#they’re good parents and i tried to make that clear through what they were saying

[rebelspykatie]

Steve’s never had anyone show any genuine interest in the things he likes. Robin rolls her eyes when he brings up sports or silly movies that don’t have a bigger plot or character work. Even though she played soccer, she doesn’t care about it in the same way that Steve cares about basketball or football. 

The kids make fun of everything from his taste in music to his choice in snacks for movie nights. Mike calls him a little housewife for baking one time and he never shows up with cookies again. They’re never intentionally mean spirited, or at least he doesn’t think so. He knows he can give as good as he gets when it comes to catty, sarcastic comments, but he tries to steer clear of personal attacks on someone’s identity these days. He learned that lesson with Jonathan. 

But even before the party came along, it was like that. His parents never stuck around long enough to find out what he was up to, never attending a game or meet, and certainly in the dark about what he might be up to outside of school. Tommy only ever cared about himself and Carol, only following Steve around for clout, popularity by association. If he asked him right now, he’d bet a lot of money that Tommy doesn’t even remember his favorite food or the movie he used to watch when he was sick. There was a point where he thought he could share things with him. Until he realized mid ramble about sports cars that Tommy wasn’t even listening to him. He was staring at Carol and nodding along with a vacant expression. 

So he stopped sharing. Stopped caring if people knew anything about him because they never asked. People always made assumptions about him anyway. The girls he slept with only wanted one thing. The kids were happy to let him chauffeur them around with no questions asked. Robin was the only one he let in, the only one that cared about digging deeper. But, and she never said in so many words, he could tell that she thought his interests were mundane, and clearly not something that sparked any enthusiasm from her. She couldn’t even keep up with the girls he slept with, giving him the same bored stare as Tommy. 

Even now, after a few years, Steve’s reminded that they never would have become friends if not for trauma and the secret inner workings of the Russian’s within Hawkins. He’s lucky to have her, but he doesn’t think she ever would’ve chosen this, chosen him. And that’s fine. He’s used to not being chosen. His parents didn’t choose him when they started leaving him alone at age 12. Tommy and Carol chose each other and the reign of a new king when Steve fell from his throne. Nancy chose Jonathan. 

He doesn’t think he has a lot to offer. 

Well, at least until Eddie comes along. He’s taken by surprise when Eddie asks after the song that’s playing in his car. He’d assumed Eddie only liked metal music, and yeah he pokes fun at the genre of music Steve seems to stick to, begging him to give metal a shot, but he doesn’t say a word about how lame it is. When they’re having a movie night, Eddie notices that Steve gravitates towards coke and brings him one without Steve asking.

After Eddie sees his bedroom, Steve gets a pack of hot wheels for Christmas. Eddie jokes that he should give one to each of the kids as their new ride, since they seem to be ungrateful little twerps. Steve places them right under his posters on his dresser and Eddie grins at them every time he comes over. They lay in bed and pretend to drive them on the ceiling like they’re kids again. It shakes something loose in Steve’s chest. 

Eddie hates sports, but he invites Steve over on Mondays, when Wayne is perched in his chair for football. He quietly works on his campaigns while Steve and Wayne watch the games. Eddie somehow worms his way into Steve’s heart, digging deeper and deeper with each new thing, like he wants to know more. Steve’s history is a minefield, but Eddie expertly navigates through it, leaving who they were behind, building something new together. Steve’s already halfway in love with him before he even realizes that Eddie is something that he likes. 

He expects to freak out a bit more, but who is going to stop him? Who is going to care if he wants to be with this boy? He’s spent so long ignoring parts of himself for others that he wants to cherish this fragile thing, to cradle it in his hands, make sure no one can ruin it for him. When he kisses Eddie, it feels like coming home, like he’s finally found that place he’s been searching for his whole life. It’s a kind of devotion that Steve’s not used to, born of love and not obsession or jealousy or anger. 

He’s not sure he deserves it, but he’ll do everything in his power to keep it.

[stevesjockstrap]

Alone on Thanksgiving? Mad at your dad?

Based on this post

Or, Steve invites Craigslist!Eddie to Thanksgiving as his fake boyfriend for entertainment and drama purposes

Rated: T? Always with the swearing idk | read on ao3

ETA a/n: shout out to @rocknrollsalad for a direct quote in here and putting up with me and @machtaholic for encouraging this 🖤

“Are you serious?”

Steve sighed. “Yes, Robbie. You know how much my parents have been on me since they’re losing what little power they have left. This is going to be awesome.”

She was pacing around their living room, making him anxious. “But why are you going to take this stranger from Craigslist? Why can’t you find someone you know? Argyle would do it. What if this guy doesn’t show, or he comes and steals something?”

“If he doesn’t show I’m in the same boat anyhow, but hey, there’s a thought. You think I can pay him more to steal something from my parents? I’d love to see that.”

“Steve!” She rounded on him, eyes wide. “You’re paying him? You didn’t tell me that!”

“For fuck’s sake, Rob. He didn’t ask for money, the post actually said he would do it just for food. But the guy’s driving half an hour and I’m willing to bet my family is worse than he’s expecting. Sit down, you’re making me dizzy. Read this and tell me this isn’t exactly what I need.” He scrolled on his phone and handed it to her.

Her shoulders relaxed as she read on, laughing finally, “You’re not going to make him propose or fight your dad on the front lawn, right?”

“Maybe for Christmas,” he smirked.

His parent’s house was always so cold and empty. It was his childhood home but he had never really felt any attachment to it. His apartment with Robin was small and cluttered but cozy, and full of memories of them and their friends. They had done a Friendsgiving the previous weekend that had been a dangerously good time. (The smoke detector had only gone off three times, a new record.)

Running his hand through his hair again, he looked at the clock. Would Eddie show? He checked his phone again, knowing there were no missed texts because he had just looked thirty seconds ago. Why was he more nervous about meeting him than introducing him to his family? They’d had one phone call and some texts, mostly arranging the time and place and Steve already apologizing for his family.

Eddie had laughed, “It’s okay, Steve. Trust me, I’ve dealt with worse.”

He went to the bathroom, just to kill time.

And of course the doorbell rang.

He quickly washed and dried his hands, sparing a second to pull his hair into a less raked-through mess.

Quickening his pace when he saw his mom still holding the door open, not allowing whoever was on the stoop in, he craned his neck to see out the door.

Oh fuck.

“If you’d just go get him, ma’am, we could clear this all up,” Eddie was saying. The words were polite but there was an edge to them, just the tinge of a sneer on his lips. It was perfect.

“He’s mine,” he heard himself say. His mom whipped around, eyes crazed and mouth open. “Uh- I mean,” his eyes returned to Eddie standing on his doorstep. Taking in the long thick wavy hair, big brown eyes, his lips pulled into a toothy grin now. He’d clearly attempted to dress up, grey slacks and a black button down, paired with heavy combat boots. The sleeves were rolled up to reveal tattoos up his forearms and the backs of his hands. There were more tattoos on his neck, and Steve’s eyes glued themselves to the ring through his lip. Guh. “He’s, uh, here for me.”

“Hi Steve,” he watched the lips form. “Was just meeting your lovely mother.” Again there was nothing wrong with the words themselves, nothing anyone could pinpoint or take offense to. But that slithery way he said it with a razor sharp sting, Steve was impressed. He was clearly an expert at this.

Steve tried to school his own expression and voice. “My apologies. Mom, this is Eddie, my boyfriend.”

There was a long silence where he thought his mom was going to combust. She opened and closed her mouth several times, her eyebrows furrowed. He’d never seen her speechless before.

Eddie sent him a smirk and he almost matched it but his mom looked at him finally and stammered, “Y-your, ah, I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes and pulled in a steadying breath. When she opened them she asked, “He’s your boyfriend?”

“Yes ma’am,” Eddie answered from almost behind her now as she turned to question Steve.

“And why is it you didn’t tell us he was coming? Why is he ringing the doorbell like a stranger?”

“I, um, well I did think he’d text when he got here or something…” Steve started, meeting Eddie’s eyes over her shoulder.

“What, and miss out on this warm welcome?” Eddie winked at him but quickly settled his face when his mom turned to him. Doing the exact thing he’d hoped for, Mrs. Harrington remembering she’s leaving a guest out on her doorstep.

Steve delighted in the fact that this was going to be a chess match and his mother was already several moves behind.

Her eyes narrowed and she held a hand out to welcome Eddie in, walking them all into the foyer. “Well, don’t let me stop you, go ahead and greet your boyfriend, Steven.”

It was a challenge, he knew, but they hadn’t discussed this. Eddie was on the ball, however. He continued his momentum to slide a hand under Steve’s suit jacket to settle on his ribs and the other he brought up to cup his face, leaning in and angling their heads together. Steve tried to relax and closed his eyes. Eddie pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, but from where his mom was standing she wouldn’t be able to tell.

“Hey, baby. Missed you,” he breathed when he pulled away. Steve was halfway to believing this himself.

“Yeah,” he sighed stupidly.

Eddie pulled his hands away and he almost reached back for them before stopping himself with a shake. He found he’d only gone a foot away when he opened his eyes though. Oh he was in trouble.

His mother cleared her throat from behind Eddie like she hadn’t put them up to this. Steve reached out for his hand and held onto it.

“Okay so I’m going to go introduce him to everyone else,” he said quickly and walked further into the house. Holding his hand.

They made their way through the dining room, Steve taking more and more pleasure with each stilted interaction Eddie weaved through with his family members.

His dad was propped in the living room with his uncle and Steve could feel his eyes on him as they made their way around. He knew his mother had ran to tell him all about it but he wouldn’t take being ignored well. It was making his skin crawl but he knew it would further piss off his dad so he kept it up.

After everyone else had been formally introduced to Eddie and Steve had gulped half a glass of wine, he felt almost ready to go deal with him. He took Eddie’s hand again and turned, but navigated them to the sliding glass door and outside instead.

It was chilly, late November in Indiana, but it felt amazing after the stuffiness of the house.

Steve remembered he still had Eddie’s hand in his and he quickly dropped it. “Uh, you smoke?”

Eddie grinned, all teeth and tongue as he held a battered pack of Newports out to him. “Not usually, really, but it makes for a good prop. Sorry they’re shit.”

“Holy shit. You’re amazing. I mean- perfect, I mean- fuck.” Steve laughed and shook his head. “The on-the-spot fact checking of my aunt’s political shit was next level. You could do this year round and make a killing, man.” He did pull a cigarette out of the pack and Eddie leaned into him, clicking the lighter for him, meeting his eyes as Steve sucked in.

“I don’t-“

The door slid open behind them and Mr. Harrington walked out.

“Looks like you and your date are avoiding me, Steven,” he said. Steve watched as he gave Eddie a very slow up and down look.

“No, dad. Just needed a break. It’s warm in there.” He made his face remain neutral. It’s not like anyone was cooking anything, his mom always got their big family meals catered.

His dad narrowed his eyes at him as he held eye contact, taking a drag from his bummed cigarette.

“Where is Robin today?”

He sighed. “With her family, dad. And for the last time, I’m not dating Robin. She’s a lesbian. This is Eddie, by the way. My date? He’s my boyfriend.”

When Steve had tried to come out as bisexual to his parents, his dad especially had made it clear that he did not accept that about his only child. As the years went on and he hadn’t spoken much about this part of his life, it seemed his dad had hoped it just went away.

Mr. Harrington scoffed, “I don’t understand why you want to throw your life away, Steven. I thought we’d raised you better-“ Eddie made a noise next to him and Steve knew he couldn’t look at him or he’d burst out laughing.

“Save it, dad. Believe it or not I love my life. Which is something I’d never thought I would be able to say. Can you even say that?”

His dad shook his head disappointedly and walked back inside.

“Excellent job. I don’t think you need me here after all,” Eddie joked.

Steve propped himself against the wall of the house, deeply tired from having to defend his choices to his dad for the umpteenth time.

“Maybe not need. But it’s been really fun having you here. Usually dinner conversation is about how big of a disappointment I am. Oh, I guess I didn’t give you that backstory. I’m graduating with my masters in psychology in the spring, and I’ve been early accepted into a PhD program. And there’s no money in helping people,” he chuckled. “So.” He scuffed out the butt with his heel and left it on his dad’s pristine patio.

“Steve. That’s amazing! Congratulations.” Eddie seemed genuinely excited for him and it brought a small smile to his face. “You look like you could really use a hug, man. Can I hug you?”

“Of course.” If he let himself hold on for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary, Eddie allowed it.

Dinner was quiet. His uncle asked Eddie what he did for work and he enthusiastically explained he was a line cook and worked nights at a bar. Steve surreptitiously looked around to take in everyone’s expressions and quickly covered his mouth with his napkin. He actually enjoyed himself during a holiday dinner for the first time he could remember.

Eddie at one point threw an arm around the back of his chair and he leaned in a bit into him, catching the disapproving stares they got from the corner of his eye.

Pie was passed around and by then Steve had had another glass of wine or two. He reached over to thumb the whipped cream from the side of Eddie’s lip without thinking, before popping the thumb into his own mouth. Eddie’s eyes widened and it was on the tip of his tongue to apologize but he caught himself.

“Thanks, babe,” Eddie said with a chuckle.

After saying their awkward goodbyes to everyone, Steve walked Eddie to his van. He looked down at his feet, fiddling with his keys.

“Hey, um, this may be out of left field and let me know if it’s too much, okay?” Eddie waited for Steve to nod. “Do you want to come to my uncle’s with me tomorrow night? It’s just the two of us and he always volunteers to work the holiday. But we do a thing, you know. A-and he’s always bugging me to bring someone.”

Steve blinked. “Would it have to be a fake date? I’m not as skilled at that as you are.”

“No, I mean, it wouldn’t- god I suck. I’m actually asking, like for real. If that’s okay? Just be you. And I’ll just be me.”

“That’s very okay. I’d really like that.” He couldn’t hold back his smile. Taking the chance, he leaned in, Eddie meeting him in the middle to finally press their lips together.

[dearsnow]

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

- phoenix and her girlfriend set you up with a wso they insist will be right up your alley. (robert “bob” floyd x fem!reader, fluff, reader is meant to be similar to bob, ie quiet, sweet, and nerdy, mentions of being drunk/having sex but nothing explicit)

word count: 2,003

a/n - this fic is parallel HEAVY, so don’t be surprised if you see the same phrase passed around. it’s truly a mindlink esque situation lol. and it’s 100% self-indulgent because the reader’s personality is so similar to mine (i am nothing if not a self caterer)

“Nat, I’m really not sure.” Bob tries to protest. “You know I’m no good with dating and stuff. Who’s to say she’ll even like me?” Natasha pats him on the back, firmly enough for him to know she means it.

“You guys are birds of a feather. Trust me, she’ll like you.”

“Jamie, I just don’t know.” You frown. She’s trying to set you up with her girlfriend’s friend, claiming that you’d be the perfect match, but you know you’re not the most amazing when it comes to meeting new people. You’re slightly awkward at best, socially anxious at worst. “He probably won’t like me. And if we’re really so similar, don’t you think it’ll be stiff and weird because neither of us can say the right, flirty thing?”

“You don’t need to be ‘flirty’ to have a good connection. Not every relationship is going to be like Natasha and I, all fire and flame. Sometimes it’s slow, and slow is good. It’s exactly what you need.” Jamie chides, putting a soothing arm around your shoulder. “Trust me. Birds of a feather, right?”

You shift uncomfortably in the booth you’re sitting in, Jamie’s hand rubbing the side of your arm comfortingly. It’s ten minutes before your supposed double date, and Natasha affirms that it’s about five minutes before he shows up. “Bob’s always early,” she stated, “so we can be even earlier to give you some prep time.”

You’re quiet. Shy, even, and you don’t have the best track record with social events. You’ve never really had a date that understood why you don’t want to get roaringly drunk and have sex in a bathroom and whatnot. The two girls, one in front of you and one by your side, have assured you that Bob will be different. He’s quiet too, but he stands up for himself. He’s strong and capable, with a humble attitude and the slight southern charm that you can bring home to your parents. If he’s really so great, though, what the hell is he doing going out with you?

Bob can see your booth through the door of the diner, and he steels his nerves quietly. He’s got this. He’ll make it a nice dinner, a nice experience, and he will not, under any circumstances, fuck it up. He owes you that much. He knows he’s probably not what you want in a guy. Natasha described you as hardworking, kind, and a good listener. He can’t help but think that you deserve much better than him.

He takes a breath and pushes open the door, the flowers in his other hand a little damp from his sweaty palms.

When he finally rounds the server stand, he can see you. And you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever had the pleasure of setting sights on.

He’s royally fucked, he thinks.

Oh my god, he’s so hot. You smile at him and curse a bit under your breath, careful to not let anyone hear. He’s everything you imagined and more, with sandy colored hair, bright blue eyes, and glasses that look like they’re just a little crooked. If you were bold, you’d reach across the table and fix them as he sat down. You’re not, though, so you just fidget with your hands under the hard wood.

He clears his throat and hands you a small bouquet of daises, sliding into the spot across from you. Nat gives a little self-satisfied smile from next to him. “Hi. I didn’t know what you liked, so I hope that’s okay. I’m- I’m Robert by the way, or Bob, whatever you prefer.”

You think your cheeks will split open from how hard you’re smiling. It’s such a small gesture, but the blush on his cheeks tells you that it’s earnest. “They’re perfect. Thank you, Bob.” You introduce yourself with the next breath, and he shakes your hand like it’s a business meeting. His palms are warm and just a little bit damp, but when his fingers curl around your own like they were meant to fit together, you couldn’t care less. “So,” you begin, somewhat shyly, “you’re Natasha’s WSO?”

When Bob hears your quiet voice, he knows he’s in deep. “Yeah. She’s a great pilot.” His praise earns him an elbow from Natasha, a silent ‘talk about yourself, dipshit’ evident in the action. He smiles nervously. “We do a lot of the weapons bits so the pilots can fly safely. How about you, what do you do?”

“It’s not as important and exciting as your job, that’s for sure.” You laugh before explaining exactly what you do.

“Honestly, that is important and exciting. I’m sure you excel at it, too,” Bob offers, somewhat bashfully. What makes your head spin is that he seems like he means it. He’s sincere, wonderfully so.

As that statement quirks the corners of your mouth up, Bob’s heart explodes. You’re charming and beautifully sweet, with a pretty smile and dashing eyes to boot.

Jamie enters your conversation carefully, like she wants to help but isn’t forcing anything. Natasha pipes in a few times, but overwhelmingly, it’s you and Bob. Neither of you have ever spoken so much in this type of setting before, and it’s great. You bounce ideas and jokes and quips off of each other like you were meant to. You feel like you were meant to, because everything just comes so easily with Robert Floyd. You’re finally talking to someone who understands every bit of you, polishing the hidden parts of yourself until they shine. You never thought you could feel this way with another person.

“Wait, have you read this book called For One More Day?” You ask, finding every opportunity to drag out a subject you enjoy so deeply. “It’s really sad, like a fictional memoir, but I think you’d enjoy it. The whole story is basically an ode to loving your parents while they’re still around.”

“I haven’t, but I’ll be sure to check it out the next time I go go the library.” Bob says, giving a slightly lopsided grin that makes your heart scream. “It seems right up my alley though. I like non fiction books, mostly, but I could go for a change every once and a while.”

Your food is almost forgotten in the midst of the conversation, and his is too. “When you do read fiction, what genres do you go for? I have a million recommendations, so help me narrow them down a bit.”

Bob will never admit this to his friends, but he’s an avid reader. He’s a sucker for a true story or anything about dogs, however, he’d read anything you could ever think to tell him about. He has already made a mental note to check out For One More Day and is currently making more notes as you list off more dog-central books. You, as you’ve told him, go for more of the fancy prose-d, heavy drama-d, and emotion-filled stories. It’s nice to see you like this, talking about something you’re honestly passionate about. The light in your eyes makes you look like a ray of sunshine.

Jamie grins at Natasha from across the table, utterly and unashamedly content that her plot has worked. Natasha rolls her eyes. “Alright, you two,” Nat says, “can we move on to something more exciting? Like planning a second date, maybe. One where Jamie and I can be happy at home while you two nerd out.”

Bob’s face reddens and you give a small, sheepish smile. “I’d like that.” You say.

“Me too.” Bob adds. Natasha can firmly say that she’s never seen him so happy, not even after a successful flight. It’s like he’s finally found the thing that made him tick, like you reached into his chest and wound up the gear box in his heart. “I’m free this Friday, if you’re up for it.”

You tap your fingers on the tabletop, thinking. “This Friday… this Friday is when I’m doing a book reading for the kids at our local library at lunchtime. We could have dinner after that, though.” You want to spend the entire day with him, but if a few hours is all you’re given, you’ll take it. You’d take anything.

Bob’s hands move to touch yours, just barely. His warmth radiates out, perfectly soothing your nerves. “If you want, I can make lunch and help you out at the book reading. I like those kinds of things, but I don’t want to impose.”

“You absolutely should.” You breathe. “You wouldn’t be imposing at all. In fact, I think the kids would really like it if Mr. Naval Aviator read a few books to them. You’d be like a superhero in their eyes.”

You’re a bit astounded by how much Bob’s face flushes. If you thought he was a bit pink before, he’s got a drunk man’s glow now. And you were being completely, one hundred percent honest when you said that the kids would like him. They’d love him. Micah’s father was in the Navy when he was younger, so there’s one connection, and April loves airplanes with a passion. It would be amazing.

“Then I’ll be there. Here’s my number, so you can text me when and where.” Bob slides a little piece of paper over to you, one that he must have written a bit ago, because his pen is securely clipped to his pocket. He likes you so much he wrote down his number while you were (probably) explaining your love for reading, or crafts, or small animals? You’re going to swoon if he keeps this up.

Natasha eyes where your hand is touching Bob’s. “Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out. Now eat your food.” She gestures to your half-touched plates. You and Bob both stutter a little, completely having forgotten what you’re going to have to pay for.

The rest of the evening goes amazingly. You talk about so many subjects that by the end of the day, when the sun is slipping below the horizon, you feel like you’re floating on air— light and unburdened by the way you’ve been able to express yourself. Bob insisted on paying for your meal, and though you protested, a little part of you feels giddy that you’re worth spending money on. Bob walks you to your car, tucking your flowers into the cup holder between your seat and the passenger side.

“I really enjoyed that.” He muses. “I really enjoyed you. I thought Nat and Jamie were kinda full of it when they told me about this whole double date, but I’m glad they weren’t.”

“Me too, oh my gosh. I was totally expecting some stuck-up Navy nerd, but I’m glad it was you. I enjoy you too, Bob, probably way too much.” You’re standing by your door, but you feel like you can’t leave just yet.

He looks at you with something you hope to think is affection in his eyes before glancing down towards your lips. “I’ll let you get going. Text me anytime.”

You hesitate, staring up into his ocean blue eyes. Before you can stop yourself or tell yourself it’s a bad idea, you take the collar of his shirt in your hand and kiss him.

It feels right. His hand coming up to rest on your waist, his body pressed against yours as he stabilizes himself on your car, it’s everything you’ve always dreamed of. His lips work in tandem with your own, like they’re collaborating on some sort of secret mission, and he kisses you like he loves you.

His pupils are blown up and he’s panting just slightly when you pull away. He misses the feeling of your lips on his as soon as it ends, the tingling sensation working its way down his face. “T-Thank you…?” He whispers. You laugh, the sound music to his ears. He can hardly believe that that just happened.

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later, yeah?”

“Definitely.“

You give him a small peck on the cheek and step into your car, so happy you think you could explode. As you pull out, and as he waves at you from the parking lot, you make an effort to remember to thank Jamie and Natasha.

Who would’ve thought that you really would be birds of a feather?

Taglist: @seitmai

[drabblesandimagines]

Dove (part five)

Leon Kennedy x female reader - the slowest, slow burn I swear Part one. Part two. Part three. Part four.

You try your best to focus on show on the television – watching them take down a non-load bearing wall with sledgehammers in a somewhat poor technique - but you really wish you had your phone. This would be a perfect time for mindless scrolling through various feeds, rather than thinking of the handsome agent you’d just taken a nap on, apparently. You wonder if anyone’s texted you, tried to call only to be met with an automated voicemail message... unless the DSO have managed to get your phone to power on, teasing a few rings before they’re asked to leave a message.

You have friends to make plans with, of course you do, but the majority are spread country-wide now, have been for years since you finished college, so it’s not going to be strange if you haven’t replied to anyone for over 24 hours… No boyfriend to fret over your whereabouts either, your last relationship too long ago for any hurt feelings to remain.

And it’s definitely for the best that you don’t have any parents who will worry when you don’t check in.

Your mind drifts back to Leon. How long could this thing last? Say when they clear you – you can’t bear to think of the alternative of being accused of a BOW crime, you’d never see the light of day again, your name buried in a file never to be released - how long will it take to work out if your life is or remains in danger, and would he stay with you the entire time? Surely he has his own life to get on with, other responsibilities to the DSO than just a babysitter, probably got a partner at home too, though there was no ring that you saw. Probably wouldn’t wear one as an agent though, gives away too much about a personal life.

Besides, there were so many people in your office, would they really know if one person made it out alive? It’s not like you had seen anything of real value, or knew anything about the assailants, besides that they were murderous creatures… or so you thought. You deal with a lot of cases, is it possible that one of them traced the operation back and sought revenge?

If the painkillers hadn’t been wearing off, aches awakening in various parts of your body, you might’ve started pacing around the room for something else to do. This place could do with a bookshelf, you reason, or maybe people aren’t here long enough to read books? There was a pile of books on your night-stand, all in hopes of being read, which just reminds you that Hunnigan said they were going to send people to search your apartment. What for – a to-do list stuck to the fridge with a magnet with a singular bullet point of ‘betray US Government’?

She said there’d been a data breach too, so did someone let loose those things as a deadly distraction to get what they came for? And surely there was a back-up in a cloud or something. You hadn’t been privy to that side of the operation and if you’d started asking questions at any point, it would’ve looked suspicious.

No, you were just a good little intelligence agent, you clocked in and out on time, dutifully noting down observations, connecting the dots all day long, just wanted to make the world a little safer for everyone, but failed miserably at doing so for the people in your office.

And those things…

Are they what you’ve been working against all this time?

You shudder as you swear you can feel the way the its wet tongue wrapped around your arm, warm saliva against the prickly goosebumps on your skin in a firm grip, its teeth, the lack of eyes, how its body looked almost inside out, muscles and sinew…

You increase the volume on the television, praying the noise cancels out your thoughts and that Leon comes back inside soon.

--

Leon finishes his perimeter check once again in an even 25, satisfied there’s been no unwanted guests since his last round and confirming what he’d seen via the camera feeds. It’s coming up to 1700 now - he’ll need to make some sort of dinner for you to take your meds with, so realistically his 2000 self-imposed deadline for submitting his report to Hunnigan is not happening. He can throw them together pretty quickly– experienced agent that he is – but he knows his limits. Doesn’t exactly want to rush this, especially when he hopes it’s going to clear your name. He takes out his phone and types out a text.

Need to revise my report ETA. Midnight do?

He expects Hunnigan’s caller ID to flash up as soon as she’ll have read his text, but there’s nothing. Huh – must be wrapped up in something else. He repeats his whole garage routine, eyeing up the duffel bag he’d dumped on top of the dryer when he’d came out and sighs.

He's been in safe houses before - wasn't lying about that - just not with such pleasant company, nor anyone who really deserved it so far. His track run has always been Umbrella scientists who have suddenly developed a conscience, pleading for protection and a lenient jail sentence in return for information on the corporation, or other people involved in the production of BOWs. He's certainly not made the likes of them oatmeal in the morning, drizzled a smiley face in honey – what was he thinking, again? - lunch and dinner, washed and dried dishes, helped them changed, tucked them up in bed. Hell, one guy he’d made sleep on the floor cos he was such a jerk. They’d been sent to a studio apartment of all things and Leon had happily set himself up in the bed, dumping his duffel bag of weapons across the bedspread and sat there cleaning them all methodically, checking cartridges and glaring at the man he deemed a worthless piece of shit who was sat on the two-seater sofa, sweating buckets.

He picks up the duffel bag and moves to unlock the door. Once he's submitted the report and Hunnigan's searched your place, then he'll be able to drop a couple of the rules and…

And what, Kennedy? He scolds himself. Wishes he’d crossed paths with you at DSO HQ before on a day he was feeling confident enough to shoot his shot with a drinks and dinner invitation. Hunnigan’s right from this morning – he’s grown sweet on you particularly fast, but that’s something he’s managed to retain from his younger years, too easily a lovesick puppy for any woman who will entertain it, even after everything with Ada. But it’s a little different with you, just the way he recognizes that look in your eyes, the very one of guilt, disbelief and horror that he had when he looked in the mirror after getting out of Raccoon City and every mission since. 

He finally heads back inside, locking the door back up securely again. You don’t look to have moved from your position on the sofa, still looking at the television but the volume’s increased - he’s sure if he were to ask about what was happening you wouldn’t have a clue. It’s only the day after, you’ll still be trying to process everything, all whilst being locked up in a safe house with a near enough stranger and away from all your home comforts.

He places down the duffel bag carefully in its usual position before slowing walking over, making sure his steps are a little heavier than usual, aware that you might be too wrapped up in your own thoughts to have heard him re-enter and he really doesn’t wanna make you jump, very aware of how on edge you’re still going to be.

Once he’s sure he’s in your peripheral vision, he waves – smooth, Kennedy – know he’s got a goofy-looking smile on his face as he drops his arm back to his side. “Er… I’m back.”

“Hi,” you can’t help but smile back at his awkward little half-wave. “Everything okay out there?”

“Yeah – all clear, as expected. You hungry? Thought I could whip up some dinner to go alongside your next dose of painkillers.”

“I think I could manage something.” Your appetite is still shy – managed half a sandwich at lunch and that was sitting a little heavy in your stomach, but you know that Leon’s not going to let you take medication again without some sort of food.

“Okay, lemme see what we’ve got.” He claps his hands together, heading back towards the kitchen. You wince a little as you turn in place to watch him rummage through the cupboards, trying to assemble a meal from what the DSO had packed up. About a moment or two later, he pops his head up above the counter. “How about pasta? I think I can put together a somewhat decent tomato sauce for it.”

“Pasta sounds good.” You get to your feet as he ducks his head back down, continues his rummage in the cupboards before placing various items out as he works it all out in his head. “I know I’m one-handed, but… can I do anything?”

He stands up then with a bag of pasta in hand, ready to protest when he takes another good look at you, standing awkwardly at the edge of the kitchen area, sees the tinge of frustration across your face about everything clear as day, obviously sick of the television for now and he can’t blame you - there’s nothing else to do here but sleep, eat and watch that.

“Yeah, actually,” he sweeps his hair out of his face and places down the pasta on the counter. “I think I can find something.”

20 minutes later, you’re stood at the hob, stirring Leon’s off-the-cuff tomato sauce – a can of chopped tomatoes, some peppers and herbs - to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pot as the pasta bubbles away in another, all whilst he grates some cheese on the counter behind you. It’s the easiest job by far, you’re having to stir it oh so gently, lacking the other hand to hold the pot handle steady and you know it would probably be fine left alone to simmer, but it’s nice to feel like you’re contributing a little at last.

“How we doing over here?” Leon stands behind you, looks over your shoulder at his culinary creations.

“Okay, I think. It smells good.”

“Ah, trying to flatter the chef.” His watch beeps – a timer he’d set for the pasta. “Excuse me.”

You think he’s going to step forward to turn off the hob so you step back at the same time that he places a hand on your waist, thinking you were about to move off to the side. You bump into his chest – a reminder of how solid it had been when you’d taken that involuntarily nap on him earlier and Leon swallows down a nervous chuckle as your backside nestles for a moment against his crotch.

“Sorry, Dove, I-“

“Oh, sorry-“

The two of you apologise over each other, awkwardly, and you finally step to the side, Leon dropping his hand to swiftly turn the heat off the hob for both of the pots. “I… I think I’m good here – do you want to handle drinks?”

“Yeah, sure.” You duck your head down, swearing your face is now as red as the pasta sauce, and retrieve the glasses from the coffee table from earlier, refilling them with water from the kitchen tap and returning them back one by one, as Leon sets about draining the pasta and then combining the two.

You don’t sit yet and hang back, watching him dish up between two bowls before he slides on towards the end of the counter, followed by the plate of grated cheese. “Wanna do your own cheese too?”

“Yeah - thanks.” You walk forward and grab some of the cheese to sprinkle over the pasta. It feels nice to have some autonomy again, to be contributing in any sort of way and you think maybe, just maybe, you could get used to this awkwardness of the situation, even if it’s just through dinner…

Leon crouches down to open a cupboard and you hear him fiddle with the metal lockbox being unlocked as he retrieves your medication.

..maybe not.

---

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Commissions/Ko-Fi

Comments, follows, likes and reblogs make my day! Part six.

[ivorylungs]

I put down my last unicorn au ideas before I forgot them if you, uh, wanna see them🫣

Hizashi meets Shouta while they’re both kids and Hizashi is still super new at magic.

Unicorn Shouta is injured and Hizashi takes care of him while he’s recovering and they bond during that time enough for the unicorn to consider him his friend.

But before Shouta can make a full recovery the red buII attacks them and Hizashi in his panic turns Shouta human to get the bull off his tail

They get separated while escaping.

Hizashi spends ages looking for Shouta. He didn’t just turn him human- he turned him into an injured human! Who knows what could happen to him out there all by himself!

Days, then weeks, then months go by with no luck. He grows up believing he led his friend to his death out in those woods.

—————————

Shouta did escape that day. He eventually stumbled his way onto a road where a farming couple found him. They take him in and clean him up and listen to his silly stories about being a unicorn, a scary red buII, and his wizard friend. They adore the imagination of the child.

As Shouta grows up he stops telling those stories he came up with as a kid. He’s not sure how he thought them up. Must have been in a book he read.

The farming couple, now parents, raise Shouta as their own and he grows into a fine young man, if you ask them.

Shouta decides that he wants to become a knight and with the (maybe reluctant) support of his parents he’s off to the kingdom for training.

——————————-

Hizashi had been summoned to speak with the king. It had been a little over a year since the last time, but fuck- this was the last thing he needed. He knew he would have to report his findings back eventually. The only problem was that he hadn’t come up with a good enough bullshit report to replace the real one with yet.

He wasn’t sure if the last unicorn the king was making him search for was Shouta or not, but he was going to find out even if it killed him.

Which it might, since he’s showing up empty handed again.

He walks through the halls like the powerful wizard he is (claims to be) with his head held high and his palms definitely not sweaty.

He stops before the throne of the king and bows his head. When he lifts it to speak, the words he had prepared get stuck in his throat. Standing next to the king, he’s pretty fucking sure, is Shouta in royal guard attire.

Sitting next to where (maybe) Shouta stands is prince Oboro. He seems to be trying to get Shouta’s attention for something. His antics get an exasperated huff out of Shouta that moves the hair off of his forehead just enough for Hizashi to see it.

The mark that appeared after Hizashi changed him that day. Where a horn would be if he were in his proper form.

He’s finally found Shouta, but in the worst possible place he could be and right before the king probably hangs him for his failures. Just great!

“Shouta?”

Ohhhhhhh he didn’t mean to say anything out loud! Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfu-

The knight’s head whips around to look at him. Confusion clear on his face.

“Yamada-!” The king spits out. “You were not summoned here to speak to a knight. Where is my unicorn?”

“Your Majesty, please forgive my outburst. I- I have not yet found the unicorn, but-!” “Enough. You promised me years ago that you could deliver. I think I have been more than patient. However, all the resources and time have been wasted on you it would seem. All you’ve done is proven how useless a wizard you are.”

“I promise if I could just have a little more time-” Hizashi tries to reason.

“Guards, lock this fraud up immediately. I don’t want to see his face again”

Hizashi finds himself being dragged out of the throne room. His eyes meet Shouta’s as the doors shut behind him.

—-------------------------------------------------------

The guards are kind enough to bring him back to his old cell, where the king originally found him all those years back. Where he begged and promised his way out of it, embellishing his resume as a powerful wizard, specializing in researching and finding magical creatures.

He thought he had won the lottery back then, and if he was any good at what he did, he would still think that. Hizashi’s plan to use all the resources and knowledge the king had to offer to possibly find the unicorn he thought he had doomed back in those woods was a dream come true. He never trusted the king's motivations, but he also never planned on turning Shouta over to him if he found him. Hizashi robbed the world of its last unicorn. He was going to do whatever it took to give him back.

Hizashi is so busy wallowing in his sorrows on his cell floor that he doesn’t even notice the figure looming just past the bars.

“How do you know my name?-”

“HOLY FUCKING SH-!” Hizashi screams as he scrambles his way up. Hand on his chest as he tries to reel his heart back into it.

Shouta stands on the other side of his cell and Hizashi takes him in. He can’t believe it’s really him, after all this time. He’s alive. He’s alive and he- he’s hot? Not the time, Hizashi!

“Are you deaf? I asked-” Shouta begins to say Hizashi cuts him off.

“A little.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” Shouta’s anger deflates a little at that.

Hizashi waves it off, though. “No it’s ok, I have an enchantment that helps me out most of the time. It’s not perfect, but it gets the job done.”

“So you heard my question?” Right back to business. Alright then.

Hizashi tilts his head, thinking. He knows they both have grown quite a bit in the last… 15-ish years, but has Shouta really met that many loud blond wizards in that time?

“You really don’t remember me? I found you in the woods when we were kids and you were injured. You refused to leave the woods to go into town, where I could help you more, so I stayed there with you. I had to change you when the red bull attacked us and then we got seperated-”

“Change me? What does that mean? And I’ve never been attacked by any bulls in my life… Is this some kind of joke?”

He really doesn’t remember.

“Where did you grow up?” “On a farm a few hours south of the kingdom. I doubt you’ve been there so how do you know my name?” 

This isn’t right. Did changing him into a human make him forget everything about being a unicorn? Hizashi really fucked this up. Would it be wrong to change him back after he’s been living as a human for this long? Maybe he likes it better this way. Would Hizashi be robbing Shouta of a life he loves again? 

“Do you- are… are you happy?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Hizashi walks up to the bars and stands face to face with Shouta. They’re nearly the same height. It looks like whoever took Shouta in took care of him. He’s tall, well built, his hair looks beautiful, and even the stubble on his face suits him. Not that you can’t have all of that and still have grown up neglected. He just can’t get over that Shouta is here. He didn’t kill him and Shouta could possibly be thriving.

“Are you?" Hizashi tries again.

“Why won’t you just answer my question?” Shouta’s fuse noticeably grows shorter and shorter.

“Please, I need to know.” Hizashi is sure the desperation in his voice is confusing Shouta even more, but he really does need to know. Needs to know that he didn’t doom Shouta to years of misery.

“I - I guess I am? There’s not much I could complain about. I think I probably have it pretty good compared to a lot of people, even right outside these castle walls.”

“And have you made friends here?”

“They didn’t really give me much of a choice” Shouta says with a faint smile finally showing on his face.

“I’m so happy to hear that” Hizashi knows he’s got tears noticeably shining in his eyes, trying to fight their way out. 

Shouta seems to be stunned by the emotions this strange wizard is showing him. He opens his mouth, probably to continue his questioning, but is cut off by the dungeon door swinging open.

“Shouta! Did you get anything out of him yet?... Whoa! Did you make him cry?!”

“I didn’t do anything, he- he won’t give me a straight answer! Are all wizards this weird?”

Holy shit. Why was the prince down here?

“Nemuri is a witch, does that count?”

“I guess. Not looking good for your magical folk’s reputation…”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean??!” Hizashi finally chimes in. The disrespect!

The prince casually walks right to his cell and extends his hand to him.

“Yamada, right? It’s nice to finally formally meet the wizard my father has spent the last few years bitching my ear off about!” He says with somehow absolutely no malice.

Hizashi cautiously takes the offered hand to shake. “S-so sorry about that, your Highness! It was never my intention to-”

“No need to apologize. I’m really glad you never found the unicorn.”

“You what?” Hizashi must have missed something.

“My father is not a good man. I don’t know what his plans were for after he got his hands on it, but I doubt it was for anything good. I think you knew that too, though, right?”

“I mean- I-”

The prince shakes his head at him. “ It’s okay, really. I don’t think you even planned to hand over the unicorn if you did find it.”

“Oh my god, was I that obvious?!”

“Please. The king is so high on his own power that he probably never even considered you weren’t going to do exactly as he asked. Me on the other hand-” He puffs out his chest “ I know a good man when I see one!” The prince says rather proudly.

Shouta crosses his arms and stares Hizashi down. “I don’t know, I still don’t trust him” 

“Shouta, you never trust anyone.”

“Yeah, well, especially not this guy.”

The prince gives Hizashi a look and Hizashi is pretty sure he’s trying to convey some kind of message with it, but he has no idea what it could be. He then throws his arm over Shouta and laughs right into his ear. Shouta's face says he hates it, but his body language says otherwise. This is something they do often. Did he even get so lucky as to befriend a prince while living his life as a human?

Hizashi really does start to cry then.

It’s a lot. Some of the grief he’s been carrying all this time lifts and it might not be all of it, and he’s still stuck in a cell in a disgusting, smelly dungeon, but Hizashi can’t remember the last time he’s felt so light.

Shouta and the prince look at each other for an answer that neither has about this strange wizard.

“H-hey, man. It’s going to be ok, there’s no need to cry” the prince tries.

Hizashi starts to get control of his breathing again and wipes away some of the tears still falling down his face. “Yeah, haha I know” he says with a real smile he hasn’t used in some time.

The two on the other side of his cell don’t look convinced, but the prince seems to have come down here for more than just to check on his friend. He pulls out a set of keys and begins to unlock Hizashi’s cell door.

“I’ve actually been hoping you'd get the boot from my father. Took longer than I would like, but better late than never! Would you like to work for me instead, Hizashi?”

“Is offering jobs to people while imprisoned something that runs in the family?” That… wasn’t what Hizashi meant to say.

The prince gasps “I let you out first!” 

“See, he doesn’t know how to answer questions.” Shouta pouts.

“You might be onto something actually…” a matching pout now growing on the prince’s face.

[the-guilty-writer]

The Washington Tales

Request from anon: Could you perhaps write something about how the reader is Spencer’s kid and they don’t like how he always gets up and goes on cases and they’re stuck alone or with a babysitter so they try to make a point by running away and Spencer has to rush home?

Spencer Reid x teen!reader

Summary: Spencer's busy schedule leaves you feeling lonely. You run away, finding company in an old friend.

A/N: Alright if I'm gonna write Spencer I'm writing full on super-nerd-dad Spencer. We all know that this man is a total dork and i'm running with it. Only real ones will understand the title reference.

CW: reader feeling lonely, running away, nerd level is through the roof.

---

Spencer heard his phone ringing insistently behind him. He had already let it go to voicemail twice and the sound of the plastic against the table was beginning to interrupt his concentration. He turned away from the evidence board and moved towards the table to see who needed him so desperately while he was working.

“You better have not given my number out again, Morgan,” Reid said, recalling their past prank war.

“I never use the same prank twice, pretty boy,” Morgan said, not looking up from his files.

When Spencer saw that the number was your school he automatically became concerned. Your teachers were worried that you were beginning to fall behind on your assignments. They wanted to set up a parent conference with him, but the team had been so loaded with cases he simply didn’t have the time. He didn’t even have time for this phone call if he was being honest, but he picked it up anyway.

“Hello, you’ve reached Dr. Spencer Reid from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit,” he said, still in professional mode instead of dad mode from working on the case for so long.

“Dr. Reid,” the lady on the phone started. “We’re calling because your child, (Y/N) Reid, never showed up for school this morning.”

“Pardon?” Spencer said.

“They’re absent from school today,” the lady told him.

“Okay, thank you.” He hung up the phone and went to dial Garcia.

“What is it?” Morgan asked. 

“(Y/N) didn’t go to school this morning,” Spencer told him. Morgan gave him a sympathetic look.

“You’ve reached the FBI’s office of supreme genius, how may I serve you today?” Garcia answered.

“Garcia, can you track (Y/N)’s phone. They didn’t show up to school today,” he said.

“Sure thing… annnddddd they’re at your apartment.”

Spencer sighed. “Thanks, Garcia.” As soon as he hung up he called you, but you didn’t answer. He tried again, just for good measure, but he didn’t bother leaving a voicemail. There was a real possibility that you hadn't charged your phone- another bad habit you had fallen into recently. Instead, he texted the babysitter- you were old enough that you didn’t need one, but he hired a nice lady to check on you in the evenings just to make sure you were okay. He let her know the situation and to tell you to call him when she saw you that night.

---

When Spencer’s phone rang again he was still looking at the evidence board, trying to piece together the case. He averted his view from the crime scene photos to answer the call.

“Dr. Reid,” the babysitter sounded panicked and upset. “Dr. Reid, they’re gone.”

“Wait, slow down,” Spencer said as calmly as possible. “What happened?”

Now it sounded like the babysitter was close to tears. “I came into the apartment to check on (Y/N) and they aren’t here! They just left a note that says “Farewell, I am gone.” signed with their initials. Dr. Reid, I’m so sorry.”

Spencer felt a strange feeling bubble in his gut- a note could mean a million things. “It’s not your fault,” he told the babysitter. “But I need you to send me a picture of the note, okay? As clear as you can possibly get it.”

“Oh-okay.” She sniffled and Spencer heard rustling on the other end of the line before receiving the picture.

“Thank you,” he told her. “Don’t worry about it. Go home and get some rest.” He hung up before she could reply. 

He didn’t want to tell the babysitter that a note usually meant one of two things- either you’d been kidnapped and coerced into writing something to make it seem as if you had run away, or you had actually run away. And it didn’t take an expert in handwriting analysis to see that the note you had left was freely written.

“Damn it.” He wanted to say some other words as well, but Hotch had just walked into the room.

“What is it, Reid?” he asked.

“(Y/N) ran away.” Spencer looked desperately between his phone and the evidence board. Now, instead of his brain being too preoccupied with work all he could feel was worry. Anything could have happened to you and you had obviously been gone since this morning, but there was a chance that you had fled after the babysitter left you alone the previous night. You could have been anywhere.

“Go home,” Hotch told him. He tossed him the keys to one of the SUVs. “It’s about a seven hour drive back to Virginia. Get Garcia to help you.”

Reid thanked his boss and got into the car. He had never been one to speed, much less speed and talk on the phone at the same time, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Garcia looked through everything- people you could have called, public transportation you might have taken, even going as far as to hack into the security cameras at your favorite bookstore- but the only trace you had left was that you had pulled some money from an ATM.

Spencer drove straight to the apartment and looked around for any clues you may have left about where you were going, but there was nothing except the note. You hadn’t packed a bag and the amount of money you had wasn’t enough to sustain you for very long. You couldn’t have gone far. It wasn’t like his mom could take care of you and surely if you had showed up at one of your friend’s houses their parents would have called him. His brain was working at a million miles an hour, trying to think of where you could have possibly gone.

“Reid,” Garcia said, sympathetically, “I know I’m not a parent and I’m not a profiler, but have you ever stopped to think about why (Y/N) ran away?”

“I-” He paused, thinking about your behavior in the past few months. It wasn’t just the trouble at school- it was also not wanting to watch TV with him when he was home or even making dinner for yourself and not waiting until he got home to eat together. The team had been so busy that he had pulled away… and you had pulled away from him too. “I’ll call you back, Garcia.”

Spencer ran out of the apartment and back down to the car. He knew where you had gone. It was where he would have gone too.

---

You weren’t sure if there was a place you loved more than the Library of Congress. The building itself was glorious; looking as though someone had carved it all out of one massive slab of stone. The columns stretched tall and strong, supporting arches painted like tiles. Grand floors were patterned with shapes that fit together like a mosaic.

But it was the soul of the building that you really loved- being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of books that each had something to teach or a story to tell. You remembered coming there with your dad when you were younger and him telling you that as long as you had a good book in your hand you would never be alone. So of course when you felt most alone you went somewhere full of things that couldn’t possibly make you feel lonely- but the your heart still felt as empty as the apartment. At the moment, your only friend was fiction. 

“Oh, (Y/N) dear, we’re closed!” One of the librarians rushed up to you. She had known you since Spencer began taking you there as a baby. She had watched your taste in literature change from picture books all the way to helping you find a copy of a research paper you had wanted to write about for school.

You looked down a bit sadly. “I know visiting hours are up, but can I stay just a bit longer? My dad is away on a case again and I could use some company.”

The librarian smiled at you, the lines in her face far more prominent than they had been when you were little. “Of course. As long as you put your favorite friend away when you’re done.” She winked at you behind wire framed glasses and walked in the opposite direction.

The library was large enough to get lost in, but you knew where you were going like the back of your hand- It was the same book that you pulled out every time your dad was away. Not wanting to go all the way to the reading room, you sat down on the floor before carefully flipping through the book’s pages and beginning to read through something you so badly wished was being read to you instead.

---

Footsteps echoed through the library, coming slowly up behind you. You expected it to be a security guard, telling you that it was time for the library to rest for the night, so you nearly jumped out of your skin when the echoing stopped and you heard your dad’s voice.

“Love will not be constrain'd by mastery. When mast'ry comes, the god of love anon/Beateth his wings, and, farewell, he is gone. Love is a thing as any spirit free.”

You turned to look at your dad. He was still wearing his work attire, his hair a tangled mess of brown curls, but even in the dim light of the library you could see the small smile on his face. 

You scowled. “Though there was nowhere one so busy as he/ He was less busy than he seemed to be,” you retored and went back to your reading.

You heard Spencer sigh before walking up and taking a seat beside you. “I’m not busy now.”

“It’s a bit late for that, dad.” You didn’t take your eyes off the pages, but you were no longer reading the words, tears building up in your eyes.

Spencer gently pulled the book from your hands and closed it. “You know,” he started. “When you were little, Garcia bought you a box set of Dr. Seuss books. I thought you would be so excited to see all the fun pictures and colors, but every time you were given a choice, you always asked me to read you this.” He held up the book- The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. "Please tell me what's going on," he said quietly.

You turned away, not wanting your dad to see that you were crying. “I miss you, dad. You’re never around anymore and I get really lonely without you.”

“(Y/N),” he cooed, “why didn’t you say anything?”

You shrugged a little helplessly. “You catch criminals and save people. I can’t just ask you to stay home because I’m sad you’re gone.” It came out a bit sarcastic, but the tears were still real.

Spencer took a handkerchief from his pocket and softly dried your eyes before offering the book back to you. “Page 549, paragraph 2, last sentence.”

You carefully took the book from his hands and turned to the page, tracing your finger down to the location he had told you. As you read the line in your head, your dad said it outloud:

“Amour vincit omnia: Love conquers all.”

[davenportia]

part 2 of lab rats deserving better, for lack of a better title

picking up where we left off with mr. donald davenport/big d (chris and bryan, what the heck-) also HUGE TRIGGER WARNING of abuse and narcissism - donald davenport is one of the worst parents i have ever seen on disney. he makes it abundantly clear he only cares about himself and barely cares about his kids. i am fully aware that he was trying to protect them from douglas but i will say this on here because of the hate i got on the ‘say my name’ edit on tiktok. it’s davenport’s APPROACH that i am talking about. i know douglas would have been worse. with that being said… davenport always managed to make the situation about him. whether that was making a doll version of himself and making the toy company pay him god knows what amount of money for the lab rats’ action figures, or it’s an award FOR HIS KIDS for their 1000th mission that he tries to turn into a market deal with the president for his car, he always made it about him making money. even if it’s not about money, his ego never quits. when the KID’S BIONICS WERE EXPOSED, he said “i’m the brains behind it all. the smart behind the heart” (idk his exact words) and it’s like, stop talking about yourself for once. your kids could potentially be separated from each other and you’re talking about how you deserve credit for them. stfu, donald. additionally, and i sort of buried the lead here, my bad, in the literal first episode, you can see how donald had treated them for 16 years. he fed them pellet through a tube in their capsules - which was called ‘feeding time’ - what the fuck. chase LITERALLY says they’re “like human lab rats” and then they show adam in a human-sized hamster wheel. do people that defend davenport not realize that he treats his kids like animals? then after they made one mistake (going to school with no outside world experience thus inevitably causing trouble at school) and he almost sent them to an off-shore facility where they could complete their training - AGAIN, not letting them see the real world. bro, these are human kids you’re shutting out from the world. that’s like elsa in frozen possibly never evening meeting anna, could you imagine that? if you defend davenport, respectfully, unfollow or block me. no hate to hal sparks, all the hate goes to donald davenport.

tasha - my god, i love tasha. but there’s one thing that i wish they could have explored more: where the fuck is leo’s bio dad and what happened to him? so we know leo has a dad because leo says in ‘crush, chop, and burn part 1,’ “my NEW dad is batman!” but that’s literally all we even remotely hear of his bio dad. there are so many questions about this man. trigger warning real quick. was his dad absent most of his life? did tasha and him have a messy divorce? was he abusive? did they have a good or bad relationship with him? did he pass away? was he anything like davenport? in ‘can i borrow the helicopter?’ leo confides in davenport with a crush he has on janelle. davenport decides to tell tasha about said crush and she tries to help him hang out with her. after it backfires, leo is inevitably and understandably upset. “and what’s up with mr. blabbenport? i spill my guts to him and he blabs all about it” he says to tasha. davenport appears and here’s what he says to him: “you told my mom about janelle! i’ll never trust you again.” in my opinion, he could have and should have been more hurt. that could have showed us a bit more of leo’s past with his reaction. he could have said something like “i can’t believe my new dad can’t keep secrets either” or “my old dad would never have said anything.” like give us SOMETHING, disney. leo could have even struggled to tell davenport because his dad could have been a blabbermouth. we have no idea what his life was like before his mom married davenport. and tasha, when davenport was being irrational, could have said something like “this again! my ex husband always did stuff like this” or “new husband, same shenanigans.” seriously, we can get a little deeper here.

douglas: again, LOVE douglas. i know he started out at the main villain of the show along with marcus, but his CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT; BRAVO. he’s probably one of the funniest characters on the show. he just wanted his kids back, you know? give him a break. no but in all seriousness, he changed so much and became a better person. he showed he cared about the kids and saved their lives twice. donald? didn’t care that chase came home safe in ‘avalanche’ and was more excited about the money than his own kid. also the thing with perry having a crush on him was hilarious. i wish we had seen more of his backstory, though. all we know is that he wanted to make adam, bree, chase, and daniel cyber soldiers and davenport kicked him out and stole/rescued (however you see it) the kids, he faked his own death, and he partnered with victor krane to continue his research. all we get are these jokes throughout the show: “i was going through a rough patch and wanted societies to destroy each other.” in ‘sink or swim part 2’ when krane says to destroy adam, bree, and chase, douglas says “that was never my plan?” and from then on, tries to get in with and protect the kids, what did he want then? did he just want forgiveness or did he still want control over them? other than that, i don’t have much to say. i think douglas’ character was well written and had a good arc.

theresa cherry perry aka principal perry - i know she’s a terrible person but she’s so easy to like. she clearly cares about the kids but will never admit that. she wasn’t a very complex character though, i think. she was the standard mean principal who had a questionable past and 6 cats. what do you guys think of perry? what questions and/or suggestions do you have?

danielle, trent, ethan, stephanie, mrs. thissle - where did they all go?

am i the only one who couldn’t stand caitlin? like she started out as bree’s nerdy best friend but then became this like crazy weird girl everyone hates. like? you couldn’t let bree have one good friend?

overall, lab rats is a great show. clearly, it has a huge fan base and there are lab rats editors everywhere on tiktoks and instagram. hundreds of blogs dedicated to lab rats and other disney xd shows on tumblr, or loads of posts about the lab rats universe. again, chris peterson and bryan moore did a great job with what they had, but if the show hadn’t been produced by disney and the things from post and part 1 of this post had been thought about more, it could have been a MUCH better show. what are your thoughts?

[enchxanting]

our love is god [ethan landry] pt. 4

read part 3 here || all parts

pairing: ethan landry x reader

warnings: implied sexual content/loss of virginity. no explicit language but it's clear what's happening (all characters are 18+). also lots of making out

a/n: okayyyy first time writing anything like this so i hope it's good. i debated making it more or less explicit for a really long time and landed somewhere in the middle. also if you want to be added to the taglist please leave me a reply and i'll put you on the list :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As cute as he may be, Ethan is a terrible driver.

I can’t figure it out. He’s usually so apprehensive, but as soon as I tell him my address, he’s going 15 over the limit, knuckles tight against the wheel.

“Um, do you need directions?” I ask.

“No.” He notices my puzzled expression, so he clarifies. “We actually used to live here, when I was way younger. I’m pretty sure I know where you are.”

As we start to weave through the backstreets of the suburbs, he looks over at me with a nervous glint in his eye. “So, um, are your parents home? Will they be mad that you’re getting home so late?”

“They’re out of town. A wedding for a college friend or something. Chad wanted us to throw a party, but Sam would have flipped, so it’s just me.”

“Shame, you seem like such a party person,” he teases, and I roll my eyes at him, a slight blush creeping on my face.

He finally turns into my driveway, which is good because I’m starting to get seasick. Stepping out of the car, I fumble for my keys before realizing I left the door open this morning. I’d usually panic about this sort of thing, but I’m distracted by the feeling of Ethan’s presence behind me.

Pushing open the door and flipping on the lights, I lead him into the kitchen. For some reason, I’m really, really fucking nervous to be alone with him. “Uh, do you want any water?”

“Yeah, sure,” he says, sitting down at the table.

I grab two glasses from the shelf and fill them with water, sliding one across the table. “Thanks,” he smiles. “Um, I’m sorry about everything that happened tonight. That guy was a creep and you did the right thing, obviously, but what Tara said was really not cool.

I stare into the glass. “It’s okay. She was really drunk or whatever. I can apologize to her tomorrow morning.”

Ethan frowns. “Well, sure, but it’s not really your fault, right? You were looking out for her.”

“She wasn’t actually mad about the guy, I don’t think. She got into an argument earlier with her sister and I tried to step in, so she was super pissed at me already. I think she was looking for a fight.”

“Does she do that a lot? Look for a fight, I mean?”

“I don’t know,” I sigh. “She drives me crazy, and sometimes I want to kill her, but she’s my best friend.”

Ethan looks like he wants to say something, but stays quiet. Now’s probably a better time than any to pivot away from Tara and the chaos of the night.

“So,” I say, “any long-distance partner from any of your previous high schools?”

He laughs. “Uh, no. I’ve actually never… had a girlfriend or anything.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. You’re just so–” 

I stop myself before I finish that sentence. He raises an eyebrow at me. “What, Y/N? So what?”

“Cute,” I mumble. “Really, really cute.”

Ethan grins. “Oh, really cute, huh?”

“Shut up,” I say. “Yeah.”

I suddenly notice how little distance there is between us. I look up nervously to meet his gaze. Jesus, he’s tall.

“I think so, too,” he says.

I give him a quizzical look. “You think you’re cute?”

“Wait. Shit. No. Not what I meant– you. I think you’re cute, too. You are.” I giggle softly, and he blushes. “Can I kiss you?” he asks.

My stomach turns. My butterflies are nearly unbearable, but I nod. “Yes. Please.”

Ethan leans in, and I meet him halfway, pressing my lips against his. My heart is pounding, but the kiss feels so perfect that I forget about everything else.

We break apart and his eyes are wide with apprehension. “Was that okay?”

In reply, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again, deeper this time. He relaxes into it, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in. We kiss like that, leaning against the kitchen table, until I pull back. “Can we go upstairs? Uh, my mom sometimes keeps a camera down here.”

“Sure, lead the way,” he says, slightly out of breath.

It takes everything in me not to run up the stairs, but I take him by the hand and lead him to my room. There are books and half-finished forgeries strewn across the various surfaces, plus a laundry basket of clothes I have to put away, and I kick myself for not taking the time to clean up this morning. 

Ethan doesn’t seem to mind, though. When I turn to him, he’s only looking at me. He reaches to cup the side of my face, studying it for a moment before kissing me again. I stumble back onto my bed and he follows suit. His hand reaches for my hip and I gasp softly when he touches a little bit of exposed skin on my thigh

“Oh, shit, sorry,” he says.

“No, no please– it’s okay.” I grab his hand, placing it back on my leg. “I liked it.”

He smiles slightly, eyes darkening. As he leans in to kiss me, his hand snakes up my leg, resting at the crook of my thigh. I follow suit, running my hand down his chest. 

The undershirt I have on was great for modesty, but I’m suddenly overheating. “Hey, um, do you mind if I take this shirt off? It’s literally a hundred degrees right now.”

His eyes widen slightly, but he grins. “Well, I don’t have a problem with that…”

I blush and he laughs, but I slip the straps of the dress off my shoulders and pull the shirt over my head, exposing my collarbone and a not-insignificant amount of cleavage. Even though I’m technically covered, I feel naked underneath his gaze.

“You’re beautiful,” he says. “You know that?”

My breath catches, but his compliment fills me with some type of courage. I lean over and kiss him, harder than before. He makes a muffled noise, clearly caught off guard by my sudden boldness, but wraps his hand around the back of my neck. I find the hem of his shirt and pull away just enough to ask, “Can we take this off?”

Ethan nods profusely and pulls his blue polo over his head, and I swear to god: I am the luckiest girl alive. I notice for the first time how defined his arms are, and then I’m distracted by the abs he somehow had time to curate between cross-country moves. “Fuck, Ethan, you’re gorgeous.”

Under normal circumstances, I would be embarrassed to speak this plainly, but I’m too into this to care. He responds by leaning us both back on the bed until he’s basically on top of me, kissing me deeply and firmly. I’m suddenly kissing his neck and it’s like I’m not me anymore because I never do this, but fuck, he is so attractive and he wants me too. I don’t know how long we keep making out this way, but it’s a long time before he pulls back suddenly. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

He looks away, avoiding my gaze. “I, um… I just want you to know that I haven’t… done anything like this before.”

My cheeks go red. “Ethan, I haven’t either. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”

“That’s the thing, though,” he says, running his hand through his hair. “I… I want to. I want you.” He pauses. “If that’s okay?”

A feeling of panic surges in my chest, but I push it down. I think about the box of condoms that Mom bought me when I turned 18, “just in case,” and the time Mindy told me about her first time with Anika, and even the way I felt when Tara left me alone earlier tonight– I know that this is what I want. 

“I want to, too. Are you sure?”

He smiles. “I’m sure.”

We lay back in my bed and he’s pulling the straps of my dress off, kissing over the newly exposed skin. He kisses down my neck and chest, and I take the time to do the same. I want to make this moment last before he asks me one more time if I’m ready.

I am. 

I don’t have a moment to second-guess myself before he’s holding me, and we’re suddenly close, so, so close, and we stay that way until we fall asleep, nestled in each other’s arms.

taglist: @miawastakens

[danime25]

Jingle All The Way

ao3 // normal masterlist // christmas masterlist

*Summary: Six and his wife take on their first mission as a married couple. Shopping for their beloved daughter Claire

*Content/Tags: Fluff, Couples Taking Things Way Too Seriously, Shopping

*Rating: E for Everyone

*Status: Oneshot/Complete

“So I’m just going to meet up with Jenna and Ashley in the food court. I’ll text you if we go anywhere else.” Claire told her dad

“Okay, love you. We’ll meet back up at 3.” 

“Okay. Love you too.” Claire made a little peace sign with her fingers and made a run for the food court. Meanwhile her father and mother turned around and pulled out a map of the mall that his wife had in her purse

“So we need to hit… Barnes and Nobles for those books Claire likes.”

“On it.”

“I’ll go to Kohl’s and get some sweaters.”

“Then we take on Gamestop together?” Six asked her, looking up from their pre-planned route

“Then we can go to Sephora.” She nodded, her eyes still fixated on the paper

“What do we need from there?” Six raised an eyebrow

“Well I wanted a perfume…” She started, “You bought it for me already didn’t you?”

“Can’t say, sworn to Santa secrecy.”

“That only applies to Claire.” She huffed but shook her head. “Okay, let’s break.”

“Break.” He replied and they went in opposite directions in the mall. He sprinted past people who were on their phones, arguing about what color to buy a toy for their kid. He scooted around teenagers waiting in the mile long line for Starbucks all in an effort to get to the bookstore. The employees gave him a weird look as he dashed into the store from the mall entrance but he made a straight line to the Young Adult section for Claire’s books. He thumbed through the dividers until he found the last name of the author he’d been given by his daughter. There were books written by him that weren’t the one Claire asked for, but he’d definitely seen in her room. Finally, the series seemingly popped out in his line of vision and he grabbed every book from the shelf. He held onto them and carried the stack up to the register. The employees begrudgingly rung the total up for him and he flashed his credit card up against the machine. He flipped through his phone for a second to see where his wife was on the agenda.

“Stuck in line. Sweaters. Go on without me.”

With that, he made a beeline to Gamestop.

---

“Going to…”

“Do you really need to tell your dad everything?” Claire’s friend rolled her eyes as she waited for Claire to finish typing.

“Yes.” She replied, not lifting her eyes up from the screen

“Why?”

“Because… my parents are on a mission.”

“A mission?”

“Yeah.” Claire sighed

“Is that why they’re using maps like weirdos instead of looking up the mall map on their phones?” Claire’s other friend asked

“Yeah.” Claire shook her head, “Mom thought it’d be more fun.”

“Weird.”

“Yeah. I know.”

---

Six had made it to Gamestop when he saw his wife making a run for him. He held his arms out as she basically landed into him

“Hi Honey.” She smiled, “Managed to get out of there with more time than I thought.”

“Good.” He smiled back at her and kissed her, “Ready?”

“Ready.” She replied and let go of her husband. She got in the line to buy a system with a game face on, ready to deck a Karen if it meant getting a system for Claire. Six couldn’t have been more proud of his wife if he had tried. She smiled at him and waved as she waited. He waved back to her and thumbed through the games. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he checked it. Claire was moving from the food court towards Kohl’s, which would put her right on their path. He makes a gesture saying that they either needed to buy the system or get out of Gamestop right now when she makes it to the counter. She quickly buys the console and they hide behind the clearance bins as their daughter passes by.

“I don’t think she saw us.” She sighed out of relief

“We should be clear.”

“Anything else we can get here today?” She asked Six. He pulled the map out from his pants pockets and took a quick glance of his notes

“No, we’re good.”

“Okay, you go to the car and get the presents in the trunk. I’ll go run my errand.”

“Okay. Love you.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek

“Love you too. Whatever you do, don’t move the car. That parking spot is gold.”

“I know.” He nodded as she went off on her own. Six decided that this would be the perfect time to go buy her her gift.

[the-shadow-knights-are-queer]

Got any family headcanons for Gene?

This ask is from 2021. Finally answering it lol

• His parents separated when he was around 8, which sucked but was better than if they were to stay together

His dad then also died when he was 14, which just plain sucked

His dad wasn’t great, didn’t stay much in contact and only saw them a few times a year, and Gene’s feelings on him were very mixed. He was closer to him than Dante, due to being older when he left and having more memories of him, but when the death happened he was already stewing in teen angst so he kinda only accepted the anger and bitterness of the situation. Avoiding the genuine grief and just fed the rage aimed at his father.

His mother tho, Gene was very close to her. She wasn’t perfect of course, but she was in his life and she made it clear she loved him and he would never ask for more

(As an adult he did absolutely love and adore her, but he also noticed some of the flaws her parenting had had)

She was very doting at times, but was typically fairly chill. She made sure there were times for the two of them (as well as times for just her and Dante, and tried to have times for the whole family too, tho that was kinda less successful when she focused more with one-on-one bonding time). But she also really did not like his choice in friends, and she made this clear. It was their biggest point of contention

With Dante now, Gene and him were very close throughout their childhood. As teenagers they started fading away due to being in that phase of ‘I care about this person but I hate being around them, they’re so annoying and embarrassing’ that I feel a lot of siblings go through at some point

They were back to being close and chilling by the time they were both adults tho, they’re buddies

However, I do wanna say Dante absolutely knew Gene wasn’t a great guy in high school. He didn’t know all the details or anything, but he knew a lot of people hated him with good reasons

Tho when Dante was in high school he was mostly ignoring anything to do with Gene anyway, he was off doing his own life at the time

As adults, Dante and Gene are still close and since they live near each other they make sure to be aware of like what’s going on in each others life and all. Once again I repeat: they’re buddies

[911ficrecs]

Whump/ Hurt!Buck Masterlist

Accidental by Rosefield - 36,090 words, teen+

Summary: It was an accident. He slipped. That doesn't mean he isn't going to take advantage of the opportunity that presents itself.

---- Post Lawsuit, Buck accidentally cuts his arm. He decides that maybe not getting help is best for everyone.

--- TW for suicidal idealization and injury that turns into a suicide attempt.

a leaf falls on loneliness by iimpossible_things - 11,163 words, not rated

Summary: Buck doesn’t think that if he were to say, “I’m in a bad place”, that anyone would turn him away. Really, he doesn’t. The 118 has too many good, kind people for that.

But every time he wants to open his mouth, to say something, to reach out to Eddie or Bobby or Hen or Chim, he hears Eddie yelling, “you’re exhausting.”

—you’re exhausting, you’re exhausting, you’re exhausting—

So each day he does his job and he laughs and he jokes and he pretends he’s the care-free goofball he’s always been. And each day he packs away his bruises and his worries, takes them home to his empty loft with its quiet rooms, and licks his wounds in silence.

Always, All Ways by ashavahishta - 85,000 words, explicit

Summary: “Buck is very dear, Mr Diaz. Not only to me but to the pack. You’ll find that if you treat him with anything less than utmost respect you’ll have a lot of people to answer to.”

Eddie swallowed. It was clear that in the absence of a mate, this omega had found himself a very protective pack. “Understood, sir.”

Or: Buck’s the only omega in the 118. He’s got secrets, and walls a mile high.

Eddie’s the alpha determined to knock them down.

blue enough to bruise by renecdote - 3,161 words, teen+

Summary: Two things happen at once:

Buck overbalances, arm slipping from around the bridge.

The rope snaps.

They lock eyes for a second, half a second, Buck’s wide and afraid, Eddie’s probably a match with the way his heart is pounding hard enough to hurt, nothing either of them can do, knowing that there is nothing either of them can do, and then—Buck is falling.

Breath and Shadow by Princessfbi - 20,629 words, teen+

Summary: The words hit the back of Buck’s neck and slid down his spine with the drops of the cold sweat collecting in the small of his back. The weight on Buck’s chest was an echo of what it used to be but still as suffocating as before when those words whirled around on repeat every time someone looked too long, looked too closely.

“He’s fine,” Hen had said to Bobby that day he’d come in sporting a bruise on his face and lying through his teeth about some bullshit with a bicycle.

The day Hen had lied for him too.

fireflies where my caution should be by littlesnowpea - 13,799 words, mature

Summary: “You never talk about your parents,” Eddie says, which is not even remotely what Buck expects Eddie to say. He frowns, tilts his head, but it isn’t a question, as evidenced by Eddie charging on. “I never asked because I figured it was your business, but the look on your face any time they’re brought up tells me you don’t get along.”

Buck swallows hard, against a lump in his throat. His parents? Eddie’s right, he never talks about them, for good reason. He opens his mouth, then closes it again, not sure what he’s even going to say.

Eddie takes it as the answer Buck is trying to make it out to be. He squeezes Buck’s wrist again, takes a deep breath, like he’s on a call with someone who’s panicking. Buck finds his breathing slowing to match Eddie’s, and Eddie nods as Buck gets it under control.

“There are people on the porch,” Eddie says, voice even. “Saying they want to meet their grandchild.”

i'm sinking deeper (reaching for the end of the light) by moodyreindeer - 8,716 words, mature

Summary: "I'm just so tired."

post 3.04, rewrite of 3.05 - when all is said and done, Buck is just really fucking tired of feeling alone.

Love You Sober by Child_Of_Wonderland - 4,545 words, teen+

Summary: Buck twirls the beer bottle around in his fingers and tries to ignore the rapid fading of the warmth in his chest. It's not a feeling he can mimic, no matter how hard he may try, and his brain won't stray from a perfect image of Eddie. To be loved back, that's all he really wants.

one part trust, three parts betrayal (just add fire) by wonderfool (foolmetal) - 14,925 words, teen+

Summary: Buck's parents are in town. It all goes downhill from there.

Overcome by Spicysauce - 53,697, mature

Summary: Or, set post season 5A, where Buck is alone, and angry, and exhausted, but mostly terrified that everyone he loves is slowly slipping away from him.

Reaching In The Dark by Pline - 38,713 words, general

Summary: It all started innocent enough but Buck can no longer deny it.

He has a stalker.

Someone so obsessed with him that they would spend hours and hours following him, unnoticed, taking pictures of him, taking notes of his habits.

But life has been so good lately, and Buck doesn’t want to worry anyone. So he tells no one about it, he can deal with it on his own.

real family by haveufoundwhaturlookingfor - 5,578 words, general

Summary: Buck has a son, but only few people know about him because of Buck's abusive ex-husband. Buck has been terrified of his ex-husband finding him and taking his son away from him, but a minor accident with his son makes him realize that maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he told the 118 about his son.

Taking Smoke with my Coffee by UisceOneLove - 3,930 words, general

Summary: "Order for Firefighter Diaz!"

Eddie knows that coffee runs have typically been deemed a Probie task. He did plenty of them when Bobby first recruited him to the 118. So, tradition dictates that it's supposed ot be Ravi getting them.

But Eddie gets to have a lot of nice things for himself. The things that make even his worst call days just a smidge better.

If anyone (Hen) is interrogating him for details, it's definitely the coffee he's referring to."

I'm not in my gear, Buck," Eddie tells the barista when he approaches the counter.

The smile he looks forward to is waiting for him courtesy of the barista that makes even Eddie have to tip his head back a little bit to make eye contact. "Yeah," Buck drawls as he pushes the tray of coffee towards him, "but you're still on duty."

The Messiest of the Messy by Spicysauce - 16,965 words, teen+

Summary: Irritated, Eddie clenched his fists, starting to turn around. "Why would Buck be eating with us - "

The words died in his throat along with the shatter of the mug against the floor. But Eddie barely noticed he dropped it, his mouth slightly agape as he stared at Buck, took in the bruises, and the blood, and general brokenness of the man before him.

***

Or: After the Lawsuit, Buck is starting to think his team will never forgive him and is feeling lonelier than ever, when his dad shows up, looking for money that Buck doesn't have. Now, his ribs are broken and his face has been pummelled into one big bruise. All he wants to do is retreat to his empty apartment and wallow in his own self-pity, but before that he needs to get his keys, which he'd left at the station the previous night.

Everyone else is on shift, so he's hoping he can sneak into the locker room and be gone before anyone notices he was there, but this is Buck, so of course, nothing goes to plan.

there's frost in the air (but there's home in your eyes) by rogerzsteven - 3,702 words, teen+

Summary: Buck and Eddie are trapped in a train crash.

The Third Drawer by scarletmanuka - 7,767 words, mature

Summary: After his return to work, Buck feels lost and alone due to the way he's been treated by the people he thought were his family. In order to stop the pain, he begins to hurt himself instead.

this is me trying (at least i'm trying) by screaminghalfpastmidnight - 15,393 words, teen+

Summary: Buck never really dealt with his issues after the tsunami and the team never really asked so here he is, two years later - the pier's reopening, a victim shows up and thanks Buck, plus the city wants to give him an award for not dying out of pure luck. So, yeah. Buck's not doing well, everyone knows and Eddie's unsure which lines he should be crossing now that he and Buck are in some weird, middle stage of knowing that they will be together, but aren't yet due to personal reasons (like figuring their own relationship trauma out so they're not shitty partners).

waiting on the sunrise by autumnchills - 28,375 words, teen+

Summary: When Buck left home, it was a rushed decision. He didn’t know where he was going or what he was going to do, but he had a high school diploma and enough street smarts to make it as far from his father as possible.

It's been nearly ten years since then, and now his father is in town. Buck quickly learns that some things haven't changed.

But other things have, and his family will help him realize that.

[marauderundercover]

2022 Secret Santa Gift Exchange

For: @lifeexperience hope you enjoy!

Marinette was a simple child of parents who loved her, but not each other. Some of her friends at school had parents just like that, but they were divorced. But her parents never actually married, so they didn’t get a cool word. But really, all it meant was that she had to split her time between her Maman and her Dad. Unfortunately for her, her parents had decided to live a whole ocean apart. So she couldn’t just visit on weekends like her friend Max could. But it was finally summer again, and she was finally back in Gotham. Glancing around, Marinette grins widely the second she spots Alfred. 

“Alfie!” She cheers, running around the other people in the baggage claim area. Alfred’s lips twitch up into a small smile. 

“It’s nice to see you again, Miss Marinette.” He says. Marinette grins widely, pointing to the new gap in her teeth. 

“Look! I lost another tooth.” She says. Alfred raises an eyebrow. 

“Have you already received a visit from the tooth fairy?” He asks. She nods, holding Alfred’s hand as they walk through the parking lot. 

“Where’s dad?” She asks, swinging their arms. 

“Do you remember Mr. Kent?” Alfred asks. Marinette nods. He came to the manor a lot more than her dad liked, but she didn’t mind cause he usually brought his son Jon with him. “He and your father are in the middle of a meeting, and he couldn’t step away.” Alfred explains. Marinette resists the urge to ask if Jon was there too. Hopefully it was just a super quick meeting and then her dad could hang out with her. She knew that he was always super busy. He worked at a really big company, and he had a bunch of kids, and he was Batman. But he was still a good dad, and she knew he tried. 

“Is Cass home?” She asks, buckling herself into her booster seat (Alfred insisted, even though she tried to convince him that ten was plenty old enough to use a normal seat; apparently she was too short). 

“I’m afraid Miss Cass won’t be home for another week or so. Your brothers should all be there, though Master Duke and Master Tim won’t be staying for long. They’re going on a weekend trip with a few friends.” He explains. Marinette hums in surprise. It was really rare for Tim to leave Gotham for something not hero related. She’d have to make a bet with Damian to see what the odds were that Tim and Duke were actually going on a secret mission that they hadn’t told anybody about. It seemed much more likely. Marinette zones out on the rest of the car ride, just watching as her favorite city passes by. She liked Paris and spending time with her Maman, but Gotham had always felt more like her home. Gotham was where her dad and brothers and Alfred were. It was her home. As the manor appears out the window, Marinette grins at the sight of her dad waiting for her outside. The second the car stops, Marinette is out and running to her dad. She launches herself at him and sighs happily as he picks her up and wraps her in a big hug. 

“I missed you too.” He says softly, giving her one last squeeze before setting her down. “How was the last week of school?” Marinette sighs dramatically, grinning when she sees the moment her dad spots her new missing tooth. 

“I lost another tooth! And Alix didn’t even pull this one out for me.” She says happily. Her dad sighs, but she can tell he really wants to laugh. 

“You two are going to cause so much trouble one day, aren’t you?” He asks. Marinette shrugs. 

“Depends on if it’s fun or not. Where’re the boys?” She asks, leaning slightly to look past him. 

“Tim and Duke are packing, and Jason’s in the library. Last I checked, Dick was also in the library attempting to convince Jason to go do something else.” Her dad says with a small smile, the same smile he always got when he mentioned Jason. The memories weren’t super clear, but she did have some memories of when Jason died. She probably purposefully blocked out most of it, though. (Or that’s what Max thought, when she’d talked to him about it once; he was super smart). That was a rough summer. Tim hadn’t come around yet, and her dad and Dick were both really, really sad. And angry. As much as they’d both tried to hide it from her, she heard them yelling. And she saw the reports of what Batman was doing, even if the news only had stories and never any actual pictures of what Batman had become. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t get her dad back to who he was before Jason died. She spent most of that summer baking with Alfred and drawing in the library on the couch where Jason used to read her stories. By the time she came home for Thanksgiving (a holiday she knew her dad didn’t care about, but one he celebrated so that she could have an excuse to come to Gotham more) Tim was there. 

Snapping out of her thoughts, Marinette frowns when she realizes there was a brother missing. 

“What about Damian?” She asks. Her dad frowns as Mr. Kent smiles, and that’s when Marinette remembers Damian talking about his new friend, Kent. Her eyes widen. “Is Jon here?” She asks, resisting the urge to just run towards the manor. Her dad opens his mouth to respond, but Mr. Kent cuts him off. 

“They’re in the game room closest to the living room.” He says. Marinette squeals out a thanks before rushing off. Time to see Jon!

---

Bruce’s eyes narrow as he looks at one of his oldest friends. Clark just laughs, shaking his head. 

“You know she would’ve found them eventually, Bruce.” He says. Bruce huffs. 

“That doesn’t mean you had to just send her off to him.” He argues. Clark raises an eyebrow, the amusement clear on his face. 

“They’re kids, Bruce. It’s not like they’re going to get married tomorrow-” Clark starts to say, but Bruce cuts him off. 

“Or ever.”

“That’s not what Jon said.” 

“Clark-”

“Bruce, breathe. Last time they talked, Marinette apparently told Jon that she was going to marry him one day. It was very matter-of-fact and, need I remind you, they’re children. Plenty of kids have crushes that never amount to anything. And besides that, they’re friends, Bruce. Neither of them have many friends that know about everything. You really gonna take that away from either of them?” Clark asks, crossing his arms. Bruce sighs. 

“Fine. But we will revisit this conversation in a few years.” He says. Clark chuckles, but agrees. Bruce, who knows how determined his daughter can be, doesn’t laugh. 

---

“Jon!” Marinette squeals, running into the room. Jon turns around and grins, opening his arms. Before Marinette can throw herself into the hug, Damian steps between them, frowning. Marinette skids to a stop, raising an eyebrow at her older brother. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Damian asks, looking between them. Marinette huffs. 

“I was trying to hug my friend.” She says, arms crossed. Damian raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms too. 

“Kent is my friend, Marinette.” He says firmly. Marinette’s eyes narrow. 

“He was my friend first!” She counters. Damian turns to Jon. 

“Well, are you going to say anything?” He asks. Jon’s eyes widen. 

“Well, uh, I-” He stammers over his words. 

“Leave him out of this! Can’t you see you’re stressing him out!” Marinette yells at her older brother. He scoffs. 

“Oh, I’m stressing him out?” He asks. “What about you? Rushing in here and trying to hug him with no prior warning?”

“Jon happens to like my hugs.” Marinette says firmly. Damian snorts humorlessly. 

“Are you sure he isn’t just being nice?” He asks. Marinette feels her cheeks turn red. 

“Actually-” Jon starts. 

“Stay out of this, Kent.” Damian warns. Marinette rolls her eyes. 

“Why are you such a know it all, all the time?” She asks, trying hard not to scream. 

“Why are you such a little baby?” Damian taunts. 

“That’s it!” Marinette shrieks before letting out a battle cry. She rushes towards her brother, fists flying. Every time he dodges, she shrieks. She wasn’t trained like he was. It wasn’t fair! Suddenly, arms are around her, lifting her away from Damian just as Damian is restrained by Dick. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What is going on in here?” He asks, looking between them. Marinette glances back, stopping kicking when she realizes Jason is the one holding her back. He was officially her favorite brother at the moment. 

“Marinette is acting like a child simply because Kent is now my friend.” Damian tuts, tilting his nose up. Marinette’s eyes widen and she immediately starts thrashing around again in an attempt to go kick the heck out of her brother. 

“You are the worst! That’s not what happened at all!” She argues. 

“Cool it, kiddo.” Jason says quietly. Marinette shakes her head. 

“No! He’s being mean, and I’m gonna beat him up for it!” She insists. Damian snorts, but immediately stops at the look Dick gives him. 

“Alright. You two clearly need some time apart right now. Jason.” Dick nods towards the door and Marinette’s eyes widen. 

“This isn’t fair! Why does Damian get to hang out with Jon? He’s probably hung out with him all day! He’s my friend too!” She complains, going limp in Jason’s hold. Jason sighs, taking her out of the game room and towards the library. 

“Just breathe, Mari. I’m sure you’ll get to hang out with Jon a ton this summer. He’s over here all the time now.” Jason says. Marinette’s face falls into a frown. Before Damian came, Jon never wanted to hang out at the manor all the time. Even when Marinette was in town. Did he….was he really her friend? Or was Damian right. “Okay kid, if I set you down, do you promise not to go beat the shit out of the Gremlin?” Jason asks. Marinette nods. 

“I uh, I think I’m really tired, Jay. I’m gonna go take a nap, okay?” She’s trying really hard not to cry. Jason frowns, but nods. 

“If you’re sure. Hey, you know you can talk to me, right?” He asks. Marinette nods, and gives Jason a half hearted smile before she heads upstairs. Was Jon really her friend?

---

An hour later, Marinette’s door creaks open slightly. She glances over and waves half-heartedly at Jason. He frowns. 

“Hey kid, are you okay? I thought you were gonna take a nap.” He says. Marinette shrugs. 

“Not tired anymore.” She says. Jason’s eyebrows scrunch together. 

“I was gonna head home,” He starts, and Marinette feels her shoulders slump even more. “But, if you want, you could tag along. I was gonna make spaghetti for dinner.” He adds. Marinette perks up immediately. Damian may want to hog Jon (who may or may not be her friend), but Jason was always there for her. 

“Can we watch Little Women? The one with Winona Ryder?” She asks, Jason grins and nods. 

“Sure thing, kid. Grab a bag and let Bruce know. I’ll wait outside.” He says. Marinette nods and quickly packs up a backpack, then hesitates. It was only her first night back home. If she asked her dad, she ran the risk of him saying no. And then she’d have to eat dinner with Damian. And Jon. Nope. No, siree, she wasn’t going to risk that. Grabbing a piece of paper from her desk, she scribbles out a little note. It’d be fine, and if he was mad at her…well, he probably wouldn’t be mad. She was leaving a note! Just in case, she hurries down the back stairs and out the side door. No need to risk running into her dad. She’d talk to him tomorrow. 

---

Bruce lets his shoulders relax as he walks in and sits down for dinner. Clark had left just after Marinette arrived, but he’d had League business that couldn’t wait. Which meant dinner was the first time he’d be able to actually sit and talk to his daughter since her visit at Easter. Looking around the table, he frowns. 

“Has anyone seen Marinette?” he asks. Tim glances around, then shakes his head. 

“Uh, no. Actually, I haven’t seen her all day. Wasn’t she coming home today?” He asks. Bruce nods, trying to push down the worry welling up. 

“Little D?” Dick says, and Bruce glances at Damian, narrowing his eyes. 

“Damian. Care to explain?” Bruce asks. Damian purses his lips and tilts his chin up. A move he got from his mother. 

“She was acting like a child. We argued and Todd removed her from the game room.” Damian says simply. Bruce sighs, pinching his nose. 

“What was it this time?” He asks, shaking his head. It never seemed to fail. Every time Marinette came to stay, she and Damian found something new to fight about. It never lasted for long, but he’d come to accept it as an undeniable truth. The sky was blue. Grass was green. Damian and Marinette argued. Simple. 

“I hardly see how that-”

“They were fighting over me.” Jon blurts out. Bruce raises an eyebrow. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Well, I’m friends with Damian now, too. And so he was mad when Mari was trying to hug me, and then she yelled back at him since we were friends first and I tried to stop them but they kept fighting so Jason and Dick made them split up and then I didn’t get to say anything else to Mari and so she probably hates me now.” Jon rambles, eyes wide as his lower lip trembles. Bruce resists the urge to groan. Of course they were fighting over Jon. 

“Shall I go get Miss Marinette from her room?” Alfred asks. 

“No, I’ll get her. Damian, tomorrow we’re going to have a talk about friends. And the fact that multiple people can be friends with the same person.” Bruce says firmly, heading towards his youngest daughter’s room. He knocks. 

“Mari? Sweetie, it’s time for dinner.” Bruce says. He frowns when she doesn’t answer. “Mari?” He calls, knocking again. Bruce purses his lips. Perhaps she fell asleep? He knocks one more time before gently pushing the door open. He doesn’t panic at the empty room. He’s completely calm and collected. The paper that catches his eye on her desk, the letter letting him know that she’d be back the next day and not to worry- that’s what makes him panic. Flashbacks of five years ago. An empty bedroom. A note. A crumpled form in the middle of an explosion. Steadying his breath, he rushes downstairs. He wouldn’t go through that again. He couldn’t. 

“Master Bruce-”

“Marinette’s gone.” He says, clutching the note like a lifeline. 

“What?” Jon squeaks out, his eyes wide. Bruce turns to Dick. 

“We have to find her. Dick, will you call Jason? The rest of us will head to the cave. Everyone needs to be on comms and suited up in twenty minutes.” Bruce instructs. And not even the familiar feeling of directing a mission can bring him calm. Not while his daughter is missing. 

---

Marinette sips her chocolate milk, shaking her head at the tv. 

“You know, sometimes I wonder how Jo and Amy are able to like each other again after all the times they kinda suck and are kinda awful towards each other.” She says. Jason raises an eyebrow. 

“Yeah?” He asks. She nods. 

“Yeah. But then I remember all the times that we all fight, and I kinda get it.” She sighs. Jason snorts, shaking his head. The landline rings and Jason reaches over and grabs it. 

“Hello.” He says simply. Marinette looks away from the movie, instead watching her brother’s face as shock quickly covers it. “What? No- I- Dick, shut the hell up and breathe. She’s fine. No, she is. She’s with me. Well- I- I thought B knew. Yeah. Mmhmm. Call the calvary back, she’s fine. She’ll be back tomorrow morning after breakfast. Because I promised I’d make pancakes. No, not for you Dickhead. Uh huh. Bye.” Marinette quickly turns her attention back to the movie, hoping he doesn’t try to talk to her about it. 

“I wonder if I could wear a dress like that to the next gala.” Marinette muses, hoping it’ll be enough to change the subject. Instead, the movie pauses and Marinette sighs. 

“So. Are we going to talk about this? Or am I just going to give you a little lecture?” Jason asks. Marinette pouts. 

“Why do we have to do either? Why can’t we just finish watching the movie?” She asks. Jason lets out a long breath. 

“Do you remember when I died?” He asks bluntly. Marinette flinches back, looking at her older brother with wide eyes. He winces. “Sorry, kid. But I promise it’s important.” Marinette frowns, eyebrows scrunching together. 

“Well. Yeah, I- I kind of remember it. It’s not super clear, but…I remember.” She says, pushing down the wave of sadness that wells up inside her. It was one of the hardest times of her entire life. 

“I don’t know how much you remember of that time, but I ran away first. I was determined to figure out who my birth mom was, so I left. And do you know what I did?” He asks. Marinette shakes her head. “I left a note. I didn’t tell anyone I was leaving, not even Alfred. I just left a note. And we both know how that ended up.” He says. Marinette’s eyes widen. 

“That’s what I did to dad. I just left a note- I thought- I didn’t want him to tell me I couldn’t go. I didn’t think it would-” She stops, trying hard to stop her tears. Jason opens his arms and she throws herself at him, crying. “I’m sorry.” She says. 

“It’s fine, kiddo. I know the whole Jon and Damian thing really upset you. But- and I’m gonna sound like a fu-freaking hypocrite here- but you’ve gotta communicate.” Jason says. Marinette sniffles, and leans back. 

“Do you think dad’s gonna be really mad at me?” She asks timidly. Jason shakes his head. 

“No, kid, I don’t think he will. I think he’ll be too relieved to be mad.” He says. Marinette starts to respond, but a tap on the window makes her jump instead. Jason immediately leaps off the couch and heads for the window. “Of freaking course.” He huffs before throwing the window open. Marinette frowns, until a familiar person steps in and her eyes widen. 

“Mari!” Jon calls, running over and giving her a big hug. Marinette blinks a few times, before she relaxes and returns the hug. 

“What’re you doing here?” She asks once he pulls away. 

“Yeah. I’d also like to know.” Jason says, walking over and crossing his arms. Jon laughs awkwardly before reaching back and scratching the back of his neck. 

“I uh, I was worried about you.” He says. Marinette feels a smile creep onto her face. 

“Really?” She asks. He nods. 

“Course I was. You’re one of my best friends.” He says. She raises her eyebrows. “Yeah, uh, I already told Damian that people can have more than one best friend. I think your dad’s gonna talk to him more about it tomorrow, but I didn’t wanna stop being your friend.” He says. 

“Still best friends forever?” She asks, holding out a pinky. Jon grins and links his pinky with hers. 

“Forever and ever.” He says simply. And he was right. 

When Marinette and Jon get married fifteen years later, it surprises no one.

Tag list: @maribat-secret-santa

Permanent tag list: @stainedglassm  @laydeekrayzee @doll246 @queenz-z @deathssilentapproach-blog @literaryhiraeth @unoriginalmess @crazylittlemunchkin @buttercupsbitch @toodaloo-kangaroo @kking13

[bengiyo]

Be My Favorite Ep 10 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Kawi and Pisaeng started dating and Not immediately ruined it by making everything about him as always. Not outs them repeatedly and tries to use it as an in with Pear. He breaks things off with Kwan, who genuinely likes him, and gets his ass handed to him by Pear. Meanwhile, Kawi is spiraling that once again his mistakes are causing problems for others, and Pisaeng pushes Kawi to try to see life more optimistically and just try to take care of each other. Pear is having her own problems as she reckons with her mom finding success as an artist after leaving her family to pursue that art.

Hopefully we get Max back this week.

Love us coming back to Kawi and Pisaeng affirming their connection and Pear affirming that she and Not do NOT have one.

YES, MISS PEAR! COME THROUGH, SIS! She said, “Kwan is my friend and you are a dick. DICK IS ABUNDANT AND LOW IN VALUE!”

I want to say here that while I absolutely despise Not, I think Title is giving a great performance in this role. He’s very good at playing disaffected man who is also the source of his own problems.

Okay, this boy just put hands on Kwan. Let’s stomp his ass.

I’m with the dad on “The more you forgive, the stronger you get.” It’s so easy to burn yourself out in righteous rage. I was there for a long time early in the BLM movement, and all I succeeded in doing was giving myself a bunch of a stress-related health issues. The work I do now is about uplifting now and less about fighting. We talked about this on @the-conversation-pod in The Eighth Sense about how forgiveness isn’t about admitting the other party is right. It’s about accepting what happened, determining the boundaries you need to establish for the future, and then focusing on what’s important to you. Holding resentment traps you in the moment you were last offended. You become a living ghost.

Oh interesting. Kawi is reading Crazy Rich Asians.

They are crushing me with the fathers today. I’m going to need Tom Phollawat and Kob Songsit to get off my neck. In all seriousness, Kob is clearly ridiculously talented. Krist is responding to his emotions better than he has with anyone else in the series.

There is something so poignant about Kawi doing everything he could to try to save his dad, still losing him, but getting closure this time because he was able to say goodbye to his father before the surgery. I’m trying not to cry right now.

I love that the first people we see Pear interacting with after that talk with her dad are Pisaeng and Kawi. Love that she made sure to clear up any angst between them. It’s beautiful because the show says she has a right to be disappointed about how things went even as she commits to maintaining two important friendships. These boys are throwing themselves before Pear about who should be castigated more and I love that.

Yes, now that Pear has affirmed her support for gay love, let’s go hang out with the gays. Welcome back, Max. I’ve missed you. You look amazing as always. Love these boots.

I love Max. He’s correct. Just because we know what’s going on doesn’t mean we also don’t need to be told. Up until we’re told, we technically just suspect. Kawi is lucky to have community.

Before I engage with Pisaeng’s mom’s latest form of gaslighting, I need to know what show they’re watching on this projector in the background.

Sowing doubt into your son’s first real relationship is so cruel. Pisaeng knows exactly what she’s doing, and Gawin is playing his hurt and offense completely legibly.

I’m really loving the theme in this show that there is a difference between avoiding misery and finding happiness.

I do love seeing folks figure out the early parts of their relationships. Kawi doesn’t like Pisaeng avoiding his problems with his mom around him, especially when Pisaeng came to him for comfort. Now we get to see these two sort out how intimacy is going to work for them.

I’m never going to complain about parents turning things around and choosing to support their kids, but I don’t think I like Pisaeng faking a conflict with his mom in the hopes that Kawi will be intimate with him.

The mom’s smile is giving Gates McFadden at the end of Make the Yuletide Gay (2009).

I’m really enjoying the way Gawin plays Pisaeng as flirty or cheeky.

I’m obsessed with Max wearing this big black jacket but having these shorts He has such long legs that the juxtaposition fees intentional.

The Ace Friend and Gay Slut duo is undefeated. Kawi being on the ace spectrum doesn’t surprise me. I’m sure people are going to chide Max for how he spoke to Kawi, but I get Max. He’s a sexual being and it’s clear that some of his experiences weren’t great. There are things to unpack there. However, this show is about accepting people as they are and understanding where they’re coming from. We’re not aiming for perfection. We’re aiming for honesty and kindness. Kawi does need to consider the needs of his partner if he’s going to be in a long term relationship with someone who isn’t on the spectrum like him.

Oh, Kawi. Don’t pretend to sleep.

For a moment I really wondered if the snow globe would transport Pisaeng, but he’s already rejected magical help for his problems.

I’m really hoping this show does something interesting with the asymmetric sexual desire between Kawi and Pisaeng. We were here before during SOTUS and it’s hard not to recall that.

The amusement park thing is not subtle, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. Kawi has always wanted to visit a place full of excitement and thrill, but is here just to soak in the vibes and eat food. Pisaeng isn’t on that wavelength and is a bit frustrated.

Okay, so the preview seems to indicate that Pisaeng maybe did time travel. Unsure about how we went from a kinda botched date to their first sober kiss and implied first time.

I’m not sure where I sit on the sex stuff this episode. I think I’m going to leave myself in this moment of uncertainty until next week to see what we learn about Pisaeng’s potential time jump, and Kawi’s follow up on Max urging him to consider the role of sex and intimacy in romance.

[onboardsorasora]

❄️Enchanted AU: Christmas Part 23❄️

Welcome welcome welcome back!

A little housekeeping before we move on to the chapter: So, the next chapter falls on Christmas Day (its also a Christmas day chapter 🎉). Because it’s Christmas day, should I post the next chapter instead on Sunday/Christmas Eve, Monday/Christmas Day (as normal) or Tuesday/Boxing Day/Day After Christmas?

Please let me know! I can even do a poll if that would make things easier?

Part 1 | Christmas Part 1 | Last Chapter

Part 23/Christmas Part 10

“Uncle Daniel uncle Daniel! Look what mommy got me!” Issac yelled through his screen, the biggest brightest grin on his face as he showed his newest toy. Daniel grinned back at him, curled up on the floor against the far side of his bed underneath the lamp. It was past midnight and he was trying to be as quiet as possible while he video chatted with his family. It was Christmas morning for them and Issac always woke them early to open presents. Isabella was sleepy in her little chair, nomming on the ear of her new plushie.

Grace was already in the kitchen getting started on breakfast, Daniel felt like he could smell the familiar warm scent from all the way in Monaco.

“That's amazing Izzy!” Daniel’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. He missed his family, dearly. This was his first Christmas away from them. Even when he and Michael were dating, he had been able to visit for the holidays. 

Sophie and Vic have been amazing in trying to keep him busy and distracted. Asking him a lot about the stuff they did at home for Christmas. Today they tried to make a pavlova together and it went as awfully as everyone thought it would– but it was fun. And it soothed over a piece of Daniel’s heart that was fraying. He missed his mama and his sister, but Sophie and Vic were a good substitute for now.  

The boys also kept him from going stir crazy, Lio was attached to his hip and Luka trailed behind him with Sassy in tow. They made quite a bunch when they went to lay out on the patio. They’re also helping him to learn Dutch. Between the boys and the cats, Daniel felt like he could be babbling in Dutch in no time! He’d also been teaching the boys Italian, they were eager to learn and show off what they were saying to their parents.

Daniel knew when he went back home he would teach Isaac Dutch. 

That was another thing, he wanted to go back home– so badly. But he didn’t think he wanted to stay there. Not anymore. Not when– only if Max would want it.

He knew Max had a busy job, and wouldn’t be home a lot of the time. But Daniel figured he could maybe stay with the cats. So they weren’t always alone. He wanted to stay with Max, he wanted Max. But if Max didn’t want him, he was ok with staying for Jimmy and Sassy too.

He shook his head and refocused on the screen, Isaac was doing a count of all his gifts and talking to Grandpa Joe in the background. Daniel let their voices wash over him as he got lost in thought. He could already hear Michelle telling him to stop living his life for a man. 

That’s what got him into the mess with Micheal. He was too head over heels to take a step back and think. He'd wanted to be around Mike all the time and thought he wanted that too. Until too late when he realized he was afraid to go home because he didn’t want Mike to get mad at him. Afraid that Mike would know if he sang, because the animals would linger– so he stopped. Afraid of disappointing, being diasppointing.

He’s not head over heels for Max, he knows he’s not. But he wants to spend time with him here, in Monaco. Spend time with Charles and Lando and Alex and Lily. He has friends he made who aren’t his immediate family now, people who know what he is and like him for him! People who haven’t tried to use him for anything. They just want to spend time with him.

He wants to go home because his family is there, but he doesn’t want to stay because he’s growing a family here. 

He wanted Max and he wanted his Mama and Chelle. He can’t have everything, not in the way he truly wanted.

He thought of Max, his smile and how his face squishes when he laughs and his tongue sticks out a little bit. How his voice is raspier in the mornings and his lisp makes his words sound more Dutch than English. He thought of how sweet and caring Max is, how that tea blend he picked out tasted divine. How he’s been taking care of Daniel from the start even though he really didn’t have to. 

Daniel couldn’t imagine being stuck in Monaco having never met Max. 

Max was wonderful, the cats never lied once about him. He was fantastic and sweet and great and Daniel was in love with him. 

He let the thought roll around in his head as Isaac showed him all the decorations; where they hung the mistletoe this year now that Daniel wasn’t there to decide. Isaac told him how many times Nonna got caught under it and how many times she smacked Nonno away from her when he tried to kiss her.

Michelle took the phone shortly thereafter, she smiled at the distant look on her brother’s face.

“What are you thinking about so hard? Any more not-date dates with Max?” she teased, sipping from her teacup. Daniel scoffed.

“It wasn’t a date, Chellie!” he whisper-shouted, before switching languages. At least, if his sister was going to tease him, she could do it without anyone overhearing. He glanced over the bed quickly to make sure his door was closed, normally he left it open so the cats could roam, but he hadn’t wanted to accidentally wake anyone up with this call. He’d already told Sassy and Jimmy about it and they promised they weren’t upset.

“Sure sure!” she waved him off, “but you’re overthinking something, you have that look on your face.”

“I miss you guys.” Daniel mumbled, picking at the area rug below him.

“We miss you too lovebug.” Michelle said simply, and Daniel felt the first tear that rolled down his cheek.

“I miss you so much. And I want to be home so bad.” He scrubbed at his eyes while his voice wobbled, Michelle cooed at him from the other side of the phone and then Grace’s face slipped on screen.

“We miss you too baby, we miss you so much.” Grace gushed and Daniel shuddered a breath. “You’re thinking about a lot of things aren't you, my heart? What's on your mind?” Grace knew her baby, knew when he was overwhelmed. Knew when he was overthinking.

And it was like the dam burst, all the feelings Daniel had been bottling since he first came to Monaco came rushing out. He sobbed quietly into his elbow and his mother and sister looked on helplessly. Then everything came out as word vomit.

“I miss home, I miss everyone. I feel like I’m– I’m betraying you guys. I can’t– I shouldn’t. I’m so sorry. And he’ll never love me back! But I can stay here, and take care of the cats– it's the least I could do. He’s been taking care of me since I came, I’ve like done nothing to deserve–”

“Daniel, you don’t need to do anything to deserve love. You don’t need to be anything but yourself and I think he likes you for you.” Grace cut in swiftly before Daniel could venture down the path they took so long to take him from.

“Yeah, because I’m special.” Daniel pointed out with a pout.

“Special or not, he likes you for you.” Michelle used her mom voice and Daniel felt very mollified.

The phone was passed again and an older woman’s face filled the screen, Daniel choked back a gasp.

“My little Daniel. If he loves you, then he will show it. If he is showing it then it is simple. Now don’t cry my little love.”

“Nonna…” Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat as his grandmother continued to soothe him in her native tongue. 

“It's ok if you love him. You don’t have to tell him–” Grace started.

“You should!” Michelle butt in.

“Michelle stop.”

“But he loves Daniel too! They went on dates!” Michelle argued her case and Grace’s curious eyes found Daniel’s. He felt his face flame.

“He’s courting you, little love?” Nonna asked. Daniel shook his head, it wasn’t like that. Michelle was having none of it.

“They went to lunch when they were running errands the other day! They danced in the living room by the fireplace! And Max flew back and took care of him when he got sick–twice!” Michelle counted off on her hands, Daniel whined softly– she was such a snitch!

“Chelle it's not like that!” Daniel tried to plead his case, but the smug look on his mother’s face plus the soft look on his grandmother’s face told him he already lost.

“You don’t need to worry that he doesn’t love you my dear.” Grace said in the way she normally does when she’s decided she won an argument. Normally it's followed up with a pat on the shoulder or leg.

Grace and Nonna left the phone shortly after and then it was just Michelle and Daniel again. He could see the day getting brighter and hotter in her background, just like how he knew if he looked outside the mountains would be dark while the city would be gleaming with lights.

“Just because Micheal was shit, doesn’t mean they’ll all be shit.” Michelle said softly after a while, “Max is a good one. Didn’t Sassy say so?”

“She did.” Daniel confirmed, ducking his head again. He felt tired, exhausted. He’d gone through a gamut of emotions in a short space of time. But he felt better, his brain felt more settled and the warmth in his chest didn’t turn cold. 

He let the feeling settle in his chest and flow through his limbs. He felt more sure of himself, at least a little. He wanted to sing but knew it wasn’t the right time. He could sing tomorrow. 

He and Michelle hung up not too long after and Daniel settled into bed, pulling the duvet up under his chin. He stared at the wall in the dark, curled on his side.

He loved Max.

It was obvious now that he allowed himself to feel it. But that was as far as this would go, he didn’t want to chance… anything. Nothing needed to change. He’d tell Sassy and Jimmy maybe. But he wouldn’t tell Max. 

Max didn’t need to know.

He slipped off to sleep, curled into his empty sheets that smelled like Jimmy and Sassy. He woke late that morning to the cats curled around his shoulders.

Next Chapter

~*~

Decided to do a poll, please sound off!

[this-is-lightning]

Supercorp FicRec P. 29

The next part in my ongoing ficrec series. I go through my bookmarks on AO3 and select the ones I like the best and add a little commentary on why. 5 fics per part. 

Masterpost

we're playing to a full house, darling (but this show can't go on) by the_ominous_owl

Kara’s struggling to find work. Lena’s struggling to find herself. When fate (with some help from Cat Grant) casts them into the same orbit they find themselves completely off-script, because while everyone knows about the sins of the father, they're somewhat less clear about the sins of one’s siblings. Throw into that an audience hungry for stories at the expense of fact, a showrunner with a plan nobody saw coming, and a co-star who steadfastly refuses to keep it in his pants, and you’ve got a tale so dramatic even the protagonists have noticed. or the one where they’re both actresses with a surprising amount of baggage for two people who haven’t met yet.

w: 37,360

r: teen and up

The actress trope done very, very well. Slowburn. Lena's got it so very bad but shes got baggage. Kara is captain oblivious. They figure it out tho. Lots of intimacy and feelings. There's a part two bt that ones still a wip.

It's Funny Right up Until It's Not by ThornedRose44

It's funny because it's harmless… It's funny because it's never a big deal… It's funny because it's forgotten by the next day… It's funny because she's fine. She's always fine… Until… she’s not...

w: 12,131

r: mature

Yea so this one cut deep. Happy ending but were digging into the "haha quarterly assassination lol" witch is really not funny at all. Angst but so so heartfelt and wonderful. Some-when after S5.

musings from 504 by sapphic_luthor

“We got Supergirl’s mail again,” a voice calls from behind a massive, unidentifiable sculpture as it steps through the door. He sets the piece down just as the words leave his mouth, and then the dark-haired boy spins to face you, hand outstretched to drop a letter onto the countertop, and he breathes, “Oh, fuck.” You look toward your new roommates, and register the panic on their faces. “Wait,” you say, but your mind is jumping to conclusions that your mouth is far too embarrassed to vocalize, so you find that you don’t have any follow-up. “Are you--” you start, but you know it’s true even before you ask. “Seriously?”

w: 7,670

r: teen and up

So how much do we all think Kara's neighbors know about her life? An outsiders perspective on the Superfriends. Funny and fun and heartfelt.

Bizarre Love Triangle by powergrapes

One day, two women meet on the subway. The recently dumped Lena is recovering from a broken heart, and Kara is grappling with the open-ish relationship she has with her long-distance boyfriend. They decide that they’re going to become friends. The kind of friends who also have totally casual, no-strings-attached, nobody’s-catching-feelings sex. What could go wrong? As Alex puts it: “Kara. This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done. And I’m including the time that you set fire to your own hair and nearly burned the house down trying to do some spell you found on MySpace to make Troy Bolton materialize in real life and marry you.” Or: Lena and Kara go around New York City eating food and banging each other until their feelings eat away at them, and Alex tries not to have an aneurysm about it.

w: 113,061

r: explicit

So so so well written. Gets pretty angsty but the payoff is so worth it. Lots of feelings and fun and fluff too. And very VERY good smut. A MUST read!

The Luthor Family by MyCatIsMyEditor

Following Lex’s death Lena finds herself guardian to the four year old nephew she never knew existed. She also finds herself in need of help. Who better to help her than her best friend and National City’s favourite Kryptonian. It’s just a little awkward that her nephew is scared of Supergirl. OR Kara and Lena raising Lex’s son while slowly getting together with a bunch of cute fluff and some angst thrown in as they work together to be the best parents possible to a scared little boy.

w: 95,676

r: mature

Digs a lot into the issues with fostering a child who was neglected and abused. But its very well done and there's a lot of fluff too. Kara and Lena slip into the parent role very well. But of course this whoe situation digs up issues of theirs too. They build a wonderful family and support net and finally get to be so so happy with everyone at their side.

Don't forget to leave some love for the writers on AO3! Much love and happy reading!

[issybettyx]

Hero Tommy, Villains SBI AU

Tldr; i was on tiktok earlier and heard a sound and suddenly this au was born (i’m skipping revision for my exams that start tomorrow to write this) (dream is also in this au purely because i needed a manipulative character, and c!dream is basically just that)

—

“Here to lose again, Theseus?” Siren taunts, jumping over the flash of light the hero shot in his direction. Theseus laughs, grinning as he continues to fire, letting his eyes glow red as he does so. “You’ll never defeat us no matter how hard you try.”

“You’re all bitches,” Tommy spits, and he grins wider when Siren barks out an unamused laugh, letting his energy guide him as Siren phases through the floor, appearing behind him a moment later. “What’s the point of The SBI anyways?”

Curiosity was evil, and Tommy was starving from a lack of information. His whole life, all he’d ever wanted was answers. Maybe asking Siren the point of his existence wouldn’t tell him who his parents were or why he was forced into the Hero Guild at the meek age of 7, but knowledge helped him in the field.

“The Guild knows our reasons, why don’t you?” Siren laughed back, attempting to send a phantom punch through Theseus’ skull, the kid dodging just in time. Dream had told him it was good he was young, it made him quick and flexible, made it easier to dodge and harder to catch. Despite his clear confusion, and yet apathy towards the entire situation, Siren continues. “We had something taken from us, and the Hero Guild have been hiding it for years despite how much they insist they don’t have it.”

“We’re civil, we wouldn’t steal, we’re not fuckin’ robbers or anything.” Tommy spits back, somehow managing to land a kick on Siren’s chest, sending a bright red stream of energy onto the exact place he’d managed to hit and watching as the man fell to the ground, clutching at his chest with a hiss. “We just stop the annoying shits who wreak havoc on our country.”

“You tell your Dream buddy that we demand what’s ours back,” Siren tells him, and Theseus feels something cold press hard at his back, shivers taking over all of his limbs until he’s struggling to stand. He continued to stay stood, despite how much his body begs to fall.

Dream wouldn’t like it if he fell.

He couldn’t disappoint Dream.

“And what if they don’t?” He yells back, making sure his voice echoed on the cold walls of the alleyway they were currently in. It wasn’t the best place for a fight, but it was better than having cameras catch his every move. Whenever that happened, him and Dream would spend the entirety of the next day pointing out and correcting the flaws of his technique. “What if they can’t give it back?”

“I’m sure, if they’re lives are on the line, they will be more than willing to give it back.”

Siren disappeared through the floor before he could say anything else, leaving Theseus alone once more.

—

“Dream,” Tommy starts, taking a deep breath as the man hums, scrolling on his phone, “I want to find my family.”

The man pauses, fingers going still on his screen as he stares directly ahead, and Tommy already regrets saying anything.

“We’ve tried, Tommy, you know this.”

“You tried when I was seven.” Tommy insisted despite the fear thrumming through his veins, biting his lip when bright green eyes stare back at him, a dull frown sitting on his face. “We didn’t even do a DNA test, that could find them so quickly, I’m sure-“

“Go to training kiddo.” Dream told him, and he wanted to protest, wanted to yell and tell him he was actually stupid to think they’d done all they could; but it was Dream he was talking to, he couldn’t just go against him, so he obliged, picking up his suit and leaving the room.

Before he opened the door, he made sure to pick up his backpack, throwing his suit into it before leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Tommy arrived at the centre soon enough. It was a place he’d found on a solo patrol one night, a centre where you could test your DNA and find your family history and things similar to it. Maybe he’d gone a few months ago and gave them a swab of his DNA. Maybe he was only looking for permission so he could show someone he’d found his family, but it seems he would have to keep this to himself as well.

“Tommy Innit?” The desk lady called, and he immediately stood up, taking the brown folder from her with a quiet thanks before immediately leaving, breaking open the flap that sealed it shut.

After taking a deep breath, a short session of rethinking his life choices and swallowing the lump in his throat, Tommy lifted the white papers out, looking over the front.

‘Tommy Innit.

DOB: April 9th 2004’

This was it.

He lifted the front paper out, slipping it behind the others before he looked over it.

‘Heritage: 75% L’Manberg, 20% Essempee’

He took out the next paper.

And the next.

Before finally, the words ‘Family Tree’ met his gaze, and he had never read something faster, the widest smile on his face.

—

Tommy knocked on the door - after a good few minutes of wanting to turn back from the nerves fluttering in his stomach - immediately taking a step away from it.

“Techno get the door!” A voice shouted from the inside, and Tommy knew he had the right place.

The form had said his closest family were as follows; Phil Craft, his father, aged 36. His mother, Kristin Craft, whose age wasn’t specified? It was strange but he brushed past it. And, apparently, he had two brothers, and they were twins.

Technoblade Craft and Wilbur Craft.

“I’m doing homework! Make Wil get it!”

“Wil’s not in- you know what.”

Footsteps followed, and Tommy took a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he tapped his fingers on his leg, trying to steady his breathing as scraping metal from a door lock filled his ears. The door was opened, and a blonde man stood on the other side, blue eyes blinking at Tommy who could only just manage to look back at him.

“Can I help you?” He asked slowly, squinting his eyes at Tommy who took another deep breath, muttering random things under his breath as Phil continued to stare. “Did the government send you? Oh god-“

“No- I- no, I- oh god how do I put this?” Tommy tried, despite having recited this conversation in his head thousands of times he still found himself lost for words. No one had told him meeting his father for the first time would be so… scary. Then again, no one really knew he was there. “I’m an orphan.”

This only seemed to confuse the other more.

“Right?”

“And I- I never knew who my family were, so I kinda snuck off to this centre in town?” Tommy tried, messing with his hands as he refused to look at the other. After a moment, he put his shaking hands into his bag and pulled out the page of his family tree, holding it out to the man who took it with slight hesitance.

Tommy didn’t watch him as his eyes went wide, mouth slightly open as he stared at it, disbelief taking over.

“Um, apparently your my dad? And I wanted to meet you my entire life, and I wasn’t sure-“

Arms wrapped around him, cutting his sentence off to look at Phil, the man’s arms holding him so tight Tommy wondered if he would ever let go. His head was pushed into Tommy’s shoulder, and he could feel his sleeve getting wet.

Was he crying?

“Oh Tommy.” Phil said shakily, and Tommy sighed, returning the hug as he squeezed his eyes shut. “I thought I’d never see you again- I- oh god, I’m so sorry.”

Some part of him said to forgive him. But he didn’t exactly know what had happened in the first place, so he only held him tighter, holding down his own cries as he heard Phil, feeling as he shook in his hold.

“Dad who is it?” A deep voice called, likely Techno because apparently Wilbur wasn’t there, as footsteps grew louder, Phil sniffing before moving back, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Only then did Tommy see the other man, pink hair tied back into a messy bun, a mug in his hand with glasses over his eyes. His clothes were a little questionable, a fancy frilled shirt tucked into black trousers. The man looked at Phil, a raised eyebrow with a silent question Tommy wasn’t sure of, but Phil nodded and a hand was thrown over his mouth before he placed the mug down. “Tommy?”

“I- yeah?” Tommy returned, and Techno was walking over before he could do anything, the man pulling his head onto his chest and keeping a steady on the back of his head, and Tommy leaned into it, letting out a breath as he tried to ignore the shivering of the other. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, kid.” Techno told him, letting go to crouch in front of him, holding his hand with a small smile. It didn’t look right on the man’s face, but Tommy returned it anyways, wiping whatever tears were forming in his eyes, “None of this was your fault.”

“I’ve messaged Wil, he’s on his way back.” Phil said, albeit a bit rushed, before turning to Tommy, a fond smile on his face. “You can eat dinner with us? If you’d like?”

Did he? Yes, he wanted to, a million times yes. But Dream would murder him if he was home late. Not to even mention the fact the man didn’t seem to keen on the idea of him finding his family, for whatever reason.

“I would love to.” Tommy replied nonetheless, letting them usher him into the house. It was a lovely space, in Tommy’s opinion. The wallpaper was a sage green, and wooden shelves lined one wall. A mirror was in the hallway, a cabinet beneath it with a vase on it, no flowers to make it prettier. They led him to the kitchen, and Techno flicked on the kettle again, offering Tommy a drink to which he declined.

“So, Tommy,” Phil started, and Tommy looked at him, taking in his warm smile and the way tension had left his shoulders since he’d arrived, “Tell us about yourself.”

Well he’d been a hero since he was seven, and that was basically his entire life.

“I like cows.” Is what he said, because it was true, he did, “And the colour red. It’s epic.”

“It is epic,” Techno replied to that, pouring Phil a mug of coffee and passing it to him, “Red is the coolest colour. Well, apart from pink.”

“Pink is a very based favourite colour.” Tommy returned, and Techno seemed to straightening up a little at that as that same smile returned from before.

“How’ve you been doing?” Phil asked, a little more cautious than the first time. “Have you been living with someone or?”

“Well,” Tommy started, wondering how in hells name to go about this. He had a feeling if he said he didn’t want to say, he would he allowed to keep it to himself. But this was his dad, asking about where he’d been basically his entire life, so maybe he could just… not name names. “My guardian found me when I was a baby, and he gave me a roof over my head for basically my entire life. He can be a bit…” what was the word? “Strange,” Good enough, “Sometimes, but he basically raised me, so I made do.”

“Who is he?” Techno asked, Phil hitting his arm lightly as he shrugged, “I think I deserve to know who my little brother has been staying with all this time.” There was a look in Phil’s eyes that was a kind of warning, and if Tommy didn’t know better he would say it said they knew something he didn’t.

“I have a question, actually.” Tommy said after a moment of quiet conversation between the other two, bringing the attention back to him. Attention was always something he’d hated, it was always the media shoving cameras into his masked face, following his movements and guessing his next move. He sunk a little under the watchful eyes, biting his lip as he brought his knees to his chest. “Where have you been?”

His real question was clear. Why was I orphaned? Did you choose to? Why did I have to be raised by a young hero and roped into a job so early that I’ve always hated?

“We-“ Phil started, but Techno cut him off.

“You were taken in your sleep.” Techno said bluntly, sipping on his coffee as if admitting Tommy had been kidnapped was the calmest topic of conversation. “We’ve been trying to track you down since, but they were very good at covering their tracks.”

“We knew the only way for you to get back was for you to do it on your own accord,” Phil admitted, picking at his nails as Tommy looked at the floor, frowning as he tried to process it all. “But we tried to get you back nonetheless, they were just… very good at hiding you.”

The door opened after Phil finished speaking, and Tommy turned as fast footsteps filled the house, and soon enough a brown haired man was stood in the doorway, circular glasses over his brown eyes. His style was a lot more simplistic than Techno’s; a simple white shirt with a yellow jumper over the top, black trousers leading down the black boots, and a brown trench coat was over his shoulders, clearly forgotten to be taken off in his rush.

His eyes were wide as he stared at him, eyes scanning him as if he was worried the boy would disappear and he had to remember every small detail. It was a strange thing, and yet Tommy wasn’t too against that kind of attention, waiting for someone to say something.

“Am I dreaming? This is a dream right?” Wilbur asked, taking a careful step closer as Tommy shook his head, watching the man look down at his hands, muttering numbers under his breath before sucking in a quick breath, staring at Tommy before bounding towards him, tugging him into a warm hug.

It wasn’t as tight as Phil’s, whose hug gave him a strange sense of security. It wasn’t as… whatever Techno’s was, that let him know he was there and everything was okay.

It was warm, and it felt safe, and he knew he could pull away if he tried. It was what finally made him cry, clinging back as he sobbed, hoping the man didn’t care if his jumper got too wet, feeling the man hold him tighter as he rested his chin on his head.

“You’re safe now, Tommy.” He whispered, sincerity soaking his words as Tommy only cried harder, knowing his brother would keep him safe. “We’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.”

“But I have to go.” Tommy cried back, shaking his head as Wilbur hushed him, stroking his hands through his hair. With all the emotion in him, Tommy couldn’t find it in him to lie to his family any longer. In Wilbur’s arms, he knew he never wanted to leave, so they needed the truth if they could even try to do anything to fix things. “Dream will be mad if I don’t go back to the tower, he- he’ll-“

“It’s alright, take a deep breath, take your time.” Wilbur muttered back, feeling the kid’s chest rise and fall as he cried.

“Dream has given me everything, and if I leave- he didn’t want me to leave.”

Tommy didn’t see as Phil gripped his coffee tighter, something dangerous flickering in his eyes as he listened to Tommy say the hero’s name. Tommy didn’t see Techno bite his lip, a million thoughts running through his head as he already began planning the man’s demise.

Wilbur only held him tighter.

“He gave me everything, he made me who I am, he- I need to leave.”

“You don’t need to leave, Toms, your safe here.” Wilbur assured, and Tommy shook his head again.

“Can I ask you a question Tommy?” Techno asked carefully, the blonde sniffing as he turned, Wilbur letting go for a moment so he could look at Techno, before slinging his arms over Tommy’s shoulders, resting his chin on Tommy’s head once more. “What did Dream do for you? Who did he make you?”

Could he say that?

Probably, it’s not like they would or could do anything if they knew he was a hero.

“Theseus.” He sniffed back, wiping his eyes as Wilbur froze. Tommy immediately regretted it, everything he’d said coming back to him as he struggled for words, seeing Techno’s wide eyes and Phil’s hand gripping tighter on his mug. “I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, I-“

“Dream made a child a hero?” Techno scowled, and Tommy immediately got defensive.

“I’m not a child.”

“You’re 14.”

“And? I’m not a kid, I can hold my own.” Tommy insisted, standing straighter and forcing Wilbur’s head up.

Phil’s frown physically hurt him, and he found himself looking at the floor to avoid his firey gaze.

“You shouldn’t have to, though.” Phil said quietly, and Tommy had to squeeze his eyes shut as he took a deep breath.

“And you don’t have to, not anymore.” Wilbur added, squeezing Tommy’s shoulders.

“Yeah,” Techno laughed back, but Tommy could hear the malice in it, “If Dream even gets within one mile of you he won’t see the light of day again.”

“That sounds quite evil of you Technoblade,” Tommy told him, finding himself smiling as the man grinned back, “It’s kind of awesome.”

“What can I say? I am awesome.”

Tommy laughed, leaning into Wilbur as the man held him closer, Techno sipping his coffee again as Phil typed something into his phone - Tommy had a feeling he wasn’t casually messaging a colleague, but he didn’t voice those thoughts.

He didn’t voice the thoughts because he was finally safe; he wasn’t sure how he knew it, but he knew he could relax even if it wouldn’t be for long.

With his family, in a home that felt right, without bright green eyes constantly staring holes into his head, he felt safe.