#secret agent!au

[77gigabytes]

Welcome Home {Kuroo x Reader}

Secret Agent! Kuroo x Dispatcher! Reader

So, this, uh, somehow, uh, like, quintupled in length from my original note, I don’t know how, but I guess my fingers slipped? Oops?

|| Masterlist ||

Kuroo, Bokuto and Iwaizumi are Team 1

You, Akaashi and Oikawa are their dispatchers, respectively

The six of you share a communication channel, but you have a separate one with Kuroo similar to how Akaashi and Bokuto have one, and Oikawa and Iwaizumi have one

Kuroo always teases you through your comms even when the others are listening. You never fail to say something snarky back to him or completely ignore him altogether—

“If I return successfully on this mission, will you give me a welcome back kiss as a reward, Y/N-chan?”

“Tch, as if.”

“Argh, get a room, you two lovebirds, you have a separate channel you know.” Cue Oikawa fake gagging.

– but he always somehow gets sweeter and more sensual when talking on your private channel:

It's super late into the night. Akaashi and Oikawa have gone to sleep and you're borderline dozing off. Your chair is fully reclined and your feet are propped up on the desk.

“Y/N? You still there, sweet?”

You jerk up, your chair almost folding you in half with how fast you tried to straighten it.

Hands flying to the keyboard, looking at each screen you have of their info, vitals, location, supplies, etc., “Yeah? Yeah, what do you need? Are you guys okay?” you make sure everything is still green

“Yeah, we’re good, I just wanted to hear your voice, Kitten.”

Kuroo was always a little more straightforward when it was late at night.

You hum and the heat travels to your cheeks as you recline

You can see him through the CCTV cameras Akaashi got into.

“Talk to me, Y/N-chan… So I don’t fall asleep on these snoring fools.” He chuckles and you see him crossing his hand across his chest.

His voice was much softer than his usual strong and commanding one, but it was nice in your ears, so you closed your eyes and took a breath

“Hmm,” You lean back into your chair, “Did I ever tell you how much I hated you—”

“—I think you say that every day. In fact, sweetheart, at this point, I think you mean I love you.”

You sputter out a disbelieving laugh, “I was going to say how much I hated you for always somehow being higher in rank than me!” You try to defend, “Always beating me by a few points even though I gave my 110 per cent!” your voice slowly rose as you finished the sentence.

Akaashi turns in his temporary futon on the floor between yours and Oikawa’s

Your hand whips to your mouth, but luckily, he’s still fast asleep and Oikawa’s sleeping like a log, sheets ruffled and tangled all sorts of ways around his legs.

“Well, it’s what I like about you.”

You frown, “What? That I can never surpass you?”

You hear his deep but soft rumble of a laugh, “No, sweetheart, the fact that you always give it your all. It’s why I put my full trust in you as my partner behind the scenes. Speaking of which, why did you apply as a dispatcher, anyway? You definitely had the points and the commendations to be out here with me, Kitten.”

“Please, we’d be at each other’s throats if I was out there with you.” You reply without thought, but then mumble into your hand, “Who else was going to watch your back.”

“What was—” static cuts him off

Then a sharp ring in your ear has you whipping the earpieces out of your ears and bouncing on the desk where they eventually roll off to the floor

Even though he teases you so much, you can’t help but worry when you suddenly lose contact with him

“Kuroo? Hey! Do you read me?” All the text on your screen starts turning orange, red and flashing, “Kuroo!”

You shake Akaashi awake and throw a stress ball at Oikawa’s head but eventually have to kick him awake, “Hey, hey, wake up, we’ve lost them, get Ki-chan, Kenma and Kunimi-kun.”

Oikawa’s up and almost sliding the door off of its hinges to get them

Kiyoko-chan, Kenma and Kunimi-kun are assigned to the Intelligence team

they start working on why you’ve lost contact with them, hair all messy from just waking up and eyes half-lidded with sleep

It’s been a full five days since you lost contact. They weren’t even meant to be out there for longer than two days.

Before they left, you optimised their supplies so they wouldn’t be slowed down by the weight.

You know for sure that they’ve probably burned through it by now.

You were just about ready to barge up to the big bosses’ room, pretty much ready to gear up and go out there yourself. More than qualified to do so, too.

Akaashi was holding you back mumbling all sorts of arguments trying to convince you to stay put.

“Y/N! Where’s Y/N?!” Kenma’s voice echoes through the hallways, “Comms are back on! We’ve got contact!”

You’re rushing to your dispatcher’s room in no time and stuffing the earpiece in, “Kuroo!”

It’s not Kuroo’s voice that goes through, it’s Iwaizumi's.

“L/N-chan, we’re still looking for him, we got separated.”

“What? What do you mean ‘You’re still looking’? You mean he’s been gone for… how long?”

“A couple of hours after we lost contact, we got split up. We have his earpiece, it’s how I’m talking to you, mine was smashed to pieces.”

“Find him, find him, you need to find him!” you plead.

You jump when you feel a hand on your shoulder and meet Oikawa’s eyes, “L/N-chi, they’re doing the best their can, let’s do our best here too, okay? Breathe, Chibi-chan.”

You suck a deep breath, close your eyes, and then exhale, “Yeah, yeah.” You say and press the button to speak with Iwaizumi, “Sorry, Iwa-kun… Oikawa and I can check all the cameras and check the data in all of your black boxes. In the meantime, update Akaashi on your supplies, find water, and…stay safe… Find him...please.” Your voice breaks as you plead to him.

“Bokuto-san and I will do everything we can, L/N-chan.”

For the next couple of hours, you’re all cooped up in the dispatch room, tracing their movement, hypothesising where Kuroo might have gone, you map out the area knowing that he’d have gone to find water at some point.

It was a few hours later that you hear Bokuto yelling into the microphone, “We found him! Kuroo! Over here.”

You couldn’t even let out a breath before he’s saying something that makes your stomach drop to the floor

“Oh my God, Kuroo! Iwa-chan, we need your med kit! Quick! Kuroo, hey, stay with me.”

“Bo, Iwa-kun, what’s going on?” you plead.

“L/N-chan, I’m giving the headset to Kuroo, keep talking to him, keep him awake.”

You hear some shuffling and then a spluttering cough, “Keep the pressure, Bokuto! Here…gauze, bandage!”

You blink, stuttering out your breaths, he’s bleeding somewhere, you deduce, if he’s coughing up blood, chest wound? Internal bleeding?

“Ki—urgh—Kitten?” He heaves.

“Yeah, yeah,” You fix the small devices in your ear, “I’m here, I’m here. You need to stay awake, Kuroo.”

He only hums in response.

“Kuroo, you—you idiot! What were you thinking, what happened? I… I hate you, you know..”

He lets out a chuckle but then winces

“Y/N-chan, I’ve got visual!” Oikawa shouts and pushes the screen to you. You can hear Akaashi dispatching Team 2 (Daichi, Ushijima and Atsumu – weirdest combo you’ve seen, but somehow, they work well)

You see Bokuto and Iwaizumi hunched over Kuroo, they’ve got gauze, bandages and even Bokuto’s shirt pressed onto his right side and chest.

It’s soaked red.

Keep talking to him, keep him awake. Iwaizumi’s words bounce around in your head.

What do I talk about? What do I say? Usually, he’s the one talking, I… I only ever give instructions, Kuroo, Kuroo, what do I do to keep you awake?

“I…Kuroo, I… What’s, uh, your favourite colour?”

You hear him breathing heavily into the headset and faintly hear Bokuto and Iwaizumi working in the background. Your eyes are set on his figure on the screen, his chest is barely moving, and his eyes are half-lidded.

“Pink. Red. Or something.”

Your brows furrow, “Pink?”

“Yeah,” he coughs again, and you see blood splutter from his lips.

Red. Bright red. Even on his black uniform.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever colour you blush –urk—is my favourite colour.”

You collapse on your knees to the floor. “I…I really do hate you.” You shake your head. Even as he’s in a situation like this, he’s teasing you. Even in a situation like this, he’s thinking about you.

“I love you, too, Kitten.” You see him close his eyes and smile.

You don’t even recognise what he said, too on edge, especially when you see he’s paling quickly.

“Oi! Kuroo!” You stand up, pulling the screen closer to you, “Open your eyes! Please!”

“I’m not going anywhere, Kitten. Not until I get that welcome back kiss from you.” He breathes out a chuckle

Team 2’s entering the camera’s view and Daichi pulls out another med kit, water bottle and IV bag. Expertly, he’s fixing the bandages and inserting a cannula into the crook of Kuroo’s elbow. He attaches the tubing to the bag and hands it to Bokuto who holds it up.

Ushijima and Iwaizumi have unfolded a stretcher turning Kuroo one way and then the other to slide it under him without having to lift him

Soon after, they’re making their way out and your fingers are flying on the keyboard trying to follow their movement through the CCTV cameras.

“L/N-chan…L/N? Hey…”

You don’t stop even though you hear Oikawa calling for you.

Not until Oikawa swivels your chair to face him, “Hey…L/N-chan, it’s okay. I can take over from here.”

“No, no, He—”

“—He’s safe, Chibi-chan.” Oikawa reassures.

Akaashi comes up to you and places a tentative hand on your head, “You need to rest; you’ve been awake all day and all night.”

Oikawa nods, “Mmm, we can take over from here.”

“But I—"

“You trust us, don’t you? I promise you; I’ll make sure he comes back home to you, L/N-san.”

You nod and Akaashi leads you to your futon on the floor and tucks you in.

Before he stands up to get back to his chair, you take hold of his wrist, “Promise me, you’ll wake me when he gets here.”

When you wake up, there’s no one else in the room. Your head is heavy and pounding, but you sit up, with a hand at your temples

As you do, the door slides open.

You look up and see Akaashi with a food tray, “Oh, perfect, you’re awake, L/N-san.”

You blink up at him. Akaashi… 

Kuroo!

“Kuroo-san’s recovering if you’re wondering.” He sets the tray down on the floor next to you, “He’s in the infirmary. Stable, but still sleeping.”

You flick the covers from your body and move to get up, but you’re stopped by Akaashi.

“L/N-san, it’s okay. Eat first.”

“I need to go see him.”

“Eat first, he’s not going anywhere, he’s safe. You need to take care of yourself, too, L/N-san. For Kuroo’s sake, as well.”

You clench your hands and as if seeing your inner turmoil, he sighs and picks up the tray and walks to the door.

Your brows are pinched as he stops in the threshold to look at you, “You coming? You can eat in Kuroo-san’s room in the infirmary.”

When you get to his room, you see him you see him in a seated position on the hospital bed

If you hadn’t known what happened, you would’ve thought he was simply asleep.

“I’ll set your food here, L/N-san.”

You turn to Akaashi as he exits, “Thank you, Akaashi-kun. Really.”

He offers the smallest of smiles and nods before closing the door behind him.

You turn back to Kuroo, taking a few steps forwards to take one of his hands in both of yours.

There are small cuts on his hand that you run your thumbs over.

“Kuroo.” You whimper and your vision is blurring over with tears, “Kuroo, Kuroo, Kuroo.”

As if hearing you call, Kuroo’s eyes flutter open

You don’t see through the tears, but you feel him squeeze your fingers.

“Hey there, sweet.” He rasps.

Your head whips up to his face, “Kuroo! Kuroo…” you pull his hand up so that his fingers are touching your forehead.

He says something that you can’t hear

“Huh?”

“Come here.” He says a little louder. You shuffle closer to him, and he releases his hand to cup your cheek

“What do you need?” you ask him.

“Can I…”

“Hmm?”

“Can I have my welcome home kiss, now?”

You pull away and you see him with a small smile, “Idiot! How can you joke in a time like this?” You slap his shoulder, and he winces.

“Ah, sorry, sorry,” You cover the area with your hand, “I…” then you grab his hand again, holding back your tears, “I almost lost you, Kuroo. Hahhhh,” You look up at the ceiling to stop the tears from flowing, “I hate you. I hate how much you affect me.”

When you look at him again, he’s already looking at you with the softest of smiles. You quirk your lips and then lean in to press your lips to his.

“Welcome home, baka. Don’t do that again.”

As you go to pull away, you feel his hand at the back of your neck, pulling you back to him, “I’m home.” He says and then pecks your lips once more.

I had a lot of fun writing this. I really didn't intend for it to be this long hahaha, but I hope you liked it :3.

As the title says, If you guys want and if I'm feeling it, I might turn it into a full one-shot (Or even a mini-series with how long it ended up)

Anyways, have a good day!

|| Masterlist ||

This is Seven, signing off :)

[lus-sav]

Now you're sitting pretty in my brain Sitting pretty living in me You're a part of every word I say

[gingermaple]

more rvb/hermitcraft au!

by proxy of being wash, etho now has terrible luck with vehicles

[starrspice]

The Paper Stars AU won the poll so here it is!!!

So this is basically a Secret Agent AU

Sun and Moon, two of the top agents in their field are tasked with stopping Y/N, an ex-agent turned international super thief. Sun and Moon are the only people to have captured them (even though they escaped during transport) and the only ones so far to fully figure out their clues and secrets left behind.

Meanwhile Y/N enjoys the challenge of a good heist, even more so with a couple of agents on their heels. They always leave behind a paper star at each heist location as a calling card, and Sun and Moon were the first to realize they leave hints for what their next target is going to be.

Sun is a bit of a tinkerer in this AU, often testing and creating new gadgets for him and Moon to use in the field! He's better at hacking ane coding than he is at inventing and mechanics, but a few of his inventions have proven quite useful

Moon is far better at putting Sun's gadgets to use than Sun is, but he's also known for being resourceful and quick on his feet. He's still got an old injury that was never properly repaired right but that doesn't stop him.

Y/N was once the agency's top operative, specializing in disguise and covert missions. After a huge mission gone awry Y/N took a year off duty before suddenly abandoning the agency and become a world renowned thief. Nobody is quite sure how or why and Y/N refuses to explain.

As much as Y/N adores the two they aren't the type to pull their punches. Often tying the agents up to make a get away or roughing them up in a fist fight. They're the very definition of a wild card. Nobody can ever be sure if they'll slip in and out of a heist through stealth or make a big show out of pulling off a caper, and that uncertainty makes the entire organization jumpy which is just how Y/N likes it

[sanchensky]

Here goes sunny animatronic always wearing flashy suits Dawn <3

I was doing little drapery study with a help of @lavenoon's lovely secret agent Sun :)

I was afraid I'll make his clothes look way too flat but they turned out okayish x)

Drawing fabric is hard ;-;

[coyotelip]

enemies to lovers 👊 fake dating 👊 secret agents 👊 jegulus au

where James is assigned to follow a drug lord on an ocean voyage and he waits for his partner to play his fake wife.

However, at the last minute, they receive information that the drug lord has a weakness for cute guys, so instead of a fake wife, James gets a fake husband, who for some reason is supposed to be his main rival, Regulus.

and for the next week he has to play the fool who doesn't realize that his husband is seducing the drug lord for information. (The seduction works for both of them in the end).

[soupy-girl]

saw this on twt… this is me i fear

[ionshi-teiru]

[ty-bayonet-betteridge]

Tango had been having a pretty awful day. What was supposed to be one of the better days of his life - T.I.E.S. Defense unveiling their new radium drive and securing some more sweet, sweet, investment money - had been soured by some sort of terrorist organization crashing the event, threatening to blow up T.I.E.S. Tower, beating him senseless, tying him to a chair, and locking him in a closet.

It had put a real damper on his mood.

But he felt his spirits lifting when the door was opened by a man who wasn't one of his kidnappers. He had short, messy, golden-blond hair, which looked brilliant with the light shining through it. His eyes were a beautiful shade of darker brown, big and beautiful. He wore a well-tailored black suit, which hugged him perfectly, displaying his gorgeous, athletic frame. His hands looked rough and strong, meant more for manual labor than whatever upper-class occupation his clothing suggested.

Fuck, Tango thought, he's gorgeous.

The man held a hand up to his ear, his finger resting on an earpiece Tango had failed to notice earlier. "We found another one of the hostages," he said.

And he has a cute accent too. I'm so doomed.

[screechwhisper]

NO FUCKING WAY I GOT SUCKED INTO THST STUPID "MY SECRET AGENT HUSBAND" MINI STORY ITS SO FUCKING DUMB BUT ITS SO STEREK

ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY AND I CANT STOP WATCHING IT

Truly the worst thing I've ever seen but I genuinely can't stop watching

I'm not gonna download the fucking app tho I'd rather die

[sl-vega]

*ೃ༄ CLASSIFIED INFO

Pairing: [SPY!] Heizou x [SECRET AGENT!] Reader

Genre: rivals to friends to lovers, mystery, espionage, action, comedy, spy/secret agent au, modern au, social media au

Synopsis: You're considered one of the top agents in the business. You're calm, cool, collected, and always focused on ensuring the mission is successful. Of course, all of those wonderful qualities go right out the window whenever a certain Shikanoin Heizou happens to get hired for the same mission as you. Your two agencies are rivals, and you tend to always run into each other out on the job. You're hired to protect a target? Heizou's there to kill 'em. You're hired to assassinate a threat? Heizou's there to protect them, or steal the kill before you can. You can't stand him, and he adores messing with you, and you're perfectly fine with things staying that way, but when the two of you are forced to work together to track down a wanted thief duo, you're forced to see your rival in a new light.

CW: swearing, violence, mentions of guns, brief mentions of gore/blood (nothing too serious/graphic though), mentions of alcohol, mentions of gambling, y/n and the rest of the cast are portrayed as young adults

*ೃ༄ MEET THE AGENTS

FAVONIUS ll TENRYOU ll OTHER FACTIONS

PROLOGUE-stealing the job, and the kill!

01-not you again

02-girls quit fighting

03-teamwork makes the dreamwork (but this is a nightmare)

04-TBA

(and much more to come!)

additional notes: 

-this smau was actually to be expected

-since i posted the scara one, i may as well post this one

-I AM SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS

-this one will come one my xingqiu smau is finished

-so b4 next year probably

-taglist is open

-vee in her james bond era guys

-take a guess as to who this wanted thief duo is

(OPEN) TAGLIST: @glxssmemories, @pastellbg, @uuyuomi, @freyao7, @kaitfae, @peaceindreams, @eutopiastar, @kyon-cherri, @romyoia, @bumbaboo

[theroundbartable]

Arthur: Merlin.... Can you explain those?

Merlin's back is full of scratches

Merlin: uh...

Memory: Merlin, running from the mafia, jumps over a fence where his jacket got stuck. One of the mafia guys shoot, barely miss Merlin. He falls into a container. He has done it. He's stolen the information that will help him create the antidote to the spread of a globally spreading virus that will make people addicted to cocaine, which funda the mafia. Now he only needs to get out of here. Merlin pulls out his own gun.

Merlin: ... Nothing?

Arthur: you've been fighting that racoon again, haven't you.

Bonus:

Merlin: a RACOON!!!! Why is that the first thing he thinks of? Why doesn't he think I'm... i dunno, cheating or something?!

Lancelot: because one of them is a lot less likely than the other, mate.

[arrowheadedbitch]

Okay guys, time for a long overdue post

Welcome to my CIA!Shawn au

And yes most of this is copy-pasted from discord, leave me be

AU where Shawn used to be a spy 👀👀👀

Old spy partner coming to sb to ask for Shawn's help 👀

I'm more interested in how it would affect the *Despereaux* dynamic tbh

And yeah the traveling the world thing with the many many jobs was the perfect cover

Imagining secret agent Shawn au, him and his partner (her name is scarlet but he usually calls her one of those BAD James Bond ones) have a tactic they call Operation Stick It To The Man

Her name changes every mission like he pretends gus does, because she's a spy so sometimes she's Scarlet and other times she Sara or Debbie or whatever, ykniw

Stick it to the man: It's probably just Shawn goes in and fucks shit up, how he does it is up to him, judgement call, but being destructive is encouraged, while she sneaks in

Also, I don't know why I do this to myself but I came up with her real identity and it's Scarlet Featherman, don't ask why, it quite literally came to me in a dream

And yes she is fine with Shawn calling her Pussy Galore, she thinks is just as funny as he does

I love aus where it's like "Yeah, no, Shawn has had a SUPER high profile job before, in fact maybe he still has it now"

This includes but is not limited to "Oh no, he's a cop, just for a different department." "Yeahh Shawn is in the CIA, he's keeping so many government secrets right now" and "Shawn was a spy. He kinda left the organize and kinda didn't, it's complicated, let's go break something!"

The last one is mine btw lol

I've been thinking about it nonstop for daysssss

If I write it I'm naming the fic "Agent P as in Pineapple"

New OC: Scarly Feather

Lesson learned: Don't be eepy when thinking out an au

This is where we got a more specific channel and I moved there so I'll call that a good ending point

PT 1/?

[starrspice]

Some Paper Stars AU sketches for you

Y/N is such a mess

Reference poses from

Here and here

[valiantstarlights]

Hob is a chef who owns a food truck selling authentic Indian food, and Dream is someone who doesn't really eat well. (He had a bad breakup a year ago and it caused him to eat less. He's trying to eat better with his siblings' help.)

Dream agrees to go with Death to one of those food truck fairs for her birthday. There's not a lot of people yet so some of the staff offer them free samples to entice them into eating more from their food truck.

Death is having the time of her life, and she thanks Dream for going with her even if this isn't his thing at all.

Dream says that he enjoys the atmosphere (a.k.a. no huge crowds yet) and appreciates the aesthetic of the food they have already eaten: the understated elegance of the mango bingsoo, the dancing bonito flakes on top of the takoyaki, and the satisfying cheese pulls from the megruli khachapuri.

Death, encouraged by his interest, asks him to pick another food that he likes the aesthetic of so they could try it next. Like before, it's understood that they'll share a serving so Dream doesn't have to worry if he can't eat a lot.

Dream agrees. He picks an appetizing-looking plate of butter chicken from a foodtruck selling Indian food near the edge of the fair grounds, where not a lot of people have ventured yet.

They are greeted enthusiastically by a very handsome man and Death does all the talking because Dream is distracted by his forearms and smile and manbun. (He's salivating, so he must be hungry. Right?)

The handsome man turns out to be both the chef and the owner, and he chats with Death while he prepares the food. His name is Hob. He quit his job at a fancy hotel because he wants to feel more connected with his customers and share the food that he loves cooking for his family. (Dream is falling for him the more he talks. He doesn't realize that he has yet to speak and has only been staring.) (Hob is highly intimidated by him but also thinks he's cute.)

The food is served. Death takes her first bite and says something like 'holy shit dude wow this is great' and Hob is just about to thank her when Dream takes his first bite and lets out the most sinful moan Hob has ever heard this side of his laptop screen.

He is (understandably) frozen in place, staring at this beautiful man devour his food while sounding like a porn star. He may or may not be violating food safety standards by getting hard in his jeans in the truck's kitchen area.

Death is astonished because Dream has never shown this much enthusiasm while eating before. Even when they were kids. She is now looking at Hob speculatively. Should she google 'how to politely ask a stranger to (please) marry your brother'?

Dream...honestly doesn't even notice anything other than how delicious the food tastes. When the plate is clean, and Death has only gotten to take that single bite at the start, he reddens and apologizes, but Death waves it off, and Hob says something like, "I have some dessert too, if you want."

Dream unconsciously licks his lips and says, "Please," in a voice that could either mean 'Yes, please, I want some dessert,' or 'Fuck me raw right now.'

Death, immediately picking up on the sexual tension, says, "We'd like some kulfi, but I'll take mine to go."

And Dream is like, "Sister, what--?"

"I just remembered Desire and I have an appointment to get our nails done so I have to go--oh, thanks, Mr. Gadling--bye Dream, love you, be safe!" And then she's gone.

Dream is left with Hob who is still holding the other kulfi in his hand, looking slightly stunned at Death's very abrupt exit. The kulfi is starting to melt. Dream, unthinkingly, leans forward and sucks the tip.

They both freeze and their eyes meet, Dream's pink mouth still on the kulfi. Hob gulps at the visual. Dream, still maintaining eye contact, licks it from base to tip, then starts sucking in earnest, eyes steadily darkening when he sees Hob's breathing becoming unsteady.

Hob hears some footsteps coming their way, potential customers from the sound of it. Hob hands Dream his kulfi and apologizes to the customers, saying that something came up and he has to close. Like, right now. Sorry for the inconvenience but this is really important.

He closes up in record time while Dream taunts him by enjoying his dessert. He's already sitting on the passenger seat of the truck when Hob climbs into the driver's seat.

Desire's text the next day reads: 'DREAM YOU SLUT IM SO PROUD OF YOU'

Destruction for some reason knows Hob's number and has texted: 'Break my brother's heart and I'll break your spine.'

Dream slowly but surely begins to eat better. How can he not, with all the support he has, and Hob there to love him even on his bad days?

Hob gets everyone's approval, even Destruction's, eventually. He's the best cook and most considerate brother-in-law ever.

When Dream passes by his ex while walking down the street one day, he realizes that he's alright now, and is definitely better off without them. He's actually thankful, because if not for them, then he might not have even met Hob. He doesn't greet them because he still hasn't forgiven them, but he also doesn't feel like bursting into tears anymore.

At the end of the day, when he gets back home, Hob is there to welcome him with a sweet kiss, a warm meal, and a lifetime full of love.

[buddie-buddie]

The headquarters of the Buckley campaign are alive with overlapping voices, ringing phones, and the low hum of news coverage on every available screen.

It’s election night, the air thick with anticipation as staffers, volunteers, and supporters move around the space, each one carrying an energy that’s equal parts excitement and tension. Tables are crowded with stacks of voter turnout reports and precinct updates, laptops open and phones buzzing as every new projection is analyzed and discussed.

Large screens along the walls display a constant stream of election coverage, each network breaking down swing states, exit polls, and county-by-county tallies. Color-coded maps flash across the screens, updates coming in minute by minute, with each projected win or loss sending a new ripple through the room. The cheers, murmurs, and exchanged glances create a low, steady hum that’s almost like white noise, underscored by the ever-present tension of the night’s stakes.

There’s an air of barely contained excitement, a collective holding of breath as everyone waits, glued to the screens, hoping for the numbers they’ve spent months working toward.

Between Buck’s team and Eddie’s, there are well over three dozen people milling around the room, but Eddie’s attention belongs to only one of them.

Buck sits on the edge of one of the desks, his posture just a little too rigid. His shoulders are drawn up tighter than usual, muscles tense. One leg is crossed over the other, but his foot bounces in a restless rhythm, betraying the nerves Eddie’s certain he’s trying his hardest to mask. His fingers tap against his knee, an unconscious beat that grows faster each time the news anchor cuts to another update.

He’s looking calm enough if you didn’t know him well, if you weren’t paying attention to the slight furrow in his brow or the way his jaw tenses every few seconds. But Eddie does know him. He knows the way Buck’s gaze keeps flitting to the nearest TV screen and then back down, never quite settling, as if he can’t bear to watch for too long. The strain in Buck’s expression is subtle, barely there, but to Eddie, it’s as obvious as a shout.

Eddie’s gut twists, both in sympathy and in something deeper, something that makes his heart beat a little faster. He’s enamored by Buck— has been from the start, from the moment he met him. Even now, in the middle of this crowded room, with the weight of an election hanging over him, Buck is captivating in a way that’s impossible to ignore. 

And Eddie can’t look away.

Thankfully, it’s his job not to. 

But keeping an eye on the guy he’s sworn to protect is a far cry from what Eddie really wants to do, from what he longs for with every breath and every heartbeat. It takes everything in him not to move closer, not to cross the room and kneel in front of Buck, to take Buck’s hands in his. He longs to kiss the worry lines off his forehead, to run his thumb over Buck’s bottom lip, to soothe the faint indentation where his teeth have been digging into it all night. 

He feels helpless against the near-magnetic pull he feels toward Buck, how desperately he longs to reassure him, to let him know he doesn’t have to carry this alone. That Eddie has enough faith in him for the both of them. 

There isn’t a doubt in his mind that tonight belongs to Buck. Never in his life has he been more certain about a presidential candidate’s ability to win–– and it's not because he’s spent the last fourteen months sharing most of his waking hours with the guy. 

And many of his sleeping ones, too. 

No, it has nothing at all to do with that and everything to do with Buck’s vision for the future, with the conviction Eddie has seen firsthand, day in and day out. He’s watched Buck pour himself into this campaign, not out of ambition or ego, but out of a genuine, undying love for the people he wants to serve. Buck’s loyalty to this country runs as deep as anything Eddie’s ever seen, and he believes in it wholeheartedly. He believes in Buck’s relentless drive to make things better, to bring hope and unity to a country that desperately needs it. Buck has a fire, a determination, that’s as clear as the blue in his eyes, and Eddie knows that if anyone deserves to win this, it’s him.

Eddie’s confidence isn’t just personal— it’s built on everything he’s witnessed, every late-night conversation about policies and plans, every impassioned speech, every flash of determination in Buck’s eyes when he talks about what he envisions for the future of America. 

There’s no doubt in Eddie’s mind those 270 electoral votes are his. Hell, he’d bet his house and every dollar to his name that Buck takes well over 300 of them. 

But it’s clear Buck doesn’t have the same faith in himself. There’s a pang in Eddie’s chest as he watches him, seeing the unease he can’t quite mask, despite his best efforts. 

Eddie hates seeing Buck like this— tense, wound tight like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

And he is, in a way. Eddie knows it. Just as he knows how hard Buck is trying to keep it together for everyone in the room, to project that calm confidence he thinks they need from him. 

But he’s struggling, Eddie can tell. 

Maddie stands beside Buck, her hand resting on his shoulder as she gives him a reassuring squeeze. 

Words could never accurately convey just how grateful Eddie is for Maddie and all she does for Buck. Maddie is the person you want by your side–– in the good moments and the bad ones, too. And it’s not just about her work on the campaign, though she’s brilliant and absolutely incredible at what she does. It’s about her loyalty, her fierce, unwavering commitment to Buck’s happiness, his vision, his dreams. 

Eddie’s grateful to Maddie for everything. For raising him and loving him and being his cheerleader and his confidante and his champion every step of the way. And for being here, for knowing exactly what Buck needs and offering it so freely.

And yet, despite the gratitude, there’s a flash of something else— something raw and unbidden— that twists in Eddie’s chest. A flicker of jealousy, sharp and undeniable, because Maddie gets to be the one beside Buck right now. She’s the one comforting him in a way that Eddie wishes more than anything that he could. She gets to reach out, offer that reassurance, bridge the gap that Eddie has to keep firmly in place.

He watches as Maddie squeezes Buck’s shoulder, her touch gentle and familiar, her presence a steadying force. Eddie aches to be the one in her place. 

No, not in her place. He doesn’t want to replace her. Maddie is Buck’s sister, his family, his anchor through every high and low, and Eddie knows how much that matters. He knows how essential she is to Buck’s life, how her love and support grounds him in a way no one else’s could. And he’s grateful for that— grateful that Buck has Maddie beside him, someone who knows him so completely and loves him unconditionally, just as he deserves.

Eddie just wishes he could be there, too. Alongside her. To share in offering that reassurance, to stand beside Maddie as a constant in Buck’s life. He wants to be part of that inner circle, not to take Maddie’s place at the table but to pull up a chair of his own. 

But he can’t. Not here, not with so many eyes watching. So he swallows it all down, grateful and envious in equal measure.

The tension in the room rises as more people move in and out, staffers murmuring updates and running quick calculations. One of them leans in, whispering something to Buck, and he nods, forcing a faint, strained smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

Eddie sees right through it.

As Buck glances across the room, his gaze lands on Eddie, and for just a brief second, their eyes meet. In that moment, Eddie catches a flicker of something vulnerable— something Buck would never let the rest of the room see. But Eddie sees it, and it’s enough to make his resolve tighten. He can’t stand the thought of Buck bearing this weight alone, can’t stand seeing that doubt flash in his eyes.

Just then, a break in the commotion creates a quiet lull. Eddie seizes it, catching Buck’s eye and nodding subtly toward the door that leads to the back hallway. Buck hesitates for a second, glancing around quickly before standing up and slipping away, Eddie following close behind.

Buck heads for an empty office at the end of the hallway, far enough from the main room and all the excitement of the night that no one will stumble upon them.

The second they’re alone, Eddie closes the door behind them, blocking out the noise and leaving them in a pocket of silence. Buck lets out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping just slightly as the weight of the night catches up to him. 

Eddie doesn’t say anything at first, just watches him, taking in the vulnerability Buck allows himself only in this moment.

“You doing okay?” Eddie asks gently. His voice is low and steady, but there’s an edge of worry there that he doesn’t bother hiding.

Buck nods, but his gaze drops, betraying the truth. “Y–Yeah. I mean… it’s, uh. It’s a lot,” he admits, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. He glances up, giving Eddie a tight smile. “Trying to keep it together, you know?”

Eddie nods. “I know.”

He doesn’t say anything else. He doesn’t need to. He knows that Buck is searching for his words, trying to sift through the flood of thoughts and emotions churning inside him. 

Eddie recognizes the look in Buck’s eye— the one that says he’s struggling to make sense of it all, feeling the weight of every hope, fear, and responsibility pressing down on him. So Eddie just waits, steady and silent, giving Buck the space he needs to untangle it all.

He’ll give Buck all the time he needs. Eddie would stop the world for him if he could.

Buck’s eyes search his for a moment, as if gauging how much he can let down the guard he’s been holding up all night. “It’s just… what if it’s not enough? All this work, all these people counting on me, what if it– if I–”

Eddie’s hand finds Buck’s shoulder, a silent promise. “You’ve done everything possible, Buck. And you’ve done it better than anyone else could.” He pauses, letting the sincerity of his words settle. “This is your night. I believe in you.”

Buck’s gaze falters, his mouth pulling into a frown. “What if we lose Pennsylvania?”

Eddie cuts him off gently, shaking his head. “Your home state? No chance.”

“But–”

“But nothing,” Eddie says simply. “All the polls have you taking it by a landslide. That state has been behind you from day one. You’re not losing it.”

Buck bites his lip, and Eddie can see another worry forming in his mind before he even says it. “Yeah, but what if— what if the turnout isn’t what we expected? What if the numbers were off, or— or the projections weren’t accurate?”

Eddie raises an eyebrow, a small, amused smile tugging at his lips. “You’ve got every reputable source predicting a win. A runaway, in fact. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re just looking for something to worry about now.” 

“But–”

Eddie takes a step forward, closing the distance between them. His voice drops, low and steady. “You’re going to win. Trust me.”

Buck tries to respond, another worry on the tip of his tongue, but Eddie doesn’t give him the chance. Instead, he leans in, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to Buck’s forehead, right where the worry lines have creased all night. 

Buck’s breath hitches, and Eddie trails a gentle kiss to his temple, then another to his cheek, each one a wordless reassurance.

“Eddie…” Buck starts, but Eddie kisses the bridge of his nose, effectively silencing him. Buck’s shoulders relax a little more with each touch.

“Shh,” Eddie murmurs, a faint smile playing on his lips as he continues to pepper kisses across Buck’s face. “No more worrying, alright? It’s your night, Buck. Let yourself have it.”

Buck nods, his face softening as the tension finally begins to fade. He steps closer, reaching up to rest a hand on Eddie’s cheek, his thumb brushing gently over his skin. 

“Thank you,” Buck breathes, barely audible. There’s a tenderness in his eyes, something unspoken but deep, as he leans in, his lips meeting Eddie’s in a soft, lingering kiss.

The touch is warm, familiar, and achingly gentle, carrying the weight of everything Buck hasn’t said out loud, but Eddie hears all the same. Eddie’s hand settles at Buck’s waist, pulling him just a little closer, his heartbeat steadying as he melts into the kiss. 

For a moment, everything fades away. The noise, the pressure, the stakes, all of it.

It’s just them, steady and certain. 

“Always,” Eddie murmurs, just loud enough for Buck to hear, a promise woven into the quiet moment that stretches between them.

Buck leans back, a bit of peace finally settling over him. “We should get back in there,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. Eddie can see the reluctance in his eyes, mirroring his own. 

But they’re on begged and borrowed time, and they both know it. With a slight nod, Eddie reaches for the door, his fingers lingering on the handle as he pulls it open, his gaze still on Buck.

“After you, Mr. President,” he says, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Buck gives him a look, somewhere between amusement and a hint of exasperation, his lips twitching in a barely-contained smile. He rolls his eyes, but there’s a glimmer of warmth in his expression, a quiet confidence that Eddie hasn’t seen yet tonight.

As Buck steps past him, their pinkies brush— a small, fleeting touch, but one that sends a spark through Eddie all the same. Eddie doesn’t pull his hand away, letting the touch linger as long as he dares. 

It feels like a promise, a shared acknowledgment that whatever happens tonight, whatever waits for them beyond those doors, they’re in this together. Eddie’s chest tightens with a quiet certainty, a sneaking suspicion that no matter the outcome tonight, they’ve already won something bigger.

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