#not like reese last year where i couldn't get him in the building

[gar-a-ash]

And the video of our run! He scored 98 out of a possible 100 points and earned us first place, couldn’t be prouder. I do see a few hover sits he decided to fix halfway through the course, but honestly I’m just glad he did that stationary front. He tends to be 50/50 on whether or not he feels like doing them correctly lmao

If you’ve been following me for a while you know how long I’ve struggled with him, and after our last trial I was about ready to give up. But I’m glad I didn’t, because he finally decided to grow up this year and I couldn’t be happier. Love you Reese!

[windupnamazu]

got a secret (i can't keep it!)

ffxivwrite2023 #14: clear leaving no doubt; obvious or unambiguous.

Coco & @winduphaurchefant's Reese. Canon-divergent Endwalker, between Alea Iacta Est and In From the Cold. 1087wc. ⮞ There are better places to give your friend a crisis than the ground, you know.

Coco was sitting behind the designated medbay and staring out onto the frozen wastes of Garlemald when a steaming metal mug of hot cocoa suddenly entered his vision, attached to the hand of a worried Reese Farouel.

"You should go inside," his old friend said gently when he looked up at her, but she made no move to force him to stand or to force the mug in his hands. Coco took it anyway, unable to turn down a Haurchefant-signature cocoa, but as he blinked down at the swirling marshmallows in the cup he found his vision swimming and Reese dropped to her knees beside him. "Hey, it's okay, buddy, she's okay."

With a whimper, Coco pawed away the tears running down his face. The last couple of bells had been the scariest of his life, which was bizarre considering how many times he personally came close to dying over the last nine years, but in the building behind him his best friend was trapped in a dreamless sleep. This was nothing at all like their childhood, back when the worst that could happen was she'd run and trip on gravel and they'd stick colourful little bandages on each other and he'd tell her a joke while his uncle disinfected her scrapes so she wouldn't cry. Now she was wrapped in red-stained gauze because when the imperials ambushed the camp she threw herself over him, his Blessing of Light be damned, for reasons he couldn't even ask her about anymore.

All he knew was that it was his fault for encouraging her to come this far and leave the home and life he left behind despite knowing that was where she was safest, and he could do nothing as she lay terrifyingly still on a cot in the medbay while the healers bustled back and forth between the rest of the injured.

Reese continued to murmur words of comfort to him, as ever the older sister he and Melmeltan always wanted growing up. When at last Coco's body stopped shaking he took a tentative sip from the hot cocoa and a deep, rattling breath.

"S'rry," he muttered.

"Why are you apologizing?" Reese asked incredulously. "The love of your life nearly died saving your life and she's unconscious now with no estimate on when she'll wake up—you have every right to be upset! I know I was when Haurchefant did that very same thing!"

Hold on. "The—the what?"

Reese squeaked and immediately rose to her feet, limbs mechanically moving to walk away at maximum speed.

"Nooooo, tell meeeee," Coco wailed, grabbing at her sleeve. He was nowhere near as strong as Lunya was but in the moment he somehow managed to stop Reese and her gangly legs.

Unable to meet his eyes, Reese pulled at her hair and began to speak very fast. "Okay, well, this is more embarrassing for me than it is for you because I really thought you knew. I mean, everyone else does, and it's so obvious, like, I think even Babycorn has some idea of it even if she couldn't name what it is and you've seen what poor Butter's been through lately, so you can't really get mad at me for spilling the beans, even though you don't really have much of a capacity for anger to begin with and like, why would you get mad anyway? Over me telling you that you're in love with your best friend and have been since you were kids? As if I'm wrong. I should probably shut up right now. Have you seen Haurchefant? I should go find Haurchefant. Do you mind if I leave now or—"

Coco shook his head, furiously blinking snow from his eyelashes. His heart was threatening to collapse or burst out of his chest like a pitcher of juice personified. "You think I'm in love with Melmeltan?"

As if a switch were flipped, Reese reached down and grabbed Coco by the shoulders.

"Coco Cocoda," she said severely. "I can't tell you what you feel or how to feel it—but as a long-time observer, I just want you to know this: I know you're in love with Melmeltan."

"H-how could you even—" he stammered, drink forgotten in the snow next to him as he flapped his hands panickedly. "Where did you even get that idea—"

"You wanted to marry her! In all of your silly little live action scenarios where you were feral cats separated into clans in the Sharlayan woods!"

"T-that was roleplay!"

"That was wish fulfillment!" Reese cried, covering her mouth when several Contingent member heads swiveled around to look in their direction. "A-and you even stole from Lunya's bath bomb collection so you'd smell nice the day Melmeltan was set to come to Eorzea!"

"That's normal though!?" Coco said desperately. "That's normal! That's a normal thing for friends to do! They smell nice for each other!"

"No, it's not! And when you told Lunya you were meeting with Melmeltan she stopped being angry and did that weird three thing with her mouth! That says everything!"

"Nuh-uh?!"

This was admittingly the weirdest imaginable place and time to be having such a conversation in this manner, but Reese and Coco were on a roll and unable to stop.

"And!" Reese exclaimed, gesturing frantically, "and!!! There was that 10 year old who confessed to her after they did one chocobo race together! You got so jealous over it you had to be stopped from stealing the kid's bird!" Oh, yeah, that did happen. Huh. "Who gets platonically jealous over a love confession?! And a love confession from someone who's not even a real threat on account of being a literal child?! You are in LOVE!"

If Coco were standing he would have sunk to his knees.

"I'm in love with Melmeltan?" he wondered, shellshocked.

It was at that moment a familiar head of silver-blue hair peeked his head around the back corner of the medbay, eyes lighting up at the sight of his beloved.

"My dear!" Haurchefant exclaimed, reaching for Reese's hand as he approached before he became visibly confused at the sight of Coco Cocoda folded over in the snow. "Is aught alright? You never came back to the tent after you said you would check on Coco…"

"Haurchefant!" Reese blushed, letting him squeeze her hand in his own. "Forgive me, I got caught up by accidentally telling Coco he's in love with Melmeltan, and—"

The Fortemps knight gaped down at their friend. "You didn't know?!"

"DOES EVERYONE KNOW THIS?!"

[bunk12bear]

I Learned It From The Pizza Man Epilogue: I couldn't think of a witty title

6 months later

The late June air was hot and sticky, the kind of weather that made you dream of the winter you'd been complaining about only months earlier.

Pidge, Hunk, and Shiro lounged under a large tree, ice cold drinks in hand. Keith and Lance had left about twenty minutes earlier to, "get refills" on their pretty much full drinks. They probably thought they were being subtle.

Pidge took a sip from her lemonade. "Where do you think the lovebirds ran off to because it sure as hell wasn't to get a refill."

"Not sure, but if I had to guess I'd say they're probably off kissing somewhere. Like when they needed to 'thank their favorite professors' at graduation."

Pidge laughed. "I still can't believe you actually fell for that excuse and followed them no less! It's your own damn fault that you walked in on them making out."

Hunk put his hands up defensively. "Hey, don't laugh! I had to see my oldest and dearest friend with his shirt halfway off and his tongue down someone's throat. I'm scarred for life, dude."

Shiro winced. "Oh come on, that someone is my little brother. I really didn't need that mental image."

"I'll take that over the two months of pining that preceded their first date." Pidge rolled her eyes. "I swear to God if I had to hear about Keith's 'gemstone colored eyes' one more time I was going to puke."

"Keith was just as bad. He got back from your apartment the first time with this dopey smile on his face," Shiro faked a swoon, imitating said dopey smile, "and he's got these blue eyes, not light like the sky but dark like the ocean."

"Oh my God, really?" Pidge laughed.

"Yeah, I gave Lance the codename Mr. Ocean Eyes to make fun of Keith, as any good older brother would."

"That's better than ours, we just called Keith Pizza Boy," Hunk piped up.

Pidge's eyes widened and she gestured excitedly: "Oh, oh Hunk, do you remember the poem?"

"Of course."

Shiro seemed confused. "Wait, what poem? I didn't hear about a poem."

"The week before Lance told Keith to him ask him out Keith wrote Lance a poem." Pidge grinned and splayed her hand out in front of her. "I know it may seem kind of cheesy but a boy like you makes romance easy." she quoted.

"Really," Shiro snorted then grinned, eyes sparkling. "Oh my God, Keith is never gonna hear the end of this."

"I'm never going to hear the end of what?" Keith and Lance were back, clothing rumpled and hair a mess, a suspicious bruise blooming on Keith's neck.

Their friends exchanged a Look™.

"Hey little bro, I didn't know you were a poet."

"Wait, what? I'm not a-"

Shiro interrupted: "I know it may seem kind of cheesy, but a boy like you makes romance easy."

Keith's cheeks went pale. "What, how the hell did you find out about that?"

"Pidge told me," Shiro said gesturing her direction with a shit eating grin.

"Well, I still think it's cute," Hunk said placing a hand on his chest.

Keith's cheeks turned a distinct shade of scarlet. "Please God, kill me now," he croaked, burying his face in his hands.

Lance kissed his cheek. "C'mon babe don't be embarrassed, it was cute."

Keith slipped his hands from his face and grabbed one of Lance's hands in both if his. "You're cute," he said bringing Lance's hand up to his lips and kissing it.

"No seriously, I loved it!"

Keith cocked his head. "Mmm, I love you."

Lance grinned and kissed him. "I love you too."

"Wait, when did this happen?" Shiro asked.

"Couple weeks ago." Lance didn't even bother to look at him.

"Awww! Who said it first?" Hunk cooed.

"Keith actually."

"Really?!" Keith turned to his brother, "Always the tone of surprise."

Lance's eyes lit up. "Sweety, was that a Harry Potter reference? Oh my God, I love you so much."

Keith shrugged. "You're pretty okay yourself."

"Keith!"

"Kidding, I love you too, sharpshooter."

Pidge began to gag dramatically. "Okay before you two turn this into a total mushy love fest they've just started putting out the food and I'd kill for a hamburger."

The group walked over to the buffet table, clearly whoever had cooked had perused Pinterest heavily. In addition to the usual burgers and hot dogs there were little graduation caps made of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and square chocolates, a candy bar with event-appropriate labels such as gummy "bookworms", a build your own taco bar, neatly organized appetizers like Seven layer dip packed in individual plastic cups and an abundance of mason jars.

They ate their food and chatted amongst the other partygoers. Pidge, Hunk, Lance and Keith answering the usual questions. So what's the plan? You got a new job offers lined up? Are you planning on getting an advanced degree? Keith and Lance also got the weird Probing Questions™ an alarming number of people seemed to think were appropriate to ask a couple. When are you two getting married? Are you planning on having any kids? There was one middle-aged straight couple who apparently had never met a gay couple before, with all the questions they asked. A relationship and graduating College are big milestones so it's natural for people to ask questions, but this was getting exhausting. Keith was one heartbeat away from yelling something like "We're gays, not unicorns!" and running away when Lance found a more polite way to leave the conversation. They went back to their friends to wind down and spend the rest of the party with them. The five of them returned to the spot under the tree. Hunk and Pidge chatted exchanging information about their latest projects, Shiro sat against the trunk of the tree texting Curtis who was out of town visiting family and Lance and Keith sat side-by-side,wrapped up in each other and hands intertwined. Life was good, the future was bright they were happy.

Bonus

5 years later

Lance had been planning this for weeks. Hunk had very graciously taken time off of his busy schedule - which consisted of writing his thesis and taking care of his and Shay's new baby - to go over the plan again and again on the phone, assuring lance that things would be ok.

Keith looked at him from the passenger's seat. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

"It'll be good I promise." Lance parked the car and lead Keith a short way before stopping In front of a very familiar restaurant.

"This is the Mexican place we went to on our first date"

"Yup!" Lance said. "Let's just go inside, I already made a reservation."

The hostess grinned just a bit too widely to be genuine as she seated them at their table. It didn't take Keith long to notice it was the same one they had sat at on their date all those years before.

As they ate and talked and were generally having a great time, Lance had the feeling that Keith was catching on to what he had planned. Perfect.

They emerged from the restaurant hand in hand and walked in the opposite direction of where they had parked.

"Didn't we park our car that way?" Keith asked, puzzled.

"Yes we did but just trust me."

Lance led Keith down the street quickly before stopping abruptly and pulling him to the side of the highway towards the road.

He grabbed Keith's hands. "Hey so by now you probably realize that I've been recreating our first date, I have a reason for that. The last five years have been wonderful. You make me so happy-" "Lance, are you...? Keith interrupted tears suddenly welling up in his eyes.

"Shh, let me finish. You are 100% without a doubt the one for me and know I want to spend the rest of my life with you so" Lance got down on one knee and pulled out a ring box, "Keith Kogane, will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down both of their faces by now. "Oh my God, you beat me to it!" Keith said but pulled Lance in for a kiss.

When they broke the kiss Lance took some time to wipe his eyes and then tilted his head coyly. "So that's a yes?" "Of course it's a yes you idiot."

"Good," Lance said then slipped the ring on to Keith's finger and kissed him again. He pulled back abruptly, "Oh there's something I have to do. Babe, hold your hand up next to your face so I can get a picture."

Lance quickly snapped the photo and posted it to Twitter and Instagram with the caption "I liked it so I put a ring on it" and a bunch of hashtags about love and marriage.

Keith snorted. "Isn't that song like 15 years old?"

"Shhh babe, Beyonce is eternal."

Author's note: aaaand that's a wrap. Thank you again to Calliopestories for beta reading this.

Olive bro sadly didn't make an appearance in this chapter but I just couldn't find a place to fit him in, he might make an appearance in other things I write though.

I didn't put it in but I firmly believe some of the mentioned hashtags in the proposal scene would be ones Lance made up like Lancy Lance is officially off the market.

In the first part, if it wasn't clear Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Keith have all graduated college and are at a graduation party.

In the second part, I wanted to include more like maybe their friends and family reacting to the engagement but I thought of the closing line and couldn't not end on that so c'est la vie.

Thank you to anyone who read to the end of my little story that actually means a lot.