#n now i have to go do a 7hr close

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

Hello loves!! This was a request by Sammy over on ao3!! Fic under the cut love y'all!!

Two-Bit was used to a lot of things. One of them was drinkin' too much. The other was wakin' up to people mad at him. It sorta came with the territory. Go out huntin' action. Have a drink. Have another. Meet up with some buddies. Have two more. And then a pack. Black out somewhere between the sixth 'n the eleventh. Wake up to someone mad.

Mostly Darry.

Now what he was not used to was wakin' up the next mornin' to a hangover that could have killed a racehorse, the sound of door slammin' so hard it nearly came straight off the hinges, 'n Dallas Winston ready to spit nails. Mostly Dallas. Not the hangover. That was to be expected.

"Where the fuck is Two-Bit?" Ah. Well. That couldn't bode well. Two scrapes himself off the bed, Darry's, which also couldn't be a great sign considerin' he had no memory of how he got there, 'n tilts his head so he can hear better.

"What's goin' on?" Pony pries 'n Two chuckles to himself 'n then groans. Damn, his head hurt.

"Pone, stay out of it." Dallas stomps down the hall, bangin' open doors 'n rattlin' the picture frames. If his head wasn't poundin' so hard Two might've thought about the implications of that more but right now he just wants to bury under a pillow 'n go back to bed.

"Why don't you stay out of it you're in my house." Pony grumbles but retreats back into the living room. Two only has half a second to force himself up before Darry's bedroom door slams against the wall.

Dallas looks pissed. Not aggravated or irked or hacked off. Pissed.

"You fuckin' asshole." Two throws his hands up 'n grins.

"Nice to see ya too, Dally." Dallas sneers, silver tooth catchin' the light dangerously. He's across the room before Two can blink, fist balled up in the front of his shirt, yankin' him close. Two suddenly feels deeply nauseous.

"You're way over the fuckin' line." Dallas jars him back 'n forth 'n Two's not focused on anythin' but keepin' the contents of his stomach down 'n off of Dallas' jacket. Somehow he doubts that'll improve his mood. Dallas takes one good look at Two 'n scowls. "Do you even fuckin' remember?"

Last night... last night... Nothin'. Dallas drops him. "Oh my God you don't even remember."

"Well, you sure know how to jog a guy's memory." Dallas glares at him like he's seriously considerin' knockin' his lights out. 'N Two knows Dallas. He will. "What happened?"

Dallas rolls his eyes, leans back against the wall. "So now I gotta play twenty fuckin' questions with you just so I can knock your teeth in?"

"Hey, give a man some credit. I bet I can get it in nineteen." Dallas shoves himself off the wall 'n Two instinctively kicks a foot out. Dallas just rolls his eyes 'n boots him in the ankle, steppin' over it. Two yelps 'n Dallas elbows him in the side to get him to move, droppin' down on the bed.

"Well, I ain't kickin' your ass until you can well 'n good remember why."

"Jesus, this is not kickin' my ass? Don't get too generous now." Two rubs at his ribs, sticks out his bottom lip in a passable imitation of Pony.

"Don't start that shit on me- I can hardly stomach it when Pony does it." There's an indignant sound from somewhere in the hall 'n Dallas scowls, gets up, 'n disappears out the door. Two can vaguely hear Dallas manhandlin' the kid out into the living room to Pony's great displeasure.

"Stop. Bein'. Nosy." Two takes the chance to fully untangle himself from the sheets. There's a glass of water on the bedside that Two guesses Darry left. God, he was real good to them sometimes. Most times. He'd have to think of a way to make it up to him. Maybe stop bein' such a little shit.

"That's rich comin' from you-AGH!" There's a distinct sound of Dallas jumpin' on Pony 'n Two snorts. After all, Darry had his hands full in that department.

"Dallas, conserve some of that ass-kickin' energy for me, I'm gettin' jealous in here!"

"Fuck off!" Dallas shouts back but Two can also hear him slam the kid down on the couch 'n retreat back down the hall.

"Look out, Two, he's in a mood." Pony hollers 'n Dallas damn near spins on his heel to give the kid part two.

"C'mon, Dal. You're gonna wear yourself out before you even get to bust my head in." Dallas pauses, shoots him a glare, but stomps back into the room.

"God, now I get why Darry's always got a stick up his ass. Between the two of you I could get a fuckin' ulcer."

"Damn, now you really sound like ol' Dar. You gonna go grey, too?" Dal socks him in the ribs 'n Two groans.

"I don't think you got any goddamn room to talk. I hear Darry had to scrape you off the drive-in pavement." A brief memory of Darry's face as he marched toward him 'n hauled him up flashes through his mind. He's got the impression he had something real funny. Man, he wishes he could remember that.

"Is that what you're pissed about? Man, I don't know what Darry's been puttin' in your Wheaties. He slidin' you a little extra cash so you get to knock my teeth out instead of him? Or are you payin' him for that privilege?" Two throws a guess at the wall 'n Dallas glowers.

"Darry can beat you to a pulp all on his lonesome. Fuckin' think."

"I'm tryin', I'm tryin'." Last night. Last night. C'mon. "I dunno, man." He was startin' to get nervous 'n Dallas' mood was not improvin'. Two felt suddenly like he was about to be told off 'n read his goddamn rights by the way Dallas' face darkened.

"Well, let me jog you're fuckin' memory. You started with about a pack 'n a half of Bud's which, by the way, Darry almost kicked my ass for 'cause he thought I had walked off with 'em." Two hisses in sympathy 'n Dallas narrows his eyes. "'N then you beat it outta here to go cruise some fuckin' action at the Dingo already pissed out of your fuckin' mind."

Look. Two knew he drank too much. He knew he should probably lay off it a bit. Or a bunch. But Dallas wasn't exactly a pillar of good behavior or nothin'. He was startin' to get deja vu for the well-tread you need to shape up conversation Darry gave him once a month. Two would argue that was improvement. They used to have it once a week.

But Dallas didn't give a shit about bad habits unless it came to Pony. Or Johnny. Or shit, he had that weird thing with that Shepard kid, too. Didn't like none of 'em doin' anythin' too hard.

He's got a sudden wheedlin' feelin' this has somethin' to do with one of 'em.

"Earth to fuckin' Two-Bit." Dallas snaps a hand in front of his face.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm thinkin'." He does actually remember that. He'd caught the end of a movie 'n some action in the form of some little fistfight. Nothin' real tough. Just enough to get his blood pumpin'. Now that he was thinkin' about it, he swore he'd run into someone. Glory, who was it?

"Any fuckin' day now." Dallas doesn't seem to be workin' himself down any. If anythin' he's gettin' real pissed again. "I'm about to stop worryin' about you rememberin' why I'm cavin' your skull in."

"Glory, I'm gettin' to it. Maybe I should have let you put Pony on his ass so I could have a minute to get my head on straight."

"You couldn't get your head on straight if I beat Pony to a bloody pulp for the next week 'n a half." He gets another picture of a memory. Pony sittin' at the table when he headed out, diligently workin' on a project he was supposed to have finished last week before Darry came home 'n beat his ass.

So Pony was out.

"I ran into someone, right? Man, I can almost remember. That's what this is about, right?" Dallas glares at him, white blonde hair fallin' in his eyes. "Right, no twenty questions."

And Johnny, too. Johnny was with Pony 'cause Darry had been strong armin' him into stayin' at the Curtis' since his parents had been on a real bender lately.

"Glory God all-fuckin'- mighty. It was-"

Oh. Wait. He shakes his head hard. Fuck. He remembers who. 'N that bode deeply ill for him.

"Curly. Curly Shepard, yeah?"

Dallas' eyes darken 'n he slides off the bed 'n gets to his feet. Bad sign. "Ding ding ding."

Ah. Well. Shit.

So here's the thing. Dallas liked to pretend like he didn't give a shit. 'N most of them were inclined to pretend they believed him. When he pulled the odd stunt 'n then turned around 'n acted like he couldn't care if any of 'em lived or died they all nodded along 'n, behind closed doors, knew better.

Like that time he'd taken Two's rap for bustin' the school windows or went down for those stolen hubcaps they all knew Steve had lifted or told Darry it was him that put the dent in his bumper when Soda had accidentally backed into a pole.

Sometimes, when he wasn't bein' a fuckin' hood, Dallas was a real good guy.

Now the problem was he also had no problem takin' it out of your ass when he thought you'd been a dick. By his standards. He'd jumped Steve once for pushin' Pony too hard 'n makin' the kid cry 'n whaled the tar outta Soda that time he'd talked Johnny into ridin' in a rodeo 'n the kid had damn near killed himself 'n had no problem hollerin' at Darry when he was bein' unreasonable. However rare it was. The first time Two had let Pony try a beer Dallas had nearly blown a fuckin' gasket.

"You remember what happened?" Dallas rolls his shoulders back, shakes his rings off.

"I'm workin' on it." Two eyes him. It's right there. Just at his fingertips. He'd said somethin' to the kid. Most have been somethin' fucked.

"Tim told me it had the kid real fucked up. He was gonna come down here 'n kick your ass but I figured Darry might beat him into the ground for that so I'm doin' him the favor."

'N Two realizes somethin'.

"Wait a minute. You don't know what the hell I said either!" Dallas shrugs his jacket off, rolls his eyes.

"Whatever it was must've been fucked up to upset Curly." He shoots him a glare, narrows his eyes. "Don't fuckin' tell anyone that, by the way. Or I'll kick your ass again. Now, c'mon."

"Wait, wait, wait. I think I remember- I do remember!" The rest of the night suddenly crashes into his head like a thunderbolt. He throws a hand up to bat away Dallas as he goes to grab him. "I said-

God, Two howls a laugh 'n Curly scowls even deeper. Any more 'n it'd be permanent. Two knew he hated it but he really did look like Tim in miniature. He also looked like-

Curly, kid, you look like if they greased up a wet cat, you know that?

Dallas drops his grip on Two-Bit 'n blinks. Once. Twice. Oh, Jesus here we go. Two should have just kept his mouth shut.

Then he slaps a hand to his mouth 'n cackles to himself so hard he has to grab the doorway. "That's it? Man, the bitch fit Curly had thrown had me thinkin' you'd said somethin' vile man. God that's funny."

"Glad to give you all the facts before you come down like a hammer on my poor ass." Two tries to look put out 'n doesn't manage it at all. Dallas raises an eyebrow at him 'n suddenly they're both howlin'.

"Well, shit. I already promised I'd put a fuckin' pop knot on your head for that shit." They're both still gigglin' intermittently, Pony havin' appeared in the doorway at some point only to have the door slammed in his face for bein' so goddamn nosy. I'll tell you later, glory God.

"Look, I'll stand still for it. I feel kinda bad for upsettin' the kid anyway. Even if he did deserve it." Dallas raises an eyebrow incredulously but shrugs a shoulder.

"Fine. I'm gonna pop you in the eye so Tim can see it, dig? I'll try not to break anythin'."

"Hey, for my sake? Try real hard." Two's got a couple inches on Dallas so he plops back on the bed, lettin' Dal grab him by the shoulders 'n line up his punch.

"Ready?"

"As ever."

Dallas lets his fist fly at the same time the door slams open again.

"Dallas Tucker Winston 'n Keith Mathews." 'N Two's actually grateful he can't see anythin'. "Why can't I ever leave this house without comin' back to a brawl?"

Dallas glances down at Two as he presses a hand over his eye. They both last three seconds before they're both howlin'.

"Would it make a difference if I said he asked for it?"

[whinecrate]

9.2.23 asked me out well not really but ye and i turned him down well not really but ye

11.2.23 changed my mind said yes

19.2.23 first date at bake shack he gets some lemony tart thing that he actually liked for once I think I got the Irish coffee cake or something like that and coffees he got me origami flowers n the scanning thingy for the Spotify playlist with the songs we played at pondi on the couch. Didn't so much ask him to be my boyfriend more just told him he's my boyfriend now. In my defence i did tell him earlier itself cuz the person I'm dating is too long to call him but waited till first date. Accidentally ended up being on sa's bday

5.5.23 first kiss spent the whole day almost out with him at krish went out early morning n just chilled for the first few hours and eventually went to the back n we were alone for so very long but it still took time straight up asked him if he was ever gonna kiss me n he wanted to then but still didn't and I was getting hungry n he had to go pack n give his luggage at the dorm but yeah a grand total of 7hrs with light rain to set the mood he just pulled me close him half sitting on the half wall n me between his legs with foreheads touching before a kiss but i get overwhelmed n just hug him rinse repeat multiple times till it finally happens. It's awkward n cute. We kiss twice n then have to leave on the way back i get a donut from cdef and get drenched in the rain

19.8.23 6mo anniversary didn't do anything but it was just a nice day went out n some time on the lawn just chilling

20.8.23 a decent amount of making out at student but still pretty pg cute kisses

27.8.23 proper make out on his lap facing him half in the rain with his hands up my shirt gripping me and pulling and pushing me closer occasionally grabbing my thighs hands roaming almost all over under my shirt just got caught up in the heat of the moment god that was hot I can't show my face at student for a while now and the timing the heavy rain and my in time i probably crossed it by a few min atleast

3.9.23 made out a fair bit at student and he gave me a hickey for the first time but he was worried about it showing so it was so smol like a tiny little puppy nibble

27.10.23-29.10.23 well..huh..that was a lot.. I got used to being topless around him pretty fast. Like there was still the slight hesitation taking my shirt off the fist time and the first time taking bra off yes lights off and still kinda shy but after that it was so easy. And he certainly got used to taking my bra off himself pretty easily. And God the hickeys was that too much? Ill be honest I loved how it looked tho. Limitations cuz can't be too visible especially with farewell coming up although even this is too much and isn't gonna go by then but god it was definitely nice. He did ask is it's too soon for all the way tho. And yeah idt I'd want this soon. It might still take some time. But this was definitely progress. And slow baby steps are better considering it's a first for everything for both of us. It definitely helped that the room was big and pretty and it was just right yk? The environment the mood everything. The whole trip its not like we could have done anything else other than the exam so it just gave us enough and more time together. Maybe that was a bit too rough tho cuz I did feel kinda sore down there later and slightly bruised ig and i could definitely feel his hip digging into me even later on.

17.11.23-19.11.23 ok so much for keeping it pg at sachs house I was sick the whole time but evidently it only made me hornier. Well one night atleast. I told him he's gonna get sick and he was like no it's fine and of course next day he was decently sick too. He was kinda clingy next day too but I was too sick to really be into it. He was so nice to me when I was sick tho. Getting me hot water multiple times and constantly checking if I need anything etc just sorta being there for me for the most part. But yeah kinda bruised again i should really learn my lesson. On the other hand i actually did get kinda wet? He's definitely not gonna let that go i should just have kept my mouth shut. Kidding.

22.3.24 slept on the single upper berth together cuddling but it just turns me on so much when he holds me like that and grips me tighter esp when it's rhythmic and he loves it when I moan softly and i was definitely doing plenty of that and lightly grinding on him and kissing his neck or lips when it gets good and now he thinks i have a thing for risky

23.3.24 wasn't too awkward surprisingly and i wasn't too shy once it got to a decent amount of making out i told him I'd be down for all the way which idt he expected me to say so yay points for that i even took off my shorts and panties without really thinking too much about it but I was way too tight and it just really hurt when he tried to finger me and we decided to let it be and God i felt so horrible about it and he kept asking me if I was fine and i kept deflecting till i eventually just hugged him and cried and he was so nice and trying to convince me that it's completely fine and i have no reason to feel bad about it and he's completely fine with it etc actually idek why i cried i just did and when I finally stopped he was just so nice to me and trying to make me feel better and offering to get me milkshake the next day etc that I just ended up crying over that and he just held me the whole time

24.3.24 and I was still so tight nothing was supposed to happen cuz he was drinking but it wasn't much and he was drunk but he was gonna leave me alone but yeah when he gets me for just this much time it's hard and it's not like i really opposed it either I was still too tight but it got better but it was still tight around a single finger we tried all the way thrice and the last time it actually did go it a bit but it hurts too much so I'm not sure if I am a virgin or not at this point cuz technically it wasn't proper sex but it was something although hmm ig handjobs are pretty decent it's not too bad at all and dicks are .. slightly bigger than I was expecting esp the girth and i love the way he reacts but i still couldn't make him finish (actually we might have done that yesterday itself cuz I do remember making out in the shower n then taking a quick shower both mornings) and God the shower today was something else he had me pinned against the wall with both my hands up and the other fingering me and he loved how much I arch my back and moan i actually do moan a fair bit evidently and at that point I was so wet you could hear it and he's never gonna let that go and I was still too tight but did loosen up a considerable amount and i still couldn't make him finish but he just did it himself while holding me and gripping me and i keep kissing his neck etc and ykw i do like it when he gets himself off evidently and then we showered together quickly but he hates the cold water and warned me against splashing it on him and said that he'd make me regret it and i didn't really know what I was expecting him to do but obv curiosity so I just splash it onto him and he just grabbed me and started fingering me again and the fucking audacity the balls the cockiness god that was hot and i do love that my legs get so weak and he has to hold me

[imhereforbvcky]

Vivid - Part 3

Masterlist  -  Series Masterpage 

Summary: Have you ever met someone who completely embodies a color? Not an aura, not synesthesia. Just… They walk into the room and when you spot them, you think to yourself, “Wow. That is a walking hurricane.” When Clint Barton serendipitously meets a free-spirited stranger, he sees red. Chapter: You and Clint have become that indefinable thing between friends and... well something more. Or less, since you’re both too anxious to push through that barrier. Can a relationship grow anyway?

Warnings: I guarantee there’s swearing. There usually is. That’s about it, just a load of fluff and cuteness with a side of nerves.

Word Count: 2637

A/N: I’m laaaate with this, I’m sorry! I had some unexpected visitors who wanted to take a 7hr (each way) camping road-trip over the weekend. So I didn’t have time to queue this up. Anyway, here we go! Two goofs, two dorks, two relationship idiots, dancing around each other! Let’s go!

The last few millimeters of coffee swirled in your mug, mixing thick foam and heavy chocolate with the final precious bits of caffeine. Your friend scowled at you from across the petite round café table.

“So who is he?”

“Hmm?” You set your phone down beside your now empty cup, loopy smile hooking one side of your face into a lazy grin.

Nina circled an accusatory finger around your face. “That!” Then she pointed to the phone. “Who is he?”

“Don’t judge me, just because you’re Fort Knox.”

“I stash my precious golden heart behind a heavily fortified vault for a reason. People are greedy and rough, especially with someone as careless as you. I’m just looking out for my friend,” she finally sighed watching you check your phone again. “You keep diving head first without looking how deep the water is, you’re going to break your neck one day.”

“Maybe, but at least I’ll know what the water feels like.”

“I don’t… even know what that means,” she frowned, picking at her crème brûlée. “We’re mixing metaphors.”

“It means I’d rather get a little bruised looking for love than to hide from it forever and feel nothing.”

Nina’s frown dipped into a disgruntled scowl. “I feel things.”

“Oh you definitely do,” you teased, dipping a spoon into her dessert. “You feel very nervous when you’re happy…”

She sliced at your spoon with her own, defending her treat.

“You feel uncomfortable when you think people you care about are too happy.”

“I just don’t want to see you hurt. Again.” She argued.

“But then you wouldn’t get to say, ‘I told you so.’”

She rolled her eyes, but grinned. Nina did love to be right. “So? Who is he? Need to make sure he’s worth the leap.”

“We’re not even—he’s just a friend right now.” You explained. Then smiled excitedly, bouncing in your seat. “But I kinda like him.”

“Yeah I figured. That dopey grin kinda gave it away.” She tapped your phone. “Why do you only see him in the middle of the night? Seems a lot like the last one if you ask m—“

“They’re nothing alike,” you snapped.

Your friend cocked an eyebrow: half challenge, half interest.

“It’s not like that,” you shrugged. “We have coffee at the 24-hour diner, or eat pizza on a stoop,” you explained, a little grin sneaking in. “We just talk. Or we don’t. He’s good. And it just… comes easy, ya know? He makes me laugh, when I’m 2am heavy.”

Nina sighed and pushed her empty dessert dish away from her. “Please just… look before you leap this time.”

“Where’ve you been?”

Clint jumped at least a foot. The canister of coffee grounds clattered to the floor and rolled until Natasha lifted her toe to stop it under foot.

“Why so jumpy?” she probed further.

“’Cause there’s a spy in my apartment,” he grumbled, tossing his keys on the counter.

“Well?”

“Just went for coffee.”

She opened the cupboard to put the new canister away beside the other 6 unopened tins. “You know, for a SHIELD agent, you’re a terrible liar.”

“Why are you checking up on me, Nat?”

“You missed movie night.”

“Oh shit. I’m sorry, I forgot.”

“And last week you forgot about Burger Monday.”

“I know, I’ve been dropping the ball lately…”

“My friend Clint would never forget about In-n-Out.”

He chuckled when he realized she wasn’t mad. Not completely. More concerned, and interested, and upset he was hiding something from her. Which was fair, he didn’t keep secrets from Nat. Not ever.

“So tell me.” Her voice was gentle, asking not demanding. “Who has you so distracted?”

Clint trudged to the worn out couch and flopped into it, before toeing off his ever-untied boots. “Just a friend. I got carried away.”

“No,” she argued, curling up on the other end of the couch. “You blew off your friends. This is something else. You like this person.”

“I should’ve been at movie night.” He shook his head and let it drop back onto the cushions. “You’re my family, I should be there. And besides, you know how I am about relationships. It was a mistake.”

“You must really like this mystery person,” Natasha observed, tilting her head to study her closest friend.

“I do and now I’ve said it out loud it’s real and I wish I didn’t, ‘cause now I’m definitely gonna screw it up,” he mumbled, tossing his forearm over his eyes. If he closed his eyes a minute longer, he could imagine a world where he got to have nice things. Good things and good people worth having. People like you would stay and he wouldn’t have trust issues. So he kept his eyes shut tight and his arm stubbornly heavy over them. “I wasn’t thinking. It just… felt really good to be around her, you know? For a second I forgot.”

“Clint, I think it’s a good thing for us to forget. Forget the past, forget the present – what we do. We can’t carry it forever. It’s a good thing: figuring out how to move on. And if you can find someone to do that with you… Well I’d say you’re one lucky guy.”

He flopped over, letting his head fall beside her and his feet curl up behind his knees and sighed. Reality again, dim in his cheap midnight apartment, messy in more ways than one. “I don’t know how to take care of a relationship like that. Growing up like I did, and now doing what we do… I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? Always fighting something. I’m just gonna ruin it.”

“Clint,” She pressed long cool hands against the sides of his face, and craned her neck to look down at him. All he could see were clear green eyes that bore straight into the core of him, knowing, understanding, and simplifying. “Love isn’t war.”

“I don’t even know her that well. We’re not…” his eyes darted anywhere but what he was sure were all-seeing eyes. “It’s not love.”

“But that’s the end game right,” she cut him off. “You like her, and it might go that way. You need to remember that it’s not war, and it’s not torture. That might be what we’re used to, but this isn’t supposed to tear you apart. It’s not tears and bruises and blood. It’s work, but the kind that makes you softer. That person should make you lighter, bring you peace.”

“She’s like a damn helium balloon.” The hint of a smile came unbidden. There was enough levity in just the thought of you to tug it over his lips, crinkle at his eyes.

“Then stop looking for grenades.” She let her hands drift away from his face, and the seriousness faded with the warmth. “Enjoy… whatever it is while you have it.”

Clint sighed. Natasha was right, and he often needed her to kick him in the ass with this kind of thing. It was why they were such great friends. She got it. But that didn’t make it easier to actually do.

“And give me a name so I can vet her.”

“Nat!”

She shrugged. “Just looking out for my friend.”

“You busy?” Your voice was bright coming through the phone as the elevators closed behind you.

“Uh…”

You chewed the edge of your nail to near oblivion. Taking Nina’s advice, launched you way out of your comfort zone, and that hesitant, non-committal answer did nothing to assuage your anxiety.

Clint, with the phone still to his ear glanced over his shoulder down the range. It was his turn to lead training, but when your name turned up on his phone, he’d have taken any excuse to bail. Could he feign a sprained ankle? He was clumsy enough…

Natasha glanced at him, with a question in her creased brow as she retrieved her paper target and began circling her shots. Tony stood frowning down range. He’d been complaining that he should be exempt from target practice since his ‘super-power’ came with heat-seeking missiles. Really, he just hated losing.

Clint’s entire body hunkered low, phone pressed to his chest when he heard the high-pitched whine of a repulsor-ray.

“Bull’s-eye. I win.” Tony grumbled before storming off. The target had been blown to hell. The frame holding the target was nothing more than smoke. The hillside behind the row of targets had a fresh gouge of scorched grass and upturned dirt.

Clint and Natasha shared a glance and she rolled her eyes.

“Clint? Hello?” his phone chirped in his hand. “You there?”

“Uhm,” he tried again. “No. No, I’m not busy. Not anymore. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted with a nervous laugh. Clint was already walking quickly back toward the compound with a haphazard wave at Natasha. “I finished up early at the office and I just missed you. Is that weird? It is a little,” you rambled. “Anyway, I know it’s still daylight, and that’s not really um… our thing. Shit, this was dumb. This is like that embarrassing rambling voicemail that you delete and try again 4 times except you answered and now you have to hear it and I have to live with the memory. This was so dumb! I should let you go.”

“No!” Clint found himself cringing at the force with which he’d spoken. But he absolutely did not want you to let him go. “No, it’s fine. It’s nice to not be the only idiot around.”

There was a silence and he slapped his palm to his forehead. He just called you an idiot. His head dropped back and his face scrunched while he fought back a grown, wondering if anyone could be a bigger idiot than him in that moment.

Mercifully a chuckle finally broke through from on the other end of the line. “We’ve definitely cornered the market.”

“Mhmm.” He dragged a hand down his face, still unable to release his cringe enough to form real words.

“So do you wanna…?”

“Yeah,” he managed. “Yeah, give me an hour. What’d you have in mind?”

“I could use a cuddle.”

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Clint stood in the tiny tiled room, waiting. You were already sitting on the floor, feet curled up under you, jittering in anticipation. One minute, you were clapping excitedly, the next shoving his shoulder, the next dancing on the spot.

Something between a chuckle and a scoff passed his lips. This was a horrible idea for so many reasons.

It was also brilliant.

And anything that made you this happy, he decided, was well worth his time.

“How often do you do this?” he asked.

You beamed up at him. “Often enough that the front desk gave me a volunteer form this time!”

“This is crazy. You’re crazy.” His words didn’t have any sting. No bite. It was a fond sort of acknowledgement.

“Okay, are you ready to meet Arrow?” the shelter employee asked, peering around the corner.

“Um, yes!” You clapped with glee as she opened the little gate and ushered the dog into the room.

He immediately bounded over, drawn to your excited energy.

“Oh! I’m in love already!” you exclaimed as he wiggled and romped around on the floor beside you.

“I’ll give you a little time,” the employee smiled, ducking out.

“This is just cruel,” Clint argued, crouching down to ruffle the dog’s ears. It abandoned you almost immediately, leaning into Clint’s hand.

“No it isn’t! They sit in cages all day, they need love as much as I do.” Your voice was a goofy croon as you pet the overly friendly yellow lab.

“I meant cruel to me!”

You laughed and Clint eased down onto the floor beside you. He was entirely preoccupied with Arrow, scrubbing his ears, gently shoving the dog’s chest back, grabbing at a lazily thrown paw. They wrestled in the tight space like they’d been doing it for years.

You, on the other hand, could only take in the completely unburdened smile that lit up Clint’s face. It made you glad for the warmth of his arm squeezed against yours in the narrow space. The familiar heat of his skin was like an extension of his joy.

Clint absorbed you entirely in his calm steady happiness, a cool sort of comfortable that spread through your veins, rather than the frenzied red rush you had spent so long chasing, had spent so many tears watching slip through your fingers. This was different, and new, and something you hadn’t known you’d wanted. It was a chill up your spine and soft glint in his eye, a light flutter in your stomach.

You startled when the dog leapt to the side and knocked him wholly against you from knee to shoulder. Clint didn’t flinch, didn’t withdraw, would never have thought to. He was warm and comfortable, and you were something good and bright he liked being close to. You amplified the parts of each other that sometimes got lost in the chaos.  Here in this tiny tiled room with the bounding energy of a shelter dog between you, that balance swelled. The room seemed full of it and the stress of the day crowded out with ease.

“Sorry,” he turned to you with a smirk as the dog plowed into his gut with a braided rope toy. “I’m hogging the puppy. You needed cuddles.”

“S’okay,” you shrugged, linking your arm around his elbow and curling your hand up to the lean stretch of bicep pressed against your own shoulder. “You’re cuddly. And he likes you.”

Clint’s playful smile softened into something else, something full and gentle as he looked down at you. You didn’t see it though, as you reached out to pat the dog and let your cheek fall to Clint’s shoulder.

This little adventure was indulgent, and silly, but that was exactly what Clint liked about being with you. Those things felt right, and it made him feel good. So he indulged. He let his lips fall to the top of your head, nose tickled by your hair and the smell of soap. For a moment, he let himself stay like that. Then he kissed the top of your head. Quietly, gently, deliciously thoughtless.

Even more satisfying: you didn’t react at all. Just stayed curled up like that against his side and let him.

Clint walked out with a new dog that day. One he promptly renamed when his favorite pizza vendor – a gas station that sells pizza by the slice but Clint buys by the pie – spotted you outside with him on a long red lead.

“Lucky day for you, eh?” he’d asked with a toothy grin and a big box of pepperoni pizza.

Clint glanced over his shoulder and grinned, lop-sided and nearly lost. He was sure he looked like a damn fool, he just didn’t care. “It’s been a pretty good one.”

“Who am I to stand between Lady Luck and her prize,” he said, shooing away Clint’s money. “It’s going stale anyway, just take it.”

“Really? Thanks, Marco!”

When he found you on the tiniest spit of grass, you slipped a greedy hand into the box and withdrew a slice. He couldn’t help laughing at the grin on your lips as you stuffed half the piece into your mouth.

“’M starving!” you mumbled.

He shook his head and reached into the box himself. Except instead of eating the slice, he tossed it to Arrow. “He’s a lucky dog. This was free!”

“You should call him Lucky!”

He grinned and slung an arm over your shoulder, the three of you heading down the block back to his stoop to finish the box of pizza between you. Lucky seemed more fitting for a dog than Arrow anyway. He liked it.

“Lucky the pizza dog.”

Part 4 >>

[hostgalli19]

It’s So Cold - Chapter 1: Eric & Bug

Overall Summary: The Manor sometimes got a little cold when Matthew had been away for a little long but it was never as cold as that universe had been. Eric very much wished he didn't know why it was so cold. Having Bug around helped a little. He was perfectly happy to curl on the couch.   

Chapter Summary: Eric was so very cold and missed Matthew very much. Bug helped make the cold lessen, even if a little.   

Note: Hello everyone, yes I know its been forever since I last updated but I've been busy with school and trying to get over the death of a pet. This story was partly inspired by LamisLuck asking for a fluff story involving Eric. 

I had intended on writing a fluff piece involving Eric and Matthew after reading another story which I currently can't remember the name of.I didn't intend on adding Bug in but he sort of made himself apart of the story. 

I do not own Bug, he belongs to the amazingly talented owner of a server I recently joined. It's taken me the better part of 6 or 7hrs to get this story completed. 

I'm not completely happy with how I wrote Bug, mostly because I don't know too much about him and I'm too nerves to ask the owner of the server.

Ryan - Google Red

Length: 1,588 words (3 pages) Tag List: @lamiasluck  Link to Ao3

Date: 09/08/20 Time: 4:00 pm - 11:58 pm

Eric shivered, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as he remembered the bone-chilling cold of the other universe. He didn't think he would ever be able to forget it. 

He had been horrified when he found out the reason it was so cold in that universe. 

He wanted Matthew but knew he was busy and really didn't want to bother him with something so stupid.He wanted to ask Wilford to go and get Matthew but didn't know how to ask. 

He was glad it was nowhere near as cold in this universe as it had been in the other. Sure it did sometimes get a little cold but nowhere near the bone-chilling cold that was present in the other universe. 

He wished he didn't know why it was there. The other universe had been so cold and strange, nothing was familiar. It was like all the life had been sucked out of that universe. 

Eric wasn't sure how it was possible for the egos to exist in that universe but they did, but they were different, so very different. It was like they were completely different people.

They were like Ghost, it was... chilling. Eric hadn't wanted to stay for as long as he had but he hadn't had a choice. He could still feel the lingering bone-chilling cold. 

The egos in that universe hadn't understood why Eric was constantly cold, they had never known what it was like to be warm. It was unlikely that universe version of Dark or Wilford even remembered what it was like.

Wilford was just a little bit colder and a little bit harder. He wasn't as carefree as MainUniverseWilford. He made the hairs on the back of Eric's neck stand on end and knew this version of Wilford would do whatever he deemed necessary to keep Dark safe. 

He was very much insane but not in the same way as MainUniverseWilford. He knew exactly what he was doing. He may have been crazy but he was still very much aware of everything. 

Eric had found himself wondering how this version of Dark and Wilford had come about and found he didn't like answers he got. It made him feel cold and sick in a way he hadn't felt since he had been shot in the head when he was 6-years-old and saw Yan being dragged away.

He did remember, despite what he told everyone. It just something he didn’t like remembering.

Eric looked up from his phone when he heard shuffling and had to stop himself from screaming when he saw a giant black, red and blue caterpillar type bug that reminded him a little of Dark, it was probably had something to do with the blue and red aura surrounding it. 

He relaxed a bit when the bug caterpillar didn't move. He knew there were animals that lived in the void, he had seen a few of them but he had never seen this one before.

He looked down at his phone and realised he had been looking at one of the few pictures of him and Yancy. It was one of his favourites. 

He had always thought he had been imagining the huge black, brown, gold and white wings when he was younger. He knew he hadn't been seeing things but wondered how they were in the picture when they were never visible.

Bug crawled closer, lifting himself up and nudging Eric's hand until he moved his arms enough for Bug to crawl onto the couch and into the blankets with him. Eric shuddered a little but relax when he felt a strange warmth coming from Bug. 

Eric pulled the blankets tighter around himself, Bug snuggled closer to Eric making him giggle when Bug's antenna tickled his neck when Bug snuggled closer.

Eric groaned when his stomach rumbled. He didn't want to get up. He was comfortable. He was able to settle back when Bug nudged him and somehow managed to crawl around his neck. 

Eric groaned again, he was tried and comfortable and didn't want to get up just yet. Eric yelped in surprised when he found himself tumbling off the couch and onto the floor. 

The blanket still wrapped around him. He groaned and rolled over trying to get up but couldn't due to the blanket being wrapped around his legs. He grumbled and used the couch to help him get his feet back under him and shuffle into the kitchen, unable to take big steps otherwise he would fall over.

"Good to see your up sleepy head. Though you'd passed out on the couch," Ed commented, Eric grumbled and glared at him, shuffling towards his usual seat and flopping down. Ed rolled his eyes. 

Eric wasn't usually this grumpy in the morning but something about him had changed after he had gotten back from whatever universe he had been sent to by Bim.

He wouldn't say what had happened in that universe just commenting that he was glad it was warm here. Ed didn't know why it being warm here and not in the other universe made a difference.

Eric somehow managed to eat while still being wrapped up, occasionally feeding pieces of his food to Bug who was doing a very good job at keeping his neck warm and made adorable little sounds when Eric would scratch his head after feeding him a piece of lettuce or other bits of food. 

He nearly dropped his fork when Google scanned him making him jerk and close his eyes at the bright beam of light.

Bug buried his head in Eric's neck, making a displeased sound.

"Eric what is that?" Ryan questioned staring at Bug who was clearly at Ben, a rather displeased look on his face before he snuggled back into Eric's neck. Eric giggled at the ticklish feeling. 

He was about to explain he didn't know what Bug was when Dark walked into the kitchen, looking annoyed as he read something on his phone. The egos had been surprised when they heard Dark and Wilford knew how to use a phone given how old they were.

"Ah I see you met Bug, I was wondering where you'd gone" Dark answered rubbing Bug's head, he made a strange purring sound, Eric smiled nervously. He was still nervous around Dark, the man was incredibly intimidating even though he knew Dark was nothing like his father and would never hurt him. 

He was still nervous though.

"Who is Bug and why haven't we seen him until now?" Gabriel questioned, staring intently at the giant black caterpillar around Eric's neck, he had never seen the....thing before. 

He knew creatures other than King squirrels lived in and around The Manor but he had never seen them before. He had heard Host complaining about them.

"This is Bug, he's my Void Pet. He generally stays hidden in my pocket but sometimes goes exploring. I hope he hasn't been bothering you too much Host," Dark explained, rubbing Bug's head and smiling when Eric giggled when Bug purred. It tickled. He rubbed Bug's head one last time before going to make himself coffee.

"No, he hasn't, though I have often wondered why there have been little ink print on my parchment," Host answered, Bug buried his head in Eric's neck. Eric continued to feed Bug bits of food when he thought Dark wasn't looking. 

Bug was more than happy to munch on the little bits of food he was being given.

Bug was seen more regularly after that, usually in Dark's top pocket, around his wrist or sometimes around his neck though that didn't happen very often. There were a few occasions where he would be seen with one of the Google's or Host though not as often as Eric or Yancy, both of whom seemed to be his favourite people to be with.

There were times where he would disappear completely and wouldn't be seen for several months though they knew he was still around, either from the little track marks Host sometimes found on his parchment or the way Dark would sometimes hold himself like he was trying not to disturb someone.

IN DARK'S OFFICE

Dark sighed and relaxed into his seat as he sipped his coffee. It had been a tense three weeks. 

They had been alarmed when Eric had gone missing, Yancy had looked like he wanted to strangle Bim for sending his little brother somewhere that was potentially dangerous. 

When Eric finally returned he was rugged up in winter clothes and had a haunted look in his eyes. He wouldn't say what had happened, just that it had been cold, bone-chillingly cold. 

It made a chill go up Dark's spine. It was never cold in The Manor unless Matthew had been gone for a little too long but it was never as cold as Eric had described the universe. Ryan had asked if Eric knew the reason it was so cold.

Eric hadn't answered, he had just stared at Ryan with a haunted look in his eyes and shook his head. He knew the reason but wish he didn't. Dark was brought out of his thought when he felt something hit his chest. 

He looked down and smiled when he saw Bug staring up at him. Dark picked him up and hugged him, enjoying the gentle warmth coming off him. Having Bug around made things a little easier. 

The Manor didn't feel quite so cold with Bug around. Dark wasn't quite sure why but didn't question it.

Note:  Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will try and have a new chapter up soon. I will probably edit this in the future.