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ohprettyweeper-moved · 6 years

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OYE Timestamp: New Year’s

Summary: Tyler and Americus, and Frank and Emerson, spend their first New Year’s as couples. Pairing: Tyler x OFC Americus, Frank Iero x OFC Emerson Word Count: 1430 Warnings: None?

Anon Request: For your December requests can I request a time stamp for Open Your Eyes? What did the couples do for New Years Eve? Thank you!!!

Thanks for requesting, Nonnie! If anyone hasn’t read Open Your Eyes yet, you can find it here!

Wanna request a fic?

The week after Christmas found both couples ready to celebrate the New Year together. Frank and Emerson were with her family in Jersey, while Americus and Tyler were back in Los Angeles, preparing for the new tour that would start at the end of January.

“You were in Los Angeles for like a minute and a half,” Americus teased Emerson during their FaceTime call.

“I know,” Emerson giggled, “but I had that shoot that came up real quick, and I couldn’t turn it down. I’m back in Jersey until Mom’s wedding in a couple of weeks. At least we got to have lunch and catch up!”

“Beer, burritos, and boys,” Americus sighed. “My favorite kind of lunch date.”

Emerson laughed again. “Same. You and Tyler have big plans?”

“Mmm, kinda. Our families are going to hang out and play games. Nothing too crazy.”

“Same here — well, Frankie’s hanging out with me and my family, anyway.”

They talked about their plans for the next week or so, and then finished off the call. Emerson plugged her phone into the charger, then headed downstairs to help her mother finish getting the food ready for everyone coming over that evening.

“You told them not to embarrass me, right?”

Graham stepped up behind them and snuck a sweet pickle from the tray. “You really think it matters, Em?”

“Graham!” Tanya scolded, swatting him away from the snacks. “Everyone will be here in thirty minutes — why don’t you make yourself useful and fill the cooler?”

Her stepfather winked at Emerson before going off to do what his fiancee had directed him to do. Emerson nudged her mom with her elbow.

“Be nice to him. I actually like him. Don’t you remember how long it took you to get someone I like?”

Tanya smiled. “He is pretty great, isn’t he? And, speaking of great, where’s Frank?”

“Upstairs, taking a shower.” Emerson let out a deep breath. “Am I crazy? I’ve dived in deep with this one, but it’s quick, and right on the heels of John.”

Tanya snorted. “Your ex’s name is Jeff, sweetheart. And I think if Frank is good enough to make you forget your ex’s name after you dated the other guy for two years, you’re on the right track.”

Emerson bit her lip and took a deep breath, knowing that her mom was right. The timing had been just exactly perfect for Frank to come in and capture her heart.

Nervous about where Tyler was leading her, Americus toyed with the locket around her neck. The wind was calm, so it wasn’t as cold as the snow-laden ground would normally give away. They walked down the street hand-in-hand, until they were in the field down the street from his house where they used to go when they were kids. In the middle of the field was a blanket, spread out in the snow, and with a candle at each corner, keeping the blanket from flying away.

“Ty …” she whispered, taking it in.

“I wanted to do Christmas lights, but I wasn’t sure how to do that in the middle of the field.”

“This is amazing,” Americus smiled. “Uh, there’s still like three hours till midnight, though. We’re not staying out here the whole time, right?”

Tyler chuckled and helped her sit down on the blanket. He sat down, too, pulling her between his legs with her back against his chest. “No, we’re not staying out here the whole time. I just wanted to talk to you, and this seemed like the place to do it.”

Her fingers went to the locket again, this time wrapping around it tightly. “I hate that phrase.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” he said softly, holding her tighter. “It’s — over the last few weeks, I’ve remembered what it was like when we were kids. I could always talk to you, I always wanted to be around you. I know we talked about feelings that were there before, but I think — I really think maybe I was in love with you back then, and I just didn’t know it.”

Americus leaned her head back on his shoulder, turning so that she could kiss his cheek. “I know just what you mean.”

“I’m glad you do,” Tyler said, tugging her arm gently so that she turned to look at him, “because I still love you now, ‘Mericus. I tried to push it away, thinking that I was falling again, but this isn’t a new feeling. It’s familiar, and it’s you.”

Americus thought her heart might beat out of her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, illuminated by the candles around the blanket. Instead of overthinking this like she had done way too often in her life, Americus let her heart answer him.

“I love you, too, Tyler,” she whispered.

He broke into a full grin, pulling her in for a strong kiss. She threw her arms around his neck, so Tyler stood them up. Sitting down and holding her just wasn’t enough; he needed to pick her up off the ground and kiss her … which was exactly what he did.

Ten! Nine! Eight!

As the midnight countdown started, Frank pulled Emerson out onto the front porch. The Christmas lights still on the house illuminated their faces as the countdown continued. When it hit midnight on the East Coast, Frank cupped Emerson’s face with his hands and kissed her sweetly. She pulled back with a smile.

“You can kiss me in front of my mom, you know,” Emerson teased.

“I know. But I wanted our first kiss of the year to be in the same place where we had our first ever kiss.”

For that, Emerson went up on tiptoe to kiss him again. “How’d I get so lucky to find you?”

Frank pretended to think for a minute. “Mmm, I think it started with you looking for a job?”

Emerson laughed, leaning against him. “True, true. Guess it’s a good thing you decided to get into the shoe game.”

“Yeah,” Frank agreed, kissing the tip of her nose. “Guess so.”

They stood like that for a few minutes, until Tanya and Graham came out with glasses of champagne for everyone. Frank and Emerson toasted with each other, and then sipped at the bubbly drink.

Later that night, when they were tucked warm next to each other in bed, Frank propped his head up on one hand, his hand on her tummy.

“So, your mom’s wedding is in a couple of weeks?”

Emerson nodded. “Yeah. You’re gonna come with me, right?”

“Well …” Frank drawled out, “actually, I was thinking, maybe I would just stick around here until the wedding. I don’t have to stay here with you, I can get a hotel. I wanna spend more time getting to know you, Emerson. Spend more time getting to know this amazing woman that has stolen my heart.”

Emerson smiled, remembering that she had thought something very similar that morning. “That sounds perfect, Frankie. And please — don’t worry about a hotel, unless you really want the space. Mom and Graham won’t mind, and I certainly don’t.”

Frank leaned forward to kiss her before letting his head fall to the pillow. He pulled Emerson to his side and kissed her forehead.

“Happy New Year, Emmy.”

She smiled, her cheek against his chest. “Happy New Year, Frankie.”

When midnight came to Ohio, Americus and Tyler shared a soft kiss before turning and exchanging hugs with their family members. More board games ensued, until Americus could no longer stifle the yawns that were encouraging her to hit the hay.

“C’mon, trooper,” Tyler encouraged, tugging her out of her chair. “I’ll tuck you into my bed.”

Americus nodded, waving at everyone as she held tight to Tyler’s hand and followed him down the stairs. She traded out her jeans for a pair of Tyler’s sweatpants and crawled onto his bed. Her eyes were already closed when she pulled the elastic from her hair and flipped it onto her wrist.

Tyler smoothed the hair back from her face and kissed her temple. “I’m gonna hang out for a while, then I’ll come down with you, okay?”

Americus nodded. “Love you, Ty.”

He smiled. “I love you, ‘Mericus.”

Before he turned off the light and headed back upstairs, Tyler took one more glance at the girl in his bed — his childhood crush who had become the love of his life — and smiled.

“Perfect way to bring in the New Year,” Tyler whispered to himself before flipping the switch for the lights and heading back upstairs.

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tellusseries · 7 years

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Character Short: Harry

It was hot. That was all Harry could think of as the Stormdancer landed gently in the docks of Cayn, Mericus. Hot, and scorchingly dry. He was surprised there was any wind to speak of, that the whole shipyard hadn’t just become another dead zone, but sure enough a warm breeze remained steady, making him feel like he was sat in an oven. 'Gods, how long do we have to stay here?' he complained to John as the pair of them went back below deck. Harry had only ever been to Mericus in the colder, wetter months before. He hadn’t been prepared for this.

'Two weeks, your Dad said,' the mechanic replied, chuckling. 'Lighten up, lad; you get used to it after a few days. Just don’t go outside while the sun’s high.' Harry grimaced; great. Two weeks in a foreign country and he’d probably be spending most of it inside. Still, he supposed, it wasn’t like they were on holiday. They had work to do. His Dad was looking to get a new supplier, something about a new fabric the Mericans were making that was light like cotton, but as hard to pierce as leather. Harry wouldn’t be too involved, as much as his father was trying to teach him the ways of the business now he was seventeen and a man grown. Truthfully, Harry didn’t care about fabric trading; he just wanted to fly.

They wandered into the control room, where their other mechanic Stan was stood leaning against the back of Jess’ pilot’s chair, laughing with the petite woman. 'All settled in, then?' Harry asked him, as Stan was the one currently on shift. The dark-haired man looked up, giving him a crooked smile.

'Oh, aye, she’s all powered down for the long stay. Go get your bags, lad.' They were staying in an inn for the duration of their stay; John said he wanted a break from having to cook for all of them, and the Stormdancer was long overdue a complete cool-down. Harry wondered if that was secretly the real reason they were staying so long.

'Yes, sir.' Harry turned on the heel of his boot, leaving the control room. His room was messy as always when he entered, but he ignored it, reaching into his wardrobe for the bag he’d already packed.

Pausing for a moment, Harry shrugged off his brown wool jacket, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt and shoving his sleeves up his elbows, tossing the jacket on the bed. If the heat was going to stand, he wouldn’t be needing it.

Shouldering his bag, Harry gave the room a quick once-over for anything he might have forgotten, checked his pocket watch, and upon realising that he was running late to his dad’s schedule — a cardinal sin on their ship — darted from the room, jogging back up to the control room. The entire crew had gathered by then, Harry being the last. No one scolded him; as the captain’s son, he was allowed a few liberties. 'Everyone sure they’ve got everything?' his dad asked, eyeing each of them. 'I’m locking her up behind us, if you’ve left something behind, you’ll have to make do without.'

'We know, Theo, you’ve told us a dozen times already,' Jess replied laughingly, tossing her curly auburn hair over her shoulder. 'Let’s just go, we still need to find somewhere to stay, and register for long-stay with the guards.' The entire crew grimaced at that; dealing with Anglyan guards at any dock, regardless of country, was always a nightmare. Harry didn’t know why Anglya didn’t just leave the rest of Tellus to it, rather than insisting they monitor every coming and going.

With John leading the way, the small crew made their way on deck, Harry braced for the rush of heat this time. He felt sorry for Jess, bundled in her tight corset and long ruffled skirts. She had to be sweltering. How did Merican women cope?

Easily treading the gangplank down to the concrete floor of the shipyard, Harry hoisted his bag further up his shoulder, waiting for instruction. 'Harry, lad, you can come with me to get registered. The rest of you, ask around for a decent place to stay. We’ll book a night and if it’s not what we’re after, look elsewhere tomorrow. I don’t know about you, but I could kill for a decent lunch.' Harry nodded in agreement, his stomach rumbling.

'Meet back here in half an hour?' Stan queried, offering an arm to Jess. Harry made a face at having to do the boring paperwork part with his father, and John snorted.

'We can only hope we’ll be done by then, knowing this lot,' Harry grumbled under his breath.

'I heard that,' his Dad chided. 'All part of the family business, lad, so you’d better get used to it. We’ll meet you here whenever we’re done, so stay out of trouble.' Faced with three identical innocent expressions from his crew, the captain huffed, shaking his head and cuffing his son on the shoulder. 'Come on, lad.'

Harry obediently followed, running a hand through his dark brown hair as he felt sweat begin to bead on his brow. His father led him through the bustling crowd towards the guard’s office near the entrance to the shipyard, and Harry let his eyes wander as they walked. While they didn’t come often, he loved Mericus; the centre of Tellus, it was always full of people from every corner of the world. A melting pot of cultures, it made him smile to see dark-skinned Kasemans in their brightly patterned, flowing clothes stood talking to deathly-pale Siberene natives, squinting in the sunlight and looking deeply uncomfortable at wearing so few layers. He saw a pair of young Dalivian women practically skipping as they walked towards the city, and it made him smile. Mericus was the only place outside of Dalivia itself that people from the far-flung land could be regularly found; they avoided Kasem due to a grudge from the old wars, and anywhere else was too far for most Dalivians to travel. They kept to themselves for the most part, anyway. Harry had always dreamed of going to Dalivia, but they had no business reasons to, and his Dad rarely travelled somewhere without a purpose. When he was captain, Harry decided, he would take his crew all over Tellus, just so they could see it.

Snapping back to the present as his father knocked on the guard office door, Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, wishing he weren’t wearing leather trousers. He felt like his legs were being roasted. No wonder the Mericans had taken to inventing a lighter fabric to better suit working in heat. He wasn’t sure what Anglyans would do with it, but he didn’t doubt his Dad had a plan. He always had a plan.

As much as he knew he was supposed to pay attention to the guard and the registration papers, Harry couldn’t help his concentration wandering; he’d filled out papers a hundred times before, he knew how it went. He was hot, and tired, and hungry, and wanted to sit down and have a drink. He hoped the rest of the crew had some luck with finding an inn.

Finally, the papers were filed and everything was in order, and the pair left the office, stepping back out into the heat. It was starting to cool down a touch, though, as the sun got a little lower in the sky. Clearly they’d arrived at the exact time they were supposed to avoid being outside in. Typical.

The rest of the crew were waiting by the ship as promised when the father and son duo returned, and Harry’s shoulders relaxed at the smiles on their faces; they’d found an inn. 'There’s a great little family-run place a few streets over, apparently,' Jess relayed, her cheeks dimpling as she smiled, her fingers twined with Stan’s. Their relationship was still fairly new; still in what his Dad and John called the ‘honeymoon stage’. Harry was happy for them, they made a good pair. 'A fair few crews recommended it when we asked. Far enough away that it’s always got free rooms, but it’s definitely a shipyard inn. Service is good, too, so we’re told.'

'Sounds good to me,' the captain said with a shrug. 'Did you get directions?' One of Jess’ perfectly plucked eyebrows arched at the tall man.

'What kind of pilot do you take me for? Of course I got directions,' she retorted, making Stan snicker. The crew let Jess lead the way, Stan at her side, and Harry mused on how odd they must look; a group of tall, muscular men obediently following a dainty woman who was all of four foot eight and looked barely a day over eighteen. In reality she was twenty, Harry knew, but she definitely didn’t look her age. Shifting his bag onto his other shoulder as his back began to ache, Harry let his gaze wander again, wishing he had a hat or something to block the sun from his eyes. Maybe he should invest in one; he thought he’d look rather dashing in a hat.

As Jess has promised, the inn wasn’t too far out from the shipyard. It was a tall, sandy-coloured building, the front porch running right the way across the front of the building and shaded with a dark red awning. There was a rocking chair off to the left of the door, currently occupied by an elderly man smoking a cigarette. A bell rang as they opened the door, and Harry sighed in bliss as they stepped inside the cool building. A large fan was spinning on the ceiling, accounting for the drop in temperature. He could get used to that.

The inn was busy in the lunch run, but not too crowded, filled with low-level chatter and the occasional burst of laughter. It was quaint, decorated in a homey way with all sorts of knicknacks on display that made him wonder if the owner used to travel. Scratching at his cheek and making a mental note to shave that evening, Harry glanced over at the bar, and froze. Storms.

Behind the glossy bar-top were three young women, sisters by the looks of them. The elder two were exactly identical and looked to be around Jess’ age, while the youngest couldn’t have been older than Harry himself. And she was beautiful. Honey blonde hair in a long braid down her back, several loose strands framing her heart-shaped face. Crystal blue eyes sparkled with delight as she chatted with a customer, the colour enhanced by the pale blue of her dress. There was a smile on her face that had Harry’s stomach doing backflips, and her arms were bare to expose smooth, golden-toned skin, wrists adorned with several brightly coloured knotted bracelets.

'Lad? Lad? Harry! Storms, Theo, your boy is done for, gods help him.' The amused voice snapped Harry from his trance, making him realise he’d been stood staring for a good while, and John was waving a hand in front of his face. 'There we go! You back with us?'

'Yeah, I just— I was— Sorry,' Harry muttered, flushing. John snorted, grin widening.

'You were stargazing, that’s what you were doing! Which of those fine barmaids caught your eye, then?' Stan teased, his arm settling around Jess’ shoulders, though she barely came up to his chest.

'The one in the blue,' Harry admitted quietly, blush still fiercely present. His dad let out a low, approving whistle.

'Yes, I can see why, lad. Go on, then.' He shoved his son’s shoulder, making him stumble forward a step.

'What?'

'Go talk to her, lad!' the captain urged. 'See if they’ve any rooms free. Introduce yourself.'

'Remember your words,' Jess added helpfully, giggling. Harry shot her a dark look.

'Thanks, Jess. Great advice.' He turned back to his father, opening his mouth. 'I— you— do I have to?'

'Don’t be such a coward, Peanut!' John goaded, using the childhood nickname that Harry despised. That was one of the downsides of growing up on a skyship; when some members of the crew had known you since you were born, they knew just how to embarrass you. He was just glad Jess and Stan had only been around for a few years, and had missed his awkward childhood.

'Fine, fine!' he relented, squaring his shoulders and making for the bar, determination on his face. He almost chickened out, but a glance over his shoulder showed the entire crew watching his progress, and he knew he couldn’t. He would never live it down. Besides, he really wanted to talk to that girl.

Waiting until she was finished with the customer she was serving, Harry edged towards her section of the bar, clearing his throat nervously. 'Hi, uh. We’d like to stay here. I’d like to book some rooms. I mean my crew— my Dad’s crew!' The girl couldn’t quite hide her amusement, and Harry sighed, feeling his cheeks redden. 'I would like to book three rooms on behalf of my Dad’s crew, if you have any free,' he said eventually, a somewhat helpless expression on his face that made the girl laugh, the sound light and musical.

'Sure, we’ve got plenty free,' she informed him. Her accent was definitely Merican, but it was fairly neutral, as in a lot of people who spent most of their time around foreigners and travellers. She’d obviously grown up in the shipyard area; the inn was probably her parents’. 'What kinds would you like?'

'Two twins and a single, if possible,' he requested. He’d share with his father, Stan and John would share, and Jess would get her own room. The teenager couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before that would change, and Stan and Jess would start sharing instead.

'And would you like to make a payment for your entire stay upfront, or pay by the night?' The girl was polite, but the smile on her face gave Harry hope; or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

'By the night, thanks. Dad can settle up every morning, if that’s all right by you?' She nodded, turning to one of her older sisters, who was darker haired and taller, with her hair cut to her shoulders.

'Cora, can you go out back and tell Pa we’ve booked out five, seven and ten to a crew from Anglya, please?' she requested, turning to grab the three room keys off the board tacked to the wall. 'Paying by the night.'

'Tell him yourself,' Cora replied in annoyance, making frustration flicker across the younger sister’s face.

'Cora, please.' Cora huffed, rolling her eyes.

'Fine,' she muttered, her lilac skirts twirling as she turned to head through into the kitchen. The blonde girl smiled apologetically at Harry, and his heart skipped a beat.

'Sorry about her. Here are your keys, and breakfast and dinner are included in the price of rooms. You’re welcome to stay for lunch, too, but that’ll cost extra. I can show you to your rooms, if you’d like, sir?' she offered. Harry grinned, nodding.

'That would be great, yeah.' The girl smiled back, handing over the room keys before making her way in front of the bar. She came up to Harry’s shoulder just about, and he had the brief thought that she’d have to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him, making his cheeks flare pink.

'My crew are over here,' he stuttered, gesturing with one arm and leading the way to where he could see them waiting, Stan and John looking like they were about to burst from holding in their laughter. Harry mentally cursed; they were going to embarrass him, he knew it.

The captain offered a short bow to the girl, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. 'Pleasure to meet you, young lady. I’m Theo Kent, the captain of this crew and young Harry’s father.' She smiled, eyes flicking towards Harry, and the elder Kent paused. 'He didn’t introduce himself, did he?' he presumed knowingly. Harry wanted to swear; he’d completely forgotten to give her his name, or get hers! 'I promise I raised him with manners. He just forgets sometimes.'

'No, he didn’t,' the blue-eyed girl replied with a laugh. 'It’s fine. My name is Alice, this is my parents’ place. If you need anything during your stay here, feel free to ask me, or one of my sisters, Cora and Kayleigh. Cora is the one with shorter hair, and Kay always has a silver bracelet on, if you need help telling them apart,' she added helpfully, clearly used to people getting her twin sisters mixed up.

'I, uh, Harry Kent,' Harry mumbled in introduction, bowing jerkily as his father snickered.

'Pleased to meet you, Harry Kent,' she said, eyes bright as she smiled back. Hopefully she thought his fumbling charming, rather than idiotic. 'If you’ll all follow me, please.'

'So, Alice, you work here for your parents?' John asked curiously as she led the way towards a staircase in the back.

'Yes, sir,' she confirmed. 'I finished school a couple months back, now I’m here until I can find a better offer. Pa says it’s his dream come true having all his girls working with him, but even he can agree it’s getting a little crowded behind the bar with all three of us.' Harry listened intently to her words; if she’d just finished school, that made her sixteen or thereabouts. Only a year younger than him. Surely that was too good to be true.

'I can imagine,' Jess sympathised. 'I’ve got four big sisters, it’s kind of a nightmare when we all get together.' Alice winced.

'I thought the three of us were bad enough; five is crazy! But Kay’s sweetheart is looking like he’ll propose any day now, so she’ll probably be moving out soon,' she mused. 'Then it’ll just be me and Cora.' She didn’t look too thrilled about that, and from what Harry had seen of Cora’s attitude so far, he could understand why.

'And what about you; have a sweetheart waiting to sweep you off your feet and whisk you away?' the captain asked, making Harry blush brightly. He couldn’t believe his father was being so forward! Alice laughed, shaking her head.

'No, sir, no one like that.' Harry hated how much his heart jumped with hope at the admission, and Stan winked at him in an entirely unsubtle way. 'These are your rooms; number ten is the single, and seven and five are both twins. Bathrooms are at the end of the corridor, and towels are supplied in your rooms.' Harry passed the key to room ten over to Jess, and number seven’s key over to Stan.

'Would it be possible to get lunch for all of us?' Harry’s father asked. Alice smiled, nodding.

'Of course, sir. We’re serving chicken pot pie and greens today, if that suits?'

'Sounds brilliant, lass,' John enthused. 'Thank you.' Alice dropped into a brief curtsey, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

'I’ll get that sorted for you, it’ll be ready whenever you’re done settling in. Just shout if you need anything.' With that, she left, and Stan punched Harry playfully on the shoulder as soon as she was out of earshot.

'She’s single, lad! I’d say you’ve got a chance, the way she was smiling at you.' Harry raised his eyebrows, too surprised to be embarrassed.

'Really? You think?' he asked. He’d been too busy making sure his words came out in the right order to notice whether Alice was giving him any sort of smile.

'Aye,' John agreed. 'But you need to keep it together! You’re acting like a blushing schoolboy.'

'It’s adorable,' Jess agreed. 'But it won’t get you a date. Like I said, remember your words,' she added lightly, winking one green eye at him. He scowled, sure he’d had a permanent blush since entering the inn.

'Just go unpack,' he muttered petulantly, turning towards his own room and unlocking the door, trying to ignore the crew laughing at him.

****

By the time they were back downstairs, Harry had — for the most part — composed himself. Aided by a pep talk from his father, in which the man admitted he’d been much the same when courting Harry’s mother, Harry was determined to make conversation with Alice. They were only going to be in Mericus for two weeks, he didn’t have the time to be hesitant.

Unfortunately, it was Kayleigh who brought their lunch over, taking their drinks order. She seemed much nicer than her twin sister, but… she wasn’t Alice. 'Cheer up, lad,' Jess encouraged. 'She’s probably just busy with other orders. She’ll be back.' Harry sighed, tucking into his pie somewhat forlornly. It was spectacular, as they had been promised, but he could hardly pay attention to the taste, his eyes fixed on Alice as she charmed customers and delivered orders. Once or twice, a middle-aged man with short cut brown hair emerged from the kitchen to talk to one of the sisters, and Harry assumed it was their father. His presence made him more nervous than he was willing to admit. This was ridiculous! He’d talked to girls plenty before, why was this one so different?

He saw Alice starting to load up a drinks tray, and perked up when he realised it was theirs. She was coming back over! An elbow to his side made him grunt, and he glared at Stan. 'Play it calm, brat,' the mechanic muttered under his breath. 'You look like a puppy with its tail wagging and she’ll think you’re dense. You want her to be just as intrigued with you as you are with her, and that means taking it slow.'

'Bit rich coming from you,' Harry retorted. Stan had been the embodiment of a tail-wagging puppy from the moment he’d met Jess, finding any excuse to be in the control room while she flew.

'I had more time with Jess than you have with this one,' Stan pointed out. 'You need to make an impression.'

Harry couldn’t say anything more as Alice arrived, handing out their drinks with a smile on her face. 'How is everything?'

'It’s great, thank you,' Harry replied. 'So you said you’d just finished school, earlier. Not going for an apprenticeship in anything?' Girls doing apprenticeships was becoming more and more common these days, but some still preferred to just stay at home with their parents until they married. It wasn’t the smoothest line, but it made Alice’s smile widen, her cheeks dimpling.

'Oh, no. I’m not so much the scholarly type; the only thing I could see myself doing an apprenticeship in is hospitality, and after growing up here I don’t think I need to! Pa could sign me a certificate any day of the week,' she said brightly. 'How about you? Excuse me for saying so, but you look too old to be in school. You apprenticing with your Pa?'

'I never went to school in the first place,' Harry told her with a grin. 'Homeschooled on the ship, me. Dad signed me off as soon as I turned sixteen. I’ve been an official member of the crew for about eighteen months now.' Just in case Alice wanted to know how old he was.

'I’ll remember you said that next time you beg out of doing maintenance because ‘it’s Dad’s ship, not mine, I don’t work here!’,' Jess mocked.

'That was once!' Harry’s indignant tone drew a quiet laugh from Alice, who tucked her hair behind her ear once more.

'Being homeschooled on a skyship sounds wonderful,' she mused. 'I bet you got to see all kinds of things.'

'Far more interesting than school, at any rate!' Harry agreed. 'Dad says there’s no better lesson than experience. I could maybe tell you about it, if you’d like? When you’re not busy, of course.' Alice’s cheeks went pink under her golden tan, but she beamed wider, nodding.

'I would like that very much.' She took her tray, heading over to serve another table, and as Harry turned back to his food he noticed the rest of the crew staring at him, looking almost impressed.

'Not bad, brat,' Jess said with an approving nod. 'There may be hope for you yet.'

****

Harry was hardly able to believe it, but even after their lunch was long finished the crew were still at their table in the inn, and Alice was still talking to him. Between orders she would duck past their table to carry on their conversation, asking Harry about his travels and things while he asked her about growing up in Cayn. Having the rest of the crew there made it harder, as he was well aware of them listening to his every word as he tried his best to charm the pretty blonde girl, but he didn’t let it put him off, and they didn’t try and sabotage him. Much. There were more stories from his childhood revealed than he would have preferred, but it could have been worse.

They kept talking well into the dinner rush and even past it, going from talking about themselves to discussing anything and everything that came to mind, sometimes with the rest of the crew getting involved. Harry’s heart raced the entire time, so much so he worried he was going to give himself a heart attack. Every time he thought he had himself under control, Alice would laugh or smile and his stomach dropped out all over again.

'We’re off to bed, lad,' Stan declared as he and the rest of the crew got to their feet, clearly having been discussing that while Harry was too busy watching Alice pull pints. 'I assume you’re staying down here?'

'Uh, well,' Harry started, and the crew laughed, the captain ruffling his son’s hair.

'Don’t come in too late, lad, I don’t want you waking me up.' Harry nodded and the older man clapped him on the shoulder, bidding him goodnight. When he was alone at the table, Harry bit his lip, bravely rising and making his way towards the bar. There was a free stool near Alice’s section, and she looked up when he slid onto it, smiling.

'Been abandoned, huh?' she asked wryly, making him snort.

'Something like that. I’m not bothering you, am I?' The inn was getting less busy as the evening drew on, but there were still enough customers that Alice probably shouldn’t have been chatting to Harry so much.

'No, not at all!' she insisted, taking money for a man’s beer all while she looked at Harry. 'I’m just surprised you’re not bored of my chatter, is all.'

'Never,' he promised, smiling at the blush he brought to her cheeks. Maybe Jess had a point, about her liking him back.

Without either of them realising, they managed to talk all the way through to closing time, and were both laughing loudly when Cora came over and cleared her throat. 'Allie, Pa says you need to stop flirting and help do the dishes, it’s time to lock up.' Alice and Harry both turned scarlet at her words, and she smirked at them both, tossing her short hair and flouncing away into the kitchen. Harry checked his pocket watch, eyebrows shooting up at the time.

'Storms, it’s almost midnight!' he exclaimed. 'I’d better get to bed, or Dad’ll skin me for waking him up.'

'Oh! Yes, you should, it’s late,' Alice agreed, though she didn’t look happy about having to stop their conversation.

'I’ll, uh, see you at breakfast?' he asked hopefully. She nodded, twirling the end of her braid around her fingers.

'Of course. Will you guys be sticking around long, or…?' Her question was tentative, like she was afraid of the answer.

'Two weeks,' Harry told her, smiling when she immediately brightened.

'Great!' she enthused, before blushing. 'I mean, it’ll be nice to talk to you more. You’re interesting.'

'I very much look forward to talking to you some more, too,' he assured, daringly reaching over to take her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. 'But for now, goodnight.'

'Goodnight, Harry,' she replied, eyes looking even bluer next to her bright pink cheeks.

Harry turned away and made for the stairs, only glancing back once at Alice. He couldn’t shake the beaming grin from his lips, even when he slipped into the room he was sharing with his father, seeing the man sat up in bed with the lamp on and a book propped open. The captain glanced up at his son’s entry, rolling his eyes at the lovestruck expression Harry didn’t doubt he wore.

'I’m going to marry that girl,' the teenager declared dreamily, his tone certain. His father snorted, shaking his head.

'Sure you are, brat,' he placated. 'If you say so. Just get some sleep.' Harry shot his father an annoyed look; he wasn’t kidding. He was going to marry Alice, whatever it took. Now he just had two weeks to find out if she felt the same way.

#takebacktheskies #myposts

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ohprettyweeper-moved · 6 years

Text

Open Your Eyes (Part 5)

Chapter Summary: Christmas is the time to tell people how you really feel. Pairing: Tyler Joseph x OFC, Frank Iero x OFC Word Count: 1515 Warnings: None? A/N: I needed something fun and cute to write with low pressure so that I could stop worrying about a more serious piece I’m working on for a bit. This five-part crossover series was the result! It’s cheesy and fluffy and is probably akin to something you’d see on the Hallmark Channel, but that’s how I intended it to be. Thanks to @razor-tothe-rosary for your help and encouragement! Enjoy reading, everyone!

This is the finale! Thank you to anyone’s who’s read. Tomorrow starts a month of fics, make sure to send in your requests if you have them!

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Christmas morning with her father and her brother’s family was perfect. Americus sipped at her coffee and watched her niece and nephew rip open wrapping paper and awe over their gifts. The more time she spent here in Columbus with family, the more thankful she was to have taken the extra time to come home.

By now she had made a decision about her future, but she hadn’t told anyone yet. The more time she spent with Tyler, the more clear it became that the two of them were headed into a new relationship. The last thing she wanted was to ruin anything with the choice she had made. Even if nothing was official and they hadn’t so much as kissed, Americus guessed it wouldn’t be much longer until they grew from friendship to more.

The sky was grey and cloudy, and the forecast nearly guaranteed snow. Americus was excited; not that the outdoors weren’t already covered in a thin blanket of white, but a little more on Christmas day wouldn’t hurt.

“I’m going to go by Tyler’s for a little bit,” she informed her father, pulling on a coat and her gloves. “His immediate family has done their thing, so before we each head to our extended family celebrations, we wanted to exchange our gifts with each other.”

“Sure, sure, exchange gifts,” her father teased with a wink. “Be careful out there.”

Americus simply smiled at him before retrieving a wrapped package from under the tree and heading out to the car. She wanted Tyler to be the first one she told about her decision, and it seemed she couldn’t get over there fast enough.

When she knocked on the door, Tyler’s father answered. He greeted her cheerfully, and Americus returned the sentiment. She asked for Tyler, and his father invited her inside.

“He’s in the basement.”

“Thanks,” Americus smiled, holding tight to the package but still managing to get her gloves and coat off before she made it to Tyler’s old room.

“Merry Christmas, Ty,” she smiled when she reached the room.

Tyler was sitting on his bed, leaned against the wall and scrolling through his phone. He smiled back at her. “Merry Christmas, kid. Ready to do this present thing?”

Americus nodded. “Ready when you are.”

He tossed his phone to the side and reached under the bed. The package he handed her was crudely wrapped, but he had done his best. Americus didn’t mind; she handed him his present as well and insisted he open his first.

“Same time?” Tyler finally suggested.

“Fine,” Americus agreed.

They both ripped into the paper and the boxes. Americus came out with a pretty bronze locket; when she opened it, she smiled. A picture of them not long before she left for Los Angeles was settled inside. They were both laying on their stomachs in this very room, cheek to cheek while Tyler’s arm rested around Americus’s shoulders, and she held that hand in hers.

“I remember this. I wanted a copy, but I left before we could make it happen. We look so young.” She bit her lip. “That was the night of that first kiss.”

“It was,” Tyler nodded. “I remember thinking that if I didn’t kiss you then, I might never get the opportunity.”

Americus didn’t bother hiding her blush. “Okay, okay. You got the paper off yours, but you’ve gotta open the box.”

Tyler managed to get the tape undone and pulled out a multiple-image frame. Set inside each smaller frame was a picture of them, from the time they were little kids, all the way up to the Vans photoshoot.

“I managed to get a few frames early, to preview for this,” Americus explained.

Tyler carefully examined each picture. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Will you put this necklace on for me, please?”

Tyler did as she asked, carefully sweeping her dark hair aside so that he could clasp the chain behind her neck. Americus turned back around to face him, knowing that she needed to tell him about her decision.

“Let’s go outside. See if it’s snowing yet,” she suggested.

Once they were both bundled up, they went out to the front yard where the snow was only falling in flurries so far. Americus sighed as she turned to him.

“Ty, what’s going to happen with us?” she asked. “I mean, regardless of what I do in the future -- what about us?”

He pushed the windblown strands of hair out of her face, letting his cold knuckles run down her jawline. “I think we both know the answer to that, ‘Mericus. This has been a long time coming, and now it’s happening. I’ve been hesitant because I don’t want to spook you, but, no matter what you decide, it’s gonna be me and you. I promise, we’ll make it work.”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she laced her fingers through his. “So even with me being on tour with you, working for you, it won’t cause problems?”

Tyler’s brow raised. “Is that what you’re going to do?”

Americus grinned and nodded. “That’s what I’m going to do. I need to work things out on the last couple of contracts I’ve committed to, and I’m not going to quit modeling completely. I’m not ready to do that, but I am --”

The rest of her sentence was lost in Tyler’s kiss after he grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers. One of his hands left her cheek to pull out his phone and take a picture of the kiss as the snow began to fall around them.

A glance at the clock on her nightstand told Emerson that it was far too early for someone to be knocking on the front door. Groaning, she pushed the covers back, knowing that her mother and Graham could sleep through World War III if necessary.

She pulled her flannel robe tighter around her before she opened the door, preparing herself for the cold outside.

“Frank?”

“Merry Christmas,” he said, breathing hard.

“Merry Christmas,” Emerson returned. “Did you sprint over here or something?”

He shook his head. “No, but I am kinda nervous so I think that’s why I’m breathing so hard.”

“Okay, well … do you wanna come in?”

He shook his head again. “I know it’s crazy cold out here, but I have this pictured in my head a certain way, and if it doesn’t happen that way, it’s going to completely throw me off.”

Glad she had taken the time to pull on her fuzzy-lined boots, Emerson stepped out on to the porch with him, closing the door behind her. She raised her brow, cueing him to continue.

“I don’t care about making Sarah jealous,” he blurted out. “I never did. I don’t care about you making Jeff jealous, and I wasn’t trying to get you to play any games. I legitimately wanted to take you out the other night, but I felt like I needed an excuse to do it. I know that’s sketchy and it’s all games, but I -- you intimidate me, Emmy. In the best possible way. I love being around you. Falling asleep with you on the couch that night? Do you know how perfect that was? I sound like I’m crazy, I’m sure, but … I mean, it’s Christmas. And you’re supposed to tell the truth at Christmas. So here I am, at Christmas, telling you the truth about how I feel.”

Emerson stared at him, slack-jawed and not sure what she had expected, but it hadn’t been that. “Are you -- am I -- was that rhetorical?”

Frank let out a deep breath, and it showed in the cold air. “I don’t know. Not necessarily? I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything, but I needed to be honest with you.”

“Then I guess I should be honest with you,” Emerson said. She pursed her lips together, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to say. Finally, a smile tugged both ends of her mouth up and she blurted out her feelings, same as Frank had done. “I don’t care about Jeff, either. I didn’t want to rush things with you, or make it seem like this was some kind of rebound thing. I genuinely enjoy my time with you and I think this could be a good thing. I’m willing to give it a try, if you are.”

Frank closed his eyes with relief. “That’s really good to hear. I want to try, for sure. Which means I can execute the rest of my plan.”

“What’s that?”

Frank pointed above them, to the mistletoe he had fixed to the overhang on the porch. Emerson laughed as Frank’s hand set on her hips, and she went up on tiptoe to kiss him.

I’ve got so much to tell you! Emerson couldn’t help but text Americus later that day as she and Frank sat together at her grandmother’s house for another Christmas get together.

Americus’s response was quick from her spot cuddling next to Tyler. Me too! See you back in LA!

#fanfiction #twenty one pilots #my chemical romance #tyler #tyler joseph #frank #frank iero #ofc #tyler x ofc #tyler joseph x ofc #frank x ofc #frank iero x ofc #fluff #tyler fluff #tyler joseph fluff #frank fluff #frank iero fluff #the stuff of hallmark movies #can you save my heavydirtyqueue

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tellusseries · 7 years

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Character Short: Matt

Matt’s tiny bedroom was swelteringly hot, the door and window shut tight and the solder iron propped carefully on his desk as he worked. He should have been doing it in a proper workshop, he knew, but he didn’t have one at home and he wasn’t supposed to use the facilities at Tinker’s for private projects. He had to make do with what he had. So long as he didn’t get too many scorch marks on his desk, or do irreparable damage to the room, his Dad didn’t mind.

Outside, the sun was just beginning to set, casting the faintest purple-gold glow over the city. It had been a long day — Matt had been working since five, his Master keeping him busy as ever — and he was about ready to call it a night on his project. He was fixing an intricate little clockwork carousel that he himself had built in the first place. Ben’s Mum had thrown it against a wall in a fit of anger; it had been Sophie’s, and her birthday was coming up. They still hadn’t heard anything from her since her Collection.

Tongue between his teeth as he squinted through his tinted goggles, Matt worked carefully, straightening out the delicate pieces of metal that made the horses and dragons and lions on the carousel. It all worked again, it was just a little… dented.

There was a knock on the window, and Matt cursed, almost dropping the carousel. Annoyance crossing his features, he set the piece down carefully and moved his goggles to his forehead, his irritation fading quickly at the sight of Ben waiting outside. No one else ever knocked on the window; they used the door, like normal people.

Fiddling with the latch, Matt gave the older man a slow smile. 'Fancy seeing you here,' he greeted, before pausing, taking his friend in properly. Ben looked out of breath, his hair mussed and cheeks red like he’d run all the way over from the docks. 'Is everything all right?' He mentally ran through all the scenarios that could have Ben in such a state; had something happened to either of his parents? Had there been an accident at the skyship port?

'We need to talk,' Ben said by way of greeting, still panting. Matt went cold; was Ben’s distress caused by something of a more… personal nature? 'Are you busy? Can you come out?'

'No, yeah, I was just fixing Sophie’s carousel,' Matt explained, leaning one elbow on the window frame and gesturing with the other arm towards his desk. Ben’s hazel eyes were pained at the sight of the bronze and steel mechanism, but he shook it off. 'Hey, Benny.' Matt reached out, catching the lithe man by the shoulder, squeezing gently. 'Is everything okay?' he asked again, voice softer this time. 'Y’know…' He trailed off, and Ben looked confused for several moments before understanding dawned, and to Matt’s relief he leaned into the larger man’s hand, giving him a fond smile.

'Everything is fine,' he insisted, dropping his voice as he bent his head closer. 'It’s not that kind of talk, you daft sod. Now can you come out or not?' Matt smiled, relaxing. Obviously it was nothing too bad, if Ben was smiling.

'Yeah, just give me a minute to grab my jacket.' It would get cold quickly once the sun was down, and Matt didn’t know how long they would be out. Besides, Ben had forgotten his own jacket — again — and would no doubt end up borrowing Matt’s before long. 'I’ll meet you out front?' Ben nodded, and the pair parted, Matt shutting the window and turning off the solder iron, barely stopping to tidy things away before he was out the door.

His dad was in the living room reading a book, and he looked up when he saw his son shrugging into his coat in the hallway. 'Off out with Ben?' he presumed, making Matt stifle a smile. It wasn’t like he ever went out with anyone else.

'Yeah, he needs to talk to me about something. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.' He was seventeen, he could be trusted out on his own in the evening. Especially as he was already six foot three and built like a bear, as Ben described him. No one would think to cause any trouble with him around.

'Take your house key,' the greying man advised, looking down at his book. 'I’m going out later, I probably won’t be home until late. And don’t cause any trouble.' The words were teasing, and Matt feigned offence, obediently slipping his house key into his pocket.

'See you, Dad.' True to his word, Ben was waiting outside the front door, shirtsleeves rolled to his elbows and waistcoat unbuttoned, flight goggles still around his neck. He had his hands in his pockets, and grinned as Matt appeared, making the mechanic’s breath catch in his throat. Gods, he was lucky.

'Ready?' Ben asked, and Matt nodded, falling into step beside the shorter man, their arms brushing every other step. Neither needed to ask where they were going. 'How was work?' the blond queried, glancing up at his younger friend. Ben had finished his apprenticeship a year ago, and was now working towards being a flight instructor at the academy.

'Same old,' Matt replied with a shrug. Most of what he did at work would go over Ben’s head anyway; if it wasn’t skyships, the pilot wasn’t interested. But he pretended to be, for Matt’s sake. 'How about you? Anything interesting happen?' Ben couldn’t clamp down on his excited smile fast enough for Matt not to catch it, but he shook his head, curls bouncing.

'In a minute,' he insisted, turning a sharp corner into an empty side-street. A comfortable silence fell between them until finally they reached what Matt considered ‘their’ spot. A tiny little courtyard, out of the way and abandoned, home to three quarters of a stone bench and a very scrawny tree. And, whenever they could get the time, Matt and Ben. Neither of them had ever seen another soul in the courtyard, and it was the only place they truly considered ‘private’.

'Okay,' Matt said, making himself comfortable on the bench, Ben at his side. 'What’s the big secret?' Ben bit his lip, looking anxious for a moment.

'So you know how I was saying I would get the chance to hit the edge of the Stormlands soon?' the pilot started, shoulders tense. Matt frowned, shifting slightly to throw a long arm across the back of the bench, hand curling over Ben’s bicep.

'Yes…' he prompted, expectant. Ben had been waiting for permission to fly towards the Stormlands for weeks; he’d gone several times without it, but if the Academy found out about that he’d be thrown out.

'Well I got to go today. It was… gods, it was brilliant. Rough, but not so much that I lost control. My examiner said I did exceptionally well.' Matt grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to the blond’s temple. Ben shuffled closer automatically, their thighs touching from hip to knee.

'Knew you would,' the mechanic murmured proudly, watching the blush creep up Ben’s cheeks. 'What happened after?'

'We got back to the docks, and everything was fine. I passed with distinction, I got back to the Academy and filled out my reports, all as per usual. But then when I left, a man approached me. It was weird; he hadn’t been on my ship or anything, or even in the Academy, but he said he’d seen me flying.' Matt frowned; that was odd. To see all the way out to the Stormlands, he had to have been watching with binoculars. 'He asked me if I’d talk with him, so I said yes, and we went to the pub around the corner.'

'He didn’t do anything, did he?' Matt growled, suddenly on edge as he checked Ben over for signs of bruising or damage. Ben laughed, resting a hand on Matt’s knee.

'Stop jumping to conclusions,' he teased, rolling his eyes. 'I’m fine, all he did was buy me a drink. He introduced himself as Harry, said he’s got a small merchant ship in need of a pilot, and… he’d like me to be that pilot.' He was smiling as he spoke, but Matt’s heart skipped a beat for entirely the wrong reasons. Ben got offers to fly for people all the time; military ships, merchants, even the odd private ship, rare as they were now the war was escalating. Not once had he sounded so exhilarated by it, and not once had he specifically asked Matt to their spot just to talk about it. No, this one was different, and it made dread settle like a weight in Matt’s stomach.

'Apparently it was his dad’s ship, but he died a few years back, and since then all the crew that served under him have started to leave and go back to their families. Getting too old for it, y’know,' Ben explained, clearly oblivious to his partner’s unease. 'So he’s got a few spots to fill. It’s only a tiny ship, nothing huge. Harry said that’s why he wants someone who’s good with the Stormlands; a small ship like his can get whipped away in a blink, and he needs a pilot who can handle her. I know I said I wanted to teach, but… Gods, Matt, could you imagine? Getting to travel all over like that, it would be incredible. Harry said they mostly go to Siberene, but sometimes their work takes them elsewhere. And, well, with the war on, it’s hard to find pilots willing to fly out of Anglya. But the ship’s registered Merican — his wife is from Mericus — so I wouldn’t even have to stay on the ship at foreign ports!'

It was common knowledge that only a select few got to actually leave their ships outside of Anglya. For safety reasons, so the newscasts said. Matt wasn’t convinced, but he knew that the government had ways of enforcing the law that weren’t entirely legal. There was a reason Mr Browning’s daughter had been Collected even though she was the eldest child, and Mr Browning himself had been sent on a long trade flight to Dalivia.

'That’s why Harry wanted to talk first,' Ben continued, bringing Matt back to the present. 'He wanted to make sure I was trustworthy. He didn’t say much, but from the sounds of things, something big is happening, and it’s obvious to anyone out of Anglya. He said I should think carefully about the offer, because they aren’t completely law-abiding in their practices — nothing bad, just smuggling, don’t worry — and I won’t be able to back out once I’m in. I have until the weekend to decide.' Matt almost snorted; Ben wouldn’t need time to make his decision, he’d already made it.

He tried to force a smile, but he could tell by the look on Ben’s face that it came out fake. 'That’s great, Ben,' he said earnestly, hand sliding up to tangle his fingers in blond curls. 'It sounds like quite the offer.' Ben propped his ankle on his knee in order to face Matt properly. There was a frown on his face, and the mechanic knew he wasn’t as good an actor as he’d hoped.

'You’re not happy,' the blond observed, looking downcast. 'Right. Uh. Okay. If you’d prefer me to keep working towards teaching, that’s fine, I’ll tell Harry I can’t, I—' Matt cut him off, pressing their lips together briefly, hating how he was upsetting the older man.

'I’d prefer you to do whatever you’d be happiest doing,' he murmured insistently, forehead touching Ben’s. 'Whether it’s teaching, or flying for this Harry bloke, or sweeping the streets; I don’t care, so long as you’re happy doing it!' Ben chuckled, brightening up a fraction.

'Then what’s the problem? I know damn well you don’t have any issues with smuggling,' he added. A few months before, Matt had helped some smugglers unload their wares and get them hidden before the guards could catch them. Rations barely covered a decent meal, and plenty weren’t even getting that. He wasn’t going to stop anyone from helping people.

'How often does Harry’s ship dock in Anglya, hmm? Did he tell you? Journeying all over, how long does that take you?' Ben’s smile fell. 'What am I supposed to do while you’re gallivanting all over Tellus? Kick my heels and keep working at Tinker’s, and just be happy with the odd few days I get with you every few weeks? I can’t live like that, Benny.'

Ben went wide-eyed at the taller man’s words. 'Oh, I’m so stupid,' he muttered under his breath, shaking his head a fraction. His hand cupped Matt’s stubbled cheek, and he pulled him in for a proper kiss that Matt was unable to deny him, even in his distress. He’d never been able to deny Ben anything. 'I’m sorry, Mattie. I should have said before, I completely forgot.' He pulled back a fraction, meeting Matt’s green eyes. 'When I said Harry has several positions to fill, I wasn’t kidding. I forgot to mention that he’s looking for an engineer, too.'

Matt froze.

'He… he what?'

Ben grinned, thumb stroking Matt’s jaw. 'He’s in need of an engineer. At the moment it’s just him, his wife and a sprog they picked up a year or so ago. Harry flies, and the sprog knows his way around an engine room, but what he really needs is a pilot and an engineer so they can do shift work for longer journeys, and the sprog can have a little freedom. I told him about you, told him all about how brilliant you are, and he wants to offer you a job too.' He shook his head, laughing quietly. 'You didn’t really think I’d be happy to just fly off and leave you, did you?'

'It sounded like you were!' Matt argued defensively. 'What was I supposed to think?'

'You should know me better by now, you lunatic. I’d never go anywhere without you. I’d have no one to check for monsters under the bed.' Matt laughed, remembering Ben being seven years old and asking him to do exactly that. He felt sheepish now; of course he should have trusted that Ben wouldn’t just up and leave.

He went silent, contemplating the offer. Clearly Ben had already made his mind up about the whole thing — which, Matt would admit, basically meant his mind was made up too — but he was older, he had less keeping him in Anglya.

'What about my apprenticeship? I still have another six months left, I can’t just leave,' he pointed out. He wouldn’t be qualified to work anywhere if he didn’t finish out his apprenticeship, let alone on a skyship.

'I told Harry about that,' Ben assured. 'He’s promised to hold the position for you until you finish. Apparently that sprog of his will be happy to keep running the engine room for another six months or so. It’s all covered, Matt; all we have to do is say yes. And, hey, look at me.' Matt did, seeing Ben’s eyes unusually serious. 'If you don’t want to do it, don’t lie for my sake. I’ll be perfectly happy teaching, if you don’t want to work on this ship. So long as I have you, I’ll be happy.' Matt’s chest clenched at the complete truth in his partner’s tone; he honestly would reject Harry’s offer if Matt wasn’t on board with it. Still, Matt knew there was only one choice he could make.

'What’s she called?' he asked, the question taking a few seconds to register in Ben’s mind. The blond beamed, throwing his arms around Matt’s neck and practically falling into his lap in his eagerness to hug him.

'Thank you,' he breathed into Matt’s neck, pulling back. 'She’s called the Stormdancer. Harry said we can look around her at the weekend, even before we give him our decision. She sounds brilliant, though, from what he told me.'

'Good name.' Matt nodded in approval. 'But storms, the next six months are going to be awful. We’ve barely gone a week without each other’s company since we met.' Once, when Matt had been nine, Ben’s parents had taken him and Sophie out to the country for five days to see family. By the time they got back, Matt had thrown so many tantrums his dad hadn’t known what to do with him, and Ben had apparently been grumpy and taciturn the entire time in the way only an eleven year-old can. Ever since, their parents had been unable to separate them for more than three days. When Ben was in hospital, Matt was right there at his bedside every day. When Matt had the flu and was too contagious to come out and play, Ben had come over and sat on a crate beneath Matt’s window for hours, drawing him pictures and talking the best they could through the glass.

'It’ll be over before we know it,' Ben insisted, though he too sounded reluctant. 'And just think of how it’ll be after. No parents, no having to sneak off for five minutes of privacy, just us and the open sky.' His voice was dreamy, and Matt pecked his temple.

'And Harry, his wife and their sprog,' he added dryly. Ben snickered, rolling his eyes.

'Oh, hush; Harry seems an all right sort, and three people is still better than half the bloody city.'

'Very true,' Matt relented. 'Speaking of parents and lack of privacy, Dad said he’ll be out most of the night; want to come over? The sun’s down, and a chill’s picking up. I don’t want you getting sick.' The pilot’s response was to roll his eyes in fond exasperation.

'Is this going to end up with me sneaking out of your window at four in the morning again?' he sighed. Matt grinned, getting to his feet and pulling Ben up with him.

'You know Dad wouldn’t mind if you stayed the night. We’ll say you slept on the floor.'

'There is no floor in your room. It’s just scrap metal and dirty clothes,' Ben ribbed. Matt mock-growled, jabbing out with an elbow, and Ben ducked away with a laugh, hazel eyes shining. 'Are you sure about this, Mattie?' he asked, and they both knew he wasn’t talking about Ben staying the night.

'Yeah,' Matt insisted, surprised at how confident he was about it. Even if he hadn’t been, he would have said yes to keep Ben happy, but he wanted it. He wanted the job in the engine room, tending to the ship’s innards while Ben flew them all over Tellus. He just wished his apprenticeship wouldn’t take so bloody long to finish. 'Yeah, I’m sure.'

Ben wound his arms around Matt’s neck, leaning up for a chaste kiss. 'Love you,' he murmured. 'Thank you for this.'

'I’m not just doing this for you, y’know,' Matt teased in reply. 'But I love you, too. Now come on, before you start shivering.' Wishing he could twine their fingers together as they walked, Matt settled for staying close by Ben’s side, the pair of them rejoining the real world once they left their courtyard. Both of them were practically vibrating with excitement at the future that now lay in front of them. He hoped Ben was right, and that six months would fly by. Personally, he thought those six months may as well be a lifetime.

****

The first thing Matt wanted to do as he watched his Master sign his apprenticeship certificate was run to the docks and look for the Stormdancer. He wouldn’t find it, he knew — they had gone to Mericus three days ago, and wouldn’t be back for at least a week — but he was now free to join them, and he couldn’t wait. 'You’ve got a job lined up, you said?' his Master queried, and Matt nodded, taking his certificate reverently. It was three weeks early, but Matt had been working extra hard since Ben had been gone, and his Master insisted he was ready.

'Yes, sir. On a merchant ship.' The older mechanic nodded in approval, clapping Matt on the shoulder.

'Then good luck. Shame you’re not sticking around, we could use a smart lad like you. But I suppose there’s no cure for wanderlust but travel.' Matt grinned, offering the man a short bow.

'Thank you for everything, sir. Now if you’ll excuse me…' He trailed off, making the blond man laugh.

'Yes, yes, of course, off with you. Take care of yourself.' Matt returned the sentiment, carefully pocketing his certificate as he left the workshop. He couldn’t wait to tell his dad, and Ben’s parents. They’d be so proud. And when Ben returned, well… Matt would be ready to join him, finally. Six months hadn’t been that long after all.

****

True to his word, Matt was packed and ready to go on the day Ben knocked on his window, about ten days after the mechanic had received his certificate. The blond was slightly sunburnt, the flesh around the scar on his cheek looking particularly red and sensitive. But he was grinning, a scarf knotted around his neck and his shirt untucked. Matt opened the window, and as Ben peered through, his eyebrows shot up, clearly noticing how unusually bare the room was. His jaw dropped, hope blossoming on his face. 'Don’t tell me,' he breathed. Matt grinned, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out the neatly framed certificate of apprenticeship.

'I’m free as a bird,' he declared. Ben practically hurled himself through the open window in his excitement, falling to the floor before scrambling up and jumping to hug Matt, slamming him against the door in a surprisingly fierce kiss. 'Whoa, Benny!' Matt chuckled when they parted, arms loosely around the man’s slim hips. 'Dad’s in the kitchen, are you mad?'

'Sorry,' Ben murmured, not looking sorry in the slightest. 'I’ve just missed you, a lot.'

'I’ve missed you too,' Matt replied, fingers carding through honey-blond curls. 'But I can start tomorrow, if Harry will still have me.' He’d spent more time with the man over the past six months, meeting up for drinks whenever the Stormdancer was docked. He liked the captain, and knew he’d be happy working with him. And Ben had no complaints, except that the sprog, Fox, was a little prickly.

'Of course he’ll still have you. We can take your things over in the morning, but we’re docked for the next three days anyway. Plenty of time for you to say goodbye to our parents.' Ben’s parents were practically Matt’s by now, and the mechanic wanted to see them too before he left.

'That Ben home, Matt?' The call came from the hallway, unmistakably Matt’s dad. The two men looked at each other, feeling like guilty children caught trying to sneak sweets.

'Yeah, just got in!' Matt called back, feeling rebellious as always at talking to his father while his hand was up the back of Ben’s shirt.

'Tell him he’s far too old to be climbing through windows!' the elder Wylde replied, making Ben flush and Matt snigger.

'Yes, sir!' Ben said sheepishly.

'You staying for dinner, lad?' It was phrased as more of a statement than a question. Ben raised an eyebrow at Matt, who nodded.

'Please, if it’s not too much trouble,' the pilot requested. There was a sound of affirmation, and both men heard muttering that sounded like ‘bloody sprogs still, the both of them’ as Matt’s father walked past their door. They broke into silent laughter, still pressed together with Matt pinned against his own bedroom door, giddy with excitement.

****

As promised, the pair hauled Matt’s things down to the docks early the next morning, Ben dropping down the trap into the ship as if he’d lived there all his life. There was a spring in his step at the prospect of Matt finally flying with them, and Matt couldn’t stop smiling.

'That you, Benny, dear?' called Alice, Harry’s wife, as they travelled further into the ship. Matt adored her, even though he’d only met her a handful of times.

'And Matt,' Ben reported, peering into the control room to look for Harry. He wasn’t there, so they made for the manhole to the floor below, and sure enough they found the captain in the galley with his wife. They both looked up at the entrance, grins crossing their lips at the sight of all the bags.

'You’re all signed off, then?' Harry asked Matt, getting to his feet. Matt nodded, pulling out his certificate and showing it to the man, as was standard with any new employment. Harry gave it a once over, then held out a hand, which Matt shook firmly. 'Welcome to the crew, lad. I’m sure Benny’s told you we’re not flying out for a couple of days yet, but we can get you set up now if you like.'

'It’ll be good to have you on board, dear,' Alice piped up. 'Maybe Ben will stop pining then.' The pilot flushed bright red, and Matt laughed, winking at the blonde woman.

He and Ben followed Harry out of the galley and around the corner, to where Ben’s bedroom was. 'You can have the room next to Ben,' Harry told him, nudging the door open to show a room identical to Ben’s, the bed neatly made and ready. Matt dumped his bags on the bed, resolving to unpack properly later. 'Please try and at least pretend you’re going to be using both rooms.' Both men stilled, panic flitting across their faces.

'I— I beg your pardon?' Matt asked, and Harry snorted, rubbing at his beard.

'What, you thought I didn’t know? Storms, lads, you’re hardly subtle. Just be discrete, and don’t get into trouble.'

'You’re not— it doesn’t bother you?' Ben stuttered, chalk-white beneath his sunburn. Harry shrugged, only looking slightly uncomfortable.

'The way I see it, you don’t ask me what I do in bed with my wife, I won’t ask what you do in bed with yours. Not that I’m saying he’s your— I didn’t mean—' he fumbled, before shaking his head with a sigh. 'Gods, I’m too old for this. Just keep the noise down and be careful, and we won’t have any problems.'

'You’re a good man, Harry,' Matt declared, earning a wry half-smile.

'So I’m told. I’ll leave you to settle in.' With that the captain left, the two stunned men now alone in Matt’s new room.

'Do you think our parents know?' Ben realised, aghast. Matt paled.

'They’ve never said anything. Let’s assume not.' Thinking about Ben’s parents being aware of what he and their son did together made him incredibly uncomfortable.

'Good plan,' Ben agreed, nodding. 'Still, at least that’s one disaster avoided.' It had occurred to both of them that, should they be found out, their crew wouldn’t take it well. To know that Harry wasn’t bothered by it — and presumably neither was Alice, they doubted Harry kept secrets from his wife — was a load off their shoulders. The only one left was Fox, and, well, no one ever knew what Fox was thinking at any particular moment in time, anyway.

With that potential crisis out of the way, they had nothing but freedom to look forward to. Matt couldn’t wait.

#takebacktheskies #myposts

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