#god. listening to the dapper time music in silence. GOD.

[pyrosomatic-metamorphosis]

every day bbh gets on the server shatters every heart and never dies. how does he keep gettign away with this

[lord-of-gender]

A Small Problem - Part 3

The Red Banquet

2761 words

As the 25th came Phil and Niki were having alot of trouble getting Tommy into something nice. He refused to wear the suit that was his years ago claiming it was 'too itchy'. So they resorted, with much protest from Techno, to making him a version of Techno's cape from some of his extra fabric and the old L'Manburg suit that once was Fundy's to be wore underneath.

"Oh my god, finally," Phil said as Techno grabbed Tommy from running out of the cabin.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Tommy chanted, giggling as he latched onto Techno's arm, he picked the boy off and handed him to Phil.

"Are you sure you're not coming," Niki asked.

"No, I don't trust that Eggpire, besides I have other things to do." Techno said.

During the trip through the Nether Niki and Phil politely chatted, but Tommy remained silent and huddled against them, as if they were the only things keeping him there. He never liked the Nether, he didn't know why, it was just scary and didn't sit right with him. When they neared the community portal Tommy sprinted to it, wanting, almost needing to get out.

"Niki!" Hannah said when they came out of the portal, "you look beautiful. Who's this little guy?"

Tommy looked to Sam who was behind her, he'd learned that there were certain people who couldn't know his name. "I'm Tommy," he said when Sam nodded.

"Ooh! Are you now," Hannah said, surprised.

"Yeah!" He said excitedly.

"We should probably get going so we're not late," Sam said as Tommy ran up to him and walked next to him.

"Sam, Sam," Tommy pulled on his suit, trying to get Sam's attention, "look what I can do."

"What is it," Sam said, looking down at him as Tommy furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.

"Oh you're going to be freaked out by this," Phil laughed and Niki giggled.

Slowly Tommy's features changed, he started sprouting fur and whiskers on his face. Tommy grinned up at Sam as his face looked like a raccoon.

"Okay, that's weird, how long has he been able to do that," Sam asked Phil.

"A few days, but Techno's discovered he can only do animals. We were in quite some shock when we found him fully transformed into a raccoon," Phil explained. "And of course Techno's first instinct was to exploit it."

"Ranboo didn't let him," Niki inputted when Sam started to look worried.

Soon they came up to the entrance of the banquet, everyone wore nice suits and dresses. They all stuck with the red theme of the banquet. Tommy morphed back to look normal as everyone fawned over him. Everyone had complied with the Eggpire's request of no weapons or armor, well except for Phil. Techno had insisted that he bring at least his bow and sword which could easily be hidden, a totem, and a few potions.

"Wow, you all look amazing," Antfrost greeted them. Not mentioning Tommy, who as soon as he saw Ant didn't budge from Sam's side.

"Thank you, you look very dapper yourself Ant," Puffy said, laughing.

"You okay buddy," Sam took Tommy to the side as they entered the basement where the Egg had taken over.

Tommy shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't like it. Something's wrong."

"Do you want to stay with Phil," Sam asked, thinking maybe Tommy would feel safer with someone he was more familiar with. Tommy thought about it then nodded, trying to stay as far away from the Egg as he could.

"You alright Tommy," Niki asked the boy as he came up to Phil and grabbed his pant's leg.

"I-I fink something is going to happen, I don't know if we should be here," Tommy said.

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine Tommy, you have so many people here who care about you." Phil said, "I promise nothing bad is going to happen to you. Okay?"

"Okay," Tommy nodded and the trio walked over to where the others had gone over to dance.

"Care to dance," Bad said, offering his hand to Puffy. She accepted, this could be a statement between the two leaders. One against the Egg, the other for. A symbol of unity and peace.

As Hbomb continued to play music Niki and Eret danced as well, Foolish swept up Tommy and started to dance with the kid, sending Tommy into a fit of giggles as he was spun around. The boy forgot about his uneasy feelings and started to enjoy the party.

"So who's ready for a feast," Ant announced and they were led to a large table. Tommy sat by Phil as he sat near the edge of the table.

"So toasts, speeches, does anyone have any," Bad said.

"I do actually," Foolish said, as he spoke Tommy's ears started ringing and he zoned out. Something was wrong, he didn't know what put something was happening. "But I'm willing to give you a 3rd- 4th chance."

"Phil, I want to go home," Tommy whispered, but Phil dismissed him. He wasn't going to be rude, the Eggpire seemed to have changed.

"I'd like to say something as well," Eret said and started speaking how he was glad the SMP was turning back into how it was.

"You know what I've learned over my time," Ponk said, "as a wise man once said, people do change." They expected him to elaborate but he just stopped there.

"You look beautiful tonight," Sam muttered.

"I would like to speak as well," Puffy said, breaking the silence and standing up. "Bad, I'm glad you hosted this party. We've been through alot together and this egg has separated us quite a bit. And I'm happy that I won't have to sacrifice anymore friendships. Thank you for today, and I hope this brings us all together. I also hope that after today we never have to hear the words 'a new neaf' or 'second chances' or 'bygones be bygones' because you will start doing what's right. And I'm glad that the fighting's finally over."

"I can agree with that," Eret said, raising his glass. Everyone copied saying cheers and raising their drinks.

"Would anyone else like to say some words," Bad asked, looking around.

"Well do you have anything to say, Bad," Puffy asked as she sat down.

"Why yes, I do actually," Bad said. "I would like to say I appreciate you all coming. This was a perfect opportunity for us as a community to come together and honestly, to let bygones be bygones. To set any past issues aside and to set things right, so we can grow and advance in the future."

"Phil," Tommy tugged on his jacket, starting to panic as lava poured from walls, trapping them in the room. "Phil, we need to go."

"Not now Tommy," Phil hissed, why was he so insistent on leaving? Realizing he wasn't going to get Phil's attention he got up and was going to Niki who wasn't sitting too far from them.

"And now," Bad said as the lava encased them, "prepare to die."

"What," Puffy exclaimed and the others started to panic as well. "What about turning over this leaf?!"

"No, the leaf is staying the way it is," Bad said.

"Tommy," Phil grabbed him, and gave him a potion as Puffy uncovered the armor she had hidden, but was gone. "Listen to me you take this fire resistance and get out of here. The entrance is just over there, you run, and you go find help. Okay?"

Tommy nodded, he looked at the lava nervously but Phil and everyone was counting on him, he had to do it. He gulped down the potion and sprinted where they had come in.

"Stop him," Hannah yelled, running after Tommy. "Tommy get back here!"

Phil pulled out his bow and shot the few arrows he had at Hannah. She whirled around to look where the arrows had come from. Unsheathing his sword he ran after Hannah, buying the time Tommy needed to escape. She had armor and Phil didn't so he was forced to throw his sword to the side in order to not be killed.

"There, I have nothing else," Phil said, putting his hands in the air. He'd done what he needed. He'd got Tommy out and soon he'll be back with help.

"Now Sam!" Puffy said, Sam flipped a hidden lever and tnt came pouring down onto the Egg. But as it blew up obsidian covered the Egg and vines surrounding it, protecting the Egg from the explosion.

"Did you really think that would work," Bad laughed with the others as Phil was forced back to the crowd. "After Quackity tried that, we took extra precautions. Now who should we execute first?"

"Execute?!" Eret exclaimed with the others freaking out as well. "You're a monster."

"You're one to speak," Ponk said, he was apart of the server when Eret had betrayed L'Manburg.

"I've changed, I have learned not to betray others trust in me," Eret said.

"Well maybe you could be our first sacrifice," Bad said, "we'll take care of Phil and Sam next."

"No, no, no," Eret said as he was forced up to the area in front of the Egg.

"Stop!" Foolish said, he couldn't let Eret be killed, not while he could still do something. "Enough. You know protecting itself from tnt, that was impressive. But can it survive a barrage of lightning?" He raised his hands and started to channel his power as a god, but nothing. Nothing happened. "I-I don't understand."

"You really think you can come into the Egg's domain and be able to defeat it," Bad said, "I have an even better idea. How about we sacrifice the totem first."

"No!" Puffy screamed as Eret was let go and Foolish forced up to the podium and forced down to his knees.

"You could have prevented this Puffy," Antfrost said, "you could have stayed with the Eggpire and none of this would be happening."

"We don't know that," Sam said.

"I left the Eggpire cause I realized we were hurting people," Puffy said.

"But look at where that got you, we're going to kill your son," Ant said.

"Puffy, it's okay," Foolish said, and Ant swung his sword down, a bright green light filling the room as the totem lost his first life.

"No!" Puffy cried, tears started to spill from her eyes, and there was nothing she could do.

"One down and so many more to go," Bad laughed, looking at all of them. "Now who do we kill next? Perhaps Sam for trying to blow up the Egg, or Philza for hiding Tommy from us or even-"

"You're not going to be killing anyone!" Quackity leaped down from a small opening in the basement. "Bad, this isn't you. This isn't you Bad, we both know this."

"Where did you come from," Bad demanded, pointing a crossbow in Quackity's direction. He had nothing and didn't seem to have any weapons.

"I know what you're doing here but you're going to stop right now," Quackity said, pulling out a sword. "Look at what you've done. This is impressive. But you have to stop. This whole Egg thing has gotten out of hand. You just killed a man. Was that your plan all along? To kill innocent people? This has gotten completely out of control and I'm not going to have it. You're going to stop, right now."

"Now why would we do that," Bad walked towards him as Quackity equipped armor. "You think putting on armor will help you? Why do you think we did all this, we did this for the Egg. You can't give us what the Egg can give us. Don't get in our way. Don't try and stop us."

"Bad, look what you've done," Quackity walked around the room. "You've trapped all these people here, all these innocent people. In what you've disguised as a party. What have they done to you?

"You are a pawn to power, something that doesn't care about you. I mean look at the Egg, it doesn't mean anything Bad." Quackity slipped a golden apple and axe to Puffy, "So how about he stop playing games. How 'bout that?"

"I can't, I can't stop and you know why," Bad said. "And you know what Quackity if you wanted to stop us, you should have brought an army."

"I did, in fact I brought the next best thing," Quackity laughed, "I brought my biggest enemy."

"Alright Quackity, where's this Egg you were talking about," Technoblade emerged from the same opening. Phil started laughing as dogs came in behind him, teeth bared and ready to attack at Techno's command.

"It's right here, Techno," Quackity grinned, putting his sword against his shoulder.

"Let's go!" Phil said as Niki whispered it, he wasn't afraid to show his support to his friend.

"And not only that, I went looking across the entire lands for the best mercenary I could find. Cause you're right, I can't take you alone. So I got two of the best fighters on the server, welcome him Bad," Quackity said and Purpled emerged as well.

"Purpled," Bad exclaimed, "we hired you to kill Puffy and you join the enemy's side!"

"Bad, to be frank with you," Purpled said, "Quackity just had the better price."

"And Techno," Bad said, thinking he could negotiate with him. "You and Quackity are enemies! Why would you side with him?"

"Did you really think Bad, that you could execute my closest friends." Techno said, "No, your biggest mistake here was inviting Phil and thinking you could attempt to kill him without me finding out. And that's just the tip of the iceburg. This Egg, it's warping peoples' minds, it's controlling them and has no plans of stopping. And this Egg is the epitome of everything I stand against as an anarchist. So yeah, you've given me enough reason to work with Quackity."

"We're not going to let you stop us," Bad said, his voice wavered though, could they taking on The Blade himself? Most of them had seen the destruction he brought upon L'Manburg. "We still out number you, four against three."

"Not for long," Puffy said, splashing a potion of strength on herself and ran at them with the axe she now had. "You're dead Antfrost!"

"Wait! When did Puffy get a weapon?!" Bad yelled as Puffy attacked Ant.

"You've taken my kindness for weakness," Puffy said, swinging the axe down and killing Ant before he was able to defend himself. She turned around, tears streaming down her face, ready to attack the others as well.

"Dogs attack!" Techno yelled, attacking Ponk. Quackity and Purpled followed, attacking Bad and Hannah.

The three did their best to fight off the dogs, able to kill and injure some of them. But is wasn't enough they would soon be overwhelmed.

"Retreat," Bad yelled, they were no match for them. He broke into a wall near the Egg that opened up into a maze of tunnels.

"Purpled, you follow them, we'll take care of things here," Quackity said, Purpled nodded and ran into the tunnels.

"Phil, are you alright," Techno went up to him and Niki. "Where's the kid?"

"I gave him a fire res and sent him out, I thought he would have ran into you," Phil said.

"And the Eggpire knows who he is," Niki added, "we have to find him."

"Got it, we should take care of this Egg though," Techno said.

"I-I'll build a prison for it if I have to,” Sam said.

“Okay, but will that contain this?” Quackity asked, “are we sure that’s going to be enough?”

“We need to leave,” Techno said, the only way out was the opening they had made in the wall. “Tommy’s out there, we have to make sure he’s okay.”

“I should come,” Sam said, he needed to prioritize Tommy, even if it ment pushing back trapping the Egg.

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do here,” Quackity said, “Techno, you know the way out.”

Techno built a path up to the opening and handed Phil a weapon to defend himself with. When they got out of the basement Phil spotted someone wandering around, thinking it might be Tommy he ran in their direction, Niki following.

“Phil!” He exclaimed when he saw them, “boy am I glad to see you.”

“Wil-Wilbur,” Niki said, she couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t Ghostbur, but Wilbur himself, in the flesh.

Alive.

[firebrands]

a catalog of non-definitive acts | steve rogers/tony stark (7/7)

Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, mature, 5k of them gala drama, pining, and after all this - confessing how they feel | previous | on ao3

The press has a conniption when Bruce opens the door of his car and Tony steps out of the passenger seat. They haven’t arrived together for a party in years, and Bruce looks very dapper, Tony is sure he looks even better, and it’s very easy to fall into a standard pattern. They smile and wave, and Bruce tosses the keys to the valet.

As they walk up the steps, they stop to pose for photos at the entrance of the Met. Bruce wraps an arm around Tony’s waist, holds him close. A reporter shouts over the din of shutters snapping: “Are you each other’s dates?”

“Why must we come with dates?” Bruce says, smirk on his lips. “Is it not enough to arrive at all?”

Tony laughs, ducks his head close to Bruce’s ear and whispers to him: “You’re the worst.”

  “So what am I tonight, bait or a rebound?” Bruce had asked in the car.

“How about a friend, you asshole?” Tony laughed, shoving Bruce’s shoulder.

“How boring,” Bruce said, rolling his eyes.

“Somehow I think you’ll manage,” Tony said, settling into his seat and fiddling with Bruce’s selection of music. He briefly considers taking a nap, but he’s still too wired from the indeterminate number of coffees he’s had, all to make up for the indeterminate number of hours he hasn’t slept.

  The press goes a little wild at Bruce’s possessive grip, and Tony hams it up, rests his head on Bruce’s shoulder for another photo before they’re ushered inside.

“Friendly enough?” Bruce teases, picking up two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handing one to Tony.

“One could argue that you were too friendly,” Tony says, rolling his eyes again. He figures he’ll be doing that a lot tonight, if Bruce keeps this insufferable flirt persona up.

They make a round of greeting their standard socialite circle, stopping occasionally to admire the art. It’s in those pockets of silence that Tony’s mind drifts back to someone he knows would appreciate it more.

Tony probably looks pensive, which is probably why Bruce elbows him softly in the ribs and says, “You’d tell me, right?”

“Tell you what?” Tony asks, taking a step away from Bruce and his elbows.

“If you needed me to be bait or a rebound.”

“Good lord Bruce, what are we, fifteen? I don’t need your help with my love life.”

“Oh, sure, because you’ve had such a stellar history.”

“Oh and you do? Fuck off.”

Bruce laughs at this, takes Tony’s hand and rests it in the crook of his elbow, and steers him away from the Magritte they’d spent too much time standing in front of. It’s one of his famous ones; a man and woman with veils draped over their faces, kissing. The Lovers.

“So what happened between you two?” Bruce asks, downing his glass and holding his hand outwards, waiting for a tray to appear under it.

“Was I wrong to expect anything more than gossip from you?” Tony asks, taking a sip of his tiny espresso, prepared especially for him.

Now it’s Bruce’s turn to roll his eyes. “Concern, Tony. Ever heard of it?”

“Phrase your concern in a tone less suited to a fishwife, then.”

“Fine,” Bruce says sarcastically. “Do you love him?”

“This a scoop for page six? Jesus, Bruce. Why do you care?”

“Because you’ve been moping this entire evening.”

“And here I was thinking I was having a good time. Thanks for illuminating me on how I really feel,” Tony snaps, tugging his hand away from Bruce’s elbow.

Bruce makes an exasperated noise and catches Tony’s wrist as Tony turns away. “God, Tony. I’m sorry.”

Tony wrenches his wrist free and sighs, the fight going out of him all at once. “It’s fine.” He downs the rest of his coffee and a waiter appears at his side, ready to take the cup. The man’s mouth opens, about to ask if Tony wants more, but Tony cuts him off with a shake of his head. He feels tired. Not just from the lack of sleep, but from everything else; long hours in the workshop, making conversation with the other attendees of the fundraiser, the surprise of seeing Steve in the lobby earlier that night—pretending, pretending, pretending.

Maybe, he thinks, as Bruce once again places Tony’s hand on the crook of his elbow, it’s time to get some rest. He recognizes these signs best, when the fight goes out of him, when he’s tired himself out through sheer force of will. Maybe tonight his brain can finally shut down for a few hours. Hopefully.

He’s tired of missing Steve most of all, missing the casual banter they shared, the way Steve would look at him. And why did loving someone have to render you so helpless against it? If Bruce had continued his line of questioning, if he’d ask, well—why? Tony wouldn’t be able to answer. It’s—it’s a feeling in your gut. Attraction, affection, the small pockets of acceptance that only Steve could ever telegraph.

But it’s done now. Tony’s done with that now, and he’s tired. He’s tired of everything. He never wants to feel anything ever again.

Tony picks up a glass of champagne and drinks it in one gulp. Bruce makes a face.

Eventually they stop and stand in front of another Magritte: a self portrait of him painting a bird. The work is called La Clairvoyance. Tony snorts when he reads it.

“What?” Bruce asks, eyes trained on the canvas.

“Some futurist,” Tony murmurs.

Bruce hums in response, then says, “Sometimes we focus too much on the possibilities instead of seeing what’s right in front of us.”

Tony makes a face. “That’s not what this painting is about.”

“You know sometimes Tony, you don’t know how to listen,” Bruce says, very casually, like he isn’t striking the core of Tony. “Or maybe you just don’t want to.”

“Or maybe,” Tony ventures, very sarcastically, “there’s nothing to listen to.”

“Oh?”

“I—I just.” Tony shakes his head. “Nothing.”

Bruce sighs. “Okay,” he says, giving Tony’s shoulder a comforting squeeze.

A beat passes, then Tony says, “I pay attention.” He knows how petulant he sounds and doesn’t care.

“I know,” Bruce says softly. “But maybe not to the right things, sometimes.”

Tony makes an annoyed sound, but says nothing else. He had asked him to stay, and he hadn’t. He’d done so much to convey everything he’d felt inside, and yet—and yet here he is, standing in front of a painting called clairvoyance beside a man he wishes was Steve. Some futurist.

“Shouldn’t have asked you to come with me,” Tony whispers, because it’s a lot to admit, and it’s hard enough to admit anything, these days.

Bruce moves his hand to Tony’s other shoulder and pulls him into a half hug. “I’m glad you did.”

Tony rests his head on Bruce’s shoulder, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion. He knows he shouldn’t be too bold, can already hear a murmur go through the crowd, and as he pulls away, someone behind them tugs Bruce’s arm off of him.

“Tony.”

Tony whips around at the sound of Steve’s voice.

“Captain,” Bruce says, turning to Steve with a lopsided smile.

“Steve?” Tony nearly shouts, horror, confusion, and worry coloring his tone.

Steve blanches when Tony’s eyes meet his. Then he takes Tony’s hand. “Tony,” he says, “we need to go.”

“Why?” Tony asks, still completely bewildered.

“It’s an emergency,” Steve says, and Tony lets himself be led out into the lobby, dazed by the thought that of all the times he’d imagined walking in a party with Steve holding his hand, this image never came to mind. (Again: some futurist.)

Bruce follows after them, and as they exit the doors of the museum to the foyer, they’re immediately surrounded by photographers—much less than earlier in the night, but still waiting for a scoop.

Steve doesn’t stop, keeps dragging Tony towards the steps where Happy’s stationed at the curb; he can see the outline of Happy’s profile from the barely tinted window.

“Happy?” Tony says, because it must be some emergency for Pepper to lend him over. “Steve, what is happening.”

They stop a few feet from the car, and it’s well past midnight, so there’s barely anyone around anymore. Still, Steve looks around to make sure.

It makes Tony’s heart ache.

Steve’s still wearing the suit Tony had left him in, which means he was wearing the suit for hours, and there is an emergency, and his mind is going into hyperdrive.

Tony’s thoughts stutter to a halt when Steve turns back to Tony and takes both his hands in his. “Tony,” he says, and he’s beginning to breathe hard. He swallows, licks his lips, and Tony stares, confused as hell. He feels heat rise to his cheeks despite it all, though. He hasn’t touched Steve in weeks.

Steve takes a deep breath.

“I thought—” Steve takes another breath, tightens his grip on Tony’s hands. “I thought we had something, and then you said it was nothing.”

Tony can’t tell whose hands are trembling. Can’t tell if his palms are sweaty, or Steve’s. Tony tries to focus on his breathing.

“But I don’t think I can live with that, because—because. You must know.”

“What are you talking about?” Tony says. His brain is slowing down considerably, and it’s an uncomfortable feeling.

“Tony, I—”

“I thought there was an emergency.” Tony says, pulling his hands away from Steve’s. Everything feels tilted. The words are swimming in Tony’s mind, blinking and disappearing and rearranging—it does not compute. He adjusts his tie, just so he has something to do with his hands. No, this can’t be right. This doesn’t make sense. He turns to go back inside, where he can see Bruce holding an impromptu interview with the paparazzi.

Steve touches Tony gently on the forearm. When Tony turns to look at him, Steve says: “You can’t—you can’t not know,”

Steve takes a deep breath, eyes downcast, now. “You must know,” he whispers, almost to himself. He looks up at Tony again, eyes wide. “I love you,” Steve says, his voice almost breaking as he admits it.

The words hit Tony like an avalanche. If he were younger, he would have fainted. Maybe he’d be dramatic enough to have a heart attack. Alas, he has something in his chest that insists on its beating. Tony’s mind is all static.

“What?”

“I love you!” Steve says, more forcefully this time. There’s a sudden wildness to his eyes that Tony’s never seen, and at those words Tony feels heat rise from his belly; everything blurs out into red.

“No,” he says, voice shaking with barely contained anger, disbelief, humiliation. “No.”

Steve runs a hand through his hair and looks very close to tugging it out from the root. “Can we get in the car and talk about this at home, please?”

Home.

Home.

Tony takes a step back. He feels anger swirl in his chest and spill out of his mouth. “What the fuck.” He spits out the expletive.

Steve bites his lip. “Tony, please, please just get in the car,” he says, reaching out and taking Tony’s hand in his. He grips it tight for a moment, then relaxes. He turns his palm up, like he’s waiting for Tony to complete the movement.

Tony’s breath shudders out of him. This is something they do, something they’ve done so many times before; he remembers the gold light of the late morning sun, Steve’s smile, knowing, knowing deep in his bones that Steve had wanted him back. His own palm open: an offer, not a request.

They stand like that for so long, and it’s broken only when Steve whispers, “please.”

Tony can’t feel his hands. Can’t feel his face. This feels unreal. This feels like the world is about to collapse in on itself.

Nothing is making sense. Not a single damn thing makes sense—“I asked you to stay,” he whispers, half to himself, remembering everything all at once. He pulls his hand back and tucks it against his chest. Images are flashing in his mind like a sick slideshow of rejection: hands pulled away, checking hallways before entering the elevator, the space between them that only ever existed when someone could see.

Waking up alone, every morning, no matter how he fell asleep the night before.

“I asked you to stay,” Tony repeats, squeezing his eyes shut and then forcing them back open. Steve is still standing in front of him, his cheeks red, his eyes glistening. Tony shakes his head, as if trying to force something else to float up in front of him.

“Boss?”

Happy’s standing outside of the car, looking at them. “Are we leaving or should I park…?” He asks, trailing off and looking worried.

Tony huffs out a laugh, his brain somehow rewiring now that he realizes he’s in public, and he walks towards the car without looking at Steve.

He plunks down and his brain is frighteningly silent; all black and empty, like it’s rebooting. Half of him wants to sink into the chair and go to sleep. Maybe, he considers, when he wakes up it’ll make sense.

When the door opposite him clicks shut, Tony blinks.

The privacy window rolls up, and Tony’s phone vibrates in his pocket. It’s a text from Bruce.

You okay?

Sorry

It’s okay. Are you okay?

Yes

Rooting for you, Tony. You let me know.

Nothing to root for

Then you’re more of an idiot than I thought you were.

Tony turns off his phone and slips it back into his pocket. He’s wilfully not thinking, which is much more difficult for him than it is for any human being currently alive. Tony purses his lips.

No, no, no.

Beside him, Steve tugs off his jacket and begins rolling up his sleeves, like he’s getting ready for a brawl. He’s breathing very loudly through his nose.

“Are you going to say anything,” Steve says it like a statement. His eyes remain fixed on the privacy screen in front of them.

“What do you want me to say,” Tony says back. He feels blank, like a surprise safety measure has been enacted in his brain that allows for nothing, absolutely nothing.

Steve grunts. “All right.”

“No, Steve.” Tony asks, turning to Steve and frowning, emotion slipping out of the cracks of his mental lockdown. “What do you want me to say?”

“Apparently you have nothing to say,” Steve bristles.

“Oh, wow, okay,” Tony says flippantly. “Fine.”

Steve presses a button on his side, turning on the intercom. “Stop the car, Happy.”

“What are you—”

The car slows to a stop, and Steve opens the door.

“Steve—” Tony calls out, reaching over the seat to try and grab Steve’s hand.

Steve’s too quick. “Have a good evening, Tony,” he says, as he slams the door shut.

  Tony’s waiting in the lobby of the Tower, tapping his foot against the marble. He’s been waiting for ten minutes, and he figures he can wait ten more. He thinks he needs all the time in the world to figure out what to say to Steve.

Tony begins to pace.

What if Steve had gone straight up to his room? Tony scrubs his face. When did he regress to fifteen years old? He paces around again for a while, weighing the options of going up to Steve’s room and waiting for his arrival here in the tower lobby (and slowly driving Gerry, the security guard on duty, insane with his fretting). At this, he figures he should head up.

At least that way Gerry won’t witness his heart being torn out of his chest.

   Tony steps out onto the communal floor and finds Steve standing there, looking like he’d just arrived. There’s a bit of sweat on his brow.

“Stairs?” Tony asks.

Steve nods in affirmative, wipes the sweat off with the back of his hand, and walks to the kitchen.

Tony wants to ask, how or when but those would just be questions to fill the air. He follows Steve into the kitchen.

Still, against his better judgement, Tony asks: “When did you…” he trails off when Steve levels him with a look.

“We don’t need to speak any more than necessary.”

Tony sucks in a breath. This is a tone he’s grown unaccustomed to, and even when Steve was at his most upset, he’d still manage to say Tony’s name. On any other day, that sentence would have ended with his name. We don’t need to speak more than necessary, Tony. We can try a different maneuver, Tony. You’re being difficult on purpose, Tony. It’s like having the air sucked out of the room, realizing how much you miss the sound of your own name rolling off the lips of someone you—Tony balks. Of someone you care for. Someone you’ve fucked. Someone named Steve Rogers.

Tony bites his lip, then hazards: “Have you considered that maybe we do?”

Steve shakes his head as he fills up a glass of water. “I don’t think so.”

Tony nods, contemplating this, wondering why on earth Steve would have said those things only to cut him off so immediately.

A wild thought comes to mind: La Clairvoyance.

“Okay, can I ask why not?” Tony asks, and it’s horrifying, degrading, to have to beg for information like this, he’d much rather just crack Steve’s head open and dive in to search for answers.

“You really need me to say it,” Steve says, completely expressionless as he takes a sip of water.

For a second, Tony thinks he can hear glass cracking. Steve sets the glass down very deliberately.

Tony swallows. He feels nervous, like they’re on the cusp of something either awful or wonderful, but odds don’t seem to be in favor of a good outcome right now; there’s a storm brewing in the space between Steve’s brows.

“I don’t mind,” Steve starts. He picks up the glass again, then seems to consider it and puts it back down. “I don’t mind, about you and Bruce. But I think the decent thing would have been to tell me, rather than wait for me to make a fool of myself.”

Sometimes, Tony hates his brain. This is definitely one of those times: he hears distinctly, in his mind, the sound of a computer blue screening. Back in the day, when he hadn’t built his own laptops, he’d fiddled around too much and was rewarded by the sudden screen announcing doom, coupled with a strange electronic thud.

“Me.” Tony says, mouth falling agape as he pieces things together (and behind all this haze he thinks, good lord, maybe it’s time I sent MIT back my diploma), “and Bruce.”

Steve responds with a pinched smile, then takes a step towards the door.

“Wait,” Tony says, reaching out to grasp his wrist. “Wait a minute.”

“Please don’t do this,” Steve says, gingerly extricating his wrist from Tony’s grip.

“Steve, I need to explain—”

“No, you really, really don’t.” Tony only manages to sputter in response, and god, only with Steve is he so unable to get a word in edgewise. “I understand. This is what seeing someone is like, right?”

“No, no, god Steve, no it’s not.”

Steve sighs, exasperated. “Okay.”

“No, it’s not okay, jesus Steve—”

Tony stops when Natasha enters the kitchen, hair in a braid and a frown on her lips. “It’s late,” she says, as if anyone in this damn tower has any semblance of time.

Steve takes the opportunity to leave the kitchen, and as Tony moves to follow after him, Natasha catches him by the shoulder.

“Nat,” Tony says, warningly.

“Tony.”

They stare each other down for a moment.

“Don’t,” she says.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

Tony’s heart is beating fast in his chest with the implication that she knows—she knows. How? When?

“Don’t be an asshole,” she says, letting go of his shoulder and opening up the fridge.

Tony makes a face. “Me? Have you considered that he’s the asshole?”

“Have you considered that you’re the asshole, is a fair question to ask, too,” Natasha says, nonchalant.

“Who gave you the fucking right,” Tony shouts, slamming the door to the fridge shut and situating himself in front of Natasha. He knows that on any other night he never would have yelled at her like this, never have yelled at anyone, never have admitted that there was something for Steve to be an asshole about, but he’s over caffeinated and lacking sleep, and maybe he had a few too many glasses of champagne, and if Natasha knows then that means Pepper or Rhodey could’ve known, and none of this is fair.

Natasha regards him inscrutably. “Well, are you the asshole, Tony?”

“Why are you on his side?” Tony fumes.

Natasha snorts. “I resent that. I’m not on anyone’s side.”

“Sure seems like you are!” Tony scrubs his face and presses down on his eyelids. He’s exhausted.

Natasha sighs very dramatically, and takes Tony’s hand in hers. She strokes the inside of his palm in an effort to calm him down. “I’m not on Steve’s side, and I’m not on your side,” she repeats. “He didn’t tell me. He hasn’t told me anything.”

“And yet, here you are,” Tony sighs, sagging against the cool metal of the fridge.

“And so are you,” Natasha says, letting go of Tony’s hand.

They stare at each other for a moment.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Tony admits, feeling very small and young all of the sudden.

“Neither does he,” Natasha says.

“That’s not very comforting,” Tony says, smiling ruefully up at her.

“I didn’t mean it to be.”

“This is some pep talk,” Tony laughs.

Natasha returns his smile. “Good thing it isn’t one.”

Tony throws Natasha a lazy salute as he shifts to leave. “Thanks,” he mumbles, then walks slowly toward the elevator, his heart thudding in his chest loudly, picking up speed.

  Tony’s been standing in front of Steve’s door for so long that he’s lost all track of time. His phone in his pocket buzzes with an email alert from whoever, and he startles when he realizes it’s been almost an hour. Not that he’s come to any great ideas in that span of time; his mind is still buzzing.

He takes a deep breath, and for the nth time that night, he raises his fist to the door.

It lands with a small knock, but it feels too loud in Tony’s ears. He regrets it immediately, wants to take it back—wants to shout through the wood: nevermind, I’ll come back next month, it’s okay, let’s just leave it.

The door swings open and Steve doesn’t look surprised to see him. His lips are set in a firm line.

They stand staring at each other for a few moments, and Tony takes a deep breath, readying himself and trusting his mind to make something sensible up.

“Good evening,” Steve says, beating him to it.

“Morning, actually,” Tony says immediately.

At this, a small smile tugs on Steve’s lips. Tony feels a small part of him relax.

Tony uses every ounce of courage left in him to ask, “Can we talk?”

At this, Steve’s mouth settles back into a frown. “What about?”

“I’m not with Bruce,” Tony blurts out, going straight to the point, half fearing that at any moment Steve will close the door.

Steve nods.

Tony has to say that he expected a bit more of a reaction. “Uh,” he says.

Steve nods again to himself, then looks at Tony expectantly, eyebrows raised as if he’s waiting for Tony to say something more.

Oh, Tony thinks.

That.

“Oh,” Tony says. He bites his lip. He feels, all of the sudden and all at once, very, very, scared. “Would you… like to say anything,” Tony says, gesturing around helplessly.

Steve makes a small, disbelieving noise. “Good morning, Tony.” His hand is on the edge of the door and Tony sees it move in slow motion.

“Wait!” Tony screeches.

The door stops, and Steve looks at Tony impassively.

“Did you mean it,” Tony asks, his eyes fixed on the door beside Steve’s face, feeling completely unable to meet Steve’s gaze.

“Of course I meant it,” Steve says, sounding insulted by the insinuation.

Tony’s heart sinks. This, he’s familiar with. The soft rejection. Being let down gently.

“But not anymore, right?”

“What is wrong with you,” Steve hisses. Tony watches as Steve’s grip on the door turns whiteknuckled.

“Lots of things, really,” Tony says, laughing weakly as he says it. He feels off-balance, doesn’t know what to do next. This is all new ground.

Something seems to shift in Steve, and he looks pained.

“Tony,” he croaks. His hand slides off the door, and it swings open wide. “Just tell me what I did wrong,” he says, eyes downcast.

“You didn’t—” Tony starts, on reflex.

Steve reaches out and cuts him off by resting his hand on Tony’s shoulder: “I did,” Steve says. “I know I did.”

Tony scrubs his face. “Do you mind if we sit down?” He feels dead on his feet and he can tell this will be a long conversation. But a small, secret part of him just wants to know, too, if Steve’ll let him into his apartment.

Steve swallows, takes a step back, and Tony shuts the door as he follows Steve inside, something bright warming up inside him now that he’s here.

“Coffee?” Steve asks, as Tony sits on Steve’s couch and tries not to crane his neck and catalog everything inside.

“Yes, please.”

Steve comes back with two steaming mugs and takes a seat on the couch, a safe distance away from Tony.

“So where do we begin,” Tony says, smiling awkwardly.

Steve shrugs. “I have no idea.”

“I should’ve come up with flash cards.”

Steve snorts. “Yeah, maybe.”

They each take a sip of their coffee.

“You know,” Tony says, licking his lips as he bides his time. “I mean—you know. I do, too.”

Steve shakes his head, looking away.

“I wanted you to stay,” Tony barrels on. “I wanted you to stay all the goddamn time, Steve.”

“Why didn’t you say anything, then,” Steve says softly, like he’s afraid to be heard.

But the words fluster Tony, annoy him almost immediately.

“I did say,” Tony snaps. “I said so.”

“What, twice?” Steve says, hackles raising now, too.

“That’s more than you ever said!” Tony says, not caring how defensive he sounds. “And what about all the times you pushed me away?”

“Me?” Steve sneers. “You’re acting as if I’m the only one who tried to hide this, when you could’ve told anyone!”

“And I didn’t! Because you didn’t want to!” Tony’s anger swells up inside him and makes him stand up. “You never wanted anyone to see that we were together!”

“And neither did you!” Steve says accusingly.

Tony opens his mouth to say something, his mind used to the twists and turns of arguments with Steve, but he comes up empty.

He stares down at Steve, whose cheeks are flushed from exertion. Steve lets out a shaky breath, and with that, Tony feels the fight die out of him. Tony sits back down, rests a hand on Steve’s knee—asking for his attention.

He’s going to say something crazy now, but he only feels like he can because of everything else that’s been said. Maybe he’s much more of a coward than he thought. He’s learning a lot of things tonight, and that may be the worst of it.

“I don’t care about anyone knowing,” Tony says, quietly. “I care about you.”

He hears Steve’s breath catch; he’s so attuned to Steve that he can tell these things. But then again, there are other things he couldn’t tell, either, apparently.

“I care about you too, Tony,” Steve says, and at the sound of his name Tony’s heart does a funny thing where it feels like it’s swollen up so quickly it bursts.

“Good,” Tony breathes out, everything feeling made of glass, wildly fragile and impermanent; he needs, he needs to find stable ground. They both do.

He figures, he’s the best one to lead them there.

“How do you feel about trying this again?” he asks. He looks up and meets Steve’s eyes, then turns his palm up, waiting for Steve to complete the movement.

“What would that mean?” Steve asks, eyes flicking down to Tony’s hand then back up to look at Tony.

“I don’t know, Steve,” Tony says, and his palm is feeling awfully chilly now. “Maybe we could try doing this more.”

“Talking,” Steve deadpans.

Tony huffs out a laugh. “Don’t use that tone with me, we obviously didn’t do it enough for us to be here.”

“Fair,” Steve says, looking down at the floor.

Tony bites his lip. He’s about to jokingly say, please? But then Steve threads their fingers together, a small smile on his lips.

Tony’s sigh of relief is audible in the stillness of the room.

“I don’t know what to say,” Steve says. He shuts his eyes tight and blinks.

Tony edges closer so he can rest his hand on Steve’s cheek, turn Steve’s face to his. He slides his hand back to rest on the base of Steve’s skull, pulls him close and touches their foreheads together.

“Say it again,” Tony whispers.

Steve swallows, and Tony tries to imprint in his memory the way Steve’s eyelashes look, downcast against his cheeks, the way Steve bites down on his lower lip.

“I love you,” Steve says, his voice soft and breath warm against Tony’s chin. The words sound new, and Tony revels at how they take space in the world. I love you. The decisiveness of the statement, the unbridled unconditionality of it. How could something so simple be so difficult to extricate from someone? How could three words alleviate such a weight off of Tony’s chest? How is it that the world seems brighter, and warmer, and safer, now that he’s heard it?

It’s Steve. It’s always been Steve.

All this time has just been practice. Maybe now, he can do it right, for once.

“Good,” Tony touches their noses together, breathes. “I love you too.”

###

[queenmuzz]

Deep Blue Sea: Chapter IX

Lost in Translation

Read the full story on Ao3 HERE

You stood there, sweating half to death, as the priest droned on and on about “Mawage and Twoo Wuv” (he had a very noticeable lisp). You were stuffed into a corset that was much too tight, much too revealing, and your arms were itching from the taffeta. It was awkward and tedious, and you'd rather be anywhere else but here.

Fredrick stood in front of you, oblivious to your discomfort, beaming brightly, and for this reason alone you hadn't just picked up your floofy skirt and walked out.

“If anywon has any Owbjections to this union of man an wife, speak now, ow fowevew hold youw peace” The priest spoke out, and a moment of silence passed over the crowd.

In the distance, the sound of what seemed like barking dogs got louder, and louder..but they sounded odd.

arf! Arf! ARF! ARF!

And then the heavy oak church doors burst open, revealing two massive sea lions, their entrance causing the congregation to scatter. Seagulls followed, squawking noisily. It was complete chaos.

In the centre of the storm, being pulled by the two sea lions, was a wagon with a large fish aquarium. It looked as if Cinderella's fairy godmother had drunk a little too much gin and tonic when granting her wish.

There, seated up to his waist in sloshing water, was Vergil, as handsome as ever, lounging back as if he was King of the Ocean, and looking very dapper with his blue bow-tie that matched his scales. On his wrists were matching cuffs, which on any other man, would look like a knock off Chippendale's dancer, but just added to his good looks.

The pinnipeds made their way to the steps leading up to the altar and stopped. Vergil, calmly and with great conviction spoke loud enough for the priest and the wedding party to hear.

“I object”

“Now listen here,” Fredrick's father, red with fury attempted to say something, but Vergil shot him a glare that could have cut diamonds. The man turned pale, and stepped back, hiding behind his wife. (she was wearing a garish fox stole over a white dress)

Vergil's glare vanished when he saw your face, “Please, my love.... will you choose me instead?”

You needed no other persuasion, as you launched yourself at the man, for a passionate kiss. Vaguely, you could hear your mother shriek “THE DRESS!” but you couldn't care less as you leapt into the tank with him, and with a sound that reminded you of a dolphin click, Vergil commanded the lumbering beasts to turn around and pull the wagon out of the church, leaving the congregation flummoxed at what just happened.

You, on the other hand, were the happiest woman alive......

*****

You awoke, your eyes wide in the early morning darkness.  You could still feel the pressure/pain of the corset squeezing your ribs, despite the fact you were wearing dry, loose fluffy pj’s.  The sickening sweet smell of lilacs still lingered in your nose. It had been so realistic...but it had all been a dream.

So, why did you feel so disappointed?   That the wedding was still going ahead as planned? Or…

You looked over to the surface of the water, almost as smooth as glass, reflecting the dawn sky, purples, pinks and oranges giving the water the appearance of being made of flame.  And at the edge of the inferno, his head resting in crossed arms on the platform, was Vergil, softly dozing. He must have been asleep for some time, as his hair was dry and swept back, aside from a few unruly strands that fell over his face in defiance.  His face looked calm, almost peaceful, and you idly wondered if that was how he truly was in the wild. The more you admired this side of him, the more you…

Oh

Oh no…

You loved him.

The realization hit you like a tidal wave, threatening to pull you down into an endless vortex of emotions, both good and bad.

With Fredrick, you felt like you were separated emotionally by a pane of thick glass that could never be shattered.  He’d listen to your problems, but everything was just a credit card swipe, or a written check away from being solved in his mind.  He respected you as a person, but as a partner? Never.

Contrast this to Vergil, who while most of the time, was literally separated from you by a pane of glass, had gotten closer to you than anyone ever had.  You’d laughed with him, discussed human and merfolk culture, tried foods, and built up a closer bond with him, closer than only a few other people including Fredrick .  And now, you were growing feelings for him.

Which led to the turmoil.  You knew there were several roadblocks to your feelings.  First was the fact that you were human, and he was a merman.  Despite the fairy tails, something like him turning into a human was an impossibility (and the fact there was no way in hell Vergil would ever want to).

And you were certain that he would never reciprocate your feelings.  He might be cordial, even friendly with you, but the fact was: he was your prisoner.  Anything he would feel would be tainted by the fact that he could never escape, despite him denying your requests to free him every morning.  (You still didn’t know why he said no, but you remember Doctor Griffon had something called a ‘leash’, did it have anything to do with that?)

This wasn’t right.  You shouldn’t feel this way.  You were practically a married woman, only a month and a half to go.  Fredrick would be home soon, and the final preparations were already in progress.  You couldn’t hurt your fiance like this, you couldn’t hurt yourself, and you certainly couldn’t hurt Vergil.

So, you made up your mind, you needed to set him free.  But if he kept saying no…. Well, you’d find a way to convince him, or find a way to get him home.  That way, he’d be happy and free.

Even if it broke your heart….

A slight splash took you out of your morose thoughts to see the still sleepy, yet piercing grey eyes watching you curiously.  His head was cocked to the side, and for a brief moment you panicked, terrified that mind reading was another merfolk ability.  But you needn't have worried, as he gave you a small smile.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked, and you faked a smile, masking everything you felt at the moment.

“Never better” It wasn’t a lie.   Even after the emotional rollercoaster you had been on yesterday, and the most awkward dream (you were pretty sure merfolk couldn’t command sea life), you felt more refreshed than you had in months.  You looked up at the skylight, still flooding the room with burnished bronze.

“I don’t usually wake up at the crack of dawn, it feels weird,” you stretched and yawned.  You got up to make some breakfast, (bacon did sound delish right now), but his hand gripped your forearm, causing you to freeze.  Oh god, merely his touch, which once had been easily brushed off, now had the ability to stop you dead in your tracks.

“I... “ he asked, attempting to put words into a sentence, “I haven’t seen the Dawnfather rise in a very long time, not since my capture,”  your chest caved in at that realization. He’d spent most likely a year or more trapped indoors, and the fact that he hadn’t gone insane was a miracle in itself.  A lightbulb went off in your head. Perhaps, even if he declined your offer of freedom, there might be a way.

“Hey Vergil,” you asked hesitatingly, unsure if he'd get offended, “I have an idea…. I, uh… how averse you are to be being carried?”

******

A few minutes later, you and him were sitting on your back patio, with him wrapped in a wet towel.  Surprisingly, despite his size he wasn’t too heavy to lift, and other than him being a bit slippery, you’d managed to carry him as if he was a fishy bride out of the house, and into the fresh air.  All nervousness you had about him being insulted at being carried around like a prized tuna vanished as he let the first rays of sun hit his face. His eyes closed, his breathing stopped to nearly nothing, and for a moment, you’d thought he’d fallen asleep, but then… he smiled. It was soft, gentle, and absolutely genuine.

“It has been far too long,” he murmured.  To himself, or you, you had no idea. It just made you feel so happy to see him look so content.  You let him sit in the late dawn light in silence for a few minutes, just soaking in the natural light and air, fearing that reminding him of your presence would shatter the moment of calm.  While he’d smiled at you before, this was unlike anything he’d done before. Was he like this in real life, out of captivity? Or was it just the reaction to being outside his little prison for once?  

“I… I can bring you out more often, now that the weather is much better,” you stammered, “Or if you’d like I could just let you go back home…” the sentence hung in the air, lingering for a moment, before being blown away.

“While I appreciate the offer, I must still decline,” his smile did not abate as he looked at you, but there was something different about it, some sort of sadness?  What was he hiding?

A robin chirped and landed a few metres away from the patio, pecking at the dewy soil, before breaking out into a song, as it’s mate came down to join it.  Vergil watched in fascination as the two of them hopped and sang to each other, in a cute ritual of courtship.  

“Do all birds do this?” he queried, “we do not see them very often on the open ocean, they’re usually either feeding or en route to a new location.  Their cries are not as musical, or perhaps they do not sing while on the wing.”

“Not all, some use their plumage to attract their mate, some do dances, some sing, and some do all three” you explained, watching as the birds flew off in tandem, before disappearing into the branches of a nearby spruce tree.  You closed your eyes, enjoying the first rays of sun, and listened to the distant chirping and song. For once, there was no wedding preparation, no business deals, just you, nature….and your feelings for the man beside you. You attempted to shove those intrusive thoughts back into the deep recesses of your mind, including the latter.  ESPECIALLY the latter.

A beautiful melodious sound seeped into your ears, one that confused you.  No bird that you knew of had that crystal clear tenor song. Perhaps you were just imagining it?  You slowly opened your eyes, worried that it would be carried away like a dream upon waking. In the clear sunlight you saw what it was coming from, and you were entranced.  Not a bird, nor the wind, nor a tune coming from your cell phone.

It was Vergil. Singing.

Isil shem’ore

Isil lin’ore

Mira pharar, mira ofar, mira kanar,

D’rashana karif’ore

Isil dilshonin sa oplalim

Sa kintal o sa polim

Sa racarto shipal o sa whelik

Nekalin parand’ore fa pishim

Ah, mira sifa, mira sifa

Winik fa pishim lin’more.

His eyes remained closed as he finished the haunting melody, leaving everything else seeming muted and drab in comparison.  You let the silence linger for a few moments, hoping against hope that perhaps he would go into another verse. And also because you had to take a minute to keep the tears from flowing.  You didn’t want to give him the wrong opinion of why you were crying.

“That was…. beautiful,” you slowly spoke, just above a whisper, as you quickly wiped your eyes.  Vergil smiled at you, just like he had when he had taken his first breath of fresh air, and you felt yourself heat up, and you hoped it was because of the intensifying sunbeams.  “That was Old Mer, right? Do you mind giving me a rough translation of it?”

He cocked his head and averted his eyes, and for a brief moment you thought you had overstepped your bounds.  “It’s… an ode to the rising of the Dawnfather, a celebratory song.” “You know,” you joked, “we have legends of the alluring sound of merfolk, whose entrancing songs would lure ships to their doom.  I guess there’s a kernel of truth in that.”

“Well, we never wished to draw attention to ourselves” he explained, “but when you humans are spending multiple cycles alone on your ships, I suppose any source of singing could be considered captivating”

You laughed of the mental image of some poor godforsaken sailors being lured in by a bunch of mermen singing the equivalent of a raunchy ballad. “Well, it’s absolutely gorgeous, would you mind singing it again?  I mean,” catching yourself, “if it isn’t against your customs or anything.”

He chuckled, and closed his eyes, and with that, began singing again, just as beautiful as before.  The only thing that worried you was that he was turning a bit red. You hoped that his stay indoors for such a long time wouldn’t cause him to sunburn.

******

So, for the next few weeks, you’d added a new habit to your morning routine.  You’d wake up earlier every morning, wrap him up in a wet towel and carry him to the back patio to soak up the sunshine.  Occasionally, you’d cook up some breakfast to bring out to him, sometimes you’d just sit out and enjoy the mid spring air.  And every so often, he’d start singing. Sometimes that song, sometimes others, but they were all beautiful. You really liked those times.  You tried to bottle those feelings you had for him, but you couldn’t help it, his smile and singing would reel you back into admiring him.

But not today.  You awoke to a deafening bang, and as you sluggishly panicked for a few moments, thinking an accident happened, before a flash of light from outside made you realize there was no issue, it was merely a thunderstorm.

You padded out, cheap instant coffee in a mug (despite your father’s insistence that you could afford better, your fellow college students had introduced you to your addiction) to the platform to see Vergil already primed and ready to go outside.  There was electricity in the air, and not from the storm.

“Sorry, looks like the weather’s not great for our usual get together.” you apologized, but his eyes seemed different, eager.

“I don’t mind storms, in fact, I enjoy them very much” he replied, “If you are not against the idea, I would like to experience it first hand.”

So, you sat there, soaked to the skin within a few minutes as the rain poured down.  You didn’t mind, especially when you saw the look on his face as the rain and wind hit him.  With the sun, he had seemed the very picture of contentment. But with the storm, he looked practically ecstatic.  There would be no singing today, especially with the howling of the wind and the roaring of the thunder drowning out everything, but you were willing to put your selfish desires away to watch him truly enjoy himself.

“It’s nice to have someone to enjoy the storm with,” you spoke, “my mother was always terrified of the things, father was always too busy, and my friends thought I was crazy to go outside during times like this.”

“I have always enjoyed storms, the sharp divide between the calm of the ocean, and the chaos when one breaks through the surface”  he responded, a nostalgic smile on his face, “my brother and I would enjoy these times as finlings, seeing who could stay above the surface the longest before being swamped by waves.”

“Your brother?”  you stiffened at the revelation.  In all the months you’d known Vergil, he’d never divulged anything about his family.  You’d never asked, letting him have as much privacy as you could give him, but you’d always wondered.  If there were family members, perhaps you could contact them, to find a way to free him safely.

“Yes,” his smile faded, “had you told me that I would miss his annoying presence, I would have said you had been playing with the pufferfish for far too long.  But now…”

“You had a falling out?” you probed gently.

“I suppose that would be putting it lightly,” he grimly explained, “you would have liked him, he was much more friendly with humanity than I ever was, even after….”

“Vergil, you don’t have to tell me anything, if you don’t feel comfortable,” you slowly told him, even though you were dying to know about this mysterious family member.

“No,” he replied firmly, his eyes going as hard as the driving rain, “you deserve to know this, after all this time,” and despite being soaked to the bone, and beginning to feel a chill, you focused intently on him.

“I resided with my brother, and my mother and father, most of the time to the north, where there were once innumerable fish.  A few seasons ago,” he paused, refusing to face you, “a ship with one of those infernal nets that scoured the bottom of the ocean passed through, and despite my parents best efforts to evade it, they both got caught up in it.” he took another deep breath, and you held yours. “By the time my brother and I were able to cut through the ropes, it was too late, both were suffocated by the mass of fish that crushed them.” His hand went out and began to draw on the sole dry part of the wood, sheltered by the awning.  “The ship had an unusual design on its hull, instead of the figure of the merfolk in better times, it was three marks…” he drew them out with his wet finger, three circles, one for each corner of a triangle, a jagged line connecting them. Your heart sank. The official logo of Mundus Inc.   “I was furious, I would have sworn to wipe out every damn ship off the surface of the ocean at that very moment.  But,” he pulled up his fins, hugging them close, “I knew that was impossible, so I decided to destroy every ship that carried that cursed mark.  My brother, Dante, soft hearted as he always was, told me that going on a rampage ‘wouldn’t bring mom and dad back’ as he said, but my anger clouded my judgement, so when he attempted to stop me, we fought.  It was a vicious battle, but in the end, I was victorious.”

“You didn’t...” you asked, horrified.

“No, I did not kill him, I’d already lost my parents, I was not going to destroy my last blood relation. We merely went our separate ways.  Although,” he sighed as the wind and rain began to wind down, “perhaps it would have been better had I lost to him, captivity can be rather humiliating,” he turned to you, his smile returning, “at least it hasn’t been as bad as I had feared.  I met you, after all.”

You flushed at his compliment, and you hoped he didn’t notice.  His disdain for your father, and humanity in general now made perfect sense.  Guilt by association flooded you. The fact he even tolerated you was more than you deserved for what the company you were about to take over had done.  And now to add insult to injury, he was being kept prisoner by the killer of his parents. How he had restrained himself from strangling you these past few months was nothing short of amazing.  The leash….. Perhaps that was the key to it all.  

You shivered, partially out of the thought of how he must have hated you, and partially at how chilly you felt, now that the storm was over.

“Are you cold, Sifa? ” his voice intruded into your despondent thoughts.  You looked up, to see him watching you in what seemed to be concern.

“A little…” you admitted, before the thought of what he said, “Sifa? What does that mean?”

Vergil was taken aback, as if he didn’t realize he spoke the word, before cautiously answering, “It’s an old mer term… it means, ‘human’.  Not in a derogatory term though,” he clarified as you picked him up to bring him back into the warmth of your home, “more of a nickname. You do not mind…?”

“I like it!  It sounds so beautiful!” you exclaimed.  Vergil’s reaction seemed to be one of relief, which was odd.

You came back, dressed in dry clothes, and with some time to think.  Perhaps, there was a way to get Vergil to the freedom that he so desperately craved.

Toweling your hair as Vergil scarfed down a plateful of sardines, you ventured, “Vergil, do you think your brother would want to know how you’re doing?”  

He froze, brows furrowed as he thought hard about it.  “He is fairly easy going, slow to anger, and quick to forgive,” he chuckled mirthlessly “a bit too quickly in my opinion.”

He seemed amenable to the idea of reconciling with his brother, so maybe… “If there was a way to contact him, to let him know you’re still okay, how would I be able to give him the message?”

There was an agonizing period of silence, before Vergil slowly reached for the amulet that was around his neck.  To your astonishment, he took it off and handed it to you, like it was the most precious thing to him.  

“This was a gift from our parents, I was given one, and Dante the other.  It was a way for us, being twins to ‘sense’ each other’s presence. Taking this to the ocean should alert him to me, and if he is amenable to a reconciliation, he will come.”  He looked at you, his gaze hard and fixed. “This information is not to be revealed to anyone aside from him.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Vergil, I’m honoured that you trust me enough with this”  and he softened, smiling at you, “I swear to you,” you firmly proclaimed “I’ll keep this secret safe.”

*****

It was the third day you had taken out your personal sailboat out into the bay. The fates could not have aligned better.  The weather was perfect for sailing, the last of the wedding preparations had been completed, and your father was still out on business, leaving you with days of free time.  And due to it being mid week, any nosy pleasurecraft were nowhere to be seen.  

Well, it would have been perfect, if the guest of honour had shown up.  Three days you’d been sailing, looking like Captain Ahab searching for your Moby Dick, except he hadn’t appeared.  You’d spend all morning, docking around noon for a quick lunch and a phone call to Fredrick (He was planning to come home with your father, but business would keep him in Japan until the very last moment, much to your dismay), before heading back out, sailing far enough from the shore to give you some privacy, but close enough to the shallows so that it was safe for your small vessel.

Each day ended the same, with you coming home, looking at Vergil despondantly, shaking your head and handing back the amulet for him to keep for the night.   Your failure seemed to affect him as well, and you could have sworn his tail was losing its newly regained lustre. But he would always seem to be hopeful when he handed it back to you the next morning.

So, this afternoon was no different as you fingered the precious gem around your neck.  It felt wrong to wear it like that, but he had assured you that he didn’t mind, and besides, it would be less likely to get lost.

The only difference was that instead of eating a sandwich, or a smoothie, you had treated yourself, and bought yourself a pizza.  So you sailed around the cove, humming the tune that Vergil had sung for you, attempting to take your mind off the fact that you’d seen neither fin nor gill of his brother.  Part of you worried that perhaps this Dante wasn’t as forgiving as Vergil had said he was, or worse, he’d been captured as well....

PHUNK!

You lurched forward, nearly face first into the wheel, as the boat lurched to a stop.  You picked yourself up, attempting to figure out what went wrong. You hadn’t hit anything, as the sudden stop didn’t feel like something blocking the boat, more like something pulling it.  You quickly checked your anchor, assuming that perhaps in your worry, you were unaware that you had set the anchor by accident. But nope, the metal contraption still lay on the stern deck, the chain only mildly disturbed from the sudden stop.

Perhaps kelp?  You closed the box of pizza, before grabbing your jackknife to cut whatever obstruction was holding your boat back.  Heading to the stern, you crouched down to see what the hell was going on. You’d passed this area before, and never had any issues, and yup, even in this shallow water, you couldn’t see much vegetation, let alone anything that could snag your boat.  Taking a deep breath, you plunged your head into the water to get a better look.

Of all the things you were expecting, a pair of eyes, white hair, and brilliant red scales wasn’t what that.  You stared shocked for a few seconds, a few dumbfounded bubbles blurping out of your mouth, before the man’s (who aside from fin colour, looked like a carbon copy of Vergil) hands reached out, and with a vise like grip on your shoulders, yanked you clear off the deck.

You panicked at the sudden submergment and began flailing wildly, but his hands never loosened.

All you could hear, over the stream of terrified bubbles that contained your screams, was a voice echoing through your skull.

Where the Hell is my brother?

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

Home At Last

Pairing: Bucky X Reader

Summary: Bucky is pretty indifferent about his birthday, especially after everything that’s happened. But as the day wears on he realizes something incredibly important. 

Warnings: FLUFF FEELS

A/N: Look, it’s Bucky’s birthday and Stay isn’t ready (because again Truth sucked away like 90% of my writing energy this week) so I just kind of coughed up this quick little one-shot.  

This is me imagining Endgame and whatever horrible things that happen there have already happened. We lost Steve. And yeah... 

Tags are open!

The morning light hits Bucky in the face and he groans, rolling over hoping to find you. When his arms feel nothing but an empty bed his heart thunders in his ribs, fear rolls in his stomach.

His eyes shoot open, “Y/N?” He calls out into the empty apartment you share and get back nothing but silence for a minute.

“Good morning Sargent Barnes,” Friday chimes. “Miss Y/N wanted me to inform you that something came up and she had to go into work. She won’t be gone long.”

“Everything alright?” He’s sure that if it was something truly bad you would have woken him…

“I believe so. Just something that needed her attention in the lab.”

“Thanks, Friday.” Sighing he slumps out of bed. He knew he’d been pretty adamant about not making a fuss about his birthday… Past 100 what was the point? But… he had at least hoped he could spend the morning in bed with you.

The coffee pot gurgles from the kitchen and a smile rises to his face. He pads out in his boxers and picks up the handwritten note by the pot:

“Happy Birthday Love! I’m so sorry I had to go in but I promise I’ll make it up to you. I got this roast special for your birthday, hope you like it. Tell Friday when you’re ready for breakfast and it’ll be delivered. Love you, love you, love you. -Y/N”

He presses his lips to the mark your trademark burgundy lipstick left by your signature before pouring himself a cup of his special birthday coffee. It was absolutely amazing, not that he expected anything less. Something almost chocolatey and smokey about it.

Sighing he turns and looks out of the windows. The view from the Dumbo high rise of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan beyond was stunning. While this was home, here with you, it didn’t feel like his Brooklyn… something twists a bit in his chest.

With no other plans and no solid idea of when you’d be back, he decides to skip breakfast and go out for a walk. The two of you hadn’t been here long, just about six months. A lot of that time had been spent getting things set up in the apartment, settling into a life together, and of course work. A lot of work. In fact, the two of you had moved here to try and have time away from being Avengers… though that hadn’t really worked. Regardless there hadn’t been much time for exploration.

It’s a cold day, hovering in the 40s. His birthday was almost always cold. There was a time he liked that, the cool before the heavy humid spring set in. Now though the cold was a reminder of darker times.

True, he came out here to remember old times, but not those ones. He pushes that away and shoves his hands in his pockets, thankful that the Wakandan vibranium of his new left arm was less sensitive to the cold. 

Today, of all days, he wants to find things that remind him of who he once was here, in this city, on these streets. He wants to find something to remind him that 102 years ago today there was a boy born here, a regular Irish boy named James Buchanan Barnes. A boy who liked to sing, and dance, and maybe get into a scuffle every now and then.

No one notices him on the street. No side eyes, no screams of terror as the Winter Soldier gets on the train. Right now he’s just another person. He’s no one. And fuck if it doesn’t feel amazing.

A little farther south, that’s where he’ll find his Brooklyn. He gets off at the Ave. M station and after five minutes he already feels like he’s home. Nothing is quite as polished at the Dumbo area he lives in with you, some of the buildings look as they did all those decades ago.

He spends the next several hours just wandering. Remembering businesses that used to be here, homes of friends, places he’d go dancing… He stops in a random deli for lunch. It feels familiar... Brooklyn here feels so much like him he thinks. The same but changed, parts missing, parts replaced, but the bones are still here. Something about this realization comforts him in a way he hasn’t felt in a very long time. Especially not since Steve…

It’s around five when he finds himself back in front of your building. He still hasn’t heard from you, whatever was happening in the lab must be more involved than you’d anticipated. As soon as he switches his denim to sweats you text him:

“Hey, babe. I know this sucks and it’s your birthday but can you come to the compound, there’s something we could really use your help with. Promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Yes, he wants to see you, in fact, he’s already missing you... Still, he doesn’t really want to go to the compound, not today… Unable and unwilling to deny just about any request you make of him though he changes and heads out.

The compound seems fairly quiet as his bike grumbles to a halt. He parks it and takes in a lungful of crisp air before heading in for whatever awaits.

“Sargent Barnes,” Friday pipes up as soon as he’s inside, “Miss Y/N is in the common area.”

“Thanks.” He’s happy you’re taking a break. You have a bad habit of working until you’re falling over, and Stark is no better. For a second he stands listening… everyone must be in the common room, he’s certain that was Natasha’s laugh.

He makes his way to the common space, rounds the corner and freezes, dumbfounded. The whole area is rearranged, lighting soft, the back doors flung open to the large deck where a brass band is set up. As soon as they see him the music kicks up… music he knows so very well.

“Hey, Sarge.” You purr from behind him, arms curling around his waist. He turns and his jaw drops. You look like a dame straight from his dreams. Or at least his old dreams. Hair coifed in curls, red lips, your satin dress fitted to the waist before flaring out, the scoop neckline showing off your collarbones, pearls hanging around your neck.

Your head falls back in a laugh. “You gonna be ok babe?”

He huffs a small laugh himself, “Yeah… yeah, I just… wow.”

“You said you missed how dances used to be when we were watching For Me and My Gal so I thought why not bring it to you. Do you-” He cuts you off by pulling you to him kissing you hard.

“God damn I love you,” he stares into your eyes, beaming.

“I love you too, Bucky.” You tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear and peck the tip of his nose.

“Man you look like a slob,” Sam bellows as he strides over to the two of you in a perfectly dapper 40’s suit.

“No one told me there was a party.”

Sam clasps a hand on his shoulder, “It’s your birthday man. Of course, there was gonna be a party. Come on, can’t have you lookin’ like this. It’s shameful.”

Bucky kisses you once more and lets Sam drag him off. When he looks in the mirror it takes him a second to get it together. Sure, he’s got some grey in his beard that wasn’t there before, a few more crinkles by his eyes but… he looks like himself. Like a version of him before someone put a gun in his hands.

“You clean up good.” Sam elbows him. “Now. Let’s get you back out there. You got someone waiting for a dance.”

When he walks back out and is met with cheers of birthday wishes and hellos it hits him that despite all the loss, and pain, and trauma… he’s happy. While he wishes Steve was here with all his heart he knows that this is his gift to him, these people… this odd family of friends… For the first time in a long time, Bucky Barnes is home, truly home.

It’s the best birthday gift he’s ever gotten.

@mywinterwolf @disagreetoagree @breezy1415 @peachthatdrinkslemonade @wonderlandmind4 @piensa-bonito @buckysstar @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @siriuslycloudy2 @handplucked @jewelofwinter

[video-killed-the-radio-host]

Heartbeats on the Airwaves chapter 9

Well this ended up being longer than I planned. Oops.

@acealex-blueiguana

@mrtacothethird

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After Kevin was stitched up and checked over, he was sent home to rest. Cecil sits in the waiting room waiting for Carlos to come out so they can leave. He wraps his arms around himself, Kevin’s words running through his head. He started down at his returned ring. He didn’t look up when he heard footsteps. He doesn’t look up when he felt someone sit down beside him.

“Hey.” Carlos says softly. “You okay?”

“No. Cecil answers honestly. “I feel dirty.”

“Cecil, he did it to protect you.”

“He shouldn’t have had to!”

“If he hadn’t, you might be dead right now.” Carlos whispers.

Cecil looks away. “I know.” He looks back. “I’m scared. What if he comes after me? Or worse. Goes after you?”

“I’ll kick his ass before I ever let him touch you again. I don’t care if I lose my license.”

“Carlos no. Its not worth it. You’ve worked so hard to be where you are today, and I don’t want to ruin that….”

“Cecil, you are worth loosing everything. I don’t care what it takes to keep you safe. Because I love you.”

“But- “

Carlos leans over and presses a kiss to Cecil’s lips. “You are.”

Cecil sighs a little, knowing that arguing with the other was pointless on this subject. “I love you too.”

“Come on. Let’s get you home. It’s been a long night.”

Cecil just gives a quiet nod and stands, holding out his hand. Carlos takes it and stands, pulling Cecil close and kissing him gently. “We will get through this. Me and you.”

“I hope you’re right.” Cecil nuzzles into the crook of Carlos’ neck. He closes his eyes and exhales softly.

“I am right. You’ll see.”

“Could you maybe stop being cocky and just take me home?”

Carlos laughs softly and nods. “Let’s go.” He steps back and takes Cecil’s hand, leading him out the door.

The drive home was spent in a comfortable silence. Carlos’ hand rested on Cecil’s knee, rubbing back and forth with his thumb. The warmth and motion were comforting. Cecil let the tension fall from his body and leans back, closing his eyes.

“Carlos?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t tell you enough how much I love you.” Cecil opens his eyes and looks over at his fiancé. “I love you more than anything.”

Carlos glances over. “I love you too. You are the light of my life. My moon. My sun.” He squeezes his hand a little, making Cecil blush. “What brought this on, may I ask?”

“Listening to Kevin earlier……It made me realize that we have no idea what could happen. We can lose everything in a split second. I want you to know how much I love you. In case something happens to me.” Cecil rubs the back of his neck with one hand. “I want you to know that I love you more than anything. You are amazing. Never forget that.”

Carlos pulls into the driveway and turns off the car before answering. He unbuckles and turns in his seat, facing the other man. “Look at me.” He says gently.

Cecil keeps his eyes glued to his hands, folded in his lap. His eyes dart up in surprise when Carlos hooks two fingers under his chin and tilt his face up.

“Look at me.” He says once again.

Cecil licks his lips and nods a little.

“Cecil, you are more important than anyone on this planet to me. I will go to hell and back to protect you. I would swim a million miles for a glance of your face. I would climb the highest mountain just to hear your voice. Hell, I’d spend ten years in a desert otherworld if it meant I could come home to you.”

Cecil opens his mouth to protest but Carlos put a finger to his lips.

“I’m not done.”

Cecil closes his mouth and Carlos smiles. “I would lay down my life, give up my medical license, walk across broken glass and hot nails barefoot for you. Your safety and happiness are the most important thing to me. You are my whole world. I love you, Mi Alma, Mi Vida, Mi Corazon.”

Carlos moves his finger and presses a kiss to Cecil’s lips. “You are the center of my universe. Never forget that.”

Cecil leans back over for one last kiss. “I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll take it.” Carlos smiles softly. He pulls opens his door. “Let’s get you inside. I know you haven’t eaten yet.”

Cecil follows in suit with a snort. “You’re one to talk, doctor man.”

“Hey. Do as I say and not as I do. That’s our motto at work.”

“If I have to take care of myself, so do you.”

Carlos huffs a little. “Fine. But only cause it’s you.”

“Damn straight.” Cecil nods, taking Carlos’ hand and starting up the walk. Carlos trailed behind him and pulls away long enough to unlock the door.

“Come on. I’ll make you dinner.”

“Nothing big. I don’t really have an appetite.” Cecil says, slipping his shoes off near the door.

“It’s been a long day. You need a good meal.”

“I’m tired.”

“I need you to eat Ceec. Please?”

Cecil quietly follows Carlos to the kitchen. He sits on a bar stool and watches Carlos move around the kitchen, humming to himself. “Tell me about your day?” He asks.

“Well, some interns got in a fist fight. An attending got caught sleeping with a patient. Drama, drama, drama. But I was about to cut out a huge tumor.” Carlos waves his knife a little as he talked, making Cecil chuckle. “It was the size of my fist! But The guy is fine. Really nice guy. Teaches music at the college.”

Cecil slips off the stool and rounds the counter, wrapping his arms around Carlos’ waist and resting his chin on the shorter man’s shoulder. “Mm.”

“It took almost seven hours.”

“It baffles me that you and keep yourself concentrated for that long.”

“Not all of us get distracted by shiny objects.” Carlos teases.

Cecil nips at him. “Not all of us can stab people to life either.”

Carlos turns his head a little. “You are not allowed near knives any more if you keep talking like that.”

“It is essentially what you do, is it not?”

Carlos sighs, then holds up a fork. “Open.”

Cecil obeys, closing his eyes. His lips close around the fork and he hums in satisfaction. “Chicken…garlic…. lemon grass?” He guesses, opening his eyes.

“You forgot thyme.” Carlos says. “But three out of four is pretty good.”

“Oh no! Look at the thyme!” Cecil cackles loudly.

Carlos just rolls his eyes and hands him a plate of chicken and carrots. “Eat.”

Cecil takes the plate and sits back down on the bar stool. “You have to eat too.”

“I am, I am.” Carlos joined him, leaning against the counter across from where Cecil sat. “See?”

Cecil kept his eyes clued to Carlos’ face until he started to eat, before smiling and starting to eat himself. The meal is shared in the same comfortable silence from the car. It was a moment of understanding. Of love and healing. Cecil finishes first. He was hungrier than he originally thought. He pushes the plate aside and watches Carlos eat, not even annoyed at how loud his chewing was. It didn’t matter. Not in this moment. Possibly not at all.

+

Two weeks later

+

Cecil blinks awake when Carlos presses a kiss to his forehead.

“Mm... What time is it?” He asked, sitting up and reaching for his glasses.

“It’s eight thirty. You need to get up or you’ll be late. You don’t want to deal with Lauren lecturing you again, do you?” Carlos teases.

Cecil makes a face. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“Well, sooner you get there, sooner you can get home. We have a date tonight.”

Cecil’s face lights up. “Happy Anniversary.”

“And to you. Now get dressed. I’ll drop you off.”

Cecil half rolls off the bed, falling into the floor before heading to the closet. He pulls down the purple dress shirt that Carlos called the purple shirt of sex. He digs out a cream-colored tie and carries them plus a pair of slacks to the bed. He shrugs out of his sleep clothes and gets dressed, forgoing the vest today. The door opens as he drapes the tie around his neck. Carlos crosses the room and comes to a stop in front of him.

“Let me.” He says.

Cecil drops his hands and tilts his head back. Carlos works quickly, tying the tie perfectly. Cecil looks back down at Carlos, his lips slightly parted. Taking the silent cue, Carlos pulls him close by the tie and kisses him deeply.

“We have to go.” Cecil murmurs.

Carlos gives a soft whine but nods, pulling away. “If we must.”

Carlos nods and heads for the door, stopping only to grab his bag. The coffee shop wasn’t far, so Carlos drops him there, apologizing that he couldn’t come in. Cecil just gives him a kiss and tells him it’s alright.

“I’ll see you tonight.” He says, climbing out.

“I love you.”

“Love you too. Go help some people today.”

Cecil strolls into the station with an easy smile. He looks around but sees no Lauren, which is always a plus. He does however, spot Dana near the coffee machine and makes his way over.

“Oh, someone looks dapper.” She teases.

“I have a date tonight.” Cecil blushes a little.

“Like a date date or a date?” She asked with a mischievous smirk.

“Dana!” He smacks her arm.

“Oh!” She laughs. “I knew it!”

Before Cecil could answer, the happy atmosphere was sucked from the room with the sharp click of heels. Cecil groans into his coffee and downs it before turning around. He now stood face to face with the person everyone in the station hoped to avoid. Well, not quite face to face, due to Cecil being half a foot taller.

“Ms. Mallard. How may I help you?”

“Bank robbery on fifth. Go cover it.”

Cecil bites back a retort and just nods.

“Oh, and Cecil? Try not to get shot this time. The paperwork is dreadful.”

Cecil could feel Dana boiling behind him and reaches back to put a hand on her arm. This woman isn’t worth it. Cecil held eye contact as he fights back the urge to smack this woman. Lauren just gives a dark smile and walks away. “Take a crew with you!” She calls over her shoulder.

Cecil lets Dana go and takes a deep breath. Dana is still fuming beside him.

“God, I hate that woman.”

“I know Dana.”

“I wish she’d die in a ditch.”

“I know Dana.”

“I am going to do something about it!”

“Dana no.” Cecil looks at her. “Because you don’t know what she’ll do to you. And you’re the only one here that I feel safe around. Plus, you can’t be my best man if you’re in jail.”

“You are lucky I love you Palmer.”

“I know Dana.” Cecil chuckles and hugs her. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Hey Mendez!” Rochelle calls from across the attendings lounge. Carlos looks up from the chart he was reading.

“What’s up?”

“Your boyfriend’s on TV!”

Carlos joins her, looking up at the mounted TV.

“There appear to be three hostages inside, but no children. The robbers are armed and very dangerous-”

“God damnit Lauren!” Carlos yells at the screen as Cecil keeps reporting. The news cuts to a woman that Carlos recognized as Dana, Cecil’s best friend.

“That is the report given an hour ago. Cecil Palmer has now been taken hostage, in exchange for the other hostages. He will only be realized when the demands are met. There is a bomb planted inside. The bomb squad is on its way. We will keep you updated as the situation unfolds.”

Carlos’ blood ran cold. Then he saw red. This was her fault.

“Carlos, where are you going?”

Carlos faces her. “Think about it. Cecil was in danger of dying exactly a year apart because of his idiot boss. I’m going to confront her.”

“Carlos, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t. I’m just going to have a talk. Page me if I’m needed.”

And with that, he was out the door.

Carlos finds Lauren sitting in the main room of the station, watching the newscast.

“Lauren.” He says coldly. “We need to talk.”

She turns. “Ah! Mr. Mendez! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Dr. Mendez.” Carlos corrects. “And you need to stop sending Cecil to risk his life.”

“He’s a reporter. He’s doing his job.” She says, with an eerie grin.

“You’re trying to get him killed!”

“If he gets killed in the line of duty, oh well.” She shrugs.

Carlos fought the urge to strangle her right then. She wasn’t worth losing his license over. A loud noise draws Carlos’ attention to the TV. His stomach dropped and his heart nearly stopped. The bank had exploded. Lauren’s face was blank, unreadable. Carlos growls and runs down, pulling his phone to call Rochelle.

Cecil wakes yet again, in the hospital. He had a weird sense of deja vu, but at least this time he didn't get shot. He was cold and hot at the same time. His arms were tingly.

“Carlos? “He asked, his voice rough, his throat burning. It was likely damaged due to the explosion.

“I’m here.” Carlos stands and takes his hand.

“I hope this isn’t a yearly thing.” Cecil muses, closing his eyes. A dark bruise was prominent against the tall man’s pale face. “Please don’t smack me this time. I’m not dying.” He smiles a little.

Carlos huffs a laugh. “I’m glad. I couldn’t live without you.” He presses a gently kiss to Cecil’s lips.

+

Lauren crosses her legs as she answered her phone, a scowl on her face.

“You failed. Again. How hard is it to kill one man?” She scoffs. She listens to the excuses starting to come but cuts them off. “Fine. I’ll do it myself.”

She hangs up and leaves the building, hailing a cab.

“Where to, ma’am?”

“Mercy Eastern Hospital, please.” Lauren answers, her jaw clenched, yet determined.

+

Carlos hadn’t left Cecil’s bedside since he woke up. Cecil wasn’t complaining but the man looked exhausted. He carefully slid over and pats the bed.

“Lay with me?”

He knew there was no way he could convince Carlos to go sleep so maybe this would help.

Carlos quirked a smile. “Is this you trying to trick me into sleeping?”

“Maybe. But I want to be close to you. I almost died today and that means I deserve cuddles.”

Carlos gives a huff of mock annoyance but smiles and climbs into the bed next to him. Cecil immediately folds around him, best he could. He lays his head on Carlos’ chest and looks up.

“I can feel you thinking. What's on your mind?” He asks softly.

Carlos reaches down and entwines their fingers. “Ever since you got shot, I'm always worrying about you.” He pauses and kisses Cecil's knuckle. “And I know that in your line of work, you get sent all kinds of places, but it kills me that I can't protect you.”

Cecil opens his mouth to protest but Carlos goes on.

“But when I see you reporting, I see how happy you are. You have a……. glow about you. It's truly beautiful. Because this is what you're meant to do. I'm not asking you to give up what you love, I'd never, ever, do that. But….” He sighs a little. “The most important thing to me is your safety. And Lauren-”

“I don't trust her Carlos.” Cecil whispers. Cecil's expression broke Carlos’ heart. He was terrified of this woman. Carlos couldn't even begin to imagine what happened inside the bank.

“I think she's trying to kill me, and I think the guys at the bank worked for her.”

“Did they do something to you?” Carlos asked, his brain going through terrible situations.

“Nothing I won't survive.” Cecil says, waving his hand a little. Carlos knew there was more to that statement but didn’t want to pry when Cecil was so vulnerable. ”I've learned to read people. For my job. And I pick up on things. Like how your smile spreads from left to right when you find something funny but right to left when you're excited or joyful.” He pauses, touching Carlos’ cheek. “She hates me. I know that much. But does she hate me enough to kill me?”

“I wish I knew the answer.” Carlos says softly. “But I really don't know.”

Before Cecil reply, Carlos’ pager went off, making Cecil jump and then whimper in pain. Carlos cursed softly and reaches for it, reading the message.

“It's 911. Dammit.” He looks at Cecil. “I can have someone else to handle it-”

“Go.” Cecil says softly with a smile. “I'll be here when you get done. I'm fine. Someone needs you to save them.”

Carlos kisses his lips gently. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“I'll be here.”

Cecil nods and lays his head back, closing his eyes. He listens as Carlos leaves the room, relaxing slowly.

He was almost asleep when he heard a distinct click of heels against the tile floor. His eyes snap open and his breath catches in his throat as he sees Lauren standing over him. He starts to tremble at the sight. It was like something out of a nightmare.

“Cecil, you are a very hard man to kill, despite having all the grace of a drunk cat.” She tsked.

Cecil tried to call out, but his voice was shot. The only sound that came out was a dry whisper.

“Looks like you have to shut up for once in your life.” She muses. “I wish I could enjoy it.”

She pulls a small vial from her pocket and holds it up. “Do you know what Batrachotoxin Cecil is?” She asks. She picks up a needle and fills it, holding the needle up to the light. Then she continues. “It's one of the deadliest poisons in the world.”

Reaching over, she yanks out the IV, making Cecil give a cry of pain. She then jabs the needle into his arm, despite him trying to fight her off. His limbs were still shaky from the explosion.

Batting his hand away, she pushes the stopper down.

“First you'll go numb. Then your muscles will deteriorate. Then your heart will fail. Then the rest of your organs. Last is your brain.”

Once the needle was empty, she pulls it out and gives a grin. “Isn't it amazing?”

Cecil gasped, choking.

“Well, I wish I could say it's been fun, but you've been a giant pain in my ass. Good riddance.” She smirks and leaves the room. Cecil barely managed to fumble with the nurse call button before he blacked out.

+.

Carlos paces the waiting room, his mind going through all kinds of situations before one of the other doctors comes out. He stops and gives them a hopeful look.

“Is he okay?”

“He's alive.” The unspoken 'for now’ hung in the air between them.

“What happened?”

“He was dosed with an extremely lethal poison. He is in a medically induced coma to give his body a chance to try and flush it out.”

“Will he be okay?”

“Only time will tell.”

[mellowgirl01]

Sweet wine

masterlist

Wordcount: 3971

Characters 19973

people:Eve x Y/N x Adam

Made for: @ladyfluff

Tags: @ladyfluff, @may-bereblog

Request:No

song:Bahamas is Afie; All i’ve ever known & Cigarettes After Sex; Crush

Date:2/12/19

Summary:The first moves have been made, The fresh skin had been touched, a romantic dance

and all. What happens now when the music stops and there's only three?...or is there?

Warning:Things get a little sexual but nothing heavy...yet ;)

A/N: Splitting these into two parts but posting them at the same time so don’t panic

Dim lights were Slowly illuminating the scene. A very faint view came as he stretched his eyes open. Cloudy shadows dancing haunting his eyes and there clothes and hair stood out more and more as the faces became clear. He smelled a hue of sweet bread and tarts of all kind to the right of him and to the left was a muffled sound of the large band that played a unsettling but familiar tune. Adam looked down while in the sea of people and saw that he wore a white undershirt along with his black vest and coat. The shorts that he wore reached past the one of his knees but never further than that. He looked similar to the men around him but that he was in all black and white. Not even an ounce of color was to be seen on him. Above him was a painting of the goddess of love surrounded by all her children. A painting that Eve mad not too long ago. “Why must this place haunt me so?”

Adam knew where he was. He knew the night very well too. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a white dress come out of the dancing sea. Then a Yellow metallic looking dress as well. Eve..Y/N.. Taking his hands they smiled wide dancing around the room for what felt like forever. The bands music seemed to now be clearier the more they danced though. He was happy until he looked up at the sealing and saw pitch black. This, this was the part he always dreaded. Cold and disgusting silence flagged the darkened halls of the manner. The chocolate wooden walls coated in the moonbeams that shown through every window that was placed on the path that Adam was walking. The closer and closer that he got the more he felt uneasy, emotional, and just down right sick. The silence..he thought that he could handle it once until he was engulfed in it. Chills ran down his spine but not from the wind that flew in from. One. Open. Window. The window that he thought he locked. Could have sworn he locked every window in his large house..Why was it open- “Adam~”

A voice called him

“Adam~.”

Her! She! The one whom he had treasured so dearly next to his loving wife. Y/N was calling out to him! Finally a sweet song in this minissing lonely darkness! He sharply turned the corner that the open window was at but then the light from the window faded. He looked back to see that the window was no longer there. All that was left was the light that came menacingly behind him like a creature unknown. Even though the orange glow was warm and inviting Adam felt different to it. Wrong, wrong wrong wrong was all that went through his mind. Then the voice called out once more, so sweet

“Adam~. Please come to me won’t you?”

Oh how he wished to be by her side, but he knew what lay behind those wicked doors. He knew the hell and torture that would unleash upon him from the said site that they nearly enclosed.

“Adam~”

His feet! His feet started to move on their own! He tried to stop them by shaking his legs slapping them, even clawing at the glossy wooden walls to try and hand onto something! To try and delay the fires of hell that haunted him, paranoid him, wreaked havoc in his mind for eyons and more! But she kept calling

“Adam~” “No” “Adam~” “No” “Adam” “No,no NO!” “Come now darling don’t be shy. We love you Adam.” “YOUR NOT THEM! YOUR NOT REAL!!!!” “Come to us Adam~”

The voices became deeper the closer he got to it. The fire roaring as loud as ten thousand lions all at once. First his feet and now his hands were to lose control as he opened the door swinging it open. Stepping into the room he closed his eye but still heard his Poor Eve’s Whale of pain and heartbreak.

“Why my Jewel, Why our most precious diamond and more have the bullet in thine’s chest!! Why not be it MINE! MY SWEET ONE NEVER HURT ANYONE!! NEVER HARMED OR THOUGHT OF SUCH VIOLENT THINGS!! WHY!”

“PLEASE STOP I BEG! NOTHING BUT THIS GUILT!, THIS HELL, THIS UNCHANGEABLE ACTION MY GOD! PLEASE!”

Even while he covered his ears the screams could still be heard. Finally losing all control he was forced to look, to open his lids and give up the peace of the darkness he once hated. To look upon the site of his darling Eve holding a lifeless diamond. Her yellow dress drenched in the blood. Along with its white frills on the low hanging collar just barely covering her breasts. The bullet clear as day flew into her heart shattering it into a gore unthinkable. Her right arm sprawled out due to the way that Eve was holding her. Y/N’s eyes had no sparkle, no life, nothing. With all this said emptiness though it didn't stop them from moving from the ceiling to Adam’s shaking figure  

“Adam!”

He sprang up and caughted catching his breath as best as he could. Eve rubbed his head and tried her best to calm him down. She hated seeing him like this because she could understand. Nightmares of her own plagued her head nightly when they were apart. Now not so often as they use to. Clinging onto Eve like a terrified child he weeped into her chest, soaking the shirt she wore. She didn’t mind though she was shedding tears herself wetting his hair a bit. Adam too hated his actions. He wanted to be strong for Eve. He hated having to hold onto her like this as if he was a coward in every way and needed his wife to be there for him all the time. She tried to tell him to stop being so hard on himself since he couldn't help it. He was stressed out when these would happen and if not calmed down that the feeling would only get worse. Eve thank god that they found Y/N. Maybe she had nightmares of the past too, Eve hoped in a way she didn’t. What a dreadful day that was. The day they lost their treasured jem. Stolen from them was a daimon of a girl they had just so happens to now got back. The lovers were now willing to do anything and everything to keep her safe. Even if it meant locking her away. Yet they would never do such a thing unless it was drastically needed. Hunters and such. That kind of situation.

As the lovers began to calm down Eve picked up her phone. Adam had looked up at her still laying on her chest trying to see just who she was talking to. Eve on the other hand kept on lifting the phone away from his view.

“Who on Earth are you texting at this hour love?”

Eve laughed

“Just because we sleep in the day doesn't mean that it’s the same for everyone else Adam it’s 3 o’clock, and besides i’ll tell you in just a minute. Be patient please.”

Adam submitted and laid his head back down on her chest listening to her type away. Almost becoming jealous of the attention she gave the phone more than him. To Eve nothing was more adorable than seeing her lover so jealous over a small object.Finally she sat up making Adam goan falling back onto the cold pillow. Eve turned to him straddling him.

“I think you won’t have that old puppy face for much longer starman.”

“How come?”

“Well here lately I have been texting our little lover and~ she's free.. All next. Week! And i scheduled a date for us all!”

Adam sat up wrapping his arms around even to lay beck down with her on top of him placing his lips on her sweet ones.

“My darling your brilliance knows no bounds.”

She laughed

“This I know. But you Mr. Have to come out of that shell. I want us to wear something a little special since it’s been a while.”

“I agree and my article of clothing at the moment.”

He looked to his messy abondance of clothes in his closet that were kinda torn.

“Isn’t all too much the best.”

“Well i’m not saying get fancy just spice it up a bit. We’ll meet her tomorrow so tonight we’ll go and see what we can find. Plus we really need a fill on some of the good stuff. You know so we won’t go all crazy on anyone.”

Adam nodded. Before Even could get up he pulled her back down.

“Do you think I need to shave?”

“I’ll help you with that darling because I love you I do but you with bare skin and your new clothes just don’t suit you like it use to.”

Adam was taken aback by Eve’s bleakness. “I’ll have you know I would still look amazing”

“That you would start man. That you would.”

She kissed his lips and got up to go to the kitchen. Adam was left to see her walk out of the bedroom and down the stairs as he sighed not wanting to get up.

The next day was upon them and the lovers got all dressed and ready for the night. Y/N sent Eve a text saying where the place was and when to meet.

“We leave before 7:30!”

She shouted from upstairs as Adam yelled back in agreeance still looking down at his appearance. He bought a new jacket and top but wore his same old wore out ripped jeans. The places were they were wiped though were couple of spots at his knees and a few more at his ankles. Eve tried to find a dress that suited her but all there were was dresses that seems too short and just not the style she was rather going for. She opted for a cute deep red tank top that was backless until it hit the small of her back and some new white jeans. She thought about having leather to match her jacket but thought it might annoy her a bit with all the sound it would make while walking. Adam didn’t bother with his hair and just let it hang while putting on his shoes and getting his glasses. Eve put hers in a messy bun opting for her white closed toe boots with a side point at the end of them rather than her normal ones. She got her glasses as well and walked with adam to his car.

Once at the place they meet Y/N there not too little after they arrived.

“Woah! Never seen you guys look so dapper. This all for me?”

“Anything for you.”

Adam seemed a bit bold tonight. Eve was surprised but liked it. Y/N did as well

Adam bought a booth for them to all sit down and just talk a little. In the booths they couldn't hear so much of the music since it was kinda far from the dance floor. Y/N sat in the middle of the lovers as they insisted for her to do. Y/N insisted on the three of them doing some shots to maybe have some fun after 30 minutes of conversation. When really she herself wanted to loosen up so that she could hide how nervous she was. Balming the alcohol for her blushing rather than herself. But the lovers refused saying that they brought their own showing the twin flasks that they both had. Y/N understood rather than saying anything more and ordered a few drinks every now and then. As soon as she felt her nerves start to rise up she would order a drink if she wasn’t drinking her current one. 3 shots, 2 medium glasses of wine and a shot of vodka latter and she was feeling a little bit over the edge of tipsy. Then it dawned on her that her words were starting to slow a bit and got even more nervous due to the fact that this was a dat and she wanted it to go so well since it was a first date.

Adam stopped her from ordering another drink seeing that she seemed a bit worried.

“Why don’t we all dance before they close tonight? Come on!”

Eve took Y/N’s hand and before Adam could protest Y/N snatched him by his wrist leading him to the dance floor. While the song was playing Y/N saw that Adam was just saying. She took him by his left hand and started to make him jump around with her. Eve took his other and connected them all in one circle.

‘How long..How long has it been since we last all had a good dance? So long, too long. God, oh old friend if you are forgiving please forgive me for all the sins that I have done, If any pain that I have caused please please let me be forgiven. For her, For My eve and for our future. Please let this angel stay with us. Let her love and be held by our hands. I need her WE need her desperately so. I never want to again lose her. Or Eve..My darling wife..I’m so sorry for not being there with you when you left. For not trying hard enough to call you. How many nights did you cry because of what happened? My strong wife, one day please forgive me one day. Don’t let this be a dream. Don’t let me wake up in a hell where i’m all alone. Please. These women are everything that I ever needed, wanted, and more. Let them be real. Please’

Adam finally let go. He danced with his girls not caring how silly or crazy he might have looked. Neither girls cared, just happy to see his smile and him enjoying some time together.

When the night was over they started to walk out of the bar. Y/N on the other hand was more so stumbling rather than walking.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to your house Love? I honestly don’t mind.”

Y/N gave it some thought.

“Can I just..crash at your place? I know that we’ve only know each other for 6 months but I know if I go to my apartment I for one, won’t be able to walk up those damn stairs and two, won’t even be able to get my keys into the door. And to be honest one of my neighbors is kinda creepy..So?”

Adam reminded himself to take note of this said neighbor while Eve did the same.

“That’s no problem with us dove. We would love to have you and as long as you feel comfortable is all that matters to us.”

Y/N smiled as she walked with the lovers to the car and layed down in the back. The street lights that passed by kinda made her feel nauseous so putting her head in her jacket as she tucked her head in the crook of her arm she sighed feeling peace. Never again will she ever drink like that and get into anything that moved faster than a snail. Thank god that Adam noticed this and decided to try to avoid every single speed bump that there ever was. Eve took his free hand and put pepper kisses all along his hand and wrist. They were covered by gloves along with hers but that never stopped Eve from shedding her love to him.

“Such a Perfectionist you are star.”

“You know me major.”

Eve looked back to see that Y/N was silently sleeping or, so she thought.

“Eve you know it’s rude to stare at someone while asleep.”

“Never stopped you from doing it.”

Eve chuckled while still looking at you not pulling her attention away for a second.

“It’s her fault really, beautiful little thing. She's rude for being so wonderful.. Honestly.”

“Indeed, our little zombie. I remembered a couple of weeks ago that I use to say ‘The moon blushes whenever you look at it my dear. In it’s own way it’s stunned by your lovely eyes and adoring kissable face. That's why the moon turns autom or a hot orange.’ She loved that.”

“I did too.”

“Sometimes I remember making her laugh..romantic she would call me. What I would do to let make her laugh these days. I fear that all that has faded now.”

“Adam never speak such foolishness in front of us. You know better my love. You know that no matter what you say, think, or do you’ll always make me swoon. Your the most romantic man that I have ever meet.”

Y/N got up and wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck while he drove. He was shocked by this action and almost didn’t stop the car at the red light that was showing.

“Yeah, what Eve said. Your beautiful…”

Adam let a tear roll down his face as he smiled and kissed Y/N’s bare skin. Her sent engulfing him completely alpong with Eve’s. Heaven was all around him and he couldn’t dare ask for more. But he needed to get home right away. Looking at the clock inside the car it was 4:00 AM. Once Adam parked the car Eve helped Y/N to get fast inside the house while Adam opened the door for them both. Once they were all inside he looked all around outside to make sure one followed them to the old victorian house.

“Do you guys have a shower or a bathtub?”

“Bathtub dear.”

“Mmmm good I really do need one- Eve, will you um, will you help me with my clothes?”

Y/N got sober once they got near the house so she was getting to her right state of mind but she didn’t want to slip and fall from still being buzzed. She also just wanted to see what just might happen. Eve was surprised at this question and at her state was very hesitant but as soon as Y/N put on a pout she couldn’t say no. Adam was very jealous about this but he knew why she asked Eve rather than himself. He was always told that he was mysterious and such, he figured that it would take a little more time until she was really comfortable so there he passed in his music room he wondered what instrument to put in his song he was working on while Y/N and Eve were up stairs.

Eve lit as many candles as she could since the lights in the bathroom blew out one day. Y/N thought that it was very romantic still no matter the backstory as to why They needed to be in the bathroom. The glow made Eve look so so beautiful. It was Y/N’s turn to not stop staring. So elegant, tall, intelligent and sweet. Adam had different thing to love too, Y/N wondered just what Adam would do if he were here too..Her mind started to race all sort of sinful ways while Eve ran the water making sure that it was the right temperature for her darling Zombie. When she looked back she saw Y/N just staring off into the distance. Snapping back into reality once Eve called her name.

“What do you think you need help with?”

“E-everything..maybe.please?”

Eve was the one to take the first steps towards her and help her first with her jacket. Y/N looked to the floor for a bit of comfort only to see a pale hand lift her chin up to gaze into the eyes of her Eve. Her sunlight and though she shine similar to it such a star in the sky could never hold a beam to Eve. So she never looked away as Eve sheds her clothes ever so slowly. It felt sweet, beautiful even, Y/N never knew that she could feel such a feeling. Such emotions all colliding at once. She smiled even. Eve bit her lip as she bent down to help Y/N take off her skirt. Now only left in a set of black lace. Having no problem taking in the very delicious view of her small lover.

“I suppose that you are ineed able of taking off, these..Are you not?”

“I am, but will you watch me?” “Only if you let me love.”

Y/N nodded as she took Eve’s hand guiding her over to the toilet for her to sit on as she put on a little show for her. Starting off with her bra she unhooked the back letting it slide off ever so softly.The site was intoxication to Eve as she saw the light dance off her lovers beautiful breasts. Her skin looked gentle and soft as always and the way that her hair hugged her shoulders and even started to kinda nip at the tops of her chest was indeed a site to never unsee. Y/N was more than happy with the way that things were going and decided that there wasn’t any harm in continuing as she let the bra slip and fall to the floor, she wasted no time in shedding off her panties just the same. Painfully slow as she moves her body to an imaginary rhythm of some sorts. God could Eve die ever so happy now. Looking up and down at Y/N she slowly reached out and roamed her cold long blushing fingers from her hips to her breasts and back down again. It felt like a feather was gently roaming all around her body. Y/N moaned out ever so quiet not wanting Adam to hear. She didn’t even know if Adam really liked her how she adored him all she knew in the moment was that Eve did. Eve kissed daintily along her pretty ones skin up to her soft lips. How how soft, how kind and natural and yummy that kiss was to both the women. Filled with love and a feast unlike any other. So many flavors to taste as Y/N let Eve’s tongue explore hers. Eve could finally remember the taste of blueberries, and a hint of something sweet? Wine maybe. She had forgotten though how sweet wine was. Then again, this wine that filled her was unlike any kind. Not eve the oldest of the old could be so damn good, so rich and filled with love and awaited lost Y/N on the other hand could pick up a bit of copper along with chocolate strawberries. As they continued there action Y/N started to shed Eve’s clothes as well. Never breaking the kiss until Eve’s shit had to come off. Getting some air Y/N had looked at the marvelous body of her goddess that now stood up in front of her. Eve wore no bra, She didn’t find the need in it really. Walking over to the bathtub like a vixen awaiting their pray she took off her pants and underwear too. Hopping into the tub. She reached out a hand for Y/N to join her and she indeed did.

[toddsfall]

Can we keep up with the ruse?

Written for day one of Nurseydex week: getting together/mutual pining

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11517474

5 times Nursey and Dex do not talk about it + 1 time they do

He let it all wash over him. Nursey felt ready for his second year at Samwell, feeling like he belonged among these people. During the summer, he had travelled to Mexico to visit relatives with his mom, it had been inspiring and emotional for both of them. It had been nice to feel like there was a place for him there too. He had a few good stories in his back pocket to re-enact for the guys.

However right now, he was happy to just sit there in the kitchen talking to Bitty and his mom about their summer. Stories about their baking adventures flew through the air. They spun them together, the words almost overlapping. Nursey could imagine the stories like the lattice of one of Bitty’s beautiful pies. He guessed that they produced some stunners when they baked together. Their love for each other felt so similar to the love he felt for his mom that his thoughts turned whistful for a minute.

He was pulled out of his revery when Dex walked in. Summer looked good on him. Nursey hadn’t been looking last year, focused on himself and trying to fit into a new team. But now he definitely noticed how the sun had made Dex’s freckles stand out more. He looked taller somehow. More confident. More muscular too, he noticed when he looked at his arms. 

They didn’t leap into each other’s arms. That wasn’t them. But Nursey offered up his fist to bump and after a moment Dex completed the gesture. Their eyes lingered for a second, before Dex started greeting the rest of the guys gathered too. Nursey didn’t think much of it at the time. Dex looked good, so did a lot of his teammates. He didn’t want to think about it anymore. He tuned back into the conversation with Bitty. And if he noticed that evening, that when he chanced some glances at Dex again, Dex was staring right back, he didn’t mention it.

///

Winter screw was a tame affair, Rans and Holster had set everyone up with dates through an elaborate matching system only they knew how to work. Nursey was frankly scared to ask, for fear of being roped into their obsessive shenanigans.

Before the dance, they had all gotten dressed in the Haus. There’d been some chirping over wardrobe choices, but ultimately everyone’s looks had turned out nicely. While browsing the outfits of his dapper teammates, Nursey’s eyes had lingered a little longer on Dex than anyone else. Somehow the fucker managed to look stunning in a suit that didn’t even fit him that well. When Nursey caught himself thinking that the way Dex’s jacket had to be rolled up his arms a bit, looked adorable; he knew he was screwed. 

He didn’t give it much thought, he had his date to focus on. Nursey’s date, Laura, had been fun to talk to. They danced until they were too sweaty to move. But ultimately he couldn’t see it leading anywhere. He tried not to think that there might be someone else he was holding out for. He knew it wasn’t fair to Laura to drag it on if he wasn’t completely invested. After the dance he had dropped her off at her dorm, hugging her goodnight.He told he had a lovely time and he’d like to be friends.

At team lunch the next day, he dutifully reported back to Holster. He seemed a tad disappointed that he hadn’t been able to “match up your beautiful face with an equally deserving face, bro” but ultimately seemed pleased that he’d had a good time.

Ransom had winked and said, “Don’t worry bro. I have some swasome prospects lined up for you.”

Nursey didn’t want to insult his captains too much. He answered “That’s really nice of you Rans, but I don’t know if I want that right now.”

“Oh, you just want to enjoy the single life right now? No worries bro!”

“Yeah Nurse, we’ll offer our services to help you pull at the next kegster. Only the best for our little frog.” Holster added.

Nursey suddenly felt like that would be even worse, he really appreciated his captains’ enthousiasm. At least  he did about 80% of the time. But right now he didn’t seem to have the energy to even think about seducing someone.

“I.. uh.. might like someone actually.” He resisted the urge to flick his eyes across the table. He was not some lovestruck maiden, pining from afar.

“Ooohh. Do we know her?” Something must have showed on his face then because Ransom quickly added. “Or him? You know we’re fine with whatever, bro.”

“Thanks guys. That’s good to hear.” He smiled at them encouragingly. They meant well.

“Of course bro, we got your back. Always.” The fact that they said this almost in unison was equal parts creepy and reassuring.

Nursey held out his fist to bump against theirs and dug back into his meal. Then Wicks knocked over his water and everyone immediately started chirping him for it. Nobody brought up Nursey or potential crushes again, for which he was grateful. Although he did notice Ransom looking at him intently from across the table, with a look in his eyes that said he was storing away some of this information for later.

///

They were all lying on the gross couch in the Haus. It was still too cold out to hang out at the lake, so they had to make do. Nursey was spread out over Dex and Chowder’s legs. He looked liquid in a puddle of blankets. Dex closed his laptop with a satisfied sigh, having finished earlier than expected with his homework. He smiled, looking down at his friend. Ever beautiful, but especially now when he looked this relaxed. Chowder’s head was on his shoulders. He eyes were closed as he listened to music. They both looked so peaceful. Now was as good a time as any.

Dex cleared his throat. “Hey Nurse, it’s your birthday next week right?” When Nursey hummed to confirm, he continued. “You have any plans yet?”

Nursey sat up straighter to look at him. “Not really dude, why?”

“Oh, I was thinking maybe we could hang out?” He turned to look at Chowder, who by now had opened his eyes.

Chowder frowned. “Oh, sorry Nursey I already made plans with Cait. I could ask her if she could reschedule?” His frown deepened.

Nursey squeezed his leg. “Chill C, it’s freezing outside. Your face might stay stuck like that.” Chowder stuck his tongue out at him. Nursey laughed. “Haha, no really. It’s chill. It’s Valentine’s day. Don’t let me keep you away from your girl.” He bumped his fist against Chowder’s. “We’ll celebrate later, yeah?”

Chowder nodded enthusiastically. “Of course!" 

Dex smiled to himself. He just loved that feeling of knowing his best friends were also best friends. He cleared his throat again. Frowned. He was starting to sound like he had a throat infection or something. "So, uhm, are we going to hang then?”

Nursey raised his eyebrows. “Oh. Yeah, sure bro. We could watch a movie. I could finally get some culture in you. And you won’t be able to say anything because it’s my birthday.” He smirked at Dex.

Dex resisted the urge to throw a pillow at him. He resorted to just glare at him. “Yeah, let’s! Derek.”

“Great! William.” More eyebrow raising and smirking.

“Yes. Great. It’s a date.” Dex gave into the urge to throw a pillow at him. They wrestled meekly on the couch for a minute and that was that. 

Over the course of the next week Dex started fretting. Nursey had reacted so chill to his proposal. Did he even know it was a date? Maybe he hadn’t been clear enough. He had kind of been counting on Chowder already having plans on Valentine’s day. He did call it a date though. Ugh, if only he could read Nursey’s chill exterior better. He’d probably have better chances romancing a stone in the lake. 

Eventually he was fed up with fretting. He decided to text Nursey. 

me : hey nurse, we still on for next week? Or have you made other plans? It’s okay if you have, just let me know :)

He frowned at his phone. No, that wouldn’t do. He tried again.

me : Hi! Have you remembered the plans we made last week? Don’t forget to pick out some movies for my uncultured ass ;) looking forward to it!

He sighed. That was even worse. Did he suddenly forget to text? This was Nursey he was texting. Someone he’d texted dozens of times before. Maybe that just made it worse. How was het supposed to signal that this text was different without seeming too obvious? He took a deep breath, trying again. 

me : yo nurse! Don’t forget we have a date on Wednesday, I’ll bring popcorn and as promised you can pick the movie :) 

He sent it before he could change his mind again. God, was it this hard for everyone? He jumped when his phone buzzed. 

Nursey : I haven’t Dexy, dw ;) I’ll have some sweet movies picked out for ya on wed syt 

Dex sighed. Guess this was as much confirmation as he was going to get. 

On the night of Nursey’s birthday, they cuddled up on Nursey’s bed. He had the softest and the coziest blankets so it seemed logical to do this in his room. Dex kind of wished he had invited Nursey to his own room, though, maybe he’d feel less nervous on home turf. 

During the movie, Dex tried to dissect every cue that Nursey emitted. Did he always lean his head so casually on Dex’s shoulder? Did his hands always feel so warm when they brushed Dex’s? Did he always look so radiant in the light of Dex’s laptop?

They stayed talking for a good couple of hours after, chirping each other’s taste in movies. It was nice though, they even found some middle ground with, of all things, Sandra Bullock movies. 

“I don’t know why either! She’s just so,” Nursey gestured broadly into the air “you know?”

Dex laughed, eyes crinkling. “Yes! I know!”

They fell into a comfortable silence, munching on some of the snacks that were left over from the stash Dex brought.

“Hey Nurse?”

“Hmm?” Nursey hummed, eyes half-lidded with sleep.

“This was nice right? You had a good time?” Dex knew his anxiety was probably apparent in the way his voice went higher.

Nursey’s eyes slipped close completely. “Yes, this was nice Dex. Thanks for a good birthday. This was nice of you. Maybe we should do movie nights.”

Dex couldn’t stop his heart from leaping if he tried. “You want to make this a regular thing?”

“Yeah man, if you want.” Nursey opened his eyes again. “How else am I supposed to refine your tastes? Oh, maybe Chowder would want to join too. I bet he’d have some interesting picks too. Best friend movie dates.” Nursey chuckled. “I bet C will make t-shirts.”

Dex closed his eyes for a second. Just for a second he felt dramatic enough that he might not open them again. So that was it. Nursey wanted friend dates. That was fine. It would have to be fine. The only thing that would be worse is if he managed to lose Nursey completely by messing up their friendship. 

He cleared his throat. “Haha yeah, frog  movie nights. Awesome.”

After, he didn’t bring it up with anyone. He didn’t want to raise suspicion. He did text Chowder the next week though.

me : you and cait are lucky bro

Chowder : I know :) what brought this on?

me : just thinking :) love can be hard, yknow

Chowder : yeah :( if you ever need to talk I’m here

me : thanks chow, but like I said just thinking :) don’t worry

Chowder : ur my best friend, I always worry

me : that’s sweet C. thanks for worrying 

Chowder : got your back!

///

“Ooppff! There that’s the last one.” Dex dropped his bag filled with clothes on the bed. He wanted to drop right along it but he also didn’t want to have to wash his sheets the first day he got here just because he couldn’t wait until he showered before getting his sweaty body all over his sheets. 

“I feel like if someone dumped feathers over me right now, they would all stick to me.”

“Why would someone even do that?” Dex turned around to look at Nursey. He was poking at his stomach, presumably to check its levels of stickiness. 

“Always gotta be prepared for Lax bro attacks, bro. Once you drop your guard, that’s how they get you." 

He looked so serious that Dex couldn’t help but laugh. "Don’t worry Nurse, got your back." 

Nursey looked at him sideways, smiling. It made his eyes crinkle. "Thanks Dexy, I’m going to take a shower though. You know, just in case the Lax bros manage to overtake you.”

Nursey took his stuff, winking at Dex before sneaking off towards the bathroom. He looked like a Pink Panther-esque spy, plastering himself to the wall and looking over his shoulder before booking it to the shower.

Dex’s heart ached at the sight of his best friend’s silly antics. He was glad he got him like this. He hadn’t ruined them, that’s what was important. Still, sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder what if.

After Nursey’s birthday last year he’d let himself pine for a while. But then Chowder had started asking questions, worried about him. He had known he couldn’t keep it up. At first, he’d tried to distract himself by diving into any and all work he could get his hands on. Ultimately, that hadn’t worked either. He had had to resort to extreme measures: Ransom and Holster’s dating algorithm. Delicately calibrated dating system. Whatever. 

He had found himself dating Cindy exactly 3 weeks before he had to tell her. “I’m sorry. I’m getting over someone else and I don’t want to string you along.”

She hadn’t seemed angry, though with her it was hard to tell sometimes. She had set her hand on his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Their loss. Thanks for being honest, ‘preciate it. Later, Will.” Cindy was a woman of very little words. Dex had liked that about her, she was too good for him anyway. He was sorry if he hurt her. He figured they were sorta okay though because a week into summer holidays she had texted him a picture of her dog she had missed so much during the semester. He had answered with a picture of his mom’s cats. 

Cindy hadn’t been the one, but she had made him realize something important. Maybe there were other people he could be interested in over time. She was one of the main reasons why his freakout after the dibflip had been only slightly overdramatic.

The other main reason, of course, was Lardo. She had let him freak out for exactly two hours before she had sat down on the floor beside him. She’d nudged his shoulder with her own. When he didn’t respond, she’d nudged him a little harder.

“Dude. You’re freaking me out a little here. You need me to call someone?”

That had finally snapped him out of it. He didn’t need people worrying over him. He was fine, really. “No, thanks Lards. I’m fine. Just a bit stressed.”

“Seems like you’re a little more than stressed.”

She had paused, he could tell she was trying to coax him into revealing more. He had shaken his head. “No really. I’m fine.” He managed a smile. “I just, kinda hoped. You know. That I’d get dibs after working my butt off.”

She had nudged him again. “Nursey deserved them too. You both got this room fair and square.”

He swallowed. “Yeah, I know.”

Sighing, she had said. “ Well dude if you’re fine than you should go talk to your new roommate. He was acting chill but we both know he’s probably just as freaked as you are. You two aren’t exactly known for your cooperation skills.”

Dex had nodded. “Yeah, I’ll talk to him. Promise.”

She had pursed her lips, probably wanting to ask more but not wanting to dive into all his shit either. “Okay. You do that. Now get out of my room. It’s not yours yet.”

Dex sighed. He played with his phone while Nursey was still in the shower. Lardo had texted him an hour ago, but he hasn’t answered yet.

Lardo : take good care of my room boys, I know where to find you

Lardo : have u talked yet

Dex knew it was kind of rude to ignore her, but he knew his answer probably wouldn’t satisfy her.

me : we will lards no worries

me : and sort of. we texted a bunch this summer. we’re cool

Lardo : aight.

Dex winced. Oh good, now he’d angered Lardo. Oh well, he’d make it up to her by talking Nursey into setting up some ground rules today. 

He played games in his phone until Nursey returned, to keep himself from thinking too much about how sharing a room this year would affect them. 

///

Nursey tugged at the collar of his suit. The party was boring as hell. He felt like the people in it were sucking out all the air with all the meaningless smalltalk they were making. If he didn’t know how much his mom also hated these parties, he’d be more mad at her for dragging him along to this. But she needed her job, so this is were they were spending New Year’s. It was kind of sweet that she’d wanted him here with her to ring in the new year. 

But now of course, he’d lost her to the sea of bland looking boring people. He felt like they were trying to swallow him whole. He decided to go outside for a little air. He’d look for her again later on. 

Once outside, he felt like an individual again. He checked his phone. He had several texts, but his eyes skipped to one in particular. They tended to do that.

Dexmeister : damn I’m bored :p how’s your thing going, is it as boring as you thought it’d be?

Me, myself and I : yeah lol. I just went outside to get some air. These boring ass people are hashtag killing me

Dexmeister : omg. Don’t die nurse. C would cry so much.

Me, myself and I : :o ur right. You wouldn’t care?

Dexmeister : duh, I’d have to comfort Chow. I’m not strong enough for that.

Me, myself and I : yeah ur right, hashtag weak

Dexmeister : -_- 

Dexmeister : so, your night is not going well then?

Nursey paused for a second. Then, fuck it. People felt candid on New Year’s. That was a thing right?

Me, myself and I : mhmm, better now though. Miss you

Dex took a full minute to answer, enough for Nursey to regret his honesty. 

Dexmeister ::( sucks, but the night’s still young. who knows, things might look up

Dexmeister : miss you too tho

Nursey smiled, his treacherous heart beating harder at Dex’s words.

Me, myself and I : yeah, who knows

Me, myself and I : a knight might ride into this party and put me on his white horse to elope

Nursey didn’t mention that he imagined Dex on that horse. One, because it was ridiculous. Second, because he didn’t want to make his friend uncomfortable. 

Dexmeister : only you would think of that

Dexmeister : imagine the horror on everyone’s faces though

Me, myself and I : loool, it might kill some of them. or liven up the party

Dexmeister : we must all make sacrifices for the party

Me, myself and I : R&He would be so proud

Dexmeister : I expect them to call any minute 

Dexmeister : I have to head back to the party soon, or my mom will worry that I’m not liking her food.

Huh, so Dex had left his party to talk to him, Nursey thought.

Me, myself and I : no worries bro, say hi to ur family from me

Dexmeister : will do, hug your mom from me

Dexmeister : hope your white knight comes, and if all else fails you can just text me :p

Nursey knew Dex couldn’t read his mind through his phone, but he still sensed that Dex might somehow have guessed who his white knight was. Before he could stop himself he sent another text.

Me, myself and I : thanks dexy, knew I could count on you

Me, myself and I : miss you, talk soon

Nursey put his phone away after that and went inside to find his mom. She was probably looking for him by now. 

///

Dex had tried to avoid the subject this year. He did not want a repeat of last year. But how could he refuse when Nursey had asked him directly? He hadn’t been able to deny Nursey things he asked for, for a while now. So when Nursey had asked him to watch another movie with him on his birthday, of course he’d agreed. Even though it probably wasn’t a good idea.

When he arrived in the bedroom, Nursey was putting pillows everyone while running around their room. Or at least what was left of it. Nursey had managed to build a giant blanketfort right there in their room. When he heard Dex enter, he turned around grinning.

“What’s all this Nursey? I thought the birthday boy was supposed to let other people prepare the surprises?” Dex looked around the room in awe. 

“What do you think? Do you like it?” Nursey looked at him under his lashes. His hands were wringing the live out of one of the pillows.

Dex realized Nursey was nervous. He was quick to reassure him. “Of course I like it. It looks awesome.” He tapped his hand on one of the blanket walls. “Solid structure too.”

Nursey grinned at him. “Oh good, I’m glad. I figured we could up the anty a bit this year. Think we’re up to it?

Dex held his gaze longer than necessary. "The two of us? I think we’re up to anything.”

Nursey smirked. “Oh my god. Come here you dork. I swear sometimes you’re as bad as Holster and Ransom were with the d-men stuff.” Nursey pulled him down, messing his hair up.

Dex let him, grinning up at him. “Alright, alright. What do you have in store for me?”

“Oh, you’re in for a treat Dexy. I brought one of my favorite artsy movies for you. It’s in black and white.” When Dex pulled a face at him, he burst out laughing. “Just kidding. We’re watching Miss Congeniality tonight.”

Dex blew out a breath. “Oh, thank god.”

They finally settled in after that. The movie only played five minutes before Nursey’s head was on Dex’s shoulder. Dex looked down at him. How soft he looked. How beautiful in the dimmed light coming through the blankets.

Before he even knew what was happening, Dex leaned down to kiss Nursey full on the mouth. He missed a bit, ending up west of Nursey’s mouth. It didn’t matter though because Nursey was sitting up so he could kiss him right back. Nursey wound his arms around Dex’s neck. Dex tasted popcorn on his lips. He wanted to lick it off. So he did. Nursey moaned softly and opened his mouth to him. Dex felt all too eager to deepen the kiss. He licked into Nursey’s mouth. After a while, he pulled back slightly sucking at Nursey’s lip. 

Dex pulled back further to look Nursey in the eye. He felt pulled apart. Like taffy, stretched out completely. Like the only thing holding him together were Nursey’s strong hands on his shoulders. Nursey looked disheveled, but he he was smiling widely at Dex. So wide that it looked like it should hurt. Nursey started to lean in again but Dex gently stopped him by putting a hand over his heart.

Dex licked his lips. He saw Nursey’s eye zero in on the movement. Oh god, he had to concentrate or he wouldn’t be able to get this out. “Nursey, what are we doing?”

Nursey smiled gently at him, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “I believe you were giving me a birthday kiss before you rudely stopped it.”

Dex felt a smile tug at his lips. But he wouldn’t be deterred. He needed to know. “Nursey.” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Nursey. Please. What are we doing?”

Tipping forward to brush his nose over Dex’s, Nursey whispered “What do you want, Will. Tell me.”

“I.. I want everything with you.”

Nursey’s answering smile was almost blinding. “I like you so much. You don’t even know. You and me, let’s do this yeah? We can…”

Nursey looked like he wanted to say a lot more but Dex had heard enough. He’d hear it all later. He kissed Nursey again, not holding back this time.