#in the meantime have some Stephen angst

[supercriminalbean]

Born this way

Spencer Reid x Trans male Reader.

Summary: Reid wants to introduce his trans boyfriend to the team, but first he has to deal with some family issues first.

Words: 21.8k

Warning: Transphobia. Homophobia. Swearing. Crying. Fluff. A Lot of Angst. Depression. Many mental breaks down. Panic attacks. Transphobe Gideon mentioned. Abusive family. Drug addiction mentioned. Alcohol consumed. If I have missed anything let me know. 

A/N: This one-shot means a lot to me by the way. But I’m sorry because this gets deep at points, yes I may have started projecting at certain points my bad. Reader is Gideon's son, Rossi Godson. There are a lot of cute Uncle Rossi moments in this. I love it. (I have many daddy issues he fixes them) I might write a part two where Jason and the reader fix their relationship. Also flashbacks of how Reader grew up and how Rossi and Aaron became protective of him. But that won’t be for awhile if I do, let me know If you would like that though. Thank you for your time.

1989

“No, I wanna dress like a Prince, don't wanna be a Princess” You whine as he holds up the brand new Cinderella dress he has just bought you.

“You want to be a prince” He sighs softly. He hates seeing you look so hurt at the sight of the new dress, he sets it back down. “Why do you want to be a prince huh, you just want to copy your older brother?” He already knew that wasn’t the real answer but he needed to know how you really feel, without him profiling you. 

“Because I’m a boy, and boys are meant to be Prince's not Princess” You stubbornly cross your arms looking up at him. A small mad looking smile on your face, one that looks crazily similar to your fathers.

“You're a boy huh, so now there's two little Gideon boys running around, Lord help us” He chuckles softly watching as your face lights up.

“I'm gonna be a better brother than my brother” You laugh squeaky, excited by his reaction. Your little child mind is already used to abuse and bullying, when expressing how you feel about your gender. So seeing how happy your uncle is for you, just makes your little heart flutter with happiness. 

“Have you told your dad yet?” He asks as he sits down on the couch beside you, trying his hardest to keep his smile on his face. He already knows how your parents feel about these types of ‘situations’.

“I told him the other day, he told me I’ll always be his daughter, I don’t understand why he won’t listen to me, him and mummy don’t get it” You sigh heavily leaning your head on his arm, you know your uncle will always listen to you. 

“I’ll talk to them Tesoro, we will get them to listen to you” He smiles sadly, knowing this is going to be a difficult road for you. “In the meantime, shall I go find your brother's old Prince’s costume” He looks down at you, seeing a big grin spreading across your face as you jump back up.

“Yessss, I'm going to be the best Prince Charming”

“Well Prince Charming, one day you are going to find your own Princess” He smiles as he gets up.

“Ew no way girls have cooties, I'm going to marry another Prince, Uncle Dave” You screw your face up at him which makes Rossi chuckle as he walks out. 

Growing up.

While growing up your dad seemed to always be working and was never around while you and your older brother grew up. You never had a good relationship with him or your mum, they never respect your pronouns or your chosen name. Your dad only started coming around to your gender identity once you moved out and started cutting him and your mum out of your life at age 18, (9 years ago.) But due to everything that happened when you were growing up, the relationship never healed between you and your parents. You haven't spoken to them in over 4 years now. You and your brother aren’t close but still talk occasionally, Stephen was always by your side growing up. He tried to be the overprotective brother you need in your life growing up.

Your Uncle Dave tried his best to stay in your life, but after he finished working with your Dad it became difficult. Their relationship was strained due to the fact he never liked the way your parents treated you. He always sent you postcards and letters whenever he went on his trips and even copies of his books. You were so proud of him when he became an author, your dad said he was full of himself. But you didn’t care, he was your Uncle and you told everyone about his books. You were barely able to catch up with him due to your parents but when you did he always bought you gifts, and even helped you with things that helped ease your gender and body dysmorphia. When you turn 20 he even gave you enough money to get top surgery. You remember crying in his arms and telling him how you wish he was your dad instead of Jason. 

When Dave got back into the FBI, 5 years ago. You had gotten angry with him, and your relationships with him started becoming strained. You were slowly losing touch but you knew deep down that the fatherly love he has for you could never die. 

2012.

You had been dating Spencer Reid for five months now, and the last five months had been amazing. It had taken a while to get used to his work schedule but it just made you value the time you spent with him more. Spencer treats you like a prince, when he spends time with you he makes sure he is focusing on you. He always tries to not bring work with him on dates, the occasional times when he would get called away he always made sure to make it for it. He would buy you coffees and books, then turn up at your workplace to surprise you when he gets home early from a case. Spencer loves surprising you, seeing the way your face lights up when he would just walk into your job.  

You always tell Spencer that he spoils you too much, but he disagrees. He doesnt think he spoils you enough. He knows you deserve to be showered with more gifts and when he's with you, he wants to show you how much he cares about everything you have to say. He loves hearing you rambling about your days, he knows you never got that type of attention beforehand. It breaks his heart when you apologise for talking too much, especially about the things you love. He understands what it can feel like when people say talking too much is a bad thing, but that is something he strongly disagrees with. The joy and excitement he feels when you talk, warms him up like nothing ever has before.

~~~

Spencer Reid loves being your Boyfriend because of how sweet and adorable you are with him, making sure he always knows how much you care for him. You might not be the type of guy to send texts, telling him how much you love and miss him when he's away. Instead you send him texts asking him if he has eaten yet, asking him how much sleep he has had that day. Telling him off gently, if you don’t get the response you like, which results in him smiling and blushing, specially when you praise him for doing his best during tough cases. He remembers the time the team had finally figured out he was dating, only due to the fact he wouldn't stop smiling at one of your texts.

Flashback.

The team had been away on a case for four days and they were close to finding the identity of the unsub, and tracking down the whereabouts of him. Currently Hotch and Rossi were on their way back from the morgue, stopping to get dinner on the way back. JJ, Emily, and Morgan were sitting at the table discussing the profile and victimaliz. All of them glance over at Reid occasionally, who's standing in front of the map, but he is seemingly more interested in his phone. Spencer's face is covered in the biggest grin the three profilers have ever seen from him. His eyes having this different sparkle in them, as he types away quickly. Emily smirks at the other two, raising her eyebrow, the other two give her the knowing look. Everyone has noticed how happy Reid had been the last few weeks, making everyone talk in between themself. They had all come to the conclusion that he was indeed dating. Morgan and Emily were certain it was a girl he was talking to, but JJ and Garcia had disagree they were pretty sure he was hiding the fact it was a boy. Hotch and Rossi weren’t getting into that part of the conversation, just shaking their heads at the childish argument their team were having. Reid had come out years ago about being bisexual, but no one had ever met any of his dates before. He liked keeping that part of himself private until he was sure it was serious.

~~~

“So pretty boy, who's got you smiling like that?” Morgan smirks, calling out to him, pulling Reid away from his thoughts. Blushing as he looks up at the three profilers who are spread around the table, all gawking at him.

“Shut it Morgan” Reid clears his throat awkwardly, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“Aw come on Reid that's not polite” Emily teases him, her elbows resting on the table, her chin resting in her hands lending towards the poor boy. “You should apologise by telling us why you were smiling at your phone like that” Emily smirks as Morgan and JJ snigger quietly. Reid cheeks burn lightly as he sits back down, allowing himself to smile at the thought of telling his friends all about you. 

“Wait wait, hold up, look at that little smile on his face” Morgan teases him, leaning over pinching his cheeks quickly. Only to get swatted away.

“You normally tell us to back off Spence, this person must be special huh?” JJ smiles softly at Reid, as Morgan sits back at his seat chuckling as Reid nods at her smiling softly. 

~~~

Hotch and Rossi arrive, with Garcia on the phone. Making the team put their conversation on hold and back onto the case. Garcia gives them more information on their victims and could be unsub. Reid could feel his phone vibrating, holding back a small smile knowing that it's you. Once Garcia has ended the phone call, the team finally starts getting into their dinner, giving Reid the chance to check the texts you had sent him. It took all his strength not to let out a small chuckle.

Bean:  You better have had you dinner by now Spency, cos Bubbles sure is digging in.

The photo you had sent finally loading on his phone. It was you snuggled up on the couch, under your comfort blanket trying to eat your favourite takeaway, with your cat trying to steal it from the container. 

~~~

Spencer couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped the laugh that leaves his lips, staring at the photo. He couldn’t believe how much joy he could feel, from just seeing a small glimpse of you on his phone. Deciding he would also send a photo back of himself with his dinner, picking up his food quietly, not paying attention to the rest of the team. If Reid was paying attention he would have noticed how quiet the room has gotten after his small laugh, how everyone kept giving each other the look. How Morgan has now gotten up and is making his way over to stand behind Reid, crouching down so he can look at his phone thinking he can go without being noticed. The team having to suppress their laughter watching Morgan trying to be sneaky, the big grin across his face quickly fades to an ‘Oh shit I’ve been caught’ look. When he realises Reid's front camera is open, and that he's just photobombed Reids selfie.  

“Morgan you ruined my photo” Reid groans, putting his phone down, turning around to glare at the man, while the team laughs at them. Morgan chuckles awkwardly, giving him his best older brother face. 

“Hey it's not my fault, if you would just tell us who's got you being so secretive, I wouldn’t need to be looking over your shoulder” Morgan smirks as he sits down beside him, playfully pretending to pick up Reid's phone. Reid quickly swats his hand away, moving his phone away.

“Can’t me and my boyfriend have some privacy around here” Reid smirks softly. Unlocking his phone again, sending you the photo of him and Morgan to you. 

~~~

“Ha, you two owe me and Garcia drinks next night out” JJ cheers happily. Smirking at Emily as she groans. 

“Wait, you guys bet on me being in a relationship?” Reid asks looking up, giving them a pointed look.

“Oh no it was clear you were in a relationship” Hotch smirks, shaking his head.

“They betted on whether or not it was with a girl or a guy” Rossi adds in, chuckling. 

“Speaking about bets, how long have you two been dating for?” Morgan asks, wiggling his eyebrows at the kid who blushes lightly. 

“Can you guys stop betting on my lovelife please, and officially we’ve been dating 12 weeks and 2 days” 

“Atta boy, that means I win” Rossi raises his drink up at Reid, making the team break out in laughter once more.

“So Spence, when do we get to meet this mystery boy of yours?” JJ asks, smiling at him, even if he's been trying to hide it. She hasn’t seen him this happy in years, and wants to meet and check out whoever this new person is in her best friend's life.  

“Oh uh I don’t know maybe in a few weeks” Reid shrugs “It's still all new, but trust me when you guys meet him, you will all love him, he's amazing” A smile creeps across his face, one that's full of love and hope. One the team hasn't seen him wear before, they can’t wait to watch Reid on the road of love. 

 End flashback.

You’re laying on the couch reading one of David Rossi books, it’s one of your comfort books when you’re having a bad day. You keep glancing at the clock, time seems to be passing by slowly tonight, just waiting for your boyfriend to turn up. Getting tired of waiting, you pick up your phone, rereading the last text saying he had land and he would be leaving the office in 15. That was 40 minutes ago, would you seem too clingy if you rang him, asking where he was? You probably would, but seeing as you haven't seen him in almost a week you didn’t really care anymore. Pressing the call button beside his name, moving the phone beside your ear, waiting for him to answer. 

“Hello this is Dr Reid” His voice rings out, sounding so professional. But you could just tell how exhausted he is, not even looking at the caller ID.

“Well hello Dr Reid, mm you almost sound like a professional, Amore” You tease him softly, hearing his soft laugh escape him.

“Hey (Y/n), I'm sorry I'm running a little behind with this paperwork, If Morgan didn’t keep distracting me I would be done by now” He sighs dramatically, hearing some voices in the background, and what sounds like some struggling. Laughing at the childish behaviour, you could just imagine what was happening. That being your boyfriend and his best friend joking with each other again. Spencer has told you many, many stories of their pranking wars before, and you could only feel sorry for their team. 

“Hey no no no Morgan, get off me Derek get off” Spencer grunt out at the man, trying to shove him away. But he's too late as Morgan manages to snatch the phone out of his hand and rushes away from the boy. 

~~~

“So this must be Spencer's boyfriend, (Y/n) right” Derek's cheekily voice breaks through the phone as you laugh, guessing what has just happened. 

“That's me, Derek right, did you steal my boyfriend's phone just to talk to me?” You laugh, albe to put his voice to his face. Remembering the photo Spencer sent you a couple months ago that Derek had accidentally photobombed.

“Oh that I did, I need to know who keeps distracting and making my pretty boy blush all the time” Derek chuckles softly, and you could hear Spence protesting in the background.

“Aw I make him blush, guess I'm just that special” Laughing quietly, shaking your head, “I guess I just have the effect on men, just wait until you meet me in person Derek”

“Ohh that I can not wait to do baby, trust me Reid can not shut up about you we all are dying to meet you so we better be meeting you soon or Garcia is going to die from not being able to gossip away with you” Derek explains dramatically, you thought. 

“Well I'm sure I can meet you all soon, Just once I can get our schedules all organised for once” You promise him, smiling. Enjoying the idea of meeting the team that your boyfriend never seems to be able to stop talking about. 

“Okay, Finally” Derek cheers happily, as you hear a few Reid nosies, before Morgan yells a quick bye.

“Im back” Reid huffs laughing, earning a soft chuckle from you.

“So that was Derek Morgan huh?” 

“Oh that it was, looking if it's too soon, we don’t need to worry about all this” Spencer's words start rushing and mumbling together, like they do when he gets too nervous. Quick to calm his nerves down, you cut him off.

“Spence, I would love to meet your team one day soon, but right now I just miss you, when are you leaving, because I really want cuddles and so we can talk about our week and just relax” You smile slightly, hearing his breathing relax. Knowing his shoulder would have just rolled backwards in the same motions.

“I’m putting my files away right now then I’m on my way to your place, I’ll be there in 15” Spencer tries to relax from your words, but something in your tone just doesn't sit right with him. He still doesn’t know why you rang him, normally you would just wait for him to turn up even an hour late.“Hey so why did you ring before, is everything alright?”

“Yeah I'm fine bambino, I’ll see you soon, I love you” Your voice comes off trying to sound strong, forcefully.

“Okay, I love you too (Y/n)” A chorus of Awws and cheers ring through the phone before Spencer hangs up.

~~~

You were in the Kitchen cleaning the bench when you heard the door open, hearing Spencer footsteps and his quiet voice talking to the cat. Who ran straight over to him, meowing happily to see her second favourite human. 

“Hey (Y/N), where are you?” Spencer calls out, quickly giving Bubbles a small pat. His smile fading as his eyes scan across the living room, hearing you call back from the kitchen. He couldn’t help but profile the room, even if he didn’t do it as a job it would be hard to miss that something was wrong. One of your comfort movies is playing, the one you watch on repeat when you're feeling low and anxious. You never like leaving your dishes or trash around, worried it would attract mice and rats. But today, there are empty cans of soda and energy drinks and packets of snacks, shoved behind the couch. Your weighted blankets laid careless on the ground, covered in crumbles. Something you hate, due to the fact it normally makes you feel even more dirty and itchy. Otherwise the room looks spotless like you had done a deep clean of the whole room the day early. Placing his bag down on the couch, as he makes his way over to the kitchen, he can't help but notice how the house looks and smells completely cleaned. As if you have deep clean every surface you could, which he knows you like to do when you're feeling powerless. 

~~~

You're standing in front of the fridge, staring absently into it, not even noticing Spencer approaching. You're looking exhausted, with dark bags underneath your eyes. Your face is paler than normal, your body looking sluggish. Letting out a soft irritated sigh, as you close the fridge with a bit more force than you meant to. 

“Hey Beanie” Spencer speaks your nickname softly. He walks over slowly, watching you worried. You flinch at the noise, flinging around to look at where those words came from. 

“Oh hey, um sorry, I must have been distracted” You smile weakly, turning around to give him a welcome home hug. That he happily embraces, wrapping his arms around you. Resting his head on your shoulder, as you hide your head in his chest. His eyes roam around the kitchen seeing a large pile of dishes just been recently washed, still drying. He could feel how tired your body is in his arms, the way your breathing is more deep and controlled. Almost as if you're focusing on matching your breathing to his. Something you do when your anxiety plays up in public, or when you’re having trouble trying to sleep. 

~~~

When you slowly pull away from his warm arms, looking up at him. His concerned eyes staring down into yours, his hand gently cups your check.

“Are you alright, love?” His voice stays soft, not wanting to overwhelm you.

“Im fine, you're the one who just came back from a week long case” You brush off his question, breaking eye contact with him as you lie. You're not ready to tell him how you're feeling inside, scared you would fall apart right there in his arms. It wouldn’t be the first time he would see you cry, but that doesn’t mean you like letting your boyfriend watch you break apart. 

“Don’t do that” He sighs, as you step back refusing to look at him. “Don’t avoid the question, you now I can tell something isn’t right, I'm here when your ready to tell me about it” 

Nodding in response, still refusing to look at him again. “I know” Taking a deep breath, slowly glancing back at him, taking him in properly this time. His eyes have small bags underneath, the clothing he's wearing have small marks and stains on the tops. Knowing his clothes usually get dirty when he's been rushing to finish cases. Taking in his body langues seeing how stress and tired he looks. Starting to feel guilty for adding to his pile of stress, hating how you can’t just handle your own emotions and personal issues without him noticing. 

~~~

“Spence, why don’t you go have a shower and I’ll make us some dinner, then we can watch some tv” You smile weakly at him, he watches you carefully as he thinks about it.

“You don’t need to cook, it's getting late you know”

“I know, but you probably have been living off takeaways all week”

“And one more day won’t kill me” He smirks lightly, making you laugh quietly.

“You know what, I think I have Pizza in the freezer, think that will do?” You smirk, shaking your head lightly, as you walk over opening the freezer door. Spencer walks over wrapping his arms around your waist. Resting his head on your shoulder hiding his face in the crock of your neck.  

“Frozen pizza and cuddles sounds perfect to me” He exhales, kissing your neck gently. You smile softly, relaxing into his touch. 

“Good, now go shower” 

~~~

You're laying on the couch, the food waiting on the table beside you as you scroll through the tv channel, looking for something new to watch. Getting lost in the cooking show that is playing, patting Bubbles who's happily snuggled down in your lap. Spencer walks out seeing you cuddled up on the couch smiling a little, the worry for you still hasn't eased up. 

“Hey, what are you watching?” He calls out quietly so as to not startle you, walking over to the couch. Settling down beside you, giving Bubbles a few pats when she meows for attention, again. 

“Some cooking show, they are meant to be making pasta but they are doing it all wrong” You sigh, shaking your head at the contents on the television. “Do they not know your not suppose to burn the onions before you add them to the dish, also the way they are handling the pasta is horrible they need to be delicate with it, not ruthless like come on” Huffing lightly, as you move yourself to cuddle into Spencer shoulder, being carefully to not disturb Bubbles to much. Leaning into his touch as he wraps his arm around your shoulders, relaxing slowly into his touch. The heat from the shower rationing off his body, his light chuckle being the exact combination you need for your body to be able to relax and know that you're safe. 

“Someone knows their pasta” He smirks softly, feeling a bit more confident feeling you relax in his arms. 

“Oh I do, I was taught from a young age all the correct things to do if you want to make the perfect pasta, If you don’t feel like doing it right then stay out of the kitchen I use to be told” Laughing lightly, reaching over to grab the plate of pizza seating beside you. “I told him I would just order pizza instead” 

“So you have always been sassy since a young age?” Spence's laugh is light as air and full of joy and sweetness. Reaching for a slice of the pizza watching you as he eats.

“Oh definitely, I blame my Uncle. He may have taught me how to make amazing pasta but that means he also taught me his Italian sarcasm as well” Your laughter starts dying off after you mention your Uncle. Glancing down quickly trying to avoid Spencer stares as you grab a piece of pizza. Starting to eat and turn back to the tv, letting the conversation drop out. 

~~~

You keep trying to get back into the show but you can’t seem to focus, your mind keeps wandering back to your family. The text message you had received the other day having just hurt you more than you really think it would. The one guy who was suppose to still be by your side, was once again choosing your parents over you. Fuck the pain in your chest feeling just like it had when you were in high school. Sniffling quietly, not even noticing the tears sliding down your cheeks as you will yourself to pay more attention to the people on the television. Spencer glances down at you, feeling you move closer into his side. His face dropping instantly as he notices the tears sliding down your face. The hopeless look in your eyes going straight to his heart. His hand slides across your shoulder, cupping your face gently wiping away at the tears softly. 

“Love, what's wrong?” He whispers lovingly, his hand staying firmly on your face as you look up at him.

“N nothing bambino, it's the Tv show, it's just so sad” You laugh fakely knowing how bad the lie is, sighing as you shrug your shoulders. 

“That's crap, I know you love pasta, but crying because they add the wrong cheese to the dishes” Spencer half laughs giving you a look, pulling his hand away, as you pull away from him, sitting up straightly. Bubbles meows angrily as she jumps off your lap, running away, Spencer leans over, placing the empty dinner plate and turning the T.V off with the remote. 

~~~

“That's it talk to me” Spencer turns to face you properly, watching you closely, picking up on your body langues. The way it tenses as you straighten up more, turning to look at him, your eyes spinning with emotions. Crossing your legs underneath you, you're trying everything you can to try and seem smaller.

“It's just been a hard week, works been so busy this week, all the shipment for the bookshop is behind and we are so under staff at the moment, it's just getting to me I guess” You exhale deeply, avoiding his stare, instead you focus on the small scratch on the wall behind him. “Also I ran into someone the other day, which brought up some unwelcome memories from years ago I guess, I know I should just get over it because it wasn’t even that big of a deal but somehow they just won’t leave my brain alone” Letting out an mentally exhausted breath, feeling the walls you built up slowly come down. Your hands playing with each other in your lap, helping with your anxiety. “I thought I worked through my issues. I told myself once I was done with them I would never think of them again, but just seeing him again it” Your voice trails off slowly as it begins to waver with sadness and anger, blinking back a few tears that start to appear. Your eyes flick over to Spencers as you feel his hand gently take yours in his. His eyes send a warm, soft feeling into your heart, making you feel safe. His hazel eyes having always had that effect on you since the moment you met him. Smiling softly as you feel the love and affect he can give you with no words. Actions always meant more to you than words ever did. 

“Love, did you really work through your trauma or did you just bury it away and pretend it never existed?” He kept his voice soft and careful of the way he worded it. Studying you closer, watching as the realisation and devastation hits, the light in your eyes slowly disappears.

“Your right, I thought hiding from my problems would fix it” Taking a deep breath as you feel a sharp pain hitting your chest, suddenly a painfully wrenching cry pushes its way out of you. With such a powerful force that shoves you forward, almost off the couch. Spencer moves swiftly, wrapping you up in his arms before you could fall. 

~~~

“I'm sorry I’m so sorry, I shouldn't be crying others have It worse” You ramble through the crying. Trying so hard to fight the breakdown your body is compelling you to have. 

“Stop it, stop it, you need to let it out, it's healthy to let your emotions process and I'm right here I'm not going anywhere” He whispers firmly, his lips pressing against your forehead. His arms around your waist securely, pulling you even further into his chest. Your hands grab ahold of his hoodie, needing something to hold as you break down in his arms. The flashbacks of everything your parents used to say to you growing up, fresh in your mind. The way they use to make you feel, the empty feeling when they wouldn’t show up to your important events. Your brother is always more important than you, to both of your parents. Your father always ignored him as well, work to him was always his number one purpose. But he would still openly love him more than you.

~~~

Trying to shake those memories and feelings out of your mind, taking a deep breath calming yourself down steadily. Listening to your boyfriend's heartbeat and never noticing that something so quiet could be so loud and make the most beautiful pattern in times of need. Slowly you loosen your grip on his hoodie, pulling your hands away to wipe your face. 

“Thank you” Mumbling under your breath as you take a small breath trying to find the strength to face him.

“Don’t need to thank me, I'm alway here for you” Spencer smiles lovingly down at you, as he moves your hair out of your face carefully.

“I know but still I’ve never had someone stay with me when I’ve cried the way I do, It means alot not having to hide my feelings” Smiling lightly, as you move more into a comfortable cuddling position. 

“Well I’m glad you can do that with me now” He smiles back, kissing your forehead, his arms wrapping around you. 

~~~

“So do you want to tell me who you ran into the other day?”

Sighing softly as you lean your head into his lap, closing your eyes.

“I saw my brother out and about with his girlfriend and my niece. So I was going to go over and say hi, but then I saw my dad was walking over to them. He was catching up to have coffee with them” Opening your eyes as you spit the last piece out with venom. Spencer stares down at you with pity and understanding. “Don’t look at me like that” Sighing as you cross your arms. 

“Okay I'm sorry you know i'm just worried about you, but why would your brother be catching up with your dad I thought he didn’t like him either”

“Well he reached up to Stephen a couple years ago, they’ve been trying to mend their relationship ever since then apparently. I just don't get why he would want him back in his life or even in his kids life, why would he want to do that” Shaking your head in frustration. 

“Maybe he's changed?” He shrugs, throwing out some suggestions. Stupid suggestions in your opinion. 

“No way, he's not capable of change” 

“Everyone is capable of changing you just need to allow them time to change”

“He had my whole life, I think that was enough time don’t you?” You retort back, rolling your eyes at him.

“Okay okay, I'm just trying to give ideas here.” Spencer defines himself, running his hand through your hair, calmly.

“Your right, I’m sorry I just thought Stephen would always be on my side when it came to our parents guess I was wrong, oh did I tell you what he said to me once I comfort him in text messages yesterday” Scoffing out, leaning your head further into his hand just like a cat does getting head scratches. 

“What did he say?”

“He told me that they had been meeting up behind my back for years and when I was told that my Nieces birthday party was cancelled last month, well it wasn’t cancelled I was just uninvited because our parents were going to be there and they didn’t want ME to start an argument” Huffing feeling emotionally drained. “I never start the arguments Spence I just stand up for myself, defend myself when I have to but apparently that's not allowed” Whimpering softly as you close your eyes, allowing yourself to sink evenfurther into his body. 

“I know baby, family isn't everything you know that right, I accept you and so will my family as well as my team. Garcia will demand we go to pride parades with her, you're going to love her” Spencer speaks bubbly, trying to lift your mood. Smiling softly as he watches the anger and sadness wash away from your face.  

“Thank you, I can’t wait to meet your team and also your mum one day” you smile up at him hopefully.

“Oh she has been begging me to bring you to meet her everytime I call her, I don't know how much longer we can hold off for” He laughs softly.

~~~

The next morning you were half surprised to wake up with your boyfriend's arms still wrapped around your waist. Normally he always gets called away for a case, so being able to sleep in with your boyfriend is definitely a treat. Smiling softly as you tilt your head up which is resting comfortable on his chest. Watching how peacefully he looks as he sleeps, all the worries and the concerns gone from his mind for a few hours. His messy wavy hair covering half his face, his lips a little swollen from the activities from the night before. The light hickeys on his neck make your chest burn with pride as you take them. Rubbing small circular patterns on his chest, taking deep breaths, breathing in his scent. The weight of all the stress from the last few days having been taken off. All by just having your boyfriend to listen to you and love you without judgement. 

~~~

“Morning love” Spencer's raspy morning voice breaks the silence of the room, smiling down at you on his chest. 

“Mm good morning bambino” You smile up at him, leaning up to kiss him gently. His hands resting softly against your naked back. “How did you sleep?” You ask after you break the kissing snuggling back down.

“Pretty well, better than I have in weeks” He smiles softly, running his hands down your back, leaving a trail of goosebumps. “How was your sleep, beans?”

“It was great, someone tired me out great last night” You tease him, your hand slows down rubbing circle patterns on his chest. 

“Mmm oh did I now?” He smirks down at you, a knowing look in his eyes. His hand slides down from your hair, sliding on to your neck tracing the hickeys he left the night before. Feeling the blood rush to your checks, biting your lips to stop the groan from slipping through your lips.

“Oh yeah you did Spence” Pulling away from the touch on your neck as you roll yourself on top of him. Your hands resting on the bed frame above his head, smirking down at him. He gazes up at you, need and lust in his eyes, licking his lips slowly as he takes you in. His hands come to slide up your back, holding you still as he pulls himself up to sit up properly.

Letting out a small whimper as you grind against him lightly, he laughs quietly as he brings you into another kiss. One of his hands slides up from your back to run through your hair. Yanking at it slightly, because you’re teasing him, grinding against him, smiling cheekily at him.

“Oh no you don’t Amora” Smirking as your hand slides down to his neck. Both of you jumping lightly at the sudden knocking at the door. 

“Just ignored it, it's properly the neighbours asking for something” You whisper leaning back down, kissing him harder as your hand wraps gently around his throat. His hand drops from your hair to slide down your body. Groaning softly into your mouth, letting you regain control over him.

“(Y/n) I know your home, open your door!” A familiar voice yells out banging even louder on the door, making you groan frustratedly as you pull away from your boyfriend.

“Oh for fucksake” Huffing as you look down at the confused look on Spencer's face.

“Ah who is that?”  Spencer asks, his eyebrows raising as he releases his grip on you as you regrettably get off him.

“My brother, please stay in here, this is not how you two are meant to meet” You sigh as you walk out quickly, pulling on some pants.

~~~

The banging and yelling continues at the door as you rush around quickly. Throwing one of your shirts on not having time to button it up as you're opening up the door. 

“Hold on Stephen Im coming” You yell as you yank the door open. Staring up at him irritated, crossing your arms. “Why the hell are you here so early on a saturday morning Stephen seriously” 

“It's not that early, it's 9:30, you should be up by now” Stephen sighs, taking in your appearance as he walks in shutting the door behind him.

“Well I had a bit of a late night, and it was suppose to be a bit of a fun morning before you turned up” You smirk, glaring at him. Earning a disgusting gagging noise in return, along with an eye roll.

“I did not need to know that you have someone in the bedroom right now (Y/n), that's disgusting come on I don’t want to know how many one night stands you have” He shakes his head, disgusted at the thought of his brothers sex life.

“Oh shush It's just my boyfriend, I told you about him, remember?” 

“Oh right sorry, I didn’t realise you two were still serious.”

“Okay well Stephen why the hell are you here, I thought I already told you to fuck off the other day” You sigh allowing your anger to simmer down, leaning against the wall.

“Oh can you just chill out for a little while please, I know what I did was wrong and I already apologised I'm actually here about something else” Stephen exhales already regretting how this conversation is going. He wanted you to be in a more relaxed, forgiving mood before giving you this letter but it was too late to start again.

“Okay what is it, what's going on you have that look on your face” Your eyes narrow watching him closely, curiously. 

“It's about dad, he wants to talk to you he's sor—”

“No, no I don't want to talk about him” Standing up straight, your body becoming more tensen. The concern you have now fading back into the anger that is still fresh in your veins.

“(Y/n) please he's changed hes—”

“Has he changed, or has he only changed for you?” Scoffing lightly as you glare at him, trying to stop your voice from getting too loud. “How many times did you need to correct him on my pronouns or my name huh, he might spend time with you but that doesn’t mean he's changed enough to accept me” Your voice starts breaking a little at the end. Breaking eye contact with your brother as you feel the anger turning into tears.

“I didn’t have to, Dad respected you the other week at the birthday party. He even corrected other people about your pronouns, just give him one more chance” Stephen begs you softly, pulling something out of his pocket, staring at you when you don't respond. “He wrote you a letter, wanted me to give it to you” He held it out to you, but you didn't move to grab it. Your arms shaking mildly, your heart pounding away. The panic rises higher in your chest, making it feel like you're drowning. 

~~~

“Get out” You manage to mumble out, looking over at him finally. Stephen staring at you looking defeated.

“No, (Y/n) please you need to understand how he has changed please” Stephen begs, knowing its falling on empty ears.

“I think it's best you leave now” A voice appears behind you both. None of you had noticed that Spencer had entered the living room.

“I just wanted to explain everything to him” Stephen tries to explain to Spencer, almost begging him to understand.

“And you did that, but now it's time you go, He will text you later” Spencer speaks with a neutral tone. Trying his best to keep calm as he walks towards the door opening it wide for Stephen. Stephen sighs giving up, giving you one final look, as he walks out the door only stopping as he gets to Spencer. Holding the letter out to him with one last pleading look, Spencer takes it with a small nod closing the door behind him. 

~~~

You're lying down on the couch after taking a long hot shower. Calming down after the altercation with your brother early, playing on your phone as you do so. Sighing softly, feeling frustrated, why does your family have to be so complicated. The only family member who was always there for you, you haven't spoken to in months. After having a stupid, pointless argument with. 

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Spencer asks softly, as he sits near you, looking at you closely, with concern. The argument he had overheard early was wretching to hear. The pain in your voice, the tears and pain on your face hitting straight into his heart. He knows how much you value your brother's opinions, and knowing how much it must hurt you to think he betrayed you by taking your fathers side.  

“Im okay, Im sorry he ruined our morning early” You smile weakly trying to make a joke out of it all.

“It's okay, do you want to talk about” He places a comforting hand in your hair. You move  closer to him, lifting your head into his lap.

“Don’t want to talk about them any more” You shake your head, thinking about your Uncle instead. About how supportive he always is when it comes to family problems, no matter how old you are.

~~~

“I’ve told you stories about my Uncle Dave right?” You look up at Spences, a small smile tugging at your lips.

“The one who also works for the FBI right?” He questions, looking down at you. Confused at the change of subject.

“Yeah him. He was my rock growing up, the only one who ever accepted me for me” You smile lightly, staring up at the ceiling. “He was the best guy I ever had in my life, when my parents let me down he was always there picking up the pieces, he made sure he came to every single one of my events. He knew my parents were never there, he would get so mad at my dad. They used to be best friends, technically Daves my Godfather but I call him my Uncle” You smile increases as you talk about him. 

“He sounds like a great man, he's the one who gave you money to get top surgery right, the one who supported you through university when you wanted to become a writer” Spencer smiles as he sees you become more relaxed, lighting up as you speak about your Uncle.

“Yes him, dad always thought it was stupid but not Dave, he thought it was awesome, he's actually a writer as well” You take a breath as you feel your words leaving too quickly. “Once he retired from the FBI the first time around, he wrote his first book and became a famous author, I guess he inspired me a little bit to follow my dreams” 

“You know you still haven’t let me read any of your writing” Spencer teases you, running his hand through your hair.

“And you never will my love” You laugh, rolling your eyes playfully at him.

“Oh no you will show me one day” He smirks, “Okay, so your Uncle he's back in the FBI now, so what does he do?” 

“Oh I think he's in a similar field to you actually he's a profiler” You stand up, stretching a little feeling Spencer eyes ranking over your body, smirking to yourself. Walking over to your bookshelf that sits by the tv, pulling out one of David Rossi books.

~~~

“Actually he is one of the co-founders of the Behavioural analysis unit, back then it was known as behavioural science unit though, him and my dad found it together” You smile at Spencer as you sit back down but it quickly fades as you meet Spencer's eyes. His eyes fill with shock horror as he takes in the information you have just presented to him. “Spence, are you okay?” Your voice comes out quietly. Thinking or more likely hoping, that maybe he might just be surprised that you're related to famous FBI agents. 

“David Rossi, your uncle?” Spencer's voice comes out slowly, barely above a whisper, his eyes bouncing down to the book in your hand. “That would make Gideon your dad?” He gulps, his eyes widen as he puts the pieces together. Wondering to himself how he never noticed this beforehand, how could he be dating his mentor's son?

“Yeah Gideon, legally my last name” Taking a deep breath trying to decipher what his reaction is meant to mean. “Do you know them?”

“Jason Gideon was my mentor that I’ve told you about” 

“Wait wait wait, the one who got you into the FBI and the BAU unit at such a young age, that one?”

“Yeah him, he never mentioned that he had another child” Spencer's words come out with a mix of surprise and disgust at everything that he is learning about his old mentor and friend.

“I'm not surprised he tried not to mention me unless he had to” Taking his hand as you see it squeeze into a tight fist of anger. “I'm sorry Amore if I realised I wouldn’t have told you the way I did, I didn't put two and two together when you were saying Jason I just assumed it was a different Jason from the FBI” You sigh feeling guilty, upset that you may have just ruined your lovers view of his mentor. You know how much he idolises him and looks up to him. 

~~~

“It's okay, how did I not know your last name Gideon?” Spencer looks at you confused, raising an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side like a lost puppy does

“I normally go by my Mum maiden last name, it was better that why when I was going through university I just kept it that way” you shrug, it wasn’t something you meant to keep from him.

“That makes sense” He nods, still trying to wrap his head around it.

“So um, do you also know my Uncle, well Godfather David Rossi?” 

“Um yeah yeah I know him” Spencer half laughs nervously, looking at you guilty. “I work with him, that's the Dave I refer to, I spend more time with him than I do with you”

You can't help the laugh that leaves you, clapping a hand over your mouth quickly. “No fucking way, seriously?”

“Yeah seriously, Rossi teases me all the time about you, wait until he finds out I'm dating his godson” Spencer rubs his temple feeling the stress arise, grinning wide at you. 

“Oh no no no, We are not telling him anytime soon Spencer no way” Shaking your head, laughing. “Hell no, he will kill you, he might love you but he will kill you, he's way too overprotective some days. He doesn’t even know I’m dating right now”

“What, no you can’t expect me to hide this from him”

“Um yes I do, not forever just for now” You smile at him knowing you will win. “I’ll tell him I'm dating someone and we will break it to him slowly okay, but I love you and he is not breaking anymore of my relationships up”

“Anymore?” His eyebrow raising in concern and fear. “Do I want to know?” 

“Probably not Amore Mio” Chuckling softly as you lean in kissing him.

~~~

As the morning moves on, Spencer leaves to go home, having chorus he needs to get done before he gets called away on a case again. Hopefully if he doesn’t get a case that means another movie night with you tonight. But to fill in the gap of him being gone this saturday afternoon you decided it's time to fix a bridge you broke. Picking up your phone and clicking on his icon, listening to the rings. Waiting with anxiety as he takes his time to answer.

“Uh hey (Y/n) ” Dave answer, completely surprise when he sees your name pop up on his phone. Happiness filling him at once when he saw it, only to be quickly replaced with dread. Hoping that you're not injured or hurt, holding his breath as he waits for your reply.

“Ah hey Dave, um sorry I hope you're not busy, are you?” You ask, biting your lip nervous, trying to stop your words from stumbling. 

“Busy no, I'm free, what's up” Dave's eyes narrow, worry filling up inside of him. It's been months since you two have last spoken.

“Do you fancy a cup of coffee, or maybe milkshakes, so we can catch up” Taking a deep breath “I need to apologise to you, I was unfair the last time we spoke and then avoiding you for months was not cool of me”

A small chuckle is heard on the other side of the line. “Caro its okay, milkshakes sound great”

“Okay good” You smile, letting out a deep breath of air “So our cafe in town, say in an hour?”

“Perfect I’ll see you then kiddo” Dave smiles with relief as he hangs up. 

~~~

You’re already sitting at the table in front of the cafe. Waiting in the sunlight sipping on your milkshake that has already arrived. You had ordered your favourite, along with Daves favourite which is salted caramel with chocolate. Sighing softly as you wait, having arrived early, you knew he wouldn’t be much longer. Your nervousness grew as you waited, wondering how you could explain why you have been ghosting him the last couple months. Deep down you know he's already forgiven you and was giving you space, it’s what he has always done when you two argue. 

~~~

“Ooh you got me my favourite, Angelo” Dave smiles interrupting your thoughts, standing up quickly as you see him approach you. Smiling as you feel your nervousness disappear as your eyes meet his, nothing but love and happiness present in him. 

“Davey Of course I did” You smile as he pulls you into a hug. Relaxing softly as you feel his arms wrap around you. Taking a deep breath, allowing yourself to accept the father hug you've been carving the last few weeks, but too scared to ask for. 

“I'm surprised you rang me” Dave says after you both have sat down, sipping his drink. 

“Yeah, I know it's been awhile since we last spoke, or really since I screamed at you, I'm really sorry Dave” You sigh, playing with your drink as you look up at him. Feeling his eyes studying you closely, a small smile growing on his face. 

“Its okay caro, I should of told you the truth when it all happened but I didn’t want to worry you”

“Dave you got stabbed of course I'm going to worry about you. Hell you're practically my only family, I can’t lose you” Exhaulling as you take a second to calm yourself feeling the rage you felt from the previous argument from months ago returning. “You could have died Dave and you hid that from me just like Dad used to and that scares me. I hated the fact of you went back to the FBI, because I was scared I would lose you, that we would lose touch or you would die, I know that sounds unreasonable but when you didn’t tell me you got stabbed it just felt like we were drifting apart, after all these years” Gulping as you look at him. Finally admitting everything you have been feeling. His eyes soften, his hands unwrapping around his drink leaning over to take yours, that's tapping the table repeatedly, a nervous tic you developed growing up.

“(Y/n) I’m okay, I know my job is dangerous but I know how to handle myself and I am careful when I'm in the field, my team always has my back”

“I know that, and I’m okay with the fact that your back on the team I get it now but I guess at first it was just hard to think why you would want to go back, but after all the stories you have told me, all the good ones I get it” Smiling a little, nodding at him. “Its apart of who you are”

“That it is, but I promise you we will never drift apart, I will always be here for you, no matter how many arguments we have okay, I see you as my son that's never going to change okay” His smile is full of love, giving your hand a small squeeze.

“Thank you, I mean you helped raise me, always being my number one supporter thanks Papà Pasta” You smile, chuckling softly, feeling the conversation getting too emotional. Dave shakes his head laughing at that choice of nickname.

“Is that nickname ever going to stop?”

“Oh never” You smirk cheekily at him as you sip your drink.

~~~

You two sit there drinking your milkshakes, catching up for almost an hour. Him telling you about the recent cases he has been on and your favourite part, the drama in his team. One thing about David Rossi is that he loves to gossip, he can keep so many secrets. But the ones that roam free, he will happily spill to you as long as you listen.

“We are still trying to convince Reid to introduce us to his boyfriend, I’ve never seen him so happy before, It's great to see the kid giving love a proper chance” Dave smiles, he alway gets excited talking about his team. He sees them like family, especially the younger ones, taking them under his wings like they're his own kids. You couldn’t believe you never connected the dots that his Reid is your own Spencer Reid. Half of you wanted to tell him right now that you're dating his co-worker, but he can get too protective when it comes to your love life. He has enough reason to, you have never been good at picking them, and he's had to point it out way too many times. This time you were hoping if you keep it quiet it might work out for once. 

“Aw well, I get him wanting to keep it quiet for now” Smiling softly, thinking about the words Dave has just used. How Spencer is so much happier with you, which just warms your heart. You sip on your drink trying to distract your brain from thinking about him, not needing your Uncle to pick up on anything right now.

“So is that why you haven't said anything about those hickeys on your neck” Dave smirks, sipping his milkshake. He’s been waiting for a moment to tease you about it. You choke lightly on your drink, splattering as you look back up, feeling the blood rush to your cheeks. 

“Excuse me, I have no idea what the fuck your on about” Shaking your head quickly, cursing yourself for not hiding it better.

“Hey language” Dave laughs, loving how shy you're going. He had noticed that you had tried to hide the hickey under bad makeup but it is just so easy to see.

“Fanculo” You smirk at him. “Anyway we are not going to talk about my hickeys or who gave them to me because that's weird talking my sex life”

“Okay okay fine, I’ll let it go, only because I'm not like my team and sticking my nose into other people's love life can get annoying” He smirks a little, shaking his head.

“Wait, do you have a love life David?” You wiggle your eyebrows up at him, swallowing down a laugh.

‘Hey hey hey, we aren’t talking about me here” He shakes his hands in front of him dramatically, making you laugh.

“Fine fine”

~~~

“So what's happening in your life?”

“Oh nothing, just work at the bookstore, I’ve had the last couple days off cos I haven’t really been feeling well but Im feeling better now, so back to work monday” Your smile flickers for a few seconds, trying hard to keep it up. But he doesn’t miss it, he already picked up that something wasn’t right, he was waiting for the right time to ask about it. 

“Okay that's it, tell me what's bothering you” Dave sighs, leaning back giving you that pointed look of his, one he’s used many times to get you to spill your secrets.

“It's not a big deal, I don’t want to bother you with this stuff again” Shrugging your shoulders, your voice trailing off as you glance down at the floor. 

“Hey its me, Its Uncle Davey, you can tell me anything it's never a bother” Dave speaks firmly, already having an idea about what this was about. 

“Did you know Jason back in town, He's been having coffee and reconnecting with Stephen and not only that but the other week for his daughter birthday he uninvited me so Dad and Mum could be there with no arguments” You huff out, wishing the anger would return to you but instead your just being hit with feelings of betrayal and despair. “I was looking forward to it for weeks and he lied to me about it being cancelled just so our asshole parents could be there, Mum I could on with for the sake of him but why the hell did dad have to be there, he was never there for us growing up” 

“(Y/n)” Dave starts, his tone soft, careful as he knew you were on the edge. Watching your body tensing up, the way your jaw clenches as your eyes widen holding back the tears.

“No no, I get it he was working but he always picked work over us Dave always. You were there more often than he was” Spitting out the words, as you take a deep breath wiping your eyes hard enough to dry them up. 

“I can’t excuse his past behaviours, nothing can, he should have done better, Stephen had no right to lie to you about it either but” He takes a breath watching your face hardens at his ‘but’. 

“But maybe he's trying now for Stephen and for his kid isn't that a good thing for him?” Dave says, he knows you don’t want to hear it, but it is a good thing for Stephen.

“I don’t want to see him get hurt again Dave, he's been through enough” Shaking your head as you cross your arms, not meeting his eyes.

~~~

“Okay, has he tried to reach out to you at all, is that why you're really upset at him?”

“You know I don’t really like profilers” Scoffing lightly as you let your arms fall to your side. 

“So this is what it's really about huh, he didn’t reach out to you and you want him to?” Dave smiles slightly watching you. You laugh coldly at him.

“No, at first maybe, It's always Stephen before me, I get it he's the better son, the ‘real’ son as they say. At first I was pissed that they had been having coffee for a while without reaching out to me, but then this morning Stephen showed up to my house after our argument the other day and” Exhaling letting yourself calm down, allowing your brain to gather your next words. “And this morning he showed up I thought he wanted to re-explain himself but no turns out, he was there on behalf of our father, he had a letter written for me, I didn’t want to deal with it so I told him to get out, he wouldn't listen, he finally left after my boyfriend opened the door and kicked him out” Groaning with frustration as you tell the story, not even noticing that you slipped up.

Dave sighs annoyed, shaking his head. “He doesn't know when to quit and give you a little bit of space does he, so your boyfriend dealt with him huh?” His lips twitch into a small smirk, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh crap, I let the cat out of the bag didn’t I?” Sighing, smiling a little. “Yes boyfriend, but yeah he had to come in this morning and ruin a perfectly good moment to I will add, with a stupid letter”

“I get this isn’t great but maybe it's time you talk to him maybe he's changed maybe he—” He cut off as his phone rings again. He checks it quickly before declining, placing it on the table, screen down. 

“That's the fourth time your phone rang this afternoon. If you need to go Dave it's okay” You reassure him. 

“No no it's fine, it's just an old friend, I’ll ring him back later” His smile falters a little, distracted.

“Okay, is everything okay?” You watch him feeling concerned.

“Im fine, we are talking about you, maybe you need to give Jason a chance, he might just miss you, it's been years since you have talked” He forced a small smile, avoiding eye contact, a little guilt in his eyes. You study him for a little bit thinking, the whole time you’ve been talking he hasn’t been surprised about anything at all. Normally he isn’t trying to get you to talk and forgive your dad like he is today. It's almost as if he’s already talked to him.

~~~

“You spoke to him, that's who's ringing you isn't it?” You accuse him, eyes widen as everything clicks into place. His face drops as he looks at you guilty, his eyes soften as he sighs lightly. 

“I'm sorry Tesoro, he got in contact with me a couple weeks ago. He knew we still talk and wanted to know the best way to get back in contact with you. I told him not to but after we caught up for a drink last week I noticed he changed. He wants you in his life, he knows how much he has messed up but he wants to make amends” Dave almost begs you to understand as he speaks. Staring at you, his eyes begging you for forgiveness as he studies you closely.

“I, I can’t, no” Shaking your head as you struggle to string words together, staring at him in disbelief. 

“(Y/n) please, I know it can be scary letting him back in your life, but he's changed all we talked about was you and Stephen. It was the first time I have ever talked to him and never had to correct him on your pronouns or names, he even referred to you as his son multiply times”

“That doesn’t make up for anything Dave, not with everything that has happened between us” Shaking your head as you feel the sharp pains stabbing you in the chest.

“I know but it's a start, isn't it?”

“I guess it could be but–”

“No more buts, answer me honestly, do you want a relationship with him?” He stares at you seriously. You look over at the road and watch a few cars drive pass by, thinking. You always dream of having him back in your life. Him calling you his son, spending quality time with him again. 

“Yeah, I think I do” Speaking quietly, looking back over at him.

“Then you need to let him in to allow it to happen, you know that” Dave smiles encouragingly at you.

“I know, I'm just over him hurting me, but I guess I can risk it one more time” You sigh, smiling weakly.

“Good, and if he does hurt you I will deal with him, happily” He smirks at you, tapping his drink with yours.

~~~

“So what's this about a boyfriend huh?” Dave smirks, leaning forward, his elbows perched up on the table resting his chin on his hands. 

“Oh him!” You groan playfully, biting your lip trying to stop the smile from growing too much.

“Yes him, why haven’t I heard about him before, how long has it been going on for?”

“Over five months now, coming up to six months soon, he is amazing, he is so cute he also–” You stop yourself shaking your head. Not needing to tell him anything more about him to your uncle, because he would figure it out Immediately.

“Almost six months and you never told me?” Dave glares slightly “Why are you hiding him?”

“Um well, you know how my relationship are they always go to fast so we wanted to take it slow, plus you always scare them off, not to mention what happened to Jimmy” 

“That's because I worry about you and the ones you pick weren’t good for you, if this guy is the right one then he has nothing to worry about” He smiles gently, before his eyes narrow. “But Jimmy, I didn’t do anything to Jimmy I was just there when his arm broke, that's what happens when he lays a hand on you” He shrugs his shoulders and glances at his phone before his eyes are back at you.

“Right right, you always say you just went to talk to him with Aaron when he merely tripped over” Rolling your eyes smiling a little.

“Exactly, so does this boyfriend of yours have a name?”

“Nope he does not, because I know if he did you would do a background search on him, but I can tell you he works for the FBI as well, so that's a good thing right?” Smirking at him as you see the gears turning in his head.

“Yes good thing so far, maybe I’ve worked with him”

“Maybe you have, you never know. I’ll introduce you one day just a couple more weeks, I just want to get through the family issues first then you two can meet”

“Perfect, then I can have you two over for pasta. He better knows how to cook” You both laugh at that. Shaking your head at the thought of Dave trying to teach Spencer how to cook.

~~~

You're cooking dinner when Spencer walks into your apartment, entering your kitchen.

“Hey Beans, what are you cooking?” Spencer asks, taking a strong sniff of the air smiling at the delicious smell.

“Spaghetti bolognese with fake pasta according to my Uncle” You laugh lightly, placing the dried pasta in the boiling pot of water.

“Only he would say that, wouldn’t he?” Spencer laughs quietly, leaning against the counter beside you. His eyes move over your body, studying you closely, before he left this morning you were a ball of nerves but now you seem completely different. You're more relaxed and joyful instead of stressed and anxiety filled. A grin spreads across your face as you sway along to the music playing in the background as you cook.

“So how was your day, Bambino?” You smile at him, feeling his eyes stuck on you, once more profiling you. It can get annoying most days but you know he doesn't mean to, most of the time and after the last few days events it makes sense for him to be a little worried.

“It was great, I caught up with Ethan at the coffee shop. He's just passing through town but it was great being able to catch up with him properly” He smiles happily, a little guilt in his eyes as he thinks back to the last time he saw him. “You know it's been 5 years since I last saw him, almost two years since we really spoke. I was surprised when he asked to catch up but it was great seeing where he is now with his career,” Spencer smiles, feeling proud of his friend. 

“5 years wow that's a long time, he's the one who lives in New Orleans right?” You glances at him slightly as you stir the dish.

“Yep, last time I saw him was on a case, that case was actually the case that my co-worker JJ met her boyfriend Will, they have a kid now too” He smiles weakly thinking back to that case. “It was also the case that finally pushed me to ask for help with my drug problem, Ethan pushed me to get helped” He looks up at you slowly meeting your eyes. His eyes are full of valuability, he doesn’t like talking about that part of his past. You already knew about his drug addiction, he's opened up a little bit about it but he still feels shamefully when he speaks about it.

~~~

“I'm glad he did, It takes a lot of strength to ask for help and now you're 4 years sober” You smile proudly at him, serving up dinner.

“Almost 5 years In a month actually” Spencer sighs, smiling forcefully. A part of him is still feeling guilty about it all, the memories of Tobias Hankel popping into his mind. His hand rubbing his arms where he was poked with the needle, the feeling fresh on his body. Your eyes catch this movement setting down the pot, taking his hand gently in his. 

“We should celebrate, 5 years is amazing, everyday is an achievement so we should do something to celebrate this” You smile up at him, looking at him proudly.

“Oh I don’t know it's not a big thing” His words trail off when he catches that stubborn look in your eyes, sighing as he smiles softly. “What would we even do?”

“Why don’t we go away for the weekend or we take a day or two off to make a long weekend and go see your Mum, maybe it's time I finally meet her” Shrugging as you think about it, smiling at the idea of finally meeting Diana Reid. Spencer's face lights up, as he nods energetically.

“That is a great idea, I haven’t seen my mum in ages and I really want you to meet her” 

“Then It's settled, we will go and see her and have our first vacation away together” You chuckle leaning forward kissing him lightly.

~~~

After you two have finished eating your cuddle up on the couch watching a nature documentary. Spencer's head resting in your lap, as your hand strokes through his hair as your mind fading away from what's on the screen in front of you. Your mind travels to your father and what could possibly be in that letter, regret setting in that you never took it from Stephen when he was offering it to you. Now you're going to have to ask him for it, is this something you truly want to do, could you really deal with his cockynes right now. Spencer rolls his head over to look up at you, feeling your hand come to a stop in his hair. He was wondering why you have been quiet tonight, normally you like adding small comments throughout it but not tonight. 

“Okay Beans what's on your mind?” He asks, frowning softly as you don't respond, not even looking like you heard him as he calls out to you again. He moves his head off his lap sitting up properly, the movement is what pulls you out of your deep thought looking at him.

“Where are you going?” Looking at him confused as you meet a concerned stare. 

“You were so zone out, you didn’t hear anything I was saying” 

“I'm so sorry I was just thinking about something” Smiling weakly as you glance down at the ground.

“What was it about, if you don’t mind me asking”

“The letter, a part of me wants to know what Jason wrote but the other part of me is scared to know what my father may have written in the letter” Sighing softly looking back up at the tv. “I also really don’t want to have to ask Stepehen for it, not after this morning.” Feeling the couch beside you move, glancing at him as you see him get up, watching him walk towards your bookshelf. 

“Um Spence what are you doing?” Feeling confused as you raise an eyebrow watching his movements. He smirks lightly as he picks up the letter he had placed down there after taking it from your brother earlier. Turning back towards you, sitting beside you holding the letter out towards you without uttering a word, just giving you a soft reassuring smile.

“He gave it to you before he left?” You're stunned as you take it from him. Staring down at your name written on the envelope, having not seen his hand writing in so many years. 

“I thought you would want to read it later, even if you didn’t you still you had the option just in case” His voice is soft as he rubs your lap gently, smiling softly watching you.

“Thank you” You whisper, glancing at him as you place it down on the side. 

“Always” he smiles, wrapping his arm around you.

~~~

It's been two weeks since you received the letter. It took you about a week to finally find the courage to read it, which had torn straight into your heart. Deciding you would reach out to Jason you just needed time to figure out how you would go about fixing your relationship with him. You and Stephen had made up, agreeing that you both were out of line and would try harder to be better siblings. Dave has been asking to meet your boyfriend everytime you two talk, which you know you have to tell him about Spencer sooner rather than later. You haven’t seen Spencer in awhile seeing as he's been working longer cases lately. In the last two weeks you've seen him possibly three times, before he gets called away. You know it's his job, so you don’t mind too much, it just makes you cherish the time you get with him alot more. It was your six month anniversary the other day, but he was away on a case. He felt so guilty for missing it but you reassured him it was okay and that it can be made up when he gets back.

~~~

The Bau team was finally on the Jet back to D.C after a tough case, they were gone for nine days. They had decided to stay an extra day just to help get some paperwork done after catching the Unsub. As they fly back home, the team is in higher spirits than they normally are after a hard case. It could be because they managed to rescue five girls that the unsub had kidnapped or the fact that they had all managed to get a full night's rest last night for the first time in weeks. Or maybe it was the fact that they know when they land they have the next three days mandated off. As they fly back, Hotch is sitting in the back of the plane doing some paperwork, Rossi is sitting opposite him, having a playful argument on his phone. As the other four are playing cards, laughing about something stupid that Reids is trying to tell them, distracting them as he manages to crush them in the game.

~~~

“Alright listen up” Rossi gets up, walking over towards the agents playing games, all their eyes quickly flick up towards him. 

“Rossi I swear, If you're about to tell us that we have another case I will push you off this plane” Emily points her finger threateningly at him. 

“I will happily help you with that Prentiss” Morgan agrees nodding his head as he places his cards down.

“Hey hey hey, that's a bit dramatic don’t you think” Rossi gasps, shaking his head.

“Okay, we’re sorry, what's up Rossi?” JJ smiles softly, as the team chuckles.

“I am inviting you all to my place for a family dinner and drinks at my mansion tonight, Garcia is already getting things organised after begging me on the phone to host it” He chuckles lightly, smiling.  

“Ohh if you're cooking I am definitely in” Morgan laughs smiling. Enjoying the idea of having a relaxing night with the people he cares for. 

“Can I bring Will and Henry?” JJ asks, smiling, liking the idea of a family event.

“Of course it's not family without them, plus Jack is going to be there, he is going to need some entertainment” Rossi shakes his head faintly, always having to reassure JJ that her boyfriend and kid can always come to family events.

“Oh I won’t be able to make it toning, I’m sorry guys” Reid shrugs, sipping his coffee. Hotch turns around at this news to watch, wanting to know what's going on.

~~~

“And why not?” The older man sighs, turning to give Spencer a pointed look.

“Well tonight me and (Y/n) are supposed to be celebrating our 6 months, I missed it the other day so I was going to make it up to him tonight” Spencer explains, avoiding Rossi's look. Recently it has been so difficult to not tell him who he's dating. He's been trying to avoid Rossi at every moment he can, even when they are in the field together. The team quickly noticed something was up, but Spencer managed to come up with a lie about being tired that's why he's been off, no one bought it of course. Maybe that's why Rossi is throwing this dinner tonight trying to fix this weird thing between him and Spencer.

“Serieoly Reid, you have the next three days off, can't you make it up to him on one of those days?” Morgan asks, narrowing his eyes. His behaviour has been worrying the whole team lately.

“I mean I could but I really miss him so I just—” His voice trails off at the look his whole team is giving him.

“Then invite him” Emily states, giving him a look. 

“We want you to come, and we have been begging you to introduce us to him for ages so please Spencer” JJ begs him, giving him her best puppy face, knowing he's a sucker for it.

“I uh” Spencer glances at Rossi quickly catching a confused, hurt look from the man. 

“Okay fine, I’ll ask him if he wants to come, but if he says no can you all back off, please” Spencer sighs, not wanting to put you into a bad spot.

“Of course” Hotch jumps into the conversation giving the team his best over protective dad look. 

“Ring him now and ask” Morgan encourages him, smirking a little. Excited to finally get the chance to meet this mystery man of Reids.

“Fine” Spencer huffs, smiling slightly as he stands up making his way to the back of the Plane for privacy.

~~~

“Hello Amora” You answer the phone happily. Having excused yourself from work, for a break as you see Spencer name pop up on your phone. 

“Hey Beans, uh how are you” Spencer clears his throat as he speaks. Feeling nervous as he talks to you, which you quickly pick up on.

“I'm fine, what's up?” You ask carefully, feeling your eyes narrow with worry.

“Uh I know we have plan tonight, but um”

“Another case really, do you guys never rest?” You ask in disbelief, mouth gaping open.

“No no, no more cases” Spencer is quick to reassure you, knowing how you worry when he and his team work too hard.

“Good, because you need rest, so does your team, your boss works you guys too hard” You let out a sigh of relief. “Okay then what's wrong?”

“Nothing wrong, I just, uh we have been invited over to Rossi tonight for team dinner and drinks”

“Oh, both of us?”

“Yeah they want to meet you, they want take no as an answer any longer, I know it's awkward because he will be there but–”

“Bambino it's fine” You cut him off before he can start rambling, smiling softly, hearing the worry in his voice. “I think it's time I finally met the famous BAU team, Plus I think it's time we told Dave he said you’ve been acting weird the last couple weeks” Smirking lightly, knowing just how awkward he can get when trying to keep secrets from those he cares for.

“Are you sure?” Spencer smiles letting out a breath, feeling at ease.

“Yes I’m sure, why don’t you come and get ready with me at my place before we go over to his mansion, yeah?”

“Okay, I will meet you at yours after you finish work then” Spencer smiles happily. “Bye baby, I love you”

“I Love you to Spence, wow can’t believe i'm going to meet the famous David Rossi tonight” You both laugh, feeling relaxed as you hang up. 

~~~

Spencer walks back towards his team. Hotch and Rossi have now joined the rest of the team at cards. Rossi having stolen Spencer's seat, he now has to sit down beside Hotch, smiling gently as he watches the team play.

“So Reid, are you two joining us tonight?” Morgan asks, glancing at him, smirking lightly.

“Uh yes we will be, they have work but after that we should be able to make it” Spencer smiles at them all.

“Fucking finally we get to meet this guy who makes you all squishy” Emily sniggers, placing her card down. 

“Oh Garcia is going to love this” JJ laughs as she notices Morgan pulling out his phone.

“Already on it, Babygirl is going to flip” He winks at Reid, noticing the kid go red in the face, shaking his head at Morgan. Spencer turns his attention to Rossi who's leaning over Morgan's shoulder reading his texts to Garcia.

“You two concern me sometimes, chocolate thunder” Rossi glances away with playfully disgust on his face as Morgan laughs at him.

“Don’t worry about it old man” Morgan winks putting his phone back down.

“So Reid are you going to tell us how you meet this man of yours or do we have to wait for tonight?” Rossi asks, smirking at him.

“Oh uh” Reid blushes at that memory. “I don’t think that needs to be brought up at all”

“Oh okay, there has to be a good story behind that” JJ smirks, holding back a laugh.

“One that you guys will never know,” Reid shakes his head.

‘Oh don’t worry Garcia will manage to get it from (Y/n) I'm sure she will mange” Hotch laughs knowing when it comes to gossip she is unstoppable. Reid groans, hanging his head knowing it's true.

“Oh I can not wait to hear that story” Emily laughs, watching the dread on Reid's face.

“Okay I'm regretting this already” Spencer shakes his head, picking up the cards that Rossi hands him for the new game. “Oh um by the way Rossi, just as I was getting off the phone with him before he may have said he was excited to meet the ‘famous David Rossi’ he's a little bit of a fan” Spencer laughs along with the team as they watch his face slowly drop.

“Oh no” 

~~~

As you stand in the mirror contemplating on how you wanted to dress for tonight. Should you be more casual and just throw something random keeping it lowkey or wear something that makes you feel more comfortable, more yourself. You knew deep down the team wouldn’t judge you on what you wear, Spencer had reassured you of that, many times. Rossi has even told you that his team is the most welcoming type of people, he's tried to get you to meet them a few times in the past. But you know that they have all met your father so that has always thrown you off a little, but not tonight. Tonight is just going to be about you and Spencer and, of course, your overprotective Uncle. Sighing softly running your hand through your hair, taking a deep breathing to calm your heart that just seems to be having a race with itselfs. 

“Hey beans, are you almost ready?” Spencer asks as he walks out of the bathroom, brushing his hair. Coming to stand behind you in the mirror, tilting his head to the side in confusion as he sees you holding three different tops in your hands. 

“I don’t know what to wear” Sighing softly as you throw them on the bed, turning around to face him looking defeated.

“What's going on?” Spencer asks as he places his hands on your waist, looking down at you. 

“I’m just, Im worried about what your teams going to think about me” You sigh looking down, not needing him to stare into your eyes right now. Because if he does, you would easily spill all your worries to him so easily.

“Baby, why's that? You know my team is going to love you”

“It's just.. It's just what if I'm not what they're expecting?” You whisper out the words, ashamed of the way you're thinking.

“You are exactly what they are expecting, they are expecting someone who makes me feel happy and loved and that is you” He smiles softly, tilting your head up to look at him. Feeling your cheeks burn under his touch, smiling gently as you feel the stress fading from your body. 

“Thank you” You mutter softly as you kiss him lightly, he pulls away slowly smiling.

“Always, now do you need a hand figuring out what to wear?” 

“Please” You smirk lightly, “Do you think they will care if I wear a little bit of makeup, It just, it normally makes me feel comfortable in my skin” 

“Baby they won’t mind at all, Men wear makeup, It's normal. Garcia just might fall more in love with you though” He smirks softly, “And Morgan might be a little jealous of your piercings, he's only allowed his ear pierced at work, but he wants to get his nose pierced but it goes against our uniform” Spencer informs you, hoping it will help calm your anxiety of dressing how you like. The smile and the exhale informs him that he said the right things, giving you a quick peek on the cheek as he steps back. 

“Just relax, wear what makes you happy, I’ll feed Bubbles while you get ready” He smiles as he walks off, letting you get ready. Smiling to himself as he hears you turn your music on as he walks to the kitchen.

~~~

About 30 minutes later, you're both finally in the car, on the way to Rossi places. The rest of the team was already there, Garcia texting him to hurry up, apparently her and Morgan went straight into the tequila. Glancing at Spencer smiling softly as you see him texting them back, he always looks so relaxed and at ease when you drive. Car rides are one of his favourite things to do, he likes listening to the music and audiobooks as he stares out the windows and watches the world goes by. Mainly he only likes it because you're the one driving, it makes him feel safe. 

“Oh God, apparently Garica just found Jaguar but Rossi took it off her to save it for later on in the night” Spencer groans softly which turns into low chuckle, which you join in on.

“Oh I think this Garica person owns my heart already” You chuckle gently as you pull into Dave's driveway, parking in your normal spot by the big tree that hangs over his yard. It's the best place to park seeing as you can stay out of other people's way and no one can park in front of you, making a quick getaway. 

~~~

Deciding to quickly check yourself in the car mirror before getting out, taking a deep breath as you take in your reflection. You had decided to go with your normal makeup routine but adding a little more mascara and blue smokey eyes. Which made your blue lip piercing pop, along with your nose ring. Smiling softly as you take in your makeup feeling confident as you run your hand through your short hair. Glancing over at your boyfriend who is waiting patiently for you, smiling softly at you. His eyes full of love and admiration as he takes you in, the way you always end up being yourself, unapologetically, makes his heart melt. 

“Are you ready (Y/n)?” Spencer asks as he sees you take a deep breath.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that, you're about to meet my uncle slash father figure” You joke lightly as you climb out.

“Oh I think I’ll survive” Spencer laughs as he gets out walking over to you to take your hand. You intwine your fingers in with his as you make your way towards the front food.

“Maybe, I mean he hasn’t killed any of my dates yet, only broken an arm” Exhaling, smirking slightly.

“Im sorry he what” Spence eyes widen in frighten as he comes to standstill, turning to look at you in shock and fear.

“Oh relax, that was only because Jimmy was an abusive dick, you will be fine Amore Mio” Squeezing his hand in reassurance as he takes a deep breath, calming down. 

~~~

As they reach the front door, it suddenly flies open and they’re met with two people in the doorway.

“What the.. Morgan seriously?” Spencer laughs easily. Raising his eyebrow at his best friend who's standing there, with a massive grin on his face.

“That was babygirl not me,” Morgan laughs, indicating at the blond woman in front of him, who's dressed in warm pastel colours. Who's staring up at you with love and fixation on her face, a glass of alcohol in her hand as she makes her way to you.

“No way it's you, you, I love your makeup so much” She screeches with excitement as she finally gets in front of you, pulling you into a hug.

“Hi, I’m guessing this is Garica” Laughing softly as you hug back tightly.

“Oh my god you know me” Garica giggles pulling away as she smiles wide up at you. “Ahh I have been dying to meet you for months, but the boy genius has been insisting on keeping you to himself which sucks” She blabbers on excitedly. The man beside her who you had reconsigned instantly as Derek Morgan, places his hand on her shoulders calmly.

“Baby girl, take a breath we have all night to integrate him for information on his and Spencer relationship just let him settle in first” Derek laughs happily as he looks up at you. 

“It's great to finally meet you (Y/n) I dig the piercing, by the way” He smirks, shooting Spencer a look which is received with a glare and a soft blush from your boyfriend.

“Thanks Derek, Trust me I'm happy I finally get to meet the famous BAU team” Chuckling softly as you hear voices and laughter coming from inside.

“Yeah I heard you're a fan of David Rossi, you like his books?” Morgan asks, smirking at the idea of embracing the old man. You glance over at Spencer giving him a weird look, being met with his cheeky grin instead. 

“I thought telling him you were a fan would completely throw him off” Spencer smirks. Garica narrows her eyes at you both, before meeting Morgan's eyes, who's looking just as confused as she feels.

“Okay, you two have completely lost us” Garica starts, which earns a light shake of the head from you.

“Oh it's okay you guys will understand soon, anyway can I meet the rest of the team now or?” You smirk, raising your eyebrow as they are still blocking the entrance. 

“Oooh yesss the rest of the team is dying to meet you” Garica lights up once again. 

~~~

She grabs your hand, your other hand automatically reaches out grabbing Spencer's, dragging him behind you. Laughing happily as you allow Garcia to drag you both into the house, Morgan follows behind you both, chuckling at the look of horror on Reid's face. She first leads you to the living room where the large glass doors have been open to give more access to the outside area. As you enter the living room you are met with a couple of women and a man who has his arm wrapped around a blonde woman's waist who's smiling happily as they chat away. Their conversation is quickly broken up as they look up hearing people enter the room.

“Oh finally you two show up, I was starting to think Reid got cold feet” The dark haired woman is the first to speak laughing as she teases your boyfriend.

“Oh I think he was  definitely close to bailing on the way here” You joke back, as you slide your hand out of Garcia's grip as you reach the small group of people.

“Hey no I wasn’t” Spencer stumbles over his words, looking at you playfully offended.

“Aw sure sure bambino” Teasing him softly as you squeeze his hand softly, smiling lovingly up at him. You feel more comfortable around his team than you originally thought you would, a part of you still feels like a jumbo mess of nervousness as you wonder where your Uncle is. 

“Ooh that's Italian, Rossi is going to love you” The blonde lady smiles, giving you a small once over before glancing at the other woman smirking, trying her best to be subtle. But Spencer catches the look going red in the face as he realises the team is giving their approval on his partner, making him feeling all nervous and hot. 

“Oh the Italian man, he will love me” You smirk to yourself, earning a few laughs from the team.

“Im Emily by the way” The dark haired woman introduced herself. “I already know your name, Reid loves to mention you every chance he has” 

“Okay can we maybe try to not embarrass me tonight please” Spencer begs as he rubs his temples laughing awkwardly, the rest of the team shaking their heads laughing at his expression.

“Oh no that's the whole point of meeting the team Amore, I need more stories of you” Smirking softly, as you turn to the team. “Please tell me you guys have a lot of embarrassing stories of him you can tell me tonight”

“Oh plenty,” Emily laughs.

“Ohh where do we start?” Garcia giggles evilly as sips her drink.

“How far back do you want us to go?” The blonde woman joins in, smirking. “Im Jennifer by the way but everyone calls me JJ, this is my partner Will”

“Hey there” Will smiles lightly as he nods.

~~~

You smile softly as you look around, taking them all, relaxing. Your boyfriend was right, Everyone here seems so friendly and judgement free. Making you feel so at ease as you relax into the environment.  

“It's great to meet you all, I feel like I already know you guys with the amount of stories I have heard” you smirking, knowing half the stories are mostly from Dave who still hasn't made an appearance yet. 

“Oh is that a good thing?” Derek asks, his face is pulling into a silly terrified face making you and Garica laugh.

“Maybe, maybe not” You tease him, smirking. Soon your conversation is interrupted by a little boy, around the age 4, running in towards the group of adults. 

“Mummy!!” The boys yell excitedly running towards JJ smiling widely, as she looks down watching him run in from the outside area. Where you can see another boy and another grown man out there. 

“Henry inside voice baby” JJ smiles, picking up the young blond boy as he reaches her. “What's up baby?” She smiles down lovingly at the boy in her arms. 

“I wanna show you and daddy what me and Jack made” The boy giggles happily, glancing between his mum and dad.

“Alright buddy, why don’t you lead the way and show us yeah” JJ smiles more, her face lightening up as she speaks to her boy. Henry nods, wiggling his way out of her arms, making his way to the ground. 

“Come on mummy and daddy come on” He giggles and goes to run back outside when the group's soft laughter gets Henry's attention. 

“Auntie Penelope join us” He gasps softly as he grabs her hand, pulling her out of the room, not allowing her to answer. 

You laugh softly with the others as you watch the small boy boss the three adults around, making their way outside. 

“He's such a little bossy little thing” You smirk watching them, noticing just how close this team truly is.

“Just like his mum” Derek laughs

“Just like his Dad” Emily laughs harder, realising how in sync she is with Derek. 

“I do wonder what those kids are up to though” Derek wonders out loud as he wanders over to join them on the patio. 

~~~

Suddenly it's just you, Spencer and Emily standing there looking over at the place the group has moved to.

“So where is David Rossi hiding?” You ask, smirking, looking up at Emily.

“Well he went down to his wine cellar earlier just before you two walked in so he should return soon” She smiles lightly sipping her drink. “I heard you're a fan of his?” You couldn’t help but laugh at her, shaking your head slightly.

“Oh Dave is my favourite profiler and one of the best true crime novels” You chuckle lightly, sarcasm sipping into your words as you speak. Spencer laughs, shaking his head at you glancing down at the ground. Emily stares at you confused, about to ask a question when she's interrupted.

“This is a surprise” A shocked excited voice greets you from behind. Turning around quickly to meet with your uncle smiling happily at you.

“Hey Davey” You smile lightly, all your nerves coming to the surface. 

He brings you into a light fatherly hug, kissing your cheek lightly. “What are you doing here (Y/n)” Dave asks as he pulls away. You smile softly, gulping lightly as you glance over at Spencer, quickly your eyes back on your Uncle.

“My boyfriend invited me to meet his team” You smile nervously, biting your lip to help calm yourself down. Spencer tenses up forcing his smile to stay put, but it slowly fades as he watches Dave's reactions. The speed at which Spencer's heart is racing makes him reconsider whether it could be possible that a heart can explode out of someone's chest. 

Dave's eyes have narrowed so far down, once he had registered the words you had uttered out. His face hardens instantly, turning his attention to Spencer. His mouth parting slightly, but no sound leaves as he tries to find the right words to say to the young boy looking terrified at him.

“Boyfriend?” is the only word Rossi says, but it's enough to double the tension in the room. 

“I uh.. Well y yeah we are together” Reid struggles to form a sentence under the death glare of Rossi.

“Dave um.. Look we” Your words die in your throat as the glare moves onto you for a short second. There's something hiding in his eyes as he glances back at Reid, something you are struggling to read. 

“Your dating him?” Rossi speaks lowly, almost threatening as he stares danger at Reid, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Seeing Rossi smirk a little, when sending a shiver down your spine remembering the last time you saw that look in his face.

“Run, Spencer run” You turn to look at your boyfriend, slapping his arms lightly. 

~~~

Spencer's eyes widen like a deer caught in a headlight and in a split second he's turning around and sprinting towards the door leading to the backyard where everyone is. Spencer jumps clear over the coffee table trying his hardest to get outside the quickest way possible. You can’t help the laugh that escapes you as you see Dave chase after him, with the biggest smirk on his face. 

“Morgannn” Spencer squeaks out, as he rushes towards Morgan who's in the middle of the backyard. His yell captures the attention of Morgan and Garcia who are dancing playfully together entertaining the two children and the adults standing on the patio. Who are now staring in confusion at Rossi as they see him chase after Reid catching up to him quickly.

You're barely able to hold it together trying to control your laughter as you watch the scene play out in front of you. Emily laughing along with you sipping her wine, having put the pieces together of who you could be to Rossi, and she was living for this drama.

Spencer, having reached Morgan, is now hiding behind him, holding on to his shoulders to keep him in front of him a shield. Morgan is holding up his hands in a “I surrender’ or more like a ‘Keep me the fuck out of this’ type of way. Morgan is just a sack of confusement and almost at a lack of words for this strange situation as he has Rossi in front of him. Who seems to be staring and wanting to scream at Reid for some unknown reason, but Morgan can easily read the amusement in Rossi's eyes.

~~~

“What the hell is going on here” Morgan asks, staring at Rossi, rolling his shoulder back trying to get Reid to loosen his tight grip. Glancing over at Garica who just has the same confused look on her face but she can’t stop giggling at the scaredly confused look on her Chocolate thunder's face.

“He's trying to kill me!” Reid exclaims dramatically, popping his head up over Morgan's shoulders.

“I'm not going to kill you Reid, not yet at least now come here” Rossi huffs annoyed, smirking at the look on Reid's face. Reid looks scared but there's a soft relaxed almost amused look on the kids face as well. Reid would always know that Rossi would never hurt him badly.

“Never thank you, I’m choosing life” Reid grins terrified.

“So am I” Morgan sighs, grabbing Reid by the wrist pulling him to the front of him, getting tired of being a human shield. “What did you even do, pretty boy?”

“More like who” Reid grumbles, his eyes widens even more as he realises that Rossi is walking even closer towards him so he quickly takes off running again.

“Reid!!!” Rossi yells annoyed and starts chasing the younger boy again, they start running around in a circle. Morgan and Garica shake their heads in confusion as they walk over to where JJ and Will are, hoping that they might have a clue as to what is going on. 

~~~

Your laughter slowly dies down as you sip on your drink. You and Emily finally decided to join the rest of the group outside on the patio. Everyone watches as your boyfriend and Uncle run around in a circle, occasionally stopping to yell words at each that no one seems to be able to hear being so far away. 

“Um, why is Dave trying to kill Reid?” A confused voice interrupts everyones watching time. You turn around to see who the new voice belongs to, breaking out in a new giant smile as you see Aaron standing there staring at the scene with a bemused look on his face.

“Oh my gosh Aaron?” You grin up at him, his eyes quickly shots over to you. The confusion quickly clearing up, grinning widely as he sees you.

“(Y/n), now that makes sense” He laughs lightly as he pulls you into a quick hug, which you return happily. “How have you been, kid?” He asks you as you two pull away, the team watching you two closely. Everyone's confusion just keeps getting higher as they watch their normally up tight unaffectionate unit chief, pull Reid's Boyfriend into a hug as if he's known you for years.

“I'm doing great Aaron, how are you going, how's Jack been?” Your thoughts automatically go to his son, who you use to babysit a lot and only stopped a couple years ago.

“He's great he should be around here somewhere” As if on queue Jack quickly runs from where he was playing in front of the group and towards his father.

“Dad guess what” Jack giggles and quickly stops as he spots you “(Y/N)!! It's you” He squeals, as he turns from his father and jumps up at you for a hug. Which you quickly accept, picking him up into your arms.

“Hey Jackie” You grin at him “I’ve missed you”

“I missed you too (Y/n/n) oohh I have so much to tell you” Jack grins up at you. Oh how you forgot how much the kid owns your heart.

“Well kid looks like you have all night to catch me up yeah?”

“Yesss” He grins at you as you place him back down. 

~~~

The conversation is broken up by Spencer and Rossi walking back over to the group laughing like complete idiots.

“Who's ready for pasta?” Rossi asks, ignoring everyone's questioning looks.

“Uh are we not going to get any answer as to whatever that was first?” Morgan asks, staring at them like the idiots they are.

“Nope food and more alcohol first” You speak up laughing at them as Spencer walks over to you wrapping his arm around you, leaning down to kiss you softly. A chorus of awws and cheers breakout through the group making you laugh as you pull away from him.

“Ew please don't do that in my house” Rossi groans as he walks to the kitchen. Making you break out in laughter once more as you follow him in leaving the group of confused people to follow in after you.

As the group makes its way to the kitchen where Dave has the pasta all ready to be served, taking a seat at the bench on one of the stalls closer to the end of the island. The team slowly comes to surround the kitchen, Spencer passes you a new drink as he stands behind you, his arms coming to wrap lovingly around your shoulders, allowing you to lean back into him.

“Aww you two are just the cutest” Penelope exclaims as she sits beside you smiling brightly at you two. You turnt  her with a big grin on your face.

“Oh we know but thank you” You chuckle softly, sipping on your drink looking over to Dave who's shaking his head. A soft loving smile on his face as he walks around the kitchen grabbing the utensils and plates for dinner. As the team surrounds the bench all taking a seat or standing at the end of the bench, all with a drink in their hands. The two little boys settled on the table in the corner of the room, colouring in as they wait for their food. The room is buzzing with chatter and laughter from the group, you don’t find it hard at all to slip into the rhythm of the group of people around you. 

~~~

“So Rossi, what's on the menu for tonight?” Emily asks as the attention is soon brought to the pasta set down in front of them. The warm smell of pepper and cheesy pasta starts filling the room.

“Spaghetti alla carbonara” Dave smiles proudly, as he starts putting some onto plates and walks over to the kids setting it down in front of them, who start cheering happily.

“Ohhh wait thats my favourite” You pipe up licking your lips as your mouth starts to water.

“Oh I know” Rossi smirks at you, his eyes full of mischief, chuckling softly as he sees the realisation settle on your face.

“You flipping knew didn’t you” It wasn't a question as you stare at him in disbelief only for him to chuckle more at you.

“Wait, how did you figure it out?” Spencer asks him, staring at him clueless.

“Oh come on it wasn’t hard” Dave laughs, shaking his head at them. “Oh come on, you two have been dating for the exact same time, both a lot happier recently. Your boyfriend works at the FBI and whenever I mentioned Reid you would avoid eye contact or your smile would grow” He looks at you pointedly, you want to argue with him but being at a loss of words you just close your mouth in retreat “And you” Rossi starts, turning to look at Reid. “Your boyfriend has the same name as my Godson, seriously, you’ve been avoiding me the last couple weeks Reid and then today on the Jet it wasn’t hard to put together” Dave can’t help but laugh at the look of surprise on both the boys face.

“I thought we were hiding it well” You argue weakly, pouting softly.

“Not at all,” Rossi smirks, passing plates of food around the group.

~~~

“Wait Godson, that makes so much sense” JJ laughs softly, staring at you three along with the rest of the team.

“Oh right I guess no one had told you guys yet” Aaron chuckles, shaking his head at you lot, taking his plate from Rossi.

“Wait, you knew he had a godson?” Morgan questions turning his attention to his boss.

“Oh yeah I knew who (Y/n) is, he’s also Jack's favourite babysitter” Aaron smirks looking at everyones confused little faces. 

“Wait so you seem to be quite close yet we are only just finding out about you now, why is that?” Emily asks, leaning forward sipping her wine.

“Oh I'm really good at being kept a secret, it all started with my parents” You laugh quietly to yourself trying your hardest to keep the bitterness out of your voice. Even if the room wasn’t filled with profilers, it wouldn’t take much to figure out what you said had made Rossi, Hotch and your boyfriend all tense up.

“Right, well on the cherry topic here's your dinner Angelo” Rossi clears his throat handing over your plate of dinner.

“Thank you Papa Pasta” You smirk cheekily at him as you reach over to grab it from him, only to be given a disapproving look.

“Papa pasta?” Garcia burst out laughing alongside the rest of the room, who couldn't contain themselves after seeing the look on Rossi's face.

Rossi takes the plate away from you and passes it to Morgan instead who is the last to get his food.

“Hey!!” You exclaim, staring at him trying your best to keep a straight face.

“I told you to never use that nickname again” 

“Oops my bad!” You laugh lightly, smiling brightly at him. “Can I please get my dinner please?” The room seems to be holding back their laughter now as Rossi rolls his eyes passing you a new plate of pasta.

~~~

As the night goes on with laughter and funny borderline embarrassing stories of the team, it may have only been hours but you're already starting to feel like a part of the gang already. Soon the group has made its way to the living room, spreading over the couches, Will had left not long after dinner taking both boys home for a sleepover. You're sipping your drink leaning your head into Spencer’s shoulder, allowing yourself to feel happy and enjoy the night. Your face was burning with how much you have been smiling and laughing throughout the night.

“And that is why we never let Reid and Morgan go alone together to get food on a case” JJ finishes telling the story, no one in the room could contain their laughter anymore. Spencer tries hiding his bright red face behind your neck, laughing softly as he does so. 

“Hey hey it was not our fault how were we supposed to know we would accidentally order 2 bags full of ketchup” Morgan argues playfully loudly, the alcohol running through his system making his voice louder than usual. 

“Oh come on sugar what did you expect?” Penelope giggles, resting her head on Morgan's shoulder. Her cheeks are bright red due to the alcohol, smiling widely as she stares up at Morgan.  

“There is a story I would like to know” Emily speaks smirking, turning to look at you and Spencer.

“Oh no Emily, I told you not to ask, '' Spencer groans as he brings his face back out from behind your neck.

“Fine I won't then” Emily wiggles her eyebrows giggling softly. Staring at her in confusion you glance at your boyfriend feeling the whole room watching you two silent laughing at your reaction.

“I will then. So (Y/n) how did you two meet?” JJ giggles tipsy, sipping on her drink as she leans into the couch staring at you.

You couldn't hold back the groan of regret that slips through your lips as you hang your head backwards. Why did they have to ask that question, that night you meet Spencer had been full of regret at the time.

“Oh I know that look” Dave chuckles, shaking his head in amusement. “Tequila or vodka?” 

“Both, and way too much of it” You groan, closing your eyes, hearing the room start laughing at you once more.

“You were so drunk” Spencer teases you lightly, thinking back to the night.

“At least I didn’t vomit all over my shoes” You shoot back. Opening your eyes to glare jokingly at him.

“No you were classy and vomited into a bush after walking straight into a pole” Spencer laughs harder, smiling lovingly at you. You shake your head at him as you look at him getting lost in his eyes, smiling more as you take in all his beautiful features. 

“Awww you two are so in love” Penelope giggles drunkenly, her voice pulling you out of your drunken glaze. Turning your attention back to the room, blushing deeply as you notice everyone staring at you.

“Yes they are” Dave rolls his eyes standing up. “Who needs another drink, I know if I do if I'm going to hear this story” 

“Ohh I do” Emily smiles more 

“Me to” You agree, smiling. “I believe I heard someone found a Jaguar earlier” You smile cheekily up at your Uncle, just hoping he would bring it out.

“Fine” Dave sighs but then smirks at Reid. “Only because your boyfriend here is sober and is going to have to be the one to deal with you once you start drinking that shit” Dave chuckles at the look of fear on Reid's face.

“Oh please no” Spencer groans. Earning a soft slap on the thigh, followed by a kiss on the cheek.

~~~

Once everyone has fresh drinks, and is all settled back down again the story of how you and Spencer meet is brought up once more.

“So you two were drunk when you two met?” Morgan smirks looking at Reid. “When do you ever drink Reid?”

“For one I wasn’t drunk at the beginning, and two we first meet about two years ago through some mutual friends, it was a special occasion”

“You just kept doing shot after shot trying to impress the cute blonde with blue eyes” You laugh as your boyfriend turns as red as a rose. 

“Yeah but then it turns out she was a bitch” Spencer shrugs smiling down at you in his arms, it almost feels like it's just you two in the room when you stare into his eyes.

“Woah did Spencer just call someone a bitch?” JJ gasps dramatically, placing her hand over her chest.

“I think our boy genius did, ooh someone was being bad huh?” Emily chuckles lightly leaning into JJ side. The alcohol makes her tired and turns her into a cuddling mood.

“She was being a homophobic, transphobic fuck so my knight in shining armor decided to stand up for me” You smile happily, not even realzing you had just outed your self. You wouldn’t have known except the room went quiet for a few brief seconds.

“Wait your trans” Penelope breaks the silence. Her voice radiating excitement, looking at you with a huge grin on her face.

“Trans and proud of it” You smile back at her. You never notice the proud smiles and looks that Rossi and Hotch share with each other, as they see just how far you come with your self acceptance journey. 

“My brother’s also transgender” Penelope shares excitedly.

“Really that's so cool” You smile more, relaxing more into Spencer's arms.

“Hey you never told us that babygirl” Morgan smiles softly, before turning his attention back to you and Spencer. 

~~~

“So what Spencer, you decided that someone was hurting your boy, so you had to rescue him huh?” Morgan smirking teasingly at Reid.

Spencer clears his throat, his face heating up again. “Oh uh something like that”

“Oh no what happened?” Aaron asks, keeping his laughter at bay as he recognises that look of embarrassment and regret slipping on to the younger boy's face.

“Oh well…” Spencer trails off.

“He decided that he would, while drunk spout off some statistics about how homophobic people end up and alone and proceed to call her a slut in front of the whole bar and then she throw her drink at him and we both got escorted out of the bar after that” You laugh loudly as you remember the look of shock on his face that night. The alcohol that slipped down his lost puppy dog face, as the bouncer grabbed his arm and pushed you both out of the bar. 

“You two got kicked out of the bar?” Emily asks between her laughter, because of course Reid would be the one to get kicked out for starting a bar fight by talking statistics.

“Attaboy Reid” Dave cheers, smiling proudly at the kid. Dave already approved of you dating Spencer but the fact that the kid stood up for you only hours after meeting you, made him realise that he is the one for you.

“It was a hell of night, after that we went to another bar just us two and did shots for the rest of the night until it closed” You grin sipping on your drink, finishing it again. Spencer is quick to get you a refile, picking up the bottle that lays beside you topping up your glass.

~~~

“So if that all happened two years ago why did it take you two ages to start dating” JJ questions curiously.

“Well I had just broken up with my ex and went through a bit of a rebound sex for a few months after that” 

“Was that after you broke up with Caleb?” Rossi interrupts you, giving you a disgusted look.

“Yes Caleb, I know you didn’t like him” You sigh rolling your eyes.

“You did have shit taste in men (Y/n)” Aaron adds in, defending Rossi.

“Hey! I expect this from Dave but you Aaron that just mean” You pout at him earning a soft laugh from the man.

“I feel like there is so much we don’t know about you (Y/n)” Emily stares at in awe.

“You need to get more alcohol in me then you will know everything” Chuckling softly as you smile at the girl.

“Okay wait I still haven't gotten my whole story yet” JJ complains, her words smushing together lightly, due to the alcohol.

“Oh right right sorry JJ’ Emly quickly apologies encouraging you to continue.

“Okay well after that night out me and Spence decided to keep in contact soon we became pretty good friends, hanging out when we could with our busy schedules, after about a year I started releasing I was falling for him, so well..”

“He decided to ghost me for weeks on end instead of just adamant how he felt, it took months for me to finally get him to admit he was heads over heels for me” Spencer smiles proudly as he finishes telling the story.

“I should have realised earlier that you felt the same way seeing as you've been pining after me for the last two years” Teasing him softly. Closing your eyes slowly, tiredness running through your body. Spencer presses his soft lips to your head as he sees your eyes drifting close, knowing how exhausted you can get after drinking.

“Aw that is adorable” JJ giggles, nudging Emily lightly grinning at her.

“Who knew Spencer would look so cute being used as a pillow” Emily laughs at him. Only for Spencer to glare at her, trying his hardest not to smile at how cute you look in his arms.

“He's also a really comfy pillow” You laugh quietly, smiling widely. Opening your eyes in a haze.

~~~

“Hey uh guys” Aaron calls out trying his best to stop his laughter, which is slipping throughout his words. Everyones turns their attention to look at what Aaron seems to be pointing at. Which is a sleeping Derek and Penelope curled up together on the couch snoring softly. The team has to try to control their laughter when they see them, just sleeping peacefully doing their best not to wake them.

“Oh someone please take a picture of that so I can tease them tomorrow” Spencer whispers giggling softly.

“On it” Rossi smirks, pulling his phone out, taking a few photos of their tangled bodies on the couch.

“Hey, does anyone have a marker?” Emily grins up at the room.

“Prentiss, no” Aaron sighs, shaking his head with a playfully smile.

“Prentiss yes, I know where they are” Laughing quietly as you stand up wobbly, walking out quickly your legs shaking under you. You know the amount of alcohol you have consumed tonight you might regret in the morning. You return quickly with a handful of markers handing a couple to Emily as you walk past her and over to the sleeping bodies.

“Did you go into my study?” Dave stares at you in shock, noticing that you have the good quality markers.

“I did, that's where the nice stuff is” Smirking at Emily who's kneeling beside you, who giggles quietly glancing back at Dave instantly recognizing the unimpressed look on his face.

“(Y/n) I think you're my spirit animal” She whispers quietly as she starts drawing a moustache carefully on Morgan's face.

“Well thank you” Smiling brightly as you go and drawing kitten whiskers on Penelope cautiously, so as to not wake her.

Soon JJ has joined you both and is drawing on Morgan's arms grinning as you all come up with silly things to draw on them.

“Okay that's enough” Dave sighs standing above you five, holding a pile of blankets. “Give me the markers and you three can stay the night in the spare bedrooms” 

“But Uncle Daveee we aren’t finished yet” You whine softly, staring up at him pouting.

“Yes you are now up, I’ve already made sure your bedroom is ready for you (Y/n) now come on” He sighs, placing the blanket down, taking the markers off you and the two girls. Which results in all three of you pouting and whining for them back.

“They're like children” Dave huffs looking over at Hotch for support but he just laughs at the poor man's looks.

“They are your responsibility tonight Dave, I'm off duty” He chuckles while sipping on his drink.

~~~

“Fine we will get up” JJ sighs, standing up grabbing Emily hand pulling her up with her.

“Fineee I'm up” Emily mumbles, walking back over to where the alcohol was. “Wait where's the alcohol go?”

“I put it away, it is bedtime” Reid laughs, shaking his head at his coworkers drunken state, his eyes coming to land on you. Seeing you swaying on the spot as you stare at the wall past everyone, you were now growing quiet which was starting to worry him. He knows how you get when you are tired and drunk, your emotional side tends to slide out. He walks over to you, slowly wrapping his arms around your waist resting his head on your shoulder. 

“You ready for bed darling?” He whispers softly into your ear.

“Yeah” You breath out, leaning into his touch. He lets go of your waist, taking your hand in his as he walks back over to the group of people. The blankets are now covering the sleeping Penelope and Derek who haven't even woken once yet. Emily and JJ are holding onto each other giggling softly in their drunken hazy having a hard time trying to stand still.

“You two are going to need help getting up those stairs” Aaron repates smiling softly, shaking his head at JJ.

“Nooo Hotch we got this” JJ giggles turning around taking Emily's hand trying her hardest to walk straight to the staircase but they both end up stumbling and almost tripping over, again. If it wasn’t for Aaron who managed to grab her arms stabilise her.

“Okay maybe we need help” JJ laughs more, her eyes fluttering close.

“Okay JJ I gotcha ya” Hotch laughs lightly, wrapping his arm around her back. He has been enjoying tonight, watching his team having a night of relaxation. They need it after all the trauma and hard cases they have to deal with.

“Dave, do me and Spence get my old bedroom?” Muttering softly as you watch him try to stop Emily from falling over she lets go of JJ.

“Yeah Kiddo, that room will always be yours” Dave smiles softly, notices the secure grip Spencer has on you. Dave couldn’t be more happy that the two of you finally found each other.

“Wait, you used to live here” Spencer asks softly.

“Nah, well kind of, I use to crash here weekly when I grew up, to get away from my transphobic fuck called parents” Grumbling loudly as you let Spencer help pull you past his team and up the stairs to your bedroom.

~~~

Yor bedroom hasn't changed much since you were a teenager. The draws still have pictures of you and a few old friends on it, along with photos of you and Dave, even some including Stephen as well. Smiling softly as you sit down on the bed kicking your shoes off, watching as Spencer walks over the draws, looking at the photos you have on them.

“I haven't seen many photos of you as a kid” Spencer smiles softly as he looks at them. Noticing that in every photo you always have tilted your head to the side slightly, it's his favourite thing about how you look in photos.

“I don’t like photos of me, but these ones are special to me” You smile, your heart filling with love as he turns back towards you smiling more at you.

“But you're so adorable in every photo” He smiles more as he sits on the bed beside you, wrapping his arms around you pulling you into his chest.

“Gosh I love you Spencer” You whisper closer to your eyes, feeling safe in his arms.

“I love you to (Y/n), Let's get some sleep, yeah?” He whispers back, laying you both down.

“I never thought I would bring a guy I truly love back here you know” Speaking into the silence of the room. “This is my safe place, I never bring anyone here because I knew they weren’t the right fit for me you know, but you're different Spence. I think you're the one” Speaking slowly, your words fill with love and affiliation, tears swarming in your eyes. The room falls silent again, thinking you might have overstepped a boundary. Opening up your heart too much, telling him he's the one for you might have been too much, especially while drunk.

“Thank you.. For telling me I know that's hard opening up, I feel the same way with my team it's why I’ve never intrude them to anyone I’ve dated before because when I did, I wanted it to be the right one” He smiles softly, squeezing you gently as he had felt your body tense up as he took his time thinking of the right words to speak.

“I'm so glad we have each other Spence” Smiling gently, leaning over to kiss him softly. “Goodnight Amore Mio”

“Gooodnight love”

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Thank you so much, love! I tagged you as I know you're especially fond of Hope. I'm so sorry that your holidays have been rough (understanding all the challenges you & and your family have been facing 🫂🫂💜). And please, please do feel free to write something for Hope & Solemn, if so moved ~ perhaps it can give you some seasonal satisfaction, even a quiet reminder of the joy that is always waiting around the corner where there is Love.

In fact, though my imagination is still stunted, there are times I get flashes of the weeks following Our Stephen's intervention in their lives and how they make a start. In the meantime, I'm working on part two of this; after angst & catharsis, it'll have an ending worthy of the happiness they find at the end of '14,000,604'!

Wrapped Up In Christmas Memories

a Stephen Strange x Hope Collins fic

Part One

genre: fluff & Christmas to begin with; angst, catharsis, with healing later...and as always, love❤️💚

characters: Stephen Strange, Hope Collins (OFC), established relationship

word count: approximately 3.1k

moodboard by the very generous @strangelock221b 💙🩵💜

Stephen should have known that he had fallen in love with a Christmas person. Should have been prepared for what was in store for him come late November. Hope's enthusiasm for all things Yuletide was exactly in keeping with her nature--and of course, she had no way of knowing that when it came to Christmastime, his past had shaped him into a bit of a Grinch.

A week or so before Thanksgiving, she'd brought a mysterious shopping bag to the Sanctum and set it discretely in a corner of the living room portion of his suite. When he'd asked what was inside, she'd flashed him a pert smile and smiling eyes as she answered, "Darling, that's for me to know, and you to find out. Eventually." Then sashayed away, humming 'Good King Wenceslas'. Yup, he should've known then that Hope was...was very much a Who.

They had shared a quiet, homey Thanksgiving; Hope had eagerly prepared a little feast for them, along with far too many desserts prepped in a flurry of baking in the 48 hours ahead of time. "There's supposed to be an abundance of leftovers," she had insisted when Stephen groused that they could never finish it all, "And in my family tradition, the freezer was always stuffed with packages of turkey, potatoes, and what have you--enough for a meal a week 'til nearly Christmas." And she'd relished the sight of him digging into those leftovers--along with a healthy serving of her apple-ginger pie--as a midnight snack, looking every bit the adorable 'told ya so' when she grabbed a fork to help him polish off the pie.

When they'd finally settled into bed and snuggled close, Stephen was happy to tell Hope it had been his best Thanksgiving in decades--and that perhaps it could be the start of traditions of their own. "Good," she replied, kissing his neck and then resting her head on his shoulder, "There's more I'd love to share with you. If you don't mind...starting tomorrow."

Stephen's own family traditions always felt like dusty, ancient history now; memories he seldom allowed himself to dwell upon for the heartbreak of the losses of his sister Donna, and later his mother Beverly, who had never fully recovered emotionally from Donna's death. He sighed hard, not wishing to spoil the moment, but feeling he should give his love fair warning. "If it's Christmas related, Hope--I'm really not that guy..."

"Oh, Stephen..." she started to protest.

"I don't wanna disappoint you, honey, but I...I gave up Christmas a loooong time ago..."

"Gave up Christmas?" Hope tutted. "You don't strike me as a Scrooge..."

"I'm not. Of course I'm not," he countered gently, "There's just a lot of...baggage...that I gave up carrying. Decades ago." For my own peace of mind, he thought but didn't add. "I mean, I'll be happy to see how you embrace the season, Hope, but um..."

He felt more than heard her sigh, understanding that she would not be deterred--while well aware that as ever, whatever form her persuasion would take would be gentle. Patient. Quiet. Stephen couldn't help but love that about her.

"Alright," she told him, laying her palm above his heart, which he always found soothing. "I promise to be mindful of your...baggage...if you help me with just one tradition tomorrow."

Stephen's turn to quietly sigh with his intent to cooperate, "Just the one? Seems a fair bargain to make...if you can stick to it."

"Just the one--I promise," Hope laughed softly, "And after that, well...I'll go about my Christmasing without the sort of fuss that might bother you."

Though he could practically feel the wheels in her head turning to come up with a way to change his view of the season, he chuckled, "It's a deal then. So what will we be doing tomorrow?"

"Getting a tree, of course. That's my mom's thing. Tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving...and comes down on New Years Day. Although, since I've been on my own, I keep it up however long I want. It's an excellent remedy for the mid-winter doldrums."

"A tree it'll be, then," he promised, reaching to turn off his bedside lamp, "And then I'm out."

"Like a light", Hope assured him. "Now, do you wanna be the big spoon or little spoon tonight?"

"Big," he replied, flipping onto his side, then sliding his arm around her waist when she turned to fit herself against him. Stephen brushed his lips on her ear, "For what it's worth, honey, I hope you have some sugar plum dreams tonight."

"Thanks, Stephen," she murmured, clearly on her way to sleep, "Love you too."

By the time Hope awoke the next morning, Stephen had already worked out a plan to keep his promise. One which would involve him in as little Christmas fuss as possible. A quick online search had yielded a few spots in the Village itself where they could find fresh cut trees. After breakfast, he discreetly portaled the two of them to a side street off of Hudson Street, where they found a popular Christmas market adjacent to a city park.

Hope had been so delighted by his initiative that he had felt it necessary to remind her that this would be his sole contribution to the Christmas decorating. She had batted her eyes prettily with her reply, "As you wish," but to Stephen, it had felt more like she was saying, "We'll see about that."

They settled on a seven foot Balsam fir, which Stephen had insisted on paying for out of his Sanctum Master's monthly stipend. The warmth of the lingering kiss she pressed to his cheek in thanks was absolutely worth that investment, and Hope's happiness was a gift that thoroughly warmed his heart. Being quite pleased by how swiftly they'd accomplished their chore--and surprised that the task felt far more pleasant than he'd anticipated--Stephen arranged to have the tree delivered to Bleecker Street by mid-afternoon.

Hope had wandered over to a group of stalls featuring hand-crafted Christmas decorations, and by the time he joined her, she had a small brown shopping bag in hand. He offered her his arm, "Shall we?"

"Shall we what," she countered impishly.

"Head back home."

"Oh...well...", she bit her lip, mulling over her answer for a few moments, "You go on ahead, darling. There's just a few more things I'd like to pick up..."

Stephen hummed, studying her face for any sign that this was a coy play to get him to stay after all. Seeing only sincerity, he found himself offering to stick around anyway. "Thanks, but no, Stephen," she assured him, "I shouldn't be too long--and I did promise not to bother you beyond the tree. You won't even have time to miss me; I'm sure I'll get there before the tree even does."

Stephen hadn't expected her to be so easily accommodated. "Are you sure, honey? I can spare a while longer if...if you'd like me to."

Hope moved in close, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kissed his other cheek. "I appreciate the offer, darling," she husked, "But how about you get a nice fire going in the hearth in your quarters, so they'll be all toasty for when I decorate the tree this afternoon?" She backed away and beamed him a smile, then turned to explore the market further without a further word.

Stephen stood on the sidewalk, the relief at being let off the expected Christmas hook colored with the surprising disappointment that Hope hadn't even tried to ask for more beyond her promise. She's probably got other plans in mind, he decided; bet she's just softening me up for that. Hands tucked deep into his coat pockets against the growing chill in the air--they'd begun to ache in the way that told him snow was on the way--he headed back to the side street, and portaled back home.

The snow arrived before Hope did, with the tree being delivered about a half-hour later. By then, Stephen had a crackling fire going in the hearth and had even used magic to set up a tree stand before one of the front windows of the living room.

Rosy-cheeked from the cold and bearing two Balsam wreaths decked with red ribbons, sprigs of holly & berries, and mini white lights, Hope appeared to be the embodiment of Christmas cheer. "I figured now that it's no secret that a magical building is part of the neighborhood," she explained in answer to the question in his eyes, "You'd at least want the Sanctum to look a little festive..."

Stephen gave a heavy sigh as he conceded that point to her. And though she didn't ask, he cast a spell to keep the wreaths in place on the Sanctum's double doors, with reinforcement to keep them fresh and green for however long they hung there. He would go on to use the same spell for the Christmas tree awaiting decorating in his quarters.

After lunch, Hope practically shooed Stephen from the room when she began to string lights on the fragrant evergreen. With a vintage selection of Christmas carols playing in the background, she was determined to keep her promise to him. "Besides, I'd like to surprise you with the ornaments I've picked. So go keep busy with whatever wizarding stuff is on your agenda, and I'll come get you for the big reveal."

Lazy snowflakes continued to fall well past dusk, looking pretty and perfectly seasonal outside the Sanctum windows, though little stuck to the streets and pavements. Hope had finally popped her head past the door to his study several hours after she'd sent him away and invited Stephen to come check out the product of her efforts. Her excitement felt contagious--and once he spied the tree, Stephen knew she had good reason for her enthusiasm.

She had dimmed the lights for maximum effect, showing off the slow, steady twinkle of the white lights that graced every branch of the tree. The ornaments were a mix of dark blue and gold bells and balls, variously sized, and many of them sprinkled with golden glitter. Featured among them were larger, glassblown ornaments shaped as suns, moons, and stars, as well as other traditional celestial symbols. The total effect was breathtaking--and a telling reminder that Hope was an Artist, deep down to her soul.

Watching him take in the full picture, her eyes sparkled with joyful anticipation of his response. Stephen's jaw had dropped, and he remained speechless as he circled the tree before he came to stand at Hope's side, pulling her to him with one arm around her back. "This is...marvelous, honey. Fantastic. Beautiful...and...and..."

"And nearly perfect for a Master of the Mystic Arts," she replied, a slight tremor in her voice, "Don't you think so, anyway?

Stephen nodded and laid a kiss on top of her head. "I can't imagine anything more perfect, Hope," he agreed, his voice grown thick with emotion. "You were planning this for a while, weren't you?"

"Only since mid-September," she laughed, then pointed to a stained-glass disk depicting the zodiac circling a stylized sun. "I saw that one at a craft fair, and it just sort of...inspired...the whole thing."

"I should've expected something this..." Stephen searched for the perfect word to describe not only the tree, but the sentiment her gift had him feeling, "...grand...from you, honey. Grand. Grand and perfect."

"It's actually a little short of perfect, Stephen," she confessed difidently.

"No, Hope...honey...it's perfect for me," he insisted, "Both as a wizard and as a man."

"I don't mean in that way, darling. It's...it's unfinished," she sighed, motioning to the crowning branch. "It's in want of a star."

"Aaaaaaah." Stephen let the moment linger before smirking, "And is that by design, or just something you overlooked?"

"I just can't reach it," came her plaintive, honest reply.

"I see." Stephen could feel how hard she was trying not to ask for his help, in light of her promise to him. How dear that was to him! A simple yet lovely truth about this woman he loved. How could he not offer to help? "You know, I wouldn't mind adding the finishing touch, honey. If you'd allow me to, of course."

"I suppose that'll be alright, darling. If you wouldn't mind too terribly."

"Not at all," he told her, truthfully. "Do you have one, or shall I conjure something to match your theme?"

"Hold on," she replied, making a beeline to a dark pink box perched on the side table by the sofa. Hope removed an object swathed in tissue paper, unwrapping it very gingerly when she returned to his side. "This star is over a hundred years old. It came to America with my great-grandmother when she arrived from Ireland back in 1921. It passes to the eldest daughter in each generation..."

"And you're the lucky winner," Stephen observed in a hushed tone, immediately adopting the same reverence with which Hope handled the fragile antique.

"Yes," she sniffled softly. "Mom was the middle child, but her older sister didn't have any girls, so when she passed, it came to me. That was during The Snap years. Once she came back, my mother never really recovered from finding out her sister had died alone, without the comfort of family near."

Stephen's first thought was of his mother, Beverly, and of the colorless Christmases between Donna's death and her own. In the face of Hope's bittersweet revelation, he couldn't bring himself to express his observation; that grief had been his mother's cause of death as well.

Hope took note of the pain that briefly flickered across his features. "Stephen, are you alright? You looked so sad, all of a sudden."

"Oh, honey, I'm just...just so, so sorry for your loss. I know that grief doesn't take holidays, and there are times it hits so hard, it feels like the one we've lost...that it only happened yesterday." Mindful of the crystal star in his hands, he drew Hope into his arms, then rested his chin atop her head. "But the best comfort, I'm told, is remembering the best of times you shared with them."

The smallest voice in his head gave an ironic retort. Doctor, why don't you take your own advice and heal yourself for a change? Share your story with Hope, and by doing so, maybe you can put your own ghosts to rest.

Maybe so, he told himself. But not now; not tonight. I'm not ready to face that kind of pain just yet. And the small voice answered: of course you aren't. It seems you never are.

Stephen shook off that moment of weakness--as he always did. And with the gentlest charm he could manage, he floated Hope's star to the top of the tree and fixed it safely in place. That drew from Hope her prettiest smile, so that he dared a change of subject. "Well, in light of the heavy lifting I've just done, I think it's time we fix ourselves some turkey and gravy sandwiches and maybe watch 'The Grinch'. It's one of the few Christmas movies I actually enjoy."

"Jim Carey or the DreamWorks one," Hope asked as they headed, arm in arm, toward the closer of the two Sanctum kitchens.

"Jim Carey," he asserted with a grin, "The other is far too sentimental for my liking."

[to be continued🎄]

If you enjoyed this little fic so far, you can read more about how Stephen & Hope met and fell in love in my stories 'Friday in the Park with Stephen' (meet-cute, flirtation & fluff), and 14,000,604 (hurt/comfort, angst, passion/smut, lovers reunited against impossible odds).

In addition, I've written a couple of one-shots/prompt fills as part of their ongoing series, The Wizard and the Artist

tagging: @strangelock221b @mousedetective @icytrickster17 @ironstrange1991 @darsynia @ben-locked @hithertoundreamtof23 @aeterna-auroral-avenger @lorelei-lee @stewardofningishzida @thelostsmiles @mrs-cookie @paperclippedmime @groovyqueer

[darkkitty1208]

hi! you mentioned you liked alpha!tony and omega!stephen, do you happen to have any recommendations? 🫶👀 thank you in advance <3

Hey, Nonny!

Oh dear, I gotchu. I'm putting everything under the cut in case any of you want to preserve your innocence (and me, to preserve my dignity. Ugh)

Minors DNI

Unfortunately there aren't much Omega!Stephen/Alpha!Tony fics out there, and a lack of Bottom!Stephen/Top!Tony fics in general. But I'll try.

I'm not sure if you're looking for plotty or smutty fics, so I'll just split them up.

Plotty A/B/O Multichaps

Alpha Syndrome by atypicalsnowman – A beautiful fic featuring Alpha!Tony and Beta!Stephen Strange. Tony Stark has to bond with an omega. He has to or face a slow and painful death. No matter how much he loves his beta, Stephen Strange. Then magic steps in. (Some good smut, a healthy amount of angst and whump, too.)

Can't Help Falling In Love With You by Chocopiggy – Animal Shifters and A/B/O Canon Divergent: Tony falls in love with Stephen on Titan. Specifically, the moment when the wizard stops scrying with that time stone of his, and Tony's met with the most loving look from Stephen (or anyone) he had ever seen. Back on Earth, Stephen has his memories of the alternate futures blocked by Wong, in order to protect the omega's sanity. And it's up to Tony to get Stephen to fall in love with him once more, just to see the same expression on Stephen's face once again. (In progress, no actual smut (yet), and a good amount of fluff, romance, slowburn, angst/whump and hurt/comfort)

Children of the Old Moon by old_blue – After an encounter with a supernatural killer goes wrong, Stephen is pulled into another world. There, he meets a very familiar face... Now he just needs to catch the murderer, save the multiverse, and find a way back home. (It's not Ironstrange actually, it's Sam Wilson/Stephen Strange (dunno their ship name, rarepair), but it's one of my favourite Omegaverse pieces. We all know how messed up the abo verse is, but I've never actually seen it being addressed in a fic itself. Also has super good plot twists and mysteries, and a LOT of good smut)

Royally Fucked by Insert_Witty_Username — King Stephen Strange’s kingdom had been at war as long as he can remember, locked in a battle between the fey, Stephen’s people, and the humans. The war almost ended with the union of Stephen’s parents, one fey and an omega human, that is, before they were killed in an attack. Stephen, now blooming into his early twenties, and still suspiciously unpresented, has taken it upon himself to meet the human’s king and put an end to the war ravaging his land, no matter what it takes… however it ends up taking a whole lot more than he expected. When his meeting with the alpha prince Anthony spirals south, triggering Stephen’s first-ever heat and revealing him as an omega, King Howard of the Stark Kingdom sees it as a perfect opportunity to create a union between the humans and the fey through marriage. Anthony and Stephen struggle to get along, both unable to see past the inescapable bonds of their inevitable wedding. Stuck in a strange new world, Stephen is lost without a support network all while his entire identity and sense of self is turned upside down. In the meantime, something far larger and far more dangerous than a petty squabble over the union of a prince and a king brews in the background… (In progress, Stephen is a fae here so magic does exist. He gets all dolled up with fae clothing and the descriptions there are superb, there's even a fanart by slasher_art444 picturing it.)

Smutty A/B/O Oneshots/Fics

Family by Chocopiggy – Scared of the rain, Stephen curls in his nest and waits for Tony to come home. The need for his mate to comfort him is stronger than ever, thanks to his approaching heat. (Hurt/comfort with a dash of smut)

With You Series by Descaladumidera – A series with three installments, each with a good smut scene and some plot.

Falling by IronStrangeLover (sherlockian4ever) – Stephen has been hiding the fact that he is an omega with magic. When he meets alpha Tony, he falls for him hard. Tony's scent triggers Stephen's heat and they end up sharing it. Afterwards, they date. The inevitable happens and they bond. (Filth. Absolute wonderful filth. And yeah, also some fluff and romance because they love each other and it's ironstrange)

101 Ironstrange Kinks by RisingQueen2 (FallenQueen2) – Not all chapters are A/B/O, but they are in Chapter 1, Chapter 10, Chapter 32, Chapter 38, Chapter 55, Chapter 63 (personally I did not read this specific chapter, it's uh.. pregnancy kink. But feel free to read it, no one's judging).

[professional-benaddict]

currently stuck in bed with a fever of 103 and i got thinking about little peter getting sick and being overwhelmed bc daddies are panicking over the fact it might be covid ?

hi darling!!🌸🌸 im so sorry to hear you are sick🥺🥺 i hope its not covid, and that you get better soon💓💓 maybe in the meantime this might cheer you up?🌸

Daddies Stephen and Tony, +18 Little Peter, pandemic, Covid-19, Covid-19 scares (?), Covid-19 rapid test, sickness, fluff, comfort, a little angst

“What was his temp?”

“103.”

“Babe…”

“Yeah, I know. We have two rapid tests downstairs...”

The rest of Daddy’s words fade as he walks down the stairs along with Dada. Peter listens closely to the familiar creaks in the stairs as Daddies walk down. He tries to follow them to the bathroom, but it is on the other side of the house. All Peter can hear is his heart beating frantically in his chest.

Peter’s mind races with each thought being more doomsday-like than the one before. What if he’s positive? Will Daddies get sick too? Will Peter have to isolate alone? He’s heard of people being locked away in the rooms for 10 days, and Peter can hardly be away from Daddies for more than half a day.

But, what if Daddies don’t wanna be with him if he is sick with the virus?

All the anxious and fearful thoughts in Peter’s head make him a little dizzy, or it’s the fact that he is coughing so much that he barely gets a breath in for a minute.

The coughing fit passes just as Daddies return to Peter’s room.

“Dad-dies, don’ come in! You’ll get sick too!” Peter cries out, his voice shaky. He has to stay brave, to protect his Daddies.

“Oh, sweet babe, it’s okay. We can’t leave you alone, bud. Besides, Dada and I think we should use one of the rapid tests on you.” Stephen says, sitting down on Peter’s bedside. The boy shrinks back and pulls his blanket up to cover his nose and mouth.

“Don’ wan’ you to get sick…” He mumbles.

Tony and Stephen both coo at him.

“Baby, we’ve been with you ever since you got sick. If you have the virus, so do we probably. We might as well continue cuddling now, okay?” Tony says, crouching down by Peter’s bedside table and lifts a hand to stroke the boy’s cheek.

“But, what if I don’t have it?” Peter asks, pulling back the blanket and sniffles loudly. His nose has now switched from being stuffy to runny. Stephen grabs a tissue from his bedside table to wipe his nose.

“Then you have something else. Even if there is Covid out there, that doesn’t mean the cold or the flu went away. But, the test will show us what it is you have. You ready?”

Peter guesses he is, and nods a little, and so with that Stephen opens up the little package. Inside, there are four pieces. A swab, a little container, a lid and the device that will analyse the sample.

When Stephen sticks the swab into Peter’s nose, it tickles and scratches in a weird way. Four little turns, and the swab is out. Peter sneezes wetly into a tissue afterwards, making both Daddies coo. Then, Stephen puts the swab in the container with a liquid. After a few good swirls, he drips the liquid onto the device for analysis.

“What it say?” Peter asks, almost a little excited.

“It takes 15 minutes to analyse. We’ll leave it on your nightstand and wait. We brought you some medicine you can take in the meantime.” Stephen says, smiling at the boy. Tony hands him a cup of juice, and two little pills to lower his fever.

After the medicine, Peter lays back down and watches some Youtube videos. Tony sticks by his side, stroking his hair and murmuring comforting things. Stephen returns a while later, showing the time on his phone.

“One or two lines?” He asks. Tony turns to look on the test.

“One line.”

“I have it?” Peter asks, expecting the worst.

“One line means it’s negative.”

“I have it?” The boy asks again, his voice more breathy and urgent. It causes Peter to start another coughing fit, and Tony moves to pat and rub at the boy’s back.

“Oh, sorry, baby. Negative means you don’t have it. You don’t have Covid. You don’t have it.” Stephen explains. “You okay, baby?”

Peter clears his throat and little and swallows thickly. He nods, but then shakes his head.

“I’m still sick…” He says, looking defeated.

“Yeah, we know. At least it’s not Covid, baby. That’s a relief. Yeah?” Tony consoles.

“Can I still have ice cream? Even if I don’t have it?”

Both Daddies chuckle at that.

“Of course, baby. Mint chocolate chip again?”

“Hmm!”

[doctorofmagic]

My thoughts on Stephen and Carol

That was... unexpected, to say the least. Now I have this task to elaborate my feelings and opinions in a way that is paradoxically personal and rational at the same time.

Let’s begin.

Background

Carol and Stephen know each other for a very, very long time. Their first team-up happened in Marvel Team-Up v1 #76 (1978), when Silver Dagger captured Clea (again - and yes, I’ll talk about her later). Both Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel decided to offer a helping hand to Stephen.

Stephen also assisted Carol in a mystic issue, combining their powers in Ms. Marvel v2 #4-5 (2006). It’s from this very run I suspect Kelly Thompson pictured the idea of a relationship between them. Nothing official, but all it takes to assume there’s something else going on is a mere look.

It’s true they were on opposite sides post Civil War, but Carol decided to join the New Avengers later on, which also gives this relationship one more layer.

Lastly, Aaron’s Avengers also featured them on the same team for a while, in addition to the previous Captain Marvel v10 #6-7, in which they swapped bodies and Carol had a taste of Stephen’s pain. We’re also considering Captain Marvel v10 #19 because, at this point, it’s clear that Thompson had plans for them since 2019.

Captain Marvel #27

Since this a blog dedicated to Stephen, it’s hard for me not to look through his perspective. I know the story is about Carol and how she’s struggling to mourn. But you’re all here for him. So this is my very detailed yet not-so-reliable review about their moment together.

....

Stephen is so sweet, wtf.

First, he confesses that he lost a patient on the table, WHICH MEANS that Thompson is following the events of Surgeon Supreme. Honestly? It’s the first comic book to do so. But fine. I can live with that.

Man is not having a good day. In fact, it’s a terrible day, which probably justifies the end. Here we another glimpse that Stephen still can’t deal with loss. Life is so important to him precisely because he has lost so much. In addition, for a moment, he forgets that Carol isn’t supposed to be drinking. So he turns the whiskey into Seltzer. In the meantime, Carol can’t help but relate to him. I know, Carol, I’VE BEEN THERE.

There’s another moment that warmed my heart (in a sense because it’s quite sad when you think about it). Stephen asked Carol if he was bothering her. Do you have any idea how insecure Stephen is? BECAUSE HE IS. He’s always afraid of bothering people and that’s why he isolates himself. That’s why he’s always pushing people away. That��s why he’s so miserable and lonely.

Stephen is the sweetest, I can’t. He doesn’t even know his own favorite color. COME ON, STEPHEN.

I admit, though. They know how to flirt. Stephen is the kind of person who flirts through self-loathing, which is only natural given his mental health. And Carol... Well, she’s a girlboss. It’s perfect. Also he’s sassy. And do I love my sassy boi? Very much.

But here’s another sad thing. Stephen is not seen as a “good addiction”. He’s simply not the worse one. And he’s aware of that. Do you know how I know? I mean, despite all the countless articles I wrote about his self-loathing?

Because of this:

Yet again Stephen is aware that he used someone else to fill his void. And yet again, he was used. I can’t remember the last time Stephen had a healthy relationship. In fact, I can. It was with Linda, the Night Nurse. And that was a loooong time ago. I can’t even begin to comprehend how lonely he feels. And how miserable he feels whenever he fails to create a solid bond. Not only romantic ones, but also platonic relationships and friendships as well. I want him to be happy, it’s not too much. So why am I on the verge of tears?

Fine. I dissected the issue panel by panel, such is my commitment. But how I truly feel about them? Before answering that...

Things to be considered

Hear me out. There’s a very famous forbidden OTP party in Secret Wars: Secret Love #1. I can’t remember the author of the post but here, on this very hellsite, they confirmed some of those OTPs were ships that Marvel would never allow to happen because they’re, well, LGBTQIA ships. Cherik? Yes. Stony? Yes. Kate Bishop and America Chavez? Yes. CarolJess? YES. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to Marvel’s main characters to be queer.

I’m quite open to shipping Stephen with any character. However, I cannot look away when I’ve always rooted for Carol to be an LGBTQIA character. So, much to my surprise, as I was checking the spoilers on the hopes that Jess and Carol would finally have a revelation... STEPHEN HAPPENED. Trust me, Carol stans, this was as much unexpected to me as it was to you.

Truth be told, as a Stephen stan, I get tons of hate, because people mostly know him for his Illuminati era and how patronizing he behaves sometimes. But this is the reason why I made this blog. I want more people to know Stephen as deeply as I do. I know it’s frustrating. But I’m not the enemy. You have no idea how hard I try to find subtle words and clues that Stephen is not straight (because he isn’t, please).

So, after all is said and done... I still think they’re cute. And please, do not hand me down a guilty verdict yet.

I think of Stephen a lot on a daily basis, so it’s only natural to headcanon which heroes he has hooked up with throughout the years. And I swear to Vishanti, Carol crossed my mind a few times. I only figured it would never happen. But it did and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel. But it’s okay. Because it’s not going to last - and I’ll explain why.

The future

Despite the fact that CarolJess should be a thing™, when it comes to canon, she’s deeply connected to Rhodes. Their relationship is so important to Carol that she sacrificed it out of love. She’s mourning. There’s this feeling of emptiness in her heart, pretty much similar to what Stephen experienced when Clea left him the first time.

They’ve met in a very delicate and frail state of mind and spirit. Some (most?) people do it, as an attempt to fill the void with anything or anyone that resembles affection. They’re aware of that.

That’s why I don’t think it will last. It’s not a relationship born through mutual growth, it’s a relationship born in mourning and sorrow.

You know me, mates. I’d do anything for Stephen’s happiness. But that’s not it. His happiness lies on a powerful sorceress from the Dark Dimension. You know her name. And Carol? Well, if not on Jess because Marvel desires to keep selling comic books to homophobes, then on Rhodes.

It feels just like my hook up list headcanon, only better because there’s angst. And boi, do I love angst?

That said... We have more issues coming, in addition to that beautiful cover for #29. Let’s wait and see. I do think Carol and Stephen share an angsty a beautiful background and that’s why I’d rather have them instead of Elektra. No offense, Elektra and Stephen are HOT. But I believe Carol and Stephen offer deeper layers. And this is why I made such a long post about them and didn’t do the same to Savage Avengers. No matter how hard I try to be rational, when it comes to Stephen, it’s just stronger than me.

PS: forgive me if I missed something, I’m truly exhausted but my mind wouldn’t allow me to rest until I made this post. Thank you for your support.

[thorne93]

The Stars Made Us (Part 23)

Prompt: In this world, you’re one of the “lucky” ones who got a soulmate, but what if the universe gives you more than you bargained for?

(Prompt challenge – You live in a world where your soulmate can write on their skin and you will get the writing on your own and vice versa. Where they can wash away the ink on their own skin, however, the writing is forever scarred onto your skin until you meet face to face)

Word Count: 2638

Warnings: angst and language throughout

Notes: This was supposed to be for @sorryimacrapwriter​​​​​​​  and their challenge like a year ago, I think? I still loved the prompt though and have been working on this story for quite some time. This aesthetic was made by @dontshootmespence​​​​​​​, thank you so much! Beta’d by @like-a-bag-of-potatoes​​​​​​​, couldn’t have done it without you, as well as @carryonmyswansong​​​​​​​ and @arrow-guy​​​​​​​ and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​​​

Also, I’ve never really liked the whole soulmate AU thing idea, but this felt so right and it was amazing to write. I hope y’all love it too!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another day of practical training and you were observing in the courtyard on the sidelines. Mordo was instructing everyone but Stephen just wasn’t getting the hang of it. After several minutes, The Ancient One stepped into the area and requested she be alone with Stephen. Mordo obliged and the class followed him inside. You stayed off to the side, watching. 

“My hands,” Stephen said in defeat.

“It’s not about your hands,” she countered.

“How is this not about my hands?” he defied.

“Master Hamir?” she requested. 

Master Hamir exposed his hand, and then an arm with no hand. He was able to cast the magic and spells, with no hand at all. This clearly dispelled all of Stephens’ preconceived notions of his failings. 

“Thank you, Master Hamir. You cannot beat a river into submission. You have to surrender to its current, and use its power as your own,” she advised.

“I… I control it by surrendering control? That doesn’t make any sense,” he said, the frustration clear in his tone. It was the same frustration you heard every night when you tried to teach him, or after every session he had with Mordo and he wasn’t any better than before.

“Not everything does. Not everything has to,” she insisted firmly. “Your intellect has taken you far in life. But it will take you no further. Surrender, Stephen. Silence your ego and your power will rise. Come with me,” she ordered as she formed a portal. 

The two of them walked through and you frowned. You went down a few steps to see where they’d gone. It looked snowy. 

Suddenly you heard her say, “Surrender, Stephen, and then she returned… by herself and the portal closed. 

Your eyes went wide as your heart raced. You ran forward to stand beside her. 

“Wha--Where is Stephen?” you asked, panicking. 

“On top of Mount Everest.” 

“Mount Everest? Oh, okay. Uh, and how is he supposed to get back?” you wondered, trying to keep the panic out of your voice. 

“On his own. He must surrender to the power, just as you did.” 

“That’s different, I just focused really hard.”

“You downplay your intellect and your abilities to everyone you know. It isn’t a nice characteristic, Y/N,” she noted. “You didn’t just focus, you believe in a power bigger than yourself. When you found out you had a mate, you didn’t doubt it for a moment.”

“Well no, why should I?” 

“Why Indeed. Stephen needs to gain the same faith and courage you do. That’s all.”

“What if he freezes to death in the meantime?” 

She didn’t respond, her eyes trained forward as Mordo came down, asking about the new recruit. You stood between the two, wringing your hands nervously, your chest tightening as you waited. You didn’t have a sling ring on. You couldn’t get to him. Besides, even if you did, maybe this tough love exercise is what he needed.

After another ion seemed to pass, finally, a spark outlined tunnel opened and Stephen fell through. You fell to your knees, your hands going all over him to ensure he was alright. He held onto you, relishing in your body heat. He felt positively ice cold. But he did it. 

You were so proud of him, you hugged him tightly. 

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

As soon as he got a hot bath, he asked you to help cut his hair. He was ready to move on, and this was a symbol of moving on. He was done with the pity party. You helped cut his hair much shorter to his liking, and quite honestly to yours. Then you worked on shaving him, but when you got to his chin, he stopped you, telling you to leave it. Once you wiped away the cream, he worked some trimmers over the leftover goatee and mustache. 

“Damn, Strange, you clean up nicely.”

He smirked. 

“Is this how you looked at the hospital?”

“No facial hair,” he noted, “but for the most part, yes.” 

“I like it,” you said sincerely, with no hint of jest. You nodded as you admired him from the side. “It suits you, very well.” 

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

After a while, he wanted to progress in the program much more quickly. He requested books on astral projection from Wong, but he refused. Being a tempestuous, he broke into the library via portals and took the books he wanted. 

As Wong had said, no knowledge is forbidden. 

Before long, Stephen was starting to read in his sleep. He used his astral form to take up the knowledge while he rested, giving him 24 hour access to literature he needed. 

Things progress quickly for him regarding his sorcery. Meanwhile, you read from the library, took notes leisurely, shopped in the nearby markets, and watched Stephen. Watching him learn was like watching Mozart write concerto. Once or twice he caught you staring at him. 

“Didn’t anyone tell you it wasn’t polite to stare?” he deadpanned.

You smirked and laughed, turning back to your laptop to write another email to Charles. When you weren’t looking, Stephen smiled to himself as well. 

One day, you were in the library, getting Stephen’s next round of books, but he was busy training for the day, so you thought you’d get a jump start on them. He ended up training well into the evening and you fell asleep at the table in the library. 

When he couldn’t find you, he got concerned, only for one of the other students to call to his attention that you were in the library. The two of them walked over and she pointed at you. Stephen was relieved to see you. He walked up and admired you for a moment. 

Not just how peaceful you looked but what you meant to him. You had once said that out of everyone he knew, colleagues, friends, everyone, you were the only one to stay. Even Christine up and left after one too many Strange Tantrums. Not only did you stay, but you fulfilled every role he needed in his life at the drop of a hat. Maid, cook, nurse, friend, confidant. You convinced him to come here, you trained with him every night, and you didn’t have to. You could’ve let him come on his own, face it by himself. You could’ve left once he got settled in. You could’ve done your own business while he trained. 

But you were with him every step of the way. And while Christine was nice, and bent over backward for him, she wasn’t you. She didn’t risk a relationship with another soulmate, just to save someone else. You did though. You were wholesome, good, and kind. You were tender, but firm. Fierce, but soft. Loving, but 

And he was in love with you. 

He picked you up and you groaned, your head lolling back as he carried you bridal style across the courtyard to your bedroom. He got you undressed and crawled in bed beside you. He wrapped his arm around you, feeling the love and freedom wash over him. 

Now, he just hoped you felt the same. 

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

He informed you that the Ancient One said that if she told him any more than he didn’t already know, that he’d run from the temple in terror. You said that was an odd thing to say, but perhaps they guarded many secrets of the world. But it did make you wonder what exactly was going on.

Stephen had moved into the more physical part of his training - learning to fight. 

You , as always, sat in the corner of the courtyard sipping tea, reading, and observing Stephen as he trained. This never made him feel put on the spot or insecure. Quite the opposite, as a lover of all things that stroked his ego, he quite liked having an audience. 

You studied him, his movements, what Mordo had taught him and other masters. And just like with the magic, you trained every night with him. Sometimes Mordo even allowed you to train with the other students because he felt self-defense is good general knowledge. 

One morning, you were getting ready to go to the kitchen to grab lunch with Stephen. As you started to walk out, Stephen said, “Uh, hold on, one sec.” 

“Why? Something wrong?” you asked, your brows furrowing. 

“No, no. Uh, how would you feel about going out to eat?” he asked. 

“Sure, where were you thinking?” you wondered. 

“How about dinner on the beaches of Bora Bora?” he inquired as he opened a portal and before you was the most magnificent sight you’d ever seen. Pinks and blues paint the sky as a warm, inviting beach had gentle waves lapping on the beach. The salty mist of the ocean wafted in at you through the open portal. 

A table with two chairs and candles were directly in focus of you. 

You turned to him in awe. “I--Are we allowed?” you wondered.

‘Yes, I actually asked permission,” he informed. 

“You? Asking permission? I’m in disbelief.” 

He rolled his eyes while smiling. “Would you like to join me or not?” he questioned, knowing full well you did. 

“Yes,” you quietly answered. 

The two of you walked through the gateway, and the smell of the ocean hit you, making you feel relaxed instantly. Stephen walked you over to the table, pulled a chair out for you, then took a seat himself. 

“How exactly did you manage to pull all of this off?” you wondered. 

“I called down here, after getting permission from the Ancient One, and informed them we’d like a beach side reservation for two at this time.” 

“How did you know I’d say yes?” 

“You’re a hopeless romantic, that’s how,” he informed with a smirk that made his eyes light up and you couldn’t argue with him. 

“What did you say to the Ancient One?” you asked as a waiter came by to fill your glasses with lemon water. “How did you convince her to let us come here?” 

He bobbed his head. “I promised to stop opening gateways in the library to steal from Wong. And, Kamar-Taj isn’t a prison, Y/N, we can leave anytime we like. Or you, should you desire to leave at any point. We’re allowed to leave the temple.”

“Well yes, but using your sorcery for frivolous trips like this …”

“I may have also mentioned how… trying I’ve been to you. How awful I was when you first arrived at my apartment and how I have yet to make up for all the things you’ve done for me. Knowing that we’re soulmates and that you and I haven't done anything else to upset the balance at Kamar-Taj--”

“Other than you stealing library books. I told you not to do that. I order you to give those back,” you reminded sternly. 

“Right, other than my petty borrowing, we have been perfect students. She didn’t see any reason why we couldn’t steal away for an hour or two.” 

“That was very kind of her, and thoughtful of you. Thank you for this.” 

He made a face of dismissiveness. “Oh, it’s nothing.” 

You shook your head, laughing. “Is it nothing because you’ve been here with another girl, perhaps? A repeat offender?”

“Are you trying to see if I’ve taken Christine here?” he asked, eyeing the menu.

“Her, or any one else.” 

“To assuage your jealousy, no. I’ve never taken anyone here. Christine and I never left New York together, let alone go anywhere exotic. No, I’ve actually been here by myself. A little graduation present from my family.”

“Oh, that must’ve been nice. A family vacation out here.” 

“Wasn’t a family vacation. They sent me alone.” 

“Oh,” you said, sounding sorrowful and embarrassed. 

He put down his menu. “It’s okay, Y/N. You had no way of knowing. But yes, my family and I are not close. They’re rich and after the passing of my sister, we all grew rather distant.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” 

“Well, it’s been many years now. Let’s not dwell on it,” he encouraged with a smile. “So, what looks good to you?”

“Uh, a lot, actually,” you said, picking up the menu. 

“Same. Typically, the only tough choices I ever have are ordering from a menu,” he mused. 

“Really? What about letting me stay? Was that a tough choice?” 

“I didn’t choose that, you barged it,” he retorted with a bit of whimsy.

“Oh, like you couldn’t stop me or call the cops. You wanted me to stay. Why I’m not sure. I mean, I know now why you were so upset, but back then… why did you let me stay?”

He let out a small sigh, setting his menu down. “Because, for some inexplicable reason, the moment I saw you, I felt… better… whole.. I’m not entirely sure. When I was with Christine or any other woman for that matter, I never felt as if… I wanted to let them in. I never wanted them to see me weak, fail, hear about my past, my family. Any of it. When Christine tried to care for me, I resented her for it. I didn’t want her or anyone else to know how broken I was, inside and out. But for some reason, when you saw me, I looked in your eyes and sort of thought ‘everything’s going to be okay’.”

Somehow, you’d leaned close into him at the table, getting enraptured in him. 

“I knew you weren’t going to think less of me, and since I was at rock bottom when you met me, I thought the only place I could go is up. For some reason, I took a leap of faith with you that I’d never done with anyone else. You seem to make me do that. Do things I wouldn’t normally do, take risks I wouldn’t normally take. Believe in things I never thought possible.”

“I had no idea I had that effect on you. I thought it was only me,” you noted in amazement.

“Well you do, and while I haven’t said officially, I do want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I hope I can return the favor one day.”

“I hope you return the favor for many days,” you breathed. The second it was out of your mouth you realized what you had said, and the implications behind it. 

The more time you spent with Stephen, the more complicated things were with you and Charles. You loved both of these men, equally. Both were set to complete your soul. But you knew one day, you’d have to choose. One man for one lifetime, that’s how it worked, right?

One day, you would have to pick a man to live with, marry, spend the rest of your life with. 

How do you do that when one half of your heart loves one, and the other half loves the other? 

“I do too,” he said with a bit of a grin. 

The two of you ordered and chit-chatted about his training. Eventually conversation flowed into your younger years of college and friends. You had told him about Jenny, a topic that really hadn’t surfaced much. You couldn’t imagine what Jenny would think of your life right now. You made a note to reach out to her to see what she was up to. She was giddy with excitement when she found out you had one soulmate, when she found out you had two, she would absolutely flip. 

He told you funny stories about the OR, you told him some wild stories about your patients. The two of you seemed to be in stitches all night before returning to the temple to go back to the daily grind of training, but the rest of the day, you spent it as if you were in a honeymoon phase.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[babywarg]

Drpepperony with Stephen thinking Tony and Pepper are just using him to spice up their sex life, but they're actually in love with him. The dumbass just keeps leaving before they can tell him and barely stays around unless it's for sex

Hello, anon! May I point you to this excellent fic by White_Sparrow: Stay over if you can, which I believe suits this lovely prompt better? In the meantime, I shamelessly go off-tangent and hope anon likes it anyway, angst and sap and all 💖

Idea came to me while listening to an old fave: “Addictive” by Faithless.

Dependence

Pepper didn’t need to say she was worried about him.

Tony was, too.

So when she proposed that they talk to him, Tony offered no resistance.

“The trouble is getting him to stick around,” Tony pointed out. “Remember that time we tried to trick him into staying for breakfast?”

“I think he stopped taking our calls for days after that, too,” Pepper thoughtfully replied.

Tony made a small sound of assent. “Of course, Wong just said he was busy, so we can’t be sure…”

“He’s avoiding us for a reason, Tony.” Pepper sounded absolutely sure about this. “I just want to find out what. And if it’s a good reason…we can let him go, right?”

The words “let him go” got to him in a bad way. Like a punch to the gut. A wrenching. It hadn’t even happened yet, but it already brought on pain.

Maybe Pepper could let him go easily. As for himself…he wasn't too sure.

He laid a hand on Pepper’s shoulder. As if sensing the turmoil in his touch, Pepper leaned into it.

“I know,” she murmured, in reply to the unsaid. “I’ll miss him a lot, too. But if it’s what he needs, we have no choice.”

 ***

“There’s nothing going on with me.”

Stephen sounded genuinely puzzled. Not to mention a bit irritated. He seemed to be determined to make himself unlikeable, so Tony and Pepper would let him go right away.

…but it was really hard for them to find reason to hate on someone they’d already seen stark naked and begging, skin slick with sweat, mouth hanging open as he skirted the edge of climax.

Tony had to mentally clamp down on his arousal. Was it going to happen every time? The sorcerer would say something deliberately inflammatory, and he would flash back to so many vulnerable moments?

Well, Tony said to himself, maybe that wasn’t so bad.

“If that’s it, I can go, right?”

“No,” Pepper said sternly. Stephen frowned at her. “Stephen…we just want to know why you’re avoiding us.”

“I’m not avoiding you,” Stephen argued.

“Yeah? My five unanswered calls since Monday say otherwise,” Tony argued back. “Look - we’re adults. We should just be able to talk about stuff.”

For a moment it looked like Stephen was going to get angry. But he shut his eyes instead, let out a long, slow breath.

“I agree. Let’s be adults about this.” He straightened up in his chair, far from relaxed. “I’ll just lay it out: I have an addictive personality. I’m sensing the warning signs of addiction in myself. So I’m staying away from triggers.”

Tony and Pepper looked at each other, alarmed.

“Triggers?” Tony echoed. “From us?”

“Stephen,” Pepper began in a somber, almost pleading tone, “if there’s anything we’re doing that triggers you in any way, you can let us know. We’ll do our best to avoid it.”

“Damn right we will,” Tony supplied. “So what is it? Sex? Drink? Food? Casual conversation? I gotta say, if you ask me, we haven’t been having nearly enough of any of that - ”

“Please don’t make light of this,” Stephen said, almost too softly to hear. He ran a hand over the lower half of his face in frustration.

“I’m not making light of it,” Tony answered. To emphasize, he leaned forward and laid a reassuring hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “You’re talking to a man who knows all about addictions. And the fallout from them. I’m sorry I’m…not as refined as Pep. But I hope you know we both mean it when we say we want to help.”

Stephen took his time answering. It seemed to Tony all the while that Stephen was shrinking from his touch - was all but shrugging his hand off his shoulder.

In the end, however, Stephen took his hand, and pressed it to his lips.

“How can you possibly help,” he asked, without looking either Tony or Pepper in the eye, “when it’s the two of you I’m addicted to?”

On the other side of Stephen, Pepper reached out and quickly took his hand and Tony’s in both of her own. She knew it was not a good time to talk, and Tony trusted her instinct, shut up duly.

“You remember,” Stephen continued, encouraged by the silence. “That first time, in the penthouse of Stark Tower…I said yes only after you said it was one less regret.”

One less what-if. Yes. Tony remembered. He still occasionally gloated to Pepper about managing that one.

“Even now I’m wondering if I regret saying yes.” He finally looked up, met Tony’s eyes. He squeezed Pepper’s hand tightly. “I can’t sleep. I can barely eat. I can’t get either of you out of my head. When I succeed in not thinking of one of you, I get to thinking of the other. And when fate is feeling especially vengeful, I’m bombarded with thoughts of you both.”

Pepper laid her other hand on Stephen’s arm, and Stephen seemed to tense up from that, too.

Touch-starved was the word that came to Tony’s mind. He noticed it that first time in the penthouse. He would notice it again now, even as Stephen seemed to want to avoid being touched.

Triggers, he’d said.

“And you think this is addiction?” Pepper gently asked.

“It can’t be anything else.” The reply sounded absolute. “I recognized the signs some weeks back. When I woke up in the middle of the night embraced by you both. And my only thought was, I could do with a lifetime of this.”

Tony knew the feeling well. He had it several times a day. Whenever both Pepper and Stephen were around.

The thought of it as an addiction…amused him.

And made him realize that Stephen’s lack of experience with the feeling made him prone to misunderstanding it.

He glanced over at Pepper, and knew she was thinking the same thing. They’d discussed how Stephen seemed to be out of touch with his own emotions, a couple of times before.

“If we keep it to sex, and make it occasional, I can manage it,” Stephen said, sounding almost desperate. “If it doesn’t go further…”

“But let’s say, hypothetically,” Tony interrupted, “let’s say it’s not an addiction. Why shouldn’t it go further?”

Stephen shot a questioning look at him. He reached out and touched Stephen’s cheek.

“My point is, you may be confusing addiction with something else.” He gave that cheek the lightest of slaps, before withdrawing his hand. “Which you are highly likely to do, because you are an idiot.”

“Still a doctor,” Stephen protested, his offense genuine. “I did take up the workings of the human body and brain in school.”

“I’m no doctor, but I can come up with a couple of other diagnoses,” Pepper offered. “Fear of rejection. Fear of intimacy. Fear of loss. In a word: fear. Something that has less to do with the human body, and more to do with human emotion. You know…” She ran a hand through his hair. “…that part of you that you seem to like ignoring.”

At that instant, Stephen seemed to have forgotten that being touched made him nervous. He relaxed under Pepper’s fingertips.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered to him. “We’ll take care of that, if you’ll let us.”

He looked at her - confused, but calmer. “What are you…proposing, exactly?”

“Just that we want to get to know you better,” she answered, smiling. “We want to know more than what you like in bed.”

“And we want you to get to know us better, too.” Tony hooked his arm around Stephen’s, grasped his hand tightly. “You’re already a part of our lives, Stephen. We want to be a part of your life, too. And if in the long run, it doesn’t work out -” He winked at Stephen. “- it’s at least one less regret, right?”

Stephen gripped Tony’s hand, and his shaking was undeniable. For only a second.

Then his grip relaxed, and he breathed a sigh of relief, for what felt like the first time in a long time.

[foxcantswim]

Astral - IronStrange

@sammythedragon1 @averagemarvelbitch @nineandthreequarters9 @magitech27 @do-i-draw-or-write-this​ @stark-eftychia​

Set a few months after the events of Endgame. (Spoilers)

The Avengers compound was currently under re-construction. Stephen goes to Tony's lab every so often, hoping to find a way to make his life normal again.

(STEPHEN CALLING TONY ‘ANTHONY’ MAKES ME WEAK)

Fluff/Angst

IronStrange + Best gurl Goose

-x-

Stephen sat in Tony's lab. His shaking hands clasped together as he leaned back in his seat, eyes shut tight. He let out a sigh before opening his eyes after a few silent moments. Another pair of eyes met his. Green and bright.

With a raised eyebrow, Stephen spoke, "What are you looking at?"

A simple meow was the response.

Shaking his head, he looked around the room. The destroyed remains of the original Gauntlet lay across a table in the far corner. That always bought back bad memories. The damaged Iron Man suit stood nearby.

Another meow.

The sorcerer looked back at the 'cat'.

"Why do I have to babysit you?" he mumbled to himself, looking down at his hands.

Meow.

The 'cat' just sat there upon the table, occasionally looking around before looking back directly into Stephen's eyes.

"What are you trying to do? Hypnotize me?"

Stephen wasn't the biggest fan of the Flerken species.

"And who the hell names a ‘cat’: Goose?"

Goose replied with another meow.

"Don't tell me you actually like it!?" he said leaning forward.

Goose's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're already insufferable..."

"Hey! You leave Goose alone!" the voice made Stephen jump.

Stephen looked over his shoulder, "Jesus, Tony. You could've warned me."

"What did you want me to do?" Tony asked, approaching, "Tap you on the shoulder?" he moved his hand towards Stephen. His hand faded through the sorcerer, "Oh, yeah, I forgot. I can't actually touch anything."

Stephen smiled, rolling his eyes, "Okay, okay." he stood and faced Tony, the slight glow coming from his astral form almost mesmerizing.

Tony looked over at Goose, her head tilted slightly, "You should leave Goose alone. She is a good cat and doesn't deserve your abuse."

"She is not a cat. It is a Flerken. An evil creature that could kill us at any moment."

"Well... She could kill you." Tony joked, "For I am invincible."

"That doesn't help the situation."

Goose stood and walked to the edge of the table, meowing as she did.

"Oh, I know, Goosey." Tony said, "The nasty wizard won't give you food. He is the evil creature, not you."

"Goose doesn't need food. She's greedy enough as it is. She ate the Eye of Agamotto earlier." he said in clear frustration.

"How dare you!" Tony said in mock offence, "Goose holds this team together and you want to tear it apart."

"I love how you're taking the side of a Flerken over me."

Tony shrugged, "Goose is innocent."

"If you don't keep quiet I will destroy the inventions that survived Thanos' attack."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Really?"

"Honestly... I'm fine with you destroying my stuff as long as you don't mention that purple asshole again."

Stephen nodded, "You're right. Sorry."

"It's alright, babe." Tony replied with a sad smile, "Just... tell me you've made some progress."

"Ehhh..." Stephen started, "Kind of." he sighed as he sat back down, head in his hands, "It's not so simple."

"I just need a body, right? Can't you just go back and-"

"No. Your body was heavily damaged. Putting your astral form back into your body would end up killing you." he paused, "I did suggest putting your astral form into an Iron Man suit. Of course you would have to guide me and help me build one."

"I already told you no. A suit isn't a real body."

"What do you want me to do? Put you inside of Goose?" he leaned back and motioned towards the Flerken.

Goose cocked her head to the side and meowed, clearly worried.

"There is no way you are putting me into a cat, Stephen."

"Flerken."

"Flerken." Tony paused, "A very cute Flerken." Tony's hand moved towards Goose before he paused, his hand freezing.

Stephen noticed Tony's face drop, "Hey, Anthony... I promise we will work something out. Okay?" he quickly stood up to stand face-to-face to him once again.

Tony's hand lowered before he looked at Stephen. His eyes glossed over, "You promise?"

"I promise." he smiled. A low chuckled escaped him, "You sure you don't want a Flerken for a body?"

"I am 100% sure, Stephen. I'm not sure people would be too comfortable with you making out with a cat."

"Flerken."

"Fucking Flerken!"

"I'm not sure they would like to see me fucking a Flerken either."

"You said that Goose was insufferable... But really you are." Tony mumbled.

Genuine smiles were both on their faces.

Stephen clenched his fists.

"I wish I could hold your hands to help stop them shaking." Tony whispered.

"It's okay. As long as you're here, I'll be fine..." he took a shaky breath, "But if it ever becomes too much for you, Anthony... If you can't stand being in your astral form. You can go. You can be in peace. I'll make i-"

"Stephen." he said, firmly, "I'll never leave you. Never."

Stephen nodded, his eyes flickered between Tony and the Flerken. His eyes finally stayed on Goose to his left, "I'm slowly becoming uncomfortable with this Flerken watching us."

"If you don't leave Goosey alone I will make her eat you."

Chuckling, Stephen looked over Tony. His heart melted. He wanted to help Tony. He would do anything to help him. He wanted to go back and somehow get Tony's body from some point in time. But after living through a few hundred possibilities, all the outcomes turned out negative.

"I've been thinking, Tony..." he finally spoke.

"Whenever you think, something bad happens."

"Not all the time." he replied, "Only about 95% of the time."

Tony laughed, "Okay. What have you been thinking about?"

"You might not like this... But what if I forced myself into my astral form. So I could be with you."

Tony froze, "Wh-What? What do you-"

Stephen stepped closer, "I could be with you. In the astral dimension."

He shook his head, "You can't do that, Stephie. What if you want to go back and you can't?"

"I won't want to go back."

"The Avengers need you. The world needs you." Tony tried to reason.

"But I need you."

A sad smile appeared on Tony's face, "You're so stubborn."

"Not as stubborn as you."

Tony groaned, "Okay, okay. How about... We try to figure something out for another month. If nothing comes up. I will consider going into an Iron Man suit."

"A month?"

"Exactly a month." Tony nodded, "I don't think I will make it a month... But it will be worth it. I love you."

Stephen couldn't stop the smile from appearing on his face, "I love you, too, Tony."

Goose gave a low meow. It was somehow possible to see the disgust on Goose's face.

"Don't worry little Goosey. I love you, too." Tony spoke. He then winked, "And just between you and me. I love you more than Stephie."

"You wound me, Stark." he paused, "Could you help me build a suit in the meantime? It could be fun."

"Yeah. As long as you teach me some of your weird Hogwarts magic-y stuff."

"Hogwarts? Magic-y stuff? You sound like Peter. You have somehow wounded me again."

Tony chuckled, "It will take a while but we can do it."

"The faster we get it done the better. I could put your astral form into the suit temporarily if you ever want a hug."

"Seriously?" Tony asked with hope, "Okay. We're starting. Right now. Go. Go and get-"

Tony was cut off by a horrifying sound. It was wet and awful. They both quickly realised that it was Goose.

"Oh, god..." Stephen said.

"No! Goose!" Tony pointed at the Flerken, "Do not throw up on my table! Goose!"

Of course...

She didn't listen.

The sound was horrifying. They both would never forget the sound.

"Lets get to building that suit." Stephen said. He couldn't seem to look away from the wet mess on the table. The Eye of Agamotto was clearly in the middle of all the slop. He slowly started to walk away.

"Now hang on." Tony replied, "Shouldn't you pick that eye up or...?"

"No. I'm building this suit so you can pick it up. So get to it." Stephen walked back over, with a familiar device in his hand, "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart." he smiled, his hand was tight around an arc reactor.

"Oh, shut up." Tony rolled his eyes, but a smile remained on his face.

Goose meowed, acting innocent.

Stephen turned to Goose, still smiling. His free hand came up to pet Goose on the head, "Good cat." he said with a sigh.

"Flerken."

"Shut up, Stark."

"Never, Strange."

[amethyst-noir]

Hi, I’m exhausted and rather lonely. You are one of my favorite ironstrange writers, you hold the number one spot, so I was wondering if you have angst with a happy ending that you have hidden away? That would be amazing, if you’re too busy, don’t worry. I totally understand.

Oh Anon, I’m so sorry. I wish I could help. Do virtual hugs count? I’m really glad that you like my writing so much (you made me so happy, really! 💞) Sadly, I have no pre-made Angst ready - just messy WIPs and too many ideas - and the one I started after your message has gotten a little bit longer and more complicated than originally planned. I can offer a little bit of H/C tomorrow or the day after but in the meantime I think you need some uncomplicated happiness:

“You okay?”

“Hm. Hm.” Stephen didn’ttake his eyes off the setting sun but he shifted enough to give Tony enoughspace to slip between him and the sun warmed wall behind him.

“Hey,” Tony greeted him softlyafter he arranged them into a comfortable position and put his chin on Stephen’sshoulder. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered into Stephen’s ear and hisbreath made Stephen shiver.

He leaned back into Tony’s loosehold with a sigh and closed his tired eyes. “I’ve missed you too,” heconfessed and smiled when a hand found its way under his tunic and came to reston the bare skin of his stomach. For now it was doing nothing, just puttingwelcome pressure on his skin, but Stephen knew that Tony wouldn’t manage tokeep still for long. Tony’s boundless energy was just one of the many, manythings he loved about him. The night would get interesting, he already knewthat and looked forward to it. “But I’m here now.”

“Thank the Vi-whatever,”Tony mutter and Stephen bit back a laugh.

“Bad day?”

“I’ve had better.” Tony’stone of voice made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about it. “But theevening is looking great so far.”

“You like sunsets?”

“I like everything with you init.” He turned his head to kiss Stephen’s exposed neck. “Can you staythe night?” Love and longing and hope - all mixed together. Stephenswallowed to keep the threatening tears down, cursing himself for the thousandthtime for not being able to give Tony what he needed. But he could give Tony thenight. And the next day. And maybe - hopefully - the one after that.

“I’m yours for the next fewdays.” There. He’d done it. Challenged to Universe. Do not take thisaway from him. Me. Us.

“Great. What now?”

“Now you’re going to hold meand we’re going to watch the sunset together. Then we’ll see where the nighttakes us.”

“Or where I will takeyou.”

This time the laugh escaped. Tony wasso predictable; Stephen adored it beyond words.

“Maybe out here, on the terrace, stones still warm from the sun?” he suggested dryly and could feel Tonygrin against his skin.

“Maybe. If your Cloak deignsitself to join us - we’re not rolling around on the ground.”

Stephen looked up at the Cloak,floating peacefully near them and also trying to catch the last rays of thesetting sun. It was even more like the cat Tony accused him regularly to be. Itraised a corner to signal its consent.

“I think that can be arranged.”In answer Tony just tightened his hold around him and consciously matched hisbreathing to Stephen’s.

Together they watched the sun setand the stars come out.

🦋

I hope you feel better now, my dear. Hopefully this made you happy. Angst and H/C soon but now was time for sweetness with a tiny hint of darker things. 💫

[dawnquafam]

I came up with an A4 theory to make an A4 angst post

So I found this post yesterday confirming time travel is a major part of Avengers 4, which is nice but not really surprising - except for the Five years of time after Infinity War bit.

Five years after Infinity War.

Now, it’s easy enough to guess why they would time travel into the past to fix the present. But... going deeper into a broken future? That doesn’t make sense. You can’t protect the Stones in a future where Thanos controls them, or save the dissolved in a future where they’re long dead. So why do it?

Simple answer: They wouldn’t.

I don’t remember if it was a rumor, a theory, a rumor-based theory, or just some random idea, but that line would seem to support this: The living don’t remember the dissolved.

And if they don’t remember the dissolved, of course it would take years to figure out there’s a broken timeline to fix.

Now, this has flaws. Obviously, they were all grieving in the immediate aftermath of the snap. Thanos clearly remembered his victory. And how would that explain the damage caused by crashing vehicles and whatnot as their drivers and pilots disappeared?

Perhaps Thanos remembers because he was the one who snapped his fingers, and the Stones protected him from any memory loss. Perhaps for the rest, it was simply a matter of time before their memories faded away, altered like Hermione’s parents’ memories in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

(Gifs not mine, got em from Google)

Which would also leave the avenue for realizing something’s wrong. Some of the people left behind - notably Shuri, Tony, and Bruce - are geniuses. Two of them, Shuri and Tony, lost somebody incredibly important to them in the snap (and technically Bruce lost Betty, but she hasn't been mentioned in the MCU proper, so idk if they'll acknowledge that). And the rest of them are far from stupid, and also lost people they loved. You know they would be scratching their heads, something niggling at the back of their minds, just the gut feeling the something is wrong. They’d just have to put the clues together.

But in the meantime, back to the original purpose of this post, you know what this means?

Thor doesn’t remember Sif, half of his people, or his new friend Tree who helped him hold it together after losing Heimdall and Loki.

Tony, May, Ned, and MJ don’t remember Peter.

Rocket doesn’t remember his entire family.

Nebula doesn’t remember Gamora.

Shuri, Ramonda, Okoye, M’Baku, and Nakia don’t remember T’Challa.

Wong and Christine don’t remember Stephen.

Steve doesn’t remember Sam and Bucky.

Clint doesn’t remember Wanda.

Nobody remembers Fury or Hill.

Half the universe. Entirely forgotten. By everyone who ever loved them.

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Stephen is in desperate need of some TLC as he nears the end of his search for the one timeline where the Avengers defeat Thanos...

Inexorably, the burden of that bitter knowledge, and the continual isolation of his solitary mission, brought Stephen to the brink of debilitation, the ache in his heart become quite literal.  Though he managed to hide the depth of his despair from Wong on his periodic visits back to Earth, there was no hiding it from himself. He recognized that he needed more than rest for his mind, body, soul. Now he craved sympathy and understanding.  Consolation.  Some show of tenderness, sourced from a loving heart—so that his own heart harkened back to the sound of Hope’s voice calling to him from outside the Sanctum door, like a sweet promise that she could be the perfect balm for the inescapable ache perpetually centered in his chest.

Still, he was extremely cautious the first several times he opened that door, for Hope’s sake and for what might be the collateral effect their interaction could have upon the timeline.  Stephen could see without her needing to speak a word, how the events of the past few days had worn her down.  That she had been frightened and sleep-deprived at first, and now was clearly exhausted, but calm and brave enough to chance a trip across the city—a good portion of which she must’ve done on foot, given the disarray Wong had described as having fallen upon the streets outside.  Each time she had come to him, she had let her backpack slide to the floor before moving into his open arms, her voice muffled as she pressed her face against his shoulder, telling him how happy and relieved she was to see him alive.  Stephen would close his eyes as he rocked her gently, her body in his arms vital with beautiful life, a fierce little flame that clung to him and warmed his heart and banished for that little while the weight of the task that he could never escape.

Soon she would raise her head, and back away enough to observe him, her eyes widening as she noted the bloody gash and cuts on his face, and then reached with soft, tentative fingers to soothe his brow.  Hope’s concern for him was palpable, and she swiftly reversed their roles, leading him to sit beside her on that same, long settee where Tony Stark had listened to Wong tell the story of the Infinity Stones.

Sometimes, the words spilled from his mouth in a rushed jumble, so that she had to take his face in her hands to get him to slow down and try to make some sense.  Other times, Stephen had told her he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet, and that he’d rather sit a while and just hold her.  Holding on.  Memorizing the spray of pale freckles across the bridge of her nose, and the stands of dark honey threaded through her auburn hair, and how her voice caught when she didn’t want to break down again, doing her best to be strong for his sake. Someone being strong for him for a change.

And sometimes what he wanted most was just to feel her needing him as simply Stephen, and would insist she share her story in full before he spoke a word of his.  Hope couldn’t tell it without the tears finally overwhelming her—so that more than once, he had held her while she trembled and cried, absorbing her grief and pain into himself—and though he was comforting her, somehow she was giving him so much more.  Perhaps because this comfort was one-on-one, uncomplicated and easy to give right from the deep well of his lonesome heart; perhaps because she was a reminder of his own humanity, a physical and emotional connection which promised that life would go on eventually—Hope representing all the beautiful things that made life worth the journey, even amidst heartbreak and pain.  And perhaps because somehow to do this for her gave him comfort of sorts, while her kind, gentle nature and her perpetual optimism—qualities which had drawn him to her from the day they’d met—restored his soul more than any interludes of meditation and sleep, at any point throughout his mission, had actually done...

[letmewritemylife]

Home Is Where You Are Not (Part 1)

Home is where you can’t reach me. - 8kids (Ich gehöre dir nicht)

A/N Oh yeah, good old angst. But tbh Lara is too baby to deserve this

TRIGGER WARNINGS Implied demonic possession (is that a thing? idk), implied past abuse

‘Das ist nicht mein Mann’, sagt sie sich immer wieder während sie im Zug alle anstarren.*

She adjusts her sunglasses with the back of a hand, trying harder than ever to ignore all those eyes set on her. Why can’t anyone mind their own business? With a sigh, she collapses on her chair, focusing on the report before her. At least Feige didn’t question her unusually covering clothes. Then, she lets out a breath, glad beyond imagination by what she has just read. Luckily, this time her mission doesn’t include going undercover at a party full of male guests. She could not bear it again. He could not bear it again.

She is walking back and forth across the Sanctum library, arms crossed tightly on her chest in defense. Sh*t. Sh*t. Sh*t. She collapses on the couch and buries her face in her hands, sobbing weakly. “How does one even break a wall of a high-security cell?” 

A shaking hand tentatively sets on her shoulder and she turns around to wrap Stephen in her arms, nestling her face in the crook of his neck. The sorcerer waits for a moment, as if to wait for any signal to stop, but upon receiving none he pulls her closer. All his attempts to steady his hands turn vain and he lets out an exasperated sigh. “You’re safe here,” he murmurs against the side of her face, but they both know very well that, despite how sad it may sound, it’s not true at all.

But she nods all the same, appreciating the effort. She pecks his cheek and closes her eyes. “Please, just once, stop time, let me live in peace a little more,” she thinks, tightening her grip around his shoulders.

Stephen brings a hand to the top of her hand and begins slowly caressing her hair, his scarred fingers getting stuck in the silky strands. Witnessing her fear, he doesn’t have the heart to tell her how dangerous the situation may actually be, regardless of some psychopath escaping jail. “One doesn’t simply break a wall of a high-security jail.” But what scares him the most in the fact that no guard or prisoner seems to remember anything about those damn two hours. Absolutely no one. And that assh*le clearly doesn't have enough money to corrupt an entire prison.

She swallows heavily, holding back a sob. “I just wanted to move on,” she whispers.

He doesn’t say anything and instead pulls her closer, brushing his lips against the side of her face. “I know.”

Contrary to Lara’s deepest wishes, time slips fast and the previously sunny sky is quickly covered by clouds. Snow begins falling and Lara raises her gaze from Stephen’s shoulder to watch it as it covers New York with unusual delicacy. She lets out a breath and leans with the side of her face on Stephen’s shoulder, closing her eyelids in an almost desperate attempt to calm down.

When Stephen’s lips brush her forehead, a smile creeps on her lips. She opens her eyes and cups the sorcerer’s face in her hands, almost laughing at his confused expression. “Thank you for being here with me,” she whispers in a tone that is much sadder than it was intended to be.

His lips turn slightly upwards, even though he can’t shake off the lingering feeling that something bad is about to happen. “Anytime.” When his eyes set on her, he remembers the promise he made to himself many years before, on a cold night of that mess of a year that 2020 had been.

It was almost dawn and he had woken up after a nightmare. Nothing unusual, Dormammu had been tormenting him for years back then. What was still painfully unusual was, however, waking up without someone ready to calm him, someone who had most likely had a nightmare too, but didn’t want to admit it, someone who would talk with him about the most random topic until they both would fall asleep.

That void had been painful for him since the first moment, he knew that. But on that specific night loneliness came accompanied by regret: regret for never openly appreciating that pair of blue eyes shining beside him, comforting him, distracting him, fighting away whatever demon had been haunting his dreams. And that was the night he decided to never take for granted those precious people keeping him grounded and never expect them to just know how much he cared about them.

Now, those blue eyes are right in front of him, studying his face. He lets out a breath, a sudden knot in his throat. “Lara, I-”

His awkward attempt at explaining his emotions is stopped by Lara pressing her lips to his, almost as if she already knew what he was about to say. When they part, any chance to go back to their conversation is destroyed by a message on Lara’s phone and a request from Elize: “Come here before Lilith kills your brother.”

When Lara steps out of the portal Stephen has promptly conjured, Lilith is one step away from breaking Jonathan’s skull against the wall. “Jonathan Houghton, I swear if you go after him-”

He laughs sarcastically. “You’ll do what? Treat me like sh*t? Would be no novelty.”

She sighs loudly, trying to bring the conversation back to calmer tones. “Jon, I’ll handle this situation just fine on my own, you don’t need to worry.”

“You told me the same when we arrested him and here we are!” He screams, his face as red as Lilith’s pants. “I SHOULD’VE KILLED HIM MONTHS AGO!”

Lilith clenches her fists and raises her voice too, not caring about disturbing the poor neighbours. "You dumb idiot, not everything's about you and your sister!" She takes a step towards him, her eyes locked on his. "If you do this, you may get hurt."

He arches an eyebrow. "And since when do you care so much about me?"

She opens her mouth slightly, then she finds enough self-control not to answer. "Whatever. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Houghton." Without further explanation, she walks out of the flat, pushing Stephen out of her way.

Jonathan watches her as she leaves, barely able to hold back further insults, and is only woken up from his tranche by Lara placing a hand on his arm. “Is everything alright?” she asks with astonishing calm, surprising not only Jonathan but herself too.

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Elle,” he mumbles, moving his gaze frantically between the parquet and her face.

She bites her bottom lip, catching with the corner of her eye his laptop still laying on the couch, Google Maps open on the screen. “What did you call me for?”

He throws a glance at Stephen, who is standing in perfect silence beside Elize, and the man ponders whom among his sister and the sorcerer he’d rather have by his side to commit murder. “We- actually, Lilith found Main.” He reaches for his laptop and moves it on the nearby table to let her the map. “He’s supposed to be with an uncertain number of agents here,” he says moving the cursor on the screen. “Near Whitman, Nebraska. We suspect he’s occupying an abandoned base.”

She nods and, leaning with her palms on the wooden surface of the table, she straightens herself. “And when are we leaving?”

He blinks a few times, unsure if he’s more surprised or concerned. “I- I didn’t think you wanted to-”

“Why shouldn’t I want to come?” she asks, arching a brow as a smirk paints her lips.

Jonathan would like to reply, but judging by her reddened eyes he understands his sister is going through that phase after a breakdown in which she is the most stubborn. Sure not to be able to convince her not to come, he nods. “We may as well leave now.”

Elize joins the conversation, hands buried deeply in the pockets of her sweatshirt. “Shouldn’t you, you know… inform S.H.I.E.L.D. of this little trip of yours?”

Jonathan scoffs, pleased to be able to throw out the remains of his anger towards Lilith. “Miss America doesn’t give a f*ck about this thing, last time it took me more to convince him than to actually get to Oklahoma City.”

Elize is about to reply, hoping to use Stephen’s clear disagreement with Jonathan’s plan to her advantage, but Lara stops her. “Yeah, don’t worry, Liz. We’ll be fine.”

She sighs loudly, putting so much effort into not reminding the two idiots - no, sibling, the two siblings - about all the other times they were supposed to “be fine” and almost died. “Whatever, have fun. Now I have to make a call.” She leaves to her room, damning whoever forgot to give her friends a little common sense. Luckily, her girlfriend is used to their stubborness mixed with pure idiocy and won’t miss a single step of them.

In the meantime, as Jonathan is in his room, reading his gun to hopefully shoot some assh*le, Lara finds herself staring out of the window of the living room, her gaze following the cars running below her. Something deep inside her hopes not to see any dark grey SUV. 

A shaking hand lingers on her waist, failing to bring her back to reality completely. Stephen lets out a deep breath, the side of his face brushing her hair. “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean… Yo- I-” God, how come his brain always short-cuts around her?

She smirks and leans against his side, enjoying the sight of the former world renowned neurosurgeon and now Master of the Mystic Arts Doctor Stephen Strange stammering like a shy boy offering his snack to his pretty classmate.

Her amusement does nothing but make the sorcerer blush until his face is almost of the same colour as Lara’s boots. “I… I lo-”

And once again she cuts him off by pressing an affectionate kiss to his cheek, definitely throwing all of his brain cells out of the window. Or at least it seems so, because otherwise the far from stupid man would have noticed the curious way Lara always feels like kissing him when he’s about to say those damn three words. After quickly pecking his lips, she runs a finger along his jaw. “You can come with us, if you want to,” she says with a strange glint in her eyes that makes Stephen wince.

He nods just before a cough behind them prevents him from going back to his previous point. Jonathan arches a brow, throwing Stephen a look that could kill, an option way scarier considering the loaded gun in his holster. “Are you guys done or you need a room?”

Stephen huffs and before the other man can even acknowledge it, he has portaled the three of them inside their intended base of destination. Jonathan just stops a broom from falling on his head and throws a glance around the dark closet. “You know this place’s abandoned, right?” he groans to Stephen, but the sorcerer arches a brow.

“Like that one in Washington?”

“It was one time.”

“Already too much.”

“What’s the matter with you two?” Lara comments, her arms crossed as she stands between the two men.

“Your boyfriend doesn’t trust me!” Jonathan whines.

“I would trust if you weren’t so stupid all the time,” Stephen replies, rolling his eyes.

Lara huffs and damns the day she decided to make them meet. “Join me when you’re done,” she says before leaving the two to their banter.

The hallway is empty, dust dancing in the air and shining when hit by sunlight. To Lara’s left, broken emergency stairs lead outside, where heavy snowfalls have covered everything but a narrow street surrounding the building. The whitish emergency door, with the stained glass on the top half broken, has been knocked off and leans useless against a wall, letting in the freezing wind of Nebraska’s winter.

Lara walks down the other end of the hallway, her boots leaving prints on the dirty floor. She hasn’t even got to the end of the corridor, when a strong stink of sulfur fills her nostrils. Her inner chemist takes over and she begins scanning her mind, searching for all possible compounds containing sulfur that could be found in a place like that. As her magic proceeds to isolate it, Lara walks to an unusually dark door and upon touching it she confirms that it’s been burnt all over its surface. She pushes it carefully, black ashes covering her palms, and she steps inside what used to be a laboratory, shattered glass and damaged tools scattered on the floor.

Before she can even realize what is going on, something wraps around her neck and her vision goes blurry. A voice gets inside her head, mumbling words in one of those strange languages Stephen sometimes speaks in with supernatural creatures. The only sentence she can recognize is a long series of fake apologies spoken by someone she knows too well. And then nothing.

*“That’s not my man,” she tells herself over and over while everyone on the train stares at her.

[sinvulkt]

Thanks for answering !!

Signature Move was the first longfic I came accross when searching for Stephen-centric fic, so I read it and I agree it was amazing ! (though I still miss the 13 last chapters xd. Probably for angst reasons- I really need to go back to read that end though)

The second thing I did was scrolling your bookmark, so I guess I did that too XD I began to slowly munch through your one shot too (their are a lot it’s amazing ☆☆) which... helps a lot with the lack of gen content elsewhere :3

Also did the filter things, and there was only one Stephen Strange & Ancient One fic 🥲 (well with their relationship a central point I mean). So... I guess it means I read all there was on this side...

I hadn’t found Born of the Same impulse though, and it seem great ! Definitely going to eat that 😋. And yes, I have no issues with some Thor & Loki - Loki was my first Marvel character I went in ’synch’ with after all :3

For a gen fic you missed... . Maybe be there is one, a wip centered around Morgan but with a lot of Stephen (both the what if evil one and the normal one :3). Personnally I loved it - so if you want to give it a glance :

(I have no idea how to do embed links on tumblr, I possess that knowledge only on Ao3 xd)

Also @dragonnan I saw your recs and they seemed great, thanks !

As for the prompt, yes, I understand :)

It’s always better to do long project with your own ideas as they are long-term investement. For now (two weeks into the fandom xd) my brain created 2 longfics plots and 0 one shot one (yet ). Knowing what happened in the others fandom, it’s probably going to get worse XD. (Much faster than I can write)

So please bear with me if I come back to you with other ideas - truer prompt I promise :3 (and don’t hesitate to refuse them / tell me to stop if it annoys you I have a lot xd)

Well, I guess my last solution to have food is to write it myself xd. I... don’t know if I’ll end up writing the au I tried to give to you (bcs lack of time xd) but I’m most likely going to write the other longfic au my brain created :p

Let’s hope the second movies brings in a lot of new Strange angsty gen author ~

In the meantime I’ll try to make do with my own pen (as meager as my skills are) 🎶

Hello !

I’ve been obsessed with Dr S. Strange lastly (Aaron Fraser-Nash Evil Dr Strange faults, really) and I kind of struggle to find Strange-centric gen angsty fics. So... would you know some ? One shot are read too fast, and the long (more than 15-20k) Strange-centric fics I found where either Ironstrange-centered or another ship (I don’t mind the canon Christine/Strange ship too much, but the others... tend to bother me most of the time except for amazingly written fics that are exception), or leaned more towards fluff/comfort than angst (and I need angst :p).

So would you know some ?

It would be amazing if you knew of some movie 1 Au with Wong or the Ancient One on top of it ! (I noticed a serious lack of Stephen Strange & The Ancient One fics and that sadden me bcs the Ancient One is amazing :p)

Also I wanted to know if you accepted prompts / fics request ? Bcs my brain is creating plots faster than I’ll ever be able to write them

Hello! Yeah, Stephen-centric gen fic is incredibly rare; at one point I cornered about 10% of all Stephen gen fic on AO3, to give you an idea of its scarcity. Gen fic of the angsty variety is rarer. It's to the point that I read more or less anything with Stephen that I thought got his personality well (which is like, 30% of the fanfics I've scrolled through since 2018 lmao), and I threw away all preferences of genre and pairings because there just wasn't any content.

I'm going to throw a link to my bookmarked fics with a Stephen filter as you'll find at least a decent amount of gen!Stephen there, or angsty!Stephen there. Lots of good one shots. The shipping fics are high quality that write Stephen very well as I am first and foremost and Stephen fan, so I just can't stand fics that use him as a romantic prop and forget his agency.

The first angsty Stephen writer I ran into was @dragonnan so I'm gonna give her a shout out as well; she has a handful of pieces you'll enjoy, as well as art, and a WIP that is said to be very angsty (I am waiting for it to be finished before diving in).

For long-boy angsty fics, I only know of two gen Stephen long fics that star him (that weren't written by me):

Signature Move by perryvic

Born of the Same Impulse by GwendolynStacy

Aurorawest is writing a fic that has Stephen in a lot of it that's still a WIP, but it's not heavy on the Stephen!angst side and Loki/Stephen might be the endgame of that fic so I'm not sure if it will fall into the gen category. Also, it's part of a huge series that more stars Loki and Thor so it's important to read all those to really understand the context of the series, which may not be what you're looking for. Good writer though if you like Thor and Loki too.

If there's any Stephen-centric long gen fics I missed here, please mention them because I actually do not know of any others. All other Stephen-centric long fics I know of are IronStrange and like, a couple FrostStrange. There is a bereft of Stephen gen fic in the fandom which is a bit disappointing for me, at least.

For finding TAO fics, I recommend going into the Doctor Strange (2016) section of AO3 and filtering for just TAO, and then starting at the very end and going forward. You're more likely to find some fics with her that way that match your criteria. Same with Wong, though he'll be harder. If you filter out IronStrange as a relationship that will narrow results significantly to help find stories that match your interests.

And finally: Yes, I do take prompts, but I take literal years to usually get to them. For instance, I still have one 2019 prompt, and 6 2020 prompts that sit half-written in my docs ready to finish but another project always distracts me lol. I got your prompt and I've got to tell you it's less of a prompt and more of an outline of a story you already have in your head. Prompts are usually one to three sentences of a more vague idea to give the person taking the prompt a lot of freedom on where to go with it. What you delivered was a pretty detailed outline of a very long story, and those are not the sort of prompts I usually take because it leaves me with very little creative control. It seems you already have this vivid idea in your head, so you really should go for it yourself! Writing a long fic is definitely time consuming and can be a daunting task, but it's also very satisfying to finish it at the end of the day. And I have two very large fics that I plan on writing over the next couple of years that will take up all my long fic time, so I'm afraid I can't accept prompts of this large of a scope. I hope you understand and decide to tackle it yourself!

Thanks for stopping by :)

[camillamacaulaywrites]

Below the cut are various plots I would like to do. If anyone is interested in taking on one of them, please shoot me a message. I hope that you all find something that piques your interest, and that everyone will want to join me in plotting. I’ll mark out plots as they get taken, so people are up to date. In the meantime you can check out my what I do page and possibly send me some requests and ask while you’re at it. Thank you for looking!

Book Inspired Plots:

Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling: I am up for some many different kinds of Harry Potter plots. I love these characters and this world immensely. I am totally open to both canons and original characters.

It by Stephen King: So I adore the movie and the book a lot, and I need a Ben and Bev 1x1 in my life. Can someone make this happen? Please? (Please let me use Jessica Chastain as older Bev.)

Macbeth by William Shakespeare: I just want a Macbeth and Lady Macbeth inspired ship because I am terrible.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: Let’s cry over clones and lost loves and maybe make a mumu or a small group together.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt: Please. I love this book. Obviously. I would love a small group that’s a murder clique. Could be canon or totally original characters.

Stephen King Inspired Plots: Just anything Stephen King inspired would do with me tbh. 

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: This book is angst personified and I just love it.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: I am gothic romantic trash and this book has been a favorite since I was 14. Come be trash for this book with me please.

Comic Book Inspired Plots:

Peter Parker/Mary Jane Watson 1x1: I have played Mary Jane before and I miss her. I would love to have a Peter to play opposite her again. So far I have Madelaine Petsch and Jessica Chastain planned for college-aged and older MJ.

Kate Bishop/Tommy Shepherd 1x1: I just love them. Kate is my baby. Tommy is precious. Let’s make it happen.

Movie Inspired Plots:

10 Cloverfield Lane: I love this movie and would adore something based on it. I think it would work well for a mumu/small group.

Ginger Snaps: Werewolves, sisters, drug dealers, and angst. Sign me up for this. We could even make this a mumu/small group. I’m game for either.

Basically anything from this list I wrote.

Musical Inspired Plots:

Little Shop of Horrors: Come be my Seymour and make me swoon. Audrey and Seymour were my first musical OTP. Anything based on them would be adorable.

Spring Awakening: A modern SA AU? Please. Ilse is my child. This would make one rad small group. People still say rad, right?

Song Inspired:

“From Eden” by Hozier: There is so much potential here, and I need it.

“Carin at the Liquor Store” by The National: This song owns me these days.

Television Show Inspired Plots:

Twin Peaks: Mumu or small group inspired by Twin Peaks and it’s characters? I think that would be one damn fine idea. 

Stranger Things: Give me high school Joyce and Hopper and 1983 Joyce and Hopper too. Please and thanks. 

The X-Files: Someone be the Mulder to my Scully or the Scully to my Mulder or someone who wants to go hunt aliens and all that jazz.

My plot ideas tag can be found here if none of these are interesting you. Thank you for looking!

[okimargarvez]

METEOROLOGY- Thunderstorm

Original title: Meteorology.

Prompt: climatic metaphors, phases of love.

Warning: none.

Genre: drama, romantic, comedy, angst, family, friendship.

Characters: Luke Alvez, Penelope Garcia, BAU team, Phil (Luke’s partner), Phil’s wife, Roxy, Derek Morgan.

Pairing: Garvez, Phil x Lucille.

Note: Multichapter.

Legend: 💏😘😈👓🔦🐶❗👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💍🎈.

Song mentioned: Via con me, Paolo Conte.

Meteorology- Masterlist

MY OTHER GARVEZ STORIES

This chapter is dedicated to @itsdawnashlie; is little, but I hope it can help.

THUNDERSTORM

Because one day you’ll understand, and you’ll recognize it, it will be a strong thunderstorm, then never pain again… (Tiziano Ferro)

 It suddenly bursts and lights the sky around you. It shakes the glass of the building, blocks people for a moment, as if God was taking a picture of the world with a blinding flash. -You brought the umbrella this time, Alvez?- when lightning ripping through the night, you're in front of the elevator. You nod.

"Yes, I have it." and you show it to her, pulling it out of the shoulder bag. -And you? - almost every one of yours sentences seems double: one half follows the normal direction, the other subtexts that correspond a top flirtatious.

-Actually no- she admits, giggling to dispose of embarrassment. -Fortunately, I have to do just a few feet before arriving at the metro stop.- she adds, just looking glimpse at you of the corner of her eye.

-No, I can ... I can accompany you.- the doors open and you get in, her first. For once the hail has stopped machine-gun you, she is evaluating seriously the option.

-It's big enough to cover both. - you say in your favor. She raises her shoulders and gives up.

-Oh, but only if you keep your hands to yourself!- both laugh at her banter, but in a low voice, avoiding that she may hear you, whisper, -I'll try ...-

Then you open the umbrella and touch her back, pushing her to stay below. -It's not so big ...- she says, looking at the left side of your body, completely wet. Like the first time you saw her, if you not calculate the subway, in passing. -Well, I'll let you put your arm around my shoulders, but pay attention to what you're doing.- her voice is halfway between a sweet and a mischievous tone.

You're afraid to do so, because this time you couldn't stop there, as you had when Reid was put into custody and after Stephen's death. Because this time you're alone and your arm on her shoulders wouldn't be just a comforting gesture. Not merely, at least.

A rumble covers the last sentence, so she's forced to repeat it, talking directly in your ear and transmitting chills along the entire spine. -I can't let you to become sick, then whoever say it to the others?- you swallow, and stop suddenly, a few steps from the entrance.

-Penelope ... - her name fused in unison with a groan.

-What's it?- she seems unaware of what makes you feel. -We're almost arrived ...- the woman is pushing you forward, but you can't do it. -Luke, are you okay? - it would be nice to believe she's really worried about you. -Is not like you're really sick, right?- Her voice cracks and she scans better at your face in search of some clue.

-Penelope, it's better that you go now ...- tighten your lips until whiten them. She looks at you even more weirder. A thunder catches her by surprise, sending her to shelter near the dry half of your body. -Please, Garcia, go, now.- you can feel her shapes molded to your muscles, the steam that radiates her breath. And when she raises her face to yours and your eyes cross, you understand that she is reading love shining like a neon in yours.

-Oh.- is all she can say before she tries to get away from you. You don't hold her, but you can’t let her wet.

-Take it ... keep the umbrella. - you suggest and in bringing it to her, your fingers touch again. Here's another flash, inside and out.

-But no, Luke, I can't ... - you realize that in these ten minutes she has pronounced your name at least three times and without paranoia.

You understand what is going to happen when she takes you by the hand, with the same naturalness as she had done the same gesture with the youngest of the team, the day you went to pick this last one out of prison. It's strange, and yet so right. She drags you to the shelter in the station. You close the umbrella and staring at her, in front of the turnstiles. Now your roads will split, at least for tonight. But tonight, there seemed to be something different in the air, if there ever was a day that you were near to change the current situation, to step forward, it's today. And if you lose this opportunity...

-Let's go, Luke.- she talks slowly, but at you seem she to be screaming. -Do you believe that I'm not afraid? I'm literally terrified. But ... now I would like you to kiss me, even if it was better outside, rain and lightning are so romantic, not...- but the rest of her delirium is canceled when you press your lips against hers, there in the middle of the entrance for the subway, among a lot of people who pass, hurried and indifferent, and someone who notices and commented on it. But you can only feel her, the not excessive sweetness of her flavor, her cold hands on your neck, and see her eyes shut as soon as your mouth touches hers. -Wow.- is her judgment.

 -Wow.- he makes you echo, totally agreed with you -Maybe we should move, don't you think?- he murmured.

-Don't you like to be in the center of attention, Alvez?- he smiles, giggling and approaches to your face, tearing off you another kiss.

-Just yours ...- he whispers and make you shake.

-Yeah, better if we go.- you decrees, slipping your hand in his again, and you feel a thousand tingling in your fingers. You look at him for a moment and then you look away, fearing the intensity of the feelings you feel for him, now it came out of the closet.

-Your house or mine? - you're scandalized, as if it were not clear that you two would end up spending the night together, from the time he proposed to accompany you to the subway stop. In the meantime, you go through the turnstiles and get in front of the next junction; but the choice is automatic.

-Silly questions, newbie!- you give him a pinch on his cheek and take the direction which leadings to his apartment. -You have Roxy, there's no competition. - he reaches you and grabs you for hip.

-How much I love that dog!- he exclaims exaggerated, theatrical, raising his eyes to heaven as if to thank some benevolent divinity. -But how do you know where ...- doesn't end the question, taking your gaze from "Garcia on the field". -Again, silly request.- you make an assertive gesture.

- Very stupid ... - you give him some other kisses while waiting for the train .-If I had waited for you to make the first move, we would still getting the water, right?- he nods, becoming serious. -Then I'm so glad then I'm crazy!- he caresses your cheeks and then the lobe of the ear, without knowing that he's going to touch a neuralgic point. Put your head on his shoulder, trying to take you back. To contain yourself.

-I'm crazy. For you.- you close your eyes as you hear the noise that warns the presents that the train is coming. You cling to him.

-If you don't want to scandal everyone and end up in all the newspapers of tomorrow, do not open more mouth until we're safe, sheltering behind four walls. You got me?- he nods, the growl out of his throat after your statement is happily covered by the stride of the public transport when it stops. You get on board last; there aren't many people, it's almost midnight, so you can sit down. When the convoy comes out in the open air, you're immediately dazzled by a flash. -Is still raining...- you say almost without addressing to anyone in particular.

-If I had known that some rumble and some water would suffice, I would have paid a meteorologist, my friend, who owes me more than one favor!- he replies, breaking the ban you have imposed on him, but you decide to overlook.

-Stupid, stupid ... - the apostrophe, you whisper to him sounding extremely tender. -How much you're stupid?- then he stops you from going further, pressing his mouth again on yours. -You're tremendous.- he only responds with his eyes.

Is still pouring rain when you get off and he opens the umbrella to repair you. -Can I stretch my hands now?- he asks only after putting his arm on your hip. You rolled your eyes, pretending to be annoyed. Finally, you come to his home, but there is no time to look around and poke around, to understand him through the places he lives. And he thinks the same. As soon as the door slam, Roxy comes to say hello to you, enthusiastic about the guest. After this step, the man grabs your face firmly and presses you against the wall. -It's the time has come to find out who wears the pants...- he whispers, the roaring voice, between a kiss and the other.

Your hands end up on the zip of his jeans. -Not for long ...- you replay. So he begins to work first on the jacket, then on the vest, puts his hands on both sides of your breasts, struggling to hold them both.

-Better than what I had dreamed ...- Luke exclaims and you moan without refrain yourself, because if there's a mistake you've made, it was taken so much time to show yourself at him. Then, while you're both partially stripped down, you remember he's still wet.

You get away a little too abruptly, making him worry without wanting it. He fears that you are regret this. -Your clothes.- you hasten to explain to him. -They're still damp. I do not want you to get sick of it really.- he notice the seriousness in your tone and in your gaze and he nods. But then he goes back malicious.

-So you finish to take them off.- and that's exactly what you do. In a break you look at each other and realize you've got the same idea. He leads you to the bathroom and then into the tub. -Nothing better than a little hot water when out there is so cold and humid.- he says, wrapping his arms around your waist.

You, who was leaning on his chest, letting your hair sink in the water, becoming darker, lift your head. -You made me think of a song. I don't remember the title, or anyone who sang it ... but it did say ... somehow ... "away, away, come away with me, come in and get a hot bath, there’s an azure bathrobe, out rains a cold world...” - you try to sing it, not reaching big results (according to you). His hand ends on the tap; closes it. The flow of water current is replaced again from the natural one of the heavy rain, while the lights’ concert continued, like it has intended to never stop.

How did that line in that movie? It can't rain at all the time. But it's another story and it does not matter to you right now. The only thing that you think is that there's nothing more poetic than making love while outside is unleashed pandemonium. And your hearts follow the rhythm of thunder, the alternation between lightning and lightning, then they slow down until they find the right time, in the abandonment of the senses, the bodies wrapped in blankets, tight, some drops still beating on the glass, solitary.

________________________________________________ Note: the phrase sung by Penelope is taken from the wonderful song by Paolo Conte, "Via con me"

[pankhearst]

The Care Package

Alright. I’ve been feeling kinda down lately, so that means that it’s time for another original post that literally nobody asked for. Buckle up.

This is simply a series of links to my favorite things - anything I watch, read, or listen to if I’m feeling stressed, angry, or sad. I thought it might help someone else who might be in need of a mental break, or that it would at least help me by putting my favorite things into one place.

WARNING: This list is incredibly thorough and extremely long. A lot of these are weird, and if you view them all, you’ll have a pretty good idea of who I am as a human person.

Ambient Sounds

Magic Kingdom entrance music loop*

8 Hours of Whale Sounds Deep Underwater for Sleep and Relaxation

Bad Lip Reading

"BUSHES OF LOVE" -- Extended Lyric Video

"NOT THE FUTURE" -- Extended Lyric Video

"SEAGULLS! (Stop It Now)" -- A Bad Lip Reading of The Empire Strikes Back

STAR WARS

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

RETURN OF THE JEDI

Brian Jordan Alvarez

The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo

Rowan Atkinson

Amazing Jesus

The Devil ‘Toby’ welcomes you to Hell

Dirty Names

Invisible Drumset

Brave Wilderness

Incredible Zion Adventure!

Swimming with Giants!

Ocelot Steals My Socks!

Rob Cantor

“Shia LaBeouf” Live

Stephen Colbert

Andy Serkis Becomes Gollum To Read Trump’s Tweets

James Corden

Crosswalk: The Musical

Beauty and the Beast

Mary Poppins

The Phantom of the Opera

Seth Everman

when you try all the sounds and beats on your synth while only playing toto - africa

Jimmy Fallon

Harrison Ford Pierces Jimmy Fallon’s Ear**

Chris Fleming

Company is Coming

Gayle

The Hillywood Show

Doctor Who Parody

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Parody

Pirates of the Caribbean Parody

Supernatural Parody

Carly Rae Jepsen

I Really Like You***

Mickey Mouse

Adorable Couple

Bronco Busted

Captain Donald

Doggone Biscuits

Dog Show

Flipperboobootosis

Gasp!

Goofy’s Grandma

New York Weenie

O Sole Minnie

Potatoland

Shifting Gears

Stayin’ Cool

Third Wheel

Wish Upon a Coin

Workin’ Stiff

John Mulaney

The Salt and Pepper Diner

The Muppets

Bohemian Rhapsody

Cårven Der Pümpkîn

Flowers on the Wall | With Bunsen and Beaker

Jungle Boogie

Mahna Mahna

The Muppets take on A Cappella | Cool Kids | Mike Tompkins ft. The Muppets

Pöpcørn****

Pure Imagination - Lindsey Sterling & Josh Groban with The Muppets

The Rainbow Connection 

OK Go

I Won’t Let You Down

The One Moment

Upside Down and Inside Out

Nick Pitera

One-Man Disney Movie

One-Man Tribute to Aladdin on Broadway

Wicked Medley ft. Peter Hollens

Postmodern Jukebox

Call Me Maybe ft. Von Smith

My Heart Will Go On ft. Mykal Kilgore

Pompeii ft. Tony DeSare

Rude ft. Von Smith

Shake it Off ft. Von Smith

Stacey’s Mom ft. Casey Abrams

This Love ft. Devi-Ananda*****

Titanium ft. Von Smith

Umbrella ft. Casey Abrams & The Sole Sisters

Potter Puppet Pals

Apparate!

Draco Puppet

Harry’s Nightmares

The Mysterious Ticking Noise

Neville’s Birthday

Ron’s Disease

Ron’s Parents

Snape’s Diary

Wizard Angst

Wizard Swears

Saturday Night Live

Crucible Cast Party

Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)

Star Trek

Star Trek Beyond Cast Dubsmash

TED Talks

JJ Abrams

The mystery box

Apollo Robbins

The Art of Misdirection

Adam Savage

My love letter to cosplay

My obsession with objects and the stories they tell

Andrew Stanton

The clues to a great story

James Veitch

This is what happens when you reply to spam email

More adventures in replying to spam

Tested

Adam Savage’s One-Day Builds

Adam Savage Demonstrates Weathering Tricks

Bear Costume

Cosmonaut Model Kit

Customizing Adam’s Hero Sword

Making a Puppet!

Totoro Costume

Traveling Beaver Box******

Misc. Inside Adam Savage’s Cave

Adam Savage’s Mercury Spacesuit Replica

The Dodo Birds Project

Tour of Adam Savage’s Cave!

Tour of Adam Savage’s Home Office

Tyrannosaurus Rex Skull

Thomas Sanders

Sanders Sides

Walk the Moon

Shut Up and Dance

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Pure Imagination

Bill Wurtz

the history of japan

history of the entire world i guess

Misc.

Bird dancing to Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

Do you remember the 21st night of September?

Dytto

Gal Gadot singing

Girl squashes watermelon between her thighs

I cannot stress enough how important it is you watch this gorilla bathe-dancing to maniac.

I have a feeling this will become iconic in due time. 

“I may not know my flowers...”

News Anchor in my area loses it over a Fat Cat that likes to swim.

No-Man’s Land | Wonder Woman (2017)

Oscars 2015 Opening Song | Neil Patrick Harris with Anna Kendrick and Jack Black

Quizzes on Buzzfeed

this is a pretty good summary of what Amsterdam is like

Tom Holland does Rihanna’s “Umbrella” on Lip Sync Battle

T-rex goes ice skating

When you are one with the music

Why I Wasn’t Contracted to Write Beauty and the Beast

*Best played on top of this. It helps add to the illusion that you’re really at the Magic Kingdom.

**I’ve refused to watch Jimmy Fallon since he had the golden-haired pumpkin on his show, but this is too good to pass up. Harrison Ford is a shining example of understated comedy. On that note, please watch Morning Glory, dir. Roger Mitchell (2010). Fantastic and underappreciated.

***God bless Tom Hanks.

****Turn on the subtitles for “Swedish Chef.”

*****They didn’t change the pronouns! It’s gay now!

******This list is too dam long.

N.B. The Piano Guys would have been on this list too, but I haven’t listened to or watched any of their stuff since it was announced they’d be performing at the Dark Lord’s coronation inauguration. Fuck them.

This list will definitely be added to at some point, but I think that’s enough for now. Meantime, PLEASE go ahead and add your own entries!