#my writing; hangman page

[junglemax]

hangman has to babysit.

[mini drabble]

“-dinner is in the fridge, you just have to pop it into the oven,” Christian says, putting his coat on. “Thanks for doing this for me. I owe you one.”

“No problem,” Hangman says. He doesn’t understand why two adults need babysitting, let alone two adults that aren’t even actually related to Christian, but he’s getting free food and another favor added onto his title shot, so it’s not the worst thing in the world.

“If they cause any problems, text me.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Hangman assures. “Go.”

~

It really isn’t a problem, thankfully. Nick and Kip mostly keep to themselves, and Hangman just sits on the couch, reading the book he brought.

Nick leans over the couch next to Hangman. “When’s Father going to be back?”

Hangman pauses his reading, comprehending the words that were being spoken to him before he turns and looks at Nick. “You actually call him ‘Father’?”

“Yeah? What else would I call him?”

Christian, Dad, turtleneck guy- Hangman can think of a bunch of better names other than Father.

“I don’t call him Father,” Kip says matter-of-factly, stepping next to Nick with a smirk. “Christian does fine. Or Daddy works, too.”

Nick immediately pushes Kip away and attempts to kick at him. “Don’t be gross.” He turns to Hangman. “Can’t you do something about him?”

Hangman looks over at Kip, and is frankly at a loss, because what is he supposed to do? He’s never been in the position to have to discipline a grown adult.

“What is he gonna do, ground me?” Kip scoffs. “Oh, I’m so scared. Quit being a baby.”

“Hangman,” Nick whines, pointing at Kip.

“Quit it, both of you,” Hangman says, “or I’ll tell Christian you weren’t behaving.”

It works, miraculously, as Kip raises his hands in surrender and sulks off.

“I don’t know why I had to be part of that,” Nick grumbles, pushing off the couch.

Because you’re being annoying, Hangman wants to say, but doesn’t, and instead turns back to his book.

[jupiterjunebug]

Imaginary Friends and Fabricated Enemies

Pairing: none unless I write a part 2

Characters: Adam Page and Swerve Strickland

Words: 1079

I decided the Severance AU I came up with a full year ago decided to be more than 10 words.

[milk-crater]

Hey!

For fic prompt - Strickpage, can't think of a word but I feel like the picture gives enough of an idea 😁

This was fun! For this prompt, Hangman has to be the little dog who thinks he's being smooth, right? Right? ***

Swerve knew Hangman followed him on all his socials: trading romantic barbs online was kind of their thing. Swerve sometimes wished it wasn’t, wished that rather than tagging each other on borderline sexually graphic fan art they could cross that line IRL, but his cowboy was seemingly too shy, too skittish. Would take a staple gun to Swerve’s chest but his ducked his head at the hint of a kiss. So whatever.

But then a user liked an old thirst trap photo of Swerve’s from two years ago. Swerve had lots of fans and haters which meant a lot of notifications. It wasn’t uncommon for folks to troll through his social media to either drool over him or try and dig up shit. But for some reason this ‘like’ caught Swerve’s eye. It had all the hallmarks of someone slipping up and clicking ‘like’ when they meant to be lurking: they had only liked this single pic, late at night.

And then there was the user name. ‘V-Lover.’ Yeah, sure that ‘V’ could stand for a lot of things. One of them might be ‘Virginia.’

After that V-Lover got bolder, liking just about everything Swerve posted. And fast. He even left a few comments. On a pic with Swerve covered in blood, he’d commented ‘You never looked better.’ And then on his rope bondage pic ‘I was wrong, you look better here.’

And then, on a pretty normal shirtless pic, any plausible deniability dropped: ‘God you’re so hot.’  

“I looked into his user profile like you asked, Boss,” Nana reported. “No name on file, but there is an email. It’s a school email from a teacher’s university. The same one that...”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Swerve said, happy to have his suspicions confirmed but not wanting all the mystique gone by having Nana say it aloud.

So Hangman was not only following him outright on social media, he had a little sock puppet liking all his spiciest pics.

Should he call Hanger out? Or ignore him and let him have his fun?

Swerve opted for a middle ground. He did his makeup and lay in bed and took selfie after selfie. In the end he chose one that looked sexily but also somewhat natural like Swerve had just woken up from a nap next to a lover.

He posted it with a caption: This ones for you, V-Lover.

He waited, curious to see if this would scare Hangman off.

V-Lover liked the post a minute later.  

[adampage]

Rapport Growth & Decay

Ch 2A: Companions (Link to ao3) | Ch. 1: (Tiger)

Pairing: Hangman/Renee (leave me alone im so serious)

Ch. Word Count: 1,967

Total Running Word Count: 5,213

[hangmatts]

just the tip

nsfw drabble!! 🌶️ [also on ao3!]

Ship: hangmatt (2021 heel matt)

Word Count: 600

—

How did they end up here? One minute they were arguing and the next, Matt was on his knees, mouthing at Adam’s pants. So, what exactly happened?

Adam doesn’t know, but he’s not complaining. Matt stormed into his room, talking about how pissed off he was at Adam. Hangman didn’t really pay attention to it. He talked back, having rebuttals at certain points. He doesn’t remember what was said when Matt was suddenly on his knees. He decided to play into it.

“That’s why you’re here? You wanted to talk all that shit just so I could shut you up?” Adam moved back, tilting Matt’s chin up.

Matt nodded. “Please?”

“Alright. We’re gonna do it a little differently this time.”

—

Matt undid Hangman’s belt, roughly pulling his pants and boxers down at the same time.

He took in all of Adam in one swift movement before immediately being pulled off. Matt whimpered at the loss. He looked up at Adam with a pout.

“Just the tip. You haven’t earned all of it yet.”

Matt continued looking up as he took the tip in. He started lightly sucking on it, taking in the sight of Adam throwing his head back.

“Fuck, just like that darlin’” Adam ran his fingers through Matt’s hair.

Matt preened at the nickname.

He pulled back, licking a stripe up Adam’s dick. He kissed the tip while looking up at Adam. Matt thought that move would allow him to get more. He was wrong.

“That felt good but it wasn’t what I asked. Don’t do it again, okay?” Adam asked.

Matt nodded.

“Good girl.” He replied, brushing Matt’s hair away.

Matt started licking at the tip before going back to sucking on it. He hummed around it which caused Adam to grip his hair tighter. Matt smiled to himself knowing he could get Adam like that. He pulled back to kiss the tip and swirl his tongue around it, looking up as he went right back to sucking it.

“Fuck, baby.” Adam mumbled.

He doesn’t know how Matt does it but soon enough, he’s close to finishing.

“Keep doing that. So fucking close.” Adam’s grip got even tighter on Matt’s hair.

Matt followed those exact instructions. Adam’s moans grew louder with each movement as he felt himself grow close. He quickly pulled out, beginning to stroke himself. Matt initially whined from the loss but got in position. He stuck his tongue out and got ready to take all of what Adam gave him.

Adam let out one final moan as he finished on Matt’s face. Most of it landed in Matt’s mouth. Matt kept his tongue out, making sure to show it all off. He let Adam take in the sight before swallowing it all.

“Shit. You got some-” Adam brought his thumb down to swipe at Matt’s cheek, which had a bit of his cum on it.

Before Adam could pull his thumb back, Matt took it in his mouth. He sucked it clean while keeping eye contact with Adam. He pulled off and batted his lashes as a finishing touch.

—

Adam quickly realizes why Matt’s here. Matt wants more. He needs more. And fuck, he doesn’t wanna give Matt the satisfaction, but he does. He’s just as desperate, so he gives in.

“Meet me after the show. I’ll text you my room number.” Adam said, putting his belt back on.

Matt wiped his mouth as he got up. He nodded at Adam before leaving.

Adam could only think about one thing as he watched Matt leave. “What the fuck did I just get myself into?”

[fortjester]

post to announce my tlt bre fic title, now that we're two days out from posting day :)

as far as the mad libs game goes...

prolly shoulda gone w my gut and made the amount of underscores equal to the amount of letters in each missing word, since i seem to have accidentally given the impression that each word was only four letters long. apologies, folks, next time i'll play it more like hangman.

anywho, shout out to these guesses specifically

[heelkenny]

there's an interview right before revolution 2020 where kenny and hangman talked about their action figures. kenny brought up the barbed wire broom as being his weapon of choice in the Mox fued.

then in bte 204 Hangman talked about teaming up with a broom and cleaning his house better than anyone ever had, as thinly veiled metaphor for tagging with kenny (who he was tag champs with at the time)

and of course Hangman talked about looking for brooms in his conversation with Dark Order about how they just want him to be happy and for him to find what makes him happy

so to Hangman, kenny handing him the barbed wire broom is about coming home and finding what makes him happy. to Kenny it's a way of saying to hangman that their fued against the bcc is their shared fight.

[sychosid]

I've prayed enough, I rolled the dice

"Hangman" Adam Page/Swerve Strickland

[Ao3 link]

Swerve Strickland's forgotten, until he's reminded, and now he has to follow the chain into the unknown, way out there.

(Lord Huron inspired AU)

Ancient Names, Pt. I.

It was by a roadside stop.

A young woman, with ochre tinted skin and green eyes sat there, at a table just outside the entrance to the brown brick building. She had jet black hair, a thick curtain of bangs covering her forehead. Her clothes were unremarkable: a purple and red hoodie, ripped black jeans, and black converse shoes. More notably were her various black piercings and tattoos. Industrials, conch, multiple lobe piercings. A septum piercing, a labret piercing, snake bites, and an eyebrow piercing on her right eyebrow. All black, either small hoops or simple studs. Around her wrist, just barely peeking out from her hoodie sleeve was a tattoo of barbed wire that seemed to go up her arm.

By all means, nothing was flashy about her to Swerve. Some girl into alt culture.

Her feet tapped along to an unknown beat, as she shuffled cards and aimlessly laid them down on a taffeta tablecloth. The cloth was red, embroidered in a rainbow of different celestial shapes. Stars, moons, ringed planets, suns. There was a clear handmade quality to the embroidery job. She would pick up the cards, roll some dice, lay cards down, and pick them up after looking them over. Her face changed from apathetic, to amused, to something adjacent to excited. Intrigued, even?

Swerve had been watching her for a while from his seat in his car. Ditching the sports car at home, he rented an SUV with some reasonable mileage. It still was a nice car, a deep red and only a year or so old.

He had been traveling alone. Leather jacket, fur lined around the neck covered his torso. He wore a hoodie, black, under the jacket, and tight fitting jeans with basketball shoes. His own scheme was reds and blacks. It amused him, the overlapping color scheme between himself and the young woman. The smirk on his face wouldn't exactly go away. Something was tempting him to humor the young lady. He had been observing as people walked by her, either ignoring her like she didn't exist, or whispering to each other and avoiding her like she was toxic to the touch.

There was a plastic fold out chair across from her, tucked into the table. In the twenty or so minutes he observed, not a single person sat down.

It wasn't a surprise. Normally these booths were set up to sell things like honey or local fruits. It wasn’t like there were any prices or things like that written down. Just…this young lady dealing cards and rolling dice to herself. 

Eventually, she stood up and went inside the rest stop building. That was when Swerve made his move. He exited his car, and walked to the folding table. Curiously, he looked over the set up, before pulling the plastic chair out and sitting down in it. There was a slight creak, the hard plastic bending a little under him. He leaned back, taking a photo of the table in front of him.

“That'll be five dollars.” The girl was next to him, silent like a stalking cat, holding a cup of something. Hershey's Ice Cream, with a straw in it. A milkshake.

Swerve hadn't even heard her come out but he didn't jump when she spoke. Still, a chill ran down his spine that he ignored, before looking up at the girl. He could better see her makeup too. Red around her eyes, thin black eyeliner, and black lipstick.

There was something about her dark green eyes; the amused smile on her face. It left another chill down his spine. This girl was cold.

“I’m kidding. I do everything for free. Sort of. I don’t take cash.” She moved around the table, sitting down across from the dark haired man. “I’m Caroline Cain.”

“Swerve. Strickland.” He introduces himself, leaning back in the plastic chair. He keeps up the unphased demeanor, despite the skin crawling sensation that wouldn’t get away.

Caroline hummed in response. “You’re looking for something, aren’t you?”

“Looking for something? Little lady, I'm not looking for anything.” Swerve knew he was lying, to her, and to himself.

“You’re searching. Wandering. Aimless. You forgot, and you need to remember.”

“Listen–”

“YOU listen.” Caroline snaps, squinting her eyes. She has the cards in hand, shuffling them and putting them down before grabbing the handful of dice. She holds them out, right in front of his mouth. “Blow.”

He follows the command as if compelled by her words.

She rolls the dice, the sound against the taffeta soft.

And then again,

And again.

Swerve looks over at the dice. A skull, a six, a four, and two twos.

“You’re looking for the Dead Eye. Your luck has been set back. You don’t even realize it. There’s much in your life you don’t even know you’re missing, you’re not seeing.”

Swerve stared down at the dice. At the skull.

“It counts as one. You’re real lonesome. A lone cowboy, hm?”

“I’m not the cowboy.” The response was automatic, Swerve snapping his head up. Caroline looked…smug? Curious? Her face was unreadable to him. It unsettled him.

“Mmm…no you’re not.” She nodded, putting the dice aside and grabbing the deck of cards. They were playing cards, simple enough. 

The joker. And two twos. Three cards. 

The joker, a dancing skeleton. One of the two cards was a skull, and the other was two moons. He’d never seen cards with suits like this. 

“You’re looking for him. The joker, and you’re walking parallel paths. He and you, you’re undergoing a great change. You both have to follow your intuition. The ■■■■■ is broken, but you can fix it. Follow the ■■■■ ■■■■■. You need to–”

“That’s it. Whatever bullshit scam this is, it’s over.”

“Scam?” Caroline hummed, looking to the side. “If you say so.”

He pulls out his wallet, taking out a twenty dollar bill and throwing it on the table before walking away. She waves a little, smiling.

Swerve doesn’t look back.

The sky had been clear, but there was thick cloud coverage moving in from the southeast. It was dark, gray clouds. A storm was rolling in while Swerve got in his rental car. He drove away, turning his headlights on as he exited the parking lot. Something was harrowing about that interaction.

There was a chill in his bones as he drove into the storm, his head drowning in thoughts, flashes, memories that he couldn’t remember.

Hail hit his car, small pellets, 

before driving into rain, 

into snow. 

The roads were winding,

up and down,

unfamiliar to Swerve.

His car drove into the mist, descending into the valley of a hill. 

He was driving for hours. 

He was driving for minutes. 

Through decades, through eons, through nothing, through everything. 

His younger self, somewhere on the streets of Seattle. His veins, filled with void. He didn’t know, but he did. He wanted to be somewhere, he had to be.

Where did he have to be?

A familiar face, familiar dirty blonde hair, blood spilling out. Choking on it. Gurgling up, uncanny taste of metal as he can’t breathe anymore, his neck is chained, he can’t breathe–

Swerve sits up with a start, in a motel room. Cold sweat drips down his forehead, the hum of the radiator and his own breathing filling the room. A car passes by, headlights briefly illuminating the room. There’s the shadow of a man, tall and broad. His hair is to his shoulders, and that’s all Swerve can tell. He’s familiar as much as he’s unfamiliar. 

At the edge of the bed, there it is. The chain from his dream. The chain that was wrapped around the shadow’s neck.

He reaches out, and it’s colder than ice, and it hurts, but he reaches out and holds it and brings it up, and sees it, sees the rust and the dried blood, flaking off, and something compels him, draws him in, and he brings his lips to the blood and it’s sweet and it’s warm and it’s like everything he’s needed and it’s like nothing he’s ever had.

He knows now, his soul does, that this was what he needed to find. What Caroline had said. What she was saying. This chain was binding, and it had been broken, and now he had to follow it to way out there to find what he needed.

He had to follow the chain.

To him.

[staytiny-angel]

HangGrace College AU

So I'll totally add to this more if ppl like it but here's a little drabble of how I think HangGrace would go if they were college students

Co-written with @taurielthepirateking

@imswitchbabemox @axelwolf8109 @the-iridescent-phoenix

Ava squeezed herself through the crowded club making her way to the bar. "5 shots of tequila!" She told the bartender, 

"Oh, it's like that tonight?" The bartender, a cute buff guy named Austin said with a grin.

"Finally dumped that cheating asshole, I'm celebrating my freedom" Ava yelled back to be heard over the loud pop music

"Will wonders never cease!" Austin yelled 9back "You and Kenny are finally done?"

"For good this time, no more 'but baby I'll change', Adam fucking Cole can have him"

The college student accepted the tray of shots and waved to the other bartender, Austin's boyfriend Jake, before making her way to the table where Seth, Becky, Violet, and Finn were waiting for her. 

"To Ava, may she never again deal with a cheating bastard like Kenny Omega" Violet yelled as the 5 friends toasted and downed their shots. 

"I want to get drunk and find some hot guy to fuck me into the mattress!" Ava yelled out

"We're using the 'best way to get over someone is to get under someone else' method tonight?" Seth cackled

"What about finally getting under the Cowboy?" Violet proposed to her best friend 

"Please, I fucking wish." Ava sighed "I doubt Adam even likes me like that. We've been study partners for 2 years and he still barely says a word to me that's not related to school. Plus wouldn't that be weird? He used to be Kenny's best friend before they got in that fight last year"

"You mean the fight that ended with Adam with a black eye and Kenny with a broken wrist?"

"Exactly"

"Can I give you some advice?" Austin leaned forward.

"Shoot"

"Do it, ask him, I wasn't even out when Jake hit on me, and well, cut to" He showed off his engagement ring on his ring finger.

"Besides his friends from that Dark Order band are with him and they're too stupid to get in between you two"

Ava looked to the booth with purple and black clad people, a blonde girl trying and failing to calm everyone, Adam looking mortified by his friends.

Ava pursed her lips, took a deep breath, downed her shot, murmured "fuck it" and got up to head toward the rowdy group. 

Adam Page had one eye on his crew and one eye on Ava all night. He'd heard the rumors that her and Kenny were over and wondered how soon was too soon to shoot his shot with the girl he'd had a crush on since before he and Ken's friendship went to hell. 

He'd long since gotten over the guilt of being half in love with his former best friend's girl, knowing Kenny didn't deserve the lovely African American girl. He just didn't get why she'd put up with Kenny's constant cheating and abuse for so long

. "Hey" Ava said shakily. "Hi" Adam said back with a confident smile. Anna elbowed him. "I heard you and Kenny broke up"

"Yeah" Ava fiddled with her necklace.

"He didn't deserve you" Adam said firmly. "That means a lot cowboy" She teased. "Hey, cowboy boots are expensive these days, I'm proud of my purchases"

atiny-angel

"I was uh...wondering if you'd like to uh hang out sometime?" Ava stuttered her way though the sentence. "You don't have to if you don't want to but I'd really like if we could be uh friends yeah friends"

Adam inwardly giggled at the shy, bashful woman in front of him. She was just so damn cute.

"Sugar, I would love to hang out with you" Adam drawled flirting with all his might.

Ava swore her brain made the windows shutdown noise at Adam's behavior.

Austin was giving a thumbs up while Violet clapped. Seth looked like an overprotective father at the pair. "We have a show in a couple days" Anna butted in. "It's Adam's singing debut"

Adam whined at her to be quiet.

"We sing New Year's Day, Bring me the Horizon, sometimes BTS"

"Oh my god I love BTS!"

"Really?" Adam said "We do a heavy metal version of Fake Love"

"Why are you so fucking perfect for me?" Ava blurted before literally letting out a short scream and running back to her friends

"Great job Av" Violet said giggling at her normally badass friend's antics

"Why did I say that?!" "You're in love!" Austin laughed. "Please tell me what's he doing?"

"Anna is laughing at him and he looks shook"

Ava peeked at him, sure enough the Dark Order was laughing while Adam looked stunned.

"You know he follows me on Tumblr right?" Violet leaned forward. "I look at his blog every once and while and he always post poetry on the girl who stole his heart

"POETRY?!?!?" Ava exclaimed "WAIT, how do you know he's talking about me?"

"I'm sorry, do you know any other girls who ahem 'change their hair color on the wind and have skin the color of the silkiest milk chocolate'" Violet quoted with a semi disgusted look on her face.

Ava blushed deeply, looking at her purple streaks. "I haven't had this big of a crush since Darby"

"And he's with Ricky"

"My love life is shit"

[tache-noire]

Tokeback Mountain, Chapter 2

(read chapter 1 here)

Rating: T (brief boner mention)

Ship: Evil Uno/Hangman Adam Page

Content: Fluff, Angst, Romance, Confessions, Flirting, Kissing

Summary: It's time for them to talk about what happened last week. (This was supposed to be a crackfic with some smut. How did this happen.)

Also on AO3

Evil Uno doesn't hear from Adam the next morning. He doesn't hold it against him. It's not nearly as bad as his drunken blackouts used to be, but he does still tend to forget things when he smokes. The whole thing– the kiss, the panic, the loopy "I love you"– it was just another mistake. Well, actually, that does sting a little. It's not like he's never said it before, but after an apparent sexuality crisis, the context has shifted dramatically . It eats away at him for days . An entire week, until finally he has to talk to someone about it. Stu readily meets him in the tiny café in the lobby of their hotel.

"I don't know what to do, and I hate that."

Uno holds his head in his hands. Stu reaches across the little table to pat him on the shoulder. It's not often that he really lets his stress show. He's supposed to be a leader, after all. He carries the burdens of everyone around him. Supports everyone wholeheartedly. The only one he really lets see him like this (human, just human like everybody else, he has to be reminded) is his Player Two.

"What do you want to do?" Stu asks, picking apart a croissant. "Seems like that's the easiest place to start."

"It's not, though. I want to tell him everything. But I can't do that. If I bring it up– if he doesn't remember, then I'll embarrass both of us. If he does …"

"You get a very handsome new boyfriend?"

Evil Uno shoots Stu a tired look. Stu shrugs it off.

"No. I'd be forcing him to confess something he wasn't ready to talk about. I can't hold him to something he said when he was high."

"But the 'gay slut weed' isn't real."

Uno sighs heavily. "People still say things that they regret." 

He couldn't stifle the pain in his voice if he tried. He's loved Hangman just about as long as he's known him. Even at his lowest points. Knowing how vibrant and charming he could be was what drove Uno to stay by his side and support him to sobriety. He secretly clung to every dunken-friendly "I love you, man" because it was the only way he'd ever hear it, because Adam would always have his pick of better, more successful, more attractive people. He hears it far less often now. He'd settled into just being a secretly pining friend. 

It turns out, new hope after a drought is worse than safe, familiar hopelessness.

"I wish I'd just checked on him and gone back to my room. Why did I stay?"

"Because you love him." Stu leans back in his chair. "I don't think Adam regrets it, though."

"How do you know?"

He taps Uno's shin with his foot and nods pointedly. Evil Uno turns to look behind himself just in time to see Hangman walking across the lobby, toward them. His heart sinks into his stomach, and he hisses under his breath:

"Oh my god. Did you–?!"

"He texted me and asked where you were and I told him. I promise that's all."

Stu gets up before he can be scolded any further. He tosses his trash away and claps his partner firmly on the back with a wink. 

"I'm going to the gym, I'll talk to you later."

And with that, Uno is left all on his own, with Adam showing a little more purpose in his stride now that Stu is out of the way. He doesn't sit down, just holds the back of the vacant chair with white knuckles. Well, that makes two of them. Evil Uno feels about two seconds away from crushing his coffee cup, if he gets any more tense.

"Good morning, Adam." He forces a smile that feels more like a grimace. It's returned just as awkwardly.

"Hey."

There's a pregnant silence between them. Neither willing to take a step to close the distance. What are they supposed to do? Chat about the weather they don't know or care about in an unfamiliar city? And hey, by the way, about that little crisis you had while you were stoned, it's kind of killing me and–

"Uh, d'you mind if we find someplace a little more private? There's somethin' I gotta talk to you about."

Well, there it is. The beginning of the end.

"No problem." Big problem. Huge. "Where to?"

"My room."

Worse!

"Alright. Let's go."

He tries to keep the nerves out of his voice. His hands. He hopes Adam can't feel him staring a hole through his back as they walk. He hopes he can. As anxious as he must be, at least he has the benefit of already knowing what he's going to say. Evil Uno resents that a little. He can only guess. And hope. He can't help but hope against all odds that maybe Stu is right and all this isn't just one-sided, even while he's working through the five stages of grief in his head to prepare for the more likely outcome.

He doesn't quite make it to acceptance before they reach Hangman's hotel room. He's still stewing in depression when the door locks behind them. So maybe he can be forgiven for being slow to react when he's grabbed firmly by the shoulders and held still in the middle of the room. Adam fixes his cloudy blue eyes on Uno's wide brown ones. Glares long and hard, like he means to kill him with them. But eventually, his expression softens and he has to look away.

"Damn it. I knew it."

"What?" Evil Uno is still jumpy, dangerously close to shoving some space between them until Adam’s grip relaxes, too. He laughs, humorless and resigned.

"It wasn't– it's still happening."

Before he can ask 'what?' again, he's pinned and silenced with another pointed look. His face seems hopeful, but scared. The same way Uno feels. 

"When you… Last week, after– after I kissed you, and I freaked out…" He starts, his voice already wavering. 

"You, uh… You held me until I calmed down. And told me you're not going anywhere."

Evil Uno takes a deep breath. Wherever this goes, it's on its way now. 

"I remember. I didn't think you did."

"I do. It's been driving me crazy, Uno. You said you wouldn't leave and then you did, so… Did it mean anything or not?"

This is it. This is where he loses everything, because he can't just lie to Adam. Maybe if he'd been a little more fuzzy on the details, but not when he's totally lucid. And he deserves the truth even if he hates him for it.

"Yeah, it did. I just… I couldn't stay after that. I know it was just the weed talking, I couldn't hold you to that. I couldn't let you make a decision you'd regret in the morning–" 

He has to stop, swallow down a lump in his throat before finishing. 

"No matter how much I wanted to. I wouldn't have been able to say no to you if I'd stayed."

Evil Uno braces for the barely-disguised pity. The rejection. He hopes for an "easy" let down, since they're friends at least.

It doesn't come. Instead, Hangman seems to exhale a thousand pounds off his back. His posture loosens, like a tight string's been cut somewhere inside him and freed up all of his joints at once. Where there was once fear creasing his brow, now there's relief.

"Thank god. Thank god, it wasn't just me reading too far into it."

Adam smiles, and Uno just stares, dumbfounded.

"I've been thinkin' about it all week. I've been thinkin' about you ."

Evil Uno thanks God for masks. His face is getting warm, and he knows it'd be an embarrassing shade of pink if Adam could see it. And the more he talks, the worse it gets.

"Actually… I've been thinkin' about you a lot longer than that. And I– I thought it was the weed makin' me feel like that, but now I think it was just makin' me more honest with myself."

Uno tries not to think about the sweat on the back of his neck as Hangman's hand shifts to rest there. His fingertips dipping under the edge of his mask and reaching the edge of his stubbly shaved hairline. He's so close now. Not at arm's length anymore. Close enough that Evil Uno can reach out and tentatively put a hand on his hip, and bask in the shy smile that gets him in return.

"I wanna be honest with you too, Uno."

He leans in, closes the small gap still between them, and Uno is so glad he put on one of his older masks to get coffee with Stu. One of the ones with an open mouth so he wouldn't have to jam a straw up the bottom of it. The opening is still a little awkward for this, but with the right angle they manage to meet in the middle in a much better kiss than the one that's been on his mind for the past week. It's still so little, just a chaste, soft press, no tongue– and yet, it's everything. The way they just fit together makes him wonder how he ever thought they couldn't.

And then, far too soon, they're apart again, and Adam's looking at him like he's the whole world.

"I love you."

And Evil Uno smiles back, for real this time, and holds Adam's face in his hands.

"I love you, too. I love you so much, you know that?"

"Yeah, I do now. 'M sorry I never…" Hangman gestures vaguely with his hands. "I was scared."

" You were scared?"

He nods solemnly.

"I didn't know if I could take it if you turned me down."

"Never. Never . Oh my god, I couldn't , you–"

Evil Uno laughs, still incredulous, still barely believing this is happening. That this is his life. That this is going to continue to be his life, isn't it? For the foreseeable future, "Hangman" Adam Page, the (extremely charming and beautiful) Anxious Millennial Cowboy, is going to be part of his life in a way he barely even let himself dream of. 

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to love you."

He kisses him again, because he can. And again, because he wants to and he can, he can have what he wants. And then a third time, because this time Adam pulls him in and tilts his head to kiss him deeper because he wants it, too. And this time there's just the slightest, hesitant little slide of tongue at the seam of his lips and he eagerly opens up to meet it. Evil Uno's face is hot and he's dizzy and his heart is about to burst. It's hard to breathe through his nose with his mask on and it forces him to take these embarrassing little gasps of breath whenever he can. They make him sound so desperate– and maybe he is, but he doesn't want to come on too strong all of a sudden, take a mile when he's been offered an inch. But Adam's hooking his fingers in the belt loops of his jeans and pulling him against himself. And holy shit, he's definitely sporting a half-chub at least, poking at his hip. That makes two of them. 

Adam makes a soft noise, and breaks their kiss once more, hovering just inches away. Panting slightly. He knocks their foreheads together with a wry smile.

"So, um… That other thing you said… did you mean that, too?"

It takes a moment for Evil Uno to drift back down to earth and remember how to talk.

"What other thing?"

"That we could, uh… Do whatever I want in the morning?"

"Oh. Oh. "

His stomach does a little flip. This wasn't exactly what had been on his mind when he said that, but… Apparently it'd been on Hangman's, even back then. Longer than that, he'd said. 

"You mean now?"

"Well…" Adam's hands creep around Evil Uno's middle, to his lower back. As if he would run away otherwise. "You got any other plans 'til showtime?"

"No…"

"Me neith–"

Hangman's phone rings, startling them both out of their skin. He checks the screen and scowls.

"It's Tony," he grumbles. "I gotta take this."

He's a walk-and-talk type. Evil Uno finds himself left hanging while Adam paces, offering a "yeah" or "got it" now and then, until something really hits him and he reacts with an exasperated "right now?!" 

"Showtime ain't until 8! I'm kinda in the middle of something…"

He shoots Uno an apologetic and longing look. He can't hear the other end of the conversation, but he understands. Business is business. They're still on the card for tonight.

"It's a personal thing. It's very important, and private . … Can't we just do it live, play it by ear? Why do we have to… Alright, Jesus, fine. I'll be there in 20."

Adam shoves his phone back in his pocket with a groan. 

"Tony's decided at the last minute he wants to write and pre-tape a promo for tonight. Said it's too big to risk any live slip-ups."

All at once, he's all wound up and anxious again. His tone is short and curt, frustrated. Evil Uno slips an arm around his waist, and he huffs. 

"He wants me there now ."

"Hey, don't worry about it. It is what it is."

"I know, but I wanted–"

"Listen. "

Uno holds Adam's jaw firmly, making him look up from the floor and into his eyes.

"You don't have to rush to 'seal the deal' with me. This time, I'm really not going anywhere. I promise. If you still want to, come find me after the show, room 318." 

Hangman nods, blue eyes glittering with all the thoughts racing through his head. It makes Uno's heart swell all over again, just knowing that some of them are about himself. And about both of them. He gives him one last kiss before heading out.

"Knock 'em dead, cowboy."

"Yeah, alright," Adam chuckles. "I'll see you later."

He's not sure how he's gonna focus for the rest of the day. As soon as the door's closed between them, Evil Uno feels like he's been hit by a truck, in the weirdest and best way. A truck full of puppies and chocolate and crack. Not that he knows the feeling intimately, but he's pretty sure being on crack probably feels at least a little bit like this. He's smiling so hard it's starting to hurt, and he fumbles his phone a couple times before he manages to unlock it, on the way back to his own room. Stu's probably still at the gym, but he has to text and tell him.

"YOU WERE RIGHT"

"I MIGHT BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK RN"

"You should probably sit down."

"Congratulations on your very handsome new boyfriend 🙂"

"OK I'm sitting now. I feel like I want to scream."

"I can't believe it, Hangman said he wanted to tell me for a long time but he was scared?????"

"That's insane"

"Anxious Millennial Cowboy, lol"

"So that's all that happened?👀"

"Well no"

"Uhhhhh"

"We kissed for a little while, and he wanted to have sex."

"If you turned him down I'm coming up there right now and beating the shit out of you"

"I didn't!!!!"

"He got called in for some last-minute taping. You know how it is."

"So…. Later 🙃"

"Good"

"Fuck him silly"

"STU"

"Ok I'm almost done w cardio"

"Details later?"

"NO!!!!"

[junglemax]

max keeps finding weird rooms.

[mini drabble]

Max immediately shuts the door, coughing. “Holy shit! Someone call the fucking fire department!”

“What? What’s on fire?” Adam asks.

“The whole fucking room- the whole thing is up in flames!”

Adam looks at the door Max is pointing at, and then sighs, shaking his head and walking away.

“What- Adam! What the fuck is wrong with-“

“Relax, he’s fine,” a voice from the stairs come with a yawn.

Max snaps his head up to see Swerve. “What?”

“Hangman’s room? He’s fine.” Swerve walks down and opens the door.

The whole room is still engulfed in flames, with Hangman pacing around, muttering incoherently.

“Hey, Hanger,” Swerve calls.

Hangman stops dead in his tracks. (Max notices he’s not touched by the flames at all.) He slowly turns his head to look at Swerve, anger making his face scrunch up and frown.

“Cool off, will ya? You’re scaring the new kid.” Swerve pats Max’s shoulder.

Hangman starts walking towards them, his walk quickening with every step.

Swerve slams the door shut, leaning against it with a smirk.

Hangman bangs on the door, screaming bloody murder about how he’ll kill Swerve when he gets his hands on him.

“Go,” Swerve says calmly, almost chuckling to himself. “He’ll be a while before he’s ready to come out.”

“What the fuck,” Max whispers, before listening to Swerve because he has to ask Adam what the hell is wrong with his place.

[stay-safe-pixieboots]

Day 6: Favorite Relationship or Favorite Feud or Dream Match

[milk-crater]

Sorry to keep asking request

Diva

Adam Cole/ Adam Page

This fic kind of got away from me ;_;. Adam-squared but Kenny Omega haunts the narrative. Hope you like it.

***

“Oh, and sir, someone left a message for you,” the hotel clerk said after Hanger checked in. Hanger felt a soft ping of dread: who knew he had a reservation here? He’d been lucky and avoided the paparazzi so far. He’d arrived a day early. He wore sunglasses and a surgical mask. He wore a denim baseball cap, eschewing the cowboy hat that so many other country music stars wore. He didn’t even travel with an entourage, feeling it was easier to slip through a crowd incognito that way.   

But someone had left a message for him. Someone who knew he’d come a day early before the Grammy’s, even knew what hotel he’d be staying at.

The clerk slipped a small envelope across the desk. Hanger took out the small note card.

Hey cowboy,

Sorry about what I said before. Let me make it up to you. Room 409, 8PM.

There was no signature on the note but Adam already knew who’d written it.

Kenny.

Kenny Omega. The biggest pop star in the world. One of his oldest pals. His mentor. His one and off again…boyfriend? Well, whatever they were, they’d been ‘off-again’ ever since the nominations for Album of the Year had come out and Adam Page’s album Anxious Millennial Cowboy had gotten a nom.

Kenny had always been so supportive when Adam had been struggling to get his music heard. Paid for studio time, produced his first album, had him as guest vocals on a surefire hit. But now, now that Hanger was finally getting some recognition on his own, Kenny had changed. Instead of being happy for him, Kenny had sent Hanger some texts. Some really mean texts.

Congrats on the nomination. For such a shy guy you really worked your connections well.

People only know who you are because they know ME.  

You gonna to thank me first when you win?

Never mind that Kenny’s album, One-Winged Angel, was also nominated for Album of the Year. Never mind that it was the front runner to win. Now that Adam was finally getting some respect in the industry, Kenny had gone from sweet to sour, from caring to caustic so fast that it made Adam’s head spin.

Kenny had followed up with some apology texts, but Hanger had left them on read.

Now though, Adam felt his resolve weakening. The thought of seeing Kenny in person was just too tempting. Surely they could work through their shit if they were in the same room. Could get back on the same page before one of them (probably Kenny) won Album of the Year tomorrow. Could just fuck away any tension that words couldn’t resolve.

Adam tightened his grip on his rolling suitcase. It was 7:45. He’d just go right to Kenny’s room now. No need to drop his own stuff off.

He went up to room 409, and took a couple of deep breaths.

When he knocked on the door Adam Cole answered.

Adam Cole was the front man for Undisputed Era, a rock band whose self-titled album was also up for AotY. Cole was outgoing, charismatic, well-spoken, confident. Basically all the things that Hanger wasn’t (“Yeah, but you’re talented,” Kenny had told him when Hanger had confessed his Adam Cole-related insecurities. When Kenny was on your side it was the best feeling in the world). Somehow Hanger and Cole had gotten in the habit of hooking up whenever they were at the same music festival. The man was always a good lay, and he didn’t seem to want to be anything more than fuck buddies, which was a relief to Hanger who already had something deep and complicated in Kenny.

Still, though he more or less liked Cole, Adam was disappointed to see him in the doorway. Why had Kenny asked Adam Cole there?

Cole winked at him.

“Well, don’t just stand there, cowboy. Come on in.”

Adam stepped into the suite. Cole gestured with his arms and smiled wide as he gave a tour of the hotel suite, pointing out each feature like they were on some house hunting reality TV show. The jacuzzi, two separate bedrooms, the large common area with kitchenette. Adam took it all in, the whole time wondering where Kenny was.   

“Big place for one man,” Hanger commented, wondering why Kenny would want all this space. He was a bit of a diva, sure, but this was overkill.

“Yeah, well, Kyle and Bobby’s plane were delayed so they’ll arrive first thing in the morning. Roddy’s flight also got bumped so he’s arriving at, like, 1AM,” Cole explained with a hint of irritation. He brightened when he looked to Hanger. “But that just means you and me have the place to ourselves till then.”

Oh.

This was the Undisputed Era’s suite, not Kenny’s.

Cole stepped in for a kiss but he paused when he saw the look on Hanger’s face.

“What?” Cole asked. His grin was wry but there was worry in his eyes.

“Sorry, it’s just, uhh...” Hanger tried to figure out what to say. “I think I got the wrong idea from the note at the reception desk.”

Cole laughed, leaning in to place a kiss on Hanger’s neck. “What did you think we’d do up here? Play checkers?”

“It’s not the ‘what’ I got wrong but the ‘who,’” Hanger admitted. Cole leaned back to look at his face.

“The who…? But…” The penny dropped. “You thought Kenny left the note.”

Hanger shrugged. Cole looked at him with a mix of emotions: pity, disdain, and unexpectedly, hurt. Then Cole hunched over as he laughed.

“Wow, Adam! You’re really pathetic, you know that? Sooo hung up on what Kenny Omega thinks about you. You should hear the things he says about you behind your back.”

“Yeah, well, I could say the same to you, Cole,” Hanger replied hotly. His own words gave him pause: maybe it said something about Kenny that he felt all right bad-mouthing one Adam to another, keeping them on this emotional teeter-totter with him as the fulcrum.

“You came running so fast,” Cole said. His voice and face were gleeful and Hanger knew Cole grew malicious like this when his feelings were hurt. And the man was oh-so easily hurt. “Like a little lapdog who still comes when he’s called even after being hit. Hey, if Kenny told you to jump off a bridge, would yo--”

Cole didn’t get the question fully out of his mouth before Hanger stepped forward, hand in Cole’s long hair to yank his head back. Hanger cut off any further words with a kiss.

When he stopped to breath, Cole blinked at him.

“What?”

“It’s what we’re here for, right?” Hanger said, pushing Cole down onto the couch. Cole got over his surprise to reach up and pull Hanger down onto him.

***

“Hey, you need to go. Roddy’s plane just landed.”

Hanger had been dozing off in the bed, Cole next to him on his phone.

Hanger blearily pushed himself to a sitting position. “What? Don’t want him to find me here? I thought you lived for drama like that.”

Adam rolled his eyes. “We’re all on edge enough with the Grammys tomorrow. I don’t need Roddy giving me a lecture about sleeping with the enemy on top of that. Plus, I want to take a shower.”

“Fine, fine.” Hanger got to his feet and started getting dressed. He had to admit, while Cole did grind his gears, he always felt chilled out after they fucked. He didn’t have the usual worries and thoughts running around his head, the personal recriminations on repeat. He always felt weirdly at peace, the absolution of the afterglow. Maybe it was way he kept falling into bed with Cole despite not thinking about the man much otherwise.

Cole put his phone down but didn’t look up at Hanger.

“Hey, I meant what I said in the note.”

“What?” Hanger said, mind still pleasantly numb from sex and sleep.

“I’m sorry about what I said last time we saw each other.” When Hanger just looked at him blankly. “At Coachella. You know, what I said then. It was a low blow and I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” Right, ‘Sorry about what I said before’ the note had said.“Honestly, Adam, don’t worry about it. I don’t even remember it.”

Now Cole looked at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Hanger said easily. “You talk so much shit I’ve just learned to pay it no mind.”

Hanger thought he was being kind, that it would be a relief to Cole to know that Hanger didn’t bear him any ill will. But Cole looked like a kicked puppy.

“Oh. Great. Cool.” Adam picked up his phone and started typing.

“Um, good luck at the Grammys,” Hanger said weakly.     

Adam snorted at that, then seemed to reconsider. He glanced at Hanger.

“Hey, we’re planning on having a big victory part here tomorrow night. If you’re not too sore about losing, you should come.”

A victory party. As if Undisputed Era has already won Album of the Year.

You know Kenny’s winning, right? Hanger wanted to ask. But he didn’t, because as much as he hated Cole’s confidence he also kind of admired it.

“Thanks for the invite,” Hanger said, nodded to Adam with a half-smile, and left.

[adampage]

Rapport Growth & Decay

Link to Ao3 (Ch. 1)

Pairing: Hangman/Renee (don't yell at me please i'll cry)

Word Count: 3,246

Summary: Cowboy is lonesome, on'ry, and mean.

[hangmatts]

matt has two boyfriends, which means they both need to hold his hands in public.

[ hangmatt/jack drabble | read on AO3 ]

—

The Elite all decided to go shopping at the mall once they finished their segments on Dynamite. Hangman was back with them and they wanted to celebrate. Matt wanted to buy him new stuff then take him out to dinner. He figured everyone should tag along so they can discuss their plans for the group.

Nick was driving, Okada next to him in the passenger seat. Hangman, Matt, and Jack were in the backseat. Matt was sitting in between both of them. He was a bit squished but he didn’t mind. He was just happy to have Hangman back.

Once Nick parked, they all exited the vehicle. Nick grabbed Okada’s hand, pulling him towards the entrance. Adam and Jack started walking behind. Matt stayed put. Nobody noticed until he spoke up.

“Ahem!” He loudly proclaimed.

Adam and Jack stopped to turn around. Adam tilted his head, a confused expression on his face. Matt held his hand out. Adam immediately got the signal. He walked back over, taking Matt’s hand into his own. Matt stayed put.

“Jack?” Matt asked, holding out his other hand.

“You want me to hold your hand?” Jack walked over to Matt, hesitantly taking Matt’s hand into his own.

“Duh. How else is everyone gonna know you’re mine?”

Adam laughed and pulled Matt towards the mall. Jack felt the blush creep up on his cheeks. He tried staying behind Matt so nobody noticed. That plan quickly failed.

“Aww. Baby, look! I made Jack blush!” Matt proudly said to Adam.

Adam looked back and laughed. Jack’s face was 10 times more red than it first was.

“Y’all are adorable.” Adam said, looking at Jack

“Thanks?” Jack responded awkwardly.

Adam turned back to Matt.

“We’re gonna have so much fun with him, aren’t we?” He asked.

Matt smiled and nodded in response. Jack stood there confused until Matt began pulling him into the mall.

[fortjester]

let's do a mad libs for my tlt bre fic title shall we?

"____ up a ____ / to ____ you in the ____"

chuck your guesses in the tags, replies, or send to me on asks, idc. if you already know what it is, pls refrain from making a public guess :) you have 24 hours