#*six years pass* ummm why does this still hurt

[liebelesbe]

I think the reason I'm still so weird about my lesbianism irl is because I came out before I was ready. I told myself I should just "get it over with", but it feels like somebody reached inside of me and pulled out some important organ that to this day feels like an open wound.

[geraltrogerericduhautebellegarde]

Bygone Love

This is for @pearlll09 for @thewitchersecretsanta!

Fair warning, this is 6k+ words so here is the AO3 link, if you think it’s easier to read on there!

This is a Geraskier soulmate AU :) 

Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy!

-

Jaskier stared wistfully at the book in front of him, wishing it were true.

Those meant to be, linked by destiny, soulmates.

It was bullshit.

Maybe it hadn’t always been. All the stories say that soulmates just stopped appearing hundreds of years ago and no one knew why. However long ago it had been, there was very little record of it left. The book sitting in front of Jaskier is one of the only books left that tells anything about it.

And, while it isn’t a very detailed book, and has quite a few missing pages, what is there sounds lovely. The person you were meant to be with, your very souls linked, it’s romantic. The idea of there being someone who is your perfect match in every way was enticing. Someone who would love you as were, no need for you to bend or break yourself to make them happy.

Jaskier sighed, standing slowly, grabbing his bags and the book, and returning the book to the hook-nosed librarian that watched every Oxenfurt student with the utmost sense of distrust.

-

Jaskier’s final day as a student at Oxenfurt was bittersweet. His years there had been wonderful, his experiences grand, but now he would get to travel and truly make a name for himself.

The bard, Jaskier.

He would be a name known across the land, called upon by kings and queens. 

Strutting out of the city walls, a bright smile on his face, Jaskier looked in the direction of Lettenhove, his family’s lands. The smile slipped off his face. There would be nothing there for him, anymore. He wouldn’t be welcomed back with open arms, not as Viscount and certainly not as a bard.

Resolutely turning on his heel, Jaskier took the opposite path. He wasn’t exactly sure where it would lead him, but he was excited to find out. 

-

Six months on the road hadn’t exactly snuffed out Jaskier’s optimism but it had put a certain damper on it, being thrown rotten or stale food instead of coins was a bit disheartening after all, but still he persevered. He was currently playing in a tavern in Posada and the patrons were… nicer than a lot of the others he’d encountered the past few weeks.

Taking a break and gratefully collecting the stale bread thrown his way, Jaskier’s eyes skimmed the room, settling on a cloaked man seated in the corner.

Oh, he looks like trouble.

“I love the way you just… sit in the corner and brood.”

-

“Geralt,” Jaskier started one night, a few months into their travels, drawing the witcher’s attention, “how old are you?”

Geralt raised an eyebrow, staring silently at Jaskier.

“I only ask because I’ve heard witchers have long lifespans.”

Geralt cocked his head to the side, remaining silent.

Jaskier huffed in frustration, “There are some things I learned about at Oxenfurt but most of the information has been lost to time! I just thought you might have some further information on it, is all.”

“On what, bard?”

“Soulmates.”

Geralt snorted, “They don’t exist.”

“But they did!” argued Jaskier.

“Possibly,” Geralt agreed, “but they don’t now, so what is the point in wondering.”

Jaskier was indignant, “For the history, Geralt! The remaining texts are so few and old and damaged we don’t really know anything about them!”

“Well, I’m afraid I’m not that old. And we didn’t learn about soulmates in our studies, they weren’t important.”

Jaskier sighed, looking down at his hands, “Oh well, I suppose that’s that, then.”

The camp turned silent as Jaskier let his thoughts wander. It was a foolish dream, really… the idea of soulmates. 

-

Jaskier spent the rest of his year travelling with the witcher until finally autumn had arrived and it was time for the pair to part for winter, Geralt going north to somewhere secret and dangerous and Jaskier back to Oxenfurt to gloat about his wonderful travels to all those who doubted him.

Jaskier clapped Geralt on the back, smiling brightly, “Well, friend, this is it I suppose.” He would miss the witcher dearly, the past year travelling with Geralt had been the best time of Jaskier’s life.

“Hmm.”

Jaskier’s smile didn’t slip with Geralt’s taciturn response, more than used to it at this point, and instead continued with his farewells, “We can meet up again, as soon as the snow melts!”

“Great.” Geralt grunted.

“No need to sound so enthused Geralt.” Jaskier stated, hands on his hips.

And then they parted.

Jaskier turned on his heel and pulled his lute in front of him, ready to write a new ballad to commemorate the past year, and the hope for what the next year would bring with his new travelling companion, his new muse.

Halfway to Oxenfurt, Jaskier noticed a strange tickle in his nose, hopefully I’m not getting sick, he thought, dreading the possibility. His eyes were itching, and he was sniffling, sneezing occasionally, but he never developed a fever, so he wrote it off and continued on his travels.

-

This is getting ridiculous, Jaskier thought as he sneezed again. Not long after he and Geralt had parted ways, Jaskier’s allergies had begun acting up and even now, halfway through winter, they were still bothering him.

His eyes were sore and itchy, his head was stuffed, his nose was running constantly. Jaskier wouldn’t go so far as to say he was miserable, but he certainly wasn’t having a great time. He’d had allergies most of his life, come down with hay fever almost every spring, but never had he had such persistent symptoms and never had his allergies bothered him during winter. 

“Jaskier, just go see the healer.” Priscilla said, rolling her eyes as he blew his nose yet again. His best friend had been at the mercy of his complaining since he had returned to Oxenfurt and it was a wonder she was still being so nice to him.

“I’ve been, Pris. They said I’m fine.” And Jaskier had been to a healer, to two different healers in fact. They’d both said the same thing, common allergy symptoms, nothing to worry about. 

-

Geralt had almost reached Kaer Morhen, he would get to the gate by midday, when he noticed a strange pressure behind his eyes. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and his medallion wasn’t vibrating, so he continued on his path, expecting the pressure to dissipate by the time he reached the keep.

It didn’t.

By the time Geralt had reached the gates of Kaer Morhen the pressure in his head had increased and his nose felt full of cotton. Certain something was wrong, he hurried through the gate, rushing to the main doors and into the keep, not even properly stabling Roach.

Eskel was in the main hall and his head swung around to stare at Geralt, brow furrow as he watched Geralt's dramatic entrance. "Geralt! Welcome. Is something wrong?"

"Yes. I think I've been cursed." Geralt pushed past Eskel, heading straight to the kitchen where he could hear Vesemir moving around. 

As Geralt burst through the door, Vesemir continued his motions, stirring a pot filled with stew. Not looking up from his cooking, he addressed Geralt, "What kind of curse?"

"It's affecting my head."

Vesemir shot an unimpressed look over his shoulder at Geralt, "What do you mean? Be specific, Wolf."

Geralt growled, “There's a pressure building in my head and I can barely breathe through my nose."

Vesemir hummed thoughtfully, still stirring the pot in front of him, "And when did it start?" 

"On the pass, not far from the front gate." Geralt’s head was aching, the pressure seeming to build and build, it felt like his head would explode at any moment.

"And did your medallion vibrate?"

"No."

"And you had no symptoms prior to that?" Vesemir finally turned around, staring at Geralt.

"No."

"It doesn't sound like a curse."

Geralt growled again, angry at the dismissal, "My head feels as though it's going to explode!"

"Stop exaggerating." Vesemir responded curtly, far too used to the dramatics of his charges.

"Something could be wrong!” Geralt yelled, stepping forward and angrily gesturing to his head.

Vesemir levelled Geralt an unimpressed look, "Hush, boy. You're going to be fine. Get settled in and we'll figure out what's wrong after dinner. Whatever it is, it isn’t life threatening.”

Turning in huff, Geralt stormed out of the kitchen and past Eskel where he had been hovering by the door. If they wouldn’t take him seriously then he would figure out what was wrong himself.

After he settled Roach.

-

Dinner was tense, Geralt in pain and Vesemir ignoring him. Lambert had yet to arrive so Eskel sat beside Geralt, uncomfortably glancing between Geralt and Vesemir as if he were unsure of what to do, if he should say something or not. 

Geralt's head ached every time he moved, especially when he leaned down. If he tilted his head back, the pressure behind his eyes made it feel like they would explode from his skull. 

Vesemir ate silently, focused on the meal in front of him and saying nothing until he had finished.

"How does your throat feel?"

Geralt startled at the question, looking across the table and meeting Vesemir's eyes, "Ummm… it's sore. It hurts to swallow, like I'm swallowing knives."

Geralt sniffled.

Vesemir's eyebrows drew together as he studied Geralt, "It seems as though you have allergies, Wolf."

"You think I have allergies?" Geralt asked as he took in what Vesemir was saying. 

"It sounds like allergies."

"Allergies?" Eskel chimed in. "I haven't heard of witchers suffering from allergies."

Vesemir hummed thoughtfully, "I can't think of a time in recent history one did."

"Why would I have allergies?"

"A few things come to mind but none that seem likely. The best idea is to probably look through the library. Eskel and Lambert will help."

Eskel nodded and leaned toward Geralt, bumping their shoulders together, "We'll figure this out."

Geralt ignored Eskel and glared at Vesemir, "It feels like my head is being crushed by a boulder and the best you can offer is I should read some books?"

Vesemir stared back at Geralt, his face impassive, before standing up wordlessly and exiting the kitchen. 

-

Lambert arrived later in the week and was quickly swept away to join Eskel and Geralt in the library where they had set up. 

They had pushed two tables together and there were piles of books stacked across it, organized by Eskel in some manner that only made sense to him. 

Eskel and Geralt had been spending their mornings training and working around the keep and then retired to the library nightly, trying to find mention of witchers with allergies.

The three witchers were reading in silence but for the occasional grunt from Lambert when Eskel sucked in a sharp breath, “Hey I found something.”

Lambert looked up lazily from the book he had been staring at while pretending to read, “Is he contagious? I don’t want to catch whatever he has.”

Geralt growled at Lambert before standing from his chair and walking over to Eskel, “What does it say?”

“Well…” Eskel started hesitantly, still staring at the book, “I’m not sure if this is really what’s wrong with you but it’s the only thing we’ve found so far.”

“What is it Eskel?” Geralt asked again, growing impatient.

“It says that when unbound or broken soulmates are parted, they would experience allergy and cold symptoms until they came together again.”

Geralt furrowed his brow, “Soulmates?”

Eskel nodded.

“You think I have a soulmate?” 

Lambert snorted, “That would be cruel, forcing someone to put up with this grumpy bastard for eternity.”

Eskel shook his head, “No that isn’t how soulmates work. There’s someone who is made for you but you still have the choice, you can either accept the bond with a handfasting or perform the ritual to break the bond. Either one would allow you to travel away from each other without getting sick anymore, but until the soul bond is acknowledged one way or the other, you get sick.”

“Eskel, do you really think I have a soulmate? Soulmates haven’t been seen for centuries!”

Eskel huffed, “I know it doesn’t really make sense but it’s the only thing I’ve found!”

Geralt sighed, “I think we should keep looking, I don’t have a soulmate, Eskel.”

“Alright, I’ll add this book to the useless pile, then.” Eskel stood slowly to walk across the room to a large pile of books he had created to reshelve. 

Geralt hesitated, “Wait… is the whole book about soulmates?”

Eskel looked back to Geralt with his eyebrows raised, “Yes.”

“Can I have it?” Geralt asked, reaching out his hand for the book.

Eskel stared at Geralt, a confused look furrowing his brow, “Why would you want it?”

Geralt wasn’t sure how to respond. He had never travelled with someone before and his brothers were certain to question him about it. And there was also the chance they had heard that stupid song. “Ahh… a bard I was travelling with asked me if I had any knowledge of them because the human texts were all mostly destroyed.”

“You travelled with a bard?” Lambert cut in harshly.

“And you want to bring him a present?” Eskel asked, in a far softer voice than the one Lambert had used. 

Lambert stood up suddenly, “Wait, that song about tossing a coin! That was about you!”

Geralt groaned, his already pounding head throbbing even more at the idea of having this conversation, “Yes.”

Lambert let out a loud bray of laughter, “I should have known! Of course, you managed to find yourself a bard to sing your praises, you vain bastard.” 

Geralt rolled his eyes, causing another wave of pain to shoot through his head, and looked back to Eskel, ignoring Lambert still chuckling behind him. Eskel had walked back over to Geralt, book in hand, and he finally held it out to Geralt. Geralt took the book tentatively and nodded in thanks. 

Eskel was staring at Geralt consideringly, “How long did you travel with your bard?”

“He isn’t mine.”

Eskel rolled his eyes, “Yeah, whatever. How long?”

“Most of the year.” Geralt answered shortly, unsure where this line of questioning was going.

Eskel made a considering noise, “Did you two just split for the winter?”

Geralt nodded, “Yes, he headed back to Oxenfurt and I came straight here.”

Eskel hummed softly, his eyes wandering over the books still piled high on the table, “I don’t know how much information we’ll find in those; we’ve read all the books that were most likely to help.”

“Does that mean I don’t have to help anymore?” Lambert chimed in.

Eskel snorted and shot an unimpressed look at Lambert, “That would suggest you were any help to begin with.”

Lambert scoffed, “I was plenty help. Moral support and all that.”

Eskel directed his attention back to Geralt, “Geralt it might be best to just… find a healer or a mage when you leave for spring. I’m not confident these books will have answers. Perhaps you could head to Oxenfurt and meet up with your bard, the scholars there might have answers.”

“Do you really think we won’t find an answer?” Geralt had been worried he wouldn’t find out what was wrong with him since Vesemir had first dismissed him.

Eskel shook his head and smiled sadly, “I think we’ve found all the answers that are here.”

Geralt furrowed his brow, unsure of what Eskel meant, “What answers have we found?”

“I’m not completely sure. But I’m sure you’ll find out come spring.” Eskel walked past Geralt and quickly exited the library, leaving Geralt and Lambert staring dumbfounded after him.

“What the fuck was that supposed to mean?” Lambert finally asked. “He gets more cryptic every year. One of these days he’s going to show up and talk only in Nilfgaardian riddles.”

-

The winter had been long and far less restful than any year before. Geralt’s symptoms hadn’t improved though they at least hadn’t gotten worse. 

This year, Geralt was the last to leave Kaer Morhen, wanting the opportunity to talk to Vesemir privately. Their relationship had stayed distant this winter, though it had gotten less hostile. But it didn’t seem right, Vesemir didn’t act like this normally, he had to be keeping something from Geralt. 

Geralt cleared his throat as he gazed across the courtyard at Vesemir, “I’m ready to go.”

Vesemir nodded at him, “Travel well, Wolf. I’ll see you next winter.”

Geralt took a deep, steadying breath, “Did I do something wrong?”

Vesemir frowned and walked closer to Geralt, “No, Wolf. I just worry for you. But I’m confident you’ll find your answer back out on the road.” Vesemir quickly drew Geralt in for a hug, squeezing him tightly. Geralt returned the embrace briefly before pulling away.

“Travel well, Vesemir. I’ll see you next winter.” And with a nod, Geralt mounted Roach and set off out of the gate, his path to Oxenfurt laid out clearly in his mind.

-

Geralt wasn't sure how long he had been able to breathe through his nose by the time he finally noticed the difference. It was strange that it hadn't been more obvious of a change since he had gone the entire winter with his nose stuffed and runny. 

His sense of smell heightening was the only thing that really drew his attention to the change. He had worried the difficulties he might encounter on the Path with his senses dulled, but when he'd approached the bridge leading to Oxenfurt, suddenly the smells overwhelmed him. 

"Woah, Roach." Geralt urged Roach to slow down while he took a moment to gather himself, adjusting to the sudden difference. As he waited, he could feel as his head became clearer and clearer, all the pressure slowly dissipating. His sense of smell returned full force and his hearing became more acute. Geralt let out a sigh of relief, he had almost forgotten what it was like to have his senses so sharp. 

He would still need to find a mage to make sure this never happened again but with his senses returned he needn't be in as much of a hurry. "C'mon Roach," Geralt guided Roach back to the road leading into Oxenfurt, trying to think of where he might find Jaskier. 

He hadn't had to look for long, simply meandering down the street when he heard a commotion ahead. He dismounted and led Roach behind him as he approached the shouting, breaking through the circle of onlookers to see Jaskier and another man arguing. 

"Because you're wrong!" Jaskier shouted, waving his arms wildly. 

Geralt took in the situation in front of him slowly. Jaskier was flushed, his chest puffing heavily from his ragged breathing. He looked livid, his eyes shooting daggers at the man in front of him. 

And the man in front of Jaskier looked… well… a lot like Jaskier. His hair was darker, black instead of brown, but cut in a similar fashion. His eyes were also a brilliant blue though deeper than the bright cornflower of Jaskier's. Unlike Jaskier's clean shaven face, the other man had a full mustache, covering his entire upper lip. That's where the differences seemed to stop, though. Their build was the same, long and lanky yet deceptively strong, they had the same jaw line, the same cheek bones, the same nose. Jaskier had never mentioned family but this must be a brother. 

Geralt watched amusedly as the two men taunted each other until finally Jaskier charged forward, clearly ready to attack the other man. Moving swiftly, Geralt put himself between Jaskier and the other man, gripping Jaskier by the shoulders to prevent him from going around Geralt. Jaskier huffed and yanked himself backward, out of Geralt's grip, looking up at the man who had been holding him. 

It was clear he hadn't expected Geralt to be standing there when his mouth dropped open in shock. "Geralt! So good of you to stop by. Here, let's get out of here, the riffraff is out of control." Jaskier glared over Geralt's shoulder and grabbed Geralt by the arm, leading Geralt back to Roach. 

Geralt followed silently, amusedly listening to Jaskier's grumbling the whole way until they reached a small inn and Jaskier led them upstairs to what must have been his room over winter. 

“That bastard!�� Jaskier grunted as soon as Geralt had closed the door behind them.

“Hmm.” Geralt watched in silence as Jaskier slammed his things around, seeming to move his bags and clothes for no purpose other than to throw them in irritation.

“Honestly, the bastard had the nerve to insinuate that he is more attractive than I am! Me! As if he isn’t the ugliest cock on the planet. I swear Geralt even the thought someone might find him attractive is horrendous.”

Geralt cocked his head curiously, “Are you two not related?”

Jaskier looked horrified, “Related? To that thing? Gods no.”

Geralt suddenly felt confused, the man was practically Jaskier’s twin. “Jaskier, you look just like him.”

Jaskier gazed at Geralt for a moment, a dumbfounded expression on his face, before finally he started cackling, laughing so hard he collapsed on the bed behind him.

Geralt was unsure of what was happening.

Finally, Jaskier’s laughter slowed, “Darling,” Jaskier started, still chuckling to himself slightly, “that was the funniest joke you’ve ever made. The idea of I and Valdo Marx looking anything alike is truly, absolutely hilarious. Oh, thank you, Geralt. I needed that laugh. Especially after the winter I’ve had.”

Geralt was still very much confused, positive his eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on him when he’d seen this Valdo Marx character, and sure that he and Jaskier did in fact look very similar. Deciding to not continue with the matter for the moment, Geralt decided to direct the conversation elsewhere, “And why was your winter so terrible?”

Jaskier threw his arms up dramatically and laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, “I was sick! The whole time. As if I had a cold. It started right after we parted and continued all the way until this very morning. All the healers said it just seemed to be my allergies. Honestly, Geralt I think I may have been cursed.”

Geralt froze, frowning at Jaskier’s words. Allergies? All winter. Starting just after the two had parted. Thinking back to the book currently resting in Roach’s saddlebags, Geralt shook his head, silently telling himself it was just an odd coincidence. “Sounds odd, bard. Perhaps you slept with the wrong person and their spouse decided on some petty revenge.”

Jaskier hummed thoughtfully, still staring at the ceiling, “Perhaps. It certainly was petty in that case. I had a sore throat all winter, I was barely able to sing.”

“Hmm”

Jaskier rolled to his side on the bed, staring curiously at Geralt, still standing awkwardly in front of the door, “Well, how was your winter then? And what brings you to Oxenfurt? Did you miss me, you scamp?”

Geralt rolled his eyes at the smirk on Jaskier’s face, “Winter was winter, the same as every other year. I’m here looking for a mage or a scholar well versed in curses.”

Jaskier’s eyes lit up the way they always did when he was about to get into something, he had no business messing with, “Ohhh what kind of curse.”

“Never you mind.” The last thing Geralt needed was Jaskier learning that Geralt was also sick all winter. He would make a big deal of the coincidence even without knowing what Geralt did.

“Excuse me, Geralt but I mind very much, thank you.”

Geralt remained quiet.

Finally, Jaskier snorted, “Alright well, lucky you, I happen to know a retired professor that specialized in curses and things of the sort. Not a sorceress herself, mind you, but interested in it.”

-

Jaskier led them through the streets of Oxenfurt, babbling a mile a minute, “She is very old, positively ancient, possibly even older than you. No one is quite sure how she’s still alive, or her actual age for that matter, but as she taught most of the professors that taught my professors, it’s sufficient to say that she’s been around a while. She’s also quite crotchety but she likes my singing so that should help us get some information out of her. What exactly are we asking her about again?”

Leave it to Jaskier to try to wheedle the information out of Geralt after wearing him down with a bit of rambling. Luckily, Geralt had spent nearly a year with the man already and had built up a tolerance to the man’s sneaky ways. “It doesn’t concern you, bard.”

Hopefully.

The very thought that Jaskier could be his… well… no that certainly didn’t make any sense. None whatsoever. Hopefully this wise woman would be able to identify what the problem is, and he could solve it quickly and move on.

And hopefully it would have absolutely nothing to do with Jaskier. 

Nothing at all. 

And absolutely nothing to do with the absurd idea of soulmates.

Geralt would never be able to give the book to Jaskier. If Geralt had managed to draw the connection then certainly Jaskier would as well, whether Geralt mentioned having the same symptoms during their time apart or not.

Geralt was pulled from his reverie by Jaskier drawing to a halt suddenly and opening his arms, wide, “We have arrived, my dearest witcher.”

The house was small, tucked in between a pawn shop and a sketchy looking apothecary. It was the type of house it was easy to miss, would be overlooked if you weren’t looking for it specifically. Jaskier let himself in the house, not bothering to knock, so Geralt followed quietly, feeling uneasy, though he wasn’t sure why. His medallion wasn’t vibrating and there wasn’t anything particularly strange about the front room of the house, but something didn’t seem quite right.

“Jaskier are you certain we should be here?” Geralt whispered his question, unwilling to disturb any occupants of the house.

Jaskier, however, was not as worried about disturbing anyone and responded loudly, “Of course, Geralt. I’ve a standing invitation.”

Geralt cautiously followed Jaskier further into the house, unsure of what to expect. In the last room of the house there was an old woman, sitting in a chair by a window, knitting quietly. When they entered the room, she glanced up curiously, a small smile on her face as she looked at Jaskier. 

“I was wondering when you would come find me with questions.” The woman’s voice was surprisingly deep, hoarse as if she spent her days smoking away at a pipe. 

“Were you?” Jaskier asked, shooting Geralt a strange look.

The woman hummed, “Yes. As soon as I saw your symptoms this winter. I’m glad you have been reunited though.”

Geralt felt a shock run through him, she couldn’t possibly mean…

“You know why I was sick?” Jaskier’s voice was higher than usual, sounding incredulous.

“Do you not?”

“No!” Jaskier exclaimed dramatically. 

“Ahh..” she stared at Geralt for a moment before looking back at Jaskier, “there’s no need to worry about it. Your witcher will explain everything.”

Jaskier spun around, “Geralt?”

He sighed, suddenly unsure of what to do, “I have everything I needed Jaskier. Let’s go back.”

“Go back? We came here to ask questions about a curse! You didn’t even ask anything. Oh… were we here about my curse? Was I actually cursed?”

“Come along, Jaskier.” Geralt turned on his heel, quickly leaving the house. He heard Jaskier hustling behind him.

Geralt led them back up to Jaskier’s inn room, Jaskier puffing behind him from keeping up with Geralt’s faster than normal stride. “Geralt what is going on?’

Instead of responding, Geralt rifled through his bags and pulled out the book he had previously decided to chuck in a river so Jaskier would never see it. Turning to face Jaskier, Geralt’s heart was racing. He had faced monsters out of nightmares, stared death in the face, but the idea that the contents in this book could be true, the idea that Jaskier could be his soulmate was horrifying. 

Holding out the book slowly, Geralt watched warily as Jaskier snatched it from his hands, his eyes roaming over the cover. “Soulmates?”

“I found it at Kaer Morhen and brought it for you, I thought you might like it. But now it might be important.”

Jaskier’s eyes shone brightly, “You brought it because you thought I might like it?”

“Yes.”

“What makes it important now?” Jaskier was looking back at the book, fingers tracing the cover carefully.

Geralt’s heart was pounding in his ears, “Just… read it.”

Jaskier looked back at Geralt, concern on his face, “Okay.”

Jaskier crossed the room to sit at the table and opened the book. Geralt stayed motionless, watching as Jaskier eagerly devoured page after page of information he had been so interested in for years. It was clear to Geralt when Jaskier reached the part Geralt was most afraid of. Instead of Jaskier moving on to the next page, Jaskier’s eyes slowly worked their way back to the start of the page and he read the same section again, slower this time. 

“Geralt,” Jaskier started, his eyes not moving off the page in front of him, “are you telling me that my allergies this winter were because I have a soulmate?”

Geralt grunted, unsure of what to say.

Jaskier looked up at Geralt suddenly, his face wary, “And who exactly is my soulmate in this scenario? Who else had the same symptoms while they were away from me for the length of winter?”

Geralt felt his face reddening, an uncharacteristic blush blooming. 

Jaskier stood slowly, placing the book down on the chair as he abandoned it, “Geralt were you sick this winter?”

Geralt nodded.

"Oh." Jaskier sounded breathless.

Geralt didn't know what to say, floundering in the silence. Usually, Jaskier was the one to fill the void, to put words where there was once silence. Instead, Jaskier remained silent for a beat, simply staring at Geralt, before turning back and grabbing the book, returning to his seat. Jaskier opened the book again with shaky hands and once again began reading. 

Their breathing and slightly too fast heart beats were the only sounds in the room as Geralt stood motionless, waiting for Jaskier to do something, say something. But Jaskier simply sat, reading studiously, while Geralt waited. 

It felt like ages by the time Jaskier closed the book, finally looking back up at Geralt. "Well, if we intend to travel anywhere from each other, I think it would be best to perform the ceremony."

Geralt's heart dropped, "Of course. We'll have to research the proper way to do it, I'm not sure if we'll need a mage."

Jaskier stood from his seat, walking to stand directly in front of Geralt, "Geralt, it says a simple handfasting will suffice."

Geralt didn't understand, a handfasting didn't seem like a practical way to end a soul bond, "A handfasting? To break the bond?"

"Break the bond? Why would we do something silly like that? Do you… not want to be bound to me?"

Bound to Jaskier, their souls intertwined, it sounded nice. But it wasn't realistic, Geralt was a witcher and Jaskier a bard. Clearly their souls couldn't have meant to be linked. "Do I not… Jaskier you can't want this! I'm a witcher. My life is dangerous."

"Well yes but that hasn't stopped me yet, and I don't intend to let it. Besides, the slowed aging will be a big plus for me." Jaskier sounded matter of fact, putting his hands on his hips and staring at Geralt as if it were obvious.

"Slowed aging?"

"Yes Geralt, slowed aging. The book said very clearly that those soul bonded to witchers experienced slowed aging like that of the witcher. Did you not finish the book?"

"I didn't read it." Maybe he should have read through the book, to understand more about what was going on, more about his bond with Jaskier. Geralt hadn’t felt so out of his depth in a long time.

Jaskier sounded incredibly unimpressed when he responded, "You didn't read… any of it?"

"No."

Jaskier whined, "Geralt. You suspected we could be soulmates and you didn't even read the book?"

Of course he hadn’t expected that! The very idea that they could be soulmates was ridiculous. He hadn’t even considered it to be an option. "No! I brought the book because I thought you would like it. I didn't think that was what was wrong with me. I didn't know you were sick."

Jaskier was silent, his face contemplative as he stared at Geralt. His response was so quiet, Geralt was unsure he would have heard it without his enhanced hearing, "Is it… really so awful of an idea? Being my soulmate?"

It wasn’t an awful idea at all, it was… nice actually. But that didn’t mean it was right, it couldn’t possibly be. Jaskier didn’t deserve to be stuck with a witcher for the rest of his life, "No, Jaskier… it just… it can't be right. I can't be bound to someone like you and you shouldn't be stuck with someone like me."

“Well, I stuck myself to you long before we knew about this soul bond business, so I don’t see what’s so different. Unless you wish to be rid of me.” The last sentence was hushed, like Jaskier hadn’t even wanted to say it. 

When Jaskier had first started following Geralt, the witcher had definitely wanted rid of him. He was loud and annoying and impractical. He caused chaos everywhere he went, rarely thought of his actions before making a decision, and always managed to put himself directly in harm's way. But the bard had grown on Geralt. Every time he started a tavern fight out of righteous anger on Geralt’s behalf or talked down an alderman trying to short Geralt his owed coin, or ran headfirst into danger to foolishly protect Geralt, Geralt felt a bit more fond of Jaskier. And considering how often Jaskier did all of those things, Geralt was fit to burst with his fondness for the man.

Geralt rubbed a hand over his eyes, “No, I don’t… wish to be rid of you. But Jaskier, you can’t know what you’re agreeing to. You’re young, you have your whole life ahead of you. My path doesn’t need to be yours.”

Jaskier’s body language screamed how indignant he felt at Geralt’s statement, “But I want it to be! I wanted to walk The Path with you last year and I haven’t changed my mind.”

Even if Jaskier meant it, and never changed his mind, he didn’t know if he would ever be what Jaskier wanted. Jaskier was young and the idea of grand love thanks to a soul bond must sound enticing, but that wasn’t Geralt. Witchers weren’t supposed to feel, it was dangerous, made them weak. Jaskier deserved that grand love but Geralt couldn’t be sure he could ever give that, “Jaskier… I’m not… I don’t know how to be in a relationship. I’m not sure I ever will… be able to be that for you.”

Jaskier’s face softened and he reached out to take hold of Geralt’s hands, “I like you just as you are, Geralt. We can figure out everything else as we go.”

Geralt felt something in him break. He wanted to be stronger, strong enough to turn Jaskier away, for his own good, but more than that he wanted to be loved. “Are you sure you want this?” Geralt’s voice cracked as he asked, one final time, simultaneously hoping Jaskier would say no, but dreading the idea of losing the bard.

Jaskier squeezed Geralt’s hands, “Do you?”

“Travelling with you last year was… different. It was good… to share The Path with someone. With you.” Geralt had never felt more vulnerable than he did in that moment, staring into Jaskier’s eyes. 

“I wouldn’t trade the time I’ve spent with you for the world, and I want to keep spending time with you.” Jaskier hesitated, “If you’ll let me.”

“We… will have to get handfasted then? If we don’t break the bond?” Geralt really needed to read that book.

Jaskier nodded, “Yes, either that or never separate from each other.”

An outward sign of the bond the two shared… Geralt liked the idea, “I think… that handfasting would be okay.”

“Just okay?”

“It would be… nice. I suppose.”

Jaskier chuckled at Geralt’s response, “When should we do it? We could go now if you wanted?”

They could go right then, there was sure to be someone in Oxenfurt, probably many someones, that knew how to perform the ceremony, but it didn’t feel right. “Could we… wait for winter?”

Jaskier furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side, “I mean… we can. We would have to be careful about parting through the year though.”

It was impractical, Geralt knew, but it was something he never thought he would experience. And he wanted to do it at Kaer Morhen, “Just… I think I would like Vesemir to be there. And Eskel and Lambert.”

Jaskier squeezed Geralt’s hand reassuringly, “Okay. May I ask who they are?”

“They’re my… family. Fellow witchers. We winter together.”

Suddenly Jaskier’s eyes were filled with tears and Geralt was worried he had done something wrong.

“Oh. Yes, that would be lovely, I think.” Jaskier finally responded, his voice thick like he was trying not to cry.

“Really?”

Jaskier nodded and pulled his hands from Geralt’s, instead drawing him into a tight hug, “Yes, darling. Really.”

-

Check out my masterlist!

Tag list: @stinastar​ @feraljaskier​ @bastardofmothman​ @hailhailsatan​ @moonysourenza​ @its-onions​ @elliestormfound​ @dapandapod​ @geraskier-trashh​ @jaskierswolf​ @fontegagrilledcheese​ @negativenuggetz @veritasrose @feral-jaskier @kozkaboi

[wsgeon]

hey everyone! ummm this is peyton (also the mun of lee hyeon) taking a second shot at a second character — i have a lot of muse for this one, so i swear he’ll be around for a while… 🥵 this is ryu geon, yes his name rhymes with hyeon’s & no i do not care ♥️ he’s the lead guitarist/vocalist of meta and also the son of a former nobody rockstar, but i’ll get into all that below! like this post if you’d like for me to come into your ims to plot, click the read more for more info on geon, and/or click here to be taken to his pages: CAREER, DOSSIER, PINTEREST.

HISTORY.

born in autumn ‘97 to a “budding rockstar” (translation: “no yeah i swear our band’s really starting to take off, we sold twenty-three tickets to our last show!”) & a woman with commitment issues ♥️ geon’s dad always told him that his mom left because she had some dire matters that needed to be taken care of and SWORE that she cried the last time she held her dear baby boy, but all of his dad’s bandmates say that she was just some groupie and had to be persuaded into carrying her child to term… who can say for sure?

naturally, there are no pictures of this mystery woman. there was one (1) of her holding infant geon, but then he found out that that was actually a sound tech who worked for his dad’s band… and he just never corrected geon’s assumptions LOLLLL

anyway! he was always really close to his dad, considering they were a two-person family. he has a set of grandparents, an aunt and a couple cousins but they were never involved with geon’s life because his dad is the #blacksheep of the family. geon and his dad against the world, am i right?

uhhh geon was also kind of a black sheep growing up, but he didn’t really notice? he was a happy kid, very energetic and enthusiastic. a lot of adults in the area looked down on him & his dad, but he was SOOOO blind to it because his dad’s a god in his eyes and HE’S always been nice to everyone, so why would they not like him??? because his clothes smelled a little like dad’s cigarette smoke??? big deal

wasn’t troublesome (beyond talking too much), but a lot of people still expected bad things from him :/ “his father’s a dirtbag, i’ll be surprised if that boy doesn’t end up in jail by 20”, “he won’t amount to anything without a proper role model in his life”, “his dad is teaching him how to slack off”, “he won’t contribute anything to society”, etc. he kindaaa picked up on this as he got older but pretended not to because it was more rewarding to play dumb and keep being a good kid(tm) to prove them wrong

was basically a mini version of his dad. same style, similar features, birthmarks in the same places, same “live today, die tomorrow” approach in life, same affinity for singing & playing rock music. ummm he loved his dad a lot. a lot. a lot. wanted to make him proud SO BAD, started his first band when he was 15 and they sucked so bad but his dad was their biggest fan… you know how it is. a lot of people misunderstood him, but he was a very good guy and such a great parent

TW DEATH unfortunately he passed away just shy of geon’s 18th birthday and your boy still hasn’t forgiven the world for taking his dad when he was in the middle of his angsty teen phase — had he known that their time together was dwindling, he would’ve been so so so much better to him END TW

his dad’s band actually rocketed into the charts after he passed & suddenly they were getting loads of publicity, lots of “what a shame that he went under-appreciated” which pissed geon off SOOOO bad because why couldn’t they have had that energy when he was still alive? he’s still mad about it five/six years later

this is getting kinda long, so uhhh tl;dr, he ended up staying with the drummer of his dad’s band until he was old enough to live alone/READY to live alone, but he changed quite a bit. was really going through it, quit his band, stopped putting effort into school. barely graduated. went from being a social butterfly spending every weekend at a gig or with friends to spending all of his time on a pc or in front of a tv, playing console games. the internet comforted him when nobody else would/could and then he met the future members of meta <33333333 #newbeginnings

present day geon is still struggling, has to go to counseling bi-weekly but he’s coming back out of his shell! he wants to fall in love with life again, just wants to tread carefully... outgoing & will talk to absolutely anyone, but he still spends most of his time alone. hard to reach by text, so if you wanna talk to him, you better call/facetime LMAO. talks a mile a minute, especially if you get him going abt something he really likes. laughs a lot, smiles a lot, more habitual than actual signs of happiness but yk. ummm he has a really loud voice, mostly controlled nowadays but he still gets carried away sometimes. an absolute menace during long drives/flights, sorry meta.

funny but only when he’s in large groups. feeds off of other peoples’ energy, really good at reading a room and breaking the ice/making everyone comfortable, but if you meet him 1-on-1, none of his jokes land quite the same.

i envision him as being the kind of guy who carries himself in such a way that you’d assume he’s really popular/out of reach/maybe even full of himself, but he’s... not like that... at all... in fact, he’s kinda irritating when you get to know him. the personification of a flood followed by a drought and vice versa, always either too much or not enough. gets used/ghosted/dropped/dumped/whatever a lot because he’s soooo fun in the moment (if he isn’t in his feelings), but draining long-term.

really emotionally intelligent, in touch with his feelings in a way that a lot of people never thought he would be (probably thanks to counseling tbh). he’s very very rarely the type of person who will make you wonder what your place in his life is — he’s communicative, kind, honest. ummm he thinks that intimacy between friends needs to be more common, so he’s really affectionate with the people in his life. type of guy to tell you he loves you every chance he gets (calling you when he’s drunk, sounding like a clingy ex type beat) & greet you/depart with a hug. losing his dad kinda fucked him up in the way that he won’t leave/hang up until his friends say “i love you” back, gets kinda (re: very) upset if he’s denied that and/or a hug.

TRIVIA.

has been playing the guitar “longer than he’s been walking” (not really, but he swears it’s true).

uhhh he really likes nail art, but he’s kinda hesitant in what he tries? mainly sticks to black polish (or other plain colors), but sometimes he’ll get little designs added in as well. mainly does it himself because he still doesn’t feel comfortable in salons... if his work looks bad, leave him alone <3 he’s trying

inspired by people like kurt cobain, nicky wire, yungblud, billie joe armstrong & damiano david in the fact that he’s not against wearing dresses or skirts on stage. doesn’t do it ALL the time, but often enough that it doesn’t go unnoticed. some people say that he does it for attention because he doesn’t dress like that elsewhere and tbh they’re probably kinda right

interested in history (only SOME... dinosaurs, ancient civilizations, specialized areas like the history of circuses/clowns/skateboarding/punk, stuff like that yk), stand-up comedy & documentaries. could spend a whole day watching documentaries and would say he had fun, has a lot of useless knowledge that nobody gives a fuck about and is kinda dumb when it comes to things that matter

when it comes to music, he prefers playing really fast and heavy rock or punk over anything else, but he actually listens to a lot more soft indie on his own time... he’s too tense these days to be listening to anything else RIPPP

the vibe: homemade tie-dye, ripped slipknot t-shirts, frosted tips, neon crocs with alien & peace-sign charms, chipped black nail polish, calloused hands, cheesy pick-up lines used NOT to land a date but to pull a smile, driving until he’s lost, stupid socks paired with pressed suits, dramatic poetry in an iphone note, etc. 

PLOT IDEAS.

people he met through online support groups about coping with grief

uhhh an on & off relationship that’s been going for who-knows-how-long. the reason for this is up for discussion, but i imagine that he hasn’t given up yet because the constant highs and lows are a good source of inspo 🤪 artists must suffer for their art!

opposite side of the coin — someone he’s interested in, but he’s NOT disloyal so it’s a pattern of persistent courting when he’s single vs intense friend-zoning when he’s not and they’re getting tired of trying to figure out what he wants from them

someone else who likes nail art & can convince him that NOBODY cares if he goes to a salon

someone (probably female but doesn’t really matter tbh) who feels like his feminism is entirely performative… maybe they attack him directly for it or maybe they just REALLY don’t like him and they’re super vague about it idk. either way, please tell him that activism is much more than recommending one female artist a year and saying “clothes have no gender 🤪” so he can be praised for the bare minimum (his heart is in the right place but his skull is empty)

someone super introverted who comes out of their shell with geon! uhhh maybe they think that he’s the one doing them a favor, but in reality spending time with them has been doing wonders for his mental health

other people who like to skate. let’s congregate at the local skatepark and scare the middle schoolers away

someone who inspires him musically, for whatever reason. lots of late nights in studios, idly strumming his guitar and writing lyrics that definitely aren’t about how their eyes look in these dim lights… umm maybe he thinks he has a crush on them but really doesn’t and ends up hurting them eventually, maybe he really DOES have a crush but will (probably) never do anything abt it or maybe it’s entirely platonic and he just admires them a ridiculous amount

someone who likes to make music as a hobby, prob won’t publish/release any of it but it’s fun to imagine. spontaneous meetings with geon in the middle of the night, recording songs together and keeping the WORST takes for the laughs. there’s probably a diss-track of them going in on each other floating around somewhere even though geon can’t rap for shit

night owls who keep him company on the phone, even if they can’t be there physically. them talking really quietly vs geon shouting at them while he plays games LMAO

gaming buddies. come over, maybe you can carry geon through his game of the week or you can both fail but have fun while you’re at it… or you can scream while he fends off that hoard of zombies behind you

i’m typing this at the last minute (literally) so i’m gonna stop here, but i will get a proper plots page put up asap with a wider variety of connections!!! but as always, please do let me know if you have any other ideas. i’m always happy to plot and write with you all 🌚

[nanaminsonyfans]

Between Worlds; Chapter Six

Previous, Next, Masterlist

A/N: Thank you all for being to patient with me while I took a break. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I am actually very proud about this one. Thank you to my editor @imagine-yourself-happy

Gif is not mine

!!TW!! Swearing, injuries, mentions of blood

The statue’s eyes began to glow a light blue color, then a silhouette formed, stepping out into view. “Roku?” You asked softly upon seeing him. “I-I have a question for you…I understand you brought me here for something else but I’m just so confused. I don’t belong here. Why am I here and not Aang?” You walked forward, trembling slightly with each step. “Y/N, this was always your destiny. No matter how you look at it, this is yours. Aang may have had it first but this is yours.” Roku put his hand on your shoulder, squeezing it softly. “But...I don’t know how to do any of this. I mean, Air comes naturally to me but I can’t control it. I almost hurt Katara and Sokka.” You said as you started to cry.

Roku shook his head and lifted your chin up so you’d look at him. “You are a strong woman. You can do anything you set your mind to. Look how far you have already come. Y/N, you protected two villages even after you were burned, you saved another one.” He spoke in a comforting tone and wiped away your tears. It was the reassurance of an adult that made you feel safe. You sniffled and nodded as you peered up at him. “How do I control my bending? When I get emotional, it just takes over. I don’t want to hurt anyone by being blinded like that.”

“You can control it. It’s okay to have a few slip-ups. I wish I could give you more time and not rush you, but…you have to master all four elements by the end of the summer.” He explained with an even tone. “I know…I’m just scared. What if I can’t do it? What if I’m not strong enough?” Your eyes began to water again, your throat became dry as you tried to hold back a sob. “You are. As I said, you’ve made it this far. You also have the past Avatars to help you.” You looked back behind Roku, seeing the light slowly start to fade. He had noticed as well. “By the end of this summer, another comet will come. It will give the Fire Nation the rest of the power that they need to fully need to take over the rest of the nations. You must stop them.” 

“Y/N? Y/N!” Katara’s voice snapped you out of your trance as you mindlessly were applying a cold cloth to Sokka’s forehead. “Oh…sorry.” You whispered and stood up. “Is Sokka feeling any better?” You asked softly and stood up, looking at him with concern. “Not very well. That storm really did a number on him.”

“Well, I found a map. There’s a herbalist, I’ll go see if they have anything for tea. That might help.” You explained, but turned to Katara when she started coughing. “Oh no, not you too?” You went over to her and laid her down on Appa next to Sokka. “Just rest here and I’ll be back with medicine.” You wrapped her in a blanket and grabbed your glider, running out of the small shelter you had. 

The rain made a small pitter-patter against your skin and gilder. It was soothing, considering everything preoccupying your mind - what Roku had said, your encounter with Zuko, Jet, that horrible storm, and now taking care of the two Water Tribe siblings. You sighed softly as you walked up a trail to a greenhouse or terrarium-looking thing. When you entered, you were greeted with the scent of roses, lavender, and...cats? You looked down and saw a cat rubbing against your ankle. It was a beautiful white cat, fluffy too. You bent down and scratched it’s head softly, the small gesture made you feel ten times better. 

You noticed an old woman tending to her plants and herbs. “Umm…ma’am? I’m very sorry to barge in like this, but my friends are sick and I need medicine for them or even a little ginger for tea?” You spoke fast and with urgency. “Calm down, young lady. Your friends are fine. I’ve been up here for forty years you know, there used to be others but they all left years ago.” The old woman pet the cat that was now on the table, “Now it’s just me and Miyuki.” You stared at her, growing a bit impatient. “Ummm, that’s nice. Could you tell me what I need to do to cure my friends?” You noticed her starting to pick herbs and such. “One moment, I am doing something…” She muttered to herself and walked around the garden.

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

Ten, fifteen minutes passed of her trying to find a herb and it still wasn’t even to help you! That was irritating. It was only food for her cat. “Ma’am, could you please tell me what a cure for my friends is?” You asked for maybe, the fifth time. “Oh yes, about that. You must go to the swamp for frozen wood frogs and then have your friends suck on them! They must be frozen though!” She grinned crazily. “You’re insane aren't you?” You snored. “Go on now! You don’t have time to sit around and talk!” The woman ushered you out of her greenhouse.

You rolled up your pants as you stepped into the murky swamp, gagging softly at the smell. Eventually, you found four and stuck them in your pockets. Just as you were about to grab a fifth, three arrows pinned your shirt sleeve to a log. You yelped in surprise and used your Airbending to shield yourself as more arrows were sent your way. “Uh, do you want your arrows back?” You called out as about four people jumped out of the trees. You gulped and looked at them as your heart started to pound. You waterbended an ice wall but it was quickly shattered by an arrow. “Shit-” You mumbled to yourself as your shirt collar was pinned to another log. You winced feeling the sting of the arrowhead grazing your collarbone. You were shot with a tranquilizer then a net, resulting in you losing consciousness. 

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

Your eyes opened. Everything became a blur. There was an attempt to move your feet but you quickly realized they were tied together by a rope and your arms were chained behind you. The chains jiggled as you tried to struggle but it was no use. “Well, this is the Avatar? Master of all the elements? I have no idea how you eluded the Fire Nation, but your game of hide and seek is over.” You recognized that voice, Admiral Zhao. “I wasn’t hiding from you, Zhao. Untie me and I’ll fight you right now!” You yelled fighting with the restraints. “Uhh, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the last Airbender? Do you miss your weak people?” You teared up at the thought, but you were quick to blink back any visible tears. “Don’t worry, you won’t be killed like they were.” You dug your nails into your palms and gritted your teeth. “Shut up.” You growled, glaring up at Zhao. 

He only smirked at you. “If we kill you, the next Avatar will just be reborn again and the Fire Nation will have to search all over again.” He bent over and grabbed your chin, forcing you to look up at him. “I’ll keep you alive, but just barely.” You glared and spat in his face. He backed away in disgust. “You little bit-” You blew a gust of wind at him, knowing him off his feet. “Blow all the wind you want. No one is coming to save you.” He hissed and walked out, his aggressive footsteps fading off in the distance. You screamed in anger and started to thrash around, only giving yourself rope burn and bruises around your wrists. You started to cry softly, from anger and pain. “Fuh-Fuck you Zhao.” You mumbled to yourself through the tears.

After thirty minutes, you gave up trying to break free. You were sweaty and bloody, the palms of your hands were bleeding, ankles burned, and wrists were bruised. You heard a soft ribbit and croak. Oh, no! Frogs started to jump out of your clothes, still half frozen. “No, no, no, no! Get back here! I need you to cure Katara and Sokka!” The frogs obviously didn’t give a shit about your feelings, and honestly, that kinda hurt. “Please, come back.” You cried and leaned forward in defeat, your tears now hitting the metal floor. You were snapped out of your pity party hearing metal and something heavy dropping to the floor. 

You looked up and saw someone dressed in all black, but a blue dragon-like mask. You furrowed your eyebrows and felt a familiarity with the person. “Wh-Who are you?” Your voice cracked. It made sense since you’ve been crying for the past twenty minutes it seemed. “Ar-Are you here to rescue me?” There was a hint of hopefulness in your voice. The person didn’t say anything. They just opened the door after freeing you from the restraints. “I-I’ll take that as a yes.” You mumbled and followed the other out. Then it struck you. The Blue Spirit…Zuko. Joy filled your body as you followed him. You turned your head to croaking, your frogs! You ran to find them, they were thawing out. 

“Please don’t thaw out! I need you!” You tried to grab one but was pulled back by your collar. You winced in pain as the fabric rubbed against the cut you received earlier. The Blue Spirit let out of you immediately after hearing your reaction. “I-I’m fine. Just sensitive, there is all.” You mumbled as you adjusted your clothing. “But, thanks for coming for me, whoever you are.” You smiled softly and kissed the mask. “My hero~” You giggled and was dragged off by the Spirit. 

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

“I want a full transcription written down and sent to the Fire Lord. I only want glowing testimonials from the soldiers and generals.” Zhao said as he walked down the dimly lit halls with a scribe. He was snapped out of his trance with ordering when he heard moans and croaks from frogs. “What the-” He turned, seeing guards tied up and gagged. He gritted his teeth and kicked open the door that you were supposed to be held in. “The Avatar has escaped!” He yelled, running down the halls. 

“There, on the wall!” A soldier yelled pointing to where you and the Spirit were climbing. “Shit.” You grumbled, trying to climb the rope on the wall faster. One of the soldiers cut your rope, forcing you and the Spirit to fall to the ground. You screamed in your way down but quickly hopped up. The Spirit unsheathed his swords and started to run. “Stay close to me.” You said and ran in front of him, blasting all the soldiers in your way with wind.

The third gate was close, but then it closed before you got there. “Fuck.” You hissed and turned to the spirit. All the soldiers took aim at the two of you. “Wait! The Avatar must be kept alive!” Zhao yelled, causing the soldiers to step back. The Blue Spirit moved and out his swords to your neck, close to cutting your head off. “What the hell?” You hissed in shock and he started to back away. To avoid being cut you pressed your body against his, you heard his breath hitch slightly as you did that. 

“Open the gates.” Zhao grumbled. “But sir-” A guard interjected before being cut off. “I said, open the gates! He’ll kill her if we don’t.” He hissed, the soldiers nodded and opened it. The Blue Spirit and you backed up slowly, exiting the yard. You shuffled backward, following the Spirits lead. You got halfway down the trail but an arrow was shot, cutting your earlobe and knocking the mask off of your savior. Everything happened in slow motion it seemed, you acted fast. Using your Airbending, you brought the Spirit and yourself to safety in the woods. 

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

You chewed on your lip as you sat on the root of a tree. You saw him, now that you knew for sure was Zuko, wake up. “Thank you for saving me…but I know you didn’t do it out of kindness, but rather for your own gain.” You took a deep breath, “I may not remember much but I know I had friends a hundred years ago. Now, I have a family - Sokka and Katara. I wonder, if things were different, do you think we could ever be friends, Zuko?” Your voice was soft and calm as you stood up. He  glared at you and unsheathed his swords in a threatening manner. “I’ll be here...if you ever do decide to make things different.” You sighed and used your glider to take off, leaving Zuko. 

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

“Suck on these. You’ll feel better.” You mumbled giving Sokka and Katara a frozen frog. The sister took notice of your distraught and frowned. “How was your trip, Y/N? Did you make any new friends or meet new people?” You tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and sighed.

“No…I don’t think I did.”

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

Taglist; @imagine-yourself-happy @toobsessedsstuff @bluecrystals01 @cheyenne-dunn-universe @foolishgang @alrightberries @givemetundies @anxietyriddledcollegekid @gra-hamcrackers @marionette-ghoulette @miracle-rat @bangtanboyswriting123 @wattpadwaterandfire @hopelessly-hopeful-hope @alexander-the-great32105 @mavix @mcartist @furblrwurblr @celamoon @ghost-of-the-oldwest @whatanicepanohthatsjustme @itscomplicateddw @panini-the-bird-killer @yoongnysus @willa-the-bean @so-fuckin-tiredd @utterlyconfused-tm @ctrl-alt-jeon @gabsnac @angxlicwanda @snackgod @gardenofideas @aexonian @chewymoustachio @possumbender @analovesyouverymuch @hopefully-a-decent-person

[wreckofawriter]

Pencil Sketches

Pairing: Cedric Diggory x Reader

Warnings: Ummm none fluffy

Word Count: 2,738

Summary: You start receiving sketches of yourself and find out who the artist is in a very surprising way.

A/n: Hi this is my first Cedric fic. I dont exactly love it buuuut whatever.

You remember when it all started. It was four months ago. You had just had a particularly hard day, you were late to Charms and got 5 points taken from your house, you spilled ink all over your positions essay, you got pumpkin juice on your blouse and forgot about a very difficult quiz in DADA. You were heading to the back of the library to choose a book when something fell out of the large amounts of papers you were holding. You groaned bending down to pick it up as you did you glance at the contents of the page and your heart stopped.

It took you only a second to figure out what was on the paper. It was you. You were glaring down at a notebook, your eyes appearing to shine as you clutched a quill in your right hand. Your hair hanging in front of your frustrated face, your lips drawn into a thin line. It was the best drawing you had ever seen, for a second you thought it was a photograph. But it was a drawing, a drawing of you, a drawing of you that looked so realistic it almost scared you. The pencil marks were flowing yet sharp, shading was done in just the right places to give your face depth. It was like looking in a black and white mirror.

    You stood in the middle of the hallway for what must have been a good five minutes just staring at the photo in amazement. You then realized what you were doing and continued to the library.

From there the drawings became a normal part of your life. You would usually receive five to six a week in your bag, waiting at your desk or even in your dorm room. You had no idea how they managed to swing that. Each one was more beautiful than the last and you swear that they made you look much prettier in the drawing than you really were. Most were done in pencil a few in quill and one in charcoal. Each one seemed to be a different mood, sometimes you would be scowling, sometimes smirking, sometimes smiling and one was even of you with your head down on a desk your eyes closed and your hair hanging in your face. The ones you received the most were ones of you laughing. Your lips split open in a smile and your eyes crinkled or just shut altogether.

Many times you had tried to find the artist who had drawn you without luck. They never left any notes or indications and it made it extremely difficult to find the culprit. You wished for nothing more than to meet and thank the person who had brought so much happiness into your life with their artwork. But they never revealed themselves even after four months, nothing. You began to worry, what if they never revealed themselves? It was your last year after all, you would be leaving in a few months. Eventually, you stopped looking and simply hoped they would reveal themselves.

“Ms. Y/l/n,” McGonagall called to you.

“Yes, Professor?” You asked your arms full of books as you made your way back to your common room.

“Could you please follow me? I have something we need to discuss.” She clipped, beckoning for you to follow her.

Your eyebrows scrunched together in momentary confusion before following the orders you had been given.

As you followed McGonagall through the castle you wracked your brain for what you could have possibly done wrong. Did they think you cheated on an exam? Did they find your stash of food in your dorm? Surely that wasn't that big of a deal. Then you remembered the bottle of firewhiskey under your bed and fear rose in your throat. What if they expelled you? What would you do? Your heart pounding you were lead into a room expecting all of hell to rain upon you, but when it opened you were greeted by Dumbledore's warm smile.

“Ahh Y/n, looks as if the last of you have arrived.”

You glanced around the room and easily recognized two-thirds of the famous fourth-year trio and a young girl you didn't recognize.

McGonagall went to talk to Dumbledore as you made your way over to Ron and Hermione.

“Umm do you guys know what going on?” You asked as you approached them.

“Not a clue,” Hermione responded with as she glanced around the room as if looking for clues on their current situation.

“Are we in trouble or something?” You inquired.

Ron snorted, “As if Hermione would ever get in trouble.” he jeered earning a glare from the bushy-haired girl.

“I think it has something to do with the next task.” Hermione guessed.

“Then why am I here?” you wondered.

Hermione opened her mouth to answer but she was cut off by Dumbledore.

“I assume all of you are wondering what is happening, well as Mrs. Granger pointed out it does have something to do with the task tomorrow.”

Everyone else seemed very excited you, on the other hand, were very confused, what did the next task have to do with you?

“Tomorrow morning your friends are going to have to rescue something of great importance to them from the bottom of the black lake. You, my friends, are those things.”

Hermione gasped. Ron raised both his eyebrows and the girl seemed a bit frightened.

“You will be put under a spell and not remember a thing until you break the surface again. I promise all of you will be fine. So if you could just take som-”

“Umm excuse me?” You asked cutting off your professor, “Why am I here?” His eyebrows raised in confusion. “I mean I get the whole rescuing someone that is important to them thing, I mean Hermione for Krum.” Hermione flashed red and Ron rolled his eyes. “Ron for Harry and I guessing she's Fleur’s little sister or something?” You said gesturing to the young girl, “I just don't get why I'm here.”

Now Dumbledore's face was filled with amusement, a small smile on his lips. “You don't know?” he asked.

“Know what?”

He started to laugh, “For such a bright girl I expected you had already found out.”

You were beginning to feel stupid, “Found out what?”

“Have you been receiving drawings for the past few months?” He mused glancing at Mcgonagall who also seemed amused.

“Y-yeah, wait how do you know about those?”

“It's impossible to miss,” Mcgonagall said sweetly, “Cedric is constantly pouring over as sketchbook in his classes, particularly the ones you are in, Ms. Y/l/n.”

You heard Hermione let out a giggle as your face flashed a brilliant red. Your head was spinning. Cedric was the one who was giving those to you? The golden boy of Hogwarts was spending his time sketching you?

“Cedric is the one drawing me?” You managed to get from your mouth, the sentence came out squeaker than you would have liked but at least you managed it.

“Yes Y/n, I'm quite surprised you hadn't noticed the boys admiration in you.” Dumbledore smiled as your eyes got impossibly bigger and your stomach began to fill with butterflies. “Now we don't want to waste much more time." He sighed, “Take some of this, it will put you straight to sleep, although I must warn you it tastes terrible.” He passed each of you a bottle full of a deep purple liquid.

You downed it quickly and almost immediately your world grew dark.

Cedric had grown exceedingly nervous as he stood on the docks in the middle of the lake. While the others around him seemed to be scared of what lurked in the dark of the lake he was concerned at where you were. He hadn’t seen you at breakfast, where he was planning to slip his newest drawing into your bag and now he couldn't find you here either. What if you were sick? Where you ok? Had you gotten hurt? He silently shamed himself for caring so much for a person who didn't even know he existed but he couldn't help it. He had tried to stop caring about you, but fate seemed to work against him as all he could do was see you no matter where he looked. It was as if you had been placed behind a glass case in a bakery, with a price tag much too high. So all he could do was look and wonder how your lips would taste against his own.

Finally, he gave up looking for you and looked at the challenge ahead of him. If you weren't here he wanted to make sure you heard from everyone else how he had won. Determination took over his features, he had a plan and he just hoped the others were less prepared than he. Just then the horn was blown and he dove into the water quickly casting a bubble charm around his head and begging to swim into the depths of the lake. He quickly located the singing he remembered form the terrible egg he had gotten and swum toward it. He almost choked when he saw what was waiting for him. You. Your ankles were tied with rope and your beautiful y/e/c eyes resting closed as your y/h/c hair floating in the water. The others tied around you suddenly meant nothing as he stared at you. He thought you resembled an angel floating in the water, all you were missing were wings. He then remembered he was in composition and swam towards you at a quickened rate. He thought for a minute, inspecting the rope holding you before muttering a spell. As the bounds broke he snatched you and began to swim upwards. He then saw Harry come into view, he nodded at him and continued upward.

Your eyes popped open and you found yourself gasping for air as you coughed up water. The first thing you noticed was how cold you were, everything thing was cold except an arm swimming you towards the dock. You looked up to see Cedric dragging you towards the dock his face full of worry. He glanced over at you and smiled and blushed.

“Are you alright?” He asked over the cheering of the crowd. You nodded still coughing.

When you reached the ladder you were helped up and quickly wrapped in a wool blanket as you continued coughing tiring to get the water out of your system, finally you were able to intake air and breathe normally and you saw that you were on a dock in the middle of the lake but you could hardly see anything over the crowd of people swarming you, well more swarming Cedric. You then realized that Cedric had his arm securely wrapped around you as he maneuvered you through the crowds and your face flushed red. Cedric led you to an empty bench overlooking the lake on the platform getting congratulated all the way. When you sat down he pulled you close to him in attempts to warm your shivering your form. You instantly leaned into his warm body, looking up at him to meet his grey eyes. He blushed bright red and looked away from you. Just then the crowd erupted into cheers and you looked up to see Krum emerge, Hermione, gasping for breath as she appeared to shriek a bit at his shark head before he quickly changed back.

    “I hope Harry’s alright.” You murmured as you peered into the water.

    “I'm sure he's fine, I saw him when I was getting you.” Cedric blushed a bit when he mentioned you.

    “Did you see Krum?”

    “Uhh no, I didn't,” Cedric answered.

    “Why is he up here before him?” You questioned worriedly, your eyes scanned for the young boy in the water. You didn't know Harry well but you wished for no harm to come to him.

    “I don't know.” Cedric seemed just as confused as you.

    You both waited for Harry to show up as the minutes ticked down. Then suddenly you gasped. In all the excitement you had completely forgotten that Cedric was revealed as the mysterious artist.

    “What is it?” The grey-eyed boy asked you.

    You turned and looked at him. There was no denying that he was absolutely stunning. He was beyond handsome with his sharp features and kind eyes. You saw him blush a bit as you took in his profile, which only made him more attractive. But not only was he gorgeous he was amazingly kind, talented and smart. You opened your mouth to confess your knowledge on the portraits he had drawn of you. But you were interrupted by shouting and yelling and you both turned away from each other to see Harry emerging from the water, with not only Ron, but the young blonde haired girl as well. You sighed in relief and looked back at Cedric who was already staring at you. He blushed for the 1000th time when you met his grey orbs and looked away again. Then he turned back to look at you with something new in his eyes, determination.

    “Hey Y/n I need to tell you something.” He said his voice a bit louder than it had been before.

    “Sure what's up?” You asked.

    “You probably have already realized this but clearly you mean a lot to me, I mean with the whole rescuing you think that was probably obvious but umm,” He paused then continued, “Imtheonewhosebeengivingyouthedrawings” He said quickly his face burning a deep shade of crimson.

    If you had not already known what he was going to say you would have been thoroughly confused, but because of your recent discoverings, you had managed to gather about what he said.

    “I know.” You answered simply.

    “Oh ok- wait, WHAT?” He said his eyes wide his face getting impossibly redder.

    You giggled rolling your eyes playfully.

“For how long?” he gasped.

“Umm, it's almost noon so about, I'll say 14 hours?” You guessed.

He blinked rapidly then smacked his forehead with his hand. “Of course you know, they probably told you before they put you in the lake.” He said clearly feeling very stupid.

“They're amazing by the way.” You complemented, “Although I'm pretty sure you make me look much better in the drawings than I am in person.” You giggled.

He looked at you and scoffed, “Are you kidding.” He murmured running his thumb along your jawline. “The most talented artist in the world couldn’t do your beauty justice.”

You flashed a deep red as you felt your stomach erupt with butterflies once more. You bit your lip, the exact place his eyes lingered.

He leaned in millimeters from your lips, “May I kiss you?” He asked his lips brushing against yours as he spoke.

You simply closed the space between the two of you in an answer. His lips were warm against your cool ones and your hands found your way to his damp hair. The kiss was sweet and passionate, his lips moved slowly against your own making you swoon. As you pulled away you were for the second time in the past hour gasping for air.

“I have something for you.” He whispered turning to grab a bag next to him. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to you.

You couldn't help the small smile on your face as he looked at his newest drawing. You had your head thrown back your eyes closed and a smile wide on your face, it was clear you were laughing.

“I always loved drawing you laughing.” He said shyly.

“I still don't understand how you are so good.” You said in amazement.

“Thanks.” He blushed

“No, thank you. Thank you so much for all of these. They made my day so much better.” You said, “Just looking at them made me happy.”

    Now as you looked at them you felt your world fall apart. Sobs wrecked your body as you stared at the drawings you had saved. You couldn't think, your head throbbed and you felt like you were falling into a deep dark pit but you could never hit the bottom. Your tears soaked the picture of you with your head thrown back in laughter and you were sure you would never laugh again.

Masterlist

[darriness]

Klaine Fic - 3 on 1

Author: darriness

Word Count: 19352

Summary: What happens when triplets each find the potential love of their lives...in the same person?

Author’s Note: This author's note is a little long but I ask that you read it all :) Welcome to my story for the Glee Potluck Big Bang! I've had this story finished for a couple of months so I'm over the moon I'm getting a chance to post it a little early! The original idea for this fic came from a conversation I had with @ipwarn​ when I discovered that Darren Criss, Alex Brightman, and Henry Golding share the same birthdate. But, saying that, Blaine is still Blaine in this story (he's not Darren) and for Alex and Henry I used parts of their real life inspirations' general appearance as reference but they are completely made up characters. Most notably, and the reason I wanted to say anything, I know Henry Golding is actually Malaysian but Henry in my story is half Filipino. Lastly but definitely not least I would like to thank @imrights​ for the AMAZING title art above that I am completely obsessed with. And as always I would like to thank my fantastic beta @darrenismydarcy​ - I could not do any of this without you!! I hope all of the above makes sense! Enjoy the story! I, selfishly, love it a whole lot!

AO3 Link

3 on 1

What do you get when you mix an Asian banker with an Irish elementary school teacher?

Henry, Alexander, and Blaine Anderson.

That? Is Alex Anderson’s favourite joke to tell. It’s caused his brothers to roll their eyes more times then they can count but Alex still gets a kick out of it.

Now, Henry, Alex, and Blaine aren’t JUST brothers. I mean sure, looking at them you probably wouldn’t even be able to tell they share ANY genetic makeup. They are as different as different can be.

Henry towers over his brothers at just over six feet, for one. Blaine and Alex try to pass themselves off as five nine but...they’re five eight on a good day. Alex got all his features from his Irish mother. He’s as white as can be. Literally. His brown hair and brown eyes are the only things keeping him from being part of the Arian race…

 Henry, on the other hand, is the spitting image of his Filipino father. His angular features, slightly slanted chocolate brown eyes, and deep chestnut hair are a proud marker of his Asian heritage.

And then there’s Blaine. A complete mix of them both. Growing up, he had to fight (once physically) for people to understand that he is half Asian. Unlike Alex (who to this day gets the quirked eyebrow when he tells people he’s half Filipino and will sometimes, depending on the company, not even bother to mention this fact), Blaine does have Asian traits. It’s just that he has enough caucasian traits to ‘trick’ the more ignorant population.

In the end, not only are these three completely different men brothers...they actually share the exact same birthdate. 

Growing up as a triplet was an interesting experience. One that can only truly be understood by those who, themselves, grew up as a multiple.

For example, there really isn’t a way to explain the special kind of connection that sees one triplet farting on the head of another triplet while the third triplet holds him down.

Which is how we find the Anderson triplets now.

“Oh my God, get the fuck off of me!” Henry shouts, trying to bring his hands up to block the assault.

Alex laughs from somewhere above him, letting out a sigh as he completes the job, before moving from his straddle position.

“You can let him go, Blainers.” Alex says to Blaine who had been holding Henry’s shoulders and arms down.

Blaine releases Henry who immediately shrugs him off (like he had been the one to break the hold) and sits up, “I expect this shit from him,” Henry says, pointing to Alex, “but not from you.” He concludes, pointing to Blaine.

Blaine shrugs, “He had a justifiable reason.”

Henry rolls his eyes before shifting on the couch and picking up some of the papers in front of him. He’s got work to do. He’s not even sure why he agreed to have his brothers over to his apartment on the eve of potentially the biggest meeting of his career.

“So, we need to talk about what we’re going to do for Tiny’s bachelorette.” Alex says, sitting down on the other couch and picking up his beer. HE doesn’t have a high stress meeting in the morning.

But, right. That’s why they’re here. To discuss their little sister’s upcoming nuptials.

“We’re not her bridesmaids OR her maid of honour.” Blaine reminds, “Isn’t our job to go with the guys when they take Sam out?”

Alex stares aghast when Henry shrugs and nods along with the suggestion, “Ummm no!” Alex shouts, indignantly, “This is our baby sister’s wedding. Our ONLY sister’s wedding. If it’s not her big brothers’ job to take her out and get her drunk and danced upon by random strippers then I don’t know whose job it is.”

Blaine and Henry stare at their brother in silence for a moment.

“Ummm, it’s literally anyone else’s job but ours.” Henry says.

Alex rises slightly from his seat and sits down with an emphatic exhale, “You can’t be serious!” He exclaims, “To quote a very neurotic man ‘I expect this shit from him,” He says pointing at Henry, “but not from you.’” He finishes, pointing at Blaine.

Blaine’s eyes go wide and Henry can tell that Blaine’s people pleasing nature is taking a serious hit tonight. If there’s one thing Blaine Anderson can’t stand, it’s people not liking him and being disappointed in him.

“We are her *brothers*.” Alex emphasises again, “I think she’d be really hurt if we didn’t do something for her.”

Henry sighs, “But does that ‘something’ have to include naked men?” He asks, even though he already knows he’s going to agree to whatever Alex has planned. That’s how their relationship works and always has. Alex comes up with the crazy schemes, Blaine goes along with pretty much anything to stop people from being upset with him, and Henry usually acquiesces because if not...the other two would probably end up in jail.

Alex smiles like he knows he’s close, “Come on. You don’t think Tiny would get a kick out of naked men dancing for her? And besides, Blaine and I will enjoy it just as much!” He waggles his eyebrows lewdly. Alex really is a charismatic, nice guy...once you see past the frat boy exterior.

Henry sighs again as he shuffles his papers. He could mention that while Blaine and Alex (being gay and pansexual respectively) would get a kick out of a male strip club, he (as a straight man) probably wouldn’t. But...in the end he loves his brothers and sister too much to refuse…

...especially with Blaine now fully on board and the two of them looking at Henry like he has the keys to all of their hopes and dreams.

“Oh, fine.” He grumbles, even though he smiles.

The other two cheer and Henry rolls his eyes as they begin to make plans and he goes back to his notes.

-- -- --

Blaine leans over and gives Alex a brief hug as their cab pulls up in front of Blaine’s apartment later that night, “Night Al.” He says.

Alex smiles, “Night Blainers.”

Blaine’s got one foot out of the cab when Alex calls his name. He turns and raises a questioning brow at his brother, “Don’t forget to check your Tinder.” He waggles his eyebrows much like earlier. Alex spends a lot of his time waggling his eyebrows.

Blaine chuckles and rolls his eyes, “It’s not Tinder. It’s just...a regular dating app.” 

Blaine’s not ashamed of the fact that he’s trying online dating. He’s a 26-year-old single man in New York City and at least half the world is online dating. It’s worth a try. And it’s not like he’s Alex who trips and falls (sometimes literally) over a new sexual partner almost every day or Henry who is married to his job. He’s just covering his bases.

Alex smiles, “Well, just be sure to check it. And remember, only swipe right if it looks like they have a big penis.”

Blaine rolls his eyes again before giving his brother the middle finger and getting out of the car. He stands on the curb as the cab pulls into traffic on its way to Alex’s apartment ten minutes away, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket after getting hit with the wind of a late September evening chill.

When the cab turns a corner and is no longer in sight, Blaine turns and makes his way into his apartment building. It’s not the most posh of buildings but it’s comfortable. It’s home. And Blaine is proud of the fact that he is able to afford it without having to rely on his parents’ money. They’ve offered, sure, but Blaine has never wanted to rely on his parents that much.

His building is quiet this late at night and Blaine doesn’t pass a single person on his way to the fifth floor. He lets himself into his apartment, toes off his shoes, hangs up his jacket, and throws his keys into the bowl on the front table before making his way to the couch and collapsing onto it with a sigh.

Despite his eye roll at his brother, the first thing he does upon sitting down is check his dating app, ConnectSingle. It’s definitely not Tinder, no swiping of any kind required, but Blaine enjoys the fact that both parties need to indicate interest (by clicking a happy face on their basic profile) before they can contact each other or even view their whole profile. And while he feels like it’s slightly shallow, Blaine has definitely used that function to weed out some of the less...aesthetically pleasing requests.

He’s actually only communicated with three guys so far and only met up with one in person (...it didn’t go well), but he’s optimistic he’ll find someone he can really connect with. And if not? Well, he hasn’t really lost anything in trying.

He first checks to see who has given him a smiley face today. Three men seem to enjoy the picture Henry had taken of him on the beach, sunglasses reflecting the ocean and curls loose and billowing in the wind, and he considers each of their pictures before deleting them all. He feels slightly bad but figures if you sign up to online dating not expecting to be rejected sometimes, you’re doing it wrong.

He then flips to his ‘daily matches’ - men the app thinks he might like. He hems and haws over their basic profiles and decides to smiley face two; a redhead named Andy (who appeals to the side of Blaine that enjoys larger men) and a brown haired man named Kurt (who has great hair, great eyes, and a smirk Blaine may be interested in knowing more about).

It’s not as immediately satisfying as he would like it to be, clicking the smiley face. Nothing happens other than a yellow smiley face rises slightly above his thumb and then winks out, leaving a static yellow smiley face behind, but he feels accomplished. 

He closes the app and stretches on the couch, glancing at the clock to notice it’s almost 1 am. He doesn’t have anywhere immediate to go in the morning, perks of being an on call studio musician, but figures just in case he gets a call he should go to bed.

Without thinking of ConnectSingles again, he goes about his evening routine, plugs his phone in and is asleep twenty minutes later.

-- -- --

Alex could go home. It’s where he told his brother and, more importantly, the cab driver he’d be going. But as the cab driver pulls away from the curb he gets a text from his friend, Elliott, telling him he should meet him at a bar.

Alex shrugs and tells the cab driver to change his final destination. It doesn’t take much to convince Alex to go out.

When he gets to the bar, he finds Elliott leaning against the brick front wall. He’s got a foot propped up behind him, a bare knee poking out of ripped black jeans, and a cigarette burning from his lips as he looks down at his phone.

“I must reiterate - as a performer you really shouldn’t smoke.” Alex says by way of a greeting.

Elliott looks up from his phone and smirks as he pulls the cigarette from between his lips, “Old habits die hard.” He says with a shrug before flicking the mostly unsmoked cigarette to the ground and pulling Alex into a hug, “Good to see you, man.”

“You too.” Alex says returning the hug, “Any particular reason you dragged me out of bed on this cold night to meet you at a bar at 1 am?”

Elliott rolls his eyes, “If you were in bed, I promise that was the last smoke of my life.”

Alex purses his lips to hide his smile before sighing, “Damnit, fine, I wasn’t in bed.” Elliott laughs and puts a hand on Alex’s shoulder, pulling him forward into the bar.

The noise from inside the bar gets unsurprisingly louder as they enter but luckily not so loud that it makes talking impossible. They may have to raise their voices slightly to be heard but Alex knows he won’t be leaving with burst ear drums.

“We were just having a really great night and I thought you should be a part of it.” Elliott explains.

Alex nods, enjoying that Elliott thought to include him, “We?” He asks as they make their way to the bar.

Elliott shrugs, “Just a bunch of people from the theatre.” He calls.

It’s not wall to wall packed in the bar but it’s busy enough that Alex accidentally runs into someone on their walk from the door to the bar. He ‘oofs’ at the impact and then is immediately apologetic as the person he hit turns around.

The words die on his lips when a set of cool blue eyes make eye contact with him. An eyebrow is quirked above those eyes and pink lips wrap around a straw as they regard Alex. Alex notices the slight pull in of the cheeks attached to the lips as they suck up liquid.

He’s broken from his stare when Elliott laughs, “Alex? Kurt. Kurt? Alex.”

Alex feels Elliott pat his shoulder a few times before the other man is gone, leaving Kurt and Alex still looking at each other. Alex watches as Kurt’s tongue flicks out to play with the straw still between his lips and Alex is transfixed.

“Hi.” He breathes, suddenly wishing he had worn a better outfit to Henry’s than his faded jeans and white button up shirt with tiny rubber ducks on it.

“Hi.” Kurt answers back with a smile.

-- -- --

Henry fidgets the next morning as he sits outside the office the nice receptionist directed him to. His knee bounces and he shuffles through the papers in his folder, wishing he could stop the sweat he can feel building under his suit jacket.

He’s prepared, he knows he is, but a job interview for a large production company is a lot different than working out of a one room studio with guys you went to college with.

Henry checks his watch and realizes he’s probably got another ten minutes to wait - he’s always extremely early to all things, something he wishes he could teach his brother. 

As if summoned by Henry’s thought, his phone buzzes in his pocket and a text from Alex pops up.

Alex

You got this brother! Now I’m going back to sleep.

Henry chuckles softly and doesn’t bother to respond. Alex is probably already asleep again. 

He’s still looking at his phone when a second text comes in, this time from Blaine.

Blaine

You are more than ready for this, Henry. Call me after to let me know how it goes.

Henry smiles at the texts on his screen and feel bolstered by their support. He texts Blaine back to thank him and tell him he will call him after, before pocketing his phone and going back to bouncing his knee.

“Can I...get you something to drink?” A hesitant voice asks to Henry’s left.

He jumps slightly and turns to find a well dressed man with high chestnut hair and a soft smile looking at him like you might a spooked animal.

Henry chuckles and can feel his cheeks blush slightly in embarrassment at how ridiculous he must look, “The receptionist already offered and I’m good. But thank you.”

The man nods but doesn’t immediately depart. Instead he continues to look at Henry with a calculating expression, “Job interview?” He asks, finally.

Henry bites his lip, “Is it that obvious?”

The man shrugs and gestures to the seat next to Henry. Henry also gestures to the seat with a nod and the man sits, crossing one long leg over the other, “I don’t think anyone else would notice. I just recall with ridiculous clarity my own nerves when I interviewed for a job here.”

Henry nods, “But obviously it went well for you.”

The man seems to preen, his swooped hair swaying slightly as he shakes his head and Henry finds himself smiling, “Obviously.” The man says and while it should come across as cocky, it doesn’t and Henry finds his nerves easing. The man smiles and holds out a hand, “Kurt.” He says.

Henry takes the hand and shakes it warmly, “Henry.”

Kurt smiles, “Well, Henry, what do you say I take you out for a coffee to celebrate after your interview?”

And suddenly Henry is nervous again but this time it has nothing to do with his interview.

-- -- --

Blaine stretches like a cat in a sun spot and hums as he squints at the bright sun shining through his bedroom window. He loves to wake up to the sun.

His phone buzzes on the nightstand and he rolls over to grab it. He’s got three notifications on his phone. One is a text from Alex sent at 3:43 am.

Alex

Duuuuuude you will not believe the night I’ve had!

Blaine chuckles and figures texting Alex back now would yield no fruit. It’s only 9 am, Alex would be asleep for hours yet. 

The second notification is reminding him that Henry has a job interview this morning. He silently thanks himself for setting the reminder and quickly shoots a text to his brother for support.

The last notification is from ConnectSingle. Blaine has a match! It’s not quite as exciting as it was when he first got the app but he’ll admit to a tiny thrill going through him at the prospect of mutual interest. He wonders if it’s Andy or Kurt from last night or one of the other people he’s smiley faced in the past.

He thumbs open the app and notices first that Andy’s name is no longer on his ‘pending’ list which means the other man deleted Blaine’s profile. It stings a little but then he smiles when he sees a green smiley face next to Kurt’s name and picture (indicating a reciprocated interest) and an email attachment. He presses the email and settles back against the pillow to read what his new match has to say.

Blaine,

Hi! My name’s Kurt. Though I guess you already knew that... (Blaine chuckles softly) Anyway! Thank you for ‘smiling’ at me. You have a great actual smile :) I’d be interested to learn more about you - your profile says you’re a musician? Message me back if you’re interested in chatting!

Kurt

It’s simple but it still makes Blaine kicky feet just the tiniest bit under his blankets. He bites his lip and reads the message again before opening a reply box and typing his own message back.

Kurt

Hello! It’s great to ‘meet’ you. You also have a really great smile and might I add you have stunning eyes (is ‘stunning’ too much for a first email?) I am a musician! I’m a freelance studio musician, which, believe it or not, makes me a pretty decent living. Your profile says you like cars - Driving them? Working on them? Sitting in them? (I promise not to judge if it’s the last one). Hope to hear from you soon!

Blaine :)

As always, Blaine reads his message four times before hitting send and then rereads it again for any stupid things he may have said. He’s pretty happy with what he sent though and as he heads to the shower he’s already anticipating Kurt’s response.

-- -- --

“You are a God among men!” Alex exclaims as he walks out the front entrance to his apartment building later that afternoon to find Blaine standing outside with a coffee cup extended in one hand.

Blaine chuckles as his brother takes the cup, slings an arm around his shoulder and noisily kisses his cheek, “Well, I figured you would have just gotten up.” Blaine says as the pair start to walk down the street.

Alex hums around a sip of delicious coffee before nodding, “Within the last hour.”

“I still don’t understand how you can sustain this lifestyle.” Blaine says with a shake of his head. He knows that, out of the three of them, Alex relies most heavily on their parents to make ends meet and that his job as an evening bread baker at a small bakery means he doesn’t work typical hours (though who is Blaine to talk?) but sometimes he worries that Alex isn’t taking care of himself as well as he could.

Alex fidgets with the beanie he has on over his undoubtedly messy brown hair and shrugs with an easy smile, “Hey, man, when it works, it works.”

Blaine nods to concede the point, for now, as they round the corner on the street the bakery Alex works at is on, “So, what was so unbelievable about your night last night?”

Alex perks up at the mention and seems to skip along next to Blaine, “I met someone!”

Blaine rolls his eyes affectionately, “You are always ‘meeting someone’.”

Alex nods but smacks Blaine lightly, “I know but this guy is different. He’s...amazing!”

Blaine smiles, “Well, I’m happy for you.” He says, “Are you seeing him again?”

Sometimes, Blaine gets jealous over how easily Alex meets people. Granted as a pansexual, his pool of potential partners is larger than Blaine’s, but there’s just something so magnetic about Alex and he doesn’t seem to have any insecurities holding him back.

Alex presses his lips together and nods, “Tomorrow night!”

Blaine tries not to let his shock show. For as often as Alex hooks up with people, he usually doesn’t see the same person more than once. Blaine has asked that question of Alex a lot and usually gets a shrug and a ‘probably not’. Now, Alex seems genuinely excited.

“That’s amazing. Did you sleep with him last night?” Blaine asks as they come to a stop outside Alex’s work.

“Now, Blainers, you know a man does not kiss and tell!” Alex scoffs but then smirks, “But...there was kissing.” And there is the eyebrow waggle.

Blaine laughs, “Well, you’ll have to keep me updated.” He says.

“Speaking of updated,” Alex says, “Have you heard from our enigmatic big brother today about his interview?”

Blaine furrows his brow, “Not since before it happened. I told him to call me afterwards.”

Alex pouts his lips thoughtfully, “Maybe it went so well he had to go home and masturbate to his work success.”

Blaine half laughs and half groans, “That is not a visual I needed.” Alex shrugs with a chuckle, “But I’ll message him and find out how it went. Have a good shift. I’ll see Friday at Mom and Dad’s?”

Alex nods, “Okay, let me know what he says.” Because texting Henry himself would be too much work?, “And you sure will see me Friday, baby brother!”

Blaine rolls his eyes again, “I am not the baby!”

Alex clicks his tongue and shrugs, “Last one out is always the baby.”

“I am literally one minute ‘younger’ than you.” Blaine huffs complete with sarcastic finger quotes.

“And what a glorious minute it was.” Alex says with a wistful sigh and then dodges when Blaine tries to hit him in the head. 

Alex waves without further ado and then heads into the bakery to start his shift, leaving Blaine on the sidewalk to pull out his phone. He’s about to open his text app to message Henry when a red bubbled one by the ConnectSingles app draws his attention.

He opens it with a giddy flutter of his stomach to find a new message from Kurt. He starts walking down the crowded street while he opens the email to read it (he’s lived in New York all his life, he’s an expert at phone reading and dodging people at the same time).

Blaine,

‘Freelance studio musician’ sounds fascinating. Do you know how to play a lot of instruments? As for my interest in cars, it’s all about working on them (who enjoys just sitting in cars? :P lol). My dad owns a garage in my hometown and I’ve been fixing cars since I could hold a wrench. I think he secretly wanted me to take over the business but fixing cars was always a hobby, not a vocation for me.

...Is that an overshare for a second message? I’m fairly new to this online thing. If it is, pretend I didn’t say anything.

Musicals! (I’m very good at subtly subject changes…) Are you a fan of musicals? I don’t like to assume just because a person is gay but I love musicals. They’re a big part of my life. So, I like to know right off the bat if I’m talking to a like minded person.

Talk soon?

Kurt

Blaine can feel the goofy smile on his face and isn’t sure why he feels the need to try and tamp it down. It’s New York City, there are way weirder things happening than a guy smiling down at his phone. He can’t get over how adorable Kurt seems just from two messages. He usually likes to play it slow, wait a while after receiving a message before messaging back but he opens the return message box immediately and crafts a response at the next stop light.

Kurt

I do know how to play a lot of instruments. I’m kind of a jack of all trades but master of none type? My parents put me in piano when I was kid and it’s actually the only instrument I’m classically trained in. Everything else I just picked up along the way. I think my parents secretly wanted me to be a concert pianist but classical music was always more a hobby than a true vocation for me (I don’t think you overshared but just in case you still think you did...I thought I’d ‘overshare’ back :) 

I absolutely love musicals! Don’t ask me to pick a favourite, I simply couldn’t. Do you have a favourite? Let me guess...Wicked? You strike me as someone who would really appreciate the brilliance of Idina and Kristin. But maybe I’m wrong - I’m happy either way!

Blaine :)

P.S. You said your dad has a garage in your hometown? Where’s that? I grew up in Manhattan myself.

Blaine’s almost home by the time he finishes typing and he hits send before he can second guess himself. On his way up the stairs, he dials Henry’s number only to have the phone go to voicemail. Blaine’s brow furrows as he gets to his apartment. It’s not like his brother always picks up the phone when he calls, it’s just unusual when he doesn’t.

Shrugging, Blaine texts Henry to get him to call him back when he has a moment and then he starts about making dinner. He tries very hard not to check his phone compulsively for a message from Kurt.

-- -- --

Henry is in the middle of an existential crisis. 

He hates to think of it as such. Out of his brothers he’s the level-headed one. Always has been. Blaine has an existential crisis every second week and Alex is too laid back to have anything resembling a crisis of any kind about anything ever. But Henry is always the one who thinks things through. Who sees pros and cons and the black and white of everything and comes to a logical conclusion about all things...

...this afternoon had felt anything but logical or black and white…

He’d walked out of the two hour interview with shaking hands but a smile on his face and a contract in his pocket. He was elated if not a little shaken by the whole experience. He’d almost bumped into Kurt standing just down the hall from the room the interview had taken place.

“So?” Kurt had said with a hopeful expression, “Are we coworkers? Am I taking you out for celebratory coffee?”

Henry had smiled at the man and nodded, “They offered me a job.”

Kurt’s face had lit up and while Henry’s first thought had been to wonder why this virtual stranger was so invested in whether he got a job or not, Kurt’s obvious joy made Henry’s joy that much more palpable. 

“Well, then, shall we head to the coffee shop? Drinks on me, obviously.” 

And then he winked.

It had hit Henry suddenly, and probably would have hit him sooner had he not been so worked up about his interview, that he was being hit on. It hadn’t been the first time he’d been hit on by a guy and he likes to think even if he didn’t have one gay brother and one pansexual brother that he would have been evolved enough to not be offended or hostile but usually when faced with this situation he would smile politely and say he wasn’t interested.

At that moment, however, he hadn’t wanted to say ‘no’...so he hadn’t. 

“That sounds great.” He’d smiled.

Their coffee date had been amazing. Henry had spent the first hour after getting home trying to tell himself it hadn’t been a date but has come to the acceptance part of his crisis. It had been a date. A date with a man. A date with a man he’d actually enjoyed.

Kurt had bought the drinks and then the pair had sat across from each other at the small coffee shop talking about the job Henry had just gotten and what Kurt did for the company (he runs costume design for the theatrical branch of the production company). They talked about musicals (Henry had actually mentally thanked Blaine for forcing him to watch so many over the years), and they talked about football (only briefly after Henry realized it wasn’t up Kurt’s alley).

When Kurt had said he needed to get home, Henry had actually felt bereft. He knew even in that moment he needed to go home and freak out about what exactly was happening but he also didn’t want whatever was happening to end. 

They had exchanged phone numbers and Kurt had told him he’d see him the next day at work. And then he winked again. Henry can still feel the blush from that wink almost two hours later.

When his phone buzzed with a phone call from Blaine an hour and a half into his crisis, he’d let it go to voicemail. He wasn’t in a place to talk to his brother. He wasn’t even sure what he would say. ‘Hey, Blaine! Yeah, I got a job and a boyfriend today!’

That thought had caused a spiral that Henry has been in for the last half hour. He does NOT have a boyfriend and one coffee date does not an anything make let alone a boyfriend but the fact that he had the thought means he’s thinking about Kurt in that way. He’s thinking about a man in a romantic way. This is not something he’s ever experienced before.

And suddenly, Blaine seems like the perfect person to talk to about this.

He gropes from his prone position on his couch for the phone he’d tossed onto the coffee table when it had rung with Blaine’s call. He dials his brother’s number and puts a hand over his eyes while he waits for the call to connect.

“Hey!” Blaine answers, happily, “How’d it go?”

Henry knows Blaine is asking about the interview but again his thoughts go to Kurt. He shakes his head to rid himself of the impulsive thought and answers Blaine’s question, “I got it.” He says.

Blaine whoops on the other end of the line, “I knew you would! That is amazing!”

Henry smiles, “Thanks.”

Suddenly, Blaine’s celebration dies off, “Why do you not sound over the moon about this? Is this because of Vance? He was the one who told you to go for this!” Vance is one of Henry’s best friends, one of the men he works with (or he figures it’s now ‘worked’ with). Vance had indeed pushed Henry to interview for the larger company.

“No, no. It’s not about Vance.” Henry answers.

“Then what is it?” Blaine asks and the earnestness in Blaine’s voice opens a flood gate.

“I met someone today.” Henry confesses.

“Oh!” He can tell Blaine is suprised. Henry doesn’t date. Hasn’t had a girlfriend since his junior year of high school. He’ll unpack what exactly that says about him later… “And that’s upsetting?” Blaine asks.

Henry grimaces, “Not in and of itself, I guess.” He starts, “It’s just...it’s a guy?” He says it like a question and then feels slightly queasy afterwards.

The line is silent for a long time, longer than Henry can stand without starting to feel even sicker, before Blaine lets out a breath, “That’s...awesome.”

Henry scrunches his eyes closed, “I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

He can almost picture Blaine nodding on the other end of the line, “And nor do you have to.” Blaine reassures, “Just answer me one thing: did you have fun with him?”

“Yes.” Henry answers.

“Then focus on that.” Blaine says and Henry can hear the smile in his voice, “Leave the other stuff to the side for now. I know you, and I know you want to figure everything out and this puts a little bit of a kink into the careful order of your life but if it makes you happy then that’s all that matters.”

Henry lets out of a breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding. Blaine’s words unravel a knot he’s felt in his chest all afternoon and while he knows he’s not done freaking out about this, he’s willing to allow the happiness to overpower it. Blaine had been the right one to call.

“And Henry, if you have any...questions or you just need to talk things out, you know I’m only a phone call away, right?” Henry nods into the phone, getting a little choked up at the offer.

“Yeah. Thanks.” He breathes out.

“Anytime.” Blaine says, “Now, do you want to tell me more about your job or your date?”

Henry bites his lip as he smiles, “Both?”

“I’m all ears.” Blaine says.

-- -- --

The next night, Alex leaves work to once again find a man on the sidewalk waiting for him but instead of his brother, this time it’s Kurt. He smiles at the man and waves as he approaches.

Kurt waves back before putting his hand back into the pocket of his jacket where it had emerged from, “Hey. It’s good to see you again.” He says.

Alex smiles, “Same to you.”

They stare at each other for a few beats before Kurt tilts his head over his shoulder, “I was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat?”

Alex chuckles, “Uh, that sounds nice but I have to admit, working at a bakery means I rarely leave a shift hungry. Samples and all that.”

Kurt chuckles as well and then shrugs, “Then what did you have in mind?”

Alex has a few things in mind and when he smiles at Kurt, who smiles back, he figures Kurt is thinking the same thing.

“I have some snacks at my apartment?” Alex offers with a grin.

He can see Kurt’s cheeks pink slightly as the other man ducks his head in an adorably, flirtatious way, “Lead the way.”

-- -- --

Blaine scrolls through his messages from Kurt over the past four days on the train to his parents’ place. He’s got more messages in their thread than he does in all his other threads combined. He actually hasn’t messaged anyone else since he and Kurt started talking but even if he had, he is sure the frequency with which they chat would have surpassed any other conversation Blaine would be having.

The pair have covered so many topics in their messages that Blaine wonders if there is anything left to share. He hasn’t shared this much about himself so fast to another person ever, let alone a person he’s never met in person. Usually by the time he knows this much about a person they’ve been dating for a few months. He and Kurt have been messaging for four days…

He’s just finished drafting an email suggesting that he and Kurt meet up when he gets to his stop. He hits send and then pockets his phone before exiting the train and taking the stairs to the surface. The air is colder than he expected and he hunkers down in his coat for the five minute walk to his parents’ brownstone. His childhood home.

He’s turning onto their street when he sees Henry coming from the other direction. He throws a hand up in a wave that his brother returns and they make their way toward each other. They haven’t really talked since their phone call but Blaine knows Henry usually needs to work things out in his own head first. He’ll come to Blaine when and if he needs to.

“Hey.” Blaine says when they meet up outside the house, embracing his brother in a hug that has him standing on his tiptoes.

“Hey.” Henry answers before they pull away from each other.

“Everything...okay?” Blaine asks, not wanting to push.

Henry smiles, “Getting there, yeah.” He says.

Blaine smiles and nods, appeased for now, and the pair make their way up the stairs to the front door. It opens before they get there to reveal a tiny ball of energy on the other side.

“My boys!” Amelia Anderson shouts for the whole street to hear and then launches herself into first Blaine’s arms and then Henry’s.

Both men laugh as they absorb their sister’s hug. Amelia is four years younger than her brothers and at twenty-two years old is only five foot three inches tall, prompting her brothers to nickname her…

“Hey Tiny!” Blaine smiles.

Amelia smiles back before gesturing for the men to come inside, “Come, come. Dinner’s almost ready and Al’s already here talking to Dad about some new spice for bread?” She shrugs as Henry and Blaine take off their coats and shoes.

“Is that my other two boys?” The trio hear called from, undoubtedly, the kitchen before Fiona Anderson emerges.

“Mama!” Henry says, pulling their mother to him.

“Oh, it just fills my heart to the brim when all my babies are home.” Fiona gushes as she turns to pull Blaine into a hug and then Amelia even though Amelia lives in the house and has probably been there all day. Their mother is never short on hugs.

“It’s good to be home.” Blaine smiles.

Fiona reaches out and strokes his olive-toned cheek with her pale hand, “Go say hello to your father before dinner.” She says before shooing them in the direction of the living room.

When they enter, Blaine sees Alex showing their father, Daniel Anderson, something on his phone. Daniel looks up when they enter and smiles large, patting Alex’s arm in apparent apology before getting up to hug his other sons. 

“My boys.” Daniel says reverently, cupping both Henry and Blaine’s cheeks in his hands and looking between them.

Blaine loves his parents, even if they act like they haven’t seen their children in months when it’s really been only a week. The Anderson’s grew up with family dinners every Sunday and the tradition continued even with the three boys moving out on their own. 

“Tell me what’s new.” Daniel asks, sitting back down as Blaine and Henry sit next to Alex on the couch after saying hello and Amelia settles on the ground by the coffee table.

The five chat about work and other sundry topics until their mother calls them for dinner. They settle into their usual spots.

“No Sam tonight?” Blaine asks, noticing the spot next to Amelia, usually reserved for her fiance, is empty.

“He’s at work.” Amelia offers, “Though he has made me promise to bring him leftovers.” She says and Fiona laughs.

“I’ll wrap some up after dinner if your brothers don’t eat it all.” She says with an affectionate glance at the three men sitting along one side of the table.

Dinner conversation is more the same as their conversation in the den until Amelia gets a sneaky look on her face, “So...anybody dating anyone new?”

Blaine swallows and feels the weight of his phone in his jeans pocket more acutely. He’s not nervous to tell his family about Kurt, he just doesn’t know how to tell them and his family can be...a lot sometimes when it comes to relationships. Or anything really.

He glances at his brothers, who are looking back at him and then at each other. Blaine wonders if he’s the only one who knows they actually all have something to tell.

In the end, they all shrug.

“Nothing to report.” Alex answers, seemingly for all of them.

Mercifully, talk turns away from their dating lives and to Amelia’s upcoming wedding. Blaine’s actually surprised it has taken them this long into the evening to start talking about it (it sometimes feels like it’s all they talk about) and Blaine enjoys the excited squeal Amelia gives when Alex mentions their plan to take her out.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he jolts slightly at the table. His fingers itch to pull his phone out but the rule has always been no phones at the table. He’ll have to wait until he’s on his way home. The waiting is torture even though he loves hanging out with his family.

When they finally wrap up the evening with several rounds of hugs, Blaine and Alex make their way to the subway together (after seeing Henry off in the other direction to a different train).

Blaine’s got his phone out as soon as he’s sitting in the, thankfully, sparsely populated car.

“Any plans for the night?” Alex asks as he lounges next to Blaine, munching on left over rolls from dinner.

Blaine doesn’t answer right away - instead reading the last message from Kurt.

Blaine

I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels like I know so much about you before we’ve even met. I’d love to meet up in person. I know you said you’ll be at your parents house tonight but...any chance I can interest you in a nightcap? We could meet at Coffee Project whenever you're done at your parents? Text me if you’re interested :)

Kurt

212-967-1253

Blaine has no idea where Coffee Project is but he’s already looking up directions when Alex hits him.

“Uh, what?” He asks, looking up in a daze.

Alex quirks an eyebrow at him, “I asked if you had plans for tonight.”

Blaine smiles, “I do now.”

-- -- --

Blaine opens the door to Coffee Project a half hour later and even though it’s late, a few heads turn at the sound of the bell over the door. Blaine’s hoping one of the heads is Kurt’s and he has a fleeting moment to hope Kurt actually looks like his profile picture when his worries are assuaged by a swivelling head at a table near the back.

Kurt looks exactly like his profile picture except he’s even better looking in person. The way his eyes light up when he sees Blaine at the door is something you can’t really capture in a picture.

“Hey!” Kurt enthuses when Blaine gets close. He’s up out of his seat and pulling Blaine into his arms before Blaine can say anything.

It should feel strange to hug someone he’s never met but it doesn’t. He’s met Kurt in every way except the physical (not that he hasn’t thought about the physical...but he digresses), so it feels natural to hug him close.

“Hi.” Blaine whispers as they part and sit on either side of the table.

“I ordered you a medium drip with some cinnamon. I hope that’s okay? You mentioned it was your drink of choice.” Kurt seems a little nervous but he’s smiling excitedly and even if Kurt was just nervous, Blaine’s excited enough for the both of them.

“No, that’s perfect.” He says, lifting his cup in a cheers motion before taking a sip.

Kurt shifts in his seat, “So, I know this is technically our first date but every topic of conversation I could think of while I waited for you we’ve already covered in our emails. This doesn’t feel like a first date.”

Blaine shakes his head, “It really doesn’t.”

Kurt nods, “How was your parents’ house?” 

“It was wonderful as usual.” Blaine smiles and Kurt smiles back.

They make small talk for a while, complete with goofy grins at each other, before Blaine scratches his chin and looks out the front window, “What is it?” Kurt asks.

Blaine coughs and loses his nerve at the last moment to ask Kurt back to his place. He may feel like he’s known this man for a lot longer than four days virtually and about an hour in person, but the reality is they don’t know each other at all. And Blaine’s romantic nature is screaming at him to take this slow because this could be the real deal. He doesn’t want his baser instincts to scare Kurt off.

He shakes his head with a smile, “Nothing. Do you want to go for a walk?”

It’s probably a little too cold for a walk outside but Manhattan seems to glow around them as they walk slowly through the still populated street. It’s one of Blaine’s favourite things about New York - it truly never sleeps.

“So you said your brother is taking over the garage from your dad when he retires?” Blaine says as they follow a path through a small park.

Kurt nods, “Yeah. I sometimes wonder if my dad is secretly disappointed I never wanted to take it over.”

Blaine shrugs, “Are you the oldest?”

Kurt pouts slightly before ‘ah’ing and then chuckling, “Did I not mention Finn is my step-brother? Not my biological brother?”

“You did not.” Blaine answers and the pair laugh.

Kurt stops at a rusty swing set in the park and sits down on one, curling one arm around the chain. Blaine sits next to him and mirrors his position. The metal is freezing under his palm but he leaves his hand where it is and rocks his feet in the sand to swing himself back and forth slightly.

“My dad remarried when I was fifteen.” Kurt shares, “To the mother of a boy at my school. Same grade as me. It was...interesting.”

“Were you two friends in school?” Blaine asks.

Kurt chuckles slightly, but Blaine’s not sure why the question was funny, “Not really.” Kurt answers, “At all. We didn’t run in the same circles. His circle was more interested in making my circle’s life hell. Me specifically.”

Blaine feels instantly angry at people he’s never met. He pictures a younger Kurt getting bullied and wants to punch someone. He tries to tell himself his anger comes only from his own similar school experience.

“He was never really someone who bullied me. He just...didn’t do anything about it either. But then things started to change. It took a while - even after our parents married - but now I sometimes forget to tell people he’s my stepbrother.” Kurt shrugs, “He’s just been my brother for a lot of years now.”

Blaine smiles at the soft smile on Kurt’s face before the other man’s face is scrunching up, “I’m once again oversharing too soon, aren’t I?” He asks, “I’m, honestly, not usually like this.”

Blaine shifts so he’s more fully facing Kurt on the swing, “Hey, no. It’s totally fine. I…” He hesitates, “I want to know everything about you.”

Kurt’s eyes light up and he gives a little inhale through a slightly open mouth. Blaine can’t be one hundred percent sure, because the lighting isn’t amazing, but he thinks he sees Kurt’s cheeks pinken.

Blaine shrugs, “And if it helps you any, I once walked in on my parents having sex when I was fifteen and they sat me down the next day and gave me a very indepth, and scarring, sex talk.”

His anecdote has the desired effect and Kurt laughs heartily. Blaine smiles at the lyrical sound.

Kurt puts a hand up to his mouth as his laugh turns into a chuckle, “Are you serious? Or did you just make that up to make me feel better about oversharing?”

Blaine winces slightly which just makes Kurt laugh more, “Unfortunately, I am completely serious. I couldn’t think of anything remotely sexual for months after.”

This admission only makes Kurt laugh again.

-- -- --

A half hour, and one slide down the red metal slide at the park for each of them later, Kurt and Blaine walk toward Kurt’s apartment. Blaine actually feels himself slowing his pace. Despite the late hour, he doesn’t want this night to end.

“I had a really good time tonight.” He says.

Kurt smiles, “So did I.”

They come to a stop outside Kurt’s building and they hesitate, facing each other with shy smiles and hands stuffed in their coat pockets for warmth.

“I’d really like to see you again.” Blaine says.

Kurt bites his lip slightly and, even though it’s a cliche, Blaine’s eyes dip down at the movement before flicking back up.

“I’d really like to see you again as well.” Kurt whispers and then Blaine can take it no longer. He’s been waiting all night.

Without preamble, he pulls one hand from his pocket and rests it on Kurt’s elbow before ducking in and up and pressing his lips to Kurt’s. Kurt breathes in quickly before he’s kissing back. It’s short but amazing and they pull back with equally breathless expressions.

“Good night, Kurt. I’ll text you.” Blaine whispers, still leaning into Kurt’s space.

Kurt blinks at him before smiling, “Night Blaine. And not if I text you first.”

And then with a wink, Kurt pulls away and walks toward his building. He turns at the door to wave at Blaine over his shoulder with another smile, and Blaine waves back before Kurt enters the building and out of his sight.

Blaine has to quell the impulse to jump and click his heels together in joy before making his way down the street to hail a cab home.

-- -- --

Two days later, Henry sits at a counter by himself. There are people around but none of them give much notice to the nervous man at the counter whose knee is bouncing so frantically that Henry is sure he’s going to injure himself. 

He keeps glancing around, eyes darting around the room like at any moment someone is going to come and arrest him just for sitting. Well, if he’s being honest it’s not the sitting he thinks he’s going to be arrested for.

He shakes his head at the thought. He’s not going to get arrested for any of this. Ugh, he should have called Blaine again before this.

“Hey!” He hears from behind him and spins to see Kurt standing there. He’s unwinding a scarf from his neck and he looks...beautiful. It’s the only way Henry can describe him.

“Hi.” Henry says around a suddenly dry mouth.

Kurt smiles and looks around as he takes his jacket off, “So...bowling.” He says and his smile turns slightly confused.

Henry coughs, “Uh yeah. Is that okay? I...it felt like a good idea.”

Kurt smiles, “I haven’t been bowling in years, and I’ll admit I’m not at all good, but I’m willing to give it a shot...” He pauses and looks down the counter toward where a man is handing out bowling shoes, “as long as I can get shoes that go with my outfit.”

Henry laughs, nervously, before his eyes are once again darting around. He had almost convinced himself that his wandering eyes before had been in search of Kurt but now that Kurt is here…

His eyes land back on Kurt who is looking at him with a serious face. Henry shifts under the gaze and tries to laugh again but it comes out as more of a groan to his ears.

Kurt licks his lips (and Henry jolts when he realizes how easily his eyes followed the motion) before the other man is nodding, “Hey, I’m kind of hungry. Do you mind if we grab something to eat before bowling? I saw a little cafe down the street.”

Henry feels his chest expand and suddenly getting out of the crowded bowling alley seems like the best idea ever. He nods and grabs his coat while Kurt puts his own back on. They walk in companionable silence to the cafe at the end of the street and it is mercifully empty except for a kind looking waiter around their age and what sounds like a cook in the back room kitchen.

“Hi!” The waiter smiles, “Have a seat wherever and I’ll be right with you.”

Kurt gestures to the back of the cafe and the pair sit opposite each other in a booth. By the time they take off their jackets and lay them down beside them the waiter is at their table with menus.

“Can I start you with a drink?” He asks.

“I’ll just have a coffee.” Kurt smiles.

“Same.” Henry says when the waiter looks at him. The waiter nods and then leaves them alone.

The pair is quiet once they are alone and Henry can feel Kurt’s gaze on him. Henry is more comfortable in the cafe but he’s still not COMFORTABLE.

“Can I ask you something?” Kurt asks softly. Henry nods but Kurt waits while the waiter puts down their drinks, says he’ll be back later to take their orders, and leaves before continuing, “Are you married?”

Henry chokes on the sip of coffee he is drinking and he sputters and coughs. Kurt waits with a slightly quirked eyebrow and smirk while Henry calms and then laughs, “No. No, I’m not married.”

Kurt smiles fully, “Okay. That’s good. For my purposes anyway.” He says, “Can I ask you something else?” Henry indicates for him to go ahead, “Is this the first time you’ve gone out with a guy?”

Henry lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’s been holding and can feel himself start to shake a little. Kurt folds his hands in front him lightly and just gives him a soft, open smile and slowly Henry calms enough to nod.

Kurt nods, “Well, don’t I feel special?” He says, swiping a hand over the chestnut swoop of hair on top of his head. The question makes Henry laugh which he assumes was the point and Kurt breaks character to chuckle with him.

“I’m sorry. I’m kind of a mess.” Henry says after a moment.

Kurt smiles, somewhat sadly, and shakes his head, “You’re not a mess. At all. And besides, you should have seen me at fifteen.” Kurt’s eyes widen briefly as if he’s remembering something terrible.

“Something tells me you were never a mess.” Henry says.

Kurt shrugs, “Well, okay, maybe you aren’t wrong.”

The pair chuckles and then smile at each other for a moment before Henry clears his throat, “I don’t really know what I’m doing but I...like spending time with you.”

Kurt nods, “Then that is what we shall do. Spend time together.” He makes a show of picking up the menu and opening it with a flourish before smiling over at Henry, “I like spending time with you too.”

Henry smiles and breathes easier than he has all day.

-- -- --

Over the next few weeks, final preparations for Amelia’s wedding are in full swing and the Anderson triplets are put to work doing everything from helping to make party favours (to which Alex had said: ‘We’re rich - can’t someone else make these?’), to helping create a playlist for the reception (‘Blaine, you need to help. Sam only wants country!’), to going to final tux fittings, among other things. They also spend a good portion of time planning their night out with Amelia. Alex is in charge of most of the planning for that but Blaine and Henry check in to make sure everything is under control and nothing planned is illegal.

They also spend more time with Kurt. Alex finds for the first time in his twenty-six years, he’s excited about the prospect of seeing where things go with only one guy. Henry is beginning to understand, and freak out less about, his feelings surrounding Kurt and he’s been dipping his toes into the experience (including but not limited to his first kiss with a man - a fact he only freaked out internally, and to Blaine, about a little bit). Blaine gets a breathless feeling whenever he thinks about Kurt, which is often, and he literally has to turn his phone off sometimes to keep from texting the other man continuously.

Somehow, even weeks later, none of them are aware that they are actually dating the same person...but they are all getting closer to asking Kurt to be their date for Amelia’s wedding.

“Hey Tiny?” Blaine asks one night as he and his sister sit in their parents’ living room tying bows onto plastic bags holding green and peach mints.

“Hmmm?” Amelia hums as she focuses on her current bow.

“Is it cool if I invite someone to your wedding?” Blaine asks.

Amelia looks up and lowers her hands, complete with bag and untied bow, to the table with a soft thud. Blaine had realized when he had thought of asking Kurt to the wedding, that because he’d never gotten an actual invitation (‘Your invitation is implied and your acceptance is non-negotiable’ Amelia had told the three of them) he wasn’t sure if he had been granted a plus one. Now, with Amelia looking at him with a shocked expression, he suddenly feels like a plus one had not been something she had intended to extend to him.

But then Amelia had slumped and hit him in the arm lightly, “Of course you can have a plus one!” She says and Blaine smiles before Amelia shrugs, “I had assumed you and Alex would bring someone and then felt bad for not assuming Henry would, so I just planned for three extra people just in case.”

Blaine chuckles, “Well I haven’t asked him yet but...thanks.”

Amelia smiles, “No thanks necessary, Blaine. But there is a condition to having a plus one.” Blaine’s eyebrows lift at his sister’s serious expression as she points at him, “You have to tell me about this amazing man who makes you smile like that.”

-- -- --

Blaine opens the door to his apartment later that week to find Kurt smiling at him from the other side. He smiles back and gestures for Kurt to enter. He watches as Kurt takes in the low lighting and candles on the table set for two in Blaine’s small kitchen.

“Wow! Colour me impressed.” Kurt says as he takes his jacket off.

Blaine chuckles softly and shrugs as he takes the proffered jacket and hangs it in the front closet, “I just wanted something a little...special.”

Kurt gives him a tiny, shy smile and Blaine smiles back before gesturing to the table, “Dinner’s ready so please, have a seat.”

Kurt smiles, “Mind if I wash up first? Subway germs.” He says, spreading his fingers in front of himself in a slight jazz hands motion.

Blaine chuckles, “Dastard subway germs.” He winks before gesturing down the hall, “Bathroom’s the second door on your right.” 

Once Kurt has returned and is seated at the table, Blaine grabs the bottle of wine from the counter. He pours some into Kurt’s glass and his own while Kurt takes his napkin and lays it over his lap.

“Are you...planning to purpose tonight?” Kurt jokes when Blaine sits down after serving them each a bowl of pasta.

Blaine chuckles and shakes his head as he looks down at his lap, “It hadn’t crossed my mind, no.” He says looking back up at Kurt to find the other man smirking at him.

“Darn.” Kurt winks before lifting his glass and offering Blaine a toast, “To fancy non-proposal dinners.”

Blaine laughs again and clinks his glass with Kurt’s. They both take a sip, looking at each other over the rims of their glasses, before picking up their forks and beginning to eat.

Kurt moans at his first bite, “This is amazing!” He enthuses.

Blaine coughs at his body’s reaction to the moan before nodding, “Thanks. Old family recipe.”

“Well, if it wouldn’t make this whole situation completely inappropriate, I’d say I’d want to be your new brother just to get this recipe.” Kurt laughs.

Dinner passes with easy, flirtatious conversation and before long the pair is on the couch with their wine. They both have a leg pulled up and are sitting sideways, knees touching, and their bodies get closer and closer as they talk, and before long, they’re kissing.

They’ve shared quite a few kisses by this point but they never fail to take Blaine’s breath away. He curls in closer to Kurt and rests a hand on his thigh as they continue to kiss.

He pulls away after a moment and leans his head against the back of the couch. Kurt does the same and they stare at each other with soft smiles, “I wanted to ask you to be my date to my sister’s wedding.” Blaine whispers into the space between them.

Kurt’s eyes light up, “I love weddings!” He says.

Blaine squeezes Kurt’s thigh, still under his hand, lightly, “So does that mean yes?” He asks.

Kurt nods, “I’d love to.”

Blaine smiles before chuckling, “I guess I should tell you when it is in case you have a prior engagement.”

Kurt scrunches his nose adorably, “Yeah, that might be a good idea.”

Blaine can’t resist leaning in to kiss Kurt’s lips at the expression and they kiss for another few moments before Blaine pulls away once more, “December 2nd.” He says.

“I’m there.” Kurt replies before lightly fisting his hand in Blaine’s shirt and pulling him forward.

-- -- --

Unlike Blaine, Alex had always assumed a plus one was just a given for him. He was sure he could find someone to go with to the wedding, and whether he went home with that someone, or someone from the wedding, well...he would just be keeping his options open. That, however, was before Kurt.

Kurt, who made Alex’s heart beat faster every time he thought of him. Kurt, who made Alex laugh and actually laughed at Alex’s jokes in return. Kurt, who was breathtakingly beautiful and enchanting in a way no other person had ever really been for Alex. Kurt, who made Alex understand what it meant to want monogamy for himself and not just as an idea that seemed to work for people like his parents and sister.

Kurt, who is biting his lip when Alex pulls open the door to his apartment and Alex wants to bite that lip himself. Until now there hasn’t been a lot of biting of any kind. Despite Alex’s usual MO, he and Kurt have done nothing more than share kisses, and Alex finds himself wanting more but being okay with waiting.

He must be growing up…

“Hey.” He smiles as he gestures for Kurt to come in.

“Hi.” Kurt whispers and Alex realizes that he’d been so focused on Kurt’s bit lip that he failed to notice how nervous Kurt is acting.

“Everything okay?” Alex asks as he sits on the couch and watches Kurt sit across from him and fidget with the end of his scarf that he hasn’t taken off.

Kurt takes a deep breath and looks up at Alex with a sad smile and Alex’s stomach drops in preparation for what he can sense coming.

“You’re ending this, aren’t you?” Alex asks before Kurt can say anything.

Kurt bites his lip again and turns to look at the coffee table in front of Alex’s couch. Silence stretches between them but Alex doesn’t know how to fill it. He’s never been in this situation before, and the longer Kurt remains silent, the more real the moment becomes. He’s being broken up with. And even though they were not serious (hadn’t even talked about exclusivity at ALL) it hurts in a way he’s never really had to deal with before.

“I’m so sorry.” Kurt finally says on an exhale.

Alex presses his lips together and nods, more to himself than to Kurt.

“It’s just...you weren’t the only guy I’ve been seeing,” Alex’s heart hurts a little at this admission even though he had just moments before contemplated their lack of exclusivity, “and things with the other guy have become more serious for me and I needed to make a decision.”

Alex nods again. He’s doing a lot of nodding.

Kurt looks back over at him with a sad smile, “I really like you, but...it just didn’t feel fair to keep going with this,” He gestures back and forth between them, “when I couldn’t give it 100%.”

Alex lets out a breath and chuckles, which causes Kurt’s eyes to widen slightly, “It’s fine.” Alex says flippantly, even though he feels anything but flippant. He waves a hand nonchalantly in front of himself, “We weren’t exclusive. We never talked about it. I do appreciate you letting me know, though.”

He kind of wants Kurt to leave. He’s not devastated? But he’s hurting more than he wants to in front of the man currently breaking things off with him. He almost laughs again when he remembers he had intended to invite Kurt to Amelia’s wedding tonight. How dumb would he have felt had he done that before Kurt broke things off?

“I really do like you.” Kurt says again.

Alex smiles, “I like you, too.” He says softly before coughing awkwardly, “But hey, good luck with the other guy. He’s...very lucky.”

Having never been in this position before, Alex isn’t sure how to act. He’s not sure that’s the right thing to say and Kurt’s awkward smile leads him to believe it probably wasn’t exactly the right thing, but Kurt does nod and then gets up.

“Thanks.” He says.

Alex walks him to the door and holds it open for him to leave - the shortest ‘date’ of Alex’s life.

Kurt smiles with a wave before starting to walk down the hallway, “Oh!” Alex exclaims and Kurt turns around in surprise. Alex leans out his door slightly and smiles, “And if things don’t work out with your other guy...give me a call?”

Kurt’s eyes widen slightly, again, and his awkward smile returns before he nods and waves again before making his way down the hall and to the elevators.

Alex sighs when he’s out of sight and leans his head against the door. Clearly not the right thing to say. Getting broken up with sucks. He doesn’t recommend it. He needs a drink.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and texts his brothers.

-- -- --

“Al…” Blaine says, coming up behind his brother who is sitting at the bar in Black Iron Burger the next day.

Alex turns with a sad smile and Blaine pats him on the back with a sad smile of his own before pulling him into a hug.

“I’m sorry, man.” Blaine sympathizes as he takes a seat next to Alex. He notices, briefly, that Henry hasn’t arrived yet before focusing back on Alex who shrugs and wraps a hand around the half drunk beer in front of him.

“Yeah, it sucks. I mean, it wasn’t like we were serious or exclusive, but I kinda thought it could get there.” Alex says before shrugging again and bringing his beer to his lips.

Blaine pouts his lips. He can tell that this guy was different for Alex. His brother has never called him to mourn the loss of a partner (aside from the one time he’d slept with a D-list celebrity and claimed he’d been ‘in love’ after one night but that they would never see each other again. ‘It’s like Romeo and Juilet!’ he’d, overdramatically, lamented). Blaine is the brother that gets attached. Alex isn’t. So to see him slumped slightly in defeat makes Blaine’s heart clench.

“He didn’t deserve you.” He says, laying a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

Alex smiles and chuckles lightly, “Yeah, maybe.” He says.

The conversation pauses so Blaine can order a drink and then the pair is quiet while they watch the football game playing over their heads. Blaine figures he’ll take his cue from Alex. He’s here for him after all.

Henry joins them a few minutes later looking more put together than he normally does for a get together with his brothers. Blaine notes, as he watches Alex and Henry hug, that while Henry is usually better dressed than Alex, he doesn’t put as much time into his look as Blaine does. Tonight, he looks polished and Blaine even notices cufflinks on the dress shirt he’s wearing. Even the fact that he’s wearing a dress shirt to meet with his brothers is slightly out of character for him.

Blaine shakes himself out of his thoughts as Henry turns to hug him and then orders a beer for himself.

“So what do you need from us tonight?” Henry says as he sits on Alex’s other side, “Do you want us to sit quietly and watch the game with you, demonize the horrible man who broke your heart, give you shoulders to cry on? Just let us know.”

Alex laughs softly and shakes his head, “I just wanted to see you guys and have a beer...or five. We can just chat.”

Henry nods as his beer is set in front of him. He lifts it slightly and tilts it toward the other two, “We can do that. Right, Blaine?”

Blaine nods and mirrors the gesture, “We can.”

The three clink their glasses together and each take a sip of their drinks before, simultaneously, replacing them on the bar top.

“Speaking of ‘chatting’,” Alex starts, “What’s got you dressed up so fancy? I know it can’t be me. My pain is not a formal occasion.”

Henry chuckles, nervously, as he adjusts his collar, “Uh, I actually have a date later.”

Blaine shoots Alex a nervous look at the admission, afraid of how his brother will react. But when Henry also shoots Alex a concerned look, the man in the middle chuckles, “Guys, I’m fine! I’m not going to break. We weren’t serious. I’m just slightly bummed and wanted to see you guys. I’m Alex. I don’t do ‘feelings’.”

Blaine knows he’s covering a little but trusts his brother to let them know how he’s feeling so he nods and turns back to Henry, “So, how are things going with your guy?”

He notices Henry blush slightly and smiles at the boyish way Henry shifts his eyes as he smiles, “Really well.” He admits and Alex whoops while Blaine smiles bigger, “I was actually thinking of inviting him to Tiny’s wedding. Do you think that would be...cool?”

“You should.” Blaine answers immediately, “No one will care he’s a guy, Henry.” He says, understanding why Henry is nervous, “They may be a bit surprised at first but they’ll just be happy for you.”

Henry nods and takes a deep breath, “You’re right.”

Alex lets out a breath, “So, Henry’s going to have a date to a family wedding. That hasn’t happened...ever.” He chuckles when Henry smacks him on the back of the head before continuing, “And we all know I’ll rally and invite some hot piece with me.” Henry and Blaine give the same ‘Of course’ hand gesture, “So, now we just have to find someone for baby brother.”

Blaine rolls his eyes at the moniker but then smiles, “I actually already have a date myself.”

Alex’s eyes widen and Henry lets out a low whistle, “The same guy you’ve been seeing?” Alex asks and Blaine nods with an even bigger smile, “Well, that’s great.” He says, offering his glass for another toast, “To each of us finding someone we want to hump.”

Henry and Blaine roll their eyes with their glasses held up but participate in the toast anyway.

“Oh! And to it being only two days until we take Tiny out!” Alex adds.

Blaine and Henry, more enthusiastically, cheers to that.

-- -- --

Henry feels his heart leap when he sees Kurt walking toward him. He had left Blaine and Alex at the bar a half hour ago after two hours of chatting and goofing around to meet Kurt for their date.

His teeth start to chatter and not because of the cold weather. He’s nervous. Alex was right. He’s never asked anyone to any of their family weddings. He hopes Kurt says yes!

Kurt’s face breaks into a smile when their eyes meet and Henry all but bounces on his toes when the other man gets closer.

“Hey!” He enthuses, swooping in to give Kurt a quick kiss on the cheek. The desire to do so is still so new for Henry. It both excites him and terrifies him a little. He hasn’t really gotten the hang of casual intimacy with Kurt. Any physical interaction is usually initiated by Kurt. But Henry’s trying. He wants to try.

“Hey you.” Kurt says with a sigh, a white cloud of air following his words due to the cold weather.

“You look great.” Henry smiles.

Kurt smiles back, “So do you. Shall we walk?” He asks, gesturing down the street.

Henry loves that their dates are simple. They’ve been to the coffee shop a few more times and spent an afternoon in Central Park by the pond. Today their plan is to wander around the city and see if anything strikes their fancy. It may be a bit cold to do so? But Henry loves how uncomplicated and safe it feels. A lot less stressful than bowling - Henry is still berating himself for suggesting that  to begin with.

The pair start their way down the street, walking close enough that their hands bump every once in a while but never really hold. Henry would like to hold Kurt’s hand, his fingers are flexing like a teenager on his first date, but he thinks he’ll wait and see if Kurt grabs first.

“How was drinks with your brothers?” Kurt asks.

Henry smiles, “It was nice. Alex just got his heart broken a little so we were cheering him up.”

Henry notices Kurt pauses at this, to the point where Henry walks a few steps ahead of him before he notices the lack of Kurt beside him. Henry turns back with a questioning eyebrow raised to find Kurt staring at him with slightly wide eyes. A second later, however, before Henry can ask, Kurt shakes his head with a chuckle and moves to walk next to the other man again.

“Sorry, I just thought...nevermind. It’s not important.” Kurt says with another shake of his head.

Henry nods in acceptance as they round a corner, “So, are you excited about your presentation on Monday?” It’s not what he wants to ask. He wants to ask Kurt to the wedding, but he figures he’ll work himself up to that.

Kurt sighs next to him and it sounds a little regretful to Henry. Which is strange considering the nature of his question. He’d thought Kurt would be excited about the presentation.

“Look, Henry, can we sit for a bit? I wanted to...talk to you about something.” Kurt says around a grimace and Henry doesn’t like the words or the expression but he nods and allows Kurt to lead him into a small, quiet coffee shop on the corner.

They each order a coffee, even though Henry suddenly has a lump in his throat and doesn’t think he’ll be able to drink it, and he shifts continually as Kurt unwinds his scarfs from his neck.

“What’s up?” Henry asks when he can’t take the quiet any longer. Trying for nonchalance and probably failing epically. 

Kurt swallows and rests his hands first on the wooden table top, then in his lap, and then finally decides to reach forward and grab Henry’s hands across the table. Henry looks down at their hands and while he realizes this is what he wanted to happen not even ten minutes ago, the current mood isn’t what he had expected or wanted.

“I don’t really know how to tell you this.” Kurt begins and Henry blinks at him, waiting for what he knows is coming but hoping that’s not the case, “I...need to end things.” And there it is. Henry feels his stomach sink to his feet and his instant reaction is to pull his hands from Kurt’s. Kurt won’t let him go though and Henry doesn’t try too hard, “It’s nothing you did. You are amazing.” Kurt continues and Henry goes back to blinking at him, his mind already whirling as he tries to focus on what Kurt is saying.

“What happened?” He asks around dry lips.

Kurt gives him a sad smile and Henry wants to say it’s pitying and hate Kurt for it but...he can’t, “I haven’t just been seeing you and things with the other guy have gotten more serious. I didn’t think it would be fair to either of you to pretend that wasn’t the case.”

Henry intellectually knows that at twenty-six, people date multiple people until things become exclusive but...Henry doesn’t really date. He was exclusive with Kurt from the beginning. It hurts, however irrationally, that Kurt didn’t feel the same way.

“I’m so sorry, Henry.” Kurt continues, squeezing his hand.

Henry shakes himself out of his own head and looks at Kurt, who is continuing to smile sadly at him.

“Would you like me to go?” Kurt asks.

Henry swallows. Does he? He thinks he does. He nods before he can think too hard and Kurt squeezes his hand one more time before pulling away and grabbing his scarf.

He stands to wind it around his neck and then reaches into his pocket to put money down on the table for his undrank (and actually still undelivered) coffee.

“You really are amazing, Henry.” Kurt whispers.

Henry nods, tries to smile, and then Kurt is gone.

Henry lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He tries to tell himself that people break things off all the time. Hell, he’d just come from an Alex cheer up session for the exact same reason. He tries to tell himself that he and Kurt weren’t serious, regardless of Henry’s personal feelings on exclusivity.

He’ll be fine. It’s not like the very first guy to ever catch Henry’s attention, to make him question everything he thought about himself, just ended things right when Henry was thinking of taking things to the next level.

Henry lets out another heavy breath. Fuck.

-- -- --

“Okay, while I love that you guys took me out? I have to say this is kind of depressing.” Amelia says, carefully, two days later.

She’s seated on the arm of a couch in the VIP section of a swanky club, dressed to the nines in a purple sequined dressed and hair and makeup on point, and while she’s valiantly trying to maintain a buzz...she feels its a bit of a travesty that she has to TRY so hard. She should be drunk out of her MIND right now or at least on her way to it.

She’s not sure if the club is all the night holds, but the way things are going she’s not sure she wants to find out what else there might be.

The only other person actually trying to have fun is Blaine. He’s also dressed to the nines, his bowtie the perfect accessory and has been tweaked by admiring girls AND guys all night. The constant blush on his cheeks at the action is both adorable and endearing. Blaine is currently off buying them more drinks, however, leaving Amelia with Alex and Henry.

It’s the other two members of their party that are being giant party poopers. Alex and Henry are at least dressed nicely for the event but considering this is pretty much all Alex has talked about for months...their mood is definitely off.

“Sorry Tiny.” Henry sighs from where he sits on the couch next to where she is perched.

Amelia sighs, “I don’t want you to be sorry. I want you to be happy!” She says, “Is whatever has the two of you down something you can maybe put aside for the night? Or is it something we can talk about, quickly, so we can move on? Because I’m pretty sure this night is costing you all a lot of money and...it’s my last night out with my boys before my wedding.” She doesn’t want to pout but...she’s the baby, and the only girl, and is used to using her pout to get what she wants.

Alex sighs, “I was ready to have a great night but then Henry had to go and get dumped, too, and...it reminded me how much that sucked.”

Henry lifts his hands, exasperatedly, as if to say it wasn’t his fault he got dumped a day after Alex did, ��It’s not my fault I got dumped a day after you did!” He huffs and Amelia almost, almost giggles at her ability to read her big brothers.

Instead of giggling though, she sighs, “Look, guys, getting dumped sucks but get drunk and get on someone else! It’s not like you’d been dating these people for a year or more. You didn’t even tell your family you were dating them!”

Henry and Alex both stare at her after her exclamation and she would feel bad if she didn’t feel she was right. Henry’s mood makes the most sense. He doesn’t date and any seeming failure would be a blow to his dating confidence. 

She’s most confused by Alex. Alex goes through men and women like they’re underwear sometimes. She’s confused why he would be so hung up on a guy he clearly didn’t feel serious enough about to introduce to his family.

“We’re sorry, Tiny.” Henry says.

Alex nods, “Yeah. We’ll try harder. This is your night.”

Amelia nods, glad to have them thinking the way she does, as Blaine comes back to the group.

“I’m pretty sure I counted four different people winking at me and/or touching my butt on the way to and from the bar.” Blaine says, setting their drinks down on the table in front of the couch.

Alex laughs as he reaches for his drink, cheersing slightly in thanks, “Well, you are looking very dapper this evening. But better watch it - your man might get jealous.”

Blaine chuckles, himself, as he takes a seat in a chair perpendicular to the couch the other three are sitting on, “Yeah, maybe I should have brought Kurt as protection.”

Amelia is looking at Blaine but becomes aware very quickly of how still the couch to her right has gotten. She turns to find Alex and Henry looking at Blaine but not in the casual way one might when another person is talking. They’re staring at him like he’s just said the most shocking thing they’ve ever heard.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Alex asks.

Blaine seems to catch on to their sudden mood and furrows his eyebrows and shifts as he answers, “That I should have gotten Kurt to come for protection. It was just a joke.”

“Kurt.” Henry says, flatly.

“Yeah. My….boyfriend?” Blaine says the last part questioningly. Amelia isn’t sure if it’s because he’s still confused by their brothers’ reactions, or because he’s not sure if the title is accurate for his relationship.

Either way, the clarification doesn’t seem to help Alex and Henry who continue to look at Blaine like he’s just stolen the last cookie (a criminal offense punishable by beatings from each other when they were kids).

Blaine chuckles nervously under the scrutiny, “What’s going on?”

Henry and Alex look at each other and then back at Blaine, and then back at each other. Amelia’s head is starting to hurt from confusion, but it looks like she’s not the only one who’s confused.

“What’s Kurt’s last name?” Henry asks.

“Hummel.” Blaine provides and again the space is silent which is hard to do considering the music pumping not far away.

“Oh god.” Henry moans, putting his head into his hands. Alex sits, frozen, staring at Blaine. Blaine, for his part, is looking back and forth between his brothers, and Amelia, with a look of distress on his face, unaware of the issue.

And then suddenly, Amelia gets it.

“Were you all dating the same guy?!” She exclaims.

Blaine’s head whips in her direction as Henry moans again.

“No, no, no.” Blaine says with a nervous chuckle as he looks at his brothers to agree.

Instead of confirmation however, Henry is still face planting into his hands and Alex looks murderous.

“No?” Blaine, feebly, tries again.

“I lost my chance to be with Kurt because of YOU?!” Alex yells and Blaine jumps back in his chair slightly at the loud exclamation.

Amelia gets up and puts her hands up in a calming gesture, “Now, just wait a minute. Let’s just...talk about this.”

“Did you know?” Alex accuses as he stares at Blaine.

“Of course not!” Blaine exclaims.

Alex scoffs like he doesn’t really believe his brother and fidgets on the couch. Henry hasn’t moved.

“I cannot believe this.” Alex huffs. He looks around the room before shaking his head and huffing again, “You know what? I can’t be here right now. I’m sorry, Tiny, but...I gotta go.”

Before Amelia can say anything, Alex is up out of his seat and out of the room. Blaine and Amelia watch him go, both looking distressed and confused.

“Henry?” Blaine asks after a moment, small and sounding very much like the ‘little brother’ Alex and Henry like to say he is.

Henry shakes his head before looking up, “I gotta...I’m sorry but I gotta...think about this.” He says and then he’s gone the same way Alex left.

Blaine and Amelia once again watch him leave and then turn and look at each other. Blaine looks close to tears and Amelia feels a tightness in her chest. She’s not sure how to fix what just happened, or even fully understand why it happened. She just knows that a night meant to celebrate very quickly turned into the very opposite of that, and she now has three brothers hurting.

She does the only thing she can think to do at the moment and moves to squish herself next to Blaine, pulling him to her and cuddling him close as they listen to the distant thump of music from the club on the other side of the wall.

-- -- --

Blaine feels like shit. It’s been three days since the disaster that was Amelia’s party and neither of his brothers are answering his calls. He can’t remember the last time he didn’t talk to his brothers for longer than a day, their almost constant back and forth something he took for granted until it suddenly wasn’t there.

He’s tried to text both of them multiple times but has not received a response from either. 

He misses his brothers, but he’s also a little mad because he’s not sure their silent treatment/absence is justified. It’s not Blaine’s fault he met a guy. It’s not Blaine’s fault he and said guy grew close. And it’s not his fault that guy just so happened to also be dating his other two triplet brothers and decided to break it off with them.

None of this is his fault...but then why does he feel so guilty for seeking comfort in Kurt?

“I don’t know what to do.” He sighs, resting his chin on his folded arms which are resting on top of his kitchen island where he is sitting.

Kurt sighs from his spot next to him and leans over to kiss his shoulder before leaning his cheek on the same shoulder and smoothing a hand up Blaine’s back.

“I’m sorry.” He whispers.

“I don’t know what to say or do to make any of this better with them.” Blaine continues.

Kurt hums and Blaine appreciates that while Kurt may not know what to say, he’ll listen.

When Blaine had first told Kurt that he had been inadvertently dating Blaine’s triplet brothers, Kurt had thought he was joking. No way did the universe work that way. But after Blaine showed Kurt a picture of himself with Alex and Henry, Kurt had been dumbfounded. He’d sputtered some words that didn’t make a lot of sense and looked like his mind was reeling with a million different emotions and thoughts all at once. In the end, he seemed to finally land on pity and sympathy for Blaine, and while Blaine doesn’t usually like to be pitied...in this situation, he’ll take all the pity and cuddles he can get.

The pair is quiet for a few moments, both in their own heads, before Kurt lets out a breath, “I still can’t believe I was dating three brothers.” Evidently Kurt’s not completely done being dumbfounded, “No, wait.” He says, straightening up, “Triplets. Triplet brothers. Close triplet brothers. Triplet brothers who are close.” He moves away from Blaine to circle to the other side of the island and Blaine immediately misses his closeness.

Kurt paces from one end of the island to the other and brings a hand to his forehead, “And I’ve now hurt all three of them.” He seems to be talking more to himself than to Blaine, “All three are hurting because of me. How did I get myself into this mess?”

Blaine watches him pace for another moment before sighing. His sigh seems to snap Kurt out of his own head and he leans across the island to rest his hands on Blaine’s folded arms, “Oh my God, I’m sorry. You don’t need me having a mental freak out. This is about you.”

Blaine sighs again, “You’re allowed to be confused too, Kurt. I don’t think there is a rule book on how to handle this situation.”

Kurt pouts his lips, “Yeah, but I’m not the one who isn’t talking to his brothers. I’m the one who caused it all.”

Blaine unwinds his arms and grabs Kurt’s hands properly, “It’s not like you planned this. It’s not like you went out in search of triplet brothers, who look nothing alike I might add, to mess with. You dated, you got close to someone, and did the right thing by breaking it off with the others you didn’t feel as close to.”

Kurt nods and squeezes Blaine’s hands, “I think some of that advice could be turned around and given to you.”

Blaine bites his lips together and nods. He can’t be blamed for getting close to someone. He can’t be blamed for not knowing his brothers just so happened to be dating that same someone.

“Should I feel guilty for being happy about how it turned out?” He asks.

Kurt sighs and shrugs slightly, “Only if I should, too.”

Blaine shakes his head. This whole situation was out of their control and he can’t deny how happy he is to be with Kurt. He’ll figure out a way to make things right with his brothers. Everything will turn out okay.

“I like you a lot.” Blaine says, apropos of nothing.

Kurt smiles at him from across the island before circling it again and coming to hug Blaine. Blaine settles his knees on either side of the taller man and leans his head against Kurt’s chest as he wraps his arms around his waist.

“I like you a lot, too.” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s hair.

Blaine enjoys the hug for a minute before pulling back and looking up at Kurt, “Should you still come to the wedding?”

Kurt bites his bottom lip and tilts his head, “Do you want me to still come to the wedding?”

Blaine squeezes the arms still around Kurt’s waist slightly, “Of course I do, but that’s not really the point right now. Would it just cause more issues?”

Kurt shifts his arms so his hands are resting on Blaine’s shoulders and he looks him in the eye, “I would love to come to the wedding with you. I would love to meet your family or, you know, the rest of your family?” He scrunches one eye shut and the question actually makes them both laugh softly before Kurt settles into a soft smile, “But I do not want to do anything else that will cause you, or your brothers, any more hurt.” Blaine starts to speak but Kurt shushes him lightly, “Yes, I know the first hurts were inadvertent, but they still happened.” Blaine sighs and nods, “I will go along with whatever you want. If you want me at the wedding, I’m there. If you’d rather me stay at home, I can do that too. But your decision will not change how I feel about you.”

Blaine stares up into Kurt’s eyes and his feelings for him deepen even further at Kurt’s words. Beyond the external drama, Blaine is a little shocked at how quickly his feelings for Kurt have developed over the course of their short relationship. He’s feeling things he thinks he probably shouldn’t yet, and while he’s not ready to announce them to Kurt...they’re enough to make his decision an easy one.

“I want you there.” He whispers into the space between them, looking back and forth between Kurt’s eyes because they are that close.

Kurt smiles and leans in to press a slow kiss to Blaine’s lips. Blaine sighs and leans into it, pressing his hands more firmly into Kurt’s back to draw the other man closer still.

The kiss is deep from the start and the only sound in the room is their breathing and the wet sound of their lips and tongues coming together. There is something deeply intimate about their position to Blaine and he can feel himself responding and his heart rate pick up.

Kurt’s hands settle on either side of Blaine’s neck and he tilts Blaine’s head ever so slightly and, oh, that angle is so much better.

They make out for another minute or two before Blaine pulls back sharply, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

“Did you…” He pauses, unsure he wants to ask the question. Kurt, who is slightly out of breath with his cheeks flushed standing between Blaine’s legs, looks at him in confusion. Blaine decides he needs to know, “Did you...sleep with either of my brothers?”

He knows he’s broken the mood they were just in, especially when Kurt’s confusion turns to laughter, but he knows he couldn’t continue until he knew.

Kurt leans his forehead against Blaine’s shoulder and laughs heartily into it. Blaine soon joins him and the pair laugh in each other’s arms.

Kurt lets out a breath and hums to calm himself before pulling back and shaking his head, “No. No, I did not.”

Blaine brings a hand up to his forehead and wipes it dramatically, “Phew. I just had this mental image of you comparing our dicks and just...no.” He says and it causes them both to chuckle. Blaine scrunches one eye shut and looks up at Kurt, “Sorry for...ruining the mood.”

Kurt hums again, looks up at the ceiling as if considering, and then shrugs, “It’s okay. Probably wouldn’t be the best idea to sleep together right now. Maybe we should...wait.”

Blaine intellectually knows Kurt is right, but it’s hard to tell his body and heart that.

“We’ll have time.” Kurt whispers, leaning to press a soft kiss to Blaine’s lips.

Blaine closes his eyes and groans softly as Kurt pulls away, “We will.” He agrees.

-- -- --

“Hey. Hey Blaine.” Alex slurs a day later into his phone. He’s wobbling outside of a bar in the West Village and he thought calling Blaine would be the BEST thing to do at this particular moment, “Hey Blaine. Oh wait, I already said that. But hi. I’m mad at you. I think. Shouldn’t I be?” He scrunches up his nose and makes eye contact with another man on the sidewalk who looks at him with a quirked eyebrow and keeps going, “Yeah, I think I’m mad. You stole Kurt. You stole Kurt and his..and his penis!” He exclaims. Two young girls, in the process of passing Alex on the street, jump at the volume and then giggle as they speed walk away, “I had plans for that penis. Big plans because well...I’m sure it would have been big if you know what I mean.

“But you took him and I’m mad.” Alex sighs and then sits on the sidewalk, “And a little sad. I’m...I’m...I’m smad.” He pouts his bottom lip out and adopts a glare before giggling at his attempt to look sad and mad at the same time, “I don’t want to be smad. But I really wanted that penis. And the man it was attached to. But now you have the penis. And I just...I’m smad.”

-- -- --

Kurt’s not entirely sure why he’s here. Technically, he understands the logistics of being here, Blaine’s little sister’s rehearsal dinner, but he isn’t entirely sure he made the right decision agreeing to come.

Blaine had asked him to come. Or rather, Blaine’s sister, Amelia, had asked Blaine to ask him to come. Her thinking was that her family could meet Kurt in a less formal setting first, as opposed to having their first meeting be at her wedding (Blaine had said her exact words were ‘If you cause unnecessary drama at my wedding, I will burn all your bow ties’).

So here Kurt stands, in an admittedly fabulous outfit, next to Blaine outside the restaurant the rehearsal dinner is being held at. They are both fidgeting and side-eyeing each other. 

The next time they catch each other's eyes, they both chuckle at the same time.

“Thank you for coming.” Blaine says.

Kurt shrugs, “From the sounds of things I didn’t REALLY have a choice. I haven’t even met Amelia yet and she seems like a force to be reckoned with.”

Blaine nods, “She can be.” He says on a sigh before looking back at the restaurant, “Ready?”

Kurt’s not sure he is, but he nods anyway, and the pair make their way toward the front door.

The hostess leads them to the private room the rehearsal dinner is being held in and Kurt is instantly hit with the sheer amount of people inside the relatively small room. Kurt’s not an introvert, by any means, but faced with a room of people he doesn’t know...including the family of his new boyfriend...he finds himself swallowing, thickly.

And then he remembers that everyone in this room isn’t a stranger and his eyes widen when the first people he lays eyes on are Henry and Alex. They’re hard to miss, right inside the door and talking to a short woman who, based on her physical features, can’t be anyone but their sister, Amelia.

The opening of the door draws their attention and the five of them (Alex, Henry, Amelia, Blaine, and Kurt) freeze. Kurt had kind of hoped to avoid any awkward interactions, but clearly luck isn’t on his side tonight.

“Hey!” Amelia says after a moment, breaking the silence and moving towards the pair, “You must be Kurt!” She’s hugging him before Kurt can even take his eyes off of Alex and Henry, and he hugs her back while still looking at them. Henry looks nervous and Alex’s eyes have narrowed slightly. Kurt coughs and looks away and down at the spitfire of a woman still hugging him

“Yeah. Hi. You must be Amelia. Nice to meet you and congratulations.” He says with a nervous blush rising on his cheeks.

Amelia steps back and hugs Blaine to her, who looks faintly ill as he looks beyond at his brothers.

“Thanks!” She enthuses, “Though I’m kind of glad the wedding is tomorrow. Whoever said planning a wedding was fun obviously hasn’t planned one before.”

She rolls her eyes and laughs, and while Kurt has been planning his wedding since he was six and can’t wait to put the plan into action, he laughs with her because he doesn’t want to be rude.

And then suddenly it’s like Amelia either can’t ignore the tension between the four men in the room, or she just realizes it, and looks between all four of them with a look of apprehension. When no one else speaks or even looks at one another, she sighs and puts her hands on her hips.

“This is ridiculous. Hug. Each. Other!” She orders with a glare at each of her brothers.

Blaine, Alex, and Henry all seem to collectively pout, but none move to follow the order of their little sister. Kurt’s pretty sure the order didn’t extend to him but...it’s so awkward he’s actually considering just going for it and hugging someone.

Amelia rolls her eyes before grabbing Blaine’s elbow, “All right. We are going to talk this out like the adults we all pretend to be. That way you can go back to normal and not ruin my wedding.”

She gestures for Alex and Henry to follow her and it appears this order they will follow. Kurt is simultaneously glad to no longer have to deal with this awkwardness, but also a little terrified that Blaine is about to leave him in a room full of strangers.

The siblings are almost out of the room when Amelia stops and turns back to Kurt with a raised eyebrow, “Are you coming?”

Kurt’s eyes widen in surprise and terror. His presence is required?

Amelia gives him a pointed stare before leading her brothers from the room. Kurt hesitates, momentarily, before deciding staying with Blaine is probably the best course of action (and not angering Amelia any further) and following them out to a quiet section of the restaurant.

For the second time this evening, Kurt wonders how he ended up here.

“All right.” Amelia starts as she looks at her brothers in front of her. The four men are standing in a loose square, with Kurt awkwardly standing to Blaine’s right, “You all need to get over this. I should not be feeling anxious over YOUR love lives and especially not the day before the most important day of MY life.”

Alex crosses his arms over his chest and pouts, “This is all Blaine’s fault.”

Amelia throws her hands up in the air in exasperation but it’s Blaine who answers, “Are you seven?” He asks, incredulously, and the question just makes Alex’s arms cross tighter, “Because that’s how you’re acting. This is like the time mom and dad bought us scooters for our birthday and you got pissed that I got the red one because you wanted the red one.”

Kurt furrows his brow, “Are you likening me to a scooter?”

His question goes unanswered as Alex huffs indignantly, “I really liked him!” He defends.

Blaine rolls his eyes, “Yeah, I got that much from the message you sent me. You know, at first I felt sort of bad for what happened, that maybe it WAS my fault. But it’s not really. I just met a guy and fell in…” He hesitates and Kurt turns to him wide eyed. Blaine swallows thickly and doesn’t meet Kurt’s eye before continuing, “I really didn’t need you talking about how much you want my boyfriend’s dick. Now I’M mad.”

Kurt’s wide eyes widen further before moving to look at the ground. He feels his cheeks heat up in an embarrassed flush. He’s not really shy when it comes to sex related topics like he was in high school, but something about this situation just makes it all the more strange.

The space they’re in goes quiet and Kurt isn’t sure if anyone is going to break the silence. He doesn’t really want the last thing said in this trainwreck of a conversation to be about his penis.

He coughs and all heads swivel toward him. He blinks at each face before landing on Blaine’s and biting his lip, “I...think I’m going to go.” He says, and it’s not until it’s out of his mouth that he realizes he had wanted to say those words.

Blaine’s eyes widen and he steps closer, grabbing Kurt’s hand, “Please don’t.” He whispers.

Kurt looks quickly at the other faces in the space before focussing back on Blaine. He really doesn’t want to say this with Blaine’s brothers and sister in the room, but again his mouth acts before his brain can catch up, “I don’t want to come between you and your family.” He whispers, pleading with his eyes for Blaine to understand.

Blaine shakes his head, “You aren’t.”

Kurt smiles sadly, “I am. I just...can’t be the reason why three brothers are fighting.” He looks around the room again, the other three faces looking on curiously, before turning back to Blaine who looks pained, “I’m sorry.” He whispers and then pulls his hand out of Blaine’s, “I’m...sorry.” He says a little louder to Alex, Henry, and Amelia, before he turns and walks out of the restaurant.

The fact that his heart hurts when he hits the parking lot doesn’t go unnoticed.

-- -- --

Amelia’s wedding is a beautiful, elegant affair the next day. The flowers arrive on time, no one trips down the aisle, Amelia and Sam both tear up during their vows, and if anyone notices the slightly subdued nature of the three men of honour...they don’t comment.

Blaine thinks he and his brothers do a pretty good job at keeping it together during the ceremony and pictures. They act like nothing's wrong and even their parents don’t seem to pick up on the fact that there is a giant elephant in the room.

During the reception, the three of them deliver their joint speech flawlessly (complete with jokes, heartfelt memories, and perfectly timed segways) and Blaine gives a sigh of relief when Amelia beams at them from her seat beside her new husband.

It’s not until the dancing begins that Blaine really lets his mask drop. He finds a seat at an empty table and nurses a glass of wine. He rests his forearms on his legs and lets the glass dangle between his knees.

Kurt was supposed to be here. Blaine was supposed to be introducing his new boyfriend to his family, cuddling up on the dance floor during sappy wedding slow songs, and maybe getting a little drunk and handsy. Instead, he’s spent the day pretending he isn’t hurting.

He sighs as the song changes (it’s a pretty damn good playlist if he says so himself) before he sees black out of the corner of his eye. He closes his eyes, ready to put on a brave face for whatever family member has decided to descend upon him, only to look up to find Henry standing in front of him.

“May I?” His brother asks, gesturing to the seat next to Blaine. Blaine nods and straightens slightly, something in the back of his mind finding it wrong that Henry feels he needs to ask permission to sit next to his brother.

Henry sits next to him with a sigh and looks out over the dance floor. Blaine realizes in that moment that Henry has been pretty quiet since they found out about their shared dating experience. He hasn’t said much on the issue or expressed his feelings in any way. Blaine really hopes he’s not about to get into a shouting match at their sister’s wedding.

“I freaked out.” Henry says. Blaine turns to look at him but Henry is still looking out at the dance floor, “Kurt was the first guy to ever make me feel something like that, and then suddenly he was calling things off to be with you, and I had this giant crisis. Had everything I felt been a lie? An experiment? For nothing?” He shakes his head before sighing again and looking at Blaine, “But my feelings have nothing to do with you and Kurt. None of this is your fault, Blaine. And I’m sorry if I made you think it was.”

Blaine sucks in a deep breath through his nose and holds it for a second before letting it out. He had been expecting tension, not an apology. He also can’t believe he didn’t think to check in on his brother. Of course he’d be analyzing what it all meant.

“I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask how you were feeling about all of...that.” Blaine says.

Henry shrugs before smiling, “It’s okay. It’s not like me overthinking and freaking out is a NEW experience.”

Blaine chuckles softly, “Still. I should have asked. Are you...okay with everything?”

Henry nods looking out over the dance floor again, “I think I am. Or at least...I’m getting there. Maybe Kurt will be the only guy to do anything for me and maybe not. I’m willing to keep my options open.”

Blaine smiles and nods, “Good.” He says.

“I’m growing as a person.” Henry says, dryly, and they chuckle lightly. Henry turns back to Blaine and lays a hand on Blaine’s knee, “How about you? Have you heard from Kurt?”

The question makes Blaine’s chest hurt a little before he shakes his head, “Not since he left yesterday.”

Henry nods, “He’ll come around.” He says, encouragingly.

Blaine bites his lip to keep from either rambling or crying. He doesn’t want to do either. He’s not even sure how he truly feels or what he would even say...though he guesses when you ramble it’s less important what it is you actually say.

He ends up just shrugging and the pair go back to watching the happy people on the dance floor.

“Amelia is beautiful today.” Blaine muses.

“She really is.” 

Blaine jumps slightly because it’s not Henry who responds. Both men turn in the seats to see Alex standing behind them. He’s got his hands in his pockets and his head tipped down, looking at them through his lashes.

“Hey, can I...talk to you?” He asks Blaine.

Blaine looks at Henry, who shrugs, before Blaine nods and gets up. He passes his glass to Henry and then follows Alex out of the ballroom into the main lobby. He’s not sure if he and Alex are about to fight again, and he’s not entirely sure if he WANTS to fight again, but all speculation flies from his brain when he sees Kurt standing by chairs in the lobby.

Blaine stops walking and stares open mouthed. He looks back and forth between Alex, who has also stopped halfway between Kurt and Blaine, and Kurt who is standing with his hands in his pockets and biting his lip.

“What…?” Blaine starts.

Alex sighs, “I called Kurt. Explained to him that I’m kind of an ass sometimes. But hey, it’s part of my charm.” He says with a wide, cheeky smile, before sobering again, “None of this was either of your faults. None of this was any of our faults. But what is MY fault was how I reacted to it.” He turns more fully to Blaine, “I’m sorry. I’m no longer mad, I’m no longer sad, and none of that should have been directed at you.”

Blaine nods with a slow smile. He doesn’t really know what else to do right now other than to hug his brother. He’s opened his arms and begun to move toward him when Alex puts his hand up to stop him.

“Just wait, I’m not done. We can hug it out in a minute.” He says.

Blaine’s brow furrows in confusion but he does stop and watches as Alex turns toward Kurt, “I wanted to say sorry to you too, Kurt. I should never have treated you that way...even over a voicemail to my brother.”

Kurt’s eyes are wide as if he wasn’t expecting an apology before he nods.

Alex nods too and then turns to Blaine, “All right. You can hug me now.” He says, opening his own arms.

Blaine chuckles before closing the distance and wrapping his arms around his brother, “I’m sorry for all of this.”

Alex pulls back, “You have nothing to apologize for. You met a boy and you fell in…” He pauses with a knowing smirk and Blaine blushes and diverts his eyes for a second, “I was the only one who had to apologize. And I did.” He smiles, “I must be growing as a person.”

Blaine smiles at the statement Henry said to him minutes before, though as opposed to sarcastic, Alex seems proud.

“You are.” Blaine agrees.

Alex tilts his head in Kurt’s direction, “Go get your man. I’m going to go see if Sam’s friend Mike is single and open to the attention of men.” He waggles his eyebrows and Blaine laughs. Still the same old Alex.

Alex pats Blaine on the arm and then he’s gone, back into the ballroom. When the door closes behind him, Kurt and Blaine are left in silence.

Blaine walks slowly toward him, “Hi.” He whispers when he’s close.

Kurt bites his lip again and smiles, “Hi.”

“So...” Blaine looks around as if he’s searching for something, “You...aren’t coming between me and my brothers anymore. Not that you actually were, but now you DEFINITELY aren’t.”

“It would appear that I’m not.” Kurt agrees with a nod.

“So…” Blaine says again, “does that mean anything for...us?”

Kurt shrugs and looks around the lobby for a moment. Blaine’s stomach drops at the shrug, but when Kurt turns to him with a smirk, Blaine’s stomach fills with hopeful butterflies.

“Come here.” Kurt says, grabbing Blaine by the tie and pulling him forward into a kiss.

Blaine melts into it and he’ll blame the stress and uncertainty on the needy moan he lets out.

They’re just getting into a groove, and Blaine may or may not be thinking about a place in this building they could go to truly be alone, when a ‘whoop’ sounds from behind them.

They both jump and pull apart, looking at each other with wide eyes before turning simultaneously toward the ballroom to find Henry, Alex, and Amelia leaning out of the door with wide smiles on their faces.

“Yay Blainers!” Amelia claps and Blaine and Kurt chuckle at her enthusiasm. 

Henry puts a hand on his sister’s shoulder, perhaps in an effort to calm her, and Blaine feels his heart fill with happiness as his three siblings beam at him from the doorway.

Henry pulls slightly on Amelia’s shoulder and the pair turn to go back into the ballroom. Alex remains in the doorway, and while he looks to where his sister and brother just disappeared, he turns back to Blaine and he once again waggles his eyebrows with a wink. A moment later, Henry returns and pulls Alex back to the ballroom. 

Blaine can hear Alex complaining about missing the good part before he turns back to a smiling Kurt with a smile of his own. He takes a deep breath and reaches out to grab Kurt’s hand, “Do you...want to come meet the rest of my family?”

Kurt squeezes his hand and jiggles it lightly, “I would love to.”

Blaine didn’t think his smile could get any bigger, and yet he feels his cheek muscles stretch even further, before he tugs on Kurt’s hand and leads him to the ballroom.

The End

[cicici03]

The Princess’s Secret- Chapter 1

Africa, 12:15 p.m.

People of Africa, arise and to work!

You have conquered the soil and won your rights;

Your freedom will be born of your courage.

Lift up your eyes, the future is yours.

The people of Africa, sung while waiting for the precious royal family to come out off the famous Warrior Palace. 

They were happy and love their country.

However, the precious darling to much of the whole continent of Africa and the world, Ciara, was not so happy. As she was in her motorcade, looking at the spectators, she saw the happiness that she had years ago.

Ciara looked away from the crowd, and looked at the seat next to her. 

Her husband.

Trevante, wasn’t sitting there due to his grandmother “acting” like she really needed him in the car. Ciara saw between that lie that his grandmother told him.

However, Tre didn’t.

Ciara saw his grandmother invite, Sasha, a woman who “suppose” to be Trevante’s wife in his grandmother eyes and her advisors. Sasha was the “native”, black woman who would bring up a “great” heir for the throne.

Ciara and Trevante have been trying to have a baby since they have been married. Out of the six years they have been married, they have experience five miscarriages and had child.

Unfortunately, a tragic event took the child.

Ciara finally looked down at her navy blue dress and saw the tear stains on her dress. She wiped her tears and looked in her purse to fix up her makeup.

Toby, Cierra’s and Tre’s driver, pulled up to the gates of the palace. As he was waiting for the guards to open it, Toby looked at Princess Ciara. He saw the tears  and the small mascara stains on her cheeks. 

“ Princess, you okay?” Toby asked as he pulled through the gates. Ciara straighten up and looked at the back of Toby’s head. 

“ Toby, I’m okay.” Ciara answered while finishing up her makeup. As she said that through her teeth, Toby and Ciara knew that she was lying. Toby and Ciara tooked up a friendship with some occasional flirtation. Toby developed a crush on her.

Ciara wouldn’t dare cheat on him, but sometimes it would be great to have her husband to take up for her. Toby always made a way for Ciara to smiled and told her the things she need to here whenever the Queen brought her down. 

“ Okay princess, this is your spot.” Toby spoke up for the Princess to snapped out of her thoughts. 

Ciara looked around and saw the cameras flashing and ready for her to come out. Ciara thought to herself, “ Fake smile.” 

Ciara finally looked up at Toby and smiled at him: not a fake one. 

“ You got this beautiful.” Toby stated with much pride. However, he realized that he spoke out of terms with one of the royal family members. As he looked back at Ciara, she smiled and nodded.

“ Thanks Toby.” Ciara spoke as the door open with a guard with his hand out.

Toby smiled, knowing that he made the Princess smiled.

—————————————————————

New York, 6:30 a.m.

“ Ummm homeboy, I don’t do lips and it is time for you to go” Nikki said while looking at her one night stand.

“ Baby, now come on, let me get to know you!” The one night stand said while looking at Nikki. Nikki walked over to the door and open it. She looked back at the man, whom finish in 10 minutes, and was also very clingy.

“ Man, you weren’t that good and baby you ain’t that cute. Now sashay away” Nikki proclaim with much boom to her voice.

The man picked up his clothes and left Nikki’s apartment. With that,Nikki shut the door, and went to living room in her high rise apartment  in New York.

Nikki wasn’t just any old body in New York. Nikki is the editor-and-chief of the most proclaim black magazine in New York: Melanin. With Melanin only been known in the black community from the previous editors- and chiefs.

Nikki changed that in the past year of her being the head. Now the magazine is a well publish and own magazine. Beating out there top competitor, Togue, she made the leading magazine be something for the culture.

Nikki got her big binder for the issue of August with Beyoncé and Serena Williams on it. She sat down and turn on the TV to the Royal News Channel.

As she turn it on, she heard her phone ring. She sat down and picked up the phone off her coffee table and answered.

“ Okay girl, I got some news you will like! It’s about the royal family!” Natalie shouted over the phone. Nikki smiles as she heard her little sister,the person who knows everything and her personal assistant, breathing hard over the phone.

Before Nikki could answer, Natalie already answered.

“ Well girl, I heard that Princess Ciara is very unhappy. They say that Queen Aysia is very mean with her, which I believe is very untrue. That means you can find out from the Princess yourself.” Natalie stayed while finishing up in a rush.

As the 70th anniversary of Queen Aysia ruling, there was going to be a big festival. With that, Queen Aysia wanted Nikki herself to interview her family and others for her feature in the magazine.

Nikki looked up to her TV, catching Princess Ciara coming out her motorcade. She saw the smile, the fake smile, that Nikki knew all to well.

Nikki knows what is BS being born on the Westside of ATL. When she was younger, Nikki learn that you need to observe people before you talked to them. Also, learning to looked out for a details especially when her brother got shot.

As Nikki, kept looking at the TV screen, she saw Ciara with her fake smile. Nikki could tell the Princess was unhappy, with the puffiness under her eyes from crying about 30 minutes ago. Also, she could see that Ciara was a genuine human being that goes with her spirit to help anybody and everybody.

She watch as Princess Ciara walked to her husband, Trevante. Nikki saw that Trevante was a loving and kind person . A man that loves his wife, but a man that try to please everybody to keep the peace. As the Princess and Prince took hands, while everybody whom was watching the couple’s moment.

Nikki could tell Ciara was scared, by how hard she squeeze his hand. Her smiles turn into a grin in someway, a grin that had grimace behind it, that made Nikki angry.

“ Nikki, you still there?” Natalie question to her sister.

“ Yeah, however, this African Royal Family interview just got a little more interesting” Nikki boldly stated.

——————————————————

Africa, 6:30 p.m.

“Princess Ciara, hunny you need to get ready.” Adah, Cierra’s aide and maid, shouted while closing the blinds.

With no answer, Adah looked back at the Princess. Ciara looked up with tears coming down her eyes.

“ Oh honey!” Adah shouted while jogging over to the Princess. Adah got to her and hug her. With that, Ciara cried harder into her shoulder.

Adah knew what was upsetting her and it upset Adah.

While the Royal Family was on the balcony of the Warrior Palace, Ciara was told to stand inside the palace and not along with her husband, whom was standing on the balcony along his grandmother and immediate family.

Ciara wasn’t upset about that, she was mostly upset that the Queen told Sasha to stand in the position that Ciara was suppose to stand at. Trevante didn’t stop Sasha from grabbing along to his arm. To the world it seem like the childhood best friends, but to Ciara and other people in the Royal Family that was different.

Some of the non-immediate family of the Royal Family looked at Ciara in sympathy. Ciara tried to shake the tears, but she couldn’t. With everything from not being able to have a baby and Tre not standing up for her: she busted out crying.

She did not only get the attention of the family that was inside, but everybody that was in the balcony. She met eyes with her husband’s and she ran to their wing of Warrior Castle.

“ Ciara, honey I’m so sorry!” Adah said with much sadness behind her voice. Adah could hear the hurt in Ciara’s voice. Adah has been apart of the royal family staff since Trevante was born. She saw how the Queen been for  30 years ,and was one of her biggest critics in the staff.

“ If you don’t speak up, you will die unheard.” Adah said quoting an African proverb while rubbing Ciara’s back.

Adah, always told her to speak her mind back to the Queen. However, she understands that the Queen can get even more down and dirty and ruin Ciara if she really wanted to.

With Ciara keep on crying, the bedroom door open up. Adah looked to see Prince Trevante standing looking at her and Ciara.

Trevante dark skin was glowing from the Shea Butter and Baby Oil he moisturize with everyday. He walked in with his African Army Accolades Belt over his left shoulder.

“ Hello Adah.” Trevante said with his deep Nigerian accent. Trevante lived in Nigeria with his father until he left for college.

Trevante looked at his wife and just shooked his head. Tre felled in love with the overly shy girl at Alabama State. The shy woman who took him to eat McDonald for the first time. They talked about the economy and different human rights issue instead it being about his status and wealth.

Seeing his wife cry, made Trevante feel like he fail as a husband. However, his grandmother was his mother. Prince Trevante’s mother died after she gave childbirth at the hospital. Queen Aysia was the person to help comfort her child, Prince Aray, and take care of her grandson like a mother. So whenever his grandmother says something, he does.

“Adah, could you leave please?” Trevante ask with his booming voice. Adah knew that Tre ask it as a question to be nice, however she also knew that it was an order. 

Adah pulled Ciara head up from her shoulder and looked at her. She looked at Ciara’s eyes and she saw the hurt that she was going through. Adah smiled at Ciara, and let her go to go out of the room.

As she pass Tre, she gave him a look and left.

Trevante walked over to the couple’s bed and stood by one of the gold pillars at the foot of the bed. 

“ Ciara, why was you crying. That really upset my grandmother.” Tre confessed with some anger behind it. Ciara scoffed and looked at him.

“ Trevante, your grandmother have been trying to break us up since we got married! Then she makes me stay in the back and let Sasha, the woman that suppose to be princess in her eyes, stand by you during the Royal March!” Ciara spoked softly, taking her eyes off of him.

“ Cierra, Sasha is one of my best friends! My grandmother knows that! She knows I love you! Ciara, I am going to always listen to my grandmother because knows what best!” Trevante screeched the last part to her. Ciara just nods her head and just looked down at her lap.

“ So if she flats out say, get a divorce from me, would you listen then?” Ciara questioned slowly while looking her husband in his eyes with much anguish behind it.

Trevante stared at her, he didn’t know what to say. Of course, he wouldn’t divorce his wife because that was the only person he could be normal with and he loves her dearly. However, his grandmother was the matriarch of the family, and she always knew what was “best”.

With the silence in the air, Ciara had her answer. Ciara start crying hard and shaking her head. She quickly got up and head to the bathroom in the couple’s room. Tre tried to go after her, but the he met the door instead.

------------------------------------------------------------

Africa, 11:30 p.m.

undefined

With African drums playing in the background, the ball for the Royal March was just starting. This is not the typical ball that Royals have. This is a ball where dancing, eating, and having fun was suppose to overflow. While all of this was happening, at the royal table, Ciara sat alone and watch the crowded.

As per usual, she was by herself and away from her husband due to the Queen’s “needs” to be met. Ciara saw Tre with Sasha the whole night. 

One thing that was clear that Tre would defintiely do anything for his grandmother even divorce in Ciara’s eyes. She saw them laugh and touch, which she was prohibited by the Queen and her advisors to touch her own husband, but Sasha could. 

Ciara held in her tears for once and didn’t cry. As she finish eating Jollof rice, she saw King Zane come over. King Zane was the complete opposite than his wife, he was loving and caring of his grandson’s wife. He saw the kindness, and the gentleness of her soul that she gave whenever she do royal duties.

“ How is my favorite granddaughter-n-law ?”  King Zane roared with his deep baritone voice with his drink his hand. Ciara looked up from her plate, with a mouth full of Jollof rice.

“ Well, I don’t blame you for eating some Jollof now!” King Zane laughed at Ciara while sitting besides her. King Zane looked over the crowded and saw his wife talking to some of the lieutenants of the Army with his son, Prince Ade, following right behind her. To his daughter, Princess Angel, dancing with one of royals from Spain. To his youngest son, Prince Aray, drinking with some royals from Italy and England.

He looked back to Ciara, about to speak, until he saw that she was staring at something. He looked the same way she did, and saw that his grandson and Sasha was dancing very closely. With her hands rubbing all up and down his arms and Trevante not stopping.

King Zane got up, and went to the mic.

“ Hello everyone, I would like to give a special announcement to my beautiful granddaughter-n-law!” King Zane announce capturing all the attention due to his voice and fun personality. He looked towards Ciara, which she was smiling, and continue on.

“ My announcement to her, is one of my famous dad jokes!” King Zane laughed out with some people laughing. King Zane put on his glasses and took out his phone and spoke out.

“  Did you hear the rumor about butter?” ,King Zane pause while looking at the crowded, “Well, I'm not going to spread it!" King Zane finish while laughing at it. Everybody wasn’t laughing at the joke, but was laughing how cringy it was and how much King Zane was cracking up.

“ Well that is all folks, I’m only a one joke at a time type of guy!” King Zane laughed while walking towards Ciara. She was laughing along besides him. Even though Ciara didn’t need to know why he went up there, she was glad he did.

“ I got to go to the restroom!” Ciara said while still laughing at King Zane. King Zane looked at his granddaughter- n-law and shooked his head. As Ciara left, Toby wave to her. He was invite due to him being a close friend with a lieutenant. 

To hers and Toby not knowing, Queen Aysia saw the exchange. She knew they was friends, but Trevante didn’t know how close they really were. 

Ciara headed to the bathroom after the waving to Toby. As she got in there she saw Sasha and her buddies. They all looked at Ciara and Ciara looked back at them. 

“ Hello, Princess Ciara.” Sasha snorted out while looking at the only thing that kept her from Trevante. Ciara looked at her and shook her head and move to one the sinks to freshen up.

“ Oh, so the Princess can’t talk no more. Well you really don’t talk ever!” Sasha jeered at her with her two friends laughing in the back.

Ciara looked at her, and all she saw was her having her hands all over Tre.

“ Leave my fucking husband along!” Cierra cursed at Sasha while giving her glare.

“ Oh so the Princess want me to leave Tre along. The Queen don’t like you! Princess, you know when Tre was not at home that night last Saturday and was on a trip for the Army. Guess where he was, my bed! He made me feel so good and made love to me all night long!” Sasha tease while walking towards Ciara.

“ He tells me everything that you don’t do. For instance, you haven’t gave him a baby. A simple thing for a woman to do. Plus, your first child is dead because of you!” Sasha teased some more putting emphasizes on the last sentence. 

As she said those words, Ciara didn’t know what overtook her. She looked at Sasha and punch her in the face. With that, a brawl was on between the ladies. Ciara got her choke and didn’t let go. 

With that, Ciara kept holding her neck. Ciara didn’t hear the guards, the Queen, Trevante, and some of the rest of Royal Family coming into the bathroom. Tre saw that Sasha looked like she was going limp.

 Tre picked up Ciara and pulled her to a wall.

“ What the hell is wrong with you!” Trevante screamed at Ciara. Ciara looked at him and pushed him.

“ You!” Ciara screams back with much anger. She looked around looking at the Queen and her advisors. They all looked at Ciara in digusted. With that Ciara, left the bathroom in tears and go back to the one place that she is not outcasted: her bedroom.

“ Now this is what I am talking about! Why you married that girl, she mentally crazy for hurting Sasha like that!” Queen Aysia said looking at Tre. Some of the guards help Sasha up and took her away. With that the only person left in there was Tre.

He shook his head and left the bathroom.

As the door close, the toilet flush.

Nikki walks out of the stall, clicking the voice memos recording off. She went to the sink and wash her hands. As she did that, she thought about what just happen and saw how the Princess was indeed in a very unhappy spot and how Natalie was definitely wrong about the Queen.

With that, she was going make sure that every secret would be told.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well you guys this is my first chapter for The Princess’s Secrets.

Who is the bad guy in this story: Ciara, Tre, Queen Aysia, Sasha??

Hope you guys like and please comment if you really did like it a lot!!!! Please reblog and have fun with it!!!

Taglist-

@l-auteuse @ljstraightnochaser @munteanhore @twistedcharismaaa @19jammmy @lovesunnyandmary @soufcakmistress

———————————————————

[queensdivas]

Hidden Blade Chapter 2

Did this all on a plane and a little bit today! Now that I’m done I plan on working on even more shit. Like my god has this winter break been busy af. But I hope you enjoy the new chapter because it was a little longer than I wanted it to be. 

Whoops. 

IF you would like to be tagged please let me know!

Next Chapter

Previous Chap

Masterlist 

Have you actually ever watched an episode of Leave it to Beaver? What even is that show? I get watching like Little House on the Prairie, M*A*S*H (God I love Mash) and even I Love Lucy. But it feels like this dude one loves his family shows. Don’t really see why but who the heck else knows in this crazy world. 

I walked into one of the trailers to see a very large English Mastiff come from around one of the shelves to start sniffing me. Slobbering all over my legs since wearing shorts instead of jeans or some sort of Eddie Bauer travel pants. 

“That’s Wally. Careful his slobber goes everywhere.” Four was flipping through a pile of passports as I looked at the wall that was covered with pictures, news articles, and maps. It kind of reminds you of that meme where the dude looks completely insane while trying to explain something. I sat down on one of the desk chairs that was empty as I noticed Leave it to Beaver was playing. 

“Did he get you hooked into it as well?” I leaned back as I noticed a large file that had Murat Alimov with a big red CIA stamp on it. Juicy! 

“So how come the people of Turgistan hasn’t revolted against the dick hole in charge?” Four asked as I opened the file to see his picture. 

“They need someone to get behind in order to start the revolution. Ya know. Someone to get behind. The French got behind Maximilien Robespierre, the people in South America had Simon Bolivar, and the list goes on and on. So without someone to properly lead them, what’s the point of starting a revolution when you don’t have someone to lead.” I began skimming through his file to see that THE STUPID AMERICANS GAVE HIM BACK TO HIS BROTHER!? Never let them do anything!!

“So how did one find you?” He asked as I closed the file then threw it on the desk. 

“Ummmm. God it was really weird and very ummm..perfect timing I should say.” Wally came over to put his head on my thighs as I began scratching the top of his head. 

“I travelled to Ahmedabad after the Assassination in South Sudan where I planned on shutting down a board of nasty men who were shipping child brides all over the world. Yet something that I have a nasty habit of is trying to put on shoes way bigger than mine!” 

8 

“ALI RUN YOUR ASS!” Screaming as I turned the corner that was leading towards the great hall of the palace. Ali came behind as guns began shooting at us from the top of the stairs. The front doors burst open as I darted to the left. 

Ali followed swiftly behind me as we slid into one of the living rooms to duck behind a couch. I released my mag to see I had eight rounds left, and we have to battle an entire palace full of guards! At Least the board is dead so that stops this nasty shit in this house!

“Ali! There’s a drop through the dining room that leads into the river!” I yelled over the gunfire as he checked his mag to count his bullets. 

“I got six! I’ll keep you covered!” He popped his head up to shoot one of them coming into the room. I popped up to shoot another guard as more came through the front door. God damn it we’re screwed! 

“You get your ass out of here now!” Ali screamed as I crawled over to where he was bunkered down and handed him the rest of my mags. 

“You follow me alright!” Grabbing a bottle of scotch then ripping apart of the sofa for the rag. I stuffed it, shook the bottle then pulled my lighter out of my pocket. I lit it then chucked it over to the middle of the great hall. 

“GO GO GO!” I yelled as we got up from behind the couch towards the window. He smashed the glass as I stuck my head out to see the drop. Jesus Christ that’s a little too high. Fuck fuck!

I climbed up onto the window ledge as I was about to jump as Ali began climbing up but was stabbed in his back. 

“SHIT ALI!” With his last bit of energy he pushed me off the ledge.

Sitting in my apartment as I stared at the picture of Ali and I during our weekend trip to El Arish. The one time I think it;s okay to work with a partner we end up becoming best friends and he gets stabbed in the back! Don’t worry I’m not one of those people who are like “I work alone since everyone I’ve loved has died!” Usually it’s too much work to have a partner or some sort of companion when it comes to this kind of work. 

Someone lightly knocked on my door as I pulled out my dagger to slowly approach the door. Fuck fuck who knows I live here? Looking through the peephole to see some GAP looking guy standing right infront of the door. Swinging the door open as it scared him a little bit till he held up his arms towards me. 

“Relax Machete. If I wanted to hurt you I wouldn’t have knocked on your door would I?” That’s what most people thought in the seventies and look how many people died because they thought this was...as I opened the door for this stranger.  

“I promise I’m not here to hurt you or anything. May I come in?” I can handle myself I think so if he tries something I’ll kick his ass. I lowered my dagger a little bit to move out of the way for him. He came into my apartment to look around in my little hole in the wall. 

“Cozy.” I followed him on the other side of the room. 

“Good idea. Keeping a safe distance from me. Which is why I’ve been looking at your field work. What you did in South Sudan and recently in Jordan. Quite impressed that they haven’t tracked you down yet.” He stared at the large replica painting of The Virgin on the rocks. 

“Love some Da Vinci paintings.” He acts like a much calmer Deadpool, also not as sarcastic as him. 

“So. Who are you? A rich person looking for security, I’m not a hitman so I’m not going to kill someone for ya. Drink?” I made it to the liquor shelf as I grabbed the bottle of Shieldaig Speyside. 

“No thank you.” He walked away from the painting then over to my original Pierre Mignard. See when you shut down a nasty group of people, I wanted this picture of some random women. I stood away from him still as he turned around, I took a sip of the drink as I waited for him to explain himself. 

“I get the feeling you enjoy killing those who want to cause harm onto the innocent. You wanna know what I see in you? I see someone who's willing to do some crazy shit in order to save the world. I mean you just jumped out of palace after destroying a child marriage cult. What if I could give you an endless amount of resources, even more targets, and more hands?” Definitely some better resources would be nice. But there is always some sort of catch in this situation. 

“You’re exactly what I’m looking for. Someone who isn’t afraid to truly get their hands dirty to save the world.” I do enjoy saving little parts of the world. 

“Now imagine taking down even bigger ass holes of the world.” Am I finally going after all of North Korea? God I really wanna destroy that pig with all my mighty! 

“So what’s the catch exactly?”

“You’ll be dead and can’t ever see your loved ones again.” Well jokes on this dude, haven’t seen my family in years and they probably thought I was dead anyhow so this works perfectly! 

“I’m in. Don’t worry about my family because they think I’m dead anyhow.” I walked over to him to shake his hand. 

“How the fuck he found you is still bizarre. Still have no idea how he found me in the middle of a robbery.” Wally began walking away as I put my feet on the desk. Now I’m super curious how he met the rest of them now since he ended up stalking me. 

“How did he find you?”

He began telling me how the robbery he was apart of turned into a shit hole of a plan for his ex girlfriend to basically take the jewels instead of saving him. Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest because hoes be loyal. His eyes...are just so damn enticing. The way the sun brightens them reminds you the top of a forest. A very endless forest before you. That little scar next to his eye is just very nice to look at as well. Kind of weird but I enjoy it. Does he have knuckle tattoos? (For the record I am listening, it’s called multitasking.) 

“Jesus he set you in a saw trap?” He reached into the mini fridge for two bottles of water since the sun was warming up the trailer like a sauna at this point. 

“Yet here you are getting a calm welcome when I thought the guy was going to blow off my fucking face.” He slid the water across the desk as I cracked it open. Wally and his drool began sniffing the water bottle as I tried to drink it. 

“But he did save my life after the fall so that’s the only good thing that happened that day.” He chugged some of his water as I nodded in agreement. 

“Wally. Wanna get my soldiers out and have a battle.” Beaver asked Wally as The next episode of leave it to beaver began playing so I turned my focus towards the tv. 

“Nah.” Wally told Beaver. Four turned up the TV as I noticed a box of Cheez-its next to the desk. I’ve heard these things very good for most American snack food.

“Four we’ve scored!” I yelled as I began opening the box of Cheez-its. Back to the show. We watched as Wally and his friends were tackling each other with Beaver stuck underneath them all.

“Poor Beaver. Such a sweet little kid.” I stuffed a bunch of cheez-its in my mouth then passed four the box. 

“One is completely obsessed with this show, he makes all these references for it all the time. I think he’s an orphan actually, we got a little bet on it if you wanna put some money in.” Now that I think about it, I can totally see one being some sort of orphan or in the system. 

“Forty dollars.” I reached in my pocket to pull out my wallet, grabbing a couple of fives handing it to him. I know we should be working on finding his brother, or doing some sort of work but this is much more fun. 

“Wait they’re gonna charge Beaver three dollars just to join their club? I get that hanging out with little siblings can always be some sort of bother but wow what ass holes. Imagine being that cruel.” I commented as I threw a Cheez-it at Wally's friends after the tv. 

“Man. A time when your six year old son could talk to a random stranger asking on how to make money.” Four and I chuckled as Beaver came walking out of the garage with his “this space for rent sign” on him. I mean he’s trying harder than most people in this world so I have to give him credit where it’s due. 

“You two done? C’mon. Three thinks he onto something.” Five stuck her head into the trailer as Wally walked away from me as he kept to box of cheez-its with him. 

We walked into the trailer as three was listening very closely to a phone conversation as one and seven were talking to each other. I get the feeling that shit is about to go down if three finds the location of the four generals. 

“His top General knows the location of him so once they leave Turgistan for something, we go after them and figure out where the brother is.” One told seven as I began looking at the four pictures of the fuckers themselves. 

“You ever met people like them?” One asked as I kept staring at their pictures. Four handed me a box of Cheez-its. 

“I mean all monsters of humanity are usually either fat, old, or a man. Hell even all three for some massive destruction if history says anything. Or they have weird facial hair like Stalin or Hitler. Except for Elizabeth Bathory because that bitch was truly...

“Guys. Shut the fuck up.” Three barked as his face went from focused to ecstatic in a matter of seconds. 

“AH we’re going to Vegas baby!” Three laughed as he put their conversation on speaker. 

“This arms dealer will be meeting you at the speedway track around two for the deal.” God this is disgusting. Instead of trying to make our country a better place, go to Vegas to fuck some slut, spend your money, and to add on top of that get some dangerous chemicals so we can kill more people. Love it! 

“Las Vegas has more facial recognition software than any place on Earth.” One began telling two and three as I began turning down the volume of their conversations. 

“Oh I know what I’m gonna be!” Get this sinking feeling he loves dressing up. 

“Choose your disguises wisely.” Disguises? I have to dress up? If they think I’m going to wear a pencil dress, twelve inch heels, and a face full of makeup I will leave right now! 

“I’m a grown man, I can handle my shit.” 

“I don’t think that’s how the expression goes, don’t handle your shit. Flush it down the toilet like a grown-ass man. Be subtle. Blend in. Disappear. Me, two, and three are going to figure out where on earth they’re hiding his brother. Eight and four I want you two to intercept the gas, destroy it all, find the supplier and eliminate him. Sounds easy enough?” Yes. Going into Las Vegas, finding a bunch of illegal gas, destroy it, and be home by five. Definitely easy. 

“Just one question. How do you even destroy Sarin gas? Look I’m a pretty smart lady but destroying gas is something I’ve yet to achieve in my life one.” 

“Here. Study this before we leave for Vegas. Ya got 24 hours to nail it.” He slid a book across the table. 

How to Disable Sarin Gas Bombs for Dummies. 

Written by a Genius.

Handwritten and in a bright green binder. Glad to know we make handcrafted things in this squad. I opened the binder as it showed a step by step on how to disarm them. Kind of like when you’re building a lego set. Except instead of joy you get when you’re trying to build a spaceship, you end up pissing your pants because one fatal mistake and we die! 

“Love the homemade touch one. Very professional and doesn’t make me want to shit my pants in absolute fear.” I picked it up as we began dispersing.

“I’m just gonna take this with us. Rather us not die.” Telling four as I handed him the binder for him to start skimming through the binder. Gotta love the fact that my first mission with these guys is disarming a bunch of chemical bombs. Getting that sinking feeling again that they’re a bunch of chaotic people doing chaotic things. 

It’s absolutely perfect.

Taglist: 

@bonafiderocketqueen @filmslutt @imjustboredso @intoanothermind @4lendow-norris @wickedholland @takemetoneverland420​ @raylan-c​ @itsmeaudrieee​ @leah-halliwell92​

[razorblade180]

Lasting Embers:Epilogue

Knock knock knock

Tenzen:*Opens door* Pssst, You up Jin?

Yujin:Zzzzzzz

Tenzen:Of course not...*smiles and walks over*

Yujin:Zzzzzz french toast....zzzzzzzz

Tenzen:(Why am I not surprised in the slightest) *inhales* YU-

Yujin:*covers his mouth*........

Tenzen:!!!!?

Yujin:*opens her eyes* Please......stop waking me up with screaming okay? Why can’t you just shake me like a normal person?

Tenzen:Your dad already gets antsy when I’m in your room too long. If I scream then at least he knows I’m actually waking you up like I say I am.

Yujin:*groaning* You’ve been living here for almost a year by now. If you were gonna try something then it would’ve happened by now.

Tenzen:Was that disappointment in your voice. *smirks*

Yujin:*red* Not in your wildest dreams sherbet top; I’m still sleepy, I’m gonna sleep longer. *closes eyes*

Tenzen:You do know what today is right?

Yujin:.......

Yujin:OH MY GODS!!!! *jumps out of bed* it totally slipped my mind!!!

Tenzen:There’s the spirit I was looking for! Ha-

Yujin:It’s already seven and we need to be in Vale by ten!!! I gotta get ready! *lefts shirt*

Tenzen:*closes eyes* Ummm could let me leave your room first!?

Yujin:Huh? *blushing* Oh!!! Sorry about that... *guiding him out*

Tenzen:You should shower before you try the new clothes on.

Yujin:I took one last night.

Tenzen:But beds can be filthy and gross.

Yujin:Hey, my sheets are clean so what are you implying? *squints*

Tenzen:I’m just saying important people will be there. Who knows, maybe even Lilith. Meeting your idol would be embarrassing if you smelled like fire and brimstone from all that weapon forging.

Yujin:......I see what you’re doing here. I hate how it worked too; tell dad I’ll be down soon.

Tenzen:Good! One more thing...

Yujin:Come on man I need to start-

Her face moving mind was quickly stopped by a gentle kiss. It wasn’t exactly long but there was definitely enough time for her to ease into it right before she snapped to her senses and jumped back. Yujin’s face was almost completely red.

Yujin:Tenzen!!!! We had a talk about this! Minds on self improvement and moving forward; confusing and pleasant feelings later. *pointing at him*

Tenzen:I remember, don’t get all bent out of shape over it. *smiles* just consider it my birthday present to you. *closes door*

Yujin:......

Yujin:Huh, it is my birthday isn’t.....? *smiles* guess I lost track of time.

Casually she grabbed her gear and headed towards the bathroom while her mind drifted off towards past events. When she finally arrived the mirror caught her attention more than usual; it was her hair. It had grown almost to the length it was on her last birthday. Blonde, wild, and just slightly passed her shoulders; for fun she turned on her semblance and took a minute to just take in the uncanny resemblance she shared with her mom. Once upon a time the sight would’ve made her blood boil but now, it only brought a gentle smile to her face.

Yujin:I wonder how you’re doing out there? I hope you’re okay wherever you are. *turns on water* Now it’s my turn to do my best....

Jaune:*flipping pancakes* Can you pass me the-

Tenzen:*hands him plates and fruit salads* Gotcha covered.

Jaune:I’m gonna miss having a little helper in the kitchen. Something tells me you and Yujin are gonna steal the show.

Tenzen:I’ll say, everyday I did nothing train my butt off in secret so I can surprise everyone. Yujin has probably read and practiced all training tips Yang left in that book at least a hundred times.

Jaune:I still can’t believe you two only trained together in hand to hand....*shakes head*

Tenzen:We want to keep it fair! Especially if for some reason we end up having to face off in some sort of contest. I for one cannot wait.

Yujin:I can, fighting you is a chore. *jumps down stairs* tadah!!!!

The gentleman took a minute to check out the new threads. Blue jeans were the first thing to catch their attention, followed by light brown combat boots that were laced up calf high. A sleeveless white tucked in shirt. Over was a light fabric, blue trench coat with the inside of it being orange. On her hands were brown fingerless gloves. Adam’s sun pendent and Tenzen’s jade dragon bracelet completes her look.

Yujin:Tenzen, I hope you realize the risk I’m taking wearing your bracelet; it matches nothing I own.

Jaune:I think you look very stylish.

Tenzen:About time you got some gear for hunting. I was starting to think you were gonna take on everything in blue jean shorts.

Yujin:Says the guy in tracksuits half the time. Where’s your new stuff?

Tenzen: I’ll change when we get there. The tracksuit life stays for a bit longer. You have tempered steel with you?

Yujin:Of course I d- *looks at her wrists* don’t? Where did I leave it? I could’ve sworn I put it on.

Jaune:Maybe check under the couch cushion.

Yujin:*checking* Why would they be under the- oh hey would you look at that?

Crafting a new weapon wasn’t easy in the slightest and frankly, Yujin still wasn’t sure she had it down. In her hands she held two thick pieces of metal that looked almost like box cutter blades. Each one went around here wrist like a slap bracelet that looked like her mother’s Ember Celica in rest mode. The colors were gold a blue and function the wasn’t the same; it wasn’t a shotgun. As she put them on she decided to flick her wrist to turn transformer it into the more recognizable gauntlets.

Yujin:Function B is still a little clunky but I think this should do for now.

Jaune:How’s Function A?

Yujin clicks the bracelets together as they go back to rest mode. Both pieces automatically straighten back out while still connected side by side to form a hilt. A blade then extends out of it.

Yujin:*inspecting the long sword* A fine blade if I do say so myself.

Jaune:Think it can cut a cake?

Yujin:Cake? Why would you say - *looks in the kitchen*

Jaune and Tenzen:*lighting a birthday cake* Happy Birthday Yujin!!!!

Yujin....*eyes widened* You made me shower again and hid my sword just to pull this off?

Tenzen:Maybe......

Jaune:I mean it’s a definite possibility we- *bothed pulled into a hug*

Yujin:......I love you both, I mean it.

Jaune:We love you too sweetheart.

Tenzen:Not everyone gets to have their sweet sixteen be the day of an exam. Maybe you can use a little birthday luck to give you an edge.

Yujin:*blows out candles* Luck will have nothing to do with it. I’m using everything I’ve been taught to make sure I pass.

Jaune:You gotta get there first, which brings me to my birthday gift to you. *holds up keys*

Yujin:*gasp* Shut up......

Jaune:So last year you sorta lost your car to an insane race with a train so I got a replacement for you. Never thought I’d say that sentence in my life. Now you’ll show up in style.

Yujin:*grabs keys* Garage or front yard!?

Jaune:Front Yard....

Yujin:*bolts outside*

Tenzen:Maybe you could’ve told her that after we had her slice the cake?

Yujin:*staring at white and blue vintage mustang; and it’s convertible.*...... This looks too beautiful touch. Am I even worthy enough for you. *tearing up*

Jaune:*shouts* the seats are leather!

Yujin:*jumps in* Yeeeeessssss...... *looking around* this thing is amazing! It’s-......

Her heart stops as she takes a look at the stick shift. Tied around it is a faded sky blue bandanna; her old bandanna. She takes it gently and starts to tear up as a someone starts to sing.

Happy Birthday to you....🎶

Happy Birthday to you....🎶

Yujin:*turns around sniffling*.....

Yang:Happy Birthday my Sundrop....🎶 *wipes away her tears* Happy Birthday to-

Yujin:Mom! *hugs her* you’re....home.

Yang:Told you I’d come back. I wasn’t gonna miss your exam day. *points to the house* Also.......

The young girl turns her head to see her Aunt hugging Jaune, but she wasn’t alone either. A smile showed up on her face to see Tenzen look just as emotional as she did. In his arms was both of his parents trying not cry. They were back, they were really back and right in front of her.Who would’ve thought a birthday wish could come true so fast? Today was already shaking up to be the best day of her life.

Yujin:You’re all alive!!!

Yang:Yeah.... *holds her close* we are.......

[Ship]

Jacquelyn:......*swollen eyes*

Blake:Jael?

Jael:*staring at Vale in the distance*.....

Blake:You know this doesn’t have to end ugly right?

Jael:Yeah it does.....

Jacquelyn:Listen...*sniff* I know this isn’t how we wanted things but there’s still hope. Don’t give up just-

Jael:Last year you told me not to let hate rule over me someone might get hurt remember?

Jacquelyn:I do.....

Jael:Well I’m already hurt. *turns around with tears down her face* Might as well share the pain with others.

Jacquelyn:.......please don’t do anything you’ll regret.

Jael:*turns back around* I won’t do anything crazy but hey, it’s my Birthday after all. I might get a little self indulgent...*grips her star pendant*

[Menagerie,hospital]

It’s quiet and smells sterile through the bright hallways. All throughout the building you can hear countless different beepings of machinery as they do their best to keep a loved one around just a bit longer. Sun roams these depressing corridors until he makes it to the back where only certain doctors and visitors are allowed for confidential reasons. He opens up the last door in the back to check in on a visitor; it’s Adam’s oldest daughter. She’s crying over her father’s bed as the man is unconscious and hooked up to different wires and tubes. It’s been like this for six months.....

Sun:Any changes?

Sienna:*shakes his head* He just won’t wake up. Today the doctor said he didn’t think the coma would last this long. Said.....he might not ever....*sniffling* might not ever....*covers mouth*

Sun:*holds her close*.......

Sienna:*sobbing* I can hear his heart beat. Yet they say we might as well start think about pulling the plug. How could they just say something like that!?

Sun:He’ll pull through just you watch. The man is to stubborn to die like this. I just hope when he gets up......things will be okay.

•

Yujin:Alright everyone! To the entrance exam! Get ready world....

•

Captain:Not too long before we arrive at Vale. To all you going to then entrance exam, good luck!

Jael:Get ready Yujin......

“I’m coming at you full force.”

To be continued....

[ohfrickfanfic]

You First

Pairings: Josh x Tyler

Warnings/Tags: Frottage/dry humping/grinding, cuming in pants, coming out, bed sharing, roommates, friends to lovers, thunderstorm anxiety, thunder buddies.

So there’s no actual sex in this part but I don’t think you’ll miss it much it’s very detailed and the boys have quite the imagination ;)

Tyler nervously paced the living room, gazing out the window at the falling snow while the phone rang in his ear. His guts churned as he waited for Josh to answer. He knew coming out wasn’t something that should be done over the phone, but he also knew he would chicken out for the umpteenth time the second his best friend returned home to their shared apartment.

That’s just the thing though, Josh isn’t just Tyler’s best friend because Tyler’s pretty sure you’re not supposed to jerk off thinking about your best friend. Yet, that’s exactly what Tyler’s been doing for years, ever since his dick twitched for the first time as a teen when they were changing into their swim trunks in Tyler’s parents’ RV at the lake. Thankfully, Josh seemed to be in a hurry to get into the water because Tyler stayed in the RV a suspiciously long time after that.

The phone stopped ringing and words started leaving Tyler’s mouth before Josh even got a chance to say hello.

“Josh, I have something I want to tell y —”

“Hey, Ty. Sorry to cut you off, but can this wait? I’m kinda in the middle of something at my parents’ house. I’ll be home in about an hour.”

“Yeah — yeah, sure. No problem, man. I understand. I’ll let you go,” Tyler said, feeling defeated.

“Ok, thanks. I have something I want to tell you too, by the way. Just let me finish telling my parents first. We can talk when I get home.”

‘It’s ok,’ Tyler told himself after he hung up. ‘He knows I wanna talk to him about something now at least. I can’t back out this time…’

Or can he?

*****************************

“Ty!” Josh called, entering the apartment.

“Yeah?” Tyler answered, scurrying out of his room into the living room where he finds Josh taking a seat on the couch.

“You wanted to tell me something?”

“Uhhh… yeah... umm but... but you first!” he said slowly, taking a seat next to Josh, trying to buy himself more time. Josh took a deep breath before he started to speak, and it made Tyler nervous because whatever Josh had to say seemed genuinely important.

“Ok, here we go —” Josh started, anxiously rubbing both hands up and down is own thighs. “So, my parents actually took this a lot better than I thought they would. I’m hoping you’re okay with it too, and that it doesn’t make things awkward between us, especially given our living situation.” He paused, taking another deep breath before finally spitting it out.

“Tyler, I’m gay.”

“Oh... wow... umm… okay —” Tyler stuttered, feeling panicked. He scratched at the back of his neck as he scoured his brain for the right words. “Nah, it’s cool, man. Whatever makes you happy. I just want my best friend to be happy. You’re my best friend and nothing will ever change that.”

‘Best Friend. Best Friend. Best Friend.’ Tyler had to keep reminding himself to keep his conflicted excitement at bay. Part of him was thrilled that this made the fantasy of getting to be with Josh more reachable, but at the same time, the very idea terrified him. What if he got what wanted but it ultimately destroyed their friendship? Tyler would never be able to live with himself. He meant what he said: Josh is his best friend, and nothing will ever change that.

Which is exactly why Tyler’s decided not to tell him about himself.

“You sure, man? I thought you were gonna get all weird on me for a second there,” Josh asked worriedly. “So, you wouldn’t be bothered by it if I… I like, had a guy spend the night here? Not anytime soon,” Josh laughs, “I’m single as a Pringle.”

‘Bothered by it? No. Jealous? Definitely!’

“Yeah, I’m sure. And no, that’d be fine.” Tyler forced a smile, opening his arms. “C’mere.” He pulled Josh in for a long hug and patted him on the back, “I’m proud of you. I know this must have taken a lot of courage. Especially telling your parents.”

“Thank you,” Josh said, breaking the embrace. “Speaking of telling my parents, you gotta hear this,” he snickered. “So when I came out to them, one of the first things my mom said was ‘So... you and that Joseph boy?’ and I laughed, like, ‘Tyler!? No, Mom, he’s straight. We’re just friends.’”

“Haha... yeah. Just friends,” Tyler laughed on the outside, even though on the inside he felt like he was dying.

“Oh, hey, didn’t you have something you wanted to tell me too?”

“Oh… umm… nah. Don’t worry about it. It’s not important.”

***********************

“Fuck off!” Tyler’s body jumps as humid summer air cracks loudly with thunder.

It was one thing to be lonely and craving Josh’s warmth on cold winter nights, but it’s been six months and now the summer heat storms leave him craving his comfort. Storms have given Tyler anxiety for as long as he can remember, and Josh has been his lifelong thunder buddy, which was all good when storms happen during the day, but there’s not much he can do when they occur at night. It’s not like he can go crawling into Josh’s bed like a child, although he very much wants to.

Lighting illuminates the sky again and Tyler squeezes his eyes together and begins to count in a whisper, just like Josh always does for him.

“One Mississippi... two Mississippi... three Mississippi… four Mississippi… five Mississippi — Jesus!” Tyler jolts at the loud thunderclap. ‘Five seconds. That means the storm’s only a mile away. It will be over soon,’ Tyler tells himself. The anxiety from the storm has left his mouth dry, and he decides to get up and quickly get some water from the kitchen before the next big boom hits. As he returns to his bedroom with drink in hand, the apartment is illuminated by a burst of lightning once again, and he swears he sees someone lying on the living room couch.

“Josh?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing out here man — shit!” Tyler shrieks at the thunderclap, sloshing water from his cup.

“Three seconds, Ty. Less than a mile. It’s closer, but it’s closer to being over.” Josh can’t see it in the dark, but a smile brighter than lightning spreads across Tyler’s face. He can’t believe Josh — who for whatever reason is sleeping on the couch — was instinctually counting the thunder for him. “The air conditioner in my room gave out. I thought we lost power from the storm, but then I realized I could hear the one out here still running.”

“I’m not letting you sleep on the couch. Come on —" Tyler waves him over, “my air conditioner works just fine.”

“It’s okay, I rather sleep on the couch than on the floor.”

“Who the hell said anything about you sleeping on the floor? I have a queen size bed. Let’s go. Come on, before it thunders again.”

“Remember, Tyler, it’s just a sound and it can’t hurt you,” Josh says as he sits up.

“I know,” Tyler smiles. “So, you coming?”

“You sure you’re ok sharing a bed with me?”

“Josh, we’ve shared beds our whole lives”

“I know, but now —”

“You’re my best friend,” Tyler states, unsure if he’s trying to remind Josh or himself. “Come on,” Tyler rushes, anxiously bouncing in place with his arms crossed tightly across his bare chest, knowing the next thunderclap is coming any moment.

“I’m coming,” Josh says, rising from the couch. It’s dark inside the apartment, and Tyler can barely make out Josh’s silhouetted frame as he walks towards him, that is until his muscular body steps into the sliver of moonlight creeping in through the curtains. Tyler swallows hard as he takes in the sight before him: Josh clad in those black shorts with the single highlighter- yellow stripe that he adores so much. They were far too short, but Tyler wasn’t going to be the one to tell him.

“Ahhhh,” Josh breathes out. “So much cooler in here than even the living room. Thanks, bud,” Josh says as they slip under the sheets; Ty to the left Josh to the right, both lying on their backs.

“Anytime.”

Just then, a bright flash of lighting lights up the room and Tyler hears Josh softly counting for him. “One Mississippi… two Mississippi —” BOOM! A thunderous roar echoes throughout the bedroom. “Hey, you didn’t jump that time; I’m proud of you.”

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t.” Tyler just feels so safe having Josh there with him, but he doesn’t dare tell him.

A few minutes of silence pass between the two, even though neither are asleep when there’s another lightning strike. Josh counts again. “One Mississippi —” CRACK! “It’s just about overhead now. It will be over soon.”

“Thank you.” Tyler turns his head, smiling at Josh in the darkness.

“Anytime,” Josh mimics Tyler’s earlier response. “Thank you again for letting me sleep in here.”

“No worries. I knew you’d get me into bed with you eventually,” Tyler attempts to joke, or maybe he’s thinking aloud, he’s not really sure, but he knows he regretted it the second it left his lips.

“Ummm, what’s that supposed to mean?” Josh questions, unsure if he should be intrigued or offended.

“Sorry. Forget I said anything. Please, let’s just go to sleep,” Tyler pleads, his chest pounding. His stupid words play loudly through his mind, drowning out the thunder as it hits again.

“I just don’t understand why you said that,” Josh starts, turning on his side to face Tyler. “I mean, you’re straight, and I would I never try —”

“Am I though? Have I ever told you that I’m straight.?” ‘Oh shit, there’s no turning back now.’

“I mean, no… but I just —-”

“You just assumed.” Tyler doesn’t mean to be so snappy with his best friend, he’s just really panicked right now.

“So... ummm… are you —-”

“Gay? Yes! Yes, yes, yes, I am. Is that what you want me to say?” Tyler blurts out.

“But I don’t get it, why didn’t you just tell me when I told — Oh my God! That’s what you wanted to tell me that night, isn’t it?” Josh questions. “And I stole your gay thunder,” he finishes light heartedly, earning a small chuckle from Tyler.

“Yeah…” Tyler turns on his side to face Josh. “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to be coming off so angry right now. I’m just really scared. Your friendship means everything to me.”

“Tyler, your friendship means everything to me too. I’m the last person that would judge you for being gay. I’m fucking gay too, Tyler! I don’t get it. Why didn’t you just tell me? Especially after I came out to you?”

“Because… because —” ‘Don’t say it. Don’t say it.’ Tyler’s brain pleads with his lips. “Because I like you, Josh. I always have. Like, I have feelings for you, beyond platonic ones. At least I think I do. I don’t know. You’re incredibly attractive, and you make me smile, and — “

“Tyler I —”

“No! Please, just let me finish while I still have the guts to,” Tyler cuts him off. “And you were my first friend, but you were also my first crush. And the first time I —  uh... a lot of really embarrassing other firsts, okay? But, like I said, your friendships means everything to me. So I decided not to tell you after you came out to me because I was afraid there was a chance we would hookup or do something stupid and ruin nearly three decades of friendship.”

“Tyler I... I like you too.” Josh’s smile reaches his eyes, crinkling them in the corners the way Tyler adores.

“You... you do?” Tyler’s stomach sloshes with a cocktail of nerves, excitement, and guilt at Josh’s words because he’s not sure if this is good or bad… very very bad.

“Yeah,” Josh admits. “And you wanna talk embarrassing firsts? Do you remember that time your parents took us to the lake in the RV and we were changing into our swim trunks together?”  

“Oh God, you saw?”

“Saw what?” Josh questions. “I was too worried you might see something. I ran out of that RV so fast. I barely had my swim trunks up over my ass before I dove into the water to hide. You didn’t notice?” He laughs. “I was worried for weeks you weren’t gonna talk to me anymore once you realized what happened.”

“No, I didn’t” Tyler laughs. “I was too busy taking care of a problem of my own. You didn’t think it was odd that it took me like a solid fifteen minutes to come out of the RV?”

The laughter of both boys fills the room; the thunder only a low rumble in the distance now. Their eyes find each other’s in the slight glow of a far-off lightning strike, and they begin to move in closer, their lips hovering dangerously close to the other’s, before finally connecting briefly.

“Joshhh,” Tyler breathes in a faint whisper. “I don’t know if we should do this.”

“I’ll respect whatever you want to do, but I think we owe it to ourselves after all these years to see where this goes,” Josh says. “And if it doesn’t work out, I won’t hold it against you and we can pretend it never happened, but please, I need to know.”

“I need to know too,” Tyler says against his better judgment, reaching out to cup Josh’s face as he connects their lips again.

A series of slow, sweet, close-mouthed kisses keep their lips engaged until Josh slightly opens his, dragging his bottom lip over Tyler’s and bravely parting his pillow-soft pout with his tongue.

Tyler eagerly accepts it into his mouth, embarrassed by the moans he fills Josh’s mouth with in return.  Josh smiles against Tyler’s lips in the dark, chuckling lightly. His warm breath cascades over Tyler's mouth and chin.

“Not funny,” Tyler whines.

“Oh, but it is,” Josh teases between kisses, “Is that all it takes to get you going? A little tongue?” And with that, Josh places a hand on Tyler’s chest, easing him down onto his back and then swings his knee over his hip, straddling him. “I’m just getting started with you,” he taunts, filling Tyler's mouth with his tongue yet again.

The kisses intensify, and Tyler tangles his hands in Josh’s dark curls, pulling him closer as his body erupts in goosebumps. Josh runs his hands down Tyler’s side, reading his body like braille. His hands settle on the waistband of his black and grey striped boxer briefs that are growing tighter with each passing second.

“Josh!” Tyler breaks the kiss, tensing up as he feels his best friend loop his thumbs into the top of his boxers and begin to pull down. He removes his hands from Josh’s hair, bringing them to Josh’s wrists, halting his actions. “I-I don’t want to have sex... not yet. Not tonight, anyway. Can -can we just take things slow?”

“Of course,” Josh says, leaning down to kiss Tyler’s stomach. “You want me to just give you head then?”

“No, ummm... um... slower...” Tyler says shyly.

“Jerk you off? Josh questions, running his hand up and down the outline of Tyler’s hard on through his boxers, causing his friend’s breath to hitch and body to shift uncomfortably. “Sorry!” Josh apologizes immediately, pulling his back his hand. “Tell me what you want, baby.”

A sudden warmth rushes to Tyler’s abdomen at the sound of the pet name and — fuck — he swears if Josh says it again, he might cum before he even lays a hand on him. “Just — just kiss me and… umm... yeah, just kiss me,” Tyler stutters, too embarrassed to say what else he’s thinking. Soon enough Josh will get the picture.

Their lips find each other’s again, tongues making up for years of lost time when almost immediately, Tyler thrusts his hips up, grinding into Josh.

“Mmmm,” Josh moans into the kiss before breaking it. “So you wanna play that game, huh?” Josh teases, rolling his hips back, his aching cock rubbing against Tyler’s. After a few more experimental — back and forth — thrusts, the two settle into a rhythm, their hips moving in unison as they rut against each other.

“Fuck!” Tyler gasps, arching his head back and letting his legs fall open. Josh takes advantage of the better access, attaching his mouth to Tyler’s neck, his thrusts striking against Tyler’s perineum. Tyler enjoys the intimacy of the new position. If he wasn’t so worried about ruining their friendship, he’d let Josh fuck him right now; he’s dying to know how Josh would feel inside of him. But somehow Tyler’s convinced himself that this is for the best, that fucking your best friend through his clothes is a lot easier to take back than if they actually had sex.

“Uhhh, wanna try something. Roll over,” Josh breathes against Tyler’s neck. Tyler hesitates at first, not sure what Josh has planned, but he trusts his best friend to respect his boundaries, so he does as he’s told, turning over on all fours.

Closing his eyes, Josh palms the fabric of Tyler’s boxers and imagines how good it would feel to yank them down and bottom out inside of Tyler, but he knows his friend’s not ready. He instead moves his hands to Tyler’s hips, gripping them tightly and pulling him back against himself. The whooshing sound of Josh’s swishy, polyester fabric shorts echoes through the room with every thrust against Tyler’s ass.

Tyler lets his imagination run wild as Josh’s erection — only separated by two thin layers of fabric — prods his asshole. Tyler imagines it pushing against his prostate in the way only his own fingers have, late at night when dirty thoughts of Josh deter his sleep.

Josh can tell by Tyler’s needy whines that’s he’s desperate for friction. Honoring Tyler’s limits, Josh opts to bunch up a pillow and shoves it under him. The soft down provides just enough pressure against Tyler’s cock as every roll of Josh's hips help him grind against it.

“Josh, s-so close.”

“Mmm me too. Cum for me, baby. You first.”

There’s that word again, and it’s all Tyler needed, the simple pet name making him cry out Josh’s name and soak his boxers with cum. The massive load seeps through the fabric, wetting the pillow under him as Josh pounds against him, chasing his own release. He reaches it moments later, his cum leaving a faint dark spot on the back of Tyler’s boxers. He wishes so badly he could’ve finished inside him and have gotten the pleasure of seeing his gaping hole, dripping with cum and clenching at nothing as he pulled out, but this will do just fine for now. Besides, it’s too dark in the room to see much of anything at the moment.

“Shower?” Josh offers, dismounting Tyler and turning on lights. He wonders now why he hadn’t thought to turn them on sooner because Tyler looks absolutely wrecked and he would have enjoyed watching it happen.

“Together? I-I don’t know, Josh,” Tyler hesitates, shifting to sit at the edge of the bed and grabbing the pillow, placing it on his lap to cover the large, obvious wet spot on his boxers. He wishes he had another one to cover his face because he can feel it flushing red under Josh’s gaze.

“Yeah, it will be nice, and we kinda have to,” Josh states looking down at his cum-filled shorts. “Hands above the waist, I promise,” Josh assures Tyler, who then shyly looks down at the pillow in his lap and back up at Josh. “Okay, okay. Eyes too, even though I’ve seen it a million times.” Josh laughs, reaching out for Tyler’s hand. Tyler lets the pillow fall to the floor and takes Josh’s hand, allowing him to pull him to his feet and guide him to the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom, Josh turns on the water and the two peel their sticky clothing off and step in. The tepid water is a nice contrast to their flushed skin. Tyler soaps up his hands and turns away from Josh as he rinses the arousal from his length and the dark patch of curls above. Josh does the same, running a soaped-up hand over the smooth expanse of the fully groomed region, washing away the remnants of his climax.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for such a long time,” Josh says when the two turn back to face each other. “Well, not exactly that, but I definitely enjoyed myself,” he smirks, running his cool, wet hands down Tyler’s chest, and leaning in for a quick kiss.

“Me too,” Tyler smiles, “I’m sorry we didn’t — um, I want to, it’s just —”

“It’s ok. I understand. We’ve waited this long; I have no problem waiting until you’re ready, assuming you want to continue to see where this goes?” Josh asks, moving his hands lower. Tyler watches nervously as Josh’s hands descend down his torso. “Relax Tyler, I’m a man of my word,” Josh says, pausing his hands at Tyler’s hips.

Bringing his eyes to Josh’s, Tyler smiles wide, activating his dimples in a way that seems to say ‘Yes’ and ‘Thank You’ before kissing him briefly. “We should probably get to bed and try to get some sleep now that the storm has passed.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Josh says, shutting off the water. He opens the shower door and motions to Tyler like a gentleman “You first.”

Part 2 here

[blazerina]

Follow My Lead (James x MC)

HERE IS SOME FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE FRIDAY FLUFF for everyone (before ES rips out our hearts, causes us all intense pain and makes each one of us question the meaning of life) !!!!

Pairing: James x MC

Author’s Note - full disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars and dancing in general.  Check out the link at the bottom of this story for the dance that inspired this story idea.

Hope you all enjoy and happy weekend everyone!

---

Look at her.  James thought to himself, watching her through the window.  

His eyes studied her intensely as he observed her every move.  His gaze traveled from the reddish brown hair piled high on her head, to her furrowed eyebrows that indicated both her determination and her frustration. Her light eyes were concentrating, darting back and forth, watching her own reflection in the waxed and shiny wooden floor below her.

“One and two, and THREE and four…” Bridget mumbled as she twirled, letting out an aggravated sigh every now and then.

James had to bite his own lip to keep from laughing out loud as she struggled.  He knew that if she was aware of his presence in the gym, at least right now, it would not end well.  The fiery red-head he fell in love with was passionate in all things; this he knew full well.  

She is beautiful. I’ve never been in love with someone who actually takes my breath away.  Every single time I see her, my chest tightens, my heart beats faster and the air catches in the back of my throat a little bit.  How did I get so lucky?

Subconsciously, James brought a fist to his mouth and coughed, returning his attention to Bridget. His eyes lingered on her form, first her chest, then her behind.  She was wearing athletic gear; a tight fitting purple tank top, leggings, and was barefoot.  It was clear she had been working on this for a while, due to the sweat stains under her arms, the wet tendrils of hair matted against her neck, and the five or six water bottles lining the edge of the gymnasium floor in front of her.

He smiled wistfully, crossing his arms in front of his chest, wanting to watch her just a little bit longer. She was by herself, or so she thought, in the gym at the high school where she taught.  This was her first year as an English Literature teacher at Memorial High, but already she was beloved by her students.  

I’m so proud of her. She’s been working so hard. Not just in the classroom, but outside of it too.  This is exactly where she needs to be.  There is no better place for her to put her passions, goals and dreams to use.  She gives her all to everything she does – even this silly Student Council competition.  God, I love this woman.  She is exquisite. Graceful. Elegant. Sweet…

“Dammit!” Bridget cursed, her word echoing against the empty concrete walls of the room.  She gave up for a moment and allowed her body to melt down onto the gym floor into a heap of sweat and exasperation.

“That’s my girl.” James smiled and opened the door, walking out onto the floor.  He started clapping his hands, and whistling for her.

“Love! Your dancing is wonderful.  I’m glad I finally got to see some of it!” He slowly walked toward her, still in his suit and tie from work.

His blue button down had been unbuttoned at the neck, despite the fact he still wore his tie. It had been loosened some to create a little bit of room, and he still had on his jacket.  He had come to the school straight from work, knowing she planned to stay late in order to rehearse.

Bridget blushed, suddenly feeling embarrassed.  “You saw that?” She asked, standing up and brushing debris from the floor off  of her bottom.

“I can help you with that, you know…” James winked, as he finally reached her and pulled her into him.

“I’m sweaty.” Bridget pouted, looking up at him.  “But you still smell like your cologne.” She smiled, yanking on his tie, slightly.  “What are you doing here?!”

“I wanted to see you. We’ve both had so many late nights this week, I thought I could wait on you to finish and then we could go try the new place down the street.  The one you read about in the paper – Bless? Is that what it’s called?” He paused, not letting go of her, but looking up into the rafters of the high school gymnasium.

“That sounds wonderful.” Bridget let out a high-pitched sigh, as if she was swooning, her head buried still into his chest.  

“But I can’t.  The ‘Dancing with the Teachers’ competition is in two days and I suck, J.  I mean I REALLY…REALLY suck.” She explained.

“I don’t want to let my students down. I only started this job a few months ago and most of the teachers that were chosen for this thing have been at the school for-ev-er.  They’re doing cutsie dances that have themes and catchy songs…how did I end up with an actual ballroom dance routine?”

“Darling,” James cocked his head to the side, looking at her in a disapproving manner.  “I’m here to tell you that you do not suck. Your students will be so proud of you.  It’s an honor to be chosen, is it not?”

“Don’t use that lame-o ‘I didn’t win the Oscar but it’s an honor to be nominated’ line on me, here. I have to do this dance in front of the entire student body.  My assigned partner Tony, from the studio, basically says I’m a lost cause.  I’m starting to believe him.”

“Well then, Tony doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  I already know I don’t like that guy.  For a multitude of reasons, I might add.” He paused for a moment and then clapped his hands loudly, as if ready to get to work..

“I’m here to help.  What can I do?” James asked, honestly.

“Ummm, learn the rumba?” She scoffed, grabbing a water bottle and taking a drink.

“I don’t need to learn it.” He responded, his voice very matter-of-fact. “Play the music.  Let me hear it.” James directed her.

“I’m sorry – I’m confused. James what do you…”

“Play. The music.” He repeated.

Bridget plugged her phone into the auxiliary cable and soon the gym was filled with the slow rhythm and beats of the song that had been chosen for her.  James closed his eyes while he listened to the minute-long clip.

“That’s all?” James asked, as the music faded out.

“What do you mean that’s all?” Bridget asked, incredulously.  

“I’m just surprised it’s not longer – that’s all I mean.  You can do this, Bridge.  I watched you long enough to see the basics.  Let’s see what we can do.” He turned to one of the bleachers and removed his jacket, draping it over the edge.

Rolling up his sleeves, he smiled as he made eye contact at his girlfriend.  “I’m full of surprises, aren’t I?” He chuckled.

“You’re full of something.” Bridget smirked, her hands finding his as they held each other in the typical ballroom-dance form.  “We’ll find out what, here in a second.”

After Bridget pulled away from him for a brief moment to press play on her phone, music filled the auditorium once again.  Without missing a beat, James pulled her in close to him and whispered, “Follow my lead.”

James slowly ran his hands up and down Bridget’s arms as he turned her around, forcing her to face away from him in one swift movement. At times, their faces were close enough to kiss, but they didn’t.  Bridget could feel heat radiating off of James’ body, and his hot breath against the back of her neck.  

Before she even knew what was happening, James’ hands were on her waist. She was swiveling her hips back and forth, facing him again this time.  Her eyes never looked away from his.  He spun her around again, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. While his strong arms held her, one around the small of her back and the other around her waist in front of her, she began to follow his feet, mirroring his every move.

She found herself loving the pattern of the dance he was leading her in. They were together then apart, standing then spinning, slow then fast. The moves were chaotic and peaceful all at once.  The dynamic of the dance, along with the dichotomy of the movements, made Bridget smile. She was having fun and actually enjoying herself…but then again she wasn’t surprised, because that was how she always felt when she experienced anything with James.

As he pulled her back into him one final time, his eyes lingered on hers for a moment before he kissed her.  Bridget’s lips felt like they were on fire as they were eager to find his.  Her body dissolved into him as their kiss became more intense with every passing second.

“Told you that you didn’t suck.” James smiled against her lips as she moved in for more kisses.  

He picked her up as she jumped into his arms and locked her legs around his waist.  Holding his face with both of her hands, she pressed herself into him until it was impossible for them to be any closer. It wasn’t until James pulled away that she stopped.

“I’d love to continue this…but it looks like you’ve worked up an appetite.  Why don’t we grab some dinner.” He insisted, as Bridget slowly climbed off of him and put both feet back onto the ground.

“Sounds good.” She giggled, walking back towards the water bottles, gathering her belongings. She slipped her tennis shoes on without tying them and pulled on a hoodie, over her tank top.

Glancing over at James and giving him a quizzical look, she gestured out to the now open dance floor slash basketball court and declared, “How did you…?”

“You know what? Nevermind.” She smirked, throwing her hands up in defeat. “I’m not even going to ask how, or when, or where you learned to do that.”

James shrugged, picking his jacket up off the nearby bench.  “Honestly, I’m a little hurt that you’re astonished by this turn of events.” He slung the suit jacket over his shoulder, feigning offense and grabbing at his chest.

“Listen.  All I want to know is why we don’t practice more of those moves at home.” She wiggled her eyebrows. Her eyes smoldered as she threw her head over her shoulder, glancing back at him with a wicked grin while she walked towards the door.

Looking down and laughing softly, James returned her gaze once he met up with her.  Feeling confident, he lightly tapped her on the bottom and let his hand linger there as she reached up to turn off the gym lights.

Leaning in to kiss her one more time, he paused before their lips met and added, “Maybe tonight…we will.”

 --

Here’s a peek at the rumba that inspired this story:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyy4ht67QnE

[fatesinthenight]

Their Heroes and Hearts (part 4)

Amy looked at Ken feeling tears at her eyes. Ken is looking down not wanting to meet the girls eyes in shame. Signe who was standing was not sitting on a chair hands on her lap. She had some tears already coming down and wiped them away. Marzia's lip was shaking and she took Ken's hand.

"Ken it is not your fault you know." Marzia gives his hand a squeeze. "You know Felix cares about you. He wanted you to be home and everyone. Even if he doesn't show it as much he does care."

"But... Felix had to come back to you too. As should have Mark and Sean... We could have done something and it just happened so fast we... I'm so sorry..." Ken's heart feels heavy.

"You know even if you tried to do something they wouldn't have let you. They put others before themselves. That's how they are." Marzia gives Ken a soft smile.

"What happened to the others?" Amy asks softly.

"I don't know for sure. I washed up alone at a river close to here and then made my way to town." Ken puts his head in his hands. "I don't know where they could be. I thought we would all end up together but I knocked out in the water and got taken by the current."

"They will be fine I know it." Signe saids hopefully.

"Ken thank you for telling us what happened. I really needed to know after all this time."

"All this time? I don't understand this all just happened yesterday." Ken looks confused.

"Mark always wrote to me every day and he hasn't for the past three weeks." Amy was starting to get confused too.

"No.. he sent you a letter yesterday... I couldn't have been out for that long." Ken's head is spinning. Just as he wants to say something the door to the room opens.

"Ken!!" Mary is at the door in tears holding Layla. Marzia moves and helps Mary sit down. "Ken I though I lost you..."

"Hey come on you know im a fighter. I had to come back to see my girls." Ken smiles at Mary.

Layla whimpers and Ken sits up more holding his arms out. Even if he is still in pain he wants his little girl. Mary gives her to him and he holds her close to his heart. "Its ok little cub im here now. Daddy isn't going anywhere ok." Ken smiles and feels a tear coming. Mary moves and sits on the bed and lays next to Ken snuggling up next to him smiling but still with tears.

The girls all leave slowly and Marzia closes the door behind carefully. They all look at each other feeling the same thing. Marzia smiles, "You know they wouldn't have it any other way right..."

"Marzia... its ok to let it out." Signe saids softly.

"I mean he always did his own thing right. He always was so stubborn." Marzia was trying to hold it in. "Six years so I know him very well right. He would have wanted it like this right... Right..."

"Marzia. We feel it too. Its ok." Amy whispers tears already coming out.

Marzia lets it out. She cries softly at first then lets it out more. Amy does too and Signe follows and pulls them both in for a hug. The three of them huddle together crying, slowly one by one they stop. Amy wipes her tears with her arm and takes a breath. "That dummy."

"All of them are dummies." Signe laughs softly. "But that's why we love them right?"

They all smile at each other. As they make their way downstairs into the tavern the people look at them. They want to say something but none of them do not knowing what to say first. But someone breaks the silence. "Are they dead..." A man asks.

"For now all we know is that Sir Pewdiepie, Sir Jacksepticeye, and Sir Markiplier have been taken by whatever this think is. As for the others they are still missing. From what Warrior CinnamonToastKen has said to us they were being taken by a rushing river." Signe saids.

"I would be best if we all looks at any river to find them. Please spread the word." Marzia said.

"What about the King what will you tell him?" Another Man speaks up. "We lost our three best knights and now more of our finest men have been lost. His thing is taking us all out bit by bit. Soon what happened when it gets here. Its going to kill us all!"

The people were getting scared. They began to talk to themselves worried and nervous. Their hope of defeating this Nothing was dying just as it had wanted. Just then someone runs into the tavern. "We found them!!! They are alive!! The others are alive!"

Marzia, Signe, and Amy run out fast. They run to the end of the town and see the troop walking up. Tyler is holding up Cry who looks like he cant move. Dan and Arin are both arm in arm helping each other move forward. Nate and Matt are limping but are holding up on their own. Chica is holding up her paw hurt but keeps going. Ethan is passed put on Chicas back not moving. All of them are dripping wet and look exhausted. Tyler falls over and cry falls with him rolling on his back.

"Ummm owe... I thought you had me." Cry saids tired.

"Hey I took you most of the way didn't I?" Tyler said breathless. He is on his knees and cant get back up.

Amy runs to him and hugs him. "Tyler!! Your here..." She feels the tears coming back. Chica sniffs Amy and whines and lets herself lay down beside them. Amy rubs the pup's nose lovingly. She then gets up and goes to the side to see Ethan laying on Chica's back. "Ethan!" She crawls on Chica making her way to Ethan and  holds him up. "Ethan are you ok? Please say something..." Amy worries as Ethan doesn't stir. Then he starts to groan. "Ethan?" Amy looks at him hopefully.

"L... La..." Ethan tried to speak.

"Its ok Ethan your safe now." Amy saids softly.

"La... Lasagna.." Ethan whispers out.

Amy's worries go away. "I haven't seen you in forever and I hear you were hurt badly and your first words to me are lasagna..." She laughs softly.

"I still cant think right. Give me a break Amy." Ethan saids smiling weakly.

"All right! All right! let me see the damage." Kathryn walks in looking at the men. "I need all of your butts in a bed now."

"Kathryn can we just plop here for a while." Arin is swaying with Dan.

"I second that motion." Nate saids slumping to the ground.

"If you do then I cant help all of you back up. Here I will give you all a boost." Kathryn lets out a soft light from her hand. It goes to the guys giving them a slight boost enough to make it to Kathryn's infirmary.

"Thanks Kathryn. Your the best healer ever." Dan stands up straighter but still feels an ache in his back.

"Come on lets get you guys healed up." Kathryn helps up Cry.

Amy, Signe, and Marzia help the guys into the infirmary. Chica cant fit in so she lays outside and Tyler lifts Ethan from her back and caries him inside. They all get a bed to lay on and Kathryn goes straight to work. She looks at everyone carefully making sure they are treated properly. She is able to heal anything broken and cuts or bruising. After looking at the guys she goes outside to look at Chica's paw. She does what she can for it and wraps in carefully. Chica gives her a big lick for thanks making Kathryn smile. "Thank you Bub. I missed you too." She gives Chica a treat and walks back in the infirmary. "Alright you guys should be good for now but even if I fixed anything broken I recommend you still rest because it could still be sore for some time. Ethan you healed yourself enough to stop your bleeding and I fixed up the rest. You need to most rest so I better not see you out of bed blue boy." Kathryn looks at Ethan.

"Kat I'm fine really. I got thi- owe.." Ethan was trying to sit up and his wounds still ache. "Ok going back down."

"That's what I thought." Kathryn pats Ethan's head.

"Your so bossy Kathryn." Cry jokes.

"I have to be now I am dealing with all of you and knowing you all your going to still try to get up and go but you all still need rest. You have been missing for three weeks already." Kathryn is serious.

"Wait three weeks?" Matt sits up fast. "That's not possible..."

"That is what Ken said when we talked to him." Signe looks at Matt. "Did you all think it has only been a day since then?"

"It has thought.. I mean it should be right?" Nate looks at the others confused.

"That mist we were in back there. Nothing could have held us in their for that long making it seem like it had only been a few minutes. He must be able to make the time around us stop in place when it actuality everything was going by like normal... That is the only theory I have on that." Matt tries to think harder but his head begins to throb.

"Matt don't think so hard right now." Amy can feel his head going through so many theories for an explanation on what is going on. "Just rest for now and we will all talk tomorrow."

"We don't have time for that!" Matt looks upset. "That thing is coming for us all. It wants to make all of us loose hope and fear it. That's how it gains power, it eats off of fear and helplessness. With Felix, Mark, and Sean gone the people are going to be loosing hope and by the look of it they already have. Am I wrong?"

Amy has a worried look that gives Matt his answer. "We need to figure this out now. We have to for them." Matt looks sadly at everyone.

Just as he finished there is a heavy feeling in the air. "No... Not here. Not now!" Tyler tried to stand up but slumps back in his bed, Kathryn already by his side helping him get up. "It's here."

A shadow of a person comes out from the floor. No one moves, they feel paralyzed. The presences is stronger than it was when the men had faced it before. "Well look here. Your all safe. At least most of you are." It chuckles.

"What did you do to them!!" Tyler is glaring at Nothing.

"O you mean your champions." It makes some mist form into a mirror and shows a vision.

"Sean!" Signe yells.

Sean is cut up badly and his armor is off. It looks like he has claw marks all over his body. He is held up by chains on the wrists and he is breathing heavily in pain. Sam pops out from his little pouch and floats over to Signe looking at his master. Sam lets out a small whine feeling guilty he is not there with him and Signe holds him to her.

"Mark!" Amy's heart breaks.

Mark is in the same state as Sean. His floof is a mess covering half his face. He groans in pain and hands his head low. Chica lets out a sad howl peeking from the window seeing him in a bad state. Amy doesn't know what to do looking at Tyler and Ethan. They are both looking that the image of Mark in pain and guilt.

"Felix..." Marzia wants to reach out to the image.

Felix is still hanging on. He looks just as bad but is tugging at his restraints with what little strength he has left. His body is so beaten but he keeps trying and he looks exhausted. Edgar and Maya huddle to Marzia's feet whining and trying to comfort Marzia.

"Why are you doing this to them!!" Marzia yells at Nothing.

It looks at her and makes it way to her. The pugs growl at it and stand protectively infront of her. "You must be the girl he keeps calling out to." It looks at Amy and Signe. "Aww yes you girls are their loves aren't you. It must be so hard to see them this way isn't it." It laughs darkly. "Your champions are not as strong as you think."

"Yes they are!!" Singe said firmly.

"Are you so sure about that? Aren't you looking at the state they are in right now. It really is pathetic."  Nothing has a smile form from the shadow.

"Your wrong!" Amy steps in. "You don't know them like we do! They are much stronger than you think and they will not let something like you get to them."

Nothing begins to get annoyed and the room gets darker. "By the time I am done with them you wont recognized them anymore... you all will be complete strangers to them. They may be able to resist me as of now but they will lose and I will have them for myself." It chuckles deeply. "You have lost admit it. No one can save then now. These men have already failed. I just wanted to see the look on your faces knowing your demise is coming. Farwell." In a snap Nothing vanishes and there is a light back in the room.

Everyone doesn't speak. They don't know what to say. Finally Dan speaks, "We failed..."

"That thing is winning. It already feels more powerful now than before." Arin sighs.

"It's going to take over Felix, Mark, and Sean like those villagers..." Cry hands his head. "And it cant be reversed."

 "That's why it wanted to make them especially mad when we first encountered it. It wanted them all along because they are the symbol of peace here and without them the people will feel hopeless." Matt shakes his head.

"We still have time." Tyler said confidently.

"He's right. It said that they are fighting it back. As long as they are fighting it then we can go save them before it's to late." Ethan gets up slowly but winches.

"I told you all your going to have to rest before you get back out there. You were all hurt badly and even with my healing abilities it still will take some time to fully recover." Kathryn reminds them.

"We cant just sit here and do nothing!" Tyler gets frustrated. "They risked themselves to save us and we cant just let them suffer until we are finally better. We need to go now... If not us who?"

"Me." A confident voice saids.

Everyone turns to Signe who looks  ready. "I will go out to get my green bean back. He would do the same for me."

"Signe you cant go alone." Nate said concerned.

"Who said she was going alone." Marzia stands beside Signe. " I mean Amy already gave us the plan in our heads. Right Amy."

"Well no one noticed  me poking around their heads for information on the quest so I got all the details for it. Sorry guys." Amy smiles slyly.

"So you three are going to find them." Kathryn smiles and puts her hands on her hips.

"Yes we are." Amy saids.