#pov: theo gray

[build-a-problem-musical]

William, on Theo:

Here is your brother. He is turbulent, but he is yours. He stares at you with eyes that are far too wide. You are just a boy on the same ground he stands on. That won’t stop you from wanting to give him everything. You need to clear his poor stormy head, to shake the rage and the shame away. He does not listen to reason. Your touch can do nothing. He is much too proud, too certain he can take away your choice to love him. You won’t let him even if staying will tear you up.

Theo, on William:

Here is your brother. He is better than you’ll ever be. You are explosive, weak, undeserving. You are rain and you are a storm; he is the unfailing sun and he somehow thinks you are worth his effort. You know better. He would be happier without you. You scream at him that you don’t want his hands over yours, that you need your fists to hold the thunder over your head well past the point that your arms tire. He tells you it hurts; though you don’t want that, it has to get worse first and he will have to go eventually. He stays. He stays and he stays and he has tried to sit with you through all your episodes. You want to be better. You want to contain yourself so you don’t hold him back. He has friends and he has wants and he cannot put them all down to tend to you. You have tried not to be selfish. You have tried and you have failed. He will never let you remove yourself from the equation of communion. He loves you and you know it will ruin him.

[sexualtensiongrowing21]

As the Sun Sets // A Virginial Moment // Part Twelve

TW: Smut, P in V, mentions of scars, cursing

AN: Y'all, I wanted SO BADLY to include smut, then as I started writing it I realized... I have no idea how to write smut... Please don't hate me.

Part Thirteen

Theo POV: 

Scarlet is holding on to my hand as she drags me throughout the castle. Where is she leading me? I have no idea. But what I do know, is that I will follow this beautiful, witty girl to the ends of the earth if she asks it of me. 

Scarlet has led me all the way to the seventh floor of the castle, where she stands, after walking back and forth in front of a blank wall. “Uh, Scar-” My voice dies in my throat as a large oak door appears out of thin air. 

Turning around, Scarlet grabs my hand once more and leads me inside. “Is this--the Room of Requirement?” I ask, looking around the large, fireplace lit room as she hums in agreement. 

The room is the size of my room back at the manor. To the left, there is a gray chaise near the fireplace with plush pillows and blankets resting on top. To the right, there is a tea cart, as well as two doors, which I assume is a closet and a bathroom. Then, in the middle of the room, there sits a large four poster bed, adorned with black satin pillows and a large green blanket. 

This surely isn't where Draco and Scarlet have been sneaking off to, in order to fix the cabinet. There is no side of it here. 

As if she could read my mind she giggles. “It's not here. This isn't the room of hidden things.” 

She leads me further into the room and she stops to face me, wrapping her arms around my neck, as mine go behind her back. “Then, what is this room?” The room fills me with a sudden feeling of familiarity. I feel as if I have been here before. 

She slowly runs her hands through my hair and back around my neck with a blush upon her cheeks. If I died today, it would be worth it just to know that I am the one who she is looking at like she is right now. 

“It's uh- m-my bedroom back at Malfoy Manor.” Of course. I have been here before. Only once, in 5th year when I was visiting Draco during the summer. I hum as I lean down connecting our lips together while I walk over her to the bed. The back of her knees hit the bed and she lays down. 

“It's lovely.” I whisper as I scoot her farther up the bed and crawl over her. I start kissing down her neck as my hands start to travel up her thighs under her skirt. Her breath hitches and her hips lift up to meet mine. 

My cock throbbing in the confines of my trousers, right against her heat. A groan leaves my lips as I kiss down on her neck, pulling as many sweet moans from her as she will let me. 

She moans ‘Theo’ as my hands start to travel under her jumper starting to pull it off of her as I hear my name leave her lips again. God I will never tire of hearing my name leave her sinfully plump lips. “Theodore.” The use of my first name has me pausing at the realization that she has stopped moving completely. Her voice is laced with sadness. I stop my descent down her neck and meet her eyes to find her biting her lip, face flush in nervousness and embarrassment. 

“Oh merlin. I'm so sorry, love. I'm going too fast. I-I got caught up.” I couldn't help myself. The feeling of finally having her in my arms. Being able to kiss her. Hear her beautiful moans. I start to pull away. 

She pushes up on her elbows, with a small smile, linking her hand with mine. “No Theo. Don't be sorry.. It's just..” She goes quiet. I move to lay next to her. She closes her eyes. “I haven’t-- I mean I just--” 

She's never had sex? My eyes knit together in confusion. “You and Adrian never?” She opens her eyes and a stray tear escapes. “No.” She whispers. “He wanted to-- Tried to, many times. But I would have to take my clothes off. The Malfoys and the other Death Eaters have seen my scars.” She pauses, using her free hand to wipe a few straw tears away. “--and the only charm that covers them, wears off during distress.-- Or during immense pleasure.” 

She moves to sit up, her eyes meet mine and she has tears starting to fall within them. “Love, we don't have to. I am lucky you even let me be here with you in the first place.” I squeeze her hand reassuringly. 

How could she think I would care about her scars? She and I both know I have my own that riddle my body. How bad could they honestly be?

“I want to. I-I really do. I'm just scared.”

I sit up and place both of my hands on the side of her face wiping the fallen tears with my thumbs. “You have nothing to be scared of, Mi Tesoro. Nothing you can show me will scare me away. I have seen your scars and you are still the most beautiful witch I have ever laid eyes on.” She winces at the reminder of the circumstances at which I saw her scars. With shaky hands she reaches for the edge of her jumper. Hesitating for a second. “Do you promise?”

“I promise.” I assure, with a slight nod as she starts to pull off her jumper. My breath got stuck in my throat. She stands to undo her skirt but I push off to sit at the end of the bed, and stop her, replacing her hands with my own. I unbutton her skirt, letting it slowly fall to the ground. I take a small step back to fully appreciate this beautiful girl in front of me. She's wearing a pink lace panty set and I feel my cock come back to life. 

“Are you sure you're not part Veela, love?” There's a blush creeping back up onto her face. “Theo.. before I take the charm off.. I need to tell you something.” She pauses, looking down in shame. Her right hand has come up to cover her left forearm. Bile immediately rises within my throat.

She has the mark. 

From my position at the end of the bed, I pull her by the backs of her thighs to stand in between my legs. “When?” I grab her left arm and place a kiss where I know the mark is hidden. “A couple weeks before Draco…” When I look up at her face again, tears are flowing rapidly down her face. 

“I didn't want to do it Theo… P-please believe me. I-I never wanted this.” Her voice breaks as she looks down in shame. “I know, love. It's not your fault.” I sympathize, while lifting her chin to face me. She struggles to hold a sob in, as her sea glass eyes meet mine.  “I’m ready… But I need you to do it for me. I can't--.” 

I nod slightly, in understanding, reaching into my trouser pocket. I get my wand and wordlessly wave it over her. Knowing the charm she speaks up, as I have used it on myself many times when my father has been drinking too much and I look more like my mother.

She takes a deep inhale and steps backwards a foot, so I can see her in all her beauty. 

She has a scar along her left eye, burn marks all along her arms, cuts, some big and some small all along on her thigh and her stomach. My eyes search for the one more prominent one that I saw at the lake, the word ‘pathetic’ stands out among the rest of the scars. Almost as if it was charmed to look as harsh as the day it was carved.

My eyes drift up her stomach and down her left arm. There is the mark. Surrounding it are large healed cuts. With tears in my eyes, they drift to her face. “I tried to get rid of it.”

Who could do such a thing to her? Scare and mutilate her in such a way? Scarlet Johnson is the most selfless person that I have ever met. My heart aches for the blonde girl in front of me. 

“Scarlet. You're the most beautiful witch I have ever seen.” I whisper while wrapping my hands around her thighs and pulling her back into my embrace. Stradling my waist she leans forward and crashes her lips with mine. “Beautiful. Amazing. Kind. Gentle. Mine.” I growl out in between kisses.

I run my hands under her skirt squeezing her arse, as a low moan escapes her lips. “I need you Theo.” she whispers. My cock jerks at the smooth velvet of her pleas. 

Nothing. No dream. Could compare to the woman in my arms now. 

I flip us over and kiss down her neck, on each scar I pass. One by one, I made my way down her stomach and I met with the smell of arousal. Her clothed pussy has a wet spot already forming. I reach over to grab my wand, casting an anti-pregnancy charm. Watching the soft glow on her pelvic bone I throw the wand on the floor. 

“Already so wet for me.” I grin as I kiss each thigh before placing a kiss on her pussy, and I can see her stomach tense. Slowly, I pull her panties down her legs and throw them behind me. Once she is bare for me I lean back on my legs and adire the goodness in front of me. 

“Theo.” She mewls, face flush. “You are the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen.” I lean my head down, “And I cannot wait one more second to taste you.”

Within the first couple of minutes that my tongue is on her pussy I feel her walls clenching. I slip a finger inside her perfect folds and her breath catches. 

Fuck. She's so soft. 

“T-theo.” I curl my finger and slowly pump in and out of her. “Relax Mi Tesoro. I need to get you ready for me.” I add another finger, stretching her walls. I continue to lap at her pussy, as her hands drop to my head and she is pulling at my brown locks. 

“That's love, come for me.” I pump my fingers twice more, and she is shaking around me, coming undone. With a loud moan of my name she is panting, and I continue to lap at her clit as she rides out her orgasm.  

I remove my shirt, and my trousers and lean over her, placing a heated kiss on my lips. I fist my cock as I look into her emerald green eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this Scarlet?” 

She nodes eagerly. “Words, Mi Tesoro.” I feel someone casted a glacius on me as I wait for her response. “Yes, Theo. Please I need you in me.” I am searching her face for any sign of regret, when I find nothing but lust and love in her eyes I slowly thrust in. 

Her pussy is strangling my cock as I slowly bottom out. My eyes are pinched closed in sheer ecstasy, waiting for her to give me the okay to start moving. Once her breathing relaxes, she whispers “Theo, move.” My eyes snap open at her command and I start moving. 

With every thrust in her smooth walls, I feel as if I am coming undone. Scarlet lays below me hair a halo around her head, sweat glistening on her body from her previous orgasm. This right here, has been a recurrent dream of mine since I hit puberty. 

But nothing could come close to the real thing. 

“So good for me, Mi Tesoro.” I groan “You're taking me so well.” My mouth finds her nipple as I slightly bite down, causing her to arch her back in pleasure. “T-theo. Please. F-faster.” 

Her moans go straight to my cock as I let her nipple go with a ‘pop’ and lift her legs up over my shoulders and start pounding into her. Scarlet is a mess of moans incoherently slipping past her plump lips with every thrust. 

“Fuck. Theo. Please don't stop. Fuck, I love you.” 

I can feel my balls tighten as my own climax is near. I slip my hand between us, rubbing her clit. “Come for me, Mi Tesoro. Come all over my cock.” 

After I continue to fuck her through her orgasm, use my cum to paint her walls. “I love you, Mi Tesoro.” I groan as the last of my climax flows through me. 

I lean down next to her. Both of us breathing heavily, both covered in sweat, as I take the sheets and pull them over both of us. I look over to Scarlet and see that her eyes are closed. 

I pull her into my arms. Her head resting on my chest. “Thank you.” She mumbles. Gently, I curl her hair around her ear and place a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re welcome Mi Tesoro. But you don't need to thank me.” 

Scarlet doesn't owe me anything, especially a ‘Thank you’. “For being you. For always being there for me. For loving me.” Her green eyes sparkle in the fire light, as she reaches up and places a soft kiss on my lips. “You don’t need to thank me for that love. If anything, I should be thanking you.” I pull her back on to my chest and whisper into her ear “Get some sleep.” 

After I am sure Scarlet is asleep I take the time to truly admire her.  Her blonde hair is draped around her face, every curve of her body fits perfectly against mine, like she was made for me.

I still cannot believe that this is truly happening. The girl I have been pinning for, for as long as I can remember lays beside me. 

This is it. This is what being at peace feels like. She is my forever. 

Masterlist ATSS Masterlist

ATSS Tag List: @helendeath

[build-a-problem-musical]

Look, it depends on the timeline.

Main: Emma and Celeste wouldn’t. Theo would.

Starless Sky: Celeste and both surviving Gardners would. If Emma were aware of how her death had affected them, she also would.

Stars Restitched: Emma fluctuates. Sometimes she’s simply grateful to have survived and doesn’t feel that she’d undo anything, but other times she’s more bitter about how her past impulsivity changed her so greatly.

would your oc go back in time and change everything if they could?

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

THE EMPRESS OF ALL MALADIES

AsIfYouCouldOutReadMe on AO3

THE GIST: Betrayed by the Order, Hermione is blackmailed into soul bonding with Draco - initiating a fateful chain reaction that will turn the tides of war.

THE STATS: Explicit, dual POV, 148,402 word | 41/43 Chapters WIP

FEATURING: Forced soul bonding, sentient magic, Death Eater Draco, Dark Hermione Granger, Mad Scientist Theo, Spymaster Blaise Zabini, more morally-gray characters than you can shake a stick at, Crookshanks, experimental magic, blood rites, Death Eater political intrigue, and a proper slow SLOW burn E2L (he falls first).

[maimedaffairg]

— get to know theo !

what's your phone wallpaper: my lockscreen issss a really unnerving close up of my dog's old man gray face. then my normal background is steeb rogers holding flowers over his face all shy like !!

last song you listened to: tis the season from the smidgerton soundtrack

currently reading: re-reading a c o t a r !! i'm actually gonna read that one rhys pov fanfiction next.

last movie: i watched the idea of you again today. sue me.

what are you wearing right now?: an ankle length black nightgown bc clothes are hard after surgery

how tall are you?: 5'2" !

piercings / tattoos?: i don't have any piercings bc they always close up but !! i have like 25-26 tattoos !

glasses / contacts: i wore glasses for 27 years but i got lasik last year !!

last thing you ate?: like physical food ? some chili. but i'm drinking a protein shake rn.

favorite color: black is my go-to color , but i love a good maroon

current obsession: mmmmmmmmmmmm i think smacotar still holds this one. or steeb. i fall into a helluva rot every couple of days ansdfk.

do you have a crush right now?: always. i am demisexual so it's always pretty innocent and chill but !! i've had a crush on one of my rp friends for like ... five years. ✨ if you flirt with me even once i guarantee i have a crush on you.

favorite fictional character: steve rogers , lucien vanserra , ella of frell , luc , emma swan , olivia crane , s1 klaus hargreeves , love quinn , emily the corpse bride , nani pelekai , greg serrano , jennifer check , peeta mellark , finnick odair , charlie kelmeckis , aaaaaaand flynn rider. u know what fuck it , bella swan. i love that bitch.

last place you travelled: like ... locally ? the hospital lmao. out of state , i went to florida recentish. i haven't left the country since high school.

tagged by: i just saw shelley do it <3 tagging: @jizzlords , @blitzs , @spidersins , @lornrequiem , @jbbarnes

[dhr-ao3]

The Conspiracy of the Gray

The Conspiracy of the Gray https://ift.tt/DIuAhjP by CRMcCarthy Something dark is stirring at Hogwarts, and not even Maddie’s closest friends can shield her from it. After a summer of upheaval, Maddie returns to school with more questions than answers when Theo Nott shows up at her doorstep in the dead of night, shaken by a secret he’s not ready to share. With Harry Potter now living at Spinner’s End and Draco Malfoy spending more time there than at home, Maddie’s world is far from ordinary. Sirius Black’s escape from Azkaban has shaken the wizarding world, but Maddie and her friends know the truth—he’s innocent. Narcissa Malfoy is determined to clear his name, but Dumbledore’s strange behavior raises more questions. The Dementors stationed at Hogwarts make their presence impossible to ignore, and Maddie finds their effects on her far worse than anyone else’s. Hermione, overwhelmed by her schedule and secrets, only deepens Maddie’s curiosity. When her annual “illness” strikes again, entangling someone else in its wake, the mystery deepens. As darkness tightens its grip on Hogwarts, Maddie must confront fractured truths—and realize the answers she seeks could be more dangerous than she ever imagined. Words: 4905, Chapters: 1/31, Language: English Series: Part 3 of The FiendFyre Diaries Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi Characters: Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Ginny Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Severus Snape, Narcissa Black Malfoy Relationships: Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s), Narcissa Black Malfoy/Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Theodore Nott/Harry Potter Additional Tags: Fix-It of Sorts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Mentor Severus Snape, Good Parent Narcissa Black Malfoy, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, POV Third Person, POV Alternating, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Cheating, No Endgame Couple Cheating, Explicit Sexual Content, Between Adults Only via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/JoBq8sW November 29, 2024 at 01:04AM

[manyfandomocs]

Speak Now [Taylor Swift]

Okay this has been 75% completed in my inbox long enough so I'm not doing the vault tracks as initially planned but! Just lmk if you do wanna see the vaults

also I am apparently so attached to assigning Enchanted to ships I should just do an edit series for couples. And Innocent was so hard to assign

Mine ; Thomas Mayfair (with Brady Mariano @randomestfandoms-ocs ), Ashton Daniels (with Blaine Anderson), Emmeline Fitzherbert (with Mal), Cassidy Fuchs (with Grace Chasity)

Sparks Fly ; Ruby Fitzherbert (with Evie), Natalia Finch (with Obie Bergmann)

Back To December ; Ashton Daniels (with Sam Evans), Sebastian Van Wyck (with Henry, pre-RWRB), Katherine Keller (young with FP Jones)

Speak Now ; Tiffany Holloway (with Max Jägerman), Jasmine Teller (with Jess Mariano), Robin Davidson (with Betsy McDonough), Theodosia Fortescue (with Colin Bridgerton), Sampson Lockhart (with Arabella Kingsley)

Dear John ; Belladonna Callow (with Malachi), Gabriel Legume (with the unnamed ex), Genevieve Sterling (with Hiram Lodge)

Mean ; Felicity Moore, Cassidy Fuchs, CJ Kelly

The Story Of Us ; Genevieve Sterling (with Hiram Lodge), Steve Schuester (with Jesse St James), Serafina Hollander (with Tristan Dugray), Solana Reed (with Val), Carrie Ryan (with Noah Puckerman)

Never Grow Up ; Chloe Brown (with Eloise Sol @randomestfandoms-ocs ), Lottie Tyler (with Rose Tyler), Silas Green (with Hannah Foster)

Enchanted ; Leticia Beaumont (with Colin Bridgerton), Arabella Kingsley (with Sampson Lockhart), Calliope Angelos (with Nora Holleran), Kendall Frost (with Beatrice Mountchristen-Windsor), Cassie Rose (with Annabeth Chase), Vincent James (with Jenny Banks), Tamora Snow (with Lucy Gray Baird), Charles Pond (with Clara Oswald), Odelia Roth (with David Nolan & Odessa Pavlova)

Better Than Revenge ; Gabriel Legume (with Ben, Audrey's POV), Delilah Curdle (@ Betty Cooper), Catalina Cabrera (with Dan Humphrey, Serena's POV), Carrie Ryan (honestly this is just Rachel @ Carrie for all of their shared boyfriends)

Innocent ; Chloe Brown, Ginevra Gothel

Haunted ; Carrie Ryan (with Noah Puckerman), Steve Schuester (with Jesse St James), Wrenley Daring (with Jay), Gabriel Legume (with Harry Hook), Victor Chase (with Billy Loomis), Lorelai Cooper (with Chuck Clayton)

Last Kiss ; Steve Schuester (with Jesse St James), Carrie Ryan (with Sam Evans), Ashton Daniels (with Sam Evans), Thomas Mayfair (with Lane Kim), Tiffany Holloway (with Max Jägerman in most timelines), Catalina Cabrera (with Nate Archibald)

Long Live ; Sage Rowe, Nathan Price, Ashton Daniels, Carrie Ryan, Silas Green, Cassidy Fuchs, Ivy Perkins, Abigail James, Felicity Moore, Zeke Beiste

Ours ; Arabella Kingsley (with Sampson Lockhart), Karina Jimenez (with Brittany Pierce), Felix Dosier (with Finn Hudson), Ashton Daniels (with Blaine Anderson), Gabriel Legume (with Ben), Theo Gleason (with Jess Mariano)

Superman ; Carrie Ryan (with Jesse St James), Silas Green (with Lex Foster), Sebastian Van Wyck (with Henry Hanover-Stuart-Fox, pre RWRB), Katherine Keller (with FP Jones), Madeline Stevens (with Frank Delfino)

Send me an album and, if I know the artist, I will try to associate to every song an oc/ship/crossover

[bubblegump-1-nk]

As She Walks By pt. 4

- summary: Theodore and you are just best friends (or not), but when he finally hooks up with the Hufflepuff girl who’s had a crush on him for years, things may start to change

- based off of the song Heather by Conan Gray (a little bit), set in three perspectives: yours, Theos, and the Hufflepuff girl (an OC I called Althenea Circ). I made you a Gryffindor but if you want to change your house just imagine whatever house I want.

- warnings: insecurity, angst, not really cheating but idk, typos probably, cussing, toxic relationships, kissing(?) (these warnings apply to the upcoming parts so you might not see some of them in some of the parts, if that makes sense) I think that’s all but tell me if you find anything else pls!

- Your POV -

“This way!” I whisper to Hermione, both of us trying to hold in our giggles.

We were running through the corridor trying to find a bathroom, an activity that can be quite hard when drunk.

“I think it’s this way!” Hermione whisper to me, our arms linked together.

We go down a hallway and begin to turn the corner when we hear voices.

“Who is it?” I asked Hermione, who was closer to the noise.

She discreetly turns her head around the corner and sucks in a breath when she sees the culprits.

“What? Who is it?” I ask, interested by her reaction.

“Althenea and Wesley!” She says, looking at me with wide eyes.

“Merlin! Ok, be quiet so we can hear.” I say, and we shuffle closer and get very quiet to be able to hear the conversation.

“I mean why would he even kiss me? I’m not even half as pretty as her. And he thinks I don’t notice how his eyes wander to her whenever she’s in the room and the way he tries so hard to just be close to her or… or to make her laugh! And the worst part is I can’t even hate her because she’s such an angel. But honestly at the same time I kind of hope she gets hit by the Whomping Willow or something!”

Wesley softly giggles at the comment and then says “Look, I know this is hard and I’m sorry that Theodore is annoying, but you are so perfect. And if he can’t see that then he’s twat!”

Althenea stays silent for a moment her sniffles echoing throughout the corridor. Then, she finally says, “No, I’m the twat. For thinking that I could ever have a chance with Theodore when perfect Y/n L/n is running around.”

Hermione and I looked at each other. I had a suspicion she was talking about me but this just confirmed it. The other two girls are silent so I quickly grab Hermione’s hand and say “C’mon!”

She follows me absentmindedly and we walk towards the two girls. When they see us their eyes to wide, and their breath hitches.

“Excuse me, do you know where the nearest bathroom is?” I ask.

Wesley let’s out a breath, thinking I hadn’t heard the conversation and begins to respond but Althenea quickly interrupts her.

“I’m sorry y/n! I really am. I didn’t mean any of that, I just… I’m just angry that Theo doesn’t want to be my boyfriend. And I’m just jealous because he seems to like you.”

I stare at her for a few seconds, not knowing what to say.

“Don’t worry, I understand. But I think it’s best you tell him that, otherwise the three of us will continue hurting.” I say, and after a few beats of silence I leave, dragging Hermione behind me.

-Althenea’s POV-

I walked back into the party, focus only on finding Theo. I had wiped my eyes to the best of my ability but I seemed to be losing the battle against letting my tears out again. After a few quick moments, I found him playing beer pong with a bunch of other guys. I mustered up enough courage to do what I needed to do, and walked up to him.

“Theodore, we need to talk.” I said, loudly enough for him to hear.

He looked surprised at my confidence and quickly nodded before putting his cup down.

“Uh oh, someone’s in trouble.” Said Dean, which caused all the boys to laugh. Theo sent them a look before following me into a corner.

It was quiet for a bit, Theo looked at me expectantly. I just wanted to bask in the last few moments of us. The Theodore Nott and Althenea Circ I wished would happen. The one that never would.

“Well, get on with it.” He said, trying to sound kind.

“I… we’ll I just think we should stop seeing each other.”

His eyebrows shot up and he let out a breath, “Well alright then.” He said trying to hide a smirk.

He began to leave but I put my hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “Wait! I’m not done yet.” He turned around, exasperated.

“Listen. What me and you had it was nothing special, I know that now. But I didn’t then. I thought that we could be something but I was wrong, I can admit that. But can’t you admit that maybe you were wrong to for leading me on?”

He looks at me softly and then says, “Yeah. You’re right. I shouldn’t have led you on. Sorry.”

“Thank you. And I think we both know the reason why we didn’t work out. There might be other reasons but I’d like to think this was the only one. So, for me or for you, it doesn’t matter, but, just please, don’t mess it up with her.” I say, I look into his eyes for one last time and see only confusion. Then I get on my tip toes and give him a kiss on the cheek, the last one, before leaving the party.

- Theo’s POV -

I sat in the fairly empty courtyard on a bench doing my Divinations homework. The sun was shining bright but there was still a light breeze which made the weather bearable. I hadn’t seen much of Althenea since our “break up”, but when we did see each other a small wave or smile was usually given and returned. After that night nothing had really changed, other than my strange relationship, but I had noticed something different between us. We weren’t fighting or anything but I felt a rift. It was small, really small, but I could tell you were pulling away. I was trying everything to stop it, and even more than everything to get my mind off of it. That’s what I was doing now, but reading tea leafs wasn’t helping.

Suddenly a shadow came over my face and I looked up for the reason. It was you. You’re beautiful face. The one person I was truly, 100% sure I loved, my beautiful y/n.

“Teddy, I have to tell you something. And I’ve tried to hold it down but I can’t. I just can’t. So I have to tell you now. Or else I’ll regret it. But you just have to promise me something. If you don’t agree with me please, please promise me we can go back to normal.”

I looked up at you confused and worried. Nothing you could say could make me think of you differently, but either way I nodded and held out my pinkie for your to grab with yours. A smile spread across your face and after we let go of each other you took in a deep breath and wiped your hands on your skirt.

“Ok, um… well before I say anything I just want you to know that I’ve put a lot of thought into this, so it’s not a mistake or anything. I’m sure of it. So well here goes, I love you Theodore. And not in just a friendly way, I mean I really love you. And well, I just had to tell you because I would hate myself if I never told you because there’s always that tiny, tiny chance that you feel the same way.”

My heart dropped.

- Your POV -

I stared at you and you were silent. Completely silent. My heart was beating so fast and so loud I was sure it was going to pop out of me. And I sort of hoped it did because by your lack of response I thought you didn’t feel the same way. After a few more moments of silence, i got my answer. And I couldn’t take it any longer, so I gave you a tight smile and then walked away.

I felt dizzy and my hands were clammy and shaking. My whole body was shaking. I felt like I need to vomit and my eyes were welling up with tears. I was almost to one of the hallways when I felt your grip on my hand. Great. You turned me around so that I was looking directly at you. It was taking everything in me not to cry. You grabbed my other hand and held them up to your chest.

“I-I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me. And I had to take a moment or two or three to realize I wasn’t. Because y/n, I’ve dreamt of this moment for years, and I couldn’t believe it had finally come. And you know why I dreamt of it? Because I love you y/n, more than I ever thought possible.”

I looked into your eyes, and suddenly I was smiling, I was smiling so wide it hurt.

“I love you!” I exclaimed, fore jumping into your arms.

My arms were wrapped around your neck, and yours around my waist. You spun me around as we both laughed before you set me down.

“Can I kiss you now?” You asked, your firm hands holding my cheeks.

“Please.”

Our lips crashed together, and nothing had every felt so right. Your lips were soft and the kiss was tender yet hungry. Our lips moved in a synchronized fashion, as if we were meant to kiss each other. My hands found your neck and I held onto it firmly. As if if we let go of each other we would fall apart. I deepened the kiss and soon our tongues were discovering new parts of each others mouths. After what seemed like ages we had to pull apart, no longer able to ignore the fact that we were out of breath.

We stayed looking at each other, our eyes searching each others faces and our smiles wide. Then you went back in for a second kiss, and just as you did so a cheer was heard.

“Wooohoooo, finally!” The voice said, which caused us to pull apart to find the culprit.

Althenea Circ.

I cant believe I just wrote two parts in one night, I should probably get some sleep. But I hope you enjoyed the ending and this series as a whole! Love ya.

[jadekitty777]

The Emotionalist: Chapter 5

You all thought I forgot, didn’t you?! Well I didn’t! I just... stupidly made this chapter twice the length of the rest lol But it turned out great and I’m so excited!

So here we go, my final entry for FG week! (There was technically a Day 7 entry I had been trying to complete but it remains very unfinished lol)

Prompt for Day 6: Kisses

Rating: T

Word Count: 8K

Summary: Clover Ebi was a huntsman who, like most Atlesian soldiers, hid most of his emotions behind a mask of calm professionalism. That is, unless, one knew where to look. And Qrow looked a lot.

Or, 5 times Qrow learned to read Clover’s mood not from his face, but from his ears. [An adjacent story to Hunting Season Hunting Season; events from Qrow’s POV]

Ao3 Link: Warm Like a Summer’s Rain

~

Icy white sped underneath his wings, stretching out for miles, broken by gray-tinted mountains and fissures that opened into deep canyons. Occasionally, there were small, man-made structures that were meant to be safe outposts for traveling huntsmen on missions. His frozen talons urged him to stop at one, but he ignored it, pushing on just a little further. 

He couldn’t stop until - there!

As he cut between the jagged ridges of one of the mountains, the mine Amity was resting in finally came into view. The top they had spent months building overhead of the once glorious colosseum had sunken in, metal shrapnel and steel beams piercing across the sides of the mine and littering the snow around it. As he flew down into the gaping hole, he could see the interior had fared no better. The scaffolding had been ripped into parts, crushing the former bleachers and the old talk boxes were shattered, equipment and wiring slashed through and pulled out. Well beyond repair without gutting it and starting over. It wasn’t a surprise to see it in shambles, but it still hurt all the same.

He landed on the wall of one of the upper rings, just taking in all the destruction quietly, musing over Theordore’s words from months ago.

“Something doesn’t add up to what you’re saying.” Theo was pacing his office, a somewhat frenzied energy about him. “Why did one of her entourage strike Amity? Why does it matter if we know?” 

“Because she doesn’t want us to come together?” Ruby suggested quietly. But everyone was quiet in comparison to Theodore.

He gestured so widely, a few of them had to duck. “But why? Because of these so-called Gods of ours that she loathes? No - no. Then why get the relics at all! Why risk it?” He paused in the middle of his floor, turned to them. “I think it’s something else. When we get to Atlas, if Amity is broken apart, then I’m certain of it. She’s afraid of us.”

A few of them met eyes. Qrow was the one to finally ask, hope filling him. “When we get there?”

“Well yeah. I ain’t waiting for her to pick us off next.” He smacked a fist in his palm. “We’re taking this fight to her.”

Shaking off the memory, Qrow took off from his perch, gliding into a hallway and ducking into the first open door he could find. He found space among the dust crates to touch down on the heels of his shoes, yanking the door closed just in case there were any Grimm patrols. 

He read the labels on the boxes until he found the one he wanted, yanking open the one marked fire crystals. His numb hands burned with relief as he touched them, all of them emitting warmth. He took out as many as he could grab, finding an empty spot in the room to lay them out around him. Slowly, his shivers grew less as the air around him heated.

It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep.

~

After taking stock of what dust had survived and lodging a count on his phone, he was back in the sky. Night had fallen while he’d slept, and though any other regular corvid would struggle, Qrow’s eyes had been enchanted to become like an owl’s at night. Between that and the moonless night, he practically blended into the environment while in the air.

As he approached the kingdom, he found even if he was closer to the ground, he’d blend in there as well. The tundra was crawling with Grimm to the point he couldn’t even see the land in some spots - though, noticeably, many were not native and he could tell many were suffering in the cold, their movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Yet, whatever army was surrounding the city didn’t compare to the Kingdom itself. The dome-like shield that had been erected to protect the two cities was covered end to end by Grimm. Some had been laying there so long, they were covered in mounds of snow. 

They were keeping the sun out, which wasn’t healthy for the plants - or the people.

He cycled the sky a few more times, picking out as much visual information as he could to take back with him - particularly the massive whale Grimm resting like a cumulonimbus cloud across the southern mountain tops - before he honed in on one of the watchtowers that had been set around Mantle. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the only one left standing.

A sentry in the form of a Nevermore was perched on the angled rooftop, beak tucked into its wing as it slept. Qrow’s landing on the metal bars outside of the communication center was nearly silent and it didn’t stir. He stayed there for several long minutes, chanting an old rhyme from his days of living out in the forest - ‘You don’t see me, I’m not here; You don’t see me, nothing to fear’ - until his heart was calm enough to touch down on the balcony, tip-toeing on socked feet to the entrance. 

He slowly pulled open the door, just enough to slip inside, and shut it behind him with barely a click. There were a few chairs and a communications console against the far wall, the hanging radio implying someone without Atlas’ code of orderliness had used it recently. Someone making bargains. 

He bypassed it entirely, stuffing himself underneath the console to keep out of sight, knees practically touching the top of the desk. Once situated, he tapped the communicator in his ear that Marrow had loaned him, and said as loud as he dared, “Clover? You there?”

It seemed a lifetime before he heard the crackle. “Qrow?!” 

Try as he might, his heart jumped at the sound of that voice he hadn’t heard in three months. He heard the scrape of claws overhead.

“-You okay? Where are-” Clover was continuing on.

“Sssh.” He whispered hurriedly. “Sorry Clubs, not in a good place. You just need to listen.”

He pulled out his scroll, laying it out flat. He then set the communicator by the speaker.

A second later he was a bird again, using his body to shield the scroll from sight. Just in time, as the massive head of the Nevermore peeked into the Watchtower, the beady eye of his Grimm cousin scanning the room for anything unusual. 

Qrow shut his eyes and nestled down further into the shadows of the desk, willing himself to disappear. 

Though it was only minutes, it felt like it eternity before it stopped hopping around to check through the windows. 

In the communicator too soft to be heard, Clover was calling, “Qrow? Qrow?? Stardust, please tell me you’re okay.”

Qrow breathed deeply, making a rattly, clicking noise from deep in his chest - a noise quiet enough not to echo but loud enough to get picked up on.

“I’ll… uh… take that as a yes.”

If he could have, he might have laughed. He lifted off his scroll and tapped it with his beak to start the video he’d pulled up. It was on the lowest volume, practically a murmur, so he picked up the communicator in his beak and set it right over the speaker.

“Hello, this is Professor Theodore. If you’re hearing this, then Qrow made it in range to deliver this message. As I understand it, I should be speaking to Captain Clover Ebi - all of this information I need you to deliver to James Ironwood promptly. We’re on the north side of the continent and will be mobilizing as soon as we know what the current situation is.”

Qrow settled in as the recording continued, eyes falling shut as it droned on. A lot of it was semantics, things about their army size, vehicle force, dust supply, general weapons overview and so on. Even Theo had sounded bored reporting it, more of a man of action than a diplomat.

Yet, he had no doubt Clover was taking dutiful notes if his muted yell of, “Pen, now!” was anything to go by.

He peeked an eye open as it started to wind down, Theo ending with, “If there is anything you wish for Qrow to deliver back to us, speak. He’ll be able to hear. Let James know - let all of Solitas know - that Vacuo is with you. Long live the people of Remnant!”

The message ended and his scroll went dark.

There was a long stretch of silence as the soldier no doubt considered the information he needed to share with their ally.

Then Clover announced, “I love you.”

Qrow squawked. 

He hunkered down immediately after, certain the echo would attract attention, but there was hardly a peep above him. He tapped at the communicator with his beak in annoyance. You stupid, beautiful jerk! Now is not the time to give me a heart attack!

“Don’t take that one back with you, eh?” He was laughing away. “I just… before this all happens, I wanted to tell you.” Qrow froze in his assault. Unhindered, Clover continued adoringly, “I knew it since that last night we had together on the rooftop. And when this is all over, my new mission will be to show that to you every day. If you’ll have me?”

He sat there, overwhelmed with the bold declaration. 

How did they even get here, with how things had left off? With all the things still hanging, left in the rafters to discuss? 

Wasn’t this too fast? 

Too sudden? 

Too likely driven by the tumultuous situation?

Most importantly, why was he sitting here mulling it over, when he already knew what he wanted?

He shut his eyes and sighed through the nares of his beak. 

Then, in the same cadence as before, he gave another rattly click. 

The best yes he could give.

The smile in Clover’s voice told him he understood perfectly, “I’m holding you to that.” Breathed in, breathed out - then suddenly, he was talking with Captain Ebi. “Alright Qrow, this is our current situation.”

He listened carefully to every word, committing it to memory. 

Ten minutes later, he was slipping back out the door, soaring away on silent wings.

~

The first sign of their attack had been the V-formation of a half dozen white Lancers swooping over the eastern mountains at the break of dawn, dropping crates of fire dust across the ridges. The chain of explosions caused a massive avalanche that dropped across the tundra, burying and crushing Grimm underneath the weight. 

Their second sign came when the swarm moved towards the site, a fleet of flyers coming over the western mountains to bury bullets into their backs before flying across the twin cities to release bombs along the dome. Winged Grimm went after them and they scattered.

With a chunk of land free and the skies clearer, the slower moving airships lumbered forward over the north ridge.

The motors and artillery guns shooting out aerial grimm were loud but Qrow’s heart was louder, pumping shots of adrenaline through his system. From the open cockpit, he could hear reports coming from other pilots. 

“Division 2 has deployed!”

“Division 3, deployed!”

“Division 4 has taken damage! Descent is slow, we’re deploying now!”

“Division 5 took an engine hit! We’re off the mark and abandoning ship now!”

He sucked in a sharp breath. Tried not to dwell on Nora murmuring a mantra to herself across from him “Ren’s in 2, Ren’s in 2, Jaune’s in 6, Ren’s in 2” or the way Yang had started to reflexively open and close the safety on her metal arm. Blake was with Ren and other flighty-semblance types that were going to chip away at the Grimm on the northeastern side and Ruby was in Division 3 with the other light and speedy hitters that would take the northwest side. Division 6 was their immobile team, lying low in the mountains for first aid and reloading purposes. But Division 4 and 5 were in charge of center north, with 4 being their semblance specialists like Glynda and Marrow, and Weiss had been in 5 with the dust-focused users.

They were tough. They were fine.

Before his anxiety could spiral, a voice came over the intercom from their own pilot, “Division 1, standby. We’ll be over the dome in t-minus one minute.”

Beside him, he heard a sigh. Then, Tai was cuffing a fist against his shoulder almost playfully. “Ready?”

It was enough to knock some focus back into him. Smirked back at his brother-in-law. “Better question is, are you?”

Tai grinned. “Just try to keep up, old-timer.”

“I’m nine months younger than you!” For a second, he could pretend they were at Beacon again. That this was just a routine mission in the forests around the city, easy and effortless and fun. That this wasn’t just Tai’s old M.O. of cracking jokes, because if people were laughing and smiling, then the Grimm wouldn’t flock as much to them. “Alright!” Theo shouted from the front of the ship, drawing their eyes towards him. Flanking him on either side were Alexandria and Penny, their maidens. “Everyone, gear up! Sooner we get these Grimm off, sooner we get Atlas to join us in the fight. We’re coming down and hitting this dome hard! You hear me?!”

The returning roar of war cries was deafening.

“Good! Drop us!”

The floor opened up underneath them, and suddenly Qrow was weightless.

The maidens took the first strike, blasts of wind and electricity slamming into the center where they were falling, disintegrating Grimm on impact. Sixty huntsmen and huntresses landed in the open space, turned, and sprinted for the enemy. 

Qrow unfurled Harbinger into scythe mode, taking lead as he swiped in a wide arc at a set of charging Sabyrs, knocking them back into the ones behind them.

Ducked at a piercing whistle as a glowing arrow flew overhead, stabbing the chest of one still tumbling back. It exploded on impact, killing the whole lot. Stood and swung left, cleaving the underside of a Boarbatusk’s jaw. Didn’t flinch as Tai dropped into the space at his right to deliver a brutal roundhouse to a leaping Swift Seizer and shoot off another arrow from Devil’s Grin to fell a swooping Griffon.

“Duck!” He ordered and Tai dropped. He swung Harbinger’s handle around his own neck, the report of the shotgun increasing its velocity to mercilessly rip through the encircling Beowulfs. 

They’d been surrounded so quickly. 

But he didn’t think about it, just kept moving with Tai, clearing as much ground and as many Grimm as possible. Faintly, at times, he could hear the others. A report of Yang’s gauntlets. Whoops from Theodore. The mechanical whistle of Penny’s whirling swords. Explosions from Coco.

Anything else got lost under the snarls of Grimm and the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears.

At some point, he took a hit, a Ursa’s swiping paw knocking him clear across the dome. He rolled and charged back into the fray - but he’d lost sight of Tai. Just keep going. Just keep going. 

He switched from scythe to sword and back more times then he could count, littered the bodies of dozens of Grimm with savage efficiency. 

Eventually, he was joined by a different brawler, the strike from Theodore’s red gloves blowing a hole right through a Beringel’s chest. “We’re thinning it! Keep going!”

Even had he had the air, Qrow wouldn’t have bothered to reply.

It was the sudden series of explosions underneath them, strong enough to shake the shield, that had him crying out, “What was that!?” He shot rounds at encroaching Grimm, looking between their feet at the cities below

Huge sections of Atlas and Mantle were on fire.

“James, talk to me! What happened?!” He heard Theo shout into his communicator. Then, a minute later, “The dust factories?! Who the fuck went for those?! Cin-who!?”

Qrow faltered, gun lowering.

There was a factory… right in the slums.

Clover.

A shoulder knocked against him roughly. The Manticore that was about to take off his head snapped around a bo staff instead.

“Focus!!” Tai shouted at him before kneeing the beast right in the throat. 

As it reeled back, Qrow swung Harbinger’s sword with a vicious snarl, lobbing its head right off. His blood burned with rage. “I’m killing all of these bastards right now!”

“Good! Just keep your head!” Tai slammed his staff through the skull of a centinel. Yelled to the man still on the radio behind them “ Theo, you need cover?!” 

The headmaster hopped back from a strike, hit twice as hard back. “James is moving emergency services already. Nothin’ we can do to help ‘till we get this handled - but less Grimm we drop on them, the better!”

“Then let’s get shearing.” Qrow growled menacingly.

Tai spun Devil’s Grin back into bow form, readying for another team strike. “Lead on Trigger.”

~

They all knew the shield would drop eventually.

There was no warning as to when.

One moment Qrow was cutting down a Ravager. 

The next he was plummeting into the streets of Mantle. 

He transformed on instinct, catching himself on wind currents. Grimm dropped past him, unaware. He cycled the sky, spotting Yang to his left, ricocheting to an apartment complex and catching herself on a fire escape. Watched Nora land on the back of a Teryx. Lost sight of Theo dropping between buildings. Saw Tai pummeling his staff into an Ursa, before using its dissolving body to flip off of and land onto a roof. Qrow dropped beside him.

They were both breathing hard.

“Yang’s okay.” Qrow offered, the second he felt he could speak.

Still gasping, Tai just caught his shoulder, squeezing it tightly in gratitude. 

He pat his hand, turning his eyes skyward. The sun was high, implying it was now late morning. Small mantas were roaring above them in complicated patterns as they moved onto the neglected sides to the south, east and west of the cities, shooting out flying Grimm as they went. Larger airships were already descending over the tundra, dropping troops down into the fray. Atlesian Knights were in the streets, shooting down the stragglers that had come down with them. More lined every inch of Mantle’s wall, some of their guns audible from here.

Atlas had rallied, ready to turn the tide of this war.

“Division 1!” Theo’s voice lit up their scrolls, “I’m sending coordinates to your scrolls. Convene on me. The General’s sending a ship to pick us up and we’re going to move south to join the others.”

No sooner did he finish that order, then a bellowing cry echoed across the city, so loud it rattled the windows in their frames. 

Then, the whale lifted off of the eastern mountains, gliding through the sky and descending onto the towers of the tallest skyscrapers in Atlas. It opened its maw and from it spilled black ichor, filling the streets below.

Qrow stared, horrified.

A delayed beep came from his scroll. “Change of plans. Penny? Get Ruby. Everyone else? Let’s move.”

~

Qrow could feel Harbinger’s weight as he sliced it down into a Deathstalker’s thorax. Could feel the burn in his muscles as he lifted it back up. Pushed on regardless, because if he dropped now, he was dead. It felt too soon to stop - silver light had filled the sky only minutes ago, stoning the whale, but so many Grimm had been spewed into the streets, it was as bad as the dome. 

Worse, because there were people down here.

But, they had lost Alexandria, who had gone after Cinder, who had gone after Penny. Without her, they were flagging fast. He was reaching his limit. They all were. Heard report after report of aura flashes, of breaks. Heard cries as people took real, physical damage. One person’s last scream filled the air, joining the others they’d already lost.

Eventually, it became too much, and Theodore started to yell for a retreat before they all got killed.

As they made their way down an alley, his semblance finally decided to rear its head.

“Watch out!” Tai was the one to shout, tackling his own daughter back as an avalanche of rubble came down, avoiding the burial by inches.

Another huntress by the name of Roane jumped but slipped, the snap of her ankle audible. Her shout was piercing. Nora ran to her side.

If that wasn’t bad enough, now split from everyone else on the other side, they had effectively gone from a team of 45 to just 7.

“Get over the top!” Qrow ordered before whirling to face the Grimm that were squeezing their way into the tight space and rushing down the alley. Without room to move his scythe, he shot until he couldn’t, then just sliced at anything getting in range.

Counted down as he heard the others make the jump.

7 and 6 were Roane and Nora, the grenade launcher resonating across the walls.

He almost took a face full of teeth. Instead the Sabyr got a face full of his fist.

5 and 4 were Coco and her quiet teammate he couldn’t remember the name of, parkouring between the rubble and the walls.

He ducked under a swing of beowulf claws, sliced off its legs at the knees.

3 was Yang, her gauntlet blasts unmistakable.

He didn’t quite get up from his crouch in time to miss the strike of a slithering centinel. An arrow pierced its skull before it could ever make contact.

“Qrow come on!” Tai yelled, just before his bo staff smacked the concrete, vaulting him up and over.

And then it was just him. He blasted Harbinger’s shotgun right in a Sulfur Fish’s face, using the momentum to swing himself backwards onto the rocks. He scrambled a bit on his footing, about to leap - when something caught his eye.

A hulking form was charging right for them, its heavy body crushing everything in its way at a lightning pace.

A Nashorn. Hard-plated overtop like a Boarbatusk but five times more dangerous when on the attack.

The rhino would storm right through the rock wall and trample anyone who hadn’t yet made it out.

Qrow didn’t think. 

Didn’t even hesitate. 

Just screamed, “KEEP GOING!” Before he leapt down to intercept.

Raised his sword at the threat, even knowing his aura was on the edge. That his strength wouldn’t be enough. 

Felt like the entire world was ending as it shook under his feet and for a split second, he was somewhere else, clutching onto a light post and pulling the man who lit up his own life into one last kiss.

Heat prickled in the corners of his eyes - he never meant to make that true.

The last of the Grimm’s brethren were pulverized under the Nashorn’s feet and all that was left was Qrow.

He swung Harbinger and braced for impact.

He never connected.

For shining under the sun, a little sliver of silver swung true, winding around the rhino’s horn and hooked on.

Snneck!

The Nashorn forcibly reared up like a horse, exposing its soft underbelly.

Qrow stabbed it right in the heart.

As the large creature faded into bits of ash and dust, it revealed the man standing at the end of the alley, his shadow casting long as if seeking him.

Qrow felt his heart seize in his chest.

Ears up and eyes bright, Clover grinned, giving him a cheeky, two-fingered salute. “Hey Stardust.”

With wet eyes and a wobbly smile, he replied, “Hey Clubs.”

And despite the world actually ending around them, he never felt more whole.

~

War was awful.

There was probably a more profound way of saying it, but as Qrow limped past rows of beds that held the injured, it was all he could think.

Though they’d won, casualties had wracked up. Injuries even moreso, to the point every hospital and anything that could even be considered a medical facility was already filled to the brim - anyone else who wasn’t critical were shoved into emptied warehouses to be pieced back together with hydrogen peroxide and some bandaids. With supplies finite and staff short, it was the best that could be done. As was typical of his life, he got the shortest stick that could be drawn. He was stuck in an air hangar where there was absolutely no heat circulation, his nurse was a kid who looked like she’d barely finished her first semester of medical school, and the ten inch gash on his thigh was going to be completely sewn together without anesthesia.

When he’d been handed the whiskey instead, he downed the thing so fast he didn’t have time to regret it - with his tolerance levels, didn’t do much to help either.

But at least he got to walk out. The same wasn’t going to be true for a lot of others. 

He tried not to focus on that and instead tuned in to the room around him, loud and busy as workers flittered between the injured and loved ones made space to be with one another. Local comms had gone down sometime during the second phase of their attack, everything from earpieces to scrolls useless for getting in contact. While it hadn’t shaken them too much on the battlefield - all of them had leaders to turn to, commanders to guide them - it was the aftermath that was leaving the populace in shambles, families and friends alike desperate to find each other in the chaos.

But Atlas was, as always, a place of order. Even without their tech, they were quick to turn to more manual means of keeping tallies of everyone, lists of the injured, missing and dead being updated round the clock, pulled from recovered licenses and word of mouth.

It was how Ruby and Blake had found him, his niece practically barrelling into him when she saw he only had a mortal wound. They had their own bruises and cuts, the most notable ones the notch in Blake’s right ear and cut along her forehead where a Teryx’s claws had gotten too close and some rather sizable bite marks on Ruby’s shin from a Beowulf. 

But they were alive and it was all Qrow was going to ask for.

From there, they traded off what little they knew of the rest of their party, which amounted to him telling them that Ren had left an hour ago searching for Nora and anyone else he could find and learning Jaune was working in one of the critical care hospitals looking after the most severely injured. They split from there, Ruby and Blake heading to Schnee Manor, hoping they might at least be able to track down Weiss since it seemed the most logical place to station herself to be found, much as she probably loathed it.

As for Qrow, he fought the crowds to look through the updated rosters and discovered, to his immense relief, a new name had shown up.

So now here he was, looking for a familiar face among the sea of people, hoping to spot that unmistakable shade of straw yellow. As he made his way down another row, a shout of his name had him whirling around.

A glint of sunshine was his only warning before he found himself being barrelled down by one of his nieces for the second time that day.

Her bright blond locks were a grungy mess and her mechanical arm was only partially functional, but as she pulled back to look at him, even with the tears brimming her eyes, the smile was unmistakably all Yang. “Saw that ugly mug of yours across the room, old man.”

He made a show of rolling his eyes, even as he valiantly fought his own emotions threatening to spill over. “Good to see you too, Firecracker.”

“Dad’s over this way.” She tugged his elbow and he let her guide him along the far wall to where the last few rows were. 

It was a long enough trek to regain his composure.

Until he saw Tai, then he completely lost it. Unsure why, when he wasn’t even that hurt.

“Gee,” His brother-in-law tried to lighten the mood as he embraced him, patting his back, “I know the costume isn't great, but it’s not worth getting that upset over.”

“Shut up. You don’t get to make jokes.” Qrow blubbered. (Gods since when was he such a crybaby? Maybe quitting alcohol had a more positive effect then he realized.)

Even with his skull wrapped up tight like a mummy, Tai’s corny smile was as telling as ever, “You saying I don’t have the brain left for it?”

He punched him in the shoulder.

It was the weakest blow he’d ever dealt.

After a minute, Yang squeezed her way onto the cot to hug them both, and for a time, Qrow just allowed himself to feel their warmth and the relief in knowing his tiny family was all still with him.

~

Qrow rapped his knuckles against the door of room 7007 for what must have been the eighth time in three days. 

Waited half a minute, then knocked harder.

Nothing.

His shoulders slumped and he flipped out his scroll in vain. As if the signal would have magically appeared despite the fact the local towers were still broken all over the streets of the twin cities. He knew, perhaps, he was being impatient. They had only found Oscar two hours ago, only had word of mouth to tell them James and Winter were alright, and they still hadn’t seen Marrow - or any of the Aceops, for that matter. 

Certainly not the one Qrow was looking for most. Everyone kept checking the rosters ‘round the clock, and every time, someone came back to tell Qrow his name had still not shown up.

Despite that, or maybe because of it, the urge to track down Clover persisted.

He’d tried scouting by air, flying through the districts by day and cycling their old rooftop spot at night. He’d even gone to the slums - but the impoverished district was a horrific sight of leveled homes and burnt rubble. He left it behind, disturbed and weighted by its eerily silence, as if nothing but the ghosts lingered.

So now he just kept coming back here, hoping beyond hope the other man would eventually return to his quarters and the sight of him could finally settle the anxiety and fear that had gripped onto Qrow like a disease. 

A door shutting from another hallway startled him from his heavy thoughts and he sighed, trudging towards the elevators.

He hadn’t yet turned the corner when someone called to him, “Qrow? Is that you?”

He turned around so fast, he almost gave himself whiplash.

“Hot damn, it is you!” Elm’s smile was toothy as she approached, patting him on the shoulder. It was like being pummeled by a small hammer. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Yeah, you too.” He returned the sentiment, shock warming into relief. It didn’t appear the battles had touched her much, which he’d consider amazing, if he hadn’t known who’d been fighting at her side for the majority of it. “You all good?”

She flexed an arm, grinning. “Ready to go another five rounds with the witch herself.”

Qrow snorted. “I’d like to see that.” He rocked a bit on his heels, the anxiety that had been with him for days clawing up his throat and spilling into his words, “And, the rest of the Ops?”

Her hand was warm and reassuring as it rested on his arm, expression shifting to gentle understanding as she said, “Clover’s fine, Qrow. Didn’t even get so much as a scratch.”

And just like that, the weight that had plagued him for nearly seventy-two hours lifted. He’d held it for so long, he almost collapsed to his knees. “Thank you.” He breathed out. Then, like an afterthought, “For the record, I did want to know about Vine and Harriet too.”

“Well, Hare took a spill, busted up her knee a bit and Vine’s got some bumps and bruises, but both of ‘em were doing well enough to take our mandatory time off.” She must of caught his perplexed expression because she clarified, “General’s orders. We’d been at this whole secret war thing for nearly two years now; so he told us to finally take some time to spend with our families.” She laughed. “Never seen the Captain run outta here so fast.”

Wait. That didn’t make sense. “But… the slums? We all saw it go up in flames.”

“Oh, yeah. That.” Elm rolled her shoulders. “General Ironwood kinda predicted the factories might become a target. We pre-evacuated those areas well before the war started.” She paused, then added with an uncomfortable chortle, “But uh, the slums were evacuated days after we landed. Turns out you can’t shake up a buncha rickety buildings and not expect ‘em to go down. Casualties and injuries were pretty minimal though and we were able to relocate everyone within a few hours.”

Qrow took that in, unable to fathom how terrified and frantic Clover must have been when the reports first came in. Had their situations been reversed, he knew he would have been losing his mind. But the news took an additional weight off, the misery he��d felt steeped in finally loosening its jaws on his heart.

He just… wished he could have been here.

“Do you know where he is now?” Qrow asked, urgence and impatience surging anew.

Sensing that, Elm drew out her scroll, only to roll her eyes in remembrance. “Uh, you know where the Carousel Boutique is?” 

He nodded - it was where he’d gone to purchase the clothes the night of his and Clover’s date. 

“Across from it’s a hotel. Dunno which room his folks are in, but if you ask around, you’ll find your way.” 

It was all he needed. “Thanks! Hate to cut and run but, you know.” He shrugged, not really having an excuse for himself. “See you around soon.”

“Yeah. Of course.”

But as he practically sprinted for the elevator hall, her following call made him pause. 

“Ah, Qrow?”

He paused, looking back, foot bouncing with agitation. “Yeah?”

“It’s just, do you, uh.” She started, hesitated, looking uncertain for several long seconds. Then just shook her head and smiled, a bit too wide to be genuine. “Know what? Nevermind. I’ll ask you some other time.”

He tilted his head, confused, but just nodded.

It wasn’t until he was already heading down that he realized she had been trying to ask him about Marrow.

~

Having traveled as much as he had, Qrow had stayed in a lot of hotels and inns. But, it was almost never necessary in the capital cities of the kingdoms, as there was always someone willing to hole him up for free. So he hadn’t really seen many of Atlas’ lodging options.

Regardless, he wasn’t at all surprised to see the grandiose look of the lobby for The Golden Aspire. There were grand, loping arches with heavily decorated pillars, fancy spiraling staircases leading to upper floors, and shiny marble flooring that reflected the enormous center chandelier, twinkling with its thousands of tiny white lights. It was really all par for the course for the upper class. 

What was certainly more shocking was the congregation of Faunus that seemed to take up the majority of the floor - more in that single room than he’d bet the hotel had ever housed in its entire lifetime.

He weaved his way around the crowd, only to find the registration desk was unattended. He sighed, leaning against the tall desk, craning his neck towards the monitor. Considered how possible it’d be to just slip around the other side and dig around for the room assignments himself.

As was becoming much too common anywhere he went, he heard his name in the air, “Qrow!”

He straightened, turning towards the familiar voice, and sighed in relief as he spotted Marrow making his way over, tail going full speed. “Tch, where you been rookie? You’ve been worrying everyone.”

“Ah, have I? Sorry.” He rocked his head back some, indicating the space behind him. 

Qrow peered past, seeing quite the family taking up space of the majority of the furniture on that side of the room, many holding a resemblance to the man before him. He recognized Maxi among them, crocheting the beginnings of a new tapestry. 

“Ran into my cousin while I was looking around and well, my ma’s got quite the iron grip when she wants to.” Marrow rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Hope they aren’t too mad.”

Qrow shrugged one shoulder. It wasn’t like he couldn’t understand. “Ah, forget it. I’ll pass the word around. It’s just good to know you’re alright.”

“Well of course!” He placed his hands on his hips, puffing up his chest proudly. “I am an Aceop, after all.”

“You’re such a-” The word show-off got caught in his throat, the man he normally associated with the title pushing back into the forefront of his mind. “Braggart.” He mumbled instead, all humor gone.

The slip didn’t go unnoticed, though Marrow just seemed exasperated. “You just missed the Captain. Went off to Huntington Garden with Nick’s family not ten minutes ago.”

Qrow grimaced, guilt nipping at how transparent he apparently was. “I, uh…”

“Swear you two are gonna drive me up a wall.” He grumbled under his breath before rolling his eyes overdramatically. “Well? Go get him.”

It was all the permission he needed. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t mention it. Really, don’t!” Marrow shouted the last part after him as Qrow dashed his way through the crowd and back out the sliding doors.

~

In the center of Atlas’ commercial district stood Solitas’ largest garden. Stone pathways carved a simple cross pattern, sectioning the garden into four quadrants with a statue of the planet in the center. Each section was dedicated to a kingdom and the wildlife thrived among their brethren, from Vacuo’s tall palms and reedy sedges surrounding an oasis-like pond to Atlas’ creeping arctic willows basking underneath evergreen pines. Though they were separated, the quadrants still stood alongside each other, neither harming nor encroaching on one another’s territory. This was how the garden’s name, Huntington, came to be. It was a nod to the academies, and the unity of the gardens was meant to represent the unity of huntsmen and huntresses from all walks of life. 

It was also, perhaps, a space in which travelers could find a bit of home, no matter how far it was.

Qrow looked between Vale’s Forever Falls and Emerald Greens to Mistral’s Golden Fans and Pink Clouds, but he didn’t wonder over the nostalgia of each, just bemoaned that they both were more thickly grown then their counterparts. Atlas and Vacuo both were more sparse and open, easy to see across - so he knew by just a glance that Clover was not within either section.

So he took a guess and turned for home.

Small, brick roads weaved him around swaying trees and rippling fountains, through fields of wildflowers and past artfully carved hedges shaped like animals. Ignored most of the majesty in favor of peering into every populated gazebo and passing by every occupied bench, hoping to see a familiar splotch of white among all the green.

The minutes passed into a half hour and he found himself cycling back to the heart of Vale’s quadrant, where the trees opened up to a small meadow meant to function as an eating area.

His injured leg was protesting painfully and, with a grunt, Qrow dropped longwise onto one of the few vacant picnic table benches, scrubbing a hand through his hair as he looked up at the sky, feeling despondent.

Would be just his luck that he’d guessed wrong.

He could still try Mistral’s side, but he wasn’t sure how far he’d get with his injury flaring like it was. Maybe he could duck behind the ivy-entangled lattices and transform? It would certainly give him a better eye on things. He started to move, intending to get back up, only for discomfort to burn along his thigh and, with a hiss, he carefully rested it back down.

Five minutes, then he’d get going.

He rested his cheek against the wood below him, looking from underneath the table at the meadow beyond, eyes drifting aimlessly over the flora. Lavender-shaded heather and bright dandelions were intersped in the perennial grasses, spreading across the field where adults sat among them, speaking in fervent whispers, brows wrinkled and frowns troubled, juxtaposed by their young kids who wrestled and chased one another, not a care to them.

He turned his head the other way, peering towards the meadow’s edge, where red roses grew under the shade of the Forever Falls and white lilies grew underneath the Emerald Greens. It was clear the designer’s intent was to have a perfect symmetry - but time had emboldened nature to take over, the lilies sprouting between the rose bushes, embraced almost protectively within their thorns, and the wilder branches of the Forever Fall were reaching across the space to entangle into the Emerald Green’s.

Between the trunks of the intertwined trees, he took notice of the stone walls that sectioned off another area of the garden, presumably a scenic terrace for those looking for something more private and cozy. The wooden archway that led within was almost hidden behind hanging jasmine spilling across the top and sweeping so low it nearly touched the ground. Like a secret doorway one might find in a fairytale.

Just underneath where the fronds didn’t quite block out, he could see a young girl of maybe six crawling around on her hands and knees, a white and black spotted tail with a floofy end trailing behind her. Obviously deep in some game of make-believe, she was swiping fiercely at the blue boots of an adult kneeling down in front of her, perhaps envisioning he was a monster she was bravely taking down. Valiantly, the adult fought back by batting her with a couple of cattails that must have been pulled from a nearby pond, the cylindrical ends bouncing harmlessly off her head. It made Qrow chuckle, remembering how he used to do the same with Ruby and Yang when they were that age.

Another set of shoes of another adult came into view, the worn leather coming apart at the sole, a fading flowered sundress sweeping around her ankles. Something must have been said, for the little girl looked up at the woman who was likely her mother and, though he couldn’t hear a word, Qrow could see how she lit up, reaching upwards eagerly by whatever was being proposed.

Dainty hands gathered her up, lifting her out of sight. The little girl’s pretend foe rose to join them, arm moving to reveal the sloping end of a notched belt. A glint of silver hanging from it caught the light and drew Qrow’s eye immediately just before it moved out of sight.

Brief as the glimpse was, the shape of the horseshoe was unmistakable.

His heart stopped.

Then, Qrow was shooting up, sprinting across the field in moments, shout tearing from his throat.

“CLOVER!”

He’d just hit the treeline when a gloved hand emerged from the foliage covering the archway, shoving it to the side.

And there he was. 

Framed by a wreath of star jasmine and trifoliate leaves, Clover looked gorgeous.  

Verdigris green eyes swept over him as if they could not believe what they were seeing, raised ears reflecting the shock on his face. But, slowly, as the reality of the moment sunk in, they both shifted, ears coming down but still arched upwards, mimicking the smile now arching his mouth and sparkling in his eyes. So much joy reflected at the mere sight before him.

It took Qrow’s breath away. 

He was only just getting it back when Clover strode forward with purpose, sweeping him up in a hug so tight and warm, Qrow wouldn’t be forgetting it anytime soon. He wound his arms around him in turn, burying his nose in his neck and just breathed him in, emotions swelling in his chest, heat pricking at the edges of his eyes. Felt the stuttering breath against his chest as Clover struggled with the same.

He wasn’t sure how long it took him to find his voice, but when he did, all he managed to murmur was a soft, “Clover…”

Yet it seemed enough to bring Clover to action, the man breathing out sharply, “Gods, Qrow-” He cut himself off. Pulled back so he could hold his face in his hands. Swept fingers delicately through his hair. “Are you okay? I saw you on the roster - but when I went to the bay, you were already gone.” 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just a few stitches.” Qrow rushed to reassure. Then, what he said fully registered, and he started to laugh.

One of Clover’s ears pulled up in exclamation. “What?”

“It’s just - heh. I’ve been looking for you for days. Past hour, I’ve been all over town.” He informed, amused. “Just seems like the beginning of the world’s worst joke: What happens when the luckiest and unluckiest guys alive go looking for each other?” 

Clover blinked, then snorted lightly. The fingers that had continued to sweep through Qrow’s hair slowed, becoming more of a caress. “Maybe…” He leaned down, brushing their foreheads together, offering guilessly, “They find each other at the right time?”

The words gave him pause, considering them for what they really meant. He wondered, had he met Clover years back, how things might have turned out. Would his younger self have been as observant as he was today? As honest? As tolerant? As open to listening, instead of just asserting his own opinions?

The further back he scaled himself, the less and less those answers became a yes, until they weren’t there at all. 

“Guess we did.” Qrow decided finally. 

He knew the man who once started petty, immature fights in courtyards and recklessly drunk himself to oblivion in bars and the man he was now, sober, softer, and more compassionate, would never quite meet again. 

He wouldn’t miss him.

Because that him…

“Clover?”

“Mm?”

“There’s something I meant to tell you, back when I radioed in.” 

“What is it?”

That him would never have even considered to welcome the devotion Clover was so freely giving. 

Would never have even tried to take care of it, the way he wanted to with his whole heart today. 

Would never of even had the guts to say-

“I love you too.”

Caught off guard, Clover only stared, jaw unhinging but wordless from shock.

Qrow smiled up at him. “And I’m going to show you every day too.” His smile turned into a smirk. “If you think you can handle me, I mean.”

That broke the spell. “Oh - you! Come here!”

A hand cupped the back of his neck, dragging him into a kiss that had Qrow seeing stars.

When they parted, he couldn’t help the cheeky, “That a yes?”

Clover leaned in, the playful tug of his hair as thrilling as the whisper in his ear, “You’ll have to handle me first, Stardust.”

“I can do that.” He murmured huskily. Turned his head to kiss him again.

Before it could turn heated, an excited, youthful shout from somewhere in the terrace broke them apart and hitched up Clover’s ears. 

“Unkkie Covvie, hurry! Der are fishies!”

Qrow barely withheld a chuckle, eyebrow raising some. “Unkkie Covvie?”

“Unofficially. Honorary Uncle of three now, actually.” Clover explained, still profusely proud. His left hand skimmed over Qrow’s, offering but not taking. Hesitant, but hopeful. “Would you… like to meet them?”

There was no unwillingness in the way he reached in turn, fingers slipping in between Clover’s securely. “Absolutely.”

That all-over joy was back, Clover positively beaming. 

And with a tug of their joined hands, Qrow allowed himself to be pulled through the doorway and into Clover’s world.

[nerdzzone]

Gaze on the Shore

Summary: As the world starts to reopen, tentatively hoping the worst of the pandemic is behind them, Chris and Whitney face a new set of challenges. With busy work schedules and the pressures of normal life looming on the horizon, will the foundation they’ve built through lockdown be strong enough to keep their relationship steady or will they crack under the strain?

Chris Evans x OFC

18+

Part of the Once Bitten/More Hearts series

Part Three

Note: There is a bit of a POV change in the middle of this chapter, I hope it isn’t too confusing or disruptive! Thank you to everyone who has liked and commented so far, I love hearing what you guys think!

-----

Part Four

“Mom, how many people did you invite to this party?” I asked as Chris returned to the kitchen from his fourth trip unloading groceries from her car. “You do know that we’re still not supposed to have huge gatherings, right?”

“I do know that,” she nodded as she started unpacking the bags. “It won’t be a large gathering. It’s just your dad and I, you, Chris and Gray, Jack, Andrea and Theo and your Uncle Rob and his gang.”

I raised an eyebrow at that claim.

“By ‘his gang’ do you mean ‘everyone he’s ever met’? Because there’s enough food here to feed an army.”

“Oh, you’re so dramatic,” she rolled her eyes. “It looks like more than it is. I figured we’d keep it simple and just have lots of appetizers instead of a big meal and the boxes they come in take up more space. It might not even be enough if I’m being honest.”

“Yeah, it looks like we’re all going to starve.”

There was sarcasm dripping from my words and my mom shot me a glare.

“Is she always like this, Chris?” She asked. “I don’t remember her being so condescending and I don’t know how you put up with it.”

“Hey!” I laughed. “That was mean. I’m not being condescending, I’m being realistic.”

“Children and men eat a lot,” she argued. “Look at the size of Chris, he could probably eat all of this by himself.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” Chris asked with a soft chuckle. “Because I’m not sure that it was.”

“Sounded to me like she’s saying you’re getting chubby,” I informed him teasingly, ignoring my mom’s protests. “Honestly, Mom, it’s been a hard year for everyone, it’s not nice to mention someone’s weight gain like that.”

“That is not what I meant! And it doesn’t appear that he’s gained any weight,” she insisted before shooting him a sly smile. “But, Chris, why don’t you take off your shirt and show us, just to be sure.”

“Mom!” I shrieked in horror as Chris howled with laughter. “That is so beyond inappropriate.”

“He’s a handsome man!” She weakly defended herself. “I may be old and married, but I have eyes, Whitney.”

I shook my head as I laughed in disbelief and crossed the kitchen.

“Let’s get you out of here,” I suggested to Chris, grabbing his arm and tugging him towards the door. “We need to keep you away from her.”

He was still laughing as I dragged him into the hallway and I shook my head as I leaned my forehead into his chest.

“I regret wanting you to get to know my family more,” I decided. “I think it’s time for us to go back to the other side of the country, four days is clearly long enough.”

“Your family is great,” he assured me. “It’s fun seeing you with them and learning where you got your wonderful taste in men.”

I wrinkled my nose in displeasure at that observation.

“I can’t believe my mom thinks you’re hot.”

“I can,” he chuckled. “I do great with women over fifty.”

“Great, so I have the fangirls and the cougars to worry about.”

“I’m afraid so,” he smiled, pulling me close against him. “But luckily, I’ve only got eyes for you.”

“Good,” I smiled, stretching up to kiss him softly. “Do you mind going to find Grayson? I’m suspicious of how quiet him and my dad are being. I’m guessing it’s not because they’re resting like my Dad’s supposed to be and I need to try and convince Mom not to cook all that food.”

Chris chuckled and nodded his head before letting me slip out of his grasp and heading off in search of our son.

-

I lost the battle about just how much food we would need. From my estimation - as I looked over the dining room table that was absolutely covered in food - we would be eating hors d’oeuvres for the foreseeable future, but my mom was so excited that it was hard to criticize her. She always loved hosting a good gettogether, especially if the whole family was going to be there and we hadn’t all been together in so long now that I decided it was best to keep my mouth shut and let her have her moment.

Knowing it would be a very overstimulating afternoon and evening for Grayson with probably a late bedtime, Chris took him upstairs for a nap just after lunch. He hated napping and only really did it when he was feeling particularly tired, but Chris took some books and figured they could at least have some quiet time even if he didn’t actually fall asleep.

They stayed upstairs for a little over an hour and just as they were coming back down there was a commotion outside. Moments later the door opened and all of our guests, who had apparently arrived at the same time, came pouring into the house. There was a flurry of greetings and for once, Grayson seemed a bit overwhelmed. He clung to Chris’ leg, half hiding behind it, but as soon as his eyes landed on my uncle, his whole face lit up.

“It’s you!” He cheered, leaping away from Chris and rushing towards the new, but familiar face. “Hi!”

“Hello!” Robert grinned. “How are you?”

“Good!” Grayson answered. “Why are you here?”

I laughed at his blunt question, but Robert took it in stride.

“I’m here for dinner,” he informed Gray. “We’re having a party!”

“Oh, yeah!”

“You probably don’t remember these guys,” Robert told him, gesturing to the younger two of his own kids who’d come with him. “But these are your cousins.”

He introduced them, the older one looking amused by Grayson’s enthusiasm and the younger one looking a bit concerned, but Grayson was undeterred.

“We have a trampoline!” He told them. “Come see!”

He didn’t wait to see if they were interested before turning and running towards the backdoor, but apparently he’d managed to pique their curiosity as the other two children chased after him.

“Someone’s going to need to supervise that,” my Aunt Susan announced, giving her husband a pointed look.

“I’ll go,” he nodded before turning his attention to me. “But when did you adopt a teenager? That kid is huge compared to the last time I saw him.”

“Don’t remind me,” I smiled, shaking my head. “It’s breaking my heart how fast he’s growing up.”

“Just wait until he starts school and makes you drop him off around the corner,” he teased. “That’s when the real heartbreak starts.”

“That’ll never happen,” I insisted as Chris nodded beside me before adding his own thoughts.

“He’s got cool parents, he’ll never be embarrassed by us.”

My parents and my aunt and uncle all laughed at that claim.

“That’s what every parent thinks,” my dad informed us. “And they’re always wrong.”

I shot him a playful glare, knowing that what he was saying was probably true.

“I don’t need to hear that,” I told him, crossing my arms with a dramatic huff. “Why don’t you go outside and watch the kids? You can take that negativity with you.”

“Alright, alright,” my dad chuckled. “I don’t mind going out to watch the little monsters.”

“You and uncle Rob head out,” my brother suggested. “And Chris and I will grab some beers.”

All the men agreed and quickly set about accomplishing their respective tasks with strict instructions from my mother for my dad to be very careful about his alcohol intake as she reminded him that he’d had surgery not quite a week ago as if he could have forgotten.

As soon as they were gone and the room was less crowded, Andrea put Theo down and, to my delight, he toddled straight over to me. I happily scooped him into my arms and Andrea laughed, shaking her head.

“He’s never going to learn how to walk if you carry him around all the time.”

“He just walked to me, didn’t he?” I smirked. “Seems like he can walk just fine already and I have a year of cuddles to make up for.”

I tickled his belly, earning a squeal of giggles from the little guy just as Chris and Jack walked back through the room with their beverages.

Chris glanced over and shot me a wink as they passed by.

“You’re killin’ me, Winnie!”

I laughed as he followed Jack out of the room without waiting for a response. Almost in unison, the women around me raised a questioning eyebrow at his comment, but I shook my head and shrugged them off, not wanting to start up that conversation.

-

Chris was amazed by how well he fit in with her family. Of course, it helped that he was already so close with her uncle from their time working together on The Avengers, but everyone else had welcomed him with open arms as well. He hadn’t wanted to admit it, but he was nervous that some people in her family - especially her dad - would hold a bit of a grudge about how things had gone down between them, but everyone appeared to be pretty understanding of their complicated situation. There seemed to be no ill will towards him or at least, if there was, they had the decency to keep it to themselves.

A few beers into the evening, he was contemplating those facts as he leaned on the railing of the little back porch, watching Grayson bounce on the trampoline with his cousins. They’d been at it for hours, barely pausing for long enough to eat and digest their food before they went back to bouncing again. He smiled as Gray’s giggles filled his ears when one of the other kids jumped a bit too close to him and sent him even higher than before. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of that sound and he couldn't deny the ache in his heart that throbbed every time he thought about his upcoming busy schedule.

“It’s pretty great, isn’t it?” Robert asked, appearing by his side. “Being a dad.”

“It’s the best,” Chris agreed. “I know it’s been such a dark year, but it’s been one of the best of my life, getting to spend every day with Grayson and Whitney.”

“We saw your official Instagram engagement announcement,” Robert smiled as he leaned on the railing next to his friend. “Susan and I thought it was very sweet.”

“Thanks. Sometimes it’s easier to just put it out there instead of letting everyone speculate and for the most part, people have been very supportive.”

“I’m glad to hear that, you deserve to be happy. I’m glad you two figured it out.”

“It’s not always easy,” Chris acknowledged with a smile. “But we’re working on it.”

“Relationships never are,” Robert wisely reminded him. “And I say this with all the love in the world, but Whitney can be hard work.”

Chris laughed, hanging his head for a moment before looking back at Rob.

“She’d probably say the same about me.”

“That’s true, you both overthink things too much,” Robert teasingly rolled his eyes. “But Whitney can be very self-protective, often in a very self-sabotaging way.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Chris admitted. “But I think we’re in a good place right now. We’re getting better at communicating. The real test will be when I go back to work next week and I’m away a lot more.”

“It’ll take some patience, but I have faith in you two,” Rob assured him before giving him a pointed look. “I stand by what I said before though, if you break her heart, you’ll have me to deal with.”

“Oh, there’s a long list of people who will be right there with you,” Chris informed him with a laugh. “But you won’t need to. She’s it for me. I can’t imagine a life with anyone else and I owe you big time for introducing us.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner, you’re perfect for each other,” Robert patted him on the back. “And that kid of yours is pretty special.”

A proud grin instantly slid onto Chris’ face.

“He is, isn’t he? We got lucky.”

“I don’t think it’s all luck,” Robert insisted. “He’s respectful, kind and considerate and I think those are things he’s learned from you and Whitney. You might both be idiots in some ways, but you know how to raise a good kid.”

Before Chris had time to comment, a voice from the doorway drew their attention.

“Who’s an idiot?”

The smile on Whitney’s face told them that she already had a pretty good idea who they were talking about as she walked over to join them.

“You and Chris,” Robert confirmed with a smirk. “But I was just saying that despite that, you’ve done a great job with Grayson.”

Whitney laughed as a shiver ran through her from the cool night air. Without a thought, Chris moved closer and tucked her under his arm for warmth.

“I’m not sure if I should say thank you or be insulted,” she mused. “But we can’t take much credit for Gray. I think he’d be a good kid even if we tried to actively discourage it.”

“He has his moments though,” Chris smiled. “He can throw quite a tantrum if you catch him in the wrong mood.”

“I don’t believe it,” Robert shook his head. “I’ve seen absolutely no evidence that he’s anything, but an angel.”

“You just wait. As soon as he starts getting tired, the other side will come out.”

Whitney laughed at Chris’ warning and nodded in agreement.

“He’s like Bruce Banner,” she teased. “Once all the sugar he’s had wears off, his hulk side will come out.”

Robert smiled at the comparison, but shook his head.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Well let’s hope you don’t have to,” Chris joked as the kids stopped their bouncing and ran over to the adults on the porch.

“Daa-ad,” Robert’s son called in a sing-song tone. “Can we have dessert now?”

“Dessert?!” Robert gasped. “We thought you didn’t want any and ate it all already!”

All three faces fell at that news, but as Grayson’s lip quivered, Whitney ended their suffering.

“He’s just being mean!” She assured them. “There’s still plenty of food and dessert for everyone.”

There was a chorus of cheers before the kids stampeded towards the house. Whitney followed after them, playfully shoving her uncle on her way by.

“You almost made Gray cry!”

He shrugged at her scolding, a smirk on his face.

“I was just trying to bring out the hulk.”

She rolled her eyes and continued back towards the door as the sound of the two men’s laughter followed her.

-

After an afternoon and evening spent eating mountains of food and drinking an abundance of drinks, I was in a wonderful mood. Slightly because of the alcohol, but more so because of how heart-warming it was to see my new little family of Chris and Grayson bonding with the rest of my family. They fit in so well and it was amazing to have most of the people that I cared about in one room at the same time after being apart for so long.

Chris was also in a wonderful mood, but I had a sneaking suspicion that his mood was much more influenced by the alcohol. I knew he’d had a good day, especially having time to reconnect with my uncle, but he was definitely much more intoxicated than I was. Not nearly as far gone as my brother - who was looking very sloppy by the time my sister-in-law dragged him out the door - but as he got louder, goofier and more physically affectionate with me throughout the evening, it became obvious that he was feeling the effects of the many beers he’d had.

It was even more apparent when he stumbled into the bedroom we were sleeping in later that night.

I was lounging on the bed waiting for him to finish brushing his teeth in the bathroom across the hall and when he appeared, the cheeky grin on his face put a smile on my own.

“I put some water for you next to the bed,” I told him. “I thought you might need it in the morning.”

“Why ever would you say that?”

“Because I have a feeling that you might be a teeny tiny bit drunk.”

“Me?” He gasped. “I’m totally fine.”

He drew out the ‘i’ in the word in an attempt to emphasize his point, but it had the opposite affect and earned a giggle from me.

“You’re a goof,” I told him. “Take off your jeans and come get some sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He saluted me before turning around and unbuckling his jeans. In the most sultry way he could muster, he slid his jeans down his legs and popped his hip as he looked back at me over his shoulder. I snorted a laugh at his attempted strip tease and shook my head.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously sexy,” he clarified as he walked over to the bed and slowly crawled over me until I was laying back against the pillows. “Right?”

“I can’t deny that,” I relented, sliding my arms around his neck as he hovered over me. “But also, just plain ridiculous too.”

“I’ll take it.”

His words were mumbled as his lips dipped to brush over mine before leaning in for a kiss. It was slightly sloppier than the usual kisses we shared - no doubt due to Chris’ intoxication - but it was passionate nonetheless and I found myself disappointed when he pulled back to bury his head into my neck

“Winnie,” he groaned against my skin. “We need to talk.”

The phrase usually would have sent a flash of panic through me, but there was a playfulness to his voice that had me more curious than I was anxious.

“Do we? About what?”

He was quiet for a moment, his breath tickling my neck before he spoke.

“I want another baby,” he informed me, his announcement coming out in a slightly whiny tone. “I really, really do.”

I laughed, moving my hand up to the back of his head to affectionately run my fingers through his hair.

“I know you do, you’ve made your thoughts on us growing our family very clear.”

“No, but I really want one,” he pleaded. “Seeing you with Theo has made it all so much more real. You’re a natural, Win. I’m ready to have another one of our own.”

He’d taken on a more serious tone and it filled me with a strange feeling - one of eagerness and anxiety.

“We will, Chris. One day.”

I’d hoped that my assurance would squash the discussion for the time being, but it seemed to just make him dig his heels in even more.

“No,” he whined. “Not one day, now. We could do it right now.”

He pressed his hips against mine to emphasize his point and while the sensation was very enjoyable, I still shook my head and stayed firm.

“We can’t make decisions like that on a whim and especially not while you’re drunk.”

At that point he pulled his head back from where it was nestled against my neck and looked me in the eye, his seriousness clearly returning.

“It’s not a whim, I think about it all the time,” he insisted. “I want a big family and I want us to experience it all together, as a team. I missed so much last time with my filming schedule and then you moved out and we started sharin’ time. I want to do it all together.”

His words were so sincere and said with such conviction that it did tug on my heartstrings, but even as I affectionately grazed my nails across the back of his neck and he nuzzled against my jaw, I resisted.

“I know what you mean, I’m looking forward to it too,” I agreed. “But there’s more to discuss before we leap in.”

It was something that we’d have several discussions about over the last few months. Chris had never been as determined as he was currently, but he’d made his desire to grow our family abundantly clear. I’d explained my hesitations to him and he was always understanding because my concerns were perfectly valid, but it was becoming increasingly clear that he considered the benefits to outweigh the potential stress it could cause. 

He demonstrated his growing impatience with a dramatic sigh and I smiled at his little sulk, but the words that left his mouth next turned that smile quickly into a frown.

“Are you saying no because you still think we’re gonna break up?”

“What? No!” I squirmed and wiggled until I could slide out from underneath him. He flopped onto his back as I sat up and looked down at him so I could make sure he was listening and taking in what I was about to say. “Things are good for us right now, Chris. I feel like we’re really solid and working well together even when we have hiccups. I feel like we’re more secure now than ever.”

“So, isn’t it the perfect time for another baby then?”

“Maybe,” I shrugged. “But we should talk about it, work out all the logistics and make a well thought out decision, not just leap into it because you’ve had a few beers and are feeling broody from seeing me with a baby.”

Chris stared at me for a moment before his cheeky smile slid back onto his face.

“Fine,” he relented, tugging my arm until I was laying down again, facing him. “But I’ll hold you to that ‘maybe’.”

“It was ‘maybe you’re right’ not ‘maybe we should’,” I warned him. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

He giggled and shook his head before pulling me in for a quick kiss.

“No take backs,” he teased. “You’ve said it now!”

“Oh, Chris,” I laughed, snuggling in close against him. “I love you. We can talk about it more tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He placed a kiss on the top of my head before leaning back just enough to turn the off the lamp on the bed side table next to him. Once it was dark, he squeezed me tightly against back against his chest and almost immediately fell asleep.

-

Despite the fact that Chris’ enthusiastic plea for a baby had started the wheels turning in my brain, we didn’t actually talk about it the next day because we simply didn’t have time.

I was unbelievably grateful to see my parents again and I was more than happy to stay with them while my dad got settled back in at home and my mom had a chance to calm down from the ordeal of his heart attack, but now that Chris had organized his house, it was time for us to go. We still planned to see my parents as often as possible, but we needed our own space and I wanted Grayson to get settled into the place that would be our home for the next few months. Chris was feeling a little rough that morning and had slept in so by the time he was up and ready, we started packing and headed off to our new home.

The complications hit when we were about halfway there. Chris’ phone rang and I answered since he was driving, but the news was fairly disappointing. We’d ordered a new bed for Grayson that was supposed to be delivered late that afternoon and it had somehow gotten lost. The delivery company were very apologetic and promised it would be delivered the next day, but as Chris had already removed the old bed from the room, it left us a bit stuck.

“I guess he could just sleep with us,” I suggested with a shrug. “He’s little, he’ll fit in your king sized bed.”

“Our king sized bed,” Chris corrected with a pointed look before glancing in the rearview mirror to see if Grayson was paying attention. “But I have a better idea if you’re up for it.”

“Go on…” I prompted, curious about what he would suggest.

“Why don’t we have a little slumber party in the living room? The couch is big enough for us all to sleep on or we can pull the cushions off and watch a movie. It’ll be like a little celebration to get him used to the new place, make it feel like home.”

A smile slid onto my face as he glanced at me hopefully.

“That sounds like a great idea,” I agreed. “Would you like that, Gray? Should we all sleep in the living room tonight? Have a little slumber party?”

“Yeah!” He cheered. “With pizza?!”

We laughed at his priorities, but I nodded my head.

“I think we could arrange that!”

Grayson let out another cheer of approval and it warmed my heart. He’d been so great all week - well, really, the entire last year - adapting to all the changes that we constantly threw at him. He had his moments, but for the most part he took everything in stride and was so easy going. I was grateful to him for not making things even more difficult for us and it would be nice to have a little party with just the three of us to make him feel special and show our appreciation in some small way.

A few hours later, after doing some unpacking of our suitcases and sending Chris out to pick up the pizza, we were all sitting on the floor on top of the cushions that we’d pulled off the couch, trying to decide on a movie.

“What about The Little Mermaid?” Chris suggested, shooting Grayson a look as he knew he didn’t have much interest in it.

Right on cue, Grayson pulled a face and came very close to rolling his eyes as he looked at me.

“That’s Daddy’s favourite,” he told me. “But I don’t wike it.”

“It’s one of my favourites,” Chris corrected him. “And you might like it if you gave it a chance, you’ve never even seen it.”

“Yes, I did,” Grayson argued. “It’s boring!”

Chris gasped dramatically, earning a smirk from Gray.

“Alright, you two, stop bickering,” I smiled. “I’m sure we can think of something that we’ll all enjoy.”

“What about…” Chris made a thoughtful face as he took a bite of his pizza with Gray eagerly awaiting his next suggestion. “Monsters Inc?”

“Ooh, that’s a good one,” I nodded. “Have you seen that one, Gray?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Is it scary?”

“Well, there are monsters,” Chris informed him. “But they’re nice monsters. They just scare children because they use their screams as electricity.”

His description, while it was supposed to be reassuring, made it sound a little bit scarier than it was and Grayson’s eyes widened as a rather appalled look came onto his face.

“No, thank you.”

Chris laughed at his polite refusal, but after another moment of thought, he shot me a smirk.

“What about The Good Dinosaur?”

Grayson gasped, his whole face lighting up.

“Yes! Yes! That one!”

He frantically looked between us, waiting for one of us to disagree. Chris was watching me closely as well, but as much as I didn’t want to watch a movie that I knew would make me cry, I couldn’t bear to damper the excitement on Gray’s face.

“That’s fine with me!”

I smiled at Grayson as he let out another little cheer and turned his attention back to his food. Once he wasn’t looking, I stuck my tongue out at Chris as he chuckled and pulled the movie up on the TV.

-

I managed to hold it together through the first half of the movie. I could feel Chris watching me, waiting for me to shed a tear, but it only made me more determined not to. It wasn’t until the little dinosaur had to say goodbye to his new friend that I let a few tears slip. I almost got away with it as Chris and Grayson were too engrossed in the movie to notice, but when I sniffled quietly, Chris’ gaze shot over to me.

“Awwe, Win! Don’t cry.”

That comment caught Grayson’s attention and he spun around to look at me too. However, his reaction was quite a contrast to Chris’ as worry covered his face.

“Mama, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, buddy,” I assured him with a smile. “The movie just made me kinda sad.”

“But…” Grayson paused as his brow furrowed in confusion. “They found their families.”

“They did, but they had to say goodbye to each other and that made me a little sad.”

He frowned at that admission and crawled into my lap. Mimicking the way I always pulled my sleeve over my hand to wipe away his tears when there were no tissues handy, he did the same for me before wrapping his arms around my neck and squeezing me tight.

“It’s okay, Mama,” he comforted me. “Don’t cry.”

I squeezed him back as tight as I could without hurting him, fighting back more tears at his kind gesture. A quick glance at Chris told me that he was doing the same and I was overwhelmed with love for the child in my arms and for our little family.

Once the movie was finished, I took Grayson to brush his teeth while Chris did the dishes before we all settled back on our little improvised bed for a story. Grayson snuggled up against me while Chris read to him and by the time the story was done, he was fast asleep.

“He needs a haircut,” Chris observed as he watched me smooth his hair back and out of his face. “It’s getting long.”

“I can give it a shot. Maybe I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“I don’t think so,” Chris chuckled. “He told me once that your mom said you’re never allowed to cut his hair again.”

“That was so long ago,” I smiled. “And it was one bad haircut when he was, like, barely two years old. I might have improved since then.”

“Oh?” Chris smirked. “Have you been practicing?”

“No,” I admitted. “But I’m sure it would be fine.”

Chris laughed softly and shook his head.

“We can find a professional.”

“Alright, if you insist,” I playfully rolled my eyes as Grayson sighed in his sleep and snuggled even closer. “Gosh, he’s so sweet, isn’t he?”

“He really is,” Chris agreed. “He’s adjusted to all these changes so well, it blows me away. He doesn’t let anything rattle him.”

“He’s a little trooper.”

I smiled down at him and we stayed like that just appreciating the quiet moment. After I let out a yawn, Chris shifted his gaze back to me.

“Slide him over here,” he instructed. “I’ll sleep out here with him and you can have the bed.”

I thought about it for a minute, but shook my head.

“I’ll stay out here with you guys,” I insisted. “It’s comfortable and it’s nice being all snuggled up together.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” I smiled. “Just help me lay him down so he doesn’t hurt his neck.”

Chris nodded and gently slid Grayson away from my side until his head was resting on the pillow that was between Chris and I. Once he was all settled, Chris leaned over him and cupped my cheek to pull me in for a kiss.

“I love you,” he mumbled against my lips when we parted. “I’m glad you guys are here.”

“Me too. It would have been awful without you around for so long.”

Chris nodded in agreement before slipping his hand from my cheek and shifting to lay down. I did the same and Chris pulled the blanket over all three of us as I drifted off, enjoying the sensation of being curled up in our little cocoon.

-

Part Five

Tags:  @maggotzombie @moonlacebeam @mizzzpink @zaylaugh @flowery-mess @flowerjewels @njrronaldo7 @hockeychick10 @partypoison00 @theladybiers @sidepieces @firoozehmoon @patzammit @sparkledfirecracker @mytbel0st @chvntelle-99 @mjey12 @denisemarieangelina @elrw24 @findthebeautyinbreakdowns @trottae17​

[asifyoucouldoutreadme]

I have an entire doc of smut for this fic - I’m just waiting for these angry kids to stop fighting the magic and f**k 🙄 So here’s a little teaser for what’s coming up now that Hermione and Draco are officially soul-bound.

The Empress of all Maladies by AsIfYouCouldOutReadMe on AO3

THE STATS: Explicit, dual POV, 102,988 word WIP - posts every 7-10 days

THE GIST: The one with a dying Death Eater Draco who blackmails Hermione (fresh from 5 years w/o magic in witness protection) into soul bonding with him to heal damage from dark magic.

FEATURING: Forced soul bonding, sentient magic, Death Eater Draco, Dark Hermione Granger, Mad Scientist Theo, Spymaster Blaise Zabini, more morally-gray characters than you can shake a stick at, Crookshanks, experimental magic, blood rites, Death Eater political intrigue, and a proper slow SLOW burn E2L (he falls first).

THE VIBES: Gothic horror wartime AU roughly inspired by Frankenstein/Bride of Frankenstein and Jane Eyre.

[dramioneasks]

HP FESTS: For The Love of Fests (Part 1)

Love at Second Sight January 2021:

Second Time's the Charm by floorcoaster - T, one-shot - The first time Hermione sees Draco Malfoy again, she's in for a surprise.

Influence by Misdemeanor1331 - G, one-shot - Draco and Hermione bump into each other at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. Draco thinks it’s a chance encounter. Hermione knows it’s anything but.

The Love Boat by Seakays - T, one-shot - Hermione Granger and her two best friends are embarking on a week long "Divorced Magicals" Cruise. Hermione took advantage of the Cruise's pre cruise chat room, where she met Scorly1203. After six months of texting, she has agreed to meet him on the first day of the cruise. Could she really find a second chance at love on the Lido Deck?

Second Time Lucky by rennaissance_woman - not rated, one-shot - During a trip to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, what do you do when presented with a second chance?

In Vino Veritas by beautyberry - M, one-shot - "Granger?" he asked disbelievingly. "Malfoy?" she asked, "What are you doing here?" Rated M for mentions of sex.

The Art of Second Chances by Blessedindeed - not rated, one-shot - A chance encounter at the museum brings up unresolved feelings

What Lies Beyond the Light by SlytherinHermione - M, one-shot - The thing about prisons is that it tends to change a you. The person you were when you went in, will not be the person that comes out. Sometimes for the better, oftentimes for the worst. For Draco Malfoy, the scales were tipped when a certain lawyer forced themselves onto his case with the start of one letter. A letter that turned into the type of correspondence where you end up baring your soul to a stranger. A stranger that ends up knowing every little part of you, from the darkest corners, to the sunniest fields - while barely knowing you at all. But then again, Hermione Granger was never really a stranger to begin with.

Silly Love Songs February 2021:

This Beauty By My Side by Amarillis39 - M, one-shot - My entry to the Silly Love Songs Fest. ____ "But as he watched her glide through the crowd, he decided he would take every second she would give him. Worthy or not, he was still a selfish git." ___ It's another stuffy gala at the Ministry and Draco is overcome with conflicting feelings as he watches Hermione in her element.

The Light That You Shine by SlytherinHermione - M, one-shot - Draco was adrift. All around him was an endless, unforgiving ocean, dull and grey in colour.  The waves kept crashing in on him. Back and forth, back and forth. Sometimes he felt like he’d been cursed to remain like a graying tower, alone on the sea. This all changed on a random cold winter day and a bright light. Because what followed the light was as unexplainable as the feeling of calm that suddenly enveloped him. He felt a twinge of something that he couldn’t explain. On the other side of the sidewalk stood Hermione Granger, more beautiful than he could remember, locking eyes with him for a second, as if she herself was caught with him inside of this time bubble filled with light and large, fluffy snowflakes. And with a blink of an eye, she walked the other way, as if this was just another Monday. As if she hadn’t just turned Draco's world up-side down. The tumultuous oceans that surrounded his untethered soul were full of waves, but now of a different kind.

Discord by Lostinthenightrain - T, one-shot - “I’ve seen your darkest, and it doesn’t scare me. You’ve become something so much more.” She placed a gentle kiss on his jaw. “I love you, dark and all.”

Time to Spare by Willowfairy - M, one-shot - Draco gets drunk enough to finally tell Hermione how he really feels, and once he starts talking he finds it impossible to stop.

Sometimes When We Touch by sodamnrad - T, one-shot - What if Hermione and Draco were dating when he took the Dark Mark? Submission for the Silly Loves Songs Mini-Fest One shot | Draco's POV | Sixth Year

To Be With You by Blessedindeed - not rated, one-shot - Her ability to show forgiveness intrigues him. Draco finds he has a soft spot for Hermione.

Masquerade March 2021:

Punch Line by tygermine - E, one-shot - Hermione seems to hide behind multiple masks.Draco wants to remove them all.

A Deadly Dance by MykEsprit - T, one-shot - An unexpected guest arrives at the ball. Dramione.

Ask it of Me by WritingFicariously - T, one-shot - Hermione has always had the ability to chase away demons, the darkness that twists his mind into believing he is not good, never enough. She sees and knows every part of him. But Draco has always kept one thing from her, one secret that he never dared say aloud. Until he did.

A Masquerade of Body and Soul by Annav94 - M, one-shot - She’s here to escape the reality, to break the rules. She is here to break the rules because all rules have only given her, is false hope. She turns her head and her eyes meet his. He’s there for the catch of the night. And while he finds himself smirking, smiling at the unforeseen turn of event, he wonders if truly Hermione Granger is flirting in a room full of witnesses with none other than himself - the infamous Draco Malfoy.

Imbolc by CosmicCthulhu - G, one-shot - Hermione celebrates the beginning of spring for the first time, years after the war. She's not the only one who wants a fresh start.

Suit Up by calico_kitten - M, 2 chapters - Gawain Robards has cooked up a new idea for the Departmental Hallowe'en Ball: comic book hero disguises!

This Mask I Wear by SlytherinHermione  - T, one-shot - This mask I wear feels cool on my skin. I slip it on, and the act is ready to begin.Safety. Protection. Freedom.

Lover of Fiction April 2021:

3 Words, 8 Letters by sodamnrad - T, 2 chapters - “Do you like me?” Draco’s flitty looks, his tart remarks about her feelings for Blaise, the way he’s following her around instead of chasing an eligible witch who isn’t pining over his friend is extremely telling.“Define like.”Her mouth unhinges. No effing way. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”“How do you think I feel?” He glares at her. “I haven’t slept. I feel sick like there’s something in my stomach, fluttering.” He presses a hand against his belly, as if he’s experiencing the sensation at this very moment.“Butterflies?” she deadpans. “No. No, no, no this cannot be happening.”“No one is more surprised or ashamed than I am.” He gestures to himself, lifting his chin tersely.“Draco, you know that I adore all of Earth’s creatures and the metaphors that they inspire,” she says as her hand forms a crushing fist, “but the butterflies have got to be murdered.”---Draco & Hermione: Their Story (2000s TV Drama Style)Dual POV | 2 Shot | Idiots in Love

The Ambition by In_Dreams - M, one-shot - After ten years at sea, Captain Hermione Granger has a ship and a crew of her own. But one of her new crew mates is a blacksmith from her past. Dramione Pirates AU.

Jitters by TheMourningMadam - M, one-shot - This was written for the Lovers of Fiction mini fest for April. Thank you to QuinTalon for being a gracious host in this fest.My prompt was Jamie and Claire Fraser from Outlander. If you have never seen Outlander, why not? You at least need to watch their first time to see some hot and bewildered Jamie. This is a tiny snapshot into what would be a much larger story, so please take it at face value.Also, I finished this story right at the wire, so didn't have time for a beta. All mistakes are obviously my own and I apologize. Bold sentences are word for word from the tv show.

I Meant Something Like That by CharliPetidei - M, WIP - “You know what’s funny?” said Hermione, crossing her ankles and leaning forwards on the slightly peeling leather sofa. “When I first saw your advert online… I thought you were Hufflepuffs.” The three men opposite her exchanged glances, and then the tall, platinum blond one (it had to be dyed, right?) with the funny name leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. Draco, that was it. “You thought we were what?” A New Girl Dramione AU.

The One Where Everyone Finds Out - Dramione Edition by Annav94 - T, WIP - Don’t we all know what happened when Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler in season 5 of Friends? Well, what would then happen if it was Draco and Hermione to be discovered by Pansy? Would then Theo try to calm her down, in the hope that she would stop screaming so his boyfriend (Harry bloody Potter, of all people) would be prevented from finding out about them is such crude way? And would Blaise go along with the scheme the two Slytherins would come up with to push the new couple to expose itself or will he be done with all the ‘pretending’ of not knowing, when he knew all along?Stay with me on this journey called: ‘The One Where Everyone Finds Out - Dramione Edition’.

The Dragon's Moving Castle by SlytherinHermione - T, WIP - Hermione Granger had accepted that her life wasn't going to be a great big adventure.She wasn't particularly beautiful, or interesting, and she hadn't been born with magic like her sisters. Really, she was just as plain as could be.One day though, a castle was seen rolling around the hills near her town.Not long after, she met a strange, handsome, and mysterious man.And she was cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Wasteland.Perhaps life was an adventure after all.

Lanky Brunettes with Wicked Jaws by Lostinthenightrain - M, one-shot - “You’ve got types?”“Only you darling.” He put his hand under her chin and brought her around to face him. He pulled her close with his arm held tight against her.  His head to the side of her own, he grinned. “Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.” A gentle kiss placed against her jaw. She smiled, a blush prettying her cheeks as she pulled back.

Reader, I Married Him by Lostinthenightrain - T, one-shot - “Why must you?” he questioned as he pulled himself forward, using the rough pads of his fingers he gently touched under her chin, dragging her gaze to his own. “You know why!” She wrenched her chin from his grasp. “You are to be married, Malfoy.”

This fest is ongoing.

[dhr-ao3]

Babyteeth

Babyteeth https://ift.tt/4pehJfO by aerulina Hermione and Draco are broken. Maybe they can pick up the lost pieces of each other. HBP ©aerulina / I don’t own any of these characters or any aspects of this world. Words: 3567, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/M Characters: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Harry Potter, Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Padma Patil Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: dramione - Freeform, durmstrang draco but only for a year, hermione is a little morally gray in this fic, Draco is fucked up, let’s clap for theo and hermione friendship, pansy parkinson and hermione granger are bamfs, pansy and hermione are bsfs, Neville is a sweetheart, Ron Weasley Bashing, it’s not a dramione fic without hating ron a little, blaise is an indifferent bitch but we love him, kinda sad like rlly sad, it’s a hea bc i can’t handle non-hea’s, Dramione endgame, Possessive Draco Malfoy, Jealous Draco Malfoy, POV Third Person, Angst, Fluff, Mutual Pining, lucius is so obsessed with narcissa it’s crazy via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/caZrEql August 03, 2023 at 03:51AM

[minutiaewritings]

What am I now? ⋆ Draco Malfoy

A/N- So this is part two to but ‘i knew you’. I was gonna use the rest of the song, ‘cardigan’ by taylor swift. However, while I was showering ‘falling’ by harry styles came on and i got this brilliant idea. This part is in Draco’s pov too:) 

part one- but i knew you

I'm in my bed And you're not here And there's no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands Forget what I said It's not what I meant And I can't take it back I can't unpack the baggage you left

Draco lied in his bed, staring lazily at the ceiling. There was a party happening in the room of requirements, hosted by the Slytherin house. It was a celebration for winning the quidditch match against Ravenclaw. It was a hard game, so a celebration was in order. Draco could imagine the music pulsing through the room, drunk teens dancing awfully as they rode out their hormone fueled dreams. Draco was much more content with laying in his room, enjoying the rare silence. 

It had been a few months since the start of his 7th year. The war was over, his father was in Azkaban and he was sure to stay there for a while. Draco’s mom had changed, slowly but surely. Over the last summer, Draco had spent his time alone in the large mansion of Malfoy manner. Draco remembered how his mom no longer sat in her favorite lounge, reading one of her disgustingly girly magazines. Instead most of the time, he found her curled up in her bed. Sometimes he could hear her sniffling, choking back tears but mostly he found her sleeping soundly. 

Draco had changed too, he didn’t care for the rivalry of the Hogwarts houses, he didn’t care about teasing potter and his disgusting friends. He didn’t care for a lot of things now. Except Y/N. 

Merlin, Y/N.

The beautiful eyed girl who plagued his thoughts more often than not. He remembered the night at the astronomy tower, the last time he had spoken to her. He remembered how her perfect frame shook with rage before she cursed him and stormed out, leaving the pureblood alone with his thoughts. That night, Draco had cried. He cried alone in the tower, feeling corned. He had broken the heart of one of the most important people in his life. 

Draco knew why he did it, why he pushed you away and broke you. He was doing it to protect you, the last thing he needed was for you to get wrapped up in his death eaters bullshit. He wanted you safe, and if that meant making you hate him, so be it. 

But was it worth it? Was it worth losing you? Maybe you would’ve stayed with him through the war. Helping and soothing him during his night terrors. Maybe you would’ve hated him anyway, calling him a traitor and a monster. He wouldn’t blame you. 

But for now he lied alone in his bed. Suddenly his door flew open, Blaise in the doorway with a drunken smile. “Draco! Theo yacked all over me and this girl, came up here to change. Why aren’t you at the party? It’s absolutely wicked down up there.” His words were slurred and sewed together. He pranced over to one of his drunks and popped it open. Blaise grabbed an emerald green sweater, slipping off his soiled shirt. 

“Don’t care much to be smooshed by a bunch of drunk imbeciles .” Draco said coldly.

“That’s a shame, there’s some beautiful creatures up there. Y/N looks absolutely pang.” Draco wondered if Blaise knew what he had just said. 

“What was she wearing?” Draco asked before he could stop himself. Since when did you party? You never cared to go to any of the house parties unless Malfoy dragged you there himself. 

“I think it was blue or maybe black. Wait!” Blaise held a hand towards Draco, collecting his intoxicated thoughts. “Yeah it’s black. Definitely black” He laughed at himself shamelessly. 

“Black what, you prat. A black sock?” Draco found himself grinning at his friend’s current state.

“A black dress.” Blaise said simply. Draco swallowed hard, despite the voice in the bag of his head nagging him to stay in bed, Draco found himself wanting to see you. He would be perfectly fine with just one glance. Then his hunger would be fine for the night and possibly he could enjoy the party. 

“Stay right there. I’m coming to the party.” Draco rose to his feet and went to his wardrobe. He pulled out a simple, black long sleeve shirt and a pair of nice yet comfortable gray slacks. Draco slipped on a pair of new, shiny black dress shoes before turning to Theo’s small mirror on the wall. He checked his reflection, he looked tired but he doubted anyone would notice. 

When Blaise and Draco arrived inside the room of requirements, he was greeted with the loud music. There were plenty of people there, from all of the houses. He even saw a couple of ravenclaws taking some firewhisky shots. 

Shots sounded perfect right now, it would help Draco calm his nerves. Blaise saw one of his many friends on the way to the drink table, leaving Draco alone as he poured himself a shot. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and down the substance with ease. Another one, and another one. On his fourth shot in the span of three minutes, Draco felt better already. His eyes danced around the scenery in front of him, he saw some of his so called ‘friends’. But then he saw you. 

And merlin you looked good. So good. You’re hair was a little longer than the last time he saw you. Your cheeks were painted red as you smiled happily at Harry, who was wrapped up with the Weasley girl. Draco could tell you were drunk, or at least very tipsy. You were sawing softly as you giggled with Potter and his friends. You looked happy, and Draco was content with that. 

After that night night at the astronomy tower, Draco had watched you slowly break. Before summer vacation, he noticed you stopped going to the great halls for meals. You always seemed so tired and empty. You wore a neutral expression almost always. You never laughed or showed any emotion, it broke Draco’s heart. 

Draco was brought to the memory of Pansy and you. You’d been walking down the halls alone when you passed Draco and his friends. You kept your head down as you walked by, and he watched you carefully. He couldn’t stop Pansy’s bloody words. She called out after you, causing you to turn towards the group. Pansy mentioned Y/N’s current state, mentioning and giggling at Y/N’s sudden change in behavior. “Did someone hurt our dear Y/N?” Pansy’s sickening voice spoke. Y/N had stared at Pansy with an empty expression. Draco swallowed as he remembered her eyes. She had looked at the raven-haired girl with nothing in her eyes. No sadness, anger, or amusement. Draco took note of how Pansy shifted uncomfortably under your intense gaze. Then you turned on your heel and left. 

Draco normally would’ve laughed at Pansy’s failed attempt at bullying but he couldn’t. Because Pansy was right, someone had broken your heart. And it was him. 

“Dray.” A girl Draco didn’t recognize purred next to him. He glared down at her. 

“May I help you with something? Or do you take pleasure in bothering people when you’re piss drunk?” He spit out. He repressed a laugh as the girl’s smirk fell and morphed into a sad, shocked expression. When she didn't speak, Draco turned and poured himself a large cup of tainted tonic water and firewhiskey. 

Draco left the drink table and made his way through the crowd, aiming towards a large couch in the middle of the party. No one was sitting on it surprisingly, but he wouldn’t complain. Draco sat in the middle of the couch, sinking into the soft cushions. Draco sipped his drink slowly, wishing he had stayed in his bed. 

But I want her to be in bed with me, playing with my hair and kissing my neck. Merlin I miss her kisses. 

Draco’s brain thought, he shook it away. This was his fault, all of it. He wasn’t strong enough to go against his family, and he had to pay the consequences. 

“Sorry. I didn’t see your legs. You have really long legs.” A beautiful giggle filled his ears as he looked at the girl in front of him. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t even realize that you had tripped over his stretched out legs. You were on the floor, on your knees as you looked down and fixed the top of your dress. When you lifted your gaze, Draco’s eyes met with yours. 

You looked sweaty and had rosy cheeks from all the drinks you’ve must’ve consumed. Draco’s heart hammered against his chest as you just stared at him. But you’re face had so many expressions, you looked shocked, scared, happy and sad. Draco swallowed thickly, past the lump forming in his throat. You just sat there on the floor and stared at him. 

 “Hello.” Draco said simply. He wanted to slap his face, hello? really? The first words he’s spoken to you in 6 months and it’s hello?

You stared at him again. “Hi.” He couldn’t read your tone. 

“Having fun?” He cleared his throat, playing with the hem of his shirt. 

“I was.” Now Draco could tell you were upset. You shuffled up to your feet, trying to stable your balance before you turned away from him. 

Draco found himself reaching out to you, he gripped your arm carefully and pulled you back. A flashback from the astronomy tower came into his head. Draco had turned to leave as well, but you hugged him and cried. Begging him to stay. In return, Draco said some of the worst lies ever. Everything he said to you was quite the opposite of how he felt towards you. 

“Y/N. I’m sorry-” A sharp stinging feeling landed on Draco’s left cheek. His head was whipped around before he rubbed his face slightly. You slapped him. “What the hell, Y/L/N!” 

“You...” You’re voice wavered. You stared at Draco, tears in your eyes. “You don’t get to apologize to me!” Tears were now falling down your cheeks. Draco wanted nothing more than to wipe them away, but he restrained himself. “You don’t get to apologize after you broke me. I trusted you! I gave you everything I had. I gave you all my time and love, I gave you me. I-I just wanted to help you, even if it was a little bit. I just wanted to make you happy, Draco.” You looked so small when you cried, Draco hated seeing you cry. Hated it even more that it was because of him. Guilt burned in his chest as you continued. “I loved you with every fiber in my body.  I used to dream about you, about us. And I hate that I still do. I still dream about your stupid, perfect face. But I-I I’m finally finding myself again. I’m starting to feel better too, I’m not gonna let you walk back into my life and fuck me up again. I can’t afford to lose myself again just to have you back in my arms.” You wiped the tears from your cheeks before you looked at him again. “But like you said, you’re done with me. I was merely an experience.” You turned and left, leaving Draco feeling empty with the encounter. 

Draco watched you walk away, you practically walked across the whole room. You were walking as far away as possible from Draco. Draco huffed out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. Maybe those shots weren’t the best idea. Draco could feel himself getting worked up. He was angry, angry that you were walking away from him. Angry that he was letting you walk away from him. 

Draco turned and grabbed his drink off the side table next to the couch, chugging it. Once the drink was warmly settling into his stomach, Draco tossed the cup onto the floor. Draco needed to get out of the party, away from everyone and their wandering eyes. He pushed passed people, some of them cursing at him. 

Once Draco had reached the empty, dull hallway, he took a deep breath. He could finally breathe again. Draco’s feet carried him towards his favorite spot, the astronomy tower. Once inside, he slammed the door shut, wincing at the loud same. Draco could feel the alcohol taking it’s full effect, making his head spin as he sat on the windowsill. So many thoughts were running through his head. Draco rubbed his temple softly, groaning. Way too many shots. 

Draco looked out towards the horizon. It was a full moon, and the scenery looked absolutely stunning. The boy found his mind wandering to you again, images from your guy’s fresh encounter engraved in his mind. Draco really had broken you, more than he had realized in the beginning.

And he couldn’t fix it. He couldn’t take back those awful things he said to you. He couldn’t reverse the damage that had been done. Draco rubbed the few tears that began to form in the back of his eyes. 

He couldn’t get rid of the memories. Memories of you throwing your head back, laughing carelessly at something he said. Draco couldn’t forget the way you bit your lower lip and the way your nose scrunched at the corners when you were studying. Your perfect hair, the way it fell effortlessly around you. He missed those tired eyes you gave him in the early, dewy mornings. He missed your lips, how they molded with his oh-so-perfectly. How they were always so warm and full, in need of his own lips. 

Draco let the tears fall freely. He was tired of missing you, tired of missing everything about you. He just wanted you to come back to him, he would get on his knees for you, in front of the whole damn school if needed. He didn’t care at this point, anything to have you in his arms again. 

----

What am I now? What am I now? What if I'm someone I don't want around? I'm fallin' again I'm fallin' again I'm fallin'

Everyone must have felt drained from last nights party. A few people littered the great hall here and there, eating their breakfast slowly. 

Draco sat in the middle of the Slytherin table alone, scooping a small amount of vanilla Greek yogurt onto the his plate. He sat and ate his breakfast in silence. His mind drifted to you as usual, particularly last nights event.

Did you not love him anymore? Is that why you were so quick to turn down his apology. No, that couldn’t be. You’d said it yourself, ‘I still dream about your stupid, perfect face.’ 

So maybe there was a chance, a very slim chance that he could get you back. But would you want him back? Want him to stick around? No, you didn’t. You had said it yourself again, he heard the words from your very mouth. You didn’t want to lose yourself again. Draco understood that. He never realized how much you gave him until it was gone; until you were gone. 

Draco didn’t blame you for not wanting him back. He was a negative person, that he could admit to himself. He got jealous quickly, he remembered accusing you once of cheating with one of the Weasley twins. Draco wished more than ever that he could go back and take it back, take it all back. But he couldn’t. 

Draco slammed his spoon onto the table, causing a few students to look up from their meals and glance at the blonde. The boy stood to his feet, making his way back to his bedroom. 

Draco stopped in his tracks, looking at the end of the empty hall. Blaise and Theo were probably still snoring away, and he didn’t want to hear any of it. He could go to the Astronomy tower, yet the idea didn’t seem to please him enough. Where could he go? The room of requirement? No, he was sure someone would monitor the entrance after last night. Draco continued to walk, figuring that walking would do him some good. 

Draco went down two flights of stair before his shoes met the beginning of the green grass. Draco began walking towards the greenhouse in front of him. Pulling open the glass door, Draco took a deep breath. The air felt warm and sticky, the smell of soil filling it. It was a comforting scent, Draco wasn’t sure why that was. Taking a seat on one of the chairs, Draco allowed his thoughts to roam again. 

Draco didn’t like himself anymore, he didn’t like who he had become after the war. He missed how care free he used to be, he missed laughing with Blaise over stupid, childish things. He missed being happy. Some nights, while Draco lied in bed, he felt his skin crawl. Almost as if he was trying to shed a layer of skin. Those were the moments he wished he could shed his skin, become a different person. A new person who was loved by all and genuinely good-hearted. 

Maybe then you would be his again, if he was kinder and more sensitive to other’s feelings. Draco wanted nothing more to be that way, not only for you but himself as well. Draco hated the voice in his head, the one that was always hateful and vile. 

He knew he wouldn’t enjoy his own company if he were in someone else’s shoes. Because who wants someone who is an absolute asshole? Not Draco, and certainly not you. 

----

What if I'm down? What if I'm out? What if I'm someone you won't talk about? I'm fallin' again I'm fallin' again I'm fallin' 

And I get the feelin' that you'll never need me again 

In all his years of attending Hogwarts, he never once had a substitute teacher. Draco peered over at  McGonagall who sat in Slughorn’s usual seat in the front of class. McGonagall explained at the beginning of class that Slughorn had been attacked by a student’s potion gone-wrong. Slughorn was in the medical wing for the rest of the day. Luckily, the new headmistresses allowed her students to use this class as a study hall. Everyone seemed to wear the same surprised expression, but no one complained. 

Pansy sat next to Draco, talking his ear off. Did this girl have stop talking? Just for a minute? Draco looked over his Herbology textbook and rubbed his temples slowly. Her constant yapping was giving him a migraine. “Shut your trap, Parkinson.” He mumbled, his eyes not leaving the words written before him. 

“Excuse me?” Pansy sneered, glaring at the blonde. 

“As much as I would love to hear about your loathsome life, I’m trying to read. You should try it sometime, or are you dead from the neck up?” Draco looked at her with a bored expression. 

“I-I..” She fumbled over her tongue, how pathetic. 

“Go torment Blaise or something.” With that she stood, making her way to Theo and Blaise’s shared table. 

Finally, peace and quiet. Draco pulled out a piece of parchment paper and his quill, taking some notes here and there. His study session was short lived when he heard you voice whisper something harshly. 

“Hermione, drop it. I don’t want to talk about it.” You said softly. Your table was just in front of his, giving the boy the perfect excuse to stare longingly at the back of your head without getting caught. 

“Y/n...”Hermione began to speak slowly. “You promised me at the beginnig of this year that you would be honest with me, that you’d speak what’s on your mind. You haven’t been doing a very good job of that.” Draco could only imagine Y/N’s face at those words, she hated when people spoke down to her. 

“Hermione. Drop it. Now, I’m not telling you about what happened at the party the other night. I have every right to not tell you anything.” Draco could tell you were upset by the tone in your voice and the way your posture slouched slightly. 

“But you have to, you prom-”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what I promised! I’m not talking about Draco anymore, I have no need to! If you want me to heal and move on so bad; stop asking me about him every bloody minute! It’s exhausting.” Your voice was a little louder now. A couple of students turned and eyed you curiously. 

Hermione tucked her head down slightly, mumbling out an apology. Draco’s quill suddenly snapped in his grasp, the noise causing you to turn and look at the cause. 

Draco stared at you, sadness and anger evident in his beautiful blue eyes. He could tell you read his face with ease, you chewed on your bottom lip nervously. You turned forward, Draco still staring at you. Before Draco realized what he was doing, he stood to his feet, scrapping his belongings into his bag sloppily. He stormed out of the class, ignoring everyone’s confused gazes and McGonagall’s shrill voice. 

He let his legs carry him wherever they wished. Draco felt dizzy with all the thoughts swarming around him. You didn’t want to talk to him, you didn’t even want to speak his name. It hurt than Draco could ever imagine, he was losing you. Draco’s hands shook as he waved at the Slytherin portrait before speaking the password with a shaky breath. Once in the common room, Draco sat on the leather couch. He threw his bag on the floor and sighed heavily. Maybe he had lost you, for good.

Would Draco be able to live in a world with her? Could he wake up every morning knowing that the girl he loved the most resented him? No. He couldn’t. The thought alone of never holding you again caused bile to crawl and fight at the back of his throat. He had to fix this, Draco needed to get you back. But how? Surely you wouldn’t want him back, but still Draco needed to fight for you. 

 ----

You said you cared And you missed me, too And I'm well aware I write too many songs about you And the coffee's out At the Beachwood Café And it kills me 'cause I know we've run out of things we can say

Draco stood nervously outside of the library, waiting for you. He knew every Wednesday you would come to the library after your last class, you used the time to catch up with homework and your studies. He always admired how hard working you were. 

Draco sucked in a harsh breath as he saw you making your way towards him, or more so the library. You didn’t even divert your eyes to the boy as you passed him. Draco frowned, catching up with you. “Y/N.” He said quietly so Madame Pince wouldn’t chew him out. 

You ignored him as you continued walking towards your usual table. When you took a seat, Draco followed. You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. He could tell you were already annoyed. “Y/N, can I have a word with you please?” Draco asked gently. 

“I suppose you’re already here, Malfoy. What do you want?” You were cold, harsh. 

Draco swallowed thickly before clearing his throat. Why was he so bloody nervous? “Look, I’m sorry. I know you hate me now, but I’m still madly in love with you. I want us again, I need you to be mine again.” Draco offered you soft eyes. 

“No.” You said simply as you pulled out your tattered potions book. 

“Fine, hate me all you want Y/L/N. But all I’m asking is for you to grab one butterbeer with me this weekend, please. We can sit in complete silence if that’s what you wish. All I want is for us to dissolve this tension at the very least.” 

You knaweled on your lower lip, fingers fiddling with the collar of your shirt. “Fine, only so we can both move on and you’ll leave me alone.”  

Draco tried to hide the frown that was dying to creep up onto his lips. He nodded quickly. “Sure, whatever. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron half past four.” Draco grabbed his belongings and left the library. 

The weekend came faster than Draco wished it to. It wasn’t that he was unhappy to see you, he was above the clouds with that idea. The boy was just nervous, extremely nervous. The type of nervous that caused him to constantly wipe his hands on his pants to rid the moisture from it. 

You were twenty minutes late, where the hell were you? Where you blowing him off? Draco had considered this may happen. Draco was pulled from his thoughts as he saw you approach him. You pulled out a chair and sat down silently. “I got you a butterbeer with extra foam, just how you like it.” Draco pushed your glass towards you with his won. 

“Thank you.” You said quietly, He could see your cheeks growing a beautiful shade of red. Maybe this would go good, hopefully. 

Silence filled the air between the two students, each one of them having millions and millions of thoughts crossing their brains. Draco bounced his leg anxiously under the table. “Thank you for coming, really.” Draco said softly, looking up at you. You nodded shortly.

“Sure, no problem.” Silence again. 

“I miss you.” Draco said before he could comprehend what he just said. You looked at him with wide eyes.

“I-I miss you too.” For the first time in forever, Draco smiled a genuine smile. 

“Really?” He couldn’t believe you. 

“I do.” You ran a hand through your hair, letting out a soft sigh.

“Do you still care about me?” 

“That’s my problem Draco, I never stopped caring about you.” You admitted. Draco’s eyes widened, you did care for him. This was going better than expected. 

Silence filled the air once more as you finished your butter beer. Draco wasn’t sure what to say. You didn’t seem what know what to say either. The silence was killing him, the two of you never had an awkward moment ever. Conversation came with ease, and he always enjoyed talking to you. You made him laugh, his real snorting laugh. But that seemed like such a long time ago, now you guys sat in awkwardness. No words spoken and eye contact avoided. 

“I have to go, I promised Ron I would help him study.” You began to stand, causing Draco’s chest to tighten. Draco nodded curtly. 

“Sure.” With that you left, leaving the boy to stare at your empty glass. 

----

What am I now? What am I now? What if you're someone I just want around? I'm fallin' again I'm fallin' again I'm fallin'

It had been three long, atrocious weeks since you had met Draco at the Leaky Cauldron. He hadn’t spoken to you since, even though he was dying to hear your voice again. You seemed to be avoiding him. It hurt when you dodged his eyes through the crowed hallways and how you always seemed to be leaving wherever he arrived. Draco hadn’t slept in over 24 hours. His eyes stung as he walked through the court yard, since when was the sun so bright? Draco rubbed a hand over his eyes and groaned slightly. Merlin he just wanted his life back, he just wanted you back. 

“What’s the matter Malfoy?” Blaise said from beside him. Draco had completely forgotten they have been walking together. 

“Nothing.” Draco shrugged, Blaise knew he was lying.

“Your an awful liar.” Blaise laughed deeply. 

“Oh yeah? And you’re an impressionable twat.” Draco sneered, glaring at his best friend. 

Blaise stopped walking, turning towards Draco. “What’s wrong? Seriously mate, I know you didn’t sleep last night. And you’re far more irritable then usual.”

Draco sighed. “It’s Y/N. I want her back but she seems to want nothing to do with me.”

“Didn’t you guys just go to Hogsmeade together a couple weeks back?” Blaise raised a curious eyebrow. Draco nodded. 

“But it wasn’t a date, we barely even spoke to each other. It was disastrous.”

“You need to be honest-”

“I have been!” Draco interrupted defensively. 

“Let me finish, you git! You need to be honest with her, bring her somewhere private and be honest. Tell her everything Draco, you need to show her that you’re genuinely sorry. That you want her back.” Blaise said simply with a shrug of his shoulders. 

Draco pondered the idea for a moment. “You’re right. You’re so bloody right!” Draco’s mood changed drastically. He was now more alert, looking around the court yard for you. You were nowhere to be found, of course. 

“Can you do me one, Blaise? Tell Y/N to meet me at our old spot at midnight.” Draco looked at his friend with a pleading expression. 

“I despise getting wrapped up in your shit, Malfoy. But I’ll do my best.” Draco smiled before waving goodbye to his friend. 

“Thank you! I’ve got to run to charms or Flitwick will have my head on a platter.” Draco hurried off, speed walking and shoving aside the people that walked too slow for his liking. Making it just in time, Draco took a seat next to some Hufflepuff girl. She looked nervously over at him, he met her eyes. 

“Hello, do you have a staring problem sweetheart?” Draco said smoothly. The girl shook her head quickly, mumbling an apology and turning her attention to the front of the classroom. Flitwick began the lecture, causing Draco to yawn softly. Merlin he felt drained.

Draco sat nervously on the windowsill on the astronomy tower. Draco had decided during Charms that this was gonna be his final attempt at getting you back. After tonight, if you didn’t want him then fine, so be it. Draco tried his best to believe that this was going to work, but he knew with his luck it most likely wouldn’t The door of the astronomy tower creaked up, making Draco turn. 

“Blaise?” You said questioningly as you stepped inside, shutting the door softly. The moonlight casted it’s presence on you, making Draco’s heart thump harder than before. 

“No, It’s me.” Draco spoke smoothly, trying his best to sound sure of himself. 

“Why did you have me meet you here?” You asked suspiciously. 

“I have something to tell you. And this will be the last time I tell you this.” Draco took a deep breath as he stood to his feet. His damn palms were sweating again. Draco wiped his hands on his pants before clearing his throat and speaking. “Look, Y/N. I fucked up. Big time. Hurting you was the worst mistake of my life, and trust me as you know I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life. I take it all back, all those vile things I said to you in this very room so many months ago. None of it was true, not then and not now. You’re everything to me. Everything. I only said those things so you could hate me, I wanted you to stay far away from me as possible. I didn’t want you to get caught up with a death eater. I wanted to protect you. I love you, Y/N. All I’m asking is for one more chance, one more chance to have you be mine once more. Please.” Draco swallowed the growing saliva in his mouth. “If you don’t want me back, fine. I’ll leave you alone forever. I’ll never bother you again. I promise, you have my word. Draco watched as you raked through your brain, trying to put your words together.

After a long, painful moment of silence, you finally spoke. “How do I even know you’re serious? you played with my emotions Draco, you had such terrible mood swings and I tried so hard to be patient, I’m still patient dammit. It just hurts when you’re warm and loving one day and completely distant and cold the next.” He watched you spoke, a frown cracking through his “unfazed” façade.

Draco straightened his face. “Okay. I understand that and um-erm-I..” Draco scratched the back of his neck nervously. “I’m sorry, I’m trying to work on controlling my emotions, my outbursts. I love you Y/N. I love you with the type of love that I cant describe. you consume me, utterly consume me. every time I'm with you it’s like you’ve completely engulfed me. I love you okay? I want to be a better person for you, eventually for myself too hopefully. I want to be the person you want around, the person who show your ugliest side to, the person you can come to whenever you’re breaking.” Draco felt his cheeks begin to burn as tears filled the boys eyes. Letting out a shaky breath, Draco continued. “I-I never had someone who truly loved me, my dad has always been distant and foul towards me. Anytime I showed any signs of weakness, punishment. Because purebloods and wealthy people have to be strong and unyielding. my mother simply based her parenting on whatever my father wanted and whatever made my family look the best. you however,” Draco stood closer to you now, gripping your hands in his. He rubbed soft circles into your skin as he continued. “You Y/N, You’ve shown me what was love is, what it’s meant to be. You’re so understanding. Everytime I think I went too far and I’ve lost you, you understand and you forgive me. You never have held me to my past, my family’s decisions. You only hold me to my word, and myself alone. That is why I love you. Why I’m so bloody in love with you, right now! At this very moment I would do anything to call you mine again, to have you by my side.” Draco searched your face as you looked at him with tears in your eyes.

Then, you did what he’s missed the most. You kissed him. It was a gentle kiss, no rushed movements, no searching hands. Only two people expressing all the words they couldn’t say with one kiss. Draco pulled away, trying to suppress the smile playing on his lips. “Does this mean you’re mine again?” You nodded shyly, causing Draco’s heart to spike. “Merlin!” He yelled at the top his lungs, causing you to laugh. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into the tightest hug he could muster.

“Crushing. Me.” You wheezed out with a repressed giggle.

“I’m sorry my love!” He exclaimed. “I promise you won’t regret your decision. I will spend every moment to make up for our lost time, I’ll always be so sorry about this whole thing. For everything I said.”

You looked up at the him with eyes that would bring any man to his knees. “Dray.” You said softly, lips barely moving. Draco could hear his heart in his ears as he swallowed. “I forgive you, we’ve got this okay? And I’m sorry for slapping you, I assume we both have things to work on.”

Draco gave a toothy grin. “You’re my favorite.”

----

A/N I tried to tie one piece of the taylor swift’s song to this:)  i hope you enjoyed part two! Tbh I feel a little iffy about this one, but I appreciate everyone who asked me to do a part two and showed support and love! much love babes

[build-a-problem-musical]

Hey, it's Ellie!

A little bit about me and this blog:

I'm the author of this dodie jukebox musical, which is based around the album Build a Problem. It follows the stories of separating best friends Emma Gardner and Celeste Anders as they learn to deal with interpersonal conflict.

My main blog is at @chaotic-theatrical-weaver.

Rules:

Keep your language kind, civil, and appropriate. No cursing.

No NSFW asks.

While we're at it, no shipping asks between Emma and Celeste or any of the BAP Periphery Girls (including Rose and Phoebe).

Note: Asks about pairings canon to any timeline are allowed. Main and Starless Sky Pairings: - Celeste/Thomas - Celeste/Theo - Miranda/Theo from “A Different Path, A Different Day” (ship name Miradore) Roleswap Pairings: - Emma/Theo - I'm loath to call this a pairing when he was forceful towards her once, but if you ask about the Emma/Thomas dynamic in this timeline, I will reply.

Main Navigation Features:

#the authors look down: meta tag for my point of view regarding the characters as a writer, or regarding writing in general. Block this tag to make me disappear.

#build a problem musical: original posts on this musical, lyrics from the album, feelings in the scenes leading up to songs in the musical, or anything related to the plotting or writing of this musical. Mostly original posts. Block this tag to make me disappear.

#pov: [character name]: posts I deem spoken by the character tagged. Currently established for Emma Gardner, Celeste Anders, Thomas Hargrove, Theo Gray, James Gardner, Elaine Gardner, William Gray, Delia Anders, Laura Anders, Rose Peresada, and Phoebe Sadler. Miranda Hayes and Rachel Clark, characters who appear only in "A Different Path, A Different Day," have also received their own POV tags.

#[character name]: accompanies #pov: [character name] but can also stand on its own (most notably if the post is about that character, but not by that character or if it's about that character in relation to the tagged POV character). Currently established for all characters with POV tags as well as Josh Anders, Delia Anders, Laura Anders, the BAP Periphery Girls (collective name for Rose’s and Phoebe’s friends Kaitlyn, Alice, and Lucy), the Anders parents, and the unnamed Ensemble Cellist and Jordan (the Ensemble Flutist). There are also tags for Alice Hayes and Rachel Clark, featured only in "A Different Path, A Different Day."

#[character name] aesthetic: aesthetics for the characters tagged. Currently established for Emma Gardner, Celeste Anders, Thomas Hargrove, Theo Gray, William Gray, Elaine Gardner, James Gardner, Phoebe Sadler, Rose Peresada, Delia Anders, Laura Anders, and the BAP Periphery Girls. Miranda Hayes from “A Different Path, A Different Day” has her own aesthetic tag as well. #bap musical aesthetic encapsulates aesthetics for the show as a whole, often as the more darkly humorous counterpart to the serious #theme. #bap musical aesthetic may be used in conjunction with #theme as well for more sincere, tender aesthetics.

#[character last name] household: aesthetics for the homes of a character’s family. Currently established for the Gardners, the Anderses, and the Grays (including the Gray-Hayes/Miradore household).

#a different path a different day: posts about my story of the same name that takes place in the BAP universe 7-8 years after the main canon. This post details more.

#oc fun: in which people lampshade stuff about writing OCs, or in which I answer questions from OC question blogs. Can be accompanied by #the authors look down in the first sense if the post is specifically a lampshade for OC creation; always accompanied by #the authors look down in the second.

#asks: ask games and answers to asks

#theme: posts that capture the themes of BAP; sometimes used in conjunction with #[character name], but may not be if too serious or too general for any one character

#salt and light: in which the Christianity of the author works its way through the story

#problem-builders: posts about the hypothetical BAP fandom, be it my own behavior as part of it or my commentating on it

#not dodie + #ellie's influences: non-dodie songs, poems, or web weaves (standalone quotes or normal textposts not included). #ellie’s influences may also be used in a meta sense to refer to how Ellie interacts with or feels about her influences.

#writing reference: practical influences on writing, as opposed to the stylistic, emotional ones of #ellie's influences

#christian oc tournament: my promotion of my characters in the Christian OC Tournament!

Timeline Directory:

#bap main timeline is the main universe; all posts tagged as such reference multiple timelines but pertain to the main one. All posts with no timeline-specifying tags such as this one also relate to the main one by default.

#starless sky au is a canon-divergent timeline in which Emma dies after Act 2, Scene 7 after being met with Elaine’s continued attempts at positivity and stability at all costs.

#stars restitched au is another canon-divergent timeline and an offshoot of the Starless Sky AU in which Emma survives but is left with a disabling brain injury that she must now learn to manage.

#bap roleswap au reverses the characters' positions while keeping their personalities.

#two-theo timeline features main timeline Theo meeting his roleswap counterpart and experiencing a recovery arc. Tagged only in conjunction with the roleswap, not the main.

[weltonreject]

an evening with night.

|| quick study in boris’s pov. ended up being his view of theo’s ptsd while they’re living together in new york, years after Everything. he just wants to help. || ao3

It was seven at night and Boris had hot soup and sandwiches from Theo’s favorite deli tucked under his arm. It was a bit late for dinner, but Boris also knew Theo never ate without him. It wasn’t an agreed upon or even announced rule, just something Boris noticed. Even if Theo did eat without him, when Boris was horrifically late as he sometimes was, Theo would still sit down and pick at Boris’s food, having an echo of his meal.

There was no need to rush, but Boris found he had no patience that day for any sidewalk traffic. He weaved around evening walkers and giggling couples. He ducked around scaffolding over the block before their apartment building. That morning when he’d left, he’d waved up to the workers-- three of them having previously worked for him on a Job. Nice men, all of them. By then though, no one was working. It was dark out and the entire city seemed to be tucking in early.

The lobby was slightly less empty than the street-- somehow-- a few other tenants milling in from outside and heading up to their beds. Boris waved to the two men at the front desk-- and one of them waved him over.

“Mister Decker! Good evening, how are you?” The man-- boy, really-- smiled. His face was covered in hormonal acne and his voice cracked as he incorrectly said Boris’s last name. It was the name all their mail was addressed to because Boris was very tired of things being sent back because dumb Americans couldn’t spell his name. He understood why the boy (Antony perhaps?) called him by Theo’s last name. It also wasn’t really a bad thing. Not at all a bad thing.

“Very good-- have dinner and am very hungry. And you? Busy day? Excitement at all?” Boris liked making small talk. It made people feel good-- and that was also never a bad thing.

"We’re alright, Boris, we’re doing alright.” The other man said before turning and looking at the mail shelves behind him. Jean Paul was Boris’s favorite of the two-- he always laughed at Boris’s jokes and was the first to put Theo at ease whenever they walked into the building together-- which was still something Theo stumbled through uncomfortably. “Got a package for you. Thought I’d give it to Theo when he came by after work but, never showed.”

“Theo is not back from work?” Boris tried to remember if there was a phone chime he had forgotten to answer.

“Never left today.” Antony added, typing something out on the desk computer in front of him. Boris was glad he wasn’t looking at him, he didn’t want the boy to see the moment of confused panic on his face; it could worry him, someone so young.

“Hm. Maybe he is feeling ill today. I will go up and see. Thank you, thank you. Have good night, both of you, yes?” Boris grabbed the package with his free hand and started off for the elevator. Jean Paul and Antony waved as the doors closed over.

It took Boris five minutes just to get a hand free enough to get his keys out-- only to find that the door was unlocked. He slid the package in with his foot as he stepped inside, kicking the door closed.

“Potter?” Boris kicked off his shoes and padded into the kitchen first. He placed the food down on the counter and poked around to the small dining room. The curtains were still closed by the table, their home shut out from acknowledging the day-- well, night by then. “Potter, where are you? Everything okay?”

Finally, a slow answer. “The couch.”

“Theo!” Boris backed through the kitchen and looked through the cut-out over the sink. He saw Theo slowly propping himself up and turning to find his voice. “Are here! Men downstairs had said you were not at work-- did not see you leave! Did you stay here all day?”

Boris spoke, almost, with a kind of excitement. Not because he wanted Theo to be in a poor mood, but because he was excited to turn it around with the surprise quart of matzo ball soup and sausage and pepper grinder. Theo had never said it was his favorite, but Boris could tell whenever they went to the deli for lunch, he had a certain joy waiting for his food. Boris wanted to hand over the food and see that joy appear suddenly.

Instead though, he saw that Theo was not just feeling poorly. He looked it too. Theo was still wearing what he wore to bed: a ripped, old gray shirt from their Vegas years (it was so old Boris didn’t even know who’s it was by then) and his plain, blue boxers. His hair was poking out in different directions as if he’d been restlessly rolling around all day. Which he probably was. There were crease marks on Theo’s face where he’d been pressed against the pillows for hours. His eyes were on Boris, but they weren’t looking at him.

“Theo, what is wrong? You look very bad.”

“Thanks.” Theo ducked his head. His neck cracked audibly. Boris winced and walked around to the couch.

“Why are you like this? What are you on? Drinking? Take something?” Boris wasn’t sure what was in the house except maybe some Xanax. They had cut out the harder stuff in the past three years. They wanted to see the other live a long time-- which of course meant they both had to stop. Fair was fair. “Who did you buy from?”

“I’m not... I’m not high, Boris.” Theo swatted in front of him, despite Boris not coming into his personal space. “I’m just tired.”

“What has happened?” Boris sat on the edge of the couch. “Potter?”

Theo sighed and closed his eyes. He clenched his jaw, muscles all the way up to his temples tensing. “The construction... It... I heard them this morning.”

“Keep you awake? Oh, I will talk to them then! I know half of the group there. Very understanding men! If I tell them--”

“No.” Theo opened his eyes but he didn’t look up at Boris again. “I heard the construction when I was sleeping and... it woke me up and.. it sounded.” Another sigh. “It sounded like an explosion.”

Boris reached for Theo’s hand, hesitating to counteract Theo’s own involuntary retraction from the touch. After a moment, their two hands slotted together. Theo stared at their fingers, tangling them.

“You are upset. Reminded of... before. Have had long day, yes? All alone, in here? That is long day, very hard on you, Potter. I am sorry mother is gone and ghost of fear will not leave you. Very sorry... But I am here now! Not alone now.” Boris smiled and lowered his head to fit into Theo’s distracted eye-line. “I brought you food, Potter. You need good meal-- and then we take bath! Oh, yes. We sit and relax you and--”

“I’m not hungry.” Theo said curtly. He pulled his hand away from Boris’s and laid back down. He rolled over and faced the back of the couch. “Eat without me.”

“But Theo--”

“I said eat without me. I don’t want any.” Theo’s voice was muffled, He rested a hand over his face, just under his glasses.

“Is your favorite though. Called in before I left to make sure was ready when I got there. Your soup, hot sandwich, both.” Boris shook Theo gently, resting his hands on his waist. “Potter, have to eat with me. I can hear stomach grumbling. Hungry, very hungry.”

“Boris, please, I’m not in the fucking mood today.” He rolled his head back to look at Boris, exposing his red, bleary eyes and tight, pinched expression. “I spent half the morning thinking I was thirteen I don’t want to play house right now, okay!” He shouted.

Boris wasn’t sure if it was the way Theo shoved him-- or the way he felt the unflattering urge to grab Theo and hold him tightly-- but Boris wanted to hit Theo. He felt a hot tension in his bicep as if he could bring his arm back... but he’d never bring it down on him. Oh god never. They weren’t fifteen anymore. They weren’t shoving each other into dark, under-chlorinated swimming pools. They weren’t deprived of touch. Boris could take Theo and hold him, if he wanted. It was just that, if Boris hit him there could be no room for argument. He could try and make Theo feel the warmth of his skin on his without refusal-- without deprivation.

“Sit up.” Boris said, standing back from the couch. “Potter, sit up. Put feet on the ground. Sit up.” Still, Boris did not touch Theo, but he pointed with enough force Theo slowly pushed himself vertical, his bare feet pressing down on the wood floor. “Will not let you sulk-- feel upset? Yes, cannot stop you. But this... this! Doing more harm than good for you. Will feel worse when morning comes and you are still unfed! No shower! Are not drunk orphans no more, Theo. Have house! Have good life. Let it help you.”

It wasn’t screaming if Boris was desperate to help. It wasn’t raising his voice if he was doing it to get Theo to hear over whatever was in his head. He wasn’t like his father if he kept his hands to himself and yelled only the nice things. Boris couldn’t be like his father if he genuinely loved someone. He got that from his mother.

Theo rolled his wrists and looked at Boris, resigned but not unwilling. “What did you get me? A-And you got yourself something too, right?”

“Pfft, Potter. You insult me.”

Boris walked back to the kitchen and grabbed the deli bag. He ripped a fistful of paper towels to take as place settings-- Theo would not let them eat on the coffee table without any cover-- and ducked down to grab a bottle of wine from under the cabinets. Before Boris emerged again in the living room, or met Theo’s eyes through the wall cut-out, he thought of Theo drinking that night. The heavy slosh in Boris’s hand would only amplified with whatever heavy, thick darkness was in Theo. He’d black out again. He’d start screaming and crying. He’d try and climb out the window-- try and find his mother in a cloud of smoke that had dissipated ten years before.

Boris put the bottle back and hurried out to Theo, smiling and hoping to appear aloof.

“Hungry, yes?”

"Kind of starving.” Theo was exhausted enough to agree.

“Good thing you have kept me around, eh? Boris keeps you fed and happy. Good roommate, no?” Boris sat beside Theo on the couch, nudging his side with obnoxious eagerness. “Good man to have around.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I guess.” Theo muttered, cracking the smallest but least reluctant smile. “He’s pretty good to have around-- wait, did you get me soup?”

Boris burst out laughing at Theo’s sudden distraction-- he had to. If he didn’t laugh at it, at how much life and focus was missing from Theo’s face as he came back to reality, Boris would surely get upset.

It was usually a strange sadness; not one that most people spoke about in explorations of their darker moments. Seeing Theo so absent and crumpled, Boris’s felt like he fell backwards into a tunnel. Going and going, falling down down down. He sunk, feeling like he was stomping his way down the street after telling his best friend-- without words-- that he needed him to stay, but left abruptly anyway. He felt helpless by his own doing. When Boris felt upset, he felt like he was stranded on that burning hot asphalt all over again, thinking he’d never have to stop running. That he’d just fall over and drop dead first.

"Is okay? It is warm enough?” Boris cupped the container with his hands.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine.” Theo took the soup and sat back on the couch, resting the warmth against his chest. “It’s fine... Thank you.”

"Of course, of course.” Boris leaned back too. He rested his feet on the edge of the coffee table. Tired, but with no need to take off again.

---

Theo had this very strange habit of only existing at night. Not that he wasn’t active or didn’t do anything in daylight, but the Theo that worked with Hobie was a far different one than the one that trudged home after five o’clock. Every memory Boris had of Theo-- of his Theo-- was in the cool, summer darkness. The harsh grey winter night. Three in the morning when they both had to get up at six for errands and work. There was a safety in night, Boris knew. He also knew there was a danger in it, in having the world beyond the flickering reach of a streetlamp fall away completely.

After eating their dinner, Boris knew they had found the safe kind of evening. The bathroom was dimly lit with the runoff street lights streaming through the window. Theo was sitting in their bathtub, arms draped over the sides. Boris was on the floor beside him, recounting his day-- something he was too busy eating to do earlier.

“I tried coffee place you keep telling me about. Went in and asked for tea way I like-- and actually gave it to me! So hot nice woman put it in two cups and little, uh, neck tie.”

“Collar.” Theo said languidly. “It’s a coffee collar, but same thing.”

“Collar! Yes, cup had collar-- and two shirts! HA!” Boris nudged Theo’s arm. His finger lifted as he laughed. “Then had meeting with Misham-- was fire down on west eight-one. Misham knows people who work fire, a few very impressive antiques may have been too burnt to be saved... Boo-hoo, so sad, yes?”

“Hm.” Theo lifted his finger again. He seemed to be trying to match the steaming bath water in terms of similar states of matter. “Wait, what?”

“Nothing. More surprises for you soon, Potter. Few days time.”

“I think we need to investigate your definition of the word ‘surprise’.” Theo said, turning his head to Boris. He’d kept his glasses on, his tired but attentive eyes finding Boris sharply. “Today it was dinner, last week it was one hundred year old whiskey, a month ago you said you almost bought me an entire new set of dishware because I drunkenly said ours was tacky... Boris, these aren’t surprises, they’re ambushes.”

"Ack, do not know what you are talking about. Are nice things.” Boris shifted and recrossed his ankles. “You are hungry, like to drink-- and made big sale last week! You surprise first with good job-- and do not like dishes we have. All important gifts.”

Theo licked his lips and let his head loll back to center. “You’re crazy. You’re just a spendthrift that’s just a bit too romantic for your own taste.” His fingers lifted once more. Boris finally noticed the motion of his hand was not an echo of the water’s slow waves, but a slow search in the open air.

Boris reached up and let Theo’s fingers bump into his own. Theo wrapped his fingers around one of Boris’s, letting his wrist hang loosely in the air. He’d closed his eyes, the blend of moonlight and neon washing over his face. Theo wasn’t quite ready for sunshine, but Boris would take it. He’d soak it in with Theo, leaning his cheek against the porcelain edge.

“Should talk about your day, Potter.” Boris said. “Is no good to sit on it.”

“Right now I’m sitting on my ass in boiling hot water cooking like a crab.” He laughed.

“Theo.”

"I’m fine. I just... Had a nightmare.” A pause. “While I was awake. No big deal. I have them all the time.” A longer pause. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it... What did I ever do before?”

“Try to kill yourself.” Boris said. Theo looked at him out of the corner of his eye; Boris had forgotten to soften his words. “Not best way to deal, is what I mean.”

"Am I supposed to... cope or something?” Theo pulled the rest of Boris’s hand into his own. “Grieve? What the fuck does that even-- I can’t do that.”

"Have not tried.” Listen, Boris may have had to kick a heroine addiction in the past two years, but he was at least half way alright with the fact his mother was dead and his father was probably the same. Is was what they did to Boris when they were alive that kept him up sometimes.

Death? That was the easy part-- for Boris at least.

“I’m trying.”

“Are not.”

“Boris, I fucking swear--” Theo tightened his grip on Boris’s hand. “I... I am trying-- and don’t say to try harder or so help me God, I’ll dunk your head in this water right now.”

It also seemed Theo also had to laugh at it all. His chuckle sounded like phlegm loose in his lungs, coming up with a hoarse cough and sniffle. His head fell back to the side, looking at Boris. The steam from the water had condensed on the cool, exposed porcelain and was slippery enough to slowly let Theo slip further into the water. His legs were bent and he left himself gently wash away.

“The water’s going to be hot for a while. Want to get in?” Theo’s shoulders were fully submerged.

“No, no. Am fine out here. Had very long day, don’t want to ruin bath with-- ack-- dirt.”

“I didn’t ask you because I wanted you to be clean.” Theo said, his chin touching the surface of the water. “I’m asking because I want you to be a little more naked than you are right now.”

Boris laughed again, full and warm. “Potter, do not use me as distraction.”

“I didn’t say I was.” Theo looked out of only one eye, a smirk lifting his cheeks. “Don’t put words in my mouth.” Theo pulled their hands into the water as he dipped under, just up to his nose. Boris reached and grabbed Theo’s glasses with his other hand, holding them still as Theo slipped out from under them.

“Avoiding what I said does nothing, Potter.” Boris placed the glasses on his own head and rested his chin on the edge of the tub. His right arm was nearly up to his elbow in water, his sleeve soaked. He counted the bubbles from Theo’s slow exhale-- or possible laugh-- as they rose to the surface.

It seemed they were both waiting for Theo to seize upward, startled by the pressure of the bath water; it always snuck up on him when he relaxed into it. Boris pulled Theo’s towel closer with his foot, quietly preparing to have to start talking in circles about things that didn’t really matter in order to distract Theo from screaming and thinking he was going to suffocate, despite how much he was hyperventilating.

Under the water, Theo splayed out Boris’s fingers and rested his hand against his chest. The heel of Theo’s palm pressed against the back of Boris’s hand, cracking parts of his fingers accidentally. It wasn’t frantic or desperate, just firmly intentional. Theo should’ve come up already, Boris thought, but he was testing himself-- not for lung capacity, but some other limit that neither really wanted to acknowledge existed in both of them.

They weren’t invincible, and Boris really hated to admit it. They’d treated their bodies and minds as such when they were young, and now they were scared to acknowledge they damage they’d done-- or left festering for ten years. Seeing the evidence so clearly-- even underwater, gripping his hand-- was like seeing a crack in a ceiling. Growing growing growing, right over his head, unless he did something about it. They’d both die in the rubble.

“Actually, Potter.” Boris said loudly, pulling on Theo’s hand. “In I go. Get back.”

“What?” Theo surfaced and spit out water. He wiped his eyes, squinting in the dark. “Did you say something?”

“Sit back, I am getting in.” Boris started pulling his shirt up over his head, not sparing time to unbutton it.

“Well that was fast.” Theo lowered his knees and sat back. He pulled his hands into the water with a soft splash. “Afraid I’m going to drown in here or something?”

Boris had to laugh, again. He wasn’t sure he was as subtle that time, but Theo’s face remained amused-- unaware of the cathartic numbness. “HA! Yes. Or something, Potter. Something.”