#Hunter is so suave. This bitch is happy | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

swift--fox · 3 years

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Day off

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BITCH I wanted to make this a sort of surprise but I failed miserably. ANYWAY hope u like it i love u you outstanding funky lil dumbass celebrate somehow surviving another year!! (AGAIN please ignore the garbage title I’m so bad at this)

P/N: This is amazing, and I have been hoarding it for like a month (Totally not because I am terrible at remembering to post shit, shhhhhh) But THANK YOU GREY @pissbabydean!!! THIS IS AMAZING AND I LOVE IT!!

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Dean woke up in a great mood. He was well-rested, perfectly sated from last night’s…activities, and they had the bunker to themselves today. He and Sam had agreed to taking a couple “off-days” a month just to keep tensions from building too high. Today was one of them, and Sam was taking Eileen out on a day trip to Colorado.

Dean rolled over and flopped on top of the warm body next to him, resulting in a sleep muddled grunt. He peppered a flurry of kisses across his boyfriends neck and cheeks, making obnoxious smooching noises as he went. Said boyfriend was now awake, if his sleepy murmurs of protest were anything to go by.

“‘M sleeping. Get off,” Cas mumbled, eyes still shut while he turned his head, blindly trying to evade Dean’s affections.

“No way, Grumpy. It’s almost 11, time to get up.” Dean crowed, leaning down to peck a kiss on the tip of his nose. Cas screwed his face up and twisted underneath him, unseating the hunter without breaking a sweat. He buried his face into the pillow with a satisfied sigh.

Dean could almost forget how strong Cas was, seeing as he rarely showcased it. He only really used it on hunts or when they were hooking up - in both instances Dean’s brain was usually too preoccupied to really take note.

Regardless, Dean had to uphold his reputation as Incredibly Annoying Alarm Clock, otherwise Cas could sleep until 2pm. Which was weird, because angels didn’t even need sleep. Cas just really really liked it, which was all fun and games when Dean could wake up in the arms of his angel and maybe even lay there with him until his growling stomach could no longer be ignored. Now, it was more annoying than anything. At least he could have fun waking him up.

He crawled back over and straddled Cas’s bare back, resulting in a muffled “Uff” into the pillow.

“Caaas, c’mon, dontcha want to spend time with your loving boyfriend? Who makes amazing pancakes? And who you love so very dearly?”

A dismissive grunt was all Dean received in way of an answer. Dean leaned forward and licked a fat stripe across the top of Cas’s tanned shoulder. He shuddered once and that was the only response he got before Cas stilled again. He wormed his tongue up Cas’s warm neck and traced the shell of his ear with it, making lewd moaning noises right in his boyfriend’s ear.

“Gross,” He protested as he reached back to blindly swat at Dean’s face. The perpetrator just chuckled and avoided the half-hearted protest, nipping on his fleshy earlobe.

“You love it,” He teased.

“Not when you have morning breath,” Cas rebutted. Dean hummed dismissively and continued his minstriations.

Cas didn’t mind enough to put up an actual fight, but he did mind enough that his will-power was slowly diminishing. Then, a tongue snaked into his ear and he shrieked, nearly throwing Dean off the bed while he escaped the disturbing sensation. Dean was folded over with laughter, cackling into the bedsheets while he glowered.

“You’re disgusting and cruel. Go make me pancakes,” He groused, using the hem of Dean’s discarded t-shirt to wipe out the wetness in his ear. Dean, who was still laughing, came over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Comin’ right up,” He grinned. It was hard to stay mad at him, especially with a smile like that. Cas could still act the part, though.

After brushing his teeth and putting on a clean shirt, Castiel ambled into the kitchen, which was flooded with the scent of cooking batter and fresh-brewed coffee. The table was already set, his favorite mug filled to the brim with dark liquid. He sat down and immediately began nursing the bitter beverage while he watched Dean man the stove, quietly humming to himself.

Castiel was an angel. He didn’t need to eat, just like he didn’t need to sleep. Unlike sleeping, though, he didn’t particularly enjoy eating. Mostly, if it wasn’t Dean cooking for him, he wouldn’t eat. Not much was worth the overwhelming tsunami of flavor and texture from each individual molecule and building block of whatever he was consuming. But Dean’s satisfied little smile and shining eyes were.

Pancakes weren’t the worst for him to eat, but they certainly weren’t good by any means. He found that foods containing eggs were largely unpleasant. But Dean always made him a heart-shaped pancake, and Cas’s chest always did those happy little swoops when he caught Dean watching him eat it.

They finished breakfast and Castiel washed the dishes while Dean dried, then Cas was left to sit on the couch while Dean showered. He reached over to grab his latest read - The Crooked House, which he’d flown to the public library to borrow a few days ago in anticipation of their off-day. He opened up to the yellowed, well-loved first page and quickly lost himself in the rolling plot.

Dean had come to join him some time ago, stray droplets dripping from his hair to the shoulders of his t-shirt. He slid his way over to the couch suavely, socked feet gliding easily over the smooth flooring. If he wasn’t so focused on his book, he would have noticed Dean’s little huff of annoyance that Cas had missed his grand entrance.

And thus began Dean Winchester’s unabashed quest for attention from his angel boyfriend. It started with an incessant amount of talking.

“Heyyy, Cas, whatcha doin’? He drawled in a very successful imitation of Isabella from Phineas and Ferb (What? It’s not like Cas would get the reference. Slim pickin’s on Netflix these days).

“Reading,” Came Castiel’s curt reply as he turned a page. Dean’s mouth fell open in an overexaggerated “aaahhhh,” noise.

“Cool. Whatcha readin’?”

“The Crooked House. It’s a murder-myster novel where a young woman’s-”

“Cool, cool. So, whaddya say about a little TV? Ever watched Schitt’s Creek?” Dean cut him off purposefully, gesturing at the TV. The picture of innocence, if you didn’t count the faint upwards tug of the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t mind if you watch something,” He replied noncommittally. Dean narrowed his eyes a fraction and tossed the remote aside.

“Okay, no Netflix. So, what should we do, then?”

Castiel shrugged and flicked the page. “I’m reading. You can do what you like, Dean - it’s your day off.”

Dean collapsed against the couch with a frustrated groan, throwing his hands up in the air.

“It’s our day off, babe. As in, together. Let’s do something,” He whined.

“I’m open to suggestions,” Dean sat up excitedly, but Cas held up a finger. “…after I’m done reading.”

Dean’s face fell and he crossed his arms against his chest. He wasn’t pouting but he wasn’t not pouting, either.

“Come on, dude, you got, like, the whole book still! Watch something stupid and funny with me! Don’t you love me?”

“I do. And you love me, which is why you’ll let me finish my book in peace.”

Dean huffed and muttered complaints under his breath. He hated it when Cas turned his own words against him. It was just unfair.

Dean could be unfair, too.

He started clicking his tongue obnoxiously loud, humming nonsensical tunes to himself, tapping loudly on the end tables with his finger tips. He watched the angel carefully for any reaction to his antics but damn, he knew Cas was good. He would have to up his game.

Then he started singing. Loudly. Badly. Voice cracks and all.

“Oh Danny boyyyyyy, the pipes, the pipes are ca-a-allingggggg~”

There was a minute twitch in Cas’s jaw and the grip he had on the cover of the book was a lot tighter than necessary. He was getting somewhere.

“From glen to glennnnnnnnnn, and down the mountain siiiii-”

His mouth was suddenly clamped shut. Lips pressed together, like if he weren’t speaking at all. But he had been, and he was trying to. He tried to speak, to do anything, but no sound came out.

“Perhaps vocal lessons would be a good investment for you, Dean.” Cas commented off-handedly, and then paused in thought. “Or ear-plugs for the rest of us,”

Dean glowered at the nonchalant angel on the other end of the couch and shifted, shoving his legs unceremoniously into Cas’s lap, making sure to jostle the book in his hands with his calf.

He knew Cas knew what he was asking for. HAnd Cas knew he knew that he knew what Dean was asking for. e was just being an asshole for reasons unknown (okay, unknown if you didn’t count the way Dean woke him up that morning. And how he’d scared him in the shower the previous morning).

Where Dean had been glaring a hole into the wall just past Castiel, he noticed that the book was…levitating. Where were Cas’s hands?

He got his answer a second later when he felt fingers press against the arch of his foot. He tensed and a little ribbon of excitement coiled in his chest. He thought he was getting what he asked for. He was wrong.

Cas’s fingers were…devastating, in all the wrong ways. Just barely brushing his fingertips in sweeping ovals on his heel, occasionally poking his arch or instep. It wasn’t enough to warrant laughter, or even really much squirming. It was just on the precipice, and Dean fucking hated it.

And then Cas decided to get meaner. He would drag a deliberate finger down his sole and as quickly as his nerves could flare up with tingly delight, the sensation was promptly rubbed away by strong, soothing hands. It was a terrible, cruel, sadistic, almost-tickly-but-not massage.

Dean scowled and leaned forward to thwack Cas on the shoulder, though not too convincingly. Despite it not being what he wanted, Cas was a talented (if incredibly mean) masseuse. Dean was putty in his hands, and not the giggly kind. Ugh.

Cas was still reading his stupid murder book, the creased and worn old book was hovering a few inches from his face, the pages turning on their own. Seriously, how did this guy have enough concentration to do three things with his grace at once?

“What is it, Dean? What more could you possibly have to complain about? I’m giving you the attention you were so desperate for.”

Dean harrumphed and glared at his angel, pointedly jostling the feet in his lap. Cas would have found it cute if it wasn’t so annoying. He continued his infuriating game while Dean’s mouth stayed zipped shut with grace, all he could do was move into the touch - and for every bit he did, Castiel pulled back the same. It was goddamn psychological warfare.

Then, there was a…prodding. On his right bottom-most rib, through his shirt. Which could only mean one thing. Dean would, technically, be getting what he wanted. But in the most impersonal and - there was that word again - infuriating way possible. It was more of an itch, really. But the fact he couldn’t scratch it was why he started squirming and kicking his legs out. Castiel was not amused and then Dean realized that he wasn’t moving anymore. He was sending the signals to his muscles to move and thrash and, in general, be a nuisance. His body just wasn’t responding and it took Dean a second too late to register the faint self-satisfied smirk on the other man’s face before the incredibly thin and spindly wire of grace was curling and flossing between each individual rib.

Though, now, he could laugh. And he did. He imagined he would have thrown his head back if he could while he shrieked and full-belly laughter tumbled from his newly-functioning vocal chords. But, he couldn’t move. He couldn’t wiggle, couldn’t shake his head or even clench his fists. He couldn’t do anything that even alluded to a struggle and he couldn’t decide if he liked that added layer of vulnerability or not.

Then, the spindle of grace turned more into a…tickly lash. The thing with using grace for tickling, (like a filthy cheater, because grace is so unfair for this very reason) is that it doesn’t quite follow the rules. With a wave-length of celestial intent behind the wheel, it was lethal.

The cruel extension of his power flicked across his chest, leaving behind a swarm of buzzing nerves. It migrated to his neck, his underarms, his belly - Jesus, even his thighs. His laughter was jumpy and bright and desperate, because he didn’t know where the next strike would be.

His question was answered when the malicious tendrils of grace brushed the crease of his thighs. The laughter Cas drew from there was wholly consuming and embarrassing. Cackling, you could call it. Howling may be a more accurate descriptor.

Dean waited for the electric tingling of his nerves to taper off, but it didn’t come. Cas didn’t stop.

If it wasn’t before, Dean’s laughter had definitely turned desperate. Gasps and sobs and choked attempts at words and all.

“C-CAS!” He all but screamed, and the rest of what he would say slipped through the cracks of his crumbling mind. His boyfriend, although sadistic, knew when to stop. Or slow things down, at least. The weapon his thighs were previously assaulted with moved to converge on his stomach, ribbons swirling around the softer center like a goddamn merry-go-round.

Occasionally one of said ribbons would deviate from the rest to wiggle into his belly button - which would add a squeaky quality to his giggling. At least now he could think, although the laughter that was coming out of his mouth (that could only be described as giggling, much to his dismay) was embarrassing enough that it was hard to find this an act of mercy.

“Yes, Dean?”

"Me-Mehehercyy!” He pleaded. His lungs were starting to ache, as well as the rest of him, from laughing so hard. Although, it was a nice feeling, Dean enjoyed the feeling of complete bone-deep exhaustion after he and Cas’s sessions. Still, he needed a break. Cas’s book finally was placed on the end table and he smiled over at Dean fondly with a short nod.

When Dean regained control of his body, the first thing he did was fold forward and press his forehead to Cas’s thigh, panting out the last of his residual laughter. A warm and firm hand rubbed soothing circles into his back and Dean leaned into the heavenly touch.

“You were mean,” Dean whined, no real accusation behind his words. He felt Cas chuckle more than he heard it, and he was being guided to collapse in his lap again. This time, his upper-half was splayed across the sweatpant-clad legs and he was face down, cheek pressed against the top of Cas’s thigh. He sighed and immediately molded himself to the warm body under him.

“I was, wasn’t I? What would you like?”

Dean hummed and reached behind him blindly for Cas’s hands.

“Touch me.”

A blissfully wam palm flattened in the center of Dean’s back and began rubbing once again, the same soothing circles, but now under the shirt.

“Is this good?”

Dean thought for a moment.

“Light.” Was all he could manage, as his brain was currently tickled-out mush.

Cas made his hand into more of a relaxed claw and dragged the pads of his fingers and occasionally the edges of his blunt fingernails of the pliant and receptive planes of Dean’s back. The hunter let out a herculean sigh as every bit of stress was drawn out of his body by his caring and meticulous angel. Damn, he’d have to annoy Cas more often.

#submission #supernatural #Destiel #ticklish!dean #dean is a nuisance #Cas loves it tho #he pretends to hate it #but really

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venushasvixens · 4 years

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Ch. 2 Midnight on Mars - Life is but a Dream (Spike Spiegel x Reader)

What a beautiful night, You thought. Such a peaceful, beautiful night to make some money. The moons were full, the nearby city was bustling with music and people. And you were on a high. After a week of researching, you finally found Ms. Valentine, hiding out under the guise of a bounty hunter chasing criminals. Imagine the number of woolong she claimed. Not trying to be selfish, but damn you really needed that money, more than she does.

You walked around the ship dock, on a stroll. As nervous as you were to capture Faye, you had to play it cool. Earlier, you followed her into the local marketplace, watching as she pocketed a couple of things. It's like she wants to be caught. You thought. It was truly ridiculous.

You rounded the corner of a ship, trying to quiet your footsteps. You poked your head slightly around, watching as Faye boarded the ship. On the side, it read in big red letters “BEBOP. Faye swayed back and forth, trying to keep her balance. It was not hard to tell that she was drunk out of her mind. Just my luck.You withdrew your gun, placing it at your side. You’ve been quiet, thank god. The wind grew silent. You took one small step when all of a sudden you felt the cold tip of a gun pressed against your back. You stopped breathing.

“What do you think you’re doing with that?” you asked.

“I’d ask the same about you.” a gravelly voice spoke behind you. You let out a sigh.

“We all have to make money.” you replied. “I’ve already been following her this long, you might as well give up.”

“More like she’s following me. Me and my partner can’t seem to get rid of her.” he said.

You felt the gun slowly being lifted off your back. You put your gun into its holster.

“If that's the case, then she’s all mine. Ain’t that right.. '' you turned around slowly. Your eyes trailed upwards to see a tall man staring at you. His hands were placed in his pockets, the scent of cigarettes lingering in the air. His face seemed empty and cold, but still had an air of suave and coolness.

“So,” you broke the silence,” what’s the reason for putting your gun away? I mean, you can shoot me right now. I’m all open.”

“I could, but I don’t want to. Bullets are expensive, you know. That, and I see that you are in no way robbing my precious ship with that little thing.” he pointed to your gun.

“This happens to be my lucky gun.” you mumbled. “My little rabbit’s foot.” The only thing is, this was your only gun. Another item to get when you collect your reward.

“You must be a shitty bounty hunter if bullets are too expensive.” you replied, crossing your arms. “Kind of a bullshit excuse.”

“Or maybe I’m just not in the mood for violence. It gets tiring.” he said.

“Huh, a bounty hunter not in the mood for violence? Now that is a first.” you said.

“When you’ve had too much, sometimes it's a good thing to stop.” he started to slowly walk off.

“There’s not enough sometimes too. Some of us can’t live without it. Especially Miss Valentine.” you remarked.

“She can’t get enough of anything. Food, jewelry, my ship-” he muttered.

“Your ship?” you raised your eyebrows. “How do you even allow that?”

“Here’s the thing. I don’t.” he mumbled, pulling out a cigarette. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter. He flicked it on, but no flame came out.

“Here.” you said. You pulled out your lighter and flicked it on. The man hesitantly looked at you. “You know I can’t hold it for long.” you purse your lips together. His eyes squinted, you think in an attempt to read you.

“How do I know you won’t burn me?” He smirked.

I don’t know.” you shrugged, a little annoyed. “I’m really not in the mood for violence.”

He chuckled and leaned over to light his cig. The flame from the lighter lit up his face. You noticed that his eyes were an unnatural shade of reddish brown. Like they were fake. ou would ask, but it was better to just hold your tongue.

He took a drag and puffed out smoke. The mysterious man’s gaze met yours. “See anything you like?” he teased.

You quickly looked away, your cheeks starting to burn. “Just trying to get a better look at that pretty face, that’s all.” you teased back.

The man chuckled, blowing smoke from his mouth. “Now what brings you to Mars?”

The man sighed. “Just some business to take care of.”

“Hmm.” you replied. “And this business is going well, I presume?”

“Ha. No. Unfortunately, they got away.” he said, taking his jacket off. You watched as he did, trying not to stare. He was lean, his shoulders broad and a little intimidating. You could snap him in half, but why do you get the feeling he could snap YOU in half?

“A-ain’t that a bitch.” you stuttered, trying to compose yourself. “You spend a hot minute hunting down the bastards and then they just slip from your fingers.”

“I just spent a minute with these guys. Nothing too big, but I had enough for some food for a week.” he said. He kicked a pebble around, a short silence falling over you both. You knew how the struggle was with this job. Even when you had so little, you still found something in yourself to share with others who are going through it with you.

“Well,” you started, twiddling with your lighter. “If you ever need a hot meal, let me know. I’m going to be here for a while anyways. I can cook up a mean stir fry.” The man took the cig out of his mouth. You looked at his startled expression. You couldn’t tell if he was offended, or surprised.

“I’m sorry! Did I say something wrong?” you nervously said, putting your hands up apologetically. The man held his hands up too, sighing and chuckling.

“Oh no, you’re okay!” he put his hands up, “Just haven’t had an offer like that in a while. I’d be happy to. And your mode of transportation is..?”

“Its not hard to miss, its the shittiest, saddest excuse for a ship named Snake Eye.” you said.

A part of you was glad to hear that he would take up your offer, and another was that you were upset that he just stuck a gun to you moments before. You really were a dumbass. You both laughed quietly, holding your hands behind your back.

“Soo as a thank you, does this mean you can hand Valentine over to me?” you smiled, putting your lighter back in your pocket.

The man sighed. “You know, I’ll get back to you on that.” He began to walk off towards the same ship that Faye boarded.

“Hold on there! How am I going to do that!?” you said, annoyed. “I don’t even know your name.”

He turned to face you, exhaling smoke out of his nose. “And why should I tell you?” he said.

“Oh you know. Just in case you still want that meal, or feel like kicking Faye out, just give me a ring. Or else…” you raised your eyebrow, smiling.

“Or else what?” he smiled back.

“Ah, I think I’ll leave you in suspense.” you replied. “Name please?”

The man dropped his cigarette on the ground, finished. “Its Spike. Spike Spiegel. And you?” he extended his hand.

“It's y/n. No last name sadly.” you took his hand and shook it.

“Forgetting the past?” Spike asked. The palm of Spike’s hand was rough, his grip firm and warm. “More like never having one.” you said.

You pulled your hand away, Spike’s touch still lingering on your hand. “Now that I can understand,” he said. “Thanks for the light. I’ll be sure to find ya soon.” he winked. “

Anytime, cowboy.” you said, starting to walk away, your face blushy and a little flustered.

Spike stopped when he heard you say that. He turned to see you walking away. He shook his head and closed the door behind him.

A shame you couldn’t get Faye tonight. You put your hands in your pockets and sighed. It's been a long day and you wasted it. You were going to get her, one way or another.

The whole walk back to your ship, you were muddled in your thoughts. First, there were plans to capture Faye and what exactly you would do with all that money. Probably buy new equipment or maybe just blow it all on food. God knows how hungry you were. And second..Now that was a interesting character.

It didn’t really scare you that it all started with a gun to your back. You’ve felt and seen worse. But now you’re wondering..Why didn’t he pull the trigger? It's not that bullets were going to be wasted. You weren’t going to shoot either but you just couldn't seem to place your finger on why.

Spike’s hand still had its grip on yours long after you both parted ways. You couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was just a handshake. But the smallest thing can cause such a big reaction. You rubbed your hands together to get rid of the feeling. You boarded your ship and ate some dinner. You turned on your TV to distract you for now. It worked for a minute until Big Shot came on. You groaned and just decided to eat in silence. After dinner, you went to your room and got ready for bed. You got underneath the covers and sighed.

Since it was a long day, you expected to fall asleep right away. But you were so wrong. Sleepless once more. But this time, you had Spike to thank for it. You ran your fingers over your palm slightly. It’s just a handshake. What harm would have that done to you? You smiled. Your consciousness became blurry and finally, you fell into a dreamless, thougtless sleep.

- - -

“Mind to tell me who you were talking to outside?” Jet lifted his head to see Spike laying on the couch, his arms covering his face. He squinted his eyes. He groaned in frustration.

“Spike.” he said.

“I heard you.” Spike said sleepily.

“Okay, then what did I say?” Jet asked, his gaze back on his computer.

Spike crossed his arms, his eyes still closed. “It was nothing. Just someone was looking for Faye.” Spike mumbled.

Jet raised his eyebrows. “Looking for Faye?” Jet questioned. He continued typing, the computer beeping every now and then. “That is a sentence I thought I would never hear.”

“That's what she said. Looking for Faye.” he said, opening his eyes.

“Friend perhaps?” Jet began,”I’m surprised. Maybe this friend can take her off our hands. She looked nice. Are you sure she wasn’t just wanting to talk to you?”

“In your words, Jet, that is something I thought I would never hear.” Spike replied. The truth was, you were just nice in general. The way you spoke, the way you held yourself. Even the way you lit his cigarette. It felt like a genuine gesture of kindness. An image plastered on the back of his eyelids was how your eyes looked when the flame from the lighter lit up your face. He didn’t want to be cheesy, but it looked like a renaissance painting. Spike remembered how you didn’t tense up when he stuck his gun in your back. It kind of astonished him on how calm you were. Only someone who has seen some things can be like that.

“Did you happen to get her name?” Jet asked.

“It was y/n. No last name.” Spike replied, starting to get up. He picked up his drink off the small table and walked towards the door leading to the sleeping quarters.

“Oooh, how mysterious,” Jet taunted, “you both would be perfect for each other. Broody, dark, mysterious.”

“Mysterious, yes. Dark and broody? Polar opposite.” Spike muttered. It was true. You didn’t exactly give off a vibe like that. It was more..light and caring? Like in a best friend way, but of course, Spike wouldn’t know anything about that. Except for the stuff he sees on the TV, which at the end of every episode, everything went back to normal and everyone is happy again. The closest thing Spike has ever had to a best friend turned out to be nothing but a power hungry monster who wanted to destroy everything.

“Ah don’t take it too seriously, Spike. You know I’m only joking.” Jet smirked. “Just tell me when we are inviting her over for dinner.”

“And that is my cue to go. G’night.” Spike mumbled, his jacket draped over his shoulder. Once he opened his room, he immediately threw his jacket on his bed. He placed his drink on the nightstand, and sat on the bed. In his own space, he felt like he could think freely. Like no one could intrude on his thoughts.

And that's when every thought of you spilled out of his head into the room. For a minute, he kept brushing off the encounter. It was just going to be one of those things where he would meet someone, and then never see or think of them again. But for some reason, your conversation with him irked him just a little. It was the fact you barely knew him, but still gave out a helping hand. He didn’t need help, but it warmed his cold heart a little to hear someone still kind of cared.

That, and the image of your blushy face was plastered on his brain. And the teasing? This made Spike grin like a madman. God, it was just so cute how you looked like that. Spike could feel his cheeks burn from this thought, his heart heating up a little more. Spike knew he could be intimidating, and a bit of a flirt. And that’s when he remembered what you called him.

Cowboy. He hadn’t heard of that title in forever. A memory of the time he and Jet took down some guys in a gas station, and the poor little old lady that was caught in the crossfire. He could still feel fearlessness in himself when that man threatened to kill her. He knew he could easily take the shot. And so he did. Spike could see why he was called that. He roamed, not exactly a hero and not exactly a villain. He lived his life that way he wanted it, and if there was trouble brewing, he would at least try to squash it down.

Cowboy. Cowboy. Anytime, cowboy. He kept repeating those words over and over again. But then his smile faded. He remembered the small promise he kept to himself. That he would never be controlled by his heart again. It sounded stupid and so cliche, but he was serious. The last time he let himself slip, his world spiralled out of control. And it was oh so hard to get it back on track. Spike flopped back onto his bed, sighing. Is he really about to get back into this bullshit? Nope. Not for a second. Absolutely not. Brains over hearts. Always and forever.

Little did he know, he was back on his bullshit.

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Author’s note: I miss long chapters like this, but god they take so much time to write.

#spike spiegel #spike spiegel x reader #faye valentine #Jet Black #Radical Edward #ein #see ya space cowboy #you're going to carry that weight #90s anime #90s #manga #anime #samurai champloo #shinichiro watanabe #adult swim #toonami

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jcmorgenstern · 5 years

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3x14 Review

Hey so for once this is actually super positive! I loved this episode and can’t wait to gush about it! So without further ado, I’m gonna get the stuff I quibbled with outta the way before diving into what I liked:

The Bad: — I think my biggest problem overall was that scene between Alec and Lorenzo. I understand Alec was being protective and he goes into Fierce Mommy Tiger mode around those he considers family and those he loves (I think it’s important to show that Magnus isn’t just his boyfriend, Magnus has become integrated into the thing Alec bases his life around). But I had hoped Alec would have figured out by now that a Nephilim threatening to depose a Downward leader over an apartment is…..unideal, at least. — I get that this may have been designed as a plot hook as an understandable yet stupid thing Alec does that comes back to bite him later (i.e., if there is a Downward civil war in New York, and Lorenzo decides to fuck Alec over). Alec’s strength and weaknesses are tied to his family, and I think it’s a very believable mistake for him to make. I don’t expect him to be perfect, I just hope the narrative treats his threat to Lorenzo as less of a “pure uwu cutesy bf” move and more of a mistake, even if Lorenzo is being cruel to Magnus. — Honestly y’all I expected something WAY worse. Losing the apartment was nothing compared to the drama I expected—I thought Lorenzo was gonna ask Magnus to spy on Alec or go back to Asmodeus or something awful. Thankfully that was inverted by a very obvious attempt to get Magnus to move in with Alec, because apparently he can’t buy a new house with all his money. — I also quibbled a little with how Clary was written, especially in that scene where Jace comforts her (or, really, when Jace makes what happened to her about him and how angry he is and how he’s going to kill Jonathan etc. It’s a pattern with him, esp where Jonathan is involved, and I have more to say about it). Clary has always been a very temperamental, look before you leap sort of person, and I’m not sure that if she figured out Jonathan had hurt Jace she would just smile and pretend along. Clary would FREAK. This is Jocelyn’s daughter, y’all. The knives would be out. She stabbed herself to stab him before and she’d do it again. She has ALL the tools at her disposal to rune him or run away. — To be clear, I’m not shaming Clary for what she chose to do or not confronting a violently entitled dude who kidnapped her once already, I just felt the arc was artificially extended to let Jace be the hero instead of letting Clary kick Jonathan’s ass off a pier and rune him. There’s no way that bitch can swim. It seemed kind of….not how Clary would react and kind of artificially done for Jace and Jonathan’s benefit. — Last thing, which isn’t even a quibble but I feel people will be confused if it’s not on here: the Maia and Jordan thing. I’ll go into it more but basically: if they’re doing what I think, I think it worked shockingly well, but if it’s played straight yeah it’ll be Unfortunate.

The Good: — I’m just gonna come out and say this episode was AMAZING. Since this is mostly a positive review I’d like to credit the writer specifically—Zoe Broad. Honestly just the overall coherence of this episode was greater than any of the ones in S3 for me, it flowed from one scene to the other and there was no point where I had the urge to check Facebook or whatever. The dialogue was pretty good overall and truly amazing at parts, and I felt she had a pretty good handle on the characters, despite this being her first episode, which was very impressive. — I actually ENJOYED the ship content??? Clace was absolutely adorable on the rink, with Jace’s sometimes annoying bravado being played wryly both on his part and by the script. “I was born ahead of the curve” delivered with a smile and then nearly falling on his ass was. Very good. And Clary’s little “you’re doing better than me….when I was six” was equally great and I just. Really liked it? They felt like real people on a real date and it felt real and dynamic and cute. — Same with Malec’s grave-robbing date. Usually their scenes start to get weighed down by drama or just general “talking to the audience to make them happy rather than each other,” but this was just cute AND advanced the plot, and connected them back to the main storyline. I hadn’t liked how they were quarantined away from the main story and I’m glad they’re back, even if the “losing Magnus’ loft” was a weird way to do it. — Maia and Alisha particularly were really the breakout stars of the episode. Alisha really really SOLD that dialogue and was honestly incredible. Her terror and anger and desperation felt so visceral and real that even though I knew it would be resolved in the episode, it was gripping and I genuinely needed to know what happened next. — I also did like how Zoe wrote Maia (that “frickin” was TOTALLY a stand in for fuck and I APPRECIATE it) and I felt she really captured how she feels about Jordan—she does care about him as a person, or rather for the person he was at some point, but still refuses to not to push down on her own anger and hurt for his or anyone else’s sake. I felt it was really complex and confusing and emotional for her and overall I think that scene was meant to give her a sense of closure. Just because she recognizes that Jordan does care about her and can be supportive of her, doesn’t mean she’ll necessarily jump back into his arms. — That’s kind of my reading—I’m not sure where they’re going, obviously, but my instinct was that the less chill stuff Maia says (implying they may be going a romantic arc) was more due to the fact she was PANICKING IN A LOCKED CLOSET WITH A DYING DUDE. Like she says “I’m confused” like yes she meant before but honestly right then she obviously was, and I don’t really see the show going for Jordan/Maia? Especially since Todd has hinted Maia has a “don’t need no man” arc. Like she drifts apart from Simon but gets back with someone she hated for years?? Not seeing it. — However if they do go there I’ll be really disappointed, mostly because of the missed opportunity for complexity but also because yeahhhhh maybe not the chillest thing with how many people interpret their relationship as abuse. (I could make a separate post about it but yeah). — Onto Magnus. God okay I don’t know how others felt but I felt Zoe really got to the crux of why Magnus misses his magic. That how he feels connected to the world through his magic was just…such a good insight and it really impacted me because it wasn’t just some generic “magic is what makes me who I am,” it was so much more deep and personal and I felt it meant a lot that Magnus finally put that into words for Alec. He’d clearly been struggling to impart to Alec how he felt, both in terms of “how do I even explain this loss” and a his own emotional reticence. God that grave robbing scene!!!! — Umm the Morningstar sword actually being a sword to summon demons?? Kind of weird?? Esp if they play it off as an actual Morgenstern relic?? Not sure what’s happening but it was cool?? — honestly dudes I’ve been FUCKED UP about the Luke storyline and SUPER STRESSED and now IT’S ALL HAPPENIGN someone SAVE HIM oh my GOD I’m actually so stressed I’ve been stressed for 9 months FREE HIM — Ok now to Jonathan bc lbr y’all know I can’t shut up about him. Ok first off, that scene with the seelie gal, oh my FUCKING GOD I was screaming what a LOSER GHSDKLFJhghghhghgg. And she insults his shitty dialogue?? Zoe ma’am may I PROPOSE??? This keeps getting wilder and wilder I can’t believe they’re GOING THERE. THEY’RE GOING THERE SO HARD. HE’S SUCH A WILD LOSER. Can you BELIEVE he found someone off shadow world fetlife to be like “I’m a Morgenstern and I love you bro you’re so hot and clever and lovable” I just can’t. I bet you ANYTHING she tops and is only in it for the shadow hunter ass. — SHAPESHIFTING. YALL. I BUST A NUT. Look, it fixes so many fucking plot holes. His eyes look SO COOL when he does demon magic. He’s so OP and Chaotic Stupid it’s not even a joke I Lov my Mary Sue Son. — Honestly having Jonathan impersonate Jace is so brilliant (remember when he said, “I don’t want your pity, I want your life?”) Like it is so fucked up but I love it. Not looking forward to the mind control but maybe he just whispered “I’m a bottom” into her ear and ran off in her ensuing shock and confusion. You can’t prove me wrong until next week so until then LA LA LA LA CAN’T HEAR YOU — Personally I liked Dom’s performance as Jonathan, but not to be that Bitch I felt Will was a lot more subtle about it. Dom gave him a straight up thousand mile stare whereas Will played him as something charismatic and good at lying with a little edge of Something Wrong, a strain behind a smile. Sure, Jonathan was probably nervous for his little kidnapping date, but I felt it was unrealistic that he was so suave and convincing (sans the part where Aline comes to visit him that was hilarious, Jonathan you’re an idiot) as Seb and then is like “I eat ants sometimes” as Jace. Like. He’s an obsessive bitch. He’d have practiced Jace in the mirror. Fuck you. Probably while saying “fuck you.” ANYWAYS. — Izzy doing science? It’s not much but I’ll fucking take it lmao. I’m excited to see where Heavenly Fire is going. Matt’s Latin is still abysmal but whatever it’s ok. — also that rose?? A kiss from a rose?? Honestly this ep was so clever and thematically connected and just FLOWED like an ACTUAL EP OF TV god I’m emotional!!!! Thank you Zoe Broad ma’am you are a hero!!! — Again I’m gonna point out both Jace and Jonathan have a designated Brooding Fireplace. — Not super hyped about Heidi coming back but hey this ep was Worth It.

Anyway tldr I really liked it and wanted to spew semi-coherent positivity for once! About more characters than just my stupid fave!!! Wow!!! Good writing is SEXY and I LOVE IT!!!

#sh spoilers #seriously tho it was really good and coherent and there were real human emotions!!! and conversation!!!!!#welcome to my crispy mind

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pinkletterday · 5 years

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Okay so the Flash tag was very misleading. This wasn't the best 100th episode they could have done but it was the sweetest.

Don't get me wrong, none of that painfully contrived plot made a lick of sense, starting with being so blasé about going back in time when its pretty much the golden rule for them to not do that anymore (and er. Did Hunter Solomon just get Time Wraithed five episodes too early? What?) Nora not knowing Eobard killed her grandmother what in fuck and the whole thing about popping up the same day S2 Barry did (I know it was supposed to be all tense and menacing but I was giggling so hard. Someone should write a fic about various Barry Allens interrupting Thawne's work day to heckle him into fixing more and more shit. "Hi. My name is Barry Allen. You killed my mother. How do I fix the plumbing in STAR Labs? Bitch.")

AND FOR GOD'S SAKE WHY DID THEY KEEP VOLUNTEERING THAWNE INFORMATION.

After all that, the plan didn't even work.

BUT OH MY GOD I LOVED KILLER FROST. She is the most badass bitch and I can tell DP has a blast playing her. Train her up and send her against Cicada for real, cause that fight I would watch.

I loved seeing Eowells with Cisco and Caitlin, I loved revisiting all those milestone moments through Nora's eyes, and my God this episode was 75 % the tour de force that is Tom Cavanaugh. He nailled every scene - the suave menace of pre-series Eowells, the barely contained malice of S1 Eowells, the frenetic single-minded, almost callous version of Harry we first met and (sigh) Sherloque. Who somehow managed to be so distinct from the other personas that I didn't even think to compare his absurdity to the groundedness of Harry and Eowells. Cavanaugh's direction was also beautiful and seamless, even with all the recycled shots.

I didn't even mind missing Iris as much as I would have - she was always there somehow, maybe because of Nora. Mama Flash trying her hardest not to be the closed off woman who holds her daughter back, encouraging her husband to do the same. And then stepping back and letting them do their thing, trusting them to come back home to her.

Seeing her shooting Savitar to save Barry, seeing her be the one to hold and comfort him before they were ever together and then watching them so young and innocent waiting in the crowd during the pilot really encapsulated their journey together (thank god Eddie wasn't in this. Nothing against the character, I just hate that he existed at all). Iris has always been Barry's secret hope through his whole life. During the Zoom episode they were still tentatively trying to find a new footing between feelings that could not yet be spoken and the entirety of S3 was spent in terror that fate would still rip her away. Now they're rock solid and their daughter is right there next to Barry, the promise and realization of everything he had ever hoped for him and Iris.

I love Iris and Westallen, but The Flash has always been Barry Allen's story first. Taking his daughter through the journey of all his mistakes and defeats instead of his victories was such an aching, vulnerable choice. I'm not perfect, I've never been the man you think I was, I have made so many mistakes and been hurt so badly and all I have learned from it is how much I cannot change, no matter how powerful I become, no matter how much I love. It was the moment when he went from "father" to "Barry Allen" in Nora's eyes; when she started to see him as a person first. I understand and I still want to know you. Still love you. It was the most heartaching moment. And such a shock for Nora to realize that they both know the trauma of losing a parent, such a terrible connection to share.

Nora visiting her grandparents killed me. The Allens so young and happy and whole, not knowing their lives are about to be ripped apart in moments. Barry simply turning up at her side, almost casually, guessing she'd go there because he does the same thing. The quiet, sad resignation in his eyes when he says "every day." He has had to experience and accept Nora's own nightmare, that nothing she does will change her family's fate. How many times has he time travelled just to see his parents like this, knowing he could change it but also knowing the price of doing so is too great? His family in front of him, flesh and blood and alive, but still only ghosts he can never touch nor save?

But then Nora's there, again the living reminder of all that he stands to gain, all that of himself and his loves that will continue. Nora carries Barry's mother and father in her blood, Iris and Joe, and the legacy of his own life. And she's there, smiling at him, pulling him out of the past into the future.

Barry is still young, but he's aged beyond his years. The non-linear confusion of his life doesn't help him advance in stages. He's twenty-five and shaped by a vendetta ten years into the future, he's twenty seven and faced with himself a thousand years old and warped, he's watched every timeline unfold in the Speed Force till his mind broke apart, and now he's the father of a young woman he's never yet held as a baby and still loves with all his heart because she is his. It's such a surreal dissonance of age and identity when Nora calls him "old man". For a moment, he remembers that he's still young, and young enough to be hilariously offended by it.

I'm not going to touch on the Nora-working-with-Thawne "reveal" because we've seen that coming from the first. Instead I want to gush about Jessica Parker Kennedy. You guys, this woman is incredible. She was the sweetest, most precious thing this episode, the perfect audience surrogate. She has killed every scene she's in so far this season, so much so that her calling Barry and Iris "Mom and Dad" has never seemed weird, her love and connection to them has never seemed untrue, keeping her character so emotionally balanced right where she needs to sell it that we don't think overmuch about her bizarre age situation (2049? Really?). I don't know why this fandom doesn't appreciate her more, especially the Westallen fandom. Nora is literally the legacy of the show and of Barry and Iris's love. I cannot imagine anyone other than Jessica doing it so much justice.

Special notes:

- I wish we had more Golden Trio moments. Barry, Cait and Cisco's friendship was the lynchpin of the first two seasons and its disintegration in the third season is something that still hasn't been healed. SHOW ME BARRY'S CARE AND LOVE FOR CAITLIN SNOW. SHOW ME BARRY'S LOVE FOR CISCO.

- I am always torn between appreciating what this show wants to tell me and frustration of how badly it's usually told. Nora seeing Iris being Barry's comfort and support during one of his worst moments before they were ever together should have been heartwarming. But instead of showing a sweet, silent moment where Barry is allowed to curl up in her lap while she holds him in the aftermath of a traumatic experience, we see her pushing him to get up again before he even changes out of his suit. It made the scene seem so forced and contrived. Sometimes it's like the writers only know the theory of how humans work.

- It stood out to me again how embedded Cisco is in the emotional narrative of this show. It's Barry's story but Cisco's universe, his presence is vital, ubiquitous, pervasive. Seeing him innocent and sweet and vulnerable with Eowells, craving his approval, and then seeing him face down Cicada as a confident full-fledged superhero (are my baby's hands healed now?) was so satisfying. His character arc has been so amazing and consistent through four seasons of shoddy and uneven writing. He is literally the Samwise to Barry's Frodo and the fact that we havent heard stories of Uncle Cisco from Nora is a farce.

- I know fandom jumped on "at least you still have one" as a reference to Donovan's existence but I'm wondering if it's a reference to Thawne's own daughter Melonie. Did she still marry Don in his future or was she erased?

- I like that Eowells touched on the fact that Savitar was actually Barry. It gets persistently glossed over, that while Barry can't be held responsible for his future self, it was very much still him. I hate that Savitar was our Barry because the fact that any version of him could ever kill Iris is such a fundamental betrayal of his character, but jeez, if you're going to put it out there at least explore the ramfications of that concept in full.

- I missed Jesse L. Martin so much. I had really hoped we could have at least gotten five minutes of recycled footage of him.

- Also missed my cinnabun Cecile, and I want to see Iris interacting with her new sister! I need her to hold Jenna trying to imagine what Nora will feel like in her arms. I want Wally to be delighted at having a sibling he can watch grow up. GIVE ME MY WEST FAMILY DAMN IT.

- I still want my vow renewal (will literally kill someone for it at this point, preferably Guggy. No one will miss him) but that last iconic porch scene with the Allens is a compromise I can live with.

All in all, not the best 100th episode we could have gotten but very far from the worst.

#the flash 100th episode #the flash spoilers #recap #review #commentary #barry allen #iris west-allen #nora west-allen #cisco ramon #jessica parker kennedy #carlos valdez #tom cavanaugh #harrison wells #eobard thawne #caitlin snow #danielle panabaker #westallen

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cassatine · 6 years

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some Solo first impressions:

They circumvented the no crawl for the anthology movies set by Rogue One with blue text.

I don’t remember Han’s Legends backstory that well, and from what I do remember, different details, but street urchin joins the empire then deserts (+ pretty much saving chewbacca from the Empire) summarizes both versions. I’m pretty sure Han went to Carida in Legends too. I liked the similar-but-different, and how the references didn’t hit you in the nose.

I wasn’t super worried wrt Han’s characterization, not since interviews started trickling in, but... man, it was good. Alden Ehrenreich had the mannerisms down, and he did really well at being earnest and young and trying, trying to be suave and convincing and smooth and worldly, it was a delight.

Donald Glover was an amazing Lando. Perfect fit. He was very much the Lando we know (whatever his origin story is, it’s already in the past by the time of the movie). Just younger. And into a droid. And it’s possible. People talk about it. It’s a bit for the laughs, until it very much isn’t, because L-3 dies and okay it’s a Star Wars, it doesn’t dwell on grief, but it’s there.

There was much cape and cloak action, and 50% of it was due to Lando

Chewbacca was pretty great too; interactions with Han were a pleasure to watch, and he got his own dilemmas on Kesel, deciding to rescue the other Wookies and then deciding to stay with Han. Still I kind of wish it’d been a bigger part of the movie.

I really liked Val for the sort time she was around, and I really didn’t expect her to die, especially so early. Same for Rio, though he seemed fated to get hurt so Han would prove himself as pilot so it wasn’t as surprising when he died.

Qi’ra was everything I’d hoped for, and I’m very happy with her storyline; it didn’t really surprise me, because overall it’s what interviews had led me to expect, but it was the best possible version. I love her, I love how genuine her interactions with Han were, and I love that she was a nuanced person with her own arc about taking a measure of control in her own life. And I love that she kind of fucked Han over in the end, but she kept his involvement secret and him alive.

Her story with Han was so satisfying: it’s sad -- hell, it’s tragic, but... look, she didn’t wait for him. Whatever the circumstances, there’s thousands of stories in which women wait for men, and she didn’t. It’s so common, the protagonist dreaming of the lady he’s going to save or that’s waiting for him, and i don’t exactly dislike it as a rule, but i am weak for the (rarer) versions in which the lady actually has her own life going on and hasn’t been fixated on the protagonist coming back to bring change, and took matters in her own hands.

Even the dice thingy gets an origin story, and it’s a good one.

Dryden Vos was very dislikable. Bad vibes. Which made Qi’ra getting the final battle with him instead of Han that much nicer a detail.

L-3 -- i cried like a little bitch when she (sort of?) died. Another death I didn’t expect. She went out the way she as introduced, encouraging droids to fight back,encouraging people to fight back. An icon. She had so much personality.

Also the movie did manage to shoo in droid rights.

“What do you want?” (need? I’m not sure) “Equal rights”

The fucking Kessel mines revolt passage as a whole was a delight -- the droids freeing each other, and then freeing the, ehr, organic prisoners because they are fucking people and they know slavery when they see it and they were freeing *people* as a whole, droids are fucking better at humanity than half this dang fandom -- there are no words for how much I love this sequence.

I was 90% sure Enfys Nest was no dude, and lo and behold, a lady. With freckles!! So many pretty freckles. And the link to early rebel cells was a nice (unexpected) touch; the Empire was kind of a background thing, but between Corellia, Han’s time in the army, the Kessel mines and the quick blockading, even if you’d never seen a Star Wars you’d get there are rebels.

Four ladies. FOUR.

I am Ready for the AUs in which Enfys Nest insists some more and Han joins the rebels early on. And then Leia.

FUCKING TENTACLES. AGAIN.

I did say I find the Han/Qi’ra storyline very satisfying, but Han lost her and his idealized version of her, and a fatherly figure, and sure he got Chewie and the Falcon and Lando out of the whole thing, but you gotta feel sorry for him.

Suddenly the Kessel run in twelve parsecs sounds like a much more humble brag, considering it omits a ticking bomb, an imperial blockade, a giant space monster, TENTACLES, a gravitational error or whatever, etc.

I double-taked Maul because what. Then again, the dark crime overlord hinted to and who in the end is kind of there to give Qi’ra a reason to not just leave with Han (bounty hunters sent after people)had to be someone. He’s kind of like the Emperor in ANH and ESB. He even had a hood as hologram.

Han winning the Falcon was a very nice bit of payoff, and made for a relatively happy ending, considering how grim the story is overall.

I missed Tag and Bink??

#star wars #solo #hot cloak action #spoilers

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misscampbellclarington · 4 years

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Out of Character Task

SOME WARM-UP QUESTIONS TO GET IN THE MOOD:

What is their character archetype? Do they have one? Do they fit into any stereotypical label? (If your character has specific thoughts about character archetypes, feel free to add that too.) I don’t know that Campbell fits into any archetype. I suppose if she did, it would be the ‘pretty girl who comes off as stuck up but is actually really nice’ archetype.

What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween? Generally, Campbell enjoys dressing up in costumes one might expect to find at a masquerade ball.

Who do they look up to? Do they have a hero? Campbell looks up to Riley, and he is her hero. She also admires and looks up to her paternal grandmother.

If they could call one person for help, who would it be? Riley. Every time.

What is their favorite fairytale? What fairytale do they hate? Do they believe in happy endings? Campbell’s favorite fairytale is Beauty and the Beast.

What is their perception of redemption? Campbell does believe people can redeem themselves, and she believes everyone makes mistakes. However, she does have the ‘Clarington Cold Streak’, and even she has limits.

If your character could travel through time, where would they go? Campbell would go to 1940′s Paris.

What are they good at? Do they like being good at it? Is there anything they wish they were better at? She is good at dance, writing, singing, and school. Yes, she enjoys each of her activities. She wishes she were better at math.

When did they last lie? What’s their view of lying? When did they last make a promise? Did they keep or break their last promise? Campbell doesn’t often flat-out lie, she more lies by omission. Though, she’s been primarily straightforward here, nothing is coming to mind. She does not tolerate dishonesty from others, and it is the quickest way to push her into punishing a Submissive. However, in certain scenarios, she does recognize that it is necessary. Before entering Dalton, she promised Riley she’d do her best to protect and shield him. Thus far, she’s doing pretty well. She feels guilty for not putting Riley under orders after Beau’s call out post, and feels as though she both could and should have done more.

If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be? Oh, gosh. Probably her books. And/or her journal.

HOW THEY TALK AND PORTRAY THEMSELVES:

*This is going to be the best section to use when it comes to making your characters look, sound, and feel like different people instead of the same person with different faces. Remember that yes, some diction is the same across the board for a lot of people but we’re all individuals and choose to use even the currently trendy vocabulary in our own ways.

The first thing anyone is going to see is how your character talks. What makes them different from everyone else? How do you distinguish one of your characters talking versus another talking? Campbell, for the most part, is very prim and proper in her speech. She does not use a lot of contractions, her vocabulary is extensive, and she occasionally comes across as cold in her speech.

What words or phrases do they overuse? Do they have a catchphrase? Is there anyone that they quote? She overuses “I am glad...”. She does not have a catchphrase, though she does like to throw in various literary references and quotes.

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic? Are they introverted or extroverted? Although she attempts to be optimistic, she is truly forever the realist. Cam is definitely more introverted than most.

Do they ever put on airs? Do they ever pretend to be something they are not? This includes pretending to be brave or pretending to be strict. (For example, many people play Sebastian Smythe as a character that is putting on a sex shark, suave, cold façade in order to fit in. Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray could also be seen as putting on airs, sometimes, depending on where they are in their story arcs.) Campbell’s entire public life is shaped by her putting on airs. As a Clarington, she has been trained on how to act in public- never anything less than classy, with a healthy heap of perfection. In reality, Campbell is a bit of a mess.

How do they want to be seen by others? How do they see themselves? How are they seen by others? Cam wants to be seen as respectable, classy, and ‘powerful’, in a way. She sees herself as broken, and as a mess. Ultimately, I think she may be seen as a bitch, or intimidating. It’s the resting bitchface and the fact that she is very quiet and enjoys observing.

Strongest character trait? Weakest character trait? Strongest character trait is her resilience, and her ability to push through regardless of the chaos around her. Her weakest character trait is her fear of being alone, and the dark places that fear and those thoughts take her to.

How do they react to praise? How do they react to criticism? Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue? In all situations, Campbell does her best to keep her composure. She doesn’t really know what to do with praise, or how to respond. She doesn’t see herself as worthy of praise, and is a bit confused an taken aback when others praise her, or say good/nice things. Criticism fuels Campbell- she’s so used to getting it from her parents, and she uses it constructively, to add to her quest for perfection. She is far, far more likely to fight with her tongue. I don’t think she would even know what to do in a physical fight.

What are their political views? What will they stand up for? What do they consider an overrated virtue? Campbell generally maintains a position of independence in her political views. She does not associate herself fully with any party, though publicly she agrees with whatever stance her father takes. Campbell will stand up for just about any injustice, even if she must do so in small ways. Polite women, trained meet society’s view on what women should be, even as Dommes.

How do they treat Dominants? How do they treat submissives? Do they have any preconceived notions about poor people or rich people? Ultimately, Campbell attempts to treat everyone the same, though she is very well aware of the fact that this may be viewed as inappropriate. Publicly, she may treat Submissives slightly different, primarily in her actions, but she hates it. She tries not to have preconceived notions about anyone, although her upbringing does make this hard. Her first thoughts may always be judgement as that is what she has been taught, but she always reminds herself to reconsider and be kinder. She aims to connect with others, genuinely.

What bad habits do they have? Campbell’s bad habit is getting too focused on/caught up in her work and studies, and forgetting to take care of herself.

CHARACTER INTERESTS, LIKES, AND DISLIKES:

What is their obsession? (Example: Rachel Berry is obsessed with Broadway, Quinn Fabray is obsessed with successful perfection, etc) Campbell is obsessed with perfection.

What is their guilty pleasure? (This doesn’t have to be embarrassing, even if by definition this is something they would hide.) Cam’s guilty pleasure is reality TV.

What are their hobbies? (Remember that these can lead to club activities, which can lead to reasons to be active and make connections) Her hobbies are dance, singing, writing, and reading.

What are their idiosyncrasies? Cam chews her cheeks when she’s anxious, and always brings her hand to her mouth when she’s thinking.

What makes them laugh out loud? Random things- cute animals, funny children, and a variety of other things that would have to occur in the moment.

What are their pet peeves? Campbell cannot stand when people whine about results after putting in no effort. Dishonesty. And, people who do not rinse dishes before placing them into the sink.

Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider? She has been trained to make snap judgments, but she does correct herself and internally forces herself to take things slowly and make considerations.

What is their greatest fear? Ending up alone, never finding another Submissive, not being good enough, failure, and gnomes.

Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy? This varies by day. Generally indoorsy, though she does enjoy nature and occasionally likes to walk to spark inspiration for her writing.

What is the most offensive thing they’ve ever said? There have been far too many things to pick only one.

FAMILY, LOVE, AND OTHER HUMAN CONNECTIONS:

Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of? How do they define family? Campbell’s family is average-sized, consisting of herself, her twin Riley, and their older brother Hunter, along with their parents. Extended family creates a larger network, but they still aren’t a big, huge family by any means. Campbell defines family as the people you want to be around if you had only 24 hours left to live.

Did they grow up rich or poor? Did they grow up nurtured or neglected? Although she grew up rich, and never lacked or wanted for anything materialistic, she was neglected emotionally and desperately wanted more love, acceptance, and interaction.

What were they like before their mark, right after they woke up marked, after they got used to their mark, and approaching time to go to the Academy? Did any of these D/s mark related moments change them as a person? Campbell did not really change once she got her mark. She had always been raised to be as she is, and being marked as a Domme did nothing to effect that. Prior to coming to the Academy, she became more quiet and withdrawn, due to her nerves about going into another Academy situation.

What advice would they give their younger self? She would truthfully tell her younger self not to care so damn much. To be free, to be a child, to begin learning young to have fun and most importantly learn to love herself.

What was their childhood ambition? Has that changed? Campbell wanted to be a professional performer, and yes those goals have somewhat changed. While deep down she would love to continue dancing and performing, she feels as though this is not realistic, and knows her family would look down upon the choice. Therefore, she is focusing on her writing.

How do they display affection? In a situation with someone she doesn’t know very well, she presents affection with her words. Praise. Doing her best to show that she cares. With someone she may know better, and can be a little bolder with, she may take someone’s hand, wrap an arm around their waist, or rest her head against them.

What quality do they most value in a friend? Describe their ideal best friend a little bit. Campbell most values someone who ‘gets’ her. Someone easy to talk to, who doesn’t make her feel wrong for how she feels things. Her ideal best friend is someone she can hang out with, and be comfortable both talking all night, or just lounging and doing their own things, in each others’ presence.

Who are their natural allies? Campbell gets along with people who are like-minded, people who carry themselves well and value image and Dominance.

Who are their surprising allies? Someone like Hunter Preston or Michael Guerin.

What do they think about love? Has your character ever been in love? Have they ever had their heart broken? Campbell does believe in love, but has determined she will probably never find it. Following the death of the Submissive she very nearly claimed, she closed herself off, afraid of being a terrible Domme and feeling like a failure, she convinced herself she wouldn’t get a second chance. She has, but not in the traditional way. Her heart broke the day Kallee died.

DAILY LIFE AND USING IT FOR STARTERS/CONVOS:

*All of these can be used to help you decide what to write as a starter, how to connect with other people, and where you can find more connections. Remember that all Dom/mes have the right to make a submissive help them through their daily life! So if your Dom/me character has an answer down here that they could use help with (i.e. their morning routine, cooking meals, cleaning house, organizing, etc-- if your Dom/me character only has condiments in their fridge, for example, a sub could be a big help in getting them to go to the Dalton kitchens to get real food! And all characters are highly encouraged to interact based on clubs, classes, and daily life.)

What are their eating habits? Do they have any allergies? Campbell is a grazer- it is rare to see her eat a full meal. Perhaps a bite of something here, two bites of something there. She gets so wrapped up in her work, stress, and emotions that she often needs to be reminded to take a break and at least eat. She is allergic to cherries and tomatoes.

Describe their dorm/suite. Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder? Campbell’s room is pristine, and very organized. Everything is alphabetized, color coded, folded, and pressed. Everything has a place, and she can tell if something is even minimally askew.

What do they keep in their fridge? Their bedside table? Their purse/bag? In her fridge, Campbell keeps bottled water, coconut milk, low fat vanilla yogurt, salad ingredients, and bagels/cream cheese. On her bedside table she keeps a wax warmer, her journal, and whatever book she is working on reading. In her purse, Cam keeps her daily planner, her cell phone, chapstick, lipstick, a powder compact, extra tampons, a small manicure set, a lighter, and a metal cigarette holder (she smokes 1-2 cigarettes a day).

What do they do first thing on a weekday morning? The first thing Campbell does on a weekday morning is shower.

What do they do with their weekend? On the weekends, Campbell reads, dances, has movie marathons, and goes jogging.

Are they comfortable with technology? Yes, though she is no whiz. She knows enough to get by, and maybe a little extra.

What is their greatest extravagance? Campbell’s wardrobe.

What is their idea of perfect happiness? Being free. Being able to be herself, wholly.

What is their view of ‘freedom’? The ability to do, say, wear, and act whatever and however she pleases. No longer being forced to constantly chase and meet the most unrealistic of expectations.

What clubs and classes are they in? What does their weekly schedule look like? What would they like to start doing? Maybe something they could use a little push to get into? Aside from her required courses, Campbell has chosen to take Government and Human Anatomy. She is on the dance team and in Key Club. She has room for one more extracurricular, and is heavily considering Book Club or Linguistics Club. Her weekly schedule is steady, and unchanging, as she enjoys order and is very particular about her time-tables. She attends classes, then goes to the library for two hours after they end, before considering seeking food. Barring club meetings and practices, she is back in her room by 7PM, where she takes the time to read, watch a movie, or entertain a Submissive. She would like to branch out a little more, and meet a few more people, though her introverted tendencies

#tasks:all #tasks:ooc #tga starters

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isolavirtuosa · 7 years

Text

Unlikely Office Romances 23-24

[fanfiction] Gundam Wing, 1x2x1

Basically Duo is a jerk and Heero is an awkward nerd.

Previous Parts

23-24 under the cut

- 23 -

I knew that I was messing everything up, but there was a lot less blood flowing to my brain, and I had decided that Heero was absolutely the cutest, most adorable person in the ESUN.

A really cute, adorable person who was suddenly giving me smoldering eyes.

One had not lived until they had been smoldered at by Heero Yuy. My breath caught in my throat.

“Can I?” he asked.

I blinked stupidly at him. “Huh?”

His hand that had somehow appeared on my hip slid to my thigh.

There was pressure, and I felt all my senses fleeing me. I had no idea what he wanted, but I knew the answer was, “Yes, please.”

He bit his lip again, eyes cutting up to me before sliding his hand between my legs.

“Oh,” I said, resting both of my hands on his shoulders to anchor myself.

He unbuttoned the snaps on the front of my boxers, then slowly curled his fingers around me.

I made an undignified noise and buried my face in the crook of his neck.

“Is this okay?” he asked, hesitating.

“Very okay, very okay!” I assured him. “The most okay thing that has ever happened. In the world. Ever.”

He let out a puff of air, his version of a laugh, and pulled me out of my boxers and into the light of day.

I glanced up at him, studying his frown. “Something… the matter?”

“It’s… big,” he complained.

My face broke into a grin. I wanted to laugh, but Heero was holding my dick, and that just wasn’t a laughing matter.

Then he let go.

I might have whined a little.

“I wanted to see it, and now I’ve seen it,” he said solemnly.

“Oh my god, you are the worst cock tease I have ever met.”

“You’ve been using a lot of superlatives.”

“Well, that should tell you about the enormity of us getting it on.”

“I’m glad,” he said quietly, taking my palm and bringing it to his lips. “That it’s as important to you as it is to me.”

“Stop being suave,” I muttered, reclaiming my hand. I felt like the balance of power had shifted between us, and it wasn’t a bad feeling, it just made me feel like rabid butterflies were trying to eat their way out of my stomach.

“I don’t think that’s a word that’s ever been used to describe me…” Heero said, kissing me. He was up on his toes again, and it was so damn adorable.

I wanted to say something, but he was pressing really close. I could feel the rough cotton of his t-shirt touching my still very-exposed penis. I could also feel a returning bulge pressed against my thigh. Everything was coming up Duo today, that was for sure. I locked my arm around him and kissed him as thoroughly as possible.

“Come down here,” he growled at me, pulling my face down so he could stand flat on his feet again while we kissed.

I was going to die of euphoria.

“That is not an attractive expression,” Heero said.

I sputtered.

He smiled, one of those smiles that reached his eyes but was still kind of unpleasant to look at.

I liked it, though. I liked it so much, I slid to my knees.

He looked nervous again, catching the back of my head. “Are you going to…?”

“Yes, please.”

“Don’t laugh at me again,” he mumbled, looking to the side.

“I didn’t laugh,” I protested.

He didn’t look convinced.

I nuzzled my cheek against his thigh.

Heero took a breath.

I nuzzled a little closer. I hadn’t been this close to a dick that wasn’t my own in long, long time. I pressed my nose into it, and I felt Heero’s whole body straighten.

His fingers tightened in my hair, and then his free hand went to his zipper and he just let it out.

As much as I liked shy, cute Heero, confident, straightforward Heero wasn’t bad either.

This time I didn’t smile, just looked reverently at the lovely offering before me. I decided it was a very nice size, easily wrapping my hand around it and fitting it all in my mouth.

Heero’s fingers clawed into my skull, and I thought that was pretty nice, until his super human strength took over.

I smooched the tip, looking up at him. “Good?”

He gave me a helpless look and nodded.

“Good. Just be gentle with my scalp, yeah?”

Before he could feel too guilty, I went down on him again.

Heero loosened his fingers, keeping them buried in my hair but now stroking gently.

It felt nice and I purred around him.

“Duo,” he said urgently.

“Hm?”

“I’m going to come,” he said.

I pulled back. “Already?”

He gave me a pained look.

“You are the cutest thing alive,” I informed him, settling in to finish the job.

Heero Yuy had been very pent up, judging by everything that went down my throat.

I grinned at him.

He chewed on his lower lip, looking embarrassed.

“C’mere,” I said, pulling him down to the floor with me. “That was really nice,” I added, giving him a kiss.

His nose wrinkled at the taste on my tongue.

“It’s yummy,” I informed him, licking the roof of his mouth.

He shook his head, turning his face from my invasion. “It’s… salty.”

“It’s good for you,” I said, chasing his mouth.

“That does not seem scientifically sound,” he said, but let himself be caught.

I ran my tongue along his until he finally stopped making faces and started taking over the kiss. I slipped my legs over his, pulling him closer and rubbing my still very active erection against him.

Heero slid a hand to my leg, his skin burning a trail up my thigh.

I thought things were moving along very smoothly, when he suddenly got hesitant.

“What do you want to do?” I asked, thumbing the back of his hand.

“I don’t know,” he said, thinking as he spoke. “I want to make you feel how you made me feel.”

“I’m very agreeable to that idea,” I said, guiding his hand upwards. My breath caught in my throat.

“Like this?” he asked.

I nodded senselessly.

“Okay,” he said, and then he was confident again.

A confident Heero was a very skillful Heero.

“Shit,” was the most comprehensible thing I could come up with to say.

His eyes were drowning me in their intensity. He was watching every micro-expression on my face, studying and analyzing every breath I took to make sure he knew how to make me feel good.

“You’ve really never jerked a guy off before?” I panted into his shoulder, feeling the sticky mess between us and pressing closer anyway.

Heero didn’t answer, just wrapped his arms around me.

“I’m… fond of you,” I said, kissing his cheek.

He looked at me.

“Are you fond of me?” I asked, grinning.

“More than fond,” he said, kissing me slowly.

I melted into him like a pile of goo. Goddamn, Heero was a smooth creep, and I wanted to buy so many curtains with him.

“I can’t wear this shirt,” he said suddenly.

“Then don’t,” I said agreeably, pulling it up to his armpits.

“I mean that it’s all stained with your… seminal fluid.”

I almost choked on my laughter, while Heero tried to bat me away from stripping him. “I’ll get you something to change into,” I finally got out, still laughing.

“Why is this funny to you?”

I pulled his shirt over his head. “You just seemed so offended by my… seminal-” I started laughing again.

“Your clothes are big,” he complained, frowning.

“You make my heart want to explode,” I said, trying to contain my cooing.

“Do you need an aspirin?” he asked, looking serious.

“I can’t take you anymore!” I declared, pushing him away by the face.

“…did I do something wrong?”

“Shit, stop already, or I’m gonna say something really embarrassing,” I said, getting to my feet.

Heero looked vaguely perplexed.

“You are really hot,” I said, looking at his washboard abs.

Heero looked even more perplexed.

I liked being the puzzle that he couldn’t figure out. “I’m taking a shower. Feel free to join me.”

I was very pleased when he did.

“You really want to go back to being a bounty hunter?” he asked as he shampooed his hair.

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe. I dunno. Sounds better than what I’m doing now.”

“You were an adequate bounty hunter.”

“Adequate?!” I sputtered, accidentally dripping shampoo in my eye. “Shit!”

Heero waited until I’d sorted out my stinging eye. “I thought that was a fair assessment. I was praising your abilities.”

I kissed him because he was cute when he was being an asshole.

He looked surprised and suddenly embarrassed, like he’d just realized that we were naked in a shower together.

“If I don’t go down the bounty hunter path, I was thinking tattoo artist,” I said. “Or a veterinarian. Or a construction worker.”

Heero looked at me like I was crazy.

I grinned, stepping under the water to rinse out the shampoo. “What would you wanna be if you could be anything?”

“A forensics expert.”

“I mean besides your current occupation.”

“Why would I want to do anything besides the occupation that I already chose?”

I shook my head at him.

“I like my job,” he said, eyebrows knitting together.

“But you’re not completely happy,” I pointed out.

“I…” he started, hesitating.

“You spend too much time trying to bury the parts of yourself that you don’t like,” I said, pushing some conditioner through his hair.

“What do you mean?” he asked, but I could see in his eyes that he understood me.

I worked the conditioner into his scalp, deep and massaging.

His lips parted slightly.

“You don’t like being strong,” I said. “You don’t like being aggressive. That kind of thing. But it’s all a part of you.”

Now he didn’t look happy.

I decided to pick up the bar of soap and run it over his chest like I’d been fantasizing about for the last five minutes..

Heero watched me.

“It’s not like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” I said, letting the soap run down lower. “No secrets from the Zero System.”

He caught my wrist, stopping me from continuing.

I handed him the soap, then bumped him with my hip so I could step under the water. Washing conditioner out my hair was always a bitch.

“Why is everything so easy for you?”

I turned to look at him. “Huh?”

He was just holding the soap and frowning.

“You know it’s not easy being Duo Maxwell,” I said, poking him in the side. He wasn’t the least bit ticklish, but that didn’t stop me from trying.

“Yes, it is,” he said. “You just do whatever you want, whenever you want. You don’t think about the consequence. You don’t care about them.”

“And all you do is worry about every little thing to the point that you can’t even move forward with your life,” I countered easily.

Heero pushed the curtain aside and stepped out of the shower. He was dripping wet and holding a bar of soap.

“You need to rinse out the conditioner,” I pointed out.

“Shut up,” he snarled at me.

I blinked. Then I grinned. “You gonna make me?”

“Stop joking around,” he said, his voice taking on a hurt tone.

“Heero, come back in the shower,” I said. “I’m sorry, okay? You know how I am. I have an inability to talk about things seriously due to my traumatic upbringing and all that.”

He didn’t move.

“Please?” I said, putting some sincerity into my voice.

“You’re wasting water.”

“For fuck’s sake.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know, god. Get your ass in here, already.”

He stepped back over the rim of the tub, closing the curtain with more force than necessary.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the soap from him. “Wash out the damn conditioner.”

He did so efficiently.

“And stop having that sour puss on your face,” I added, soaping up his arm.

“I have no such expression.”

“Oh, you do,” I said. “You absolutely do.”

The look intensified.

I kissed his shoulder before washing it.

The expression shifted. “I’m not good at this,” he finally said when I spun him around to wash his back.

“Good at taking showers?”

“Maxwell.”

I kissed the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. We’re trying to be serious. Old dog, new tricks, and all that.”

“I know,” he said, his shoulders slumping. “You’re just being you, and I’m just being me. I can’t… I’m not good at this. I’m not good at things that I wasn’t trained to do.”

“You don’t like feeling out of your element, I get that,” I hummed into his neck. “You’re a bit of a control freak, I’d say, and all of this is completely out of your control.”

“I am not a control freak.”

“You’re the kind of control freak who blows up your gundam when a mission doesn’t go the way you want it to.”

“That is not an example that illustrates your point.”

“Your need to always be right is, though.”

“I am always right.”

I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of me.

“It’s hard for me to think that you’re not laughing at me,” he said quietly.

“I am laughing at you,” I said, hugging him. Then I realized that we were both wet and naked. It seemed like poor planning, but I tried to focus on our conversation instead of how my dick was millimeters from Heero’s very nice butt. “It’s not a bad thing. You’re funny. Sometimes unintentionally, but come on, Heero, you have a hidden sense of humor. I like that about you.”

He was quiet, mulling it over. “I’m not doubting you,” he said finally. “I know you feel about me how I feel about you. But I don’t know how to prove that to myself beyond a shadow of a doubt. There are no facts that I can check or hard data that I can research. I can’t explain this with logic.”

“That’s what love is, dummy.”

“…you called it ‘love’.”

“Slip of the tongue,” I muttered, embarrassed.

Heero leaned back against me.

Of course I got hard. “How’s this for a fact?”

“That’s the nerves in your brain sending a chemical message to the blood vessels in your penis.”

“And that message is?”

“Reproduce for the preservation of the species.”

“How’s that gonna work if my partner is a guy?”

“Something must be faulty with your brain, then.”

I laughed into his neck.

Heero’s hips rolled back into mine.

I gasped.

“We’re wasting water,” he said, but there was something very sexy about his tone.

“It all gets recycled in the colony filtration system,” I reasoned.

“You have a point.”

We wasted a little more water.

- 24 -

Mariemaia could not control her mirth as she passed the mashed potatoes.

I glowered at her.

Duo just accepted the potatoes and cheerfully scooped them onto his plate, seemingly oblivious to Une’s scrutiny from across the table.

She took the offered potatoes imperiously.

Duo took a bite, eyes going thoughtful. “Babe, needs more salt.”

I turned red, eyes flicking around the room for a safe place to hide.

“Here’s some salt,” Mariemaia said helpfully.

Duo shook out some, then offered it to Une.

“I think it tastes fine,” she said evenly.

He shrugged. “Heero’s food always tastes bland to me.”

“So you eat his cooking a lot?” Mariemaia asked, her grin widening.

“Whenever we stay at his place.”

Mariemaia’s look was fiendish now.

Une’s look had gotten more appraising. “We’ve never had a guest at our monthly dinner before,” she said. “Your relationship must be progressing well for Heero to invite you.”

“Yeah, things are good,” Duo said nonchalantly.

“So good you’re staying over his place?” Mariemaia murmured, waggling her eyebrows at me.

‘Shut up,’ I mouthed at her.

She made a kissy face.

“So good we’re buying curtains together,” Duo said, flashing me a dopey grin.

It was really cute and caused me to momentarily forget my embarrassment.

“Well, Heero certainly hasn’t been keeping us updated on that front,” Une said, cutting her meat with silent accuracy.

“Heero, are you ashamed to tell your family about me?” Duo gasped in mock horror.

I frowned at him.

“While Heero has not kept me abreast of things, Mariemaia has offered me an abundance of intel,” Une said, setting down her water glass on the table with a rumble.

“You make that sound worrying,” Duo said, still smiling easily.

“Do you have anything to be worried about, Maxwell?” she asked.

“Shit, I dunno,” he said with a little laugh. He turned to Mariemaia. “What’ve you been telling the commander here?”

“You know, about what a jerk you are,” she said.

“I thought we were friends now,” Duo said, aghast.

“I may have also mentioned how you helped me pass my mechanics exam, and how you make my stupid robot brother smile like an idiot all the time,” she said, grinning.

I kicked her under the table.

It hadn’t been hard, and she looked like she was about to burst out laughing.

I tried to glare her into submission.

Duo took my hand and kissed the back of it. “An idiot, you say?”

I fidgeted my hand away from him. We weren’t ready for public displays of affection yet. Well, I wasn’t. After months of dating, the Duo who I thought looked down on me and was embarrassed to be with me was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile I was the one always keeping him at a distance.

The only reason I’d invited him to family dinner night was because we needed to talk to Une.

Mari and Duo seemed to be having a grand time, anyway.

At my expense.

Une was her usual calculating self, reading underneath the underneath in the guise of eating her dinner.

When everyone was finished eating, I took the dishes to the kitchen, glad for an escape.

Une joined me, taking the dish towel and looking imperious about it.

I handed her a wet plate and she dried it.

“Yuy,” she said.

My eyes flicked up to hers.

“Are you satisfied with your work?”

I turned back to the pot I was washing. “Yes.”

“Po said that she tried offering you an agent position again.”

There was a sharp burst of laughter from the living room.

“Yes, and I turned her down again,” I said. “For the third time.”

“I know that’s not what you want,” she said. “But… are you sure you don’t want something different?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Has Maxwell?”

I shook my head.

“He and I agreed, you know,” she said, putting down the towel. “He would stay with the Preventers until his thirtieth birthday.”

“I am aware.”

“Is that why you’ve finally allowed me to properly meet your boyfriend?”

“W-what?” I stuttered, almost dropping the plate I was washing.

“I assume Maxwell has made some kind of decision and wishes to discuss it with me,” Une said, unperturbed by my sudden twitchiness. “You know, Heero, I don’t mind Maxwell,” she continued, pouring herself another glass of wine. She was never one for finishing household chores. “He suits you in certain ways. He was a little rough around the edges when he started working for us, but I think you’ve smoothed him out.”

“Okay…” I said.

There was a crash in the living room, but I didn’t want to think about what was being destroyed out there. Mari’s laughter suddenly pealed through the apartment.

“I want him to stay,” she said. “I want you both to stay. You’re two of my best. If other arrangements need to be made, then we will make them.”

“I would never just leave,” I said, though I still felt guilt creeping in.

“I know that,” she said, her look downright affectionate.

I flushed a little.

“Need help?” Duo asked, showing off his uncanny ability to offer help with the housework when it was already finished.

“No.”

“Sorry,” he said, grinning and looping his arms around my waist while I tried to wash the last pot.

“You’re not sorry,” I said, shrugging him off. “And what the hell did you break?”

“Okay, first of all, I didn’t break anything,” Duo complained. “Second of all, Mari may or may not have knocked over your gunpla shelf.”

“You’re lying,” I said, rolling my eyes. No way he would have shown his face in the kitchen if that was true.

“Couldn’t you have pretended to believe me for a second?”

“Hey, where’s dessert?” Mari asked, sitting at the counter next to Une.

“There’s ice cream in the freezer,” I said.

“Ice cream?!” she asked, delighted.

“I wonder who did the shopping for tonight?” Duo hummed, pulling down some bowls from the cabinets like he lived here.

“Did you know that Heero had me convinced that carrots were a dessert when I was younger?” Mari said, digging the scoop into the ice cream.

Duo snorted.

“Carrots are a healthy snack with sufficient taste,” I said, flicking Mari on the back of the head.

She made a face at me.

“Sufficient taste,” Duo snickered.

I let him squeeze my hand without pulling away, because I was starting to feel comfortable with the situation.

Une was looking away from us, but I caught her small smile.

“Here, Mom,” Mari said, passing Une a bowl. “Heero, are you gonna eat any?”

“A small scoop,” I said.

“You’re gonna get fat,” Duo teased, poking me in the stomach. “Your body isn’t used to all these saturated fats.”

“You’ll definitely get fat before me,” I said, accepting my small scoop while Duo dug into his overflowing bowl.

“I do expect my agents to take care of themselves,” Une commented, looking Duo up and down.

“I take excellent care of myself,” Duo protested.

“Hm,” Une said, making eating ice cream look like an imperious action.

The room settled into a quiet, contented hum of ice cream eating.

It didn’t taste bad.

“Mari, can you clean up in here for me?” I asked, after she and Duo had finished their seconds and thirds.

“How long did you want me to clean up for?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

There wasn’t really a need to be subtle since apparently everyone already knew what was going on.

“Until we’re finished,” Duo said, tugging on her ponytail. “Commander, can we talk?”

“Do you ever stop talking?” Une asked, standing up and striding over to the living room.

“Did she just burn me?” Duo demanded.

“She does that,” Mariemaia said with a grin, dumping the bowls in the sink. She then sat back down at the counter, phone out and typing furiously. She’d been doing that a lot lately.

“I’m a nice guy, why does everyone have to take cheap shots at me?” Duo muttered.

“You’re not that nice,” I said, nudging him towards the living room.

“I’m moderately nice.”

“I can agree with that assessment.”

“Thank you, robot boyfriend, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Une was waiting on the couch.

I took the chair kitty-corner to the couch, and Duo sat on the arm of my chair.

“So you’ve decided?” Une asked abruptly. She liked things to get to the point.

“Well, I signed the three year contract and it’s about to expire,” Duo said.

“We need you in the Preventers. This whole business with the mobile suit factories still isn’t sorted.”

“Well, yeah, so I was thinking…”

Une waited.

“I can’t work in that office anymore,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s just not me.”

“And here I thought I’d finally tamed the wild beast.”

“Me? I’m the wild beast?” Duo asked incredulously.

“You’re the only gundam pilot who had to be dragged into the Preventers kicking and screaming.”

“It wasn’t so much screaming as yelling. Manly yelling.”

“Maxwell. What is it that you want to do?”

Duo looked at me.

I nodded.

“We want a vacation is what we want,” he said, grinning.

Une looked at Duo measuringly. “You have the standard twenty-two vacation days,” she said. She knew that wasn’t what he meant.

“Yeaaah, we’re thinking a year.”

“You keep saying ‘we’,” she added, casting a glance towards me.

I nodded gruffly. “We.”

“Both of you? For a year?” she confirmed. She sounded weary.

“We both need it,” Duo said.

“And then?”

“And then we don’t know.”

“Christ on a stick,” Une muttered, massaging her temple.

Duo gave me a wide-eyed look.

I ignored him. “I will always be a scientist, and I will always be willing to help the Preventers when I’m needed. I just need to… understand myself better. The people I killed because of this-” I started and stopped. It still weighed on me. “I think it would be easier for you, anyway. You could call it a disciplinary leave, and then the ESUNBI might back off.”

Duo and I may have been exonerated for our felony gundam piloting, but that didn’t mean that the ESUNBI was happy to have two alleged terrorists working in their building. At least there had been no video of Trowa destroying mobile suit factories, so he’d been able to keep his good name.

“I don’t give a fuck about the ESUNBI,” Une said blandly. “What do you two plan to do on this vacation of yours?” She made it sound like a dirty word.

“Heero wants to look at boring monuments and crap,” Duo explained. “I was thinking we might do, you know, actual fun stuff.”

“How legal would all this fun stuff be?”

“Uh, well, fairly legal, I’d say.”

Une sighed. “Are you going to come back?”

“Maybe. We don’t know what we’re going to find, ya know? We might become shuttle pilots, or open a detective agency, or become dog walkers. Who knows?”

“We’re not going to be dog walkers,” I stated flatly.

“You like animals. It could be fun, you never know.”

“I know.”

“The point is, that there are endless possibilities, and we just hafta try them out to see what fits.”

“And when I need you?” Une asked.

“You know we always show up when the world’s about to end,” Duo said with a grin. “But I think you’ve got shit under control right now, ya know? Did you see how we cleaned up the Brotherhood?”

“There are still members at large.”

“Yeah, but we crippled them. Come on. Heero defeated a motherfucking tank.”

Une laughed at that, a sudden bark that ended as abruptly as it began. “You’ve already decided then?”

“Yeah, well ya see, I kinda already sold my place,” Duo said, rubbing the back of his neck. “And I bought a ship, and ya know, we started getting it ready and all, so…”

“When do you leave?”

“The day my contract’s up.”

“That’s next month.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Yuy?”

“I’d like to put in my two weeks’ notice,” I said. “Well, it will be my three weeks and six day’s notice.”

“Does that mean I’m in charge of the lab?” Mariemaia called from the kitchen.

“An intern would not be in charge of the lab,” I said, shaking my head.

“What, are you going to leave Quatre in charge?!”

“Maybe I haven’t thought this through…”

“We’ll work it out,” Une said, standing up and walking briskly over to us. “Maxwell,” she said, shaking his hand. “Yuy,” she said, shaking mine.

Duo and I stood in the doorway and watched as Une and Mariemaia headed out.

“This is still what you want, right?” Duo said, studying my expression.

“This is the only life I’ve ever known.”

Duo kissed my forehead, pulling me back into the apartment. “You can join me later, you know.”

I shook my head. “We just need to go, make a clean break. Otherwise I’ll never do it.”

We’d talked about it and talked about it, and here we were talking about it more.

I was tired of talking about it.

“It was nice of Maia to pretend to do the dishes for us,” Duo said as we passed the kitchen.

I started to move towards the sink, but Duo dragged me towards my room.

I let him.

When we were alone, it was easy to be together.

Duo started pulling the bedding down from the closet.

“You don’t have to sleep on the couch,” I offered, barely blushing.

He smiled at that, but carried the bedding out to the couch anyway. “You said you wanted to be at the office early to start wrapping everything up.”

“Did I?” I said, suddenly very distracted by Duo bending over to tuck in the sheets.

“Yes, Heero, you did, and we both know that neither of us is going to get any decent sleep if I stay with you.”

“I don’t mind,” I said, hugging him from behind.

“Ha.”

“Don’t ‘ha’ at me.”

“Ha ha.”

I spun him around, leveling him with a good glare.

“Ha,” he repeated again.

I pulled him closer, and Duo dropped his forehead to mine. “Don’t test me,” I said, but it wasn’t a very good threat.

“Mm-hm,” Duo hummed. “Wanna get freaky?”

I stared at him.

“I’m sorry, was that not the appropriate way to ask for sex?” he asked, his grin unapologetic.

“No, it was not,” I said. I let my hand slide down to Duo’s butt. I liked his butt. I liked his body. I liked touching his body.

I liked him.

We were naked before we got back to my room.

It wasn’t embarrassing anymore.

I watched Duo move over me, his eyes fixed on mine.

I held onto him tightly.

It was always like an explosion.

Duo lingered in bed with me.

I kissed his fingertips, eyelids growing heavy.

His breath was warm against my neck.

I felt safe and content.

Then I jerked awake as Duo started thrashing around.

I sighed. I had definitely been lying when I said I didn’t mind if he stayed. He was a completely restless sleeper, and I was hypersensitive to any noise and movement while I slept.

He started, sitting up abruptly. “Ugh, what time is it?”

“One thirty-seven.”

“This always happens,” he murmured, leaning down and smooching my nose. “I’m going to the couch.”

“Stay,” I said, catching his arm. I meant it.

“No way, I’m not dealing with grumpy Yuy in the morning,” he said, but he hesitated.

I took his hand, squeezing it to my chest.

“Good night, Romeo,” he said, slipping away.

I didn’t get the reference.

#gundam wing #fanfiction #1x2x1 #1x2 #unlikely office romances isola

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