#i passed by and up to the break room right before shit went down apparently

[ambersky0319]

also untelated but still work related

today was

interesting

[obxsummer]

snow angel // ghost of you

pairing: jj maybank x routledge!reader

summary: the zoning hearing was already in the kooks favor, but they make sure to really dig deep in the wound. jj's faced with the ugly realization that luke maybank will always be a piece of shit, and sarah's there to talk you off a ledge when john b can't.

warnings: oh no not the ultima!, crash out rage, reader pushes john b, cursing, shoupe..... being nice?

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--

City Hall was more packed than you had anticipated. Apparently John B’s plan had worked, which led to the group of you being surrounded by somewhat familiar faces in the small room. 

“I want to remind everyone to maintain civility and decorum throughout the rest of these proceedings,” The mayor reminded as the session resumed after a small break. You sat next to Sarah with JJ on your other side, the latter squeezing your hand in his. “We’re one island. Why don’t we all try to act like it? Any disruption will warrant expulsion and potential charges.”

You glanced at JJ, trying to communicate silently that he needed to take that seriously. You guys needed all the help you could get right now and if he acted out, it would be another nail in the coffin.

“Without further ado, we’ll start with our council members, beginning with Council Member Lawrence.”

“Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Agenda 8A, ordinance 31, zoning for the property located at the end of Roger’s Point Road. Uh, Mr. Mayor, we have a resolution from the town of Pelican expressing support for the rezoning of multi-use land on the east side of the island, including the aforementioned Roger’s Point Road property.”

Confused glances were shared amongst your group, realizing you might not even get a chance to defend your home. 

Pope leaned in, “Did he just say they already had a resolution?”

The question went unanswered as the council member continued, “The council is voting to recommend allocating the amount of $60,000 to begin to transition that said property…”

The sound faded from your ears as you stared ahead blankly. As much as you wished you could say you didn’t see this coming, the whole town was practically against you since day one. 

“....beginning with a representative from the occupants of the Roger’s Point property, which used to be the Maybank property.”

Your hand clamped on JJ’s flannel collar instantly, holding him down in his seat before he had a chance to go up there and rage on everyone. He tried to move out of your hold before your other hand moved down on his thigh to keep him in one spot. 

Looking past Sarah, you made eye contact with John B. “Go.”

Your brother pointed at himself in confusion, likely anxious to go speak before the rest of the group voiced their agreements. Cheering followed as John B stood up, making his way over you and JJ to walk up to the podium that was in the center of the room.

“Yeah, John B!”

“Alright! Let’s go!”

You let a rushed breath escape between your lips and loosened your grip on JJ’s hoodie but kept your hand on his thigh. He clapped loudly as your brother tapped on the microphone before the room quieted per the mayor’s request.

“Please state your name for the record.”

John B anxiously tapped his fingers against the wooden stand in front of him. “I am John Booker Routledge.”

More applause followed his statement before it was hushed again, the room open for your brother to speak.

“Look, I’m… I’m not a lawyer, by any standard… but honestly, this doesn’t make any sense. I mean, we bought the property at auction, and we have a fully functioning business and have had for some time. And-and now you have a motion for rezoning on our property? And if it passes, we lose our business. And we lose our home.”

“Because of some bullshit!” “The fix is in!”

“This isn’t fair!”

“They’ve got a right!”

You glanced around at the crowd who was starting to get to their feet in frustration. JJ grabbed your hand from his thigh and tightened his grip, the first sign his emotions were heating up. The mayor banged his gavel in attempts to calm the courtroom.

“Sit down, let him speak, and shut the hell up!” 

Once the room quieted down, the mayor motioned for John B to continue. “Mr. Routledge you can continue.”

John B looked down at the podium and you could see him taking calculated breaths to keep his nerves calm. Your brother was never the best at public speaking, but he’d been a leader his whole life, and you had full confidence in him to represent you in any instance.

“As most of you know, myself, my sister, and Sarah, we lost our fathers last year. All we are trying to do is rebuild a home. That’s it. Sir, with all due respect, we’re not looking for a handout. We just want to keep our home, alright?”

The rowdiness erupted as frustration seeped into John B’s words. It was obvious the Kooks were on the opposing side of the room with the way they were all glowering and sitting. One man got to his feet, asking to interrupt whatever John B was getting at. 

“Excuse me, excuse me. May I speak?” When the mayor gave his approval, the man continued, “There seems to be a misunderstanding. Okay? And I think I can clarify.”

JJ groaned loudly as Mr. Zeasy, the realtor who approved this whole shitshow, tried to walk up to the stand.

“Mr. Routledge, you have the floor. Are you willing to let Mr. Zeasy speak?”

Your brother leaned closer to the microphone, annoyance clear on his face. “If you can explain it a little better, Dale.” John B took a step back to let him move forward, giving him the opportunity. 

“So, what the, uh, current occupants of the land don’t seem to understand is that there is an injunction to invalidate the most recent sale.”

Your attention flipped to Pope immediately. “What does that mean? Invalidate it how?”

“There was a pre-existing promissory note from the original owner that was in the process of being finalized when the land auction took place.”

You whispered toward JJ as the crowd booed in response, “Your dad?”

“The bank wasn’t legally allowed to go to auction. We have a promissory note right here from the original owner, signed before the auction, and finalized by Judge Holden.”

“That’s impossible,” You continued to argue quietly. “Your dad was gone way before we got on that ship, there’s no way he signed it.”

“That means our sale was invalid,” Pope explained as he grabbed your elbow to get your attention. “They faked the date. How can they even do that?”

You shook your head, the lump in your throat growing with each second.

“Where is the original owner? And can he validate the authenticity of this document?”

Dale spoke up again. “Yes he can. He’s right here.”

The world spun beneath you as you turned around to see Luke Maybank stand from his spot in the back of the room. He still looked like the same piece of shit when you’d last looked at him

“What the hell?” You were on your feet instantly, glaring daggers at the man who’d taken so much from someone who you adored. “He’s a wanted criminal! He should be in jail!” Your arguement fell upon deaf ears as the crowd yelled equal protests. 

“Isn’t it obvious? He signs the promissory note, and in exchange he gets amnesty,” Pope huffed and fell back into the bench, his hands pulling at his hair. 

“Now, hang on. Unless I’m very mistaken, when this all shakes out, you nice young people will be compensated of course. And, and… hold on! The land will be a club for all!”

Your hands pressed against your ears tightly, hoping all the noise would fade away into nothing. This was so unfair, so fundamentally wrong of this town in so many ways. The Kooks would win, every time, because everything came down to politics and money. Everything.

“After they do it to us, they’re gonna do it to all of you!” Kiara shouted as she moved from her seat up to where John B was standing. “This is theft!”

You didn’t realize JJ was missing from next to you until Sarah was grabbing your elbow and pulling you back to reality. The crowd was becoming unruly and glass shattered somewhere in the room before you caught sight of JJ’s blond hair.

Your jaw dropped as he body slammed a police officer to the ground, a broken window close by telling you your boyfriend was crashing out harder than you anticipated. 

Shifting out of Sarah’s grip, you glared at Luke with a look that could kill and reached to grab JJ from the ground. “Hey, hey!” You grabbed his neck and leaned forward to kiss him quickly as people started shoving from behind. “Go! Be careful!”

A cop burst past you just as JJ took off, the two of them tumbling down the stairs of City Hall. More cop cars pulled into view with officers rushing from every angle. Sarah finally got her hold back on you to move out of the way. 

“What the fuck!” You screamed as they slammed JJ on the hood of the sheriff cruiser. You’d lost sight of Cleo and Pope, and there was no way in hell you were letting Sarah continue to get pushed around with her possible pregnancy. Grabbing her hand, you tugged her arm to get outside of the room and into the sunshine as people stormed around you. Other teens took the attacking the new police vehicles, someone jumping on the cruiser JJ had just been shoved in. 

“John B!” Your voice cracked with the force of your yell. Your brother was lost in the crowd, likely keeping hands off Kiara in the mass of people. 

“He’s over here!” Sarah pulled your hand to where you could see John B crowding the tail end of the car as Cleo kicked out the back windshield. You didn’t have time to be shocked and reached forward to grab the hood of JJ’s jacket while your friends helped pull him out of the glass covered surface. 

“Go!” Your brother shoved JJ’s chest and moved him away from you as Pope yelled to run. “Get out of here!”

You caught JJ’s gaze long enough to see how scared he was before he took off without another word. 

“Shit!” There wasn’t time to follow him before John B’s arms were wrapping around your waist and tugging you out of the way of an oncoming brawl. “Come on,” John B let go of you with one arm to grab Sarah’s hand. “Let’s go, let’s go!”

Pushing your brother’s arm off, you started running in the general direction that JJ had taken off, figuring he was heading into town since it would be empty from the crowd here. Your muscles burned as you continued to push yourself further. Your name echoed behind you as you gained a lead on your friends, your mind only set on finding your boyfriend and getting the hell out of here.

—

JJ was always an athletic person, but shit, he was running for sure. Your pace slowed eventually as you approached town, chest burning for a break. 

Turning the corner, you slowed at the sight of broken car windows, store doors shattered, and flames building from the electrical poles. You couldn’t see any sign of JJ, and the growing crowd wasn’t helping you narrow down where he could’ve been. Glancing around, you realized the power was out, and you prayed he at least managed to accomplish that first to take out any cameras nearby.

Shoupe was yelling into his walkie for all units, claiming the whole town would get looted any minute and he would need backup. 

A dirt bike nearly clipped you in the side before you realized you were in over your head and needed to move. You cursed under your breath, moving along with the crowd to blend in before you were ahead of them all. Without anyone to stop him, JJ wouldn’t hesitate to wipe the whole town out if he could. It was a perfect misplaced aggression, and the fact that other Pogues were joining in would only fuel him.

You tried to rack your brain for where he would go next: the house was off limits, it was too obvious. Kie’s dad wouldn’t hide him at the Wreck and there was no doubt anywhere on Figure Eight had cameras. 

“He went that way!” You turned at the sound of a voice, a girl you’d recognized from the bonfires pointing in the general direction of the rental estates down the street. You nodded, barely giving her a thank you before you were running again in hopes of catching up to JJ.

Evidently, he was making enough of a scene that the cop cars were rounding the corner and following your path to catch up to him. You ducked into the trees along the road, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible as you ran alongside them until you landed on the vacation real estate side of the island. 

All of the Kooks with vacation homes ran their offices on the same road, and you had a good feeling you knew which one JJ would be hidden in. Before you had a chance to get ahead of the situation though, a handful of cop cars had surrounded the office, effectively cutting off your opportunity to get to JJ first. 

You took a deep breath, praying he could level his head out enough to make the right decision and keep himself out of harm enough until you could get to him. You pulled your hood up on your head and started in the direction of the building. 

“Stop, stop!” John B knocked you off course a second later, his hand wrapping itself around your sleeve to yank you to a stop. You panicked, knowing your brother would do anything it took to keep you safe, including letting JJ run wild.

Heaving for air, you shoved him away a little harsher than you’d intended. “Get off of me! They’re going to kill him!”

“Hey!” John B stumbled back with the force of your action, eyes widening in surprise before he steadied himself. “You’ve gotta calm down.”

You shook your head, body practically bouncing with adrenaline and glanced at the series of lights behind you. “I need to talk to him, okay? You don’t understand, he’s gonna-”

“I know!” John B took the chance to reach forward and hold your shoulders. “We’re going to get him, but you cannot lose it on us. Not right now, okay?”

Your brother read your expression like a neon sign. You were terrified, and you were right behind JJ’s crashout if he didn’t reel you in this second. John B knew you and JJ felt everything so strongly, and it was getting even deeper when you were together. The two of you were weirdly connected, like a radiating ball of chaos, as John B would call it. Whatever JJ was feeling would seep into you instantly, so it was no surprised you were as out of it as the blond boy was when he took off.

“Hey,” Sarah’s voice was much softer than your brother’s as she moved in front of you to stand next to John B. “I need you to stay with me, yeah? You said you’d help me figure it out.”

You knew what she was trying to do. Trying to lock you in one spot to protect her the way she knew you would with the knowledge you had. Sirens echoed around and you glanced away to see flickers of red and blue lights, a sinking feeling taking over your stomach.

Sarah whispered your name, her hand gentle on your cheek as she pulled you back. Your heart was racing, and she could practically feel it under her touch. Her lips mouthed please, and it was enough to break your hesitation, forcing you to nod. She took your hand in hers and looked up at John B who was staring at the two of you with confusion.

“Let’s go,” Pope pulled you all out of your moment and you started moving again at a slower pace. 

The chaos from City Hall was starting to catch up again as your group jogged up to the office where Shoupe was climbing out of a cruiser. The front door was kicked in, but thankfully it seemed like JJ hadn’t done much damage compared to downtown. 

“If you’re not in uniform, stay back!” Shoupe called out as Pope walked up in attempt to talk to him before he was pushed back into line by another cop. “Aright, JJ. You’ve gone too far, and we’ve got a serious situation!”

The crack of a firework had you jumping in your spot, head tucking like it would stop anything from happening. Hands trembling, you reached in your pocket to grab your phone, praying by everything JJ had his on him.

go out the back, you typed quickly, please be safe. don’t do anything stupid.

The read receipt popped up a moment after and you let out a deep breath, knowing the message would be enough to get into his head and shift his mindset. 

Looking up, Shoupe was still trying to talk to you boyfriend, but you knew damn well he would be long gone by the time they put together the pieces. You shifted away from your friends, John B’s fingers just missing your shoulder as you walked forward.

“Shoupe!” You called out his name and raised your hands slightly to show that you meant no harm as deputies swarmed instantly to prevent any interruption. “Shoupe, please!”

There were a lot of things that were difficult in the law force after Peterkin had died. Trusting people? Shoupe had always struggled with that, especially when the price was right. But now? With you standing feet away from him and the knowledge that he had about your past, he hoped he could trust you. The least he could do is hear you out.

Shoupe stared at you for a moment before waving you in, both deputies standing aside to let you do so. “Can you talk to him?” He asked you, holding the megaphone to his side as you stopped next to him. Deep down he cared for JJ, even if it was hard love.

“He’s not here,” You answered honestly and crossed your arms over your chest to hold yourself. “I told him to go somewhere safe. He might’ve been here before, but he’s not here now.”

Shoupe watched you closely for any telltale sign that you were lying. “He destroyed the town, so he’s in a ton of trouble. I know you’re smart enough to know that, so in order to keep this short, do you know where he is?”

It was obvious he was trying to intimidate you, but he wouldn’t win. You shook your head. “No, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Shoupe, you know what his dad did to him. And you know it isn’t fair what they’re doing to us. The power’s out downtown, which means cameras are out, and you have no proof JJ did anything. I think you owe us a little wiggle room on this one. Please.”

The man hesitated. Last time you tried to interfere with an arrest, you ended up with a dislocated shoulder and he willinging took you back to an abusive household. Shoupe heard rumors, saw the bruises and injuries himself when John B was arrested that day. He should’ve never taken you back. Life had been cruel to you, and he didn’t want to keep that going.

“Get out of here,” He whispered, but the tone of his voice was understanding. “You kids need to lay low, do you hear me? Or I will be finding a reason to press charges.”

You nodded, trying not to look too excited at his reaction. “Thanks, Shoupe. Really.”

He nudged his head back toward your group. “Tell your boy he’s on thin ice, yeah?”

“Yeah,” You called over your shoulder as you made your way back to your friends. “I’ll ground him and everything.”

Shoupe started dismissing the scene behind you while the group stared at you with wide eyes.

“Do I even want to know what you did?” John B asked once you stopped in front of them. Sarah was smirking at you, knowing you likely sweet talked your way out of it. 

“Sold my soul,” You replied rhetorically before actually explaining, “What else would I do? I told him JJ isn’t here, because he isn’t.”

Pope tilted his head and waited for the elaboration. “But he is…?”

Your phone twisted between your fingertips as an answer. “Told him to run. Didn’t say where, just to stay safe.”

“He’ll be so safe,” Pope joked with a laugh as relief fell over the group. John B bent over and placed his hands on his knees with a huff, Kiara running her hands through her hair in disbelief. 

“Rude boy,” Cleo clicked her tongue and shook her head, “Always gotta cause trouble somewhere.”

A smile started to form on your face as lightning lit up the sky, a crack of thunder shaking your form just before rain started to pour down. 

John B watched you carefully, knowing you were coming down from your adrenaline rush and would crash any moment now. He turned toward Sarah, who had been looking at you too.  “You okay?” He asked quietly.

She nodded, breaking out of her daze to smile at him. “Yeah, just a long night. Wanna sleep.”

He nodded in understanding and pulled the girl closer under his arm. “Then let’s go home.”

--

The group scattered relatively quickly once you arrived back at Poguelandia. JJ had sent a rushed I love you text and the charter boat was gone, which meant he made it somewhere relatively safe for the night. Kie dismissed herself to shower, Pope and Cleo quietly shutting their door without much conversation. Sarah walked in, promising to make some sort of dinner, which left you on the porch swing with John B.

Your brother didn’t say a word but lifted his arm invitingly for you to snuggle into his side. JJ had sent a rushed I love you text and the charter boat was gone, which meant he made it somewhere relatively safe for the night. 

“Thanks for snapping me out of it,” You spoke quietly and tucked your feet up on the bench, pushing more of your weight against him. Rain pattered against the roof, lightning flashing across the sky every so often.

John B kissed your forehead wordlessly, his hand warm as it moved back and forth slowly against your arm. His mind was moving in so many directions. How was he supposed to take care of you and Sarah with no money and soon to be nowhere to go?

You flicked his forehead to bring him back to reality. “Earth to JB. Hello?”

“Sorry,” He mumbled, eyes blinking to refocus. “Just don’t know what we’re gonna do.”

You frowned and sat up, letting his arm fall back to his side. “John B, you don’t have to figure this out on your own. We’re going to do it together.”

“I know, I know. But we shouldn’t have to. We shouldn’t even have to deal with this.” He turned to face you. “Do you ever regret going after the gold?”

The question caught you off guard. Did you? 

“Do you realize the amount of things that would be different if we didn’t find that Scooter’s boat that day? You would’ve never dealt with Rafe. We would’ve never lost our home, and Dad would maybe still be alive. Pope would be in medical school by now, Kie probably running a turtle habitat rescue and living as an influencer or something. Shit, JJ and I would be pro-surfers and probably competing. Life would be so different.”

“Do you realize how different it would be too? You would’ve never been with Sarah, she would probably still be with Topper. Cleo wouldn’t be here. We have answers about Dad, now. We wouldn’t have had Poguelandia, I would’ve never gotten with JJ. Sarah wouldn’t be-” You clammed up quickly, teeth sinking into your lip at almost spilling the beans to John B.

“Sarah wouldn’t be what?” He repeated.

You shook your head. “Sarah wouldn’t be here, with you. You’d still be a lonely and miserable fuck who bothered the shit out of me.”

John B opened his mouth in feigned shock, which made you laugh loudly, the two of you falling into a fit of giggles.

“Seriously, though,” You continued once the two of you had stopped laughing. “In a way, I got you back, John B. The version of us that existed when Agatha hit is not the version of us here, today.”

He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, hands twisting between each other as he listened to you. 

“I don’t realize it, because I don’t question what we’ve done,” You said softly and set your hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want to change any of it because I have you, and we have this family that we’ve never had before on this level. I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world. I wouldn’t trade you for the world, you know that?”

John B’s laugh was teary. “That’s the nicest shit you’ve ever said to me.”

A small smile form on your lips and you quickly brushed away tears of your own. “C’mon, Bird. I know I give you a really hard time. But you’re my favorite brother.”

“I’m your only brother.”

You shoved his shoulder with a smile before curling back into his side with his arm around you. John B leaned his head against yours as the two of you watched the water move slowly against the dock. Cicadas buzzed around and the rain continued to pour overhead. The sounds so familiar, so comforting you almost forgot how insane the night had been.

“I love you, you know?” You whispered, eyes growing heavy with the events of the day.

“Yeah. I know.”

--

a/n: SIBLING! BONDING!!!!! see no pope arrest, and jj technically didn't catch major charges (i have no sense of criminal history, just nod in agreement and move on)

listen to snow angel by renee rapp!!!!

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[livwritesstuff]

happy valentine's day pallies <3 threw this the office-inspired drabble together for funsies over the last few days and thought today was a good a day as any to finally post

“What the hell is wrong with Dustin?” Eddie asked as he walked through the open door to Robin and Nancy’s apartment, “I passed him in the hall and he’s ranting and raving like a goddamn lunatic. Barely even acknowledged me.”

“You got lucky,” Steve shook his head as the rest of the Party, scattered around the living room, gave a similarly over it-kind of response, “Also – hey. Missed you.”

Eddie dropped down onto the couch next to Steve and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Ugh,” Robin groaned from the other end of the couch, “Either get a room or be gross later.”

“Missed you more, my love,” Eddie said loudly and pointedly as he settled in, and Steve ignored the way Robin rolled her eyes as Eddie draped an arm over his shoulders, “So…Dustin? What’s his deal?”

“He thinks he’s never gonna find love,” Lucas said from his spot on the rug, mouth full of half-crunched chips.

“Because he hasn’t dated anyone since Suzie,” Will clarified.

Steve watched Eddie’s eyebrows furrow.

“Uh, okay, didn’t they split, like, a month ago?”

“Yep,” Mike nodded.

“And didn’t Dustin just say last week that he’s happily married to his studies?”

“Dude,” Mike replied, “If you hadn’t been thirty minutes late, you would have seen us ask him these exact same questions.”

“Alright, gimme a fuckin’ break, man,” Eddie protested as Robin stuck a foot out and clipped the side of Mike’s head, “Not all of us are in college, asshole, living our most carefree lives. Some of us have jobs we're societally obligated to hold onto, Michael.”

“Anyway,” Steve cut in before Mike and Eddie’s bickering could derail the discussion too badly, “Dustin is apparently so desperate for love or whatever now that he’s trying to crowdsource a relationship.”

“And we’ve all been drafted,” Max said drily, “He wants us to set him up with someone at least once a month.”

“Each,” El added from beside Max in the armchair they're squashed in together.

“Each,” Max repeated with a nod.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie blinked, “He needs to chill out.”

Eddie got a chorus of agreements in response, plus another snarky comment from Mike about how he could have told Dustin this himself if he hadn’t been late to their weekly movie night hangout, and then from there, the conversation spun into the Party’s usual overlapping pre-movie (waiting for the pizza to be delivered) chatter.

Eddie turned his attention to Steve.

“So who’s the lucky girl you’re siccing our deranged little buddy on?” he asked, voice just loud enough for Steve to hear over the surrounding conversations.

“I dunno,” Steve shrugged, catching Eddie's hand in his and starting to fiddle with the chunky ring on his pointer finger, “I don’t think anyone here is gonna put up with his shit, but…yeah, I dunno, I feel bad. I might try setting him up with Lauren – y’know, Andie’s friend she has over all the time?”

Andie is Steve’s roommate, who took Robin’s spot on the lease after Robin, the woman she is, U-Hauled with Nancy at a spectacular rate (barely a month into her and Steve’s lease). Steve couldn’t exactly blame her – Nancy’s brownstone is leagues (and leagues and leagues and leagues) nicer than the shitty walk-up he and Robin had barely been able to afford at the time. Plus, Robin was all kinds of apologetic about it – paid her half of the rent and everything until she found a suitable subletter.

Enter Andie, a women’s and gender studies major who Robin had met at their school’s SGA during her first semester of undergrad and who leans pretty much as far to the right on the good ol' Kinsey Scale as someone could. Both Steve and Andie had been a little on the fence at first, but as far as living with a half-stranger goes, he can admit that it actually went okay.

Case in point, he and Andie are both a good few years out of college now and neither of them have made any move to, y'know...move.

“Lauren?” Eddie repeated, “You mean, Andie’s straight friend? The one Andie is very actively and overtly trying to woo?”

“It’s not gonna work,” Steve insisted (because this has been a topic of conversation between the two of them for a while), “If she’s straight, she’s straight.”

“Well, yeah,” Eddie acknowledged, “But it’s not her I'd be worried about, Stevie.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“C’mon, Steve – it’s basically a lose-lose for you. If Dustin goes on a date with Andie’s straight friend that she is, once again, very overtly and obviously into, whether or not it goes well – whether or not it even happens, Steve – Andie’s gonna find out that you were the one behind it, and you’re living with her.”

“So?”

“Dude, you’re gonna get booted outta your place.”

“No way,” Steve scoffed at him.

“I’m telling you – hell hath no fury like a lesbian scorned. Have you seen Nancy at the bar when someone is trying to hit on Robin? The big guy in the clouds was cutting from the same cloth when he created these ladies.”

Steve rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's brand of ex-Catholic poetic.

“Well…whatever. It’s just an apartment. If Andie really has an issue…I dunno, I’ll just move.”

Eddie grinned at him.

“Oh really?” he says, “And who do you think’s gonna be taking you in? You’re a crazy neat-freak, you think it’s totally appropriate to watch sports during breakfast – I mean, seriously, I get wanting to watch Sunday Night Football or whatever, but listening to recaps before I've had a cup of coffee is borderline criminal – and you've got basically a thousand houseplants.”

“Yeah,” Steve gave a feigned nod of understanding, “Maybe I’ll just move in with my boyfriend – he could use some order in his life.”

“Okay,” Eddie said, straightening a little in his seat, “I’m in if you are, Stevie-boy.”

Steve felt his face fall just a little. He tried to laugh it off, but even he could hear how awkward it sounded, and he glanced around to make sure the rest of the Party was otherwise occupied.

“I mean...," he said slowly, keeping his eyes on their hands so he didn't have to look at Eddie and his ever-expressive face, "I’m not gonna move in with someone unless we’re getting married.”

He really won’t either.

He’d done that before with his first serious boyfriend a few years ago – it was kind of a U-Haul situation in its own right, and it’s how Steve’s apartment became Andie’s apartment that Steve pretty please asked to move back into four months later when everything went to shit with the boyfriend.

(Their landlord had raised an eyebrow at them when they asked to put Steve back on the lease he’d only just left, but he didn’t ask any questions.

“He probably thinks we’re, like, a total dysfunctional couple or something,” Andie had pointed out.

“If only he knew,” Steve shook his head, “He’s leasing to a pair of idiot queers who can’t get their love lives together.”)

So, yeah, the U-Hauling thing may work for lesbians (or, two very specific lesbians whose couch he's sitting on, at the very least), but it’s not for Steve.

He’s a little too intense for it, contradictory as it sounds. He’s been burned in the past by the notion that someone could be willing to take a step as big as moving in with someone, and yet still see their relationship as “unserious” enough to balk at other big things (things like meeting each other’s friends and family, and what to do if Steve had another seizure). He’s not interested in being burned again, thanks.

Not that he actually thinks Eddie would do anything like that – the opposite actually. Steve knows he won’t.

For as long as he and Eddie were friends, Steve had known it in a kind of way he didn't even think about, and he's known it in another way, in a way he couldn't not think about, ever since he eavesdropped on a conversation between Robin and Eddie.

“Steve’s boyfriend is a fucking asshole and I hate him,” Robin had said, because this was back when Steve was dating (and living with) his ex, who did turn out to be a colossal fucking asshole, but this was the first time Steve had heard that particular opinion voiced by one of his friends.

“Shit, okay," Eddie had replied, "Do I need to go kick someone’s ass?”

Robin had paused for a split second before saying, “No. You’d just finally decide to confess your love for him and make everything even messier than it already is.”

They'd both been quiet for another few moments, and then Eddie let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fuck, man, that blows." Another pause. "I just – I don't understand how anybody could get to have Steve like that and not worship every breath he takes. I'm telling you – if it were me, you'd be able to break me down into fuckin' molecules and still be able to find him there. He's the sun in the fuckin' sky, dude. How are people not getting this?"

Steve hadn't been able take any more than that, not without feeling like something within him would split in two, so he had gone back to getting snacks in the kitchen like Eddie and Robin had thought he was doing, and then he'd spent the rest of the night feeling a little nauseous in a way he couldn't explain.

To this day, Steve is pretty sure that neither Robin nor Eddie know that he'd overheard their conversation, but it's what led to him breaking up with his boyfriend nonetheless.

Nothing had happened between Steve and Eddie at first. Eddie had actually been in his own relationship at the time, despite his and Robin' conversation, though they inexplicably split only a month after Steve’s break-up (Eddie never gave the Party a reason why).

Not too long after that though, Eddie had shown up on Steve’s doorstep (in a goddamn rainstorm, no less, the theatrical bastard) to profess his undying love, and by then Steve had spent enough time reflecting on the last several years of his friendship with Eddie and had firmly landed on the conclusion that he was in love with him too.

And so here they are now.

Steve spared a quick glance at Eddie to see that he was wearing a cute, kind of confused look.

“Wait – Steve, have I not proposed to you yet?”

And Eddie's truly dumbfounded tone, Eddie's way of bringing Steve's attention back up to his face so Steve could see the cheeky grin he's still wearing, had relief flooding through Steve's veins and washing away any doubt or insecurity or fear because, as Steve might have let himself forget, this is Eddie.

“I don’t think so…” Steve replied, then he flipped their clasped hands over to show his unmistakably ringless ring finger, “Nope.”

“Huh. Well…look out, Stevie, ‘cuz that’s coming.”

“Oh really?” Steve asked, and now he’s got a big smile growing on his face too, and he ignored the way his heart was thrumming over what Eddie had just divulged to him, how matter-of-fact, how certain he'd sounded when he said it.

“Uh-huh,” Eddie nodded, and Steve is so in love with him it nearly hurts.

“You mean, like, right now?” Steve continued, still feigning confusion, still keeping up the bit like they weren't having a huge, important, real conversation right now, because they hadn’t been together that long, all things considered, and yet Steve wasn’t surprised to hear any of this because he felt it too.

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Not right now. Have a little faith, darling. Now would be pathetically unromantic.”

“Hmm,” Steve hummed his agreement, though a small part of him could acknowledge that now – happy and surrounded by all their friends – wouldn’t be the worst way to get engaged, but Eddie hadn't lost any of his flair for dramatics over the years, so he's not exactly surprised to hear that Eddie is picturing something more.

“I got it all planned out, don’t you worry," Eddie told him, looking all kinds of proud, “And it’s gonna knock your socks off, Steve Harrington.”

"Alright," Steve said as Eddie leaned away, leaned back into conversation with their friends, a tight squeeze to Steve's hand his only acknowledgement of the sheer magnitude of the conversation they'd just had, "I've been warned."

[dakotalun]

What Now? | Eddie Munson

pairing: Eddie Munson X Fem Reader

summary: PART 2-- Eddie helps you deal with your break up.

warnings: none

word count: 1.1k

a/n: please comment if you want to be added to the taglist!

*******NOT MY GIF, CREDIT TO OWNERS*******

"Uh, I guess you're wondering why I'm walking to your place at 10pm in the pouring rain," I tried to make a joke but it came out soft and broken.

"A little bit but I'm not gonna push you. You can tell me when you’re ready," The softness and sincerity in his voice makes me wanna start crying all over again. God why does he have to be so perfect all the time?

"Jamie um,” I pause, the wound still too fresh to speak of, “Broke up with me."

"What?! Why??" I can picture the expression in his face without even looking, mouth open and brows furrowed. Almost like an angry dad scolding their child, I would laugh at the thought if I wasn’t so damn sad right now.

"They said they had shit to work on and that having a partner would hold them back and they'd feel like they were lying to me if we kept going."

"Bullshit,” I wasn’t expecting this reaction out of him, “I don’t believe that for a second.”

"It's whatever, I just couldn't stay there and I can’t go home because Robin has Vickie over for the weekend, Chrissy is at Jason’s this weekend and apparently Nancy has an impromptu date with Johnathan, I was supposed to stay at Jamie's this weekend, but clearly…”

"You're staying here. No question. Do you need anything? Water? Tea?" He stands up and walks over to his small kitchen, rummaging through the fridge for something for me to drink.

"Honestly I just wanna get out of these clothes," And cry. But I don’t say that because he’s seen me cry enough already.

"You can cry if you need to, you know. I won’t judge, it’s a perfectly understandable situation.” Can this man read my mind or something? I sure as shit hope not. I just nod and look down at my shaking hands, from either the cold, or sadness I can’t quite tell.

“I'll put on some water for tea then start the shower for you," He pulls out his kettle from above his fridge, filling it with water and turning it on. Then he disappears into his room and returns a minute later with a t-shirt, crew neck and a pair of his boxers.

"I wasn't sure if you had stuff to wear so here are some options, towels are in the bathroom. I'll be out here if you need anything."

I grab the pile of clothes from him, "Thank you."

"It's nothing. Anything for you," His smile is infectious and a small one spreads to my face as well.

His words mean so much more to me than he can ever imagine. I get up off the couch and head to the bathroom to shower off the mixture of rain water and tears. As the water hits me, my brain keeps thinking of all the things Jamie and I did together; buying Gregory, going to Lolla, spending weekends watching Criminal Minds and eating ice cream. Before I know it I'm crying and I can't stop the tears. I don’t know how much time has passed since I got in but I snap out of my crying fit when I hear a soft knock on the bathroom door.

I wipe my tears, as if it makes a difference with water pouring down on me, and clear my throat before speaking, “Uh yeah?”

“Sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if you’d eaten yet?” His voice is slightly muffled from the door and the sound of the water doesn’t help either.

“I uh,” I pause before answering, I know that I haven’t eaten since Jamie and I were gonna cook something at their place but I also know that Eddie will want to pay for the food and him allowing me to stay here is already too much, “Yeah, I ate before I went over to Jamie’s”

“Hmm,” I hope he can’t tell I’m lying, “Okay.”

I let out a breath and go back to cleaning myself off, I need to get rid of their smell.

After my shower I put on his boxers and the crewneck he offered me. A genuine smile crosses my face when I notice it’s the same one he let me borrow in early August when we went to his lake house. But the happiness of the memory gets overshadowed by the thought of the fact that not only 4 hours before that I was in Chicago with Jamie, leaving Lollapalooza.

I shake my head and get rid of those thoughts before heading out to the living room with my dirty clothes in my hand. I see Eddie standing by his balcony door, hands in his pockets just staring out into the night sky. I watch him for a second and think about how someone like him can be so friendly and happy around me. It’s confused me since the day we met.

It was the first day of freshman orientation and we were all in a small classroom waiting for our group mentor to show up and tell us about what we’d be doing this week. I chose to sit in the middle of the room but in a seat next to the wall so I could rest my back against it and watch the entire room.

As I sat there scanning the room my eyes landed on a handful of interesting people, some that I’ve recognized from orientation day, others who just had interesting clothes or hair, and then there was Eddie. There was just something about him, his long curly hair, his dark clothes, the chains hanging around his neck and off his plants, and those rings.

I couldn’t help but stare, from what I could see he was clearly attractive and dressed very differently from what I’ve noticed most men wear. As I admired him from afar, our mentor came rushing in apologizing for being late. They had to make sure they had the right group since some people had to switch at the last minute.

We all turned our attention to the two mentors standing in the front as they talked about what the next few days were going to look like for us. I tried my best to retain the information but then they had us do a “get to know you” game and my heart dropped. I’ve always hated talking about myself and what I enjoy and it seemed kind of redundant to say I like art seeing as though this is an art school. But the curiosity to find out more about the mysterious man across the room was too strong.

Taglist: @ali-r3n @dixontardis @witchwolflea @micheledawn1975 @daydreaming-mood @idfwfeelings @adaydreamaway08 @preciousbumplingbee @rustboxstarr @plk-18 @teary-eyed-egg @needylilgal022 @exploding-bonbon @gagasbee @eddiemunsonsguitarpic @aol19 @thatwitchyoucouldntburn @meanlilbean @sonnyahngel @corrodedcass @pigwidgeonxo @marsmunson86 @lottie-90 @figmentofquinn @sareim123122 @eddies-puppet @gvf23 @kennedy-brooke @rocklees-wife @emma77645 @cherris-n-peaches @breehumbles @joequinn-love @anyoddthoughts @aysheashea @eddiesskittle @uncxmfxrtablex @cherrymedicine13 @mrsjellymunson @shotgunhallelujah @bambipowerblueaddition @hexqueensupreme @josephquinnsfreckles @harrysgothicbitch @paleidiot @smurfflynn @lilyungpeanut @selena-rocker27

[lil-elle]

Him <3

group: xikers

pair: seeun x fem!reader

genre: fluff, best friends to lovers, crushes

word count: 863

content: fluff 🥹🩷 (as always, yk me), a few lil swears

a/n: felt bad being so ia, so I quickly finished up this draft! Enjoy!!

Your soft sobs were suddenly caught in your throat after hearing a soft “Y/n?” being called through the door to your room. You hurriedly rubbed your sweater sleeve over your tear stained cheeks just in time for the door to crack open and Seeun to peek his head in.

“H-Hey, why’re you here?” You squeaked out, trying to sound as normal as possible. Not normal sounding enough, apparently, as the tall boy quickly rushed over to sit beside you on the bed.

“I don't think you're in a space to be asking questions…” he chuckled softly, his arm snaking around your shoulder to pull you gently against him, “...why the waterworks?” You forced out a giggle, resting a hand against your best friend's chest and looking up at his surprisingly worried expression.

“It's nothing, really…” He sighed as you dropped your head again, his hand now gently rubbing up and down your arm as a way to comfort you.

“It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it…but I'm staying right here…” His voice was so gentle, and yet it pierced so deeply into your heart that you felt the painful sting of tears in your eyes once again. His grip on your shoulder tightened as you suddenly choked back a sob.

“I-I just don't get it…” You sobbed, and he leaned forward a little to get a glimpse at your face, using his other hand to gently swipe some hair away from your forehead and behind your ear. “W-Why…”

“Why what…?” He asked, his voice laced with a genuine worry that had your heart breaking and your stomach doing somersaults simultaneously.

You responded with silence, a few seconds passing before his voice cut through, a little lower and more serious this time.

“Is this about him again?”

Him. The word you always used to refer to your crush when you were ranting to Seeun. A boy that Seeun knew all about from the way you'd fawn over him, fangirl over him, and even complain about him. Little did Seeun know that this him in question that he'd give you advice for and talk shit about sometimes…was himself.

You nodded slowly and Seeun’s grip on you tightened slightly as he clicked his tongue.

“That ass. I swear y/n, how many times does he have to make you cry like this for you to see he's not worth it?”

Your glossy, puffy, red eyes meet his and you speak up, a slight crack to your words.

“That's the problem, though…He is worth it. He's beyond worth it. He keeps reminding me why I fell for him in the first place even if he doesn't realise it…”

Your gaze was almost burning holes into his as you spoke, his deep brown eyes reflecting back at you with complicated emotions that you couldn't quite place.

“He's just…” your eyes scanned over the boy's face in front of you, his every feature showing love and care for you that made your heart race every time, “...too dense to realise my feelings for him.”

Seeun sighed, his hand rubbing up and down your arm comfortingly.

“He's stupid. The most perfect girl is right in front of him, screaming for him to notice her, and he does nothing.”

You chuckle wryly, sighing almost exhaustedly.

“...You're right…you are stupid…”

“Huh…?”

You drop your head in your hands, giggling weakly as your face heats up red.

“You're so stupid, Park Seeun…”

“W-What? Why me?” He asked confusedly. You lifted your head to look at him, a bitter-sweet smile on your face.

“You just said it yourself.”

His expression only grew more perplexed as you spoke.

“I-I said he was stupid.” He stated, thinking that you must've heard him incorrectly.

“Yup, I know. And yes…you are.”

You watched as the gears in his began to turn, his confused eyes slowly turning to those of realisation and fluster.

“O-Oh. Yeah. You're right, I am.” You couldn't help but notice the way his ears almost immediately went bright red, making your grin widen. You burst into laughter, your body leaning into his, making his other arm wrap around you and cradle you.

“I can't believe the amount of times you called yourself a dumbass without any idea…” You laughed, making him swat your arm playfully.

“Please forget everything I've ever said to you about him. Pretty please.” He leaned closer, nuzzling his forehead against your hair.

“Ha! Not a chance.” You responded, earning a chuckle from him in his deep, quiet voice right above you that reverberated through you and made your stomach twist into knots.

“When I gain super powers and learn how to erase people's memories, you'll be my first victim.”

You giggle wildly, snuggling even closer to him and earning another adoring chuckle from him. His arms tightened around you before pulling you back to sink into the mattress together, forcing another laugh from the both of you as you tangled together in a playful and shy fit of giggles. You felt like a whole weight had been lifted off your chest and you knew you'd never feel as happy as you do anywhere else bit in his arms like that.

-

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

TAGLIST: @chocoeon @hyunukitty @cake1box @chiiyuuvv @shortnstupid @dogyunslover

[kellanved-ammanas]

TF2 Drabbles: Sniper/Scout - You'd Know

Summary: I was wondering if you could do one with Scout/Sniper, were there hanging out together then scout stops talking abruptly because he's insecure about how much he's talking. Then Sniper jolts up with like a weapon or something and is looking to see what is wrong because Scout stopped talking. And they have a heart to heart about how scout talking doesn't bug Sniper any and that if it did Scout would know because Snipe would tell him.

~

“… and I was still a kid then, right? Killing folks for money wasn’t something I even knew was a thing people did yet. I’d never even really hit anyone other than my brothers before and those weren’t fights I could win back then ‘cause they were like twice my size. But I’m apparently a natural fighter or something ‘cause I kicked that fucker in the knee so hard I felt it break. Kinda like when you step one a rotten plank of wood and it gives out, it felt like that but with more force than just a step.

“I still remember the sound of it too. It was a wet crunch. And then he screamed, high pitched like the little bitch he was. Which of course had the teachers running over to see what was wrong. And then I was the only one who got in trouble even though he was the one who started it by insisting my Mom’s a whore. And then Mom got mad at me for going straight to violence even though I was defending her honor and saying that only annoyed her more. The whole situation was so stupid and unfair. Looking back at it now, it was probably the start of a lot of shit that went wrong in my life. Not that I regret any of it of course. Fuck that guy and everyone else who tried to get in my way. I don’t need…”

Scout cut off so quickly it could only mean he’d spotted danger. Grabbing his rifle from where he’d placed it on the table upon putting it back together after cleaning it, Sniper shot up to his feet. Scout was lounging on the common room couch, facing the door, so naturally that’s were Sniper pointed his scope. Nothing was there though. Other than Demo sleeping passed out drunk on the couch on the other side of the room, they were alone.

“Whoa, Snipes you okay?” Scout asked, prompting Sniper to turn back and face him. He was just as relaxed as last time Sniper had glanced his way. No danger then.

“Uh… yeah. Just,” he lowered his rifle back to the table, “you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Not a ‘yes’ but also not a ‘no’ so maybe him avoiding answering properly didn’t mean anything.

“You stopped talking so suddenly I thought something must’ve rushed in or whatever.”

“Oh um…” Scout averted his gaze. “I just… you know, realized I’d been talking for ages already and was starting to get into dumb feelings stuff that no one gives a damn about. And besides, you’re done cleaning your guns so probably you’re gonna head out soon anyway. I don’t wanna trap you in a conversation with no way out ‘cause I never shut the fuck up or whatever.”

There was a lot to unpack there… maybe. Sniper wasn’t good with people so maybe it wasn’t meant as self-deprecating as it seemed. It was a joke he was missing or something. “Nah, I wasn’t planning on heading out soon. I don’t really got much to do today. Also, um… I give a damn ‘bout your dumb feelings stuff. Or uh, I should probably also say they’re not dumb.”

Scout scoffed. “You don’t gotta try to spare my feelings dude. That kinda thing never ends well for anyone. In fact, if I’m talking too much feel free to go ahead and just get up and leave. I don’t need people to like me. I shoot people for a living and I’m damn good at it. That’s all I care about.” Said like someone who desperately needed people to like him but didn’t want to admit it.

Sniper walked over to look down at Scout. “Mate, when have I ever said something to spare someone’s bloody feelings?”

“Uh… well…”

“Never. I don’t like socializing enough to hang out with folk I don’t wanna hang out with. Trust me, if you were annoying me, you’d know.” Sniper had never had any qualms about leaving conversations he was bored and/or annoyed by. He’d put up with a bit more when it came to work related stuff, especially if their bosses were involved, but that was it. Scout should know that because he’d caught Sniper quietly leaving obnoxious team conversations several times.

“Oh… um… huh? You really like listening to me run my mouth then?”

“Yes. It’s… soothing.” Probably that wasn’t quite the right word but it was close enough to do.

“Even when I’ve been going on forever?”

“Yep.” Sniper didn’t like talking much himself so having someone else feel the silence with companionable conversation was welcome. It made for fewer awkward silences. And Scout had a habit of pulling him in often enough to prevent the feeling of being talked at instead of to. A rare skill amongst chatty folk.

“Even when I’m talking ‘bout dumb personal feelings stuff?”

“Yes. And I already told you, your personal feelings stuff ain’t dumb. If you wanna vent to me ‘bout stuff, you can.”

Scout was silent for a few seconds. Before he could respond though or ask another question…

“You two are a bloody cute couple, you know that? I’m rooting for ya. Super fucking adorable and all that. Cheers to you.”

Sniper turned to see Demo had woken and was now partially sitting up to lift his bottle in an unsteady cheer. Lowering it to his lips, he held it there for only a second or two before tossing it to the ground with an indecipherable curse. Apparently it had been empty.

Speaking of not wanting to put up with people’s bullshit to spare their feelings, Sniper wasn’t going dignify Demo’s drunken nonsense with a reply. He turned to look at Scout again. “You wanna head out to the camper van instead?”

Scout started to get to his feet before Sniper even finished the question. “Uh… yeah, let’s go.”

[fandom-lover2]

Deep In The Woods, Something Lingers In The Trees

Chapter Five - Scientists Always Spoil The Fun

Word Count - 2455

Chapter Four - A Troop Of Two

Chapter Six - Trees Are Taller Than You Think

I didn’t look up from my phone, knowing the route by heart.

I don’t know why I insisted on walking the street side that was my house when I needed to cross the street to Caesar's house when I could just cross it when I got off the bus and not have to cross later but it was my routine now and habits were hard to break.

Looking up from the phone, I checked the street before crossing. No cars, no cars, no cars again. Cross.

The Hunsiker kids were outside, Todd having his friends over. They were at that age where it was cool to be dicks and think you’re the hot shit. Nevermind the fact I was 3 years older than them.

Just keep your head down, keep on walking.

“Hey Cutie.” Todd called, egged on by his snickering friends. “Going to visit the monster again?”

Monster, meaning Caesar. Apparently, years ago Caesar got out and scared Alice, and since then they’ve called him a monster.

I ignored the brat, because hitting him would only cause me more problems, and tried to just walk past him.

“I could show you a monster.” he teased, following me and lifting his shirt suggestively, while sticking out his tongue.

I paused, and counted to 5 in my head. ‘It’s not worth it, don’t hit a child, it’s not worth it.’ I repeated over and over with every breath.

“Don’t you have some letters to practice.” I spoke, losing my internal battle. “The circle one is an O.”

He looked vexed, and then blushed when his friends began laughing at him. “You,” he began, taking a step towards me.

We all froze when a bang sounded, somewhat muffled. We both looked up, to the attic window.

Caesar glared down at the boy, his fist raised and resting against the window. Sometimes he threw in a snarl, baring his fangs to the stupid human, but today a simple glare seemed warning enough because Todd backed off.

“Bitch.” I taunted, spinning on my heels and rushing up the porch steps.

As always, the door was unlocked and I slipped in, making sure to close it behind me. “Hey Will!”

Silence. I didn’t expect much. He was usually nose deep in whatever it was he did in his office.

“Hey there!” Charles greeted, coming out from the kitchen. “How was school?”

“Oh, you know. Same as always.” I replied, slipping off my shoes and adding them to my spot on the shoe rack. “How’s everyone doing today?”

“Will went out for a while, Caroline is at work and Caesar should be in his room. And I am doing well. That book you recommended is a hit.”

I winked at him, sending a thumbs up. “Knew you’d like it.”

Gripping the guardrail, I pulled against it to propel myself up and charged up the stairs, sounded like a stampeding elephant as I thundered through the house and up to Caesar’s room. It was an exciting affair seeing your best friend after not seeing him for 8 hours.

He was still stood at the window, glaring down at the human boys. Or maybe it was jealousy now, longingly gazing out the window and loathing that they got to experience such freedom. He seemed to alternate between the two most days.

“I am about to give up and throw this book off the bridge. Can you please help me?” I threw my backpack onto his bed.

The first time Caesar had helped with my homework, I’d let him with a laugh and had found something to occupy myself with while he played. And then I checked it and he’d gotten it all right and done it better than I ever could have. From then on, Caesar became my homework buddy.

I think, in a way, it let him feel like he was apart of something outside of his room. He got to live a school experience through me. And hey, I got a free pass on homework.

Caesar didn’t answer, keeping his eyes on the street.

“Yo, Curious George? You in there?” I called, sitting on his bed.

Nothing. Not even a twitch at his least favorite nick name.

“Caesar?”

‘Why?’ was all I got in reply, him still not turning to face me.

“Why what?”

“Why does he act like that?”

I huffed. If there was a reason why boys acted like that, I was yet to figure it out. “Because he’s an idiot teenager. Nothing personal, and nothing can fix him. Just ignore them.”

He continued to watch for a few more moments, before finally leaving the window and walking over to me.

It still unsettled me a little when he walked on his hind legs, his gait a little unsteady as the much smaller back legs tried to take all his weight. He was better at it then most apes I'd seen on YouTube, but they only did it for a few seconds. Recently, it seemed like he was practicing acting more human more often.

The ape didn’t say anything else, but I could tell something was off with him. Even as he unzipped my backpack and began on my homework while I sat back and pulled out my book, he didn’t settle. His shoulders were too stiff, his movements too sharp. His eyes darted around too much.

It was like I could see his thoughts in his eyes, see them turning ideas over in his head, see him get stuck on a problem, break it down, scrap failed plans, then reform a solution. It was pretty cool to watch.

And, his eyes themselves were beautiful. I often got lost in them, the gorgeous hazel hard to look away from. I'd learned a song about hazel eyes on the guitar, playing it for him a few times. He liked it when I played for him, closing his eyes and usually settling into the sun of the forest and letting me use him for practice for hours.

But today, they were angry and unfocused. Even as he worked through my assignments, his jaw was clenched just slightly.

When he got like this, it was best to let him work it out himself. And so, I sat back on his bed and read my book. Eventually, I got bored and hungry, so shuffled downstairs to find a snack.

In the kitchen, I was surprised to find a mess. Usually Charles did a pretty good job of cleaning up after himself, but now it looked like he’d forgotten he was making a sandwich halfway through and then started on frying an egg before eating half the sandwich and then leaving the kitchen entirely, the fried egg still in the pan.

I cleaned the mess, mentally running through what could have led to this. Nothing made real sense. Maybe I should mention it to Will? This wasn’t like the former music teacher who was usually so precise.

Grabbing two apples, I began to make my way back upstairs and knocked on Will’s office door. It wasn’t really a door, but more of a partition. And not an office and more of a sectioned off study. No answer.

After two more knocks, and still no answer, I slid it open and entered.

I was halfway through when I remembered Charles saying Will had gone out. In the year Caesar and I had been friends, he’d never once just gone out. He worked from home pretty much every day, locked in his office to do I don’t know what.

Now, he wasn’t here.

Knowing I would forget to talk to him once he was home, I moved to his desk to make a note, asking him to talk to me.

Of course, me being me, I got distracted and began to scan a piece of paper on his desk. Something about comparing results between a normal brain and a brain affected by Alzheimer’s. Oddly, Charles was being used as the affected patient in the comparison.

That didn’t make sense. Sure, Charles was a little odd at times but not any worse than a normal old man. And he didn’t show any normal signs I’d heard of.

Looking around at some more of the pages, I saw more scans and tests, but these had Caesar’s name on them. It was too technical and scientist jargon for me to understand most of it, but it seemed like Caesar was a test subject for something.

Was Will hurting him? What kind of testing was he put through? What the hell was Will doing to my friend?

“I told you not to go in here.”

I didn’t have to wait long to confront the man in question.

“What the hell is all this?” I demanded, spinning around to find Will at the entrance to his office, a scowl on his face.

“It’s not something you need to worry about.” he dismissed, walking over to me and trying to guide me out his office.

“That’s fucking bullshit.” I jerked away from him, pointing to the papers stuck up on the walls. “What the fuck have you been doing to him?”

“Nothing.” Will answered, moving to straighten the pages I’d messed up.

“Will I swear to God, I will ask him and if he says otherwise-”

“I haven’t done anything!” he insisted, turning to face me. “What happened happened before he was born.”

“And what the hell happened?” I pushed.

Will took a deep breath, moving his hands to rest on his desk as he dropped his head. “Her name was Bright Eyes. We were testing a new drug on her, a cure for Alzheimer’s. We didn’t know she was pregnant. After she died, I couldn’t let them put him down too, so I brought him home. The drug, it did something to him. Made him…”

“Smarter?” I finished when Will couldn’t find the words.

Smarter didn’t even begin to describe Caesar. He wasn’t just smart. He was fucking smart. He was smarter than a normal human, way smarter than me. Stupidly, I didn’t bother to question it much. I was too caught up in all we could do together, I never questioned how or why. Or maybe, I didn't want to know.

“The drug was supposed to repair the neuro pathways damaged by the disease. But to someone with a fully functioning brain, the drug opened new pathways, developed the brain instead of repairing it.”

“And so you gave this drug to Caes and it made him smarter?”

“No." Will decided to sit, lazily scanning over the papers on his desk.0 "We tested it on his mother. The drugs passed on during pregnancy and began to work while he was still developing inside the womb. After bringing him home I noticed his intelligence. I’ve been monitoring him, comparing the results against that of a human child.”

“So you haven’t done anything to him since he got home? No needles, no testing?”

“Nothing.” Will reassured, and despite all the lies thus far, I believed him.

“Ok, but then what about Charles. Why are you testing him?”

“Because he’s the reason I was working on the drug to begin with.” Will confessed.

I blinked. Well that was not what I was wanting to hear. Charles had Alzheimer’s? But he didn’t act like it? Caesar was almost 12 years old already, and I’d been in their lives just over a year. Surely I would have noticed if he was having memory loss, or anything like that? Wouldn't his condition be worsening with every day? I didn't know how long Alzheimer's patients got, but wasn't it less than 12 years?

Unless, unless this ‘re-connecting brain pathways’ drug worked.

“Holy shit, you cured Alzheimer’s.”

But, if it worked, why wasn’t this stuff advertised? Why wasn’t it on the market? Why was Will working on it in his house and not in a lab?

Will laughed, “Yeah, I did.”

“But then why doesn’t the world know about it?”

“Because after Caesar’s mother escaped containment, she went on a rampage and the program was shut down. Taking Caesar, it was illegal.” he paused, glancing to me unsurely.

There was something else. “Will…” I warned, “you know how stubborn I am and if I find out in any way you are hurting Caesar-”

“It’s not Caesar.” he interrupted.

So then Charles. What the hell kind of son would do something to hurt his own father, all for the advancements of some stupid science experiment.

“What did you do?”

Suddenly, confronting Will alone in his office wasn’t the best idea I’d ever had.

If I screamed loud enough, Caesar would probably hear. On who’s side he’d be, that would be revealed in time. Hopefully on the ‘don’t get Alina killed’ side but when it came to loyalty, Will was his father.

I took a step back, my only weapons, the apples, still on his desk and now perfect for Will to use.

“I stole some of the ALZ112 drug and gave it to him.”

Oh. That wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. I mean, not good, but not bad. Stupid, and reckless, but death was his outcome either way. A calculated risk.

“And it worked?” It was a stupid question. Of course it worked.

“Yes, it works. It cured him. But if I go to the board and ask to reopen trails, they’ll ask why and then I’ll have to provide evidence, and that will get me arrested.”

“So going public is out of the question.” I surmised.

Well, at least one person in the world was cured.

Or was he? The mess in the kitchen, that was like he’d lost track of what he was doing halfway through. Like he’d forgotten.

“Will, I think it’s coming back.”

He didn’t move for a moment, but then he sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“I know. I’ve seen it too. So’s Caroline.”

So Charles was dying, again. I hadn't lost a lot of people in my life. Didn't have much experience with grief. Those who I did loose happened suddenly, no time to prepare. This, Charles, this was cruel. We would all know what was coming, would see him wither right before us. We would have to mourn a man still alive.

I never had a grandfather present in my life. Charles had become something of that sort to me in these past months. How could live each day and look at him, knowing he might not remember me tomorrow?

“What are you going to do? Can you give him a second dose?”

“A stronger drug, maybe. I’ve been looking into it, comparing my early notes about Caesar’s development.”

I didn’t what to say. I mean, there wasn’t much I could say. Charles was going to get worse, was going to die, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

Will could though, and he had a plan. An odd and risky plan, but the beginnings of a plan. And there definitely wasn’t anything I could to help him.

And then, Will got that same look in his eyes Caesar did. Deep in thought and already lost in his own world. That explained why he'd been spending so much more time in here recently.

It was best to let him work.

I walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry Will.” I reached over for my apples. “And I’m sorry for thinking you’d hurt Caes.”

My words didn't reach him though. He was already too far into his thoughts.

Turning around, I made my way to leave his office, stopping when he called out to me.

“Caesar doesn’t know, about any of this. Don’t tell him.”

I almost dropped the apples.

Don’t tell him? Caesar, my best friend. The one person I told everything to, and I wasn’t supposed to tell him this?

Will was honestly expecting me to be able to keep this a secret? And about something so pivotal to Caesar’s life?

That was wrong. It’s not like he wouldn’t be able to understand. Hell, he was smart enough to figure it out on his own.

“He should know.” was all I answered as I walked away, back up to his room.

When I entered, he’d apparently gotten himself out of whatever funk he was in and was happily reading through my history textbook. He smiled at me in greeting when I approached, taking the apple with a ‘thanks’.

I sat down in my previous spot and looked at him, really looked at him.

It was so easy to forget he was an ape when you were twenty minutes deep into a serious conversation with him, so wrapped up in his intelligence that the hairy creature faded away. But he wasn’t human. He was an ape, a chimpanzee with startling cognitive functions higher than most humans. Of course he was made in a lab, some freak of science. Frankenstein’s Monter in the form of black fur.

I shouldn’t have been so naïve.

Caesar grunted, and I was pulled from my thoughts.

“Are you ok?” he signed.

“Just thinking about school.” I lied, and was grateful he accepted the answer.

One afternoon and my entire world had been rocked, my perception of everyone in this house changed. Nothing was as it seemed, nothing was as easy as I wished.

Will was stupid, thinking he could keep all of this hidden. Eventually the truth would come out, and when it did, all their lives would be shaken.

And, somehow, I’d gotten myself right in the middle of it. All because I wanted to be friends with a monkey.

Commission Information

[idiotwithanipad]

Meeting Shannon

(Alison talks to Amy's (My OC's) late best and only friend from when she was alive)

(TW: Mentions of alcoholic parent, drugs)

-

Alison: (A/N) Amy's been dead for years now, and every couple months this girl, Shannon, visits to put down flowers for her. Apparently she was one of Amy's only friends. So, the plan is to pretend I'm organizing a page on the house's history, and Amy technically is part of it now...funny story actually, I found out about Amy's death on ITV news and thought I should swing by to check it out considering Julian kept texting me on the phone I left him about a 'new ghost'. Mainly it's just to see if she can smuggle in any pictures for Humphrey, it always gets a smile out of him.

Managed to catch her up in the East Wing and convinced her to come into Amy's room with me, luckily I have a spare key. I've seen her a load of times now and each time she looks just as I remember her; bright green hair, giant ear spools, a nose ring like a Bull's, and more leather jackets than a Hell's Angel.

Alison: So, when did you meet Amy?

Shan: We met when we were like three? Like- umm, nursery or something? I can't remember how, but we were always talking about stupid kiddie shit like Hasbro My Little Pony, Nintendo Dogs, Tamagotchis and stuff. Then Monster High came along and we changed real fast.

Alison: (A/N- Amy liked My Little Pony!) Wow. You stayed close through all those years?

Shan: Oh for sure! We were thicker than polyfilla. We lived like two miles away from each other, so we went to the same schools.

Alison: Did you get to be in any classes together?

Shan: Maths and Biology, yeah. But that was Secondary school. *laughs* I remember this one time in Maths, our teacher, Mr Milton, caught Amy reaching into her bag during class for a new pen. He was such a strict dickhead and tried to tell her off for not 'coming prepared' or some shit? And Amy being Amy put her bag down and just sat there. Mr Milton got all uptight that Amy wasn't doing her work, so she just looked him right in the face and said 'well, I can't write with my fucking finger can I, sir?'

Alison: Oh god, she was fearless then?

Shan: She never gave any shade of shit. That girl was a nutcase. She got, like- a week of detention for that though.

Alison: I mainly just got detention for not doing my homework on time.

Shan: Eh, me and Amy didn't really give a shit about school, it was just being surrounded by future nine to five-ers who'll just use a calculator anyway. We used to sneak off onto the field during lunch to smoke ciggies and pretend we weren't there if people passed.... It was a good time.

Alison: Oh her and those bloody ciga-...I mean- I-I've heard that she was a smoker, from the desk man, he spotted her a couple times while she was here...

Shan: Yeah, lungs like a furnace. The crazy little bitch even found a way for us to smoke in the girl's toilets in school during the end of day assemblies. That was a rush.

Alison: Inside?

Shan: Yeah, wasn't hard. No smoke alarms or cameras in the toilets, but there were windows. Win-win. Oh shit, before I forget... *Shannon reached into her bag and pulled out a squashed up, stuffed, red and black Axolotl toy* Is it cool if I leave this here? It was Amy's. Just kind of- a little shrine thing? It was her favourite.

Alison: Aw, sure, no problem. Since her- well, since she passed away the room hasn't been booked. People don't exactly opt for staying in rooms where somebody died, so nobody comes in here anymore.

Shan: Not that she'd complain, she loved being on her own. My mum thought she liked it a bit too much.

Alison: You two split up?

Shan: No no no, it's just- as the years went on, she- like, never wanted to come out on weekends anymore or break into my Dad's weed stash. We still texted and called each other every single day and saw each other every day, but she just- got so sad...

Alison: ... Oh

Shan: I don't think it was always easy for her. Y'know? At home?

Alison: Hard times?

Shan: Her mum could be a tough piece of work. As kids I didn't even wanna spend the night at Amy's. She was too loud and unpredictable. One time my mum and dad were going away for the weekend for their anniversary, Amy offered to let me crash at her place but I didn’t wanna. The place had bad vibes. She always said she didn't blame me. So instead I had to go stay with my aunt in Gillingham.

Alison: (A/N- I heard about Amy’s mum. Always thought she was just being over dramatic - anyone who knows Amy knows she’s a drama queen) So didn’t Amy stay at your house?

Shan: A bunch of times but it was always ruined somehow. She’d always be checking her phone to make sure her mum hadn’t texted wondering where she was because she got too drunk. Either that or our girl’s nights would have to be cut short ‘cause she had to go buy more beer and take it back to her’s…if Amy wasn’t back within the hour, her mum would lose her shit.

Alison: Sounds tough.

Shan: Yeah... But on the flipside we had riots at my place. My mum and dad loved Amy. My mum is textbook 'Mama hen' and my dad's kind of a hippie. He smoked up with us and listened to a bunch of music with us. Let us break out his vinyl collection and shit! He loved Cypress Hill and Soundgarden, so me and Amy got hooked too.

Alison: Sounds better, you shared music taste?

Shan: Pretty much. Amy was more into 'aggressive' music. She loved Insane Clown Posse the most, like- she'd drag anyone who called juggalos a gang *laughs*. But other than that, she liked Kidneythieves, Linkin Park, Slipknot, Nightwish...espessially 'Bye bye Beautiful' *chuckle*, maybe some Manson if she felt jazzy. She said she lowkey liked Cypress Hill 'cause they sounded like Insane Clown Posse. But then she had the opposite end of the spectrum where she'd listen to shit that made you lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and cry all night to.

Alison: Ah...

Shan: *Sigh* I really do miss her though. I kinda had my own circle of friends, but Amy was my girl. Like- if I wanted to just chill and forget the world for a while, Amy was my go-to girl.

Alison: It's beautiful that you stayed friends for so long. You'll cherish those memories forever.

Shan: It's funny, but- I feel like she's still here. I wonder if she misses me too?

Alison: I'm sure she does, sweetheart. If she was here right now I bet she'd give you a huge hug.

Shan: Even if she didn't, I'd hug her. She wouldn't avoid it. She could slap at me all she wanted, I'd crush her *smiles*

Shan: Anyway. I'd better go now, gotta catch the next train back to Knockholt.

Alison: Thanks for talking to me, Shannon.

Shan: *Puts her backpack back on heading for the door* Right on

[starlight-shades]

Called Home to the Depths of the Forest Ch. 10

• summary – Simon and Johnny talk.

• rating – M

• wordcount – 1.3k

• warnings – mentions of previous character deaths, corrupt cop

• This is my first fanfic, so please let me know if there's anything I forgot to tag. Feedback is welcome and encouraged

Read on Ao3

Ch 1. Ch. 9 Ch. 11

“I didn’t think they had like actual cells anymore, I thought they’d all just be rooms,” Johnny mused. 

They sat on the floor with their backs to the wall of what appeared to be the only cell in the building. There wasn’t enough crime to warrant a second one, apparently. 

The concrete was cold beneath him.

“What did they charge you with?” Ghost asked.

“Murder. The hunters.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Is this the part where I ask ‘What are you in for?’” Johnny said, using one of the worst American accents he had ever heard.

Simon hummed, a small smile playing at his lips. “Good, old-fashioned vandalism.”

Johnny grinned. “Threw a fit to come see me. So you do like me?” 

“Oh…” He wasn’t entirely sure what to say to that.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Johnny’s face fall. 

“Sorry, I know you want to be responsible…” he said the word like it tasted bitter.

“John…”

“It’s okay, Si…”

The tension in the air left him feeling adrift. Simon knew what the right decision was, but he had felt like shit ever since breaking things off with Johnny. If he had made the “right” decision, why did it still feel like he had cut out his own heart?

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

Johnny jolted, as if startled, looking back at Simon with a bewildered look on his face.

“What? Why?”

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he confessed. Even as he apologized, he couldn’t look him in the eye. His gaze traced ever silver-kissed scar that criss-crossed his hands. 

“Oh, Simon,” Johnny breathed, leaning his head back against the wall. He sounded resigned. 

Minutes passed and the silence grew thicker and thicker between them. Simon felt it eating away at him. He should say something. He needed to say something. What would he say? How could he bridge the gap between them?

“Why was the strawberry crying?” Johnny asked suddenly.

“Why?”

“Because, he was in a jam.”

It wasn’t a laugh so much as it was a sharp exhale, but it was enough to break the tension.

“That was awful,” Simon groused. 

“Yeah…” He dragged his hands down his face, speaking into his hands more than to Simon. “For what it’s worth, I didn’t want to hurt you either.”

They were sat next to each other, about a foot or so from each other. Not enough space that he couldn’t reach out and touch him. Simon wanted to, but he wasn’t sure he was allowed anymore. 

“I…” he started. Sighing, he started again. “I know. I was too harsh. Didn’t take enough time to properly think.”

When Johnny looked at him again, there were tears in his eye despite the small smile on his lips. Simon wasn’t sure which one of them he was trying to fool.

“No, Si. I was stupid. Put us at risk, like you said.”

In that moment, Simon would have given anything to go back and do it all again. He would have waited until he wasn’t angry to react, would have had an actual discussion with Johnny rather than whatever one-sided thing they had had before. Or even before Soap went out, he would have stopped him from leaving that night. They would have waited to cool off before talking it out and spending the night just them and the pups. Instead, he was left once again with the distinct feeling that the life he wanted was just out of reach. 

Only a foot away, but that foot was somehow leagues all the same.

“John…” he murmured. Simon didn’t know how to make this right. His gaze flickered down to Johnny’s hand when he set it back down on the floor. 

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed it. It was warm. The cold of the cell hadn’t leeched all the sun from Johnny, it couldn’t. Simon looked back up and was startled at the blue of his eyes. 

“Sorry,” he said, dropping his hand as fast as he could. They couldn’t bait Johnny’s wolf. Not here. 

But Johnny snapped his hand back just as quickly, bringing it up to his lips to press a soft kiss to Simon’s palm. He held it tightly to his heart, twining their fingers together. 

“I love you, Si,” he confessed, holding up his free hand when Simon started to speak. “I don’t expect you to say it back. I don’t expect anything from you, I just needed you to know. No matter what happens, I love you, Simon Riley.”

“Johnny—“ he couldn’t finish his thought because Johnny started crying in earnest. 

“Didn’t think you’d ever call me that again,” he sniffed. 

“Oh, Johnny…”

There was no hesitation this time when Simon gathered him into his arms, holding him tight. His own cheeks were suspiciously damp as he pulled the smaller man into his lap. They held each other like it was their only lifeline. Johnny buried his face in Simon’s neck, nuzzling as close as he could. Simon gathered as much of him in his arms as he could. 

“I love you too,” he whispered into the skin he could reach. “I just… I can’t do it again. The drinking and the fighting. I need to be able to count on you.”

Johnny pulled back to look him in the eye. “I’ll show you,” he promised, “you can count on me.”

Simon studied his face. If it were just them, he wouldn’t have a problem believing him, but he had Duncan and Ailsa to think about as well. It wouldn’t just be him getting hurt if Johnny couldn’t keep his promise. 

Before he could respond, they were interrupted by the entrance of D.C. Collins. 

The look on his face was sour to say the least. He glared daggers at them as he took a comically large key ring to unlock the door to the cell. 

“It looks like you’re both free to go,” he spat. 

They rose to stand, locking eyes before looking back at Collins who couldn’t snarl another word at them before they were joined by an exhausted-looking middle-aged woman. 

Kate Laswell had her sandy hair tied back in a loose ponytail, streaks of grey shot through. Simon was somehow surprised to see that the lines on her face had gotten deeper in the years since they had seen each other. Even so, she was still the unbending force of nature he remembered. 

“All charges have been dropped, boys. Let’s go,” she declared.

“She’s a Yank!” Johnny laughed as they followed her out. 

“And she’s the reason you’re free, so have some manners,” she scolded, but Simon could see the glint of humor in her eyes.

They passed through the police station with no further incident. He could feel Collins’ glare on his back, but the other officers didn’t seem to bothered to see them go. 

As soon as they were in the parking lot, she turned to look at Simon.

“Come here, let me take a look at my boy” she said, reaching out to take his face in her hands.

“Kate, you’re only a few years older than me,” he protested rather half-heartedly, allowing her to cup his cheeks in her palms.

“You’re still my boy. Jessie sends her love. She was upset you had children and didn’t tell her. Speaking of which, they are so perfect, Simon.”

The unwavering professional from inside the police station was gone, leaving a much softer woman that he had only seen glimpses of, most frequently when she was around her wife. 

“You look good,” she murmured, finally releasing him. “Having a pack suits you.”

“I’ve been doing good,” he reassured her. 

She hummed, turning to look at Johnny who had been staring between them in bewilderment. 

“John tells me good things about you, Soap.”

“Aye, ma’am, I try my best.” Johnny held himself stiffly, he stood like he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with his body. 

“At ease,” she chuckled. Pulling a set of car keys out of her pocket, she nodded to Simon. “I’ll see you back at your place? We can debrief there.” 

He nodded. 

They watched as Kate drove off. 

Turning to look at him, Simon slid his hand into Johnny’s. 

“Let’s go home.”

[trashboatprince]

i dont know if it counts as monsters but i have a soft spot for zombies if you can do anything with that

Hmmm, I consider zombies a type of monster in their own right! Not sure if I can do a romance between a human and a zombie, but I'm more than happy to write about the romance between two humans in a zombie apocalypse! :D

Warning: zombies, injuries (nothing serious)

On with the fic!

--

"Everything alright over there, angel?" Crowley asked, having heard something crash and then a long, too long, silent pause before hearing a soft 'fuck'.

"I'm... peachy, dear boy." Aziraphale spoke and Crowley approached from where he had been searching through the shelves of the abandoned shop for food.

He found Aziraphale on the ground, a number of cans scattered around him, and a large puddle was on the ground. Water dripped from the a hole in the ceiling, clearly the cause of the puddle from the rain outside. "You need help?"

"I'm sure I've got... oof!" Aziraphale winced as he attempted to get up, sitting back down with a hiss as he rubbed at his back. "Landed right on my back, not... not fun."

"Here, I've got-" Crowley started, before hearing banging from somewhere on the other side of the shop.

They both tensed up and listened quietly. The store was silent outside of the rain, and the faint sounds of moaning and screeching.

"It shouldn't have been that loud..." Aziraphale whispered as Crowley helped him to his feet.

"Well, this whole street's as quiet as... well... somethin' that's quiet."

"Like a grave..."

"Morbid, angel." Crowley tisked and dusted the former bookseller off. "We barricaded the doors here, there's no way they can get in. As long as we stay outta sight, they won't bother with us."

"I know, I know." Aziraphale sighed, wincing again as he bent to pick up his fallen pack, slipping the book that had fallen out into it.

Crowley frowned and worked to grab a few of the cans, left behind because of the panic of the past few weeks. Zombies, who would've thought? Many had fled, gone off to the continent, but too many were left behind.

Like himself. Like Aziraphale.

They had only just met before all of this shit went down, had been on a few dates, and had been in the middle of a lovely meal at the Ritz before quarantine was placed on the whole of the UK.

It was like something from 28 Days Later, and was shockingly still kept secluded to the island. Anyone who escaped was placed in immediate quarantine and Crowley found out that they were not to be released until a cure was found. He didn't know if a cure had been found, they lost internet connection a while back.

Aziraphale had stuck with Crowley through this whole thing, and Crowley appreciated it, loved it, in fact. As scary as being stuck on an island full of terrified and crazed survivors along with infected, fleshing eating people, it was nice that the situation allowed him and Aziraphale to bond and... well... become a couple. "Think we'll be safe in here until they pass?" Aziraphale frowned, moving towards the back of the store, where they were as far from the blocked-off front doors as possible.

"Completely." Crowley said with confidence, though inside he was still on high alert, hand at the ready on his tire iron. A gun would be nice, but it was too loud, and he didn't know how to fire one. The tire iron was shockingly useful and a hell of a head breaker.

Aziraphale was armed with a flipping swore, apparently he was classically trained or something, and was excellent with it. Crowley never voiced it, but there was something so attractive about seeing his fussy, prissy boyfriend slice a zombie's head clean off.

He followed Aziraphale to the back of the store, where they found the employee break room, left abandoned. It would be perfect to camp here through the storm and for the night.

"At least the power still works here." Crowley commented. "We've even got a microwave, we can have a warm meal! We'll make it a date night!"

Aziraphale laughed as he sat himself down carefully in a chair at a small table. "Heat up some canned soup, enjoy it with a dusty pack of crackers, and top it off with a lovely cup of cocktail fruit?"

Crowley smiled and set some of the food he had grabbed on the counter. "A perfect meal for date night! And you can continue to read to me, we gotta finish off that story, you left it on a cliffhanger."

"Start up that soup and I'll get right on it." Aziraphale said, pulling the book out.

It wasn't the Ritz, it wasn't dancing at one of the nicest dance halls to fit Aziraphale's aesthetic, it wasn't driving around the countryside, but Crowley knew it was still just as wonderful, zombies be damned.

[jia-shen]

N°4: Sweet Smells

Ying wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he was no longer in the stairwell; instead he rested in what he assumed to be Caelus’ studio, staring up at the white ceiling on one of those long uncomfortable seats you would find in any waiting room. 

The redhead struggled to flip himself to the side, but when he did, there he saw Caelus with nothing but worry written on his face, as well as Vinu and… and Ivris?

The man fluttered his eyes repeatedly in disbelief that Ivris really was still there. “How did I… get here?” Ying asked. 

“Apparently you were caught by Ivris before you collapsed on the stairs.” Caelus explained. 

“You fainted.” Ivris added. 

Oh god, his voice. 

The redhead didn’t remember the other’s voice being so sexy! It was low and silvery, his voice very pleasant to listen to and Ying really hoped Ivris would talk more. 

“Oh… well, guys I'm fine! Maybe I just ran too hard, hehe!” Ying playfully admitted. 

“Well, why did you run anyway?” Vinu asked. 

“Aiya, you see I remembered I uh, placed an order at this place and I… I didn't want to miss it…” 

The redhead cursed himself in his mind, there really didn’t seem to be a possibly good explanation aside from the truth, which he’d rather die than admit.

 “Yeah! I thought Ivris must still hate me and instinct kicked in for me to flee!”; how utterly childish!

“Well, you rest, okay? We can take.. maybe half an hour break and meet back here, alright?” Caelus decided. The rest agreed and the stylish man went off to call Aiden over to go for lunch with him. 

With only Ivris and Vinu left with him, the latter turned to look at Ying, as if he had something urgent to say, though his brows were scrunched with a look of uncertainty. 

“I don’t know if you know this, but… I think you’re going to be in heat soon so…” he awkwardly said. 

“Wait, what?” Ying asked, propping up his upper half with his elbows against the seat he was resting on. 

“You… have this.. really strong smell to you right now… it’s— hard to ignore” the brunette admitted, turning his head away.  

“Shit.” Ying cursed under breath. 

The problem was, Ying had never been regular; his heats often came as a surprise to him. Purely at random and sometimes they wouldn’t happen for months at all. The redhead knew he should’ve had it checked out years ago, but he wasn’t even officially registered as an omega. 

“I didn’t even realize! Don’t worry about me, okay? Just go~ I have my meds.” The redhead said before giving an assuring smile with a flick of his hand. 

Vinu raised his own hand with a nod before dismissing himself from the studio to meet up with Caelus and Aiden. Finally, Ying then turned over his attention to Ivris who— to his surprise— was still there. 

“You also-”

“No need.” Ivris interrupted. 

The redhead properly sat himself up before speaking, “but I’m okay, really. I’ll just go home.” Ying assured as he attempted to stand up, but when he did, he felt his knees almost immediately go weak. 

Ivris swiftly moved to hold the other up, placing his elbows in the underarms of the other, linking both of them together. 

“Thanks..” Ying breathily said. 

It felt like the room was beginning to spin, his vision was somewhat hazy, and his body was starting to burn up again. He wondered if this really was all from his pre-heat or if he was coming down with something. 

To his surprise, Ying began to smell something in the air, it felt as if it was enveloping him in a warm, amber-like smell. Deep and buttery, the scent was nothing like the usual kind he smelled in alphas. It was comforting even.

Ying only noticed then how close they were, their chests almost touching, and his face centimeters away from the other. He wanted to bring himself in even closer; he wanted more than this. 

“Alpha… you smell so good…” Ying spoke. His words came out airy and thin, almost a moan even. When the smaller one looked up at Ivris’ face, he noticed that while not much had changed in terms of his expression, his face was a tad pink and his eyebrow twitching once or twice. 

“You’re not well.” The graceful one answered, sliding his arms out from where they were and moving them much more comfortably at Ying’s waist. The shift in touch made the latter shiver, sparking heat inside himself in a very particular region. 

“Then help me~” Ying whined, wrapping his arms around Ivris’ neck. 

The other didn’t reply back, instead he moved his hands down to rummage in the smaller one’s sweater, looking for something intently. When he seemingly found what he was looking for, Ivris retracted his hands and put them in the space between the two men. 

Ivris looked down and saw it was what he was looking for, the heat suppressants. It was better to take them now while the symptoms were still mild than later when it would be a full blown heat. 

“Take this.” Ivris said as he pushed a pill out from its silvery and plastic container. He brought the pill up to Ying’s lips, hoping he was still enough in the right mind to take it. 

“What if I don’t~?” he purred, pushing the pill with his index finger away from his mouth and closer to Ivris’ instead. 

“It will help you.” the taller one said, trying to persuade Ying. 

“Alright, alright. Since you asked sooo nicely, I will.” 

Instead of taking the pill from Ivris’ fingers, Ying tilted his head up, opened his mouth, and wantonly stuck his tongue out. 

Ivris froze in place for a second, his eyes staring heavily at the metal that was pierced through the other man’s tongue. When Ying noticed where his eyes had been drawn to, his brows raised and mouth curved as much as it could in satisfaction. 

“You like?” He asked, his words muddled from refusing to put his tongue back in to talk. 

Ivris’ brows furrowed ever so slightly, one twitching again before without a word, he placed the pill at the center of Ying’s tongue, seated just above the metal he had. Lewdly, the man retracted his tongue, much like a snake retreating after a strike. Once his mouth had closed, his lip curled at the ends with such shamelessness. 

“happy~?” Ying cooed. 

Ivris turned his head away from the other man, refusing to answer. Instead, he abruptly walked away from Ying, leaving the studio just like everyone else had. He was utterly dumbfounded. 

“What…” The redhead mumbled under his breath. 

“Why did he just leave? He’s an alpha isn’t he? He could have done whatever he wanted to me! Unless… maybe he’s already bonded? Who wouldn’t want him! Ah… maybe he really doesn’t like me even now. Was I repulsive? But I’m an omega, I can’t be!” 

Ying shook his head, scattering those thoughts away. 

“Even if I was, it doesn’t matter! He already knows my behavior anyway!” 

Ying felt himself perk up a bit, even if overall his mood was still low and body feeling groggy. Not to mention— everyone ditched him! So much for potentially being sick! 

The redhead sighed and decided he might as well rest if that’s all there is to do as Caelus suggested. His body was too hot to move around much anyway. Ying laid back down onto the seat and slowly felt his body sinking in as his muscles relaxed. Eyes heavy, the man easily drifted off to sleep, yet his mind was active as ever.

[idyllicsam]

I was really attached to my grandfather before he passed. Like, lowkey, way more than I had ever loved or will love anyone. He was my everything. He was more of a father figure to me than my dad because my dad was always away for work.

So when I'd finally moved to another country, away from my grandfather, and it had been a year or so since he'd visited me there, I'd gotten sick of talking to him everyday. I was thirteen. You could say I didn't know any better when I really, and I mean really, fucking did.

So on new years' night, right before school reopened after winter break, when I was at home watching YouTube videos of five-minute-crafts, I heard my mom's voice break in the kitchen. It's a very vivid memory. It was like 11 at night, and it was honestly too late for me to be awake at all. My mom wanted me to sleep properly because I was an insomniac like my father.

But begrudgingly, with all the fear in my heart, I walked to the kitchen that overlooked the living room. My mother saw me, and she almost got scared. Then, she walked over to the couch where my dad was sitting, and plopped down next to him. Her nose was sniffing. Her eyes were red.

And then, when I called out to her. She wouldn't answer. She just wouldn't. So I went up to her, and she hid her phone screen. I pulled on her sleeve as hard as I could, asking her what was wrong. My voice kept getting louder and louder, until my dad handed me the phone.

I didn't dare to look at the screen. I couldn't. Not yet. Not until she said it was okay for me to do it. Then, my father said, "She needs to know. She's old enough."

So I looked. And my heart dropped. Because on the screen, was my grandfather's photo. Tubes attached to his body, eyes closed, the weakest I'd ever seen him be. He was in his early sixties. He wasn't even that old, and his organs were all failing for no apparent reason. I looked at my mother in horror, because she had known. And she hadn't told me.

For days, my grandfather was at the hospital ten thousand miles away in our home country, and my mother didn't bother to tell me.

I cried. I yelled. It was the loudest I'd ever cried. No child could've thrown a tantrum like that. I yelled, I screamed—snot was coming out of my nose and tears flowed like there was an unlimited supply.

I'd grown up too quickly until I was thirteen. Because when I saw my grandfather like that—a man I still love more than my own mother—I was five again. I was five, and I missed sitting on his shoulders while he bought me a lollipop from the corner store.

The next day, I went to school. And I didn't talk to anybody. That night, my grandfather passed. And not one single tear came out.

I questioned myself a lot that night. I couldn't sleep. Was I heartless for crying when he was alive, instead of now? Was I a stone cold bitch for avoiding talking to him on video calls?

And then, I still went to school the next day. Even though my mother said no. I went. Because there was no point of me sitting at home when he was ten thousand miles away—somewhere I couldn't reach him no matter how hard I tried.

I turned into a stoic clown for my family. I wouldn't let my mother cry, no matter how sad she was. I'd make shitty jokes, talk about stupid drama at school—again, I was twenty-five at thirteen.

For more than five years now, that's what I've been. I don't cry about him in front of my family. I even forgot his death anniversary this year, until the next day. On January third this year, I sat in my room, reading a book with the air-conditioner on when I realized, "Oh shit, my grandfather died yesterday six years ago."

And honestly, that's just what grief is. It doesn't go away with time. It stays. It gets rooted into you so much that you forget some of it. But it stays.

No one prepares you for how crippling grief is, last year my mom died of cancer. I watched her decline so rapidly that my brain couldn't understand who I was looking at by the time she passed. I couldn't understand who I was by the time she passed because I had to become a vessel who makes appointments, dresses, nurses, cooks and an entity who does not sleep. I did it all alone. The reality is that cancer eats away at everything, it lives on even after the patient dies. It ate away at every part of me, I couldn't get out of bed, I had sleep paralysis, I couldn't stop seeing her... like that. They asked me if she's my grandmother when they carried her out of the house. She was in her early 50s. Do you understand? In 3 months, she began to look like she was 80. Everyone wanted me to move on after a month, no one called anymore, not even a text. I thought I was alone when she was alive, but this was a new type of isolation. One that I barely survived. (thank you to my mutuals and tumblr for being an outlet)

It's been a year and 6 months, today I realized she's not the first thing I think of in the morning, or the last thing I think of before I fall asleep. I couldn't even call to do paperwork before, now I'm forgetting why it was even that difficult.

The sun's out, I think i'm going to get ice cream without feeling guilty that it's not something she can do anymore.

[casspurrjoybell-32]

All It Took Was One Look - Chapter 32a

*Warning Adult Content*

Aiden

"Move," Brett said as I was shoved roughly into the corner of the wall. He walked passed me down the hall and my head cracked against it hard.

"Fuck," I hissed putting my palm on the soon to be bump.

His retreating chuckle vanished when he closed his door.

I took my hand away from my head to see blood and to freak out.

Rushing to the bathroom I flipped the lights on and ran to the mirror.

There was a huge gash with blood running down into my eye.

"Shit," I cursed turning the water faucet on and washed the blood from my face but the blood wouldn't stop.

"Aiden," I heard mom call me from down stairs.

Quickly I grabbed a wash towel and pressed it to the wound.

"Aiden?" she called again, I heard her footsteps coming up the stairs,

"What are you doing?" her eyes widened when she saw me and rushed in the bathroom taking the towel away.

"Oh my God, Aiden," she exclaimed and I put a fake smile on my face to ease her worry.

"It's nothing mom I just tripped," I lied but her face was full of concern.

"Oh baby."

She reached in to the cabinet and took out the first aid kit.

"Here, sit. Let me do this," she ordered tearing open a disinfectant wipe.

I jerked back at the sting.

"Aiden, you've never been so clumsy before," she fussed mainly talking to herself but I shrugged as she worked.

"Everyone has a clumsy moment, mom," I joked.

"Yes but apparently yours are dangerous."

She pulled out a roll of bandages and wrapped them around my head, covering the gash.

It was throbbing bad and hurt like a bitch.

"I guess."

I stood when she was done.

She put the kit back and turned to me.

"You called me earlier. What did you want?" I asked remembering she needed something, her eyes widened in recollection.

"Oh yes. I wanted you to come with me to the shelter."

I instantly cringed.

I don't know what it was about shelters but they made me feel guilty and awkward.

"I-I don't know," I said unsure walking down the stairs unconsciously looking out for Brent.

"Oh come on baby. I don't want to go alone," she pleaded from behind me.

"I always get so depressed when I go to this one and I thought it would be better if I could bring you along with me."

"What kind of shelter?" I asked once we were in the living room.

"It's the domestic violence and abuse shelter."

I froze... I couldn't go there.

It would just be a huge reminder of what I'm going through.

What I just went through not a few minutes ago.

"With that bandage on your head you'll fit right in," she said with a pleading look and I gave her a flat look.

"Are you kidding me, right now? That's not funny mom."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," she sighed, with her head down like a child being lectured.

Letting out a soft chuckle I couldn't say no to my dear old mom like that... then I sighed.

"Fine, I'll go," I reluctantly said and she lifted her head with a huge smile.

"Really? Yay," she squealed pulling me in a huge hug.

'Geez why is my mother so strong?'

"Alright. I've got to breathe here," I struggled to get out.

Letting go, she ran to get her purse and grabbed my hand, dragging me to the door.

"Brett. We're leaving," she yelled before throwing me into the car.

Good thing I was already dressed.

"Alright, were going to be there for an hour or so and help out. There's this woman I always talk to, she just a sweet heart. It breaks my heart when she told me her story. I just wanted to go and kill... never mind." she cleared her throat, giving me a sheepish look.

"But there are kids there that have been through so much. I can't even believe the things they have been through."

She shook her head.

"I couldn't even imagine any of those thing happening to you, Nash and Connie. I mean..." she was going on and on till I shut her out and stared out the window.

I was starting to develop a raging headache as the back of my head began to throb like mad.

My thoughts were brought back to how I got the painful bleeding gash in the first place.

My cousin Brett... I hate him so much.

He just won't stop will he? I bet he gets off on hurting me.

Making my life a living hell and I wanted to punch him in the face so hard till he saw stars but I wasn't that strong.

Ugh... Liam come back... I need you.

The car came to a stop in front of a huge white house with a sign that said 'The Sanctuary'.

My heart was heavy as we got out of the car.

Was this going to be my future soon?

I know they tell you that you need to talk someone in these situations but that is really hard to do when you're scared.

Telling someone means possibly getting into more trouble with them.

The constant fear of that person getting a hold of you somehow or worse, even killed if they were fueled with enough hate for you.

And that could be the case for me, I could die for what I am and that's not just from Brent but anyone who hates gays to the point of killing.

It wasn't an uncommon thing to hear about.

This is why they always say being homosexual makes your life a hell of a lot harder.

But there's nothing I could do about it, this is who I am.

An unexplainable fear washed over me and I suddenly started rethinking about telling Liam about Brent. It would probably only make more problems for me.

"Aiden?" Mom was standing at the door holding the door open while I stood in the middle of the parking lot staring up at the sign. I shook my head.

"Sorry, coming."

Jogging up to her she gave me a small motherly smile.

It warmed me a bit but not enough.

We walked into a large foyer and there was a lady behind a desk against the wall. Mom went over to her,

"Grace, lovely to see you again," the lady said.

"Hey, Susan." Mom greeted.

"I came to help out. I brought my son Aiden with me, this time."

She waved her hand gesturing towards me and Susan looked over at me with a warm smile.

"Hello there," she said to me and I nodded my head.

"Hi."

"He's so cute," she cooed to my mom like I couldn't hear her.

"I know. Right?" Rolling my eyes I began to wander closer to a door less entry way.

I saw people sitting or playing games in what looked to be the living room.

It had I big TV with a game console that a few kids were playing on, I think it was a Wii.

There was a woman sitting by a huge window just staring outside.

Others were reading books or sitting quietly staring into space.

I turned back to my mom as she finished up her conversation.

"Alright Susan, what do you got for me today?" Mom asked.

The woman smiled.

"There's not much to do, we already had helpers this afternoon but if you want. We did laundry today so I guess you can bring up their blankets. Also Jillian's been asking for you, she really likes your company."

Mom nodded.

"Alright we're on it."

Mom took my hand and led me to a huge closet down the hall, full of blankets.

Reaching in, she grabbed a couple and handed them to me.

"All their doors should be open right now so just hand them a blanket or place it on the bed."

Nodding I headed up a flight of stairs noticing that my mom was correct.

All the doors were really open.

Taking a breath I went to the first door, a woman was sitting at a desk writing something.

"Knock, knock," I said because I couldn't really knock with an arm full of blankets.

She snapped her head up.

"Oh," she said timidly.

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Blanket ma'am?"

"Yes, thank you."

She stood and took the top blanket.

She wouldn't look me in the eyes as she took it, just kept her head down, put the blanket on her bed and went back to her writing.

Frowning I went to the next door and so on.

I was starting to become more and more depressed at each door I stopped by.

A couple doors back was a woman with her two children, they all shared the same bruises on their faces and arms.

I tried to keep a friendly smile on my face but it was quickly fading.

I don't know how the people who work here do this every day?

It's killing me and I've only been her for a few minutes.

The last door was closed so I hesitantly knocked holding the last blanket I had under my arm.

There was no answer.

I knocked again a little louder but still nothing.

I made the assumption that there was no one in so I slowly opened the door.

I was just planned on placing the blanket down at the end of the bed and leave but when I entered... I saw a girl about my age.

She was sitting on her bed staring at the wall ahead of her.

I froze, scared that I just did something wrong, was I not supposed to open the doors?

"Oh... I'm so sorry," I exclaimed.

She didn't move she just stared at the wall.

I glanced over too but saw nothing.

"I have your blanket."

I tried again, still nothing.

[lynxgirlpaws]

Hey er. Avie Rant time. I. Just . sorry preemptively lol

I am . having a rather hard night. Which I feel isn't even fair to say based on the circumstances but like. Whatever. So, Im chilling right? Chit Catting with people, maybe helping someone way out of my league cum, normal me behavior for the middle of the day. Anyways, my dad comes home. He. Is apparently not in a good mood, which I will discover later. First, he basically bursts into my room and demands I keep the door open bc apparently he dislikes the smell. Also I need to clean right now. Also I need to get out of bed, I don't deserve to lay in bed since I don't really work. I. Haven't put it together yet, but sure I do it whatever - I leave the door open a crack. Whatevs. Then he inquires about the food his girlfriend gave me. Which.. Was half things that I struggle to eat, but besides the point. He presses about "was that dinner?" You know. If you're here you know his obsession with me losing weight. Anyways I tell him "you said she'd bring me a snack at some point, this is what she brought. It was two hours before you allow me to eat dinner, so I assumed it wasn't" or whatever. Good enough answer for him, whatever. Sorry for all the filler, mostly dealing with him is these little things he does to remind you everything ought be how he want it, such as reminding me that I shouldn't expect dinner (although he informed me I could make a chicken patty or smth if I got hungry which, yippeee)

Anyways, a few minutes pass and. He starts his bullshit. He demands I shower now. And I only shower in the morning from now on. See, I shower at night because I like to see myself with hair I don't hate and feel clean as I sleep. However when I told him I prefer night showers, he got pissed. Angry, about why every time he asks something I have to "buck against" him . I, stupidly, ask some shit about why he doesn't let me make decisions to make me happy. He... Goes on a yelling rant about how the way I know to do things is wrong, I don't have a job or classes so I don't deserve to lay down, goes on about how there are 'rules' aka whatever he tells you... And informed me of his unwillingness to pay for college or anything unless I show initiative (fair, although he told me there was money in his mother's account or whatever that can only be used for college) and talked about how he'll kick anyone who breaks his rules out (using his girlfriend as an example)

I... I dunno. Something kinda went fucky wucky in my head and I. Maybe cut for the first time in a few months. I just. Really? All this shit because I asked if I could shower at night instead of the morning? Anyways I. I dunno, I've been . doing less than good pretty much consistently for. A long while, but not enough to really justify complaining to y'all about it . I usually just kinda brush it off but. I dunno. It was bad...der tonight. Best part is that when I get out of the shower, he tells me to come up to the door... And open it. No like, gn or whatever no happy thanksgiving, he just tells me to open the door (because he doesn't like that my room doesn't ventilate much... Despite the open window) and leaves before I can even see his face.

I. Grow weary.

tl;dr - despite no thanksgiving dinner/gathering, my family still fucked me up today lol

[gatorbites-imagines]

vending machine mechanic

Montgomery gator x male reader

Summary: The reader was hired to fix up minor machinery like arcade and vending machines. But is asked to stay one night to fix up Monty, as he damaged himself during the day. The normal repairmen have quit because of Monty’s aggressive nature, leaving only the reader. The reader is the only one with machinery knowledge, who is not scared of any of the animatronics.

 People seemed to really like the last fnaf thing i wrote, so heres another one with my favourite security breach character.

I know absolutely nothing about robotics, so I’m avoiding any words involving robots and machinery.

Requests are open

To say you were tired was an understatement. You had worked all day yesterday, come into work early today as well, and then had your manager tell you to stay for the night too. Along with that, he hadn’t even taken you off opening shift tomorrow. You were sure the old fart was trying to kill you.

You were forced to stay late because of that stupid crocodile animatronic, or was It an alligator, you honestly didn’t care. It was a reptile, and a reptile with huge anger issues. How an animatronic had anger issues, you didn’t know, and you really didn’t care enough to find out.

Apparently, the anger issues were so bad that every single other repair-person had quit or threatened to quit if they were sent to fix that stupid animatronic again. And that left you, a minor mechanic who was only supposed to fix vending machines and those tiny map bots and floor cleaner bots.

You grumbled to yourself as you threw your toolbox under your arm and trudged towards Monty’s room. Vanessa greeted you as you passed each other, and you grunted in return. You could almost see pity in her eyes. You found solidarity in each other, knowing the other was forced to stay for longer than normal. She gave you a “good luck” or “go get em” hand motion, and you just made a face in return which she laughed at.

Finally reaching Monty’s room, you saw the glass was blacked out like it always was when he was up to something. You could hear clunks and crashes from inside, throwing being thrown and shattering against the wall. Why they kept giving him shit he could break, you didn’t understand.

With a sigh, you stepped around the side of the wall, and used your employee card to get inside. As the door shut behind you, what looked like a piece of a chair smacked the wall beside your head. You had no reaction. You’d worked retail for years, having stuff thrown at you was nothing you hadn’t dealt with before.

The overgrown robotic Godzilla wannabe seemed annoyed you didn’t react, like he expected you to yelp and duck, but all he got was the dead-eyed glare you sent his way as you went over to the only table not torn apart and placed your toolbox on it. “You better sit down and let me fix you up Morty, or they’ll decommission you. The boss told me you’ve lost him too many employees who can sue or some shit” you snarked, flipping open your toolbox and digging around in it for what you needed.

“What the hell did you just call me?” a voice snarled behind you, suddenly very close. You were sure if animatronics could breathe, he would be breathing down your neck.

You turned around, staring up into the glowing red, or were they orange, eyes of the reptile. “I told you to sit down, Morty” you snarled right back, with the same threatening tone he used against you. Monty seemed taken back by the venom you spat back at him, the animatronic taking a step back and looking you up and down. You looked a wreck, clothes covered in oil, and bags under your eyes so dark they looked like tattoos.

“It’s Monty” he growled in a defiant tone, but he did sit down on the half-ripped couch. “Fine, Monty. Whatever. Let me do this, so I can go home.” You grunted, looking him over to see what the damage was. You found it when you saw wires sticking out of his knee. It looked like someone had taken a hammer or something to it.

“The hell happened here” you

 grumbled, crouching down, and looking it over. You stated poking at it with a screwdriver, and before Monty could reply, you already got to work. The large animatronic watched you in great interest. Not only were you not scared, but you also didn’t even seem to care that Monty had harmed multiple workers in the past and could do it again.

“What’s your name” the animatronic suddenly said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. “Me? Why do you care, not like you’ll see me again” you huffed, poking at a wire that seemed to make Monty jolt.

Monty seemed to stare at you even harder, expecting an answer. With a tired sigh you finally gave it, telling him your name. “Its (Y/N). I’m supposed to be a mechanic for all things not animatronic, but apparently you chased away all the actual robotics dudes. And because of that, I am the one who has to stay late to fix you”.

Before Monty could reply, you had already fixed his busted knee, and got to your feet where you gave a small sway. God you were tired, you felt like you were gonna pass out. The knowledge that you had to drive home, made bile rise in your throat.

Monty, seeing how the first technician that piqued his interest sway like a baby deer, grabbed you by your shoulders and got up, turning around you shove you into the seat. You feebly struggled to get up, but he would simply shove you down again. “You can take a nap here or something. Just tell the guard or whoever that it took longer than you thought”.

Monty seemed to grumble, sounding almost embarrassed about caring for anybody, even a little bit. You wanted to argue, but even though the sofa was half shredded, it was more comfortable than your bed most days. So, with a sigh, you agreed. “Wake me up in half or hour though, alright”. You murmured, your eyes already falling shut as your head fell backwards, the tools falling from your hand onto the floor.

The animatronic stared at you as you slept, wanting to brand the image of you onto his very core. There was just something about you, something that got his interest more than anyone before. Maybe it was how you didn’t fear him. Even workers who had never met him feared him in a way, because they had heard stories. But here you were, even snarking back at him when you got the chance.

His chest area warmed, and he heard his internal fans kick up as they tried to cool him down. He sat down on a chair that had survived his rage, and got himself comfortable to watch you. He wouldn’t wake you when you asked him too, you looked like you needed the sleep. And he was already coming up with how he would see you again, ways to chase off any engineer that wasn’t you, and only acting non-aggressive when they sent you. Soon they’d learn to only send you. Behind him his tail started to wag, it was a perfect plan.

[reallyromealone]

What about an oblivious reader, that works out a lot and has a really big chest. Like his button up shirt is always so tight, and it's a wonder the buttons don't pop, they already did once.

So Bonten is obsessed with the reader, and are always trying to either lay their head on his Thigh, or have their hands on his chest, and the reader is so obviously, he thinks their just really close friends and all. He is naturally caring and is always taking care of them

I hope you don't mind

Himbos are seen and loved here.

Also bb I never mind

No one fucking knew how (name) managed to get to be such close friends with the most feared men in Japan.

They were polar opposites after all.

(Name) wasn't the brightest but he was the kindest guy ever, just happy to be apart of things and generally a good time all around.

And bonten?

Well they spoke for themselves.

(Name) was wandering into the building, tool box and all as Koko noticed him first "Ah (name)~ here already?" He said seductively but (name) didn't pick up on it, smiling widely "yeah, my cousin is watching over the shop for me" his voice holding nothing but unyielding kindness as Koko wrapped his arms around (name)s muscular one, feeling his biceps and resting a hand on the man's chest while they walked.

"Have you been working out more?" Koko said lightly squeezing the man's and (name) looked prideful as he spoke "is it noticable? My buddy recommended this gym to me!"

"Well it's doing wonders!"

"Thanks!"

Half of the Bonten men stopped to watch (name) fix the desk, the focused expression hypnotizing the men as they just stared at him...well his muscles really.

God were these men down bad for him.

"Well, that should be it! Anything else I can help with?" (Name) said stretching but apparently stretching to hard as a couple buttons popped and revealing his chest much to the mens absolute delight.

"Ah crap" (name) said with a sigh as he looked at his shirt, picking at the collar and revealing more skin. "Oh well I guess you're gonna have to take it off! Tragic really~" ran said in a sing song tone as he helped the man taken off his shirt "don't worry (name), we will take care of your shirt!"

"Ah do you have a spare?"

"I will have an assistant grab one" mochi said texting his assistant to get one but at a snails fucking pace and (name) thanked him graciously before sanzu walked passed and saw him "(name)?" He asked with a weird amount of giddiness as he opened his arms for a hug knowing damn well the shirtless man couldn't deny hugs.

He just loved em!

And sanzu loved shoving his face in between (name)s tiggle biddies.

"Ah you redyed your hair!" (Name) said holding a strand of freshly died pink hair "it looks great!"

"You wanna dye your hair?" Sanzu asked with a smirk and (name) chuckled "ah thank you but I don't think i could pull it off"

"You can pull anything off!"

Like the rest of your clothes.

"That's very sweet of you!"

Eventually they had (name) fix the most random shit around the area and even breaking stuff secretly for him to fix and now here (name) was on the couch exhausted as the men went to go get him that shirt and a drink and snacks.

He earned it.

Mikey wandered out, hungry and exhausted as he scanned the room and noticed the familiar man on the couch and decided that that man's thighs would in fact be his pillow.

Wandering over, he didn't say anything as he rested his head on (name)s thighs and snuggled into his stomach and basically passing out right there, the feeling of (name)s fingers through his hair was euphoria to say the least.

(Name) smiled softly and got comfortable, knowing he wasn't going anywhere for a while.

But that's ok.