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starkerkeyz · 4 years

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Love Me Sweetly, Kiss Me Softly (2/?)

Chapter Title: The Dangerous Perks of Dating Peter Parker

Length: 5528 WC

Warnings: TOOTH ROTTING FLUFF (for nooow), intersex omegas, naughty but innocent Peter?

Links:

AO3

Part 1

Summary:

"We can go anywhere you want," Peter says, wide-eyed and flushed.

“All I want is you.” Tony husks, his mouth parted so he can taste Peter’s arousal on the roof of his mouth, coating his tongue and throat like liquid sin. His upper lip curls and his tongue peeks out, wanting to lick the musky saline taste right out of the air.

His tail stays pressed to Peter’s thigh and he wishes his hand could join it, too.

Keyz 💖: The date is here! The date is here! Somehow they DON’T fuck in the bathroom or against a tree in the park? Mads and I have been replaced by pod people I swear. Tony is behaving.

Mads💗: The first date! TBH, the date went a looot longer than I thought it would so it got split. I can't believe how infatuated… and silly… our boys are. You'll see what I mean 😂

💖💖💖

Tony allows himself to be led and enjoys pointedly squeezing Peter’s hand every now and then along the way. Every time he did, Peter’s little tail bobbed and twitched, and it was enchanting.

“Do you eat fast food a lot?” Tony asks curiously into the comfortable silence that's descended between them.

Peter seems too slender for that sort of diet but then again, Tony fully plans on buying 10 combos and eating until he couldn’t anymore and he's pretty athletic himself, thanks.

Truthfully, Tony doesn’t really care which way Peter answers; he doesn’t mind if Peter usually eats fast food or regularly eats home-cooked and this is a treat. What he cares about is learning Peter’s answer just so he’d know that much more about the bunny.

Tony wants to learn as much as he can about Peter and he’s a little dismayed about how little he’s starting with. He has no idea if rabbits are social or solitary, mate for life or only a season. Hell, he didn’t know most bunnies prefer grains to carrots until he’d been searching the web for courting present ideas.

Most of the initial search results were sex toys.

Tony bookmarked the really interesting ones before filtering and narrowing it down to the Honey Bunny’s. Just in case.

Peter's ear twitches at the question.

"Sometimes," he says reluctantly as he brings them down the street.

Tony tilts one ear towards Peter politely and the other monitors ahead and around them for threats. He catches sight of the ear twitch and inhales deeply, pride warm and soft in his chest. Peter’s omega scent and ear posturing calls to Tony’s alpha for protection without even trying.

His ears being submissively down all the time (through no fault of his own but try explaining genetics to instinct) only add fuel to the fire growing between his ribs. It makes Tony’s wolf feel powerful and respected and feeds into the alpha urges to guard and protect.

Peter doesn't want to admit that he doesn't really do the fast foods that a carnivore would frequent. He can eat meat– has eaten meat, but he doesn't enjoy the flavor or texture as much as his friends do.

Normally, he enjoys fresh salads and crisp veggies. It's… not really a bunny stereotype since it's true… But he doesn't want to admit that to Tony.

He doesn't want to limit what the wolf eats just because he has a preference for greens. Besides, Five Guys has fries. Fries are potatoes… so vegetable. He should be fine.

He glances at the wolf, cheeks flushing just the slightest pink. He also doesn't admit that he has a salad stashed away in the fridge in the employee area.

"I eat at home a lot," he decides to say. "But MJ said this was a good spot for wolves. Ned says their burgers are really good too."

“I love burgers! It’s probably in my top three food groups. You already know me so well.” Tony uses both ears to signal his happiness and magnify his praise. He wants to shout it out to the rooftops that Peter is the smartest bunny on the planet; utilizing his ears and tail to flag his interest and pride like an obnoxious gushing fanboy to anyone within sight will have to do, instead.

Pleasure sparks inside him and Peter squeezes Tony's hand. He likes the idea of getting to know the wolf better. Burgers… He'll remember that.

But doubt still makes him worry. Five Guys is a fast food place, after all. Tony's probably had way better...

Peter’s eyes may be a little wide and he's almost sure that if he had a long tail like a wolf's or even a cat's, it'd be slowly waving back and forth. He bites his bottom lip, peeking at the wolf.

"Is this place okay…?" He asks, hopeful.

He really didn't have much time to find a really good spot to take the wolf. Everything had happened so fast… Not that he minds at all.

“I don’t mind Five Guys. I’ve had it before; your friends were right, they do have really good burgers. You made a good choice.” Tony bumps their shoulders together. He leans his weight against Peter as they walk and tucks his tail behind the bunny’s thigh, keeping him close.

The hairs at the back of Peter's neck stand at attention. The sensation makes his breath hitch and he almost looks behind him to check.

It could only be one thing and it's… weird. Weird because his own little fluffy ball of a tail isn't long enough to brush against his thighs. He's not used to the sensation and the soft brush of fur against his thighs excites him.

Maybe even more so because it's Tony.

Tony’s tail wags a few times, thumping and rubbing up against (and between) Peter’s legs before settling with only minor adjustments as they walk. He only briefly misses the feeling of another tail to twine with.

He’d have to figure out another way to scent Peter’s tail.

Some quiet, yet persistent little voice at the back of his mind suggests taking Tony home. It doesn't even make sense cause the fridge at home is packed with veggies, but it still persists. Take him home and let the wolf make a meal out of him…

Peter's blush deepens at such elicit thoughts. His scent, too, deepens with it. Arousal and want, all these signals that try to lure the wolf into devouring him.

He shakes his head rather adamantly to clear the thoughts.

"We can go anywhere you want," Peter says, wide-eyed and flushed.

His tail stays pressed to Peter’s thigh and he wishes his hand could join it, too.

The words echo in Peter's head, bouncing around and scrambling his already desire driven thoughts. Tony wants him…?

Peter just wants to press up right against the wolf, chest to chest. Maybe he's the one that's going to do the devouring with how hot he feels.

Would Peter even have the courage to do that to a wolf…? He peeks at the man, thoughts running wild but then–

“What I mean,” Tony blinks slowly. Wolf, alpha, and man all wanted to sink cock and fang into the heat Peter’s scent promises him.

It's hard to think why that's a bad idea with Peter looking at him with the sweetest brown eyes Tony has ever seen.

So eager to please. Giving himself up to Tony. Giving Tony power and control; over what he eats, over where they go. It's enough to cause a slam of arousal through his gut and into the rest of his body.

“Is that all I want is your company. The food is secondary.” Tony squeezes Peter’s hand and tries to reign himself in.

It’s incredibly difficult when a part of him is convinced that Peter wants to be thrown over the nearest bench and fucked in front of lunch hour traffic.

Those glossy brown eyes, the submissively lowered ears, the eager flush crowning smiling cheeks, the heady scent of fertile young omega; it's like Peter's the perfect embodiment of everything that sets Tony off.

He’d have to be strong enough to hold off. For Peter’s sake, if not his own.

If Tony's earlier words had almost set Peter off, these new ones feel like a bucket of ice cold water being dropped on him.

Peter tears his eyes away, a bit mortified over his thoughts. He's two seconds away from just jumping Tony on their first date and the wolf is being so sweet and such a gentleman.

He has to take control of himself. He's not some… some bunny stereotype that's down to fuck at the drop of a hat. Not that there's anything wrong with that… Bunnies are pretty carefree about sex, but Peter's always been a bit more reserved. Though… he'd probably bend over right then and there if Tony asks him…

He shakes his head so his ears sway again and he forces himself to focus.

"I wanna spend time with you, too," Peter says and tries to get all those rampant desires under control. "I… I wanna know more than what your favorite food is."

He says the words and realizes just how true they are. The bunny can't deny that he's so, so curious over what differences they have, but he doesn't mind at all.

It's exciting. Being with Tony is exciting and his little heart is beating with the thrill of having their first date.

There's so much Peter wants to know. Tony's favorite color… his hobbies… the way his lips taste…

Peter subconsciously tugs on his ear to focus and keep his mind out of the gutter.

Tony’s eyes watch his fingers curl around the soft looking ear with an intensity that has gotten him in trouble in the past. He just wants to feel out how soft it is with his lips. Maybe run it over his cheek and then lean in and kiss Peter-

He yips to himself to focus on something other than Peter’s entire gorgeous being and how much he wants to lick and taste every inch of him.

Fortunately, they've reached the restaurant. The scent of peanut oil and sizzling meat… Cajun, sharp and spicy, assault Peter's nose. He rubs it with his free hand but he knows he'll get accustomed to the smell fast.

Tony takes over and leads them up to the register. His stomach growls audibly from the delicious scent of cooking meat and frying oils filling his nose. His mouth waters so badly, he has to swallow before he can speak clearly.

“Go ahead and order whatever you want first. Mine is going to take them a while.” Tony winks at Peter. He doesn’t want to keep the bunny waiting for his ridiculous wolf appetite.

Peter flashes Tony a smile before he looks at the menu to make sure it's the same one he googled earlier.

"Small Cajun fries and um, just a cheeseburger," he tells the employee. Then he ticks off the toppings, a variety of veggies and ends it off with a, "And can I get it wrapped in lettuce?"

He's curious to see how it'll turn out. The bunny turns back to Tony with a chagrined smile.

Tony lets go of Peter’s hand so he could pull his wallet out of his back pocket. His tail shifts and tucks tighter to the bunny’s leg to compensate for the loss, almost hugging around so the tip tickles along his inner thighs.

It's still too bad that Peter’s tail is too short to wrap and tangle and wrestle with. Maybe he’d let Tony drape his longer tail over the little bob sometime? It would feel incomplete if Peter was properly scented everywhere but his tail and it was actually driving Tony a little crazy not having access. That cute little fluff ball belongs to Tony as much as everything else.

He shakes his head at himself when he registers how possessive that sounds, even in the privacy of his inner consciousness. He's going to be good. He’ll hold back, go as slowly as Peter wants, let the bunny lead.

He’s definitely not going to be a possessive stereotypical wolf that scents and fucks Peter constantly, circling and snarling at anyone that looks at him wrong. He's better than that.

Peter deserves him to be better than that.

The bunny's eyes widen a bit. He's definitely not used to feeling that and with how close it is to his groin, he's hyper aware of it. Normally, such a sensitive spot is extremely tickleish but in this setting…

His face flushes such a deep red when the scent of his own arousal sneaks up to his nose.

"Um, I'll be right back," Peter says, "Gonna hop in the bathroom for a sec."

He's worried he'll slick right through his pants and then, there'll be no way to explain that besides the fact that Tony just turns him into such a mess…

“Alright. I’ll pay, order mine, then pick a spot for us.” Tony leans his weight harder on Peter for a second before letting up. He resists the urge to rub their cheeks together; Peter is scent marked enough to survive a Five Guys bathroom unescorted.

"Be right back," Peter squeaks but not before pecking Tony on the cheek and running off.

Tony smiles to himself, pleased from the affection. He follows Peter with his ears, eyes still on the cashier as he orders ten combos for his own meal. He pays and heads to an empty table to wait for Peter.

He pulls his phone out as he waits, catching up on emails and news for about thirty seconds before he switches to the latest article on bunny fashion and trends. He needs to make sure he gets Peter only the best of the best.

The Honey Bunny’s are only the start. Tony would get Peter as many treats and nice things as he could handle and then some.

In the bathroom, Peter rushes into one of the stalls and he's right. He's starting to slick up just because Tony had casually curled his tail around his leg.

The bunny just wants to squeak in dismay over the entire thing. His stupid bunny body and their natural hyper sensitivity to everything. It's even worse when a bunny actually likes someone.

Peter feels incredibly embarrassed over the reaction since he's never felt this way before.

Their bodies don't understand public decency and Peter's, in particular, is now pumping out fuck me pheromones like it's his last fertile heat. It's ridiculous and as he tries to calm himself down, he's thankful that Tony's taken it so smoothly. The wolf is so polite and reserved, letting Peter keep face despite knowing what he smells like.

Cold water helps to bring the color in his cheeks down from a flushed red to a faint pink. He fixes himself up as much as possible and before he walks out the door. He stalls in front of one of the dispensers tucked away near the exit.

Slick pads…Scent neutralizing.

He bites his lip because he's not in heat but every time Tony so much as smiles at him, he feels like he is.

Better safe than sorry.

When he returns, it's to see several workers carrying numerous trays of burgers. Maybe there's a large party?

His eyes follow and... Nope. They're all headed to his date, the wolf tucked away in a corner and immersed in his phone. Peter's tail twitches in excitement and he quickly makes his way over.

In the whole pile of burgers, he spots his order.

"Wow," Peter ends up blurting out, but then he does a little bounce on his toes, worried that the single word might've been offensive.

"I mean, this is a lot," Peter says.

Tony looks up at Peter’s words, smiling broadly and pointing both ears forward to show he's listening. His tail hangs limp and relaxed out past the chair so the dark end trails the ground.

“I haven’t eaten in a while.” Tony shrugs off the amount with only some chagrin. It's normal for most wolves to snack throughout the day and have one big meal with their family and loved ones.

Like most things, Tony takes normal to the extreme and pushes the limits on his endurance. Like skipping eating today and yesterday to work on his projects. Which is a habit of his that he falls into whenever something catches his interest.

Far too often if you asked Rhodey. And Pepper. And Happy.

Tony vows to never let this topic come up when he brings Peter to the pack for inspection.

Peter debates for a moment if he should sit on the opposite side or if he should sit next to Tony. He really wants to stay close but… so much food… He doesn't want to hinder the man.

Reluctantly, he takes the opposite seat.

"Do all wolves have a large appetite?" He asks curiously.

Tony sits up and pulls two burgers closer to himself. He’s mastered the art of putting away food quickly and efficiently.

“Not if they don’t exercise, or if they eat at regular intervals with a non-wolf. But I’m running around constantly for my company and if there’s nobody making me sit down for food, I just… forget. Until I’m hungry enough to eat a deer.” Tony grins wide enough to show off his fangs. He loves that Peter doesn’t seem afraid of them.

Peter is more than aware of the wolf's fangs and a thrill shoots through him at the sight.

He thinks Tony looks so… devastatingly handsome. And dangerous. His little bunny heart shouldn't be thumping this hard in his chest but he can't help how it makes him feel.

He's pretty sure his little fluffy tail is wiggling, too

“I might not eat all of this, too. I usually order a lot and see how far I get,” Tony adds on, starting to eat. His record is nine.

“Do bunnies have to eat a lot because of high metabolism?” Tony asks in equal curiosity.

Peter blinks, ear doing a slight twitch.

"No, not really," he says but then he remembers the little hoard of snacks he keeps at both his job and at the apartment.

The bunny smiles sheepishly.

"Uhh, well, I mean– I think, maybe?" He leans closer, fascinated by the big bites Tony takes.

Tony hums at him encouragingly, pulling two more burgers close to him so he could keep going when he very quickly finishes the first ones. He felt like he could listen to Peter’s adorable fumbling for hours.

The way Tony consumes his food shouldn't be fascinating to the bunny but for some reason, it is. It's almost mesmerizing...

What big teeth you have…

The words are right there, teasing and playful, but Peter holds back. He doesn't want the wolf to think he's making fun of him.

He holds his own burger, wrapped in lettuce, and takes quick tiny little nibbles on it.

"I have a lot of snacks," Peter clarifies, "like a lot of snacks. A whole cabinet at work with my name on it. The Honey Bunny's didn't make it…"

He has maybe a handful of cookies left for May. They may or may not get back to the apartment intact.

“That’s fine. That just means I did right getting them for you in the first place.” Tony preens from the knowledge of a gift accepted and loved. Already, he wants to buy Peter more; as many as it takes to get him to smile and gush some more for Tony.

Seeing Peter happy from something Tony did makes Tony’s chest warm and his ears perk up in pride. Peter deserves nice things and to be happy, always.

Peter reaches over and shly brushes his fingers over Tony's wrist. He hadn't expected the wolf to get him anything, considering this is all so new…

"Thank you for the cookies," Peter says sincerely, brown eyes so warm and sweet like honey. "I loved them and– and I'm sure you put a lot of thought into it…"

He goes to pull away, realizing he shouldn't be disturbing the man. With how fast Tony's eating, he's probably ravenous.

Tony catches Peter’s wrist and adapts to eating one handed in the time it takes to rub and scent back. He laces their fingers together as he works through his food.

He’s honored that Peter is so trusting and willing to scent himself on Tony already. Of course, Tony wants to scent Peter back; maybe the bunny is just nervous about assuming and doesn’t understand his standing in Tony’s eyes?

The wolf lowers his ears and brings his tail out level and relaxed, flagging his contentment and their equal standing and his adoration for the whole world. He smiles and even stops eating long enough to really hammer home how sincerely he means it.

Peter is just- he’s so- Tony wants to keep him for himself but he also wants to show him off to everyone. Peter is incredible and the fact he’s accepted Tony’s courting so easily (Scenting! Eating the cookies!) feels sort of like a miracle but Tony isn’t about to stop it from happening.

Statement made, Tony shoves half a burger in his mouth and wiggles his ears at Peter to go on, squeezing his hand where he’s still holding it across the table.

Peter is struck speechless for a moment, eyes focusing on where their hands touch. He's never quiet for long though, so even as his heart races, the bunny's already opening his mouth. He finds that he likes hearing Tony talk. He could probably listen to Tony talk about anything, and it'd be worthwhile just to hear the soft, comforting timbre of his voice.

Besides, he's a curious one and he does want to know the wolf better.

"What would you be doing if you weren't here?" Peter randomly asks.

Would Tony be eating at some fancy restaurant? Then again, he said he constantly forgets to eat so maybe not. What else then?

Oh! Tony said he had the rest of the day off. Peter wonders how he managed to do that. Peter, himself, had to use the sad bunny eyes on Ned to get him to cover his extended break turned day off.

“Working. It never actually stops when you’re at the top, you just get better at prioritizing commitments.” Tony’s ears briefly flick in the negative, lips frowning to match.

He hasn’t needed to prioritize anything above work in a long time. Hasn’t prioritized much in a long time; just working, relentlessly, through every task given to him.

Tony yips to himself and pointedly straightens his smile and his ears. He's having a good time, right now and doesn’t need to dwell in the past.

“I’d rather be here, anyway. Much better company.” Tony squeezes Peter’s fingers and twists his wrist so he could swipe his thumb over the bunny’s wrist, leaving a quick and flirty scenting.

Peter smiles at the movement, unaware of how much the wolf is actually doing. He sees it as a cute little game and his tail wiggles with his giddy emotions. He tries to turn his hand so he could catch those quick fingers, but they slip through his grasp.

He still smiles and trails after the wolf, resting his fingers over Tony's.

"I'd still be back at the shop…" Peter muses. Missing you.

Is it too early to miss someone when he's only known Tony for a day? He's glad that the wolf seems equally interested though Peter bites his bottom lip to deter his thoughts from moving towards the more explicit end.

“Do you like working there?” Tony asks around his fifth burger.

He's starting to slow down. Talking to Peter helps keep him from shoveling even more in his mouth.

His tail shifts up and out of the way in sudden interest, eyes flicking down to Peter’s crotch as his thoughts dip into what other things could be shoved past his lips. He licks salt and thick meat juice from his lips and lets out a low, rumbling growl of want.

When he realizes how indecent he's being, he forcibly drags his eyes away and tucks his tail under the chair.

Peter perks up in attention.

"I do!" He says, a bit more enthusiastic than he means to. "I like working there. Ned's there and MJ. We have a temp that's kind of a jerk but Flash isn't usually around when I'm scheduled."

Tony files the name ‘Flash’ away from Ned and MJ in his head. Coworker, but not friends. He’ll remember that Flash is Not Pack the next time he’s in.

“That’s good though. Even if you’re not friends with all of your coworkers, it sounds like you really enjoy it.”

Peter isn't even halfway done with his burger but then again, he's been a bit distracted with the wolf. It's easier now to distract himself. His appetite for other more… private things… is overwritten by the smell of food.

"It's only for the summer though," Peter tells Tony. He doesn't know why he's babbling all this info at the wolf. Surely, it can't be that interesting? And yet, the words tumble out. "Summer vacation, saving up a little bit for when I go to college."

Tony can’t relate, having been rich enough to attend and graduate college whenever he felt like going. He points his ears at Peter and tries to show his support and listening anyway.

Peter tilts his chin down, suddenly shy.

"I kind of… wanna go into IT," Peter says.

It's not the usual career for a bunny. Bunnies tend to go more towards… cooking. House design. There's a variety of fields but Peter's always been interested in software, In technology.

It's another thing that makes him feel less of a bunny but May has always enthusiastically supported him. That's all he's ever needed.

But admitting this now, there's a tiny bit of worry that the wolf might make fun of him for it. He's omega, too...

“That’s great! We could use more bright minds like you at SI. The brain’s power has nothing to do with the body’s shape, after all.” Tony says honestly, perking up now that he's on familiar ground.

His HR department spearheaded equality operations but Tony still has to approve major policy changes. He knows there's a big push for more omegas in STEM and for more prey types. Peter checks two marks at once already.

Tony's enthusiastic support leaves Peter speechless. That tiny but relevant fear simply vanishes and Peter is… God, he's in love.

How can this wolf leave him feeling so elated and so invincible? It's like he really does think Peter would be perfect at such an amazing and innovative company like Stark Industries.

The next thought comes so swiftly and clearly that Peter can't even deny it.

I'd have this man's babies if he wanted me to.

“I think you’ll do great at whatever you do. Every career is different, but you seem eager to learn, and that’s half the issue with pursuing anything. You have to be willing to put in effort.” Tony sounds like he’s lecturing him. He fidgets in his seat, ears twitching in his sudden internal agitation.

Throughout the quickfire answers, Peter ignores that low heat of wantwantwant he feels towards the wolf. But now, he feels so relaxed and comfortable around the wolf that he's sure that his scent has deepened with sweetness.

He can't really help that though. The excitement that the wolf is showing is infectious.

"Thank you, Tony," he says softly, "That really means a lot to me… I want to. I really want to, and I will! I just wasn't sure until now if I really should…"

He's grateful, so grateful. Maybe it's silly to commit to his major just because Tony hyped him up over it, but maybe that's all he needs. Just one other person to believe he can do it.

His scent deepens with happiness, it's a subtle difference, lighter in scent but not any less richer.

Peter smiles widely at the wolf and runs his thumb over the prominent knuckles of Tony's fingers.

Jeez, Peter smells better than the burgers.

Tony focuses back on the present with a jolt of lust, too startled by the intensity to remember his vocal cue for focusing.

All Tony wants to do is sink his teeth into those soft bunny thighs and suck marks into what must be such tender skin...

Tony yips to himself now. He has to focus. If he keeps getting distracted by Peter’s mouthwatering scent, then he’ll start to give off aroused pheromones in no time. He couldn’t possibly subject Peter to something as awkward as that on a first date.

He has to be good. For Peter.

He doesn’t want Peter to think that all Tony wants to do is bend him over the nearest surface, pull his pants down with a tug on that cute little tail, and rail his pretty pink-

Okay. He needs to go, now, before the scent of aroused alpha starts a scene in a Five Guy’s lobby.

“Ah, bathroom break for me, too. Be right back.” Tony puts his burger down and gives Peter a quick squeeze of the hand before making his escape.

He hopes the bunny doesn’t think the worst of him (even though he kind of is the worst, for thinking about Peter that way) as he heads for the same bathrooms Peter had disappeared into earlier.

Peter watches him go with an almost forlorn look. He schools his features, though a small little pout still remains.

He needs to calm down. The bunny focuses on his burger, fully immersing himself in the crunch of lettuce between his teeth and the burst of yummy flavor over his tongue.

Without the wolf to distract him, Peter finishes in no time. He only had one burger, after all.

He nibbles on a couple fries but with Tony still in the bathroom, he unlocks his phone. There's a couple texts from Ned and a scandalous one from MJ.

He replies back to Ned but sends MJ a series of blushing emojis.

He peeks up from his phone but Tony still hasn't appeared.

With Google open, his fingers fly across the keyboard.

Wolf and bunny compatibility

Dating wolves

What to do when dating a predator.

Do canines really knot?

His heart is beating over time as his eyes slip over links and articles. That last search though… Maybe he shouldn't have looked that one up because the article he finds is… Detailed.

His breathing goes shallow and he sinks a bit in his chair, fiddling with an ear as he reads. Wolves have knots. Peter feels like he can faint right then and there because he's never thought about dating a canine or a wolf, but– a knot.

In the bathroom, Tony splashes water on his face and waits for his burgeoning erection to go down enough to piss comfortably. He paces, ranging back and forth from sinks to stalls to urinals and back.

His pheromones seem so potent in here. Has he calmed down? It’s so hard to tell. The fans in here are too weak to cycle his scent out and he winces guiltily when a cat omega comes in and gives him judgy eyes.

Even with human eyes and features, felines seem to give the best judgy faces.

Tony leaves before the cat can say anything. His dress pants are smooth in the front, not displaying the roiling arousal and general horniness that still kicked off like a drumbeat in his veins.

And that’s the most important part.

Tony slides back into his seat and forces his ears and tail into neutral instead of telegraphing his interest like before. He could control himself. He would control himself.

For Peter.

“Are you done? I can get a bag for the rest.” Tony’s capable of eating more but he’s not actually hungry anymore. Well. Not hungry for food, at any rate.

Peter's so focused on his phone, heart beating loud in his ears, that he doesn't realize Tony's returned.

The sound of the wolf's voice startles him so much that he fumbles with his phone in an attempt to close the browser.

He doesn't succeed.

Tony watches the bunny’s attempts to close out of whatever browser he was in. His ears perk up in excitement, not wanting to invade his privacy but still curious as hell about what could possibly get his bunny date to panic so badly.

He’s eager to see what’s on the screen. Wants to look so bad, but doesn’t want to pry.

What does happen is that Peter’s sweaty palms allow the phone to slip and combined with his attempt to smash the home button, it ends up dropping to the table. Fortunately, it lands on one of Tony's burgers and goes skidding instead of smacking into the table.

Unfortunately, it ends up being closer to Tony than to Peter.

Tony’s eyes track it’s progress, watching to see where it goes so he can catch it on the off chance it goes off the table (unlikely but he’s seen phones launch farther before) but mostly to try and catch a glimpse of what the screen looks like.

He’s never denied being a nosy little shit sometimes.

It lands screen-up, a full blown HD picture of wolf genitalia zoomed in. Specifically at the base because Peter was just so damn curious that he couldn't help looking.

There's a big, fat juicy knot. On his phone. In front of the wolf he just met and has a serious crush on.

💗💗💗

Mads 💗: this is how that scene happened:

Mads: … imagine if…

Keyz: 👀

Mads: I'm doing it. 😏😏😏

Keyz 💖: Heh ;)

#keyz fic #starker #intersex omega #ABO #Alpha Tony Stark #Omega Peter Parker #Bunny Peter Parker #Wolf Tony Stark #sweet fools in love #fluff #sweetness #softness #bunny!peter #wolf!tony

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a-robin-among-thorns · 6 years

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In The Shadows of the Rising Sun: Chp 9

Chapters 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 , Chapter 8

Once again so sorry for the delay on the chapter its been really crazy on my end. My sister had a baby, I got a new job and just the holiday to name a few ^^;

Chapter 9: Alone Together

Word Count: 2,210

Chise was hasty but diligent as she checked the apartment’s vacancy, silently thankful for the absurd lengths her cousin stretches out her business ventures. Seconds after the door clicks shut Elias emerged from the shadows in a rush and Chise sighed in relief. Although he had been present all day his long bony face is a sight for sore eyes. The sentiment was one he evidently shared for as soon as he was solid again he cupped her cheek in his right palm in almost reverent gentleness. He echoed her sigh, his breath sweeping over her red face in a rush, fanning the tips of her hair between his fingers.

It was so strange to be so sure that his feelings were exactly the same as hers. She blinked slowly, caught in the moment and hypnotized by his earnest gaze. The pads of his fingers fit in the curves of her jaw like she had done when she awoke beside him. She absently wondered if he recalled the action from his subconscious.

Belatedly, Chise pursed her lips and gripped her book bag tighter. If she wanted any hope of finishing her three days of math, not to mention her other subjects, she would have to start soon.

Her books spilled across the coffee table in a series of dull thuds. Fortunately, both science and history were reading assignments and the professors would never call on her if their lives depended on it. English was similar, translate and transcribe a paragraph of your choice from the provided kabuki play passages from hiragana to informal English. She normally dreaded this process, but her past days of constant English moved the work from a sluggish crawl to a leisurely walk.

All the while Elias hung just to the side of her. Although he sat corporally, he took the role of her shadow, all the same. Entranced in her movements eyes following where she goes, silent but ever-present.

Once the last character was redrawn as a letter she grumbled knowing it could be ignored no longer. Consulting her yellow sticky note, Chise split open the algebra textbook and set to work.

The process was slow and grueling. Finicky obnoxious measurements slowly scratched out to produce something that looked like effort went into it. She hated math on the best of days, this stupid fake math that can’t even be bothered to use numbers makes her want to pop a vein. But something about this assignment, aside from its extended length, grated at her nerves.

When it came down to it no matter how hard she would work on this assignment she would never understand it. She would work stressfully for several extra hours and receive a grade only slightly less abysmal than if she turned in nothing. It felt so pointless to toil and struggle for someone who wouldn’t pay her a passing glance. Who acted disgusted when she asked for help.

A hot gruff groan built in her chest and slipped through ground teeth, burning her nostrils. Distractedly she adjusted her bangs harshly and repositioned against the coffee table. In her shuffling, she didn’t hear Elias shuffle closer, peering over her shoulder. She jumped slightly when his hand slipped past her, the plum pad of his finger landing in between the unknown X and a pair of parenthesis.

“This one needs to be applied to all of the numbers inside the curves. It’s not a number, but it can still act like one.” He said simply. No trace of judgment or impatience could be found in his voice.

Her eyes followed his hand as he retracted. When their faces fell on each other he made a small nod in gentle urging. Her gaze returned to the paper. It couldn’t hurt. Slowly she applied his suggestion, more came as she worked, and the picture became clearer and clearer.

“Don’t forget to add and subtract this value because there are two possible answers.” She did just that and wrote out what had to be the closest thing to a properly done solution she had ever written. Another sigh spilled out, not of frustration but relief.

She leaned back on her elbow to look up at him fondly. “How do you understand math so well?”

His eyes crinkled in that glowing smile she had come to recognize. “When working with the fae, especially finicky ones, one must understand proportions and numbers. Even across different understandings. Many humans have met their end by accidentally slighting a proud spirit.” She chuckled at this, the absurd image of a faerie angrily stabbing at a calculator coming to mind.

As they worked together the heat of her frustration subsided. Her jaw relaxed and her breathing became less forced as her effort no longer felt futile. One after one they marked off the assigned problems until all 30 questions have a line struck through them.

The textbook closed with a satisfying thump as she brought the halves together like a grateful prayer. “Thank you for helping me. I couldn’t have done that on my own.”

His head tilted, “What have you done then?”

She shrugged, “I just turn in the best I can figure out.”

Elias looked back to the book between her hands. “And your teacher does nothing if you haven’t learned it?” He questioned.

“Pretty much.”

He was quiet at this looking pensive. As Chise began to put her work away the English assignment caught her eye reminding her of their conversation at lunch. “Would you like to look at this assignment with me? I can start teaching you Japanese.”

How could someone incapable of moving their face smile so plainly? “I would like that.”

He resettled again as she fished out the dictionary. “It’ll kind of be working backwards,” she mused aloud realizing the difficulty laid in front of her. “I’m probably not a very good teacher.” She admitted sheepishly.

“Any teacher is better than nothing.” He pauses, “Better than the teachers you have by the sound of it.” Chise stuttered unsure what to say when her attention snapped to the door and her heart stopped.

Tapping heels resounded through her eardrums like bass drums. In their shuffling the rattling of keys had been lost. Reina fidgetted through her purse and Chise and Elias were petrified as she looked up to the living room. Then back down at her purse.

She frowned and looked up again to Chise alone. She blinked in bewilderment looking to and fro as she skeptically walked forward. The frown on Reina’s face wanted to set in deep but her face was too confused to do so. “Were you...talking with someone? I could have sworn I heard…”

“I was just reciting my English,” Chise interjected forcing the most natural tone she could muster, “we have to read our translation aloud in class.”

Her cousin’s dark red lips pressed together disdainfully as her eyes searched the room. But nothing was disturbed, no exit could be that quick. And there is nowhere to hide in the barren apartment.

“Is...something wrong?” Chise probed in hopes of invoking her pride.

Reina’s posture realigned, regaining its commanding indifference as she unknowingly swallowed the bait. “No everything is fine.” She turned on her heels to place her purse on the kitchen counter. With her back turned, Chise steadily relaxed against the coffee table and stretched her fingers flat against the carpet. A warm shifting murmured against her palm, seeping between her digits.

“You spent a lot more than normal.” Reina’s sharp probing drew her out of the private moment. From the counter she stood with the remaining bills in hand, eyeing the child in her care like a hawk.

“I-i,” Chise gulped, mentally fumbling to come up with an explanation. “S-since it was my birthday Saturday I wanted to get something a little special.” Chise stutters, “Is that ok.”

Her predatory stare breaks as she blinks in realization. That had been this weekend, hadn’t it? “Um yeah, I guess.” She adds under her breath, “saves me from having to get a present.”

When Reina finally settled along the coffee table with takeout curry in hand, Chise felt as though she had lived through five separate heart attacks.

She was somewhat nauseous from the continuous back and forths but partook of her curry all the same. A few spoonfuls of spicy rice made the flip-flopping in her belly cease very quickly. The savory flavors danced on her tongue as she actually tasted a meal she should have been well familiar with. Although she would have happily devoured the entire container, a slight shift of her left hand reminds her to stop halfway.

As impatient an eater as she is everything else, Reina finished her rice soon after Chise and moved to throw away their containers.

Like a started rabbit Chise flung forward to guard her bowl from Reina’s grip, blocking her fingers from the plastic rim. Her brain catches up with her body as she slowly met her cousin’s eyes. Wide eyes narrowed like a bow pulled taunt, aimed at its kill. “What are you-“

“I was just wanting to save it for later,” Chise blurted, “maybe for breakfast.” She strained under the probing glare until Reina huffed and rolled her eyes. “Sure, that’s fine.” She sharply plucked her own bowl, standing in a fluid motion where Chise lay in her line of sight all the long way from the table to the trash. The timid clicking of the top and bottom of her plastic bowl resounded in the apartment as Chise watched Reina retire to her bedroom.

An eternity after Reina sealed herself in her bedroom the light under her doorway finally extinguished. A smaller eternity later, during which Chise showered and readied for bed, Elias had still not emerged from the shadows. From her futon, she ran her fingers all through the carpet. They met no resistance.

Suddenly nervous, Chise looked over her shadow. No red lights.

Her throat constricts in anxiety. Her mouth suddenly very dry, she croaked out quietly, “Elias?” Nothing.

She sat up like a shot, searching frantically. Red hair whipped from side to side before swishing toward the small hallway. A thicker patch of darkness slithered from the direction of Reina’s bedroom. Her heart relaxed once the shadow knitted itself back into her strange friend. His jaw parted in oblivious confusion. “Is something wrong?”

“No, but...I didn’t know where you were.”

His posture relaxed as his jaw clacked together in understanding. “I needed to be sure she was asleep before I emerged.”

At this confession her insecurity quelled and she found herself feeling oddly guilty. And clingy.

She wrapped her arms around his torso letting the warmth of his body permeate the icy chamber of her lonely heart. He gasped and returned the gesture, tucking his long jaw against her back. A light rumbling sigh vibrated against her sternum.

A similar rumbling from his stomach reminded Chise of the earlier injustice, prompting her to reluctantly untangle herself and make for the fridge. She tried to hand Elias the container of remaining curry but he refused. “You need to eat more.”

She frowned. “But you haven’t had any.” She pushed it toward him again. He held his palm up to push it away. “You haven’t eaten enough.” His eyes bore into her stern and urging.

She huffed and relented, prying the container open as quietly as she could. She dipped her fork in for a few more bites and swallowed roughly. She rubbed her mouth against her fist. “There,” she shoved the container somewhat defiantly at his chest, “now you have the rest.”

Elias nodded and made quick and quiet work of the food.

She sighed harshly as he ate, before returning to the futon. Deliberately she lowered herself onto her back, hair splaying across the ground and staring at the ceiling. Her mind felt both restless and sluggish while she deliberated what she should say. But as he laid nest her on his side nothing she has thought of felt correct. Chise looked up to Elias with guilt still lingering in her eyes. “Elias,” she whispered, “I’m sorry you had to hide here too. And that I didn’t teach you as I promised.”

He stared at her for a moment before finally answering, “it's not your fault.”

She opened her mouth but choked on her words. Chise knew it would be polite, right, if she told him that he did not need to stay if he wished not to. That he did not need to be tied to a place where his actions and presence were so harshly limited. But she was terrified, horrified, that he would take up the offer and leave her as she was before. Leave her like everyone else. Leave her...alone.

“I’ll make sure we have time tomorrow.” She promised in a small voice.

He hummed in agreement. She was not the only one feeling needy she realized as Elias settled himself to lie against her, his head tucked along her neck and his left hand taking her right. As her hand clasped back comfort washed over them. Chise still wished they had been given more time today, but with each other held close, she could be held content until tomorrow.

#The Ancient Magus Bride #mahou tsukai no yome #chise hatori #elias ainsworth #robinthorn #chise x elias #elias x chise #fan fic #fan fiction #stormy writes #I'll need to clean up those links at the top sooner or later :/

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harrysmeadow · 7 years

Text

HELD - CHAPTER 4

CATCH UP HERE / PLAYLIST / HARRY’S INSTA / ERIN’S INSTA

“I don’t know why I’m friend’s with you two.” Harry declared, looking between Izzy and Sam, who were wiping away tears from their reddened cheeks. “You’re so mean to me sometimes.” He said, a small pout playing on his lips, making me want to immediately tell Izzy and Sam to stop making him feel bad.

“We are when you come out with lines like that!” Sam exclaimed, still wheezing from his outburst of laughter.

“Well if you’re both carrying on like that, I’m going somewhere else.” He teased. Standing up from his place at the table, he looked down at me. I was grinning from ear to ear, there was no point now hiding my amusement at their exchange. The smile he sent back made the butterflies in my tummy return, but I don’t think they were nervous ones this time.

“You coming Erin?” He asked brightly.

“Are you definitely sure I’m allowed to come?” I questioned to Izzy as I pulled open my wardrobe doors scanning the contents hoping something would stand out and catch my eye.

I’d been reluctant in agreeing to go the dinner in the first place but as the time was growing nearer my nerves were increasing too. I didn’t know why, all I’d be doing was sitting down and having a meal while listening to some people make speeches. But from what I’d heard it sounded very much like a community occasion. And I was not part of the community. Izzy, Sam and Harry had all raved about the event when they first brought it up, going on about what a great time it would be. I’d bought a ticket which granted my entrance to the event like everyone else, but in my head it still didn’t seem right.

“Yes Erin, stop worrying over nothing.” she replied from behind me where she was sat at my dressing table applying her makeup. She caught my apprehensive expression in the mirror and swiveled in her seat to face me. “All you have to do is show up and look pretty, actually you don’t even have to do that, literally just show up.”

“I know.” I groaned. “I just feel like I’m intruding.”

“Well you’re not intruding if people want you there, and I want you there, so you’re not.” She said matter of factly.

I took a deep breath and shot her a smile. It was moments like these that I hoped Izzy knew how much she meant to me. Her words had the power to make me feel so much. I trusted her with all that I was, just those few simple words had the ability to restore some confidence in myself, because I knew she was telling the truth.

She returned my smile and went back to doing her make-up. I raked my fingers through the clothes on the hangers, hoping that something appropriate for the occasion would just magically appear. I took in a few deep breaths, which quickly turned to frustrated sighs as I realised I was highly unprepared.

“At the risk of sounding like the biggest cliche ever, I have absolutely nothing to wear.” I said with a huff, slamming my wardrobe doors closed and sitting on the edge of my bed in a sulk.

Izzy chuckled to herself as she applied the final coats of mascara to her lashes. “And at the risk of sounding like a super-human with telekinetic powers, I knew you’d say that.” She said with a smug grin.

She got up, gesturing for me to follow her down the hall. I raised from where I was perched on the edge of the bed, slightly reluctant to follow as I thought about how she still hadn’t gotten me back from my prank when I first got here. This could all be a set up I thought. So I stayed a few paces behind her and she paused when we got to my Grandparents room, another toothy grin appearing on her face.

“I came prepared.” she said with a wink, opening the door to reveal the inside of the room.

I gasped as I took in the sight in front of me. Laid out on the bed was an array of gorgeous dresses, all varying in colour, length and style. Some sparkled as the light from the window reflected off the jeweled details, others were more simple, but still striking in shape and cut.

I padded across the room so I could get a closer look at the beautiful pieces before me, trailing my fingers over the delicate fabrics. I looked up to meet Izzy’s gaze, she was still stood in the doorway watching me.

“Are these for me?” I asked tentatively.

“You wish!” she laughed. “They’re mine. But because I’m the best cousin ever I’m letting you take your pick for tonight.”

“Wow, Izzy thank you, I don’t know what to say.” I breathed with a smile, still completely enamoured with the garments.

“Well I figured you hadn’t anticipated that you would be going somewhere like this when you were packing so I thought I’d help you out. Any of them tickle your fancy?” She quipped.

I’d never been adventurous with my fashion choices, and Izzy knew that. I was willing to go for something different, but some of the dresses in front of me would definitely be pushing my boundaries. I was very much a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl, and when I went out at uni, I was a jeans and nice top kind of girl.

I was drawn to a simple white shirt dress. The material was soft to the touch, gold piping details lined the edges of the pockets, belt and collar. The sleeves were about three-quarter length and were finished with a gorgeous contrasting satin fabric. It was simple, but elegant. It was very me I thought.

I picked up the dress by it’s hanger, holding it at arm's length and turning it to have a look at the back, hoping I wouldn’t be surprised by some obnoxious slogan or print. It was plain. I was safe.

I dropped my arm and folded the dress over my elbow, giving Izzy an appreciative smile. “I think I’ll go for this one.”

****

The fundraising dinner was being held at a gorgeous country manor house on the outskirts of Holmes Chapel, so it wasn’t too far to travel from the farmhouse. However, our original plan for Izzy to drive there and back was foiled when she decided she couldn’t, and wouldn’t drive in a ballgown.

Sam hadn’t passed his test yet, and I wasn’t insured on any cars we had in Holmes Chapel, so Harry took one for the team and said he would drive after Izzy had rang him in a panic as we were finishing getting ready.

I heard the crunching of gravel under tyres in the driveway as I slowly made my way down the stairs in my heels behind Izzy. Floating effortlessly down the steps, holding the hem of her dress in one hand and gliding the other over the bannister, she looked as if she just went about her everyday life in a ballgown. I however, was clinging on for dear life.

I decided it was a good idea I was holding onto something though when Izzy opened the door to Harry. He stepped into the house looking like he’d just come straight from London Fashion Week. A black and red pin striped suit covered his broad frame, which was nothing like the standard M&S suit I’d pictured. Not that I’d been imagining him in a suit. And his long curls which I’d so far only seen tied in a bun or headscarf, were falling freely around face, effortlessly accentuating his strong jaw.

“Erin!” Izzy hissed at me, suddenly making me aware of my staring.

“Sorry what?” I asked, looking down at them at the bottom of the stairs with a grimace. They were both looking at me with amused expressions.

“Harry said you look nice.” She giggled.

“Oh!” My grip on the bannister tightened as I internally willed myself to keep composed, and seem somewhat normal. “Thanks Harry, you too.” I replied. I was pleased with myself that I’d managed to avoid embarrassment, that was a normal answer I thought.

“Are you ok?” He asked, the hint of a small smile still lingering on his lips.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be” I scoffed.

“Well you’ve got a death grip on that bannister, and you’ve not moved an inch since I walked in.” He stated cockily, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his eyebrows at me in challenge. Izzy sniggered beside him, turning her face away, seemingly amused with the interaction between Harry and myself.

I thought I’d done well so far keeping my composure. I mean fair enough I was just stood still on the middle of the stairs staring, but I hadn’t started drooling! But that self assured grin he was sending my way, was now only making me want to smack it off. There was no way I was giving him the satisfaction of knowing he had contributed towards my weak knees. So I straightened my back slightly, still not fully trusting myself not to fall, and bravely stepped down.

“Just not comfortable in these shoes.” I said plainly, keeping my eyes focused on my feet rather than Harry, as that would surely end in disaster. “Better to be safe than sorry.” I said smugly as I reached the safety of the hallway, confidently strutting past them both. I resisted the urge to turn around to see his face, but I was satisfied hearing Izzy’s giggling behind me and a whining “shut up” coming from poor Harry.

****

“We can just get a taxi there and back.” I suggested a little later, as everyone congregated in the small hallway of the farmhouse, putting their shoes on, and getting ready to leave. We’d realised when Sam joined us in the kitchen shortly after Harry arrived, that because of his good deed of driving us to and from the event, Harry would have to go the night without drinking.

“We could, but the prices round here are extortionate.” He replied, tugging his suit jacket over his shirt. “I’d rather just not drink.” He smiled, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Ok, if you’re sure, because I don’t mind paying if you change your mind…” I trailed off. Despite his overly confident entrance earlier which had irritated me a bit, I still felt bad that he ended up as designated driver.

He laughed at my pathetic attempt to try and reason with him. ‘Stop trying to be a people pleaser Erin, I’m fine to drive.” He said with a cheeky grin.

“Good.” Sam interjected. “Because I do mind paying, I’m a student and have no money.”

“Same.” Harry and Izzy, both said in unison, their dry, monotone voices displaying their current displeasure at the thought of their bank balance.

He didn’t seem to be bothered at the prospect though, and I admired him for it. A lot of people our age often just drank for the sake of it, to fit in at parties and such. Harry didn’t strike me as the type to do something just because everyone else was. He was confident he could still have a good time without the aid of alcohol. I was impressed.

“Right then, off we go kids!” He announced, opening the door for me to step out onto the driveway, smiling at me as I chuckled at his enthusiasm.

****

Walking into the entrance hall of the manor house, my earlier suspicions about it being a community event were confirmed as it seemed the entire population of Holmes Chapel was in attendance.

It wasn’t often that I got to dress up or go to fancy events, and although the nervous butterflies were still fluttering around in my stomach, with Izzy as my security blanket I was feeling a lot more confident than I had imagined I would.

The four of us made our way through the hall to the main room where the dinner was being hosted. However, after we’d been stopped for the fourth time, by people calling over the boys, it became clear to me that Harry and Sam were obviously some sort of Holmes Chapel royalty.

Izzy and I exchanged knowing glances and sneakily slipped away from what I’m sure was a thrilling conversation about goal line technology or something like that. She took my hand in hers as we neared the doors that opened into the main room, and I smiled at her in thanks for the reassuring gesture.

When we pushed through the doors, a wall of sound filled with laughter, chatter and cheering hit me. An air of excitement buzzed round the room, and I could see nothing but smiling, happy faces.

All the tension I’d built up in my mind released as I let out a breath I didn’t realise I’d been holding. There seemed no way that these bright and cheerful people would be anything but kind to someone new.

“Let’s go find our table, the boy’s will find us later once they’ve done the rounds.” Izzy suggested.

I nodded in agreement, eager to find somewhere to sit down and take some weight off of my feet. I hardly ever wore heels, and it was easy to tell, considering we’d only been here ten minutes and I was already in agony.

In the next half an hour the room filled with the rest of the guests and people settled at their tables, ready for the speeches and food. Izzy and I spent the time talking about everything and nothing. She pointed out certain people in the room that she thought I might need to know the name of if they came over to chat. But no-one did.

Sam and Harry took their seats to the left of Izzy and I, just in time for the food to be served. The three course meal was part of the ticket price, and looking at just the size of the starter, it was now clear to me why I had to pay so much.

As a uni student I loved anytime I had a meal that didn’t come pre packaged. So even though I was stuffed after only a few forkfuls of my main, I was determined to finish and make it to desert.

“Oh my God, I’m so full!” I moaned, slinking down in my chair slightly, and placing my hands over my stomach. Closing my eyes, I silently willed myself not to slip into a food coma. There were only a few bites of the chocolate brownie left, but I’d made it this far.

“Come on Erin, you can do this!” Harry jeered at me. I opened one eye and peered at him smiling down at me.

“I can’t Harry.” I groaned, closing my eyes again quickly. The close proximity of his beaming smile suddenly making my heart race, and I wasn’t prepared to let it show.

I lolled my head to my other shoulder when Izzy laughed beside me at my sorry state. I wasn’t scared of looking at her however, and I stared at her with wide eyes.

“You’re so dramatic.” She said rolling her eyes, taking the final bite of her own brownie. I groaned at the sight, slightly disgusted by it, but also feeling the urge to finish my own. Trying to think of it as a competition, by Izzy finishing hers I was taking it as a challenge for me to finish mine.

“Ok.” I said with a sudden amount of confidence, ignoring Izzy’s comment. “I can do this, I will do this.”

I would eat the rest of this brownie even if it meant I would have to carry a food baby for the next two weeks, or if I would have my head over the toilet in just over an hour. I was ready to accept my fate.

I took my first bite to a chorus of support and praise from Harry and Sam, whereas Izzy was making it well known that she would in fact, not be holding my hair back if I threw it all up later.

When my fork took it’s final resting place on the side of my plate, I was met with mixed emotions of relief, pride, and twinge of regret. I laughed at the round of applause I was receiving from the boys, and felt it only necessary to stand and take a bow.

“Thank you, thank you.” I giggled, before flopping back down on my chair, preparing to relax and not move for the rest of the night. “I’m glad I wore a dress with a belt.” I said, loosening the knot tied at the front of my waist. “I think I needed those spare few inches after that!”

“Behave!” Harry exclaimed. “You’re about as thin as a cocktail stick with the wood shaved off.”

We all turned to look at him with utter confusion, but when Harry looked back at us all with no indication that he was making a joke, both Izzy and Sam barked out howling laughs. I was having serious trouble holding mine in. I wasn’t sure whether he’d meant it as a compliment or not and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but my quivering lip was giving me away. I sputtered a questioning thanks, a laugh still caught in my throat.

“We are when you come out with lines like that!” Sam exclaimed, still wheezing from his outburst of laughter.

“You coming Erin?” He asked brightly.

I couldn’t deny that I wanted to spend more time with him. Since breakfast the other day we’d been getting along so well. My frustrations over what he’d done to Izzy had all but vanished, and the first impressions I’d got of him that day at the airport had regained control over a significant part of my mind.

I nodded lightly, moving to push up off my chair but Harry placed a hand on my shoulder keeping me down. I looked up at him through my lashes confused by his actions.

“Are your feet hurting in those shoes?” He asked, gazing down to where my feet were squished into the unfamiliar shape that came with wearing stilettos. My eyes however darted between Izzy and Sam as I anticipated a teasing joke or snide remark, but they were lost in their own conversation.

“Erm, quite a bit actually yeah.” I mused, looking back at him, unsure as to why he was asking, my mind still very much aware of his hand on me.

“I got Izzy to pack you some flats, I think they’re in her bag. Do you want to swap now so you don’t have to walk in those?” He suggested politely.

I blinked slowly a few times, before again only nodding in response. His kind gesture had stunned me into silence. He moved away to find my shoes that I hadn’t thought to bring along, but for some reason he had. The butterflies I’d experienced earlier looked to be taking up permanent residency in the pit of my stomach whenever Harry was around, and right now they were fluttering around like it was a sunny day in spring.

I mumbled a small thank you to him when he returned with the shoes. Offering me a hand when I went to stand, my heart began racing again, concerned at the prospect of Izzy or Sam having seen the innocent gesture. I moved as quickly as I could away from the table my fingers slipping through Harry’s grip as I edged past him.

Harry had to jog to catch up with me as I weaved through the tables in the hall. I didn’t even know where I was going but I needed to get away from my ridiculing cousins as fast as possible. I wasn’t even sure if they’d seen, but I wasn’t prepared to take the risk.

“I can’t believe how many people in Holmes Chapel have connections to the football team.” I said to Harry, stopping just on the edge of the room and looking back at all the people I’d passed.

“I know. It’s a shit game too.” He stated.

“What are you talking about!? You were amazing the other day!” I praised, confused as to why he wouldn’t enjoy something he was clearly talented at.

“Thanks, but I told you before, football’s not my game.” He taunted, backing away from me and moving towards the door.

“Oh really?” I challenged, following him out of the room. “What is then?”

“Rugby League.” He shrugged.

And that ladies and gentlemen is the precise moment I knew I was fucked.

“Rugby League?” I repeated, utterly dumbfounded.

My mind had been plagued with the image of Harry in a suit leading up to this event, and my expectations had been matched and more when he walked into the farmhouse earlier that evening. I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope now that I had the mental image of Harry running up and down a rugby field all sweaty and muddy to add to my little collection.

“Yeah, I’ve been playing for just over 6 years now I think.” He went on, letting me catch up to him as we walked through a long corridor of the building. “I’m actually thinking about trying out for the University team rather than just the club when we go back.”

“Of course you are.” I muttered under breath.

“What?” He asked, looking over at me with furrowed brows.

“What!? Nothing!” I replied, probably too quickly to make it seem normal. But after the information I’d just been given I don’t think I’d ever be normal again.

“Do you know much about it?” He asked, perfectly content to skip over my weird behaviour.

“I’m from Leeds, Harry. Of course I do, it’s in my blood. I’ve spent so much time at Headingley over the years I should have shares in the place.” I laughed, and he did too before coming to a sudden stop, making me turn round from a few places in front of him.

He stood motionless, his eyes were sad and hooded, and his head had dropped towards his chest. What had I said!? What was going on!?

“We can’t be friends anymore Erin.” He confessed, still not looking at me as I took a few steps back to him.

“What?” I breathed. “Why?”

Had I missed something? I was so sure we’d patched everything over from the other day. Had he brought me away from the others to tell me how he really felt? That he couldn’t forgive me for what I’d done?

“I just don’t think I can be friends with someone who supports Leeds Rhinos.” He said finally looking up, a mischievous cheshire cat grin was plastered across his face, and I wanted nothing more than to smack it off.

But the relief I was feeling that he was joking was more than overwhelming. And I didn’t know why the prospect of possibly not being friends with Harry had affected me so much. We’d barely been friends for a week in the first place.

The feeling suddenly turned to frustration at the idea that he was able to draw such emotive reactions from me already. I was so annoyed at myself for letting myself become so wound up when it came to him. Any emotion he caused me to feel was heightened times a hundred, just because it was him making me feel it. I needed to control myself.

“You’re such a bellend.” I growled, stomping away from him with no sense of direction whatsoever.

“Erin, I was obviously joking.” He called after me, completely unaware of the emotional rollercoaster he was putting me through.

“And I obviously know, Harry.” I taunted.

I carried on down the house’s hallways, taking a new left or right every now and again. Admiring the grandeur of the house I couldn’t help but think what it would have been like to grow up in a place like this. The sheer size of the place must have meant amazing games of hide and seek that lasted for hours. And the corridors that seemed to stretch on for miles, I imagined would have been great for cartwheeling down.

I didn’t think we were allowed to wander, but I hadn’t seen anyone around to stop us.

I was confident it was still us, rather than just me, as I had been watching Harry’s shadow creeping along the wall a few safe paces behind me.

Following the hallway round to the right, I spotted a small bench placed opposite a large portrait hung on the wall. I sat down and admired the painting. There was no information as to who it was but I thought it must be of someone who had lived in the house at some point.

The man in the frame stood tall, and regal. An array of important looking medals were attached to his coat. A medium sized dog, that had traits of what I thought looked like a Spaniel sat proudly at his feet, looking up at it’s master with wide eyes.

It was then that Harry appeared in my vision. Taking his place in front of me, he aligned with the man in the painting, and in that moment I was sure I must have looked synonymous to the dog.

“Can I sit?” He asked timidly.

“Sure.” I nodded, swiveling round to face him, as he sat down next to me, closer than I’d expected.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” He spoke.

“You didn’t really.” I admitted. “I was more annoyed at myself really.” I added.

“Why?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I affirmed, realising I couldn’t let him know that for some reason he affected me in ways I couldn’t explain myself.

I needed to regain some power in whatever this dynamic was. The space I’d put between us as I’d walked through the halls, allowed me to compose myself and take a few moments to devise tactics without being distracted by him in that stupid suit.

“So who’s your team then? Because you clearly aren’t a Leeds fan.” I interrogated, nudging him with my elbow, and grinning at him trying to brighten the mood, which admittedly I’d caused to sour.

“St Helens.” He said, playfully wincing as he awaited my response.

“Oh now I see why we can’t be friends!” I teased.

“Oi!” He cried. His nose scrunched up and that little pout from earlier reappeared on his lips, and I couldn’t help but smile.

The confidence Harry bestowed in himself was something I admired, yet it didn’t mean I wasn’t immune to his charms. His eyes had been locked on mine since he’d taken a seat. And while I wasn’t one to back down from a challenge it felt as though his gaze was breaking down barriers I’d didn’t realise I’d put up.

It became too intense and I had to pull away. Silently cursing myself for being so weak when it came to him. I kept my eyes down for a while, gently moving and admiring the the delicate silver shapes that fell from the chain around my wrist.

“It’s pretty.” He observed, breaking the silence between us.

“Thanks.” I smiled, risking looking up at him again.

But he knew what he was doing, and his eyes were already perfectly placed for mine to snap to like magnets. And that force I felt, meant I couldn’t pull away from the green orbs even when they dropped like mine had done before. Not even when I felt his fingertips glide over the cold metal, admiring the jewellry on my wrist.

“Izzy has the same one, yeah?”

“She does. A few of the charms are different, but it’s the same bracelet.” I commented, slightly breathless at his gentle touch.

“I thought I recognised it.” He mumbled, both his eyes and fingers still searching between the shapes delicately, as if he was reading them like a story, and he was trying to put together the missing pieces.

Of course each of the charms meant something to me, but Harry wasn’t asking what. It was like he was making his own story in his mind how each of the tiny pieces of metal linked together. He didn’t know me that well to try and guess what linked them to me.

A few more moments of silence passed easily between us, until a slamming door at the end of the hall made us both jump in fright, both my hands retracting towards me and out of Harry’s grasp.

“We should get back to the hall.” Harry suggested, standing up from the bench, seemingly not at all fazed by the interruption. “I think the speeches will be starting soon.”

“Good idea.” I said springing up, trying to disguise the fact that I was slightly upset about our little adventure coming to an end. “I need to walk off the rest of that brownie anyway.” I grinned, sending him a wink. This game wasn’t finished yet.

****

When Harry and I arrived back in the main hall all the plates and cutlery from dinner had been cleared, and sure enough the stage at the front of the room was being set up with a small podium and a microphone stand.

A man who I recognised from the tournament the other day made his way onto the stage, harnessing the attention of everyone in the room, announcing the start of the awards and speeches.

The chatter around us died down as Harry and I approached the table we’d left earlier. “Good timing!” Sam proclaimed in a loud whisper, as I took my seat.

I gave Izzy a cheesy grin and I was graced with one back, before I turned my attention to the man on the stage.

“As always,” He began. “We kick off the awards with ‘Player of the Year’. We have fantastic teams in this area that are filled with great talent and ambition and we love to reward hard work and perseverance too. But there’s only one trophy, and I’d like to ask last year’s recipient to come up to reveal the new winner. So please give a round of a applause to Mr Harry Styles.” He announced.

Of bloody course. I really didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing my reaction, but I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder at him.

He was already looking at me, an annoying smirk played on his lips, and when I rolled my eyes at him he broke into a laugh and stood up, making his way over to the stage.

I turned to Izzy who was shaking her head too. “He literally just told me he didn’t like football.” I professed over the raucous sound of applause for the golden boy himself.

“He’s so dramatic.” She complained, but there was no denying the pride I saw in her eyes for her best friend as he reached the podium.

“Thanks Mr Wilson, thanks everyone.” He smiled, flashing his dimples to his adoring audience. “You have no idea how hard it’s been keeping this a secret.” He laughed, everyone joining him. “The Player of the Year award goes to my brother Sam Johnson!”

He could have said something after that but I wouldn’t know because the roar of cheer and applause that erupted in the room was deafening. Izzy and I both screamed, jumping out of our seats and tackling Sam in a massive hug. I was so happy for him, football had pretty much been Sam’s entire life since the age of about 7. We all knew he was extremely talented, so to see him being awarded for it warmed my heart immensely.

When he finally wrestled free from our embrace Izzy and I both squealed in delight. I couldn’t stand still I was so excited and I found myself thinking how I wouldn’t have been able to jump so high if I’d still been in heels.

Well, well, well....what do we think? Harry and Erin are getting a bit cosy aren’t they....? I’d love to hear your thoughts and predictions on the chapter! As always, my inbox is open so I’d love to hear from you about your thoughts and predictions!

I also want to say a massive thank you to my top lads @cuddlemusclestyles and @islareeveswriting, for everything they do. They both put up with my whining and bitterness on a regular basis, and I don’t know why... I love you two probably as much as I love Harry, so quite a lot, even though one of you doesn’t like hot cross buns and one of you puts ketchup on your scrambled eggs.

Both of them are writing FIRE fics at the moment, so you should read them, because they’re really good. I like things easy and convenient, so I’ve linked them both below. Aren’t I nice!? All the love xxx 💕

TELL ME @cuddlemusclestyles HERE @islareeveswriting

#held #held chapter 4 #chapter 4 #harry styles fan fiction #harry styles au #new fic #let me know what you think!

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blatherkatt · 7 years

Text

Title: The Calm Is Terrifying When The Storm Is All You Know [Homestuck]

Chapter 6: 3/20, Part 2

Summary: There were two kinds of trolls who went to Earth: rich shitheads with too much money and free time, and desperate assholes who couldn’t survive on Alternia, even with the best efforts of the young Condesce. Karkat hated the planet almost immediately, but with his home planet too dangerous for mutants, he really didn’t have any choice but to hide out on this weird little diurnal planet. At least he’d be safe. Or so he thought, right before blundering his way into an accidental friendship with the son of an anti-troll terrorist.

Rating: M

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of neglect and abuse, mentions of terrorist activities, violence, blood (very minor); Illustrated

FIRST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

Dave stretched out on the futon and flicked on the TV, letting himself relax a little for the first time in ages. There was no sign of Bro, and the window had been open, a sure sign he was out somewhere (Bro never left using the main stairs or even through the maintenance hall like Dave sometimes did — as far as the owners of this apartment complex knew, Dave was the only person living in this unit, and Bro went to great lengths to keep it that way. Always did, every time they moved to a new apartment.), which was awesome, because the guy had been watching Dave like a fuckin’ hawk with a grudge for six damn days now.

“Karkat, you sure you don’t wanna come out?” he called. “He’s definitely gone, and I mean, I don’t know when he’s gonna be back, exactly, so you can’t be out here for long, but my bedroom and the bathroom can’t be the best scenery in the long term, man. Stretch your legs or whatever.”

“I am not testing my luck, fuck you, I’m staying right here,” Karkat called back.

“Suit yourself, man,” Dave shrugged. He flicked through a few channels. Nothing on right now but reruns, damn.

He spent about an hour watching the kind of shitty movie he’d normally be all over, happily riffing it to shreds on his own, but there was something restless in him today, he couldn’t get into it. It was starting to piss him off. He heaved a sigh as the protagonist blundered through another incredibly forced scene, and reached for the remote again, clicking through a few more channels.

It was the news that made him freeze. Normally he didn’t give too much of a shit, except, holy fuck, that was Bro, was this live?!

It was, it was absolutely live, holy shit. Bro was…was fighting some poor fucker on a rooftop, and there were police around, and that explosion meant that some of the Usuals were probably around, too, and Dave knew that building, it was like an hour away the way Bro travelled, even if he stopped fighting right the fuck now he’d need an hour to get back —

Karkat. He could — an hour was plenty of fucking time, he could grab some cash, bustle Karkat onto the nearest city bus and tell him to keep bushopping until the money was gone, come back and beat himself up and trash the place so it’d look like a jailbreak, this was the best fucking chance he’d have, holy shit —

Dave snapped out of his reverie with a jolt. Right, he needed to act right the fuck now, this was not the time to be zoning out about getting shit done, this was the time to actually get shit done. With probably the second or third least dignified scuffle of his life, Dave bolted back for his room and shoved the door open (it was unlocked, since Bro wasn’t here). Karkat nearly jumped out of his skin, but Dave didn’t have time to laugh or apologize or what the fuck ever, this was now or goddamn never —

“Dave, what the fuck?!” Karkat started, but Dave shook his head.

“I’m getting you out of here,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Like, right now, we gotta go right the fuck now.”

“Are — are you serious? Now?!”

“Dude, Bro’s like an hour away, this might be the only shot we have, c’mon!” Dave grabbed a jacket out of his closet (force of habit; he didn’t have any long sleeved shirts right now, and didn’t like attracting attention to the scars on his arms from bad strifes, so it didn’t matter if it was hot out, he was wearing a jacket) and picked up his sword (also a force of habit), tugging Karkat after him as he hurried out of the room.

“What — holy shit, Dave, okay, I get it, we gotta hurry, but do you even have a plan?!”

“Yeah, it’s called get you on a fuckin’ bus right this damn second. I’ll make it look like you fought your way out and stole a buncha cash, you just gotta keep bus hopping ’til you’re as far outta Houston as you can get, alright? You know how to ride a bus, right? Shit,” Dave said, grabbing a bunch of bills out of the stash Bro always kept in the kitchen, in that one cabinet you had to open super carefully to avoid getting buried in knives (Dave was a pro at raiding it by now, albeit usually for enough money to buy a sandwich, not a bus trip to the other side of the planet).

“I mean, I’ve ridden one before, yeah, it didn’t seem that complicated —”

“But do you know how to read the bus schedules and pay for your fare and shit, dude? Ugh, nevermind, I gotta show you where the nearest bus stop is, anyway, I’ll show you when we get there.” He shoved the wad of bills into his jeans pocket and grabbed Karkat around the wrist. “C’mon, we’re taking the elevator this time, no time for the damn stairs.”

Karkat followed after him, sporadically bursting out with hushed complaints. Dave barely noticed most of them. His own internal monologue was going so fast that he had no doubt his mouth wouldn’t have been able to keep up if he tried, but was still making some sort of effort. He was probably muttering all kinds of nonsense right now, but who cared, who cared? The elevator dinged down way too damn slow, and as soon as it touched the bottom floor, Dave grabbed Karkat again and steered him towards another back entrance of the apartment complex, this one leading into a slightly different backstreet than the one Karkat had been smuggled in by. Dave always got pretty familiar with back alleys whenever Bro moved them to a new place; it was a good idea to know some other ways of getting around, just in case. These ones weren’t totally familiar to him, but the bus stop was near enough, he was sure…

Karkat stopped short as soon as they were out the door, throwing Dave off his stride. “Wait,” said Karkat, tugging Dave back to look at him.

“Dude, the fuck? We gotta hurry, man, what do you —”

“You should — you should come with me,” he said, and the fuckin’ sincerity in his bigass eyes was the only thing that kept Dave from laughing. “I know, you’ve got some idea that you can’t leave,” he continued, before Dave could recover enough to respond, “but, come the fuck on, let’s be real, you’re just as much of a fucking prisoner here as I am, and I don’t know jack shit about Earth transportation. We’ll stand a way better chance if we leave together!”

“I…” Part of Dave wanted to, recognized that he was at least right about the troll having a better chance with a guide who knew how buses worked, but that part got shut down immediately by the thought of Ben, staring down at him with sad eyes — “I can’t,” Dave said. “I told you, I can’t abandon him, he’s…he’s family, dude, I’m all he has.”

Karkat growled, an odd, clicky sound not entirely like any growl Dave had ever heard but unmistakeable nonetheless, and rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, Dave! I don’t know why the fuck you think he needs you, all he has or not, but I’m pretty fucking sure he’ll be just fine. You won’t be, though, and I sure as fuck won’t be!”

“‘I won’t?’ The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come the fuck on,” Karkat said, “you’re the one who told me when we first fucking met that you weren’t sure he wouldn’t kill you —”

“I was joking, dude,” Dave hissed. “He wouldn’t, I’m family, I’m his goddamned son and I can take anything he can dish out just fuckin’ fine!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a big tough grub and all that hoofbeastshit. God, would you fucking look at yourself?! You’re half starved, beat up to hell and back, and he scares the shit out of you! This — whatever the fuck family means to you, this can’t be worth it!”

“The fuck do you know? You’re a god damn alien!”

“Yeah, and this fucking alien can see that this isn’t right, why the fuck can’t you?! Just shut up and come with me, you insufferable, pan-baked shitheaded —”

—A sound, high above, halfway through Karkat’s ranting. Dave couldn’t identify it, at this distance, not through Karkat’s voice. “Karkat, wait—”

“No, I’m not done! We’re both completely fucked in this situation, and you’re quite frankly fucking obnoxious, but sticking together is the best chance we mmfmpph mmpfpgh!!” Dave slapped a hand over Karkat’s mouth, hissing through his teeth.

“I heard something, shut the fuck up, I think something might have noticed us—”

That was a sound Dave knew all too well. Shattering glass, followed by a shadow passing overhead. Shit. Shit, shit, shit shit shitshitshitshit—

Dave shoved Karkat down the shadowed street. “Someone’s following us. Something, I don’t know, we gotta go, now, run!” he hissed. Karkat’s eyes somehow got even wider, and he nodded, tearing off after Dave as best he could. Dave didn’t run as fast as he could, even though he wanted to, fuck, but he couldn’t lose Karkat in the maze back here.

Stopping short and whirling around, he yanked the wad of cash out of his pocket and shoved it into Karkat’s hands, who’d stopped, wheezing, just after Dave did.

“You’re gonna wanna go straight, then left, then straight again, jump the little fence, and then just go towards the light and you’ll be right out by the bus stop,” Dave said, his words running into each other with how fast he was talking. “Take the first bus that shows up, the guy’ll probably tell you how to pay, you’ll have to get someone to show you how to read the schedules, just —”

“I’m not leaving without you,” Karkat hissed. Dave could hear how scared the poor guy was, fucking Christ.

“Look, if this is one of Bro’s guys, I got a way better chance of not dying than you do, none of them would kill me and risk pissing Bro off. I can hold ‘em off, but you gotta run. I’ll be fine, promise, alright?”

“No, fuck no!”

Dave groaned. “Holy shit, you stubborn jackass, you’re going to die if you don’t leave!”

“Come with me, then! Make sure I don’t! Like you said, I’m a fucking alien, how am I gonna survive on my own, huh? But if you come with me, we’ll both be free, and —”

A trash can tumbled over, making both boys jump. Dave slid into a fighting stance and drew his sword, shoving Karkat with his elbow as he did. “Fine, Jesus, I’ll catch up with you if I’m able!Run, Karkat, just run!” It was a lie. It was a bitter lie he had no intention of keeping, but that’d be alright, as long as Karkat got out of here.

The troll swallowed hard, nodded, and ran.

Dave didn’t watch him go. He turned his eyes back the way they’d come from, glaring into the shadows.

“Alright, whoever the fuck you are, let’s cut the shit and have ourselves a nice little chat, huh? No more of this bullshit sneaking around.”

He was answered by a pair of glowing red eyes, a distressing animal noise he didn’t recognize at all, and the growing sound of two pairs of running feet somewhere more distant, coming this way.

Well, shit, today just kept getting better, didn’t it?

He didn’t initially get a good look at what it was that jumped at him. It was a flash of white, something about the size of a German Shepherd, but whatever it was had claws and managed to slash small cuts across his eyebrow and the bridge of his nose. He shoved it away with the flat of his sword, and took a swipe at it, only for it to quickly roll away and hiss at him.

That. That was a dragon.

That was an actual fucking dragon, what the fuck.

Hissing and spitting, the dragon circled warily, its tail creeping up to its side, and oh shit, oh shit that thing was wearing a police uniform, were the police hiring dragons now what the fuck??

Red and blue lights strobed and flashed, casting harsh shadows on the narrow, shadow walls of the back street. Shit. Did this count as getting seen by the police, Dave wondered. He could hear Bro’s voice now, he was going to be fuckin’ crucified for this, oh God —

The approaching footsteps caught up, finally. Good news: two trolls, definitely not Bro’s goons. Bad news: They were definitely with the police. Probably that weird hybrid police officer-slash-Alternia whatchamacallit Dave had heard about. One of them fired off some rapid Alternian to the dragon, which turned its head and then, abruptly, lunged at Dave — no, lunged over Dave, managing a short glide despite the narrowness of the alley. The other troll, the one that hadn’t spoken, moved to follow it. Dave did his best to block their way, but his blade failed to connect, blocked instead by another. The second troll got by just fine and followed after the dragon.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” said the troll who’d spoken. She had a cane and dark red glasses — shit, was she blind? Except her cane was apparently a sword cane — two sword canes, in fact, wow, that was just fuckin’ excessive. “We have some questions for you, citizen,” the troll said, grinning with a mouth full of fuckin’ knives, hot damn. “You’re under arrest, I’m afraid,” she finished.

Dave shoved her away as best he could, flashstepping back a couple feet. “Like hell I am,” he said. He moved to chase after the dragon and the other officer — shit, maybe it’d be better to just let them catch Karkat, the guy hadn’t done anything wrong, but Dave still needed to run —

He quickly found himself making introductions with the ground. The troll had tossed one of her blades so that it spun like a propeller, knocking into Dave’s ankles and sending him off balance. He was almost instantly back on his feet, though; plenty of practice getting knocked around had taught him how to get back up quickly. The troll used the time to get around him, though, blocking off his escape.

He could head back toward the building, he guessed, except, no, that’d be leading the fucking police right to the apartment, shit. He had to fight her, then. He had no idea how the fuck he was getting out of this, but, whatever, they had three swords between them and an obvious conflict of interests, so, alright, fine, let’s go, let’s fucking go, it’s on like Donkey Kong with a —

No time for that. Blades clashed in the alley, hard; sparks flew off to the side and Dave felt the force of the blow rattling up his left forearm in that painful tinge that warned that his old wrist injury was not going to make this easy. He brushed it off, tried to meet her blows — fuck, this was no fair, she was dual wielding, but that was alright, he was used to fighting people with way more experience and all kinds of unfair advantages, he could figure it out on the fly. No big deal.

(Of course, that other person was always Bro, and Dave had never once beaten him, but. Whatever. He’d be okay, he’d figure it out —)

Clash, again. There was blood in his eye, fuck, that scratch from the little dragon was affecting his vision, and the alley was dark and all he’d eaten today was half a bag of Doritos, fuck —

Clash, clash, clash, a feint here, a swipe there, his hands were getting sweaty and the time was ticking away, there wasn’t enough room to maneuver well in this fucking backstreet, everything was awful, Christ, he had to get out of here before —

Before he lost his balance again, yeah, exactly like that. Crashed to the ground, winded from again bony-ass elbow right to the goddamn diaphragm, aware vaguely of his shades clattering off to the side and his sword crashing out of his grip.

He didn’t get a chance to get up again this time. The troll pressed her boot against his chest, tipped one of the blades against his throat, and grinned.

“You’re under fucking arrest.”

“Yeah, I got that.”

“Fine, Jesus! I’ll catch up with you if I’m able! Run, Karkat, just run!”

Karkat felt some of his breath forced out at Dave’s elbow digging into his ribs, and he stumbled. He looked back, a retort on his tongue, but…

His pump biscuit felt like it was hammering at his throat in some desperate attempt to leave his body.

There was nothing he could do, Karkat realized; he was nowhere near as fast as these crazy flickery humans, he didn’t even have a weapon.

Feeling like an even bigger coward than he had the day he’d agreed to leave Alternia, Karkat swallowed hard, nodded solemnly to Dave, and ran. He didn’t believe Dave for a fucking second, but maybe…

He’d…he’d find a way to help, he thought as he ran. He could…Terezi! He could get Terezi, she was some sort of weird hybrid legislacerator, right? If anyone could rescue Dave, she could! He’d get away like Dave said, then find a computer or a phone and get Terezi, tell her everything he knew, where he’d been, and she could get Dave away from Strider.

(It was a desperate hope, but thanks to how much of his energy was being syphoned into breathing and keeping his legs moving as fast as he fucking could, he didn’t register how completely insane a chance the entire thought was. Besides, the thought that maybe he could find a way to get Dave out alive was the only thing keeping guilt from completely tearing him apart.)

It wasn’t until he was confronted with a great stone wall that Karkat realized he’d taken a wrong turn.

Shit. Shit, he couldn’t risk backtracking, shit — someone was coming, oh God, he had to hide, there was a big metal trash receptacle that he could duck behind and pray whoever was after him didn’t spot him, he dove for cover and wrapped his arms over his head, as the clicking sound of his pursuer grew ever louder —

He screeched as a heavy weight landed on him, knocking him over backwards. He started to fight, tried to push it off — and as soon as his arms were away from his face, something long, damp, and slightly sticky dragged across his cheek.

“Augh, what the fuck —” he blinked, completely disbelieving. No…No way. “Pyralspite?! There is no fucking way - how the fuck!?” The little dragon trilled, her entire body wiggling, and licked Karkat’s face again. She had on some sort of little black outfit, and these strobing red and blue lights flashed, lighting up the dead end Karkat had bumbled into, but there was no doubt, this was definitely Pyralspite.

“Holy shit,” Karkat breathed. All the tension suddenly left him at once, and he flopped flat against the ground. “Holy fucking shit,” he said. Another deep breath, and he switched to Alternian, saying, “Pyralspite, I have no idea how the fuck you’re here, but I have never been so happy to get licked in the face in my entire life. Oh, my God…Is Terezi nearby? Can you — wait, who’s coming? Shit, get off me, get off, God dammit you dumbass dragon get the fuck off me.”

A new pair of footsteps was echoing closer off the walls. Pyralspite trilled again, but did finally hop off of Karkat (only after licking his face one last time, gross). Around the corner came…a troll, thank fuck, it was a troll; an oliveblood in some sort of costume that looked enough like Terezi’s uniform for Karkat to assume that they knew her.

“Hey,” they said, “you the friend Pyrope came looking for?”

“Uh, probably?” Karkat answered. “I mean…that’d make sense, actually, yeah. Yeah, I am, holy fuck can you please get me out of here.”

The oliveblood chuckled gently. “That’s what we’re here for, kid,” they said. “C’mon, we got an extra squad car on the way, we’ll get you somewhere safe.”

Exhaustion hit him like a red-hot right hook to the bone bulge, and for several exhausted, stumbling minutes, he silently allowed the troll to guide him. Karkat never thought he’d be glad to see sunlight, but fuck, getting out of the shadows of those buildings was a relief.

Less of a relief was the sound that greeted his ears from a little ways up the street. Two police cars were parked next to each other, and he could see Terezi, twirling a folded pair of sunglasses, along with two human officers, who were struggling with a very vocal, very familiar human teen.

“Fuckin’ — I know my damn rights, fuck you, fuck all of you, I’m not going and you can’t make me!”

“You have the right —”

“I wasn’t doin’ anythin’ wrong, y’all got nothin’ on me, this is horseshit, y’hear? I will bust the fuck out of this bullshit, goddamn army couldn’t hold me —”

“You have the —”

“At least give me my fuckin’ shades back, holy shit, let me have some damn dignity.”

“Nope!” cackled Terezi, as one of the human cops finally managed to shove Dave into the car.

“You have the right to remain silent,” wheezed the human cop, slamming the door shut. Karkat could see Dave sticking his tongue out at the officer through the window. Karkat swore under his breath and ran toward them, ignoring the shout of surprise from the oliveblood.

“Terezi, wait!” Karkat shouted. More running was the last thing his legs wanted to do right now, but fuck it, he wasn’t about to — yeah, he’d hoped to get Terezi involved, but he’d wanted Dave rescued, not fucking arrested!

Too late, Terezi turned toward Karkat. The car with Dave inside was already pulling out and driving off. Karkat caught a glimpse of Dave’s face as it sped away.

Without the shades, reading him was like a damn book, and the fear in Dave’s eyes made something in Karkat break.

“Geez, Karkat,” Terezi was saying. “It’s just like you to get kidnapped at the worst possible time. The good ole’ Vantas curse strikes again, huh?” She was grinning, teasing; Karkat was sure she probably did mean some of it on some level, but the tone of her voice made it clear that relief for Karkat’s safety overrode any irritation she might actually feel.

Karkat didn’t have time to care, even if he was really, really fucking glad to see her. “Terezi, you can’t — you can’t let them prosecute him, he’s not a bad guy!”

Terezi raised an eyebrow. “He wasn’t exactly acting innocent,” she said. “You okay there, Karkat? Because he tried to stop me from rescuing you. With a sword.”

“Well, yeah, of course he did,” Karkat said. “He’s been like, fucking conditioned to not trust the police or something, probably, I wouldn’t put that past that Strider bastard. Speaking of whom, that’s who you should be blaming for this! He didn’t want to fucking grubnap me, but Strider fucking forced him to either do that or kill me, and the fact that I’m alive should clue you in to which he chose! He fucking — he was trying to help me escape, he thought we were getting chased by some of Strider’s goons!”

“Holy shit,” said the oliveblood. “You seriously got taken by one of Strider’s men and survived?”

“I don’t know that I’d call him one of Strider’s men,” said Karkat. “More like actually taken hostage by Strider him fucking self, and it’s only thanks to Dave that I’m goddamn alive, which is why you shouldn’t be arresting him! He’s not dangerous, he’s just a scared fucking kid!”

“Wait,” Terezi said, her smile dropping. “Da-did you say his name was Dave?”

“Yeah?” Karkat said. “I don’t get how that’s important right now, but —”

“His name is Dave,” said Terezi.

“Yes, I’ve said that like three times now, Terezi, fuck.”

“And he lives with Strider.”

The oliveblood made a sound that gave Karkat the impression of choking on air.

“Yeah…?” Karkat was really getting confused, but apparently this meant something to Terezi.

“Holy shit,” Terezi muttered after a long moment. “Holy…holy shit, that was him, holy —” She didn’t wait around to explain anything to Karkat. Instead, she turned on her heel and practically ripped open the passenger side door on the remaining police car, snatching fiercely at a small radio on the dashboard. “This is Pyrope, calling in —”

“There you are, fuck! It was a damn catastrophe over here, everything went sour, the guy was onto us from the —”

“Yeah, I know, I heard you all bitching about it earlier. That’s not the issue at hand, though! Dirk, where is Dirk?”

“Uh, he sustained some minor injuries, and we’re letting him rest since he seems pretty shaken up, so…”

“I need him back at the precinct. Tell him to get back to the precinct,” she hissed.

“What, now?”

“No, sometime in the next month, we can arrange a fucking tea party. Yes, now!!”

“Uh…we’ll tell him, sure.”

The other end went silent. Terezi sat back and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Dave fucking Strider, Jesus Christ,” she muttered.

“Is there something I’m missing here?” Karkat said.

“It’s —” Terezi was interrupted by static on the police radio.

“Look, Pyrope, the kid’s had a long day. I can see him from here, he looks fuckin’ exhausted, and I really don’t think he’s up for this right now. Let’s let him rest a bit longer, huh?”

“God dammit, Powers,” Terezi barked, practically screaming, “You tell him to get his mopey fuckin’ ass back to the station now, damn you! This can’t wait! I don’t care how bad he got his feelings hurt, you get him back there!” Terezi dropped the radio and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Jesus Christ,” she said, “I get Dave fucking Strider in our custody after three damn years and his fuckin’ brother’s off brooding on me! Fuckin’ typical.”

#homestuck #dave strider #karkat vantas #terezi pyrope #davekat #longpost//#calmvsstormfic #calmvsstormchapter #fanfic #fanfiction #katt does a writing #NOW we can get this story started finally #pyralspite is getting So Many Treats after this #the Best Dragon #this originally happened in chapter tHREE gksjdshkdjh

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