#my guess is that it came on shuffle when i was asleep and mixed into my dream

[saraminia]

I had a dream last night that Noah sang heart-shaped box live at one of his concerts and let me tell you! Nothing makes me harder! I want to hear him growl! Can you imagine 🤯🤯🔥🔥🔥

[rowniebow]

and they were roommates | peter parker x male!reader | 7/7

summary: closure.

pairings: tasm!peter parker x male!reader

cw: fluff :D

word count: 1.3k+

an: thank you for reading and all the support :') i appreciate all of you! u inspire me to be a better writer!

previous ⭒ masterlist

⭒

you had not seen peter since that night.

it has been five days and eighteen hours.

if anyone asked him, he'd say he'd regretted his actions. terribly so.

but no one knew. no one asked.

and if he had kissed anyone else, you'd have been the one to know. he would have ran straight to you to tell of the whole situation.

but he kissed you.

his best friend.

and now he didn't feel like he had a best friend.

now, it's not as if you ran away. no, you just avoided him to the point of changing your entire schedule.

you left an hour earlier and sat in your classroom in the dark, wondering what to do.

you came home late at night when you knew he'd be out participating in his nightly endeavors, going to a café to grade (or just hiding in your classroom still, it's your comfort place other than your shitty apartment with the man at home that you were avoiding).

you always made sure to be home before he got back from his activities, though. just in case he needed help.

but it's the weekend again.

and quite honestly, you miss him.

⭒⭒

you stumbled in your apartment, hands full of mail and paperwork you needed to do, as per usual.

an extravagant sigh that turned into a groan leaked from your throat as your stomach rumbled but the will to cook struggled to present itself.

peter watched you bump against the counter and curse yourself from the couch. his knees bounced with the debate of whether he should make himself known like he originally intended or not.

he was well aware of how you snuck around when you assumed him to be asleep and out of the house.

he woke at four in the morning every day the last week while you got ready for work and listened to you shuffle around.

guilt swelled in him when you jumped with a start after noticing him. staring at you from across the room.

"jesus, peter," your hand sat on top of your chest, willing for it to calm your heart.

"sorry,"

"what are you doing here?"

peter willed himself to smile, "not happy to see me?" the pain in his eyes and brow didn't pass the confidence act, though.

you chose to ignore his comment. mixed feelings were brought out from his presence. a lot of feelings you didn't want to admit you had.

instead you looked down at the sad eggs you had gotten out in your hand, "do you want anything to eat?"

your voice was quiet, shyer than he'd ever heard it. he seemed to be pulled further into the pit of guilt.

he made you quiet and shy around him, he thought. he did that. he ruined it.

"no, that's okay, thank you,"

the clattering of you pulling out pans was painful in the silence. it refused to let him form the words he had been going over all night.

peter would never tell you but he had been sitting there for two hours waiting for you to get home. just searching for the right words.

in that moment, words escaped him. the perfectly crafted sentence he had built fell apart on the ground like dominoes.

"w-we-," he choked when your eyes snapped to him. "we never finished twenty questions."

"no," you nearly whispered after another stabbing moment of silence. "i guess we didn't."

"it's your turn, if you want." peter tried to swallow, feeling more like a bread ball with nails hammered in from every angle was falling down his throat than saliva.

"i think i'll skip my turn,"

peter hated the formalities that were present between you two. "alright," he just wanted it all to go back to normal.

peter considered the way you hadn't used the eggs you pulled out at all. instead you were just eyeing them up and down while you listened to him.

"did you want to kiss me?" the words strangled the air, but you immediately looked up at him.

"yes. i said yes." you practically whispered, hesitantly.

peter found your eyes, and the sincerity in them lifted the suffocation he had been feeling the last week.

"why did you kiss me?"

"i-," peter was almost baffled by the question. he thought it was quite obvious.

although, your innocent ignorance to the emotions of people was something he understood very well about you. he could recall stories of your childish confusion easily.

"i like you," he couldn't hear your shaken sigh of relief over the sound of his pounding heart in his chest. "a lot."

your heart was beating just as fast as his, if not faster. but by the looks of you, peter would think you're almost disinterested in the conversation.

what he couldn't see in the dark, hardly lit, tiny, kitchen-living room combination, was your worried brows and your lip nearly bleeding from the biting. he couldn't see the way your jaw shook every few seconds and the tears that threatened your eyes.

you didn't handle stress well.

"do you regret it?" peter nearly blurted out.

"no!" your head shook, your brain banged against the sides of your skull with every movement. "no, no, not at all. d-do you?"

"no!" peter replied with similar enthusiasm. he hastily stood from the couch and stumbled his way into the kitchen before you.

he opened his mouth to speak, you assumed to take his turn in the game.

you, however, were just about done with the game.

"i like you, too," you interrupted. his agape mouth fell closed with a click of his teeth. his wide eyes glimmered a reflection of the city lights. "a lot."

"oh, that's-,"

"i-i, uhm. it's been a while for me, though,"

"me too," a smile pulled at peter's lips.

you're just always so cute, even when you rambled your worries like this. his posture dropped to slouch against the counter, gazing at your twitching fingers.

the comfort of being around you - being in his own skin - seeped back and leaked through his veins.

"right," you muttered, recollecting the stories he's told you from years ago. "i don't really know how to do this,"

"i don't either. we don't gotta know, though. we can do it our own way."

"okay," a sigh of relief left your lips. peter smiled brightly at you.

your sight spun looking at his smile. you wanted to rub it right off of his face.

he stepped towards you slowly, once again leaving room for you to escape if you wanted.

you very much didn't, though.

no, you stood waiting for him. practically inviting him in.

he arrived to his spot in front of you, merely an inch or two away. his hand slowly raised, hesitantly landing on your cheek.

the fridge over his shoulder proved to be more calming than him in that very moment. he watched your eyes and how they refused to meet his.

his smile only grew wider, though. at the thought of making you nervous in (hopefully) the good way.

"can i-," his whispers floated through the air to you.

they traveled along the hills and lakes of your skin.

they traveled through the forest of your hair.

they traveled towards the canyons of your ears.

and submerged themselves in the sea of your brain.

they swirled in that ocean and pushed and shoved at something that forced you to move before he could finish.

and your lips were on his once more. your eyes squeezed so tight that tears practically leaked through them, his words leaking out with them.

peter, baffled by you like always, breathed you in like a summer's night.

he was engulfed by you, whether you knew it or not. you absorbed him all of the time. you chewed him constantly and spit him out, only to chew him up again.

you were constantly abducting him with your eyes. you brought him in to your ship and ran tests on him. you dissected every fiber - every molecule - and put him back together again, better than before.

you healed him from the inside out.

you drove him to be better for you and for himself.

you inspired him to care again.

to be again.

you were his roommate, and he was yours, but now, you are something much more.

⭒ taglist ⭒

@armand0alg0 @cryinked @djmalik52 @fadedver @garlicforthewin @pinky-parker @softboi14 @1ischai

[lostonehero]

Some weird demon shenanigans it's Danny's fault

"Tim!" A man who shares similar features to Tim pulls Tim up to stand.

A woman with coffee, color skin, and curly puffy hair raised her brow and crossed her arms. "Before you say anything, Danny roped me into this, and I didn't think I would actually agree."

Tim blinks. "Sasha...?" He faces the man, his brother. "Danny?"

"Yep! So we don't have much time because again you're asleep and we both know you're hardwired to sleep as little as possible." Danny pushes Tim into a chair that suddenly appears. "So here's the deal we are collateral, and you have to agree to marriage."

"I told you to word that better." Sasha pinches her brow. "He isn't exactly wrong. He's convinced that you've gone off the deep end after everything, which we can't confirm because, again, we are dead and don't have access to the living world."

"Less talking, we don't have much time." Danny claps his hands. "Tim, will you marry a demon? Not just a demon but the strongest heir to the kingdom to hell if the king ever decides to take a vacation. King is such a wrong term for that... eh, whatever."

Sasha rolls her eyes. "Who's wasting time now?"

"Shut up! Tim yes or no?" Danny stares at his brother.

Tim sighs. "Fuck it why not it's a dream none of this is real you both are dead. It's not like this will matter..."

"Wa-" Danny had his eyes widen before he was gone.

Sasha tried to reach out before she felt cold stone on her back.

"I mean, that's technically a yes." A man with a deep voice sighs. "So you two will fulfill your end of the deal." The man snaps his fingers and the two vanish.

.......

The redheaded man felt the weight of chains in his hands. He knew what it was and how heavy chains that bound spirits to him. He hissed now fully awake as he couldn't release them as the chains sunk into his wrists and a note felt to his chest. He growled as the chains were now permanently attached to him fused to his being, which meant they were his for the rest of eternity or death. He grabbed the note and read it over once twice, and finally, five times before he groaned.

He got himself out of bed and got dressed carefully, wrapping his tail around his chest to hide under his sweater. He made his way out of his room to the sounds of soft snoring, and he saw someone he never thought he would see again outside of old Polaroids and a man who shared a resemblance to his coworker.

"Of course you would say this would help stop the end of the world." He mumbles under his breath, heading to the kitchen to start making tea. "I didn't need help finding a partner, and I definitely didn't need two spirits who are no longer spirits anymore. Well, they would be happy to eat and drink again.... no idiot, listen to yourself...." He sighs as the tea kettle whistles. "Shit."

A crash of a body hitting the floor and a sleepy voice. "I'm up. I'm up!" A woman poked her head up and looked over the couch to see... "Martin?"

Martin jumps and nearly drops the hot water. "I uh.. I didn't mean to wake you... er yeah, just you." The man was still dead asleep drooling on the recliner.

Sasha pauses, and a look of realization comes over her features. "You're..." she stops as Martin waves his hands.

"Yeah... I mean, I found out when I was 13, and uh... yeah... I know he means well, but I don't... I didn't..." Martin sighs and finishes mixing the cup of tea. "I'm sorry, but I guess I kind of own you now... I mean, I can change your form and use you both as weapons if I had to, but I won't. I mean, not without your permission. My father was very clear to teach me everything that came with what I am and hell, and spirits."

Sasha watches Martin shuffle over and hand her a mug of tea.

"I hope you still like it with two sugars and almond milk." Martin smiles softly.

Sasha smiles back. "I do, but can I uh yaknow...."

Martin blinks and pauses for a moment. "Oh, uh yeah, you can, just like how he can sleep again. You're not technically dead anymore, I mean, if you don't want to, I can uh change that.... temporarily."

"No, no, I mean..." Sasha takes a long sip and sighs happily. "I missed this. I don't really remember what it was like being dead, but uh I think that's the point."

"In a sense, I guess. The reason you probably don't recall much is that you haven't been dead that long as well. Also, I have a feeling he has a reason for this er situation." Martin rubs the back of his neck. "Things aren't exactly great."

Sasha frowns and moves over. "Well, it seems like we've got a time, mind filling me in what happened after I died."

Martin nods. "It's a lot, and uh, you kind of got replaced by a fear stranger."

"I was replaced?" Sasha raised her brow.

Martin begins to explain.

.....

The door slammed open after Elias opened it, and he was pressed against his wall. "Mr. Stoker, it's quite fascinating that you've found my residence, but as I told Miss. King killing me will only cause strife."

"Shut the fuck up you fucking monster." Tim growled a knife in his hands. "It's bad enough I literally can't be without the institute, but you fucking marked me."

Elias raised his brow with genuine surprise. "Excuse me?"

Tim huffed, pushing Elias down. He nearly ripped his shirt off, taking it off to show a detailed marking around his chest that traveled to his back. It's a mix of spiderwebs, flames, cracks, and fire. "It's not enough we are fucking trapped you brand me?"

Elias stares at the marking with pure awe. "There's no ink in the markings." He couldn't keep the surprise and curiosity out of his voice. "Did you wake up with that? It's not from a fear. What is that?"

Tim stepped back as Elias got up. He swallows and frowns. "You didn't do this?"

"No, but I want to know what did." Elias frowns when Tim smacks his hand away.

"Don't touch me." Tim scowls and puts his shirt back on. "So I'm assuming you didn't pretend to be my dead brother or Sasha in my dream then."

"Whatever you think of me, Timothy, I can not cause pleasant dreams. Comes with working for an entity made for fear." Elias dusts himself off. "However, I'm willing to hear more."

Tim frowns as he feels something rub against his leg and notices a cat. He furrows his brows as he stares at the tiny creature.

"Timothy, I do have my own pets and hobbies besides whatever you think I do." Elias chuckles. "Now tell me why you think I had any sway over this? You haven't been touched by any of the fears besides well the ones you've already encountered."

Tim huffs. "Because out of everyone you would claim to be the devil."

Elias looked truly puzzled longer than he would have liked. "The devil? Honestly, Timothy, if you didn't have these markings, I would find you ornately insane for that claim. Demons and angels don't exist, and any record is merely a trick from another fear."

Tim crossed his arms as a second cat joined at his feet. "You're quick to dismiss that."

"Well, that's because..." Elias doesn't get to finish as the two cats hiss and a deep voice chuckles.

A man with bloody red hair and black eyes seem to have appeared from nothing smiles at the two. He adjusts his pitch-black suit and tilts his head. "You would think someone as old as you would keep old superstitions alive, but alas, the hubris becomes my gain." His voice is deep and eerie. His shoes click inhumanity against the carpeted floor. He reaches out and tilts Elias's chin up. "A little on the nose with the eyes, don't you think?" He turns to Tim and moves his hand away.

Elias holds his chin like the touch is ice. He goes to speak, but no sound comes from his lips.

The man tilts his head. "Your brother did try to warn you, but you agreed before he could even tell you fully." The man laughs deep, and it frightened both men in the room. "My son has been doing his best, but a father has the right to worry, and your brother gave me the perfect opportunity to meddle." He reaches out and cups Tim's face with both hands. "You will see your brother again, and you'll make a great husband to my son and maybe even a strong enough demon to match him one day or not he would still care for you." He smiles with too many teeth and sends shivers down Tim's spine. He lets go of Tim and turns back to Elias. "You know it's people like you that give me a bad name."

Elias tries to say something but again is met with silence.

"Well, I mean, it's not your fault. It's humanity as a whole, I guess." The man snaps, and Elias gasps finally making noise again as he grips his throat. "It doesn't matter much now, does it? Oh, I'm just rambling now. Now, with my introduction out of the way, I wish you both the best of the rest of your weekend." He tilts his head.

"What are you?" Elias spits out actual fear in his eyes as he locks eyes with Tim before both stare at the man.

The man smiles. "I'm something you don't believe in. That's the thing you might not think I'm real, but I assure you I exist, Jonah." He laughs deep and eerily, sending chills down both men's backs as he vanishes in front of their eyes.

Elias stared, wided eyed at the empty space.

Tim turned and ran out of the luxurious flat and didn't stop running till he was back in his apartment.

......

Martin stares at his phone and groans. "Tim isn't answering any messages."

Sasha is enjoying being the same size of the chocolate bar next to her she is eating from. "I can tell you where he lives."

"I'm not just going to show up to his apartment. I told you about Jon and his stalking. Which looking back really shitty paranoid behavior." Martin pauses. "Bloody hell, he probably thinks I'm a Satanist. I only recently got rid of all the pentagram and er... you don't need to know that. I may have gone a bit overboard after the worms."

Danny, on the other side of the chocolate bar, wipping his messy face with equally messy hands. "I still have no idea what you mean by worm incident."

"And I didn't know Tim had a brother." Martin raised his brow.

Danny huffs. "Well, I didn't expect to be killed by an evil clown creature. I also didn't mean to traumatized Tim." He sighs. "I told him he didn't have to come with me. I didn't want to drag him down to anything dangerous, let alone risk him getting killed. Yeah, I know he's my older brother, and he's supposed to protect me, but still."

Martin sighs and snaps, making himself roughly the same size as the other two and breaks off a piece of chocolate. "I don't really know what it's like to have a sibling, I wasn't really supposed to happen. My father is asexual and demiromanic. My mother tried to baby trap him by drugging him and having me." He sighs. "Never understood how he still could love me."

Sasha frowns and shuffles closer to Martin. "Hey, nobody asks to be born, you know." She hums. "Well, now you're stuck with both of us, and Tim."

Danny moves to Martin's other side. "Don't say my brothers name like he's some consultation prize. My brother's a catch."

Martin snickers. "Danny, Sasha's aromantic."

"Tim's a good fuck though." Sasha chuckles as Danny chokes on his bite of chocolate.

Danny cosses his arms. "You're a menace, and don't you ever talk about my brother like that."

"Tim is kind of a slut, but like in a gentleman kind of way." Sasha smiles softly watching Martin try and fail to hold back his laughter.

Danny sputters. "Tim's suffering right now and you're calling him a slut? You're actually awful. Why did I even ask for your help?"

Sasha giggles.

Martin waves his hands and immediately stops laughing when his phone rings he stumbles as he returns to his normal size and answers it. "Hello?..... ah Tim, yes l... er no, I don't think so.... uh yeah, you can come over... I mean, I don't have a guest room, but ... ok, that's fine. I'll see you soon then."

Danny gets up and runs to the edge of the counter. "That was Tim. What happened? Is he coming over? Fuck that means I have to clean up."

"He's coming over, um actually he asked to stay a bit something about a stranger watching his apartment, which I mean we are trying to stop the unknowing, so that could be the case." Martin frowns and waves his hand, and both Sasha and Danny return to their normal size sitting on the counter. "I shouldn't have you both tiny when he's over."

"Dibs on first shower and be nice to my brother!" Danny rushes over to the bathroom.

Sasha chuckles. "I don't mean to laugh he has missed a lot. Is Tim really that uh well... Danny mentioned it has happened before but uh."

"He's really angry, Sasha." Martin frowns messing with his sleeve. "He tried to take a trip to run away, and he just got sicker and sicker until he got back. Not to mention the whole stalking incident with Jon following him. Things have been really bad for everyone. I'm trying to stay positive, but I feel as if it's making things worse. I can't just suddenly go surprise I'm not human, and I'm trying to stop the end of the world like all of you." He sighs, hiding his hands, which now have sharp claws. "Sorry, it's hard to hide my inhumane nature with you guys under my control. I enjoy pretending to be human too much, it seems. You must think I'm awful."

Sasha pulls him into a hug. "Martin, you're one of the best guys I've ever met. I don't care that you're not human. You're still Martin, right?"

Martin nods and quickly wipes the tears from his face. "Yeah, I'm still me."

"Then who cares what you are. I certainly don't, and I'm not just saying that because I want to steal and wear one of your sweaters." Sasha breaks out in a grin as Martin laughs softly.

"You can just ask." Martin smiles.

"Nah, the heartfelt guilt trip was needed." Sasha smiles back wider.

"I really did miss you, even if I didn't know you were gone till the not you tried to kill us." Martin sighs.

Sasha chuckles. "I think that means I get two sweaters."

Martin chuckles. "Ok ok fine. You drive a hard bargin."

Sasha giggles. "I know what I'm worth."

......

The knock on the door is answered by Martin because Sasha kept Danny from lunging at the door. Tim stands at the door slightly disheveled. A faint smell of ash comes off of him he's in an old black t-shirt and sweatpants. He had a large suitcase next to him and looked embarrassed. "Hey Martin, I'm sorry for the short notice."

Martin smiles softly. "Don't worry about it. I know how awful things are, and well, it's better not to be alone, right?"

Tim nods and raises a tired brow when Martin stops him. "What?"

"Look before you come in. I do have to warn you. I mean, not warn, but uh...." Martin is cut off by Danny shouting.

"TIM GUESS WHO'S BACK FROM THE DEAD!" Danny shouts, and Martin flinched.

"He bit my bloody hand!" Sasha shouts after.

Martin covers his face as Tim looks like a deer in headlights and promptly passes out.

.......

Tim takes a deep breath from his spot on the couch. "So that wasn't a dream."

"Well, it was." Danny corrects. "Dreams are an access point for supernatural creatures to use to talk to the living. So prophetic dreams do hold weight if you actually realize you're talking to something, not human." He rubs the back of his neck. "I've had a bit of time on my hands being dead, so I decided to do research on how to get back to apologize for everything, I guess. Then I got into other things, and well, now we're here."

Sasha hums, sipping her tea. "To be fair, he roped me in by accident, but I'm not hating the situation. Although the marriage thing isn't where I thought he would take it."

Martin groans, covering his face.

Tim gives a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Martin."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault it's your brother's, and I'm starting to realize you can't control that man into any sane decisions, only extremes." Martin uncovered his face. "It's also based on consent, so you did have to agree to it.... my consent doesn't exactly matter in the equation because for demons, I'm considered a minor, so my father had to approve the decision. This means that Danny really annoyed him enough, or he created a loophole in the situation that he can return to the living world. Actually, it's probably the later half. The fears have been er awful to any other supernatural they have to put effort into uh doing anything to them. I want to stop the end of the world because I thought if I could, they would get their freedom back and not be stuck in their realms or forced into hiding." He frowns deeper. "I don't know much about what happened to the other species. I was too young, and my father didn't feel comfortable telling me. Just because I try so hard to be human still doesn't mean I'm human. I'm sorry you're stuck slowly turning to a demon and stuck with me." He hides his clawed hands and hugs his chest.

Tim reaches out and pats Martin's thigh. "I think this is stopping next from actually killing myself. I mean, I had a feeling that whatever it meant to destroy the circus, I knew I would go with it." He forces a smile. "Martin, you're the best out of all of us. I'm sorry you're stuck with me."

Danny crosses his arms. "Tim, would you quit that you're a catch."

"Not the time or point." Tim huffs and crosses his arms as well.

"Well that's out if the way is it too early to ask that I can come back to the archives to fuck with everyone? I think Jon deserves it because of the stalking thing." Sasha smiles knowing she is breaking the tension and relaxing everyone.

"If Sasha gets to do that, can I pretend to be you? I want to see what a weird cursed archive is like." Danny hums.

"No, you can't pretend to be me." Tim rolls his eyes.

"Fine, then can I hide in your pocket?" Danny gives Tim a look.

"My pocket? Danny you are a fully grown man, for fucks sake you're taller than me." Tim pinched his brow.

"I can change that..." Martin interjected.

"What?" Tim stares at Martin then back to Danny, who has basically shrunk down to pocket size.

"I can fit in your awful Hawaiian shirts!" Danny smirks at his brother.

"To be fair, that is a perk since we can eat a normal chocolate bar, but it becomes the size of us." Sasha says before sipping her tea.

"My Hawaiian shirts are not awful." Tim breaks out in a small genuine smile. He picks up his brother. "You still have no taste."

"I have a better taste than you." Danny huffs, sticking out his tongue. He stops and gasps. "I'll be pocket Danny. I'll be like clippy and give you advice from your pocket."

"You've been dead over five years, Danny. I highly doubt your advice will be relevant." Sasha raised her brow.

"I know more about the supernatural than he does." Danny rolls his eyes.

"Can you help with the fears?" Tim raised his brow.

"No." Danny crosses his arms. "But I still think it's a good idea."

"You just want the excuse to stay small." Sasha chuckles knowing she hit the nail on the head.

"If he wants it, I can keep him like that." Martin rubs his arm. "I have full control over his form, among other things."

Tim sighs and relents. "Fine, you can stay in my pocket, but you have to behave."

Danny jumps happy. "Fuck yeah pocket Danny is happening."

Tim wipes his eyes. "I missed you."

Danny smiles. "I know, but now you can't get rid of me."

.......

Tim stretches, and for sleeping on the couch, it wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be. Martin kept insisting he took the bed, but he crashed his apartment, and it was only fair that he took the couch. Soft, quiet snores to his side from his brother on a bed made for a doll, and Sasha was in the same position on the other end table. He never thought he would be able to see or talk to either of them ever again, but he's happy with this even if it's odd.

Tim sits up and rubs his eyes. He turned his attention to a new noise, and it was Martin. He did not expect to see him in just boxers and realize a few things. The fat chub was hiding muscle underneath like an actual strongman. He has a long ass tail that seems to glow at the end. Freckles cover his body, and he has the same markings as him. "Morning."

Martin freezes, and his tail stands up and seems to glow brighter, but Tim realizes that a blue flame at the end of his tail. "I oh... uh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

Tim shakes his head. "I've always been early to rise, Martin. The depression has only made it worse." He gets off the couch and walks closer to Martin, who was holding his tail like a security blanket. "Are you ok?"

Martin gets a blush on his cheeks. "I uh just a bit jittery." He holds his tail closer. "I'm not exactly used to actively having to suppress my powers and outward appearance. Having Sasha and Danny er didn't make me stronger not in any way that truly matters, it's more so the fact that I have them my demonic half is overtaking my human half faster than before which means soon I'll be as strong as I am in hell. I know that sounds weird, but that's as well as I can describe it." He sighs. "I like being human or at the very least pretending to be human."

"Why haven't you burned anything?" Tim bit his lip. It's been a long time since he joked around or purposely asked dumb questions, but he needed to distract Martin from spiraling.

Martin furrows his brow and looks down at his tail. "I uh... well, my dad said it's like a ghost flame. It won't affect anything unless I want it, too, or I focus on it. I can control myself." He stops and sighs. "I mean I uh..."

"Can I touch it?" Tim was already reaching out.

Martin nearly jumps at the new touch. "Most people don't like it."

"The fire's cold." Tim stared at it in awe. "It's kind of cute."

"C-cute?" Martin doesn't pull his tail back even as Tim rubs the soft, short fur.

"I mean, yeah. It's also soft like velvet. I can feel your muscle under the skin, too." Tim stops, and let's go. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't uh pet you like that. I mean, it's your body. I didn't even wait for the consent."

Martin shakes his head. "N-no, it's fine." He drops his tail, and it curls around his legs loosely. "Most people are either disgusted by it or well, not good things. I'm glad you don't mind it. I mean, it makes me feel better that my husband isn't disgusted by my body."

"Thoes people are idiots." Tim smiles. "Well, I hope you like my body too."

"I mean, you're a bit thin..." Martin tries to keep a straight face, but he starts to giggle, and Tim joins him.

"Ah, I knew the depressed not eating would be my downfall." Tim chuckles. "Well we can fix that with breakfast."

Martin smiles. "Breakfast is a good start." He pauses. "Thank you... I mean, thank you for not freaking out about all of this. We don't ever have to be close or anything. I know you could probably do better than me, but just so you know, we can just be friends and nothing more."

Tim hums. "Now I'm going to take that as a challenge to make you fall for me."

"Tim, be serious." Martin huffs. "I'll make some eggs. You can use the bathroom first." He quickly shuffles to the kitchen to start cooking.

Tim's nerves were raw, and he felt excited. It's such a wild thing going from being nunb and angry to these bubbling feelings of happiness, relief, and something else he won't label. He made his way to the bathroom with a small smile. He was actually looking forward to tomorrow. He can't remember when he felt like that.

.....

"Where's Tim?" Danny was normal sized and rushing around Martin's apartment only had woken up ten minutes ago.

"On a morning run." Martin sighs and rubs his eyes. "We both woke up too early for a Sunday."

Sasha hums, eating her name covered toast. "If you didn't sleep like the dead, you would have been able to see him before he left like I did."

Danny rolls his eyes. "Don't be so obnoxious." He sighs. "Are you ok?" He motions to Martin who was swaying.

Martin nods. "Mmh, fine, just a spirit close by that, er..." He sighs. "I've never made my first deal yet, and that means I'm very sensitive to others who desire to make a deal. I can normally ignore it, but things have changed."

"So you have a need to take someone soul er spirit?" Sasha raised her brow.

Martin waves his hands. "No, nothing like that. Every demon needs to make at least one deal. It's kind of like the final step of puberty. If I do it, that means my human half will finally be all gone, but I will have to eventually do it, even if it's just a spirit asking for final words to be passed on and in exchanged I could just ask for advice." He crosses his arms. "But since my father is who they are, my first deal will end up with me having that spirit or when that person dies spirit with me like you guys. I don't have control over that. It has to do with my strength and powers. Spirits are a way to conduct or restrain it, so it's not a major issue. You two help me more than you realize even if it doesn't look like it."

"So then, using us as weapons means you're even stronger?" Danny pauses as Martin nods. "That is pretty cool, but another question you can't release us, you wouldn't be able to release the other one as well?"

"For my first deal, yeah. Hence why I'm not exactly so keen on finding a stranger or being lured by a stranger." Martin frowns. "My dad's spirits from what I can remember are close to him, like family. I haven't been able to see or talk to my father since I was 13, though."

"What if we help? I mean, well, be stuck with them, too." Sasha swallows her final bite.

"Ooo yeah, we can judge and give scores." Danny nods along.

"You two don't have to be close." Martin rubs his arm. "You already knew that, didn't you."

Danny and Sasha share a look and nod.

Martin sighs. "You guys want to be close?"

"I mean, I already viewed Tim as a brother. He's my best friend, and I mean Danny is obnoxious, and a little childish, but he isn't a bad guy and if we are going to be around a long time I rather be around people I care about." Sasha smiles. "Besides eternity alone sounds like a nightmare."

"Rude." Danny huffs and breaks out in a smile. "However, she's right. I know how this stuff works, and it would kind of be awful if none of us got along. Like imagine us fighting in your head while you use us."

Martin makes a face. "I would very much not like to imagine that." He smiles softly. "Alright, fine, but you guys can't have a say. I literally can't take you guys with me when I'm summoned."

"You can be summoned?" Sasha blinks.

Martin makes a motion with his hand. "I mean kind of, I don't have my own summoning circle yet due to not making my first deal, but at this moment I was be dragged off to whatever spirit or person has the strongest desire for a deal whatever that entails."

"Is that why you didn't sleep?" Danny hums.

Sasha stares at Danny then to Martin who looked a bit guilty.

Martin sighs heavily. "Yeah, that's why I haven't slept. I can't exactly control things or actively stop myself from being summoned."

Sasha and Danny share a glance.

Martin huffs. "You can't watch me sleep. My physical body won't come with me if it's a spirit who summons me. If the person is alive, it would be physical. If they aren't, then I won't have to be physical, and that means I won't look human." He bites his lip. "Only my father has seen me in my true form, and even then, I didn't even finish puberty. I probably look really different."

Danny rushed over, surprising Martin with a hug. "Alright, big guy, that's enough of that. I bet you look like an awesome demon and you'll be Tim's type."

"How?" Martin blinks in surprise.

"Tim has a thing for creatures." Danny shrugs. "Never understood the fascination, but I can tell you the stuff I found of his growing up."

"Please don't." Martin pushes Danny away as Sasha giggles.

"Was the not me at least hot?" Sasha wiggles her eyebrows.

"No?" Martin tilts his head.

"Yes." Tim interrupts, shutting the door behind him. "Also, you can't ask Martin that he doesn't find the female figure attractive."

Martin opens his mouth and then shuts it, nodding in defeat.

"I want to know what the not me looked like now." Sasha hums.

Danny huffs rushing his brother. "You're an ass you could have taken me with you on your run."

Tim chuckles. "You never woke up early enough to run with me even as kids."

"You're terrible. Go back to being angry and depressed." Danny rolls his eyes.

"Now, who's awful?" Tim playfully punches him, and he did feel lighter.

"Still you." Danny smirks.

Tim rolls his eyes. "I can't believe I missed you."

"You're only saying that because now you can't get rid of me." Danny pulls Tim into a hug.

"Dude, let go. I'm sweaty and gross." Tim can't stop smiling.

"Nah, you stink normally. I got used to it." Danny laughs as Tim pushes him away.

Tim gives him the middle finger as he heads to take a shower.

......

"So, should I also be pocket-sized tomorrow?" Sasha hums, lowering the volume on the TV.

Martin was doing his best to stay awake and didn't hear the question.

Tim raised his brow. "Honestly, I don't think you ever quit or got fired, so you would technically be returning to work."

"Besides, I'm already going to be pocket-sized." Danny hums shutting his book. "I also have no experience with the fears besides what killed me, so I really don't know how to handle basically a sanctuary for the Beholder."

"I did also threaten Elias yesterday." Tim frowns. "Granted, a man with black eyes showed up and scared his cats."

"You threatened Elias?" Sasha raised her brow.

"To be fair, it's not like we can get fired or quit, and secondly, I thought he caused the markings and the dream." Tim sighs. "He's also a dick and a murderer so I feel justified."

"Martin did tell us about that, but in Elias's defense, Leitner had it coming." Sasha shrugs.

"I hate that I agree with that, but you're right. That old man had it coming." Tim hums, sipping his tea. "I also don't feel bad that he tried to frame Jon, but that's because he was stalking me because he thought I killed Gertrude, which Elias also did."

Danny nods. "A point in your favor."

"I don't need you keeping score." Tim rolls his eyes.

"Did the man with black eyes have red hair?" Sasha pursed her lips.

"He did. Why?" Tim frowns.

"You can't say it's the same devil we dealt with that feels kind of racist... speciest? I dunno it sounds bad." Danny crosses his arms.

"I mean to be fair, it could be, and that demon could be Martin's father." Sasha shrugs.

"You would be correct." A deep voice interrupts, scaring the three who are awake.

Tim curses.

Danny jumps.

Sasha nearly bites through her lip.

The redheaded man with black eyes smiles. "A shame I came a bit too late. It seems my boy fell asleep." He leans over the couch, and he reeks of ash and smoke. "Your brother is quite clever. He spent his time dead well. You, however, weren't supposed to die that young, I can't tell you how many reapers are furious at the fears toying with lives."

Tim swallows. "What do you want?"

"I want a lot of things." The man laughs. "However, for the moment, I wish to talk to my son. I will, however, not rouse him from sleep. He's a growing boy and needs his rest." He smiles fondly, snapping his fingers and changing the couch so Martin is lying down. "He's grown so much."

Sasha smiles softly before returning her attention to the man. "Who are you?"

"I go by many names. Dunno what I'll choose today or tomorrow. People tend to decide for me. I do like the name Jack, though." The man sighs. "I don't know what he would like from me. I won't stay. I know I frighten you three. I curse his mother, but him, my boy, did nothing wrong and deserves more than I can do or give."

Tim speaks up. "He wants to speak with you." He flinched as the man focused his gaze on him.

"When he wakes, I shall return." He brushes the hair out of Martin's face. "I can not wake him from this."

"You don't have to go." Danny waves his hands nervously. "I mean, wouldn't it be better for you to stay and wait?"

The man hums low and dark, scratching his goatee. "I suppose I can stay." He frowns and stands up, shifting his weight, trying to be less intimidating. He knew the three were terrified of him and only were being polite. He wasn't quite good at being approachable or not scary.

Sasha gets up from the couch. "I'm not as good as Martin, but I can make you some tea." She smiles nervously.

"That wouldn't be necessary, but it would be kind." The man nods.

Sasha nods and rushes to the kitchen to start on the tea.

.....

The man struggled against his binds. He looked like a three-dimensional object was forced on a two-dimensional plane, which was incredibly painful. He was screaming and begging for freedom at any cost, cursing the person who trapped him on the page.

A new noise filled the air as the screams stopped as the man was freed. Soft clicks of legs and spider legs against a hard surface approached. A monster stood over the man who barely had the strength to look up.

"Please, I just want to die." The man was weak and his voice soft and quiet. He stared up at the monster as they reached for him, pulling him up. "I don't want to serve a fear. I just... I'm so tired." He feels a sharp tug in his chest as a chain forms, attaching himself to the monster.

The monsters voice was softer than the man would expect. A clawed hand brushed the hair out of his face and smiled with too many teeth. "You're already dead. I can't kill something twice." They pick up the man. "I'm sorry for accepting your deal."

The man felt newfound strength as he was carried. "What? What did you do to me?"

"You asked to be freed from that prison, and I accepted the deal. Unfortunately for you, this was my first ever deal, so you're stuck with me, and I apologize." The monsters feet clicked against whatever they were walking against in an extremely calming manner.

"I'm stuck with you?" The man finally looks into the eight eyes of the monster.

"I can summon you and change your form to my will." The monster pauses. "N-not that it will hurt, you won't feel it, I promise that. I, uh, I mean.. this is weird. I'm sorry."

The man tilts his head. "You don't have experience with this."

"Not much, really, and the other two already knew what they were getting into.... well, one did and just informed the other." The monster uses his other arms to cover his face. "You'll be able to live again, or whatever you choose to do, I can make sure you're in a form to do it."

"I'll be able to be me again?" The man stares up at the monster.

"If you want." The monster rubs the back of their neck. "Uh, I do have two others like you. They can eat sleep and don't mind me changing their form. They enjoy being made the size of a doll to eat, however, since the food is so big in comparison."

The man stares at the monster in awe. "You allow that?"

"W-why wouldn't I? I don't want them to be miserable. We are figuring this out together, and the least I can do is to make things better for them. I know we won't ever be on equal footing due to the nature of this situation." They hold the chain from the man's chest. "I just never want to force you guys to be unhappy. We are now stuck together."

"You're very kind for being a fear." The man let's a smile slip.

"I'm not a fear creature... er avatar? I don't know what the proper term is." The monster looks nervous. "My name is Martin, and I'm a demon. Other beings exist besides the fear gods, even if they kind of forced everyone else to well that isn't isn't important my my father knows more than me." Martin whines. "I'm sorry I'm talking your ears off and just rambling about things that make no sense."

"Gerry." The man smiles. "My name is Gerard Keay, but you can call me Gerry. Also, what kind of demon name is Martin?"

"M-mine?" Martin stutters. "My mom named me."

"Not really creative." Gerry raised his brow and snickers.

Martin pauses and smiles. "I suppose it's not. I don't think Gerry is that special either."

Gerry laughs softly. "Nope." He sighs. "Where are we even going?"

"I'm going back to my body, and you'll be reforming in my being. Well, just until you can reform physically. I can try to summon you to make it faster." Martin hums, rubbing his neck. "But you can also wait and rest as long as you need."

"How long?" Gerry frowns.

"However long you want." Martin smiles.

"That sounds nice." Gerry smiles back. "Probably won't take too long. I want to meet the others chained to you."

"You have all the time you want." Martin stops walking. "For the moment, I welcome you to my being, and I think you'll learn about everything you need while you rest inside. I don't know. I'm very new to this." With a free hand, he snaps, and a bed appears. "You rest, and I have to wake up now.... well, I have to return to my body."

Gerry yawns and nods. The bed was the softest, comfyiest bed he had ever been in. "Thank you."

Martin nods and vanishes from view.

......

Martin rubbed his chest, and he could feel Gerry in his very core. It wasn't bad, per say, just weird. He opened his eyes and heard a loud argument he knew one voice was Tim, and the other sounded old fashioned. He sat up and turned his head to see Tim with a whiteboard and a man with a different whiteboard, pointing at things he didn't really understand. Danny looked confused, and Sasha was holding back laughter and... oh...

The man with black eyes locked eyes with Martin and smiled, and suddenly, he was sitting next to him. "Your husband mentioned a certain architect, and he just so happens to be one of my spirits I've made permanent, among others." He hums. "They've been having a very lively discussion on modern architecture compared to the historical."

"I remember him. Do you still have his friends?" Martin pauses as the man nods. "I uh... I missed you."

"You did?" The man breaks out in a smile. "I want more time with you if you so allow it."

"I would like that, dad." Martin turns his attention back to the heated argument. "Do you know who's er... winning?"

"I have to admit both men have their points and have their flaws in each of their arguments. However, I'm not an expert in the topic, so I wouldn't know." He smiles. "I think I like the title of dad."

Martin smiles a bit wider. "I would hope so."

The man chuckles low and dark. "Should I stop him?"

"No, they both seem to be having fun." Martin sighs and rubs his chest.

"You've made your first deal." The man hums and hands him an ice pack. "A quite damaged spirit as well, use this, it will help with the bruising."

Martin takes the ice pack and places it to his chest. "How did you know?"

"A few reasons, however, your power is cradling them as they heal. I can recognize the damage from the fears. I'm sorry I used your friends as a way to return to the surface. I am a selfish creature, and I wanted to see my son again, and I want a way to get even."

"You wanted to see me?" Martin couldn't keep the hopeful tone out of his voice.

The man pulls Martin in a half hug. "Your mother, I curse, but you've done nothing wrong, and I think I like being a dad." He brushed the hair out of Martin's face. "I wish to have been there for you, but I am here now. Your mother has stolen something I can not conceive ever to return. However I have you now if you'll have me."

"I would like to get to know you." Martin smiles softly. "And I would like you to know me."

"I would like that very much." The man sighs as a marker is thrown, and he catches it. "Robert, I told you not to throw things." Black eyes lock with green.

"And I need your attention to settle an argument." A Scottish accent with a slight hint of annoyance comes from the man.

Martin raised his brow, watching his father appear next to Robert.

"What is so pressing you interrupt me with my son?" The man crosses his arms and leans over him. This intimates the others in complete silence.

Robert huffs. "You're not going to get any meaningful conversation with a man who just woke up." He turns his head and points to the whiteboard. "Barnabas, can you grab him? Our conversation has turned, and I have a post to prove that this Elias is Jonah."

The man chuckles. "I can tell you that is correct. Although the Beholder methods are crude, Jonah has no choice in who he takes over. I did promise you both to take him, he however believes me to be a myth."

"That's why you called Elias, Jonah." Tim pauses and sighs. "Fuck that makes so much sense in hindsight."

"Is that why he looks so odd?" Martin interrupts.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Sasha raised her brow.

The man hums and nods. "My boy isn't human. He can see things you couldn't. The fears barely have a grasp on humanity, which means things don't fit perfectly or correctly. A being who isn't human can see those flaws. It's a reason why the fears have forced us away in a polite sense to the reality of what they've done." He frowns. "Let's just say some humans you've met shouldn't be human. Such as yourself, Timothy, and your brother. I knew your mother before... ah, well, that's enough of that."

Tim furrows his brows. "What do you mean by that?"

Danny places a hand on Tim's shoulder. "I can explain later... it's not exactly a happy story."

Tim frowns and crosses his arms.

The man sighs and frowns. "I apologize. I've overstepped."

Robert shakes his head. "They will find out eventually like we did."

Martin has gotten up and walked next to his father. "Can you explain to us now? I mean, just what the fears did. You've never told me."

The man sighs and snaps his fingers, and the apartment shifts, and everyone is sitting at a round table. "I suppose you are old enough to understand and comprehend the weight of the horrors. The real pain started ages ago, but I shall shorten it to the time before you were born about five years before that...."

......

The apartment was silent as the man returned everything back to normal. "I apologize for changing your apartment."

Martin shakes his head. "Don't be, I'll have to figure out how to do it, eventually." He swallows. "Tim, are you ok?"

Tim had his arms wrapped around his chest, and he swallows. "Are you sure that's what I am?"

"Yes, and you should start to wear glasses. The human half of you will become demonic, and that has a chance to trigger your true genetics." The man sighs. "I apologize again for what I've told you. The truth is not an easy thing to grasp."

Robert pats Tim's shoulder. "As someone who had to face this two hundred years ago, I understand your confusion and frustration."

Tim nods. "I have glasses. I normally wear contacts." He allows Danny to take him into a guest room the man creates.

Sasha covers her mouth. "It was like an extinction event, but they're still around?"

"Forced to be human or trapped in their own worlds, or in cases like Timothy and Daniel's mother mind wiped clean and replaced with different memories." The man gives Martin a hug. "I again apologize for using your friends and forcing you in a marriage to free myself."

Martin hugs back tightly. "I would have asked you to do it again. Will you help me? No, us stop this unknowing?"

"Of course, to the best of my abilities. Keep getting stronger, my little flame. Maybe we can finally tip the scales and help fix what was broken and stolen." He smiles. "I have to go, but I'll be back."

Martin nods and watches his father vanish with Robert in tow. He rubs the tears on his face. "I'm sorry."

"Fucking don't apologize." Sasha huffs and walks over to Martin grabbing his arm. "Fuck feeling bad I died and now I'm back and you're going to use me to fix this and hurt these fears. I mean, that sounded wrong, but it's true. I want to train together and we can help everyone."

Martin cracks a smile. "Thank you, Sasha. What about work?"

"Fuck it I was never fired I'm going in tomorrow and we're going to work from the inside out. I mean, ugh, we're going to tell the others, and we are going to be able to do something." Sasha sighs, and let's go. "Also, probably stop Tim from attacking Jon if Jon is back."

"Yeah..." Martin sighs. "Tim has a support system again, and Jon doesn't, and if he spirals, it won't be good, and he doesn't deserve to be attacked. I mean, he doesn't even have his apartment anymore he lives in the archives." He frowns and bites his nail. "Shoot I promised I wouldn't say anything."

"That's really depressing." Sasha's frown deepens. "Yeah, help Jon is going to the top of the list among other things."

Martin rubs his chest.

"You need a new ice pack." Sasha heads to the freezer and takes out a bag of frozen vegetables. "This will work."

Martin nods and takes it, placing it against his chest. "Y-yeah have to talk to Tim."

"I'll talk to Tim and Danny. You need to rest." Sasha crossed her arms. "I'll explain everything while you nap on the couch."

Martin knew better than to argue and headed to the couch his father modified.

......

Sasha enters the new guest room to find Danny comforting Tim on the bed. "Hey, is it alright if we three talk?"

Tim swallows and nods. "What about?"

"Work, the Magnus Institute, Jon, and Martin, I guess." Sasha sighs and sits on the other side of Tim. "Didn't know Jon was homeless."

"Jon's homeless?" Tim raised his brow, then shook his head. "Makes sense, Elias did frame him for murder for a bit."

"Shouldn't we call him Jonah?" Danny interjects.

Tim shrugs.

Sasha sighs. "Martin wants you to go easy on him. He's still the best out of all of us."

"I'm the worst." Tim groans, laying back. "I know depression anger and whatever, but still. He's still so kind, and now we're married, and he still asks if I'm ok with everything. He didn't even have a choice, and I thought I was going crazy. I know it's only been two days, but still, I don't know what to do."

"You can start with an actual date." Danny lays down next to his brother. "But the other stuff we have, I don't know."

Sasha looks over the two men. "I told Martin we should tell the others in the archives the truth."

"They will think we're crazy without proof." Tim pauses, then sits up. "I mean, logically, they would think you both are strangers disguised as dead loved ones, and hence try to kill you both."

"You... they won't be able to." Danny stretches out on the bed. "You can't kill something twice first off, and second, if they do damage us enough, we'll be like that new spirit with Martin healing inside of his being, hence the ice pack. Did he ever give us a name?"

"No, and I have to ask. Are you guys ok with that?" Tim frowns and rubs his arm.

"The thing is, it had to happen, so we don't really have a say, but I don't know the guy or gal, so I can't make any judgments." Sasha sighs.

"Whoever they are, their spirit was ripped to shreds." Danny sits back up. "The sheer amount of damage to hurt someone with Martin's level of power just to heal is astonishing they were probably begging for a second death from the pain." He crosses his arms. "Time doesn't move the same when you're dead and come to. I've had a lot of time on my hands, and I used that to learn everything I could about my situation and what I was. In doing that, I learned a lot about demons and deals and why having spirits binded to them is important, especially those who are the most powerful, like Martin and his father and multiple spirits are mandatory unless you want an apocalyptic disaster to happen. I'm rambling, but to tell you the truth, I'm not upset at the situation, and I'm glad I dragged you both into the mess."

"First off, I never said I was upset to be in this situation, and second, I feel bad for the new guy." Sasha frowns. "I can't imagine being hurt that bad."

Tim shakes his head. "That's horrid."

Danny sighs and frowns. "We have time to tell about tomorrow." He grabs his brother's arm. "Stop being so harsh on yourself. You know, once Martin made his first deal, he could have broken your marriage, and he didn't. It could have been a number of reasons, but it's definitely not because he hates you."

"Would that stop me from uh yaknow..." Tim stops as Danny shakes his head. "Ah, right, so how long till I lose my legs?"

"You're acting as if that's a bad thing." Danny huffs and rolls his eyes. "Think about how good you'll be at hugs you can put your whole body into it."

"Male snakes also have two dicks." Sasha chuckles at Tim's groan. "Come on, what you don't like jokes anymore?"

"That's nit a joke because it's true." Tim sighs covering his face.

"How do you know that?" Sasha playfully punches Tim's arm.

"Danny's face." Tim sighs.

Danny huffs. "I told you I did a lot of reading a few biology books slipped through. You won't be entirely like a snake. You'll still have different holes and not the things snakes have . Wait, I think birds have that, too."

"Danny, please stop talking." Tim uncovers his face and glares at his brother.

"Would you be able to unhinge your jaw?" Sasha hums. "He also talked about how male presenting gorgons were nearly unheard of due to how genetics fall kind of like female orange cats."

Tim lays back down and groans. "Stop talking."

"I mean, majority of the time, they would be intersex which can screw with the numbers. However, with Tim having Medusa's blessing on top of that, the odds of that are like one in a trillion probably even lower than that." Danny hums. "I think that's pretty neat."

Tim rolls his eyes. "Can we please stop talking about me and my genetics."

Sasha chuckles. "I suppose we can talk about work tomorrow. How are we going to convince the others I'm not a stranger and that I'm not a threat?"

"Polaroids can prove you're not a stranger, but everything else I don't know." Tim sits back up and crosses his arms. "If Daisy will be there, she might try to kill you."

"Scary hunt cop woman?" Sasha pauses as Tim nods. "I mean, it won't kill me."

"That doesn't mean it won't hurt." Danny raised a brow.

"I mean, yeah, but let's say she won't be there. We have to come up with a way to give evidence before violence breaks out." Sasha hums. "You being pocket sized could either help or hurt that."

"I mean, we don't know, well I don't know. I've never met any of these people you have." Danny frowns. "I say fuck it if we look too rehersed than we'll be suspicious."

Tim sighs. "Alright, well, go with Danny in my pocket, and Sasha is just going back to work, and if anything happens, we'll go from there."

Danny and Sasha nod.

.......

"Jonathan, welcome back." Elias stands in the archives smiling, early enough nobody else has arrived. "I told you to call me when you arrived."

Jon rubs his eyes from his desk. "Can't you just know where I am?"

"I could, however..." Elias looks like he keeps talking, and no noise comes out, and he looks panicked for a moment, and he turns to see a familair black-eyed man.

The man chuckles low and dark, and Jon shoots up fully awake. "The reason your last name is Sims is because your father took your mother's last name." He tilts his head and smiles. "You do take after your father."

Elias raised his brow, crossing his arms with a silent huff.

Jon raised his brow. "He died when I was two...why did I tell you that?"

The man smiles. "I tend to have that effect when I so desire." His heals click against the floor as he approaches Jon. "However." He tilts Jon's head up. "You have your mother's eyes. Unfortunately, it seems the fear is taking that away from you."

Jon swallows he feels absolutely terrified. "W-what are you?"

"I can be considered many things." His grip tightens around Jon's neck as he smiles with wicked glee. "I, however, dislike that little trick of yours." The man releases Jon as fast as he choked him. "Although I cannot blame you, you're unaware of what you're becoming, not what you should be." He turns his gaze away and walks to Elias.

Elias steps back, but it's not enough.

"Your mother's name was Edith, small little thing, her own power stripped away by the man who claimed her. Trying to protect her little girl, unaware that she was a man. Humans have quite the way of poisoning the truth." He places a clawed finger under Elias's chin. "I wonder how things would have changed if you knew the truth of yourself, but all that's left is your eyes. Your little fear never lets you stay long enough to ever find out." He chuckles low and dark.

Elias can feel something wet drip down his cheek.

"Ever wonder why your body never rots?" The man laughs and vanishes.

Elias gasps and is finally able to make noise again. He wipes his face and grits his teeth. He adjusts his suit and leaves without another word.

Jon rubs his throat. For some reason, he knew that wasn't another avatar, and whatever he was scared him more than anything he has ever encountered.

......

"You look awful." Melanie pauses. "Er, welcome back."

Jon swallows his throat, which was covered in a fresh bruise. "I think a new avatar broke in."

Barisa raised a brow. "Really? Did you bring something back from America? I'm guessing it was just Elias being a creepy bastard."

"N-no it was -" Jon stops and stares behind her.

A deep dark voice chuckles. "I don't enjoy hearing him speak with a stolen voice."

Both women turn to face the black-eyed man.

Melanie tries to throw a knife, but it passes through him like he never existed. "What are.... shit."

Barisa reaches for a gun she no longer has.

The man smiles and goes to speak but is interrupted.

"Dad?" Another red head with softer features and taller than the black eye man comes through the doors to the archives.

The man smiles but softer and hums. "Martin, I'm merely introducing myself to your coworkers. You work with Toshiro's son, and unfortunately, I don't believe he enjoys my company." He chuckles lowly. "It's amusing. He believes his father to be dead and not trapped. It is fortunate he kept a name with a J, his father was amused with the English pronation of the letter."

Martin tilts his head. "Right, but why are you here?" Tim is seen behind Martin along with a woman that looked familair.

The man scratches his goatee. "To meet your friends, and to look for something stolen. Maybe a better word is missing. However, I had hoped my presence would make it easier, but I was wrong in my assumption, or I haven't been here long enough." He catches a second blade thrown by Melanie instead of letting it go through him. He doesn't look at her. "It's rude to throw things, and you should have outgrown that behavior."

"You're scaring them." Martin sighs and crosses his arms.

The man frowns. "I tend to have that effect, unfortunately. I apologize for disrupting your workplace."

Jon finds his voice and stutters. "Good lord, that's your father!?"

Martin rubs the back of his neck, and he nods. "Nothing has really started, and it's not like we can quit or be fired." He sighs. "Are you here to help?"

"Yes, but I believe I arrived too early, then I returned, and you weren't here until now." He bows. "I apologize for frightening you." He turns to Jon. "And I expect no questions from you."

Jon nods scared out of his mind.

Martin gives a heavy sighs.

Tim raised his brow. "You really have no people skills."

The man looks amused. "Forgive me, it's been a long time since I've been around normal people." He crushed the knife in his hand like it was made of tinfoil. "If you are trying to kill me, try a stronger blade or something else. It's been a long time since I've had a good assassination attempt on my life." He turns to Melanie, who pales as he hands her the ruined knife. "All in good fun, I hope."

"Martin, your father is absolutely terrifying, and I don't understand how you're not scared." The familair woman walks past Martin and goes to an empty desk.

"Time works differently where he's from." A voice comes from Tim's pocket, and a small man pokes his head out. "What may be a week or so here could be years or even decades there."

"That is true." The man smiles. "You are an odd one."

"Who's the man in your pocket?" Barisa finally speaks up.

"My brother." Tim shrugs.

"Tim's brother." Martin answers as well.

"Danny." Danny says from his brothers pocket. "I enjoy being tiny, also yes I know I died. I wouldn't be able to be this small without that being a factor yaknow."

"Why did I ever agree to keep you in my pocket?" Tim pinched his brow as his glasses slid down his nose.

"Because you love me. Also, we agreed this would be a great plan." Danny huffs climbing out of Tim's pocket and returning to normal size.

"No, you just decided it would be a great plan." The woman raised her brow.

The man chuckles. "You are quite an interesting man."

"That sounded like an insult." Danny frowns as the man smiles at him.

Martin sighs. "Let me explain before anything else happens."

......

"So just wh-" Jon clicks his mouth shut, rubbing his throat, and he tries to speak, but no sound comes out.

"Dad, give Jon his voice back." Martin crossed his arms and raised his brow.

The man snaps his fingers and frowns. "I do not appreciate the fears' powers to be used on me. I have warned him not to question me."

Danny hums and leans back, rolling his chair back. "Also, he won't ever give you an answer. I've tried. However, if you call him something, he'll just agree with you, which just adds to the er uh..." He snaps his fingers. "Fuck I forgot the word."

"Annoyance?" Tim raised his brow.

"No, that isn't it." Danny sighs. "Whatever. What I'm trying to say is that you'll never get a straight answer."

The man smiles. "I thought you enjoyed our conversations as you persuaded my library. You're the first spirit in a very long time to ever find it, let alone actually use it for its proper intended use." He leans back in his chair. "Although that knowledge won't help any of you with this so-called circus. I find the stranger fear to be odd. In order to be scared, you must have knowledge, for what is a fear to someone who doesn't understand?"

Danny shifts in his seat. "I didn't exactly come across it on purpose..."

"Oh, I know that." The man chuckles. "What confounds me, however, is that you haven't accused Daniel nor Sasha of being a stranger. You people always seem to attack first after being burned once."

Barisa frowns. "You're a good reason not to." She shifts away as his gaze shifts to her. "None of know what you're capable of, and you're not one of these fear creatures."

"Besides how can we be certain Martin is even yours he's human." Melanie huffs.

Martin looks away as eyes land on him. He sighs as he lifts up his sweater, and his tail unwraps from his waist. "I like my human form." He looks uncomfortable as he holds his tail like a security blanket. "If you need me to prove it more I c-can."

The man narrows his gaze at Melanie.

Melanie stiffens. "I apologize, Martin."

"I-its fine." Martin holds his tail closer. "It's not like he planned on having me."

The man appears next to Martin and places his hands on his shoulders. "Enough, that's enough. You don't have to explain yourself to them." Red flashes in the black pits of his eyes.

Martin reaches up and taps his arm. "Dad, don't..." He sighs and lets his tail go. "I prefer pretending to be human than being what I actually am. I was naive to think I would be able to actually stop the end of the world. I just wanted to help everyone." He frowns and rubs his chest. "We don't even know how to stop the unknowing, let alone help what was taken."

"That's not necessarily true." Jon starts speaking again, eyes trained on the man. "Gertrude had an idea on how to truly stop it, but we just don't know what that was."

The man tilts his head and hums. "Who is that?"

"Doesn't really matter who she was she's dead." Melanie sighs.

The man laughs. "My my, you hold no true imagination, do you? What do Daniel and Sasha have in common?"

Sasha's eyes flicker, and she hums. "How do we ask her?"

"It's not a matter of a how? It's more so if she is willing to answer." The man smiles, showing too many teeth for his mouth. "The fears have long ruined the balance of the world, so no spirits have a choice to try again, which is disastrous for a multitude of reasons none important for you to know." He hums.

Martin frowns. "Are you going to leave?"

"No, my dear boy." The man appears in the center of the room. "Unfortunately, spirits are no longer able to linger or haunt as you living call it. I can try my best to attempt to summon her, but I make no promises. My powers are limited until I can figure out how to tip the balance in any way I can."

"So like a seance?" Sasha raised her brow.

"No, that's a human thing, and that won't work. The fears have blocked off any way for humans to use any sort of magic unless it's the fears' own powers." The man snaps his fingers, and a blonde man appears in front of him he has stubble curly locks and piercing blue eyes. He was lean but muscular.

The blonde man blinks and looks around he speaks softly with a thick accent in a language nobody knew but it was French.

Martin blinks and smiles. "Hello, Barnabas."

The blonde man Barnabas smiles and bows as he spots Martin. "You've grown since we've last spoke little prince. I should have listened to Robert when he returned, but you know how he gets."

The man appears next to the wall, looking at the hanged photos. "I apologize for a short summace, Barnabas, but we require you to track a woman in the beyond. I don't believe she is in the rings, so you won't need my guidance."

"Ah, well, I am at your service." Barnabas smiles and bows again.

Jon points to the wall of previous archivists. "Gertrude's photo is the one to the foremost right."

The man grabs the framed photo and appears next to Barnabas. "This is your mark. You will alert me when you've found her, and I shall bring you both back here."

Barnabas hums and takes the photo. "How did she?"

"Oh, your old betrothed took care of her." The man smiles.

"He did? So when do I expect for him to join us?" Barnabas smiles as he is sent away and vanishes.

The man adjusts his tie. "Oh, you already know that answer." He smirks and turns to face the group. "Gertrude will be here when Barnabas finds her."

Jon blinks. "I'm sorry you're going to bring Gertrude here?"

"It's the simplest solution. Why guess her actions when you can ask?" The man sighs. "However time doesn't work properly where they both are, so I can not tell you how long it will take."

"So the dead speak." Melanie raised her brow.

"Dude, we're right here." Danny rolls his eyes.

"Did you meet her?" Sasha looks over to Danny.

"I don't know who that woman even is. Why would I have met her?" Danny shrugs. "Besides, I didn't really meet many other, er... I was busy reading."

Tim knew he was lying but bit his tongue.

"On another note, I've been dead a bit over a year, and you look awful, Jon." Sasha sighs. "Also, did you really stalk Tim and Martin and not the fake me?"

"Yes." Tim and Jon say at the same time, locking eyes.

"Yikes." Sasha bites her lip.

.......

Tim shuts the door behind him and crosses his arms. "Danny, you lied to me."

Danny frowns. "About what?" He smiles and tries to walk past his brother.

"Danny." Tim blocks him from leaving. "You told me you were where you're supposed to be and got worried."

Danny bites his lip. "Things aren't good back there." He sighs and sinks to the floor to sit. "Things are really bad, actually. You know Martin has my memories now. He's got Sasha's, too, and the new guy." He bites his lip. "What the fears have done to everything has broken down the afterlife. I ended up in Jack's library, er Martin's father. I started to call him Jack after a while."

Tim sits next to his brother. "What happened?"

"Time doesn't work down there once you really come to your senses." Danny frowns. "Time doesn't really matter after you die. I tried to leave and tried to understand. Then, I just started to read, translate, and read some more." He bites his lip and taps his fingers against the ground. "Things are really bad. People who have served their sentence can't go back to try again. People can't reincarnate. People can't go to the correct afterlife since they are sealed due to the fears blocking the other species from leaving. Everyone is stuck in purgatory. Nobody can do anything but set roots there, and it's not made for that Tim. I wasn't there long. I couldn't have been there long before the library."

Tim reaches out and holds Danny's hand. He was cold and shaking.

"I planned this with Jack. I used you and Sasha as a way to come back to try to fix this. We can't kill them, but we can forcefully undone the damage, right?" Danny stops when Tim covers his mouth, and he finally realizes he was crying.

"Danny breathe." Tim takes a deep breath and watches his brother copy, and lets it out. "I don't have to know everything. I don't have to hear this. I just want to make sure you're ok."

Danny matches his brother's breathing until he stops shaking. "I.... Sasha doesn't know... Martin knows more than he says.... Jack, er Jack really does care about Martin. He loves his son so much. He's been stuck, too, and I've met all his spirits. They are weird, but that's because of different time periods. I uh I'm ok." He takes one more deep breath. "I'm sorry things have sucked for you too. You're losing your humanity. You have to wear glasses again, and I know how much that bothers you, and I married you off to Martin."

Tim pulls Danny into a hug. "Shut up already. I don't care. I was getting ready to end it all anyhow, and now I have things to focus on to get better for." He sighs and pulls Danny closer after the hug. "We're both adults, and I shouldn't hide things from you. I just... things have been bad."

Danny nods. "For both of us."

"For both of us." Tim repeats.

.......

"I have to ask why you are wearing glasses now?

[reidsexual]

LOVE THIS IDEA SM I JUST HAD TO

When you mix curiosity and a need for adrenaline together, you get Dick Grayson.

The faint sound of shuffling in the next room catches your attention, your eyes fixating on the digital clock placed on your bedside table. 2:34 AM, it read. Being a light sleeper was a trait of yours that you’ve always seen as a disturbance, but it sure came in handy when you were living with your vigilante boyfriend.

With a small grunt, you slid out of the bed, ignoring the buzzing in your head. You padded to the living area, and there he was - Dick Grayson with his back turned to you, coffee in hand, and crime fighting in his mind.

You were no stranger to Dick’s love for Bludhaven. Whether he noticed it or not, he was always thinking, always strategizing on ways he could overthrow the people who posed as a threat to the city he devoted himself to defend.

It doesn’t take a genius to deduce how much responsibility he can take before he wears himself out. And that’s why you’re here.

“I’m surprised Bruce’s training didn’t prepare you for the stealthiness of my footsteps.” You joked, smiling in satisfaction to yourself when Dick looked visibly surprised.

“Hey, baby.” He greets you softly, setting down his coffee onto the nearby table, before pressing a light kiss to your hair. “Why are you up so late?” Dick asks, eyes scanning your face in concern.

Even though he’s as pretty as ever, you could clearly tell how much Blockbuster’s repeated attacks have taken a toll on him. Faint eye bags have set their way below his lower lashes, his hair unkept and disheveled as if he’s been running his hand through them one too many times.

“I could ask you the same.” You try to keep your voice lighthearted, but the way Dick’s face falls, you can tell that you aren’t entirely successful.

“Blockbuster?” You take a guess, and your heart sinks when Dick nods in agreement.

“You should get back to bed.” Dick reassures you, steering you away from the living room towards the direction of the bedroom.

“So that? So you can slip away when you’re sure I’m asleep?” You question him stubbornly, changing your standing position when he refuses to look at you in the eye.

He grits his teeth before replying, “This is important to me. People could be losing their lives in a snap of a finger if I don’t get off my feet and do something. I need to-”

You hated this side of him. You hated the constant responsibility he burdened himself with - the way he’d commit to everything bad that happens within a five mile radius. How much longer until he can’t commit to taking care of himself?

“What you need,” You finish for him, pressing a finger to his lips to shut him up. “Is some hard earned rest.”

He places a hand on the right side of your cheek, but you don’t miss the quiet hiss he makes when he pulls a muscle on his shoulder at the action.

Not even the softest of his touches can distract you from the scene behind him. Bottles of painkillers laid out on the table, textbooks about who-knows-what piled atop of each other, and newspapers about Blockbuster’s recent attacks compiled together, all taped to one section of the wall.

It’s eating him alive.

“Is the living room suddenly more interesting than I am?” Dick tries to get a laugh out of you, brightening the mood with his signature levity.

“Don’t change the topic.” You’re worried that you’re nagging now, but his eyelids are dropping from having deprived himself of a wink of sleep. “Lay down.”

Dick lets out a brief sigh but obeys your request either way, sitting on the edge of the bed rather than laying down completely.

“You need to relax.” You say from behind him, your legs folded under your body as your hands make its way to his tense shoulders.

“I am relaxed.” Dick argues, but even while you’re unable to read his expression, you can tell that his mind is flooding with strategies - how to ambush his target, how much property would be damaged if Blockbuster gathered more goons, and the list goes on. His mind seems to be anywhere but here.

“You haven’t been taking care of yourself properly, Dick. When was the last time you had a meal that wasn’t coffee?”

His shoulders slump as you provide ease to his sore muscles, a quiet sound of satisfaction leaving his lips. “I haven’t exactly been eating Alfred’s meals lately, have I?”

“Because you’ve been declining Bruce’s invitations for a family dinner.”

“Mm hm.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t have time for it, okay?” Dick dismisses, and it hurts to think that he can’t open himself up to you.

“Focusing on Blockbuster, then?” Your gentle hands move further down his back, and Dick winces in pain when you press on a particular sensitive spot. “Sorry,” You whisper, hands gentling on him.

“What better else is there to do?”

“You don’t mean that, Dick.”

“For every moment I spend lazing around, it’s another opportunity for Blockbuster to destroy the lives of innocent people. I can’t afford hearing one more scream haunting me, taunting me - reminding me of the lives I couldn’t save. I just can’t.”

It breaks you to see Dick vulnerable like this. The way his voice breaks in between every sentence, the way his body is shivering subtly under your touch. You know you have to say something.

“It’s not your fault Blockbuster does what he does.”

“I know that.” Dick says miserably, keeping his head down.

“Do you?” To that, Dick doesn’t respond.

Both of you sit there in comfortable silence, offering him the best comfort you can.

“Bruce sent you some letters.” You inform him, the mailman probably memorizing your apartment number by how many times he’s had to come here already.

“I’ve seen them.” Dick resounds. Seen, not read. Noted.

“You haven’t been going to the family dinners because you’re avoiding him. I know you wouldn’t give up those crab stuffed mushrooms for nothing.” You mention out loud, your hands pausing his massage to turn his face to meet your gaze.

You can feel your eyes widen as Dick stares back at you, silent tears running down both sides of his cheeks as his eyebrows are pinched together in despair.

“Oh my god, Dick.” Pulling his face into your chest as he sobs quietly, gripping onto you for dear life.

“I’m a failure. I failed.” He whimpers into your shirt, bringing you closer to him like you’re the only solid thing he can hold onto.

“Shh, shh. Don’t say that.” You soothe him, welcoming his need for comfort with open arms as you run your fingers through his hair with one hand and rubbing the back of his neck with the other.

“I can’t be the man Bruce wanted me to be. My one job was to keep others safe, and I couldn’t even do that. It’s too much. I’m no good.” Dick speaks brokenly, the severity of his disappointment in himself apparent in his words.

“Look at me, Dick.” You bring a hand to his face, coaxing him to looking at you. You need him to see how much you mean your words.

He looks at you, all broken and beautiful.

“Bruce is your father first, partner second.” You emphasize your words, wanting so desperately for him to believe it. “You’re so respected and loved - it pains me that you don’t see the impact you have on others.”

“They love and respect Nightwing. The one who impacts them is someone heroic, selfless, optimistic. Am I still that person?” His eyes search yours for reassurance, like he’d be lost without it.

“You’re all that and more.”

“But Bruce-”

“Bruce would want you to have faith in yourself. That’s what every father wants for his son.” You gently wipe his tears away, wanting nothing but to erase all traces of his self doubt written on his face.

“You’re a good man, Dick Grayson. The only person wanting more from you is yourself.”

i need someone to lower dick's guard. i need him to get a full body massage or something cause i know that pretty boy is worried ALL the time. he's thinking, planning, watching, doubting, guarding. he's ready for action all the time and i really want him to get taken care of and relax for once. beneath the charm i think we all know his danger radar is never off.

[dickmedowndc]

Good Old Days - Bart Allen x Reader

Word Count: 1,079

Summary: When you wake up in the early morning - too tired but knowing your partner is missing from the bed beside you, it is time to set out to find where he has hidden in the house. Finding him lost in thought, he admits what is keeping him awake. Luckily, you know what to say to help him feel at ease again.

Notes: Inspired by the current Dark Crisis run with Bart being done with all of it and everyone treating him differently. However, this work is not set in any specific universe.

…★…

The bed is cold when you wake up – half asleep and eyesight too bleary to make out the world around you. You may not know much, not until you can talk yourself up and into moving. But you know Bart is missing from beside you. With no indent in the mattress, you suspect he must have been gone for a while now. The thought alone is enough to cox you out from under the sheets, blanket pulled tight around your shoulders as you pad from the bed to the doorway, taking note of the house around you and how quiet everything is during the early morning hours. 

You find yourself in the living room next, scanning for the outline of a note in the dark. If it was a mission that he had left for then there should be a note. But there is no paper waiting for you. The thought that something is wrong, mixed with the chilled touch of 4am air, is enough to finally wake you up properly. Immediately you are scouring through hallways and empty rooms – covering the house in record time, but still no sign of your speedster. 

Instead, somewhere to the right you see the flicker of a light outside, one you were sure had been off when you turned in for the night. With nowhere else to look you poke your head outside, the door creaking as you push it open. There, on the top step, is Bart, with his back turned to you and his head in his hands. “Couldn’t sleep?” 

Your voice seems to snap him out of his thoughts because he turns up to look at you in an instant, the surprise written clear as day on his face. He seems to hesitate for a second before attempting to deflect your question. 

“What are you doing up?” 

You know him well enough to know what he is trying to do – and you can see the pull of a frown just past his faked smile. “Well, I was asleep and then I found out my heater had left, so I came looking to see what was wrong.” You keep an eye on him as you sit, blanket extended out in an invitation to cuddle. One you hope he takes. 

To his credit, he does, sliding an arm around your waist and pulling you to sit between his legs, shuffling the blanket around to cover his body – effectively cocooning you along with him. With his head tucked into the crook of your neck you can feel him now, tense, and certainly tired. 

“What’s on your mind?” 

“It was just something someone said earlier today.” 

The night is quiet for a moment before you crane your neck to look at him, waiting for an explanation. 

“It’s just – we were all joking about the ‘good ole days’ and at first it was kind of funny but then they started talking and bringing stuff up that I had forgotten about and just.” He stops, hand in his hair and the other arm still tight around your waist as he looks for his words. “When I started thinking about it, really thinking about it, I don’t remember it being as great as they do, I guess. I mean, was I really that bad?” 

There is another groan that follows his rant before he reburies his face into your shoulder, a huff leaving him. “Bart, I have, like, little to no context for some of that,” you remind. You can feel the chuckle when it happens, and consider it a win that you got a smile then. “But, from what I do understand, do you want to know what I think?” 

You can hear the hum in response and take it as your sign to keep going. “I think you had a rough time when you were younger, of course, but I don’t think you were as bad as you remember.” 

“Still, I was pretty rough around the edges.” 

“What teenager isn’t?” you shoot back. “You were raised in VR, you came back to the past, stayed here, kind of just dropped in and then had to figure out how to navigate a new world. VR can help with a lot, but there was so much you still had to learn.” 

“I got on Wally’s nerves,” he points out, as though some sort of ‘gotcha’ in the moment and you refrain from rolling your eyes. 

“You guys had disagreements, you both had different ways of handling things and you still do. But look at you now– would you trade any of this away?” 

His answer comes less than a heartbeat later, “never.” 

“My point is, you had to go through the past to get to where we are now. Besides, I think you remember yourself as a lot more cringy then everyone else does. I think a lot of people do. They just remember the more embarrassing things about themselves that everyone else forgets.” 

There is a laugh wreaking havoc on his system with whatever you have reminded him of, but he manages to speak all the same. “Who says I have ever done something embarrassing,” he teases. 

The amusement in his voice is enough to get you laughing alongside him, but you feel the need to poke at him. Just a bit. “Literally our first date, Bart.” Your reminder is enough to send him rolling into a new fit of laughter and you enjoy the sound. 

“Will you ever let me live that down?” His brow is raised as he looks at you, cheeks red from the night air and the humored high he is coming down from. 

“Not in a hundred years, love,” you assure. “But really, isn’t it a good thing you’re embarrassed by your younger self? It means that you’ve grown.” 

Bart seems to think on your words for a moment. “You’re right.” 

“Of course I am,” you huff, though your smile betrays you. 

Bart only rolls his eyes – not that you need to see him to know that much – before shuffling to his feet and dragging you up with him. “Come on, let’s see if we can get anymore sleep before the alarm goes off,” he prompts, ushering you inside. If the two of you stayed up much longer it was more likely you would be calling out and faking some sort of sickness for the day. 

“As long as you stay next to me this time,” you hum. 

“I promise.” 

[kirascottage]

hey! could you write a fluff fic of lip gallagher x reader? maybe something where he’s protective? love your writing! - nina <3

always choosing you

lip gallagher x f. reader

summary: lip saves you while at a party.

word count: 1.6k

warnings: soft and protective lip all in one, swearing, alcohol, mentions of trauma, non-consensual touching (just the waist), mentions of violence, kissing, mentions of sex (1x)

join my taglist here !

“Babe, this tastes disgusting.” You scowled while referring to the red solo cup in your hand. At your distasteful words, Lip’s head had whipped over to your twisted face, studying your wry grimace then looking at the poorly made drink most likely whipped up by a Sophomore that had no idea how to mix alcohol.

“Here, take mine.” Without a second thought, he quickly swapped the drink in your hand with his own, Vodka Cranberry. The drink he voluntarily handed you was a translucent shade of dull red and it fizzed at the top. Taking a sip, your brow arched in a consensus of the pleasant-tasting beverage.

To a family like the Gallagher’s, it was portrayed as a psychedelic for Lip Gallagher to be seen as a caring individual rather than a belligerent boy without any anger control. (especially to someone like Fiona) His emotional trauma merely enabling him to hide his concealed emotions from others, but like any other person, it took tremendous work that you were willing to put in.

“Hey, you wanna go soon?” His eyes naturally drifted around the party as he questioned you with a gentle hand sitting comfortably at your waist, his thumb moving slowly over the material of your shirt. “Sure, lower-class man parties are always a bummer.” You mutually agreed, glimpsing as to how his eyes travel across the room to a familiar redhead.

“I’m gonna go tell Ian, you good here?” His thumb pointed in a backwards direction as he walked the same way, you nodded in approval before he was off with his shoes tapping in sync to the music as he proceeded to the Kitchen while you stood in the living room against a wall.

It wasn’t usual for Lip to willingly leave you alone, especially in social situations like this one with intoxicated teenagers at your every corner. He once claimed a wannabe Tristan Dugray from Gilmore Girls would sweep you off your feet and carry you off to the sunset but you declared that would be spurious.

You picked at your nails for the first few minutes, growing bored as you waited, your fingers following the curvature of the cup along with the slight indentations and lines as your patience grew thin. Most likely Ian was stuck in a conversation with long-haired Milkovich, and he wouldn’t wanna leave just yet, his usual stall techniques including whining to his eldest brother.

Your evident impatience had swallowed you whole, eventually abandoning the remains of the drink at a battered table so your arms could cross in front of your chest and your foot tapped insanely quick against the floor. Now that tapping would've bothered anyone as the music vibrated through the drywall and the neighbours were nearing annoyance with the deliberation of filing a noise complaint.

As you were just about to set off to the kitchen, slender fingers gripped at your belt loops hauling you closer to the point your rear had struck the male stranger's chest.

“Hey! What the fu—“

“What’re you doing here all alone?” You attempted to harshly to move away at the poor tone of male seduction but the firm grip on your denim loops was restricting you from such.

“You see, I'm not alone so if you’d—“ You gestured impatiently to his hand with a curt glint in your tone whilst looking back at him; but, he cut you off with a brisk ‘S’alright, baby. I’ll take care of you.’ And no intention of letting you go.

You huffed with a squirm as his disengaged hand grasped at your waist where the emptiness of Lip’s hand had formerly been. “I have a fucking boyfriend—“ You inevitably began to yell over the music at the boy you could recognize as Clint Eastwood from your English class with a drunken smirk plastered onto his features.

This time it wasn’t his slurred voice cutting you off once again, it was a familiar rage-ridden Gallagher. “Get your hands off my fucking girlfriend.” Lip’s baritone became hoarser by the word as his hands hastily gripped at the boy's collared shirt whilst you stumbled by Ian who had briskly caught your arm hoisting you upright.

“Sorry! Dude, I didn’t know she—“

“Really? I clearly fucking heard her say she had a boyfriend,” His scowling brows drew together tightly and his lips pursed at the boy's face trembling in justified fear; as the scene grew larger with frequent yells occurring from Lip, most attendees of the party queued in on the scene.

“I guess idiots like you don’t know how to take a fucking hint.” Lip would’ve severely beaten his face in till Clint was due a trip to the ER but your magnifying grip at the back of his torso was enough to subdue his nerves and release the male off to the side and make his way to the car while gripping your hand the silent way there as the music grew fainter.

The car ride was silent, Lip’s hands gripped the wheel hard enough for distinctive marks to melt into the leather of the disk-shaped circle. He was well indeed sober, the only drink he had consumed was the one he had given to you and mostly full when it came into your possession.

When the car paused in the Gallagher driveway, wordlessly, Ian had left the car to give the both of you a moment, cautiously entering the chaotic household where most of his siblings had been asleep; Fiona being the only one awake where she had been watching a movie with V as Debbie laid on her lap. Yet, Lip hadn’t even moved his hands from the ignition; he had barely even blinked or twitched.

“Lip,” Your voice whispered, filling in the empty void of the vehicle. He silently looked over with his head slumped against the head seat, “What’s wrong?” Another whisper, your fingers rested comfortably on his knee.

“I just—“ He sighed, “—I don’t like the way he was touching you. Nobody should touch you like that.” He paused thoughtfully amid his heated sentence, clearly hesitant. Though, you remained silent as you were taciturnly aware that he was nowhere near finished.

“What if he wasn’t a creep and it was some guy that could offer you so much better than I could. I don’t want you to get hurt, but I also don’t want to hurt you.” His cerulean optics drifted over to his knee where you had been drawing circles over the denim, his anxious eyes remaining focused before you spoke up and his attention had diverted back to you.

“So don’t.” You offered a faint smile, “You’re not your parents, Lip. Take it one day at a time, if you don’t want to hurt me then you’re not going to.” You shook your head as you spoke.

“You could’ve knocked that guy into oblivion but you didn’t, and I know why you didn’t. I’m not gonna push you; Just take it day by day with me, okay?” He lethargically nodded in response, drinking in your words slowly as they enveloped his brain in a tight squeeze. Your monologue clinging to his mind as he would require those words later on.

Silently, you drifted your eyes back to the house, your eyes retaining on the Gallagher residence as he spoke. “Stay the night?”

You returned your head back to him and grinned in response, pecking his lips a few times before hopping out of the car as he followed. Trudging towards the wrought gate as he gripped at your hand, gently leading you through his house but pausing once to wave at Fiona which she reciprocated with a gleeful nod and a wave.

You had thought you entered his shared room rather quietly, changing into a shrunken pair of basketball shorts and a navy blue sweater both of which had belonged to your boyfriend. As you climbed the bunk, an adolescent boy had begun speaking with sleep lacing his words, “You better not be having sex, I'm trying to sleep.” Carl finished with a snore as he shuffled.

You both hastily muffled your laughs whilst cautiously climbing into the top bunk where his sheets laid messily due to him not making his bed the morning prior. You took very little time situating yourselves, the tip of your chin laying on his shoulder, and you were laid on your stomach. Meanwhile, his arm curled around your back and his stomach had faced the texturized ceiling.

You both laid there silently for a few minutes, maybe even a half-hour. Most likely Ian had passed out on the couch, and Carl’s snores had filled the room so it was a guarantee that it was safe to speak without any eavesdropping.

“I’ll always choose you.”

For a moment you thought he was asleep as well by how still he remained, till his face had carefully turned millimeters from yours. “I don’t care if it’s an Italian mafia man or some belligerent idiot from English class. I’ll always choose you, Philip Gallagher.” You muttered into his shoulder, a tinge of minor embarrassment creeping stealthily up your neck at the sappy confession.

“I’ll always choose you, too.” He whispered back, he wasn’t much for words but he could always muster up a considerable fraction of what you meant to him. Kissing the tip of your nose, he whispered again whilst placing his chin on your forehead. “Now go to sleep, or you’ll be bitchy in the morning.”

taglist: @miiamour @bugswrld @zzzfour @black-rose-29 @sprucewoodlover @bloodyrockwork @myalupinblack

[peach-the-owl]

Please, please, please more Dad Caduceus fics! Whatever you are in the mood to write!

YES! I 100% AGREE! MORE DADUCEUS CONTENT!

Whatever I’m in the mood for you say? Well I do have something in mind 😁

Meet the Clay’s

Child of the Nein (Caduceus & Child!Reader)

You stared at the different statues that surrounded the area, they looked so real and lifelike, looking over you see Caduceus staring in a mix of shock and sorrow. Following his gaze you see more of those “statues” that look eerily similar to him, that’s when it clicks in your head but you don’t have time to think about it long as a large metal-plated bull-like creature emerges from the tree line. You prepare yourself for a fight…

~Yeah I’m not writing the fight scene, sorry~

You used whatever spells you had left to help patch up anyone who was injured, since you weren’t quite strong enough to cast Greater Restoration like Caduceus or Jester. Speaking of Caduceus you look over to see him decertify two of his family members and you’re suddenly feeling extremely shy to actually go over and meet them yourself. Sure Caduceus has told you plenty of stories about them and how great they were but to finally meet them in person made you feel slightly anxious. Besides, Caduceus probably wanted a moment with them to catch up first so you’d give him the space to do so while you continue to look around the area…

The group makes their way inside the cave and instantly your marvelling at the scenery, crystals growing along the walls, pools of water below catching the light and adding a shimmering effect to the cave, and the gold veins that spread around the area. All this along side the eerie silence made for a hauntingly beautiful sight.

“I don’t think we’ve done a full introduction of your friends here, if you wanna…” You’er pulled away from your wonderment, ears flicking up, when you hear Cornelius speak. Everyone goes around introducing themselves, it got a little confusing when it came to Fjord but they were able to sort themselves out… sorta. When it was finally your turn you suddenly feel all shy and nervous again, seeing them look at you curiously.

“You look oddly familiar.” Constance remarks, getting a better look at you. “Yes, I see it now. You’re from the (l/n) family, aren’t you? I’ve met others of your family before.” You wanted to feel some form of hope that maybe some of your family really had survived when she said this, but you also knew this must’ve been some years ago… you’d seen the damage, you knew you were the only one left.

“I am, or… I was…” You say softly, your features drooping a little in sorrow, your eyes training on the ground. A pair of arms carefully wrap around you and lift you off the ground, Caduceus’ familiar grip on you has you instinctively leaning yourself into the comforting touch.

“It’s ahh, quite the story with this one.” He starts, his parents patiently waiting for him to continue, heck even Calliope perked her head in interest. “I guess for starters I should say that this is (y/n). They’re the last member of their family. I found them injured, alone, I couldn’t just leave them so I umm, I’ve taken them into my care, and they’ve been with me ever since.” When he finishes his little story he looks at you with a gentle gaze, you stare back for a second before nuzzling yourself against him again. You then feel a hand place itself against your shoulder, looking over at Constance again.

“You have our condolences little one.” You nod and place your hand on top of hers until she lets go. It was already pretty late into the evening and the days activities had really worn you out, you didn’t even realize you had fallen asleep until you woke up next to a still sleeping Caduceus, not wanting to disturb him you carefully shuffle away and into the larger area of the cave where you see his parents and Calliope already awake and moving around with Eremis, helping to make some breakfast.

“Well good morning, (y/n). Care to help us?” Cornelius gestures you over with a bright smile. You happily agree and get to work, conjuring up some herbs with your Druidcraft to add a little extra flavour to the more simple meal being prepared.

“I feel it a bit early to ask you this, but…” Constance trails off a second making you look to her curiously. “The last I saw of your family, Corrin and I had started our journey here to the Menagerie. We’ve been close friends with them for… years. I know it’s hard but is it alright if I ask what became of them?” She had pulled you off to the side and sat you down at a the makeshift breakfast table, soon enough you’re joined by Cornelius and Calliope as well, both seeming to be just as curious.

“Well it was… 5 maybe 6 years ago now? I can’t really remember, I’m not good at telling time.” You say a little sheepishly.

“That’s alright, we’re not too good at telling time either.” Cornelius jokes a little, getting a small laugh out of you.

“Umm, what I do remember is there was this tribe of forest giants that came to the area. At first nothing much happened, we thought they were just passing through but they showed up one day and started destroying our homes. My family tried to calm things down and find a peaceful solution but… they wouldn’t listen. Everything happened so fast, all I can remember after that was my mother telling me to find help at the Blooming Grove and a lot of running and hiding.” You fiddle with your fingers as they take in your story.

“You made that long journey all on your own?” Constance asks in surprise.

“Uh-huh, I’d never been to the Grove before, but I’d heard plenty of stories. I think the Wildmother was watching over me when I finally found it and that’s when I met papa-I mean, Caduceus.” You can feel yourself blush at your small slip up. There’s a soft pat on your shoulder, looking back over at Constance, she gives you a knowing smile.

“I gotta say, guided or not, you’ve got some real guts to be able to make that trip all on your own.” Calliope says, giving you a side smile and gentle nudge.

“Thanks.” You smile back at her. By now the others had finally woken up and join you but don’t hang around for long as they get to work restoring others from their stone prisons. When you see Caduceus again, he’s accompanied with who you assume are his other two siblings, you go to approach them slowly but the youngest of the three bounds up to you first.

“Hi there! You look so cute, I’m Clarabelle, what’s your name?” She greets you with a bright smile, you can’t help but smile back.

“I’m (y/n)! It’s nice to meet you.” You greet back. “Your hair is really colourful.” You quickly add making her brighten up even more.

“Thank you! Oh, I could show you how I do it and you could hair like this too.” She beams at you, only to pause in her giddiness when Caduceus comes over.

“Glad you two are getting acquainted so quickly, but please try not to overwhelm my child.” He says, earning a gasp from her.

“Wait wait wait, your child? Does that mean I’m an auntie? Caduceus why didn’t you say anything?” She barrages him with questions as he shakes his head with a small chuckle.

“Hold on, what! You have a kid?” His brother looks at him shocked. “But how is that possible? You’re so… you.” You look at him confused, Caduceus giving him smirk.

“Right because adopting a kid who’s been with me for a good 5 years isn’t a viable option.” He says matter-of-factly, his brother begins sputtering nonsense at this. “Look I know I just unfroze you, but try to keep up.” He adds cheekily, patting his brother on the shoulder. You giggle at their antics, it’d been awhile since you’d seen this side of Caduceus, his more mischievous personality not being shown too much while you traveled with the Nein.

“Hi, I’m (y/n), it’s nice to meet you.” You introduce yourself, holding out a hand.

“I umm, good to meet you too. Name’s Colton, I’m not sure what Caduceus has all said about me but I guarantee you I’m the cooler one.” Colton returns the handshake but doesn’t make full eye contact with you as if to emphasize his point.

“Keep telling yourself that.” You hear Caduceus mutter, making you giggle again.

“Boring introductions done. Let’s go see if we can find some berries to dye your hair.” Clarabelle butts in, whisking you away.

“Actually, I think I know some flowers that could work just as well, if not better.” You start, she pauses and looks at you curiously. “I could make some with my Druidcraft if you’d like.” Her eyes practically sparkle with excitement as she nods vigorously. Without wasting another second you get to work conjuring up some flowers. You don’t know how long the two of you were fiddling around with the new dyes, some of your hair sporting some new colours, but eventually you both join up with everyone just in time to see Corrin restored back herself… mostly.

After a few awkward “thank yous” the Clay’s gather around Caduceus to give him a hug, but not before he notices you standing off to the side a bit and pulls you in next to him to join them. So much love is put into the hug and it just felt so natural to be a part of it yourself, placing a lazy but happy wag to your tail. It was nice to be part of a family again.

That’s all she wrote folk! Yes, I’m aware there’s more to the actual episode and few more cute moments between Caduceus and his family but I didn’t know how to get to all that smoothly. Sorry 😣 Let me know if you wanna see more, idk…

[chaospenelope]

Part 2 of ‘Boo’s Big Break:

“I, I don’t remember…”

“Must be the knot in his head.” An older voice reasoned. “He’s lucky that’s the only thing he lost. I was thinking he might not able to talk neither.”

Monty turned back toward the table. “Well, is he gonna be like this forever Grandad? Is he ever going to remember?”

“What?! Forever???”

“Now, quiet down, getting erratic ain’t gonna help none.” Monty’s grandfather continued. “That’s the sort of thing we can’t mess with. He might get them back, he might not. You just gotta live and be happy with what ya got.”

“Oughhhh.” Boo moaned miserably as he fell back onto the bed. “This is horrible. I feel like, I’m missing something important.”

“Nothing is more important than your life.”

“Is there really nothing we can do? Anything at all? Maybe we can show him something he had on him when I found him? Maybe that’ll jog his memory?”

“Maybe, but this ain’t something you can rush. It’s gotta come in its own time, if it comes at all. Now, why don’t you fix our friend something to eat. Sitting here starving isn’t helping anyone.”

“Right, it should be ready by now.” He started to move towards the door into the darkness.

“I appreciate the offer, but-.”

“No buts!” Monty shot back. “We ain’t letting ya leave until you get something in your gut. It’s just not right. I’m sure whatever you need to do can wait a little while.”

Boo thought about arguing back, but what good would it do? He sat back up again with less resistance. He looked down and noticed he was dressed in old pinstriped pjs. He did not recognize them, but, then again how would he recognize anything ever?

“And I know in my heart there’s a place for you and meeee~” He froze as a whisper floated in his mind. A small incomplete tune. A voice of an angel flying away as fast it came.

“Why don’t ya come sit over here, let’s talk.”

Not knowing what else to do, he obeyed. He stood up and walked up to the shadowy table where another large alligator sat. He was gathering up a deck of cards, looked like he was playing solitaire or something similar while he was asleep. The bunny pulled out the middle chair and sat down.

“It’s uh, a nice place you got here.”

“Mmmhmm. It’s home. Nice place for an old Gator.” He said shuffling the cards. “You see pretty good don’tcha? Can you tell what’s on the shelf on the wall behind me?”

“Hm? Well, sure there’s a bunch of books, some pictures of what I think is you, that other guy and a couple, and crocodile figurines.”

“So your eyes are workin’ pretty good. His name is Montgomery by the way, not ‘that other guy’.”

“Sorry, he did say his name earlier but I blanked.”

“And you can still recall things, that’s also good.”

“Uh, thanks. Couldn’t you just ask me if this was a test?”

“Boy, your mind is in a very delicate state right now. If I had asked you directly if you remember anything a few seconds before you would have tried to force yourself to remember every little detail. You ain’t supposed to remember all that even on a good day. You would have caused yourself more stress making it more difficult, which would make you panic even more. So we have to ease you into it, understand?”

“I, guess? Makes sense.” He admitted.

“Alright fellas!” Monty comes back in with a few plates. A nice scent rises, making Boo’s stomach growl. “Eat up!”

“Thanks. What is this porridge looking stuff?” He asked looking at the plate of eggs, bacon, pancake and-

“Grits, I wasn’t sure what you like in yours so I just left yours plain.” Monty and his grandfather went into their usual routine of mixing up their grits and cutting up their flapjacks.

“Never had that before.” He looked at it curiously, lifting it up and letting it drip down from the spoon.

“Try not to play with your food too much it’ll get bored of ya and walk away.” Monty teased.

“Sorry,” He lifted it once again and hesitantly ate the spoonful. Plain was a good way to describe it… He tried his best not to make a face. He moved onto the eggs hoping they’d be a little better, at least they looked good, seasoned with something, actually the bacon and pancakes looked pretty decent too. Apparently grits were just horrible in general, because everything else was delicious.

“Wow this stuff is great! I gotta tell Cheeps about you. She’ll love you.”

“Well thank ya! Wh-hey! Hey!” Monty looked at Boo with a big grin.

“What?”

“You remembered something! You just said someone’s name.”

“Uh, oh I guess I did!” He smiled.

“So who’s Cheep and why would she like me?”

“She’s, uh, well she…” His smile faded. “I, don’t know…”

“Oh sorry, I guess I scared it away.”

“No, it’s, I’m glad you pointed it out, that means I can remember something…It’ll just take time and a little trickery, right?”

“Yup. That’s the short end of it.”

“Well, once you’re done we can go through the stuff that was in your pockets when I got you. See if you remember anything from that. I washed your clothes early yesterday morning so they should be dry by now.”

“Yesterday? How long have I been out?”

“About a day.”

“Wh- I guess it could’ve been worse… Still, I can’t help but feel like I shouldn’t be wasting time here. Like I need to be somewhere.”

“You must be someone awful important.” Monty chuckled.

“Yeah, I hope someone recognizes me when I get into town.”

More AU nonsense, no spoilers this time!

So I’m having a lot of fun imagining in universe movies that FazEnt would produce to promote their characters.

The first one was actually inspired by “Movin’ Right Along” from the First Muppet Movie. And certain things kinda fleshed a few bits out.

Boo’s Big Break:

The movie starts with Freddy Jr, CheepCheep, Roxanne, and Boo going on one of their world tours. They’re rocking out, getting cheered on, giving out autographs while a news reporter is talking about how they’re going on one of their biggest tours yet and talking to their cohost about how much fun they must be having party in their hotel rooms since they’re all literal RockStars.

Cut to the hotel room as the four dressed in casual clothing shuffle in, even Freddy is looking tired. There’s a fresh pizza box on the table in front the couch that CheepCheep collapses on. She weakly tries to reach for the pizza, but her arm is too short.

“Roooxyyy. Can you feed me a slice, I’m starving.”

Roxanne is washing her face off in the sink so she cannot respond at the moment. Freddy trudges over to help instead.

Boo lets go a heavy sigh as he sits in a seat next to the window, looking out at the city below, the sun had set long ago, he looks up at the towering, lit up buildings with windows dotted with people living their lives, a couple at a dinner table, someone asleep in an armchair, a lone tv and it’s eerie glow. Thinking.

“Boo, are you alright?”

He looks over to see both Roxanne and Freddy looking concerned.

“Huh?”

“I was just asking if you would like some pizza.”

“Oh, uh yeah, in a minute.”

“Is everything alright?”

“I dunno…I was, yeah I’m fine.”

“Boo…”

“I just, why are we here?”

“Cuz the people are always complaining about how we never tour down here.”

“No, I mean, why are we doing this? We started because we loved the music but now…Now it’s all we ever do. We haven’t really gotten a chance to just fall asleep watching tv or, have a nice slow day. It’s always go go go! I haven’t even bowled in a couple years we been so busy.”

“I see…We have been working quite a bit.”

“Well, we have to, don’t we? If we don’t keep up they’ll probably move on to something else.” Roxanne reasoned.

“Is that so bad? When’s the last time you got to drive around without someone filming it? When it was just you and the track?”

“I, I guess it has been a while.”

“Maybe, maybe after this tour is done, we should take a little break…We do have about a week before our show in NewYork, we can spend that time relaxing instead of practicing. It could not hurt, right?”

“A little break in NewYork, yeah, that sounds fun.” Boo stands up and walks over to the door. “I’m, going to go out and get some fresh air.”

He walks out and just goes without really thinking. The streets are mostly empty but the sounds of sirens and dogs aren’t helping much so he walks out further until he reaches a large bridge. He looks out at the rushing water, the noise of the city has dimmed but the whole place is still brightly lit. He looks up at the empty sky.

“Guess I’m the only star here tonight.” He muttered, a weak attempt to cheer himself up. He can’t help but feel guilty, he’s right next to the people he loves the most, how could he be so miserable? What is he missing? What else could he possibly need?

Looking back at the water he spots something strange, a shining light, he looks back just in time to see a car rushing towards him, swerving and squealing. Boo only has one place to go, and without thinking, takes refuge in the water.

Next thing he knows he’s fighting to reach the surface of the water. It keeps throwing him around, only allowing him a few gulps of air, it feels like hours go by before he feels something crash into his head.

He wakes up in a small trailer on a simple cot wrapped in a warm blanket. He shifts slightly as he tries to sit.

“Oh! Grandad he’s finally awake. Hold on now, you shouldn’t be moving too much yet.”

His eyes widened as something big lumbers forward from the shadowed table in one of the nooks. The dim light above him eventually shows him the source of this new voice. An alligator.

“You got an awful nasty bump on your head. Grandad and I did the best we could, but it still probably hurts like a snapper bite.”

The bunny tries to move a bit more, there’s a dull ache but he pushes through.

“What, where am I? Who-.”

“Oh, well, in the swamp, right dab in the middle of it! This is our home. Well, me and my Grandad’s home. I’m Monty. What’s yer name?

“Oh, hello, I’m uh…” This is when he realizes, he doesn’t remember anything.

[youarejesting]

Sly like a...? Part 9

[Master list] [Sly Master List] Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story. Words: 1.5k

Summary: Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.

[First] [Prev] [Next]

Tonight you had decided to ask Hoseok what he wanted to eat for dinner. A quick knock on his always-open door and a peek inside showed him sitting on his bed. With his arms wrapped around his legs and his chin resting on his knees he looked young. He was staring forlornly at the wall, perhaps you thought he was feeling a little homesick. The city was much different from what he was used to. 

“Hoseok, hey?” You sat beside him the scent of fresh pine on his warm-toned skin. Waving your hand within his line of sight in an effort to gain his attention. The deer blinked, giving you a bright smile and a cheery laugh. 

“Sorry, I was lost in thought?” He straightened out his legs. You patted the soft comforter in front of you. 

“Shuffle your butt over here,” you spoke softly. He continued to face the wall and shuffled over, you pulled him to lay back against you, “Are you feeling homesick honey?”

“Yeah, I guess I miss nature. It’s just, it’s so bare” he muttered looking around his room, a desk with a laptop, a bed, and bedside tables he sniffed wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “I miss it.”

“How about we get you some plants as many as you want, to fill the room, if you really want we can tear up the carpet and lay down grass instead,” Hoseok laughed as you described a tall plant by his desk flowers on his bedside tables and hanging pots from the ceiling. “You can call them, that’s why I got you this,”

He nodded taking the phone you held out to him, he dialed a number and placed it to his ear. “Hello?” 

“Hello my sister,” he said, relaxing as he heard the familiar voice. 

“Hobi!” She called through the phone, which seemed to cause a commotion on the other end of the phone as many voices could be heard, “what is it like in the city? Are they treating you nicely? Have you been eating?”

“It’s really nice and everyone is so fun and nice and we eat lots of food together,” he cheered. The family was talking happily and you grinned scratching Hoseok's head happily laughing with him. 

“We are going to decorate his room with plants,” you assured his family that he was being treated well, “oh! tonight is your choice for dinner so what would you like?”

“Unnie, Hobi likes Japchae and meat,” his sister giggled over the phone and you leaned around Hoseok and grinned. 

“What you think Hobi-ah? Sounds good?” You used their nickname teasingly but in hopes, he would feel more at home and at ease around you. 

“Mm, Hobi wants japchae!” He said cutely, making you laugh, you gently pushed his firm and warm body until he was sitting up enough to slip out from behind him. 

“Alright, you keep talking I will round up Jin and Yoongi and we will get to work cooking,” bidding your goodbyes to Hoseok’s family, you headed out to the kitchen. Yoongi was tying up his apron and Jin was playing video games with the youngest of the group. 

You decided against asking Jin as he seemed truly engrossed in playing his video games. Sorting out ingredients and finding a recipe Yoongi and yourself shuffled around the kitchen. There were moments where you reached over where he was cutting vegetables and your shoulders would brushed and just for a second you would hear a small purr. 

Jin lost to Jungkook and pouted, scuffing his slippers as he entered the kitchen, “Ya! The game likes Jungkook better!” He whined, with a grin on your face you pulled him into a hug. Arms wrapping around his tiny waist as you buried your face in the soft sweater he was wearing, it smelt sweet like figs and his ears twitched. 

“I am just happy you tried your best,” you praised him, as you felt the vibrating chittering in his chest almost like a purr but more like a rattle. He nuzzled your hair breathing in your scent. You got him to join in with the cooking. Your instructions interrupted by Taehyung who was complaining about being hungry.

Sliding between the two hybrids to get past, you got some ingredients from the fridge. You sat at the breakfast bar mixing the ingredients in a big metal bowl. Taehyung had been your neighbor for at least five years now and you knew his favorite foods. 

“Try this and tell me how it is?” you held a ball of rice out in a plastic gloved hand and he leaned in eating it. His eyes lighting up. He gave a deep mmh-mm of approval and his tail was smacking Jungkook in the thigh, the young boy looking at the offending appendage and swatted it away.

“Me too, noona” He smiled pointing to his mouth and you popped one of the Jumeokbap onto his tongue. He chewed it happily his cheeks puffed full, a purr filling the room loudly. You turned to Jin offering him a taste, he praised it with a thumbs up.

Carrying the bowl around to Yoongi you smiled, “You want to try one Yoongi?” He didn’t reply but leaned his head towards you eyes on the food mouth opened.

He let you put one in his mouth, and you pressed your ear to Yoongi’s shoulder, his purrs were definitely the quietest out of all the felines in the house, they were ones that vibrated deeply in his chest but didn’t make too much noise unless it was really quiet and you listened intently.

“I smell tuna!” Jimin grinned bounding over his long legs barely touched the ground and he smiled, “Me love, one for me”

You were trying to roll one but he had started rubbing his face on your jaw and neck impatiently, as he purred sweetly, “I am making it as fast as I can,” the words barely came out through your giggles his soft hair tickling your neck, his ears twitching at the sound.

“Here try this one,” he leaned in wrapping his mouth around the rice ball his eyes never leaving yours. “Is it good?”

“Mm very good” he hummed standing behind you his hands wrapped around your waist as you made one for Namjoon. He held out his hand and ate it, nodding before awkwardly shuffling around waiting for the food to finish. Hoseok exited his room smiling brightly, it seemed the conversation with his family had eased his loneliness.

Namjoon at dinner was a little scary all he could see was food and his deep purrs were so loud that it almost sounded like thunder rumbling outside. You brought up the question at dinner and watched them all choke on their food. 

“It is only natural, I am just wondering when and if you know your rut schedule so I can put it on the calendar and if you need any assistance during this time we can look for a suitable companion or items that can relief your needs.”

Jungkook was bright red and Jimin thought honestly, “I don’t need assistance but if when I am not in my room we could cuddle,”

“I also do not require assitance I will just be in my room,” Namjoon said with a small reassuring smile.

“I have never had a rut,” Jungkook said his cheeks never losing their rosey colour, “They gave us a hormone blocker every six months so we would behave, we just got really annoyed”

You nodded they all seemed to agree that they would be fine on their own in their room but you thought you would look into somethings as a fail safe. After your goodnights to each of the boys giving them a sweet kiss on their foreheads, you sat on Jungkook’s bed and told him more of the stories of the fox.

“In Korean legends, the Kumiho is often described as a terrifying and sad creature that strives to become a real human. It is said that a Kumiho can turn into a real human by eating 100 human livers or by marrying a human and living with them for 100 days without their true identity being discovered. There are many more theories on how they came to be but they…”

Once everyone was tucked in, you spent the night in the lounge. Searching the web for eligible companions and items that could assist the seven young men. You hoped they were all settling in nicely. A figure appeared in the hall, ringing his tail in his hands, you gave a soft smile, surprised as the figure came closer.

It wasn’t Jimin as you had first thought, it was Jungkook, you walked him back to bed and he whispered, “I am nervous what if I do something bad during my rut?”

“I know your true nature Jungkook, I know you don’t want to hurt any of the boys or even myself and when the rut passes well then you will be back to the old Koo we know and love.”

“Can you sleep in my room tonight?” He said and seeing your apprehension he added, “Just until I fall asleep?”

“Alright just until you fall asleep.” Not knowing how exhausted you were and how the bed was so soft and enticing. You had fallen asleep almost instantly, letting Jungkook pull you into his arms and nuzzle your shoulder.

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[the-bau-quinjet]

How could you do this babe?

In Breakable Heaven chapter one! Here we go!

Summary: Reader’s ready to celebrate her anniversary with her boyfriend, but things don’t go as planned. 

Warnings: Cheating, swearing, drunk people

Word Count: ~2100

“…leave a message at the beep.”

You couldn’t help but be disappointed that he didn’t answer, but didn’t mind leaving a message. “Hey babe, I was able to close the bookstore early! I should be to yours in the next few minutes if you want to celebrate early. I know you like to have ample time to get ready, so I guess I just wanted to warn you. Anyway, I love you. See you soon.” You left the voicemail as you walked to your car. Tonight you are celebrating your three-year anniversary. You even changed into your brand new lingerie to surprise him, wearing a long coat to hide it in public. It felt a little bit wrong not wearing real clothes, but you were determined to make this the best anniversary celebration yet.

 The drive to his apartment was relatively uneventful. A light rain started about halfway through the five-minute drive. As you pull up to his apartment building, you notice the lights on in his room. “Good, he’s home” you think to yourself as you open the door, shuffling inside from the muggy DC weather. As you approach the apartment door, you can hear the soft music of the playlist you made last month featuring all of Taylor Swifts most romantic love songs. Your heart flutters as you think of the kind gesture. Of course, he would be thoughtful enough to put on music as you arrived at his apartment. Unlocking the door and untying your coat at the same time proved to more difficult than anticipated, but you managed to nudge the door open whispering “happy anniversary baby” in the sultriest tone you could.

 As you took in the rest of the apartment, your heart burst. There were roses everywhere. Candles lit a path to the bedroom. Maybe he did know how to be a romantic. Dropping your things on the counter and sliding your coat off the rest of the way, you tip toed into the bedroom to surprise him since he clearly did not get your message. The next sixty seconds felt as though time stopped. Or, more accurately, you froze and everything else in the world took on an impossible speed.

As you pushed open the bedroom door, three things caught your attention. First, you felt a surprising amount of resistant as you pushed the door over a bundle of clothes you didn’t recognize. Second, you heard the bed bouncing against the wall. Third, you saw streaks of auburn hair running through you’re boyfriend’s hands as he mercilessly pounded into a woman you didn’t recognize.

 Apparently, your entrance was too quiet for either of them to be interrupted. All you could manage was to slowly retreat into the living room, closing the door, but knocking into a side table.  You could hear them as they stopped moving, running to the door to investigate the noise. All you wanted was to get out of there though. Throwing your coat back over your lingerie, you grabbed your purse and keys, slamming the door shut. You didn’t even turn around when you heard him opening the door and calling your name. Whatever he had to say was not worth your time anymore.

 You couldn’t get the image of the two of them in bed together out of your head. You were feeling absolutely everything at once. You felt betrayed. You felt sad. A small part of you was actually glad you had a reason to end it. It had never felt like the kind of relationship that would move on. But still, you thought you were happy with him.

 But mostly, you were pissed. Rightfully so, but you had no idea where to go or what to do. Your blind adrenaline carried you to the car, and you wound up at a bar. You don’t even remember starting the car, much less driving, but you knew you needed something to drink. You ran inside, ordering tequila shots to drown the sadness, and sat at the bar. As you sat at the bar, contemplating your existence, a man walked up to sit next to you. You had your fair share of practice with this scenario. You had mastered the right mix “fuck off” and “sorry, I’m taken” to get men like this guy to back off with just a single look. But right now, all you could manage was a halfhearted grin that very clearly said “you do not want to deal with my emotional baggage right now.” It was all in the crazed look in your eyes, you were sure of it.

 Nobody else came up to you while you were there. You couldn’t help but think over the past three years with him for signs that he was unfaithful. You couldn’t come up with any, the cheating bastard. He must have been pretty good at hiding the secret phone calls and date nights. But then again, you had your own secrets. Not that they would have made him feel like you do right now.

 After sitting long enough to consume four shots of tequila, two vodka sodas, and one dark and stormy, reality set in. All you wanted was to curl up in a ball and scream. Or cry. You were obviously not returning to his apartment, but you couldn’t go back to your own either. There was too much there that reminded you of him. The idea of walking in there to see his sweatshirt on your couch made you feel sick. You were teetering on the edge of a full breakdown when the idea struck you. Penelope.

 Penelope Garcia is your best friend. You met her at a Doctor Who convention the same day you met he who must not be named. She was there with Kevin, but they broke up a while ago. The realization that you could go to Penny’s couldn’t have come at a better time. Ha. Penny. You only call her that when you’re drunk. She’ll know what to do. You opened your phone, barely able to call up the Lyft to take you to her apartment. It’s honestly shocking you didn’t fall asleep on the seven minute drive there. Whatever, all you needed now was to get inside and forget about him.

 After entering the building, you tried the elevator. Of course it was broken. It took you about thirty six minutes to hobble your way up two flights of stairs to Penny’s floor. With each step, you considered texting her to come get you, but you knew the second you saw her you would break down. You absolutely did not want to start sobbing on these stairs. Too many people could see you. Finally arriving to her door, you were exhausted. Mentally and physically drained. Knock knock knock “Penny?” Knock knock knock “Penny?” Knock knock knock “Penny?” you imitated the Big Bang Theory, knowing the small joke would make you smile, even if just for a second. When the door finally opened, you vaulted in for a hug, not even opening your eyes.

 As you squeezed Penny, you finally broke out into a fit of sobs. Whisper yelling, you told her as much of the story as you could remember. “Penny, thank god. I left wo-ork early to surprise Dr-Dr-Drew for our anniversary – hiccup – but he was having s-s-se-sex with someone else…” you let out a strangled sob, not noticing how stiff Penny felt in your embrace. You buried your head into her as you continued “So I got very drunk and came here. Was he cheating on me this whole time?” You asked as your tears turned back to rage. “I even went out and bought this stupid, uncomfortable underwear to surprise him” you shout as your coat had begun to fall open again. After what felt like an hour of crying, but in reality amounted to no more than 60 seconds, you finally noticed something was odd. Two things lead you to a simple conclusion that was somehow difficult to comprehend in your drunk state.

 First, Penny felt taller. Second, she was wearing converse. Upon noticing these two facts, your hands traveled up the body you were hugging until you found shoulders. Turning your head up, your eyes followed the path your hands had just taken. This series of events lead to the obvious fact that whomever you were hugging was absolutely not Penelope Garcia. Penelope was in fact not even in the foyer, but rather a very attractive, tall man with slightly curly brown hair and eyes like honey was staring back at you. And you couldn’t take your eyes off him.

 --

Reid’s POV

 Spencer hadn’t actually had anything to drink since arriving at Garcia’s. No, he just drank prior to that point. Normally, he didn’t drink at all when his team got together, but this was just worth celebrating. Another serial killer was behind bars for life because of the work the team did today. Hell, even Hotch and Rossi stayed for a few hours before they left. As part of the “young crowd” on the team, he had stayed at the bar longer than the two older men before the group of you retreated to Garcia’s. Hers was the closest apartment, and everyone else wanted to keep the party going. Spencer couldn’t help but join them, not wanting to return to his empty apartment after the long day they all spent testifying.

 Finishing his second glass of water, he began to get up to get more and maybe some for the group when everyone heard the knocking. The group laughed as three consecutive “Penny’s” came from the door. “Reid, can you get that since you’re already up?” Garcia asked, motioning toward the door. “It must be Y/N. She always calls me Penny when she’s drunk.” He obliged. He obviously remembered Garcia mentioning Y/N before, but he had never met her. He swung the door open, expecting a drunk friend of Garcia’s. He was not prepared, however, for said drunk friend to throw herself at him, grasp him in an alarmingly tight hug, and start sobbing. He could barely make out what you were saying through the sobs hearing “surprise Drew”, “anniversary”, “sex”, and “drunk” before you practically screamed “I even went out and bought this stupid, uncomfortable underwear to surprise him.”

 It was clear you meant to be pouring her heart out to Garcia, but you hadn’t yet realized who answered the door. For the first time in his life, Dr. Spencer Reid couldn’t think of words to say as you ran your hands up his body to his shoulders. You were clearly taking in the information required to come to the conclusion that he is not in fact Penelope Garcia. As your eyes met his, all he could do was stare. He made every effort to keep his eyes level with yours, but one glace was all it took to be ingrained in his memory forever. He wouldn’t have looked, but the movement of your coat caught his eye as it revealed the exact type of surprise you had planned for whoever Drew was.

 The two of you were frozen, unsure of how to proceed. You looked just like he did- a deer in the headlights. Neither of you could move. Neither of you could speak. You could both hear Garcia’s voice as she stumbled down the hallway, but it sounded distant. It wasn’t until the mystery woman broke eye contact that he backed away. Trying desperately to control the blush he were sure had made its way to his cheeks.

 --

 Y/N’s POV

 The moment was broken as you felt Penny turn you towards her. The flush on your cheeks only grew as you kept your eyes on the tall man as he retreated into the living room, not having said a word. “Y/N… Y/N? Y/N!” Penny had to yell slightly to get your attention. “What happened? What are you doing here? I thought you were celebrating tonight?” She asked rapid fire. You could tell she was also a little bit drunk.

 You told her everything. The words practically falling out of you as you started crying again. “Oh babe, I’m so sorry. Here, let’s get you inside.” Penny started to guide you into the living room, but you froze “Wait! Can I borrow some clothes before I go in there? I don’t need to flash anyone else right now.” You whispered. Penny laughed, “Of course! Who did you fla- ohhh. Reid.” She said, trying to hold back the giggles.

 “Yes. If that is the very tall man with the perfect eyes and the completely tuggable hair.” You responded, not quite filtering your thoughts, as you were still very drunk.

 “I’ll be back in a jiffy!” Penny replied, not knowing how else to respond to the fact that you are very clearly attracted to the young doctor, but also going through shit right now. She would just file away this information for later.

taglist:

@mac99martin​ 

[lyntonier]

A train to Paris

Carmen Sandiego x Gray Calloway

Summary: Carmen is taking a break away from her work — helping out at the Orphanage and fighting crime — and decides to take a trip back to Paris, a location she quite enjoyed. During her journey she meets a familiar face she believed she would not see again.

A/N: This is set after season 4.

"So Carms, I hear you are off to Paris for the week huh?"

I smile into the phone, listening to Ivy's comment.

"You heard correct. Well, assuming nothing goes wrong, that is".

I had gotten a break from working at the Orphanage with my Madre, so I decided to take myself on a little trip. We had finally met about eleven months ago, and I had been helping around as much as I possibly could without a break. Well, I tell a lie, I had a couple days free from working with Madre, though I used those days to check for any crime around. I guess some habits die hard huh, this was meant to be my new start but I can't seem to leave fighting crime behind. It was my choice to work so much at the Orphanage though.

Madre had had enough and told me to take a week away and go someplace, so where better than Paris? The beauty of the city when the sun goes down and the lights come on again, the food, the art and architecture, the history, it's simply something I cannot forget. It's truly a once in a lifetime thing.

"Wow, I'm so jealous! I wish I could be there with you, it would be so much fun- Zack stop! Leave Julia alone. No- She probably does NOT appreciate that, so quit it... Yes, you, who else?!.......... Sorry Carms, it's Zach trying to flirt with Julia again".

Giggling at Ivy's scolding to her brother, I make a mental note to tease him about that when I next see him. He kept flirting with the poor woman, to which she would politely laugh and make an excuse to leave.

"No worries Ivy, it's alright. I must admit though, I do feel sorry for Julia in some respects".

"I know right! Gosh, he's so oblivious sometimes. I love him anyway though, no matter how much of a douche brain he is".

"It would be nice to be able to meet up with all of you again, it's been a while since I saw all of you properly. You'll have to let me know when you two both have some time off and I'll get hold of Shadowsan and Player, then we can all have a nice catch-up".

I hear Ivy sigh wistfully into the phone, light laughter leaving her lips.

"Honestly Carms, that seems like such a good idea right about now. I'm so tired with work, I got called out five times within the past two days, three of which were last night. I've not had a nice snooze in for ages and I could do with one right about now, haha."

"You do sound quite tired. When do you get off shift?"

"Uuuh, hold on....... Forty-five minutes, then I can go home".

"Well, you should treat yourself to a warm bubble bath and a long rest".

"I think I'll take that one and do just that. Ah- I've got to shoot, Cheif is calling for me. I'll call you tomorrow and we can talk more, yeah?"

"Yes, wouldn't miss it for the world. Tell the others I said hello for me? And I'll work on arranging a girls trip between you and me to somewhere, just let me know where you fancy going".

"Oh you're a star Carm, I'll be looking forward to that then. I'll decide tonight and let you know tomorrow, and I'll pass on your 'hellos' to the others. Talk soon Carm".

I smile into the phone, mildly disappointed that our conversation had to end so soon.

"Talk soon Ivy".

With that, I hear the beep of an ended call as Ivy hangs up the line. A sudden wave of exhaustion washes over me as I move my phone down to my lap, checking the time. It was 1:15 in the morning. Raising my eyebrows, I nod at my phone, surprised at how late it was. I should probably try to get some sleep as I'll be arriving at my stop in about seven hours from now and I would much prefer to not be falling asleep at every given moment.

Setting my phone down next to myself, I grab a blanket out of my carry bag and drape it over my lap, removing my jumper and folding it into four before placing it onto the seat to my left. Reaching up above myself, I pull a cord that turned off the lights in my little train booth, engulfing myself in darkness. The only form of light that I had at this stage was the gentle light from the moon, it would be full soon. Laying down, I place my head onto my jumper and pull my blanket up higher, closing my eyes and relaxing my body.

Right as I began to doze off, I felt a strange feeling of wariness make itself known in my gut, enticing me to sit up and evaluate my surroundings. Within a couple of seconds of having my eyes open, I heard a light tapping on my booth door. Someone was there. Averting my eyes to the glass section of the door, I keep my body motionless as I trace the figure with my eyes and their every possible movement.

If I stayed still then they would not see me and assume I was sleeping and most likely leave.

*tap, tap, tap*

"Excuse me, uh, I know you are awake.. can I come in? My booth has no heating and it's really cold out here".

Or maybe not.

Cautiously eyeing the door, I slowly raise myself from the seats and brace my hand into a fist, ready to fight off a possible threat. Standing tall, I cautiously step my way over to the door before grasping the cool metal handle with one hand and undoing a lock with the other. Twisting the handle, I edge the door open bit by bit.

"Hello... Um.. yes you may".

It was a man, not that much taller than me, and Australian. Or perhaps Kiwi. I couldn't see many of his facial features, other than the fact that he had a man bun and a couple bags with him. I wracked my brain for any vocal recognitions, however, nothing matched.

Standing aside, I made room for the strange man to come inside.

"Cheers mate, sorry 'bout how odd this is. I went to the train staff to ask about the heating and they told me that the booth I chose was meant to be closed, though the person on duty of closing it off didn't get around to it, hence me choosing the unlucky booth. They told me I would have to ask to share booths with somebody else seen as though all others are booked, and I saw your light go out, so I came here. Sorry and cheers again".

The man laughed, rubbing what I assumed was the back of his neck. His explanation seemed pretty truthful and his reasoning honest.

"That's no problem, sorry that you got a faulty booth, that must've sucked".

"Hah, tell me 'bout it" He joked.

Smiling, I close the door and return to my seat, watching as he put his bags in the overhead luggage area, leaving out a blanket of his own. Smart man.

"So, what's your name mate?"

"Carmen. And you?"

I see him whip his head around, before shaking it and laughing lightly.

"I had a friend called Carmen, though I've not seen her in a long time. My name is Grah-Grayson. Grayson".

I raise my eyebrow at his stutter, smirking lightly.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Grah-Grayson" I tease.

"Haha, as to you Carmen".

With that, we both fell silent, just basking in the pleasant atmosphere of the booth with the same idea of sleep on our minds.

Slipping back into my 'bed', I pull my blankets back over myself and close my eyes, listening carefully at everything around me. I hear some stuffing around, something dropping on the floor, followed by a second something, more shuffling, then a satisfied sigh. Peering over my shoulder, I see the outline of a body laying on the seat across from mine.

"Did you just take your shoes off?"

"Hm? Ah yeah mate, can't sleep with shoes on, that's just crazy".

Grah-Grayson laughs at his own statement, finding humour in my question.

I feel my lips draw into a thin line as I shuffle my feet around awkwardly, my shoes very much still on.

Am I crazy?

"G'd'night mate, thanks again for letting me in on such short notice".

"No, no, that's fine. Goodnight".

It felt strange saying goodnight to a stranger, though I had most definitely done stranger.

I feel my eyes shoot open rather rapidly, my heart pounding against my ribcage as I scramble to sit upright, taking in my surroundings eagerly before eyeing the strange man in the booth with me. I check the room once again for anything out of the ordinary, before removing the blanket from my body and standing, striding my way over the door and yanking it open silently and slipping out, closing it behind myself. I needed some fresh air.

Making my way to the end of the train, I open a door that leads to a small balcony attached to the carriage. Immediately the wind hits me, blowing my hair to the side.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, I relax my shoulders and close my eyes. I had a nightmare — rather a memory — that Coach Brunt had broken into my booth and tied me up, much like before, and decided that enough was enough and planned to end things then and there.

A pretty sad nightmare, huh.

I enjoy the breeze a little longer before turning around and opening the door, walking back into the train carriage and back to my booth. Opening the door, I am surprised to see Grah-Grayson awake and sat upright, watching out of the window at the scenery. It was early for him to be awake, it was about five in the morning and the sun had begun rising, casting a gentle glow in the booth.

"Ah, mate, there you are, are you alr-......."

The words leave his mouth as he stares at me in surprise, horror, happiness, sadness and recognition... a mix of everything. Exactly what I was feeling.

Tears fill my eyes as I gaze at the male before me. It couldn't be...

"G-Gray?"

"Black sheep..?."

Grah-Grayson stands up, tears in his own eyes as he stares at me intently.

Stepping forward, I feel my arms raising slightly and before I knew it I was lunging for him, sobs wreaking through my lips as tears flowed heavily from my eyes. Engulfing him in my arms, I feel him do the same with just as much ferocity. I hear sobs come from him too, his chest rising and falling quickly and sharply with each gasp of air.

Before anything could be said, I feel anger suddenly wash over me, leading me to remove my arms from around him and shove him away harshly, placing some distance between us.

A confused whimper leaves his mouth, clearly unintentionally, but before he could say anything I let months worth of hurt, confusion, upset and anger form into words and flow out freely.

"Gray where were you?! W-What did you mean 'don't tell her' that you woke up!! Do you know how long I waited for you to wake up in the hospital, unable to see you or hear from you, not knowing that you had long gone?! Do you- Do you know how long I WAITED fOR YOU? Three months Gray- three months that you were gone and I was waiting for you to wake up so that we could start over, so that I could know you were okay!" The words kept flowing out, no matter how much I tried to stop them. Although I didn't try. I couldn't bring myself to try. I started pacing back and forth as I rambled, making sure the emphasis on certain words came out.

"Carmen, let me explain, I-"

I cut him off, anger still clouding my better judgement.

"NO Gray, you don't get to explain until you hear me!! I searched EVERYWHERE for days, weeks, months for you, thinking that something had happened to you, only to be told by Chief that you had requested to not have your condition or whereabouts revealed to me! Why Gray, why..? If you were angry or upset at me and didn't want to see me, you could have just told me instead of making me worry like that! I spent so many nights awake trying to find out where you were with the help of Player, but nothing!! NOTHING!"

I heave out everything that has been resting on my shoulders, the feeling of relief evident on my shoulders as a weight had been lifted.

"Carmen I was never upset at you, more of I was upset at myself. It was my fault that you had been captured and lured in, I knew what was happening and I could have prevented it, but I didn't. I blamed myself for you being brainwashed and hurt, and for myself being hurt. I was such an idiot and I didn't want to do something that could hurt you again-"

"And yet you did.." I remark with a whisper, adverting my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest, hugging myself and sniffling as I did so.

"I know and I'm sorry... I didn't want to interfere with your life, not after everything that had happened. VILE was caught and disbanded, you had information on your mother, everything was over and you had a fresh start ahead of you and I didn't want to get in the way of that. So, I changed my identity and lived away from the public eye, hidden away where you could not find me. It wasn't just a fresh start for you, it was one for me too... I asked for you to not be told of my departure, even though Cheif strongly suggested against it, the same with that Julia lady. I told them it was my only request, and they allowed it eventually. I now realise that wasn't a good idea and that it hurt you much more than I believed it could or would... I am so sorry Carmen.. I really am so, incredibly sorry.. I can't blame you if you are angry at me, I gue-"

"Of course I'm angry at you!! I finally realised after all of that time that I was in love with you, and I was prepared to tell you, only to find that you were gone! Those three months left in the dark were pure heaven compared to the.. the shitty, crappy, horrible feelings once I found out you were gone!"

I watch as Gray's eyes widen in surprise, as he stutters his next sentence, his face flushed from tears, much like my own.

"C-Carmen.. you- what did you just.. what did you just say?"

"That I realised after all of this time that I was in love with you, so very incredibly in love with you, and that I was prepared to tell you!" I growl.

We both stand there in silence, the cool feeling of my tears drying up on my face present. Sudden realisation dawns upon me at what I had just boldly announced. Smacking my hand over my mouth, I gasp, my eyes widening as the realisation finally sets in completely.

Nothing is said between us as we just stare one another in the eyes, waiting for the other to speak.

"Gray, I-"

I cut myself short as Gray abruptly strides towards me confidently, raising his hands to cup my cheeks as I step back, unsure of what was happening. Staring down into my eyes, Gray smiles gently.

"You always were a cheeky one, sneaking your way into my heart the way you did".

My stomach fills with butterflies at that, a small smile making its way onto my face, accompanied by little giggles. Soon enough, I was laughing uncontrollably into Gray's chest, him onto my shoulder.

The laughter died down soon after, we were just left with warm smiles on our faces.

Moving his hand across my face, his thumb stroking my cheek and his other hand caressed the back of my neck, he looks down at my lips before looking into my eyes.

"May I?"

That one sentence had my stomach doing flips as though I were a schoolgirl who just confessed her undying love to her crush and received the same feelings back, though I guess in some respects I was that schoolgirl, just a little older.

"You may".

With that, Gray leans down, pressing his lips gently against mine and pulling away. I did not feel those fireworks that people would describe a true-loves kiss as, rather I felt complete, safe, happy, joyous, excited, calm, at peace and so many more pleasant things, much better than those so described fireworks.

Leaning in for a second kiss, I met Gray halfway with just as much passion, more ferocity this time, however. Soon though, we had to depart for air, a gentle blush growing over both of our cheeks.

"Carmen, I-"

"Excuse me, are you two alright in there? I could faintly hear you arguing from next door".

Looking behind me, there was an older woman stood in the doorway, a concerned look on her face.

"Yes, we are alright madame, thank you for your concern. Sorry for the noise, everything is sorted now" I explain, turning to face the woman.

"Very well then, there is no need to apologise my dear, as long as you are both okay. Oh, and sorry for interrupting your moment"

The lady giggles cheekily, before making her way back to her booth while rambling on about young love, or something along the lines.

"We should probably close the door, no?"

"Yes, we should. You, mister, have a lot to explain to me, especially what you have been up to since we last saw one another".

I smile as I leave Grays embrace, walking to the door and closing it.

"As do you. We have a while till we reach my destination, so shall we?"

"Hmm... I say sleep and then explain at a later time, on a date perhaps?"

"Friday, 8PM at Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole?" Grey wiggles his eyebrows, a smile on his face as he does so.

Laughter bubbles in my throat as I sniffle, wiping away any tear streams on my face as I nod my head eagerly.

"Call it a date".

A/N: This is my first ever oneshot/story piece that I've done on here and I honestly do not know how good it is, or how bad it is. All I can hope is that it's decent. It was inspired by @wizardsoffthecoast who had mentioned something about this, so here we are. I hope you enjoy it!

(I do apologise for any spelling mistakes!)

[nepenthendline]

Gentle Loving - Tendou

A little N*FW at the end but mainly fluffy this is purely a self-indulgent fic of sucking tendou’s dick for the first time, featuring somewhat a bodyworship kink aka I want tendou to be loved, also kind of a smut alternative to insecurity i guess? It’s in the same setting and about the same stuff so you can read it as a part two or an alternative lol this also goes along with my mental health headcanons for tendou but I’ll keep it pretty vague

this is pretty damn long btw (2.5k words), I have a lot of tendou feelings ok

Tagging @togasknifes bc she had to sit through me complaining about this, and @pudding-head-kenma bc mingi

TW: very very slight, brief hint at self-harm scarring

The two of you had been cuddling in bed watching anime for the last couple hours; it was one of your favourite ways to spend time together while indulging in your hobby. You were tucked in his side with your arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and his around you. Every now and then, between comments of the action on the screen, he would lean down and brush kisses on the top of your head. His fingers grazed up and down your arm, setting your skin alight with his warmth. Even after months of being together his touch still managed to provoke the butterflies in your stomach, yet make you feel so calm and safe.

Your turned your head from his chest to look up at him. His wide, glowing eyes were entranced by the flashing of the screen, and his jawline seemed so chiselled from the shadow. The red hair that he shaved off a couple weeks ago had started to grow back in small, fuzzy waves that contrasted his smooth, pale skin. His pink lips were parted slightly and curled up in an anticipating smile; sometimes they even moved along with the words of the characters that he had heard so many times before. You’ve always thought of him as handsome, but right now, he really was the most beautiful sight in the world.

You leaned up from his grasp to plant a gentle kiss on the edge of his jaw, just like you had done many times before. His eyes trailed over to meet yours and gave you a sweet grin, then turning back to his laptop in front of him. Your gaze didn’t move though, as you tucked your head into his neck and placed tentative kisses along the skin, trailing from just below his ear to his collarbone. Your actions didn’t have much intention behind them besides enjoying the feeling of his burning skin against your lips, and his pulse that shook under your touch. As you were about to raise your head to repeat your actions, Tendou’s mouth had captured yours.

After a few first gentle kisses, you placed your hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, giving you permission to deepen your movements. With each kiss, your nose bumped against his, and his grip on your waist got tighter. This certainly wasn’t the first time the two of you had lost yourself in each other’s affection this way, but you had never progressed further. Whenever things seemed to get a little more heated, one of you would pull away and put out the flame to relight another day.

But there was something in you this time that wanted more. The way that his fingers dug into your hips, how his hair felt so soft in your touch, and how his eyes looked extraordinarily intense. You wanted to pour your love onto him, make him feel all the admiration and desire you felt for him.

Shuffling the laptop away with your hand, you moved your leg over to be seated on his lap. He didn’t seem to refuse your action in any way, so with both hands on either side of his face, you delved back in to the kiss. One of his hands had found its way into your hair, tugging it ever-so-slightly to keep your head close to his. You were both becoming breathless, but you’d rather suffocate in his love than stop.

One hand of yours moved to his hip, pushing his shirt upwards and stroking the skin under. He shuddered a little, either out of surprise or nervousness, but he didn’t stop you. Shuffling the shirt up even higher, your hand made it way to his exposed abdomen. Since you had started your journey up his body, his kisses had lost sync with yours; the steady tempo the two of you had created was gone, and he let out shaky breaths between each attempt. As your hand had moved slightly closer towards his chest, he swiftly moved to grab your wrist, stopping it.

“I-I’m sorry, did I go too far? We can stop if you want,” you stuttered, pulling back from him. He stared at you with a complex look, as if he was debating with himself.

“No, don’t be sorry. That was my fault. I...” his eyes didn’t meet yours as he spoke. You could tell he had more to say, but he appeared to be struggling with the words.

“What’s on your mind? You can talk to me, it’s ok,” you whispered to him, stroking his cheek with the hand that still rested there.

“Nothing, nothing, it’s fine,” he rushed out, spreading a fake wide smile on his face. He made a move to sit up further, but you stopped him, giving him a look that he knew he couldn’t escape this one like he had tried each time in the past. His gaze filtered through various points in the room but never once on you, thinking over the rush of thoughts in his head.

He let out an exasperated sigh and let his head fall back against his headboard, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I just...,” he sighed again and threw his arms over his eyes to cover his face from your concerned gaze, “fuck, I just don’t want you to take my clothes off and not like what you see,” he spoke fast, as if it would stop you from hearing his vulnerability. You sat still, quiet for a moment as you processed what he said.

“I would never not like how you look, Satori,” you murmured, somewhat to yourself in confusion. “I think your beautiful, and I might not have ever seen you with your shirt off but I’ve kinda already got the gist of what you look like. I chose you, and love you knowing what you look like, and I love it Satori, I do.” you stroked the back of his arms that covered his face in an attempt to soothe him. Honestly, you were just as nervous as him, but you put on a brave face to guide him through this like he always did for you. “I want to show you how perfect you are to me, if you’ll let me?”

Slowly, his arms lifted away from his face and rested by his side; his fingers reaching your thighs and lightly brushed over them. When he didn’t respond, you leaned in again and, delicately, placed a kiss on him. As you pulled away, he bit his lip and nodded. You confirmed with him that you could continue, then kissed him again, before laying him down so he was flat on the bed.

“Just let me know if you want me to stop, ok? We don’t go too far, I promise,” you kissed him once more, before tucking your head down to place kisses along his collarbones to distract him a little as you started to pull his shirt up from the bottom. He, shakily, helped you take it off and laid back down on the bed, clenching his eyes shut once more.

While he wasn’t as active as he used to be in high school, you could still see how years worth of training had moulded his body. He wasn’t ripped or buff by any means, but his shoulders were broad and his arms looked strong; they tensed and relaxed as his fingers fiddled with the duvet under him to calm himself. You placed a hand on his chest and felt as it shifted with every breathe of his. You had spent so much time resting your head on this part of his body, so it already took up a lot of room in your thoughts. His skin was soft and hot as your hand trailed down to his stomach. You leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to the left side of his chest below his collarbones, and slowly, dragged your lips across his torso. One of your hands moved across the bed to find his, and gripped it tightly as your mouth explored his body. He let out deep breath, quivering breaths with each touch, but he slowly relaxed under you. His eyelids remained closed, but their grip softened and the muscles in his face went slack.

“I love you,”

Your mouth worked further down his body, tasting at the skin just above the beginning of his jeans. Moving across, you nipped at his prominent hips, making his jump slightly.

“Sorry,” you giggled at his reaction, stroking your thumb over his knuckles.

“No, no, that was nice, you can carry on, please,” he seemed to be a little amused himself by his reaction, smiling along with you for the first time in a while. Your free hand reached up to find the button of his jeans.

“Can I?” he nodded at your question, so you steadily began to undo his jeans and pull them off his body. Before you could pull them any lower than the tops of his thighs, his hand came to stop you once more, but his grip was gentler, more relaxed than last time.

“You’re gonna see some things but we can talk about it later, just...ignore it for now,” he mumbled, letting go of your hand so you could continue. You didn’t know what he was hinting at, but you didn’t push further. With his help, you pulled off his jeans and let them fall on the floor beside the bed.

You were familiar with his long legs from the lower thigh downwards due to seeing him often in his volleyball uniform during school, but you still took the time to run your fingers down them, massaging them slightly and feeling his muscles flex under them.

“You’re so pretty, Satori,” you said as you leaned down to, once again, trail your kisses up his legs. “You’re doing so well baby.”

His breath trembled more the closer you go to the tops of his thighs, in a mix of pleasure and restlessness. With his free hand now stroking over your hair, he took in all the senses you gave; the warm, wet feeling on your lips on his body, the heat from your scalp in his hand and the smell of your lotion that he was so familiar with. He was so nervous, but his body couldn’t help but fall into your touch,

“I’m going to fall asleep at this rate,” he chuckled in a low voice. You apologised for your slow movements, but he rejected your words, “this is the best day of my life, I don’t know what your apologising for,” his voice was light with laughter, setting a smile on your face too. He had settled down in your motions, so you took this chance to slowly pull his boxers down his legs, letting them meet his jeans on the floor.

You didn’t move for a few moments as you took in the sight of his, now, naked frame. You attention was drawn to his half-hard cock that lay on low on his stomach, and how the tip was the prettiest pink that complimented his complexion. Your eyes drifted over to the areas of his hips and tops of his thighs that were once covered by his underwear. You fingers moved hesitantly to skim the scars that littered his pale skin; they all seemed particularly old, although some were darker and larger than others. Moving down, you kissed each mark without hurry, moving inwards closer and closer to his crotch. You looked up at him to check on his expression; his eyes will still closed but his lips were parted slightly, damp from running his tongue over them.

You placed one, testing kiss on the base of his cock as he let out a deep sigh. Enjoying his reaction, you left warm, open-mouthed kisses to the tip. As you pulled back slightly, you noticed how much harder his dick had gotten through your actions. Wrapping your hand around the base, you noticed how your fingers barely found their way around it, and how your hand felt so small compared to him. You gripped his length a little harder, receiving a quiet, raspy moan. With the moisture from your previous exploration, you easily moved your hand up and down his member; each breath of Tendou’s released with a whine as his head tiled back further.

Taking it one step further, you lifted his cock, fitting your mouth over the tip and slowly sunk down on him. The hand that had been in your hair was now gripping tightly, almost to the point of pain. His mouth was wide open, letting a strained groan leave his throat. You hollowed out your cheeks and continued, moving up and down at a steady pace.

The muscles in his stomach began to tense as you worked him; his body quivering in the pleasure. Your free hand came to rest on his stomach, stroking the skin to settle him down. He had never felt anything like this before. All he could do was focus on the way your head moved and how hot you felt around him. He felt overwhelmed in the best way possible - the closest he had ever felt to this before was a panic attack, but this feeling was much more soothing, warming and addicting. His eyes started to let little tears run down his cheeks as he reached his high; his back arching off the bed slightly and his hips rutting into your mouth. He wanted to warn you but he couldn’t seem to form any words in this moment.

With a loud, strangled moan he finished in your throat. You did your best to take all of his release, which was a little difficult due to the suddenness, but you dragged out his high with slow movements. He pulled slightly on the back of your head as a sign that he was finished so you lifted off of him and crawled up to meet his face, sitting above his stomach. Your hand brushed the tears away that stuck to his cheeks as you checked over him. His eyes were lidded in a sleepy manner and he wore a little smile. You bend down to press kisses over his face, beginning at his forehead, then his cheeks, moving to his nose and finally his lips. Resting your forehead on his, you ran your fingers through his short hair.

“You did so well, my love, I’m proud of you,” you praised in a soft, quiet tone. He chuckled in response,

“I didn’t do anything, but thank you.” With one final kiss, you lifted your body off of his, laying back on the bed with your body leaning on the headboard. You opened your arms for him, and he rolled over to bury his face in your neck; his long arms wrapped around you as you held him.

“I love you, every part of you,” you whispered into his hair.

“I love you too. Thank you.”

[anotheranimestan]

Picking Up His Drunk Girlfriend: Iwaizumi

Ft. drunk Oikawa (of course)

Fluff fluff fluff + suggestive language

Time skip

wc: 1.6k

I’m obsessed with this man and his 💪

When you informed Iwaizumi that Oikawa was taking you out clubbing he was visibly upset. Not because you were going out to get drunk without him but because his idiot best friend was going to be there. Oikawa always overdid things when it came to nights out. He was a wild one and you were easy to rile up. A dangerous mix.

Many a nights he’d warn you to take it easy only to have to come save you from numerous club jails or even worse, Oikawa went out cold and Iwa had to carry his ass home.

So it was no surprise when your message lit up his screen.

You were lucky he even saw it considering it was 2am and he was sleeping. But he always had trouble getting a deep sleep when he knew you were out, probably getting into trouble.

You stood outside huddled in the cold. Iwa was always so quick about picking you up. He knew if he took too long you guys might get allured to another location before he could catch you.

You eagerly awaited his arrival. Seeing him was always the perfect end to a fun night. Picturing his cute face was making you all tingly inside.

And there he was. Your sexy ass boyfriend in his sleek black car. You hungrily opened the passenger door and climbed into the seat. But you didn’t stop there. You continued trying to climb onto his lap so you could attack his lips.

But he pushed you away. “Sit down. I’m driving.”

You huff and feel your whole body go tense with irritation. “You could at least pretend to be happy to see me.” You pout sliding down into your seat.

This was not the completely-irresistible-girlfriend romantic moment you were expecting from him when he arrived.

He was irritated with you but only because he was tired. But even in this sleep deprived state he couldn’t let you be upset or kiss deprived.

He leaned over, grabbed your pouty face and smacked a big kiss on you, to put you at ease.

Serotonin immediately flooded your whole body and just like that you were drooling for him again.

“Oya, Iwa-chan, can I get one too?” Oikawa teased from the back seat. He was even bold enough to lean over the center console, making smooching noises in your boyfriend’s ear. It earned him a backhand to the face from Iwa’s giant hand. He dramatically fell into the back seat, half whining half laughing.

Your chauffeur put it into gear and placed his free hand on your thigh, anticipating your longing to snuggle up on his arm.

“Where are we going?” Oikawa chirped.

“Where do you think? Dumbass.”

He huffed. “You don’t need to be mean Iwa-chan!”

“I’m not driving you home. You can sleep on my floor and get yourself home tomorrow...or later today I guess.” Iwa said grimacing at the time on the clock.

“The floor!? You have a couch!”

“How did I get dragged into this anyways.”

“Because you love us.” You mused.

He didn’t reply. Just a look of hopeless acknowledgment flashed over his face. He knew you were exactly right.

You placed a kiss on his arm and nuzzled his hand onto your face. You gave it plenty of kisses as well.

You loved the way his skin felt. Tough and calloused from constant weightlifting but still smooth somehow. He must be using that fancy lotion you bought him recently. You practically swooned at the thought. He was extra dreamy in your current intoxicated state. You were just aching to eat him up. He noticed you intently staring at him the whole car ride with hearts in your eyes. He couldn’t help but smile a little.

When you all arrived at his place he let you snuggle him the entire walk inside. Meanwhile, he locked the car doors before Oikawa even managed to drag himself out.

“Here. And actually drink it.” He instructed, wrapping your fingers around a water bottle. He threw the other one at Oikawa’s head.

“You’re going to regret treating me like this.” Oikawa stuck his tongue out as a blanket was chucked at his face.

“Come on. No more fighting.” You giggled as you pulled your large boyfriend into his bedroom before Oikawa got himself beat up.

It was completely dark except the faintest light from a street lamp peeking through the blinds.

“Mmmm, I’ve been waiting for this allllll night.” The seductive words spilled off your lips like honey.

Iwa quickly found himself sitting on the edge of the bed with you pressed up against him. His hands instinctively took their place on your ass as you zeroed on his neck.

He’d barely had the chance to react before you’d given him several love bites. But you were careful to not leave any marks of course.

He chucked. “Ah, no you don’t.” He tried to pry you off him but you were a fighter. Once he detached your arm from his neck, your leg would come up as reinforcement. After a few moments of this, his rejection hit you and you drained.

You retracted yourself and stepped backwards pouting again. Why didn’t he want you? He obviously didn’t find you sexy.

“Fine.”

Your wilted voice, your pouting stance, it was so cute to him. He secretly loved when you were drunk because you always did something that made him want to squeeze you to death.

“No stop all that. Come back over here.” He said slightly amused.

You tried to run away but he easily caught you and dragged you back to stand between his legs again.

“Baby—” he started.

“No it’s fine Iwa, I get it.” You tried to pull away again. “I’ll go take the other side of the couch with Toru—” A blatant fib.

“Baby...” his voice was deep as he pressed his lips against you so you’d listen. “I’m tired, I know you’re sleepy...right?” You couldn’t deny it. “Mhm yea, look you can barely keep your eyes open. Let’s just go to bed and we can do this tomorrow.” You tried to avoid his charm by not making direct eye contact. But it was no use. His voice alone was winning you over. He squeezed your face with one hand so your lips puckered and pulled you to look at him. His eyes were soft as they soaked in your features. “Sound good?”

You nodded. How could you say no? He was too good at this.

“Good.” A small smile spread across his face. Swoon.

He retrieved one of the makeup wipes from the package you kept in his nightstand (this wasn’t the first time Oikawa got you this wasted) and started rubbing what was left of your makeup off your cheeks.

“Okay you do this,” he handed you the wipe to finish the job, “and let’s go to the sink.”

He walked with you, making sure to keep as much physical contact with you as possible so you didn’t start pouting again.

“Hey friendsss!” Oikawa said half fallen asleep as you two walked through the hall. Iwa just flipped him off and shuffled you quickly into the bathroom before you got distracted.

The sharp contrast in Iwa’s communication styles between you and his friends was alarming. With you he was sweet and only slightly his normal tough guy self. But with others, particularly Oikawa, a brawl could start at any moment. Punching was his love language. And you’d obviously be cheering for your boyfriend in any fight. Those muscles? You were definitely an Iwa fan-girl. The only one he wanted too.

While washing your face and brushing your teeth you made sure he was pressed snug against your back so you could press your ass up against him. If he wasn’t going to give you any action he could at least give you this.

He accepted this compromise with no complaints. Just enjoyed the view and ran his hands up and down your waist and thighs, giving then some gentle possessive squeezes.

Back in his room now, he sat you on his bed.

“I’ll get you a shirt.”

You’d started stripping your clubbing clothes and throwing them around the room at random.

“No!” You grabbed the hem of the shirt he was wearing. “I want this one.” You said with a sneaky little innocent smile.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes but immediately succumbed to your request. You drooled as he unveiled his ridiculous body.

Your hands flew onto him like magnets, petting and kissing every muscle you could reach while he wrestled his shirt on you.

With a sigh, he’d finally wrangled you in. He stretched out under his covers with a yawn. It was 3am now and he was completely exhausted.

“Come here.” He cooed as he tugged you down onto his bare chest, completely engulfing you in his arms.

His warm chest was rock hard but still made the perfect pillow.

“One more kiss before bed?” You asked as politely as possible.

He laid there with his eyes closed for a moment and released a deep exhale.

“You can say no.” You said honestly. You already were in pure bliss.

He looked down at you, his drunk adorable girlfriend. Propping your chin up with his finger he pressed his lips onto your minty ones. He kissed you passionately, like he’d missed you tonight. Like you’d been gone for ages not hours. His tongue even slipped in to twirl with yours for a few moments. He finished the kiss by tugging on your bottom lip with his teeth leaving it red and plump just like he liked it.

“Mm, that’s what I’ve been waiting all night for.”

You smiled and nuzzled into his chest as you both finally drifted off into a deep sleep.

~~

Read the Tsukishima ver here

Check out more of my Haikyuu content here

[redroomwidows]

Wildest Dreams | F.W

SUMMARY: They’re in a war, everyone’s life is on the line and Fred doesn’t want Y/n to forget him.

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

WARNINGS: fluff, but then angst. canon character death...not described, but there’s some grief. 

A/N: This is my second piece for @gcdric​’s Taylor Swift writing challenge! This fic doesn’t follow the song as much as Mr. Perfectly Fine did, it’s very much a looser interpretation of it. I hope you enjoy nonetheless! 

fun fact! I’ve never actually written for Fred before, so this may be really ooc. I’m apologiding in advance lol but hopefully it’s not too ooc!

Fred Weasley x fem! reader

‘Say you'll remember me’

It was quiet. 

Silent even. Usually, this would worry Y/n, but today, today it was calming and was a reminder that neither her nor Fred were in imminent danger. Their shared bedroom had rays of sunlight beaming through the curtains and Y/n almost blamed herself for not shutting them properly when she first woke up because of the light on her eyes. Almost. Because when she rolled over, she realised the sunlight let her see Fred’s sleeping face and let her admire the bronze and gold mixed amidst the ginger of his hair.

“Mornin’ love,” he croaks and Y/n smiles slightly, of course he wasn’t actually asleep

“Morning,” Fred slowly opens his eyes and raises an eyebrow slightly

“Were you watching me?”

“Maybe,” 

“Weirdo,” he tries to stay serious, but a wide smile breaks through and he scoots closer to his fiancé, snuggling into her shoulder “What were you thinking about?”

“Hm, nothing,”

“So, you were just staring at me?” Fred knew when she was thinking, he always had.

“Fine,” Y/n sighs “I was thinking about how pretty you are,”

“Pretty?” Fred raises his head from her shoulder and looks her in the eyes “You mean handsome,”

“Nope,” she pops the p “pretty,” then kisses his nose, something she knew he hated.

“No, handsome,” he insists

“Pretty,” Y/n sings and Fred raises his hands up in a tickling motion

“Say I’m handsome,”

“Pretty,” she repeats and starts laughing even before Fred’s touched her, and when he does and starts moving his finger around, she laughs louder, kicking about “Stop!”

“Say I’m handsome!”

“Freddie!”

“Say it!” he keeps tickling her and when she starts to struggle to breathe, she shouts out: 

“Fine! Fine! Handsome! I was thinking you were handsome!” he stops and Y/n lays still for a moment, breathing deeply and Fred watches, his elbow squashed into the bed as he holds his head in his hand. 

Eventually, Y/n regains her breath and leans in to whisper in Fred’s ear “Pretty,”. He doesn’t tickle her this time, just smiles fondly as she giggles to herself, staring up at the ceiling. He’d let her have this one, in fact if he himself wasn’t so stubborn, he’d let her win every time. He liked her like this, calm and happy, unable to keep a smile off her face. He wanted to see her like this forever.

“Let’s run away,” 

“What?” Y/n turns to Fred, eyes still glassy from his ‘attack’

“Let’s run away,” he repeats, but he can tell Y/n is still confused “leave here and find a cottage in the woods or something,”

“Fred… are you being serious?”

“Yes!” Fred smiles and excitement floods his voice ��Bill and Fleur did it, why can't we?”

“We’re not Bill and Fleur,” Y/n says in disbelief, not sure if Fred was joking or not “they have a baby on the way, your future niece or nephew,”

“Yours to,” Fred gestures to the ring on her left finger proudly. He’d proposed their first year out of Hogwarts, Molly had said it was too soon but when Death Eater attacks became more frequent, she was happy to see her son so happy. She also knew Fred wouldn’t listen to her anyway. He loved Y/n L/n and he would marry her anywhere, anytime. But soon preferably. He adored the idea of being able to say ‘my wife’ and he wanted to call her Mrs Weasley and come up with a whole new branch of nicknames for her based on her new status. But he had to wait, he could do that.

“Our future niece or nephew,” she corrects, “and you and George have the shop,”

“It’s not even open at the moment,” Fred mutters quietly, knowing Y/n was right, but still wanting to believe for a minute more that they could leave “Please?”

“You know we can’t go…” Y/n takes a deep breath as the somewhat jokey conversation becomes serious “we’re gonna be needed…” she looks left and out the window, holding a hand over her stomach.

“I know,” Fred smiles, putting his hand over Y/n’s “Can’t blame me for being in love with ya,”

“Guess I can’t,” Y/n smiles with him as she remembers the last time he said that to her.

It was their last year at Hogwarts and George and Fred had finally grown tired of Umbridge. They haven’t fully told Y/n the plan, but she knew they weren’t coming back. Fred had minutes to say goodbye before him and George had to set the plan into the motion, and he was grabbing Y/n’s hands so tightly she thought the circulation might never come back.

“Come with us,” he whispers and she looks down, smiling lightly

“You know I can’t,”

“Why not?”

“My parents would kill me,” she laughs and presses a kiss to his lips, whispering into them “You would kill me,”

“I would,” he nods “What are you thinking, throwing away your future for a boy?”

“A ginger one nonetheless!” Y/n gasps, playing along

“Oi!” George shouts from behind a door and Y/n laughs as Fred shouts out to him

“Stop eavesdropping you prat!” shuffling is heard and Y/n gazes at Fred again, trying to memorise his face before he leaves.

“Promise you’ll write?”

“Of course. You can hear everything about mine and Georgie’s experiments and how I came up with all of the ideas” Y/n would laugh, but all she can manage is an amused brow raise

“And you’ll be here for graduation?” 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he nods “Promise,” There’s a knock on the door, a signal Fred needed to go.

“I love you,” Y/n says quickly

“I love you too,” They share one more kiss and Fred whispers into her lips “Come with me?”

“Fred!”

“Can’t blame me for being in love with ya!” with that, he gives her hands a final squeeze before leaving, giving her a wink as he shuts the door. 

“Y/n…” Fred waves a hand over her eyes “you there?”

“Hm?” she turns back to him

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” she rolls onto her right side so she can look at him properly “You?” Fred seems to be thinking about his answer and Y/n puts her left hand over his shoulder, rubbing soft circles on the soft cotton of his t-shirt “Freddie?”

“We’re gonna be needed,” he repeats her earlier statement slowly “And when we are, something may happen to me...If I don’t make it -”

“Fred!” Y/n’s eyes widen, completely not expecting such a sombre topic to come up on a Wednesday morning, especially after such a somewhat cheery morning “Can we please not, not now?”

“I need to say it Y/n, I need to get it off my chest, I’ve been thinking about it for days,” he had been acting differently, he’d been quieter at dinner and seemed to want to cling to her and George more, talking about going to the Burrow when it was safe to. So maybe that’s why she gave in, or maybe it was the soft ‘please’ he muttered afterwards that he paired with pleading eyes.  She could never deny him, not when he looked like that, so sad.

“Okay,”

“If I don’t survive…” he keeps pausing and Y/n supposes that if she was talking about the same thing, she would do the same “I want you to remember me, I want you to remember us -”

“Of course, I’m going to remember you!” Y/n couldn’t believe he’d think she’d ever forget him.

“I know! I just need you to promise. Promise you’ll remember me and us. Promise me you’ll remember when we used to wake up at god knows when just to watch the sunrise and when the sun used to set in summer and we’d just lay out by the lake. Because you always talked about how it calmed you. I want you to remember how you used to write crap poetry and dramatically read to me and I could never really tell if you were joking or not, so I didn’t laugh and you always thought I was annoyed with you,”

Y/n feels a bit hot in the face at the mention of that, she was just a tad bit embarrassed. 

“Promise me you’ll remember the sunrises, the sunsets, the parties and the snogging but also promise me you’ll remember this, lazy mornings in bed, cooking together and cuddling. And promise me you’ll see me again, even if it’s in a Quidditch portrait at school or photos around the flat, or memories or dreams. Promise me you’ll remember me?”

“I promise,” she whispers, kissing him slowly “But don’t worry about it too much. Neither of us have to worry, because you’re not dying. Not on my watch,”. Fred smiles and in seconds, the subject seemed to be forgotten as he bops his fiancé’s nose and starts a conversation about what their brunch should be.

Y/n remembered that conversation now as she stood in a graveyard, staring down at what would have been her future husband's tombstone where she’d recently placed some flowers, right next to George’s. 

She remembered the sunrises,

“Freddie...I’m too tired for this…”

“Promise me, it’ll all be worth it love,”

and the sunsets, 

“Are you okay?”

“No... but just, watch this with me,”

 the parties,

“You have had far too much to drink,”

“Y/n! I missed you!”

“I just went to the loo,”

“Yeah, but I love you!”

 the snogging,

“Fred...we cannot be doing this here,”

“Shhhh, tell me you don’t get a little bit of satisfaction from doing this in Snape’s classroom,”

 and the lazy mornings in bed, cooking together and cuddling. 

“I love you,”

“Are you talking to me or the pancakes I just brought you?”

 “Y/n, it’s on fire!”

“What?!”

“Joking…”

“You twat!”

 “We should get up…”

“No! Stay here, just a bit longer,”

 She remembered everything. She would never forget and while she may only ever be able to be with Fred in her dreams, she still loved him more than anything. She’d be with him someday, when it was her time to go. 

 ‘Say you'll see me again

Even if it's just in your wildest dreams’

want to be added to one or more of my taglists? fill out THIS google form

fred weasley tag list: @peterssweetpea​​ @haphazardhufflepuff

permanent tag list: @wizardwheezes

[jaxsteamblog]

Day 5: Soulmarks

This is a re-post of my 2019 one-shot “Destiny and the Domino Effect.” It’s a Modern AU that isn’t my faux flower shop thing. Click on the title to read it on AO3, or keep reading under the cut!

The day Katara got her mark, she was beset by nervous laughter. Her hands shook and Suki had to take the picture for her YoPic account. Aang smiled patiently and placed his hand on the table palm down. After taking a breath, Katara set hers down, having their pinkies touch. Suki took the picture and handed the phone to Aang, as Katara was still shaking.

It’s a match! #GotMarked #Blessed #ToldYaWeWereSoulmates

The rest of the day was a blur. They had to call Hakoda and the congratulatory texts started to pour in. Needing a moment to herself, Katara went into the bedroom of their apartment and shut the door. As she sat on the edge of the bed, she felt her phone buzz and pulled it out of her pocket.

Guess I’m the last one left. You owe me a very expensive bottle of wine.

Katara smiled and let her shoulders fall.

The Soulmate’s mark was anxiety inducing. As soon as the person was “sure” or in a place where they could safely admit their feelings, then the mark would pop up. This meant that one person could get their mark before their partner.

Sometimes it ended fine. Sokka had gotten his before Suki, and the weeks between had kind of been a mess. When he stressed, he worried that his attitude would delay Suki’s mark even more, and other times he just held onto his belief that Suki’s mark would match his. And it did.

Sometimes it ended horribly. Mai hadn’t been bothered when she had gotten her mark while Zuko would boil over from time to time from the anxiety. Then, one day and matter-of-fact, Mai informed him that someone else had her mark and she left.

Book-ending these events was this pairing. Aang had gotten his mark very early into knowing Katara, and had been convinced from day one that it was meant for her. After every holiday, birthday, special event, or particularly romantic date, Katara would stare at her hands, willing them to change.

Toph had to intervene, dragging both her and Zuko out to a very weird resort for two weeks. Katara could only remember a few of those days, as the rest had been obliterated by alcohol or sheer terror from the “bonding excursions” Toph had planned.

One night, she and Zuko had escaped. They hid themselves away and talked about everything other than their lack of marks. At the end, they had agreed that whomever got their mark first had to buy the other a very expensive bottle of wine.

I’ll buy you the finest vintage I can find in the FastMart.

Katara sent the text and fell backward onto the bed. Lifting up her arm, she looked at the back of her hand.

The marks were supposed to be special. It represented the couple and was supposed to be meaningful.

Aang said their mark was a mix of their cultures, but Katara only saw a curled arrow.

Katara covered her face with her hands and sighed.

Aang wasn’t a big traditionalist, so they had agreed on a small ceremony. Still, there was planning to do, and Katara did most of the running around. Aang helped when he was asked, but offered no input, saying he didn’t mind since at the end they would be just as married no matter what happened.

So weeks passed and Katara barely had time to think. With the mounting stress, Aang decided it would be best if he gave her space. He and a group from his work had planned an office trip to a nearby mountain to go skiing and would be gone for the weekend.

“You should try to relax. Why don’t you hang out or something?” He said and kissed her goodbye.

When Katara did see Zuko again, he was the one with the wine. She let him into the apartment and ushered Appa back onto his massive pillow. Even though he always said it was fine, Katara always felt bad about the dog hair that invariably ended up covering Zuko’s nice clothes.

They transitioned in a rush of radio static. She fumbled over his congratulations, thanking him for the wine. Holding out her hands to take his coat but being handed the bottle. They laughed, and Katara stared at the label in silence as Zuko hung up his coat. Then Katara remembered she had to uncork it and darted into the kitchen.

She asked about his drive as she dug in the corkscrew. He answered apathetically as he moved around her to grab two glasses. She frowned as she tried to pull the cork out and he chuckled. At his insistence, she handed him the bottle and saw her mark. She lowered her hand to her side as he pulled out the cork with a loud POP! He handed her the bottle, talking about the vintage, and she poured. He twisted the cork off the screw and mentioned a new take out place had opened a few blocks away. She replied it didn’t have many vegetarian options so she didn’t eat there often. She handed him a glass and took up her own.

“Cheers.” Katara said.

“Congratulations.” Zuko replied and they clinked glasses.

Katara took a slow sip and looked back down at the counter. The cork looked like one of the government seal stamps. The corkscrew was neatly folded next to it like a closed inkpad.

“So how do you feel?” Zuko asked. Katara swirled her glass and watched the oily arches.

“Relieved.” She answered quickly.

“Not excited?”

Katara looked over at him.

“Should I be?”

“Well, I mean, most people don’t sound so…”

“So what?”

“Most couples are just more excited when they match.”

“Well, we all already knew it was coming, right?”

“Not everything is a sure thing.”

Katara and Zuko turned away from each other as they drank in silence. Katara leaned against the counter as Zuko walked to the other side. She set down her glass and started to spin the corkscrew.

“It was just a lot of pressure. Having his expectation and nothing ever happening.” Katara stopped the corkscrew. “It’s nice to not have to worry about it.”

When Zuko didn’t respond, Katara looked up at him.

“What?”

“When did it happen?”

“My mark?”

“Yeah.”

Katara covered up her hesitation by drinking more of her wine.

“I just made the decision to be sure.”

“So you resigned yourself to it?”

“That’s not.” Katara felt her whole body warm as she lurched forward. “That is crossing the line Zuko.”

“You are absolutely right and I sincerely apologize for that.” Zuko sighed and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. He finally gave in and leaned against the opposite corner, but still kept hold of his glass.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t. I’m being a jerk because I’m frustrated and I will do better to not be such a jerk.”

Katara looked down at her glass.

“I appreciate you letting me off the hook so easy,” Zuko said. “but you don’t need to cover for my bad behavior.”

Katara snapped her eyes back up. “Do you think that’s what I’m doing?”

Zuko flinched and his eyes widened. “I, no? I just mean, I was told I shouldn't rely on other people making my apologies for me.”

“Yeah, but I already know you. I know that if I call you out and you apologize, you mean it. We already got to this point.”

Zuko gave her a wry smile. “You were the first one to trust me.”

Katara gave a sharp laugh, but then sighed. “And you understood me.”

They lapsed into silence again, and the air felt cool between them.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked.

They talked until they finished the bottle. Then, while Katara ordered takeout from the new place, Zuko ran down to his car, bringing up two more. They talked over food and the next bottle. They talked as they took Appa out on a night walk. They talked as they sat on the floor of the kitchen, sharing the cold remains of takeout and the last bottle.

They never stayed on one topic for long, and as the night crept past midnight, Katara wouldn’t have been able to follow one thread anyway.

“Did I ever tell you about-” Katara stopped herself and snapped her mouth shut. Zuko tilted his head and looked at her.

“What?”

“No, I know I told you already.”

“Tell me again.”

“No, that’s boring.”

“You thought about it for a reason. I want to know what just popped into your head and then I am going to evis-, eviths-, evisceserate the reason for my own amusement.”

“You’re drunk.”

“Oh I forgot to say.”

“What?”

“Nice glass house you got here.”

Zuko took a drink as Katara picked up a chopstick and threw it at him.

At some point, she fell asleep. She could remember Zuko carrying her to bed and when she woke, there was a glass of water and two white tablets.

When Katara exited her bedroom, she was more hydrated, in her pajamas, and a little bit cleaner. The rest of her apartment was quiet, and she wondered if Zuko had already left.

Then she walked into the living room and saw him splayed out on the couch.

Leaving him there, Katara set about making breakfast. When the eggs were frying, Zuko shuffled in and grabbed a piece of bacon on his way to the coffee pot.

“How are you feeling buddy?” Katara asked, smiling as she swirled the eggs with chopsticks.

“Rough.” He mumbled

“Go wash your face or something. It’ll help.”

Zuko made some sort of grumbling grunt and shuffled to the bathroom. He had not abandoned his coffee mug.

They ate and when Katara took Appa out, Zuko cleaned up. She was surprised that she found him ready to leave when she returned.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. I have to get some things done.”

Katara stayed quiet as she knelt down to unclip Appa’s leash. Once free, Appa bounded away to his water bowl. She watched the dog’s shaggy body wiggle as he lapped greedily, making the bowl jump on the rubber mat.

A pale hand came into view and Katara took it. Her hand still held the leash, so she looked down as once again she was awkwardly fumbling.

Then she saw the hand.

“Or are you meeting someone?” Katara asked slyly.

“What do you mean?”

Katara, still holding Zuko’s hand, held it up with a broad grin.

“You got your mark!” She said excitedly. As happy as she knew she was, her hangover made her stomach sour and it felt like an empty pit.

“Are you serious?” Zuko blurted.

Not wanting to see his face, Katara looked at their clasped hands.

“It looks like a wave of fire.” Zuko said.

“I know.” Katara whispered, seeing the exact same mark.

And no curling arrow.

[spooky-mister]

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Hey!

So I am definitely continuing I Am A God when I have the time, but for now, have a tooth-rotting Spiralshipping fic <3

This fic is set the morning after Zeke was supposed to meet his dad for takeout/Will claimed to be sleep training his son.

Also this is my first time writing for these characters so be nice :)

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One Of The Good Ones

Fandom: Spiral from the Book of Saw

Paring: William Schenk x Ezekiel Banks

Genre: Tooth-rotting fluff

Word Count: 1,545

Potential Triggers: None I'm aware of. Feel free to comment <3

Spoilers?: Yes

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One Of The Good Ones

What happened to dinner with his dad?

William Schenk slowed his steps to a stop as he gazed into the meeting room, appreciating the sight of Ezekiel Banks asleep on his work with a soft smirk of amusement. It was a good thing he was the first in. Zeke's fellow cops didn't seem like the sort to let him get away with sleeping on the job - even if they weren't worth half of Zeke's integrity and dedication. Will sniffed, glancing over his shoulder before slinging a large flask of coffee under his arm and meandering over to the table. He shuffled to a stop beside Zeke's sleeping form before huffing a laugh and tapping the detective's shoulder.

"Hey, Banks," He mumbled, voice gruff with fading sleep. His schedule didn't leave much room for rest. "Wake up, partner."

Zeke reacted with a near comedic intensity, dragging an audible laugh from Will as the rookie took a step back. Zeke cried out and thrashed his arms, soon setting his eyes up on Will with a mix of relief and embarrassment.

"Shit, Man - don't do that!" Zeke scolded, running his fingers through his rough hair. "Never wake a man while he's sleeping! Jeez…"

"Yeah, well… Better me than Fitch," Will retorted in good humour, hesitating before setting himself down next to Zeke. "Are you okay? What happened to dinner with your dad?"

"Old man cancelled on me," Zeke explained as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. He looked exhausted, Will noticed. How long had he been sleeping? “Came back in to work the case. Must have gotten too comfortable."

“You could have called,” Will offered with a frown, setting down his flask and letting his bag slide off of his shoulder. “We could have worked the case together.”

“What about sleep training?” Zeke muttered in response, eyes drifting to Will. Will paused at that. Right. His… Family. He didn’t have time to retort before Zeke spoke again. “You worked hard yesterday - you deserved a night off. Enjoy your family while they last.”

“You’re just a beacon of romance and optimism, aren’t you,” Will teased, appreciating the glimmer of a smirk received in return. “Well… Thanks. Did you at least get to eat last night?” Zeke’s hesitation didn’t seem to bode well for Will’s throw-away concern. Will arched a thick brow. "...Zeke?"

"I was gonna order something in," Zeke reasoned. "I left the takeout my dad ordered at his place so he had somethin' when he got back. But then I guess I-"

"Fell asleep," Will finished for him, taking in the sigh and the nod as Zeke started shuffling through papers again. Will was feeling oddly involved in this minor inconvenience. Why did he feel so compelled to take the mantle of caretaker? Zeke was an adult. Older than him, even. But Will felt the draw to guard and care for his partner as a skilled gardener would cultivate a flower they planned to pluck. "Well, that's no good. How are you supposed to lead an investigation on an empty stomach?"

"Jeez, mom - I don't know," Zeke huffed a laugh, looking Will over. "What's got in your head all of a sudden - I can take care of myself." Clearly. "If you hold the fort, I'll run out 'n grab a… Coffee and grilled cheese or somethin'."

"No need," Will sighed as he hiked his satchel up onto his lap. He could see Zeke's puzzled expression as he rifled through before drawing a plastic tupperware - still beaded with hot steam. He hadn't been able to let it cool before leaving for work. He sniffed and set it in front of Zeke with a fork and his tall flask. "...Homemade frittata," He explained with a gesture of his hand towards the box. He smirked at Zeke's baffled expression. "I made it for me, but… Y'know, I actually ate last night."

"...Nah," Zeke shook his head, pushing the food back towards Will. "I ain't eating your breakfast, Schenk. I-" He paused when Will put a firm hand on the tupperware, locking eyes as the younger detective slowly slid it back in front of him. He bit his tongue before letting out a sigh and popping the lid off of the plastic. "Thanks," He muttered, taking hold of the fork and poking around the fried egg and vegetables.

Will watched Zeke's apprehension with muted amusement for a moment before speaking up. "It's egg," He explained. "Egg, cheese, spinach, garlic… It's nothing bad, Zeke. I'm not trying to trick you." He got a kick out of the look of minor embarrassment on Zeke's face, chuckling.

"I didn't…" Zeke went to defend himself before sighing and scooping a large piece of frittata onto his fork. "Thanks, Schenk." He shovelled it into his mouth, chewing it with a hum.

"Will, please," Will reasoned, watching the detective's changing expression with a growing smirk. The 'Mmm' sealed the deal as Zeke wiped his mouth with a hand and reached for the flask. "Good?"

"Shit, man - that's… You made that?" Zeke raised his eyebrows and pointed at the frittata. He was baffled at Will's confirmation. "Jeez… You really are the full package, huh? Your wife must love you."

"Yeah… Maybe," Will mused with a smile, admiring Zeke as the man ate. Part of him wondered why he'd even developed that lie… It just created one more barrier between himself and Zeke. But he couldn't go back on it now. "Maybe I can cook for you again sometime."

Zeke hummed in agreement, slurping down the breakfast with only half a mind on his manners. "Haven't had many homemade meals since mom left," Zeke explained between mouthfuls, sensing Will's sudden tension. "Knew the number for the pizza place before I was potty trained."

"Just… You and your dad as well, huh?" Will mumbled, watching Zeke closely. "Yeah… I know how that is. But my dad wasn't… Around much by the time I got to middle school - I learned to take care of myself." Was that giving away too much about himself? No… If anything, it was pulling Zeke closer. He could tell by the familiar concern in the detective's eyes.

Zeke floundered for a response for a moment. He was never good at conversations like this. The feelings were difficult to process… So instead he turned his attention back to his meal. He scooped up a forkful and switched his gaze to Will. "You wanna share?" He asked, an attempt to change the subject. "Today will be pretty intense… You wanna get fuelled up."

Will moved to hesitate, but… this was a moment of tenderness. Of sincerity. He could tell this was Zeke’s way of letting his guard down, so he smiled. "Sure," He agreed, leaning towards the fork. Zeke seemed taken aback by the movement, clearly expecting Will to take the fork, but he quickly adjusted - moving the fork to Will's mouth and watching the young detective take it into his mouth. It was weirdly intimate… Or maybe it had just been a while.

Will pulled off of the fork and knitted his brows, chewing through the mouthful of warm eggs. He shrugged slightly and reached for his flask to wash it down. "I've made better," He commented before flooding the taste out with coffee. He tried not to focus on Zeke’s scoff.

"Made better, huh?" Zeke muttered, turning his gaze away from Will and digging his fork into the tub. "Might have to prove that one, man - this is pretty fuckin' good…"

Will perked up at that and smirked. "...Are you inviting yourself round for breakfast, Detective Banks?" Will teased, biting back a laugh as he watched Zeke's face drop. He let Zeke fight for a retort for a moment before shaking his head. "I know what you meant." Will was just indulging in a little wishful thinking.

Zeke cleared his throat, pushing around the rest of his breakfast with a fork before offering it back towards Will. "Uh… Thanks, Schenk. I needed that." He offered before getting to his feet. He could feel a growing, undefined tension between them… And he wasn't a fan.

"Will… please," Will corrected, licking his lips as he watched Zeke readying himself to leave - probably to get his own cup of coffee. But… Will didn't want him to leave. He swallowed dryly, leaving Zeke to gather up his jacket and step away from the desk before quickly reaching for the man's wrist. He met Zeke's puzzled expression with apprehension. He… Wasn't completely sure why he'd done that. "I'm… Glad you enjoyed the frittata. Sorry." He moved to pull his hand away.

Zeke smirked, chuckling softly and reaching to playfully ruffle his young partner's hair. "Man, don't say sorry…" He hesitated before leaning over and delicately pressing a kiss to Will's head. "You're one of the good ones, Will… Now get to work."

Will bubbled into giggles as Zeke gently batted the back of his head on his way out, unable to stop the colour in his cheeks or the grin on his lips. Shit - did Zeke really just… He felt like a giddy school girl. And as he glanced back to watch Zeke leave, he could have sworn that he saw a smile to match his own on the senior detective's face.

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