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atlasishere · 4 years

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Deck the Aisles

A/N This is a very late Christmas gift for @watchoutforthefanfics, she is a gift that has let me take an extra month to finish this labor of love

Word Count: 6700 words

Warnings: Swearing, Deceit( as Emerson), Remus, a couple of alcohol mentions as well (feel free to let me know if I need to add any)

Relationships: Prinxiety, Logicality, Moceit, Remile(background)

It was 5 in the morning and Virgil Poe was in a Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Who knew how he came to this point in his life, but it kind of sucked. It was Black Friday and Virgil had decided maybe he can get a good deal on a new Crock-Pot for his mother, hers had broken. As he walked through the crowded aisles, he found it, the last crockpot. Speed walking towards it, Virgil realized that someone else was also reaching for it. Virgil grabbed it just before the other man did. As the other man began to reach for the box, Virgil yanked it out of his reach. The two spent a bit of time reaching and grabbing for the crockpot when Virgil realized it really wasn’t worth it. So after deciding this, he handed the man the crockpot and left the store hoping to find one at another store. After going to two other department stores, he found one and went home, wondering about the man he had almost fought for a crockpot. I will probably never see him again and if I do, he most likely won’t remember me.

A week and a half later, Roman Darcy was walking through the mall. He had some more Christmas shopping to do for his mom and his two roommates. He knew Logan wanted a new Rubix’s cube since his old one had been lost by Roman, but Logan doesn’t need to know that. He knew he wanted to get Patton some new fabric and yarn for his side business of selling clothes he made. He got his mom a crockpot already, fought a man for it, but knew she might like some nice chocolates from the candy shop, so he walked over to buy some. As he walked out, Roman noticed a flash of purple and looked up surprised to see the man from Bed Bath and Beyond. The purple clothed man had apparently sensed someone staring at him as he looked up from his phone and looked around. Turning his eyes and head, he finally noticed Roman.

The thoughts of both men were along the lines of “FUCK!!! Does he recognize me? Shit, I think he does.”

Both were having a mental breakdown, but Virgil is quite used to them so he was able to be done quicker than Roman and began to profusely apologize for his immature behavior while Roman kept trying to reassure him that it was fine. Eventually, Virgil heard Roman and began to breathe a little bit deeper.

Then Roman opened his mouth, “How about if I buy you lunch since I got the crockpot?”

And all hell broke loose as Virgil began to argue. “Hell no. I am buying your lunch since I started the “fight”.”

Well, Roman was passionate and couldn’t back down if he tried and said, “You gave me the crockpot, I am returning the favor!”

This continued for a few minutes and while there wasn’t any yelling, people around could tell they were irritated with each other. Eventually, Virgil’s anxiety kicked in because people were taking notice of him, which is not good, and said, “Fine you can pay for lunch, let’s just go now.”

So, Roman took Virgil to Wendy’s in the mall food court and told Virgil to order whatever. Once he had ordered, Virgil decided to send a text to his roommate that he would be out later than expected and that he would see him later.

After the two obtained their food, they found a table and sat down. The conversation began with Virgil thanking Roman and Roman brushed it off, it was not a problem for him. After they began to eat, Roman finally sparked a conversation, “So what do you do for a living?”

Virgil swallowed his food and responded, “I am a therapist at Dr. Picani’s office. I also will do art and writing commissions for people for a bit of extra cash. You?”

Roman smiled and answered “I run a children’s theater, direct the plays, and offer art classes, often in painting. I also act a little bit myself.”

“Cool. I used to do tech for that theater a few years ago. I had to stop after I picked up commissioning and Dr. Picani’s business expanded,” Virgil said as he remembered the fun he had doing lights and sound. He also remembered the cute assistant director who also had to help backstage and help with the writing.

“Oh, that’s really cool. Yeah, I have been working at that theater for close to a decade now. I had apprenticed as an assistant director so that when the previous owner and director retired, I would have experience and could take over,” Roman shared.

At that moment, his words sunk in and were comprehended as Virgil realized, “Holy Shit this is the guy I thought was cute when I did tech.”

As Virgil quietly continued his meltdown, he really looked at Roman and if he was blatantly honest with himself, he would say he wasn’t disappointed but Virgil also knew that this “attraction” was purely an appearance-based one so he didn’t feel flustered as he said, “Yeah, we worked together. You did backstage while I ran sound and lights.”

The realization seemed to dawn on Roman as he said, “Oh that’s cool. I believe that I remember our shows running smoothly when you were in the tech tower. I hope you can eventually find time to help us again as we could really use the help.”

All Virgil responded with was an almost optimistic, “We shall see.”

The two finished their lunch with very little conversation and bid their farewells, Virgil heading to a store and Roman to his cousin’s coffee shop.

Roman walked into the coffee shop and greeted his cousin who was working behind the counter and said, “Remy, holy heckerino you will not believe what just happened. Do you remember that techie that I had a small crush on?”

“I remember a techie that you had stated ‘He is the light of my life, the night and his dark clothes have hidden him from me. I have gazed upon the face of an angel’ and some other romantic shit. So if we are talking about the same techie, that was no small crush,” Remy responded with, sarcasm soaking his tone.

“Did I really say that?” Roman questioned.

“Yes. I have the whole speech recorded on my phone if you wish to hear it all.”

“Not preferably, why do you have a recording?” Roman asked curiously, expecting a zinger.

“Two reasons, to laugh at you and if you get married, for that techie to hear you gushing about him,” Remy replied, chuckling as Roman started to pout, “Anyway, so what does he have to do with anything? I thought he stopped doing tech work for some reason.”

“He did, but I recently bumped into him and had lunch with him,” Roman said, attempting to be nonchalant.

“Oh, okay. Did you get contact information for him at least?” Remy questioned, already knowing the answer ready to exit from his disaster cousin’s mouth.

“No, I did not get his phone number or address or Tumblr or Snapchat or anything,” Roman wailed out, sounding like he was 4 and denied a second cookie.

Remy just mumbled something about a disaster and shooed Roman out before any customers came in.

Virgil arrived at his apartment complex and walked into his apartment and in an instant, Virgil was bombarded with questions and accusations. His roommate, Emerson, was apparently curious about where Virgil had been, that or worried. They had just moved a week before Thanksgiving and Emerson was definitely a mom friend who wanted to make sure his friend was okay and able to not get lost, which is commendable but annoying. So, after explaining what had happened, Virgil volunteered to go down and get the mail, since he had forgotten to.

Roman pulled his car into his parking spot and got his mailbox key out. As he walked to the mailboxes, he swore he saw that dark-clad angel of a human that vaguely looked like Virgil. As the dark cloud got closer, Roman realized it was Virgil. So he decides to strike up a conversation, “Hey,”

“Hey yourself,” Virgil replied, snickering.

“Stop laughing at me. I am trying here. I swear everyone is mean to the hot person in the area,” Roman said jokingly.

“Well, I mean, I could help you get better at it, the whole talking to people. We could exchange contact information,” Virgil said.

“I mean, sure. Give me your phone,” Roman said, taking his out and opening the contacts app.

“Man someone is pushy,” Virgil stated, doing the same thing.

“So, I didn’t know you lived here,” Roman said while entering his number.

“I would certainly hope, I don’t just give my address out and I would hope you weren’t stalking me,” Virgil said sarcastically, “But in all honesty, I moved here about a week before Thanksgiving, So I haven’t lived here long.”

After the two exchanged phones again, Virgil got his mail and left.

Roman watched him go before grabbing his own mail and heading to his apartment. Once he had walked in, Roman's roommate, Patton, bombarded him with questions on where he was and what he had been doing. So he began to explain what had happened.

“So, you worried me because you were making a new friend,” Patton said cooly despite the obvious frustration in his features, “You said you would be home by 1:30 at the latest, it is 3:30. I was concerned and stressed.”

“I’m sorry Pat, I had meant to send a text and must have forgotten. I didn't mean to make you worry,” Roman said, very obviously upset from his mistake.

“It is fine, I keep forgetting we aren’t college students and that you can take care of yourself. I am sorry I got upset, I had no right,” Patton said, realizing his mistake. It was sometimes hard for him to let go since he lived through college with Roman and his occasional dumb decision and saw him live through the pain because of how easy he loves. But he knew he needed to let go.

Patton walked into the kitchen, where his boyfriend Logan was, looking at options for dinner. As soon as Patton had entered the small kitchen area, his boyfriend looked up at him and smiled. The two hugged, both knew Patton was trying to work on his “smothering” tendencies.

“Go ask him how his lunch went. I know you don’t want to be overbearing but I think he will want to talk about it,” Logan said, attempting to comfort his partner. When he saw Patton attempting to protest, he cut him off, saying, “No buts, he knows you didn’t mean any harm and I know how curious you are. I may not be good at emotions but I am good at reading body language, he wanted to tell you. Go talk to him.”

Patton nodded and went to find Roman in their small apartment.

Roman heard a knock on his door and looked to see Patton in the doorway, so Roman let him in.

“So, how was your lunch date?” Patton queried.

Seeing the opportunity to mend things, Roman told Patton everything, including the almost fight on Black Friday.

When he was done, his friend said, “Well we have a game night in a couple of days and you should invite him.”

“What if he says no?” Roman asked, obviously anxious.

“I doubt he will, and if he has a roommate then invite said roommate as well. You said he was new here right? Say it is a welcome to the building event,” Patton said, giving Roman not only an excuse but a cookiecutter way to deal with his nerves about asking him over.

“Alright Patton, thank you,” Roman said, gracious he had such an intelligent friend.

After Patton had left to help Logan with dinner, Roman pulled his phone out to text Virgil.

Me: Hey, this is Roman, so my roommates and I are having a game night and since you are new, Patton thought of inviting you and your roommate(s)

Emo Knightmare: I know who you are, dingus. When is it?

Me: friday @ 8

Emo Knightmare: I will ask my roommate and get back to you

Virgil got up off the couch and went to the kitchen to start making dinner, deciding that spaghetti was a good option. As Virgil began boiling the water and getting out the sauce ingredients, his roommate Emerson walked in. Once he saw what Virgil was doing, he joined by helping with prepping the vegetables. As Emerson was cutting the tomatoes, Virgil cleared his throat and said, “So remember the person I was eating lunch with today?”

“Oh, you mean the one that totally didn’t cause me to worry?” Emerson asked, obviously remembering who he was.

“Yeah, well, he lives here and invited us to a game night on Friday at 8 at his apartment with his roommates,” Virgil said, “I was going to go, but the invitation was open to you as well so… up to you.”

“As long as I am not busy. Besides, I want to give this boy a piece of my mind,” Emerson responded.

“You are such a dad, Em,” Virgil responded.

“Shut up. At least I can take care of myself beyond basic skills,” Emerson said.

“Do not even speak of self-care to me, Mr. I only eat when I am forced,” Virgil snapped, enjoying the banter.

“That’s you, dumbass,” Emerson stated, correct of course.

“Shut up and cut the vegetables,” Virgil said, ending the banter.

After the two made and ate dinner, Virgil went to his room and texted Roman that they should be able to make it Friday. While Virgil’s intent was to simply send that text, it didn’t end there, he failed miserably. He failed because he ended up texting Roman until midnight.

On Friday night, Virgil and Emerson walked over to Roman's apartment with brownies and some chips. When the door opened, Virgil didn't see Roman, but a man with freckles, glasses, dark curly hair, and pale skin. The said man began to introduce himself, "Hi, my name is Patton Campbell," then he opened the door and introduced the other two near the door, "And this is Logan and Roman Darcy."

"Hi, I am Virgil Poe and this is my roommate Emerson Croft," Virgil responded, gesturing towards his friend as he introduced him.

Then the tall man with glasses, presumably Logan, spoke up and said, "Are you by some chance related to Edgar Allen Poe's cousin since the man himself didn't have his own children?"

"Sadly, it's not very likely but you definitely know your stuff," Virgil replied, impressed.

After that comment, Patton opened the door wider to let in his guests. As they walked in, Patton studied them. Virgil was lanky, of Asian descent, with dark hair that was dyed purple. Emerson was tall with light brown hair and what appeared to be scars on the left side of his face and neck. As he stared, Emerson asked with a flirty smile, "Like what you see?"

Patton looked at his feet, feeling the blood rush to his face as he fumbled to say, "Sorry I was, uh, I was curious about your scars. I apologize for being rude."

Emerson chuckled and said, "I was just messing with you. If you're really curious, when I was a kid there was a fire in our kitchen and I ended up getting burned. It left more than these scars on my face and neck, I had lots of therapy but I'm good now. If anything, the scars remind me not to be dumb."

Emerson watched Patton look at him with pity? No, more like empathy. It confused him but he didn't question it. Emerson walked into the apartment and looked at the roommates of Patton. Logan was tall and fairly thin, he wore dark square-framed glasses that were similar to the common nerd glasses. Roman was only about an inch shorter than Logan, likely Hispanic due to his darker skin and accent, and had a more organized curl to his dark hair.

Emerson walked in and deposited the pan of brownies and bag of chips on the counter where Logan had gestured for him to put them.

After the five shared a dinner of pizza, they moved to the living room with snack food and board games. After going through several games including Fluxx, Uno, Sorry, and a very long game of Life, Emerson shared that he had brought his own game to share with the group called "Coup". He pulled the game out from under the brownie pan and took it out to the laundry room.

After he finished explaining how the game was played, Patton spoke up and queried, "So, you're supposed to lie?"

"Well, it makes the game more fun if I'm truly honest," Emerson responded.

"Ok, but how are you fine with that morally?" Patton challenged.

"Simple, I don't necessarily see a problem with small lies. Honesty can be nice for some things, but to be fully honest is a delusion set by society," Emerson said, cool as an ice cube.

"But how will people know if you're being honest about something? If you're known to consistently lie, people can't trust you," Patton challenged.

"If you truly know someone, you know when they lie about it and I know plenty of people who trust me, I mean look at Virgil," Emerson stated, continuing the discussion.

" I see your point. Can we agree to disagree and maybe discuss this later?" Patton requested.

Emerson smiled and responded, "Sure, get some good points ready. Alright, let's play Coup."

As Patton played Coup and got the hang of it and lying, he sensed feelings forming for Emerson and very readily decided to bury them, him being polyamorous has only caused the problem in the past.

Later that night, after Virgil and Emerson had gone home, Logan approached his boyfriend to talk to him about their guests. He cleared his throat and said, "So, I'm a figurative fan of our guests. Also, I think Roman might be falling for Virgil."

Patton chuckled as he said, "Yeah, you're not alone in either of those thoughts. I liked them, Virgil was fun and Emerson was interesting. If we do the Christmas party I'd like to invite them."

"That would be enjoyable," at that moment Logan looked at Patton and queried, "Hey are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a little drained," Patton lied, knowing he had no right to judge Emerson for lying.

Logan was aware that Patton was lying, but also knew that he wouldn't push, and stated, " Then let's get to bed dear."

That night both had a troubled night's sleep.

Virgil did not, that's because he was up late texting Roman. He went to bed around 2 which is not abnormal for him and he didn't have to work until 1 so it was fine. He had fun at the game night and would have definitely wanted Patton and Em together if it wasn't obvious that Patton was with Logan, so not likely. But then again what did he know. Virgil was truly grateful that Picani had hired him and didn't always have him come to work early since their office was still smaller but it was nice. As he walked in, he waved to their receptionist Elliot and he walked back to his office to look at his scheduled patients.

After a long day of back to back sessions, Virgil finally closed the office for the day at 9 pm. As he walked out to his car, he saw that Emerson had texted him saying that he had ordered pizza and needed Virgil to pick it up. Since Virgil had eaten a late lunch and no dinner yet, he was very grateful his roommate had a similar schedule.

Virgil arrived at his apartment and carried the pizza in, calling for Emerson. He walked in as Virgil sat the pizza on the dining room table. As the two sat down to eat, Emerson decided to spark a conversation, "So, how was the office?"

"It was nice, good steady stream and I got to meet a couple of new clients that I hope to continue seeing us," Virgil answered, it was pretty obvious how much he cared about these patients, "How was managing today? Any new Karens?"

"Thankfully no. Only interacted with two today and they weren't the worst," Emerson responded.

The rest of the pizza was eaten in a quiet space with little small talk made, it was comfortable and they were okay with it.

After Virgil finished his share of the pizza, he loaded his dishes and went to his room to work on a couple of commissions, he had to pay off his loans somehow. While he was working on one, he received a text from Roman. Virgil checked it and told Roman he was working on a commission so texting would be scarce. A few minutes later Roman responded and said he could Facetime if Virgil agreed. Virgil figured it couldn’t cause any harm, so he called Roman.

Roman answered Virgil's call, not knowing what to expect but was still definitely thrown off guard. Virgil was in slacks and a purple dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his hair wasn't falling over his eyes, the only makeup that Roman could see him wearing was the foundation. Roman was surprised and definitely swooning.

"Hello, Sir Roman, like what ya see?" Virgil teased when he saw Roman was starting to stare.

Roman snapped into reality and fumbled to say, "I'm just surprised to see you looking so professional."

"Oh I take offense to that Princey, better watch out or I may start crying. Wouldn't want to be the cause of gay hate crime now, would we? " Virgil teased.

"First off, I'm not straight so take notes. Secondly, aw pobrecito. Go cry me a river, build yourself a bridge, and get over it," Roman countered.

Virgil was a little bit impressed but Roman didn't need to know, it would go straight to his ego. As he turned back to his tablet as he said, "we can keep talking but I want to get this commission finished, so I'm not ignoring you, just working."

Roman chuckled as he countered, "Now who is a homophobe?"

Virgil very lightly blushed but his it well and responded with a simple 'touché'.

To say they had a productive phone call would be lying so hard that Emerson would even call bullshit. Roman mostly stared at the cute Virgil and occasionally made small talk while Virgil mostly paid attention to his tablet. Roman definitely wasn't complaining, that just meant he could watch and slowly fall in love like he was living in a fucking fanfiction.

After a while, Roman decided to say good night so he could sleep since he had to be at the theater earlier because they had a performance tomorrow. When Virgil heard this, he asked, “When is it? I’ll come to see it if Dr. Picani is cool with it.”

“Oh, we are doing two performances. The first is at 4:00 and the second is at 8:00,” Roman answered.

“Aren’t you kind of overworking them? I mean, these are passionate theatre kids, they put everything into their performances and you are making them do two performances on the same day and a mere ten days before Christmas. I may have never acted, but I also did tech and I have a feeling these kids are going to crash,” Virgil said, clearly passionate about these kids and their health.

“I get that, however, we couldn’t find two days in a row that worked for everyone and they were all cool with it. On top of that, I am providing them with dinner at about 7:00 and also have the backroom set up for them to nap. I am going to take care of these kids, I promise,” Roman said, trying to assure Virgil.

“Well, on Sundays I work until about 5:00, so I can come help with feeding those kids and maybe go back to the tech tower,” Virgil responded.

Soon after that point, Roman hung up then went to get ready for bed. As he stared at himself in the mirror, Roman began to realize that he was starting to feel romantic feelings for Virgil. Not that Roman was necessarily complaining, but it was unexpected. Then again, Roman was always the romantic one. Roman went bed, contemplating what he was going to do new feelings.

Virgil was walking out to his car after work and got in as he received a text from Roman. It was telling Virgil where to get the pizza from.

Virgil walked into the theater with the pizzas and was met with a slightly frantic Roman. Virgil walked in, set the pizzas down and decided to calm Roman down. "What the fuck is wrong, Roman?" Virgil questioned, slightly concerned.

"Our mic guy got sick like 20 minutes ago so I need someone to work mics and by golly, I can't get anyone to help," Roman responded, starting to breathe like a french bulldog that has been walking for more than 10 minutes or hyperventilating.

"I can run mice so if you don't start breathing normally in the next ten seconds, you're bloodline will end," Virgil threatened.

"My bloodline is going to end because my twin and I are both gay so you made an empty threat," Roman countered, breathing deeply.

"Ok, that's fair. So tech tower still the same?" Virgil questioned.

"Wait, you're actually going to help me?" Roman asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, you idiot. Now, what do I need to know?" Virgil asked, itching to be in his place.

"We don't need music, just mics. I'll send a backstage person up to help with mic checks. You are literally a lifesaver," Roman answered gratefully.

Virgil ran to the staircase that led to the tech tower, ready to be back in his element. Virgil always knew if being a therapist didn't work out, he would've done tech for theaters.

Mic checks happened and cast lists were given and before he knew it, Roman was on stage and introducing the play. And Virgil would deny it to his grave, but he definitely thought Roman was pretty cute with the light shining on his face and Roman's passionate tone introducing the play.

After the play, Roman profusely thanked Virgil who shrugged it off. The two decided they were both tired and Virgil helped Roman clean up and they headed home.

Roman walked into his apartment and was bombarded with questions on how the play went, if someone showed up to help with sound, and who did. Roman answered them with ease. Despite it being close to midnight, Logan and Patton decided to plan their Christmas eve party. Patton started with invites, “So who do we want to come?”

Roman started, “Well, I think we should invite Virgil and Emerson, along with Remus, since we haven’t seen him in a while.”

Logan nodded in agreement and said, “I also want to invite my cousin, Remy and his fiance Emile.”

Patton nodded as he wrote them down and asked, “What about Thomas? Also, do Virgil or Emerson have partners they would like to bring?”

“Virgil is single,” Roman chimed in.

“So is Emerson,” Logan added.

“Cool, quick question, Logan is your information on Emerson accurate, I just want to make sure,” Patton added.

“Yes, I saw him at work dealing with, what I believe Roman would call, ‘a Karen’. Afterward, we struck up a conversation about life and I happened to ask him,” Logan replied, confident in the information given to him. Logan also pretended not to see the light in Patton’s eyes when said information was supported.

“Ok, so what about Thomas?” Patton questioned since he had never gotten a direct answer.

Roman looked offended as he said, “Of course, why would we not invite him?”

“I didn’t want to assume. So we are at nine people, are there any others that we want to invite?” Patton questioned.

“I think that Thomas can bring a couple of people if he wants, he is your brother Patton, you talk to him. I don’t care who comes, I trust you guys,” Logan said, hoping that Patton saw the deeper meaning in the statement about trust. Logan thinks he did, as realization dawned on Patton soon after Logan said it.

The three finished planning quickly and afterward, Logan dragged Patton down next to him so they could cuddle. After a bit, Logan finally decided to bring up the figurative elephant in the room, he cleared his throat as a warning and started with a question, “Patton are you okay?”

“Of course, why would you ask that?” Patton asked, defensively.

Logan sighed at the lie and said, “Because I know you are lying. I am not going to force you to tell me but I really wish you would.”

Patton got really quiet as he realized he had been caught doing what he had criticized Emerson for. After a bit, he finally said, “I am polyamorous and I am pretty sure that I am falling for Emerson.”

Logan breathed a sigh of relief and said, “I am glad you told me. Now, we need to talk about this. Do you want to pursue a relationship with him?”

Patton nervously chuckled as he asked, “You are okay with this part of me?”

“Of course, I love all of you, even what society thinks is unconventional. Now can we talk about this?” Logan asked.

“Sure and to answer your previous question, yes I do, if he wants to,” Patton admitted.

“Can we discuss boundaries then?” Logan asked.

“Absolutely, I am willing to listen and discuss,” Patton answered.

Logan smiled at how excited Patton was for the obvious support that he had never been given, then he got a little mad about Patton’s previous partners. He brushed that off and said, “It’s obviously not a lot and I think if Emerson agrees, we still need to talk to him. For me, all I ask is, if you guys ever do it, use protection, please don’t make fun of me or gossip, and if you feel that one of us isn’t working, don’t be afraid to talk or end a relationship, even if you’re guilty because it is with me.”

Patton nodded and said, “I can definitely handle those. Two questions, Do you want this to be a 3-way relationship? And do you care if I talk about him?”

“For now and this is subject to change, no. Secondly, I don’t care and if it makes you feel better, I will let you know if I get uncomfortable,” Logan answered.

December 22, 2019, will be forever ingrained into Virgil’s brain, to be specific, 11:32 pm on December 22, 2019. That is because it is the Virgil realized that he was falling in love with Roman Darcy. It was a normal night of texting and suddenly the man decides he can just sleepily Facetime Virgil. Naturally, Virgil answered and was met with a freaking cute, sleepy Roman and it was over for Virgil. Roman had called to invite Virgil to a Christmas eve party and Virgil agreed. Afterward, Roman proceeded to ramble about Beetlejuice the Musical and how it really fits Virgil’s aesthetic for about fifteen minutes until Virgil says he needs to sleep because he has work early in the morning. After Roman said goodbye and ended the call, Virgil did not sleep, he wrestled his emotions.

It was Christmas eve and Emerson and Virgil were knocking on the door. The door was opened by Logan and when he questioned why they were here so early, Emerson answered, “Patton texted me to come a bit early and I decided to bring Virgil along because I can. You can send him home if necessary.” Virgil smacked Emerson’s arm with that statement and Logan chuckled.

“Patton is in the kitchen Emerson, Virgil, we could get to know each other better,” Logan offered.

“Well Mr. Darcy, you drive a hard bargain but I shall accept,” Virgil drawled.

The two moved to the living room while Emerson walked to the kitchen only to be met by an obviously nervous Patton. Patton dragged Emerson to the hall and back by a bathroom, took a deep breath, and started, “There are two things I need to tell you. Firstly, I am polyamorous. Secondly, I am starting to care about you in a romantic sense.”

“I like you too, but what about Logan?” Emerson questioned.

“Logan and I have already had a basic conversation about this and if you want to do this, he wants to talk to both of us,” Patton answered.

“Ok, let’s talk about this first,” Emerson said.

While those two were talking, Logan and Virgil were discussing the party and who would be there.

“Well, Roman’s twin, Remus will be there, Patton’s brother Thomas, my cousin Remy, along with Remy’s fiance, and possibly a couple of other people,” Logan said.

“Wait. Is Remy not Roman’s cousin too? I assumed you two were related,” Virgil responded, confused.

“Well, Roman and I are stepbrothers, my father married their mother when I was younger and adopted Roman and Remus. They took the Darcy last name. Roman claims Remy as an honorary cousin though,” Logan answered.

“Oh, that’s fun. Has Roman always been this extra or stubborn?” Virgil asked.

“Sadly,” Logan sighed, “Although, some would say that I am the same as him.”

“I guess it’s definitely possible. But I have only seriously talked to you like twice,” Virgil said.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Logan admitted, “Anyways, this party is more like a get-together. We get pizza and snack food, some alcohol, unspiked punch, and other beverages. We occasionally play party games and such. It is pretty laid back.”

“That’s good. Did we need to bring a contribution?” Virgil asked.

“No. We are good,” Logan answered.

Right after Logan said that Roman emerged from his room. He was obviously unaware that Virgil was there and Roman was not at his finest. Logan chuckled and when this happened, Roman exclaimed, “What are you laughing at, Jester?”

“Well, Virgil is here and you are quite obviously unaware. I just find that amusing,” Logan said bluntly.

“Alright, Microsoft Nerd. I will have you know that even if Virgil were here, which he isn’t, I wouldn’t care,” Roman exclaimed, still not looking in the living room.

“Hey Princey,” Virgil said, teasing Roman.

Logan would treasure the look on Roman’s face forever and hoped he never forgot it because it was a figurative gift.

Soon after Roman’s cruel jumpscare, he noticed that Patton and Emerson walked into the living room and whispered to Logan about something. Roman decided to grab Virgil, not literally of course, however, he called, “Hey Virgil, I need to show you something in the hallway.” Virgil got up and followed Roman, obviously reading the situation.

The two went to Roman’s room, looked around at Roman’s stuff, bonded, pined hopelessly, and shared memes until the party.

At the Christmas Eve party, Virgil mingled with the people at the party. He met Remus, who was interesting, Patton’s brother Thomas, and a few of Thomas’ friends. He also found out that his boss, Dr. Picani, was engaged to Logan’s cousin Remy; not that Virgil didn’t know that the doctor was engaged or the name of said fiance, but Virgil just never connected the dots. Turns out that Remy works in a coffee shop where Virgil tends to get coffee. He also enjoyed some food and by later in the evening, Virgil was a bit tipsy but still in control of his mind and body, just a less anxious and inhibited. So when Virgil ended up under the mistletoe with Roman on accident near the end of the party, he didn’t resist as much as he might have if sober when Roman said they should keep the tradition of kissing. So they did and as soon as Virgil realized what he had done, he calmly moved on and went to tell his roommate he was leaving early. So after interrupting Patton and Emerson and alerting his roommate where he was going, he left, calmly and quietly.

Once he was in the safety of his own apartment, Virgil broke down. He started to hyperventilate and cry. He felt like he was dying. Somewhere in his brain, he thought of his grounding techniques, and by think of them, he means he saw the paper on the wall that Emerson had made him tape there in case Virgil had a panic attack alone. While he would never admit that his roommate was right, Virgil was grateful that it was there. After Virgil calmed down, he decided to shower and get some sleep that he desperately needs.

Roman was majorly confused. Not just the normal amount of confusion that he dealt with, that most people experience, but majorly confused. He figured that Virgil wasn’t more than a little tipsy since he had only drunk a little bit of champagne. Maybe Virgil was more inebriated than originally thought or maybe Roman was wrong about Virgil liking him. He would never truly know unless he approached Virgil. However, he couldn’t do that since he couldn’t find Virgil. Roman had planned this the night of the play. His plan had backfired and he needed to do damage control. Roman looked around, asked Emerson, and found out that Virgil had left and gone back to his apartment. Roman decided to listen to the logical voice in his brain and wait until the next day to talk to Virgil, so he mingled until everyone was home and went to bed, troubled.

Emerson was very happy, he’d even go as far as ecstatic. The guy he likes is attracted to him too. They are going together. Things were looking up for him. Everything except Virgil, and in turn, Roman. The thing is, Emerson knows that Virgil likes Roman, he has known for a while because Virgil is not really inconspicuous. Emerson also saw what happened last night under the mistletoe and figured that Roman felt the same. So Emerson sat at the table, awaiting Virgil.

When Virgil emerged from his bedroom, ragged and tired, Emerson knew his friend had a rough night dealing with everything. Pushing coffee towards him, Emerson said, “You look like you need it.” He knew Virgil would talk about it when he was ready.

Virgil sipped some coffee, cleared his throat and said, “I made a major mistake as you probably saw.”

“Well, Patton just texted me sharing Roman’s state. Not great, fix that,” Emerson aggressively shared.

“Why do I have to do that now? It’s still raw and how do you know it’s my fault?” Virgil asked defensively.

“It isn’t just your fault but some of the fault is on you. You are an adult, you need to communicate with him and fix this. At least before the new year,” Emerson parented.

“Fiiiiiiiiiiinnnneeeeeeee,” Virgil groaned. Virgil did intend on talking to Roman, just not today. He would tomorrow since Roman likely wanted to spend Christmas with his friends and family. So tomorrow would work for him.

Little did Virgil know, that tomorrow would turn into the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, until almost a week later he saw Roman getting mail and decided that he needed to say something. Clearing his throat, Virgil spoke up, “Hey Roman.”

Roman turned around and saw the man who had captured his heart and ripped it to pieces. Close to tears, he responded with a simple hey.

Virgil could tell that Roman was upset and said, “We definitely need to talk. Are you free now?”

“Not sure I want to talk to you honestly. However, I figured it would happen eventually so let me text my friends and let them know so they don’t worry,” Roman agreed reluctantly.

“Ok, I need to do the same,” Virgil replied.

They both sent their texts then decided to walk through the walkway in their apartment complex. Roman didn’t want to be the first to say something but in the time that Roman had gotten to know Virgil, he knew Virgil wouldn’t start.

“So about Christmas Eve,” Virgil started.

Ok so Roman was wrong, he could accept that. In fact, more than happy to accept it right now. So Roman continued with a simple reply of Christmas eve.

“I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you, I felt and still do feel really bad about it,” Virgil blurted.

“What? Why do you think you were taking advantage of me?” Roman yelled, questioning what the heck had gotten into his emo nightmare.

“I had seen you with alcohol and assumed. Plus, who would want to be with me,” Virgil reasoned.

“Firstly, you also drank alcohol. Secondly, I want to be with you,” Roman confessed.

“You barely know me,” Virgil countered.

“I know enough, we can get to know each other when dating,” Roman argued.

“I am not sure you would want to stay with me if you knew me and I don’t need to get hurt,” Virgil admitted.

“So, you don’t know that, you obviously like me a lot and don’t know enough about me. No one wants to hurt but it is part of life, once we can accept that, life gets easier. And to paraphrase the 11th Doctor, happiness is important because it can help with sadness later. I would prefer to have happy memories even if we don’t work out,” Roman said, wanting to reach this boy that he had grown to love.

“Can I think about this and let you know on New Year’s?” Virgil questioned.

“Of course, you can even let me know at the New Year’s Eve party,” Roman offered.

Virgil gave a simple alright as he walked back with Roman. Roman was happy he had talked with Virgil and figured some stuff out.

Roman walked into his apartment, lighter and happier than he had originally been. Patton could tell that something good had happened. As he sat in the living room with his boyfriend who had ended up falling asleep during their movie session, Patton smiled and texted his other boyfriend that things may have worked out.

As Virgil walked into his apartment Emerson decided to speak up with a comment, “Maybe I should stop sending you to get the mail. You take a long time.”

Virgil jumped a bit then looked and saw it was his idiotic roommate. “Dude, I hate you. I finally talked to Roman, like you suggested. So there you go,” Virgil said.

“Good for you on listening to me, also I knew because Patton texted me thinking some progress was made,” Emerson replied flippantly, “You two finally together because I am sick of watching you two pine for each other.”

“No, we aren’t, I need to think about some stuff first. Also, stop gossiping about me with your boyfriend,” Virgil whined like a teenager.

Virgil left the living room and went to his room to work on commissions and think about his feelings towards Roman and a relationship.

An hour and a half later, Virgil had finished a project and decided what he wanted to do about Roman.

It was New Year’s Eve and Logan was sick of watching his stepbrother try to perfect the arrangement of their alcohol and decorations. He could tell Roman was nervous to hear about Virgil’s decision about a relationship. Of course, Logan knew what Virgil had decided, he had received a text asking for details about the party and Logan had asked. After swearing to secrecy, Virgil had told him. If Logan was honest, he found it quite humorous watching the mini freakout that Roman was watching. Eventually, Patton tapped Roman on the shoulder and told him to go relax and breathe.

Virgil knew that the party had started at 10 pm, but Virgil knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid Roman for two hours so, he was showing up at 11:30. Virgil knocked on the door and saw that Emerson had answered it. Virgil asked a quick question, “Roman’s location?”

“Kitchen,” was the only reply that Virgil needed. So he walked into the living room and began talking with his coworker and friend, Dr. Picani for a few minutes and proceeded to move on. He followed this cycle until about five minutes to midnight when Roman found Virgil. Virgil finished his statement and excused himself, very aware that Roman was anxious for an answer. They were barely in the hallway when Roman asked, “So, what’s your decision?”

“Wow Princey, no ‘Hi, how are you’ just straight to what I can do for you,” Virgil teased.

“Hi Virgil, how are you?” Roman asked flippantly.

“I am great, how are you, Roman?” Virgil said, continuing to tease.

“Very nervous,” Roman said, clearly irritated.

“Oh, why is that?” Virgil said, feigning innocence.

“Well the boy I love is refusing to tell me his decision,” Roman stated. Right as Roman had said that, the countdown to midnight started.

“Well here is the answer you so desperately want,” Virgil said, and when the countdown hit zero, Virgil kissed Roman, when he was done, Virgil asked, “Did that answer your question?”

“Yes, it did,” Roman said and kissed Virgil again, “Want to go out next Saturday night?”

“I should be free,” Virgil teased as he grabbed the hand of the boy he had fallen for.

“All of this over a crockpot too,” Roman commented.

Virgil smacked him and said, “Are you complaining, cause like give me the crockpot and I will go.”

“Just kidding,” Roman teased and kissed the very happy emo.

56 notes · View notes

nazariolahela · 4 years

Text

Best Beloved: Chapter 4

A/N: Hey y'all! This is a PM AU I’ve been working on. It’s a bit different than my previous fic series and I’m really excited to try something new. I hope y’all enjoy it. This story is told in dual first-person narrative, from Kaia (F!MC) and Damien’s POV. The first half of this story takes place during Kaia’s freshman year and Damien’s senior year of college. The second half is two years after Kaia graduates. There will be sprinklings of canon in this fic, but we’ll try to step out of the box for the most part. Thanks for reading, and please leave feedback, and/or if you would like to be tagged.

Catch up here

Series Tags: @burnsoslow @lady-calypso @irishwhiskys-blog

Synopsis: What happens when you find yourself crushing on your best friend? For years, Damien and Kaia have been best friends, while secretly harboring feelings for one another. Everything changes one night after a little too much alcohol and years of pent up feelings. Can they control their emotions and salvage their friendship, or will the feelings they hold for one another destroy everything they have?

All characters are the property of Pixelberry Studios. Thanks for allowing me to borrow them.

Chapter Summary: Damien struggles with the state of his relationship and Kaia meets Hayden.

Damien

I sat at my cubicle on a Thursday afternoon, putting the finishing touches on the report I needed to write up for my internship. I had landed a Securities and Intelligence Analysis Internship with a local security agency. My duties included collecting, processing, and analyzing, intelligence, and providing assistance to the senior analysts within the agency. If everything went well, they mentioned offering me the opportunity to join the agency full-time. To be honest, though, I had bigger dreams.

I was proofreading my report when my phone went off. I looked at the screen and saw Alana’s name flash across it. I sighed and dragged my hand down my face. She had been blowing up my phone all day with text messages. After the frat party last weekend, we got into an argument about how I “disappeared on her” after our makeout session in the bathroom. I didn’t intend to, but when she stormed off and I lost her in the crowd, I didn’t make much of an effort to go look for her.

I felt like our relationship was going in a different direction than I was hoping. You could blame it on our busy schedules, and her turning down my proposal left a sour taste in my mouth. But as much as I wanted to deny it, I felt like Kaia coming back into my life had a lot to do with it. Feelings I didn’t know I had crept up on me every time she was around. Her touch, the sound of her laugh, and the sweet smell of her shampoo stirred up all these emotions in me. I needed to get them in check before I did something I’d regret.

My phone buzzed again and I groaned and dropped my head to my desk. I should have called her back and smooth things over, but I had to get this report done before I left today. I picked up the phone, and stared at it for a moment, then clicked the lock button and slipped in in my pocket.

A moment later, the research analyst I was paired up with rounded the corner of the cube farm and called out as he approached me. “Nazario. Do you have that research portfolio on current conflicts and security threats?”

I reached into my desk drawer and pulled out the manila envelope, handing it to him. He took the files and peered over my shoulder at my laptop.

“Thanks, man. Looks good so far. When you’re done with this, can you compile the materials from the counterterrorism report?”

“Sure thing, Agent McDaniels. I’ll have that to you shortly.”

He nodded and clapped me on the shoulder before walking off. I signed off on my report and hit “send” then leaned back in my chair with a smile on my face. This internship was easier than I thought it would be.

My phone buzzed in my pocket again. I groaned and pulled it out to see another missed call from Alana. I locked my computer and got up from my desk then made my way into the break room. Tapping my phone against my palm, I took a deep breath and dialed her number. She answered on the first ring.

“What?” she snapped.

“Baby, come on-”

“Don’t ‘baby, come on’ me, Damien. I’ve been trying to reach you all day! I’m sick of you always bailing on me all the damn time. First, you ditch me to go meet with your advisor. Then, you disappear during the frat party last week. And yesterday you fucking bailed on our date to go visit your mom. I know you have shit going on, but so do I. And I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a little reliability from my boyfriend.”

I groaned. We had planned to spend the afternoon together after classes, but Mom called yesterday morning, asking if I was able to come home and help her with something. And like the good son I am, I emailed my professors that I’d be absent, hopped in my car, and made the hour drive home. Now, I had to face the consequences. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d been kind of a lousy boyfriend lately. I wasn’t doing it on purpose, but with everything going on this year, I had to prioritize. “I know, Alana. I’m sorry.”

“Are you fucking someone else?” she accused.

“What?”

“You heard me. What about that freshman you’ve been hanging around the last few weeks?” she spit out, the venom in her voice leaking through the phone.

Was she serious? I never told her about me and Kaia, so I don’t know where she even got the idea from. Just because Kaia and I had history, didn’t mean that I wanted to sleep with her. Okay, maybe I did, but I sure as shit didn’t act like it around my girlfriend. I dragged my hand down my face, sighing deeply. “Who? Kaia? She’s an old friend from home. I don’t even like her like that.” Lie. “Why would you think that?”

“It would make sense. Look, I know our relationship isn’t perfect, but if you have feelings for someone else, the least you could do is let me know so I’m not wasting my time.”

I yanked the phone away from my ear and mouthed several curse words. After all that we had been through, she had the audacity to say that to me? I pressed the phone back to my ear. “Excuse me? Did you forget that I fucking PROPOSED to you? And you have the nerve to say I’m wasting your time! What the fuck, Alana?” I growled.

She went quiet on the other end and I had to check to see if she had hung up on me. After several beats, she spoke up. “It’s just...fuck, Damien. I feel like you never want to be around me anymore. Especially since you started hanging around with that Kaia girl. Plus, we're both always so busy, it’s like our relationship got put on the backburner.”

“Alana. If I didn’t want to be with you anymore, I wouldn’t be with you. I get why you’re upset. I do, but you have to understand that I have a life outside of this relationship. This internship is important to me. And my mom’s been having a hard time since my dad passed. I’m sorry for bailing on you, but you can’t go around accusing me of cheating on you every time. This relationship is never going to work if you do.”

“Well, what do you expect me to think, Damien? This new girl pops up out of nowhere, and all of a sudden you’re spending all this time with her,” she huffed.

“We have one class together, Alana. That’s it. We don’t go out to eat or spend time together on the weekends. Other than the frat party, the only time I’ve hung out with her was during our study groups. I’ve had female friends for almost our entire relationship and you’ve never batted an eye over it. Why is this one any different just because I’ve known her since we were kids?”

She sighed. “I really don’t want to talk about this over the phone.”

“I’m at work right now, but I can come over later if you want me to,” I said, tugging at the knot of my tie.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea, Damien. I just need time to myself right now. I feel like you’ve been smothering me lately, and I can’t deal with this.”

Jesus, this woman was making my head spin. “I don’t understand. First, you say I’m neglecting you, and now you say I’m smothering you. Which is it?”

“It’s...it’s complicated, Damien. I just don’t know if this relationship is worth it anymore.”

“Babe, what are you saying? Are you saying you want to take a break from us?” My chest tightened as I struggled to say the words.

She paused for what felt like an eternity before answering. “I don’t know, Damien. I’ll call you in a few days,” she said, before hanging up the phone.

I stared at the screen, anger coursing through my veins. I fell back against the refrigerator, digging the heels of my hands into my eyes. My department supervisor entered the break room and saw me leaning against the fridge.

“Hey! Everything alright in here?” she asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

“Yeah, just dealing with some personal stuff. It’s taken care of though,” I replied. I slipped the phone in my pocket and made my way back to my desk. I sat down in my chair, powered up my laptop and opened my school email. I noticed two new emails: one from my advisor and another from Kaia. Jesus, talk about shit timing.

I sighed and opened the one from my professor. It was an outline of the things I needed to do to complete the first half of my internship. I skimmed through it, taking note of all the important parts, then replied that I would have it to her by midterms.

I closed out the email from my professor and hovered the mouse over the one from Kaia. I wasn’t sure if opening it was such a good idea, but a voice told me to do it anyway. I opened up the email and started reading.

Hey Dames!

Here are the notes from yesterday’s lecture. I highlighted everything Prof. Ross said would be on the test. Let me know if you need anything else. :)

- K.

P.S. Hope your mom is doing okay. Tell her hi for me next time you talk to her!

Of course. I had texted her on the way to Mom’s asking her to take notes for me in class. Sure, I could have asked anyone else in that class, but let’s be real. I wasn’t going to. Any excuse to talk to her, I snatched it up like a dog with a bone. Her email was innocent enough, but just seeing her name pop up on the screen made my heart beat faster. I swallowed the lump in my throat and closed out the email. That must be why Alana was so upset. I sighed deeply and got to work on my next task. After about thirty minutes of struggling to stay focused, I powered down my laptop and walked over to my supervisor’s office.

“Hey! I have an assignment due tomorrow that I need to finish up. Do you mind if I take off?”

She looked up from her computer and nodded. “Sure thing. Just let me sign off on your timesheet and you can be on your way.” I handed her the sheet required for my internship credit hours and she initialed the document, then handed it back to me. “We’ll see you next week,” she replied, then went back to her computer.

I walked back to my desk, packed up my things and headed out. When I got to my car, I dumped my bag in the backseat, then climbed in the driver’s side. Pulling out my phone, I contemplated texting Alana. But after the conversation we had earlier, I decided to let her have her space. She would reach out to me when she was ready to talk. Until then, I had to be patient. Against my better judgment, I texted Kaia.

My breath caught in my throat. Yep, she was definitely flirting with me. Good lords, this girl was going to be the death of me. I’d been fighting feelings for her since my sophomore year of high school. It was easier back then because she was so young, but now that she was older, I was having a hard time keeping my emotions and my dick in check. If I didn’t get this sorted out soon, I was going to completely fuck up both of my relationships. I shook my head, put the car in drive, and headed back to the dorms.

***

Kaia

Sloane, Nadia and I sat in the library Monday afternoon, studying for our Comp class exam. Even though we were only a couple of weeks into the semester, our professor decided this morning that we needed to have a pop quiz on Wednesday and told us to be prepared.

“Ugh, this stuff is so confusing and not at all pertinent to my degree. What is an independent clause anyway?” Nadia whined, holding her phone in one hand.

Sloane leaned over and tapped Nadia’s note sheet. “It’s a clause that has a subject and a verb and can stand alone. Didn’t you learn this stuff in high school?”

“Psh probably. What does that even mean?”

I sighed. “It’s a complete sentence. You’d know that if you were actually reviewing your notes and not texting Steve.”

Nadia rolled her eyes and went back to her phone. “I wish we all had this class together so I could just cheat off your papers.”

Sloane snorted and I rolled my eyes, throwing a ball of wadded up paper at her. “Shut up and study.”

Nadia laughed and grabbed her highlighter, highlighting some sentences on her study guide. “Prepositional phrases are going to be the death of me.”

Ugh, this was so reminiscent of high school. I love my cousin, but she can be a bit flighty. “I’m going to be the death of you if you don’t study your notes, Miss Art Major. Just because this class isn’t,” I held up my index and middle fingers, making air quotes “pertinent to your degree, doesn’t mean you can slack off and not study. What’s going to happen when Steve gets drafted to the NFL and he dumps you for someone smart?”

“Steve would never do that. I’m too cute,” she gasped. Sloane chuckled and went back to her notes.

Ten minutes later, Nadia looked up from her study guide. “So, you guys going to Homecoming?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” I sighed, not looking up as I turned a page in my book.

“I don’t know, it might be kind of fun,” Sloane said, looking up from her study guide.

A grin spread across Nadia’s face. “I agree, Sloane. Plus, there’s so much to do! There’s the parade, the game, the dance. And Delta Sigma Phi is having another party!”

“They have parties every weekend.”

“Not like this,” Nadia retorted. “This one is supposed to be huge.”

I shook my head and went back to studying my notes. The idea of homecoming made me cringe. I only had bad memories of going. Most recently, my junior year. The game was a total blowout (the other team kicked our asses 55-0) and my boyfriend ditched me at the dance for the Homecoming Queen. I didn’t even bother going my senior year because I knew it was going to be a suckfest.

An hour and several chapters into our composition textbooks, Nadia groaned and smacked her head on the table. “I’m hungry, you guys. I say we take a break. My brain hurts.”

I pressed my forefingers to my temple and sighed. Sloane dropped her pencil on the table and removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes. “For once, I agree with Nadia. We could use a coffee break. I’m kind of going cross-eyed over here from reading and re-reading these notes.”

“Fine. I’ll go grab coffee. Who wants what?”

“Ooh. Get me a Strawberry Passion Fruit Boba Tea, please!” Nadia said. “And a banana muffin.”

“I’ll take the caramel almond latte,” Sloane replied. I nodded and grabbed my purse, making my way to the campus coffee shop. Whoever designed this college to put a coffee shop in the library is a motherloving genius. When I arrived, there was only one person in line in front of me. I perused the menu, trying to decide which caffeinated beverage would give me the boost I needed to power through the last leg of our study session.

When it was my turn, I approached the counter and put in Sloane and Nadia’s orders. The barista asked me if that would be all, and I replied there would be one more drink, but that I was still deciding.

“You should try the Cinnamon Roll mocha. It’s indescribable,” a deep voice behind me suggested. I whipped around and came face-to-face with a tall man with warm brown eyes and jet black hair. His soft pink lips were curled into a friendly smile. It was crazy how suspiciously attractive he was. Was every guy at this school an undercover model or something? He looked familiar and I studied his face, trying to figure out where I knew him from.

“How do you know I’ll like it?” I asked him.

“You seem like the type of girl that likes sweet things,” he winked.

I blushed then turned back to the barista. “I’ll take that.” She nodded and got to work making my drinks. I turned back to the mysterious stranger. “If I don’t like this drink, you have to buy me a new one.”

“That won’t be necessary, because you’ll like it,” he laughed.

I moved over to wait for my drinks as he ordered his. I smirked when I heard him also order the Cinnamon Roll mocha. Okay, guy. I see what you’re up to. As we waited for our drinks, he moved over and grabbed a stirring straw, sticking one end in his mouth. My eyes were automatically drawn to the movement as his tongue swirled around the tip of the straw. He noticed me watching and winked.

I cleared my throat. “So...um. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look really familiar.”

“I should. We’re in the same College Algebra class.”

I paused, cocking an eyebrow at him. “Oh?”

“Yeah, you sit in the second row. Let’s just say, I may have checked you out once or twice. No big deal. And since I helped you out with your drink order, you can help me out by telling me your name.”

I laughed. “It’s Kaia. I knew you looked familiar. And thanks for the suggestion, I guess. We’ll see how you did here in a minute.” He extended his hand and I took it, feeling his warm hand squeeze mine.

“Hi, Kaia. I’m Hayden. And trust me on this. You’re going to be so blown away by this drink, you’ll offer up your firstborn for another one.”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed a stack of napkins as the barista called my name and slid the tray with my drinks across the counter. I moved to collect them along with Nadia’s muffin. Hayden watched me intently as I picked up the cup marked “CR” and took a tentative sip. When the coffee hit my tongue, my tastebuds were transformed to a new world. He must have seen it by the look on my face because a huge grin spread across his.

“What did I tell you? You love it, don’t you?”

“Okay, okay. You were right on that one. Any more life-changing advice you want to give me?”

“You got something… right…” He reached over and wiped a dribble of the coffee from my chin with his thumb, then brought it to his mouth, sucking the liquid off. My breath caught in my throat at the contact. I quickly composed myself and grabbed my items. As I juggled the drink tray with shaking hands, Hayden swooped in and took it from me.

“Need a little help with that?” he asked.

“Thanks. We’re just sitting over here,” I replied, guiding him over to where Sloane and Nadia were chatting. Nadia’s eyes lit up when she saw us approaching.

“Ooh! Coffee and eye candy,” she squealed, leaping from her seat to take the tray from his hand. “Who is this tall drink of water, Kaia?”

“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” I eyed her incredulously.

She sat down and handed Slone her drink before taking a sip of her own. “Hey! You can look at the menu as long as you don’t order anything from it. I’m Nadia. And you are?”

I shot her a glare. “Nadia, this is Hayden. He's in my algebra class. Hayden, this is my cousin Nadia and my friend Sloane.” He leaned over the table and shook each of their hands.

“You’re in my American Government class. Do you want to sit with us?” Sloane asked, taking a sip from her coffee.

Hayden looked around the library, like he was waiting for someone, then back to me. “Oh, I don’t want to impose. Looks like you ladies have your own study group going on.”

“Nonsense. Come, have a seat next to my extremely beautiful and extremely single cousin,” Nadia insisted, motioning for Hayden to take the chair next to mine.

“Nadia!” I snapped.

He grinned and sat down, raking his eyes over my body. I blushed as I took the seat next to him. He tugged his backpack from his shoulders and dug around, pulling out a spiral notebook. He then leaned over to see what we were studying. “Well, I don’t have Comp homework, but I guess I can work on my algebra homework.”

I glanced at his notebook and nodded. “I can help you with that when we’re done here.”

He smiled, sending the butterflies in my stomach into overdrive. He had a nice smile. Sloane looked up from her notes and addressed Hayden. “So, what are you majoring in?”

He paused and took a sip of his coffee, eyeing the three of us, then swallowed. “I’m actually majoring in photography.”

“Wow! A fellow art major! How exciting,” Nadia said, extending her hand for a high-five. Hayden laughed and slapped his palm against hers.

“Photography, huh? That sounds exciting! How’d you get into that field?” I asked.

“I joined Yearbook my sophomore year of high school and took pictures for the club, and I just kind of fell in love with it. I started taking pictures for fun and ended placing second in my state’s high school photography competition.”

I placed my elbows on the table and rested my chin in my hands. Listening to him talk about his love for photography made me smile. I wish I was half as passionate about anything as he was about photography.

The four of us settled into a comfortable conversation, neglecting our studying. We talked about our favorite (and not so favorite) professors, which classes we were looking forward to taking the next four years, and which spot in the student union was best for people-watching. We learned that Nadia and Hayden also shared two classes and the same advisor. Another hour had passed when my stomach growled and I looked at my phone to see the time was 5:30 p.m.

“Holy shit, it’s dinner time. You guys wanna go grab a bite?”

“I can’t. Steve gets done with football practice soon, so we’re going out after,” Nadia said.

“I’d love to, but I have a ton of homework I need to get done for my Spanish comp class. Maybe another time.” Sloane said.

I debated texting Damien to ask if he was free, but he sounded really weird when I spoke to him a few days ago, so I let it go. I shrugged and started gathering up my books. Nadia left first, with Sloane taking off shortly after, leaving Hayden and me by ourselves. He shoved the last of his things in his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, then followed me out of the library. We walked through the courtyard toward the dorms, surveying the sun as it slowly set behind the horizon. He stopped walking then turned to me.

“I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward, but would you want to go get a bite to eat sometime?”

I stared down at my shoes, kicking a stray pebble on the pavement. He seemed nice enough. But why was I so hesitant to say yes? I shifted on my feet and looked up at him. “Oh...um...I don’t know.”

He frowned. “Hey, no big deal. I get it. Just thought I’d shoot my shot.”

“No. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that I’m not ready to date yet. I guess I’m still adjusting to the new school year. But if you’re ever up for another study group, let me know.”

He smiled, although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Do you want me to walk you to your dorm?”

“Nah. I think I’m okay. I’ll see you in class.”

“You too,” he replied and winked as he made his way to the dorms. I watched him walk away as I stood in the middle of the courtyard. What was wrong with me? This extremely good-looking and nice guy just asked me out, and I shot him down. It’s not like I already had a boyfriend, so why was I acting like a scared little bitch? I briefly considered chasing him down and saying, ‘lol j/k let’s go out sometime,’ but something held me in place. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.

#best beloved #pm au #college au #friends to lovers #perfect match #choices fanfic #damien nazario #kaia park #damien x mc #nazariolahela fanfic

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hollyhomburg · 6 years

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♡ SANDCASTLES♡ PART 4: ♡Wide Awake♡

Summary: The web of love between the 5 of you becomes even more tangled, and you're at the center of it. Even if you don't know it- you have them absolutely whipped.

(OMEGAVERSE AU) (POLYAMORY AU)

← PART 3: LOST IN LOVE MAZE ← → MASTERLIST→

TAGS: brief mentions of grief, grieving, anxiety, kissing, fluff, polyamory, dates, Omega! Jimin x Omega! Reader x Alpha! Namjoon x Alpha! Hoseok x Alpha! Yoongi

W/C: 5.7k

A/N: Here you guys go! lots of fluff and happiness in this one! the next parts will be a little slower to come since I'm leaving for South Korea soon! if you like this please consider donating to my patreon here! next chapter will either be a smutty smutty chapter or full of domestic fluff.

- The alphas spend a night brushing away Jimin’s tears and holding him. Rubbing his back soothingly as he vomits into the toilet. The emotional turmoil and the alcohol a bad mix for anyone let alone the sensitive omega.

- “Aren’t you mad at me? Angry that I kissed someone else other than you?” Hoseok’s face breaks when he says that. “How could we be? Not when she makes you happy Jimin, its ok you know, okay for you to love her like you love us.” Namjoon realizes that Hoseok might still be a little drunk.

- Jimin shakes as he looks up at the alphas, Namjoon is sitting on the edge of the bathtub while Yoongi leans against the doorframe, and Hoseok rubs his back soothingly again.

- Hoseok is always inclined to be uplifting when one of the trio- this had gotten even worse when he’d gone to college and discovered alcohol, which had the tendency to make Hoseok even more emotional and more open.

- “Did you know that Namjoon and I were childhood best friends too?” Hoseok says his voice hushed. They don’t often talk about how the alphas got together. Mostly because it was hard. They’d all fought to be together.

- Jimin looks startled by this revelation, “you where!? What happened? How did all of you…?” Jimin asks, and even Yoongi has to admit that this isn’t the best time for this discussion.

- “We kept us a secret from the start,” Namjoon said in a soft hush. “No one realized Hoseok and I were together, not even when we got to college and became roommates. And then this drunk punk ass alpha takes one look at us and asks us how long we’ve been fucking.”

- Jimin looks up at Yoongi incredulously. He’s smirking a little at the memory, he’d had more than a small chip on his shoulder then “I’m glad I had such an impression- because a few months later Hoseok found me sitting alone in the rain at a train station and he brought me home.”

- Hoseok shoots Yoongi a gentle look and comments “always had a thing for strays...” Namjoon runs a hand down the alphas thin thigh.

- Jimin turns and vomits up again- though significantly less than the last time. He’s getting it out of his system. Yoongi doesn't think he’ll remember this conversation in the morning.

- “Why where you at the train station hyung?” Jimin asks wiping spit away from his mouth. Both Hoseok and Namjoon stiffen, shooting concerned looks in Yoongi’s direction.

- “It was just after my mom died, and I just couldn’t go home anymore- I didn’t know where home was,” he says softly.

- And Namjoon and Hoseok are so proud- because it’s been enough years since then that Yoongi’s voice doesn’t even shake anymore when he talks about that time. The time when he could barely get out of bed, when he couldn’t speak without crying.

- He’d only been a stranger- but Hoseok hadn’t been able to let Yoongi drown. And who was Namjoon to decline his love when all he wanted to do was help? (Namjoon had never been able to say no to Hoseok).

- But both Namjoon and Hoseok had known, had felt the rightness shift in their bones when they held the alpha through his sadness. And when he’d looked up from his depression, Namjoon knows that Yoongi found a new home without really meaning too.

- It had taken a few more years to convince Yoongi that they really did want him, however; Hoseok and Namjoon had been together for so long that it had been a balancing act to make sure Yoongi didn’t feel left out- which of course turned into smothering in the beginning.

- Their relationship had been a steep steep learning curve, but their rocky start was one of the reasons why loving jimin had been so easy to adjust to.

- “The rest is probably better for another time- but the important thing is that I when I found home I didn't run away, and Jimin.” Yoongi breaks as the younger looks up from him, “I think y/n’s always been your home”

- “You don’t think its wrong- two omega’s loving each other?” he says, and Jimin looks so unsure- so ready to hear the opposite when they say that no- no it isn’t.

- The love he feels for you isn’t wrong, no more than 3 alphas loving each other.

- It’s the first time anyone’s ever given Jimin permission for loving you and he thought he would be happy but it makes him hurt so keenly. All that flashes in front of his face is the image of your betrayed expression.

- It hurts the three of them to see Jimin so upset and torn between his nature and what he’s been told is right or wrong.

- “It’s not wrong at all Jimin- if you love her, we can love her too” Hoseok whispers. Yoongi winces, and Namjoon might say that he’s drunk- but he feels sober. Some things are better left for sober conversations. but another wave of vomiting hits Jimin and he doesn't get a chance to respond

- Jimin falls asleep in their arms that night and wakes up with a hangover that sends him running to the toilet and then back to bed unable to keep any food down until later that evening. His muscles are also sore from the performance and he’s more than a little emotionally exhausted.

- Yoongi keeps him company, content to smother Jimin in kisses until the sun goes down. Yoongi could pin his sickness on just a hangover but Jimin’s hormones have been going haywire from nervousness to shame and back again- he’d only recently gotten a good enough read on Jimin’s scent to read his mood through it. And from the looks of it so has Namjoon who pops in occasionally.

- Namjoon had always been a little more in tune with his alpha instincts than the others, and with his emotions. He finds himself missing the calm and peace in their apartment- but more than that, he finds himself missing you.

- He misses you so much, he wakes from a good dream one morning feeling lonely- he had a weird day off and woke up alone.

- In the dream, he was pressed in between you and jimin with Hoseok and Yoongi on either side of you- it was so soft and comfortable and warm.

- When he wakes Namjoon decides that he needs to know if you’re ok- if you’re upset at all he wants to soothe you. Namjoon calls you and he hears a jagged inhale on the other line before the call disconnects- and figures you must have mistakenly picked up.

- Hoseok say’s it’s only in their alpha’s nature to want to protect an unmated omega, but all of them- even Jimin, know it’s not it, even if they don’t confront it just yet.

- When Jimin comes home from his first day back to work at Hoseok’s studio Namjoon finds him inhaling deep breaths trying not to cry while he changes- and he see’s why, a sweatshirt of his that smells faintly of you- of your apartment is clutched in his hands.

- Namjoon knows Jimin feels guilty- though none of them have brought up the fact that Jimin kissing you were technically cheating- it doesn’t bother Namjoon at all, and after the dream, he thinks he might know why.

- Namjoon puts an end to it that night, sitting down on the edge of the bed with Jimin and talking it out, just the two of them.

- The Confession feel strange on his tongue, and to Jimin, the knowledge that he’s not the only one who loves you makes him a weird mixture of hopeful and apprehensive.

- And in the day’s following the night at the salsa bar- the alphas can’t help but wonder what’s running through your head too, if you’re doing okay, and if you need any comfort too.

- Namjoon confesses to Hoseok later the next day and Hoseok almost chokes before admitting, “I’ve been feeling that way too- Joonie, you’re not alone.”

- “Well, it’s about time,” Yoongi says from the doorway, his arms crossed, “I thought I was going to have to beat some sense into you before you both realized it.”

- It’s not that they love you already, they know that love is a process, not an event- but they feel like the could one day.

- The next morning, the alphas sit Jimin down and tell him their secret. “oh my god” Jimin says, standing abruptly, leveling each of them with a shocked gaze, “Are you okay?” Namjoon asks, trying not to let the fear leak into his voice. “of course!- oh my god Joon- I am, I just- I don’t know what to say, or what to do- what do we do?”

- Across town you spend another morning alone, pouring over your coffee, Wondering what the fuck you should do about your predicament.

- You’re torn between trying to put back up the walls that you’ve had to build over years and reinforcing them or tearing them down and screwing it all to hell.

- The rational part of you says that it was just one drunk night- but Jimin would laugh in your face if you said that. Jimin wasn’t just another drunk friend who got too handsy.

- And then there was your memory of the alphas, which didn’t look angry but hungry, that made you feel 100% more conflicted about the night.

- You don’t know if the fact that Jimin hasn’t come home in the last few days makes it easier or harder. You would have thought it would be hard to avoid Jimin- living in the same apartment and all, but you find it mostly empty in the days that follow.

- But then you notice little things move around the apartment. His warmer jacket gets hung up on the hooks on the landing and his lighter one goes missing as spring warms up the city.

- His absence doesn’t make you worried. You figure that he must need all the comfort that his alphas can give him right now, with how you’re declining every call, every text gets left on read, your voicemail box is already full.

- You don’t know what you would say to him. You need time to sort through your emotions.

- But then one day, nearly a week after Jimin’s showcase. You’re getting out of work late. The first brush of spring is just beginning to color the trees green and too your surprise you find Yoongi there.

- He’s leaning up against the lamp post where Jimin used too wait for you, wearing a beany and a baggy green sweater, A bag of take-out clutched in his hands.

- You glance up at him tentatively about to apologize- for kissing his boyfriend, for avoiding them, but he just holds up a bag of takeout and says, “I didn’t come here to upset you, I just want to-“ he struggles with the words for a second then just lifts the takeout bag again “have dinner with me?” he offers.

- You’re Puzzled, where he could possibly take you at this late hour? but you agree to go with him.

- And he takes you to this little rooftop garden that’s set up with a projector, an air mattress on the gravel floor and more than a few pillows.

- It’s a little more lavish Than you’d been expecting- you were expecting maybe to sit on a bench in the park - not a set up that was straight off Pinterest.

- On the top of the building it’s more than a little chilly and by the end of the first movie, Yoongi has drifted closer to you for warmth. Any tiredness you felt early is gone despite the fact that the air mattress is more than a little comfortable.

- “Awe Did Yoongi want cuddles?” you say in a mocking voice, smiling at him so that he knows you’re just teasing. He hides his face in your shoulder- the sudden contact sending a pulse of something through your body. “Shut up” he growls into your skin, and you laugh at his grumpy expression. His aggression is half-hearted.

- What a far cry you’ve come with your friendship with him- the first time you’d met he’d been accusatory and more than a little grumpy, and now he Was asking you for cuddles.

- You have a perfect view of the skyline and bowls of popcorn that Yoongi throws at you when you don’t laugh at the funny parts of his favorite movie. (You later learn that he called in a favor from an artist he did some recording for to use their private garden)

-And he does what he’s promised- never even mentions Jimin to you. Walking you home when you finally say that you’re too tired and that you might fall asleep here if it gets any later.

- A little pink colors his cheek as he stutters and tells you goodnight He leans in, swerving at the last second to kiss your cheek below the eves of your door.

- Though your stomach hurts from laughing and your cheeks hurt from smiling- you can't find sleep that night, blushing and turning over when you think about…when you think about Yoongi.

- You don’t quite understand what the night was all about. But you think your best friends boyfriend might have just taken you out on a date?

- Two day’s later it’s not Yoongi whose waiting outside your workplace- it’s Namjoon. he’s clad in an off-white silk shirt, sans tie for once, that’s popped to show his collar bones and his skin that’s still somehow sun-kissed despite the winter.

- And he takes you to his offices where the janitors have just finished waxing the fancy floors, they bid goodbye to Namjoon and the two of you wait and chat- you get a little tour of his office.

- When everyone’s gone for the night the real fun begins- Namjoon toes off his shoes and puts them to the side as you give him a questioning look. “Some nights I have to stay late- and when there’s no one around I like to have a little fun to unwind”

- He takes a running start and you watch as he slides across the fancy marble- far farther and more gracefully that you would have thought possible. You giggle and Namjoon returns your grin as you take off your shoes leaving you in just stockings that are far slipperier.

- You have socks scatting contests- with the promise that the looser buys ice cream.

- You crash into the corners, laughing your ass off when he slams into a wall. Sliding into him as he grabs onto you to keep from falling, your heart thuds when he sends you a determined smile.

- Damn it- why did Jimin’s boyfriend have to have the cutest dimples?

- He grabs onto you again as you near the last lap- trying to keep himself from falling, but he turns too quickly and falls dragging you down with him. he lets out an oof and but his hands cup your waist as you fall on top of him.

- Above him, chest pressed against his, your hair spills over the two of you- a curtain against the outside world, you look down still laughing at his clumsiness,

- Namjoon reaches and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear a tenderness in his gaze that you had thought was only reserved for Jimin and his alphas.

- Flustered you pull yourself to your feet and extend a hand to help him up- a hand which he then uses (the cheater) to pull you behind him and slide his way straight across your imaginary finish line and right into first place.

- As the looser- you take him out to ice cream before the two of you call it a night. He orders cookies and cream and chocolate swirl while you order a strawberry Sunday.

- You get a little-whipped cream on your cheek and instead of wiping it away like a normal person Namjoon leans forward; he cups your jaw in his hand, tilting your head away from him as he presses his lips against your cheek over the whipped cream- kissing it away.

- “You’re as blushy as Jimin” you grumble and turn away, burying your self in your ice-cream, ignoring the way your cheeks burst with flames.

- You don't see the way that Namjoon looks at you, the way his body jumps with a happy nervousness and he just can't stop smiling.

- That night you lie awake in bed and find yourself wishing for another pair of arms around you. Your phone buzzes next to you- it’s Jimin, “I hope you had fun tonight with Joon!” the text reads, and you pick up your phone almost replying. But you just toss your phone away frustrated.

-You don’t know what you would say to Jimin- but what you do know is that you want to talk to him

-That Friday night Hoseok turns up at your office doorstep dragging you out of a late night spent translating. All he really has to do is send you a look and you’re packing up your stuff- though you do duck into the bathroom on your way out to make sure that you don’t look entirely decrepit.

- He takes you to where he used to work- he still has friends at the Towol theater where he used to be the main choreographer- the place spurned his career as a teacher. And he tells you that they sometimes still send actors his way when they can’t seem to understand a certain dance move.

- But you don’t stop at the velvet seats to watch the last few minutes of practice going on late night, he leads you back behind the velvet curtains of the stage and through the prop room (where Hoseok stops briefly to say hi to the stage manager that he used to know- who is wrapping up for the night)

- Hoseok had noticed your fashion choices, the care you put into your appearance while still having fun with usually drab office style and he thought you might like this- he’d been determined to give you the best first date out of all of the alphas.

- In the costume room, there are isles and isles of the most fantastic and whimsical costumes, isles of tulle, dresses made of sequins, satin skirts, historically accurate gowns and even a suit of armor which you try to convince Hoseok to put on as well as character heads and crowns from productions long since passed.

- Hoseok pulls out a bunch of bottles from his bag, mostly champagne and white wine (not red of course- he didn’t want to risk staining any of the costumes) “these where gifts from parents after our last rush of college applications, wanna get wasted and put on a fashion show?”

- You and Hoseok get drunk on wine and get progressively more adventurous, you convince him to wear a red satin suit that looks like it was made of roses (from a production of Shakespeare’s a midsummer nights dream) while he makes you try on a tutu from Swan Lake.

- By the end of the night, you have enough Instagram photos for a lifetime and you fall into a heap of old velvet curtains behind the stage dragging Hoseok down with you. Quietly laughing and talking animatedly, all the while passing the bottle of champagne between you while you look up at the ceiling of the theater and admiring all the colored lights. All the other people in the building gone. it’s so peaceful in the quiet of the stage.

- “Jimin got so lucky with the three of you,” you say not bitterly or with jealousy - it’s just a fact at this point. Hoseok splutters on champagne.

- Not only are his alphas kind and respectful and caring but they’re fun- so much fun, you can spend time with them and it never feels like you get tired enough to want to cut your outing short. and you tell him as much trying to keep the want and the wistfulness out of your voice.

- How lucky he was to have them.

- “He doesn’t- he’s not the only one that’s lucky y/n, we are for having known you too. Can’t you see how lucky he is to have you? how happy we are all to have you in our lives?”

- You swallow back your words and shake your head, tears fill your eyes, and it’s not because you’re sad, but because his words are a comforting balm against your inner conflict, and try as you might it’s hard to believe his words.

- You know that It’s messy, your relationship with the alpha’s and Jimin is a little too close to be just friends. with invisible boundary lines that are so clearly drawn you can almost feel them.

- The way that Yoongi and Namjoon have pulled you close and the way that Hoseok, lets your thighs brush now is too much. The taste of his lips on the champagne bottle is illicit and stirs a wanting in you that you shouldn’t have.

- You shouldn’t want your best friends boyfriends but you do.

- Hoseok’s long fingers touch your cheeks, “there now- don’t cry,” he mutters leaning in close to press his nose into your hair. You smell so nice, and the sadness he feels radiating off you in waves make his senses go haywire. The flush of alpha pheromones washes over you, making your muscles relax incrementally. “It’s gonna be fine Y/n”

- The brush of Hoseok’s lips against your cheek is so unexpected that you almost flinch; he supports himself with an arm on the other side of your hip, his thumb pressed to the bare expanse of your hip and he decides that he wants more. he waits a moment- waits to see if you push him away, but you don’t.

- You gasp when Hoseok presses another kiss to your nose, and then truly shake when his lips meet yours. The kiss sends a thrum of new energy through you but his lips are cool and gentle against yours, he tastes like bubbly champagne, dust from the curtains, and something so entirely Hoseok that's addicting. it makes you chase his lips and return the kiss.

- You shudder before the realization runs through you that in all likelihood Jimin wasn’t the only one getting courted by this alpha triad.

- Your fingers find Hoseok’s jaw as you hold him too you for a second more, you can feel him shaking a little too, he shifts on the pile of curtains, and the kiss becomes harder his lips more biting.

- when he pulls away he laughs a little breathlessly, his soft and excited smile is the mirror of yours. his forehead rests against yours, his curly red hair tickling your skin.

- “wow” you sigh into his mouth, “wow is right” he pants back.

- “I can't believe you where the first one to kiss her!” Jimin says excitedly and giddy when Hoseok finally comes home that night, he’s cuddled in-between Yoongi and Namjoon, who reads a book with his horned rimmed glasses, while Yoongi taps away on his phone.

-The scene is so Offaly domestic but Hoseok loves it so much- wouldn’t want to come home to anything less.

- Namjoon glances over the top of his glasses as Hoseok smiles and takes off his shirt and pants before changing into pajamas,

- “Hey we kissed her on the cheek.” Yoongi grumbles into Jimin’s neck nuzzling into the omega further. Jimin’s soft smell always managed to lull Yoongi into an early sleep- something that was hard most nights that he decided to stay at his own apartment.

- Jimin giggles, the elder alpha’s nose a little ticklish against the sensitive skin of his neck “that doesn’t count hyung.” Yoongi’s arms curl around Jimin and he squeezes.

- “I'll show you what counts you brat.” He says and Jimin laughs. The alphas feel their hearts lighten to hear that laugh again as Hoseok tucks into the bed beside Namjoon.

- Hoseok takes Namjoon’s book out of his hands and replaces his empty arms with his body, “someones needy” he comments, but lets hoseok lie across him, Namjoon’s hands come up to card through Hoseok’s, and when he turns he finds Jimin making a funny face at him. Hoseok hides his face and Jimin laughs again.

- All of them are so happy that Jimin’s smiling and laughing again.

- A few nights later Namjoon wakes and reaches out- your scent on his tongue and he opens his eyes to find Yoongi awake, his eyes a little wet- he doesn't get emotional often. And Namjoon realizes they’ve both been reaching for the same person.

- You, but you’re not here.

- So Namjoon pulls the elder close and whispers against the skin of his neck that you’ll be fine, and Jimin and you will makeup and you’ll be there to fill their bed soon.

- Because Yoongi might be silent and quiet most of the time but when it comes down to it he feels things a little too keenly sometimes. having two people that he cares about at such an impasse is keenly painful.

- Namjoon wants to know how you’ve gotten them all so whipped so fast. He finds himself checking his phone to see if you’ve texted him. Yoongi argues with Hoseok- wanting to take you out two nights in a row over the next week.

- The alpha’s keep showing up at your place of work over the next few weeks, taking you on date after date, Namjoon takes you to the aquarium, Hoseok appears one Saturday afternoon to tour the local botanical gardens, and Yoongi appears the next morning with a box full of snacks intent on cuddling with you under the covers until the sun sets again.

- Every time they show up- you almost ask them to invite Jimin, but it never feels like you can get the words out.

- Until one day- three weeks after he kissed you, Jimin shows up in front of your office. he’s standing against the lamppost he always waits for you at, Clad in a cream-colored shirt tucked into his black pants, a small shy smile on his face.

- You run to hug him- all your trepidation rushing out of you when you see him- your other half. His arms are strong around you as he clutches you towards him and you lean up on your tippy toes to reach around his neck.

- “I missed you,” you breathe out in a rush as he squeezes you tightly. It’s only been 3 weeks but it feels like too long.

- “I missed you too,” he says holding onto your shoulder as your feet touch down. He forgot what your scent did to him but right now it wraps around him like a comforting blanket. It was one thing to smell it on his alpha’s when they came home- quite another thing to have of you here in his arms.

- It makes Jimin little more shaky- but somehow more sure about what he wants- what he needs.

- “They’re waiting for us at a restaurant a few blocks away- it’s Yoongi’s favorite barbeque place if you’re interested?” you nod softly,

- He holds out his hand for you and silently you take it, and his smile becomes surer as he offers to take your coat (it’s warm enough that you don’t need it right now- though it was cold this morning. He folds it over one arm as he locks the other with yours pressing your side into his.

- “I certainly made a mess of things didn’t I” Jimin says, reluctant to hurt the quiet night, you purse your lips but after a moment you decide not to say a thing. “I wish I had done things differently- I wish things were different- you don’t know this but every star I see, every dandelion or fortune cookie, every new moon- I wish for you, every wish I’ve ever used has been for you- even when we were kids”

- “You wish that one of us was a beta or an alpha you mean.” He’d repeated this sentiment more than once when you were kids- though not as a wish more as a hope. You had both hoped so much in the first weeks of your relationship that one of you would be a beta or an alpha.

- But now Jimin shakes his head,

- “Not at all no- I’ve realized the last few months that change is unnecessary- they’ve shown me that there’s nothing wrong with us, and the way we love each other.”

- You nod slowly, disagreeing with him about your mutual feelings seems stupid at this point. it’s abundantly clear that neither of you ever stopped loving each other. But you suck on your lower lip, still unsure.

- “Jimin, our families-” they still live in the same house- still talk as much as you guys do. You know that they’re still just as opposed to same secondary sex- relationships as they where when you were kids. They would disown you if they found out.

- “You’re the only person I need- the only one I’ve ever needed.”

- “What about Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok?” you ask, and Jimin just looks at you a little frustrated- pouting.

- “Please, who do you think’s been urging me to confess and talking me through all of this? Haven’t you noticed they’ve been taking you out on dates? I even helped Hoseok pick out the wine that you would like.”

-You pull away to look at him, “hang on? You’ve been helping them plan those?”

- Jimin’s cheeks pink up and he shrugs, “how else do you think Yoongi knew what you would like from that Italian place?” all this time you thought that the kisses where stolen and forbidden- you’d felt guilty as they courted you, and now finding out that Jimin had known- it makes you feel nervous.

- Because if they wanted you and he wanted you- what was stopping you from being with them?

- You where the only thing standing in the way of this.

- You get closer to the restaurant now, and through the warm and open glass doors, you can see the three alphas sitting and drinking at the bar- waiting until you get there to sit at a table.

- You spy Yoongi talking animatedly to Hoseok about something as Namjoon checks his phone and bounces his leg- looking nervous- they all do.

- “Y/n,” Jimin says, as you pause, and you look back up at him.

- You know his face better than you know your own; you know the pillow of his lips, and the way his blond hair curls against the nape of his neck. The barely there freckles on the tops of his cheeks. Everything about him is both keenly familiar and achingly new.

- “You don’t need to come in- you don’t need to agree to be with me or them or any of it. But I know how I feel about you- that I love you. And though I think you might feel that way too, know that nothing needs to change if you don’t want it too.”

- Jimin holds your hands in his, and they’re soft but somehow still strong and they’re the only hands you’ve ever known and wanted to hold, “I can learn distance, to be just your friend again.”

- Looking into that restaurant you think you want to hold the alphas hands too- you think you could get into a relationship with all of them, you think you could love them the way you love Jimin. You could, you might, and you want to, but the important question is if you can.

- “But I think we’re worth the try, no matter what comes,” Jimin says before he leans in and presses a soft kiss on your forehead.

- “I’m going to go in, if you don’t want this, you can just go home- I’ll tell them to back off and we can go back to the way that things where I promise.”

- You can see that he means it. Jimin’s ready to lay himself bare, let himself fall without the promise of you catching him- all for a hit, the barest promise of getting to love you.

- Jimin smiles sadly, pretends his eyes aren’t glassy when he sees the conflict in your eyes. He turns away from you the love of his life- his soulmate. And makes himself walk towards the alphas, he opens the door and heaves in an uneven breath when he doesn’t hear your footsteps behind him.

- The bell above the door tinkles.

- But your hand catches it behind him to keep it from shutting. He turns startles, your breath is heaving as you pull Jimin close and connect your lips with his, kissing him with all the passion that you’ve held in all these years.

- In the entryway of the restaurant, no one besides the hostess can give you a disapproving look when Jimin stumbles back against the coat rack.

- His smile is brighter than you’ve ever seen it when he pulls away and cups your face, laughing at the incredulity of it. At the fact that he has you, that you’re here in his arms.

- At the bar, the three alphas notice the two of you tucked in and heave a sigh of relief, though Namjoon’s leg doesn’t stop shaking, they pretend not to have seen you kiss when the hostess Leeds the two of you over, Jimin holding your hand- unwilling to let it go even for a second.

- Namjoon pulls out your seat for you after Yoongi kisses your hand making you blush. And the 5 of you fall into old habits acting like absolutely nothing just transpired, but Jimin’s grin is infectious and his eyes are only for you tonight.

- Yoongi feels his heart jump when he looks at the two of you smiling at each other. When he smells both of your scents intertwining and happy.

- Namjoon feels an almost painful kind of fondness when he finally sees the two of you happy, his hand brushing a comforting line up Jimin’s thigh. And the two share a special secret glance of incredulous happiness.

- Hoseok feels like his heart is about to burst when he looks at the four of you at the table when he leaves briefly for the restroom and then comes back. His heart feels too big for his chest, and he takes a second to calm down.

- After dinner they walk you and Jimin back to your apartment, the alphas promise to give you some time to yourselves. The alphas kiss each of you goodnight at the door.

- You’re going to take it slow, you guessed as much, but you’re a little shy as Namjoon kisses you for the first time (he never did get around to it during your dates)

- Hoseok wolf whistles when he cups your jaw and tilts your head making you break away, both of you breathing heavy, you bury your head in Namjoon’s chest hiding your flushed face. Namjoon’s chest shakes with nervous laughter - And goddamn it- he feels like a teenager again.

- You and Jimin pile all your blankets and pillows onto his bed and spend the night wrapped up in each other. He presses kisses to your lips until the early hours of the morning and the sunlight is turning your curtains grey, just looking at you in the semi-darkness.

- Sometimes you talk and other times you don’t, sometimes tears escape your eyes and you hold on to him like he might slip away. But Jimin promises himself and you that night that he’ll never ever let you again.

- Your lips are chapped and swollen by the morning- but neither of you mind.

♡ Part 5 (Coming Soon) ♡

a/n: so the first kiss between Hobi and reader is actually based off of my first kiss which happened after a school play! I don’t have the next few parts written so updates will be irregular. hope you liked this fluff!

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coeurdastronaute · 6 years

Text

Either/Or: Christmas

Hi! I'm not sure if you are taking Christmas prompts for Supercorp as well, but in case you are, could you write a story with Lena going to Midvale with Kara for the holidays for the first time?

The closer that the plane got to landing, the deeper Lena took a breath. It wasn’t the worst way to spend the holidays, and her girlfriend was practically vibrating with excitement. Kara spent an entire week fine tuning a list of things to do back in her hometown, and Lena was excited because when her girlfriend was excited, it was as contagious as the plague, or something more fun, like flesh eating bacteria.

That didn’t stop her nerves though. She was an adult woman who owned her own business and home, who regularly went to the dentist, who had a 401k and did things like brunch and tip her mailman during the holidays. Lena Luthor was an upstanding citizen who paid her taxes and volunteered and gave money to charity. She employed a large portion of people and she was madly in love with her girlfriend. She was a catch.

And yet she’d never met a parent. Not once. Never wanted to, nor had the opportunity to be introduced as a girlfriend to significant family members. And as she sat on the plane, she really wasn’t dreading it as much as she thought. Instead of morbid fear, a nervousness over the future and what this meant ensued.

“You’re nervous,” Kara stated, feeling it radiate off of her normally confident girlfriend.

Even when she wasn’t, Lena knew how to fake it. Kara once watched her charm her way out of a speeding ticket, which was ridiculous, to say the least, but Lena Luthor was capable of such things.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“A little,” she shrugged, finding that firmness and putting on that mask.

“My mom is going to love you. And I’m going to show you all of my favorite things,” Kara promised, kissing Lena’s hair as she leaned against her shoulder. “Look at this list.”

Proudly, the crumpled and well-creased paper emerged from its spot as a bookmark, never far away from Kara for the past few weeks as she made her list of things to do back home. It began the moment she booked the tickets, and it just grew until it was onto the second page, though Lena was never allowed to fully read it. It was all to be a surprise.

“Your sister doesn’t like me already,” Lena remembered, pulling them from the moment of peace and calmness.

“She likes you,” Kara swallowed and lied through her teeth. “It doesn’t matter. Everything is going to be great.”

“If you say so.”

“I do,” she smiled and kissed her once more.

If Lena was nervous, then Kara was ecstatic. Both vibrated at similar frequencies with their opposite feelings as they moved through the airport. While Kara tried to urge them quickly onward so that her adoptive mother could pick them up, she was tugged back at the absolutely glacial pace at which her girlfriend dragged her feet.

“I’m excited,” Kara repeated herself.

“I am too,” Lena promised, almost meaning it. “For a proper Danver’s Christmas.”

It was the most truth that she could manage. In truth, Lena really didn’t know what to expect, as the holidays weren’t a thing in her home. They must have been at one point, but she couldn’t recall one Christmas that she asked Santa for something. Instead, she just had time off of school and was exceedingly lonely. The stories that Kara told her were pure legend and myth and everything that movies were made of, and for that reason, so very difficult to understand.

“Hi, honey,” a tall, beautiful blonde woman greeted them as they made their way toward the line of waiting cars. “Oh, look at you. You’re gorgeous. Come here.”

She inhaled Kara in a huge hug, squeezing and rocking them as she smiled and closed her eyes with the force of her love for her adopted daughter. If one were to squint and not know their history, they could imagine that they were related by blood. Long faces and slender bodies, they were tall and blonde and happy; the complete opposite of the Luthor.

“You must be Lena,” she turned her arms onto the shy addition to the reunion. “I’m so glad you could make it. Kara talks about you constantly.”

“She’s not really a hug--” Kara’s words were cut off when Eliza’s arms went around Lena’s stiff shoulders, thawing her slowly.

“You are just beautiful. Kara wasn’t wrong about that,” the mother smiled and held Lena’s shoulders, ignoring her daughter’s interruption. “Was it a good flight?”

“It was good,” Lena nodded, still smothered in a different way than she was accustomed. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“I’m so glad you are both here.”

Just like that, Lena was sucked up into it. She couldn’t escape her weird feelings about the motherly figure who hugged her daughter tight, glad that she’d returned. She couldn’t help but blush when she learned how much Kara talked about her; enough so that Eliza knew almost as much about her as Kara did.

It was all well worth it when they went to lunch at Kara’s favorite place. Or at least one of Kara’s favorites. To see her overjoyed and talking quickly. She had this stupid way of making people happy and excited to exist when maybe they were on the fence about it at best. And she gushed. Kara gushed about Lena to her mom right in front of her, which was magic and very new because as much as Lena knew that Kara loved her, she wasn’t quite certain why. But she heard some of the reasons in the pride in her voice.

The sun beat down on the coastal town so that Christmas was a much different temperature. Lena shed her coat and basked in it as they drove toward the neighborhood on the hills above the ocean. There were lights and decorations, and Lena found the neighborhood to be idyllic and picturesque and festive despite the weather.

“You grew up here?”

“Yeah,” Kara grinned as she squinted at the house as they climbed out of the car.

It was everything Lena imagined that normal people without alcoholic fathers and abusive step-mothers grew up in. There was a tree in the yard and shutters on the windows and a porch with comfortable chairs that looked good for chatting and sipping coffee. It looked like the home that built someone like Kara.

“Wait for it.”

“For wha--”

The front door swung open, and right there, with the afternoon just starting to simmer, a giant white dog came bounding out and onto the lawn, tackling Kara in an instant, barely able to decide where on her face to lick, instead just wagging its whole body.

“Hi, buddy,” Kara giggled and tried to hold him back as he licked at her face. “Lena, this is Krypto.”

“Oh… my… he’s a big guy.”

“Yeah, he’s my big, strong boy,” she laughed and rubbed his chest and tried to stand up. “He’s the best dog in the whole galaxy.”

“Hello there,” Lena furrowed and made a face as she held her hand out. A loud back emerged and she retracted quickly, though he lurched forward to lick her, tail wagging and eager to be friends.

“He likes you.”

“He’s so… big.”

“He’s from home,” Kara explained. “He gets a little excited.”

“He broke through the garage door his first week here,” Eliza explained, shaking her head as she grabbed their bag and lugged it toward the house. “Just like Kara.”

“He’s nice. Give him your hand,” Kara ignored her mother but earned a skeptical look from her girlfriend. “Lena, trust me.”

The pictures that Kara had on her phone of the dog were awfully misleading as to its size. Or perhaps it was just being in person with it, in the picturesque little house at the end of the cul-de-sac, with Kara holding him tightly around the neck, that Lena realized what a behemoth of a beast Krypto truly was.

She looked at her girlfriend and took a deep breath.

“Hi big dog thing,” Lena swallowed.

Tentatively he sniffed before licking her hand, though it did nothing to make her relax.

“He’s soft, huh?”

“Yeah. And has big teeth.”

“Yes he does,” Kara cooed, rubbing the dog’s ears. “My two favorite people are at my home. This is going to be great.”

“Sure is,” Lena agreed, patting the dog’s head awkwardly as he returned to nudging Kara’s hip for more love.

If Lena wasn’t a rational, logical, normal person, she might have imagine he gave her a look of jealous ownership over the blonde. Instead, she shook her head and followed Kara into the house.

The room at the top of the stairs was no where close to as big as Lena’s bedroom, of course, not many bedrooms were. Lena got an entire wing, isolated and cut off from the rest of a family. She didn’t understand how bedrooms could be so close together, or how things could feel so warm and homey.

On one side of the room, punk band posters covered the walls. There were stickers and fairy lights and an old, worn purple comforter on it. It was a far cry from the agent that worked at the DEO and kept everything under control. It was all angst and teenage rage.

But Kara’s side, that was very much like the girl she knew and loved. It was cozy. Kara had a knack for being cozy. A comfortable, soft sunflower quilt covered the bed. There were bits of art hanging up on the wall by the bed. A copy of Starry Night hung there. A few little books sat on the nightstand. There was a stark distinct difference between the two sisters, and Lena smiled to herself at it.

“That side’s mine,” Kara nudged her chin toward the cozy side with the warm looking quilt. “Alex and Maggie dibbed the guest room, so we’re in here.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept on a twin-sized bed.”

“I love your ‘I’m-very-rich’ stories. Means I get to teach you how to be human.”

“How did you sleep on these?” Lena said as she surveyed it. “You turn into a starfish when you sleep.”

“Just wait until we try to squeeze together,” she laughed and flopped on the bed, tugging Lena with her a second later. “I’m going to get you slumming it, Luthor.”

She laughed and settled beside her girlfriend, tucked against the wall and Kara’s side. Lena kissed her jaw and tossed her leg over Kara’s hip.

“I’m in your childhood bed.”

“You are. I’m not allowed to have anyone in my bed. At least I think so. Never had that option as a teenager, but I bet it’d be discouraged.”

“I’m telling your mom,” Lena teased.

“Please don’t.”

They were quiet as they laid there in the old childhood room. Kara went over her list of what they were going to do, and how excited she was to give Lena a family and all of the same good memories she had. That was always the goal, and she did it in tiny ways, but Kara was on track to replace every bad memory with something better. It was a daunting list, but it was already working. There were a lot less sad stories. There were a lot less moments of sadness period.

Lena adjusted her leg and tightened her grasp on Kara’s ribs, hiding away in her shoulder and closing her eyes happily. She almost considered buying a twin-sized bed just because they normally slept about this close anyway, but there was no possible way she would ever do something like that. She was a Luthor, afterall.

Downstairs, they heard Alex and Maggie arrive at some point, their little semi-nap interrupted by the idea of real life. They heard the dog bark and they heard the sound of dinner being made, but neither wanted to move. It wasn’t on Kara’s list, but lounging in her favorite bed with her favorite person should have been at the top.

“I like your room,” Lena whispered. “But I think we should head downstairs.”

“We should. Part one of Midvale Christmas.”

The light slowly dimmed outside as the evening snuck in to interrupt. The heat of the day relaxed somewhat in the winter that could only be described as an East Coast fall at best.

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“Thanks for coming.”

Dinner didn’t want to end. The night descended outside and the day passed, but still the table laughed and drank. The house was decorated with lights and garlands, with candles and nutcrackers, all mingling with pictures and diplomas. It might have been one of the smallest homes she’d ever spent time in, but there was something about family there that she’d never felt before. It felt like home and it’d only been a few hours.

“Can I help clean up?” Lena offered as Eliza finally stood.

“I think Kara has too much planned. But thank you.”

“You have something planned for tonight?”

“I do,” she nodded proudly. “Put on some shoes on. I’ll help clean quickly--”

“No, no, that’s okay,” Alex stopped her from running around. “Last time you helped quickly you broke the dishwasher. We’ve got it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go have fun, Little Danvers,” Maggie promised.

Driven forward by Kara’s excitement, Lena followed along through the backyard and onto the sand of the beach while the rest of the house was grateful to get rid of the energetic tornado. Without the sun, the night grew chilly, though it still didn’t have that malignant frost of a true winter night. Instead, for December, the night on the beach was simply chilly.

“Do I get to see this famous list, or are you just going to drag me all over the place all week?” Lena asked as the trudged away from the neighborhood.

“Drag you all over the place, definitely.”

Lena rolled her eyes and hopped up onto Kara’s back as it was offered, squeezing her neck and kissing her ear as she was carried toward the surprise. Krypto followed along eagerly, prancing along before racing ahead.

“I like your house.”

“It’s nice, huh?”

The weight on her back was familiar and nice and warm. Like nothing at all, Kara held onto Lena’s thighs and walked them toward the first item on her list. It was the first thing she thought of when her mother called and invited them out, making sure they would make it with her sister.

“Your mom is very nice too,” Lena hummed, her chin on her arm and cheek pressed against Kara’s hair. “The dog isn’t so bad either.”

“I’d say we could bring him home, but I know that you’d lose it.”

“He could live at your place.”

“But you have a balcony.”

“He stays.”

“Fine,” Kara chuckled as she jumped a dozen feet in the air and landed them atop the lifeguard stand on the desolate beach. “This is spot number one.”

“I never thought I’d be on a beach for Christmas,” Lena sighed as she slid off of her hero’s back. “What is this?”

“This, my dear, is my favorite place. I spent hours and junk hear when I was a kid looking at the stars and very alone.”

“You were alone?”

“I was very lonely and sad,” she nodded, unfolding the blanket in her arms. “But I felt better when I looked at the stars. It reminded me of home.”

“Now you can be alone with me,” Lena decided as Kara’s tone drifted toward melancholic.

Lena wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and hugged her tightly atop the tower there with the waves as a beat in the background.

The blanket was spread and the pair took a seat, though this time they gave up on the stars and instead watched the holiday lights on the buildings along the coast. Lena pressed into her space heater and couldn’t help but giggle and laugh and listen and learn exactly why Kara loved that spot.

There was something oddly disorienting about waking up in her twin-sized bed, but at the same time, there was something familiar and tinged with this feeling of home and safety. The moment was warm and Kara stretched out with the sun slipping through the blinds and along her shoulders and back.

It took a few seconds of waking from the best sleep she’d had in months for Kara to realize that she was alone. She knew that she didn’t go to bed alone. In fact, she went to bed with a beautiful girl curled up into her side and lips lingering on her skin after a quiet, very quiet moment round of festive celebrating. Because no matter the place, Lena Luthor was good at drinking wine and getting handsy, and Kara liked those facts and that her family celebrations would involve a lot more bottles.

But she woke up alone in her bed, with her sister’s untouched and no sight of her girlfriend. She closed her eyes and listened and breathed in the smell of breakfast being made and Lena helping.

With a grin, Kara dug her head into her pillow and worked hard to catalogue everything happening at that very instant.

“Have you considered the degree to which you’re attacking the joint arms?” Lena asked, furrowing as she leaned over the schematic fanned out on the kitchen table. “Hey, babe,” she murmured as she sipped her coffee without looking up, earning a kiss on her temple.

“You were up early.”

“Eliza was showing me some of her schematics for a transponder. And you were exhausted.”

“Morning,” Kara took a kiss from her mother and took a cup of juice and popped a grape from the spread. “Where’s Maggie and Alex?”

“Out for a run.”

“You know, the wiring could be shorter and less prone to misfiring if you just move the battery,” Lena decided as she nodded to herself.

“Move it…” Eliza nodded as well as she considered it and moved around the table. “I could move it.”

“And it would appear that I’ve lost my girlfriend for the day.”

“What?” Lena caught herself and looked up finally, smiling shyly at Kara. “Sorry what were you saying?”

“Do you want to go to work with Eliza?”

“No, no, we have your list.”

“It’ll keep for a few hours.”

“Will it?” Lena asked, torn between wanting desperately to play with new gadgets and also being a good girlfriend.

“It will,” Kara promised, earning a squeal and huge hug.

There was a plan. There was rhyme and reason that came with all of it. Kara took Lena to her favorite restaurant and shared all of her favorite foods, even surprising Lena with a few of her own. They went out for drinks with friends from high school, and Lena got to see a nerdier, giggly hero emerge. They went to the aquarium and Kara told her girlfriend about her home, her family, both of them, both of her parents, both of her beliefs. They spent all day underwater.

By Christmas Eve, Lena was comfortable, or at least as comfortable as an orphan with a terrible childhood could be in a family that wore matching pj’s and even got her a pair. Even though it was the night before Christmas, the temperature outside was warm enough to negate the need for warm clothes, but that didn’t stop them. And thus, Lena Luthor, heir to the mass fortune and infamous name and legacy, found herself in flannel reindeer pj’s. She traced Kara’s hair as she rested in her lap while Alex and Maggie laughed on the other side of the room, and Eliza brought in more cookies.

“I still can’t believe you watch all of them in one day.”

“We have to get all of the Christmas movies in before we can’t,” Alex explained. “We had to figure out how to educate your girlfriend, and so we picked the best examples we could and answered about a thousand questions.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen half of them.”

“See, it’s important to educate the aliens,” Maggie teased, earning a chuckle from Kara. “Let me guess, The Grinch is your favorite.”

“We haven’t watched my favorite Christmas movie,” Lena disagreed.

“What is it?”

“Die Hard.”

The room was quiet but it was Alex that broke first, her laugh filling up the room until her wife joined her, followed quickly by Eliza and then finally Kara.

“That’s not a Christmas movie,” Kara chuckled.

“I beg to differ. Just because it doesn’t have a weird creature or a sing-along track doesn’t mean it doesn’t show all of the virtues of a good Christmas movie.”

“Is that really the movie you watch for the holidays?” Eliza asked, furrowing slightly.

“When we were kids, Lex and I would play John McClane. It was a pretty good part of the season for us. Well, it was. At least for me.”

Lena wished she wasn’t so surprised when the next movie they watched was Die Hard. She blushed slightly and slithered deeper into the couch as she felt Kara hug her leg. It was a new kind of memory, and it was part of her that became part of their traditions, and that was everything nice.

Kara kissed her knee at one point and nuzzled deeper before letting out a contented sigh.

There existed only one item left on the list as Christmas morning rolled around. Kara worked hard to cross off every item and spend as much time showing Lena everything that she had to offer to make Christmas a new favorite time of the year for the pessimistic Luthor.

But the final item, that was enough to make her nervous as all get out. And she stared at her tattered list as Lena slept half atop her in the morning light and kissed her head before sighing and feeling her own heart jump at the thought of completing it.

Time was going to push her onward though.

“Merry Christmas,” Lena hummed as she dug her nose into Kara’s shoulder.

A few days on the twin bed, and she was appreciating her king back home a lot more, though waking up this close was kind of nice and different.

“Merry Christmas,” Kara whispered, closing her eyes.

“Merry Christmas!” Alex yelled from just outside the door. “Let’s go!”

The two in the bed just growled and groaned and stretched and collided together in the tiny space of the bed beneath the shared blankets and pillows. Both gave up and tugged on their matching pj’s that were an early gift before heading downstairs.

Gifts spilled out from beneath the tree while the rest of the living room was filled with Eliza and Maggie and Alex standing there.

“I’ll get coffee, go take a seat. Everyone sit,” Kara ordered, exchanging a pointed look with her sister. Oblivious to it all, Lena took a seat eagerly.

Time was coming indeed for the last item on her list, and Kara let out a big breath as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Wrapping paper and bows and discarded boxes accumulated as the music played in the background. Lena even got a stocking, which was important. She got gifts from everyone else, and she got lots of laughs and jokes from everyone around the tree as the morning grew deeper.

“I love it, thank you,” Maggie grinned and kissed her wife.

“I think this means Christmas is over,” Lena sighed.

“I don’t know,” Kara shook her head and started to dig in a stocking. “I think there’s one more gift left.”

“Yeah, check the tree, Lena,” Eliza smiled, sitting on the edge of her seat.

“Do you hide them in there as well?” she asked, stretching and searching. “I don’t see anything else. And I think everyone opened the ones I got.”

By the time Lena turned around, Kara was on her knee.

“So there’s one more item on my list,” she smiled and showed it to her girlfriend finally. “And it’s to ask you to marry me, and give me the happiest girl in the world.”

“What… what?” Lena shook her head and looked at everyone else. “What are you doing?”

“Lena Luthor, I’m in love with you. I want every Christmas with you. I want everything with you.”

“Kara-- this--”

“What do you say?”

“Of course!” she yelped before tackling her girlfriend into the pile of wrapping paper.

256 notes · View notes

zoemurph · 6 years

Text

your midnights

posted on ao3 on new year’s eve!! only getting around to posting it here now cause uhhhh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

on ao3

For flor

I wrote and upLoaded this from my phone. It's surprisingly hard to do. Also I wrote this in a few hours with no editing at all while at a family party so it's a mess but it had to be done

Is alcoholic champagne better than non alcoholic cause uhhhh gross

Will probably be edited when I get back home!! I'm away visiting family and have no wifi so. Wild.

Enjoy~

Evan glances to the clock. It's not even eleven yet, but it feels like they've been waiting for midnight to come for hours. He leans back against the couch and watches Zoe win another round of Bullshit. Jared throws his cards in the air as Zoe laughs and Alana flips the pile of cards in the center over to see how much of it is actually correct.

It's nice.

Evan's never really done anything for New Year's Eve before. There were parties, there are always parties, but he didn't go to the ones that were open to all and he was never invited to smaller ones before.

The last time he did something for New Year's Eve was probably six grade. Back when Jared and him were still close.

Connor drops down next to Evan on the couch. Connor lifts his cup in a toast to Evan and Evan rolls his eyes and knocks his own plastic cup against Connor's. He's only drinking apple juice, but Jared insisted everyone use red solo cups for the party aesthetic. Alana agreed, but only as long as no pictures with red cups end up in the internet.

"Colleges look at the internet," Alana had said seriously.

Evan had swallowed thickly and hoped that they don't read into any of his tweets. He didn't think he'd ever written anything bad but he wasn't not sure.

"Let's hope they don't find Murphy's emo tumblr," Jared had said with a smirk.

Connor had rolled his eyes.

"What are you drinking?" Evan asks Connor.

Connor swirls around whatever in his cup. "The alcohol free champagne Jared brought."

Evan wrinkles his nose. He tried some when Jared pulled it out, but he hated the taste. Jared also brought actual champagne, but they're saving it for after the ball drop. Evan probably won't have any, if it tastes anything like the fake champagne he's perfectly fine without it, but Zoe made everyone promise they wouldn't have any more than two cups.

"We aren't getting champagne drunk in Evan's house," she had said.

"We could," Jared pointed out.

Zoe threw a pillow at his head.

Connor laughs at Evan's expression. "Don't like it?"

"It's gross," Evan says. "How do you stand it?"

Connor shrugs. "It's not that bad."

"You also ate dirt once," Evan remembers, "so I don't know why I'm talking to you."

Connor bumps their shoulders together before he moves his arm to rest on the back of the couch. If Evan was braver, he could grab Connor's hand and pull his arm down around his shoulders.

Jared shouts as Alana beats Zoe and ends her running streak. "I love you, you over organized disaster!" he yells before launching himself at her over the pile of cards.

Zoe snorts and falls backward onto the floor as Alana laughs and tries to shove Jared off him as he smothers her.

Evan smiles and leans a little closer to Connor.

Connor lowers his cup. "He's gonna hurt himself one day."

"You say that like he hasn't."

Connor raises his eyebrows. "Has he?"

Evan shrugs and takes a sip of apple juice. "I love embarrassing Jared, but he'll probably kill me if I tell you the story I'm thinking about."

"Really? I could take him."

Evan shrugs. "Ask him about the biology incident sometime."

Connor narrows his eyes.

"Are you talking about me?" Jared asks, looking up from where he's still flopped on top of Alana.

"Maybe," Connor says. "What is it to you?"

Alana pokes Jared in the side. He yelps and rolls off of her as he curls up in a ball. Zoe takes Alana's hand and pulls her so she's sitting upright as she giggles.

Jared flips Alana off as he gets to his feet. "Don't go and give away my secrets, Hansen."

Evan mimes zipping his lips.

"I can't believe you don't trust me," Connor says. "I thought we were closer than that."

Jared scoffs and grabs his cup off the table. "Keep dreaming, Murph."

"I wasn't talking to you, Kleinman." Connor taps the top of Evan's head with the hand that's been sitting next to his ear. "I was talking to Evan."

"Evan would never betray me."

Evan puts down his cup. "Okay, so we were in seventh grade and we had just started the unit on—"

"We get it!" Jared interrupts.

"No keep going," Zoe says from where she's sitting on the floor. "I wanna hear the rest of this."

Jared carefully puts his cup on the coffee table and backs away from Evan with his hands raised. "Don't hurt me, I won't hurt you."

"Are we done?" Alana asks, gathering up the cards.

"Yes," Jared says immediately. "I'm not losing to Zoe again."

Zoe smiles brightly. "I don't know, I kind of want to kick Jared's ass again."

"Nope!" Jared flops back onto the couch, narrowly avoiding landing on Connor. "Let's do a social media check."

Evan shifts uncomfortably. "Or we could...not?"

"Social media check?" Alana asks. Zoe hands her the last cards and the card box.

"See what the other parties are like," Jared says, pulling out his phone.

"What we're missing," Connor mutters into his alcohol-less alcohol.

"We aren't missing anything," Zoe says sharply. "Unless any of you want music that's too loud and massive hangovers in the morning."

"We can have hangovers here," Jared says. He doesn't look up from his phone, but points in the direction of the kitchen, where there's too much pizza and a bottle of champagne. The twist off kind, not the cork one.

"We aren't getting drunk on champagne," Zoe says. She gets to her feet. "Remote?"

Connor scoots over and pulls it from between the cushions. "Catch." He tosses it to Zoe and she catches it with minimal fumbling.

"What are you putting on?" Alana asks.

"Ball drop?" Jared suggests.

Connor groans. "That's boring as fuck, let's not."

"He's right," Alana agrees. "It's incredibly anticlimactic. It doesn't even drop, it just lowers. I expected more."

"Life motto," Jared mutters.

Zoe flips through a few stations before opening Netflix. "Anyone have any preference?"

"Nothing targeted for children," Alana says.

"Does that mean no Disney?" Zoe asks as she scrolls through movies and tv shows.

Alana fixes her glasses. "No that's okay. I've been spending a lot of time with Theo this week and I'm getting sick of her shows."

"You should've asked me to babysit," Connor says before taking a sip of his drink. "I don't mind watching that shit with her."

"That's because she loves you," Alana says. She holds out her hand and Zoe passes her her cup. "And you don't have to see her every day."

"I could."

"Whipped," Jared stage whispers into his cup.

Connor shrugs. "I won't deny it."

"It's sweet," Zoe says. She crams herself into the space on the couch between Evan and Connor, and Evan regrets not moving closer to Connor before. "I can't believe he spends so much time with a six year old."

"How long until midnight?" Evan asks.

"It's eleven oh three," Alana says.

"And I want pizza," Jared announced. "Anyone want anything from the kitchen?"

Connor holds up his cup as Jared passes by. "Fake champagne."

"Grab me a slice," Zoe says. "It can be cold."

"Sweet." Jared takes the cup from Connor.

"Don't destroy the kitchen," Evan calls out after him. "You had to clean it up if you do."

"You're a bad host, Evan," Jared shouts back.

Evan huffs and leans back on the couch, careful not to pull on Zoe's hair.

Jared comes back with a drink for Connor and two slices of pizza. Jared joins Alana on the floor and Evan grabs them pillows and blankets as Zoe and Connor bicker over what Disney movie is best.

They both turn to Evan.

"Lilo and Stitch," Connor says.

"No, Tangled," Zoe argues.

Evan blinks. "Uh..."

"Treasure Planet is better," Jared counters.

Evan rolls his eyes. "That's because you had a crush on Jim."

"That I did," Jared says with a serious nod.

Alana takes the remote from Zoe as Zoe and Connor go back to their argument.

Zoe slides down off the couch to join Alana and Jared on the phone, effectively ending the argument.

Connor smiles triumphantly at Evan. "I win by default."

Zoe scoffs. "That's not how this works. I'm just trying to enjoy time with my good friends."

"Good friends," Jared echoes sarcastically.

Zoe shoves him away.

Alana ends up putting on Trolls. She admits that she can quote parts of it, which Jared thinks is hilarious and Zoe thinks is incredible. Evan tries to inch closer to Connor without him noticing.

Evan finds himself weirdly invested in the movie and physically a lot closer to Connor than he expected to be when Jared sits up with a jerk.

He leans over Zoe to grab for the remote "Pause it! Five minutes until midnight. We have to find the ball."

Connor knocks the side of Jared's head with his foot. "I thought we greed that it was boring."

Jared shoves Connor's foot away. "Yeah but it's still tradition."

Alana hands over the remote. "We don't have any traditions."

"Well we're making them now." Jared pauses the movie and starts flipping through the channel guide. "If someone wanted to Google the channel number that'd be cool."

"I'll grab the champagne," Connor says, standing up.

Zoe glances up at him. "Not drinking it, right?"

"Nah," Connor stretches his arms up. "I'll stick to the fake stuff."

"Hey, Evan, your mom still have champagne flukes?" Jared asks, not looking away from the screen.

"If you promise not to break them." Connor offers Evan his hand and pulls Evan to his feet.

"Cross my heart, hope to die," Jared promises.

Connor follows Evan into the kitchen. Evan directs him to the top cabinet where they keep wine glasses. They carefully cover the counter in glasses so Connor can pull the champagne flukes from the back.

Connor grabs the two champagne bottles, actual alcohol and fake alcohol, and then starts helping Evan put the glasses away.

Evan finds himself leaning against the counter as Connor reaches up over him. Connor glances down at Evan. Evan feels his face heat up as he hands Connor the last glass.

"Three minutes!" Jared shouts from the living room.

Evan inhales sharply as Connor closes the cabinet. "H-how do you um— do you want to grab both bottles and I take the glasses or do you want me to take one or we could take two trips and—"

"I'm early," Connor says.

Evan blinks at him. "You're...what?"

One of Connor's hands comes up to brush against Evan's cheek. "Like by two minutes."

Evan is about to ask what Connor means like that because he's not making sense when Connor leans forward and presses his lips against Evan's.

It's quick and gentle and leaves Evan breathless when Connor pulls away, gathers up three of the flukes in one hand and a bottle in the other, and disappears back into the living room.

Evan brushes his fingers against his lips.

"Two minutes!" Zoe and Jared shout together. Zoe starts laughing and Alana says something that Evan doesn't hear.

"Took you long enough," Jared says.

"Couldn't find the glasses," Connor explains.

"Evan get in here!" Zoe shouts.

Evan takes a deep breath. He grabs the bottle of champagne that Connor left, the real one with actual alcohol, and the two remaining glasses. He walks into the living room and tries not to look too much at Connor.

Evan puts the glasses on the table with the others and the bottle far away enough from the half finished bottle of nonalcoholic champagne that they shouldn't get mixed up.

"One minute!" Jared yanks Alana to her feet.

She laughs. "Jared it's just another day."

He grabs her face. "Lana, it's the end of another shitty year. And we all made it. Celebrate."

Alana's eyes flick to Connor. He's too busy elbowing Zoe as she tries to put beads over his head — where she got necklaces Evan has no idea but Alana's wearing a golden one and Jared has about six — but Evan notices. Alana and Evan make eye contact and Evan quickly looks away.

"Celebrate," Alana repeats. "One minute till midnight," she says with a gentle smile.

Zoe manages to get a string of purple beads around Connor's neck and hands Evan some blue beads with a smile. Evan dutifully puts them on without a fuss.

"Ten!" the crowd on the television shouts.

Jared throws his arm over Alana's shoulder. "Nine!" he chimes in.

"Eight!"

Zoe laughs and lets Jared wrap his other arm around her waist and pulls her in. "Seven!" she yells.

"Six!"

Jared grins at Evan. "Five!"

Evan smiles weakly and then glances over to Connor.

"Four!"

Jared gives Evan a serious look and nods. Zoe gives him a thumbs up.

"Three!"

Evan inches closer to where Connor is on the other side of the room, watching the television with a weird amount of intensity.

"Two!"

Evan wipes his hands on his pants. They're shaking.

"One!"

He grabs Connor by the collar of his shirt and pulls him down to him and kisses him. Their noses bump and it's kind of messy but Connor's arms wrap around Evan's waist to pull him closer and Evan is kissing Connor and Evan's heart is pounding in his ears, so it's not all bad. There's cheering in the background and Zoe is laughing and Evan just smiles and kisses Connor harder.

When he breaks away, Connor leans back in and kisses the corner of his mouth before pressing their foreheads together.

"Happy New Year," Evan whispers.

Connor is smiling and Evan swears he would do anything to see that smile all the time. "Happy New Year, Ev."

"We did it!" Jared shouts. "We killed 2017!"

Evan turns away from Connor to see Jared twisting open the champagne and pouring it out. He shoves a fluke at Alana as Zoe holds out a glass to Connor.

Connor takes it from her, but keeps his other arm around Evan's waist. "Happy New Year, Zo."

She smiles and hands Evan the other glass. "Happy New Year, guys." She presses a kiss to Evan's cheek and ruffles Connor's hair.

Jared hands her her champagne before lifting his own fluke in the air. "We made it!"

Zoe raises her glass to clink it against Jared's.

"Happy New Year, everyone," Alana says and Evan thinks there might be tears in her eyes.

"We made it," Connor says softly and, Evan thinks, mostly to himself.

Evan smiles and taps his fluke against Connor's. "We made it."

#convan #tree bros #deh #deh fanfic #evan hansen #my fics #hoooooo lil late @ myself!!!!!#but now its on both my platforms so *ok hand emoji*

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davidfostercomedyblog · 6 years

Text

The Thrill of Defeat: Remembering Dad

In his later years it was rare to get a call from Dad after 6pm, as dinner was followed up with TV and (more) wine, a formulaic pair that apparently facilitates the body’s evening intention the way coffee and eggs do its mornings, even more so with age.

It took us a while, but my brother and I both eventually learned to avoid calling him after this time, lest be reminded, via the perfect storm of decreased attention span and auditory acuity, of our father’s mortality. Dad became notorious for the abruptly terminated, 40-second phone calls, that always went something like:

“Hey son, how ya doing? You’re good? Work’s good?”

“Yeah, Dad, all’s pretty--“

“Okay, gimme a call this week, I love ya, goodbye.”

“Err… what? Hello?”

So to say it came as a surprise when I saw his name pop up under “incoming” on my phone at around 10:30 one weeknight last summer would be an understatement. I looked in utter confusion at my girlfriend seated next to me on the couch.

“Who is it?” she asked, her eyes big with that classic Jewish worry, unfounded terror, which has been part of what I’ve fallen in love with, probably not so ironically.

“It’s my Dad,” I said, and relief washed over her.

“Hello?”

“Heyyy, son.”

“Hey… Dad,” the skepticism in my response as thick as if he’d walked out on us when I was six and this was the first I’m hearing from him.

“I wanted to talk to you about something about myself, if you have a minute,” and terror washed back over my face. Dad was sensitive and loving, though in typical white man fashion, not much one for emotional communication. He’d smother us with hugs and kisses and recklessly screw up our hair with an affectionate hand, but vulnerable dialogue around self-awareness was not a usual part of his repertoire. “So what could this possibly be about… at 10pm (the Dad equivalent to 4am)?”

“I think,” he started, “and by all means tell me if I’m off here…” (I already presumed he was)… “Have you ever noticed about me… well, I think I may get a bit too affected by the outcome of ballgames, you know? Like the Yankees and Giants… I may get too upset when they lose. Have you ever noticed that about me?”

My jaw dropped to an open grin as I turned to my girl. It was like Michael Jackson asking if he may have had too much plastic surgery; or Tony Montana in the last scene of Scarface wondering if he has a coke problem.

After the Giants lost a heartbreaking playoff game to the 49ers in 2002 my mom at the dinner table chose to find the humor in the situation: “Well, at least the Jets are still in it,” she offered as a sarcastic silver lining, knowing full well that Dad hated the Jets even more than he did the Red Sox or Cowboys.

“How would you like a fuckin’ bottle of wine broken over your face?” Dad asked Mom, and the only reason we knew he was joking was his unblemished record of non-violence. Dad was a good man, but an even better Giants fan, with little to no sense of humor around losses and disappointment.

Mom laughed him off; Dad shook his head, smiling in Jack Nicholson-like madness.

“They give me gray hairs, I tell ya, son. They give me gray hairs. I had a full head of black hair before I started watching the Giants, you know that?”

Well, I would hope so. Before you started watching them you were 9 years old.

I have vague childhood memories of dinners taking on a different tone after bad losses, and more vivid, recent memories of Dad cursing out the television if the Yankees give up even one run with a six run lead, all while sitting pretty in first place in the middle of May. I guess if you could say anything for him it’s that he lived in the moment. No matter what was going on in the game or where we were in the season, Dad was invested. A missed free throw or a four-pitch walk, especially after the Yankees had just taken the lead, and Dad’s signature catharsis would appear, a right foot slammed into the floor concurrent with the same side hand slammed into the same side (bad) knee, accompanied of course by the expletive of the moment.

My brother once remarked: “What is that move? I’ve never seen anyone else with that move before.”

That’s Dad’s move.

Dad cared, not just about the Yankees and Giants, and (20th century) Knicks, but that much more about his family, his five kids, which is likely why his passion for the game(s) was so infectious. My friend, Nick Cobb, is a hilarious stand-up comedian, who does a great bit on how absurd it is to be emotionally invested in a sports event, and every time he recites it I’m reminded of how different he and I are; how different people are; and I’m reminded of Dad.

Nick’s absolutely right. It’s illogical and immature, a tad bit insane to feel such fury around a group of guys you’ve never met before scoring less points than another such group of guys just because the former group wear shirts that have your hometown written on them. It’s probably only a notch above the animalistic frequency that propagates slavery and war, and presently our preposterous presidential debacle. Fortunately sports are much more a source of integration and celebration, and although ultimately insignificant in the higher realms of spirituality, they serve a positive purpose, if in no other way as a superficial means towards deeper connection.

In our final meal together Dad played all his classic hits: Asking me about my career, the logistics of my upcoming week, and of course if I’d been watching the Yankees playoff games. Obviously I had, and in his final days (really his final years) sports was the only subject matter about which we seemed to still communicate on an equal plain. Because of his waning faculties coupled with a general lack of understanding of the modern business climate, I often felt unfulfilled by our dialogue around my job; like it was tedious and too surface and any time I tried to delve deeper I’d lose him, frustrated between sympathy for and impatience with my father. It looks quite difficult, growing old, but also in the words of Michael Corleone (in another of our common bonds): “It’s not easy to be a son, Fredo.”

I am my father, through and through, not just according to my mom, but also in my own moments of self-reflection. When Scott Norwood missed wide right and the Giants won Super Bowl 25 Dad spent approximately five minutes crouched over the television set giving Marv Levy the middle finger, screaming at the top of his lungs: “Fuck you, Marv! FUCK YOU!” It’s a memory most etched into my brother’s mind, who was eight at the time, presumably cowering under the living room table; and we’ve since reflected as to what the exact beef was with Marv. As far as we know, Levy was a good guy, a great coach and had never harmed any women, children or small animals. Nevertheless, you wouldn’t have known as much to watch Dad berate him through the screen on what was surely one of the best days of his life.

17 years later when Plaxico Burress caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 42 to solidify the Giants’ win and ruin the Patriots’ perfect season I sprinted out of my cousin’s bedroom (I’d been watching the final quarter in a dark room by myself while our entire family sat sanely together just ten feet away) and thrust my 180 pound frame into the air to collapse upon my unprepared loved ones on the couch. I hurt my brother’s knee, then ran into the room and destroyed my bed frame. In the days after the parade I was experiencing such severe chest pains that I had to go to the hospital. All tests were negative. I just had to calm down.

My opinion is that one of our main purposes in life is to take as much of our parents’ good as possible, and leave as much of the bad. This is a goal I think I’ve at least matured into in the realm of sports, as I still celebrate the joy of victory, but don’t as much attach myself to the agony of defeat. Whereas I once punched a gaping hole in my bedroom wall when John Starks went 3/19 in Game 7, and had to sit in silent memoriam for almost an hour when Mariano blew the save to the Diamondbacks in ‘01, I find in recent years that I have an easier time moving on.

“It’s just not worth it,” I explained to Dad on the phone. “Like, we’re so lucky to be Giants fans, and God bless us, Yankees fans - overall, we’re quite spoiled, and get the opportunity to celebrate much more often than other fans. And I have you to thank for that! So I think it’s important to keep in mind going into these games that winning is a luxury that we just can’t expect to happen the majority of the time. It’s impossible. This isn’t to be negative, but just a bit realistic in our expectations so as to better, achem… manage our emotions… you know?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. Had he fallen asleep? “Dad?”

“Yeah, I think you’re right… So you have noticed that about me then?”

LOL! “Yes, I think that’s fair to say. I mean, I think it’s great, and it’s a passion you’ve passed down to me, which I appreciate, but I think it’s important to keep things in perspective. Like I may get mad at a playoff game, a win-or-the-season’s-over kind of game, but I don’t allow myself to get angry at a regular season baseball game, of which there are 162! I think that’s an important distinction.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” he responded. “I think that’s good advice, son. I’m gonna try to remember that,” and in characteristic fashion he told me he loved me, hung up and was gone, all before I could fully reciprocate: “I love you.”

Nevertheless I believed him. I’d spent years trying to convince him to eat healthier, to drink less (alcohol) and more water, and really never got through. But one five-minute conversation on a random summer weeknight and I suspected it was actually transformative. It was less than two months before he passed away, and it might sound silly, but I wonder if it wasn’t one of the last lessons Dad had to learn before moving on. Everything about it was just so odd, the timing in relation to his death, the timing of the phone call and energy of his response.

Like anyone who’s lost a parent, I think about Dad often, but especially after Yankees wins, which was always the best time to catch him, in good enough spirits to occasionally generate a call doubly as long, even multiple minutes! I realize I miss sharing that with him. I miss being able to connect with him, as after certain games I still observe my mind’s kneejerk reaction: Call Dad – but I can’t anymore. I’m so lucky, so grateful, to have had the father I did for as long as I did, whose good was so good, and bad was at worst just sort of hilarious, and promise to do my best to continue to celebrate like a fool, but also to not adopt his move of the foot slam/hand into knee slam. That’s Dad’s move.

#fathersday #dad #sports

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