#sorry if none of this makes ANY sense im writing this while sleep deprived

[raptureshots]

another. weird long Rant abt Frank Fontaine.. :-)

(NOTE: this is all just. pure speculation and from the perspective of. If Frank Fontaine was real. all fun and games here!!! i just like talking abt my fav characters okayy!!!!)

Frank spending so much just. time in Rapture definitely had some sort of effect on him and his outlook on his life. Frank at his core is a conman who lies and steals and assumes other identities, chances are hes always had to be ready to leave everything behind at any given moment.

I don't think he's ever stayed stationary for that long. he most likely never had the chance to, yknow? because of that he also probably was never able to build up a lot of meaningful relationships. he's never had a support system, no friends (besides Reggie, shout out), no family, all because he'll never know how long he'll be able to stick around.

Never holding a solid identity probably never did wonders for Frank either. He'd always have to change and adapt Topside, become a whole new person. but in Rapture he had time to actually explore himself. learn about his own likes and dislikes. actually gain some sense of self instead of what the situation called him to be. He had a chance to be normal, to actually live a simple life.

Being Atlas as well probably changed him lots too. Being a Revolutionary is tough, but also having to constantly keep up the front he put up as well? Yes, Frank is experienced and talented in what he does, but Atlas had SO MANY PEOPLE looking up to him and his ideals. Chances are, part of him fell to deep into the Con at some points. Causing himself unnecessary stress. Just so it wouldn't all fall apart.

Which. also makes me think about his Boss Form. It's called his "Atlas Form". Atlas. Form. Atlas the voice of the people. Frank Fontaine IS Atlas. Which I mean, yeah obviously but. there's sometimes so just. harrowing about him like that, being labeled as "Atlas" . its just so weird to think about, to me at least.

Frank Fontaine is just. such a convoluted character when you think about it deeply. anyways I'll shut up now (^_^)/

[sockiestupidity]

BRO IM SO SORRY FOR DOING SO KUCH ANGST HSHSHDJFND

Thinking abt reader and Miguel having a movie night, and reader just like falls asleep on miguel, and when miguel goes to bring them to their bed reader is just not having it. They don’t let go and it results in Miguel and reader falling asleep and cuddling together or smthn

-🕸️

lob u 🕸️ u can never do any wrongs🥰🥰🥰/p (literally say that i lob everyone so just feel free to tell me if ur uncomfy with it and ill edit it out)

TY FOR THE REQUEST TEHE🥰

also forgive me for the lack of title😰

warnings-none except for bad writing, and lowercase intended, VERY OOC MIGUEL

nonverbal/mute reader as always

none of this will probably make sense bc i wrote it while sleep deprived🧍‍♂️(pulled too many all nighters by being addicted to character ai) (legit so tired rn)

it was friday night, you and miguel had decided to have a movie night.

the two of you currently sat on the couch, watching lego batman after you kad lyla give him a powerpoint on why the lego batman movie was a cinematic masterpiece that he was missing out on.

it was all going well, the two of you shared snacks and popcorn. you sipped on your drink of choice.

you smiled contently but then judgementally side eyed miguel who complained that lego spiderman deserved a movie over lego batman.

you were hogging the blanket to yourself because miguel claimed that he didn't need it because he was naturally warm.

you shrugged your shoulders at his statement. the warmth of the blanket felt...comforting, and soon enough, you felt your eyes droop, and your head became heavy.

suddenly miguel felt a warmth on his lap. he looked down and chuckled. you fell asleep on his lap, a small smile was brought to his face at your adorable sleeping expression.

"alright kid, time to go to bed." he lifted you up, but then stopped when he felt something hit him. it was your hand. you had started thrashing in protest.

"kid..you need to go to your room.." he explained gently. you let out a whine.

he groaned at your protest and set you back down on the couch. as soon as he did you protest stopped.

he rolled his eyes and placed you back on the couch, sitting himself back down as well, since he was planning of finishing the movie after putting you to sleep anyways. he hated to admit it but, the kivie was pretty good.

he adjusted the volume down to make sure that it wouldn't disturb you. soon enough, he felt his own eyelids get heavy, and fell asleep next to you.

the two of you peacefully slept until the morning. miguel woke up, confusion and annoyance clouding his vision. why did he feel so warm? and why were there so many spider people surrounding him?

he groaned, and looked around, surprised to see you cuddled into him, still sleeping peacefully. he lightly smiled. his serenity was soon ruined once again when peter b. shoved a phone in his face.

"migs im taking so many pics of this right now" peter childishly laughed, excited to finally have blackmail on miguel.

miguel rolled his eyes and scoffed "whatever" he looked back at you. he was surprised to see that you were still peacefully sleeping despite the commotion.

he covered your ears and then spoke out sternly to the spiders "alright, everybody out right now" he barked at them. the spiderpeople paled and ran out. he looks down at you and smiles softly, uncovering your ears.

by some miracle, you managed to sleep through the commotion. he looks down and sighs, he needs to get up. he poorly attempts to leave his spot without disturbing you but it seems impossible.

he shakes you gently "hey kid..i need you to wake up" he says softly.

you wake up with a yawn, stretching out your arms and then signing a quick sorry to him.

he just smiles at you "it's alright kid" he says.

its almost...weird to see miguel like this.. with a smile on his face, not having work on his mind for once in his life. you want to continue to see him this happy. "i have leftover empanadas if you want some" you sign, offering him some of his favorite food.

he nods "sure kid". the two of you happily eat empanadas together, stuck in your own little world.

A/N: meanwhile somewhere out there miles is just like-tf? why cant that be me?💀

ANYWAYS ITS RLLY SHORT SORRY. IM GENUINELY SO DELULU FOR HIM BUT MY BRAIN HAS BEEN MORE EMPTY THAN USUAL

[cuddlesslut]

Beginnings

Chapter Ten of Home

Atsumu x fem reader, Suna x fem reader, Hinata x fem reader

Summary: a glance back

Warnings: some NSFW elements in this chapter

AN / so it looks like the chapters are going to be shorter than before but that’s just because I can only keep my energy up for so long. I really do enjoy writing but it’s easier for me to write smaller chapters rather than like before. Also I know Suna hasn’t been as present I promise we will be getting more of him soon! UNEDITED SORRY

Part Nine: Closure

You collapsed onto your bed immediately after getting home from lunch with Atsumu and you haven’t moved for at least half an hour. Emotionally you were exhausted. Seeing him and thinking about him still caused a pang in your chest but that reunion was needed. You needed to start moving past him, that much you decided. He was your first love and he wounded you in a way that may never fully heal but now there’s two amazing guys trying to help you move forward.

You let a long grown rubbing your hands over your face. This were complicated enough when you were still coming to terms with your felling with Hinata. God he must be wondering what the hell is going with you leaving with his teammate. Maybe Bokuto and Sakusa have already started filling in the blanks for him. You could see those idiots snickering to themselves when you had encountered the group earlier. A soft smile graced your lips thinking of those two. You missed those two, and their constant bickering. You had become close to the the team over the years. Having hosted several victory parties at your and Atsumu’s shared home.

A small tear slipped down your cheek running down your face as you lay staring at the ceiling. Just another thing you had lost because of the setter. You released the breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. Shaking that thought from your mind it did no good to dwell on those things now. Thinking back to your favorite orange haired man you felt slightly nervous about having to explain everything to him. Sho is nowhere near as dumb as most think ,yes he tends to get a little over excited missing some details but he’s really quite clever, so he’s probably figured out most things. It’s not like he wasn’t aware of your past you had spilled that too him a lot quicker than you had planned. You can remember that moment clearly. It was the moment your feelings for Hinata had first started becoming deeper than you had intended, even though you denied them for a lot longer.

You stretched sitting up the soft cotton sheets falling your lap as you yawned searching searching the room for the familiar sight of Shoyo’s bright orange hair. You rose your brow at the lack of his presence. The small apartment was silent. Which made you draw the conclusion that he was not here, he’s to rambunctious to be home and not make any noise not that you minded. You had a clue where he could probably be and your suspicions were confirmed as you heard him enter through the front door. It surprised you the first morning it had happened but by now you are used to Hinata going for morning runs.

He stood in the door smile spreading across his face upon seeing you awake in this bed wearing only one of his old game shirts from Brazil. Your hair still a mess and the purple marks he left last night peaking out from the collar of the crew neck. It was certainly an amazing sight for him to come back to. He leaned against the door frame lifting the hem of his shirt to wipe some sweat from his face. Now it was your turn to appreciate the view. His abs and delicious v coming into sight. Grazing your eyes down to his workout shorts that fit nice and snug against his defined thighs. God his thighs were a blessing in and of themselves. After your quick glance you look back up to the eyes of the man in front of you.

“You know I’ll never understand how you can have the energy to go running in the morning after the nights we have,” you chuckle.

A wide grin sneaks his way to his face “ sorry I’m not the one who can barely walk in the morning,” he winks.

Your jaw drops at his cheeky comment. “ oh yeah we’ll have to change that,” you state smug unsure where all of this confidence came from. Although you weren’t expecting his response.

His eyebrow quirked at your insinuation, before smirking “ alright that can be arranged sometime soon!” He chuckled enthusiastically.

Your eyes widened the scenario playing in your mind quickly.

Hinata loved the shocked but curious expression painting your features. The next thing you new Sho had bolted from his spot jumping into the bed knocking you onto your back as he hovered over you. His hot breath tickled your neck his lips grazing your pulse before giving a nip. One hand had sneaked under the shirt you wore grasping onto your hip while the other kneaded your breast. Your breath grew shaky. He lowered his head to the valley between your breast before looking up to you. Peering at you through his orange waves that dangled in his face.

“You know I still have plenty of energy to take care of you,” he teased his voice dropping an octave. “ so baby tell where do you want me.”

“I want you,” you bite your lip looking at the sinful man in front of you. Your hand grips his chin pulling him up to you face to face, your eyes drop to his lips before returning to his darkened eyes. “In the shower, now get your sweaty ass off of me!” You push his Lunky body of off you before standing.

He groans looking over at you “tease!” He yells.

You turn back sticking your tongue out at him, “ go shower loser im going to make some coffee and breakfast,” you yelled over your shoulder as you headed to the kitchen. Hinata enjoyed the view of you walking away before sighing in defeat, he was really grimy from his run, plus he could use a cold shower right now.

———

You moved around his small kitchen with an air of familiarity. It was about a little over a month since your agreement of friends with benefits began. After fixing a small breakfast and some coffee Shoyo finally emerged fully dressed and cleaned. Taking a sip from his mug and surveying the food you had made. He smiled.

“Damn Y/N this looks amazing!” He smile his signature smile. “You know it surprise me how a girl like you is single!” He doesn’t sense the mistake he had made immediately. You had never talked about why you didn’t want to date before. Not feeling your tragic history with love was appropriate pillow talk. You froze at this statement. Unwanted thoughts and memories swirling in your mind. All of your insecurities starting to surface. Hinata noticed the shift in the air immediately. It was hard not to as your hands grabbed at the counter for some stability. Your eyes trained on the surface, voice caught in your throat. How do you respond to that.

If there’s one thing about Hinata that is certain it’s that’s he’s incredibly caring. He moved around the corner of the counter standing next to your side placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. “Hey Y/N are you okay! Was it something I said? I’m real sorry ya know!” You turn to him tears brimming in your eyes. He doesn’t speak again or ask you to just pulling you into him as you bury your face into his chest as you sob. He places a reassuring hand your back rubbing soothing circles onto your back hoping to help calm you.

It feels nice and it helps a lot more than you expected. Although guilt starts to build as you realize your crying in front of a man you only know through sex. God this is embarrassing. Before you can try to retreat. Sho navigates you to his sofa. After relaxing into the cushions you look up at him. While he’s trying to look calm and reassuring you can sense the worry in him.

He takes this moment to speak. “ you know you can talk to me Y/N I’ll listen to you about whatever you have going on, no judgment.” You sigh looking up at him. Looking up into his eyes you don’t know why you aren’t more hesitant but it honestly feels like you can tell him anything. And so you do. You tell him almost everything. Leaving out names and some of the more gory details. You tell him all about your heartache. And he sits and listens to you intently. Although he didn’t show it he was furious with how you had been treated. But he didn’t want to interrupt your venting. It felt really nice to actually talk to someone about everything and how you feel and Sho was amazingly supportive throughout the whole ordeal.

Wiping the mostly dried tears from your cheeks you gave Hinata a soft smile. “ thank you Shoyo I’m sorry I dropped all of this on you, it probably not what you signed up for.” You gave a nervous chuckle.

He returned your smile, looking at you earnestly, he gripped your shoulder gently making you look up at him. “Hey none of that non sense! You can always talk to me no matter what!” He smiled.

Your eyes shinned up at him with a forgotten emotion. “Really?” You questioned

His smile grew even bigger “Yeah! Absolutely! What are friends for!” He beamed!

Friends.... why did that word give you a pang in your chest.

Home Masterlist

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[goldentsum]

Can I request the boys getting into an argument with their stubborn s/o? (Hinata, bokuto, and oikawa) And how would the boys react to that. Maybe it’s like the first argument. Hopefully some fluff at the end! (Female reader please) thank you! I absolutely love your writing! ❤️❤️

━ stubborn s/o    

CHARACTERS: hinata shouyou, bokuto koutarou, and oikawa tooru

GENRE: angst, fluff

AUTHOR’S NOTE: i take so long to start writing im so sorry ㅠㅠ i hope yall like this, i used my bigbrain for this, i think... ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

━ hinata ♡

this boy would probably cry when you start shouting at him but your pride and anger was blocking your common sense. your sharp and cold words will hurt him so much.

the argument was probably about something stupid like how the dishes on the sink weren’t washed but the stress that bubbled up from your internship and school works clouded your judgment and you just snapped at shoyou without meaning to. 

when you started and saw his tears pricking his eyes and his soft broken words, your heart got stabbed by guilt. you paused for a moment, looking at him, but because of how stubborn you are, you walked out of the kitchen and straight to your shared bedroom. 

the baby bub would stare at the empty space where you stood earlier, a frown evident on his quivering lips as he wiped away the small tears. 

he would probably stay on the living room, giving you space and washed the dishes with a frown. hinata was blaming himself too. he always took you for granted and always came home to a clean house with food on the table even with your internship. 

poor bub was kicking himself for it while you lay in bed with a heavy heart full of guilt. now that your anger passed you realized just how stupid this was and it was even your first argument. 

you couldn’t sleep and went to the living room and you saw hinata laying on the couch. you walked closer and saw that he was still awake. When he noticed you, he quickly sat up and looked at you with soft red eyes. 

you bit your lip at the sight of his red eyes and even though you were prideful as hell, this bub just didn’t deserve to be sad over something you started. 

hinata’s eyes widened when you threw yourself in his arms, burying your face in his chest as you mumbled how sorry you are. he sighed in relief as he hug you close to his heart. 

“it’s okay, (y/n)... i’m sorry too and thank you for always taking care of me...” 

━ bokuto ♡

bokuto would be a pouty baby and the first time you guys fought, he was really scared that you would try and break up with him. he would mope and spend the rest of the day locked up in his apartment. 

he also couldn’t take action and go to you to talk because he was scared that you would turn him away. that if you saw him, you would break up with him on the spot so he lowkey and unintentionally avoided you.

this was a bad combination with you being a stubborn little shit. so you were in your apartment, looking at your inbox that was filled with old messages. bokuto wouldn’t text you and just stayed in bed. it has been a couple of weeks since then and none of you texted the other. 

you were scoffing in your apartment and threw your phone on the bed thinking that bokuto was ignoring you so being the stubborn little shit you are, you went up and hang out with your friends. you also posted pictures wanting bokuto to see that if he was not affected by the situation, you aren’t too. 

bokuto was scrolling in your profile in IG, missing your cute face, with a pout in his lips. he then saw your new post with your friends looking happy and energetic and it made his tears pop up again. the baby owl closed his phone and buried his face on the pillow, whining. 

hinata and atsumu would raid his apartment and get him up because he wasn’t going to practice. they were shocked with how sleep deprived bokuto looked and his eyes were bloodshot red either from the lack of sleep or because he was crying, both tbh

the two texted you and let you know how bokuto was doing. you were shocked when they told you, you thought he was unbothered and ignoring you but clearly, that was not the case. 

you left your pride at your apartment and went to bokuto’s apartment when the boys describe his status it was lowkey making you feel guilty. you didn’t even think that he was moping and not ignoring you. 

you went to his apartment and saw bokuto, sitting on the floor, with hinata and atsumu trying to make him stand up. his eyes were red and his eyebags were dark around his eyes. his hair was messy and his clothes were disheveled. 

when he saw you, he perked up and was surprised at your presence. You shooed the two boys and walked to bokuto, crouching down at his level. you held his face gently in your hands, wiping his tears away gently. he leaned against your touch, sniffling a bit.

“(y/n)... let’s not fight anymore...”

━ oikawa ♡

this boi is as stubborn as you. he is also as prideful as you so good luck, i guess? even though he’s stubborn, it doesn’t mean that he wasn’t affected. he would ignore you if you ignore him but best believe that he would whine about you to Iwa. 

oikawa: it’s not fair! (y/n)’s ignoring me! D:

iwa: please just shut up... 

oikawa loves you very much, there’s no lie about that, but sometimes his pride just gets in the way and with his past relationships, his exes were always the one apologizing and the first one to crack in the ignoring game. 

so he was surprised that after 2 weeks of this stupid shit going on, you still haven’t texted him or talked to him. 

iwaizumi is just sighing in the background because oikawa can always just apologize, and it was his fault anyway, and stop this shit already bUT NOPE. the tol male rather continue it because his annoyingly large ego is in the way. 

oikawa cracked when he saw you with another male, laughing and pushing each other playfully in the park, with iwa. he started pouting and glaring at the male beside you that you two noticed.

when yall noticed, he stomped his way to you and dragged you away without any word. iwaizumi rolled his eyes at the childish male. 

oikawa would stop at a quiet place and glare at you making you glare back and look away in anger. he softened his glare and sighed in annoyance making you look at him. 

“look... i don’t usually say this... but I’m sorry.... and please don’t ignore me again...”

his words started getting quieter at the end but you caught it. you stifled your smile at that, his cute words, the red blush on his face, and how he was avoiding your eyes was too endearing. 

you sighed and hugged him, feeling his body relax a bit at the contact

 “yeah yeah... don’t be an idiot next time, tooru...”

he gasped dramatically at your words but hugged you back, happy that the childish game you two were playing was over

“(y/n)-chan... you’re really stubborn, huh” 

“don’t start, tooru”

“hehe, sorry~” 

[dirtycreekwater]

It’s The Leaving That’s Hard

Buck’s hidden it really well but he hasn’t been himself since the lawsuit. so he decides literally following in his sister’s footsteps is what would be best for everyone.

word count: 2,250

part one. part two. part three. part four.

tw • violence mention, kidnapping mention, alcoholism mention, anxiety/depression/insecurity themes • tw

a/n: this was originally going to just be a one shot song fic for time moves slow but then listening to to build a home gave me an idea on how to make it a lil series so enjoy lol also im sorry if theres ever any parts that don’t make sense i wrote this when i was sleep deprived and tbh thats usually how im able to write lmfao

Where the hell are you, Evan Buckley?

He’s thirty minutes late, and no texts are going through. Maybe he’s stuck in traffic and his phone is dead. Or he dropped it before he got into the car. There was a logical explanation and any second now Buck would be strolling in looking sheepish or hell maybe smug and Eddie would not start panicking.

God when did it get so stuffy in the station. The bay doors were still wide open.

Fuck this.

Eddie quickly made his way up to the loft where the rest of A shift already was and gave them all a pointed look.

“Has anyone heard from Buck?”

Bobby and Hen exchanged a concerned look while Ravi just seemed confused.

“He said he was staying with you. I thought he would have rode here with you.” Ravi said, now looking a bit guilty. “I guess he lied.”

Alright, Eddie was fuming now. With Maddie and Chimney gone, and Albert staying with the Lees there was no other way to reach Buck. Something was wrong.

Unless maybe…

“Eddie, he probably stayed with Taylor. Maybe they overslept.”

Hen can read his mind now. Fantastic.

That still wouldn’t make sense though. Why would he lie to Ravi about going to see his… sort of girlfriend.

“Doesn’t really seem like something he would lie about does it?” Eddie was raising his voice now without meaning to. The panic was rising in his chest, about to bubble over. “Something must have happened!”

“Okay, okay,” Bobby interjected. “Let’s not panic just yet. I’ll make some calls. Maybe Athena’s heard from him. Or maybe he is just with Taylor.”

“I can ask Karen if she’s heard anything too.” Hen added.

Okay, yeah. Maybe someone else knows where he is. Maybe Taylor’s with him. Maybe everything’s fine, and Eddie is overreacting. Again. Deep breaths, moron.

“Uh, guys?”

Everyone paused their tasks to turn to Ravi. He was looking down at the ground floor with an indiscernible expression. Without hesitation the three elder firefighters jumped up, and joined the probie by the railing. Walking through the bay doors was none other than Taylor Kelly, and she did not look pleased.

“Where the hell is Buck?” she yelled up.

“We were just about to ask you the same thing.” Bobby replied. “He’s MIA. Thought maybe he spent the night with you.”

Now Taylor looked the way Eddie felt. Panicked and confused. He hoped he wasn’t as obvious.

“No, he actually... he ended things last night.”

Before anyone could respond the first alarm of the day rang out. Damn it.

“Alright everyone let’s go!” Bobby yelled as he raced down the stairs. “We’ll discuss Buck’s disappearance more on the way.”

Eddie never wanted such a horrifying sentence to be said so casually ever again.

——————————————————

Buck was long gone by the time everyone’s texts came through.

Eds from 7:27am

Evan Buckley doth my eyes deceive me? You’re late!

Eds from 7:30am

Really late. You alright man?

Eds from 7:32am

I will come get you if I have to.

Ravi from 7:41am

dude?? thought you were with eddie :/

Hen from 7:41am

Buck, my partner isn’t here I need you and Eddie to be there for our coffee gossip break

Hen from 7:42am

I swear if something happened to you I’m going to be pissed

Bobby from 7:42am

Hey, kid. Let us know where you are when you can. Worried.

Bobby from 7:45am

If something’s going on you don’t have to come in today. Just please let me know you’re okay.

Bobby from 8:03am

First call of the day. Minor accident. Here if you’re able to talk.

Athena from 8:17am

I’m not going to be very pleased if I need to put out another Amber Alert for a Buckley sibling, Buckaroo.

God, what am I doing?

He should have left a note or something. Similar to what Maddie did. An explanation for what he did and why. Why he had to let go.

——————————————————

Eddie would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted to just walk straight into the burning building they were handling on their second call and never look back. Maybe a tad dramatic, but his—their—Buck was probably in danger. How was he going to tell Christopher? Oh God, Christopher. This is exactly how Buck felt when he had to tell Chris his father had been shot. His poor, sweet boys. He would take this feeling and carry it everyday if it meant they never had to experience it again. He would bury it deep beneath his skin, let it settle into his heart so as to never let it find them.

He would do anything to protect Buck. He loves Buck. And Eddie isn’t sure when he started to mean that more than how a best friend should but he doesn’t think it matters at this point. It was his truth, and Buck needed to know it. Before it was really too late.

——————————————————

At some point it had stopped raining and Buck had never felt more grateful for the California sun. The chill that had coursed through his veins had gradually started to warm, and the fog in his head was beginning to clear. Just enough that he thought maybe he should give someone a call. Even if it was just Maddie to let her know he pulled a.��� Well, Maddie.

No, no. Maddie is in no condition to deal with my issues right now. Calling her would be selfish.

Maybe.. Maybe he could try Chimney. It wouldn’t be for long. He mostly just wanted to apologize to him. And maybe hear Jee Yun’s voice. He was likely never going to see them again. He couldn’t leave things the way they were.

Buck took a few deep breaths, then shakily pressed the call button on Chimney’s contact. The phone rang about five times before finally…

“Buck?”

Buck released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He hadn’t even figured out what he was going to say yet. He was just so relieved yet terrified to hear Chimney’s voice again.

“Buck?” Chimney repeated. “You there?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m here.”

“Why are you calling me? Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now?”

“Heh,” Buck chuckled wryly, beginning to tear up. “Yeah, about that? Kinda.. Um, kinda pulled a Maddie.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What is with you Buckleys? Why do you insist on literally running from your problems?”

“It’s the Buckley way.”

There’s a pause so long Buck has to make sure Chim didn’t hang up, but then,

“Guess it’s better than the Han way.”

“Hm. Guess Jee’s gonna invent the Buckley-Han way.”

That managed to get a hearty laugh out of Chim, and god Buck’s missed this so much. He wished he could go back and change everything. Put him back under that ladder truck, and he’ll do it all differently this time.

But that can’t happen. So Buck does what he can do now.

“Chim, I’m sorry.”

Chimney sighs long and deep, and Buck thinks maybe he’s trying to collect his thoughts because he takes another minute to respond. When he does it’s not what he’s expecting to hear.

“No, Buck. I’m sorry. I should have never hit you. That was… completely uncalled for.”

Now Chimney sounds like he’s crying and Buck doesn’t think he can handle this much longer.

“You, you’re a brother to me, and I.. I hurt you and it’s not okay. There’s no excuse. It was wrong, and god… I’m sorry.”

“Chim—Chim, it’s… it’s alright. I.. I kinda deserved it.”

“No, Buck, don't you do that. Yes, I felt betrayed, and angry, but you never deserve to be hurt. Especially by your own family. Punching you was incredibly stupid of me, and I will never do it again.”

Buck wasn’t sure what to say. He was just glad he had one thing he hadn’t totally ruined. He allowed himself to stay silent, hoping Chimney would understand.

“Well, I guess that’s that. So, where even are you anyway?”

“Took a little trip to Beverly Hills. Not really sure why though. Just felt right. Might find a motel or something.”

“Okay, well how about instead you take your little jeep back to LA, and sort your shit out. We don’t need both Buckley siblings on the run.”

“Ooh yeah, about that.. I left my jeep at the loft.”

“Jesus, Buck. Why?”

“Think of it as letting go of the past. Starting fresh. Plus maybe someone can get some good use out of it. Like Hen and Karen. They could go on fun little trips together.”

“You’re talking like you’re never going back, and it’s starting to scare me.”

“Can we switch to facetime real quick?” Buck asked, purposefully ignoring Chim’s concerns. “I’d really like to see my niece. Then I’ll let you go.”

“You Buckleys are killing me,”

Buck pulled his phone away from his ear, not bothering to respond. Moments later his screen was showing a glitchy image of his adorable niece fussing in her car seat. Just this one simple moment filled his heart with so much joy.

“Hi Jee! Uncle Buck misses you so much. You better be good for your parents. And take good care of them for me. Especially mama. She’s.. she’s really gonna need your love.” Buck took a second to collect himself, and wipe the few stray tears off his face before ending the call with a simple, “I love you, Jee. And I love you too, Chim. Take care.”

Once he was sure the call disconnected Buck collapsed onto the ground, and sobbed until his eyes and throat ran dry.

——————————————————

Bobby knows this feeling all too well. Being so horrified by your current reality that you almost feel nothing. Like you’re just an empty husk trying to get through the day. It’s how he felt when he lost his wife and kids, and now it’s how he feels knowing one of his pseudo children disappeared. It’s losing them all over again, and it’s too much. He’d be itching for a drink right now if he wasn’t so nauseated.

Damn it. They needed to find that idiot, alive and well. And then once they do Bobby’s going to strangle whoever is responsible for his disappearance. Even if it’s Buck himself.

For now though he has the rest of his team to keep calm, and focused.

“Alright, everyone upstairs!” Bobby yelled down the stairs. “Meeting time.”

Immediately everyone started shuffling upstairs and finding a seat at the table. Unsurprisingly, Eddie was the first to speak.

“Any updates at all, Cap?”

“Yes, actually. I just got off the phone with Athena.” Bobby started carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was make his team more anxious. “The police searched Buck’s loft for signs of foul play. There’s good news and bad news.”

“Good news first, please.” Eddie begged.

“There were no signs of foul play. No breaking and entering, no struggling, no blood, no DNA that doesn’t belong to Buck. So, assuming he was home at the time of his disappearance, he’s most likely unharmed.”

Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief at this, but of course tensed up again, preparing for the bad news.

“So, what’s the bad news then?” Ravi dared ask.

“His car keys were on his kitchen counter. Wherever he went, he didn’t take his car with him.”

“Oh great, so he WAS taken!” Eddie exclaimed.

“Hey, hey let’s not jump to any conclusions, Eddie.” Bobby shushed. “Maybe he chose to leave his car behind.”

“I mean, yeah, he probably took an uber or something.” Hen speculated. “To wherever the hell he is.”

“Okay, so yeah if he wasn’t taken by someone then why the hell did he just up and leave without saying anything?! Is he.. running away? Like Maddie did? Did he decide to go after her too? Or is he trying to stop Chim? It just doesn’t make sense. What is that idiot doing?! And why would he leave his car?! It’s like he’s planning on never coming back! He could be flying somewhere far away for all we know! He can’t do that to Chris! And.. and me… He can’t do that to me…”

Eddie trailed off, just then realizing he had been getting worked up, and said a bit more than he had wanted to. Now everyone was looking at him weirdly. They were concerned and confused and God Eddie wished the damn bell would go off.

“Eddie…” Hen spoke softly, like he would break if she spoke at a normal level, and hell maybe he would. “I think we should go sit outside for a bit, okay? And here take these tissues.”

Tissues, why would he need—oh God he was crying. There were tears streaming down his face, and burning his damn eyes. Damn it.

Reluctantly, Eddie took the tissues, and allowed Hen to bring him outside for a break.

“Guys hold up!” Bobby called out. “B shift’s coming in to cover the rest of our shift today! We’re gonna go down to the station and give statements, and do whatever else we need to do to bring Buck home.”

“Copy that, Cap!” Hen shouted back.

Once Hen and Eddie were out of sight Bobby took another look at the rest of his team then excused himself to his office to have a moment to himself.

After all, Captains need their time to fall apart too.

[ythmir-writes]

the lake (working title)

Giles x MC

Author’s Notes: A very very very late Secret Santa gift for the astoundingly talented @agrossivepatato (Hi it's me theempresskaizer) I debated whether I should draw something for you or make something artsy but since my strength lies in writing, I decided I should stick with that and simply give you something I made up. Because Im good at making things up and writing them down. At least I think I am. It took so long but I hope you enjoy this! Please look forward to the second chapter! (Yes I'm sorry there's a second chapter but I want to post this before the 6th of January and then I saw your post amd felt incredibly embarrassed and guilty so I'm posting this now :D)

Notes: lots of liberality was taken. Characters belong to cybird except for the Princess whom I fashioned after a dear friend. I like to mention and thank @emigotchi for putting up with my insane questions about winter :) also I'm on mobile so all editing with the format will be done once I get a laptop again I'm sorry

Summary: It's winter again in Wysteria and the Winter Ball is about to take place. Everything has been prepared by Giles and the Princess Elect. They've done this before. This is is the third Winter Ball after all since the princess was selected. So why is he anxious? 

Chap 01/02

Giles Christophe woke up with a start, his leg jerking against empty air as he gasped. His whole body felt as if it had dropped from a height and yet he lay perfectly still. It took a few moments for him to realize that he was lying on his side and that the the prickling sensation in his arm was because he had his hand in-between his head and pillow. It was just a dream, a faraway memory that has not crossed his mind in years.

And that in itself, felt strange.

Most nights, Giles did not dream. It was as if all that he needed to do was to lay on his bed and pull up the covers; with just a few winks, he would have already dozed off. Few men of similar political positions could be lulled into a peaceful slumber so quickly. Some were haunted by memories, others by sin, and most found it as a kind of just chastisement that they were deprived of that one natural human act that could make them forget the things they had done or had failed to do, even if temporarily.

It was not that his life was uneventful or unmemorable. Hardly. The duties that came with being the Wysterian Royal Adviser were more than enough to keep him constantly moving from one side of the palace to the other. Besides, it would be naive to think that any person who was the right hand man of any monarch would not have skeletons in their closet. Giles would never admit it just to anyone but he had his own. And then some.

Only, Giles found it impractical to lose what precious sleep he could have over a few secrets. He always made it a point that he should sleep whenever he could because sleep meant he was rested and being rested meant more work could be done. The moment one task was finished, two more sprang in its place. Any sort of delay would only end with him spending more time than necessary on a certain project and that meant time lost. Time lost in turn meant more time would be wasted on paperwork. And more time wasted on paperwork meant less time with his beloved. And he simply will not have that.

So sleep was never an issue nor was it ever restless for Giles.

It should not be.

Especially not tonight.

Ardiana was snuggled behind him, her face pressed against his back, arm comfortably wrapped around him. It was one of those rare nights when they could meet, and both of them had made the most out such a golden opportunity; a precious night when neither of their duties interfered with their romance. Pleasantly exhausted, they had spent the last few conscious moments snuggling and Giles vaguely remembered whispering into Adriana’s ear before closing his eyes.

So why did he dream that dream?

He took two deep breaths, three, trying his best to calm down his pounding heart. It was slamming against his ribs and he worried that its tremors would wake Ardiana up. He closed his eyes, concentrated on his breathing, but the moment his vision was shrouded by darkness, the memories returned to him.

Coldness.

Sinking.

Giles forced his eyes open and frowned.

Sleep, it looked like it, would not return to him tonight.

Slowly, he extracted himself from the bed, careful not to wake Ardiana. She had had a long day of doing nothing but help him in the preparations for the year’s Winter Ball. She deserved the deep slumber. He watched as her chest rose and fell in a steady and even rhythm. Then he realized that he had been staring, and he smiled, and he felt himself grow warmer at the thought of being captivated by her even at her most vulnerable. Giles reached out towards her, lightly caressing her cheek, tucking stray hairs behind her ear. She looked exquisite.

He pulled up the covers over her before he made his way to the table near his window where he usually kept the stronger liquor.

It had been a while since had dreamed that dream.

He was seven when it had happened.

The Crawfords were hosting a week-long party in their lakeside villa to celebrate their twins’ seventh name-day. It had been the talk of the entire Court months before it had even happened, and when the invitations were finally distributed and one found its way into Lord Christophe’s hands, Giles had been more than ecstatic. He and the twins, Leo and Alyn, were as close as brothers and the idea of spending a week with no tutors or training had excited him. He had been unable to talk of anything else and had been beside himself with joy until finally he had burst through the Crawford’s large oak doors to be greeted by none other than the twins themselves. Louis and Sid, then called Lloyd, had followed after the twins and after much excited talking and abrupt planning, they did what seven year olds did best during a sunny winter day.

They had played in snow.

It had started with running. A lot of running. As far away from the villa as was possible. And all it took was an offhanded remark and the races had become snowball fights and from there they began making forts. It had snowed overnight according to the twins and there was much material even for a bigger than life snowman, or three. When they were too tired to do anything else, they panted and they teased and they laughed, oblivious to any sort of obligation except those that needed immediate attention. Like hunger. Only when Alyn had declared he was ravenous (and they teased him for using such a word) did they began their march back to the villa.

What made the Crawfords’ lakeside villa  the ideal place to host winter parties, and the envy of the entire court, was because it stood at the perfect distance to the edge of a huge lake. Short enough to walk but far away enough for anyone who desired to be painted with a picturesque view. At the other side of the lake was a forest, where game was plenty, and the eastern end of the Sierra Madre, which perpetually covered in snow and acted both as a scenic display during sunrise and a breaker against harsh weather.

Not that any of this mattered to children then. But as they thought of fireplaces and warm cocoa, and how they could sneak an extra cookie or two before dinner, they had to pass by the lake. And Giles Christophe, seven years old then, with his head full of dreams and his soul untouched by heartache, had paused to take a good look.

He had been to the villa numerous times before but never during winter. He had stared at the vast frigid expanse, captivated by the stillness that had now replaced the boats and the people and the birds. He could still remember watching a hawk dive in at incredible speeds before soaring back to the sky with game in its claws. But this memory of the hawk did not belong in the winter and at that specific moment, with their coats and their boots and their gloves and scarves, there had been no signs of life. Only quiet. Only tranquility. As if someone had placed a blanket of white to mourn the death of a landscape.

The change had looked eerie to him.

Part of his brain had told him that there was still water underneath but when all he could see was endless unmoving blue and black lined by white streaks, it had seemed impossible. He had wondered if any animals were even able to break through the ice to fish or if the fish underneath were still alive for that matter or if they were as frozen as the surface.

If there was moving water at all, only nature and common sense verified this -a tiny voice in his head - because to the young Giles, the frozen lake was not just a lake.

It was a yawning void. It was an empty night sky. And he had stood on the edge and imagined himself dancing over the horizon.

How much insight or precaution could a seven year old child be expected to carry? Enough to know the difference between a wasp and a bee, of course. Enough to know which stone would fit well into a slingshot. Enough to know the perfect weight of a perfect snowball for a perfect shot. Enough to know about the myths and the gods and their funny and complicated relationships with mortals. Enough to know that one shouldn’t fly too close to sun.

Or skim above the surface of a void for that matter.

And he was Giles Christophe. He knew all this and more. He wielded a sword when his peers could only jokingly poke with sticks.  He was the eldest child of their family; heir to the Christophe name; favored student and talented protege. And though he was just seven, he was told that he would become a knight one day and serve the crown valiantly like his father, and his father’s father before him, just as all Christophe sons had done as far back when the First Kings had no names and the old gods whispered to men in the trees.

Much was expected from him.

But he was young. Far too young. Tales of his future valiant deeds were nothing more than stories told to him before he went to sleep; promises of glory and duty and service the crown could hold his attention for only as long his tutors spoke of them, forgotten instantly the moment another topic was brought up. And though he might be a Christophe, and he was being shaped rigorously to fit into the future envisioned for him, Giles was still like all children his age.

For one, he had never been shy about exploring the world around him.

“Don’t.” Louis had said even before Giles could voice the idea that had formed inside his mind.

“Don’t what?” Giles had asked, changing course and heading towards the edge of the lake. He had then squatted down and brushed his hand over the ice. Nothing had changed. Only the depth of the lake stared back at him. He then pressed both hands down, and for a brief moment, he had thought he could feel the water moving, a slow rhythmic pulse underneath his palm.

“I’ve never walked on this much ice before.” Sid had confessed, crouching beside Giles.

“It’s not easy.” Louis had added with a solemnity that only a seven-year-old could do. “You could slip anytime.”

“I don’t slip.” Sid had scowled.

“Father says the ice is frozen enough to walk on last night.” Leo had taken a confident leap towards the lake. He wobbled for a second but then stood proudly with his hands on his waist.

“How did he know?” Louis had asked, dubious still.

“You measure it by sticking in long sticks.”Giles had replied, remembering how he had watched the servants in his home pierce the frozen rivers with metal poles.

“Eight inches is perfectly good for standing on.” Alyn sat down with a loud plomp at the edge.

“That’s almost a foot of ice!”

“Yeah.” Leo had said. “Which makes it safe.”

“Ice is never completely safe.” Louis had cautioned.

“Let’s go back already.” Alyn had whined. “We can explore more after we’ve eaten.”

But Alyn’s pleas had not reached his friends, at least not Giles in particular. Giles had already made up his mind. He took a step. And then another. Half of him expected it to be slippery or that he would lose his balance at first like Leo had. Thankfully, his feet had stayed where he placed them. Sid had followed suit, and Louis could only sigh before resigning himself and joining Alyn on the snow.

“I call a dare!” Sid had suggested. “The person who gets further away from this point gets all the dessert!”

“What’s tonight’s dessert?” Giles had asked.

Chocolate cake.”

“I’m in.” Leo was already walking away with determined steps.

“Idiots.” Louis had tried to reason but then what was caution really to a band of brave seven year olds?

Leo, Sid, and Giles  began moving away from land, inching their way cautiously on the ice. Sometimes they slipped and sometimes someone was shoved and they would laugh at their own frightened yelps before moving on.

Thoughts of prudence were only at the very edges of Giles mind. He kept his eyes on the ice most of the time, reminding himself of what his father taught him, but the entire dare had been a thrilling and different experience. He had begun imagining himself as having conquered the endless black void. The thought had made him giddy; it was as if he was ready to glide on a pitch black night sky.

It had felt surreal.

Thus with each foot further away from where they started, the frozen lake looked more and more inviting, and less and less a perilous black arena.

It had seemed almost like a fairy tale.

Almost.

Leo had been the first to back out. “Actually,” He had said, stopping in his tracks. “We should all go back. The ice doesn't look as thick here.”

“Coward!” Alyn had taunted from the back. Leo had smoldered from where he stood but did not move.

“Yeah, I don’t like this either.” Sid had said, much to the rest of the group’s surprise. “Giles, don’t take another step.”

“Not gonna fall for it.” Giles had shot back, stepping forward with purpose.

“Don’t be daft!” Louis had shouted from the edge, standing up.

“Not even Father went this far.” Leo had explained, turning to Giles. “Let’s go back.”

But Giles was never one for turning back. And even as a kid, he would not voluntarily give up his dessert. He had looked from Leo to Sid, motioned towards Alyn and Louis,then said, “We haven’t even walked more than a few feet!”

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“Well this better not be some sort of trick.”

“Let’s just go!” Leo had insisted.

“Not until you forfeit!”

"You stubborn ass.” Sid had said.

“I’m being practical.”

“And an idiot for chocolate!” Sid had pressed, turning back and heading for the edge.

There had been a moment of indecision. Giles had watched as Leo and Sid started to inch their way back towards safety. Then he had glanced back at the white expanse behind them - at the trees and the shadows and the mountain. He looked down at his feet, at the ice, at the darkness below, and then he took a step.

“Giles, what are you doing?” Alyn’s anxious voice had cut through the chatter and the others turned to look at him.

“Giles, you moron!”

“That’s far enough!” Leo had warned him. “Come back!”

But Giles had not listened. Instead, he had continued walking on the frozen lake just as he had been taught; cautiously and unhurriedly, checking the ice before putting in his full weight. He continued until he could no longer hear Sid’s or Leo’s warnings, or Alyn promising him two slices of cake. Twice he had thought of stopping and turning back but the memory of his father’s expectations made him remember the myths that he had been taught; he remembered what he knew and who he was, and how he was bound for great things, and this prevented him from listening even to his own inner reason. So he had continued until there was only whiteness in his vision and stopped only when he was certain that he had walked farther into the lake than any other of his friends could ever dare.

He turned back to them and waved.

A hushed silence first greeted his success. And then Alyn had whooped, with Louis and Leo clapping for him. Sid had shook his head and raised his hands in defeat but he had been smiling.

Giles had grinned back. And he had felt a surge of emotion in his chest, a warmth that started from his heart and spread throughout his body. It felt good. It felt delightful. It could have been the best memory that Giles could ever have of what little good memories there were left.

But then it felt cold.