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puppetmaster13u · 2 days

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Prompt 317

IMAGINE THIS: Lil baby Damian, bored and being not quite old enough to start learning how to use proper weapons (curse these wooden ones, he wants true steel!) is wandering the base. This is not out of the ordinary, he’s the prince after all. What is out of the ordinary is that his shadow, his Akhi, is not here.

Technically, he should be napping, but he woke up and neither his mother or his brother- who is quiet but gentle and isn’t a good speaker (mother said it was from a head injury)- is there. Which is how he finds his way to the Pit, which he’s not supposed to be at. Or at least not alone.

But! His mother and Akhi are there! And- and Akhi is screaming and he’s never heard him scream like that, like he’s in agony- His eyes are green- they were blue, had, had Mother placed him in the Waters-

And then the pool is bubbling- he should be running away, get assistance or something, he’s five, he shouldn’t be running towards it when everything is screaming to flee. But one moment he’s at the doorway, the next he’s clinging to his akhi as something writhes in the Pit, a mighty bellow echoing even as the Shadows take defensive positions.

The water cascades, laps at their feet, splashes everywhere as a scaled form rises from the depths, wings like a bloodied sunset spreading as fur bursts into flames. Crimson eyes glare down at them all, pupils slits as they bare down at his Akhi.

The creature- the dragon- dips its head down, its breath warm as it chuffs at his akhi, wings folding as though it is bowing. His akhi is clinging to Mother, shivering, several scars glowing as they fade and a burst of hair burned white.

Oh.

#DCxDP #DPxDC #Prompts #Ghosts are Dragons #Or at least Halfas are #Let Jason & Damian be brothers #Jordan looking at Jason: This lil shit is my partner in this world? Damn could be worse #Danny wriggling from the pool & climbing up Damian’s back: My Partner >:D #Ellie bouncing through the caves to Respawn & dragging him into the room: My partner :)#Ras honestly kind of shrugs because ‘well they were chosen by the pits so hi extra grandsons he supposes #Ras turning to giant dragon Vlad & giving scritches: What do I do with two wholeass new grandchildren #Jazz the sea dragon sprawled behind Dusan & playing chess with him:#Does Bruce even know about the fact Ras has a giant fuck-you dragon? Who knows #He sure wasn’t expecting his son (EXCUSE HIM HE HAS A SON?!) to have a dragonet #Hood with big sun dragon behind him: >8)#Sun Core Dan #Ocean Core Jazz #Space Core Danny #Moon Core Ellie #They’re having fun with this httyd vibes honestly #Redeemed Vlad #Sort of- morally gray & complex Vlad & co #It’s similar to platonic soulmates but also not #They can share emotions with their chosen #Danny & Ellie are the size of medium dogs but the size of small horses by the time Damian goes to Gotham #Dan is the size of a semi-truck & will slowly get bigger #Jazz? The size of a plane but longer #Vlad is the size of a skyscraper (yes he came to this world first time isn't exactly linear in the realms all the time)#If you want pics of designs they're under the ghosts are dragons tag on my blog #(though haven't designed Jazz yet)

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whateveriwant · 3 days

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The 141 holding their baby for the first time

Can be read as a part 2 to this

Price

This man is so eager to hold his child for the first time, he almost doesn't wait for the nurses to clean him off first. So what if his son is covered in all sorts of blood and gunk? John has dealt with a lot worse before, trust him

So when he has to wait for the little one to be cleaned and then weighed and then dressed first, John almost steams from his ears he's so frustrated

Oh but the moment his child is finally placed in his arms, he just absolutely melts. Goes from a menacing grizzly bear to a harmless stuffed plushie in two seconds flat

With one hand supporting his bottom and the other curving along his back, John gently holds his son for the very first time. As he looks at the boy in his arms – his eyes, his lips, his little button nose – John feels a tickle behind his eyes, and he's quick to blink the tears away before they can form

He sniffs back his emotions and caresses the top of your son's head. “Hairy little bloke, ain't he?” he jokes, referring to the full head of hair the tyke's already been blessed with

Well, what does he expect when he has a werewolf for a father? Your jest gets John to chuckle lowly, muttering to the boy, “Just like your daddy, eh?”

He places the baby against the crook of his neck and softly pats him on the back, bouncing up and down ever so slightly. And when his son lets out a great big burp, John and you share a laugh. “Yeah, just like your daddy.”

Ghost

One thing Simon prides himself on is his sense of humility – knowing when his services are needed and when they aren't. In this instance, as the nurses flit around with his son, he knows it's the latter situation, so he waits patiently off to the side as he lets them work

Though he's sidelined, Simon watches like a hawk as his little boy moves about the room. Every hand-off, every measurement taken, it's all done under the careful eye of his father

But despite how cool he may appear on the outside, inside his heart is pounding, and that only increases as a nurse finally approaches him with his child in her hands

Simon goes to take the baby from her, stretching his arms out, but before the transfer is made, he remembers something. Quickly, he reaches up and strips the cloth mask from his face. He knows the little one doesn't have good eyesight yet, but first impressions and all that, right?

With the utmost caution, Simon takes his son into his arms, putting him in the crook of his elbow like a rugby player holding a ball. He feels like a giant as he holds the tiny boy against him. Like an ant compared to an elephant, he thinks to himself

Despite his size though, Simon is so delicate with his son, treating him like he's made of glass. He tucks him more firmly against his chest, and as the little one naturally snuggles closer, Simon can't help the smile it brings to his face

Rocking back and forth slightly, Simon tries to lull the boy to sleep. Unfortunately, his little cheek rubbing against Simon's chest has the opposite effect, and he begins to mouth at his pec, having accidentally triggered his rooting reflex

“Oh, he's…,” Simon mutters awkwardly, realizing what he's just done. He hears you giggle from your spot on your bed, and that makes him chuckle to himself. “Think he's hungry,” he says before handing the baby over to you

Gaz

From the moment Kyle laid eyes on his son, it was love at first sight. Even though he was filthy, wrinkly, and had a conehead to end all coneheads, Kyle was immediately smitten with the boy the moment he first saw him

He carefully trails after the nurses as they go about cleaning him/taking his measurements, not wanting to get in the way but wanting to stay close

Despite his watchfulness, however, when his son is finally offered to him, Kyle immediately freezes. His arms feel like they're locked down by his sides, like there's some kind of invisible force preventing him from reaching out and taking him

Though he's been preparing for this moment for months, when it's finally time to do it, he finds that he's scared. Scared to hurt him, to drop him, to do something wrong. He has to take a deep breath as he plucks up the courage, then has the nurse hand over his son

And the second the boy is placed in Kyle's arms, the tears he hadn't managed to shed during the delivery start streaming anew. “H-Hi, baby. Hi,” Kyle sobs, masterfully holding his son in one hand as he uses the other to wipe his tears away. “I'm your daddy.”

Though there's still a flurry of activity going on around them, it's like time seems to slow as Kyle admires the little boy in his arms. He leans in to press a soft kiss to the top of his son's head, holding his lips there as he inhales that sweet scent emanating from him

When he finally pulls back, he brushes another tear away, flashing a bright smile as he chuckles wetly to himself. Yep, he's in love alright. Truly, deeply in love

Soap

Johnny feels sluggish as he slowly wakes back up. It takes some effort for him to peel his eyes open, and when he does, he then groggily takes in his surroundings

He's slumped in some stiff hospital chair. Why? Oh, wait. He thinks he remembers. He was here to watch the birth of his first child, but the last thing he remembers was seeing a whole lot of red, and then everything went black

Johnny looks around the room for a moment until he realizes you're sitting in the bed across from him. He stands with a grunt, rubbing his forehead as he walks over to you. “What'd I miss?” he asks as approaches your bed

He notices something in your arms, but it's not until he gets close that he realizes what exactly. That isn't just any little bundle in your arms. That's your son you're holding

He finds he's frozen to his spot as you answer his question. Other than the birth? Not much. Just the first feeding… and the first burping… and the first swaddling

Johnny's lip threatens to tremble as he listens to you list off all the things he missed because he'd passed out. But when you ask in he wants to hold his son, all that sorrow immediately vanishes

Now, Johnny's held a lot of babies in his years (it comes with being part of the MacTavish clan), but there's something different this time as you pass the little boy to him. As Johnny looks at the baby in his arms – his baby – he realizes this is the most perfect, most beautiful, most amazing, angelic, awe-inspiringly wonderful–

There's the sound of a small whine followed quickly by a loud squish, and suddenly, the bum cradled in his hands feels about 2x heavier. The realization hits you before it does Johnny, and you can't help the laugh that bubbles out of you

Congrats, daddy-o! Looks like he woke up just in time for the first nappy change

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sunnyie-eve · 2 days

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7 | Stuck

Series: Unexpected

Paring: (Matt Sturniolo x OFC Brock!) (Chris Sturniolo x OFC Brock!)

Word Count: 1k

Warnings: none

| MASTERLIST |

Matt's eyes widen as he realizes it too, "Press a button again." She tells him so he goes to press a floor.

"Nothing will light up." He tells her, "Look." He press any buttons not caring about the game anymore.

"So we're stuck at the moment?" She huffs staying calm.

"Two people with bad anxiety stuck in an elevator together." Matt points out.

"Fantastic." She smiles.

"At least-," Matt gets cut off as a word comes through finally.

Locked

"Yeah, we're locked in here." Dani nods her head, "At least you're not alone." She looks over at him, "I'm sure it would've been worse."

"Yeah, I got you." He smiles.

"And I got you." She smiles as well.

"I'm looking forward to that free food." He brings up their deal.

"Don't worry, I'm still doing it." She lets him know while laughing.

Once again they stand in silence not knowing what to say to each other. It would have been different if it was her and Nick since they constantly talk on the phone together, but her and Matt were basically stranger. They only knew a little about each other just from seeing each other in videos.

"How long are you staying after this?" Matt breaks the silence.

"I don't know yet because I don't have a flight home yet."

"All three of you didn't get tickets at the same time?" He asks confused.

"No, because sometimes I also stay with my friend in LA. Her guest room is basically my room. I mostly live with Sam and Colby in Vegas, but I'll live with her at times too. She doesn't mind it because I help pay the rent too."

Now he understood why Nick and her never met up in the past, "Where do you prefer to stay?"

"Oh, I prefer LA but Colby prefers me to stay with him if I'm going to leave home."

"So basically," Matt mouths the next part since they were still recording, "he doesn't trust you?" Dani nods her head. "So you and Nick have been friends for a year now, talking?" He changes the topic.

"Technically two years and two months but who's counting?" She looks up at the ceiling making him grin a bit.

"You clearly are."

Dani looks over at him trying to keep a straight face but fails laughing, "Shut up."

"Shut up." He mocks how she said it laughing which makes her laugh more.

"Try pressing the button again." She tells him wonder if it would work now but when he does it still doesn't do anything.

"Wonder what the others are thinking?"

Dani chuckles, "Colby is losing his mind that I'm stuck in an elevator with a boy. Especially a boy my age." She looks over at him taking her eyes off the doors, "I'm not allowed to have guy friends unless they're his because he knows them and how they are."

"Hey, I'm a trustworthy guy."

"Trust me, I believe that just from what I see online." She lets him know and that makes him feel good that she sees him in that way.

"You know, I'm butt hurt you never tried reaching out to become friend with Chris or I after becoming friends with Nick." He gives her a look.

"Listen, hear me out." She starts to laugh, "I did think about it..."

"And?"

"I don't know? I just never did it. Then again Nick reached out to me in the beginning. He said he saw me in a TikTok went to my account thought I was funny then went to my Instagram to follow and message me." She tells him how her and Nick became friends.

"You know, I'm gonna say we failed at this game." Matt laughs, "We basically got interrupted."

"Yeah, we failed."

Matt goes to press the button and it finally works so they cheer as they head back down to the others that were talking about the two.

"They're taking super long." Sam says looking down at the box.

"It either worked or they ditched us for sending them." Chris says so Sam looks at Colby.

"They just ran off together." He jokes.

"Not funny."

"She can handle herself. She may be tiny but very mighty." Sam reminds his best friend about his sister.

"The door opens and they're makin out." Chris jokes only to push at Colby's buttons too with Sam.

"Hell no, he's so not her type." Nick laughs shaking his head no even though he was very far off unfortunately. Both his brothers had things that could make her heart race.

Yes

"You guys are making me nervous." Colby tells them stressing out about her alone with a boy.

"Hey Colby, it's okay. Matt would be too scared to make a move on your sister." Chris says before the elevators open up reviling the two.

"We got stuck for awhile." They both say automatically.

"Seriously?" Chris laughs making the two flip him off.

"Yes, the elevator wouldn't let us press any buttons."

The group finally head back up to room 525 for the Estes method. The room still smelled like ass so Colby looks in the closet and the rope in the ticks Nick off since it startled him. Matt asks if he should put it on but Chris tells him now while Dani says yes so he does.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there's like a dead squirrel under the bed." Colby says going over to the bed getting down to look.

"Colby's looking for a squirrel." Chris laughs at him, "How do you feel?" He turns to Matt pulling out his phone to take a picture of him.

"It looks like a karate belt." Nick laughs.

"Master Matt." Dani laughs as well.

"Give me like your best robe pose." Chris asks for a pic so Matt poses, "Give me relaxed." Matt poses again, "Give me sleepy." Matt fake yawns, "That was good." Chris laughs as Matt takes the robe off.

"So we were thinking that, you know, since Matt did the elevator ritual. You guys can go under the Estes." Sam tells Nick and Chris.

"Guys, I've been looking forward to this for awhile." Nick tells them, "Let's not get it twisted. I'm ecstatic."

"Plus I'm the best at asking questions." Matt adds since he has been all night getting something back.

"You also got stuck in an elevator again." Dani adds for him.

"That too."

"Oh it's not like you were stuck in there alone." Chris rolls his eyes laughing.

"Right, plus you were with the sweetest person ever." Nick adds.

#sam golbach #colby brock #sam and colby #sturniolo triplets #matt sturniolo #chris sturniolo #nick sturniolo #oc #sibilings #matt sturniolo imagine #chris sturniolo imagine #ff #fanifiction #fanfic #sturniolo fanfic #best friends #friends to lovers #chris sturniolo fanfic #matt sturniolo fanfic

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mediocretosubpar-soup · 17 hours

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it doesn't really fit into this idea but sect leader jiang cheng disappears and coreless!jiang cheng is discovered in lotus pier.

yunmeng jiang reluctantly calls on wei wuxian because jiang cheng doesn't know any of them, he doesn't even know jin ling.

they don't tell wei wuxian the reason why they're calling, their sect leader turned into a traumatized, decored teenager that's not something jiang 'safety first' cheng's yunmeng jiang is going to advertise. so wei wuxian turns up and his clothes are clearly not yunmeng jiang. jiang cheng has been updated by the disciples, he's read sect leader jiang's secret diaries, and it still takes wei wuxian sliding zidian off his finger for him to truly believe that this stranger is wei wuxian.

meanwhile wei wuxian is panicking because where is sect leader jiang, jiang cheng is staring at his robes without blinking, it's only a matter of time before he wants answers and wei wuxian doesn't have anything to say that won't hurt him. it's one thing to emotionally gut jiang cheng for his own good when he's cold, vicious and unforgiving it's another when he's still babyfaced and shocked speechless by the evidence of wei wuxian's (betrayal)leaving.

"you left me." jiang cheng states so calmly that wei wuxian's panic is subsumed by deeper sense of foreboding. jiang cheng steps away from him and wei wuxian grabs onto his sleeve, jerking him back. jiang cheng goes for wei wuxian's eyes. only lan zhan's quick reaction saves wei wuxian from blindness, he shoves jiang cheng backwards. but jiang cheng doesn't catch himself which he should lan zhan hardly used any strength but jiang cheng stumbles backwards and crashes to the floor.

three things happen at the same time, yunmeng jiang's spiders form a protective circle around jiang cheng, yunmeng jiang's disciples draw their swords on them and wei wuxian nearly skewers himself trying to get to jiang cheng, who should have been able to weather such a blow with ease, unless...

"stand down." jiang cheng picks himself of the floor. he grimaces, hand on his chest where the fabric is slowly soaking with red. he sways but remains upright. the spiders have their hands on their swords. jiang cheng's mouth opens, wei wuxian cuts him off, can't allow to speak.

"i know how to fix your core." lan zhan makes a noise of protest but wei wuxian needs to convince jiang cheng not to kick him out, needs jiang cheng to allow him close. this is the only thing that will convince him now. wei wuxian spares a moment of frustration at yunmeng jiang for not clarifying. he could have had his shidi, even if it was for a few days, he could have had jiang cheng. now, jiang cheng looks at him like sect leader jiang only he's face still carries that shocked note of disbelief like he can't believe wei wuxian would really to this. it's a thousand times worse. and wei wuxian needs to work out how to get him back, so he can have his golden core fixed. fuck.

"oh?" jiang cheng says. yunmeng jiang has perked up as well. at least something is working right, now if only lan zhan could quit it with the disaproving frown.

#mdzs #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #lan wangji #ideas i like to rotate in my head #possibly chengxian #does it make sense?

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yardsards · 1 year

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you know your Situation is dire when the doctor starts givin you off-label meds

#eliot posts #this is about my mental illness but i've heard a lot of physical chronic illness ppl talk about similar #anyway ive been on modafanil for my depressive symptoms and adhd the past few weeks lmao #it's not goin well.#they were hoping the side effects would go away after a couple weeks (and a dose decrease that i suggested)#but as time goes on they're getting WORSE #i think next i wanna see about more mood stabilizers maybe #or ask em to whip out the big guns n put me on an maoi #the logic behind trying the modafanil was sound bc my worst symptoms are fatigue anhedonia and avolition #but the effects in practice are just Not It

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sysig · 1 year

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A very normal scientist doing very normal gene splicing experiments (Patreon)

#Doodles #UT #Handplates #Gaster #Wobbledogs #Sometimes media flooding bleeds over into other interests at the same time and yes that is my only justification for this lol #I'm always most amused by the sequence of things lol - I'd already started in on Handplates again but then got very diverted by Wobbledogs #Which is especially weird to me because I was introduced to the game like half a year ago and it didn't really grab me #It's cute but eh it's fine - and then I watched a proper lightly edited playlist not like jumpcut-jumpcut-jumpcut #That can make for a very punchy one-off but it doesn't really reflect the gameplay loop #So actually getting to see it properly made the difference and I kinda Get It now and also kinda want to own the game lol #MeanWhile - Ghoster's been hanging out as my desktop buddy literally /while/ watching and I was getting new ideas on that front #They smushed together lol #Having him onscreen is just a good excuse to do a quick once-over style of study and follow some silly ideas haha #What would Gaster think of a progressive mutation type game ♪ Watching them grow watching them struggle to walk #Only uses the scold feature - or the worse option that he treats the dogs better than the skelebros noooo haha #Pretty much all of the creatures in Undertale are sentient to some degree aren't they :0 Wobbledogs are just dogs #They're not monsters but they're not humans but they're not exactly just dogs either - just little creachurs haha #It's fun to imagine him nurturing anyone or anything haha ♪ Goes from ''???'' to ''How can I help this reach their full potential''#Whatever ''potential'' means in his own context hehe #It's cute in its own way

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cinnamon-phrog · 3 months

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I feel too sick to sleep right now, everything's' too cold or too hot and I can't even breathe without thinking I'm gonna throw up

#it's because i've been drinking diluted juice #i swear the shit they put in that makes me delirious with fever #ughhhh so sick wish a nice big strong mechanoid could help me rn :( real shame #gonna drink water till the middle of the night. there goes my plans for a better nights' sleep :<#i do genuinely feel awful and i have been feeling so for a while and it's all my own doing. not eating healthy. stressing out and barely-#-sleeping. i have stretch marks from losing weight and circles under my eyes. everything's fuzzy. i keep forgetting basic things.#i'm worried about my future. i'm too disabled to function with a job but not disabled 'enough' just because i can speak 'clearly'#i've got no irl friends or family to fall back on. i can only travel so far and i get meltdowns far easier now #months ago i was treated like a pet. now i'm an adult before i ever got to be a child.#i want to be held. be loved without even having to say a word to each other. not even by an f//o but by someone who'll be willing to love m #but all i am now is sick and hungry and hot and cold and tired and awake.#i can't imagine how much worse it is for other people though. i've seen awful images and they're not even a taste of how terrible it is #i worry i won't be able to afford food in the future. or have a stable flat or apartment. that social services will let me down again #this year was meant to be a break but i'm constantly worrying about the time i become 18. my autism and lack of any social life-#will impact me and i'll be fucked over easier than ever. and that happens often #college brought me panic attacks where i'd physically harm myself till i got migraines in front of people and they didn't bat an eye #i could be kicking and screaming and begging for help but they'll just ignore me or infantilise me

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qlala · 7 months

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giving myself an idea for a new fic and trying to stealthily open a blank word document but the tiny edna mode that i installed in my brain for exactly this reason immediately wakes up from a dead sleep and begins smacking me over the head with a rolled-up newspaper

#she doesn't know about tumblr tags though!#anyway. leonard finally accepting that mick is right and he's obsessed with the flash #but obviously just the idea of him #so to cure himself of this he starts shadowing barry around his daily non-flash life #and breaks into his apartment and goes through everything in minute detail #because surely this will put len's temporary insanity to rest #by proving to his own brain that barry allen is just Some Guy. he's boring. even worse: he's twenty-six.#but obviously it backfires #and len finds himself scowling at the salt-and-pepper shakers that iris west made for barry in a high school ceramics class #and they're totally mishappen and leaking salt and pepper from the bottoms but barry still has them loyally out on his table #he finds a box of milkbones in the pantry and hopes it's some puppy play kink that len can mock him for #but no it's because his elderly neighbor's dogs gets loose once a week and barry always helps her go round them up #when len DOES find the kinky things they're expensive and well-researched and depressingly right up len's alley #and len ends up just as obsessed with barry allen as he is the flash #he gives up and steals the salt and pepper shakers and swaps them for a cardboard set from the grocery store #with a note inside the salt shaker that gives barry an address and a time for that saturday night #and a p.s. that says to bring the silk rope

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softquietsteadylove · 1 month

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Hello birdie 🖤✨

I've got something for the Life Interrupted AU.

Thena isn't feeling well lately and is considering to go back into this hellhole where she's getting drugged to unconsciousness. She's packing her stuff when Gil shows up. He's trying to talk it out of her.

(And I definitely didn't had this Idea because I'm stuck in one of those hellholes, lol)

✨🖤Hugs an Love🖤✨

"Going somewhere?"

Thena sighed, setting down one of her shirts and staring down at her bed. "I was thinking about it."

Gil walked further into her room, having just arrived. "Druig texted me. Really surprised me to hear from him, but he said you've been acting weird--wants me to 'talk to some sense into you'."

Thena let out a humourless chuckle. "I'm surprised he decided to entrust you with that task."

"Gotta say, I am too," Gil agreed quietly until he was standing behind her. "I have to agree--you seem a little anxious lately."

She had been nervous, jumpy, and Gil knew it. They hadn't been able to go out on a date in weeks because she felt on the verge of a panic attack at the thought of having to navigate crowds or risk running into someone. "Maybe...maybe I should consider-"

"Don't," he whispered, placing his hand gently over hers. Her bag was already half full. "Don't say you're going back to that place."

Thena squeezed her eyes shut, tears already burning the insides of them. "Where should I go, Gil?"

"Anywhere else," he concluded. He pulled her hand away from packing up as if she were sailing off into the horizon. He moved slowly and gently until he could sit on the chair in the corner of her room and look up at her. "Please, Thena, just talk to me."

When he was seated lower, she had no excuse not to look at him. But she stared down at his hands, holding hers so, so gently. "Druig and Makkari have been looking at places again."

Gil raised his brows. "That...that's good...right?"

It was. It was what she wanted. She wanted their lives to continue on after the ugliness of the last year. She wanted her brother to feel free to settle down and marry the love of his life. And he could do that without worrying about his sister, she was determined.

"He keeps asking me to see them," she admitted quietly, as if Druig had his ear pressed against the door and would be wounded by overhearing her. "He keeps picking rooms that he says can be mine--if I so choose."

"So," Gil prompted, giving her hands a little squeeze, "what's so bad about that?"

Thena shook her head, looking up around the ceiling of her room to keep her tears from falling. "I'm not some child he has to drag around with him. He should be choosing a home to suit him and his wife, not worrying about his burdensome sister."

"Come on," Gil whispered, his eyes drifting downward from the sheer weight of Thena's discouragement. "You know he doesn't think of you like that."

Thena sighed, pulling her hands from Gil's and plopping herself on the corner of her bed. She pressed them to her head, trying to keep them from shaking. "I know he doesn't. That is exactly the problem."

"Okay, so you don't want him worrying about you," Gil shrugged, turning in the chair to face her head on again.

Thena stared down at her knees. She wasn't wearing her work dress and stockings with a tight ponytail. But she couldn't bring herself to wear soft sweatpants anymore, opting for athleisure leggings and a cardigan at even her most comfortable.

"What else?"

She toyed with her fingernails. "I don't want to live here alone."

Gil nodded again, leaning back in the chair.

She hunched over herself more, despite her sore back. "It's not about the cost, it's...I can't be here by myself, thinking all these...things."

"Okay, so we'll find somewhere else for you," Gil leapt at the opportunity to suggest an alternative. He leaned forward again, even scooching toward the edge of the seat. "I'll help you look."

She smiled, although she still wasn't feeling the intent behind the action. "Druig offered the same. Even Makkari--but that's not the point."

Gil seemed to understand what she was getting at. And of course he did, it was Gil. He was sweet, and understanding, and he always seemed to know what she was trying to say, even if she didn't have the words. "You want to find a place for yourself."

She sighed, looking at her hands again. "I don't seem capable of anything these days."

Gil took her hands in his again, rubbing his thumb over her skin. "You know that's not true."

She wasn't as sure as he was. She never was--never had his confidence, or positivity. It was something she both envied and admired about him. She loved it about him. "Maybe-"

"No!"

She blinked, taken aback by his outburst. He was always so soft spoken, especially with her. She had never heard him so much as raise his voice. The only things he did loudly were laughing and sneezing.

"Maybe nothing!" he pressed, standing from the chair. "That place never did you any good. I don't think it does anyone any good! And I will not let you go back to that misery!"

Thena's eyes fluttered, her back straightening. Her heart began to squeeze at the sheer volume of things, but this was Gil--she was safe with him.

"Thena," he finally quieted again, kneeling in front of her. "You never have to go back to that place, okay? I don't care if you have a nervous breakdown--I'll take care of you. I'll take better care of you than they ever would in there. Just--just promise me you won't go back there because you're worried about burdening people."

She blinked, those tears she was trying to hold back finally falling. It was completely dark outside, her small bedside lamp offering minimal lighting. But it caught Gil's features in just such a way that made him seem so beautiful. "I don't want to go back there."

"Good," he nodded, turning her hand so he could press his lips to it.

"But," she gasped, her lip wobbling. She clung to him. "But what if I'm not me, anymore?"

"You're exactly who you need to be," he said without a hint of doubt in his voice. "You're Thena."

So completely unwavering, her Gilgamesh.

"You're my Thena," he repeated, softer this time, kissing the back of her other hand before pulling her up to stand with him. His hands slipped around waist to rest at her back. "That's all you need to be."

She wasn't sure who 'Thena' was, at times. At least, not as she knew herself before all this. Gil kept saying that the past year was a part of her, for better or worse. But she just wanted to leave it behind--to revert to the version of her that had existed before it all.

"Look," he whispered, still holding her so gently. "Maybe that's easy for me to say. I didn't know you before. But the Thena I know is pretty damn amazing."

She let another laugh, still not humoured in the least.

"She is," he chuckled, though, and he did mean it. He leaned closer, touching his forehead to hers. "She's this badass translator, works in a big, fancy office. She's actually pretty funny, if she's in a good mood. Kinda likes messing with me."

"I do not."

"Just a little," he contested, scrunching up his nose faintly. "But I think that side of her is cute. And she's tough--way tougher than she thinks she is. And she's an incredible sister, even when her brother is being a pain in our ass."

"Our?" she interrupted.

"Our," he confirmed, touching the tips of their noses together to silence her. "And I know he's just worried about you. That's why he keeps saying you can stay with them if you want. But I guess he doesn't really know it's stressing you out."

Thena sighed, dragged back into the depths of her problems like plunging into ice cold water. "How do I tell him?"

Gil skipped over that question, still busy holding her, almost swaying as his weight shifted from foot to foot. "So, this Thena--I mean, to me, she's the most incredible woman in the world."

"Gil," she sighed, trying to pull him from his reverent description of her.

But he nudged her head until he could kiss her lips, also gently. As gently as everything else about him. "She's the woman I love, plain and simple."

Oh, did she ever love him. She had gone from being someone who probably didn't really believe in love for herself at all to being head over heels for her sweet, gentle giant.

She sighed as she kissed him again, leaning up on her toes to loop her arms around his neck. Kissing Gil always made her feel more human--more grounded and real. It took away the buzzing in her head and replaced it with with a heavy and pleasant sedative that could spread through her veins.

Gil stayed close, his forehead against hers, lips still faintly puckered. "Better?"

"Hm," she sighed. She didn't need to explain herself--not to him. She ran her fingers gently through the hair at the back of his head. If only she never had to go to work, or take public transport, or go to house viewings where the realtor would look at her oddly. If only she could stay in Gil's arms every second of every day.

"Good," he sufficed to say, tapping his fingers against the back of her sweater. He moved his hand to her hip. "So, about this living situation-"

"Right," she sighed the heaviest she had yet (which was saying something).

"Hey," he nudged her gently, pulling her eyes up to him. "A unit in my building is going on the market for next month. It's the one above mine--sweet old guy is moving out to be closer to his grand kids."

Oh. Living that close to Gil--being neighbours?

"I can always ask him if he'd be open to a lease trade-off," Gil suggested, although he was unable to hide his excitement at the prospect in his smile. "What do you think?"

Being that close to Gil? Being his upstairs neighbour?

His smile wobbled faintly, turning sheepish as he looked away. "It's a little more modest than this place. But it's a one bedroom, and it's not a bad location. And-"

Thena stood on her toes, pressing her lips to his, even with a cliche 'mmwah' sound. He looked dazed after the firmer kiss, which made her smile genuinely for the first time that night. She leaned against him heavier, but he steadied her without a second thought. "I think that sounds perfect."

"Really?" he asked, beaming like a dog about to receive a treat with a wagging tail.

She took his cheeks in her hands, "it sounds wonderful, Gil."

"O-Okay," he laughed, sounding near hysteria. But he pulled her against his chest in his arms, even lifting her off the ground slightly as he spun them. "This'll be amazing, sweetie, I promise!"

He needed no promises. The thought of having him a mere flight of stairs away was already comforting, in a sense. And she had been to his flat plenty of times. He was right, it was in a good location, and it wasn't any further from her office than she was now, all things considered.

Gil set her on her feet once more. "I'll talk to him tonight."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself," she advised gently. It wasn't often she was able to offer a calming voice of reason these days; it felt familiar, even soothing. She toyed with some some stray hairs of his. "I may have to apply, like everyone else."

"Peh," Gil waved in dismissal again (making her laugh, again). "The old guy loves me. And that's before I tell him some sob story about wanting my girlfriend to move in so we can be closer."

Thena blushed softly, toying with the hem of her cardigan. Sometimes she had to remind herself that Gil wasn't just 'someone she was seeing', and actually the man she had known for more than half a year and had been dating for more than half that time, now.

"It'll be great," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "We can carpool to work, I'll be right downstairs if you ever wanna talk--or cuddle."

"Gil," she admonished, but it came out as a light and air whisper as he kissed her cheek again, his five o'clock shadow against her skin.

He stopped nuzzling her just to look at her more solemnly. "You should tell Druig."

"It was your idea."

"Exactly," Gil made a face, shrinking somewhat. "He'll kill me."

Thena rolled her eyes, her spirits lifting by the moment. "It's not as if you're offering to shack up with me yourself."

He didn't laugh at her joke. He didn't even seem to realise it was a joke, just shrugged one shoulder. "I mean they're both only one bedroom units. Plus, I imagine you want some space for yourself for a little. Feel like you have some more control?"

Well, he was exactly right about that, as always. Although she hadn't expected his rebuttal to be that they would need a larger space if they were to live together. She just blinked, "precisely."

"So it's decided," he grinned again, and gave her another kiss for good measure. "I'll go talk to Karun, you talk to Druig. He really is worried about you."

"I know," she mumbled, feeling properly chastised. She unlinked her hands from behind his head and squeezed his forearms. "I'm sure he was desperate to call you."

"And I'm suggesting you move into my building instead of in with him?--he's gonna have my head."

Thena laughed genuinely for the first time that night. "Don't worry, I'll protect you from him."

Gil stared at her in a way that made her toes curl. He bent his head down to sneak into the crook of her neck under her jaw. "I know you will."

She shivered as he left a kiss on her pulse point.

But he left it at that, pulling away and standing to his full height again. It left her feeling chilly, needing to pull her cardigan tighter around herself. "Okay."

Thena nodded, letting him take her by the hand. She did have to talk to Druig--about everything. About moving and also about how she would be okay without him hovering over her shoulder. She would be okay without that hell hole and its medication and she would be okay even if she felt like this different version of herself, possibly forever.

Gil grasped the doorknob with his other hand, the door not fully closed and letting in just a sliver of light from the rest of the house. He held her other hand, giving it a squeeze. "Ready?"

She nodded, holding his hand tighter, just in case she needed it. But she smiled, "ready."

#Thenamesh Life Interrupted AU #I love this au!#and we love you Love!#Thena is feeling worse and worse about Druig moving out before proposing #he's all stressed about her staying with them #but stressed because she doesn't want him to stress #it's a lot going on #so Thena gets more withdrawn thinking about all this #and eventually Druig does the unthinkable #he texts his sister's boyfriend and tells him to get his ass down here and talk to her #they come out of her room #They're holding hands and Thena looks oh so besotted #Druig sits up from the couch holding Makkari like I already don't like this #Thena tells Druig listen she appreciates his concern and she'll come and visit all the time #but she's going to move into Gil's place #and Druig loses his everloving mind #he blows up about how it's too soon and they barely know each other and he doesn't trust Gil enough to let them shack up #and Thena lets him get it all out of his system before finishing saying: Gil's apartment........complex #Makkari: lol #Druig totally loses his steam and just goes oh...well I guess that's not so bad #because Thena knows how to break bad news to her little brother #Druig is still a little wary of it and he still tells Gil that if he ever thinks Thena is upset because of him #he's got a whole lot of hell comin' his way #but he's also a good brother and tells her he'll help her move and he's not going anywhere until she's settled #they haven't settled on a house yet anyway and he won't actually leave until Thena is settled #if she called and said I don't like it here Druig is like okay we're living in the townhouse forever #meanwhile Thena actually wants him to leave the nest so she and Gil can be cutesy flirty neighbours and carpool and have sleepovers

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