#the bingo card turns ten

[lets-steal-an-archive]

#supernatural knew all the WRITERS#you'd know if an episode was going to be good based on who was writing it#that sense of dread when we found out Bucklemming got crucial plot episodes in s8 (x)

BUCKLEMING BINGO (est. Nov. 30, 2013)

if people know a showrunner by name then u just know they were committing war crimes throughout their shows

[sweetteaanddragons]

I have been thinking lately about a universe where Bruce Wayne killed the Joker.

I want to be clear here, since there are so many longstanding debates on this topic: I do not think Bruce Wayne should kill the Joker. I have just been wondering what would happen if the circumstances aligned in such a way that he did.

And to be clear on a related, yet slightly different topic: when I say I have been wondering about what if Bruce Wayne killed the Joker, I do not mean as the Batman. I mean Bruce "Brucie" Wayne.

Maybe it's kind of an accident? Like, he definitely did intend to hit the Joker, but he's Brucie right now, so he's trying not to look like he knows what he's doing while still doing enough damage to keep the Joker from killing someone, and meanwhile the Joker makes just the wrong move and -

And here we are. Brucie just killed the Joker.

Bruce's reaction here is one thing; he has his one rule for a reason, he's just broken it, he's determined to turn himself in -

His family's reaction is a whole different story. How does Cass feel about this?

How does Jason? Bruce has killed the Joker, just like he wanted, but it wasn't for him, not really, and -

And meanwhile, this happens in front of, say, a gala full of people, so now all of Gotham gets to react to it too.

Average Gothamite, seeing the words BRUCE WAYNE, JOKER, and KILLED in the same headline: OH, NO.

Average Gothamite, once they've processed the order those words are actually in: . . . I did not have that on this year's bingo card.

The city's most famous mass murderer has just been publicly killed by the city's biggest employer/philanthropist/source of tabloid harmless nonsense! Three days before Brucie was making tabloid headlines by tripping into a fountain and somehow losing his shirt in the process! Two weeks before, the newspaper was running a retrospective on the Wayne murders and what donation Brucie was making to help the families of victims this year! The article mentioned how one of his adopted sons had also tragically become a murder victim!

Now this has happened, and Bruce is having a breakdown over breaking his one rule, and the rest of Gotham just assumes that this is because poor Brucie thinks this somehow makes him like the man who killed his parents. They send a huge outpouring of support his way. This in no way helps Bruce's actual breakdown.

Ninety percent of Gotham is sure Brucie didn't actually mean to kill the Joker, and pretty much a hundred percent of them support him whether he meant to do it or not. No one wants to have anything to do with prosecuting this mess. Bruce is trying to make it as clear as possible that he will fully cooperate with the justice system and meanwhile an entire gala full of people is suddenly acting like they could in no way have possibly witnessed events that took place ten feet in front of their faces. Did Bruce kill the Joker? Is the officer sure? That doesn't seem like him. Maybe the Joker just tripped on his own. Marble floors, you know. Very slippery.

[sandboxwritings]

you know what its late and im too tired to think of words anymore so im just gonna post this wip here and go to bed

enjoy!

If there was one thing that was not on Grian's New Years' bingo card it would be growing wings. In fact, if anyone had so much as suggested it as a possibility to him he would have laughed them off, assuming it was the prelude to some strange prank. And yet, here he was two weeks into the new year with what were undoubtedly wings sprouting to either side of his spine, connecting to his shoulder blades in a way that they should not be able to.

That wasn't the only strange thing happening to him either. For one, he's lighter. Not in a diet-culture-fad or hitting the gym to meet that New Year's resolution that'll fade out in a month or so, he is just literally lighter. Less dense? Like the amount of physical space he takes up is the same but his mass is…less? Now, Grian is far from an ornithologist but he was able to quickly learn that bird bones are hollow and he does not like the implications that has for him and his new feathered existence. It does, however, mean he can jump higher, which is kind of fun to test out whenever he's taking the lift to and from his apartment unit.

It also means he's a bit more fragile than he's used to being.

Now, one might be asking, shouldn't a person who has strange growths go see a doctor immediately? And the answer is yes! Of course, and in Grian's defense, he did do that! It's not his fault that the hospital was overflowing with people at the time, most of which were in much more dire straits than he himself was and so he elected to turn around and go home. He would just go back. . . later. Eventually. He swore he would. Maybe.

Surely it would resolve itself.

That was ten days ago, before Grian's new wings had become more distinct and feathered and had only barely been strange misshapen lumps on his back. And in those ten days the entire world had changed.

An emergency notice had been sent out across the city, played on every news broadcast in the district, an alert sent to every cell phone registered to the local area code. Some strange bacteria had been discovered in the water ducts that fed into every reservoir across Hermitopia and it should be avoided at all costs. Citizens were instructed to limit skin exposure and refrain from drinking any sources of unsealed water. Stations were set up across the city to provide clean, filtered water in the meantime while the contamination was dealt with.

It was too little, far too late.

While Hermitopia was effectively put on mass lockdown, Grian's wings continued to fill out. He was almost glad for the shelter in place orders as it meant no one saw the process of his strange, wrinkly-skinned chicken wings double in size day after day. No one saw him nearly scratching the things bloody while the pin feathers grew in. No one was there to see him standing in the middle of his living room and struggling to activate muscles that hadn't existed days ago. No one else was there to look on in awe as he finally stretched both fully feathered wings out for the first time, touching wingtips to diagonal corners of the room.

Just over three weeks into the New Year, Hermitopia holds a press conference. It plays on every device from the heart of downtown to three cities over. As many have already come to realize, the contamination was more than simple bacteria in the water. It was a chemical agent, a biohazard, that was capable of adapting to and changing different forms of matter. Particularly, it changed living matter down to the DNA. Irrevocably.

The city weeps. There is fear and panic. Questions fly about what this means, what comes next, what do we do? Social media forums explode with speculation and rumors. Friends and family hold one another close amidst the chaos of a changing world.

Grian turns off his phone, sits outside on his tiny balcony, and looks at the stars. He feels the wind ruffle his feathers, feels the way it tugs at his skin, pulls him toward the edge. He flexes new muscles that support new, fragile bones.

Spreads his wings.

They say there's no better way to learn to fly. . . right?

And he jumps.

[irisintheafterglow]

HAND ONE - HIGH CARD

summary: in a season where you're determined to fly under the radar, newly-returned crown prince!touya todoroki has other ideas. in this hand, a duel is fought.

wc: 1.7k

cw/tags: royalty!au/regency!au, fem!reader, first meeting, touya's sass need its own warning

note: SURPRISE !! bet iris starting another series wasn't on your 2024 bingo (it wasn't on mine) but here we are! this whole series is based on this little idea from a few months back and will include swordfighting! fake dating! mutual pining! angst! balls! (the royal kind, not,,, yk) oh and many poker metaphors lol. hope you enjoy this first little exposition chapter :))

likes, reblogs, and replies are greatly appreciated <3

You would admire the spectacle of it all, had it not been for the aching pain in your feet. 

The hand-me-down heels from your estranged stepmother made it hard to focus on anything but your breathing as you tried to steady yourself against a nearby column in the palace garden. You could practically hear her shrill screaming in your ears for not doing enough to network among the other young nobles, for failing to present yourself as fit for bearing children you didn’t want. As the people you’d grown up with since birth milled about carefully-tended roses and large-bloomed peonies, you couldn’t imagine how they weren’t sweating all their caked-on makeup off in the stifling June heat. Fishing the lacy hand fan from your clutch, you relocate to a shadier side of the column under the stone walkway lining the garden. An aggressive snap echoes off nearby walls when you flick it open and sigh when the air hits your face. 

“You stole my spot,” comes a smooth male voice from the other side of the column. You don’t think the person is talking to you, but then you hear an amused snicker and a small thank you to who you assume is a passing servant. It’s awkwardly silent except for faraway conversations and the breeze blown from your fan until the man clears his throat. “I’m holding out a water to you, if you would kindly look over your shoulder.” Slightly irritated by the condescending tone in his voice, you look and, sure enough, there was a cold glass of water in the stranger’s white-gloved hand. You couldn’t see his face, nor the rest of his body, but something in your gut told you that it was safe. And, if it did happen to be poisoned, at least it got you out of another season. Carefully taking the glass from his long fingers, most of the tension in your body leaves after the first few sips slide down your throat. “Refreshing?”

“Very,” you answer cordially, in that airy tone your stepmother taught you. She said it was a fine way to attract suitors, which made you want to drop your voice several octaves whenever a potential husband drew near. “Thank you. That was very kind of you, Mister…?”

“My identity is irrelevant,” he says quickly and you turn your head in his direction, as if to hear him better. “Nor will I ask of yours, so consider this conversation akin to speaking to a wall.”

“From my perspective, I am speaking to a wall,” you point out and the stranger chuckles under his breath. “May I ask why you aren’t socializing with the others?”

“I could ask the same of you, considering that you’re cowering behind a column.” The jab was evident. Your mouth drops in indignancy and, had it not been for heat exhaustion and your nice spot in the shade, you would have decked whoever was on the other side of this conversation. 

“I am not cowering,” you huff, taking another sip and willing the temperature to decrease just a few degrees. “I am merely…taking a break.”

“Taking a break where no one else can find you? For ten minutes?”

“A woman values her privacy,” you argue. “And as far as I’m aware, you were able to find me quite easily. Perhaps you were the one trying to hide, and I was the one who stole your spot.”

“So, you do acknowledge that you are stealing from me.”

“Space in this garden is not something to be claimed unless you are of the royal family, dear stranger.” You hope he can hear the smirk in your tone. 

“And yet, here you are, stealing what is rightfully mine.” 

“And yet, here you are, stealing what is rightfully mine,” you echo in a nasally, mocking voice that would have placed you in major trouble if your parents knew how you were addressing others. “Cease your bratty ramblings as if you own this palace.” The man barks out a laugh, a reaction you didn’t anticipate. It makes your heart race a little faster, in spite of your will to stay casual. 

“Have suitors ever told you that you’re quite the firecracker?”

“Bold of you to assume they get as far as to speak with me,” you correct without hesitation. Presentations were one of the stupidest parts of your present society, along with those tiny sandwiches and that tea that tastes like boiled shoes. “If they decide to pursue me, that’s their first mistake.” The stranger hums in a low tone. 

“Maybe you haven’t found the right suitor, then,” he muses and, before you can answer, the royal bugles announce the beginning of the duels. Excited cheers and the clicking sound of heels on pavement take over any remaining conversations. You whirl around to the other side of the column, anxious to see the mysterious man you were conversing with, but find the other side as vacant as when you first passed it. Slightly disappointed, you find your place along the perimeter of the circular stone courtyard and wait for the king’s advisor to speak. 

“Today is a day of celebration,” he begins, and you mutter the rest of his speech that you’d heard for the past four years under your breath. The hair stands up on the back of your neck and instinct tells you that someone was watching you, but you can’t find who it is among the hundreds of people present. You think you’ve found the culprit when you lock your gaze with a pair of strikingly blue eyes, but they disappear before you can identify the rest of the person. “And, as you are most likely already aware, this year we welcome His Highness Prince Touya Todoroki to the presentation ceremonies. Though he is of a royal family, those that wish to court or be courted by His Highness may present themselves as suitors as they ordinarily would.”

“And will the Prince grace us with his esteemed presence, or is he preoccupied with his ordinarily outlandish activities?” Sneers and snide remarks ripple through the crowd and the advisor struggles to regain their attention. That is, until that same loud barking laugh that you heard from the other side of the column cuts through the murmurs and mutters.

The voice that follows makes your blood run cold in your veins. 

“How bold to assume any of you are worthy of breathing in my presence.” 

“Your Highness–” 

“Shut up,” he spits, shivers spreading over your skin as the crowd splits to reveal an unruly mass of spiked white hair. His eyes are paralyzingly bright, cold and narrow while they scan the vermin before him. The rumors that circulated of his intimidating nature paled in comparison to the man before you, tall and lean and radiating the most dangerous aura you’d ever come across. All the previously gloating eyes became that of rabbits hunted by a wolf when they came under his gaze…except for yours. By some odd stroke of Fate, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d seen the Prince before, even though that was physically impossible. Maybe you’d passed another white-haired asshole in the market. “Well? Are we starting or shall you keep gawking until I staple your jaw shut?” The advisor stumbles, shrinking away like a mouse in a lion’s den. 

“Yes, Your Highness. May the first Lady to be courted please step forward!”

As the gowns start to swoop and the swords begin to swing, you’re again reminded of just how unnecessary the spectacle of presentation season always was. One by one, daughters of nobility presented themselves to the suitors, who would then step forward and duel one another for the opportunity to court the Lady. The fights were never to the death, of course, but the shame that came with losing more than one duel was close to it; nothing was more embarrassing, however, than having no suitors step forward when a Lady presented herself. It was your worst fear every season, one that you seemingly didn’t need to worry about this time around.

Still, you were met with the same pasty-faced suitor that had been attempting to win your hand for the past several seasons. He’d accumulated significantly more muscle mass since the previous season, but his hot-headed temper and objectifying tendencies were enough of a turn off to send him packing by the end of the first meeting. 

“You have rejected me time and time again, but that only makes you more enticing,” he declares, offering his hand to you while you roll your eyes behind your fan. Ladies who already received their matches swoon at his show of masculinity, but it only makes your stomach turn. “I will win you. That is my promise. And, if not this season, then the next, and I will persevere until the only eyes you look for in a room are mine.” 

“The only thing I would be looking for in a room with you is an exit,” you mutter. He doesn’t answer, eyeing you like you were a wise investment. Gross. 

“You’d do well to accept me.” Your attention darts upward and you meet his stare, irritated at your lack of a response. The volume of his voice drops so that only you two can hear it as he comes to stand inches away from your face. “It’s not like you have the privilege of other options. Marry me or life as a spinster is your only future.” 

“I wouldn’t marry you if the entire kingdom was at stake,” you hiss and his mouth turns up in a snarl, ready to bite out a response when the shing! of a sword being pulled from its sheath echoes through the courtyard. A quiet verbal commotion sets into the crowd, but you’re unable to see anything beyond the asshole before you. 

"Your business is with me, not her," warns a dangerously familiar voice and the man in front of you stiffens. "Let's get this over with."

“The…ahem…duel will begin once both suitors are in first positions,” the advisor relays with great hesitation. You’d never experienced a duel for your hand, yet it seemed that another man had been dealt into the game. With his face drained of its remaining color, Pasty-face draws his blade like an inexperienced marionette, clunky and jagged, as he takes his place in the circle, allowing you to catch the eye of his opponent, molten blue eyes that make your knees turn gelatinous. The prince was dueling for your hand. 

Prince Touya of the Todoroki family was dueling for your hand. 

if you enjoy my writing and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on my ko-fi! you can also check out my full masterlist here :)

[blooming-violets]

Hurt/Comfort Bingo Card - Dragging themselves along the ground

Bring Your Kids to Work Day

[tasm!peter x fem!reader]

TW: effects of fire and smoke inhalation, descriptions of a dead body, injury of a child, it's a fic about being trapped in a burning building with a child so you'll be reading grim descriptions of that

A/N: I started this bingo card almost exactly one year ago and I've only finished five fics from it since. Slow and steady, baby!

Bring Your Kids To Work Day. Of course, it would happen today, of all days. 

Your office building was nothing special. Four stories and a basement. It paled in comparison to the surrounding towering skyscrapers. The newspaper company you worked for was located on the top floor. A local, independent newspaper that tried to focus on uncovering the truths the Daily Bugle would fabricate. Your company was barely staying afloat as it were. People enjoyed the gossip more than the truth. The struggling business thought today would be a wonderful time to allow their children to come and witness what their parents did each day. There were only about twenty employees total and, over half of you didn’t have children, so there weren’t that many kids in attendance. It was adorable at first. You got to meet your coworkers' kids and even got to snuggle with a five month old. You thought about texting Peter that you were coming down with a terrible case of baby fever but chose to wait until you saw him in person to spring the news on him. 

It was supposed to be a good day. 

Until it wasn’t.

“Hey,” your desk mate, Jenny, tapped you on the shoulder. She had her two twins in tow, Ollie and Ellie, the cutest set of four year olds you think you’d ever witnessed. “Would you mind watching these two while I run down to my car? I left my purse there. I’m parked in the garage just across the street. I shouldn’t be too long. It will take me ten times longer to drag them along with me.” 

You beamed, more than happy to oblige and help fuel your growing need for your own kids, “I would love to!” You turned your attention to the twins and gave them a wink. “I even have a secret stash of lollipops hidden in my desk. I was hoping to find someone to share them with.” 

Both their eyes lit up at the prospect of the sugary treats. 

Ellie squealed, “You can share with us! We’re good at sharing! Right, Ollie?” She elbowed her brother and he happily nodded in agreement. 

Jenny clasped her hands together in thanks, “You’re a lifesaver. I’ll be right back. You two be on your best behavior.” She ruffled the tops of their blonde heads before turning to hurry out of the office. 

You pulled open your desk drawer to show them the pile of lollipops hidden in there. Your inherent sweet tooth was worth any potential cavities. The sugar helped you get through your days of uncertainty, never knowing if the paper would go under or not. You rolled your chair out of the way to let the kids grab what flavor they wanted. 

Soon, the three of you stood around, lollipops sticking out of your mouths, while you waited for their mother to return. 

“Did you guys have fun today?” You asked. 

The twins both hopped into your chair, squished side by side, while you slowly spun them around. 

Ellie nodded, “Yeah. Mommy let us watch Moana on her phone.” 

That wasn’t exactly the answer you were looking for but a room full of introverted writers and stacks of newspapers everywhere wasn’t going to be the most fun for a young child. 

“I love Moana,” you sighed happily. “Maybe I’ll watch that when I go home tonight.” 

“I like Maui,” Ellie replied. “He’s funny. Will your mommy let you watch it on her phone?” 

You were starting to get the sense that Ellie was the dominant one of the twins. Ollie mostly grinned up at you, staying silent, with big, round eyes and cherry red staining his lips from the lollipop. He was adorable and you wanted nothing more than to eat him up. You really needed a baby of your own…

“I don’t live with my mom anymore,” you answered.

“You live alone?” She gasped, looking sad for your wellbeing, as if living alone was the worst thing her little mind could ever think of.  

You laughed, “No. I live with my boyfriend.”

Ellie made a long “ooooo” sound, followed by a fit of giggles, “A boyfriend! Is he handsome? Is he a prince?” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle to yourself, knowing Peter would get a kick out of this conversation, “Yes, I think he is very handsome and, no, he’s not a prince. Not in the royal sense, at least.” 

“I think Aladdin is handsome. I’m going to marry him,” Ellie paused to listen to what Ollie was now whispering in her ear. A mischievous grin spread across her face. “Ollie says he’s going to marry you when he grows up!” 

They both burst into high pitched giggles. 

“He thinks you’re pretty like Moana,” Ellie laughed. 

“I would be honored to marry Ollie,” you smirked, growing fonder of these two the more time you spent with them. Jenny had tried to get you to babysit for them before. You think it might be time to accept that offer. Peter and you could play house for a night. “I think he’s as sweet as a lollipop.” 

Ollie’s shoulders rose up to his ears as he shrunk into himself with a bashful smile, “I’m going to be Spider-Man when I turn 5. The real one. Not a pretend one.” His voice was hardly above a whisper and you had to lean forward to catch what he was saying. 

“You mean I’ll get to marry Spider-Man?” You widen your eyes in feign shock. Peter would absolutely love this conversation. You knew he would be just as smitten as you. “That sounds like a dream come true.” 

Ellie nudged his shoulder with hers, “He always says he loves Spider-Man because we saw him in real life one time. He swung above us when we were driving home from preschool. He waved at Ollie. It was so cool. We never saw a real live superhero before that. Mommy made us Spidey masks. I can tell her to make you one, too. Then we can all match.” 

“That sounds amazing. I think Ollie would make a wonderful Spider-Man some day.” 

“Are you guys talking about Spidey?” Harrison, the office college intern, strode up behind you with a coffee mug in hand. “He saved me one time. Some bad guys shoved me into an alley with guns to try and mug me. They were going to shoot me if I didn’t give them everything in my pockets.”

You shot him a death glare for talking about gun violence in front of the young children but he ignored you. He could tell he had them hooked with his story and was enjoying their attention. You rolled your eyes at the young man. You’d heard this tale about a hundred times before. He brought it up whenever he could. He finally had new and excited ears to listen to him. 

“Were you scared?” Ollie asked, his eyes wide . “I never sawed a real gun before.” 

“Yeah, I was so scared, but then something amazing happened.” Harrison knelt down to better hold their attention. “Spider-Man jumped down behind the bad guys. He was as silent as a cat. The bad guys didn’t even know he was there until he started talking.” 

“What did he say?” Ellie whispered, leaning in closer to catch every word. 

“He said, ‘Hey, assho- uh, I mean- hey, buttheads! You mind if I join in the fun?’ and then he started shooting his webs at them until they were all tangled up. He hung them off a street light like some human pinatas for the police to get. Then he came back with my wallet and phone in hand, tossed them over to me, patted me on the top of my head, and told me to enjoy my night.” Harrison ended his story with a satisfied sigh. 

You had asked Peter about the validity of the interns story once. He claimed he couldn’t remember the exact insistence but that it sounded like something he would do. Then he started bragging about how shocked Harrison would be if he knew you were sleeping with the “world famous” Spider-Man. That was when you had shut him up with a kiss before his boasting became too much. 

“I gotta go potty,” Ollie huffed, like it was such a shame to leave a conversation when they were discussing superheroes. You would have to get Peter to meet the kids some day in his suit. They would lose their minds. Actually, you should have him meet Harrison some time too, just to watch the young man fangirl. 

“It’s down the hall,” You pointed him in the right direction. There was only a single bathroom on the floor that the entire office had to share. 

Ollie jumped off the chair and made his way to the bathroom, pausing at the door to look over his shoulder at you. 

“That’s the one!” You called to him. “You found it! Yell if you need any help.”

He smiled and disappeared inside. 

“Did you get Spidey’s autograph?” Ellie asked Harison. 

He shook his head, “Sorry, kiddo. Not that time. I was too shaken up. If I ever meet him again, I’ll make sure to snag one for ya.” 

He tipped an invisible hat to the little girl and made his way back to his desk. Being the youngest in the office, he got stuck with the one directly next to the bathroom, in the spot no one else wanted. You watched him plop down into his rickety wooden chair and smile happily to himself. He was a good kid. Talented, with a lot of potential to be a future investigator and reporter. 

You finished your lollipop and tossed the stick in the trash, “What else did you like doing while you were here besides watching Moana and talking about Spider-Man?” 

Ellie shrugged, “Mommy let us color on some newspapers. I drew a cat farting out rainbows. We wanted to make a fort out of all the stacks of papers but she said it was too dangerous and might fall. She didn’t want us to get crushed. Can we look out the window to see if we can see her? I want to wave to her.” 

“Sure. Come on,” You took her tiny hand and helped her hop down from the chair. 

The best features of the old building were its large windows. They ran from the floor to the ceiling and had a beautiful arch at the top. They were the kind of windows you could happily stare out of for hours. 

Ellie pressed her nose up against the pane, her breath fogging up the glass, “I don’t see her yet.” 

You looked down, searching the sidewalks for Jenny, and shook your head, “Me either. I’m sure she’ll be back any moment. Keep an eye out for her.”

Your voice trailed off as something caught your attention. Two people were sprinting down the street, a look of sheer terror plastered on their face. Even from four floors up you could easily see how scared they were. The hairs on the back of your neck suddenly sprung to life as you watched more people round the corner. All running. All terrified. You couldn’t hear the screams behind the thick glass but you could see the way their faces contorted. 

They were screaming for their lives. 

You felt a strange disconnect between the people on the ground and yourself. Like watching a movie inside of a dream. They felt like they were in a different reality from your own. Behind the crowd appeared a giant ball of moving fire. It took a few seconds for your brain to process what you were seeing. The closer it got, the more you realized it wasn’t just fire. It was a man encased in the flames. At first you thought maybe he was on fire but then you realized he was the fire. He was controlling it and bending it to his will. He was what the people were running from. He was the danger they feared. 

He tossed fistfulls of balled up flames towards the running people and haphazardly shot them off into the windows of every building he passed. He was creating a flaming destruction in his wake. A villain who wanted to watch the city burn. 

And your building was next in line. 

Your hand immediately went to grab onto the back of Ellie’s shirt as your own reality finally caught up to crash with the people below. You dragged her down onto the floor just in time for the big window to explode into shards of flying glass and rain down over the tops of your heads as a ball of fire burst to life against the back wall. The wood paneling went up in flames in a matter of seconds. People were screaming as chaos broke out. They were grabbing their children and sprinting towards the nearest exit. Loose pieces of newspaper floated down around you, some igniting on fire mid flight, and sizzling to soot before they hit the ground. Glass fell from your hair to trickle down under your collar and rolled down your back as you pushed yourself onto your elbows. Ellie was whimpering beside you, tears filling her eyes, and she reached a shaky hand out to hold onto yours. You gripped it tightly, noting that she had a small, bloody cut across her cheek from where the glass hit her. 

“It’s okay,” you shouted to her. The wailing sounds of the fire alarm bursting to life deafened your words. You weren’t even sure Ellie could hear you but you were speaking more for yourself anyway. “It’s okay. You’re okay. We have to get up quickly and get out of here.” 

Tears brimmed in her eyes and you read her lips form the words, “You’re bleeding…” She pointed a fearful finger near your forehead. 

You reached up and felt a large, jagged piece of glass sticking out from over your eyebrow. You gripped onto the shard and pulled it from your skin. A rush of warm blood waterfalled down over your cheek, blurring into your eyes. You didn’t feel any pain. 

“We have to get up,” you shouted to her again. 

Ellie grabbed onto your hand as you both scrambled to your feet. 

An old, wooden building and a floor covered in newspapers were no match for the ravenous fire. It was rapidly engulfing everything it could devour. In the short amount of time you spent on the ground, half your office was gone. Between the blinding, red hot glow of the flames and the white flashing lights of the fire alarm, mixed with the deafening sounds, you were overwhelmed and disoriented. 

“Stairs…” You mumbled to yourself, trying to focus your panicked thoughts. “We have to get to the stairs.” 

Thick black smoke was already starting to fill the small space. Whatever limited vision you had seconds ago was quickly dissipating. You caught a glimpse of your boss ushering out the last few remaining employees out of the door. His arm motioned for you before a wall of smoke blocked him from view. At least you had the right direction. 

You tried your best to duck down low as you dragged Ellie behind you, keeping a death grip on her tiny hand, as you forged towards the direction of the stairs. She kept planting her heels into the ground and tugging against you. She was screaming something that couldn’t be heard over the wailing alarm. 

You yanked her by the arm up to your side and wrapped her in a tight embrace, “Stop fighting me! It’s okay! I’m going to get us out!” 

“Ollie!” She cried. “We have to get Ollie!” 

Your heart dropped into your stomach. She was right. 

Ollie was still in the bathroom. 

Your eyes scanned the room. You couldn’t see more than two feet in front of you. The smoke was starting to irritate your eyes. They burned and watered, the tears falling freely down your cheeks. 

You scooped Ellie up into your arms and sprinted as fast as you could towards the exit. Your thigh crashed into the corner of a flaming desk, sending your body jerking in the opposite direction, but you ignored the sharp pain and did your best to blindly correct your course. If you could just pass Ellie off to your boss then at least you wouldn’t have to worry about her safety while you tried to find Ollie. 

You stumbled to the exit, nearly slamming into the wall, only to find your boss already gone. You tried to pull open the door but reeled back when you felt white hot, searing pain burn into your palm. You couldn't hold back the scream of shock that burst out of you. The metal handle was impossible to hold onto with your bare skin. Thinking fast, you tried to wrap the bottom of your shirt around the handle to pull open the door. The pain still burned through the thin cotton but you managed to open it just enough to stick your foot through. You kicked the door open the rest of the way and shoved Ellie into the stairwell.

“Go down the stairs and out the door!” You shouted at her. “I’ll be right back!” 

The stairwell was pitch black apart from the flashing white light of the fire alarm. It made it difficult for your eyes to gain their bearings, making you feel off balance, like walking through a funhouse at a carnival. Ellie stood frozen in place. Her entire body was shaking with fear. Black soot was staining her skin. Her eyes were watering, either from crying or the smoke, as they illuminated with each flash of the light. Her pant leg was soaked through with urine pooling by her feet. At some point she had lost a shoe. You knew she was too petrified to move. 

“Ellie, go!” You tried to give her a small shove, knowing how important timing was to get to safety, but she didn’t budge.  

“Ollie’s scared!” She cried. “He’s scared. We have to get him. Don’t leave us! I want mommy. I want mommy. Where’s my mommy?” 

There was no time to think. No time to argue with her. No time to convince her. You were afraid that if you left her there, she wouldn’t move, or get lost, or trapped. You knew children’s instincts in fires were often to hide instead of run. You didn’t trust this 4 year old to make it out on her own. She would get lost in the crowds below. Swept away in a sea of people. You couldn’t leave her. The risk was too high. She had to come with you. 

You lunged for her hand, forcing the two of you down to your knees to army crawl under the smoke. It was getting harder to even see your two hands in front of your face. Sweat dripped down your back. Your lungs were starting to ache as they filled with toxic gas. Both you and Ellie kept coughing but you dragged her along beside you, refusing to let her out of your grasp. You knew if you let go, you wouldn’t be able to find her again. 

The wooden floors were heating up. Fire raged above you. It was on the ceiling now. Eating everything in its path. You prayed that Ollie was still inside the bathroom and that he was unharmed. You couldn’t see, struggled to breath, and your body was reaching unhealthy temperatures. 

Down the hall. 

That’s all you had to get to. Down the hall and first door on the right. 

A charred, wooden beam fell from the ceiling and landed directly against your right arm. The flames licked at your exposed skin as the wood splintered and cracked. You flinched away from the pain, nearly crawling on top of Ellie to get away from the heat. Fire was on nearly every side of you now. The left, the right, and above all glowed orange in the darkness. Orange every way you looked. It seared your retinas until all you could see was the blinding light. The heat was forcing you down as low as your body could manage, pressed tightly against the floor. 

You had no idea where in the office you were now. You didn’t know if you had traveled one foot or twenty. You just kept inching forward. You knew if you reached the back wall, you would have gone too far. 

This was a mistake. You should have gotten Ellie out first. You were leading her straight to her death. The flames would eat you both alive. 

The noise all faded into a constant loud roaring in your ears until it dulled into nothing like your ears decided to stop working. Instead, you felt the rumbling noise in your chest. Your brain was vibrating in your skull. Smoke blocked out the orange the further you crawled into the fire. It snuffed out everything in its wake. All you could see was black and all you could hear was your own blood pounding in your ears. It was like being in a terrible nightmare. If you closed your eyes, maybe you would wake up somewhere else. You felt like you were floating. Drifting. It was getting hard to breathe. You’d forgotten what fresh air felt like. Ellie was getting slower, too. You were having to drag her more. She was smaller than you. She would die first, you thought. 

A canary in the coal mine. 

You had to get to Ollie. And then what? You could hardly drag Ellie this far. There was no way you would be able to pull along two terrified children all the way back to the exit. There was no guarantee it would even still be accessible. This side of the building had no fire escapes. You’d get to the bathroom and then you’d be stuck. The three of you would be trapped inside. The fire was spreading too fast. You weren’t able to outrun it. 

Your hands bumped into something on the floor. The bump was enough to recenter your attention. You felt around with your free hand wondering if you had gone too far and hit the back wall. You fumbled around you with touch being your only working sense. This was no wall. It was something soft. Fleshy. Your hand found fingers. You traced up their arm and over their shoulder until you found a face. You dragged your body closer and tried to see through blurry, smoke filled eyes who it was. It was only when you were centimeters from their face, your noses touching, that you could make out any features. 

Harrison was staring back up at you. His bright blue eyes were unblinking. His face still. You shook his shoulder but his eyes showed no signs of life. Half of his face was bright red and outlined in charred black from where the fire had devoured his flesh. It had eaten him nearly down the skull. There was no breath in his lungs. No life in his eyes. He was gone. 

Dead. 

He had just turned 20 last month. 

Harrison’s desk was right next to the bathroom. 

That was the only thought you allowed yourself to think. Your emotions had disappeared along with your hearing. Your mind was set on a single track. 

Get to the bathroom. 

That was it. 

That was the goal. 

You crawled over Harrison’s body. Your knees sunk into his chest, feeling the crack of his ribs underneath you, as you pushed your weight off him to propel yourself forward. Ellie was like a dead weight, a ball and chain, attached to your arm that you had to drag along with you. Her head was lolling limply back and forth as you pulled her over the body after you. She wasn’t moving on her own anymore. Maybe she was dead, too. Maybe you were dragging the corpse of a child around. You didn’t know. You didn’t care. You just had to get the two of you to the bathroom. Dead or alive.

You used your hand to feel along the wall for the bathroom door. The old wallpaper bubbled under your skin. A part of your brain was telling you that what you were touching was extremely hot and burning your flesh but, since you no longer felt anything, you didn’t stop until your fingers brushed over a hinge. 

You scrambled around for the handle, gripping it tightly, and yanked open the door. Heavy black smoke immediately flooded into the tiny room. You quickly pulled Ellie and you onto the tiled floor and slammed the door closed with your foot. You lay staring up at the white ceiling being clouded with rising smoke. Your lungs sucked in the cleaner air. The fire hadn’t touched this room yet. Besides the smoke that you let in when you opened the door, it was relatively untouched. 

An oasis amongst the desert sands. 

You slowly let your eyes wander into the corner where Ollie sat huddled. His legs were pulled tight against his chest and his arms were clinging onto them. He stared at you with wide eyes, glancing tearfully between your soot covered face and his motionless sister. 

A surprised laugh fell from your lips which quickly turned into another coughing fit. You rolled onto your side, hacking up black saliva over the white floor. 

“You’re alive,” you croaked out to the scared little boy. 

You forced yourself to sit up. Wads of wet paper towels were lined up on the ground. You realized Ollie had stuffed them under the door to stop the smoke. Smart kid. They have been pushed to the side when you opened the door. You quickly bent down to shove them back into the cracks, keeping the smoke at bay, and then turned to find Ellie. 

She looked so small face down on the floor. Her pink t-shirt and blonde hair were now completely black. You rolled her onto her back in a daze. It was hard to think. Hard to move. You felt like your limbs were full of wet cement. You stumbled onto your feet, your head spinning with a pounding headache, and grabbed some brown paper towels from the dispenser. You tried to run them under the sink but the faucet wasn’t working so you dunked them into the toilet water instead. Then you turned to Ellie and began wiping the soot from her mouth and her blocked nostrils. Her chest rose with short, labored breaths. Her eyes were caked close from the greasy smoke residue so you tried your best to wipe them clean too. She was still alive but she wouldn’t be for much longer if she didn’t get out of here. There was no way you’d be able to carry her body back through those horrors with Ollie in tow. You were too weak. Too sick. The three of you were trapped. This would be your fiery coffin. 

“Spider-Man will save us.” 

Ollie’s tiny whisper hardly reached your broken ears. You gazed through half closed lids over your shoulder to look at the boy. You were starting to forget who he was or what his name was. His words felt foreign to you. All your thoughts were moving at a sluggish pace. 

Spider-Man. 

Save us. 

Yes…yes…Peter. 

You fumbled to grab your phone out of your pocket. Of course, Peter would save you. There was still hope. 

The black grime coating your fingers wouldn’t let you use the touch screen and you let out a frustrated cry.

“Siri!” You whined, the desperation heavy in your tone. “Call Peter Parker.” 

“Calling Peter Parker,” her pleasant, robotic tones echoed back to you. It was a stark contrast to the nightmare you were currently living through. 

You sunk against the wall, slumping into yourself, feeling like the world was spinning. Peter would know about the man with the fire. He would know he was on your street. He would know it was your building. He would have been searching for you right now. You’d just have to stay awake long enough for him to find you.

It rang twice before his panicked voice answered, “Where are you? Tell me you're safe.” He sounded breathless and far away to you, like listening to an echo bouncing off an underpass. Your body was starting to shut down. 

“Bathroom. Trapped.” It was all you could say before what little vision you had left started to fade. You didn't have much time left. The oxygen in the room was running out. 

A small hand wrapped over your wrist as the boy snuggled up to your side. 

Ollie. His name was Ollie. 

Ollie and Ellie. The cutest set of twins you had ever seen. 

It was supposed to be a good day. 

“Spider-Man is on the phone,” you mumbled to the frightened child. “Talk to him. He’ll keep…keep…keep you safe…he’ll find you…” 

Ollie picked up the phone. He was speaking into it but you couldn’t make out anything he was saying. You were floating away to wherever Ellie’s mind was currently being held. Someplace away from here. Away from the flames. Someplace without smoke. Somewhere you could breathe again. 

You were going to close your eyes. Just for a minute…one, little, short minute…

A crashing rumble of bricks being smashed startled you back to life. You tried to take in what was happening but your brain was stuck in a haze. One of your hands was clutched onto the front of Ellie’s shirt and the other was holding onto Ollie. Someone else was in the room with you. It was smokier than it had been when you had closed your eyes. Time had passed, that much you knew, though you were unsure how much. Something was breaking a wall. Bricks were flying. It was filling the room with white smoke to compete with the black and blocking out whatever sunlight was attempting to push through the holes being created. 

“It’s okay,” Ollie spoke into your ear as he curled up next to your side, noticing that you were awake again. “Spider-Man is here. He’s saving us just like you said.” 

Peter. 

Your sweet, beautiful Peter. You had no idea when he got here or how but he was here and he was breaking apart the side of the building with his bare hands so they could escape. 

You tried to focus your attention on Ellie. Her eyes were open now and she was curled onto her side. She was weak but somehow she was still alive.

The masked face of Spider-Man appeared in your line of sight. His hands were on either side of your cheeks as he cradled your face in his palms. 

“Stay with me. Don’t you drift off again. I’m getting you out of here.” 

There was a steadfast determination in his voice. Many months ago he once told you that he refused to ever let you die. You had laughed at him then, telling him that was impossible, not even Peter Parker could control death. He had told you it didn’t matter. He would fight Death himself with nothing but his two fists if it meant getting to hold onto you for another day. 

He had meant it then and he was proving it now. 

“Get the kids first,” you croaked. “Get Ellie to an ambulance.” 

“I can hold all of you at the same time!” He bent down to scoop Ellie into his arms. She offered no resistance but was too weak to hold onto him herself. Her head flopped against his shoulder and her eyes closed. Ollie leapt up into his other arm and clung tightly around his neck. 

He couldn’t hold all of you and manage his webs at the same time. He was lying to himself and to you. 

“Can you get on my back?” He tried to fight the reality he was being faced with. He didn’t want to leave you behind but you both knew the children needed to be evacuated first. As stubborn as he was, not even Peter would choose you over them. Children came first. Always. That was the life and sacrifice of a hero. 

“Peter,” you ordered, forcing what little energy you had into your words. “Take the kids. Hurry. You’re wasting time.” 

The fire was at the door. You could feel its heat on your back as you leaned against the wall. The smoke was pushing through the cracks. The wet paper towels had long since failed their duty at keeping it at bay. Time was slipping through your fingers.  

“I’ll be right back!” He shouted. “Stay alive or I’m going to kill you.” 

Then he was gone. 

The smoke was becoming too much. The heat was getting too strong. It forced you to drag yourself across the floor towards the hole in the wall. You let your head hang outside, gulping at the fresh air as the black smoke rose above you. The smell of singed, burning hair hit your nose. You could see the ends sizzling orange from your peripheral vision. You were starting to feel pain again as some of your senses slowly returned. You looked down at the pavement four stories below you. It was getting too hot to bear. Your skin was screaming. A part of you wanted to keep dragging your body into the fresh air even if it meant you’d fall. For that one second of falling, you’d be free from the oppressive heat. Behind you meant death. In front of you meant death. 

All that you had left was Peter. 

At least the kids were out. If you were able to accomplish anything today, it was that. 

Even if Peter did most of the work. You were able to start what he could finish. 

Your lids felt heavy. Your breath was weezing. Your chest ached and your right fist was clenched close from the pain. The skin on your palm was black and peeling from where you had gripped onto the burning door handle. You wanted it all to be over. 

The pavement never looked so enticing. 

It was supposed to be a good day. 

You dragged yourself further out the hole so your entire chest was now hanging over the edge. Your body was craving the clean air. It desperately wanted to escape the heat. You pulled yourself a little further. Inch by inch. Flirting with the idea of death. 

“Oh, no you don’t!” 

The scruff of your shirt was balled into a fist as you were lifted upright into the safety of Peter’s arms. You were swinging through the air. The wind in your face never felt so delicious as it slid down your shriveled lungs. He was holding you tightly to his chest and using one arm to swing you away from the burning building. 

Tears sprung into your irritated, red eyes. 

You were out. Free from the fire. Free from the smoke. Alive. 

“I got you, baby,” he chirped against your ear. “I got you. I’m not letting you go anywhere I can’t follow.” 

He landed softly on a rooftop a few blocks from the chaos. There were people who still needed his help. A villain to be fought. Damage control be done. 

But he didn’t care about any of that. 

Peter placed you delicately onto your bottom on the roof and he knelt down in front of you, tugging off his mask to get a proper look. 

“I’m going to bring you straight to the hospital but I need to see you first,” he whispered. “I just need to look at you…make sure you’re still here with me.” 

He slipped his hands free from his gloves to push back your singed hair from your face. He grabbed his mask to carefully wipe away some of the soot from your eyes. 

“You look like you clawed your way straight outta hell,” he smiled down at you but his eyes held his real feelings of worry behind them. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. You both knew how close to losing you he had come today. 

You cracked a half hearted smile of your own, “I think I did.” Your voice was unrecognizable to your own ears and a constant, high pitched shrieking sound kept ringing in your head. 

“You’re okay,” he asked. 

You weren’t sure if it was meant as a question for you to answer or a statement he was speaking to help ease his anxious heart. 

“I’m okay,” you replied. “I’m alive, at least.” 

The further away you got from the fire, the more pain you started to feel. It wasn’t just your hand that was hurting now, the pain was shooting all the way down your back, and your right arm felt stiff and unable to move.

“I told you I wouldn’t ever let you die. That’s not allowed. We’re going to die together, hand in hand, snuggled up in bed like The Notebook.” Peter leaned his forehead against your own and took a deep breath. 

“Okay,” you mumbled, lost in the moment of softness, until the thought of Ellie and Ollie crashed to the surface. You gasped and jerked away, horror etched onto your face. “The twins!” 

He tugged you to him, kissing your temple, “They’re safe. I send them off in an ambulance. I think the little boy will be fine. The girl looked like she was suffering from serious smoke inhalation. I had to give her CPR when I showed up. She wasn’t breathing. I got her to wake up. She’ll be seen right away. Speaking of which-” He stood back up, pulling his gloves and mask back on. “The hospital is exactly where we need to get you.” 

Peter scooped you back into his arms and hopped onto the ledge of the roof, “You ready?” 

“I’m ready.” 

[wolfytae-exe]

🩵⊹₊ ⋆ first and last love | CHOI BEOMGYU

pairing: bsf!beomgyu x gn!reader

genre: drabble; fluff, my attempt at simple humour and suggestive.

wc: 1.2k

synopsis: you've had more crushes than you've properly fallen in love. why is that? because of the boy you grew up with who seemed to take up the space in your heart—designed for him only.

warnings: beomgyu's so flirty, physical affection, beomgyu has a way with his confession, kisses, neck kisses, reader so whipped over gyu :< beomgyu satoori >//< not proofread :')

a/n: hi cici!! I was 🫧 anon <3 I hope that you're looking after yourself and I hope you enjoy this! I'm so sorry this was late!

"I can feel your heart beating so fast right now, you good?" beomgyu whispers by your ear. his arms were stretched out above you, one hand lingers by your waist with a soft grip.

you shut your eyes for a second, trying to work on slowing down the pulse of your heart but how can you when the proximity between you was too close.

"can you please just get him off?" you plead softly, refusing to move in case toto will start flying away, his talons tangled in your hair.

beomgyu chuckles at your stiff frame, making tutting noises at toto so he would move onto his arm and place his feathered friend on his shoulder.

"toto, you made them nervous." he laughs but you knew it was out of endearment, and his hand's still on your waist, rubbing up and down your side, relaxing your shoulders from the gentle touches.

no matter how many times you've visited beomgyu's family, and toto, he still hasn't warmed up to you—screaming, or always going straight to the top of your head.

"a-anyway, um, what do you want to do today?" you hastily walk over to his bench window, sitting up right and still a little on edge in case his green friend flies off of his shoulder and back onto your crown.

looking out the window your eyes flicker at the way the trees dance in the wind. perhaps going outside wasn't on the agenda for today.

"you want to make out?"

"sorry what?" you were quick to catch those words. and the return of your heart palpitating in your chest has your cheeks furiously heating up from embarrassment.

"I asked if you want to make out with me." beomgyu walks into the corner of the room where toto's cage is, shuffling the cage so he wouldn't be in sight.

you weren't too sure if he was joking or if he just wanted to catch you off guard, but him asking you this question was not on your bingo card. he always had a special place in your heart. perhaps the reason why your crushes never lasted so long because beomgyu was there occupying your mind and your heart.

"earth to ___?" he calls out your name.

you shut your eyes for a long blink and when you open them you see beomgyu sitting beside you with a small pout and a raised brow.

"are you sure?" you ask. your face mirrors his expression as you turn your body towards him.

"yeah, I've been wanting to kiss you for years. I know you're not talking to anyone right now, so please just let me kiss you." he says it so nonchalantly like it wasn't the most bizarre thing to process.

your best friend—who you've loved all your life—wants to kiss you—because he's wanted to do that from who knows how long.

you scoff out a chuckle, fascinated by the way he managed to confess to you in a way you never thought or heard anyone ever confess to you before.

"I'm being serious, ___. I like you a lot, but I really want those pretty lips on mine." he leans a little closer, an estimate of ten centimetres between you as he awaits your confirmation.

"did you know that I've like you all my life, gyu?" you lean back on your hands, planting them into the cushion of the bench while you look up at the man before you with doe eyes.

"if I say yes, can I kiss you then?" he wasn't backing down.

"how do I know you didn't just fake a confession just to get me to kiss you? or for you to lure out my confession for you?" you probe, narrowing your eyes at your best friend. you know how he works, his little tricks and deception to get his way with things. but beomgyu isn't like that with you. you mean too much to him for him to do that to you, surely.

he sighs, facing the ceiling for a split second before scooting closer on the seat, the sides of your thighs touching and his hand cupping the side of your neck away from him.

"if you don't want me to kiss you just tell me to stop," he whispers lowly, and you figured his daegu dialect kicked in. "or you can kiss me back and I'd be the happiest guy in the galaxy."

you giggle at his exaggeration, but your heart starts to pick up again, your chest heaving slightly when beomgyu leans into your neck, delicately placing a kiss to your skin and another to the side of it and so forth.

your fingers find their way to tangle in his dark locks, sighing after every searing kiss, setting afire to the spot under your ear. once he heard your sweet whimper he transitions those gentle kisses to open-mouthed light sucking.

"beomgyu-" you sigh, eyes fluttering shut after he hums with his lips still latched onto your skin, the vibrations sending tingles across your body. "kiss me."

he smiles against your skin, the hold on the side of your neck a little stronger.

"that's my baby." is all you make out from his mumble before he connects his lips with yours.

it was like a dream come true, as cheesy as that is. but you never knew you'd ever be kissing your best friend, let alone asking you to kiss him.

he was gentle with it–you could feel the longing and subtle passion he had for you. a familiar hand settles back on your waist again, this time his fingers subtly slide up and under your top, his calloused finger tips skimming against your skin.

the room was silent, but the ambient noise of the wind making the trees rustle outside was a contrast to both your sighs picking up, getting heavier by the second.

"mph- gyu-" you attempt to speak between his lighter pecks, "I really hope you like me just as much. because I wasn't lying when I said I've liked you all my life."

you both pull away, foreheads resting against each other, chests heaving, lips plump and wanting more.

"I would never lie to you about that. okay perhaps I did a little." he admits.

you push his chest away from you to take a look at him properly, a hint of disgust visible on your face.

"I mean I don't like you, because I love you, ___." beomgyu was quick to explain, not wanting to let go of his hold on you.

you roll your eyes at him, playfully shoving his shoulder and feigning an angered manner. "you really made me think you were just using me to quench your thirst of kisses, beomgyu."

he laughs but wraps his arms around your torso, pulling you into a hug with his face buried in your neck.

"mmh, I'm sorry. I love you, I love you. I swear I was just messing with you for a sec. I really do love you." he confesses again in between light kisses against the other side of your neck. the sensation had your head reeling.

"okay, lover boy." your chortle quickly turns into a breathy whine. "that spot right there."

beomgyu acts upon your bidding, harshly sucking onto the area then delicately licking the spot.

"you didn't say it back." you can feel him pouting against you before he repeats and sucks on a different area that has your breath hitching.

"I love you. I love you. I love you so much, gyu." you relay, eyes still shut from the overwhelming feeling of slight pain from his teeth interfering but also the adrenaline from finally confessing to your first and, most likely, last love.

© BOBA-BEOM ; all rights reserved. do not repost, alter or translate in any way or platform.

EEK 🫧ANON IS SMILES REVEALEDDDDD

[megamindsecretlair]

WIP Friday

Forgive me, my loves, I was writing like crazy all week! I haven't worked on any fics this week, too busy trying to survive my last week of probation! 🥳 and get this book idea out of my head. Zora and Jasper are just entirely too cute. And I can't wait for you to meet them!

Thanks for the tag: @nerdieforpedro @slippinninque @harmshake and @multiversefanfics

I decided to share a little snippet from With These Words. Be kind 🥹 I'm sensitive bout my shit 🤣 also please don't steal or repost. This is completely original work. Also keep in mind that this is a very rough draft. 'Mkay byeeee

“Oh, shit,” she said, staring at the window. They had been talking and laughing so much, they hadn’t noticed that it was raining. The sky only mentioned a ten percent chance of rain. She hadn’t brought an umbrella.

“Oh, damn,” Jasper said.

“I didn’t bring an umbrella,” she groaned. She and her things were going to get absolutely soaked walking in the rain.

“Me neither. My car is close, I can drive you home.”

Zora waved him off. “It’s okay. I just…didn’t have getting soaked to the bone on my bingo card,” she said and smiled at him. Crap. That was going to be a long ass walk. She bit her lip, wondering how dangerous it would be to run in the rain. Maybe a brisk walk? If she took a shower right when she got home and drank some tea, would she still get sick?

“Zora, we’re taking my car. No arguments,” he said, his voice getting deeper as he issued the command.

Her mouth dropped as she blinked at him and he grinned. He leaned in close. “No arguments. C’mon,” he said.

His eyes dipped down and she bit her lip. His eyes narrowed briefly before he leaned away, standing up and collecting his things. Zora was slower on the uptick, getting up after him.

“You really—”

“Don’t say it. You really think I would let you walk in the rain like this?” He asked.

“Let me?” Zora asked.

“Let you. We’re friends, right? Friends look out for each other. Wouldn’t you do the same for me?” He asked.

“Of course,” she said, no hesitation. It felt like he was always doing something nice for her. Something sweet. Always making her feel better or reminding her with a simple gesture that not every human being was an asshole. How did she compete with that? How did she begin to pay him back?

“Then let me do this for you, too,” he said. Done with packing their things, he gestured for her to walk ahead of him.

Her stomach still twisted in knots as they rode the elevator to the first floor. This still felt wrong. Like she was taking advantage of his kindness. It was easy for her to do for others what she couldn’t accept in return.

She liked helping others, liked being kind, but she was not a nice person. Her face often betrayed her true thoughts, and she had little patience for others. She felt like he was going completely out of his way to help and she didn’t want that.

They crossed the library to the entrance, the sliding glass doors were the only barrier to the deluge of rain coming down, pounding the pavement hard enough to bounce.

Jasper took off his jacket. “Take my jacket so you don’t get too soaked,” he said. “And please don’t argue, I’ll just win.”

Zora sucked her teeth. “Only if we share. I don’t want you to get sick on my account,” she said.

Jasper narrowed his eyes, an adorable scowl on his pretty face. He looked outside, at the rain, and then looked back at her. “Fine. But only because I turn into a giant baby when I’m sick and I don’t want you to feel guilty,” he said and grinned.

“Guilty is my middle name,” she said with a laugh.

“Zora Guilty Underwood,” he said, rolling the words around his tongue. “Different, but I’m with it.”

“You are so damn corny!” She said.

Jasper chuckled and then threw his jacket over the both of them. He was much taller, the jacket only barely covering her. If the rain had wind behind it, she would get soaked either way.

Jasper pulled her closer to his body. “Wrap your arm around my waist. We’ll go quick and I don’t wanna lose your shrimpy ass,” he said.

Zora elbowed him in the stomach and Jasper flinched with a laugh. She stepped closer anyway, wrapping her arm around his waist. This was the most contact they’ve had by far and it conjured all sorts of thoughts.

God, he smelled amazing. Felt amazing. Working out next to him was nothing in comparison to wrapping her arm around him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, licking his lips briefly as they got closer.

From this close, she could see his long eyelashes fan across his cheeks whenever he blinked. Why were guys blessed with pretty eyelashes? Why was Jasper so pretty in general? She wanted to study and stare at him, uninterrupted.

Jasper cleared his throat. “Ready?” He asked.

Zora took a deep breath and tore her gaze away from his. “Ready,” she said and squealed as they left the library.

The rain hadn’t hit them yet because of the overhang of the library. But once they crossed from under it, the rain was unforgiving. It pelted them like crazy and they laughed as they remarked on it.

Whew! I'd love to know what yall think. They make me siccckkkk 😭

No pressure tags: @soft-persephone @murder-wife @umber-cinders @babybratzmaraj @mybonafidefeelings

[questionableratatouille00]

ᴏᴜᴛꜱɪᴅᴇ

Pairing: Sambucky (Sam Wilson x Bucky Barnes) 

Summary: Sam and Bucky swim together as Bucky recalls the past. 

Bingo Fill: ‘Cookout/Summer Camp/Stargazing/Hiking’ on my ‘Vacation’ card for @sambuckylibrary’s sambucky summer bingo!

Warnings: brief mention of something bad happening (non-specified), let me know if anything else should be tagged.

Bucky folded another table cloth, looking around and making sure there was no garbage on the ground.

Sam was doing the same at another table, and Bucky glanced at him every so often. 

It was the day after the party, and now they were just cleaning up anything that hadn’t been cleaned up the day before.

“After we finish this, you up for some swimming?” Sam called. “Shit, it’s hot out here.” 

Bucky hesitated for a moment, pausing. And then, he nodded. “Sounds good to me.” 

Sam also nodded, before going back to cleaning. Bucky couldn’t help but notice how his shorts hugged his ass. He mentally slapped himself, cursing himself for even thinking that.

When they were done cleaning, both boys went inside the house and went to their separate rooms to get changed. 

Bucky had been around so often that Sarah had cleaned out the old guest room for him. The gesture—though she argued it was small—meant a lot to him. He grabbed his swim trunks from his bag, staring at them. 

They were basic dark blue swim trunks. But the idea of being shirtless—he didn’t like it. Being shirtless outside was already a horrible idea, but shirtless outside fully knowing that people would see—that Samwould see? It made him want to shrivel up and die. 

He glanced at his left hand, eyeing it anxiously. He knew all too well about the gnarly scarring on his left shoulder, along with all of the scars on his torso. He had plenty of those, too. He was muscular—he wasn’t insecure about his physique, surprisingly, but he definitely wasn’t confident in his skin. And he was pale, too. Isn’t that not a good thing these days? It is, but it isn’t. 

He didn’t have the time to contemplate modern trends right now. He needed to just grow up and get over it. 

He begrudgingly got changed. He slipped on some Hey Dude shoes he’d gotten, and they were one of his favorite pairs of shoes he’d ever had. They were comfy, easy to get on and off, and they had a pretty design, too.

And just as he was about to leave the bedroom—his bedroom——

—he turned around and grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on. Goddamnit.

He walked down the stairs and found Sam, who was waiting by the door with two towels. He tossed Bucky one, and then snickered. 

“You need some sunscreen?” He teased. Bucky looked around to check if the kids were around before flipping Sam the bird.

Bucky followed Sam out to the water. His swim trunks were red, and he wore a black shirt. 

When the reached the water, Sam dropped his towel on the dock and pulled off his shirt. Bucky glanced away, though he desperately wanted to look.

He dropped his towel on the dock, too, before taking off his shoes. And then..he pulled off his shirt. He took a second to get used to the feeling, taking a few deep breaths.

He followed Sam into the water, swimming around with him. 

“Where’d you learn how to swim?” Sam asked suddenly. Bucky glanced down. Did he look weird? Is that why Sam was asking? 

He glanced back up at Sam’s face, realizing there was no judgment on his face. 

“Summer camp. In 1927. I can’t remember what it was called, but I do remember that there was a lake.” Bucky recalled. He remembered that summer camp. 

He’d been ten, and sleeping in a cot in a huge tent with other boys. They swam together, ate together, got changed together. He made a lot of friends, he thinks. None of those friendships lasted, obviously, most likely due to the lack of communication options in the time period. 

He felt himself zoning out as he found the memory.

There was a lake. A large tent. A mess hall for them to eat in. Trails for hiking. Places for crafts. Things like working with leather and crafting knives. Typical 1927 boy stuff.

Something happened at that camp. Something did, he was sure of it. He couldn’t remember if it was good or bad. No, whatever had happened there was definitely bad. Something told him that his brain was blocking it off for now for a reason.

He did know that he had started to realize that he was gay there. He’d never fully understand that until seven years later, but that summer had kickstarted the whole thing. 

What the hell had happened there that he couldn’t remember?

“Yeah? How was that?” Sam chuckled, snapping Bucky from his thoughts. They treaded the water, facing each other. They were a comfortable three feet apart.

“Fine. We were all butt-naked and it counted as bathing, but fine.” Bucky said, purposefully being expressionless.

Sam couldn’t keep himself from breaking into a smile. “Man, it’s like every time I talk to you, you just drop some random detail that throws off my entire day.” Sam laughs. Bucky grins, too, his lack of a shirt long forgotten.

“Okay, well, how did you learn to swim?” Bucky asked after a long moment of laughter. 

“Right here. I think I was five or six.” Sam grinned.

“You learned to swim here?” Bucky echoes. Sam nods.

“I grew up here, man.” Sam reminds him. 

Bucky nods, reminding himself of that.

“There were hiking trails, and the stars were beautiful. Yeah, we had pollution too, but not like now. You could see the stars every night, there.” Bucky murmured. He remembered that. The stars—there was one trail, that led to a field where there weren’t any trees and it was the best place to stargaze.

“Yeah?” Sam looked at Bucky, and Bucky tried his hardest not to stare at his chest.

He nodded. “Mhm.” 

“I can’t say it’s the same as 1930s summer camp, but the stars are pretty nice out here, too.” Sam raised a brow a little, a soft smile on his face.

“Oh, yeah?” Bucky felt a grin on his own face.

“Yeah. Y’know, I think Sarah’s got some camp chairs. If you want, you and I could see how it compares.” Sam said, a shameless look in his eyes.

Bucky smirked softly, before nodding. “We’ll see if it’s as good as it used to be.”

a/n: yeah uh I did actually combine the last couple of prompts but uhm merry Christmas

dividers by @saradika-graphics

[chenziee]

The Heart in the Cage

I'm so sorry for the delay! Work and life in general's been a total dumpster fire the past two weeks 💀 I'll try to get the next one asap but I sadly can't promise anything concrete OTL

Written for: - @truffyfest Summer of Lawlu 2024 - Week 2: CONFESSION | HEART SWAP | “I thought I’d lost you.” - OP Bingo 2023: Volcano - @opfluffzine Wheel of Fluff event: Communication

[ READ ON AO3 | CHAINS OF FATE | COMM INFO ]

----------

“You want to do what?” 

Luffy snickered at Law’s question. He did expect him to protest the idea but his shocked tone and horrified expression was just something else and Luffy just couldn’t help it. It was too funny, okay?

“Stop laughing, do you realise how serious what you’re asking is?” Law hissed, his frustration more than apparent.

“Sorry, Torao.” Luffy gulped, forcing his mirth down.

For a few seconds, Torao just continued glaring at him, as if to make sure Luffy wasn’t going to start giggling again… and maybe to try and convey how very unimpressed with Luffy he was. But finally, he sighed. 

“Tell me why exactly should I go ahead with this stupid idea?”

“Because you love me!” Luffy answered immediately with a wide smile on his face, leaning forward to peer at Law’s face. There was a complicated look in his sharp, beautiful eyes, a look that told Luffy that he was fighting with himself over it.

Clicking his tongue, Law shoved Luffy’s face away. “That has nothing to do with it. In fact, it’s all the more reason why I shouldn’t do it.” He narrowed his eyes at Luffy, pointing his finger at Luffy and poking at the centre of his chest. “If my heart is in there and something happens to me, you’re dead, Luffy.”

“So?” Luffy asked, a pout making its way on his lips.

Law inhaled sharply, and it looked like he was counting to ten in his mind before he replied, “So, I’m not going to do it. It’s too fucking risky!” He paused, closing his eyes for a second before shooting Luffy a look. “Why do you want me to switch our hearts anyway?”

With a small huff, Luffy slumped against the backrest of the aquarium bar’s couch, watching as the dim light reflecting off of the water dances across Law’s skin, his face, his hair. There were still some barely visible scratches and bruises, a bandage tightly wrapped around his left forearm where his soulmark was. Covering the deep, long slash Torao got from Blackbeard days ago. Chopper said it was likely going to scar, marring his skin forever.

Leaving a mark where only Luffy’s presence should be…

All the while Luffy was on Egghead and completely unaware anything was wrong until after the crew and everyone else got to safety and he thought to check Torao’s vivre card.

They were lucky Bepo was able to get Law to safety before anything worse happened to him, or any of the Heart Pirates.

“It’s just…” Luffy gestured with his hand vaguely. “We’re gonna go our separate ways again. I wanna have something to connect to you.”

“You have my vivre card. I have yours. Pretty sure Nami-ya still has Bepo’s. We have literal soulmarks. You even made us get fucking tattoos,” Law pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

Luffy groaned and looked away, turning to study the fish swimming happily in the aquarium. “It’s slow, okay? If your heart is with me, I’ll know immediately that I need to check your vivre card.”

When Law didn’t say anything for a while, Luffy glanced back at him. He was surprised to find Law’s own eyes boring into him, studying Luffy’s expression and searching his eyes for something. What that something was, Luffy had no idea… but he decided to wait until Law found it—or gave up. 

It took a long while for either of them to say anything; they quietly looked at each other, the silence hanging around them heavy but somehow, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Rather, it felt like a sense of understanding connected them, an invisible string that tied them together and linked them and their thoughts. Somehow, Luffy wouldn’t mind sitting here like this all afternoon. For some reason, he didn’t think he’d even get bored.

… Okay, maybe not the whole afternoon but he could definitely do a few minutes no problem!

But that wasn’t the point.

“What is this really about, Straw Hat-ya?”

Luffy froze at the question, blinking at Law blankly. What was it about? He didn’t really think about it when he suggested the heart swapping, didn’t bother searching for a reason. Thinking wasn’t his strong suit, after all; the idea occurred to him and it felt right so he just said it… But well—

“I don’t know! Does it matter?” Luffy asked, tilting his head to the side. “It’s not a big deal, and I know you’ve done it already two years ago!”

Law startled at the revelation, obviously not expecting Luffy to know. He stared at Luffy with wide eyes for a moment, before a groan escaped him. “It was Penguin, wasn’t it?”

“Yep!” Luffy confirmed with a laugh. “He also said you told him you’d toss him overboard if he ever told me.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Law grumbled, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “It was a temporary measure to help with treatment. You basically had a volcano erupt in your lungs and you’d have died if I didn’t do it. There’s no medical reason now.”

“Was there one back then though?” Luffy teased, poking Law’s shoulder. “I mean, you could have used anyone’s heart. Or just left me be!”

Seeing the scowl Torao gave him, Luffy couldn’t help but burst out laughing. That only seemed to make Law more annoyed… which in turn made Luffy laugh harder. 

“You’re right, I should have just let you die,” Torao grumbled, rolling his eyes at Luffy’s amusement.

With one last snicker, Luffy shuffled closer, pressing a quick, loud kiss to Law’s cheek before he poked Torao’s side again. “I think your reason was the same as mine is now,” he said quietly.

“I’m not lying on the operating table with a hole in my chest, connected to a ventilator and on the verge of total heart failure,” Law shot back, his voice completely flat and entirely unimpressed.

“Maybe, but when I saw your vivre card, I still thought I’d lost you for a moment. I never wanted to feel that way again after Mingo almost killed you.” Luffy shrugged.

When Law didn’t say anything, Luffy hummed, looking at Law questioningly, only to find a complicated expression on his face. Did he say something weird? He didn’t think he did but seeing how Torao was staring at him…

“What did I say?!” Luffy cried out defensively, only for Law to heave a deep sigh.

“You’re saying that? Did you forget you actually died not three weeks ago?” Law said, narrowing his eyes at Luffy.

That only served to prove Luffy right! “See?!” He grinned victoriously. “We’re thinking the same thing!”

“We are so not,” Law hissed.

Waving his hand dismissively, Luffy shuffled closer still, throwing his legs over Torao’s lap as he made himself comfortable in his personal space. Law didn’t seem to mind, automatically placing one hand over Luffy’s knee. Luffy’s smile widened at the gesture.

“Torao~” he sang. “Let's do it.”

“You’re such a brat.” Law sighed, shooting Luffy an annoyed look and Luffy grinned victoriously—making Torao click his tongue. “Wipe that look off your face, you won nothing.”

“But you’re gonna do it so I win!” Luffy announced, sticking his tongue out.

As Law rolled his eyes at him and a Room formed around the two of them, Luffy felt warmth pooling in his chest, spreading throughout his entire body. Wow, he really loved this man, didn’t he? It was ridiculous; it felt like every day, he was falling deeper—soulmate or not, it didn’t matter to him.

The birdcage he carried on his thigh didn’t matter to him—it was crushed anyway, just like Law’s chain was snapped, just like it should be. They didn’t need their soulmarks. They didn’t need fate.

And seeing Law’s heart, watching as it beat strongly in his hands, feeling its warmth as he inserted it into his own chest…

He was never more sure of that.

Never more sure this was where he should be.

[rearranged-fanfic]

(Update 6/3)

Sit down a spell, weary traveler. Come and sit by my fire; bask in the warmth of the flame and rest your aching scrolling finger. You'll be sitting a while, for I have a tale to tell:

Okay, so I've had a Toshiba laptop for the better part of ten years. Maybe a little longer. That laptop has survived being struck by lightning, submerged in a bathtub, and literally having a whole bookcase topple down onto it. I thought it was immortal...

I was sadly mistaken.

About six months ago, I noticed that the typing was getting sluggish. I'd patter away at the keyboard and the letters would appear with a bit of lag. That's fine, since I use Dragon to talk-to-text for quite a bit of my writing. I really only use the keyboard for final assembly, editing, and doing quick rewrites. So, it really didn't bother me. Fastforward to April, which we will call The Great Depression. The time discrepancy between typing and having letters appear on screen became a whopping 40 seconds. Yes, I timed it.

But that was okay, because I could still use my Dragon headset.

Until I couldn't.

It would connect, but the words wouldn't appear on screen. I made sure that all of my programs were up-to-date, and that everything was working. The headset connected to my family's computers just fine. So that meant it was something wrong with mine.

Without being sure if it was the hardware or software at fault, I backed everything up to OneDrive and Google Docs.

I factory reset.

Twice. To no avail.

Over the next few days, my laptop stopped registering any keyboard input at all. It got to a point where I wasn't able to turn it on or off.

Taking it to an electronics store to get repaired didn't help, either. No luck. They said that it would be more cost effective to just buckle down and get a new one, since the age of the laptop meant that I would probably be constantly maintaining it.

My poor Toshiba died kicking and screaming, putting up a fight worthy of an epic ballad.

I saved up for a few weeks, got a new laptop, and went through the rigmarole of getting all of my programs back on it. My files are in order. My life is in shambles (but that's normal, LOL).

I DID do some story work without my computer, but... it's bad. Like, I'd die in shame if I posted anything that I thumbed in. So. Many. Spelling. Errors. How people write on their phone is beyond me. That's a talent I simply don't possess.

At this point, I'm thinking of renaming this story "HIATUS" lol. JK. But I'm seriously peeved that this happened after my last big break. Why couldn't the Depression and laptop breakdown coincide nicely? I guess that's too much to ask of the universe *Shakes fist at the sky*.

I'm creating a damn bingo card for every stupid thing that happens to me while I try to write. Because this is getting ridiculous. I broke my fingers, there was a total solar eclipse, I had a major-ish mental breakdown, and my computer bit the big one. With a free space, that's a bingo. Let's hope I don't get a blackout before the end of 2024.

I doubted the fanfiction curse. I really did. But it's apparently real. And this writer's curse has teeth, people. It bites hard.

I have my MerMay two-shot pretty well done (because I was typing it during The Great Depression), but the next chapter for REARRANGED is still rough. Crimson Chapter 3 is halfway done, but who knows how long that'll take.

The bottom line is that I'm alive and still working on the stories. The next update on this blog will be the posting of several chapters for a few different works. Fingers crossed.

Also, I'm very, very slowly answering the comments in my AO3 inbox. Some of them were pretty lengthy, so it might take a bit. Oof.

If there ever comes a time that I drop this fanfiction or am unable to continue for whatever reason, either I or my husband will be posting the entirety of my outline, as well as anything that's been pre-written for you guys to enjoy. That way there are no questions left unanswered or mysteries unsolved.

[aftgtandn]

We’ve been saying it this whole time but let us repeat just once more: you are INCREDIBLE. Your support of the fest and of everyone’s works is what made this possible.

We are so so grateful for your support and the reception the fest has had — we can’t take you enough for it.

It’s really been a blast, and you guys made it all possible. The guessing game and all of your attempts have been incredible to see (not to mention the bingo cards and all the memes you made!) and we know you’re all excited to see which of your guesses were right and who managed to fool you all the way until now…

We know it’s been a lot to keep up with (7 stunning art pieces, over 270k words worth of fic!!) so please continue to leave comments and kudos for our incredible participants and keep giving them ALL the love they deserve as you catch up post reveals. 🧡

To our amazing creators: Be sure to tag us when you're posting your work on your Tumblr & Twitter accounts, so that we can keep promoting you!

You can find all of the fest works in our AO3 collection, but we know what's you're really wondering right now... WHO MADE WHAT??

Without further ado… here’s the full list of works and their creators:

(JOHN 16:24)

by jinjjasyuga Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 0 words Summary: Andrew asked so he received. (Literally.)

You Know I'm Good On My Own

by sambutwithbooks Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Gen // 4568 words Summary: Andrew breaks his arm two games into the season and it feels a little bit like Neil’s world snaps with it. (A snapshot of Neil and Andrew between Andrew coming home from the hospital and going back home to Palmetto State.) ------- Written for the AFTG Then & Now Fest prompt from alecgo: Andrew breaks his arm. They deal with everything that follows.

10 Times We Fell a Little More in Love with Kevin Day

by gleefulfoxes Kevin Day Gen // 2897 words Summary: Ten times Kevin Day stole our hearts and earned his rightful place as the internet's jock bf

Hold Me Like a Knife

by Moondal Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 1068 words Summary: What touch Andrew can tolerate he has wrestled from the minefield of his past, fought a one-man guerilla war against long-gone ghosts. The ground he has gained for himself is massive as is. He can stay within known spaces and be safe. And yet. - Thoughts on touch and an exploration of new intimacy.

nocturnal animals

by animediac Abby Winfield, Betsy Dobson, Gen Gen // 11621 words Summary: “He was an addict,” Taylor says roughly, turning away to unplug the blender. “He wouldn’t accept help and he didn’t care who he hurt with it by the end.” “He was our brother,” Abby says, sadly. “I know,” Taylor tells her. “That was the worst part."" — Memory takes the graveyard shift. Abby Winfield works nights.

Peaches and Cream

by Random2002 Aaron Minyard, Katelyn Explicit // 7119 words Summary: It's certainly well known that Aaron Minyard was head over heels for his girlfriend, Katelyn. In fact, when they are inspired one evening to try something new in the bedroom he's all for giving it a shot even though he's nervous. Who knows, maybe he'll discover something new about himself? Or: Aaron gets Pegged

Reaching Out

by TogeMythia Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 6154 words Summary: ‘What are you thinking about getting?’ Neil smiled as he propped his chin in his hands. Andrew sat himself back against the leather of the booth and gestured to his chest. For a moment Neil didn't understand, but then the realization hit him all at once. ‘Oh.’ - or Andrew gets his nipples pierced

Invisible Smoke

by ScornedEthnographer Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Mature // 1233 words Summary: Smoking was one of the very few things in Andrew’s life that he could count as his. One of the very few constants that he allowed himself to rely on, to expect, to trust. It came from years of repetition, the same billowing taste of acrid smoke on his tongue, the stale stinging in his lungs. It was the same, over and over and over again. It was a rare constant. One of the ""few and far between”s. Unusual. Uncommon. Peculiar. But not the only one.

Quit Horsin’ Around

by JosenlovesMinyard Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 2486 words Summary: Kevin persuades the Foxes to take part in a trail ride whilst staying at the cabin. Neil finds it a lot more enjoyable than he thought he would.

Victory Lap

by justadreamfox Kevin Day, Jeremy Knox Explicit // 7665 words Summary: Kevin gets two things he's always wanted: Olympic gold and Jeremy Knox.

Truck driver POV

by Habakos Neil Josten Gen // Art Summary: First truck driver that lets Neil tag along at the gas station

on the cusp of getting it right

by orionauriga Aaron Minyard, Andrew Minyard Teen // 11145 words Summary: “So,” Neil begins, with a smirk that informs Aaron in the space of one syllable that his mood is about to take a running leap out the car window and splatter gorily across the interstate. “Is it true that you don’t have a license?” -- Andrew teaches Aaron to drive. It goes...about how you would expect.

The Golden Pipe Dream

by Gforce Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Kevin Day Gen // 8564 words Summary: Neil, Andrew, and Kevin compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Last Straw

by mrskrementz Neil Josten, Mary Hatford Teen // 3478 words Summary: What happened in the Wesninksi household in the week leading up to Mary taking Nathaniel on the run? A look at the pre-canon events from Mary's POV

Goner

by gus_47 Kevin Day, Aaron Minyard Mature // 4871 words Summary: Aaron is the first to notice that Kevin’s alcoholism is an actual problem. He’s an addict, too — he never misses the signs.

I hate you

by itsdill01 Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Mature // 1233 words Summary: Andrew finds out about Nicky’s sexual assault on Neil.

Trials and Tribulations of Wrangling Foxes

by HalfpintPeach Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Gen Gen // 8419 words Summary: When the girls graduate, Neil is standing on his own as Captain of the Palmetto State Foxes.

I find you a little distracting

by lazarusthefirst Neil Josten, Kevin Day Explicit // 6562 words Summary: Kev and Neil fuck on the foxhole court

Weight Bearing

by Justthislazy Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 4385 words Summary: Prompt: Andrew is Strong He carries Neil around and Neil is not ok. Can lead to NSFW but mainly I just want Neil being flustered about how strong Andrew is.

probably be fine

by foodforthot1 Allison Reynolds, Renee Walker Explicit // 8978 words Summary: Once they go pro, Renee and Allison end up on the same team. Now that they’ve made it out of the college/mafia drama, they can finally stop denying the spark between them

Andrew Minyard has no problem carrying around Neil Josten

by emry_stars Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Gen // words Summary: Three images (two full/one chibi style) of Andrew carrying Neil in various situations. One image (chibi) of Neil attempting to pick up Andrew

in the middle

by stabbyfoxandrew Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten, Kevin Day Explicit // 9900 words Summary: After a night of drinking has them talking about sex, Andrew reveals that his biggest fantasy is taking Neil and Kevin at the same time. They're both surprised, but very willing to make it happen. Andrew just has to decide if he likes the idea now that it's out of his head. [Set ten years post canon. Kandreil are married and living together and sooo in love.]

Buzz cut season

by H_bee69 Neil Josten, Aaron Minyard, Nicky Hemmick Teen // 2192 words Summary: Neil's bored but Nicky and Aaron keep him company

Complexity of the aftermath

by tathatisbrightassun Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Allison Reynolds, Kevin Day, Dan Wilds, Matt Boyd, Aaron Minyard, Nicky Hemmick, Renee Walker, Betsy Dobson, David Wymack Gen // 6545 words Summary: Betsy didn’t know what to say. When David called her after the holidays and said that some of the foxes would require an extra session with her she got a bit concerned. However, when every single fox, including Neil, booked a session, she had only one question in mind. What the actual fuck happened in Baltimore? Betsy learns about Baltimore events and she has thoughts.

Dream clouds, ghost ground (I’ve been looking at the sky to show me where I went wrong)

by Ateiluj Gen Mature // 11457 words Summary: Cass Spear deals with her son’s death, the truths that it reveals, and how it all reshapes her past with Andrew.

The Foxes go to Disneyland

by KittKatAttack Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Dan Wilds, Matt Boyd, Nicky Hemmick, Kevin Day, Aaron Minyard, Allison Reynolds, Renee Walker, Katelyn, Erik Klose Gen // 1547 words Summary: The foxes go to Disneyland and chaos ensues

Give, Bequeath & Devise

by the_greater_grief Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 2502 words Summary: Neil inherits the Baltimore house.

worth it

by mostly_maudlin Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 1960 words Summary: ""What makes you think I want you fighting on my behalf?” Andrew asks. Neil pulls the ice pack from his face, features tightening with a new spark of anger. “What makes you think I care if you want me to?” he asks. “It’s my choice. And I will always choose to fight for you.”

Andreil Marriage

by TeoMoy Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Gen // words Summary: Andrew and Neil getting married in the woods, with Wymack officiating and the foxes there.

right here every day

by rwnjun Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Mature // 8855 words Summary: Neil's new cat does not like Andrew.

i needed someone i could run to

by seasy33 Kevin Day, David Wymack Teen // 8608 words Summary: The idea of a father didn't occur to Kevin until after his mother died. The story about a letter, and the terrifying ordeal of finding your family.

The Later Parade

by hourafterhour Kevin Day, Jean Moreau Mature // 41152 words Summary: No such thing as a bad pass to Kevin Day.

andrew gets his nips pierced

by maddervanilla Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten Mature // words Summary:

What Makes a Family

by Aquared46 Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 9671 words Summary: Post-Baltimore, the Foxes take a vacation in the mountains. During that time, the Foxes get to know Neil better, and Neil gets to know himself better too. OR 8 times Neil is taken care of by his teammates and +1 time Neil learns what it means to take care of himself.

Andrew Doe, Juvenile Delinquent (Art)

by WymackAndCheese Andrew Minyard Teen // 0 words Summary: Digital illustration of Andrew Minyard in a Juvenile Detention Center, pre-The Foxhole Court

Mind over Matt-er

by Twolipsliterature Dan Wilds, Matt Boyd Teen // 2633 words Summary: ""The first time the girls saw Matt shirtless, it was distraction enough to forget their conversation."" -AFTG EC Dan likes to pretend she's unaffected by Matt's charms and unbelievably hot body. Even she knows what bullshit that is.

A wall at your back

by djhedy Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten Teen // 4628 words Summary: Foxes get married

our gentle violence

by foxbyeol Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 1996 words Summary: The opposite of cruel is always gentle and that is what everyone expects from you when you care for someone else. They treat it as a delicate, breakable thing. But the connection between them wasn't hanging on my thread of porcelain. Hands that were never taught to be gentle only know how to ground by a firm touch. A touch that is not punishing like so many of those who preceded them but a pushing want which is not only welcomed but desired. And there is a freedom in that, getting the space to be rough without ""cruelty"", a gentle violence they have made their own. OR, Andrew and Neil roughhouse and play around together without much consequences - the only being the rewarding kind.

Against The Wall

by Mystrana Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 2882 words Summary: After years together, Andrew's finally gotten to a point where he can request exactly what he wants from Neil. And in this case? He wants to be railed up against the wall.

transferable skills

by decaflondonfog Jeremy Knox, Jean Moreau Explicit // 11111 words Summary: It’s the way Jean watches his own hands as he guides the thread through the paper, pulling the gathering tight to the spine. It’s the way Jean bends, strong and handsome, over a tiny embroidery hoop to get the details exactly right. Jeremy Knox is supposed to be spending his senior year worrying about what comes next. Instead, he’s mesmerized as he watches each stitch come to life and finds, there in between the threads, something completely unexpected.

a mother's love

by Greenfallleaves Neil Josten, Mary Hatford Teen // 9259 words Summary: In the hell that was Neil's childhood, there were good moments too. Almost all of them included his mother. Mary cared about her boy. Or 5 relatively peaceful moments from Neil's childhood.

we're one (there's nothing to be done)

by wesawbears Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 2345 words Summary: After Neil is injured, he and Andrew come face to face with how quickly everything they've worked for can be taken away when the Moriyama's check up on their investment. The two will be forced to face the emotions created by the deal that was made so long ago.

When Did You Learn That?

by Geneat Neil Josten, Gen Teen // 2635 words Summary: ""I thought Andrew was the lockpick to watch out for,"" Matt said dryly. ""It's a Masterlock,"" Neil said dismissively. Then, with no finesse at all, he jiggled the rod violently and the lock popped open. ""A toddler can open it.""

glittering eyes, sweet smile

by starscrossingfates Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Gen // 0 words Summary: Whenever Neil laughed, Andrew looked at Neil as if he was the sun itself. And Andrew was a planet unequivocally caught in his orbit. [Art]

Not fast enough

by OhThePain_333 Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 2797 words Summary: Andrew has a violent nightmare in which Neil dies. It unsettles him a lot. He needs comfort and Neil's hugs. They talk about their respective nightmares and cuddle.

Layover

by justadreamfox Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten Explicit // 3064 words Summary: The geography is fucked, but he has Neil tonight, even if it's barely more than a layover. Or, prompt #17: Andreil bang ON the mas.

hot girl bummer (we've shipped kevin to california it's fine don't worry about it JUST KEEP GOING)

by alcego Kevin Day, Jeremy Knox, Jean Moreau Explicit // 9258 words Summary: For the first time in his life, Jean has the opportunity for a quiet, uneventful summer. Instead, he has with two (fake) boyfriends who keep flirting with each other by proxy, a bone-deep weariness that's doing more to his skin than the sun, and a looming sense of inevitability about it all. He can handle one of those problems.

dashboard saints

by nanatsuyu Kevin Day, Andrew Minyard Explicit // 7750 words Summary: Andrew stands in his own way when it comes to most things in his life. Kevin Day is not an exception.

Local Man Gets Injured Getting Friend (?) Off, Says “Worth It”

by kunimi Kevin Day, Aaron Minyard Mature // 7645 words Summary: “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” Neil says. There’s something thoughtful in his tone, and it takes all of Kevin’s willpower not to immediately glance at Aaron. Instead, Kevin lifts his head slowly, scanning over all his friends’ faces with a deliberate casualness. As soon as his gaze crosses over Aaron, though, he realises he has no idea what to say. They haven’t – talked about it. Not really. (Two hours ago, Aaron was teasing him about being in a rush, and Kevin’s focus had been on how flustered he was in the moment. Now, all he can think about is Aaron’s first comment. Romantic, Aaron says dryly, shaking his head. Romantic, romantic, romantic. Kevin wants. Kevin aches.) There are probably worse ways to reveal new developments in your love life than getting benched, baffling your team’s medical personnel, and accidentally announcing your sex-related mishaps to your entire professional team’s management and several members of your college one. Kevin can’t think of any right now, though. —is it a 22-night stand or a relationship? kevin day's guide to soft-launching your new man [it’s long 💀💀💀 so the bottom part is more useful for a summary, the top bit is excerpt]

hypocorisms

by mostly_maudlin Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard Teen // 2183 words Summary: Three times Andrew calls Neil “rabbit,” and one time he calls him “bunny.”

Thank you all SO MUCH!!

With all the love and appreciation in the world,

Your Then&Now 2023 fest mods

[pedrito-friskito]

strawberry wine - joel miller x ofc!liv stone/fem!reader

after - part twenty-two

series masterlist | main masterlist | read on ao3

you agree to something...unexpected.

a/n: we're in the SHOW PLOT BABIESSSSS ugh I'm having so much fun with this 🤍

word count: 5.1k

warnings: canon-typical violence, you know the drill.

✨@friskito-library for updates on new parts/works✨

“I don’t know where he is, Liv, I swear.”

You sigh, leaning back in your chair, and dig in your pocket. You produce two ration cards, the highest value kind, and slide them across the table. “Now, you and I both know that’s a load of bullshit, Ted. So why don’t you stop wasting my time and tell me where Robert is?”

Ted’s a good kid. A little screwed up, sure, but so is every other kid that was born on the edge of the outbreak. He’s helped you out with a few jobs here and there, but lately, he’s been running shit for Robert, which made him the obvious first choice to find out where your least favourite smuggler had run off to.

You watch Ted’s eyes dart between the ration cards on the table between you and over your shoulder to where Joel and Tess are standing. Joel’s stance is wide, his hands shoved in his pockets, his brow hard. His eyes are glued to you, and you follow Ted’s eyes, glancing back at your husband and your friend.

“Don’t worry about them,” you tell the kid. “Look at me.”

“I told you, Liv, I don’t know where—”

“You don’t know where he is, yep, I heard you the first time. But I know it’s bullshit, because I know for a fact you were running a job for Robert three days ago, before my ass ended up in lock-up. And I also know that I saw you just outside the warehouse district, and ten minutes later, I have FEDRA all over me. You screwed me, so give me this, and I won’t let Joel break your jaw.”

The kid whimpers. 

You reach into your pocket, pull out another card. “Now, Ted. Or I walk.”

His throat bobs, but he reaches for the cards. Bingo. “T-there’s a red-tagged building, Stillman and Cross. He said he was taking the battery there, that he had someone else who would pay triple what Tess offered.”

You stare him down for a moment. “You know what happens if I find out you’re lying, don’t you?”

His eyes shift from your face back to Joel over your shoulder. “I do.”

“Broken jaws take a long time to heal,” you say almost casually, and Ted nods. You slide out of your seat. “See you around, kid.”

As soon as you’re close enough, Joel and Tess start to walk, and you fall into step with them, fitting yourself between them both. “Well?” Joel prompts, his hand finding the small of your back.

“Cost me three cards,” you tell them, “but he told me. Red-tagged building at Stillman and Cross.”

Joel’s brow lifts. “Wasn’t that a Firefly building, back when Tommy joined?”

Tess nods. “It was. Then they emptied out, and Miguel took over.” Her eyes shift to you, and she clears her throat. “It was empty again, last I heard.”

You shake a memory away. “I have a thought. We take the subway tunnel under Haymarket, that gets us into the building from below, and we can take him by surprise. He’ll never see us coming, and if all three of us go, he doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Pay this fucker back,” Joel says, and you can’t help your grin.

+

You go back to the apartment. Tess heads up to her place to get her bag, and the moment you’re through the door, you beeline for the wardrobe, digging out your guns, your knives, the bat. Joel had reluctantly put everything away after you’d convinced him not to go straight after Robert. You needed to be smart about it, to get the battery, and once the plan was more fleshed out, when you realized Ted would know where Robert was and you had a place to start, he softened slightly.

Only slightly.

Time has made Joel harder. It’s made you both harder, both new versions of yourselves you hadn’t anticipated turning into. The last decade has pushed you both to your limits, in every goddamn sense, but still, your love for each other? That’s never so much as wavered. Never.

It’s mostly weapons, in your bags. Ration cards, emergency supplies on the off-chance you need to make a quick getaway after you confront Robert. Bolt cutters. Ideally, you’ll go, scare the shit out of him, get the battery, then come back home. You’ll plan a real route, get the truck from Lee, and off you go.

It’s pouring rain, by the time you meet Tess in the lobby and step back out into the streets. Joel keeps a tight grip on your hand as you head towards the subway, and all three of you are soaked to the bone when you reach Haymarket, you and Tess standing in front, trying to look casual while Joel clips the chain on the door with the bolt cutters.

You all step through, crouching to fish flashlights out of your packs. The bat is tucked between your shoulders, mostly hidden by your bag, but you go for your gun instead. “Ready?” Tess asks, and you both nod, heading down the stairs.

The flashlight beams light the way, revealing mouldy walls, cracks in the ceiling letting rainwater drip down over you. Joel shoves his hand through his hair, wet strands slicking back across his scalp, and you can’t stop yourself from thinking idly that he looks good.

The steps down were at least partially lit between your flashlights and the diffused daylight coming through the windows, but as you descend into the subway tunnel itself, it’s nearly pitch black. Not a shock — you used to meet people down here all the time to trade — but it still makes your gut twist. A few years back, you’d heard rumours about a swarm of Infected that had stumbled in through the opposite end, which fed out into the open city. No more subway drops for you.

There are multiple doorways that lead up from the tunnels, the few you’ve used over the years to get out of the QZ proper, others that have helped when you almost got caught out after curfew. There are a few offices, maintenance rooms and supply bunkers that have served in a pinch.

“That’s the one,” Tess says, pointing to one of the little staircases that lead up from the subway rail itself. She goes first, and you follow, Joel close behind, his hand bumping your leg as you walk up the few steps. Tess opens the door, stepping inside, and you go to follow again, but Joel hooks his fingers into your back pocket, stalling you.

There’s no noise, at first, and you move toward the doorway. When Tess’s shouted oh fuck! echoes through the tunnel, you bolt forward, gun raised, with Joel a half-step behind you. “What?”

Then you see it. The far wall of the office. You can just barely make out the body within the fungus, nothing human left, just cordyceps spreading across the tile. The face open in a silent roar, fungi sprouting from the mouth, the eyes, the ears. Frozen in place, creeping in every direction. Taking over, even buried beneath the earth.

“This one’s done,” Joel declares, shining his light on what used to be the person’s face. That’s one thing you’ve learned about the Infected, over the years: nothing lasts forever. The infection can only push the human body so far, and it gets to the point where there’s nothing left for the infection to puppet.

Beside you, Tess exhales sharply, a hand pressed to her chest. “Yeah, I know, I just…I wasn’t expecting it.”

Joel glances at you. “That wasn’t down here last time?” 

You shake your head. “Nothing was. But when was the last time we were here, Tess? A year? Two?”

“More than that,” she answers, sweeping her flashlight beam over the body. “You think he came down after he was infected?”

Joel sighs, and his words send a prickle through you. “Maybe down here is where he was infected.”

Tess stares at the body for a moment before she turns away. You clear your throat, tap your flashlight to Joel’s. “Let’s keep moving.”

The office leads into a narrow hallway, a series of ladders that have been tied and strapped together leaned against the wall. Probably not up to code, but it’ll do. Tess slides her flashlight into the strap of her bag, and you and Joel do the same, both peering up as Tess grips the ladder and starts moving up. “It’s like they reframed the whole structure,” Joel says, tapping your ass as you move to follow Tess. “Probably in the eighties. Everyone was cutting down on apartment sizes to sell more condos.”

Tess pauses, shooting you a look over her shoulder. “This has been Construction Corner with Joel Miller.”

You sputter out a laugh, the ladder wobbling in your grip, and when you look behind you, Joel looks less than impressed. “Hey, I’d watch it.”

“Sure you would,” he grunts, swatting your ankle. “Keep goin’.”

A few more rungs before you call out to Tess. “How far up we gonna go?”

“Uh,” she pauses, swinging her boot off the rung and onto what looks like solid floor, “this far.”

You all shuffle off the ladder one by one, Joel grabbing your hand when you offer it, while Tess pushes on the makeshift door cut into the drywall from the inside. It’s been a long time since you and her came in this way. “This opens into the hallway,” she says, more for Joel’s benefit than your own. “What the fuck? Someone put a piano in front of this?”

Joel sweeps his flashlight over the ceiling, catching on old pieces of insulation and cracked drywall. As Tess pushes on the door again, something hits your nose and you wince, the telltale tang of wasted ammunition curling at the back of your throat. “Wait,” you whisper, grabbing her forearm, stopping her from moving the door again. “You smell that?”

“Gunpowder,” Joel answers, and the beam of his flashlight traces the door, down to the bottom, where you see a thin drip of blood seeping through the bottom crack, pooling on the floor. “Shit.”

Both you and Joel draw your guns, and you push forward, Joel calling your name as you shove your shoulder into the door, sliding it open. The body that was leaned against it slumps over as you step through, peering around, something in you twisting when you see the dead man’s face.

Robert.

“Fuck,” you murmur, stepping through the door completely, your gun still raised. Joel’s right behind you, his brow furrowed, Tess a step behind him. Both their flashlights rake over Robert’s body, and over the car battery on the ground beside him. Tess steps towards the battery, inspecting it closer, while you turn to Joel, seeing the displeasure on his face. “The fuck happened here?”

He just shakes his head, jaw set, mouth a firm line.

“Well, the battery’s no good,” Tess informs you, nudging it with her boot. “And he still tried to sell it. Twice.”

“You’re shocked?” you scoff, glancing up the hall. There are more Fireflies, all of them riddled with bullets, bodies propped against the wall. “Doesn’t surprise me one bit. Greedy fuck.”

Someone lets out a pained groan, somewhere nearby, and you all jump on the defence, guns raised. Joel steps in front of you as you move down to where the hallway crosses with another, and you move to his right side. There’s mumbled conversation, words you can’t make out as Joel presses himself to the wall, inching towards the corner.

“Shit…Oh god, just…fuck!”

Joel turns the corner, and you’re quick to follow, both of you with your guns raised, steps silent as you creep closer towards the two women toward the end of the hall, one helping the other to her feet.

Suddenly, the door you’re barely in front of swings inward, a young girl shouting as she surges forward, a knife raised. Joel moves quicker than you, blocking the blow and sending her to the floor with a grunted fuck. The knife hits the floor, and Joel swings his gun towards the girl. She looks up at him with an almost feral look in her dark eyes, baring her teeth at him. 

She looks young, maybe thirteen or fourteen. Dark hair, dark eyes, pale. She’s got dark-coloured Converse on her feet, and for some reason, it makes you smile.

The sound of guns cocking rips your eyes from the young girl, and you turn to see the two women at the end of the hallway both with pistols pointed in your direction. “Liv?”

“Marlene?” you reply, officially confused as shit.

She stares at you for a long moment, her face pinched in pain before her eyes drop to the girl. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” the girl replies, her eyes still glued to Joel.

She goes for the knife, but Joel puts his boot over the blade before she can grab it. She bares her teeth again. “Ellie,” Marlene calls, assumedly the girl’s name, but she’s too busy sneering at Joel. “Ellie.”

Ellie whips her head in Marlene’s direction, and instantly, you see the fear that works across the young girl’s face. “Oh, shit!” she gasps.

Marlene loosens her grip on the gun, tilted the barrel of it away from your head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll be all right.” You see her face fall slightly. “You can’t be stupid like this.”

Yep, you’re fucking confused.

Tess, who you’d left inspecting the battery, rounds the corner. “So this is who Robert screwed us over with?” she asks, moving up to stand beside you. “The Che Guevara of Boston?”

You scoff, jutting your chin at Marlene. “War must be goin’ pretty shitty for you to be buying from scumbags like him. I know we screwed you once or twice, but at least you didn’t end up with a bullet in your gut.”

“Yeah, it’s been a fucking stretch,” Marlene asks, sagging against the wall slightly. “The merch was bad, and he obviously didn’t take fuck off for an answer.”

You squint at Marlene, but your ears prick when you hear Ellie mutter, “Give me my knife.”

“What do you need a car battery for?” Joel asks, ignoring the girl at his feet. Ellie reaches forward, and both you and Joel swing your guns at her. “Don’t.”

“Not at her,” Marlene nearly shouts, both her and the woman standing beside her lifting their guns again, pointing at you both. Tess lifts hers, aiming for Marlene. “Point it at me.”

Joel gives you a look before glancing down at Ellie, who’s pressed herself against the wall, her hands raised in surrender. She looks fucking terrified. “Joel,” you murmur, pointing your gun away from the girl, toward Marlene and her friend. He follows suit, and you hear Ellie’s relieved exhale.

“To answer your question,” Marlene says, “I need it for a better reason than you do. No offence, but Tommy’s just one man.”

“What the…” Joel mutters, but you reach out with the hand not holding your gun, touch his chest.

“Who told you we’re going after Tommy?”

Marlene almost laughs. “It’s our business to know things. You of all people should know that, Liv.”

“To know things,” Joel repeats, and you can see the anger creeping up his spine, feel it in the heavy beat against your palm. “You’re the cause of it. You turned my own brother against me.”

“Okay, Joel,” Marlene mumbles, nearly rolling her eyes. Your own anger spikes.

“That was a lot of gunfire,” Marlene’s partner says. You don’t know her name. “FEDRA’s gonna be on their way.”

“I know,” she answers, and she stares at the kid at your feet for a long moment before speaking again, her voice louder. “We were gonna move Ellie outta the zone tonight.” Joel’s eyes flick down to the girl, and you watch him for a moment before your eyes move back to Marlene. “But we won’t make it anywhere like this. Not for a while, anyway. So now I’m thinkin’, you’re gonna do it.”

You squint at the woman. What…

Behind you, Tess: “Why the fuck would we do that?”

At the same time, Joel: “The hell we are.”

And Ellie: “I’m not going with them!”

You can’t read the expression on Marlene’s face. She’s in pain, clearly, but there’s something more to it. Something you’re certainly not used to seeing on the Queen of the Fireflies. But then it clicks.

She’s desperate.

“Liv,” Joel says, tearing your focus from Marlene, his gun still pointed at her, “we don’t have time for this.”

You meet his eyes for a sec before your gaze moves back to the Fireflies at the end of the hall. “Oh, you don’t have time?” Marlene calls, and she’s not even hiding the desperation anymore. You can hear it clear as day in her voice.

“Who is she?” you ask, narrowing your eyes, tilting your head towards the kid on the ground.

“To you?” Marlene shoots back. “She’s cargo.”

“We don’t smuggle people,” Joel nearly shouts, and you put your hand on his arm.

“I can do it,” the woman beside Marlene says, and the Queen snaps.

“Kim, you don’t have a fuckin’ ear on your fuckin’ head, could you please!” It’s only then that you realize that Marlene’s friend — Kim — has clearly taken a shot to the head, because most of her ear is missing, blood smeared down her neck. Marlene keeps talking, staring you down. “There’s a team of Fireflies waiting for her at the old State House.” Behind you, Tess scoffs. “I know what’s out there. We were going with an entire squadron for that very reason.”

“An entire squadron,” you repeat, “and you want the three of us to do it?”

“I don’t have a truck, I don’t have a squadron,” Marlene says, “FEDRA’s five minutes away. What I do have is you. And I know what you’re all capable of. For better or worse.” Her eyes slide from you to Joel, and you inhale sharply.

At your feet, Ellie looks at you all warily. “What are they capable of?”

Marlene just keeps on talking. “You get her there safely, and they’ll get you what you need. Not just a battery, but the whole thing. Fuelled-up truck, guns, supplies, all of it. I swear.” Joel’s head turns to you, his jaw set. Somehow, this has become your call. “I swear,” Marlene says again.

Joel slides his boot across the ground, Ellie’s knife spinning out of reach. “Asshole!” she shouts, and as the three of you step away to deliberate, you stoop to the floor, scooping the thing up. It’s a simple thing, short blade, wooden handle with a metal switch. You slide your finger across the wood, feeling the weight of it in your palm, turning it over as you step back.

There are initials carved into the bottom, right along the edge of the wood. ASW.

“You trust her?” Tess asks you as you move away, Joel’s hand settling against your hip.

Joel shakes his head. “Me either,” you agree, giving a slight nod, “but she seems desperate.”

When Joel speaks, you don’t miss the thread of hope in his voice. “Firefly vehicle usually means repurposed FEDRA stuff,” he says, “so better-than-decent chance of makin’ it to Tommy in one of those.” He looks at you. “Get us to Lincoln too.”

You nod.

“The second we hand this kid over—” Tess starts, but Marlene’s voice cuts her off.

“Ya’ll talk it through, but please remember that I’m bleeding out.”

Joel reaches out and grabs your wrist, the hand holding the knife. His eyes are hard as you meet them, but he lifts his chin, and you nod.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” you call to Marlene, turning on your heel. “We take the kid to the State House, but we don’t hand her over until we get everything that we want. Everything. Guns, truck, ammo, whatever we ask for. Anyone so much as pauses, we kill her. Then and there.”

You’ve barely gotten the words out before Marlene agrees. “Deal.”

“Really?” Ellie quips, almost exasperated. “That fast?”

Marlene looks at her, that same desperation still laced in her voice. “You are all that matters. My team will not jeopardize that. Remember what I told you?” Ellie glances up at you, and you try to school your face neutral. “Now go get your bag. Now, Ellie.”

With a huff, the kid gets to her feet and stalks into the room she’d leapt out of. You all just stare each other down until she returns, a green and blue backpack in her hands. She stares at Marlene, and Tess turns on her heel, heading back down the hallway. Joel touches your arm, nodding his head in the direction Tess went. “Let’s go.”

Ellie stares Marlene down until she nods, and then spins, shoving Joel with her shoulder as she goes, plucking her knife out of your hand before pushing past you as well. Joel gives you a look, and you just shake your head.

“Miller,” Marlene calls, and both of you turn to look at her. “Don’t fuck this up. Please.”

+

Thunder rumbles, the moment you step foot back outside. It’s still early, nowhere near curfew, but you’re all quick to move through the city, circling back to the apartments. You need to regroup, gather more supplies, if you’re gonna make it to the State House.

What the fuck did you just agree to?

Tess leads the pack as you stride through the rain, Ellie behind her, you behind Ellie, Joel behind you. You don’t miss the way the kid pulls her hood over her face every time you pass a FEDRA soldier, flinches every time one of those big FEDRA trucks rolls past on the street.

Somewhere between the Firefly building and your apartment, Joel grabs your hand, pulls you back into step with him. “I don’t like this,” he says softly, his tone rough.

You lace your fingers with his. “I don’t either. Doing Marlene a favour wasn’t exactly high on my list of things to do. But if they pull through and get us what we need, then it’s worth it, right?”

The furrow in his brow deepens, but he squeezes your hand, gives a slight nod. “Right.”

It’s not long before you’re inside the building, climbing the stairs up to your floor. Ellie’s foot slips on one of the steps, nearly sending her tumbling back. Out of instinct, you grab her by the arm, pushing her back upright. She shoots you a look over her shoulder, her eyes wide. “Thanks.”

You just nod.

Joel holds his hand out for the keys as you approach the apartment, unlocking the door after you toss them to him. You push the door open, stepping aside for Ellie to enter after Joel gestures for her to step forward. “Give us a minute,” you say, stepping back out into the hall, pulling the door shut. It earns you a shouted what the fuck! from the kid, but you ignore it.

“So, what’s the plan?” Tess asks, hands braced on her hips.

You breathe out a sigh, leaning back against the door. “When’s the last time we even made it near the State House?”

Joel pushes his hand through his hair. “Long way or short way.”

“We took the short way last time,” Tess says, glancing at you. “Nearly got ourselves killed.”

You chew your thumb. “So we take the long way? If things go bad, we’ll figure something out. Drop whatever we have to, head for Bill and Frank’s.”

“And what, leave the kid there?”

“If shit hits the fan, Lincoln first. We check on them, we resupply, and we head for Wyoming. Simple. There are more than enough cities between here and Wyoming with Firefly groups. Chances are we can find another one to drop her at.”

“Nothin’s ever fuckin’ simple, Liv,” Joel grunts, and you shoot him a glare. “Lee had the decency to warn me to stay off the streets tonight. Apparently, the Fireflies freaked FEDRA out, few guys got shot. This is risky.”

“Every single fucking thing we do is risky, Joel. If we wait this out any longer, someone’s gonna come snooping, or Marlene’s gonna rat us out and we’re gonna lose our window. You wanna get to Tommy, this is what we have to do.”

He just glares back.

“I’ll go check out the spot under Lancaster,” Tess offers, and you nod, your eyes stuck on Joel’s.

“Yeah, that’ll work,” you say. “I’ll come with you, keep an eye out. We should leave after dark.” You take a step away from your husband, your eyes still glued to his. “Stay with the kid.”

You start walking away before he can convince you otherwise, but you still hear his protests as you and Tess head back toward the stairs. “Wait. Why do I have to…Liv! Olivia!”

“You’re gonna pay for that one,” Tess mumbles as your feet hit the top step, both of your knees creaking as you make your way back down to the lobby. “He’s right, though. This is risky.”

“It’s all risky. Walking around in broad daylight is risky, these days.”

“You got me there.”

“I knew, you know,” you tell her, gripping the stair rail, “that eventually we’d leave Boston. Just never thought we’d be doing Marlene any fucking favours in the process.”

You reach the lobby, push back out onto the street. It’s still raining, but you weren’t inside long enough to feel dry, and your boots seem to find every puddle as you head toward Lancaster. It was one of the first spots you used, when you first started smuggling. A just-wide-enough storm drain that got hit in the bombings before the QZ walls went up, the tunnel under that opened up on the other side, a large slab of asphalt hiding the exit. More than once, FEDRA’s posted themselves in front of the entrance, close enough to the QZ wall that it gives them a good vantage point.

Today, not a soldier in sight.

“Good,” you mutter, glancing over your shoulder as you and Tess round the corner, trying to look as casual as possible. “We should head back through the market. Pick up some supplies. In case anyone’s tailing us.”

“You know, you’re just as paranoid as your husband, sometimes.”

“Oh, shut it.”

You only make it about ten feet before someone calls Tess’s name. You both freeze, and you haven’t seen Tess go that pale since the last time you ran into a Clicker.

Robin. 

You turn slow, spotting Tess’s ex-girlfriend on the opposite side of the street. She’s dressed in full FEDRA gear, gun at her hip. Last you heard, she was still teaching at the school; what subject, you didn’t know, but clearly something that warranted her carrying a weapon. Maybe teaching the next generation of soldiers how to become shittier shots than the current ones.

Robin’s ponytail swings as she crosses the road to where you’re stood, her dark hair made darker by the rain. “Tess,” she says again, something unreadable in her voice. You don’t know her well enough to get a clear read on her. “Can we talk?”

Tess is rigid as hell at your side, and you turn to look at her. “Tess?”

“Yeah,” she says finally, returning your glance. “Give us a sec.”

With a nod, you wander a few steps back. You’re right at the edge of the market, and you busy yourself trading a couple ration cards for new bootlaces, glancing over at Tess and Robin every few moments. Tess looks exasperated, and when Robin reaches for her, your hand automatically wanders toward the gun tucked in the back of your waistband, hidden beneath your shirt. Tess grabs Robin’s wrist, her expression going hard as she drops her hand forcefully, making Robin stumble back a step.

Without another word, Tess stalks towards you, her face a hard mask. Behind her, Robin lingers in the street for a moment, staring after Tess, before her shoulders slump and she turns away, disappearing around the corner.

“What was that about?”

“Let’s go.”

You wander around the city another hour or so, waiting for the sky to darken, making sure no one’s following you. There are a few people that owe you favours, and you collect on a few, returning to the apartment shortly after curfew with a few extra boxes of ammunition, some dried beef, rolls of bandages.

When you push open the door of your apartment again, they’re both in the living room. Ellie’s perched on the chair by the window, a smug grin on her face, and Joel’s stood in front of the couch, like he just got up, hands braced on his hips. A familiar stance.

He doesn’t say anything as you and Tess step through the door, Tess shutting it behind you. Joel looks at you, then at Ellie, then back at you, his face expectant. “Lancaster looks good,” you say, pulling your coat and Joel’s off the hooks by the doors. Tess swings her back from her shoulders, pulls her own out. “Ellie, you got a jacket in your bag?”

“Yeah,” she answers, a streak of fear in her eyes as she looks at you. 

“Okay,” you nod, “get it. It’s time to go.”

Joel walks over to you, taking his coat when you hold it out to him. He steps close to you, one hand finding a home on your bicep and squeezing. “You good?”

“Fine,” you say, glancing over your shoulder at where Tess is shrugging into her jacket. “We ran into Robin.”

Joel’s brow goes hard. “She…?”

“Tess didn’t tell me,” you reply, reaching up to brush an errant strand of hair from his forehead. “I don’t think she was suspicious. We were in the market, nothing out of the ordinary.” You incline your head toward Ellie. “How’s the kid?”

“Smart ass,” Joel grunts, and you have to stifle your laugh. “Seems scared though. Was askin’ me how many times we’ve done this, if we’d be okay.”

You nod. “We will be.”

“We going or what?” Tess calls, and you tug on Joel’s hand, all of you heading toward the door.

“Wait,” you say, and head for the bookshelf, reaching for the copy of Moby Dick that you’d cut the middle of out. You flip it open, pull out the portable radio Bill had given you. “Just in case.”

Joel just nods to you as you swing your bag from your shoulders, sliding the radio into one of the pockets. “We’ll see them soon,” he reassures you, and you just nod as you all step out of the apartment, pulling the door shut behind you.

You take one last glance around as the door swings closed. Who knows the next time you’ll see this place again.

PREV | NEXT

[rachi-roo]

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Buddies Daddies: Play your cards right

Hi ho, peepo! This is the first tiggle fic I've written in quite some time, forgive me if I'm a little rusty dusty with my wording or if it's too long XD

Tw: Tiggles

Summary: TK fic. Switch roles.

Miri and her two fathers are trying to enjoy a game on a rainy day but Rei's lack of smiling needs to be fixed!

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Saturday came once again for the oddly bound family of three. Two hit-men and their adopted daughter.

Today was special, special because there was nothing special. Kazuki and Rei had no jobs scheduled and of course, Miri didn't have any preschool to attend. Unfortunately, on this day they all had spare, it was pouring rain outside, so that ruled out any chances of visiting the park or even going for a walk. Stuck inside together, all day.

But that was okay! There were plenty of activities to keep all three occupied.

"Papa! Papaaa!" Rather, whatever interesting-looking item little Miri found that might get them to play with her.

"Papaaaaa!" The excited young girl rushed to find her fathers, clutching a small box to her chest. The two men sat in the lounge, the blonde sat at the dining table, using his free time to check up on various parenting techniques online while the other sat staring vacantly at his video game on the couch.

"Look! Look!" The girl batted at Kazukis leg with the box she had found, wanting him to take it.

"Hey, what you got there? Huh. Uno? I haven't seen this in a long time." He chuckled, turning the box over, and reading its contents with a smile. "It's a game? Right?" Miri queried, pulling herself up onto Kazukis lap.

He petted her hair, opened the box, and showed her some of the colorful cards. "Yep. It might be a bit complicated for someone your age-"

"I wanna play! I'm big! I can play it!" The child puffed her cheeks in protest, looks like they didn't have a choice. The blonde sighed with a chuckle, closing his laptop.

"Okaaay, maybe papa Rei wants to play too." He chuckled, smirking at his roommate, who returned an un-amused glare before shaking his head in protest.

<Ten minutes later>

"BINGO!" Miri cheered, slapping down a blue seven on top of a green two. Rei gave an exasperated sigh, this kid was un-teachable.

The blonde chuckled, sitting beside the hopeless child on the floor whilst Rei refused to give up his spot on the couch. Despite the fun game the three were playing together, he was still wearing his signature 'resting bitch face'. Miri wasn't having it today.

She held up a skip-go card in her tiny hand, waving it at Rei angrily. "No more grumpy! You're banned from grumpy!"

"That's not how that works." He deadpanned, looking at Kazuki as he laughed. "Sure it is! C'mon, just give us a cheeky grin, papa Rei~" The teasing wasn't going to work, Rei just glared harder, he always hated when they made fun of his lack of smiling, it ruined his cool bad-ass aesthetic.

Miri grew more irritated, thumping her hands on the table, and scattering the cards slightly. "I want papa Rei to smile! Papa Kazukiiiii!" Kazuki looked between the two before smirking at Rei. "I think I know what to do."

Rei instantly knew what Kazuki was thinking, this was a technique that had been used on him only a few times before. An evil torture method. Quickly shifting his weight as Kazuki pounced upon him, Rei managed to pin the blonde on his back with ease. His arms were trapped by his sides as the cool-tempered assassin straddled his waist, trapping him on the couch cushions.

He struggled underneath his partner, huffing as he realised he was stuck good. "Damn it! I thought cold-blooded guys had slower reflexes."

"Very funny." A set of nimble fingers appeared from nowhere, wriggling into the stuck man's ribs through his thin shirt. The feeling made Kazuki gasp and buck his hips suddenly, letting out a strained squeak.

"Wahait! Wait wait wait! Rehehei!" His begging fell upon deaf ears as his attacker casually poked and squeezed up and down each rib.

"Stahap! Rei! Rh- C'mon!" Kazuki tugged and twisted his arms, finally managing to pull one free, an uno reverse card gripped between his thumb and finger. "Ha! Reverse card bozo!" He grinned, grabbing Rei's hoodie collar and throwing him onto the floor with a thud.

"Oh no you don't!" Rei tussled with Kazuki, grabbing his wrists, and wrestling for dominance against the oncoming tickle attack. Miri cheered Kazuki on, clapping excitedly as she jumped on the spot.

"Get him papa! Make papa Rei smile!"

"I'm trying! He's too squirmy! Move ya arms darn it!" For a split second, Rei's arms out of the way, that second was all Kazuki needed. He stuck his hands up under his victim's arms, instantly getting locked in as Rei clamped down, his cheeks puffed up as he held onto his breath. Tensing up as he tried to activate the 'I'm not ticklish' thing before it was too late.

Kazuki grinned, he had the guy right where he wanted him. "Awww, giving me the silent treatment now? Can't hold your breath forever buddy boy~" Kazuki chuckled, trying to wriggle his fingers in their snare.

Rei shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut, his cheeks turning a rosey pink as the tantalising teasing got to him. He wasn't going to break. Not now. Not ever-!

"Aaaalrighty then, you've given me no choice!" Kazuki exclaimed, sucking as much air into his lungs as possible before burying his face into the crook of the dark-haired man's neck, unleashing an earth-shaking raspberry onto his vulnerable skin.

Rei's eyes shot open in shock. The gates were open and there was no going back. His head flung back, mouth agape as loud boyish laughter filled the atmosphere. Along with it came a smile. Bright and precious.

"Stahahap! Kaz! Kahahaz! G-Get the f-"

"Ah ta ta ta! No swearing in front of little Miri." Kazuki scolded, finally able to free his hands and attack Rei's unsuspecting tummy, shaking his digits into the toned abs.

"This isn't f-AHAHAIR!" His legs flailed behind Kazuki, pushing and dragging along the floor in desperate attempts to buck the blonde off. It was no use. Once the laughter started, all his strength seemed to be sapped away with each breath. No matter how much of a grip he had on Kazukis wrists, he couldn't budge them. The fuzzy sensation in his belly was his krypnonite.

"Yaaaay! Papa Rei's smile is so big!" Miri giggled as she perched on the tabletop, looking down at her flustered father's fight for freedom.

"Isn't it? He's a little sweetheart really. And now you know how to make papa Rei smile whenever you want!" Kazuki chuckled, blowing another raspberry on the poor man's neck as he desperately pushed on Kazukis shoulders.

"Stahap! Gehet offa' me! Ahaha!" This evil torture continued for only a couple minutes, which seemed like ours for Rei, when Kazuki finally let up. Looking down at his flustered, tired-out friend with a cheery grin.

A set of small hands patted Rei's dark hair as he panted, looking up to see Miri standing by his side, giggling. At least she was happy.

Rei gave one last, brief, smile at her before it faded and he turned his attention to beating Kazuki with a cushion. He hadn't been tickled like that in quite some time, but he knew there was going to be a lot more coming his way in the days to come.

And it wasn't all that bad.

[asterjennifer]

Hide and Seek

Joseph x Reader

Fluff

750 Words

────────⋆✦♡✦⋆─────────

You sprinted down the hall to ensure he couldn't see where you went.

For some reason, the tingling sensation inside your veins' a different feeling from anything you've ever experienced.

Sometimes you wondered what happened in your life for it to turn out this way. Was it fate? Did something like fate even exist..?

Your hands clenched around the corner in order to stop yourself from slipping. It's softer in noise. Not that he would catch you.

All of it took place quicker than you're able to process. One day you're on vacation, enjoying the cool weather of England, and the next you sat in a plane on your way to New York.

A huff escaped your lips, which you tried to tone down by placing the hand over your mouth. Every single sound's going to give away your whereabouts.

Meeting him wasn't on your bingo card. Nor learning about his crazy friends and family. Life handed you a ticket to a new chapter without your awareness. And you'd taken it.

Your knees cracked after kneeling. Cursing the volume of it, you went back to peeking through the keyhole. Hiding in the storage room's not the most creative, but certainly smart.

These tiny walls held a lot of stuff. Some of it you didn't even recognize. Like someone collected trash off the streets, just to place them here. At least it didn't stink.

That faithful day, when you ran into him, the feeling hit you immediately. He looked into your eyes for a short second, offered a slick smile, saw you blush and decided to ask you out to a coffee.

Later you learned that it's quite uncommon for him to simply ask girls out on a date. Yet he did with you regardless. Did it make you lucky?

The shadow falling over the keyhole caused your breath to hitch. Swearing you're able to smell his scent, you crawled back a little. If he'd look through the small hole, you'd be busted.

Whatever the reason had been – you learned in a short period of time how witty albeit insidious his character truly was.

The doorknob wiggled with the crackling sound of wood. Your heart stopped beating as you only could taste the bitter defeat on your tongue.

He told you crazy stories about his adventures. Things so out of place that no normal person would believe a single fraction. Yet you never once doubted the truthfulness of them.

Vampires, Evil, Breathing that controlled energy of the sun. It's insane enough for a person to bring him into a psychiatry.

Your nerves tingled after the door was opened. Eyes stared up into the one's of the person who'd finally found you. Nobody moved an inch.

It's like danger was drawn to him. Apparently his dad died when he was young. But his grandfather, he was the person where the whole curse began with. Or was it is great-grandfather? Sometimes you confused elements of the story.

»I found you«, he said and leaned the arm onto the doorframe. »You thought you can hide? From me?«

With the sound of your butt hitting the ground, you finally let go all the tension. A shrug's the only answer you had.

He raised an eyebrow before laughing. The sound's rather contagious, therefore you joined him in less volume. But now that the hide and seek game was over, it indeed felt funny.

You then stretched your poor legs. »I thought maybe!« the confidence in your voice came out.

»But you always find me under ten minutes. It's almost like you cheat.«

He crossed his arms, a little frown on his face. »That's such a cruel allegation, (N). I'm just damn good at games.«

The little sparkle around him made you roll your eyes affectionately. You held out your hand afterwards. He wasted no second to help you back to your feet.

Being closer to his body, you saw a slight hint of red on his cheeks. Probably from running after you. So much for being effortlessly good at hide and seek. It had you smirk regardless.

»Alright then, you won.« You let go to brush past him with a smile. »Time to go back and clean the kitchen.«

»Ugh... When did my life go from slaying Vampires to unloading the dishwasher?«

»Since you decided to live with your partner, you dumbass. Now let's go, haha!«

[awhitehead17]

Stand By Me

TimKon, Tim & Bruce, Canon Divergence Infinite Crisis, Kon lives, Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Angst.

Summary: It’s been three weeks since what they are now calling the Infinite Crisis. The Crisis led to much devastation, not to just their world, but across all multi-dimensions, hundreds of lives have been lost, both hero, villain and civilian alike.

Even now Tim still can’t comprehend what happened to his best friend all those weeks ago. He's been sat inside his hospital room, unmoving, as he waits for his best friend to wake up after he went knocking on death's door.

A/N: This if for the 'Hospital Stay' square on my Bad Things Happen Bingo Card. It's a canon divergence of Infinite Crisis where Kon lives.

Also on AO3

Enjoy! :D

“Tim, it’s been ten days. You can’t keep staying in here.”

Technically it’s been nine days, fourteen hours and thirty-six minutes, not that Tim is going to correct him. He hums in acknowledgment but otherwise continues to stare ahead and ignores the concerned gaze on him.

“Tim.”

At the sharp tone Tim finally turns around and faces the man behind him. He scowls feeling irritable by the constant badgering everyone keeps doing to him.

“I’m not leaving.” He states firmly. “I am not going anywhere, not until he wakes up and is back up on his feet. I’m not going and you can’t make me.”

“That could be another month or two Tim.”

“Then I’ll be staying here for that month or two. I mean it. I’m not going anywhere.”

Being done with the conversation Tim turns back around and pointedly ignores the man behind him. He shouldn’t really, no one ever puts their back to Batman, but Tim doesn't care. All his attention and focus is on the unconscious body lying on the hospital bed in front of him.

It’s been three weeks since what they are now calling the Infinite Crisis. And those three weeks have been hell. The Crisis led to much devastation, not to just their world, but across all multi-dimensions, hundreds of lives have been lost, both hero, villain and civilian alike. Even whole cities had been destroyed. Throughout the last three weeks it’s taken a humongous effort from everyone in the community to try and gain some sort of normalcy after what happened and they’re still nowhere near out of the fire just yet.

For ten (nine) of those twenty-one days since the Crisis, Tim’s been sat inside this hospital room, unmoving, as he waits for his best friend to wake up from a coma he’d fallen into.

Kon went knocking on deaths door during the Crisis.

Even now Tim still can’t comprehend what happened to his best friend. Kon had been willing to  sacrifice himself to defeat Superboy Prime and the machine that threatened the multiverse. Kon had sustained fatal injuries during the battle with Prime and gained even more after he crashed them both into the machine which ultimately stopped it. Kon almost succumbed to his injuries but miraculously made it through.

It’s not been a smooth recovery. Kon had flatlined two times there on the battlefield and once more several hours later. The medical team had thankfully managed to stabilise him and keep him alive long enough for his body to start healing on its own, even with his Kryptonian genetics it took time for the healing genes to kick in.

For the first seven days Tim hadn’t been allowed to see him, Clark had kept Kon away at the fortress and refused to let anyone to see him. After that week Clark allowed Kon to be moved into the Justice League based hospital, even then Tim still hadn’t been allowed to see him for another four days. Just as Tim had been ready to blow the hospital doors down Clark allowed him entry and since then Tim hasn’t once left.

He’s occasionally popped out to either go toilet or a quick shower but he’s never been gone longer than ten minutes. Others have popped by and stayed with him, other frequent visitors have been Bart and Cassie who thankfully also survived the Crisis, they’ve all told him they’ll watch over Kon while he gets some fresh air and a proper night’s sleep but Tim's refused to leave each and every time. It feels like the moment he takes his eyes off Kon he’ll never see him again.

Bruce has been by to check on Tim nearly every day since he’s set up shop in Kon's room. Every time he would ask Tim if he wanted anything or telling him it’s okay for him to leave. Tim appreciates the concern, especially with everything that’s been going on, and how his focus has been needed elsewhere, but after several days of this it’s frustrating now and Tim doesn't get why Bruce wouldn’t leave him alone. Out of his kids Bruce really ought to be focusing on Dick more than him, Dick has been one of the people who has suffered the most in the Crisis considering his entire city had been demolished. He’s going through a lot and needs the support.

There's a rustle of movement behind him and suddenly Bruce is crouching down beside the chair Tim is sat in. Tim pointedly looks the other way and does his best to ignore the man. Bruce has other ideas because he reaches over, cups his cheek and turns Tim so he’s looking at him.

Not having the energy Tim doesn't fight against it although he closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to look at the man whose still staring at him in concern.

“Tim can you look at me.” Tim stubbornly doesn’t. “Tim, please.” A moment later Tim hears a harsh sigh come from the man and while he feels somewhat bad for his behaviour he still refuses to look at Bruce. The hand falls away from his cheek and he feels Bruce shift by his chair. “Okay, don’t look but at least listen to what I have to say.” Tim doesn’t acknowledge him although Bruce must have expected this as he continues talking anyway.

Whatever he says goes straight over Tim’s head because the moment the man opened his mouth a beep sounded out from one of the machines next to Kon’s head at the end of the bed. His attention immediately zeroed in on the noise, effectively blocking everything – Bruce – out and Tim studied the machine with laser focus trying to work out what it could mean. When nothing out of the ordinary could be noted Tim changed his focus to his best friend looking for any signs of him either waking up or if something is wrong. Again nothing appears out of the ordinary. Kon simply looks like he’s taking a nap.

A hand on his shoulder roughly shaking him averts his attention away from Kon and back to the other man in the room, who Tim had completely forgotten about.

Bruce is scowling at him, but Tim could see the worry underneath the cold exterior. “Were you even listening to what I was saying?”

Tim didn’t see the point in lying. Truth be told he didn’t really care. “No. I’m not leaving so stop trying to get to me go. It’s not happening.”

Bruce lets out a sharp exhale and he gets up from his crouched position. There’s suddenly an air around him that has Tim’s senses going on high alert for the first time since the man entered the hospital room. Bruce leans in closely to Tim, looming over him as he rests his hands on the arms of the chair effectively caging Tim in.

Tim couldn’t make himself look away this time. His heart is pounding inside his chest as he starts feeling a little panicked at the cold look Bruce is sending his way. It’s also the first time Tim sees the exhaustion on the man, everything that’s happened since the Crisis weighing heavily on his shoulders.

“I am going to say this once. This is your only warning, do you understand?” Bruce lowly says looking straight at Tim in the eyes. Tim swallows and nods. “Two days. If you have not left this room within two days I am going to come back here and physically drag you out. I know you’re concerned about your friend and it’s admirable on how much you want to stay by his side during this time, however neglecting yourself and your health isn’t helping anyone. It isn’t helping you, it isn’t helping me, or Dick, Cass, your team and it certainly isn’t helping Conner. With the way you’re going, you’ll end up in a bed next to him. Is that what you want Tim?”

Bruce pauses and looks expectantly at Tim as if waiting for an answer to his rhetorical question. Finding himself unable to form words Tim shakes his head anyway.

Bruce stares at him for a moment longer for which Tim holds his breath, unsure on what the man’s next move is going to be. In the end he simply grunts before straightening up and leaves the hospital room. It takes Tim a moment to remember how to breathe again once he’s gone.

Two days later Bruce sees his threat through. During this time Tim had known the man wasn't joking about forcing him to leave, but the threat didn’t stop him from not leaving Kon’s hospital room. He kinda regrets not leaving (in reality he would never) when Bruce comes into Kon’s hospital room and immediately pins Tim with a look.

Tim doesn’t hesitate. He springs out of the chair and darts towards the small supply closet within the room. He should be able to squeeze in there and avoid Bruce.

Just as he has hold of the handle, an arm wraps around his waist and hoists him up and away from the door. Tim yelps and squirms trying to escape but the hold stays firm even as he’s placed back on ground facing the opposite away from the closet. Bruce’s free hand grabs one of his own, extra caution to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere, and the arm wrapped around his waist lets go so the man can use both hands to grab both of Tim’s.

Within one moment and the next Tim’s wrists were suddenly encased in handcuffs. He makes an indignant sound and tries loosening them to no avail. Before he could be verbal about his protest Bruce is wrapping an arm around his waist once again and this time throws Tim over his shoulder and starts making his way out of the room. Tim gets one more glance at an unmoving Kon in his hospital bed, the exact same position he has been in for the last twelve days, before the door closes.

Knowing it was useless, Tim still tries to fight his way to freedom. He kicks out and wiggles around, trying anything to make Bruce loosen the hold he has on him however the man appears unaffected by Tim’s attempts at freedom. He keeps walking casually down the corridor as if carrying his handcuffed teenage son over his shoulder is an everyday occurrence.

Bruce only stops once their outside by the car. Bruce opens the passenger door and finally puts Tim down onto his feet although the man keeps a hand on his shoulder and firmly guides him into the seat. Tim huffs at the manhandling but otherwise doesn’t protest. He sits obediently in the car as Bruce makes his way around to the other side and climbs into the driver’s seat. After a moment Bruce eyes him sideways and clicks a button on the dashboard, a second later he could hear the click of the locks locking. Tim rolls his eyes. He may be tempted to jump out of a moving car, it wouldn’t be the first time, but handcuffed and feeling exhausted has him thinking otherwise so Bruce shouldn’t be so paranoid.

--------

Tim’s allowed back into Kon’s hospital room five days later. Durning those five days Tim had been under constant supervision in a nearby penthouse which Bruce owns. He ate full three meals a day, snacks too, showered, stretched and exercised lightly, and even somehow managed to have a couple full night sleeps.

Returning to Kon's side he feels better and refreshed, not that he’d ever admit it to Bruce. He never stopped worrying about Kon’s condition but the break away from the hospital room did give Tim somewhat of a mental break. The team thankfully kept him up to date with Kon’s condition, Cassie and Bart often facetimed Tim when they were in Kon’s room, allowing Tim to see Kon for himself while he was away.

It was only hours later after Tim returned to the hospital room when Kon started to stir, for the first time he showed signs of waking up. Tim was right beside him as he groggily woke, completely out of it and confused, Tim did his best to reassure Kon of where he is and how he’s going to be okay while he paged the onsite doctor. Kon fell asleep only moments after waking up, it didn’t deter Tim however because for the first time in weeks he’s hopeful for his best friend’s recovery.

It happened in stages and Kon’s recovery is a slow progress. He wakes up on and off, as confused as the first time for a couple days before his wakings gradually increased and his coherence improved.

“How long have I been here?” Kon asks disbelievingly. He’s still rough, he’s lost weight and his skin has lost colour but Tim doesn't care about those things. His best friend is alive and that’s all that matters. Everything else can be recovered with time.

Tim absently strokes the skin of Kon’s hand from where he’s holding it in his own. “Four weeks give or take.” Tim tells him, it’s not like he hasn’t kept track. He suddenly feels himself welling up, hit by an onslaught of emotion out of nowhere.

“You’ve been here for weeks, it was all touch and go for a while and Clark had you hidden away in the fortress for a week then you were moved here, it’s been a long ass few weeks Kon, you have no idea, I didn’t know if you were going to make it, your heart stopped Kon. Three times! It stopped three times and then you wouldn’t wake up. Day after day after day. You wouldn’t wake up-”

Tim sucks in a sharp breath, effectively halting his rambling, when a hand touches his cheek. He hadn’t realised he worked himself up into a frenzy until he stopped talking. Tears were streaming from his eyes and breathing was a bit of a struggle.

“Tim – hey Tim, look at me – look at me…”

Kon’s words break through the fog in his mind and Tim meets the eyes of his best friend. Eyes that were finally open after weeks of waiting for them to do so.

“Breathe with me, Rob.”

Kon guides him through a breathing exercise which does the trick of calming him down to the point where he can think clearly again. Tim sniffs and wipes his face with his jumper sleeve before letting out a huff.

“You’re the one in the hospital bed and here I am having a breakdown.”

Kon just stares at him and despite the exhaustion clear on his face Tim could see the concern in his gaze.

“I’m not the only one going through things Tim.” He says simply. “C’mere.”

“What? No Kon-” Kon grabs Tim and starts tugging him onto his bed, after only a moment of resisting Tim lets his friend manhandle him around to his liking only because he doesn't want Kon to hurt himself. Soon enough he finds himself lying next to Kon, head resting on his shoulder and his body curled up facing towards Kon’s, his hand resting over Kon's heart feeling the steady beat underneath the skin.

Kon’s hand runs across his back and shoulder in comforting strokes. Neither of them say anything as they lie there together, simply breathing and taking in comfort from the other and listening to the steady beep of Kon’s monitors.

Tim ends up fiddling with Kon’s fingers of the hand not on his back. “I was so scared, I almost lost you,” he admits quietly. After a moment he thinks Kon hadn’t heard him or that he’s fallen asleep however when Tim looks up at his best friend he finds Kon staring at him with an indescribable look on his face.

“I don’t remember a lot of what happened leading up to… that,” Kon starts softly, not looking away from Tim. “I remember there being pain, and anger, and just the want to beat him to stop it from happening. I’ve been told it’s like a trauma response, me forgetting I mean, supposedly it’s to help myself recover, the doctors say I may remember more details down the line or even not at all. I don’t know what scares me more.”

Kon breathes deeply before glancing away.

“I want to thank you Tim,” at Tim’s frown Kon immediately shushes him, “no, I mean it. I get this hasn’t been easy for you, I’ve heard the stories of you never leaving my side and I want to say thank you for never giving up on me or for never letting me be alone even when I was unconscious.”

Tim shakes his head smiling sadly. “Of course I wasn't going to give up on you. You’re a fighter through and through, stubborn as a mule too. I didn’t want you to be alone. You’d do it for me.”

They’re best friends. Everyone knows this. There isn’t anything they wouldn’t do for each other.

Kon reaches up and cups Tim’s face, he leans forward and rests his forehead against Tim’s and Tim embraces the hold, even moving to hold Kon back. They’re here. They’re both alive. They’re both going to be fine. Tim can’t imagine living in a world without his best friend.

[freshiegayboi]

HERES THE DEAL

if you go to this post here it will explain things: https://www.tumblr.com/absurdmageart/734536181612724224/my-kofi-link-httpsko-ficomabsurdmageart?source=share

here's my contribution

for every ten dollars donated to @absurdmageart (and i WILL be keeping track!) one of these fics will be updated! it may take a little bit, but ALL of them will be updated as they are funded, people who donate 10 dollars or more feel free to mention which fic youd like updated, or send me a message saying which, if any! if not it'll just be in order. that's on top of the art you'd be getting from Mage!

this is NOT for me

this is for Mage, who hasnt deserved the shit they've dealt with this year

lets help them out!

under the cut is a synopsis and link to all the fics on the bingo, have fun! (also i will be doubling up on fics, no worries lol)

hearing the mission bell - Mutt/Reader fic where Mutt has a daughter who is kidnapped

so many snacks, so little time - Gaster is a Symbiote fic, also Gaster/Reader

A Golden Sword - Medieval Bad Sans Poly fic, Cross centric

Bits and Pieces - Serial killer/Crime novelist Kedgeup fic

If I had You - Ghost!Reader/Underfell Bros fic

Safe House - Red is rescued from a forced prostitution ring

Giving Your Cards Away - Little!Slim with Caregiver!Edge and Spicymaple

The Reset Fallacy - Undertale bros become Underfell bros the fic

Downplaying Fear - Gaster harem/Reader

Turning Out - Spicyhoney Pokemon crossover

Blank Shot - Spicykustard+Mapleketchup philanthropist/hitman AU

Subjugation - Edge/Reader fluff fic

Imperial - Cherryblossom medieval fic

Sloppy Seconds - Angsty Spicyhoney fic

Carry Me - Horrorfell bros/Reader fic

Harried and Torn - Spicykustardpuff the fic

Garish - Swapfell bros/Reader hurt/comfort

Disconcerted - Kedgeup teacher AU

Fish in the Sea - Purple Swapfell Bros/Reader the fic

Sparks and Wires - Spicyhoney Android!Honey AU