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himbos-hotline · 1 year

Note

“You literally don’t have to do anything to catch my attention because my eyes have never really been on anyone else other than you.” jay & cole !

And we'll bury these old ghosts here

Word count: 2911 words Ship: The polycule, Focused mainly on Jay Orton /Adam Cole, Jay Orton/Kenny Omega, Jay Orton & Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson, Kenny Omega & Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson Characters: Jay Orton, Adam Cole, Doc Sampson, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Aubrey Edwards Triggers: Jay get's hurt in the ring [its not serious] but theres a mention of her bleeding, lightly implied sexual content, Authors note: When better to realise your feelings for your ex-best friend [and ex fuckbuddy] when in the middle of a match when theyre hurt?

There’s a growing pressure in Jay's temple. It spread across their forehead like someone just forced a spike through their head and suddenly Kennys fingers, brushing slowly against the bend of their arm, is too much to deal with. She squirms slowly out of his grip and presses her hand apologetically against his thigh as he frowns confused. “What's wrong?” He asks watching Jay start to pace the small locker room, grumbling when she nearly trips over Nick stretching on the floor and watching curiously from the corner of his eyes.

“I can’t believe that I have to team with him!” Jay feels like she should sound sad. A small part of her does feel sad about it. But anger weaves its way through her words quicker than she expected it too and the small part of her heart that is distinctly shaped like Adam Cole twitches. It feels like she’s been punched in the gut and as she sits on the floor beside her brother, Jay rubs her thumb across the scar on their forehead, the calloused pad rubbing the skin raw and red.

“You guys teamed in the other place..” Nick mentions quietly, picking at a loose sequin on his ring gear. When Jay winces, Nick frowns in apology and takes Jay’s hand in his. Jay doesnt speak a lot about WWE, it's almost a forbidden topic, something that Jay is ashamed about. Nick squeezes her hand softly, waits for them to squeeze back before whispering “You’re scared.”

“I’m not scared. He's insufferable. He always has been!” She’s guaring herself, rebuilding the walls that Nick is poking at, scratching at the cracking cement until bricks fall down. “You guys know what he’s like!” The sentence slips out and the room falls silent. Matt looks off to the side, picking at his ring tape, Nick stares down at his lap and Kenny just closes his eyes. “Sorry…”

“Can’t you just try too?” Matt asks, eyebrows pressing together slightly. His face has turned something sour like he's bitten the inside of his cheek and Jay feels angry guilt settle in her stomach like heavy snowfall. Everyone in the small room is looking at her with soft eyes begging.

“Fine.” Jay grumbles, folding her arms across his chest like a grumpy toddler. They don't talk or think about Adam Cole again until Jay is standing alone in the tunnel waiting for him. She leans against the wall, fixes her headband and glares at him when he jogs up to them.

“Hi.” He mumbles, pushing a hand through his hair. Jay nods silently, trying their best to stop himself from looking him up and down. History floats between the two of them and Jay wishes it was like before.

She knows every inch of his skin. He knows that Adam sleeps on his right side and is scared of the dark. She remembers how the soft glow of his nightlight painted the curve of his jaw while he slept. They know that he cuts his strawberries into quarters. She knows that he smells of mint and sandalwood. Jay knows that Adam has held their very heart in his hands and squashed it like a sourgrape between his hands.

Shattered love and friendship for the glorious taste of gold and the weight of a championship title. Jay knows it's the past but the hurt that roars in her chest whenever he sees his face is rusted and stained with tears.

And she hates it. She hates him for it. They hate him so much that she wants to fall into his arms and melt into him until they’re a tag team again. Until the past is something new and shiny.

Jay’s itching to touch him as Adam rolls his neck. He untucks his leather jacket from under his arm and Jay feels their breath still in her throat. The same worn elbow patches, the same collar that doesn’t fully fall down. “You kept it?” Jay doesnt mean for their voice to quirk upwards or for their eyes to flick across his chest. Cole shrugs his leather jacket on and nods.

“Of course I did. It makes me look cool!” Adam’s laughing at Jay’s little shocked expression and Jay can’t help the smile that spreads across their lips. “Your ring tapes coming off. Let me.” He reaches out for their hand and Jay, lost in the ever so pretty sea of his eyes, nods.

He’s held hands with him before, a long time ago. Before Jay found zemelves and Cole started shifting through filters, squinting down at his phone screen to see what he would look like as a girl. His fingers stroke across their wrist and for a few seconds Jay wonders if Adam can feel their pulse quickening. His nails glisten under the dull lights of backstage and Jay feels something click in her brain. “Clear nail polish?”

Adam’s face opens and yanks his hand back, tucking them quickly into his jacket pockets. He thumbs at a hole in the soft cotton inside, using his nails to pick it open wider. “Is it that obvious?!” Panic’s rising in her eyes, making them flick back and forth like he's playing tennis with the rising thoughts. “I should- I need-”

“Adam.” Jay closes the small amount of space between them to grab his face. Her face is soft and open, lips parted in a small smile. Adam stares at her for a few moments, searching their face for the words that are coming. Is he mad? Are they waiting for an explanation. “I think it looks great, did you paint them yourself?” When he nods, Jay makes a small sound and carefully knocks their forehead against his chin as she pulls away. The music of their opponents is echoing through backstage.

“You did well…” Jay whispers, turning their back on him. The air in the small space is thick. It feels normal. It feels like before. When they sat in a small Florida hotel room, Adam curled up terrified and shaking in her arms as a storm rolled across the city. Jay had held him close and kissed his temple. The two of them had danced and Adam had kissed her. He wants to kiss them again. He steps forward slightly, pausing when they look curiously over their shoulder. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He answers, the word whispering out in a small sigh. Her music hits and with another curious, kind look back at him before walking out through the curtain. The crowd explodes into an excited raw and Adam smiles, almost like Jay is something that belongs to him and the attention they are getting fuels him. It’s a guilty little thought, Jay hasn’t been part of him since NXT, since the nights in hotel rooms when he buried himself so deep inside her that Adam was sure that they’d never fully separate.

Maybe they never have. A small voice in the back of his head tells him, whenever he thinks about him, a warm fuzzy feeling washes over his mind and in his chest, filling Adam with enough warmth that he doesn’t need to tangle a blanket around himself when he crawls back into an empty bed.

Her theme fades away, their themes merging together for a split second before Adam’s takes control and every eye in the arena turns to him. His skin bristles and a small part of his mind states that he's happy he shaved this morning, something in Adam’s mind ticks happily as bright lights scan over his thighs and when he looks up at Jay, she's swaying her head in time with his theme and that happy fuzzy feeling returns to Adam’s chest.

They share a look, Jay leaning against the turnbuckles. “I’ll start.” Cole states, purposely leaning over her to press the bottom rope against the matt. A silent sign that Jay should get out of the ring. His eyebrow quirks upwards when his tag partner simply folds their arms across their binder-flat chest.

“No, I’ll start.”

“Why?” Cole asks, foot still bouncing slightly against the rope. He’s trying to keep his face neutral as Jay pinches the bridge of his nose, rolling the piercing there between his fingers.

“Because I'm-” Jay’s voice stills. She can’t think of why apart from the fact she walked out the curtain first. Zey shift into Adam’s space, looking up at him before down at the open rope. “I’m faster, I can do more damage quicker.” It’s a bullshit excuse but seemingly it works on Adam, before he drops his foot back onto the mat and steps out of the ring, shoving past her.

The bell rings and before Jay can get into the match, Cole tags himself in. He doesnt mean for his hand to come down on her shoulder as hard as it does. Jay yelps, narrowing her eyes as Cole steps out the ring and gestures for her to leave.

“Bitch.” Jay snaps, sliding out the ring and Cole has to catch his breath before locking up. The match plays out roughly, Jay and Cole merge as a new team about as well as oil mixes with water, it's nothing like what the two of them remember. They’ve walked this road together and neither of them remember it being this cracked. Cole tags out, slapping Jay on her thigh and for a few seconds, Jay considers stepping on his fingers as he kneels, clinging onto the ring apron to catch his breath.

She doesn’t, simply uses the curve of her ring boot to nudge him in his jaw, rolling into the ring. He knows that Cole’s just being stubborn, the roar of the crowd and every eye settled on him has always been his siren song and Jay understands. Standing on the turnbuckle, Jay listens to l'appel du vide. The call of the void. Adam’s staring at her from their corner, blue eyes wide and eyebrows pinched together in a look that Jay knows is fear.

“Hurry!” He calls, trying to keep the bravado strong in his voice so their opponents don't spot the fear in his eyes. Jay leaps, feels air rush past her ears. She feels like Icraus tumbling through the sky and when she lands, heavy like a stone against the mat, Jay begs for the still air to come rushing back into her lungs. They lay, face upwards and dazed on the mat, staring up at the lights before a small dark shadow crawls its way into her eyeline. “Jay? Jay, are you okay?”

Cole sounds scared and when Jay’s vision clears, they gasp in a heavy gasp of air. “I’m fine.” She whispers breathlessly. Aubrey kneels beside him and Jay keeps her in her peripheral vision, it hurts to move her neck and zey only register the pain when they're leaning against the ropes. There’s blood trickling from the side of their head, painting their red hair a sickly brown. “I'm fine.” The bell tolls and Jay snaps their head up. “I’m fine! I can continue!”

The world shifts slightly when he goes to stand and Adam’s quick to lurch forwards, wrapping his arms tight around their middle. “Lemme finish the match yeah?”

“But-” Jay’s fists ball against his chest, forehead knocking weaky against his jaw. Just like he did backstage, Adam wants to kiss her. “I don't need your help.” he pushes him away, blinks a few times and turns to face Aubrey. “I'm ready.”

“Are you sure? I’m gonna get the doc to check ya out okay?” Aubrey rolls on gloves and checks the wound on the side of Jay’s head. Everything gets doublechecked by Doc Sampson all while Jay squirms on the ring apron, glancing uncomfortably at Adam who stands nearby, occasionally reaching out to brush his thumb across Jay’s knuckles.

“Keep the match quick, you’re not allowed back in that ring.” Jay stares at Doc Sampson like he’s just sworn at zem and then over at Cole with the same stunned expression. “We can’t risk you getting another concussion.”

“Don’t argue with the doc, Jay.” Adam’s smiling now, a small half smile that makes Jay stare at the floor, face twisting into something bitterly sad. “We both knew that I’d get the winning pin anyway.”

“Will you stop being so cocky?” Jay snaps, hands clenching and unclenching into fists. Her nails are dragging across her thighs, leaving behind small pink lines. “Will you just shut up?!” From the corner of her eyes, they are glaring at Adam and something inside him stills it takes him milliseconds to register that it's concern. The same soft concern that bubbled in his chest all the way back in NXT. It’s love.

“Will you let me do my fucking job?”

He knows she’s scared, the look on his face when he thinks Adam isn’t looking gives her away. Zey’re feeling scared and in pain, lashing out like a wounded animal. “If you werent so fucking cocky we’d let you do your fucking job.” Adam snaps back, leaning against the ring apron.

The crowds are booing now, impatient for the continuation of the match. Jay takes a passing glance over the front row and tears well behind her eyes, the headache that was stabbing through their temples is back. Painted nails dig into zeir palms. She’s failing. “Says you-” they grumble, no more venom lacing their words. They look sad and it draws Adam closer. He takes their face in his hands, pulls zeir forehead close to his. They blink at him, shivering hands scrambling and pawing at their ring gear.

“Would you just shut up?” He whispers, running a thumb across the apple of his cheeks, smudging blood across the scar under his eye. “You’ve always been so bitchy” He whispers, half surprised that Jay lets him slot between their legs. If Adam wasn’t so focused on the puzzled look on his face, he’d feel emotional about how he still fit so snuggly between her thighs, like he still belonged between them all these years after the first time he had been there.

He doesn’t think about that as a hush is settled over the arena. Jay glances off to the side and like a prey animal that took its eyes off a predator, Cole chooses to pounce. His lips slot securely over hers, like their two missing halves of a vase being slotted back together.

It doesn’t feel magical or special. The kiss is a well-worn dance that the two of them do. Cole’s hands slide down her neck, pinching curiously at new scars and rubbing small circles over the old ones while Jay tangles blood-stained fingers into his hair. Jay’s eyes widen before closing and melting into the feeling. The kiss isn’t one that would close movies or fix an evil spell, but it brings a pinkness to the both of them. Jay nips at his bottom lip and Cole braves parting his lips just a little. Her tongue darts across his and it feels almost pornographic. Almost like it’s two old lovers reuniting.

Maybe that's what they are really. Two lovers separated by circumstance and hurt by the distance between their hearts. Jay’s the one to pull away first, fast enough that the hand in Adam's hair, tangled between the dark brown strands, yanks and Adam hides his pink face in the curve of their neck to repress a moan.

“Sorry-”

Jay just shakes their head before groaning. “I don't think-”

“Call the match off.” Jay states, after a few moments of silence. When Doc Sampson looks at them questioningly, as if to double check. Jay nods, letting their head lull against the back of Adam’s. The bell tolls overhead and the crowd is momentarily silent before erupting into a glorious roar of joyous applause.

“Let's getcha backstage.” Adam whispers, using the tip of his finger to stroke flecks of drying blood off their neck. “Get ya checked over by Irish and Deels.” Jay nods again and with Adam’s hand securely tucked in the small of zeir back, leaves the ring and wanders back up the ramp, shoulders knocking together.

“You don’t have to do anything to catch my attention” Adam tells them, later that evening. His thumb is stroking across the curve of their side, letting them snuggle closer against his bare chest.

“Who says I’m doing things for your attention?” He quips back, pressing lewd kisses against Adam’s chest, grinning when he releases a shaking breath. It takes her a few moments to notice that he’s laughing, a soft tired giggle that makes Jay prop themselves up on their elbows to stare down at him.

Adam traces his fingers down the curve of his spine like he’s counting the vertebrae. “my eyes have never really been on anyone else other than you” He admits, rolling onto his side to kiss her chin. “I never stopped watching you wrestle.”

Jay feels her heart stutter in his chest. “I never stopped thinking about you.” They admit to the air around them; it still smells of lust and desire. The smile that Adam flashes is sad and he tangles his limbs around Jay, forehead pressing against the hinge of his jaw. “I never stopped missing you Adam.”

Adam just nods, pressing wet kisses down their neck. “You’ll never have to miss me again.” He sits up and like a new love letter to an old lover, seals the promise with a kiss.

Taglist: @allelitesmut @homoeroticgrappling @dustinslovehandles @paradoxunknown @katries @mrsmatt @echoxshxrx @malewifemoxley @kass-the-kitten @itsnoosetome @racerchix21 @jacedoe @chuckstaylors @old-no7 @thekadster @mandiableclaw @tahiri-veyla

#mouse writes #ship: Jay and Cole #OTP: Bluejays and blowjobs #Ship: Jay and Kenny #OTP: welcome home

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strangefellows · 2 years

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I am also suffering from 'can't work without a prompt' so I'm here to put one in your inbox but I don't know any guys from your animes so you'll have to pick which one to write about for this one l: “I picked a bad time to become a decent person.”

HILARIOUSLY i was just poking at thoughts abt a character who this would fit perfectly, so here have some thoughts i’m trying to put together through a drabble

----

It was, for a moment, incredibly tempting to throttle the woman in front of him. Deeply so. And yet, for some reason, he didn’t.

(He knew the reason. But if that man could be a world champion of denial, so could he.)

“Why are you like this,” he asked instead, voice flat and hoarse from disuse, with an undercurrent of irritation despite his best efforts (or maybe due to them, he wasn’t certain anymore). “Why.”

She just grinned at him. “You know the answer to that,” she teased. “I’m incurably reckless and terminally diagnosed with Hero Syndrome. And maybe I just like messing with you.”

“I don’t think I would say maybe,” he snapped. “You could have died, you realize. I could list the ways it could have happened, but I’d have to choose whether to do so chronologically or in order of severity, and we would be here far, far too long.”

She had the gall to raise her eyebrows. “Because you’re just dying to run away again, right?” She asked. “I mean, I’m actually looking at you straight on this time! That’s new.” She paused. “When was the last time you had a shower?”

“First of all, that’s completely irrelevant,” he told her. “Second of all, where are your Servants? Where is--” A pause, hopefully too brief to be noticed, though he has little faith it slipped her nosy insight. “--Kyrielight?”

By the widening of her grin, that slip had been caught. Damn it.

“Mash and everyone are around!” She reassured him with a laugh. “This isn’t exactly a Lostbelt, remember? It’s just a holiday Singularity. I’m allowed to wander off!” She had the grace to, here, at least look sheepish. “I...maybe should be more careful where I step, though. I’m learning self-defense but those chickens were definitely the nasty, out for blood, peck me to death kind. I mean, though, seriously, where did the evil chickens come from?? The first time I saw them was Luluhawa, though, so probably--”

He groaned. “The origins of the homicidal farm animals are beside the point,” he grumbled. “They could have killed you. And had you fled in the other direction, it would have been right into a nest of chimera. Do you have any spatial awareness at all?” He grimaced. “Really, I’d assumed the Singularity had been dealt with.”

“It has,” she said with a grin. “You should know these things last a few more days after we de-Grail them. Let me have some last ditch summer fun, okay?”

...alright, no, he really was going to throttle her. His hand connected with his face hard. “And nearly getting pecked to death by angry roosters is your idea of summer fun these days?” He asked, voice faintly muffled. “Why did I bother? I should have let you die. It would have served you right. You need to learn that actions have consequences.”

“Why didn’t you~?” She asked, leaning forward. “I mean, you’ve been pretty hands off and all so far.” She paused, looking insufferably smug; she must have picked up the expression from the King of Uruk, ugh. “You care. You caaare about me, don’t you?”

He looked at her with as much disgust and annoyance as he could muster. “I do no such thing,” he said, attempting to sound disdainful, though it only managed to come off as defensive. “You’re all idiots. It--” He huffed. “It would be a damned pathetic end to this if you died being eaten by a chicken in one of these low-risk, inconsequential, ridiculous Singularities. That’s all.”

“Mmmmhm,” she said, disbelieving. “You like us idiots, though.”

“I do not!” He snapped, startled at the fact he’d raised his voice. “You-- tch, I picked the worst time to decide to allow myself a bit of basic decency. I’m leaving.”

She beamed at him, undeterred. “Awww, saving my life is ‘basic decency’, you really do care!”

“...and I will let you get eaten next time,” he told her flatly. “See if I don’t.”

He spun on a heel to depart, already casting the spell that would take him outside the Singularity -- he had places to be, after all, there were still two Lostbelts remaining -- and still he heard her behind him.

“You mean like the time with Sheba and the leopard?” She asked sweetly, and his breath hitched in surprise before he could catch it. “She told me about that one a while back.”

Well. He had nothing to say to that, save to finish his spell and leave. Damn it all, that woman was impossible. Absolutely impossible.

...why did he always end up fond of the impossible ones? That man had no explanation to give, either, and in all his wisdom, that was one of the few questions that remained unanswered...one of the riddles he couldn’t solve, so to speak. If he had to be sentimental about it.

Tch. That man had left him more sentimental than he once was. He knew that. And still, it blindsided him at the worst moments. He had a duty to carry out now, again, and his messy, human sentiment would just get in the way. And yet...and yet, her laughter and her smile still lingered in the back of his head, as it always did.

(Perhaps one day, she would be the one to welcome him home-- no. A foolish notion, yet more unnecessary sentimentalism. He had no more wishes left, after all.)

#fateseriesblogging #chara: little bird of chaldea #chara: a king's quiet wish #otp: welcome home #screamlaughs i have NO idea what i am doing here but he was fun to write???#fgo spoilers #spoilers #SPOILERS!!!#dear god spoilers

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whollyjoly · 4 days

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it's gon' be a long ride home tomorrow from tennessee to texas to la well if i could i'd never leave you i'd come home to stay another night from home away from you it ain't easy i know (baby, don't you want me)

the bucktommy cowboy au nobody asked for part three (parts one and two)

thinking about rancher!tommy who goes on long two-month cattle drives and dreams of the gorgeous cattle hand back home...

(song insp.)

#tommy spending long nights under the open sky dreaming of bright smiles and sparkling blue eyes #maybe worrying a little that the home he dreams about wont want him the same when he gets there after so long away #but all that goes out the window as he and the herd crest the last hill into the san fernando valley #and tommy sees a tall figure outlined in the gold rays of the sunset high atop a horse #and evan is there to welcome him home with a flask a whiskey and a warm kiss that chases away any lingering doubts #ANYWAYS I HAVE LOOOOOTS OF THOUGHTS ABOUT COWBOY BUCKTOMMY OKAY #they live in my head rent free #i just love them your honor #song is baby don't you want me by lucero #bonus lyrics: “when we first met / i'd count the days / i'd make excuses / just to say your name”#and if thats not bucktommy coded idk what is #anyways can you tell im obsessed!!!!!#bucktommy cowboy au #otp: better ways to get your attention #bucktommy #firepilot #kinkley #tevan #fireflight #evan buckley #tommy kinard #911 abc #911 on abc #911 moodboard #em's moodboard #mine #im back on my cowboy bullshit

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wavnic · 2 months

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happy wednesday 🌊🔥🥰

#wayhaught #wayhaught wednesday #wynonna earp #waverly earp #nicole haught #waverly and nicole #nicole and waverly #otp #wives #love #wavnic #dom pc #kat barrell #domkat #welcome home wynonna

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krasytoonz · 8 months

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Sleep-over

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flowersofstarlight · 3 months

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”I am head over heels for you, Valentine!” 💌🦋💖✨

💖❤️🩷💕💘💝🌹✨

Haven’t draw Eddie x Frank for a while, so I decided to draw them with their Valentine outfits.

#eddie x frank #frank x eddie #eddie dear #frank frankly #eddie welcome home #welcome home eddie #frank welcome home #welcome home frank #welcome home #welcome home fanart #welcome home puppet show #welcome home arg #welcome home art #otp

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arikihalloween · 11 months

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How sweet ~

#welcome home #welcomehome #welcome home art #julie welcome home #julie joyful #wally welcome home #fanart #wally darling #art #welcome home apple pie #apple blossoms #apple pie #cannot forget my otp #i love them #this ship has taken over my life #this ship is my everything #julie x wally #wally x julie

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nordicfiord · 1 year

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Just puppets being cute I love them

#welcome home #wally darling #julie joyful #wally x julie #julie x wally #happy new otp day

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cosmicbeaniii · 1 year

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@yummycrummy It has been a productive evening

#omg i love them #welcome home #dhmis #don't hug me i'm scared #rolly #My new OTP #*Pansexual panic*

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anghraine · 11 months

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It feels very surreal, but ... the next chapter of per ardua ad astra is up here. It's not the final chapter, after all, but the next almost certainly will be. And will not take five years, I hope.

#anghraine babbles #fic talk #death star au #otp: welcome home #per ardua ad astra #star wars #jyn erso #cassian andor #et al.

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himbos-hotline · 11 months

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Can you talk to me. I can't sleep

of course. so I have been thinking way too much about Jay and Kenny recently mostly because ive started working on a fic thats primarly focusing on them but-

Still yeah. this is mostly just projection. But as a system I exist in various states of dissocation and im putting that on Kenny and, it gets worse when I see my own blood- either its injuries or blood draws or anything like that. And Im putting that with Kenny; that seeing his own blood makes him feel strangely too real.

and then youve got Jay whose primary wrestling vibe is "uh fuck im bleeding...do I look sexy?" think like a blood kink mixed with the fact that hes been a hardcore/death match wrestler since she was thirteen so blood isnt a big deal.

So picture after a big match Kenny gets hurt and gets blood on his ring gear and hes just, heavily dissociated and broken but also feeling too human and real and panicking and Jay stepping into that role of "I love you so I need to like, help" and so she changes him out of his ring gear into warm comfortable clothes, lays him under a heavy blanket [more then likely wheelers/hangers weighted blanket] and lets him rest while she cleans the blood out of ring gear . they make sure he eats and drinks water and gets any injuries looked at and its fine if Kenny doesnt wanna speak because the two of them kinda have their own little nonverbal language.

Yeah..Ive just been thinking about jay./kenny as well as jay and the polycule so much

#mouse has pals #kat nip #ship: the polycul #ship: jay and kenny #otp: were so full of love #otp: welcome home

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strangefellows · 2 years

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“you look exhausted. go to bed, i’ll straighten up and take care of everything else.” For a pairing of your choice, though I'm getting Roman vibes.

tbh so am i, the doof. komaroma (i still love that their names sort of rhyme) it is!

---

"Roman. Roooooman. Romaniiiii." Poke poke poke. There was a finger jabbing him in the side. Ow. Owwww. Wait, why was his side so easily accessible?

"Bwuh?"

Ah, yes, the height of eloquence.

"Oh, there you are. Welcome back, you were drooling." Oh no. He wiped at his face almost reflexively, blinking up at Komadori where she stood over him with a smile on her face-- wait. Up? Over him? Wh--

"...why am I on the floor?"

Komadori smiled, crouching. "Because you slid off your chair and faceplanted."

Roman blinked. "I did?"

"Yep!"

Silence. He had a creeping suspicion... "...how long did you let me lie here before you woke me up?" Yep, there it was, the sheepish expression.

"Five minutes, maybe?"

He groaned, and the hollow thunk of his head hitting the floor again echoed slightly. Ow. "Komadori, why."

"It's not like you're gonna get any sleep any other way!" She pointed out, sheepishness shifting to bemusement, which was probably worse. "Now c'mon, I'm gonna take you to bed."

He shot upright at that, flailing his arms wildly so he didn't overbalance -- which only succeeded in making him look stupid, probably, but that wasn't new -- and looking mildly alarmed. "No!" He yelped. "No no no no bed, I'm fine, it was just a moment of weakness, I'm gonna get back to work! Work!" Time to chug an entire pot of espresso again, clearly! Maybe he'd chuck another energy drink in there. Ah, college students, they had the best ideas sometimes.

(Maybe, as CMO, he should be a little more conscious of the health hazards of drinking such horrendous concoctions, but...nah.)

"Denied!" She told him. "Look, we're four Singularities deep now, I know, but maybe chill a little bit before you die of overwork or something," she scolded. "It's a thing that can happen, you know, Japan has a term for it and everything! And we super need you to not die of overwork."

Roman forced a smile. "I won't, I won't!" He promised her, stumbling to his feet. "No dying for me. Promise. I'm the only one who can do most of this stuff, you know, it's gotta get done!"

"It can be done after a nap," Komadori said stubbornly. "You're exhausted, Roman, your eyebags have eyebags. You could carry two airplanes worth of luggage in there. You literally just passed out at your desk. I'm starting to think your coffee machine is becoming sentient with whatever radioactive nightmare fuel you're brewing in it. Please, just for a bit?" She eyed his desk. "I'll even finish things up here!"

Roman spluttered. "How?!" He demanded. "I-- I just said I was the only one who can do this st--"

He was met with a deadpan stare. "You're the only one in the whole base who knows how to sort and file paperwork," she said flatly. "Roman, you are really, really good at making excuses, you know that?"

Yes, he knew that. Very, very well. He winced, looking down. "I..."

She reached out to take his hands, and he felt his cheeks heat up. "Um," he added. "Still, I can't just..."

"Cot. Side of the room. I won't even chase you off," Komadori said. "An hour is all I ask, okay? I'll finish sorting and filing what I can, and take whatever Da Vinci needs to her workshop. I'll even go through the supply requests and toss out the crazy ones so you don't have to suffer whatever otaku horrors Teach is trying to beg from us this time."

...okay, that was tempting. "You mean it?" He asked. "No otaku horrors?"

"Promise," she said gently. "Now go on. I'll even set a timer."

He swallowed. The thought of his nightmares, especially where someone -- especially where she -- could see them...that-- he didn't want--

"It's okay," she promised. "I'll even pretend I don't hear anything. We're all having a tough time, after all, I know that much. If you have a bad dream, no you didn't. Does that help?"

Not particularly, he thought tiredly. Considering his 'bad dreams' were miles above what she'd consider a normal nightmare, or even a normal one if you took the events of the Grand Order so far into account. But...he looked a her earnest gold eyes, the way she hung onto his hands -- his fingers twitched, hoping she didn't feel anything weird under his gloves -- and sighed. "Okay," he agreed. "An hour. That's all."

"Yes!" Komadori cheered. "Go on, go, I'll even put some coffee on for when you wake up-- heck, I'll raid the kitchen for the good shit." She winked. "Dantes has good taste."

Roman smiled wearily. "You are an angel," he said. "Bless you, coffee goddess." Boy, was that an ironic pair of sentences from him. Ah, well! "Second only in my heart to Magi☆Mari." Who he was never, ever, ever going to question, because he liked his worldview unshattered, thank you.

"Second to Mari!" Komadori giggled. "High praise! You flatterer, go nap. I'll set the timer."

Roma saluted. "Yes'm," he agreed, moving over to the cot. (When had...probably one of the staff members. Probably for him. Oops.) He...supposed just an hour couldn't hurt. At least something would still get done. At least...

He really was grateful for her. What would Chaldea have done if she hadn't been here? He would have lost Mash, at the very least, and the world--- well. He knows far too well where that would have gone. She was pretty incredible. Not that he deserved what kindness she directed towards him, but...he supposed he'd appreciate it anyway.

Selfishness was...part of being human, after all.

#fateseriesblogging #chara: a king's quiet wish #chara: little bird of chaldea #otp: welcome home #oh my god this is the first time i've written roman bc my friend usually rps him BABY I LOVE UUUUUUUUUUUUU #foreshadows like a boss #SLEEP BITCH SLEEP

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