#anyways this is too long already. enjoy

[incredubious]

MODERN AU ACESAN !!!! first impressions with a guy who barely passes the No Shoes No Shirt No Service rule

[mueritos]

happy pride to all queer children of immigrants

patreon

[lucabyte]

So does anybody else ever think about how Loop felt the need to demonstrate that the party's deaths wouldn't have any effect on the loops. I know I do but that's besides the point. Anyway I don't think Loop actually needs to bathe, they just like to feel included.

[critter-wizard]

ep 43 had me tearing up in a fucking shopping centre ‼️‼️

b+w alt version that I truly couldn't decide if I liked it more . Also I included a lot of thoughts in the tags but they're somewhat incoherent<3

[johnslittlespoon]

Tough And Sweet (Like You And Me)

Ch. 11/? – 'I Bloom Just For You'

[WC: 173K | Gale Cleven/John Egan, College AU, The Bikeriders AU, Age Gap, Emotional Slowburn, Hurt/Comfort, Porn With Plot, Set in 2005]

College student John Egan ends up in an old pub on the other side of his small town, where he has a chance encounter with biker and mechanic Gale Cleven. His life is forever changed.

[AO3 LINK]

[crookedfivefingers]

3.13 | ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅꜱ

link to the post I accidentally wound up prattling endlessly about in the tags 💀

[amethystpath-writes]

To Traitors

NOT A PR0MPT

******

"The general wants to send me to your homeland."

"For war?"

Villain hummed. "We knew it was coming."

"Of course." Hero shook her head and pushed a shirt further into the bucket of water. She bent it and twisted it and shoved it again. "How did she react when you told her 'no'?"

That was the thing; Villain didn't deny the general. No one denied the general.

Hero picked up on the silence. She always did. “Where does that leave us?”

A choice.

War?

Or her?

“You know this decision is not mine.”

"Sure, it is. I always wanted to travel- try camping."

Camping. Hero knew rejecting orders would be considered traitorous. She would rather be homeless and shunned than to standby while her homeland was being attacked.

"Hero..."

"Is that something you are not willing to do?" Her movements became rushed, like she was trying to maintain a calm, but the only way to do so was to move along with the emotions. She grabbed a shirt, dunked it, rung it, tossed it. Grab, dunk, ring. Grab, dunk, ring. They weren't even becoming clean, and the water needed changed. "My family is there. Where are they meant to go?"

"Even if I did tell the general no, I cannot stop an entire army from marching. The war will happen with or without me."

A sigh veiled the tension in the room. Villain's weight creaked beneath him as he stepped towards his lover. He took a linen shirt, wet and soaked, from her hands, and dropped it in the brown water. He found her hands next, then tugged her up slightly. She took the cue and stood, let herself be held.

"I love you," Villain said.

Hero didn't like crying. This is why Villain began rubbing her back as he pulled her into an embrace. She buried her face into his chest and sniffed once, twice...wiped a face full of tears, sniffed again...stopped, then began sobbing. No amount of squeezing could console the thought of her family being innocently slaughtered.

"You would hide them, wouldn't you? If you found them, you would save them?"

His grip loosened. He whispered, “Of course I would.” Did Hero know it might have been a lie? Even Villain wasn't sure what he would do when the time came that he marched onto her homeland.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then I'm leaving now." She attempted to pull away from Villain's chest, but he held her firmly. Her muscles tensed beneath him, but Villain knew she knew better than to try again.

"Hero, be level-headed.

"I want to warn them," she whispered, so quietly that Villain only knew what she said because of how well he knew her. He knew her every thought before she even had it herself. It wasn't magic; just love.

"And you think you will outrun an entire army overnight?"

"I know I won't!" her tone had changed, and this time when she pulled away, she didn't stop until Villain let her go. "But who am I to not try at all? Who would I be, Villain?" Her face was red and swollen, glistening with sad, then angry tears.

For a moment, she stopped. She took a breath. then swallowed as if she needed to stop herself from asking what obviously came to her mind. Alas, she said it. "How long have you known?" Her voice cracked, and Villain could see she already knew the answer: longer than he should have known before telling her.

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't ask for an apology." Her eyes refused to meet his. Villain was almost glad for it. He couldn't bear her anger, not when it was directed at him. "I asked how long you have known."

"Hero..."

"Clean your own damn clothes. I'll pay the Baker family back when I return."

"Pay them back? For w-" No. "You're not taking their horse." Hero was already scrounging around, first grabbing a raggedy sack, then stuffing one random item after another in. "Hero, stop. Hero-" She was going to take the neighbor's horse just to get caught up in the war herself. "Stop!"

She fell to her knees in the next moment. Broke down as if his voice took out the last support beam keeping the house together. hero cried, screamed, and wailed. "No. No. No. No. No," she repeated, and her voice broke time and time again as she screamed.

Tears sprung into Villain's eyes. What did he do?

"I'll send a bird. It will arrive before our army does, and when they receive it, they will know to leave."

Hero's head lifted, and her puffy eyes finally met Villain's glistening ones. "I will prepare beds. We have pelts; I can throw something together, and my brother can take-"

One blow after another, each and every passing moment. Just when Villain thought all might be well, the both of them realized there was no saving anyone. The war was an ambush, and Hero's brother would be expected to take a stand, to protect his own homeland.

"I won't-" Villain swallowed. "I won't harm your family. I will send the bird, and I will pray with every moment of travel that they receive it and leave. I will not draw my sword until I find their home empty, until I am sure they have left."

"You would be a traitor to your own kingdom."

"Better it this kingdom than you."

[muchmossymess]

Thinking about how the different races think about teeth.

Hylians, sheikah and gerudo are probably just like humans, baby set and then adult set, mby with little fangs bc I just love that aspect of fantasy.

Zora regrow their teeth like sharks, just have them constantly cooking behind the scenes ready to drop in when one breaks off. I want to say they have more than one row in their mouths, and I will bc its freaky and cool.

Gorons have really dense teeth (not bone), bc they need to crunch through stone and jaw strength only takes you so far. But honestly I reckon their teeth are constantly growing, faster as children and slower as they age. The regular wear and tear keeps them generally small but sometimes you need to break off chunks to keep it manageable. (Kinda like nails? If you let them keep growing then they tend to curl and dig into your skin and cause all sorts of problems)

Rito... don't have teeth. Obviously. They maintain their beaks with various surfaces, cuttlefish if you're fancy, but like if it breaks that's pretty much it, either leave it or get a prosthetic. But teeth? That freaks them out. Wdym ur bones are exposed and sometimes fall out how are you okay with this?!?

[hosseinis]

“I guess flying’s out of the question,” he croaks, his face pinched. “Yeah.” “Then what the fuck are you going to do to fix this?” Strahm hisses, turning his head to glare at him again. There’s so much sheer rage in his eyes that Mark wonders if he’s ever set someone on fire with that gaze before. Strahm’s eyes are so blue, but unlike the strange, icy coldness of John’s or the ocean of Lawrence’s, there’s something in them that doesn’t quite have a place. The sky, maybe. “I’m gonna drive you there,” Mark replies easily. “We’re gonna take a little roadtrip together, you and me.” This time, Strahm gapes at him. “...are you fucking crazy?” he finally asks, not seeming to care how the rise in volume must hurt his throat. “What the fuck makes you think I would ever get in a car with you? Let alone fucking drive to Colorado? You’re lucky I haven’t already tried to strangle your murdering—” “Yeah, you’d get a lot done with one working arm,” Mark comments over him mildly, and somehow Strahm still manages to flush. “Fuck you,” he says, and looks away.

Mark had never planned for Strahm to survive if he didn't get into the glass coffin. It'd never even crossed his mind that he could, so when the hydraulic systems fail... well, he doesn't really know what the fuck to do about that.

Now he has a very injured, very pissed off FBI agent on his hands that he may or may not have framed for murder. But maybe Mark can still try to make Strahm understand just what it is he'd been trying to tell him in the first place.

(or, mark and peter go on a road trip to get peter's arm taken care of, and learn things about each other along the way.)

read on ao3!

[boxfullaturtles]

Perspective Flip: Another Man's Poison

Original Fic

From Dandy's ask. Moved it to its own post because it got longer than I meant it to. Oops. You just know I had to write the moment that Mikey calls Leo, from Leo's POV.

------

Leo was still basking in the smug glow of having tricked Donnie so Mikey could escape the lair when his phone rang. The jaunty "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows" cover he'd put as Mikey's ringtone covered the sounds from his game, rattling loudly enough to annoy everyone in the lair. He didn't take his eyes off his Switch screen as he pawed at his nightstand until his fingers bumped his phone. It was second nature to swipe the screen and prop it against his shoulder.

"Mikester, what's up?" Leo went back to flicking through resources and weapons, contemplating his options, "Need a lift?"

"Yeah, actually," Mikey sounded a little winded, an edge to his voice that made Leo's brow furrow and lower his Switch, "Some yokai creep's stalki—"

There was a bird-like shriek and then Mikey screamed in pain. A flurry of confusing sounds fuzzed static from the phone speaker and Leo dropped his game entirely. He pressed his phone into the side of his head, trying to hear past the cawing and rushing.

"Mikey!? Mikey, can you hear me!? MIKEY!"

Another cry from his little brother had Leo's heart leaping into his throat. A loud clatter and then the sound of the call disconnecting. Leo forgot how to breathe for all of a second before his adrenaline surged and he was on his feet. He pulled on his gear with one hand, and typed out a text with the other,

hc in 1 min asap

The lack of jokes and emoji would tell his brothers how serious it was.

Leo's heart thudded in his chest, pounding against his rib cage in a fit of fear and anger. He'd been the one to let Mikey go out alone, it had been his idea to let Mikey have some space and freedom away from the smothering concern they'd all been dealing with. It was his fault one of his family was getting hurt again. His arrogance could cost them. A foul list of his mistakes were looping in the back of his mind, hissing at his stupidity and how his selfishness would get his family killed.

Raph was already waiting for him when Leo jogged to the entrance of the lair. Raph's brow was furrowed in concern, grinding his knuckles together and trying to keep his breathing deep and steady. Donnie leapt down the steps from his lab seconds later, decked out in his newest battle shell and his body taut with anxiety. Leo's gaze flitted to meet his but Donnie's expression was carefully blank. The only thing his eyes betrayed was worry. There was no blame there.

"What's going on?" Raph asked, rocking on his toes, ready to move.

"Mike called, said someone was following him," Leo drew his katana and swiped it through the air, spilling blue light across the three of them, "His call got cut off. Sounded like he was attacked."

Donnie's eyes narrowed and he pulled up his gauntlet as they ducked into Leo's portal,

"I've got his phone signal. This way."

The rotors on his battle shell opened and he took off into the colorful air of the Hidden City. Raph and Leo followed him from the rooftops, Leo praying with every cell in his body that they'd find Mikey a little scuffed but perfectly safe and waiting to be picked up by his big brothers.

They did not find Mikey.

Donnie landed on a rooftop bathed in rainbow neon, his expression darkening, and Leo skidded to a halt as he drew level. There were feathers and shreds of fabric scattered across the roof. Worse still were the splatters of blood that danced away towards the edge.

"Mikey!?" Raph leaned over the side of the roof, peering into the alleyway below, "Mikey, where are you!?"

"Leo." Donnie's voice was stiff and frigid and Leo glanced up from the mess to see him holding Mikey's cellphone. The screen was cracked and there was blood smeared across the case.

Leo felt cold. He trotted to the edge of the roof, peering over it next to Raph. There were signs of disruption and Leo leapt down the walls to investigate the floor of the alley. The whir of rotors and the heavy thud said his siblings had followed him.

More blood on the floor of the alleyway and smeared on the walls.

No sign of Michelangelo.

The world was narrowing into a pinprick, black fuzzing the edges of Leo's vision, his ears ringing as the panic began to set it. He tried to breathe through the lump crushing his windpipe, his thoughts scattering as he struggled to hold them together, to orient himself, to think, to plan. His legs were shaking and Mikey's name rasped out in a whisper from somewhere far away.

A warm hand wrapped around his arm, tugged him. Leo blinked rapidly, trying to refocus, his vision settling until he could see Donnie's face frowning at him. Not in anger, but in concern.

"Leo? You with me?" The muffled quality was peeling away from the sounds of the real world as Leo got himself back under control, focusing on Donnie's grip, on his brother's voice, on the texture of the ground beneath this feet and the taste of magic in the air.

"Y-yeah, yeah, I'm here," Leo took a deep breath, let it fill his lungs and settle his racing heart, "Okay. Right. Can you get a signal of any kind from Mikey? His tracker still working?"

Raph was hovering around them, breathing heavily, trying to combat his own fears and panic. Leo sheathed a katana and reached out his hand, curling it into Raph's and giving his big brother a gentle, grounding squeeze. A low, rumbling whine answered him and Raph squeezed back.

Donnie was frowning at his wrist tech, tapping away, "I had his signal but...it just disappeared. This doesn't make any sense!"

"Which direction was it in? We'll start there." Leo felt like he was standing on more solid ground now, with a plan in mind and a fierce determination boiling in his chest.

They would find Mikey. And they would destroy whomever had had the gall to lay a hand on their baby brother.

---------

I imagine poor Leo's got some serious issues when it comes to his brother's disappearing on him or being captured after what happened with the Krang. It's probably made worse when he blames himself for it happening.

[seaofreverie]

Yeah !

[mebiselfandi]

Neymessi on my blog in 2024? It’s more likely than you think

1. Neymar absolutely smizing at everything between here till high hell. Really tryna rizz up the camera. Everybody’s panties fell off except Leo ‘yeah nice picture’ Messi cause he’s so oblivious

2. Arguably the funniest picture here. Why is Leo’s jersey inside out? Why does Neymar look so pleased with himself

This is the face of a man who panickedly pulled on the nearest blaugrana jersey he could find to hide the giant mosquito bites all over his chest before the camera clicked

This is the face of the overly proud mosquito

3. The absolute big dickeryness of this picture. This might have been posted before but man I gotta include it. Knees touching, shoulders bumping, the slighlty unzipped top. This is amazing. Neymar in his peak baby heartbreaker fuckboy era and Leo tryna act very unaffected by the absolute rawness of freshly shaved Neymar (also the cold finger tips and the glass of ice…it’s giving the fic I’m nervous about posting)

4. I think I posted this before but that was before I was insane. Neyamr’s spread legs, Leo’s casual lean and the gentle hand on Neymar’s knee making him subconsciously spread even further. I’m feral (the hand on Leo’s shoulder could so easily reach over and wrap around his throat)

5. This is just cute and soft no other words. Leo looks so soft. Neymar probably gave him a thousand kisses for looking like that.

6. I actually haven’t seen this pic here but goodness Neymar looks so young wth😭

7. If Leo just backed up a lil bit he’d be right on Neym- *gets shot*. Although they just won the treble here and Leo looks he’s actually about to burst into sunshine at any given moment. It’s cute (Iniesta at the scene of the crime Strike 1)

P.S. is Leo allergic to socks?

8. Why the hell is Leo pants-less here??🤨🤨🤨 like sir where the hell did your pants go and why are you covering your dick and why is your shirt unbuttoned and why do you look like you’ve been sweating and why is your hair such a mess and why do you look so panicked and what has Neymar looking so damn pleased? (Also Iniesta once again at the scene of the crime)

9. Leo’s black compression shirt, his shoulder pressing into Neymar’s body. Neymar shirtless for no good reason other than he’s a whore…haha kidding. It’s to rile Leo up obviously🙄 also Leo’s hand placement. I know you can’t see his hand from this angle but it is in fact wrapped around Neymar’s bare waist(probably wrapped tight too) (Iniesta ONCE AGAIN AT THE SCENE OF THE GAY CRIME)

10. Starting to think one of Iniesta’s jobs as captain was to simply break up whatever homoerotic tension these two had going on at all times cause WHY IS HE ALWAYS THERE!? Anyway remember the hand we can’t see in pic 9. Imagine it’s gripping onto Ney’s bare waist just like this…

11. Yes this has most definitely been posted here but I feel it just need appreciation because HELLO THE WAY LEO IS LEANING INTO NEYMAR AND THE WAY HE IS GRIPPING HIS ARM! NEYMAR’S SHOULDER PRESSING GENTLY INTO LEO’S THROAT! LEO WHERE IS YOUR OTHER HAND?!

Okay then Leo ‘We hardly know each other😂’ Messi.

@nmsxi I meant to delete this but decided against it only for you

[carcarrot]

you'll be pleased to know that on my first day back at my job after my two week vacation i am already in one of my semi-regular Job Crises where i feel like if i dont find a new, better job soon im going to explode into 5 billion pieces

[puhpandas]

Veering Off Course

(2,305 words)

Gregory and his family get a call that Vanessa, whos in a different state for college, has gotten hurt. Gregory calls Evan, and Evan is able to use the things he's learned about himself since meeting Gregory to help his friend with his emotions regarding the situation.

Its early in the morning on a Saturday when Evan gets the call. It woke him up, so all he does is blink groggily and swipe at the screen blindly while propped up on his elbow until his thumb hits 'answer' on his phone. "Hello?"

"Evan." It's Gregory, and the serious tone to just that single word clears up Evan's brain as fast as lightning. He scrambles to prop himself into sitting up and rubs at his eyes with one hand.

"Gregory?" Evan asks, looking at the little icon he set for Gregory's contact of a picture of Evan and him at an amusement park. "Is everything okay?"

It takes a second for Gregory to respond, and it causes the anxiety that had steadily began to bubble inside of him to surge. "Gregory?"

"Sorry." Gregory finally answers. "I-- Uh... can you..." His friend struggles for words, and Evan tries to be as patient as possible as it becomes clearer every second something is wrong. "Can you come over? Like right now?"

Evan flounders for words for a second, but manages to force his mouth to say, "Of course."

"Okay." Gregory replies, and a surge of worry shoots through his chest when Gregory sounds like he might cry. He takes a breath on the other end, then, "Please hurry."

After that, Evan only lingers enough to respond with a short confirmation and goodbye before hanging up the phone. It takes him record time to shoot out of bed, sling on some shoes, and get down the street a few houses to Gregory's own.

His mind had played multiple awful scenarios of what terrible thing could have happened the entire time, but his worry does not ebb when he makes it to the porch and knocks on the door to a teary eyed Gregory.

Evan's immediately herded inside. Freddy has his phone in his hand pressed up against his ear, and he's pacing around the room. Aunt Chica and Aunt Roxy sit in the living room. Bonnie is sat in a dragged-over dining chair by Freddy and frowning.

It's dead silent in the house; even the TV and seemingly endless energy flowing through and causing bustling noise is snuffed out to nothing. Evan watches as everyone sits completely seriously and quiet, hands held in their lap or thrumming against something.

Impatience, is what Evan first thinks of. They're waiting for something. News, maybe? Freddy is on the phone. It's so silent you could hear a pin drop. Or somebody else's phone vibrate.

Evan's dread and anxiety only get worse when Gregory shuts the door behind him and tugs on him a bit. Evan follows without struggle, thousands of words and questions on his tongue when Gregory leads him to one of the unoccupied seats in the living room; a loveseat.

He sits down with him, and Gregory's face is scrunched up in barely restrained worry. Evan watches his friend, who's been an anchor for himself for so long, tremble and hunch in on himself. "Gregory?"

Gregory's eyes dart to him, and Evan leans down, hunching forward with his elbows rested on his thighs like theyre their own personal bubble. Evan's own brows furrow, and he feels the familiar thickness in his throat just at watching his friend be upset.

Evan grabs at his hand, squeezing it tight and lacing their fingers together. "I'm really worried, Gregory... please tell me whats wrong." Evan pleads. "Please?"

Gregory nods unsurely after a moment, and Evan watches him swallow thickly before turning to him fully. "Dad got a call from the University of Oregon today."

Evan's brows raise, but he nods to keep going. The University of Oregon is the college Gregory's sister, Vanessa, had left home to go attend. Evan hasnt gotten the chance to meet her, yet. She's already been gone two years strong, with a seemingly bright future. Evan's heard Gregory and his family talk about her enough to know her talents.

Gregory's breath hitches, and Evan wraps his other hand around Gregory's, the one he already has ahold of. He sandwiches it in-between his own and hopes it's enough comfort.

"Somebody called us and told us Vanessa got into a car crash today. On campus."

It's like a bucket of ice water is poured on Evan's head. His feet go cold, and his eyes widen to saucers. Fear shoots like an arrow through his stomach. When he stops reeling from the news, he watches Gregory begin to shake and lose the carefully gathered composure he'd put up since Evan arrived.

"They said..." Gregory's brows are furrowed so much it looks like it hurts. Theres a clench in his jaw and a wetness to his eyes Evan isnt used to. "They said she's already been taken to the hospital and is in surgery." He frowns, and theres a twist in his lip that Evan is so familiar with. "They... a-all we can do is wait. They told us they'd let us know any updates."

The house is thrown back into such jarring silence after Gregory stops talking that Evan's ears start ringing. Which makes it clear as day when Gregory's breath turns harsh beside him.

Evan tears his eyes away from the floor and ignores the twisting feeling in his chest to look at his friend. He has his face buried in the hand that isnt held by Evan and is shaking in a way where you can tell theyre trying so hard to keep it together. Gregory's angled away from him, but Evan can see the panic on his face even from where he can see.

Evan's breath hitches, and the thickness in his throat begins to turn into burning as he scootches closer to Gregory on the couch and sets a hand on his shoulder. He tugs a bit until Gregory gets the message and let's him wrap his arms around his middle and hold him close.

Gregory makes some sort of horrible, upsetting hitching noise that causes the dam to break for Evan, before he sort of flops against him and brings up his own arms to clutch at his T-Shirt. Gregory's head thumps against his shoulder, and it's one of the only times Evan really becomes aware of the height he has on his friend.

"Its okay..." Evan says into Gregory's shoulder, because it's all he knows to do in the moment. He glances around and sees that Gregory's family has shifted to the dining room, leaving them alone. Evan finally feels the tears slip from his eyes as he presses closer, hugging him like his life depends on it. "Its okay, Gregory. It'll be okay."

"It's--" Gregory says, and Evan can hear how much his voice shakes with barely contained tears. "Its not. I can't-- We can't even go see her. We can't go and wait for her to wake up, or anything... we just have to--" He cuts himself off, and Evan feels Gregory shake harshly against him.

"We just have to sit here." Gregory says, voice thick. "I dont know what to do, Evan. I don't know what to do."

And its only that sentence that causes Evan to grapple at what to do, if his friend can't. And all he can think about is how himself would react if it were Gregory getting hurt.

All he'd be able to do is cry, he realizes. He wouldnt be able to do anything. Just wait and be scared.

But that's what Gregory is getting at, isnt he? He can't do anything. That's the thing. Evan has known Gregory long enough to get him. To know, him. Evan knows that Gregory doesnt sit around and cry like Evan does. He prefers to get up and do something about whatevers wrong.

Hes a problem solver instead of waiting around. A fighter instead of a crier. No wonder hes so bent out of shape about this. To have a loved one in danger, and when you're so used to getting up and making a plan to fix a problem and are forced to sit in standby...

Evan eases them down against the cushion of the couch, not once untangling themselves from eachother. Gregory shakes, but he does not cry. "So what would you do if you could?"

The hair from Gregory's bangs brushes against Gregory's neck as he moves his head. "I'd... I don't know. I'd at least try to get to her." Gregory says, voice unbelievably quiet. "At least get to her. Then figure it out from there. Just so I'm not waiting on phone calls."

Evan nods against him, his chin scrunching up Gregory's hair. His tears have long since stopped falling, but he knows he has dry tracks on his cheeks. "You have a plan."

Gregory makes some sort of noise that would sound like a snort in any other circumstances. "I would if I could." Gregory replies, squeezing his arms a bit tighter. "But I cant" He sighs, shuddering and heavy. "I just have to wait."

Evan hums. "You're worried, and you're stressed." He makes the same noise Gregory just did. "I know how you feel... I really do. Maybe not your exact situation, but... I get what it's like to feel helpless." He says. "You know what I would do?"

Gregory hums this time, questionative. Evan rubs circles into his back. "I'd sit there and wait, and wish for it to different. And when it wouldnt be, I'd cry."

Gregorys head shifts against that crook between Evan's chin and chest, almost like hes trying to look him in the eye but the hug prevents him from being able.

"All I ever did was cry." Evan says when Gregory doesnt respond. "Its the only thing that I could do to cope."

"...So..." Gregory asks, and his voice is thick again. "You mean..."

"You're stressed." Evan answers. "You're stressed and you're worried. So... why dont you let it out?"

Evan, out of anyone, knows how valuable emotions can be. He didnt, once upon a time. When everyone would just tell him how annoying it is. How useless it is. How he's asking for it. How he should have toughened up by now. When instead of comfort, he'd receive ridicule and prodding.

That's changed. Ever since a certain someone entered his life. He doesn't think of his emotions, himself so little anymore. So worthless. So maybe that's why Gregory perks up ever so slightly in understanding.

And that's all it takes.

Gregory's trembling turns into shoulder shaking sobs like the snap of a finger. He cries, open and unadulterated, and Evan just hugs him close and rubs his back, offering reassurances like Gregory has done for him so many times.

His own eyes burn when his best friends sobs are heard so openly and he can feel every shudder of his body. Evan's chin scrunches, and the tears fall right along with Gregory as Evan hugs him close, tucking his face into his hair.

"Im--" Gregory cries. "I-Im just so worried about her."

"I know." Evan responds, his own voice breaking as he pets Gregory's hair. His shirt is damp with tears but he doesnt care. "Itll be okay. It'll all be okay."

They stay like that for a while, and Evan can tell Gregory needs it. He needs it. The worry he felt that morning doesnt ever really leave, and it stays ever-present as Evan watches his friend fall apart. They stay stuck together like magnets, eventually only shoulder to shoulder with linked hands on the loveseat, and none of Gregory's family try to peel them apart when they eventually wander back into the living room.

They stay in a state of constant agonizing limbo all day. At 8:00pm, Freddy calls it a night. Gregory protests immediately, but Aunt Roxy calms him down almost seamlessly and convinces him to go to bed.

Of course, Evan follows him. He cant imagine a world where he doesnt. The air mattress stays deflated in Gregory's closet as it has been most of the time nowadays. All Evan has to do is kick his shoes off since he left home in his pajamas anyway and they're wrapped around eachother, tucked in Gregory's bed under his comforter in the dark.

Gregory is silent all throughout the night, even though Evan knows he's awake. Evan just hopes that... he did the right thing. Something knows is that suppressing how you feel isnt good. It never works. No matter how much you want it to.

Gregory taught him that. He just wants to return the favor. Not because he owes Gregory, no. Gregory has long since hammered it into Evan's thick skull that he has nothing to pay him back for. That his kindness is not a deed to Evan, but rather that Evan himself deserves to be treated kindly.

Gregory does, too. Evan knows this with all his heart. Gregory is his best friend and has done more for him than anyone else ever has.

Evan... all Evan did was change. Change for the better. And hopefully he helped the most important person in his life with the things he learned. The things that person taught him.

He hugs Gregory's middle a little tighter, not daring to break the silence. Gregory needs time, but doesn't want to be alone. Evan understands. He does. He just hopes to convey what he truly feels through the one action.

Thank you. I'm here for you. I'll always be here. You're my best friend. I'm so glad you trust me. I trust you as well. So much.

Gregory himself wraps his arms tighter around Evan in turn, and Evan feels like the single movement lso has a deeper meaning he cant read.

They dont speak. They just lay in silence until eventually they fall asleep, stuck together like two puzzle pieces.

ao3 link

[cinammonelles]

Complete the 4 novels you're currently reading ❌❌❌

Start yet another novel because it seemed intriguing ✅✅✅

[hes-a-tough-kid]

I’ve been thinking a lot about how Spider felt when he hit puberty and started growing facial hair, making him even more different to the Na’vi. I wonder if he hated it.

Also the inherent tenderness of a boy trusting someone else enough to help him shave for the first time… something about it makes my chest hurt. I really tried to capture it in Foreign Body but there’s so much more that I wish I’d left space for.