#thank you for the request!!!

[todaysbird]

the gambel’s quail is a small quail species found primarily in the southwestern united states; they are also somewhat commonly kept in captivity. males are distinguished from females by their black facial markings; however, both sexes are overall gray. this species looks very similar to the california quail; however, the gambel’s quail has a notable black marking on the belly. this species primarily feeds on insects and plant matter collected from the ground. they most frequently travel by foot, and their clumsy flight is often described as ‘explosive’ - startled quails will burst into the air seemingly with no warning. their chicks are precocial, and will leave the nest within hours of hatching; during their youth, their diet is almost entirely insects.

[cosmicccowboy0]

T4t labru IM BEGGING

OFC I GOT YOU!!🫂

I combined some of my favorite takes for the T4T Labru headcanon ;)

Also decided to throw in a little doodle of Laios with their kid! It’s up to you to decide who carried her :)

Quick nudity warning for below the cut!! Shirtless trans Kabru without top surgery! :D

Trans Kabru my beloved…❤️

[charrfie]

I think he deserves to wear a pretty dress

I think so too :^)

[iceman-soup]

FELLOW ACE!! Could I get some physical (but non-sexual) intimacy w/ Ghost? Thanks :D

YES OF COURSEEE ENJOY!!!!

masc!reader x ghost

Sometimes all anyone needs is a good nap, no matter how much they deny it or huff or grumble or say they've got "more important stuff to do". Sometimes it's necessary to drag them away from their endless tasks that they really don't have to worry about right now anyway, when instead they could be sprawled across their partner and forced to just rest.

Which is exactly how you have Ghost now. Sure, he'd resisted and complained and tried to dart back off to his office, but the moment you shut the door to your room, clicking the lock in place, he was entirely compliant in letting you step him out of his boots, slide the t-shirt over his head and swap out his work trousers for much more comfy joggers. He still huffed and rolled his eyes, yet when you started changing yourself he was quick to drop your shirt to the floor, wrapping his arms around your waist and tucking his nose into your neck.

"C'mere, love," you murmur, kissing the shell of his ear and guiding him to lie down on the bed, his tired frame blanketing over yours, grunting as he gets comfortable. He starts to get all whiny, grumbling incoherently and rubbing his masked face on your bare shoulder until you hold him still and gently ease away his balaclava, putting it - still in reach - on the bedside table. He meets your lips in a soft kiss, then pecks them around your face, targeting first the cheeks, then nose, then eyelids. It makes you laugh and he loves the sound; loves the feel as your chest rumbles against his, your hands holding his waist and his in your hair and over your heart. He settles down and his fingertips carry the bu-dum, bu-dum, bu-dum from your body to his.

You ask him about his day, a question anyone could present, but rarely will he answer properly like he does with you. Scarred lips curl into a tiny smile as he recounts each detail, talking quietly so that nobody could listen in if they tried. If you commented on that, he'd say it wouldn't matter anyway; there was no importance in rambling about the "incompetence of some recruits" (as he so elegantly put it). And of course, you would be inclined to disagree; hearing him go on and on about something as mundane as how had his day been - that was the favourite part of your own day, as you trace invisible patterns into his skin, running a finger over the ridges of his spine and feeling him just melt into you.

[lostfanboyarts]

if you're still taking polycule requests, could you do kunichuzai as D2? preferably dazai being blue, though obviously thats your choice

Get loved, idiot!

Send me polycule requests!

[raineandsky]

Could you do a story where a guard of a Supermax prison befriends a supervillain, because he treats him like a genuine human being instead of an animal; and later, all the power-dampeners suddenly fail; and all these villains just revolt against the guards; but supervillain makes sure he’s safe since he was always kind to him?

Love Ur writing!!

aaaaaaa this was such a fun idea - im absolutely in love with this lil dynamic!! hope you enjoy reading as much as i did writing it :D

-

tw blood, death

Animals. That’s all the agency ever saw the villains as. Animals they could poke and push and test and break into nothing.

So when the jail’s power-dampeners fail, the villains are more than happy to make like the tigers are out of their cage.

The villain to the supervillain’s right is burning the lock on his cell door. The villain on his left has fazed straight through hers. The supervillain steps up to the iron bars across his own cell to look beyond.

VIllains are flooding the corridor, breaking for the stairs one by one. “You,” he snaps as someone passes, and they thankfully slow down. “Open the door.”

Escape might be tantalising, if the villain’s quick glance to the stairs is anything to go by, but no villain ignores a supervillain. They rest their hands against the door for a moment, their brow knitted in concentration for a moment, before the lock clunks open.

They pull the door outward as the supervillain steps into the corridor, waiting impatiently. “Thank you,” the supervillain says shortly.

The villain wastes no time continuing their great escape, chasing the tails of the other villains. Golden light flashes against the walls of the stairwell like fireworks, panicked shouting drifting from above, dull thumping as inevitable bodies hit the floor. The superhero strolls up the steps to take in the carnage the villains are wreaking on the pristine agency.

Gunfire showers the corridor in the light of heaven itself. Agency guards are backed up against the one exit. Most of the villains have already pushed past them into the room beyond, but those who haven’t are springing on them from all directions with fire or ice or electricity or nothing but hatred.

He can see someone familiar through the chaos, the eye of the storm. His gun sprays death, his face twisted into a mix of anger and fear, his eyes set on the villain currently making her way towards him with palms of steaming water.

Almost all of the villains have passed through. Most guards are either lying in a puddle of crimson blood or following the flock into the next room. There’s two of them—his Favourite, and someone he couldn’t care less about.

The villain’s water flicks from her fingers and sprays the guard, earning a pained cry and a cringe away from her. His attention falls to the scalding cutting through his skin, and in one fatal move the villain swipes the gun from his hands.

The supervillain doesn’t have time to intervene. The other guard swings his weapon to the villain, and with a flash of golden light she drops to the ground. The gun clatters to the floor with her.

The two of them heave a breath like they’re free, and the supervillain sees his chance. He sweeps up the gun from the floor, shouldering his Favourite out of the way, before turning it on the other guard and opening fire. The force of the bullets shove the guard into the wall behind him, and his descent to the floor is accompanied by a nauseating streak of red.

The supervillain turns his gaze to the last guard, his Favourite, the one who helped him from the day he got here. The one who saw past the animals and saw a person.

The guard returns his gaze with abject horror, defenceless, trapped. His eyes are wide, his back pressed into the wall, his mouth working in a desperate attempt at what is probably a beg for mercy.

The supervillain doesn’t waste time. He doesn’t have any. He grabs the guard’s arm, earning a startled squeak, tucking the gun under his arm. He can see the burns left on the man’s arm from the villain’s attack; small but undoubtedly painful. He lays a hand over them and the guard hisses and pulls in his grip, whether in pain or fear of pain he can’t tell.

His hand is cool—he can tell from the way the guard relaxes in his hold after a moment. The supervillain holds down a pleased smile. “That’s it,” he says smoothly. “Is that better?”

He lets go and the guard tips his gaze to his skin, unblemished and unharmed. Like the water never touched him at all. His mouth opens. Closes. His brow creases.

“Your power…” he tries after a moment, confused, ��they never figured it out. They thought you’d have something violent.”

The supervillain throws him a smile, unhidden this time. “They never expected a healer at the head of evil, did they?”

The supervillain drags him along, following the path of bloodshed like a map. Some villains are still loitering—one of them slinks up to the pair with a grin. They inspect the guard closely for a moment before running the edge of their knife across his jaw in thought. He tries to shrink away but the supervillain’s grip on him holds fast.

“Oh, isn’t this one pretty?” the villain purrs. They give the blade a flick for emphasis, and the guard flinches as the edge cuts a crimson line into his cheek. “Can’t wait to show the agency what happens to good little boys like him.”

“No one touches him, understand?” the supervillain snaps coldly. “He’s with us.”

The villain scowls, clearly unsatisfied with his answer. “Oh, we keepin’ pets now, boss?”

“We don’t keep pets, [Villain].” His gaze turns to the guard for a moment, a touch softer, almost thankful. “They’re not animals.”

[eskiinox]

hello!! can i request an olivier song doodle? they’re my favorite :>

YES!!! shoutout to nimbus love you nimbus

[lazerjester]

Omfg UR REQUESTS ARE OPEN Um. hey!! could u draw like . Scourgiona (fiona x scourge) ... romantic or not doesn't matter i just . need them to exist

I gotchu!! The drawing isn't my favorite I've done but whateves!! At first, I was going to do this digitally but I felt like that would've taken the fun away for me. Also silly doodle :3

[cyanbeetle]

a talia al ghul please :))

I’m very fond of her

[cryiling]

Hi! I saw that you were taking requests and wondered if you might do a sketch of Phee and Riyo together. They are both doing their best for the galaxy with the power they have and deserve a lot of character love!

girlboss nation RISE UP 😮‍💨🙏 i love them both SO MUCH and i'm rlly excited to see them in season 3!!!!

my bad batch drawing requests are still open if you guys have prompts you want to drop in my inbox btw! :>

[ranmaru-kageyama]

can u pair yunomuu together with the new merch ? ^_^ /nf

theyre holding hands :3

[totaled-drama]

I absolutely adore Wayne's moms, can we see more? I'm also curious on who Raj's parents would be too

Their parents are friends!! Wayne and Raj have sleepovers at each other’s houses.

[dewedup]

Oooo could we get daddy rain, daddy mountain and dew!???

The gremlin wants to be heckin WRECKED, and take a brain break since they're home from tour. And Rain and Mountain know exactly how to help with that.

-💄

i'm so sorry it took me so long to get around to this!! i wasn't sure what it was going to look like, and maybe came out a bit more hurt/comfort and softer than intended, but i finally give you the terrarium boys 🖤 i hope you like it!!

words: 2,824

you already know @jimothybarnes was pivotal to this, beta/soundboard/cheerleader/believer i can't explain the joy i get whenever i send them a fic, and it's like christmas morning when i get it back

He's crying steadily as the two ghouls continue to take care of him, Rain leaning over to lick the saltwater trails from his cheeks. Dew hiccups slightly as he takes a deep breath, the feeling like he’s been drowning is slowly fading away with every dip of their fingers.

you can read it under the cut or on AO3

Dew is stressed, has been for a while now, maybe since halfway through the last leg of the tour. Being on the road is usually a hard concept for him, and it takes him a while to shake the uneasiness even after they return to the abbey. He knows that he leans on his fellow ghouls heavily to help keep him grounded. But even with Rain, Swiss and Cumulus dedicating entire nights to trying to unwind the fire ghoul, he can’t seem to reach a place where he can truly let go.

He can tell Rain knows something is up, their ability to read each other has surpassed the need for verbal communication long ago. He can feel the water ghoul’s eyes on him when he’s just walking around, doing mundane tasks, trying to remove outside stressors by completing any work that he finds. He’s long finished his own list of things that need to be done, and instead of relaxing he opts to give Aether a hand in the library or get his hands dirty with Mountain in the greenhouse. He can’t even locate the need to create havoc, shenanigan count at an all-time low, and that is probably the most concerning bit.

He's presenting as a well-rounded ghoul, lending a hand, spreading the word of the clergy, all seemingly on autopilot. This happens from time-to-time, has been happening since long before his elemental change, back when he was still a water ghoul. Sometimes something he can’t even describe nudges at his brain, constantly wearing him down until he’s just a shell. Usually, he’s able to pull himself out of it, but it’s been weeks. He’s not even sure he will ever feel normal again.

“Droplet?” He hears Rain call from the bedroom, his hands scrubbing mindlessly at the shower in their ensuite bathroom. Dew blinks as he tries to remember how long he’d been at this, every surface in the space glinting with a shine that only manual labour could produce. He shakes his head, placing the sponge back under the sink and rinsing his hands before exiting the bathroom.

Rain’s sitting on the bed, the picture of calm as his long limbs stay in a relaxed position, the worried glint in his eye the only thing giving him away. Dew’s about to ask what’s up when his eyes dart over to the door, looking up at Mountain who’s leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as his eyes dissect the fire ghoul.

“Having a sleepover, Waterlily?” Dew teases, though it’s half-hearted. He’s mentally exhausted, whilst physically feeling like he could break through a brick wall. He wonders how many more hours he could wring out of cleaning the bathroom, the tiles on the floor could use a good, hard, scrub.

“Rain’s a little worried Dew, you’ve been working yourself too hard. It’s time to take a break.” Mountain says, looking steadily at Dew without moving. His stillness makes Dew feel on edge, something crawling beneath his skin, begging to be set free. He can think of a hundred other things he’d rather be doing then having a cuddle with Rain and Mountain right now.

“I’m fine, I was just tidying up the bathroom, you know how things get messy after a tour.” Dew explains, gesturing around to the immaculately spotless room. The smell of Pine Sol tickles his nose as he breathes in, clearly not helping his case whatsoever. Mountain raises his eyebrows in disbelief, gaze never once wavering from where it’s burning a hole in Dew.

“I said it’s time for a break,” Mountain repeats, his deep voice caressing Dew’s ears as he eyes the tall ghoul.

“Dew, let’s just relax for a bit, yeah?” Rain adds from the bed, patting the spot beside him as an invitation. Dew feels like he’s being backed into a corner, his hackles raising slightly as his eyes dart between the two ghouls. Is this good cop, bad cop? Mountain, an unmoving presence at the door, while Rain sits languidly on the bed.

“I’m good,” Dew bites out, turning to walk back to the bathroom, unsure what game they’re playing at, but wanting no part.

“It wasn’t a suggestion.” Mountain states, voice dropping to a low baritone, Dew’s entire body tensing up at the tone. He freezes mid step, head snapping towards the earth ghoul. Mountain straightens up, no longer resting casually, but a rigid, impenetrable wall of flesh and muscle. He starts to walk towards Dew, extending a hand to point towards the bed where Rain is still seated. He gets halfway across the room before Dew kicks into action, scurrying over to the water ghoul and taking a seat beside him on the bed. Rain’s cold hands make contact with his shoulders, kneading softly into the tense muscle beneath the skin. He hits a certain spot and Dew feels like he could melt into the bed, head falling to hang limply forward, chin touching his chest.

“I know what you need, baby.” Rain whispers into his ear, bumping their heads together lightly as his fingers continue to massage his body. “Let Mount and I take over, you just get to sit here and look pretty.”

Dew’s nodding along in agreement before Rain even finishes his sentence, head jolting up as he feels hands on his ankle. He watches with careful eyes as Mountain unlaces his boots one foot at a time, pressing kisses to his ankles as they get freed from the leather contraptions. Next, he peels Dew’s socks off, kissing the soles of his feet before his giant hands wrap around them, matching Rain’s tempo as he presses into his feet. Dew wasn’t even aware how sore he was, how tears bubble over his lids as Mountain takes his sweet time working out every pressure point in his feet.

He's crying steadily as the two ghouls continue to take care of him, Rain leaning over to lick the saltwater trails from his cheeks. Dew hiccups slightly as he takes a deep breath, the feeling like he’s been drowning is slowly fading away with every dip of their fingers.

Rain’s fingers move to Dew’s scalp, claws scraping softly as he roams his head, paying extra attention to the base of his horns. The purr that erupts from Dew’s body makes him jolt in surprise, chest rumbling contently. Dew feels Mountain’s soft chuckles on his shin, breath ghosting across the skin as he works his way up, massaging while peppering kisses all the way to his thighs.

“Feeling better?” Rain breathes across Dew’s neck, nipping and licking at the soft skin leisurely, as if he has all the time in the world to worship his fire ghoul. Dew keens at the attention, tilting his head back to grant him more access.

In tandem Mountain pulls off Dew’s sweatpants while Rain lifts his shirt, his skin flushing at being exposed to the chilled, but quickly warming, bedroom air. Both ghouls take a moment to gaze at Dew and he feels seen.  The way that Mountain is watching so lovingly, under a half-lidded gaze, stirs something inside of Dew that feels like it could swallow him whole. As if his body is igniting from the inside, every nerve is catching fire and sizzling with a deep-seeded want.

He knows that if he turned to catch a glimpse of Rain, the familiar look of adoration on the water ghoul’s face would send him tumbling into the abyss, but he wants to be present for a little bit longer. The stress of the last few weeks, coupled with the undivided love and attention he’s receiving, has him toeing the line of his subspace. He’s never gotten into it this way before. Sure, he’s been fucked to hell and back and gotten thrown there, or during a particularly rough session with Cirrus he dips into that feeling of floating. But just being cared for? That’s a new one.

Mountain’s hands work into the muscles of his thighs, reaching around to knead his ass, giving equal attention to both cheeks. Dew feels fingers brush against his hole, dancing around the puckered skin, and his body goes tense, freezing under wandering hands.

“Relax,” Mountain commands, leaning forward to press kisses into Dew’s hips. His tongue darts out, licking a stripe across the two boney protrusions on either side of his waist. The order from the earth ghoul seeps into Dew, skinning into his bones, his body going limp as he obeys without hesitation.

“So good for us,” Rain praises, his own fingers sliding down Dew’s chest to tease the rings attached to his nipples. Dew whines, high-pitched and filled with need. Mountain groans in response, burying his face into Dew’s stomach, using it as a pillow as his hands move behind his back, still flirting with his hole. Wetness gushes from the attention, the only lingering ability from his water ghoul days, aside from an uncanny sense of knowing exactly when it’s going to rain. Speaking of Rain, the ghoul behind him moans as the scent of Dew’s slick hits his nose, the vibration of his chest pressed to Dew’s back has him clenching around nothing.

“Feels like you need something to fill you up,” Mountain teases, his hands still groping Dew’s ass, feeling the way his hole tightens again. Dew cants his hips up into Mountain’s grinning face, moaning whorishly as a large finger tests the resistance, finds it non-existent and slides in uninterrupted. Mountain growls softly at the way Dew welcomes him, squeezing lovingly around the finger inside of him. “Taking me so well, good ghoul,” he says as more slick covers him, almost dripping out of Dew at this point.

“Fuck,” Rain chokes out, sitting back to palm roughly at himself through his pants. Dew’s eyes float over to him, watching through slightly blurred vision as Rain meets his gaze, groaning and moving his hand more insistently. Dew’s jaw goes slack as Mountain works in another finger, eyes slipping shut as a sweet little cry falls from his lips. He hears Rain swear under his breath, feels the water ghoul’s gaze still hot on his skin, but raising his heavy eyelids feels equivalent to climbing Mount Everest.

“Eyes on me,” Mountain orders from below and Dew struggles to locate him by the sound of his voice alone. Using every ounce of strength left in his body he forces his eyes open a crack, the green gaze of the earth ghoul stripping him bare. He watches him intently as he thrusts in and out of Dew’s hole, can see the moment Mountain realizes that Dew’s hanging on by a thread. “Let go baby, we’ve got you.”

Like he was just waiting for permission, for confirmation that they will continue to care for him, Dew floats out of his own body. It’s like watching the scene from above an outside perspective.

Mountain continues to work him open slowly, scissoring his fingers and stretching him wide enough to accommodate the growing cock in his pants. Rain’s already removed his own clothes, repositioning Dew onto his front and up on his knees, leaving his head to rest comfortably on his lap. Dew babbles incoherently as Rain runs his fingers through his hair, messily braiding and then returning the strands to normal, smoothing them down before starting the process all over again.

Mountain goes to remove his fingers, intent on taking off his own clothes, when Dew starts whining, wiggling his hips, looking for the missing fingers. Mountain hushes softly, tossing his shirt off quickly before resting a hand back on Dew’s cheek, his thumb circling and pushing into the stretched and glistening hole. He keeps it there, buried inside, while his other hand moves to undo his pants. It takes him a little longer, using only one hand, but the pleased sigh Dew lets out at having something fill him up makes up for the slight inconvenience.

Dew’s mouth starts nuzzling against Rain’s lap, searching for something, leaving hot kisses wherever their skin meet. Rain releases a sudden gasp as Dew’s lips wrap around his prize, circling the tip with his tongue and suckling at the hard cock.

Mountain watches the two of them with a heavy-lidded gaze, his hand stroking his throbbing cock as Rain writhes under Dew’s oral fixation. Dew’s clenching around Mountain’s thumb again and the earth ghoul can’t wait any longer, lining himself up with Dew’s hole and pushing in slowly, inch by agonizing inch, letting him adjust to the size. Dew’s moan is muffled by the cock in his mouth and Rain pants at the vibrations against him. Mountain groans as he bottoms out, stilling his hips with sheer determination as he lets the fire ghoul get used to his thick dick. Dew clenches again, stealing the breath from Mountain’s lungs as he grips him.

“Fuck, I’m not going to last long, Mount.” Rain whines urgently and Mountain looks up from where he’s disappearing into Dew to see the look of pure desperation on the water ghoul’s face. Mountain bites his lip hard, Dew clenching around him once again, and he can’t help but agree.

“You both wait for me,” Mountain’s voice rings out, the tone strong enough to elicit a nod from Dew and a grunt from Rain. Mountain starts thrusting, slowly at first, testing out the waters. Dew hums happily around Rain’s cock, bouncing back to meet Mountain’s thrusts as Rain grips desperately at Dew’s horns, trying to fight off his impending orgasm with all the will he can muster. Mountain takes pity on the water ghoul, watches the sweat beading at his temples with the amount of concentration, and decides to not draw this out longer than it needs to be.

His hips pick up tempo, slamming into Dew, repeatedly hitting his prostate if the way he’s mewling around the cock in his mouth’s any indication. Rain’s a wreck, strangled whimpers falling from his lips with every movement, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he scratches uselessly at the bedsheets, claws digging in and leaving questionable holes.

Mountain snaps his hips at breakneck speed, pounding into Dew with enough force that the sounds of the slapping of their skin, the squelch of slick, and the symphony of noises the ghouls are making can probably be heard all the way down in hell.

Rain goes first, crying out as he coats the back of Dew’s throat. His skin flushes a deep red in exertion and embarrassment at not being able to hold out any longer. Dew’s right there with him, milking Mountain for all he’s worth as he paints the bedsheets below them. Mountain stands no chance, watching the two ghouls come undone before him, along with the way Dew squeezes him in a vice grip. His hips thrust sloppily, growling in pleasure as he buries himself inside the fire ghoul, filling him with his seed.

Dew pulls off Rain’s dick with an obscene plopping noise, a bit of saliva sliding down his chin as he flops onto the bed, ass still raised where Mountain’s cock is softening inside him. The fog is a little less thick after the mind-shattering orgasm, he feels like he can actually process a train of thought, though his head is definitely still in the clouds. He glances around at the aftermath, where Rain is flopping boneless onto their bed, tugging the comforter over his spent body. A look behind him shows Mountain still gathering himself in his own post-orgasm high. He whines as the earth ghoul pulls out, a mess of slick and come dripping from his used hole.

“You were so good Dew, trusting us to take care of you. I’m proud of you,” Mountain reassures, moving forward to scoop Dew up into his arms. The fire ghoul’s heart swells at the praise, always feeling a little unsteady after slipping into subspace so hard. Mountain lifts him up to the head of the bed, slotting him in front of Rain as he takes the back, sandwiching Dew between both of their bodies.

“Thank you, Daddy,” Dew whispers quietly, still slightly uncomfortable bringing up their particular dynamic around Rain.

But Rain, for his part, doesn’t judge, instead burying his face into Dew’s neck and dusting kisses along the sweaty skin. Mountain’s chest rumbles loudly with a pleased purr, wrapping them both up in his arms as he cuddles into them.

They stay like that for a long while, Mountain and Rain only leaving to grabs snacks and drinks as they keep an eye on Dew to watch the comedown. Dew basks in the love, cuddled by both ghouls and watching movies of his choosing makes the feeling of floating last longer than usual.

And when it’s finally over, the stress that hung like a guillotine over his neck the past few weeks is gone too, he feels like he can breathe again.

[consumer-o-content]

Leafpool!

here she is <3

[iceman-soup]

request!

sorry if you've done this already, but what would Ghost and Soap's first leave together look like? could be sfw or nsfw, everything is up to you

yes yes yesss this is sfw because my descriptive brain took over, also autistic ghost supremacy 🫶🫶

ghost x soap

Simon wasn't ready to meet Johnny's family yet. Hell, they'd only been dating five or so months before deciding to stick with each other on leave, and by that point it was far too stressful and overwhelming to think about meeting a whole bunch of new people to mask around and make good impressions. Ghost needed the time off to re-regulate, and honestly, Soap wasn't up to introducing a boyfriend he had barely warned his mother about beforehand.

So instead the two taxi'd over to Manchester from the airport, arriving at a tiny, cheap flat with even cheaper security cameras dotted on each outside wall and above the front door. "Enough of a deterrent, even if half don't work," explains Simon, seeing Johnny looking around curiously. He unlocks the door and pushes it open an inch, baited breath for a couple of moments as he appears to listen for anything unusual, before opening the door properly, flicking on the warm overhead lights and pulling Soap in by the hand, who gazes at the inside of his flat whilst Ghost locks the door again.

"Dinnae take you for an interior designer, Lt," John grins, glancing at the taller man before going back to admiring the space. It's dusty, sure, but otherwise not quite as awful as expected, and although cramped, holds a feeling of comfort and rest. The two are standing in the kitchen, cupboards naked oak wood and counters hand-painted daffodil yellow, the honey-coloured floor tiles chipped but superglued back together. The image of Si sitting cross-legged on the ground fixing them fills Soap's mind, his heart fluttering at how domestic his lieutenant suddenly seems.

There isn't a wall between the kitchen and living room, and Johnny takes that opportunity to wonder straight through, taking note of a comfy-looking secondhand sofa to cuddle up on together later. An old TV with a jumble of cables is stood upon a coffee table, which simultaneously doubles as an actual coffee table, evident by a few mismatched coasters with just as many water marks as the surface they're supposed to be protecting. Splintering wood in the tried-to-be-aesthetic bare floorboards are covered by a granny rug which contrasts the baby blue walls surprisingly well. Two doors lead off from the living room, and Ghost walks over to the first one, opening it to show the other.

"Bathroom," he comments as if it isn't obvious. There's nothing extraordinary about it, but Soap does notice his unwavering loyalty here and on base to his very specific shower products - of course. He nods and they move on, entering the fourth room. Si hovers at the doorway whilst Johnny wanders inside, taking in the bedroom.

Most of the space is taken up by a double bed pressed up in the far corner, white paint on the metal frame missing in spots, showing its age. The bedding is black with little bone prints patterning it, soft cotton and all matching. Shoved next to the bed is a chest of drawers, one of the handles missing and replaced with a nail bashed into the wood. Hung up precariously on the picture rail over it is Simon's formal uniform - clearly unused for years due to his skilful avoidance of social events. Again, the floor is stripped of carpet (the bedroom in slightly safer condition than in the living room) and the walls are painted, this time a pale pink and dotted with glow-in-the-dark plastic stars.

"Never got them as a kid," Ghost mutters, gesturing to the stars and then the general soft colours of his flat. He shuffles awkwardly on his feet, avoiding eye contact - and subsequently his boyfriend's loving smile too. "You want something to eat? I don't have anything," he adds quickly.

"We can go doon to the chippy?" John suggests, walking over to kiss him tenderly. "Or if you don't feel like seein' people, I could order us something." The taller man nods at the second option, then proceeds to wrap his arms around Soap's waist, burying his face into the crook of his neck and pressing his lips to the skin, simply savouring his warm embrace.

"I love you, Johnny. I'm happy you're here."

The next few days go by far too quick for either's liking. They're spent with long mornings just laying in bed, doing fuck all on their phones in the oddest cuddle positions known; alternatively, smothering each other in hugs and kisses until they have to give them attention until they're satisfied. Time is spent plodding around the flat, wearing pyjama trousers and fluffy socks and with blankets draped over their bare shoulders.

Meals are cooked with very little skill but a whole lot of try, so at least that's something. Neither go out much; just to the shops when they need something or one night to get fish and chips from the good place across the street. They eat sitting on the countertop or the sofa, watching some shitshow with a laugh track that winds Simon up.

Evenings involve making out during conversation, quietly murmuring and laughing between kisses, chests pressed together so their hearts can talk directly. Ghost realises he's never felt so safe and content on leave before this one night when they're lying in bed, a dim lamp the only light in the room as he runs his fingers through Soap's hair, now slightly curly from growing out whilst not on base. It's quiet, but not in the lonely, terrifying way it usually is when he's alone in the flat, left to his own thoughts for however long between deployments.

Maybe, just maybe, leave will become something that he doesn't dread anymore. And perhaps next time - he thinks, pressing a kiss to his boyfriend's forehead and flicking off the lamp - it might be nice to meet Johnny's family.

[martineisling]

beverly toegold! and uhhh numberrrrr 35! why not idk

A dramatic song for a dramatic scene