#thanks for the prompt Tanis

[taniushka12]

10, 11, 12 for the ao3 wrapped game!

10. What work was the quickest to write?

Both Knight in shining armor and Intermission! I wrote both for a February ficlet challenge so it took me a day, maybe two to write each one which is INSANE for me sdfsdfdfg

11. What work took you the longest to write?

hmm.... I Think it would be What literary agents -and friends- are for (my alan/barry yuri smutfic that is only 15% smut and 85% dialogue), according to my stats it took me three months to write that bad girl u_u im not... really good writing smut, lmfao

12. How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

uffff.... like six wips! There are two of those that I've actually already finished and only need editing (a small alwake/control crossover and a barry angst fic) which id Love to finish before the end of the year, but who's to say ¯\_(😔)_/¯ and then you have:

Solar Eclipse (pre canon alan/barry)

Missing Connection (name pending) (a sorta alwake/quantumbreak crossover? its an alan & tim conversation and paul is heavily mentioned and some parallelisms with barry are made. this goes to the fans of best friendisms)

Widdle Waby Otters (for the podcast wolf359, the otp literally sleeping together in zero g <3)

and of course the creme de la creme, the piece de resistance, Wish You Were Here 😌 (alice and barry spending alan's birthday together four years after his presumed death)

[ao3 wrapped writer's edition]

[londonsfinestscientists]

The count down starts! 14 hours until the first day of Lodgetember!

Friends, folks, pals, chums, the Lodgetember team is proud to announce the 2024 calendar… DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

Each day will be celebrated with the following prompt given to you, and for anyone who cannot read the calendar, I’ve prepared a list of the days and prompts below under the cut <3

We’re so excited for this new TGS community celebration, the team has put together a series of days for everyone to celebrate their favorite lodgers and all of them in general, allowing you to put them in different, fun prompt situations throughout all of September. If you have any questions about Lodgetember, you can refer to our ask box! We’ll be happy to answer your questions and comments. We only want to spread creativity and positivity in this community! Please be kind to everyone participating, we’re excited to see what you all make, thank you everyone!!!!

Most notably, thank you @arythusa for making such a wonderful comic that helped us make this event possible

- The Lodgetember Crew Kitty and Leon 💜🦇

Day 1: Mosley

Day 2: Griffin

Day 3: Head-canons

Day 4: Ito

Day 5: Tweedy

Day 6: Ships

Day 7: Pennebrygg

Day 8: Cantilupe

Day 9: Modern

Day 10: Doddle

Day 11: Flowers

Day 12: Fluff

Day 13: Archer

Day 14: Bird

Day 15: Exhibition

Day 16: The Unnamed Lodgers

Day 17: Helsby

Day 18: Pets

Day 19: Chabra

Day 20: Luckett

Day 21: Experiments

Day 22: Maijabi

Day 23: Bryson

Day 24: Celebration

Day 25: Lavender

Day 26: Sinnett

Day 27: AU (Alternate Universes)

Day 28: Tanis

Day 29: Jasper

Day 30: Monsters

[dangerpronebuddie]

hi yes sorry i am late but i would like to know about ryliver and also sex complicates everything pls and thank <3

Hi Charlie 🥰 you're never too late!

Okay the Ryliver fic is incredibly self indulgent and I am just a little bit obsessed with it. Long story short, Oliver has the brilliant idea to practice Buck and Eddie's first kiss. There's not supposed to be a moment of hesitation between buddie, so he thinks this is the perfect way to negate that. It's totally not gonna lead anywhere else 😉. A small treat for you 🥰:

Ryan's lips are soft against his own. The kiss itself is soft, a gentle pressure, like they're holding back. Oliver pulls away and looks into Ryan's eyes, fully prepared to tease him about how that didn't even really count as a kiss, but the remark dies in his throat. There's something in Ryan's eyes. Something Oliver's seen before, but from Eddie. It's different seeing it now. “Oliver,” Ryan says in a whisper, sounding wrecked from just one kiss. Oliver can't say he's faring much better. Something sparks between them, burning away the remaining timidness. Oliver dives forward, desperate to taste his name on Ryan's lips. He slots their lips together, and if Ryan asks why, he really doesn't have a logical explanation other than the fact he wanted to.

And Sex Complicates Everything started out as a drabble prompt Tanis sent me in an ask a while back (I'm talking pre 7x09), but I got an idea that ran away from me and it became 20% sex, 80% feels. In summary, Eddie still can't get it up after Marisol and well, Buck did say he wished he could help! Have a little of my favorite part:

He feels like a cavity has cracked open inside him, joining the other fissures and caverns created in his efforts not to shake apart throughout his life. The one thing that kept him from completely crumbling is standing before him growing more concerned the longer he stays silent. "Does your offer still stand?" Eddie blurts out. "Uh, what offer?" Buck asks. "You said you wished you could help," Eddie says. He knows he sounds insane, and what he's asking of Buck is insane. But he's getting more than a little desperate. He wasn't lying when he said he was pent up. "I did," Buck says slowly, taking another step closer. "Are you saying you want me to?" "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I really need your help. Nothing was working with Marisol, not just that, but I... I think something else might be causing this whole issue and I just- I need..."

Ask about my WIPs!

[silent-words]

"comfort" for the fluffy prompts c:

Modern AU has occupied my mind. So, you'll have to bear the problems of the academia with me XD

An Unexpected Call

Gale x F!Tav, SFW, Modern AU, University AU

Gale was sitting in his study and reading (or at least trying to) a scan of a microfilm of a 19th century magazine on the display of his PC. The quality was so poor, that he had to put a strain on his eyes. His head started pounding, his vision blurring by tears. Gale pinched his nose and threw his head back. There was still half of the article to be read and analysed.

Suddenly Gale's phone started ringing. When he looked at it, he furrowed his brow. It was unusual for her to ring him at all. He picked it up nonetheless.

'Hi, Tani! Is anything the matter?'

'Oh, I,' she was clearly sobbing, 'I'm sorry for calling you, Gale.'

'I don't have classes today, so it's alright. You sound upset.' He got more worried by the second. 'What happened?'

'Don't worry, it's nothing.' She made a glottal stop, probably trying to calm herself. 'I called you because I have no one else to talk to about my problems at the Uni. I know I shouldn't bother you...'

'Why don't you come over to my place and tell me about it?' he said, 'We'll have a cup of tea, you'll tell me everything, and I'll do what I can to help you.'

'Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt you.' She was hesitant.

'I've got headache from work already, and I think a distraction in the form of a talk will be a good idea.'

'Thank you very much. I'm travelling from work now, just send me the address, I'll come at once.'

Gale smiled looking at the phone. The anticipation of someone coming to his lonely home brought so much joy into his heart. Well, not someone, but Kitani, his favourite academic rival.

I've realised I don't have the energy to write the continuation. I may extend this in the future, however.

[fist-and-fury-xiv]

17. How would your character react if they discovered a likeable acquaintance was Garlean? Violently? With suspicion? Or would they ignore it altogether?

Given his connections, and various travels to Eorzea’s distant corners, it’s very likely that Otolin has already discovered an acquaintance or friend is Garlean. 

In such cases, he isn’t one to react violently. Impulsive actions just aren’t part of his nature. He would react with some suspicion, but continue to operate and work with the same mindset for the most part. 

With Otolin, there’s always an intent to understand who he’s speaking with. In his opinion, not all Garleans need to be put to the sword. There are some exceptions of course, and he’s willing to give them a chance albeit with a short leash until proven otherwise. Even with non-Garleans, it takes some time for him to trust anyone. 

Deep down, he also believes that meeting the “right” Garlean might one day lead him down the road to discovering what and why parts of his memory are missing or just still completely blank. 

He’s reluctant to explore what might have caused this, but knows one day he will have to confront it. 

[wispstalk]

OC prompt meme: Coradri, 7

7 - personality

The life of a Grandmaster, when it comes down to it, is not so different from the life of a monk. Jauffre spends most of his days in seclusion, elbow-deep in ink and paper. Takes his meals alone at his desk, so there is minimal interruption to his work.

Usually the kitchen is empty by the time Jauffre finally remembers to break his fast. This time it is not. Tanis, as he often does when Jauffre enters a room, leaves. Coradri remains, spooning jam into a helmet with the focus of a surgeon.

“Coradri,” he says wearily, “what are you doing?”

“I am putting jam in Baurus’s helmet.” She reaches in to smear it around, not looking up from her work. “He beat me, sparring this morning, so.”

No further explanation comes; such vengeance, to her, is a foregone conclusion. She licks jam from her fingers.

“These little games of yours waste time and,” he says, “not to mention resources. All our stores must be brought up by mules, you know.”

“Oh, I only put about a spoonful in,” she says, and spoons in more. “It’s not that much. If I came in here and ate it instead, you wouldn’t call that waste, would you?”

He must, in fact, account for two extra mouths that refuse to speak the Blades’ vows. He tries not to think of this as waste; he tries not to resent it. The Hero of Kvatch proved himself bloody and efficient, and the girl's wiles come part and parcel with his presence. Jauffre will not disturb their fragile peace and cast aside allies. And thus he finds himself negotiating with a hellion who sees him not as spymaster or diplomat or elite guard to the highest office in all Tamriel, but as a sort of crotchety uncle.

“Coradri.” Jauffre sighs as if to squeeze one last drop of patience up from his diaphragm. “We can't afford any lapses in vigilance. Our fortress could be attacked, and I have all of a dozen Blades to defend the last surviving heir to the Ruby Throne. When they’re not sleeping, they are on duty, and your little… pranks… interfere.”

The Elder Council has abandoned us, he wants to add. The legion is overwhelmed and bleeding numbers, through casualty or desertion, and the counts and countesses have hunkered down within their walls to weather out the storm, and the common folk are fleeing only to find there is nowhere to go. Some part of him longs to lay out all he learns in his correspondences, to show someone else the way this crisis creeps to every edge of his map like a slime mold.

But he won’t; he knows how to bear such weight alone.

Still no answer. The girl studies him with candid eyes and a slight smile, smooth and transparent as pure water. The perfect, practiced innocence of a liar so seasoned she can evade the need for it at all. She really would, he laments, make an excellent Blade.

“I’m not stupid,” she finally says. “I know why we’re here. But I think you have to laugh, even now, especially now. Otherwise we might as well march south and throw ourselves in the lake. Yeah?”

Jauffre lets his head hang. A half-smile tugs insistently at the corners of his mouth.

“I doubt Baurus will be laughing,” he says wryly.

“But I will,” she trills, and sets the helmet aside.

He leans his chin in his hands. “Your help has been invaluable to us, you know. I don’t want to have to scold you like some unruly child.”

Coradri snorts. “What are you gonna do, then, take away my birthday?”

The door to the east wing opens, and Jauffre hears the familiar clank-and-scrape of lamellar armor. Baurus pokes his head around the corner. “Ah! There it is.”

Coradri throws Jauffre a warning look. “You left it in the kitchen after breakfast,” says she who surely stole it from the barracks. “And it took you this long to notice? I’d say that shows a certain laxity, Captain Baurus. A lapse in your vigilance.”

“Thanks, Coradri,” he says flatly, and strides out with it under his arm. Not a breath later, they hear a yelp and a string of curses from the other side of the door. Jauffre rolls his lips inward, containing himself.

Clanking footfalls approach the east wing door. Coradri is already halfway out the kitchen window. “Don’t you dare laugh,” she says, throwing a stern look over her shoulder. “Back to your duties!”

[matthewkniesys]

hi claire! i was wondering if you could do “this reminded me of you” with jamie drysdale?

love you 🫶

love you too tani 💜

Usually Jamie was the worst at buying gifts, but this year for Christmas he was determined to get you the most amazing gift. When he found the candle that smells exactly like he new it was the perfect present to get you. It was small and he would get you other things as well but it was so meaningful.

When christmas came around Jamie was so absolutely excited to give you your gift. He gave it to you last. When you opened it you were honestly pretty suprised. He usually bought horrible gifts.

"Oh Jame, this is such a cute candle." You smell it, it smells familiar but you can't quite pin point why.

"It reminded me of you! As soon as I smelt it is thought how it smelt exactly like you." He replies.

"Thank you Jame this means so much to me!" Needless to say you and Jamie had a pretty great Christmas.

Claire's prompt week

[hailbop1701]

Lifer

Hawaii Five-0 Prompt Drabble:

Keyword: Retired

Word Count: 852

Once again there is no beta so there will be typos.

Danny had just been kidding himself when he thought of retirement. He knew deep down that it was a pipe dream or maybe wishful thinking. Standing on Steve’s lanai he watched as a storm rolled in. Chuckling darkly to himself Danny lifted another board over the windows; he was still looking after the place after his partner went on his soul quest several months earlier. He came and went, made sure no one broke in, protected it during storms such as these, and sometimes he even showed up when he just wanted some peace.

Hammering several nails into place Danny cocked his head when he heard Junior quickly thump down the stairs. That was something everyone had been doing lately that he was secretly thankful for. Making sure that he wasn’t startled or snuck up on, something Junior learned the hard way. Danny grimaced at the memory; he had broken the poor kids nose and he was beside himself with regret and worry, apologizing long after the incident had occurred. He knew no one blamed him but he also couldn’t help but notice they treated him differently. Like broken glass to step around. Danny huffed, he wasn’t broken, thank you very much. He was just a little…cracked.

He was mad at first, at Steve for leaving the way he did. After a while, he had become depressed and even closed off - though the team fixed that right away by always being around. Then understanding hit him like a punch to the gut after getting a package in the mail one day. Steve had sent him a postcard and pictures and little knick knacks that represented his travels. Steve looked happy and carefree it made a tension – that Danny didn’t even know that he had — release.

Like they said, time heals all wounds. More or less. Sure those wounds leave scars and during bad weather, you can feel them with a deep ache that would eventually be dull enough to get through.

Shaking the board making sure it wouldn’t move Danny stepped back. Junior eased out onto the lanai and looked at the boarded up home with a sad smile. “She’s all ready for the storm,” he said, packing up the tools. Danny hummed and turned to look as lightning lit up the sky and thunder cracked overhead.

Lou had asked him if was going to retire after Steve left and Danny kept silent for a long time before answering. Told him honestly without the dramatics that he usually added to a typical conversation. It was like he told Steve years before, all he had was Grace and his job. Though that had changed somewhat with Charlie coming into his life. Now he had Grace - who was in California for school - Charlie - who was growing up so damn fast - and his job. It’s all he had.

If he retired Danny didn’t have the first clue on what to do. The restaurant was a bust from the start and Charlie was still in school and mostly with Rachel so he wouldn’t have anything to do until his days with him. Danny was certain he would go insane.

He ended up ranting anyway.

Lou just smiled at him and nodded, he lifted his beer in cheers. “You’re a lifer. I’m honestly not surprised.” he murmured and Danny smiled in agreement. Lifting his own Longboard he tapped it against Lou’s.

“Lifer,” he muttered with a nod.

“Danny?” The sound of his name brought him back to the present. It wasn’t Junior but Tani, she stood a few feet away from him wearing a sad smile. She held up his phone in her hand, waving it a little as it rang shrilly. Blinking Danny gave her a grin and took it; he must have left it inside.

“Detective Williams,”

Danny was silent as dispatch informed him of a body. Junior and Tani watched him from the doorway of the house poised and ready to go. Nodding Danny sighed, “Alright we’ll be there as soon as possible. Make sure CSU gets everything they can before the storm hits.”

Pocketing the device he turned to the two youngest Five-0 members, “We got a case boss?” Tani asked moving to lock up.

“Body up on the North Shore. We need to get going before we get hammered.”

Both Tani and Junior moved quickly in locking up the McGarrett home and out to Tani’s car which Junior decided he wanted to drive much to her annoyance and to Danny’s utter amusement. Sliding into his new deep Navy blue Camaro Danny gave the empty home one last look before pulling away.

His grandmother had said during a tough time, “There’s always a day after a storm.”

Smiling Danny raced down the highway with dark clouds at his back. Steve would return when he was ready and his Ohana would be there waiting. So all Danny could do for now was wait for tomorrow. Wait for his best friend to come home.

But nobody said he had to be a lump as he waited; he had a team to run after all.

[songbookff]

For the writing prompts:

-Lin taking care of Kya after a long day of healing

-Lin giving no fucks about what other people think of her and Kya’s relationship

-Kya taking Lin to some medical award thing as her plus one

-Lin’s subordinates just being to damn ignorant to realize that Kya is Lin’s girlfriend

Alrighty, so I picked my favorite of these. Might get around to another, but for now, it’s the last one: 

“Is the Chief in?” asked Ming as he walked into the main office. “There’s some lady at the front desk asking for her.” 

“Some lady?” asked Tani, Lin’s secretary, from where she stood at a filing cabinet. 

“Yeah, gray hair, waterbender, seems familiar, but I can’t place her.” 

“Probably, Kya. That’s Councilman Tenzin’s sister. She’s an old friend, let her back,” answered Tani. 

“Since when did the Chief have friends,” laughed another officer. 

***

“Is that the Chief?” asked Lu, nudging his partner, Gang. 

Across the restaurant, Lin Beifong sat in casual clothes across the table from a waterbender. They were deep in conversation, halfway through their meal. 

“Wonder if she’s interviewing someone for a job...” 

“Maybe she’s undercover?” 

***

“Kya is here to see you, Chief,” said Mako, leaning his head into her office. 

“Thanks, kid.” Lin set down the file she was reading and started packing up for the day. 

To the surprise of her subordinates, the Chief early for the day. Kya was waiting in the lobby and the two got into the Chief’s car together. 

“Huh. Do you think the Chief is sick or something?” asked Song. “That Kya woman, she’s a healer right?” 

“Yeah, that’s probably what it is. Man, wish I had a fancy healer that made house calls,” laughed Song’s partner. 

***

The young recruit that had been assigned to take an urgent case file over to the Chief came back with interesting information one morning. 

“Hey, did you know the Chief got a roommate?” 

“No way...she’s loaded, it’s not like she needed to split the rent.” 

“Maybe she got lonely?” 

“After fifty years, yeah right.” 

“I’m telling you, she has a roommate. Some waterbender.” 

“Weird.” 

***

It was at the celebration of the founding of Republic City that most of the Police Force watched Lin Beifong press a kiss to the lips of a waterbender they had scene hanging around the Station from time to time. 

“Huh, who saw that coming?” 

[miggyfan]

college!au, friends to lovers & prompt 5 😏

“you have the emotional capacity of a brick.”

Anyone who would walk in Thomas’s room right now, would probably think he was just hanging out with his girlfriend. 

A pretty blond stretched on the couch next to him, in shorts and a blue detroit tigers tee-shirt way too big to be hers, her head on his laps, reading some papers, while he was gently running his fingers in her long curls spread on this thighs.

But the thing was, Juliet wasn’t his girlfriend. 

They knew eachother since forever, their fathers were friends, both pilot in the navy, their moms practically raised them like brothers and sisters, until Thomas started to notice that Juliet was not just his best friend. 

She was more than that, so much more it hurt.

Little things like holding her hand, or hugging her, insinificant little things that they used to do all the time, started to feel uncomfortable for him, because touching her wasn’t so innocent anymore.

He wanted to kiss her, to let his hands roam over her body that wasn’t so skinny anymore.

Each new curve torturing him, each time she jumped on him to tease him. 

Her round breasts pressed against his chest, or her perky little butt sitting on his lap, were like lethal weapons, killing him with desire.

The problem was, Juliet couldn’t understand that.

She was like a bulldozer, crushing his poor little heart, unaware of the effect she had on him.

He had tried to make her understand how he felt about her, many times during high school, he asked her out, he even went to prom with her, just to hear her telling to her friend Tani that they were together as friends, just friends, the best in the world.

He would never forget the sad look Tani gave him at the moment, she gently took him on the side to tell him: “She’s just not ready, just wait, one day, she’s the one who would come for you, she’s the one who will ask you out...”

Magnum had laughed, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and nodded, he was so tired of pretending that he wasn’t in love with his best friend.

So he tried to move on with his life, he dated a lot, frustrated that all those girls weren’t the one he really wanted.

He kept on trying to be happy, giving her his best smile, being the best friend she needed.

“ It’s good, It’s actually really good ! I’m so proud of you my little student ! ” Said suddenly Juliet, bringing him back to reality.

“ Really ? don’t sound so surprised, I worked hard on this ! “

“Really, I’m sure you’re going to get a very good grade for it !”

“Okay then ! Thanks for the help ! “ He replied with a grin.

Juliet bit her lip, and studied his face for a second, weirdly searching his eyes, like she wanted to read his mind, and Magnum felt suddenly really uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

“I want to ask you something, but promised me you won’t laugh okay ?”

“For the last time, I’m not going to pose as a model for your art class!”

“Noooo  !!!! It’s not... it’s not what I was going to ask !!! You made yourself pretty clear about that, I won’t ask again !”

“So what do you want ?”

“There is this guy I like....And I want to ask him out but before that....I want you to teach me how to kiss, I mean a real kiss, with tongue and everything...”

All the colors drained at Magnum’s face, he was so pale, he look like she had just stabbed him right in his heart.

How could she ask him that ? How could she hurt him like that ?

Magnum closed his eyes, and covered his face with his palm, desperately trying to hide his pain, he couldn’t even look at her anymore.

Juliet  sat up on the couch next to him, her hand on his lap.

“Come on, it’s nothing for you, you had a lot of girlfriends, so you’re some kind of an expert at this, and you have just broke up with Abby, so it’s not like you’re cheating on anyone, it’s just me...”

“Do you think I’m made of rocks ! Do you think that I’m as insensitive as you are ! Just because  you have the emotional capacity of a brick, it doesn’t mean that everyone is like you !” Suddenly shouted Magnum, grabbing her forcefully by her arms.

He brought her closer to him, close enough to breath the same air, his lips nearly grazing hers.

His eyes diving into hers, he whispered in a low voice :

“ I can’t do this anymore, I just can’t...If you think you can just waste your first kiss like that, maybe I don’t know you at all.”

“You’re angry...” She replied, with a trembling voice, she didn’t seem so confident anymore.

“Of course I’m angry ! What kind of question is that ?!!! Believe me from someone who had kiss the wrong girl for his first time, it’s not something you want throw away like it’s nothing ! You should share it with someone you’re in love with, someone very special, that way when you will remember it, you’ll have a smile on your face, not regrets !”

“This is why I’m asking you.”

“What ?”

“The person really special to me, the person I love...It’s you...”

For the first time in his life, Magnum her very talkative friend couldn’t say anything, he stayed there, in shock, staring at her like he was seeing for the first time.

Juliet sat on his lap, straddling him, her hands on his chest, she could feel how fast his heart was beating.

“Please stop messing with me, this is not funny !“ muttered Magnum, his head back on the sofa backrest, covering his face with his hands.

Juliet rose on her knees to lightly kiss his knuckles, taking his fingers out of his face one by one, with each shy kiss.

“I’ve never been more serious in my life, I love you, there is noone else but you.”

She tenderly nuzzled his face until he finally look back at her, her rosy lips gently grazing his, begging him for permission.

“You are going to kill me, you know that.” He whispered against her lips, his eyes locked with hers.

“Not today...” She whispered back, her hands slowly caressing in his hair.

“You have no idea, how long I’ve been waiting for this moment ...”

He finally granted her wish, by kissing her, shy and smooth at first, then he grew more demanding and passionate, his tongue slipping in her mouth, making her moaned with each stroke of his tongue against hers, teasing her until they were both breathless.

Juliet was panting heavily as he was kissing his way down her jaw to the crook of her neck.

She arched her back in his arms, as his hands were slowly caressing her sides and back, pulling her closer to him.

Juliet grounded her hips down on his crotch, torturing him in slow delightful motions, her greedy hands sliding under his shirt, teasing his firm abs.

When she tried to take his shirt off, Magnum grabbed her hands to stop her.

“I can’t believe I’m saying that, but slow down a little, okay... You really don’t want to rush this...”

“You don’t know what I want.” she said in a breath, panting against his lips.

“Believe me, I do.”

Juliet sighed, she saw a gravity in his eyes, that she had never seen before, and wondered if she really knew everything about his best friend.

Maybe he had been a better friend to her, than she had been to him.

She closed her arms around his neck and smiled at him, and whispered : 

“Okay professor Magnum, I think I got the kissing part, now, when are you going to teach me lesson 2 ?”

Magnum squirmed uncomfortably under her, feeling his pants getting tighter and tighter, that girl was going to be the death of him.

“Don’t worry about lesson 2, now you are going to have an evaluation on lesson 1″ He replied with a smile, he laid her down on the couch under him, shifting they position, ready to show her how good her teacher was.

[dangerpronebuddie]

My darling Maggie, I need soft too.

So please, gimmie some Buddie + 37. ‘I missed you.’

🩵🩵🩵🩵

My darling Tanis, I hope this helps the need 🩵. I really enjoyed this one! 🥰

Buck checks his phone for about the eleventh time and sighs. Still nothing from Eddie. His flight had been delayed twice already. Chris had been so excited to meet Eddie at the airport, but when it got to be midnight and Eddie still hadn't arrived, Buck had to call off their surprise. Chris was too tired to protest much. Buck flips through the channels, staring unseeing at the TV screen. He decided he'd wait up for Eddie as long as he could. But it was approaching three in the morning and he had a shift later. He was just about to give up and pass out right there on the couch, when he heard keys in the door. His shoulders drop with relief at the sound. He had to admit, at least to himself, that he'd been worried since Eddie left a week ago. But his mom was sick and needed help, and Eddie wasn't about to let them down. So, Buck offered to stay with Chris, much to the kid's absolute delight. And Buck's. He stands and pads to the entryway. At first, Eddie doesn't see him. He's focused on trying to close the door with as little noise as possible, and failing miserably thanks to the squeaky hinge Buck had yet to fix. “You're late,” Buck says in a hushed voice. Eddie looks at Buck, a fond- albeit tired- smile on his face. “There wasn't construction on Sunset this time.” “Honestly, it probably would've been faster,” Buck comments as Eddie toes off his shoes. “How's everyone doing?” “Mom's finally better,” Eddie says on a sigh. “Dad has joined a golf club, a chess club, and a dancing club, all to keep out of mom's hair.” He sheds his jacket and hangs it beside Buck's before turning to face him. He looks exhausted. Like he just worked a double shift and then chaperoned a sleepover of ten rowdy kids. “And what about you?” Buck asks, pushing off the archway he was leaning against and stepping closer. “I…” Eddie pauses, like he's not sure he should say what he's going to. “I missed you.” Buck's heart swells. He doesn't think he's ever been told that in his life. Not even by Eddie. It feels… like heaven. Like being wrapped in a blanket straight from the dryer. Like… being loved. “I missed you too,” Buck says softly, wrapping his arms around Eddie and burying his face in his neck. Eddie sighs in content and practically melts against him, curling his arms around his waist. Buck takes a deep breath, smoothing a hand over the back of Eddie's head. He smells like sandalwood and citrus and home. Buck has been living in the Diaz house all week, surrounded by hints of Eddie everywhere, but nothing compares to the real thing. “I missed you so much,” Buck whispers, holding tighter. Eddie presses closer, his head against Buck's. “I missed you too, darlin’.” Buck's breath catches in his throat at the pet name, at the easy fondness in Eddie's tone, at the drawl that lingers from spending a week back home. He pulls back just enough to look at Eddie, who has to crane his neck to see him with their proximity. “Darlin’?” Buck asks, feeling his face heat, but smirking nonetheless. “Would you prefer sweetheart? Or baby? Or snookums?” Eddie teases. “I'd prefer husband,” Buck blurts out. Before the fear that he's too much can overtake him, Eddie stands on his toes and presses a soft kiss to the corner of Buck's mouth. “We'll work up to that, darlin’.” Buck grins and takes Eddie's face in his hands, pulling him into a deep kiss. It sounds ridiculous to say he's missed kissing Eddie when he's never done it before, but he has. He's missed his smiles and his laugh and his grumpy morning attitude. He's missed his touch, his voice, and even his kiss. And he doesn't have to miss him again.

Send me a soft prompt!

[bgharison]

Nincompoop -- an H50 Fix-it coda 10.22

Prompt from @rijariz

So I really want Danny to say "I told you not to make me come looking for you, you stubborn Ass. But before we go back I have some conditions. No exes, no mysteries, and no more 3 letter agencies please!!!"

Thanks for the prompt!!  This was written kind of quickly, un-beta’d, and I might polish it later, but I hope it does service to your wonderful idea.  I ended up splitting up Danny’s dialogue, but I think it worked.  :-)  

***

“Danny,” Steve sighed, closing his eyes and gripping the phone tight.  “It’s good to hear your voice.”

“I almost didn’t answer; I didn’t recognize this number,” Danny said.  “Not that I mind -- texting is fun and all, but yeah, it’s . . . it’s good to hear your voice, too.  This your new number?  The team will want --”

“I’m calling from a payphone.  It’s -- “ he stopped.  “I started thinking, maybe I shouldn’t keep in touch.”

Danny was silent.  Steve could feel the hurt and betrayal from thousands of miles away.

“We still don’t know if the threat is over, there could be more . . . I can’t do this, Danny, I can’t keep putting people I love in danger.”

“Steven.  Don’t do this.  You plunge yourself into that hole of guilt . . . you go too deep, there’s no coming back.”

Now Steve fell silent.  He had promised to come back, but maybe it was safer if he didn’t.

“Steve?  Steven!”

“I love you, Danny.  Take good care of Eddie for me.”  He hung up the phone before he could change his mind; before his emotions betrayed him.

Danny slowly thumbed the call off his phone screen, then pulled up another contact and pressed call.

“Yeah, Catherine?  I’m gonna need Steve’s location.  It’s time to bring our boy home.”

*******

Danny pulled the scarf up around his neck, hunched against the wind and a few determined pellets of freezing rain, as he made his way to the rental car building.  The inconveniences of flying in to a small airport, he supposed.  

The Jeep he’d requested was fueled up and ready for him.  He tossed his bag into the passenger seat as he climbed in, wincing a bit.  He hadn’t been back to driving for very long, and the flight had already stiffened his healing muscles.  At least the bruising was completely gone.  It had been weeks before Tani could look at him without tears.  

The freezing rain quickly gave over to snow, making the drive even more peaceful.  He thought nothing of the conditions.  Montana snow was still easier than Jersey ice.  

He wasn’t surprised to see Steve on the porch as he pulled up to Joe’s ranch.  He wondered if there was ever -- would ever -- be a time that Steve wasn’t hyper-aware of his surroundings.  He wondered the same for himself, now, as he pulled himself carefully, stiffly, out of the driver’s seat. 

"I told you not to make me come looking for you, you stubborn ass."

“I wouldn’t have thought you’d look for me here,” Steve said, pulling a blanket tighter around his shoulders.  

“Yeah, for someone who needed to get away from memories . . . you picked a weird place for that,” Danny said.  He studied Steve, taking in his appearance.  His cheeks looked a bit pinched under  his thick, soft beard, but his beard was trimmed, his eyes clear.  Danny had seen worse.  He snorted as he took in Steve’s bare feet.

“Must be slipping if you could track me,” Steve said.  “Or was it a lucky guess?”

“You gonna let me come in, or you gonna get frostbite on your toes?”

Steve smiled at him then, genuine and full of affection.  Danny felt relief wash over him.  

“Get in here, Danno.”  Steve held his arms open, and in a few steps, Danny felt himself wrapped tight, cocooned with Steve in the warmth of the blanket.

******

“I can’t believe you low-jacked me,” Steve said, but he was grinning.  

“Catherine said she’d tag the one thing you’d never ditch.”

“My Sig?”

“The picture of Grace and Charlie, actually,” Danny said.  He raised his eyes to look into Steve’s.

Steve’s breath caught.  “I love them.  That’s why I can’t come back, Danny.  She knew, she knew exactly how to get to me, how to hurt me the most -- I almost lost you.  What if it’s not over?  Hell, what if someone else I took down decides to come after me?  What if they go after the kids?”  He stood up abruptly and walked to the fireplace.  Resting his hand on the mantel, he turned his back to Danny.

Steve flinched when Danny rested a hand on his back.  “Turn around and look at me,” Danny said softly.

Steve turned, reluctantly, and even with his head ducked down, Danny could see tears threatening to well over.

“Steve.  You remember the last time I got shot?  Did that have anything to do with you?”

Steve shook his head.

“No.  That was one of my old cases.  That guy could have decided to go after the kids.  Thank God he didn’t.  But Petterson did, remember?  He took Gracie.  You’re not the only one who’s made enemies in their line of work, Steven.  I have, too.  Your dad did.  Your mom.  And Joe.  But you have something they didn’t, Steve, you have a family.  An ohana.  You taught me that -- you gave me that.  And now, instead of turning to that family for comfort -- comfort we all needed -- you ran.”

“I’m exhausted, Danny, like never before.  I thought, getting away, getting some space, would . . . and then I almost lost you, because of a vendetta against me and I thought -- I wanted to get as far away as I could, before anyone else got hurt.  I didn’t want to risk hurting the team any more by staying.”

“You hurt us by leaving,” Danny said softly.  “You hurt me, leaving.”

“Danny, I’m so sorry,” Steve said.  “I should have been there for you.”

“Did leaving help?  Has some space and distance helped you, Steve?”

Steve shook his head, the tears finally spilling over.  “No,” he rasped.  “God, no.”

Danny pulled him into his arms, Steve tucking his face into his uninjured shoulder.  Danny could feel a few hot tears splash onto his neck.

“You needed a vacation and instead chose an exile,” Danny said, rubbing Steve’s back.  “Nincompoop.”

Steve chuckled and held Danny tighter.

“I’m pretty sure we’re both exhausted,” Danny said.  “Come on, let’s get some rest.  Then we’ll talk.”

It seemed the most natural thing in the world to follow Steve down the hall and into the bedroom he was using.  Steve shucked off his jeans and pulled on a pair of soft, faded flannel pants.

“My bag’s still in the Jeep,” Danny said, but he was already unbuttoning his jeans and flannel shirt.  Steve reached into a drawer and pulled out a similar pair of flannel pants and tossed them to Danny.  It was easy enough for him to shed his jeans, but he winced as he tried to ease his arms out of his shirt.

“Let me help,” Steve murmured.  He gently, carefully slipped the shirt off Danny’s broad shoulders and tossed it aside.  His fingers traced carefully over Danny’s black t-shirt, where he knew the bullet wound was, feeling the small bandage still present.  “It’s healing?”

“Yeah, Steve.  It’s healing just fine.”  Danny pulled on the flannel pants, shooting a glare at Steve’s smirk when he rolled the hem up.  “Shut up and gimme some socks, would’ja?”

The bed was soft, the fluffy quilts just the right weight, and Steve’s shoulder the perfect fit.  This was different than sharing the bed in DC.  There was no hesitancy, no caution.  DC had been about efficiency and Steve’s raw anguish.  This . . . this was mutual exhaustion and mutual comfort. 

“I shouldn’t have left,” Steve said, rubbing his fingers absently over Danny’s bicep.  “You were already living in my house, this should have happened a while ago.”

“Well.  Technically, nothing’s happened yet,” Danny said.  He thought they were on the same page, done with fighting this thing between them, but what if --

His thought was cut off by Steve leaning up and over, pressing his lips to Danny’s in a soft, sweet, lingering kiss.

“There.  Now, technically something has happened.”

“Can I hope for more to happen?” Danny asked.  He couldn’t keep the grin off his face if he tried, but Steve looked solemn.

“If you can forgive me,” he said quietly.  “And if you can’t, I’ll understand.”

“Goof,” Danny said, wrapping his hand around the back of Steve’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss, one that was not quite as soft, or sweet.  “Steve.  I do forgive you.  Yeah, it hurt but . . . I know you were trying to do what  you needed to do, to protect us.  But next time, listen, hunh?  When you get wrapped up inside your head and feel like you need to run, listen when I ask you to stay, yeah?”

*****

Danny woke slowly, the smell of coffee and bacon drifting in from the kitchen.  He sat up in bed, stretching out his stiff shoulder, and stopped in surprise at the sight of Steve’s bag, open and mostly packed at the end of the bed.  He slipped out of bed and padded toward the kitchen, careful not to trip on the too-long pajama pants.

“Babe?”

Steve grinned and poured a second mug of coffee, holding it out to Danny.

Danny accepted it and took a grateful sip.  “Your bag is almost packed.”

“Good work, detective.”

“You thinking of running away some more?”

“Thinking of running home,” Steve said slowly. “With you.  For good -- no running; not me, not you.”

Danny pretended to think it over. “Okay.  But before we go back I have some conditions.”

“Okay,” Steve said cautiously.

“No exes, no mysteries and no more 3 letter agencies please!!!"

“Danny, you have to know, Catherine wasn’t --” Steve started earnestly.

Danny held up a hand to interrupt him.  “Babe, I know.  I, ah, might have been the one to suggest Catherine get you through the first leg of your little expedition.  She told me, it’s not that way between the two of you . . . explained it when we were talking about putting that locator on you.  I don’t just mean Catherine.  No more Lyns, or Ambers, or Brookes . . . no more half-assed attempts to convince ourselves that there’s anyone else for us but each other.”

Steve nodded enthusiastically.

“And for the love of God, Steven -- I don’t care who comes with an envelope or a message from the beyond -- no more.  Stop letting your past hurt you.  You’re not responsible for the choices of your parents.  You don’t owe them anything.  You don’t owe the CIA or the NSA or any other alphabet a damn thing.”  Danny didn’t try to keep the anger out of his voice.

“The Navy?” Steve asked quietly.

Danny heart skipped a beat.  “You’d give it up?”

“For you.”

“Babe.  Asking you not to love the Navy, to cut yourself off from your fellow sailors . . . God, your brothers . . . no.  No way.  But no crazy stunts!  No more jumping in with Junior on crazy missions!”

“I’ll ask you first, I promise,” Steve said, grinning.

“Ask -- first --  no, no, Steven, that is not --”  Danny stopped, narrowing his eyes at Steve.  “You’re joking.”

Steve shrugged.  “Mostly.”  He turned back to the stove and cracked some eggs into a skillet.

“So?”  Danny asked.  Steve looked back at him over his shoulder.

“So, what?”

“So, do you agree to my conditions?”

“Yes, Danny,” Steve said, rolling his eyes.  “Yes, I agree to your terms, I accept your conditions, nag, nag -- here.  Eat your breakfast.  We need to get to the airport, catch the next plane out.”

Danny took a bite of perfect scrambled eggs and moaned softly.  Steve raised his eyebrows and gave him a heated glance.

“I never even got my bag out of the car,” Danny said.

“Well, that’s gonna make packing real easy for you, buddy.”

“Or . . . you did, at one point, want to get away.  Get some space.  Clear your head.”  Danny gestured around the ranch house, the wide porch, and the peaceful scenery around them.  “You could still do that.”

Steve put his plate down across from Danny’s with a thunk.  “I thought you wanted me to come home.”

“Oh, I do.  Absolutely.  But . . . we’re here already.  We both could use some time away, some time to rest, and heal . . . together.  Don’t you think?”

Steve nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face.  “Yeah.  Yeah, that sounds nice, Danny.”

Danny grinned back at him.  “And, you know, we can see if . . . maybe that something more we mentioned will happen.”

Steve stood up quickly.

“Ste -- where you going?” Danny waved his fork at Steve’s still full plate.

“I’m getting your bag out of the car and calling Catherine to say thank you,” Steve said.

“Nincompoop!” Danny called after him.

“Your nincompoop,” Steve yelled back over his shoulder.

Danny shook his head in resignation.  Steve still didn’t have socks on.

[natashxromanovf]

So since I take requests, I'm gonna list some basic things and fandoms I write for.

Fandoms I write for:

》 Marvel (only platonic fics for Clint Barton, Tony Stark, Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner)

》 Harry Potter (mostly marauders era characters but i write for an occasional lightning era character as well)

》 Outer Banks (JJ Maybank and Kiara Carrera)

》 Teen Wolf (liam dunbar, lydia martin, theo rarken and stiles stilinski)

》 Criminal minds (spencer reid, derek morgan, jennifer jareau and aaron hotchner)

》 Shadow and bone

》 Hawaii five-0 (steve mcgarett, danny williams, kono kalakaua, chin ho kelly, tani rey, junior reigns)

》 Currently most inspired for: james potter, nikolai lantsov, kaz brekker, jesper fahey

If you're not sure for which characters I write, you can always send me an ask <3

Basic things:

- I write blurbs (100-500 words), drabbles (500-900 words) and one-shots (900-2500+ words)

- I can write platonic and romantic relationships!!

- I don't write headcanons because I don't really like them.

- I don't write smut, so please no smut, thank you

- Do I have a prompt list? Yes, I do, you can find it here

- your request may take some time, but I'll try and write it as soon as I can (update: all requests take a lot of time)

- please specify the pronouns in your requests. They can be they/them or she/her. If you don't mention it, I'll write it as gender neutral reader.

- I don't write about break ups and drugs

- you can request a song fic

- you’re welcome to send an ask to check if i’ve received your request; tumblr is awful with eating asks, just please don’t rush me!

[fist-and-fury-xiv]

💑 What are my muse’s requirements for a potential partner?

Otolin doesn’t really have any requirements for a potential partner, but there’s definitely been patterns in terms of what he likes and dislikes in a partner.

Someone with a good sense of humor and charm seems to be a first; that’s something he finds himself lacking in some respects (but is definitely getting better). He likes people who aren’t afraid to allow for quiet time when home or relaxing, like to travel (given his lifestyle), are well-read, and don’t mind the occasional spar. 

The last one on that list is a plus! 

These are just a few things; however he really isn’t too picky about a potential partner. If Otolin likes someone? Then he likes someone and then must deal with the quandaries of whether or not he can even sustain that relationship due to doubt and potential trust issues! 

[ @garlean-nonsense also sent this one in, so answering here! ] 

[flowerfan2]

Affinity - Ch. 22 (10.22) - Complete

Well folks, here it is - the coda for Ep. 10.22, and the final chapter in Affinity.  Read from the beginning here.

McDanno, 40k total.  A03.

Chapter 22 (10.22)

Steve clears his throat and withdraws his hand from Catherine’s.

“I appreciate this, I do,” he says softly.  “But I’m with Danny.”

His phone pings with another text. He glances quickly at it, then shows it to Catherine.  It’s a photo of Danny stretched out on Steve’s bed, one arm folded up behind his head. Despite the fact that Danny is clothed, wearing his t-shirt and shorts, it’s incredibly sexy, and it fills Steve with a wave of longing.  

Catherine just stares for a moment. “If you’re with Danny, why are you leaving?”

“It’s not forever.”

*****

Steve texts Danny often, keeping in touch as he promised.  But it’s a few days before he sends this one.

Catherine was on the plane.

 Danny’s response comes quickly, and in retrospect, he should have known what he’d say.

 <i>I know, dumbass.</i>

 Steve snorts a little smile, and then types back.  <i>Care to fill me in?</i> He realizes his mistake just after he hits send – he didn’t exactly fill Danny in right away – but Danny doesn’t press him on it.

 <i>Lincoln put her in touch with me, to get your flight info.  She wanted to surprise you.</i>

 <i>Well, she definitely did.</i>

 Steve thinks back to that last morning with Danny, sitting on the beach behind his house.  Danny knew Steve was about to fly off into the sunset with Catherine, and didn’t say a word.

 <i>Danny, I’m sorry.</i>

 <i>Why?  Are you with her right now?</i>

 <i>No.</i>  Catherine had pushed pretty hard, before they landed in L.A., for them to spend at least a few days together.  She showed him photos of a house in Tahoe she could borrow from a friend, suggested a drive along the California coast.  But after six hours on the plane, they had done enough catching up as far as Steve was concerned.  He wasn’t on this trip to hang out with old friends, or old flames.  

 He breathes a sigh of relief when Danny replies.

 <i>I’m good if you’re good. Text me when you get to Joe’s.</i>

 *****

Steve does text Danny when he gets to Joe’s ranch in Montana.  Joe had left the place to him, and he figured he’d sell it sooner or later, but hadn’t quite gotten around to it yet.  He’d had a pretty busy year, he could be forgiven for not having time to consider real estate transactions.

 Joe’s ranch had seemed to Steve to be the perfect place to stay for a while and clear his head, and try to find the peace that he was looking for.

 He was wrong, wrong, wrong. Danny, on the other hand, was completely right – Joe’s place held far too many unhappy memories to be a place of refuge for him, even if it had been for Joe.  Danny had the good grace not to say “I told you so,” however, probably because Steve was on the edge of a panic attack by the time Danny gave up trying to interpret Steve’s increasingly vague texts and called him.

 “Babe, where are you, right now?”

 “Joe’s ranch,” Steve says.

 “I got that, but where, exactly? Describe it.”

 “Uh…”  Steve draws in a tight breath and looks around.  “Kitchen.”

 “Can you go outside?”

 “Sure…”

 “Go outside, and walk away from the house.  Find a tree.”

 “A tree?”

 “Yeah, just walk away from the house. Are you walking?”

 “Yeah, I’m walking.”

 “Tell me what you see.”

 Their conversation continues on like this, Steve wandering around the property, Danny directing him to places where he didn’t see anyone die.  Danny prompts Steve to describe his surroundings -  the mountains he can see, the breeze he can feel, the scent of pine trees he can smell.  There’s no blood, no fighting, no gunshots, not anymore.

 After a while Steve sags down to the ground and sighs out a long breath.  He closes his eyes and thinks back to how he felt here at the ranch after Joe died, how his anger consumed him.  He remembers, then, seeing Danny appear at the ranch unannounced, striding up to meet him, his strong arms coming around Steve and holding him tight. He’s got at least one good memory in this place.

  “Danny?”

 “Yeah?”

 “Thank you.”

 *****

Steve’s next destination was going to be a remote cabin on a lake in British Columbia, accessible only by seaplane. But his reservation isn’t for two more weeks, and he no longer wants to stay at Joe’s until then.  Besides, he’s not sure that he’s up for something quite that remote.

 He contacts the rental car company to tell them of his change in plans and starts driving.  He’s got a GPS, but he calls Danny so many times to ask him to check on cheap hotels, and restaurants, and sights to see, that Danny teases him about starting a side job as a travel agent.  

 Steve spends some time driving near Yellowstone, the scenery taking his breath away.  Hawaii has mountains, but it doesn’t have glaciers or grizzly bears. Not that he sees any bears, but he could.  It’s probably for the best.

 He makes a point of not just stopping and taking in his surroundings, but of trying to still his mind.  Steve’s never really gotten into meditation before, but he thinks that here in the empty wilderness, with this vast beauty all around him, he’s getting close.  He feels like he’s just going through the motions at first, making himself comfortable sitting on a rock, breathing deeply, closing his eyes and trying to experience what he’s feeling without resisting or trying to change it. He opens his eyes and lets himself become aware of the flowers swaying in the breeze, the feel of the sun on his skin, the noise of the insects and the wind in the trees.  He tries to hone in on a particular detail - the temperature of the air, cool even when the sun is out.  When his thoughts stray (to pain, to loss, to home, to <i>Danny</i>) he pulls them back to the sounds and sensations around him, or at least he tries.

 Steve camps out several nights in a row, forgetting that even with the spare battery his phone will eventually die. He hikes to an alpine lake and messes around trying to catch a fish, surprising himself when he succeeds.  The urge to call Danny and brag about it nearly overwhelms him, but he can’t even take a picture.

 The next day he hikes back to his car, drives to the nearest motel, and charges his phone while he showers.  He’s four hours ahead of Hawaii, and he waits until almost eleven to call Danny, hoping to catch him at home, maybe even done with dinner, settling down with a beer down by the beach.  Steve can imagine Danny so perfectly, sitting in his chair in his cut-off jean shorts and worn out t-shirt, the setting sun turning his skin golden, a half-drunk Longboard hanging from his fingertips. For a minute the longing to be there next to Danny hits Steve so hard it’s like a punch to the gut, but Steve takes a few deep breaths and reminds himself that he’s away for a reason, even if he can’t quite remember what it is at the moment.  Gathering his thoughts, Steve presses the button to call Danny. He nearly cheers with glee when Danny picks up and Steve discovers that he’s timed it perfectly, and they shoot the shit until Steve falls asleep to the sound of Danny’s voice in his ear.  

 *****

It occurs to Steve, in between stops at greasy roadside diners, nights alone on scratchy sheets, and more hiking than he’s done in years, that he’s supposed to be doing something besides touring national parks.  Or at least, that touring national parks is supposed to be a means to an end.  

 Steve doesn’t like to question his plan (and he sure isn’t going to question why he doesn’t want to question his plan).  He figures he just needs to keep moving.  He doesn’t know what else to do.  Or at least that’s what he keeps telling himself.

 *****

Steve turns in his rental car in Denver, and springs for a decent hotel with excellent internet.  He surfs the web for far too long, reading up on what’s been happening in the world.  Nothing good. He finds himself checking sites on news closer to home, too.  He reads about a new Hawaiian style farm–to-table restaurant opening in downtown Honolulu that Danny would love and finds himself clicking on the reservation button before he realizes that he probably can’t make it for this Friday at seven.  Someone else is going to enjoy that table for two, but it won’t be him.

 He considers making the reservation anyway, sending the information to Danny and suggesting that he go check out the place, on Steve.  But he can’t decide how exactly to word it, or what he even would mean by it – he obviously doesn’t want to Danny to bring a date, and although he’s not proud of the thought, he doesn’t really want to risk Danny asking someone as a friend but it turning into something romantic. Steve could ask Tani to take him, or Junior, but that’s kind of weird, too.  Is Steve ridiculous enough to want Danny to go by himself and sit alone with his drink, like a damsel waiting for her sailor to return from the sea?  Steve closes the website and moves on to looking at the hours for Denver’s natural history museum.  Presumably he can’t get himself into any trouble there.

 After a few days in Denver, more to amuse Danny than anything else, Steve books a flight to Newark.  Danny emails him an annotated list of restaurants and can’t miss tourist attractions, including a link to a Sopranos sites tour that makes Steve laugh.  At the bottom of the list is an address and phone number for Eddie and Clara Williams.

 Steve surprises himself with how much he wants to see Danny’s parents.  It wakes him up in the middle of the night, the pull he feels.  He imagines sitting down in their kitchen, eating Clara’s lasagna, shooting the shit with Eddie over a beer.  He’s half asleep, picturing the scene, how he’d tease Danny about eating too much garlic bread, how they’d argue about the last piece of tiramisu, when he realizes with a wave of physical pain that even if he goes to the Williams’ place in Jersey, Danny won’t be there.

 Steve texts Danny from the airport in Denver, but it’s barely four a.m. in Hawaii.  He doesn’t expect a response right away.  But just before his plane takes off, he gets one, and he smiles as he closes his eyes and leans against the window.

 *****

Danny’s in the break room at headquarters, fighting with the new coffee machine Lou swears will change his life, trying not to feel sorry for himself.  Steve has been away for almost two months, and Danny has missed the crap out of him.  He knows Steve misses him too – it’s obvious in his constant texting, how he carefully times phone calls for when he knows Danny will be home, how he consults Danny on ideas for each step of his trip.  

 The team has rallied around Danny, bringing over food and staying to hang out so often that Danny has to remind himself to make extra beer runs on his way home from work.  Junior’s spending about half his time at Steve’s house and half at Tani’s – Danny is sure he’d be at Tani’s full time, if not for some unnecessary but no less appreciated belief that Danny needs the company.  

 They’ve been rotating partners at work, no one wanting to presume to take Steve’s place as Danny’s partner. Danny’s most comfortable with Tani, and sometimes Adam, although for vastly different reasons (Tani prods at him until he talks about what’s bothering him; Adam doesn’t).  Lou tends to stay back at base, and Junior and Quinn go where they’re needed.  Danny finds himself missing Chin and Kono, wondering to himself how the hell he turned out to be the last man standing from their original squad.  It doesn’t help the strangeness to know that Danny is now in charge; although Danny insisted in his obligatory meeting with the governor that it was only temporary, he’s not sure anyone believes him.

 When Danny inevitably wakes up in the dark in Steve’s bed, heart beating fast with the echo of a nightmare, it always takes him a minute to remember why Steve’s not there. Sometimes he thinks Steve is in Mexico looking for Doris.  Back then Danny had spent every day trying not to imagine Steve dying, trying to understand why Steve felt that his life was worth so little that he would put it at risk over and over for a woman that didn’t want his help.

 Steve’s absence is different now, and Danny respects that.  This time Steve’s not in any unusual danger, and he’s on this mission for his own benefit, not anyone else’s.  It still sucks sleeping alone, but Danny can handle it.  Especially with Steve sending him daily pictures of every squirrel in the northwestern United States.

 “Danny – there you are.”  Tani bursts into the break room, startling Danny out of his thoughts.  “You’ve got a call.”  

 Danny’s hand goes to his pocket, and he realizes Tani is holding his phone, which he had left charging in his office.  “What’s up?” he asks, feeling a shiver run down his spine as he takes in the expression on her face.

 “They called me too.”  Lou joins them, his voice low as he puts a hand on Danny’s shoulder.  “It’s Steve. He’s been in an accident.”

 A blank calm washes over him and then Danny’s sprinting down the hall, his mind quickly providing the quickest route to the airport to avoid afternoon traffic.  “Tani, get me on the next flight to Jersey.  Then call my dad, have him go straight to the hospital.  Lou, you’re in charge, bring in Lincoln if you need to-”

 “Danny, wait,” Tani grabs his arm. “You’re not flying anywhere.”

 Danny jerks away from Tani. “What, are you crazy?”  Danny has to be with Steve, he’s hurt, oh god oh god he’s hurt, please don’t let him be --  

 “No, listen,” Lou says.  “Steve’s not in Newark.”

 “He didn’t get on the flight?”  Then he’s still in Denver, Denver is a few hours closer, that’s okay, that’s good.

 “Danny, he’s here, on Oahu.  He’s at Queen’s Medical.  He’s here.”

 *****

Steve sits on the hospital bed, gingerly touching the bandage covering the cut on his forehead.  He glances at his watch, frowning to see that another half hour has gone by while he waits to be discharged.  This is not how he planned his return to Hawaii, but at least Danny doesn’t know yet.  If he gets out of here soon, Steve still has time to get home and shower before Danny finds out.  

 “Where’s Steve, McGarrett, they said he was back here – I’m his partner-”

 Or maybe not.

 “Steve.”  Danny skids to a stop in the doorway.  His eyes look wild, and his hair is mussed.  He’s breathing hard, his chest heaving.  Danny is the best thing Steve has seen in months.

 He jumps up, quick to reassure him. “Danny, it’s okay, I’m fine-”

 “Steve.”  Danny takes a few steps closer, his eyes flickering up and down Steve’s body.  He reaches out, his hands trembling.  

 Steve steps towards him. “Really, I’m okay.  Cab driver got rear-ended, no big deal, just bumps and bruises.  I didn’t want them to call you.  I wanted to surprise you.”

 Danny blinks.  “Surprise me?”

 “Yeah, I figured I’d get some beers, hang out down on the beach until you got home.”

 Danny just stares at him for a long moment, then rocks back, the tension draining out of his body as a smile teases at his lips.  “You kind of blew it.”

 Steve shrugs mock apologetically. “Honolulu drivers.  What can you do.”  Steve steps forward, closing the space between them.  Then Danny’s shaking hands take hold of Steve’s waist, and Steve’s palms are on Danny’s face.  “I missed you,” Steve breathes out.  “Every goddamn day.  So much.”

 Danny presses a soft kiss to Steve’s lips, then another, and pulls back until Steve can see his eyes.  “I missed you too.”  Danny bites his lip, and Steve can feel him steel himself as he looks up at Steve.  “How long are you here for?”

 “No, that’s not – I’m not just here for a visit.  I’m done.”

 “Done?”  

 Steve hands fall to Danny’s shoulders, run up and down his arms, muscles still tense under his dress shirt. “Done traveling.  I’m back.”

 “But…”  Danny looks up at him, hope in his eyes.  “You said you needed to get space.  To find peace.”  

 Steve snorts a little, grin tugging at his cheeks.  “Apparently I’m a cliché.”

 Danny cocks his head, a matching grin spreading slowly across his face.  “Oh?  In what way, exactly, are you a cliché?”

 Steve grabs Danny and kisses him soundly, hampered only by the fact that they’re each on the edge of slightly hysterical laughter.  He wraps his arms around Danny’s shoulders and digs his face into his neck.  “I didn’t need to go anywhere.  Whatever I’ve got to do, whatever I’ve got to think through, it’s not gonna work if I’m away.  What I need is right here.”  He squeezes Danny harder.  “Right here.”

 “You came back for the pineapples?” Danny teases.

 “Yeah, for the pineapples,” Steve says, kissing Danny again full on the lips, then pulling back to look him in the eyes.  “And, you know, you.  The love of my life.”  

 Danny beams up at him, his cheeks pink with happiness.  “Yeah?”

 “Yeah.”  Steve knows what he wants now.  More importantly, he’s going to let himself have it.  “Come on, Danny.  It’s time to go home.”

[xmcgarrett]

whumptober prompt 7 I’ve got you

Prompts:Support | Carrying Rated: Gen Characters: Steve McGarrett, Danny Williams, Noelani Cunha

“You okay?” Steve McGarrett looked up as he heard the question. He nodded towards his best friend and closed the file in front of him. It has been a long day and one glance at his watch told him that it was about time to get home, so no wonder he was a bit tired.

“Yeah, of course, I am okay, why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“It’s just you have been staring at that file pretty long. Maybe it’s time to go home. I for one could do with a beer.”

“A beer sounds nice,” Steve agreed as he closed the file. Danny wasn’t wrong. He had stared for a while. And he was kind of tired. So even if they were having a beer, he would probably get to bed relatively soon and listen to his body's cues. Steve got up, put the file in his desk, and closed it. “Ready to go?”

“Very much so. By the way, you still smell like a sewer.” At Danny’s comment, Steve smelled his shirt quickly. The shirt itself was fine, but, yeah, he pretty much did smell like the sewer he had to jump into that morning to get that perp they were chasing.

“Shower first, then.”

“If the car stinks like that for the next week, cleaning is on you.” Steve just rolled his eyes as he walked out with Danny.

A shower later, Steve was just zipping up the hoody he wore without anything underneath and sat down in the chair he usually sat in. Danny gave him the beer and gave him a slightly worried smile.

“You look tired.”

“That’s because I am. It’s just going to be one beer tonight. And do me a favor, Danny, don’t have the volume up as loud as you tend to.” He usually expected Danny to protest, but tonight things looked different as it seemed.

“Will do. Junior is out tonight?”

“Out with Tani, yes. I don’t think we should expect him back tonight. They are at that Luau up on the North shore. That one usually doesn’t end before midnight.” Danny nodded, took a sip, and leaned back in the chair. They fell into a comfortable silence. They just sat and drank until Steve got up to go back inside to go to sleep. Eddie, who lay close to them, followed him inside and settled on the armchair he settled in now that Danny occupied the couch mostly. Steve took his medication, as prescribed, before going to bed.

Danny went inside a little while later. He made sure the door was closed, before laying down. He barely fell asleep when he heard the first cough coming from upstairs. He didn’t think anything of it at that point. It was not abnormal for him to wake up to coughing, that was what having kids did to you, mostly. He was half asleep again when he heard the next cough, again coming from upstairs. This time he could see Eddie perk up in the dark, so he got up to go up and investigate. He came in to see Steve sitting up, taking a drink of water.

“Are you okay?” Slowly he was beginning to feel like a broken record with that question.

“Yes, just a cough,” Steve told him.

“Sewer bath did not do you god, babe. Try and get some rest. Should I bring you tea?”

“No, I’m fine.” Danny nodded.

“Night, babe.” He turned to go back to bed and soon enough fell asleep. The next time he woke, it was still early. For a moment he was confused why he woke up, but then he heard the coughs from upstairs, a constant stream of coughs that did not seem the case. Alarmed he ran up to Steve. He was half sitting up, half bent over the edge of his bed, coughing hard. Danny went to the bathroom to wet a washcloth and came back to place it in Steve’s neck as he rubbed his back. Slowly the coughs ceased.

“That does not sound good,” he pointed out. Steve shook his head.

“That does not feel good.” His voice was scratchy and thin, clearly from the coughing. Danny kept on rubbing Steve’s back until he was sure Steve was okay. Then he reached forward to touch his cheeks and forehead. The skin was warm and sweaty.

“You’re running a fever, Steve. How else do you feel?”

“Breathing isn’t too nice right now.” Now that was a little bit of a shock to Danny. Breathing trouble did not speak for a simple little cold, but of a bit of a worse issue, one that could hopefully be handled, but probably not by bed rest and tea. The blonde reached for Steve’s wrist to check his pulse. It was a bit on the fast side, pointing to the distress Steve’s body was in.

“It’s going to be fine,” Danny said. “We’re going to go to a doctor, figure out what is going on with you, and then we’re taking care of it. Sound good?” To Danny’s surprise, Steve shook his head. He would have expected Steve to be a bit happier to comply therewith that plan after his liver problems. “And please tell me why?”

“It’s not even … 5 am. No doctors open yet. Let’s…sleep a little longer first.”

“The hospital is open, dumbass. They might squeeze you in if it’s a quiet day.” But he could see Steve was simply tired, so he knew he should not work that angle. But he knew another angle he could work, one that would work. “The sooner we get it done with, the sooner you can probably catch a few hours of actual sleep.” Stubbornly Steve still shook his head, but stopped soon, probably because it either caused his head to hurt or him to become dizzy.

“Not hospital worthy?”

“Not hospital worthy? Are you stupid? Are you literally dumb? You are in pain when you breathe! There could be some underlying issue, this is hospital worthy. Get your butt out of bed, throw on a shirt and pants and we go. Oh, wait, some form of shoes would be nice, too. Don’t bother making yourself presentable, you look like death walking anyway. Understood, soldier?” This got him a nod…and a very tired and pained look.

“I don’t think…,” Steve began and broke off. Danny placed his hand on Steve’s cheek then. He sensed that whatever he wanted or needed to say was something that would cause him to feel vulnerable and weak and he knew Steve did not know how to express that, thanks to his less than ideal childhood and the trauma surrounding it. He always had to be strong or pretend to be strong, unlike Danny had to, unlike Danny brought up his kids, so he did what he would do for his kids: Sit there and wait until he was ready to say it. Especially if the pain was an issue here. The hospital could wait for a bit. It took Steve almost a minute of shaky breathing and a few coughs, to continue:

“Too weak to walk.” Ha, so he was right. It was something Steve would consider weakness, well, because it was, but it was nothing to be embarrassed about. He was sick for heaven's sake.

“That’s okay. You lean on me, buddy, okay? I got you. You lean on me, we get you to the car and in doubt the hospital has wheelchairs.” He would, of course never mention it later, because, well Steve needed help, this was nothing he could hold against him or would use against him. Danny got up to get Steve one of his older shirts, those that he didn’t wear to work and sweatpants - well shorts rather. He handed the shirt to Steve, who dutifully put it on and then helped him up to lean against him, to allow him to dress as much as he could. It took a bit, but it worked. He thought twice on those shoes, though.

“Forget the shoes. It’s warm enough to walk barefoot.” Steve gave him a grateful nod. The former Seal reached out to Danny just as Danny slipped under his arm so he could lean against him. He knew he was taking most of Steve’s weight, but he didn’t mind one bit. He just wanted his best friend to be okay. Truth be told the only thing that had him not flip out was this paternal protocol he was running on right now due to his kids. Get him help, he could always flip out later.

At the hospital, Steve refused the wheelchair, of course, but luckily for them, the hospital had a pretty calm morning so they asked them to go straight into an examination room to check Steve out. The doctor - no stranger to them of course, thanks to multiple injuries in the past - never questioned Danny being there and worked as quietly and efficiently as he could, even apologizing for causing Steve pain by asking him to breathe in deeply for him. He then left the room for a long while, during which Steve managed to fall asleep.

“Good news or bad news first?” he asked towards Danny, assuming Danny would do the talking here and not willing

“Let’s get the bad news first.”

“Commander McGarrett has pneumonia” Danny sighed. Great. That was seriously serious, but it explained why Steve was in such bad shape. On top of it, he had been running non-stop for the past weeks, general exhaustion was probably adding up. But that was the bad news.

“What’s the good news?”

“It’s bacterial, so we can give him antibiotics. And, unless it gets worse, he can recover at home.” That really was good. “I do assume you will arrange a schedule so someone is always with him, just in case?”

“Of course, doctor. What else should I be looking for?” The doctor gave him a run-down on how to take care of Steve of which he made mental notes and made sure to text half of it to Noelani. He was sure she and the others would help, but if there was something medicinal that would give Steve that extra kick or boost, then she would know and probably bring it right after work. He looked at Steve again and smiled softly. Without realizing it probably, Steve had built himself quite the extraordinary family here. He was in good hands. Danny was due a week off soon anyway, so he would take it this week and stay home and take care of Steve.

As much as he hated waking him, he had to in order to get him back home and settled. This time on the couch, to make it a bit easier on them for now. He would think about getting Steve back up to bed in the afternoon, for now, he was glad there was no protest as he put blankets over Steve and announced he was going to make him some hot chocolate, purely to get some calories into him. The way Steve looked at him, reminded him so painfully of the fact that Steve hadn’t had that kind of pampering in years, so if he put some marshmallows on it, who was going to rat him out? Certainly not Steve. Steve just took a look at the cup and smiled softly…before sitting up and patting the couch next to him.

Danny looked at him in awe. This gesture was huge for Steve, actually, it was downright asking for physical comfort, something he did not usually do. Sure, he would go in for hugs at times, but this had a special quality to it, one that was not lost on Danny. He sat down on the couch and reached out to steady Steve as he laid back down, head on Danny’s lap. Danny reached for the remote and put on a show he knew they both liked, while he started to massage Steve’s scalp.

Just as Steve had fallen asleep the door opened and Noelani walked in, holding two bags.

“Hey…oh, he’s asleep. I brought you guys food. Some soups for him and stuff and some food for you. Figured cooking would not be high on your list of priorities,” she said as she walked to the kitchen to place the food in the fridge. Danny looked after her in awe.

“Shouldn’t you be at work?” he asked her.

“I am. On my way to a crime scene. Luckily my guys don’t run away, cause they’re dead.” Danny chuckled at that.

“Thank you, Noelani. I am glad the ohana has got his back.”

“We got each other’s backs. Now he is the one that needs us and here we are. See you later, Danny. Pretty sure everyone is planning to pop over after work to entertain you and him a little.” That sounded great. That sounded just like what Steve needed: Family around him, something to take his mind of, comfort and security. He stroked Steve’s cheek again.

“Did you hear that, you big goof? Your family has got you. Rest, heal, we got you.”