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n00dl3gal · 3 years

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Like Old Times (Father-Son Bonding AU)

A direct sequel to the “Expiration Date” fic, which I’ll link in a reblog. I’ve also posted all my fics in this AU to AO3!! Thanks again to @thetriggeredhappy for their help and just generally being a cool dude, and the Scoutsune Discord server for indulging my brainrot

No warnings beyond family schmoop!

Less than an hour after the bread monster incident, the Administrator called for a ceasefire. “Only while your base is repaired,” she said over the TV screen. “BLU is quite disappointed in this negligence- as am I. Regardless, you may use these three days as you see fit. Go home, stay here- whatever you do, no more bread monsters.” The screen turned off with a click.

Scout exhaled through his nose. He was thankful there was no mention of him or Miss Pauling’s woodchipper.

Spy decloaked behind him. “Less time than I wanted, but c’est la vie.” Scout looked at him over his shoulder. “I’m meeting with an old contact during our break,” Spy said in Italian. “Would you like to come along? It’ll be like old times.”

Scout’s brow furrowed, but he nodded. At least this way, he’d get out of helping Engie and Heavy with repairs. And possibly meeting Miss Pauling’s woodchipper.

“Excellent. Our flight is at 7 AM tomorrow.”

“We’re flying commercial?” Scout asked, also in (more hesitant) Italian.

“Our destination is continental. We’ll leave the base by 5:30.” Scout groaned as Spy started to leave. But- wait, he hadn’t-

“Oi, where are we going, anyway?” he called back in English.

Spy paused to look at him and smile. “Boston.”

“Why do we always get the ass-crack-of-dawn flights?” Jeremy asked groggily, reclining his seat.

“They are the ones with first-class seats available,” Raphael replied. He took a sip from his mimosa.

“Yeah, cuz God forbid you fly coach for once.” Jeremy shifted, trying to get comfortable. “Hey. Have I ever been to Boston before?”

Raphael didn’t answer immediately. His lip sucked in, as if in thought. “Yes. When you were very, very young. You wouldn’t remember.”

Jeremy nodded. He wanted to ask more, there was something Raphael wasn’t saying but… well, he was never a morning person. He fell asleep before the plane even took off.

. . .

It was mid-afternoon by the time they landed in Boston. Jeremy was never fond of long flights; having his legs cramped like that for extended periods of time was murder. He was half tempted to take a jog around Logan International. Raphael, on the other hand, was ushering them both to the car rental. “Can’t even get a stretch in, huh?”

“Unfortunately, we are expected by 4, and I would hate to keep my contact waiting,” Raphael explained in French, accepting the keys from the girl at the counter. “She’s not a very patient woman, in some regards.”

Jeremy huffed but didn’t argue. He just followed his father to the rental, tossing his suitcase in the backseat. “Y’know, the girl at the counter-”

“We will not have time for you to go out on a date, Jeremy.”

“No! No, it was- her accent’s kinda like mine, it’s weird,” Jeremy said. Raphael started the car. “Cuz I’ve only been here as a baby, and I got mine from TV and shit. It’s just… really strange, is all.”

Raphael made a quiet noise of agreement. “Some of the shows you watched as a child were filmed here. It’s not as complex as you think it is.”

“Yeah, probably not…”

The pair lapsed into silence as Raphael drove. Storefronts and high rises morphed into houses. It had been a while since they were in a residential area. RED, for understandable reasons, kept away from civilians.

Raphael took the roads with practiced experience. Sure, it had been implied he knew the area. If he had a contact here- one with a house, presumably- he must’ve spent time here. But this- this was far too familiar. A bit suspicious, actually.

Eventually, Raphael slowed in front of a more rundown Brownstone. Still quite nice, just needed a little work. It felt… welcoming, in a way Jeremy couldn’t name.

“Lotta cars,” he observed as Raphael parallel parked. “Must be a party going on somewhere.��

“Hmm, perhaps,” Raphael said, turning the car off. “Would you mind ringing the doorbell for me? I need to grab something from the trunk. Ask for Sara Jane.”

OK, now Jeremy knew something was up. He was never the one to make the first contact, that was always Dad’s job. Jeremy might be a full-grown adult, but there were some things that didn’t change. This was one of them.

Still, he nodded. He climbed up the front steps and ringed the doorbell. He heard- multiple voices from inside, predominantly male, but they quickly silenced themselves. A TV, perhaps? They really ought to get that flower box on the second story window fixed-

The woman who opened the door was a bit shorter than him, though not by much. She was wearing a simple dress, hoop earrings, and flats. Her hair was dark, curved to her chin. But her nose and earlobes felt… achingly familiar. Like Jeremy saw them all the time.

“Um, hi, I’m looking for Sara Jane? My name’s-” The rest of his speech was knocked out of him as the woman launched herself at him. Jeremy braced for an attack, but quickly realized she was… hugging him.

She was hugging him, sobbing, and choked out the word “Jeremy.”

Wait. He knew that voice. He had only heard it a few times in his life, few enough he could count them on one hand, but he knew it. “M-Ma?” he whispered.

The woman- Sara Jane- Ma looked up at him, still crying. Her hands found his face as she observed him. “Y-yeah, sweetie, it’s me, it’s-it’s your ma,” she said.

“Ma!” he laughed, tears of his own dancing down his cheeks. He hugged her back, practically lifting her off her feet. “Oh my God, Ma! I-I never thought I’d-”

“Oh Jeremy, sweetie, look how tall you’ve gotten! Last I saw you, you fit in my arms! My baby, my handsome baby,” she spoke over him. She rubbed circles into his back as they embraced. It felt so, so right.

Jeremy laughed even harder. “Are you kiddin’? I got it from you, you’re beautiful, Ma!” He stared at her, trying to commit every mole and wrinkle and perfect flaw to memory. “I can’t believe- oh my God, I’m actually meeting you!”

“It was long overdue,” another voice said, as Raphael joined them on the front stoop. “I had put it off for safety reasons, but considering our current, ah, situation… I felt it was worth the risk.”

Sara Jane squealed, pulling Raphael into the hug as well. “You’ve been taking good care of my boy, you promise me, Raphael?”

“Don’t worry Ma, he’s the best dad I could ask for, considering,” Jeremy teased.

“Oh, don’t I know it. Called me up last night and told me to get the whole motley crew together. Even managed to get Melvin to bring his twin daughters, bless his wife’s heart,” she explained.

Jeremy blinked. “Uh- Melvin? Daughters?”

Sara Jane laughed. It sounded so much like Jeremy’s it practically hurt. This was his mother. Lord, he’s finally seeing her. “Melvin’s your older brother, sweetie. Eh, sixth oldest. Bobby’s the oldest.”

“I have a brother?”

“Oh honey, you’re the youngest of eight,” Sara Jane said plainly.

“...fuck,” Jeremy whispered.

. . .

He didn’t just have seven brothers. He had seven brothers, four of which brought their wives, one who brought his boyfriend, and three who brought their kids. And the kids totaled to an additional six, counting the babies.

It was… an admittedly tight squeeze in the living room.

Sara Jane introduced Jeremy. Jeremy had been expecting to be treated like a stranger. He had vanished when he was a baby, after all, and his younger-older brothers probably wouldn’t remember him at all.

And yet, it was like he knew them all his life.

They teased him and punched him playfully and acted so friendly, so familial it nearly made Jeremy break down. He was still crying from meeting Ma, but being dogpiled with so much affection was suffocating. In a good way. He had seen on sitcoms the intrinsic bond between family, and while he felt it with Dad, they also risked their lives nearly daily. But it was real, it was here, and it was wrapping him in a warm blanket.

Despite the chaos and the sheer number of people, Jeremy didn’t feel overwhelmed. He laughed and played along with their jokes, cracking some back when he could get a word in. Scott ragged on his dog tags, he countered by pointing out the hole in his pants. Michael told him he was still a shortass, he replied with “it takes one to know one.” Elliot and Ricky were the closest to actually getting hurt, and that was only because Jeremy elbowed them both so hard they nearly fell over.

For the first time in 25 years, Jeremy understood what “home” meant.

The kids were especially curious, eager to meet their uncle and step-grandfather. Within seconds, young Rebecca- only four years old- was challenging Jeremy to a race around the house. “I’m the fastest kid in the world,” she bragged, puffing out her chest.

“Oh yeah?” Jeremy asked. “That a fact?”

“You wanna test me? I beat Johnny Three-Legs at running, and he’s got three legs!” Jeremy laughed and stood from the couch, letting her lead him outside. “On the count of three, OK?”

“You’re on, pipsqueak,” Jeremy teased.

“Onetwothree GO!” Rebecca yelled, taking off in a sprint. Jeremy knew that, by all accounts, he should beat her. His legs were longer, she didn’t have the proper running stance, and it was his job to be fast. That’s what he got paid to do. But some small voice was telling him to let her win, so he did. “Ha! I told ya!”

“Ya sure did,” he replied, mock panting. “Look at you, a freaking blur on the green. You’re goin’ to the Olympics, kid.”

Rebecca beamed and hugged his leg. “Promise, Uncle Jeremy?” He nodded because, after that display, there was no way he could speak without squeaking like a chew toy.

Rebecca skipped back inside, past Raphael, who was watching on the stoop. “You’re a natural with children,” he observed. “I used to do the same thing when you were that age.”

“Wait- wait, really? You sure fooled me,” Jeremy said.

Raphael rolled his eyes. “What’s my job again, mon lapin?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Jeremy leaned against the railing, watching Raphael’s cigarette smoke in the wind. “Hey. Uh… thanks for arranging all of this. You really didn’t need to.”

“But I did. I meant it when I said this was overdue. I’ve been wanting to introduce you to the rest of the family for a while, but have been unable. Then that whole ordeal with the supposed tumors, and-” Raphael exhaled slowly. “It wouldn’t have been fair to you if you died without knowing them. I would’ve never forgiven myself.”

Jeremy punched his shoulder lightly. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, pops. It all worked out, we’re still kicking, and that roast chicken Ma’s making smells incredible. Everything’s perfect.”

Raphael finished his cigarette and smiled. “Oui. It is.”

. . .

While Sara Jane had been able to get the rest of the family here, it was a school night. Kids needed to be tucked in by 9:30, so most of Jeremy’s brothers were gone by 8. Elliot was staying overnight, as was his boyfriend. Otherwise, the house quickly went from bustling to barren.

It gave Jeremy a chance to explore his would-be childhood home.

He made his way upstairs, pushing open one of the doors. It led- to little surprise- to a bedroom. It was set up like a nursery, with a crib in one corner and a toddler bed in the other. Toys were scattered about across the floor.

He heard Sara Jane sigh behind him. “This was your room, you know.” Jeremy turned to look at her as she flipped the light switch. “That crib… I had put you to bed the night your father planned to fake his death. I was in on the whole plan, naturally. He wanted to hold you one last time, so I said OK. When I woke up the next morning… you were both gone.” She exhaled slowly, grabbing onto his shoulder. “I wrote both of you off as dead, but I knew what had happened. Honestly, should’ve figured it out before then. You hadn’t woken me up crying,” she joked. Her eyes were watering.

Jeremy hugged her, pulling her close. “You never took the crib down?”

“By the time I was ready, Bobby’s wife was pregnant, so I kept it up for my grandbabies. I knew- I knew you were out there, sweetie. Both of you.” She kissed his cheek, squeezing him.

“I-I never got to be a normal kid, really,” he confessed. “I mean, Dad did his best, gave me comic books and board games and stuff, but-but I never went to school or made friends or anything like that. I-I didn’t even know I had a family. It took me forever to even realize I had a Ma. An-and everything I did-” The tears were flowing again, more freely than earlier. “Ya missed me losing my first tooth, and potty trainin’, and all that stuff parents should know about. I-I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Sara Jane wiped his cheek dry. “Don’t apologize for what your father did, Jeremy. And definitely don’t apologize for me not potty training another kid. Besides… hold on, I’ll be right back.” She made her way down the hallway. Jeremy didn’t follow, instead deciding to examine the crib. This was where he grew up. It was a simple crib, obviously well-used. Not worn-down, mind, just… used. It had a history. A history that Jeremy wanted to decode, but unlike his dad’s ciphers, he didn’t have the key.

“Took me a second to find it,” Sara Jane said. She handed him what appeared to be a scrapbook. “Raphael- he wrote when he can. Taught me some basic codes, would send out letters whenever you’d leave a town. Never left a return address, but…” Jeremy flipped through the pages, moving to sit on the small bed. The letters were all coded but appeared to be about how much Raphael missed Sara Jane. Updates on Jeremy’s growth. Letters from a father to his lover and son’s mother.

One page jumped out to him, though. “I remember this,” he said, running his fingers against the paper. It was a simple drawing of a young boy, holding a catcher’s mitt, and a taller man next to him. “I drew this after Dad took me to my first baseball game, for my eighth birthday. I thought I lost the drawing after we skipped town, but- he sent them to you?”

Sara Jane nodded. “And I kept them all. Oh, honey, the day I first heard your voice on the phone- Mikey can tell you, I damn near fell over. You sounded so happy, and even if I couldn’t see you, that’s all a mother wants.” Jeremy leaned against her and she shut the book. “That’s all a mother wants, sweetie. To see her kids be safe and happy.”

“I am, Ma,” he assured her. “I promise.”

They sat like that for a while, with Sara Jane commenting on various letters and drawings in the scrapbook. Apparently, Raphael sent her money when he could- more frequently now that Mann Co. paid so well. She also had a rough idea of their current occupations. “I figure, if you and your father are working for the same company- with his skills, there’s gotta be a whole lot of nonsense going on out in that desert.” Jeremy laughed at that because she wasn’t wrong. “But I also figure since he raised you right, he’ll keep the both of you safe.”

“I keep him safe too, don’t worry,” Jeremy added. “Uh- listen, it’s touching and all you kept the crib, but I don’t have to sleep in it, right?”

They both had a good chuckle over that. Their laughs were in perfect harmony.

. . .

The next two days were a mix of learning the family history and exploring Boston. It was the offseason, so there weren’t any games going on at Fenway, but Jeremy still got a picture in front of the park. Sara Jane took the pair to a restaurant that served “the best damn clam chowder in the contiguous United States.” Which, incidentally, led them to discover Jeremy was allergic to clams. Thankfully they didn’t have to go to the hospital- he just sort of immediately got sick before it passed- but it did suck.

It was damn good chowder, though.

They went down to the harbor where the Boston Tea Party happened. It was crowded with people, resulting in them not staying long. Jeremy was a bit better with crowds than Raphael, but neither was great with them. Came with the job. Getting overpriced memorabilia from a nearby gift shop, though, went over much more smoothly.

When not out on the town, Sara Jane dug out more scrapbooks and photo albums, catching Raphael up on what his stepsons had been up to. She showed Jeremy pictures from Ricky’s first school play to Scott opening up his butcher shop. Graduation pictures, wedding pictures, baby pictures- it was all there, and Jeremy devoured it. He wanted to know these people. He wanted to know his family. And he did. He learned about Michael’s stint in the Navy, Melvin meeting his wife, how Bobby’s son could dribble a basketball for twenty minutes straight. He learned about how his parents met. How Raphael loved each of Sara Jane’s children, even if they weren’t biologically his. How Jeremy wasn’t planned- few of the kids were - but they were both so, so happy to realize he was coming.

He also learned that, while diner food would remain the undisputed king, homemade meatloaf came pretty close.

. . .

The only problem came when it was time to leave. It wasn’t that Jeremy didn’t want to return to work, or leave his Ma behind. Sara Jane wasn’t even torn up over losing her son and lover again. It just felt like there was so much left to say, to do. There was uncertainty as to when they’d be able to return. “We get time off for Smissmas, I know that’s months away but I’ll be here, I promise,” Jeremy swore, hugging Sara Jane for the eighth time.

“You better,” she said, squeezing him tightly. “You have 25 years worth of gifts to catch up on, not to mention birthday gifts-”

“Ma, you don’t have to go that far,” he whined. He was touched, sure, but the thought of that much luggage was truly frightening. Oh God, he was going to have to get gifts for everybody, wasn’t he? What do kids even want for Smissmas?

“Hush, let me spoil my baby,” Sara Jane told him, kissing his cheek. “Oh, Jeremy…”

Jeremy nodded. “I know, but I’ll call. I’ll write, too. Send pictures if I can.”

“I’ll make sure he does,” Raphael assured her. Sara Jane stood to kiss his lips, with Jeremy looking away pointedly. “You have my word, ma petite chou-fleur.”

“Alright, alright- now get going, I don’t want you two missing your flight. That boss of yours sounds like she’ll tear you both a new one if you’re late,” Sara Jane said, shooing them away. “Love you boys!”

“I love you too, Ma!” Jeremy shouted back, for the very first time.

The drive back to the airport was quiet. Jeremy stared out the window, watching his hometown- he had a hometown- pass by. “Hey, dad?” he asked, still looking outside. Raphael grunted to acknowledge he was listening. “One of these days, our contracts with Mann Co. are gonna expire. We’re gonna have to find new jobs.”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Raphael said. He tapped a rhythm against the steering wheel.

“And-and I was thinking when that time comes… maybe we could come back to Boston. Find some gigs out here,” Jeremy suggested.

Raphael sighed. “Unfortunately, being a spy means that you don’t have the option of retiring, Jeremy. Not until you’re unable to complete your job. At that point, though, you’ve probably died a dozen times over,” he explained. “Even if I could retire, settling down somewhere so close to people I care about- I would still have enemies.”

“Right. ‘Course,” Jeremy said. “It’s OK.”

“That being said,” Raphael continued, “you have the luxury of youth and not being tied down to such a career. If you want to find a job in Boston after we finish with RED, there’s nothing stopping you.”

“But people will still be after me, since I’m your son. And you wouldn’t be around.”

“Every child leaves their parents someday. And you’re strong, Jeremy. You can protect yourself and your family.” Raphael smiled. “I don’t believe Sara Jane needs much protecting, but I do worry.”

Jeremy laughed. “I mean, did ya see the muscles on Scott and Michael? Guys can probably bench press a tractor!”

They both chuckled before settling into quietude. Eventually, though, Jeremy had to break the silence. His voice was barely above a whisper. “I love you.”

“I love you too, mon lapin.”

“...so your nickname for Ma is fucking ‘little cauliflower?’ What the hell, Dad?”

#father-son bonding au #Team Fortress 2 #team fortress 2 au #tf2 #tf2 fanfiction #tf2 scout #tf2 spy #tf2 scout's mom #dad spy #thetriggeredhappy #spy x scout's ma #noodle writes

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evermoreholland · 3 years

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Daddy’s girl | Charlie Gillespie

Pairing: Dad!Charlie Gillespie x Mom!Reader

Summary: The journey of your pregnancy until the birth of your baby girl.

Warnings: Angst if you squint, FLUFF

Word Count: 1,423

A/n: Two pregnancy fics in a row. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

You had been feeling sick for the past couple of weeks. You would throw up whatever you ate, but you were always hungry. Your head was constantly pounding and your stomach was hurting. You had no idea what it was, but your boyfriend made sure that you were feeling better.

Charlie was very nurturing. He cared for you so much and he always took care of you when you were sick, even though he could have gotten sick too. He didn’t care because he loved making you happy.

“Char?” You called out from your shared bedroom. You were currently laying in bed watching Netflix. Charlie was in the kitchen making you some tea.

“Coming, babe,” he said as he made his way to your room with a mug of chamomile tea in his hand. He came into the room and saw your cuddled up figure. He looked at you with sympathetic eyes. He did feel bad for you since he hated seeing you sick. Charlie came to your side and handed you the cup of tea with a warm smile.

“Thank you, honey,” you said in appreciation. You scooted over to one side of the bed so your boyfriend could sit beside you.

“Do you think your period is coming?” Charlie asked and your jaw dropped. You just realized that your period had been three weeks late. There was a very good chance that you were pregnant.

“No, it’s late, Char,” you said anxiously. “I think the reason I’m sick is because I might be pregnant.”

“You need me to go buy some tests?” Charlies asked as he got up from the bed and went to put on his shoes.

“Yeah.” Charlie could tell that you were nervous, no matter what the answer was going to be. He came over to you and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Everything will be okay. Just trust me.”

Charlie came back around 15 minutes later with three difficult brands of pregnancy tests. You frantically took them from his hands and made your way to the bathroom. Charlie followed you to see if you needed anything.

“Can I be alone for a second?” You asked your boyfriend of two years. He nodded and left the bathroom to give you some space.

You did everything you were supposed to do and went out of the bathroom to wait for the test to process.

“Should be about five minutes until we know.” You said as you entered your bedroom. Charlie was sitting on the bed fiddling with his finger.

“Are you nervous?”

“A little bit, but I’m kinda excited to be a mom.” You said as you sat next to him. You grabbed his hand and interlaced your fingers together.

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.”

“I thought you always wanted to get married first before we have children.”

“Life knows what’s best for us. So I’m going to trust the process.” Charlie said, which comforted you a lot. “Don’t worry, Y/n. We got this.”

“Yeah,” you smiled. “I think it’s time.”

You both went into the bathroom and you pick up the pregnancy test. You saw the two pink lines and you knew. You were pregnant.

“So?” Charlie asked in anticipation.

“I’m pregnant.” You said confidently. “We are going to be parents, Charlie.”

Charlie wrapped his arms around you. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

~~~

Charlie was on his way to Vancouver to work on season two of Julie and the Phantoms. You were about five months pregnant and you were coming along with Charlie.

“Babe, did you ever tell the cast that I’m pregnant?” You asked curiously when you were heading to the airport.

“I haven’t told anyone outside of our families.”

“Don’t you think they’ll notice something?” You asked as you pointed to your small but noticeable baby bump.

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell them,” Charlie paused to park the car at the airport parking area. “To see if they notice.”

“This isn’t a joke, Char. You also need to tell Kenny because I’ll probably go into labor while you’re working. We are going to be here for months, you know?”

“I know, I know.” He said and then you both got out of the car to grab your luggage and make your way to check-in.

“Then why haven’t you said anything?” You asked. Charlie remained silent when you both checked your bags and got your tickets.

You both made your way through security and when you were putting your shoes back on, insecurities washed through you.

“Are you embarrassed?” You asked.

“Is that what you think?” Charlie looked at you in disbelief.

“You’re making me wear this huge coat wherever I go and you refuse to tell your friends about the baby.” You said while pointing to your attire. Charlie’s eyes softened at your explanation.

“Angel,” Charlie said as he approached you. “I love you and our baby so fucking much.”

“We love you, too. Let’s just go the gate, okay?” You and then grabbed his hand. Charlie grabbed his backpack and walked with you to the gate. You both sat down in two seats in the corner by the outlets.

“Y/n, I’m not embarrassed by you or our child. I’m so happy that we’re having a baby together. I just don’t want our baby in the public eye just yet. I don’t want it to be too much for you.”

“I understand. I’m sorry for accusing you of otherwise,” you apologized.

“It’s okay. I’m going to email Kenny right now telling him about our situation,” Charlie giggled and then placed his hand on your stomach.

“You better be. I don’t want you missing the birth of our baby because you’re pretending to be a ghost.”

“You got it, babe.”

You arrived in Vancouver several hours later. You both made your way to your rented apartment after you picked up some food. It happened to be that Charlie wasn’t living with Owen this time around. It would just be the two of you and then in several months from now, your newborn too.

“I was thinking we could invite the guys over and tell them the news,” Charlie said after the two of you cleaned up dinner.

“Are you sure, Charlie?”

“I’m sure that they’ll figure it out anyway, dear,” Charlie said and then kneeled to press a kiss to your stomach.

Jeremy and Owen came over later that night and we ecstatic when Charlie told them the news. They couldn’t be happier for you and Charlie, and you were extremely grateful for their support. Kenny replied to Charlie’s email and wished you both a congratulations. It was very heartwarming to know that your baby was already loved and cared for by many.

~~~

Charlie had been filming for Julie and the Phantoms for the past few months while you got ready to give birth to your child. Charlie had been there almost every step of the way. He worked around his schedule to be there for you and you hired a doula for when you’re in labor.

Charlie was on set when your water broke. You called him on your way to the hospital.

“Charlie, the baby’s coming.” You tried to remain calm but you needed your boyfriend with you immediately.

“I’m on my way!”

Charlie was there within an hour. He was by your side and helped you throughout your 12-hour labor. You gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Charlie was in love.

“Hi, beautiful baby. It’s dada.” Charlie cooed. You had just fed and burped your daughter for the first time and now Charlie wanted to hold her. “She looks just like you, Y/n.”

“Did you think of a name for your daughter?” The nurse came in and asked. She handed you paperwork to fill out for your daughter.

“Delilah May Gillespie,” you said proudly.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” the nurse complimented and left the room for a moment.

“We’ve done good, haven’t we?”

“She’s perfect, Y/n,” Charlie said as he sat down on the hospital bed with you, Delilah in his arms. “And so are you.”

“When do you have to go back to work?”

“I finished my final scenes today. I’m all yours, and Delilah’s,” he said and then pressed a soft kiss to your forehead and an even softer kiss to Delilah’s.

“I can’t wait for our beautiful life together, Charlie.”

“Me too.” This moment couldn’t be more perfect. “She’s going to be such a daddy’s girl.”

#charlie gillespie x reader #charlie gillespie #charlie gillespie fluff #charlie gillespie imagine

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

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Humans are Space Orcs, “What Happened.”

Sorry for any issues this one might have, but I am trying to write it between flights and and scrambling to find a plug that will work, so I hope you like it anyway, and I hope it answers some questions you have

Three months leave

IT was going to take an extra three months before the ship would be ready for launch. Even as they spoke, it was docked at the Europa station as they put on the final finishing touches. Until then, it had been Commander Vir’s job to go through files on the personnel he wanted aboard his new crew.

He had suggested some alien additions to make the crew more diverse, which the GA had loved considering that the ship was an amalgamation of both human and alien technology. It had Rundi communications systems, Celzex weaponry, Vrul shields, and a Tesraki warp core. The design otherwise was completely human. But for those reasons, the project was obviously very time consuming, and they were lucky that it was going to be finished in as little a time as it was.

Sunny hadn’t seen Adam very much in the last month or so considering that he had been working hard to find an extra five hundred members for his crew, and speak with the brass about what he had seen on the other side of the wormhole.

Sunny knew that it was important that Adam do his job, but a part of her was annoyed they hadn’t been able to speak properly since getting back.

Instead, she was stuck in base housing on the cost, alone and with nothing to do aside from long walks on the beach. She had never been the the beach beforehand as anin didn’t have any substantial bodies of water like that, at least near her, and there was something about the endless water that unsettled her. Even Krill and Conn were off doing important things. Krill was giving his services to a level one trauma center in New York, and Conn was helping the base MPs conduct polygraph tests, though he had sort of replaced the polygraph.

That left Sunny alone most days to think.

She hadn’t gotten over Adam’s disappearance, and not how he had tricked her, pushing her from the bridge before turning around and preparing himself for death. She felt a bit cheated, and like a decision had been made for her. She wasn’t stupid, logically she knew that is what she would have done if she were in his place, so she couldnt fault him for that, though she still coudln’t help feeling hurt over it.

And these thoughts she was left to stew on, tossing and turning in the quiet of the night while everyone else was out and busy.

Needless to say she didn’t expect the little bell on her front door to ring late one evening, and when she opened the door she certainly didn’t expect to see Adam waiting on her front porch.

HE was smiling, though the skin around his face and neck were already flushed a light pink with embarrassment.

In his arms, he held a large collection of flowers.

“May I come in?”

“Adam!” Her surprise was a bit delayed

He shuffled his feet, “I uh, I got the go ahead to take the day off so I…. thought I would see you.”

He shifted again.

He looked better now than he had on returning from his ordeal, face clean-shaven and in clean clothes that actually fit, though she had to admit his cave-man look hadn’t been so bad.

She stepped aside, and he tentatively followed.

She closed the door and he turned to face her, “I uh…. um … well I…. flower…. Or I mean, I got you, flowers I…… Bought some, but also picked…. some ….. I not that that really matters I just.”He sighed took a deep breath and cleared his throat, “I got you flowers.” he held them out, and she took them in half amusement, picking one from the top and popping it into her mouth before setting them down on the little side table.

“Look, I’m sorry we haven't been able to talk since I got back… and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little bit of me avoiding having a tough conversation.”

“I like that you are at least being honest with me.” She said quietly., “Do you want to sit down?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “Actually, I was going to ask you if you wanted to go on a walk…. I.. I think better when I walk.”

She shrugged and agreed, following him outside to where a thin layer of clouds had veiled the sun which was slowly inching towards the horizon. The clouds muted the colors and the sea was grey in the distance.

Together they walked a little ways along the sand, him shifting nervously, and her walking to the side, relaxed though she didn’t feel like it

The silence stretched on for nearly a mile before Sunny -- growing frustrated -- was forced to break it.

“You tricked me.”

He looked down at his feet, “I did.”

“You tricked me, and because of that I have had some of the worst few months of my life.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I understand you did what you thought you had to, and I get it that if I was in your place, I would have done the same without hesitation, but…. I I feel cheated, and I feel used, and for some reason I can’t stop it.”

He looked away, “I’m not sure what to say.”

“At least say SOMETHING.”

HE turned to face her single green eye wide. Looking down she could sense that his hands were shaking. A part of her felt bad about that, but they needed to have this conversation, and she wasn’t going to let him out of it.

“I… would do it again to save your life, and I won’t apologize for that, but I’m sorry that that’s how you feel.”

“I thought we were a team.”

“And we are.”

She paused, her feet digging hard into the sand, and he drew to a halt beside her, “I need you to understand Adam, when Drev say a team, they mean a battle pair and that means….”

“I know, I know……. I know what it means, and I am agreeing with you.”

“Will, you try, for me.”

“Yes, but sunny, I I don’t know how well it will work out, I…. well I’m broken when it comes to this sort of thing I don’t even know if I can.”

They went silent again and she could see the veins pulsing in the side of his neck. Beads of sweat collected on his brown and face. He looked almost nauseous, like he was scared or something, that too made her feel bad, but she didn’t really know how to help.

On instinct, she reached out a hand, inches from his before pausing, “I…. Can I?”

He paused look down at her hand.

His clenched into a fist.

He was pale whit like snow now.

“I…. I don’t think I can right now but…. Thanks for asking.”

She watched the expression on his face closely, and on his face she saw him proceed through a rapid series of emotions starting with fear, working over to shame, sadness and finally ending on guilt.

He turned away.

She walked up next to him, head tilted, “You don’t have to, Adam, but maybe if you told me why I could better understand. Of course you don’t have to.”

He took a deep shaky breath, “You deserve to know. But just don’t… I don’t know laugh or something. I know logically it wasn’t a big deal but….”

“Adam, I promise I won't laugh, you have my word.”

He nodded his head slowly and sighed, “I can trace it all back to one event I think. It was MY freshman year of high school…. Maybe and I was the awkward, nerdy sci-fi weirdo who believed in UFOs and Aliens.

***

Adam Sat Under a tree outside the school arms wrapped around his knees back tucked against the bowl of a tree which cast the shadow of its leaves down over the ground to wave and rustle in a light breeze.

It was lunch break, and he was watching the other teens standing around in their cliches. The football jocks were playing a game to one side, the cheerleaders were clustered around a bench, and all the rednecks were sitting in the back of their trucks in the parking lot laughing loudly and occasionally turning on their trucks just to rev the engines as loud as possible.

His hair was long-ish, kind of scruffy and hanging down around his ears. The clothes he wore were baggy hand me downs from his older brother Jeremy (a senior) and shoes with holes in them from his older brother Thomas.

He didn’t mention the holes to his mom, dad was in between jobs right now, not that it was a big deal, he would find work, it was just paperwork in the way, but he didn’t want to worry her with something extra that didn’t matter right now.

He looked down at the ground where he had a stack of books waiting in the grass for him, The Martian, War of the Worlds, and an old tatty compendium of start wars stuff with pictures and diagrams.

The T-shirt he was wearing was one he had purchased online, and had a diagram of the star-trek enterprise on it.

He shuffled his feet in the grass waiting for his brothers to show up and feeling sort of lonely as he waited.

Since he was a little younger, he got out a half an hour before they did, and only got to spend thirty minutes of his half hour lunch break with them, otherwise he tried to avoid people as much as possible. It wasn’t that he was bullied per-se, because he wasn’t really, neglected by his peers was probably a better term for it.

They were nice to him in the way you are nice to small children or crazy people, keeping up polite conversation just long enough to leave as soon as possible. He was used to the treatment, and didn’t bother subjecting people to his presence more than he had to. He knew he was weird.

He was sure he would have a harder time if it were not for his older brothers. Jeremy, who was a popular football player, David because he was student body president, and arguably the best looking guy in school, though he never seemed to be dating anyone, and Thomas, who was a bit of a loose cannon and didn’t mind getting in fights to protect his family members when he wasn’t hanging out with the other weird and unpredictable kids.

He was sitting there thinking about his brothers and staring down at the grass, when he saw a pair of shoes appear in his vision. They were white vans, or something similar with bright green laces, and when he looked up he saw a girl standing over him. The school was small enough that he recognized her immediately. Her name was Amanda and she jumped between the Drill team and the Basketball Girls click.

She was smiling, and he watched her as she turned her head back to her group of friends who were giggling and trying not to look like they were looking over in their direction.

Adam sat up a little straighter, “Can I help you.”

She smiled at him, her cheeks slightly pink, “HI…. Adam.”

He frowned, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

She shuffled her feet, and off in the distance, her friends giggled and looked away.

“Can I help you with something?’ He wondered, waiting for the punchline somewhere. Something about the weird UFO kid, or maybe they were going to ask him to help them do something against school rules, so when they got caught they could all blame it on him. Or maybe they were going to ask him to be the designated Sherpa for their bags or something.

He had been tricked into most of those things before, though by now the teachers and the principal knew that he was just socially stupid and not a troublemaker.

“Relax ok, I’ve just come to say sorry?”

“Sorry for what?”

“Sorry for treating you like you were weird.” When she smiled it seemed genuine, “You see its…. One of my friends.” More giggling I the background, “She thinks you’re cute, but she didn’t know how to act before.”

He glanced past her to where the group of girls had burst in to excessive giggling.

He frowned again, “I’m not stupid, you know.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

She crossed her arms, “Serious, Adam.”

“Who is this friend of your.” His eyes narrowed, but past that he was looking towards one of the girls in the group. She was pretty with honey blonde hair and an infectious smile. She played the violin, and he knew for a fact that she was a comic book nerd. He had seen her carrying them around, and she was a petty good artist too. He felt his face flush a bit but tried to fight it back.”

“She smiled, “Avery.”

His eyes shot wide, and he felt his face turn scarlet. The part of his brain that had been skeptical immediately shut off as the human brain is prone to do when they think something good might be about to happen.

“I… really.”

She grinned, “Really.” She reached into her pocket and passed him a note, “She wants you to meet her by the stadium.”

His hands were shaking a bit as he took the note, but he felt his heart hammering in excitement.

Was this his way out of exile?

He had always been extroverted, starved for all the friends he wanted and all the people he wanted to talk to. Avery had the life that he wished he did, a large circle of friends, and fun things to do every weekend.

Maybe with her around, he would finally have that.

All the better if they were dating, but he was getting ahead of himself.

He watched as the group of girls dispersed and Avery moved towards the back of the building over towards the stadium, her beautiful, honey-blond hair blowing in the wind.

He stood awkwardly gathering up his things and shoving them in his bag without zipping the zipper all the way before turning and cutting around the other side of the school. His heart hammered in his chest and his hands were cold and sweaty as he made his way around the other side of the building and towards the stadium.

His heart only began to race faster when he saw her standing alone under the stadium between the cross-bars and in the shade of the metal benches above.

He approached nervously, his hands shaking in excitement.

She turned her head, bright blue eyes catching his.

He stopped in place at the edge of the shadow. But she smiled and waved him in, “Adam over here.”

He followed nervously his feet trailing in the dirt. As she approached she nervously rocked back and fourth on her heels hands in her pockets. He paused a few feet away. She looked up at him through her lashes, and he noted she was wearing little Iron Man earrings.

“Hi.” She said nervously

“Hi.” He replied back

She shuffled her feet, “Look I…. I’m sorry about laughing at you earlier today In class I…. well I think your funny, not, like in a bad way or anything.”

HE knew he was bright red at this moment, probably brighter red than any tomato, “Really?”

“Yeah, so I wanted to say sorry, and…. And maybe make it up to you.”

His heart was in his throat, “Oh, you, you don’t have to.”

“But I want to.”

It went quiet as she stepped forward, and he was frozen in place. She was right in front of him now. She leaned forward a little, and he was frozen in place. Her eyes closed, and then so did his, he waited for the moment, and waited, and waited, but nothing came.

Someone snickered, and he cracked an eye to see Avery’s once pretty face twisted up into a sneer of contempt and malicious amusement.

“April fools.” She jumped at him, and in surprise he tripped backwards over one of the metal bars landing hard. The zipper of his backpack, not all the way done up, erupted outward spilling all his books out onto the dirt.

Laughter.

He turned his head looking around to the cracks in the stadium seats where dozens of eyes stared at him laughing.

Avery stood over him as others began flooding down from their spots laughing.

He crawled back, his head down, “But it’s not even April.” He whispered

“Its not even April.” Someone mimicked from behind, and he ran into soemthing hard looking up to see one of Avery’s friends standing over him. She was state shotput champion last years, and her arms were as big as his head, “What is this.” She reached down and picked his book off the ground.

“Please, give it back.” He said crawling to his knees and reaching up for it.

“The Martian.”

“please.”

She flipped open a few of the pages. He stood up trying to reach for his book but he was blocked by another two of her friends.

The laughter continued, the mocking voices over and over and over again.

He tried to push forward reaching for his books which had been picked up off the ground.

“Gross, Its all sticky!” the friend yelled.

“No it isn’t.” He protested, it was true, he took very good care of his books. But of course no one listened. A chorus of disgust rose up around him. His books were dropped, one clattering to the rocks its pages bending, the other one landing halfway in a puddle of stagnant water.

He cried out and dove forward pulling it out of the water even as mud dripped form the hardback.

He cradled it in his arms, feeling hot tears of anger and humiliation begin to prickle at the corners of his eyes.

Laughter continued.

“Look.”

Fingers pointed.

HE stood fists clenched ready to hurt someone, but when he turned the same girl from before hand his book in either hand and when he moved she pulled.

There was a sharp ripping noise as the spine of the book tore a quarter, and as he cried out she laughed and dropped it into the puddle.

As a paperback, the book didn’t stand a chance.

Mud and water caked his hands as he reached in to pull it out on his hands and knees. Something hit him hard in the back and he pitched forward into the puddle getting the book wet a second time as the kids laughed.

He scrambled sitting up coughing and spluttering feeling the slimy grittiness of the water on his lips.

Someone knelt down next to him. A voice in his ear, “If you tell anyone. I’ll tell the teacher you tried to touch me.”

Tears dripped down his cheeks as he tried wiping mud from his face. The laughter receded and he was left along kneeling on the gravel.

His face grew hot and read as he stared down at the ruined cover of his book. Hot tears dripped onto the mud coating his hands.

His breathing started up in great gasps his heart hammered so fast he thought it was going to burst out of his chest. His head was going to explode either from anger or frustration he didn’t know. Choked sobs broke from his mouth as he knelt over the books ruined in his hands. He couldn’t breathe. He stood vision clouded face hot wet and muggy from the heat.

And then he ran.

He had no idea where he was going or what he was doing.

His paperback held muddy and dripping in one hand he pelted into the woods and didn’t stop running until his foot caught on a branch and he went rolling into the leaves.

He lay there on his stomach heart still hammering breath still coming in ragged gasps. He just couldn’t calm his breathing down.

He didn’t know where he was.

He felt like he was having a heart attack, or dying, or something. He lay there gasping on the forest floor for hours.

It grew dark. The mud dried on the back of his book and against his chest and hands.

It was only when he heard the voices did he finally sit up, mud caked and bleary eyed.

“Adam!”

There were no other sounds for a long moment before the call started up again.

He stumbled over, it was dark so his feet kept coughing on branches and twigs.

“Adam, ADAM! I swear ADAM.”

“Thomas?” He said his voice so raw it was barely above a whisper.

“ADAM!” Footsteps rushed towards him through the trees, and Thomas burst from the foliage his scruffy blind hair run wild, his jeans covered in dirt, “Adam there you are where have you-“

He didn’t have time to say much else as he was hugged tight around the middle.

“Adam I…. what’s wrong. What happened! Who did this to you!”

Thomas looked ready to rip someone apart, but Adam didn’t say anything. He wouldn’t say anything about the event for the next two years.

***

Sunny stared wide eyed as Adam turned away again.

“Look, I know its stupid, it happens to plenty of kids and they don’t take it the way I did, but. I mean, with the panic attack on top of it, and then a few years later the same thing happened on my first date, so now I just… I can’t…”

Sunny was quiet for a moment while he looked away.

“Who the FUCK do they think they are.” She snarled.

He looked up in surprise, “I what.”

She marched around in a circle, “What the hell kind of person does that to someone. That’s just sick and wrong. That is just… horrible.” She pulled out her spear, “I swear If i ever meet someone like that if i ever meet THEM, I am going to-”

He caught her arm, “Sunny stop, it was a long time ago.”

“It doesnt matter!”

A small smile cut across his face, “IT doesn't matter sunny, you want to know why.”

“Why.”

“Because I saw their pictures.” he grinned, “Avery got really fat and her friend got hit by a car, not fatally but I consider it Karma doing me a solid.” He paused, “It’ll be ok…. I just need some time. Think you can do that for me?”

She paused and nodded her head, “Yes, I think I can.”

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miraculouscontent · 3 years

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Askplosion #11:

(note that I know I mentioned a “Voiced Askplosion” last time in the tags for anyone who put a 🎤 in their ask, meaning they wanted to hear me respond verbally to it, but I only got one and it wasn’t anything serious - just a tease from someone I know - so I either won’t be doing it at all or will be holding off)

Asks responding to previous posts:

ALYA NO!!!

(the idea of Sabrina avoiding not only Ms. Mendeleiev, but also Alya, is very amusing to me)

The fact that the special focuses on the love square instead of Sabrina and Delmar is a crime.

(also note that “Need some help?” is rhetorical in this context; Alya doesn’t care)

Highly recommended, honestly, otherwise it just turns into a big shame because there are shows I really like but with some content that I don’t like, and why torture myself with it when I can cut it out instead?

Just to give a rough idea, here’s my cut of “Desperada”; mind you, this is just my quick cut of it (basically a “beta” version where I just removed everything I disliked without much care for transitioning/having everything make sense; some of Marinette’s friends talking, the guitar scene, Aspik, etcetera), as I’m not comfortable handing over my “perfect” cut of it since it’s like my personal copy.

Yeah, that’s a super awkward scene. As much as I’d like to imagine that Adrien just doesn’t understand the “guy time” thing (which I still hate), the fact that they use the word “guy” specifically is--ugh.

I wasn’t aware of what he said in the French dub, so thanks! It’s really painful to see her throw so much love his way, openly and publicly and obviously, then be so humiliated for it, only for Adrien to feel nothing for her.

Say whatever you want about Chat Noir’s advances and how sAAAAAAD he is when she rejects him, but her rejections are just that; in private. There aren’t other heroes who are around and Chat is never really humiliated. Even in “Prime Queen,” Chat wasn’t the target - Ladybug was, and then Ladybug shifted it to Nadja - so Marinette is the one taking all the heat in love while Chat gets to sit on the sidelines (plus, then “Oblivio” happened and now people probably all thing they’re a thing).

Yeah! That’s the group I was thinking of!

Thank you!

I’m so sorry that happened. ;—;

I’m not aro but I am ace and I’ve gotten the whole, “oh it’s just because--” stuff before, so I know what it feels like to have people put on the pressure/invalidate you.

YES.

IT’S GORGEOUS.

I’m not really familiar with how holidays are celebrated outside of the bare basics of Christmas/New Year (which I am trying my hardest to forget lol), so I couldn’t say.

Sorry!

New Asks:

10/10 thought, would fantasize again.

Though would also accept MC Audrey just doing some “spring cleaning” of the whole staff in general. I have no idea how she’d replace Jeremy since he’s the company’s poster boy but most of the writers have to go at the very least and Jeremy should be given less power.

I think MC Audrey would appreciate how Kagami carries herself, though potential bonus if - while Tom and Sabine just openly trust whatever Marinette wants - Audrey does a bunch of digging to make sure Kagami is “worthy” of being with Marinette (she takes this all very seriously).

Double potential bonus if Kagami takes it just as seriously, so here’s Audrey and Kagami acting as if Kagami dating Marinette is like some sort of job interview.

Kagami handing over a “resume” of her accomplishments to Audrey. Audrey has already looked all of it up herself but appreciates the effort put in.

If the question in Miraculous is, “Do we really need a--” and the thing being introduced is something the staff came up with then the answer is usually “no.”

The movie will look pretty and that’s all I’ll expect. It’s just Jeremy’s take on Miraculous. Luka and Kagami probably won’t even be around so I’m not even interested.

I’ll watch it, but I’m also not interested lol.

Honestly, I’d rather turn into bubble froth.

oddly specific but... I mean, damn

I have no idea, and I try not to throw around words like “spite ship” because I know people could genuinely like the ship, though I will say that I went on AO3 and - unless I read from - the first Maribat fanfiction on there was posted after the airdate of “Chameleon.” I think it might’ve started with inspiration from “Marinette moves schools” ideas at the very least.

Non-Miraculous Asks responding to previous posts:

Oh, I understood, no worries! It was just funny for the split second it took me to figure it out.

My bad, that’s not how I meant to come off (especially since “magical girl shows” is a little broad; I mean, obviously I don’t think something like Cardcaptor Sakura is aiming for fanservice when Sakura’s--like... ten). I answered all those asks in the last askplosion in the same day so my brain was a little fried by the time I got to that ask.

I’m not even talking about Sailor Moon either; it’s just that I knew there are shows with fanservice and there are certain magical girl outfits where I kind of give the side-eye.

Absolutely zero problem with girls fighting in pretty outfits though. I fully admit that I’m a bit of a prude so sometimes I see fanservice where there might not be any. Super short skirts without shorts, for example, inherently throw me off (shout-out to Saint Tail - which I discovered while looking up “pretty magical girl outfits” - because the main character does have a skirt in “magical girl” form but also tights/boots and a cute hat, which is one of the more unique ones I’ve seen).

Non-Miraculous Asks:

Do you mean Sailor Moon Crystal? Yeah, the only reason I hesitate on Sailor Moon in general is because I’m not crazy about the transformed designs. It’s not really a matter of animation but more a design choice that takes me out of the experience.

I have seen all of Cardcaptor Sakura anime though, and then all of the Clear Card arc. I like the former, despise the latter, and I tried to keep up with the manga but once one of the big plot details were revealed, I officially dropped it.

As for Revolutionary Girl Utena, I looked it up a while ago and don’t remember what exactly turned me away. It might’ve been the darker tone though if what you say is accurate that it’s a darker take on a magical girl show.

Also, I may or may not have looked up the ending of at least Princess Tutu and I’m sorry, I’m sure it’s a great anime, but if there isn’t a happy ending then I give whatever anime a hard pass.

(note: yes, I realize the hilarity of saying that when I continue watching Miraculous)

(More Madoka Magica talk/salt below!)

Ohhh, it started a trend? I had no idea since I don’t actively keep up with every anime out there; descriptions need to really pull me in (the only current anime I’m keeping up with is Hanyou no Yashahime, Otherside Picnic, and Cells at Work (Season 2)).

The focus on specific--uh--body parts in magical girl transformations also reminds me that I think that’s usually what kills it for me, not because of the sexualization but because I expect transformations (especially ones that get repeated over and over) to be really dynamic with changing angles and such, which is harder to do when the camera is trying to draw focus to specific places.

Obviously you have to do it for some moments (I’ve always imagined Miraculous transformations like a potential sheep or another one for rabbit, then rabbit!Jean from Leave for Mendeleiev and fox!Juleka from LadyBugOut) because things will be weird if you focus on nothing, but I think there are ways to draw the eye without trying to sexualize.

Not having Ladybug-esque bodysuits is a good start. It reminds me too much of the Catwoman with just a bodysuit so it leaves nothing to the imagination.

How did I forget about that Sayaka scene? omg (though I dunno if the Bechdel Test is hard to pass if there aren’t really any endgame male love interests? are there rules about that? not saying a pass isn’t a pass but it feels like cheating)

It is nice when fans can respect the opinions of others without having to outright attack. I have had a few people come to me with, “I see your point/respect it even if I disagree,” instead of accusing me/others of--well, you get it.

Fandoms can be really messy, particularly as they get larger. I think there’s a certain balance between small fandoms that all know each other and a big fandom that’s out of control. Then there are things like “loud minority” and it’s just uggggh.

Anyway, back to the asks themselves, yeah, I’m not crazy about taking things that are just meant to be positive/cute/whatever and being like, “OKAY BUT WHAT IF IT WAS EDGY AND SAD.”

n o , p l z

Oh, I’ve never heard of that one!

Sayaka dying didn’t really do anything for me either. It’s hard to explain when I saw it so long ago, but it was just Sayaka’s attitude about the whole thing and it made it feel underwhelming. It was a shame too because I liked her and she had potential.

She was Madoka’s friend so I was just like, “Yeah, she’ll die soon.” Probably didn’t help since I knew what I knew about the show being “dark.”

Madoka/Sayaka is probably what I’d support the most out of all the potential shoujo ai ships. To my knowledge, none of them are really canon, though I remember a special song after the death Sayaka and Kyoko which I guess makes them the most canon and that did basically nothing for me since their relationship didn’t interest me (nor did I care for Kyoko as a character). The PSP game might have more intimate potential between the girls, but I never played them so I can’t make those claims (I only remember something about everyone potentially living and then a bad ending for Sayaka where part of her body was decayed when they didn’t get her soul gem back in time).

The tomboy argument makes me think back to a conversation with a friend of mine where we were discussing tomboys in anime and... we couldn’t really think of any? At least any that really qualify as “tomboy” for me.

Like, Misty from Pokemon, for example. I knoooooow everyone really likes Misty, but regardless of my opinion on her, it’s hard to see her as a tomboy.

I feel like they try to lean that way by making her super aggressive and violent (because... m E N) and I think Ash makes a comment once about her not being “like a girl,” but... I feel like that’s just how general “aggressive” female characters are written?

I mean, that’s tsundere female characters I’ve seen in general. Really loud (and not in a “gIrlS aRe sO lOuD aND ScReEcHY” way but like... the way anime gives them big heads while they scream at whatever male character they’re mad at), angry a lot, short fuse, etcetera.

But Misty is still crazy about clothes and dolls, she still gushes about cute things and romance, and both of those things seem pretty indicative of what “standard girl character” would be defined by, since they’re all “stereotypically girl thing” (I say stereotypically for obvious reasons since boys can like blah and girls can like blah and gender exclusivity is blah--). I get that she dresses differently, but that’s about it, and it comes off like, “she dresses differently and she’s ANGRY and VIOLENT, so she’s a tomboy,” which... yeah. They even gave her three beauty queen sisters with CURVES and BUSTS as if to say, “See?? These are GIRLS, not TOMBOYS.” (busty females can exist who are also tomboys, thank you have a nice day).

This becomes more complicated in magical girl anime since girly clothes are usually part of that so “tomboy” means that frills and skirts probably wouldn’t be a factor.

I mean, if you gave those sorts of outfits to me, I’d be like, “SCREW IT, I’M NOT A MAGICAL GIRL ANYMORE. IF LOOKING PRETTY IS REDUCED TO SKIRTS AND FRILLS, SOMEONE ELSE CAN SAVE THE WORLD.”

I’d also like to see some mixes between personalites and “tomboy” things. Like, non-stereotypical tomboy personalities doing tomboy things. Mix and match, y’know?

This was really rambly, but to answer the question... no, I wouldn’t count Sayaka as a tomboy.

All of this.

I think it also exemplifies the whole “dark and edgy magical girl show” thing because... ugh, how do I put this...

The “girls are overly emotional” thing is already bad, but then you realize that there not being any magical boys is also because that doesn’t hit the “shock value” threshold as much.

Y’know, because boys equal dark and edgy shows, so if there was even one magical boy it wouldn’t be as shocking when Mami gets her head chomped. They could’ve done, “emotional teenagers are the target because they’re in that vulnerable stage; smarter and more physically capable than children, but not as mature/stable as adults,” but having some boys in there for balance (it makes me feel weird saying that when I’m all for girl power shows with an all female cast, but in this show’s logic, it’s a different ball game) would make the show seem less bright and “girly” and thus lessen the shock value.

Does that make sense?

#((Aspies who also deal with Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder))#((how do you do iiiiiit))#((my usual methods aren't working and I'm constantly sluggiiiish))#category: trash #special: Miraculous New York #MC's Art #art: single picture #relationship: alya cesaire & sabrina raincomprix #category: salt #episode: Party Crasher #relationship: love square #relationship: adrien agreste & marinette dupain cheng #MC: Audrey Bourgeois #relationship: kagami tsurugi & marinette dupain cheng #character: marinette dupain cheng #other: non ml talk

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dream-a-little-bigger-x · 4 years

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Chapter 14 -- Perfect Harmony | Charlie Gillespie

Summary: Emily Fox is a talented 17-year-old with a passion for all things music. Her dream is to become a successful singer-songwriter one day. But to achieve that dream, she needs to get into one of the most prestigious music schools in her district – it’s all been part of her plan since she was six. Sadly enough, those schools cost a ton of money that her parents don’t want to invest. They don’t even want her to pursue her dream. So, now Emily’s hustling, working at the music store to save up to get into college. That’s until she meets Charlie, an annoying seventeen-year-old boy with the same dream as her. The only difference is, he’s just doing it. He doesn’t need a fancy college to pursue his dream to become famous with his band. He just writes his songs and books small gigs here, there and everywhere. Will meeting Charlie defer her from her dream college, or will he actually help her achieve the dream?

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x OC (Emily Fox)

Warnings: mentions of death, sexual assault

Important note: the characters of Charlie, Owen, Jeremy and Madison are based on the characters they play on the show and i do not own their names, only OC are mine. The songs aren’t mine either, they’re all from the show except for one.

Chapter fourteen

~|Charlie Gillespie|~

Life is good on the other side of Hollywood. The song really does stick. Life with Emily has definitely changed me for the better. I feel like I’m soaring on clouds every time I’m around her or even think of her. And my songwriting has gotten better too. “Where have you been?” My mother’s bone-chilling angry voice greets me when I enter the kitchen. “You’ve been out nearly every night of the week, not returning until late.” This is not going to be a fun conversation. “I was rehearsing with the boys, ma,” I say as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge, hoping to escape this talking-to quickly. “Again? What about school, Charlie?!” “I did that before I left for rehearsals,” I lie. Why would anyone work for school when there are no tests this week? That’s just working for nothing. This whole school-thing is a waste of time when you think about it. I want to be a Rockstar, get Sunset Curve famous. “You don’t think I would actually believe that, right?!” Her voice rises with the second. “Believe what you want, mom. There’s nothing going on this week anyway.” I probably should not have said that because mom’s expression changes from angry to furious. “That’s no reason not to work for it, Charles Gillespie!” The full name takes me back to Emily calling me Charles and it’s enough for my brain to give my lips permission to curl up. “You think this is funny, do you?” The smile vanishes as soon as it came. “No, mom! But I got this, okay? This is my life and I’ve got control over it, okay? You have to let me live my life, mom!” The screaming match lures my father into the kitchen as well. “What’s going on here?” he asks, clearly annoyed we’d disturbed his favorite show. “Your son over here thinks he has control over his life and doesn’t need to work for school anymore,” mom explains, the volume of her voice goes down, but the anger’s still there. “I mean, he’s seventeen, honey…” At least dad understands me, “He’s going to learn how to live life by making mistakes, you got to let him make them.” “You’re seriously going to take his side right now?!” The volume raises again. “Mom! This has nothing to do with taking sides! If you didn’t breathe on my neck like you always do, you would know how amazing the band is doing and that I have an amazing girlfriend! But all you care about is controlling my life!” I freeze when I realize what I’d just yelled at my mother. “Just let me live!” “You’re seventeen, Charlie! You don’t know what you’re doing with your life!” At least she’s not reacting to my girlfriend-news I’d just blurted out to them. If she ever talks shit about Emily, I swear to God, it won’t be their finest day. “No, I don’t! But that’s normal, okay?! I want to figure out life by myself, with my band, with my girlfriend. So, stay out of it!” I push past her and dad, grab my backpack and leave the house again, cycling to Jeremy’s garage again. I know I’m always welcome to crash there after a fight with my parents. Owen and Jeremy are both still in the garage, cleaning up, chatting. When they see me, their grinning faces fade into worried glances. They already know what’s going on. I drop my backpack on the floor and plop down next to Owen onto the couch. “You okay, man?” Owen asks. “Yeah, just my parents being controlling again, you know?” He offers me a sympathetic smile. “Hey, Jere, do you mind me crashing here tonight?” “You can stay as long as you want,” he replies with a smile. “Thanks, man.” “I’m staying the night too,” Owen tells me, “Parents still aren’t talking to me.” “How long since you came out to them?” I can feel my heart breaking at the thought of Owen just being himself and completely being obliterated by his parents, the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally. “About a year…” Heart shattered. “At least I still got Luka.” I smile as I think about Owen’s sister. In 6th grade, she used to babysit us, even though we thought we were old enough to stay home alone. But Luka actually was the best babysitter ever. And I can’t deny I had a little crush on her at one point. It did blow over when she ditched us one time to go on a date. Besides being the greatest babysitter ever, she’s also been a great sport in Owen’s coming out. She was the first one he told besides us. Not only that, she’s also the biggest Sunset Curve fan. “How is Luka?” I ask, which earns me a sharp glare from Owen. “I’m just curious.” “She’s navigating college, so home isn’t where I want to be at the moment.” “Right, must be tough for her too,” Jeremy chimes in. “Yeah, must be tough having your parents worry about your every move.” I note the sarcasm in his voice and offer him a sympathetic smile, hoping that’ll help somewhat. I also feel slightly attacked by his comment. “Hey, at least we’ve got each other,” I tell him, patting his shoulder. “And us is all we need,” Owen agrees with a small smile shining through. “And Emily!” Jeremy’s mention of Emily simply makes me smile again. Even the mention of her name makes me smile. I guess that does show how whipped I am for this girl. I wish I could tell her though. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Both Owen and Jeremy nod their heads, agreeing with me. “You’re so in love with her, bro,” Owen says. “Have you taken her on a date yet?” Jeremy wants to know. “No, not really. Unless you count sorting invoices at the Music Store or secret make-out sessions on her balcony?” They now shake their heads in response. “Why don’t you take her out on a date? Cute little picknick? Movie?” Owen suggests. “Yeah, if you want, you can take her here, we’ll set up like a projector and a screen, decorate with Christmas lights, and buy some food.” I stare at Jeremy for a little longer than I’d like. Did that really come out of his mouth? That’s a decent idea for once. “I don’t know if she likes romantic gestures like that though?” I manage to bring out once I’ve recomposed myself. “What girl wouldn’t like watching a movie on a big screen with her boyfriend, eating food, surrounded by pretty lights?” Owen reasons. That’s a good point. “Will you guys help me set up though?” They nod in response, and we get to work straight away. Jeremy goes inside to grab the projector and a large white sheet we hang up in the garage while Owen and I go on the hunt for the Christmas lights. According to Jeremy, we’d find in the attic. “Have you told Emily about us yet?” Owen asks me when we’re in the attic by ourselves, searching for the box with the decorations. I look up at him for a second before turning to a cardboard box to my right. “Uhm, no… I’m not sure how to tell her I used to date my bandmate?” “Emily’s cool, man. Her favorite uncle was gay and now she lives with his husband and they both know I’m gay, but she never treated me any differently.” “Yeah, but isn’t there a difference between being friends with a gay person and dating a pansexual person?” Owen shrugs whilst fishing a bundle of fairy lights out of a box. “It’s both very queer. I’m sure she’d be cool with it.” “I’ll see what subjects we’ll talk about tomorrow. Might tell her if it comes up.” “Good call, man.” I take a few more bundles of string lights and join Owen downstairs. While Jeremy hangs the white sheet and installs the projector, Owen and I decorate the place with all the Christmas lights we found. Warm whites, cold whites, and colorful ones. It serves for a fairytale looking glow throughout the entire garage. “Why didn’t we do this earlier?” I ask, admiring our work. “It really does give it a more calming atmosphere, doesn’t it?” Jeremy agrees. “Okay, I set up the projector, you just got to plug in a laptop and you’re good to stream your favorite or most romantic movies.” I pat him on the back, offering him a thankful smile. “Thanks, Jere. This was an amazing idea.” “Emily’s going to love it,” says Owen whilst looking up at the lights surrounding us. “Let’s go to sleep now and after school tomorrow, we’ll go shopping for food and set it all up for both of you to enjoy.” Jeremy’s almost giddy with excitement. It really is adorable. Jeremy hands Owen and I a sleeping bag and takes one for himself too. The three of us are used to sleeping on the floor of the garage. Many nights were spent like this ever since Middle School whether it was for sleepovers or when either Owen or I had problems at home. Jeremy often asked us to come over if he’d had a bad day too. Just fun little sleepovers between three best buddies. And they really are the best.

“Won’t be at the Music Store tonight. Find me at Jeremy’s garage to find out why. Wear something comfortable x” I send Emily the text after school just before the boys and I go grocery shopping in Jeremy’s fridge. He did ask his mom to buy a few extra snacks and things, saying it was for rehearsals. I’m glad he didn’t tell her about Emily and me yet. “Okay, we’re all done here!” Jeremy exclaims excitedly, looking at the finished product. My heart is beating faster and faster, scared Emily won’t like it, scared she doesn’t feel the same. “Hey, guys!” Emily’s voice startles me, and all three of us turn around to see her enter the garage. “What’s going o—” she freezes in place, noticing the fairy lights and the big screen. “Wha—” She looks adorable with her eyes bulging out and her mouth agape. I’m frozen for a moment. My feet don’t want to move even when I tell them to. “Charlie said you guys never had a proper date,” Owen springs into action, stepping forward and taking Emily’s hand, “So, we kind of put something together for you guys.” He leads her towards me. I doubt she’s even listening to what Owen’s saying as she’s still gazing around in surprise. “Hope you guys enjoy!” The two dip out of the garage, leaving Emily and me by ourselves. I let her take in the sight for a moment before grabbing her hand and leading her towards the mountain of pillows and blankets. “Charlie…” she breathes out, “This is beautiful.” She sits down while I go to the laptop to pick out a movie, settling on Aladdin since she made a comment about it the other day. I then hand her a glass of orange juice and place the snack platter between us whilst sitting down. “I wanted to do something special for you,” I tell her and clink my glass against hers. “Do you like it?” She nods her head vigorously. “I love it!” She leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Who’s idea was it to do the cinema and the fairy lights?” “Surprisingly, Jeremy’s,” Emily’s eyes widen in surprise. “Yeah, I was shocked too.” “Such a surprising guy, that one.” I nod in agreement. “Let’s watch the movie, shall we?” Emily nods her head and we settle into the cushions. At first, we just sit shoulder to shoulder until she starts fidgeting. “Not comfortable yet?” “I can’t find the right way,” she chuckles, crossing her legs. “Come here,” I open one arm as I lean into the cushions behind me. Her cheeks flush pink as she leans in and rests her head on my shoulder. “Better?” I drop my arm around her shoulders, pressing her closer to me. “Much better,” she mumbles. I’m pretty sure she can hear my heart beating quicker, especially when she puts her arm across my stomach. “Can I confess something?” she asks around halfway into the movie. I look down at her, finding her staring at me, and nod. “I totally watched Aladdin with Uncle Mitch yesterday because it reminded me of you.” I can’t help the smile on my face at how endearing she sounds right now. “I picked it for today because it reminded me of you too.” Emily chuckles slightly and sits up straight to take another sip of her orange juice. “You want to watch something else?” She shakes her head. “Let’s just talk for a while?” I agree, but I can’t help to feel nervous. “I feel like I don’t know that much about you yet, but I somehow feel like I’ve known you for years, you know?” “Yeah, I totally feel the same,” I confess, “Don’t people play that Twenty-Questions game on the first date?” She takes a piece of cheese and pops it into her mouth. “Yeah,” she says after swallowing, “That’s a good idea! I’ll start!” She presses her lips together and looks up at the ceiling, seemingly thinking of a good question to ask. “A simple one; what’s your favorite color?” The color of your eyes. “Uhm… blue, I think? Yours?” “Yellow! It’s a happy color,” she gives me the cutest smile I ever did see. “Your turn!” “Uhm… Do you have siblings?” “Nope, only child over here.” I raise my hand for a high five, saying, “Same, girl!” and she slaps her hand one mine excitedly. “What’s one secret you’re still keeping from your mom?” Her question stumps me. Not that I don’t know the answer, because I do. The nerves just suddenly settle in. She’ll be cool. “That I dated Owen for about a month last year and that I’m pansexual.” Her eyebrows rise in surprise. “Pansexual is the attraction to people regardless of their gender, right? Just so I got it right.” “Yes, exactly,” I gaze at her, awaiting her response of running out of the garage and never coming back, but she stays put. “How was it dating Owen?” She asks instead. “Not great. I mean, Owen was a great guy and we had good moments together, his parents just… never really accepted his sexuality. They still don’t, so being with him was a little rough. We broke up because we realized it didn’t really fit, I guess? With his parents and the band and stuff…” “How did you start dating?” Our game of twenty questions has become a little one sided and about one topic in particular. “He’d just told his parents and they got into a fight, so he came here. Jeremy wasn’t here yet, but I was since I’d run away from my parents too after a fight. He had a panic attack, so to stop him from panicking, I kind of kissed him?” She smiles an endearing smile. “But it’s my turn to ask a question now!” “Right, sorry!” “If you ever got trapped on a deserted island with one friend, who would you choose?” I ask, hoping to be rid of all the questions about me and Owen. Though I love the fact she didn’t up and run. She stuck around and is actually interested to know more about my past relationships and my sexuality. She would only ask if interested. “Madi, probably. I—” she cuts herself off, her eyes widening as if she’d just remembered something. “Oh my God. Oh. My. God!” She scurries off the ground and grabs her backpack quickly. “Madi asked me to hang out tonight after my shift and I told her it was okay since we didn’t plan any band practices! I totally forgot! She’s going to kill me!” She fishes her phone out of her backpack and quickly types in a message while I get up from my spot. “I’m so sorry, Charlie!” She gives me an apologetic look. “It’s okay! We’ll do this over one day. Go to Madi!” A relieved smile cracks through right before she grabs my face and kisses me on the lips. Just a quick, passionate peck, and off she goes, leaving me a little woozy from the electricity that just zipped from her lips to mine and through my entire body. An amazing girl, that one.

Taglist: @parkeret @lukeys-giggle @hannahhistorian92 @gingerxarmy @marinettepotterandplagg @lovesanimals @thequirkybookaholic @calamitykaty Lemme know if you want to be on my taglist for this story/any of my other works!

#julie and the phantoms #julie and the himbos #charlie gillespie #jeremy shada #owen joyner #madison reyes #charlie x oc #oc emily fox #luke patterson #reggie jatp #alex jatp #julie molina

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lucarioisinthevoid · 3 years

Note

Twitch Streamer AU???

(I planned on pushing out a FEW AU asks, but then realized I don’t even have so many. There’s going to be a FNAC event, but that will be an event, not a specific AU ask, so- I guess this is it! Very cursed AU, thank you very much Anon Small warning for mentions of blood, I think? Nothing too bad.)

Streamers, youtubers, content creators. Some people are all of these, some people are none, and some are just one- because each of them needed a very different talent. Those who could do seemingly everything were few and far between- And they ruled the entertainment scene! Thankfully though, the main three as most called them, were also always out for new content to watch. Thus they boosted those that they saw potential in. With some taking the boost and then going off to do their own thing- And some becoming good friends. It always started with a letter. Mike had the habit to do things on stream, as long as no personal details were not visible on them. He used a false email which he regularly changed, and he generally kept himself as safe as possible. Opening emails on stream could be rather fun, even if it was a risk. Sometimes it encouraged people to send bad things- So to prevent the worst, nothing would be downloaded and all emails containing images would be put into the spam bin. Better safe than sorry, the internet was full of terrible people. This day so far had been successful. And by successful it meant that Mike was SCREAMING. “I HATE SUPER MEAT BOY. I WILL COMMIT VIOLENCE AGAINST MEAT IN A MINUTE. I HAVE A BIG F-CKING STEAK IN THE KITCHEN, AND I WILL THROW IT AGAINST THE F_CKING WALL. I WILL GET A HAMMER.” The chat was going wild, cheering. The chat’s phrase of today was “tender Mikey” and it didn’t help at all. “I DID. NOT. HIT THAT! I DID NOT!” A donation popped up, with a robotic voice. ‘Oh hai Mark!’ “NOT FUNNY! NOT F-CKING FUNNY. I’M SUFFERING HERE AND ALL OF YOU SUPPORT IT. YOU’RE ALL F-CKING MONSTERS HERE, I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT. AND I’M NOT F-CKING TENDERIZING THE MEAT WHEN I SLAP IT AROUND, I’LL RIP IT INTO PIECES AND CONSUME IT RAW!” Standing up, he genuinely went to get it- And fifteen minute later he had slightly calmed down, his hands and room slightly bloody. The chat was still celebrating and donating- another thing that never failed to make Mike BEG them to stop and use the money for something GOOD and SENSIBLE, LIKE THEM-FUCKING-SELF- but he had gotten out most of the energy. “Alright. Alright everyone. ENOUGH. I gotta stop you HERE. It’s email time.” A celebratory jingle played, as Mike booted up the website, opening the inbox. Memes, storytime, I’m-not-fucking-reading-that-and-you-know-it, and- One of the emails caught his- and the chat’s- attention, however. Sender: Fazbear Entertainment Topic: Challenge Needless to say- once again the chat was out of control and this time there was NOTHING Mike could do to stop them. After opening the email, Mike slowly took a deep breath and looked into the camera, between concerned and honored- But that wouldn’t be enough to rip him from his carefully maintained persona. So he audible scoffed- albeit him being unable to hide an excited grin. “Alright bitches and bastards in the audience- we’re firing SuperMeatBoy up again. You won’t be catching ME losing to a pink son of a bitch anytime soon!” After the letter- provided it was accepted and responded to, the production happened. The deal was that a teaser was dropped on the big channel- The entire video itself was put on the smaller one, attracting the viewers over and hopefully make them more likely to want to see the other works the creator had put out. It was a win-win overall, the big channel being able to vary their content, testing the water for new things- and the smaller channel getting a boost and a lot of tips from very experienced creators. Henry and Dave were very generous people. Jeremy was sitting there, taking deep breaths, trying to stay calm. So far, everyone seemed to be rather kind, even if Jeremy was basically a complete nobody. Hell, he never wanted to be anybody. He just wanted to stream himself baking, for those who never had someone baking with them. Because baking could feel stressful, especially when you were missing ingredients or- many reasons, actually. Not only baking, but cooking too- Sometimes playing games on request, but not much in terms of requests ever came in. And now he was here in an actual studio, soon to be seen by an insane amount of people. A cooking competition. Sounded silly- you couldn’t really FIGHT in something like that… But… Henry and Dave had promised it would be fun. And they were nice. With and without the cameras rolling. Speaking off- There they were, approaching, their assistant coming along. He wore a weird phone-head, to ensure his privacy. Or something. It was kinda weird, but he had just accepted the answer he got. “Why, there you are, Jeremy! Would you like to see the equipment we have prepared?” Henry warmly asked, reaching down with his hand to help his guest stand up. “We have gotten a few extra things, just in case.” As they entered the studio, Jeremy’s invisible eyes went WIDE. “Woah- that looks really nice! I love it here! This is high quality stuff-!” “Fantastic!” Pleased Henry opened his arms in his typical theatrical manner- Before being abruptly interrupted by Dave jumping in, halfway over Henry’s shoulder. “ARE YA READY TO GO!? CAMERAS ARE READY!” “Ah- I- I guess- but-“ “YOU HEARD HIM, BOYS! GET IT ROLLIN’!” “W-wait, I don’t even have-“ “Everyone! Welcome to NOTHIN’ AT ALL!” Henry swiftly fitted in, continuing on with the intro. “Todays challenger is the man, the legend, the baker and occasional chef- Jeremy from Baking With Jeremy!” “Wait, what- that’s seriously your channel name, pal?” A bit offended Jeremy looked into the eyes of the people behind the camera. “U-uh- you guys here- I mean- he has literally called his channel Henry Miller! I- uhm- I-“ Snickering Henry put a hand on his guest’s shoulder. “You are very right about that. Say, are you nervous about losing?” “… n-no. I mean- maybe a little. This place here is big and very professional and I’m not used to many people looking at me…” Taking a deep breath, he gave off a nervous smile for the audience. “… yet, I know- it’s a good thing! And as long as everyone has fun, everything will work out!” “Awwwww, look at him!” Dave said, pleased. “You’re so right! We’ll be havin’ fun!” “But also, I will win.” Henry pointed out. “That is when I have the most fun.” Slightly playful Jeremy smiled. “K-keep that attitude, that will make it even easier to blindside you!” Simon whistled, clearly bemused as he held the camera in place- And Henry smirked. “Sure. Anyhow, the stakes are-“ “Steaks? We’re makin’ steaks? I thought we planned on-“ “Dave. I swear to god.” Henry looked at him from the side, before shaking his head. “What is on the line is easy to see- we have roughly an hour to cook the best meal. If Jeremy wins, we will donate 5000 to a charity of his choice!” “And if the young pal loses, he’ll be joinin’ our channel!” Dave chirped. This was news to the brown-haired boy. “W-wait, we never agreed to that-“ “GET TO YOUR STATIONS!” Someone in the back announced. “WHO’S TODAYS FAVORITE?” Simon checked the stream. “The chat says Jeremy is a clear winner. Nobody trusts Henry to keep his two braincells together for long enough to not forget the salt or something.” “Excuse?!” Not only Henry was APPALLED by the chat, Dave joined right in. “Ya guys have NO taste. I’ll be clearly winnin’… but hey, maybe ya peeps don’t know that I plan to cheat!” Surprised Jerry looked over to Dave’s cooking station. “How… how can you cheat at cooking-“ Before he could finish his sentence, he shrieked as Dave pulled out a flamethrower. “HELL YEAH BABY, I AIN’T WAITING 30 MINUTES FOR SOMETHING TO COOK IN THE OVEN, I’LL BE DONE IN FIFTEEN MINUTES MAX!” “W-WAIT THAT DOESN’T SEEM SAVE-“ Henry just raised his hands, cheerful. “Ready… set…” The Phone Guy made eye- well, rotary- contact with Jeremy, slightly raising a fire extinguisher that was by his side. … alright, it seemed the people here were well-prepared for this scenario. So instead he focused on the ingredients in front of him. Almost manic, Henry’s voice rang. “GO!” And… … that was it! Some joined, with amazing results- Mike rubbed his face. “Who thought that was a great idea. I fucking hate this.” Dave next to him on the couch just grinned. “It’s amazin’ what these websites all offer to sell. You won’t be BELIEVIN’ what’s in this box!” “I’M NOT OPENING IT.” “YOU WILL. OTHERWISE IT’LL HUNT YOUR DREAMS. I’LL PUT THIS BOX NEXT TO YOUR BED. YOUR TOILET. ONTO YOUR DINNER TABLE. INTO THE FRIDGE. I’LL ORDER MORE OF THESE BOXES.” “Jesus CHRIST, calm DOWN-“ “I WILL FIGHT YA TO THE DEATH OLD PAL-“ - and some people just went back to the usual pattern, with the occasional raid from Fazbear Entertainment. They asked first, of course. Each of them fulfilled their own niche, each of them had caught Henry’s and Dave’s attention in one way or another. Henry and Dave however- Well, Dave was the varied creator. Henry liked his niche. He played horror, investigated ARGs, read stories about real and fictional crimes against humanity. The world was a terrible place, wasn’t it? Yet he reveled in it. Aside from that he showed extra effects, he built machines and thought everyone one or another thing about creating special effects at home. From dry ice to genuinely ridiculous chain-reactions, Henry showed them it all. Blood too, multiple forms of it, depending on how and where it would be used. Sometimes breaking it off with more light-hearted one-off games and listening to what his community wanted to see… but the most comfortable he was with horror and analysis. He was a youtuber, a streamer, a content creator… … and one thing more. It wasn’t easy to find the code. But his intended audience were a very small amount of people. A small number of strangers. There was no way to know if anyone ever made it to more than one show, but Henry did not care. It wasn’t for them that he did this. Him and William moved down, down below the set, into the lowest regions of the house. The workshop. Nobody really question why you added what to your home if you were a creative person. Even less so if you were a famous, eccentric creator. Yes, the free reign was what he REALLY loved about his job. Maybe he should build his studio somewhere else- But like this it was so much more thrilling! Wordlessly both of them put on their suits. It would hide their identity perfectly- especially the animal heads that contorted their voices a bit. Enough. Today’s participant wore a mask too- another phone head, differently made, different style, but to hide their identity too. However, the voice was in no way muffled. Panicked the person dragged on the chains keeping them attached to the chair. “H-HELLO!? HELLO!? S-SOMEONE- IS SOMEONE HERE!?” A noisy one! Delightful! Both Fredbear and Springbonnie stepped out of the shadows, one form each side. While Springbonnie put his hands gently on the shoulders of the whimpering person, Fredbear stepped in front of the camera, bowing. “Ladies and gentlemen-“ The low voice sounded more like the one of an animal than from a person. Yet it was smooth and comforting. “- I welcome you to yet another installment of our show. I am Fredbear, and over there is my wonderful assistant, Springbonnie. Today we have brought a simple stranger, a nobody who might not even be missed. Thusly I encourage you to truly be creative with your ideas. And while your votes roll in, maybe I point out that next time we will have another little game-show, with quite the effects. We might even get a real bull! You will not want to miss it.” The board above the camera blinked up, as a bitter fight of votes started, everyone wanting to see something else. Three tiers to vote on! Foreplay (light injuries), main course (heavy injury leading to death) and of course what to do with the body. Below it was a little measure for “face reveal”. Some of their viewers really enjoyed seeing the expressions during and after. It came with a risk to Fredbear and Springbonnie, as the victim being recognizable meant their general area of activity was more obvious- thus it was incredibly expensive. They knew there was every now and again law enforcement mixed up between the genuine watchers. It was thrilling too- Yet Fredbear wanted to keep this game alive as long as he could. Thus it was important to hide what they could. Fredbear was a creator first and foremost, an entertainer second- And there was nothing that attracted an HONEST, an UNRESTRAINED, a PURE audience quite like violence. Once blood spilled, humans degraded and it was wonderful. Behind him, the victim began rattling even more erratic. “WHAT- WHAT IS THIS?! LET ME OUT- PLEASE- LET ME OUT- PLEASE- I- DIDN’T DO ANYTHING-“ Burying his hands into the shoulders of Springbonnie downright cackled, enjoying the mania that always accumulated in these situation. “Be still, new friend! The audience HATES too much whining, y’know? And at least you could die with your tongue still intact, wouldn’t that be nicer than having to swallow the thing? Once it almost killed someone, boy, that sure was a bother!” His voice was changed to a cartoonish, upbeat pitch- “While the votes come in, how about we quiz today’s friend… maybe if you are smart enough, they will want you to live! It happened before… o n c e.” Fredbear took out a long scalpel, the face a morbid grimace. “Surprise us!”

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topimagines · 4 years

Text

Tip Toes

Summary: I’m on my tip toes, trying to see past my ego. Reaching for something more than this feeling of being important. Leaving my heart behind is bleeding, but my pride is screaming. My future will listen to me, listen to me.

Warning: I wanted to write angst, but this came out. IDK how to label it. Listen to tip toes by half alive while reading. issa long one

Y/n had not dated much. Actually, she did not start looking for a relationship until her freshman year of college. By then there weren’t many people she talked to and considered a friend; therefore, the idea of dating someone, being close to someone that was not her friend, did not pique her interest. Around the time she met Brendon and Sarah, she had lost all hope in a romantic relationship. It almost seemed too good to be true, a truly happy relationship seemed unattainable.

This feeling came in waves, making her feel nauseous like she was on a boat in a hurricane. It became truly difficult to accept a happy reality that ended in kids of her own and a husband or wife, but she knew it was just about impossible. Her best friends were a married couple and a gay man (who was also in a happy relationship), they always rooted for her. But they didn’t understand, she was a twenty-something-year-old who had no idea how to even kiss someone. Everyone always told her (especially her friends) that it was admirable that she held out for so long like she was waiting for the right person or something.

In other words, y/n would describe herself as the biggest virgin on earth, and it genuinely was from a lack of trying.

It almost felt as if her own future didn’t belong to her.

Some days were better than others, just like the day Sarah asked her to come to hang out at her house. y/n had just gotten done with finals, so she had basically a month of sitting around and waiting for the Spring semester to finally start. Sarah and Brendon cuddled on the couch, y/n on the chair in the corner of the room actually watching the movie and trying to not pay attention to the couple that was no doubt finger banging each other under the blanket they shared.

“I think I should go,” y/n said, “I have to work in the morning so I can’t stay up too late.” She stretched her arms and legs when she got up from the chair. Sarah seemed to be frightened out of a daze when she looked up at her friend.

“Oh, okay!” Sarah chirped, pushing Brendon away from her, “Do you want me to walk you out?”

y/n shook her head, “no thanks, I’m fine.”

“Well… I’ll see you later?” Sarah asked. Y/n didn’t really want to. It wasn’t that she didn’t like hanging out with them, they always made her feel lonely. And sad. But mostly lonely.

“I don’t know, I have a busy week at the hospital; I will text you when I get time,” y/n said before bidding the couple goodbye and leaving the house.

Sarah looked at her husband, who had gotten entranced by the movie in the five minutes since he was trying to sneak his hand into her pants. “You are such an idiot.”

“What did I do?”

Y/n got home that night very confused about her feelings. Her brain was spiraling out of control with delusions of being married and having someone who would dote on her the same way Brendon did Sarah. At the same time, she never really paid attention to them behind the scenes, so maybe they’re dysfunctional and she never saw it.

That didn’t make sense, if she knew one thing about the couple, it was that they talked about everything. And Sarah told her everything, every fight they had, Sarah would go to y/n’s apartment and sit until Brendon sulked his way over.

Every time she thought about the couple, she got a weird sensation of butterflies in her stomach.

No, she thought, I am not developing a stupid crush just because I’m sad and lonely.

That night she couldn’t sleep; it didn’t help that she knew she did have work in the morning and the hospital was unforgiving when the lab techs were late. By the time she finally stopped swimming in her thoughts, she had dreams of her friends, holding her hand and kissing her on the forehead.

It was 6 AM before she knew it, and she had to get up and get ready for work.

Hopefully, tea would help wake her up before she got to work and did a piss poor job.

Y/n had never been more appreciative of the hospital. She had fond memories of staying there, almost dying, meeting so many different doctors that she just didn’t have it in her to leave.

Sarcasm, that was the key to understanding her outlook on life. Constant use of sarcasm.

But she would be lying if she said that today, and every day for the past week, she was so glad they had a week full of emergencies and a trip planned for a conference with Lab Technologists across the country. This trip would take her to Boston and all she could think of was the idea of seeing every museum she could for one full week and going to a conference full of people who had a thorough understanding of microbiology and hematology. It was almost enough to make her come in her jeans.

What she did not appreciate, was Brendon coming to visit her while she was supposed to be working. She had just gotten a lab sample to test for any drug she could when Brendon waltzed in with In N Out in his hand. He greeted her with a hug and handed her the bag.

“Sarah is at work,” he sighed, “she doesn’t get a lunch today because she’s busy or something, so I thought I’d visit my bestie.” She was too distracted to notice what he was saying. Brendon tried to call her name, the third time she snapped.

“What do you want?” she half yelled, looking away from her specimen.

Brendon looked taken aback; he didn’t even know how to reply when he has never seen her so angry before. Her coworker, a younger man by the name of Jeremy Ren, looked up from his microscope and stepped over to her area.

“L/n, you go take your lunch break, I’ll take care of this shotgun,” he took the test tubes and brought them back to his microscope with him, still eyeing the two.

She scoffed and stomped out, ditching her lab coat at the door. She led Brendon to the hospital cafeteria and sat down with him in the corner.

“What’s wrong? You usually aren’t so…” Brendon trailed off, “Are you still being overworked? Have you talked to your boss about time off?”

Y/n shook her head, “I’m just… fine, I’m fine.” Internally, she cringed. If she talked to him about it, maybe she could resolve the war she had inevitably put herself into.

But the idea of not telling him anything was far more appealing. Nothing had to change.

“Are you sure? You look tired, have you been sleeping?” He reached over and grabbed her hand, tracing his thumb over her knuckles.

God, Brendon, she thought, Stop being so caring, it’s not helping my situation. She pulled her hand away and tucked it under her pants. This couldn’t happen. She did everything she could to give herself a reason not to develop a stupid crush on the man in front of her. She could only come up with two.

1. He’s married to her best friend

2. He definitely wouldn’t see her the same way

Number two made her heart bleed. Not literally, she knew the severity of an actual bleeding heart, she worked in a hospital for Christ’s sake. But if she were to imagine the pain, this would be it.

“I’m just… excited for this trip to Boston next week,” she confessed. It wasn’t a lie by any means, she stayed up all night a month ago when she heard she was going on the trip, planning what she wanted to pack. This didn’t change the stare he had on the table where her hand used to be, and his hand still sat.

“Oh, that is coming up, isn’t it?” he put a smile on his face, trying to quickly recover from whatever feeling he felt. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit off today. We haven’t seen you all week, we miss you at the house.”

She frowned. There was an impulsive need in her to put her hand back and comfort him. But she knew she shouldn’t do it because she knew it would only make her feel worse.

“I’ve been busy with work, had a lot of emergencies and stuff,” she explained, “I’m free this weekend, I’ll try to come over before I leave for the airport on Sunday.” That was not what she wanted to say, why did she say that?

“Sounds like a plan!” he seemed happy with that suggestion though, so maybe she didn’t have anything to worry about. “How has your week been, then? What kinda emergencies did you get?”

She and Brendon talked for a while, she told him about the guy who came in with necrotic tissue on his arm from heroin, and he told her about his charity live stream and how proud he was of everyone who donated.

Watching him so happy as he explained what happened, she felt herself swooning. They sat in silence for a few moments after he finished speaking, both focused on eating their food. One of the surgical nurses walked passed them with a smile on her face.

“Y/n, I didn’t know you had a boyfriend!” Brendon smirked and opened his mouth to explain that they weren’t a couple, but the nurse continued on, “you’re always going on about how lonely you are! It’s nice to see you’re finally getting out there.” Y/n’s eyes were wide, and a blush crept across her cheeks.

“Uh… thank you, Andrea,” she said with a shaky voice.

“So proud of you, my dear,” Andrea smiled brightly t the two before she walked away, bidding them goodbye.

“You’re lonely?” Brendon asked when Andrea was out of earshot.

y/n couldn’t speak as she stared at her fries, the only response she gave was a small nod.

“Why are you lonely? You never date… or expressed a desire… to date.” Damn you, Sarah, she thought, that was supposed to be a secret.

“well… lately, it’s been a bit different,” she sighed, “I’m almost 30, I’ve never been on a real date or…. Done anything, really. I thought I’d at least have a boyfriend by now.” That was easier to get off her chest than she thought.

“You’ve never done anything? Not even like… a kiss?” Brendon knew he was badgering her now, but this was so unbelievable to him. She was so smart and beautiful; how could anyone look passed her?

She shook her head, eyes still on the fries that were no longer steamy, “Can we drop it please?”

Brendon took in the shakiness to her tone and decided to drop it like she asked. This topic would definitely come up later with Sarah, though. He had so many more questions.

When they parted ways after lunch, Brendon couldn’t hold back a smile as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. She blushed harder than she had at lunch when she said bye to him. No one, besides her parents and grandparents, had ever kissed her on the cheek.

She kind of liked it.

Sarah told Brendon everything he wanted to know. She didn’t know why, at first, but he explained what happened during lunch.

“But you can’t badger her or make her feel bad,” Sarah emphasized, “She always felt self-conscious about it, even after we became friends.” Brendon understood, even though he never had to deal with stuff like that. He had lost his virginity early on, and everything just came naturally after that.

“I would never.”

“So, what’s with you never dating anyone?” He had promised not to pry, but now it was late at night in y/n’s apartment and he had more than a few drinks in his system. Sue him, he wanted to hang out and she brought out the wine.

“I just… don’t do it?” y/n had a few drinks in her too, the wine was making her feel like being truthful. If she were sober, she wouldn’t be telling hi anything, but maybe she needed to get it off her chest? Drunk y/n thought so, anyway. “I didn’t get my first boyfriend until my freshman year of college, and before that, I only had minor flings with girls from my school. I don’t know, dating always makes me anxious.”

“And you’ve never done anything?” He knew her answer already. This was beginning to get repetitive and even drunk y/n was fed up with it.

“Why do you keep asking that?”

“Because it’s… it’s so rare! You’re like a unicorn!” he laughed at his comparison. She shook her head, she felt kind of offended, but she knew what he was saying. He hadn’t meant it to be an insult at all, he was kind of proud of her, even with pressures that a woman date and be married by her age, she didn’t feel that. She was unabashedly herself.

He didn’t know what came over him when he opened his mouth next, “I mean, I can always help you.”

y/n looked into his eyes, and she swore that if she were a meme, she would have question marks floating around her head. “What?”

“I mean if you ever want your first kiss… or something else… I can always help you,” he didn’t know why he was saying it, but he couldn’t help but offer. The offer was outlandish, yes, but he knew Sarah would be alright with it. She had mentioned before how much she liked y/n, in a more than platonic way.

Before this whole topic came up, Brendon was planning on asking her to be their third, if she wanted to be. However, she told him she hadn’t dated someone very seriously.

“But… wh- h- Sarah?” y/n was blushing, her face and ears were bright red. This was not how she expected this to go.

“She would want to do the same thing, she has a thing for you,” drunk Brendon was an honest Brendon, apparently, “was gonna ask you if you wanted to go on a date with us the other day but obviously I didn’t.”

Y/n didn’t know what to say. Like, of course, he had to do this when she was drunk and couldn’t very well keep her thoughts to herself.

“Um…. Are you asking me now if I want to go on a date with you and Sarah?” y/n asked.

“Well, that wasn’t my first question,” Brendon leaned closer, and cupped her face with his left hand, “Tell me to stop if you want me to stop.” He continued leaning in, slowly but surely. He waited for her to protest; when she didn’t say anything, he finally connected their lips. If he were to compare all of his other kisses to the one right then, she wouldn’t be the worst. She was inexperienced, but her lips were soft and tasted like peppermint from her seasonal chapstick.

When she pulled away, he almost chased after her.

For the rest of the night, he explained the logistics of kissing, and eventually, they both fell asleep on the couch after he went on the the longest tangent on what kind of guitar he would get now that his “cream dream" was gone.

She left for Boston after saying goodbye to Brendon or Sarah. She had also talked to Robert (her other best friend) the day before the trip; he yelled at her for not telling him right away about everything that had been happening. To be genuinely honest, she needed this vacation after her night with Brendon.

It was a relief when Brendon left in the morning after they had kissed. The memory of her first kiss still burned in the back of her mind, but she didn’t want to focus on that. Right now, it was her time to relax.

That was until Brendon texted her asking what hotel she was at. She told him, just assuming he wanted to make sure she got there safe. Why would she think anything else?

She should have thought of something else. Now she was sitting in her room, scrolling through the TV when she heard the knock at the door.

He didn’t, she thought, please tell me he didn’t.

She opened the door and saw the couple standing in front of her with giant smiles on their faces.

He did.

“what are you doing here?” she said instead of greeting them.

Sarah let herself in, “we wanted to surprise you! You’ve wanted this vacation for a while, and we thought you’d want company!”

She really didn’t want company, but she put a smile on her face anyway.

After spending the whole week with Brendon and Sarah, y/n was exhausted. She only got a real break from the two when she was at the conference. They had both wished her luck that morning and went back to giggling under the blankets of their shared bed.

Now she was back in Los Angeles, and she was so fucking happy to go back to normal.

However, they didn’t necessarily go back to normal. Brendon spent a lot more time at her apartment than he used to. He started to initiate cuddling, press kisses to her cheek and hairline, and hugging her more than he used to. She started to see more of Sarah, as well. She did it more subtly. She bought y/n drinks and take her to fancy restaurants, surprises her with jewelry and takes her shopping, anything really.

All y/n wanted was for one of them to say something.

And when she least expected it, Brendon did.

“Have you ever wanted to lose your virginity?” Brendon asked during a movie one day. y/n shrugged, she couldn’t say she was surprised, she knew he would ask eventually.

“I guess,” she sighed, “its just not something I really let myself think about. I never thought anyone would… y’ know, want to. And I’m 28, no one wants to date a virgin at my age.”

“Don’t say that,” he took her hand in his. Recently, it had been his sign of comfort to lace his fingers with hers and rub his thumb along the back, “I already told you, me and Sarah love you…”

y/n couldn’t look up at him, she only stared at her fingers. She didn’t say anything, either.

“you never answered, you know,” he whispered, “let us take you on one date. A fancy restaurant, or a movie, whatever makes you least anxious.”

y/n shook her head. The feeling of drowning, even before saying yes, was obvious. She felt like she couldn’t breathe and had to remind herself how to focus on the feeling of his hand in hers.

“or, we can keep it low key, not label it… just the three of us?”

“um… okay..” y/n thought, “no labeling, just… just us. Let’s go see the new Jumanji.”

“That sounds perfect,” Brendon smiled down at y/n.

Maybe her future did belong to her.

#brendon urie fanfiction #brendon urie #brendon urie imagine #brendon urie x reader #sarah urie x reader #sarah urie imagine

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squidofthedeep · 4 years

Text

Trend Setter

Chapter 1 / 7

AO3

Summary: Virgil agrees to a bet with his best friend to surprise each of his boyfriends, certain he's not going to get the response from them Remy insists he will. Self-esteem issues are a bitch, but one best friend and four adoring boyfriends should be enough to fight them back, right?

Pairings: romantic DLAMP; platonic sleepxiety; background romantic remile

Warnings: swearing, discussions of sex and nudity (but none happens in this chapter)

----

Virgil wiggled his foot and scrunched his toes, his nose following suit, trying in vain to get the blood flowing again as the pins and needles began to set in. As soon as he started moving though, the rest of his leg yelled unhappily, sore and hot close to the crease of his hip.

Groaning, he slowly dragged himself upright, uncurling from his previously comfortable position, and dropped both feet to the floor to stretch against the back of the couch. His left foot was still feeling like a static-filled television screen, and a dull throb was pulsing through his thigh, but at least he was no longer in danger of a muscle cramp. A snort caught his attention from the other side of the couch, where his best friend was laying with his back braced on the armrest, looking up from his phone.

“You’re a pretty shitty cryptid if you can’t even hold a position for more than a half an hour, Vee,” Remy teased, reaching out blindly to grab his mug from the ground next to him and taking an obnoxiously loud sip.

“Fuck you,” Virgil retorted fondly, shoving one of Remy’s legs off the couch as he stood. “You know I have shitty hips, asshole.” Bracing the heel of both hands against the back of his hips, he leaned back until a satisfying series of pops and cracks traveled up his spine. Straightening, he leaned one way, then the other, easing the stiffness from his body. With a relieved sigh, he turned to pluck the now empty mug from Remy’s hands and dropped it out of the way on the coffee table. “And if you tell anyone, I’ll let it slip that you drink tea, not coffee, nerd.”

“You wouldn’t dare, brat!” Remy gasped with a dramatic hand to his chest. “I suppose I’ll just have to keep you quiet then.” He reached out with ridiculously juvenile grabby hands. “Come lay on me and stretch your hips out so I don’t send you back to your boyfriend harem broken.”

Virgil snorted, but more than happily sat between Remy’s legs and lay back against his chest. The position let his hips sit at a slightly different angle, and his legs lay straight over the couch, as he snuggled in, comfortably surrounded by his best friend. He hummed as Remy wrapped his arms around him closer and held his phone so they both could see the screen.

“Mindless social media scrolling time!” Remy declared, opening up Tiktok with a flourish of his thumb.

“Yaaaay,” Virgil deadpanned. Still, he let himself carefully relax on top of his friend, exhaling slow and deep through his nose as he allowed the shenanigans of idiots on the internet distract him from his pain.

Virgil wasn’t sure how long they lay like that, a tangle of limbs and sarcastic quips, while he cycled through his breathing and felt his discomfort creeping away inch my inch. He was paying a small amount of attention to the phone when Remy started scrolling through videos with a very similar premise.

“What the hell are we watching now?”

“Gurl, with how much time you spend on the internet, I don’t get how you’re always behind on trends.” Swiping up to another video, Remy tilted his phone so Virgil could see a little more clearly. “It’s a couple’s challenge, where one partner walks in totally naked and films their partner’s reaction.”

Virgil scrunched his nose. “That’s stupid.”

His pillow lurched as Remy gasped again. “It is not! It’s endearing! Look at how these boys smile when they turn around! How they run into their love’s arms! Even an edgy emo like you has to admit that it’s cute as fuck.”

Rolling his eyes, Virgil turned to bury his face under Remy’s jacket. “Okay, fine,” he groaned, “it is maybe, somewhat, kind of adorable. But!” He cut in before Remy could start squawking a victory. “There is no way at least some of these aren’t faked. And besides, I bet all of these people are like, drop dead gorgeous, or something. I’ll bet you couldn’t get that many reactions from someone who looked like a normal fucking human.”

There was a suspicious beat of silence before Remy spoke, his voice unusually careful, like he was actually thinking before opening his mouth. “What about from someone who looked like a raccoon dragged through a grunge concert?”

Virgil froze, squinting at a piece of garbage poking out of a pocket on the inside of the leather jacket. “What are you getting at, Jeremy.”

Remy swatted the back of his head. “Don’t you use my full name, mister. I promise you this is gonna work in your favour, just hear me out. You think that this many people couldn’t be realistically overjoyed at seeing their regular ass looking partner, right? Well, you just happen to be even more attractive than a regular ass looking mother fucker, and you have four boyfriends. Why don’t we put your theory to the test?”

Sitting up, Virgil directed his suspicious squinting at Remy directly, now accompanied by an unimpressed raised eyebrow. “So you want me, arguably the most anxious person you know, to film myself, totally naked, walking in on each of my boyfriends?”

“You got it, hot stuff!”

Up went that eyebrow even further. “Why the fuck would I ever agree to that?”

“Because.” Remy grinned, sitting up now too, his knees still around Virgil who sat crossed-legged between them. “If - and when! - they react like the smitten fools they are, I will personally pay for every concert ticket you want to go to for the rest of the year.”

Both eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. “Remy, what the fuck? Seriously?”

“Dead serious, babes. You need a worthwhile motivation, not to mention a serious dose of body positivity and a reality check if you actually believe those boys wouldn’t lose their minds over you. I promise you, V, you really are a good looking man, and your squad of handsome bitches would agree with me.”

Virgil crossed his arms, but his defenses were crumbling. “And what if they don’t react like you say they will?”

Remy frowned, squishing Virgil’s cheeks with both hands. “If even one of those fuckers doesn’t respond like you are a god walking down from Olympus, then I am definitely still buying you concert tickets, but you’ll also have to help me hide a body. I won’t let any of them make you think you’re anything less than fucking amazing, babes.”

“Remyyy!” Virgil whined, shoving his friend’s hands off his face and hiding behind his own. “You’re such a fucking sappy loser, you know that? What would Emile say if he heard you talking like that to another man?” He teased.

“I would say you’re both adorable, and I’m very glad you have each other as friends!” A third voice cut in, causing the pair on the couch to jump and knock their heads together.

“Ow..,” Virgil groaned, rubbing his forehead. Glancing up, he saw Emile darting into the room, a ghost of a giggle on his lips as he fretted over Remy.

“Oh dear! Are you two alright? You didn’t hit too hard, did you?”

Remy tried to bat his hands away, but quickly gave in to bask in the attention as Emile cupped his cheek. “We’re alright, honeysuckle. This hard head was just about to agree to something, though.” He looked pointedly at Virgil.

Sighing, Virgil dropped his face into his hands. “Fine. You’ve got yourself a deal,” he groaned, ignoring Remy’s whoop of victory and Emile’s questioning look. What had he gotten himself into?

#nsfs virgil #nsfs remy #p sleepxiety #nsfs lamp #not safe for sanders #squid scribbles

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darriness · 4 years

Text

So I finished Hollywood! And now I can come back on Tumblr lol

As I was watching I kept an ongoing note on my phone of random musings and thoughts (to keep myself from coming on here) and I thought I would share them with you now. These thoughts are unabridged, unedited for the most part, spoiler ridden (so don’t read if you haven’t watched and don’t want to be spoiled), and at some points potentially incoherent. They are ‘organized’ by a stream of beginning to end but I didn’t bother organizing them by episode.

Just ask if you need/want clarification lol

Click the read more to read my thoughts on Hollywood!

love Rock

Love Rock/Archie

Cheered when Raymond got his movie

Laughed at Ernie’s ‘big cock’ joke

Very much enjoyed the not quite sex scene between Raymond and Camille

So strange to hear/see Sheldon Cooper say/ do some of this stuff such things as ‘come here so I can suck your cock’ - not because of the gay thing just because...Sheldon had to have dice tell him how to talk sexually

Episode 3 ‘that’s a penis!’

No I did not rewind it...twice...immediately to rewatch the scene of Camille riding Raymond...

Claire’s waist is TEENY TINY

Raymond being unaware and confused about the ‘market’

Raymond leaving before the penises show up :( lol

I really like Rock! ‘Well I belong to you!’ 🥺

Yes Raymond. Roll up your shirt sleeves and lean against that dresser

Shiny eyes optimism!

I like the pink fuzzy sweater

Jeremy overacted the scene where Jack asked him to put in a good word

I want to be that pencil...

I feel like either Raymond or Camille had the wrong...emotion in that scene...it didn’t feel right

Look at that scarf ❤️

Poor Rock :( he’s trying his best and thinks Raymond’s his dad! He’s just nervous

Way to not acknowledge him at all afterwards Raymond - he was just trying his best!

There HAS to be a conflict of interest here. With BOTH girls. One’s the studio exec’s daughter and the other’s fucking the director...

Love Raymond watching the others during Camille’s screen test for their reactions

‘Sorry I just called her pig’

67 takes!

Every time Ernie coughs? I think of Covid - putting current fears into the 1940s

Love Raymond just full on climbing in the bathtub fully clothed because he’s so excited

I forgot Queen Latifah was in this

Now it’s a pink Fuzzy sweater vest. It’s like Blaine and the red polos - can’t have just one

‘Hair. I mean what the fuck, Sharon?’

I love how Rock is hunched over his script during the table read

Raymond during the table read <3

Is Claire supposed to be a villain or no?

OMG Rock is rehearsing his lines after the table read while everyone is relaxing (have I mentioned how much I love Rock?)

See now tears and dramatics in this scene IS warranted. I understand why Jack is crying. He did that well.

I forgot Queen Latifah was in this…and I’m not sure I understand who she is or why she was there…should I know who she is?

‘She didn’t bring a goddamn rope ladder in her purse!’

Me likes ‘Do What I Tell You’ Director Raymond

Oh no, Raymond’s getting a talking to (deservedly but still)

OMG IS HE GONNA BE A PROSTITUTE?! HE’S GONNA BE A PROSTITUTE! (why am I excited about this…Does that say something about me? lol)

That scene between Ellen and Dick :(

Well that makes Jack’s life a lot easier…

Rock and Archie being cute domestic boyfriends!

‘*A* producer. And producer should be in quotes.’

Raymond wanting to live on the lot but Camille not wanting to - I’m not sure what comment I’m making on that but I felt it important to note

No prostitution for Raymond :( (WHY DOES THAT MAKE ME SAD!?! lol)

Page boy hats are a thing for me apparently

Ellen and Ernie?! Maybe?

Awww Jack thinking he shouldn’t be crying <3

Also Raymond’s outfit looks a little Miami Vice

Harry, the old editor hahaha

I will say there’s never anything wrong with a musical number

Awwww Raymond and Harry the old editor! So cute

OMG PROPOSAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh no wait - NOT a proposal - I don’t know how I feel about this - but I guess it IS the 1940s

THIS IS STILL CUTE AS SHIT

‘This is real?’ - I LOVE ROCK HUDSON!

So I guess Claire ISN’T a villain

Poor Ace (I mean he wasn’t really nice until this episode - but still)

I fucking LOVE Harry the old editor

‘this stupid fuck is recutting your picture’

‘Hey! What’s the big idea!’ - His indignation is amazing

WHAT?! They’re burning the movie?! BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT

I thought it was going to be Ernie who died. I’m glad it wasn’t

Have we seen Raymond smoke this whole series yet? I’m pretty sure we haven’t. WHY IS IT ATTRACTIVE?!

HARRY THE OLD EDITOR!!

‘IT WAS STRAIGHT UP CUNNILINGUS’

HARRY SAVED THE MOVIE!!!!!!

Raymond clapping at the movie talking about Camille <3

Oh look, Queen Latifah - still don’t know what’s she doing here lol - maybe I should

He’s in a roooobbbee <3

He’s excitement about being nominated - the way he paused before ‘best director’ <3

Look at him all small next to her

Also, they didn’t give Archie guff? Did they try to stop him from going in?

Awwww Raymond and Dick crying together into their handkerchiefs <3

Poor Jack! But he took it really well!

I don’t think he NEEDED to propose. I don’t think that was needed. I mean good for them but…I’m not sure it was deserved in the story you know?

Raymond standing for Archie <3 and his ‘oooh’ after the kiss

HEYYYYYY HE WON!

Jack picking him up! <3

I know this moment is about Camille but the tears from Raymond <3 (there are lots of hearts in these ramblings)

Raymond and Camille’s little moment during the pictures after the awards <3

This moment between Rock and Henry would have felt more justified after a longer period of time - Longer than seven episodes

‘And I’ve gotten into bonsai lately’ - ROCK HUDSON IS MY FAVOURITE OKAY?!

OMG NO! This is dumb. I am not okay with this. No thank you at all.

Jack being gay for pay? lol

In conclusion;

I REALLY liked this show. It had some flaws (a few overacted scenes - not enough time and arc to really give some of the storylines they were trying to do justice - killing Dick) but overall I thought it was well done and hit just the right note emotionally.

As for the performances, I really enjoyed everyone’s performance. I didn’t feel like one person stood out over the rest - I enjoyed them all equally (despite my above love of Rock but that was more just a few moments that I found hilarious or adorable in an oafish kind of way lol)

I felt like Darren did a really good job with what he had to work with (and I don’t know if it’s because of how I feel about Darren but I wish he could have had more).

Overall? I’ll definitely be rewatching this show and can’t wait to talk about it more!

#hollywood #my love #darren criss #random musings #now to catch up on everything I missed today!

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haberdashing · 4 years

Text

As If You Were There (2/4)

The statements from Episode 100 rewritten as regular statements, with a fair bit of creative liberty taken to fill in the missing details.

on AO3

Part 1 / Part 2

Statement of John Smith, regarding a supernatural encounter within the depths of the abandoned Aldwych Tube station. Original statement given May the 13th, 2017. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.

Statement begins.

Look, I’m not giving you my name and address and birth date and goddamn blood type so you can go hand it all over to the bloody government when I’m done. Maybe you don’t do that sort of thing, maybe all that talk about confidentiality is more than just lip service, but I can’t trust you just like that. I’m not sure who I can trust, not anymore. I trusted my friend--let’s call him Jeremy, I trusted Jeremy--but that’s about it, and now he’s not here, and I don’t know what agencies will help and what agencies will just rat me out to the perpetrators. I’ve heard of your field, found a few web pages a while back, but that’s not much to go on. I just really hope you’re one of the good ones.

D’you know about Aldwych Tube station? Well, it’s not a Tube station anymore--there’s still trains running at the platform level, but the station itself isn’t running anymore, it’s been abandoned for decades now. So many of the things there are all in original condition--the original adverts are still up, things like that, never removed that stuff after they shut it all down. It’s part of London’s history, y’know, it’s public transport, it’s interesting.

But when Jeremy and I decided to break in there, it wasn’t just about about the public transport stuff and the adverts. We wanted to have a look around because we had some ideas about what else might be down there, maybe there was something worth investigating there. It’s the right kind of place for it, hiding in plain sight, unused space in the middle of London but nobody thinks twice about it because oh, it’s just an old Tube station, everybody knows that. But we figured maybe it’s not just an old Tube station, maybe there’s more to it than that.

Suppose we were right about that bit, at least. Just wish we could’ve learned it without losing Jeremy in the process.

We were in the tunnels when it happened. Already saw the adverts, the usual public transportation stuff, nothing too exciting there, but that wasn’t a surprise. We weren’t the first ones to break in there, not by a long shot, so it couldn’t be that easy. But the tunnels, they could be hiding something for sure. Jeremy and I both had torches with us--it was evening then, but it was gloomy enough in those tunnels that I doubt they’d be much lighter in the day time. It started out pretty boring, just following train tracks, no signs of anything.

Then our torches went out. Both of them, at the same time. And we’d packed them with fresh batteries, too. Can’t have been a coincidence there. Maybe the government made some kind of field down there that messes with electronics, just in case someone came poking around, getting too close to what they’re hiding down there.

Now, it was proper dark down there without the torches. Couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. But Jeremy started rambling about what he was doing, came closer and said he’d get his phone out and use it as a torch since the actual torches were a bust. I wasn’t big on his bringing the phone in the first place--too easy for the wrong people to track--but having the light from it definitely would’ve been better than nothing. But the phone wouldn’t light up either. Thought it had died too, but then Jeremy tried to turn it on and it made a sound like it was turning off, though the screen hadn’t shown a thing the whole time.

Electronics disrupter, I’m telling you. Screwing with the EMF field. It’s gotta be.

Jeremy wanted to turn around then, just call it a bust and go home, but I figured this meant we were close to something big, exactly the sort of thing we’d come for in the first place, and I talked him into going a bit further before giving up. ‘Course I regret it now, but how could I have known?

We linked arms to make sure we each knew where the other one was in the dark, even though it made walking a little awkward, and Jeremy definitely stepped on my shoes more than once down there; to be fair, I probably paid him back in kind along the way. Tried to keep going straight, best as we could figure, but we kept bumping into the same wall over and over again. No matter how much we course-corrected, we kept bumping into this smooth, cold wall on either side, though the tunnels had seemed plenty big when we started out. No way the trains could pass through a space that small.

I pointed that out to Jeremy, actually, said we must be getting close to something then, and it was right after that that we first saw them.

Couldn’t tell you what they looked like, height, weight, gender, any of that stuff. For one thing, it was way too dark to make out any of those kinds of details, and for another, they were dressed to blend in, to hide that identifying information further. Could be some sort of military camouflage prototypes, adapted to the darkness of the tunnels. I could only see the faint snippets where their pitch-black clothes didn’t quite cover them--gaps between long sleeves and gloves, or between a turtleneck and a ski mask--and even then, they had to be pretty close first. If it really was camouflage like I thought, well, it wasn’t perfect, but it sure got the job done.

The first one I saw was off to the right, so we tried to go around, but just bumped into the wall on the left instead. Jeremy was on my left, and I think he got a few scrapes there, heard him wince in pain. Then I saw a flash of skin from another figure, and another, and my stomach began to sink.

I was sure there were five of them there. I don’t know how I was so sure, given that I only saw them in brief flashes, small snippets of skin that could’ve been the same person over and over, but I was sure. And if it was two on two, or even three on two, I might’ve been willing to duke it out, but five on two’s hardly a fair fight, is it?

I heard something in the distance, a loud, long sound that reminded me a little of a train coming, and I remembered this was a Tube station, or had been, though I didn’t think any trains were supposed to run that late. I thought maybe one was heading towards us, or coming from behind, though there were no lights to show as much, so I told Jeremy to run.

I heard my own breathing then, and could just barely make out Jeremy’s as we tried to head back, but I swear, I swear I didn’t hear a single breath from the five that were after us. Maybe they were robots that just looked like humans. Wouldn’t surprise me.

Whatever they were, they were after us for sure now. Even as we tried to get away, to dodge, they just kept getting closer. Tried heading to the right, but hit the wall pretty quick, even though we’d just hit the other one. Tried walking backwards but, well, that’s hard enough on your own, let alone when you’ve got your arms linked up to someone else.

So we just broke arms and ran. Every man for himself isn’t pretty, sure, and I’m far from proud of it, but sometimes that’s all you can do. If we’d stayed together, we’d prob’ly both be gone now.

At one point when I was running I saw a light back the way I came, looking like it was coming from everywhere all at once, and after being in the dark that long it hurt my eyes to see. I could see then that Jeremy was behind me, that the men in black were all gathered around him now. He was on the ground, so either he fell along the way or one of them knocked him down; probably the latter, if I had to guess. Either way, I hadn’t heard it, just that low rumble of a train that never quite arrived.

Part of me wanted to go towards the light, like it’d be safer, but I figured it had to be a trap. The only place that light could be coming from was their secret holding facility, and I wasn’t being dragged in there for the life of me. Plus, that roaring noise had only gotten louder when it showed up. So I ran the other way and made sure not to look back.

Eventually the sound faded away and I saw a sliver of light from above, managed to climb my way out of Aldwych station, but I never saw Jeremy again. I came back the next day with all the industrial torches I could buy with cash without triggering any government alarms, found the torches we’d dropped along the way--both still dead--and Jeremy’s phone--also dead, and screen way more cracked than it had been when we started--and a spot of blood on the wall, but no sign of Jeremy.

I tried going to the tabloids first, the kind that publish what they know is the truth, no matter what the authorities try to claim. I figured Jeremy’s younger, decent-looking bloke, and pretty well-off these days, so even if none of them believed the government connection--and none of them did, or at least, none of them were willing to admit it--I figured his disappearance would be a human interest story, and the details could come out later. They all turned me down and laughed me out of the room, though. A few suggested going to the police, but I knew better; at best I’d get arrested for trespassing, at worst I’d be locked up down in the tunnels with Jeremy. One of them looked to be in the middle of calling me a shrink, or worse, when I just up and left. And one mentioned your name as an alternative.

Even if you had all my details, I’m sure you wouldn’t tell me if you sent someone down into the tunnels the same way we’d gone, or got in touch with your government connections to arrange a deal, or whatever. That confidentiality agreement of yours goes both ways, I imagine. But I don’t need all those details. I just need you to get back Jeremy for me.

Or if you can’t--if he’s too far gone, if they’re already testing bioweapons on him, or they already wiped his mind, or did something else that means he isn’t coming back--make damn sure nobody else goes the same way he did.

Statement ends.

#tma #tma fic #tma fanfic #the magnus archives #the magnus archives fic #the magnus archives fanfic #personal #my writing

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goliath-de-senfina-sango · 4 years

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Local Teen Rebels For The Environment, Local Genius Reveals Odd Sensations, Local Bully Pranked, Local Dead Kid Vents and Makes New Friend

Sam carved through the sky on a trail of brilliant neon blue light that came from the engine of her board, diving down every time she saw a piece of litter on the ground and putting it in the nearest trash or recycling bin she found. "I need to ask Tucker about installing some soft of litter spotting function for the AI in the helmets, this is ridiculous.” Once she reached her house, Sam alighted on her balcony and hummed. Pulling it into the house on foot to show grandma would probably be safer. On the other hand, I've skateboarded through this place more times than I can count. Sam flew into her room, out the bedroom door, and down the hallway in search of her grandmother. Encountering a couple of people in the halls had Sam testing the strength of the magnetic boots by swerving to ride along the ceiling. "Woo!" Sam swerved once more as she felt the blood rushing to her head and slowed to a stop over the main staircase.

A search through her grandmother's study, the dining room, and several other fun parts of the mansion, Sam concluded that Ida had to be in the bowling alley. Halfway there, she was met with the only real obstacle between her and most of the more exciting fun in her life. "Samantha, what are you doing?" Her mother and father stared at her in shock, anger, and bafflement as Sam came to a dead stop in front of them. Dismounting the board, Sam grinned.

"I'm about to show grandma Ida something amazing, as soon as you move so I can get into the bowling alley."

"Where did you get this dangerous piece of technology?" Her father couldn't stop staring at the board long enough to glare at her, which her mother had covered as usual. "This is from that Fenton boy isn't it?" Sam rolled her eyes and pulled off her helmet.

"Yes, Danny and Tucker both made hoverboards and are helping me-"

"Endanger yourself with reckless stunts! Oh, you were bad enough with your skateboard inside but now you're riding this thing around my house?"

"Last I checked, Mother, it's Grandma Ida's house, not yours." Sam held up her helmet. "Also I'm perfectly safe. I have new magnetic boots to keep me on the board no matter how harsh the winds blow and a helmet in case the board goes out of control. I'm the one who taught Danny and Tucker how to surf in the first place."

"And look where interacting with them has gotten you! First, it's ghosts and monsters that attack you at the school and now this? What if you fall while trying to do a trick on a rooftop? What protection is this helmet then?"

Sam tugged at her jacket, shaking her head. "Dad, please, anytime I go high I'm wearing layers to cushion the impact. I was maybe 10 feet above ground level the whole time here." What they don't know won't hurt them. No interaction with Sam's parents would be complete without a screech of outrage from her mother, however, how could Sam forget?

"WHAT IS THAT?" Mother pulled her jacket back enough to reveal the new scar she'd received from being hit by one of Skulker's crossbow bolts. I've been doing so good about covering that up too - only use makeup has.

"I'm not sure if you've ever roughhoused with friends in your entire life, mother, but I tripped over at Tucker's house and scraped my shoulder on one of the trees in his backyard. It's nothing serious and should probably fade soon enough." Grabbing onto her board, Sam shouldered past her parents and walked toward the bowling alley door. "Honestly, you need to stop overreacting like that. You might lose your voice." Gods forbid I get any peace like that around here.

"That is it! I have had it! Bad enough that the Fenton boy and his insane parents have been influencing you to keep up with this ridiculous phase of yours-"

"All things in life are a phase, Dad, name one permanent thing besides death and entropy."

"But now their inventions and nonsense are putting you in danger! Baby girl, I'm thinking I should get a restraining order."

Sam felt her grip grow tight around the knob of the door and she scowled at her parents. "Never call me baby girl, and how much wine have you been drinking lately? You can't just put a restraining order on my best friend, Dad, I voluntarily hang out with him because he's fun to be around."

"How dare you speak to your father like that?" The look on her mother's face likely could wither all of Sam's precious plants at once. Sam remembered a time when that look would shut her down for days at a time and she'd simply say nothing to either of her parents. Wrenching the door open Sam rolled her eyes. Exposure therapy without the therapy I guess. "Young lady you will apologize this instant!"

"Oh, but Mother, you wouldn't want me to be insincere, would you? I didn't come to argue with you over something as ridiculous as a restraining order that would never work, I came to show Grandma Ida proof that we have the technology ready for my idea. Unlike you two, I'm trying to steer this company in a direction that'll contribute to helping the planet. Because, ya know, I care."

"What you should be caring about is respecting your elders!"

"As the elder here, Jeremy, I'd feel respected if you all would stop shoutin right at the door. It's barely even noon." Grandma Ida shook her head as she scootered over. Sam let go of the board and let it hover, gesturing grandly at it and her grandma stared for a long moment.

"Don't you see, mother? Samantha's friendship with that Fenton boy is opening her up to ridiculous amounts of danger and she refuses to respect even our concerns about the issue, much less show enough respect not to insult us to our faces!" Dad's scowl turned quickly to wide-eyed bemusement when Grandma Ida laughed hard enough to start wheezing. "Mother?"

"Babula you managed to bring me a little miracle just to say you can pull off a bigger one! Every day you remind me more and more of myself." She pulled Sam into a hug. "I will say that you shouldn't go insulting your parents - there's a difference between rewarding respect with respect and refusing to give it - but just going outside is dangerous for a child and you both know that. This hoverboard is no different from any other sport that Sam does, and it's a marvelous thing that she has friends willing to share such amazing gifts with her."

"Ida, why do you always side with her whenever she argues with us?"

"Because I agree with her, Pamela, why else? From all your shouting I heard something about a restraining order." Grandma scoffed and Sam grinned. "That's preposterous. The Fentons have done nothing wrong to us."

"They are a disturbance to the public peace-"

"They are wonderous inventors who provide the town with limitless, cheap power, mother. The Fentons do good for the town - what if we somehow had a blackout? With the whole town connected to the Fentons are you gonna sue them for coming out to fix whatever the problem is?" Sam crossed her arms and glared at her parents with as much anger as she could muster. The entire argument was getting tiresome more than anything.

Mother looked moments away from exploding before Dad took a deep breath, let it out, and put a comforting hand on Mother's shoulders. "Fine. No charges or restraining orders against the Fentons. But the next time I hear they've put you in danger, young lady, all bets are off." Her parents left before their blood pressure could be raised any higher, and Sam turned to her grandma, giving her another hug.

"Thank you, grandma. It's good to know you have my back."

"Of course, Sammy. Now, while this is amazing I'm not sure it'll convince the board without an actual blueprint for the car you want us to make." She smiled. "It does look fun though."

"It is fun but as much as I hate agreeing with Mom and Dad it's also pretty dangerous if you can't keep your balance." An old lady pouting was always the good kind of cute, even someone as cute adverse as Sam could admit that. "My friends helped out even more than I had planned, and we have the protoype for that car ready for a test drive if you wanna see it?”

“What are we doin still here then?”

“I dearly hope you understand, Mr. Fenton, that you cannot use your odd firearms on school property unless you have legitimately no other choice.” Danny feels his face burning as Principal Ishiyama gives him the rundown on the rules of the school, always rounding back to that. As if she hadn’t made it clear five times already. “It may not technically be illegal for you to own the weapons themselves and I understand that you might inevitably need them, but I better not see them out unless it’s an emergency. Am I clear?”

“Yes ma’am, you’re perfectly clear.” Danny did his absolute best not to grit his teeth when he spoke to the principal, aware that he was on thin ice. Still, he couldn’t be more relieved when he was told to gather his things and head to his new locker. Walking out into the hall to find Sam and Tucker there, Danny leaned on Sam and groaned loudly. “I’m tempted to ask for homeschooling.” His friends stare at him flatly for all of five seconds before he cracks and leans instead on Tucker. “Yeah, no, definitely not. You’re right.”

“Of course we’re right. Now, which locker are we taking you too so you can stop leaning and start walking?” Tucker ruffled Danny’s hair even as the boy pulled his hood over his head and groaned. Eventually, Danny stood up and pulled out a slip of paper.

“Locker 274, apparently.” Danny started checking numbers when he heard the most melodramatic of sounds. “Did you just. Gasp in unison? Did you practice that?” Turning around Danny saw that Sam and Tucker wore matching expressions of abject horror that went beyond what even a fight with a killer robot poacher could evoke. “Did my life just become a horror movie?”

“You don’t know the legend of locker 274?” Danny couldn’t tell if the horror in Tucker’s whisper was at the legend or Danny’s ignorance of it.

“Is there a vampire waiting to spring out and suck out my blood if I open this locker door?”

Sam snorted and shook her head, unease unravelling before his eyes from a tangled ball of prickly violet shards to verdant vines and leaves. "No, you dork. The locker is supposedly haunted - probably why she gave it to you." Danny groaned, long and loud, banging his head on the locker.

"Sidney Poindexter used to have this locker back in the fifties, you see, and people were even bigger assholes to each other then than they are now," Tucker said, voice pitched toward an old scary movie narrator. "When you're nerdy, your look isn't right and someone finds out you're not straight in the fifties, shit gets real bad real fast. Everyone bullied him all the time, and he got stuffed in this locker so many times that they say when he died here at Casper, his spirit lingered in the locker itself."

Danny stared at Tucker for a long moment, turning all of that over in his head. Then he pulled his backpack off his back and thwapped Tuck on the head with it. Sam snorted, laughing next to him and he got her too. "Watch it ghost boy!"

"That didn't hurt. Also, did you guys seriously just gay up not tell me about the haunted locker this whole time? Were you ever going to?" Danny opened the locker with a sigh, focusing on the second plane. The mirror at the back of the locker shimmered dimly with ghostly light but Danny could hardly see it. “There’s something there but it’s dim-” hands were on his body and Danny was shoved into the locker entirely, limbs folding to compact himself with as little damage as possible. Pushing himself out, Danny whirled around with a snarl.

“-cking hell, goth bitch, I was just helpin Fentonio check out his new locker.” Dash had one hand on his shin and the other was covering his crotch protectively - as though that could keep him safe from Sam’s steel boots. “It’s Poindexter’s locker, right? Perfect place for a geek like him.”

“Wow Dash, I’m impressed! A word with three whole syllables in it! Maybe you’ll be able to use your expanded vocabulary to get a good grade on an english test without cheating off of Mikey.” Dash scowled at Danny, his aura sparking and popping like fireworks and red as his jacket. “Or maybe football has damaged your skull beyond repair and you’ll never be able to get anywhere without swinging your fists around. Only time will tell, huh?”

Before Dash could follow up Sam’s manslaughter with his own attempt at Murdering Danny™ - the fun new game for people ages 14-105 - the bell rang and the trio slipped away in the ensuing crowd of students flooding the halls to get to class. Sam ruffled Danny’s hair, which he then covered up with his hood, and the three of them laughed as they tumbled into class together and sat down. “That was amazing, Danny! Dash is gonna try to actually murder you next time he sees you, but I’m proud of you for getting out of it so quickly.”

“The kinda bullshit he pulls, he deserves a lot more than just being talked around in circles,” Tucker grumbled. “Like… if you got him back while you’re invisible, no one could know it was you getting back at him, right?”

“True…”

“Actually, Danny, your parents would find out it’s you. Pretty damn quickly.” Sam nudged him with an elbow. “Or at least that a ghost did it. One tore through the school and now the principal is paranoid - ghostly revenge on Dash would just tell her to have the security system turned on.”

“Ugh, that’d be a pain.” Danny agreed with a slump, pouting at the board. “Still, just one prank might not hurt.”

“Or it’ll hurt a hell of a lot, Danny.”

“The system won’t notice Danny at all and he can wait till it’s turned off to do something again. Ow, ow, Sam my head is very precious and that textbook counts as a lethal weapon.”

“Please stop making horrible suggestions to our best friend then.” Sam flashed Tucker a smile with far too many teeth for comfort and he grumbled with his arms crossed. Sam’s grin slid from threatening to smug and Danny rolled his eyes.

The day was at first hope inducingly normal. Classes were unengaging, unchallenging, or just boring. Sam, while proud of the results of the test drives of the car project, was now championing a protest against having to dissect frogs in school. By lunch, Danny had to finally say something between all the nodding along. “Sam, as much as I agree that I don’t want to cut open frog corpses, I also don’t want to think about fro-any corpses while I’m eating lunch.”

“Fair enough,” Sam conceeded. “You guys have anything to add?”

Tucker jerked his chin in the direction of the table the jocks and cheerleaders were sitting at, rather close to them. Danny raised a brow and listened in. “And all of a sudden, this locker door flies open and nails me.” That had all three of them turning their attention to him. Paulina, dubbed by some as the prettiest girl in school, was brushing white foam out of her hair and Danny winced.

“I’m gonna be brushing this stuff out of my hair for a week!”

“It’s like the school is haunted.”

Sam arched a brow at Danny, leaning closer to him. “Sounds like somebody’s been busy.”

“It wasn’t me, I swear!” Danny grinned, barely holding in a laugh at the idea. “That’s fire extinguisher foam in her hair, I know how hard it is to get that out. I’m not gonna do that to anyone.”

“Ok but how’d that even happen?” Tucker chewed his chicken for a few moments before pointing his fork at Danny. “Maybe Sidney Poindexter’s ghost has something to do with this? You said you could sense something in the mirror right? It was pretty faint but I’m absolutely certain I heard like, buzzing or something coming off of it.”

“I- wait, buzzing? Like you could hear the energy?” Danny put down his food and stared at Tucker’s ears, trying to see if any ghostly light shone from them. Tucker nodded and Danny frowned. “That’s not normal.”

“Nothing about us is normal, Danny,” Sam said with a roll of her eyes. “I was shopping for books the other day and felt some weird vibrations coming off of it and when I picked it up I got the strangest feeling in the world.”

“I first started hearing it when I cracked Skulker’s stupid firewalls down, and now whenever I touch a piece of technology I can practically hear it singing to me.” Tucker shrugged, poking his chicken. “Maybe it’s like, something to do with the radiation that came from the portal opening? I mean, look what it did to you.”

“Yeah but I was in the portal when it turned on.”

“And we were right in front of it with no hazmat suits. Plus we’ve been around ghostly stuff a lot, so maybe we’re just getting super powers like you, but slower?” Sam nudged Danny’s arm and smiled. “I mean, the book I found was on magick, imagine if a charge of ecto energy is all it takes to make that work.”

“Hey, maybe that’s what’s happening with Sidney Poindexter in the mirror? Exposure to Danny’s power may have made it easier for Poindexter’s own power to leak out into our world.”

Before Danny could say anything to that, a football collided with the side of his head and he found himself leaning on Sam for stability. Reaching down, Danny grabbed the ball, looked around the cafeteria as though wondering who might’ve thrown it, and crushed it in his hand. In his peripheral vision, Danny caught Dash groaning over his foot and standing up to leave. Sam brought his attention back to her. “You ok Danny?”

“I’m peachy. I’m apparently radiating my best friends into ghostly mutants and the meathead quarterback just beaned me with his football and looks like he’s about to go grab another one.”

Tucker glared at Dash’s back and muttered, “I wonder how Dash would feel with one of those frog cadavers down his throat?” Danny felt his frown curl upside down in a smirk.

“Or 12, in his pants. I’ll be right back.” Before Sam could say something about morals and being the better person, Danny stood up and hurried off to the bathroom. Making sure no one was there to see him, he reached inside and let the icy chill of the void fill his body up in a flash of light, and slid immediately into the unreal space between spaces. In moments, Danny was in Falluka’s biolab, and grinned at the empty room. A box full of dead frogs invsible in his hand, Danny found Dash opening his locker, and yanked up his boxers, then the back of his jeans before dumping the frogs in his pants. Dash ran off screaming and Danny laughed so hard he started floating backwards.

“You think that’s funny, buster?” Danny flinched, opening his eyes to stare at the person in front of him. A ghost in the shape of a glowing white human, his edges rippling slightly despite the lack of a breeze. His eyes are solid white, but glimmer like polished opals, his mouth twisted up in a frown and his clothes clearly dated. Danny gawked at the transparent teen in front of him and checked mentally to be sure that he was still just as heated up as he should be when invisible.

“You can see me?”

“Yeah that’s right, bub! Now leave that poor kid alone.” The boy pointed a thumb in the direction Dash had run, and Danny felt his blood boil.

“Poor kid? Poor kid?” Danny slipped back into visibility, his voice reverberating with his anger. “That poor kid is the star quarter back of the Casper High Ravens! That poor kid is the guy who stuffs me and every other scrawny kid in his path into our lockers because he thinks it’s funny we can be forced to fit in them! That oh so poor kid’s wealthy, popular, and has put more kids through swirlies, purple nurples and indian burns than years he’s been alive! Oh no, he might have a hard life at home that’s not an EXCUSE and I don’t CARE! He’s been doing this shit for as long as I’ve known him!” Danny shoved a finger into the other boy’s chest, barely noticing the lights flickering and threatening to shatter. “If stuffing a few frogs down a guy’s pants in retaliation for being half drowned in toilet water is bad then call me the fucking Joker.”

The boy floated there, staring at Danny with wide eyes for the longest time and Danny took that moment to breathe and collect himself. By the time his aura wasn’t crackling at the edges like solar flares, Danny was being offered a transparent hand. “I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. Name’s Sidney Poindexter.”

“I’m Danny, Danny Phantom. Hey, we should probably leave before the security system comes on - do you remember where the park is?” If this was the Sidney Poindexter Tucker had told him about then he might not’ve been around when the Park was first there. Danny had no idea how old anything in their town was but he was beginning to feel he should learn.

Sidney smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I do. Care to show me around?”

“I actually can’t leave the building yet, but I’ll meet you there, I promise.” Danny patted Sidney on the shoulder, considered what he knew about Sidney, and pulled him into a hug instead. The other ghost went stiff for a moment but relaxed and hugged him back not too long after. Danny patted his back and watched him fly through the ceiling before heading back to the bathroom, unseen and untouchable, and from there back to his friends. “Guys, you’ll never believe what just happened.”

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imaginefan · 5 years

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What you did that caught their attention and what drew them into you. Jeremy, Enzo, Kol, John, Stephen, Matt, Klaus, Chris, Jake, Adam and Elijah.

Jeremy

Jeremy had known you for a long time so it surprised you when he did start to pursue you, you see you hadn’t done anything differently it was just the way that you were but when the threat was looking for Jeremy and you stepped in that was what caught his attention.

“Where is he?” Kol asked and you rolled your eyes.

“Now why would I tell you that?” You asked moved around the bar serving people drinks.

“I could kill you.” He warned Damon who was sitting a few seats away from you tensed.

“Do you want a drink or not?” You asked and Damon looked at you and smirked.

“Don’t test me.” He warned.

“Then don’t ask me questions I don’t know the answer to.” You muttered and he walked out of the bar after that had not got what he wanted and you picked up your phone again.

“Sorry about that.” You apologised to Jeremy who was on the other end of the phone. “That holiday sounds like a good idea now that I know what we’re dealing with.” but there was no answer from Jeremy who was stunned into silence after hearing you talk to an Original that way.

Enzo

It was the moment that you jumped in front of him, your bravery and quick thinking that drew him towards you, you had managed to almost get yourself killed in hopes that you could save him.

“What the hell were you thinking!?” Enzo asked.

“I was thinking that I saved you.” You informed him and he glared.

“I heal.” He answered.

“So do I.” You argued and he glared knowing that you were just picking holes in his explanations.

“You know what I mean.” He ground out through gritted teeth.

“It doesn’t matter anyway.” You shrugged getting yourself into a more comfortable position before closing your eyes.

“Of course it matters,” Enzo said softly before kissing your forehead and covering you over with a blanket.

Kol

Kol actually didn’t know what it was that had caught his eye at first he thought it was you looks but you were sitting in the café using small amount of magic to complete tasks like warming your coffee up after you let it go cold, he smirked as he walked over and sat in front of you. “What are you doing little witch?” He asked.

“Oh, I don’t know what are you doing Mr Mikaelson?” You asked and he frowned.

“How do you know who I am?” He asked.

“Rare telepath.” You answered.

“Why are you tell me all of this, I could kill you.” He warned and you smiled drinking the rest of your coffee before standing up.

“I know you have no intentions of that.” You smirked before you left.

Elijah

Elijah was not sure of you at first, you were a friend of his brother’s and could be quite volatile at times but the moment that you were taken by the witches everyone was worried for a different reason, everyone apart from Klaus thought that you were going to betray them but the moment that Elijah found you all bloodied and bruised he knew that he was wrong.

“(Y/N). Look at me.” He ordered and your eyes opened slowly.

“Elijah hi.” You smiled and that was what got him the fact that you could still smile despite everything that happened.

“Come let’s get you home.” He suggested.

“I’d like that,” you said softly.

John

John loved that the smile never left your face you rarely left the Lair but there was never a time when you weren’t laughing or smiling, you could see a bright side to everything and he wished that he could do the same so he kept you close as a way to see the light no matter what.

“John, you were looking for me?” You asked, he looked up to see the smile stretch across your face as you closed the door.

“There you are.” He breathed gesturing for you to come over to him, he was sitting on the sofa, you walked over and he pulled you down into his lap.

“Was there something that you needed?” You asked and he shook his head before poking your side and making you giggle which only served to make him smile.

“That was all I needed.” He answered and you frowned.

“Me laughing?” You asked.

“You laughing.” He confirmed before pulling you into a tight hug.

*Full*

Stephen

Stephen loved that you didn’t care what people thought about you, you often spoke your mind and you didn’t think about it first, that leads to a lot of fights in the Lair, he would often come back to find that you had gotten into some kind of trouble.

“What the hell happened!?” Stephen asked and you looked at him and shrugged as you held the ice to your eye.

“You should see the other girl.” You smirked.

“I have that’s why I’m asking.” He answered as he pulled the ice away to look at your eyes.

“It was nothing I just said that she looked like a drown rat is all.” You answered. “After throwing water at her.”

“Why did you do that?” He asked pressing the ice back to your eye.

“She wasn’t being very nice to our newbie.” You answered.

“You have to stop this.” He ordered.

“Yes, sir!” You saluted and he rolled his eyes.

“No need to be snarky.” He smiled before pecking your lips.

Matt

Matt loved your morals, it didn’t matter who you were fighting or what you were fighting, you had a strong set of morals that you followed you made sure to make your voice her in regards to that and you walked away from anything that went against them.

You were sitting on the sofa when he came home, he knew the moment that he saw you that something was wrong, something was troubling you “What happened?” He asked and you looked at him.

“What’s the point in try to save all these people, they never listen to me.” You answered honestly.

“You talking about Elena and friends?” He asked and you looked at him and he could see how torn up you were about it so he took off his jacket and walked over the sofa where you were sitting and pulled you into a hug, “you can only control your actions and if you are doing what you think is right then that is the best that you can do.”

“Thanks.” You said softly as you snuggled into him closing your eyes and trying to forget everything that had happened that day.

Klaus

Klaus didn’t think that he would find someone that believed in him as wholeheartedly as you did, you never wavered in loyalty and you carried out every order in the belief that he had a plan that would work.

“You think that I would use my child as a weapon?” He asked and Elijah and Hayley said nothing.

“No you wouldn’t” You spoke up, Klaus’ eyes moved to you and seemed to soften for a second as he took in your form leaning against the porch railings. “As much as Klaus doesn’t want to admit it, this baby means a lot to him.”

“How would you know that?” Hayley asked and you raised an eyebrow.

“He’s here isn’t he?” You asked and she looked at him before glaring.

“That doesn’t prove anything.” She answered.

“You’re lucky you’re the one pregnant with the kid.” You threatened through gritted teeth as Elijah took a step in front of Hayley now facing you, there was growl from Klaus before he appeared behind his brother biting him before appearing next to you offering you a hand of support.

“Don’t ever accuse me of using my child again and never threaten (Y/N).” He warned before leading you away.

Chris

Chris knew that he shouldn’t take a special interest in anyone but the moment that you offered to help him, he wasn’t going to be sticking to his rule, he knew that he would have to leave you at some point but so did you, you just need to enjoy what time you had.

You were both looking through the Book of Shadows to help the sisters. “I don’t know if we’re going to find the answer here without knowing what we are looking for.” You said and he shrugged.

“It was worth a try.” He answered.

“Yeah you know I always want to help maybe we can find someone who was there we can find out something that will help.” You suggested and he sighed.

“That looks like our best option right now.” He agreed.

“Well let’s go.” You ordered.

Jake

Jake was not expecting that there was going to anyone that interested him when it went Chance Harbor but then he met you, you were the only person that didn’t seem to step on eggshells around him you told him what you thought and how you felt.

“What is your problem?” You asked and he looked at you and frowned.

“I don’t know what you talking about.” He answered and you nodded.

“Alright, then I’ll see you later.” You answered standing up ready to leave and frowned grabbing your wrist.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“Home.” You answered.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because you’re in a mood.” You answered “call me when you feel better.” as he watched you walk out he bit his lip, you got his attention, now he wanted you.

*Full*

Adam

Your innocent look outlook on life was what got him, he knew what was lurking in the dark corners of the world and you still had the light of a child, you could separate what you knew about the supernatural from the rest of the world when he was with you it was like you were normal teenagers.

“What’s wrong?” You asked as cute frown on your face as you walked over to him in the school hall.

“It’s nothing.” He answered.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.” You argued and he sighed before smiling and grabbing your hand.

“Just some fighting in the circle, nothing we can’t get past.” He promised.

“Then let’s go do something.” You answered.

“Something like what?” He asked shifting in a backpack and wrapping an arm around your waist.

“Something like fun.” You answered as you both left the school building.

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sanderssidesfanfiction · 5 years

Text

We’ll Carry On - Chapter Fifty

We’ll Carry On Tag

General Content Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Substance Abuse, Abandonment, Minor Character Death, Transphobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociation, Bullying, Homophobia

July 13th, 2018

Roman didn’t understand. There was a woman walking down the street, and people were laughing and jeering at her. She had a bit of a five o’clock shadow, and her jaw was a little more square than most women, but she was wearing a dress and she had breasts, so she had to be a woman, right?

He didn’t say anything as she passed him, but he smiled kindly at her and mouthed, “You’re beautiful.”

She lit up like he had just hung the moon and signed something, that Roman thought was a “Thank you.”

“Roman!” the horrible woman shouted. “Don’t socialize with those types! You will not be that in my house!”

Roman cringed, but he stood by his words. He thought the woman was truly beautiful.

June 16th, 2020

Roman was excited. Some might say a little too excited, but no one could really blame him. He was going through his freshman orientation at the local high school, and had signed up for all his classes, making sure to pick Drama as one of his class choices. As his backup, he had put Drawing and Pottery, because both of those could be pretty cool, too, but he really hoped he got to have Drama as his art course.

The high school was a big place, but right now, he was just eating lunch with Chad and a few of the kids they had gotten to go on a tour of the buildings with. All of them were talking about what classes they wanted to take and clubs they wanted to join with wide eyes. Roman knew he had a bit of the excitement bug too, but his was curbed somewhat. “Trust me, guys, it seems cool now but there’s gonna come a day where you can’t wait for summer break,” Roman said. “Logan insists that he’s ready for winter break by October.”

“Your older brother is hardly a paragon of knowledge,” one of the girls, Ellie, snorted.

“True, but he’s going to be a senior next year, so I think he knows what he’s talking about,” Roman said. “Anecdotally speaking.”

“Mm, I agree with Roman,” one of the boys, Rocky, said. “My older sister can’t stand going to high school by November.”

“Wait, is your brother Logan Picani?” a third kid, a girl by the name of Maria, asked.

“Yes? Do you know him?” Roman asked. Suddenly he felt like he needed to be on guard and he didn’t know why.

“My older brother knows her. She’s the transsexual that was in his calc class,” Maria said. She wrinkled her nose. “Personally, I don’t understand why anyone would make that sort of life choice.”

Roman blinked once. Twice. Saw red for a couple seconds. Took a deep breath. Laughed with ice and venom blending together in his voice. “Okay, first of all, he is transgender, not transsexual. Transsexual is an outdated term that many people in the community find offensive, from what I’ve been told. Second of all, being transgender is not a choice. He wanted to be true to himself and because his parents disagreed, he was kicked out. So my dads adopted him. Being transgender isn’t easy. It brings all sorts of unwanted attention, and Logan has told me that if he had the chance to be cis, with either gender on the binary, he would take it.

“He gets all sorts of rude comments, from people who are close-minded bigots like your brother. And if you point me in the direction of your brother, I’d love to knock some common sense and LGBT terminology into his head. Especially considering that I’m bi and would like to be respected that way. So, let’s see: my dads are a gay couple, my older brother’s trans and queer, I’m bi, one of my younger siblings is nonbinary. Is there anything else I can say about my family that would disgust you into leaving this group and never calling my brother a transsexual again?”

Maria stared at him, shock and disgust warring for control on her face. “How could you possibly encourage that sort of thing?! Don’t you know you can go to Hell for that?”

“Provided that even is true, which I severely doubt, Hell will be fabulous and I will happily live with my brothers, my sibling, and my two dads there for all eternity. But if you can go to Hell for being gay, why would a higher power even make gay people? Huh? Riddle me that!”

“It’s obviously a test,” Maria snapped back. “Proving that you’re strong in your faith, and you won’t give in to the temptation of sexual desires!”

Roman blinked. “Wow. I...just...wow. I feel really sorry for you, Maria. Your parents must be real pieces of work for you to believe that.”

Maria huffed and crossed her arms. “Whatever. I don’t approve of your choices, but we can still be friends. Love the sinner and hate the sin.”

“Uh, no, we can’t be friends, because the ‘sin’ you’re hating is literally a piece of me. Frankly, if you believe all that BS that you just spouted, I wouldn’t want to be friends with you anyway. That’s just wrong on so many levels.”

Maria growled, grabbed her lunch, and stood. “Well, then. I hope you enjoy Hell, because that’s where you’re going!”

“God is dead, and the gays killed Him!” Chad hollered after her back, laughing.

“Oof, I’m glad we avoided that one early,” Ellie said.

“Yeah,” Roman agreed. “Honestly, I don’t think that Hell...is a place? Exactly? And you certainly don’t go there for loving someone who’s the same gender as you.”

Murmured agreement came from the whole group. “What does nonbinary mean?” Rocky asked.

“Oh, it just means you don’t feel like you’re a boy or a girl,” Roman said, returning to his lunch.

There was a beat of silence before Rocky asked, “There’s a word for that?!”

“Yes...?” Roman asked. “Do you feel like that fits you?”

“Yeah, a little!” Rocky agreed. “I always felt like...kind of a boy, kind of not? It’s confusing. But I don’t have to be a boy, I can be nonbinary!”

“Yeah! Look up nonbinary stuff online, you’ll learn a bunch, and you might find a more specific label that you like,” Roman encouraged.

Rocky pulled out his phone with a grin and Chad laughed. “Well, today is a day full of discoveries, huh?” he asked. “I think I see my parents pulling up, though, so I’ll have to say goodbye for now. I’ll see you guys around this summer, and at school in September!”

“Yeah, see you!” Roman said, as everyone else bid Chad goodbye, too.

Soon after, Roman saw Logan pull up in the school parking lot, and get out of the car. Unfortunately, Maria was walking over to a car two spaces down, and a guy who looked like he could be a linebacker for the football team was waiting for her. Roman said his goodbye’s quickly and jogged over to Logan. “Hey, man, let’s get out of here,” Roman hissed. “That girl with the freckles? Massive transphobe, and her brother—”

“I’m well aware of who her brother is,” Logan said coolly. “Jeremy has seen fit to torment me ever since I legally got my name changed. Insists on using it only because it’s what’s on my papers, but claims that because I’m still ‘Female’ on my birth certificate-which he doesn’t even know for sure-that he can use ‘she’ and ‘her’ for me. He’s a brat.”

Roman pulled a face. “Gross.”

“Indeed,” Logan said.

Maria caught a glimpse of them and stalked over, her brother following behind. “He’s the one! He’s the one who said that I’m wrong!”

“Well, yeah, you are wrong,” Roman said. “I’m not going to Hell. Even if I were, I would be happy to go.”

“Should have known he was the brother of the tranny, here,” Jeremy sneered.

Roman scowled and balled his hands into fists, sucker-punching Jeremy hard right below the ribcage. Jeremy crumpled inward, gasping for air. “Don’t call my brother that word ever again!” Roman bellowed. “C’mon, Lo. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

“No complaints from me,” Logan said. They both got in the car and drove away. Once they were on the road, Logan said, “You realize Dad and Ami are probably going to get a very angry call from either that idiot’s mother or someone from the school?”

“Eh,” Roman said with a shrug. “Worth it.”

“I certainly hope so,” Logan sighed, “Because you just put a giant target on your back.”

Roman shrugged again. “I’m not going to stand by while you get insulted, Logan.”

“You sound just like Jack,” Logan said with an eye-roll. “It’s annoying. Cute, in a way, but definitely annoying.”

Roman gave Logan a grin. “That’s a high compliment you know. Sounding like your boyfriend.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Logan said, shaking his head and smirking.

“Oh, so I guess I should tell your boyfriend your highly-esteemed opinion of him?” Roman asked, snatching Logan’s phone from the cupholder it had been residing in.

“Roman!” Logan shrieked indignantly, using one hand to blindly grab for his phone even as he kept his eyes on the road. “Give me that!”

Roman gleefully held it out of Logan’s reach as he dictated what he was typing. “Hey Jack...Roman here. Your boyfriend thinks that comparing someone to you...isn’t...a...compliment! Ha!”

“Give it back!” Logan exclaimed, lunging for the phone and yanking it free of Roman’s grasp, at the price of nearly swerving off the road.

“Too late, it’s already sent!” Roman exclaimed.

Logan locked his phone and dropped it back in the cupholder. “I hate you.”

Roman laughed unapologetically. “This is Jack, Lo. I doubt he’d break up with you over that. If anything, he’ll probably just respond with a ‘mood’ and be done with it.”

“I’m not worried about me, I’m worried about you,” Logan said.

As if on cue, Roman got three text alert messages in a row, and he could see they were all from Jack. More kept coming, and he arched his eyebrows. “How many texts is Jack going to send?”

“Probably around fifty,” Logan said casually. “Most of them about stealing my phone to send text messages, a couple calling you a snitch, some memes, at least one asking if I’m driving and that’s how you got to send the text, and the final two will probably be a ‘thank you for telling me’ and ‘but mood.’”

Roman watched his text count go up and his blood pressure with it. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered.

“This is Jack,” Logan said with a laugh. “It’s how he is always.”

“Doesn’t that get exhausting?” Roman asked.

“Well, he’s always tired, but I doubt that’s the reason,” Logan said. “If that’s the only life you ever know, and the only attitude you’ve ever had, I doubt it would be as exhausting as it is to you now.”

Roman made a huh noise. “Don’t you ever get overstimulated talking to him?”

Logan glanced at Roman. “I mean, sometimes, I guess. But not usually. I’ve gotten used to his energy, as it’s grown as both of us grew. To me, he has the same energy levels as he did when we were in kindergarten and he asked if he could call me ‘Jessie.’”

“Did you slug him for that?” Roman asked.

“Well I didn’t know I was trans yet,” Logan said. “So I wouldn’t have punched him over that. I just really hated the nickname. Though I don’t think I punched him for it. Because he asked once and then never again. Apparently I looked completely disgusted at the thought of being called that.”

Roman got quiet, all of his current questions answered. A thought occurred to him, along with a new question. “Do you think of yourself as...you know...your deadname, when you think back into the past?”

Logan hummed. “You know, I try not to, but when I think back to before I realized I was trans, I almost always think of myself as either ‘Jessica’ or ‘pre-Logan.’ I know most trans people eventually adjust and they say, ‘When I was a little boy,’ or ‘This is a picture of a tiny whatever-their-name-is.’ I haven’t made that adjustment. I’m not sure I’m ever going to, at this point.”

“That’s fair,” Roman said. “I don’t ever think of you as...as that, but—”

“Roman, you can say it. You can say Jessica, it’s not a dirty word,” Logan said. “So long as you don’t call me by that as if it were still my name, you can use it around me. It took me a while to distance myself from it, but now I can hear the name without flinching. You don’t ever think of me as Jessica. Just the sentiment behind that means I trust you to use that name, just never on me.”

“Yeah. I don’t ever think of you as Jessica, but it’s weird seeing traditionally feminine clothing on you. Jack showed me some old yearbooks, and I nearly got whiplash,” Roman said. “And I’ll always use Logan when referring to you, even as a little kid. Because the whole, ‘back when he was a she’ or ‘when current name was deadname’ thing is just scummy, especially if you don’t have permission to out that person.”

Logan smiled. “You’re one of the good ones, Roman. Thank you. Would you be willing to go to the GSA next year?”

“Definitely,” Roman said, nodding. “Especially because you’re Vice President.”

#we'll carry on #sanders sides fanfiction #roman sanders #logan sanders #our creations #danger gays

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psychospeak-blog · 5 years

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Won’t Go Slowly // 55

A/N: I’m so sorry this one took so long, guys! We’re almost there :)

Warnings: Might be emotional, apparently I also talk about baby constipation? Also, apparently I only write 10K + chapters now?

One // Two // Three // Four // Five // Six // Seven // Eight // Nine // Ten // Eleven // Twelve // Thirteen // Fourteen // Fifteen // Sixteen // Seventeen // Eighteen // Nineteen// Twenty // Twenty One // Twenty Two // Twenty Three // Twenty Four// Twenty Five // Twenty Six // Twenty Seven // Twenty Eight // Twenty Nine // Thirty // Thirty One // Thirty Two // Thirty Three // Thirty Four// Thirty Five // Thirty Six // Thirty Seven // Thirty Eight // Thirty Nine // Forty // Forty One // Forty Two // Forty Three // Forty Four // Forty Five // Forty Six // Forty Seven // Forty Eight // Forty Nine // Fifty // Fifty One // Fifty Two // Fifty Three // Fifty Four

It was awkward, really, was what it was, you thought, stretched out across the grass, your head propped up in your hand, while the other one was rubbing Marshall's belly. Danielle was on the other side of the activity mat she'd gotten for Bentley, which was perfect for a day like today so he could hang out outside with you without being in the sun. It also seemed to be helpful for protecting him from Gerry who was running around playing and seemed to forget where you had the baby, and then have to try and avoid running into him at the last second.

It was awkward because Tyler had other people over, some of whom you'd never met before. Which was fine, except, while everyone else had shown up with snacks and sunglasses, drinks and maybe a swimsuit, you'd shown up with baby gear, and a carseat, and a diaper bag. It just seemed strange, to bring along a baby, when everyone else just seemed to be kind of focused on unwinding, and having a good time, while you were just focused on making sure Bentley was content.

There was definitely a shift or a separation, that had happened. You were very much so just focused on creating a family for yourself, and everything else just kind of didn't really seem to matter to you, right now.

It didn't really quite fit for you anymore.

And Tyler, of course, seemed to think there was nothing strange about you bringing a baby along.

Things changed though, a lot more than you'd thought they'd would. Before Bentley was born, Tyler had seemed like he was right there, like you could kiss him or touch him however you wanted, like there was something there, and you both knew it. Like you spent all your time together, without even realizing it, it was the next night, and you were still together. It became usual, to have him in your bed, or for you to be in his bed and now, with the exception of that first night Bentley was home from the hospital, it was Cash who was just the regular extra in your bed.

But, it really was like there was kind of a line drawn in the sand.

Was it selfish, though, if you just kind of wanted to hang out with your good friends and your baby in Tyler's house for the rest of the summer, maybe just having dinner with your families, or doing puzzles with his sisters while Bentley was napping, or maybe just holding your baby while you watched a game of horseshoes or spikeball or something.

It was a different experience, being a mother, because you didn't really feel like you were living for yourself at all anymore. And you were sure you'd get back to that, once again but, for now, your body was just kind of all his.

"What are you doing?" you frowned, looking at Tyler who was now laying on his stomach on the ground with his phone extended in front of him, one hand moving Bentley's foot up next to Cash's paw.

"What are you doing?" he asked, panning his phone up towards you, and you could tell by the smile on his face that he was recording a video, which you were not prepared for at all. You gave him a look at tried to slowly move out of the frame, which made him just laughed harder, and then you took your foot, pushing against his arm harder until he lost his grip, his phone tumbling into the grass, and he rolled over onto his side laughing.

"If you broke my phone, you're buying me a new one," he said.

"I did not break your phone," you said. "It's not my fault that you don't have a case on it."

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to kick me," he said.

"I did not kick you," you said, "I nudged you. With my foot."

"Is that why you child is kicking a," Tyler tilted his head, looking at the toys hanging down, "fish in the head? Did you learn that from Mama?"

"He's playing," you laughed, "He loves his toy Auntie Danielle got for him."

"Yeah, he does," Tyler said, turning to look over at him. "Is your guy still coming? What's his name again, again?"

"Jeremy," Danielle said, looking at her phone, "Yeah, he's coming after work."

"What does he do?"

"He's an accountant," she said. And you prepared yourself, expecting Tyler to comment just about how boring that sounded, and how stuffy he must be, but he surprised you.

"Ooh," Tyler said, "that sounds smart."

You shifted a little, looking at your watch, and then you leaned forward, pulling Tyler's phone towards you and unlocking it, and then going to his Instagram to see for yourself what Cassidy had texted you. "People think I'm your cousin?" you asked.

"Huh?" he asked, blinking at you.

"People think I'm your cousin," you repeated.

You didn't quite know how to respond that that, honestly. You supposed it was better than the alternative, but there had to be that, too.

"Well, I certainly hope not," Tyler laughed awkwardly.

"Of course we're not, we had genetic testing before we had him."

"Oh yeah," he said. "What are you..where are you even getting this from?"

"Your Instagram," you said. "Your sister told me about it."

"Yeah, I saw that, I think, the other day. Either that, or you're my....baby mama or something" Tyler said, scratching his head, "What is my sister doing on Instagram?"

"It doesn't matter what your sister is doing on Instagram. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because it doesn't really matter," he said, "It's probably just from when we went out to Mother's Day and I put 'family mother's day' or something like that."

"You put 'family mother's day'?" you asked.

"Something like that, I don't remember exactly."

"Oh, Tyler," you said, running your hands through your hair.

"What?"

"I don't know, how much I want," you said, "Like I don't think I want you to show his face, right now."

"I didn't?"

"'K, well, don't."

"I won't," he said, but it came out as more of a question, his hand rubbing up and down Marshall's side now as he lifted his head to look back at you. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Are you sure?" He asked, "I don't have to post any pictures of him, if you don't want me to."

"No, what you've been doing is fine, I think."

"Do you want me to show you before I post stuff, and then you could, like approve it?"

"No, I don't need to approve every one of your social media posts, I'm not your mother."

"Okay," Tyler said, dragging out the word now, his fingers pulling at the grass. "Are you sure I didn't fuck up? Because you aren't really convincing me otherwise."

"Yes, I'm sure, Tyler."

"You know how I need you to tell me when I fuck up sometimes? This is one of those times," he said, looking at you sheepishly, and you laughed a little when he did. "Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."

You wanted to tell at him then that you couldn't just dictate his whole life for him, it wasn't just about what you wanted. You had to think what was best, with all of you now.

You wanted to scream at him, that he wouldn't understand, because he wasn't a parent.

But you couldn't.

He hadn't done anything wrong.

So you took a deep breath, and looked out into the water for a moment, "I didn't think about this part," you said, "I'm not quite sure what is best."

"What part?"

"The whole social media thing," you said, waving your hand in the air.

"Well, it's not a big deal," he laughed.

"Yes, it is a big deal, Tyler," you said. Because now you were thinking, what if he had an interview or something, at his house, and he had pictures of Bentley up, and then just everyone was talking. "This is gonna be out there, like forever, and you've got like, two hundred thousand Instagram followers, that's not normal."

He looked like he was about to make a correction about the number of followers that he had, but thought better of it. "No, I don't mean like that, I mean you don't need to freak out and stress about it right now, it doesn't matter this very second."

You opened your mouth and then shut it again.

"You over think everything, babe, just relax," he said, "I just won't do anything more until you tell me."

"Well, his feet and stuff is fine, I just don't know, Tyler."

"Well, you'll figure it out," he said, "But until you do, I'm just going to still take hundreds of pictures of him and send them to my mom, 'k?"

"Okay," you laughed.

"I got your back," he said, smiling at you, and then all of you looked down at Bentley, who was making noises, batting at the toys above him with his fists. "Yeah, bud, you punch that lobster. Are you killing it so you can eat it for dinner?"

"You're ridiculous," you laughed.

"It's your child whose the one that's violent."

"Umm.." Danielle interrupted, pointing behind Tyler, "Your child is currently trying to pull all the bark off that tree."

"Gerry!" Tyler yelled, "Stop that!"

Bentley's eyes went wide with surprise, and you laughed rubbing his hand.

"So sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, it was all the puppy's fault," Tyler said, leaning forward to kiss him on the belly, and Bentley grinned. "I'm so glad he knows how to smile, now, because before he would just, like, lie there, and you didn't know if he liked what you were doing."

"Yeah, well if he's not crying ----oooof!" you said, as Gerry knocked you over, and then proceeded to shove a slobbery tennis ball in your face, and you could hear Tyler giggling as you tried to fend the dog off. "Make sure he doesn't step on the baby, by accident," you struggled to get out, finally reaching for the ball and throwing it across the yard so Gerry could run after it, scooping it up in his mouth. "K, bring it back!" You said, and he came running back towards you, jumping over you and dropping the ball at Bentley's feet, Danielle putting her arm out so he wouldn't get too close to the baby.

"Did you bring him the ball? Good boy," Tyler said, then the next thing you knew, Bentley was crying as Gerry licked him right over his face, Danielle grabbing him, while both you and Tyler tried to pull Gerry off, who just backed up and barked.

"Awe, it's okay," you said, leaning over, your knuckles rubbing over Bentley's cheek, and you let Gerry sniff him now. "I had to suck a bunch of stuff out of his nose this morning and he didn't like it, so I think he's just freaking out when something gets in his face, thinking its gonna happen again. It's okay, Ger, it's not your fault."

"You had to what?" Tyler asked.

"He was congested," you said, and Tyler made a face. "It's not like he can blow his nose or anything."

"Oh, yeah," he said, and you looked over at Bentley who was cooing now, looking up at Danielle his arms stretching out so his hand clasped at her chest.

"Oh, he just grabs your boob," Tyler laughed.

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything in there for you," she said.

"Oh geez," you said, leaning forward and unwrapping his fingers from her shirt, pulling. "Yeah, let's not take off Auntie Danielle's shirt."

Meanwhile, Tyler was just killing himself laughing. "That's kind of aggressive, bud," Tyler said, "Big boob guy, huh?"

"He's a baby," you said.

"Well, he's never tried to feel me up like that, just saying."

"Oooh, he's here!" Danielle said, getting up and practically shoving the baby into your arms and running off to meet him.

"Ooh, he's here!" Tyler imitated, his hands waving in the air.

"Tyler, be nice," you said, "she really likes him."

"I am being nice, that was just like the girliest thing ever," he said, and you gave him a doubtful look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's...you just have a tendency to be intense, that's all."

"I just want to make sure he's a good guy," Tyler said, and you couldn't really argue with that. "Sometimes you guys don't really make the best choices."

"Hey!"

"I never said I did either," Tyler said, "And I'm really protective over the women in my life, I can't help it, you know that."

"No, I know, I'm just..."

"Keeping me in check?" Tyler smiled, "yeah, I know."

Bentley started fussing in your arms, his arms shooting outwards as he cried, and you rocked him, looking down at Marshall who was blinking. "Did he hit him?"

"I think he poked him in the eye," Tyler laughed.

"Awe, I'm sorry, Marshall."

"Well, he's practically sitting on you," Tyler said, and you laughed because you were really just surrounded by dogs. "Are you so protective?" Tyler asked, laying down so his head was neck to Marshall's. "That's a good boy."

Bentley continued to fuss in your arms and you shifted, looking down at him. "What's wrong?"

"He wants some boobs," Tyler said.

"It's kind of a bit early for him to be hungry," you said, looking at his face for any signs, "He didn't eat much earlier though, his stomach has been bothering him."

"What's wrong with his stomach?" Tyler asked.

"Nothing, I'm just waiting for him to poop," you said, continuing to try and soothe the baby.

"Babies are kinda gross," Tyler said, kissing at his back, "How are you so cute and so gross?"

You smiled, shifting him closer to you and then looking back towards the house, and then behind you, towards the group of people by the deck. "Where should I feel him?"

Tyler raised an eyebrow at you, sitting up. "Here? In a chair? I don't know, wherever you want."

"Okay," you said, dragging out the word, and Tyler gave you another weird look, rolling on to his back so Gerry could crawl up on him, while you pulled the top of your dress and pulled the baby to you, trying to get him to latch, which was not working very well and you took a deep breath, trying to relax.

"Is he alright?" Tyler asked, after a moment.

"Yeah, he's just having trouble lately," you said, and then you jumped with surprise when there was a blast of loud music.

"Hey!" Tyler yelled, and then made a motion to turn it down.

"I can just go inside, Tyler, it's okay," you said.

"No, you stay," he said, rubbing your foot, "they don't need to listen to music that loud."

"Shouldn't you like...go hang out with your friends?"

"Yeah, I am."

"I meant them," you said, gesturing your head towards the other side.

"Oh," Tyler said, "I mean, they're not really my friends."

"Why are they here then?"

"They're, like, friends of friends, just hanging out," Tyler shrugged, and then he made a noise when Gerry jumped off a him, tail wagging as he ran towards Danielle and Jeremy. "Who's that?" Tyler asked, pushing himself up and following Gerry, and then you watched over your shoulder as Tyler shook Jeremy's hand and told him it was nice to meet him, and you waved a little with your free hand.

"Hey, Y/N, how are you?"

"Good," you said, "How are work?"

"Uh, not too bad," he said, crouching down in front of Cash now, who had his tail wagging. "Hey, who's this guy?"

"That's Cash," Tyler said. "and Marshall and Gerry."

You continued to feed Bentley, watching as Tyler just kept walking around looking up at the trees. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to figure out where to put a hammock."

"You bought a hammock?" you asked, and Tyler nodded.

"Hey, Jeremy, do you know anything about hammocks?"

Danielle sat down next to you, and then you both had to watch, trying not to laugh, as the boys tried to set up the hammock.

"Tyler, you're gonna have to put tighter," you said.

"Yeah, I got it, thanks!" he said, waving you off.

You were really laughing though, when he tried to sit in it, and you watched him fall backwards when it wasn't as high as he thought it was, his knees folding into his chest. "You might have been right."

"Yeah, I might have," you grinned.

"Just a little bit," he grinned back.

He went back to fixing it, and you went back to finishing feeding Bentley, propping him up on your legs once you were done, and then you laughed because all three dogs were sniffing him.

And then you could hear Tyler, clearing his throat very loudly, and you looked over to see him and Jeremy both sitting in the hammock now, which was an appropriate level.

"Say 'yay, you did it'," you said, clapping Bentley's hands together, and he smiled.

"He's so happy," Danielle said.

"Except when he's mad," you said, leaning down to kiss him, "then he gets really, really mad."

"He just smiles like he knows," she said.

"Hey," Tyler said, leaning over you now, "Can I have him for a sec?"

"Why are you making that face? What are you going to do to him?"

"I just want to see if he likes the hammock."

"'K, well he just ate, so don't do anything crazy with him," you said, lifting him up to Tyler's arms.

"I would not," Tyler said, pulling him close, "Your mama's crazy."

You rolled over onto your side, watching as Tyler sat down very carefully with Bentley. "Does he like it?" you asked after a minute.

"He looks a little confused," Tyler laughed, still watching him, and then you saw Mike and Josie walk into the backward, both of them stopping a little when they saw Tyler with a baby.

Oh god, this was awkward.

"Whose baby did you steal?" Mike asked, and Tyler pointed to you.

Oh my god.

"I told you she was pregnant," Tyler said, "And that she had him - I sent you a picture of him!"

"I thought you were joking," Mike said.

"No, why would I joke about that?" Tyler asked, making a weird face and, when Bentley started crying he stood up, walking with him, and then you got up, going to take him from Tyler, Gerry crying at your feet now, looking up at the baby, and you bounced him a couple of times, his cries soothing. "Oh, you just wanted Mama?" Tyler asked.

"Sorry," Mike said, coming over to hug you on the side where you weren't holding the baby, "Hi, Y/N. Congratulations."

"He's so cute," Josie said. "What's his name?"

"Bentley," you said, looking up at Tyler and he nodded a little. "Bentley Tyler."

And then you watched them look at the baby, and then back at Tyler, like they were just now seeing the resemblance.

"It's..."

"He was very much planned, and very much wanted," Tyler said, "And she gets to be his mom, and I get to be his Uncle Ty-Ty."

"Oh," Mike said, and then shook his head. "Sorry, I'm really happy for you. It just...took me by surprise."

"Yeah, no, I get it," you said, "it's different."

"That's really awesome, though," he said.

"Yeah," you said, "Yeah, he is. Did you guys want to hold him?"

"Yes," Josie said, almost immediately, taking him from you. "Hey, you're so cute."

"Okay, don't get any ideas."

You smiled down and then, and then Bentley sneezed hard. "Ah, bless you," you said, going to grab something to wipe his face. But before you could, Tyler was pulling up the bottom of his shirt, wiping at his face. "Is that better? Is your nose less stuffy now?"

"I have a cloth, Tyler," you said, and he just shrugged, seemingly not noticing that everyone was disgusted by what he was doing.

Bentley started fussing again, and you took him back. "Are you getting tired?" you asked, bending down to grab his pacifier. He, luckily, did not take very long to fall back asleep, and you sat down with him in a chair that was in the shade.

It was kind of your favourite thing ever, just getting to hold him when he napped.

You just could not get over him.

So you were just barely listening when Jeremy mentioned some new restaurant or something, and suggested that you double date sometime, and you felt Tyler shift, where he was sitting on the ground, leaning against your shins, petting the dogs, and you watched Danielle's eyes widen and try to communicate with him through looks, but he did not notice at all.

"Oh, we're not together," you felt Tyler say.

"Oh right," he said, looking apologetically at you now, "Right, I knew that."

"Yeah, we're just friends," you said, putting on what felt like the fakest smile ever, and now Tyler looked back over his shoulder, his forehead creased with a frown.

"Well, we're not just friends," he said.

And you didn't really know how to respond, because nothing would ever be the same again. You would never be "just friends" again, but you couldn't see yourself just not having him in your life either.

But you didn't want to feel like you were on this verge of fighting with him, every time you saw him, over things you couldn't say.

"Well, I'm not seeing anyone right now," you said.

"Well, I'm sure I could find a friend if you want to come."

“Not an accountant,” Tyler said, and you could sense his whole body tensing. “Not that there’s anything wrong with accountants, she’s just not an accountant kind of girl.”

You frowned at Tyler, because it wasn’t like you could tell everything about anyone from their occupation, but you shook it off.

"Yeah, I'm not really into dating right now. At this stage of my life," you said, looking down at Bentley, sleeping in your arms.

"Yeah, Bentley's her main man," Tyler said.

"Well, you could bring him..."

"I don't really like going out anymore," you said although it came out as more of a question, like you were unsure how people might take it. "I'm more of a homebody."

"But you brought him out with us the other night?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, but that was like a family thing," you said, petting Cash who was sticking his head through the side of the chair, his tail wagging. "I like doing family things."

Tyler turned around now, too, scratching Cash behind the ears and kissing him on the top of the head. "Are you so happy that your baby came to visit you?" he asked, before looking up at you. "I'm gonna go get a drink, you want anything?"

"Umm, just some water," you said, and Jeremy decided to go into the house with him, Danielle looking at you, until they were out of earshot.

"I think he's gonna kill my boyfriend," she said.

"What?" you laughed.

"You should have seen the look on his face when Jeremy suggested setting you up with one of his friends," she said.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah," she said, "It was intense, he looked so pissed off."

"Why are you so happy about it then?"

"Because he's so in love with you he can't even hide it," she said.

"But he's not..." you said. Because you couldn't even finish the sentence. You couldn't even tell her how much it had hurt you, when he said he couldn't be Bentley's dad, and it felt like that was the dagger right there, like he'd made his decision.

"Hey," Tyler said, leaning around you to place your water on the armrest of the chair. "I'm gonna take Jeremy out on the boat, like really quick. Can he come with us?"

"Can Bentley come with you?" you repeated.

"Yes," Tyler nodded.

"Umm...no," you said. "Not today."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have a life jacket for him," you said, "I can get one, though, and then he can go with you."

"No, I do."

"What?" you asked. "No, you need a special life jacket, for infants, he can't just wear an adult one."

"Yeah, that's what I have," Tyler said.

"You have an infant life jacket?"

"Yeah, it's for 9 to...like 20 or 25 pounds," Tyler said, "He's more than 9 pounds now, right?"

"Yeah..." you said tentatively.

"I'll get it, and you can look at it," he said. And, sure enough, he did in fact, have an infant life vest.

"When did you get this?" you asked.

"Umm...last summer, I went to go buy a new cover for the boat to winterize it, and I just saw that and thought it would be a good idea to have around the house. Is it the right one?"

"Yes, it's the right one," you smiled, standing up with Bentley now.

"He's allowed to come?"

"Yeah," you said, "I just didn't want him to go with out a life jacket."

"Well, I wouldn't have asked otherwise," Tyler said, and then he started giggling, watching as you put Bentley into the life jacket. "Can he even move in that thing?"

"I don't think so," you said, laughing because Bentley was just staring up at you with wide eyes.

"He's like 'what are you guys doing to me?'" Tyler laughed.

"Well, he's not crying," you said.

"Well, he's not smiling, either," Tyler said.

"Should we get you a hat?" you asked, picking him back up and going over to where you'd put his diaper bag, finding a sun hat, and trying to put it on him, and then grabbing his pacifier and handing it to Tyler.

"Look how cute they are," Tyler said, and you followed his gaze to see Danielle and Jeremy curled up in the hammock, kissing, and then Tyler just whistled at them.

"Stop, you're gonna embarrass them," your said.

"He won't care, not if he really loves her," Tyler said, taking Bentley from you, "You don't want to come?"

"No," you said, "I don't know if I can handle the motion anymore."

"You don't know if you can handle the motion anymore," Tyler scoffed.

"Yeah," you said, "And I don't really think the dogs are gonna like you taking him."

"Okay," Tyler said, "Dani, you want to come?"

"'No, that's okay."

"K, say goodbye to your girls," Tyler said, tilting Bentley towards you. "Bye, Mama. I will tell you all about it when I get back."

His hat fell off, though, and Gerry jumped and snatched it out of the air before it even hit the ground.

"Gerry!" Tyler yelled, even as Gerry ran off behind the tree with the hat in his mouth. "Come here!"

"C'mhere," you said, crouching down and patting your legs, grabbing one of his ball's from the ground. "Here, I'll trade you. Good boy."

"No, that's a bad dog," Tyler said, as you put Bentley's hat back on, Gerry's tail still wagging.

"He's just learning," you said.

"He knows better," Tyler said, looking down at Bentley now, moving his chin to hold his hat on. "I don't know if this thing is gonna stay on him."

"Well, just try your best, I can't put sunscreen on him or anything."

"It's not that hot out."

"Yeah, but his skin is sensitive," you said.

"'K well, he's gonna be on me the whole time," Tyler said, "Yeah, I'll protect you from the sun."

"Let me take a picture," you said, and Tyler just grinned, putting his face next to Bentley's.

"He's got his fisherman hat on, he's all ready to go," Tyler said. "Are you gonna drive the boat, bud?"

You'd be lying if you said you weren't just a little bit nervous about him being on the boat, but you knew you'd triple checked the straps on the life jacket, and Tyler had Bentley propped up on his lap, one arm strong around him, just pulling the boat out as slowly as possible, leaning around to check Bentley's reaction.

"Oh my heart," you said, opening your phone to take a video of them, hearing a collection of paws following you out onto the dock. You felt Danielle with you as well, as Tyler handed Bentley over to Jeremy for just a moment to take his shirt off, and Jeremy leaned around, making a series of faces, and then handed him back to Tyler, leaning in to interact with the baby.

Just as you suspected, though, as they drove away, Marshall started running to the edge of the dock barking, while Gerry followed him, and Cash was looking like he was contemplating jumping in.

"Okay, you don't need to swim after them it's too cold," you said, "C'mon, guys let's go wait over here on the grass. Marshall? Marshall! They're okay, c'mon."

Finally you managed to get him over next to you, where he very promptly flopped onto his back to have his belly rubbed. Danielle laughed, setting down next to you, occupying the dogs.

"Is it just me, or are guys with babies super hot?" she asked. "How do you not just....jump him all the time?"

"Well, I don't just...normally jump him," you laughed awkwardly.

"Ah, so he does the jumping, I see."

"Well..I mean, kind of, yeah," you said. "I don't know, it was easier when were trying to get pregnant, because they pretty much every time we saw each other, it was like, maybe we should have sex."

"Yeah, it is easy to have sex with someone who you're not in a relationship with or have any kind of agreement with if you're trying to make a baby."

You just gave her a look, leaning back onto the grass.

"Have you guys....since he was born?"

You shook your head. "I don't even know if I can yet," you said, "I have an appointment in a few days."

"Oh," she said, "Are you going to after that then?"

"No," you said, "No I don't think so."

Because things had changed, there was a Before Bentley and an After Bentley. And maybe there was a little bit of overlap, but it seemed like you didn't touch quite the same way. You didn't just end up kissing, or see each other naked, or just curl up in bed together.

And maybe you were imagining it, but he didn't call you 'babe' as much anymore.

But that didn't make sense either, because it wasn't like that was a new thing, when you started on this whole....journey together.

So you just played with the dogs, until Marshall just ran to the end of the dock barking again, and then you saw them come back around the corner, just as they'd left.

"Did he like it?" you asked, once they were parked.

"He loved it," Tyler said, "I think. He wasn't really smiling, but he was looking all around and stuff, I took a video on my phone so you can see."

He handed you the baby's hat, stepping off the boat and then all the dogs were just swarming him to try and sniff the baby's feet.

"Here, let's take this thing off of you and put it away for next time," Tyler said, laying Bentley down and he cooed as Tyler unbuckled him, tickling his belly. "Are you tell Mama how fun it was? Convincing her to come with us next time?"

You laughed, "The dogs were not very happy about it."

"Yeah, I heard. How come they don't care when I go out on the boat, but the second the baby does, they freak out?"

"I don't know, maybe they know he doesn't know how to swim," you said.

"Yeah," Tyler said, lifting Bentley back up, holding him in front of you. "I need to tell you something exciting, Mommy."

"What's that?"

"I got really, really excited when I was on Uncle Ty-Ty's boat, and I accidentally pooped my pants."

"Oh," you said, taking him from Tyler, and then you looked back over your shoulder. "Where should I change him?"

"Wherever you want? I don't know, usually you change him on the floor, when I changed him I just put his mat thing down on the bed because I have old man knees," Tyler said, peering at you. "You're being so weird today."

"I'm not being weird."

"Kinda weird," Tyler said, running his hand through his hair, as you picked up the diaper bag and started back towards the house.

"Okay, I guess you're all coming with me," you said, holding the door open for the dogs to get through.

It was weird, and awkward, though, as everyone else left and it was just the couples. Or, really, the couples of Danielle and Jeremy and Mike and Josie, and then it was just you, and Tyler, and Bentley.

And it was also very awkward, when you ordered pizza and were watching T.V., Bentley sleeping on the couch surrounded by a wall of pillows, and Tyler just picked up your pizza and ate most of the cheese right off it, and then he'd had to explain that you couldn't eat much dairy because it made your baby's stomach hurt.

But it was fine.

You were fine.

You were just considering packing up Bentley and heading out, when you came out of the bathroom to discover that everyone else had gone back outside, and Tyler was now holding Bentley, who appeared to be dressed in one of Tyler's zip-ups, his whole body swimming in the fabric, and the arms tied around his body, like some sort of makeshift swaddling blanket.

"Did you put him in your sweatshirt?" you laughed.

"Yeah, he was getting cold, and we're gonna go outside and have a fire," Tyler said.

"He has his own sweatshirts and blankets, you know."

"He likes this," Tyler said, hugging him close, and Bentley started crying, and then Tyler started bouncing with him. "Okay, maybe he doesn't like this."

"Awe," you said, taking Bentley from Tyler and bouncing him yourself, his cries getting quieter pretty much immediately.

"I was doing that exact same thing," Tyler said. "How come you only want Mama?"

"Sometimes he cries when I have him, and then he's fine when you take him," you said, "He just wants what he wants when he wants it."

"Is that true?" Tyler asked, leaning over to kiss him. "Do you want to have a bonfire? Are you so excited for your first bonfire?"

And you realized, then, that somehow Tyler had managed to be there for all of Bentley's firsts, even though he wasn't physically there for most of the first month of Bentley's life.

Nothing made sense anymore.

You just could not handle the mixed signals anymore, the feeling like he was pulling away to do things on his own, and then he'd call you, like he did when he was away, to tell you he missed you.

He'd only let you take Cash, while he was gone, too, which was just ridiculous because the dogs didn't like to be apart from each other too much, especially Marshall and Cash, so you'd had to meet Tyler's mom so they could actually see each other again.

And you had to refrain from asking her why her son was being such an idiot.

But then he'd just hug you, and everything felt right.

Only for him to pull away again, and get lost in his own world, not really seeming to understand why you didn't want to come over, when he was having a party, when you had an infant, because he seemed to just think you could put the baby to sleep in his bed, and just tell everyone to keep it down.

It did not work.

And, yet.

And yet when Bentley was screaming his head off in your arms, and you felt like you wanted to scream, it was his name that your shaky finger found in your phone. Every single time.

"Hey," Tyler answered.

You took a deep, shuttering breath, and preparing yourself to speak, but he beat you to it.

"What's wrong?" he asked. And his concerned tone, letting you know he was focused on nothing else other than making sure you were okay, made you lose it. "I'm coming over, okay?' he said, and you felt like you could hear the jingles of his keys, already.

"Okay," you whispered.

"Just hang tight," he said. But as you hung up, you gripped your phone, hard in your hand, and then tossed it on the couch, hot tears running down your face. Because you felt like you needed him, like he was all you wanted, but as soon as you'd reached out, you felt like a failure.

This was supposed to be your thing.

"I am so sorry," you said, clutching your son to your chest, rubbing your hand up and down his back, because it was all you could do. You jumped when you heard the car door slam, and then again, when the front door of your house was open and shut in one motion. He looked at you, and you knew he just saw it all, his face softening.

And you lost it again.

You looked at each other, for a moment, as if Bentley's cries went quiet, and then life seemed to take over again.

"Okay," Tyler said, taking Bentley from you, "Let's go lay down in your crib for a minute."

"He has a fever, Tyler," you said, following Tyler to the nursery, where he laid Bentley down in his crib.

"Yeah, it's okay," Tyler said, taking your shoulder, and pulling you away from the crib. "If he's crying, then he's breathing, he'll be okay for one minute."

"I...." you said.

"Shhh..." Tyler said, in a way that could be condescending, but wasn't, and you took a deep breath, Bentley's cries quieter now that the door of his room was closed. He sat down on the couch, leaning forward so his arms were braced on his forearms. "He has a fever?"

"Yeah," you choked out, running your hand through your hair, frowning when it got caught on a tangle.

"What was it?"

"100.6," you said.

"Well, that's not much of a fever," Tyler said.

"It is for a baby his age, and I can't give him any medication because he's too young," you said. "I think he has an ear infection, because he keeps pulling at his ear, and he had that cold, and I took him to the doctor and they said his ears were okay. But now he has a fever."

"Well, when did you take him to the doctor?"

You weren't sure, quite what days were anymore, because it felt like you'd been hold up with a sick baby for the past week, not knowing what was day or night. "It was that day, that you went to that concert, because you snapchatted me to ask me what shoes you should wear," you said.

"So, two days ago," Tyler said.

"Yeah," you said, "and he's barely eaten anything all day, and he won't sleep, and now he has a fever, and he's not supposed to have a fever."

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"Well, if a baby under three months has a fever higher than 100.6, then they're supposed to go to the doctor right away, or go to the E.R."

"Well, is the doctor's office open now?"

"No," you said, "I called, like, half an hour ago, and I hoped they were gonna call me back but they didn't."

"Well, then we'll take him to the hospital," Tyler said, standing up.

"But I don't want to take him to the hospital."

"I know, I don't want to either, babe, but this is what he needs," Tyler said. "Is he okay in what he's wearing, or does he need to get changed?"

"I think he's fine, I don't want to put too much on him," you said, "I don't know what to take though."

"Well, just him, and his diaper bag," Tyler said, scratching his head, both of you walking towards Bentley's room now, "I don't know, does he have a health card of some kind?"

"No," you said, going into the room and pulling Bentley from his crib, resting your cheek against his forehead. "I meant if we have to stay overnight."

You felt like you needed to go as fast as possible, but also it also felt like you needed to slow things down.

"Well, let's not get too ahead of ourselves."

"Tyler...."

"If you have to stay, I'll come home and get what you need," Tyler said, "but let's just focus on getting him there."

"Okay," you said.

"I'm so sorry you don't feel good, bud," Tyler said, rubbing his hand and then placing a kiss on your temple. "We're gonna figure out what's going on with you, 'k? You ready, Mama?"

"Yeah," you breathed, grabbing a couple more diapers to stick in the bag, walking to the front door to put Bentley in his car seat and put your shoes on.

To make matters worse, it was raining.

"I'll drive, then you can sit with him," Tyler said.

"Okay," you said, weakly, getting into the backseat with Bentley, tucking a light blanket around him.

"Awe, poor little guy," Tyler said, once he started to drive, and Bentley continued to cry, sticking his hand in the backseat, and you weren't sure if it was for you to hold or if he was trying to reach the baby. "We're gonna take you to the doctor, and they're gonna make you feel all better."

"Did you get the bag?" You asked, sitting up now.

"Yes, babe , I got the bag," Tyler laughed lightly.

It was all you could do, as you drove, though, to just watch Bentley, offering him his pacifier, and rubbing his hands, or running your hand over his head.

You tried a pediatric urgent care clinic first, only to be told that they weren't accepting any more patients tonight, and directing you to a pediatric E.R. You'd never seen Tyler look so angry, continuing to glare at the man who'd told you 'no' even as you turned to walk back to the car in the rain.

So, when you got to the E.R., the first thing you did was take Bentley out of his carseat, tucking a blanket around him, which Tyler then held up above his head so he wouldn't get rained on as you went inside.

You anxiety was lessened a bit when the nurse took his stats, and you learned that his oxygen levels, heard rate, and blood pressure were all normal, and his temperature had come down 0.2 degrees from when you'd taken it at home, but he was just still so sad.

The nurse said that you'd be seen next, since he was so little. But next turned out to mean over an hour of you trying to rock Bentley in the chair, as far away from anyone else waiting as possible because you didn't want him to get more sick, Tyler holding your hand or just resting his hand on your shoulder, his thumb moving back and forth, and Tyler giving dirty looks to anyone who seemed annoyed by the crying baby, his body moving around yours.

It turned out, it was like you though, a full-blown ear infection in one ear, and a mild one in the other, so, another hour later, you were driving to the pharmacy, a prescription for antibiotics clutched in your hand. Thankfully, though, Bentley had fallen asleep about five minutes after you'd gotten back in the car, even though he was still making little noises in his sleep.

"Do you want me to take you guys home, and then I can come back to pick up his prescription?" Tyler asked.

"Ummm..." you said, looking at your finally sleeping baby, albeit not peacefully, "I think I might have to do it, I'm not sure, I've never gotten a prescription filled for him before."

"Oh, right," Tyler said, the sound of the blinking turn signal sounding loud in the quiet now.

"He's on my insurance," you said, realizing that you were curving the corner of the prescription, and now attempted to smooth out any wrinkles.

"Yeah," Tyler said, pulling into the parking lot, and finding a parking spot. "You want me to stay in the car with him so you can run in?"

"Yes, please," you said, taking off your seatbelt. But you sat, unmoving, staring at the raindrops rolling down the window until there were teardrops rolling down your cheeks.

"What are you-?" Tyler said under his breath, and then he turned around fully, and you slowly met his eye. "Why are you crying?"

"It's just...he's sick," you said, "he's sick enough that he needs medicine."

"Yeah, well, that's okay, kids get sick a lot, you must've known he was gonna get sick."

"Yeah, but I didn't think it'd be so soon," you said, sucking in a breath, "and i didn't think it'd be my fault."

"What?" Tyler whispered, "it's not your fault. The doctor said lots of babies get ear infections, because of how their ear tubes are."

"Yeah, because they can't drain properly after they have a cold. And he caught a cold, because I've taken him out, shopping and I've taken him to mommy and me yoga, and he was around so many babies. And moms. He could have gotten sick from anyone there. Or from anywhere."

You could see Tyler chewing on his lip. "Well, did your doctor say you weren't supposed to take him out?"

"No, but-"

"Then you didn't do anything wrong, " Tyler said. "You can't just keep him cooped up either, that can't be good for him. He likes being out, and looking at new things."

"No, I know," you sighed, "I just didn't think I'd have to take him to the E.R. at 2 months old."

"Yeah, but, you know what, I bet there's a bunch of 3 month old babies who haven't even been to the E.R. yet, he's an overachiever baby" Tyler said. "We should have have taken a picture: Baby's first E.R. visit."

You laughed, just a little, running your hand over your face. "I'm not really sure I want to remember this day," you said. "Can you watch him,while I go get this?"

"Yes," Tyler laughed, although you weren't sure why.

When you came back, the light from his phone was illuminating his face, and you opened the passenger side, sliding in next to him, immediately leaning back into the backseat.

"He's still sleeping," Tyler said, setting his phone down, "I just checked on him."

"That's good," you said, smiling a little, running your hands up and down your sides. "It's gonna be half an hour."

"Well, why don't we take him home?" Tyler asked, "he's probably tired."

"Yeah," you said, reaching for your seatbelt and then leaning back.

"Can I pick up his medicine?"

"Umm...yeah, you could," you said, stifling a yawn. "They asked me when I set up his account, if it was alright if other people picked things up for him and I said that was fine."

"Okay, well, you want to go home, and I'll come back and get it?"

"Yeah," you said, "that'd be really helpful."

Tyler smiled, his hand settling on your knee, rubbing it every now and again, as you leaned agains the car door, holding your head up.

Bentley was still sleeping when you got home, so you very carefully carried his car seat into the bedroom,setting the carseat down, and then closing the door gently, padding back into the hall where Tyler was waiting.

"Thank you so much," you said, walking right into his arms. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been here."

You felt his lips against the top of your head, his hand rubbing up and down your back. "You would have called your mom, or your sister, or Danielle, or my mom, or my sisters, or, maybe like your aunt or something, " Tyler said, "Or you would have just taken him yourself."

"I don't think I could have done that."

"Yeah, you could have," Tyler insisted. "You knew exactly what was wrong with him, and exactly what he needed. You would have made sure he had what he needed. But you're allowed to ask for help, too."

"I did."

"No, you don't," Tyler said, pulling against you. "If I'm here or if I offer, then sure. But you don't call me and say 'hey, my baby's been up all night, can you come hold him for a bit?' or 'hey, I could really use a hand with getting some groceries'. And people want to help you. But you have to let us."

You stepped back from him, taking a breath, and running your hand over your face again.

"You alright?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," you said. "It's just been a really, really long week. I'm just, like, really emotional."

Tyler tilted his head at you, smiling softly, and then he pulled you back in to him. "You're such a good mom, though," he said, his hand going to your shoulders so he could look you in the eyes, his thumb coming up to wipe under your eye. "He doesn't even know what love is, but he knows he loves you."

You smiled softly, letting him hug you again. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he said. And you kind of just wanted to stay there forever, in his arms, except you could hear Bentley start to fuss, like a sixth sense, and you padded into your bedroom to pull him out of his carseat before he got really upset, holding him to you, your hand instinctively feeling his forehead. "Shhh..." you soothed, bouncing him as you walked over to the glider, and then you kept your hand steady on his back as you started to rock. "He just wants to be held," you said, kissing the top of his head.

"Well, he should get as many cuddles as he wants," Tyler said, running his hand over Bentley's head, and placing a kiss there, and then doing the same with you. "I'm gonna go get his medicine. Do you need anything from the store?"

"No, I don't think," you said, and Tyler gave you a stern look, and then you tried to think back over your day in your head, knowing there was something you needed. "Oh, I need almond milk. For my coffee."

"Okay. Anything else? Diapers?"

"No, I have lots," you said. "Actually, can you get me the chocolate almond milk, please?"

"Yes," Tyler laughed, standing there still, shifting his weight back and forth, flipping the keys in his hand. "So, I'm just gonna go to the drug store, and then I'm gonna go to my house and pick up the dogs, and then I'll be back."

"Okay," you said, kissing Bentley again, "Wait, why are you getting the dogs?"

"Because I can't leave them home alone overnight," Tyler laughed.

"You're staying?"

"Mhmm..." Tyler said, like it was already decided.

"I feel better now, Tyler, you don't have to stay."

"Remember this talk we just had about you needing to accept help?" he asked, smiling softly.

"Yes," you said, smiling now too, "But if he's up in the night, then he's gonna want to eat, and you can't really...do anything there, to take care of him." There was no sense in both of you being tired, and maybe Tyler could just come back tomorrow.

"But I can take care of you," he said simply, looking at you for just a moment. "How about bottles?"

"Bottles?" you asked.

"For him," Tyler said, pointing at the baby, "I could give him a bottle, if you showed me how."

"Oh," you said, "Yeah, I haven't given him a bottle yet, and I don't really want to introduce that right now."

"Why not?"

"Well, I don't even know if he'll take it, and I also don't want him to get nipple confusion."

"What is nipple confusion?" Tyler laughed.

"When you give them other things, like pacifiers and bottles, and they get confused and forget how to breastfeed," you said.

"Oh," Tyler laughed again, "That sounded more exciting than it is."

"And he's been having a hard time eating lately, and I don't know if it's because he has a pacifier or what, but I just don't want him to stop breastfeeding."

"Okay, so I'll go get this, and the dogs, and I'll be back," Tyler said, smiling, "I have a key to your place, and three huge dogs, you couldn't keep us out if you wanted to."

"Okay," you laughed,

"You guys need anything before I go?"

"Can you turn on the nature sounds on his basinette?" you asked, and then pointed at the nightstand, which was just a complete mess, you noticed, filled with half-dranken drinks and empty snack wrappers, "And turn the diffuser on? I have stuff in there that's supposed to help with congestion for him. Thank you."

"I'll be right back," he promised, and you continued to rock Bentley while he was gone. It didn't seem like very long before you heard your front door open, and the sound of paws throughout the house, and it sounded like Tyler was going into the kitchen to put the milk away. "We have to be really, really quiet, guys," you heard Tyler say in a soft voice, "He might be sleeping and he's not feeling very good, so I need you guys to be good."

You smiled, and it wasn't very long before your bedroom door flung open, all three dogs coming in panting. "K, on the bed," Tyler said, trailing in after them and patting the mattress. They tried to sniff a bit, but did jump up, probably sensing the energy in the room, and Tyler smiled, kissing them all. "Good boys."

Tyler came around, leaning over to where Bentley was laying against your chest. "Is he sleeping?" you asked.

"No, his eyes are open, but he looks really, really sleepy," Tyler said, holding up the bag. "Do you want to give this to him now?"

"I don't know, how often is he supposed to have it?"

"Every 12 hours," Tyler said, "I also got some baby probiotics for him, because the pharmacist said it'd help his tummy when he's on antibiotics."

"Well, when does he get those?" you asked.

"Umm..." Tyler said, opening the bag and looking at the box. "It says 2 to 3 hours before or after antibiotics, put it on his pacifier, or with formula or breast milk."

You rolled your eyes at Tyler laughing as he said 'breast'.

"Okay, so let's give him the antibiotics now, and then just put the probiotics here, and I'll give them to him when he eats next."

"Okay," Tyler said, taking out the oral syringe and then medication. "Do you want me to do this?"

"Did you wash your hands?" you asked.

"Yeah, I did when I got back from the store."

"Okay," you said, "Do you know how to do the dosage and stuff?"

"Yeah, it's like when I did your shots," Tyler said, "Except no needles."

Still, he let you double check the dosage, before he crouched down, putting it in Bentley's mouth. "Squirt it towards the side of his mouth so it's harder for him to spit back out," you said.

"Okay," Tyler said, his eyes focused as he did so, and Bentley just kind of coughed a little and made a face, but managed to get most of it down before he started crying again, and you watched all three dogs lift their heads up, staring at you, Gerry starting to whine, but he didn't make a move to jump off the bed.

"Oh," you said, rubbing his back. "It's okay, that's gonna help you feel better."

"He's like 'what is this? This is not my milk,'" Tyler said.

You laughed, "I tried to give him milk, but he took like two sips and then he didn't want anymore."

"Well, maybe he's not hungry."

"I know," you said, "But I wanted him to have fluids. He hasn't had anything for, like, 6 hours."

"Yes, he has," Tyler said, "You fed him in the car, after we left the hospital."

"I did?" you asked.

"Yes," Tyler laughed, "I don't know how much he had, but he had something. I think maybe he just might want to sleep now, he's tired."

"Yeah," you said, looking down at him, "I just want to sit up with him for a bit, and make sure he doesn't have an allergic reaction. You're not allergic to any antibiotics, right?"

"No," Tyler said, smirking at you. "The doctor asked us that, at the hospital."

"He did?" you asked.

"Yes," Tyler smiled, his hand smoothing over your head. "You're exhausted, babe. Do you want me to put him in his bed?"

"No," you said. "I can't sleep right now, anyways. We can watch T.V., if you want."

"'K," Tyler said, "Grey's?"

You shook your head. "I don't think I can handle that right now."

"Okay," Tyler said, grabbing your remote and getting on your bed, sitting on top of the blankets with the dogs. "Let's watch something funny. Oh, we can watch that house show you liked."

"Okay," you said. Even though you were really just barely watching, your eyes heavy as you rocked your baby, kissing him, and just feeling grateful that it wasn't worse. You felt chilled, too, and you realized that you'd probably been cold the whole evening, and yet hadn't realized it, your eyes watering, not from emotion, but more so because you were just so wholly exhausted, emotionally and physically.

"Tyler?" you asked, after it was after 1, and you'd been sitting up with Bentley for over and hour and nothing had changed, other than the fact that he'd fallen asleep on you. "Could you bring in his swing from the living room? I want to see if he'd sleep better like that, if he's on an incline, it might make his ear hurt less?"

"Yeah, sure," Tyler said. And once he did, you just stood up with Bentley slowly, very carefully setting him in his swing.

"Shh...." you said when he stirred a little, and you kept crouched in front of him until he seemed to settle, and then you smiled at Tyler, backing away slowly and looking for your pajamas where you'd left them on the floor. You changed, in the dim light, realizing that Tyler hadn't seem you naked since you'd given birth, but you didn't care anymore.

This was just your life now.

You just wanted it all out there, and you didn't want to play pretend anymore.

This was you.

You turned around, once you'd changed and you saw that he'd followed suit in getting ready for bed, his shirt gone, and you frowned, taking a step forward, your eyes focused on those very familiar numbers on his torso, opposite his Stanley cup tattoo, and that name, you'd chosen for your son, in cursive above.

"Is that his birth date?" you asked.

"Well, I hope so," Tyler laughed. "Someone really screwed up if it isn't."

"No, no, it's right," you said, stepping forward still, your hand extended as if you wanted to touch it.

"You didn't see it before until now?" Tyler asked, "I've had it the whole time I've been home."

"Really?" you asked, kneeling on the side of the bed so you could run your finger over it now.

"Yeah, I got it after the playoffs," he said, and you stood back up.

"Wha - why?" you asked dumbly.

"Because he's always gonna be a part of me," Tyler answered, matter-of-factly.

"Really?" you asked with your whole heart.

"Yeah, of course," Tyler smiled at you. "C'mon, boys, move over, let Mama in."

You managed to wiggle your way in, curled up, but it didn't really matter, laying on your side so you could still see Bentley sleeping, and you felt the warmth of Tyler behind you. You smiled, reaching your hand back to find Tyler's and you threaded your fingers through his, wrapping his arm around you, and you felt him move closer, his lips pressed against the back of your head.

You just needed to know he was there, with you, too.

#wont go slowly #Tyler Seguin #tyler seguin imagine #nhl fanfiction #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #Hockey Fanfiction #hockey imagines #hockey imagine

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loraneldin · 4 years

Text

Eight-Pack - Part 5

This part has gotten away from me but I like the result so shrugs

(Master post)

Clint can admit that he has enjoyed everything that has changed. Nat had her reservations, but no one has been stupid enough to try and patronize her. So she settled into the situation. And since that night, when Bucky practically radiated the need for closeness, all her walls have fallen.

The more the team has grown together, the more relaxed Bucky has gotten. Clint hasn’t said anything, but he feels the same. He could have lived the rest of his life being happy that he found Nat, and that she’d become his family, but this? This seemingly random group of people where he now can get cuddles whenever he needs them, and his shirt smells like home whenever he goes out (home as in his people, not home in the sense of the lady on the fabric softener package), and there is just this thrumming in his chest at any moment of the day saying that he doesn’t have to be alone? Yeah, that is awesome.

But Clint doesn’t say that. He doesn’t have to. He’s got it without ever asking for anything.

Which doesn’t mean that he doesn’t do his best to keep their dynamic going and avoid any trap falls. He firmly believes that they fit each other more than they all realize, but even he knows that relationships, families… packs need work. You can’t take them for granted.

So when the day promises to be a sunny one, and it looks like Bucky isn’t about to let Tony go to work anytime soon, and Clint knows that that will lead to Tony missing his sparring date with Steve, he does his best.

“Hey Buckster, want to go for ice cream?”

Bucky looks up from where he has put another pancake on Tony’s plate. “We just had breakfast.”

“But did we have ice cream?” Clint shoots back.

Tony is looking at the pancake as if it is about to attack him. “Maybe Clint wants the pancake?”

“You have a busy day and need the nourishment,” Bucky refuses the offer.

“And I want ice cream,” Clint adds. “I know the best place in the city.”

Bucky still looks at him like he is talking in tongues.

“And it’s a nice walk, which is totally healthy, and until we’re there, it’s probably noon… ish.”

Tony turns over his pancake as if it might be smaller from the other side before looking up at Bucky and shoving him with an elbow.

Clint decides it’s for the team and says, “Please?” It’s not as if he is asking for himself.

The way in which Bucky melts from that small word is either ridiculous or the sweetest thing Clint has ever seen. Before Bucky can think of any more objections, Clint says, “I’ll go get my wallet,” and runs out of the room.

After Bucky packed Tony some more pancakes as a snack and put the rest in the fridge, they are off to the city. Bucky asks several times where they are going, but Clint refuses to answer. He knows Bucky will want to take the subway because it’s much faster, but he agreed to walk there, so that’s what they are doing.

When they meet the first dog, and Clint is off to ask the owner if he can pet him, he only starts thinking how Bucky might react after he already said goodbye to dog and owner. He turns around before he can recognize the weight in his stomach as worry, but again Bucky is sporting that sappy smile, and Clint rolls his eyes. They get recognized a few times, and the camera flashes indicate that their photo will be online on some portal in half an hour. If it would have been Tony or Steve or Nat or Thor who had been seen with Bucky, it would fire up the talk about potential romance again. But Clint is a beta and therefore apparently not husband material for “America’s super alpha” as one outlet nicknamed Bucky.

It’s luck, really. This way, those few photos also stay the only ones.

It takes them a bit over an hour to get to their destination. Partly due to the distance and partly due to the sheer amount of dogs they meet. After the second time that Clint is allowed to pet one, he always finds that Bucky has been taking pictures and put them in the group chat. Tony asks if they have to get a puppy after the third photo, which gets echoed by six no’s.

When they come to the corner with the ice cream shop, it’s closed. There is an official note about health code violations.

“Aw, man.”

“Clint, be glad they’re closed.” Bucky is awfully reasonable. “You might have gotten food poisoning.”

“But the dark chocolate pistachio was totally worth it.” Clint can still taste it.

“Clint? Did you get sick from their ice cream before?” Bucky sounds either worried or horrified; Clint isn’t quite sure.

“There was no way to really tell what it was from after?” At least that is what Clint told himself. Nothing good in life comes without consequences.

Bucky turns away, bringing his hand to his face and making an ‘ugh’ sound. Clint kicks the stoop of the neighboring building. “It wouldn’t have made you sick. The serum won’t let it. I was sure.”

Bucky’s flesh hand comes up to Clint’s shoulder, turning him around. Lowering his head, Bucky makes eye-contact with him. “I’m not worried about me. But you can have awesome ice cream without risking your well-being.”

Clint swallows and gets wrapped up in Bucky’s arms right after. Stupid giant alpha super soldier physique. Clint disappears up to his nose in the hug and after a moment he relaxes against Bucky. Only after floating in the comforting alpha scent for a minute, does he realize that he probably reeked like rejected beta during their discussion. He has never been good at masking and controlling his scent, has had enough trouble because of it. Heat climbing on his face, he peels himself out of the embrace.

Before he can suggest anything to end the suffocating absence of a plan, Bucky says, “I asked the team what their favorite ice cream shop is.” His phone is repeatedly jingling with group chat notifications.

“You text while holding me? No fair.” Complaining is easy.

“Which has given us eight great suggestions for other ice cream shops. Three are from Tony. He apparently doesn’t know the meaning of ‘your favorite one’. I’ll tell him to pick one.”

“And then?”

Bucky grins at him. “We’ll put them to the test. Only one can be the chosen one.”

“Ice cream battle royal?” Cint can hear the awe in his own voice.

“If you’re up for it?” Bucky’s eyes are sparkling with some emotion.

“Are you kidding?”

They walk to the one that is only three blocks away. Bucky says they will only get one flavor each because they have to test five other shops after all. Clint complains for a minute just for the sake of it and then takes the black forest. Bucky asks the lady what she recommends and gets the macadamia white chocolate.

Clint’s eyes try to bulge out of his head when he gets the first taste of his. “This is incredible.”

Bucky laughs. “This is the first shop.”

“And probably the best. This is so delicious.”

The lady behind the counter laughs with Bucky, but Clint doesn’t care. He shoves his cone at Bucky. “Take a lick! It’s so good.”

Bucky draws up an eyebrow but doesn’t refuse. He nods at the taste and then offers his own to Clint. It’s not as good as the black forest, but Clint still can’t believe that any of the other shops can be that good.

“Let’s check out the next one, and then we can decide to go back here or test out the rest.”

Clint agrees, already planning which flavor try when they get back. They slowly walk to the subway station, while finishing their cones. They board the southbound train. “Whose suggestion was the last one?” Clint asks.

“Bruce,” Bucky says. “The next one is Nat’s.”

“Is it Spike's Ice Saloon?” Clint asks. He has been there with Nat, and it is good but not that good. They can turn back to shop number one right now in that case.

“No, it’s Frozen Jeremy’s,” Bucky answers. He looks at Clint with a mixture of surprise and amusement.

“She has kept an ice cream shop from me?” Several people look in their direction. Maybe Clint has gotten a little loud.

Bucky doesn’t answer but takes Clint’s hand. His mood cools down pretty fast. There is no chance that Nat’s shop is better than Bruce’s. And he will let her know that. Disloyal omega!

The shop is colorful in a loud way, and the flavors have names that don’t make any sense. After getting explanations on most of them Clint takes the “To bee or nut to bee”. Bucky asks for a recommendation again and gets “Eye of the tiger” which is orange with pancake bits and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Waiting for him to try his first, Clint is a little bit disappointed when Bucky nods approvingly. Without tasting his own, he grabs Bucky’s wrist and manages to get a bit with pancake. He doesn’t know what to say. It is actually good. Confused he licks his own. It’s even better.

Bucky grabs his shoulder, pulling him close. “It’s okay. You can get back at her later.”

They continue their journey. The group chat is pinging continuously with questions and everyone praising their own recommendation and telling them which flavor they need to try. Next on the list is Tony’s. It’s a small shop, but there is already a line, going down half the block. Bucky’s phone rings, and he answers on speakerphone.

“Hey, you two. Are you already at Brunelli’s?” Tony asks.

Clint answers, “Tony, all three of us know that you asked Jarvis to alarm you when we get here.”

“Well, I offered you the possibility of ignoring that. Anyhow, you need to get the chocolate; it’s perfect. You don’t need any of that fancy crap.”

Clint looks over to see how Bucky reacts to Tony describing anything as ‘fancy crap’, and to his deepest satisfaction, he is also laughing, silently.

“I sure hope it is because the queue is longer than one of Thor’s stories.”

“Well, that isn’t a problem,” Tony says and hangs up.

“Oh no.” Clint feels a slight panic rise up.

Bucky’s eyes have gone wide too. “You don’t think…”

But already they can see a young man with dark hair in a ponytail and an apron walk past the queue.

“You’re Tony’s friends?” he asks, still a small distance away. Clint stops in horror. They are going to get killed. By a mob. About ice cream.

People in the queue are already turning around to them but there is no heckling. Yet.

“Come on, follow me. Don’t worry, we do that regularly for friends and good customers. And the queue looks long, but we are serving fast.”

Clint isn’t convinced as people are definitely staring. Bucky takes his hand, and it’s reassuring, especially with him shielding part of the queue from Clint’s sight, but Clint only completely relaxes when one lady tells them that they deserve it for what they did last week in Central Park. The fight had been short but causing a lot of debris and fallen trees that needed cleaning up, and Tony and Steve decided it was a good first public appearance for Bucky to help with that. And they were right.

The man in the apron is Antonio of all names, and his grandparents opened the shop 35 years ago. He seems surprised but not perturbed when they only take one scoop each. Bucky gets the chocolate and Clint the stracciatella. It’s so good that Clint wants to cry. Antonio looks like he expected nothing less.

“It’s a common reaction. Enjoy the rest of your date.”

Clint and Bucky are out the door before Clint can freak out. Did Tony tell him that? Or was it the handholding? If it was a date, Clint thinks, it would be an awesome one. And they still have three ice cream shops to go.

“Which is next?” Clint asks before the silence can stretch too long.

“If we do Steve’s favorite next, we get a bit of a break.”

“Let me guess, it’s in Brooklyn.”

“Any comments on that?” Bucky asks pointedly.

“Noooo.” Clint enjoys the way Bucky’s face lights up at his sarcasm. They make their way to the nearest subway station and discuss for five minutes which is the better combination of trains to get them to Brooklyn. Clint finally puts it in the group chat, and the longer route with less changing of trains wins over the faster one three to two. Bruce makes a point of not picking a side.

What Clint hasn’t calculated for is that he is now sitting in a train with nothing to keep his hands occupied, and it’s making him twitchy. He taps his foot and thinks about how Bucky took his hand before. It made sense; it was good. They have made a rule of everyone being allowed to ask for physical affection anytime around the tower, but that hasn’t translated into the public like this until today. He starts to snap his right middle finger against his left thumbnail.

“Do you want to get off and walk for a bit?” Bucky’s question startles him out of his thoughts.

“No, it’s fine.” Clint scratches his nose. Ah, what’s the point. He leans his body against Bucky and drops his head on his shoulder. There is a hum, and Bucky’s arm settles across his back.

The rumbling of the train keeps it from being really comfy, but Clint is calmer by the minute. As his brain slowly stops hopping tracks, he notices a few things. First, there are a few furtive glances here and there and there is no way to tell if someone is taking pictures with everybody having their phones out anyway. Second, Bucky doesn’t seem to care in the least; what wafts off him in politely reduced intensity is contention and safety. And third, with all the trundling of the train and their close contact Bucky is very careful to not rub any of his scent glands against Clint’s bare skin. He has his head turned a little to the side and his arm is wrapped around Clint’s shoulder, but in a way that keeps his bare arm from touching Clint’s skin. It doesn’t move one bit, and there will only be the barest hint left of Bucky on Clint as soon as they reach Brooklyn. It is, of course, the polite thing to do. Clint thinks about pushing his head into Bucky’s neck for a moment, but the thought is gone as fast as it has sprung up.

With the way they act at home, there is no avoiding that most of the time they all smell like they sleep in one big pile on the floor every night, but that is still a big step away from scent marking each other, especially in public.

They reach their stop, and Bucky removes his arm, carefully avoiding touching Clint with his wrist. Clint again resists the urge to turn and accidentally rub himself against it.

Steve’s recommended ice cream shop is in a residential area with only a few small businesses strewn in between. The place looks like the all American soda shop every conservative news outlet would love to know is Steve Rogers’ favorite sundae place. Down to the marquee and checkered floor tiles.

Clint barely manages to close his mouth. “He is fucking with us, right?”

“Nope,” Bucky pops the p, but it’s clear that Clint is missing some joke.

They enter with Bucky holding the door open for Clint, and as soon as the bell jingles, there is already a small middle-aged lady hurrying around the bar. “Bucky! Don’t you think you can confuse me with any blond boy. I know that that isn’t Steve.”

“Hi Lam,” Bucky says with a small chuckle. “This is Clint, which I know you know since you comment on any piece of information about the Avengers that gets posted anywhere on the internet.” His infliction makes it clear that he thinks it’s a bit too much. “Clint, this is Lam, owner of Steve’s favorite ice cream place.”

“Only Steve’s? So so?” Lam squints at Bucky and then links arms with Clint and leads him towards the counter. She pats a stool only a little to the side from the cash register. Clint sits down, not sure what he has walked into here. Bucky has followed them and takes the stool one down from Clint, looking amused at whatever is going on.

Lam has made her way back behind the counter and is still ignoring Bucky. “Clint, of course you get the big classic vanilla sundae, right? It comes in a bowl as big as your head. I’ll put extra cherries on top.”

“Actually…” Bucky gets instantly leveled with a glare. “Clint loves coffee.”

Lam’s eyes light up.

Bucky continues, “As we have some other plans though, he can’t have your grandiose big sundae either.”

That brings back the scowl.

“But we could share a medium one.”

From the corner of his eye, Clint can see Bucky looking at him for confirmation, but Clint is still looking at Lam whose eyes flick between the two of them with sudden interest. Clint doesn’t know what to do except accepting that he has no idea what is going on. “Yeah, sure,” he says with a smile, turning his head to Bucky. Lam is already giving instructions to the kitchen in what Clint assumes is Vietnamese.

Five minutes later, a sizeable dish with two spoons gets placed before them. It’s not all ice cream; there is also some pastries and fresh mango. Still, there is a swirl of whipped cream with a cherry on top in the middle. Bucky spoons it up and offers it to Clint. “According to Lam, it’s what makes it a real sundae.”

Clint eats cream and cherry, only realizing that he could have also taken the spoon from Bucky, when a large smile blooms on the alpha’s face. Clint looks around to see if anyone has noticed, and Lam is giving him two thumbs-up with a grin spanning her whole face.

Clint busies himself with tasting all the different things that are there. He starts at the pastries that are fruity and decently sweet. The first ball of ice cream is coconut. When he tries the dark one, he feels watched. It’s obviously coffee ice cream, but when Clint puts it in his mouth it is extremely strong. He scrunches up his face and looks at Bucky, who has his phone ready and takes a picture. He has the decency to not send it to the chat before explaining that you are supposed to eat the coffee ice cream together with the creamy white one next to it. “It’s condensed milk.”

Clint is skeptical, but together it is perfect. He sneaks a peek at his phone. Nat is asking if they can blow the photo up and hang it into the kitchen. He puts the phone down again. Every bite of their sundae is delicious, and Bucky pushes even more mango onto Clint’s side of the bowl when they are almost done. He would do the same with Tony and everyone else at home. Nothing unusual.

After Clint scraped out the bowl, he insists on a photo of him with Lam and Bucky. Maybe he can convince Steve that it would make a far better picture for the kitchen. And if Steve makes puppy eyes at Tony, they’ll get it.

They leave the shop, and Bucky looks expectantly at Clint. “What?”

“Want to go to the next one?” he asks full well knowing the answer.

“God no. One more bite and I’m gonna die.”

Bucky nods as if satisfied that he doesn’t have to restrain Clint for his own health. Not that that ever happened before. “Want to go home?”

“We are not giving up! This is just a break. I’ll get my second wind. I’ll tell you.” The weather is still nice and they are somewhere where Bucky apparently comes to more often. “Any other interesting places to spend time around here?”

“I guess you are not talking about the great diner two blocks from here?” Clint’s glare gets only answered by another laugh. “Well, there is a nice little park. Maybe there are some more dogs.”

It could’ve sounded condescending, but it sounds like Bucky thinks it’s a valid argument for going there.

It’s only a short distance, and Clint takes Bucky’s hand because they have established that it’s okay. It’s the metal hand, and Clint for the first time realizes that Bucky doesn’t have a scent gland on his left wrist. It’s probably the least of issues with the arm and all the crappy history around it, but for the first time, Clint feels like he has a glimpse of how much it must have sucked for Bucky.

“Do you ever try to use the scent gland on your left arm just to notice it’s not there?” Clint bites his tongue directly after the thought is out. It’s a stupid question to ask.

“Like you trying to turn down the volume on your hearing aids when Natasha signs too much at you before your first coffee?” Bucky asks back with a wicked grin.

“That was one time.” Clint is tempted to pull his hand away, but he is afraid he might not get Bucky’s hand back.

Bucky continues, “Not really. It feels too different. Not that there has been a need to use those scent glands since I got the arm.”

Again, Clint wants to hit himself over the head. Bucky hadn’t spent the last 70 years hooking up with people. There was Hydra, then a short but trying phase of being on the run, and then he moved in with them.

“It’s okay; it’s nothing I can’t wait for,” Bucky adds, and Clint again notices too late that his embarrassment must be stinking up the air. Bucky’s words register moments later. Wait for. Bucky is waiting. It’s a split-second decision. Clint looks around to make sure there are no little children or dogs to traumatize and then pulls Bucky to the side of the paths. He has to slightly get up on his toes to reach Bucky’s face and bring their lips together.

It’s more familiar than it has any right to be. Of course, the smell is Bucky, home, or part of it, and it only intensifies with happiness and longing and something spicy Clint is not ready to think about yet. Bucky’s arms wrapped around him feel as good as ever, and maybe they wouldn’t be here if not for the reassurance that they have come to mean to Clint. It is as if they have been on the road to this moment for a long while now. Their lips fit together as easily as their bodies do, and Clint sinks down in the feeling of completeness that comes with it. He only notices that he is dragging his arms along the scent glands on both sides of Bucky’s neck when Bucky lowly growls against his mouth.

Clint lets their lips fall apart to ask, “Is that good?” He is pretty sure but wants to hear it.

“Yes, please. Yes,” Bucky answers as if he can’t get the words out fast enough. He tugs carefully at the back of Clint’s shirt, and Clint nods before he dives back into kissing Bucky as if he had to make up for the pause.

Bucky’s right hand slowly moves under his shirt to his lower back. He drags his wrist over the skin there and Clint can start to smell it. It’s the same scent that all of them would also get out of a cuddle with Bucky, just purer. It is as clearly a claim as it can be, and it smells perfect. Clint won’t ever admit it to Nat, but it’s like it belongs to the fantasy heroic alpha that a too skinny beta teenager with lots of troubles might imagine could save him from whatever problems he was currently caught up in.

They separate hectically when they hear a bike speeding past. It’s gone as soon as Clint has taken a step back. When their eyes connect they both can’t stop laughing. Bucky holds out his hand again. “And what now?”

Clint takes it. “Now,” he takes his phone from his pocket, “we are going to send the rest a selfie.”

If possible Bucky looks even happier at that. In the end, Bucky has to take the picture to get the angle right (stupid big alpha genes). Clint sends one where there is no question that they are kissing but they don’t look stupid. He locks the screen as fast as possible after.

“We are not waiting for their reactions?” Bucky asks but it doesn’t sound like a protest. It doesn’t even sound surprised.

“Let’s figure out how to get to the next place, and then we’ll see what they say.”

Clint takes Bucky’s hand for the minute it takes them to meet the next dog. But Clint knows he’ll get to hold it again after.

A small walk and a subway ride later, they are back in Manhattan. The place that Sam recommended has only soft serve but with a multitude of sauces and fruits as topping. Clint gets caramel with raspberries and blueberries. Bucky asks him what he should take in exchange for him ordering at Lam’s. Clint chooses cherry with chocolate sauce and extra cherries on top.

They settle on one of the small chairs outside while eating, and Clint pulls out his phone. Even during the subway ride, Bucky didn’t take his phone out once. Clint’s stomach feels like it’s going to drop somewhere it doesn’t belong until Bucky moves his chair closer and squeezes his thigh with his metal hand. Clint opens the messenger.

The first text is from Tony and just says, “Finally!!!”

Then there is a smiley from Bruce, congratulations from Thor, and a thumbs up from Sam. In a second text, Sam adds “You look cute.” with a winking smiley. Nat’s message says “You’ll both have some explaining to do.” followed by “And yeah, this is fricking cute.” followed by Sam making fun of her for “fricking”.

And then there is another picture of Tony kissing Steve. It is actually a small series of pictures with Steve going from surprised to participating enthusiastically.

Clint clicks on the first one to make it large, and Bucky presses his face close to Clint’s to be able to see too. Swiping through the photos, they both are silent until Clint says, “That’s hot.”

Bucky laughs and turns Clint’s face around to kiss him again. In the middle of Manhattan, on a sunny afternoon.

“There is probably reporters around–” Clint says when they come up for air.

Bucky settles back a little. “If you don’t want them to–”

“No, not what I was saying.” Clint swoops back to kissing Bucky. “Doesn’t matter,” he mumbles against his lips.

Somehow they manage to finish their soft serve and when they check back in there is a whole new bunch of messages. It seems like this is something that everyone has just been waiting for. Clint wonders what they might be missing at home.

“Want to get something for everyone from Thor’s ice cream shop and take it back to the tower?” Bucky asks.

Clint looks at him and can’t even muster any surprise. Bucky is just unbelievably good at taking care of anyone. And today he has been really good at taking care of Clint. No questions asked.

“Yeah, let’s go home and keep them from getting into trouble.”

#MCU #eight pack AU #clint x bucky #if you ignore the #OT8 #background #fanfic #my writing

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