#how else did I not notice the big red ass rectangle behind me???

[bibmob]

another day another reason I find I am incompetent no, I don't have my package. I had to go back today with my mom for my mom, not me, to notice there was another machine. code doesn't work anymore, probably accidentally pressed I collected the package while I was trying yesterday... :'D cue I'm not okay by my chemical romance

[ricebunni24]

Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy • Harlee

Finally made this smut. Took ages. Idk why.

Warnings: Phone Sex, Masturbating, Dirty Talking(like a lot. sorry), Dom/Sub thing, and Ben wearing lingerie(whoops).

All mistakes and shit are all me. Please tell me where they are.

Thanks.

AO3 version :)

*

Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy

He had just started doing press interviews for Bohemian Rhapsody. Rami, Joe, and Gwilym had already been through a couple a few minutes ago.

And he’s has a raging hard-on.

He knew he should have never had looked at his phone in between them, he usually doesn't, but he wanted to check if Ben was doing okay in Paris for the new movie he was shooting.

Buzz

Ben sends a picture and a text on phone. Curious as Gwilym was he opens it and immediately regrets it.

Love of My Life

*picture*

bought a little something here at Paris ;)

12:55pm

The picture shows off his neck down wearing a pair of thin lacey white panties and black stockings with white lace trimming on top that went around his upper thighs.

Gwilym lets out a small gasp and immediately presses the bottom to lock his phone. He looked up to see if the guys noticed him in shock, but they were busy chatting to each other waiting for the next interviewer to come in. He then coughs to clear his throat, trying to make it so nothing had happened just now.

Jesus Christ. Why did he even look at his phone for?

He feels another light buzz from his hand. He knows he shouldn’t check it.

Love of My Life

*picture*

saw it in black too

*picture*

1:02pm

Gwilym feels like he is having an asthma attack. All of the air in his lungs got sucked out of him when the second image on his phone popped up.

Ben was wearing the same pair of panties but in black. He was wearing the same stockings also having black lace trimming. What was different this time was that the stocking and the underwear were connected by black garters.

Garters. Fuck.

He grabbed the water bottle that was on the side table next to him and took a sip.

Okay. Fine. A big gulp of water. His mouth was dry.

The second picture was the worst for the brunet. It was Ben, on his knees, leaning against arms that were in front of him, and sitting on some couch. The picture was taken from behind showing the roundness of the blond’s bottom. The pair fitting really nicely around it and another pair of garters were connected from behind as well.

Just the thought on Ben on his knees with the set on, waiting for Gwilym to get home just to pull the lacy pair aside enough to put his hard cock into him. Ben letting his high pitched moans out of his mouth and filling the room with his and Gwilym’s grunts as he thrusts into Ben. Seeing his cheeks red from his hand slapping them. Looking at his muscular back full of love bites and long red scratches all the down to his ass from Gwilym.

And no one else.

Brings him here. To have a full-on erection and a dry mouth.

He then proceeds to cross his legs and takes another drink from the bottle.

“Hi, guys! Nice to meet you all!”

The voice of the interviewer comes across from him. He quickly looks up and then down again at his phone and turns it off. The man puts his hand out to Gwilym and he takes the hand to shake it. Gwilym and the rest reply to the interviewer.

*

It’s been only three, two-minute interviews and Gwilym feels like its been six hours.

He just wants to text, call, whatever Ben back. He wants to tell him that he should have not been teasing the brunet like that so he’s hard throughout the whole press interviews.

“You good, Gwilym?” He hears his name and he looks over at his friends looking back.

“Uh yeah, I’m okay. I’m just exhausted.” He clears his throat.

“What did you do last night? Stay up all night?” Joe asks, smiling.

Gwilym remembers last night pretty well. It was very late since Ben was seven hours ahead of him and the brunet was wide awake. So awake, Ben and he were talking. Well. More than just talking. The brunet was stroking his cock while he was shamelessly dirty talking to Ben over the phone.

“Right when we get home, I’m shoving you down onto your knees and making you choke on my dick then I’m taking you right there. There on the floor.” He could hear Ben whining and mumbling ‘yes, sir’ on the other line.

He was huffing his name loudly on the other side of the phone just coming along with him.

This flashback only just made him even harder.

“Something like that, yeah.” Gwilym chuckles a bit back.

Then the next interviewer comes in.

*

His erection was no more at this point. He has opened his legs for a couple minutes relived just not thinking about Ben and his little underwear hiding his hard dick in them.

Jesus.

“And that was the last one, guys.” The agent stands up from the chair.

“Thank god.” Gwilym sighed. Grabbing his phone from his pocket. He unlocked it and the picture of Ben sitting (so pretty he adds) on the couch is left on it.

“I’m just gonna pretend I didn’t see that,” Joe looks up at Gwilym, frowning a bit. “but since when did you have a girlfriend?”

Great.

“Oh. Um. This-uh not very long. Maybe a couple of months.” Gwilym turns his device face down and stumbles his words talking to his friend.

“And she sends you those kinds of pictures?” Joe huffs.

“Yeah. He’s- she’s something.”

*

Gwilym opens the door out the car and thanks to the driver, rather quickly.

He couldn’t wait to call his boyfriend on the phone. He couldn’t wait to see his boyfriend in the pretty knickers he bought. He couldn’t wait to hear Ben.

Buzz.

Love of My Life

hey babe. you done?

I wanna play with you <3

2:56pm

He really couldn’t.

He takes the steps up to his hotel door and struggles to unlock it with the key. His hands are shaking. He shuts and locks the door behind him. Drops his keys onto the kitchen counter, rolls his jacket off his shoulder to hang it up on the coat rack and toes his shoes off next to the door then heads to the bed.

Gwilym taps a few on his cellphone, grinning.

Calling Ben…

Immediately he hears the ringing stop.

“Hello?”

“Hey, love. How you today?”

“Let’s just cut to the chase. I’ve been fucking waiting for you all day.”

Accept video chat?

Gwilym chuckles and clicks accept.

He sees Ben’s face and his head against the headboard. He’s biting his lower lip.

“Biting your lip huh? Already?” Gwilym’s little rectangle screen on the top right shows him smirking.

“Shut up,” Ben replies. “Wanna see?”

Ben’s camera moves towards the bottom of his torso. Gwilym could see his abs, pecks and his head.

Gwilym's starts rubbing the tent in his pants already half hard. “Lower.”

Ben smiles. Ben takes the phone and sits up. The brunet raises an eyebrow. “What are y- oh.”

The phone is stood up placed somewhere so you could see Ben’s whole body and his face.

And what he’s wearing.

It was the white knickers with the white lace trimmed stockings. Like the first picture, he sent Gwilym.

Gwilym’s mouth gaped open. A little stunned.

“You’ve seen a picture already. Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies.” You could hear Ben’s voice echo a bit.

Gwilym shuts his mouth close and swallows. His mouth dry. “I know. You just look prettier than in the picture, love.”

Ben stands up and walks in a sultry manner in front of the camera showing his whole body. “You like it?” Ben has his hand on his left hip. Ben’s white lacy knickers engulf his hard cock. Gwilym nods and rubs a little harder on his erection. “Wait. Watch this.”

Ben backs up from the phone to show even more of him on the camera. He then turns slowly. Finally reaching his backside, Gwilym can see Ben’s round bubble bottom. The knickers reach only a third of the butt and the rest slightly bulging out from them. Ben reaches around and grabs his bottom to shake it little. It jiggles. Gwilym lowly growls as he sees it bounce.

“You like that?” Ben asks. Waiting for Gwilym’s head to nod. He then grabs a hand full of it and lets go of it to smack it. He jumps and gasps. It creates a pink outline of his palm. Gwilym watches as it turns in pink, his pupils grow bigger and his irises have become a smaller ring around it. “Sir? Gwilym?”

“Do it again,” The brunet commands Ben with a groan.

He does it again on the other cheek and he hisses louder. Ben’s hand hits it harder. Hard enough that it immediately turns red. Ben turns to the camera and he can see Gwilym already has his cock out stroking it slowly. His fingers wrapped around it. “What are thinking about?” Ben whispers.

“You,” Gwil’s answers back groaning a bit. Ben rolls his eyes.

“What about me?”

“I just got to my home. I open my door and hear some moaning coming from upstairs. I walk up to see you on my bed. Face down with your bottom up. I’m quiet watching you stick a dildo in you with those knickers down to your knees. Once you got it in, I walk in and startle you. I go on the bed and I’m right behind you. Telling you that you are a good boy waiting for me and trying to fit this toy inside of you.” Ben is already on his bed stroking his hand above his panties alongside with Gwilym.

“Fuck, sir.”

“I grab the pretty knickers and pull it up. Back onto your hips. It, of course, fitting nicely back on.”

“Aren’t you gonna fuck me?” Ben whines into his pillow, but still loud enough to hear him.

“No. You are gonna show me you are good enough to get what you want so you pull down my zipper and suck my cock. You would do so well, wouldn’t you?”

Gwilym could see Ben nod.

“What?”

“Yes. You know I would. I would suck your cock so well.” Gwilym can see the underwear have a dark spot right in front of the underwear making Gwilym grow harder.

“Then I wouldn’t be satisfied until your lips are red and your eyes are watery and can’t take it anymore.” Ben takes the underwear and slips it down far enough to tuck it under his balls and gets his fingers around his cock.

“I would flip you around and onto your stomach. I would wait a minute to just look at your ass in these knickers 'cause it looks so damn sexy. I pull the lace aside and see the toy plug you up. It’s huge. God. I’m so proud of you trying to put it, but you need something else. Don’t you?”

“Yes. I want you. I want your cock.” The blonde’s fingers travel behind him and into his crack.

“I pull out the dildo and see you so open. Jesus. So beautiful. I take my hands and spread your cheeks wider. You know what happens next.”

“Uh huh,” Ben already has a finger in him to the knuckle.

“My tongue teasing you then into your heat. Opening you up, making it wetter just for me. All me. Your ass tastes so good. I could eat you all day like candy love, but you don’t have all day? You want me to fuck you? You want me to put my cock into you and fuck you hard.”

“Yes. Yes.” Ben has two fingers in and out of his ass. He wants Gwilym to say the words already. He wants him to fuck him already.

“Earn it.” Gwilym roughly says. He wraps his hands tighter around his cock. “You have to earn it.”

Ben knows exactly what he’s talking about and he’s not all above doing it just to get what he wants, “Sir. Please. I-I want you to fuck me. Please. Take me hard. Please. God. Your cock in me now. I’m your slut. I bought these knickers for you. Just for you. Please fuck me.”

“You are a slut. You are so naughty for sending me those pictures. I got so hard whilst talking to those people. I wanted to focus on the questions but all I could think of was you and those pretty lacey knickers. You are so much trouble. You hear me?” Ben whispers a 'yes, sir’ “I shove my dick into you not giving a second for you to adjust. I hear you whine high and loud for me when I thrust into fast. I want you to feel this. I want you to feel me all week. Walking around the movie set limping for me.” The brunet’s eyes shut knowing it was time. “I’m so close, love.”

“Me too. Fuck.”

“Every time I see you reach down to your dick, I’m going to slap it away. You can’t come yet. You are such a naughty boy. You understand me?”

“Yes, sir. Okay.” Ben hisses. He can feel him on the edge. Heat building up in his stomach.

“I pull out of you and see your hole red. Wet from my spit and I want to come inside of you. Fill you up full. I take the toy and plug you up again. My cum inside of you. I’m in you all the time now. Jesus. I’m going to come.”

“Please. God. Can I come? Please, sir?” Ben is pulling on his red tipped cock waiting for the word for his release, rambling his words. “Baby please?”

“Come for me, love. Show me that you miss me. All over those knickers. Come on,” Gwilym commanded also stroking faster along with Ben. “I love you so much. So fucking much.”

That did it for Ben. He came onto his fingers and on his white panties. He cries high and then bites his red lips. Gwilym also gets it on his hand and then huffing with his chest heaving.

“I love you too,” Ben responds minutes after they both release. The brunet smiles into the camera.

“I miss you so much. How long do I have?”

“Six more days. Six.”

Gwilym groans, “I can’t wait that long.”

“It’s weird. Usually, press tours don’t take that long. Why is that?” Ben questions.

“I don’t know. It is very confusing.”

Gwilym smirks, looking at his luggage all packed up then at the clock in the hotel room.

Waiting four more hours to get on the plane to Paris.

[ecmlol]

“ there great!”

“You sure?”

“Yeah yeah just thinking “ jude said

“ want to talk about it’s”Noah asked

“ just a bunch of things on my mind right now” Jude says

“ well I’m here if you want someone to listen”

“ you know what I want?” Jude says as he eats his second wing.

“ what?”

Jude finished his wing and puts the bone in a empty bag.

“Dance lessons “ jude smiles

“Reallllyyy?”noah says

“ I like a good challenge. And dancing a challenge.”

“ ok . We eat then we dance”Noah says giving Jude a big smiles.

Jude nods in agreement.

As they ate. Noah ask if there is anyplace they should go to before they leave tomorrow besides back to his mother’s house.

“ can’t really think of anyplace” Jude says as he wipes his hands on a napkin.

“Really? No favorite old haunts you want to show me or give me a tour?”

“Are you asking as my husband or reporter?”

“That’s up to you”

Jude thinks about it.

“Reporter. Let pieces of this finish off that unaired piece you were working on”Jude says

“You are never going to completely open up to me about your life are you?”

“ it’s the pass why look back when the future is so bright Noah “Jude says

“That’s a awful philosophical way of saying I love you but mind your own business Noah “Noah says

Jude shrugs.

Noah sighs.

“One day Jude I’d like to know all of you . Pass and all.the good and the ugly Jude.”

“ all I need to know is I was hurt very badly Noah . I was stupid and . I don’t like talking about when I have done something so stupid as to fall in love with someone like him.”

“ are you worried about what I will think ?”

Noah can tell Jude was closing up towards him.

Noah decides to leave the conversation along.

Jude finishes his dinner after Noah who is already done and is on his laptop playing a game.

Jude washes his hands and sits next to to Noah on the bed. He kisses Noah’s shoulder.

“ your mad aren’t you?”

Noah wasn’t saying and thing.

What Jude didn’t know was that when Noah played his video games he completely zoned out Especially if he’s mad.

Jude sat there with his legs wrapped a Noah ‘s waist for about 10 minutes before Jude started to plot against a stupid video in his head.

“ I will not be a gamer widower “ he easily unwraps himself from a to focused Noah.

Jude thought ok I’m already naked what else can can I do?

Jude slides the suit case infront of the bed.

He bends down and picks up the suitcase and puts the desk.He turns to see if Noah is even noticing him.He didn’t seem to even blink.

Jude digs through his bag looking for lube condoms and a few new ties he bought from Disneyworld.

He tosses the condoms on the bed next to Noah.

Nothing.

He takes the lube and flips the lid. Waiting for a reaction. There it is.A quick glad up and he knew he woken Noah’s wolf. It was time for Jude’s bunnies to bet feet into the bathroom because the chase was on!

20 mins of sex prep and this bunny was ready to be eaten by his big bad wolf.

Jude walks out with a hard on and 7 new ties hanging around his neck.

“What’s with the ties?”

“ maybe we can try something new?”

“Like.....?”

“Like tying me up.”

Noah grabs his phone and heads to the bathroom leaving Jude hard and dumbfounded.

Noah sit on the toilet and texts pop

N:pop help I have a friend that needs some advice

P:hi Nono how are you

N: great I have a friend that needs your help

P: oh ok what’s up?

N:so he wants to know a good position to eat and the fuck the brain out of someone while that person is tied up with ties

P:😳🤔🤦🏻‍♂️ Nono are you standing naked in the bathroom with a hardon while your husband wait for you... never mind don’t answer that look up frog tied position .

N: oh thanks

There’s a knock on the door

“Im almost done” Noah says as he washes up

Noah was out trying to play it off after looking up frog position really quick in the bathroom .

“ you ok?”Jude asked

“Yeah perfect “Noah says and he pulls a confused Jude to him for a kiss.

He tosses his phone into the suit case.

“ so how about if thinks get a be to much you say red”

“ what happened to not even stopping for safe words?”

“Oh that was me just talking shit Jude “

“Ah ok it was kinda a turn on”Noah give him a wide eye look.

“ well I would never do anything to hurt you anyway.”noah says

“ I know that “Jude says

“ have you ever been tied up before?”

“ no never”

Noah wonder if Jude was want to be his slave. Was that the correct term?

Noah take the ties and places 4 pillows in the middle of the bed making a square.

Noah intructs Jude to sit on the edge of the bed he ties his arms behinds his back . Then he tells him to scoot to back. The he it’s his ankles to his thighs.

“ back you go “ Noah pushes him on to his back and tied arms into the rectangle of pillows he made earlier.By the time he was done he uses ever tie.

Jude legs are bent and spread giving Noah access to everything that if he did his job right he could make Jude scream his name if he remembered it after his mind was blown.

“ want to be blind ?”

“ yes please”Jude day eagerly

Jude relaxes demeanor made his heart beat a little faster. He knew his husband trusted him even after what happen early this year but in the back back of his head he had his doubts.It made him happy knowing that for sure now he had his trust.He didn’t want to fuck like rabbits right now he wanted something more.

He looked at his handy work and he changed his mind.

“Noah?” Jude asked blindly.

“ just admiring my handy work”Noah says

Noah wanted to have fun with this.

Noah gives Jude’s ass a smack.

Jude smile

“ you like that huh?”

“ yes”he says breathlessly.

Noah waited quitely.

“Noah? Noah?” It made Noah smile knowing Jude wanted more.

He couldn’t wait he wanted him bad.

He pounced on Jude like a starved man drinking him down and ravaging ever inch of Jude eager body using his fingers and tongue to explore.

Jude climaxed multiple time from just Noah’s tongue alone by the time everything was said and done.

At the end of the main event Noah thrusted one more time before he cums. He slumps over Jude’s heaving chest tired and drain.

“Fuck”Jude says

Noah groans in agreement..

“Ah Noah I’m losing feeling in my arms.”

“Oh sorry “Noah rolls off Jude.

[faces-in-unexpected-places]

Do You Have the Time? Episode 016: Time Flies (in Which Direction?)

[April 18th, 2018, 20:35]

“Look right there, do you see it?” Leslie asked, and pointed to the sky.

“Hmmm, umm,” Jeremy hesitated.

“Right where my finger is pointing!”

“It’s pointed at… the sky, right?”

“A constellation! Look for the little rectangle. On one side, there are two branches of stars coming off of each corner. They trail off sort of like two handles.”

“Is the rectangle a little crooked? Right there?”

“Yes, yes! That’s it! Do you know what that one is?” Leslie probed.

“No, I don’t think so,” he replied bashfully.

“Ah, so that is Crater, the cup!” she clapped with excitement.

“The cup’s… name is Crater?”

“Ye— umm… hmmm,” Leslie thought, “Well, officially, I guess its the constellation’s name. I don’t know if the actual cup was ever named.”

“Was this based on a real cup?”

“I don’t know! But it’s based on the story of Greek God Apollo. Basically, Apollo tells his bird, a crow, to go get him some water with a two-handed chalice. That’s the cup. And the crow takes it away to get water, but gets distracted by a fig tree—”

“What?” Jeremy chuckled.

“I know!” Leslie laughed, “The crow waits days for the figs to ripen. To eat them, I guess? I don’t know. Anyway, the crow comes back eventually with water in the cup, and also brought back a water snake as an excuse for being so late.”

“What was the excuse?” he snorted, becoming more amused.

“I’m… not sure!”

“Maybe the crow… got in a fight? With the snake? For a few days?” Jeremy joked.

“Well, that’s just it!” Leslie continued, “Whatever excuse it was, it wasn’t a very good one. Sooo… in a fit of rage, Apollo casted the cup, crow and the snake into the sky to become the constellations Crater, Corvus, and Hydra, respectively. Because he didn’t believe the excuse, I guess,” she giggled.

“That seems like an overreaction. He didn’t even want to keep the cup?”

“It was tainted with lies, Jeremy!” she said in a playfully accusatory manner.

“It still had utility, Leslie! It’s not the cup’s fault the crow was a hedonistic piece of avian garbage!” he humorously argued with a sudden passion.

“Oh, my Greek God!” she snorted.

“And the snake did nothing wrong, either. It had nothing to do with the crow being late. At all! It—it—it was literally just dragged away from its home, and family, probably, with—with— zero involvement. And Apollo was like ‘guess I have to make you all constellations now,’” he imitated.

“But the lies, Jeremy! They were all tangled in the crow’s lies! They were contaminated by… by… something. Forever! Something bad, forever! You can’t drink out of a forever cursed chalice.”

“You’re such an Apollo apologist,” Jeremy shook his head in jest.

“An Apollogist,” they said in unison and burst into laughter.

“Oh, hey, hey, I found the handles on the chalice. I see it all, now!” Jeremy pointed and delighted in seeing its connection to the story, “Do you know any more stories?” he asked, eagerly.

“Oh, of course! I know plenty! It was the reason I took an interest in astronomy.”

“…Really?” Jeremy questioned.

“Yeah,” she said, “Granted, it didn’t play a very large role in the things I learned in lecture. But that was okay! Obviously the science was great, or else I wouldn’t have stuck with it. But I really enjoyed the stories, too.”

“That’s really interesting. Can, uh, can you see the other constellations from the story right now? Corpus and Hydra?”

“Not Corvus, no,” she corrected, “Corvus will come out in May. So, maybe we should come back in a few weeks for more sand!” she suggested happily, “But Hydra is here! Actually, I’d love to tell you about the other stories of Hydra!”

[April 18th, 2018, 21:08]

“My mother, she took a special interest in my education because my test scores were very high for my age, as a child. Just like her,” Jeremy explained, “She supplemented my learning with a lot of other programs, too. I didn’t have much time for anything other than academic work.”

“And what about Madison?” Leslie asked, “If I can ask that, of course!”

“Yeah, it’s okay. Madison struggled. She spent a lot more time with our dad, who was much less strict with her.”

“So you two had much different experiences, growing up,” Leslie inferred.

“We did. My mother was so determined to turn me into a successful, machine-like executive of some kind; she denounced anything that she considered impractical. She pushed me towards chemical engineering, at first. That’s what she did at my age.”

“A lot of people might say you’ve strayed from the practical areas of science,” Leslie added.

“That’s precisely why I approached Leopold. And you. Close to a year ago, now, actually. I don’t have to answer to my mother anymore. I can choose any path in life that I want. I have missed out on many things because of the way I was raised. But I also have unique opportunities because of it. If I really am as brilliant as some people seem to think, then I don’t want to use that knowledge to only accumulate money and power. I want to do something new. There is more to science than how much it can benefit the person wielding it. It can solve problems. It can help. Time travel. We could uncover so many mysteries within history. Understand things we previously did not. We could protect ourselves and each other from disasters. We could create a safer, and more peaceful place to live. You and Leopold represented that chance to use what was given to me in the way that I wanted to.”

“You sound a lot like Leopold, you know,” Leslie commented, “His whole thing was always ‘revolutionise, think differently, push the limits of what you know.’ He never cared about the money. It was always about what kind of greater impact on the world he would be having. He hired me to work for him right when I got accepted to CVU because of my dedication. Because I was focused on my cause, not on the compensation. And,” she chuckled, “as a result, he actually ended up paying for my tuition, so that I could pursue my cause with him!”

“He did?” Jeremy jumped in shock.

“Yeah, he did!” Leslie laughed, still astonished herself, “And I’ll let you in on a little secret, Jeremy. I think that’s why he hired you, too.”

“You do?”

She faced him and noticed an expression she’d never seen on him before. He usually appeared severe, or blank, at best. Something about the situation, he no longer looked guarded. It was almost as if Leslie was just then seeing and meeting him for the first time. That was what it felt like it to her. She’d never heard him talk so much before. His reserved and standoffish demeanour allowed Leslie to forget that Jeremy was just as human as anyone else.

“Yeah, I really do,” she said with a smile, “And I think that our research will uncover something wonderful, one day.”

With his eyes staying on hers, Jeremy slowly beamed with a half-open smile. To his surprise, Leslie’s eyes widened suddenly and she stepped forward with her arms out.

“Watch out!” she yelled.

He glanced down and squawked.

A four-year-old boy who was running and playing without looking, came barrelling into Jeremy. He and Leslie both stooped down with their arms out and caught him before he ran straight into Jeremy’s knees. The child laughed and sputtered at the sudden lift off the ground. His mother jogged toward them along the shoreline and waved her hands in the air.

“Hello! Sorry! That’s my son! I didn’t expect him to take off running, I’m so sorry!” she babbled.

“Oh, that’s okay!” Leslie called back, “Phew, that was a close call,” she murmured to Jeremy.

“Yes, it was,” he replied, “Be careful, there, boy. Go to your mom,” he said and gave the boy a push in the opposite direction.

“‘Boy!’” Leslie quoted.

“Oh, now, I really sound like Leopold,” Jeremy said, astonished.

“You come with me, mister,” the mother ordered, “Sorry, again! Thank you for looking out for him!” she said as she walked away.

“It’s no problem!” Leslie responded.

“Have a nice night,” Jeremy waved.

[April 18th, 2018, 22:37]

“And then I— pppthhhbbb,” Leslie wheezed, “I swear to God, hhhhhhh—”

“What happened?!” Jeremy asked, red in the face with laughter.

“The lady who gave the presentation— hhnngggg— after everyone else left—ffffffff— she reaches into her blazer and goes ‘WANNA—’” Leslie broke into hysterical laughter again.

“Tell me! You have to tell me, now!” Jeremy gasped for air.

“She said ‘WANNA SEE MY LIZARD?’”

“FFFFF, what?!”

“And she just pulls out this big-ass chameleon from her shirt. Jeremy, it was IN THERE the whole time! Like, an hour and a half!”

“Is that even SAFE? For ANYBODY? Is that LEGAL?” he asked, his face hurting from laughing.

“I don’t know but it was so fun—ny!” Leslie cried, “Oh, goodness it was so weird, I had no idea what to do— oh—oh my!” she glanced around the beach. She and Jeremy were some of the only people left.

“What time is it?” she inquired.

“It’s uh, oh, wow. Almost eleven,” Jeremy replied, looking at the camcorder that was still on.

“Oh! I did NOT expect to be here for so long! I guess time got away from us.”

“Let’s pack up. We can finish this on the way back to the lab,” he chuckled, and walked towards their buckets of sand that were still sitting out on the beach.

[04-18-2018; 22:39_Research_Video_Log_005_END]

[April 18th, 2018, 23:11]

Leslie scanned her keycard to open the locked front doors of the Centre for the Advancement of Technology and Science. The doors dinged and the two of them lugged their capped buckets of sand inside. The lights were all turned off, but those in the lobby flicked on with the motion of them entering the room. Martha’s desk was empty. They headed down the hall to the right, which housed Leopold’s lab. The lights in each section of the hallway illuminated as they progressed further. Leslie used her second keycard to open the doors to their lab; Jeremy followed closely behind her inside. Though the lights were dimmed to save energy, they were oddly not shut off like all the others in the building. They both set their backpacks around the lab meeting table. Afterwards, Leslie huffed and waddled over to the corner of the work bench that they did the first trial at. She abruptly released the buckets. Jeremy mimicked her.

“I didn’t think about how heavy the sand would be,” she puffed.

“Yeah, we’ll have to make these buckets last,” Jeremy said.

They both snickered, out of breath.

“It looks like IO… went to sleep for the night?” she pointed into her office. IO sat, huddled down next to her desk, “Does… does IO sleep?” she asked.

“Yes, it does,” Jeremy snorted.

“Does it always sleep in my office?” she prodded.

“Hmm… I don’t really know. I’m not usually here this late,” Jeremy thought out loud, then jolted, “U-UH, but I could wake it up and move it, if you want. Would you prefer IO sleep somewhere else?”

“Oh, no, no, I don’t mind! I was just curious!”

Jeremy gently sighed in relief.

“Okay. Well. Um, I suppose we’ll start experiment one, trial two… soon?”

“Yes!” Leslie replied happily, “If not tomorrow, then within the week, I’m sure. We’ll have to keep a quick move on, if we want to be ready in time.”

“Yes, we will…” he paused and cleared his throat, “Anyway. I— uh, good work, today. I think we accomplished a lot. It was productive and— I enjoyed it,” he stammered. He retraced his steps to the meeting table, and Leslie followed behind him.

“Hey, Jeremy,” Leslie enunciated. He glanced up at her while he bent over to pick up his bag, “We really should go back to the lake one day. We’ll run out of sand eventually, and, well, I had a lot of fun, too. I’m really glad you came with me. Thank you.”

He faintly smiled up at her.

“Um, yeah,” he responded, modestly, “We’re probably the most fit for the job, anyway,” he jested, “I… I’m really glad I went with you, too. And I will look forward to the next time we can go together.”

Leslie smiled openly.

“I can’t wait! I need to grab something from my office, but you should go home. Get some sleep,” she chuckled, “You look tired!”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day. Lot’s of new things happening,” he murmured almost in a daze, “I’ll leave this here, just in case anyone wants to record more and Madison and I aren’t around,” he said and placed the camcorder on the meeting table. Leslie acknowledged his idea with a quick nod.

“Good night, Jeremy. I’ll see you soon,” she smiled and waved him away. He nodded vaguely and idly waved as he walked out of the lab.

“Good night, Leslie.”

After Jeremy left, Leslie slipped away and tiptoed into her office. She intended to stealthily rifle through her drawers to not wake up IO — in the event that she actually could wake IO— but she was stopped in her tracks. It was sitting plain as day in the middle of her desk. Her pocket-sized constellation booklet. She hadn’t touched it in at least a year, and expected it to be buried under pages of notes in her drawers. How it wound up in the middle of her desk was beyond her. Leslie wearily retrieved the booklet and gently grinned. Perhaps it was a sign to return to the lake one day. Or to simply take up her old interests again. She yawned and pocketed the booklet. With Jeremy gone, her drowsiness finally crept up on her.

Leslie lazily shook herself awake and trudged back to the meeting table to lug her backpack out with her. Just as she donned it on her back, something caught her attention. She picked up a pack of opened orange sticky notes and frowned at it. Her head was fuzzy and her body was tired, but she couldn’t keep herself from staring at it. Did she bring it from home? She couldn’t remember, but, she felt as if she should, somehow. Like it was in the back of her mind. She eyed the camcorder, snatched it up, and set the open pack back on the table. She zoomed in on the notes on the table and hit record.

[04-18-2018; 23:25_Research_Video_Log_006_START]

“Déjà vu?”

[04-18-2018; 23:25_Research_Video_Log_006_END]

[fcllenflowers]

Judging books by their covers

Characters: Narcissus, Steel, Kather & Beck Bradly ( @kindnessneedsbravery ), Crimson

Author’s Note: Small thing I wrote as a ‘response’ to @kindnessneedsbravery‘s drabble of Kather’s interview. It’s about Steel and Narcissus’ thoughts whilst watching the interview and has some...heartwarming moments, one could say.

Genre: ...Fluff?

Word Count: 3.148 words

 Ever since they’d arrived in the apartment Narcissus had never seen Steel sit in front of the TV to watch. She’d claim it was a waste of her time -and perhaps Narcissus agreed in part, but he had reasons to believe that the screen caused some sort of irritation to her damaged left eye that kept twitching all the while he observed her from his favorite armchair in the living room. At first she’d just been zapping between channels, seemingly looking for something random to spend her time with and wearing a neutral expression as always. But Narcissus knew better than to fall for that; he knew she was looking for something and was very much interested to discover what that was. It had to be something very special for her to decide to spend her afternoon on the couch, after all.    “Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to Beck Time!”

   Steel’s thumb froze on the remote and her hand remained stretched, pointing to the screen. Her elbow rested on her knees, pressed together in front of her as she’d folded in two to rest her head on top of them as well. Her face was almost half covered by her own knees, perhaps in an attempt to hide from the truth she was about to witness; for this seemingly unimportant interview to everyone else in a cheesy TV talk show that maybe a few thousand people were watching with mild interest while doing their evening chores around the house seemed as if it were the most important sight in the world to her. It wasn’t the host’s smile that captured her single eye, however; it might’ve been good enough to fool the average crowd but Steel was not average in any aspect of her perception and to her that smile resembled a dog baring its teeth. Red shone in between the deep maroon of her good eye when it landed on the boy, however. She didn’t have the time to think about the faint smile on Kather’s lips for she found herself frozen by the sight alone, as if Kather’s presence in that small box seemed eerily unnatural yet unbearably real at the same time. Granted, she knew where he came from but now it seemed as if he was some sort of those celebrities that only look shiny and glossy behind a glass.  As much as she wanted Kather’s forced smile to disgust her, however, she couldn’t manage it. She couldn’t manage to hate him. Steel’s heartbeat rose at that sudden realization but she refused to give up; this interview had to make her hate him after all! She had to hate this conceited rich kid talking about his fancy life as if he ignored the zillions of people dying on the streets so his parents can enjoy their weekends in Paris!  Narcissus was more focused on Beck Bradly’s pink and blue dress and thought that he was very glad his agent had turned down his invitation for an interview last week with the excuse he’d be resting before his premier, else he would have had a hard time keeping his thoughts about pink and blue being on different polars of the color spectrum and definitely not something one should combine in one garment else they attempted to look like Cinderella. He made a mental note to ensure Beck Bradly’s later invitations would go straight to his spam folder in the future and placed his newspaper down for once, folding it carefully so that the edges touched each other everywhere and placing the perfect rectangle he’d made on the coffee table, making sure the long edge aligned with the table’s. “I’m your host Beck Bradly! And today we have a special guest with us. Some of you may recognize him from his earlier interviews in Person’s Magazine as the heir to the Finley fortune please welcome, Katherine Finley!” ”Fake ass bitch.” Came the first comment from Steel’s lips. It was a mere whisper, forced between her gritting teeth as she let out a small sigh. Narcissus’ green eyes left the screen to throw her a glance for a second before returning back to the glass. Now he was thinking that her hair looked absolutely awful in this style and she had way too many flyways that he could not comprehend how her makeup artist hadn’t noticed. Even he, with his naturally messy hair that was impossible to fix, always made sure that if he had a stray strand at least there wouldn’t be little hairs flying around it! Such amateurs, he thought.    Steel’s eye was now fixed on Kather’s expression again. His smile, his posture, his clothes. She was certain a  lot of girls and boys would’ve looked at him with and drooled, with his small charming yet a bit mysterious smile, his golden hair and designer clothes, soft voice and excellent manners... Now that, that she found disgusting. But still, it wasn’t Kather she was disgusted with. It was the fact this Kather looked wrong. Everything about him looked wrong. His hair was too neat and she knew they weren’t even naturally blonde. His clothes were too uptight and perfect -not a single wrinkle, much to Narcissus’ delight, his voice felt forced and his smile reminded Steel of a horse smiling.  Then the questions begin and Steel finds herself wondering how stupid the crowd has to be to believe these answers come from a -what, fifteen? fourteen?- year old kid without someone having forced them to memorize them. Steel, of course, did not have a good upbringing but she’s formed her own opinions on what kids should be like at their sixteen through books, mostly. At first she tries to convince herself that Kather did this willingly and he relished in the glory of the spotlight, just like his smile indicates...but no matter what she tries to think she can’t stop seeing a robot on the TV instead of a person.  And then she remembers his text and a sharp pain takes over her chest.  “Oh, this is simply atrocious. I can’t bare to watch.” Narcissus comments and folds his hands over his chest as he shakes his head left and right slowly with a disapproving expression. This kid’s acting is the worst thing he’s witnessed so far, worst even than the exaggerated enthusiasm in the host’s questions that makes the entire scene look even more comically unnatural. Narcissus thinks that he must indeed be very talented to be able to trick all these humans in his stage plays and mimic their emotions to perfection better than someone so deeply rooted in the show business as Beck Bradly.

 Then that question comes and Narcissus catches a quick glimpse of Steel’s eye widening and her posture shifting immediately; she raises her back from the couch and seems to unfold slowly as if her life depends on Kather’s answer;

 “What’s your home life like?”

“Tiring.”

 Comes his response, in the same tone as the ones before. He didn’t seem to think about it before responding. To Steel it felt as if it’d come as naturally as all the others previous to that. She found herself chewing on her lower lip and only realized she’d returned to this habit of old when her teeth hit the metal ring around it. As a child she’d chew for hours until it drew blood. Now in her teens she’d gotten that ring to remind herself when it was time to stop but for some reason watching this freakshow behind the screen was stressing her out to the point where she couldn’t. She started thinking what she would’ve done in Kather’s place, empathizing even with the boy for seemingly no reason other than he’d been nice to her. Everything about the way she was feeling and these thoughts was new and confusing; scary even.

Narcissus notices that big breath the heir draws in whilst Steel doesn’t seem to. She’s waiting for his next words as if the salvation of her immortal soul depends on them now.

“Oh? Tiring? How so? Let me guess it’s from counting all your money, right?”

“I just keep so busy with my studies and my interests. It’s tiring attempting to balance preparing to run a set of ever growing companies and keeping time for my interests. Not to mention keeping an active social life.”

But he’d said he had no friends.

“And helping people less fortunate then me.”

There was another sharp pain inside Steel’s chest, as if her soul was one of those Jenga towers she loved so much and Kather’s words had just pulled on the two blocks at its base at the same time. The ‘less fortunate’? Sure, Steel was no longer considered a poor child –Narcissus was a well payed actor and had even bought them this apartment at a good part of town, they had a car and she could have everything she wanted if only she got him to lend her money…But she’d been born into poverty and in her mind she’d never escape it. She didn’t care to, either. She was comfortable branded a ‘poor person’, a ‘less fortunate’. To see Kather place it in such a condescending manner though finally managed to trigger some anger inside of her. Even if part of her still screamed this was the same kid that spoke with utter disrespect for his parents in their text, even if she still felt like this could all be a façade for the interview… Suddenly it seemed more possible that he’d lied to her instead.

“I’m not complaining of course. I’m just stating a fact. But my parents are so kind and so helpful. They really know how to make things better after a stressful day. I love my parents.”

But that wasn’t the impression he’d given off to her, not at all. What if he’d just been looking for a break from his ‘tiring’ life? Just a break from his ‘interests’ –that she found snobby now all of a sudden, whilst at first had thought were slightly intriguing. It made sense that this was all she’d been to him, a break.

And though Steel was used to hanging out with people who honestly could be considered antisocial and apathetic to extremes and was used to people trying to manipulate her and take things from her, it suddenly bothered her to think Kather might have tricked her into thinking that he was not happy with his life just so that he’d get to hang out with her in the park and do something ‘crazy’. Had she just been a break for fresh air for him? Was it bad if she had? The confusion was starting to show in her face and it was the feeling of something other than soft lip tissue and the metal ring tapping against her front teeth that stopped her before she could draw blood; a finger. Narcissus’ middle finger right between her teeth and lips. It was only then that she’d noticed he had moved from his seat as well and was now sitting next to her on the couch.

Steel’s first thought was to move away from him and that he’d exploit the situation she was in to hurt her, as always. But she was so shaken by her own thoughts –by the fact she cared so much to know what this stupid rich kid thought of her- that she found herself immobilized on the couch by his side. Narcissus was just staring at the TV with an apathetic gaze and his finger stuck between her lips, thought obviously not exactly content with the physical content.

“Please stop biting your lip. The noise is highly irritating. Apart from which blood would be incredibly hard to wash off the couch and I don’t feel like having to explain myself to the cleaner’s either.”

“Aw! Isn’t that sweet folks?” Becky continued, grinning at the audience that was also apparently touched by Kather’s confession. “But of course that’s to be expected from a family of philanthropists like the Finley’s! I’m sure their house is just full of love!”

Steel finally gave in and stopped trying to bite Narcissus’  finger out of her mouth at that point, relaxing her shoulders and falling back on the couch. Kather kept dancing around questions and the host’s voice was starting to annoy her now. Everything had gotten confusing at that point, as if she was still trying to decide which side was true and comprehend how they could be such polar opposites. Was it possible that Kather was just that good an actor? Then how could he come off as a bad actor on TV? She would need a lot of time to think this through and possibly not pay as much attention to details as she could have because of her feelings and clouded judgement; yet it was Narci’s input that saved her the trouble, surprisingly.

Relaxing back on the couch next to her, Steel almost felt his presence in the room as imposing for once. Perhaps it was just her seeking out guidance or the fact he was so much taller and bigger than her as a human. Perhaps it was the fact she’d seen people die in his hands and knew what he was capable of and that Crimson was in his room and probably listening to music combined with the fact she couldn’t scream by nature even if she wanted to and didn’t know if she could take Narcissus on. Yet, the flower showed no signs of hostility, even as his shoulders raised a bit and a hand landed on the couch over Steel’s shoulders –but of course avoiding all actual contact with her skin. It left the human nearly shocked since this had been the only time Narcissus was approaching her by himself –even if she often forced some kind of physical contact on him whilst messing around, watering him, or helping him through his transformations.

Guess tending to your flower on a daily basis is a rewarding process after all.

“Sounds to me more like their house is full of LOVE.” Came Narcissus’ chuckle to interrupt the awkward silence between them. Steel glared at him with the corner of her good eye, still tense from the proximity. “Where did you meet this kid? Is it your new friend?”

Steel barely even pouted at that, attempting to put on a deadpan expression and deter him from asking more questions. Perhaps he just wanted information, after all Narcissus had always been controlling of his environment.

“No. We’re not friends. Just some kid.”

“Did you know I’d gotten invited to this show? Honestly it’s such an atrocious spectacle. Not that I would mind the attention but I feel my art deserves a lot better than these hypocrites. Apart from which Becky is highly uninteresting a person, very two dimensional, not much depth to discuss. If I was in her place, I would’ve asked some more juicy stuff. Having a child that clearly is suffering at home and memorizing scripts and not exposing his rich parents? A scandal would have gotten her a lot more fame than this bori-“

“He’s not suffering.” At this point, Steel was clearly pushing her lack talking back to him like that, especially when she knew Narcissus hated being interrupted in the middle of his sentence. And though his fists clenched, his voice remained calm and collected.

“Please do not interrupt me when I’m talking, wait for your turn. Anyway, I think it’s pretty clear that the script was memorized and narrated pretty poorly. I am honestly disappointed in you, Frisk. I thought your perception was higher than that.”

Steel had to resist the urge to punch him but her frustration was reaching unspeakable levels at that moment. She could either push herself off the couch and run to her room,  punch Narcissus or something in the room or burst into tears. And the latter wasn’t happening, of course. She’d never cry –especially not over a boy. However, punching Narci wasn’t really an option either. Yet, something told her that she could still get the release she wanted and annoy him as revenge by simply turning around and leaning her head on his chest and her weight against his body in a gentle side-hug. Narcissus instantly regretted placing his arm behind her for he had left his side so open for her to lean against doing that. His body stiffened from the touch but just as he was about to grab her face and push her off he heard the door to Crimson’s room open and froze instead.

“He told me he didn’t even like his parents. Why would he lie? And the greyfaces said his parents locked him in the basement…” She thought her voice would crack for a second and lowered its volume, rasp heightening. Narcissus could now clearly hear Crimson heading to the kitchen and slowly placed his hand atop of Steel’s head to let it rest on her braids. Of course he made a mental note to wash it the moment she’d be off of him, for who knows what could be hiding in these braids?! Just the fact he’d gotten himself played like that already was making him sick to the stomach. And Steel buried her face into his shoulder a little bit after that. That disgusting human was enjoying this!? It only made him want to puke more, if only he was physically able to do so.

“It doesn’t sound impossible. Father would do that to me often times when I failed to meet his expectations. He said he would rather not think about me for a while. Apart from which, they also made me memorize scripts for dinners when he’d have commanders of the Royal Guard involved or high guests.”

And then the most unexpected thing happened. As he was talking, Narcissus hadn’t noticed Crimson sneaking up on them over the sound of his own voice. Now another pair of hands wrapped around his neck, pulling his free side into a hug as well. He ended up squished between the two humans hugging him. Crimson’s face was suddenly very close to his as well, much to his own discomfort. Unable to move or escape his horrible fate he remained frozen there on the couch, between the two humans pressing their warm bodies against his.

 Steel was the first to break the hug and slide away from the other two to grab her phone. She opened the messages app and checked for responses by refreshing it a few times. Kather hadn’t responded to her messages, yet, but now she started thinking that if he did tomorrow it would make the greyface that told her he’d be locked down for the following two days honest.

 And that for some reason, gave her some HOPE.