#eye twitching emoji needed and I’m gonna crash out

[spideyhexx]

i need an eye twitching emoji

[sunjaesol]

clandestine meetings and longing stares

juke secret dating au | title: illicit affairs // taylor swift | a middle of the night scribble

When twelve year old Julie Molina got a stern talk from her father that she wasn't allowed to date until college, the tween had no qualms with it. The only boy she's ever liked had been Sokka from Avatar and that was it. Real boys didn't interest her. 

Until she turned sixteen and caught sight of Luke Patterson. 

In the years between, she had small crushes here and there. Lance, Nick, Noah. None, however, competed with storm that erupted in her stomach each time Luke smiled at her - her heart in a constant frenzy. 

It was the beginning of junior year when he randomly sat next to her in music class and brought out all the bravado. It shouldn't have been cute. Julie should've rolled her eyes, dismissed his cute smirk, but she simply couldn't. The shimmering green of his eyes and the nice laugh was too alluring, too attractive. Soon enough, Julie was crushing on him hard. Which was fortunate, since he very much liked her as well, something he never hid from her. 

("Watch out, Julie," he joked during one of their first conversations. "The charm is gonna make you get a crush on me!") 

Luke kissed her two weeks after, chastely and secretly under the bleachers. Her infatuated mind forgot in that moment how she wasn't even allowed to look at a guy and eagerly kissed him back. It had been her first kiss and wow - what a perfect one at that. 

A beat later, she realised her mistake and told him about her dad's stupid rule. His face had crashed for all of ten seconds when a mischievous grin crawled on his lips (an expression that would get her into serious trouble one day) and said: "Why tell him?" 

Had it been any other boy, she would've shaken her head and regret kissing him. But this was Luke. She really liked Luke. The idea of not being with him, of not seeing where this could go, was a greater fear than her father's disappointment. In response, she snatched him back into a kiss he all too hungrily went along with. 

Rule #1: Don't date! Broken, busted, thrown out the window with a smile. 

It started off easy. At school, no one had to worry. She sat with him at lunch and let herself be coaxed under the bleachers and snuggled into his embrace at the end of the day. On the parking lot, she could pretend she was simply saying goodbye to her boyfriend and not going home to lie in her dad's face about why she was so overly chipper all of a sudden. 

(Luke made her so ridiculously happy it was unfair. Each time he surprised her with a hug, her feet lifted from the ground; each time they kissed, his thumbs grazed her cheeks like she was a precious gem; each time she came up with a clever lyric, he gave her the toothiest grin and called her all the cute nicknames he could think of. Boss, baby, babe, Lyric Queen.) 

God, she was complete mush for this boy. Sometimes she wondered if she was doing enough, not quite matching his overt display of affection, but she knew she must be doing something right if he never stopped smiling when she talked. That his eyes held a certain softness, timidness, reserved for her only. 

They outgrew school quickly. Both wanted to go on dates without raising suspicion, Luke wanted to come over and just be with her without causing havoc. 

"Why does the rule exist anyway?", he asked at the end of a cool December day. 

Julie toyed with the lapels of his red shacket. "It's dumb. I mean, I get it, but it's dumb." Sighing, she explained his reasoning. "He wants me to fully focus on school so that I can get into a good college. Once I secured that, then I'm allowed to have fun."

Luke frowned. "I- I guess I kind of get it."

Her eyes rolled teasingly. "You don't even want to go to college." 

"Correction: I wanna go to frat parties and have the college experience-" 

"Without the classes part," she deadpanned. His face fell flat, a giggle of her own following. 

His frown returned, a look she hated seeing. "You don't think he'll… I don't know, let go of that rule when he sees we're good?" His calloused hands slipped from her waist to softly cradle her face. Julie sighed, leaning into the touch. Resisting Luke and everything he did was hard. A smile twitched on his lips. "Would be pretty dope to come through the front door and kiss my girlfriend."

Her heart clenched at his confession. It would be amazing, but it sounded so unbelievable that it could easily be taken as a joke. Dad would go absolutely insane if she pulled something like that. Hey dad! Don't mind me as I jump into the arms of my boyfriend and he kisses me like a heartthrob from the movies! 

She should've known Luke would try something. His impulsivity was an admirable trait, she found, though the pebbles hitting her window past midnight have her such a fright that she cursed for a beat how one track minded he could be. Until she caught sight of him. Eyes twinkling in the moonlight, a wide smile, his casual stance. He pointed at her and she nodded, grabbing her phone to text him there was a ladder by the garage. 

Quiet like a ghost and quick like a fox, Luke snuck into her room, feet falling onto the floor with a soft thud. 

Butterflies raged in her stomach. Her secret boyfriend was here, in her room, right now, with her father sleeping just down the hall. 

"What're you doing here?", she whispered, already breathless from having him near. 

His nose scrunched up. "Trying to be romantic. Should I have called you first?" 

She shook her head. "It's fine. Maybe next time. It's-" Her arms slung around his shoulders, heart hammering a mile a minute. Her pyjamas were nothing special, an oversized pullover and sweatshorts, but it felt oddly intimate to be so cozy together. His own faded t-shirt was from a zoo in Oregon and his sweatpants softer than any of the ones she owned. Julie almost asked to borrow them, if it wasn't for his lips to swallow the words with a warm kiss. 

Her fingers slipped into his hair. Yeah. This was better than talking. 

It soon became routine. Every other week, Luke would text her a moon emoji and then climb into her room around midnight. They'd kiss and cuddle, Luke often leaving by five am and then making a whole show at school as if he hadn't seen her. Julie thought it was cute. If she could, she'd return the favour and go to his place, but Luke assured her she did not want that and, consequently, her father would just know. Unfortunately, she didn't have Luke's agility like some parkour champ. 

"Trust me, Jules, I don't mind," he told her at lunch while stealing a cherry tomato. "I like sneaking in."

Alex shot him a look. "You like feeling like the main character of a movie, that's what."

"You brainwashed me with romcoms, so it's your fault, dude,' Luke retorted, grinning when the blonde flipped him off. 

They got cocky though. Julie knew her dad would be gone during the day for a photography gig in Santa Monica, all the way on the other side of Los Angeles. It was the perfect excuse to get Luke over. Excited, Julie opened the front door for him with a flourish and did a silly courtesy. 

"Your first time using my door," she teased. "Must feel special."

His cocky nod made her roll her eyes. "Super special," he replied gravely, playing along. "She's been begging for me."

Her expression turned sour. "I haven't been begging for you." 

His smirk widened, tugging on a curl as he slipped past her. "Was I talking about you?" 

He didn't, but he did start making out with her the second they were in the safety of her bedroom, so she knew there wasn't much competition. 

That afternoon, they successfully avoided her dad's wrath and felt arrogantly confident about it. It made them daring. Pushing the limits, how far could they go, how blatant could they be before he knew? It was almost a game, the thrill part of the insane attraction she felt each time he snuck in. 

His strong arms were wrapped around her as she straddled his waist, kissing him. Every touch was languid and intentional, a searing passion that rippled her skin and left her mind empty. Kissing Luke always put her in a dreamy, blissful haze. Her fingers clawed at his shirt and he shrugged it off in one fluid motion, pulling her back in. His skin was warm, hers to explore. Julie grinned into the kiss. His fingers toyed with the hem of her top.  

"Julie?" 

They froze. Her dad. Other side of the door. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. As quietly as possible, the girl hoisted herself from his lap and motioned at her closet. 

"Julie?" The door handle began to shake. 

Her voice squeaked. "Just a second!" Luke tiptoes into her closet, Julie kicking his shirt under her bed as she ran to the door. Her flushed cheeks would be a dead giveaway had her father ever doubt her trust. Fortunately, Julie Molina was in the eyes of her family a perfect good girl. 

(The guy hiding in her closet would whisper something else in her ear.)

"Why is your door locked?" Dad frowned. "You never lock your door."

Julie shrugged, innocence leaking from her tone. "I can't have some privacy?" 

"Of course, Julie," he said, though his lips were pressed into a thin smile. This clearly wasn't the last time they'd talk about it. "I'm going to the store. Do you need something?" 

"No, thanks," she rushed. "Anything else?" 

"Uh, no. Don't lock yourself in, hm?" It was said as a joke, his brows lifted, but both she and her father knew he meant it. No more locking doors. Shit. 

When the front door fell shut and the car rumbled into the street, Luke reappeared with a careful smile. 

Julie sighed. "That… was close. Maybe we should stop hanging out right after school. I didn't even hear him coming up the stairs."

"Damn, Jules!” Peppering two kisses on her forehead, it did little to relief her stress. “Now that's an ego booster."

"I'm serious!" She huffed. "I hate this. I hate the rule and I hate that I'm making you put up with it."

"Hey, hey," he soothed. "It's shitty, yeah, but you're not making me do anything." Nodding at her lips, he added: "Your smile is already…" 

The smile bloomed on its own accord when he trailed off, edging closer. "What?" 

That little shake of his head almost made her kiss him, but she wanted to know what he was going to say, why his lips were parted in that wonderstruck expression. When nothing came, a curious hum rumbled in her throat as she placed her chin on his chest. 

He relented, tapping a finger against her cheek. “Your smile is already making me do dumb stuff.”

Oh, God. If he was going to continue saying things like that, she might actually fall in love with him. Back when Julie and Flynn were still obsessed with those relationship quizzes in magazines, she always claimed she’d like guys that weren’t so smooth with their words. She thought it meant they were players. But Luke never half-assed anything. 

Her head tilted, amused. “Do you always have words ready?”

“Zero words, Jules,” he quipped. “Ever.”

Yeah, she might actually love him. 

Public dates became a thing after that conversation. She simply couldn’t let him get away because of some rule, even if he claimed he wouldn’t. Eats & Beats was a cute, little café in the heart of Los Feliz with live music and amazing lattes; it was also their regular spot. They’d settle themselves into a booth, share a baked good (“If we’re trying the carrot cake now, we’re doing the pastel de nata next week.” “Deal.”) and talk for hours. Sometimes, when either was tinkering on a song, they’d work on it together.

One leg overlapped his, his fingers drawing pictures on her knee. The booth with the suede red couches and the scratching of a star in the wood was their safe haven.  

“Mh, no,” she swallowed the piece of muffin. “That’s such an ugly word, don’t use that.”

He grinned, shoulders nudging as a tease. “Drencher not doing it for you?”

A laugh bubbled up, kissing his cheek. “Just use ‘rain’, you dork!”

“Dork?”, he mocked, getting in her face. 

“Yeah.” Her nose brushed his. “Dork.” 

“You are a dork.”

“That’s the best you’ve got, Patterson?”

Luke smirked, eyes flicking across her frame. “Want me to show you my best, Molina?”

She pushed his face away, a blush creeping up her cheekbones. They haven’t done it yet, but whenever he got like this, she felt her entire skin heat up at the mere idea. A part of her wanted to take that step, but she felt bad doing it if her dad or tía didn’t know. Knowing that they wouldn’t support her for as long as the rule existed, made her settle with that heat for a little longer. Her leg slipped from his and turned back to his songbook. 

“So-”

“Julie?”

The couple looked up, once more paralysed as her dad’s familiar voice called her name. Why was he literally everywhere?! His tall figure stood in front of their booth, his hat shrouding the grimace on his face as his scrutinising eyes flitted between them. Oh, God. Did he know? Did he see? How much did he see? Did he see Luke checking her out? Mortification didn’t even come close to what she felt. 

“Dad!” Her pressed smile hopefully looked relaxed to him. Her dad had moments of obliviousness; she might be able to save this. “What- hi, I didn’t know you had a booking here.”

His suspicion didn’t waver. “Yeah, honey, for the Rodriguez’ - I told you last night. Was just getting, ah, coffee.” He nodded at Luke. “Who’s this?”

My boyfriend. The one I’m falling for. The boy I’ve been hiding for months. “This is Luke, he’s one of my classmates.” The way his arm tensed at the label made her ache, but she had to truck on. “We’re working on a song.”

If he didn’t believe her, she just hurt her boyfriend for no reason. It did the trick though. Her father’s face mellowed, noticing the scribbles in the tattered book. “You’re working on a song?”

“Yeah. It’s really getting along.” Her finger tapped against his thigh. “Right, Luke?”

He perked up, a cough following as he straightened his attitude. This really was not the way she wanted them to meet. “Uh, yeah.” His hand stuck out. “Hi, mister Molina.”

Dad shook it with a smile, fully relaxed now. “Ray. Nice to meet you.” The barista called out his name. “See you at home, Julie. Don’t stay out long, yeah?”

Her smile twitched and crashed the second he turned around, grabbed his coffee and closed the glass door. She groaned, dropping her head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

“I gotta be honest,” he whispered. “That hurt.”

“I’m sorry.”

Luke sighed. “I was okay being a secret before, but…”

She coaxed his jaw, needing him to look at her. “It’ll hurt more if I tell him and forces me to break up with you.”

For a moment, silence sunk onto the table, wedging itself like thick smoke between her and Luke. He seemed pensive, the green of his eyes peering. Suddenly, they lit up. “But wait, aren’t you getting your results? Early admission?”

She sagged in her seat, pouting. “If UCLA wants me.”

“They will,” he smiled. His arms wrapped around her. “Of course, they will. And if you get in, he can’t be mad that you’re dating me, right?”

Hope tinged her chest. She hasn’t considered that. She’s been so focused on Luke and trying to keep it hidden, that everything college-related went over her head. The letters and essays and interviews happened before she and Luke got serious, so with her being on that pink cloud ever since, school stress has been locked away. Why bother mulling over UCLA when she could be having fun with Luke? 

If she locked in UCLA… then Luke might be right. And if not UCLA, then she’d hear of USC and NYU next year. (If they were even still together by the time those letters got in the mail.) 

“You might’ve found the loophole,” she teased, hoping to lift the tension. And then she uttered out her biggest fear: “But if you haven’t… will you stay?”

His kiss answered her, soft and sweet and with a hint of blueberry muffin. A grin bloomed on her lips, burrowing her face in his shoulder. She felt it. That overflowing, unbridled adoration overwhelming her all at once. Julie loved him. It was April fourteenth and it only took her six months but Julie loved Luke. They stayed in the booth until they had to go home.

Her phone was mocking her. Luke and her were in her car, stagnant, as both stared at the white screen. Every few minutes, she refreshed it, yet no email came. Gah! Couldn’t colleges just send the email when they said they would? What was taking so long? Did that mean she didn’t get in? Was this a bad sign? It helped having Luke there, easing the rising stress that clenched her ribcage, but she wouldn’t be fully okay until that freaking email come through. 

As if sensing her thoughts, he drummed against the dashboard. “It’s gonna be cool. You look great in blue and gold, you gotta get in.”

She giggled, nerves lacing her tone. “Imagine if that’s how you got in. You’d get into USC then.”

“Are you saying I look hot in red?”, he teased. 

“You know you- oh my God!” She lurched for her phone as a new email pinged in, heartbeat stuttering in her ears. Frozen, her thumb hovered over the fated email. This would change everything - for better or for worse. She knew she should focus on the fact that it would determine where she’d go to college, but all she could think about was Luke, Luke, Luke. Was it selfish to care more about junior prom then UCLA? At this very moment, she thought it was completely justified. 

She shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t do it. You open it.”

His brows raised. “You sure?”

“Yeah-” She stuffed the phone in his hand and put her trembling ones on her lap. “-do it for me.”

Luke took a deep breath. Julie shut her eyes. Please. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please accept her. Please let her be with Luke.

Ten seconds passed. His voice gave nothing away. “Julie?”

“Just rip the band-aid off,” she choked out.   

A familiar, calloused hand softly grabbed hers. Her eyes cracked open. Luke had the biggest smile on his face and it made her heart pop out of her chest. She bit down on her lip, fighting off a grin. “Don’t play with me.”

“I’m not,” he sang, reaching across the console to show her phone. You got accepted! blinked in bold, black letters. “You’re UCLA bound, baby!”

Euphoria burst out. Julie squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a searing kiss. She got in! She fucking got into college! A great one at that! Another Molina was going for gold! 

And it might even get her to date Luke without secrecy. God, she hoped this was enough. She wanted to do everything with him. All the time, the entire time. Flynn has called them clingy, but Julie just wanted to get rid of the anxiety of her dad finding out. To finally relax and be fully with him.

Her head tilted, bashful. “Is it crazy to say that I might be in love with you?”

He dropped her phone in the cupholder and peppered another kiss on her mouth. “No. That’s good.” His thumb traced her bottom lip, eyes glittering with adoration. “Cause I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too.”

She pecked his thumb, giddy. “Fuck it. Let’s tell my dad right now. About UCLA and you.”

He smiled. “You sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

Storming inside the house, the couple made a beeline to her dad’s office, his hand in hers. 

“Dad!”, she called out, door slamming open. Her startled father perked up in his seat, his wide eyes going from Julie to Luke right behind her. “I got into UCLA!”

Ray sprung up, cheering. “Mija-!”

“And I’m dating Luke!”, she yelled after. “And that’s okay, cause I got in, so you don’t have to worry about the rule anymore! So... ” She put her foot down, awkwardness creeping in her tone. “Yeah!”

Flabbergasted, dad faltered and let the cheers die in his throat. Luke came to stand next to her, squeezing her hand. Slowly, he nodded. “Ah… so that time in Eats & Beats-”

“A date,” she admitted. “And I’m sorry I went behind your back, papa, but I… really care about Luke. And we figured that if I got in, you’d stop enforcing the dating rule.”

His grap became even tighter. “I, uh, really care about her too,” Luke mustered. “Sorry that we kept it a secret.”

Ray sighed, propping his head in his hands and scrubbing the confusion away with his palms. The pair shot each other a look. He wasn’t mad, she deduced, so that was a good sign at least. Finally, dad moved again and gave her a tight hug. Her confidence grew, hugging him back and withholding a cry of victory. 

He pulled back, crossing his arms with a hint of amusement. “Well… the rule clearly didn’t work, but you seem happy and you- you did actually get in, right?”

She laughed, nodding, and showed the confirmation email. His smile grew. “Then I guess,” he trailed, “you’re allowed. To date. But no funny business!”

Julie quickly nodded, grabbing back onto Luke’s arm and jostling him in excitement. Luke bounced on his heels, trying to temper it but failing miserably. She thanked her dad, promised him they’d celebrate her acceptance later tonight and rushed back out with Luke. Dad yelled something about establishing new rules, but both gleefully ignored it. Once in her bedroom, he snatched her into a tight embrace, kissing her full on the lips. Julie whooped against his mouth and danced between his arms. This might be the best day of her life! Luke was her real real real boyfriend!

“You heard your dad, Jules,” he teased. “No funny business.”

She pouted, faux-peeved. “You won’t get to climb through my window again.”

“Won’t have to hide in cars anymore.”

“Won’t have to say you’re just my classmate.”

Luke dragged them onto her bed, laying side by side. “I can take you to junior prom.”

She kissed him with a giggle. “You’re taking me to prom?”

“Hell yeah, I am!”, he bellowed, drumming his fingers against her hips. “Let your dad take pictures of us and everything.”

She scrunched her nose. “Let’s maybe not push him just yet.”

“Yeah,” he exhaled, humming in agreement. “You’re probably right.”

Luke did that her to junior prom, to homecoming, to senior prom, called her hot in blue and gold and vetoed no when she begged him for a bright, blue velour couch for their first apartment. When someone asked her father what it was like, seeing his daughter find the one at sixteen, he had to admit with embarrassment red on his cheeks that it all flew under his radar.

That it all started with sneaky bleacher kisses and a hopeful heart. 

@blush-and-books @ourstarscollided @sophiphi @bluefirewrites​ @willexx​ @unsaid-emily​

[spnsmile]

Happy?

Monday prompt: BET #SpnsStayatHome

@pray4jensen​ @bend-me-shape-me​ @helianthus21​ @verobatto-angelxhunter​

Castiel leaving Dean to babysit Jack for a few hours comes back to find Dean declaring something utterly ridiculous as—

“I’m going to make you happy!”

This after Jack casually praises Dean not only for being a very good hunter but also an expert hustler, baby driver, fisher, the best chef in the Bunker and just about everything Jack also wants to become (though not really a making of a very good role model), still made Dean feel so good about himself which was rare because in the Bunker— between him and his brother— these are all essential stuff they needed under their sleeves and he thinks Cas barely cares about trivial stuff so Dean appreciates the kid’s honesty because kids never lie.

Until the catch when the boy mentions something in lines of, “Except, you can’t make Cas happy,” making Dean’s eyebrows twitch.

“Excuse me? I can’t make Cas…happy? Did Cas tell you this? That I don’t make him happy?”

“No, but he doesn’t need to say anything. He is not happy, that’s—"

“Wait, you’re telling me I can’t make Cas happy?”

“I think you can’t do that.”

“Even if I’m hilarious?” it has gone very serious.

Actually, Jack means the deal with the Empty but Dean still ignorant of context naturally heard it differently. He heard it like a taunt a challenge on his ability. No one ever challenges Dean without the consequences for even doubting le Dean Winchester! Excuse his French, but he can do anything he put his mind into—and just like that when the angel finally returns from his errand as if summoned, Dean studies him very carefully wondering when the last time Cas’ smile muscles were ever used.

“Cas, you ever been happy?”

Castiel freezes like Dean just told him there’s no such thing as profound bond and continues to look like Dean just gutted him when Dean looks him square in the eyes.

“Happy. I am asking if you’ve ever been happy?”

Eyes widening with a frantic look that seems so out of place from a very simple question, Castiel dwindles. He glances at Jack’s direction searchingly before running the tip of his tongue on his chapped lips.

“Um… why?”

“Ah, shit.” Scraping sound of the chair on the floor as it gets pushed back, Dean stands up tall before the angel, dead flicker on his eyes.

“What—why?”  Cas looks taken aback when Dean turns his heels and walks away. Exchanging a confused looked with Jack, the angel runs after him. “D-Dean, what?”

“You should have said something.”

“About what?” voice quivers a little but no one pauses to check as they drag the conversation to the corridor, possibly aiming for a door to shut on the angel’s face, but Cas doesn’t wait for that so he pulls Dean’s arm back.

“Dean—”

“You not being happy, alright?” annoyance not equal to the hunter’s troubled handsome face. Castiel quickly steps on Dean’s space in concern.

“I don’t understand. What’s my happiness got to do with you?” again with the quiver on the voice.

Dean rolls his eyes heavenward. “ I’m not supposed to ask if my best friend if he is happy?”

Castiel shakes his head, lost for words, nothing to describe his shock at the turn of events. Dean returns it with guilt realizing how the ocean blues eyes always there when he is in dire need, those blues he considers so precious to behold have never expressed real joy since it’s fall. Just always stormy anger and determination to fulfill tasks after tasks season per season beneath the blues of the sky.

But never joy. Well, one time with that burger… Dammit. But then…

An idea suddenly occurs to Dean.

“Cas, I’ve never been a good friend to you—”

“That’s not—“

“No, hear me out. I really suck, I know—”

“Dean—” reprimanding, not right to say.

 “I always make you angry—”

 “Um… okay…” a slow take.

“I always get on your bad side—”

“That is true.” Approving this time.

“I annoy you most of the time—”

Castiel just nods not even trying to stop him now.

Dean glares. “Of course, you realize what this means, do you?”

“Um…” Castiel squints, remembering the Bugs Bunny line Dean always repeats when they watch the loony tunes together, “…war?”

“I’m gonna make you happy,” Dean says with relished determination.

Then true apprehension sets in. The angel saw it in his eyes.

Castiel gulps. “Please, don’t.”

Can’t make Cas happy? You wanna bet?

Three days passed since then. The Bunker remained at peace, oblivious to the upcoming storm. Dean was busy in his room while Castiel can only wait in vain. He becomes apprehensive every time Dean walks into the kitchen or the library or in his general vicinity. Except Dean only smiles at him and do absolutely nothing.

It begins with a text.

Dean smiles to himself in the kitchen with Sam drinking his coffee, Jack opposite him when Castiel’s familiar light steps come bounding from the corridor.

“Dean…”

Sam turns to the angel from his laptop, “Hey, Cas—get this—”

“Dean, you sent me a good morning text.” Cas says urgently, following Dean to the stainless kitchen worktable like he’s afraid Dean would vanish from thin air. Dean who’s wearing a gray calico apron on top of his dark green shirt, sleeves pulled up to his elbows and a very charming look on his face when they stand opposite each other with the angel holding his phone like it’s the bible.

Dean leans both hands on the table, smirking. “So?”

“There’s an emoji text… with a heart.”  Cas insists like it’s very important that they understand and make it clear. Sam stares up quietly from one to another. Dean only smirks and shrugs like he’s teasing the overly reacting angel from a trivial text.

“There’s more where that came from, you just wait this afternoon, Cas.” Winks the hunter like it’s allowed to look even prettier in the morning with his beautifully shaped lopsided smirk playfully turning up as the angel helplessly stares in his direction.

Castiel’s eyes widen.

Oh, but that’s just the beginning.

“Dean, why are you thinking about me?”

Cas’ says from the other line of the phone with voice deep and sounding uncomfortable to Dean who’s currently driving the impala after a successful hunt for the day. Cas was left to babysit Jack in the Bunker while Dean took care of the ghouls in Minnesota that took about half a day to hunt and another half a day to kill.

Out of the Bunker the entire day, he messages Cas and promptly receives a call from a very stricken angel.

“You said in your message ‘I’m thinking about you’…Do you have any specific reason why you are thinking about me?”

“Nothing really,” Dean hums in satisfaction, “I’m just thinking about you, that’s all.”

Castiel gasps. “T-that’s very nice of you, Dean… umm…I cannot think of why a person would think about another—”

“Why? Aren’t you thinking about me all the time too?”

There’s a sound of something crashing on the floor so it’s either Cas was reading a book or holding a laptop and Dean’s betting it’s the latter so he hopes its Sam’s laptop not his.

Dean smirks again and perhaps just forgot Sam is sitting beside him until his brother clears his throat again with a funny look on his face.

Dean ignores him.

That same week when Castiel and Jack return from grocery shopping, Dean is there waiting for them in the war room table with a beer can in one hand and book on the other. He looks up and warmly greets them ‘Welcome home,’ especially giving Castiel a very long, meaningful look, green eyes speaking volumes of sincerity so Castiel stammers a response. Dean meets him on the bottom of the stairs and without a word, twirls Cas by the shoulder and begins removing his coat—

“D-Dean!?”

“Yeah, it’s summer, what are you doing still wearing this? You’ll get hot. Well, you’re hot—” and no one asks if it’s the current body temperature but Castiel adamantly fights him.

“My vessel does not respond to the weather as with you humans—”

Dean takes it off anyway, grinning at another success. Before Castiel can say anything, Jack stands Dean’s side, shoulders hunching and waiting for his own jacket to be peeled. Dean takes it too with a smirk, then sees Sam watching from the table giving him the same funny expression he had from the kitchen.

“You wanna get your flannel taken off too?” Dean shoots over Sam as he puts the coats on his arms. Sam rolls his eyes but it all didn’t matter because even when Cas seems annoyed when they reached the kitchen, he was smiling at Dean the entire evening with less coat off his shoulder.

And it just goes on and on be it in the Bunker, the Impala, in the middle of the case while they are working as FBI agents, Dean will just light up like fire in the middle of nowhere.

“Hey, Cas.”

“What?”

“Who do you think is my speed dial number 1?”

“Um… I’m guessing it’s no longer Sam?”

Dean laughs out loud before knocking on their prospect’s door with an agent’s grim expression returning on his face in a flick of a finger.

One night when Dean strolls past Sam in the kitchen comes the awaited talk because Sam has been watching them and knows it’s no longer ordinary ‘thing’ he can ignore even when he wished he could because just the other night, Sam caught the two dancing on top of the war room table with dopey smiles on their faces, arms around each other with Dean saying something about having a dream of tap dancing and symbolic lamps—

“Dean, you realize you’re giving Cas the ‘boyfriend treatment’...”

Dean who’s jut taken a can of beer from his stash doesn’t break a sweat shrugging, “You’re still speed dial 1 on my second phone, alright?”

“I—I don’t care! What’s up with you and Cas? Are you guys…?”

Dean leans his hips on the table and shrugs.

“Does it matter if we label it?”

“What?”

“Uh… I don’t know what you wanna hear, Sam, but… did you see how Cas’s been smiling a lot these days? And I just thought… it’s not bad. These simple things I’m doing… not bad at all.”

“Yes, I know, Dean. And it’s good.” Sam puts on the ‘I’m-trying-to-not-butt-in-but-i-think-you-need–to-hear’ look when he clasps both hands. “But don’t you think you’ll be confusing Cas? He told me about this whole thing, about how you were only trying to prove Jack a point. But this is more than a bet, Dean… This is Cas’ happiness… what’ll happen if you suddenly stop?”

Dean suddenly stops just enough to give Sam a serious look like he’s thinking and overthinking stuff once again before his thoughts come into a halt and he lifts his green eyes at his brother bearing something like a revelation lights his face.

He smiles.

“You got it all wrong, Sammy.” Then he was just gone.

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

“Are you happy?”

“Asking me this when you just shoved me on your door…” Castiel says, voice deep and husky inside Dean’s room, behind Dean’s closed door, with Dean upon him inches from his face, both hands

Castiel puts careful hands-on Dean’s chest, pushing him a little. Locking eyes with those beautiful orbs is enough for Castiel to forget why they were there in the first place.

“I think I maybe being selfish here, Cas but… I ….”

Castiel tilts his head.

“Why are you so fixated on making me happy, Dean?”

“Will this make you happy?”

“I prefer if you do not take this position.”

“What position?” Dean says, breathless, their hips dancing at the friction. Castiel takes Dean’s neck with rough hands and jerks him closer, foreheads bumping. In reality, Castiel is worried. Castiel knows Dean has been trying to make him happy for weeks now. With that kind of determination, it’s only natural Dean finally realizes what Castiel really wants.

“You don’t have to do all of this, Dean. Making me happy… this is too much…”

“You really want me to stop?” Dean says in a husky voice, his mouth already nipping on the angel’s chin sending shivers all over his body.

“I’m just saying you don’t have to do this to prove anything… Just stay by my side.”

“And if I really wanna do it?” the green eyes flash in arousal. Castiel eyes him searchingly, to see if Dean means it, if Dean is ready because Castiel has been waiting for a very long time. But he still fears it, fears the Empty that may just pull him out of nowhere.

“Are you scared, Cas?” Dean suddenly asks, pressing his lips on the angel’s cheeks, “Don’t look so scared… I’m gonna eat you, not leave you, ‘kay? I got you, Cas…”

Their lips crushed and it’s one thing for Dean to groan, another for Castiel to crush his lips on the man. When Dean lands flat on his back on the bed, Castiel as his top, he looks at the human—the man with the very soul he built from hell now ready to be taken apart again and all for him to take—

Dean who trusts him. Dean who loves him.

And Castiel realizes one thing that night when he wreaks havoc on Dean’s bed, while he breaks Dean apart and put him back again, it’s all too clear, realized why he was still in Dean’s arms the entire night, Dean resting on his chest.

Happiness is impossible to attain.

So, when Jack sits by his side munching on his sandwich months later with Castiel and Dean’s relationship out for the world to question yet bearing no real significance to their truth— comes the most important question.

“Cas, are you happy?”

“No, Jack,” Castiel says with eyes twinkling, watching Dean wrestle the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven. Dean whose wearing his apron again, against the blue shirt with solid determination to have the overlarge turkey inside his oven. Sam who’s there telling him how to do it. Dean growling, not listening just because.

“I’m not happy… I want to see more.”

Castiel just looks at Dean with pure hunger and longing and maybe yes, also lust. Such a human ‘thing’ he has acquired since living in this world for many years, first unable to grasp it until finally, it’s here, with him, a feeling also afflicting the angel. Of the real truth about happiness. That in a way, you cannot just say ‘enough’.

Not with what they have. Castiel smiles.

Oh, he is happy, but not too happy.

He will never get enough of Dean.

The end. Ao3  #stayathomechallenge

[diredigression]

hey yo can I get an order of "temperance" with Sole aaaand surprise me with who she's with wink emoji

temperance: communication, healing, moderation;

“I’m here for you. You can talk to me.” possible AUs/settings/ideas: comfort, deep talks, hugging, woundtending  

Finally got this out! Hope it’s worth the wait!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was just a raider den-clearing like any other. Sole needed to get out, clear her head, kill some jackasses, and Hancock was all too happy to oblige. She’d had time to cope with her experience inside the Institute, and this felt like a step back towards normal. She’d picked off a couple sentries from cover, then she’d then charged into the fray swinging as the rest realized they were under attack. Hancock was there at her back, blasting away any that tried to jump her from behind.

They’d missed one, apparently. A little smarter than the others, this one must’ve hung back, avoided the rush, sniped from a distance.

Sole goes down with a bullet to the thigh.

She lurches back to her feet, pain and rage fogging her head. She’s not at her best, but she’ll be damned if she’s gonna let one bullet stop her. She vaguely hears pained roaring and shotgun blasts as she struggles to return to the rhythm of the fight. She swings at the raider in front of her, screaming with the effort, and he crashes to the ground. Her head swings wildly, glaring back and forth, but the only figure she sees is the familiar red shape, oddly out of focus. “Hancock! Any more?”

“All finished.” His voice is hoarse. “Still with me? We're gonna wanna take care of that. C’mere.”

The red shape is now pulling one of her arms around his shoulders with his arm hooked around her middle, hauling her away. She tries to pry him off—”I’m fine, I can walk, let me go—” but is frustrated to find that, actually, neither words nor walking are coming easily now that the adrenaline rush is fading. She resigns herself to his help, and he half drags her towards shelter. All of her attention goes to her feet, on keeping them under her, on not stumbling and pulling that leg again on a broken piece of concrete, and to her hands clinging to the heavy cloth of his coat like a lifeline. After far too long she’s lowered with some difficulty onto something kind of soft, a bedroll, must be the raiders’ sleeping area. She tries to prop herself up against the wall, but she’s not angled right and that damn leg is useless and every stress renews the searing pain. She closes her eyes, forcing herself to relent, sagging into the cushioning, letting awareness recede behind the roaring of her body.

“Sole? Hey, come back to me. You gotta get these pants off so I can get to that wound.”

She manages a slight facial twitch in lieu of a frown. She doesn’t want to deal with the outside. Why can’t it just fix the problem without her?

“I know you like these pants. Don’t make me cut them off ya.”

She groans. Forces her awareness through the surface of the fog, just enough to push her eyes open and verify the situation. Yes, that’s still Hancock, kneeling at her hip with an expression she can’t interpret. Yes, there’s a lot of pain in that leg. Pants probably have to go. She forces her arms up, fumbles with the pants, gets them off with some assistance. With the effort returns a bit of clarity—a shot to the thigh, yeah. Could be bad. Forces herself upwards to examine the wound. It’s hardly the first time you’ve been shot, get with it, you’ve got to take care of yourself. Doesn’t look like the artery’s been hit. Of course, if it had been hit, she probably wouldn’t be conscious by this point anyway.

“Lie down, let me take care of this.” His hands are pushing hers away from the wound. A fragment of consciousness spares a moment to note the grounding, almost hot grip of his fingers.

“Just another shot. Gimme a stim.” She’s still struggling with words, and her attempts to grab in the general direction of supplies probably aren’t helping her case.

“It went through your thigh, you need help. You can barely even lift yourself.”

“S’not bad. Got it myself.”

“Just shut up and let me do it.”

Something in the ghoul’s voice gives her pause. Then another thought hits her. “No joke ‘bout gettin’ my pants off?”

A beat, then a chuckle that doesn’t quite manage to sound casual. “Oh, now you miss my jokes? Didn’t ya threaten my life last time?”

“What’s wrong?”

“…this is gonna burn.” And burn it does as he pours alcohol on the wound. Luckily, the burn at least helps numb it a little to the following stabs of the stimpak. He works with practiced efficiency and she finds herself able to let go a little more easily. Soon enough he’s put away the supplies and sat back. She looks up to find him shrugging out of his coat. He drapes it across her exposed legs.

“What’re you doin’? We gotta get back. Get me clean pants and we’ll go.”

“No, you’re stayin’ right there. You gotta rest.”

“What’s the problem?”

She looks back up at him. The stimpak is doing its job and the pain is fading from her brain, freeing space for consciousness. And, strangely, she finds that as she watches him her rage begins to fade as well, replaced with…concern? Is that it? He sits next to her, knees pulled up to his chest, arms folded around them, staring at the coat across her legs. He looks so slight without it, in just the white shirt and vest. The ghoul is so naturally larger-than-life, she always forgets how small he really is.

“I thought I was gonna lose ya.”

“From one bullet to the leg?”

“Not the leg. When ya left for the Institute.”

She snaps her mouth closed. His dark eyes flick to hers for an instant.

“Look, I…you know me. I been runnin’ from myself my whole life. And I know you done a lot a’ that too. So you and me runnin’ together, it worked out well to start, huh? Get in some trouble, keep each other distracted—”

“Wait, stop, where are you going with this?” Fear has begun to creep into her stomach.

“I know how you are and I’m not gonna stop, I need to say this and you’re gonna sit there and listen, okay? No running away this time.” He turns the full weight of his black eyes on her.

Her stomach backflips and objections die in her throat.

“I know ya haven’t told me everything goin’ on with you and the Institute. That’s alright, I don’t need ta’ know, I want to know but I’m not gonna push. The thing is, when I watched you enter that teleporter, all cold fire and vengeance…” He relents and drops his eyes again. “Of course we were all worried if you’d make it back. If they’d let you go, if you’d end up in the middle of a room full of Coursers, if the teleporter would even work and hadn’t just disintegrated you on the spot. But out of all that, I could only see that look on your face. That look that said if you didn’t find what you were lookin’ for…you’d try to take them down with ya.”

Sole’s eyes begin to burn. She drops them from Hancock’s face to the wall at her other side. No. You don’t owe him a response. You don’t owe him a piece of you.

“I been runnin’ from everything good in my life, but as soon as you vanished, I realized I was terrified that you were gonna run from me. From all of us that care for you. I know the hell that kinda anger can wreak on a person, and I know you been hurtin’ from it. Just…you got a lotta good here. Whether you include me in that or not. Course I hope you do, I mean, throwing in with you has been the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve got your back and that’s not gonna change. I just don’t want you to make the same mistake I did and run from it all…don’t you leave us behind.”

Avoid. Deflect. Definitely avoid that little lump of warm vulnerability. “You're not going soft on me, are ya, Hancock?” The statement doesn’t come out nearly as clear as she’d like.

His chuckle cracks, betraying him as well. “Hey, everyone's entitled to some softness. For me, it's pretty much everything below the eyebrows.” He clears his throat. “So, yeah. Guess I got a little overprotective, hence the leg. Just needed to get that out.” Turned back towards him, she sees his eyes shifting, looking anywhere but at her, hands fidgeting. He’s about to stand.

Her hand grabs his. For a moment she sees her terror reflected in his scarred face, but then she realizes it’s less terror, more wonder, as he stares first at their hands, then into her eyes. She didn’t plan this. Didn’t intend it. The warmth and strength of his hand is almost overwhelming. She has to say something.

When all else fails, the truth. “I can’t promise I won’t. But if you…feel so strongly…about me…then I’ll try.”

His face softens further, a small smile appearing. “That’s all anyone can ask for.” They sit there, hand in hand, a few breaths longer.

Then Hancock shakes himself and stands. “One clean pair of pants comin’ up. Unless you’re thinkin’ about some sorta no-pants party, in which case—”

“Hancock.”

He winks and flashes her a grin. Perhaps a softer one than usual.

[misscellophane-ao3]

The big apple

Okay so, I got a fic request on Ao3 that is set in my AOMPK Series universe but if you’ve never read it that’s fine, it’s pretty much just a ”Parkner adopts a kid” fic and isn’t necessary to read to understand. If you have read the series, I couldn’t really decide where to set this on the timeline, so you can also read this as just a one-shot. This story can also be found on Ao3 under the same name. (Title doesn’t mean anything, I just couldn’t think of a good one.)

Title: The big apple

Fic request by: Superherogeek1 on Ao3

Request summary: Mai gets taken/hurt during a villain attack and Peter/Spider-Man goes nuts. (I changed a couple things but I hope you still like it)

WARNINGS: Bit of angst, Cursing, Peter beats some aliens up, Mai nearly gets killed.

Pairing: Harley Keener/Peter Parker

Words: 2063

Story - 

Mai looked around the time square in awe.

“This place is so big!” She said as her eyes darted from billboard to billboard.

Harley’s lip twitched upwards “Yeah, I know. I was shocked too.”

Mai tugged on his hand “Look! Look! It’s Mama!” She said, pointing to an image of Spider-Man swinging on a web.

Peter looked up from his cellphone, Tony had been texting him constantly about how boring his meeting was and unlike Harley (Who had simply blocked Tony’s number after the tenth text full of nothing but the bored emoji), He was actually trying to get Tony to focus on his meeting. He did not need Pepper giving him that look of disapproval from feeding Tony’s bad habit of ignoring his job, again. He followed Mai’s gaze to the billboard above them, it was indeed Spider-Man and on it, he was swinging around the statue of liberty.

“Oh, I remember that. Pepper had me look over some papers for a travel agency that wanted to use me on their advertisements.”

Mai turned to him with a quirked brow “Did you even try them out first?” She asked.

Harley snorted, not even trying to hide his grin “Yeah? Did ya?”

Peter huffed, “If you must know, Pepper and Friday looked into them for me.”

“But did you try them?” Mai pressed.

Peter pinked a little as he shook his head.

Mai sighed “Mama.” She complained, “You always said I need to try things myself before I make an opinion!”

“She’s right Pete. You do always say that.” Harley added teasingly.

Peter crouched down so he was eye level with Mai “How about this? We can all try them out together? You okay with that?” He asked.

Mai hummed, thoughtful “Will we get to go to the Statue lady?”

Peter’s lip twitched upwards “Yeah, We can-”

He was cut off by the sound of a loud screech. He stood up quickly, spinning on his heels in the direction of the noise.

People started running around them trying to get away.

“Harley, Get Mai out of here.” Peter sharply told him.

Harley nodded, picking Mai up and started in the opposite direction.

                                                           ...

The fight had been going on for nearly an hour now and Peter was getting really annoyed. He had to call in the rest of the avengers because there was no way he could take all six of the massive flying alien things himself. He wasn’t even sure what they even were, just that they were massive and completely annoying.

He tried to keep an eye on Harley and Mai but the fight kept dragging his attention away until finally, he heard a scream.

He froze and swung to a stop, looking down below to see one of the alien creature had knocked Harley over and grabbed ahold of Mai.

He felt his whole body tremble with anger and worry.

“GET THE HELL OFF HER!” He shouted angrily as he swung in their direction.

“Peter! Calm down. We’ll save her!” Tony called over the com.

Peter was going to listen but then Mai screamed again, tears pricking at her eyes as the thing raised her up and shook her. Peter’s mind blanked and the next thing he knew, he was hitting the thing with all his strength, it let out a screech and let go of Mai. Peter’s eye went wide and he jumped after her, catching her in his arms as he passed. Peter curled around her and made sure they landed with him first. They rolled a bit before stopping. Peter uncurled and immediately started looking her over worriedly.

“Are you okay?” He asked breathless from the landing.

Mai nodded, a small tremble shaking her body then her eyes widened “Mama look out!” She exclaimed loudly.

Peter crouched over her just in time for the alien monster to barrel over them, it’s claws lightly scratched Peter’s back. He bit back a moan of pain.

“Mama?”

“Pe-Spider-Man!” Harley shouted as he ran over “Oh my god, are you okay!?”

Peter hissed and handed Mai over to Harley.

“‘M fine.” He stood up “Harls, Get Mai out of here.”

Harley looked him over with concern “Are you okay? That was a pretty nasty fall? And your back-“

“I’m fine! Get Mai out of here.” Peter narrowed his eyes onto the alien beast as it swung back around, heading right back his way “Now!”

Harley, despite obviously wanting to say more, heft Mai into his arms and ran for cover.

Peter was trembling with rage.

“You are going to regret going after my daughter!” He said before jumping up and slamming his fist right into the things face. Due to it flying full force at him and the fact that Peter didn’t hold back, the thing got launch right back into one of his fellow alien buddies causing them both to go crashing into a building. They flopped off the side onto the ground, landing with a loud thud.

“Karen? Are they dead?” He asked as he started moving for another one, there were only three left as Thor and Tony took one down already.

“No, they seem to be unconscious.”

Peter felt slight relief at that. 

Great, if they could take that and only be knocked out then he wasn’t holding back.

He shot a web at a building near him and headed for the next nearest one.

Thor, Clint, and Steve were attacking it but it kept flying out of the way before they could get a good hit in. He didn’t feel too bad when he slammed his feet into its side making it squeal. He shot a web at its wing and tugged, it hit the building behind him pretty hard, he then threw it into the building opposite, repeating that process twice.

“Peter!” He heard Tony call through the com “Calm down!”

“These things nearly killed Mai!” He growled, “I will not let them get away with it!”

                                                             ...

“Shit, he’s going to kill them!” Clint cried out.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Thor asked curious.

“For him? Yes. He’s the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! Not the I’ll kick you into next Sunday and bury you there Spider-Man!” Tony answered worriedly.

“We need to stop him.” Steve said as he watched Peter zero in on the second to last alien.

“How?” Thor asked.

“Grab him!” Tony huffed, “I would do it but I’m a little preoccupied! Shit, Thor! Don’t hit me!”

“Sorry, I will try to be more careful.” 

“Somehow, I don’t believe you.” Tony’s replied with a sigh.

Clint groaned as he turned to Steve and Thor “Guess it's up to us.”

“Will he really kill them?” Steve asked worried, not once taking his eyes off of Peter as he hit and swung his legs into the massive thing repeatedly.

“Do you want to find out?” Clint retorted before turning to Thor,  “Right, I’m gonna need you to catch him. Alive preferably.”

Steve shoved him without looking “So not the time Clint.”

Clint shrugged “Just trying to be sure. Alright, let’s go catch us a spider.”

Thor nodded in reply then jumped onto the roof of a car then over to the other one, Clint and Steve shared a look then followed him.

                                                           ...

Peter saw nothing but red in his vision as he slipped around the winged beast, shooting his webs around him until it couldn’t move and started to fall, he used his strength to knock it harshly into the side of a building like he did with the others to knock it out.

Another one came out of nowhere and started to dive-bomb him.

He tried to shoot his web at it but realized quickly that he had run out of liquid and he cursed, jumping out of the way.

"Spider-Man! Stop!" Steve called out from below.

He ignored him, climbing up the side of the building as he dodged the winged beasts attacks. He turned and jumped at the beast, hitting it with his leg. It screeched and flew downwards, Peter following it.

Clint shot an arrow his way and Peter shifted out of its way.

He used the momentum from jumping off the building to slam his fist into the beast side as it also dodged an arrow from Clint, it flew into the ground with a loud thud.

It screeched before passing out, Peter flipped of it onto the ground.

"Thor! Now!" Steve shouted as he threw his shield at Peter.

Peter flipped backward in surprise, right into Thor's grip.

"No! Let me go!" Peter screamed angrily, “There’s still one more!”

Steve ran up and grabbed his flailing legs. Peter only struggled more, his constant movement making it difficult for Thor and Steve to get a proper hold on him.

"Calm down! You're going to end up hurting yourself!" Steve warned.

“Man of Spiders, please stop!”

"They hurt my daughter! They hurt Harley!" Tears were making Peter's voice thick, he nearly managed to rip out of Steve's and Thor's grips.

"No! Don't do it, Peter!"

"They can't get away with this!"

"And they won't!" Steve tightened his hold, obviously straining.

"Thor! Help! I can't hold him back for much longer!"

“I am trying! I can’t keep him still.” Thor replied with a grunt.

"Peter! Relax! They're safe now! They're safe!" Tony told him as he ran over.

"I can't let them-"

Tony stepped out of his suit, pulling Peter into a hug, he tensed before slumping into him, tears pricking his eyes, "They hurt them." He choked out.

"I know kid, I know. But they're safe now."

Steve let out a breath of relief as he and Thor cautiously let go of Peter, sharing a look with Tony.

"They're safe." Tony repeated gently to the sobbing man.

“Mama?” Mai called out with a sniffle as she and Harley walked over.

Peter tugged out of Tony’s hold and ran over to Mai, tearing off his mask as he did so “Are you okay?” He breathed out, hands cupping her face as his eyes looked her over.

“I’m fine.” She insisted then turned to Harley with a frown “Are you okay daddy?”

Peter pulled her into a hug, glancing over to Harley with obvious concern “Baby?” He asked. He felt his whole world tilt in the few seconds it took Harley to respond, a wiry grin slammed it back into place and he breathed out in relief.

“I’m okay too. A little banged up but I’ll live.” Harley replied with a wave of his hand as he knelt down to join the hug “I’m sorry Mai.”

Mai’s brows furrowed “What for?" She pulled back to look at them both with a bright grin “You saved me! Again! You’re my heroes.”

Peter softened, sharing a fond glance with Harley as he replied, “We will always save you, Mai.”

“Yeah kid.” Harley ruffled her hair much to her annoyance.

“Hey, not my hair!”

Peter huffed a relieved laugh. They were gonna be okay.

“Uh, Pete. Not to ruin this cute moment but-“ Tony started as he walked over, “You do realize you’re still in public right?”

Peter tilted his head to look at him “Yeah why?”

Tony stared at him, expression deadpan, and gestured to his face.

Peter raised a hand to feel his own face only to pause, his eyes widening “Oh. Oh.” He glanced around to see people with their phones and cameras out, pointing and whispering to each other.

 “Well, shit.”

                                                         ...

“-You all know why we're here.” Tony said over the crowd of reporters “Spider-Man will be out in a moment to explain everything that happened yesterday.”

"Does Spider-Man have a kid!?"

"Is Spider-Man married!?"

"Who was that girl he saved!?"

"Is Spider-Man unstable?"

“How strong is Spider-Man?"

Tony stared over the sea of reporters, "As I said, Spider-Man will be out in a moment to explain." He cleared his throat and gestured off to the side.

Peter took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage "Uh, hi?" He started.

He winced as a bunch of questions and accusations were shouted loudly at him.

He held a hand up "Please! Let me explain everything."

He took a deep breath "First of all," He paused then removed his mask "My name is Peter Parker and I am Spider-Man."

The shouting and questions resumed, making Peter mentally wince at the volume.

This was gonna take a while.

[magic-and-moonlit-wings]

Chapter 40: A(nother) Changeling In Trollmarket

Becoming The Mask

I'll be using a script format in addition to my previous -text between hyphens indicates text messages- method, to make it clearer who is typing in the group chat. (Emojis) will be described in parentheses.

Bold italics are trollish.

I’m also trying out a simple new line divider now that Tumblr doesn’t have an automatic one anymore.

+=+

The second thing Jim did when he got home, after putting his backpack and duffle bag in his room, was dust the house. It hadn't built up much in a week, since dust was mostly human skin cells and Barbara was rarely home in any case, but Jim usually dusted every day. Then he checked the lightbulbs, swept the floors, and scrubbed the bathroom. He wouldn't need to take out the trash until Monday.

Barbara didn't have work that day, and since she'd slept all morning, she was awake while Jim cleaned, which was a little weird – he usually took care of these things before making her breakfast. She half-followed him, helping dust and sweep.

"You know you don't have to do all this," she told him from the doorway, as he was wiping toothpaste stains out of the sink.

"I like taking care of you," Jim insisted. "And I wasn't sure how much you'd trust my cooking now, but this I can do."

"You understand why what you did was wrong." She hesitated. "… Right?"

"I know why it upset you," which wasn't quite the same thing. Jim knew he'd caused his mother stress when she found out about the sleeping potions, but how much more stress would it have caused her to wake up and find her child missing? "I won't do it again." She knew now, that he might be gone in the middle of the night.

+=+

Toby: -So Jim told me something last night that's really freaking me out.- -He's had a plan *since before we were ten* for how to cover up my death if I got killed by a troll.-

Mary: -… I'm sorry but also curious.-

Darci: -You OK, TP?-

Toby: -Just freaked out that my BEST FRIEND has BACKUP PLANS to HIDE MY DEATH!- -Sorry, Darcy.- -Didn't mean to snap.-

Darci: -Understandable.-

Toby: -Also sorry my phone keeps autocorrecting your name.-

Darci: -It happens.- -You're going through a lot right now. It's good to let it out.-

Claire: -Jim said WHAT?!-

Toby: -Yeah, he said if I died and he couldn't make it look like a bear attack or car crash, he'd hack my phone and tell Nana we ran away to be rockstars. He'd come back without me in a few months and say we 'got separated'.-

Mary: -That's nuts.- -I mean I might believe it but it's still nuts.-

Toby: -Back when we were kids he was gonna send a postcard saying we were looking for my parents and his dad.-

Darci: -(wince emoji) That hurts.-

Toby: -It gets worse, amazingly. He said he thinks the rockstar story could also work for you guys if *any* of us die.- -Because Dr L found out about you. Not specifically, no names- -but she knows we have other friends who know about trolls, and she wants to tell your families but Jim said no and Dr L asked what he's going to tell our families if we get killed.-

Darci: -(three wince emojis)-

Mary: -Not to derail but this means his mom's talking to him again?-

Toby: -Yeah she was at my house when we got back last night.- -She let him move back in. That's where he is now.-

Claire: -She trusts him again already? After he kidnapped and replaced her son?-

Toby: -She had this whole speech about how she adopted him and he's her son too.-

Mary: -Aawww-

Toby: -I think she was a little drunk but she didn't take it back when she sobered up.- -She's still mad about the drugging and the lying and everything, she didn't say she forgave him. Just that he can move back home.-

Claire: -So at least you're not sharing a bedroom with somebody with a plan to cover up your death anymore.-

Mary: -OMG Claire I know you're mad at Jim and I get it and you deserve to be, but will you chillax? Yeah, I just used outdated slang. That's how long it feels like you're dragging this out.-

Claire: -I'll *chillax* when my brother's not stuck in troll-hell.-

Darci: -What if we told our parents ourselves?- -You know, got ahead of Dr L and told them what's up on our terms.-

Mary: -That's a good idea. Let's talk to Jim first so he can tell us from experience what not to say.-

Toby: -Jim might have to use those cover stories because I think Trollmarket would kill us.-

+=+

"I don't want it facing where I sleep, but I've no objections to you keeping your trophy here."

"Excellent." Jim positioned Bular's head on one of the basement shelves. "I got called into the Void while I was there. The Ghost Council is really impressed we took him down. Your father wanted me to say that he's proud of you for avenging him."

Draal puffed up at the praise. It made Jim want to pat him on the head or something.

"And I wanted to thank you again for – being here. Keeping an eye on my mom."

"She faced no danger on my watch."

"You know, if you ever wanted to help out around the house, too –"

Draal snorted, making his nose ring flap. "I protect. I do not clean."

"Except for taking care of the recyclables," Jim teased. They'd had this conversation before. Draal rolled his eyes.

Jim's phone chimed. "Toby wants to meet up in Trollmarket for 'strategic brainstorming'," he read. "You want to come along?"

+=+

"What is HE doing here?!"

Jim stared, wide-eyed and jaw twitching, at Enrique, who blew a spit bubble at him from the stroller.

"I told my parents I was meeting friends at the park, and Mom said 'why don't you bring your brother?', and if I said 'no' it would've become this whole thing and they'd think we were really planning to sneak into an R-rated movie or something."

Draal had declined to leave his post, so instead of taking the tunnels and opening the door from the inside, Jim had walked with Toby to the canal. It didn't take long for the girls to join them, accompanied by an undesired extra.

"Okay," said Jim, failing to calm down but trying to at least fake it. "What are you planning to tell your parents if he's discovered and executed?"

"Not everyone spends their time coming up with ways to cover up the deaths of everyone they know!"

"I don't have plans for everyone." That would be absurd and unnecessary. "Just the people I'm close enough to that it would be more suspicious if I didn't at least know they were missing." Jim took a deep breath and let it whoosh out. "Let's get inside. Now I need to brief Enrique before we go downstairs, and that'll be easier if he can ask questions."

Stricklander and Nomura had both been startled into revealing their connection when they first visited. Jim couldn't let Enrique be exposed so easily.

After the portal's arch closed behind them, there was a crackle of green light mixed with the blue glow from the crystal staircase. Enrique unbuckled himself from the stroller and hopped over to Jim.

"Is it supposed to look like a Nyarlagroth's lair in here?"

"Creepy, right?" Jim transformed as well. "It's just the colour of the stairs. You get used to it. Tobes, would you keep watch for us? Just say my name if anybody starts coming up."

Mary snapped a photo of the two Changelings.

"The one you need to watch out for most is Vendel," said Jim. "He's in charge down there. Pale, long curly horns, carries a Heartstone staff; hopefully you won't actually meet him. Blinky, my trainer, you will meet. He's the one who looks like Dictatious. They're brothers. Don't bring that up if you're found out. If he catches you staring, just giggle like the six eyes are funny and –"

"Peek-a-boo routine, I know. I'm more in practise than you are at the baby gig right now."

"AAARRRGGHH is going to be there, too."

Enrique ducked into a crouch, ears up, slit pupils thinning to eyelash width and then dilating.

"But it's okay! He's a pacifist now. He won't attack anybody."

"You're jokin'."

"No, really."

"Why is that a shock?" asked Claire. "AAARRRGGHH's a sweetie. Unlike some trolls I could mention." Jim and Enrique didn't answer her. "Plus, I already told Blinky and AAARRRGGHH about Not Enrique, remember?"

"You what?!"

"Enrique didn't need to know that," the blue Changeling growled, holding the green one suspended in the air. "He can't risk dropping his guard down there."

"Getcher hand off me scruff or I'm taking it off your arm!"

"You guys even keep secrets from each other?" asked Toby, sitting on the top step. Darci was sitting next to him. Both humans were watching their friends over their shoulders rather than peering down below.

Jim set Enrique on the ground rather than dropping him. Enrique growled and reached behind his shoulders, rearranging and grooming his scruff as best he could, but he was glaring at Jim rather than Claire, so Jim counted it as a win.

(If he could keep fights between the Nuñez siblings from turning violent, it would be easier for them to bond, and less likely Enrique would lose his home at Claire's hand.)

+=+

"We want to tell our parents about trolls," Darci said to Blinky and AAARRRGGHH. Since she had come up with the idea, she'd been informally elected the one to tell the trolls about it.

Jim made a shrieky noise. When the group turned to him, he shook his head and waved them off, taking notably deep breaths.

AAARRRGGHH shook his head. "Bad idea. Vendel mad."

"I must concede the point. Vendel would never agree to have more humans made aware of trolls."

"Jim's mom is out to tell them anyway," said Toby. "She already told Nana. Nana thought she was talking about a video game, but still. The only thing holding Dr L back is that she doesn't actually know who to talk to yet."

"But if we tell them ourselves," said Darci, "then we can make it sound a bit less terrifying then she probably would, so they won't try to call in the army or something."

"We're not really asking permission, here," said Mary. "We're asking how to tell them, not if we can."

"… We should discuss this with Vendel," said Blinky. Darci thought his hands might be shaking, before he clenched all four into fists.

They made a tense procession through Trollmarket. Jim practically hovered over Claire and Enrique. AAARRRGGHH, at the rear of the group, made quiet snuffling sounds every few moments.

Trollmarket paid more attention to them than was usual anymore; trolls glancing at them and then muttering or whispering. Darci hoped it was the stroller drawing attention. Though, even if anyone was picking up on the mood, grimness could be passed off as 'some serious Trollhunter matter just came up'.

The stroller's wheel caught in a crack in the ground. Not Enrique made a whiny noise at the jostling, but didn't commit to the part enough to start crying.

"Vendel?" said Blinky cautiously, tapping on the Heartstone to the side of the hollow leading into and under it. "A matter of possible urgency has arisen."

There was a long pause.

"Come in, Blinkous." Vendel sounded tired. "What is it this time?"

He was at a worktable with a number of gems. Darci only recognized a few of the tools; a hammer and chisel, various sizes of tongs, a grindstone. She didn't know any of the crystal names or their properties, even after months of part-time exposure to troll culture, but Toby might.

Darci cleared her throat, and then gulped, and then cleared her throat again. She tried not to let her voice shake.

"We … Claire and Mary and Toby and I, we want to tell our parents the truth. That trolls exist."

Vendel peered at her with his seemingly blank eyes. When she'd first met him, she'd assumed he had cataracts. Now she thought his eyes were opal or moonstone. He could definitely see; she'd seen him reading.

"I suppose I have no way of stopping you. Short of having you executed, or imprisoned here forever … which I daresay our Trollhunter would object to. But know this, young humans. Should you expose the secret of our existence, a secret which you have given your oaths to guard, you will no longer be welcome here in Trollmarket."

+=+

Previous Chapter (Strickler considers summoning Angor Rot)

Table of Contents

Next Chapter (Arguments for and against telling the parents)

[caroline18mars]

Into the night - Chapter 111

For Dan and Denis, I love you, always! <3

The doorbell singsonged through their conversation much to Jordan's relief, the conversation was getting too close for comfort “Ah food! Finally! I'm starving” she tried to get up but Jared stopped her “I'll get it, you choose something to watch” he stood up, he didn't want to push her too much to talk about it, it was clear she liked to wrap herself up in denial. Jordan reached for the remote, that Jared had put next to her, without looking but instead her fingers wrapped around Jared's phone, a strange text showing on the screen 'she's doing irreperable damage to your career, how much longer before you wake up and smell the coffee? Hopefully before bankruptcy! So please stop hiding and deal with this once and for all, I know this isn't exactly great timing but she has to go' with a lot of rolling eyes emojis next to it. Jordan's breath got stuck in her throat and the phone dropped from her hand like it was on fire, this was about her? Oh god, why did she have to read that? She never snooped around in anyone's phone. “I hope you're hungry, I ordered way too much, guess I'm so used to have an entire army around to feed that I forgot it's just the two of us!” Jared came walking back into the room with a tray full of boxes with fragrant food, his voice making her freeze up. “Uhm..yeah..can you excuse me for a second?” Jordan stood up and with her head hung low she hurried out of the room, leaving Jared standing there completely clueless “Jordan..wait..what..” he tried to stop her but she was already out of hearing range. Jordan quickly locked the door of the bathroom behind her and sighed as she looked into the huge mirror in front of her, it was like the words on the little screen just now were projected on the mirror like a big neon sign, her mind was racing. Jared loved her, but what if what she read was true? What if she did irreparable damage to his career? The tabloids were probably having a field trip with this and his fans were more than likely fed up with him, now that he was off the market, he seemed to invest all of his time in her and her problems instead of them. She just couldn't let that happen, she refused to, she didn't want to drive him to bankruptcy and then get the blame for it afterwards, think Jordan, just think..she couldn't just up and leave again, she needed to think of Noah and give him a stable life first. “Babe..you ok?” Jared knocking on the door made her swirling thoughts stop and she bit her lip “I'll be right out” she hastened to put his mind at ease and quickly wiped her moist eyes while she waited for him to leave before she could come out but she knew he still had his ear to the door. Jared could hear the strain on her voice, she was crying that was obvious, torn between wanting to give her a bit of space and just wanting to be with her, he hovered around the bathroomdoor for a few more seconds but then gave her that bit of privacy. Jordan took a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face when she slowly unlocked the door and walked back into the living room where Jared was filling up a plate for her, “I just realized that I don't know if you actually even like seaweed, I'll take this plate if you want” Jared's head shot up, trying to hide his nervousness. “No, it's fine, I love seaweed” she sat down, a shiver running down her spine as she glanced at the phone that was still face down on the couch, so he had no clue she had read the text. “Here you go” he handed her the plate and a fork and sat down next to her “wanna tell me what that was about?” he looked at her, “Uhm, nothing, just a bit of nausea..so what are we watching?” yet again she showed how much of an expert she had become at dodging difficult questions, or at least that's what she thought she was doing, because Jared didn't believe a word of it, but he just didn't want to put her on the spot, everyone had told him to be patient with her and that was exactly what he was going to be.

”The best ramen this side of LA, I totally agree” Jared shoved some more food on his plate “do you want some more?” but Jordan shook her head and put her hand on her stomach “I think I'm gonna burst if I eat any more” before she put her empty plate on the coffee table. Jared looked at her plate with a content feeling, he finally saw her finish a plate of food, something he hadn't seen in forever “you know, we should do this more often..just the two of us”, Jordan stretched her legs as she nestled herself deeper into the couch “yeah..” she breathed, did he really mean that? How could she be sure? After reading that text?. Jared slurped his ramen and let his foot deliberately slide against hers, their eyes connecting as well for a second before Jordan diverted her stare back to the television but to his delight she kept her foot exactly where it was, intertwined with his, it was a start, it was definitely a start. After a couple of hours of hanging around, his phone bleeped the arrival of another text and it made her jump a bit, she blinked a few times looking at him but he just ignored it, “aren't you gonna read that?” she was dying of curiosity all of a sudden, “nope! I'm gonna switch it off, that's what I'm gonna do” he reluctantly grabbed his phone like it was the most annoying thing ever. “But what if it's Nahla or Shannon? What if there's something wrong with Noah?” she protested, if he hadn't read the first text yet then he sure would now and she wanted to see his reaction to it, just to put her mind at ease. He sighed as he grabbed his phone and started reading. She held her breath studying his facial features but he kept a straight face, there wasn't the raised eyebrow or the typical slight twitch in his jaw like he had when he was nervous or upset, “so? Who is it?” she frowned but the only reaction she got was a nervous lie “nothing..just..two app notifications” he stammered and this time he did switch the phone off. “Oh!” she bit her lip, she had never heard him lie to her until now and she totally didn't know how to deal with that so all dissapointed she pushed herself back to her feet, “where are you going?” Jared frowned at her, not wanting to let her leave again. “Bed, I'm really tired” she snapped all annoyed “what room do you want me in?”, Jared stared at her dumbfounded “what room? What do you mean? Mine of course, ours, our room! What kind of a question is that?” he hadn't counted on them sleeping apart and he sure as hell wasn't going to start now, “Fine..good night” she turned on our heels and left the room, leaving him to wonder about what had just happened. Jordan kicked off her slippers, mumbling to herself as she pulled the ridiculous amount of cushions from the bed, making them fly across the room, how could he lie to her this way? Did he think she was stupid? And all of a sudden an enormous wave of homesickness crashed over her, was it normal to feel this alone in a relationship? Or was it just the aftermath of the horror she had experienced? Everything was so up in the air lately, she wanted to feel loved and make this relationship work, but did he? Or was he just playing the sympathy card? How much drama could a relationship take? It had been drama non-stop for Jared ever since he had been with Charlotte..Charlotte..her mind drifted off to that night where she had been eye-to-eye with the real love of his life..she still hadn't told him about that..should she? A sudden bolt of pain shot through her battered heart and caught her by surprise she had to support herself by putting her hands flat on the mattress “Uhhh” a painful moan exited her lips as she tried to catch her breath.

That's how Jared found her, bent over her side of the bed in a perfect 90 degrees angle moaning and puffing, “what is it?” he instantly shot over to her, putting his hands on her hips, “it's nothing, it'll pass..” she mumbled through gritted teeth as she wriggled her hips a bit to escape his hands. Jared knew he had to act quick and grabbed the phone from the nightstand, “I'm calling you an ambulance” his thumb flew over the keys punching in the 911 number but before he could hit the call button, her hand reached back and slapped the phone out of his hands “for fuck's sakes Jordan” he snapped. Jordan rapidly blinked a few times, puffing through the pain that was now slowly starting to subside “ok..whoa” she swallowed hard and was finally able to sit down, she didn't have to look up to know that Jared was staring down at her with worry scribbled all over his face. Jared saw her relax a bit and picked up the phone from the floor, putting it back in its' stand before he sat down next to her, feeling completely useless and helpless around her and this irratic behaviour of hers, instinctively his hand lifted, he just wanted to put his arm around her and feel close to her again, but before it could land on her back she pushed herself back up to her feet “I'm just..gonna brush my teeth” and slowly walked to the bathroom, leaving him to sit there with his heart in his hands. For the second time that night, the mirror reflected her ashen face as she stared at herself, this was a disaster, no she was a disaster, she couldn't think straight anymore and her heart was severely punishing her for it, if her thoughts would just stop swirling at a million miles an hour for a second.. “Hey..” Jared leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded over his chest, his eyes looking for hers in the mirror “can we talk?” he hummed. “Uhmm..yeah..” she quickly reached for her toothbrush and lathered it up with toothpaste, anything was good to escape his prying eyes “just.give me a minute..I'll be right out” she heard herself say, oh great now she was going to have to explain herself when she didn't even understand herself what had just happened. Jared nodded and slowly pushed himself away from the door but instead of turning to go, he stepped inside the bathroom and stopped to grab his own toothbrush, put toothpaste on it and started brushing as well while he stood next to her in silence, refusing to break their eyecontact in the mirror, studying each other's every move. She was the first to break the spell, rinsed, dried her mouth and felt his stare burn into her back as she tiptoed out of the bathroom and slid into bed, tucking herself in like she was building a fortress made of duvet and covers around her.

In complete silence, Jared walked back into the bedroom, muscles clearly rippling under his skin as he pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing his glorious, naked chest, for some strange reason she couldn't keep her eyes off it like she hadn't seen it in ages but at the same time she couldn't help but take a deep, sharp breath when the mattress dipped and he stretched out next to her. Jared rolled on his side and struggled to stay on his side of the bed, he always loved to slide up to her and hold her so she could snuggle up to him and put her head on his chest, it was always his favorite moment of the day, but right now it felt like he was in bed with a complete stranger. “So..wanna tell me what just happened?” he put his arm under his head, “I told you it was nothing..just my heart going into overdrive..it's gone now and I'm sorry if I worried you, I didn't mean to..” Jordan shrugged, like it wasn't such a big deal but it was, it was a huge deal. “Jordan, please, stop! You've been acting distant with me all night..” he started trying not to ruffle any more feathers but it was too late, her blood was already boiling “Distant? Who me? Really Jay? So all this nonsense of us spending some quality time together was just staged because you thought it would get you laid?” she gritted her teeth. Jared's head shot up from his pillow “What?! No of course not! So, if I want to spend quality time with you, it's nonsense? That's just fantastic” he snarled, he knew he was getting way too worked up but he couldn't help himself, all the pent up anger and frustration of the last couple of days was coming out in torrents “let me tell you something, if I wanted to get laid, I could have easily gone out and done it, ok? Especially with the frequency in our sex life or the lack there of” the minute he blurted the words out, he knew he had gone too far. Jordan felt every vicious word tear through her already broken heart but she'd be damned if she would let him show how distressed she was “excuse me? So this is what it all comes down to, you're not happy with our sex life because you're not getting any pussy? Djeezes Jared, this is the first time I hear of it, you could've at least told me you weren't happy before you went cheating on me” she quickly shot up into a sitting position, nervously pushing her hair back, she wanted to run, run as far away from this bed as possible, so why didn't she? Maybe she really was a masochist. Jared's mouth went dry and he pushed himself up on his elbow “I AM NOT” he realized he was shouting, so he tried to lower his voice “I am not cheating on you..” he tried to choose his words carefully which wasn't easy because he knew this was turning into a huge fight. “Just stop lying to me, Jared! First you tell me you're not getting any with me which is obviously making you very unhappy and then you're telling me that you're not cheating on me? With your reputation? You really want me to believe that the thought hasn't crossed your mind? With thousands of girls and women willing to throw themselves at your feet? What kind of an idiot do you take me for?” she nearly vomited the words, this entire fight was making her feel sick to her stomach. Jared was getting so angry he thought it wise to put some distance between them so he quickly got out of bed, mumbling and cursing under his breath but stopped at the foot of the bed “For the last time, I'm not cheating on you, Jordan! But the way you're acting, I'm really starting to regret that decision”. Angrily he grabbed a T-shirt and started pulling it over his head, she knew she should shut up now but she just couldn't help herself “Oh, don't let me stop you, go on, go call one of your little bitches on the side right now and tell her what a pest I am to you, I'm sure she'll be able to give you exactly what you obviously crave so much” Jordan viciously shouted. “Great idea! I'll go do that right away, at least I'll get my dick sucked instead of having to listen to that stupid bitching of yours” he yelled at her, his furious eyes shooting daggers at her one last time before he stomped out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him with an almighty bang. Jordan's ears were ringing, the adrenalin still pumping through her veins as she sat there staring at the door in complete shock, he hadn't denied that he had been unhappy with her all along..this was it, this was the end..tears of frustration started rolling down her cheeks as she pulled up her legs and buried her face between her knees sobbing her heart out.

[hoenursey]

I Love Him, He Loves Me || nurseyrans

Ransom could appreciate art. He could! He didn’t, often, and he didn’t get it a lot of times– he preferred practical things to appreciate, like Bitty’s pies, or good goals. Or, of course, Nursey’s ass, which he’d stolen a few furtive glances down at as he walked in front of him. It was a great ass, okay? Sue him. Now that was art to appreciate.

Right now, however, waiting for Nursey to finish what he was doing was sort of killing him.

Ransom… the thing was, he didn’t want to bother him. He knew he could snap like a twig if someone interrupted him, and Nursey had said something about a homework assignment, so he didn’t want to interfere with that. Even though Nursey wasn’t the type to snap, it felt rude not to give him the same respect he always gave him. Besides, he looked kind of cute sitting on the floor, all hunched over his journal, tongue sticking out just the smallest amount. But he was bored. He was mad fucking bored right now.

He tried going through his phone, systemically hitting Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but it was a dead day– not much posting, only a few notifications, some tagged pics, some snapchat selfies–

Oh. Ransom sat up and went to snapchat. He could probably entertain himself for at least a few more minutes with snapchat filters.

Dog filter, bunny filter, gold butterflies, truck driver, the little frowny face– he glanced over at Nursey and pouted just a touch because a face swap would be hilarious, honestly. Instead, he pulled one of his selfies from his phone and captioned it “missing you”, before posting it to his story.

[TO: SAMWELL MEN’S H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS]

[text: doctor ransomstein] [attached: payattentiontome.jpeg]

[text: dr ransomstein] look at that. gotdam

[text: raggedy ann] is that a piece of kale stuck in his teeth, fucking vegan

[text: sharkbait ooh haha] nursey I can’t believe you’re doing homework

[text: sharkbait ooh haha] aren’t you guys on a date

[text: horse teeth] who does homework on a date

[text: a manager for ants] 👀👀👀 rans

[text: dr ransomstein] n o i f u c k i n g d o n ‘ t

[text: sharkbait ooh haha] 👀

[text: horse teeth] 👀

[text: raggedy ann] 👀

[text: poop emoji] 👀

[text: the muffin man] 👀

[text: dr ransomstein] SHITS WHAT THE FUCK YOU’RE AT HARVARD (fuck harvard) SHUT UP

[text: rich kid asshole]  👀

[text: dr ransomstein] nursey if you’ve been on the gc the whole time i s2g

[text: big booty judy] why is everyone sending eyes

[text: rich kid asshole] only a minute or two :P

Ransom looked up and glared over at Nursey, who was already smiling crookedly at him, flicking at his new septum piercing, the gold glinting in the soft natural lighting of the museum.

“You’re lucky you’re so fucking cute,” he grumbled, and Nursey laughed, pushing up from the ground to come over to him. He misjudged his weight a touch, falling back on his ass, but managed to stand without crashing into a multi-million dollar painting and putting them both in debt.

“I zoned out,” he admitted when he came to settle next to him. “And then you started sending pictures of me to the groupchat. Wasn’t looking before that, swear.”

“I’m not mad,” Ransom murmured, settling his head on Nursey’s shoulder. He was never mad at him, and it took reassurance after reassurance to assure his boyfriend of that sometimes, but it was worth it. He was worth it. “Just wanna hang, we never have time to do much. I don’t care what we do, just…”

Nursey slid his hand down his arm slowly, distracting him, until his curled his hand around his and laced their fingers between one another’s.

“Together?” Nursey finished.

“Together,” he agreed.

Nursey made a pleased noise that he only somewhat managed to stifle; Justin cupped his chin and pressed their lips together and it drew the noise out of him again, a little softer, a little gentler. He thumbed along the line of his jaw– he had shaved and his skin was so fucking soft, just a little prickly– and Nursey opened up for him, sighing sweetly into his mouth. God, but Justin loved the way his boyfriend melted for him like winter giving way to spring, walls tumbling down around him as he fell into the rhythm of it, the slick slide of their mouths deepening–

A surprised “Oh!” came from behind them and they broke apart, startled. Ransom’s head snapped to the source of the noise, fingers tightening around Nursey’s to keep him from tugging away; it turned out to be an older woman with a scarf around her neck, which she clutched delicately, flushed. Derek took one look at the woman and buried his face in Ransom’s neck, hiding his likely-embarrassed laughter.

“Sorry,” he called out sheepishly, the hand at Nursey’s jaw sliding back to cup the back of his neck, “We’ll move.”

“You’re fine!” the woman squeaked out. “I was just surprised! This part has been, ah, fairly empty, eh?”

“Right, haha; we were about to get going anyways, though,” Justin said, an apologetic smile on his lips. He rose quickly, pulling Nursey to his feet. “Have a nice day, sorry again!”

They walked as quickly as they could without running, stifling laughter as much they could until Ransom shoved Nursey into a family bathroom and they both burst out loud, giggles and snorts and laughter ringing in the empty room.

“I fucking hate you,” Ransom said, shoving Nursey slightly. Nursey shoved him back, grinning, and Rans yanked him into a headlock and scrubbed roughly at his head, making Nursey shriek and try to tug out of his grip– he nearly succeeded until Ransom hooked his ankle and he stumbled, falling back against the wall.

Justin took Derek’s wrists and grasped them firmly, sliding them up against the wall; Derek sucked in a quiet breath as his arms were raised above his head, effectively pinning him there.

“The look you’re giving me right now doesn’t say ‘I hate you, Derek Nurse’,” Nursey murmured.

“People make out with people they hate,” Ransom argued weakly, even as he switched from two hands to one at his boyfriend’s wrists and slid his arm around his waist, tugging his body flush to his own.

“You don’t.”

“The only person I make out with is you.”

“And your life sized poster of Alexei Mashkov.”

“I was drunk, Derek.”

“You’re not drunk now and i’m right in front of you, so–”

Justin rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to Nursey’s. He could feel the smile his boyfriend still had and nipped at his bottom lip, kissing away the answering sound of protest, soothing his bite with his tongue and Nursey sighed into the sensation, lips parting for him. When he pulled away to breathe, he nosed along his jaw until his head tipped gently back and he kissed at his bare neck: he could feel the beating pulse beneath the skin and sucked hungrily at his pulse points until Derek was gasping weakly, fingers twitching up against the lock they were in. “Stop, stop,” he breathed, fighting his pinned state– he broke his hands from Justin’s grip and pulled his face to his own to kiss him once again.

Ransom loved kissing at Nursey’s skin and driving him crazy, but even more so he loved the soft sighs and sweet sounds his boyfriend made when he kissed him properly. Nursey was so, so easy for kissing– if puppy dog eyes didn’t work then pushing him down in his chair, the bed, a couch, and kissing him like this, a slow drag of lips, tongue teasingly flicking over his open mouth and then dipping in to taste him– it almost always got Rans what he wanted. Granted, usually what he wanted was Nursey, but that was a moot point. Sometimes he wanted–

As if cued, Derek’s stomach growled, loud in the quiet of the bathroom, and Justin pulled back, eyeing his boyfriend. A flush was already staining his cheeks, though he didn’t know if that was from all the kissing, or– ah, no, it was growing darker.

“Baby,” Justin admonished softly, tilting up Derek’s chin. His boyfriend bit at one of his swollen lips tentatively, drawing it into his mouth, and Justin let his thumb drag over it, parting his lips once again.

“Yes…?” he mumbled. He looked… appropriately abashed, and he shook his head fondly at him, giving him a quick kiss.

“You forgot to eat again, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Justin’s hand slid up Nursey’s shirt, caressing over his stomach softly. “Can’t take your meds on an empty stomach, Der, you know that.”

He cursed softly. “Forgot my afternoon meds at home, I broke my phone again so my alarms don’t go off.” He gave him an apologetic look, a “sorry” clearly on the tip of his tongue, but Ransom kissed the apologies from his lips and pulled him off the wall.

“We’ll make a pit stop at yours before we go to that pho spot on main?” Ransom asked, searching for confirmation from Nursey, and Nursey nodded, a little smile gracing his lips.

“Sounds good, Rans,” he agreed, something a little funny in his tone.

He looked at him curiously as he took his hand and started walking out of the bathroom. “What?”

Derek shook his head, self indulgent smile curving on his face. “Nothing. You’re just… a really, really good boyfriend, dude.”

Ransom’s answering smile was a little bewildered. “I mean, it’s not a big deal? You need your meds or you’re gonna be miserable, and I wanted to take you out to eat anyways. Healthy boyfriend is a happy boyfriend, right?”

Bemused, Nursey kissed their joined hands as Ransom guided them out of the museum– fuck, where did he park? goddamned big ass museum– and said, “Sure, Rans. Healthy boyfriend is a happy boyfriend. And you parked in the green lot.”

“Oh, shit, ha. Thanks, Derek.”

“No prob.”

And it wasn’t– their relationship was like that, soft and quietly loving and easily giving– it kind of made his heart feel tight with how much he adored Derek, every time he looked at him, and maybe they were only three months deep into their relationship (February first, two weeks before his birthday), but really, damn. What a feeling.

I love you, he thought suddenly, abruptly, fully, as he opened the door for Nursey and he rolled his mossy grey-green eyes at him before sliding into his seat.

I love you, he thought again as Nursey said breathlessly, “Sorry! I couldn’t find them, my med cabinet is a disaster–” clicking on his seatbelt and giving him that wind blown smile.

I love you, he thought once more, as Nursey tripped trying to get to the door before him to open it, catching himself at the last minute and smiling triumphantly, holding the door open for him.

“I love you,” Justin said to Derek, out loud, as he gestured dangerously closely to his tea trying to tell him about his shitty professor– “I mean, come on, who doesn’t think rap is poetry? It’s literally in the name. Rhythm And Poetry, how much more blatantly racist could you get?”– and Derek paused.

“What?” he said, a little startled.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Justin said quickly.

“But, like– really?”

“Yeah. I… yeah. I love you.”

Derek looked at him for a long, long moment. Slowly, a smile unfurled on his pink lips and he leaned carefully over the table: his palm curled, a little cool, at the nape of Justin’s neck and he kissed him tenderly.

Soft, quietly loving, easily giving.

“I love you too,” he murmured against his lips, and then sat back and continued his story, as if Justin’s whole life hadn’t changed.

I love him, he thought. He loves me.