#like I get if people think the scene with Mike is a reach but mmm you can’t deny the double meaning in that conversation with Jonathan
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wheelercurse · 11 days ago
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even if you thought it has nothing to do with Mike, yes they literally used baseball to queercode Will. That scene with Jonathan when he said to his little brother
“He’s trying to force you to like normal things. And you shouldn’t like things because people tell you, you’re supposed to”
Like he was talking about baseball but there was double meaning in that.
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steddiealltheway · 1 year ago
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During season 3, there’s a deleted scene (because I said so) of Max and El’s first spin-the-bottle spy attempt.
The bottle slows to a stop right on Steve's name, and the two girls giggle as El puts the blindfold on.
She finds him in his Scoops Ahoy outfits, and El giggles harder as she tells Max, "He's kissing some girl."
Max gasps, "Who is it?"
El starts walking closer, trying to see who it is, but their hair is covering their face. "Some girl with curly hair."
"Nancy?" Max whispers conspiratorily.
El shakes her head. "Her hair is short. This girl's hair is longer." She starts to turn red, feeling like she's been intruding for too long. She starts to reach up for her blindfold when the person pulls back and says, “Ahoy, Captain.”
Just as Steve groans in irritation, El yanks the blindfold off and freezes. Max shakes her and asks, “What? What happened?”
El pauses, thinking back to the time Mike had to explain why he was so angry when Troy called Will a fairy. She didn’t understand why people were upset about a boy loving another boy, but she understood that it wasn’t something people talked about. Just like she wasn’t allowed to use her powers, Will wasn’t allowed to openly like boys.
So, she just lets out a deep breath and reasons with herself that it isn’t a lie when she says, “They started using tongue.”
While Max shrieks with laughter, El smiles at her, trying not to think of the boy Steve was with.
-:-:-:-:-:-
(An added extra part that is WAY longer than intended. Oops. Coming back after editing to add JSKEHDISBEHSH)
The next year, the information seems to come in handy when Dustin urges El to see if his friend Eddie is still somehow alive in the upside down.
The others are all there, trying to describe what he looks like when Nancy and Jonathan volunteer to run to the school and grab his missing poster for a photo. But the descriptions paint a clear picture in El’s head of someone she’s seen before. Briefly. But she remembers.
Curly hair. Wears lots of rings. Big brown doe eyes and full lips - Steve’s very helpful description.
And El can’t help but turn to Steve and whisper, “Ahoy, Captain?
Steve’s eyes widen and his cheeks flush red. His mouth opens and closes asking, “How-? Why-? When-?”
“Is that him?” El asks firmly.
Steve only nods. Brushing off everyone who asks What does she mean? By telling them to be quiet while El puts on her blindfold.
She finds herself somewhere dark and cold, feeling the familiarity of the place as she seeks out Eddie. She walks around, calling out his name, getting more and more desperate as time goes by.
But she suddenly feels something watching her and quickly turns around, finding Eddie as pale as a ghost staring at her from the ground. She bends down and puts a hand on his face. “We’re coming for you, okay? We’re coming.”
Eddie tilts his head and asks, “Who?”
“Steve,” El automatically says, hoping it’s the right person to name.
The name seems to give Eddie a small bit of hope.
“And Dustin,” El adds. “Dustin’s coming for you.”
Eddie gives her a weak smile and mumbles, “I knew he’d miss me.”
El smiles at the joke. She hears the other people in the room begin to ask if he’s alive, to remind him that someone named Wayne is coming.
El squeezes his cold cheek, hoping some of her warmth will bleed through the connection. “Just hang on a little longer, okay? They say Wayne’s coming too.”
Eddie weakly smiles again and murmurs, “Wayne.” His eyes get heavy, and El shakes him. “Mmm awake,” Eddie slurs. El hears footsteps behind her and turns, not seeing anything, but as she turns back she finds Eddie disappearing.
She reaches out yelling, “No! No! Hold on!”
When he’s completely gone she yanks the blindfold off, weeping as someone pulls her into their chest. She doesn’t hear any of the questions around her as she says, “Run to him. Run!”
But finally, Mike gets through to her and asks, “Did you see Steve there?”
El wipes her eyes and asks, “What?”
“Did you see Steve there?” Mike repeats.
El glances around, noticing that Steve, Dustin, Lucas, and Robin are no longer there. “Where-“
“They went to him as soon as you said we’re coming for you. Did you see them there?” Will explains quickly.
El shakes her head. “There were footsteps but… Eddie vanished before I saw anyone.”
Mike looks far off and puts his head in his hands.
They’re too late.
A tense silence passes.
“This is a code green! I repeat this is a code green!” Dustin’s staticky voice rings through the walkie.
The three kids race toward it, Mike grabs it first asking, “He’s okay?”
“He’s alive,” Dustin says, sounding choked up. “He’s alive.”
El sighs in relief and rushes off to the door.
“Where are you going?” Will asks.
“The hospital, come on.”
The trip there is fast, but no one lets them see Eddie yet as he’s still in critical condition. But they all opt to wait as long as they need to get any updates.
El sees Steve eye her for a while before she moves to sit in the chair next to him. She waits for him to talk first.
“So… how did you… know?” Steve asks.
El flushes red and ducks her head. “Max and I were playing this game where we would spin a bottle and-”
“Okay, I know where this is going. Jesus, kid,” Steve mutters.
El glares at him. “We would spin a bottle and see who it landed on to spy on them.”
“Oh,” Steve says, pausing before he suddenly realizes, “You spied on me?”
“Yes,” El replies because friends don’t lie.
Steve flushes red and asks, “So, how much of me and Eddie did you see?”
El leans in to whisper, “You were kissing a lot.”
“Christ,” Steve says, before burying his head in his hands. He slowly looks up at her and asks, “Did you… tell anyone?”
“No.”
Steve sighs and leans back in his chair, staring off.
El can’t help but press on. “Did you love him?”
Steve stops breathing for a second as he considers the question. He turns to her slowly and says, “I did.”
“Did?”
Steve runs a hand over his face. “It’s complicated.”
El pauses and says, “Well, it looked like he really loved you too.” When Steve gives her a look, she adds, “And he looked happy when I said you were coming for him.”
A conflicted look crosses over Steve’s face. “Did he really?”
El nods. “Friends don’t lie.”
Steve smiles and huffs a small laugh. “That’s right.” He hesitates before slinging an arm around El’s shoulder and pulling her into his side as much as he can with the arm of chair being between them. He plants a kiss to her head and whispers, “I’ll give you a lecture later about the spying thing. But for now… thank you.”
El leans into the hug, staying until an older man walks into the room.
“Wayne!” Dustin yells and runs to wrap his arms around him.
El watches as Steve slowly stands up and offers his hand to Wayne when Dustin pulls away. Wayne looks at Steve for a moment before pulling him into a hug.
El wants to ask and know the whole story behind Steve and Eddie and this Wayne person. But she thinks it’s time to look away as Steve breaks down in Wayne’s arms and the older man’s bottom lip quivers. “I know, son. I know.”
-:-:-:-:-:-
They wait for a long time before there’s finally news.
They all collectively hold their breath as the doctor walks into the room. He look over at them all before announcing, “He’s stable.”
A wave of relief floods through the room, but El thinks there’s an added tension when they’re informed that he isn’t allowed visitors yet.
But Wayne follows the doctor out the door and has a very stern word with him before he’s reluctantly allowed to disappear down the hall.
A few minutes later, he comes back to the room and asks, “El?”
El sits up straighter. “Yes?”
“He’s asking for you.”
El glances at all her friends before she stands up and follows (who Dustin had told her is) Eddie’s uncle. As she gets to the room, she looks at all the tubes connected to Eddie’s body, and wonders how he even asked for her.
But as she gets closer to the bed, she sees Eddie’s eyes crack slightly open.
“Lean down so he can whisper to you,” Wayne advises.
El leans closer and hears Eddie says, “I know… how… to get… to Max.”
El leans back and grabs Eddie’s hand. “Show me.”
With that, she��s taken into a vision of horrors, of Eddie dying and coming back. His heart restarted by Vecna for some unknown reason. A vision of all the bodies tied to the tree but Max’s spot is empty. But there’s something there. Something that’s trapped in the empty vines. But just as she sees it, a clock strikes in the distance, and it all begins to disappear.
She gasps as she steps away from Eddie, catching her breath as Wayne asks what the hell is happening.
But she can only run out of the room, heading toward Max’s room knowing where she needs to go to find her and bring her back.
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smallblip · 4 years ago
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Set phasers to stun!
Levihan | Rated for language/Mild mild mentions of doing the deed
It’s on Ao3! https://archiveofourown.org/works/27152473
Levi is second to Kenny in the Ackerman gang, it's a family business. Zoë Hanji walks up to him at a disco and the rest is history.
“Set phasers to stun, hot stuff?”
“Zoë.. I still don’t get that reference.”
It’s 9.30pm in Sina, the city that never sleeps. Neon flashes and the image of the serpent illuminates the wet cobblestone streets. It’s an institution- a club that has stood the test of time. It’s interior- an eclectic mix of red velvet couches, a disco ball, black and white tiling, and a disco dance floor. Everyone knows of it’s dubious ownership. Something about a gang- more specifically the Ackermans. But then again, you throw a pebble in Sina and you’re bound to hit an Ackerman establishment. Besides it’s the place to be, and it’s packed on a Friday night.
Who says disco is dead?
The music is good- the best in the city, the drinks are a little pricey but they are strong enough, and the DJ knows her well and queues her requests ahead of everyone else’s. There’s no other reason why it’s her favourite club, Hanji thinks.
She’s in the middle of her dance number to a medley of ABBA hits when she feels his gaze on her.
She makes her way over after he shakes his head at her attempts to get him to join her. She’s slightly disappointed that she has to leave in the middle of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, but it is what it is.
“Set phasers to stun, hot stuff?” Hanji says, coquettish.
“Zoë.” He says, “I still don’t get that reference.”
“Then maybe you should think about taking up my offer of a date, Levi...” Hanji says, slick as she leans against the counter.
“And your idea of a date would be to marathon the entirety of Star Wars?” Levi cocks an eyebrow and hands a drink to her.
“Star Trek. And yes. Maybe it’ll help you stay culturally relevant.” She accepts the drink and takes a gulp. A Long Island. Levi remembers. She grins.
“I’ll take your offer into consideration.” Levi says.
There are tattoos sprawling all the way up his neck and down to his hands and her eyes inevitably trail over the serpent tattoos on his chest that are peeking through his dress shirt. Levi notices, corner of his lips curving into a smile.
“So...” He says, “faculty still giving you problems for blowing up your lab?”
“Thank god no... I have the biggest research grant in the faculty, pretty sure they can’t get rid of me that easy. Plus the insurance covers so I’m good...”
“Maybe if you were more careful...” he chides, but his words are gentle and Hanji links her pinky with his. Definitely no other reason she loves this particular club.
“Wait for me, I have a few more songs queued,” she says, although some of the songs are medleys, but Levi doesn’t need to know that.
“One more song. I don’t have anything on tonight. We could go get something to eat.”
They compromise on two songs, with Hanji dragging Levi over to the dancefloor. “If I had known you were gonna dance with me, I would’ve picked a ballad...” she says in his ear as she tries to sway with him to Car Wash. “You didn’t give me much of a choice...” he replies as he twirls her.
The night air is welcome, and after a few hours in the club, Hanji’s ears are ringing. “Come on! I know a place!” She says, grabbing his arm as they make their way past the party people. They are sitting on a public bench as Hanji decimates a chicken shawarma. Levi’s face crumples in disgust as he watches her wipe the sauce off with the back of her hand, still, he passes the napkins to her wordlessly.
“It’s not good?” Hanji says, perplexed, “this is not a good shawarma?” Levi looks at her like she’s the biggest idiot. Because, of course it’s not good? It’s a dismal 1.9 stars in reviews online and their cleanliness leaves much to be desired.
“What gave you the idea it would be good?” Levi frowns, abandoning his greasy chips.
“It says so on the sign! ‘Best Shawarma in Town!’” Hanji says, and she’s climbing on the bench, waving her fist at the shop, “filthy liars!” she shouts.
And Levi laughs, pulling her down into his lap for a kiss.
The Serpent is busy on a Saturday night. It isn’t Nanaba and Mike’s typical scene, but Hanji’s enthusiasm for disco has always been contagious. Nanaba has acquired a taste for the Bee Gees.
Target acquired, Hanji makes her way across the dance floor. She excuses herself from her friends, and Nanaba holds Mike back before he can ask her where she’s going, I'll tell you later, she whispers harshly in Mike’s ear and waves Hanji off with a smile.
The crowd swallows her, moving to accommodate her form. She readjusts her dress. It’s black and tight and the slit threatens to expose more than Hanji is willing to show. Her usual club getup in a pile in the corner of her room, Hanji is wearing Nanaba’s dress and she thinks maybe her friend is an opportunist for passing her this particular article of clothing with a giggle and a casual “you can wear this Hans!”
There’s enough alcohol in her system to feel a buzz. Just enough to forget what Shadis had said about professionalism and having impeccable image and greater responsibility from here on, since she now tutors a bunch of freshers. She thinks maybe that can wait until tomorrow. Shadis was young once, he‘ll understand.
Besides, it’s the disco. Nobody here cares. It’s freeing and Hanji leans into it.
She makes her way to him once she decides she can’t get the slit to sit any better on her thigh. He’s alone at the bar, leaning against the counter, watching.
He turns his attention to her now, his hard gaze softening. His eyes wander, skimming across the neckline of her dress down to where her thigh is exposed. He clears his throat.
“What’s with this?” Levi gestures to her dress.
“This is me forgetting to do my laundry and having to borrow Nanaba’s clothes.” Hanji answers, eyes lighting up at an opening, she takes it, “like what you see?”
“You’re not your usual mess...”
“And you mind my usual mess?” She raises a brow.
“I never said I minded.“
Hanji wonders if it’s the spotlights or the gin, because her face is heating up. Someone is stumbling towards the bar counter, and Levi reaches to pull Hanji closer. His hand remains around her waist longer than necessary. But who’s talking about necessity. “You’re alright.” Levi says.
Hanji catches his gaze lingering on her lips and she smiles. He straightens, “how did your first tutorial go?”
“Aced it! Some of them even came for office hours!” Hanji beams, hands on her hips.
“Expected no less...” Levi says, lips curving into a smile.
Hanji grins, “so... Are you free tonight?”
“Maybe not tonight... I’ve got... Things to attend to...”
“Ah...” Hanji leans closer to Levi, “thug things?” She stage whispers.
Levi chuckles, “yeah.” He sets his empty glass down on the bar and he tells her he’s got some time to spare, and she gets his message. She tugs him towards the toilets, her other hand holding her dress down. They make out in one of the empty stalls and I Feel Love streams in, muted as it mingles in the air with the florescent lights.
“Apt...” Hanji murmurs against Levi’s mouth and he looks at her, quizzical.
“The song that’s playing... I Feel Love... It’s apt...” she answers, stilling the both of them so Levi can hear.
Levi laughs, he’s got a hand against the stall that she’s leaning against and he’s looking up at her. There’s a tint on his cheeks and his eyes are glazed over and Hanji takes it as her cue to kiss him again. And Levi’s hand slides along the curve of her waist, down to where the slit of her dress reveals bare flesh. His thumb circles against her skin and her breath hitches. He loosens his collar.
“We need to stop meeting like this...” Levi says, he’s going to be late for his appointment, but he’s transfixed and does nothing to indicate any sense of urgency. Work can wait.
“Mmm... But I like this... Reminds me of the first time we met...” She says as she kisses the beginnings of a smile on the corner of his lips.
“Can I see you tomorrow evening?” Levi says, breathless, because really, it’s stupid that they’re still playing this game. It’s not the 50s and he’s not a boy sitting in the bleachers singing about a girl he likes with his friends chiming in as backup. There is no need for the staring and the pining and the pretending to meet by chance at the disco.
“Finally taking up my offer on a date?” Hanji says, channeling all the composure she has left. But her breathing is heavy and her eyes are hooded, and the florescent lights are casting a lewd glow on Levi’s skin that makes her want to die. “I’ll see you at that diner at 7? The one near Sunset Boulevard. You know which one?” she asks.
“I know. You haven’t stopped talking about that diner.” Levi replies and presses one last kiss to her her cheek before he leaves.
When Hanji makes her way back to join Nanaba and Mike, her hair is a mess and although she’s managed to fix her makeup, there’s still a slight reddish stain where her lipstick was smudged, thank god for the lights.
The night ends with Mike holding a hand out for her as she steps up onto the bar counter to dance. Hanji usually has a certain amount of restraint by this time of the night but it’s the last song and they are playing Bad Girls, and that song has always made her feel some kind of way.
Nanaba is cheering her on before Hanji pulls her onto the bar to dance with her.
It’s 7pm and it’s crowded on Sunset Boulevard. There’s a good mix of people from small-time Politicians to thespians to bikers. Hanji has always loved this part of Sina, she thinks it’s apt for a date between a Chemist and a gangster.
Levi is dressed in a white tee and blue jeans and his leather jacket is folded beside him in the booth. And Hanji thinks maybe she’s projecting because she has grown up watching movies from the 50s and 60s. But she’s shamelessly staring at him, head held up by her hands as she sips on her milkshake.
He drinks his tea. And that snaps her from her reverie.
“Who comes to a diner and orders tea?”
“If you had taken two straws instead of one, we could be sharing that milkshake.” Levi says, impassive, and Hanji lights up like a bulb.
The food arrives and Hanji says between bites, “I’m learning so much about you... Levi likes tea, and Levi is not beneath sharing a milkshake with his favourite girl...”
Levi rolls his eyes, but his face breaks into a smile. Hanji hooks their ankles under the table.
“We could go to mine? Take the route along the river?” Hanji says after they pay the bill. She’s never one to beat around the bush and she grins when the realisation spreads on Levi’s face, he opens his mouth, but settles for a nod instead.
Hanji is holding Levi’s hand, even as the river meanders them through the fancy parts of the city. People are definitely staring, but Hanji is talking his ear off about the kids in her class and how they ask her about the process of producing meth and she just... tells them? Because it technically is just chemistry.
“How much detail did you get into?” Levi asks, raising a brow.
“Oh...” Hanji pulls a face that’s an embodiment of yikes, “a lot...”
Levi chuckles, “I’ll tell Kenny to keep a lookout for a bunch of brats graduating in three years...”
“Yeah you do that... The job market hasn’t been particularly kind these days, might actually be a good career option for them.”
People are staring at them because they kind of know who he is, and Hanji points it out with a there's people staring at you, Levi... That's what happens when you're hot huh...
“They’re staring at you weirdo...” Levi mutters, face heating, and Hanji is laughing with her head thrown back and the looks people give them get dirtier. But Hanji is equal parts crazy and just goddam brilliant, and nothing else matters. Except maybe-
“What do you want Kenny?” Levi growls into the phone.
“With that attitude it’s no wonder you can’t find a girl who loves you...” The voice barks through the receiver and Hanji stifles a laugh. “I need your ass down at the warehouse now!”
Levi runs his fingers through his hair and he’s closing his eyes, cursing whatever being that’s up there because they seem hell-bent on tormenting him.
“Thug things?” Hanji offers an apologetic look, “It’s okay... I’m a big girl, I can walk myself!” She says when Levi hesitates.
But really at this point she’s sorry for herself. It’s just been so long since she’s-, and she’s been thinking about Levi a little too much the curve of his lips and his-, and she wants nothing more than to-. Ugh. She bites down on the insides of her cheeks.
Levi sighs, a long-suffering breath of defeat, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her in for a kiss. “Mmm... This was a nice date still...” she says, kittenish.
“I’ll make it up to you.”
Hanji thinks maybe it had been an oversight to sleep with someone in her postgraduate class. And the smartest one after her at that. Not to mention one who had also been aiming to do a PhD. Because now she’s in the same office as Erwin Smith and it’s kind of weird? Is it? She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, awkward. She opens her mouth to speak and Erwin sighs.
“Hanji... If you’re about to make another weird and honestly considering where we are,” Erwin gestures vaguely around their office, “inappropriate joke, I’m going to stop you right there.”
Hanji laughs and takes her seat across Erwin. “Wasn’t going to!” It had meant nothing. Just two people fooling around amidst the convenience of their shared love for organic chemistry. Hanji curses her younger self and what had been an inclination towards broad shoulders and solid pectorals. Hormones. Then again, it had meant nothing.
“So... What did you do over the weekend?” Erwin asks.
Hanji thinks about the about the bathroom stall of the club, and dancing on the bar counter, and the diner, and-
- and Levi.
She hopes her face isn’t giving anything away.
“Not much... You?”
And Levi does make it up to her. It's a Saturday and they are sitting on Hanji's couch marathoning Star Trek. Why are there so goddam many movies? Levi had said, exasperated. But he's on the third movie now and because of Hanji's unceasing commentary (except for when she sobs through The Wrath of Khan), he's starting to get it.
They make out on the couch mid-way through the fourth movie, with Hanji straddling him, and in the sliver of silence that makes its way between kissing and gazing at each other’s faces, Hanji chuckles a "this reminds me of the first time we met..."
Levi cocks an eyebrow, "how much of that night do you actually remember?" Hanji feigns a thoughtful expression, fingers tapping at her chin. "Not much..." she says honestly and Levi shakes his head, "you're hopeless," he says as he scrapes his teeth against her neck. She chortles.
Hanji's eyes flicker toward the television, it's a small movement, a little twitch, but Levi catches it. His face twists into something incredulous, and he's offended really, because it's probably the tenth ("sixth," Hanji corrects) time she's watched this and she’s choosing the movie over- over him? But they compromise and settle on pausing the movie for another time and moving to the bedroom.
It becomes a habit, this. This little unspoken arrangement. Hanji stays awake late to work on her paper, so she doesn't mind him knocking on the door at ungodly hours. And really she blames her dedication to her research for the mess she finds herself in one morning.
It starts with the jangle of keys outside her door, and by then, Levi is only just waking up. He shakes her when the footsteps approach, but it's far too little too late. Hanji only opens her eyes when she hears the screaming.
"Zoë Hanji! What is this!"
Hanji is fumbling for her glasses on the night stand and Levi hands them to her. Her eyes are wide and the adrenaline has chased all the sleep from her system.
“Mom? Dad?” Hanji and Levi have now hopped out of bed. She tries for words as she struggles to put her jumper on. She’s holding the duvet like a skirt around her otherwise very bare bottom, and it’s hard to manage that and putting clothes on. Levi helps her with the duvet. She doesn’t process that it’s Levi’s jumper and Levi has no choice but to put her t-shirt on. It’s big and old and Levi is Swimming in it. Well, at least he’s got pants on.
“Zoë! Who is this?”
“How can you just- You- You just came into my apartment?” She manages, because the sleepiness is gone, but the shock remains. Levi is completely mortified, he wishes the ground would swallow him faster because he’s standing there in a shirt with the words “my best friend went to Shiganshina and all I got was this crappy shirt” printed on it in tacky font.
“Our apartment! Don’t forget we own it Zoë! Now who is this! Don’t tell me you’ve been associating with gangst-“
“This is Levi... My boyfriend.”
Levi’s pulse quickens at that word. He gapes at Hanji, then at her parents, then at Hanji again. He wonders if it’s normal for people to turn that shade of grey because Hanji’s parents look every bit petrified. Mrs. Hanji points a trembling finger at him, she looks like she’s about to cry.
“What about Erwin? He’s a nice boy,” her father supplies and she caves, “dad... We were never together...”
There’s chatter, bits of ‘but you brought him home for dinner’ and bobs of ‘he’s doing his PhD too isn’t he?’
“I brought him to dinner to appease you...” Hanji says, her patience hanging by a thread because her mom is yelling something incoherent and her dad is still going on about Erwin.
Finally her mom had enough. “This is just a phase Zoë!”
“I’m twenty seven... I don’t think phases apply anymore?” Hanji laughs humourlessly.
Then the door slams after her mom shouts something about an ultimatum. Something about breaking up with Levi or getting evicted from the apartment.
“That was waaaay too much for the morning...” Hanji says, her voice slicing through the tension that had grown thick around them. She’s feigning an ease that does nothing to hide how frazzled she is. “Sorry about that... My mom can be a bitch when she’s angry... And well... She’s always angry...”
The insults Levi can handle, he’s heard worse. But seeing Hanji like this-
“Look... Your parents aren’t wrong... This isn’t... Usual...”
“I don’t get it though? I mean this city is practically run by the Ackermans! So really, it’s like dating the mayor’s son?”
“Zoë...” Levi chuckles, “it’s not the same?”
Hanji pauses to think. With her scholarship, surviving without the apartment wouldn’t be too difficult. But rent is steep in Sina and this means she’ll probably have to find an apartment on the outskirts. Then she’d have to travel, and everyone knows how Zoë Hanji is with punctuality-
“Does Kenny need someone in clandestine chemistry? I’m really good at-“
Levi cuts her off before she gets too invested in her ridiculous idea. “I don’t want you to be put in a spot because of me...”
“No!” Hanji points a resolute finger at Levi, “I don’t like the way this sounds we’re not breaking up!” And a quieter, thoughtful, “wait... Are we?”
Levi sighs, sitting back down on the bed. He tugs on Hanji’s arm and she’s sitting on his lap, and suddenly she’s limp and sad and there’s that very real chance that this might be it.
“What do you think of us?” Levi asks.
Her mouth moves faster than her brain, it’s a curse, Hanji’s been told. “We’re writing Yelp reviews now?” It’s quiet and Levi deadpans. He waits for her answer, he’s patient, and he knows her well enough.
She recalls the boys she has dated, the boys she’s kissed, and the grey area in between that had been Erwin, and she’s never felt like this. Hanji lets out a sigh. “Best I ever had... You?”
“Same.”
“Ha... My only satisfied customer then,” she hooks her arms behind his neck grins down at him.
“Okay...” Levi says, considering, “okay... Would you like to move in with me?”
Hanji’s eyes widen because is Levi really asking if she would like to- “huh? You- you mean it?”
“Sure... It’s a studio and there isn’t much space but you could save on rent.”
“And?” Hanji’s eyes light up, dopey smile plastered on her face.
Levi rolls his eyes, “and...” he sighs, “it would be nice... Living with you...”
“Wait... Really?” As much as Hanji teases, she’s mostly surprised they made it this far. It’s a long way from disco to cohabitation and Hanji had been pretty certain Levi would lose interest somewhere along the way. But he’s... Still here? “You don’t mind that I create a mess?”
“No. I do mind that you create a mess...” he shifts his weight and dumps Hanji on the bed. “But I would still like for you to move in with me...” Levi is hovering over her now, and Hanji thinks she really lucked out because she thinks he looks good even though he’s wearing her ridiculous shirt that’s slipping at his shoulders. It’s a weird look. But even so, it’s cute and Hanji has heart eyes.
“When you’re done staring I need an answer...”
“I’m not going to deny you the pleasure of living with me if that’s what you really want Levi...” she drawls, shrieking when Levi’s fingers dig into her sides. “Also it seems like the right time... I mean... You’ve already met my parents...”
Levi groans. It certainly hadn’t been ideal.
“You introduced me as your boyfriend.”
“Oh... About that...” Hanji says, and Levi thinks it’s amazing that Hanji actually has the capacity to be embarrassed.
“I don’t mind...” Levi says. Because he’s never really had a girlfriend, life hasn’t permitted him the convenience of labels, but now looking at Hanji, her hair splayed out on the sheets, her legs hooking lazily around his waist, how she’s beaming at him, he thinks labels could work.
“Where am I going to go then?” Hanji is distraught, but it can’t be helped.
The notice for renovation has been filed and The Serpent will be closed for a few months. The flooring needs to be retiled and the velvet needs replacing. But I like that it’s worn... It has character... Hanji had said. But it’s getting unsanitary and grimy and well, it can’t be helped.
The Rose stands in the swankier parts of town. It’s new and shiny and the kids love it. It’s a different crowd from The Serpent, so of course Nanaba has heard of it.
“It’s the best Hans... It’s... Contemporary...” she says as delicately as she can possibly manage, and Hanji pulls a face. But it’s not the same.,,
Although Hanji hates the music, it shares the same dubious ownership as The Serpent and Levi is there this particular Wednesday night. So is her whole tutorial class apparently. But she doesn’t realise that until she has her tongue shoved down Levi’s throat in one of the back hallways leading to the emergency exit. Of course they had to chance by. Of course they travel in a pack.
It’s Armin who breaks the silence. “M-miss Hanji?” He says, part mortified and part really embarrassed. They break apart and she’s greeted by five faces staring owlishly at them.
Hanji thinks maybe it had been an oversight that whole incident at The Rose. She had been in an unfamiliar territory, besides she should’ve known the probability of bumping into someone she knew was high. It’s a different crowd from The Serpent after all.
She thinks about this now because Erwin Smith is very well-positioned within the students gossip circle. And it’s weird?
“You’re dating an Ackerman... So I’ve heard?”
“As far as I’ve heard... No?” Hanji tries. She types nonsense on her keyboard.
“Don’t deny what my sources confirm Hanji...” Erwin is grinning with all the confidence in the world, “so... Which one?”
“Kenny The Ripper, of course.” Hanji puffs her chest and grins back. Foolish. She should’ve known Erwin isn’t stupid.
“Based on what the students have described... I hypothesise... Levi Ackerman?”
Erwin catches the flicker in Hanji’s eyes. Ah. Got it.
“Gossiping with the students? Mr Smith... I’m very disappointed in you...” Hanji tsk-tsks, and mutters a quieter “hypothesise? Who says that in real life?” under her breath.
Erwin shrugs. “Entertainment is hard to come by these days...”
“So... Erwin knows...”
“The kids told him?” Levi is shirtless, and drying himself with a towel and Hanji nearly loses the point of the story.
“Can you believe it? They’re little rats! All of them!”
Levi grunts. “Well, Kenny knows too...”
“Fuck!” Hanji exclaims. “He saw?”
"No... He guessed. Something about me looking less constipated.”
“Ha! Charming...” Hanji laughs.
“Wait... Have we been trying to be discrete?” Hanji ponders, sitting herself on the counter top.
“Apparently the whole of Sina doesn’t seem to think so...” Levi is tidying her stuff off the dining table, pulling a pile of notes here, a few books there.
“Does it matter?” She asks.
Levi shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. This seems to be a permanent arrangement, so people can start getting used to it.”
“By the way your soup is burning,” Levi interrupts Hanji mid-swoon and she’s yelling the most creative string of swears he’s ever heard. Between peals of laughter Levi thinks this is definitely the best arrangement he’s ever been in.
"Ah fuck... I put effort into that soup...” she’s still staring at said soup, but Levi is already taking out the stew he made the previous night from the freezer and putting it in the microwave for her.
“Oh well..." She sighs, pouring the soup down the sink, "perhaps man wasn’t meant for paradise..." Hanji says, and waits with bated breath, grin on her face.
Levi furrows his brows, “Captain Kirk?” And he doesn't know whether to be impressed or slightly disappointed at himself that he knows.
Hanji punches a triumphant fist in the air and whoops.
It’s midnight in Sina, the city that never sleeps. Zoë Hanji is the disco queen of the late 2010s, and she graces her neon empire. She’s also now Dr. Zoë Hanji, and they’re here to celebrate that. She walks up to the bar with a purpose.
“Hey handsome, wanna go some place else?” Hanji purrs in the man’s ear.
“Can’t...” the man turns to face her, “I’m married.”
“I’m sure your wife wouldn’t mind... Levi Ackerman...” Hanji‘s fingers dance across his forearm, she laughs when she feels goosebumps rising in her wake. “What’s she like anyway this wife of yours?”
“Untidy as fuck, not very clean, and she never stops talking.”
Hanji throws her head back and guffaws, completely unhinged, and Levi snorts. “She sounds absolutely delightful!” Hanji says, her face mere inches from his, this game making her a little impatient.
“Yeah...” Levi says, and thankfully he’s pulling her close, his arm hooked firm around her lower back, “she’s stunning.” With that Levi  closes whatever minuscule distance between them and he’s kissing her deep. All soft lips and pressing and unpressing, and Hanji is breathless when they pull apart. She’s speechless for a moment and Levi thinks this is the best way to shut her up, the only way he can bear too. “And as of today, she’s also a Doctor,” Levi adds, there’s awe and admiration in the softness of his smile and in his eyes when he looks at her, and Hanji feels like when black and white transitioned into technicolor.
And between a month (or two) of Levi being patient when Hanji ignores him to finish up her thesis, and them eloping to get married in a little chapel (Kenny had insisted on solemnising the wedding dressed as Elvis), she stops anticipating for things to fuck up.
“Now go... Your friends are staring...” he says, gaze flickering over to the Erwin, Mike and Nanaba who had indeed been gaping. They’re looking away now, averting their gazes here and there, sheepish. “Also... Did you get the milk?”
Hanji shouts a swear, and she makes the most guilty face she can muster. Levi rolls his eyes and lets out a long-suffering sigh, “I'll get it tomorrow morning...”
And Hanji grabs his face between her hands and kisses him silly.
“If you wanna dance you know where to find me!” She’s says and Levi tells her to congratulate Erwin on his behalf. Levi sets his glass down and leaves to the docks, something needed taking care of, but he should be able to make it back in time to get Hanji.
It's Prince night and Hanji doesn't ask put in queue requests with the DJ for Prince night because they're all hits! Hanji knows all the lyrics by heart and sings along to all the songs.
The club is emptying out by 3a.m. and Levi makes it back in time for the last song. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World is playing when he finds Hanji in the thinning crowd and dances with her.
"Apt..." He murmurs against her mouth when she reaches down for a kiss.
"Huh?" She says, a little dazed, the arms around her waist pull her in closer.
"The song... It's apt..." Levi says and she beams.
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bellamygateoldblog · 5 years ago
Note
there's a new ask game going around! what are your fav ships of the decade?!
: I’m picky about ships, I’ll be honest. I do enjoy a great many, but it takes a lot to leave an impression. To have found their way onto this list (of possibly the highest regard) these each have that something special. They’ve made my heart do things, made me pause scenes to compose myself, made me wanna bang my head against a wall, etc.
SO I only have a handful to offer here, but I appreciate you giving me this oppurtunity to fawn over these royal pairings.
Chuck and Blair | Gossip Girl
My most recent devistation, the freshest pick from the list. The scene that marked the very beginnings of their romantic relationship caught me totally by surprise, but most definitely sparked an intriuge deep inside me. Two wrongs make a twisted right.
They’re just so entertaining to me. They’re passionate, sexy and intense, but often have extremely sweet and emotional scenes, domestic-like moments, banter, and they work towards, against, and with the other in an always-twisting partnership.
MMm the way their relationship changes, grows and expands, how it thrives and suffers under different physical conditions but also due to the ever-changing internal emotional climate of each character involved is *chef’s kiss* delicious. Emotionally they’re rarely in the same place at the same time, but when they are there’s a balance and calm. They’re incredibly complicated and yet shockingly simple at the same time. It kept me on my toes. It annoyed me. They’re two characters with deeply-rooted issues and challenges, flaws that need to be dissected, an understanding of themselves and of the world that needs to be reached before they can fully and wholely be brought together as two people rather than two incomplete ideas. I just find there to be so much content to them. They could never be boring. They come back home. To each other, every time. And regardless of however much they still need to work on themselves, they love the other, still, intensely, and sometimes to a harmful degree. And I do also.
There’s so much allure in their chemistry, and they evolve so much throughout the show they’re basically unrecognisable by the end, as people and partners. In this show these characters were ‘falling in love’ with a new person or back in love with an ex every 3-5 working days, but Chuck and Blair, they were a constant. Of course I clinged to it when everything else is so uncertain and fleeting. I find both of these characters to be the most facinating, nuanced characters on the entire show*- throw these two at each other and there’s fireworks in good and not so good very bad ways. I think it’s quite clear why i’d become consumed with such a ship.
*for the sake of my own sanity I choose to ignore the clumsy and irresponsible retcon of Blair’s character somewhere at the end of season four, which was worsened and complicated further in five… i mean GG season five gave me the same ugly feeling as T100 season six. Blair and Bellamy were both major casualities…sometimes denial is your best friend.
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Nick and Sabrina | tcaos
These two. The absolute JOY i feel when i think of them…i can’t even explain it. During part one I was indifferent towards the pair- I found them vaguely intriguing mostly because Harvey/Sabrina was a snooze-fest and I found Nick to be a lot spicier and more compelling as a character- but come part two and cue me *falling in love* in the most unexpected ways. Now I’m attached and fully prepared to have my heart broken.
In my experience, the best ships are those that come out of nowhere and sweep you off your feet. Suddenly you’re anticipating more content of them together, and without ever having a hand in it at all you found a new love. This is them. Nick is so gentle with and about Sabrina, completely defying everything it means to be a ‘bad boy’ type in the process, as is she with him.
SO going on a tangent but it’s eventually relevant- to my delight, the writers have avoided falling into The Good Protagonist hole with Sabrina. She’s got flaws. A lot. She fucks up. A lot. She’s special, it’s at the core of her character, but she’s not placed upon a narrative pedestal. Which means she doesn’t come across as being more than him at any point. And, while a lot of writing of f/m couples have remnants of misogyny, whether intentional or not, it’s like…completely absent here. Which means he doesn’t ever come across as more than her, either! He’s written as protective without treating her like a delicate passive in her own life. He’s shown valuing her needs and supporting her ambitions rather than challenging or questioning them. They are equals in every sense of the word and that makes them so easy to root for. He goes to the bottom of the ocean for her- just in the middle of an episode, it’s no biggie, he’s just- “hey babe” when he gets back. And they are both prepared to walk into literal hell for eachother.
There’s such a deep respect between them, emotional vulnerability and expression, there’s communication, there’s supporting and belonging. SHE TAUGHT HIM HOW TO LOVE. They are so well matched and at no point did I feel like there was something missing in them. UGH part three cannot come soon enough- i’m all like: *FRAGILE, please handle with care*.
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Eliott and Lucas | Skam France
Evak, and any variation of them, needs no explanation as to why it’s so iconic. It just is. I can’t put a finger on what exactly it is about them I’m so fond of, i’ve never been able to, but they give me heart ache. I think these two might be my favourite version of Isak and Even as characters so, naturally, so is their relationship. I cherish the ships that have a certain intensity to them. And I’m a romantic. I choose Elu.
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Will and Mike | Stranger Things
This is the softest ship I’ve ever had. My liking of it developed so subtly that I didn’t even notice it until…well, now. From season three. I’m not as giddy for this one as I am for the others on this list, but they popped into my head when I read the question so that‘s a sign I probably subconsiously wanna include them.
The friendship between Will and Mike is just so pure and sweet, and as much as i adore their dynamic exactly as it is, taking this into romantic territory could actually work and I might be surprised by it, but I also wouldn’t be surprised at all. There’s just something about the way Mike is with Will that I love so much. Mike is the one there to comfort him whenever something goes wrong, Mike is his best friend. Despite them both belonging to a group with two other boys they seem closest. And if the implications of Will’s sexuality do eventually lead to him being canonically gay, i say why not? Why not go there? Let’s add another one to the Finn Wolfhard gay character cinematic universe.
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talesfromthesnogbox · 5 years ago
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Blank makes you Crazy
Summary: Set in episode 3x07 "The Bite", Mike tries to apologize to El, because, well, 'blank' makes you crazy. But what if Dustin hadn't gotten through, what if Mike had more time to explain just exactly what 'blank' meant?A "fix it" of sorts for THAT scene in the aisles of the supermarket.
Don't know where it came from, I just had the urge to write it. Yes, you can absolutely tell where the OG writing has ended and mine has begun because it's wildly out of character, but guess what? I don't care, I just wanted to write it.
ANYWAYS, ENJOY!
---
“Does it hurt?” Mike asked his girlfriend—ex-girlfriend—as they sat in the middle of aisle 10 of the local Big Buy.
“Mmm… not bad.” El shrugged. She was a tough cookie, but even that looked more painful than anything Mike had ever experienced.
He nodded, knowing she was trying to put on a brave face. “You’re gonna have an awesome scar.” El smirked. “You’ll look even more badass.”
“Bitchin’.”
“Yeah, bitchin’.” He smiled, and for the first time in days, it actually reached his eyes. A comfortable silence fell over the two, and Mike knew that this was as good a chance as he’d ever get to say what he wanted to. “…El…”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” Mike knew it was time to admit he was wrong. He missed El, and he didn’t want to be apart anymore. “It’s just… being broken up… it’s been hard.” He paused, hearing a spotty message come through on his supercomm, but it was gone as soon as it started. “And… I like that you and Max are friends now. It’s just… I was jealous at first, and—and angry, that’s why I said all that stupid stuff. And it’s like… I wanted you, all to myself.” El raised her eyebrows, a wave of butterflies fluttering in her chest. She had never been too shy to tell Mike that she just wanted him alone all the time, but it had been the first time he’d said it out loud to her, and she couldn’t be happier that he felt the same way. But Max was right, she needed to know who she was, without Mike or Hopper telling her. “And now I realize how unfair that is, and selfish, and like… I’m sorry.” A sweet smile spread across her face. She was grateful for Mike; he’d given her the space she needed, and now she knew who she was, and what she wanted. Conveniently, she wanted him. “I just like… I’ve never felt… like this,” he gestured between the two of them, heart pounding in his chest as he thought about what he was about to say, “you know, with anyone before… and…” he sighed, “they do say it makes you crazy.” Mike chuckled and gave her a pointed look.
This is it, he thought, I did it, El is actually going to know that I love her.
But Mike’s heart sunk when he saw that blatant look of confusion on El’s face. “What makes you crazy?”
If El were being truthful, she’d tell Mike that she heard everything he’d said to the party when he had been fighting with Max. The words rang through her head and sent a warm feeling through her body; ‘because I love her and I can’t lose her again!’ But El didn’t want to be truthful, not yet. She wanted to hear him say it again, to make sure it wasn’t something she’d misheard while she was busy looking for Billy.
A look of horror crossed Mike’s face. “You’ve never… you’ve never heard that term?” He emphasized, hoping that maybe ‘love makes you crazy’ had been said in one of her soaps, and she’d understand. “You know like the ph-phrase, like ‘blank makes you crazy’ like the word?” He looked at her hopelessly, praying she’d either understand, or the floor would swallow him whole.
“Girlfriends?” El wasn’t prepared to go easy on him.
“No no no no no not—not girlfriends.” The last thing Mike needed was for El to think that she drove him crazy.
“Boyfriends.” She responded confidently, holding herself back from saying what she knew the answer was. LOVE!
“No! No, no no, not boyfriends either. It’s like… it’s like a feeling… or…”
“Feeling?” She was having too much fun with him at this point to stop.
Mike continued rambling. “Yeah like something… like, like… old people say it to each other sometimes. It’s like—”
“Old people?” Where exactly was he going with this?
“Yeah! W-what I want to say is…” He hesitated, “that I just…” She gave him a look of encouragement, but Mike’s eyes were focused on the ground. “I know that I—”
Mike’s heart thrummed in his chest nervously as his supercomm cut him off once more. He had been so close to saying it, those three little words nearly left his lips, but this shit with the mind flayer was determined to stop him.
The two stared at the walkie in a pile a few feet away as static continued to crackle away. A decision had to be made right then and there, either he was going to try his supercomm to get a hold of Dustin, or he would continue with this conversation. One quick glance back at El’s face made his mind up for him. Mike jumped up and reached the supercomm in a few strides, but turned it off and returned it to its place on the floor. In a matter of seconds, he was back, sitting across from El at the end of aisle 10.
“I know that I screwed up.” He scooted himself closer, her bent knee touching the shin of his crossed leg. Mike took her hands, and finally met her eyes. “I screwed up so bad El, and it’s because I was blinded by my feelings for you. I like you, a lot, like, I more than like you, if you know what I mean.”
He was so nervous, Mike had no idea what she would say, he didn’t even know if she knew what love meant.
El’s expression softened once she saw how stressed Mike looked in that moment. As much as she enjoyed the little game they were playing, he deserved to know how she felt too.
“Mike, what makes you crazy?”
He frowned, not quite following her question.
“Blank make’s you crazy… what’s the blank?”
His cheeks flushed with colour and he looked down to their joined hands between them. “L-love.” It came out in a whisper; he didn’t trust his voice in that moment.
El smiled and scooted as close as she could, resting her forehead on his. “Mike…” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I heard what you said at the cabin.”
He exhaled, as if he’d just been punched in the gut. El could feel his breath across her lips. “Wh-why didn’t you say something?”
“This was more fun. Wanted to hear you say it, to… I thought I dreamed it.” She bumped his nose with hers lightly. “Was I dreaming, Mike?”
“N-no, of course not. I meant everything.”
“A-and were you going to tell me?”
Mike chuckled despite himself. “I-I’ve been trying to.”
She giggled and pulled away so she could meet his eyes. “Try again.”
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and counted to three in his head before he opened them again. His heart melted as he took in the look on her face, the pure, soft joy in her eyes, the innocent, radiant glow that he’d never seen before. Mike could feel the love radiating off her in waves, and he knew that finally he could confidently say those three words.
“El, I love you.” Mike’s face grew hot, the gravity of what he’d just said weighing him down, but also making him feel lightheaded.
El’s smile only lasted a few seconds longer as she leaned in and kissed him slowly. Something significant had shifted between them. This didn’t feel like one of the butterfly inducing kisses they’d shared at the Snow Ball, or even like one of the more intense kisses that left them breathless with swollen lips behind (almost) closed doors. Something had shifted; chaste but intense, breathless butterflies, and absolute pure love.
She was the first to pull back, but not by much. Mike could still feel her tongue flick out to wet her lips, the gentle breaths that came out quicker than they did before they’d kissed. But most importantly, he could feel her lips ghost over his ever so lightly as she whispered, “I love you too, Mike.”
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secretblog1212 · 5 years ago
Text
Fuck, Marry, Kill.
So this is kind of really shit but I can’t figure out how to make it not shitty so here you go folks. XD sorry. Pretty much more High Steve with Robin just chilling with hints of sad because oof. Not a ship, they just friends.
The store was empty for the first time in three, long, trying, and teenage filled hours. Needless to say Steve and Robin were dead on their feet as they closed up shop.
Robin was quick to lock the doors, and Steve sped threw mopping the ‘poop deck’, otherwise known as the shops front. Chairs were flipped and scoops were washed at record speed. Robin was about to grab her purse when Steve stopped her.
“Hey Rob, I was wondering if you wanted to smoke tonight? We could just throw a movie in or something.”
Well that was new. Not that she didn’t know Steve smoked every now and then, but she’s never been invited before. They had been getting closer over the summer, so it kind of made sense, and hey, if he was going to offer it out for free who was she to say no.
“Sure, just let me go home and change first, meet you at yours in about an hour?”
Steve’s smile was damn near blinding. He nodded along eagerly, and they split off, Robin heading to where her mom was picking her up and Steve to his car.
After five minutes of small talk Robin decided she couldn’t put it off any longer.
“Hey mom, I was wondering if I could hang out at a friends house tonight. They’re having a movie night, I know it’s kind of last minute but I thought it might be okay since I’m off tomorrow anyway.”
She hummed in thought, “Who’s house is it?”
“The boy I work with, Steve, I’ve told you about him before.”
“He won’t try to get in your pants?”
Robin couldn’t hold back her laugh, “Not a chance, he knows I like girls mom.”
The elders face lit up, “Oh of course then Honey, I’ll drop you off whenever your ready and maybe he can take you home tomorrow.” She relented, relaxing back into her seat.
They pulled into their driveway and Robin made quick work of showering and getting comfy close for the night. Clad in sweat pants and an old band t-shirt she threw her still wet hair up in a messy bun and gathered her favorite blanket in a bag. Down stairs her mother was watching the end to the nightly news.
“Ready Mom!”
The brunette turned and did a once over of her daughter. Concluding that she was appropriately dressed for a sleepover she picked her purse up from the coffee table and the two made their way out the door.
A quick drive later and they were pulling into the Harrington’s long driveway, the first floors lights sprinkled to show where exactly Steve was.
Her mom wished her well and Robin made her way to the doorbell. Soft chimes sounded through the house.
The double doors were yanked open to reveal none other than Steve Harrington himself, ushering her inside and waving to her mom as she pulled away.
“Welcome, welcome to the wonderfully cozy Harrington residence. We have two of fifty rooms occupied, my bedroom and the living room, feel free to pick either to get fucked up in.”
Robin eyed the blank walls of the too clean house. It just wasn’t Steve at all, it seemed empty? Lonely? Like some Hallmark mansion, just not realistic at all. Down the hall she could see the flashing glow of a television and pointed. “There.”
“Living room it is then.” Steve hummed with a soft nod. “That’s where I got everything prepared so I was hoping you’d say that.”
God he was a dingus.
There was a large L shaped couch in the middle of the room, a TV facing it against the wall on top of a dresser like stand, and a coffee table littered with snacks, movies, and a few blunts between the two. Given the stack of blankets already pulled out Robin assumed that tonight was going to be filled with warm, cozy cuddling and lazy conversations.
She wasn’t complaining though. She plopped down on the bouncy cushion and reached to flip through the movie choices.
“Anything in mind Harrington?”
“Nothing particular. They���re mostly horror though.”
That raised an eyebrow, hadn’t he already had enough horror in his life already? “You a big fan of horror then?” she asked.
Steve just kind of huffed then chuckled. “My dad says a real man doesn’t watch musicals or romance stuff. He only allows ‘manly’ movies in his house, don’t you want to watch a manly movie Rob?”
Robin just rolled her eyes and mumbled. “Wouldn’t know good movies if it hit him.” But she loved a good horror movie herself, she grabbed the copy of Nightmare on Elms Street and waved it in Steve’s face. “Pop her in then buddy.”
A minute later and they were situating blankets across the two of them as trailers flickered across the screen. Really Robin thought five blankets was a little excessive but Steve seemed to think it was lacking. He leaned forward and grabbed the pre popped popcorn, a lighter, and the first blunt of the night.
Ever the gentleman Steve gave her the first hit. She held it in her mouth, coaxing it down her throat while he took his own puff. After a few seconds she opened her mouth and let the smoke find its own way out, floating from her mouth and into the air like a cloud.
Steve was not as patient or content to see the slow going process, after a few seconds he blew the air out like flames from a dragon's mouth.
They traded it back and forth, watching each other’s different tricks as the drug slowly took effect, till the movie started up, their eyes glued to the screen.
Something Robin realized fairly quickly was that Steve was not a fan of horror movies. She could feel him slowly pressing further against her, flinching when things got too jumpy. She couldn’t blame him, besides if she could help comfort him through this one then she could find at least one happy movie to put in next, right?
After a particularly gruesome scene she decided she couldn’t wait that long. You might be thinking, why doesn’t she just say she wants to change the movie? Well, the thought didn’t even cross her mind. Instead she moves in with a quick distraction.
“That Nancy Thompson is pretty cute right?”
Steve stares up at her for a few seconds before nodding. Hell yeah she was cute.
“And that Glen dude, any character Johnny Depp plays is going to be eye candy.”
“Yeah.”
Good. If she had him talking then he wasn’t paying attention to the movie.
“Quick! Fuck marry kill, Johnny, Nancy girl, or Tina?”
He stuttered for a few seconds, his mind wrapping around the character selection. “Umm, kill Tina, Marry Johnny and fuck Nancy?”
Robin couldn’t help but laugh at how unsure he sounded.
“Hey well how about you?”
“Mmm,” she paused to think. “Kill Johnny, Marry Tina, fuck Nancy.”
The game kept up with characters before moving onto people they knew in real life. “Clair Burk, Tommy H, and Carol.”
Steve huffed long and hard for that one, taking another drag before even contemplating. Robin thought about her own answer as well, Clair was pretty cute, and surely Carol would have some redeeming qualities. Tommy was a nice guy if you caught him around the right people, but prone to violence, she’d have to go with “I’d marry Clair, fuck Carol and kill Tommy.”
Steve actually laughed at that one. “Understandable, understandable. But get this okay. Fuck Tommy, kill Clair, Marry Carol.” He was quick to continue when Robins head jerked to look at him, eyebrows raised. “I’ve known them for a super long time, right? So marry Carol cause we could just act like friends, and like I know you like girls and all but Tommy is kinda cute. He has freckles Rob, freckles. And he’s super strong-“
She stopped him before it could get graphic “Woah woah woah keep it PG, I don’t need a full description of how you’d want him to give it to you.”
They’d cycled through most of the kids in their grade that they both knew by the time the credits started to roll.
Steve sat up and stared her down, excited not unlike a golden retriever.
“Wait wait wait okay okay. So. Watch, sleepover with, or dinner with, kid addition.”
Color her intrigued. She gestured for him to continue. “Okay So Mike, Dustin and Max?”
The kids had grown on her since that night at the Mall, she’s like to think they were all friends. “Okay so watch Max, Sleepover with Dustin and Dinner with Mike.”
Steve burst into laughter.
Fine, if he was going to just laugh at her she’d give him something to laugh at.
Robin turned to face him and reached to grab ahold of his side, squeezing away at the fleshy skin. “Oh your going to laugh at me? Well you have a better idea Dingus?”
Steve’s laughter doubled and his hands grabbed onto her wrists. No matter how hard he tried to squirm to the other side of the couch he was stuck. Their legs had gotten tangled in the many many blankets about an hour ago, and neither had the motivation to unstick themselves.
Boy does he wish he had.
“I was lahaughihing cause mihine is the sahahme! Ihits the sahame.”
Oh. Well, no reason for her to stop. “Yeah, cause Mike's a shithead and gets in trouble, of course it was going to be the same! But now look at you Stevey, Hmm let me think of one.” She slowed down for a second, focusing in on who she would pair up. “How about Lucas, Jane, and Will? I won’t stop tickling you till you answer.”
I Steve kicked out as she moved her way up his ribs, digging between the bone. Somehow he ended up with his back against her, trapping himself.
“Wahahtch Lucas, dineher with Jahanehe, Wihihill sleheep ohover!”
She slowed down her fingers, not quite stopping but changing to fluttery touches that left him giggling.
Steve’s arms felt heavy and all he could think about was the tingling of her nails over his stomach and neck. He let his hands drop into his lap and threw his head back onto Robins shoulder.
“It feheheels weirherd.”
Robin leaned down to his ear to tease the poor boy. “Do you mean it tickles Steve?”
The boy nodded, hiding his blush in the crook of her neck.
“Come on, you can say it buddy. Tick-le, easy peasy.”
Steve burrowed deeper into her neck, hiding himself away from the word.
“Fine,” she huffed. “If you won’t say it then at least tell me that you like it. It’s kind of obvious at this point.”
He only leaned further onto her, probably hoping to disappear.
“Well that just confirmed it Dingus.” She cooed.
She kept up the light touches till Steve’s face had lost some of its pink. He was still squirming occasionally when her fingers strayed a bit to close to his side, and he rolled himself so they were chest to chest.
If she was wondering what kind of stoned Steve would be before she had her answer. He was touchy and clingy when high, and it somehow fit perfectly even with his previous bad boy routine.
His breathing evened out and he was fully slumped against her.
Robin stretched as far as she could for the remote and a bag of chips before laying herself back down. Now that Steve was actually asleep she could try and really watch the movie. What were best friends for if not being a pillow anyway?
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dammitadolfnomorecake · 6 years ago
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COTW - Chapter 12 update
Leaving Eren sleeping, Levi was forced to drag himself to work, dropping a still sleepy Viren off at Hanji's on the way. Eren had to be at the function centre they were holding the wind up in at 10am, his mate springing on him that he was supposed to be helping with the set up, the previous night. Though he did insist that he'd told Levi, and it was written on the fridge calendar... not that'd he'd acknowledge it. Not until he realised he was upsetting Eren instead of his mate being able to take it as a joke. He didn't like the idea of his pregnant mate being on his feet all day, but there was nothing he could do about it. His shift started at 5am, and even showering at work would be cutting things fine. He was dressing up for Eren's sake, trying to make amends for his stupid spat of jealousy. Thankfully he was on a split shift. His morning in the field, with the last few hours working with students completing their Paramedic degree. Most of that involved role-play, much to his disgust, but with Erwin still being in a shitty arse mood, it was actually preferable. If he was upset with him, he'd wish the man would just spit it out, and if he was upset with Mike, he wished the two of them would just bone it out... It was tiring, and beginning to affect patient care. Erwin had dropped the ball at an accident, nearly costing the victim their life. He didn't want to write Erwin up, but he also didn't know how to ask him what the fuck was going on with him. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, and he definitely didn't want to fight with Erwin over Eren again. The last half an hour of his shift was the worse. He was so close to seeing Eren, yet his students were shitty idiots. He'd somehow managed to catch the eye of two young female betas, that insisted on bombarding him with pointless questions. What kind of moron didn't know that you didn't put butter on a burn because it seals the heat in. Even burn creams didn't compare to fresh cool running water. And then... just as he'd thought he was free, they'd been waiting for him outside the depot. Dressed in his suit, with his hair still dripping, the pair of them had bombarded him with even more pointless shitty questions. Where was he going? What was he doing? Was he seeing someone? Like the mark on his neck and the ring on his finger didn't scream that. Stupidly, he'd tried to deflect, saying he was on his way to see his omega and son. One of them, less than quietly, "whispering" to her friend he was a "total DILF". He was so fucking done. Climbing into his car, he fished his phone out his pocket. Eren had been providing him with photos since his arrival at the function centre. His fiancée running late to arrive, sending a selfie labeled "I over slept!". It didn't look like it. His love looked perfect. A healthy red glow in his cheeks as he smiled up at him. Sending his mate a quick text to tell him he was on the way, there were only a few moments before he replied, Eren promising to meet him out the front of the function centre. The function centre had the usual crappy parking. Levi having to partially block the alley running between the side of the centre, and the next building. He was lucky to even get space, and it wouldn't have been a problem if the arsehole with their tiny car hadn't parked half over the bay lines. With the day he'd had, he was sorely tempted to smash their windows in. Jogging up the front steps, he finally managed to crack as a smile. Eren looked brilliant. Dressed in a dark suit with an emerald green shirt, and white tie, his mate took his breath away "Levi?" "You look amazing" Blushing softly, Eren walked over to him, grazing his cheek with a soft kiss. His hair had been neatly combed back, forming a man bun. He normally hated them, but he looked amazing. There were probably a million different words to describe how good his omega looked, yet his brain had short circuited to "amazing" "Thank you. You look... hot. And tired" "Hot as in hot? Or hot as in hot?" "Sexy. Gorgeous. Perfect. Hot" "I wanted to look nice for you" "Oh, you look nice. More than nice... you have no idea the things, you in a suit does to me" "I seem to vaguely recall" "As much as I'd love to show you, we'd never get back inside" Looping his arm through Eren, he smiled a dopey smile. Clueless to the way his silver eyes sparkled with affection for his omega "Shall we?" "We shall. It's actually impossible to get lost in this place. The dance studio was just too small for everything" "Have you been busy?" "A little. I had to help sew up last minute costume tears, but no. No heavy lifting" "And you're ready?" "Yep. Sasha is the one having the meltdown. She wanted to change costumes again" "Again?" "This is costume number 6. She was going to go with pink to begin with" "I think you could have pulled it off" "Noooo. I'm just lucky I'm not in a dress. Honestly" Escorted by Eren, the whole inside of the function centre had been transformed... not that he knew what it usually looked like. Decked in Christmas colours, it bordered on tacky, but was saved by the fact it was December "Ignore the decor. Dance mums are fucking scary. They all thought they knew best and this is what happened. It's what I imaging reindeer vomit to be" "I don't know. There's a few things in here that look amazing... especially you" "You're killing me here..." "Not my intention I promise" It was nice to see all eyes on Eren, his fiancée walking through the tables with a sense of confidence that nearly had Levi tripping over his own feet. It stroked his and his alpha's egos to know he was the one going home with Eren at the end of the night. As they walked, a few people waving to Eren as they walked, Eren politely waving back "You haven't missed much. Just the boring speech part and the smaller children" "I'm sorry for being late" "I'm really not mad. Now, all the drinks are ID only. Hanji ordered you a drink already. She's going to take Viren tonight because I've been busy all day. And I'll probably need help stretching tonight" "I can stretch you" "Mmm, as much as I like the sound of that, I don't want to wake up with leg cramps tomorrow" "Then I'll have to stretch you thoroughly" "You need to stop talking, or we're going to be in some real trouble" Levi thought his mate was being flirtatious, until he noticed some very disapproving mum's glaring. Reaching their table, Eren pulled his chair out for him "Hanji, remember. Keep an eye on him for me" "Eren, we have tequila. What's going to go wrong" Eren put his hands on his hips, scolding her "You're only allowed one" "Two, I've arranged for Eld to take us home. I just have to call" "I have to go now. Here, take care of my phone. I don't really want to leave it in my bag" Passing it over, Eren kissed him softly. Ruffling Viren's hair as he stood "I'll see you later. And you, be good for daddy and Hanji" "Good luck" "Break a leg" "Don't tell him that. He's got enough pins in his ankle" "You two behave" "We will!" Almost as soon as Eren had Disappeared off to the side and out of view from the tables, the concert? soon started. Levi didn't know he needed a hip-hop dancing Jesus in his life until it happened. Nor did he know that the star of Bethlehem knew ballet, but his favourite was the tap dancing sheep. This shit was great. People didn't appreciate his laughter, Viren staring at him like he'd lost his marbles. Mary went to kiss Joseph, Joseph burst into tears and ran off the stage. The little girl dropped the baby Jesus doll, the head coming off and she kicked it off to the side, acting like nothing happened. The whole nativity scene acted out by dance and it was gold. The next set was more of the same, though it was older kids. If had to guess, he'd say from 10 years, or so, to 16. Santa doing some Latin dance with rudolf, and instead of dancing the Christmas tree sang. The chimney had a wardrobe malfunction, or the kid just didn't give two shits. They couldn't move properly, falling on their back and doing the best interpretive dance of a stuck turtle he'd even seen. While everyone whispered around them, he and Hanji were struggling not to laugh. Anna wanted to help them, trying to escape Hanji's lap. After the Santa set came to an end, the stage area was cleared. He and Hanji both needed the break. Then came the teenagers dance performances, which sadly went off without a hitch. After that was a small break before the ballroom dancing started. It was now most of the small children left with their parents. Returning with another drink, Hanji was grinning ear to ear as she returned. Anna had needed the bathroom, the little girl in love with everything going on around her "Enjoying yourself?" "That was great" "Good. I'm going to enrol Anna, what about Viren?" "I think he might be a bit too small right now" "You just don't want him stuck in a chimney" They really shouldn't be laughing... "He's enough of a handful as it is" "I wonder if they managed to get them out of there" "I have no idea" "I wonder if Eren got to watch?" "I hope he did. I didn't realise it would be so... Christmassy" "Neither did I. I wish we'd brought the others now" "I don't. Erwin's in a sulk" "Yeah. I have no idea why. I asked if he could pick me up tonight, and he lost it at me" "I needed this more than I thought" "Well hold onto that feeling, Eren will be up soon. If it's like the first two bits, they'll work their way from youngest to oldest" "Is it horrible to hope for another stuff up?" Hanji ducked her head, checking to make sure no one was listening "Nope. I am too. I hope they have DVD's of this. Or one of those crazy dance mums has been filming" "We'll have to ask Eren" "Yeah" The younger kids were kind of adorable as they danced the best they could. The girls were wearing way too much make up, looking more like mutant, oversized dolls than people, while the boys were dressed as gentlemen. One kid had the cockiest grin on his face, onto to end up with foot stomped on by his partner at the end, when nudged her out the way for more attention. "Hi, Guys! Fancy seeing you here" "Connie! Lovely to see you again! Here, come sit with us" Unlike Levi, Connie was wearing a causal shirt and jeans. The alpha all smiles as he sat down next to Hanji "What'd I miss?" "The funniest shi-shoe. You're not going to get into trouble are you?" "What? No. Sasha told me not to bother coming until late" "Seriously? You missed the best bits" "As long as I see her dance, that's the main thing" "Well, we seem to be in the teenagers now. It shouldn't be too much longer" Hanji was wrong. It seemed to take forever. There was a short break after the young dancers, until the M.C finally returned to the announce the senior dancers performing the Viennese Waltz to Alice's Waltz. Levi sitting forward in his chair, as Eren swept in with Sasha on his arm. His omega looked so cool and composed, that Levi ended up half squishing Viren as he completely forgot his son in his lap "Uncle Eren!" "Shhh, Anna. Uncle Eren knows you're here" "Mummy" "Shhh, baby. Let's just watch mummy" "Go Sasha!" Sasha shot Connie a glare as she and Eren took their places. Eren was breathtaking. Out of all the dancers, his omega... he seriously took his breath away. He expected Alice's Waltz to take longer than a minute or so that it did. Eren and Sasha looked like naturals as Sasha draped herself in Eren's arms. Eren spinning her around as if it was nothing, and as if he wasn't 4 months pregnant. Clapping politely, Hanji leaned across the table to smack his arm "You need to breathe" "Whoo! Sasha!" Connie was on his feet, not caring he was making a scene. Standing Sasha back up, Eren bowed as Sasha curtsied. Her dress looked stunning, but no where as nice as his fiancée "I am. I just... I didn't expect it to be that nice" "Of course you didn't. You don't exactly scream the type to dance" Walking off to the side of the dance floor, Viren wanted his mum. Their son trying to escape him to go running after Eren. One by one, each couple was called forward, their names, dance style and song announced, before an arrangement of 3ish minutes. Levi impressed by each style of dance, as he'd expected each couple to waltz or something to that effect. Anna was really into, clapping her hands slightly out of time with the music, as Connie encouraged her. Given how quiet everyone else was, it was a miracle they weren't told to shut up. Eren and Sasha were the last couple. Eren holding Sasha's hand as if Sasha was a princess. Both of them smiling as they took their places a few metres apart "Dancing the Foxtrot to Christina Aguilera's Say Something. It's our final couple. Mr Eren Yeager and his partner Mrs Sasha Springer" Connie kept his mouth shut this time. Perhaps knowing better than to upset Sasha when she was in character. Eren looked slightly more nervous, but relaxed as the music started. Acting flirty, then shocked and betrayed, Sasha danced around Eren, before Eren took hold of her hands. It seemed to him that the pair made better use of the space than the other pairs. Not that he was biased. He was in awe of Sasha's fancy footwork, until Eren started. The pair playing arguing and reconciling lovers perfectly. The dance ending wish Sasha "dying" in Eren's arms. There were a few very tiny moments Eren looked as if he was about to panic, but no one but him would have known the way his mate moved. Standing Sasha up, once again, Sasha span away from him, their hands catching at the last moment, Eren bowing and Sasha naturally curtsying again. Jumping to his feet, Connie was clapping as he yelled "That's my wife!" Sasha blew his a kiss, before letting Eren guide her off the dance floor. Only for then all to be called back on, bow and curtsy again. The M.C announcing another short break. Leading her over to them, Eren released Sasha's hand. The woman going to her husband as Eren came to him. Lifting Viren up, he nuzzled into the boy's face, careful not to upset his graze. Eren then staring at him, and Levi no longer remembering the English language "You broke him" "I can see that, Hanji" "Uncle Eren, you looked beautiful. But Sasha was prettier" Sasha giggled "Thank you, Anna" "Levi? You're not going to say anything?" "Wow..." Eren laughed softly. His sweaty omega sitting down in his lap carefully "Thank you" Rubbing Viren's back, their son kept his face hidden against Eren's chest "He's definitely broken" "Shoe up, Hanji" "No. He's coming too..." Struggling like an idiot, he really didn't know what to say. Eren was out of his league. Hanji however, had no problem with her mouth "Sasha, does that mean you're done?" "Yep. That's me for the night" "You were wonderful" "Thanks. Eren is such a great partner. I'm going to miss dancing with him" Readjusting himself to turn to Sasha, his mate rolled his eyes "You make it sound like I'll never dance again" Sasha huffed. Climbing out of Connie's lap to sit beside her husband "It's going to be a long wait to find another suitable partner. Most don't like the foot work of a foxtrot" "Eren's great at throwing himself into complicated things" "Oi. I'm sitting right here" "We know. You're supposed to be going and getting ready" "I know, but it can wait" "I thought you wanted to clean up" "That's why it can wait. Besides, someone is getting sleepy" Sasha yawned, then winked "How did you know?" "You haven't eaten in the last half an hour" "I don't eat that much... but do you guys want food? I've got food" Levi's stomach rumbled slightly, though he knew exactly what he wanted to eat "That would be great. We did eat before, but it's a long night for the kids" "I'll help you" Climbing out his lap, the kiss Eren bestowed upon his lips was hardly kid friendly. Breaking the kiss, Eren had a cheeky smile on his face "Damn, Shitty brat" "I love you my arsehole of an alpha. Viren's just about asleep, and I suppose I really do have to get ready" "Ok. Will you be alright?" "Yep. I've got something special planned, so don't take your eyes off me" "I would never"
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photojunke3 · 8 years ago
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Movie Time -ch1
Summary: Clay needs some down time, and who better to spend it with than Tony?
Word Count: 2053
Notes: Hey guys, this is my first time posting any writing, but I just finished ‘13 Reasons Why’ and love the dynamic between Clay and Tony so felt inspired. I’m not sure if it’s too long, but I don’t have an archive of our own account. If you are interested in more chapters I will set one up and continue the story...let me know if you are interested (or to let me know if I’m posting wrong or something, I’m pretty new at all this!) Enjoy!
.
Clay
It had been a long school year.  After Hannah’s suicide, the tapes, and the court case, he found himself needing a break. Walking out of the school building that Friday, backpack slung over one shoulder, he spotted a familiar red Mustang in the parking lot.  Faltering for a second, the thought crossed his mind that Tony might be tired of seeing him, but he decided it couldn’t hurt to ask and made a B-line for the pristine car anyway.  As he was approaching, he saw the trunk close revealing the leather jacket clad, slick back hair-ed Tony.  
“Clay!” he exclaimed, a big sideways smile lighting up his Hispanic features.  Immediately he felt the knot of tension in his stomach begin to loosen. How did Tony do that? Maybe it was all they had been through together, but he and Tony had been friends for a long time and he always remembered the feeling of calm he got from being next to him.
“Hey Tony! You busy? Or do you have time to hang out?” His fingers tapped the pockets of his jeans like they had a mind of their own.
“Sure Clay, what’s up?”
“Nothing, nothing, I’m fine.” He looked to the side, pretending to pay attention to the flow of students in the parking lot. How did Tony always know? Was he that bad at hiding his feelings? Or was Tony just that good at reading him by now?
“You sure?” Tony asked, tilting his head sideways as he leaned a hip against his car.
“Yeah…It’s just, I dunno. Feeling like I need a break I guess,” He admitted, shrugging, “My mom is, ya know, being herself and I just kind of need to veg out and not think for a while, ya know?”
“I know.” And he did, Tony always did. “I’m meeting my dad at the shop now, but I’ll be around if you want to stop by later.”
“Great, see ya later!” He nodded, giving a short wave as he turned towards where he had left his bike.
“Hey Clay!” Tony called after him.
“Ya,” he turned, half expecting Tony to have remembered that he had better ways to spend his Friday evening.
“You like black and white films?”
“Yeah man, I work at a movie theater, remember?” he said with a smile.
“Right.  You’re in charge of the popcorn then,” Tony said as he slid into the mustang, not even waiting for a response.  
‘How can you have a movie without a snack?’ he thought as he unlocked the chain to his bike.  He made a mental note to stop by the store on his way home for popcorn and candy feeling much better than he had been just a few minutes before.
 .
He was at the table eating Mike and Ikes while doing homework when he heard the front door open and the unmistakable clatter of his mom’s heels.
“Hey mom,” he said, closing up the box and heading towards the front hall where she was unloading her purse and briefcase.
“Hey sweetie, how was school today?”
“Fine. How was your day?”
“Good, good. I’ve got to meet with a new client in a bit so you and your father are on your own for dinner,” she said as she took her shoes off and checked her makeup in the front hall mirror.
“Uh, actually, I’m going over to Tony’s in a bit. Having a movie night. If that’s ok?”
“Yes, sure sweetie. It’s been a while since you two hung out, you spent so much time together when you were working on that history project.”
“Yes, that,” he said, guiltily running a hand through his short hair, ruffling it at the back a bit. “It’s just that, you know, he’s been spending a lot of time with his boyfriend.” He didn’t know how his mom would respond to Tony having a boyfriend. Not that it mattered to him, but according to Tony it was a common fact that everybody knew.
“That’s nice, you should always make time for the people you love,” his mom said with a smile. Apparently Tony having a boyfriend was no news to her, furthering in his mind how clueless he must have been.  She looked up at him from her briefcase for the first time since she had gotten home and immediately a frown crossed her face. “Oh dear, that scar is still showing on your forehead, when will that ever heal?” She reached up as if to rub the spot from his face.
“Mom! It’s fine, it’s healing just fine,” he said, turning back towards the table where he’d left his homework. Seeing a text from Tony he picked up his phone read, ‘Home now, just cleaning up. You can come over anytime’. It would take a while on his bike so he figured he would start now. “Hey mom, I’m leaving. Good luck with your new client.” He sent a thumbs up emoji to Tony and started gathering his homework from the table.
“Thanks sweetie, text if you’re going to be very late! Say ‘Hi’ to Tony for me.”
“Will do,” he said with a smirk and a salute as he headed upstairs to dump his homework and grab his backpack with the snacks. He sniffed his shirt on his way up, opting to change into a fresher one and reapply his deodorant before the ride to the other side of town.
 .
“Hey Mr. Padilla,” he said as he swung off his bike at the end of the driveway.
“Oh, hey Clay,” Tony’s dad called out, barely looking up from under the car hood, “Hey, grab me that wrench there in my toolbox, will ya?”
“Sure, this one?” He said as he grabbed the one on top and started handing it over.
“No, not the screwdriver, Clay, the wrench, the wrench! How do you work on your bike if you don’t know what a wrench looks like?”
He dropped the tool and grabbed for another that Tony’s dad was pointing to. He turned his head to the side and shrugged, “Uh, well Tony usually fixes it for me?”
“Dad, give him a break,” he heard Tony say from behind them as his dad shook his head. “I don’t mind fixing it,” Tony said with a shrug and a look in his direction.
“If you always do it for him, how is he supposed to learn anything? I had you under the hood of this car since before you could walk.”
“Alright dad, next time Clay’s bike breaks down, I’ll make him fix it on his own,” Tony said with a smile, “You hungry Clay? I was just about to eat some dinner when I decided to rescue you.”
“Yeah, I haven’t had dinner yet either, my mom had a meeting – she says ‘Hi’ by the way,” he said as he followed Tony inside the house. “Hey, you weren’t serious about my bike, right?”
“You’ll have to learn sometime, and a bike’s not that difficult Clay,” Tony said with a smile and a sideways glance as he held the screen door open.
“Mmm…unhelpful Yoda,” he mumbled softly as he walked by Tony and into the house, a soft laugh his only indication that Tony had heard him.
 .
Dinner at the Padilla house was always nice, and very different from the quiet dinners he was used to at home. Tony and his three brothers all talking and laughing loudly, recounting their day in a mixture of English and Spanish to their parents, his sister louder than them all. He found it hard to focus on his own thoughts, which was quite refreshing. He even found himself swept up in the laughter and dinner talk, and out of the corner of his eye had caught Tony smiling at him more than once. Now he and Tony were in the living room on the couch all set up with their popcorn and miscellaneous candy. Tony’s siblings had gone their separate ways, his mom in the kitchen, and his dad had gone back out to the garage.
“Hey, thanks again for having me over,” he said as he watched Tony pick through a box next to the TV. The lights were off, but he could still see Tony’s handsome features from the light coming from the TV.
“No problem man, anytime,” Tony said with a look over his shoulder, “You spend way too much time in your head, you need a break.”
He sank more comfortably into the couch, “Yeah, but it’s harder to do in your house, your family is a lot noisier than mine.”
“Hey,” Tony said in a mock stern voice as he waggled a VHS at him.
“I mean in a good way!” he exclaimed as Tony inserted the VHS, “I love my family, but it’s too easy to get lost in thought and forget you’re not alone.”
“I get it,” Tony said as he planted his smaller frame next to him on the left and put his socked feet on the table in front of them. “But it’s hard to find a moment of peace and quiet to yourself here. Why do you think I love my car so much?”
“You love the car cause it’s awesome,” he said, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the table and leaning back. “Now, what are we watching?”
“Be patient, you’ll see,” Tony said slyly as he toyed with the remote.
“Is it Casablanca?” he guessed, watching to see Tony’s reaction.
“Dude,” Tony said as he lightly smacked his chest, “the movie’s starting, don’t ruin it.”
He smiled to himself, how many times had they seen this movie? It didn’t matter, it was a classic and they were hanging out without talking about Hannah or Alex or any of the number of messed of things that seemed to be happening in their lives right now. He started as a piece of popcorn bounced off his forehead, jogging him out of his train of thought. He looked over at Tony who was watching him with concern in his eyes. “Thanks,” he said as he popped the piece in his mouth and returned to watching the opening scene. Tony nodded in response.
Not twenty minutes later, Tony’s dad appeared with a beer in hand and took up a position in the armchair to the side of the couch. “Ah man, not this again,” he said half-heartedly as he swiped their popcorn bowl and settled in. “How many times have you guys watched the movies in that box, huh? Must have seen them all a hundred times…”
“Shhhh, dad, this is the good part,” Tony said with a smirk. As his dad turned back to the screen he sprawled out a little more between the couch and the table, one arm on the armrest and the other coming around the back of the couch.
He took a second to marvel at how much Tony resembled a cat. Relaxed and content, yet ready to spring at a moment’s notice. Hair still neatly held in place by goodness knows what kind of hair product. He turned back to the television screen, now wondering since when had he taken to staring at Tony so much? But the longer Tony sat next to him, the more inviting his relaxed position seemed to be and he felt himself nodding off not much later.
“Is that comfortable?” he heard Tony whisper over the sound of his dad’s snores. Tony was lightly touching the back of his head that had slumped to his chest of it’s accord.
“Mmmm…mmhmm” he murmured sleepily as he shook his head lightly. Still sleepy, he leaned his weight to the left, his head finding Tony’s chest. When his move seemed to bring about no commotion, he tucked his legs onto the couch and let his body relax against Tony’s. He was about to ask if it was alright, but slowly Tony’s right arm made it’s way down to land on his side, fingers curled around his arm, softly keeping him right where he was. He let a small sigh escape him as he happily breathed in Tony’s aftershave, but before he drifted off he felt something brush the top of his head. His last thought before succumbing to sleep was ‘Was that a kiss?...’
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