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#of course Phil spilled a drink again
deviant-goose · 7 months
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Dan and Phil are Dating Boys
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philhoffman · 1 year
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This week’s Monday Philm is one of the most fun movies ever, Mission: Impossible III (2006). Action movies aren’t my favorite, JJ Abrams isn’t the most beloved director ever, the shaking/blurry camera and lens flares make it hard to see what is happening at all times—and yet, so fucking fun.
The hardest cold open in history. It’s gotta be, right? Part of what makes this movie so great is that Phil is clearly having the time of his life. It’s objectively hilarious that he went from winning the Oscar for Capote to immediately being in this big Hollywood action star blockbuster. And he didn’t do anything else like it again. It’s so fun seeing him play Tom Cruise playing himself and doing (most of) his own stunts—especially the helicopter, knowing it made him violently ill after every take 😭
Something I think about a lot in relation to PSH’s characters is that he gives them such life, his films often feel like they’re dropping in on a very real person for a short time. Like they’ve existed before the timeline of the movie and they will continue living their life after it ends (well, except for a few unlucky guys)—we’re just getting a glimpse of that life. Not sure any character embodies that better than Owen Davian. He’s just so bored. All of this Rabbit’s Foot business and spy stuff is very exciting and urgent and intense for Ethan Hunt and the IMF (not the International Monetary Fund) and everyone else. But Davian, who is kidnapped by a clone of himself in a Vatican bathroom then held out the cargo bay doors of a jet tens of thousands of feet above the ground, can’t be bothered. He blinks awake at his captors, he teases them, he gets all the information he needs from a single name. He shakes his hand out after throwing a punch because it hurts, he stumbles a bit over his own feet while threatening Julia, he drags Hunt lazily across the floor. Davian’s got other things on his mind, more important matters. These are Tom Cruise’s movies, of course, so Davian could never win, but until then this is absolutely just another Tuesday in his mind.
I’d love to see all the different ways they shot the airplane scene. We know from one of the trailers that there’s another take in which he plays it softer than the final cut—still threatening, but invested, almost giddy. It would be awesome to see any other alternate approaches.
I also love the little moments—the brute force with which he grabs a drink from the waiter’s tray, the trademark way he gently, just barely touches Maggie Q’s face when her character Zhen Lei spills the wine on his shirt (the same gesture he makes to Charlie in Scent of a Woman!), his imitation of Tom Cruise right after the mask swap when talking to Luther. 
The first time I watched MI3 was last summer with my family, and it was such an unexpectedly great treat that we all enjoyed it. I remember thinking, this is exactly the kind of movie people are talking about when they say Philip Seymour Hoffman takes a good movie and makes it phenomenal. There will always be action movies, Hollywood will always churn them out, no matter who’s in them. MI3 is a fine movie. But then he shows up and BAM, it’s a standout, it’s something people remember. This is the movie that makes it a joy to see PSH on screen, for the casual movie buff and for his diehard fans. He made things better for anyone.
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poisoned-peppermint · 3 years
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Part 4 of incorrect quotes because i feel obligated to make more due to the sheer number of people who liked it
Dream: My dearest beloved fuckos, is a fun, gender-neutral way to begin a speech
George: See also, esteemed bastards
Bad: Gentlefolk, Ferals, and Domesticated cryptids. 
Sapnap: My fellow yees and haws
~~~~~~~
Techno:Hey I know skyrim is revered as a classic but are we just going to ignore the fact that the entire game only had like 3 voice actors
Wilbur:Stop right there criminal cum
Techno:My ancestors are smiling at me, bastard, can you say the same
~~~~~~~
Foolish:When's your bedtime :)
Purpled: Whenever I next collapse in purely up to the gods
~~~~~~
Ranboo:Human skin is a fursuit for skeletons 
Tubbo: i’m going to debone you like a fucking trout
~~~~~~
Bad:You’re enough
Bad: love yourself!!!!!!! or suffer my wrath!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dream:And by wrath I mean love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad:no I mean wrath!!!!! You reading this, if you don't love yourself I’ll beat you with a stick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~
Bad:I hope everyone is today well! And tomorrow!!!! After that you’re on your own.
~~~~~~
Bad:what am I supposed to do all day while you’re at work
Skeppy:I don’t know, what do you normally do while I’m gone
Bad: wait for you to get back
~~~~~~
Velvet:For my next stunt, I’ll wake up at 5am on the day I can sleep in
Ant:Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Velvet:Early to bed and early to rise makes me a massive bitch
~~~~~~
Tubbo: 3:23 AM make a wish
Ranboo: I wish that you would go to sleep
Tuddo: Yeah well I wish I grew an inch taller every day as you get an inch shorter until you’re as flat as as a piece of paper and I’m 11 feet tall
Ranboo: You’re going to die of a mixture of skeletal instability and heart disease.
Tubbo: Yeah but I’ll look good while doing it.
~~~~~~
Bad:Disrespect me again and I’ll determine your bodies resonant frequency and play a jaunty horn solo that boils your miserable organs inside out 
~~~~~~
Quackity: If I were dating you?  Well, heh. Let’s just say horses wouldn't be called horses anymore
Karl: hey what the honk does this mean…..I’m shaking what does this mean!
~~~~~~
Skeppy: Are you ok?
Bad wrapped in a burrito blanket drinking his 6th cup of coffee: Yes, this is exactly what mental stability looks like
~~~~~~
Sam: My hands are cold
Ponk: *holds their hands*
Ponk: better?
Sam: My lips are cold too
~~~~~~
George at dream’s funeral: can I have a moment alone with them?
Sapnap: of course *leaves*
George leaning over dream’s casket: Now listen, I know you’re not dead.
Dream: yeah no shit
~~~~~~
Skeppy, jokingly: I should have Bad kill you for that.
Bad, peering around the corner: Who do I need to kill?
Skeppy: Wh- no, I was just kidding around.
Bad, pulling out a switchblade: No, who’s bothering you
~~~~~~
Bad *watching the news*: Some idiot tried to fight a squid at the aquarium.
Skeppy *covered in ink*: Maybe the squirt was being a dick.
~~~~~~
Peacock: *spreads feathers at Bad*
Skeppy: It’s trying to attract a mate
Bad, extremely confused: *shyly lifts top*
Skeppy: No!
~~~~~~
Sapnap: Karl, do you eat olives? My dad wants to know
Karl: No, I hate olives. Olives are the spawn of satan. I hate olives so much my mom forced me to live in Mount olive for the rest of my childhood as a curse from the olive gods. Do you understand how much olives have ruined my life? I'm so offended that you asked me that have some consideration for people who have been abused by olives please!
Sapnap: K A R L ……….they’re just olives!!?
Karl: JUST OLIVES EXCUSE!
~~~~~~
Tommy: If you’re bored you can simply close your eyes and rotate a cow in your mind. It’s free and the cops can’t stop you
~~~~~~
Wilbur: is there anyone even named sheldon irl?
Tubbo: my class turtle from 6th grade :)
Wilbur: that’s a turtle
Tubbo: When god sings with his creations, will a turtle not be part of the choir?
~~~~~~
Ranboo: No bcuz why do ppl like salad?? What’s so good about it
Tubbo: chew leaf like god intended
Ranboo: No
Tubbo: Abandon god and see what he does next time you lift your hands in prayer
~~~~~~~
Tommy: Guys, there’s a monster under my bed and it’s really ugly.
Wilbur, on the bottom bunk: Honestly, fuck you.
~~~~~~
Quackity: So according to the cease and desist order I got, apparently you can’t ‘legally’ be a lawyer if your license is ‘cut out of a cereal box’.
~~~~~~
Puffy: If you had too, what would you give up food or sex?
Bad: Sex.
Skeppy: Seriously, answer faster.
Bad: I’m sorry honey, when they said sex I wasn’t thinking about sex with you.
Skeppy: It’s like a giant hug.
Puffy: Ant, what about you? What would you give up sex or food?
Ant: Food.
Puffy: Okay, how about sex or dinosaurs?
Ant: ……...Oh my God it’s like the movie Sophie’s Choice.
Gumi: What about you Velvet? What would you give up sex or food?
Velvet: Oh… um… I don’t know, it’s too hard.
Gumi: No, you gotta pick one.
Velvet: Um, food… no, sex… no, food…sex… food. Ugh! I don’t know! I want both! I- I want Antfrost on bread!
~~~~~~~
Tommy, holding a gun: If the conspiracies about life being a simulation are true WHOEVERS CONTROLLING MY SIM I JUST WANNA TALK.
~~~~~~~
Bad: Why are you guys acting like this?
Boomer: Oh, we’re not acting. We really are like this.
~~~~~~
Techno: Dream has only knocked me out three times this week. Our friendship is really developing.
~~~~~~
Tommy: You’re pathetic!
Wilbur: You’re pathetic-er!
Techno: You’re both losers.
~~~~~~
Bad: I wish I could help you, but I shorn’t.
Skeppy: Bad, please!
Bad: What part of shorn’t don’t you understand?
~~~~~~
Tubbo: Why did you leave Wrestlemania on for Michal?
Ranboo: They need to learn how to protect us.
~~~~~~
Antfrost: I regret getting dragged into your heterosexual tomfoolery.
~~~~~~
Bad: Strawberry milk doesn’t taste like strawberry OR milk.
Skeppy: Go the fuck to sleep Bad!
Bad: LANGUAGE!!
~~~~~~
Ranboo: Tubbo, please calm down.
Tubbo: I asked for two large fries!
Tubbo: *dumps fries onto table*
Tubbo: But all they did was give me a MILLION FUCKING LITTLE ONES!
~~~~~~
Bad: That was the worst throw ever. Of all time.
Skeppy: Not my fault. Somebody put a wall in the way.
~~~~~~
Wilbur: When you’ve been on the internet for as long as I have, you develop thick skin.
Tommy: Navy blue isn’t your color.
Wilbur: Navy blue brings out my eyes you prick! *Chases after Tommy*
~~~~~~
Bad: *Pulls a glass a water from out of nowhere*
Puffy: Where did you get that?.
Bad: My pocket.
Puffy: How do you keep a glass of water in your pocket?
Bad: Skills.
~~~~~~
Tubbo: I will come to your house after work and knock on your window at 11 AM. You will not open the curtains, knowing full well what awaits you, but the knocking only grows louder, more demanding. Finally it stops, your ears ringing. You nervously let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. You're safe now. Minutes pass by and you start to relax. And then you hear a knock at the front door. Like before, you stay still and clutch the blankets around you. You try to tell your self that it's just your imagination. Maybe the milk man? But why would he come so late? Everyone else was asleep, save for Naomi who was playing video games down stairs. To your relief, the knocking stops after a few. Minutes and you breath easy once more. Until you hear a knock on your bedroom door. You don't move. It's just your imagination. She isn't here. She can't be here. You tell yourself, shutting your eyes and willing yourself to sleep. The knock comes again, but with horror you realize that it came from the closet inside your room. You know that you have no choice. You get up, climbing out of bed with shaking limbs. You walk to the closest, trembling, and holding back the tears threatening to spill over your porcelain cheeks. You hesitate with your hand over the closet handle. Maybe it's just your imagination? She's not really there. You can go to sleep and laugh it off in the morning. Your naive thoughts are cut off by another, more demanding knock on the closet door, inches from your face. You know what you have to do. You open the closet door, and there she stands. Chuck e cheese, the mouse looms over you in the dim light. It's soulless eyes boor into you. It raises its arms, and you flinch as it begins to floss at lightning speed. Tears spill over your cheeks. This is the last thing you'll ever see.
Ranboo: Wait, Chuck e cheese’s pronouns are she/her? Trans Chuck e cheese? Good for her.
~~~~~~~~
Bad: Would you like something to drink? *They opened the fridge* We have water, milk, juice, spiders, Dr. Pepper-
Quackity: Spiders?
Bad: Spiders it is then.
Quackity: No, that wasn’t-
*But they were already pouring him a brimming glass of spiders…
~~~~~~
Puffy : Make her pussy wet not her eyes.
Velvet : Make his dick hard not his life.
Punz : Break her bed not her heart.
Skeppy : Play with his boobs not his feelings. 
Ant : Get on his dick not his nerves.
Bad : Always salt your pasta while boiling it.
~~~~~~~
Wilbur: Bet you can’t eat 15 crayons!
Tommy: Bet you I can!
Phil: *sips coffee, checks to make sure 911 is still on speed dial, and goes back to reading the paper*
~~~~~~~
Ant: We need a way to lure in new customers?
Ponk: Maybe we could have some fun, interactive events!
Skeppy: Badboyhalo bath water.
Bad: ABSOLUTELY NOT!
~~~~~~~~
Fundy: GET BACK HERE YOU DUMB FUCK!
Wilbur: LET ME RUN FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS!
~~~~~~~~
Bad: Mint is just cold spicy.
Pummel party Squad: …
Gumi: What the actual fuck is wrong with you.
~~~~~~~~
Quackity: Isn’t it amazing how I can feel so bad and still look so good?
~~~~~~~
Tommy: Why does my arm shake and turn bright red when I’m eating dirt?
Phil:
Phil: Why are you eating dirt?
Tommy: Did I ask you if I should eat dirt? No, so answer my question.
~~~~~~~
Tubbo: I wish I could control wasps and bees to sting my enemies.
Quackity: You’re too young to have enemies.
Tubbo: You don’t even know.
~~~~~~~~
Skeppy: Is there a cactus where your heart should be?
Puffy: What’s up your ass this morning!
Bad: *walks in* …Hi!!
Puffy: Hmm… nevermind.
Skeppy: WAIT NO!
~~~~~~~~
Skeppy: Ha! Don’t you know the trappers trap can trap the trapper?
Skeppy: I must be losing it, I’m quoting Bad.
~~~~~~~
Skeppy: Bad, I sense hostility.
Bad: Good, because I hate you
~~~~~~~
Bad: Are you a painting?
Skeppy: What-?
Bad: Because I want to pin you to a wall.
Skeppy: OH GOD I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY YOU WANTED TO HANG ME OR SOMETHING-
~~~~~~
Tommy: You’re giving me a sticker?
Phil: Not just a sticker. That is a sticker of a kitty saying “me-wow!”
Tommy: I’m not a preschooler.
Phil: Fine, I’ll take it back-
Tommy: I earned this, back off!
~~~~~~
Dream, sweating: George, there’s something I need to ask you-
George: Finally! You’re proposing!
Dream: How’d you know?
George: Dream, you’ve dropped the ring five times during dinner.
George: I even picked it up once
~~~~~~~~
*Bad and Skeppy looking at a locked gate into a park*
Bad: Aw. :(
Skeppy: You know what they say.
Bad: Please don’t-
Skeppy: BE GAY DO CRIME! *hops gate*
Bad: Frick-
~~~~~~~~
let me know if ya’ll want more <3
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typewrittenluck · 3 years
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as the seasons change
C!Technoblade x gn!reader highschool!au
Word Count: 9.1k
Pronouns: they/them
A/N: this is literally so self indulgent, i spent a whole day writing this because im going through my techno feels rn. it basically follows the story of oblivious Y/N and Techno throughout the four seasons :)
Warnings: Underaged drinking, Swearing, Smoking, Drugs (very brief)
Suggested Songs: The State of Grace, Taylor Swift/ MEET ME AT OUR SPOT, THE ANXIETY, WILLOW, Tyler Cole/ that way, Tate McRae/ Falling, Chase Atlantic/ Compass, The Neighborhood
SUMMER------------
The August air was thick with the heat of the almost-setting sun. Her rays beat down on the backs of the group of teens, and mosquitos filled the silences between them with their incessant buzzing.
A small crack of static preceded the soft sound of music, accompanied by the sharp smack of Niki and Jack’s celebratory high-five.
“Didn’t you start setting up the speaker like an hour ago?” questioned Wilbur, who was sunk into a half-broken lawn chair that he had found in the garage. 
“Yeah, it would have been much faster if you had asked Techno” chimed Y/N from their place leaning against the above mentioned man’s leg.
His grunt of response was cut short by his little brother, Tommy, bursting into laughter.
“Because he’s TECHno! Get it?!”
Everyone groaned and Wilbur smacked Tommy upside the head, grumbling about “shouldn’t have let you come hang out with us”
Y/N giggled at that, but took sympathy on the boy. “Aww don’t be like that Wil, Tommy, I thought that was hilarious.”
“Don’t encourage him, Y/N” Techno leaned down to murmured to them in his low, monotonous voice.
There it was. The way he said their name! The way his calf felt under Y/N’s back! The way he whispered sentences directly to them, as if it was some closely guarded secret. It was enough to bring butterflies to their stomach as they praised whatever higher being was out there for the heat of the day covering their blush.
“It’s so fucking hot,” Fundy moaned, kicking Wilburs shin from his place lying facedown on the grass. “Can we go to the pool or something?”
His request was met with a spectrum of responses, varying from Tommy’s “YES, PLEASE WILL? PLEASE!” to Technoblades indifferent shrug.
Jack took note of Technoblades open response with a shout of laughter. “TECHNOBLADE IN THE POOL! I WOULD PAY GOOD MON-”
“I’m not getting in, dumbass.”
“Why? Scared you’ll ruin your hair?”
“No, he doesn’t want us to know he’s secretly jacked under the sixteen sweaters he wears.”
Technoblade picked up the hem of his sweatshirt, making eye contact with Niki. She has a point.
“How do you wear that in the Summer?”
“It’s n- TOMMY!!” 
Shrieks of laughter follow Tommy’s water gun assault on his brother. “When did he slip away to go get those?” Y/N wondered aloud.
“WHEN ARE WE LEAVING??” Tommy asked enthusiastically. 
---
A crowded minivan, a stop to pick up Tommy’s friend, and a raid of Phil’s linen closet for pool towels later, the group arrived at the neighborhood pool. The sun hung low in the horizon as people spilled out of Phil’s van and began dragging the pool toys and water guns towards the gate.
The air around the black metal bars barring their entrance to the pool seemed to quiver. 
“I think Wil has the pool key.” piped Niki in response to Fundy throwing his weight against the fence. 
Fundy, in turn, sprinted back to the car, where Wilbur was taking inventory of snacks (and probably hiding the best for himself). 
Technoblade looked down at the two younger boys and Y/N conversing in hushed whispers. All of a sudden, they screamed out in perfect synchronization, in equally high pitched voices,
“Let me innnn! Let me in pleaseeee!”
And promptly burst into giggles. Y/N almost toppled into Techno, both from laughing and the slight weariness from the heat. 
The pool noodles he was balancing beneath his arms (laden with tote bags of pool toys and towels) toppled to the ground, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was Y/N’s hand steadying themself on his chest, and the way his face began to heat up almost unbearably considering the weather. 
“Oops, sorry!” they squeaked, leaning down to pick up the fallen noodles.
Technoblade was burst out of his daze by the return of his brother and Fundy, who triumphantly swiped the access card against the pad before kicking the gate wide open.
The clang of metal against the concrete pool clubhouse sent reverberating waves into the air, and everyone winced as the metal continued to drag. 
Pool entrances varied, Niki, on the one hand, took her time tip-toeing into the water by the stairs, while Tubbo and Tommy almost knocked each other out crashing over the edge to the deep end.
Y/N chuckled at their antics, but seeing as they had settled on not getting wet today, they picked out a chaise in the shade and pulled a book and pen out of the small bag they had brought with them.
Technoblade watched them with almost unwavering interest, unless someone happened to look his way, in which case he would quickly turn back to his phone, scrolling aimlessly through his home screen until they turned away.
From his spot under the little roof of the clubhouse, he had an almost unobstructed view of Y/N, and how they chewed at the end of the pen they used to annotate their book. Oh how he wished he could read the little notes they scribbled in the margins, or the drawings they would surround words with when they got distracted from reading. And the way that pen dangled from their lips, their tantalizing, soft lips. Taunting him, almost. And their jewel-like, bright eyes. Always so inviting and playful; like the way they were meeting his right now-
Shit
He hadn’t realized he’d been staring that intently. A small quirk of their eyebrow and a smirk on their lips was enough to make his heart give out. But not now. Not when they were waving their hand so intently to get him to sit next to them. Pretending to ponder the decision and gather his belongings, (when in reality he was just collecting his bearings), he walked over to them.
“See! You don’t always want to be alone, Mr. I’m so antisocial and I hate everyone!” they smiled, patting the adjacent seat.
You’re the only exception, he thought, his brain screaming and pushing to let the words leave his mouth. He couldn’t though, not when they could never think of him the way that he thought of them.
So he answered with a small smile and a chuckle. 
“What are you reading?”
“The Picture of Dorian Gray! Remember you said you thought I’d enjoy it?” they answered with enthusiasm, that sparkle still evident in their eyes.
It warmed his heart to know that they had taken the suggestion and committed to the book, which was admittedly a pretty tough read, because of him.
“How could I forget?”
Their smile widened and they buried their head back in the book, that cursed pen once again being squished between their plush lips.
Technoblade peered over their shoulder to see that they were nearing the middle of the book, where Dorian returns from his  theater date with Basil and Henry. Feeling satisfied enough that they were invested in the story, given their gasp and furious scribbling in the margins, he felt it safe enough to stare at them under the orange-tinged glow of the sunset. 
Of course, he forgot about the crowd of his friends who were nudging each other and whispering about his infatuation with you. The whispers reached Wilbur who narrowed his eyes in his twin's direction and made a mental note to ask him about it later.
Once dark hit and the water began to run a little too cold for anyone's taste, they began to wrap themselves up in towels and raid Wilburs snack stashes. The snack distribution was cut off by Wilburs phone, screen lit up with a zoomed in photo of none other than Philza. 
DADZA!!! Read the contact name as Wilbur swiped the screen and held the phone between his shoulder and ear, continuing to hand out snacks.
“OI, where in fucks sake are you lot? It’s an hour past the devils ass why i…”
The rest of Phil’s screaming faded as Wilbur walked away to calm his father down. 
“AN HOUR PAST THE DEVILS ASS” Y/N screamed with laughter, sending the entire group into raucous peals of giggles.
“Yep, mhhm, we’ll be there” Wilbur walked back towards the group, motioning for everyone to get in the car.
“Yes dad I know, yes, okay we will drop him off. Okay, bye” Hanging up the phone, he ushered people back into the car, holding Tubbo back by his upper arm so that he could sit with easiest access to the door.
After dropping Tubbo off, and then doubling back and driving around town to drop people off at various houses, Technoblade, Tommy and Wilbur were alone in the car with Y/N. 
“Here. Here. WIL! Pull over!” 
The van screeched to a halt as Y/N clambered over Tommy’s long legs, almost falling out onto the pavement. They leaned against the door of the passenger seat, thanking Wilbur and bidding farewell to the brothers. Just before they stepped away, Technoblade leaned down and kissed the crown of their head where it was leaning against his open window. Their stunned expression was lost in the dark and the window slid shut as Wilbur slammed the gas pedal to make it back in time before his dad’s curfew.
“What the fuck was that” 
Technoblade gave him a glare, which lost its effectiveness when paired with the burning red blush flooding his face and neck, highlighted under the harsh white lights of the car. He turned his face away and resigned to staring out the window, the night air filtering through the small crack giving his face a little bit of relief.
“Okay at least tell me, are you together?”
“No.”
“But he likes them!” piped up Tommy from the back seat, looking up from his phone where he was playing a game.
“No I- I don’t” Damnit The crack in his voice gave it away.
Wilbur, sensing that it seemed to be more of a sensitive topic than he thought, decided to drop the subject for the time being, and Tommy was already absorbed back in his game.
The rest of the drive was spent in silence as they raced against time and the rules of Philza Minecraft.
AUTUMN----------------------
School started a few weeks after the pool night, which was followed by many late nights and summer fun by the friends, the knowledge that half of them would be away to college next year heavy in the atmosphere. To say the least, Junior year was not treating Y/N well. They were almost always working on homework, if not doing SAT prep, and they rarely went out with their friends. The only time Technoblade got to see them was during his AP Lit class, and because of it, he considered himself the luckiest man in the world. Ms. Ren’s Literature classroom was the only place Technoblade seemed to see the old Y/N, the one from over the summer who got enthusiastic over books and gave him playful punches when he was a little too mean to their friends. Now, the only Y/N he saw was a stressed, tired person who was always carrying an energy drink in one hand and a stack of homework in the other. Except for in Lit. Y/n’s eyes would brighten as they discussed the reading from the previous night and their legs would jostle Technoblades from under their shared table to show him an annotation they had made. Technoblade assumed they were just rejuvenated from the literature, never once letting the thought cross his mind that maybe, just maybe, he was part of the equation too.
On the rare occasion that they would hang out with their friends, they would be easily prone to tears and every conversation would be redirected to how tired and stressed they were. Of course, Technoblade wanted them to be happy, and felt enormous empathy for his friend in the harshest year of high school, but he had suddenly become hyper-aware that the clock was ticking on his time left with them. He was a senior this year, and while Y/N still had a year left to go, Technoblade would be on his way to college, perhaps out of the country, in less than a year. It wasn’t wrong to want to make the most of his time with them.
It didn’t help that this internal time bomb was also counting down the opportunities he had left to tell them how he felt.
-----
He decided to get to them when they were in a good mood, and more likely to say yes. After Ms. Ren had finished assigning the reading due by Monday, he turned to the beautiful person who sat next to him and muttered in a low voice, 
“How’s your weekend looking?”
They looked up with a bright smile and whispered back
“I have tons of homework but I should be able to knock it out with a good day of work. Why? What do you have in mind?”
He knew this was the right time to ask you. 
“Just be ready by 4pm on Saturday.”
----
Technoblade sat on the edge of his usually neat bed, now strewn with almost every sweater he owned. He was picking a stray piece of lint from the sweater nearest to him when he saw his brother walk past, then backtrack out of the corner of his eye.
“What’s got you all indecisive?” Wilbur asked, gesturing vaguely to the sweaters and random articles of clothing adorning his room.
“Wait! Is today your date with Y/N?”
“It’s not a date.” grumbled Technoblade.
“Then why are you so stressed about what to wear?” he replied with raised eyebrows.
Technoblade groaned and threw himself on top of the pile of wool on his bed. “I just need this to be perfect. Y/N needs a break, and they deserve everything to be just right.”
“And you want to impress them” sang Wilbur, now nudging Techno aside to sift through his sweaters.
Technoblades noise of indignation was muffled as Wilbur threw a cream colored sweatshirt at his face. 
“What about this?”
“I couldn’t find what to wear it with.”
Wilburs sigh rang through Technoblades room as he opened the closet, now in his proper mindset as the family fashion consultant. Garment after garment was thrown in Techno’s general direction, and he leaned and reached to grab them all. 
“Try that”
Technoblade walked out of the bathroom to find Wilbur rummaging through his jewelry. 
“When did I say it was fine for you to go through my stuff?” asked Technoblade, shoving Wilbur away. Wilbur shrugged in response, motioning for Techno to open his hand so that he could drop his selection of rings and necklaces into his open palm.
As Wilbur walked out the door, he thought he heard a faint “thank you”, and smiled to himself.
-----
“This is elaborate”
“I’m a dynamic man Y/N.”
Y/N laughed at his response to the back seat of Technoblades car, which was filled with “supplies” for the evening.
“That outfit sure is dynamic.”
“Why?” Technoblade asked nervously, drumming slightly on the steering wheel. “Do you like it?”
“I love it! I didn’t think you could get any hotter but you somehow pulled it off!”
Realizing what they said, Y/N’s cheeks flushed a deep red and they began to pick at their flannel. As soon as Technoblades surprise wore off, and the butterflies faded back to the dull sensation that always seemed to linger when he was around them, he let out a snort of laughter. That sent both of them into a fit which continued until Technoblade hit a pothole from laughing so hard. 
Y/N’s momentary fear only made them laugh harder, but Technoblade attempted to quell himself before he no longer had four functioning tires.
“Do I get to know where you’re taking me?” Y/N asked. They had driven a little ways out from the city, to the vaguely familiar areas that one only drives by when they’re leaving town.
“Yes.” He replied, slowing the car into a small parking lot. “Because we’re here.”
The pair entered the small bookshop and a bell rang overhead. The store smelled of dust and books and Technoblade saw Y/N breathing the scent in like a breath of new life. Of course, this ended up in a small coughing fit which he pulled them out of with a few pats to their upper back. 
“Okay we are on somewhat of a schedule, so I need you to go get a book. Any book, and meet me back at the register in 10 minutes.” He said, grabbing them by the shoulders and making direct eye contact. “Okay, Go!” 
And they both got lost in the mazes of words.
At 4:30 sharp, Y/N found Technoblade waiting for them at the register with a stiff red hardcover. He reached out for their book as they reached for their wallet. 
“Tech, no, you don’t have to buy me books I can get it myself”
If for nothing else, the way they shortened the already shortened version of his name made his heart stutter, and he was overcome with the sudden urge to buy them every book in this store. But he wordlessly nodded his head ‘no’ and paid for their two books. 
As they walked back to the car, Y/N admired the way his jewelry glistened in the sun. The gold necklaces contrasting against the black turtleneck he wore under his sweatshirt made them think of the summer, when his rings would shine under the sun and in the light of their almost nightly group bonfire. Technoblade opened the door for them when they got to the car, pink hair flying in his face because of the wind. Before getting in, Y/N threw their arms around his neck in a hug.
“Thanks”
They mumbled into his neck.
He blamed his pink cheeks on the cold.
-----
“Let me carry something!” Y/N argued as Technoblade led them down the path of a park a little ways away from the bookstore.
“No.” he answered, a basket and three bags dangling from his arms. 
The argument continued as they made their way down the paved path, leaves crunching underneath their feet. A little ways into the walk, when the conversation had faded to discussing the latest reading assigned by Ms. Ren, Technoblade stopped Y/N by throwing a tote bag-laden arm against their chest.
“Here.”
He parted the branches that covered a small, unpaved path that led deeper into the trees.
“How do I know you’re not trying to lure me here to kill me?” mused Y/N, already a few steps ahead of the pink-haired man on the pine-straw path.
“Yeah hold on, let me just get my axe out from this basket real quick” deadpanned Technoblade, earning a giggle from Y/N.
A few moments later, the path opened up to a clearing with a few fallen logs and a small brook trickling near the edge.
“This is beautiful Tech! How did you find this?” they asked with an awestruck expression.
He hid the way that his ears flushed with his hair and busied himself laying out the picnic supplies he had dragged all the way out here, mumbling something unintelligible.
Once he was done, he looked up to find an empty clearing, Y/N nowhere to be found.
“Y/N?” he called
He received a response in the form of a small yelp and a rather loud splash. “Over here!”
“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked, sprinting over to the edge of the stream. Their giggles calmed him a little bit, but didn’t absolve him of all his worry as he subtly looked them over for any injuries. 
“I thought the rock would be steady enough to hold me” they pouted, gesturing vaguely at the rock in question, now shiny with water.
Technoblade sighed, rolling his eyes at their antics, but hoisted them up nonetheless. Once they were back on solid ground, he curled his finger around the back of his sweatshirt's neckline and pulled it over his head, almost knocking off his glasses in the process. He missed the way Y/N’s eyes narrowed and focused on the way his black knit turtleneck hugged his figure, tucked into the dark brown trousers Wilbur had dug out of his closet just hours previously.
“Are you warm?” asked Y/N with an incredulous look, teeth slightly chattering.
“It’s for you, dumbass. You’re almost sure to get sick in those wet clothes.”
Y/N’s heart stuttered at the gesture, and at the way Technoblade shushed them when they tried to argue.
He turned away as Y/N shed their dripping flannel and replaced it with the sweatshirt, warmed by his own body heat. 
When he turned back, he almost lost his breath again. Seeing them in his sweatshirt, the sleeves dangling past their fingertips and their hair a little tousled from pulling the garment over their head, messed with him just a little bit. He ignored the way that his cold-nipped nose was turning redder and redder and instead gently picked up their hand to guide them over to where he had set up the picnic, next to a towering tree with a thick trunk.
Both of them were hyper-aware of the way that his fingers held theirs, and the warmth that seemed to radiate from their touch. Neither one of them wanted to let go, but as they plopped down onto the picnic blanket sitting on the ground, their grip fell apart.
The loss of contact made the October day seem colder.
The muffled crunching of the leaves under their butts filled the air as they settled into a comfortable position and began digging through the picnic basket Technoblade had brought with food. The tension in the air slowly faded as they began to eat and the atmosphere filled with the joyous conversation of the two painfully oblivious teenagers. 
When they had both finished eating, Technoblade pulled out the bag that he had brought from the bookstore and handed Y/N their book. The smile that graced their lips as they mumbled out another ‘thank you’ brought another wave of butterflies down Technoblades stomach. He pulled out his own book and made himself comfortable against the thick tree trunk behind him. Y/N reached into their back pocket and pulled out a ballpoint pen, the cap of the pen riddled with chew marks. 
The damn pen.
They stuck it between their teeth and let it hang off of the right side of their mouth. Technoblade felt his chest heat up as they nudged him over to share his spot leaning against the tree. He opened his phone and hit play on a mix of Arctic Monkeys and Gang of Youths, before leaning back to where his shoulder was pressed with theirs and opened his book.
Time seemed to forget its rules in this quiet little forest, with just Y/N and Technoblade lost in their separate worlds of words. The peace was only ever disturbed by Y/N occasionally scribbling something down in the margin of their book, to which Technoblade would demand to see, and they would fall into a small discussion about the topic.
These occasions slowly began to wane off until Technoblade felt Y/N lean their head against him with a thud. He looked down to see them fast asleep, half leaning on his shoulder with the pen still clutched between their fingers. He took note of the way the pen was balanced like a cigarette and the small puffs of air following their cold breath resembled smoke. Ignored the way his heart was almost convulsing on itself, he chose to wrap his arm around them and savour the moment.
Because he was aware that before he knew it, it would be over.
WINTER---------------------------
The student media center had a hushed atmosphere to it, as people took advantage of their last afternoon to study for semester finals. Winter break would let out the next day, but for the overwhelmed Juniors and Seniors now crowding the library, the excitement would not set in until they quelled their nervousness over the last final of the semester.
One of the study rooms situated in the back was now crowded with the notorious friend group as they crammed for their last final. Fundy, Jack and Niki were trading around their history notes, Wilbur and Minx were arguing over the proper situation of a unit circle, and Technoblade was flash quizzing Y/N on the Polyatomic ions. Their frantic studying was interrupted by their friend, George, who had gotten bored of watching his two best friends during their last football practice of the semester. He quietly walked in and took a seat in the corner, pulling out a notebook and studying something or the other. 
“Why aren't Dream and Sapnap here cramming with us?” Minx asked George.
“They have their ‘weightlifting’ final tomorrow” seethed George, most likely jealous of his friends’ somewhat pointless final.
Everyone laughed, and some groans of similar jealousy rang through the air right before the cracking loudspeaker of the school crunched to life, announcing that the doors would close at 6:00. Y/N looked down at their watch face, which read 5:45.
“Fuck, I’m never going to learn these charges! Don’t even get me started on the fact that I don’t have the solubility rules memorized!” squeaked Y/N in frustration. Everyone gave them a sympathetic look, knowing the rigorous emotional and mental demands of taking AP Chemistry.
“Don’t worry, you still have the whole night to study!” consoled Fundy.
Technoblade felt his heart break at the way their eyes filled with tears of frustration. 
“My siblings scream way too much, I can never concentrate at home”
“Come study at our house!” exclaimed Wilbur. “We can kick Tommy out so he won’t bother you!”
Wilbur sensed their hesitation and cut in before they could say ‘no’
“Come on, Dad won’t mind, he loves you! And it gives us an excuse to send Tommy out!”
Y/N turned their head in questioning to Technoblade, who grunted and nodded his head.
“I mean, if you’re sure”
Eager nodding.
“Thanks so much Wil!”
---
It was 11:50 and Phil’s living room resembled something closer to an FBI clue board, with flashcards and chemistry notes strewn on every possible surface. Wilbur had retired to bed after reviewing his Calculus notes one last time, and Tommy was spending the night at Tubbo’s. Phil leaned against the doorway and watched his son coach his best friend through the last few chapters of the textbook with a smile on his face.
“Make sure not to go to sleep too late! You need enough sleep for your final!” he called, retreating up the stairs.
Y/N checked their watch and sighed at the time. “I should get going soon.” they mumbled, beginning to collect their notes.
“Stay the night” suggested Technoblade, pulling a blanket over their shoulders to protect them from the December chill that seemed ever-present, even with the crackling fireplace illuminating the room. 
“I can’t-” A yawn cut their sentence “I can’t stay, I don't have anything and I’ve wasted enough of your time already”
Technoblade took them by the shoulders and looked them in the eyes, albeit having to lean down. “You can never waste my time”
Shivers ran through Y/N’s tired body and they offered him a weak smile.
He plucked the pen that was hanging from their mouth out and feigned disgust as he wiped it on their shirt, before throwing it in the pile of stationary by his feet.
“How about you stay for a hot chocolate?”
The invitation was too hard to resist so they gave in, as long as it was “only ten more minutes”.
Technoblade filled two mugs from the pot of the beverage that Phil had left on the stove, and topped it with marshmallows and whipped cream.
Y/N took the mug from him with a ‘thank you!’, and led the way back to the living room to nestle under the warmth of the fireplace. The pair were both exhausted from the day of studying, and chose to sip their beverages in silence. Before either of them knew it, they were both asleep under Y/N’s blanket, cuddled up against the cold of the night.
---
They woke up to the banging of Wilbur running down the stairs. 
“Shit, you two are still asleep?”
Y/N jumped up, knocking over their empty mug in the process. “Fuck, what time is it?” they asked, urgently rummaging around for their bag.
“8:00”
“What time is your final?” grumbled Technoblade, still half-asleep with no intention to get up until his final later that day.
“8:20” they whined, almost breaking down. 
“Hey, it’s fine, go get clothes from my room, take anything you want. I’ll drive you.” said Technoblade in a calming voice.
Y/N looked at him with desperate eyes and thanked him before retracing the familiar path to his bedroom.
Technoblade cracked his back and followed Wilbur into the kitchen, intending to make Y/N a nutritious breakfast and pack them a lunch, but was met with Wilburs smirking face.
“What’s the deal?” said Technoblade in his monotonous low, pulling things from out of the fridge.
“Are we going to ignore that you and Y/N slept together?”
“Gross you perv, we just fell asleep studying”
Wilburs smart-ass response was cut off by the arrival of the person in question, clad in one of Technoblades sweaters and sweatpants and ripping their fingers through their hair to attempt to tame it.
Technoblade ignored the all-too-familiar flutter of his heart at seeing them in his clothes and handed them a yogurt bowl he put together. “Let’s go, you can eat it in the car.”
They definitely broke laws driving at breakneck speed, but they pulled into the school parking lot at 8:15 and jumped out of the car, Technoblade following them to make sure they made it to the Chemistry classroom on time. With a minute and a half to spare, they arrived at the door to the classroom, earning a sigh of relief from both of them. 
Dr. Yachtrong ushered Y/N into the classroom, but not before Technoblade placed a kiss on their forehead and wished them good luck. They entered the classroom in a daze, which they quickly shook off when the tests were passed out.
---
The final bell rang for the day and the cheers rang around the school, drowning out the crunchy loudspeaker announcements to “have a good Christmas” and to “make good decisions”. Y/N had headed off to their last few classes following the Chemistry final, which had gone as good as one could expect a Chemistry exam to go. They were fairly sure they had passed which at this point, was a major win. As they left the History hallway, they saw their friend Karl leaving the art classroom. 
“Karl!” they waved him down.
“HEY! Y/N!!!” he giggled excitedly “Schools out!”
“I know!”
Excited chatter filled the hallways and they bumped into Sapnap, Punz, and Dream leaving the weights room. 
“How was your weightlifting final?” snickered Y/N
Punz answered with a slight push to their head. The group was shot out at the front courtyard, where almost all of their other friends were waiting.
The celebratory mood was punctuated by Karl inviting everyone over for an “Epic School Sucks Party” at his house later that night.
Y/N looked around, searching for the pink-haired man that had been flooding their thoughts more than usual lately.
He had been acting differently, nervous even, since the day they fell asleep on him at the park. Y/N was only scared last night's incident would make it worse.
“He’s probably finishing up his Latin stuff” murmured Wilbur, leaning down to their ear.
Y/N’s ears burnt a bright red upon knowing that Wilbur knew who they were looking for. They looked up to answer, but he had already gotten immersed in a conversation with Quackity and George. 
The man in question came out of the front doors of the building and made a beeline for their cluster of people upon seeing them. Y/N couldn’t help but admire the cuffs he wore on his slightly pointed ears, and the way his long pink hair fell behind his-
“Oi Y/N is that Technoblades sweater?”
Screw you Minx
“Y/N spent a surprise night over last night” snickered Wilbur, wiggling his eyebrows.
“It's. Not. Like. That.” screeched Y/N, punctuating each word with a smack to Wilbur, somewhat drowned in the laughs and gasps of everyone in their group.
“Why are we hitting Wilbur and can I join?” asked Technoblade once he integrated himself into the tangle of people. The laughs hushed as everyone turned to look between Y/N and Technoblade.
“What?”
-----
The heat of Niki’s curling iron sent warm shivers down Y/N’s neck, a grateful contrast to the harsh December chill plaguing the outdoors. She blew gently on the warm hair before letting it all fall back, tousling it to break up the curls.
“Thanks Niki!” said Y/N gratefully, examining themselves in the mirror. “You’re going to have to teach me how to do this someday.”
Niki laughed, already standing in front of the bathroom mirror to apply her eyeliner. With one eye closed, she spoke to the person now standing behind her, checking their outfit from different angles. 
“So really, what’s going on between you and Technoblade?”
She knew of their intense crush on the pink-haired boy, which had started somewhere between 8th grade and freshman year, but she also knew that Y/N tended to be more closed off about their deep personal life.
Y/N sighed, almost in disappointment. “Nothing. And that’s the problem.”
Due to Niki’s sympathetic look thrown their way, they fell down a rabbit hole of ranting which led them to where they were now; on the floor beside Niki’s bed with Y/N’s head in her lap.
“He always acts so weird around me. One minute he’s  holding my hand or kissing my forehead, and the next he won't even look at me, or only answers in short sentences. And it stresses me out because I think he hates me, but then he does shit like buying me books just to go read in a forest with him, or staying up all night with me to study for my Chemistry final, and I just-” They took a deep breath, containing their rambling.
“I just get more confused.”
----------
 Karls party was in full swing by the time Niki and Y/N got there. They were met at the door by Sapnap and Quackity, who for some reason were handcuffed to each other, and were both giggling and flushed. Y/N and Niki hung their coats on the rack by the door and walked into the festive atmosphere of the house, seeing familiar faces in every corner.
Despite the rowdy environment and the deafening noise, the party was relatively small, consisting of only 20 or so of Karls friends.
They followed Quackity and Sapnap into the living room where a semi-circle of people was lounging on various couches, passing around a blunt and playing what seemed to be truth or dare.
Ah. That’s where the handcuffs came from.
Niki and Y/N decided to play, Niki offering to go fetch them both drinks in the kitchen as Y/N found their place in the circle. To their surprise, Technoblade was there, seemingly uninterested in the game and more invested in something he was doing on his phone. Upon seeing Y/N, he gave them a smile, cheeks flushed with alcohol, and gestured to the small spot between him and the couch armrest. All eyes followed Y/N as they perched on the armrest, mumbling a small ‘hi!’ to Technoblade.
Niki returned with two drinks in hand and shared a knowing glance with Y/N, as well as a miniscule smile, before handing them their drink and taking a seat on a cushion next to Jack and Minx.
“Okay okay, In honor of our new guests arriving, Y/N, truth or dare?” 
Y/N knew by the looks everyone was giving them that choosing truth would not be the best option.
“Dare.”
A small sigh of disappointment left Karls lips before a mischievous light came into his eyes and he perked up again. “I dare you to sit in Technoblade’s lap”
Snickers echoed across the group as Technoblade looked up at the sound of his name. He looked up to where Y/N was balancing themself on the edge of the couch, and with some burst of courage, that was probably induced by the alcohol, he wrapped his arm around their waist to tug them into his lap with a squeak of surprise.
After recovering from their initial embarrassment, Y/N turned to the man whose lap they were in. “Techno, truth or dare?”
He huffed but quietly breathed out “Truth”, suddenly very aware of how close their face was to his. After a few brief seconds of eye contact which seemed to last an eternity, they stuttered out
“Umm, do you,- actually, how did, how did they get you to play? This game... I mean?”
“BOO! WHAT A BORING FOOKIN QUESTION!” called Minx from the cushion she was on.
His response of how he didn’t mean to get dragged in to this “stupid middle schoolers game” was slightly slurred as he took a big chug of whatever liquid was floating around his red solo cup.
This worried Y/N. They never saw Technoblade drink more than enough to get him slightly tipsy, but they brushed it off on end-of-the-semester excitement. In any case, they would confront him when they got the opportunity to talk to him alone.
---
Said opportunity arose after the Pizza arrived, and most people began to file into Karls movie room to watch whatever garbage show he decided on running. Y/N stayed back, intending to have full access to the pizza and Technoblade, noticing this, stayed with them. Y/N hopped up onto a counter and pulled the pizza boxes to them.
“Hey Tech?”
“Heh?”
“Are you okay? I haven't seen you drink this much before?” they asked, running a concerned hand through his hair before pressing it to his forehead to check how hot he was.
His eyes closed and he nuzzled into their touch.
“I guess I’m just nervous.”
“Nervous? What do you have to be nervous about? It’s winter break” they answered, a small smile on their beautiful face.
This was his chance.
“I have to start applying for colleges.”
Fuck, he missed it.
-----
The food brought a new bought of energy to everyone at the party, and by 3 in the morning, the celebration was still heavy in the air. Everyone thanked whatever brought Karl’s parents to buy a house far removed from any close neighborhoods, so the noise wouldn’t earn them a police visit.
Loud music blared from the speakers in the living room, which had been cleared of furniture to make space for the energetic teenagers.
Y/N took turns dancing with Niki, Minx, and Jack before being stolen away by Sapnap who spun them around until they almost threw up. Eventually, Y/N ended up on the outskirts of the dancefloor, where they saw their favorite apathetic pig-boy leaning against a corner, snickering at everyone who was embarrassing themselves in their drunken haze. 
“WANNA DANCE?” asked Y/N leaning towards him to enunciate over the music.
How could he say no? When they were looking up at him with those big, bright eyes and a slight sheen of sweat over their face.
-----
The party began to dissipate nearing the hours of dawn. Around 5, people began trickling out. Except for the select few who had decided to just crash with Karl.
Technoblade and Wilbur parked a little ways away from their house, walking the rest of the way and ushering each other up the tree by Wilburs bedroom to sneak back in. 
It was locked.
“You dimwit, didn’t you unlock the window?”
“Of course I did you arse, where do you think I snuck out from?”
Their bickering was interrupted by a small tap on the glass by none other than a smirking Tommy. 
“Leave it to him to only wake up when he wants to annoy us”
“Tommy, let us in.”
Tommy made a rubbing motion with his index finger and thumb. Looking at Wilbur and sighing, Technoblade pulled his wallet out and held up a 10. 
Tommy made a ‘more’ motion
20. Then 40. Then 50.
“So generous of you lads, come on in!” he giggled, snatching the money from his brother and leaving the window open for the two to clamber in awkwardly.
Technoblade snuck back into his room, stripping off his sweaty clothes and falling onto the mattress. Before he blacked out, he saw two notifications come in.
BitchBur: I took these pictures tn, thought u might want them ;) (8 images attached)
And
Y/N <3: I hope you figure out the college situation! <3 let me know if you can hang out sometime :D
He opened Wilburs text to find a collection of candid pictures Wilbur had snapped over the course of the night. One of Y/N in his lap, a few of them laughing together over pizza, a few of them on the dance floor, and what had to be his favorite: a picture of them kissing his cheek as a ‘good luck’ for his arm wrestle with Dream.
A smile creeped onto his face and he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his brother. He set the last picture as his wallpaper before turning off his phone and falling into a realm of blackness.
SPRING------------------
“That was my very last AP Exam!” exclaimed Y/N, walking through the door of the coffee house where all their friends were lounging. 
The small shop erupted with cheers as they celebrated everyone finishing their school year. The cheers eventually died out, though, as the realization sunk in. Tomorrow was graduation.
The seniors in the group, Wilbur, Technoblade, Minx and Fundy were all going off to college. 
Wilbur to England, Fundy to the Netherlands, and Minx to Ireland. The one person who hadn’t decided on a college yet was Technoblade.
“Why do you all have to leave the country?” whined Y/N.
A chorus of similar sentiments left the other juniors who were scattered around a few tables that had been pushed together. 
As the conversation descended into dorms and expenses, Y/N received a text from Technoblade. The shock of the ‘ding’ made the pen that had been balancing between their lips clatter onto the floor.
Apathetic pig-boy: come outside
Y/N looked around, not having noticed that Technoblade had disappeared from the table. Taking advantage of the conversation everyone else was immersed in, they quietly snuck out, but not without avoiding Wilburs keen eyes, which narrowed upon realizing his brother was not at the table.
They wandered outside, finding Technoblade sitting at one of the outdoor tables covered by the awning. 
“My Yale email came in.” he said as soon as he saw them walk outside.
They jumped with barely contained joy. “What did it say?”
“I wanted you to be here when I opened it.”
Everyone knew that Technoblades dream college was Yale. He had talked about it ever since he was a little kid, screaming about Greek mythology on the school playground. Y/N knew that it was Technoblades biggest ambition to study literature at one of the most renowned colleges in the world, but they still felt a twinge of sadness. On top of losing half their friends, they couldn’t lose the one person that meant the most to them too.
“Open it!”
Y/N leaned against the back of Technoblades chair, almost falling over his shoulder as they watched the loading icon on the college’s website.
Technoblade clicked on the notification and they both read it together
Congratulations! We are glad to inform you…
“THAT YALE UNIVERSITY HAS DECIDED TO ACCEPT YOUR APPLICATION! TECH I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!” Screamed Y/N, wrapping their arms around his shocked figure. They placed a million kisses all over his face, gushing about how proud they were of him, ignoring the gut wrenching feeling inside of them.  
“What’s the screaming about? Did you two finally get together?” Asked Wilbur as the group flooded out of the coffee shop to see what the commotion was about. 
“Yale accepted me.” mumbled Technoblade, just loud enough for them to hear.
The cheers that followed his announcement almost made their small hometown collapse. Congratulations were exchanged and backs were pat, and in the mess, Y/N managed to sneak off to the side. The only person who noticed was Niki, who followed them to the corner of the parking lot where they were kicking at the asphalt with their converse. She sat down, and the two rested in silence, the April wind blowing their hair all over the place.
“He’s leaving.” He’s leaving me. They wanted to say, but they didn't.
Niki gave her friend a small side hug, somehow interpreting the sentence accurately. “He’s pursuing his dreams Y/N, you know he doesn’t want to leave you.”
“How do I make him stay? It’s selfish and I’d feel like a bitch but Niki I don’t think I can live without him.”
“Y/N.”
“Hmm?”
“You need to tell him how you feel.”
----
The next day brought sunny skies and the enthusiastic atmosphere of graduation. They had all managed to snag themselves some graduation tickets to see their friends finish high school.
Jack, Niki, and Y/N were sitting in a Wendy’s parking lot, waiting for the clock to hit 11:45 so they could start making their way to school. It seemed empty without the Seniors of the group, as they were all at school getting ready for the ceremony. Y/N voiced this concern aloud, to which Jack responded, “We’ll have to get used to it. This is how it’s going to be next year.”
And the three fell into silence, sullenly dipping their fries into their frostys.
----
Jack, Niki, and Y/N let themselves be jostled into school with the crowds of emotional parents and kids who were already bored of the event. They found decent seats, near the front aisle and set their belongings down. 
Not a moment later, they were greeted by Philza, who filed in with the rest of the boys extended family to sit beside them. 
The dimming of the lights led to hushed whispers erupting from the previously rowdy crowd. 
Procedure came and went, the salutatorian and valedictorian giving their respective addresses to the crowd, the speech of the somewhat bored principal, and finally, 
“Without further ado, presenting the Graduating Class of 2021!” 
Cheers erupted from the crowd as names began to be called. 
Within the first five minutes, the boredom began to set in and Jack began a game pigeon game, which Phil demanded to be added to. The four played the digital card game until they were pulled out of their concentration by a familiar name being called. They erupted into cheers as Fundy walked across the stage to pick up his diploma and shake the Principal’s hand. The process was repeated until Minx, her eyes shining as she shook the principal's hand earnestly, then flipped him off quickly behind his back, which sent the auditorium into a fit of laughter.
Person after person was called up, until...
“Technoblade Minecraft”
Philza almost cried. He stood on his chair, screaming in excitement for his son which made the boy in question flush as he collected his diploma and took a rather rushed leave off the stage, but not before seeing the heart that Y/N made with their fingers in his direction.
The same general act happened  during Wilburs announcement, except that he laughed and gave his dad a cheering motion with his hands.
---
The group spilled out onto the lawn of the school, congratulating people they knew when they saw them. Technoblade and Wilbur joined their family, receiving hugs from a very emotional Tommy. Y/N, Niki, and Jack waited behind for their friends to finish up with their families before tackling them in hugs. Screams and whoops came from the puddle of people on the floor, everyone yelling things to each other. The atmosphere was charged with happiness, and relief, and one couldn’t help but feel elation despite the bittersweet nature of graduation.
“Alright mates, party at my house!” boomed Philza over the noise.
The infamous graduation party. They had planned the two-part party in middle school, when they had had their first sleepover at the group's “hub”, aka Philza’s house. Since then, the party had become a reality and the first part would be executed tonight. The next being, of course, when the remaining half of the group graduated.
A marquis was set up in Phil’s garden, now uncluttered and full of spring blossoms. It was such a different atmosphere than it had been last summer, when their bonfires would stretch out into the early hours of the morning.
Food laden tables were scattered around the marquis, and to everyone's delight, a chocolate fountain rested on one of them.
After collecting food and gifts from various guests, the group found themselves sitting under the shade of a large tree with a rickety old treehouse balancing on it, which Tommy and Tubbo were attempting to devise a plan to get into with the help of their friend Ranboo, who didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the idea as the others.
“My flight leaves next week.” sighed Minx, leaning against Niki’s shoulder.
“I’ll be out of here by July the latest” 
“Phil’s taking us to London next week and I’ll just be staying”
Everyone turned to Technoblade to reveal when he would be leaving for college. 
“I’m going to Connecticut a week before the beginning of the term”
“So how long will you be home this summer?” Y/N asked, setting down their cookie.
“Between travelling and dorm set-up, I’ll probably only be here for about two weeks total.”
Y/N’s eyes filled with tears as they pushed their head into Technoblades chest. 
“I just-” sniffle “I just can’t believe you’re all leaving!” they cried, muffled by Technoblades button down.
This sent everyone into a fit of tears as they all began hugging each other for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.
The moment was interrupted by Phil, who came out of the house with a camera and various props. Encouraging everyone to gather around and take pictures. Everyone scuffled around to fix their disheveled appearances and began making their way to Phils makeshift photo booth.
“Tech- wait!” called Y/N, pulling him back by the forearm. “Your hair”
They put pressure on his shoulders to get him to lean down so that they could fix his stray hairs. 
Right then, looking at the way Y/N’s shoes sank into the ground and feeling their light touch in his hair, he decided. I have to tell them. This is my last chance.
“Hey Y/N?”
“Hmm?”
“I-” deep breaths, “I need you to-”
“Come on, lovebirds get in the picture!” called Phil, walking over to drag them to where everyone else was. 
Y/N gave him an apologetic look, woven with the silent promise of later.
Damnit Dad.
----
The pictures had lasted what felt like eons, but between the corny props and the harsh afternoon sunlight, they held valuable memories.
But Technoblade had no interest in them at the moment, as he dragged Y/N behind the trunk of the tree they had sat at before.
The sunlight filtering through the leaves made Y/N’s face all that much more beautiful, and Technoblade struggled to tear his attention away to focus on telling them. He gathered up his courage and opened his mouth to speak.
But the only thing that came out was “OW!”
As a pinecone bonked off his head and rolled away on the ground, leaving chips of it in his hair. 
“Look out below!” Called Tubbo from somewhere above them. So they managed to get in. Damnit.
Y/N took his hand and led him to the other side of the tree, away from the boys’ field of destruction. They sat down gently, pulling Technoblade down with them to pluck the pieces of pinecone out of his hair.
“Here. Distraction free! Now tell me what you’ve been trying to say because there’s something I need to tell you too.”
That gave Technoblade the perfect opportunity to gather his nerves. “You go first”
“No, it’s fine you!”
“No you go!”
It seemed as if the stars had collided and sent out particles so many eons ago with the knowledge that everything would lead up to these two kids coming to the same conclusion at the same time. 
“I love you”
“I love you”
Their eyes met as they stared, wide-eyed and gaping-mouthed at each other. Overcoming the initial shock, they began to ramble.
“I didn’t think you felt the same way because you always got quiet around me and then you woul-”
“Can I kiss you?” Technoblade interrupted them, not really hearing their rambling through the buzz going through his brain.
They nodded shyly in response as he wrapped his hand around the back of their neck to pull them dizzyingly, tauntingly closer. He looked into their eyes one more time to make sure they were serious, but Y/N was already closing the gap between their lips. They hoisted themselves into his lap and gripped his hair to bring him impossibly closer.
But alas, in this group of people, nothing goes unnoticed or undisturbed.
“EW! TECHNO’S KISSING Y/N!” screamed Tommy from the balcony of the treehouse which resulted in whoops and cheers from everyone at the party.
“FINALLY!” yelled someone amongst the crowd. 
Y/N felt their ears burn a bright red as they buried their face into Techno’s neck.
“Yeah Y/N! Get some!”
“Oh fuck off!”
A/N: i hope u guys liked it :D, also this is my first time writing with they/them pronouns so if i made a mistake pls don’t hesitate to correct me!
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fleursdemeduse · 3 years
Text
Remembrance AU: Little Brother Knows Everything
I lied. Here's a bonus chapter.
Warnings: Mention of Death ; Unrequited[?] Love ; Mention of bombs ; Jealousy
Words: 3.1k
Tommy may have been an idiot, but he wasn’t stupid. He noticed the little things more often than he didn’t. But there were four things he knew about you better than anyone else.
Tommy knew that you liked tea.
Siblings, and people in general, seem to have this habitual kind of indicator of their mood. Some people bounced their leg when they were nervous, others liked to twiddle their thumbs or pop joints; It’s different for everyone.
But he could always tell how [y/n] felt by the tea they were drinking.
When they were nervous, they made tea brewed from lavender buds collected from a flower field they often visited with Technoblade or Phil. They brought Tommy once. He had run around the whole area with infinite energy before the blond climbed the tree. He had climbed higher and higher until he could feel the warmth of the setting sun shine on his face. The branch broke, but when he plummeted, he wasn’t scared. They were at the bottom, waiting to catch him. They were always waiting to inevitably catch him no matter if it was from his own stupid decisions or from someone else’s. They got nervous a lot, but when he was by their side, he could never be.
When [y/n] was stressed, they made tea out of the peppermint leaves in their garden. The scent filled their house while it brewed and the act of harvesting the herb was “soothing”. Tommy wasn’t sure how weeding was supposed to be relaxing, but he happily did it when their newest sibling figure asked him to. He remembered pulling out a whole mint plant the first time he had worked beside them, unknowing that that was the plant he was supposed to be protecting. They had laughed, gently scolding him, before setting it aside. Even if they were stressed out, they never took it out on him.
When he was sad or upset, they made chamomile tea with honey. Chamomile is a calming flower, he remembered them saying once. And the honey helped you remember that golden days were ahead. They made it for him every morning after he would wake up in the bed he seemed to sleep in more than his own. Sometimes the honey came from Technoblade, sometimes they had retrieved it themselves from wild hives, but they always seemed to get the best stuff. Even when he cried or started to -what was the word they had used? Disassociate? That sounded correct-, he could expect the mug to be pushed into his hands, a sugary but not cloying aroma wafting off it. He always felt much better when he left. He could never remember seeing them drink the tea, despite having such an abundance of it. Did they even get sad? He had never witnessed it.
When they were happy, they made black tea of various kinds and drank sweet iced tea that reminded him of what diabetes would taste like if it were liquid. They drank this with him almost daily. It was always a new blend they wanted to try and perfect or one they wanted him to taste. He loved smelling this tea the most. When its fragrance filled the air, somehow, everything felt right in the world. He couldn’t recall a single time when he didn’t see them on the porch, drinking the amber liquid out of a glass when they knew he’d be coming over for dinner.
It was the days when you didn’t drink tea at all, he was afraid.
Tommy knew that no matter what someone did to them, [y/n] wasn’t afraid to make enemies or insert themselves between their friends and any sort of danger to protect them.
Dream was surprised to see [y/n] at the meeting between the Greater Dream SMP and L’Manburg. It was only supposed to be him and George convening with Tubbo and Tommy. They held no real power in the country. They didn’t belong in this meeting, just like they didn’t belong in this timeline.
He watched the way they, during George and Tubbo’s discussion, rested a hand on Tommy’s arm when his hands clenched hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He saw how they would murmur quietly to him and the child would relax ever so slightly. He noticed the nods they gave the blond when he looked to the adult for confirmation after he made a questionable statement. He observed your true role here.
“Nice to see you replace Wilbur so quickly, Tommy. That’s good. He was a horrible role model for you.” His lips curled behind his mask at the shocked expression on everyone else’s face aside from the vice president before him. His eyes were sharp, angry. “Maybe without his influence, you’ll actually be a competent leader for something.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Considering L’Manburg was supposed to be totally destroyed and returned back to the Greater Dream SMP, I’m glad you found someone a bit less self-destructive to help keep you under control. We all know Wilbur did a horrible job at it.” Watching the child soldier stand quickly gave him a certain satisfaction.
“Fuck you, bitch! I don’t need to be told what to do.” Dream watched [y/n] give Tommy a warning look and the way he ignored it.
“And yet you followed someone who lost his own presidential race and blew up his own country before seeking out validation from someone else.”
“I don’t-”
“Tommy.” He watched the blond flinch at the edge to your voice and look down at you.
“He’s saying I-”
“I’m aware. He’s just trying to rile you up. It’s what he does. Ignore him.” The glare they sent him made a sharp jolt go down his spine, but he couldn’t help the chuckle that spilled from his covered mouth.
“Listen to your sibling, Tomathy. At least this one is sane. And if they kill themself, they’ll come back.” Tommy opened his mouth once more to say something before it snapped closed and he released a breath through his nose.
“I don’t need this.” The slam of the door echoed through the now quiet room.
Dream’s attention was immediately back on [y/n]. He watched them square their shoulders and lower their head to look him dead-on. Their glare met him with a hidden fury threatening to break forth and raise the hell that seemed to be just as deeply rooted in them as it was the company they kept. Their lips were pursed in a way that made his own grin grow larger. "Wilbur may not have been the best man. He may have hurt me and put the rest of L’Manburg in this situation. But that is our business alone, and you have no right to say anything bad about him or about Tommy, for that matter."
There was a pregnant pause and he heard George start laughing awkwardly to dispel the tension before being hushed hurriedly by Tubbo.
“And what is it you’ll do to me if I do?” Dream kept his voice level.
“You know why I’m here and who’s behind me. You can use your imagination..” They stood, chair scraping against the floor loudly. “I’m going to check on Tommy.” “But we’re not done!” They stopped at the door, hand resting on the handle.
“I’m sure you can handle the rest by yourself, Tubbo. You know what to do.” They looked at him over their shoulder, before glancing over George and then settling on the man in green. “Don’t you ever speak his name ever again. Or we just might have to build that prison you mentioned. Am I understood?” Sullen nods came from the monarch and the president as they stormed out.
“Well, that was something.”
Tommy had been sitting in the hallway, curled in on himself the same way he had been after the Pit incident.
“Toms?”
“Why is he even here?”
You sat next to him, back resting against the wall.
“Because he cares about George. Kinda like why I was in there for you.” You felt the taller lean against you and relax when you wrapped your arm around him. “I’ll always be here for you, Kiddo.”
You felt him nod and you pressed a kiss to his hair.
“You know I’m not trying to replace Wilbur, right?”
“Of course not. We were like brothers.” His lips quirked a little when he heard your laugh.
“If he were here, I’m sure he’d tell you not to say that or he’d cry.”
“Good. Fucking bitch.”
He didn’t know what he’d do if you never came back.
Tommy knew that the only other person who loved you as much as he did was Technoblade.
Techno had never felt jealous of Tommy before. Or really anyone. He was pretty secure in his position as your best friend, and the vast amounts of platonic affection you showered him with kept him content. Even during the Pogtopia rebellion, watching the looks and touches Wilbur gave you or seeing the child sneak into your bed for another night in a row didn’t make him jealous. So why did he suddenly have the very real impulse to shove the blond off the side off a cliff just to retake some of your attention?
The hybrid watched you talk with your hands as you recounted the night before and your surprise at finding Tommy already there when you came home from Phil’s. He was happy he had been right. You and Philza were similar in many ways and got along well. You would constantly joke with Techno that you were trying to get yourself adopted by the older blond and he would just respond with an amused “don’t tempt him, he might.”. You would always laugh in response.
That was always the best sound.
He listened to your words as he topped off the teacup in front of you with more of the red-tinted liquid. The warm scent of earl grey and roses wafted off of the cup tinged with the subtle tang of the orange peel he had added on a whim. You were right in your suggestion. Citrus always makes deeper teas better.
“If it’s really that bad, the offer to move in still stands. I have more than enough room and you can escape that raccoon.” He snickered at the pout that rested on your lips.
“I never said that I didn’t like it! And don’t call Tommy a raccoon.” He sipped his own tea.
“It’s true. Gets into trash, beady little eyes, a nuisance. He even breaks into your house.”
“He has a key, Tech. It’s different.” You had rolled your eyes at him, but the smile on your face spoke of your fondness for them both. He felt the small well of jealousy in his chest flare. Did Tommy know how privileged he was? He hoped the child knew.
“I’m just sayin’. Whenever you want to leave that place, my door will always be open for you.” He watched your smile soften and the firm squeeze when you reached across the table for his forearm.
“I appreciate it, but Tommy needs me still. Maybe one day, okay?” He grunted at you and you giggled. “Who knows, maybe Phil will come with! He could build his own little cabin and everything.”
“I’ve already extended the offer to him as well. He said he’ll think about it.” You shook your head.
“He’s probably trying to figure out how close to the meadow he’d be in comparison.”
“Man loves the flowers, what can he say?”
“Sure, it’s definitely the flowers.” You sipped your tea with a knowing grin.
“What else would it be?” He watched the glint in your eyes, seeing exactly what Tommy had always said about you. They had seemed a lot deeper lately, more knowledgeable. The child had always claimed that you spoke like you knew more than you let on and he saw it in your smile sometimes, but the look you were giving him right at that moment confirmed it.
“Maybe it’s all the memories.”
He couldn't imagine you not returning the feelings they both held for you, despite the vast difference.
Tommy knew that you wouldn’t hide anything from him unless it was absolutely imperative.
He found you sitting in the living room, curled into an old recliner that you would never tell him where it came from. You felt Tommy haphazardly throw his arms around your shoulders from behind, releasing a small sigh of contentment as he pressed his face further into your neck.
"Hey, Kiddo, what’re you up to?" His grip on you slackened, and you could almost feel his face draw up to a small pout. He absolutely hated that nickname but couldn’t deny the small warmth that flared in his stomach whenever you called him it.
"[Y/n], how many times have I asked you to stop calling me that?" He removed himself from you when you shrugged your shoulders.
"Sorry, Toms, the nickname stays. You're too much of a brat for it to leave." He groaned, eyebrows drawing together. You knew he wasn’t entirely mad at the name. He wouldn’t have whined the way he did if he truly wanted you to stop. You and Tommy seemed to share a wavelength. It wasn’t the same one you shared with Techno, but it was just as perfect. You wished you could tell him why it was.
The realization set a rock that started in your throat and slowly started to sink to your stomach. It spread through you, causing a wet hot sensation to form behind your eyes. You’d never be able to tell your little brother your deepest secret. What if he hated you? What if he told everyone else and they cast you out? What if he felt he couldn’t trust you anymore?
Carefully pulling yourself out of your own thoughts, you looked up at the child. “I’m sorry, what was it you wanted?”
"Can I talk to you?" Your eyes flicked to the book you were reading before back to him. You knew what he wanted. A bookmark was wedged between pages and the room was silent before you stood. "Sure, kiddo. Is it going to be a long chat?" You set off to the kitchen, soon pouring some water into an old kettle that Phil had given you the day that you had awoken. You had been “gone” for over a full day. Aside from Phil, no one else knew what had happened and where you went.
An opaque jar was pulled from the cupboard, carefully opened, and he watched as purple buds, green leaves, and yellow-white flowers were deposited gently onto the mesh cloth that you would tie into a sachet. He had never seen them combine those teas. He didn’t even realize you had such a large jar of it stored.
“What happened at Phil’s?” You hesitated before steadying your hand and pouring the steaming water into a teapot before setting the sachet in. It floated for a moment before you used the string to dunk the bag a few times to soak it before it sank midway.
You only pulled one mug down.
You gestured for him to sit at the table and he took it. You could see the way his anxiety rose even higher when you didn’t sit across from him.
“What day? I’ve been at Phil’s a lot lately.”
“Oh fuck off. You know what day I’m talking about.” You shrugged, trying to keep your expression even.
“I really don’t, Tommy. You’re going to have to narrow it down for me.” Your fight or flight instincts were dialed to high when he gave you a knowing look.
“You don’t have to lie to me, [y/n]. I’m not a child.”
“Yes, you are, and I’m not lying.” You flinched when he slammed his hands on the table, chair screeching as it was slid back with too much force before it fell backwards.
“Then why have you changed?” You froze. “You used to love spending time with me before-”
You wanted to reach out, to comfort him, when you saw his lips quiver, but he turned his head away from you. He couldn’t look you in the eye.
“Before you were gone for almost two days and came back wrong. You don’t talk like how you used to either. It’s like you know things, but like, more than you used to. And come to find out from Ranboob, you had gone to Philza’s house. What did he tell you?”
You just shook your head, wanting to tell him you remembered him. You remembered every timeline he was in. Every moment he had fought for what he believed in and won. Every time he had died. Every timeline he could have died.
“Did I do something? Is it because of Ghostbur? Do you-” He looked back up at you, looking exactly like the sixteen year old he was supposed to be. “Do you hate me?”
“Of course not, Tommy. Why in the world would you ever think that?”
“Then why won’t you tell me what’s going on? Siblings don’t keep secrets.”
“They do when they’re trying to protect the ones they love, Tommy.” You watched his face grow red in frustration.
“You’re not always gonna be there for me, [y/n]!”
“You don’t know that.”
“Why won’t you just tell me?” His voice broke, and so did your heart.
“Because you’re still just a kid, Tommy. And I think sometimes you forget that. And everyone else too. And I can’t tell anyone what happened.”
“But why? I stopped being a child when we won our first war. I should be able to hear about this!”
“Because the things I saw, the things I heard, no one else should have to bear this weight.” You swallowed back your tears. This was no time to cry. “You can be mad at me all you want, Tommy. But I’m still the same [y/n] who tucks you into bed and links pinkies with you on the Prime Path and who will always be there for you.”
The hurt look he gave you would haunt you for the rest of your lifetimes.
“Then why won’t you let me be there for you?” You could only shake your head.
“Because that’s not how it works, Kiddo.” Tommy’s eyes hardened and he sucked in a quivering breath.
“Fine.” He started walking back towards the door.
“Toms, where are you going?” He didn’t answer you.
His tea was bitter and cold by now, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but feel the same.
Tommy knew all those things about you. So why did it feel like maybe he didn’t know you at all?
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k3rm1e · 3 years
Note
heyo!! i was wondering if you would mind writing hc’s for a reader who just had a major accomplishment but their parents don’t really congratulate them or anything, and then philza celebrates with them instead and tells reader how proud he is. i kinda want some dadza comfort rn :’) anyway, thank you sm!! have a great day <3
accomplishments
heyo!! i was wondering if you would mind writing hc’s for a reader who just had a major accomplishment but their parents don’t really congratulate them or anything, and then philza celebrates with them instead and tells reader how proud he is. i kinda want some dadza comfort rn :’) anyway, thank you sm!! have a great day <3
hello anon! i’m sorry i took a while to answer this. i went a bit off track with this and got A LOT more angsty, so i’m really sorry about that. If you want me to make a much more fluffier or mellowed-out version, i’d be happy to. please, read the trigger warnings before reading this.
i don’t plan on writing more angst-y things like this, especially not this angsty, so don’t worry. once again, please, if you would like me to rewrite this into a less emotional version i’d be happy to
cw: swearing
tw: talk of god and the church, slight manipulation, repetition of words
accomplishments:
  holy shit. you were in disbelief. a state of shock. one million twitch followers. one. million. followers. you were silent. shock can have many effects on a person. some scream and laugh out of joy, or a misplaced sense of mania. others cry, because they cannot handle it. some remain confused, because their brains are unable to conceptualize the event. you were silent.
  what should you do? would a “thank you” tweet be good enough or would it come off as insincere? should you wait to stream? or would that make people feel you didn’t care because you took so long? through the anxiety you could feel the true realization that you now had one million followers. like a truck, you were hit with the most excited feeling ever. getting up, you jumped around your room. you spun and jumped and cheered and whooped and yelled and smiled and danced and were overflowing with joy, with the acknowledgement that you had done it, you had really fucking done it. 
  opening the window above your desk, without a single fuck, you screamed. “WHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! FUCK YEAH!!!!!!” let’s just hope your neighbors don’t wake up.
  you stayed up all night, celebrating. tweeting out a thank you, you received congratulations from your fans and friends while you talked with the people in your discord vcs.
  in the morning, your mother and father had woken up. with a newfound determination, you ran downstairs. streaming was your passion and you wanted to tell the world what you had done. but, because of limitations, your mother was your metaphorical world.
  “mom! mom! mom! mother, mother, mumther!!” you shouted, dashing down the stairs, tripping over your feet. stupid wood flooring and slidy socks.
  from your place at the bottom of the stairs, you heard her sigh, “yes, sweetie?”
  you bounded over to her, setting your arms on the kitchen counter. from the hallway you could see your dad, who was sitting on the couch drinking his sunday morning coffee. “mom! guess what?” without giving her time to respond, you shouted, “i hit one million follows on twitch! one freaking million!”.
  your mother didn’t seem as enthusiastic as you. “is that why you were causing such a ruckus last night? and, watch your mouth, even though ‘freaking’ isn’t a ‘true’ curse, i don’t want you swearing. especially not on the lord’s day. i couldn’t fathom going to church everyday, only to allow you to have a mouth like that.” she continued to stare at her work papers.
  “oh, uh, okay mother. dad? did you hear me? i hit one million on twitch.” you awkwardly turned your head over to your father.
  “she’s right, you know that, don’t you sweetie?” your father stood up, and made his way into the kitchen. “language like that, it’s shameful. surely, we don’t need you to have a private session with father paulson, do we?” your dad stood next to your mother, rubbing her back as he stared at you.
  “no, no, of course not. um, i’m gonna go upstairs now.” you turned around, wishing you could simply disappear.
  “without breakfast? are you truly that upset with us? we can’t have you ending up like those people, committing sinful acts and going to hell. god would never forgive you. we’re already taking a risk allowing you to stream, putting yourself out there.”
  both your mother and father stared at you. your blood felt like ice in your veins. the white walls of your house seemed so much brighter, yet duller at the same time. everything felt a white-pure-pink-orange. your breathing got uneasy. choppy. in, out, out, in, in, in, out, in, in, out, out for different increments of time. 5, 3, 2, 7, 10, 9, 6, 4, 1, 6, 8, seconds, over and over and over.
  “we just wanna protect you, dear. we love you, don’t you get that?” your mother stared at you.
  you felt like a scene in those movies. the ones that directly cater to teens who thought their lives were shit when in reality they just hadn’t grown up enough to make sense of something yet. were you one of those teens? or is this actually wrong. you don’t think it is, but you don’t talk to others about this. family matters stay in the family was a common phrase repeated in your household. the church was family, they could know. your mother and father, they could know. others, they must not know, never know.
  “of course, mother, father.” you wanted to force yourself to speak, but syllables were incapable of getting past your lips. your mouth was full of peanut butter from the sandwiches served in your elementary school cafeteria. but, the partly frozen chocolate milk always washed it down. “of course. i love you guys too. love you.” you smiled, a disgusting smile that felt violating to exist on your face, violating, violating, violating.
  you dashed up the stairs, to your room, up, up, up. running in, you wanted to slam the door, scream out the window, puch your pillow, smash your pc, cry, whatever you could do to get out your emotions. but instead, you lightly shut your door and slowly walked over to your desk chair to see who was online. you would go live later. it was only 5 AM, after all. they could wait. at least, you hoped they could.
  opening discord, just to see what everyone was doing, you saw philza minecraft was online. you went over and messaged him, ‘phil. philza. philza minecraft. vc please?’ in response, you received a short, ‘sure m8, gimme a minute’ you waited, until you heard the noise confirming he had joined.
  “good morning phil.” your energy from before had receded back into the confines of your chest. the prior excitement was gone and replaced with a feeling of fatigue.
  “morning mate, how are you? congrats on the one mill!” phil sounded excited, happy for you. you smiled, chuckling a bit.
  “i’m alright man, just tired. how are you? and, thanks for the congrats.” you smiled, feeling the fatigue set in.
  “i’m good. but you, you don’t sound very good. couldn’t sleep, could ya’? that was how i was when i hit one mill. way too excited to sleep.”
  “yeah. yeah, i’m just tired.” you were getting a bit too tired to talk. the day had barely started, and yet the full-body emotional exhaustion had set.
  “‘just tired’? the hell happened kid?” phil’s voice sounded concerned. fuck. the last thing you wanted to do was worry him. he had his own life and you had already caused enough trouble today.
  “it’s nothing big phil, seriously. just my parents.” there, a slight bit of information. family matters still within the family, just a few words.
  “they being shitbirds? or are you lying, and something big did happen?” he was being inquisitive, which was dangerous. questions were dangerous.
  “no, why would i lie?” his inquisitiveness would continue, you knew. so you spilled the metaphorical beans. “they just, just weren’t as supportive as i’d wished they were when i told them. i was really psyched, y’know? and them, just sort of, not giving a shit? i don’t know man, it just feels bad.”
  “i get you. it’s shit, when people don’t care about your accomplishments. my parents never really saw streaming as a true profession in the beginning, which led to shit like you describing. i promise it gets better though, even if it feels like shit now. and, for what it’s worth, i’m proud of you.”
  “it’s fine phil, you don’t need to try to make me feel better. i’m okay, seriously.” you didn’t need or want his pity. accepting it would feel patronizing.
  “no, you need to understand that i’m not fucking around. one million is a big fuckin’ thing, especially for you who hasn’t been streaming all that long to achieve. it’s fucking amazing, mate. be proud of yourself, for christ’s sake.” his fake anger chimed through your headphones. even though you were being berated, you still felt better.
  “thank you, phil. i needed that.”
  “your welcome, mate. and look, anytime your parents are being shit, don’t try to hold it all in. call me, or wil, or someone, okay? don’t hold that shit in.”
  you fake sighed, just to piss him off. “okayyyyyy….”
  “good. now, go take a nap or some shit. i love you, kid.”
  “love you too, dadza.” this time, your words didn’t feel forced. the smile on your face wasn’t violating, but an invitation to better times. it would be alright. okay.
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hope-to-hell · 3 years
Text
Claim (Kathy’s Song). Mike x Reader. Smut, exhibitionism, fingering, squirting, degradation, boot worship, bodily fluids. This might be the best party you’ve ever been to. The song he’s humming is this:
The thing is, when he says lemme take you to this party it’s a promise of a good time, maybe a couple cheap drinks, fucking in one of the beds upstairs. That’s how it’s been and that’s how it’s probably gonna be. Right?
Well.
When he says lemme take you to this party, the next thing he says is I wanna fuck you right there in front of everyone. The exhibitionism is nothing new; he’s a devotee to the art of almost getting caught. This is a step beyond, and if your assent catches you by surprise it’s overshadowed by how fast and how deep his tongue is in your mouth. Knew it, babe. Fuckin knew it. So dirty for me, I love it.
And this is you bent over the back of some ratty couch, gripping the cushions like you could claw right through them because Mike’s talking baseball with some buddies— he’s not even into baseball, for fuck’s sake. But he’s speaking animatedly, slapping your ass for emphasis now and again, working his cock in and out with a slowness that has you nearly howling with frustration. Mike. Fucksake. Harder.
And what does he do, your darling sweet Mike? Does he push in hard and fuck you til your eyes cross and you can’t hear a damn thing beyond skin on skin? Of course not, because Mike is an asshole. What he does is he hauls you up til he can get two thick fingers into your mouth and press down on your tongue. And while you’re trying your best to clench down around that ridiculously thick cock of his he brings his lips right to your ear and murmurs babe. Be good. I’m in the middle of a conversation. It’s just a little condescending and it’s so fucking different from his usual breathless laughs and moans. It’s him in your mind’s eye, aging ten years and growing in some stubble; this is the kind of guy who’d scoot you back on your barstool just enough to slip inside and whisper better not spill your drink, sweetheart. And you fucking love it.
What do you think? he asks when he’s stroking in and out with metronomic steadiness. You want me to let some of these guys have a turn when I’m done? Babe. I fucking felt that. You want it, huh? You wanna be so fucking filthy and used up. And yeah, he’s right; you can picture it now, Mike running his fingers along the neck of his beer, watching keenly as Brad or Phil or whoever the fuck he’s been talking to pulls his cock out and ruts right into you. You can almost hear the dirty talk, this new guy complaining.
Fuck, man, thought you said this little pussy was tight. It’s all messy and stretched out, cmon, next time let someone else use your toys before you go and ruin them.
Babe. Be good. Give his cock a nice big squeeze. Know you can.
The thing is, though, Mike’s feeling selfish today. He wants to stake his claim and not share. So when he picks up the pace til he’s scooting the couch across the floor with every thrust, his words all fall away until the only thing that makes it to your ear is mine. And when he comes he knots the condom and throws it away but he isn’t done; he isn’t done because you’re not done and he may be an asshole but he knows how to treat his partner right.
That’s it, babe. Fuck yourself back onto my fingers. So fuckin wet. Not just from my cock, though; I know you love the way these guys all look at you, like they’re an inch away from dropping trou and just using you hard. Oh babe, I can feel it building up in you. Think I can make you squirt all over this nice couch?
Turns out he can. He presses and twists hard and you can’t help but soak his hand. And the couch. And my shoes, babe. Whaddya say? Wouldn’t want to leave them all dirty. Oh, he’s just not playing fair today; he’s got a wicked twinkle in his eye and a hint of renewed arousal at the front of his jeans. And you could tell him to fuck right off; you could say let’s do something else and he’d agree easily enough; he’s an asshole but he’s respectful about it. But what you really want to do is drop down behind the couch on elbows and knees, down in the mess you made, right where you can get a proper eyeful of those heavy leather boots. And you’re gonna make them shine.
It doesn’t matter that there’s a dozen other people in this room; they’ve seen you fucked and fingered and they know exactly what you’re up to. It gets you even wetter if that were possible; you’re so soaked and fucking filthy, the smell of sex is never gonna come out. Oh babe. Don’t you love this, being down on the floor cleaning my fucking boots? That’s it. Get your tongue all over. Bet you can taste yourself real good. You can, along with leather and dust and the faintest hint of polish. It’s heady and your whine might well travel up his boot to his body to his ear. Whether he can hear it or not doesn’t matter; he sees the way you’re looking up at him and it makes his cock twitch.
Look at you. You’re getting off on this. Perfect. Babe, it’s like— it’s like— hell, it’s like you were born to be here, right in this dusty little spot at some house party in the middle of nowhere, leather warming under your tongue while there’s movement above you that means Mike is stroking himself off. Is he gonna— yeah. Yeah, he is. His come is warm and somehow so abundant; it’s in your hair, on your shoulders, and there’s a drop on the toe of his left boot that you lap up even before he can open his mouth to ask it of you.
Hell of a party, huh babe.
Hm. Yeah. You gonna offer me a drink?
Mike’s on the floor with you sticky in his arms; the party’s still ongoing but the party doesn’t matter. The thing that matters is he’s warm and solid; he’s softly watchful like he knows he needs to be. And the drink he offers is— is this orange juice?
Little bit of sugar, babe. It’ll tide you over til we get you some real food. I’m thinking waffles, sausage, the whole midnight breakfast deal. Whaddya say? It’s a good— no. It’s a great idea. At the diner Mike sits beside you in the booth and his curls are a mess; his cheeks are rosy to the point of glowing and when you press against his side he tucks your head beneath his chin and hums.
Is that Kathy’s Song?
Might be, babe. It might be.
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hacked-by-jake · 3 years
Note
Phil flirting with MC to the point of making her blush furiously
Thankyou
Hope you will like it! <3
Imagine:
It’s not that he only does it today, he always does it! So, really, always! Phil uses every little second to flirt with you. And you just don’t know what to make of it. Okay, you wouldn’t say no to him if he asked you explicitly. But all that’s come so far are flirts which make you really nervous. Thinking, you look around in the area while the others of the group talk. Earlier, Phil came to bring you new drinks and 'accidentally' spilled a little water over your pants. It’s just water, so not bad, but he did it just to have another chance for more flirting. Honestly, you just don’t know what your problem is.
After staring for minutes, a hand rests on your back. Shortly thereafter, you feel a warm body pressing against you and then hot breath on your ear, which immediately gives you goose bumps. Of course it’s Phil.
"I'm sorry again, about the water thing earlier." he whispers softly in your ear, "If it wasn’t just water, I would ask you if I should lick you clean"
Shocked, you open your eyes wide and want to turn your anger toward him. At the same time as your anger, at the thought of his tongue on your skin, a little shame and subconscious desire mixes that makes you blush.
When you turn to him, he has already walked a few meters further, "Hawkins you-" you shout loudly.
He turns to you with a grin, but does not stop, "Come on, MC, don’t act like that, you want it too!"
----------------------------
>>'Imagine Game' requests provisionally closed!
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liloelsagranger · 3 years
Text
Night shift - finally a new Rocketshipping-fanfiction
My dear friends,
it’s been a while since I last posted an entry. Let me tell you why and what, besides Covid-19, made me pause from publishing fanfictions over the last couple of months. Of course, Switzerland was very affected by the pandemic and still is today. We had numerous lock-downs or as Swiss people call it “slow downs”. My mother got very sick last year, I almost lost her. The doctors said she would only live two or three more days, but my mom is a fighter. She had to stay at the hospital for months, she endured countless medical examinations, had to take meds and slowly learned to live again. I’m so proud of my mother that she was strong and determined to get better. When she turned back home, I started to take care of her and I hate to leave her on her own, even if we’re talking about half an hour or less. Right now, she’s doing quite good, actually, we’re on vacation and she makes a great effort to participate in life in Italy. She’s my role-model! She will never be the same as before, but she won’t give up, she wakes up every morning to make progress. I prayed for her and her well-being, I prayed every single night she might get another chance and now we’re here at the beach and dining in fancy restaurants. It’s been a horrible year for everyone, a year full of sorrow, tears and desperation, a year where I was constantly afraid, the hospital would call me with some bad news, but she did it! She survived and she fights for her life! So proud! Good news is: I passed my doctoral exams and I’m officially allowed to call myself Dr. phil. des. Melanie C. but that won’t ever stop me from loving Team Rocket so here it is - a brand new Rocketshipping-fanfiction for you guys. LOVE YOU! Night shift
Chapter 1:
It was past ten o’clock when that miserable looking guy entered the diner. He inconspicuously sat down in the farthest corner of the café and immediately hid his face behind the menu card. Nevertheless, Jessie the waitress could make out the pathetic expression on his face, how he was cowering like a whipped dog. She had seen quite a bit in this diner. Drunks, thugs, addicts and other needy people who asked for a sympathetic ear, compassion and understanding, but that guy was different. He suffered terribly, but did not dare to communicate, instead he hid from the world so as not to attract attention and quietly endure his fate. Jessie had to do something about it. Of course, she didn’t want to play the Good Samaritan. She knew the tricks of the men who entered this diner. Most of the time, they told the waitress tall tales, hoping to be comforted, whatever they meant by that. But this young man did not make a shady impressionHe was well dressed, looked well-groomed, and Jessie was especially struck by his bright emerald green eyes, the only thing in his face that had not yet been veiled by grief and sorrow. She decided to do something about his displeasure.
“Did you have a rough day?” she asked while disinfecting the table.
He looked briefly into her eyes and nodded. “That’s one way to put it,” he answered, the gaze immediately lowered again.
This would be a taciturn conversation, but Jessie didn’t give up easily, she was a natural at making even rocks talk.
“Listen! No matter what happened, I’ve seen or heard some things. If I can help you in any way, my name is Jessie and I’m in charge of this table today. Let me just get the gum out from under your seat and get you a cold drink. What would you like?” She pulled a spatula from her apron and rubbed away the remains of the spoiled brats that marred her diner.
‘Wow,’ the young man thought to himself. ‘A strong, self-confident woman who lends a hand herself and who’s not above cleaning up dirt.’ Their eyes met briefly, and he forced a wry smile.
“You know, kid. You can’t rely on anyone. If you want to get everything done, do it yourself and don’t trust anyone. This world doesn’t give you anything for granted!” She briefly wiped the back of his chair before disappearing behind the counter and pouring the young man an ice-cold Coke.
“I have rarely seen you so concerned about a customer. Normally you show yourself aloof and only take the order, so as not to get involved in embarrassing conversations. Must be a really great pike, this pathetic creature in the far corner. Could it be that you’ve got a tiny crush on this guy?” For Eddy, teasing his best friend was the greatest pleasure. He didn’t know her like that. Jessie usually resisted any kind of small talk. This was due to her dark past, when she had repeatedly fallen for advances from men who were never looking for a steady relationship, but for a quick fix. Eddy had witnessed this bad time of his friend, how her heart was broken, how she was badly played with, and how she was simply dropped like a hot potato. Jack was the worst example of them all. While Jessie was already hearing the wedding bells ringing, he was making love to the women of the Strip and deceiving Jessie night after night with other broads. Jessie was devastated when she found out Jack was cheating on her. She was furious, not even at her lying boyfriend, but at herself for having been so stupid as to trust a man.
Jessie gave Eddy a light pat on the head. “Don’t be silly! That time is over. I can take care of myself, I don’t need male support for that. I’m a big girl, I make my own dough, and I keep my head above water pretty well. No, not a chance, I’ve sworn off flirting.” Nevertheless, she caught herself as her gaze wandered to the young man in the corner. “Oh yes, this time is definitely over,” Eddy smirked.
“Jessie, could you bring us a side of fries, please?” Misty’s order echoed throughout the hall. The twenty-year old waved her hands. She was used to speaking loudly, almost shouting, to attract guests to her daily water Pokémon show. Sometimes she walked up and down the streets of the Strip all day in the blazing hot sun, trying to win people for her underwater attraction. As an excellent student, she could have taught at any college, but she had decided early on to get into show business and make her living doing what she really loved, joined by Dewgong and Starmie. Her parents had not agreed with this decision at all, it was wasted talent, they had claimed, and had summarily turned Misty out the door. Since then, she had been struggling through life on her own, but could always count on Jess, the diner and her two best friends, Ash and Brock, young people who were also not favoured by fate.
“Temper your voice, twerp!” Jessie couldn’t help but grin. She spread the ketchup bottles around the table, hoping Ash wouldn’t spill on himself and the diner again. His constant companion Pikachu immediately hopped on his shoulder, grabbed a fry and popped it in his mouth. Ash and his Pokémon were carnies. He had trained his friend well and attracted many spectators with his performance. Most of them felt sorry for the guy and tipped generously. That’s why Ash was able to invite his friends to the diner every night, a place that gave them hope where they could experience security. They were convinced that nothing would ever disturb this idyll and that fate, for better or worse, had taken its course.
“Who’s that guy over there?” Brock wanted to know. He had barely sold chocolate and roses tonight. The others held back, but they were certain that their friend was just too pushy with women and that’s why he only collected rejections instead of green bills.
“I’ve never seen him here before. Must be from another area. I can’t tell you for the life of me why he’s wearing a suit at theses temperatures, he looks pretty pathetic to me anyways,” Jessie replied.
“Maybe his car has stalled,” Ash suggested, “and now he was forced to wander through the desert until the tasty aromas from your diner brought him back from his delirium.”
“Or,” Brock interfered, “he had to flee his own wedding because his wife is a real pain in the ass, unlike our sweet Misty,” Brock oohed at his friend. “Forget it, Brock! You and me, this will never happen!” She gave him a gentle poke.
“Enough now with your naïve speculations! Just let him enjoy his drink. We’re closing soon, so get going,” Jessie dismissed their absurd ideas with a wave of her hand, but at this point no one knew how right Brock was.
Dark thoughts hunted the young man. He knew what he would face at home if he was late. Beatings, torture, rebuke, harassment, were just a few words to describe his failed relationship. Unconsciously, he stroked his scarred arms.
“Can I get you something to eat?” Jessie pulled him out of the maelstrom of bad thoughts, of course she had noticed the wounds, but maybe he had gotten those injuries at work. The young man rummaged some coins out of his pants and let them jingle on the table. “Is that enough for a cheese sandwich?” Jessie hated small change, but she would make an exception for him. A friendly smile, a quick nod, and she passed on the order.
“Something’s wrong with this guy,” she whispered to Eddy. “He’s scarred, bruised and pays with penny coins. Possibly a vagrant.” Eddy couldn’t help but grin. “That guy’s been keeping you busy all night, Jess. What’s the matter with you? Are you getting weak?”
The young man could not overhear the conversation between the waiters, but he was sure they were talking about him. He sure made a rather frightening impression, but that was a private matter and not something you shared with a waitress in a diner.
His gaze drifted to the daily paper, which had two faces emblazoned on it: Butch and Cassidy. He had never heard of this odd couple, but according to the news, theses two were causing quite a stir and were terrifying the Strip.
“Oh, so you’ve already spotted them, those two knuckleheads! They keep the Strip in suspense, and heads roll when the taxes don’t add up,” Jessie served him the cheese sandwich and gave him a slight smile.
“Can I get you anything else?” He thanked her and took a hearty bite of his dinner.
The last half hour flew by and the remaining guests left the diner to spend the night on the Strip, as very few had a roof over their heads. Jessie set about cleaning up and Eddy checked the register.
The young man stood up and made his way towards the door. But before he left the diner, he glanced back at Jessie for a moment. A sigh escaped him. What if…?
Jessie returned his gaze and watched him go until the young man disappeared. She walked right up to his table and found a little note on the receipt.
“Thanks for treating me like a human being, James.” 
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Text
means something; dream
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summary: dream loses his last canon life and no one has the heart to tell the reader. the reader is in denial, confused as to why their dream isn’t coming home.
dedication: @lemonlime-system​
genre: angst, romance
pairing: c!dream x reader
characters: c!dream, c!fundy, c!nihachu, c!ranboo, c!ph1lza, c!wilbur soot, c!sapnap
word count: 2.8k
warnings: angst, alcohol, character death
a/n: this is obviously not canon so please don’t take this as such. also i’ve never written dream before so i apologize if this is a little ooc. if y’all have any suggestions on how i can improve writing for dream (or anyone else), please let me know because i’ve only recently gotten invested in the SMP. thank you :))
important links: lizzy mcalpine - means something  masterlist
I saw your name on a street sign In the middle of nowhere And that has to mean something
You and Fundy had been messing around on the server all day, this being one of your boyfriend’s busier days. You didn’t want to let yourself miss out on any of the shenanigans on the SMP just because your boyfriend couldn’t be online, so you rang up Fundy and decided to muck around a little. The two of you had been sprinting down one of the paths when you had noticed a new sign at one of the many intersections. You stopped and crouched down to read it, Fundy watching you curiously. Suddenly, you giggled. “Hey, it says Dream Street,” you beamed, turning to face him.
“What?” he laughed, stooping down to inspect it. After a moment, he straightened back up. “Huh, I guess it does.”
“Oh, that’s so cool!!” you gushed, bouncing a little. “Would you mind taking a picture of me with it, Fundy? I wanna show him later.”
After laughing a little at your face-splitting smile, he agreed. You struck a cute pose beside the sign and smiled as the Dutch man crouched a little and took the picture.
I know your zodiac sign Me and Leos get along great And that has to mean something
“Are you on your astrology shit again?” your boyfriend asked as he laid across from you on the bed, an amused smile curling his lips.
“No,” you giggled, dragging it out as you opened an app on your phone. Co-star lit up your screen as you pulled your knees to your chest. “On a completely unrelated note, your birthday’s August 12th, right?”
Dream playfully rolled his eyes, nudging you with his foot. He busied himself with the strings of his hoodie, fake-ignoring you. Looking up at you, you raised your eyebrows. Well? Your partner huffed and cracked a smile. “Yes, my birthday’s August 12th.”
You hummed, nodding a little and typing some stuff into your phone. “Huh.”
Dream looked up at you, eyebrows furrowed. “What?” You looked up from your phone with the smallest, fond smile on your face. When you didn’t answer, he tried again. “What? What are you huh-ing about?”
Your smile grew a little as you started to speak. “It says that me and Leos get along great.”
“Oh my god-”
“You know what that means?” you asked, cheeks dusting pink.
The boy sitting across from you snickered a little, short puffs of air leaving his nose. “No, what does it mean?” he replied, deciding to humor you.
“Our love was written in the stars!” you exclaimed dramatically, flopping over onto his legs. “It was meant to be.” You beamed up at him, clasping your hands together.
Dream sat up, brushing a stray hair behind your ear. The smile that curved his lips was real this time, not playful or mocking or amused. It was warm and fond and home. “It sure was.”
But for some reason You’re not here And I refuse to believe That means something
You’d been there for hours, waiting. He said he’d meet you at the bench - your bench. He said he’d meet you and you’d go for a walk and watch the sunset like you’d been planning. You had your little picnic blanket and your backpack and your dinner all packed up, probably no longer warm. You’d been ready, giddy all day, excited to watch the sunset with your one love and look at the stars and make up stupid, fake constellations and laugh at each other’s antics. You’d brought the little flower you’d made out of a piece of scrap paper too while wandering around aimlessly earlier, another little paper craft for his collection. You’d been excited. So excited that you couldn’t bring yourself to acknowledge the dark feeling in the pit of your stomach; the feeling that something was wrong.
You refused to leave the bench, even as the breeze picked up and the sun neared the horizon. Sure, it wasn’t like Dream to be so late without giving you some sort of heads up, but maybe he was just this one time. Maybe he got caught up doing business with someone and he’d forgotten to shoot you a message. Maybe he forgot something and he had to run back home and grab it. Maybe he got stuck setting up one of his Classic Dream Surprises and had lost track of time. Maybe-
Many of your friends passed you on the path near your bench, gazing at you sympathetically but not stopping to talk. No one had the heart to break the news to you. Niki and Ranboo had lingered on the path for a little bit, whispering back and forth, debating whether or not they should check up on you. They eventually decided against it and went to go get Phil.
You bounced your leg and clutched the blanket a little tighter. It’ll be fine, he’s just running late.
I felt the way that you hugged me When I was broken inside And that has to mean something
He was gone. Wilbur was dead.
Your ears were ringing. The news had been on loop in your head since you’d received it. He’s gone, Y/N. He’s gone.
You and Wilbur had been relatively close - one could even go as far as to say that he was one of your best friends. Although you loved him dearly, you couldn’t say that you didn’t see it coming. Unfortunately, that didn’t dull that shock that came with the news. Dream had been out on business when you’d heard, and you’d been laid up in bed ever since. You refused to look in the mirror, already well aware of how rough you probably looked. Your eyes were swollen and red from crying, and you’d been wearing the same big hoodie all day. For the past two hours you’d been doing nothing but staring up at the ceiling, replaying every little moment you could remember from your friendship in your head. It hurt. Everything hurt.
You hadn’t heard when the front door opened. Or when Dream called out into the eerily quiet house, announcing that he was home. Or even the steps of your boyfriend approaching from down the hall. He opened the door, confused to see you in bed, puffy-eyed and motionless. You sat up in bed when you noticed a blur of green standing in the doorway of the bedroom.
The two of you stared at one another for a moment, the tension nearly palpable. Dream’s eyebrows were furrowed in confusion as he stared at you in a vain effort to assess the situation, neither of you breathing. He blinked and your bottom lip began to quiver. Concerned, he look forward and you let out a wail, tears spilling down your cheeks.
He caught you, kneeling awkwardly over you on the bed to hold you tight against his chest. “What’s wrong, baby? What happened?”
“He’s - gone,” you managed out between sobs.
“Who’s gone, honey?”
“Wil-” You hiccupped. “Wilbur’s dead.”
I felt the way that you kissed me When we got too drunk that night And that had to mean something
It was a good night; you and your boyfriend were sat around your candlelit coffee table having a celebratory drink. Celebrating what, you may ask? Well, no other occasion than Dream successful negotiating with a business partner. You couldn’t quite put your finger on why this negotiation was more important that your partner’s other successful business ventures, but his excitement was enough for you to give in.
You’d started drinking and talking around sunset. It was now nearing midnight and the two of you found yourselves dancing, slowly swaying to the tune of Dream’s humming. He lifted his chin from the top of your head, and you looked up to meet his gaze, curious. Leaning down, he rested his forehead against yours. “Can I kiss you?”
His breath fanned across your face, warming your already pink cheeks. Your lips curled in a lazy smile. He smelled like red wine and something smoky. You loved him like this, all close and vulnerable and yours.
Scrunching up your nose, you scoffed. “Can you kiss me?” you mocked playfully, leaning into him a little more. “Of course you can kiss me; we’re dating, love.”
“I just wanted to make sure,” he replied breathily, leaning down to lock your lips. Your noses brushed together, your eyelashes fluttering against his cheek. You clasped your hands behind his neck, leaning up the slightest bit on your tiptoes, and he held your elbows. The kiss was timid, but it warm and him and love and home. It was soft and sweet and comfortable. He kissed you like he was promising you the future, that everything would be okay. Like he was telling you he would always be there to take care of you.
When you pulled away, he moved to cup your cheeks, keeping your foreheads pressed together. For a good, long while, the two of you stayed standing like that, just swaying and smiling at each other.
But for some reason You’re not here And I refuse to believe That means something
You’d curled up on the bench by now, knees pulled up to your chest and wrapped in your picnic blanket. He’s coming, you assured yourself, chin tucked into your hoodie. The sun had long since dipped below the horizon and you’d resorted to tapping your foot against the wood of the bench in the awkward position. You didn’t bother checking your clock; you didn’t want to know how long you’d been waiting anymore. You just wanted to sit there and wait until your boyfriend showed up.
The paper flower you’d so carefully made for him had been cupped between your palms for hours now, probably sweaty and wilted. You’d thought about setting it down - but what if it blew away? What if you accidentally lost it?
You lost yourself a little staring out into the distance, trying to make out some kind of constellation in the inky darkness of the night. Sighing you slumped a little, trying not to let your paranoia get the best of you. At least you were both under the same sky. It was admittedly getting pretty chilly, but you didn’t care. You’d wait at your bench until Dream got here.
A hand gently met your shoulder, and you jumped. You smiled excitedly, relaxing. “Finally-” you started, turning to face him. Your smile dropped when, instead, you turned to be met with Phil’s sad smile. Confused and somewhat disappointed, you cocked your head. “Hi.”
“Hi, Y/N,” the older man greeted softly, moving around the bench. “Can I talk to you about something?”
Your brows furrowed once again, concerned. He seemed really serious. Scooting to one side, you patted the space beside you. “Yeah, of course. Whatever you need.”
He sighed sadly at that, taking a seat next to you on the bench. “I have some news,” he started carefully.
“News?” you echoed, sounding a little empty.
Phil inhaled deeply, sensing that you already knew that something was wrong. “Yeah, I have some news for you.”
You blinked slowly, turning to face him better. “Okay, what is it?”
“Let me start by saying however you react to this is totally okay, alright?” he began softly, watching as you nodded numbly.  “So, uhm.” He paused, wringing his hands. “Dream’s gone.”
“Yeah,” you said as if it were obvious. “He’s on his way here.”
“No, Y/N-” He paused again, trying to figure out how to word it delicately. “He’s not with us anymore.”
You scoffed in disbelief at Phil’s stubbornness. “Yes, Phil, I know. He’s away on business.”
“Y/N.” A sigh escaped his lips as he covered his mouth with his hand, now genuinely afraid of how you were processing things. “Y/N, he’s dead.” He waited for you to respond but, instead, you just blinked at him. “There was a disagreement during their meeting and things got out of hand-” Another pause. “He’s gone. I’m so sorry.”
Every time I think too much It ends up crazy I don’t know how to not think about you Every time I trust my gut I think I’m crazy ‘Cause I don’t know how to put my trust in you
It had been a few hours since you’d gotten the news, and the denial has slowly faded away. He would’ve texted you if he’d been running late. He wouldn’t have left you there for hours and hours, waiting for him on a little bench.
After the initial shock had worn off, you’d gone home to process things, and to say that things didn’t turn out pretty would be an understatement. Once you had gotten home, you went straight to your shared bedroom and made a mountain out of his clothes. Grabbing a case of beer from the fridge, you sat on the floor and stared at his stuff for a long while. You only had two bottles, knowing that drinking yourself out of feeling probably wouldn’t be the best solution right now, but you still sat there nursing your drink as the tears silently rolled down your cheeks. You couldn’t help but feel like you’d been here before.
By the time you’d heard the knock at your front door, the house was a mess. Picture frames were shattered, anything that belonged to Dream or reminded you of him was scattered about, his snacks were piled up on the kitchen counters, his shoes were stacked up behind the bedroom door - the entire house was in a state of complete chaos. And there you were, wailing and dragging yourself through the mess towards the front door. You swung open the door, which bounced off of an overflowing box of trinkets Dream had collected from you, and there was Sapnap standing awkwardly on your front porch.
You were suddenly aware of how rough you looked, red nose and puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks in all of your grieving glory. You’d put on a pair of his sweats and a random hoodie he’d gifted you for one of your anniversaries, both of which were obviously too big for you. You sniffled, looking up at the man sadly.
“Hey, you doing okay?” Sapnap asked softly, wondering what exactly was and wasn’t okay to ask someone who’d just heard that their partner had passed away.
Your eyebrows knit together and something inside of you broke. You tried to choke back a sob, but it came out as a sputtering cough as a waterfall of tears poured down your face. “No,” you wailed, slumping in on yourself and grabbing fistfuls of the extra fabric of the hoodie you were wearing. Losing a little bit of your self-control, you lurked forward and threw your arms around the other, who didn’t hesitate to pull you into himself. Rubbing circles into your back, he walked you back into the house. Navigating the mess of you trying to sort out all of Dream’s things was no easy task but, eventually, he led you to your living room. 
The both of you sat down on the couch, you still hugging him and him still rubbing circles into your back. He would hold you for as long as you needed, humming a little in a vain attempt to try and make you feel better. “I know it’s hard that he’s gone now,” he started, trying not to start crying himself. “But it’ll be okay, Y/N. I’ve got you.”
Do you think it means something That I wrote another song about you?
You sang softly, kicking your legs from where you sat at the edge of the cliff you’d found. It was some coping and recovery exercise Bad had recommended - writing songs or poems or stories or whatever about things you were struggling to come to terms with. You had to admit that it had helped some. When you’d first started with the writing, you’d chosen to start writing songs because you’d seen how happy Dream had been when he used to write music. You wanted a part of that. You wanted to understand what had made him so happy.
So you gave it a shot and here you were, singing a song you’d written for him, sitting on your picnic blanket and watching as the sun set, painting the sky with oranges and pinks. It almost felt as though he were right beside you, swaying along to the tune no matter how good or bad it was. You could feel him smiling down at you from wherever the hell he was. You were okay now. You were safe and recovering and taking care of yourself. Wherever he was, you’d make sure that he knew. He means something to you.
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angelfishofthelord · 3 years
Note
C6 for the birthday ficlets <3 “You have no home. Not anymore.”
prompt: "you have no home. not anymore"
set in s9, shortly before 9x06
While Castiel is stocking the canned goods shelf he hears a woman behind him talking about to another man about replacing the bathroom tiling in her home. There’s a clear huff of annoyance in her tone as she describes the mistake her husband made in buying ceramic, not porcelain tiles. Castiel mentally notes down her complaint in his mind to add to the portrait he’s been creating in his mind of his home. Every time he hears someone divulging a detail of their home life he steals it--no, he borrows it, he tells himself, so that he can create a home that he can bring up in conversations with Nora and Allen, the other Gas n Sip worker, and Phil, the delivery man.
He tells them about renting a tiny studio apartment (this is a term he overheard from the college students who cleared out the candy shelf) with picture windows (from the woman who lectured him endlessly about the right way to make her nachos). When Nora comments about never having enough time to clean her house Castiel talks about how he uses Ultra Power Plus (from a commercial he saw on TV) and complains about having to vacuum the porch (from a ten minute argument a business had on his phone on the bus). Sometimes he gets strange looks from people when he says things abut his imaginary home, and he thinks they must suspect him of lying. Their eyes bore into him, chanting silently you have no home not anymore.
Sometimes to help him fall asleep at night, back aching against the hard spine of the storeroom floor, he adds new furniture to his home. A rocking chair, like the one Frank from the shelter talked about his grandmother having. An espresso maker, the kind Allen showed him on his phone that he was getting for his girlfriend’s birthday. A pot of dandelions, the ones that would grow up through the spaces of the park bench he slept on.
On weekends when he has the day off he takes the bus to different neighborhoods in the city, looking at different houses and wondering what kind of lives people live inside, if they laugh and spill their food and fix what’s broken and cry and are asked to leave.
Then he usually tries to walk for the rest of the afternoon, until he’s too tired to walk anymore. It makes it easier to fall asleep on the bus stop bench that way. He hopes that once he gets his first paycheck he can afford a room on Sundays.
Today, though, just as he’s dragging his feet up to his favorite bus stop, a car slows beside him. The window rolls down and a woman with friendly eyes calls out “Castiel?”
Immediately he reaches for the blade in his shoulder bag. He doesn’t want to kill another one of his siblings but he will protect himself as necessary. However the next sentence she says makes him let go of the blade’s handle. “I’m Jody Mills.”
“Oh.” Castiel moves closer to the car, squinting curiously. “How did you find me?”
“Sam asked me to look out for you. He was worried about the angels being after you.” She glances him up and down. “I wasn’t sure where to look, to be honest, but a friend of mine passed through her recently and said she saw someone who looked like the sketch I had on my desk.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” He tries not to lean his shoulder on the car, giving away how close he is to exhaustion. “I appreciate your concern.”
“Well, get in.” The passenger door opens. “I’ll give you a lift back home.”
It’s so nice to hear the last word that he folds himself into the warm, soft seat without thinking. When the sheriff asks for his address he gives the Gas n Sip one by habit.
“Ah, so that’s where you’ve been working,” she smiles. “Not bad. So where have you been staying?”
The car is so warm. His back sinks against the embrace of the seat. He thinks if he can stay here just a few more minutes it will make sleeping on the bench less painful tonight. So he ignores her question and just stares down at his feet. There’s a bottle of water in the corner that looks like a fountain to him right now.
Jody picks up the bottle of water and pushes it into his hands, causing him to look up gratefully. “I don’t--this is yours,” Castiel manages.
“And now it’s yours. Now where should I drop you off?”
Castiel takes a long, sweet drink of water and repeats the Gas n Sip address.
The car slows and then stops. Castiel glances around and realizes that Jody’s pulled over. This is the part where she makes him get out. Of course. He straightens his shoulders, trying not to show the disappointment.
“Castiel,” she says quietly. “When you finish work, where do you go to sleep?”
He keeps his eyes on the water bottle lid. It’s dark blue and if he stares at it long enough it looks like a piece of sky.
Jody exhales faintly beside him. “Okay. I’m going to get you a room at a motel near where you work. If I had known earlier…” she breathes out again. “Listen, I’ll come back on Monday and see what I can do to help you get a more permanent situation. Also there’s an extended holiday weekend coming up. You’re welcome to come over to my home if you don’t have any plans.”
Castiel whips his head up, fearful that he might not hearing right.
“I mean, it’s not much,” Jody chuckles. “But it should be--”
“Thank you,” Castiel whispers, quickly, before his voice cracks.
He should say more, he knows. There should be some profound expression of gratitude given to someone as kind as her, but the tears are pushing against his eyelids and he turns away, leaning his head on the window. His fingers tighten around the water bottle and he blinks hard. Jody reaches out to his shoulder, gently rubbing her hand up and down his arm, and that just makes the tears spill out even faster.
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peachy-rambles · 3 years
Note
TW: miscarriage
I could only think of angst when I heard this. Alternative version, of course. 
Phil feels like somethings wrong weeks before the twins are do. He expresses his concerns with Techno and he tries to calm Phil down from his ‘nervous thinking’. Philza expresses his concerns again about a week later, only to find out that he ended up having a miscarriage. The news absolutely destroyed them both.
Oh, you want angst, anon? I'll give you angst!
Remember how I said that Phil has been pregnant before? Well, he has been, but a majority of those pregnancies often ended up being miscarriages.
See, there's something about Avian pregnancy that all the books left out and something that Phil never told Techno. And that is that Avians have a very hard time reproducing, it's why they're so rare and there's so few of them left. Live births are extremely difficult for them, most likely due to human bodies already being less than suitable for live birth - add in the hollow bones and wings of an Avian, and it's so much more difficult.
9/10 Avians die giving birth and there's no guarantee the offspring will survive, since most Avians never make it past the first 10 years of their life.
Phil is a bit of an exception to this and has successfully carried to term a few children, AND survived the birth (he was really weak afterwards but he was alive). But his body still isn't perfect and several of his pregnancies besides those children he had, were all miscarriages.
When he finds out he's pregnant with Techno's child, he is worried it might end up being another miscarriage, but he sees how happy Techno is and decides not to tell him about Phil's past pregnancies. There's no need to worry Techno because all of Phil's previous children were all sired by Avians and Phil figured that since Techno is a god, their children will be demigods and surely, surely, that means Phil won't end up miscarrying again?
But then...he does.
It devastates both of them, especially when they learn they'd been expecting twins and they both blame themselves.
Phil feels guilty and thinks it's his fault, that he shouldn't have assumed it would be alright, that his body has failed not only him but Techno. Techno had been so excited and overjoyed about the pregnancy, to finally have a family of their own and now he'll never have that. And it's all Phil's fault.
Techno feels guilty because he feels like he dismissed Phil's concern, that he should've listened and pushed Phil to see a healer if he was concerned. But Techno had been constantly worried during the early stages of the pregnancies and Phil had always soothed him, telling him it would be fine, so Techno had tried to be calm about it and not worry, again. He thought since they were so far into the pregnancy, there was a low chance of losing the babies, but he was wrong. Techno doesn't blame Phil at all, and thinks the blame should be rested on his own shoulders.
While Phil had once been so happy during the pregnancy, now he's become extremely depressed and rarely ever leaves their nest. He barely eats or drinks, and he doesn't talk, he just lays there unresponsive. He doesn't even let Techno touch him, constantly shying away from his touch and turning away.
He doesn't tell Techno the truth about his past miscarriages, too afraid that Techno will hate him for it and possibly leave him if he knows the truth, that Phil can't give him the family he wants (it never stopped Phil's past partners from leaving him). Phil refuses to talk to Techno because he's afraid if he does, the truth will spill out and he just can't tell Techno.
Techno is naturally concerned and tries his best to help Phil, while also dealing with and processing his own grief. But he takes Phil's silence and unresponsiveness to mean he's upset with Techno and blames him for it, which Techno understands. So he gives Phil space and stops sleeping in their nest with him, he starts going out more (usually claiming he's hunting and sometimes he is but sometimes he just wanders for hours outside, unsure of what to do).
This continues for a few weeks, both of them grieving and suffering alone, until one day while Techno is out hunting and he hears the sound of a baby crying in the distance.
He thinks he's finally cracked, that his grief and mourning have gotten to him, and now he's hearing things.
But the crying continues and the wolf he brought with him to help him hunt also seems to have heard it, ears pointed in the direction of the sound and getting agitated. And that's when Techno realizes he isn't hearing things, the crying is real, which means there's a baby crying somewhere in the forest with monsters and predators, who also probably hear it.
Techno follows the sound, the wolf following closely behind him. They come across a few monsters and swiftly take care of them before they find the baby.
It's wrapped in an old blanket and hidden in some undergrowth, and has clearly been there for a while. It's also a hybrid, Techno realizes, with small brown animal ears (goat? ram? deer? he's not sure, hard to tell when they're this young), instead of human ones.
Techno doesn't want to assume the worst, but he has a feeling this baby was abandoned. It can't be left alone and logically, Techno knows he should take it back home, but he hesitates. What will happen if he brings home a baby? What will Phil think? Will he try to care for it or will he react negatively?
The baby begins to let out small whimpers and Techno makes his decision, taking it in his arms and wrapping it in his cloak to hopefully keep it warm. The baby immediately quiets and nuzzles into Techno, and Techno tries his best not to feel anything when it does (best not to get attached when there's no guarantee it'll stay with them).
Techno makes his way back home and he begins panicking when the baby starts crying again. He tries his best to quiet it down, but not before apparently Phil hears and comes out of their nest for the first time in a while, approaching Techno.
"That's...a baby," Phil says once he's standing in front of him, staring down at the baby still in Techno's arm.
"Yeah, it was...abandoned, I think. I didn't-I didn't know what else to do..." Techno tries to explain, his voice trailing off.
Phil is quiet before reaching his hand out, "Can I...?"
Techno nods and hands the baby to Phil, who stops crying when Phil coos down at them.
Phil brings the baby into their nest and starts tending to them, Techno hovering nearby and watching closely. Eventually, the baby and Phil fall asleep together in their nest and Techno goes to cover them with a blanket before leaving.
But he's stopped when Phil calls out a soft "Techno" and he pauses, glancing down at Phil.
"Can you stay?" Phil asks and somehow Techno knows Phil isn't just asking if Techno will stay tonight.
"I will," Techno answers back and lays down in the bed, pulling Phil and the baby close to him, so they're both in his arms. He presses a kiss to Phil's forehead and whispers, "I'll always stay."
(Things aren't completely fixed yet. Phil still hasn't told Techno the truth and they're both still mourning, but it's a step closer to healing. They'll get through this. Together, just like they've always done.)
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Text
Out Of Time ~ 23
MASTERLIST
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< previous chapter
Word Count: 2,225ish (this is one of the longer ones... sorry, not sorry...)
Summary: Y/N attends the charity gala.
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Y/N arrived with Pepper. It was her first red carpet, but she was quickly able to handle any nerves. She was a SHIELD agents after all, blending in was second nature. Obadiah Stane was talking to reporters on the red carpet, eyeing Y/N as she walked passed. Once the two women were inside, Y/N went straight to the bar. She knew she was going to need a drink. As she took small sips of her drink, Y/N observed her surroundings. She noticed that Coulson was already here, talking to Pepper. 
“Surprised to see you here, Ms. Barnes,” Obadiah’s voice came from behind her. Y/N turned around, plastering a pleasant smile on her face. “Thought you would be watching the golden boy.”
“Mr. Stark is fine without me for a few hours,” Y/N replied. “Plus, his AI is hooked to my phone. I’ll be notified if he does anything stupid.”
“Except that JARVIS was made by him and can be controlled by him.”
“You’d be surprised at how often I get JARVIS on my side.” Y/N took another sip of her drink, keeping it close to her just in case Obadiah wanted to do something to it. 
“Would you care to dance?” Obadiah held his hand out to her.
Y/N’s phone buzzed, and without even looking at it, she knew Tony was on his way. “You might want to go back outside, talk to the press and greet the guests.”
“And why is that?”
She moved so that her lips were close to his ear, “I just know you can’t handle dancing with me… All the men I end up dancing with spill all their secrets. And I can tell you have a few big ones.”
“Like what?”
“Like how Tony’s kidnapping really happened.”
Obadiah cleared his throat and stepped back. “It was good to talk to you, Ms. Barnes.”
“And to you as well, Mr. Stane. Maybe after your done pleasing the masses, we can have that dance.”
Y/N turned around and headed into the crowd. She was close to being on the other side of the room with a hand fell on her arm. She turned to see Coulson.
“Phil,” she smiled, extremely relieved to see him.
“Y/N,” he smiled back. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you. Just so you’re aware, Tony is on his way over.”
“I am aware. The agents there informed me that he sped off the property. So I figured he saw the news and headed over. Does he know you’re here?”
“No. Both Pepper and I didn’t give him any information as to where we were going. I simply told me I was meeting up with an old friend. Which wasn’t a lie.”
“No,” Coulson chuckled. “It wasn’t.” 
Coulson glanced around the room, noticing that many people were dancing. He grabbed Y/N’s hand and began leading her into the crowd of dancing couples. Y/N followed his lead.
“How are you?” Phil asked.
“I’m… I’m fine.”
“You don’t need to lie to me, Y/N/N.”
“I’m not. It’s true. I’m fine. And I’ll work on not breaking down in front of my mission… Did you tell Fury what happened?”
“I did. Even tried to get you off the mission. But Fury said that you’d pull it together and use it to your advantage.”
“He’s not wrong.” As Phil turned, the entrance came into view for Y/N. She saw Tony waltzing in. “Tony’s here. This might be your time to talk to him.”
“On it.”
Phil quickly let Y/N go and made his way towards Tony, who was now at the bar. Y/N walked around the crowded room, taking in all the exits and noting of anyone that looked suspicious. Y/N walked along the edge of the room, trying to stay out of Tony’s sight. She was almost in the clear until he saw over while he was dancing with Pepper. He quickly excused himself and made his way over to Y/N.
“Meeting with an old friend, huh?” Tony jabbed once he was in front of Y/N.
“I did meet with him. Then we parted ways.”
“Were you always planning on coming here?”
“Not until this morning. And I didn’t know it was a Stark Industries event until I saw Obadiah out front.”
“Of course. Let’s dance.” Tony slipped his arm through Y/N’s and led them into the crowd. “Does Pepper know you’re here?”
“Yes. We actually came together.”
“Huh… Have I told you that you look stunning tonight?”
“Not yet.”
“Well you do.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“No ‘sirs’ or ‘Mr. Stark’s’ here. This isn’t work.”
“I am still watching you though. And it is a Stark Industries event.”
“Yeah. But this is different. You’re watching the handsome gentleman dancing with you, not your handsome boss.”
Y/N chuckled. “Well technically you’re not my boss. Pepper and Stark Industries is. You’re just the kid I have to babysit.”
“Kid, huh?”
“Yep. Especially after that suit incident.”
“Incident? It wasn’t an incident. I was testing it out.”
“You were being stupid. And I want to tell you not to do it again, but I know you won’t listen.”
“Oh you know me so well. How about a little air?”
“That would be nice.” 
Tony grabbed Y/N’s scarred hand, and pulled her out onto the balcony. They walked over to the ledge, looking out at Los Angeles. Tony’s thumb began to rub the back of Y/N’s hand.
“Why do you do that?” Y/N whispered, not looking at Tony.
“Do what?” Tony questioned, looking at Y/N curiously.
“Grab that hand… Rub your fingers along it… Doesn’t it… Doesn’t it feel weird to hold it?”
“Doesn’t my hand feel weird? It’s all hard and calloused.”
“I can’t… I don’t have much feeling inside that hand. I can feel that you’re holding it, but not much else…”
Tony lifted her hand up. “Can you feel this?” He pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand. 
“I.. uh… I never asked, how did you sleep last night?” Y/N finally turned to look at Tony.
“Better than I have in months.”
“Same.”
“I guess we’ve found away to make our nightmares go away.” Tony stepped closer to Y/N, their noses barely brushing.
“Tony… I can’t… I’m suppose to be watching you.”
“And you would be. Where’s a better place to watch me than being with me?”
“Rules. There would have to be rules.”
“Yeah. That’d be smart.”
“Cuddling is okay. But no kissing, no sex, no touching in inappropriate places.”
Tony let out a little groan. “You’re killing me here, Y/N.”
“I’m here for your protection not enjoyment.” Tony moved so that their lips were almost touching. “Plus I haven’t drunk enough to even think about letting you kiss me.”
“Got it, okay.” Tony stepped back, slowly letting Y/N’s hand go. “Anything in particular you want?”
“Surprise me.”
Tony nodded before turning and heading inside. Y/N landed forward against the railing, wondering what was happening. The man was intoxicating. He definitely inherited it from Howard. She looked up at the stars. She needed to get herself together. Tony is a playboy, like his father. He doesn’t have real feelings. After a few minutes, she went back inside. Tony was still at the bar, talking with another woman. He didn’t seem to be flirting, in fact it didn’t seem to be going well at all. Y/N walked over to see what was going on, just in time for Tony to see her, grab her hand, and head towards the exit.
“Tony,” she gently said his name as she let him pull her, “what’s going on?”
“I need to talk to Obie,” he said through gritted teeth. 
Y/N caught a glimpse of Tony’s other hand. There were pictures in it. She had a feeling that Obie had something to do with it, but kept quiet.
“Obadiah,” Tony called as him and Y/N approached the man. He was currently talking to press on the red carpet.
Obadiah turned to see the two waiting for him. He turned back to the press as they tried to get in on the conversation. “Please, do you mind?” He pushed a camera away.
Tony let go of Y/N’s hand and stepped up beside Obadiah. “Have you seen theses pictures? What’s going on in Gulmira?”
“Tony, Tony. You can’t afford to be this naive.”
“You know what? I was naive before, when they said, ‘Here’s the line. We don’t cross it. This is how we do business.’ If we’re double-dealing under the table… Are we?”
“Tony, your picture, please!” A reporter shouted.
“Let’s take a picture,” Obadiah encouraged, wrapping an arm around Tony. “Come on. Picture time!” Obadiah’s head inched closer to Tony’s, but was still facing the press. Y/N took a small step up, trying to listen in. “Tony,” he quietly said. “Who do you think locked you out? I was the one who filed the injunction against you. It was the only way I could protect you.”
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Then Obadiah was off, heading down the red carpet to his car. Tony stood there. Frozen in place. Y/N carefully walked up beside him, setting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Tony,” she whispered. 
“We’re leaving,” Tony stated, quickly grabbing her hand and pulling her towards his car. 
In any other circumstance , both of them would care about who they were being seen with when it came to the press. But all Tony cared about was getting home, and all Y/N cared about was Tony’s safety.
“Let me drive,” Y/N stated when they walked up to the car. “Give me the keys, Tony.” 
Tony didn’t fight her, handing her the keys before letting go of her hand and sitting in the passenger seat. Y/N started up the car, and for the first few minutes neither of them talked.
“How much of that did you hear?” Tony asked, looking at the road.
“All of it,” she responded.
“Did you know any of it before?”
“No, I didn’t. I had my suspicions about Obadiah, but no proof. I came tonight to get proof so that I could confront you about it.”
“I trusted him.”
“I know, Tony.”
“That’s how they got my weapons,” Tony muttered. “He’s been selling our weapons to the enemy.”
“That’s how who got your weapons?”
“The group that kidnapped me. They… They had my weapons. They wanted me to make the Jericho missile for them. I couldn’t do it. So I… I built a suit.”
“Like the one I saw the other night?”
“Yes. Just not as nice. That’s how I escaped. I refused to recreate the Jericho for them, and they still ended up getting it.” Tony looked down at the pictures, one of the Jericho missile. 
“This is not your fault, Tony. There was no way you could have known he was doing this.”
Tony fell silent for the rest of the way home, Y/N following his lead. Once they reached his house, Tony was changed and down in the workshop before Y/N could finish changing. She entered the workshop with a blanket and some snacks in hand. Tony was on the couch, working on an arm of his suit, and watching the news. It was all about what was happening in Gulmira.
“I brought some snacks,” Y/N said as she walked up to Tony. No response. “I noticed that the arm of your suit is now red. Did you paint it?” Still nothing. “Tony. I’m just trying to help.” 
Y/N sat beside him on the couch. He still silently worked on his arm, glaring and focused on the voice of the newscaster. Suddenly he stood up and walked to the side of the room. Y/N carefully watched him from the couch. He held up his armored arm and shot towards the other end of the workshop, hitting and knocking down a light. 
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Y/N jumped a little at the beam hitting the light. She turned to look at Tony, who had clearly gotten an idea. He walked forward, angrily. Y/N watched as Tony looked at himself through the glass wall. Quickly, he began shooting at the glass, shattering it.
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“Tony!” Y/N exclaimed, jumping up from the couch and rushing towards him. “Stop it!” She came up and gripped his shoulders just after he finished shattering the last panel of glass. “I know you’re angry, Tony. But this is not how we solve the issue or deal with our anger.” Y/N moved her hands to the sides of his face. “I can help you stop him. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“I can’t let you help me,” he whispered, meeting her eyes. “You’ll just end up getting hurt.” He pulled away, walking towards his workbenches. “I’m going to go help in Gulmira.”
“What? You can’t be serious—“
“The suit is ready. I’m going to try and help undo the damage I’ve done.”
“You could get hurt!”
“Then so be it!” He turned around to face her, his breathing heavy. “I have to fix something.”
next chapter >
406 notes · View notes
fleursdemeduse · 3 years
Text
Remembrance AU: Constant Dying
This is not going in the direction that was originally planned, but I'm not sure I'm too upset by it. I'm glad to finally post a part that goes a bit further into Techno's feelings about you this time, though. I'm also starting to work on an angsty Simpbur fic alongside this one, so keep an eye out for that.
Warnings: Mention of death ; Near-death
Words: 3.6k
Your legs throbbed as you trudged through the multiple paths to where you and Techno had been mining. Your neck wasn’t fairing much better. There was always residual pain after a death, especially when you were killed by your own stupidity and not mobs or someone else. You were more than happy to take hits for your friend, often shielding his body with your much smaller one to protect him, but natural deaths were pointless to you. Not to mention that dying this many times in such a short period made an ache develop on the right side of your brain and you knew you wouldn’t be able to be rid of it for hours. You finished descending carved stairs to where you believed you had been and let out a sigh at the effort. Your chest filled with a dull ache at the action. A firework to the chest was certainly a quick way to die. It was far from the most painful as long as it got the job done in one or two shots and the ache would only last another hour or two if you would stop dying.
You thought back on how the events from earlier in the day had transpired. The entire thing had been a shit show and you loathed the next time you’d speak to Wilbur, knowing you were likely going to just yell at him. You weren’t in a great mood because of his little stunt. At least you knew why Techno had killed you and several others on the server. There was no reason for him to sit back and watch Tubbo be executed by your dearest friend. You could only hope that the boys new scars weren’t too bad. He’d have to display them for the rest of this lifetime, after all. Maybe he’d think they were cool like Tommy did.
You slowly unclenched your jaw and relaxed your shoulders, smiling a little at the thought of blond that you spent the other half of your days doting on. He was like the little brother you had always imagined wanting. Mumza had filled your prayers in some fashion, you supposed. A small chuckle spilled from your lips, deciding you’d make Technoblade pay you back somehow for your deaths today. You were up to three now.
A smile curled your lips as you thought of the possibilities. Maybe you’d steal his crown for a little bit. Or his cloak. You giggled to yourself as you crossed the lava pit that you were going to use later for obsidian. Mining in caves this deep was difficult enough without mobs so the lava was a good way to make sure none spawned nearby. Perhaps you could get away with all of the above with the addition of forcing him to make you a cup of tea. That would certainly be fair, wouldn’t it? You were sure if you convinced chat, you’d be able to make him do it.
The ore had been mostly cleared out, all that remained were long tunnels deep underground spanning for what felt like forever. It took you a good chunk of time, but finally you approached him from behind. He had continued mining, cobblestone covering the hole that you had fallen down and ultimately died upon impact in. “You grabbed my stuff, right?”
He pointed to the chest that had been set up, not stopping his assault on a piece of diorite. You flipped open the lid, pulling out several stone pickaxes he had managed to pick up. You didn’t suppose he had kept most of the stone, leaving it in the cave, but the ores, redstone, and lapis you had gathered sat untouched in the chest. “I don’t understand why you continue to use those. They’re flimsy.”
You shrugged before joining his side again, mining away the soft rock. “Because I can keep a large stock of them and don’t have to waste the durability of my diamond one.” You stopped paying attention to the coal you mined at above you as you looked towards him. “Besides, they’re expendable and I don’t have to worry about retrieving them every time I-”
Gravel began to fall on and around you in heavy chunks, obscuring your vision. You were startled for a moment at the sudden assault and you cursed your horrible luck. Of course the moment you were back and trying to resume your task, you’d almost die again. You recovered quickly, feeling the pressure around you as you were crushed and tried to dig your way out of the pile, but more seemed to just fall and replace the gravel you had just removed. It was suffocating. Rocks grated against your skin and you cringed at the sound of them rubbing against each other. You tried to claw your way through, fingers getting scraped as small pebbles cut the flesh. You were running out of air. You hated dying like this.
A hand grasped your bicep and you grunted as you were yanked out of the rubble. Rocks and flint shifted around you as it gave way and filled in the spot where you had just been. A broad chest cushioned you as you stumbled forward. You sucked in air as you rested your forehead against him. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone screw something up that fast before."
Your laugh was more of a wheeze as you smacked your hand against him, next to where your head rested. You didn’t move, however. Techno chuckled as he pat your back. He’d let you have your moment to calm yourself back down. He wasn’t particularly scared of you dying again, but he knew it had to have sucked. You had been taking the brunt of damage meant for him since, well, every time the two of you spent time together, and he didn’t understand why you were so eager to do it. On top of your clumsiness that already resulted in countless other deaths he didn’t know about, you died for him often when it would have probably only resulted in a minor wound for him. You were so reckless. But that smile you gave him every time somehow dissipated his annoyance more than it should have. It was familiar somehow. The voices loved it more than they should have. They loved you more than they should have.
You didn’t care who he was, how he was, what he did, if he could do something for you. You cared about him. Whenever he was giving too much to the rebellion, whenever he was hyper fixated on tasks and was trapped in his own brain with only chat as company, you were always there. They didn’t mind receding to the back of his head while you two talked, adding in small quips here and there. The loud roar they normally were was typically a small rumble when you were talking. It put him on edge with how much they liked you, but he couldn’t blame them. You provided conversation more often than not. You offered simpler solutions to long problems in his head he’d been breaking apart over and over until it had spiraled into a bigger one than it had started out at. But besides that, you also forced him to sleep, to remember to drink water, to take time for himself. To care about himself the way you did. He didn’t know how to repay you for the unending kindness you showed him. Especially when all you asked for was his friendship in return.
He felt you sigh against him and he moved his arm to free you. You were looking up at him, though, not stepping away.
"Are you alright?" His lips twitched. Shouldn’t he be asking you that?
"Yeah, why?"
"You look mad." A snort escaped him. You couldn’t even see his expression past the mask.
"That's just my face.” You didn’t look convinced. He ran his fingers through your hair, knocking some debris loose. It fell to the floor at your feet. He ignored the way you leaned into his touch. “I’m alright, [y/n].”
You smiled at him. You smiled that cursed smile. It made him feel worthy of the title god; so full of reverence and kindness. You had to have been blessed by Kristin herself. How could you still look upon him like that after what had happened at the festival? How could you show such adoration for a-
“Stop lookin’ at me like that.” He turned his head away. He didn’t feel like he deserved to be the recipient of that smile made from sheer adoration. Your eyebrows furrowed and your smile wavered.
“Looking at you like what?”
“Like how Wilbur looks at you.” Your laugh rang through the tunnels. It echoed off the walls and he couldn’t help the swell of something in his chest. For a moment, you reminded him of Phil.
“Why is it a bad thing if I look at you like he does to me? He’s a really dear friend.” Oh dear.
“Don’t tell him that.” The idea of you only seeing him as a friend would break his heart floated unspoken in the air. You didn’t seem to notice it.
“Why not?”
“Just don’t.” Techno stepped back from you when it was obvious you weren’t going to do it yourself. He watched you deflate slightly and felt like he had done something wrong.
“It’s not like he wants to talk to me now anyways.” You picked up your pickaxe again, moving to work on the pile of gravel. He offered you his shovel and you took it. “He hasn’t said a word to me since the festival earlier.”
“I’m honestly surprised you’re still talkin’ to either of us after that debacle.” You paused your digging to look at him curiously. “After me bein’ peer pressured into killin’ Tubbo and everyone else. Killin’ you. His plan to do nothin’ ‘bout it. It’s surprisin’ that you aren’t givin’ us both the silent treatment.”
You scoffed, going back to the gravel in front of you. “That wasn’t his plan.”
Techno stilled, his eyebrows furrowing. “What?”
“Wilbur wasn’t planning on just doing nothing. He has TNT planted all around Manburg.” You hesitated, the grip on his shovel tightening in your trembling hands as you continued digging. “I don’t know why he didn’t set it off.”
There was no sound next to you or behind you. Stopping your work, you looked at him, only to see him looking towards where the mouth of the cave was. “We should be gettin’ back.”
A soft sigh left your mouth. “Go on ahead, I’m right behind you.”
You didn’t want to face the fallout.
You returned to Pogtopia late that night. Mining alone had been a good way to soothe your nerves after the events that had happened earlier. Whilst you had wished Techno had been there longer, you understood wanting to regroup. Today had been stressful for all of you.
You walked down the crude steps that had been made after putting the excess resources into the communal chest at the top. There was soft murmuring and the distant sound of Wilbur’s cackle put you a little on edge, but you soldiered on. It’s okay. Tubbo hopefully would have respawned by now. Things would go on. You froze at the top of the walkway down to the primary meeting area.
Techno was wrapping his knuckles with some extra gauze you recognized to be from your chest. Tommy was sitting a little away from him, his back to the wall and his knees to his chest. There was a distant look in his eyes as he stared at the ground in front of him. You could see a sliver of one of your plasters on his face, the bluish purple fabric and white dots a dark galaxy against his pale cheek. Your feet were moving before your brain as you ran to the teenage boy and knelt before him. You should have come back sooner. You reached out to hold him before hesitating, choosing instead to extend your hand to examine the flesh around the bandage. “You look horrible, Tommy. What happened? I thought you were safe after what happened at the festival.”
Techno grunted from the sidelines. “We resolved our issues.”
The boy before you huffed, still looking at the ground, but he leaned into your touch. “Resolved is a strong word, but we’re okay. For now.” He looked up at you and you pursed your lips together. He relaxed at the worry in your eyes. He was safe with you. “Where were you?”
“I was mining. I needed to blow off steam after all of that.” The blond just nodded, pressing his face further into your touch. You moved closer to brush some of the golden locks away from his face with your free hand. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
Techno was suddenly beside you both, towering over the two of you. “It stays in the pit.”
You sent him an inquisitive look. “The pit?”
He only nodded and your frown deepened. Anger started to fester in you. Did he do this? To a child? “We are definitely discussing this later, Technoblade.” You watched his shoulders tense for a moment. You didn’t know if it was because of your tone or the use of his full name, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care at the moment. You’d take care of it later. You two always talked things through, and now would not be any different, but you had to worry about Tommy. “You can’t just hurt people and say things are better now.”
He opened his mouth to retort, but you were already helping the blond up to shuffle him to your bed. The child kept trying to wave you off, but you persisted. Despite your ire against him, something shifted in his chest at watching how gentle you were with Tommy. His bond with you was truly something to behold.
Why aren’t they paying attention to us like earlier?
They’re so sweet to him.
Tommy's lucky we didn’t accidentally kill him.
I wonder how they’re so close.
E.
I don’t want to talk to them later.
Why are they mad at us?
E.
So they’re not upset about the festival, but they’re upset about a fight with Tommy? That makes no sense.
Follow them.
This is stupid.
E.
Do they like him more?
Techno sat back in his spot against the ravine wall. He saw traces of a fireplace and used the heel of his boot to push around the sooty remains. Most of the questions chat had were valid, but he didn’t want to pursue you. He didn’t want to have that conversation later, either. He just wanted to move on. But he knew you wouldn’t. Something about how resentment ruins friendships and miscommunication was the biggest cause. He could never resent you. Sometimes he resented the gods, but never you.
He wanted to know what kind of entertainment DreamXD and Kristin got out of watching them over and over and over again. Did they have nothing better to do than continuously create and orchestrate each new lifetime? Each new world with different rules and a different storyline? Or recreate other worlds just to change the plot? There had been so many, but this was the first where they all remembered. This was the first where he had met you.
Techno closed his eyes. None of his lives had been bad. Well, particularly bad. Wilbur always seemed to get off worse than he did. Tommy sometimes worse than them both.
He remembered a life of gilded castles, one of many. He trained Wilbur and Tommy in combat. He studied politics and was a general. He watched the two of them grow up in Phil’s absence. There were handmaidens that were too bold in their words, butlers that were too polite, and inside jokes between him and the guards. There were dinners made of things that he only wished they could recreate here. He remembered that despite any squabbling, they were still very much a family. He knows Tommy remembers that one all too clearly. He doesn’t talk about it often, but Techno knows the look in his eyes whenever Phil is mentioned. He also speaks sometimes about the servant that once tended to his mother but he nor Wilbur could ever recall one. Too many faceless employees. Too many nameless soldiers.
He remembered a different life where Hanahaki Disease roamed rampant. The flowers infected most of the people he knew. Sometimes they got better, sometimes they didn’t. Phil would never catch it. The blurry memory of his friend saying so flashed briefly in his head. That fact didn't surprise him in the least. Phil was a catch. But he had never had to deal with the deadly buds either. He couldn't remember why. His head throbbed gently as he tried to wade through the fog. Wilbur had suffered from it, though. It was devastating when he passed. The flowers choked him, stuffing his airways with petals. Who had he loved so much it killed him? Didn't he love anyone like that? Didn’t he find someone so beautiful that dying was more preferable than a life without them? Maybe he did. There were small flashes in his head of the gentle squeeze of a hand and a smile that could snuff out the sun. Why couldn't he seem to remember their face?
There was another life. A life where markings appeared on his skin. Little scratches, cuts and scrapes that weren't his, doodles, words that he would have never written himself. He remembered sitting through a lecture once, smiling at the little stars that speckled his arm and slowly appeared like the night sky in the twilight of the setting sun. Wilbur had shown off the same markings, and it was brutal irony that the two of them shared this connection with a third. They would play games frequently. Mostly twenty questions or tic tac toe, but locations and true names were always burning scribbles on their flesh when attempted. They tried many tactics to find out more before Wilbur had told them both off. He wonders if they had found their third in that life.
There had always been gaps in his memory, especially when it came to his other lives. Lulls where the mundane had become just a bit too mundane, moments where he just shut his brain off and went by instinct. Things were easier when you didn’t have past lives to think about. When he didn’t have to consider if he had already learnt a lesson and was doomed to repeat it. When you weren’t around to give him glares and words of encouragement and cause disruption in his life. Were Tommy and Wilbur’s lives more difficult with you here too? With someone to tell them what to do and to patch up their wounds and give fleeting touches that were so soft it was like touching a petal? He hopes not.
A sound of distress comes from the direction you and Tommy had gone in and he turns to look. You’re standing there, facing away from him, reaching out towards empty space to someone who wasn’t there. You must’ve been the one to make the noise.
You turn around and his frown deepens. You look tired and more than a little frustrated. It was amazing how much of a difference you stood now compared to the person that clung to him throughout the nether when he had first met you. Your presence was easy. You didn’t ramble like he would disappear anymore. You didn’t look to him for validation with every move. You didn’t act out of the desperation isolation had instilled in you. You had settled like the missing puzzle piece they didn’t even know was missing. Did you ever visit the library that you had once called your first home?
He watches you finally approach him, sitting and leaning against his side as if you weren’t upset. You move to intertwine your arm with his, hand slipping into his own. He didn’t stop you. “Wilbur, he’s-”
“Crazy? Yeah, I know. He wants me to set off withers.” You sat straight up. Shock painted your face a hue that didn’t suit you. Or perhaps it was fear. He didn’t like it.
“Withers?” He nods. Your head spins back to the direction of your bedroom. “Does Tommy know?”
“Tommy knows. I went along with it.” Techno feels you scoot away, releasing your hold on him and he already misses the feeling. “It’s not like we’re tryin’ to salvage the place, [y/n].”
“I don’t want more innocent people to lose another life, Tech.” You look at him once more. “Do Tommy and Wilbur know that you’re hoping to leave nothing behind? Because they both talk about reestablishing L’manburg when given the chance.”
“I keep tellin’ them the truth, but it seems like they’re not gonna listen.” He watches your face fall into a look that he hopes meant acceptance. Your eyes moved to the ground between you both and you just nodded. You didn’t know where you would sit in the aftermath of this all.
Techno felt your hand slip back into his as you take your place back against his side. Pink hair was soft against your cheek as you rested it against his shoulder.
“One step at a time. Let’s worry about getting rid of Schlatt first, okay?” He just nods back, resting his head on top of yours. You squeeze his hand in response. You felt safe again, especially with him next to you “Now-
Tell me about this pit.”
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wouldduskwood · 2 years
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Jake's POV Descendants of Despair Part 70
Watching her go into the Aurora, free from the constraints of living in the shadows, was heart breaking. I wanted so desperately to be able to give her that life. Where we could walk in together, hoods down, hand in hand. Showing the world that we were there, together, alive and free.
'Pull yourself together, moron!' I groaned internally. I needed to be able to get eyes and ears in there. I hated the thought of betraying her as much as I hated using her as a pawn to help gain access to information about Hannah. Spying on her felt both terrible...and necessary. If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. I considered my options. There was the possibility of sneaking in and laying low in some dark corner, but if I was asked to remove my hood this would draw too much unwanted attention. Lingering around outside didn't seem much better and there were no obvious vantage points where I would be able to have eyes on her. That really left only one choice. Head back to base and see if I could hack into any cameras that might be around the bar. Maybe I'd strike it lucky.
With each step, the sound of jovial revelers began to disappear into the distance, and a new wave of bitterness washed over me. Those morons had no idea how lucky they were, that they could delight in her without fear. That they could sit so freely and converse with each other about things that didn't need to involve the possibility of death and destruction. Grumbling to myself, I began hauling my gear into the area I had designated for it, quicker now as the need to find her became more urgent. Within minutes I had enough set up carried to the loft that I would be able to focus my energy on tracking her. My hands went through the practiced motions of plugging in and starting the system as my mind fought furiously with itself...going through all worst case scenarios and then beating each one back again. She had never once failed to impress me with her ability to protect herself.
After what seemed like an eternity, the computer had booted up and I had begun the process of finding and getting in to the cameras in the area. As I typed, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and scanned it briefly. My heart skipped a beat as I realised the message was from her. “Phil off. Set up? Leave!”
The words were like a searing heat. Anger. Frustration. And...somehow...resignation. Somehow, she drew trouble to her like a moth to a flame. Instead of responding, my typing increased in speed as my eyes strained to keep up with them, desperate to avoid any potential errors in the script. Being forced to take the time to find and fix the errors would be costly.
Finally, I smiled in success. A variety of grainy images appeared on my screen. Some from outside, flickering over the streets around the Aurora, and one from inside. This camera had been frustrating. It was trained on the cash register, my guess was to avoid theft. I worked to manipulate the camera, bending it to my will. Of course, I would have to delete the footage later...and it would prove completely useless if Phil were to be robbed while the camera was trained on her. This last part made me smirk.
Once I had found her, I sat back and watched in disbelief. She was...drunk? I watched as she swayed and spilled her drink on a table, calling the barkeep over for another. As the barkeep returned with her drink, I smiled wryly. I could just make out the hardened shapes in the glass. Lots of ice. She was working the room, manipulating her surroundings...of course. The ice trick was relatively common amongst people seeking information. It allowed for the appearance of a drunken and uninhibited state, while still allowing the drinker to maintain their state of clarity.
As I watched, her grainy form appeared beside Phil. The two appeared to be enjoying an intimate...even flirtatious moment. I watched intently, attempting to push back the burning rage that consumed me as I watched Phil, so free, being near her. I couldn't afford to let my jealousy overwhelm me. It would risk everything she had done. My eyes remained fixed on her, as she paused and seemed to be staring at Phil. Something had happened.
Part 71
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To be seen, part One (Frankie Morales x reader)
Summary : Usually, you’d be babysitting your friend Jessie’s son but you had to come into work. Your colleagues are really excited because “the boys” are here, so you get the chance, for the first time, to see what the fuss is about. You probably need to get laid. 
Author’s note : This is gonna be a four or five chapter story, not clear on that yet. Frankie isn’t here much but the endgame is Frankie x Reader. This chapter is really here to set up the reader’s relationships and workplace.
Warning : Harassment 
____________________________________________________________
Chapter One :
« Yup, they’re here, » confirmed Anna, with a wink in Jessie’s direction, before she closed the kitchen’s door and went back to wait on the patrons. You were confused for a moment, but Jessie was jumping up and down in the small space, almost knocking over a bunch of plates she had been cleaning just before. She was vibrating with excitement. 
« You’re finally going to see what the fuss is about ! » She all but screamed. It dawned on you, then. 
The boys. 
So, here’s the story : once in a while, always on a Saturday, four dudes come in, sit down, drink a few beers, chat for a bit and call it a night. There used to be five, apparently, but one of them must have been kicked out of the group, according to Jessie. One of them is usually a little banged up - always the same. One of them always makes a point to flirt with whoever is waiting on them but it’s harmless. They tip well. Nothing special, right ? Except apparently, they’re hot. And Jessie juggles with this job and the kid, and she’s on her own, has been for a while now, so it is a big deal. Apparently. 
You’d been a bit worried with all the fuss she made about those guys, but then you remembered that her last date had been months ago and had ended with her coming home in tears, self-depreciating bullshit spilling out of her mouth, about her life, her failed mariage, the state of her car and the way she drank beer instead of wine and she shouldn’t because wine is more refined. 
So. You’d been worried. But you figured that nothing seemed wrong with those men, and that a little fantasy was harmless and sometimes needed. 
You’d never had first-hand experience with the four guys, though. You worked every other Saturday night but Jessie and you had an agreement with your boss, so you could babysit her kid the Saturday she worked since she couldn’t afford to pay someone. This Saturday, though, you had to make do and find someone to mind Clara because Phil, the cook, was sick and someone needed to replace him. 
You couldn’t cook for shit and Jessie could, so she was in the kitchen, you tended the bar and Anna waited on the patrons. You let her friend get a well-deserved sneak-peek at the table before you made your way back to the counter, making an off-hand, harmless remark that she needed to get laid as you walked through the door. Once you got behind the counter, you took a deep breath and looked around. 
Time to see what all the fuss is about. 
The place wasn’t overly crowded for a Saturday evening, but it was still early. You spotted the table pretty easily. It was one a bit away from the others, isolated, separated from most of the room by the pool but far enough from it not to be disturbed by the players and-
Oh. 
Oh. 
Maybe you needed to get laid, too. 
———
You were staring. You knew you were staring. Hard. But then again who on earth allowed those four men to look that good. Men should never look that good. Men that looked that good were trouble. And three of them definitely looked like trouble. It was written in the way they sat, like they were at home and not in a public space with other people, legs spread wide, radiating confidence. The last one, the one with a cap on his head, was on the shyer side, but still-
Trouble.
Here’s the thing. That dating thing, that wasn’t on your mind. You gave it a shot a few years back. You’d met her in college, and when you’d both ended up with an art history degree that proved to be useless, you’d moved in together, and you’d tried to open a bookshop that crashed and burned in less that two years, and all of your savings with it. Something had cracked in your relationship, then, and you’d both tried to fix it because you’d had a good thing. The break-up hadn’t been ugly, but mending both your broken hearts had taken time. You still called each other from time to time, true to your last promise : when things get easier, let’s not be strangers. It had been her - Linda - who had said it. You hadn’t had the heart, then. Now, five years later, you were glad she had. 
Five years later, you found yourself back in your home state, bartending on a Saturday night, that art history degree still useless but no longer leaving a sour taste in your mouth, a bitter sense of waste of time and money. You hadn’t had a date in three years - he had been nice, really pretty, you’d dated for a while but he’d wanted to become a big Wall Street boy and you just weren’t into that. It might be time to reconsider getting laid if you couldn’t look at a bunch of hot dudes without your brain turning to jelly, though. 
Somebody cleared of throat right in front of you and you snapped out of it, apologizing before getting the man’s order, good that his presence would prevent you from drifting away too much. Then the rush came, and you forgot about the table for a while. 
———
When Anna came back to give you a bunch of orders, she did so with an eyebrow slightly raised in expectation. You knew she wanted your feedback on that table, but you didn’t want to agree with Jessie and her, so you shrugged in a way you hoped looked casual and unaffected. She saw right through your bullshit. 
« Fine », you whispered. « They’re hot. Hot. » 
The patron at the barstool turned his head towards you and you felt your face burn. So much for whispering. Anna only laughed, head tilted back, her blonde hair waving as laughter shook her body. She was 25, beautiful in a traditional way. She was genuinely nice, and always saw the good in people. She was to this world what Jane was to Pride and Prejudice. 
Which is why, when the man sitting on the barstool leaned and said to her :
« You’re a pretty one, too. »
She just smiled and thanked him. Of course, he had to take that as an invitation. This could have been the beginning of a very beautiful story if not for the fact that he was old enough to be his father, knew it, didn’t care, and that this beer obviously wasn’t his first one. You hadn’t noticed when he first sat down but now that he had leaned in, you could smell it. He reeked of alcohol. 
« Wanna grab a drink sometimes ? See where that leads us ? »
Anna politely declined, and made to leave, but he grabbed her arm. You could tell it wasn’t meant to hurt her, just to hold her back, to prevent her from leaving, but you felt yourself tense. 
« Sir, » you said in a tone you hoped sounded firm and steady, « I’m going to ask you to leave my colleague alone. » 
He turned his head towards you and Anna took the opportunity to free herself from his grasp. She looked at you a second, a silent question (are you gonna be okay ?), and seemingly satisfied by your slight nod, she took off. 
« You’re not bad yourself, you know. » 
Steeling yourself, you turned to the patron. 
« This is inappropriate and I’m not interested, Sir. » 
But the man was relentless. When you said no for the third time he started muttering to himself, something about women all being bitches to him. You were getting really tense, and looked around to see where Anna was. She was at the boys’ table, watching you. Actually, the whole table was watching you as one of the men - the beat up one, your mind registered - was walking your way with purpose. 
— —— 
You were staring again, you realized. The man had taken a barstool too, right in front of you, and was waiting for you to say something. Probably a sentence. A coherent sentence. 
« Hi, what can I get you ? » 
Nice. One word at a time. You could do it. 
« Nothing, I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Benny. » 
He offered his hand. You took it. He was all sharp angles and there was something wild and dark in his eyes, but he had a nice, warm smile. Your hand seemed tiny in his. After a beat, you told him your own name. He gestured behind him, towards the table, still looking your way.
« My pals over there and I were wondering if you were new. Never saw you around. »
« I’m not. I guess I’m not around when you guys are. » 
« That’s what your colleague said. »
Bullshit.
He knew you saw right through it, and you tried to convey the fact that you appreciated the gesture without saying anything too obvious. There was no doubt that Benny would have no problem getting physical with the other guy at the counter if needed. But the man in question was standing awfully still, like he got the same vibe off of Benny you did. He’d stopped muttering and was looking very intently at his bottle. Benny kept going, and you soon saw what he was doing. He slightly turned and pointed towards his friends. You noticed Anna had gone back to work. 
« See the blonde guy over there ? That’s my idiot of a brother, Will. Guy with the cap is Frankie. Last one is Pope. » 
You raised your eyebrows at that. 
« Pope ? »
« Sorry, force of habit. His name is Santiago. Santi for short. We used to serve, Pope was his call sign, and I guess it stuck. » 
He shrugged, keeping the conversation light, but the mention of four ex-military casually sitting there and checking on you was enough for the other patron. He got up and left without a word. Your sigh of relief didn’t go unnoticed. 
« Santi saw something was off a while back with that guy, when he grabbed your colleague … »
« Anna », you automatically corrected.
« When he grabbed Anna, » Benni obliged. « She confirmed when she came to take our orders. » 
« Thank you. » 
You were used to dealing with that kind of stuff, but it was nice to have back-up, especially when the usual one wasn’t there. Normally, you’d go to Phil in the kitchen, but today, Jessie wouldn’t have been much of a match against a drunk guy would wanted some. Jessie, who was standing, you saw, right outside the kitchen door, gaping at you. 
« I never got your order », you stated, turning your attention back to Benny. 
He gave it again and you smiled. 
« It’s on the house. » 
———
« So his name is Benny. The blonde one, Will. That’s his brother. Then Santiago and Frankie. »
« Yes but which one is Santiago and which one is Frankie ? » all but whined Jessie. 
You were closing the place. Anna wasn’t saying anything but you could tell she was listening intently. 
« A bit too old for you, aren’t they ? » You quipped. 
She just laughed. 
« No harm in looking. » 
She was right. No harm. Meanwhile Jessie, arms waiving all around, complained :
« How come I tried to get their attention for weeks and something happens the first time you see them ? » 
« Yeah, it was a real pleasure to get harassed. I made sure it happened for the attention. All part of a very good plan. »
« Oh come on, » she shoved you playfully « you know what I mean. » 
The parking lot was empty. The cool air around you was quiet except for the occasional sound of a car going down the street nearby. The three of you fell silent, walking to Anna’s car. You kept silent during the drive, too, exhaustion settling in your bones. You knew you were lucky : tomorrow was your day off. Neither Anna nor Jessie had that chance. You’d be sleeping on Jessie’s couch tonight, just so you could babysit Clara. Your foggy brain betrayed you, then, and a bad thought came to you like a stab in the back :
When was the last time you saw a movie ? Went to an exhibit ?
You buried it, like you did every time you reminded yourself you were not where you thought you’d be at your age. When Anna pulled over in front of Jessie’s house, you thanked her and waited, silent again, as Jessie thanked her babysitter, winced as she paid her - you knew that was not something she could afford - and went to check on her sleeping girl. You were making yourself at home, preparing the couch for the night, thoughts of Benny and other hot dudes, ex-military guys entirely forgotten when you heard, soft and broken :
« I know it’s silly. This whole thing. I just … I wish someone would look at me, you know. » 
`
Jessie was standing in her living room, lost and desperate. You stopped, right then. The bags under her eyes were dark. She wasn’t going to cry, you knew that. The way she spoke, with finality, like she was convinced no one would look at her ever again, made your exhausted body tremble with anger. You closed the space between the two of you and held her for a while. 
Later, as you were plugging your phone, you saw a text from Linda. 
Hey, just checking on you. Everything good, these days ? Saw that French movie you told me about. It’s great ! Seen it yet ? I know you were excited. Don’t be a stranger ;)
You thought back on Jessie’s words. Somebody, at some point, had looked at you. Had seen you for who you were and had embraced every one of your qualities and your flaws. You didn’t miss it. It didn’t hurt anymore. But you remembered how beautiful it had been. Jessie’s marriage was never like that, from what you could tell. If you picked up the phone right now and called Linda, she would be there for you. If Jessie picked up the phone, all she’d get would be a reminder that her ex-husband had changed his number and couldn’t be reached in any way. 
You were lucky, you realized with a sharp sense of guilt. 
You were lucky that you’d had that, with Linda. And you were even luckier that you didn’t need anyone to look at you. You didn’t need anyone to see you for who you were. 
You didn’t. 
You didn’t.
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