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mercy-burning · 3 years

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Second Nature

Part of Mercy’s 1k Celebration: A collection of Spencer Reid x Reader requests to celebrate 1,000 followers.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!Reader Summary: Spencer and Reader share some realizations after one of them has been kidnapped. Category: FLUFF + ADDITIONAL SMUT ENDING (18+) Warnings: Language, brief mentions of kidnapping and injury, bruising, sex (penetrative sex, protected sex, dirty talk, lowkey hand kink—i’m not sorry) Word Count: 6.1k

Full Request: “...Congratulations on your 1k! I have request for your celebration, if possible. Spencer/Fem Reader. Post prison Spencer, instead of him being taken by the cult, the reader is, making hi realize that she’s Love of life and they get together. Smut,preferred, if possible. Thank you.” — @dreatine

NOTE: I had a little conversation with @ssa-m-187 about a post which discussed that trope where Person A caresses Person B’s cheek, and then Person A leans into their touch and holds their arm to keep them there for comfort.. I mentioned that I might add it into one of my requests, and this is where it ended up! 😂❤

I also decided to add an alternate/additional smut ending in case anyone wanted only the fluff. It will be clearly marked when the smut starts if you choose not to read it!

MASTERLIST | 1K MASTERLIST

***

Nothing bad ever happened to her. Spencer wished that was an exaggeration but it wasn't. In all the years he'd known Y/N, she was never kidnapped, no one she loved ever got kidnapped, and she never even got sick. Her moods were always visibly happy, no one had ever seen her with so much as a sprained ankle, and even bad hair days always seemed to escape her grasp.

So naturally, when she got taken by Ben's Believers, it came as no shock that Spencer was losing his mind.

Everyone kept telling him that they'd get her back, and that they all knew what to do, but it didn't stop the sinking feeling that weighed his heart down, far away from the surface where she was safe and waiting for him.

Guess it's safe to say, this whole situation stirred up some feelings he hadn't even known existed.

The first thing that came to his mind, aside from the initial shock of her being gone, was the first moment they met.

Y/N and Ashley Seaver had both been added to the team around the same time, and after losing Emily, the three of them had practically become inseparable. But that first meeting, the very second he laid eyes on her, it was something purely magical.

She was trying to open a jar of pickles in the break room, breathy and aggravated curses spilling from her mouth as if she were a sailor.

"Do you need any help?" Spencer asked, not intending to scare her.

But alas, she jumped, dropping the jar of pickles and causing it to shatter everywhere. "Shit!"

He offered to help clean it up, and she accepted, sighing about how everything she had was going to smell like pickles for at least a week. And once everything was picked up, she grabbed a pickle that had landed on the counter and took a bite, promptly saying, "Well, at least I got it open," with a mouth-full of pickle. "Thanks for scaring me, bud."

It was amusing to say the least.

And every time they'd gone out for food since then, Spencer made sure to order something with a pickle every time, just so he could offer it to her and hear her laugh about that day. Every time, she mirrored that moment, taking a bite and saying, "Thanks, bud."

Of course, back then he hadn't realized he did it because he liked her. He just thought it was nice to see her smile, to hear her laugh. That's what friends did, right? Made each other laugh?

That's what kept him going as they searched high and low for answers to get her back. Her laugh. It was there, replaying on a loop in his brain as if he could ever forget it.

And when he got her back, he vowed to make sure he made her laugh for the rest of time.

When they knew where to find Y/N, Spencer made it his mission to be the one who got her out of there. He wanted to be the one she saw when she was being rescued. He wanted to be the one who made sure she was finally safe again and out of harm's way.

And most importantly he wanted to tell her that he loved her. And he didn't want to spend another day without being next to her.

But first he had to get her out of there.

The second he saw her, it was like everything moved in slow motion. She was strapped to some type of mechanism that kept her hands at her sides and her head facing forward. And despite the fact that she'd never been held hostage, she looked very calm. She looked like exactly what the cult wanted her to be: a sacrifice.

It made Spencer's stomach churn. And it felt even worse when they moved in. Because everyone was getting down, and the cult leader jumped for Y/N, striking to kill.

The gunshot stunned him. He stopped in his tracks, hoping and praying that she wouldn't be hurt, and for one final time before he actually moved, he replayed her laugh in his mind. He briefly held on to the image of Y/N smiling at him without a care in the world before he inevitably saw her face to face for the first time in days, most likely without said smile.

But of course, the second it was safe and he ran to her side, she looked up at him and smiled anyway.

As Emily got the final restraints off of her, Spencer took a huge sigh of relief and welcomed Y/N into his embrace.

"Hey, bud," she breathed into his neck, letting him squeeze her tightly. He could practically feel her smile burning into his skin, tattooing itself there for all the world to see, and he squeezed her tighter, thinking of how he wouldn't have it any other way.

They clung to one another the whole plane ride home, curled up into each other and falling asleep after all the stress they'd been under. And it was no surprise to anyone that they even held hands while they did.

Y/N dreamt of him the entire time.

Specifically, she was remembering the day she almost quit. It would have surprised anyone to know she'd felt that way considering she never let her bad days show. But in those particular few months, she had really missed her family—and Ashley,—the cases were getting more and more stressful, and it all seemed to really take a toll on her emotionally.

But that one fateful day, she walked into the round table room, expecting to find no one since she always showed up early, and instead she found Spencer with a large wicker basket.

"What are you doing here so early?" Y/N asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled shyly. "Oh, um... I know your birthday was last week, and I feel bad I missed it since I was visiting my mom, so... I wanted to celebrate with you when we had a little bit of time."

He handed her the basket, and she marveled at all its contents, ranging from a few of her favorite books in different copies she hadn't owned, an array of her favorite candies, and most exciting, a jar of pickles.

"Oh, before you break the jar, I have something else for you," he said with a small laugh, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. "I've read that these are good for helping you open jars, and I even got myself one because we all know you're way stronger than me, so if you can't open a jar of pickles, I probably couldn't either..."

She would never know this, but in that moment he was kicking himself for being so awkward, even though the two of them had been friends for years. And he'd never know, but she hadn't even recognized it as awkward. She was incredibly thankful and endeared by his thinking of her, and it was the one thing that made her realize she could never quit her job.

She loved him too much too leave.

So she didn't. That morning she'd been planning on telling everyone her plans to find another job somewhere else, maybe closer to her family, and that night she walked out of the office feeling loved and thankful for her friends, and one friend in particular.

Currently, said friend was sitting quietly in the parking lot of her apartment while she dug up the courage to ask him inside for the night. Her plans consisted of sleeping in for as long as she needed thanks to a well-deserved few days off of work, and though Spencer would most likely return earlier, she desperately hoped she could convince him to stay.

It was quiet for a while and the lights in the car had long since turned off, leaving them in darkness as well as silence. Despite that fact, it wasn't eerie in the slightest... It was comfortable.

Even more so when Y/N reached over and grabbed his hand.

And then she spoke.

"Can... Can you stay? I'm fine, I promise, I just... I could really use some company, you know?"

"Of course," he answered almost too quickly. It made her laugh, and though it was small, he felt a weight lift off his chest at the sound.

The two of them walked up to her apartment in more of that comfortable, dark silence. The only light source to be found was within the dim lights of the hallway, though they'd made the walk so many times it was like second nature.

That familiarity followed them through her doorway, Y/N taking off her jacket and instinctively handing it over with her to-go bag, where Spencer's arms were already outstretched. He took them and removed his shoes, then transported their belongings to the chair in the corner of her living room, maybe five or six steps ahead from the entryway.

Y/N took a large breath and smiled as she flipped on the lights.

Spencer noticed, turning to her with a smile of his own. "Good to be home?"

"Mhm," she responded with a nod. "But you know what would make it even better?"

The knowing smile they shared brought warmth to her chest as he made his way to the kitchen, saying, "Peppermint hot chocolate, coming right up."

As her best friend made noise in the kitchen, Y/N padded over to her couch, flipping on the table lamp next to it and sitting down with an over-exaggerated humph. Her legs curled off to the side as she leaned against the armrest, taking a deep breath and breathing in the warm comfort of home, only amplified a little while later by the aroma of soft peppermint.

She could hear Spencer humming quietly to himself in the kitchen, the sound bringing a smile to her face. He always absentmindedly hummed her favorite song when he was making them food or something to drink, or even when they were just hanging out together in comfortable silence. She wondered often if he ever sang it to himself when he was alone.

And she was going to ask, but before she got the chance, he came up behind her with two mugs of hot chocolate. She took hers gladly with a smile that perfectly matched the warmth of the mug. And while she took the first sip as he walked around the couch and took his regular spot on the cushion next to hers, that warmth spread to her chest. She sunk into the couch as her eyes fluttered closed.

Beside her she could hear Spencer laugh. "That good, huh?"

"You're an expert hot chocolate maker, don't let anyone tell you any different."

Another laugh came from him, and the sound bought warmth to other places.

They sipped their hot chocolate together, once again basked in silence that was only disrupted by the distinct ticking of Y/N's cuckoo clock, a Christmas gift from Spencer one year after she'd mentioned how much she was oddly fascinated by them. It sat on the wall across from them, next to the TV and right above a DVD rack with her favorite movies. She stared at the clock fondly as she drank her way through the hot chocolate, and Spencer did the same.

Eventually they were out, and once their mugs were placed on either side table, they found themselves turning to each other with more of that second nature pulling them together like the moon pulling the ocean. Once their knees touched it was like the ocean dragged them under, only rather than suffocating, they found themselves breathing easier, like they were finally at peace.

The clock rung out, and only after it finished echoing did Spencer initiate conversation. He examined the bruise right under her eye, and once again the gravitational pull was too much, his hand reaching out to touch it with curiosity as well as concern. "Are you feeling alright? Do you need some ice or anything?" he asked softly.

Y/N felt her heart stutter at the featherlight touch of his fingertips, and despite herself, she blushed. "No, I'm okay. Better now that I'm home. With you."

His eyes flicked up to meet hers at her words, and the softness and genuine relief he found in them made him melt.

He moved to take his hand away, but Y/N reached up and gently grabbed his wrist, bringing it back to her face pacing his palm firmly against the whole surface of her cheek. He watched lovingly as she closed her eyes and leaned into his hand further, bringing her hand to wrap around his forearm and hold him there. And in that moment, he had to wonder if she could hear the loud, intense beating of his heart as it drowned out the clock's ticking.

"I... I was so scared," Y/N whispered, keeping her eyes closed. "I mean... In the back of my mind I knew you guys would come for me, but... That was... my first time ever being in a hostage situation by myself, let alone at all, and I..." She paused, stumbling on her words before exhaling a breathy laugh. "Those people were creepy."

Spencer laughed with her, his hand still resting on her face. When she finally did open her eyes again, she looked up at him through her eyelashes, and in that moment she looked so soft and vulnerable that he couldn't help but finally tell the truth.

In a whisper so soft she almost didn't hear it, he confessed, "I was so afraid that I lost you..."

"Yeah, but... You found me," she returned with a smile as she nuzzled into his hand further. "You always do."

Something in the way she said it made him bolder, and he realized then that that's what she always did.

She strengthened him, made him more bold and determined... And she gave him something to hold onto when he was lost. When things felt impossible, Y/N always said the one thing that put him back together and made him feel whole again, whether it was a few sentences, or in this case three little words: "You always do."

Completing him was her second nature, something he wasn't even sure she was aware of.

But now that he knew, he had to tell her.

"Y/n..." Spencer traced his thumb along the underside of her bottom lip, and he could have swore he felt her sigh out. He stayed paused, reveling in the way he seemed to have an effect on her, his thumb longing to slide further and trace her entire mouth.

Nevertheless, he continued. "You are... Everything to me. And I don't tell you very often how much your friendship means to me, but I... I can't keep going forward without you knowing just how much I care about you. Really, it..." He huffed a laugh, hoping he wasn't making an utter fool of himself and that she wouldn't push him away at this confession that was dying to escape. "It's embarrassing how much I love you."

He couldn't tell if it was exhaustion taking hold of him, or the relief he felt at finally getting that off his chest, but he held his breath as he studied her eyes, which were glassy like she was on the verge of tears. Her grip around his forearm tightened and she turned, kissing the inside of his palm and keeping her lips pressed there for what felt like forever, until he started to feel his skin go numb. Realistically he knew it was only a trick on the brain, how such a simple affectionate gesture like that had the most heart-swelling and mind-numbing effects on him because of how much he loved her.

But damn it, he didn't care.

She murmured his name into his palm, and her eyes flicked up to meet his again. That's when he noticed a tear fall from her eye and down her cheek, right into the side of his thumb.

Finally, she responded, "I love you, too, Spencer. I... I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to tell you, but... After what just happened, I don't know if I could ever spend another day without loving you."

His heart absolutely burst at the seams, warmer than before, and most certainly not from the hot chocolate. That warmth only spread, turning into a raging wildfire when she let go of his hand and moved forward, practically tackling him and wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him and pressing her face to the crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around her back, hugging her close as she straddled him and continued to nuzzle into his skin, his presence...

They held each other like that for a good minute before Y/N finally gained the courage to pull back and look into his eyes. They were just as glassy as hers, just as filled with love and comfort and home as she could ever have dreamed. Her hands slid down to rest on his shoulders for a moment before one of them cradled his face.

And then she kissed him.

She knew he loved her, he told her as much, but in case this was already going too far, Y/N kept it light and hesitant, desperately hoping it wouldn't make things weird.

But of course, there was nothing to worry about. And Spencer showed her that as his lips pressed deeper into hers, his hands on her back pushing her closer to him and seeking as much contact as possible.

She brought both of her hands to gently run through his hair, and at the sigh he let out against her mouth, Y/N tugged harder, pulling herself up so she could get into a better, more comfortable position on his lap.

They shared peppermint hot chocolate kisses until the clock rung out again, both of them pulling away with a little surprise.

"Has it really been an hour since it last went off?" Y/N mused in a whisper, taking in the swollen state of Spencer's mouth. The sight sent a course of butterflies through her stomach.

"I guess it has... It's um... It's late, maybe we should get some sleep."

"Only if you come with me," Y/N offered, running her fingers through his hair once more.

Spencer nodded with a small smile, his thumb tracing the bottom of her chin. "Of course."

They pulled themselves off the couch and, hand-in-hand, navigated their way to her bedroom. And even though they'd never actually done it before, sleeping in her bedroom together, the whole journey was so familiar it was like they'd done it a million times over.

SMUT ENDING BELOW

Y/N didn't know what time it was, only that the sun was brightly peeking through her sheer curtains, basking her bedroom in a warm glow that made it almost impossible to be comfortable under the covers. When she moved to take them off of her, she felt a hand snake around her waist, pressing firmly against her lower stomach and holding her in place.

"Are you awake?" she asked aloud to the air, softly in case Spencer was, in fact, still asleep.

"Mhm," he mumbled behind her, his breath softly fanning out across her shoulder. "Have been for about an hour."

"You could have woke me up," she said, turning around to face him. His hand lifted and then settled on her shoulder when she was in position.

"You deserved the rest," is all he offered in explanation as his hand gently brushed the hair from her shoulder. It tickled as it fell behind her, dropping off her body and across the back of her neck. Spencer trailed his fingers lightly up her neck until they reached her ear, and then he trailed them back down and over the curve of her shoulder, and then down her arm. He continued this and smiled as he took notice of the goosebumps that formed all over her skin. The thin tank top she'd changed into before bed left most of her exposed, each little freckle and hair that adorned her skin on display in the warm sunlight.

Meanwhile she smiled, heat slowly rising to her cheeks as she recalled their kisses on the couch. Needless to say, her dreams that night were rather scandalous, something she wasn't unfamiliar with, though given these new circumstances she was more than a little hot right now.

Spencer noticed, his hand halting its movement on her skin and resting itself on her waist over the blanket. "You're thinking about it, too? Last night?"

Y/N looked him in the eye and swore she saw them dilate when she responded. "Yeah. Among other things..."

"What... kind of other things?"

She would have told him, but since it was obvious they were both feeling the heat she bit her lip instead, a teasing look in her eye. "You're a smart man. You tell me."

"What if I... show you instead?" he whispered, his voice broken and obviously a little shocked that this was finally going to happen.

"Take it away, Doc."

His first kiss was sweet, reminiscent of the first one they shared on the couch, and his second was a little deeper. Y/N gave her stamp of approval by sighing, bringing a hand up to play with his hair again, and it was the trigger that shot him forward, his lips working hers with more passionate, methodical precision. Meanwhile his hand dipped under the covers and pressed firmly at her back, slipping under her shirt and bringing her closer.

She wrapped her leg over his waist, pulling herself forward to get as much contact as she could while he swiped over her bottom lip with his tongue. The small whimper she let out at his kisses made his hips buck forward involuntarily, to which Y/N clenched her leg tighter around his waist and tugged a little harder at his hair.

He tipped them over then, rolling so that he was hovering over her while their kisses only grew needier. His hand slipped under her shirt, feeling the expanse of her stomach and her sides. The low hum that came from her throat at his touches drove him half wild, so he boldened them, slowly sliding up and up until he reached her bare breasts. Her legs came out immediately and hooked themselves around the back of his thighs as she whined at his touch.

With curious kneads of her chest and even more exploratory kisses that were reciprocated with an equal hunger and passion, it didn't take long for Spencer to feel his insides churn with a desire that could possibly never be satiated. Even if Y/N was the one who kept him whole, he also knew she would be the one to completely wreck him to pieces. He'd rarely ever felt this type of desire before, especially not towards someone who took up every crack and crevice of his mind at any given moment. And now that he had it, he never wanted to let it go. She was going to utterly ruin him, and he'd never been more welcoming to that type of damnation—the type that was also his salvation.

Because she was everything all at once, devastatingly beautiful in every imaginable way.

Her hands tugged at his tee shirt, punctuating her urgency with a needy little whine into his mouth. He pulled back then, tugging off his shirt at the expense of taking his hands away from her. But from his higher position now, he took her in in all her wild glory, lips swollen and a little red, hair splayed out across the pillows, and her breathing visibly heavy. Even with the bruise under her eyes, she was the most breathtaking person he'd ever seen. She marveled up at him, willing her gaze to trail down his chest and stomach, her bottom lip tucking itself gently between her teeth as she stared at where his sweatpants hung low on his hips.

Y/N reached out and grazed her middle finger across the waistband of his pants, gently feeling the fabric and his skin at the same time. He was still, continuing to watch her explore his body the way he'd done hers, always amazed at the curious look in her eye— the one that was now swimming in a pool of lust. Her hand trailed upwards, feeling the soft planes of his torso until she couldn't reach any higher.

"Having fun?" Spencer mused with a smile as she rested both her hands on either side of his waist.

She sat up then, pressing a kiss to his neck while her hands travelled south, under the waistband of his pants. He sucked in a breath as she palmed him through his underwear, gently nipping his shoulder before she answered. "Oh, I'm having so much fun."

He was going to say something, but words escaped him as she sat up on her knees and continued tracing the outline of his dick through his underwear. He was painfully hard in an instant, a fact at which Y/N gave a low, amused laugh. Once she found the underside of his tip, she gently rubbed it through the fabric with her thumb, and the broken whine that he let out delighted her in every way. Her tongue traced his collarbone and the contours of his shoulders and neck until she reached his jawline. She licked him there too, humming as her thumb worked faster at his dick.

"Mmm, I've wanted this for so long," she told him softly, bringing her lips up to his ear. "Do you know how many times I've thought about us? Dreamed about us?"

"Not as many as me, probably," he choked out with a small laugh, audibly trying to keep it together as his stomach burned with every languid stroke of her thumb over his most sensitive point.

Y/N returned his laugh and sensually kissed his jaw before saying, "I doubt that." Then she dragged her mouth up to his lips and brought her hand out of his pants so she could thread all her fingers through his hair. Though they were kneeling, he was still taller than her, so his hard erection pressed firmly against her stomach as he brought her closer, gripping her hips and melting into her.

When his right hand slipped into her sleep shorts, she whined out and pressed herself harder against him, reveling in the way the heat from his hand practically burned into her ass. He kneaded her there as well, groaning into her mouth when she tugged on his hair and turned her head to deepen their kiss.

It was obvious that she was trying to feel some type of friction— her knees were willing her to get up higher, to feel him hard against her, but alas she wasn't able to reach. She showed her frustration by whining into his mouth and trying to pull herself up, the pressure of her arms around his neck getting stronger with every passing second.

"Spencer pulled away laughing a little, removing his hand from her shorts and bringing it to the front, dragging along the inside of her thigh. "Is there something you want from me, pretty girl?"

The nickname sent a fire through her veins that set off every smoke detector in her brain, the alarm coming out in the form of a whimper. "I want to feel you inside me," she whispered, nuzzling her nose to his and reaching down to guide his hand farther up. When his middle finger breached the fabric of her shorts, she whimpered again, willing herself closer to him. "Please, Spencer."

He hummed lowly, drawing circles into her skin. "Are you prepared? Like, do you... have condoms or anything, do we need one?"

"I have some in my top drawer if you want me to get it," she said quickly with a nod.

He laughed a little, amused at her eagerness, before pulling away from her and helping her off the bed. Once she was feet-first on the ground, she strode over to the dresser where she opened a small drawer on the top left and rummaged through it. Meanwhile Spencer followed her and came up behind her, pressing his front to her backside and making her tense. He brushed her hair aside and brought his lips to her neck, his hands resting at her waist.

She slowly rolled her hips against him, sighing out when his hands gripped her tighter. One of them slipped down into her shorts again, this time coming around front and resting over her clothed pussy. His fingers explored her like hers had explored him, teasing her in the same way that made her want to burst into flames.

"So wet already, pretty girl..." he mused, sighing and attacking her neck with more kisses. "I bet I'll be able to just slide right in..."

She outwardly moaned this time, clutching a condom in her hand and then slamming the drawer shut. "Alright then, Mr. PhD, why don't you put that theory to the test?"

He loved how eager she was, and a little impatient. Something told him that if he teased her enough, she might have just begged him for anything. But he didn't want to do that right now. No, right now he was planning on showing the love of his life just how much she meant to him. He was going to give her everything he had, and then some.

So he turned her around and kissed her, walking them backwards until his legs hit the foot of the bed. He almost went down, but before he could, he turned them around again. Y/N's body hit the bed, her legs immediately opening for him to stand between them. Rather than leaning down to kiss her again though, Spencer ran his hands tugged lightly at her shorts, to which Y/N gladly lifted her hips and allowed him to pull them off. Her underwear weren't too far behind, and then she lifted her shirt over her head, tossing it aside and leaning back on her elbows.

Seeing her fully bare like this was enough to drive him mad, but he held on, spreading her knees apart and sliding his hands along the insides of her thighs. "Y/N, you're perfect..." As he marveled at her and showered her with love and praise, he slid his hands further and further up her body until they reached her arms.

She helped him remove his pants and underwear, and once they were off, Y/N tore open the condom and handed it to him. He rolled it on and then leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead. Then her temple, then her cheek... Then he pressed the softest kiss to her lips and looked her in the eyes. "You really want to?"

She smiled at him and nodded, bringing one of his hands to her entrance and pressing his fingers to the wetness that pooled there. "You feel how bad I want it?"

He groaned and kissed her then, circling his middle finger over her clit and making her cry out against him. After a few more seconds of this, Spencer positioned them at the head of the bed and angled his hips forward, the head of his dick coming in contact with her pussy.

He slid in slowly, reveling in every pure, blissful second that went by as he gradually became completely enveloped in her. Once he was buried to the hilt, Y/N threw her head back and bit her lip, her hands reaching out to play with his hair again. He ground himself into her for a few seconds before pulling back and then starting a slow, steady rhythm.

"God, Y/N, you feel so good... So... perfect for me."

"Funny, I was just going to say the same thing about you," she breathed. Her eyes trained themselves on his, and though there was a lot of love there, she saw something else that she recognized, something hesitant. It was close to the same look he gave her last night, after she'd explained to him that she was fine after he examined her injury.

He was going easy on her. But she wanted more.

Y/N reached up to tug his hair gently, biting her lip and batting her eyes. "I'm not made of glass you know... You can fuck me harder if you want to."

Everything from the look on her face to the way she said it to the way she clenched around him as she did made him half feral. He smirked at her without thinking, a natural reaction to her challenge. "Oh, you like it a little rough, huh?"

She smirked back at him and nodded, tugging his hair harder. "Uh huh."

Though he started fucking into her harder, his pace remained slow, accentuating each rough thrust with a huff through his nose. Y/N's mouth opened involuntarily, the power of his movements rendering her almost speechless. Eventually though, she let out one large moan as her fingers even further tightened their grip in Spencer's hair.

Taking note of her reactions, he felt pleased with himself. "You like that, don't you, pretty girl? You like it hard and deep..."

Her hands dropped from his head and rested at the sheets, gripping them instead as he worked his hips a little faster. "Y—yes, baby, I fucking love how hard you fuck me."

The words tumbled out of their mouths so easily, each syllable spoken with the right amount of lust and truth, it was like their conversation was a dance. Their bodies and their words melded together in a perfect number that brought them further towards the climax.

But, as every dance does, their needed a little flourish.

Spencer reached out and caressed her cheek again, his thumb going straight to her lips. Y/N opened her mouth and sucked it in, swirling her tongue around it and groaning at the way he bit his lip when she did so.

"Fuck, pretty girl, you're gonna ruin me if you keep that up."

She smiled at his words, which allowed him to press his thumb flat down onto her tongue. Her mouth remained open as he held it there, her pants and moans coming out clear as day. And as if that wasn't hot enough, she batted her eyelashes up at him, and he fucked her even faster, both of them starting to feel the signs of impending orgasm.

He could have kept his thumb in her mouth forever, but to aid her in pleasure, he removed it, dragging it down her chin before bringing it to her clit and rubbing in tight circles.

"Fuck, Spence, that's it," Y/N moaned, looking down between their bodies and almost losing it at the sight that beheld her. "Don't stop, don't fucking stop!"

He leaned forward to kiss her then, the new angle finally bringing her over the edge. She cried out into his mouth as it explored her own, soaking up all the sounds she made and using them to fuel his own release.

They came together, and it felt like years of tension and anticipation and love finally culminated into one giant explosion that enveloped them whole. It felt like, for a moment, nothing else in the world existed, only Spencer, Y/N, and their palpable connection that felt very much like a home in and of itself.

Even as they came down, their breathing slowing down and their touches becoming gentler, that explosion quieted right alongside them, an echo of love and warmth lingering in its wake.

Spencer pulled out and laid beside her, reaching out and gently touching the bruise under her eye. "You okay?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. I'm more than okay... I'm perfect."

He smiled at her, pure, true comfort settling in his bones. It was a rare feeling, but he was glad that it came with her presence. "Me, too. And I... I meant what I said last night, Y/N, I... I love you. More than words could accurately describe."

Her heart swelled at his words. "I love you, too, bud. More than anything in the world."

He contemplated for a minute, a smile forming as he said his next words. "More than pickles?"

Y/N threw her head back in a boisterous laugh that made Spencer's heart beat a little faster, before playfully hitting his harm and snuggling up next to him. "Yes, definitely more than pickles."

"Good. That would have been embarrassing."

"I don't love you more than peppermint hot chocolate, though. Or that cuckoo clock."

Spencer pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, but I got you those things, so technically that means you have to love me at least as much as them..."

"Okay. That's fair, I'll give you that one."

With an over-exaggerated, "Phew," Spencer smiled and pulled her closer, the warm sunlight from the windows giving him the most clear view of their legs tangled together over her lavender-colored comforter. It was so domestic, so perfect and loving and real that he never wanted to forget it.

He was thankful that he never would.

***

PERMANENT TAGLIST: @elldell1204 @muffin-cup @calm-and-doctor @slutforthegubes @s1utformgg @rainsong01 @yourmisosoup @liveloudwriteloud @reidsconverse @la-vie-en-amour1 @edgycowboy666

TAGS NOT WORKING: @emilyprentisslittlewhore @takeyourleap-of-faith

If you would like to be added to the taglist, feel free to message me or leave a comment, and I’ll add you!

#mercy 1k celebration #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid smut #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction

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aestheticsuwu · 4 years

Text

When Our Eyes Met

Robby Keene x Doug Rickenberger

A Huge thank you to @oceluna , for giving me the boost I needed to upload this new ship !

We are blessed for having this beautiful human (@oceluna ) being for giving us a part of their time to create wonderful LawRusso content and other ships !💖😊

( Binary Boyfriends + SamxMiguel + Lawrusso ) Part 3

.... ..... .....

He should've know having Sam and Demetri as friends would only cause him trouble . Now he's being forced on a date but he didn't even know who Hawk would set him up .

For all he knows Hawk would pick a random stranger , why did he think that life would go easy on him . He really can't catch a break , okay maybe he's exaggerating a little bit .

He thinks he's allowed to be dramatic , atleast they had already decided what Demetri was going to wear , black flannel shirt with a white shirt underneath and some skinny jeans .

Heading out to go home to change as well , but not before assuring Demetri that everything would turn out fine . Hawk was in love with Demetri ass and well , vice versa .

....

He went to the kitchen to grab something to drink , his dad was there serving a cup of juice . Quickly going to cupboard and handing over the glass to his dad .

" Me and Daniel are going to watch a movie later , order some pizza wanna join . "

" I would love to dad but I got a date . "

" is she hot ? "

" Is actually a blind date . "

" She's blind ? " His dad had a funny look as he was confused , Dad L came in laughing along with Robby .

" John the person isn't blind , it just means both people don't know what they look like . Robby be safe , i want the 3 of you back at 10 "

"you got it , dad . "

Hugging his Dad L , before leaving to go change .

Johnny makes sure the coast is clear before pining Daniel against the counter .

" Guess we're having the house to ourselves , I was thinking having you in nothing but my shirt -

" Laying down in bed , just waiting for you to join me "

" mhmm " The blonde puts his hand on Daniels ass , he really had the best ass . Daniel arms holds on to his neck , as he pulls him in more closer . He leans in to kiss him .

" for us to talk about our lovely deep emotions . "

Daniel laughs at the face the blond has , he couldn't help it . He gives kiss on the cheek before leaving , with Johnny behind him .

" You really know how to kill a boner , Bambi. "

..... ..... ...

One of the things he and his dad have in common was that they really didn't know how to receive compliments . Here he was blushing and not knowing what to say as Sam and Demetri kept talking .

" Damn Robby , lookin mighty fine ! . "

" So handsome and those jeans , right Demetri ? "

" Agreed that ass is out of this world . "

" Shut up ! "

He quickly shouted as he got to the front seat , He quickly look one last time in the mirror of the car , while waiting for Sam and Demetri to get in . Pep talks were thrown , mainly for Demetri . Arriving , looking through the open glass window , they could see Hawks purple Mohawk , Miguels waving , and a taller boy .

" Hey guys " Miguel came over as the other two stayed back . He stood next to Demetri to reassure him everything was alright . It looked like hawk and his friend were fighting , until the two quickly came over .

" Everything okay ? " Demetri questioned Hawk , gosh Hawk wasn't subtle about his feelings for his best friend with that stare or gaze whatever you want to call it .

" Yeah , perfect ! Robby this is Doug Rickenberger , Doug this is Robby Keene shall we go in . "

They both incline their heads to each other for acknowledgment. Doug was way taller than him and his broad shoulders didn't help Robbys height . He was wearing a Red shortsleve shirt , black jeans and some vans .

They were seated down, everyone was at the table with their individual date . The tables weren't together but enough distance where they all could hear each other . And it was awkward and quiet at first . Sam and Miguel tried to ease the moment , but it was clear him and Doug wish their were somewhere else but here .

It wasn't their first time seeing each other but their encounters were brief. He had seen the tall boy with Hawk before . Once in awhile he would go to his dad dojo , Doug must've seen him those few times .

Also sometimes his Dad and Daniel would do classes together , but usually he would stick with Myagi-Do students .

Sam and Miguel were already in a relationship , so they were having a blast and it seemed Demetri and Hawk were hitting it off . So Here he was making small talk every time it got to quiet .

" so you like karate ? " He internally just cringed at himself but hey he was trying . He guess it wasn't that bad by the chuckle of Doug

" Yeah , what's it like to have two dads - "

" There's no difference , their just parents . Just because their both dudes and i have a mom too "

" I was gonna say what's it like to have both parents that know karate . "

Guess he should've have left the other boy finish , it was just that some people still don't understand that times have changed .

" I'm sorry I got all defensive on you . "

He gave Doug a small smile hoping the latter wouldn't notice how embarrassed he felt .

" Its alright , uhh do you play any other sports maybe soccer . "

Nodding to the question but then realise he had to answer before the mood gets ruined again .

" uh yeah when I was little , haven't played recently actually . Do you ? "

" Yeah I'm on the soccer team . Maybe you should try out , I wouldn't mind having you on the team unless your not good as you are in karate . "

Doug finish with a teasing smirk and a raised eyebrow waiting for the blonde to answer .

" I like to let you know that I was the best player on my team when I was a kid , well that's what my dad and Mom said but I withstand my point . "

Both burst out laughing , and once the waitress come with their food their both smiling at each other .

If felt kinda nice , it was awhile Robby hadn't laughed and gone out with someone that wasn't his friends or his parents .

...... ....... ........ Doug Pov

Doug was friends with Hawk since he joined cobra kai , they would hanged out in School. After school he would go to the dojo or to soccer practice .

Today he was free and had nothing to do , so he easily accepted Hawks idea . But he wasn't expecting said date to be a boy and son of his Sensei.

He wasn't into guys ,but he didn't mind the idea of dating one but he's just never seem to find a guy he would date . Here he was standing in front of his date as Hawk introduces him .

Robby had green eyes and freckles across his cheeck and nose . Dark blond hair and a nice smile . He was short compared to his height , he wore a black shirt with blue jeans .

His brain came to a conclusion : Pretty boy

..... ...... ......

" Do you want get out of here ? "

" Like right now ? "

" Yeah "

The two couples were distracted as they both left the dinner . Grabbing a hoodie from their own car as quickly as they could . Who knows why but they started running without realising they were holding hands . Their laughter was left echoing behind them .

They stopped at the skate park as they got tired . There were few people skating there , he turned to look at Robby once he didn't feel his hand . He watched as he jogged back holding a skateboard .

" Do you know how to skate? "

Holding a skateboard felt unfamiliar to him , handing it back to Robby who was wearing a cheeky smile .

" No , I'm guessing you do . "

" I know a few things . "

He shouldve known by that cocky smile he was lying . He watched Robby do some amazing stuff , he even showed that one hand stand . Then it was his turn , he failed miserably all the times . He asked what was the secret , as he once again falls .

" Its all about balance "

Robby looked up at him as he answered him . He understood the answer , since Mr. Larusso karate did involve balance .

Noticing they were standing close , face to face . Maybe it was the way the moon and street light illuminate the blondes face . Or the way he was smiling at him that he said those words .

" is there something on my face ? "

" Sorry it's just I never knew a boy could be as beautiful as you ... "

Seeing the surprise look and the addition of the blush contrasting his tan skin made his beat faster . God when did he become such a girl . His thoughts are interrupted when Robby quickly steps back , misstep and hurts his ankle .

.... ..... .. ...

Arriving at the dinner place he could see their friends waiting for them at their cars . Holdding on tight to Robby thighs for he wouldn't fall of his back . Chuckling as the boy groans in embarrassment as the others start to come closer seeing their situation .

" Robby are you okay ? Where were you two , we were worried . ! "

" I'm alright Sam , Me and Doug went for a walk and I hurt my ankle , hence why Doug is giving me a piggyback ride . "

" Oh I thought you decided to climb him like a tree cause - "

" Demetri ! " Robby tightens his arms as he shouts to quiet his friend . walking to Sam's car he hears the blonde mumbling while his head nudging against his shoulder .

Meanwhile everyone were saying goodbye he helps Robby get in the car . As gently as he could , he was stopped when he was opening the door . The latter looked nervous as he looked at him while bitting his lip .

" I had a good time , we should do it sometime again if you want or not ? "

" Yeah definitely. I will text you now that I have your number . "

He was already a sucker for that smile that showed off his dimples . Smiling , he leans in to give a kiss on the cheeck but Robby stops him as the blonde leans to give him a quick peck on the mouth .

" Bye ! "

" Bye . " Walking back he couldn't help but look back and wave at the blonde when he catches his eye . shit , he was totally blushing now .

....... ...... ... Robby Pov .......

Sam and Demetri both entered asking questions if he was really fine or in pain . once he assured them that he was alright , Demetri took it as a sign to tease him .

" We want all the info , cause we totally saw you , you slutty marshmallow ! "

Sidenote : Part 3 of the triple date , hope you guys like it . Also what would the ship name be Roug or Dobby . I like Roug ! . Side mentions of Lawrusso because why not . This was supposed to be Apocalypse / Zombie au but this ^^ was made at the thought of a triple date with the binary boyfriends .

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miyochan · 4 years

Text

It could’ve been worse

Summary: This is the story of you and Dazai Osamu.

Warnings: angst, death, chronical illness, mention of suicide (its Dazai we are talking about)

You had to say, it could’ve been worse...

You just had an Job appointment and well, let’s just say to day hadn’t been your day. The top you were wearing was stained with your breakfast and you missed a step while walking to the top office of the building. With everything happening and the pain on your knees you did stutter a lot. Like a lot. At least the company was nice enough to decline you in a polite way. Simply saying you didn’t fit into the company image. Well, it could’ve been worse.

That was what you were thinking until you saw legs peeking out of the river. You just stared for a moment as the legs got further and further away in funny until you realised the situation. Shit. Someone was drowning and without a second thought you jumped into the river and pulled the person, who was way to heavy, out of the water and tried to catch your breath. After you could breath kinda normal again you checked on the person who was laying lifeless next to you. You shook his shoulders harshly and screamed over an over the words ´sir, wake up!´. Well yeah, that was until he shoot up and his head hit your head and made you fall back. Gosh, did your chin hurt. The person stretched a bit and you couldn’t believe the word that left his mouth next.

„Another failed attempt to leave this cruel world, huh. Anyways I just try again tomorrow with some stones bound around my ankle to keep me down, yes that must work.“

„Wha- You want to try again?!“

The man turned around to face you. You guess you heart skipped two or three beats. He was hot. The way the water dropped from his hair down his sharp jawline made your face heat up like crazy. He stared down at you curiously. The way you still held your bruised chin in an attempt to stop the pain that shoot trough your head and the way you were soaked to the bone.

„Ate you the one who stopped me from the sweet love of death?“

„NO! I’m the one who saved you from drowning but you’re welcome!“

You looked away annoyed that you risked your life to save a psychopath from his date with lady death. You looked back up when you felt your hand was taken away from your chin and started into the mans beautiful eyes which were now way to close.

„Such a beautiful woman like you would be a waste to die alone.“

´What did he just say? Are in danger? Is he dangerous? Didn’t you suffer enough today?

„My beautiful belladonna, would you commit a double suicide with me?“

´huh?´

´huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!´

The way he was staring at you with so much hope made you feel so uncomfortable but you couldn’t say a word from the shook that was still clearly visible in your face. Now that you were thinking about it saying no could lead him to just killing you. So you decided to play along.

„I’m sorry but today won’t be possible since I still have an job appointment in three day’s but should I get declined again I would love to share my last moments with you, sir.“

He looked at you a bit surprised and than broke out into a fit of loud laughter but like the creepy kind of laughter that only people from organisations like the port mafia had. Before he could answer you a book was thrown his way and hit him with so much force in his way that he let go of your hand and fell to the side with a bump.

“DAZAI YOU BANDAGE WASTE OF A MANIAC COME BACK TO THE AGENCY NOW AND FINISH YOU WORK BEFORE I GIVE YOU THE MOST PAINFUL DEATH YOU CAN THINK ABOUT!”

‘Ah,so his name was Dazai. You turned to the side were the yell came from and saw a tall man with classes coming into the direction of you with an angry look on his face.

The man took dazai by the collar and screamed a bit more at him before turning to you and eyeing you up and down.

“Who is this?”

“This lovely belladonna stoppen my attempt by pulling me out of the river and said she would commit a double suicide if she doesn’t get the job she wants.”

The blond eyed you again and was about to scream at the brown haired again but you interrupted him.

“I’m sorry but who are you two?”

“This waste of bandage next me is-“

“Dazai Osamu, nice to meet you belladonna.”

The way he smiled at you with this beautiful dark brown eyes which seemed to glow a bit red and the way his brown wet looks sticked to his forehead was... gorgeous.

“And who are you, my flower?”

“I’m l/n y/n, nice to meet you too.”

And this is how you met the waste of bandage called Dazai Osamu.

—

“Osamu if you don’t do get down from my lap I will kick you down!”

“Buuuuuut belladonna I’m so bored and your lap is always so comfortable!”

“DAZAI MOVE YOU BANDAGED ASS AND DO YOUR WORK!”

And with that kunikida yanked him down from your lap and threw him in his office chair. You chuckled at his antics and finished the report from the last case.

It’s been a bit over two years since you met Dazai and started working at the agency with everybody else. Kunikida saw the wound on your chin and took you to Yosano so she could treat the wound. One thing got to another and you got the job at the agency. And you fell in love with your boyfriend Dazai Osamu. You didn’t even know how it happened but it happened. In this two years you learned a lot about the brown haired man.

You guess you fell for him when the both of you had to stay behind at the agency to finish some work. Kunikida forced him to do his work and you just had a few reports to do. He was so whiny and complained the whole time how much he hated paper work. You ignored most of it until he said an important sentence.

“Why do I have to do this dumb paperwork I would more like to drown myself with a lovely lady... huh...”

“Dazai, uhm why Dow you want to die so much?”

This was a risky question and you knew that but you had to ask. Maybe it was pity, maybe it was curiosity or maybe you were just bored like him.

“Why do you wanna know? Do you, do you maybe want to commit a-“

“No I don’t moron, I mean this question seriously!”

He looked you up and down and than deep into your eyes before he turned away from you and mumbled something. This was incredible unusual from him and your worried about him now.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to ask that.”

There was a bit of silence before he spoke up.

“Why do you think living is worth it?”

This questing was unexpected. You started at your hands a bit searching for an answer that would satisfy him. You thought and thought before you realised that you don’t have to satisfy him. That is your answer.

“Well, I guess it could be worse...”

He turned around to look at you and saw your smiling face before you looked down again to type something in your computer.

“This was not why I expected from you... I thought you would say something deep like that you wish to live your dreams or something.”

“I know, but I won’t change my answer. Do what you want with this information.”

“You’re weird you know that, but I like this answer.”

You looked up to him and saw him writing something down on a piece of paper and slowly a small smile came to your face.

You both had this late night talks often since both of you were forced to stay behind to do work. You talked about many things, random and with a deep meaning. But Dazai never gave you much information about himself. You asked him a question and answered you with the same just different. You knew this but you didn’t mind. After some time he took you home after work, saying that he can’t have you die without him. You were often chatting while walking but sometimes there was just a comfortable silence.

You both got in a relationship in a more sad way. It’s been a year since you met dazai to that point and Kunikida forced you to pick him up and drag him to an important meeting. Of course you did as told and were confused when you found him at a cemetery. You walked towards him and looked down at his sitting form. He was leaning against a gravestone and smiled to himself.

“Kunikida told you to take me to the meeting, or? Well, I don’t want to.”

You stared down at him before you walked in front of him.

“Are you visiting a dear friend of yours?”

At this his eyes opened and starred into your light smiling face. He took a moment to think about your words before he spoke.

“Yes. His birthday is today.”

“I see... I’m gonna go now. Make sure to come home safe da-“

You couldn’t finish your sentence because that what was happening next was shocking you to the bone. Dazai hugged you. He hugged you tight. You were laying with your bake on the floor and Dazai on top of you, his face between your shoulder and neck.

“Don’t say anything, please.”

You never heard him say the work please. You careful lifted your arms and stroked trough his brown hair while your other arm carefully stroked his back. You said nothing for a few minutes and just held him.

“Tell me... tell me about him, your friend.”

Dazai flinched a bit at your words but started talking about the man that was his only true friend. You listened closely to what he was saying and felt him relax in your arms. This is the moment the both of you fell in love and you became is safe place. The both of you became a couple after that day.

You learned a lot about him. That he like it to be held, to feel welcome. That he hated spicy food but still ate it whenever you wanted too. That he hated waking up early but did it when you told him that he can cuddle you the whole evening. That he liked the sound of your voice more than the sound of his favourite song. That he would read to you whenever you couldn’t sleep. But most importantly you learned that Dazai Osamu wanted to live. He wanted to live with you. He even stole your life quote. When you were stressed or angry he always told you “it could be worse”.

—

“Y/N I’m done with my work! Can we go home now? I want to cuddle and we can order some takeout!”

You let out a light chuckle when he brought you away from your thoughts. He was adorable.

“Of course we can, just let finish this and we can go in 5 minutes, okay?”

He nodded and turned back to say something to Atsushi who was absolutely done with Dazai’s antics.

You smiled to yourself before standing up but you were suddenly feeling dizzy and you felt a pain trough your complete body. You must have key out a scream because everybody was with you now. The last thing you remember was Dazai’s worried face and someone screaming your name.

—

You woke up to a bright white light shining directly in your face. You closed your eyes again and let out a few curses before opening them careful again. You could hear people talking. You tried to look around, gosh your body felt so heavy. You saw a.. a doctor and on the other side Dazai who looked as if someone told him a horror story. Dazai noticed you were awake and hugged you immediately. You careful lifted your arm to stroke his head. You knew it always calmed him down.

“What’s wrong Osamu? Are you okay? You looke pale...”

He just watched you with a worried expression.

“L/N, I’m your doctor. Do you remember anything before you came here?”

“I... I felt dizzy and everything hurt...”

“I have bad news for you l/n. We were doing a few test with you because we thought you have a heart attack but... you have cancer. I’m sorry.”

Oh.

“Is it bad?”

“Yes. We think you have around 3 to 5 months. A chemotherapy won’t do anything anymore. We don’t know how no doctor found out earlier. We’re so sorry.”

You were quit for a moment. You were shocked that the doctors didn’t found out earlier but that can’t be changed anymore. You focused back on Dazai who wasn’t letting you go.

“I see.. could you please leave us alone for a bit?”

“Of course.”

And with that the doctor left you and Dazai alone. You wanted to speak but he started first.

“I already talked wit Yosano, she can’t help you. The doctor told me a few hours ago... I couldn’t believe then at first I-I don’t know what todo! You can’t leave me, please don’t leave me please-“

He was shout up with a kiss. You wiped a way the tears that escaped his eyes. You never saw him crying. You gave him that beautiful smile again he fell in love with.

“You know... it could be worse”

“What!? How could this be worse you are going to-“

“Im still here, aren’t I? I’m glad that I can see you again and spend my time useful with you. You the person who means everything to me.”

He looked at you and you felt the first tears hitting your face again. This was the first time you say him crying.

—

The two of you did a lot. Dazai and you visited Oda. Dazai never said it out loud but you knew that your grave will be next to Oda’s. You both went with the agency to your favourite convert. You took many pictures. Dazai took one with you everyday and even when you said no because you looked horrible he just kissed you and said you were the most beautiful belladonna of the world. You went with him to your favourite restaurant were he had to eat spicy food and he did it with a smile. You held him every night and told him how much you love him and he did the same to you. But the most important thing his, that you both married. It was a month after the diagnoses that the both of you married. It was just a tiny celebration with the agency and a special seat for Oda.

—

“I’m so happy that the ring still fits.”

“Yes, you look amazing my belladonna. I love you”

You were skinnier than before but the ring was still fitting. You guess that one time were you put it off that Dazai got to a jeweller and made him smaller.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable in your seat? The hospital seats are not the most comfortable my love?”

“It’s okay, you are here.”

It would be an wonder if you would survive the night. You’ve gotten so fragile and sick. Both you and Dazai were aware of that. He was with you the moment you got back in the hospital. He never left your side.

“You know... I’m happy.”

“Why?”

“I can spend my last movements with you. I don’t want to leave you.. I don’t want to leave you Osamu, I-“

“It’s okay. We are going to meet again. We will fall in love again, we will marry again. We will have a family and we will be together.”

You were crying, you didn’t wanted to spend your last moments crying. You want to be smilingly for him. You were always smiling for him.

“Y/N... I will live for you.”

You were taken back by his words. You just looked at him with tears falling from your eyes.

“I will protect our friends and you will take care of Oda for me until we met again.”

And then he saw it. Your beautiful smile came back. You were still crying but smiling.

“Okay, I’m going to wait for you with Oda but don’t join us to early!”

“Okay my belladonna. That’s a deal.”

He came laying next to you and for a moment everything was quit. He was listening to your heart beat and you stroke his hair.

“Osamu... I love you.”

Your hand stopped stroking his head and your eyes closed but you were still smiling at him.

“I love you more.”

With that he heard your heart beating for the last time. He pulled your body tight against his own before he started crying. He was only crying for you.

“You lied... it couldn’t be worse.”

#bsd #bsd x reader #bungou stray dogs #bungou stray dogs x reader #bsd scenarios #bungou stray dogs scenarios #x reader #dazai x reader #bsd dazai #dazai osamu x reader #bsd dazai osamu #dazai scenario #dazai x y/n #bsd imagines #angst #I cried at the end #I hope you like it #<3

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fairytsuk1 · 4 years

Text

falling back to peace (a)

part of the autumn experiences collection.

pairing: shoto todoroki x reader

genre: zombie apocalypse!au, angst

warnings: suicide, blood

words: 2.2k

summary: i miss our warm bed and the cuddles in the morning.

prompt: apocalypse

Blood splashed noisily on the wall. The drips and the sound of the initial slap were absolutely disgusting; you'd grown used to it. Todoroki yanked the dagger out swiftly and shoved it into its casing before turning to you.

"How's your ankle? Can you keep going, or do you need to rest?" His eyes flitted down to the foot hovering just above the ground and frowned.

"It's tender. But I can keep going!"

Your boyfriend crouched down and took hold of the tip of your shoe. He flexed your foot back towards your shin and shushed you when you gasped. The back rooms of the mall you'd been wandering were mostly empty aside from a few stragglers. Obviously, you didn't want to bring unnecessary attention to yourselves if you could avoid it.

"It's warm. You're working too hard. I told you to tell me if it got worse."

His tone is sharp and has a slight edge to the natural baritone. He's stressed, you're both hungry and haven't found a single crumb. He didn't want to return back to your newly found group empty-handed. They were already wary of you two. Plus, the streets were not safe to be walking out and about like before.

He sighed and looked up at you, heterochromatic eyes boring into yours to guess how he was feeling. You looked at the cracks on the ceiling and counted how many stains littered the beige roof.

"Please look at me," Todoroki felt like he'd go insane if he didn't see your eyes. They were so warm and carried so much humanity, he thought he might seriously lose it if he didn't look at something alive within the next minute, "please."

Guiltily, you look down at your lover. There's a glassy film that clouds the orbs, and it just barely shines under the light. He offers a small smile before kissing your bruised bone, mindful of the dirt and grime before standing up. You're so little. When you blink, fat tears roll down your cheeks. Quickly, he tugs you into his shirt; he smells so clean.

Todoroki had made a decision at the very beginning of this nightmare that no matter what, he'd smell the same. It was hard to carry so many bottles of the comforting scent of amber cologne, but he did it for you. You liked the smell of autumn, he figured he would try to be a pillar for you.

"You smell good."

"I know. Please don't cry anymore."

You sniffled once, then two times more before pulling away and rubbing at your eyes. He cringed and pulled a tissue out of his bag before patting the sensitive skin. A smile tugged your lips, and he swore his heart jumped.

"You baby me, you know that? The girls at the camp gave me a hard time for it."

Snickering, he pecks your nose and turns around, "you are my baby. They must be really jealous if that's what they want to talk about."

You covered your laugh with your hand and grabbed his own with your free one. You let out a loud final giggle before quieting down and beginning to walk side by side.

He slowed his pace down for your sake, and you were immensely grateful. Your ankle really did hurt quite a bit. You two were connected though, the same thoughts circling each other like a schoolyard game. The group you two had found was okay, not too small and not too big, but it was harsh. They expected a lot from you two, and you felt sorry watching your Shoto do so much labor while you washed clothes.

The fact that they wanted you two to prove yourselves was irritating too. Naturally, both of you were hardened and healthy survivors. You didn't need to prove yourselves to anyone! That wasn't how things were dealt with, though; the constant scrutinization was almost as bad as the lack of rations you received.

Things just weren't fair nowadays, watching all your hard-earned canned goods get used for a stew that you only got a cup of. The anger inside you bubbled once again. You were stuck doing the womanly activities but then expected to pick up the slack and then be told to deal with the unjustness of it all?

"It's bullshit."

"Huh?"

"The group's shit. I hate it." You spoke with the voice of someone who had felt indignation to the highest degree with a splash of sadness. You were so tired.

Todoroki sighed and nodded. He felt the same. He was keeping you safe, but that didn't mean it was easy to wake up at five in the morning. He barely saw you as well. Some days, you were stuck inside till the sun went down. Other times, the strain they put on you was too much, and he begged them to ease up. This group had a lot of expectations.

He missed Midoriya. He just wanted to sleep.

Your ankle...that was another story. He'd been stealing medicine for you. He'd used to be a good person, to know right from wrong and that stealing was bad. When it came to his girlfriend, he'd kill for her. He knew this, and she knew this. So when he saw the painkillers sitting so openly on the shelves, he took them. He was relieved to see how much better you felt, but he knew that they'd be onto him soon. Naturally, he'd deal with that situation when you two got to it. For now, he needed a map of the mall so he could figure out how to get the fuck out of here--

"Is this a coffee shop!?" Todoroki hadn't even realized he'd spaced out till he saw you peeking your head through a door.

"What? Hey, be careful!" he grunted and grabbed your waist to support you before opening the door fully.

"Look, it is! There's coffee machines and tons of cups!"

The simple things nowadays were the best. Forgoing the pleadings of rest from your ankle, you ambled forward and picked up a bag of beans.

"They even have the ones I used to use for coffee nearly every day! You were more of a tea guy, maybe they have a few spare packets…" trailing off, you began to open cabinets like second nature to find food, "I'll try and look for stuff that might have lasted!"

"If they have black tea, grab me some, please."

Todoroki let his hand rest on the small of your back before walking past the counter. It seems these people had used their common sense and closed the security gates, effectively locking out the dead. He frowned when the smell of rotting bodies permeated through the air when he passed by the bathroom.

"Bathroom's out of order, so if you want to go…"

"Hah, you sure that's all you wanted to do in a bathroom?"

He smirked and winked before turning to the counter of creams and sugars. Nothing useful.

You, on the other hand, swear that opening the cabinet of boxed mixes might have been like discovering America. Without the genocide, of course. There were tons of mixes for sweets and different types of bread. Pushing them aside, cold metal shocked you as if it was burning hot. You reached in and pulled out the can, a grin taking over your face and your stomach grumbling the loudest it's ever had.

"Shoto, have you ever had cherry pie?"

"...Like once or twice, I think. Why?"

"Well, it'll be my job to make it for you then!" you turned and held the can out, the bright red packaging matching his dual-toned hair, "cherry pie filling!"

For the first time in a minute, his smile matched yours as he quickly rounded the corner. He took the can, and for a second, you saw the boyish grin he used to sport in high school. So genuine, there weren't many happy moments in this life anymore. That's why you treasured every time one showed up. You drank in this moment and seared it into your brain. You didn't name it then. Only later.

You decided that moment was called, "The last time you were happy."

Getting out of the mall was easy when you had a seasoned fighter by your side. You swear that your boyfriend could've been an actual samurai with the way he swung zombies out of the way with ease. You had taken brief looks at him as you did your best to run alongside him, the cherry tin bouncing around in your bag.

His hair bounced with every step, and you could feel tears brimming in your eyes. Why did you want to cry so bad? He looked at you and gave you a confused look.

"Why are you crying?"

"I don't know."

Perhaps it was the preparation for what would come when you arrived back at the safe zone. There was no warm welcome or claps on the back. It was silent. Though their eyes did the talking for them. The tension in the air was overpowering.

"You're back," Ryuji stalked forward and crossed his arms, "I'll let you tell us first. If you're honest, I might be lenient on you."

Shoto stared and narrowed his eyes before using his forearm to prevent you from standing next to him. He was in protection mode. He didn't break the soul-sucking stare with the leader, but his trembling hand let you understand all you needed to know. This was bad.

It happened in a flash. Ryuji's arm swung up, and guns were aimed from every direction. His yelling was garbled, and you knew Shoto was panicked from the way he kept spinning and spinning. There was no way to escape. The pain in your ankle throbbed. You could practically hear the pulsing in your skull.

"We can compromise this, Ryuji! We got food too! Just stop it with the guns!" You broke through the disassociation and cried out towards the enemy. Didn’t he have any sympathy?

The gunshot that dug into the ground just next to your feet made you scream and back up into Todoroki's hold. If they kick you out, what about your picture of your class? That's yours in your room. You brought it everywhere. The promise ring that you didn't want to get dirty too. The pressed leaves in your old journal and--!

"Get the fuck out!"

You two had slowly begun to back up since the very beginning of the confrontation. You hadn't even realized how much you’d retreated until your back hit the entrance door, causing you to stumble. Your anxiety was through the roof as the guns came closer, you swore you could see down the barrel.

The doors had opened, and you turned to see...so many. It was like all the zombies in the world had been waiting for a feast. There had to be at least one hundred of them. Shoto squeezed your shoulder, and you flinched when your bag was thrown beside you. They weren't really human, were they? These people were monsters.

This was cruel and mean. There was no way you'd be able to survive this. Shoto beat down on the doors and screamed for mercy, but you could only focus on one thing. The photo of your classmates smiling and cherry pie. The zombies grew closer. You felt so bare and empty. You knew you didn’t have the strength to keep going. Not like this.

You also knew that Shoto had aimed a gun at your head whilst you sunk to the ground. He couldn't, wouldn't, watch you turn. Never in a million years did he want to see those dead eyes. For the first time in a while, the tears started to flow. He'd cried so many times, but he always kept it to himself.

"I love you, Shoto,"

"...I love you too."

Acceptance is the first step. Then you don't feel anything after that. Shoto doesn't feel anything once the shot rings out. The tears drip onto the ground but his head is blank. He supposes he should feel something. Anything. He's done this a few times and always felt awful before. Though he can't find the energy. Motivation. He'd worked so hard in his life, he just wanted to rest. How badly he wanted to close his eyes and sleep.

Besides, a part of him had died with you at that moment. He supposes that at least he didn't have to see your eyes. He turns the gun on himself.

Acceptance is the first step. Then, he doesn't feel anything after that. He's had a long life even if it didn't seem that way to those who thought of age as linear. But he'd lived for a long while. Now, he'd have a long rest.

When Ryuji came outside later that night, the two bloodstains remained, but the bodies were gone. Burning somewhere, he assumed. The photo stuck out at him. He crouched down and picked it up. You two looked so in love.

"Too bad. Could've been really helpful."

The picture falls into the dirt, overtaken by nature. Utterly forgotten.

"Shoto... I'm so glad we can rest."

"Me too."

#todoroki shoto #shoto todoroki #bnha shoto #shoto todoroki x reader #todoroki shoto x reader #todoroki angst #shoto todoroki angst #bnha #bnha angst #bnha imagines #boku no hero academia #boku no hero academia x reader #boku no hero imagines #boku no hero academia angst

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seek-its-opposite · 4 years

Text

photosensitivity | wc: 2156 | ao3

prompt from @catarinquar 65. "look at me—just breathe, okay?”

post-demons. warning: some references to suicidal ideation

*****

Twelve hours after almost shooting his partner, Fox Mulder is released from the hospital in satisfactory health. His partner, whose health is decidedly unsatisfactory, is entrusted with his care. As she signs her name at the bottom of the release form she avoids eye contact with the nurses, half convinced that if they look at her they won’t let her leave. Lately she’s been thinking of howlers.

Scully, silent and reckless, drives them both two hours out of Rhode Island before stopping at a motel on the Connecticut-New York state line. The clouds are threatening what looks to be a hell of a mid-afternoon storm, and she doesn’t want to be on the road with him when it hits. She leaves her rumpled partner in the car with the window cracked while she goes to the front desk, glancing back possessively over her shoulder as the woman behind the counter gets their keys. One room, two beds. “I’m not letting you out of my sight, Mulder.”

She keeps seeing him like she found him, on his knees before the ghosts of his childhood. She sees him praying to the barrel of his gun.

By the time the rain slaps the window Mulder is lying stiff as a board on top of the cheap comforter, hands flat at his side. Scully, doing a poor job at concentrating on the dog-eared copy of Into the Wild she stole from his apartment, eyes him from the corner. The lamp beside her flickers and hums. Lightning flares through the blinds, cutting Mulder in half diagonally like a Vegas magician.

Extreme photosensitivity, the doctor had said, scrawling notes for her on things to look out for. She looks for curtains to close and finds none.

“Shit,” she mutters.

“Scully?” Mulder squints at her from the bed.

“Just the storm.”

He closes his eyes again. “Hey, Scully, if April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?”

She doesn’t even have time to decide whether to indulge him. The next bolt of lightning is close, flashing white-hot outside the window just seconds before the thunder claps. Mulder cries out and grabs his head, sitting up so quickly he slides off the side of the mattress and hits the floor with a crash.

“Mulder!”

He’s unresponsive when she reaches him, flat on his back and glassy eyed on the carpet. Scully crouches at his side.

“Mulder,” she prompts, more measured this time. “Can you hear me?”

She feels his pulse racing in his neck and moves her other hand to his chest, spreading her palm across his stupid, hot-blooded heart. After a second Mulder blinks and focuses on her. He winces and sits up, letting out a long breath.

“Easy,” Scully warns. She grabs his shoulder and guides him, gently, so he’s facing her, sitting against the side of the bed with his left knee at his chest. He slumps back, his arm lolling across his knee.

“I saw my mom,” he says. His voice is rough. “With the cancer man.”

“You have no way of knowing if that’s true.”

“I have no way of knowing if it’s a memory,” he counters. “I know it’s true.”

He leans his head back against the comforter and shuts his eyes.

Scully rests her hand on Mulder’s forehead, her pinkie in his hair and her thumb stroking his brow. His hairline is sweaty. “Mulder, the lightning isn’t good for you,” she murmurs. “It’s triggering your seizures.”

Mulder huffs out a laugh. She wonders what he sees behind those eyelids. “Maybe if you show the storm your badge,” he suggests.

She almost smiles. “I’ll do that.”

The room lights up again. She has to get him out of here. Scully pushes herself off the floor, patting Mulder’s leg as she stands. He looks up at her. “I was kidding,” he says.

“I’ll be right back.”

The bathroom has no window. It’s short on floor space, but if she folds a towel for him to sit in front of the bathtub here, folds another in front of the sink here—with the door closed it should work. There’s a shell-shaped night light plugged into the outlet; she flips the switch and the room glows faint pink, so warm and sweet she’s overcome with love with it for a second. Dana, look at you, she thinks. You can’t tell the difference between a panic room and a home.

“Come here,” she says to Mulder, and holds out her hand. She pulls him to his feet.

When he sees the bathroom he says, “I didn’t realize we checked into the Ritz.”

She replies, “I used your card.”

They sit on worn towels in their socks with their knees touching. In the shadows she can almost trick herself into thinking they’re on a stakeout.

“You don’t have to stay in here,” he tells her, trying to sound casual. “If anything happens I’ll just scream in agony.” He doesn’t pull off the joke.

“I’m good,” she soothes.

He called her in the middle of the night with blood down his shirt and she came to find him. It’s been too late to leave for years.

“Scully—” Mulder pauses.

She waits.

“That was the third time I’ve aimed my gun at you.”

“I wasn’t keeping track,” she replies. A lie. “How’s this lighting for you? Is this better?”

“Scully.”

“No. I’m not going to do this right now.”

“Do what?” he pleads.

“Make this about your guilt. We’ve both aimed our weapons at each other. God, Mulder.” She gestures at his shoulder. “I shot you.”

She shot him is the tamest way to put it. She shot him so he wouldn’t spend his life in jail. She drugged him and drove him across the country, slept in rest stop parking lots at dawn, wet an old washcloth with the melting ice water from the bottom of her cooler and draped it across his forehead. She never talks about that part. She understands that they are each tallying up the wrong score, that when they look at themselves they see the ways they hurt each other as more legitimate than the ways they heal. In their pact to trust each other they count only the breaches of contract.

It’s been scaring her lately to think of what legacy she might leave with him. To think he could get it so wrong. It makes her furious.

“You want me to tell you I think you were reckless and stupid?” she continues. “I do! You put a hole in your head. But we both know that’s not what you feel bad about.”

Thunder rumbles muted above their heads.

“I had to know,” Mulder insists.

“You could have killed yourself, Mulder.” She’s angry now, properly. Her ribs feel like they’re trying to break out of her body. “Do I mean that little to you?”

His lips part, like one of his fish.

“I need you,” Scully sniffs. Her voice is very small.

Mulder reaches out and touches her shin with just his fingertips. She shudders.

“I’m here,” he says.

“Then listen to me.” She takes a breath, steadies herself. “Stop punishing yourself like it’ll make me better. I never asked for your penance.”

“You don’t ask for anything.” He sounds almost bewildered.

“I do,” she says bitterly. She thinks, You just haven’t noticed.

She can’t believe she thought it was him showing up at her door on a Friday night with a bottle of wine. Desire makes her foolish; it has since she was a girl.

At this point—because their lives are a divine joke—they’re rudely interrupted. In the low light Scully tastes the warm blood on her upper lip before Mulder can see it. A nosebleed. Fuck. Now? She cups her palm beneath her nose and lunges for the sink, leaning over it, knuckles white around the counter.

“Oh, Scully,” Mulder sighs. He stands.

“I’m okay. It’s not that bad.”

It’s really not, considering. She pinches the bridge of her nose and takes stock of her body. There’s a dim ache in her head, a low throbbing just between her eyes. Her neck is stiff. Her limbs are sore; her ankles will probably be bruised tomorrow from sitting on the tile, even with socks on. She bruises so easily now, her soft, bad-apple skin. She’ll need a full night of sleep tonight. She should eat something that doesn’t come from a vending machine, but that might be pushing it.

Mulder reaches for the toilet paper, and she holds up her hand to stop him.

“Give it a minute,” she says. Over time she’s learned it’s easier to just bend over the sink or the toilet and wait it out until it slows down. Her blood stains the ceramic basin food-coloring red.

Mulder hovers at her shoulder, so charged with anxious energy she can almost hear him worrying. She’s his little watched pot; it’s like he thinks if he stays close, she can never boil over.

“Mulder, I’m in here to take care of you,” Scully sighs, and even though she doesn’t mean it as anything close to a joke, she finds it suddenly funny. What a pair. She laughs a weak, wet laugh and wipes a tear from her eye.

He chuckles. “We can take turns.”

Without looking up at him, she orders, “Sit down, Mulder.”

He sits on the closed toilet, nervous hands clasped between his spread-wide knees.

After a while her nose stops bleeding. Scully accepts one wad of toilet paper from Mulder to wipe down the sink and a few squares to bunch in her hand, just in case. As she’s washing up she notices the way her palm, the one she held up to him earlier, is smudged at its center with dried blood. She thinks of Stevenson’s Black Spot, of Shirley Jackson’s, and wonders if Mulder is getting the picture yet: Dana Scully, marked for death.

What she does not think of is the stigmata. She hasn’t had much time lately for resurrection.

She sits back down on the floor, this time taking the towel at Mulder’s feet, and leans against the wall—looking up at him now, as usual. The right half of his face glows night-light pink; the left is dark. She stares into the chiaroscuro contours of his silhouette and knows that for better or for worse he’ll get the last of her. He can’t die when she does; he can’t. She fiddles with the toilet paper in her hand.

“You know I don’t blame you for this,” she says quietly. Her mouth tastes like iron. “You’re disrespecting me if you blame yourself.”

Mulder shakes his head. “Scully, you’ve given me four years of your life.” His voice catches on something he doesn’t say. “After everything you’ve done for me, for Samantha—you deserve the truth as much as I do.”

No. He did this in her name? “Mulder.”

He leans forward, elbows on his knees. “You should know her, Scully. You should’ve known her.”

She, leaning forward too, clasps her hands too hard around his palms. “I know you,” she says fiercely.

Mulder, at a loss, shuts his eyes and sobs without tears. His chin drops toward his chest, shoulders heaving.

Scully shifts on the towel so she’s on her knees, pushing herself up to meet him. She puts a finger underneath his chin and guides his face up to look into hers. His eyes are dry when he opens them, but his breathing is ragged.

This desperate, passionate thing between them scares her. She swallows the bitter taste on her tongue.

“Hey, look at me,” she urges. “Just breathe, okay?”

He breathes. She cups his cheek.

“I do not accept answers like that,” she insists. This, too, is an order. He nods, dazed.

She sees him kneeling before sun-faded photos of a smiling little sister and two cold New England parents. He was raised to be sacrificed to a cause and he’s been trying ever since.

Thunder rolls in the distance. Scully puts her hands on Mulder’s knees. Her head throbs.

“Tell me something about Samantha I don’t know,” she says. She sits back on her heels.

Mulder pauses and takes another uneven breath. He smiles gingerly. “She loved doing cartwheels,” he says. “She was always crashing into the couch when it was too cold for her to do them outside. There just wasn’t room. She always thought this time there would be enough room.” His eyes start to well up.

“After Sam broke her collarbone she couldn’t do cartwheels for months, so she taught me how to do them out in the yard. She was like a drill sergeant." He laughs through his nose. "It was fall, and she made me clear the leaves like a runway.”

He’s crying now. Mulder runs a hand over his mouth and sits back. He looks at Scully, ruined.

“Do you think he’s her father too?”

#txf #msr #my fic #demons #cancer arc #catarinquar #thanks for the prompt!!#finally putting my lifetime of nosebleed experience to use

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440mxs-wife · 4 years

Text

Broken Promises

Imagine: Gabriel tries to apologize after a fight.

It started out as any normal day. Well, normal for the hunting life, anyway. You rolled over to see your bedside clock telling you it was 8:30am, time to start your day. You also noticed the single red rose in the vase on your nightstand. Gabriel, you smiled to yourself as you closed your eyes and breathed in the rose's scent.

You and Gabriel had been seeing each other for the past year or so. Sam and Dean were a little skeptical at first, but then they saw how happy you were together. They did their best to stay civil whenever Gabriel was around, for your sake.

His favorite thing to do for you was to leave a single red rose for you to see each morning. He says he does it to show you how much he loves you. He even takes care to remove the thorns so you won't hurt yourself.

Your relationship hasn't been without its issues, though. You've caught Gabe with his arms around another woman on a few occasions. He assured you the women meant nothing, and that you are his one and only true love. You forgave him and you stayed together.

After your shower, you wrapped your hair in one towel and your body in another. You heard a fluttering of wings and could swear you smelled candy. You looked around, because you knew Gabriel was there, he just hadn't shown himself yet for some reason.

"Good morning, my love," you heard from behind you. "Good morning, Gabriel," you smiled, as you began to turn around.

"Whoa, hold on there a second. Loving the view, there, Sweetcheeks," he teased, reaching to pinch your backside.

You barely ducked out of his way, clutching the towel to your body. "You'd better clear out of here before Sam and/or Dean see you here with me in this state of undress," you warned.

"I am not afraid of Dean-o and/or Samsquatch," Gabriel scoffed. "Now come over here and let me see those 'sweet cheeks', Sweetcheeks," he taunted, reaching for your towel.

"Gabriel, now is not the time. I have to get dressed," you explained. Gabriel walked around you and got comfortable on the bed. He sat with his back against the headboard and his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. "By all means, Cupcake, please continue," he smirked.

You couldn't help but smile at his boldness, which also caused a blush to rise in your face. "Gabe, please. Either zap out and go do something else while I get dressed, or wait for me in the kitchen," you ordered.

"Ooh, I like it when you get bossy," he sassed. "All right, I'll give you 15 minutes to get dressed and not one second more. I'm pretty sure Dean-o and Samsquatch are in the kitchen by now. If they are, they won't be too pleased to see me unless you're there. I'll be back, baby," he promised, pulling you in for a slow, tender kiss. "There's more where that came from, sweetheart. I love you, you know," he said softly, as he caressed along your jawline with his index finger.

"Yes, Gabe, I know. I love you, too. Now, scoot, so I can get dressed, my love," you said as you tried to be stern. But the twinkle in his eye made it impossible, so you gave him a shy smile as he zapped out of sight.

You pulled on your favorite pair of dark blue jeans, a red scoop-neck T-shirt and red flannel shirt. Your black knee-high boots with the wedge heel completed your outfit. After running some styling gel through your short, spiky brown hair, you headed to the kitchen for some breakfast.

When you got there, coffee was already brewing and you popped a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster. As the bread toasted, you sliced a banana and retrieved the peanut butter from the pantry for your toast. When coffee finished brewing, you prepared it with a hot chocolate packet in the bottom and your favorite flavor of creamer.

You took your breakfast and your coffee over to the table. Just as you were about to sit in an empty seat, Gabriel appeared, so you ended up sitting on his lap. Gabe wrapped his arms around you, with Sam and Dean walking in just in time to witness this. They looked at each other and both rolled their eyes at the two of you. "Good morning, boys," you remarked.

"Good morning, hope you two haven't been carrying on any funny business in here. People eat and prepare food in here," Dean grumbled.

"Relax, Dean, I just sat down with my breakfast and Gabriel appeared. What's on the schedule today?" you asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

"Well, we've got that demon hunt to get packed for, the one up north of here," Sam explained.

"Demon hunt?" Gabe asked, suddenly on high alert. "But you're just staying back here to research, right, Cupcake?"

"Gabe, we've talked about this. I'm a hunter. You can't protect me from everything. I need to go on cases from time to time to keep my skills sharp. Please understand, I'll be careful, and I have Sam and Dean to look out for me," you replied.

"Come here, sugar," he said, pulling your hand as you followed him to the library. "Listen, I don't want you to go, baby. I've got a bad feeling about this. Besides, Thing One and Thing Two would sacrifice you for each other faster than you can say, 'Oh My Dad'," he retorted.

"Gabriel! That's an absolutely horrible thing to say. In all the hunts I've been on with them, they have always taken good care of me. I've even saved their butts a few times and I'm still here, aren't I?" you ranted.

"That's because you're the better hunter, Sweetcheeks," Gabe said, as he tried to smooth things over. "Please promise me that you'll stay behind on this hunt. You can go on the next one. Please, baby, promise me," he pleaded.

You thought about what he was asking of you. You didn't like that he was trying to control your hunting by saying when you can and can't go. You also didn't want to leave Sam and Dean short-handed, because these simple hunts have a way of going sideways for the Winchesters. Finally, you relented, stating you would ask to be left behind this time, even though you weren't crazy about the idea.

Gabe responded to you with a long kiss, full of passion and a promise of more later. "Thank you, my love. I know it's not what you want to do, but I appreciate your understanding. I have to go for now, but I'll be back soon. I love you," he said.

"I love you, too, Gabe. See you soon," you replied. A whoosh of wings, and he was gone.

You walked back into the kitchen to brief the guys. They weren't happy about your decision to stay behind and research, but they also understood your reasons. You told them, though, if they needed you, they should call and you would be there to back them up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sam and Dean met with the local law enforcement and the medical examiner about the recent deaths. They sent you the files in an email so that you could comb through it and look for any connections. They headed out for something to eat while you looked at the files.

After reviewing the files, you noticed that all of the victims had some of the same characteristics as you. Same age, hair/eye color and height. You shared your findings with Sam and Dean, and you all came to the same conclusion. In order to trap the leader of the demons, you had to become the bait. Not your favorite role, but you knew it had to be done to prevent any more deaths.

You packed your bag with extra clothes, toiletries, your demon blade and your flask of holy water. You picked up your keys for your 1968 royal blue Chevy Nova along with your wallet from your nightstand and headed for the garage. Once you hit the highway, you cranked up the classic rock and went to meet the boys.

A little after 11:00pm, you met with the boys at their motel. The plan was for you to get dressed up, sit at the bar and order a drink. Then you would wait for one of the demons to approach you and take you out of the bar. Sam and Dean would be outside, ready to follow.

The hunt went about as well as expected. The demon found you at the bar easily enough, and he whisked you away from the bar. He knew you were a hunter, though, and you ended up tied to a chair. Sam and Dean were occupied by other demons sent to attack, but they fought them off and took out the one holding you hostage.

On the way home, Dean convinced you to stop at the bar to celebrate a successful hunt. You agreed, but only for one drink, because you were tired. You also wanted to be home in case Gabriel decided to visit and make good on his earlier promise he made when he kissed you.

Sam and Dean walked in first, then Dean turned around abruptly. "You know what? Let's just go home. The place is really packed tonight. You're right, we just fought off some demons and we should get some sleep," he rattled off quickly.

"Dean, what's gotten into you? The place is damn near empty tonight," you observed as you pushed past him on your way to the bar. "Besides, a drink is just what I'll need to....help me....fall...." you trailed off.

Over in the corner, you caught a glimpse of a man with whiskey-colored hair and hazel eyes. His arms were wound tightly around a woman with raven black hair and an ample chest. You walked over, cleared your throat, and asked, "Gabe? What's going on here?"

"Well, look who's done with her 'research' and came out with the boys!" he snarled. "I went to the bunker to keep you company, but to my surprise, you weren't there. You promised me that you would stay behind while these two went out hunting!" he snapped.

"And you, Gabriel, promised me that you wouldn't do this anymore, that you wouldn't go out with other women. Well, it looks like we both broke our promises tonight. I'm sorry, but I'm done competing with other women for your heart. They can have you and you can have them, because we're done. Goodbye, Gabriel," your voice broke and you went running out of the bar, tears streaming down your face. You got behind the wheel and sped off towards the bunker.

Gabriel tried to follow you, but Sam and Dean blocked his way. "Don't even think about zapping in to talk to her. I think you'd better leave her alone for a while," Dean ordered. "She didn't deserve for you to treat her this way, and you certainly don't deserve her," he retorted.

Gabriel knew Dean was right, and that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life. He lost you, his one and only true love, but he was determined to get you back. He just wasn't sure quite yet how to do it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The first few days were the hardest. During that time, you couldn't even smell a chocolate bar without bursting into tears. Sam and Dean tried to keep your spirits up, playing cards, taking road trips, having movie nights. After about a week, you started to mostly keep to your room, only coming out to shower and for meals.

Sam and Dean still went hunting, often leaving you behind to research cases and field calls from other hunters. On one of these occasions, Castiel paid you a visit.

"Hey Cas, what's going on? Something I can help you with?" you asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. It's about Gabriel," he started but you held up your hand.

"Stop. I am not interested in anything Gabriel has to say. I realize I made a mistake and broke my promise to him about not going hunting. I wouldn't have done so if my assistance wasn't absolutely needed. Doesn't make it right, I know, but still," you replied.

"Please, he asked me to see if you would find it in your heart to give him another chance. He said he was so angry about you going hunting that he wasn't thinking clearly," Cas pleaded.

"Let's say I agree to give him one more chance. What happens the next time I have to do the opposite of what he thinks I should do? Gabriel promised me that he wouldn't see other women. He said I was his one and only true love, but he was hanging all over that woman. I saw her, Cas. She was very pretty, much more attractive than me.

"Seeing Gabriel with her kinda made me feel like I'm nothing to him," you said in a small voice, tears threatening. "No. I can't--I won't go back to someone who thinks that little of me." Your phone started ringing and the caller ID showed it was Sam. "Excuse me, Cas, I have to take this. Hello?" you answered and Cas was gone.

Following Castiel's visit, a single red rose began appearing again every morning in the vase you kept on your nightstand. Every morning, you plucked the rose out of the vase and dropped it in the wastebasket next to your bed. After about a week, you took the vase off your nightstand and put it in the drawer. Without the vase, the roses no longer appeared.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Man, you've got to be desperate if you're coming to us for help," Dean smirked.

"You're right, I am desperate. She's completely ignoring me and told Castiel that she wasn't interested in anything I had to say. I used to leave a single rose for her every morning in this vase she kept on her nightstand. Now? She's been throwing away the flowers and has removed the vase. She used to forgive me when this would happen before. Why can't she just do that now?" he grumbled.

"Really?!? Are you that clueless about women, especially her?" Sam broke in angrily. "She should know that your actions match your words. She deserves to feel cherished, like she is the most important person in your life. She needs to know that you would do whatever it takes to keep her from feeling an ounce of pain. Most of all, she wants someone who thinks more of her than he does himself, not that she'll ever let him," Sam concluded.

"Gee, if I didn't know any better, Samsquatch, I'd think you had some sort of feelings for her. Well, forget it, she's mine," Gabriel growled.

Sam got right in Gabriel's face and said, "Then act like it and treat her as such, you big jerk! You know what she told Cas? She thinks that the other woman was much more attractive to you than she is. She said that seeing you together made her feel like she's nothing to you. What you did that night was a dick move. You were so upset that she went hunting behind your back, that you decided to hurt her back, right? That's not how love works."

He continued, "And just so you know, you did hurt her. At first, she couldn't even look at a piece of candy without breaking out into tears. Lately, we're lucky if she even says two words to anyone, and she only comes out of her room to shower and eat, if that. If you love her like you say you do, then SHOW HER. If not, leave her alone," Sam finished.

"Where is she now?" Gabriel asked quietly.

"She's in her room, probably asleep," Dean answered.

Gabriel zapped into your room but he kept himself invisible. He could see you on the bed, tossing and turning, mumbling something in your sleep. "Gabriel? Where are you? Wait--no....stop, please....NO! Get away from him! Don't hurt him, please! Take me instead! GABRIEL!! Hang on, my love, stay with me. We'll get you fixed up in no ti--Gabe? Gabe?? Gabriel?!? Sam, Dean, I've lost him. Oh, my love...." You dissolved into sobs while still asleep.

Gabe decided he had seen enough. Even in your dreams, you still loved him enough to put his well-being above your own, even after what he had done. He reached up to wipe away the tears on his face. After seeing you go through your nightmare of losing him, he realized what a jerk he'd been.

He walked slowly out to the main living area to where Sam and Dean were sitting. They could see that his eyes were red and puffy from crying. Before either of them could say anything, Gabriel said, "Please. You've got to help me. I still love her, and after what I just saw, I love her even more now. You're right, it was a dick move, going after that other chick. I should never have done that. Will you help me?" The boys looked at one other and grinned before each clamping a hand on Gabriel's shoulder and putting together a plan.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Rise and shine, Valentine!" Dean bellowed, pulling the blankets off of you.

"Dean, you'd better be out of here before I count ten. I'm not getting out of bed today," you grumbled.

He sat down on the edge of your bed. "Oh, yes you are. You've been cooped up too long in here, and so far, we've let you, but not anymore. Please, honey. It's not good to be isolated like this. Sam and I want to take you out somewhere, so get out of bed, shower and meet us in the kitchen. You'll feel much better after your shower, and I'll have your coffee waiting, made just the way you like it," Dean promised.

You sighed. "All right. It looks like a beautiful spring day coming on, I would hate to let it go by without taking advantage of it," you agreed.

"That's the spirit! Now, hurry up, you don't want your coffee to get cold," Dean remarked. "I'll meet you in the kitchen."

"Hey, Dean?" he turned around to face you. "Thank you," you replied.

"You're welcome, honey. For what though?" he asked.

"For being such a good friend, caring about me, you know," you answered.

"Always, sweetheart. Always," he assured you, pulling you into a hug. "Now get thee to the shower, woman! Time's a-wastin'!"

Dean was right, you did feel better after your shower. As a matter of fact, you chose to wear one of your sundresses today, a pale yellow one with little navy blue flowers all over it. You pulled out your thin white sweater from the closet and your white Keds tennis shoes.

There was a little spring in your step as you walked towards the kitchen to get your coffee. You smiled at Sam and Dean as you sat down at the breakfast table.

"You look very nice today," Sam remarked. "Thank you, Sam," you replied. "And thank you for whatever we're going to do today. Dean's right, I've been stuck moping in my room for too long. Time to get out and enjoy the day," you said.

After breakfast, you all got into the Impala and ended up at a carnival that Sam had heard about and found on the internet. You split a funnel cake with Dean and you got to ride on the Ferris Wheel. Once you came down from your ride, Sam took you over to the games and won you a teddy bear from the ring toss game.

Soon, it was getting dark, and it was time to go home. You slid into the back seat of the Impala and it wasn't long before you were asleep. You woke up to Dean nudging your arm. When you looked around, though, you were in a clearing in the park and not at home in the bunker.

"Guys, what's going on? Why are we here and not at home?" you asked.

"This is the last part of your day. Our instructions are to escort you to that park bench and to wait with you until your host arrives," Dean explained.

You all walked over and you sat down on the bench. "And just who might this 'mystery host' be?" you inquired. Just then, the clearing was lit with a soft glow.

"Good evening, miss. Is this seat taken?" a man to your left asked.

"Gabriel...." you whispered, then quickly stood up to run back to the Impala, only to find that Sam and Dean had already left.

"Please, sweetheart, I would like to talk to you about that night," Gabriel pleaded.

"Gabriel, I don't know that there's anything more to say. You were upset that I broke my promise about not hunting, which was wrong on my part. But then you decided to get even with me with another woman. She was....beautiful, much prettier than me. I hope you're happy with her," you choked out. You started to walk away, but Gabriel caught your hand in his.

"No one makes me as happy as you do. No one can or ever will. What I did was wrong, and I'm so sorry, sweetheart for hurting you. It's just....I get scared whenever you go hunting. I'm afraid something will happen, and I won't be able to get to you fast enough. I don't want to lose you," Gabriel explained.

"Why didn't you say that before? I would've understood, Gabe. It may not have changed my decision, but at least I'd know how you're feeling," you replied. "Otherwise, it comes off like you're trying to control me, and that doesn't really work for me."

Gabriel reached up with his hands to cup your face. "I know, my love, and I'll try to remember that in the future. Sweetheart, I have a confession to make. That night you had your nightmare about me?" You nodded. "I was in your room, watching you go through it all. It broke my heart to see you in such pain over something that wasn't real. I wanted so badly to take you in my arms and comfort you, but I figured you still didn't want anything to do with me."

"Well....at the time I didn't. But now....you could try putting your arms around me, and we could see how it goes," you said shyly.

No sooner were the words out of your mouth that Gabriel's arms were around you, holding you close. "Oh, my love," Gabe whispered. "I've missed this so much, Sugar. You are my one and only love, now and forever, I promise." He searched your face as he tried to figure out what you were looking at. "Something wrong, darlin'?" he asked.

"Gabe, honey, are these your....wings? They're beautiful, all ivory-colored with flecks of gold in them," you marveled as you ran your hands along his feathers.

"You can see them?" he asked, and you nodded. "Sweetheart, the only way you could see my wings is if I let you, or you're my soulmate," Gabe explained. "That means we're meant to be together, forever and always."

"Sounds perfect to me," you said softly as you reached up and meshed your lips with his. The kiss started slow and gentle, but then Gabriel took over, the intensity building with each passing second.

"I love you, Sugar," Gabriel declared.

"I love you too, Gabriel. Let's go home," you suggested, as he zapped you both back to your room in the bunker.

#gabriel #gabriel x reader #spn imagine #supernatural #spn fluff

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starshineandbooks · 4 years

Text

This is for @b0nechewers as part of the Revalink exchange (@revalinkexchange ), I used a mix of the prompts they gave me.

Words: 2106

Warnings: Implied and referenced abuse, homophobia (Brief) If I missed anything please let me know!

Relationship(s): Revali/Link, Background/implied Saki/Teba

Summary: After a less than ideal ending to not only their dance partnership but their dating each other, Link and Revali find themselves back together, but will there still be sparks?

Revali had always known he had messed up, leaving Link after a several year-long relationships and an even longer friendship, maybe they had their fights, and they certainly started off in a bad place, but seeing Link dance with someone else hurt more than Revali would care to admit.

Link had become Ravli’s own dance rival again, he dances with a childhood friend of his, Mipha, Revali dances with his friend Teba, but there was a time that Link had been Revali’s dance partner. Revali’s partner in every way that mattered.

The way things had ended left him colder than before, less trusting, less hopeful, and more egotistical, and missing Link with everything he was. It’s one thing for a relationship to end on its own, but Link and Revali’s hadn’t ended of its own accord.

But Link hadn’t been ready to leave his father behind, his very homophobic, father and violent mother had made it clear that it was them and their support and money, or Revali and nothing.

He doesn’t blame Link, it sucks that Link chose them, after everything, but it’s likely better for the man.

But it’s when he was assigned the same hotel suite (A completely different disaster due to them technically going to the same dance place) that he truly realized how much he still mourns the loss of Link, and how- he loathes to admit this even in his own mind- he pines for and love the man still.

Teba had claimed a separate room for himself and his family, so this suite was Mipha, Link, and Revali. And then came the who sleeps where and no you aren’t sleeping on the couch, well you aren’t either discussion.

Revali simply claimed one room while Mipha and Link tried to out friend the other, each insisting they take the couch and the other the bed.

He sighs, walking into the room, “Or someone could share a room, now will you stop bickering?”

Link pauses, looking to his phone for a time check, nine in the evening, Revali’s meditation, his eyes twinkle as he smiles softly, “Sure.”

Mipha hums, “Well, I mean, Link and I could share a bed, you and Link could too, your both boys.”

Revali rolls his eyes, “And I should share with him because?”

“I have been known to be a restless sleeper?” Mipha says, “I’m sure he would be better elsewhere.”

“Fine, he can take my bed with me, or the couch, it hardly matters to me. Now could you please keep it down?”

The other two agree, and Revali goes to the hotel room, settling on the bed to begin meditation. His breathing slows and he focuses his mind on where his weight is distributed, letting his mind clear.

Link looks nice with the jeans and blue sweater today- not going there. Clear mind.

He sighs softly, trying again, it works better for a little while, but then he’s thinking about Link’s smile, and how the man might share a bed with him tonight.

Revali thought he was over this, better than this, better than hopelessly pining over someone who chose something else over him.

Just great, Revali supposes, finishing his meditation slower than is typical of himself, exiting his room to find Mipha on her laptop, video calling Zelda.

Link is Hylia knows where, and Zelda spots him, “Hello Revali!”

He sighs, “Hello, Zelda.”

“How have you been? It has been- a long time. I’m sorry about-”

Revali walks away, grabbing his wallet and exiting the room to go and see Teba and his wife and child, deciding to brave that more than to see Zelda.

As if Hylia herself planned it (She’s a bitch thank you), Link trips over something, and tackles Revali to the floor, both sprawling on the ground of the hotel, neither as a breath yet in their lungs.

Link squeaks, pulling his face off of Revali’s chest, “I am so sorry.”

“You should watch where you are going.” Revali sniffs, and the disdain is there, but he’s forgotten, Link knows him better than likely anyone else, the chastesation would chill most people.

But Link? He just smiles softly, “Thanks, Revali.” Pushing to his feet, he holds a hand out to help the man he knocked over up, just to have it smacked away as Revali stands on his own.

“I don’t need your help.”

Link just smirks softly up at Revali, “Okay.”

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

“No.”

“Well then, what is it?”

“You-” Link hesitates, and oh, there is that sweetly awkward boy Revali first met, “You look good. You’ve done well in your career I hear, and your dancing is as perfect as ever.”

“Of course it is, of course, I am, do you take me for a second-place king of man?”

“No, you never were.” Link says softly then, “I’m sure you’ll win, you always have.”

“It will hardly change now.”

“No, it won’t,” Link says then he sighs eyes flicking to the ceiling then back to Revali’s own, “Revali, I- ‘m glad you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Revali watches Link hesitate, good, he should hesitate. The way things ended was awful, but what Link’s mother did was worse, it was Link who saved him, but it was also Link to leave his life.

“I know Carolina was awful to you that last night and I- well- I’m sorry. But- I’d also like to say thank you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Thank you, thank you for everything you said while I was still with you. I shouldn’t have chosen them, I was scared and young and stupid, and maybe we wouldn’t have worked out, but I’d have been happier if I’d cut them out sooner.”

“You cut them out?”

Link nods, shifting, “Zelda and Uncle Roahm did too, I don’t know, it’s just- what you said kept rattling in my head, it stuck.”

Revali almost preens outwardly at that, Link has always been stubborn, reckless, and fairly carefree if a little overly protective of his loved ones, to get him to listen is a feat and a privilege few have.

Revali suspects he knows what was ‘rattling; about Link’s head too, the exact phrasing.

‘They are bad people, Link, awful, vile creatures who berate you, withhold food, lock you in a small room without food, water, or a bathroom for up to two days giving you a trash can instead of a toilet then. Your father is neglecting at best and your mother physically beats you why you would choose them is beyond not just me.’

Quite the phrase, Revali supposes, but Link has always needed reality checks, not sugar-coated bullshit.

“Hm, well, I’m glad you finally made a decent choice about them.”

Link laughs and Revali finds that even though he wanted to hurt Link (The way Link hurt him just a little, maybe revenge will help him heal) that the laugh he receives instead is sweeter and welcome.

“Well, Revali, I had to eventually, statistically at least.”

Revali snorts at that, he regrets it and doesn’t at the same time, letting lInk see him anything but annoyed at his presence is dangerous, but the way his eyes light up at the taller’s mistake is enough to soften the blow, even if his pride is bruised.

“I suppose so.”

“I was just coming back from my run to see if you wanted dinner, Mipha and I were thinking Subway.”

“I do enjoy Subway,” Revali says noncommittally.

“Want to come with me to get it?”

“I suppose that would ensure my order is relayed properly, yes.” Revali nods, letting Link lead him through the halls, into and then out of an elevator, and down a street once they exit the hotel.

They walk in silence, not awkward but not quite comfortable. Heavy, perhaps, but neither expected different, honestly they expected worse. The men walk along, in step, and each graceful after years of dance.

The ordering and retrieving and even paying off their walk-in uneventful, though it is raining when they leave the place, Link seems pleased though it is a nice light rain on a hot night it does present the issue of memories.

(‘C’mon, Rev, not even one kiss?’ It had been raining then, and they had just been reunited after a road trip.)

He firmly shuts the memories off, he is better off this way, pining and hurting but free on a relationship that ended poorly. He’s better off not letting himself get wrapped up in Link and what that boy does to him.

---

So, that was easier thought than done. The night before the competition’s final Teba’s son got injured and they have to spend at least two days in the hospital, and Teba won’t leave his wife or child, so he’s out of the competition. Mipha sprained her ankle the day before.

Link grains, looking to Revali, “I talked to the competition judges; they said we can either partner up together or accept that we’re out.”

“Why?”

“They said because we’re from the same initial program and emergency issues came up we aren’t cut off. We can find a replacement, ie, team up ourselves, or, we can go home.”

“I have never gone home empty-handed.”

“I know.”

“You are willing to be my dance partner?”

“Of course I am,” Link says, that glint in his eyes that Revali has missed dearly.

The night is spent in a choreographing and routine learning frenzy, and they know it’s sloppier than their usual standards, but they also still have the connection they used to. They sleep some, not as much as they should but not as little as no sleep. All in all, not too bad.

The day of said competition is a mess of coffee, last-minute practicing, and pining from our resident useless gay dance team. And it isn’t until they end the dance, the crowd cheering that the two realize just how badly they messed up, doing this together, being kind.

Revali drags Link off the stage, glowering at the blonde, “What are you playing at? You were too fast! I had to match your pace, my heart is moving entirely too fast.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“I wasn’t.”

Revali scoffs, but Link is right, he wasn’t.

“My heart’s fast too,” Link tries.

“Good.”

Link shifts then, “I thought I was over this, you.”

“Oh?”

“I worried for you, but I figured that was to be expected when I found you bloody and almost dead on the ground of my kitchen with my mother over you.”

Revali scoffs, “I hardly was on the brink of death.”

“It felt like it, in the moment.”

“Well, I suppose so, you always were overly emotional.”

“Still am.”

Revali sighs, “Well, surprisingly, I am not over you either.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I did- I just- Not what I was expecting.”

“Nor I.”

Link hums, “I don’t suppose you’re free tonight?”

Revali cuffs the back of the blonde’s head when he smirks knowingly up at the taller, “I am.”

“And I don’t suppose you’d want to give us another chance?”

Revali hums, low, soft, unintentional, thinking. Link did choose his parents (His awful, abusive, toxic parents) Over Revali, but he’s moved on, he apologized, he was scared. And he’s here now, no less enchanting and no less Link.

“One more chance, but if this does not work out, I am not giving you so much as a glance.”

“Understandable.”

Revali sighs, pulling Link into an embrace, startling the younger though the blonde hugs back tightly.

“Just-” Revali sighs, kissing the top of Link’s head, “Don’t make a choice between me and someone like them that ends in the bad one.”

“Never.”

“Okay.”

“You do know I’m not letting you go again.”

“Sap.”

Link snorts and Revali knows very well what that means, yes, Link is a sap, his sap. Link is his sap, oh Hylia, Link is his.

(Maybe Hylia isn’t such a bitch. After all, these two certainly have a wonderful future ahead of them, and even if it is a spoiler for these two, they manage to make the relationship work this time, going so far as to get married and adopt a daughter they name Naru.)

Link smiles softly, “I don’t think we won.”

“I think we did, just not the competition.”

Link snorts, shaking his head. And the world seems brighter, neither had realized how dark it had been. And if they end up curled up in the bed at the hotel that night, third place overall, watching old reruns of some show or other lost in each other, well, that’s their business. Isn’t it?

#ssb writes #legend of zelda #revalink #exchange #fluff #hurt/comfort

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myherowritings · 5 years

Text

Into Your Arms

Overview: You’re prone to tripping and Todoroki is prone to being there to catch you. Or, in which you’re a bit of a klutz and, for a reason he can’t explain, Todoroki wants to make sure you never get hurt.

Pairing: Todoroki Shouto x Female!Reader

Word Count: 2,670

Warning(s): None! Just fluff overload.

Author’s Note: This is for all my fellow clumsy folks. (Join the club!) :P Hope you enjoy!

Over the course of the school year, Todoroki had progressively grown accustomed to your clumsiness.

The first time he noticed you was on the first day of class during Aizawa’s Quirk Apprehension Test. Like most of your other classmates, you flew through the series of physical tests with graceful ease, demonstrating impressive control over your quirk. During your battle against Jiro and Kaminari, Todoroki begrudgingly had to admit your tactful skills were something to take note of as well.

Which is why it was only natural for him to wonder how someone so talented on the field could trip over a flat surface the moment they entered a room.

He considered it a skill in and of itself.

Within the first few weeks of class, Todoroki developed a sort of sixth sense whenever he was around you.

He noticed the way you put all your focus on the person you were talking to even while walking in crowded area, never realizing you were less than an inch away from crashing the side of your hip onto the corner of a desk. (Todoroki found himself moving the desk out of your path seconds before you could hit it, despite the fact that he had to make his way from the opposite side the room in superhuman speeds. You never seemed to notice. The rest of the class did.)

He also observed the way your eyes widened a fraction and your arms flailed out as you felt yourself about to trip. (In those moments, it took all of his willpower not to use his quirk to freeze you in place before you could fall. The one time he did, Tokoyami thought Todoroki almost hurt you and proceeded to threaten Shouto in your honor.)

One day, you and Todoroki arrived at U.A. around the same time--both uncharacteristically later than the rest of your classmates--and proceeded to walk to homeroom together.

“Morning, Todoroki-kun!”

“Good morning.”

“You’re running late today, too, huh?” you asked, matching his step as the two of you paced down the hallway. “Busy morning?”

Todoroki thought of the argument with his father that went on for longer than usual. “You could say that.”

You nodded. “At least we’ll still be earlier than Aizawa-sensei.”

The conversation carried on as you moved to the topic of breakfast foods--you talked so fervently about the arbitrary topic even Todoroki found it hard not to share your interest.

By the time the two of you walked into class, you were still in a heated debate about natto (he thought it was something every breakfast should consist of and you decided he must’ve been deprived of some good tamagoyaki) when Todoroki felt you beginning to walk wayward into Aoyama’s desk.

He didn’t want you to bump into it, but kicking the desk backwards with Aoyama seated on it didn’t seem like an action he’d think you’d approve of.

So instead, he maneuvered you aside-- One hand resting on your hip, pulling you towards him and away from the desk, and the other gently on your shoulder, steering your path straight. Todoroki made sure to not let himself linger, but it was too late. The rest of the class noticed and all conversation stopped to stare at you two.

“Careful,” he said, his face skillfully passive.

You blinked in stunned silence. “T-Thanks! I guess I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking.”

“It’s okay.”

He wanted to say something else, but he didn’t have the words.

Instead, you both headed to your respective seats as Todoroki tried to ignore Kirishima’s so-called whispering as he walked down the row.

“Pst, Todoroki! You and Y/L/N, huh?”

And while he was able to ignore Kirishima’s antics, Todoroki wasn’t able to ignore the small, yet embarrassed, smile that made its way to your face.

He couldn’t help but smile back.

- - - - -

After the events of these past few months with villains at every turn of the page, you were happy that an exam has been the only thing keeping you and your classmates up at night lately.

It was a late Sunday night and you were at Midoriya’s dormitory with a group of friends, studying for your mathematics exam the next day. Tsuyu and Iida brought a handful of snacks to share with the group, but even they weren’t enough to keep your brain from going off topic every few minutes.

“So, we use the Law of Sines when we know two angles and one side of a triangle, or when it’s SSA?” you said as you tapped your pencil against your notebook, staring down at your notes.

“Precisely,” replied Iida with a nod.

He’d been patiently helping you with the same concept for the past twenty minutes, but you just now began to understand it.

“And SSS and SAS is for Cosine Rule?”

“Correct again!” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and beamed. “Great, now that everyone understands those rules, shall we move forward to trigonometric identities?”

This earned a groan from you and Uraraka.

“Wait,” you cried as you rose from the floor. “My brain isn't awake enough for this-- I’m going to make myself a cup of coffee first. Does anyone else want one?”

“I’m good, thank you!” said Midoriya.

“Coffee? It’s almost midnight,” Iida exclaimed, a bewildered look on his face.

“But we’re only halfway done with the material! I need to stay awake.”

You returned his stern look with one of your own. He sighed. “Fine. I suppose we could use a study break while you get your dose of caffeine.”

Smiling, you sent him a thumbs up before heading to the door. As you reached the handle, you paused.

“Todoroki-chan, do you want coffee? Or maybe tea?” you asked, looking down as he sat cross-legged on the mat.

He glanced up, with a tilt of his head. “Thank you, but I’m okay. Would you like me to accompany you, though?”

You laughed but shook your head. “It’s only one floor down; I should be fine.”

“The last time you said that, you had to go to Recovery Girl for a rolled ankle.”

“I’ll be careful this time!” you promised, letting the door shut behind you before he could get out another word.

It was sweet of Todoroki to be worried for you, but you were perfectly capable of making coffee by yourself--no matter how accident prone you may be.

After waiting for the coffee to brew (all the while thinking of how convenient making udon and miso would be if you had Bakugou or Todoroki’s quirk), you grabbed your mug from the communal kitchen space and poured. When you dumped the contents out of the coffeemaker, you placed your mug at the edge of the counter and grabbed the cream and sugar.

You needed at least one and a half spoonfuls of sugar in order for your coffee to be palatable.

But while you were humming to yourself, things took a quick turn for the worst.

As you were reaching for the creamer behind your coffee, you felt your elbow brush against the handle of your mug. You held your breath. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. With eyes wide, you attempted to catch it before it hit the ground.

The good news, you caught it before the mug shattered.

The bad news, all its steaming hot contents poured onto the hand you caught it with.

“Shit!” you yelped, dropping the mug in shock as you cradled your right hand against your chest.

Swearing under your breath, you ran over to the sink and held your pink-tinged hand under cold water to soothe the burn. You wanted to stay under the faucet forever, but you knew your friends were waiting for you to continue studying.

Sighing, you cleaned up your mess and quickly headed up to Midoriya’s room, coffee-less and with a discomforting burning sensation in your right hand.

When you entered the room, Tsuyu was the first to remark, followed by Todoroki.

“Did you forget your coffee?”

“What happened to your hand?”

You blinked. How did he notice so quickly?

“I didn’t forget my coffee, no,” you told Tsuyu with a nervous chuckle. “I finished making it, actually. But then it fell off the counter and I burned myself trying to catch it.”

Tsuyu’s eyes widened but you quickly amended your statement, shaking your head as sat back down next to Todoroki.

“I’m fine, though!” you said, holding out your pinky in her direction. “It’s just a little burn; it’ll probably be gone by tomorrow.”

Satisfied with, but still skeptical of, your answer, Tsuyu nodded and proceeded to ask Uraraka how to do a certain question.

“Can I see it?”

You jumped. His voice was so quiet you barely heard him.

Turning to Todoroki, you offered him your hand with your reddened palm face down. “It hardly hurts, I swear. You don’t need to--”

He enveloped your right hand between the two of his and brought it to his close to his chest.

You flushed. The conversation in the room stopped. Todoroki kept his gaze on you.

“Wh-What are you--!?” You broke off with a startled breath when you felt a soothing chill followed by a comforting heat. “Oh.”

The careful balance of hot and cold on your slightly burned hand felt so relaxing your eyes fluttered shut, hardly registering the looks of bewilderment from Midoriya, Iida, Tsuyu, Aoyama, and Uraraka. Minutes passed and Todoroki still held you hand, only releasing after a long, cool exhale.

You swallowed.

“Does your hand feel better?” he asked.

Nodding fervently, you tried not to think about how you wished he hadn’t let go. “Much.”

“I’m glad.” Without warning, Todoroki stood up from beside you and you felt the absence of his warmth. “Now, wait here.”

As he left Midoriya’s room, you glanced at the others with the same confused look on your faces.

“What was that about?” Izuku wondered with a scratch of his head.

“I don’t know, but it sure was adorable!” said Uraraka, squishing her face between her palms.

Iida stared at the door then back down at his textbook. “But where did Todoroki-kun go? Hopefully he doesn’t take too long; we still have a whole chapter to cover.”

Aoyama sighed, resting his arms behind his neck as he leaned against Midoriya’s bed frame. “Don’t be oblivious, mes amis. He’s getting Mademoiselle Y/L/N her beverage, of course.”

Before you could deny that outrageous claim, Todoroki walked into the room with a mug in hand.

You gaped. Aoyama sent you a smug wink.

Todoroki sat back down beside you before offering the drink. With your non-burned hand, you graciously held the mug. It was lukewarm to the touch and aromatic to the smell.

“For me?”

He nodded. “Two pumps of cream and one and a half teaspoons of sugar, right?”

You blinked. He knew how you took your coffee? “Right.”

“I wasn’t sure if you drank dark or light roast,” said Todoroki, looking down at the wooden floor. “My apologies. But I made sure to cool it down to about 120 degrees so it can’t scald you.”

You heard the pounding of your heart from your ears as your stomach filled with butterflies. What was this feeling? You shook your head.

“Thank you, Todoroki-chan,” you said, touched. “It’s perfect.”

“But you haven’t even tried it--”

Uraraka flicked Iida on the back of the head before he could continue.

“Hey! I mean-- You’re right. It is perfect.”

Laughing at your friends antics, you turned to Todoroki with a smile. He had a content look on his face as he witnessed their interaction before glancing at you. You took a sip of the drink and peered at him from the top of the rim. The contrast of the sweet and the bitter, earthy taste filled your tastebuds, causing you to sigh.

“Tastes better than the ones I make for myself!” you pouted, wondering how he was able to make a perfect cup when he never drank coffee himself. “You’re just the perfect guy, aren’t you?”

A flush made its way to Todoroki’s ears, but you paid it no mind, instead grabbing your pencil with your right hand.

“Ouch,” you hissed, retracting your pencil and glaring down at the angry pale marks on your still reddened palm. Maybe you should get an ice pack and some painkillers.

“Y/N? Are you hurt?” said Todoroki, a frown clouding his face.

You shook your head. “Just my hand from earlier.”

“Is it still hurting?” He gently took your right hand in his left, worried lines between his eyebrows. “Here-- Let me help.”

Before you could say anything, he laced his icy fingers between yours and sent a mild chill to his palm, instantly soothing the pestering burn from the earlier scald. This time, even after a few moments had passed, Todoroki didn’t let go.

Instead, he kept your hand in his for the remainder of the night, the occasional brush of his thumb sending shivers up your spine--and not from the cold.

Needless to say, neither of you could focus much on studying.

- - - - -

Tonight was the night of the school dance and, much to no one’s surprise, you were running late.

When you arrived, the dance was in full swing, with all the classes mingling together to celebrate the end of a school year. But in a sea of obscurity, a certain duochromatic student caught your eye from across the room.

As if Todoroki could sense your presence, his gaze found yours in an instant, raising a hand in greeting with a subtle smile.

Wow.

That was all you could think as you walked over to him, eyes never leaving his face.

He looked stunning.

So stunning, in fact, that you hardly noticed anything else. Including a wayward balloon that made its way to the side of the dance floor you were walking along.

You also didn’t notice that your heel caught on said balloon until it was too late.

With a small yelp, you felt yourself slip backward as the rubber rolled off your shoe, arms flying out in an attempt to grasp at the table next to you only to miss by a fraction of an inch.

Shit.

Closing your eyes shut, you braced yourself into a position that would soften the impact of the fall that never came. Instead, all you heard was a soft woosh of rustling clothes and an intake of breath as two muscular arms wrapped around you.

A beat passed.

You opened your eyes.

“Careful.” His voice was deep next to your ear.

“Shoucchan,” you said, a little out of breath. “Hi.”

You heard the amusement in his voice. “Hi.”

Todoroki helped you upright onto your feet, but kept his hands lingering on either sides of your waist. Spinning around to face him, you touched his cheek with a smile.

“How do you always do that?”

He raised a brow.

“How do you manage to cross the room and stop me from falling in such a short amount of time?” you wondered with a hint of awe. “Do you have another quirk no one knows about?”

Todoroki exhaled a laugh as he tugged on a strand of your hair. “Baka. No. I just learned to be on high alert when I’m with you. Especially when you’re in heels.”

You stuck your tongue out at him, but couldn’t deny anything.

“Maybe that’ll be part of your tagline in a few years,” you teased. “Pro Hero Shouto: Saving the world from villains, and saving his girlfriend from her own clumsiness.”

Todoroki froze slightly before relaxing, the corners of his lips tilting upward. “Girlfriend.” You quirked a brow at him but he shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that.”

“Good. Because I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of being that.”

Pressing a chaste kiss on your forehead, Todoroki hummed. “Good. Then you have nothing to worry about.

#AHH I SPENT LIKE ALL DAY WRITING THIS AND I TRIED EDITING BUT MY BRAIN IS LIKE BLEH RN #so if you see any mistakes/something doesn't make sense please nicely let me know!#todoroki x reader #bnha x reader #bnha fanfiction #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki shouto #shouto x reader #todoroki shoto #todoroki shoto x reader #x reader #reader insert #bnha #bnha imagines #bnha scenarios

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sunniebelle · 4 years

Text

Haywire - Chapter 1

Plans of a relaxing fun day at an autumn Festival go haywire when Rose steps in to save a young girl. Things go from bad to desperate when the Doctor and Jack have to race against time in order to save a very wet and cold Rose in the midst of a freak blizzard, while being cut off from the TARDIS. Will this be the thing that finally tears them apart, or will the Doctor put aside his fears and past in order to look to a bright future with Rose?

Nine x Rose, Captain Jack Harkness

AO3

“Come on, Rose. We have to keep going, you have to keep moving your feet. Just a little further.”

Rose could hear the worry in the Doctor’s voice as he encouraged her to move forward, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist to help her continue moving forward. But she couldn’t order her thoughts enough to sooth him.

“I-I’m so c-cold,” she managed to murmur, her teeth chattering as a violent shiver shook her body.

“I know Rosie, but we’ll get you warmed up soon, promise,” Jack said from her other side.

The Doctor’s leather jacket practically swallowed her small frame, but even its warmth wasn’t enough to stave off the biting wind and the bone-deep chill that had taken up residence in her body. Her legs trembled with the effort it took to keep walking, each step almost painful now, her knees feeling like they would buckle at any moment. She did her best to keep up with the men on either side of her and not let on how much her body hurt.

Her feet sunk into the snow up her ankles with every step, though most of her steps were now more of a shuffling gait as she found it increasingly difficult to make her body do what her brain told them to do.

“Doc, we need to find someplace to get her warmed up. She can’t keep going like this and you know this storm will only get worse. If we keep going like this we’re going to—”

“I know,” the Doctor growled, cutting off Jack’s predictions, though she didn’t see the icy glare he also sent to the time agent. “The TARDIS is still nearly two miles away, but we’re close to that cottage we passed earlier today. We’ll stop there and rest a while.”

His grip on her waist seemed to tighten, though she couldn’t be sure with how cold she felt.

“Just a few more steps, Rose, then we’ll get you dry and warm and some hot tea in you. What d’ya think bout that?”

She tried to answer him, she really did. Her teeth chattering so hard it made her jaw ache, combined with the feeling of being trapped in a rapidly darkening tunnel, stole any ability to answer him. She couldn’t think or speak. She wanted to reassure them both that she would be ok and they didn’t have to worry about her.

But she just couldn’t.

“Rose?”

Why did the Doctor’s voice sound so far away? Why did it seem as though someone was slowly turning out the light?

“Rosie? Rosie, come on. Stay awake, alright? You have to stay awake! Don’t go to sleep!” Jack’s voice was frantic as he talked, but try as she might she couldn’t make her body cooperate.

“Doctor,” she whispered, before the darkness dragged her under completely.

She was unaware of the Doctor’s frantic calls of her name, or of Jack’s panicked look at the Doctor. She didn’t feel the Doctor’s strong arms lifting her and holding her limp body close to his as he and Jack began to run toward shelter.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(Earlier that day)

“Welcome to Phoenix!” the Doctor exclaimed as he and his companions stepped over the TARDIS threshold and into the bright sunlight. He glanced down, smiling at Rose’s delighted face and twinkling amber eyes—though he pointedly ignored Jack’s smug smirk.

“What? Like the bird?” Rose asked, her eyes taking in the vibrant colors of the forest surrounding them and various scents wafting on the cool breeze. Light shone through the trees, the swaying pale lavender branches and rustling multi-colored leaves making light dance on the forest floor.

“Yes and no,” the Doctor explained, enjoying the simple pleasure of Rose’s hand slipping into his. “This planet was discovered during the Third Great and Bountiful Human Empire, and many legends still circulate about the mythological bird. Just like it dies in fire and is born again, they saw this planet and the autumn season as a way to celebrate that rebirth and rejuvenation that comes from the season that ends one thing and ushers in something new.”

After breathing deep the earthy, musky scent of the forest in the height of autumn, Rose skipped and danced along beside the Time Lord as he continued his explanation of the planet and its history and importance to humanity and other alien races.

Jack walked along on the Doctor’s other side, smiling at the sight they made and thinking they were too adorable and had absolutely no clue.

It took a little while before they reached the entrance to one of the largest festival grounds on the planet. The Doctor pulled out his credit stick and paid for the three of them to enter, not able to hold back a smile at Rose’s look of excitement. He felt bad for having pushed his companions so hard recently, jumping from one adventure to another without much of a break. This was his way of making up for it, a day of fun and relaxation, and hopefully no danger.

Everywhere Rose looked were fall colors, oranges and reds and yellows, all in varying shades. There were sounds of people talking and laughing, the buzzes and dings of games, the whoosh and whir and clanks of rides, shouts and screams of people, and so many other sounds blended together to make for an exciting atmosphere of fun and adventure.

Off in the distance she saw a line of trees with what looked to be picnic tables and a stand for renting blankets for lounging on the grass. The picturesque scene was completed by the large pond just beyond that, which glistened from the light reflected off it, and row boats lined up ready to be taken out on the water.

Everywhere she looked there were people walking around, some in family groups, while others were paired or wandering alone. There was a mixture of humans and aliens of all sorts wandering around, and while the view of the area seemed like something she would find on Earth in her time, the evidence before Rose’s eyes reminded her why she loved traveling with the Doctor and visiting other planets.

“This is so brilliant!” she exclaimed, smiling up at the Doctor, who beamed at her in return.

As they walked further into the park, Rose was surprised to see a blending of so many different cultural decorations; some were obviously from Earth in her time and alien ones that were somewhat familiar, while others were completely foreign to her.

Colorful lanterns strung above their heads swayed gently in the breeze, a soft glow emitting from them. People walked around in elaborate costumes, though a number of people were dressed normally.

And the smells! A delicious blend of spices and apples and pumpkins and an earthy, musky scent of some type of coffee, all swirled in the air to tease at her senses, making her stomach gurgle hungrily.

“Come on,” she hollered, pulling the Doctor along, while Jack jogged next to him looking around excitedly, “let’s go get some food, first. I’m not half starved!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Notes: It took me a week longer than I wanted it to, but I've finally completed my first chapter of my Classic Tropes submission for Doctor x Rose Forever, over on Discord! I hope you enjoy it! I would love to hear your thoughts!

(BTW:This fic follows the assumption that Nine did not regenerate after PoTW, and he didn't leave Jack behind)

(tagging @doctor-rose-events)

(also tagging @doctorroseprompts)

#doctor-rose-events #doctorroseprompts #doctor who #ninth doctor #rose tyler #captain jack harkness #hurt/comfort #angst #angst with a happy ending #fluff #autumn #i think queue need a doctor

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incoherentbabblings · 4 years

Text

An Endless Hope (7/9)

After a horrendous blizzard falls over Gotham, Tim undergoes a sharp change in character before disappearing. Upon discovering what has become of him, Stephanie sets off on a solo journey in a magic realm to bring him home, meeting some faces who seem awfully familiar along the way.

Archive Of Our Own Link Click Click!

Stephanie grew angry, frustrated that this world seemed determined to take her through one long extended metaphor of her interpersonal relationships. Whomever this old woman was supposed to be, she had no time for it.

“Yes, yes. ‘Tis me. A human being. I am trying to get to the ice witch’s palace, but this lovely creature decided here was a better stop. Not to be rude but… I’m not here willingly.”

The old woman smiled at Stephanie’s attitude.

“Come in. Warm up. If you want into that palace I can help, but I’ll need to know your purpose.”

“No,” Stephanie stubbornly pushed back. “I can find my own way in.”

The lady was not impressed, trudging up to Stephanie and Abie. She grabbed Stephanie’s ankle and tugged hard, making Stephanie tumble off the reindeer and land face first in the snow.

“You will die if you just barge in with no idea how that magic works. Only a fool would do such a thing.”

Raising her head, spitting out snow and glowering at the woman, Stephanie sardonically replied, “Maybe I am a fool.”

“A fool in love?”

Stephanie’s jaw twitched and the lady sighed. She held out a palm for Stephanie to take.

“You haven’t gotten this far on your own. The final steps will be yours, but you will need one last push to get you over the edge.” Chewing her lip, Stephanie took the woman’s hand and was hauled up. After being allowed inside the sweltering hut, Stephanie perched herself on a little wooden bench, taking off her cloak and shoes. The old woman looked back at Abie, “You can come in too Mr Reindeer.”

“His name is Abie,” Stephanie interjected.

Abie trotted inside. He was a little bit too big for the space, but it seemed he appreciated the warmth as much as the plate of beetroot that the lady placed in front of him as he settled on some hay near the fire. The lady pat his large head and looked to Stephanie,

“A good name. What’s yours?”

A plate of cheesy potatoes was pulled out of the oven. Stephanie’s stomach once again grumbled, and she swallowed sorely.

“Oh no. I’m done playing that game. Last time a nice old lady offered me food and help and asked my name I ended up brainwashed for weeks.”

The woman seemed amused at Stephanie’s short fuse temper and asked, “Which old lady?”

“Who knows. A cottage by a big river. I was drowning and she picked me up…” Stephanie looked down at her gloves, feeling a stab of sympathy for the old lady. “I think she was lonely and wanted the company. I must have looked like a gift from God.”

The old lady snorted, unimpressed.

“Good thing I have no interest in letting you stay here very long then,” and Stephanie watched as the old lady piled two plates high full of cheesy goodness. “I am a witch, not like the one whose castle you are hunting, but I look after the land surrounding. There’s a couple of us here and there. We maintain our little plots of land and try to keep out of trouble from people like the Princess of Summer or the Snow Queen.”

“I met the Summer Princess, I think. She’d just gotten married.”

The old lady made an impressed face. “Red hair? Green eyes? Jaundice skin?”

Stephanie nodded, “Yes. A palace in the trees?”

The old lady whistled, sitting down next to Stephanie, and tucking into her meal. She placed the second plate and fork on Stephanie’s lap.

“Took her long enough. She’s a good girl really, a little proud, but when things get hard our pride is all we have. Her pride prevented her happiness for some time though.”

Stephanie sighed, looked at the potatoes, then Abie resting against the fire, and turned to eat. It was very tasty.

The two ate in silence for a while, and when Stephanie was finished, the lady took her plate and placed it in the sink.

“So,” the woman said gripping her counter. “A human crossed the border and is trying to get to the Snow Queen’s palace. There is strong magic around her home. I can help you cross, but I need to know why.”

“She took someone.”

“Another human? Yes, she does that sometimes.” The old lady turned, a suspicious eye on Stephanie. “But no-one has ever been followed. No rescue attempt has ever been made. You jumped borders to find them. Who is this person to you?”

“He’s my… he’s mine. My person. My boy.”

The woman’s suspicious look grew soft, “Your heart?”

“I love him very much,” Stephanie said simply. “He doesn’t deserve to be abandoned or forgotten.”

The heat was becoming uncomfortable, so Stephanie looked for permission to take off her tights.

“Oh, yes. Sorry. I have to keep it very warm here.”

“Understandably.”

The woman with a sigh sat down opposite Stephanie once more. She grew solemn.

“It is good, that you are motivated by love. She doesn’t understand such a thing. It means you can get inside.”

Stephanie could not let go entirely of her suspicion of witches, and asked, “Why would you help me? Surely it won’t matter to you if I fail or succeed. Actually, if anything, if I do succeed… she might hurt you.”

“Oh, she wouldn’t dare. Don’t you worry about that. It’ll be nice for her to learn a lesson about humans and their tenacity for once. I’m tired of her taking and taking with no thought to the consequences. She sees you all as so weak.” A breath, a stilted silence, and Stephanie waited patiently. When the woman spoke again, it was with a quiet urgency, a need to make Stephanie understand the severity of her quest. “You're going to have to give something up, something you love, something he loves, in order to reach the throne room."

Stephanie thought for a moment, then offered her hands entreating, "My gloves. I made them for him. Took me weeks. Would these do?"

The lady sighed, then pushed Stephanie's hands back towards her chest.

"No. I'm afraid that's not enough." She inspected Stephanie from head to toe, and Stephanie fought the urge to push that there was nothing else on her that Tim loved, outside of her own life.

Oh. Was this where it had all been heading? Childhood, first love, parenthood... Death?

Clasping her hands to her chest, she begged, "There has to be something..."

Reaching forward, the lady tugged the at the hair tie that held in what remained of the fantastic braid the Summer Princess had given Stephanie. It had mostly fallen out during the fight and flight from the robbers, but still. The lady lightly combed her trembling wrinkled fingers through Stephanie’s hair. It was still curly and wavy, a little bit wild, but soft and shining.

It really was too long. But Tim liked it, even if he had never said so aloud, so she had put off getting it cut for over a year. She liked that he liked it.

Stephanie’s breathing stilled. “Take it.”

“You’re sure?” The lady brushed Stephanie’s cheek as she stood up. Fumbling through some cabinets, it seemed she was looking for a pair of scissors.

“It’ll grow back,” Stephanie pushed. Grabbing the curls in two bundles, she shook the golden strands. “It’s like twenty inches at this point. I don’t need it. Not if it will help Tim.”

Panting with panic, Stephanie watched the lady struggle to find anything to chop her hair with. There was a spinning wheel in the corner but the woman honestly didn’t have a pair of scissors?

“A simple pair of scissors will not do,” said the woman, seemingly reading Stephanie’s mind. What else would work?

“Wait, here,” and Stephanie pulled out from her belt the knife the boy had given her. “Can you use this?”

The woman looked shocked that Stephanie even had such a thing. “Where did you get this?”

“A little boy gave it to me. The robbers who live by the edge of the forest.”

The woman took the knife. “This is a very special weapon. He would not have let go of such a thing so lightly.”

Stephanie resolved to find the precious boy and return the knife once her and Tim began their journey home.

Moving behind Stephanie, the woman twisted up her hair into the beginnings of what would have been a French twist. Holding the knife near the base of her neck, Stephanie prayed she hadn’t made a mistake of trusting the wrong person.

The woman paused and asked for one last confirmation, “This isn’t just hair, you know? Well, it is for you maybe, but over here –”

“I’ve cut it short before. He didn’t care. Hurry up,” Stephanie snapped. “I need to go to him, he needs me. Long hair or bald.”

“Well you won’t be bald,” the lady reassured, tone teasingly pleasant. “Just a little bit of a choppy cut. But still, I’ll ask again. What’s your name? And what is the name of the boy you are hunting for?”

Stephanie gulped, knowing she probably didn’t have much of a choice, especially with a sharp knife very close to her spinal cord.

“My name is Stephanie Brown. And I’m wanting to find Timothy Drake and bring him home.”

The woman whispered to herself, and then the sound of the sharp knife cutting through her hair like hot butter made Stephanie shiver and cry out, almost as if someone had pulled one of her fingers from its joint. For an unknown reason she began to cry. She felt the short strands of hair fall down and frame her face. Her right hand went up to feel the damage and the woman stepped in front of her. She placed the knife back in Stephanie’s lap and shook the thick and long clump of hair in her other hand. Stephanie looked up at her, eyes wet and red.

“You’ll have to wait a bit longer,” the old woman said as she trundled over to the spinning wheel. Feeling unsteady on her feet, Stephanie got up and watched the old woman whisper at her chopped off hair and begin to thread the machine.

“You can’t make yarn out of human hair,” Stephanie protested, voice thick with phlegm made by her tears. “It’s not good for that.”

“Ahem. Who is the magic lady here? You’ve heard stories of people turning hay to gold right?”

“Rumpelstiltskin?”

“That’s a terrible name. But if we can do it with hay, imagine what we can do with hair…”

And she began to spin, muttering to herself every now and then, whilst Stephanie repeatedly ran her hands through her short hair. Shortly after her first pregnancy she had chopped most of it off and obsessively straightened it. Back then she had told herself it was because it was getting difficult to manage its length under her Spoiler mask, but in hindsight it made just as much sense to blame it on wanting to start fresh. She had her baby, she knew Tim’s name, and they had begun their relationship in earnest, both as Robin and Spoiler and Tim and Steph. New beginnings and all that. She’d also wanted Dana and Jack to take her more seriously. Short straight hair belonged to a more responsible lady. Not a frivolous teen mom. Fat lot of good it had done her, but she had tried.

She had tried.

“Listen closely,” the woman said, twisting the hair and pressing the pedal as she worked. “I know what she does to the humans she brings back with her. She longs for their fragile beauty to be preserved, but the entire kidnapping process is just too traumatic for humans, so they quickly die. From the cold, from grief… doesn’t matter. They can’t survive with her. So, in recent decades, she’s been testing freezing their hearts. They can survive longer in the cold that way. But freezing their hearts strips them of what she loves about humans. But she’s too foolish to understand why she loves them so.”

She paused and looked at Stephanie. A moment passed of uncomfortable silence, and the woman narrowed her dark eyes at Stephanie.

“You know why you love this boy, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“Does it matter? Is chopping my hair off and coming all this way not proof enough that I love him?”

The lady was having none of Stephanie’s bashful anger, and pushed harder, “I need to know why.”

Stephanie grabbed a tuff of her short hair and walked away, over to Abie and the fire. She was sweating, she was so warm.

“Because he understands. He understands what I’ve gone through and he doesn’t think me weak or foolish for it. He’s watched me grow up and he’s proud of me. He’s grown up too. He doesn’t make me do things I don’t want to do. He indulges whatever stupid fancy I get into my head. Like me growing flowers as a substitute for children because he knows that it’s just what I need to do at that moment to work through something in my head. I’m not a victim to him, I’m a hero. He’s beautiful. He has breath that smells like coca cola and he holds me like if I’m not there with him nothing in the world makes sense. He told me once I keep him on the straight and narrow and I like that what I think matters to him. He’s so smart and he’s so kind and genuine and when we argue it’s not over whether or not I forgot to do the laundry last night… Because he’s been through so much pain, that it leaks out in odd ways… he tries so hard to not let it colour the good times. And yet he tries to be better. And I want to help him be better because he believes I am better too. And he’s gentle. Oh my God… he’s so gentle with me. I can't give that up. No-one else has ever come close.”

The sound of the fire crackling and the reindeer snoring filled the cabin, and eventually the cranking of the spinning wheel stopped. Stephanie looked up to see gold embroidery thread in the woman’s left hand and a needle in the right. She looked at Stephanie like a proud grandmother.

“Sew this into your gloves. You’ll be able to open the doors of her palace then.”

Brushing her cheeks clear of tears, Stephanie nodded, sat down, took off the gloves, and set to work.

“You’ll enter the palace, and then you’ll find him. Then what?”

“We’ll go home.”

“He may not be able to leave. He may not want to leave. He may not remember you, or home, or your family. Any of it.”

“Magic?”

“Magick,” the lady corrected, and Stephanie rolled her eyes. “When his behaviour changed, what preceded it?”

Stephanie paused in her sewing, thinking out loud. “He’d seen a figure in the storm. It must have been her watching him. We were playing outside, and the snow picked up. He was looking upwards, sticking his tongue out to catch snowflakes. Something got in his eye. It was so sudden.”

“It’s a speciality of hers. A type of glass. It gets in your body and freezes everything. No love, no warmth. It fades away. All that’s left is an insatiable boredom and coldness in both mind and body that can’t be relieved.”

“He kissed me,” Stephanie remembered. “Right before he left. I think it was him, one last burst, before he slipped away.”

The lady smiled and wrapped up the cooled dinner she had made, setting it on the windowsill.

“True love’s kiss? Clever boy to try. It works in some instances, but not here. This is a physical object that needs removing.”

“From his eye? What can I do? Aside ripping out his eyeball.”

“Don’t… don’t dismiss the possibility entirely.”

“I will not hurt him.”

The lady tapped Stephanie’s breastbone. “You humans. All so soft. So warm. I believe you know what kind of world you are in Stephanie. Play by our rules. It will get you there. I believe in you, for what an old lady’s opinion is worth.”

Stephanie watched at the lady settled in a rocking chair and closed her eyes to rest. Tilting her head, Stephanie smiled.

“I know who you remind me of.”

“Someone nice I hope.”

“A doctor. Back home. She gave me a second chance. Made me realise I’m not a total failure.”

The lady smiled in response. “Who else have you met on your journey?”

“Mother…best friend… mentor… family of maybe one day in-laws? And you.”

“Who is left then?”

Stephanie’s smile faltered, and she returned to sewing. “No-one good.”

She wasn’t intending to make a pattern with the thread. She didn’t have time. She did the hems of the wrists and fingers and made several lines of hidden stitches up and down the ribbing. She worked until she ran out of thread.

She put the gloves back on. In the dimming light of dusk, they glimmered. Golden lines shooting through the pitch black. Stephanie stood up and announced,

“Done.”

Abie looked up, sensing she would be setting off soon. The old lady rose up and opened the front door, letting the cold flood in. The sun had nearly set.

“It will not rise again for you. Eternal winter from here on out. Which is good news for you, hate to have you go snow blind.” The lady walked to Abie and pat his nose with careful deliberateness. “Drop her off at the red berry bushes. Then come back here.”

In a flurry of excitement that panicked Steph, the reindeer bucked up and thrust his big snout under Stephanie, pushing her up and over onto his back.

“No wait! I need to get my coat and shoes and –”

“Good luck Stephanie!” The lady proclaimed at the door, gesturing for Abie to set off once more. “The gloves will keep you warm for a time, but not forever. You'll need to gift them over to Timothy if you want to leave the palace. Be swift!”

“I’ll freeze!”

She tried to get off, but the reindeer once again began to canter, causing her to shriek in fright and pain. No cloak, bare legs and toes, with only a peasant blouse and a purple pinafore dress to protect her from the cold. Her mittens wouldn’t even protect her fingertips.

“No, no, no. I’m no good to anyone if I’m dead,” she howled over the wind, which stole her voice away. “You have to take me back.”

The reindeer ignored her and continued onwards. Feeling like she was being stabbed thousands of times by the smallest of needles, she continued to cry out in pain, fingers tightening in the reindeer’s fur in an attempt to focus her brain.

Eventually Abie slowed to a trot, unable to keep up the pace, and Stephanie was allowed to catch her breath. She was cold, of course she was, but not enough to fear for her life just yet. Maybe she had a bit of extra endurance thanks to the old lady and the gloves, but still; she would have had a lot more time if she had been allowed to put on her tights.

They continued along in the darkness. The sky was clear, and Stephanie spent most of the journey looking up at the sky. Moonlight did its job enough to let her see shadows and adjust so she was not riding blind. She’d seen the Milky Way from her time in Africa, but still. This was another planet, so their stars and galaxies were different. Her mouth dropped open as her eyes adjusted, and she laughed with joy at the sight of the night sky in full.

She had no idea for how long they ran. At some point the equivalent of the Northern Lights sprung into life, dancing across the sky. It was the first time Stephanie had seen such a thing, and she marvelled at the dancing blue, green and purple lights, shimmering like curtains in the breeze. They were so bright they lit up the snow as they crossed hill after mound, up and down across sweeping valleys. Abie chuffed and sped up a little.

“Are we getting close? We must be…” Stephanie asked. Her heart stuttered, and she knew her question to be true.

They finally crossed the summit of one final peak, and Stephanie gasped loudly at the sight. Where the Princess of Summer had seemingly taken care to integrate her home into the surrounding environment, the palace that Stephanie gawked at in the centre of the valley was anything but incorporated.

It was far too large to be occupied by one creature. It spanned the width of the valley, seemingly hovering a hundred feet from the valley basin, a frozen river flowing underneath. There was one path in and out of the structure, the road built into the hillside. Numerous towers in sharp angular shapes pierced the lit-up atmosphere, and the entire fortress glowed and reflected the dancing night sky.

Very distantly, Stephanie could see a purple blob on the river. Tilting her head, she realised it was her car, half buried in snow and ice.

The pair slowly made their way down the pass. Stephanie brought her feet up, her toes burning from the cold, to tuck them under her legs. The reindeer had a broader back than any horse, so she tried her best to perch delicately. Her shivering had gotten painful, teeth chattering and breathing difficult. She readjusted her grip on his neck, and lowered herself down, trying to take some of his warmth. What had that woman done, sending her out here with none of her warm clothes?

White bare trees marked the beginning of the bridge, which was lined with red holly bushes. Abie stopped, and Stephanie knew this was where she was on her own. Looking down, at the snow and ice that she would have to plant her feet into, she gulped. Slowly, bracing, she lowered herself down, crying out when her toes reached the floor. The snow was so tightly packed she did not sink in, but her body temperature was still warm enough to melt it slightly underfoot. She very quickly felt chilblains developing. Much more time here and she would be frostbitten.

She looked to the reindeer, who seemed a little mournful, like he was sending her off to her doom. She smiled shakily and smacked a wet kiss to his snout.

“Thank you, Abie. Be good!”

Abie chuffed, then turned around and left her. The sound of his snow treading hooves filled the valley, and Stephanie heard her own pulse throbbing in her head. She watched him go, just for a moment, then turned back towards the road. Shaking her feet like she would before a sprint and taking several icy breaths, building herself up for her task, she sprinted across the bridge. Going through the front door was perhaps not the most sensible option, but it was the only entrance she could see. She wasn’t about to go smashing her way into an ice palace (yet). She tried to keep quiet as she bolted across the several hundred-metre stretch, but the cold stung, and she cried out in pain.

There was no wind. There was no life. Empty and beautiful and cold. The purple and green sky made her feel like she was in a nightmare, the feeling akin to when she had been in and out of fevered consciousness during her time with Black Mask. The visuals made no sense and she was cold. Very cold.

Death. It was just like lying on that hospital bed, Leslie forcibly restarting her heart the few times it found the strain of living with a broken body too much.

She crashed into the huge door, slipping when the snow turned to ice, and the sounded reverbed over the valley. She fumbled with the huge doors, trying to locate something to grip and push or pull so she could slide in, but it was perfectly smooth and clear – clear enough to let her see the inside. There was no-one, nothing. No sign of life to be found.

She banged on the door hard, shrieking,

“Hey! Hey! You have someone who doesn’t belong to you! Give him back! Hello! Let me in!”

Kicking did no good, nor did body slamming it. Hot tears began to form again, and after one ill advised head butt, she slumped forward on her knees. There was not even a crack in the ice from all her efforts. It was ice, not diamond, why couldn’t she make a dent?

“I haven’t come all this way to be beaten at the front door,” she hissed. She pressed her gloved hands against the ice. “You can’t… you can’t keep him from me. Let me in!”

Something in the ice gave way, and she stumbled forward onto her thighs. Her hands, or rather the gloves, had melted all the way through. Squealing, she got a grip on the other side, and ripped through a hole. She did it again and again, opening up a space near the ground that was big enough for her to crawl through.

She scrambled inside ungraciously, and to her disappointment it was no warmer inside than outside. She remained on the floor, strength leaving her, until she was able to grip what she supposed was a side table and haul herself up. Movement caught her eye as she rose, and when she looked to the side, tense, she screeched. The sound echoed through the empty high-ceilinged antechamber. Stephanie cringed at how girly she sounded as she lost her footing on the ice and slipped, smacking her head again.

Well, now everyone knows you’re here.

Everyone being no-one, as no movement or noise appeared in response to her antics. Grunting, she pulled herself up to look in the mirror which had frightened her. Still not quite to grips with her appearance, she again reached up and curled her fingers into her hair.

It was lopped so choppily into a bob that, coupled with her full bangs, it made her look like she was six years old again, when she had found a pair of scissors in the bathroom and deigned to give herself a haircut. Crystal had found it funny. Arthur had not.

Her nose was red, as were her cheeks. Her lips were cracked and raw, and the skin around her eyes were stiff and sore. The water she had cried had quickly frozen in the wind as her and Abie ran, and it had not been kind to her skin. There was a giant red mark on her forehead from headbutting a solid ice door. She looked a mess.

“Keep going,” she breathed, trying not to falter. “Nearly there. Keep going, Steph.”

She stirred up enough energy to jog through the palace, occasionally losing her footing on the slippery ice.

Stephanie followed the corridors inwards, the refracting and reflecting light from outside disorientating and confusing. No matter which way she turned, no matter which empty rooms she entered, they all seemed to be pointing towards the centre of the structure. She cried out for Tim every now and then, in the empty hollow rooms, seeing as there was nothing living in the castle, but in her heart she knew, even if he could hear her, he probably wouldn’t care enough to answer.

As she continued, her pace slowed. Her limbs grew heavier and her walking faltered. It became her pushing herself upwards and onwards, only to make it a few steps before collapsing to her knees again. She used the walls and what little furniture there was as support, but she was sluggish and tired. Her limbs burned and breathing was laborious.

Finally, she reached another set of doors, these ones made from a crystal rather than ice, so she could not see what lay on the other side. Her heart thumped erratically, and she was sweating. She was so close. This door had handles thankfully, so Stephanie managed to grip it, getting to her feet one last time, and shove it open.

A huge amphitheatre opened up before her, dozens of meters high. There were steps down leading to the main open space which circled around a throne, suspended on what looked like a gravity defyingly crooked and thin staircase.

At the base, sat very neatly with crossed legs, was Tim.

“Tim!” Stephanie cried out. He looked up at her, face confused, and even from the distance, Stephanie could see he did not look well.

Her heart jerked, throwing her forwards. Stephanie took a step to run down to meet him, but her feet had grown numb from the cold, and she stumbled.

Tim watched, disinterested, as a blonde girl wearing a thin blouse and woollen dress fell down the clear stairs. She was not quiet in her descent, crying out and cursing at each solid smack and crack. She tumbled head over ankles before coming to rest for a moment on the flat ground. Tim watched as she whimpered and lay still for a moment, apparently catching her breath.

Feeling nothing more than confusion over the bizarre appearance, his attention returned to his task of spelling a word from broken mirror shards.

“Tim!”

When he looked up at the sound of his name, the blonde girl crashed into him, wrapping him up in the warmest embrace he had felt for weeks. Her hot breath moved through his hair, and he felt a solid, tempting heat emanate from the centre of her chest.

“Tim,” she sobbed. “Tim! I found you!”

#dc #stephanie brown #tim drake #timsteph #my fic tag

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mimiplaysgames · 4 years

Text

A Powerful Enough Dream (Ch. 6)

Pairing: Terra/Aqua (eventually) Rating: T Word Count: 6,014

Summary: Riku and Sora drag Aqua to Yen Sid’s in order to hash out a plan to save Ven. But Aqua is having none of it.

Read on AO3

A/N: Hi!!!! It’s been a long, long time, I know. I’m sorry for not updating this more often. My other WIPs take up so so much of my time, and I don’t have enough to spare this collection. I’m nervous about continuing this, I mean: it’s no longer relevant because of KH3, and sometimes I think the Terqua fandom has died??? I’ll have to see what people think of it. I know there’s readers for this piece and I HEARD YOU. I HEARD YOU. I have the next two chapters lined up already, so we’ll see!

~*~*~*~*~

Betrayal

Riku shows her to her room: a small thing held together by enormous stones, with a bed at the center, a wobbly nightstand, and a door leading to the bathroom. A thin window sits high on the wall, through which Aqua can see this tiny, dark world that Yen Sid calls home.

In the corner of the bedroom is a dusty outline on the floor where something once stood. A mirror, most likely. She peeks into the bathroom to find that the mirror screwed to the wall above the sink has been removed as well, leaving a rectangle of slime-free tile.

What she appreciates the most is how Riku doesn’t make a big show of what he does for her.

“I’ll come get you when Yen Sid’s ready to see you,” Riku says, reaching for the door knob. “Hope it’s comfy enough.”

Nothing about this trip is comfortable.

The Mysterious Tower is just as she left it: a speck far in the distance, too far for darkness to do any real damage. Protected by a sky of stars and magic that bubbles deep into its earth, this place breathes light. Aqua braces her fingers against the stone wall - instead of something cold built by man, she feels sparks of magic scatter across the surface, from memories of mischief and self-discovery.

She lets go and prepares herself to wash up, maybe find some food in one of the tower’s quirky rooms, when Riku knocks on her door.

“That was fast.”

Riku looks at her questioning face and shrugs. “I figured… considering how Terra’s visit went, we should probably get this over with.”

~*~*~*~*~

Yen Sid lounges in his office at the top of the tower. Everything is the same - maybe the notes on his board are different, but the pile of books, most with dust that gathered over years, still sit where they live. The candles burn as though they will never run out of wax. Yen Sid himself doesn’t seem to age.

Riku and Sora flank Aqua, and she stares at the tremendous wooden desk in front of her. Twelve years ago, she slammed her hands against it, adamant that Terra would never do anything to hurt the Master. Something in her gut questions whether Yen Sid has even left his damn chair since.

“I am delighted to see you safe, Master Aqua,” Yen Sid starts, his voice polite, which is the basic minimum for anything professional: solemn, well-mannered, detached.

Initially, she says nothing in return. Eraqus would not have approved of such rudeness, so she swallows her pride. “Thank you, it is good to see you again, too.”

“I assure you will get a decent amount of rest in time.” He folds his hand neatly over each other. “For now, we must eagerly discuss the state of affairs.”

Eagerly, he says, but he talks too slow to understand the meaning of the word.

“Well,” Riku starts.

Aqua feels him taking side glances at her but she keeps her mouth in a firm, straight line.

“We lost Terra,” he says when she doesn’t volunteer, “to the Realm of Darkness.”

Yen Sid grumbles, “With the King.”

“Yeah.” Riku sighs. “I like to think they’re taking care of each other.”

Yen Sid doesn’t seem pleased or agreeable to this. A sick thought crosses Aqua’s mind: He doesn’t think Mickey is safe with Terra. Which isn’t fair.

“We must hurry to the King,” Yen Sid says, and Aqua’s stomach churns that Terra is an afterthought. “Now that we are aware intent to enter the Realm of Darkness is certainly true to statement, we must act swiftly to find another Door to Darkness, as long as we do not sacrifice a world to it.

“Sora,” he commands, “have you made arrangements with the sky pirates to do this?”

Sora fiddles with two of his fingers, staring hard at them. They won’t give him the courage to speak, so there’s no reason to find it there.

“Balthier won’t take my munny.” He frowns. “He demands more from me if I’m going to waste his time searching for something without any direction.”

“What does he call direction?”

“If Fran can track something, then he’ll only do it if the plunder’s good enough for the job.” He shrugs his shoulders and throws his hands in the air.

“Pirates,” Riku mutters.

“Balthier saves people, too!”

“When a world is falling. He takes their riches along with their medicine, food, and weapons… but Traverse Town doesn’t need that anymore.”

Aqua scoffs. Her impatience bubbles, and it takes all her effort to swallow it down.

Sora steps away from her. He’s shocked to see her terrible mood.

“We shan’t wait too long for a world to deteriorate to that state,” Yen Sid says. “Sora, I will pay the pirate more if that is necessary to find an entryway sooner.”

Such quick and decisive action for Mickey.

“Now that we have discussed one path forward, let us continue on to other matters.” If he hasn’t noticed her attitude, he will soon. “Master Aqua, I understand there is trouble getting to Ventus. Anything I can do to aid your efforts?”

Aid, he says.

She creases her lips.

“How long have you known?” she asks quietly.

“Pardon?”

“How long has it been since Mickey found me?” She raises her voice.

Sora shifts with a whimper. Riku crosses his arms, not surprised and not even totally into the conversation. Best to get it over with.

Yen Sid takes his time to study her first before he answers: “Two years.”

Aqua grips her hands into fists, hiding them neatly in her sashes so that the old man doesn’t notice. “Why-”

“Mickey was not yet a Master,” Yen Sid says, his brittle voice finding strength. “Sora and Riku were brand new to the Keyblade, and needed friends, guidance, and training. We did not have the power yet to pursue such a dangerous task.”

What he said should have insulted her, but strangely, she feels serene, empowered by something knowing, something cynical, something that gloats in how tense he’s becoming under her scrutinizing gaze. Yen Sid doesn’t deserve anything she has to offer.

“And what did you do all this time?” she asks with bitter sweetness. “Twiddle your thumbs and eat out of your chair?”

Riku rubs his chin. She’s impressed with how quiet he could stay in a scene like this. Sora stammers like he’s been kissed by a frog.

“Master Aqua…” Yen Sid tries softer this time. “I understand the disappointment. Please, let me offer what I can to help-”

“I don’t need your help to find Ven.” With that, Aqua gives a mock curtsy before turning on her heels and briskly leaving the room.

Behind her, she hears Riku tell Sora to Let her go, each word fading as she runs down the long steps to the bottom.

The audacity of that old, stuffy man.

Aqua is fuming, replaying sentences in her mind again and again: things she could have said to make him really sorry, what he might be saying now to those two young boys. She’s descending so fast that her ankle twists, and she grabs the railing to stop herself from toppling all the way down.

It snaps her out of her stupor.

Riku is so well-mannered for his age, not blinking at the signs of her episode; he’s someone a good Master ought to behave like. Sora doesn’t judge, completely motivated with the need to make everyone comfortable and easy-feeling.

And Aqua embarrassed herself in front of them.

Leaning on the wall behind her, she breathes deeply. The stone is freezing against her skin, too much for her to be at a normal temperature. She palms her forehead to check for a fever; she has none. But her mind is in a hot fury, willing to climb back up and roast Yen Sid with all the insults she still has blurring in her brain - starting with how crusty that beard is.

“You can’t just say whatever you want, Aqua,” she says out loud, hugging herself. “This isn’t like you.”

It’s unbecoming of a Keyblade Master, is what Eraqus would have said.

Aqua decides to descend the rest of the way slowly. Getting mad won’t do anything for Ven, and while she doesn’t have a good lead in creating a pathway back home, she’ll find a way to do it without giving Yen Sid the honor of listening to his advice. She has to.

The last time she was here, she never got a good chance to explore this world. While the front entrance only leads to an outcrop overlooking deep space, the back entrance leads to a garden, awnings making way over the shrubbery until it circles a pool.

Aqua stiffens. It’s not long enough to swim in, so it couldn’t be deep enough to get up to her thighs.

But it’s big enough to drown in, and that’s the worst part.

The water is as still as glass, but it doesn’t mean it’s peaceful or safe. If she’s careful enough, Aqua would be able to see her reflection if she stood over it.

She doesn’t dare try. Instead, she sits on a stone bench far enough away that the pool couldn’t get to her. There isn’t a good reason to sit here, really, except for the fact that she misses the idea of enjoying water: of being at the beach, of swimming against Ven in a race, of splashing it on Terra’s face when he isn’t looking. Showering in a bathtub doesn’t compare… a dark voice in her mind tells her that she’ll never experience water the same way anymore.

“Are you Aqua?”

That voice belongs to a girl in a short pink dress, who helps herself to the stone bench even when Aqua doesn’t immediately reply.

“I am.”

The girl stares up in awe. “You were the one Terra was looking for? Wow, I didn’t think you’d be the same person…”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, I’m Kairi.” She holds her hand to her chest.

Aqua gasps. “Kairi?” It’s true. There’s the same necklace she charmed years ago, draped around her neck. Aqua almost brushes it with her fingers, but thought better of it. At least it kept Kairi safe. At least this is one success she could account for.

Kairi is so unrecognizable now, but it makes sense: the cropped auburn hair, the round violet eyes, a curious smile. And a heart that is unmistakably brighter than anyone’s here.

“You were so little,” Aqua says quietly. “I can’t believe you remember me.”

“Um, not really.” Kairi sheepishly rubs the back of her head, then waves her hand in the air as if imagining something. “All I remember is something really tall… and blue.”

Aqua has to laugh. Kairi is quite small. Still.

“But when I heard that Aqua was here, I had to see - never in my life would I have made the connection that Blue and Aqua were one in the same.” Kairi smirks, leaning forward to study Aqua in the face. “No wonder Terra was so obsessed with finding you. You’re really pretty.”

“Uh-” Nothing useful comes out of her mouth. That can’t be the reason. Aqua hides the heat in her cheeks with one dignified hand as though she isn’t affected by it.

“Terra acted the same when he talked about you,” Kairi grins, patting Aqua on the knee.

But her excitement deteriorates soon after, her hands finding each other at her stomach as though she’s swallowing something rotten. “I heard about what happened to him…” To Aqua’s surprise, tears develop in Kairi’s eyes, trailing down without much effort on her part to produce them.

They even surprise Kairi. “I’m sorry.” She wipes them off her face, sniffling. “I don’t know where that came from. I didn’t know him long.”

Aqua more than understands, she’s just much more practiced at roping it in.

“He makes a strong impression on anyone he meets,” Aqua says, brushing her hand lightly over Kairi’s head.

A small smile curls at Kairi’s lips despite the onslaught out of her eyes. Kairi hangs all of her expressions at the edge of her nose. Her sincerity is something to be admired.

“He’s a lot kinder than what he gives himself credit for.”

“Yes.”

“He was really helpful and sweet when he trained me.” Reality strikes her, and the tears dry up. “Would you mind teaching me a bit?” Then shame makes its way, as though she asked for too much. “I- I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.”

A Princess of Heart fighting? A brilliant idea. “Of course, it’s not a bother at all.”

Kairi takes her inside to a large ballroom equipped with destroyed furniture: hollow sofas, the shells of cupboards, the foundations of bookshelves, dilapidated bedposts. Pots and pans. Chipped plastic. From what Aqua can tell, they were used for target practice.

“Terra was really particular about my posture,” Kairi says, summoning her Keyblade - frilly, like the heart of someone who carries the joy of life with her. She sinks low into her knees. “But we focused mostly on my ability to block attacks. The rest is basic stuff.”

By the looks of her stance, he’s done good work.

“Then let’s talk about what you really want out of your fighting ability.” Aqua summons the Master’s Defender.

Kairi flashes an embarrassed frown. “To catch up with Sora and Riku.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes.” Forgetting about her posture, Kairi throws her passion out in a flurry. “It’s not about being as good as them - I want to make them see that when they need me, I can be there. They don’t have to worry or doubt me for a second.”

“That sounds a lot like comparing yourself.”

Kairi ponders for a moment. “Sora and Riku are patient with my training, but for years they’ve left me behind.”

Aqua has to think about it before responding… listen to the words Kairi is finding difficulty in expressing. So much of it stems from an insecurity and a drive to level with her more experienced friends, and a needle pricks right into Aqua’s ribs when she thinks of how Ven has been treated in the past.

If they never held themselves back when training with Ven, or treated him like a puppy needing to stay home, then he wouldn’t be unconscious now.

Sora and Riku work full steam ahead, and Kairi needs to match their speeds without the burden of mastering technique before she’s ready. What she wants is to feel useful to them. What she needs is to be equipped with something that could get her out of trouble in a pinch.

Aqua thinks of Noctis, and how he uses his weapons as points of destination.

“I have a unique idea.”

Instructing Kairi to stand by the farthest wall, Aqua does the opposite to create the most distance between them.

“From there,” Aqua says, “I want you to take a hit on me before I’m able to block - without doing a far-range attack.”

Kairi gapes. “H- How am I supposed to do that?”

“You’ll adapt to the circumstances.” At Kairi’s agony, Aqua shrugs. “I’m more strict than Terra. We won’t stop until your heart makes the connection.”

Kairi shivers and settles herself. “I’ll try.”

She does a dash - which is the expected choice and Aqua easily blocks it.

“Again,” Aqua says. “Use your magic.”

Another dash - this time propelled. Blocked.

“Again.”

Three more times, all blocked, and by now, Kairi is panting for breath.

“You’re exerting too much on your physical body. Remember your magic. Your Keyblade is your heart in physical form: all its desires, life goals, and insecurities are embedded into your weapon. If you want to come at me faster than I can block, then will it.”

“Magic,” Kairi rasps. “Right.”

Now she’s getting it. Instead of dashing across the room this time, she blends with the air, teleporting to Aqua’s position. But it’s still not fast enough.

“On the right track. Try again.”

“But Aqua-”

“Your Keyblade needs to get here before you do.” Aqua winks.

“Isn’t that kind of like a Strike Raid?” An attack that utilizes the Keyblade like a boomerang.

“Not quite.”

Kairi is exhausted and probably doesn’t have the energy to think too much, but it’s necessary to let her heart define it for itself. That’s the only way to communicate with your own Keyblade.

But she’s the type of student that is eager to please, and as her eyes drift away with her imagination, it dawns on her. “That’s genius,” she whispers.

With new resolve, Kairi properly stands.

“Let’s start for real,” Aqua says.

Kairi throws her Keyblade. Aqua feels in the air Kairi’s energy not to aim, but to be where the Keyblade goes, and she blurs through the room, letting her heart guide her to where.

She doubts herself, though, and drops her Keyblade halfway across.

“I’ll try again!” Scrambling back to her spot across the room, Kairi throws, warping as though both wielder and weapon are chasing each other, knocking past unsuspecting pieces of couch legs.

Aqua cannot block the strike but manages to move - not the most grateful dodge she’s ever done, but it does the job even if it lands her flat on her stomach.

“We did it,” Kairi says shakily the moment she realizes all she’s done without using her feet.

Aqua snorts and picks herself up. “You did it.”

“I did it!” With squeals and claps, Kairi jumps in place, throwing an embrace over Aqua’s way, triumphantly parading with her Keyblade.

It’s worth the effort to see. Aqua has needed something pleasant today, and maybe giving someone else hope will satiate some kind of karmic hunger out there and return the favor.

“No one invited me to the celebration,” Sora’s voice strides into the room, his giant toothy grin followed by a very solemn Riku.

“You guys will never guess what I can do now,” Kairi says. Realizing she sounds like she’s preparing a show for them, she backtracks. “I- I’ll polish it first, then show you.”

“Kairi has a lot of promise,” Aqua says, drawing the hilt of her Keyblade in and resting its tip on the floor, standing straighter. Riku’s presence, though totally lost in his own head, makes her nervous. She wills the image of her episode away.

“You’re not going to show us?” Sora asks, casually standing with them like he’s inviting himself over to their inside joke. Aqua wonders if he’s ever been rejected before, but Kairi’s more than happy to keep a small success to herself.

Riku takes a more respectful distance and sits on a chair with a missing armrest. “Of course she won’t. Destiny Islanders have spunk.”

“Except Riku,” Kairi retorts. “He only knows grouchy.”

“Says who?”

“Your face. You look like you spent an hour reading obituaries.”

A muscle twitches in Sora’s jaw, and he takes himself to Riku’s side.

It reminds Aqua all too much of herself and Ven: how she and Terra would share a rare distaste with training when it doesn’t go their way, or worries about the future, cutting Ven out of certain bits. Aqua wouldn’t count that Ven never noticed.

She hopes that Kairi doesn’t take it personally. It never is.

“Sorry,” Riku says, willing a more natural smile to come. “I am happy for you. Maybe you’ll get to join us on missions next time.”

“She already should be,” Aqua says.

Kairi sighs in relief. “I’m ready to share the work. What’s the plan now? I can handle it.”

This is where Riku and Sora stare at Aqua.

“Must have been an interesting meeting,” Kairi says, cutting the silence.

“It was the same level of cringe as Terra’s,” Sora says, snickering. It doesn’t improve the atmosphere, so he switches gears. “You can come with us wherever you’d like, Kairi,” he offers, like it’s supposed to be a consolation but Aqua suspects there are limitations to such a contract. “Except the Realm of Darkness.”

“You’re going to the Realm of Darkness?”

Again, they glance over at Aqua. Are they expecting her to lead an expedition? To have a differing opinion?

“Is there something you want from me?” Aqua asks when they won’t budge.

Sora hangs his head but Riku is the one to speak: “I don’t want to bet on a world falling for us to enter. There’s no way to predict when it would happen or how long it would take. Estimated guesses are just that, and if we waited a day too long, we could have lost Traverse Town.”

“Or not. It could have stood for another week,” Sora quips in.

“Exactly. It’s a very unstable plan and it could take forever.”

When Sora’s eyes meet Aqua’s, he warms up. Aqua has to wonder how his parents raised him to be this open and loving to everyone he meets.

“How did you do it?” he asks.

Next to her, Kairi tenses. Riku seems unfazed - it was probably his question, but Sora is the better mediator.

It’s the worst memory in Aqua’s disposal, but the most important. Aqua has to be professional, cast away the way her heart rages at the thought.

“A world didn’t fall, if that’s what you’re really asking,” she starts. “I was fighting… Xehanort, and he…struck himself with his Keyblade. To the heart.”

Sora steps back, a giggle worming its way out. “That’s an intense experience.”

Riku scoffs, amused. “It makes sense now.”

“And out came a horned monster,” Aqua continues. “You could say it resembles a Heartless, large and angry. Its teeth were bound by bindings… or bandages. It had an empty hole in its chest-”

She stops. The looks she’s getting - they recognize it.

Sora turns to Riku, his eyes wide. “Is she talking about-?”

Riku faces him. “Ansem’s Guardian?”

At Aqua’s stunned expression, Sora waves her confusion away. “No, no, not the Ansem you know. That’s the real Ansem. There’s a fake Ansem, and he’s the one who controls the Guardian.”

That doesn’t clear anything up.

Riku holds his hand up. “What matters is what happened when the Guardian appeared.”

“Well, he commanded it to come after me,” Aqua says.

“As he does.” Riku shrugs.

“But when I defeated him, it fell into a black pit. It was the force that created the Door to Darkness, and…”

Terra fell.

“I went after him.”

The room buckles under the weight of her words, a little too quiet for her liking but it’s better than anyone apologizing to her. Kairi holds a hand to Aqua’s shoulder, but it doesn’t help much.

“Maybe that’s the answer,” Sora says slowly. “It probably created a force of darkness so strong, it just warped reality.”

Kairi glares at him as though he’s said the wrong thing.

But Riku nods like he’s reading the same mind. “We could sacrifice it. Not a bad idea.”

“It sounds like you’re talking about hunting him down,” Kairi says. “Isn’t that a little risky, trying to draw out his attention?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” The way Riku says it leaves everyone else out of the equation.

“If you can find him.”

Aqua has to ask: “Is that difficult?”

Riku strains a smile; he’s remembering something unpleasant, something he still hasn’t made peace with. “Not really. But admittedly he is more trouble than he’s worth.”

Aqua bites her cheek. Everyone makes it sound like rescuing Terra is the biggest hassle.

“Then I’ll do it.”

Sora grimaces, and Riku waves his hands in surrender. “That’s not what I meant. Not at all. But I do think that getting to Ventus may be an easier goal to reach right now. Once we have greater numbers, and we don’t have our attention scattered as much, provoking Ansem shouldn’t be an issue. We can do it together.”

Aqua stops herself from drawing a long scoff, holding her hand to her hip to prevent herself from flailing it around in frustration. Professional is the key word here.

“Except I don’t really know where to begin,” Aqua says quietly. “I know where Ven is, but I don’t have a way of getting to him without my Keyblade.”

“Oh that’s easy!” Sora says. “Terra had it with him.”

“What?”

“He carried it around at Destiny Islands, when he was with us,” Kairi says.

“But I don’t recall seeing him with it in Traverse Town,” Riku says. “It’s possible he put it away somewhere.”

The question hangs over their heads.

Riku inhales as he thinks about a place to start. “He spent the majority of his time in Radiant Garden.”

Right where she broke her tether to it. It’s a possibility that Terra took it back there. Not likely, but plausible.

“We should go tomorrow, first thing,” Sora says, slamming a fist into his palm. “There’s got to be a trail of clues we could follow. Maybe Terra left a sign saying Here’s her Keyblade.” He motions with his hand, bracketing invisible words in the air.

“If there’s nowhere else…” Aqua hushes.

“If not there,” Riku says, “then we’ll go back to Traverse Town and search his room. If it’s not there either, we’ll think of something. I can’t imagine that he’d leave you hanging.”

He’d never; Terra has always been the worst at hiding anyway. As children, he’d giggle too loudly that playing hide and seek with him was always futile. As teens, he never withstood the feeling of being lonely for too long, so if he needed time to himself, he’d leave notes with suggestions of when he’s ready for company.

Hiding a Keyblade to protect it is something he wouldn’t commit recklessly, but just like she was able to track him down a long journey through multiple worlds when he disappeared, he’d leave the smallest crumbs.

“Then it’s a solid plan,” Kairi says, stepping her foot down. “I’m coming with.”

They’re much more optimistic about it than Aqua is (honestly, it sounds like they’re leading themselves blind).

Either way, she bids them sweet dreams, a knife forged of the worst anticipation gutting at her. Maybe her mood will improve in the morning.

When she leaves the ballroom, the knife twisting at her side digs deeper the moment she overhears Riku saying over the other side of the door: “That was something.”

Aqua peeks through the crack. Riku has lost his composure he had in her presence, slouching over and smothering his face in his palm. Sora looks tired, his usual joy giving way to reflection.

Kairi shifts uncomfortably. “She’s been through a lot.”

“She’s like a boiling teapot about to explode.”

“Except teapots don’t explode.”

“But you’d rather have your hand cut off than have it melt from the steam.”

“Come on,” Sora says, “this won’t be the same situation as it was with Terra… At least, I hope not.”

Riku throws Sora a hard glance. “I’m only saying that something’s not entirely right. I can’t tell how she’s going to react to things. Sometimes, I get the impression that I’m not talking to the same person.”

Silence.

“Honestly, I’ve felt the same,” Sora murmurs, “but I can’t blame her.”

“No one is.”

Kairi starts sniffling, bringing her wrist to wipe her face.

Sora asks, “Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t that weird?”

Next, Sora’s the one to shed a tear. “I guess I don’t know either.”

Riku looks at his friends not with concern, but with horror. He sighs into his hand, rubs his face, and thinks better than to let them cry alone. Joining them, he pulls them both into an embrace, roughing their hair enough to leave frizz.

“Knock it off, you two.”

He ignores their protests, squeezing them in his elbows. Sora can’t wrestle his way out, so he says to Kairi, “He’s still ticklish in the same spots.”

The last sight Aqua sees is a heap of three best friends on the floor, the tallest one begging the others to stop.

~*~*~*~*~

Aqua treks back to her room with ferocity. They think she’s crazy. Maybe she is. Maybe she’s lost a part of herself to the Realm of Darkness forever, chewed up and spit out in a lumpy blob that she can’t bring herself to swallow.

That thought should terrify her, but it doesn’t. Aqua’s more concerned with how hopeless she let them feel. What’s the point of being a Keyblade Master if she can’t inspire those around her? Or make them feel protected and listened to? She doesn’t know how to make it up to them.

She should apologize - and yet, there’s a small voice inside that loathes to do so. It’s not her fault for acting up; she’s earned the right. They’ll be patient with her and see she’s not all bad.

Or maybe she’s just as bad as they say. The moment she sees Yen Sid standing in her way will test that.

“Master Aqua,” he calls, his pointy hat looking all the longer because of the way the torches that line the stone walls illuminate it.

She wants to ignore him. She doesn’t - wouldn’t Eraqus be proud? She waits for him to continue, hands laced in front of her, posture straight, expression neutral. Professional.

“I had hoped,” he starts, then stops himself. Ah, so he knows there’s nothing he could say that would be a proper apology to what happened. “I completely understand where you are coming from.”

Aqua doesn’t respond.

“I mean to ask forgiveness.”

Silence.

“Cast away this unpleasant business between us. I have no expectation that you’d lend a hand of friendship towards me, but we can still benefit from an alliance.” He extends his hand out, not as a gesture to hold hers, but as a symbol.

She could forgive him, and she would have before falling to darkness, before Eraqus had ever sent them on an insane journey without giving them any of the crucial details, before hearing anything insulting about Terra. She could have.

“I’ll consider it when I have the time,” she says, her voice flat but strong.

Yen Sid draws his hand back. There’s a slight offense to his eyes before he wavers it away.

“This road you have chosen to follow may be dangerous.”

“Excuse me?”

“Following Terra.”

“I’m so tired of defending Terra,” she spits.

“You have mistaken me,” Yen Sid says. The quality of his voice dips deep, like a growl. “Just as I have warned Terra about his limitations when it came to you, I sense the same desperate recklessness within you.”

“His life is worthy enough to save.”

“So is yours.” He stares at her, a hand teasing the length of his beard. “Will you not trust him to fend for himself in the darkness?”

Her lips quiver and she zips them up. Professional. “Won’t you?”

Yen Sid sighs, disappointed. “I hope our next meeting is more amicable. Please look out for yourself, Master Aqua.”

“Likewise.”

She storms into her room and slams the door. She’s burning up, the heat from her body creating perspiration that denses through her hair, but not enough to let the sweat fall. No, she doesn’t have a fever.

There’s nothing here for her to throw around, so she paces back and forth. Back and forth, again and again, until one last huff expires out of her.

“Terra,” she calls out softly as though he is right by her side. Who knows, maybe he can hear her from somewhere deep in the darkness if she focuses enough.

Pulling out his orange Wayfinder, Aqua massages her fingers over the borders. Maybe her magic on it would have worked better if she had his essence embedded into the glass, instead of her intention to keep him close by.

When she made it, she never once thought that the sight of it would bring regret.

“I’m so angry,” she says to it, shaking her leg. She’s exhausted, but nowhere near the fits of depletion from earlier nights that easily pulled her under. She’d be an idiot to expect sleep to come any time soon. “None of them understand.”

Except they do; they have been separated before, forgotten, then weaved back together.

Yet they don’t; they never had to pay such an expensive price such as twelve years.

“Please come back,” she whispers. She could cry, but she’s all dried up. Begging only makes her feel worse.

“I’ll bring you back,” she demands of the quiet when nothing responds to her.

She could scream, but she doesn’t. She’s a knot of weeded thorns, something that yearns to slice to numb the pain and grow out to breathe, choking at the same time.

The bed creaks and moans under her weight, but it’s not comfortable. The sheets are cold. The stone walls are apathetic to her mood, gray and bored.

Aqua holds the Wayfinder close, but it does nothing to soothe her. She opts to stare at the ceiling in a contest she can’t win.

~*~*~*~*~

Her hair reached her ribcage in tousled waves that coiled at the tips. Ven called it a flag of water that rippled whenever she moved, but it rippled too much; she certainly resented it when it whipped her in the face during training.

Her mother would have called it stunning, just like hers.

A sepia-toned portrait sat on Aqua’s vanity table of a woman with the same hair and a man with a thick handle-bar moustache, wearing a bowler’s hat.

“I’m sorry, mama,” sixteen-year-old Aqua said, scissors in hand, mirror smudge-free, hair ready to be tamed.

The first snip came at the point right above her ear, and Aqua winced from watching it all fall to the ground. A panic shot through her, and she wondered if there was magic to reverse the damage just in case. But Aqua was brave and Aqua was relentless.

Cutting the rest of her hair came easier, a waterfall having its last hurrah. She went shorter, and then much more. She might have done too much, but keeping it layered should justify the work. Now it was a pixie cut: clean, prissy, and above all, out of her face.

Aqua presented herself during breakfast. Ven still wasn’t up and the Master was busy in his office, so Terra, who sat at the table with a mug of coffee, was the first to see.

The mug stopped before it reached his lips while he gaped. She sat in front of him. He didn’t say a word.

Suddenly, she regretted it.

“It was always getting in the way,” she said, surprised by how assured she sounded.

He blinked. “It’s cute.”

“It’s what?” Warriors were supposed to be practical. Not cute. Never cute, damn it all.

“Nothing. I didn’t actually say anything.” He sipped his coffee, avoiding her gaze. If he caught it, she’d have words to throw at him.

She still did. “I’ll dump that coffee on you the next time I hear you say that.”

Terra stole glances at her, mainly toward the top of her head, and his eyes almost sparkled. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself. “It is pretty, though.”

… What was she supposed to say to that? All she had was vacant stammering.

“Well, you know,” he set back, “I don’t want you to feel bad about it.”

Part of her wanted to kill him. Part of her wanted to find the spell to make it grow.

He blundered for more words, set his coffee mug down, and pressed his index finger onto the surface of the table to make a poignant argument. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

She grimaced. “I’m not going to play nice with you during training today.”

“I probably deserve it,” he chuckled.

“You definitely deserve it.”

He smiled, and stared more at her hair. Not with disgust, not with shock, but with admiration.

It hit her then - he meant what he said. Which left one question to nag at her for the rest of breakfast:

She was pretty to him?

#terraqua #kh fanfic #aqua #riku #sora #kairi #kingdom hearts fanfiction #i can't believe it took me this long to update this piece #my fic

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lifebeginsbyleaving · 5 years

Text

Everything but the kitchen table

The Hale house holds so much pain from the past for Derek, but it also holds so much potential for the future. Is he willing to let go of the charred remains in order to open the door and see it rebuilt? And what if all that pain and guilt is the only thing keeping him from the one thing he always gets lead back to. Is he really ashes in the ground or will Stiles be able to show him that he's a phoenix only in need of a spark?

This is part two to Totem poleing through the woods 101. This is also for sterek week 2019 the prompt movie night, but it kinda got away from me.

Derek heard something faintly coming down the driveway, so he turned his blaring music down. He was surprised to hear the old jeep rattling quite close to the house. Stiles was on bed rest for at least another week. The pack had been taking turns keeping him occupied during the days, and everyone found out quickly, operation 'keep Stiles off his sprained ankle' was no fun. Issac still will not speak of the day he ran out of adderall because he forgot to call the pharmacy. It was only two before the sheriff could run them his back up he kept at his office, but Isaac still gets a look of horror if you say 'I'm bored'.

It wasn't Derek's turn for a couple more days and Stiles wasn't supposed to be driving.

Derek quickly took off his dust mask, goggles, and dropped his sledgehammer while he heard squeaky breaks and gravel flying.

Derek took the steps two at a time, but by the time he opened the door Stiles was already out of his jeep and leaning against it.

"Oh haei erig. Ow es et oing?"

"What are you doing here? What have I said? Wait for help stupid!"

Stiles glared, and considering he was carrying a giant bag, filled with curly fries and burgers by stuffing it in his mouth, it lost some of its intended harshness. "Ood. I ough fouud."

Derek took the slightly slobbery bag of food out of Stiles' mouth.

"Ahh thanks man." Stiles, with one hand, kept stuffing things into a duffel bag that some how exploded mid drive, the other he used to keep his nonexistent balance.

"I'm not sure if whatever you just tried to pass off as words were words, but if they were, was it the answer to my question?"

Stiles stilled his shoving. "Derek it is too early in the morning for you to be confusing me like that. That was too many Ws for eight in the morning on a Saturday."

Derek rubbed his face in annoyance. "Stiles. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" He gestured wildly except for 'you' he pointed at Stiles and for 'here' he pointed at the ground.

"And like I said before, Rude! I brought food." Stiles resumed his one handed shoving.

"Okay so you came over here to bring food, for yourself, to eat in front of me?"

Stiles looked offended. "I, unlike you! Have manners. I brought your favorite."

Derek rolled his eyes. "That is from a burger place on the edge of town. We've never been there together, and the teens that work there get cranky when you order more than seven burgers, so we don't do it for pack night. You don't know my favorite."

"Double cheese burger, no pickles, no mustard, extra onions, and ranch to dip it in. You heathen. Large vanilla shake with a medium regular fry. Bitch."

Derek looked stunned. "How do you possibly know that? We've neve-"

"I'm magic."

Derek gave him the 'oh yeah and I'm the king of leather jackets' eyebrows.

Looking back he didn't know why he named them that, he is the king of leather jackets. Hot damn.

"Erica mentioned it once. The no pickles thing really makes her distrust you, me, I'm more concerned about the ranch thing." Stiles finally finished packing and put the bag over his shoulder. He tried reaching his crutch in the back, but it had shifted in the drive. He couldn't quite reach it. Derek opened the back door and as Stiles' fingertips barely grazed it Derek pulled it out and brought it up to him.

"I had it. But thank you."

He propped himself up with the crutch, then he started looking for his phone which disappeared.

"Alright. Okay, off track. Why did you come to eat here? Why did you leave? You aren't supposed to be driving. I told you if you needed anything to text! I would've brought you food. Wait who was with you today?!"

"Here's the thing, I know your order and you don't know mine. Because you're a selfish prick that doesn't care about me." Stiles stuck out his bottom lip.

"Oh shut up Mr. Two large curly fries, diet coke, and bacon cheese burger! And I don't need you here if you'r- wait... Uggh, Stiles! You did that on purpose. You're trying to distract me, or trick me. You tried to make me angry on purpose!"

Stiles looked back up at him from where he was bent over to look under the seat. "Making the other angry is a defining characteristic of our relationship." He turned back. "And I don't see wh-"

"I want to know who you conned to get here, and I want it to be the next thing out of your mouth."

Derek could smell that Stiles was uncomfortable before he sighed and began speaking. "It was supposed to be my dad, but his days off don't always go as planned. Since he could be called in, Scott was on standby. So my dad Facebook messaged him, don't even ask why he won't text, and Scott still has all of his passwords as Allison soooo..." Stiles had been searching for an obviously not under that seat phone, conveniently crouched in a place Derek couldn't see his face.

"You logged on, pretended to be him, and deleted the messages to play Bueller. That still doesn't explain why you're here, this isn't the sears tower."

"Actually the dad not texting story is pretty funn-"

"Stiles!"

He leaned up quickly. "Fine! Okay. I just couldn't handle being in that house anymore it was driving me crazy. And I know they were only trying to help, but the pack babysitting me got on my nerves. I have a sprain, I didn't loose the bottom half of my body. And you're the only one that doesn't make me feel like I'm broken. I mean, you worry more than my father does, but you still let me do what I can without letting me do what I can't. Or letting me convince you I can actually do it."

Stiles scratched the back of his head. "And I knew you would start here today, so I wanted to be here. For you. You shouldn't be alone for this. So I came to listen, or to talk. Whatever you need. Whatever you want. If you want. I mean you might not want me to, but too bad. I'm here now. And I brought movies."

Derek took a deep breath. "Okay. Fine."

Derek paused in a defeated silence.

"Is that why there's a blow up mattress strapped to your roof?"

"I figured you still wouldn't have power yet, and I didn't think you would let me use the generator for it." He would have.

"Right. Do I even want to know how you got that up there?"

"No, not really."

"Okay. Inside."

Three mission impossibles later, Derek knew why it took Stiles so long to repack it, and why it looked so full. His old living room, and the air mattress that occupied it, was covered with stuff. There was candy all over, half eaten bags of chips scattered, and cords running from a battery bank to his computer and phone. Not to mention the surplus of blankets, sleeping bags, and quilts he must've mugged an old lady for that wrapped him in multiple layers like a mummy.

It was starting to get late and he was sweaty and dirty from the dust and work of knocking down the ruined walls of the left side of the house.

This was only the beginning of a long process, but Derek did feel like it was starting to heal him. The first few days after they got back from the woods that night, Derek watched over him and took the pain Stiles insisted was nothing. Even though he knew Stiles was joking when he said it was Derek's fault, he still knew Stiles wouldn't have been out there if it wasn't for him. He went out there for him to make sure he was okay, so the least Derek could do was stay with him to do the same. To keep him occupied they talked a lot, and Stiles kept bringing up the old Hale house and before the fourth day Derek had a contractor scheduled to come look at it by the next Thursday. Stiles had said something that had stuck with him and he couldn't sleep without it nagging him so much he had eventually called. The next day Stiles handed him papers on where to rent equipment and an industrial sized dumpster without Derek even saying anything and his words rang in his head once again.

'It's only closure if you're really closing something off. I don't think you ever really had closure with that house, because that book hasn't ended yet. Maybe the chapter did, but I don't think you're ready for it to be the end of the Hales. Are you ready to close that book when Cora or your pack could help you carry it on? They could be your future. Hell even Peter could. Derek, do you really want that to be where your story ends, or are you just too scared that looking at the next page is going to hurt knowing what isn't going to be written there. Who won't be there. Maybe you have to let go of them to hold on to who you have, and even what you could have. If you want it."

Stiles was right. He had been holding onto burning corpses for so long he forgot how to hold anything else. His hands were either too sensitive from the healing that it hurt him to hold on, or he chased people away with the callouses of scarred, harsh skin.

Stiles understood him in a way only his family ever had. Derek forgot what it like to trust someone to have your back and be able to take care of themselves before Stiles kept getting thrown in his path.

There was a small nagging part of him that thought maybe that made Stiles his, that maybe he had been resisting all this time for nothing. If he was being honest he had thought Stiles had been his the moment he jumped in that pool, but he needed to be sure.

Stiles was right he wanted to rebuild his future, he'd yearned for it for a long time, but he had to make sure it was the right one and that he had the right people. He had thought he was building something with people that only ever tore him down, so he was cautious. Maybe slightly over cautious, but the pack, his pack was involved.

He wouldn't trust the wrong person twice. Stiles wouldn't hurt him, but his past was like an old wound pulling his shoulder tight as his arms tried to reach out. It felt like a warning, reminder, and punishment all at the same time. Even as he tried to push the paranoia down he had to be sure. He wouldn't let silence fall on his pack again, even if he'd never been more sure of anything.

"Are you seriously starting the fourth one? Turn that off. I'm going to drive you home."

Stiles' eyes blinked rapidly to adjust from the computer screen to the dark. "Derek. Whoa! When did it get so dark?"

"It's like eight thirty. Get ready."

Stiles took a moment to focus. "No. I told dad I was staying at Scott's overnight, because it's too much moving to do just for a day. Plus he knows our gaming nights are always overnighters and most likely the whole weekend."

"Alright fine. You can come to the loft." Derek started gathering the duffel bag back together.

"No. I want to stay here."

"Stiles I'm not letting you stay here. It's cold, unprotected, and you're hurt."

"Well too bad it's not up to you. A shame really." He smoothed the blankets out on top of himself to prove his point, the little shit.

"I'm not letting you stay in this house yet. It's a disaster, it's not fit to stay in."

Stiles looked up defiantly. "This house is wonderful. I'm not going to get cold. The minute I got settled you boarded off this entire room to keep the heat from the heater in. It's not cold. Besides I came prepared, you are looking at every blanket in the Stilinski house except my dad's comforter. It's not unprotected, you're here, and so fucking what if I'm hurt? And what do you mean not fit to stay in? You stayed here! I mean I know it was a part of your holy self flagellation crusade to punish yourself, but you're still kickin so it must be okay. I'm staying here, are you?"

Derek sighed deeply, that was his 'I'm not changing my mind and you'll have to listen to me' voice. It sounded a lot like his regular voice to him. "Fine, but I get the big blue fluffy sleeping bag if I'm sleeping on the cold floor." Derek moved to grab the end of it to pull it from Stiles like a magician would a table cloth.

"Ah uh." Stiles shook his head them lifted the top corner of the layers of blankets. "I said it wasn't cold, not that it was warm. Come on, super heat please."

Derek internally debated till he saw Stiles start to lower the covers. "Fine. Only because your scrawny ass would freeze, and your dad has multiple guns."

"Atta boy."

This wasn't a couch, but with Stiles falling asleep next to him he easily imagined this happening more just like he had imagined that night in the woods. No matter how much of Stiles he got he always wanted more.

They watched a few more movies before Stiles' battery bank ran out and they both were tired. They both had seen them before so they talked throughout them about how the contractor said the only part that has to be completely demolished and rebuilt was the left side of the house which he was currently working on, what the next steps were, and they argued about whether or not Stiles would be staying tomorrow to watch more movies and occasionally shout, 'Oh nice one. I felt the walls rattle over here.' and 'Derek this is a good part!' while eating snacks.

He would be.

As they settled to go to sleep in the darkness Derek spoke, "Thank you. For today. The burger, the company, and the movies. I needed it and I didn't even know it, but you did. So thanks."

Derek heard Stiles's pillow rustle and he knew Stiles was looking where his human eyes thought his face was. It was oddly sweet that even now he wanted to show he was being sincere. "I'll always be here Derek."

There was a silence, then his pillow rustled again. "I'm like gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe, I'll stick around till you scrape me off."

Derek smiled into the darkness. "Goodnight gum eternally stuck to the bottom of my shoe."

"Goodnight inconvenient shoe that stole me from my sidewalk."

There was another pause.

"Good night Derek."

Derek's smile turned from amused to loving even if no one saw. "Goodnight Stiles."

Derek fell asleep with the soothing rhythm of Stiles' heartbeat and the pattern of his breathing in his ears.

Derek awoke from his slumber sensing danger. He half shifted and looked out with red eyes about to spring up. He searched his side of the room before turning and looking over Stiles.

His eyes caught a raccoon across the room that must've been used to this place being abandoned. It was snacking on a half eaten granola bar Stiles left out. Stiles turned in his sleep and drew the attention of the raccoon. It's beady little eyes were looking right at Stiles' sleeping face. Derek didn't like it. He pulled Stiles to his chest while growling with once again red eyes. Derek couldn't tell if the territorial tone of his growl was restaking his claim on the Hale property, or telling the raccoon to keep his grubby little paws off his Stiles. Either way it got the message, scampering away with the granola bar and snagging a bag of chips on his run out.

"Derek!"

Derek had just finished clearing out the charred remains of one of his cousins rooms and the dust was clouding his eyes and blurring them, even through his goggles, when he heard the shout. He made his way back to the room Stiles was in.

Stiles had called him at least a dozen times and Derek had come in to take breaks and catch parts of the movies when he got too tired or overwhelmed. Each time he would get whatever the other needed, and then each time Stiles would say what he needed to hear.

"Yes?"

"Do you know where my sour cream and onion chips are?"

Derek fought a grin. "By now? Eaten probably."

"I knew it! You ate my chips, you know they're my favorite! You bastard!"

"Second favorite, and I don't like sour cream and onion chips."

"Well then who took them? I bet you've been lying this whole time, so the pack trusts you and then bam! You steal their snacks. You fiend!"

Derek deadpanned. "Drats I've been caught. I've been lying this whole time to steal chips I could just buy myself."

"Seriously Derek I can't find them."

"I'll get you more. I have to go get some stuff for dinner anyway."

The theft was forgotten. "Will you get chicken fajitas?"

Derek nodded from where he was putting his mask back on. "Yeah I'll get some extra too, so you can take some for your dad tomorrow."

Stiles was taken aback by just how much that meant to him. Derek had sent Melissa flowers after she patched him up once and he sent all the cats of the little old ladies that seemed drawn to him and wouldn't stop talking about how worried about mister snuffles they were, over to Deaton to get them to stop talking, but this was him going out of his way to take care of his father. That meant the world to Stiles. It also didn't go unnoticed that Derek didn't put up a fight about Stiles staying again. He felt overwhelmed by all the feelings and the hope building in his chest.

"I love you."

Derek froze in his path back to the room he was working on.

"Shit no I- I meant thank you! Thank you that was very sweet."

Stiles noticed his tense shoulders slump.

"Yeah no problem." Derek resumed his path back towards the steps.

Oh fuck Stiles didn't mean to do that either. He basically said I love you then took it back. Shit. He couldn't let Derek misunderstand him.

"I do though."

Derek's arm stilled on the banister.

"I do love you." Even with the annoying dust mask blocking his view he could tell Derek was slightly smiling while he nodded softly. "You are a great alpha, a great friend, an-" Stiles hesitated for a moment that gave away what they both wished he could say next. "And a great contractor so go up there and show those walls who's boss!"

Stiles stayed the night again and watched the entire Bourne series. Derek caught the last two and they argued about their differing opinions about Jeremy Renner's acting choices. They both tried to pretend this wasn't going to become a thing.

Derek woke up wrapped around Stiles again and he couldn't possibly imagine how he thought he'd be strong enough to resist this.

After packing up his stuff Derek drove him back with the leftovers. He tried carrying Stiles up the steps, but that was met with threats of shoving a crutch somewhere it should not be. They did laugh again after Stiles said he wasn't two. Derek swore he could listen to that laugh forever and he could happily spend the rest of his life trying to cause it.

They didn't speak again until it was Derek's day. Then it was like the floodgates of planning opened.

Stiles told Derek he was bored and had nothing to do so he researched rebuilding houses and everything they needed to know. Which was a lot. He did have Derek fill in some holes though. How long do you want this to take was met with, I want the house ready as soon as possible, but there is no deadline. His various questions about the type of contractors he wanted were more in depth. Then, when Stiles asked what the budget was Derek said I wasn't an issue. Stiles insisted he needed at least a guess estimate. Derek blankly told him he had five point five million dollars worth of life and homeowners insurance policies to cash in and if that wasn't enough he could get more. The way he said it told Stiles he hadn't touched the money yet, but he wanted as much of it used for this as possible.

Stiles swiftly moved on to showing Derek other things he had planned, like maybe a game room/den. There was something scribbled out next to it and Derek tried really hard to pretend he didn't read playroom with question marks by it, but he did and he was sure the next time he dreamed about Stiles they would have a little three year old in a room surrounded by toys.

Stiles was thorough, he said he was already planning the movie schedule. He outlined what movies would go best with which tasks. He even color coded how enjoyable the tasks would be to determine how great the movies had to be each day.

Derek was overwhelmed with just how much thought he had put into it, and how close this was to perfect. How close this was to Stiles and him building a home and future, together, for their pack. How close, 'You should do this.' was to, 'We should do this.' How close 'It's your house man.' was to, 'It's my house too babe!' This was the 'Hey I want one of the rooms right next door to yours.' kind of close, and Derek wanted nothing more than to just close that distance.

He snapped back to reality when Stiles showed him something about the plans.

"Why do the movies drop down to only two after two weekends?"

"Well I figure we'll be too tired to stay up for more than that, and I, unlike you, am not okay with just listening to movies even if I have seen them before."

"Why wouldn't you be able to watch them?"

Stiles looked at him like he was stupid. "Because I'll be helping. By then my leg will be healed completely."

Derek hadn't thought about his leg being healed. He was more disoriented than when wolf's bane was blown into his face.

He thought he was just coming over to get away from everyone else, once his leg was fine he didn't expect him to come back. He thought Stiles was just bored like he said, but he actually wanted to be involved. Stiles wanted to build a house with him. Stiles was in this for the long haul, and that meant something entirely different. Stiles was going to help him build a house. A house for his pack. He was stunned into silence as Stiles rambled for the rest of the day about plans. He couldn't imagine anything he wanted more than to hear Stiles talk about their future.

Stiles was a sweaty panting mess. There was dust covering him head to toe. He could barely get out his words. "I'm- I'm gonna ta- take a break. Water. Go and find water." Stiles pointed over his shoulder as he spoke like Derek needed a clue as to where he was going to find a water bottle.

Even down stairs he could still here him panting. Knowing he wasn't going to get any work done without maiming himself he went to take a break too.

When he walked into the room Stiles instantly smirked.

"What?"

Stiles didn't reply he just put both of his hands high into the air pointed towards Derek and made a grabby motion. Derek looked confused as he came closer. His hands moved to keep aimed at his head and Derek leaned his head down towards Stiles. He was still surprised when he felt fingers thread into his hair, then ruffle his hair.

"You looked like an old man with how much dust was in your hair."

He leaned up to catch sight of Stiles smirk.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Stiles threw him a water bottle.

"We could make today a half day, go get some lunch. You sound pretty tired. How bout we call it a day? You're human and still healing."

Stiles nodded as he swallowed a big gulp. "Yeah, I was thinking about that, what if we had more nonhuman muscle? And shut up I'm healed just fine."

"You mean the pack?"

"No, I was thinking of harnessing the workforce of the legion of dwarfs hidden in the forest."

"Oh I heard they unionized. Dang huh."

Stiles threw his hands up in disbelief. "Well, there goes that plan. I guess we could see if the pack is busy... If that's okay with you. It's totally fine if not, but we could use the help and I think they should be a part of this." Stiles tried to seem nonchalant, but he knew what he looked like when he was analyzing someone.

Derek wasn't wrong before, because he could never have imagined how great Stiles wanting to build a future with him and his pack was. "You'll have to factor them into your plan."

"I made two."

Derek nodded. "Okay. I think they should be here too."

"Great! Let's get back to work." Stiles jumped up with a surprising vigor.

Derek only rose an eyebrow and smirked at Stiles as he heard vehicles approaching a half hour later.

"What?"

"You brought your dad's extra sledgehammer in case one broke, huh?"

"I believe I said, 'Just in case one breaks, or something.' Consider this or something."

"What if I would've said no?"

"I knew you wouldn't."

"No you didn't."

Stiles rolled his eyes, then met Derek with a look so intense, even through two pairs of ridiculous goggles, he believed him when he spoke. "Yes I did."

That weekend the pack knocked down the rest of the scorched walls and watched Indiana Jones. The pack found some extra rope lying around and dared Jackson to use it as a whip and swing from a tree like Indy. When the rope slipped from the tree Stiles laughed as hard as Isaac did when Scott took down a walk by bursting through it like the kool-aid man. Everyone was in awe as Erica effortlessly used it to land perfectly on a branch, after tying a small log to the end. Stiles shouted that's my catwoman before everyone was yelled at to get back to work.

The pattern Stiles set was Derek was to work through the week and then the pack would help Friday nights till Sunday and watching movies after each day.

The next week they spent the entire time planning while watching the Ocean's movies, and were stunned to find out Lydia had taken an online introductory college course into architecture and structural support in freshman year.

"Wait, how? You had a full course load already."

"Well, technically Natalie Martin has the credit, but I was bored and I like mathematically correct buildings."

The rest of the weekend was filled with pizza, movies, and Lydia Martin looking at them like aliens for suggesting moving windows. She proved her genius status though, because as they argued back and forth she put together a beautiful plan that made everyone happy.

The first floor changes started as soon as you walk in the door, the mudroom was requested by Derek so they didn't track in as much dirt, and knowing them, eventually blood. As you looked straight the big set of stairs were going to be there. To the right was a living room that led into a large open concept kitchen, with a pantry tucked under the tall stairs. To the right on the other side after you walked into the front door, led into a library/ pack meeting room, with a bathroom tucked by the corner of the room and the stairs. From the library through elegant French doors was the dining room, right where the original was. Something Derek insisted on going into the plan. Off the dining room was an office sharing a wall with the pantry, also under the stairs.

The stairs to the second floor would lead up to a broad picture window to let in light, which was Allison's idea. There was a hallway in the shape of a lower case n, which the stairs were in the top part. Down the left side of the hall there were to be two bedrooms that shared a Jack and Jill bathroom. Going around the banister of the stairs the master bedroom was in the empty middle part of the n, which had an en suite. The right side mirrored the left in all except in the corner just as you turn right coming up the stairs the spiral stairs from Derek's loft were going there.

Something Stiles had fought them all for and ultimately used a pack decision veto for. Lydia said they were stupid which made Stiles scoff and go off about how cool they were. Malia and Cora agreed, but Boyd brought up they could be dangerous if there ever were any little kids, which brought a pause when all the couples looked at each other. Isaac then said they could wrap them in bubble wrap, with that the awkward pause was quickly pushed past.

Up and around the stairs on the right side of the house led to the same as below them, but in the middle instead of space for a large grand stairway and a master bedroom there was a regular sized bedroom and closest to the stairs a den. The den didn't have doors, just two entryways that led right through it to the other side of bedrooms and their bathroom. Jackson, Isaac, Erica, and Scott all thought that was stupid that there was no other way to get to the other bedrooms besides through the den, but were eventually overruled. The fact that that's where the gaming consoles would go had nothing to do with their opinion, even if it was brought up right before they took issue.

The basement was accessible by a door in the side of the stairs on the first floor and had a laundry room, but there were no further plans for it just yet and no one commented.

All of the ten bedrooms were on the upper two levels. However, after fights broke out Derek made it very clear that no decisions about who got what room were to be made till the house was further along, even if by Sunday everyone would call unofficial dibs on a room. Since no rooms were for sure they decided to wait on figuring out decoration and paints, one thing at a time.

With the plans made Stiles went to the station on Monday and brought his father a horrendously greasy burger and side of fries which he snatched and pointed an accusing finger.

"What did you do? If there's a body I don't want to know where it is, just that you've taken care of it."

Stiles out his hands up placatingly. "Whoa, whoa! Pops I would never, ever, and I mean ever, tell you if I did kill someone."

He squinted his eyes and his mouth gaped a little. "That's a great comfort Stiles. I can feel my blood pressure lowering. Seriously though son... do I need to go get a loan to pay somebody off, because the bank clos-"

"Come on, can't a son just come to visit his old man? Who is looking pretty great today. Eh eh? Did you do something different with your hair? It looks great."

"A son can, and even you can. When you bring me something leafy and green and disgusting, but with that burger you're up to something. What is it?"

"Oh yee of little faith. I am merely appreciating my wonderful father. Who loves me very much and wo-"

"Miezyslaw!" He used his authoritative sheriff father tone. Which was scarier than his father tone and his sheriff tone.

Stiles shoulders deflated and he dropped the overly happy face. "I need a small favor, or rather the pack needs one. You know your old friend from school Normand? Lovely old fellow. Would invite you to dinner all the time and to play golf, and-"

"And wouldn't shut up about how many properties he owned and couldn't stop speaking for two seconds, and wouldn't take no for an answer, and wouldn't let me leave for hours?"

"And the one on the committees in charge of planning permission and building permits."

He sighed. "No. Whatever it is no. It took me a year to slowly phase him out of talking to me. A year! He doesn't get a hint. I'm not putting up with him again."

Stiles slumped into his chair and looked utterly dejected. "Okay fine. It's no problem, really. It wasn't even that big of a deal. It was just for the pack, that's why it was important to me."

John looked away from Stiles' big sad eyes quickly. He riffled through the bag and it had a large fry and a double bacon cheese burger in it. Looking back up to asking if Stiles really did kill someone was a mistake. Stiles was pointedly not looking at the sheriff with almost teary eyes and a lip pouting out. Damn it.

He knew this con, Stiles pulled it when he was eight. He sat looking sad on the floor until he came over and asked what happened. He had given Scott his bumblebee toy after his parents had a big fight to cheer him up, but now he had nothing to play with besides his hundreds of other toys. Stiles looked at him with little innocent eyes as he told him he was just happy Scott was happy, but he did wish he could've given him the new optimus prime toy instead because it was his favorite and Stiles' was the bumblebee he had given away. It was two weeks later before he realized what happened and it was too late to take the toy back because Stiles had already given it to Scott and lost his. He knew he was going to fall for it again. Damn it.

Lately, sometimes when he looked at his son he didn't even recognize him, but right now with his big brown eyes shining and his pouty lips he looked as much like his mother as he had when he looked at the world with nothing but hope and mischief.

He sighed. "What do you need him for?"

"You know the old Hale house? The one Derek's family tragically died in when he was young?"

He looked at him flatly. "I think I know the one Stiles."

"Okay well recently I convinced Derek to rebuild it, but we hit a road block. Since it was burned down, you know tragically, the committee has the right to seem it unsafe and not worth the time and money to rebuild and force us to tear it down. Buuut they wouldn't know that a bunch of werewolves are rebuilding it, sooooo..."

"It sounds like they might not even do that, and you are very convincing when you want to be. Believe me, I know."

"Buuut daaad once they deem it unsafe we can't overturn it! And Derek has been getting really excited about it. He hasn't said, but I can tell." Stiles' voice got softer. "And I think this is good for him. Finally moving on. I think it's good for all of us. We've had so much going on lately and I think the pack just needs a place that they can be themselves-"

"And a place that isn't mine where they eat all of my food, while blaring back to the future. Friggin werewolves."

"We watched it one time dad. They always appreciated you letting us have pack stuff there. But we do need a bigger place, one where everyone can be safe. It would do us and Derek good being able to be close."

His son's tone betrayed a too personal note when he talked about safety for his liking. "Do you not feel safe here? Do I not allow you to be yourself?"

Stiles looked ashamed. "It's not my safety I'm worried about." Stiles looked away from him. "I couldn't live with myself if- if someone came to the house looking for me an- and they-"

He circled the desk swiftly and folded Stiles into a hug. "Hey, hey. You stop that, I'm supposed to be the one looking out for you. Besides if someone comes looking for trouble I've got an entire clip dipped in wolf's bane waiting in my nightstand for them. Now that I know the truth that is." He said the last bit scolding even as he was scared to death of the world his son was wrapped up in. He wanted nothing more than to yank his son out of it and into safety, but he knew with the people he cared about still in it Stiles would run right back.

Stiles' voice came out muffled and stuffy from where he was pressed against his dad's shoulder. "You did before too. I took it when you were sleeping."

He pulled back and looked at those brown eyes once again, but now the tears were falling and his nose was running.

"You're always taking care of your old man. When and how did you grow up from that scrawny little kid into a strong man that takes care of everybody else?"

Stiles wiped his snot and shrugged. "I just watched you."

And there it was. He was getting worried he'd never see that look of youthful adoration in his eyes again. He pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Even if I'll never stop, I don't think it's just my job to watch out for you anymore, maybe I should start watching you instead kid."

"Maybe you could start watching after we get the permits. We could use some help once it's time to start working on the basement. I don't- I don't think he should be there. We need the help, I mean I know you've got brittle old man bones bu-"

"Hey!" His hands shot down to Stiles' ribs and as he started tickling Stiles jumped away with a laugh.

They smiled at each other before he spoke. "You wouldn't mind it? Or would they? Having your dad around? Isn't this project a pack thing?"

"I would love to have you there, and so would they. Erica absolutely loves you. It is. You're pack to me so you're pack to them. That's how it works. And if Derek can invite Peter, I sure as hell can invite you."

John looked touched. "I'll get in touch with Normand, don't even worry about it. Tell me the time. I'll be there son."

Stiles smiled at him.

"One last thing. When you say it would do us and Derek good to be close do you mean, like you and him us or you and the pack us?"

Stiles squinted not understanding. "Boooth? It would be good for all of us."

"No son. Look would you be getting your own room?"

"Of course I wou- Oh! Dad no! I won't be moving! I wouldn't leave you by yourself! I'm not go-"

"Gee thanks for making it seen like I'm a two year old that can't fend for myself. That's still not what I meant." He looked uncomfortable as he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked back up. "Would you be getting a room to yourself... or would you be sharing... with Derek?"

Stiles blinked a few times before he flailed.

The permit took a long four weeks to get approved, so good thing gutting was a long process. They had to take all of the old unusable walls, flooring, wiring, plumbing, HVAC, and insulation out. It was a good thing the house was built with such quality materials otherwise the process would be a doze and build from the ground up. Most of the fire burned hot and fast on the left side, and the right side was only in rough shape because of the smoke and neglect. Still he wanted everything possible, that had ash and burned air in it gone, while keeping as much of the bones as they could.

Gutting was strenuous so they were too tired to watch more than one movie. They watched one movie out of the underworld series, each night they all worked, for three weeks. Except the night they watched the shorts they spent most of the night debating whether or not the movies were offensive or so horrendously inaccurate that it was funny. Either way Stiles spent a good amount of time talking about how hot Michael Sheen was, and is in good omens.

On the fourth weekend there was nothing they could do, so Stiles went home. He spent some quality time with his dad, he complained about the pack and his dad complained about having to talk to Normand.

True to his word after he helped grease the wheels he showed up for adding support to the basement. Although he did decline staying for a movie. That might've been because he saw Stiles grab mean girls, and everyone had been wearing varying shades of pink, even Derek. He saw socks that looked strikingly familiar as he leaned up to hold a beam in the air. He had watched that movie so many times it wasn't even fetch, no thank you.

It was good having his dad there even if he knew with work it wouldn't happen often.

It was just Stiles and Derek now cleaning up.

"So how was today?" He was worried about Derek even if the pack wouldn't let him anywhere near the basement the whole day. He just cut the beams and helped with other things.

"Other than the disturbing fact that my uncle can quote Gretchen Weiners, not bad."

Stiles hip checked him as he went by with handfuls of garbage. "Are you sure? I was worried about it. That wasn't the best way to start off the project."

"Is that why you kept asking the contractor if we could start supporting the building from the bottom up somewhere else other than the basement? It was fine Stiles. Good even. Like he said, 'Kid if you want anything you build to stay up you've got to start at the bottom and support up.' Pretty good advice."

"Okay. Do you want to stay up to watch a different movie?"

"Nah I better get to sleep for tomorrow. You should too, are you staying?"

"Boo you whore. Yeah I think I will. It's too late to drive back now."

The after one weekend of Lydia commandeering movie choice to watch Nicolas Sparks movies, they watched John Mulaney specials the next, while finishing rebuilding the left side of the house's support, foundation, and walls. Even Peter showed up, although Derek cringed when he understood millennial humor better than he did. John shocked everyone when he quoted, 'Eat ass, suck a dick, and sell drugs.' They stared at him till Stiles explained he really loved when he showed him the Bittenbinder method and then became obsessed.

When the pack finished all the rebuilding of the frame of the left side, they watched both Mary Poppins in celebration. Isaac was ecstatic, because of his giant man crush on Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Allison spoke up after the first one, "We have to have a Julie Andrews marathon. I loved the princess diaries so much I only ate pears for a week. My dad had to cut me off, because I got stomachaches."

"Aww babe that's so cute!"

The dimple fest was as sickening as eating only pears for a week.

"Yes you're both adorable. Shut up. I think we should have a Anne Hathaway marathon, eh batman?"

He smirked. "Of course. She is my favorite."

They watched both of the princess diaries the next Friday night, and Scott and Stiles slid down the blanket covered stairs on the air mattress. Then they stayed up late to watch all three Christian Bale batmans. On Sunday when they were finishing putting the framing for the new walls up and nailing the outer boards to close all the holes in the house with a layer to keep the rain and cold out temporarily, Stiles couldn't stop quoting the movies.

"Stiles I asked for a cola two hours ago." Cora stared in disbelief.

Stiles merely held the soda out and lifted his chin. "A queen is never late, everyone else is simply early."

"More like drama queen." Derek muttered under his breath.

Stiles gasped and then smirked. "But I'm a cute drama queen I make all the other drama queens go rawwwr."

Several quite witty quotes, if Stiles had to say so, later and he could tell he crossed the, 'haha that's funny.' line into, 'I'll kill you if you say anything about pears again.'

"Stiles hand me the nail gun."

"'He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.'" Stiles quoted as he held up a hammer and some nails.

"Stiles this is heavy."

"Dude you're a werewolf. Suck it up. Besides, the air compressor is out of air. It needs a minute, so 'He's the hero Goth-'"

"Swear to god Stilinski if you quote Batman one more time-"

"Don't worry your pretty little head... the eagle has landed for the last time." Stiles dashed out of the house and Jackson after him.

"I swear to god Stilinski I'm gonna nail gun your mouth closed."

"It's a good thing the compres- oof!"

They heard him get tackled to the ground.

"Guys! Help!"

Malia yelled, "Don't break him, we still need him to work. But make sure he can't quote anything else."

"Scott!"

"Sorry bud. Even I get sick of batman."

"Traitor! Derek!" There was a pause. "Come on, you complete me!"

"You know I was considering it, but just for that one you're on your own."

Stiles started laughing hysterically. Through the breathless laughs he tried to speak. "Catwoman! Come help me!"

"Sorry darling, cats come when they feel like it. Not when they're told."

By the time he escaped they looked like they were almost done.

The roof needed to be replaced next to complete the rough dry in before they could start on internal things. Peter apparently drove over to help Derek prep the roof before the weekend, because when they showed up it was ready to be done and Peter was creeping close by. Well, Stiles imagined he showed up out of a ominous cloud of mist and whispered I'm here, but his car was there so it's anybody's guess.

Roofing went horrible. It was three stories up and as soon as Stiles convinced them to let him up he nearly fell off reenacting the scene from avengers went Thor says, 'You want me to put the hammer down?!' He was then confined to the ground and drink duty. They watched Aristocats and Finding Nemo and Stiles with Erica's help made caramel puffcorn, rice crispies, and crème de la crème à la Edgar at the sheriff's house before bringing it over. Malia said it was just warm milk and Jackson scoffed.

"I'm the leader I'll decide what it is."

Stiles gaped at Jackson. "Seriously!" He flailed. "After all the shit you gave me! You asshole."

Jackson shrugged. "It was always one of my favorites." He looked like he was about to bolt and he wouldn't look anyone in the eyes.

Stiles nodded. "Good choice dude. It's a great movie."

Jackson nodded and he was biting his lip as he looked down.

Derek asked Cora to help him with installing the windows and doors the following week. Stiles was happy for their sibling bonding time, but then once the pack got there on Friday there wasn't much to do. They didn't end up watching any movies. Which disappointed him, but he did blare waving through a window and love is an open door on repeat till Malia threatened to smash his phone. Cora and Derek seemed happier with each other and closer, so Stiles was glad.

They picked a stone grey for siding and a beautiful day to put it up. It was sunny, but with a slight breeze to cool everyone off.

Stiles dad was able to make it. Argent even came, because he had to drop Allison off while her car was in the shop and he decided to stay and help. Stiles thought it was because he felt guilty that the whole reason it had to be rebuilt was his sister. Derek thought he was using it as an opportunity for an olive branch for the sake of his daughter. It was probably both, but Stiles still was impressed that Derek could let an Argent other than Allison back on his territory, even if he was tense every time he saw him. Peter was the same way except Stiles thought his eyes were watching his ass a little more than necessary and with too much appreciation for it to all be suspicion. They were so going to have angry hate sex, Stiles was calling it now.

Stiles made sandwiches, Lydia brought fancy blackberry lemonade that was delicious, Erica made a pasta salad, Derek made an old family calico bean recipe, John brought dessert, and Jackson brought chips and dip.

The day was filled with work, play, and so many laughs they could all get used to peace like this. Stiles was shocked nothing had happened yet.

They were all busy outside with putting up the siding and messing around. Stiles' father came up to him.

"Hey kiddo. Are there other drinks inside?"

"Oh yeah. I'll go grab you something." Stiles started putting what he was doing down.

"No, no. I'll go."

Stiles looked nervously at where Derek was alone in the kitchen. They were still on rocky ground, since he arrested him and Stiles wasn't sure if he blamed Derek for Stiles being involved in a lot of the danger he was. He started to protest again.

"Relax. I'm not going to arrest him... again."

The sheriff stalked into the house with purpose.

"Sir." Derek nodded.

"Derek."

"Soda?"

John raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay with Stiles seeing you handing me a soda?"

"He's busy, I'll take my chances."

"So has everything been quiet in town sir?"

"Let's cut the small talk. I'd rather not talk about my job or the weather."

Derek's nerves rose. "Is there something you want to talk about sir?"

"This pack bond thing. How does it work?"

"There's a lot to it, and I think you want to know something specific. Right sir?"

"You being the alpha they protect you right? With their lives?"

"In some packs, yes, but not normally, no. I'm their alpha it's my job to protect them, I care for them, provide."

"Hence the house." John used his hand holding his soda to gesture to the house around them.

"Yes."

"But they do don't they? They protect you with their lives."

"They do."

"Is it because of the pack bond are they forced to?"

"It's a little complicated-"

"It's a simple question Derek, are you using these kids as human shields or not?"

Derek looked startled. "I-I um." Derek let out a breath and nodded his head while looking apologetic. "Yeah I guess I was. In the beginning when I just wanted power to protect myself, but they changed me. When you're bitten the alpha that bit you can force you to obey him, but if you choose an alpha willingly it has to be because you feel they are worth protecting, worth dying for."

Derek looked out at everyone.

"I don't think I'm worth any of their lives, hell not even all of them put together. I just want to protect them, to me they are worth dying for. Every last one of them chose to be in my pack, I still don't know why, but I'll be damned if I let anything happen to them. I'm not living through that again." Derek spoke every word with conviction and emotion.

"And does that go for all of them? Do you have the bond with the humans? Can you force them to do what you say too?"

"The lore isn't clear how the pack bond translates to humans. Some people say yes, some say no. I don't think I could force Lydia, Allison, or Stiles to do whatever I said even if they were my betas."

"Is it different because Stiles is a witch?" He waggled his fingers.

"He's a spark. And no. He's more human than wolf so that doesn't effect it."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, what do you feel? Would you protect them like the rest of your pack? Would you protect Stiles?"

Derek looked John dead in the eyes. "I would protect him with everything in me sir. It's different with pack when you lose someone I wouldn't let it happen."

He nodded. "How so? How does it effect them if you die or get hurt?"

Derek thought for a moment. "My betas would be crushed. Some are even known to go mad with loss or kill themselves. It is an overwhelming feeling losing your alpha. It feels like you are lost and have no meaning, like you failed, and are utterly alone without guidance. But the humans, they would react like a regular person. They would feel the loss, but they would be okay."

"And you? If you lost one them?"

"I wouldn't live with myself. When you lose any pack it isn't like you lose someone close to you. It's like you lose a vital part of yourself. For an alpha it is tenfold. The worst pain I could think of."

"Okay that's all I needed to know. But I need to tell you some things."

Derek nodded. "Yes sir?"

"If someone hurts him, you'll feel it. I know that now, you'll take care of him. But if you hurt him-"

"You have wolf's bane bullets?"

"No. I have every faith you would pull the trigger before I ever could. If you hurt him, know that as his father, who has been a cop long enough to see too many horrible people do atrocious things, I could never make you hurt the way all the blame and guilt you put on yourself does. I know I can't stop him from getting into trouble as much as you can't. And now with all this crazy stuff he's in I can't be his big strong dad that can rescue him from anything. I haven't been for awhile, but I don't think he needs me anymore. I think he needs you, all of you. Even if he still will get into trouble. Just promise me you'll be there when he does."

"On my life and my mother's memory, nothing in this world could stop me from protecting him."

He seemed pleased with that. "Okay then I guess we're done."

They both started to walk away.

"Oh one last thing. If I ever, I mean ever, like twenty years from now you're married and have kids together ever, find out you had sex with my underage son under my roof, I will shoot you in the kneecaps with wolf's bane bullets."

Derek's eyes were wide and his mouth gaping. "What?! No! Sir I would never- me and him aren't ev- we're not! Never! I mean your son is a good man, but no! Why-"

"Slow down there kid. I know. But I also see how you look at each other. I used to have a set of whiskey browns that looked at me the exact same way. And you're right, if he was any other son in the world I would correct you, but you're right. He is a fine man, he hasn't been a boy since he stepped up to deal with all of this shit. You can stop acting like he is one, he's almost eighteen and frankly he's been smarter than me for a long time And somehow wiser since birth. Even if he can be dumb as shit. So under my roof no sex. Clear?"

"Crystal, sir." Derek nodded like a toddler trying to convince an adult he didn't eat the missing cookie.

"But Derek, up until a point, what you do under your own roof is none of my business, once you get a whole house under it that is."

"Um sir?" Derek looked confused.

"One last word of advice son, everyday I wish I could've met her sooner so I could've loved her longer. You've met him, so what are you waiting for?"

Derek looked sure. "For him to be ready and for me to deserve him."

"I'm not saying you have to sodomize my son immediately, do not get me wrong. Just let him know how you feel at least, he's been ready for that a long time. Also you don't have to wait to deserve him, you're waiting until you feel you do. If Stiles chose you, you deserve him."

They shared a sincere silence, before John clapped him on the shoulder and continued, "God help your soul son."

They both walked out with wide grins, and John's hand was still on Derek's shoulder.

As soon as his dad went to help Scott and Boyd, Stiles flew over to Derek.

"What did he say to you!? What did you talk about?!" Stiles whisper shouted.

"You." Derek teased.

Stiles squinted. "I can't tell if you're being serious. I don't like it."

Derek rolled his eyes and pulled Stiles into a hug, before pulling him behind him by the hand back to work.

"Derek Hale did you give my father a soda!"

Once they had the bare bones of the house with exterior enclosing walls it was finally time to start actually building the inside of the house. Stiles couldn't wait to start the rest of the movies he had planned.

Derek did a walk through with the three contractors for the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems so everything went smoothly and no one got in the way of each other. Stiles insisted on being there so none of his research got forgotten and all of his questions got answered. Derek regretted letting him as soon as he saw the twenty something hot electrician and the in surprisingly amazing shape thirtyish year old plumber. Luckily the HVAC specialist was a portly old man who should've retired long ago to pass down the family business to his daughter long ago.

As soon as Stiles started to stutter out his questions Derek wanted them out immediately. When he caught Stiles ogling the perky bubble butt, that should've been an unattractive hairy plumber's crack, of the man bent over to take a measurement he squinted his eyes and almost growled at him. He put a hand on Stiles' lower back to guide them into the kitchen where Harrold the HVAC man was trying to keep their attention while smirking. Stiles was still staring back and Derek was resolutely staring right at Harrold, so they both missed the man also supervising the measurement taking he ran Stiles right into. The man turned bright red and stuttered apologies. Derek heard an almost inaudible chuckle from back in what would be the living room. Derek wanted nothing more than for them to be a couple, hell he'd be fine with one of them banging the other right on his floor in front of them if it stopped Stiles' drooling. Knowing him there'd end up being a lake though.

He was ecstatic when it was over. Well, that was until Harrold said he thought it was really beautiful that they were rebuilding the house together and that it was a really great project to take on together. In spite of their confused faces he continued and asked what they were going to do with such a big house and if they planned on adopting or fostering. Recognition struck their faces as they tried to back pedal, but he was already convinced that they made a lovely couple.

Most of the plumbing, electrical, and the HVAC systems would take a long time and had to be installed by 'Harrold and the hotties' as Stiles referred to them, so they decided to start a big movie series, the MCU.

Since they got out of the work they camped the weekend out at the loft to marathon as many movies as they could. When they watched the first Thor they teased him for nearly falling off the roof then, he made a joke about how the, 'Seriously jacked.' plumber should've been the electrician because he had the body of, 'A thunder God of super hotness and muscle.' to distract them. Derek made a point to exercise shirtless the next morning while Stiles was making breakfast in Derek's kitchen to show him, 'Seriously jacked.'

The swarm of contractors that invaded the house took roughly a month and a half to finish the rough in for the massive house. In the beginning they didn't think they would finish all of the movies on time, but as their time off dragged on they flew through them. Derek couldn't even remember him many times everyone hit Stiles with their pillow because he kept saying Captain America's lines before he could. During Winter Soldier Scott put a hand over his mouth and didn't even flinch when Stiles licked him, but when he bit him Scott let out a yell.

"Damn it Stiles. Remember what your dad said!"

Good god were they actually five?

Cora suffocated him with a pillow, till he kicked her in the head and when that proved ineffective, shot sparks into her leg.

Stiles could tell Derek was getting a little stir-crazy having his pet project routine interrupted. He tried to come over as much as possible to keep him company. They were supposed to be finished on a Thursday, but due to a last minute plumbing problem it was pushed till Monday. They watched Flushed Away, then Ratatoullie Friday night and laughed so hard. Saturday and Sunday they watched The Pirates of the Caribbean series.

From that weekend on, anytime someone would hear someone coming in they would get in their way and screech like the slugs. Derek caught Stiles coming in with a bunch of tools and they got in a screaming match that lasted ten minutes.

Once they had the all clear the next job was insulation and drywall, since it had to be done in stages once the mud dried they came over weeknights after school to help for two weeks.

It was a lot of work because they decided to insulate the interior walls a little bit as well as the exterior walls for just a bit more soundproofing. Derek insisted on his bedroom being soundproofed completely, which made the pack tease him mercilessly, but in the end they wanted the rooms they had unofficially picks out soundproofed as well. Everyone agreed in a house filled with werewolves there are just some things you don't want to hear.

They only had time before they had to get home to watch movies on the weekend, so they watched Venom and another Nickolas Sparks movie one night, and then both Deadpools. Stiles thought ahead and made tater tot casserole, bought tissues, and there were unicorn pillows, blankets, and plushies he had gotten at the dollar store. Allison quoted every line about tater tots, which was pretty much the whole movie. Everyone grumbled loudly that Lydia got to choose another movie that nobody else liked, and they were about to switch it when Boyd spoke up and said he liked it. They were all too shocked they didn't realize they were watching it still till it was to late and they were reaching for tissues because Bobby died.

Boyd left the room halfway through with teary eyes, and when Erica and Derek both didn't follow him Stiles did.

The night air was warm on Stiles' face.

"You didn't have to come out here, I'm fine, Erica and Derek didn't because they know I'm fine."

Stiles put his hands in his pj pockets and nodded while rocking back an forth slightly on his feet. "Okay. Maybe they don't need to come out here because you're fine, or maybe because you've always been the strong one they believe you to be so strong you don't need help. But, Boyd sometimes when you're always the strong one you feel you aren't allowed to be weak. You are. You're allowed to be hurt, and break, and wake up tomorrow and be strong again. Everyone is weak sometimes. If you don't want to talk to me about it that's fine, just let them know when you aren't alright. They can help you."

"And do you?"

Stiles looked confused. "Do I what?"

"Let them help you. Sure when we're in a fight you are protected, but when you're hurt or worried do you let people help you? For the longest time you didn't tell you're dad anything, and even still you shield him from so much. You are constantly tired from researching to keep the pack safe, you could ask Lydia to pause her college prep to help you. When you have nightmares do you tell your best friend? When you have a problem do you go to your alpha before trying to solve it yourself? No you don't do any of that. Because out of all of us werewolf, kanima, banshee, hunter you, Stiles Stilinski are the strongest of us. You take more pain than all of us combined to keep us from hurting. So do you allow yourself to be weak?"

Stiles seemed to take it all in. He nodded. "Fine. Fair enough. I still can't watch Halloween movies because I used to watch them with my mother and now they just make me sob." Stiles shrugged his shoulders.

Boyd looked away. "Fine. My sister used to pretend to love Disney princess love story movies so I could watch them with her, and I used to pretend to love action movies so she could watch them with me."

"Fine." Stiles nodded again.

Boyd sniffed a bit and Stiles could tell he was trying not to cry. He pulled the massive man into a hug and held him tightly against himself. He felt tears against his neck and shoulder.

He whispered with a small stuffy voice against the smaller man. "Fine."

When they came back Derek gave him a quizzical look, Stiles just brushed his arm as he went by with his hand to tell him everything was fine.

The next week each day after school Boyd went over to help Derek rebuild the front porch. Stiles thought it was so they could talk one on one, and he was proud of Derek for doing it.

Then they had another weekend of discussions about design. Although this time it was less about rooms and more about what they wanted the rooms to look like. Lydia had swatches and samples spread across the entire room.

Derek wanted all of the bathrooms to look similar, but not identical. They took a vote and the rooms would all be varying shades of grey with black or silver fixtures.

Everyone got to decorate their own room however they wanted. Erica said she was going to make her room a sex dungeon then and Derek did not look impressed.

The den on the third floor was to be a light beige with an enormous sectional couch.

The dining room was going to be a classy white to compliment the chandelier that was originally there.

The office was to be a light pastel yellow to not be too distracting, while the pantry was to be a bright pink because Scott asked and Derek didn't care. The stairs the rooms were under were set to keep their original wood just sanded and restained. The loft stairs were to stay as is per Stiles' request.

The library's color scheme choice was dueled out between Lydia and Peter. Lydia wanted a luxurious aubergine purple with a delicate pearl. However Peter won out with a bright, deep, and dark cobalt blue paired with a rich leather brown color, because they all agreed they were better for the mood of a library. Peter also requested they have a rolling ladder attached to the wall so they could built the bookshelves all the way up to take advantage of the first floors high ceilings.

The kitchen and living room were open concept, so the two rooms had to match well. For the kitchen Derek wanted clean colors, so they chose whites, greys, and touches of black with all stainless steel appliances. Isaac said they should get a large island with butcher's block on the top and everyone agreed. The floor was going to be a light grey tile with darker grey marbled in and dark grey grout to make it pop. The back splash was a simple white subway tile, and the counter tops were going to be soapstone. Since the kitchen was so nuanced the living room could be a bit bolder.

Stiles fought tooth and nail for a dark emerald green and they eventually had to concede. He bombarded them with color psychology. He went on about how green is known for health, calm, peace, growth, and safety. He also mentioned it was the color of nature and the natural world, plus it would go with the view out huge window out into the woods. He told them some researchers even found it improves reading ability, which would be great for the bay window they planned on putting in.

Lydia looked back through her notes there was no mention of a window seat, but by the time she was done looking and was going to interject Derek had agreed to both.

They had varying types of counters for the bathrooms that matched each room's back splashes and fixtures. Each Jack and Jill had two sinks, a shower, and a toilet. All the sinks were going to be white with those fancy faucets that had part of the pipe gone so you could see the water coming, because Cora thought they were cool.

For flooring they decided to do the bathrooms a grey tile with black striped in, similar to the kitchen. The mudroom would also be tile. The library, den, office, and stairs were going to be all wood. The hallways and living room were quickly agreed to be carpet, but once they got to the bedrooms things got a little heated.

"I will slaughter your first born if you even think about putting tile in my bedroom!"

Lydia looked at Stiles half crazed. "You are a man of intellect Stiles, you can at least on some level agree that tile or wood has practical reasons fo-"

"I agree with him. It makes no sense."

Stiles gestured to Allison like, 'Ha, there!'

"It does look nicer."

Stiles squinted and pointed an accusing finger at Scott. "You are dead to me."

"What if you want to lay on your floor? Carpet is way more comfortable." Isaac usually stayed quiet during arguments, but lately he's become more comfortable speaking up.

"Lay a blanket down."

"Great reason for a stylish rug."

"Why would you lay on the floor next to your bed?"

Boyd, Lydia, and Jackson spoke up, respectively, at the same time.

"You wouldn't have to worry about it if you just got carpet!" Stoke practically yelled.

Lydia responded in kind. "Carpet is hard to clean, and it makes your room look like a van from the seventies!"

"Cold feet end of story, bitch!"

"Wear socks you bastard!"

Derek stared in horror at his pack, which was about to tear each others throats out over flooring. "Okay everyone just calm down! It's late and we got a lot figured out today. How bout we stop here, everyone go home, and we'll pick it up tomorrow."

They slowly all trickled out. Only Derek and Stiles were left. Stiles was finishing up folding the blankets when he realized he hadn't seen Derek in awhile.

"Derek?" He called out.

"Up here Sti." The nickname gave him pause. He had only ever called him that when he was bleeding out, or needing comfort.

He went up the stairs and found him staring deeply in one of the rooms.

"What's up Der?" Stiles took advantage of the moment to call him a soft nickname back.

Normally he would protest and say he's fine, but he didn't. Stiles didn't know if he should take it as he really needed to get it off his chest that bad, or if it was because he was trusting Stiles more.

"This was Lillian's room."

Stiles didn't need any clarification. He knew all of Derek's family, but Lillian was the only one he'd heard of just from the Hale fire files. Lillian was Peter's oldest, she was three. Stiles guessed that they were really close. Stiles put his hand on Derek's shoulder.

"We can leave this one empty."

Derek smiled. "No. This is Scott and Allison's room."

"They can pick a diff-"

Derek turned the eyes Stiles thought would be misty, to face him with not a tear in sight.

"Stiles do you want to know why I wouldn't let them pick rooms before?"

"Because they were fighting?"

Derek tipped his head back and forth. "Yes, and no. Because while they were fighting about who got the room with the best window, or the one with the tree, or the one closest to the stairs, I kept thinking, 'That isn't your room, it's Lillian's so uncle Peter and aunt Darcy can be close to her! That isn't your room it is Laura's, so she can use the tree to sneak out. That room isn't yours it's Nan and Pop's, so they can look at the back yard.'"

Stiles felt horrible, maybe this all was a mistake. Maybe Derek wasn't ready yet.

"Do you know what I see now?"

"No. Tell me?"

"I see Allison looking out this window while drinking her morning coffee. I still see me and Lily on the floor playing horseies, but I feel this isn't her room anymore. This isn't their house anymore, it's ours. With some of the other rooms it's hard, to remember the old good memories, and to picture the new ones. In this one though, I know it's what she would've wanted. Sh-she ah-" Derek's voice was filled with emotion and he had tears in his eyes. "She used to make me promise to play with her ponies when she wasn't home so they wouldn't be lonely." Derek had a wistful look till he nodded with a look of certainty. "She wouldn't want her room to be lonely." He smiled. "I see Allison and Scott here."

Stiles hugged him and let his cries be muffled by his shirt. Once he calmed Stiles pulled back and took his hand to lead him.

"Where are we going?"

Stiles stayed silent till they were at the doorway of a room on the other side of the stairs. "What is your favorite memory in this room?"

"What?" Derek looked confused.

"You said it's hard to picture the good memories in some of the rooms, well I think you should try."

Stiles gave him time to think.

"This was my older brother's room. He taught me how to make paper air planes. One day we kept testing them by flying them out the window. We were having so much fun trying to out fly each other, we weren't paying attention to how many we flew." Derek let out a short laugh. "When we heard mom yell both our full names we knew we were in trouble. There had to have been a hundred paper airplanes scattered in the yard being blown around by the wind. We were chasing after them to clean up for hours."

Stiles' fond look mirrored Derek's. "Did she scold you about littering?"

"For weeks. It was respect the land this or you boys are so messy that."

Stiles nodded. "That was a good memory. What about something you picture happening here?"

"I picture teaching Isaac how to fly the perfect paper airplane."

Stiles grinned. "I think he would like that."

They went around the entire house like that. Derek remembering the old while picturing the new. Sometimes Stiles would say what he thought would happen in a room and Derek would say he agreed, but mostly he just listened. His favorites were that he once hid under his grandparent's bed till it was time to go to sleep, because Laura and aunt Darcy had dressed him up in a princess dress and put make up on him, but then they got a camera out. His Nan screamed so loud when he came out that his mom burst into the room in her beta shift. His other favorite was when they got to what would be the den, he said playing with our kids. When he heard him he nearly died, but then he clarified the packs kids. Stiles' subconscious still stubbornly hung on the fact that Derek and his kids would be considered pack kids, even as he drove home.

The next day they invaded multiple home improvement stores, cabinetry places, mattress stores, and furniture shops to order what they would need. They had to go to a special place to get the island Isaac wanted, but then they got to have it made uniquely for them. Derek told them they could pick out their rooms and what kind of flooring they wanted, when it was time to decide.

The next week Erica came over alone after school to help with the next project. Her dad was an electrician, so she knew how to install the outlets, light fixtures, and fans. They still had some left on the weekend, and Erica said they would just he in their way, so they only came over to watch a movie Sunday night. Lydia brought The Notebook- again.

The next Monday Derek was surprised by a phone call when he was about to take a break for lunch. He put his paint roller to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hi this is Beacon Hills high school. We are calling about one of the students here. They said th-"

Derek's stomach dropped out. He hurriedly grabbed his jacket.

"Are they okay?" Derek demanded.

"It's in regard of Jackson Whittmore. He apper-"

"Is he okay?!" Derek interrupted once again while starting his car.

"Yes, but-"

"I'm on my way."

"If you would let me get a word in sir, this young man struck another student. We can't release him till we talk to a parent or guardian. Both his parents are unavailable due to a work trip, but after many questions he finally told us he was left in your care. Is that true?" She spoke harshly.

"He is in my care."

"Well I can't see why he would do such a thing as to strike another student with such a polite man's example to follow." She sneered.

"I'll be there soon." He hung up on her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have anyone else to call." Jackson was folded in on himself in the corner of the room. The receptionist was all smiles once he got there in person, but as soon as she realized he wasn't interested she went on lunch. The other student and his parents were in the principal's office with Lydia's mom. It was just them in the room.

Derek summoned his best alpha voice. "You hit another student?"

Jackson shrunk. "I listened to what you and Stiles said. I controlled my strength. I only hit him like a regular human."

Derek gave a withering glare. "That isn't better! Jackson you need to sto-"

Just then the door burst open and the pack and Danny came flooding in. Erica ran up to Jackson and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Derek barely heard the whispered thank you.

He glanced at Stiles with a look of utter confusion. He motioned for him to come over to the side of the room. When he met him over there Stiles started to speak.

"That douchebag in there was showing the old video of Erica having a seizure. Derek's eyes widened in understanding. When looked back he saw Erica pulling back from Jackson a bright red lipstick mark on his cheek.

Everyone looked to where Lydia's mom was exiting her office. She asked Derek and Jackson to come in.

"It wasn't his fault!"

"He deserved it!"

"Mom just let us explain."

The pack all started talking at once the room descended into chaos. Natalie looked overwhelmed, Derek yelled over their voices.

"That's enough!"

They fell silent.

"If you would please follow me Mr. Hale and Jackson."

The pack started yelling again.

Stiles interjected. "I think you might find it better to just speak out here. Does anyone object to having this conversation where multiple eyewitnesses can correct the narrative?"

The parents looked smug. "I don't see why not."

Natalie looked like she knew how to pick her battles. "Very well, but if you are too disruptive I will send you all to the cafeteria."

Stiles nodded.

"We are here because Jackson struck another student, Preston. It was a violent action that this school will not endorse nor tolerate. He-"

Stiles interrupted once again. "How about a student showing a video showing another student having a medical reaction? Does this school tolerate that? Does it endorse it?"

Natalie looked shocked, Stiles assumed Preston left that little tidbit out. His parents looked at him appraisingly, as if to figure out if he did.

"How bout a student mocking another by following them down the halls pretending to have a seizure?"

Preston replied indignant. "That wasn't today!"

Stiles turned to him sharply. "So you admit you did it?"

He turned beet red and tried to deny it.

His parents started yelling at him. Natalie tried to calm them.

"Alright, alright. Even if Preston did do those things, which this school does not endorse or tolerate, Jackson still used violence. That canno-"

Stiles nodded. "Yes that is true, and he will be properly scolded. By us, and his parents when they get back. You did call them didn't you? Mrs. and Mr. Whittmore the two premier lawyers in the county? I'm sure they would want to know the situation immediately! That their son hit a boy for only mocking and publicly humiliating a fellow student because of a disability." Stiles played it off like it was nothing. "I mean what is that? Just a prosecutable hate crime, nothing warranting violence for heavens sake!" Stiles looked scandalized. "Yes they would want to know right away."

Preston's parents blanched, before his dad started blundering. "I-I think we can settle this now? I mean lest we bother them."

Natalie smirked privately at Stiles.

Stiles continued. "Oh wonderful! Now he did use violence so I think one week suspension is a necessity, and since Preston was the primary aggressor two weeks and detention for the rest of the month after he gets back. You know, to give him a taste of what a life of crime will get you, and to discourage him from this path further."

Preston started to object, but his other leveled him with a glare. "Yes I think that is adequate."

Stiles turned to Natalie. "Does that fit school guidelines?"

She nodded.

"Well, then I think that is all we need from Preston, thank you for coming in to resolve this with us." He stared at them till they got the hint and scurried out.

"Mr. Whittmore I better stop seeing this type of thing from you, you were doing so well." She halfheartedly scolded him. "I thought this change was brought about by good influences, I hope you stick by their side. It's good to have people to defend you and to defend."

Jackson nodded.

"Miss Reyes you may be excused from classes if you like."

Erica shook her head. "I'm good."

"Very well. Mr. Hale you're all set to take him home. He will be due back for school next Tuesday, and make sure his parents get in touch as soon as possible. The rest of you are dismissed back to lunch."

They all started to file out. Natalie called out. "Oh and mister Stilinski..."

"Yes ma'am?"

"You negotiate just like your mother."

Stiles smirked. "Thank you."

Once they were in the hallway Jackson spoke, "Thanks Stilinski."

He saluted before going to lunch with the rest of them after Erica gave one more grateful look.

"I am sorry Derek. Our maid is on vacation. I didn't know who else to call. I didn-"

"Listen to me Jackson, you call me. Always."

"Still I know I'm not your problem."

"You're my beta, that means your mine. My problem, my happiness, my duty, my friend, my responsibility, my everything. So if you need something, you call and I'm there. No matter what. I'll always be there."

Jackson's eyes were rimmed with tears. "Th-" He cleared his throat. "Thanks."

"Now how bout some ice cream?"

"Ice cream?" Jackson looked confused.

"Yeah. When I punched Gary Getzucci's smug little face off the swing he was sitting on after calling Laura a whore, my alpha took me for ice cream. Admittedly she didn't use me for free labor afterwards to prime the wall of her house, but you know."

Jackson spent the week priming the walls with Derek so they would be ready to paint on the weekend.

They entire time they were painting they were making fun of the noobs and saying things like, 'No like this.' They had the audacity to give each other long suffering looks when Stiles did something wrong.

Friday they watched 13 Going on 30 and Stiles shared his razzles with everyone except them. Then The Proposal.

The next day Stiles played music again, and when "Get Low" came on they belted out the lyrics from the various rooms they were painting and laughed so hard they had to take a break. Stiles blared T swift and Fergi and no one even complained.

They were painting the library when Derek realized Stiles wasn't singing along. Derek looked behind him where Stiles was supposed to be painting. He was beaming at his phone like the fucking sun. Derek frowned. Everyone the Stiles would text was in the house. His father was still anti-text.

"Something happen?"

Stiles didn't even slow his giddy texting.

"Stiles." He looked up after he finished his text.

"What?"

He was widely grinning at him, but knowing it wasn't meant for him it felt like he was frowning at him and had him responding in kind.

"Who are you texting?"

Stiles put his phone in his back pocket. "Nobody."

Derek furrowed his eyebrows. "Nobody must be pretty funny."

"What?"

"You were grinning like when Scott fell down the steps."

"Oh." Stiles seemed content to not give further information.

"Yeah." Derek turned to continue painting and to not have to look Stiles in the eyes. "New girlfriend?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

Stiles snorted. "After what he did for me, I'd marry him if he asked."

Derek's roller paused mid pass.

"I don't think it's likely though, so just friends."

"What did he do for you?" Derek asked while resuming painting.

"He found something for me."

Derek spun around. "Why didn't you ask me!?"

Stiles looked like a deer in headlights. "Uhhh, I don't think it's something you could've found." Stiles looked at him questioningly.

Derek seemed to process his outburst was unwarranted. He continued nonchalantly. "I just mean super senses. It would've been easier for me to find it, unless they also had them. Which they'd have to be a werewolf and-"

Stiles heartbeat sped up.

Derek's eyebrows rose. "-they're obviously not a werewolf, right?"

Stiles was quiet as he focused on his paint. "Why would I need a werewolf to find something?"

A question couldn't be a lie, he was hiding something.

"Right, right. And why would you ask a different on when you have a pack, an alpha? I mean it's not like you would go to a werewolf we knew for something I could do for you."

Stiles heartbeat ticked up. So we knew the man.

"And it's not like you would go to meet a werewolf not in your pack without telling your alpha."

Another uptick.

Stiles stopped painting with a groan. He yelled. "Scott, Derek is doing the heartbeat lie detector thing we said you guys can't do!"

"I was just as-"

"What dude?"

"Derek is being mean. He's reading my heartbeat!"

"Stiles is not telling the truth about his other werewolf friends."

"Dude! What other friends?! Not cool. You should tel-"

Stiles gave a meaningful look to him, and in order to be meaningful to Scott it was obvious to Derek.

Scott's face flashed recognition. "Oh. Oh! Yeah dude, not cool. Don't read heartbeats. We said that wasn't okay."

Wow, the best friend knew. Derek racked his brain trying to find the signs that Stiles had a boyfriend for long enough for it to be this serious. Scott never knew anything, but he knew this before Derek. Stiles must not trust him.

Derek turned to resume painting once again. "Okay, I won't pry."

Stiles' jokes and jabs went unanswered the rest of the day, as Derek was glumly pouting. Stiles had a boyfriend, and he didn't even tell him.

Afterwards they couldn't stay because of the paint fumes, so Stiles suggested they just go home.

Probably to text his boyfriend, Derek thought.

The next week after the paint had aired out enough he asked Malia to help him with putting the carpet in. When Malia mentioned the text at lunch it puzzled Stiles. Why Malia?

"Did he say why?"

Malia shrugged. "He mentioned it's easier with two people. Oh, and he had said that he could help me with social studies for the big test."

Stiles nodded. Derek was probably trying to bond with his cousin. It was nice of him, but Malia didn't get along with many people.

Stiles was shocked on Friday when the carpet Isaac picked out was beautifully installed and Malia was resting against a laughing Derek in the living room.

They helped them finish a few of the bedrooms before watching both Now You See Mes. On Sunday they had a studying day, and Malia was practically teaching Isaac.

Stiles had thought it was a little strange when he asked Malia to do a project with just him, but when he asked Scott to lay the wood and finish the stairs during the week he thought it was straight up weird.

Saturday while they painted the banister of the steps, Stiles drug Scott upstairs to a room.

He shut the door behind them. "What did you guys do?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's been doing a project with every pack member! I thought Peter, just showed up for the roof, but now I think he invited him. Boyd and him built the porch, Erica did the lights, Jackson primed the walls with him. Which I thought was just a coincidence because of the suspension, but I asked Erica and apparently Derek dropped him off, and planned on picking him up already. Now you with the floors. You didn't even know how to install wood flooring!"

Stiles had a crazed look in his eyes. "Oookay I'm going to need you to dial the conspiracy theorist down a few notches. Dude you're being crazy."

"Am I Scott? I overheard Derek and Allison talking- there's talk about Argent and my dad helping tile. My dad, Scott! And Argent! And Derek! And nobody else! Tiling!"

"By overheard you mean eavesdropping. Bro listen to yourself. There's talk? Who cares who helps him tile? He's probably just sick of having to work by himself during the week."

"Who cares?" Stiles flailed. "I care Scott! Guess who hasn't gotten in on the little paired project cult? Me!"

"Your dad and Argent won't be alone."

Stiles bawlked. "Of course not! My dad arrested him Scott! And Argent's sister is friggin Kate! Of course he's got a buffer!"

"Stiles you're being crazy and I'm going to leave now."

"You're in on Derek's freaky one on one project cult and it's not fair you won't tell me."

"Goodbye."

Later when Derek went to the kitchen to get more paint he felt Stiles creeping behind him.

"Yes Stiles?"

"It never stops sucking that I can't sneak up on you."

"Did you sneak up on me just to lament you can't sneak up on me orrr.."

"What did you and Scott talk about?"

Derek squinted at him. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Why do you want me to tell you?"

Stiles groaned. "Because I want to know what you talked about."

"Why do you-" Oh Stiles wanted to know if Scott spilled the beans about Stiles' boytoy. "If you're worried about if Scott told me about your secret, don't worry he didn't." Derek brushed past him, leaving him to his thoughts.

What secret? Did he currently have a secret? He wasn't worried Scott told him a secret until now, now he was very worried. Scott knew too many secrets about him for him to not know which one he told Derek. It better not have been the one about Kansas. He would kill him if it was. What other secret could it be?

"SCOTT!!"

After multiple assurances Scott told him nothing, not even that thing with the turtle and Mrs. Mia, Stiles still didn't believe him. Stiles stuck his tongue out across the room while cuddling Allison. Scott gave defeated puppy eyes at having lost both of his cuddle buddies for romcoms. They watched 21 Dresses and The Fault in Our Stars. Scott was making the best of cuddling Isaac though, he carded his fingers through his hair till he fell asleep.

Sunday they painted the porch, put in all the bathtubs, and went out to see Joker.

The next week tiling with Derek, John, Argent, and no body else was started.

Wednesday the sheriff came home to spaghetti dinner, with meatballs, and no zucchini noodles, he let out a sigh. "Kid, I'm tired. I just got done tiling Derek's house. I have to work in the morning. If this is a bribe it can wait till morning. If this is an apology I forgive you. If this is anything else I'll ask you who you are and what you've done with my son."

"It's neither of those, I just want to talk about my lovely father's day." Stiles had been worrying all day.

John appraised him. "Well then, I actually had a more eventful day at the office. Janice brought in-"

"Long john donuts. Yes I know. She does every Wednesday. I know what happens at the station. Were there any other eventful parts of your day?"

"If you count Argent cutting off Derek's hand with a power saw eventful, but Janice br-"

"What!?"

"Oh relax. It wasn't on purpose and he healed."

Stiles fumbled for his phone. "Just like the jackass to not call."

"I don't know why he didn't. His hand grew back like a dammed hydra, he has three hands he coulda picked up the phone with now."

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Apparently someone isn't too tired for jokes, wiseass."

"Relax Stiles. It's been going well. Jesus I don't think your mother stressed this much about me spending time with your dziadek, and we were dating already."

"Dad!"

There were jokes on the first Saturday about how quickly grout dries that made all three men laugh, and nobody else got.

Stiles tried to commiserate with Allison about how weird it was, but she thought it was cute.

It was a torturous three weeks.

The first week they watched The Matrix series. The second they watched The Avengers and Age of Ultron, then Infinity War and Endgame, because Chris had never seen them. That was another thing, sometime during the weeks Argent had become Chris.

They still had to do a couple more bathrooms before they were done, but there could only be a couple people working at a time so the rest played cards. Once they were done they all joined cards, then they watched The Lone Ranger. Peter hadn't stayed for any of the movies since Mean Girls and had been busy a lot of the times they asked for his help, so Stiles was pretty sure he came and stayed because Derek said Argent was going to be there.

Sunday they put in all the toilets and shower fixtures. With all the flooring done Derek thought it looked like an actual house, almost like the original, but different. Not better or worse, just different, new was almost the right word.

The next week Derek asked Allison to help him with the trim and library, and Stiles tried really hard to not be offended he still hadn't been asked yet. Saturday they pulled up the driveway to Allison excitedly teaching Derek how to throw knives, he failed at not being offended that he hadn't had his bonding moment yet.

The weekend they finished the third floor and watched The Expendables.

Stiles made a plan for the next week. It was Isaac's exclude Stiles week and they were getting and putting up blinds. It wouldn't take them all week, and Issac had evening classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays so it was perfect. Stiles would show up Wednesday to drop off food for them, forgetting about Isaac's classes and boom! They would plan their project. It was perfect.

Well it was until he walked in on Lydia and Derek in the middle of a hard core design and decor planning session. They already met constantly to shop and talk, but apparently they needed even more time. They said it was perfect timing because they needed his opinion on some things. He answered quickly, dropped the carbonara off, and made his excuses to leave.

Well that was it. Everyone in the pack had officially had a week or project, except him. A tiny part of him whispered that maybe Derek was saving the best project for him, or maybe Derek viewed the planning and research as his. That was quickly squashed by the bigger part that was angry.

Derek had asked if they could push them meeting there Friday till Saturday since there was nothing much to do till the furniture was delivered on Saturday and Sunday, the pack agreed. Stiles had cooled down a lot, someone had to be last why not him. Also maybe there was some big super important task left, one that Stiles was completely forgetting even after racking his brain all night. That was entirely possible. Likely even. There was no reason to be mad. He decided to go early with a peace offering of cake to make up for leaving Wednesday so early.

When he walked in Friday night to see Danny installing TVs and a surround sound system with Derek, he walked right back out. He went home and ate the entire cake, so he didn't feel as bad about lying to the pack about being sick because he really did feel sick then.

With all of the texts he got from the pack in the morning he wasn't getting out of the day.

"Dude are you okay? You look like shit."

Scott's words were comforting, especially since he wasn't even fucking sick. "Gesh Scottie you really know how to make a gal feel special." Sure he hadn't slept much, and he had cried as much as something that makes you eat an entire cake warrants, but other than that peachy.

"You sound nasally."

Thank you Cora. Maybe he was a little stuffy and had a cough, but there was so much dust it's to be expected.

Derek came up to him and felt his forehead. "You feel hot."

"Whoa is batman sick?"

"Stop it. I am not sick."

"You were sick yesterday."

"That was different."

"I'm sorry mister mucus monster if you could repeat that?"

"Haha." Stiles deadpanned. "I-I'm not s-si-Aa...CHEW! ick."

He was sick.

Derek tossed Boyd his keys and wallet. "Get some duchess soup from Mamma Tammi's, and pick up some flu medicine too." Jackson walked out the door with him.

"I don't have the flu!"

Derek looked him up and down. "Okay, try convincing me when you aren't about to eat your own snot."

Stiles wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"And some tissues!" Allison shouted.

"That is disgusting." Cora sneered.

"I remember a time you ate your boogers."

Isaac laughed and Cora turned red. "You jerk!"

"It's perfect that you're here though batman, so we can take care of you. While we watch movies of course."

Stiles squinted. "What if I don't want to watch movies?"

Erica pouted. "You always want to watch movies."

Stiles raised an eyebrow.

"Uggh fine. We want to try out the new surround sound. Derek wouldn't let us try it without you."

"He needs rest."

"Do not, sourwolf."

Derek rose an eyebrow at him. "Sure."

"Besides this is the perfect opportunity to get Scott to watch Star Wars."

After a few more protests they settled in with the original trio. All of the pack was snuggled into him somehow, damn werewolves not being able to get sick, except Allison on a chair and Lydia across the room. When he walked past to get to the bathroom she covered her mouth with her shirt and sprayed him with Lysol. With how cozy he felt he drifted off. He woke briefly when the mattress people got there and Derek had to get up, he remembered being happy hearing they would set them up so nobody had to move before drifting back off as he heard Yoda say something about no trying and doing. If he wasn't so tired he could think of it. He woke back up again when they moved the air mattress to get the couch in. With all of them moving the two giant sectionals, various chairs, and end tables Stiles started to shiver. Even under layers and layers of blankets. The werewolves made quick work of the heavy furniture, but they still weren't back soon enough for Stiles' liking. As all the pack passed the slightly deflated mattress in favor of the new comfy couch he made grabby hands towards Derek.

"Come. Heat. Cold."

"I'm glad in those eloquent words there was a please."

Stiles frowned cutely at him. "Please."

Derek crawled under the covers and gathered Stiles against his chest. Stiles drifted back to sleep with his second favorite badass Padme scene playing in the background. Sunday passed similarly, with Stiles dozing and the pack fussing over him while watching space battles. The desk for the office and the table and desk for the library arrived along with lamps for around the house. Later the nightstands for their bedrooms came with Derek's personal bookshelf, despite having an entire library. The man making the island called to say it wasn't ready yet, which disappointed Isaac.

Stiles' dad didn't want him to come home and get him sick so he stayed with Derek while everyone else left. Monday he was feeling better. They were eating breakfast Derek went out to get when someone knocked at the door. Derek opened the door to see Deaton loaded down with boxes of books.

"This should be enough to get you started. I have the truck loaded down."

Stiles got up urgently. "Is there something that needs to be researched? Did something happen?"

Deaton peaked around the boxes. "Ah Stiles. I wasn't aware you would be joining us."

"For what?"

"Derek didn't tell you? We're stocking his library with some of my old lore books. He asked me to help arrange them."

"Sorry I forgot that was today."

Un-fuckin- believable! Deaton even got something before he did!

"Did he now! Well that's great! Well I should probably get going."

Derek moved closer. "Are you sure? This will only take a bit. Are you up to driving yet?"

"I'm sure." Stiles walked out without a single sign there was anything wrong.

"Okay, What was wrong with you?" Derek spoke while climbing through his window effortlessly.

Stiles kept his face neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That." Derek pointed to his face. "And definitely all of this." Derek made a circular wide sweeping motion that gestured to his entire body.

Stiles looked down at himself. He was laid on his bed with his back against the head board. His legs were neatly crossed running down the center of the bed, and his hands were delicately intertwined and sat on his lap. "To what are you referring? Did you perhaps missmell a chemo signal? Even sniffer dogs are only right half the time."

Whoa mean dog jokes, he was pissed.

"What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything." No heartbeat jump. The truth.

"Are you mad at someone else?"

"I'm not mad at anyone." Heart jump, okay so he was mad at Derek. Otherwise he would've said no.

"Was it something I said?"

"You didn't say anything." There was that weird way he was saying things again, but apparently it wasn't something he said.

"Was it something you did?"

Stiles shot him a nasty look, and he immediately put his hands up.

"Okay so it's definitely me." Stiles wasn't saying anything about him reading his heartbeat, so he must've wanted him to figure it out. "Was it something I didn't mean to do, but did on accident?"

"You didn't do anything Derek ."

Why was he saying it li- Oh. "Was it something I didn't do?"

Just like that Stiles' arms and legs came uncrossed, and he was sprawled on the bed. "I don't know Derek what didn't you do?" Stiles was hoping he would be all like, 'Oh yeah I forgot to invite you for our super awesome bonding week, where we get closer like the rest of the pack. Were going to bedazzle the house walls.'

"I forgot to brush my teeth this morning?"

Not the time for jokes, I repeat not the time for jokes. Stiles flailed flail number 47, 'You done fucked up and I'm done.' he knew this one, he hated this one. It was a barely there flail, blink and you miss it. It reminded Derek of a dead fish's last flop. "You're right. I'm mad because of halitosis." Stiles turned away from him and pulled the covers up. "Turn my light off when you leave."

Stiles wasn't just mad, he was also hurt. What in the hell had he done?!

Derek moved closer to the bed and slid in behind Stiles. "I don't know what I didn't do yet. Can you tell me so I can apologize?"

"It's fine. I'm upset over nothing." The blankets rustled and Derek could tell that Stiles wiped tears away with his blanket.

"It's not nothing if you're upset." Derek burrowed into Stiles to try and stop his crying, but it only made it worse. "Tell me." Derek placed a kiss to the side of his neck. "Please?"

"Why didn't you want to do a project with just me? I mean I know it's silly, but you did one with literally everyone else."

Derek felt relieved. This was perfect, he could invite Stiles right now without it being weird. "Is that all this is about? Well then how about tomorrow? I've been meaning to swing by Ikea. It won't take long we can just pop in and out."

Stiles' tears were gone instantly.

To be replaced with rage. Pop in and out? What, were they getting throw pillows?! Oh wait no, Lydia gets those with her project. One that's taken almost a much time as the reno itself, and resulted in them saying things like, 'That back splash with that paint? Oh hunny no.' Maybe TV brack- oh no. Danny already installed those. Danny! HE ISN'T EVEN IN THE PACK! Argent tiled the god damn house his sister burned down, and Stiles gets a quick pop in Ikea?!

Stiles got up. "Actually, I think I'm going to lay on the couch. Lock the window on your way out."

That was something he said when he was done. Like I don't want to even see your face done. They both knew he couldn't lock the window from the outside, it was something Stiles said when he wanted him to know he wasn't welcome.

Stiles didn't even look back before slamming his door.

Derek was just back from his morning run and pouring himself a cup of coffee when he heard the doorbell. That's odd. Even if someone did try it out he was expecting them to just walk right in.

He opened it to see Stiles. An overly cheerful Stiles. "Mornin, mornin Derek! Can I come in?"

Derek's stomach rolled. "Of course, you can always come in. You know th-"

"Great. Cute bell. Last night?"

"Yeah." Derek eyed him warily.

"Cool, cool. Did Natalie help you install it? I mean you're trying to involve everyone right?" Stiles scrunched his nose and any other time it would've been cute, but not with the way his face was plastered with a fake smile.

"Nooo? I did it myself. Stiles, not that you aren't welcome, but why are you here? The counters aren't du-"

Stiles flailed number 78, 'I'm about to pretend to be fine, when I actually want to rip your face off.' "I'm here for Ikea silly."

Derek didn't think this was the best idea. "Are you sure you stil-"

"Great. Go get dressed."

Derek could tell there was no room for argument. So an hour later there they stood in Ikea.

"So Derek, what are we picking up? I mean you and Lydia already picked out the dishes and the silverware an-"

"The dining room table."

Stiles looked confused. "What happened to the one you ordered?"

Derek looked straight ahead. "I didn't order it."

"What!? Why not? It was perfect. Everyone loved it, it had enough space, it came wit-"

"You didn't like it."

"Yeah, but everyb-"

"You didn't like it."

Stiles stopped his protests. "Okay." Derek was pleased that Stiles seemed satiated with that.

"Good thing we didn't get it too, the dining room floor Scott picked wouldn't look as good with it."

He was back to grumpy. Derek just couldn't win.

Every time he would suggest something Stiles would grumble something practical, but harsh. All of his attempts at peace were misconstrued, and even his jokes and attempts at pronouncing the furniture were ignored.

Derek sighed. "Look we aren't finding anything. How about we eat quick and head home?"

"I'm starving and want to leave, perfect." Stiles pushed past him to where the cafeteria was.

Derek hung his head and let out a breath before following him.

"This food is good isn't it?" Derek tried to make small talk about a safe subject.

"I guess." Stiles pushed around his meatballs and gravy.

Derek tried to get him to meet his eyes. "What are you talking about, you love this kind of thing. Weren't you hungry?"

"I guess not."

Derek couldn't take this any longer. "Alright I'm done. I'm done coddling you! What did I do?"

"You di-"

Derek interrupted. "Oh don't start that 'You didn't do anything.' bullshit! What happened?! Tell me or stop acting like it's a big deal! I think you're making something out of nothing!" Derek whisper shouted, clearly not wanting to make a scene.

Well too bad. He started this, but Stiles would be damned if he wasn't going to finish it.

"You don't think it's a big deal?! Something out of nothing?!" Stiles shouted, drawing the attention of near by people. Derek blanched realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry if I'm a little upset that you're inviting everyone to do little fucking bonding projects when I'm the one you started this with! And then when I tell you this you just," Stiles lowered his voice to mock Derek. "'Oh, we could quick pop down to Ikea for a table.' Like I'm just some cheap whore you could take to olive garden to impress!"

Everyone that was staring quickly looked away and went on with their business, except one lady on the opposite side turned her chair around and held her tray in the air to eat while watching.

"Stiles can we do this at home?" Derek ducked down to whisper.

"Oh will that be my project?! Yelling at each other at home?! Or is it even my home?"

Derek saw red, Stiles knew that wasn't something to joke about. "Of course it is! You're the whole reason I'm building the damn house!" Derek was shouting back.

"Oh so now I forced you to build it, and you don't even want to have me involved anymore!"

"Stiles you're being ridiculous! You helped with the walk though with me! Of course I want you involved!"

"Oh really?! Then why does it feel like exclude Stiles from having a bonding week with Derek is your guy's inside joke?! And I was only there because I made you! That doesn't count! Danny even did the TVs! Danny! Deaton spent yesterday organizing the library! You don't even like Deaton!"

Derek scoffed. "I like Deaton just fine."

"Still! Deaton gets the library and I get a quick pop down to Ikea! You've already been here with Lydia! How come you didn't ask me to help with something bigger?! Am I not important enough?!"

The lady oooed and slurped a noodle.

"Oh yeah well how come you didn't ask me to help you find whatever you needed?! You still haven't told me what it was! You asked some other man to help you! Your little secret boyfriend!" Derek pointed an accusing finger.

Stiles looked confused, and the lady's mouth dropped open.

"My what?"

"Oh don't play dumb, I saw you smiling at your phone. It's another..." Derek was pulled out of the moment enough to catch his almost slip. "man like me! And Scott knows, but you didn't tell me!"

"I'm not dating anyone, and if you could pull your head out of your ass for two seconds, you'd see that."

Derek could hear his heartbeat so he knew it wasn't true, but he said it anyway.He knew it would get to him. "Whatever, Lydia thinks you are to get back at me. I believe her, because you're a liar."

Stiles face went wide with rage. He stood still till he used his spoon to flick a meatball at Derek in spite.

It hit him in the cheek and it left a gravy trail where it rolled down.

The rest of the cafeteria scattered like roaches once they started slinging food, but the lady just laughed and dodged a frisbee thrown cookie.

Turns out globby mashed potato hair and gravy face goes perfectly with a lifetime ban from Ikea. No really, the staff insists. Strongly. All the way to your car.

They didn't speak for several moments while they leaned against the car. Finally Stiles whirled on Derek and pointed a finger, before he could speak though a glob of mashed potatoes fell from his hair and landed on the floor with a splat. The both looked down at the poor pile of mashed potatoes and when they looked back up their eyes met.

They both burst out laughing. In between laughs they could barely get out scraps of sentences.

"Gravy-"

"Rolling meatball-"

"Banned from Ikea." After that one they laughed so hard they had to support themselves against the car.

They slowly stopped laughing. Their eyes again. They stood there staring and smiling at each other.

"We look ridiculous."

"And we definitely are not getting in my car like this." Stiles nodded. Derek unlocked his car and went around to the passenger side. He came back with a stack of napkins. He laid the rest on top of the car before starting to clean off Stiles' face. He gently grabbed Stiles' chin to keep him in place.

Stiles stared into his eyes as he wiped the gravy from his face.

He spoke in a soft voice. "I was mad because I felt excluded. The whole time it felt like this amazing pack thing, like we were all getting closer. And when you started doing individual projects I was happy that you were getting solo time with them, but then I didn't. The house was almost done and it felt like everyone had put finishing touches on the house, that made the house theirs, except me. I saw how close them doing things with you made you guys and I wanted that."

Derek's wiping stopped. "Sti, you are the only reason I even had the courage to start this. This whole thing is because of you. Yes, I did want everybody to have something they did to include them, but I never meant to exclude you. I was saving you for last. I wanted to get the table with you bec-"

"You just last minute threw that idea out there." Stiles rolled his eyes, and tried to look away.

Derek held his chin in place. "I didn't get that other table because you didn't like it. I decided when all was said and done I would ask you to pick out a table with me. The rest of the jobs were either they knew how to do it or it was just convenient, but with you I wanted to pick out the table. Because no matter what, no matter who was fighting, who was busy, who was tired when I was growing up we sat around the table for dinner. We were always brought together for dinner. We sat around that table and ate as a pack, even when we didn't want to be family. We sat around that table while we were at war with a rival pack. We did homework at that table, we made things, we helped my Pops with special dinners. We did everything at that table, and I wanted you to pick out this one because that's what you do. You bring us together. You brought me together, when I didn't even know this was something breaking me. No matter what is happening, you do every time. You help the pack with their homework, you teach Jackson how to make grilled cheese sandwiches, you, Stiles bring us together. So I wanted you to pick it out. That was your project. And you did it. I've never felt closer to the pack. I'm just sorry you felt excluded from that."

Derek let go of his chin and Stiles looked down. Derek could smell the tears salting the mashed potatoes on the ground.

"So- so what you're saying is, you got everything in the house but the kitchen table... because I'm the table?"

Stiles looked back up at him with tears in his eyes and an amused smirk, he still had mashed potatoes in his hair.

Derek didn't know how someone could be so beautiful.

"Yes. You're my kitchen table, Stiles."

"I have never wanted to kiss someone covered in gravy as much as I do now."

Derek froze.

Stiles kissed his cheek and got frosting on his lips. "But you still aren't ready, and that's okay."

Derek looked down at the pink frosting on his lips, and Stiles licked it away.

"Someone told me that even if I'm not ready for some things I should still tell you how I feel. I feel like I really want to kiss you right now, even if I don't feel ready for it." Derek still needed to know without a doubt. He knew Stiles wasn't Kate or Jennifer, he just needed to know that he wasn't Paige. Her loss changed him forever, but Stiles' would kill him. He needed to know that he was actually being led to Stiles and that this wasn't just another wonderful thing he would loose. He had lost too many things to not be sure.

"Alright. Let me know when you're ready."

The entire next week everyone was constantly in and out of the Hale house. Everyone showed up to help finalize. Everyone was moving their things into their rooms, and putting the finishing touches on the house. Cabinetry and counter tops arrived on Tuesday and Wednesday, then Thursday all the kitchen appliances arrived, even Scott's specially ordered toaster. Stiles tried to not let his dad lift any of the counter tops, but when Argent and Peter started snickering he stared into Stiles' eyes as he helped lift it.

Friday they decorated. When Derek found out that Stiles' 'secret boyfriend' was actually an alpha that knew his mother that Stiles got a picture from, he nearly cried. When he walked up to where the picture was hung in the mudroom he did cry. He hadn't seen a photo of all of them together since before all their photo albums burned up in the fire.

"I know I said you had to let go but I didn't mean forget. I thought that even if you can't hold them it might be nice to wave at them. Just to let them know you still think about them as you walk through the house."

Derek spoke with a voice filled with emotion. "Ho-how did you?"

"I used a spell to locate it. When I sensed the location housed the supernatural, I asked Deaton and he put me in touch with the alpha there. This was taken wh-"

"When we brokered a treaty with them." Derek's fingertips ghosted over the photo with reverence. "Lillian was so little." He smiled looking at her. "Thank you Stiles. I could never repay this."

He shrugged. "It was nothing."

Derek looked at him with teary eyes. "It means everything to me. Not a single thing you do means nothing, to me. This is everything."

After Derek turned back to the photo he could tell he should leave.

He went to go through to the living room, but Peter caught him by the arm.

"Peter wh-" He hauled him into a hug.

"Thank you for letting me see them again."

Stiles would think he was never there if he didn't have a lingering wet spot on his shirt and clear sight of Peter walking over to hug his nephew. After Derek called Cora over he took one last look at them all leaning on each other remembering their family before he got back to work.

After a hectic Saturday morning, the pack thought they would be all set for their first night in the house. They had a peaceful quiet lunch. Afterwards they filled all of the cabinets with the dishware, silverware, pots and pans, cooking utensils,and other miscellaneous things they had gotten. Allison and Lydia were putting throw blankets and pillows in the living room while DJing. Issac and Cora installed the fridge yelling lyrics of duets and songs they made into duets to Boyd and Scott who were making all of the beds upstairs.

Stiles was grinning down at an equally happy Derek while he was handing him fancy plates to put on the top shelf.

"They're crazy. How is our pack so crazy?"

Stiles looked down from where he was stood on a chair with a fond look before speaking. "You wouldn't have it any other way, sourwolf."

Derek paused handing him the next plate, before setting it down. "No I wouldn't." Derek lit up like a Christmas tree, before getting a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Der- WHOA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Derek picked him up by the back of his legs. "Put me down!"

"No we're in the pack too. We have to be crazy too!" Derek started waltzing around in circles while holding Stiles up high. Cora and Issac started laughing.

"Come on Stiles they finally played Christmas music for you, sing!"

Stiles shook his head. "You're so weird!"

"AND ALL THE LIGHTS ARE SHINING, SO BRIGHTLY EVERYWHERE!" They both laughed as Derek sang loudly and twirled them into the living room. "AND THE SOUND OF CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER FILLS THE AIR!" Lydia and Allison laughed like witches as they danced around with them.

Stiles belted out the next lyric. "AND EVERYONE IS SINGING, I CAN HEAR THOSE SLEIGH BELLS RINGING!" Erica and his dad came to watch them with grins and cameras.

They nearly ran into Jackson and Malia on their way to the steps.

They sang the next lyric together. "SANTA WON'T YOU BRING ME THE ONE I REALLY LOVE, WON'T YOU PLEASE BRING MY BABY TO MEEEE!"

Stiles sang the next lyric to Peter and Argent where they were working on a bathroom. "I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS, THIS IS ALL I'M ASKING FOR! NO I- Whoa!" Stiles grabbed the back of Derek's neck for balance.

Derek ran them over to the doorway of the room Scott and Boyd were working in and continued the song. "STANDING RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR!"

Stiles joined back in.

"I JUST WANT YOU FOR MY OWN." Stiles gestured to Boyd and then Derek motioned to Scott. "MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER KNOW! MAKE MY WISH COME TRUUUE!" They went even louder for the finale. "YOU KNOW THAT ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS," Scott and Boyd reached out for them. They sang the next lyric even louder. "IS YOUUUUU!!!" Right as they did Scott and Boyd turned and reached for each other.

Stiles went to look down at Derek in disbelief, but when he did Derek looked up and sang the next lyric to him softly. "Is youuu." Stiles smiled back at him.

Promiscuous started playing.

"Derek get your ass down here! Batman had his turn, put him down! This is our song! You better not miss your next part!" She went immediately into singing. "You lookin' for a girl that'll treat you right, you lookin' for her in the daytime with the light."

Derek's singing was terrible while holding Stiles and running. "You might be the type if I play my cards right, I'll find out by the end of the night."

"You expect me to just let you hit it, but will you still respect me if you get it?"

"All I can do is try, give me-"

"DEREK! THE CEILI-"

"One chance."

"THUNK THUNK THUNK!"

"OW!"

There was no more dancing while holding people in the air near ceiling fans.

Once Stiles was back on the ground they laughed as he held his head.

"Oh my gold that is gold Stilinski!"

"I'm sorry." Derek could barely get it out in between laughter.

"Laugh it up jackasses." Even Stiles was smiling.

They were all doubled over in laughter so long they had to restart it for Erica and Derek.

Later Scott and Stiles sang islands in the stream, while everyone rolled their eyes.

They just had finishing touches to do before they could start the movie. Derek was listening to his pack belt out the lyrics to happy, when he realized he was. He was truly happy in a way he hadn't been since the fire. He felt complete and at peace, like he had finally healed. Looking over to where Stiles was singing into a bottle scrubber, Derek felt it. All of this was because of him, he healed him. He made him want to be better. He made him want to deserve to be happy, to deserve him. He had never felt something as sure as he did that Stiles was meant for him. He was meant to be his, he knew it now.

He got up to make his way to the kitchen determined.

"I'm so happy happyyy!" They were surprisingly in tune as they all sang.

"Hey Alli your phone is ringing."

"I'm happy happy!"

The gleeful mood was cut through like a knife as Allison's chemo signals became discordant with theirs by flooding anxiety and discomfort.

The wolves noticed immediately.

Derek paused his walk to the kitchen.

Boyd turned down the music.

"Babe what's wrong?" Scott looked concerned.

"It's some old friends of my dad."

The room instantly was silent.

Isaac spoke. "Don't answer it!"

Peter came storming down, pissed. Derek guessed his own moment was interrupted. "I agree with the cub, don't answer it."

Her dad came trailing after. "What am I missing?"

"Dave and Maria."

Argent looked down at her phone with understanding.

"Hang up!" Jackson urged.

"Well maybe not. What if they want to see if she's in for a hunt, say for us? We could use the heads up!" Lydia spoke logically.

"They aren't like that! They're some of the good ones."

Peter spoke while edging away from Argent. "You want to answer it!"

Allison looked shocked. "NO!"

Scott came to her side. "She's not like that, you know that Peter. Back off."

Derek was overwhelmed with how fast the peace had turned to chaos. He didn't know what to say.

"Well then why hasn't she hung up!"

"They keep calling, it could be important."

"Not your problem. You picked your side princess, or did you ?" Peter snarled.

Argent pushed Peter back. "Cool it. If I remember correctly you also didn't have a side once."

The sheriff moved his hands up and down to calm them. "Settle down everyone."

"How can we?"

It was all too much. He felt like everything was crashing down. He felt the building crumble beneath him. He felt a warm hand slide into his. He looked and he saw Stiles. He held his eyes as he nodded up and down reassuringly.

Derek turned back to the argument. "Answer it."

All eyes turned to him.

"Derek are you sure? I won't if you don-"

"Answer it. I trust you." He nodded.

It was tense as she answered the call and spoke for several moments. When she hung up there was silence till Derek spoke again.

"Go."

Stiles pulled his hand from Derek's and stood in front of him. "What?! No! She didn't say anything. You told her to answer it! Alli what was it about?"

"Maria was in a hunting accident taking down a rogue omega a couple towns over. Dave needs to be with her, but they don't have anyone to watch the kids."

"Sure a rouge omega. Next thing you know we're classified as a rogue pack!"

"They aren't like that! They investigate. See both sides. They are good!" Allison defended herself from Peter again. "They wouldn't just kill someone." The last part she pleaded to Derek.

"Okay. I believe you. Go."

"Nephew! I-"

Derek roared. "Enough Peter! Even if they were those kinds of hunters, they are just children. Wondering where their mother is. Scared and alone. Are you willing to burn the innocent to punish the ones you think guilty?" They all listened the words, but what they heard was, 'Are you like the one that took everything from you?'

Peter settled and seemed ashamed.

Derek turned back to Allison. "Nous protègons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protèger eux-měmes. Go. Protect them."

"Thank you. You can tell me about the movie tomorrow." She hurriedly grabbed her things.

Stiles spoke up. "You're pack. We can't have pack movie night or the first night in the pack house without you. We'll do it tomorrow."

Argent and Allison left in a hurry, soon followed by Peter. Lydia and Jackson left with a mutter about extra time for college prep. Boyd and Erica offered to drop Issac and Cora off at the loft so Derek could stay behind and check a few things. The sheriff left after stealing another soda. It was just Scott, Stiles, and Derek. Once Scott left Derek could finally talk to Stiles.

"Oh shoot. Alli was my ride."

"Don't worry bro, I can drop you off."

"Thanks man."

Derek would talk to him tomorrow apparently.

The night stretched on, and tomorrow took forever to come. He laid awake wanting nothing more than to just talk to Stiles, but if it was right he could wait. It was right, he knew it.

Stiles took forever to get there, so by the time he did there was talk about going shopping to fill the empty pantry and cabinets. After they talked with Allison, they were off to the store.

"I swear to god if you guys don't decide on what cereal you want, nobody is getting any!"

"Why do we have to pick one, Stiles?" She whined.

"Because otherwise you eat all except half and open another one!"

"You're no even the one that's paying." Isaac brought out.

They all looked at Derek. He looked in between the pack and Stiles. "You can pick four cereals."

Stiles threw his hands up in the air.

"Does oatmeal count?" Scott asked.

Derek looked at Stiles as he crossed his arms. "Oatmeal counts." He looked slightly appeased.

By the time they finally got home it was early afternoon. Then they had to put everything away, so they were exhausted. They took a nap to test out the new couch. If Derek hadn't been awake almost all night he would've stayed awake, but slowly his eyelids drooped.

Derek awoke a couple hours later to see Stiles drooling on Malia. He sleepily smiled. Seeing him like that made him ache to talk to him, but it was right so he could wait.

They slowly woke up they wanted to start the new movies they got, once Stiles did he demanded the new Aladdin.

It was right. He could wait till the everyone fell asleep to talk to him.

"Hey guys what if we did an all nighter? You now for the first night in the new house. Like a sleepover."

Derek was about kill Scott and shoot down the idea when-

"I've never had a sleepover." Curse Isaac and his adorable puppy eyes.

"Well me and Scott are pros so we'll teach you."

It was past midnight and Derek was crawling out of his skin. It didn't help that they were watching the notebook. Again! The sheriff, Argent, and Peter were long asleep, which he wished everyone but Stiles would follow. He went to the kitchen to get a drink.

"What do you really not like romantic movies? How could you not, we've only watched this one three times." Stiles started to pop another bag of popcorn.

Derek turned to give a tight smile. Oh god now that he was here this was so difficult. What if he said it wrong? What if Stiles didn't feel the same way anymore?

"What's wrong?"

Derek sighed and turned to lean back against the counter as he crossed his arms, which Stiles thought should be illegal for him when he's in joggers and a black tank top. His head hit the cabinets, but not before Stiles saw his face that means, 'I want to have an important conversation, but I'm emotionally constipated.'

With the quiet hum of the microwave Stiles settled against the counter opposite of Derek. "Are we going to talk about why you have constipated face? Orrr..."

"What would you say if I wanted to go for a run?" Derek's head was still tilted to the ceiling.

"I'd say that's something you normally would do even if I didn't know you, just because of what shape your body is in."

"No, not like a normal run."

"What? Do you mean now?" Stiles scoffed, but Derek didn't move.

"You mean now. Derek it is like two and pitch black out."

"The moon is out. And tonight is the best night for it. The only night."

"Why?"

"Well... I mean- uhh because I can feel my wolf pacing and it feels like it's clawing at my brain. I just- I have something on my mind and-and I need to know something. I need to do something, to prove something I've believed for a long time."

Stiles looked like he was trying his best to understand. "Okay. Then go. I'll make sure the pack is okay, and I'll clean up. I'll wait up to make sure you get ba-"

"No. No I don't want to go alone."

"Wait I don't understand? Do you want- Oh oh okay. You want the pack to come. This is like a wolf thing. Gotcha. Cuz for a second I thought-"

"No this-" Derek seemed reluctant to slowly interrupt.

"you meant me."

Derek stopped talking, so he continued.

"Which of course is crazy. I mean why would just you and I-"

Derek collected himself. "Stiles of course I meant the pack don't be stupid. And you're right it's a wolf thing."

"Okay. Yeah. Right. Alright let's get them then."

Derek looked like he was crazy. "Stiles it's the middle of the night they aren't going to want to just go out. It's cold out and they're in the middle of a movie."

Stiles rolled his eyes and scoffed with an air of superiority. "It's about tactics sourwolf. Also no one likes that movie except Lydia and Boyd. Watch and learn."

Stiles sauntered out of the room and Derek helplessly followed.

Stiles got the remote and clicked pause to be met with two disapprovals and a chorus of oh thank God.

"Alright pups I have an alternative to movie night. Who wants to-"

"Shut up Sti. It was finally my turn to pick a movie and I will not-"

"Who here wants to sign up for the mutiny against Lydia Martin's dictatorship over always doing The Notebook for her movie choice? Show of hands."

Lydia shot a glare at Jackson as everyone in the room except Boyd raised their hand.

"Okay. I propose a more exciting activity."

"Strip poker?"

"No, not exactly. Who wants to go for a run?"

Everyone looked at him like he had two fluffy ears and glowing eyes suddenly.

"What?"

"Oh come on it'll be fun!"

"Yeah sure whatever, but you Stilinski? You hate when coach makes us run more than literally everyone else in the school. And, oh I don't know, it's night."

"Well you know what they say, a good pitch black night is the best for a run."

"Sorry Stiles honey, but no. Now play my movie before I make you."

"Okay I didn't want to do this, but fine. Scott you're going. I could do this the long way and convince you, but we both know I will so just do it on good faith and awareness of the past. Allison you'll go because Scott is and because you love the woods at night. Derek's going so Isaac will. Erica you will go because you love me and because I agree to that favor you asked me, but I said no last Tuesday. Boyd you'll follow Erica. Malia you're always down for a run. And that leaves Lydia, you'll do this because of the business manager that I drove you to that night, neither of us will ever, and I mean ever, be able to forget that image, but I could've rejected your call but I didn't. So imagine this as pay back because you needed my car and for some reason to emotionally scar me. So Jackson will come because you do. Now are we all in agreement? Or do I need to repeat myself?"

Everyone sat in shock.

"And come on who hasn't wanted to go for a run as a pack in the middle of the night? It'll be fun. Like a secret party. Just us running with a thrill coursing through us. Now I'm going to run upstairs and grab my hoodie, last one ready to go and outside that door has to stay behind for five minutes and then catch up." Stiles dashed off.

They sat in silence.

"I don't know if that was scary or impressive." Isaac whispered slightly like maybe he could hear him through the floor.

"Both darling, but that's Batman for you."

Everyone still sat in quiet till Allison spoke, "Do you think he's joking? Or are we all going? Is he serious? He can't be serious."

Jackson spoke next, "This is so ridiculous. Why would we all just go running off into the woods in the middle of the night? It makes no sense. It would be stupid."

There was a shout. "I don't hear movement. Shall I make it ten? I've made it ten."

Derek could tell they needed a push. "You're right. You all wouldn't do such a thing. Especially with school tomorrow. What kind of childish, foolish group of kids would run in the woods this late?" Derek added one last thing. "It would be totally irresponsible."

Everyone scrambled up at once. There were shouts, shoves, and people slinging coats and scarves every which way. The door flung open as they all raced outside.

Lydia was the only one besides Stiles left. She walked up to him.

"Oh Derek? I totally know what you did there, but I am choosing to ignore it. M'kay?" She patted his cheek twice before turning and stalking out of the house.

Stiles was zipping up a coat from Derek's closet as he walked down the steps.

"Well that went well. I thought I would have more persuading to do once I got down here, but the elephant circus I heard down here was surprising and welcome. Thanks."

"Thank you, you're the one that did most of the convincing for me."

"No problem, but I do need forty bucks for the thing Erica asked me to do. Oh, and I hope you don't mind, I borrowed a jacket. Although I do hope this one isn't also the last thing you have left from a dead relative."

"Peter gave it to me so you're safe there. The bastard just won't die."

Stiles chuckled. "Alright well let's go. Don't want to be late."

"You already are. You're gonna be the last one out."

"Who says?"

Derek mock looked around. "They're all out there."

"You aren't."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I can get out the door faster."

Stiles brazenly gave a wide knowing grin. "Really? Want to bet on that?"

"No magic?"

"No magic."

"Well then, I don't have to."

"Good man. Not betting on a losing horse."

"I fail to see my disadvantage." Derek smirked and crossed his arms.

"Really do you? Well, would you like to? You see, your disadvantage comes from the same place as my knowledge that I could get my hoodie on, search for the right coat, find my hat and gloves, tie my laces, and still get out that door before the last person."

"And where is that place, oh wise one?"

Stiles smirked and tapped his head. "I know you Derek. And I know one other thing."

"Really? Should we put that knowledge to the test?"

"Ready on three big guy?" They both were starting intently into each others eyes, both challenging the other. "One. Two. Three."

Derek was gone in a flash as Stiles fake flinched his own dash to the door.

Derek was leaning on the door frame with his forearms, having yet to cross the threshold. He could hear the pack a little ways off talking intently.

Derek finally heard a squeak in the floorboards that he didn't cause. "You see Derek, I know you..." Stiles ducked under his arm, and stayed close to him once he'd reached the other side. He gave him a fake coy smile. "And I knew you'd wait for me." Stiles patted his chest twice before turning away from him with a flirty wink. Stiles called without turning back, "Besides, my alpha has speed. You'll catch up, won't you?"

Derek closed his red eyes and took a few calming breaths before heading to his car.

When he finally got to the group Jackson asked, "So what? Are we just all going to run? What about the humans? I like winning, but up against Stilinski it's not even a game."

Stiles shot back. "It's not a game. It's pack bonding."

Derek spoke up. "Well actually it is a sort of game." At that the pack perked up and looked interested. "There will be two groups, and each team is made of pairs. One group will be seekers and one group will be hiders. And-"

"Okay it sounds really great so far and sorry for interrupting, but like what are those?" Stiles pointed to what Derek was holding.

"I was getting there. These are occaeco. They ar-"

"I might not speak archaic Latin, but I speak regular Latin and know what those plants and herbs are for. Occaeco. It means I make blind." Stiles looked puzzled even if he had figured out his question.

"Right. They are occaeco, mystical necklaces used in many rituals and practices."

Scott looked wary. "Um Derek, if you were looking for a way to make this totally tense and awkward, you found it dude."

"I am not putting something super witchy, that literally means to make blind around my neck."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Jackson my family and I used these all the time. My four year old cousin wore one for godsake. It's a family tradition, and no one has ever gone blind from it..." Derek suddenly looked contemplative. "Well I guess there was my great great uncle, what was his name? Jacob? No, Jack? Jackson that was it."

Everyone felt the shift in the air at his cousin being mentioned, and even jokingly.

"Okay fine."

"I promise they are harmless. They just make you undetectable to werewolves. They mask your scent, and muffle your heartbeat."

"What? Derek! Don't you think we could've used one of these when, oh I don't know, the alpha pack was attacking us!"

"Oh gee Stiles I never thought of that." He deadpanned. "They take a lot of time and energy to make. You need certain ingredients, and they have to be made with intent for a certain purpose. They're meant more just for fun though."

"What is this game called?" Erica asked with a competitive glint in her eyes. She always knew the right thing to ask.

"I-it's a complicated Latin name."

"Sourwolf I don't even need to know your heartbeat to know that was a lie."

Derek sighed. "It's called alphas and betas."

Snickers could be heard in the darkness.

"Like a werewolf cops and robbers? Oh my god this is the best!" Erica squealed.

"Shut up, and pair up. There should be at least one wolf per team. It should be with someone you are deeply connected with. Someone you think you could find even if you lost all of your senses."

Talking and arguing ensued.

"Hey bud do you want to be on my team?"

"Scott, I appreciate what you are doing here trying to be a considerate best friend by making sure I'm not the last kid picked for dodge ball, but if you and Allison were any more perfect for each other I'd throw up."

"Are you sure?"

"Go Scott."

"Me and Alli are a team."

"So are Jackson and I."

Derek handed them out as teams were called.

"Team sluts is a go. Sorry batman. Boyd also would like everyone to know he was not consulted on the name just subjected to it."

Cora spoke up. "We have odd numbers and I've played before, so I'll be the omega. If there's odd numbers the omega goes around trying to find the hiders before the seekers can."

Isaac started to speak. "I'm with-"

"Stiles is with me." Everyone looked with shocked faces to where they heard Derek's voice. Derek always paired with Isaac, so he didn't feel left out.

"But-" Derek brushed a reassuring arm up his.

"Isaac you're with Malia. You've been studying a lot together lately, right?"

They didn't need to see in the dark to know what red cheeks Isaac had, or how upset Cora was.

"Hey sourwolf, if you were looking for subtle you found it. And kept on driving right past it for several miles."

"Ugh whatever. As long as he wears the necklace."

"Did you make one for hi-" Stiles started.

"I knew she wouldn't wear it." Derek answered.

"Okay the game is won when the first team to find their teammate roars, but it continues till all pairs are found. Once you find your pair or are found you and your partner will head back to the house. If anyone gets lost take off your occaeco so we can find you."

Allison was messing with a necklace. "How do we figure out who's going to the alphas to find the betas in each pair? Does the alpha have to be a wolf?"

"That's not how the game works. You get your title at the end. The alphas are the first person to find someone and the last person found. The rest are betas. The seeker doesn't have to be a wolf."

More arguing ensued for several minutes.

"Okay is everyone final in their decisions? Okay great. Allison, Malia, Jackson, Erica, and Derek are the seekers, and me, Scott, Lydia, Boyd, and Isaac are the hiders. Hiders get a staggering twenty minute head start, thirty in my case."

"What?"

"No fair!"

"We never agreed to that rule."

"No ifs, ands, or buts. Derek was the last one out of the house. I didn't even know the game when I said it, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pleased. Alright go!" With no further warning Stiles was off, quickly followed by the rest.

Stiles could feel his breath hammering out in harsh big breaths, the cold felt like knives with every lung full of air.

He kept moving swiftly through the woods, even though his legs felt on fire. He had heard Malia and Jackson's roars and Allison's yell as they started their hunts earlier. In what felt like seconds later Derek let out a booming roar that caused Stiles' feet to carry him even faster with a thrill. He should've been panicked, but he was darting and twisting through the woods with a focused purpose.

He heard a, "Erica, Boyd is over here!" before snickering.

"Malia you ass! That's not how the game works!" Boyd's slowed steps turned to a dead run as Lydia yelled.

"What? I thought it was predators vs prey?"

There was a rapidly departing stoic voice, "No, that's not how it works."

Stiles held in his laughter as he continued running and leaving fake paths.

Everything was quiet for awhile. It had been awhile since Stiles had heard any hoots or hollers from the pack. Earlier he had heard a startled yell from Scott and then Allison's yell once again. He thought she would be the first one to find her pair, she'd been tracking since she could walk. He was surprised when Erica's victorious roar cut through the air. Malia had survived on her own so her roar, awhile later, came as no surprise. He had seen Cora go by from where he was hiding behind a tree and he had held his breath. She followed one of the fake paths, and he let it out. Stiles smiled thinking he might even have a shot at being the last found, and how mad Jackson would be. He wondered how Derek was doing.

Derek could feel the frustration in the form of fangs biting into his lip. He couldn't find Stiles. He couldn't help losing control. He heard Allison, then Erica, and even Malia. Malia and Isaac weren't even close! Isaac was only studying with her because they both needed the help and Cora seemed to pay more attention to him then! Derek had asked Stiles to do this to find answers, but now he was wishing he just stayed home. The game was a great cover for what he actually was trying to find out, but he wasn't ready to lose this badly. It hurt. He was so confused. He had been so sure before, so this was like a slap to the face. Maybe he was wrong.

Jackson's roar sounded. Derek lashed out and punched a nearby tree. He felt tears of frustration prick his eyes. His anger settled back to confusion and anguish.

Derek looked back up to the sky for what felt like the hundredth time. "Please. Just if you aren't leading me to him, stop. Please just stop making me think he's mine. I thought he was mine? Either show me to him or show me the truth. I want you to lead me to him. I might not deserve him, but I want him. He knows me. He knows my truth. Let him be my path or let me leave this one that keeps leading me to him."

"Mom?"

"Yes my darling?"

"Are moonmatches actually real?"

"I think so. Your dad is mine. Why sweetheart?"

"Do you think I will ever find my moonmatch?"

"Yes. I think you will. Why?"

"Because I've tried and I don't think I'll ever be able to find them. How do you know how to follow the moon when you find dad?" Derek's already quiet, sleepy voice turned to a whisper. "Does dad ever take off his occaeco so you can find him faster?"

"No he doesn't. It's not about knowing how, it's about knowing you will. And I'll let you know one other secret. You don't follow just the moon."

Derek's little eyebrows scrunched up.

"What do I tell you to say if you're scared, unsure, or alone?"

"The sun, the moon, and the truth."

"That's right little cub. The sun that lights the way, the moon that reflects the path, and the truth which carries the weight of the distance. One very important truth."

"What?" Derek covered a yawn with a tiny hand.

"I can't tell you that. Your truth is different than my truth. Just as your moon is different. I can tell you that you will find them though. I know you will. And my cub I promise you when you find them, you will know too. My little beacon of the sun. Your eyes shine too bright to not guide them home to you. You will find them and they will know your truth unlike any other ever could." Talia smoothed his blankets. "You will know when the time is right. Now sleep my little cub."

Derek was still looking at the sky as he remembered his mother all those moons ago.

What was his truth? What else would he follow if not the moon?

Derek was so frustrated. He pulled on his hair and squeezed his head. Why couldn't he think! Why didn't he know by now?! He self-deprecatingly thought that in his position Stiles would know.

Wait.

Stiles would know.

His mother said he would know who his mate was, but his mate was the one that would know the truth not him.

But then how was he supposed to find Stiles if Stiles is the one that knows his truth?

How was he supposed to find someone that is the person that knows where they are? It was all so complicated and he just wanted to find Stiles. But he couldn't find Stiles because he didn't know his truth. Even if according to his mother he didn't need to know his truth because Stiles knew it. By that logic he wouldn't need to find Stiles either because he-

Because he would find himself. Stiles would find himself.

This whole time he shouldn't have been looking for the moon to guide him, or the truth. He should've been following Stiles, and like he said at the doorway, 'I know you Derek.' Stiles knew him. He didn't need to find the moon, the truth, or even Stiles. This wasn't about finding out where Stiles would go, this was about where Derek would find him. Stiles would go somewhere Derek would.

Derek sprinted off in a dead run.

Trees were blurring by and branches were trying to slow his path. His chest was heaving. Finally his feet slowed once he saw a familiar place.

He heard a familiar voice too. One so familiar he would swear it was his.

"If that is anything other than Derek, you might as well eat me now because I'm not running. If it is, what took you so long?" Stiles spun around with a grin. Derek had never in his life been so happy to find such a smug bastard. Stiles grin fell. "You're hurt."

"You're here."

"I asked you first." Stiles had a fond smile.

Derek smirked. "Neither of us asked a question."

"Okay smart ass. Why are you hurt?"

"Because I couldn't wait any longer to do this." Like the glue keeping his feet in place had magically disappeared, Derek ran to Stiles.

Stiles held his breath waiting for the moment his lips would finally meet Derek's.

Derek wrapped him in a hug.

Stiles felt himself deflate. "Not that this isn't nice because this is really nice, but I thought you were going to kiss me. You know how badly I want you, so if we could not play with my feelings like that it'd b-"

"Stiles."

"Yes?"

"I want you too. But not like that. Not right now, not for this moment. I don't want you in the big grand moments, I want you in the small ones. The ones where you're quoting Captain America like breathing. The ones where you settle my pack by knowing the right words, the ones you settle me with the right words. The ones you drool on Malia, or bribe Erica. I don't want you in one grand ephemeral beginning, I want you in one long amazing middle, and when the end comes I'll want you in that too. I don't want you in one big finally there kiss. I want you in a hug that means I'm finally home. I don't want the momentary bliss of feeling your lips against mine. I want to hold you so tight we forget we aren't one, that we are actually just two people wound so closely together we forget that we are meant to be anything other than together. I want you. Forever. Not just now. But if you don't I und-"

Stiles gripped him impossibly closer. "I built a house with you. How much more forever could you get, stupid."

Derek let out a chuckle.

"I will love you Derek. For one long amazing middle. I can wait to kiss you until you're rea-"

Derek sweetly kissed his lips. "I'm ready."

Stiles understood now. He thought he did before, but he does now. That one small moment was worth ten thousand big dramatic kisses in the rain. That kiss told him Derek would be there always. It said Derek would take care of him. It was a kiss that said I want to spend everyday of my life rebuilding myself so you have a home for your heart. It told him Derek would lazily kiss his neck when he was mad he didn't put the milk away on sleepy Saturday mornings. It said I love you in a way that takes years to feel the magnitude of its intensity. It said to him, I will love you in little bits for the rest of our lives to show you that even broken down so small our love is still the greatest thing either of us will ever experience.

Stiles never believed that there was such a thing as too much of a good thing. He hauled him in for another kiss. A kiss that said I will love you every day of my life. I will start loving you today, and I will never stop. It told him I love you when you laugh. I will love you in the small moments to such an extent that you think they are the big moments. It said I will spend my life being loud so you will never know the pain of silence again. It said there are not enough stars in the sky to thank for the privilege of being able to love you. It said I will never stop loving you in big grand ways because you deserve it, and I want to show you you do. It said I will never stop loving you in big ways in small moments. It said I will never stop loving you this intensely and I want every time you are quietly reading a book while rubbing my feet to know.

When they got back all of the pack was asleep in the living room.

Stiles smiled at them. Derek smiled at him.

"Should we wake them to tell them to go upstairs?"

"No, let them sleep."

"Yeah that's a good idea. They're already goi- Why are you staring at me like that?"

Derek smiled. "Nothing, just our pack, our house. I feel like I've waited all my life to finally have you." Derek kissed Stiles' hand. "Ours. Finally ours."

Stiles smiled back. "I feel like I've always been yours. I was just waiting for you."

"Now you have me."

"No. Forever I have you."

"Alright yoda."

"Love you I do."

Derek laughed quietly so he didn't wake the pack. He pulled him towards the couch and the sleeping pack that occupied it. Derek pulled Erica away from the side of the couch and slid into the spot, then he pulled her back to his side. He motioned Stiles closer. Stiles brought a blanket and covered them all after laying on top of Derek.

"Goodnight yoda I could spend the rest of my life loving."

"A goodnight my darling, you will have."

"Goodnight Stiles. I love you." Derek kissed him on his forehead.

"Goodnight Derek. I love you."

This was a hefty bitch. Sorry it is late but this beast had a mind of its own just ask @halevetica whom without I would’ve gone absolutely batshit. Thank you as always my darling. I hope you liked it!!!

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