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[kilojulietsierra]

It Means Family (Dr. Jack Abbot x FemNurse!Reader) Oneshot

Based on this request from @pear-1206 : Jack Abbot x fem reader. She had a younger brother (you can give him a name if you want) who is a bit skeptical toward Jack since he's very protective of her. She had been his guardian since their parents died and he was practically being raised at the Pitt by everyone. Jack is friends with her and helps her with everything until their feelings change toward each other. He accepted Jack as his sister's bf but still held his opinion because he didn't want to see her hurt. After some time, Jack knew that he wanted to marry her and wanted her brother's permission. Maybe a series of attempts of Jack trying to gain it and the boy just messing up with him😆😆. Maybe after he's given it, she asks her brother to handoff her at her wedding. Maybe you can do it in two parts or just a long one shot. Either way, it's up to you. Suggestive, friend to lovers, kisses, etc. Ask me if anything. Tag me later!!! Thanks!!! :))? (I hope I did okay!)

~~~~~~

He had been there the night you got the call.

You wouldn't even have answered it, it had been a crazy night, but after the fifth time your phone vibrated in your pocket you got a sick feeling in your stomach.

You had dropped to the floor in the middle of the ED, your vision blurred, heart rate pounding in your ears. Blurred images of Lena and Ellis running your way, then Jack appeared.

Through your blurry vision and ringing ears you could almost see him, almost hear him saying your name. "Tell me what's wrong."

"They're gone..." It didn't sound like you talking, more like an echo, someone elses voice. "They're gone."

Then it was bereavement leave, a long flight to Honolulu, two coffins, a twenty one gun salute and a folded flag. A house on base you had 48 hours to pack up and clear out. A kid brother well over a decade younger than you that just had the whole world fall out from under him.

Night shift changed to day shift, late nights out with friends changed to school drop offs. Everything changed.

If you had worked anywhere else you weren't sure you would have made it through the first year. Lena, Dana, Bridget and Perlah, every one of them a Godsend. Without them, without Robby, and Cassie, Mateo, Princess, Frank and his wife, without them you would have drown under the weight of all of it.

You had loved night shift, but there was no way to keep that schedule and take care of your brother. You loved Robby, he was a great attending to work with, a great chief, but he wasn't Jack.

It didn't take long for you to start finding reasons to show up early if you could, or stay a little late, just to be on Jacks shift even for a few minutes. He never made a big deal about it, but he did always take the time to check in. If you were okay, if Marcus was doing ok, if you needed anything. "If either of you need anything, don't ever hesitate to ask. Okay?" There was no doubt in your mind that he meant it.

~~~~~~

"Did it hurt?"

"Yeah bud, it hurt. Still does some days." Jack had his pantleg pulled up and Marcus was staring intently at the titanium and fiberglass that made up Jack's prosthesis.

"Marcus!" You hissed at him across the counter.

"He's fine." Jack had turned to look at you over his shoulder with a smile, "Just curious. Nothing wrong with that."

"Sissy, have you seen Dr Jacks fake leg?" Your little brother looked up at you from his seat on the floor, eyes wide.

You had to try not to flush from the embarrassment, "Yeah Marc, I've seen it. It's called a prosthesis though, not a fake leg. Okay?"

Your brother nodded, fumbled over the word, "Prosthesis." He nodded again, "Can I touch it."

"Marcus!" You thought you'd drop dead.

Jack just busted out in a laugh.

"Go grab your stuff out of the breakroom, please." You pointed towards the door, "We need to go." Once Marcus was gone you through a pleading look at Jack, "Dr Aboot, I am so sorry."

He stood up, shook his head with a smile, "Don't be, he's fine. Just wants to know how stuff works is all."

You gave him an apologetic smile and changed the subject, "How's night shift been?"

"We get by, not the same without you though."

"Oh I'm sure." You laughed it off but it spiked your heart rate none the less.

~~~~~

It had felt silly at first. The little crush you had always harbored for Dr. Abbot. Not in any gross or even serious way really. Just... appreciation.

You thought that it would fade after everything and with the switch to days, but instead it seemed to have magnified it. Every moment no matter how brief now had your stomach spinning and your heart racing. You lived for the little moments between shifts and had finally started to admit to yourself that you had started to seek them out. Not just to visit, to catch up with your old team mates, but because it felt good. Exilerhating.

That particular night though, you hadn't meant to see Jack. Honestly you hadn't wanted to see anyone. You had parked yourself on a bench outside the ER, grateful at first that Dana had let you slip out a little early. Then the heaviness had settled over you.

Abbot had seen you, stood and watched for a moment from the ambulance bay before heading towards you. He approached cautiously and his voice was soft, "Hey, everything okay?"

Your stomach dropped. Embarrasment, guilt, something else. "Yeah, yeah, just... needed a minute I guess."

He stared at you. Nothing new. Then he glanced at his watch and the hospital then back to you. His bag thudded on the sidewalk and he groaned softly as he settled into the bench beside you. "Want to try that again? More convincing this time?"

The laugh tasted sour, "Everything's totally fine!" You hadn't realized you had felt like crying until just then.

Jack nodded, a slim smirk at your attempt. "Where's Marcus?"

"Perlah's mom picked him up and took them over for a sleepover."

He nodded again, "That's good. Boys'll have fun."

You nodded in return and swiped at your eyes. "He talked about it all night last night, all morning."

Jack leaned his elbows on his knees and turned to try and catch your eye. "So, want to tell me what's going on?"

"I don't..." You choked out another laugh, "I would if I knew. I don't even know. How stupid is that? I just feel..."

"Exhausted? Alone? Like maybe you don't want to go home to an empty house?"

You turned to look at him so fast it made him chuckle.

"I recognize that look. I know it well."

"How stupid is that?"

"Not at all."

You were both quiet for a long moment before you added, "I don't know how I ended up here. I don't know what I'm doing. I just..."

"You're doing great. Marcus is a good kid. Just need to take care of yourself too." Jack finished for you with an encouraging grin. "Go home and enjoy your night off. Drink too much, watch trashy TV, stay up late." He smiled a little wider at your chuckle. "Or go do something, go out while you have the chance."

You laughed again, harsh and still a little rough, "Go out? You're funny."

Jack grinned a little wider, "Well then go home, enjoy your night off." He stood up and grabbed his bag and then grabbed yours too. He held it out to you and used your grip on the bag to pull you to your feet. Once you finally looked him in the eye, still fighting back the tears, his smile softened slgihtly. There was something else behind it though.

"Next time you have the night to yourself, I'll take you out."

The expression on his face never changed, he just held your gaze, nodded after a moment and then gave you a quick wink before turning away and heading into the ED.

For several long moments you stood there, watching Dr Abbot walk across the street, totally taken off guard.

~~~~~

Before dinner with Jack you thought were going to have a panic attack. You'd paced your apartment, made Marcus and the sitter both stare at you oddly, came up with a dozen excuses to cancel. You only came up with one reason to follow through though; you really, really wanted to.

After dinner with Jack you couldn't even begin to remember any of the reasons you had panicked. When he stopped you a few feet short of your door and pulled you into a kiss you thought you were going to pass out. Your head spun so fast all you could do was hold onto him and hope he could keep you on your feet. Of course he did, strong arms holding you close and keeping you steady. He chuckled against your lips when a little moan escaped and you flushed with embarrassment as he pulled away to look at you.

"Not gonna lie, I've wanted to do that for a long time." He cracked a smile and studied your face as his hands smoothed over your waist.

When you could think straight you nodded, eyes stuck on his lips, "You should have done it sooner."

Jack chuckled again as he settled his lips back over yours and walked you the last few feet to your door. "I'll make it up to you, if you let me."

You moaned again and your grip on his shoulders tightened. You glanced over your shoulder at the door, conflicted, but Jack grabbed your chin and pulled you back to look at him.

He gave you a quick kiss and shook his head, "Not tonight hon." Another longer kiss, and he kept his voice low, "He's gonna have a bunch of questions if I walk in there right now."

"He always has a bunch of questions." You laugh and lean your forehead against his shoulder.

Jack wraps his arms around you fully and chuckles, breath warm against your ear. "Yes he does." He dropped a kiss there, and then selfishly dropped a longer, heated one against the side of your neck. Not pulling away until you shivered and pushed him back. Eye to eye again he gave you that look, the one you knew and loved so well, "We'll figure it out."

You nodded, smiling, heart racing, "Yeah we will."

~~~~~

"How old are you?"

"So old."

"Have you seen Lilo & Stitch?"

"I have not."

"Would you let me have a pet alien?"

"That would depend on the alien I guess."

"We lived in Hawaii. Have you been to Hawaii?"

"Once, while I was in the Army. I've even been to the base your Dad was stationed out of."

"Did you see his boat!?"

"I'm not sure, bud."

"Are you missing any other body parts?"

"Just the leg?"

"Are you a vampire?"

"Would I be out in the middle of the day if I was?"

"Can you make cheeseburgers?"

"Awesome cheeseburgers."

"Have you ever had an actual girlfriend before?"

"Yeah bud, I've had a girlfriend before."

"Have you and Sissy kissed?"

"Yes, your sister and I have kissed. More than once."

"Was it gross?"

"Not even a little bit." Jack was enjoying himself way too much as Marcus bombarded him with questions from the backseat of the truck. More specifically Jack was enjoying the way you were slumped against the window hiding your face in your hand trying not to laugh or cry.

"Marcus, I think that's enough questions." You gave Jack a pleading look, silently begging him to shut it down.

"Dr. Jack said I could ask anything I wanted."

Jack smirked at you, eyes hiding behind dark sunglasses, but you knew they were shining with glee at your suffering. "He's right, that's what I said."

"Are you going to make me eat vegetables?"

"Does Sissy make you eat vegetables?"

"Yes." Marcus mumbled.

"Then yes, I'm gonna make you eat your vegetables." Jack reached across the console and grabbed your hand. He gave it squeeze when you finally looked his way you couldn't help but smile. Jack looked over his shoulder at your little brother, "So, when do I get to start asking questions?"

"That's not fair!"

"Oh yes it is and I think it's miy turn."

~

Jack was sitting at your kitchen counter watching you make a cup of coffee, still half asleep. "What's Marcus up to today?"

You sipped the coffee while it was still hot enough to burn, "Perlah took the boys to some action park thing they just built on her end of town, gokarts, mini golf, all that."

"Should be fun. What's that gonna cost you?" Jack smirked, content to watch you wake up and sip your coffee.

"Five shifts in a row. So, they can take a long weekend." You pushed off the counter and came around like you were going to sit in the stool next to Jack.

Instead he grabbed you gently by the hips and pulled you to him, settling you between his legs with his arms around you. "You sure you don't want me to leave you alone? You can just relax today if you need to."

You let out a grumble, the meaning of it not entirely clear, but the way your weight sunk into him Jack took it to mean he should stay right where he was. It feels good to hold you like this. Head on his shoulder, face buried in his neck, and all of your weight against him with no doubt he would hold you up. "Don't know why I'm so tired," You mumbled into his neck, "Feel like I'm the one that worked last night."

Jack squeezed you tighter, "Why don't you go lay down? No reason you can't be lazy for awhile."

You grumble again, your coffee cup gets set on the counter and then you quietly ask, "Come lay down with me?"

For a second Jack froze, a dozen thoughts racing through his mind. He moved his hands back to your hips and just as quietly he whispered into your hair, "Can do that if you want." He dropped a kiss on the crown of your head and had to bite back a smile when you nodded against his shoulder. "Okay, c'mon."

Before you could stand up straight Jack had a hold of the backs of your thighs and hoisted you up to carry you down the hall. Your arms and legs wrapped around him tight and he was pleasantly surprised when you didn't act surprised, didn't argue or give him a hard time. Just let him carry you to bed.

~~~~~

A few hours later you woke up, warm and comfortable, one of Jacks arms under your head like a pillow and the other wrapped around your middle. When you sighed and shifted deeper into his hold, the arm around you tightened and you felt him press a kiss to the back of your head.

"What time is Marcus going to be back?" He sounded like maybe he had nodded off for a bit as well, his voice rough and raw.

"After lunch sometime. Sent them money for pizza." You couldn't bring yourself to open your eyes. Didn't want to do anything that meant you would have to get out of bed yet. Not when Jack was there with you, finally.

He nuzzled into the back of your hair and kissed you again, "Ready to get up?"

You shook your head and shuffled back, just a little closer to Jack, eyes still closed. "Aren't you normally asleep by now?"

Jack just hummed, spread his one hand wide over your torso, his thumb brushing over the fabric of your shirt. "Took a nice nap." His breath was warm and suddenly directly beside your ear. When you shivered and moved to shift your hips back, his hand moved from your stomach to your hip and clamped down, stopping you. "Stay right there." His grip softened, but his hand stayed put.

In an instant your heart began to race, "Why?"

"Because we're cuddling, and it's nice."

You bit your lip, hearing Dr Jack Abbot say 'cuddle' nearly making you giggle. "Feels good."

Behind you Jack chuckled, something a little extra behind it. "Yeah it does." He chuckled again when you tried to move, "Hon, I said stay there."

When the thought finally occurred to you you chuckled with him, "Dr. Abbot, is something wrong?" "

Jesus." His hand on your hip squeezed harder than he'd ever gripped you, "Yes and that's not fucking helping." Jack let out a painful groan when you freed your hand from your blankets to pry his fingers lose from your hip. Not that you had to try very hard, he let you move him easily, pull his arm back around you again and finally shift your hips back flush with his. "Jesus Christ." He breathed out as both his arms caged you against him.

A shudder ran down your spine, his breath against you neck, his lips, the muscles in his arms and chest flexing as he held you tight and the shameless way he caved in ground his erection against your ass. Another giggle escaped you, this one breathy and unsteady.

"Happy now?" Jack teased as his kissed the back of your neck.

"Yes." You shifted back against him again, testing the waters, and smiling when his breath rushed out him. "What time is it?"

He twisted the arm under you so he could see his watch, "Little after ten."

You took a deep breath, building up the courage, your desire doing a lot of the work for you, "I'm not tired anymore."

Jack had always known you too well, and you were so grateful for that because that was all you had to say for him to snap. His hands moved exactly where he wanted them as he coaxed you to turn your head to kiss him. If the kiss hadn't knocked the wind out of you already his words would have.

"You're gonna be."

~~~~

Jack was still there when Marcus came home, changed from his scrubs into the spare jeans and shirt he kept in his backpack. He'd stayed out of sight while Perlah and you chatted by the door, neither of you quite ready for that round of questioning just yet. Or the dozens that would follow.

Your heart did a little flip in your chest when Marcus lit up upon realizing Jack was there. Your brother immediately began to explain in excruciating detail all the excitement of the adventure park and Jack seemed more than content to listen.

You watched from the kitchen, hair still wet from the shower you had taken after spending the last couple hours of your morning in bed with Jack. Your heart flipped again when you heard Marcus ask, "What are you doing here anyway?" No filter, your brother still had no filter.

Jack threw you a look and the tiniest smirk before he answered, "Came by to see your sister after work. Thought maybe I'd hang out here today and we could go out to eat later. Sound okay?"

"Yeah! Can we go to that steak place again?"

"Marc, we don't need to go someplace quite that nice."

"Why not?" He looked at you a little put out.

Jack turned to look at you again, barely holding back a full on smirk, "Yeah hon, why not?."

You knew your face had betrayed your thoughts, because that smug asshole smiled, actually smiled. "Because it's pricey" You snark back at him even as he makes his way around the counter to come stand behind you.

He sets his hands on your hips and pulls you close, "So?" He pries. Then quieter, just for you he adds, "We're celebrating."

"Stop it." You hissed at him, a flush creeping up your neck. You did your best to ignore the feel of him chuckling behind you and turned your attention back to your brother, "We aren't going anywhere until you finish your homework anyway."

"SIssy… It's Saturday." He dropped himself onto the couch dramatically.

"And we made a deal that you could go this morning and have fun if you promised to finish your homework this afternoon."

"But Dr Jack is here, we can go do fun stuff!"

Jack must have felt your deep sigh because he held you a little tighter and kissed the back of your head. He whispered, "If he get's it done can I take you guys to dinner?"

You hummed in thought and dropped your head back against his shoulder, "Ok Marc, how about you get all your work done, and then maybe we can all go to Saltfork for dinner? Seem fair?"

"Can I have the brownie skillet thing!?" He launched back up off the couch with wide eyes.

Behind you Jack full out laughed and all you could do was pinch the bridge of your nose, "We'll see."

He did a little touchdown dance in the middle of the living room and then sprinted to his room.

Once you were alone Jack turned you around and pulled you closer. Stared into your eyes, smirk still firmly on his face.

"You don't have to bribe him to like you, you know? You're like the coolest person he knows." You wrapped your arms around his neck and buried your face in his shoulder.

"Maybe I just like spoiling you both a little. Ever think of that?" His one hand slid down to cup your ass and squeeze. "Plus, like I said, we're celebrating." He snorted when you bit his chest through his t-shirt.

"Stop being so smug or it's not going to happen again." You mumbled.

Jack smirked, slipped his hand up and under the back of your shirt, warm against your bare skin, "So, you do want it to happen again?"

For a minute your embarrassment kept you silent, but you nodded and spoke into his shirt, "As often as possible."

That must have made him happy because Jack didn't say anything. He simply tipped your face up to his and kissed you. Deep, long, slow kisses that made your pulse skyrocket.

"Eww. Dr. Jack will you help me with my homework?" Marcus had reappeared.

Jack gave you one last kiss and a wink before he pulled back, "Yeah bud, what d'ya got?" He gave your hip a squeeze and then followed after Marcus as the boy ran back into his room.

~~~~~

"Is Jack going to move in?" Marcus asked one night while it was just the two of you eating dinner in the living room, watching Lilo & Stich. A treat for the both of you, acting like bums after a long week and watching a favorite movie. Even if Marcus swore it was for little kids. Never mind he knew it word for word and had watched it a thousand times.

"Jack has his own house Marc, he owns it. He's not going to move into an apartment with us." You fought down the nerves already spinning in your stomach.

"He's here a lot and normally, if you two had been together this long, you'd be living together. Right?" Marcus was a teenager now and you kind of sort of hated it. Raising your little brother was one thing, quote unquote raising your teenage brother was another game entirely.

Jack had been in Marcus's life for years now in one way or another. First as a friend of yours, then as your boyfriend, now it was clear that Jack Abbot was playing a big part in the young man your brother was becoming.

"Maybe." You pause to sip your drink, buy yourself time, "It's not always that simple though."

Your brother is quiet for a minute, watches the movie and shoves a handful of fries in his mouth. "So, are we going to move in with him?"

A week later he had asked Jack the same question. You had to work so Jack had gone to Marc's baseball game on his own. After the game they'd gone through the drivethru for food and while they waited Marc asked, "Would you want Sissy to live with you?"

Jack had a hell of a poker face, but he still nearly let it slip at that. "What do you mean?"

"If It was just you and her? You'd want to live together right?"

"Where's this coming from?"

"Just curious."

Jack thought for a minute, let the truck roll a few more feet ahead in the line. "Would you want to live with me?" He turned the question on the boy.

Marcus stared out the window, "I'd think it'd be kinda cool I guess."

"Don't think it would be weird?" Jack found himself getting his hopes up.

"Do you know how many times I have to explain to people you're not my Dad, you're my sisters boyfriend? It's already weird."

He couldn't help but laugh. Jack nodded a couple of times, "Fair enough."

~~~~~

In the middle of Jacks living room surrounded by storage totes you stood up to catch your breath and squint across the room at Jack, "Do you ever feel like we've been manipulated by a thirteen year old boy that just wanted a bigger bedroom?"

"Not a doubt in my mind." Jack laughs as he sets another tote down. "But," He closes the distance between the two of you and grabs your hips. Pulling you to him by the waistband of your shorts, "Jokes on him, I'm the one getting what I wanted all along."

You let him kiss you, enjoyed the butterflies in your stomach from making out in the middle of the house that would be your house now, not just his. Then you pulled away, "Have you ever lived with a teenage boy? You might regret this."

"I've lived in barracks." He pulls you back to him with a grin, "I've lived in a canvas tent in the middle of the desert, with twenty other dudes barely old enough to drink with no showers and eating MREs for three meals a day." You grinned along with him, while he made his point. "Think I can handle one thirteen year old boy." He sobered a little, eyes scanning your face, "Especially if it means I get you here in bed with me." Jack kissed you again, intention behind it this time as his fingers traced the waistband of your cutoffs.

When his fingers settled on the button you couldn't help but giggle against his lips, "Supposed to be unpacking." You still let your arms wrap around his shoulders, fingers combing through the curls at the nape of his neck.

"You're very distracting." He dropped his gaze down to his hands as they popped the button, "Especially in these fucking shorts." His fingers moved to the zipper, pulling it open so slowly.

"So I should probably get rid of them?" You teased, but it came out breathless and jittery as he walked you back towards the couch.

Jack bobbed his head to the side as he moved to kiss you again, "No, but you should definitly take them off."

~~~~~

The number of times you watched Jack over the years, sit down with Marc and talk about anything and everything. Talk through the loss of your parents, missing out on sports team tryouts, girl troubles, trouble with friends, life in general. From the time he was a young boy and barely knew Jack beyond Dr. Jack, Sissy's friend, Marcus had always seemed to see Jack as a source of knowledge and little to no judgement.

Bad behavior that sent you up the wall was nothing to Jack. A simple conversation or at worst a hard look and it was handled. To the point that you wondered what you would have done without him if it had just been you and Marcus.

Then one night while you were out with friends, something you were finally able to do again, Jack got a call. He nearly didn't answer, because he didn't recognize the number, but he was glad he did.

He didn't speak for a long while when he entered the hallway where Marc and his three friends were sat. He simply stared them all down. When he did finally break the silence, it wasn't the sisters boyfriend Jack that spoke. It was former Army NCO Jack Abbot, Dr Jack Abbot. Stone faced he simply said, "Explain."

To Marc's credit he stood up straight, looked Jack in the eye and told the truth. Something that went a long way.

Jack took him home, the drive long and painfully quiet, and when they got home he sat him down at the kitchen to wait for you to come home.

In bed that night you had stared at the ceiling. "At least it was just a gummy. RIght? And it came from a store."

Jack grumbled next to you. You both had lectured him on how dangerous it was to take any substance when you didn't know what it was for sure or where it had come from. Anyone could say they got it from a friend of a friend that was old enough. "He's a good kid, hon. He's smart. He told the truth and that's what matters I think. Just did a dumb teenager thing."

"Thank you for going and getting him."

"Of course."

You moved closer and cuddled into him, "I'm glad he has you."

~~~~~

One morning later that summer you were getting ready for work, watching Jack in the mirror as he slipped on his running blade.

Like always Jack sensed you, knew what you were thinking before you could say it out loud. "Coach told Marc if he wanted to make JV next year he needs to work harder." He stood up and shifted his weight back and forth on the specialized prosthesis. "So, he wants to start working out with me this summer." Jack came up behind you, eyes locked on yours in the mirror. "We'll see how he feels after today."

"Is it weird I think it's kinda sexy when you put that thing on?" You chuckled as he grabbed your hips.

"Yeah, it's weird." He dropped a kiss to the side of your neck, "I like weird though." You elbow him in the side and he only laughs, smacks your ass, "Have a good day, baby."

While he and Marcus jog around the neighborhood Jack can't help but let his mind wander. Half of him paying attention to Marcus talking about being able to take his driving test soon, and that he would need a car. The other half of his mind though, was occupied with a different conversation he needed to have with your brother.

Jack was a little ashamed to admit it took him the whole three miles to build up the guts to do it. They were walking down the street towards the house, cooling off. "Marc, I want to ask you something."

Your brother was still more than a little winded from the run, which honestly made jack feels a little better about himself, "Okay."

"How would you feel if your sister and I got married?" Just get it over with.

Marcus didn't answer right away, when he did it caught Jack off guard. "Why?"

"What do you mean why? Because we love each other, been together for years, because I want to."

"No, I mean," Marcus sucked in a deep breath, "Like, why now? You said it, you guys have been together for like ever."

Jack rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, had to remind himself that to Marcus it was forever. Nearly half the boys life Jack and you had been together by that point. "Honestly bud, you're old enough now that her life doesn't revolve around you like it used to." Jack had always made a point in his relationship with your brother to be as upfront as possible. "You're older now, more mature. When you were a kid I didn't want to get in the way of you and her. That was more important." He didn't know if that made sense at all, to anyone but him.

Marc nodded as they crossed a street and after a few minutes he finally responded, "Is it alright if I don't know how I feel?"

"Of course it is." Jack stopped at the corner, knew that Marcus would follow his lead, "I love your sister, think you know that, and I love you too. It's important to me that you'd be okay with it."

"So, have you already asked her to marry you or something?"

He shook his head, "No, not yet. I wanted to talk to you first. Man to man."

Marcus nodded, "Nothing... nothing would really change right?"

Jack could see that kid in him then, the one that had once upon a time had the whole world ripped out from under him. "Not really. She might take my last name, that would be about it. It'll be easier for her to get my benefits and everything if something happened, but no, life will be pretty much the same."

"If you couldn't marry her? Are you going to get pissed?"

"Don't say pissed, especially around your sister. We'll both get in trouble. No bud, if she doesn't want it I'm not going anywhere."

"So, is this like, if our Dad was alive and you were going to ask for his permission to marry Sissy or something?"

Jack laughed, "Not quite, but sure you can think of it that way if you want."

"What if I said no?"

There was something in the kids eyes that Jack recognized all too well. "Then we're turning around and doing another three miles." Jack shoved him jokingly, "So, don't get a big head."

Marcus laughed as he caught his balance, "I don't know how I really feel about it I guess," He started as the two of them kept walking, "But, I think it would make her happy."

Jack didn't expect the stab of emotion in his chest. "Well, then how about you think on it and we can talk about it again later?"

It took Marc less than 24 hours to come back and tell Jack he thought it would be a good idea and then threaten him that if he broke your heart Jack would have him to deal with. Jack had laughed but nodded, "Understood."

~~~~~~

You had cried when Jack proposed to you, but now you could not quit smiling. Sprawled across his chest you stared at your hand in front of you, the diamond he had put on your finger, smiling.

Jack had one arm behind his head, but his other hand was drawing lazy patterns over your bare back, perfectly content to watch you in that moment. "Maybe I should have asked sooner."

Your eyes snapped back to his, "No, this is perfect." You moved to crawl up to meet him, kiss him, humming happily at the feeling of his two rough, warm hands settling low on your hips and then smoothing up your sides, over your back.

"Yeah?" He asked quietly, lips brushing over yours as he looked up at you, watching you intently.

"Perfect." You lowered more of your weight over him and he wrapped his arms around you, kissed you deeper. "Everything is perfect." You moaned when his hands moved back to your hips, pulling you straddle him. "I'm so happy Jack, you've always made me happy."

Jack nodded, cradled the back of your head and spoke directly against your lips, "Good. That's all I want hon," He paused to kiss you, the love and the meaning behind it bone deep, "Just want to make you happy."

You lost yourselves in it for a moment, kissing and touching eachother, both of you coming to terms with the knowledge that this would be the rest of your life. Jack was finally, officially, going to be a part of your tiny, broken little family. The missing piece that had brought it all together.

Suddenly you laughed, unable to stop it.

Jack grumbled, fingers dug into your hips, "Something funny?"

"I'm sorry." You kissed him, traced his tongue with yours in apology, "I just thought of something."

"Oh yeah?" Jacks eyes were laser focused as you sat up, still straddling his hips, your hands coming to rest on his torso. He let his hands slid down your thighs to rest, "Want to share?"

You bit your lip, "It's slly."

Jack just stared up at you, waiting. "Ohana."

Jack watched you, gently shook his head to say he wasn't tracking.

"Lilo & Stitch?"

Jack furrowed his brow, then shook his head, still confused. Marcus had forced him to watch the with him plenty of times when he was younger. Even still Jack would find the two of you on the couch watching the kids movie. He hadn't really put much thought into it.

"It's us." You shrugged and looked away for a second, "We watched it once, I'd only had Marcus with me for maybe... a month, if even, and I had no idea what to do so we watched movies. Like all the time." You nodded to yourself at the memories, your fingers absently tracing over the lines of muscle and a few scattered scars over Jacks chest and abdomen. "He said one day, ' Sissy! it's us.' and it is. A lost, sad, lonley, little kid, and an older sister just trying to do her best, but has no fucking clue what she's doing. Just trying to do what she can after their parents died. It's even set in Hawaii." You snorted out a laugh, "It's stupid but it was nice at the time, to see that, for both of us I think." You took a deep breath and smiled down at him.

"It means family?" Jack finally nodded, understanding he thought, his hold on you tightening, "It's little and broken, but still good, right? That's what they say?"

You nod, eyes burning again. Jack watches you, his eyes taking in all of you and then the corner of his mouth ticks up, "Does that make me the surfer dude boyfriend? WIth the muscles and the floppy hair that follows her around like a kicked puppy?"

The laugh rips out of you before you can stop it and you smack him across the chest, "I think it does." You're smiling like an idiot again as you stroke your hands over his strong core and chest, trace your fingers over the corded muscles in his arms and then you lean down. One hand combing through the graying curls you loved and your lips brushing over his. "Technically fiance."

~~~~~

It felt strange to be back in Hawaii. The last time you were here was for your parents funeral. So many emotions. You had woke up early, your internal clock messed up, but it gave you an excuse to sit and watch the sky light up over the early morning breakers. Your heart skipped a beat when Jacks arms wrapped around you from behind, his lips brushing over the side of your neck. You dropped your weight back into him, happy to feel him take it easily, keep you standing like he'd always done.

"Second thoughts?" He whispered against your ear, arms wrapped tight around you.

"Not a chance. You're stuck now, no getting out of it."

Jack hummed, a hint of a laugh in it, "Damn." His lips moved down your neck, over your shoulder. He didn't have to see you to know you had rolled your eyes. "Don't have to be up for a long time yet, hon." His hands moved to slip beneath the shirt you had worn to bed.

"Are you telling me to come back to bed?" You couldn't help but smile as you dropped your head back against his shoulder, let yourself enjoy the moment.

"Asking nicely." He chuckled into the side of your neck, "For now.'

"Well," You started, turned in his arms, "Since you asked nicely." You wrapped your arms around Jacks neck and kissed him as you let him take you back to bed.

For a few more hours anyway.

Then he was waiting for you, looking so calm and confident, smiling at you while your heart felt like it was going to rip out of your chest.

Beside you Marcus gave your arm a squeeze, and then he gave you an easy smile. His eyes locked on yours and unwavering. God, there was so much of Jack in him now. The way your brother stood, the way he carried himself, the confidence and certainty on his face as the seventeen year old boy stood in for your father, ready to walk you across the beach and up to the alter.

There had been a time, after that phonecall that had brought you to your knees in the middle of the ED, that you thought your life was over. Far from it you realized, It was just beginning. Sure, maybe your PTMC family was going to be a little annoyed with you when you get back from your "family vacation" and find out you and Jack had eloped, but they'd forgive you. Eventually.

~~ The End ~~

[date-everything-has-taken-over]

Hi hi hiii I wasnwondering if u could do a fic thing where reader is basically dating most dateables n one day they (the reader) basically ends up feeling extremely sick from not taling care of theirself properly, running around to fix stuff, starting a new part-time job, going out with new friends. Could some of the characters included be dorian, eddie & volt, hector and whoever else? Pls and thank uu!!

Gonna add Barry and Betty because I think they'd fit in very well with this case (And they're my babygirls)

Dorian🚪

● One of the first to notice something was off

●After losing your job at Valdivian, you had gotten two part-time jobs to make up for it, and it was beginning to take its toll

●He was the kne to see you before you walked through the front Dorian. Before you would take a deep breath and put on your best, "everything's okay" face

●He'd try his best to convince you to give yourself a break and get some well needed rest, but you kept reassuring him you'd be fine

●Well, he was right. After one too many overtime shifts combined with coming home to help everyone with their problems resulting in many sleepless nights, you come home and practically collapsed in the front hallway

●"Right, that's it. You're taking a couple days off work and resting"

●Unfortunately, he's still the front door, so he can't take you to bed himself, but bedroom Dorian will take things from there

●If you thought he was like a bouncer before, you haven't seen anything yet.

●A dateable wants to see you. "Are you on the list?" "What do you need with them?" "You're not gonna cause a fuss are ya?"

●He even contemplates moving the hanks downstairs. Sure, they're usually in your room, but they're so loud. He gives them a stern warning (which scares them just a bit) and let's them stay

●He makes sure the house is safe and that your room is the pinical of peace

●"Autherized personal only" Dorian blocks anyone trying to get in, but especially the more rowdy members of the house

●"Darling, you never believe what I heard about Hoove!" Scandalabra tries yelling through Dorian, which was followed by a suspicious thud (I'm sure it's nothing to worry abt)

●Until he sees you're 100% better, Dorian doesn't let you out of his sight (not that he does that anyway). Going to the kitchen for chicken soup? He's got an eye on you just in case

●When you actually do recover, he's making sure you don't get yourself in the same issue and makes you promise not to push yourself

●"It's not just my job to keep you safe from the outside world, love." He holds you close to him, enveloping you in a warm hug. "I will always be there to keep you safe from all danger"

●Even after you're better and going back to work, he's checking on you every chance he gets, reminding you to eat and sleep at a reasonable time

●He may not woo with words as much as other dateables, but he shows how much he loves you every day by being a safe and reliable presence for you

Eddie & Volt⚡️

●Work was short-staffed, and with it being busy season, you were picking up extra shifts almost every day

● They know overworked when they see it, so when you show up to the club, noticeably tired, they clock you right away

●Volt takes a seat next to you, placing his lips on the side of you head

"You know we're always happy to see you, live wire-"

Eddie cuts him off

"-But you look dead tired, go to bed"

● Volt chuckles, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you onto his lap

"Our live wire doesn't need to leave to rest, do they?" He brings you closer. "You can relax right here, live wire"

●After that night, Eddie stopped letting you help out around the club

"Don't worry about it, alright? You look like you're about to fall over anyway"

●Eddie acts tough, but he's checking on you and bringing you water every time you visit the Breaker Box after work

●When everything catches up to you and you actually do end up getting sick enough to take a couple of days off work while stuck in bed, they're both worried (and a little pissed)

●They've seen you running around the house helping everyone, fixing things around the house, settling arguments between other members of the house so they have a pretty good idea of how you ended up like this

●They check on you every day to make sure you're doing alright

●If you're not awake when they come by, you'll wake up to find a glass of water, Nyquill, and a note

'Rest well, live wire -E&V

●After a couple of days of bedrest, you return to the club, and they're happy to see you doing well

●They've both accepted you're too nice to say no to helping everyone in the house, so how do they remedy this?

●By practically keeping you hostage in the club for the next couple of days (Can't get exhausted again if they just keep you at the Breaker Box)

●Eddie still refuses to let you help out even if you insist

"And you get on me for not taking a break," he sets a glass in front of you. "Little hypocritical, don't ya think?"

●He places a gentle kiss on the top of your head, keeping close for a moment before going to the back to do maintenance

●They may be busy running the club, but never too busy for you, and they make sure to remind you

Hector💨

●Also, very quick to notice

●He was very worried when he noticed how much slower you seemed lately

●Asks how you're doing multiple times a day. Never believes you when you say you're fine but he doesn't wanna push it and upset you

●Fully panics when he sees you collapse after walking through front Dorian

●The temperature spikes for a moment until he calms down

●He doesn't leave your side for a moment

●Takes extra care to keep the temperature at a comfortable level for you

●You don't even have to say anything. Ate you pulling the blanket closer to you? Heat up. Are you kicking away the sheets? Air on.

●He so badly wants to be there with you. To hold you and comfort you. But he's still terrified to leave the vents

●He's slightly soothed knowing Betty is taking very good care of you (but also kinda jealous)

●In the middle of the night, when he's sure everyone is asleep, he sits beside your bed, watching as your breath rises and falls

● He brushes your hair aside, admiring your beautiful face (even though it's sick and sweaty, he doesn't care)

●Before leaving, he gives your forehead a kiss. "Feel better soon, my love."

● If someone tried disturbing you or kept you awake, he'd turn the heat up in the room they're in to be petty

●When you're well enough to get out of bed, he's overcome with both joy and anxiety

●Joy because you're well enough to see him in the attic now. He can hold you again (and you can watch him turn bright red as you kiss his face)

● But anxious because, what if this happens again? What if the human keeps pushing themselves? What if it's WORSE next time?!

●He begs you to slow down and not push yourself too hard. To give yourself more free time and rest more often

●The look he gives you is like a kicked puppy, and you just can't help but hold him close and promise to take care of yourself better

●He clings to you for a bit before you leave the attic to go to bed "Rest well, my love."

● When you finally go back to work, he anxiously waits for your return, watching Timmy just a little too closely

●When you finally return, he observes your every move to see if you look tired or overwhelmed

●If not, good. But if you look any kind of distressed, he's whisking you away to the attic to cuddle, then practically dragging you to bed at the end of the day

●You're honestly a little surprised since he's normally not this bold face-to-face

●Even long after recovery, it becomes a new routine. If you come home tired, he's attaching himself to you koala style

Barry💄

● Well, technically, he noticed pretty quickly when he'd see you so exhausted every morning, buuuuut then he forgot and would notice all over again each morning

●Feels terrible when you come home sick and remain bedridden for days

●He's almost too nervous to visit you, scared you'd be mad at him

●"Are you feeling alright, darling?" He peeks into your room, "Anything I can do to help?"

●When you tell him you'd just like to hear his voice and that you love it when he goes on little rants about whatever he's obsessed with at the moment, his whole face turns red

●"Oh! W-well, that's, um, very n-nice, darling." He laughs nervously. He takes a moment to compose himself. "I 'm-I'm glad you enjoy hearing me talk. I'm happy to keep you company, darling."

●Since you're stuck in bed with nothing to do, Baeey is happy to keep you company while you recover

● He'll talk about just about anything that interests him at the time. Makeup, toucans, history, lions, movies. He's also happy to listen if you have anything to yap about

● If you're not able to shower, he'll brush your hair so it doesn't get too knotted while you're sick, taking care to be extra gentle.

●It's so soothing you send up falling asleep. He brings the covers over your body and turns the lights off, letting you sleep peacefully

●Before leaving, he leans down to kiss your cheek "Goodnight, darling."

● You may or may not have woken up with a lipstick smudge on your cheek, but you certainly didn't mind

●When you're feeling better, Barry helps you through your post-sick self-care routine. Warm bath, skin care, hair care

●Helps you with your bath so you don't fall asleep, definitely not because he wants to rub your soapy body noooo definitely not

Betty🛌

●She noticed right away. You've barely been sleeping and even when you do, you toss and turn all night.

●She tries to get you to come to bed early, but you're busy helping around the house. Then she tried getting you to sleep in, but you got called into work early.

●This repeated a couple of times until you stumbled into your room and fell onto her.

●She's happy to be able to spend so much time with you, but she wishes it weren't under such conditions.

●She holds you close, your head just under her chin and your face against her chest (awooga). She's somehow the perfect temperature for when you're cold or overheating.

●She'll gently stroke your head and hum softly until you fall asleep.

● When you wake up, she looks down at you and brings a hand to your cheek. "Good morning, lover." She presses a gentle kiss on your forehead. "I'm afraid I can't let you go anywhere until I'm sure you're better." Her gentle voice makes it seem like a joke, but you know she's serious.

● You wouldn't have thought to leave anyway, you could barely move, and your whole body felt achy but more importly Betty was just so damn sweet and comfortable.

●Ngl it's mostly sleeping and cuddleng with you and occasanaly getting food

●When you finally felt better, she convinced you to take an extra rest day with her "just in case"

Sorry, Betty's is so short! I couldn't think of much for her

[steddiehyperfixation]

i think you should try again

written for @steddiebingo prompt: scoops | 2k words | T |

It's the first day of summer vacation and Eddie should be overjoyed. Free. The cage that is school has been opened and he should be a bird in flight, stretching his wings and soaring weightless through the world, unladen with places to be or homework to do. But he isn’t—overjoyed or free or flying or any of it. The cage is open but he still feels just as trapped and heavy as ever, dragging himself sullenly around the trailer until even his uncle feels the need to say something about it. 

Wayne, never usually one to give unsolicited advice and who generally tends to stay out of Eddie’s business, finally looks over at him and tells him, “You gotta quit mopin’ around, Ed. This sulking ain’t doin’ anyone any good, especially not yourself. I reckon you’d feel better if you got outside, go do somethin’.” 

Well, Eddie reckons that’d probably make him feel worse actually, but he gets the part that his uncle’s not saying too, and he doesn’t want his sour mood to bring Wayne down as well. So he gets himself dressed and drags himself sullenly around town instead. 

It’s the new Starcourt Mall’s grand opening today and it’s packed to the brim with high school kids enjoying their break and graduated seniors celebrating their freedom. And it does make Eddie feel worse. He takes it out on a particularly loud, whooping jock in the food court, shoulder-checking him hard and receiving an elbow to the ribs and a “Watch it, freak!” in return. Stupid fucking town. Eddie pulls a devil face, and watching the jock and his friends recoil from him lifts his spirits only marginally. 

What does lift his spirits is wandering to get ice cream and happening across the one and only freshly graduated senior in this place who isn’t free or celebrating. Steve Harrington stands behind the counter of a Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Parlor in a totally dorky sailor uniform complete with a hat, a sight that makes Eddie fight a smile for the first time all day. 

Eddie approaches the counter with a grin, looking Steve up and down. “You know, I was feeling like shit today, but I think this just cheered me up.” 

Steve huffs and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I know, I look ridiculous.”

“Nah, it’s kind of cute, actually,” Eddie says, because it is, and because he’s curious how Steve will react. 

Steve blinks, expression split between a flattered smile and skeptically raised eyebrow. “Thanks? Um.” He shakes his head as if shaking off Eddie’s comment, putting his customer service smile back on gesturing towards the selection of ice cream. “So, what can I get for you today?”  

Eddie shrugs. “What do you recommend to cure a shitty mood?” 

“Well, something chocolate usually works,” Steve answers, “but it depends on what's got you down.” 

“I didn't graduate,” Eddie says, which should be common knowledge by now. “Again. So I’m not really feeling the summer excitement like everyone else.” 

“Ah, right.” Steve nods with a slightly awkward, sympathetic smile. “Definitely chocolate then,” he decides, grabbing a scooper and flipping it in his hand as he slides over to the tubs of ice cream. “How do you feel about Rocky Road?” 

Eddie smiles a little. “It's my favorite.” 

Steve gets to scooping, quiet for a minute and then he says, “I didn't get into college.” 

“Oh.” 

“Not a single one. Not even community college. That's why I'm here. So, you know—I get it.” 

“Yeah.” Eddie appreciates the attempt at solidarity, he really does, but, “At least you graduated.” 

“Yeah…” Steve sheepishly breaks eye contact as he sprays whipped cream onto the ice cream he's scooped. “Are you gonna try again?” 

“I’m not sure yet. I have until the end of the month to decide,” Eddie says, and that seems to be the end of the conversation. 

Steve hands him a sundae with three scoops but only charges him for one, a kindness Eddie isn't quite sure how to respond to, so he doesn't—just pays and finds a booth to sit and eat at. 

He picks somewhere where he can keep Steve in his eyeline, still amused by those sailor shorts and intrigued by the odd little conversation they just had. Steve Harrington is nothing like Eddie expected, nothing like he seemed to be in high school, and the more Eddie watches him, the clearer that becomes. 

Steve’s off his game, keeps trying and failing to flirt with girls who come up to the counter. Whatever smooth charm he was once purported to have in those King Steve days of yore is nowhere in sight now and instead he seems to wear an ill-fitting mask of false confidence, blustering to some poor girl about postponing college in favor of getting real life work experience as if it was his own wise choice to scoop ice cream in a sailor outfit, but his eyes betray a look just as trapped and heavy as Eddie’s been feeling lately. Maybe there is solidarity to be found here after all. 

The girl leaves with her ice cream and Steve looks up to catch Eddie watching him, a startling, unintentional moment of direct eye contact. Steve gives a tiny smile and a small shrug—in embarrassment maybe, or just simple acknowledgement—but Eddie doesn’t see it long enough to interpret it, already looking away and snapping his attention back to the slowly melting sundae in front of him. He eats his ice cream and doesn’t look over again, allowing Steve the dignity of striking out with the next girl unwitnessed. It’s cruel to visibly revel in another’s failure, and while there are many people Eddie would love to be cruel to today, Steve isn’t one of them. 

So Eddie watches everyone else instead. As the natural curative powers of chocolate ice cream and marshmallows work their magic on his bad mood, he alleviates his bitterness further and entertains himself by imagining great, fantastical harm befalling anyone he sees whom he finds irritating. Snickering mean girls are cursed by wizards; obnoxious jocks are eaten by dragons; celebrating seniors are torn apart by hoards of goblins. 

“I think you should try again.”

Eddie blinks out of his daydream of a particularly vicious dragon to see Steve pulling up a chair, those stupid shorts riding up his thighs obscenely as he sits. Not that Eddie’s looking—he’s not (he is). He blinks again, pulls his gaze back to Steve’s face. “What?” 

“High school, graduating,” Steve says, “I think you should try again.” 

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Eddie says with a scoff of a laugh, trying to sound light because he’s really not sure why Steve cares. “Going back for a third senior year is a bit pathetic, isn’t it?” 

“Not as pathetic as giving up,” Steve tells him. “And you never struck me as the type.” 

Eddie raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t realize you took that much notice of me, Harrington.”��

“Kinda hard not to when you were stomping on top of cafeteria tables every other day, Munson,” Steve points out, like duh. 

“Touché,” Eddie mutters. 

“You’ve got grit, man, is what I’m trying to say,” Steve continues. “You know—you’re bold, you’re tough, you don’t back down. You parade on top of lunch tables and rail against the stereotypes put on you, and that doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d let anyone, not even himself, tell him he can’t. So what’s one more senior year? What’s one more try to finally graduate and stick it to everyone who never thought you could? If anyone can do it this time, it’s you.” 

He says all this in what Eddie can only assume to be his best ‘team captain’ voice, an expert tone of firm encouragement and optimistic passion that Eddie can vividly imagine Steve (tiny basketball shorts included) having used in locker room speeches to rally the spirits and self-confidence of his teammates before they took to the field—or court, or whatever. The Hawkins High basketball team never won much in Steve’s time, but Eddie bets they had great morale. 

“Right, yeah,” he says, attempting to remain guardedly nonchalant even as his chest glows warm with Steve’s unexpected praise. “Thanks for the pep talk.”

Steve nods, smiles. “Of course.” And that could’ve been the end of it, but Steve stays seated, taps his fingers against the table, and surprises Eddie again by saying, “And, hey, um, you run that Dungeons and Dragons club at school, right? Hell-something?” 

“Hellfire, yeah,” Eddie confirms, adding Steve Harrington knows what D&D is? to the ever-growing list of things that have bewildered and intrigued him about Steve today. “Why?”

“There’s a couple of kids I kind of babysit, they’re gonna be freshmen next year and they’re really into that nerd stuff—like, total geeks,” Steve says. Easy targets, he means. He shrugs. “So, you know, if you did decide to stick around another year, it’d be nice for them to have someone to look out for ‘em.”

“Ah,” Eddie says. Now this all makes a little more sense. He points his spoon at Steve. “There it is, the ulterior motive.” Steve doesn’t care about him; he hasn’t been trying to talk him into a third senior year for Eddie’s sake, but for the sake of a bunch of nerdy kids he knows. Which, actually, is still kind of sweet. 

Steve rolls his eyes. “Put that accusing spoon down, Munson, there’s no ulterior motive. I meant what I said before, too. I want you to try again for you, because you really are tough and I really do think you can do it. But also because there are some kids who might need you. Both of those things can be true.”

Eddie puts his accusing spoon down and uses it to take another bite of his soupy ice cream instead. “I guess.” 

“And, who knows, maybe I want it for me too,” Steve adds flippantly, and Eddie can’t tell if he’s being serious or if this is just a cheeky hypothetical to further his point. “You know, I drive those kids around a lot, I’ll probably be picking them up from those Hellfire meetings. Maybe I want to see more of you. Maybe all three of those things can be true.” 

Hypothetical or not, Eddie can’t hold back his oddly endeared smile anymore. “Alright,” he concedes, “you’ve made your point.” 

Steve grins back. “I’ve gotta get back to work,” he says, finally standing up. He drops a hand onto Eddie’s shoulder as he passes by, a brief, lingering squeeze. “Just think about it.” 

Eddie glances at his shoulder as if half expecting the touch to have sunk into his skin and left some sort of imprint. It hadn’t, of course. He scrapes up the last of his sundae and quickly stands before Steve can get too far. “Hey, Steve?” 

Steve pauses and turns around. 

“I think you should try again too.” 

“What, with college and stuff? Yeah, I know, I’ll probably reapply next year.” 

“Well, yeah, good, that too,” Eddie says, “but I meant— I saw you strike out with that girl earlier; I think you should try again. You’ve got a lot going for you, really, and I, uh, I think a lot more people would see that if you didn’t put up some weird facade of over-the-top confidence. So- yeah, I think you should try again, but be honest, be yourself, you know, without all that bluster.”

Steve smiles, a slow, bemused sort of smile that borders on a smirk, as his head tilts and his eyes glance Eddie over. “I just did,” he says, and then he’s turning away again. “I’ll see you around, Eddie.” 

It takes a couple seconds of buffering time for Eddie to process exactly what Steve meant by that, and by then Steve’s already gone, back to work and busy. “Yeah, you will,” Eddie mutters in delayed, unnecessary response, grinning to himself as he throws away his empty sundae cup and walks out of there in far better spirits than he’d entered with. 

He still doesn’t know yet if he’ll be going back to Hawkins High for another try at senior year, but he does know that he’ll definitely be coming back here, to Scoops Ahoy, for another try at Steve Harrington.

[antianakin]

See, the other thing to keep in mind is that attachment doesn't mean love at all, not in a positive way, at least.

The word attachment, as it is used in Star Wars, means a greedy, toxic obsession with something. It doesn't actually have to be a person, either, it can be a place, an object, or even just an idea. Attachment is an unwillingness to accept CHANGE. It's a desire to hold on to something exactly as it is because you believe it will make you feel good. It's also in some ways a fear of loss, as well, a fear that that loss will cause you pain and a belief that holding onto the thing as hard as you can will keep you from feeling that pain.

Letting go of attachments isn't a good thing because the Jedi happen to be psychic space wizards with abilities that have the potential to be dangerous and so they have to limit the things they do in order to avoid being dangerous as much as possible. Letting go of attachments is a good thing for LITERALLY EVERYBODY because it is, quite simply, the healthy way to have relationships with anything in your life. People leave, homes get destroyed, objects can be lost, and ideas can be changed as you grow and learn more about the world. The only guarantee that anybody has in this world is that things change, and that can be scary, for sure, but you have to be able to accept that or you'll always be miserable.

A lot of people find ways to explain away the Jedi's rules by saying "well they're Jedi, so things are just different for them" without realizing that the whole point of the Jedi is that they're intended to be examples of the best possible way to live your life, both in universe and out of it. The Jedi's entire culture is based on good mental health practices, things that they do try to help teach everyone they meet if they can, but it's also things that you as the viewer are perfectly able to learn from them, too. Anakin is a cautionary tale of someone who chooses selfish greed over selfless compassion, someone who can't let go and accept change. And so it stands to reason then that if Anakin is the cautionary tale, then the Jedi are the opposite. They are what Anakin was MEANT to be, which means you as the viewer should be able to look at them as an example of what YOU can be, too.

The rule about attachment isn't just about keeping your powers in check. The Jedi have years of specialized training to keep their powers in check. The rule about attachment is there because literally EVERYBODY should be doing this as a general rule of thumb. Anybody can cause someone harm by being too attached to something. Anakin's attachments destroy an entire galaxy in order to make a really obvious point, but there are plenty of other ways your own attachments to people, places, things, or ideas might be causing you or someone else harm.

It's not "great power comes with great responsibility," it's "being a person living in the world automatically comes with a responsibility to yourself and the people around you." If you try to look at this as just a thing the Jedi have to do because they have magical powers, then you've kind-of missed the whole message behind Anakin's fall and the Jedi's destruction. You can look at Anakin and go "Well, but that wouldn't happen to ME because I don't have magic powers" as opposed to recognizing that this can still absolutely happen to you even if the consequences are smaller and so you still need to learn the lesson that Anakin couldn't in order to live a happier, healthier life.

The attachment rule arguably has nothing to do with relationships specifically, it's just the place where Anakin tends to struggle the most (although I'd argue he also struggles with attachments to his own IDEAS of how the world works, as well, but that one's a little less obvious) and so that's what people tend to focus on.

The Jedi do also seem to have rules about their members getting married and having kids, but that's more of an issue with COMMITMENT to the work the Jedi do and not an issue of attachment, so that's a completely separate conversation.

I was listening to a star wars podcast that mentioned the no attachments rule and I was once again reminded that people have a very odd interpretation of that rule. that interpretation being that jedi condemned love as something bad that should be avoided at all costs. whereas I've always understood it as a kind of 'necessary evil' precaution.

let's look at a more mundane analogy like speed limits. I know this sounds ridiculous right off the bat but bear with me here. does driving inherently mean you have the potential to be dangerous to those around you? yes, it does. if you hit someone with a car, you're more likely to hurt or kill them. it's a privilege that should be used with caution. okay are there people out there who drive responsibly and aren't likely to hurt anyone even at high speeds? sure, tons of them. probably even the majority because they learn all these rules and pass a driving test and all that. does that mean that we should allow everyone to drive as fast as they want? no, it doesn't. because there are people that are irresponsible or don't exercise enough caution and even one of them can deal severe irreparable damage if they're allowed to drive at high speeds. so can people exist normally without driving above the speed limit? sure, they can still get to their destination just fine.

are we sensing the pattern here? high speed driving itself isn't the villain, it's not inherently bad. but knowing there are people out there who might do it irresponsibly and will deal real bad damage when they do and the fact that we can't predict who these people are and apply the rules to them selectively means that it's safer for everyone if there's one universal rule which doesn't ban driving altogether but just limits it for the sake of avoiding future accidents.

okay, now let's apply that to the Force, only we multiply everything thousandfold.

does being Force-sensitive inherently mean you have the potential to be dangerous to those around you? yes, it does. a person with a car can do a lot of damage but nowhere near what we've seen a single dark side user like Palpatine or Vader do. same thing here, being able to use the Force is a privilege that should be used with caution. are there people out there who use the Force responsibly and aren't likely to hurt anyone even when they allow themselves to have specific relationships (like spouses, children, etc.)? sure. probbaly the majority of the Jedi order because they're taught all this philosophy about how they should use their power, it's this really nice set of teachings about love, selflessness and managing your emotions.

now...

does that mean that we should allow every force user to have specific relationships? no, it doesn't. because there are people that are irresponsible or don't exercise enough caution and even one of them can deal severe irreparable damage if they're allowed to be reckless with their relationships (I didn't even need to reword this part). so can people exist normally without specific relationships? sure, they can still form deep loving connections and have their emotional needs met, in fact the jedi are explicitly shown to encourage community and cooperation, their whole social structure is very akin to one big family. masters and padawans being clear examples of the order's version of parent child relationships, your crechemates being like siblings to you, etc.

so no, the no attachments rule isn't implying that all forms of love are inherently bad or dangerous. what it is, in my mind, is just the result of a long history where the jedi realized that some behaviors can lead to disastrous consequences if left unchecked. my guess is that there must have been many jedi who fell to the dark side because of attachment i.e. obsession so the most natural thing to do if you're an institution tasked with the responsibility of teaching Force users how to use their power responsibly is to make a rule for these behaviors and I don't understand why this is so offensive to people.

it's not that different from analyzing a bunch of car accidents, identifying a pattern (high speed), deciding that you can do away with that without seriously harming anyone and establishing a rule to minimize the chance of future accidents.

and yes, these kinds of rules require some sacrifice. taking longer to get to your destination sucks but you make that sacrifice to keep the people around you safe. and of course having to be careful about your relationships and avoiding some types of relationships is a much bigger sacrifice but as we already said, so is the danger that one dark side user poses in comparison to one reckless driver.

great power comes with great responsibility and this applies to Force users to an extreme extent. yes, personal sacrifice and selflessness at that scale are extremely difficult to comprehend for most of us but so is the power that comes with being able to wield the Force. it's much easier to 'deconstruct' that idea and say it was wrong and corrupted to begin with without bothering to try and imagine what the implications of such a power are and it's sad to see that this is the route most people take when looking at the jedi.

[soulfulazrael]

I noticed something... concerning growing in Deltarune community

And it relates to my previous post about a certain theory I had because the more I delve into this community after thinking about it the more I am concerned. And big part of that is this piece of art by sanbel780308

Just so you all know though. I throw NO shade at the artist. They are REALLY good and I hope none of you go after them or insult them or anything. This piece of art or rather that post is something that made me realize something about DR community overall.

There is some weird... hero/savior complex going on... or something... incel like. I dunno. It just feels weird. It is mainly centered on the mentality people have around Kris and Susie. Where there is a very big theory where once Susie knows about Kris and us being separate she will ditch Kris and realize WE were her real friend all this time and that will create sad conflict.

And I honestly at this point think it's just fucking weird. Like the more I think on this theory and what mentality some people who believe it have, the more gross it feels and the more I dread if it becomes a reality.

Because this is pretty much an idea where YOU are the only reason Susie likes Kris at all and without you Kris is NOTHING and they would be nothing if not just evil. Where you are the one who does everything right. Where YOU are the one who deserves to be Susie's friend and Kris NEEDS you to be her and everyone else's friend and...

Can you tell already all the things that are just... wrong with this? It's genuinely creepy mentality. Like imagine you have a friend who helps you out with talking to a girl (or a boy or other, I don't judge). They give you some hints, they help you out being more confident and you are able to also spend more time with her, being able to have fun with her and do things with her on your own.

But then you introduce her to him (or her... or other... either way I would judge, you'll see why), you explain how they helped you. And then this person goes "Yeah. I did all the work for them. Pretty much everything they said and did was from ME! So you should be with ME! Not them! Without me they suck!".

This is pretty much what this sounds like to me. I think this comic by valentinemesis I think REALLY well shows what I mean here

Honestly. This comic nails on the head what I think is genuinely growing in this community. And the more I see it the more I hope that my idea where Susie is able to quickly get over what Kris does and is and is more angry and distrustful against US to be a reality. Because honestly... this fanbase kind of needs it I say.

This kind of cold shower where you have to wake some people up to reality where this kind of mentality REALLY should not fester. Because I genuinely something just awful would come from it. And I think Toby is smarter than let something of this sort brew in his community like this. Especially with how it feels close to what "Chara did all the bad things" was for Undertale. I feel like he knows better now.

Especially with how many of them also ignore how Kris DOES in fact do things with Susie without our input. If not most of them at this point. And to act as if they have no say, or relationship with Susie is genuinely gross.

Or maybe I am just paranoid, self hating weirdo, but to me... I just feel off about all this. And I genuinely hope this wont turn into something awful.

Anyway. Hope you all who read this check out those artists I mentioned. Support them or whatever. Do not harass any of them (as if I have enough reach to cause this). And... I hope you do not think of future events in Delatrune like this because... you gotta admit. It's fucking weird.

[thebisexualdogdad]

Hey friend can you do the fluff poly a to z for Nolan x Male reader x Tim?

a = affection; is anyone more overly affectionate than the others? when it comes to physical vs verbal, who prefers what?

John is a lot more affectionate than Tim, John shows affection both physically and verbally where Tim is much more subtle about it, Tim will cuddle with you on the couch but he's not really one to hold hands in public.

b = bed; what’s the sleeping situation like? are there regular sleeping arrangements - does anyone like to sleep alone?

You usually end up in the middle because John gets up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom and Tim wants to be on an end in case of emergency leaving you in the middle, not that your complaining about that.

c = comfort; when someone’s feeling down, how do the rest look after them?

Tim can be clueless when it comes to comforting someone, he's just like, “uh you want pizza? A beer?” John on the other hand is like let's have a weekend getaway and forget about all our worries.

d = dates; what do dates look like? who usually plans them, or are is it a group affair?

John is the usual date planner, he's always looking for new places to check out and he's the one who always finds the best coupons to save some money. Tim, “really Nolan another coupon?” John, “hey we need to save some money for the Rams game we're going to next week, those stadium beers are expensive.”

e = events; who drags everyone else to their family/friends’ events?

John is the social one, he's always planning get togethers with your friends and when Henry comes to town John has an entire itinerary of things he wants to do.

f = fights; are arguments something that happen often? what are they over, and how are they resolved?

Arguments with Tim are about him pushing you away when things get hard because he thinks that is what's best for you. Arguments with John are about him constantly putting himself in danger. How do you resolve them? Well that's a constant work in progress.

g = getting together; how did it all come about? were there any pre-existing relationships between them?

You transferred to the mid Wilshire station and upon meeting Tim and John you realized you were attracted to both of them and they both wanted to be with you too. They didn't know if they would be able to share you so it was pretty awkward at first trying to figure everything out but you eventually found the relationship worked and everyone was happy in it.

h = hobbies; does anyone share any hobbies/passions? how do they include the rest of their partners in them?

Tim's are sports, John likes to read. John sort of likes sports but no where near the degree Tim does so he's able to follow along when you guys watch/go to games with Tim but when it comes to big events like the superbowl he's more interested in the party aspect versus the actual game. John is a fan of classic literature, you and Tim were actually kind of surprised at how much John reads.

i = in sickness and in health - when someone falls ill, who’s the carer and who’s the germaphobe? is there anyone that resists being looked after?

Tim is the germaphobe who stays very far away when you're sick, sleeping on the couch still feels too close he genuinely considers staying at a hotel. John is the caretaker who has no fears of getting sick, he's convinced he has an immune system of steel.

j = joker; who’s got the best sense of humour? do they like to tease and banter with everyone else?

John is the jokester and he often makes references you and Tim don't understand. Tim, “is that like an old person thing?” John, “old?? I'm only a few years older than you??”

k = knowing; who can read their partners like a book? is there anyone who’s got their walls up, even around their partners?

You're starting to break down Tim's walls slowly brick by brick. You've gotten a pretty good read on the two of them and know when something is up.

l = lavish; is there anyone who really likes to treat their partners/show them off? how do the rest tend to react - who revels in it, and who’s made shy by it?

You show off John and Tim all the time, why wouldn't you when you have two handsome boyfriends like them plus you want to make sure they know how much you love each of them.

m = memories - is anyone more on the sentimental side?

Definitely John, he remembers every single important step in your relationship and treats them all like anniversaries. The day you met, your first date with him, your first date with both him and Tim, the day you moved in together etc.

n = nights; what’s the nighttime routine like when they’re all together?

There is a lot of you having to wake up John cause he fell asleep on the couch while watching TV before bed and Tim often goes for a run before bed.

o = open; how open is everyone with one another?

John is like an open book, he was very honest about his feelings from the beginning. Tim struggled with being vulnerable but eventually let his guard down opening up to you.

p = pda; what’s pda like with them? is there anyone who loves it, and anyone who’s less fond of it? what actions/words does it manifest as?

Like stated before Tim is not big on affection and certainly not in public, the only time he stops caring is when you are at an event and you dance together and he forgets about everyone else in the room letting himself relax. John always has his arm around you, kisses your cheek and generally tries to have you as close to him as possible (well besides at work cause Grey would definitely write you up for that).

q = quiet; who prefers to spend their time with their partners out and about, and who likes to spend it at home?

Tim prefers nights at home, John prefers going out. The only way to convince Tim to go out is if it's a double date with Angela and Wesley or Nyla and James.

r = romantic; is anyone a bit of a sap for their partners?

Don't let Tim's tough exterior fool you he's down bad for you he's just not good at showing it but he would put his life on the line for you without a second thought.

s = sharing; is there anyone who’s particularly territorial of their partners?

It was definitely a learning experience for Tim and John having to share a partner. They both had to be open and honest about their feelings which brought a lot of deep conversations. Tim had a harder time getting used to being in a throuple and it was particularly annoying having people at work asking him questions about your relationship telling them it was none of their business.

t = terms of endearment; nicknames! who’s crazy on them, and who do they make cringe? what’re the go-to’s?

John calls you babe and dear, Tim doesn't really do nicknames and mostly calls you by your last name at work and first name at home.

u = urge; who’s the most impulsive? who do they loop into their plans, and who entertains their antics?

Obviously John has some problems with impulsivity, sometimes you get yourself wrapped into it while Tim is scolding you guys for being so reckless.

v = vacations; how do holidays go? are they big exotic trips, or the occasional staycation?

You guys mostly do weekends away, Catalina, palm springs, San Diego etc. Easy vacations to unwind from the stress of the job is best and you make sure to have one on one weekends with each of them to spend quality time together.

w = worthy; how are insecurities handled? is anyone more self-conscious than the others?

Tim is the more self conscious one, he sometimes thinks he isn't good enough for you or feels like you don't know how much he loves you because of how much more open John is than him. You constantly need to reassure him you know fully well what you mean to him and how your life wouldn't be the same without him in it.

x = xoxo; who checks up on their partners a lot when they’re apart? do they call, or are texts enough to make them feel close?

You get texts from John all day long asking how your shift is going and when you have lunch together he's catching up like he didn't see you at home only a few hours ago.

y = yearn; who misses their partners the easiest (ie, calls them to hear their voices when all they’ve done is run to the grocery store)?

You're very grateful to work with your boyfriends because if you didn't you would miss them a lot more. It's hard when one of you gets assigned to the occasional weeks of night shifts since you only get to see each other as one of you is clocking out while the others are clocking in at the station.

z = zealous; who was especially eager in their pursuit of the relationship? was anyone more reserved in their want for it?

You all had your reservations about the relationship but mostly because of work, if things didn't work out that was gonna make things real awkward and the last thing you needed was I told you so lectures from Grey about creating unnecessary drama in the workplace (don't get me wrong Grey wants you all to be happy but he also has to look out for the station and make sure it stays a healthy work environment).

[camficdiner]

You are so talented!!! Could you please do:

[1.1] [2.1 and 2.9] [3.1] [4.3] They pretend to hate each other — everyone else knows they’re obsessed

You’re the best, thank you!!!!!

☕️ Cam’s Fic Diner — Order 055

🍒 Thank you for the fluff order! I’ve been deep-frying smut for a while so this is the perfect palate cleanser.

💬 “You Kiss Like You Hate Me”

✨ Description and prompts:

– Character: Jack Hughes

– Prompt: Kissing in a hallway + first time meeting his brother

– Tropes: fake hate, secretly obsessed, everyone knows, soft fluff

– Type: fluff, romantic tension, hallway moment, slow-burn-y

🛼🧁✨🍒

You’ve never liked Jack Hughes.

Well — okay, maybe liked isn’t the right word. You tolerate him. You’ve learned to navigate around him. You’ve figured out how to ignore his stupid smirks in the hallway and the way he always manages to sit at your table in the media lounge, even though there are seventeen empty ones literally everywhere else.

But like him? That’s never been part of the deal.

Not when he walks around like he owns the Prudential Center. Not when he chirps you for your Devils staff lanyard photo (“you look like you’re being held hostage, did they not let you retake it?”). Not when he acts like he’s God’s gift to hockey, girls, and… well, you.

And certainly not when you first met him — through Luke, actually. Luke’s sweet. You trust Luke. He’s the kind of rookie that makes you believe this team might actually have a soul. But Jack? Jack is everything you’re not interested in. Loud. Cocky. Annoyingly good-looking.

Also: not nearly as good of a player as he thinks he is.

Which you may or may not have told him. Loudly. In the locker room hallway.

More than once.

“Maybe if you kept the puck on your stick for more than three seconds, you’d stop blowing every rush,” you’d said once, arms crossed over your clipboard.

Jack had only grinned, slow and smug. “Jealous you don’t get to blow me?”

You hadn’t spoken to him for a week after that. A whole glorious, peaceful week. But then he showed up early to practice — just to sit behind you in the stands and ask dumb questions about how analytics even work anyway, like isn’t it all just vibes and luck?

You hated him. You hate him.

You especially hate that you’ve started noticing things.

Like the way he looks at you when he thinks you’re not watching. Or how he’s always the first to volunteer for media duty when he knows you’re the one managing the schedule. Or the fact that you’ve caught yourself checking your phone more often than you’d like — wondering if he’ll text. (He never does. But he always finds you in person.)

And now? Now, Quinn Hughes is here.

It’s the last stretch before the offseason, and the Devils are letting loose in practice, the air a little lighter. Luke’s already run up to greet Quinn, all excited to show off. You’ve only ever seen Quinn on TV — and frankly, he seems too quiet and clean-cut to be related to Jack.

Which makes it worse when Quinn corners you in the hallway, just outside the media room, and gives you the most unreadable look.

“You’re the girl he’s always pissing off,” he says mildly.

You blink. “Excuse me?”

“He talks about you more than he talks about hockey.”

“Gross,” you mutter, crossing your arms. “And not true.”

“Oh, it’s very true,” Luke pipes up, appearing at Quinn’s side with a protein bar half unwrapped. “He follows her around like a golden retriever and then pretends he doesn’t care.”

“I don’t care,” Jack says, sliding in behind them like a storm cloud in skates. “She hates me.”

“She tolerates you,” Quinn corrects. “There’s a difference.”

Jack shrugs. “Whatever. She’s just a pretty face who thinks she knows hockey.”

You stiffen — and Quinn watches it happen. He clocks the way your jaw twitches and how Jack’s shoulders tense right after, like he regrets it the second it’s out.

Luke frowns. “You don’t even believe that.”

Jack doesn’t respond. Just tilts his head, eyes flicking to you. “Why are you even standing here?”

You smile sweetly. “Waiting for your brothers to say something useful.”

Jack opens his mouth, then closes it again. Quinn sighs. Luke mutters something about emotional repression and wanders off.

The hallway empties. You’re left standing there, across from Jack. He’s leaning on the wall now, arms folded, eyes unreadable.

“You actually think I’m just a pretty face?” you ask, voice low.

Jack doesn’t answer.

You step closer. One step. Two. His eyes drop to your mouth.

“I think,” you whisper, “you’re scared.”

He scoffs. “Of what?”

“Of me.”

And then — maybe because the hallway is too quiet, or the season’s almost over, or you’ve been pretending to hate each other for way too long — you kiss him.

Hard. Reckless. Like ripping the air out of his lungs. Your hand curls into the collar of his warm-up hoodie and his mouth crashes into yours like he’s been waiting months for this.

He tastes like spearmint gum and something boyish and warm, and when he finally pulls back, his voice is wrecked.

“I don’t hate you,” he says quietly.

“I know,” you breathe.

Neither of you move.

And somewhere in the background, you’re positive you hear Luke yell “FINALLY” from inside the rink.

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Sydcarmy´s blood deal

So, using the same knife without even washing it first was either a HUGE Health code violation, which Coco Storer wouldn´t have let slide, or a symbolic blood deal which was shown ON PURPOSE.

IMO the deal was to recognize the shortcomings each had to work on to get to a better place in their relationship.

Carmy needed to work on his communication congruence, meaning putting his money where his mouth was, actually following through and delivering on what he said, instead of saying one thing and doing another, consistently and fucking everyone up in the process because he´s UNRELIABLE, he means well, but does it wrong, so you can´t rely on him, ever. He means what he says, sure, but he doesn´t deliver consistently, so at the end of the day, you just can´t trust him. He´s acting like a child. Not mean, just immature, who can´t be trusted because of that lack of consistency and congruence that adult and effective communication, not to mention running a business or being part of a team in any project or endeavor, require.

Syd, on the other hand, needed to work on her honesty and accessibility, open up, be vulnerable with him like she was for a moment in S1 in the back alley and in S2 under the table.

Syd doesn´t lack honesty because she lies, but because for her communication to be effective, she needs to open up more and let him in, when Carmy wants to connect with her and brings up more personal stuff that exceed their strictly professional relationship in a bonding attempt that is meant to improve their rapport both in and outside the restaurant. He was, as usual, checking on her and being open with her, in one of the few moments throughout the season where we got a more human glimpse of who he is underneath all that rough and robotic exterior that simboliizes his inner and almost constant struggle between the man and the beast that he can be simultaneously or alternatively. His humanity is brought up by her, maybe not as often in S3, but surely, and his animal-like behavior was brought up by his quest to deliver on the only words he was ever truly congruent with, last season:

So till last season, they were still stuck in the same conflict they had been dragging since S1: She doesn´t feel heard by him, he doesn´t feel she will ever really accept him (aka: be good enough for her) unless he proves himself to her, that´s why he´s obsessed with giving her that star and self-boycots, because he´s at the same time afraid of failing at it, and thus, let her down AGAIN and lose his only chance to win her over, because without giving her a restaurant, a partnership, financial stability, a role as CDC, and a Michelin star, he can´t even begin to fathom he will be worthy of her ever seeing him as something other than a Chef, the most excellent CDC at the most excellent restaurant in the United States of America, a title he dreads because it brings him bad memories. He wants to be seen by her like a man and a potential prospect for a more "personal" connection, that´s why he´s always trying to bond with her and get her to open up every chance he gets, which aren´t many, and she keeps, most of the times, not letting him in.

The common denominators here are the 3 Cs:

COMMUNICATION

CONGRUENCE

CONSISTENCY

In that order, and they BOTH have to work on all 3.

So, when they shared that bloody knife, they sealed the deal of acknowledging that the other was right about demanding what they did because they both UNDERSTOOD each other. He understood she was right in pointing out his communication was fucked and was fucking everyone else up.

She understood he was checking on her and trying to connect on a different level, other than just professional. She showed him she understood that by asking him about how it was going with the whole "quit smoking thing" and trying to "get a taste of him",

showing she cared. Syd was trying to follow his lead in that "bonding" exercise, even when she didn´t like it at all.

She did it for him, to prove to him that for that moment at least, they were on the same page.

And when they try and put in the MUTUAL effort at the same time, they do re-connect briefly. They take turns at work and THEY WORK.

Just like they did for a short period of time here:

That alternation and clear and consistent communication is what works for them, even if it means talking about things that are not working, and it gets uncomfortable at times. When they talk it out like this, things work, and when they stop doing it, it ends up badly for both of them.

This symbolic deal they made and sealed with blood is the key to all that they will achieve in S4, all the conflicts that they keep dragging along, unsolved issues that so far have been holding them back in every aspect of their relationship, and therefore they will keep their words, they will apply the 3 Cs and get rid of the 4th one.

I wholeheartedly believe Carmy is telling Syd all of this; it´s his plea to get her to stay at the restaurant. He will speak the truth, as always, and THIS TIME AROUND HE WILL DELIVER AND FOLLOW THROUGH and SHE WILL FINALLY REALLY OPEN UP TO HIM (AND HIS FAMILY)

and as a result they will "bond" outside the restaurant as well and she will start seeing him as more than a chef and co-worker, she will start seeing and appreciating the man that Carmen Berzatto really is.

And all that can only lead to a SYDCARMY ENDGAME. PERIOD.

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT, CHEFS! TONIGHT WE START WINNING! (but we´ll really wrap the victory up next season though because there´s probably gonna be a S5). HAPPY BEAR DAY, CHEFS!

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋 & #Gingerpredictions

[brennacedria]

Thursday Bangers 6/19

Free form a blurb or drawing based on the weekly lyrics prompt. It doesn't have to include the prompt just whatever you're inspired to write, write it! Then tag some friends so they can play as well. It doesn't have to be finished on Thursday just post it whenever you can (you have a whole week between Thursdays).

Thank you to @woundedsoul12 for both the game and the tag! I'm so late this week that I think everyone else has already been tagged, unfortunately. But if you see this you can consider it an open invitation to join in!

This week was Panic! At The Disco:

All my friends we're glorious Tonight we are victorious

It took me a little bit to figure out how to approach this one, and even once I did, it gave me some trouble. I got there in the end, though. Featuring my alternate Ria Hawke and Sebastian Vael, meeting for the first time since she got back from the Deep Roads.

The Party on AO3. Is immediately followed by The Branch.

__________

“To my dear daughter, Marian.”

“To Marian!”

Ria instinctively waved her glass at the sound of the toast, but hadn't heard anything her mother had said about her. She assumed it was complimentary, and smiled, and mentally moved along. This was the third party her mother had thrown since they moved into the estate two months ago. But, while the first two had been small affairs where it hadn't mattered that Ria excused herself in the first hour, this one was supposedly for her. As the guest of honor, she couldn't just leave–no matter how miserable she was.

“Serah Hawke, you're looking well.”

“No, I'm not, but thank you for lying,” she smiled politely. She was doing a lot of polite smiling tonight.

“I don't know if you remember me–”

The next smile was tired, but genuine. “Flint Company, I remember. Sebastian, right?”

“Aye, that's right.”

“And to what do I owe the honor of a visit from Prince Sebastian Vael?”

He coughed awkwardly. “It’s Brother Sebastian, now. Elthina convinced me to stay with the Chantry, rather than seek further vengeance.”

“So I killed all those men for nothing?” she pouted.

“No, I wouldn't go that far. If you hadn't taken that job, I might never have slept soundly again. You have my thanks for that, regardless of my choices since then.”

“Mm-hm.” Ria drained her wine, and grabbed another. 

“I can't actually leave, but I'm going over there,” she pointed towards the study. “Join me? You're better company than everyone else.”

“Are you certain? I was worried I was bothering you “

She sighed, and drained the second glass. “No, I'm just in a bad mood. You don't have to come with me, I just hoped you might come along. Like I said, you're better company than most, and if you're with me then maybe the others will leave me alone.”

“Of course.”

They crossed to the study, and Ria left the door open so she could hopefully hear once the crowd thinned. She made her way over to a side table for another drink, then changed her mind and came back to the armchairs in front of the fire instead. As she curled up in one, tucking her feet underneath her in the seat, Sebastian took the other and they both watched the fire in silence for a bit.

“I'm surprised to see your mother so lively tonight,” he spoke up finally. “Elthina has me come by periodically to check on Leandra, and she's usually much more reserved.”

Ria nodded. “These things are shit for me, but they're good for her. It's why I keep paying for them.”

Silence fell again. “And how are you , Hawke?”

“Ria.”

“How are you, Ria?”

“I keep busy,” she shrugged. “Mother has her parties, and I work to keep my mind off things.”

“Does it work?”

“Not really. Mother throws parties for me here in Hightown, Varric buys me drinks in Lowtown, everyone wants to celebrate everything I supposedly accomplished when we went to the Deep Roads.”

A tear threatened to escape, and she wiped it away angrily before Sebastian could see. 

“Beth would have loved these parties,” she said suddenly, changing the subject. “She always wondered what it would have been like growing up like Mother did, in society .” 

“Tell me about her.”

“Little bitch was about four inches taller than me, for one,” she laughed. “But seriously, she worried a lot, and I know she hated that we all protected her so much. She was our Bethikins, though. We loved her, and couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.”

“She caught the blight sickness, didn't she?”

Ria nodded. “It had to have happened early in the trip, but she hid it from us until we were halfway out. There's no cure though, and she was in so much pain. We couldn't even get her to the surface where she could be made comfortable. She…”

“Ria?”

“She was so far gone,” she whispered. “She couldn't even lift her head, she was so weak. I couldn't do anything about it. Then she started coughing up the blight, choking on it. I… I'd seen it once before, with Aveline’s husband. Except he wasn't as severe. We– I– Sebastian, there was nothing else I could do but–”

“Maker,” he swore, and crossed over to her, pulling her out of her chair and into his arms. 

“Shh, it'll be alright, Ria,” he soothed her, smoothing her hair, but he was surprised to realize she wasn't crying. Instead her face just held a look of quiet despair, like she could never hope to be forgiven for what she'd done.

“You can't ever let my mother know,” she whispered, begging. “Or Elthina. Or anyone. Please, swear it, Sebastian.”

“Of course,” he agreed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. One tear escaped, and she brushed it away just as angrily as the last. 

“Ria? Ria, are you in here?”

“Yes Mother, I'm sorry,” she called back, stepping away from Sebastian. “Brother Sebastian and I were just talking about Bethany.”

If Ria didn't know better, she'd say her mother looked almost disappointed when she entered the study to see them. “Well, don't neglect your other guests, dear.”

“Actually, Mother, I think I need to lie down. Too much wine.”

“What am I ever going to do with you?”

“I'm sorry, Mother.”

Leandra shook her head, and turned to leave again. “Thank you,” Ria whispered to Sebastian once her mother was gone.

“Of course,” he replied, taking and squeezing her hand briefly. “You go on and get some rest. I'll call on you in a few days, to see how you're doing.

“I'd like that.”

With that she excused herself, sneaking through the empty servants' passages to the back stairs and up to her room. When she got there, though, the first thing her eyes fell on was Bethany's old birchcore staff sitting on the mantle.

The tears welled up again, and this time she let herself cry a while. When she finished, she made a decision. There was nothing she could do to change the choices she'd made. But she had to know if there was anything else that could have been done. Even if knowing the truth might kill her.

[black-and-yellow]

As you wish. Here is the 16th chapter under the cut(draft so it's subject to change) for your viewing pleasure.

Bone apple teeth.

Ch.16

Cass drew her coat tighter around her shoulders and kicked at the thick central leg of the pedestal table in front of her.

She gritted her teeth and impatiently checked the time again. Mal was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago.

She glanced around the establishment. A ramshackle takeaway joint a few streets away from the hotel. It had an overwhelming stench of grease, but whoever was back in the kitchen could whip up a mean chow mein.

Cass shrank back into her seat in the corner. There was nobody else here and she’d finished eating a while ago. She was getting a little worried that she’d be asked to leave before her company even arrived.

She was about to start picking at the remnants of her meal in the cardboard takeout box on the table when the bell at the door chimed and the tall, lanky figure of a man ducked inside.

His hair was scruffy, black streaked with a few stray greys, and a respirator mask covered the lower half of his face. The various belts and drapes of his long coat trailed behind him as he made a beeline over to the only occupied table in the place.

Cass’ heartbeat quickened. The situation felt a little more real when he was stood right before her. He looked down at her, one eye bright green, the other clouded over with a cataract.

“Cassiopeia?”

“Um. Yeah.”

The man’s face brightened. At least, by what Cass could see of it, and he held out a bony hand.

“Mallory Doyle. Sorry I’m late... had to grab some juice... Brought you some, too,” he said as they shook hands, and then deposited two cans of orange juice on the table with a heavy thud. He swept down onto the chair opposite Cass and pulled his mask down from his face. “Good to meet you in person. Sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

“It’s okay. Thanks for agreeing to all this, by the way.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Mallory waved a hand as he dug an old laptop out of his bag, “To tell you the truth, I don’t think I could pass up the offer to work on some android systems. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime type deal, y’know?”

Cass scoffed quietly and couldn’t help but smile.

“Not back in my town, it’s not,” she told him, and held up four fingers, “I know four androids back home.”

Mallory’s eyebrows raised in astonishment as he flipped open his laptop, which looked as if it had seen much better days.

“Four, you said?”

“Leo, Felix, Henry, and Mason of course.”

“Well, I… I’m at a loss for words, Cassiopeia.”

“You can call me Cass. Everyone else does,” Cass told him. Then the reason she was here re-entered her mind and she quickly dug around in her pocket for the drive Felix had given her and placed it gently on the table.

Mallory’s eyes flicked to the drive, up to Cass, and then back again.

“Is that it? The data?”

“Yeah.” Cass cleared her throat. It pained her a little to hand it over, to watch him pick it up, and cling onto the hope that it was the right thing to do.

“Hey, don’t worry,” Mallory seemed to have picked up on the tension she was feeling, “She’s in good hands.” He held his hands up as if to prove it and gave her little grin as he plugged the drive into his laptop.

That was what doctors always said, Cass remembered. What doctors said when things were looking grim, and they knew they couldn’t make any promises. She fidgeted in her seat, the suspense killing her slowly, keenly watching Mallory’s expression from the corner of her eye.

“Here we go…” he said as everything loaded up, then she watched his eyes grow wider, flickering around the screen like a cat watching a laser pointer. He coughed once in surprise, which then cascaded into a series of wheezing chokes until he pulled his mask back up over his mouth and steadied his breathing, valves clicking open and shut.

“Sorry, this is…” he shook his head and rasped out a short laugh, “I’ve seen some unconventional code in my time, but this…”

Cass’ face fell.

“Is it bad? Is it really bad?”

“No, no, it’s… I mean it is, but no, I can work with this.” Mallory hunched over to take a closer look at the screen, brow furrowed in concentration as he attempted to decipher how the language itself even functioned.

Cass watched and chewed her lip. Judging by the look on his face, this wasn’t a good start.

“Man…” she thought to herself, turning away, “What made me think this would work..?”

Seeming to pick up on her agitation, Mallory’s gaze flicked up from the screen to her face, and back down again.

“Tell me about your android friends.”

Cass looked up again, a little surprised at Mallory’s sincere curiosity. It hadn’t really occurred to her before that living with androids wasn’t so common amongst the general population.

“Well… There’s Felix, he’s very shy. He tends to get pushed around by people a lot since he’s so reserved, but my friend Orion has been helping him come out of his shell a bit. He’s really sweet once you get to know him. Then there’s Leo…” a smile crept back onto Cass’ face, “Complete hopeless romantic. Always dressed like he’s attending some fancy-schmancy event. He’s a singer at the pub in town, you should hear him. Great cook, too, he hosted dinner for all of us the other night as a welcome to Henry. I’ve only just met Henry, but he’s great, even though he works for my brother, and he’s been a real help with all this… stuff. And Mason…” It occurred to her that in that tiny box in front of her was everything that made Mason who she was, her entire self all stripped down to bare bones. DNA, Mallory had likened it to. She lightly nudged the hard drive on the table, “That’s Mason.”

Mallory sat back in his chair and regarded her for a minute, hands still hovering over his keyboard, and raised an eyebrow.

“Well, you’ve pretty much met her already, right?” Cass clarified, “Looking through all that.”

“Don’t do her such a disservice, Cass,” Mallory told her, returning to his work, “I might know the basic components that make up Mason’s character, but I haven’t met her, I don’t know what she’s really like. Androids are more than the sum of their parts, just like us.”

Cass cracked a smile. Mallory’s evident respect for androids put her mind at rest a little, knowing Mason – or, her code – was in safe hands.

“She likes espressos,” Cass said at last. “And learning things, and fixing stuff. And she saved my life when I was a kid. She’s sort of been my guardian ever since. Like a kind of rock.”

Cass hardly remembered the fire at this point. She had only the vaguest recollection of being pulled to safety, standing out on the drive at the front of the house while Mason slipped back into the furnace devouring it to find her father. She returned alone, of course, with the left half of her face dripping off like cake batter. The years surrounding the event all seemed like a fuzzy, far-off bad dream. But she knew Mason was there through all of it.

“She must care about you a lot.”

“That’s not what my brother would say.”

“Your brother…” Mallory mused, “You mentioned him before. What’s he like?”

Cass gave a groan and grabbed her drink from the table, fiddling with the tab on the can in her hands, shaking her head.

“I can’t stand him,” she admitted, “This whole thing is his fault.”

Mallory gave her a look like he wanted her to continue, so she did.

“I only met him a few days ago. He went to boarding school when I was a baby, so I don’t remember anything about him from when we were kids. I was so excited when I found out he was coming to visit. I did everything I could to welcome him, I tried so hard to be a good sister, but…” She shrugged, “He’s always hated Mason, I don’t know why. Well, I do know why, sort of, but I don’t really get it. Anyway, he… he’s the one who made this virus.”

She decided against mentioning Atlas’ plans for ‘Project Cirrus’. Best to focus on one world-shattering event at a time.

For a minute the only sound was the muffled sizzling noise of the kitchen behind them and the hum of neon lights around the ceiling. Outside, a quiet back street, travelled only by those local to the area, who knew where they were going, lined with shuttered shops and the occasional apartment building. A pocket of relative silence in the clamouring city. Homely, even.

“I’m sorry.” Mallory shook his head in a mournful sort of manner, “A lot of androids are quite unlike like your friends back home. They’re utilitarian, specifically programmed with a distinct lack of personality. A professional detachment, you might say. But your father made something special.”

“I know.”

“Cass…” He addressed her soberly, with a sudden seriousness to his demeanour, and he reached over to place a bony hand on her shoulder. “We’re gonna get her back.”

(bonus Cass doodles for fun)

Would anyone enjoy an excerpt from my (original) book I've been working on. Just for funsies. Just for sillies perhaps. If you will.

[olyfrogg]

My piece for the most amazing gorgeous zine ✨️@butchfairyzine✨️.

Temrava of the winter court - princess in exile (and their mischievous weasels🩵). Don't mind the abundance of the summer court guards, they are a guest of honor here and definitely not a captive.

[fattylime]

the full piece for @bg3zine !

I also really recommend checking out everyone's pieces here, there's a lot of really amazing people that helped work on, and put together this zine <33 (also cheers that i finally got to work on a zine which i've wanted to do for ages so thank you for having me :'))

[brainrotcharacters]

Engaged Angel, who scowled up at the stormclouds through the window because they should have been cuddled up with David by now.

"Are we done? What else do we need?" They couldn't completely hide the bite in their voice, peering over the shoulders of both anxious and angry subordinates. "We don't take inventory at night. We do it in the morning so that there's time to get the damn things. Let's all agree there shouldn't be a next time, copy?"

After a resounding chorus of agreement and a gathering of the lists they had among themselves, Angel grabbed their things, ready to go. "Happy weekend, everyone! If you need me, call my fiance... Or, try." It still sounded weird to the tongue, that word.

Umbrella in one hand and phone in the other, they contacted David on the way out of the building. He answered on the third ring. "Davey, hey! I escaped work. I'm on my way home."

"I'm... Not home." Oh, he sounded tired. "I'm at the compound. Asher's down."

"What?" Angel stopped at the exit, ten feet from the pouring rain. "What do your medical people say? What about Sam?"

A crackle over the line. "He's here. Sam's here. Listen, stay there and wait for me. This storm is..."

"Kissing my ass. Leave a door open for me. Okay, bye. I love you."

Overhead, lightning crackled, splintering the night sky for a few seconds. Angel pocketed their phone and snarled up at the darkness like a wolf.

The Shaw pack compound included a medical bay with its waiting room open to the elements. Angel spotted David seated under the familiar eaves, phone in hand and leg bouncing anxiously.

Angel skidded to a stop, nearly stumbling into the wall. "Davey."

He looked up. "Angel. You made it."

"'Course." They closed in, allowing David to lean his head onto their stomach. Angel instinctually fiddled with his hair, massaging his head. "How's Asher, hmm?"

David sighed heavily. He was relieved Angel was here, and exhausted at whatever happened to his Beta. "Sam got it covered. He's double checking with Marie and the other healers before they explain everything to us. His mate is on their way back. It's okay."

"Okay," Angel stared a hole through his head. "You?"

A noncommittal sound as he nuzzled into Angel's damp clothes. "You made it here. I'm good." He lifted his head, looking up at them. "Even when it's storming. Angel, I'm so proud of you."

"Well, I'm built different." Angel danced on the balls of their feet smugly, through the tears suddenly blurring their vision. Their mouth wobbled. "I just focused on you."

David blinked slowly. "I'm very proud of you."

Lightning crackled, and Angel barked skyward. "FUCK you, ruining the moment!"

David laughed into Angel's chest, tugging them down to mold their lips into his own. Angel smiled into his mouth. "This is what being engaged does to you, huh? Big strong alpha?"

"Guys." Sam's voice speared between them. He stood at the end of the hall, eyes clear with relief. "Hi. Asher's awake. C'mon."

Early David, after learning Angel’s fear of storms, found himself rushing home when he saw the clouds darken and wind pick up. He was driving in their direction before he thought about what he was doing - his core simply flared, desperate to get to his mate. And that was enough for him to drop everything and leave the office.

On the road the wind picked up, adding buckets of rain and lightning to the chaos. His heart sped up, remembering the time he felt his Angel trembling in his arms that night, face desperate to appear calm and nonchalant but the strong grip on his arm telling him otherwise.

He fiddled with the key and opened the door, eyes darting around the house. David let out a sigh of relief when he spotted them on the couch, huddled in the corner edge with the pillows, and wearing his hoodie. They had buried their face in the fabric, but this wasn’t enough to mask the fear in their heart.

He caught a glimpse of their phone on the table, and chuckled to see it opened to his contact. They clearly tried to contact him, but must’ve stopped before they sent the message, not wanting to be a burden.

Their text was left unsent.

“When are you coming home?”

David chuckled. His stubborn mate.

He padded toward them and used a gentle hand to lift back the hoodie, revealing their face. He felt his bond to them light up like a firework when their eyes met his, and they wasted no time to fling themselves into his arms, burying their face in the crook of his neck and breathing in. David gathered them and sat them both on the couch, letting them straddle his thighs and stroking their back in slow movements up and down, something he always did to calm them down.

Angel whispered, barely audible, but David heard every syllable.

“I missed you.”

He leaned back, directing their glassy eyes to his and kissed them on the lips.

As time passed, Angel no longer was afraid of storms. David made sure to be with them anytime there was one, and thus they’ve come to associate it with cuddles and kisses together.

[taco-tuseday]

Howdy! It’s been a while- been working hard on c0mms and zine stuff but I’m finally able to share this beauty! It’s one of the two works I did and I’m really proud of it!

Go check out the rest of everyone’s work on this collab

[essektheylyss]

I do think some of the handwringing I've seen about "hate" is funny because from what I can tell, even on twitter people are being surprisingly civil. The cast hasn't even had to make a big announcement clarifying a situation because everyone misinterpreted something and worked themselves into a furor. It took less than 12 hours after the c2 finale before Matt and Liam were like, "Uh, what do you mean, we literally said on stream Caleb and Essek get together." But there's also been a significant shift online since then to the point where anything short of "the precious baby blorbos were treated so niceys :3" is considered vicious hate, for some reason*, so I can't say I'm really surprised.

[navii-blaze]

listen to my vision boy