighbour a few doors down, no kids causing a racket at nine in the morning – it was nerve-wracking but expected.

A look of horror crossed your face when you noticed the door to your home was already open, a few food wrappers and clothes articles scattered across the floor leading out. It was hard to miss the splatters of blood along with it, though you couldn’t tell if it was leading in or out.

Connor immediately took the lead, gently beckoning you behind him, even as his face hardened into a dark expression. His posture was rigid as if waiting for an attack, and you just knew he was scanning the apartment when the two of you cautiously entered. He seemed to be weighing up his options as he paused in the middle of your trashed living room, his left hand reaching for something inside his jacket and then stopping as if he’d changed his mind at the last second.

Your eyes worriedly searched for any signs of your cats, but there were none. Even their food and water bowls were missing, which was alarming. Had someone taken them? Were they somewhere in the building?

You experimentally tiptoed away from Connor to try and catch a glimpse inside your kitchen, but he glared at you (a first – and hopefully the last because, damn, that sent shivers down your spine), and you halted at his silent command. There was no way he was about to let you wander off on your own, even if you knew this place like the back of your hand.

He proceeded further into your apartment, entering a small hall that housed the main bedroom, your parent’s guest suite and the bathroom. Blood scraped along the walls this time, and it was clear they led to your room. The door was ajar, and you noticed with a sinking feeling in your stomach a few clumps of grey fur on the carpet.

You froze on the spot, your breaths coming out shakier when your ears finally picked up the sounds of crunching and squelching from inside – the tell-tale signs that the infected were nearby.

Connor pushed onward, crouching slightly as he nudged the door open fully. Crouched over your beloved pets was a lone infected woman, hands bloodied as she shovelled innards in her mouth. You couldn’t hold in the gasp that escaped your mouth at the gory sight, tears welling in your eyes.

Big mistake.

Her attention snapped up to you, and there was a split second before she completely bypassed Connor and hurled herself toward you. That awful, high-pitched shriek sounded so much louder inside your small hallway, leaving your ears ringing. The air left your lungs as you were tackled to the floor, very nearly knocking your head for the second time in two days.

Connor was quick to tear her away from you, hurling her back into the bedroom with a strength humans would struggle to match. His larger frame proceeded to block the doorway, preventing the frenzied monster from reaching you as she continued to howl.

“H-holy shit!” You uttered out of pure shock.

She was completely ignoring the android in front of her, her arms reaching around him in a failed attempt to take a swipe at you.

“She doesn’t see me!” Connor quickly confirmed your thoughts, grunting as he shoved her back again and shut the door behind him, leaving you to deal with the revelation alone.

Of course, she wouldn’t. Unlike you, he wasn’t made of flesh, warm blood and bone. He was made of hard plastic, long wires, and blue blood. He wasn’t the tasty meal here. You were - the human. It was easy to forget that when Connor was so human himself.

A muffled gunshot sounded from inside the room, and you jumped, taking a cautious step toward it. “C-Connor?” You called out, voice unbelievably shaky.

The door swung open again, and Connor surged forward, wrapping his long arms around you. You heard the door click shut but couldn’t find it in you to care as hot tears finally began to roll down your cheeks. A hand gently ran through your hair while the other maintained a firm grip on your back.

After what felt like hours, he pulled back and assessed your form. You shook your head to tell him you were fine, the words unable to audibly leave your mouth. He finally straightened up, eyes and LED flickering momentarily like they had when he’d communicated silently with Nines. Were they talking again?

“Is there anything you want from your room?” He asked, deep brown eyes searching your face. He still didn’t seem convinced you were okay. “It’s better if I get it for you.”

“Just s-some clothes… if you could. T-there’s uh…” you swallowed thickly, trying to compose yourself. “There’s a backpack near the bed. Just stuff whatever you think I'll need in there."

He moved to enter the room again, but you quickly grabbed his hand, shocking the both of you. His gaze landed on you again, inquisitive this time. “And please, if their collars are in there, could you…?” You trailed off, but he seemed to understand.

Tears continued to fall even after he’d retrieved your belongings, even after he led you back outside and helped you into the car, ignoring Nines probing stare and Hank’s questions of ‘what the fuck happened’ and ‘why’d you take so long.’ They only stopped when you fell into a restless nap, head resting atop Connor’s shoulder.

You would worry about their questions later.

[theouger]

okay! that's the draft done! just gotta go through and edit now (so so tired)