#trope mashup asks

[ohnococo]

GASP first kiss with sukuna please🙏🙏🙏

👀 oooh this one became more of a blurb/drabble than anything lol

You could pinpoint two very different “first kisses” with Ryomen Sukuna. The first is stolen, when you don’t expect it. He’s baring his teeth, fire in his eyes, and when he approaches you honestly think he may just be about to kill you. Instead he’s holding you in place by the jaw, not that you would have pulled back anyway, and pressing his lips roughly to yours. Open mouthed, tongue demanding, teeth clashing.

The second is requested. It’s not presented as such, it’s a calm “Kiss me.” He sits back, amused, waiting to see if you’ll do it willingly. The way he raises his brows and focuses his attention elsewhere when you take too long shows it wasn’t quite the demand it had seemed to be. You do kiss him then, slow, soft, sighing into his mouth when he opens it and waits for you to slide your tongue past his lips. The contented look he gives you after makes it feel like the first time.

Fanfic trope mash up

[mybrainismelted]

60 + 72 for the ask meme please? 💖

Hi Calli! #60 (Truth/Lies) + #72 (Post-Finale Life). Interesting combo.... Hmmm, let's go with the idea that Ian is actually kinda terrible at hiding things from Mickey. Every year for Mickey's birthday he tries to plan some kind of surprise, and every year Mickey figures it out. Until that one year, 5 years after the finale.... "C'mon Ian, you know you can't hide whatever it is from me," Mickey taunts. "Fuck you, Mick. I've been keeping secrets from you for years. I just let you find stuff out because it makes you happy to catch me."

"Yeah, ok, Red," Mickey smirks. He is 100% sure he is going to figure it out any day now. Ian just can't hide it when something has him excited, and he always slips up. Always. Days pass, and Mickey is starting to think that the surprise is that his bitch of a husband actually didn't get him anything. That has to be it. He even stole Ian's phone when he was knocked out from the meds one night, checked his browser history, his email, his texts.... there's nothing.t Needless to say, he's a bit grumpy by the time the day of his birthday arrives, and hasn't noticed the fond little grins that Ian has been throwing his way.

His grumpiness fades a bit when he walks out into the living room and sees a big white box with a bow on it sitting on the coffee table. At least it's something, even if it's something shitty.

But when he opens it... He stands there absolutely stunned at the sight of a gorgeous little pitbull puppy. She's mostly black, with a white star on her chest and a white tip on her left ear. She's perfect. "Ian, what..." he stutters. "You know they aren't gonna let us keep a pitbull in the apartment." "I know," Ian replies, coming up behind him and wrapping him up in a hug. "That's why I have another surprise. I've been putting some money aside ever since we moved here. And I talked to the bank, got some paperwork started, and they approved us for a mortgage. So we can buy a house with that back yard you always wanted for your dog." Mickey spun around in his husbands arms, staring at him in shock. "What?" "Guess I can lie to you when I really want to after all. Now pick up your puppy before she falls on the floor trying to climb out of that box."

trope mashup prompts here

[phdmama]

For the trope mash-up post, may I request Fake Dating and Soulmate AU for Drarry please, if it sparks any fun inspiration?

(P.S. you're wonderful and I will love literally anything you come up with, even if it's not for these prompts, I just got super excited when you posted this 💜)

No, YOU'RE wonderful!!

So this is what came to me - and I can actually see the rest of the story but I have to go adult for a bit, but I am going to come back later and write some more of this! (As per usual, this is pretty much SOOC and unbeta'd, etc etc.)

Draco’s known since the Final Battle. 

He’s pretty sure Potter has no idea, whether it’s that no one’s remembered to tell him about soulmates, or that his mark hasn’t activated yet, but he treats Draco exactly the way he’s treated him since they'd all arrived at University. He’s unfailingly polite, cool and distanced, and deeply disinterested in one Draco Malfoy.

Which isn’t, you know, how you’re supposed to treat your soulmate.

The thumbprint on Draco’s wrist had flared to life when Potter had grabbed his arm to haul him onto the back of the battered broom that carried them both out of the fire. He’d almost fallen off at the way Potter’s magic had rushed over him, through him. Draco had always heard the stories that connecting with your soulmate could be disorienting, but since it happened to him in the midst of mortal terror, Draco’s not sure his experience was typical.

It’s also very rare that one person connects and the other doesn’t, although it does happen. It takes time for the bond to solidify, to grow into a true soulmate connection, and obviously, that’s not happened here. Basically, Potter is a faint echo in Draco’s mind, enough to distract and ache a little, nothing more than that.

All this to say, it’s weird when Potter comes dashing into their suite common room one Saturday afternoon, looking wild-eyed and somewhat disheveled. It’s a rainy day, raw and windy, the kind of day where Draco does not plan to leave the building if he can help it. Potter is damp and windblown, so he clearly had other ideas. Fucking weirdo.

Potter looks around wildly, and lights up when he spots Draco curled up on the couch under his favorite striped blanket.

“Malfoy,” he says eagerly, and Draco blinks up at him in surprise.

Potter’s never sounded happy to see Draco before.

“Yes?” Draco says cautiously. “Can I help you?”

Potter nods vigorously. “You can, yes, absolutely. I need you to pretend to be my soulmate and go to the gala with me tonight.”

“I beg your pardon?” Draco asks, trying to make sense of the words he’s just heard. “You need me to what?”

Potter hangs his coat on the rack by the door, kicks off his grubby trainers and makes his way around the couch to plop down next to Draco.

“I need you to pretend to be my soulmate and go to the gala with me tonight.”

“That’s what I thought you said,” Draco says. “But also, what the fuck are you talking about?”

Potter sighs, lets his head rest on the back of the couch and runs a hand through his unruly hair.

“You know how the press…” his voice trails off and he flushes.

“Follows you around incessantly and makes your life a living hell?” Draco says dryly. “Yes, Potter, I’m aware.”

“Well, someone thought it was a good idea to advertise that I haven’t found my soulmate, and to suggest that anyone who’s unbonded should come to the gala tonight and you know. Shoot their shot or whatever.”

Draco sits bolt upright, outraged. “What the hell? That’s bullshit. That’s not even how it works!”

Potter just sighs again and slumps down even further, eyes closed. “Yeah, I know that, but it’s turned into this whole thing, and every girl in the greater Oxford area, apparently, is now coming to the gala.”

“Can’t you just… not go?” 

Potter shakes his head, looking miserable. “No. The Fund is really important to me. I promised to speak.”

“So your solution is to fake a soulmate bond with a man?” Draco asks and Potter snorts.

“Okay, well, when you put it like that, it does sound stupid. I just thought if I could get them all off my back for a bit… No, you’re right. I’ll just have to get a bodyguard again, I guess.”  

He sounds so utterly miserable that Draco can’t help but feel sorry for him, which is why he finds himself saying, “Yeah, I’ll do it.”

Potter opens his eyes to stare at Draco. “What?”

Draco shrugs. “I’m not doing anything tonight, there’ll be wine at the gala, yeah?”

Potter looks excited but then his face falls. “But what about your soulmate? What if they’re out there looking for you?”

Draco looks away and swallows. “That won’t be a problem.”

Potter’s eyes narrow. “Why not?” He sucks in a breath and whispers, “Malfoy, do you know who your soulmate is?”

Draco just nods and there’s a long silence while Potter clearly puts some picture together in his head. He’s never been stupid, Draco concedes. Since for all intents and purposes, Draco is unbonded, Potter must know there’s something wrong with all of it.

Finally Potter says, “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Draco says and finally turns to look at Potter. “It’ll be fun,” he says carelessly. “What should I wear?”

[oflights]

60 & 86 for the trope mashup, pairing of your choice, pretty please?!?

gah hi friend!! i'm sorry this took me forever!! my brain went in like 50 different directions for this one.

60 is Poorly Timed Confession and 86 is I Didn't Mean to Turn You On and tbh these are perfect.

okay so the main place my brain went to for drarry was a massage?? draco who is very mutually tactile and affectionate with his friends and is constantly giving new friend harry little snuggles and back rubs and sometimes just casually massages his head and neck while he's talking to other people and harry does not know how to cope because he has absolutely never had a friend like that, or tbh even a lover who does that sort of thing for no reason--like, sometimes harry looks around to make sure there's no stray reporter or camera around because he can't figure out why else draco would bother. i'm sure you know where this goes; draco giving harry one of his mindless massages when they're at someone's house party, harry a little tipsy and warm and content who just sinks into it. all of this adds up to him getting way too turned on for being public and also blurting out exactly how into draco he is. draco, who did not know the effect all of that touching was having on harry until now and is staring at him like a stunned bunny in front of their friends.

send me tropes to mash up!

[zenkindoflove]

Modern AU + Erotic Dreams for Elucien?

I have this general modern AU idea where I want to do a Lucien firefighter fic where Elain is a plant biology graduate student working late in her lab, which is of course in the oldest building on campus, when an electrical fire starts and the fire department shows up while she stresses and cries over her specimens (her babies) dying in the fire. Lucien makes sure to check on them once the flames are gone and Elain is smittened immediately.

So yeah I'm pretty sure she'd def have an erotic dream about firefighter Lucien that night 😉.

Fanfic trope mashup

[bluespring864]

30 & 58 for the trope mashup ask game 😍 if you want, RuRu as the ship but it's okay if you choose any other pairing you like!

hmmm... holiday fic + accidental eavesdropping + ruru

let's say they not-so-accidentally end up in the same tropical ressort because they both independantly of each other whined about needing a holiday and danya recommended the same place to them (which would be a very danya thing to do :D)

casper is there with one of his sisters, while holger felt like he needed time away from everything and everyone and has gone there completely alone, but now is bored out of his mind. he falls asleep by the pool... and wakes up to hear casper frantically discussing with his sister whether to wake holger up ("he's going to get sunburnt!") and her then teasing him about it and trying to get him to admit he actually likes holger and that holger is kind of cute. which he eventually does. only to realise to his horror that holger has been awake and heard every word.

holger is quite flattered and finds it hilarious while casper is mortified and desperately tries to avoid him. but ofc they keep running into each other

[writeforfandoms]

Teacher AU/Magical Accident

Any Pedro boy you please, please!

💜💜

It took me a bit to decide here but I'm gonna go with Marcus M! Tee hee hee.

Okay. Here we go. Classical magical accident au here.

You're a teacher and you work with special kids. In this case, that means the kids of Heroics. It's difficult for many of them to be in traditional school, and after a few Incidents their parents decided the best thing would be to bring a few teachers to the kids.

So you work with the kids, and you love them. You really do. They're mostly good kids, even with their tendency to think they know better and get into mischief and ignore things they don't want to do. Even with all that. They're good kids.

One afternoon you're getting packed up to leave for the weekend when you notice there's a cat. Now, normally this would not be cause for concern. Except there are no cats wandering around, and no way for a cat to get way in here.

So you pick up the cat and ask around if anyone knows this cat, is this anyone's cat? Everybody else is just as confused as you are, so you take it home with you, deciding to get it checked for a microchip later.

He really is a gorgeous cat, a deep brown almost black with big eyes. And a deep, rumbling purr. He's pretty cuddly too - more evidence that he's not a stray.

Alas, he is not microchipped, and doesn't seem to have an owner. So you hang on to him. At first it's because you're busy and don't want to take the time to drive halfway across town to the nearest animal shelter. Then it's because you enjoy having him around. You hadn't realized how lonely you'd gotten until you had company.

You found you didn't linger after classes now, spending more time at home. You slept better. You were more relaxed. All because of a cat.

But then you start hearing rumors. That Marcus Moreno himself has gone missing. There are lots of rumors flying around about where he went and what happened to him - everything from he eloped to a supervillain had taken him and was holding him ransom to he'd fallen astray of a magic spell.

You didn't give any credence to the rumors. Until you caught your cat trying to arrange pens into words.

A few exams later, more than one panicked phone call, and a late night trip back to HQ, and you discover your cat is Marcus. You've had Marcus. The entire time. Dying from embarrassment sounds like a good idea at this point.

Marcus gets turned back into his normal human self. The first thing he does is hug Missy and reassure her that he's okay.

The second thing he does is hug you, long and tight, whispering thanks and reassurance into your ear.

And after that, he makes sure you're never lonely again.

[wolfpants]

For the trope mash-up: detective au + poorly timed confession :)

Hello!

You didn't specify a ship but I'm going to presume Drarry for this one.

I haven't actually really written a case fic before (well, Precious Metal is sort of a case fic, but not a DMLE one). It would be new ground for me, so I'm intrigued.

Whereas PM was a bit more mystery, a bit more noir ish... Perhaps I could try my hand at cosy crime.

Since the war, Harry has been living the quiet life in a small wixen village in the home counties. He enjoys the simple things - Sunday markets, amateur baking, morning jogs, hanging out with his cat, working on Sirius's bike, meeting friends the pub. But when the village's local busybody dies in mysterious circumstances, he suspects something is afoot.

Enter Draco, qualified Auror detective, who just wants to get on with his investigation without Harry's help.

Of course, they end up working together anyway - and the poorly timed confession is usually key in these stories as the red herring or twist, so I'll have to think more carefully about that one 😅🫠

Needless to say I won't be rushing to write a case fic any time soon 🤣

Send me your trope mash up requests!

[jasper-the-menace]

37/55 luka/jirina?

Fanfiction Trope Mashup

37: Coming Out Fic 55: Established Relationship

Now we're talking.

"Jirina?"

Lukka's voice was quiet, soft. Not like how the Coppercoat's voice carried in battle against the monsters of Ikoria. Which raised some concern in Jirina Kudro, who put down the spear she had been polishing.

"Is something wrong, Lukka?" she asked carefully. In truth, lots of things were wrong. She was desperate to talk to him about something that was bound to come up sometime soon. Their relationship had been developing so fast that it left them both without much time to get their feet under themselves.

"I... Yes? No? Maybe? I don't know," he said quickly, as though trying to talk himself through whatever he wanted to say without giving himself a chance to back out. "You'd find out at some point anyway, so I wanted to talk to you about something, um...important. Something that'll probably piss your dad off."

Something that would piss General Kudro off. Jirina put her own worries on the backburner for a minute. "What is it, love?"

Lukka ran a hand through his short hair, taking a deep breath. "Okay, so...I didn't always look like this."

"I suppose not, not many children come out of the womb with abs and a five-o-clock shadow."

He laughed, his voice shaking with nervousness. "I- Yeah, you're right, but that's not what I was getting at. I mean I wasn't...born a man. I sought out a mage when I was younger who managed to change me into a man, but...I don't exactly have the right tools, if you know what I mean. So, uh...biological kids might be out of the question for us."

Jirina let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness, I thought I was the only one. Let me guess, it was Old Man Henrik?"

"How did you- You're joking."

"I'm not." Jirina set her whetstone aside and crossed the room to stand by Lukka. "So... I've got you covered on that side."

Lukka laughed, which was a lot less nervous now. "Well, that's good."

(PS, the divider I used was one I created on @jasper-graphics if y'all are interested.)

(PPS, I am a strong advocate for T4T Jirina/Lukka. Not that canon would ever give a shit about Lukka.)

~Jasper

[ohnococo]

Hiiiii Coco, 💕💕

For the mash-up, may I ask a sfw version of Sukuna reacting to love confession + confessing

To anyone else other than you and perhaps Uraume, Sukuna’s reaction to your whispered confession of love is more of a non-reaction. Head resting on his fist, legs crossed as he lounges in his seat, gazing down at you with his head held so high that his eyes were barely visible. For you, there is more to be seen. The briefest upward quirk of his brows, the slight tension in the musculature of his thick neck, the stillness of his broad chest as his breathing stops for just a moment while he takes in your words.

It’s an endless moment, giving your body an opportunity to respond to your mind’s racing as sweat beads at your temples and your mouth runs dry. It forces you to take yet another leap of faith as you say the words searing themselves into your brain - does he feel the same?

“Why do you think you’re still here?”

Fanfic trope mash-up

[mybrainismelted]

trope mashup! 2 aaand ... hmmm ... oh! 13! 🤗💚

ok, clearly you are TRYING to break my brain with this one Nosho! #2, prison, and #13, Mermaid AU. Here goes! The first time they met, it was in Juvie. Mickey was 16, and had been here a couple of times before. Ian was 14, and this was his first time in. They were cellmates, but they didn't really talk much. The redhead was weird, constantly trading other kids for their shower time. He must have showered at least 6 times every day, and who the hell does that? Ian was gone one day, out before Mickey, but the only reason he really noticed is because his new cellmate was loud and annoying as hell. He actually found himself kinda missing the kid.

They saw each other a couple more times on the inside before Mickey turned 18, but never as cellmates again. Still, they found themselves spending time together. There was something about that kid that Mickey could never put his finger on. Something different, but familiar. Mickey was 21 when he was sent to do some big boy time. Stupid mistake trusting his brother to keep watch - he'd pay for that when Mickey was out. He was surprised to find Ian already there when he arrived though. Relieved to have a cellmate he could trust though. Ian seemed different now. He was thin, and had an air of desperation that Mickey had never seen. He didn't really know how to help, and didn't want to ask what was wrong, but he remembered.... on the second day, when he asked if Ian wanted his shower slot, the redhead had actually started crying before throwing himself at Mickey, arms wrapping around him and shaking. "Hey, s'ok Red. Just go, I'll be here when you get back, a'ight?" Mickey was left confused, but not really surprised by how much he had enjoyed the feeling of his friend pressed against him. When he got back, Ian looked... better. Not like himself, but a bit more healthy. Over the next year, they grew closer, emotionally and physically, spending most evenings wrapped up together in a way Mickey had never imagined he could allow himself. He still had to shower sometimes himself, but whenever he could he would let the redhead have his turn, and even bullied some of the other newbies into giving Ian their slots a couple of times a week. They made plans in the quiet of the night, plans to find each other when they got out, plans to start a new life, but there was always something, some big secret that Ian was holding back, and Mickey didn't really want to say it out loud anyway. It was spring when Ian left that time, but he promised that he would be at the docks every day until Mickey got out, waiting for him at dusk. It was summer when Mickey was released. He didn't go home, didn't go anywhere near the southside, in fact. He spent his day hanging around the docks, hoping, wishing, but never 100% sure.... until dusk arrived, and a figure appeared at the end of the docks, beckoning to him. He gasped in relief as he walked, whispering "I knew you'd come. I knew." He walked slowly, knowing that the big secret, the thing they had never spoken of, was about to be revealed. He sat down, looking down a the face of the man he loved, who was floating serenely in the water. "Can I see?" he asked quietly, eyes locked on Ian's. Ian smiled, and braced his hands on the dock, giving one great heave of his body to pull himself up, lying somewhat ungracefully beside him, with his gorgeous, green and blue shimmering tail fully on display in the last bits of light.

[silence-between-seconds]

OMG IM SO TEMPTED TO WRITE A FIC LMAOOO

it's not you, it's my enemies + coffee shop

66. It’s not you, it’s my enemies + 4. Coffee shop AU

plus bonus florist AU!

Trope Mashups!

[oflights]

I had to roll a dice for the mash-up because I literally couldn’t choose, but it worked out - 14 and 56 (Bodyguard AU+awful first meeting).

asjldkajdl god. let's see how much more awful i can make their first meeting (after hogwarts, cheating again)

draco somehow gets into the magical bodyguard business (he's really good at defensive spells or something, idk) and usually takes on like, foreign royal kids just visiting or mostly chill (if dangerous) businessmen who really need him to make sure their portkeys aren't rigged or something. then he gets a client who is 1. mysterious 2. very important 3. has a penchant for attracting danger and 4. as he discovers the first day on the job, harry potter. and he meets harry as he's running into a burning building to save someone's pet fish. draco has absolutely no idea how he's meant to protect someone that reckless (and now he's holding a water glass with a fish in it while harry sweeps the building for pet snails)

send me tropes to mash up!

[zenkindoflove]

Massage Fic + Did They or Didn't They for Eris and Alexius!

Oh anon, you are essentially asking for the biggest crime with Erixius - a fade to black. You are wicked.

Or maybe it can be interpreted as "did they or didn't they mean to touch me there?" Cause with these two, I could totally see Eris giving Alexius a massage for totally practical reasons of course! Maybe they're in a forced proximity situation where they're traveling together and Alexius injures his hamstring. And Eris is like I have some healing magic but for some reason he has to run his hands all up and down Alexius' ass and thigh to fix him 😏.

And Alexius is left feeling very horny and very confused because up until now Eris has only shown that Alexius annoys him and very much isn't responding to Alexius' incessant attempts to flirt.

*jots down notes*

Fanfic trope mashup

[everyfandom-girl]

there's something so goddamn funny about Mary Ann Scuttle x Gorgug to me. Because they're tropes, right? Everyone in the Fantasy High world is a trope from Riverdale and Breakfast Club and every teen movie except for Mary Ann "Tribute to Real Teenagers" Scuttle.

Something about the ordinary girl who speaks two sentences, only about things she's interested in, approaching Mr. Teenage Rockstar + Superhero, Hannah Montana Clark Kent Mad Scientist teen mashup and asking "do you have a girlfriend 😐"...

...and he's the one who breaks down saying "she's so hot--" to her Same Grey Sweatshirt Every Day, lives in Animal Crossing, plushie collection vibes? Mr Rockstar caves at the slightest romantic vibe?? That's beautiful, actually. Self-shippers, I'm sorry I ever doubted you, your superhuman bae does want you back -

[solarmorrigan]

54 + 12 for steddie!

Okay, I know the prompt list says I'm supposed to describe how I'd use the tropes in the same story, but I got.... carried away. I just really love outsider POV

Fanfiction Trope Mashup prompts: 54. Secret relationship + 12. Roommate AU

cw: allusions to period-typical homophobia

-

Gladys hadn’t been sure what to make of her new neighbors at first.

She didn’t like the idea of them, to be certain: two young men living in the apartment across the way, who would probably come and go at all hours, noisy and inconsiderate as anything – especially the long-haired one she’d spotted carrying a guitar case.

A month in, however, her initial assessment doesn’t seem to have proven true; she does see them come and go at all hours, but they aren’t noisy about it, and she hasn’t heard any kind of raucous guitar playing. They seem to keep to themselves, and that suits Gladys just fine.

And then grocery day comes, and Gladys is trying to jog from the front door to the elevator before it closes, both arms loaded with bags. She spots her long-haired neighbor already in the elevator, and he spots her, and he holds the door for her before she can even call and ask him to.

He then offers to help with the bags, and Gladys unloads both of the heavy paper sacks on him with a relieved sigh; she tries to keep in shape, but she doesn’t have the strength she did when she was younger, and her joints sometimes ache like mad.

“I’m Eddie, by the way,” the man says into the silence of the elevator as they ride up to the fourth floor. “I don’t think we really introduced ourselves when we moved in, but I live across the hall from you.”

“I recognize you,” Gladys says. Then adds, “Gladys Gaines.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you officially, Miss Gladys,” Eddie says with a grin. “I’d offer to shake, but my hands are otherwise occupied.”

He shifts the grocery bags demonstratively, pretends for a moment that they’re weighing him down, though he’d been having no trouble with them until then, and Gladys finds herself smiling. “Never mind that,” she says. “And it’s nice to meet you, too.”

Eddie helps her put the groceries away, and she finds him to be charming, in an animated sort of way, bursting with energy and humor.

The sink gives him pause, though, after he ducks beneath it to put away a bottle of dish detergent as directed. He watches it drip for several consecutive seconds before asking, “Is the faucet giving you trouble?”

“It’s been driving me up the wall for weeks,” Gladys huffs as she stashes a loaf of bread in the breadbox. “But of course maintenance is taking their sweet time to get to it.”

“Huh. Y’know, Steve—my, uh, roommate—he’s pretty good at home repair stuff like this. I could get him to come take a look at it, if you want,” Eddie offers.

“If he can get that awful drip to stop, I’ll be in your debt,” Gladys says.

Eddie wiggles his eyebrows at her. “Madam, that’s a dangerous thing to declare.”

“Oh, hush.” Gladys slaps at him with a dish towel, and the boy pretends to be mortally wounded.

Laughing, Gladys finds that she quite likes Eddie.

She likes Steve, too, when he shows up at her door the next afternoon with a bag of tools and a little wave ‘hello.’

“Eddie said your faucet was leaking?” he offers. “Oh– I’m Steve. From across the way.”

“I recognize you,” Gladys says, and she shows him to the kitchen.

Steve is a solid, steady presence that Gladys can imagine compliments Eddie’s high energy well; he’s boyish and sweet, but there’s something sharper underneath that reminds Gladys of her own Avery’s cutting wit.

Gladys finds out from Steve that he and Eddie are from a tiny, rural town; they’re new to city life, but they’re enjoying it even in their adjustment period. Eddie works full time while Steve works part-time and attends classes – he’s hoping to become a guidance counselor.

“That’s an unusual arrangement for roommates,” Gladys comments. “Eddie doesn’t mind taking on most of the bills?”

It’s a bit of a prying question—rude, some might say, but Gladys doesn’t see the point in getting old if you’re not allowed to be blunt—but Steve only ducks his head and smiles.

“No, Eddie’s– he’s a great guy. Helping me out like this,” he says before turning back to the sink. “Here, try it now.”

Gladys turns the faucet on, then turns it back off, watching as the flow of water comes to a complete stop, not a drip to be seen.

“Dear, you’re a miracle worker,” Gladys declares.

“It was nothing,” Steve says.

He turns away to pack up his tools, but not quite quickly enough to hide the smile on his face – pleased but a little bashful, like he isn’t used to being complimented like this. It’s a nice smile, Gladys thinks, and both Steve and Eddie are nice boys. She decides that yes, she really does like them.

Offering to pay Steve for his services seems a little tawdry, so Gladys invites the boys over for dinner, instead. They end up staying well into the evening, talking and laughing with her. Steve eats up all the gossip about the other building tenants that Gladys can dish out, and Eddie eggs them on.

When they say that they’ll have to have her over for dinner next, Gladys braces herself for the worst: the apartment of two busy young bachelors, Lord have mercy.

She’s pleasantly surprised to find, then, that it isn’t so bad at all. It’s a bit cluttered—particularly the desk shoved into the corner covered in graph paper and what appear to be tiny plastic figurines—but it’s quite clean.

After she’s offered to help with dinner and been politely denied, Gladys spends time looking at the photos they have pinned up on the wall. There are over a dozen, a collage of smiles and laugher featuring the same cast of teenagers in varying stages of growth, often posing with Steve or Eddie. There are quite a few of just Steve and Eddie together mixed in, and Gladys is warmed to see two such good friends.

Steve does most of the cooking that evening, but Eddie is a capable sous chef, anticipating Steve’s every request before he can even voice what he needs.

“Hey, can you hand me the, uh–” Steve snaps his fingers, searching for the word, and Eddie opens a drawer and presses a slotted spoon into Steve’s hand. “Yeah, that.”

Eddie grins and goes back to cutting vegetables.

Dinner is nice.

It goes on like this – trading favors here and there, dinners at one apartment or the other, evenings spent talking and laughing. Gladys finds that Eddie is an excellent opponent when playing cards, and Steve shares her fondness for Murder She Wrote.

Gladys and Avery never did get around to having children. At first, they hadn’t had the money, then they hadn’t had the time, and eventually – well, it had been too late. She’s never really regretted it—her maternal instinct isn’t a strong one—but she does find herself starting to think of these boys as hers. She even starts in on knitting some sweaters; the weather it’s getting cold, after all, and it’s the sort of thing you do when you want the people you care about to be protected from it.

It does strike Gladys as a little odd that she only ever sees them with each other; they’re both attractive young men, after all, and she can’t imagine why they don’t seem to go on dates. She’s never seen two friends as content in each other’s company as they are, but she supposes that’s really all that matters – that they’re content.

Things become clearer, however, one sleepless night months after the boys move in.

Insomnia isn’t new to Gladys; she’s dealt with it since she was young, and it seems like age has only increased the frequency of those nights she lies awake, staring at her bedroom ceiling.

She’s found her own ways of coping, over the years; she’ll fill the time with a good book or do some word puzzles or get some knitting in. If she’s feeling particularly restless, she might clean the apartment or even bake something.

She’s just considering whether or not the boys would appreciate some cinnamon rolls come morning (and whether or not it would top that loaf of cinnamon raisin bread Steve had made last week, not that Gladys is keeping track) when she hears the very subject of her thoughts come giggling down the hall.

The boys aren’t being loud, precisely, but they aren’t quiet, either, and there are fewer sounds in the night to swallow up their noise.

They sound happy – they must have had a late night out, coming home a little goofy and tipsy, talking and laughing and then shushing each other as they come to a halt, sounding close enough that they must be outside their own door, just across and to the left of Gladys’.

There’s a moment of indecision, and then Gladys is rising from her chair and crossing to the door. She feels a little silly, but the sight of a friendly face on a sleepless night can sometimes do wonders to soothe her nerves.

She’ll just pop out and say hello, a fellow after-midnighter, and then let them go.

She’s barely opened her door, however, just catching a glimpse of the boys, when something– unexpected happens.

Eddie is fumbling with his keys as Steve leans further and further into his space, and Gladys wonders if he’s drunker than he sounds, but then–

“Hey,” Steve murmurs, waiting for Eddie to look up, and it’s all the warning Eddie gets before Steve is kissing him full on the mouth.

Eddie drops his keys entirely, but it isn’t in shock so much as it is his apparent eagerness to get his hands on Steve, cupping his cheek in one and grabbing his hip with the other, pulling him closer.

This isn’t drunken fumbling – it isn’t even something new, Gladys realizes. The kiss is slow and gentle and lingering, the love in it so evident that for a moment an ache of longing, of missing Avery, rises up in Gladys’ chest.

Then, though he’d been the one to encourage the kiss, Eddie is the one to break it, and when he speaks, he’s properly quiet this time. Gladys can just barely hear him.

“Someone’s gonna see, baby.”

“Let ‘em,” Steve says, just as soft.

“Steve…”

Steve sighs, pressing his forehead to Eddie’s. “I wish I could show you off. Tell everyone how much I love you.”

Eddie in spite of his own warning, holds Steve close for a moment longer, swaying him gently. “No one else matters. I know you love me,” he says. “Come inside and show me how much?”

Glady’s can’t see Steve’s grin from this angle, but she can hear it when he says, “Yeah. I can do that.”

Then Eddie gathers his keys from the floor and actually manages to get the door open, pulling Steve in and shutting it after them and–

Well.

Gladys stands alone now, her door still cracked open, showing her the empty hallway, and–

Well.

Actually– well, actually, certain things make quite a bit more sense now.

“My, uh, roommate,” indeed.

Gladys closes her door, wandering back towards her easy chair as she thinks.

The only thing that doesn’t make sense is the two of them having the idea that they have to keep this from her. Utter nonsense.

Gladys will show them, though; her boys—and their secret—will always be safe with her.