sp10o0sh

[sp10o0sh]

my curse is that I am a young person who doesn’t watch movies so I’ll hear someone reference a relatively popular movie and my first though will immediately be “they talked about that on dungeons and daddies”

[sp10o0sh]

Critical Chill (Chance/Parker/M!Reader)

Experiencing GM burnout, you invite Chance to a game night with your mutual friend, and your roommate, Parker. You hope to make him feel better by distracting him with fun games and silly banter.

Tags: Fluff, Slow (ish) burn, Feelings Realization, Cuddling, Platonic Cuddling, Polyamory, Male Reader-Insert, Might be slightly OOC, I'm Bad At Tagging, Not Beta Read, Getting Together, Human AU

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

Honest to god, this was a joke at first. My friend was supposed to talk me out of writing this, and he didn't. So, I threw in a little Easter egg for him (Hi Eddie Ilysm King) Date everything has taken over my life, and it will not stop rotting away my already minimal brain cells. I also love Parker a LOT and he might actually be tied for my top bbg. Mitchell Linn is still everything to me tho.. Cross-posted to AO3, under user @/sp10osh (Or Click Here !) I don't know what else to put here.. Sorry gang. I don't know how to use Tumblr.. But I promise I am learning! or trying.. so be nice. Any tips r appreciated lol :3

Also Requests are totally welcome, and I will write like.. Almost anything to do with Date everything so... yeah.

Again, Not Beta Read, so I'm so sorry in advance.

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

Your phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, the screen lighting up with Chance’s name. You wiped your hands on your worn-out favorite shirt and grinned, swiping to answer.

“Hey, Chance! What’s up?”

“Hey!” His voice was warm and a little nervous, like he was holding back a dozen thoughts at once. “So... I was wondering—are you free later this afternoon? Maybe coffee? I could really use a break from my own brand of chaos.” 

You glanced around your shared apartment, the morning light filtering through dusty blinds and pooling on the faded rug. The place was a patchwork of Parker and your personalities: mismatched furniture scavenged from thrift stores, a sprawling bookshelf bursting with fantasy novels, G&G rulebooks, records stacked in a corner, and dozens of potted plants, some thriving, some quietly dying. Parker insisted on keeping them, he said that they kept the air clean. 

You peeked into the living room, where Parker was draped over the couch, tangled in the heap of blankets, His colorful hair stuck out in wild tufts, and a half-deflated stress ball was clenched loosely in his hand. He groaned dramatically as you caught his eye. 

Late afternoon meant late for Chance. Admitly, probably too late for coffee, but your sleep schedule was already pretty messed up, and you would never turn down a hangout with your friend. “Well,” you began, smiling, “coffee sounds perfect, and I’m free.”

“Awesome,” Chance replied. “I’ll text you the details.”

Before you could say bye, Chance beat you to it, and the line dropped dead. He must've been extremely busy. He always said goodbye. You put your phone back on the counter and made your way to stand by the couch, where Parker had started attempting a slow, exaggerated stretch that reminded you of some inhuman entity, waking up from a deep slumber.

“Finally awake?” you teased.

Parker groaned again, throwing a pillow at you but missing by a mile. Instead of replying to your teasing, he just waved his hand. “Ugh. That guy! I haven’t heard from him in like a week! Why didn't he invite me too?” 

You laughed, dropping down beside him. “Don’t be jealous. He probably has just been busy. He sounded distracted, anyway..”

Parker gave you a sideways glance, one brow raised, then pretended to dramatically wipe sweat from his brow. “Oh, I’m not jealous,” he said, voice dripping with mock sincerity. “I just can’t believe I wasn't invited to watch you be Mega-Gay for him.”

You nudged him playfully. “It’s a normal amount of gay, thank you very much.”

The two of you sat quietly for a moment, the familiar hum of the city drifting through the cracked-open window mixing with the distant sound of a neighbor’s singing (If it could be called that, It was honestly a rough listen. Something about showers?) practice. Your crush on Chance wasn't something Parker actually knew about. What he was referring to was a joke that started with your G&G campaign. Your character has romanced one of the NPCs, which, naturally, led to very fun character flirting that all your friends loved to tease you about. Eventually, that led to silly jokes when you would all get together. 

In reality, you did have a massive crush on your friend. Not only Chance, but Parker too. He made your heart flutter in all the best ways. He was kind, funny, and so so thoughtful. He was the reason you were able to get back on your feet after a messy fight with your last landlord. Telling either of them this, though seemed to be strictly off limits, as they were two of the best friends you had ever made. 

Your gaze drifted to the kitchen counter, stacked with a jumble of mugs, a half-empty jar of peanut butter, and the infamous “coffee machine that never quite works.” Parker had insisted it added character. It did not.

“Soooooo, you’re definitely going to ask him why he hates me, anad refuses to see me, right?” he asked, nudging your knee gently.

You laughed, heart skipping. “Sure, Parker. If it eases your mind, I’ll make sure to ask.”

Parker burst out laughing. “Make him regret not asking me to come too!”

You shook your head, smiling at how easy it was with him. It was moments like this, quiet, ridiculous, comfortable, that made you wonder if maybe there was something more to what he felt as well. He would let his touches linger, and stare longer than necessary on occasion. You shook your head faintly, and reminded yourself that's just how he was. 

Parker caught your lingering look and followed your glance to the sink, then he gave you a goofy grin. “Don’t worry,” he said, nudging you again, “I’ll do the dishes while you're out!”

You smiled back, warmth blooming in your chest.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough for now.

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

True to his word, Chance did send you the details for your meetup. Just like you thought, it was late. Too late for coffee, yet you still ordered a latte. 

The café smells like burnt espresso and cinnamon scones, but you barely notice. You’re too busy watching Chance stir his coffee like he’s trying to will it into being anything but coffee. Which is silly, because he could have ordered any other drink on the menu, so you assumed it wasn't the coffee. He hasn’t said much since you sat down, which is unusual, normally, he’s all jokes and barely-contained chaos by now.

You glance at him over the rim of your mug. “You look like someone is failing all their death saves.”

Chance huffs a laugh through his nose. “Nice. Go ahead, kick a guy while he’s down.”

“I’d never,” you say with a smile. “Not without at least rolling first.” Its cringe-worthy, you know it. Normally Chance is the one cranking out all the G&G related puns, in fast enough succession to make you want to tape his mouth shut, but tonight its you. 

That earns you a faint grin, but it doesn’t last. He slumps in his seat, running his hands over his face, messing his glasses up as he does so. Then, voice quieter than you expect, he mutters:

“I think I’m actually burnt out. Like... seriously.”

You blink, caught off guard. Chance never admits to being tired. He’s the guy who stays up all night prepping NPC dialogue and tracks initiative like a mad scientist. He lives to GM. Or at least, you thought he did. Thinking about it now, it makes sense why he would feel burnt out. You nod sympathetically. 

“Burnt out from running everything?” you ask carefully.

He nods. “Yeah. Campaign’s fun, but every week it’s more like... ‘how do I keep this thing from falling apart?’ I’m behind on prep, work has been so crazy recently and—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated exhale. “I don’t know. I’m just tired, Y/N. And I feel bad about it. Everyone’s counting on me to keep the story going. Im sorry... I just can’t get into the right headspace to GM. I don’t want to half-ass it or make it boring.”

You set your mug down and lean in slightly. “Chance. You don’t have to carry everything. Seriously.”

He shrugs, still not looking at you. “Kinda feels like I do, though.”

“Nope,” you say, not missing a beat. “Not letting you spiral.”

His head lifts, confused. “What?”

“I’m hijacking your evening and weekend,” you declare. “Parker’s been wanting to have a casual game night. Why don’t I call him? Maybe you could come over, relax, and just play without the pressure to run the game.”

Chance squints. “Wait, Parker’s wants to have a casual night?” He asks, completely stopped on the wrong point. “Parker, ‘the-rules-are-sacred’ Parker?”

You shrug, “More or less.” 

Chance smiles, hopeful. “Really? That sounds perfect. I could use a night off.”

You pulled out your phone and dialed Parker's number. It barely rang before your roommate picked up. “Yelllllllow?” His voice lively called through the phone.

“Hey, Parker! So, Chance is feeling kind of burnt out and needs a chill night. Would you be up for a game night tonight? Like, board games, snacks, no stress stuff?”

There was a beat, then Parker’s voice burst through, enthusiastic and loud enough to draw a few curious glances.

“Absolutely! Tell Chance he’s definitely invited! I’ve been itching to throw a game night for weeks. This is perfect!”

You smiled, “Great! We’ll be home around seven?”

“Sounds good! I’ll clean up and everything! Do you want to pick up some snacks?. I can’t wait!”

You replied with an excited hum, and hung up meeting Chances eyes, who was already grinning, looking at you like you were the best person on the planet. 

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

You spent the time before seven walking around with Chance to help clear his head, and heading to different convenience stores to pick up snacks. As it approached seven, you made your way back to the apartment complex. As, you and Chance walked through the city streets, the evening air was cool and refreshing. You had switched back and forth on who was holding onto who’s arm now, and chance now had his arm wrapped around yours, as you led him up the stairs to your room. The familiar buzz of anticipation stirred in Chance’s chest as you approached the door.

Parker was waiting at the door, and the moment he saw you both through the peephole, he flung the door open, arms crossed but smiling wide, like he’d been counting down the minutes.

“Welcome to the lair,” he said, gesturing dramatically as he opened the door. “Getting cozy already?” He winked at Chance. 

Chance scoffed, and sat up, untangling his arm from yours. “Nonsense! I was just keeping my dear Fayrus warm on the walk home.” he said dramatically, referencing your G&G character. You laughed, and took a step inside. 

Inside, the apartment was transformed into game central, piles of board games stacked on the coffee table, bowls of snacks scattered around, and cozy blankets strewn about. In the center, the couch had a blanket fort built around it, open to face the coffee table and TV. It was tall enough for you to sit comfortably, but Chance might have to duck slightly. 

Chance looked around, relaxing visibly.

“Thanks for this–”

Parker clapped Chance on the back, cutting him off with a playful smirk. “No worries. Tonight’s about fun. Let’s get started.” he said, taking Chance by the waist and leading him to sit around on the floor, where he picked up the first game of the evening and placed it between the group. 

You settled in beside them, and Parker emptied the game onto the floor. “Alright,” he announced, “first game: Secret Sketch.”

Chance raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“It’s simple,” Parker explained, pulling out a stack of cards with words, a timer, and a sketchpad with markers. “One person draws the word on their card, obviously they can’t speak or use letters or numbers. The other two guesses. five rounds, rounds are over after everyone has drawn once, the highest combined score wins. If you’re drawing, when people guess correctly you get a point for each person who guesses right. If you’re guessing, you get a point for being right.”

You exchanged glances. Lots of explaining the rules, but it made Parker happy so you didnt stop him. “Sounds fun.” you agreed, and Chance nodded. 

Chance smiled, more relaxed now. “Okay, I’m in.” Chance took his Jacket off and set it next to him, then he leaned back on his hands, sitting crisscrossed on the floor near you. Honestly, It was distracting. Chance was attractive, and you weren't sure if he knew exactly how attractive he was. 

Both you and Parker spaced out, staring at his tattooed arms until your faces grew red. When you both pulled your eyes away from his arms and looked back up, Parker bashfully pretended not to notice. 

Clearing his throat, Parker handed the first card to you. You peeked and gasped quietly, mouthing the words to yourself, blinking slowly as you processed the words. “’Octopus playing guitar.’” you bit your lip, pulling it anxiously with your teeth. 

Chance snorted, presumably at your expression. He extended the marker to you.

You took the marker, set the timer, and began your frantic, messy sketching.

The tension melted instantly as laughter bubbled up at the ridiculous drawings. (“Seriously what is that supposed to be?”) 

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

After five painstakingly long rounds of sketching you stood up to stretch your legs. Parker had begun to get onto you and Chance for attempting to sneak peaks at each other's cards to make guessing easier. “I’m going to go grab some more snacks, you should set up the next game.” 

You pet Parker's head as you walked by, He was actively rising to sit on his knees, and push the paper explaining the rules into Chance's face. 

As you walked back into the kitchen, you giggled, hearing Parker ask Chance if “The rules really meant nothing to him?!” 

You set the snacks on the counter and let yourself get distracted, watching them banter. They seem lost in their own world, Chance giggling as Parker read out the rules, painstakingly slow to emphasize their importance. They worked together, the kind of easy rhythm that comes from history, from weeks or months of something unspoken hanging in the air. Its not like Chance hated rules, but being a GM meant he was incharge, he made the rules, and followed them, of course he loved rules. It was just fun to mess with Parker. After being friends for so long, it was just an understood rhythm between you guys. 

Deep in thought, you eventually looked back up to see Parker hovering over Chance’s, hands on either side of him, in his best attempt to be intimidating. “What’s the point of playing games if you're just going to cheat!?” He asked. 

Chance looked up at Parker, and you saw something pass through his eyes as he glanced down to Parker's lips, then his face flushed. His hand shakily rose to Parker's side, causing him to shudder and blush in turn. 

“Okay.. You’re right.” Chance stuttered, breathing out. The tension from before was replaced with something else, and you felt giddy. Seeing your two favorite people act so flustered together sent a warm feeling up your spine, and straight to your head. 

Parkers eyes widened, and nodded “Oh-okay…” He muttered, before leaning back from Chance, who seemed to let his hand linger even as Parker pulled away. 

You smiled, and clapped, making your entrance with snacks known. “Ohhkay! Whats next?” You asked, watching them both untangle from each other completely, blushes on their face as Parker began into the next game description.  

You wonder if they know.

If they know that every time Parker’s hand brushes yours when passing game tokens, your heart stutters. If they know that the way Chance leans on your shoulder when he laughs makes it harder and harder not to just… say something. Anything.

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

The next game has something with cards and timers and way too many rules, which Parker explains with intense focus while Chance listens with fake seriousness, occasionally winking at you like, I’m going to mess this up on purpose.

And he does.

Every round, he finds a way to break the rules: adding fake points, declaring himself the “wild card,” or, at one point, assigning Parker a completely made-up punishment; “You have to compliment me every time I roll a six.” 

Parker sighs but follows through on his next six, “Your hair. It looks nice. It’s messy, in a cute way. it suits you.” His face flushes, and it spreads down to his neck. His hands shake, and he threatens to drop his card. 

Chance freezes mid-laugh, visibly caught off guard.

You had almost choked on your soda.

Parker notices the silence and frowns. “What?”

Chance clears his throat, looking down at the cards in his hands. “Nothing. Just... not used to those kinds of.. Well.. the nice stuff from you.”

Parker glances at you like he’s looking for someone to help him, but you just smile awkwardly and take a long sip from your drink to hide the fact that your brain is screaming: Say something. Say you like them. Say anything.

But you don’t.

Because they’re them. Brilliant, quick-witted, soft-hearted Chance and meticulous, emotionally-dense Parker. And you’re just... the guy caught between them, falling a little harder every time they look at each other like that. Watching them fight off their feelings for each other, makes you find them both more adorable and endearing. 

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

After that game, Chance disappears into the kitchen to hunt for pretzels while Parker sits beside you on the couch, carefully sorting cards back into their sleeves.

“Thanks for kinda throwing this into action,” he says quietly, not looking up. “He really needed it.”

You nod. “I know. Thank you too, for agreeing..”

There’s a pause.

Then, softer he added: “I think I needed it too.”

You look at him. At the way his fingers fidget with the cards. His voice goes small like when he’s feeling too much but doesn’t want to say so. You reach out, and place a gentle hand on his knee. You run your thumb back and forth along his knee, something you did often. Living together, there was more than one occasion where you would cuddle (Purley platonically of course!) to fall asleep, so physical contact wasn't something new to either of you. Yet, he seemed distracted and jumpy tonight. 

“You don’t always have to be in control, you know,” you murmur.

He gives you a quick glance, then looks down again. “Neither does he.” He says, almost defensively, but he stops himself. “I think..-” 

You both look up at the same time when Chance leans back around the kitchen doorway. “You two whispering about me?” he asks, one brow raised, a bowl of pretzels in his hands. He has a pretzel in his mouth as he smirks. 

You smirk. “Only in flattering tones.”

Parker clears his throat, and speaks at the same time as you. “Absolutely not.”

Chance pauses, and all three of you giggle. “Okay, yeah. Definitely whispering about me.” He comes back to sit with you guys as you start the next game. 

Laughter, jokes, quiet moments in between. You try not to let yourself read into every glance, every graze of a hand or brush of a knee. But you do.

Because it’s there.

In the way Parker leans closer when Chance talks. In the way Chance stops filling the silence, like he’s starting to trust it. In the way you find yourself watching them both with your heart doing that dumb stutter it always does.

You’re not sure where this night is going. But you kind of hope it never ends.

The pretzels disappear halfway through a new game that none of you are really playing correctly. The rules are a suggestion at best, something Parker tries to uphold, Chance deliberately misreads, and you... you just sit between them, watching the dynamic shift. Parker doesn’t fight it, Chance relaxes, resting his hand on Parker's leg, and his head on your shoulder. 

Not dramatically. Not suddenly. But gradually; Like the way the air gets warmer just before spring.

Parker’s explaining something about event cards when Chance leans over you to grab a piece of paper. His shoulder brushes yours—warm and solid—and he stays there a beat too long. When he finally pulls back, you catch Parker’s eyes flicking toward the two of you. Brief. Curious.

You wonder if he noticed.

˗ˏˋ꒰ ♟️ ꒱

A little later, when Parker gets up to refill drinks, you and Chance stay sprawled on the floor, game pieces scattered around you like the aftermath of a story that never got finished.

Chance tilts his head, studying you. “You okay?”

You blink. “Me? Yeah, I’m good.”

“You’ve just been kinda quiet,” he says, nudging your ankle with his socked foot. “None of us are ever really quiet...” He jokes.

You smile, soft and a little shy. “Just... enjoying this.”

Chance doesn’t answer right away. He sits back, arms resting on his knees, face half-lit by the soft yellow of lights of the room. There’s a look in his eyes you can’t quite name, not the usual playfulness or faux goofy confidence. Something thoughtful.

“You’re good at this,” he says.

“At board games?” You ask, earnestly. 

He snorts, “At making people feel like they’re not gonna fall apart if they stop pretending everything’s fine,” he says, voice low and honest. “I don’t... Well, Thank you.”

You don’t know what to say to that. So you just smile, and let your foot gently tap his in reply. He doesn’t pull away.

When Parker returns with drinks, he hesitates in the doorway for just a second. You don’t see the look on his face, but Chance does.

And he says, too casually, “You spying, or just admiring the view?”

Parker scoffs but blushes. “If I were admiring anything, it’d be the disaster you made out of the rulebook.”

“Liar,” Chance mutters under his breath, but he’s grinning as he scoots over to make space for him on the floor. You press your lips together to hide your own grin, as he cuddles up to you both. 

Chance yawns softly, and you check the time on your phone. Its nearly midnight. You laugh, asking the others if they want to clean up and put on a movie. They agree and you guys start to pick up. As you are cleaning you notice the way Parker relaxes a little more when Chance laughs. The way Chance goes still when Parker speaks softly. The way you’re starting to ache with how much you care for both of them.

After you guys gave up on cleaning up, you guys snuggle up on the couch fort you built. A movie is playing in the background as you all fought off different stages of sleep. Too tired to sit upright, too comfortable to leave. The board games are still on the floor. The cards are a mess. The blanket you tossed over Chance earlier is now half-draped over all three of you. A warmth spreads through your face, and feels like it clogs your throat. 

Parker’s head rests on your shoulder. Chance’s legs are across both your laps, you sit between them. Chance breaks the silence first, voice barely audible.

“We should do this again.” Its sleepy, and adorable, how he sounds so hopeful. 

You nod, gently. “Yeah. We should.”

Parker doesn’t say anything, but he shifts closer.

The soft glow of string lights lit up the living room, casting a gentle warmth over the piles of nonsense around the room. You didn't realize how cuddly Chance could be until just now. He was curled up over your lap, head on Parker's shoulder now. Within no-time he had fallen asleep. His soft snores were rhythmic, like a purring cat.

Parker, who was normally so upbeat and playful, had gone quiet. His shirt and hair had become more ruffled up, and you found it hard not to stare at his face, and the little bit of stomach that showed when he moved around. You really tried not to stare, but after the evening you had, it was difficult to pretend like you weren't infatuated with both ot the men snuggled up to you. 

You turned slightly, careful not to jostle Chance. “You good?” you whispered, catching the faint tension in his jaw.

He hesitated, his eyes flicking to Chance’s sleeping face, then back to you.

“I—” Parker’s voice was quieter than usual. “I didn’t think tonight would feel this... perfect. Like, stupidly perfect.”

Your brow furrowed in curiosity, but your heart warmed at the sentiment. “It did turn out great, huh? Even with Chance cheating.”

Parker let out a small laugh, but it faded quickly. He looked at you again, really looked, and you saw something different in his eyes. Something tender. Vulnerable.

“I like you,” he said softly, barely louder than the rustle of the blankets. “A lot. That’s not new. But I didn’t think I’d feel this way about both of you.”

You blinked, surprised, but not in a bad way. He rushed to fill the silence.

“I know it’s weird. I know most people don’t- I’m not trying to make things awkward or mess anything up between us or-”

You reached over and took his hand, attempting to ground him and keep him from spiraling. You kissed his knuckles gently. 

“It’s not weird,” you said, squeezing gently. “And you’re not messing anything up. I care about both of you too. I.. Like both of you too. Maybe it’s not the ‘normal’ setup, but... it feels right. Doesn’t it?”

Parker exhaled slowly, the tension melting from his shoulders. “Yeah,” he murmured. “It does.” his face was bright pink even in the soft lighting. “I really want to kiss you right now,” he stumbles over his words, and before you could reply. 

Then, from the lump between you, a sleepy voice mumbled, “Aww, are you guys talking about feelings? That’s cute.”

Chance stretched across you both and blinked up at you, a grin tugging at his lips. “Holy crit! Took you long enough.”

You and Parker froze. “You were awake?” Parker asked, stunned.

Chance yawned dramatically. “Kind of. You talk loud when you’re nervous. Also, I definitely like both of you too, If I wasn't being clear about that before.” He waved a hand vaguely. “I want to kiss you both too.”

You laughed, heart swelling as Parker rolled his eyes fondly. Chance leaned up and pressed his lips to Parkers and then to yours, It was soft and sweet and tender all at once. He then kissed Parkers cheek before laying back down. 

You smiled, kissing Parker as he grew more and more bashful, hiding in the heap of blankets that Chance was already starting to curl up in. 

The three of you then slowly fell asleep, resting with tangled limbs, a little messy and confusing and a lot warm. 

It felt right.