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13-reasons-ideas · 3 years

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Can’t Go Back Part 18

A/N: This chapter got away from me a bit. It’s over 6 thousand words so tuck in guys. I hope you like it. And as I’ve said before, any time a character gets sick in this, it’s nothing more than a flu or common bug. Given this is a Before chapter, COVID didn't exist, but just given the situation currently. I feel like it is important to say that. Just a note on temperature. According to Google 52 degrees F is roughly 11 degrees C. 45 degrees F is roughly 6 degrees C. For my fellow non-USians. Feedback is appreciated as always and much love. -Em

Winter formal was upon us. It was only one day out now. Jeff was still on me about going, like he had been for weeks. I still had no intention of going. And as luck would have it, I had just run into the perfect excuse not to go. I woke up Friday morning to my stomach cramping and churning. Oh god this is awful. I feel like I got hit by a truck. Before I even had time to wake up wake up, I rolled over and grabbed my trashcan. My body shook as I coughed. Sitting up, I flung my legs over the side of my bed. My mom knocked on the door. “Addison? Are you alright honey?”

“Yeah Mom. I’m okay. Just not feeling very well.” She opened the door and peeked inside.

“Let me check your temperature.”

“Can I brush my teeth first?” Mum looked around the room cautiously.

“Of course. I’ll be downstairs. Come down whenever you’re ready.” I nodded and held my stomach.

I went downstairs once my teeth were cleaned and I had rinsed my mouth several times. Mum and dad were in the kitchen. I groaned. The smell of coffee brewing was making me queasy. “I already called the school. You’re staying home today.” Mum said, coming to fawn over me. I waved her off.

“Okay. I’ll call Justin and tell him he needs to get himself to school.” I grabbed a pack of saltines and a Gatorade to take upstairs.

“Feel better.” Dad called after me. I heard him say to mum that it probably wasn’t really that bad. “She should still go to school.” Mum didn’t answer. I changed into a different pair of pyjamas and crawled into bed. My crackers and juice were set neatly on the nightstand by my bed. I grabbed the book I was reading last night. As a last-minute decision, I grabbed my trash can and pulled it closer to the bed.

I called Justin after I got comfortable. “Hello?”

“Morning Justy.”

“Morning Addy.”

“I’m sick.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You’ll need to find your own way to school today.”

“I can do that. Are you sure you’re sick? Or are you just trying to get out of going to Formal?”

“I have crackers and Gatorade. I wasn’t even out of bed yet.”

“Oh.” He exclaimed. “Um. Yeah. You stay in bed. And remember to drink water. And dry toast.”

“I will. Can you grab my homework? And tell Jeff Atkins that I’m sorry I won’t get to enjoy the magic of Winter Formal tomorrow.”

“Sure thing. Feel better.”

“Mhmm. Love you.”

“Love you too.” I rolled over in bed and tried to get a little more sleep. It was a useless venture. I spent half an hour tossing and turning. I couldn’t get comfortable. It was too hot with the blankets on. It was too cold with them off. One leg out didn’t feel much better. My head was starting to hurt. My stomach was doing flips and cramping. Frustrated, I threw the covers off and went to the bathroom. The bottle of Tylenol was shoved in the back of the medicine cabinet. I took two of the foil packets and went back to bed.

Briefly, my mind went there. I had a flash of another kind of foil packet. And a flash of a calendar. My eyes widened slightly before I counted. Then I remembered that we hadn’t not used a condom, ever. I had an IUD. We were protected either way for…. I couldn’t think the word. We also hadn’t had sex in a month. And I had gotten my period between then and now. I sighed in relief. That thought did make me realize I hadn’t texted Monty yet. I took my phone again and saw that he had texted me about fifteen minutes ago.

Morning Addison. I swiped left and his message opened.

Morning Montgomery.

You’re up late this morning.

I’ve actually been up.

Oh? Everything okay?

Yes and no.

I’m kind of sick. But it’s nothing to worry about.

You sure?

Yeah. I’m alright. Just need to eat my crackers, drink my juice, and sleep. On the plus side, I can get out of going to the dance without lying to Jeff Atkins.

I can come by tonight if you want.

I’ll think about it.

Okay. A few minutes later he sent me another text. Why do you call him Jeff Atkins and not just Jeff?

I dunno. He calls me Addison Hawthorne. No one else does it. It’s kind of just a thing we do.

Can I call you by your full name?

No.

Not even occasionally?

No.

Why?

Is your name Jeff Atkins?

No?

Then there is your answer.

Fine, fine. Feel better, okay?

I’ll try.

I’ll text you later baby.

Mmkay. The Tylenol I took was starting to kick in and my eyelids were getting heavy. Before I could drop it, I put my phone on the nightstand. I woke up again around noon. My stomach was feeling a little better, so I sat up and ate a few crackers slowly. The medicine had worn off by now. I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my missed notifications for a bit. Nothing too interesting had happened. I sighed heavily and tossed my phone to the side of my bed.

My book was more interesting than I expected it to be, and soon enough I was almost done. The tri-tone buzz of my phone distracted me. I rested the book in my lap and grumbled to myself. “Who’s texting me now?” It was Jeff Atkins.

Hey Addison Hawthore. Justin tells me you’re sick. I hope you aren’t trying to just avoid the dance.

Jeff Atkins. I would NEVER. I am definitely sick. Doesn’t seem like anything major though. Probably be at school Monday. I trust you will give me a very thorough report on all things Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker?

Glad to hear. Leah says feel better by the way. I’ll find you.

Tell her thank you. Now. I don’t want to be rude, but I’m almost done my book.

See you Monday Addison. I didn’t answer him. I texted Monty instead.

Don’t worry about coming over tonight. I should be fine by Sunday. I’ll see you Monday.

Sounds good.

The rest of the day I lounged in bed. My mum came in to check on me when she got home. Saturday was much of the same as Friday. I stayed in bed. I read another book. I slept. My illness was doing better. Not well enough to go to the dance, but I could handle toast which was a good sign. Justin called me while he was getting ready at Bryce’s.

“Hey Justin, what’s up?”

“Getting ready with Bryce and the guys.” I could hear the boys roughhousing in the background and Justin’s voice seemed far away. He must have had me on speaker.

“Hi boys.”

“Hey.” They called back.

“You stuck me with him tonight.”

“I’m sick Bryce. I would not be very much fun or help at the dance tonight.”

“You say you’re sick.” Bryce kidded back. He must be in a good mood.

“Would you like me to describe to you in detail what I spent my day doing yesterday?”

“Not really.”

“Didn’t think so. Now boys.”

“Yeah Addy?” Justin asked.

“I need all of your attention.”

“We’re listening.” Zach laughed.

“Oh no. Is she going to give us the lecture?”

“What lecture?” Anders asked.

“Yes. She is.” I said. “Please try to keep the shenanigans to a minimum.”

“But they’re fun.” Justin complained.

“So is not getting arrested. Do not add to the population. Remember that is often a permanent commitment. However, I do support the right to choose. Do not fight anyone tonight. And please, for the love of God, if you are going to drink, do not spike the punch bowl. Do not be that guy. And don’t be messy drunk. I want to hear no stories about messy drunk athletes come Monday. And another thing, do not drink and drive. If you need a ride, my mum is perfectly happy to go get you and take you home.”

“She took the fun out of a dance in two minutes.” Someone grumbled.

“That was not me taking the fun out. I’m more than okay with some shenanigans. I encourage some. Please have fun for me. I just don’t want you getting anyone pregnant. You’re all old enough to go to the drugstore or the corner store and buy yourselves some damn condoms. If I can go do it, so can you. As for the drinking and driving thing, a DUI is bad. Especially when you’re underage. My mum likes Justin. So she will gladly give someone a ride if they need.”

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Back up. You have condoms?” Bryce asked.

“I’m not the Virgin Mary.”

“Who could you possibly be having sex with?”

“None of your business. And I swear Bryce if you say Justin.” I laughed. I may have said too much.

“You’ll what?”

“She won’t anything. I will.” Justin laughed.

“Oh! One more thing. Don’t screw up Clay’s night.”

“Fine. We won’t. Gotta go, bye.” Bryce said. I could hear him grumbling before Justin hung up. “Wonder how far she’ll go with Jensen, hey Justy?” I rolled my eyes. How can he go from fun and not horrible to a disgusting pig in thirty seconds flat?

By Monday, I was back to feeling like myself. I grabbed a soft cream sweater from my closet and paired it with a floral skirt. A worn in pair of black combat boots and silver studs rounded out the look. I left my hair down to let it air dry without a weird kink in it. Bounding down the stairs, I smiled brightly at my parents. “Morning mum. Morning dad.”

“Morning sweetie.” My mum laughed brightly. My dad looked at me strangely.

“You’re awfully happy this morning.” My smile faltered slightly.

“Well, I’m not physically sick today. I think that warrants being happy. And it’s the last few days before winter break.” There was a voice in the back of my head I tried to ignore. I was happy. I plastered on a smile and grabbed a packet of oatmeal. Silently, I warmed my milk and stirred my breakfast. My parents were going over their schedules for the day. It was just about grade deadline for mum, so she had a stack of tests and papers in her office. Dad was already prepping for tax season in a couple of months. The office at work was stacked too, I’m sure.

“I’m going to take this to school.” I mumbled.

At school, I grabbed my cup of oatmeal to eat before class. “Peaches and cream. Interesting.”

“Jesus.” I gasped. “Morning Monty.”

“Morning Addy.” I began walking to my locker. He fell into step beside me.

“Did you need something?” I was sure people were watching us.

“No. Just wanted to say hi.”

“Okay? You know we are at school, right?”

“Yes. We have chemistry together. Is it really so bad to walk to your locker together?”

“I don’t know Monty.”

“For all anyone knows, I’m looking for Bryce. Who will probably be with Justin. Who will be at your locker.”

“I guess.” I sighed. I handed him my cup of oatmeal. “If you’re going to follow me to my locker, hold this while I get my spoon.” Pulling my bag around me, I took the spoon from the front pocket. Monty handed back my breakfast for me to eat while we walked.

“Peaches and cream oatmeal.” He muttered.

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Just making a mental note.” He smirked. I could see the smile behind his eyes though.

“It was on sale. It was this or plain and plain oatmeal is….”

“Plain.”

“Exactly.”

We made it to my locker, where it just so happened that Justin was waiting for me. With my least favorite white boy in tow. “Hey Justin. Walker.”

“Addy.” Bryce nodded.

“Feeling better?”

“Much. What did I miss Friday?”

“Not a whole lot.” Justin shrugged.

“A better question would be what did we miss?” Bryce asked, looking between Monty and I.

“I was on my way in when I saw her pull in. Figured I’d stop and tell her about what she missed in chem.”

“Which apparently wasn’t much.” I shrugged, scraping the last of my breakfast up. “I need to go to class. I expect a full report on what I missed at the dance at lunch.”

“Jeff will give you one. Don’t worry.” Justin laughed. “You’re awfully invested in Clay and Hannah.”

“I could have been invested in you and Hannah. But….” I looked at Bryce briefly. “Here we are.”

“I don’t think she put out for him, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Monty added.

“Gross.”

“Don’t think he would even know how.” Bryce laughed.

“And I’m leaving. Be nice boys.”

My classes were abuzz with talk of the Winter Formal. Mostly talking about what so and so wore, or who such and such was dancing with, or that one song Tony played that went like this or that. Clearly, I hadn’t missed much. Apparently, Jessica had had one or four too many nips off Bryce’s flask. I rolled my eyes internally. I mean, at least the boys weren’t messy. By the time lunch came, I was excited to hear about anything that wasn’t the dance. I knew, of course, that wouldn’t be the case. But still.

Sliding into my usual seat next to Justin, I placed my head on the table. “What’s eating you?” Scott asked.

“Nothing. I’m just bored of hearing about the dance.”

“It wasn’t that bad. And you haven’t heard Jeff’s retelling of Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker’s dance.”

“I want to hear about that. And then nothing else.” He nodded in understanding.

“Seriously though, are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah. Just had a long weekend is all. Guess it knocked more out of me than I thought.” I heard him hum. Jeff laughed jovially as he sat down. How can one man be so damn happy all the time?

“You missed quite the dance on Saturday, Addison.”

“It seems that way. Though, anything would be better than what I spent the weekend doing.”

“Fair. You’re feeling better?”

“Yeah. Just tired now.”

“I bet. Now. About the dance. More specifically, Clay and Hannah at the dance.”

“Yes. And then no more dance talk please.”

“Okay. So, Clay was being a wallflower.”

“As usual.”

“Yes. But he was sitting on the bleachers across the gym from Hannah. And he waved and nodded at her. When I told him to go, he was all ‘I can’t dance’ and so I was like ‘no one can dance. It’s a dance.’”

“Of course. No one likes the ones who can dance.”

“That’s what I said! He was awkward as hell and then they were cute. Danced around like idiots. Had the best time. Leah thought it was fantastic. I was waiting for the slow song that was coming. Or I hoped it was. And then it did. They were awkward again.”

“Right.” I adjusted my position and leaned in to listen to him better.

“Hey gu-.” Justin said, sitting down.

“Shh.” Charlie cut him off. “Jeff is telling a story.”

“They almost kissed.”

“Almost?”

“But then Jess….”

“Ah, this part of the story I know. She was messy. And Hannah cleaned it up.”

“Yes. But that was the dance. Good time.”

“I’m sorry I missed it.” The boys around me spent the rest of lunch having their own conversations. Or giving me their own rundown of the dance. I tuned most of that out. It was hard to pretend not to notice the small glances Monty was sending my way. I sent a few his way too.

Christmas break, finals, and January flew by. Before any of us knew it, it was February. Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. Which, if you didn’t know from looking at the calendar, you certainly knew by the annual Oh My Dollar Valentines posters. There were little heart shaped boxes of chocolate at all the stores in town. The price of roses soared exponentially. I rolled my eyes as I passed one the first day of February. Justin tried to get me to buy one that day.

“No. I’m not interested in paying for cheer camp.”

“You’re always on my ass about school spirit.”

“Yeah. Because like it or not, you and your friends run this school. School spirit is not paying for the wonderful cause of sending the squad to cheer camp.”

“Fine.” He grinned mischievously at me. I watched him reach into his pocket as we passed one of the many tables lining the halls. “Two Dollar Valentines please.” My eyes widened.

“Justin. No.”

“Oh but it’ll be fun.” He laughed.

“I don’t care.” I couldn’t help but smile. He held it out to me, but I shook my head. “No way.”

“Suit yourself. I know you well enough to fill it out for you anyways.” Justin grinned and stuck his tongue out at me. You little shit. I reached out to grab the paper from him. I was going to return it. He held it above his head. I tried to grab it again and he waved his arm around.

“Give it to me.” I laughed.

“Nope. Get taller and maybe I’ll consider it.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Well then I guess you won’t be getting the survey.” I huffed at him. He lowered his arms and I tried to take it again. He pushed my hand away and took off running. “It’ll be an exciting surprise.” Justin yelled as he ran.

“Justin Foley!” I yelled back. I love that boy. But sometimes I just want to…. Oh. What am I going to tell Monty?I sighed and turned around, intending to cut Justin off at his first class and steal the stupid survey from him. When I turned however, I collided with someone.

“We should really stop running into each other like this. People might think we are together or something.” Monty said.

“Or they’ll think you have a thing for me. Since you seem to be the one who always approaches me.”

“That is definitely a possibility.” He handed me my keys. “Might need these later. Wouldn’t want someone finding them and trying to use them.” He started to walk away backwards. I followed after him.

“I highly doubt someone would try to steal an ’09 Camry.”

“Never know.”

“Besides. It’s Evergreen County. Nothing ever happens here.”

“True. I’ll see you at lunch?”

“Yeah. I need to have some words with Justin Foley.”

“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?”

“Maybe.” I rose a brow. Monty gave me a funny look. “I’ll explain later.”

At lunch I stopped Justin in the hall on the way to the cafeteria. Pulling him into an empty classroom, I locked the door. “I need that survey back Justin.”

“Why?”

“Because I have no interest in going on a valentines date with someone. You know I hate Valentine’s Day.”

“It could be fun.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Well, you have thirteen days to change your mind.”

“What do you mean?”

“I submitted it on the way to second period.” I blinked at him. Did he just say…?

“You what?”

“I submitted it already. You’ll be receiving a list of ‘promising matches’ on Valentine’s Day.” Oh no. Throwing my head back, I sighed very heavily.

“I hate you.” I groaned.

“I love you too Addy.” Justin brushed past me to leave. “I’ll save you a seat?”

“Nope. That’s okay. I need a break from the testosterone today.”

“Okay.” As soon as he was gone, I texted Monty.

Hey. I need to talk to you. Can you meet me in the library?

Yeah. Bring a book?

Please. My locker was on the way, so I grabbed my books for the rest of the day.

There was a table free in the back of the room. I snagged it so Montgomery and I could have some privacy. He found me a little while later. I was pretending to be taking notes. In actuality, I was doodling and trying not to think about his reaction to Justin’s little stunt. Or reactions. “What’s going on?” He asked as he sat down.

“Hi to you too.”

“Sorry. Hi. What’s going on?”

“So don’t freak out.”

“Don’t start with don’t freak out and I won’t freak out.”

“Justin uh,” I paused.

“Justin? What?”

“Justin filled out and submitted a Dollar Valentine for me.” I quickly added, “I didn’t ask him to. He just bought it and did it. I was going to get it back from him at lunch, but he submitted it on his way to second.” I looked up. Monty was staring at me. And he was… what is he doing? And then his lip twitched. He was trying not to laugh. “What?”

“That’s what this is about? That is what was so urgent?”

“Yes?”

“The fact that Justin Foley filled out a Dollar Valentine for you?”

“Yes?” I was extremely confused.

“Addison. I really don’t care if he filled out a stupid survey for you. Are you going to go on the date?”

“Of course not!”

“Then I don’t give a shit.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s good.” I was still a little hesitant to say anything. “Oh. I should probably mention. I hate Valentine’s Day.”

“Really?” He frowned in confusion.

“Yes. Is that really so hard to believe?”

“Honestly? Yes.”

“Why?”

“You’re a romantic.”

“I know. Which is why I hate Valentine’s Day. It’s the least romantic holiday. If you want to do something nice for me, or get me flowers, show me that you like me, do it on a random day. Not when you have to because it’s a Hallmark holiday.” I was careful not to say the word love. It may have been five months, which is a long time in high school, but we weren’t there yet.

“So, you’re a romantic who hates Valentine’s Day. Okay. Coffee date though?”

“Sure. But not because of what day it is.”

“No. Of course not.” Monty winked at me and then got up to leave. “Come find me after school.” I nodded.

“I’m going to stay here and make Justin sweat a little.”

The next couple of weeks passed slowly. I had forgiven Justin for filling out a Valentine for me a couple of days after he submitted it. After school on the thirteenth, I ran to Walplex to get ingredients for macarons. I browsed the aisles in search of almond flour and raspberry flavouring. Before I left the lot, I texted Monty. Turns out you’re worth it after all. He was busy with practice. I didn’t expect an answer any time soon.

At home, I unloaded my ingredients and put the carton of egg whites in a bowl of lukewarm water to come to room temperature without overheating them. “Hey Siri. Play State Champs on Spotify.”

“Playing State Champs.” I sang along quietly while I went about making my macarons. I said very kind and loving things to the batter aloud. In my head, I was swearing at them with words that would make a sailor blush. He really is worth it.

Dad came home while I was piping the batter onto the Silpat.

“Hi.”

“Hi. What are you doing?”

“Making macarons for my friends.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow.” I shrugged. Dad scoffed and shook his head. “What?”

“Nothing.” He snapped. My face didn’t react. Inside, I felt the familiar sensation of becoming smaller and my insides closing in on themselves. Just ignore him. It’s okay. You’re okay.

“Okay.” I replied meekly. Instead of responding, he went and shut himself in the office. I sighed softly to myself and started on my macaron filling while the cookie batter sat on the tray.

Once my cookies were baked and cooled after dinner, I began to fill them. I picked a Wilton number 18 tip, a small star, and piped chocolate ganache around a raspberry on half of the cookies. When they were all filled, I topped each one. Then I carefully placed them in a container and grabbed several napkins. I also put five each in two disposable aluminum containers. One for Justin. And one for Montgomery. “They won’t notice if one is missing.” I muttered to myself. I took a bite, and it was perfect. Not hollow. Still had a chew to it. The outside was crisp. The slightly bittersweet filling complemented the sweetness of the cookie Perfect. I moaned softly. Setting the containers in the fridge so they didn’t melt overnight, I went upstairs to take a shower and get ready for bed.

The next morning it was Valentine’s Day. As much as I hated the holiday, I wasn’t opposed to dressing up. I dug around my closet for something to wear. I had a red circle skirt in mind. I just needed to find something to wear with it. “Hey Siri, what’s the weather today?”

“It’s currently cloudy and forty-five degrees. The high is expected to be fifty-two degrees and the low will be forty-five degrees.”

“Thank you.” Only fifty-two. I can wear a sweater. I pulled out a couple. The red cable knit was too match-y. The plain black was too plain. My last option was a black sweater with white hearts. This is nice. Shrugging it on, I pulled on a pair of black tights to cover my legs. Topping off the look with my favourite diamond studs and a simple charm bracelet, I checked the clock. I had time to paint my nails.

Soon, I was ready for school. I redid my nails in a nice nude shade. Knowing I was going on a date today, I went quite neutral on the makeup. I wanted my skirt and top to be the focus of my look. My parents were putting their breakfast away when I went downstairs. “Morning guys.”

“Morning sweetie.” We exchanged pleasantries with each other. “You look lovely Addison.”

“Thanks Mum. May not like today, but it’s an excuse to wear this sweater.”

“Very true.” She kissed my cheek gently, so her lipstick didn’t transfer.

“Why are there three containers in the fridge Addison?” Oh crap. Uh….

“Because one is for Justin, one is for my friends to share, and the other one is for me when my friends inevitably leave me with none.”

“I see.” He didn’t sound convinced. Or interested for that matter. When does he ever sound interested? He called after me as I was leaving. “Remember your mother and I are going out tonight for dinner and date night.”

“I know.” I smiled at him. “You kids have fun. I’ll see you in the morning.” I smiled brighter when he dipped my mom and kissed her. Gross but so cute.

“I love you, Margot.”

“I love you too, Brooks.” My mom replied.

My friends were waiting at my locker when I got there. “Hey guys. What’s going on?”

“Justin said you were bringing macarons to school.” Charlie grinned.

“Ah yes. You’re here for snacks. Of course. Hey Clay.”

“Hey Addy.” I shooed the boys away from my locker so I could put my bag in and take out the large container.

“These are for sharing.”

“We know. We can share.” Bryce nodded. Sure, you can. I rolled my eyes playfully. Then I set about passing each of the plethora of boys gathered around my locker a napkin. And then I gave them one macaron each. Jeff got two so he had one to give to Leah.

“Why does he get two?” Luke complained.

“Because he has a girlfriend. And I like her. Do any of you have girlfriends I like?” My eyes shifted to Monty minutely. He smirked softly and quirked a brow quickly. No one seemed to notice. “No? Then you get one for now. You can have more at lunch.” The bell rang. The boys began to disperse to their respective classes. I grabbed Justin and gave him his container.

“You’re the best.” He grinned and kissed my temple when he pulled me in for a hug.

“So are you. Now go get educated.” I texted Monty as I walked to class. I’ll give you yours after school.

I think I like being worth it. This is delicious. Why don’t you make these all the time?

Make them with me sometime. You’ll see.

On my way to lunch, I stopped to pick up my Dollar Valentine. “Hey Sheri.”

“Addison! Oh my gosh. When I heard you filled out a survey, I almost didn’t believe it.”

“Justin did it.”

“Oh. At least he knows you. I hope you get better matches than I did.”

“We’ll see.” I waited while she printed out my list. I glanced at it when she handed it to me.

Andrew B.

Cody K.

Daniel R.

Justin F.

Bryce W.

“Oh. My. God.” I laughed.

“What?”

“I matched with Justin. And Bryce Walker. How the hell?”

“Well, Justin knows you best. And he did the survey for you.” Sheri shrugged.

“Okay fair. But Bryce?”

“I don’t have an answer there.” We both laughed and I left to go to the cafeteria to join my friends. While I walked, I called Justin.

“Hey Addy, what’s up?”

“Hey Valentine. Have you picked up your matches yet?”

“I’m just looking at them now. I was just about to call you to see who you matched with.”

“Well, I think you’re my best match.”

“No one else up to your standards?” I was behind him now.

“Nope.” He turned and hung up. “But I have very important plans tonight, so I’ll need a rain check.”

“No problem. Your annual Bones marathon?” Sure.

“You know it. Next season is the last one.”

“Since I can’t take you out tonight, at least let me escort you to lunch.” He held his arm out to me. I grasped it dramatically.

“Such a gentleman.” We laughed hysterically.

Montgomery loved the macarons. We met at Monet’s after school to get coffee to go because it was crowded. Thankfully no one questioned us if they saw us. They were too wrapped up in their own dates to be concerned about us. Our date was wonderful. There was no chocolate in heart shaped boxes. There weren’t any overpriced roses. Just the two of us spending time together privately. Since my parents were out for the foreseeable future, he came back to my place. We hung out for a bit until he had to leave to avoid my parents. All in all, it was a pretty good Valentine’s Day. He found it hysterical that Justin and I were matched for Dollar Valentines.

Spring had sprung in Evergreen in mid-March. By the time April rolled around, flowers were in full bloom again and it was getting warmer and warmer. On a particularly nice Saturday, I woke up in an unusually good mood. I looked out the window and it was sunny, not a cloud in the sky. As I was sitting in bed, I looked around my room. My camera caught my eye on my bookshelf. Maybe today is the day I introduce Monty to my camera. I got ready but didn’t get dressed. It was still early for a Saturday. And I knew Monty was a big fan of sleep.

After an hour or so of putzing around in my room, I decided to call him. “Morning Addy.” He answered. His voice was still thick with sleep. I smiled.

“Good morning sunshine.” I heard him shifting in bed.

“You’re chipper this morning.”

“It’s nice out. It’s finally spring.”

“It is.” He smiled.

“I was wondering if you had plans today?” I eyed my camera.

“No, I don’t think so. What did you have in mind Bookworm?”

“I thought I could introduce you to my other hobby Casanova.”

He gasped dramatically. “You mean to tell me you like things other than books?”

“Yes.” I laughed. “What do you say?”

“I’m in. When and where?”

“The park by the docks? Say, one o’clock?”

“Sure thing.”

“Wear something comfortable.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye baby.”

My parents were in the office working. It was ten am on a Saturday. But it was getting close to exam time for my mom, so she was busy. Tax season was ending, so dad was busy. I opened my bedroom door and called into the house. “I’m going out later. I don’t know how long I’ll be out.”

“Okay honey. Have fun.”

“That’s nice.” I sighed and closed my door. After a quick shower I got dressed. I knew I would probably be moving around a lot today, so I picked a pair of leggings and a loose black t-shirt from American Eagle. I really should go get one of these in every colour. They’re the best shirts. I threw a random cardigan on my bed. It was later joined by my wallet and camera.

Sitting down to do my hair and makeup, I decided to just do a quick French braid. It kept the hair out of my face. I contemplated my makeup for a while. I still had plenty of time to spare. Pressing play on my Spotify and it picked up on a random Beartooth song. Artist Radios are always interesting. I hummed and tapped along with the music while I dug through my vanity. I didn’t have an excessive amount of makeup. Maybe I had a little too much lipstick, but it’s my favourite type of makeup. I kept everything but my lipstick fairly light and neutral. My skin was actually nice today so I could just use concealer and set it. With the rest of my makeup done, I dug through my slightly embarrassing amount of lipstick. “I’m feeling bold today. Red?” I asked myself in the mirror. “Red.” I nodded. I was ready to go now. I chucked the tube of lipstick in my wallet.

It was close to lunch so I texted Monty. Did you want me to make a couple of sandwiches or something?

Sure. I went downstairs and dug through the cheese drawer.

I have turkey, ham, and some other white meat. Possibly chicken?

Ham is okay.

Cheddar okay?

Yup. I made our sandwiches. I knew how he liked his sandwiches now. Placing them in the fridge, I ran upstairs for my camera, camera bag, and now my purse. Our lunch was set on top of my wallet. I threw an ice pack in to keep everything cold and food safe. A couple of snacks joined in before I grabbed my keys.

“I’m leaving now. I’ll see you later.” I called.

“Okay.” My parents called together.

At the park, I met Monty over by a tree. He was wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. No flannel. That took me by surprise. He looked damn good though. I stopped on the way over for a couple of coffees from Starbucks. “Hey Casanova.”

“Hey Bookworm.”

“Lunch now or later?”

“Now is good. I could eat.” I rolled my eyes. “What?”

“You’re always hungry.”

“I’m a growing boy.” He defended.

“If you grow anymore, you’ll give Dempsey a run for his money.”

“Never know. They say boys grow again around nineteen.”

“Oh god. I don’t know if I could handle you getting taller.” He laughed.

“Might have to. Never know.” I looked down to hide my blush. I didn’t read into what he said. He was right. You never knew where you could end up. We talked quietly while we ate. Monty regaled me with stories of the baseball game I “missed” yesterday.

“Sounds like a nail biter.” I smiled.

“You don’t like baseball, do you?”

“No.” I replied quickly.

“That mean you’ll never come to a game?”

“Quite possibly. I will go to as many football games as I can though.”

“Deal. Now. What did you want to show me?”

“This.” I said as a pulled my camera out of the bag.

“Oh?”

“Yes. I told you I like photography.”

“I remember. I’m just surprised it took you this long to show it to me.”

“Good things come to those who wait.”

“Okay. I won’t question you.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not Tyler. I keep my photography to when people know about it and can see it.”

“I kind of figured.” I spent some time showing him my camera. It was the first thing I had spent any big amount of money on. I got it a few years ago. I saved up birthday and Christmas money. I never really got an allowance so that’s what I had to work with. I looked out at the water and stood up. Holding my hand out to my boyfriend, I nodded in the direction of the dock.

“Come on.” Montgomery took my hand and we walked to the railing. I examined the water for a few moments quietly. Then I lifted my camera and started shooting. It was beautiful. “It’s nicer at sunset. But daytime shoots are so fun.” I could feel him watching me. A bird was flying close by, so I snapped a picture. “It’s beautiful.” I said softly.

“Very beautiful.”

We wandered around the park together for a few hours. Occasionally we would stop to sit and just people watch. During one of these stops I noticed Monty had turned to look out over the water. The way the light was hitting his face was perfect. I quickly snapped a photo. I wanted to preserve the peaceful look on his face forever. Lord knows the boy could use some peace. He turned to me when he heard the click of the camera. Luckily it didn’t ruin the shot. He was smiling. I couldn’t help myself. I took a quick scan of the area and kissed him. When we pulled away, he quickly wiped the lipstick off. I laughed and dug around in my purse for a makeup wipe. “Here. Use this.”

“Thanks.” I touched up my lipstick. While I was doing that, he took my camera from my lap and snapped a photo of his own. “I’m not very good at this, so don’t be shocked if it comes out crappy.”

“I’m sure it’s great. Here, let me see.” He handed it back. I scrolled to the photo. It was really nice. “This is great Monty.” He nodded but didn’t say anything. Instead, he threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me in close to him. I rested my head on his shoulder. Turning the camera around, I snapped a picture of the two of us. It wasn’t exactly a candid, but it was as close as you could get with a selfie. We called it a night around six o’clock. He had to get home for dinner. I had some homework to do. I also wanted to get our photos transferred as soon as possible.

I walked into the house smiling to myself. Today had been a really great day. I felt good. “What the hell is all over your face?” My dad asked. Not a hello. No other acknowledgement.

“What do you mean?” I reached up to touch my face. Is there something on my face?

“You really caked it on today, didn’t you?” Oh. My makeup. I’d forgotten that he didn’t see me before I left.

“I put on a little makeup. I’m trying to use up a red lipstick.” I shrugged. The small feeling had begun to grow again.

“It makes you look like a prostitute.” Wow. That escalated quickly. My good mood vanished. I set my face. I wouldn’t let him see that he had hurt me.

“Thanks Dad. That was my goal today actually.”

“Don’t take that kind of tone with me, young lady.”

“Okay, whatever. Where’s Mum?”

“At the grocery store.”

“Okay. I’ll be upstairs.”

“Take off the paint while you’re up there.” He called after me.

When I reached my room, I closed the door and slid down it. Not wanting him to know I was crying I went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel. I curled up on my bed and sobbed into the towel. I didn’t care that there would be makeup stains on it. My phone buzzed on the floor. Sitting up, I stood to grab it. It was Monty. I want to see those photos baby.

Okay. I’ll send them over when I’m done.

Looking forward to it.

Yeah.

If I forgot to say, you looked pretty today.

Thanks. I wasn’t sure I believed him after what my dad said.

Any other mystery hobbies you want to show me?

Don’t think so.

Not even the art of knitting?

Maybe.

You okay Addy?

Yeah. Just tired.

Okay. I’ll talk to you later then.

Sure. I didn’t answer his next text. It was too much effort to do it now. I just wanted to lay in bed and be sad.

#can't go back #montgomery de la cruz #monty de la cruz #monty x oc #monty imagine #monty x reader #montgomery de la cruz x oc #montgomery de la cruz imagine #montgomery de la cruz x reader #13 reasons why #13rw #13 rw #Thirteen Reasons Why #fanfiction #fan fiction #fanfic #fanfic writing #creative writing #writeblr

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smolbeandrabbles · 4 years

Text

Kiss Me Quiet - Nolan Sorrento x Reader (Ready Player One)

GIF Credit: X @wltz-bby @happyskywhale

‘Tell me something good’ is fantastic line context for later... FYI.😏😏

Author’s Note: Requested by @slurpin! Thank you SO much for your request! Especially as it’s Nolan 🥰🥰🥰

Well if there’s one good thing to come out of my slight writing (and life in general) spiral, it’s the first few paragraphs of this fic!

Also this went through three songs before I landed on this one, by accident on youtube as ever, and I loved it *so* much that it had to be the one I used. Kiss Me Quiet - Jess Moskaluke

Disclaimer: RPO naught to do with me / Of course we’re referencing Lacero again / gifs & lyrics not mine Premise: There’s been a lot weighing on your mind recently, even though you’re on holiday. Nolan Sorrento wants to cheer you up, and he’s got a good bottle of wine... Words: 2727 Warnings: sexual connotations / some sexy shenanigans / dirty talk / swearing / drinking.

____

You're laying back chill, biting your tongue Taking it in, looking like you love Listening to me run my pretty little mouth And the sweet soft sound as the words fall out

Oh it's a sexy little dance You watching me talking with my hands Oh and you know I won't quit That look like you're trying to resist my lips says

Tell me what you want, where you wanna go Tell me who you are, what you think Yeah you're smiling like you wanna know All my crazy friends, boy I'll make you laugh Talking 'bout Panama City, best spring break I ever had Baby I know what you want When you crank my favorite song So I'll sing along, yeah, sing along Sing up a riot 'Till you kiss me quiet I'll keep going on and on until you kiss me quiet

Can you keep a secret, I'll whisper in your ear Boy, I'll make you hang onto every word you hear I'll keep spilling it, you keep listening till you can't hold back no more

I'll tell you what I want, where I wanna go Tell you who I am, what I think Yeah you're smiling like you wanna know All my crazy friends, boy I'll make you laugh Taking 'bout Panama City, best spring break I ever had Baby, I know what you want When you crank my favorite song So I'll sing along, yeah, sing along Sing up a riot 'Till you kiss me quiet

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“How are you feeling?” Was such an odd question to be asked when on top of a hill, in the quiet, in sunshine, looking out over the serene view of Sorrento and the sweeping bay. Gorgeous sapphire blue sea stretching out towards the rest of mainland Europe. It wasn’t that he was asking you how you were feeling, but the tone Nolan was asking it in.

“Hmm?” You looked up at him, the way his blue eyes studied you with careful interest. There was a lot of concern there too. But he stayed sitting where he was; he didn’t want to get closer, didn’t want to smother you if it wasn’t needed or wanted. “You’ve been quiet for a while, nearly all holiday.” “I’m fine.” And you meant it, “Nolan you know me, I just... have quiet spells.” “I was starting to think it was me.” He murmured his thought almost guiltily. And you shook your head. No, no it wasn’t. It was just he, nor the view, could really cheer you up right now. You were fine, that was true, but you couldn’t say you’d raise it above that. Not quite yet anyway. Nolan Sorrento could probably change that around if he wanted; it was already clear by the fact you were up here that he was putting the effort in. Nolan always did. He knew how to break through that, so he could get to hearing the sweet sound of your voice again. Which was certainly one of his favourite things – something he could associate with the comfort of home, calm and welcoming after a long work day, soothing and delicate as you’d hold him and tell him it was all going to be okay, how loud you got when you talked a on and on around something you were passionate about, or when you got mad, or drunk… the way you laughed. That slight waiver you always tried to hide when you were sad that he could pick up on immediately to quiet your fears, or work on making you smile again. Luckily it wasn’t present right now, but Nolan was afraid of hearing it. Then that shake… a delightful thing to be able to draw from you: beside him, on top of him, pinned under him… it didn’t matter where; just that moment. And how it sounded over the phone, how you’d make the tone of your voice sweet, sultry… sexy - everything you would say when he was a little too far away from you for a little too long… Nolan shuffled uncomfortably for a moment where he was sitting and cleared his throat – painfully aware he’d thought on that for a little too long. All he had to do was get you talking about something that made you happy, something that would bring you back to life. Pull you from whatever had got you so far gone… Maybe he could flirt with you, maybe he could even get you blushing. Nolan knew that he’d have to be careful with that one though; one false move and you’d be driven away, or you’d snap at him. That was a fine line, he’d just have to be careful and coax it out of you. Luckily the planned date was a picnic up here, so, admire the views all you want but cracking open a good bottle of wine was going to change all that; even if your only thought was put to teasing him about it. As you heard him rummaging around you couldn’t help be curious: Nolan muttered to himself - in Italian you had to note - as he uncorked the bottle, and although your first thought was ‘I hope he isn’t expecting us to drink the whole THING?!’ you couldn’t help but tip your head. Okay, you knew what he was doing, but you’d bite. “Let me guess, that’s Sorrento made?” “Sorrento?” God damn him for rolling the r’s like that, “Close…” He pulled out a glass and skilfully poured it like you might see a mixologist do behind a fancy bar. Party trick? You guessed he’d probably picked it up somewhere. “And what, it’s 1999?” “Oooh…” He smirked, “She’s close, once more.” He held the glass out to you, “But no dice.” “Then what!?” You took it and Nolan showed you the bottle, “Oh. My birth year? I thought it was only good if it was ’99.” “Usually. But, it’s not about me. This time.” He gave a gentle wink, and poured himself a glass before placing the bottle back, “So, to you. And trying to cheer you up!” For a minute your stare at him was blank, before you blinked slowly, “You are… infuriating.” “Ah, so it’s working?” “NO.” Although you couldn’t help but smile into the glass as you sipped. “Look whatever it is, you know I’d do anything to fix it. You do, don’t you?” “Nolan…” you sighed gently, “It’s not you. It’s just… a mood I get into sometimes.” “I know you might not think so,” His head tipped, blue eyes soft, “but I’m a good listener too. Like for like, you listen to me enough. About time I did the same.” You were quiet, staring back at your glass, the reflection of yourself in the red liquid – before you took a deep breath: “I don’t know. Work, I guess.” “Mm?” He raised an eyebrow. “You put in effort and, either no one recognises it or they just take the credit, then you wonder why you bother or… Is this it? Is this the life I’m going to live?” “Well, not everything’s bad right?” You could hear that slight hurt that you would do anything to take back. “N-No. Oh, Nolan, yes I have you! But… I can’t pin all my happiness on you. That’s not fair.” He very nearly tipped the whole glass back, “Fuck ‘em. Come work for me.” You immediately snorted, “Oh no, no no no, I’m not working for IOI.” “What!? Why?” “No way. I couldn’t!” You shook your head vigorously. “You’d be a damn sight better than most of them!” He sounded more desperate than persuasive. “Oh no, I’ve heard so many horror stories!” “Really?” “Yeah, especially about their CEO.” You couldn’t keep a straight face, and began to giggle. His eyes narrowed, smile knowing, “Is that right?” Then you couldn’t help but laugh, “Yes. Can confirm-” “Confirm?!” You waved your hand, laughing at his outrage, “-None of those rumours are true.” “You are on such thin ice!!” Nolan shook his head at you, but was grinning, then indicated to your glass, “Well?!” “Oh,” you looked to it, “you really don’t need me to tell you how good it is, do you?” “Eh, I dunno, feed my ego.” “It’s delicious. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to pick wine for me in a million years.” “That’s my girl!” He smiled, pouring himself another glass, then held it out to toast with yours, “Now I’ve got a smile back on your face, c’mon… let’s talk about something a little nicer!”

So, talk started to turn to other holidays, you’d both been to Sorrento before, both together and alone. In fact one year you’d come out here with your friends and explored the Amalfi coast before heading up to city areas like Rome and Milan; your ‘little’ Italian road trip. Apparently, that didn’t compare to being here with him – and you noticed that smirk – or your ‘best spring break ever’. He’d met your friends and each and every one of them was crazy: it’d been a lot to take in for him at once but once they’d broken through the play-it-straight businessman they all seemed to really like him. He’d never got vibes they didn’t, although Nolan knew why they were protective of you, and you’d never had the inclination to tell him they didn’t like him. But the stories about your adventures together? Downright hysterical. You’d been fairly lucky growing up in ways that Nolan hadn’t. He’d surely worked very hard in a very short period of time to become who he was. You’d always lived fairly comfortably; you at least had no complaints. So, Nolan lived all his wild spring break adventures through you. Much more likely to have spent his own fixing up old gaming and projection systems, or looking after his little sister. You’d had a lot of near misses and dodged bullets and you were the fairly careful one of your friends. Pretty soon you were both crying laughing and Nolan had to ask you to stop for just a second so he could catch his breath. He wasn’t averse to talking about some of his favourite things either, even if they were more recent memories. Even if some of them were just travels he’d got to take with IOI. Even just something he was building or planning for the OASIS. Nolan often had the imagination, but no means of execution. Even with the millions IOI made, he was fairly restricted by the happiness of his shareholders and the board of directors. You’d read his little book of plans that he’d kept ideas in ever since his earliest day of interning with Gregarious Games, and one day you hoped he’d be able to put all of these things into production. For now, Nolan was content and that was all that mattered to you. And all yours on weekends, and holidays. He was not allowed to bring work home with him and, on the rare occasions he did, Nolan always asked your express permission – not that you were going to say no when he was giving you that face. Although by this point, he had his tablet out and was shuffling through your playlist. You weren’t all alone up here, but other visitors to the site were far enough away for it not to disturb them. Nolan nudged the conversation back to you though, so that he could hear your voice, talking about anything and everything, now you were focused on Sorrento, on the view before you. Your tone dreamy and far off; his favourite person talking about one of his favourite places on earth. With fine wine and good Italian food, it was altogether a perfect mix. Nolan was focused so much on your body language, the way you moved, the sounds you made, every nuance of your face that added so much colour to what you were saying… whatever you were saying, because he wasn’t hearing words. But you were clearly talking to him, and asking him questions because the next thing he knew you’d turned your beautiful eyes on his awaiting an answer. “-Nolan!?” “W-what, I’m… I’m sorry I-” You folded your arms with a gasp, teasing, “You weren’t even listening to me?!” “No that’s not it… I was… listening so hard that I didn’t hear a word.” “…That- doesn’t make sense!” “Admiring… the way you say things, not… the what. Who you are. It’s- it just makes me happy. I guess I’m just thinking about you… a lot.” “Oh…” Your voice got quiet for a minute, and you looked to the blanket with a small blush. Ah… there was one…a perfect moment. And a good first chance. “I mean… I can’t figure out whether I like you best on top of me, beneath me, or next to me. What do you think?” Your eyes widened for a second, before flicking back up to meet his. The single beat you missed was to work out if Nolan was being serious, but it was obvious by the glint in his eyes. “I don’t really care, but I do know if these people weren’t around, I would jump you right now!” The slight shock on your face turned into a very pointed smirk. “If you were quiet I’m sure no one would notice…” “I have no intention of being quiet if I’m going to rip through the buttons on your nice shirt, Mr. Sorrento.” “This shirt was pretty expensive. You’re lucky I could cover the cost.” But he winked, “I hope you’ve eaten enough, because trust me you’re gonna need all that energy. I think I’ll go with beneath me. I’m sure there’s a tie somewhere I can bind your wrists with…” The blush across your face deepened and your body immediately latched onto that with an oh! that you were glad didn’t make its way out verbally. “Now I just want you to come over here and fuck me.” “Don’t care who’s watching?” “No.” “Imagine that one in the Columbus papers tomorrow…” Nolan breathed deep, “It’d almost be worth it!” You whined, tipping yourself back onto your hands with a pout. Nolan had this look in his eyes like he knew exactly what he was doing to you, and he wasn’t wrong; he was succeeding in turning you on. “God, I just want my hands all over you.” “Finish the bottle and I’ll consider it.” He sipped gently at his glass again, “I’m not wasting a vintage this good.” “Just pour it on me then.” “Red wine?!” He looked repulsed for a second, “Honey, there’s plenty of things I would lick off your body but red wine is not one of them. I do have a little bit of class.” “Nolan-!” Your protest of his name was breathless. “If it were Champagne, I’d consider it.” “You’re fucking killing me.” “Or just fucking you…” He smirked again, watching the way your chest rose and fell heavily, he could bet on the sweet ache between your thighs right now; touché, Nolan had one of his own that he was trying to control behind that façade. He pulled the bottle out of the basket again and studied the level in the sunlight, “Half glass each aughta do it…” You held yours out eagerly, making Nolan smirk a little harder as he turned to pour it, but his pour was agonisingly slow and he left the bottle tipped as he finished the measure. “C’mere…” He coaxed you gently; he’d been holding back what he really wanted to do all day, Nolan wasn’t about to now. And you weren’t about to resist him, as he pulled you into a wine-soaked kiss. You immediately grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer to you and hardly caring that you were probably spilling a good amount of this glass everywhere, even though Nolan himself had managed to carefully place the bottle back down, drawing your body closer his hand travelled beneath your skirt and he brushed his fingers delicately over your panties. This time your moan was into his kiss. Nolan pulled back with a chuckle, but his fingertips lingered there and he continued to tease you, “Mmm… I thought so. You’re already so wet, for me.” His voice was husky and you couldn’t help shiver in pleasure. “Nolan…” Your face was red and he wasn’t sure if it was the wine finally getting to you, or your blush was just that deep, but you looked gorgeous, and your voice was at a needy pitch. Yes, it was getting hard to control himself… He allowed you to kiss him again; and that wine tasted even better from your lips. “I know I shouldn’t be saying this on holiday but can we go back to our hotel room?’ Your voice was quiet, and your hands were steadying your body against his as he continued to touch you. Nolan’s smile was soft, as if you were sitting across from him at a fine restaurant and he was being an absolute gentleman, “Ab-so-lute-ly.” He circled your sweet spot with every syllable and you bit back your whine this time. “Will you speak Italian to me all the time too?” If there was one other thing that could get you off, it was that. You couldn’t trust him to speak Italian in anything less than the sexiest manner possible with his only intent to get you to push him against a wall, or beg him to find a quieter place at the party to get a little quick and dirty. He smirked deliciously once more, “Va bene.” And you cursed, shivering as Nolan leant forward to kiss your neck. Your stomach gave a flutter as he removed his hand from between your thighs – not for long… Soon your clothes would be strewn all over the floor of your hotel instead…

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Thank you for reading my lovelies! 😘😘

#slurpin #Nolan Sorrento #Nolan Sorrento x Reader #Ready Player One #Ben Mendelsohn #This website needs some new Nolan gifs...#TBH Nolan is just one big struggle after the other #Promise the other request is longer than this by *quite* a large margin #Smol Bean Drabbles #Linzi Writes Requests #Linzi Writes #There will never be enough Nolan Sorrento on my blog #Using all my favourite Nolan tropes here: Wine Connoisseur + Speaking Italian #+ Secret Softie #+ Sorrento in Sorrento #+ Fixer of retro stuff + little black book of ideas and inventions #+ That one reference to Lacero #192

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not-close-to-straight · 4 years

Text

More Than Words (Thirty-One)

Apparently 11K word chapters are just a thing I do now? So that’s nice.

Anyway, we see some tooth rotting sweetness and support between our boys, Wade meets the friends and Aunt May, the expected shenanigans ensue.

MASTERLIST HERE

************* “Gwen is the blond one.” Wade helped Peter from the cab and waited for the Omega to pay the driver before finishing, “Nosy, opinionated, would definitely kill someone for you.”

“For us.” Peter pocketed his wallet and steered his mate down the sidewalk towards May’s house. “Once Gwen meets you as my Alpha, she would kill someone for us. Don’t test the theory though, we don’t really want her going to jail.”

“Noted.” Wade dropped a kiss on Peter’s forehead when the Omega entwined their fingers, then lingered when his mate stayed close for an extra minute and soaked up the physical affection. "What’s up, cuddle bug?”

“You know what’s up.” Peter snarked and Wade laughed down at him. “You’re a big strong Alpha and I’m a delicate little Omega. Definitely need to stay close while we walk down this scary street.”

“Yeah, the street is real frightening.” Wade peered over his sunglasses at the wide sidewalks and neatly manicured lawns, the carbon copy homes all lined up in neat rows. “You should definitely let me carry you just in case something terrifying jumps out from behind the rose bush to grab you.”

“I think you should carry me whether there’s something lurking behind the rose bush or not.” Peter hooked his fingers in Wade’s belt loop and rubbed up against the Alpha’s side suggestively. He was feeling needy in a way only his mate could soothe and five minutes before dinner with May wasn’t the time to try and dry hump his Alpha but..... “You know I’m weak for your muscles.”

“You weigh about as much as a sack’a weeds.” The Alpha wasn’t going to miss a chance to hold his mate, so right there in the street he paused and leaned down to rest their foreheads together, one big arm secure at Peter’s waist and the other hand resting at the base of the Omega’s neck. “Don’t need muscles to hold you, Pete.”

“Mmmm, but I like your muscles anyway.” Peter purred encouragingly and Wade promptly gave him a kiss. “How are you doing? You looked halfway to panicked in the cab. Settled down now?”

“I think we should just walk everywhere from now on.” Wade grimaced remembering the ride in an ubber-- oober-- whatever the car service had been called. “Don’t like traffic, don’t like the feeling of going so fast. We almost crashed half a dozen times.”

“The driver was a little reckless.” the Omega traced absent minded circles through the lines on Wade’s forearm. “But it’s not like you could get hurt, my mate. Don’t stress about it.”

“I worry about you getting hurt.” Wade swept his fingers over Peter’s jawline and to the sensitive spot behind his ear. “In Haven I could protect you from everything. Here I don’t know what to protect you from, and definitely not how to protect you. Bothers me.”

“Well I’m always safe when I’m right here.” It was interesting the way their dynamic had shifted after Wade’s break down in the bathroom. Peter had gone from soaking up all the reassurance and love from his mate to being the steady one, the one who eased fears and calmed situations and the shift had happened so naturally that Wade never had time to feel self conscious, and Peter never put any thought into how to adjust.

It was just natural now for the Omega to step closer to his mate and trill his tongue sweetly into Wade’s ear, to flatten his palm over Wade’s bonding spot and rub slow circles until the Alpha leaned into the touch and sighed in relief. In Haven, Wade had dealt with every mood swing and mild panic attack and bout of worry without blinking, without faltering, and Peter loved that he could do the same for his mate now.

“I love you.” he whispered. “And I am always safe with you, I don’t ever worry about that, so you shouldn’t either. I don’t worry now that you’re home with me again.”

“I love you too.” Wade reveled in the comfort from his mate for a moment longer, breathed in the suppressant muted scent of acceptance and adoration, then cleared his throat. “Okay. Back to your friends. Um, Harry’s dad owns some big company that works with the army to make weapons. He’s real nice and protective over you and Mary Jane but sorta out of touch with the real world.”

“The first time Auntie May gave him pizza on a paper plate, I thought he’d actually die.” Peter confirmed. “Never seen a kid look so horrified in my entire life. We love Harry, but he lives in a mansion and got a car worth more than Auntie’s house for his sixteenth birthday. Thoroughly out of touch.”

“Mary Jane is the redhead.” the Alpha followed when Peter started walking again. “Best friends and neighbors since you were six, one of your favorite people in the entire world. Calls you Tiger and will love that I have fangs. She’s the only other Omega in your group.”

“Right. We used to share heats together before we were old enough for Alphas.” Peter skirted a crack in the sidewalk. “Do you remember about Johnny?”

“Blond, obnoxious and gives his kisses away for quarters.” Wade cracked a grin. “Flashy and only half as charming as he thinks but one of the best Alphas in the group.”

“He offered to platonic bond with me after I got out of the hospital.” Peter reminded the Alpha quietly, and Wade tried to smother a snarl. “You need to thank him for that, thank him for trying to take care of me.”

“M’not gonna thank another Alpha for trying to bond with you, Pete.” he immediately objected. “Don’t ask me to do that.”

“Platonic bond.” the Omega emphasized. “Platonic. He was willing to give up the chance to date around and find a real mate so I’d be okay. You need to thank him for that, Alpha to Alpha. There’s not many people out there who would be willing to put their own life on hold to protect someone else.”

“No, there’s not.” Wade set his jaw and pursed his lips as they crossed the street to May’s door. “And no matter what he said then, no Alpha in the world would platonic bond with someone and not expect it to turn romantic at some point. Can’t share all that with an Omega and not need more eventually.”

“Alpha--”

“Pete.” He pulled his mate to a gentle stop and cupped Peter’s chin in his palm. “What you and I have. Can you imagine having this sorta connection but not ever touching? Kissing?” his voice roughed as he thumbed over Peter’s bond mark. “Lettin’ me bite you so you get all soft and sweet for me? Sleeping together and not waking up needy and--”

“Don’t you dare say horny.”

“--and horny--”

“God dammit.”

“-and not being able to do anything about it?” Wade finished. “I know we haven’t really done nothin’ about feeling like that lately, but we’ll get there again and when we do-- I mean, can you imagine waking up every morning and knowing it wasn’t your right to touch me? Kiss me if you want? Hold me down and bite me?”

“No, I’d hate that.” the Omega’s eyes flashed, the suppressants in his system not enough to stop a flush of molten in his scent. “It’s sorta crazy how bad I want to hold you down and bite you. But Johnny is--”

“I’d platonic bond with you if you needed it.” the Alpha cut in. “If you couldn’t handle more cos of the time travel or if our ‘enough’ never made it this far. We’d platonic bond because you’re my mate and the other half’a my soul and I’d settle for just looking at you so long as I could stay close. But it’s less than I want and I’d be miserable every day trying to keep myself from pushing for more. Only thing that would settle me is knowing you’re meant to be mine, being soulmates means the other stuff isn’t as important.”

“But that Alpha isn’t your soulmate.” Wade wanted to growl even suggesting someone else belonged with Peter. “So the offer to bond is cos he loves you and wants more with you. No Alpha would platonic bond with anyone they didn’t want to fully mate. Your friend might’ve been willin’ to do it, but I guarantee he wants more from you and I dunno if I can thank another Alpha for that sorta thing.”

“You think Johnny loves me.” Peter realized with a frown. “Like, really loves me, not just the way the rest of the Alphas love me and MJ both.”

“Did the other Alphas offer a platonic bond?”

“...no.” Peter’s scent flickered towards troubled. “Now I feel bad. He offered and I turned him down so quickly and even though I told him it was because of you, because I was already mated he was so upset at first. Do you think I broke his heart?”

“My mate.” Wade ran his tongue over his fangs as he thought about how to phrase this without sounding like an asshole. “I uh--- I don’t really care if you broke his heart or not. I sorta hope you did just so he knows there’s no contest between us. You’re mine, Omega. Mine. I don’t like him thinking you could ever be his.”

It came out harsher than Wade intended, a flare of jealousy and possession strong enough to break through the suppressants and flash sharp in the air, and Peter turned around to plant a loud kiss on his Alpha’s mouth, linking their left hands so Wade could feel the round edge of the ring he never ever took off.

“Stop that.” he murmured. “I’m yours and Johnny knows full well I will always be yours. The second I told him I was mated, he stopped talking about a bond and wanted to talk about you, wanted to know how we met and where you were and all that sort of thing. Don’t act like a possessive, jealous Alpha around him because of this, okay? Please? You have nothing to worry about from him. I’m yours.”

“Mine.” Hooked teeth dug into Peter’s bottom lip and the Omega squealed over the sting. “Should bite you again just so it’s real obvious.”

“I’m only saying no to that cos If I show up bitten up and bleeding, May will thrash you.” Peter shivered when his mate only bit him harder, and sighed when Wade immediately licked at the marks to soothe them. Damn it, he missed his mate. “Are you going to be nice to Johnny?”

“I’ll be nice.” Wade relented begrudgingly. “Only since it was a good thing he was willing to do for you and only so long as his heart is real fuckin’ broken.”

“--MATE!”

“I’ll be nice!” he finished loudly. “I’ll be nice, Pete! I promise!”

“I mean it.” the Omega smoothed his hands down Wade’s chest to his waist and hugged him close. “This is my family, Wade. My friends. It’s important to me that they know you as my mate, and it's important to me that you know and love them. You’re my entire world, Alpha, but they matter too. This is important. Please be nice.”

“I’ll be nice.” Wade kissed his mate’s knuckles and then his palm. “I will. I know this is important. I’ll play nice.”

“Don’t be nervous either.” Peter added almost as an afterthought. “I know this is a lot today, the car was a lot and meeting my family and dealing with my crazy friends is a lot but you don’t have to worry. Everything will be fine.”

“I’m not nervous.” Wade lied and his mate clicked at him comfortingly. “But I sure won’t hate it when we’re back home and in bed together. Let’s get this over with.”

“Don’t be nervous.” Peter knocked at May’s door. “Everything’s gonna be just--”

“Peter!” the door wrenched open before Peter had even finished knocking, and Wade didn’t have time for half a breath before his mate was yanked right out of his arms and up against another Alpha.

“Wait--!” He started to snarl, but the lady Alpha bared her teeth in an equally fierce snarl and ordered, “Don’t you glare at me, young man. You might think you’re fierce with those fangs and red eyes but I’ve dealt with meaner Alphas in my day, so you don’t scare me one whit. You stand there and you wait for your own hug, do you hear me?”

“Uh, my own hug…?”

“Peter Benjamin Parker.” the Alpha framed Peter’s face in both her hands and pushed their foreheads together, growling in frustration. “If you ever go so long without coming to visit me again, I’ll move you out of that hole in the wall apartment and right back upstairs in this house myself, understood? I tried to give you your space and Lord knows I wasn’t half as nosy and overbearing as I could have been but you cannot worry me like this! I can’t take it! My hair has gone gray!”

“Auntie May.” Peter purred and chirped at the distraught Alpha, looped his arms around her little frame and hugged her close. “Your hair went gray when I was in high school--”

“Peter!”

“-- but I do appreciate you giving me some space.” he leaned in and nuzzled at her and May huffed and fussed a moment more before finally relenting and squeezing him tight. “And I’m sorry for making you worry. I’m okay now though, so you should come here and meet my mate.”

“Your mate.” May bussed another kiss to Peter’s cheek and turned to Wade, hands on her hips and gaze measuring as she looked him over. “You know, I’m half tempted to kick your butt for what you’ve put my boy through.”

“May.” Peter rolled his eyes. “Please? This is Wade and he is my mate so play nice! Why have I had to say that so many times today!”

“I’m playing nice by not biting him.” May announced, but her eyes softened as she approached the big Alpha. “But since you’re family, I suppose I’ll let it go. Also because you’re gorgeous and I can see why my nephew is so smitten. Welcome to the family, darling.”

Thoroughly thrown by the abrupt change in direction from the tiny woman, Wade didn’t do much more than make a surprised noise when he was pulled down into a hug. “You can call me Auntie like all the other kids do, or you can call me May or whatever else you’d like, alright?”

“Um.” Wade put careful arms around May to hold her for a few seconds. “Thank you?”

“Do they hurt terribly? The scars?” she whispered into his ear and Wade hesitated before nodding only once. “Well don’t you worry about how they look. None of Peter’s friends care about looks and your mate is staring at you as if you’ve hung the moon. Don’t be nervous.”

This time Wade’s muttered thank you was entirely sincere, and May patted at his arm gently before letting go.

“Well then!” She brightened immediately as they parted. “Peter, I’ve got to get a few more things set out before your friends arrive, why don’t you show your mate around the house? I haven’t hardly touched your room, you know. I’m sure there’s still loads of embarrassing pictures up there to show off!”

“Wonderful.” Peter scrunched his nose at his Aunt, and reached for Wade’s hand again. “C’mon, I’ll show you my old room, let you sit on my bed, all that sort of stuff. I might even show you my underwear drawer.”

“Ooh, underwear drawer? Scandalous.” Wade waggled his eyebrows and May barked a laugh from the kitchen. “Will we need a chaperone, Pete?”

“Yes my Alpha, we will definitely require a chaperone to go up a dozen stairs to my teeny tiny bedroom.” Peter linked their fingers and stood on his toes to kiss his mate gently, then lowered his voice to ask, “How are you doing on the suppressants? Still feeling muffled?”

“I don’t like it.” Wade brushed his knuckles over Peter’s cheek and pressed his thumb to the corner of the Omega’s pretty mouth. “It’s like I’m stuck in a blanket. Didn’t hardly catch your Aunt’s scent and can’t feel a whole lot, but I can still feel you and that’s all I care about, sweetheart.”

“Okay.” Predictably, Peter blushed sweetly pink over the endearment. “That’s all I care about too. So long as you can feel me, we’ll be alright.”

“Come on and show me your room.” The Alpha palmed low over Peter’s rear and pushed him up the stairs in the same motion. “You saw where I lived the last hundred years, c’mere and show me where you grew up.”

“Oh well it’s very interesting.” Peter said blandly, leading his mate up the steep stairs and sweeping his hands out to encompass the beige walls. “Here we have the worlds most narrow hallway where no less than two hundred family pictures ranging from hilariously outdated to cringeworthy school photos.”

Wade grinned as he passed frame after frame of Peter, May and a man who must have been Uncle Ben. The Omega had glasses and a goofy grin in most of the younger pictures, awkwardly shaggy hair and brackets on his teeth in the middle ones and then ridiculously fluffed hair and that gorgeous smile Wade knew so well in the most recent pictures.

“What’s that on your teeth, Pete?” Wade tapped at one where Peter couldn’t have been more than thirteen. “The brackets and pieces? What is that?”

“Braces. Don’t look too long at them, my crooked teeth will burn your eyes.” Peter tugged his mate past the offending picture and down the hall some more. “Puberty was a really terrible time for me. Funky eyes and funky teeth and funky friends. I dunno how any of us survived without dying of shame.”

Wade only vaguely remembered being thirteen, but he crooned sympathetically when his mate covered up a different picture with a muttered, “You’ll never look at me without laughing if you see that one, so just keep on moving and I’ll burn it later.”

The last door at the end of the hall opened into a little bedroom and Peter was sort of shy as he motioned his mate through and onto the bed.

“I never thought I’d have an Alpha on my bed.” he explained in embarrassment when Wade sent him a curious look. “I didn’t share a heat with an Alpha until after I moved out, and May didn’t let Harry or Johnny or Gwen stay in my room when we had sleep overs, we all slept downstairs. It’s weird to have an Alpha--” he gestured lamely. “--I dunno. It feels weird.”

“M’the only Alpha you’ve ever had on your bed?” Wade looked inexplicably pleased with the news. “Really?”

“I told you I didn’t really do relationships before you.” Peter folded his arms and leaned back against his desk, his expression wistful as he looked around the old room. “In fact outside of my group of friends, I didn’t do anything. They dated and messed around with other people, partied and all that sort of thing. I only went to school and came home, when I got the internship at Oscorp I did that all the time, and after Uncle Ben passed and I got into research and reporting, I sort of obsessed about it. No time for dating, no time for Alphas. I was busy all the time and even with my friends I was lonely all the time too. Right up until you, my mate.”

Wade rumbled at him and Peter scrunched his nose teasingly. “You love that, don’t you? That younger me just came home and studied every night instead of going out getting kissed by a bunch of Alphas? You love that you’re basically my first for everything?”

“Feel like if I say ‘yes’ I sound like one of those asshole Alphas that require their mates to be virgins.” Wade snorted. “So m’not gonna say yes, but damn Pete yes I like knowing I’m the only one who gets to see you all naked and horny and savin’ up all those kisses just for me. Makes me wanna howl or something. Stake my claim and beat my chest and--”

“Stop!” Peter laughed out loud at his mate. “You are ridiculous, oh my god. If you beat your chest and howl at my friends I’m going to make you walk back home tonight. Make you clean the kitchen tomorrow. You will not go all gorilla Alpha on my friends without having to make it up to me in some extravagant way.”

“I’d walk all day to get home to you.” the Alpha promised seriously, held out his hand and curled his fingers coaxingly. “Make it up to you in whichever way you want. C’mere Pete. C’mere and let me hold you for a minute. I don’t like thinkin’ about you being lonely growing up here. That makes me sad.”

“It wasn’t all that sad.” Peter’s eyes went very soft as he let the Alpha pull him in close. “I didn’t hardly notice for a while and I had friends and May to keep the worst of it away. It wasn’t really bad until right when I met you, and once I had you nothing else mattered. Soulmate.”

“Soulmate.” the Alpha echoed, his touch damn near reverent at Peter’s sides. “I love you, Pete.”

“I love you too.” Interest warmed low in the Omega’s belly when Wade nuzzled at his stomach, breath warm through the thin shirt and sending butterflies scattering through his core. “Oh Alpha, we should--- we should go back downstairs before everyone else gets here. May probably needs help.”

“Maybe.” Wade hadn’t missed the way Peter’s breath hitched, and his fingers tightened reflexively at his waist. “Orrrrr you could come sit with me and we could figure out other things to do that would be a first for this bed.”

“Wade.” Peter’s faint blush darkened but he didn’t resist Wade pulling him down onto the mattress. “I know we’ve been missing each other lately, but we are absolutely not getting naked upstairs in my Aunt’s house on my old bed. No way.”

“Why not, seems as good a place as any.” The Alpha smooshed a kiss onto Peter’s mouth before he could protest, and Peter made a helpless, hungry little noise when Wade’s hand landed warm and heavy and significantly south of his waist.

“Wade--”

“You call me Alpha, my mate.” Wade rumbled and Peter’s answering whine was both pleading and permission all at once, so the Alpha surged forward to seal their lips together again.

The emotional upheaval of the last month had left little energy for anything other than kisses that settled into languid hugs, the mental strain of Wade adjusting to a new world and Peter adjusting his world to fit them both hadn’t eased enough to allow other, more fun thoughts. Some days it felt like they could pick up right where they left off in Haven, other days it felt like they were starting from square one, and in the middle of it all neither Alpha nor Omega had done anything about the way their bodies yearned and souls ached. Just waking up next to each other took Wade’s breath away, Peter’s entire being shuddered when his mate’s teeth broke skin and spilled blood and they didn’t need anything else.

It was enough.

Or rather it had been enough.

But the last few days after Logan and Clint visited had been calmer, easier, their minds calm and emotions stable and Peter had woken up parched for his mate, Wade was going to bed starving for drops of honeysuckle and lavender on his tongue and now--

--well now wasn’t the time to give in to the muted scent of arousal and want, but Wade was determined to erase the last bit of loneliness from Peter’s eyes, ready to remind the Omega that he would never be alone again, ready to forget where they were and remember his mate. It didn’t take much for Peter to give in past his half hearted protests either, not when the kiss turned long and tongues ventured to slide slick and taste and his core clenched with immediate need just hearing the way his mate growled into his ear.

“I miss you.” the words were weighted, hoarse as if Wade was finally letting himself say what he’d been holding back for weeks. “Miss ya like this, Pete. Feel like m’gonna climb outta my skin to get to you lately. Need you.”

“I need you too.” Peter’s knees automatically parted when Wade’s traced the seam of his jeans up the inside of his thigh. “Oh-h-h- my mate. It feels like it’s been forever.”

“Sorry s’taken me so long to work things out.” Wade sucked in a quick breath when slim fingers dipped under his waistband and then changed direction to shove beneath his shirt and scratch over his abdomen. “Wish I could’a gotten my head screwed on better so we could do this sooner. Feel like I couldn’t handle more than what we had goin’ on and I know I’ve been neglectin’ you, know that’s why you haven’t gone under and hazy for me. Sorry my mate, so sorry.”

“No no, my love.” the Omega went back on the bed with only the barest pressure from his mate, laying onto the pillows and bringing Wade right down against him too. “No.” he whispered into another kiss, and another and another, arched his back and moaned when the Alpha fit between his hips. “No no no I would have waited forever-- would have always waited for you Alpha.”

“Omega.” Wade’s eyes blurred scarlet as the moment twisted hot and breaking, and the Omega whimpered, panted, dragged his nails down Wade’s back and--

“Peter!”

“Pete!”

“Where are you, Omega? Get your butt down here so I can hug it!”

“Auntie May, you look wonderful but where the hell is Peter?”

“--Damn it.” Peter’s head thumped onto the pillow.. “Damn it, that’s my friends. We gotta go down and see them.”

The Alpha swore frustrated and hungry, grip too tight at his mate’s hips and fangs aching with the need to bite, throbbing in his jeans and rocking his hips forward helplessly against every wriggle and push of Peter’s body.

“Shit.” he swore again, gnawed down into his own lip until it split beneath his fangs and healed over again almost immediately. “Pete.”

“I know.” the Omega’s fingers were shaking as they tracked along the lines of Wade’s scalp and gently gently down his neck. “My mate, I know. I-- I-- this is not the place-- I told you not at Auntie May’s--”

“I know.” It was the most difficult thing in the world to ease from Peter’s body and when Peter mewled plaintively, Wade thoroughly considered forgetting about the people waiting downstairs and taking his mate apart right then and there.

“I know.” he finally said though, and with one last bruising kiss at Peter’s mouth, rolled away from the pretty Omega and right off the bed to his feet. “I know, Pete. I know this is important to you, I won’t make you miss it. Shit, I just uh-- just need a minute.”

“Thank you.” Peter wrestled a pillow out from beneath his head and dropped it over his lap, then covered his eyes with his arm so he wouldn’t have to see how badly his Alpha wanted. “Um, but when we go home again do you think we could-- I mean, I know we probably will have lots to talk about but Alpha I think I’m gonna explode if I can’t have you soon.”

“I think you won’t make it through the livin’ room before I get you stuck on my knot, mate.” the Alpha’s voice was low and rough, eyes still heartstoppingly red even as he tried to blink and clear them, and Peter whined, pressing at the pillow over his lap in a vain attempt at relief. “Be a few days before I let you off me, too. I’ve missed you, Pete. Missed my Omega.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Peter could barely breathe, but if they had any chance of surviving the rest of the afternoon he had to put a stop to everything right the hell now. “I um-- I’ll go down before you, okay? Take an extra suppressant dose and give it a few minutes to kick in.”

“Don’t wanna take anymore suppressants.” Wade shook his head and turned his head so he didn’t have to look at the Omega still stretched out on the bed. “Don’t wanna be muffled around you, Pete, specially not when you smell all sweet like this.”

“I know you don’t.” the Omega took in a deep breath and swung unsteady legs over to the floor. “But you don’t want the other Alphas scenting us and knowing what we were doing, right? And if I can scent you like this, it’s going to drive me crazy and make my own suppressants quit working. Please, you gotta take another one to keep me even while we’re here.”

The Alpha set his jaw stubbornly and Peter whispered, “We’ve waited this long, my mate. Through being separated and finding each other again trying to figure out everything else these last few weeks. Another couple hours staying settled won’t kill us. We’ll be home soon, okay? Okay?”

“Okay.” The chance of a kiss getting out of control again was damn high, but Wade took the risk anyway so he could lick the love from his mate’s mouth, lingering at Peter’s lips and threading his fingers into the thick hair to direct the Omega right where he wanted. “We’ll go home soon. Not -- not too soon, though. We can stay as long as you want, Pete. You’re right, this is important.”

“I love you so much.” Peter rubbed their noses together and trilled into Wade’s ear, grateful the Alpha had broken through the month long mental block to touch and kiss like this, more grateful his mate was strong enough and cared enough to keep them from going too far and spoiling the afternoon with his friends. “Thank you. Thank you.”

The Omega escaped out the bedroom door while Wade was throwing back another couple of quick acting suppressants to get his scent under control, and Peter ducked into the bathroom long enough to smooth down his hair and blink the naked need from his eyes before jogging down the stairs to see everyone.

“Pete!” Gwen saw him first and the pretty Alpha shoved a six pack of beer into Johnny’s arms before vaulting over the couch and tackling Peter into a hug. “Oh my god! Where the hell have you been?!”

“Gwen.” Peter pushed his face into her neck and inhaled her muted but still familiar scent. “It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see me?” Gwen ran her hands through his hair and then down his back to wrap tight around his waist. “Good to see me? Which one of us has been AWOL for a solid month and half at this point? I’ve missed you, Pete! I was so worried! I was getting ready to stage an intervention--”

“--and whoever his Alpha is probably would have torn your face off.” Johnny interrupted Gwen’s rambling and pried the two apart. “Let go and let him breathe, Gwen. Or at least let the rest of us get a hug in.”

“Johnny.” The Omega hesitated only a split second before falling into his friend’s arms, Wade’s words about love and bonding ringing through his ears. “Hey. I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you too, Pete.” Johnny lay a gentle kiss on his temple, and touched just there and gone at his throat, asking in a near whisper, “Your mate? You found him?”

“He found me.” Peter confirmed, and Johnny’s smile didn’t seem any less brilliant, any less thrilled so Peter burrowed in closer for a moment longer, sinking into the same comfort he’d known for years. “I can’t wait to introduce the two of you.”

“Heya Tiger.” Harry was on his way over next, but Mary Jane shoved him out of the way and got to Peter first, purring and trilling into his ear when he immediately grabbed her up tight. “Hey hey hey, we’re alright. It’s alright, honey.” she crooned and Peter only hugged her closer. “Oh, Pete. I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you.” Peter had been so deliriously happy with Wade he hadn’t thought about how seeing his friends for the first time in a long time would feel, and he was embarrassingly close to tears as he clutched at Mary Jane and breathed in her ginger peach scent. “M’so happy to be back again, MJ.”

“Back from where, love?” she murmured, petting through his hair. “Back from where?”

“Just--” Peter’s lean frame shook with the effort of getting himself back under control. “Just um-- just back to myself. I’m happy to be back to myself.”

“We’re happy you’re back too, Pete.” Harry carefully carefully unwound MJ’s arms from Peter’s shoulders and turned the Omega around into another hug, cuddling Peter up over his heart and nosing over his cheek tenderly. “Worried about you, buddy. Everything okay now? You back and settled?”

“Sure as hell getting there.” Peter didn’t pull away when the Alpha dotted a quick kiss to his brow, and pressed at Harry’s hand happily when the Alpha repeated the motion on his cheek. “I’m so happy to see you guys, Christ. Didn’t realize how much I missed you until right now.”

“Well we’ve got an entire month of catching up to do, so someone toss me a beer and let’s get to reminiscing!” Gwen crowed. “Omega! On my lap! You owe me at least an hours worth of solid cuddles to make up for all my gray hair.”

“I tried to tell him the same thing, and Peter informed me I’ve been gray since he was in high school.” May appeared with a bowl of chips from the kitchen and Johnny hip checked Harry out of the way to grab it first. “Mouthy Omega.”

“Seriously mouthy.” Gwen laughed out loud at May and snagged Peter in for another hug before tumbling back onto the couch with the Omega held close. “C’mon love, tell us everything we’ve missed. Or what changed and why you’re feeling better!”

“Or who the hell you’ve been shacking up with the last few weeks.” Mary Jane chimed in.” Because I dunno if I’m jealous or worried or--”

“MJ if you need an Alpha to shack up with, I’ll send the limo over.” Harry informed the Omega. “You can move right the hell in with me.”

MJ made an interested noise while Johnny protested how he was never invited to shack up with rich people and Gwen crowed about how Harry wishes such pretty Omega wanted to live with him and Peter sank into his friends arms and let himself just enjoy the chaos for a minute.

He had been too busy in Haven to realize how much he’d missed just this, just being with his friends. After Haven Peter had been too miserable to even want to miss his friends and now he was taken aback by how much he ached with wanting their normal back. Life would be different moving forward now, they wouldn’t ever be just a group of single friends hanging out together and it was maybe sad in a bittersweet sort of way that things had changed in their group without any of them even realizing.

That last dinner before Peter had gone to meet Cable had really been a last dinner and now things were never going to be the same.

“Pete?” Wade’s voice cut into the noise and all thoughts of melancholy fled once the Omega wriggled himself off Gwen’s lap and darted towards the stairs.

“Hi again.” Peter’s kiss was maybe a little too enthusiastic, maybe a little too long judging by how Wade huffed in surprise and the room fell silent behind them, but he didn’t really care. He didn’t really care if everyone thought it was weird to see him kissing an Alpha, he only cared about the way his mind and soul settled as soon as Wade’s arms went around him. “How are you?”

“Suppressants kick in?” Wade didn’t take his eyes off the gathered people at the bottom of the steps, and his hand went strong and possessive at Peter’s waist. “Can you scent me?”

“Just barely.” Peter pushed his nose into Wade’s neck and inhaled. “You’re fine, my mate. Come on. Come on and meet my friends.”

There was only shocked silence as Peter led the Alpha down into the living room, only wide eyes and dropped jaws as the group watched Peter tuck into the strange Alpha’s side, apparently perfectly content to nuzzle into the myriad of scars and hold tight to massive hands.

Not even Gwen had anything to say, and Peter smirked a little at the gobsmacked Alpha before clearing his throat and announcing, “Everyone, this is my mate. My Alpha. This is Wade.”

“Wade.” Johnny was the first to move forward with his hand outstretched and a big smile. “Hey, it’s a real pleasure to meet you. I’m Johnny and uh--” his smile stretched even wider when Wade shook his hand easily. “--man, I’m glad to see you around. We were really worried about Pete for a while, good to know you.”

“Good to know you.” Wade repeated, and Peter left a grateful kiss on his mate’s shoulder. “I owe you a thank you for bein’ so willing to look after my mate.”

“You’re welcome.” Johnny crooned over at Peter, who blushed and hugged Wade a little tighter. “He’s a real special Omega, you’re lucky.”

“Don’t gotta tell me twice.” Wade left a kiss on Peter’s forehead. “Really though. Pete told me what you were willing to do for him and uh--” he coughed quietly. “Thank you. You’re a good friend, a good Alpha.”

“Oh please, Johnny is a putz and con man.” Gwen’s eyes were very wide as she glanced between Peter and Wade. “I once saw him swindle someone out of a hundred dollars with some bullshit wager. Don’t trust anything he says. I’m Gwen, by the way.”

“You’re Gwen.” Wade tried hard not to laugh at the offended squawk from Johnny, and didn’t look away when the female Alpha tilted her chin up and gave him a searing once over. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot.”

“All terrible, I’m sure.” Gwen’s blue eyes flickered curiously over Wade’s scars and then down to where he was still holding onto Peter. “You can let go of the Omega you know, he won’t fall to pieces if you aren’t touching him.”

“Think I’ll keep just as much a hold on my mate as I see fit.” The other Alpha drawled the words, deceptively lazy and entirely dangerous. “Ain’t that right, Pete?”

“Stop.” Peter said firmly, pointing first at Gwen and then at Wade. “Both of you stop. I won’t have you marking your territory like a couple of knot heads. Gwen? Cut it out.”

“He never lets me have any fun!” Just that quick, Gwen’s shoulders relaxed and she grinned at the pair. “It’s good to know you, Wade and it’s really good to see Peter smiling again. Later I'll bust your balls for taking so long to come around but for now do you want a beer or do you want some of the super secret stuff May doesn’t think we know about?”

“He’ll take a beer.” Peter answered for his mate and Gwen finger gunned at him before meandering to the kitchen to get some more bottles. “MJ, come here and meet my mate.”

“Hi.” Mary Jane was gorgeous, red hair and green eyes and the sort of sweet Omega smile that put even mated Alphas to their knees and Wade was crooning before he ever realized what he was doing, cradling MJ’s dainty hand in his own and letting his eyes melt dark red in full approval as he murmured, “Mary Jane, good to know you.”

“Oh my.” Mary Jane nearly swooned over the noise, over her tiny hand disappearing between both of Wade’s, over the flash of fangs and glint of red eyes and she fanned at herself helplessly. “It’s um-- wow. It’s nice to um--”

“Pretty Omega.” Wade’s voice lowered into a rumble. “How are you?”

“Oh fuck me.” Mary Jane blurted, then clapped a hand over her and blushed bright red as Gwen collapsed screaming in laughter. “Oh I-- I need to um-- Pete! Help me!”

“Why don’t you go sit down?” Peter asked dryly, and mortified to her very soul, MJ extricated her hand from Wade’s grip and ran for the kitchen and the sanctuary of Aunt May.

Except of course, May was laughing as loud as she could as MJ whispered what had happened and Johnny rolled his eyes, “Guess we should go rescue her. Pete, can I get you something to drink?”

“Please.” Peter blew kisses at Johnny and Gwen as they went to console MJ, then elbowed his mate in the ribs and hissed, “Don’t do that! I don’t like that!”

“Don’t do what?” the Alpha looked genuinely perplexed and Peter muttered, “Call her pretty Omega. That’s what you call me, don’t do that with her. I don’t want anyone else blushing over you.”

Wade only waited, a smirk at the corner of his lips and both relief and adoration in his gaze, and finally Peter huffed, “Yes! Okay! I wasn’t prepared to be jealous for someone else thinking you are handsome! Shut up about it!”

He pulled away in exasperation, but the Alpha snatched him right back up and crushed a kiss to his mate’s mouth, not letting up until Peter was melting and soft and trembling a little against Wade’s body.

“Baby boy.” he rumbled and Peter clutched at him tighter. “M’only yours.”

“Damn right you’re only mine.” The Omega whispered back. “No more calling other Omega’s pretty, no matter how ridiculous their reaction is.”

“Never again.” Wade tapped pointedly at the raised bite marks over Peter’s bonding spot. “Yours, sweetheart.”

“Mine.” Peter let his head fall back, fully trusting his mate to catch him before twinging his neck. “I love you.”

“Love you too.” the Alpha smoothed over the bonding spot one more time. “Go see if your Aunt needs help?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” he squeezed at Wade’s head and headed to the kitchen, pausing long enough to poke Harry in the side and order, “Go say hi, stop being a jerk.”

Harry only snorted after the Omega, then folded his arms and squared his shoulders as Wade came down the final few steps to the living room floor. The two Alphas were of similar height though Wade was wider by at least half and his entire being held like coiled danger, while Harry was less intimidating in his sweater vest and artfully combed hair.

But the difference didn’t stop Harry from letting his eyes run red and his voice roll angry as he said, “I’m not your biggest fan, Wade. You let Pete mourn and cry for three full months before you decided to show back up. He nearly died, do you know that? Couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t even function and then you showed back up and now none of us have seen him for a month. Doesn’t seem real healthy in my opinion.”

“In your opinion?” Wade asked casually, far too casually for how badly it hurt to hear that Peter had nearly died of grief. “In my opinion, what you think doesn’t really matter to me or my mate.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” Harry’s lip curled in a warning snarl. “I’ve known Peter longer than you have, damn near our whole lives. And he can say what he wants about soulmates and you guys being meant to be, but it doesn’t change the fact that you were gone when he needed you most and for some reason, there’s things about you Pete won’t tell us. Things about your relationship he isn’t willing to talk about.”

“Now listen here--” Wade started but the other Alpha cut him off, “And now you’re making moves on Mary Jane too? Seems to me like you aren’t the sort of Alpha that would be good for any of my friends, leastwise Pete whose never so much as dated. And now all the sudden you’re mated and he can’t be without you for more than a few minutes? His mark isn’t even silver, how are we supposed to know your bond is actually--”

“You should be careful tryna say our bond isn’t real.” Wade interrupted, and Harry took an uncomfortable step backwards when he was suddenly staring at blood red eyes and long, curving fangs. “I appreciate you looking out for Pete, and he loves you a lot which is the only reason I’m not tearing out your throat right now.”

“I--I--”

Wade hadn’t even moved, not even a bare inch towards Harry but the smaller Alpha backed up yet again when Wade simply shifted his weight forward. “Pete is my Omega and nobody’s gonna say we aren’t good for each other.” He growled. “I know you think you’re protecting him but that’s my job, I’m his Alpha, I’m his mate and I couldn’t help us being apart for a while but I’m here now and m’not gonna stand for you being suspicious of our bond, got it?”

“Do you love him?” Harry asked bluntly. “Cos Pete’s never loved anyone except for us and I don’t care how big you are, if you’re messing with my friend without loving him I’ll—“

“You’ll what?” Peter came back from the kitchen with a beer in each hand but he stopped and stared between the two Alphas uncertainly when he felt the tension in the room. “Alpha? Harry? Everything okay?”

Neither Alpha answered so Peter handed off the beers to an equally worried May and crossed to his mate, humming soothingly as he set his palm flat against Wade’s heart and murmured, “My love? What is it?”

Harry watched with no small degree of interest and maybe even suspicion as Wade physically couldn't stop himself from responding to the Omega. The red in Wade’s eyes faded to soft hazel, the fangs that were obviously capable of ripping someone apart covered as the Alpha smiled a little. The huge shoulders relaxed, frame curving in protective and sheltering over Peter's smaller self and when Wade put his own hand over Peter's and rumbled something soft and adoring… well the little scene answered all the important questions Harry had about whether or not Wade really loved his friend.

Everything about Peter and his Alpha was so clearly in tune that Harry swallowed back the rest of his demands about where Wade had been for three months and why he was suddenly back, and held up both hands peacefully to tell the Omega, “Everything’s fine, Pete. You know how Alphas can get. But we’re fine.”

“How Alphas can get.” Johnny bumped shoulders with Harry and grinned. “Look at you acting like a knot head about an Omega that has clearly chosen his mate. Cut that out.”

“He was making sure I’m treating you right.” Wade lifted Peter's knuckles to his mouth for a soft kiss, and in the background Mary Jane made a strangled noise and clutched at her chest. “Being a good friend, a good Alpha. No harm.”

“No harm.” Harry repeated, and when Wade looked up the other Alpha nodded shortly to acknowledge the boundary lines drawn.

“Well if we’re all done with that?” May clapped her hands to break the awkwardness in the room. “I’ve been cooking for half the day to make sure I have enough food to feed you all, but since Wade's twice the size of you other bratty Alphas I’m a little worried about running out. Gwen, I suggest you get a plate first after the Omegas so there’s still some food left before the hordes—“ she gestured towards Johnny specifically. “—descend.”

“One time!” Johnny cried mournfully. “One time I eat two pizzas by myself and now she acts like I’ll eat her out of house and home every night! It was one time, May! I had the munchies!”

May only waved him off and the Alpha insisted, “Last year Mary Jane ate an entire chocolate cake and no one blinked! But I can’t live down the night of two pizzas? It was six years ago and I was stoned outta my—“

Harry cleated his throat loudly while Gwen hissed, “Narc!!” And Johnny corrected, “I was a growing boy and needed the calories. That’s what I was, a growing boy.”

“A growing boy who raided my pot stash.” May retorted and Mary Jane squealed with laughter. “I’m onto you, Johnny. Don’t think I’m not. Come and eat now before it gets cold and I really get fussy.”

“God forbid Auntie gets fussy.” Peter teases and the Alpha popped her teeth at him playfully as she shooed everyone into the kitchen for grub.

“My mate?” As soon as the room was clear, Peter turned back to Wade and tugged at his hand anxiously. “What happened with Harry? Are you guys going to be okay? I was so worried about how things would go with Johnny I forgot Harry was definitely going to be protective and probably rude.”

“S’fine, baby.” The Alpha assured him. “M’glad you have friends who care so much about you. Logan would literally leave me hanging off a cliff if a rescue inconvenienced him at all, so this is fine.”

“Logan wouldn't—“ Peter started to object and then stopped. “Yeah okay. You sure you’re alright?”

“I’m here with you, aren't I?” The kiss was gentle and almost chaste, a far cry from the greedy, grasping kisses of earlier. “That’s all I need, Pete. Just you.”

“I feel like I’ve said this a lot today, but good god do I love you.” the Omega bumped their noses together. “Thank you for this. I promise I won’t make you be social for a while, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna hold you to that.” his mate retorted. “One party a month is my social quota and I’ll need at least a month to recoup.”

“Ridiculous Alpha.”

******************

“I need to know everything.” Once most of food had been eaten by Johnny and conversation in the living room had switched from terribly embarrassing stories of Peter and friends growing up to other matters, Mary Jane snuck away to the kitchen to help the other Omega with dishes and to gossip.

“Pete.” she poked at his side when he didn’t respond. “I need to know everything immediately.”

“What do you mean, everything?” Peter kissed her cheek then went back to drying a plate. “We’ve been sitting in there talking for hours! Wade’s Canadian, his scars are from an event right around the time he presented as an Alpha. We met through a mutual friend Nathan Summers, we scent matched and spent every day together until I took a bad fall and had to be Mede-vac’ed down to Haven Mercy. It took us forever to find each other again because we didn’t really know last names or actual addresses and Nathan Summers helped with that again. Now we’re together and once I go through an actual heat, we’ll officially mate so we’ve got silver marks. There’s nothing else to know, MJ.”

“Don’t give me that shit.” the pretty Omega snorted. “I want the good details, Peter Parker. Tell me right this instant how big that dick is.”

“MARY JANE!” Peter slipped and nearly cut himself on a knife when he wheeled around in shock. “HOW DARE YOU--”

“I’m thinking it’s nine inches and an additional few bits of goodness fully knotted up.” she interrupted and Peter’s mouth clicked shut. “He’s got good thighs and that’s always proportionate so he’s hefty and I refuse to believe wild mountain men Alpha’s are anything less than tree trunk endowed, so actually don’t even bother correcting me if I’m wrong.”

“Mary Jane.”

“I’ve chosen my fantasy and I’m happy with it.”

“Mary Jane.”

“Either give me some goddamn details or leave me alone, Pete. Your choice.”

“Alright, alright.” Peter smiled reluctantly when MJ clapped her hands in theatrical excitement. “Wade is-- he’s huge, okay? I couldn’t hardly walk the day after he knotted me up right.”

“I knew it!” the Omega crowed. “Bigger than our Alphas right?”

“Not even a contest.”

“Gwen will be so jealous!”

“There’s no reason for Gwen to know how big my mate is.” Peter said flatly and MJ cracked up laughing. “But I um--” he bit at his lip shyly and the other Omega’s eyes widened in anticipation. “-- the first time he fit inside me I um-- I--”

“SPILL IT!”

“I came with out anything.” Peter said all in a rush, and Mary Jane did another one of those chest clutches. “He didn’t even have to, you know-- didn’t even have to move. He just got all the way in me and I think I blacked out. Just completely lost my mind right there, he didn’t have to do anything.”

“Jesus, Pete.”

“It was like being heat desperate except it wasn’t heat, it was just him.” the Omega confided. “Just Wade, just my Alpha. My soulmate.”

“Oh, Tiger.” Mary Janes green eyes softened with affection. “Massive dong aside, you really do love him, don’t you?”

“You’ve been spending way too much time with Gwen if you’re talking like that.” Peter flicked water at her. “And yes, I really do love him. More than I thought it was possible to love anyone, especially an Alpha.”

“Is it weird to be so happy with him after thinking you’d never want a mate?” Mary Jane finally took over washing dishes so Peter could keep drying and putting them away. “And you’re actually scent matched? I didn’t think that was a real thing outside of those vintage romance novels.”

“Yeah, I literally got myself one of those Alphas from the cover of those bad romance stories.” The Omega wasn’t one bit ashamed. “Rippling muscles, insanely hot fangs, my scent makes him bat shit crazy and seriously, MJ when my Alpha growls…”

Peter shivered in delight. “It’s unreal. I can’t even explain it. We don’t wear suppressants around each other cos reading each others scent is too amazing. I can tell what he’s thinking all the time, if he’s happy or sad or-- or worried. And Christ, when he wants me I just--”

The sentence failed so Peter just shrugged, helpless and pleased.

“I’m jealous.” Mary Jane informed him. “I can’t believe out of the two of us, you got the most Alpha of any Alpha to ever Alpha ever. He is ridiculously good looking, the muscles are outrageous and he obviously worships the ground you walk on. I’m jealous.”

“Well, that worship goes both ways.” he said matter of factly. “I didn’t know love like this was even possible and now it’s so easy to have with my mate. Half the time I feel like I won’t breathe without him there in the room, other times I think we are so connected I would be able to sense his heart beat from miles away. It’s incredible, MJ. It’s just-- there’s no--”

He made another one of those helpless shrugs. “More than words, that’s what it is. You could hand me a full dictionary and I wouldn’t be able to find a word that describes our bond. He’s everything I didn’t know I wanted and a thousand other things I need more than I need air.”

“Jealous.” she sighed again. “And by the way, you scent horny even under your suppressants. Does he just never let you out of bed?”

“I hate that word so much.” Peter pulled a face and grimaced. “And yeah, we pretty much lay in bed together or out on the couch together constantly right now, but we actually haven’t--” he hesitated a little. “-- we actually haven’t been together since we found each other again.”

“How the heck have you stayed off of him, Pete?”

“I think you need to cool it a little bit.” The male Omega huffed at her. “That’s my mate you’re getting all worked up about. Cut it out.”

“I’ll do no such thing.” she retorted primly. “I fully remember a conversation we had about how I’d probably kill someone to have an Alpha with fangs pin me up against a door and bite me and then you just show up with one? Oh no, Peter Parker, I will be as worked up as I want.”

“Slutty Omega.”

“Well someone should be slutty about him!” MJ laughed again when Peter finally relented and smiled. “Seriously, how are you not jumping him right now. It’s been a month! And before that you were separated for like three months! Get some, Pete!”

“We came pretty close to definitely defiling my childhood bedroom earlier.” Peter admitted. “But we’ve had so much to figure out and catch up on these last few weeks that I guess sex just sorta.. Just sorta didn’t matter. And you know it never really mattered to me, anyway. He’s the first Alpha I’ve ever looked at outside of heat and wanted, you know? But just holding each other has been enough, just being back together after thinking we’d never see each other again.”

“Uh-huh.” Mary Jane didn’t sound impressed. “That’s nice. So when are you going to do the deed. I need recent details and I need them quickly. Is your Alpha um-- textured?-- all over his body or just above waist or--”

“I’m done talking to you.” Peter snapped at her butt with a towel and then tossed it away. “In fact I think I’m done with this whole party. It’s been good to see everyone but you’re right, I haven’t been laid in a month and that’s an actual travesty. Get out of the way.”

“Go get some, Tiger.” MJ lay a sweet kiss on his lips and purred when he immediately kissed her back. “I’m really happy for you. Honestly. Dick jokes aside--”

“---seriously, stop hanging out with Gwen.”

“-- I’m happy you’re back to smiling, okay?” she kissed him one more time. “Call me later this week and we can have coffee?”

“I’ll call you.” he promised, and on his way out the door he stopped to kiss May and promised, “I’ll call you too, Auntie. We’re over due for a talk I think.”

“The only talk we need to have is whether or not you two will be giving me grandkids!” she called to Peter’s retreating back and Mary Jane started laughing again. “I want six! Peter! I want SIX!”

“What’s May hollering about?” Harry intercepted Peter on the way into the living room. “By the way, you might need to rescue your mate. Gwen and Johnny have been talking sports for the last fifteen minutes and Wade’s starting to look a little glassy eyed. Go save him before Gwen starts talking about how the Miracle on Ice was just propaganda and not actually a technical miracle.”

“Oh god, has she gotten back into hockey again?”

“Weirdly obsessed with it, yeah.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” Peter blew the Alpha a kiss and went to rescue his mate from an increasingly heated discussion about the merits of hockey versus soccer. “Gwen, Johnny, lay off the crazy talk. It’s time for me and my Alpha to go home.”

“No no no, wait!” Gwen shook her head at him, waving her arms wildly. “I refuse to believe your mate is Canadian and has never heard of the Miracle on Ice! I refuse to believe it! Wade, how are you a damn Maple Leaf and don’t support the sport? That doesn’t even make any--”

“Gwen!” Peter growled, low pitched and damn near a snarl and the noise was so unexpected from the Omega that both Gwen and Johnny shut up immediately, eyes wide and mouths falling open in shock.

“...Pete?” Wade’s eyes jolted red when he heard his mate’s little growl, his entire body tightening in anticipation. “You okay?”

“Take me home, my mate.” Peter let his growl taper off into a coaxing purr, holding out his hand for the Alpha and opening up the line of his throat as a blatant invitation. “Please.”

“My mate.” Wade’s growl was much deeper than Peter’s had been, halfway to subsonic and vibrating through the floor as he licked over his fangs. “Home. Yes. Now.”

******************

It was Johnny who broke the stunned and almost uncomfortable silence after the mated pair had all but run from the house, Peter calling a car and shouting for the driver to hurry up, Wade unable to stop growling and grabbing at the Omega tight.

Harry was speechless and maybe even icked out by the display, Gwen kept clearing her throat and shuffling her feet because the surge of needy Omega scent still lingered in the room behind Peter, Mary Jane and May in the kitchen doorway sharing surprised looks and speculative glances.

So it was Johnny who coughed once, twice, and decided out loud, “So. Not gonna see them for a while, right? I’ve got twenty bucks that says it will be a full week before Peter even thinks to text one of us to let us know he’s still in one piece. Any takers?”

“Yep.”

“Here.”

“Count me in.”

“You should be ashamed of yourselves.” May sniffed. “Betting on how long it will take for a newly bonded pair to leave each other’s side. You should be happy for Peter, not complaining and making wagers!”

Harry only looked at the Alpha and May conceded, “It will be no more than three days, not even the randiest mated pairs can last long without food. Ben and I never did, though we sure tried like hell.”

“OH MY GOD!” Gwen shrieked and covered her ears while Johnny shouted about never wanting to hear about old people sex and Harry blushed clear to the roots of his hair, the room dissolving into dramatic groans and horrified gasps.

“Bratty kids.” May waved them off and went back to the kitchen. “Just wait till you’re all mated, then you’ll understand. Sheesh.”

Listening to the background noise with a fond smile-- it was so nice to have a full house again-- May sent a quick text off to Peter.

From Auntie May: SIX grandchildren, Omega. Tell your mate I expect a houseful of baby laughs and tiny feet. Get busy and remember to stop for protein snacks.

From Peter: OH MY GOD AUNTIE STOP

*************

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAPTER!

**************

@ships-galore @ceealaina @izziebladez @cwar1864 @hausoffro @lookuplaughing @tonystarkisanangel @multishippinglife @girlnic @iam93percentstardust @water-colouredmemories @paranormalmoonlight5 @igotloki @moosette05 @wayward-student-philosopher @kaz-brekkers-gloves @atomicfandombomb @ricecakeandhoney @ardatlily @fawnandgays @bluedreamdino @bibbarnes @blackstar1602 @hi-inevitable-im-deadpool @scientifically-lesbian-jesus @the-pagely-gun-slinger @oshuncheyenne @the-dragonwolf-den @pumpkin-spidey @sozvuchiy @cappunico @tired-dragons01 @chiby-chan @ahumoki0 @kanizsacollage @tulipsnbigcats @hiddenaurora @notchronicle24 @marvels-gurl @iridescent-idiot @badndbourgeoisie @eversomniator @local1dreamer @loveisblindwade @ssssssssssssssssssssslytherin @theunwantedomega @littlepolypan @marvel-is-literally-life-okay @lovethewitchofendor

#ncts fics #spideypool #peter parker #wade wilson #gwen stacy #mary jane watson #harry osborn #may parker #johnny storm #abo dynamic #soulmate au #time travel au #alpha wade wilson #omega peter parker

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void-tiger · 4 years

Note

I still wonder about whether Jiro's death tied into Lance's end-of-series depression, considering how hard Lance cried immediately afterward and then how we see his expression turn sad when Shiro makes his "evil clone" remark. I know we don't see anyone mourn Jiro, but those two moments we get from Lance does make me wonder if he mourned Jiro and then HAD to "move on." I dunno, maybe this is applying more compassion into the series than there actually was, but it's a cold comfort

I’ve wondered the same thing.

I don’t blame Takashi for his anger at Jiro. Not at all. He deserves to be hurt and angry for being both left inside the astral plane and replaced with nobody realizing it (including Keith and Pidge, who arguably knew him the best because of his relationships with them before the Kerberos Mission), and it is one of the few times he’s even allowed to express himself (or have lines) at all.

But, I can’t forget Lance’s tears when he sees Jiro’s unconcious body. His words could be directed to both Takashi and Jiro...but I think they were intended more for Jiro. He’s speaking to Jiro’s body, not the BlackLion still sheltering Takashi’s soul. And I definitely can’t forget Lance’s growing distress and shame during Takashi’s one (1) tirade at Jiro’s expense (while venomously speaking out about the “evil clone” out of said clone’s lips).

Lance frantically apologized to Jiro’s body, but moved aside when Allura directed him to. Jiro died as a result.

Except he didn’t, as we learn literally an episode later.

And what place does Lance even have to even contradict Shiro when his instinct to keep Shiro’s Warning between him and Jiro, and Jiro finally finally confessing that something’s Not Right (because Lance respects “Shiro” too much to betray that trust; Shiro often forgets things when trauma’s involved) ...only resulted in Jiro getting mindcontroled and turned against the Team, then harvested like Lotor had done (only to a single person verses an entire surviving ethnic group).

Lance’s inaction because he was thinking like a Leg—an emotional support—contributed to this mess. So what right does he have to even protest. But not speaking up—yet again—makes things worse.

Granted, all of this is literally because of how Mir animated these scenes, with a side of Josh’s voice acting. I dunno how much we can credit Jeremy, since those lines unless you’re intentionally working from a There Are Two headcanon (which Josh held from the start and let it influence his voice acting) ...are ambiguous on their own. The writers and monsantos certainly never acknowledged Takashi and Jiro as their own persons, and therefore saw nothing wrong with harvesting a living body for another’s soul—and even using a minority who just learned her people were harvested to death to do it!

Everything about Jiro’s Death and using Allura to do it is beyond tonedeaf and absolutely senseless.

Which. So is even “killing” Shiro by destroying his body, but BlackLion cradled his soul...but he’s no longer the Black Paladin now...because...???

For pete’s sake. Transporter Shenanigans are quite literally a Scifi Staple, especially in Startrek. And last I checked the BlackLion is a teleporting Lion, and even holding Shiro’s soul is the quintessinal expression of their Bond. And what do you MEAN “the Bond is severed” (in interviews only, not canon) when by the end of s7 we see the remaining Paladins literally using the Lions as Remote Control Planes with their souls and Bonds alone, going so far as for the Lions to even transmit their voices despite the Paladins not being physically present inside them!

#ask box stuff #vld salt #anti monsantos #jiro shirogane #chimera shiro #takashi shirogane #bp shiro #blacktashi #princess allura #lion and paladin bonds #transporter shenanigans #i wanna be a paladin again #anonymous #vld lance

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lostinthewinterwood · 4 years

Text

Heart Attack 2020

Hey friend!

Looks like you and I both like to write like the wind and suffer in the process, so without further ado, let’s go :D

Also, oops, my habit of procrastination has caught up with me… sorry about that! Here’s a letter now at least…

General DNW

non-con/dub-con;

explicit sexual content;

incest (incl. adoptive/chosen family);

a/b/o;

mpreg;

non-canonical permanent major character death;

complete downer endings;

hurt no comfort;

heavy angst;

on-page deliberate self-harm*;

on-page suicide;

gore;

graphic physical trauma;

character bashing;

cringe comedy;

fic-as-writer-soapbox;

fic that’s all about real-world bigotries or real-world politics;

canon-typical 2020;

unrequested full-setting AUs;

unrequested identity headcanons;

unrequested romance as the main plot.

*I don’t include things like, say, punching a wall in a fit of emotion under this. However, something like cutting would not be appreciated.

*****

General Likes

– I really like plotty fics

– Secret identity and disguise shenanigans, the more layers to them and more absurdity the better.

– Crossdressing for whatever reason and gender disguises, also for whatever reason, though not as a fetish thing—that I enjoy less.

– Time travel and time loops are always fun, especially as a fix-it. I have a general preference for Peggy Sue style (aka, an older character getting put back in their younger body at an earlier point in the timeline) over the character’s physical body stepping back in time, but either one is good.

– A focus on family and/or friendship, especially characters realizing they’re not nearly as alone as they think they are, and just generally characters who like each other and enjoy spending time together

– Found family; families of choice

– Character studies

– Worldbuilding

– Canon-divergence AUs and missing scenes; things set pre- or post-canon; wriggling into canon and poking at it to see what it spits back at you, if that description makes any sense at all.

*****

wherein i request a time-travel canon and mostly don't request time travelers [art and fic]

Mother of Learning - nobody103

· Alanic Zosk & Silverlake (Mother of Learning)

· Zach Noveda & None (Mother of Learning)

· Kirielle Kazinski & Zorian Kazinski (Mother of Learning)

· Kirielle Kazinski & None (Mother of Learning)

· Raynie & Kiana (Mother of Learning)

· Neoluma-Manu Iljatir & Zach Noveda (Mother of Learning)

· Alanic Zosk & Xvim Chao (Mother of Learning)

fandom-specific dnw: romantic and/or sexual Zach/Zorian; physical parental abuse within the Kazinski family; significant exaggeration of canonical emotional neglect/abuse/general family dysfunction

Prompts:

If you want to write an AU, you can consider any AU requested for AUEx for Mother of Learning, as listed here, to be requested in this exchange as well, even if the requested characters aren’t requested there, as long as it isn’t written as purely mundane.

I’ve written a fair few Mother of Learning prompts already; if you want to see me going off more about things, especially for Kirielle, please see the Mother of Learning section of my Gen Freeform Ex letter here. If you don’t want to click through, though, here’s a bit of things.

Kirielle, Kirielle & Zorian:

If you want to focus on Kirielle’s relationship with someone who isn’t Zorian, for Kirielle and Nochka, they’re adorable and I’d love a further development of their friendship, especially getting to see it grow and develop over the months and years after the invasion. If you want to write about Kiri and Zach, these two seem to have a lot of fun teaming up against Zorian lol, I really enjoy their dynamic and how they play off each other. For Kirielle and Zorian, I love their dynamic! And again here I’d really enjoy seeing their relationship developing in real time, rather than a constantly looping world. I think it would be great to see either of them defending the other to their parents—and maybe Zorian ends up with custody of Kiri, there’s definitely things to explore there.

For Kirielle by herself, I’d love some sort of character study—what does she do now that the time loop is over? She’s growing up into a war; will she be a mage? An artist? Something else? Alternatively—what if she got pulled into the loop; what would it be like to grow older while still looking nine?

Zach, Zach & Neolu:

Assuming you don’t go for a setting AU, I’d generally prefer something set at least in part after the time loop begins, but beyond that I don’t have a strong preference for where in the timeline this might be set. Maybe something from before Zorian got looped in—maybe one of the iterations where Zach and Neolu just went off across the country having fun the whole month? Zach doing whatever, possibly very early on, or maybe him freaking out a little because what the hell, time travel is supposed to be impossible, and yet—what did he do in the start?

Or for post-canon, I’d really like an exploration of Zach, who’s got the lived-time of a middle-aged man and the body of a teenager—how does he relate to his classmates/other people in the real world, where everyone’s growing again? Maybe something about his lawsuit against his caretaker, or just a little thing with him, Zorian, and How Do You Live Normally, Again? This Is Hard, or some such thing.

Raynie & Kiana:

Me? Latching onto a minor character in a big sprawling canon? It’s more likely than you think!

Anyway I like Raynie a lot; we don’t get a whole lot on her, but what we do get paints her as someone who’s having a very interesting life of her own, utterly divorced from the timeloop shenanigans (except re: the shifter children thing).

I like her and Kiana’s friendship, too; I like how when we finally see more of them both we learn more about how they’re similar and different.

For specific prompts, if you want to go pre-canon I’d really love something with her initial going to Cyoria and how she befriended Kiana in the first place (or, perhaps more likely, how Kiana befriended her; I somehow doubt that Raynie age 13, recently semi-exiled from her tribe, was particularly in search of outsider friends).

For post-canon, really, anything dealing with the fallout of all the things that go down in the real world would be fantastic too.

Alanic & Silverlake, Alanic & Xvim:

I’ve grouped these because they both have to do with Alanic, but really they’re not very similar prompts.

For Alanic and Silverlake I’d be very interested in something to do with Alanic’s backstory; Silverlake knew him as a young necromancer, so… what happened there? How did they know each other? Why was Alanic set on becoming a necromancer; clearly he got far enough to have soul sight himself—how’d he get that? Why did he leave the necromancer’s path to become a priest?

For Alanic and Xvim, I dunno, this seemed fun? They’re both part of the “annoying but ultimately helpful teacher” club to Zorian, and they get along well with each other—gonna admit I don’t fully remember what goes down for them in the final, real-world iteration, but. They’re both a lot of fun and they play off each other well; just go wild here. I’m down for it if you are.

*****

mostly found family and similar vibes here lbr [art and fic]

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)

· Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled)

· Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Red | Catalina (Disney: Tangled)

· Angry | Keira & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider (Disney: Tangled)

· Cassandra & Red | Catalina (Disney: Tangled)

· Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider (Disney: Tangled)

· Angry | Keira & Red | Catalina & Lance Strongbow (Disney: Tangled)

· Angry | Keira & Red | Catalina (Disney: Tangled)

fandom-specific notes: Cass's canonical injured hand/arm that canon just kind of... forgets about and doesn't ever address after it's introduced is totally fair game; I'd love something that addressed that, just nothing too graphic about the original injury please. Dnw fic which explicitly breaks up Rapunzel/Eugene.

Prompts:

So, overall, I just love this show a lot? It’s just so wholesome and heartfelt and hopeful? Anything you write which can grab that vibe I’ll probably enjoy tbh.

But! Onwards to specifics!

Cass & Varian, Cass & Catalina, Cass & Eugene:

This is my “team betrayed Rapunzel and/or ill-advisedly trusted a blue spirit in the woods and/or died for her before being resurrected” group lol, and I’d love something that explores one of those things; canon gives us a little bit of that between Cass and Varian in the form of “Nothing Left to Lose,” but it doesn’t really address it after they’ve both found their way back; I’d love something post-canon for any of these pairs, after Cass has finally got her act together and they can start learning to deal with all of it. Sharing their experiences! Figuring out how to emotionally process the bad (or good-but-with-unfortunate-consequences-even-if-only-temporary) decisions you made! I’m here for it.

Eugene & Angry, Eugene & Catalina, Angry & Catalina, Angry & Catalina & Lance:

All the found family! If you’re just dealing with Angry and Catalina, I’d take anything at any point in the timeline tbh—how did they meet? When and how did they start thieving together? What did they do between their major appearances in the show? If you go post-canon—how do they work out their new lives with Lance? They’ve been living on their own for at least two years, probably longer; how do they learn to let go and let someone else take care of them? And for either (or both tbh) of them with Eugene—former child-thieves, reformed because of Rapunzel! He doesn’t have any parental-style authority over them; how do they relate to him as opposed to Lance, in a post-canon world?

*****

superhero time babey [art and fic]

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (2020) [SAFETY]

· Matteo & Roxana & Sam & Tuma (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· January & Matteo & Roxana & Tuma & Sam (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· Mike Kleinberg & Sam (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· Eleanor & None (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· Catherine & Eleanor & Sam (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· January & Sam (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· Eleanor & Sam (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

· Worldbuilding & None (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals)

Fandom-specific dnw: January as purely, irredeemably evil; absolute monarchy as unambiguously purely good.

Fandom-specific note: since I’m directly asking for politics in the worldbuilding option, it would be a bit silly to fully dnw real-world politics in this real-world-adjacent setting. Don’t worry about referencing real politics if that’s where you go with your fic; however, I would rather any focused-on politics be filtered through the context of the fictional countries the film uses, and please don’t reference real-world American politics post-2015. “unrequested full setting aus” dnw has been modified to “unrequested mundane aus” so if you want to, idk, put them in a fairytale au or a sports-but-still-have-powers au or something—go right ahead.

Prompts:

So, I enjoyed this silly little movie quite a lot—the characters were a lot of fun! I love them all! I really mostly just want more of them tbh. If you want an overarching theme—I would adore time travel here, even more than I normally do. Time loops especially are just… perfection.

Matteo & Roxana & Sam & Tuma, January & Matteo & Roxana & Tuma & Sam:

Team fic! Team fic! Team fic! For these two sets, I’d love something about the whole team—of course—doing team-y things. You could set it in the summer, before shit goes down in the climax; or you could set it after—they’re going after January, of course. What happens when they finally catch up to her? What do they do? How do they all process the relevant emotions of having been betrayed? Do we catch a redemption arc?

Mike & Sam:

These two are such good friends! I like their friendship a lot, and I’d love to see more of it. Something fun would be pre-canon—how did they meet? What led them to start their band? How much traction does their band have, really? Or post-canon—even having forgiven her, it’s got to be a lot to deal with, your best friend turning out to not just be a princess, but a superhero princess, while you’re just… a groundskeeper’s son(?).

Eleanor, Eleanor & Sam, Catherine & Eleanor & Sam:

Family times! There’s a lot of tension and secrets here, have been for a long time; tell me how they come to deal with it all and learn to live with each other better than they have been before the film—or give me backstory! How did things end up spiraling this far down?

January & Sam:

I’d love to have something dealing with January’s PoV on the events of the film, or Sam’s PoV on January; more fun with secrets and betrayals! (Fun for the audience at least; maybe less fun for these two though.) They got pretty close, after all—how did that have January feeling? Did she second-guess herself over that? How about Sam—she was the one betrayed by her new friend, after all. If you want to see me talking more about just January, check out my Yuletide letter here.

Worldbuilding:

Okay, so, I really did like this movie, so I say this affectionately, but… to call the worldbuilding here flimsy would be to, well, imply that it had bothered doing any worldbuilding whatsoever, and that’s not quite accurate, now is it? To be clear, I do think this was probably a good decision, given that the movie is dedicated to superhero funtimes, not How The Hell Is This Happening, but it does leave me with so very many questions. For being a movie all about royalty, this movie is almost allergic to actually engaging any of the politics it hints at, what with the presented sides being “monarchy good” and “terrorism is fine actually”; if you want to write about the politics of the world these characters live in, by all means go ahead! For example, how did they manage to be a Western European absolute monarchy all the way to the present day? I’d love to see that, or anything like it really, explored. Other worldbuilding I’d be interested in includes an exploration of the “gene” which… somehow… manifests exclusively in second-born children of royal bloodlines—does this include bastard children? What counts as a royal bloodline? What happens when one of the superhero royal children has to ascend the throne? Why only the second-born? Is it really genetic at all, or is it some sort of magic? If not magic, then wtaf is going on in the genetics of this world, I have to know more.

*****

disguise shenaniganery and/or PUNS

Original Work [SAFETY]

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl/Female Student Warrior Disguised as a Boy (M/F)

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl/Female Fellow Student Mage (M/F)

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl & Male Student Warrior (M & M)

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl & His Older Female Mentor (M & F)

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl & Female Student Warrior Disguised as a Boy (M & F)

· Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl & Female Fellow Student Mage (M & F)

· Child Superhero & Their Concerned Supervillain Nemesis (Any & Any)

· Spellsword Mercenary & Mathemagician (Any & Any)

fandom-specific dnw: age gaps in ships of more than 3 or so years when one character is underage; predatory manipulation between characters in the relationship in service of the relationship–if characters are manipulating each other for non-relationship things and such that’s okay, but i’d rather both parties in any of the ships be interested in the romance of their own accord. Additionally, please don’t have characters react to any gender-disguised characters (or characters in general, but it’s most relevant to them) in transphobic or transphobic-adjacent ways (i.e. none of the characters are requested as trans, but I still wouldn’t want to see the kinds of comments people make about trans people aimed at them). I’d also rather not see any kind of serious relationship with at least one character disguising their gender pre-reveal of that disguise–flirting, starting to date a little is okay but if it’s going further please have them reveal it. Please don’t play into the idea of gender-disguised character as “trap”.

also dnw characters requested as gender-disguised to be written as trans or to be written as absolutely loathing their disguise. other characters are fair game. if writing trans characters, dnw them to be explicitly nondysphoric (but not addressing it is fine).

fandom-specific note: the “setting au” dnw obviously does not apply here; my typical “identity headcanon” au dnw has been replaced by a dnw for “marginalized identities as the main focus of a fic” since there isn’t exactly a canon here lol.

If you’re a lovely friend who wants to do treats, I’d be totally on board for art treats for this section; however, I haven’t requested them as actual fills.

Prompts:

All of these are fun groupings that, I think, imply both setting and some amount of plot; but I’ll have some more specific prompts anyway. Overall I like all sorts of settings; all of my requested pairs imply some amount of speculative elements in the setting, but beyond that it’s all up to you. Just-left-of-modern? Ancient China but with magic? IN SPACE? Whatever you want to do, go for it.

Male Student Mage Disguised as a Girl &/Whoever:

Look, I’m a sucker for identity/disguise shenanigans, and I love gender disguises, and for all the books I read as a kid featuring girls disguising themselves as boys to do [insert restricted activity here], I never saw its natural inverse; this is a travesty and must be corrected for. Anything playing into this whole trope/idea is just chef’s kiss, I promise you I’ll love it.

Child Superhero & Their Concerned Supervillain Nemesis:

Another favorite dynamic of mine! I love supervillains getting tricked into that semi-parental role where they’re like “hang on I may be a supervillain and a criminal but you’re a child where are your parents what are you doing here,” it’s quite possibly the Best dynamic I have yet encountered in superhero fiction… even if I haven’t actually encountered it all that much.

Spellsword Mercenary & Mathemagician:

Okay, I’ll admit that I mostly nominated and requested this for the pun potential. But I think there’s also quite a lot of implicit lore you could really dig into; what kind of world is this, where magic can be imbued in or used through swords, but can also be related to mathematics? Tell me more about it! How do these two know each other? Are they both shamelessly, pundamentally invested in wordplay as well as their actual jobs? If you’re looking for more plot-implying ideas, I would be super down if you wanted to map this onto one of my other origfic requests (but no pressure lol).

#exchange letters #heart attack exchange #requested: art #requested: fic #requested: mother of learning #requested: rapunzel's tangled adventure #requested: secret society of second-born royals #requested: original work

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donatello-writes · 5 years

Text

Not Quite Human - Donatello x Reader

Part II can be found here --> (x)

The gentle glow of the television lit up your darkened apartment, you were wrapped up in a blanket on your couch hanging on every word of a news broadcast. Four mysterious vigilantes aided the police department in defeating the ominous alien spacecraft that threatened New York city not but a week ago. A smile crossed your lips as you entertained the idea that if aliens existed in this scenario, perhaps the vigilantes weren’t human either. Gossip flew regarding the identities of the heroes ranging from aliens to monsters, and many accounts claimed to have seen what were described as “swamp things”. A notion that delighted you, as matters of the occult and mythical creatures had always held your interest, even though you knew that none of it was real.

“Maybe I’ll see one of those swamp things,” You voiced to your empty apartment and chuckled.

Deep down within the sewer systems, a certain nerdy turtle sneezed while in the midst of having the meltdown of his life. The champions secured their victory over the Krang, and they finally had some down time, but Donatello couldn’t relax. The brainy terrapin paced back and forth in the living room of the Lair so furiously, one would think he was attempting to wear a hole in the floor. He was understandably restless, as his thoughts on what his older sibling had done whipped around in his head like a maelstrom. A memory so vivid in his mind, it felt as if it’d happened yesterday. The vial of ooze shattering against the walls of the lair, lost forever.

“How could he do this?!–Don’t answer that, it was a rhetorical question…I know Raph is a doer not a thinker,” the teched-up turtle vented his frustrations to Michelangelo, the person he often turned to for emotional support. Much like himself, his little brother was more sensitive and empathetic than their other two brothers.

“I dunno, dude…but hey, it’s not all that bad bein’ green,” the orange masked turtle smiled warmly, trying his best to comfort Donatello, as he always did. Despite his cheerful demeanor, he was hurting over the impulsive decision as well. Raphael meant no malice with his actions, he honestly had no idea what this meant to his younger siblings, but that fact didn’t make up for the outcome.

“Neither of them understand, but I know that you do, Mikey,” the fretful terrapin sighed heavily, meeting eyes with his brother. Both of the young turtles yearned to know what it felt like to be human, to be able to walk around topside without being viewed as freaks or, worse yet…monsters. With their only chance having been destroyed by an act of impulse, they were both understandably distraught.

“Yeah, I totally get it,” Mikey admitted, finally showing his disappointment with the situation. “But what can we do? The purple stuff that we had is gone now.”

Donatello’s expression fell into anguish at the veracity of his brother’s statement. “That’s true, and it’d be impossible for us to successfully secure more from the Shredder…Not just the two of us, anyway,” The bespectacled turtle’s eyes focused downwards as he finally settled down into a seat. “Also, we don’t know for sure if they have more of the formula created.”

Michelangelo’s face almost looked pained at this point, he didn’t want to think about the harsh reality of the situation for even a moment longer. He rose from the table, giving his brother one last half-hearted smile.“Well, it was a nice dream, but what-evs,” the now undeniably gloomy young terrapin patted his brother on the shell before getting up and trudging to his room.

Donatello pinched the bridge of his snout as he sat alone in the common room, despair consuming him. All he wanted was to experience what it was like to be human, and he would never get that chance now. The ooze was unsalvageable, what little remained was now still splattered across the lair walls. His golden eyes became misty as they beheld Raphael’s masterpiece, in all it’s glory. Suddenly, a bit of light reflected off a small portion of the stain, grabbing the brooding turtle’s attention. Was it really still liquid? Impossible.

Jumping to his feet, he approached the wall, inspecting it thoroughly. The ooze had somehow remained viable, his jaw dropped in disbelief. The once sorrowful terrapin’s hope was renewed, all he needed was even the smallest amount for analysis and he could find a way to replicate it. Now filled with excitement, he bounded into his lab to retrieve a petri dish and swab to collect the ooze specimen. He scraped his prize from the surface with great precision, careful not to contaminate it with too much concrete from wall upon which it was affixed. After successfully recovering a sample, Donatello let out a relishing chuckle as he shut himself away in his lab, fueled by enthusiasm and determination.

In the months following the start of his endeavor, he lied about the specifics of it, telling his brothers that he was working on some amazing invention that would aid them in their missions. It was obvious that he couldn’t tell Leonardo or Raphael, as they clearly didn’t understand. And after much debate, he finally came to the decision to leave Michelangelo in the dark as well, not wanting to get his hopes up; that, and he was awful at keeping secrets. The genius worked tirelessly, months rolled by, and before he knew it, a year had passed. He felt as though he wasn’t accomplishing anything, becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing day.

It was 5:00 a.m. when a sleep deprived and starving Donatello stumbled out of his lab in pursuit of sustenance. He wore his purple mask as a necklace and groaned with every step that he took towards to the kitchen. Once there, he made a bee line for the coffee pot, his savior. Raphael had just finished his early morning workout and spotted the elusive mad scientist, stalking him into the kitchen.

“Whaddaya doin’ outta yer geek den?” the question came in the form of a growl as the burly terrapin eyed his younger sibling, who simply responded by shooting a glare in his general direction.

Choosing to ignore him, Donatello simply continued setting up his coffee, clicking the appliance on to work it’s magic, and then reached into one of the cabinets, to retrieve a box of blueberry flavored Pop-Tarts.

“Whut eva…” the hot-headed turtle’s words trailed off as if he had more to say, but he stopped himself; this silence was fleeting, however. As always, he just couldn’t let sleeping dogs lie, so he started again,“Ya know…when I got a problem wit someone I tell ‘em, but I guess I’m just bawlsier than most.” the bait was set, and he waited for his younger brother to take it. The troublemaker used this tactic with frequent success, but Donatello was in no mood for his shenanigans, and the mechanical sputter of the busy coffee pot was the only thing to be heard between the two turtles.

The still sleepy terrapin proceeded to pour his coffee, and munch on his breakfast, letting Raphael stand there and simmer. When it became apparent that he the he no interest in talking, the rageful reptile’s temper went through the roof. “FINE. I thought so! Avoidin’ any sawt of conflict like usual! Enjoy yer cawffee break.” He stormed out of the room grumbling.

“Conflict…” He muttered to himself as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, the word turning over and over in his head before he had a sudden realization. “That’s…that’s it!!!” He exclaimed, rushing from the kitchen with his coffee mug in one hand, and half-eaten Pop-Tart in the other. The genius sped past Raphael, rattling off scientific terms to himself like a mad man. When he reached his lab, he turned and stopped to stare down his brother before grinning wide and slamming the doors shut.

“DONNIIIIIIE!!!” Raphael roared, racing up to the large laboratory doors and thrusting his fists into them. The doors showed no signs of permitting entry from the assault, but he did leave a significant dent.

*****************************

Across the city, you ran down the darkened streets dressed in a lab coat and business casual. You were late for work, but chose the sweet relief of alertness over punctuality, as you quickly slipped into a small coffee shop to grab a cup. And today, you needed that extra boost of energy more than any other. After securing your liquid adrenaline, you happily headed to work, not needing to walk far. You approached the gigantic facility that was TCRI, and walked inside. As always, you held up your credentials to the guards at the desk, who permitted entry, and touched your badge to an electronic pad which then granted you access through secure titanium doors.

Doing your best to stifle the overwhelming stress that all but consumed you as of late, you drew in a deep breath and went about your normal routine at the laboratory. As the day wound down to a close, you prepared to carry out the mission you had been given. It was now late into the night, and all of your colleagues had long since left for the day.

You remained, working on the latest project involving nano technology as a form of biological warfare. Subtly sabotaging the efforts of the project; in good conscience, you couldn’t allow it to be successful. The very idea of implementing this abhorrent tactic made you cringe, but you did what needed to be done in order to carry out a far more important assignment, retrieving a vial of Dr. Stockman’s highly sought after genetic modification formula. Tonight, you would secure a sample to bring back to your actual employer.

The security guards weren’t even a bother, all you needed was a little bit of Nitrous Oxide to temporarily take care of them. Slipping silently into the main laboratory, you did a quick survey of your surroundings before proceeding. Having already knocked out the security cameras, and programmed them to show previously recorded footage, you were not concerned. Knowing exactly where it was kept, you located the ooze and tucked the vial into your pants pocket posthaste.

“Y/N?” Instantly recognizing that voice, you turned to see one of the head geneticists, Sampson, steadily approaching you from across the room.

“Hello, Sampson.” You greeted your colleague tactfully, showing not even an ounce of lost composure from his unanticipated presence.

“Why are you in here? This isn’t your working sector.” He inquired through narrowed eyes, all the while analyzing you skeptically.

“Doreen asked for my assistance with the centrifugation of subjects 2201XJ8 and 2243XW9.” You had glanced briefly at the recent project files earlier in the day to prepare yourself for just this type of scenario.

“That’s odd…2201XJ8 and 2243XW9 were contaminated and, thus, thrown away several hours ago…” suspicion piqued, he advanced towards you quicker than you could react. Attempts to flee came too late, and he managed to grab hold of your collar. Swiftly wriggling out of your lab coat, you gained freedom from his grasp. Thinking on your feet, you hit the conveniently placed bright red lock down button and slid underneath the door, trapping your coworker inside. Something told you that you weren’t the first person to do that.

Sampson wasted no time dialing a contact in his phone as he watched you escape, “Yes…Hello, I heard that your gang will do pretty much anything for the right price…I have a job for you.” He knew full well that he couldn’t enlist the foot ninjas for assistance, admitting his incompetence to the Shredder was a fate worse than death. Completing the transaction with his hired thugs, he smiled deviously as they confirmed their pursuit of you. The sunrise met your eyes as you fled the building, taking off down the street knowing that you weren’t out of the woods just yet.

*********************************

It had been over a year since Donatello began his quest for the ooze, and now the culmination of his hard work was finally coming to fruition. And in all irony of ironies he, partially, had Raphael to thank for it. The purple liquid bubbled within the beaker that housed it, begging to be tested, and the genius just couldn’t resist. He carried on like a kid who received the keys to a candy store.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t test it right away, what with his brothers in the lair. With all of them present, it would be impossible for him to slip out in his human form unseen. So he waited. Several days later, the police scanner picked up a report of foot clan activity, and Leonardo called his brothers together to discuss plans to investigate. Donatello smooth talked his way out of going, claiming he was close to a breakthrough in his research, which wasn’t a complete lie. He simply neglected to mention that it pertained to the purple ooze.

With his brothers out chasing the foot, the brainy terrapin had the lair to himself, at long last! Well, with the exception of Master Splinter, but sneaking past him was a non-issue. Donatello was beaming as he peered into the vessel that contained his scientific masterpiece, just one sip should be enough…He knew that the effects of his synthetic ooze would be temporary, a purposeful attribute given to it by him, it’s creator. All the purple clad turtle wanted to do was experience what is was like to be human. If, following the testing phase, he felt as though he was meant to be that way, he’d later rework the formula to be permanent. That, however, was a venture for another day, now was the time for experimentation.

Shutting his eyes tight, he drank from the vial. After waiting for a moment, he opened them, unsure of when it would take effect. Suddenly, his muscles began to ache, as a tense feeling surged throughout his body. He watched his fingers divided from three to five on each hand, just as he’d witnessed when he tested the formula previously. Gradually, his skin changed from green to a pale peach and his scales smoothed out into soft flesh. The excited lad tripped over himself while rushing into his bathroom, wanting to watch in the mirror as the transformation unfolded.

Donatello stared back at himself in awe, he had ears! The oversized tortoise shell glasses he always wore slipped down his face more than usual as his snout took the shape of a much smaller, yet still prominent, human nose. Freckles dusted across his pale cheeks and shoulders as wavy raven black hair cascaded down from his head, delicately framing his face and stopping just a few inches past his jawline. He was so distracted by his new facial features that he didn’t even notice his shell had disappeared.

Once the metamorphosis was complete, the triumphant brainiac threw his head back, and laughed like an evil genius. A slight reduction in body mass occurred during his shift in form, not enough to be discernible to the naked eye, however, it was enough to cause his pants to lose their grip on his hips. The villainous laughter was interrupted when his bottoms proceeded to slip from his slender human waist, and he grabbed his Millennium Falcon patterned boxers before those followed suit.

“Oh no…what am I supposed to do? I can’t go topside in the nude.” to remedy his immediate and unexpected need for human clothing, he turned to Michelangelo’s room. That pack-rat of a turtle collected mundane artifacts as if they were valuable treasures to be hoarded, surely he’d be able to find something usable in that mess. Donatello entered the room, piles upon piles of clothing, unusable electronics, and other clutter filled it, along with several empty boxes of pizza. He scrunched his nose at the effluvia that hung in the air, his little brother somehow managed to make his particular corner of the sewer smell even fouler.

Holding his breath, the nerdy young man randomly chose one of the many mounds of oddments and rummaged through it. After some digging, he managed to find one black muscle tee that read “Rad Dude” in a trendy red colored font, a pair of very worn black converse shoes, and a pair of denim jeans, ripped at the knees. The best article of clothing he’d found in the stash being a flannel shirt in various shades of purple. Having no time to be picky, the thief made off with what he’d found.

While returning to his laboratory to get changed, the turtle turned human was nearly knocked out by the putrid clothing that he held in his arms. This was unacceptable, there was no way he was going to wear something that smelled worse than a sewer, he needed to wash the garments before he ventured to the surface. Stepping into the seldom used laundry room, Donatello flicked on the lights and blew the dust from the old machines. As he reached for detergent, he wondered if they even still worked. Tossing the clothing and soap into the washer, he turned it on to find, much to his surprise, that it was still fully functioning.

Now needing to wait for his clothing to go through the entire washing and drying process, the impatient turtle fidgeted in frustration at the unexpected delay. Coming to terms with his predicament, he passed the time by logging the alterations that occurred during his shift in form, to ensure he had enough information to further his research on the ooze’s effects. Making quick work of his notes, he then switched the laundry to the dryer. The waiting game began anew and he swiftly found himself consumed by boredom once more. He wondered what else he could do to fully immerse himself in the human experience.

Thinking about how atrocious his clothing smelled, and worried the washing may not fully rid the garments of their stench, he decided to create a fragrance. Knowing full well that humans often wore scents to conceal smells, but also for the purpose of attracting potential partners. Donatello scoffed at the thought, the likelihood of him finding another person who shared mutual interest during the, more than likely short, duration of his experiment was slim at best.

As if he were concocting a a witches brew, the bespectacled lad swirled together various scents into one of his unused beakers. In no time at all, he had a cologne with top notes of orange blossom and vanilla, middle hints of almond, and a musky base. More than satisfied with his Eau de Don, he dabbed it on gleefully.

All the sudden, a clatter came from the living room, and the sound of his brothers voices could be heard. Donatello’s smile dropped, there was no way they’d already returned from their mission, it felt as though they’d just left. The digital clock on one of his many computers proved him wrong, it was already 4:00am! He’d gotten so carried away in preparation for his excursion topside, that he paid no attention to how quickly the hours flew by.

Thankfully, the time spent wasn’t a complete waste, he documented when he administered the ooze and was tracking the duration of it’s effectiveness. Exactly eight hours had elapsed, and he was still human. Quite an impressive lasting ability, he thought, giving himself a congratulatory pat on the back. Unfortunately, with his brothers now home, he was effectively trapped in his laboratory for the time being. He couldn’t just saunter out of his lab looking the way he did, what a spectacle that would be.

“Looks like I have another sleepless night, er…well, day at this point.” He chuckled to himself, slumping back in his computer chair. It took two more hours before the potency of the ooze came to an end. The reversion from human to mutant being, unsurprisingly, more painful than the obverse. Now returned to his old turtle self, the purple masked ninja ventured out into the common room, only to find his brothers passed out on the couch and the floor. He stifled a laugh, turning on his heel back into his laboratory. Seizing this opportunity, he wasted no time administering himself more ooze and stealing up and away to the surface.

Wintry weather was drawing to a close, and a slight warmth danced on the breeze as spring began to move in. The mutant in human’s clothing relished in the glow of the sun, something he didn’t have the privilege of doing often. Strolling down the street like Toby McGuire in Spiderman, Donatello was smiling from ear to ear. He was topside in broad daylight and not a soul took notice of him, he couldn’t believe it, it almost felt like a dream.

Not paying attention to where he was going, the happy go lucky lad found himself lost in a more secluded side of town. Sure, he could easily navigate New York at night, but the city looked so different during the daytime. Suddenly, a cry of distress shattered his concentration. It came from somewhere nearby. Instinctively, the ninja rushed in the direction from which the voice originated.

The shouts led him to an alleyway where two rough looking men circled around you, your hands poised to fight, but subtle shuddering alluded to hesitancy and fear. They were both very muscle bound, one slightly smaller than the other, with distinct purple dragon tattoos on their arms. When Donatello approached, they immediately took notice of his presence.

“What’s going on here?” He demanded a response from the ne'er-do-wells, despite knowing the answer.

“Get outta here, four eyes.” the smaller thug scoffed, “You see, this little rat has something that we want.” and the larger man chimed in, “So, it’d be in your best interest if you left us to our business.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Donatello stood his ground, “It’d be in your best interest if you left them alone.” He then assumed a fighting stance.

The brawnier of the two men eyed the brave young man and laughed incredulously. “And just what exactly are you going to do to stop us, little man?”

To which Donatello replied, “Looks can be deceiving.” aside from having a height advantage, there was no denying that the thugs had significant size over him. They were far more massive compared to his still muscular, yet lithe, build. Finally acknowledging their potential threat, the two men advanced towards their new target, leaving their prey behind.

The stranger turned hero locked eyes with you, “Run, you have to get out of here, it’s not safe!” an exclamation that was cut short by the smaller thug, who came rushing at him, brandishing a knife. With keen reflexes, Donatello deflected the attack, kicking upwards at just the right moment to send the knife whipping over his assailant’s shoulder. Once you’d seen that maneuver, there was no way you were about to leave. You were far too intrigued by this ridiculously tall young man with undeniably amazing fighting skills, you yearned to learn more.

“Alright, mister fancy feet, it’s time to dance.” the larger man jested as he cracked is fists, fitting brass knuckles onto them. Donatello scanned the area and grabbed a nearby pipe from the dumpster, twirling it through the air, just as he would his bow staff. If there’s one thing his father taught him, it was that anything can be used as a weapon if wielded properly.

“Haha, look at this, I guess dance class is over, and now it’s time for baton practi–” using the metal pipe, Donatello knocked the wind out of the hulking hoodlum before he could even finish his taunt, sending him flying backwards into a pile of garbage.

“I suppose I can strike ‘taking out the trash’ from my list of chores.” Donatello snorted at his own one-liner and his gaze happened upon you, as you watched with wonder. A smile played across your lips, and you laughed at his witticism, waving to him. The suddenly flustered hero awkwardly waved back.

The knife wielding thug recovered his weapon, catching Donatello off-guard as he flirted with you, slipping the knife to his throat from behind. The thug was unsuccessful in his attempt, however, when the captive drove his heel into the man’s foot, causing him to release the knife. While his assailant was distracted, he reached both arms around, heaved the man over his shoulder, and back dropped him onto the hard pavement. There was no recovering from that attack anytime soon. He then shifted his stance to face the other foe, who had since recuperated from the previous assault. The behemoth barreled towards him like a charging rhinoceros.

“Bad move, I know exactly how to deal with this.” Donatello smirked as he anchored himself with the pipe, and delivered a swift low kick to the thug’s ankles, causing him to topple to the ground. Confident that he had both enemies disabled, your victorious rescuer turned his attention to you.

“Are you alright?” the lanky lad inquired as he sprinted to your side, adrenaline still pumping from the fight. He failed to stop soon enough, resulting in him accidentally knocking you against one of the brick walls in the alleyway. The two of you were nose-to-nose, so close that you could feel each other’s breath. His towering form would have been intimidating, if not for the goofy smile on his face.

“Aaah, oh my god, I am so sorry!” He promptly leapt back, “You didn’t need that on top of what you’ve already been through today. I am really, really sorry, I’m such a klutz.” He apologized profusely, running his fingers through his purple tinged black hair, refusing to meet your gaze.

“Jeeze, that was like something straight out of a cheesy rom-com.” You jested, in an attempt to ease his nerves.

Not the reaction that he was expecting, the nervous hero let out a sigh of relief. “Y-yeah, I suppose that it was, wasn’t it?” He stuttered, still a bit anxious, but less so thanks to your funny observation.

“And you’re certainly no klutz, I saw the way you fought off those goons, you’re incredible! How’d you learn to fight like that?” You asked him, eyes filled with amazement and genuine curiosity.

“Well, my father taught me, along with my brothers…” Donatello replied flatly, in an attempt not to appear worked up by your compliment, for fear that he’d make a fool of himself further. Butterflies were forming in his chest, he’d never spoken to another person so close to his age, aside from April and Casey.

Unfortunately for him, you were eager to learn more about your happenstance hero, and before he knew it, he was being quizzed rapid-fire. “Oh, you have brothers? How many?” and with barely a breath in between, you rattled off more questions. “What are their names? What’s yours?”

“Uuuh…three…Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo…And I’m--my names Donatello.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Donatello. My name is Y/N! What interesting names…are your parents big fans of Italian Renaissance artists?” You looked to him, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Okay, stop. STOP. I don’t recall agreeing to a game of 21 questions!” He put an end to your onslaught of inquiries.

Enthusiasm quashed, you backed off, smiling at him sheepishly. Though it wasn’t long before you bounced back, and with one hand on your hip and the other pointing at Donatello, you offered a proposal. “Alright, then…Would you like to play 21 questions?” Your eyes flickering with anticipation, the same kind of unrelenting determination he frequently saw in his brother, Mikey.

From experience with this personality type, Donatello knew it would be easier to simply humor you rather than try to get out of it. He was absolutely baffled by you, your intentions were unclear, and he was not certain that you were someone he could trust. Regardless, he reluctantly agreed to engage in your game.

“I’m so sorry for that…sometimes I get a bit carried away. I enjoy meeting new people and learning about what factors lead to making that person into who they are.” You grinned, playfully kicking up your feet as you strolled down the street together. It was obvious that Donatello was trying to keep his distance, as the space between the two of you was fairly significant, to the point where it appeared as if you were walking separately. “You don’t trust me, do you?” He cursed at how perceptive you were.

“Well, to be honest, no…not really. We’ve only just met.” He stated simply, his eyes scanning you up and down with suspicion. There was a long silence before you broke it with another question.

“How tall are you?” He was amused by the obvious question and quickly answered, “6'6”“

“You must garner a lot of attention walking down the street.” a comment that threw him into a fit of laughter as he thought about what he actually looked like. If only you knew how little he drew attention this way compared to if he strutted down the street in his real form.

“What? HA! Me? No way. Now if I were–” Donatello clammed up, he nearly outed himself to human that he’d just met. As if you’d ever believe him, but still…there was just something about you, you were easy to talk to. He laughed again at the thought before continuing, “Uuuh, so, you said that you have a dog, right?” He attempted to redirect your attention by also engaging in the game with his own inquiry.

“What was that? You just trailed off mid-sentence.” an attempt to no avail, you demanded a reason for his inexplicable change of subject. “And…I don’t remember telling you that I have a dog.” in that moment, roles reversed, and you were the one suspicious of him.

Another misstep, this was very out of character for Donatello; and for the first time in a while, he felt vulnerable. After some quick reflection, he realized that he’d picked up on the dog’s scent during your accidental close encounter in the alley earlier. Though his nose appeared human, his senses themselves, remained as sharp as they’d always been.

“Are you a stalker?” You questioned him bluntly.

“What? No, I’m not stalking you, I promise.”

The sincerity of his answer confirmed your speculation to be false.“Alright…but I’m watching you!” You narrowed your eyes at him.

“Who’s the stalker now?” the charming young man shot you a cheesy grin upon delivering his terrible joke. You stuck your tongue out at him, and he chuckled. A sudden breeze whipped up, startling the two of you. Even though the winter weather had mostly gone, a slight chill remained in the air. You shivered reflexively, realizing that you had sacrificed your coat amidst the chaos of escaping from Dr. Stockman’s laboratory.

Donatello immediately noticed your discomfort and removed his flannel over-shirt, giving it to you with a warm smile. His cold blooded innards were not happy with his choice to shed clothing, and he was unable to disguise his own trembling reaction to the cold as he handed you his shirt. Without saying a word, you reached out a shaky hand and took it. While you were putting it on, a blush crossed you face for just a moment, as his scent wafted up from the clothing.

“Thanks.” the pleasantry was all that you could muster for words as you fought hard to stave off your rosiness.

“Purple looks good on you.” that sweet compliment pushed you over the edge, and your face flushed completely red as you turned away from him.

“Y/N…Are you alri–” His sentence was brought to a halt as an all too familiar feeling hit him abruptly, indicating that the ooze’s potency was waning. Aware that his time as a human was now limited, he took a queue from his older brother, Raphael, and acted on instinct. The distressed young man proceeded to back away slowly before breaking out into a full sprint. With your back turned, you were none the wiser. Feeling suddenly alone, you finally turned to find that your escort had vanished, leaving only his flannel shirt to remember him by.

…to be continued.

#this is it...#i really hope that you guys like it #fan fiction #bayverse tmnt #headcanons #donatello x reader #my writing #god i'm so nervous #tmnt 2014 #tmnt 2016 #don's quill pen

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dobriking · 5 years

Text

Bend Into A Break (4)

Summary: Not one, but two vlog-squads came with the death of Vine. And the rumored beef between you two is absolutely true! So, you and David (begrudgingly) set up a month long-retreat among your groups to film team challenges and go against each other. Y’know. For views. Pairing: David Dobrik x Readers, Enemies to Lovers, living together. Warnings: Profanity, mentions of drinking. A/n: A bit of a filler chapter for a transition. Next part though... :)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

The drinks got the better of them so you and David stand alone in front of the Houdini Mansion waiting for the bus to catch back to the route after God knows how many pitstops it took for extended bathroom breaks.

It’s cold this high up. With that and the strange-car ride you had with David, you’re anxious to get inside.

Suddenly you realize this is all very real, happening in real time and no longer just an idea.

You’re proud to say so but worried at the same time.

David has to work the doorknob, pushing with all his weight (a little too much) to get the door open. You step in after him, hugging yourself (slyly) and keeping behind him as you step into the entrance room. Just as advertised. Beautiful, dusted, slick, pristine, but dark indeed.

“Geez.” He chuckles, setting down his suitcase. “You really outdid yourself Y/n.”

You take a breath. “Tell me about it.”

“This place is insane.” He picks up a flower pot placed on a thin side-table by the door and under a thin window. You catch him sniff it and his eyes go wide (for whatever reason) before he sets it down immediately and hurries into the next room — the kitchen.

He lets out that high-pitched, giddy little laugh of his and you jump but choose to ignore it for his own good. He’s messing with things on the counter and you head up the stairs, gripping the railing and letting your palm slide along the shining wood as you test the creakiness of the steps.

They’re all good, fortunately.

But at the top of the stairs is one continuous hallway going in both directions, left and right. A good handful of the rooms promised are in this one hallway, with a bathroom at the end of each hall. Every light in the place gives its room a warm yellow tint and its actually quite flattering, especially with the heaps of glass decorations you’re sure will be added to fees in damages. And each bedroom has two twin beds, and two of each other accommodation.

You look over all the little knick-knacks.

Maybe the bus getting here a little late is working out better than you thought.

You jog downstairs to see David having trouble with the curtain by the front door. And you hold your fingers to the bridge of your nose as you try to gain your composure — why on Earth did he decide to mess with the thing in the first place? He yelps as the pole falls from its confines…

He senses your presence and turns slowly, a crooked smile on his face.

You take a deep breath, waving him off. “David, get the bags.”

“Got it.” He hurries with his head down.

You pick up the pole and stand on your tiptoes to raise it back where it can be hooked in place. David comes in, his backpack over one shoulder, your backpack over the other, and both suitcases in hand. “Uh, where should I—?”

“Just leave them there.” You finish with putting them in place and do what you can only hope he intended to do with the curtains, pulling them back and tying them away from the window. “And then uh,” you swipe your hands down your chest, brushing off any dust, “follow me.”

He drops everything though is a little late to follow as he works on keeping the bags upright. He skips after you, watching you observe the downstairs hallway just past the double-set of staircases.

Quite claustrophobic indeed.

You open some doors, first finding an office area, another bathroom, a closet, a door leading to a basement which you promptly close and yelp at, then you find a master bedroom with a door attached directly to the aforementioned bathroom. And that isn’t even all of it.

David hums, impressed.

“Okay,” you clap, “we’ve got two master bedrooms. One down here, one up there, and…” you backtrack, going down the opposite side of the hallway, “four regulars down here, four regulars upstairs. So, pick one — up or down.”

Even without a specified time limit, David’s jittery with the pressure. “Uh, ah-ah UH, DOWN?!”

You pat him on the back before passing. “Okay, you get that room.” You point to the master room at the end of the hall. “I’ll take the other master, and the others can room together.”

“What about Scott, Natalie? Amanda, Toddy?”

“What about them?”

He holds still, his only hint being a slight raise of his brows.

You roll your eyes. “Well, they’re adults? They can do whatever the hell they want.” But then you stop to think about their partners and the hatred on top of the potential discomfort with sharing a room with someone of the opposite whatever. “Uh, fine.” You pinch your nose. “Scott and Todd can share a room, Amanda and Natalie can share a room. Which kinda works in one way I guess — anyway, uh, can you check the pool and see if it needs to be filled up?”

And yes, it does.

You see for yourself when looking out the window. David’s jog slows as he approaches and he turns, finds you in the window, and throws his arms to his sides as he shrugs. The only thing in it is leaves, thankfully, and you suppose not too much dust that’ll flake off when filling it up.

He hops in and plucks them out, and that’s when you stop looking, afraid of what stupidity he may subject himself to in an empty pool.

You suppose that could be the subject of a vlog or something.

But still, you pout realizing just one more thing to do. On top of the empty pool there’s no food (as expected) so surely you’ll be arguing among 18 others on what to order, this is likely the last moment of bliss you’ll have before they start pouring in, and you have no idea how this room situation is going to blow up in your face. What scares you the most is how vicious everybody might be over dibs and who gets to use the bathroom first…

And on top of all that, the glass sculptures irk you dearly. You go around collecting them, cradling them in your arms, and transporting them to where you’ll be staying. You store them in the closest provided alongside some extra blankets and pillows.

Frankly, you doubt the owner would care if you broke them (they’re only getting twenty-two thousand from you alone with this little trip) but you really don’t want to add anything on that from plain-old negligence. You don’t worry about ‘improper’ placement of the knick-knacks because only a person who buys with intent to consistently rent a place like this lives outside of it.

While you’re at it you rearrange and hide other decorations too, brittle or not. Despite the size of the mansion, it’s still too cozy for 18 people to sit in comfortably. At least in the case of everybody in one room at once. While knowing it won’t be like that all the time, you know it will be at one point or another

You slip off your jacket and set it on a chair in the living room, the heat of running around getting to you.

And to also help with the heat you step outside into the chill and catch David chewing gum with a limp hose in one hand and his phone in the other.

“What are you doing?” You ask, keeping your distance.

He nods at you, then the pool. “Filling it up. Says it’ll take like, a day, so.”

You bite your tongue but just say it. “Y’know, I was thinking we could leave it empty? For now at least?”

With as volatile as the overall group is, he doesn’t think it wise to leave a concrete pool empty and free to fall into. Quite a morbid thought but a genuine one.

You cross your arms. “For like, extra vlog footage. We could do a balloon-fight test run…? Or I dunno, turn the hose on everybody? Isn’t that like the shenanigans you put in yours?”

He looks at the pool, “Uh, yeah,” and kicks some dirt into the pool.

“And before you think it, I’m not letting you put dry ice in the pool.”

“Dammit,” he hisses.

You roll your eyes though not out of malice. “Look, I’m trying not to get anybody seriously hurt here. I’m sure you have enough of that to fulfill your followers’ needs, so.” You shrug.

Another talking point about this project was the month of July being somewhat of a true vacation. To get everything as crisp and pristine as can be, to give your mercy time to brew, and to not waste any pre-existing footage, you’ll both be keeping your mouths shut about this for the time being, editing ‘regular’ vlogs for June alongside this project’s vlogs for July. You’ll actually get some time to exist without pointing a camera at everything after this.

“If you need some dry ice and if that’s really what you had in this month’s roster, then you can put it in any pool that isn’t the one we’re separately,” you emphasize, “paying twenty-thousand to use this month.”

He hates how right you are.

The others did get evicted that one time.

“Save all your crazy content for your usual stream, alright?” ‘Crazy’ isn’t quite objective and you know that but you don’t correct yourself. Instead, you leave, hoping he won’t grasp onto that.

David grunts, stomping at the ground and flailing the hose around a bit before tossing it down in the pool and heading inside.

“What, am I just not supposed to get any ‘crazy’ content from this, then?”

“No, you can.” You sit on the chair with your jacket over it. “Just nothing that gets us paying fucking 5k extra in damages! Actually, you know what? You can do whatever you want with the pool and anything else in this house but if it gets added, I’m not paying.”

“Fine! Deal.”

You roll your eyes. “Geez David. It’s just some stupid dry ice. Can you try and respect where you are for once?” Your voice is sincere, far from condescending. But still, David jumps, offended. You lean on the armrest and hold your head up with your hand, closing your eyes as you try to deal with your own irritation. The stress of knowing damn well you won’t be able to bring yourself to let him pay for whatever damages by himself is just adding onto the incoming doom that is your drunk friends. And thinking back on the car ride (which began quite scandalously before ending productively with a slew of new challenge ideas), you don’t like David’s silence.

You don’t want to sour the day completely, so you continue, “Just, whatever ‘crazy’ students you have in mind, can you tone them down?” You look at him, pleading. “Please? You don’t need to throw Zane out a fucking stained glass window for your audience to be entertained. I don’t want anybody getting hurt here.”

HIs fingers go to lips, a small, very sarcastic gasp escaping as he thinks ‘Man that would have been cool.’

But he laughs at himself, which shocks you. The sarcasm in his gasp wasn’t exactly clear.

He shrugs, “I mean, sure,” and plops down on the couch across from you. You squint, looking him up and down and waiting for a sign that what he’s agreed to isn’t true. But he’s focused on the couch, bouncing on it and pressing his palms in to question the cushions. His lips go tight, impressed, and you take a strained breath before hopping up.

He watches you leave and gets up after.

His hands slip into his back pockets. “Hey, do you think we should go back to some of the ideas we had?”

You’re already kneeling by your backpack in the entrance room with the same idea but say “Yeah, sure,” and promptly pull out your laptop. He stands in the doorway like a goof (focus a bit wonky) and he recalls himself as such after you awkwardly squeeze past him. He thinks to collect his own things but sees no use. He sits on the couch again, this time leaning forward to try and peak at your screen, his elbows on his knees.

You get up and sit by him to avoid straining his neck so early into this thing.

“Number one—“ you start, he holds up a finger, “—lip syncing contest.” You type into a word document as you speak. “Number two—“ another finger goes up, “—either a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt. Number three is a cooking challenge right around the time Heath goes crazy. Four is Assassin, five is…?” You’re stuck.

“That like — us pretending to be stranded on an island, right?”

You chuckle. “Yup.” Quite the strange idea indeed but you can see it working. “We’ve got a murder mystery, going to an escape room for another, the quiet game—“ David hisses, knowing without a doubt his team will lose that one. But he still lives to see everybody’s reaction upon realizing they’re out of the game. “We’re gonna see who can stay up the latest so I guess the…24 hour challenge?”

“Yeah yeah.”

“Then there’s Youtube challenge day…” You shiver at the thought. Being subjected to some of the most infamous challenges in youtube history all in one day…the only thing keeping you up for it is the exclusion of things like the cinnamon challenge. Again — you’re not aiming to get anybody killed.

“Uh,” David pinches his nose then snaps at your screen, “That one we talked about.” You blink. “The horror movie one.”

You look out the window. There is indeed a forest surrounding the house — specifically the pool. The group didn’t even let you explain how the place isn’t haunted. The challenge you had in mind (and David thankfully added to) was to try and get each other to think it was haunted. To ‘tag out’ anybody who went to lengths to ease their fears. But with everybody thinking it’s haunted with Zane’s outburst, David suggested you tell campfire stories, set up some rules, and whoever needs to comfort themselves when they find themselves scared is out of the game. A bit of the same but the alternative would be to stay in the house which could have been enough of a threat on its own.

“Yup, yup.” You squint, typing it in. “Got it. Okay, and there’s also the Newly Wed game thingie, right?”

“Mhm. Make sure to have Scott and Natalie as hosts cause like—“

“Got it.” Can’t have those two knowing too much about each other when the rest of you are against your destined enemy.

“Okay, what else?” David asks as he comes to sit on his knees. But at that moment he looks over the back of the couch and through the window, hearing the low rumble of an oncoming vehicle. You look at each other for a moment before David jumps up and hurries outside.

You close your laptop and tuck it under your arm, then take your bags upstairs to your room. You put David’s too so nobody’s drunk ass trips over them.

You get to the middle of the stairs but stop when you see David welcoming people in, thankfully assisted by more than you both expected. Cody, for one, gives David a flat-lipped smile as he assists him and Chloe in helping Carly into the house. Erin’s behind them. She’s not exactly stumbling but rather lip-syncing to a song playing in her head that you can only assume she played on repeat during the drive.

You wince, realizing the repercussions of a bunch of hungover people who also happen to hate each other in the same house. But you’ll deal with that when the time comes.

You pinch your nose seeing the chaos steadily rise, and David is close to doing the same. He decides to stop helping (they’ve got it on their own) and watch people come in instead.

Once Carly is dealt with (sat down in the living room), Chloe comes to Emily’s side. Their bags are at their side and they have impressed grins as they look around the room.

“Nice.” Emily looks up at you, hair whipping over her shoulder. “Sure you want to get puke on all this mahogany?” You roll your eyes. Always been a bit snippy with you, huh? She forces a smile as she and Chloe stomp up the stairs opposite you.

David nudges you with his elbow. You squint at him, then he nods up the stairs where the two are headed with their bags.

You groan and run after them, skidding in the hallway and creating a squeeeaaaak with the soles of your shoes in an effort to approach them. You’re successful and get between them without retaliation. You grab their shoulders and mutter, “Let’s just wait to get set up, shall we?”

They’re curious and irritated but don’t do anything about it.

They follow David into the living room. He looks at you past their shoulders, and you give him a reassuring smile. He returns it, but neither of your efforts makes it seem like you think it’s going to be okay. You run out and help the bus driver take everybody’s luggage from the bus. You tip him again and give that familiar, solemn look. One that says ‘I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through.’ And he nods as though to say ‘Don’t worry about me.’

He steps back onto the bus to do a sweet-through, makes sure nobody left anything.

In your solitude, you put our palm to the bus and lean against it. You close your eyes and put the back of your hand to your forehead, thinking this all over.

“Good door,” Cody says, breaking your silence. He’s suddenly in front of you and pulling at the handle of his suitcase. “I mean it. IT was disgusting being on a bus with a bunch of drunks but better than it would have been if we were in our right minds.” Despite the sentiment, it’s hard to tell when Cody’s serious or sarcastic.

“But,” he presses his lips tight, looking at the ground before squinting at. you, trying to ignore the wind in his eyes, “never do this again.”

You deflate. “Wasn’t planning on it.”

He pats your shoulder and heads inside. He grimaces at his surroundings.

You give the area as thorough a look as you can from your single spot. You suppose this is the closest you could get to a cabin in the woods type get-up around here. There’s a good amount of tees (not too dense to get lost in but not too spread apart to see creepy things in the distance) and a pretty significant path from here to the next wherever. You turn in a circle to survey everything. And you scratch the back of your head, staying in this position as the wind blows. Some strands of hair flow around.

You drop your hands; figure its best to head inside now, lest leaving David too overwhelmed.