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subtlereferencetomyinterests · 4 years ago

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I Taste Honey but I Haven’t Seen the Hive - Chapter Seven

Ao3, Masterpost, C.1 C.2 C.3 C.4 C.5 C.6

Relationships: eventual queer-platonic intruality, platonic dlampr.

okay. so. last time we heard anything out of me was *New Years*, Literally, and maybe i should’ve mentioned that I was taking a little hiatus, but oh well. i’m back now and i’m gonna post the last three chapters of this fanfiction as soon as I possibly can (so probably like all of them will be up by tmrw at the latest!!) to make up for my absence. but jokes on you, cuz I did actually finish this thing!!! >:P

(oh yeah, and there are no italics, thanks to tumblr’s copy/paste bulls//t. i continue to be lazy :3 if anything sounds stilted just imagine that theres an italicized word there and yeah.)

Warnings: cursing, sexual innuendo, discussions of sexuality, misunderstandings, Emotional Conversations, sharing a bed, mild body horror (remus’ existence lol), stress, h/c.

Word count: 7,967

The hallway was cold, and dark. It had been long-since abandoned of any life, with every door shut and each light dimmed- even Virgil’s. That day- the day of the meeting- had exhausted everyone enough to send them right to sleep mode.

Everyone except Remus and Patton.

Their heart-to-heart in the kitchen had dragged on a little longer than either had expected, letting night descend fully over the Mindpalace. Patton was the one to notice the time eventually, and drag his less-than-restful friend up the stairs with him- he could tell that the other was dead tired, though. His stubborn determination not to end the conversation didn’t sit well, but Patton couldn’t think what to make of it, and they really did need some sleep.

They reached Patton’s door first. He stopped in front of it, when Remus tugged his hand back insistently. He turned to him, letting out a confused hum, and was met with a scowl and a sigh.

Remus was looking even more resigned than he had when they first started talking that night. Patton waited, worried.

“This isn’t, um,” Remus exhaled, ragged around the edges. “This isn’t a pick-up line, okay, and I know that it’ll sound that way and I know that it’s me but. I really don’t wanna be alone tonight.”

Oh.

Patton’s heart ached- and his heart was big, it took up most of him. He felt the pain spread out from his center and into his fingertips and toes, hot and empathetic. Because how could he hear something like that, and not want to spend the rest of the night doting on the creature in front of him until that voice never sounded so small again, till he was as big and confident as he was meant to be?

“I don’t think I want to be alone, either,” Patton said.

Remus stared, his big scarlet eyes casting a faint glow in the dark. They were wide, cautiously hopeful.

“Yeah?” He muttered.

“Yeah.”

Patton opened the door, and led them both inside.

Remus shuffled around on the other side of the bed, but Patton was still, however much he wanted to squirm.

“Um.”

The movement stopped, and he flushed at the feeling of being watched in the dark. There really was no un-awkward way to say it, was there?

“Remus, since you’re staying, do you- um, do you mind doing me a favor?”

Remus, little more than a silhouette, propped himself up on his elbow, a tilt to his head. “A favor? Of course, anything for you, Pat,” his words were a purr, and Patton could envision the suggestive smirk on his face in perfect clarity. Patton felt another well of discomfort bubble in his stomach.

“Could you at least wear some clothes, please?”

There was a beat. Remus laughed, short and good-natured.

“Yeah, I sorta figured I would. It’s no problem.”

“Thank you,” Patton sighed, relieved.

“Don’t worry about it,” he paused, and that really would’ve been the end of it, but Patton had learned by then when Remus was about to make a joke. He took a little breath while the words were still clicking together in his head, and a grin crept into his voice. “There’s always tomorrow night to try this clothesless, eh?”

“I’m asexual,” Patton blurted, and he could feel the heat radiating from his face, though he didn’t even know why he was so uncomfortable. It was a joke, Remus was just joking. They were friends and Patton should’ve been used to it- but he’d already gotten so sensitive that night, and jokes like that always hit just a little different than the violent ones or the curses. It must have been a breaking point, or something.

Remus shifted again, laying on his back. Patton wondered if he’d made things awkward.

“Oh,” Remus said, “Oh wow, that makes so much sense!”

“It- It does?” Patton sat up, staring at the other with a mix of surprise and relief. Remus blinked up at him, nodding.

“Well, yeah, that explains why you get so squirmy whenever anybody even implies something to do with sex. I always thought you were just, like, a prude.”

Patton ran his hands over the comforter that pooled around his legs, shrugging. He wasn’t nervous, so much as he was fidgety. “Well, maybe it was some of that, too,” he joked.

Remus snorted, rolling onto his side and catching one of Patton’s hands in his own. He held it, playing with Patton’s fingers like he was trying to focus.

“Hey,” he sighed, heavy, “Sorry.”

“Huh? What for?”

“C’mon, you know,” Remus gestured around with his free hand, “All the jokes, and all the times I hit on you, like, graphically. I was kidding, obviously, it was just that you always had the best reactions. If I’d known why, I mean. I don’t know if I’d have actually stopped, but whatever. Different time, different me. I’m stopping now, kay?”

Patton’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t- He wasn’t trying to make Remus stop, that wasn’t fair. He knew how important staying true to himself was to Remus, and if he’d actually managed to guilt-trip any of that away, he didn’t think he’d forgive himself.

“Oh, it’s really okay, I mean- I know you like talking about stuff like that, who am I to say you shouldn’t?”

“You never said that, actually.”

Patton nodded, even if Remus couldn’t see him, and even if he was pretty sure they were on different pages. “Exactly. You shouldn’t go changing just to make me comfortable, I’ll get used to the jokes! I guess I just wanted to know that they were, which, obviously yeah, but… um, I’m bad with knowing what tone is which, sometimes, so-”

“Ugh, Patton,” Remus was laughing, leaning up and grasping tighter around Patton’s hand, with a tone that said plainly: please shut up. Patton did, biting the inside of his cheek. “Look,” Remus huffed, “I know what you’re trying to say, and it’s real sweet that you’re so worried about this, but it’s not exactly like I’m telling you that I’m reinventing myself. I’ll definitely keep saying plenty of horny shit, trust me, I can just drop it with the comments about ya. It wouldn’t even be funny anymore; fucking with people is cool, right, but making someone I actually like feel ‘icky’, or whatever, isn’t really the same thing. It’s no big sacrifice trying to make you feel safer with me, got it?”

Remus’ eyes were on his, glowing with concern. Patton felt his face flush for an entirely new reason, nothing to do with embarrassment.

“You want to make me feel safe?” Patton grinned, just this side of giddy. “That’s a new one.”

Remus made a vague grumbly sound; it shouldn’t have been as cute as it was. “Yeah, okay, so what if I do?”

“It’s okay if you do. It’s sweet.”

“Maybe it is. Besides, you aren’t the only aspec side around,” he shrugged, “I’m not too big on the dating side of things, myself.”

Patton’s smile widened. “Thank you. I mean, for understanding, and… getting me out of my own head about all this.”

“I gotcha,” a claw traced over Patton’s knuckles, idly, “No need for thanks.”

“I’ll give it anyway, you know that.”

Remus snorted. “Mhmmm.”

With the remains of embarrassment finally fading away, Patton yawned, and remembered just how tired he was. He laid himself down finally, relaxing as his back hit the mattress. No sooner after he’d done so, Remus was letting go of his hand in favor of curling around him and setting his head on Patton’s chest.

Patton would be lying if he said it wasn’t a relief, feeling the other unhesitant to curl up against him still. He looped his own arms around the smaller figure, practically on top of him, and traced patterns against Remus’ back.

In hindsight, Patton couldn’t remember ever falling asleep so easily.

The morning after, there was a crisis. A Thomas-crisis, and an emotional one, which set Patton up for a busy, busy day (or morning-through-afternoon, but it was well more than enough work for one day). The one upside to the whole mess was that he didn’t have to deal with it alone, because emotional distress fell neatly into Virgil’s area of expertise as well as his own.

At some point, you’d think they’d get numb to the endless dilemmas every other day, but with each new outing it got clearer and clearer that panic was just a part of life. Most weeks had at least one incident; there would be a mistake at the post office that needed to be worked out in person (which Patton didn’t mind, really, but Virgil hated, and Roman thought was a waste of time), there was an event for a friend of a friend that for some reason they were socially obligated to go to (which no one liked but Roman, who always thought they were one person away from being ‘discovered’), or- the present situation- there were pre-established plans that all the sides had somehow forgotten about until they were shoved into it at the last second.

Patton jolted awake with a gasp, the urgency of his human throwing him out of sleep. It was a full two hours later than he usually woke up, something he would’ve loved to appreciate on any other day. His bed was already empty- the warmth of another person still there, the covers still scrunched, but empty- which did serve to make his morning routine quicker. He dressed with a fervor that he couldn’t even place, manic exhaustion already soaking into him and making plans to stay there all day. It was going to be a rough one, being around people.

But, Patton knew it wouldn’t be hard to ignore all that, for a little bit at least. There was still a bright side, and that side was Virgil! Who he got to spend all day with! Working, sure, but still- work done with a loved one is never work at all.

“Yeah, I don’t know if that rings true, Pat,” was Virgil’s response to the sentiment, when Patton told him.

“You’re smiling,” Patton said, because he was.

“What?” Virgil covered his mouth, “No, I’m not- shut up.”

“You believe me, I know you do. You looove me.”

“Says you,” his mouth may have been covered, but the crows feet under his eyes creased more. His shoulders were just a little less tense, too, enough to tell Patton he was right.

That morning wasn’t great, but, they made it better.

Remus had woken up in a lot of places that were decisively not his bed. The floor? Sure. The imagination? Oh, absolutely. Underneath furniture, on top of furniture, and on counters- anywhere lie-down-able, been there and done that. Just for the fun of it, really, and a nice shock to whoever found him curled up in the sink or beneath cabinets. He was used to a crick in the neck or a splotch of red, rough carpet print on the side of the face.

So he didn’t really know why, waking up in someone else’s bed, he jolted out of it so quick, he looked like he’d been electrocuted. Or why, after scrambling out of Patton’s arms with whatever carefulness he could manage, he bolted from the scene entirely.

Remus began the slow process of piecing it together after he all but slammed the door behind him, trembling and cursing his way down the hall. He dragged away from Patton’s room and let his back hit the wall, sliding to the floor with a kind of hysteria he could only describe as itchy-vomity-terrifying-amazing.

He did itch at his skin, he was feeling a bit sick, a bit scared, but he thought he might’ve been grinning anyway, so the description fit well enough. Except, nothing was fitting actually well, right then.

The closeness. The attention. The fact that he’d spent eight hours of sleep getting a full dosage of both those things. The fact that it had been more of both of them than he could remember getting, ever. Of course he’d scrambled away- how else could he react!?

Remus didn’t get overwhelmed. Except, apparently he did! What another fun surprise!

A door creaked open down the hall (thank God not Patton’s). Remus felt the eyes on him, and looked up- manically, he looked well and truly manic.

Logan blinked at him. He looked a lot like an owl in the mornings, Remus noted. One of those smart ones, obviously, not one of the ones that fucks around counting licks on a lollipop.

Logan cleared his throat.

“Remus? Is everything alright?”

Remus shrugged, grinning. “Maybe! Who knows, though, right? It’s a lot, you know?”

Logan did not know, and said as much. Remus only laughed, letting his head hit back against the wall in the process.

He still felt warm, inside and out, after all that cuddling. It was weird, good-weird, but still so new. And, like he said, a lot. He’d felt that kind of warmth before, but definitely not as much- and he knew he needed to distract himself before he went crazy. Or, before his rattrap of a brain ruined the maybe-possibly good feelings for him.

“Hey, any chance you’re busy today?”

Logan hovered in his doorway for a minute before ultimately deciding to step out, probably determining the interaction as a prolonged one. He didn’t look too put-off about it, though.

“A very high chance,” he said, “But for now I am not. Is there something you need?”

“A distraction.”

“Ah.”

“So, you up for it?” Remus pulled himself up from the floor, popping a few joints. “At least for the morning, yeah, Geek?”

“Of course,” he smirked, “Provided you can call me by actual name at least once in this conversation.”

Remus grinned, probably coming off more relieved than he intended. “Eh, we’ll see about that one, Dweeb.”

Logan met him halfway down the hall, not looking at all surprised by the response. He looked, if anything, amused. Remus found himself remembering very abruptly that the two of them got along, were probably friends, and somehow that fact was still novel to him. Or maybe it was the mood. Probably both.

“Well, it was worth a try,” Logan reasoned.

“Oh, sure.”

“What were you thinking we should do, anyway?”

Remus raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“I’m afraid that’s off the table,” Logan told him.

“Aw, fine. Surprise me, then.”

“That will be hard.”

Remus laughed, unsteady and shrill.

“C’mon, I know you’ve got it in ya.”

Logan smiled, just-nearly-almost mischievous. “Well. I’ll see what I can do.”

And for just a second, some of the panic slipped away, leaving behind that strange warmth.

Patton didn’t exactly let Janus know he was coming by. It had been a long day- or, a long five hour period between ten in the morning and three in the afternoon, but still, the idea that there was any day left at all made Patton want to melt into the nearest soft object and never get up.

When Patton needed to melt, he went to Janus’. Maybe it was the big armchairs; maybe it was the comforting, gooey little white-lies that soaked the atmosphere of his room; maybe it was the fact that his voice was so very easy to fall asleep to. Most likely, at least part of it was because he always seemed to enjoy taking care of people, anyway.

It was a nice combination, and exactly what was needed. Patton could apologize for not knocking later, ideally when he wasn’t falling asleep where he stood.

“Janusss,” he groaned, by way of greeting, and promptly collapsed onto the nearest soft surface while the door swung shut behind him.

Janus blinked at him from across the room, surprise lasting for approximately three seconds. He turned around, and sighed.

“Well, hello to you, too.”

Patton hummed, drearily.

“You look cheery,” Janus quipped, “Anything you’d like to talk about?”

The question was spoken lightly, but not insincere. Patton lifted his head enough to smile tiredly at the snake. He shrugged, for the room was working it's magic already, as was the easy company to be found there. Stress was easing away, in small bits, evaporating into warm shimmers under his skin. He had no doubt that Janus was doing some of it on purpose, as soon as he’d noticed the mood Patton was in, giving him a blanket of speckled reassurances (which were, as Janus insisted to him time and time again, just a tiny, harmless breed of pleasant lies) in an almost-literal way.

Most things about the sides’ rooms were like that. Almost-literal; concepts that crept their way into the physical world, if only slightly. Janus was the best at those kinds of things, though.

“’S just been a tiring day, y’know?”

Janus sat beside him, toying with some spare yellow strings, weaving and unweaving them almost carelessly. “I do.”

“A tiring night, too,” Patton added, an afterthought, but he found as he said so that it was true. Long in a good way. An impactful way. It felt like something important had happened, something that changed, but he didn't quite know what. It was still just as draining, though.

Janus raised an eyebrow, but he did not pry (even if he most likely wanted to).“So, you’ve come here.”

“Do you mind if I just rest in here for a bit?” He said, as he’d already gotten quite comfortable.

“Why don’t I do you one better?”

Patton hummed confusedly, but Janus had already begun urging him to sit up. The snake waved a hand, filling the room with light, swirling piano music. At once the air seemed to grow fuzzy, spicks and specks of what looked like golden glitter floating around- not unlike from the distortion Patton’s own room gave him when he was happy. Janus smiled down at him, summoning a neat little tea set on a tray and fixing them each a cup of the swirling, caramel-colored liquid.

Patton sighed happily, taking the teacup he was proffered and thanking the lord for whatever he’d done to deserve a friend like Janus.

Janus sat beside him, balancing the tea tray on an end table, and let their shoulders bump. He wasn’t a touchy person, exactly, but he allowed for a conservative amount of casual intimacy. Occasionally, and in an unspoken way, but still.

The atmosphere had exactly the intended effect. Patton felt paradisiacal.

“Gosh, what would any of us do without you?”

Janus hummed. “You’d most certainly perish.”

Patton laughed, his chest lighter already.

Remus felt good for about ten seconds after leaving Logan’s room and letting the guy get to work, fresh off the good morning he’d had. Then, very promptly, the weight that the remaining hours of daylight carried dropped onto his shoulders, and he would’ve been perfectly willing to claw his brain out to get a moment of reprieve from the whole barrage of irrational terror worming around in it.

Remus didn’t know why it was so bad that day (well- he had a guess, but thinking about it obviously made it suck worse, so). What he did know was that he needed someone to keep fucking distracting him, and that someone could under no circumstances be Patton.

Luckily, avoiding him wasn’t hard- he was still busy, and Remus had a feeling he’d need a rest once Thomas’ crisis was over, anyway- but that didn’t do much to solve the other half of Remus’ problem.

He needed something big, loud, and most importantly, not solo. He needed someone that could take up a whole room just as easily as himself, with endless energy to bounce back and forth, back and forth, until neither of them would ever worry about anything other than the moment and whatever it was they would do together…

Oh, god fucking dammit.

Remus sunk out to the Imagination. No, not his. The opposite half.

He rose up into more than a blank canvas, but less than a finished work; a vibrant world with gaps and white spots. He might’ve taken the time to look around, but- unsurprisingly- his brother was in front of him, accosting him, immediately. Seriously, it was like he’d teleported.

“What are you doing here?” Roman snapped, his hands, still splattered with ink, landing on his hips.

“Aw, so now I’m not even allowed to visit my own flesh and blood, and other various parts?”

Roman scrunched his nose up. “No, you aren’t allowed. This is my room!”

Remus- as he always did when someone said he couldn’t do something- cackled.

“I’m serious!” Roman whined, “I’m busy!”

Now, he said that, but Remus knew from personal experience that if Roman wanted him gone, he could’ve forced him out without too much issue- or worse yet, attacked him outright. He didn’t seem to be about to spring, though, not looking any worse than annoyed, so Remus happily decided that this interaction fell into the normal-and-healthy-sibling-bickering category instead of the unfortunately familiar would-genuinely-commit-fratricide-if-possible category.

He grinned. “Yeah, and I’m bored!”

“Not my problem, and you’re still in my room.”

“What, worried I’ll gunk up all your magic ponies and Yellow Brick Roads, or whatever it is you like to play with around here?”

“Yes, I am!” Roman scowled, but it looked a lot like he was straining his jaw not to laugh. “And you know I don’t make those, you fiend, I made a unicorn once and that was only because Logan wanted one.”

“You’re shitting me if you say that you weren’t the kid who always wanted a pony, Ro.”

“Well, how’s a pony any better than a thestral, which I seem to remember someone getting all excited about when we first read the-books-that-shall-not-be-named?”

“Ooh! Good idea, we should abso-fucking-lutely make those!” Remus wandered past his brother, looking around at the half-finished scene that he’d walked in on. It was sunny, pleasant- all around very vanilla, but there was at least a sense of adventure thrumming under it that gave the place a kick. With some work, it could actually be, like, fun! “Ever see somebody die? Don’t worry, I can help with that.”

Roman turned to him, looking hilariously incredulous with what was happening.

“Um? Excuse me? This is my domain,” he blinked, and a smug smirk crossed his lips. “Which means that you don’t have the power to make anything here! So, ha!”

Oh, right. That made a lot of sense, actually. How had he forgotten that? It wasn’t like this was the first time he’d tried to make something with his brother, right?

…Wow. That had no business hurting as much as it did.

“Uh- Remus?”

His head snapped up, a smile with too-many teeth already strained across his face. Remus’ head was scattered enough, coming here wasn’t supposed to make it worse.

“Sure, okay- there’s gotta be some way for us to build stuff together!”

Roman stared appraisingly at his sibling, apparently thinking before he argued for the one and only time in his life. He tilted his head in confusion, perhaps worry.

“I- well-” Roman glanced at what he’d been making, and down at his hands. “I’m sure I could, perhaps, let you have power here. Just this once.” He huffed. “It’s my room, right? So there’s no reason why I couldn’t do that, if I wanted.”

“Do you?”

“Ugh.” Roman rolled his eyes, perfunctorily. “Fine. I don’t know what’s up with you, but I’d rather you be your normal weird-self than… whatever this is,” Roman stuck his hand out, his chin raised like it was a challenge. “Good?”

Remus grabbed his hand (and did not buzzer him, or slime him, even though it would have been so easy- because they were having A Moment and even he could appreciate the sanctity of something like that).

“Yeah,” he said. “We’re good.”

Roman, as it turned out, was able to tolerate Remus for a whopping six hours, right up until five p.m., and only shooed him away in order to finish the project that he’d more-or-less happily dropped when Remus stopped by. So Roman wasn’t the worst brother in the world, Remus acknowledged. He then resolved to never, under any circumstances, say that to Roman’s face.

The door to the Imagination shut with a click. The sound matched almost perfectly with another, sharper one down the hall, what Remus recognized as Janus’ door closing. He glanced up with a grin, wondering if he could maybe get Snakey to distract him for a while- only to lock eyes with precisely what he needed distracting from.

Patton smiled at him. He looked tired, relaxed, and raised a hand in some semblance of a wave. It would probably be a great opportunity to unwind together, talk stuff out, and definitely curl into each other on the couch.

Remus wasn’t going to take that opportunity, though.

Remus stared back at Patton for all of three seconds, the grin sliding off his face, before barging through the nearest door and slamming it behind himself.

Shit. Fuck. What the hell did he do that for? It was just Patton, Remus knew Patton; there was no reason to be jittery enough to bolt from him twice. There was no way Patton wouldn’t think he was mad- which he wasn’t, even if he barely understood why he was losing it, he knew it wasn’t anger. But Patton wouldn’t know that, and he’d cry, probably, and Remus wasn’t sure if he was good enough at comforting people to fix it after. Christ, maybe he couldn’t fix it, maybe he’d still be too keyed up to talk to Pat, even if he started bawling!

“Hey? What the fuck?”

Remus spun around, and yeah, he could’ve guessed whose room he ended up in without the gravelly voice to give it away, given that little spiral. A surprised-looking Virgil stared up at him, sitting cross-legged on a spiderweb bedspread.

Remus ignored the thin layer of anxiety still rolling under his skin (now that he could place it), and shrugged, sliding until he sat on the floor.

“Oh, hi,” he said.

“Yeah, hi to you too, but my question still stands:” Virgil clapped his hands together, “What. The fuck?”

Remus considered a few possible snarky responses, but found that most of them were pretty pathetic. Besides, evading vulnerable situations was more of Janus’ thing, and Remus didn’t want to steal his bit.

“I’m hiding like a little bitch, so don’t kick me out, or I’ll maul you.”

Virgil’s eyebrows went up, but the surprise in his face was being replaced, slowly, by confused resignation. “Okay, cool. Why here, and why me?”

“First door.”

“Yeah, that’s about my luck,” he blew his bangs out of his face, “So like, you’re not gonna go anywhere else?”

Remus thought about it, but it was an easy choice. If he was gonna whine to anybody about something like this, he decided, it’d probably be Virgil. Virgil was good with fear, he was good with Patton, and he was good at making fun of shit if a conversation got too serious.

“Nah. Sorry, Emo Boy, but I’ve already annoyed Logan and my dipshit brother today. Looks like it’s your turn!”

“What about Janus?”

“Eh, he’s a live-in therapist for the rest of you already. I think I’ll give him the day off.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, sighing with all the exasperation of a teenage burnout and not a thirty-year-old metaphysical humanoid.

“Okay, okay- and why’s Patton off the table? He, like, actually enjoys helping people,” Virgil glanced down, scuffing the carpet with the side of his foot. “He’s good at it, too.”

“Yeahhhh,” Remus locked his teeth together, inhaled through them, “About that.”

“What, aren’t you two all close now?” Virgil frowned, “I fuckin’ saw you guys at the meeting yesterday, you were so on top of each other, I feel like I forgot that you were two separate sides,” to anybody who didn’t know him, the way he talked about it would sound harsh. Remus, however, knew exactly how soft Virgil really was- the fucking poser- and that that shit? That was pure encouragement, raw as a bloody, bloody steak.

Which, of course, only made Remus wince again.

He flopped sideways onto the floor, groaning. “Yeah, we’re close. That’s- I think that might be the problem?” That sounded right, almost, but just wrong enough to feel icky and annoying. “Ugh, I don’t know. So I just ran!”

There was a beat.

“Wait a second,” Virgil’s voice was tight- oh that bitch, he was laughing! “You’re hiding from Patton?”

Remus huffed. Okay, so maybe it was a little funny, he could appreciate that- but! He was still upset about it!!

“I mean, what has he done to scare you off?” Virgil pressed, “Too many compliments? Did he hug you too hard? I know the dude can be a lot sometimes, but-”

“Okay, ok-ay,” Remus couldn’t help it, he managed a laugh at it, too. “It’s ridiculous! It’s fucking ridiculous and he’s not even the problem!”

“Then what is the problem?” Virgil was snickering, “And don’t say that it’s you, dude. At least one of us around here has to not hate himself to hell and back, and you’ve defended that title for too long to lose it,” he cleared his throat right after he said it, sitting up straighter and trying to look like he hadn’t just been laughing like a huge dork. “Not that I’m, like, worried about you or anything.”

“Aw, you so are,” Remus stared up at the ceiling, grinning despite the ache in his chest. “But no, it’s not that. He thinks I’m awesome and he’s right, so don’t worry.”

Virgil leaned over him, staring upside-down at Remus. He squinted.

“Hey, this a serious problem?”

“I guess so. You can joke about it, though.”

“Cool. Um,” Virgil pulled away. Remus sat up, watching the trait cross one leg over the other, flip them, then tap his knee one-two-three-etc. times. He chewed on his lip. The whole nine yards of a classic Focused-Virgil Face. “Okay. You can tell me about it, seriously. I’ll try to help, or whatever.”

Remus blinked at him.

“Don’t- Jesus- don’t make a big deal out of it, dude-”

“Oh, I am.”

“I don’t even have a choice, okay, you’re the one who-”

“You’re so sweet, Virgey!”

“Remus, I swear to God, repeat that to anyone and I…”

Virgil trailed off. Remus pouted at him, dramatically, his eyes practically glowing with mischief. “C’mon, aren’t you going to threaten me?”

“I was, and then I remembered that you’re like, actually into that kinda stuff, so. No. Nope, I’m good.”

“Fine,” he shrugged, “Looks like you’re resigned to just hearing about my feelings, instead!”

Virgil rolled his eyes again- of course he did- but there was no hiding the way he went quiet, patient, you could even call it attentive.

It was an offering, one that Remus didn’t hesitate to take.

Patton left Janus’ room in a good mood.

He was in a considerably less good mood when, as soon as he’d left, Remus saw him and scrambled away like Patton was about to attack him where he stood- wide-eyed with fear and everything.

Patton swayed in the hallway for seconds after, uncertain about a lot of things suddenly.

The room Remus had run into had definitely been Virgil’s, not his own, and for a moment Patton entertained the idea of just going up to knock. He dropped that thought quick, realizing that if he really wasn’t wanted, then he definitely didn’t want to confirm that he wasn’t wanted.

He might have gone back to Janus- Janus was smart, Janus knew how to explain things and solve problems and comfort people- but that was scrapped, too. He’d taken up plenty of the snake’s time already, firstly, and secondly… No, yeah, Patton already knew just who he needed to see for something like this.

Logan set aside his laptop as soon as Patton walked into the common room, a surprisingly perceptive gesture for someone who claimed to be bad with feelings. Or maybe Patton had just gotten rusty at hiding them.

“Hi,” he greeted, wobbly.

“Hello,” Logan said, “You look upset.”

Patton stared at the wall just above his friend’s head, and nodded.

“Can I help?”

He paused. It was a bad habit- one of many!- but feeling unwanted by one side made him wonder if, maybe, he was unwanted by everyone. The thought formed a lump in his throat and had guilt pooling in his gut, but this was Logan. His best friend, the person he had gone to because he always knew just where he stood with him. If Logan didn’t want to help- no, because he always wanted to- if he couldn’t handle helping, then he would tell Patton that. He always did.

“I think Remus is upset with me,” Patton blurted it out quickly, just so he didn’t have to hear them. Logan vanished his laptop at once, gesturing to the spot beside him on the sofa. Patton sat with him, smiling feebly.

“Has he said anything of the sort?”

“No,” Patton picked at the sleeve of his sweater, “He didn’t really have to. He kind of… ran away from me?”

Logan’s eyes widened behind his frames, almost imperceptibly. “I see.”

“I don’t even know what I did,” Patton flushed with the admission, because of just how true it was. He had no idea what he did, and still he felt blame settling over him like a well worn blanket, and all that he could do was hope it wasn’t as bad as the last time. “I feel like I should know this stuff by now, shouldn’t I?”

There was a pause, as Logan processed the words carefully, seemed to turn them over in his head.

“Be careful not to jump to conclusions, Patton. He typically freely expresses how he is feeling at any given time, so even if his actions seem to say otherwise, it’s entirely possible that he’s not upset with you,” Logan smiled reassuringly. “I find that most of his actions are meaningless. He’s a very weird creature.”

Patton managed to laugh at that. Logan leaned their shoulders together, a little pride flashing in his eyes, as he continued. “He did seem to be ‘out of it’, in a manner of speaking, when we spoke earlier today. It would make sense if that had worsened over the past few hours, and now he’s just particularly flighty. All in all, I wouldn’t read too much into it, if I were you.”

Patton nodded, resolutely not mentioning that they’d spent the night together, however relevant that was. He knew it would sound paranoid to imply that their intimacy had backfired, or come too quick- because Patton was paranoid, and certainly a little neurotic, and the less he voiced it the better.

Instead, he followed the advice he didn’t believe, and let himself rest against his friend. Logan had laced their fingers together; it wasn’t as comforting as it usually was.

Logan was only so touchy when it was for the sake of others, and almost always that ‘other’ was Patton. A fact that made the needy trait feel amazingly special most of the time, but on nights like that… More than anything, he felt greedy.

“I’ll ask him about it,” Patton promised, because he knew that was what Logan would suggest (even if the idea made him more than a little dreadfilled). “Maybe I overwhelmed him. He’s been cuddly, so I thought…” Patton shook his head, bile hitting the back of his throat as the realization collapsed upon him. “That’s probably it. I must have took it too far.”

Logan didn’t pry, but Patton could feel his concern mount just as well as he could see the frown on his face.

“Talking to him will be the best course of action,” he said plainly. “For the time being, though,” he released Patton’s hand, wrapping his arm loosely around Patton’s waist and leaving it there. “It might be beneficial for you to receive more reassurance. Is this alright?”

“Yes,” Patton ducked his head, knowing full well how obviously relieved he sounded, “Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me, I’m happy to help,” Logan told him, and he had no doubt that it was true. Still, it always surprised him anyway- and that at least was a good thing about a friend who was so reserved. The pleasant surprises.

Patton sat up enough to rest his head on top of Logan’s, a position that was almost but not quite cuddling.

“I sincerely hope,” Logan muttered, “That everything will be alright for you.”

Whether he was speaking only about the Remus situation or not was unclear.

“Me too.”

“If it’s any consolation, it’s very difficult to stay upset with you, if he truly is so. In my experience, at least.”

Patton sighed. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Of course. Your happiness is-... you, are very important to me, and I can only hope that you’ve made a friend that values you as much as I do.”

Patton knew what he meant by it. Both he and Logan were acutely aware of how different they were, and how little they matched with each other. Patton couldn’t understand him- not wanting to be showered in love, enjoying silence and a little bit of alone time, needing space. He knew that Logan didn’t get him, either- didn’t know why he cried all the time, or why nothing ever seemed to fix him for good, or why he said so many things that went without saying. They still struggled with each other’s languages, sometimes, but they’d gotten miles and miles better with it over the years. Sometimes Patton thought that the only way they’d become so close was sheer willpower, pushing past each misunderstanding and argument just because they liked the challenge of it. Determination was always a common thread between them, whatever differences they had.

They had to have boundaries, then. Logan might not hold Patton on his worst days, but he’d give him notes and gifts and bring him water, food, things that he neglected for himself. Patton didn’t have any of the right words to talk Logan down when things got bad, but he was always there to cheer him back up when he was ready again. Neither of them understood each other, and maybe they never would, but they cared. Even if they couldn’t be what the other needed, they cared, and that was all they had to do.

So even if Logan couldn’t fix things, Patton thought, he still did a hell of a good job patching them up.

“Hey. Hey!”

Patton turned around with a jolt, his fingers going tight in the blanket about his shoulders. How long he’d been downstairs, he didn’t know- but he knew that he was really, very tired, and now was left blinking and confused at the person accosting him with so much energy.

“Um, hi,” Patton tried.

Remus had run up to him at once, and was just as suddenly seizing both of his hands. Patton might have taken a moment to appreciate the touch, but with just one sentence that positivity crumbled:

“I need to talk to you.”

Patton shoved a plastic smile onto his face. He always felt a little icky to be faking it, but with Remus, the shame was especially thick. Still, it was only instinct.

“Okay.”

Patton opened the door; the Duke marched in without waiting for invitation, and he followed.

Dread dripped down his spine like melting ice cubes. This is fine, Patton told himself firmly, once they were both sitting feet apart on the bed. He refused to think too hard about what the distance meant- if it meant anything at all, or if he was only being ridiculous.

“Sorry about today,” Remus began, “Really. I was freaking out for the stupidest fucking reason. You’ll laugh when I tell you!”

Patton didn’t laugh, but he smiled a little more wholly. If Remus was upset with him, the apology must’ve meant at least some of that had faded away. Probably.

“It’s okay, Mess,” the nickname rolled off his tongue easily. Remus grinned at him, but it was somehow more manic than usual.

“I probably got you all worried over nothing, bolting on you before you could wake up- and then again earlier, right?”

There was a pause, as Patton tried to decide if the question was rhetoric or not. When the silence stretched on uncomfortably, he found himself nodding.

Remus huffed out a breath, rocking back and staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah, I- I’m still working at the whole self-improvement thing, ya know? That probably doesn’t make it better, but- I’ve never really had a reason to try and be, uh, considerate. Janus never really cared if I was a bitch, and nobody else ever mattered, and that- yeah, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk about.”

His voice was raspy, low and thick in a way that it almost never was. Patton tipped his head to the side, confused. Remus looked- and sounded- awkward, an expression that was not at home on his face.

“Wait, um- so it wasn’t anything I did? You’re not upset with me?”

Remus looked at him like he was crazy (ironic, that).

“Upset with you?” He crowed, “Why the fuck would I be upset with you?”

Patton flushed; he laughed embarrassedly, or maybe in relief; he toyed with the sleeves of his sweater.

“I didn’t really- I don’t know, but I was worried that I’d, um, overstepped some boundaries last night, and maybe made you uncomfortable.”

He was only kind of looking at his friend, from out the corners of his eyes. It was still easy to see the way Remus went from confused to amused, and then burst into cackles.

“You- You- Me? Morey, please, it takes a lot to make me uncomfortable- if that’s even possible, actually- and you sure as shit haven’t figured out how to pull it off yet. Sugar, I asked to stay with you!”

The relief flooded Patton all in a rush, and he felt himself finally relax. With Remus laughing and joking and being his usual (sweet, impressively sweet, surprisingly so) self again, it all started seeming a little silly. Remus must’ve seen him coming untense, folding down the same way accordion-pressed paper sprawled out when it was released from a bored student’s hand, because his gaze went warm, like something had finally clicked into place in his head. A problem solved, and what a wonderful solution it had come to- that’s what the look said.

Patton met the smile just as brightly when the Duke shifted over some of the distance between them, taking up both of Morality’s hands in his own yet again.

“Well, since it wasn’t something I did,” Patton said, “Then what was the actual problem?”

Remus didn’t look too upset at the question, but he was glancing down, up, sideways- his pupils flitted around the room without really touching on anything for too long; it wasn’t often that he was so obviously thinking something through. His fingers flexed, face a little pink, and he hesitated before answering:

“Okay, it’s like I said, right? I don’t- I’ve never needed to try to be anything for anybody before. I mean that I never wanted to do things in a conform-y way, obviously, but, I never wanted to be considerate, either,” he smirked down at their tangled hands, shrugging. “I don’t think I’m doing too bad for a first try, to be honest- but that’s not the point, the point is- this is… new.”

Patton opened his mouth, reassurances rushing to the tip of his tongue before he was hastily shushed.

“No, look, there’s a difference between being a pushover and just being fucking nice to the people you care about. That’s the problem- or I thought it was a problem, in my dipshit lizard-panic brain this morning- right? I’ve never wanted to do anything for people, because I didn’t need them anyway. I figured I didn’t, I guess, cuz I could survive without ‘em- it wasn’t like I had a choice, but I got on fine. Not to be too… I don’t know, pathetic? Who cares, but- I never knew anything different.”

Patton’s eyes went wide and watery, like the blue of his irises were soaking into everything else and leaking, leaking, leaking. He was squeezing Remus’ hands a little too tight, certainly, and he just wanted to hug him so bad- but despite his words, Remus didn’t even seem to need it. He looked back at Patton, huffed a sigh, looking just plain amused.

“So this hit me when I was talking to Virgil, about ten minutes ago,” he started, “That I woke up today, with you, and I had this thought like… Fuck, I don’t ever wanna move again. I could starve and then start to decompose and probably rot into bloody mush, but I’d probably still be perfectly happy- which is weird, because starvation is easily one of the boringest ways to die, I could go out so much cooler- but, it was more the fact that I was with you, and uh. So, so I thought that- which is so dumb and sappy- and it surprised me so bad that I just ran. And after I had, I was so freaked out, I didn’t even remember why for!”

He took a deep breath, something that he hadn’t done for that entire ramble. Patton got the sense he still wasn’t finished though, and waited patiently.

“I never needed anybody caring about me for me to be okay- the screaming and the fleeing and all that was fine, it was still a reaction. But I think I just realized that I couldn’t go back to that, now.

“Because of you. I knew I liked you, but it never clicked that things would probably suck without you by this point. More than that, I guess- it hit me that just because I can take care of myself, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t fucking blow. That I don’t- I don’t want to be so independent again, okay? That I don’t wanna be alone anymore.”

And he couldn’t help it at all; Patton did hug him, then. He pulled him against his chest as soon as he noticed the words going choppy, choked, and halting. He let go of Remus’ hands, in favor of tangling his fingers in the Duke’s hair and carding through it.

Remus met the embrace with just as much fervor, curling up into the bigger trait. Yet somehow, he wasn’t crying yet.

“Hey, hey, I’m alright,” he murmured, “I mean, don’t let go, obviously- but I’m okay. I had all day to panic! Which I definitely did, by the way, because my whole worldview got screwed over. Finally know how you feel, I guess,” He was joking, Patton could hear his smile. He laughed. “But I got it out of my system, and ya know what I realized after that?”

Patton hummed attentively, letting Remus pull back just enough to see his face.

“I said, ‘okay, I’m processing that, and it doesn’t matter.’ It doesn’t matter because I only realized that maybe I need people once I already had them, and- no offense- but you don’t really seem like the abandoning type. The opposite, that’s what you are.”

Patton beamed.

“Of course not,” he swore, pressing the words out as though intensity alone could make them more true, more pure. “Never, not ever.”

“Good,” Remus said, “Cuz I’m hanging on to ya, Pat. As long as I can.”

Chapter Eight

Taglist: @shrimp-crockpot @glitter-skeleton-uwu @donnieluvsthings @intruxiety @thefivecalls @did-he-just-hiss-at-me @gayformlessblob

#sanders sides #ts #intruality #my writing #qpr intruality #remus sanders #patton sanders #ts fanfic #sanders sides fanfiction

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trashyswitch · 4 years ago

Text

Please Go To Sleep...

Thomas is exhausted, and Remy won't leave him alone till he gets his latte. So, Remy decides to use one of his favorite persuasive tactics: tickling.

Well...I'm uploading this fanfic in Toronto. Why am I in Toronto? I have to get some tests on my heart. So...I'm risking my immunocompromised health in the Toronto General Hospital. I'll let you know how things went next time I post, or on Tumblr.

This is Tickletober Day 27: Favorite Spot

Thomas sighed as he laid in the bed in agitation.

“WOOOOO HOOOO! DANCE LIKE NOBODY’S WATCHIN’!”

Thomas growled into his pillow.

“Come ON, THOMAS! DON’T BE SUCH A PARTY POOPER!”

Thomas flipped him off.

“HAHA! SEE, YOU GUYS? THOMAS IS HAVING FUN!”

Thomas flopped his hand onto his bed and covered his head with the covers.

“AWWWW! Is Thomas preparing to do the BLANKET WORM?! HELL YEAH! GO THOMAS GO!” Remy started jumping on the bed and fistpumping the air. “GO THOMAS GO! YOU CAN DO IT THOMAS!”

Thomas finally threw a pillow at the man.

Remy pushed the pillow off his own face. “...Well that was rude.” Remy gasped and whimpered to himself. “Thoooomaaaas! You spilt my LATTE!” Remy whined, screaming the word ‘Latte’ like a toddler.

“J-st c-njurrr up -nothrr ooonne.” Thomas said to Remy through his pillow.

“But- NO!” Remy threw the starbucks latte cup at Thomas.

It bonked against the back of Thomas’s head. “Ow” Thomas grunted, rubbing his head.

Remy threw a pair of keys at Thomas next. “WE ARE BUYING ME ANOTHER LATTE. RIGHT NOW.” Remy ordered.

The keys clanged against Thomas’s head, in the exact same spot. “Oooohohow. Remyyyyy!” Thomas whined, wincing and rubbing his head in pain.

“You RUINED MY LATTE! My other white SHIRT, is COVERED IN LATTE! I NEED MY LATTE, OR I’M GONNA HURT SOMEONE!” Remy ordered.

Thomas rolled his eyes and shoved his face further into his pillow. ��Y-u kindaa diid.” Thomas muttered.

“GOOD.” Remy shouted. “IT’S ALREADY GETTING BAD THEN.” Remy added, before pouting and crossing his arms in anger.

Thomas scoffed at that. But then he sighed and picked himself up. He got off his bed and wrapped his arms around Remy’s waist. “Come on, Remy. It’s time to sleep.” Thomas told him, lightly resting his chin on Remy’s shoulder.

Remy shook his head. “Mm mm. Not until I get my latte.” Remy ordered.

Thomas groaned. “What about tomorrow?” Thomas offered.

“Earlier.” Remy ordered.

“I can wake up early to get one.” Thomas compromised.

“No you can’t.” Remy told him. “Besides: earlier.” Remy added.

Thomas sighed into his shoulder. “You are just begging for a midnight latte, huh?” Thomas clarified.

Remy whined and bounced impatiently. “Yeeeeeess!” Remy whined back.

“Hmm...You don’t think anything else will help you get into bed with me?” Thomas asked with a smirk.

Remy softened his expression a little, but quickly hardened his expression. “No.”

Thomas smiled and slowly started to pull Remy along into bed. “If we sleep, we can dream about a latte factory.” Thomas offered.

Remy blinked in confusion. “...There are latte factories?” Remy asked.

Thomas shrugged his shoulders and made an ‘I dunno’ humming sound. “Might be.” Thomas told him. “Maybe we can discuss it in bed?” Thomas suggested.

Remy narrowed his eyes and looked away from the man. “No. Not without my latte.” Remy ordered.

Thomas blinked in surprise. He was truly being stubborn tonight. Were latte’s really that important to him?

Remy pulled away from him and turned to face the tired Thomas. “Listen, Thomas. If you don’t get me my Latte, I might need to force you.” Remy warned.

Thomas sniffed a laugh. “And how are you gonna do that?” Thomas asked him, crossing his arms in amusement.

Remy growled in anger, but quickly dropped his behaviour when he found an interesting feature on Thomas:

Thomas’s chest was bare. That gave him ideas to use the most playful, yet strategic version of persuading: tickling.

Remy started to feel a smirk growing on his face as he leaned into Thomas’s ear. “By taking advantage of your bare body.” Remy whispered proudly before pulling Thomas into his own chest. Thomas giggled and rested his head back on Remy’s shoulder, while Remy wrapped his arms around his waist.

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Cuhuhuddling? Your forceful strategy is cuddling?” Thomas specified.

Remy hummed. “Not quite. Close, tho.” Remy replied before lightly poking and skittering his fingers on Thomas’s belly.

Thomas wiggles around a bit and let out slight titters. “Rehemy...wahahahit-” Thomas giggled, wiggling even more before breaking out of his grip.

“What? I’m just giving you belly rubs.” Remy told him as he pulled the man back into his arms.

Thomas yelped and squealed as more of his belly and ribs were poked and squeezed. He knew EXACTLY what Remy was up to, and he was NOT having it. Thomas started wiggling about even more, and struggled in an attempt to get out of his grip once again. But Remy had pulled Thomas further into his chest, locked him in with his arms, and took a big breath:

PBBFFFBBBBTT!

“aaAAAAHAHAHAHAHA! EEHEHEHEHEHE!” Thomas screamed and bursted out laughing.

“Ooooh! Ticklish, I see?” Remy asked with an obvious smile on his face.

Yeheah. You know that already though! You’re a version of me!” Thomas told him as he tried to get away.

“Doesn’t mean I knew how ticklish you are. Especially your neck!” Remy teased, fluttering his fingers on Thomas’s neck.

“Mmhmhmhmhmhehehehehahahahahaha!” Thomas giggled.

“Awww! Coochy coochy coo, my party killer!” Remy teased. He blew another raspberry onto Thomas’s neck.

“NOOOHOHOHO! STAHPIHIHIHIT!” Thomas begged.

“But why would I stop when you were being so rude earlier to me? I think Thomas needs more tickles~” Remy decided with a smirk.

Remy gently walked Thomas to the bed and laid Thomas onto the end of the bed on his back. Remy was standing above him and wiggling his fingers at him in an evil, anticipating manner. Thomas’s face grew red almost instantly as he tried to stop the man or tickle him back. But his sides were a no-go, and his armpits were not even ticklish.

Remy’s smirk widened. “Not ticklish, Thomas~” Remy sing-songed as he poked Thomas’s belly button.

Thomas let out a shriek and attempted to cover it up. But Remy grabbed Thomas’s dominant hand and pinned it to his side with his left, while he dipped and fluttered his finger inside Thomas’s navel. “NAHAHAHAHAHAHA! REHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA! NAHAHAT MYHYHYHY BEHEHEHE- BEHEHEH- NOHOHOHOHO!” Thomas yelled.

“Not your ‘beEeEe’? What’s a ‘bEeEe’?” Remy asked. Thomas shook his head in frustration, while Remy thought. Suddenly, Remy gasped and snapped his finger like he connected the dots! “Ooooh! Do you mean your belly button?!” Remy asked. Thomas looked away, embarrassed. “It’s because I LOVE belly buttons! They’re so tiny, but FILLED with ticklish nerves just waiting to be plucked and played to my enjoyment!” Remy teased as he poked and scratched in his belly button.

Thomas giggled and whined as he covered up his face with his free hand.

Remy giggled as he continued. “Is poor Tommy too embarrassed to say the b-word?” Remy teased.

“BITCH!” Someone yelled suddenly, prompting Remy to stop

Remy and Thomas blinked in surprise and turned their heads to the source of the sound. Hidden behind the dresser, was a mustached version of Thomas, who was shirtless and dawned a white highlight in his hair.

“Is bitch the word you were talking about?” Remus asked, holding up a yipping chihuahua.

Remy sighed and proceeded to ignore him by tickling Thomas’s belly button to make him laugh again. Thomas’s red blush was right back onto his face in seconds as he squeaked and laughed while pushing Remy with his free left hand.

Remus’s smile dropped as he realized what they were doing wasn't dirty whatsoever. In fact, it was the complete opposite. So, Remus rolled his eyes and lowered himself back into the imagination.

Remy chuckled. “Wow! If tickling is the hidden key to getting Remus to leave, we should tickle you more often!” Remy told him. Thomas shook his head instinctively as his pushing against Remy weakened and lessened. The tickling was weakening him to the point where he couldn’t even push his own sleep persona off himself! “Uh oh...looks like someone is weeeaaakeniiing~” Remy teased.

Thomas tried to cover half his face up in the bed comforter. “NOOOOHOHOHOhohohoho!” Thomas yelled.

“Oooohoho, I think it iiiiis! Are the tickle-tickle-tickles on your belly-belly button making you all weak and giggly?” Remy teased, going for his sides to lessen the tickles a bit.

“KIHIHIhihihindahahaha…” Thomas admitted.

Remy tsked to himself. “Well, looks like I accidentally gave you what you wanted then.” Remy told him. Remy stopped tickling him and wiped away the ghost tickles as well. “I suppose I can wait till tomorrow morning to get my latte.” Remy decided.

Thomas let out a sigh of relief as he recovered from the one-sided tickle fight. “Ohoho boy...okay.” Thomas replied.

Remy tilted his head. “You okay?” Remy asked him.

Thomas chuckled and leaned his head back on the bed. “Yeah.” He replied. Thomas reaches his arms out to Remy, silently asking him for a hug.

Remy nodded his head eagerly and hugged him without even thinking. Thomas happily hugged the man and cuddled him. Remy smiled. “Feeling cuddly now?” Remy asked.

Thomas grunted tiredly. “Mm hmm…” He kinda replied. Remy started to feel his eyes slowly getting a little heavy. He watched Thomas as he closed his eyes and began shallowly sleeping. He was too self-conscious to try and move now, because he may wake Thomas up by accident. As much as he wanted his latte…Thomas’s sleep mattered just a little more to him. He was Thomas’s sleep, after all. There were times when Thomas used to ignore Remy’s begs to go to sleep. But now that Thomas was an adult, he listened to Thomas more. In fact tonight, Thomas had to encourage Remy to head to bed! Talk about irony.

When Remy and Thomas woke up the next morning, it was 9am. Thomas smiled and gave Remy a forehead kiss. “Good morning Remy.” He greeted him.

Remy immediately shot up and pulled the covers off himself. “LATTE HERE WE COME!” Remy shouted, scooting himself out of bed and pulling his shoes on.

Thomas bursted out laughing. “Come here, you go-getter!” Thomas ordered playfully, wrapping his arms around Remy’s chest and pulling him back into bed. “NoOoOoOo!” Remy whined childishly, squirming about. “Come ooooonnn Thomas! I want my Latte! I waited all night for it like a good boy!” Remy begged.

“Nope! Not happening. First, I need my morning revenge.” Thomas explained proudly, wiggling his fingers at him.

“WAIT- NAAHAHAHAHA! THOHOHOHOM!” Remy shouted.

A HA! So you ARE TICKLISH! I was just going for the wrong SPOT!” Thomas declared.

...Let’s just say Remy’s morning latte ended up being an hour later than usual.

#ticklefic #switch!remy #switch!thomas #platonic relationships

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coinofstone · 4 years ago

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3x05 The Crystal Cave

Disclosure: I fell asleep watching this episode last night, and then spent the entire day trying to watch it but getting interrupted and distracted. My orginal notes were lost/ deleted by tumblr, so this is a full do-over. If I sound cranky, that's why.

I love everything about this intro sequence. The slow-mo shots cutaway in time with the heartbeat, the ambient sound removed so all you hear is that heartbeat and the breathing, the swing around to the oncoming horde chasing after Arthur and Merlin, the increase in the heartbeats speed till full audio fills in as the shot's sped back up to real time and the music kicks in full of suspense and adrenaline as Arthur and Merlin absolutely book it through the same 15 feet of forest over and over 😂

No but it really is a lovely shot. I also love that they just never even bother with an explanation for why they're being chased, where they were, what they were doing, why they were there alone and without horses. Like.... ok then.

Bradley and Colin both in this shot with their mouths hanging open but there's clearly a swarm of gnats like right next to his Bradley's face and I just

As for the crystal cave itself - you telling me Morgause didn't know about it? Like I understand Alvarr but Morgause?? Kind of makes the crystal of neahtid seem a lot less important than it was made out to be.

Ppl hate Arthur for being mean to Merlin but Merlin seems to give as good as he gets to me. Not *just* in retaliation, either, but like even this scene he's just being rude because he's moody over the cave - Arthur doesn't even actually deserve it here. Not that I'm saying Merlin isn't justified, he 1000% is. I just really don't see anything abusive in their dynamic.

This entire episode is just Merlin entering rooms

They made Arthur a new crown and he still looks like a child playing dress up in it

The shot of Arthur holding Gwen while she sobbed was the most awkward thing ever. Gwen didn't seem to know what to do with her hands and Arthur looked like he's got no idea how to hug a person. Idk if it was deliberately awkward to signify the awkwardness of THEIR situation, or if it was just a shot they didn't get a better take of.

"Merlin: Have You Learned Nothing?!" Sundays on BBC One*

*I have no idea what day or channel this series aired on, I just think that line from Kilgharrah nicely fits as a tagline for the series.

FTR I think Merlin commanding the dragon to give him the power to heal Morgana after he's explicitly refused to do so IS a gross abuse of his power.

Morgana hears Uther say he's her father but she doesn't hear Merlin speaking that enchantment to save her 👌

I still don't understand why Merlin is so desperate to keep Uther alive. I think the party line is, "don't let Uther get killed by a sorcerer because Arthur will hate magic so much he'll be as bad as Uther was" but frankly I just think that's dumb, tbh.

On I'm falling asleep shook I'm gonna call it. More tomorrow.

3am EDIT:

I actually did fall asleep just before the end of this episode (again) but the music jolted me awake enough to be worried about losing this draft (again) so I added an incoherent sign off and posted, because that's just who I am, as a person. Now that I'm wide awake at 3am I'm just going to polish off this post properly, because I never got to the main point of it: the plot device.

I do appreciate that Merlin is self aware enough to realize he shouldn't be given messages of the future. A big part of this show is old magic beings telling Merlin prophesies about himself, things that amount to him being told the future and then working to either prevent or encourage it. The future-telling crystals are really just a neat plot device to get Merlin into position to prevent a thing from happening. In this case, he's trying to prevent Morgana from killing Uther. Aside from that though, the story here is really about the choices Merlin makes in order to prevent the future from happening, and how they actually contribute to the future happening rather than preventing it, as though it were inevitable. This really ties in to the Mordred story, and Morgana's, and honestly just overall Merlin and Arthur's.

It's a really big, sort of heady theme, the way that future knowledge shapes Merlin's choices and the effect on those choices could have on his character when they're at odds with who he is as a person. The way Merlin is manipulated by prophecy is a really big thing within the series, and the events of this episode both foreshadow events to come, and reinforces the defiance of prophesy that we've already seen from Merlin. It's much more important thematically than in terms of the specific events of the episode.

#bbc merlin #bbc merlin spoilers #merlin #merlin spoilers #merthur #3x05 #bbc merlin 3x05 #merlin 3x05 #the crystal cave #onceandfuturerewatch

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jay-bee-me · 5 years ago

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Hey guys!

Here is my special for 100 followers! (in the meantime we reached 114!!! Thank you guys)

Like @emo-bi-mess requested it turned out to be a creepy pasta I wrote on my own. It contains topics like death, hallucinations and mental illness. If you don't want to read it that's absolutely okay and I don't want anyone to read it when you don't want to. I gonna tag it with as much warnings as I can...

But now starts the creepy pasta:

I sank into the mattress of my bed. I was to lazy to switch of the light and grabbed my phone to scroll through my Tumblr dash. Most things I've already seen. Suddenly it told me to upload my dash to see new posts and I did so. The first two or three posts were some I already rebloged from other blogs. Then there was one if these posts saying if you don't reblog this in the next 10 seconds you will be haunted forever. I rolled my eyes. I've seen hundreds of these posts already - 3 alone this day. I usually reblog most of because they're fun and sometimes they say positive things like that you will get creativity from them. I knew they're all made up but nonetheless I liked the idea of being blessed. But this time I was feeling to lazy to hit the reblog button. Alsoi didn't wanted to reblog the forth of these posts today to annoy my followers. So I scrolled past it and saw some comics and fanart. Some so inspiring I rebloged them. When I took a look at the clock in my smartphone it says it was already 1 am. I decides to sleep and put my phone away. I changed my clothes, brushed my teeth and switched the light off. In the dark I found the way to my bed and snuggled in the blankets. It was darker than I thought because clouds were covering the sky. I stared into the shadows and thought I saw something but it was just my mind playing me a trick I told me. I had to grin at my own childish fear. I sank into a deep dream less sleep.

I sat up. Shit. There were noises. I could swear I heard someone running upstairs. The light and fast steps on the wooden stairs. Something was at my floor. I cursed softly. My parents were on vacation. I only was here because they asked me to watch after the pets. Since I've grown up with them I agreed immediately. Shit. Someone must have broken in. But why hadn't Buddy barked? He usually barks as soon as someone steps on the path leading to the house. I wished he or one of the cats were with me. I wasn't sure if I should turn on the lights or not. A thief may would avoid this room or even left the house if I did so. But a murderer would know immediately where to go. I stared into the darkness to the place I assumed the door must be. I heard a loud rumble. What the hell was that? Who was that?! Cold sweat was running down my neck and back. I saw the outlines of the room more clear now. Adrenaline must be running through my veins. Another rumble. And then a painful animalistic scream. Buddy! I gasped. I looked around the room to find anything to defend myself and the pets. I saw no then in the shadows. Nothing but a movement. I froze. That can't be. It must be another trick. Induced by panic and the circumstances. But... But it wasn't. Something was moving in the shadows. Crawling. Feverish I searched for something to defense myself. But there was nothing. Then the Thing came outta the shadows. It was big and suddenly I saw it eyes. Red glooming balls. With pupils as dark as nothingness. It was staring at me. At my eyes. At my soul. It felt like it could see everything I've ever done and not done and am going to do. I was trembling. It came closer. Every step sounds like a door was slammed shut. I wasn't able to move. It groaned. When it opened its mouth it reveals several rows of teeth. Each the length of my forearm. It stopped 50cm in front of me and began to laugh. It was a horrific mocking laugh. The sort that gives one goosebumps and panic attacks. I smelled its odor of rotton flesh and death. Then it whispered four words: I will come back. The next moment it vanished.

I sat on my bed till dawn arose. Scared. Frightened. When the first sunbeams lightened up the room I stand up. When I opened the door I cried out. In front of me laid the corpse of what once must have been my dog. Its spine was ripped out and his throat cut open. His dead eyes were staring at me. I sobbed but I wasn't able to touch him. Trembling I went downstairs and was glad when I saw the two cats were still alive. I didn't knew what to do. My parents won't come back soon. I went to the kitchen sink and filled a glass with water and drank it. I wiped off the tears that were running down my cheeks but it didn't helped. My face stayed wet. I cued up on the sofa. The cats pressed their warm body against me. We stayed that way till dusk came.

I was back in my room. I haven't eaten all day and was surprised I got to went back into my room. Ignoring the corpse in front of it. The cats were with me. The last glimpse of the sun vanished and the sky turned from blue to black. I felt numb. I tried to close my eyes and fall asleep but nothing happened. I didn't had any tears left to cry and so laid silent in the dark. Then I sensed something. I couldn't identify it properly but it felt like something entered the room. Though I was pretty sure the door stood shut. My heard beats faster. I opened my eyes and tried figuring out what was it. I remembered the words the creature said last night:I will come back.

I stared in the shadows. And there was it again. A movement. The cats woke up and began to hiss at whatever the thing was. But to my surprise the thing came closer. The cats got in its way to me and their courage to protect me nearly broke my heart. Then the thing take a further step and- and snapped of their heads. I screamed. Their bodies collapsed. Then the creature turned at me and hissed: I will return once more.

With these words it vanished.

I noticed I was completely alone now in this house. Only now the thought crossed my mind I should have called my parents. But otherwise how should I explain them all of that on the phone? I decided to wait for their return tomorrow.

I somehow sensed I would be the next to be killed. So I considered to prepare myself. I took several knifes from the kitchen and put them under my pillow. Then I placed some knives at other places so I would have weapons if I had to flee in the house. Only then I thought about what would happen if would have just left the house. But no this wasn't an option. It would have followed me and harmed even more than it had already. I sensed it.

When I was ready I sat down on the sofa. Waiting for the night. Suddenly I asked myself why all of this happens to me. And I wondered it took me so long to ask this. I tried to remember what I did on that evening before the horror began. But I only remembered being on Tumblr. Then I remembered and the shock almost paralyzed me. There was that post. That post I avoided to reblog. That dumb little post that was meant to mean nothing. I heard myself cursing. But all of this couldnt just happen because one silly post? I didn't want this to be the truth. I took a look out of the window. The sun almost vanished. I ran upstairs, jumping over the corpses of the ones I was supposed to take care of. I hadn't slept since the first attack neither did I eat and I only drank a bit.

I was sitting on my bed. Waiting for the shadows to move. I waited and waited. My body went stiff and I waited. Nervously I glanced at my alarm clock. It said it was 5am. I waited more than 8 hours. But I continued staring in the dark. Then finally something moved. I grabbed one of the knives and as soon as the creature was close enough I stabbed it. But it only laughed. I stabbed it again and again. Then I felt it teeth closing around me and I screamed.

News report

On April 16th the Smiths returned from their trip. What they found when they arrived was horrible. Their daughter, that was supposed to watch for their pets, had some kind of hallucinations and stabbed down the pets and a neighbor that wanted to help. She is now in a clinic and gets medical care. The daughter claims that a creature from a Tumblr post were the one doing all her horrific deeds...

Thanks to everyone who read it! Sorry for spelling / grammar mistakes...

#tw:sleep problems #tw:anxiety #tw:sabotating #tw:blood #tw: mental health #100 followers #Special

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erixyin · 4 years ago

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This is a post I’m probably gonna delete tomorrow but I just need somewhere to put my thiughts. Most ppl have Twitter, I have tumblr. If there are spelling mistakes then I apologise I’m not really in the right state of mind to be thinking’s bout SPAG

I’m trying to hold in a breakdown. It started by watching a film I shouldn’t have done. I’m a grown adult but violent films really bother me especially if they are about death and show the persons bleeding out or dying horribly. But I watched it and didn’t flinch or look away from the bad bits.

I then had to make a quick trip to the bathroom to give myself a breather and be sick. It wasn’t a big one only a little one and then went back in

Then I watched the thing I wanted to watch and I was happy even tho it was a murder mystery so it was a bit scary in some places

I had some bad news about my birthday plans mainly due to coronavirus but also because several ppl have said they can’t make it even tho it’s in four months

I’ve been asked to either postpone the celebration to the summer or wait till next year. For clarification it will be my 21st so it’s a big one

I don’t mind for covid but I’ve only got a few days to make this decision at we have to pay a deposit for the place we’ve hired

I usually don’t have big things but for my 21st I thought it would be nice to have with family

And now I’m told it could all be taken away and postponed

2020 has really tested me I’ve had a lot of things and opportunities taken away from me and university which is starting soon is only making things more difficult.

I’ve been sexually assaulted twice, both by people who I thought were my friends

I’ve lost someone. And with covid and lockdown my mental health that I was getting help for has plummeted and there’s no chance of me getting help now. On top of that university has been shit and just pushing me to the point of wanting to let it all go

I’ve contemplated suicide twice in these last seven months and I haven’t gone through with it because I’ve kept myself busy but everyone always turns to me to be positive or to pick them up. I love my friends like they are my family and I would do anything for them. I put a lot of pressure on myself to stay positive and to keep going for them and to be perfect the perfect friend and think that’s what’s driving me to have my panic attacks and my breakdowns.

Third year is coming and I have to be ready and prepared and I dint even know what topic my dissertation will be on or how it’s gonna work. I feel like everything is falling apart and I can’t keep it together.

If any one of my friends reads this it’s not you. It’s never you. You couldn’t have known. I keep it all locked up afraid irrationally that ya could hurt me with this information. I’ve been hurt a lot this year. I don’t talk to you about it because to me it’s always more important to hear about you and to help you out.

Please don’t be concerned about me, I’ll get better. I’ll be perfect and positive again. I just need to have a reboot breakdown and then everything will be fine.

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marveling-chrisevans · 4 years ago

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What If - Walk of shame

What If - Walk of Shame

Chris Evans x OFC

Chapter six - 1932 words

Warnings: uh swearing maybe?

Summary: What if. What if you out of the blue and on an impulse applied for a contest, and what if you won that. What if you met someone who didn’t know you existed, and what if you asked them for a drink after. What if this impulse changed your entire life. ** note I didn’t win so I don’t know how all this would go down but this would be how I would have loved it to happen.. the first chapter completely happened.. the texts might not be the same. But it happened**

Tag List: @smoothdogsgirl @torntaltos @patzammit – If you wanna be tagged just make a comment below and I am happy to do that or just DM me, whichever

This story is fully caught up and posted on AO3 and Wat pad. I am going to be combining chapters to catch Tumblr up. but if you would like to read everything right now then go ahead. Also please

https://www.wattpad.com/story/184900452-what-if

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18506152/chapters/43856086

Faith woke up in a daze, she was laying on her side as she slowly opened her eyes to the sun streaming into the room. She saw the view of Hollywood from the hills, She was confused at where she was. The last thing that she remembers was that she was in a car on the way back to the hotel, then everything went kinda blurry. She looked around the room, and smelled food. She was extremely hung over and wanted some food.

She got up and wrapped the sheet around herself cause she didn’t have any clothes, and couldn’t find her dress, that she wore last night. She got up, walked toward the door that was closed and then walked out into the open lay out of the room. You could see the living room to the kitchen, seeing Chris was standing behind the island of the kitchen talking to what looked like his sister and his mother. She quickly backtracked into the room.

She didn’t escape unseen. Dodger jumped up and barked slightly as soon as she disappeared behind the door. She pushed it closed but didn’t get it all the way there as dodger pushed it all the way open. Faith Grabbed her phone and escaped onto the on suite bathroom and found her way into the tub..

Faith looked at her for the first time in most likely 12 hours, and saw that she had like 9 missed calls and texts from rose, and one from her brother. She slide into the tub as dodger jumped up to join her in there and started licking her face which made her laugh “hi puppy, can you stop?” She wondered as she called rose..

Rose answered the phone “Well fuck thank god your not dead, where the hell are you! Ive been worried sick!”

Faith laughed slightly “currently in a bathtub, with a dog, dodger actually in Chris’s Bathroom.. uh naked.. we had sex last night. Apprently, I mean I remember most of the night but then it gets fuzzy..”

Rose gasped on the other end of the phone “how was it, I want to know everything don’t leave out a single thing, oh my god.. I knew it.. MY SHIP IS ALIVE”

Faith pulled the phone from her head “hungover” she angry whispered in the phone “and I don’t remember much of it. Like I said fuzzy, but I can tell you it was the best sex I’ve ever had.. Oh god I hope he used a condom” she said back into the phone

“i did” Chris replied with a smile on his face. Faith looked up to where the voice came from “it was really good for me too”

“i gotta go rose I uh, gotta go uh ill be back in a little bit” Faith said and hung up the phone sliding further into the bathtub to hid which made dodger thing that it was okay to start kiss attacking her again.

“Dodger out” Chris said as dodger then stopped and put his head on the side of the tub looking at the owner “Glad to see you are awake.. I put your clothes on the bed, I washed them this morning. Also there is some coffee in there, I have to go do something with the avengers. I also put my number in your phone. Take as much time as you need, shower do whatever my family just left to go to the beach so you are the only one here” he replied to her

“and where is here so I can uh summon an taxi” She asked looking up at him trying not to make this all awkward more than it already was. Because its be honest it was really awkward for her “also just so you know I didn’t mean for this to happen.. I got way to drunk and I don’t do this, and oh my god did I say, ‘im feeling it now mr. Krabs?” She wondered looking at him

He nodded and laughed slightly “you did and Faith its alright, you are an amazing girl, and like I said last night id love to get to know you more.” He said “i gotta go but can I see you before you leave tomorrow?”

Faith answered her phone as it rang “yes this is Faith Young, Wait what? Are you serious yeah I can be there for an interview tomorrow morning” She smiled “yeah also that would be cool have always wanted to attend one, yeah two tickets. Thanks” she said back to the person and then looked at him and bite her lip as she pulled herself out of the tub making sure the towel was wrapped around herself “uh I guess not, I have an interview tomorrow, for my dream job non the less. So uh maybe? If its later today” you replied “but maybe not? I don’t know” She smiled “maybe we will just have to leave at it as what it is. A winners trip to Meet Chris Evans at the Premier of EndGame” Faith said back to him as he nodded

“I hope that isn’t the case, I have a feeling we will run into each other again” Chris replied as he walked over to her and kissed her one last time before he left the house

Faith closed her eyes when Chris kissed her and wished It would have lasted a little longer. The linger feeling of his pillow soft lips against hers. She stood there a while longer with her eyes closed wishing he never left. She heard the door close and dodger come back in and looked at her.

Faith got up from hiding in the tub, and went out and found her dress. Like he said it was laying on the bed. She wasn’t about wearing that home for the walk of shame. She went and showered in his shower, then raided his dresser and found a basic t shirt and just some smaller looking sized sweatpants.

She then called herself an Lyft. Headed back to the hotel she couldn’t believe that she just slept with her celebrity crush. The one guy who would have been on her exception list when she got married. She took a deep breath as she waited on the street for her ride. She had managed to get out of the house without running into his family. She thanked whoever was listening for that.

On the drive back to the hotel she made basic small talk talk with the driver. Once getting to the hotel she thanked the man and Gave him a cash tip as she had some from the night before, knowing that these drives prefer that over the tip in the app so they can use it right way.

Riding the elevator and going into the room felt so basic compared to her last 12 hours. She came in the room and flopped down on the bed next to Rose.

Rose sat up from where she was on her phone in her bed and looked at Faith “So are you going to spill the tea or are you just going to walk of shame?” She wondered looking at her friend “also are you in Chris’s clothes, because we could get serious money off of those

“Rose I swear if you keep yelling or talking loud or whatever I am going to punch you in the face. Also its not a walk of shame if you're not ashamed it happened?” She questioned back before she kept talking “Also we are not going home tonight, You know that job I told you applied for about a month ago for my jobs tv program, to be a project manager, well apparently I got accepted and They want me to go there for the keynote program tomorrow to show me off or something, give a presentation. I am not sure as I stopped listening when I heard I got the job.” she said back to her with putting her face into the bed sighing heavily ignoring the last comment about eBay comment.

“it can still be a walk of shame..” Rose countered back

Faith got up and walked over to her suitcase shaking her head, “remind me when we finally get home to look at my Lyft pick up history to send these back” She said to rose knowing she wouldn’t remember because she was going go from one project to another and just throw everything in the laundry

Rose smirked “ not gonna do that, but before we hop on another plane I do wanna go to this event at the Chinese theater I heard about, also the walk of fame is over there.” Rose replied knowing what she was asking and what was going on. Faith listened to her talk as she flung on some leggings and a flowing crop top that just showed a little of the top of her midriff. Running a brush through her hair. “okay fine let me take something for this headache and along s we stop at a coffee place I don’t care” Faith replied fixing her make up touching it up and throwing on a pair of sunglasses grabbing her bag “lets go”

The two walked out of the hotel stopping at the first coffee shop for Faith, then finished there walk to the walk of fame. Looking at the stars, stopping for the ones they loved posing and stopping at a few stars as they go. They were across the street from the Chinese theater as faith looked at it confused “what did you say was going on here?” Staring at the arch with the original six in it “Rose if this is an avengers event I don’t wanna be here, I embarrassed myself and then slept with one of the stars.. uh no”

The announcer started to announce the actors as they came out one by one and the producers. Faith of course started to try and hide behind the Camera people and taking a few steps back to be more blended into the crowd

Rose smirked “oh its not like he is going to see you standing in the crowd” she replied back as She went back to cheering as they came out. Faith kinda just tired to blend in and not bring attention to herself. Making sure her sunglasses were firmly in place. Faith hid the best she could till he looked out in the crowd. Even tho the both of them were wearing sunglasses, your eyes connected. You quickly turned your head to look at something else. She could feel his eyes linger at her.

Chris lingered his eye on her, it was the same girl he was with last night. He knew that hair and those lips anywhere. He felt it in his soul. Someone said his name which caught his attempting which made him loose her in the crowd. That could have been because she quickly went and hid behind the building.

Faith took a deep breath as it felt like her heart was in her throat she didn’t know what to do. She went and sat down on the bench that was near by and texted rose her location, and waited for her to come to her. After the ceremony, Rose Found faith and they did the rest of the things tourists do when they are in LA, before going back to the hotel getting their stuff and flying on the plane to the next location in California, this time for Faiths job.

#Chris Evans #Chris Evans x Reader #chris evans x original female character #chris evans x you #chris evans x ofc #Chris Evans imagine #Chris Evans smutt #Chris Evans fluff #Chris Evans Angst #Chris Evans Longing #Andy barber #Avengers #Steve rodgers #Captain America

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maple-and-pie · 8 years ago

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So made a colour reference for my errorink kid Copic Marker Just some flat colouring with no shade. Some random info about him: - He is more like Ink then Error, so he likes au’s and doesn’t want them gone - He has a great sence of time and a good memory, he really is proud of that - He really is bad at board games and hates to lose - He has strings like error, but he can’t control them - Because he can’t control his magic well, he throws art supplies as weapons He is still a work in progress so this is all I have ^^“

#undertale #undertale au #inkerror kid #copic marker #ref #i had the line art done weeks ago #just had the motivation and time to colour him in #i really should sleep #it is late and need to get up early #probs will be gone the whole day with friends #gonna be fun #so gonna post this and not going to look at tumblr till tomorrow evening most likely #my art #i always forget that tag

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a-writing-bear · 5 years ago

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[PruCan] Chapter 12: Soft-Spoken Calling, They Want Their Shyness Back

Ao3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11159997/chapters/51804982

This Has been cross-posted onto FF & Ao3 under Aliases: BearBooper

You can read this Fic on Tumblr under ‘Keep Reading’ But it is not formatted as well as the AO3 version.

Previous Chapter

Fandom: Hetalia Axis Powers

Main Pairing: Gilbert Beilschmidt & Matthew Williams (Prussia & Canada)

AU: College AU - Art Student Matthew and Media/Film Student Gilbert

Age Rating/Mature: Teen And Up Audiences (12+ due to mentions of mature themes as well as swearing)

Trigger Warnings: High gone bad. Unwanted touching (just mentions but slightly uncomfortable) Crowds & Depiction of a Panic Attack

In the past, the William-Jones family was a well-to-do, well adjusted and highly successful suburban family. Or at least economically and socially successful- if anyone asked Alfred he would quote their strength of prosperity came exceedingly cursed in terms of emotional wealth. In the most accurate and blunt possible turn of phrase: they were incompatible. Their french woman was an ‘aloof’ type more keen on decorating her doll and darling little boys, rather than acknowledging her arranged marriage to a work-obsessed brit. He could recall the loving pats he would get and Matthew and him sitting on a Saturday morning in a sunroom conservatory of their house in Surrey, England with their mother combing his ruthless cowlicks away; their father would be incessantly jabbering on the phone- something along the lines of investments and long term fail safes. They were 6 when they last saw that old house and it’s growing vines and English charm- his mother had decided to drag them to Canada, and despite the failed boutique business venture in Montreal, she had a trust fund large enough to keep them located there without work- obviously not enough to keep their father interested, Harry always was hard to please. He remembered the arguments that plagued the stairwell, the shouting they thought wasn’t audible through the twin’s bedroom walls.

Harry was quick to file divorce the moment he got a venture in the USA. Turns out it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been arranged married to a woman once her family no longer pulls strings. Alfred went with dad. At least he was still dad back then- Alfred feels remorse when he does hear the word ‘Father’ tumble out Matthew’s mouth as if he was being scolded again. He remembers Matthew staying with mama, her pretty nails and thin arms wrapping around his brother as they said goodbye.

Bad signal phone calls and some Summer camps were the only thing that kept the two siblings in contact, that and the occasional visit when dad couldn’t be arsed to deal with Al’s pestering. Prodigy of the academics, and exceeding in sports was the only way to get dad to put his phone down. He remembered Matthew on the phone complaining mama trying to bar him from hockey, or lamenting that mother didn’t see art as more than a hobby. So different huh? Matthew called a lot. Still close despite the distance. At least not till high school, if only Alfred had shut his mouth, if only he-

“Al? Ah? Has the..signal cut out or..?”Kiku’s voice wandered back into his head.

“I was asking if you’ve talked to your dad about-”

“No, I haven’t asked him about it. I haven’t even talked to Matthew about it. It’s getting late keeks- I should log-off, I’ve got an early lecture.."

----

Matthew's head felt subdued, despite the cackling cacophony of laughter that filled the room. His earlier attempts to get some water ended with him giggling with some random people- he could only really recognise the accent-tinged voice of Lukas, asking if he was alright. Of course, he was alright. He was here right? Everything was fine. Okay. good. Has this room always been this fuzzy? The kitchen counter seemed to stretch out forever in front of him and his mind wandered. God, he should not have smoked that much. He probably stank...everyone could probably smell him...oh fuck he’s a dumb idiot. Lukas must hate me.

“I don’t hate you Matthew- what are you going on about?” Shit could he read minds or was he talking, the Canadian’s inner voice seemed to be shouting but the pang only subsided with the tiniest sips of the overly clean tap water.

“Jeez. I thought I told Mathias to not go overboard tonight...look Matthew I need you to tell me how you feel right now.”

Floaty. He felt floaty- but also like he’s sinking, melting into the tile floor and he can’t get up, the shallow attempts at sobering up felt like they were weighted with 10 years of baggage. There are so many voices in this house- has it always been this cramped? Had Lukas’tiles always been that baby blue? Oh god, he’s a horrible friend, he’s gonna be left here so fucking floaty, and he’s just gonna float away and everyone-

“Matthew- Matthew your phone man, Hej! Matthew! For god's sake” suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder and someone reaching into his pockets- despite the sudden discomfort and manhandling, Matthew was too tired to do much but whine at whoever was fishing out his phone. he hated people touching him. Not now.

“Hej? Thank god please tell me you’re calling to pick- …. Yes, Matthew is here isn’t that why you’re calling?. What? .. I- hm, I don’t think he can chat much...okay…” Lukas had moved the phone near to Matthew's ear, holding it with the other hand on his hip in annoyance but also a concern for his very paranoid and high friend.

“Mattie?” Oh, that silken voice that screamed of adventure and rock music, so nice- Gilbert was so nice.

“Gil? Hi hello, what's up eh?”

“Mattie? Where are you?-”

“Above! I’m above!”

“What? Mattie are you- are you drunk or something?” Matthew chose not to answer but instead snort and push his glasses up before humming to his friend on the phone and pushing the little glass rectangle towards Lukas.

“I can’t pick him up, wherever you are… is Tim with him?” This time Lukas answered stating that Tim was incapacitated on a couch somewhere.

“Right. Hm. I’ll go call Alfred and he’ll pick them-”

Suddenly Matthew’s heart rate jumped even higher, if he wasn’t already slightly over aware, now he was on overdrive. The phone had been on speaker and he heard mention of his brother. Alfred couldn’t know. If he knew it would be over. He can’t know. Never know. No. Nope definitely not.

“Uh I don’t think he wants Alfred man, He’s oh shit Matthew breath, please. Matthew- Matt, hold on…Someone call Tim now please!”

Matthew was mumbling. Mumbling and mumbling and god shit it was loud in here and people kept touching him and he just wanted people to stop touching him and fuck fuck fuck. He needed to be sober right now- this was not gonna end well. Breathing sucked. Everything sucked insanely right now. He saw Tim’s clunky shoes in front of him- since when was I crouching? He heard someone saw something and he could feel others watching and watching oh god people are watching, Tim? Hello Tim?

“Matthew. Give me a colour” brown. “Why brown?” Brown because that was the colour of Tim’s shoes right then..he could trace the floor around the brown shoes...browner than the oak trees near his old house.

“How about another colour?” Blue. but like light blue. The kind you swaddle a baby in. blues that seem to almost be too simple and light.

“That's nice, where did you see blue?”

“In the- uh- …” he felt like choking a little bit but the words were coming out. “The kitchen has..blue tiles.” Everything was coming back down to earth and Matthew was starting to feel a bit better- even if his chest hurt a little.

“How do you feel about red?” That was a dumb question. He answered. “I like red.” He loves red. Red is his hoodie. His hoodie which was being pushed into his arms right now as he stood up, and Tim’s face came into view, a slight worry masked with relief at his friend's recovery from the panic attack.

“I...I want to go home.” Matthew spoke as if a fog had cleared up, but he still felt slightly floaty as he was brought into a car with Tim by his side, and chaperoned home. He’ll think more about all of this later. He wanted to sleep.

-----

Gilbert didn’t like sleeping early on Saturday but then again not many people worked on Sundays. To be fair, Gilbert’s Sunday job was a temporary stand-in at the grocery shop for some lady who got pregnant. He just needed a bit more cash and was willing to spend a few weeks of bagging if it meant he could save up to see his uncle. He should probably sleep now so tomorrow he could get work done without feeling terrible, the diner dinner was already awkward enough.

He wondered what Matthew was doing. Matthew with his sweet smile, who seemed so different in front of his brother and especially with that guy Tim. Matthew who got headaches from too much sugar..who shared vanilla milkshakes. God Matthew was adorable. After scrolling through his social media (and perhaps doing some minor stalking of a certain boy’s Instagram) Gilbert was still not tired enough to call it a night. When did his Saturday nights become ‘wait til work’ days? He was getting a bit too bland he supposed. Ludwig was probably asleep. He should text Mattie- ask how he’s doing- perhaps that invite-only event ended already. Texting didn’t seem to do much. It wouldn’t be too rude to call right? Just to check on him.

“Hey, Birdie! I know you’re probably busy but-”

“Hej? Thank god please tell me you’re calling to pick-” someone else’s voice reverberated down the line, causing great confusion.

“Is uh, Is Matthew Williams there?” Gilbert could hear laughter and hollering in the background but all seemed unimportant except the fact that someone distinctly NOT Matthew picked up the phone.

“Yes, Matthew is here isn’t that why you’re calling?” The voice also sounded just as confused as himself, assuming that Gil knew where Matthew was.

“I don’t really know why I’m calling but now I’m worried, you are not him”

“What?”

“Just put him on the phone and let me talk to him.” Gilbert sighed as he heard the phone being passed, the fumbling noises making a ruckus on the phone.

“.. I- hm, I don’t think he can chat much...okay…” At least whoever this was trying.

With bated breath and a slight pause, the phone seemed to sound as if the jostling was over. “Mattie?” he called out hesitantly

“Gil? Hi hello, what's up eh?” The voice sounded more happy than surprised but much too calm.

“Mattie? Where are you?-”

“Above! I’m above!” what the fuck is he talking about? He sounds completely out of it. Gilbert’s protective instincts kicked in, worried that something had happened to the Canadian. Hopefully, Matthew was as tolerant as his brother and wouldn’t be having a killer hangover tomorrow- he needed Matthew slightly sober tomorrow to at least talk about his project.

“What? Mattie are you- are you drunk or something?” No response. Only a slight humming. Christ. The stranger must have been given the phone since they apologised for Matthew’s inability to cooperate- they asked if he could come to pick the boy up.

“I can’t pick him up, wherever you are… is Tim with him?” shit. Tim was drunk too? What kind of stupid idiots both get drunk if they knew they had to go home. Jeez if that dutch dude got drunk he can only imagine what god awful party Matthew had stuck himself into. He would attempt to get Matthew, but his motorbike and drunk people do not exactly mix well.

Thinking hard he stared at his dorm room door- Alfred! He could call his friend’s brother. “Right. Hm. I’ll go call Alfred and he’ll pick them-”

Suddenly he heard a wail and some noises of shouting- Matthew in the background, only briefly- “Uh I don’t think he wants Alfred man, He’s oh shit Matthew breath, please. Matthew- Matt, hold on…Someone call Tim now please!”

Gilbert could only hear a rustling and some more movement. With that, the phone seemed to hang up and he stared in complete panic at the phone.

A text.

M @ 12:47am : Hi. This is Matthew’s, Friend Lukas. Sorry for the hang-up, Matthew had a panic attack again. He is okay. They are being taken back to campus by Berwald, Tim will be dropped off back at his house too, nothing to worry about. You might want to help get Matthew to his room later though. Sorry for the trouble. Night.

Fucking hell. Gilbert slipped on some sweatpants, a jumper and some flip flops, already on his way out to meet up with this Berwald guy at the dorm entrance.

#prucan #HWS Canada #HWS Prussia #SoftSpokenCalling #prussia x canada #hetalia #hetalia axis powers #hetalia world stars #Hetalia Fanfiction #hetalia fandom #hetalia fanfic #fanficition #fanfic #APH Canada #APH Prussia #Multichapter

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scribblescrabblebabble · 5 years ago

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RoyEd Week 2k19 Day 2!

Title: Seven(?) Days

Rating: T+

Relationships: Roy Mustang/ Edward Elric

Chapter: Day 2- Colorless (Photographers/ wartime Au)

Cross- Posted on AO3 and Fanfic.net links- Fanfic.net AO3

Best quality reading will be through the links, not on Tumblr itself because I’m too lazy to do italics and shit right now. For @royedweek2019 ‘s RoyEd Week!

......................................................................................................................

Ed sighed in frustration, "Okay, which of you can tell me a single technical aspect of this photo?" He clicked to another picture on the Smartboard, seemingly the hundredth that period. His students' last assignment had gone so poorly he felt that they all needed a class-long review before he could trust them with another.

'11th grade my ass.' He internally seethed. At least his punishment was working- they all looked as miserable as he felt.

His question was met with silence, and Ed wanted to be allowed to punch school property, "Tell me or you all fail the project."

Half of the class readily shouted, "Rule of thirds!" Whilst others guessed very valiantly.

"Good. This one?" He clicked and was met with several "umm"s, but no real answers. Even Chelsea Jones, his star pupil, looked glassy-eyed with boredom! And her project had actually been okay! Apparently, none of these kids were afraid of an F in Photography.

He decided to be generous with this one, as it was a trickier piece, "I see a good use of texture and natural framing with the branches and the model, yeah?"

The class agreed unenthusiastically.

"Listen, if you guys didn't want this, you should have given half of a damn about your work! I know most of you just want the art credit, but you actually have to pass the class to receive the credit, you know.

A few weak, "Yes Sir"s, and Ed forged ahead.

He clicked to the next piece, and almost didn't hear the varied shouts of "diagonal lines" and "shallow depth of field", as the photo in question caught Ed off guard.

It was one of Roy's photos.

An older one, back when he was journaling some strange commune in the Eastern region of Amestris.

Ed must have been silent for longer than he'd have liked, as Ella Swindell in the back of the classroom tentatively asked, "Mr. Elric?"

He snapped his attention back to his class and coughed, "Yes, good answers. Another good element here is the choice of black and white. In this scenario, it really adds some good drama to the piece."

Black and White photography was a favorite of Roy's. Not only because of its homage to printed papers but because of his ever-present flair for the dramatic. Roy left for a month on that job, and right after his return he'd proposed to Ed. At the time it had been their longest work-related time apart. How long had it been since he'd seen Roy? Five months? Or had half a year really already passed? Would he see-

Ed stopped his train of thought right there, violently jabbing his trackpad to move the PowerPoint along. To Ed's dismay, it was another of his husband's works taken of their late cat, kindly named Pissface. This particular shot had been on their cat's supposed birthday, and she wore a little birthday hat and a confused expression.

Roy had cried when Pissface died. She was old, but it had still seemed too sudden the morning they found her. Ed had cried watching Roy cry, and it was all just a big mess of tears. Al had even teared up audibly over the phone when Ed broke the sad news. It was an all-over tear-filled day. If Roy died, Ed didn't know what…

'Nope, stop it!' Ed willed his mind away from death, 'He hasn't called because there is a fucking war falling out around him, idiot brain!'

A few students "aww"ed at Pissface's cuteness, and others scanned the photo quickly for an answer to their teacher's impending question. Ed decided to throw them a curveball, "Improve this photo for me. Tell me where it falls short."

One kid, Ed thought Jason Matthews, but he wasn't paying much attention, suggested, "Maybe make the depth of field shallower so that the cat was more in focus?"

Ed hummed in thought and let a few more students ramble out some stunted ideas. He clicked to the final slide as the classroom door behind him opened. Assuming this to be Mordecai Fitzgerald, who had been out of class finishing a test, as per the teacher's email, Ed didn't bother with a glance.

He droned, "take a seat and don't be a nuisance." And to all, he said, "Well, give me some ways to improve this one!"

They continued, embarrassed silence would have sent Ed up a wall, had a noticeably deep, very Roy voice not interjected, "You could make it black and white. It would take away from the busy background and add a nice bit of drama to the subject.

He whipped his head around to meet the merrily amused gaze of his husband. As per Ed's command upon entering the classroom, Roy had taken a seat in a further back desk. Several students looked between him and their shocked teacher confusedly.

Ed smiled brightly. "What did I say about being a nuisance, you ass!" His reprimand meant little, as he had already stood and hastened to his husband's side. He only just remembered not to pounce him in front of the dozen seventeen-year-olds in the room, so he settled on a tight embrace and a regrettably chaste kiss. The class murmured, and a few let out joking "oooooo"s.

Ed, still with Roy's arm around his middle, turned to his class to snap, "Shut it!" After a short admonishing look from his husband, Ed sighed, "Class, this is Roy, a photojournalist. He's been out of the country for a while doing work journaling the war effort up North."

Eric Headley, the son-of-a-bitch, called out, "D'ya kiss a lot of photojournalists, Mr. Elric?"

"Only the one I'm married to, Eric. Now, everyone, go fix your pathetic excuses of projects until the bell rings. And if I see a phone, we all get to stay in class for fifteen extra minutes after the bell, got it?"

The students, now far more interested in their teacher and his husband than their work, reluctantly slouched to their respective computers to work the class away, keeping a curious eye on the two men now talking quietly together behind Mr. Elric's desk, wide smiles on both of their faces. If Ed discreetly rubbed away some water building in his eye, nobody commented.

Back at home, after their kisses had turned far less chaste and after Roy had barely had the time to set his luggage down properly before Ed practically attacked him, they lay in their bed together, Ed's head on Roy's chest and Roy's laptop on his stomach, clicking through many photographs detailing his journeys with the war effort.

"NatGeo's gonna go fucking ballistic over that one." Ed commented on the current picture on display of a soldier playing some kind of ball game with some civilian children.

Roy laughed, the sound a deep rumble to Ed, pressed against the other man as he was, "Just you wait till I get to the shoot of these kind, elderly weaving-women. It's got dusty lighting and everything."

Ed hummed, "Perfect. I'll have to show 'em to my class the next time I need to re-teach them shit."

"I'm honored my work'll be put to such good use. Did they take well to my others?"

Ed leaned his head back to catch Roy's amused gaze, "I knew you added those! Last time I share a PowerPoint with you."

The photojournalist grinned, "I wanted to give them something other than Ansel Adams to critique."

"Hey, I had more than just Ansel on there! I wouldn't want to make it too easy for them."

Roy smiled and lifted his hand from the trackpad of the laptop to stroke Ed's loose hair, "Of course not."

Before Ed could pick up Roy's job of clicking through the photos, the hand left his hair and closed the laptop. The blonde whines as Roy turned away to set the computer over the side of the bed, "I wanted to see the weaving women!"

Roy turned back, and Ed latched back onto his chest to hear the rumble of his light laughter her again, "We have all the time in the world tomorrow to look at the rest. Let's get some sleep, love."

Ed grumbled about the pet name but settled into Roy's side all the same, not about to let a half year's worth of waiting go to waste.

They slept, and if Ed gripped his husband a little tighter in his sleep, well, Roy definitely wasn't complaining.

~End~

#RoyEd #safe RoyEd #RoyEdweek2019 #fanfic

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nie7027 · 6 years ago

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Spoilers!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah it was so good and cute! Alright lets go in order

First i gaped when i realized Mob was enjoying his rampage? And the moment he looked at ristsu and realized too... ouch

Exactly how many buildings are in seasoning city??? Anyways that scene with all of them floating and then collapsing was EPIC

Again what he went throught with Mogami becomes relevant making me blieve the mogamis arc is certainly on of the main turning points in the series.

Did he went throught all of his emotioms so far? And there were news right?i could recognize anger and courage(FIGHT ON) expression and in one moment i think i sae sadness??

Teru saying "He just used the same amount of power he used when he defeated me" confuses me because it was ???% that defeated Teru and it is more powerful than any 100% mob or did he mean that even thought it was ???% it used that time the same amount of power as any 100%??

The moment Mobs arm broke i couldnt help but think "OOOOOOH he pulled a midoriya" and then touchiro stardted to twist...and yeah im very glad the animators didnt feel the need to put blood.

Reigen fretting over mobs injuries before caring about the explosion is good

Ritsu gently tugging shous sleeve even though they HAD TO RUN because he knew Shou was probably having a difficult seeing his dad about to explode and then Shou quickly recovering and pulling Ritsu, trying to save both of them. So good.

First we had shimazaki, then minegishi, now we had Hatori looking after Seri and it was hilarious. I love you Hatori. your "SHUT UP AND RUN OR YOULL DIE" was great and now its canon in my super5 au that he will make fun of Seri for that once things have calmed dowm

Minegishi where are youuuuuuu?

I wasnt expecting to see Shous mom...even least that Touchirou actually cared for her in his own twisted way. And they way she just left? No hesitance, no begging. Absolute resolution. Wow, its very rare to see women protrayed like that. (Im not saying this in a bad way. I really admire her determination but at the same time she left Shou? I have conflicted feelings and i dont know what happened)

Mob...everytime you talk you make me cry. You are so good and this anime teaches more about ethics and morals than anything i ever saw in school.

Shou no, you cant ask someone to rebuild a house in 3 days. He doesnt even have that kind of powers.

Teru. I love you but theres no way any of what you said could come as straight. Still such a cutie volunteering to carry Mob(where was your aura??) but you should have gone to Reigens*coughyourdad'scough* house because anyway you are gonna end there. (The scene of him realizing he forgot how destroyed his apartment was is funnier when you remember IT WAS HIM who went all out agains his attackers, they didnt even destroyed much and somehow sad too)

The improvement club...so pure...so dumb, i mean who does an spartan training just after the apocalypse??

Ritsus reaction were great from his disgust at going to reigens house to the way he was getting frustrated with the improvement club antics (they boy was trying really hard to not snap). i cant believe Reigen just abandoned him like that.

TAKEEEEEEEEEE

Seri was right Joseph, you shouldnt have said those things in front of shou. and shous is so hardened... But its nice to see even touchiro changed and wants to see shous mom.

I already love blue suits and after his clean up Seri looked so good. Poor seri, he was so anxious and then mob got too and then both of them are like if you are anxious and i am too then who is piloting this plane?

It was so cute the way refrerred so respectful to mob while mob is so informal when talking to him(i jist realized mob is very informal?or at least he uses the most informal japanse i know withou falling into street slang like onigawara)

Seris anxious movements ARE SO GOOD AND DISTINCTIVE. They are as fluid as Reigens hands but unlike him Seri actually doesnt move his hands much, he moves his his body and head)

Dimple playing with the ball of hair was so cute.

And now comes the big question: should i read the manga and risk enjoying less next season or wait till season 3 and risk both spoilers and not enjoyin the manga??

Ill update the super5 headcanons either today or tomorrow and for those who dont know i wrote a Teru-centric fanfic (link here) about his decision to vist his parents and the aftermath and i hope you can check it ou

If you enjoy it please share the post because tumblr sucks and i dont know how to make a post with the link without tumblr hiding it

#mob psycho 100 #mp100 #mp100 spoilers #mp100 s2 spoilers #mp100 season 2

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yaz-the-spaz · 6 years ago

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Beautiful Monster (Part 3)

so this is the last installation that will be posted on tumblr! the complete fic will be posted on ao3 later tonight has now been posted on ao3!

also this was supposed to be my New Year’s Day gift to you guys but i just didn’t have a chance to review it like i wanted to in time so it’s just gonna have to be a (way) belated New Year’s gift lol but on the bright side inspiration did happen to strike for the threequel fic during the interim of me finalizing the edits for this fic so it all worked out in the end and you’ll actually be getting a double feature/double belated New Year’s present cause the latest chapter for that will be up soon too (most likely by tomorrow)!

Summary: Zayn is a homeless vampire who, unbeknownst to Liam, has been routinely breaking into Liam’s van for a warm place to sleep. When Liam catches him in the act things end up going in a direction no one expected. And then shit gets weirder. Because Liam might also be hiding some secrets of his own…

Part 1 here

It’s a Thursday afternoon when Niall pops by out of the blue.

The doorbell rings and Zayn goes to answer it cause Liam’s in the middle of feeding the dogs their dinner. He figures it’s probably just someone trying to sell something anyway and he’d rather just let Zayn be the one to tell them to bugger off, but he snaps up when he hears a familiar voice on the other side, that familiar Irish brogue that he’d recognize anywhere.

“Um…hello. You’re not Liam. Liam does still live here, yeah?”

Zayn nods politely. “He does. Who’s asking?”

“His mate, Niall. And you are?”

Zayn perks up at this news, seemingly excited to be meeting a friend of Liam’s, sticks out a hand and smiles brightly. “Zayn, Liam’s live-in booty call.”

Liam blanches, rushing over to the door stiffly.

“Um, Niall, hey,” he says, ushering Niall inside quickly, hoping the previous topic of conversation goes forgotten. “I didn’t know you were in town, when’d you get in?”

“Just a couple hours ago. Only here for the weekend really, but I came straight here cause I had to see my Payno of course. How’ve you been, mate? Pretty well I’m assuming,” he says with a grin, dropping his bags just inside the door and turning back to size Zayn up appreciatively.

“Uh, yeah, you know, same old, same old mostly. Work’s been good and the dogs are okay, can’t complain. Zayn is—” he stops, not quite sure how exactly to describe what Zayn is and opting instead to just skirt around it. “Zayn’s been a great help. He’s just, um, he’s staying here temporarily until he can get back on his feet.”

“Oh…okay.” Niall nods but he still looks a little confused, though he doesn’t inquire any further, maybe sensing somehow that it’s not something Liam’s really eager to talk about right now in front of present company.

Zayn smiles at Niall politely, offering to take his coat and Niall shrugs out of it obediently, kicking off his shoes in the process.

Niall follows Liam into the kitchen as Zayn goes to put up his coat and bag and when they’re a safe distance away Niall leans into him and says, “So, what exactly is going on here? Is this, like, a roommate situation? You short on cash or something and renting out your couch? Or are you two dating and you decided to jump the gun and let him move in early or…? Cause, I mean, I know I miss a lot sometimes when I’m gone especially when I have no cell service but when I last FaceTime’d you a couple months ago you said you still weren’t seeing anyone and now you’ve apparently got a live-in boyfriend? What’s the story there?”

Liam shrugs, avoiding Niall’s eyes. “None of the above but also sort of…all of the above?” Liam sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “It’s complicated, okay? But he’s not my boyfriend. We’re just…”

“Sleeping together while you let him stay in your house till he gets back on his feet?”

Liam looks at him miserably but Niall raises his hands in defense. “Hey, I’m not judging. If it works, it works. As long as you’re happy, you know? That’s all that matters to me. And I mean, he’s well fit so, y’know, good job there.” He smirks. And then a thought seems to occur him and leans in a bit closer, lowers his voice even more, serious now. “Does he know about your…you know?” he asks.

“No,” Liam says emphatically. “And I plan to keep it that way.”

Niall nods solemnly in understanding, dropping the subject and Liam’s grateful.

Niall’s the only “normal” mate he’s got who knows about his secret and has still stuck around. But he travels a lot, always backpacking through Europe or spelunking in Asia or hitchhiking across the Americas (yes, Americas as in plural, as in hitchhiking his way from Canada all the way down to Argentina) so Liam usually only really sees him about twice out of the year most years—for the holidays and whenever else he happens to be in town and decide to pop by Liam’s out of the blue like he’s just done. They’ve been friends pretty much since they wound up roomed together at uni, where Niall, the only actual geography major Liam had ever met, would stay up late talking Liam’s ear off about all the places he wanted to travel to (not that Liam minded cause Niall’s a great storyteller and Liam actually learned a lot from him over those years about all sorts of different places). When Niall discovered travel blogging and found out there was a way he could actually get paid to travel he jumped at the opportunity and has been pretty much steadily country-hopping ever since they graduated. They talk on the phone as often as they can when Niall’s got service or access to decent working wi-fi and Liam’s got a whole drawer full of postcards Niall’s sent him over the years. But even though they don’t see each other as often as Liam would like Niall’s still one of his best mates and apparently still knows him too well.

He stays for dinner and after a bit the slight awkwardness hanging in the air seems to dissipate and the three of them are eating and talking like they’ve all known each other for years instead of just him and Niall. Niall regales them with stories of his latest travels; an incident with goats stealing and apparently trying to eat his luggage in Papua New Guinea, the triumphs of winning over and befriending the meanest donkey in all of Greece, how he was unofficially adopted by one of the elders in a bamboo-weaving village called Ngũ Xã and now has a Vietnamese grandmother.

Liam laughs so much his cheeks are sore by the end of the night, as are his abs, but such is the usual with Niall. As is also the usual with Niall though is the inevitable goodbye and Liam’s already dreading it before it comes but he’s still glad to have had this surprise visit at all even if it was a bit awkward at first. As he hugs Liam goodbye Niall promises he’ll be coming home more often from here on out though and that’s enough to warm Liam’s spirits for now despite his too-sudden departure as Niall sees himself out with a wave and bright grin, rucksack slung over his shoulder. And then Liam is alone with Zayn again. Alone with his own uncertainties and feelings and his messy thoughts.

“So what do you guys actually do at these conferences?” Zayn asks in the van on their way back from another highway roadkill stock-up just before Liam’s due to leave again. “Do you just, like, sit around eating barbeque, crushing beer cans against your heads, arm wrestling and organizing pissing contests whilst talking about construction stuff?”

Liam snorts, flashing an amused grin at Zayn. “Is that what you imagine we do? Like a giant frat party or something?”

“Well, yeah, I mean, it certainly sounds kinda like one. I mean you meet every month at some super secret location that—considering you have such shoddy service the whole weekend has gotta be, like, way out in the wilderness somewhere—just to eat a bunch of meat and drink beer with a bunch of other guys for three days. Sounds a hell of a lot like something a bunch of frat boys would do to me.”

“Bit unfair of you to assume that everyone who’d go to a construction conference is a guy, and a butch one at that,” Liam says deftly trying to change the subject.

“Touché. In retrospect, I guess that was an unfairly stereotypical judgment to make,” Zayn concedes with a nod. “But seriously though, what do you guys actually do besides grilling meat cause I’m having a hard time imaging what riveting events you could possibly get up to at a construction conference that would make everyone wanna come back as frequently as every month. D’you lot, like, exchange insider secrets on the performance of the construction trade in the stock market? Make elaborate bets on who’s gonna sell the most piping this year? Build a giant secret fortress in the woods? I mean, like, what is it?”

“Christ, look, it’s just a gathering of a bunch of like-minded people where we can just get together and blow off a bit of steam for a few days, okay?” he snaps, tone a bit too terse, a bit too defensive, although it’s not entirely a lie. Not really. But anyway he hadn’t even meant to snap, it’s just Zayn’s asking too many questions and it’s both not the time nor is Liam in the right mood or headspace to deal with being given the third-degree right now, even if it is half-jokingly. He’s wound up and on edge and he just really, really wants to get on the road already and be far away from here and away from Zayn and all his questions. “It’s not that big a deal, alright, so can we just drop it?”

Zayn raises his hands in defense. “Okay, okay, sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I know you tend to get kinda testy and stressed out before these things, I didn’t mean to upset you, I shouldn’t have pushed.” Zayn’s quiet for a little while before he says softly, tentatively, like he’s afraid of setting Liam off again, “But maybe—I mean, I don’t know if you’re allowed to bring, like, a plus one to these things, but maybe…if you are…maybe one time I could come along with you—I mean, only if you want of course—but it’d just be nice to meet some of your mates, you know? I mean it’s been three months and I haven’t met any of them yet except for Niall, although, like, if you don’t want me to that’s cool too, I totally understand, but I just thought it’d be nice to, like, hang out, you know, like outside of the house.”

Fuck. There Liam goes again not thinking about anyone but himself. He hadn’t even considered that Zayn might feel like Liam’s hiding him. Like he’s a secret to be ashamed of. He wishes he could tell Zayn that that’s not why he hasn’t met any of Liam’s friends. That it has nothing to do with Zayn himself or their current living arrangements or Liam being ashamed of him and wanting to hide him away or keep him a secret.

But he can’t tell Zayn any of that without inviting more questions that he won’t be able to answer so instead he just mutters a noncommittal, “Maybe,” and leaves it at that, knowing full well it’s an empty half-promise because Zayn knowing anything about what actually goes on at these weekend gatherings would be a monumentally bad, bad idea.

Predictably he finds out anyway.

“What the he—Liam?” There’s a gentle touch at his shoulder. “Liam…Liam?”

Liam blinks gritty eyes open to bright sunlight streaming down on him, Zayn’s blurry face slowly coming into focus above him, sunlight bracketing his head like a halo. There’s a soreness that penetrates every muscle in his body, every fiber of his being, sunk down into his bones, his very cells, pumps through his blood like a visceral thing, but none of that’s new. This isn’t where he’s supposed to be though. The previous day is a blur and as usual he’s groggy as all hell but he’s aware enough to know immediately that this is not where he usually wakes up. Not where he’s supposed to be waking up. The grass, the trees, they’re too familiar. As is the face still currently looming above him.

“Zayn?” Liam croaks hoarsely in confusion, trying to sit up, to re-acclimate himself to this body.

“Are—are you…okay?” Zayn says, eyes full of concern as he looks Liam over.

“Course,” Liam says automatically without thinking. That gets him an even more concerned look from Zayn and Liam sits up properly, trying ineffectively to clear his throat of the raspiness that he already knows won’t fade for at least another couple of hours as he rubs at his eyes and takes in deep breaths of the crisp winter air to wake himself up fully. It’s not until he’s more alert and full awareness of the situation catches up to him that he realizes just how fucked he is—how this must all look to Zayn—and finds himself scrambling for some sort of halfway believable explanation but coming up completely blank.

He’s naked, covered in dirt and possibly a bit of blood, being woken up in his own backyard miles from the “conference” Zayn believed him to be at and smelling like absolute filth. And his first response had been to act like everything was totally fine and this was all completely normal—which it is for the most part, for him, with the exception of waking up in his own backyard. Zayn though is looking at him like he has two heads and Liam shakes his head quickly, trying to backtrack.

“I mean…um…” Liam falters, grasping at straws for to how to explain any of this without revealing everything he’s tried to keep so carefully hidden. “…Would you believe me if I said I was kidnapped and I have no idea how I got here?” he tries.

Zayn just blinks at him.

“So…your not-butch, not-all-male, not-douchy mates from the construction conference...that you just told me wasn’t at all like a frat…kidnapped you, stripped you, and left you naked and covered in dirt and blood in your own backyard…all as part of some sort of elaborate hazing ritual?” Zayn repeats slowly, squinting at Liam dubiously.

Liam nods, fidgeting in his seat at the counter in a lame attempt to avoid Zayn’s eyes. He’s showered and fully clothed now and nursing a mug of tea Zayn made for him to “warm him up” after being left naked in the freezing cold for so long. He doesn’t bother telling Zayn that he doesn’t really need it. The cold doesn’t much bother him in his other body, and even once he turns back it takes a little while for normal human sensitivity to really set back in anyway.

“So, then, are they gonna bring back your van too? And your clothes and all your other stuff that got left there?”

Liam looks up at him, startled two-fold. One, because he hadn’t expected Zayn to actually believe him, though he supposes he still might not but it could just be that he doesn’t wanna pry and is just willing to go along with it because he thinks it’s what Liam wants. And two, because he hadn’t thought of any of that himself and is now wondering how the hell he’s gonna reach the others to let them know what happened (and see if they can bring back his stuff for him) without his phone.

“You know, on second thought, I don’t think I wanna meet your friends after all if they’re the kind of arseholes that would pull some shit like this and just dip. Leave you with your dick swinging in the wind. Literally…” Zayn says, plopping into the seat next to him at the counter and shaking his head.

To be continued...

[Read the full rest of the full fic now on ao3]

#my fics #ziam #ziam fics #beautiful monster fic #homeless vampire zayn fic

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alisonwritesimagines · 6 years ago

Text

Four Years ~Tom Holland Imagine~

Summary: You were four years younger than Tom. When he finally turned twenty, you start to rethink your relationship.When you distance yourself from him, Tom is determine to find out what was wrong.

Warning: Mentions of depression and regaining depression

A/N: I just love age difference imagines because they could be realistic. Also, the fluff is just so adorable. Also, I am four years younger than Tom.

Update: Wow. Was that really what I wrote like two years ago?

Being four years younger than Tom wasn’t that bad as you thought. Even though it took your parents a month to approve your relationship after telling them. After that, you and Tom were like a Tumblr couple. You both met on the set of Civil War since you played Wanda’s little sister. Now, he was turning twenty and all his friends and family were there.

“Happy birthday Tom!” Everyone shouted at him.

“Thanks guys. Really,” He said.

You were next to him and he had his arm wrapped around your waist. You saw his friend Lacey (I don’t know if he has any friends who are girls and it’d be awkward if I used his ex) and you gave Tom a kiss on the cheek before walking towards her.

“Hey Lacey,” You smiled.

“Hey Y/N. Having fun?” She asked.

“Yeah. How about you?” You asked.

“Yup. How are you and Tom?” She asked.

“Great.”

“You guys are so cute together,” She said in awe.

“Thanks Lacey.”

You saw Tom talk to his friends his age and it got you thinking.

“Y/N. Hello?” Lacey said waving her hand in front of your face.

“Huh?” You said looking back at her.

“I know that face. What’s wrong?” She asks you.

“Am I good enough for Tom?” You asked her.

“What?” She looked around and she pulled you upstairs. She pushed you into a room and closed the door.

“What are you talking about?” She asked you.

“I’m four years younger than Tom and I don’t turn sixteen till next month,” You tell her.

“Y/N. This is Tom. Your boyfriend. He loves you and you love him. What’s wrong with that?” She asked you.

“Lacey, Tom will be filming his movie in Atlanta and he’s going to be surrounded by other beautiful girls and they most likely will be his age,” You said.

“Y/N. We are going downstairs and you will love Tom. You will see how much Tom loves you back,” She told you. You laugh a little and she smiled.

“Come on.”

You both went downstairs and you saw Tom there looking around. When he saw you, he smiled.

“Hey Y/N. Where were you? I was looking everywhere for you,” He said.

“Sorry. I was just talking to Lacey.”

“Did something happen?” Tom asked.

“No. Everything is fine,” You said.

“You sure?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Tom smiled at gave you a quick kiss.

You were saying bye to Tom at the airport and your arms were wrapped around his waist.

“I don’t want to go,” You said.

“But you know I’m coming back to America soon for my new movie,” He laughed as he hugged you back.

“Yeah, but I’m gonna miss you,” You said.

“I’ll Skype you whenever I can,” He says.

“Alright,” You said rolling your eyes.You placed your head on his chest and he lifted your chin up.

“I love you,” Tom said.

“I love you too,” You smiled. He smiled back and gave you a quick kiss.

“Flight to California, USA is now boarding,” You hear. You looked at Tom and he smiled at you.

“I’ll see you in a few weeks,” He said.

“Bye,” You told him. He gave you one more kiss before you left.

You sat in your room thinking about your relationship with Tom and you found out who else was going to be in his new movie. Zendaya. There was nothing wrong with her, you two were best friends, but you were scared. What if he left you for her? You got a call from someone and you snapped out of your thoughts. You look at your phone and saw Tom calling.

“Hey,” You answered.

“Hey babe. How was your flight?”

“Great.”

“Good. Cause you still being underage and all, I still want to check up on you,” He said.

“Aren’t you the sweetest,” You said. The fact that he reminded that you were younger than him kinda hurt.

“I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too, Tom.”

You were on set of your show, Teen Wolf, and you were staring off into space.

“Y/N!” You looked over and saw Holland waving her hand in your face.

“What?” You said.

“Are you okay?” She asks you.

“Yeah,” You said.

“You’re not fine. Dylan, come over here,” She yelled over. Dylan O’Brien was like your older brother. He jogged over and he looked at us.

“What’s up?”

“Y/N is sad,” Holland said.

“How do you even know I’m sad?” You asked her.

“Well one, you have a sad look and secondly, you weren’t paying attention to anything today,” Holland said.

“Is it about Tom?” Dylan asked.

“Maybe.”

“What happened?” He asked.

“I feel like I’m too young for him,” You tell him.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m four years younger than him and I feel like something’s wrong,” You tell them.

“Oh Y/N. Tom loves you. I remember when you told us that when you were filming Civil War, you said that you and Tom were getting so close and he didn’t care about your guys’ age gap,” Holland said.

“Then why does it feel like he doesn’t love me?” You ask.

“Maybe you’re scared or insecure now,” Dylan said.

“Y/N. Don’t focus too much on that alright. Tom loves you and your birthday is coming up soon. Maybe that’ll help you with your problem,” Holland said.

“Okay.”

“Now, come on. You and Sprayberry have that make out scene remember,” Dylan said.

“Ignore him,” Holland said making you laugh.

As the two months flew by, it was finally your sixteenth birthday. You were with the cast and they were celebrating with you. Your parents were with you as well and all of a sudden, someone covered your eyes.

“What’s going on?” You asked.

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Y/N. Happy birthday to you,” Everyone sung. The person uncovered your eyes and you saw Tom sitting next to you.

“Tom!” You smiled.

“Hey Y/N,” You got up and gave him a huge hug. He hugged you back and gave you a kiss on your head.

“What are you doing here?” You asked.

“Can’t I just see my beautiful girlfriend?” He asked.

“I miss you,” You said.

“I miss you too,” Tom said before giving you a kiss. You kissed back a bit until your father coughed a bit. You pulled back and everyone laughed a little.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. L/N. It’s great to see you again,” Tom said.

“Hello Tom,” Your mother smiled.

“Tom,” Your dad acknowledge.

You all went out and Tom barely left your side. Right now, your parents threw you a party on a roof that showed the L.A. view. Everyone you knew was here and dancing and having fun. The cast of Civil War along with some other celebrities that you were close with came.

“How does it feel to be sixteen?” Tom asks you.

“I feel older,” You tell him.

You turned to him and he gave you another kiss.

“I love you,” Tom said.

“You always say that,” You giggled.

“Cause I do. There’s something else I need to tell you,” Tom said. Your heart started to beat fast and he moved a piece of hair away from your face.

“I have to go tomorrow because of filming,” Tom tells you.

“Oh. Okay. I thought it was something worse,” You told him.

“Like what? Breaking up with you? Not happening,” Tom said before kissing you.

You decided to visit Tom in Atlanta since you were done filming your scenes for Teen Wolf. You went to his trailer and walked in. They said that Tom was still filming and that he should be done soon. You sat down on his couch and you waited. Once you heard laughter, you smiled and sat up a bit more. Tom walked in with a couple of his costars and he looked at you. You stand up with a large smile on your face and he smiled back.

“Y/N!” He said. He ran over to you and engulfed you into a hug.

“Tom!” You smiled. He gave you a quick kiss and he looked at you.

“So Tom, is this Y/N?” You looked and saw his costars there. Zendaya and Laura included.

“Yeah. Y/N meet my crew,” Tom said.

“Your crew?” Zendaya asked confused.

“Shh. Let me impress my girlfriend,” Tom said. You giggle a bit and he kisses your head.

“Hey Zendaya,” You smile.

“Hey Y/N. How are you?” She asked as you gave her a hug.

“Great.”

“Since you’re here. Why don’t we watch a couple of movies?” Tom asked.

“Sure.”

You sat on Tom’s lap and his arms were wrapped around your waist.

“How long are you going to be here for?” He asked.

“Well, I am allowed to visit you for another day or two before going back to California and do some interviews,” You tell him.

“Perfect,” Tom smiled before giving you a quick kiss.

“So cute,” Laura smiled as she took a picture. She quickly uploaded it and the movie started to play.

As the movie played on, you checked your phone for a moment to look at the Instagram post. A lot of people started to throw hate to you, making your eyes glassy.

“I’ll be right back. I need to get a bit of air,” You tell Tom.

“Alright.”

You get up and walked outside. The tears fell from your face and you quickly wiped them away. You looked at all the hate and you frowned even more.

@random-fan-account: I still can’t believe her parents allow this relationship.

@random-fan-account: She’s such a slut.

@random-fan-account: She’s way too young

You felt more tears fall from your eyes and you heard the door open. You quickly wiped the tears away and you looked up to see Zendaya.

“Oh. Hey Z,” You say.

“Hey, I came to check up on you. You okay?”She ask you.

“Yeah.”

“Then why are you crying?” Zendaya asks.

“I’m starting to rethink my relationship with Tom,” You tell her.

“What? Why?” She asks.

“I’m way too young for Tom, the hate, and the fact that he could leave me for someone closer to his age,” You tell her.

“Y/N. Tom loves you.Don’t listen to the haters,” Zendaya said.

“How? It’s so hard not to,” You tell her.

“Y/N. Do you love Tom?” Zendaya asks.

“Of course.”

“And Tom loves you. Y/N, you need to ignore all the hate and focus on your love. There are a lot of people who love your relationship,” Zendaya says.

The door opened and you both look. You both see Tom and he looks at the both of you.

“Hey, the movie’s inside,” He says. Zendaya looks at you and you knew what that meant.

“Talk to him,” She told me. You nodded and she walked back. You look at Tom and he walks up to you.

“Is everything alright?” He asks.

“Not exactly,” You tell him.

“What’s wrong?” He asks.

“It’s about us,” You tell him.

“What? I thought we’re happy. Y/N, I love you,” He tells you.

“I love you too, Tom. But lately,ever since you’re twentieth birthday, I’ve been feeling kinda down. I feel too young for you, I’ve been getting so much hate, and I don’t think I can take it anymore,” You tell him.

“Y/N. I love you so much. Ignore them. I would never leave you. I remember when we first met. You were in a cute little dress with a cute flower pattern on it and you had headphones on. You were smiling and singing along to some random songs. When I got to know you, I started to fall for you even more,” Tom said. Tears were now falling from your eyes.

“And then when you told me how old you were, I didn’t care. You made me happy just like how I make you happy. Y/N, I wouldn’t replace you in my entire lifetime. I even fought for a month just so I can get your parent’s permission to date you,” Tom said.

“I love you Tom,” You say as tears continue to fall. He placed his hands on your cheeks and wiped away the tears with his thumbs.

“I love you too, Y/N.”

He gives you a long and passionate kiss and you kiss back. He wrapped his arms around your waist and you start to wrap both of your arms around his neck.

#tom holland #tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #peter parker #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #marvel #marvel imagine #alisonwritesimagines

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ask-de-writer · 6 years ago

Text

WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA! : Origin of the Rom, part 2 : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 7 of 8

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA!

The second part of the Origin of the Rom

ORIGIN OF THE ROM SERIES in reading order. (will be completed as the stories are posted in linked form)

Part One : NORE’S CHOICE, which starts HERE

Part Two : WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA! which starts HERE

Part Three : FAIR AND UN-FAIR, which starts HERE

Part Four : ON THE ROADS OF EQUESTRIA, which starts HERE

Part Five : THE FIRST ROM HEARTHWARMING, which starts HERE

Part Six : SANDO’S LAKE, which starts HERE

Part Seven : A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROM, which starts HERE

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

13716 words

Writing begun 08/09/15

TUMBLR EXEMPTION

Blog holding members of Tumblr.com may freely reblog this story provided that the title, author and copyright information remain intact, unaltered, and are displayed at the head of the story.

Fan art, stories, music, cosplay and other fan activity is actively encouraged.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

The whole group laughed, but many got thoughtful looks as they tasted bits of the patties that I went ahead and hoofed out, saying, “Down payment on dinner. Let the mares do their thing. They want to thank you properly for saving their wagon and everything that they need for making a living, not to mention that it is their home for now.”

While Malit and Maina were cooking and brewing up a big pot of tea, Sando and Rom got out a flute, drums, and a lyre which they gave to Phapa. The exotic music of Gyptia resounded from the Equestrian hills.

Nore began to dance.

All but the flute playing members of Rom’s band, even the ones cooking, began to chant in Gyptian.

Nore danced the Shehan Ja Rom for them.

That was followed by Sarel’s swirling sashes as she danced. Several of the watching troopers suddenly got it.

“Look at that dance! She is telling how we saved the wagon today!”

When Malit and Maina circulated among the troops with cups of tea and piles of sweet buns, the realities of military life asserted themselves.

Sunbreak called, “Line up. Let them serve, don’t mob them!” Tasting some of the sweet buns she added thoughtfully, “Perhaps I was hasty in saying don’t mob them! These are better than anything that I have ever got at a fair!”

Privately agreeing with Sunbreak, I pondered the possibility that we had found by accident, the means to make good bits at a fair. I knew, from my earlier life as Marchhare the Trader, exactly where and when all of the fairs within fifty miles were.

The Red Branch flood, as huge as it was, did not wipe out all the communities with fairs. Counting the gold that we had found up in the pass, we did not have enough to buy the land, build our homes, shops and settle down to a quiet life. The reward would likely change that but we did not have it yet.

I prefer to not count wealth that is not in hoof.

I was right about the troops. All twenty, counting Sunbreak, had a great time.

Breakfast was equally fine. Tea and batter cakes wrapped about berry preserves filled every pony there. Through a mouthful of batter cake, Vard declared, “If ever you need more help from the Equestrian Aerial Armor, just ask. If I have any say, you will get the help at once.”

Not every step of a journey is an adventure. The far side of the Notch was a long gentle slope. It was well wooded and we found some more useful and/or tasty things to add to our store.

We came out of the woods at a well tended Royal Road wayside. Rom stared in near disbelief. He said, “They have solidly mortared fire places and free wood to burn? How come nohorse steals the wood?” Feeling the solid footing under the grass, he stared down at what was, to him, a wonder. “How can there be such grass over ground that is firm underhoof for the pulling of our caravan?”

I laughed, but gently. “Rom, I did tell you that the Princess Luna spent two hundred years figuring these things out. Her title as High Commissioner of Equestrian Roads is not simply a title. She worked, in harness or by the magic of her own horn to learn how to create many sorts of roads, each suited to different purposes and kinds of land. She paid equal attention to the waysides for the convenience of the dray ponies who use the roads. See? Just over there, is a ready supply of clean water. Even the spacing and kinds of trees give both shade and shelter in bad weather.”

Sando was not paying attention to that. He was marveling at the road itself. “Marchhare, how is this road made? This is no mere layer of gravel. It is somehow locked in place.”

“That is right, Sando. First, the way is prepared by digging down to solid sub soil. Heavy larger stone is laid for a foundation and small rock poured and packed about it to half its depth. Smaller but still substantial cobbles then cover the foundation and also get half covered with locking gravel. This top surface is laid over that base and solidly packed. After that, the road is watched closely for ruts, holes or other problems and they are fixed promptly.

Maina observed, “These Royal Roads are a true marvel of this land of Equestria, if the rest of the system is as good as this.”

Casting a practiced eye at the road, I commented, “Most is better than this. This has had only indifferent maintenance. You will see.” In unwitting prophecy, I added, “We are going to be using these roads a lot for a while.”

We took the time to fix a nice meal before hitting the road.

Nore did little happy-skippy dance steps while pulling beside me. “It almost feels like the caravan is floating!” she exulted. “These roads are amazing!”

I was making for Haulmarket. They had a fair scheduled and I was guessing that it was still going to be put on. The town only lost a bit of commons and a few fields. They were going to need the income of the fair for cleanup, if nothing else.

It was not long before we found the first fair notice posted on a wayside note board. Haulmarket fair was still on and only two days of Pulling away.

Just outside of the town, we came to the fair turnoff. The pony there to steer exhibitors to the fairground nearly had an attack when he saw Rom’s band. Even my dear Nore, the smallest of the horses, was big enough that he had to look up to talk to her.

To his credit, he only asked the proper information and steered us down the correct way.

The layout director took one look at us and suggested, “You say you gonna do traditional dances and stuff? Go set up down there at the end of the midway. Make a big cul-de-sac ring out of your booths. You can do your dances in the middle of it.”

We parked the caravans in an open ring. Rom directed, “We can just put out the rain flys for booth roofs. Malit, do we have enough boards to set up counters? Nore, you are so good with boxes, can you make us some safe cash boxes?”

Things that we had were swiftly set up. Rom politely asked the fair set up director, “We have heard that you have flood damaged commons. There are trees and such washed onto it. We have need of some boards which we can split out of the flood wrack. We could also set up a big charcoal burn to help you clear the area for future use. Would that be acceptable?”

The director shrugged, “Don’t see why not, but anything to do with the commons has to go through the Council. I can’t say either way.”

Council Pony Foulip declared, “Big charcoal burn? That would be worth lots of bits! You keep your claw hooves out of that commons! We will let it by contracts and make us good money!”

He sent a pony around selling cheap boards for counters and such. Maina took one look at them and snickered, “Those are the sort of wood that you work from? No wonder your wheels are so bad!”

Malit and Nore, with Sarel’s help, solved the problem of booth parts by picking tall, overgrown grasses from both commons and fairground. Nore worked it over into fine woodlike boards, both light and strong.

Nore, pointing proudly at our beautifully appointed booths and said, “It was lucky for us, really, that the pony selling lumber for making booths had such shoddy wood. It made us look at using grass-wood, like we do for instruments and caravan sides and tops! Our booths look better than any of the others that are set up so far!”

Glancing up the Midway, I nodded. “That is certainly true! It looks like we are ready for tomorrow’s fair. What is for dinner?”

Like a conjurer doing a trick, Nore and Sando produced trays with an array of sweet nettle and clover buns. They had three dipping sauces for them. Along side, to complete things was a perfectly huge pot of tea!

We were all gathered around eating our sweet buns and drinking the tea when Council Pony Foulip strode up self-importantly and declared, “Fair don’t open till tomorrow! You can’t go selling that stuff yet!”

Maina looked up at him and said, “Sell what? Ordinary food like this? This is just our dinner. It is better than a pony made wheel but not much. What we sell for the fair will be good!”

I could see his mouth watering at our dinner. “No, Foulip. You may not have any of our dinner. Go home to eat, make your own, or buy your dinner from a restaurant. As you pointed out, earlier, we can’t sell it yet and you have been rude.

“Royal Road Law allows us privacy in our camp, which this is until fair opening tomorrow.”

We finished up with the food. The mares broke out the instruments. We had THREE lyres now. Nore had managed to slip another one past my scrutiny. This one was pretty big. It had a deeper, sweeter voice than any of the others, so far. There were several sorts and sizes of flutes to work with too.

The regular evening dancing and singing began.

Shortly, I noticed something. We had watchers. Ponies were gathered all about, where they could hear and see. They were drawn by the loud trills, exotic music, and the brilliant sashes swirling in the firelight.

If it was an omen of things to come, it was good one. The day of the fair dawned clear and fine. Nore, Malit and Sarel took the center of our cul-de-sac with Rom and Sando playing flute and lyre.

I was busy at the snack booth. I set out straight nettle and other baked travel rations, with dipping sauces. I ground nettle cake flour and Phapa helped to shape and bake the dough. Maina was busy making up toppings and tea. Nore had made up a lot of her paper like stuff into cone shaped cups for tea.

Business was brisk. That is putting it mildly. We had to open a second chest of travel rations well before noon! The mares were taking turns at single dances, so that they could rest.

Nore was resting in the food booth to be close to me. I liked that too, truth be told. I watched her serve a cup to a cute little filly with bows in her mane and forelock.

A big pony hoof struck the cup from the filly’s grip! Foulip demanded, “You gets your snacks up at my booth. Got spring water and my secret recipe hay twists!”

The filly started to cry, “Don’t have no coppers left! You spilt my drink! You owes me my drink!”

Nore, face grim, reached out and touched Foulip’s shoulder lightly. He squalled in pain as his hoof dangled uselessly.

I gave my wife an amazed look. A constable charged up.

Foulip started to yap, “Arrest that … thing! She assaulted me! Look at my leg! I done nothing to her and she attack me!”

The constable was not entirely stupid, to my delight. He asked Nore, “Ma'am, what did happen here?”

Foulip cut across, “I told you! Now haul her off!”

He turned and slapped manacles onto Foulip. “Sir, I will arrest you if I have another interruption while I am asking my questions.”

Nore, nodded at the constable’s action and said, “What happened was a violation of fair rules. Unless I misunderstood what they are. It is an offense to interfere with the trade of other booths, exhibits or performers. He assaulted the little filly here, knocking her fresh bought drink from her hooves. He tried to send her away from our booth. It looked like he was about to physically strike her. To defend the young one, I used the Gyptian Death Touch on his shoulder. You came to investigate.”

“Gyptian Death Touch? Is he going to be OK?”

“He will be fine, Constable. He will recover in about an hour. If I wanted to kill him I would have touched him near his heart or up higher on his neck.”

The constable crouched down to be on the filly’s level and asked, “Did it happen the way that she told me or the way that other pony told me?”

Blubbering a bit, she replied, “He spilled my tea drink. He say I got to buy water from him but I got no more copper.”

The constable nodded and told her, “I am sorry about your drink. I am going to take him away. It is all that I am allowed to do.”

TO BE CONTINUED

<== PREVIOUS NEXT ==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

#WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA!#Origin of the Rom part 2 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer #Part 7 of 8

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aescapisms · 7 years ago

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dear lucas (4)

pairing: luke hemmings x ofc

word count: 3.2k

summary: When Luke receives a letter from a person who broke his heart 2 years ago, he realises that he never really fell out of love from this girl, and will do anything to bring her back.

a/n: my tag list is open! just message me :)

Ashton found Luke sleeping on the couch holding Chloe’s letter close to his heart, gripping it as if he was holding Chloe and if he didn’t hold on tight, she would somehow be taken away from him.

It pained Ashton to see him like this and it broke his heart knowing that he was a part of the reason why he’s suffering. All of this because of a promise; Ashton hated himself for that because he can’t break a promise he made and Chloe used that to her advantage, but after years of keeping it, he understood why he did it.

Calum saw him looking at Luke and so he told Ashton that he wanted to talk.

So they went outside and did just that.

“Is she okay?” Calum asked, hinting the worry for his ‘sister’

“Yeah. She is.” Ashton sighed and added “For now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”

“Well, does she know how Luke is holding up? He’s a mess. The guy from 2 years ago is showing up.”

“DO you really think that Chloe isn’t suffering herself?” Ashton got defensive of her, because he knew.

“How would you know?”

“I just do okay? And I can tell you that if you can see Luke suffering like that, Chloe is suffering even more.”

“Then why don’t they just get back together? They clearly love each other. Why does she have to make it so complicated?” Calum asked Ashton. “Why did she break up with Luke? There, just answer that last question.”

“If you want to know why ask Luke.”

“Ask Luke what?” Michael interrupted.

“Why Chloe and Luke broke up.”

“Oh. Well stop it. He’s looking for you guys. I think there’s something wrong with him.”

It wasn’t something though.

Everything is wrong with Luke.

“I want to find her.” Luke stated before they could ask what’s wrong.

“No.” Ashton stated.

“Why not? She wants to be found!” Luke yelled at Ashton.

“You read her letter right? Because I am sure as hell that she would tell you not to find her.” Ashton stated confidently.

“Well then you clearly don’t know her that well because Chloe always---always wants to be found and I will find her.”

“Luke—“

“Why does it seem that you don’t want me to find her? What is it that you’re so fucking afraid of for me to see?” Luke lashed out because he’s had enough. Usually it was Ashton who will tell him to do things, especially involving Chloe, but for the last few years Ashton became a totally different person.

Luke thought that he was a different person, little did he know that Ashton became one.

Ashton was clearly fuming too because he just screamed the words “Because you won’t like what you will fucking see!”

And they all became silent.

Till Ashton’s phone rang and the caller ID read Chloe.

He answered it immediately in hopes that he would calm down when he hears that she’s fine.

“Chloe?” the three boys turned to look at him but they knew by the look on Ashton’s face that it wasn’t Chloe.

“It’s Amy. I’m worried Ash.”

“Is that her??” Luke asked, Ashton shook his head.

“Why?” Ashton asked Amy.

Amy told Ashton her worries, and Ashton assured her that it will be all right; She would be all right.

The call ended after that.

“I need to find her.” Luke confessed.

“We all do, but Luke, we’ve got shows and—“

“Fuck the shows Calum. She would—“

“Want you to do the show Luke.” Michael spoke up after a long time. “The only time I’ve seen her so happy besides being with you was when she’s watching us perform live.”

“but she…”

“She will watch the concert” Ashton said the words so quietly as if it was a secret he was afraid to share. “She always does.”

“She does?” Calum asked, Ashton nodded.

“How do you know?”

“She promised us right? I thought it was a joke but, there are times that I’ve seen her in the V.I.P section.”

“Then let’s use that to our advantage!” Michael spoke up, “Let’s you know hand out pictures of her or post a picture of her on Twitter asking people to look at her in our shows, or practically anywhere.” The other three fell silent contemplating the idea that Michael handed “Come on. We were born with these technologies, let’s not waste it.”

And so they did. A picture of Chloe circulated the internet, others trying to find her and others trying to find information about her.

It trended on Twitter with the hashtag ‘FindingChloe’.

Michael, Luke, Ashton and Calum spent hours on the internet looking at what people tweeted or if there are pictures of her, anything that would give them hope.

The other half of the fandom that is gathering information about Chloe Lyle ended up with only her Name, and Birthday. She didn’t have Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. They did find an Instagram account but it was private with 0 following, and 124 posts and 1 follower.

What they didn’t know was that, Chloe deleted herself in the internet 2 years ago when she started dating Luke.

Because she knew their potential and she was afraid of being exposed in the internet.

“HOW’S IT GOING MANILA!!” Calum asked the whole arena shouted.

“Okay. Calum you asked that for like 5 times now.” Michael remarked and everyone else laughed.

“So, this next song is a very special song that our dear friend Luke will give the introduction to.”

The whole arena chanted Luke’s name and so he smiled. Maybe not like the way he used to, but it was a start.

“This next song, is a very special song. It’s about a special girl—-“ The crowd went wild. Everyone was expecting to hear a name but all they got was “—girl named Amnesia.”

All of them laughed, even Ashton.

“I drove by all the places we used to hang out getting wasted.”

Everyone sang along to the words but they can hear a certain sadness in Luke’s voice. It didn’t escape their cunning eyes the way Luke scanned the crowd looking for a certain someone.

Luke scanned the crowd.

And standing there, looking at him is Chloe Lyle, the most important girl in his life.

Before the encore, Chloe made her way out.

She always leaves before the last song because she doesn’t want to hear them say good bye. There’s been too many goodbyes in her life, she doesn’t think that she can handle any more of it.

On her way out, she noticed a lot of people waiting outside, the unlucky ones who didn’t get a chance to buy a ticket.

Another thing that she noticed was that, a girl kept on staring at her. Trying to recognize the face that she was wearing. Chloe stopped looking at the girl and decided to go home. She was travelling and she needed to go to the next country.

She didn’t know about how half of the fans of 5 Seconds of Summer was looking for her. She didn’t know that, but in a little while later her sister, Amy would.

Twitter Update

#FindingChloe 781k people are talking about this

“Luke!” Michael shouted, “Someone posted a picture of her!” the three lads came dashing to the couch where Michael was sitting.

“Where?” Luke asked the grabbed Michael’s phone.

“ LOL5SOS @5sosplswtf

“OMFG I SAW HER SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL. #FindingChloe”

LOL5SOS @5sosplswtf

“#FindingChloe Just outside the Arena, wearing skinny jeans a white shirt and a leather jacket. #IFoundHer pic/QitfLj”

“8:41 PM? That’s before the encore” Calum deduced, “She—She left before the encore. Ashton what are you doing?”

“Amy is bombarding my phone with texts. I think she found out.”

“I’m gonna go outside see if she’s still there.”

“She’s not there anymore.” Michael told him after checking his phone for the 4th time.

“Someone tweeted.”

“Shine @youremyshiningstar

“Thank you @5SOS it was an amazing show! heading back to L.A now. pic.t/QitjYr”

“This girl took a selfie and Chloe was sitting right beside her on a plane bound for L.A.” Michael told him after seeing a couple hundred of retweets as regards to the picture.

“Why is she heading back to L.A?” Michael asked.

“Manila is the last one for our Asian tour after that we’ll be on a break right?” Calum said remembering the details.

“I’m going back to L.A tonight.” Luke announced.

“Luke, don’t be an idiot stay here and we’ll figure this out okay? Just, go get some rest and we’ll head to L.A tomorrow at 10 A.M.” Ashton told him, Luke was about to protest but the way Ashton said those words made him stop.

He looked at Michael and Calum, the exhaustion from the show can be seen from their faces even though they’re smiling.

“I’m sorry.” Luke apologized “It’s just that…I really want to see her you know. I have so many questions and I really need some answers.” Luke sighed “When it comes to her I just—I don’t know, its like everything fades away and seeing her is all I could ever think about.” The boys looked at him in awe, “So I’m sorry.”

For the first time since this happened, Ashton laughed. “All of us in here knows how much you love her, don’t you think that we wouldn’t do anything for you guys? I was hesitant at first because it was something that I promised to Chloe, and you guys know how much I hate breaking promises, so I guess I would like to apologize for that too.” Ashton took his jacket and slung it on his shoulders, “But I’m also going to apologize in advance if I won’t give any information that I know about her, not this time.” He then went out of the room and sent a message to the person in question—Chloe.

Then

“Chloe!” Luke shouted.

“What do you want this time? I’m trying to study for fuck’s sake.”

“Oh?” Luke asked taking a seat beside her, “What subject?”

“Chemistry, we’ll have our midterms the day after tomorrow and this is the first time that I opened my notes.” Chloe told him with a hint of annoyance that is directed to herself. “Do you need any help?” Luke asked her, knowing that she’s probably pissed at herself for opening her notes in a crucial time such as this.

“No, I’m fine. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?”

He looked at herand smiled “Let’s just talk about it after your exams, I don’t want it to mess up with your brain.”

“YA! What did you mean mess up with my brain??” Chloe shouted and swatted his head with the notes she’s been reviewing for the past hour. “I’m telling you this now, so listen carefully.” She said calming her nerves, then looked at him and smiled mischievously “If you’re planning to break-up with me, let it go. I’m not gonna let that happen, I love you too damn much.”

IT wasn’t Luke’s inention to break-up with her, nor has it ever crossed his mind. “Well, what if we get into a really big fight?” He asked. She took the ballpen and twirled it around her fingers, “Then we’ll talk it out. If there’s a problem we’re going to fix it.And if I push you away, because I tend to do that—-” He took her hand and interlaced their fingers which made her smile. “And if you…” he started and made her face him “…if you push me away, I’ll grab your hands and pull you closer because there will be no ‘pushing you away’ in this relationship. We’re in this together.”

Chloe’s face felt hot and suddenly turned red. “We won’t be together for the summer if I fail an exam so go and scoot because I have to study and I really want to spend my summer with you. We’ll be together for the whole summer.”

Luke laughed and stood up. “I’ll go now, call me when you need a ride home.”

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You can’t drive, besides I’ll be fine. Bye.” Luke pouted but kissed her forehead, he didn’t want to go but Chloe needed to study. “I love you. See you later.” He then left her without telling her about the band’s decision to move to London.

“But…what if Chloe breaks up with me? What if she can’t handle the long distance…what if…” Luke expressed his thoughts to guys during a band practice.

“Luke, she already told you that you guys are not going to break up. Do you really think that she’s going to break up with you? Just because you want to pursue your dreams?” Ashton told him while he was taping up his drums.

“What if all those times that we’ll spend together she’s going to find someone better then break up with me?”

Michael laughed as if he heard the funniest joke ever made.

“Dude, there are so many times that she already met someone better. But what did she do? She didn’t even bat an eye, she’s in love with you, give her some credit.”

“Luke, before imagining those stuffs, you must first tell Chloe about this okay?” Calum told him.

“Tell me about what?” Chloe asked when she appeared in the front door.

“Chloe..” Luke started off.

“You’re not seriously thinking of breaking up with me are you? Because that speech earlier would’ve been so awkward.” Chloe told him as she took a seat at the couch where Michael was. “No, that’s not it, it’s something serious.”

“Holy shit. You’re not dying aren’t you?”

Luke face-palmed, since she has to know the truth he decided to just break it out. “Chloe, the band’s moving to London.”

‘Oh’ was the only thing that came out of Chloe’s mouth. Then she became completely silent. The others began to worry. They’re really close to Chloe and treat her like a part of the family but if she’s really against this they wouldn’t know what to do.

“When are you guys leaving?” She asked after an eerie silence.

“Next Sunday.” Ashton told her.

“Okay. I’m going to go home right now…” Chloe muttered.

“Chloe.”

“I have to go. I’ll call you.” Chloe smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Ashton held Luke back because he had every intention of following her, and knowing Chloe, she wouldn’t like that.

Chloe didn’t call the next day so Luke did, however Amy was the one to pick up the call and not the one he intended to.

“Luke? What did you do this time?”

“What? She’s crying. Oh god.”

“What? No she’s not—“

“What do you mean?”

“She didn’t go home till late last night. She came from the library—“

“She didn’t she was with me last night”

“Then how would you explain all the books that she carried last night?”

“What do you mean?”

“She put all of her electronics in my room and told me to not disturb her because she’ll be studying. Did you guys have one of your bets again?”

“What no! She’s studying? She didn’t say anything?”

“Yeah. She’ll only come out of the room to eat and that would be exactly 20 minutes everyday. We see her for roughly an hour per day. I don’t think she sleeps. So tell me what happened?”

“N-Nothing..I’m going to hang up now.”

“What did she say?” Ashton asked.

“It was Amy. And she said that Chloe locked herself up in her room because she was studying…”

“Really? Maybe she’s lying? Maybe she’s crying.” Michael told him not making the situation any better so Calum threw a pair of boxers at him and said “Shut up.”

Luke tried to go to her house on Monday to wish her good luck for her exams but she wasn’t there. They said that she left early for school because her exam starts at 7 A.M. Which was odd because her exams should start around noon.

“Give her some space man.” Michael said as they entered the cafe where it all started. It was already 4 in the afternoon and Chloe still hasn’t contacted them.

“Oh. Luke! What are you doing here?” Jane asked. “Shouldn’t you be at the school? Chloe would need some serious cheering.”

“What do you mean?” Ashton asked clearly confused.

“She’s taking all of her exams today right? That’s why she told me that she wouldn’t attend work for this week.”

“The whole week? Wait…She took the tests today? All of it?” Calum asked surprised “That must’ve been 7 subjects”

“It was 9 subjects.” Jane corrected him.

“Why would she do that? She’s going to fail!”

“No. She’s not.” Joey told him, “She’s a really bright student you know. You didn’t know that she’s the top of her class?”

“Yeah. I know that but to take on 9 subjects for a day? That’s suicide! Her parents would surely—“

“You still don’t know about her photographic memory?” Jane asked him.

Joey laughed and said “She has photographic memory, well a bit. And on top of that she’s a really intelligent kid.”

“Why isn’t she the top 1 in her grade then?”

“That’s because she doesn’t even bother to study. She’s busy working for Amy, since she went here 6 months ago because she doesn’t want to live with their parents anymore. CHloe’s the one supporting Amy’s education and the one teaching her, on top of that she has to remain in the top 5 of the class becasue she applied for the scholarship.” Jane explained like it was a known fact.

“You’re her boyfriend right? Then why is it that you have no idea about these stuffs about her?” Joey asked.

“She—“

“Aish. You know how she is. She wouldn’t bother him with stuffs like that especially now.” Jane said smacking his brother.

She was going through these kinds of hardships and he was too pre-occupied to see it. They were in a relationship and he was only focused on his dreams when in fact he should’ve been focused on both of their dreams.

“Dante was wrong. Because this day was from the 10th circle of hell.” Chloe appeared at the door and Luke immediately hugged her.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

She looked confused then let go of his hug. “Well, I was thinking that if I finish the exams in one day I would be able to spend my week with you.”

“You—You weren’t mad?”

She laughed “Why would I be mad? This is your dream, and I will support you.”

“But this will be a pretty big change. For me, for us.” Luke told her as they sat down.

“Look.” She said holding his hand, “Whatever change you might need I will be there with you through it all, I won’t ask you to never change because not changing would mean not growing. As an artist you must grow in order to explore stuffs needed in you music. I love you, okay? And I will never leave your side.”

Calum, Michael and Ashton sat there in stunned silence thinking about what Luke did in his past or present life to deserve a girl like Chloe.

Little did they know, Luke asks that question every single day.

next part [the lying game]

#luke #luke hemmings #luke hemming imagines #luke hemmings fanfic #5sos #5 seconds of summer #michael clifford #ashton irwin #calum hood

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edierone · 7 years ago

Text

Found a whole goddamn notebook in the dumpster this time

no idea whose handwriting this is or why they’d write it or who it’s supposed to be about but it’s fun isn’t it? happy ficlet fantasy friday!

Drifting up from a warm, dozy sleep, she feels the bed shifting under her, and the weight of an arm draped across her. She smiles, keeping her eyes closed, snuggling against him. He keeps moving, though, instead of settling in, and she mumbles, “What’re you doin?”

He’s propped himself up on one elbow behind her, the arm over her doing something complicated.

“Taking a bed selfie.”

“Huh?” She still hasn’t opened her eyes. What the fuck time is it, anyway?

“A bed selfie.”

Like that explains it.

One eye, then the other, slides reluctantly open, and she can make out his iPhone a few inches away in the dimness. They’re both in the frame, grainy and low-res; her hair is spilled out over the pillow, her bare shoulder exposed, his muscled arm disappearing into the corner where his hand is holding the phone. His thumb touches the button.

“It’s gonna be a week till we see each other again — I need a souvenir for when I get lonely,” he says.

Aww, he’s gonna miss me!, she thinks, charmed. Better give him something good to keep him warm up here.

“Hi, sexy!” she purrs, rubbing her backside against him.

He laughs, low in his throat, then kisses her temple, caressing her face with his own. He leans over her, resting his phone hand on the bed next to them.

“Mmm … love you,” he murmurs against her ear.

“Love you too,” she sighs. She turns her head to get his lips properly on hers, but something catches her eye.

“Babe — you’ve got it in video mode,” she giggles.

“What? No I don’t — oh yeah — ha! Nearly made a bed selfie sex tape. Hold on a sec —”

He squints at the phone, holding it back out a bit, then touches the button again, stopping the recording.

She kisses him lightly, eyes slipping shut again, and says “Send that to me tomorrow, will you? I might get lonely too.”

She knows he’s smiling in the dark, she can hear it when he says, “I’ll send it to you right now.”

“Mkay,” she sighs, feeling the heaviness of sleep creeping up again. She’s not sure how many minutes have gone by when she hears him again, all the cozy flirtiness gone from his voice.

“Uhhh … hm. That’s not — how did I — shit.”

“What is it?” she manages, vaguely alarmed by the flat worry she hears. Before he can answer, there’s a distinctive ping from her own phone on the bedside table.

She’s awake now. “Did you schedule a tweet for this time of night?”

He looks at her, confused. He has no idea what she’s talking about. She sits up, turns on the lamp and reaches for her phone, and sees a notification illuminating the screen.

And there it is, the reason for that sound, the custom tone she’s had put on her phone solely for his posts that tag her on social media sites: He’s somehow managed to tweet something, minutes ago, from his public account, and mention her.

“Bed selfie - miss you already,” it says, and then the video.

“Oh no …”

Her heart is triphammering, she feels a little sick. He looks at her, face full of dread.

Wordlessly, she holds it up for him to see. He presses the “play” icon, and they watch, heads together.

The camera is unsteady, and the lighting is isn’t great — but the sound is clear, and it’s absolutely, definitely her, and him. Together, in bed, obviously intimate and comfortable … and sexual as all hell. Twenty-four seconds. Time stamp, 3:23 a.m. today.

“Ffffffffuuuuuuuuck,” he groans.

“Oh shit,” she breathes.

“How do I get it back? Can I delete that? Oh goddammit —“

“Christ — how did you even DO that? Why do you even have the app on your own fucking phone?”

“I was — I don’t know! I sent it and then I went to check my email and then I looked back — you know I don’t know how this shit works! I thought I was messaging it to you — it’s fucking three thirty in the morning, I can’t —”

“Give me that!” She takes his phone, deletes the tweet, but knows that’s not all there is to it. She shoves it back into his hand. “Call whatsherface, Kylie or whatever her name is, the girl that does your social shit — call her right now. Or text her — both! Get hold of her right now!”

He’s frantically trying to do just that, while she opens her own Twitter app and deletes the tweet from her feed. It’s only been sixteen minutes since it was posted, and it’s the middle of the night, maybe nobody saw it?

Yeah, no.

It’s 3:45 a.m. in Vancouver, but it’s midday in Europe, and early risers are already up in New York. Fuck.

She watches, fascinated, as the number of notifications on her page begins to climb. Against her better judgment, she takes a look at what’s coming in — not sixty seconds after the time stamp, there’s a lot of “holy shit” and “OMFG” and “this is real! I live!” and so on. She opens her stealth tumblr account — same fucking story. There are screen caps already! What the fuck is wrong with people? It reminds her of one of those virus-outbreak movies, where one sick person infects ten more and they infect twenty more each and yada yada the breakdown of civilization. This won’t end civilization, but it sure as hell might fuck shit up for the two of them (including, probably, the final nail in the coffin of that other thing she’s had going on the last few months).

And then, shortly after they’d deleted the goddamn tweet, now five minutes in the past, a flood of “wait, what happened?” “WTFF what is going on” and “THE LINK WON’T WORK THE TWEET IS GOOOONE!”

Meanwhile, he’s located Katey or Kimmy or whomever, who’s now yelling at him from someplace with loud voices and music. She’s only half-listening to their conversation, but the gist of it seems to be that there’s nothing they can do now but damage control — they deleted it from their accounts, sure, but any number of people have seen it, re-tweeted it, screen-capped it — and downloaded and saved the video for re-posting.

Annnnnd here’s one on her tumblr dash: “i am the goddess of true love! I bring you deleted video, resurrected! Look upon my works and rejoice!”

The video is in it. Fuck. She touches the play icon, hears “It’s gonna be a week till we see each other again” — double fuck. It’s the real thing. It works. “Mmmm, love you …”

He finally hangs up on Kristie/Kelly/Kyra.

“ …You’ve got it in video mode” [giggle]

She hits pause, afraid to look at him right now. They’ve been so, SO careful, and protected themselves so well — everything ambiguous, smokescreens deployed, deniability maintained … well, mostly. Nothing they can’t handle. But this here — this is the smoking gun. She wants to shout at him, to ask him what the fuck he was thinking, how could he be so careless, how could he expose them like this, why didn’t he just wait till tomorrow to send it to her like she asked? Put on his goddamn reading glasses, for fuck’s sake?

But she knows he already feels awful, so she just squeezes her eyes shut and tries to breathe calm into her body. She doesn’t want to have a screaming fight right before she flies to another continent. This isn’t the old days — she’s fucking calm and fucking mature and they will deal with this like fucking grownups.

He sits on the bed, folded up with his head on his knees. An inarticulate groan comes from his general direction. “They’re gonna dissect this like the fucking Zapruder film,” he laments, and she barks startled laughter.

He looks up at last, surprised that she’s not trying to strangle him.

“How bad is it?” He gestures toward her phone.

Cringing slightly, she selects a representative post from tumblr: It’s the video, reblogged from the alleged “goddess of true love,” and right underneath it, a gif of Elmo in front of flames. The post has 290 notes already. The tags are a jubilant, nonsensical volcano of words and phrases she only partly understands — fucc me uppp, slay my entire ass, asdfjkl;lskj, platonic adult friends, i love dying and death and being dead, MURDER ME, why are they like this NEVER STOP, fight me, they’re gonna kill me, im spiraling, it’s a dumpster fire and i’m in it.

“Whyyyyy …” he moans, dropping his head into his hands.

“Most of America is still asleep, too. Just wait. It’s going to be so much worse.”

More inarticulate sounds of misery from him, then: “You know, if somebody assassinated the fucking President, the news wouldn’t spread this fast,” he mumbles. It’s only a slight exaggeration.

She flops dramatically onto her back, addresses the ceiling: “So. What do we do now? Deny and obfuscate?”

He laughs, loud and happy, for the first time since the phrase “bed selfie” came into their lives. “Fuck yeah!”

He stretches out and rolls over onto her prone body, covering her like a blanket, starts kissing his way down her neck. She shoves at him — not very convincingly — and grumbles “What’re you doing? Shouldn’t we start doing damage control?”

“Now??? Nahhh … it’s already out there.” He kisses her deeply, then murmurs into her ear, “We’re gonna do the time — might as well do the crime.” Reasonable, he’s always so reasonable …

“Hard to argue with that,” she says, shivering a little, running her hands over his broad back. Her heart speeds up and heat pools at her center, her physical responses to his touch as reliable as ever, yet still somehow surprising even after all these years. “Guess we’re pretty well fucked —”

“Oh, yeah,” he says against the hollow of her throat, then raises his head to look her in the eye — his expression the same one that’s gotten them into this kind of trouble a thousand times in the last 25 years, and will a thousand times more. “We’re definitely gonna be that.”

--------------------------------

@justholdinghandsok @becksndot5 @whatfallsaway @iva69s @guitargirl48 @emceecapitalc @inkcollectorus @lostlastsforever756

#no idea who wrote this #i just transcribed it #it was all bent and torn and had coffee grounds all in it #but i thought it was cute #things i found in the dumpster

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