#break up and get back together

[booksforevermore13]

Sunshine and Midnight Rain

Summary: When she's 25 and he's 26 and they're missing all the other's moments, they break apart, afraid of the consequence, afraid of what they'd be losing. Now, 5 years later, she wants things to be different. And he wants them too. Angst/Fluff Inspired by Taylor Swift's song, "Midnight Rain" from the Midnights album, as the title wisely said :D

...

My town was a wasteland

Full of cages, full of fences

Pageant queens and big pretenders

But for some, it was paradise

“Must you always drink this much?” Marlene muttered as she packed the bottles into a crate, frowning at a half-sleeping Ginny.

“Yeah,” the latter replied sarcastically, before getting up much hesitantly to help her team-mate, cum best-friend. “I never asked you to help out, you know,” Ginny continued snidely, and Marlene, as though appearing enraged, smacked her on the side of her arm.

“I’ll leave them, will I?” 

“I never asked you to do that, either,” Ginny smirked. “And that,” she rubbed her arm tenderly, “was uncalled for.”

It was much justified,” Marlene replied curtly. “How a girl can spend her 30th birthday drinking her way to unconsciousness, I can never understand.”

Ginny stayed silent, and Marlene grabbed her arm, forcing her to look up at her.

“Really, Ginevra, all of us thought we’d go out yesterday, have some food, get our game on, the lot. And here I am today, cleaning up bottles because you spent the entire night drinking yourself to insanity.” Marlene shook her head in disappointment, then wrinkled her nose. “And what even is this?” she exclaimed, bringing a half-finished bottle up to her nose. “This can’t be normal whisky, can it?”

Ginny smirked, grabbing the bottle from her. “It’s not whisky. It’s vodka.”

“Vod-what?”

“Muggle alcohol. It works best.”

“For drowning out your miseries? Really, Ginny-”

Ginny shook her head, silencing Marlene. “Every time we go out, the news gets us on the front page. And by us, I mean me.” She got up, crate in hand. “ ‘Quidditch Star Ginny Weasley, now a professional drunkard.’”

She scoffed, then continued, “Last time we were out, the paper got a picture of me and that freaking bartender, and somehow made it seem as if I was seducing him with my exceptional ‘femme fatale’ skills.”

Marlene got up, then looked at Ginny. “And is that all?”

“Huh?”

“Is that all, Ginny?” Marlene said, with an accusing voice. “Are you really telling me that the tabloids are the reason you didn’t go out with us last night? The reason you haven’t left your house for anything other than quidditch for the last year?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No, I think you do. Because I know for a fact, that this,” Marlene gestured at the stray-away bottles in Ginny’s house, “has very little to do with your image in the news.”

Ginny looked away, then walked past Marlene to deposit the heavy crate beside the door. The lights in her house flickered, Ginny realising it had been too long since she had had anybody over to look at the muggle powered lights in her house.

“How long is it going to take for you to get over him?” Marlene pressed on, and Ginny looked over at her angrily.

“Don’t say another word.”

“Is it going to take you destroying yourself to get over a boy?”

“Get out, Marlene,” Ginny snapped.

Marlene looked at her straight in the eyes, then sighed, picking up the bag, and walking towards Ginny. Then, without saying a word, she picked up the crate of bottles, and Apparated.

Ginny gulped, then looked up at the flickering lights of the house.

Maybe it would.

Keep reading

…

My boy was a montage

A slow-motion, love potion

Jumping off things in the ocean

I broke his heart 'cause he was nice

FIVE YEARS AGO

It had been a wonderful match. In fact, one of the best in years. The Harpies had won by a fair number of points, and though the Seeker had done a marvelous job in catching the Snitch, it had been the Chasers who had stolen the show. It had also been Ginny’s first time in the finals of the World Cup. The first one was always the one which kickstarted the player’s career, and she had definitely proved her mettle on the field there. 

And though they had a lot of work to do, talking to the reporters, getting ready to hoist the cup, Ginny couldn’t wait to tell Harry. 

She’d missed some of his floo messages in the last few days. Between the tension of the match, and Gwenog’s continuous badgering, she had completely forgotten to floo back.

But now, she wanted nothing more than to talk to him.

Ginny pulled off her gloves, passing them off to Marlene before she rushed off into the changing room. 

She was breathless when she started the Floo Network, a huge smile on her face as she waited for Harry to show up. Nearly giddy with excitement, she beamed as Harry, or rather, his image showed up in front of her.

Even from the get-go, she knew something had gone wrong.

“We won!” she grinned in glee and Harry smiled back at her, his green eyes sparkling through the floo network. 

“I knew you would,” he replied. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you.”

“That’s alright,” Ginny said. “You had a mission.”

Harry nodded, and Ginny held her breath, waiting for him to say something else. 

Something had gone wrong. 

“What’s…what's wrong, Harry?” Ginny asked, heart hammering in her chest. In mere minutes, the excitement had dulled down, replaced with nervous-ness.

“Nothing’s wrong, Ginny. I’m just extremely happy for you,” Harry smiled back at her, but even his smile looked strained.

“Don’t do that Harry, just tell me what’s wrong,” Ginny urged, wishing she could reach through the Floo and touch him.

Harry sighed, then looked back at her, his eyes betraying the pain he was in. “The mission,” he relented. “It went horribly wrong.”

Ginny’s heart stilled.

“Some of our team,” Harry’s voice wavered, “died in the cross-fire. It was unexpected, and we received the brunt of it.” 

She could have lost him, Ginny realised.

She could have never seen him again. 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine Gin,” Harry paused, and Ginny felt relief flood through her.

But it was the hesitation in his voice that told her what was to come. “Gin, there are the….funerals. I don’t think I’ll -”

“You won’t be able to come,” Ginny finished.

Her heart squeezed painfully, and she forcefully fought the lump in her throat. 

“That’s okay,” she said. “That’s absolutely fine, Harry.” Ginny said breathlessly. “In fact, I’ll apparate back. The match is over. I can come back now.”

“No, Gin, please. You don’t have to do that. You’ve worked for this for seven years-”

“And I’ve done it, Harry -”

“No.” Harry said, finality in his tone. Ginny gulped, blinking back tears. She could hear her teammates' excited chatter get closer, and it seemed Harry could too.

“I should go,” Harry said. Ginny stayed silent, as he smiled at her one last time before vanishing.

Gwenog burst in, a triumphant look on her face. Behind her, Marlene and Wilda bounded in, stopping in their tracks as they saw Ginny’s expression.

“Your boy's coming?” Gwenog asked, and Ginny’s throat clogged.

“No. He isn’t.”

…

He was sunshine, I was midnight rain

He wanted it comfortable

I wanted that pain

He wanted a bride

I was making my own name

Chasing that fame

He stayed the same

All of me changed like midnight

He was waiting for her at the Apparatus Terminal when she opened her eyes. A big smile on his face, sparkling green eyes. Ginny burst into a smile, as she bounded over to him, jumping into his arms.

Harry laughed as the flowers in his hand fell on the ground, and Ginny kissed him. He’d missed her. But what was more, he’d regretted that he’d missed her match. Even more so because he knew how hard she had worked for it. Day in and day out on the Quidditch field, coming back home absolutely knackered, going back the next day again.

She didn’t deserve what had happened nearly a week ago.

When they let go of each other, Ginny kissed him, and Harry smiled against her lips, cherishing the feel of them. 

He’d half thought he’d never feel them again.

“Are you okay?” Ginny asked, as they broke apart.

“I’m absolutely fine.” He didn’t like how his mission had taken over her game. He didn’t want that.

After that floo had ended, he’d sworn he’d never let that happen again. 

“I’m so proud of you,” he said softly, looking into her brown eyes, as they looked back worriedly.

But then they transformed, and a smile replaced them.

Oh, how he loved that smile.

“Let’s go home.”

Ginny smiled, silent as she slipped her hand into his and they Apparated.

...

It was when he was opening the door to their house did Ginny ask about the mission.

Harry looked away then.

He had been dreading the conversation. 

“It was a couple of rogue Death-Eaters. We found them hidden in the outskirts of a Muggle town,” he said. “I’m pretty sure they would have willingly handed themselves over, if -” Harry wavered, looking away from Ginny as she rubbed his forearm comfortingly. “If I hadn’t been there.”

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she cupped his neck, bringing her closer to him. “It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered, and Harry closed his eyes as she rested her forehead against his.

 This. This was it. This was what he’d been craving since days. It was pathetic for him, but he had needed this reassurance. That this-this wasn’t his fault.

Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny, and then looked at her. “I’m so sorry I missed the final. I swear… it won’t ever happen again.”

“It is absolutely fine,” Ginny enunciated her words.

“It isn’t, but I’ll make sure it won’t ever happen again.” 

It wouldn’t, and he’d made sure of that.

But it didn’t seem to get the response he was looking over. Now that they were in their house, the house that they had found together, Ginny pulled away from him, expecting an answer.

“What do you mean?”

“I asked Kingsley to reduce my workload. There won’t be as many missions as before, and he wasn’t very happy about it, I’m sure, but you have been there for every single important moment of mine, and I haven’t been in -”

“No, Harry,” Ginny interrupted. “You can’t possibly do that.”

Harry looked at her in confusion. He’d expected her to be elated, but it seemed the opposite had happened.

“This is your career that you’re talking about,” Ginny said. “You can’t possibly be throwing away all of that for me.”

“I’m not. Gin, I’m just going to go on fewer missions -”

“But missions are what you love. Fighting on the frontlines is what you chose to do,” Ginny cried.

Above them, the lights flickered, a momentary lapse in power. 

“Gin, being with you is also what I chose. And I am happy with this. With you. Maybe in a few years, we can think about settling down. Merlin knows, that would be something a long time coming.”

Harry cupped Ginny’s face, trying to understand the conflicted look on her face.

“I swear, everything’s going to be alright.”

And as Ginny rested her head on his chest, Harry couldn’t help but wonder if what he had said was true.

…

It came like a postcard

Picture perfect, shiny family

Holiday, peppermint candy

But for him it's every day

TODAY'S TIME

Three days till Christmas.

Ginny knew, if she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t ever find the courage to go home in time for it.

She looked up at the still flickering lights in her house. If her mum found out about the way she was living, she’d be horrified. Hell, Ginny herself seemed horrified herself most days.e

Half-finished bottles of whisky near the basin, her clothes lying all over the house, most of them unwashed, and food? She had resorted to eating mostly at pubs, or over at Marlene’s.

Normally, she’d be looking forward to Christmas. But, somehow, this year, she just couldn’t find the will to go to the Burrow and put up that mask of hers, the one where she was happier than most days.

He’d be there too.

Ginny closed her eyes, using her wand to create sparks of golden glitter over her, that disappeared before they fell over her.

She’d known things were going to fall apart the day he’d opted out of that mission. And Tomas had died. 

She’d seen his face when Kingsley’s patronus had appeared in the room. Seen his expression.

Ginny gulped down the lump in her throat, taking in a few deep breaths, before clicking her tongue and getting up from the couch.

She couldn’t afford to do this.

She got up, waving her wand to get herself dressed, before picking up her rucksack and heading out the door.

An hour later, she had apparated right in front of the door. Even while outside, she could hear the chatter inside the house. Ron’s voice, her mum yelling. Someone laughing.

Even unconsciously, she felt a smile across her face.

He’d be there, but it’d be okay. It would.

Taking a breath, she muttered the spell Bill had set on the door and walked right in.

Almost instantly, an uproar started. 

“Ginevra,” her mom cried out, followed by a chorus of Ginnys, and a lot of footsteps running towards her. The first one was her mum. 

Ginny laughed as she was wrapped up in a hug by the shorter woman.

“You’re eleven days late,” her mum was yelling away, and for a second, Ginny just buried her nose in her shoulder, taking in the smell of home. After being promoted to Captain, and Gwenog leaving, a different arena of responsibilities had fallen on her shoulder, and Ginny had struggled throughout the past year, trying to keep the Holyhead Harpies up. She had succeeded, to an extent, but not without being under the scrutiny of the entire Wizarding World, and of course, herself.

But now, after nearly 17 months, she was home again.

The second her mum left her, she was brought into a hug by her Dad and Bill, and then the rest of her brothers followed, each of them ruffling her hair, though she gave Ron a much deserved glare as he went to do so.

“How’s the baby?” she asked Hermione, as Fleur kissed her cheek. 

“Rough. She’s started kicking, but it’s not as bad as it had been a few days ago.”

“All babies are like that, my love," Fleur reassured. "I remember, Dominique nearly broke me by all her moving.”

The three women laughed, and Ginny’s eyes travelled among the crowd, as they slowly landed on him.

He was looking right at her. 

It had been ages since she had seen those green eyes.

Ginny lowered her eyes in embarrassment, as she felt everybody slowly scurrying out of the room, The fire crackled in the distance as Ginny spared a smile.

“Hey, Harry,” she said softly.

“Hi there, Gin,” his voice ringed in her ears and Ginny couldn’t help but reel at the name he had called her, the name that seemed right only on his lips. His eyes were still as green as ever, but right now, in the soft light of the fireplace, they seemed golden.

His eyes travelled across her face, and Ginny shuffled uncomfortably as his eyebrows furrowed. “How’s everything going?”

“Good, good,” he said. 

Ginny nodded. How long had it been since she’d seen him last? Two years? Three? All she remembered was that the last time they had met, she’d been so utterly devastated, that she had retreated to the closures of her house, and not come out for nearly a week, before Gwenog and Marlene dragged her out.

She didn’t even think she deserved to pine after him. Not when she had been the one to end things. 

Irony, she’d fallen in love first, and she’d been the first one to let go.

But right now, him in front of her, she couldn’t help but think that only if they had tried harder, if she’d just held on longer, then this wouldn’t be it. This wouldn’t be the life she’d be leading. One submerged in loneliness, one where her job had become her one and only ultimatum in life.

She could have had a different life with him. A different world.

It was too late to think like that. And it seemed pretty pathetic on her part.

Ginny snapped out of her reverie as Harry called out her name. 

“Yeah,” she answered breathlessly. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yeah,” she repeated. “Completely fine.”

…

So I peered through a window

A deep portal, time travel

All the love we unravel

And the life I gave away

She couldn’t sleep. It was torture, because she was exhausted. She had nearly dozed off during dinner, before being sent up to bed by her mother. It took her back to her younger days. When sleep came easy. 

It seemed the moment she landed on her bed, all her sleep vanished in an instant.

Frustrated, she slipped out of bed, carefully, without noise, climbing her way down the stairs. If she had been back at home, she would promptly take a sleep potion, and that would have made things easier. Here, not so much.

Ginny paused by the Christmas tree as she was making her way out the door. After Victoire and Dominique had learned how to walk, they’d resorted to tying the ornaments on the top portion of the tree, out of their reach and even after they had grown up, things had remained that way. Ginny smiled, reaching above her to touch a small toy horse that her dad had whittled for her when she'd been three.

Her younger self had been absolutely elated.

Thankfully, that feeling hadn't changed.

Ginny drew in a breath, before slowly creeping out of the house.

She stopped when she entered the backyard.

Harry.

Ginny gulped, slowly backing away, her steps quickeing as Harry turned his head. 

“Ginny, hey.”

She cursed under her breath, then called out to him, the wind carrying her words to him. “I’m sorry, I was leaving-”

“You don’t have to do that.”

Ginny paused yet again, as Harry continued. “I was only leaving, so you can stay -”

“You don’t have to leave because of me,” Ginny stated. “I’ll join you, if that’s okay.”

Harry nodded, then stepped aside to make room for her beside the pumpkin patch, as Ginny walked towards him. 

After the Burrow had gone up in Flames all those years ago, they'd worked hard to rebuild it. She couldn't say that it was better than before. But the view from the backyard was absolutely undeniable.

“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” she asked as she reached the patio, a small smile on her face.

“When have I been able to?” Harry scoffed.

Ginny frowned, then, as if by habit, she asked. “How long has it been since you last slept?”

“Truthfully, um...last night. Ron and I went out for drinks, and I had a good too many, before I passed out. Woke up right before your mum called us for lunch.”

Ginny laughed, and felt Harry look at her. Under the moonlight, and even with the shadows falling on his face, his eyes shone like the light of day.

The silence between them was welcomed.

“How are things, really?” Harry asked her.

“Rough,” Ginny admitted. “Turns out, being a captain is not all that they tell you.”

“You’ve done a marvelous job though,” Harry replied. “The Harpies have had the most number of victories since the Magpies in the last decade.”

So, he had been keeping track of her. Ginny couldn’t help but smile at that.

“How’s things looking in the Ministry?”

“As they are,” Harry replied, as if by habit. But then, as if thinking over his answer twice, he continued. “Kingsley has things mostly under control, but they tend to get out of hand once or twice.”

Ginny nodded, looking out at the lake glistening in the moonlight. She wondered what to ask next. What do you ask someone who’s heart you had broken not even five years ago?

She cleared her throat, then turned towards Harry. “Anybody you’re, umm…with, nowadays?”

Harry turned to her, his arms hanging effortlessly on the railing. His eyes stood fixed on her face for a few seconds, before answering.

“Do you think so?”

“Uhm..” Ginny cleared her throat. “What do you mean?”

“It means no, Gin,” Harry shook his head. “It means I’m not dating anybody.”

“Oh.” Ginny nodded, then turned towards the railing again. 

And yet again, they fell into a deafening silence, a silence different that others, the silence that seemed to suffocate her into the same hole she’d led herself to five years ago.

“Would we have worked out if Tomas hadn’t died?” Harry asked suddenly, his voice breaking through the mist and Ginny felt a chill travel through her spine.

She turned towards Harry, her eyes blazing. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean, Gin.”

“Are you really asking me that, Harry?”

“Yes,” his voice strained. “I am. Because I have thought about all the things that happened over and over in my head, and I still can’t believe what I did wrong.”

“You did nothing wrong, Harry,” Ginny cried out. How could he think he had done anything wrong when it was her that was the problem? 

“Then, tell me, Gin. Speak to me. Tell me what happened that led us to being this way.”

“I don’t know Harry,” Ginny cried out. “You were ready to give up everything just for us, for me, and you think I could have taken it as it is?”

“What was I going to give up?”

“Really, Harry?” Ginny said, agitated. “Because Tomas died, I was able to see how it affected you. How you opting out of missions affected you. He died, and it seemed that you took it all on you.”

Harry shook his head, denying, but Ginny continued.

“You think I don’t know you Harry? The minute that Patronus appeared, you were completely crushed because somehow, you thought that if you had just gone on that mission, he would have lived.”

“That isn't fair. I chose that," Harry said, his voice brimming with something she couldn't recognize. "How many times had it been since we'd had one waking moment with each other? You think I didn't notice the way you hurt with all the times I left you standing with overtime missions and duties?"

"I would have rather you do that than sacrifice doing what you love to be with me."

"That isn't fair."

“It isn’t. My career, it would have led me to be away nine months out of twelve. Yours, the other three. Me sacrificing my career would have led me to destroy myself. You sacrificing it nearly destroyed you.” “And I know,” Ginny’s voice turned heavy, “that maybe if I had bargained with Gwenog, asked her to keep me out of a few matches, then maybe we could have worked something out, but I - “ her voice cracked. “I don’t know why I didn’t do that.”

“You shouldn’t have had to,” Harry said quietly. Ginny couldn't hear the anger within them anymore. He stepped closer to her and raised his hand, his thumb brushing off a stray tear. And just when he was preparing to leave, he paused, and then lightly pressed his lips on Ginny’s forehead.

Ginny closed her eyes, and when she opened them back again after a few minutes, he was gone.

…

He was sunshine, I was midnight rain

He wanted it comfortable

I wanted that pain

He wanted a bride

I was making my own name

Chasing that fame

He stayed the same

All of me changed like midnight

“Did he say when he’ll come back?” Teddy asked Ginny for the third time, and Ginny closed her eyes, her mind straying to the night before the last for what may have been the fiftieth time. Her heart clenched as she shook her head.

“No, Ted, he didn’t tell me anything.”

Teddy frowned, as his hair turned a grimmer shade of blue.

“But it’s Christmas Eve,” Teddy whined. Bill looked at Ginny sadly, and then whispered slightly.

“You want me to take him off your arms?” Bill whispered.

“That’s alright. I could do with the company anyway,” Ginny smiled. 

With Victoire and Dominique off with their mother and Hermione, Teddy had been rendered horribly alone. Especially when he missed a certain young blonde. 

“Then do you mind if I pop out with the guys for a-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ginny waved him off and Bill pecked her cheek gently, ruffling Teddy’s hair before leaving.

Ginny watched as Teddy messed around with a few trinkets, probably from Zonko’s and then rested her head back on the couch. She shut her eyes, blocking out everything around her.

Harry had not been back since that night. He had floo-ed in, so that no one would worry, but everyone knew. Bill and Ron had been especially protective, making sure Ginny didn’t run off too somewhere. 

The fire crackled, the heat from it not nearly enough to warm Ginny. She shivered, and as Teddy noticed, he got up, bringing over a blanket for Ginny.

“Thanks,” Ginny smiled as Teddy made herself comfortable beside her.

“I don’t like that the both of you are always so sad during Christmas,” Teddy muttered, and Ginny looked at him in surprise. 

“What do you mean?”

“You and Harry,” Teddy motioned with his eyebrows, “you know, all that drama.”

Ginny raised an eyebrow, and Teddy huffed. “I’m not a child, you know.”

Somehow, that seemed funny to Ginny, the way he sounded so much like Harry. Her heart clenched as she thought about him, and she shuffled to get warmer.

“Are you still cold?” Teddy asked and Ginny shook her head. 

“I’m good.”

Teddy nodded, sinking into deep thought, and Ginny watched as his hair changed into green and then turquoise before turning back into blue. She smiled sadly, her thoughts turning to his mother.

“He still loves you a lot,” Teddy stated suddenly. “More than a lot actually.”

And yet again, Ginny was rendered speechless. Teddy looked at Ginny, and then winced. “I don’t think I was supposed to say that.”

Ginny chuckled weakly, then closed her eyes, reeling from what he’d just said.

“Do you love him?”

Her eyes snapped back open.

“Huh?”

“Do you love him?” Teddy asked again.

“Yeah,” Ginny admitted, albeit breathlessly. “I do. Of course I do. More than I know.”

Teddy nodded, and then, with a triumphant smile on his face, muttered under his breath.

“I knew it.”

…

Rain, he wanted it comfortable

I wanted that pain

He wanted a bride

I was making my own name

Chasing that fame

He stayed the same

All of me changed

Like midnight rain.

She watched with bated breath, as the train that would take her to the Apparating Station arrived on the platform. Not a lot had happened since Christmas Eve, but it seemed a long way away now, even though it had been only a week. 

Christmas had not even started fully, that the Quidditch Authorities had sent an official letter to all Quidditch Captains and Managers to report to Ireland, or the official Management Quarters with their entire team roster, and details. Apparently, some of them had been using broom enhancement potions in secret to win matches, and now the Authority wanted to review everybody’s position in the roster.

It was bollocks, Ginny had thought personally. The fact that this had happened on Christmas too hadn’t helped matters, and she had chewed off the wizard who had met with her at the Department. It had only led to a stricter review of her team members, but to no avail, as it returned absolutely spotless.

And very well so too. Her team was as good as they came, she had thought angrily.

Now that she was back in London, all she had to do was get on the train and reach the Apparating Station so that she could get back home and sleep. 

Merlin knows, she needed that.

As she got up on the train, Ginny thought back to her conversation with Teddy. How a conversation with a teenager wanted to make her try things again, she had no idea, but for a moment there, she had wanted to. 

And perhaps, she would have too, when Harry got back. But, that clearly hadn’t happened, and now as she rested her head on her seat bench, opposite to a sleeping Muggle lady, she let herself think what hurt her to the core.

Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

Ginny closed her eyes, letting the train lull her into a sleep.

…

It hadn’t even been half an hour when the train screeched to a stop. Ginny jerked awake, wiping at some stray drool at the corner of her mouth. She smiled briefly at the lady opposite to her, before she hurried out of the train. 

It was when she stepped on the platform that she allowed herself to look at her overly-familiar surroundings. After spending nearly her entire life in London, she had grown to become accustomed to it, and now, as her eyes scanned over the crowd filled with Muggles and Wizards, her eyes landed over a pair that were too familiar to be true.

Ginny blinked, then looked away to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. 

But no, there was no denying it.

It was him.

“Harry,” she said breathlessly, as they both started walking towards each other at the same time.

“Hey, Gin,” he smiled, and Ginny chuckled in surprise. 

“Were you waiting for me?”

His eyes told her whatever she wanted to know, so she nodded, avoiding his eyes.

“Uhmm…my house, we can just apparate there from here,” she said, as Harry nodded. “We can go there and talk.”

Ginny felt her heart hammering against her chest, as she motioned him towards the Apartment Compartment, which was basically an Old London telephone booth now.

Without saying a word, Ginny gripped his sleeve, as they both Apparated right in front of their house.

“Come on then,” she said, as she tapped her wand three times against the door to open it. 

Harry followed her wordless, and it was not before the door had closed behind them did Ginny utter a word.

“The house is messy, but don’t mind it,” she stated blankly. Then, after mulling it over her head, she hesitantly started, “What do you want to talk about?”

Harry looked straight at her as he started speaking. “Teddy told me,” he stated.

Ginny swallowed, and then looked away from him, afraid to glance into his eyes. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest.

“I thought it would only be right if it was me who told you what my nosy grandson did.”

Ginny chuckled drily, and then looked at Harry, her eyes glistening with tears.

“Harry,” she warned.

“What, Ginny?” he said, as he took a step closer to her. “Am I supposed to deny what Ted told you? Because I can’t do that. Not when every word he said was true.”

“Harry,” Ginny’s voice broke, as Harry stepped even closer. But even with her denial of what was happening at the moment, she couldn’t step back.

“I love you, Gin,” Harry said softly. “Merlin knows, I have loved you since that day in the Common Room, even before that and I don’t think that there is any way or any thing in this world that would stop me from doing so.”

“Harry -”

“No, hear me out, Gin. Please,” Harry begged. “We know all too well that every word you said that night was true, but somehow, I can’t quite comprehend it. Let’s try this, Gin. Let’s try this one more time, because I don’t think I could settle with the world if we didn’t try again.”

Ginny looked up at him, the gap between them becoming increasingly smaller as she stepped closer. Her fingers wrapped around his, as she closed her eyes. She’d spent five years thinking and thinking and thinking yet again about all of this. And she’d decided, that back then, when they had been younger and the world had seemed a bit more conquerable, they had not known what they probably knew all too well now.

That they couldn’t live without each other.

That Ginny couldn’t live without Harry.

“If you don’t want this Gin, tell me now, and I swear to Merlin, I’ll never bring this up again -”

“No,” Ginny said, her voice strong. She cracked a teary smile, and then let her fingers intertwine with his. “I want this, Harry. I want it too.”

She drew in a breath, and then repeated her thoughts, loud and clear. “This time, it’s just going to be you and me against the world Potter. Just us. And nobody else.”

Her voice wobbled, as her eyes filled with tears. She didn't think she'd survive if she lost this man again, and though she was stepping into hellfire at the moment, she hoped it would be worth it.

And as Harry looked at her with those clear green eyes, as he brought her face closer and captured her lips in a kiss, she let herself be drowned in that bliss she'd denied herself for so many years. And after years of being apart, those lips felt like home.

Just them against the world.

And as they pulled apart, and Ginny looked into the eyes of the man she had loved and missed for so long, a smile broke on her face, a bright smile; a smile that she herself had missed for so long.

“Remind me to thank Teddy for this,” she chuckled, and Harry joined her, leaning their foreheads against each other, his arms around her waist, hers around his.

“I will,” he said, finally. 

And Ginny laughed.

[spookberry]

"cubs and all" 😭😭😭

[ideologyofone]

Me, a tragedy enjoyer, watching the caitvi divorce in 4k in 41 days

[hairmetal666]

TW for internalized homophobia and related bad decisions

Steve is 12 and he thinks about finding his soulmate all the time.

You're supposed to find them through touch; your life together will flash in front of your eyes. They're rare, though, soulmates. So rare that most people never find theirs. So rare that some people say they're made up.

Steve wants to be one of the lucky few. He wants it to be a true, unbreakable bond, a love he gets to have forever.

He wonders if he'll find his soulmate at school. He's popular, he thinks. Tommy would say they were popular. But Tommy's definition of popular mostly has to do with the number of kids he can get away with being mean to, and that's not really Steve's deal. Tommy is like a prey animal, the way he can find weaknesses.

There's a new boy at school. Steve doesn't know his name, but they have English together. He's too thin, with huge brown eyes, and all his clothes are too big. His head's been inexpertly shaved and he never looks anybody in the eye. It's only a matter of time before he catches Tommy's interest, and Steve wishes he could stop it somehow, but he's never been good at going against Tommy.

The day comes, of course. They're standing in the hall, the new boy walking towards them, head down, as always. Tommy nudges Steve says, "What a loser."

And Steve shrugs, starts to ask Tommy about football, if the Colts can make the Super Bowl, but the boy is nearing and Tommy is cackling.

"Watch this." Tommy sticks his foot out.

The boy doesn't react fast enough. He falls forward with a bitten off yelp, and Steve moves without really thinking, only knows he can't stand to see him fall. He catches the new kid beneath his armpits, Steve's thumbs brushing the soft skin his arms.

The world around him falls away at the touch.

---

He's sitting on the floor in the band room, Eddie--the boy's name is Eddie--next to him. Eddie's hair is a little longer and Steve's in a green polo he doesn't recognize, and he's never been in the band room in his life. They're leaning into each other and laughing and Eddie's so beautiful.

---

They're in the woods--Skull Rock, Steve thinks. Eddie's hair is curled and frizzed around his chin, and he's laughing, his cheeks pink, his dimples prominent. He tries to pull his hair in front of his face, but it's not long enough yet to reach. Steve is overwhelmed, wants to kiss him so bad. He's never had to wait to kiss someone, or been unsure, or--

He wants to kiss Eddie.

So, he does.

It's hard, desperate, not the first kiss Steve expected, but then they've been waiting for so long.

---

Steve stands in the hallway of Hawkins High. He's wearing a striped, beige short-sleeved polo, and flirting with Nancy Wheeler.

He likes Nancy, she's pretty and smart and fun. And it's easy. He can hold her hand. Can introduce her to his parents. Can take her on dates and kiss her in public.

She bats her big blue eyes at him, and he can't help but kiss her.

He pulls away gently, brushing his thumb against her cheek, and when he looks down the hall, Eddie is there, frozen. His mouth is wide, his eyes glassy.

Steve thinks the way his heart stutters must be what dying feels like.

---

He's sitting on his diving board, facing away from the pool. He smokes a cigarette and there's a bat studded with nails at his feet, what the fuck. Music thuds, shrieks and laughter seep into the cool night air.

He should be playing the gracious host. He should be having a good time. Instead, his eyes search the woods and he taps another smoke out of the pack.

"Harrington?" The voice makes him jump, hand flexing around the bat handle. "It's freezing out. What are you doing?"

He recognizes the voice now, doesn't turn, doesn't respond, can't stand to see another person he let down; another person who could call him bullshit and be 100% correct.

"Do you not have a jacket? C'mon, man."

Something warm settles over his shoulders, and he inadvertently breathes in weed and leather and cedar. He squeezes his eyes shut, like that will make the comforting, familiar scent go away. He'll have to move to shrug off the jacket, though, which would mean acknowledging Eddie's presence.

"Can you at least say something, Harrington? You're freaking me out."

"I'm fine, Ed--Eddie." The nickname falls from his lips too easily. He doesn't miss how Eddie flinches.

His hair is long now, down to his shoulders, brittle looking in the cold. He's wearing a t-shirt and worn flannel, arms wrapped around his chest for warmth now that his jacket is draped over Steve's shoulders.

Steve is an idiot. He's such an idiot. Chasing after Nancy when Eddie is--

"I'm sorry," he says. He turns to face his soulmate, then. "I'm sorry about Nancy, I--"

Eddie jerks back like he's been hit. "Fuck you, Harrington," he snarls.

---

He sits in the back of an ambulance, eyes swollen shut, face throbbing. He's wearing a sailor suit for inexplicable reasons, which is almost more upsetting than the ambulance. He smells like puke and something toxically sweet.

A girl is with him, one he doesn't recognize, but he feels deeply, instinctively protective of her. He holds her shaking shoulders tight, tries to whisper comfort to her through his busted and bleeding mouth.

He's pretty sure he has a concussion.

"Steve!" Someone screams over the sounds of the EMTs and firefighters, of the building burning and collapsing behind them.

Eddie bursts through the gathered onlookers and past the ring of police cars enclosing them. He's falling into the ambulance before Steve has a chance to react.

"Sweetheart," Eddie sobs. He tries to cup Steve's face, but his fingers flutter around the damage. "Sweetheart, oh my god. I came as soon as I heard. Are you--what can I--"

Steve stares at him--his hair falling from its messy bun, his cutoff Metallica tee, concern and love leaking from those brown, brown eyes--and bursts into tears.

---

They sit on the roof of his house, sharing a joint back and forth. It's chilly, bordering on cold, winter just on the horizon. They're laughing, leaning into each other, and Steve is--he's happy. Elated. Could float away with it.

Robin--Robin-- is in the bathroom, or maybe in the kitchen for snacks, and it's just them for now. They're looking at each other, smiles wide, eyes bright.

They're taking it slow. Steve knows it's important, after what he did. They talked about it, his abandoning of Eddie for Nancy, chasing what his dad told him was normal and expected.

He doesn't want to cross any boundaries, wants to do this right. How Eddie deserves. But they're leaning into each other and they're smiling, and he's so in love. Intoxicated with it, lost.

In the end, he doesn't know who makes the first move, just that they're kissing and it's like coming home.

---

He's in a building, a shed or something. It's musty and dirty, smells like oil and gasoline and a building left closed up too long. Eddie's in his arms and he's talking through hiccuping sobs.

"I didn't save her, Steve. I didn't help. I just left her there! She was broken in pieces and I--I--"

Steve holds him close, tight, squeezes his eyes closed to stop his own tears from falling. He never wanted this for Eddie, never wanted him involved. Thought he could protect him from all of Hawkins's terrible things.

They aren't alone. Robin is there, coming up to hold Eddie too, plus a redheaded girl and curly haired boy he doesn't recognize.

"We'll figure this out, Eddie." The boy promises.

"We won't let anyone hurt you. We know you didn't murder Chrissy," the girl says.

---

Steve is in a world he doesn't understand, and Eddie is his arms. Eddie is in his arms, and there's blood everywhere. He's not awake, he's not--his heart beat is soft and slow, too slow, and his breathing stutters, and Steve can't--

"Baby, stay with me." He begs as he runs across the dead and rotting landscape. "Eddie, please. Wake up, okay? Wake up for me. I need to--I need to know that you're alright."

Eddie stays limp in his arms.

"Please," he begs. "You can't leave me. We promised, remember? We promised we'd be together forever. The rest of our lives. Me and You. Our six little nuggets. You promised."

The portal back to Hawkins is less than a dozen feet away, he's so close. Eddie gasps to consciousness, but his eyes are still hazy.

"Hi, sweetheart," he mumbles.

"Hey, hi, you're doing so good. We're almost out, okay? We're almost out and we'll get you to the hospital."

Eddie reaches out a weak hand, touches the edge of Steve's jaw. "Love you, Stevie," he whispers. "Glad you were mine."

He goes still in Steve's hold.

---

The images come faster now--

A hospital room at Hawkins General, Eddie hooked to machines. Steve holds hands with an older man. They wait in terrified silence

Eddie propped in a bed, a bunch of kids around him, Steve and Robin at his side. His eyes keep sliding to Steve, like he's making sure Steve's real, that he's still there

Their bodies tangled together in a bedroom Steve doesn't recognize

Steve down on one knee in a marble room lit only by black and red candles, Eddie standing in front of him

Hand-in-hand on a cliffside overlooking the ocean. The Chief of Police, Jim Hopper, stands in front of them with tears in his eyes and a beaming smile on his face

In a big, green yard behind a cozy little house. A little boy with Eddie's eyes and curls riding on his shoulders. Eddie sprinting around with a tiny girl giggling after him, perfect imitation of the King Steve hair-do on her tiny head

In a park, surrounded by family and friends. Steve has a little bit of a paunch and wears glasses. Eddie's hair streams around his shoulders, going grey at the temples. There's a banner strung between trees proclaiming 'Happy 20th Steve and Eddie!' They're surrounded by everyone they love and it's perfect

---

The images flash too fast for Steve to catalog after that, seconds-long glimpses of a shared future, and then he's back in his body in the hallway of Hawkins Middle, still holding too tight onto Eddie's arms.

Eddie rears back, face pale and terrified, and Steve is too shocked to do anything but let him go.

Tommy's yelling, but Steve only has eyes for his soulmate, who scrambles to his feet and throws himself down the hall away from them.

"What the hell, Harrington? Why'd you catch him? That was about to be funny as hell! I bet he'd have broken his nose--you ruined it!"

Steve isn't listening. He's trying to hold on to the memories of their life together, the ones that are already fading.

The last thing he remembers is that, sometime in the not-too-distant future, he'll find his way to the band room, Eddie Munson, and the rest of their lives.

[mouthstatickinard]

ngl if it turns out that Tommy was coming back all along and that this was all part of the romcom ‘breaking up then making up’ trope i’m gonna be so embarrassed for getting this sad 💀 but that’s what i get for catching up with a series for once ig

[inheroes--wetrust]

i just had to steal this from twitter because this is the funniest fucking thing ive ever seen in my life. the MOST divorced couple of all time.

[bixels]

Be honest, what are your thoughts on appledash? Do you hate it or its more of not a big deal

Not a big deal to me. I like it, I see all the appeals, I just personally like Rarijack more.

[arkangelo-7]

The fact that DC isn’t capitalizing on the Billionaire Romance potential between Bruce in Clark is criminal.

It has all the markings of success. Tall, dark, brooding love interests that’s richer than God but has a tortured soul? Check. Small town protagonist who’s in over their head but too in love to care? Double check. Complicated family and/or workplace dynamics that could pull the couple apart? Triple check.

Superbat is like an Ana Huang book on steroids; I know I’ll never see it actualized but DAMN is Bruce and Clark’s dynamic perfect for it…

[ghostcrackerrs]

movieverse llorumi

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 181

“Hey. Hey Tuck. Tucker. Tuck look. Look.” 

Tucker looked over the edge of the screen lazily, the half interested words on his tongue dying as he let out a wheeze of laughter. “Oh my Ancient Sands, dude, how did you manage that?” 

Danny had, for the last near year, been trying to mix shapeshifting, thank you Amorpho, with duplication. Something he’d apparently succeeded in today, if the massive fuck-you hydra standing before him was any indication. The very pleased looking, well did it count as a hydra if it had wings too? 

“You need to show Sam. Oh my Sands we need to show Val too. And Wes. You did it dude!” He floated up to look at Danny, who did a little twirl to show off. He shook his head, flecks of gold and sand falling from his hair as he laughed. 

“Do you think,” Danny lost it in laughter as several other heads echoed his words, from whichever the main him was. “Holy ancients that’s great- do, do you think we can make a dragon club? Hydras are totally dragons right? Do you think we could pull a Tiamat?” 

He landed on a head, taking a selfie to add to the groupchat labeled Preparations. “Dude, we should, but let me send this to the others first… But I am so down.” 

They can, in fact apparently, pull a Tiamat- with a little help from Princess Dora, practice in front of Frostbite in case something goes wrong, and some advice from Pandora on controlling extra limbs. Honestly, who is going to want to mess with Amity when there’s a giant dragon? And hey, maybe they can break the barrier now! 

The heads for those wondering who I was thinking of for each lol And perhaps what they might all get ((1) Kwan, Pressurized Water) ((2) Wes, Sonic Blast) ((3) Sam, Poison Gas) ((4) Star, Plasma) ((5) Danny, Ice Breath) ((6) Paulina, Acid) ((7) Tucker, Electricity) ((8) Valerie, Fire Breath) ((9) Dash, Pressurized Wind)

[wispforever]

original quote under the cut

[suja-janee]

I wonder who these two totally random people in disguise are?

[fuckmeyer]

if smeyer wasn't a coward vamp!Bella would have immediately eaten her daughter Rensesmem whole-hog like Saturn Devouring His Son

[hoss-bonaventure]

walt after jesse took his whore ass to mexico with mike and gus

[hairmetal666]

It's a fluke that Eddie ends up a gymnast. Wayne only signs him up for summer classes at Hawkins's tumbling gym to burn off his excess six-year-old energy. Nobody, lest of all Eddie or Wayne, expects him to be talented at it.

And now, somehow, he's at his first ever elite gymnastics competition. His coaches all said he was good, but he hadn't really had a frame of reference for what that meant. Not until now. Not until he's in 3rd place after high bar, right behind Steve Harrington.

They tumbled together, as little kids. Steve a tiny boy with an absurd pompadour, monopolizing the mats for insane tumbling passes and lording his high-end competition shirts over the other kids (none of the rest even wore actual gymnastics gear; they were six and it was Hawkins).

Now, he's a swaggering fifteen year old with the same pompadour and bad attitude. They're not on the same rotation, but as Eddie moves on from his floor exercise, Steve makes a point to ram into him.

Eddie doesn't react and maybe that would've been the end of it, but he ends up placing, and Steve corners him in the locker room.

"Come to congratulate me?" Eddie smirks.

"You better watch your back, Munson." Steve shoves him into the lockers.

"I knew you were an asshole, Harrington, but I didn't realize you were a sore loser."

Steve leans close, heat melting into Eddie. "You better count yourself lucky you've gotten this far. Not really a sport for poor kids."

Eddie bristles at this. Yeah, sure, his gear is secondhand, and he and Wayne learned how to sew to mend his competition shirts, gymnastics pants, and warmups, but they work hard, together, for Eddie to do this. "Don't worry about how I afford to be here." Eddie checks him as he brushes past. "Just fix those wobbly flairs on pommel."

The rivalry is hot and fierce and mean, made even worse by the fact that Eddie has an enormous hate-boner for Harrington. It's not, Eddie reasons, his fault. He's gay and surrounded by guys whose bodies are honed for a sport based on strength, endurance, and agility, Steve the most beautiful of all. So he looks, and he longs, and he hates Harrington with every fiber of his being.

Eddie's sure this would continue for their competitive lives, but everything changes the summer before their junior years of high school. They're at a training camp, the kind for world champion, Olympic hopeful types. Steve is practicing ring dismounts when he loses himself in the air, lands hard off the mat, destroys something in his knee. He needs surgery, the recovery time 6-8 months, if he's lucky to be able to compete again.

Maybe a year ago, Eddie would be excited by this development, but now it's kind of devastating. He doesn't bother examining why.

--

Steve comes back and he's--different. His first competition, he comes up, asks, "Eddie, hey, can we talk?" And, well, they've never been on a first name basis before and Steve is so so pretty, so he agrees.

"I just want to say, I'm sorry how I treated you back before. I was a real piece of shit and you never deserved it."

Eddie truly doesn't know how to respond, never foresaw this day coming. "Thanks. Uh--yeah. Thanks."

They stare at each other for a few seconds longer before Steve taps him on the shoulder and walks away.

It's not the only thing that's changed about Steve. There's this big group of feral children that follow him around everywhere now. Apparently, Harrington told them Eddie plays dnd and now they follow him around too.

He also. Has a girlfriend now. She's pretty; delicate looking. Her name is Nancy. And she's nice, or whatever. Eddie definitely isn't jealous. It's just. He's been with Steve in locker rooms for years, and he thought--well, he'd seen the way Harrington's eyes sometimes lingered on a bicep, a well-cut thigh, the intrigue of a pelvic v, and he thought--not that it matters, but he thought--

Anyway, Steve has a girlfriend.

---

They're at the winter classic, when it happens.

Eddie is doing good. Like. Really good. Like his routines, they're not flawless, but he's hitting the big skills and sticking landings, and stays in 2nd throughout the majority of the rotations.

It's not a huge shock when he finishes his final rotation, vault, and winds up finishing in 2nd. What is a shock, though, is that, when the scores go up, Steve is wrapping his arms around Eddie's waist, hoisting him into the sky. And, even after he's back on solid ground, Harrington doesn't loosen his hold.

And it's, like. Nothing, right? It's nothing because he has a girlfriend and, sure, maybe he's bi, but that doesn't stop Nancy from existing.

He's not going to think about it, is the thing. He knows it doesn't mean anything, so he isn't going to dwell. It's definitely not all he thinks about during the podium ceremony, or after when he talks to media, or even later walking into the empty locker room.

Or. He thought it was empty. But Steve is there, smiling, saying "you were amazing out there."

They hug again, and Eddie tries not to enjoy the warmth of Harrington's body, the comforting strength of his toned biceps. Eddie pulls back and Steve is--he's so close, gazing at Eddie's lips and--

Steve's mouth is hot and sweet, like he's wearing cherry chapstick, and Eddie can't--he thinks of Nancy; she's nice, doesn't deserve this, they should stop--

But he's sucking on Steve's tongue and Steve is making the sweetest sounds, hard against Eddie's thigh, and nothing else matters.

---

It goes on for months.

Eddie knows he needs to end it, vows to as soon as they're apart.

It all goes out the window as soon as they're together again. He can't get enough. It's Steve. How is he supposed to resist?

(He needs to. It's horrifying, what they're doing to Nancy)

---

The children who follow Steve around invite him to dinner after the first day of the USA gymnastics championships.

Nancy is there.

It's the worst three hours of his life. He can't look at Steve, can barely speak to him.

Nancy is beautiful and smart and kind and strong. She doesn't deserve any of this.

And when Steve drops by his hotel room hours later, Eddie greets him by saying, "I can't do this anymore."

Steve's shoulders drop, eyes squeezing shut. "Right. Yeah, I--Yeah."

"I like you, Steve. A lot. But I can't--you have a girlfriend. And I can't keep being whatever this is for you."

Steve nods, won't meet his eyes. "You're right. It's not fair to either of you. I--My parents expect--And I--I'm sorry," he whispers the last part.

Eddie smiles, heart aching. "Sweetheart. I get it. But. Figure out your shit, yeah? Maybe then we can talk?"

The smile Steve flashes him is a broken thing. "Maybe. Sure."

And that's it.

Eddie cries himself to sleep that night.

The next day, he wins first in the all-around.

---

He and Steve stop speaking.

Somewhere around, ohh, the very first time they hooked up, he caught feelings. So sue him if it kills him, seeing Steve at every competition.

They don't speak again until the Olympic trials. And isn't that ridiculous? Eddie at the Olympic trials. It's such an insane pipe dream, being an Olympian, that he doesn't actually have any expectations whatsoever.

So knock him over with a feather when he fucking makes it on the team.

And so does Steve.

The announcement rings out, and Steve is there, out of nowhere, pulling Eddie into his arms. And Eddie's so hyped, so excited, that he just shouts and hugs Steve right back.

He pretends the proximity, the musk of Steve's cologne, the tangy saltiness of his sweat, doesn't bother him, doesn't transport him immediately back to Steve's bed.

They're teammates now; he can keep it casual.

Right before they leave for the games, news breaks that Steve and Nancy have broken up.

---

The Team competition at the fucking Olympics is going well. They've had good routines, with no huge errors, stay consistently within the top 5 scores. But then they're on the last rotation, parallel bars, and he's the very last competitor to go. They'll win bronze if he can score above 14.933.

But

He's inconsistent on parallel bars, always has been, something deep and psychological he can't quite let go of, and now their medal chances are all on him.

He salutes the judges, jumps into his starting position--and his mind goes quiet. Muscle memory, skill, years of training take over--he's flawless.

Eddie sticks his dismount, and the place erupts. He doesn't have a score yet, doesn't know if he's done it, but the rest of the team screams like he has.

They pull him into their arms, but Steve is closest, his grip the tightest. Their eyes keep catching, holding, and Eddie can't really breathe but he doesn't think it's the anxiety or the excitement.

The score goes up.

Not only is it high enough for bronze, it puts them in silver.

Eddie has barely a second to process before he's being hoisted into the air, Steve's arms bracing him up. The crowd's going crazy, his teammates screaming and hugging him, each other, but all he sees is Steve beaming up at him.

He's slowly lowered to the ground, Steve's arms still around him. "You were perfect, baby," Steve whispers. "Never seen anyone like you."

He wishes he could stay right there, Steve beaming at him, but they won the silver--they won the silver at the goddamn Olympics--and they have to get medals, do interviews.

They don't have a chance to be alone together until they're back at the Village, where Steve is just waiting in Eddie's room when he gets back.

"Is this okay?" Steve asks. "I wanted to talk to you and Jason let me in, but I can--I'll leave."

"Please don't." Eddie swallows. "Stay."

Steve smiles, a little. "I needed to tell you that I'm sorry for what I did to you and Nancy. It was unfair to both of you. I love her, you know? But she's not who--I'm not in love with her."

"No?"

"No. I thought it would make my parents happy, settling down with a nice girl. But it turned out it didn't actually make a difference to them, who I dated. And she isn't who I wanted to be with."

"I'm proud of you for figuring out what you really wanted. It's brave."

"I wish I could've been brave earlier." He gives a little laugh. "Before I hurt you."

Eddie doesn't know what to say to that. He wishes the same thing.

"Um, which is also why I'm here." Steve plucks at the waistband of his Team USA Nike joggers. "I wanted to see if maybe we could try again? Officially this time?"

Eddie can't keep his smile from taking over his entire face. "Sweetheart, I would love to."

"Yeah?"

And Eddie just--after all this time, he just--pulls Steve into his arms and kisses him. The silver medals, still around both of their necks, clink together with the force, but neither of them really care.

Steve sighs, nuzzles his nose to Eddie's. "Missed you so bad," he whispers. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Eddie smiles. "But kiss me a while."

Eventually, they fall back onto Eddie's bed, which makes a horrible noise as their combined weight topples onto it, and they break apart to laugh. Steve smooths back his hair, wrapping a few fingers through his curls to keep Eddie close, even though he's not about to go anywhere.

"Can't believe we made it all the way here." Steve's looking at him like he hung the moon

"Cause we're taking medals home?"

"Honey," he laughs. "Because I'm taking you home."

[eyesonstars-feetonground]

Closet Conversations

Wrote my first fic in 4 years for these two after last week's episode. What would happen if 9-1-1 let Evan Buckley explore what it means to be bisexual (and not by way of hooking up a bunch)

Hope you enjoy!

Six months is a long time to stick around if he thought you’d dump him. OR After his boyfriend dumps him, Evan Buckley goes on a date, makes a new friend, has some conversations, and realizes he's queer. Tommy haunts him every step of the way.

***Read on Ao3***

Published: 2024-11-12 Words: 10,599 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 9-1-1 (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Tommy Kinard Characters: Evan "Buck" Buckley, Tommy Kinard, Original Female Character(s), the rest of the 118 also make cameos! Additional Tags: Fix-It, Making Up, Character Study, Post-Episode: s08e06 Confessions (9-1-1 TV), Episode Fix-It: s08e06 Confessions (9-1-1 TV), Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Dialogue Heavy, Post-Break Up