#my inbox is a mess right now and the messages are... oh God

[simandy]

I see something broke in the last update 😅

[reiderwriter]

♦️There Are No Words Left to Speak ♦️

Chapter 5 of That's What You Get

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Pairing: Spencer Reid X Fem Reader

Summary: In a panic, you spill your guts to Penelope and receive some much needed advice before your "date" with Reid.

Warnings: None!!

A/N: This one is 4k words long because I absolutely could not help myself 😭 I've has a lot of messages and asks about this series lately, and it's been really encouraging to see! If you like this chapter, please comment or reblog and let me know or come chat with me in my inbox! Happy Reading!!

You can find my masterlist here and the series masterlist here.

"Penelope, I fucked up and I need your advice," you screamed into the room as soon as the door slammed open, startling the other woman as she threw her phone up in surprise. 

"Jesus, Y/N, you're lucky I didn't reach for the all too full can of pepper spray I store in here, oh my god."

"I'm sorry, Pen, I'm just, I'm kinda freaking out, and I need your help."

"Are we going to need wine, or are we going to need ice cream and a chick flick? What kind of problem are we talking here?" she asked from her place at the desk. 

"I married Spencer in Vegas." You said and then clamped your hand over your mouth as you finally let the pressure of the weekends mess seep out of you now that you'd shared your secret. 

"Oh my god, both, we'll do both. We need both, let's go, let's go now."

–X– 

Penelope drove the two of you home, immediately moving into a mothering role as soon as the words left your mouth, and she could see your impending implosion. You were grateful that she didn’t ask you any further questions as you made your way back to her apartment, just turning on the radio to a channel playing 90s pop hits and simply letting you calm down through the fun music. 

When you finally got through her door, she let you get comfortable and then immediately came back with all the things she promised. 

“Okay, I know you’re more a rose girl, but all I have is this really nice white that Derek got me for my last birthday and half a bottle of tequila, and I think it’s better for the both of us if we don’t open the tequila. Also, I have chocolate, cookie dough ice cream, and tissues, and When Harry Met Sally on DVD, I'm ready to be plugged in and played as soon as you say the word.” 

“Penelope, we do not tell you how brilliant you are as often as we should.” 

“While that is true, I’m trying my best not to immediately cave and ask you to spill, so can we please sing my praises after you explain what you mean by saying you married Spencer.” 

“God, Penelope, I don’t know what happened,” you let your head hang in your hands and she immediately moved to sit closer to you, rubbing a hand over your back and getting the tissues ready. 

“We went out drinking, and my mom got in my head earlier in that call I took, and I don’t remember anything and then I woke up and we were in bed together and-” you rambled out, lifting your head up as you tried to explain, but she cut you off quickly there.

“You were in bed together? Did you… you know, bump uglies with Spencer? Do the old in n’ out? Sorry, I’m making this worse, I’ll shut up now,” she said, but you laughed at her enthusiasm, and you felt more of the weekend’s tension leave your body. You knew that you had made the right decision coming to Penelope with this. She always knew how to make you feel better. 

“I don’t know, but it looks like it. TMI but-”

“Hold on, I don’t think I want to know what the Good Doctor is like in bed.” She visibly shuddered, and you let out another shaky laugh. 

“Well considering I remember none of it, you’d be hard pressed to get those details from me. I did wake up handcuffed to the bed, though.” 

“Shut the front door, no you did not!” Penelope’s jaw dropped. “Oh god, I’m almost morbidly curious, but I don’t want to open that can of worms. Sorry, please continue.” 

You took a swig of the wine she poured you and relaxed a bit further into her couch, pulling your legs up under you to find a more comfortable position as you told the rest of your story to Penelope, gaining more confidence with each of her reactions to what you told her. 

“So, now we just need to track down our two witnesses and get the marriage quietly annulled, and we can forget it ever happened.” You could hear the frown in your voice before you realised you were making that kind of expression, and from Penelope’s reaction, you could see that she’d noticed too. 

“Oh.. oh, I know that look. You don’t want the annulment, do you?” 

“Yes! I mean, no! Look, I really don’t know how to answer that right now, it’s just…” you trailed off, and Penelope silently filled your wine glass again, not saying anything and letting you come around at your own pace. 

“Earlier today, after we told Rossi, and before I came running to you, he… he kissed my forehead, and he called me Mrs. Reid, and I really liked it. And I didn’t think about it before, but Reid is nice, and he is good, and he is obviously really smart, and, god  he’d be a great dad, and he took care of me yesterday and today… Penelope, I think I have a crush on my husband.” You gasped out, feeling the weight of your revelation as it hit you straight in the gut. 

“But we talked about it and we’re getting an annulment and now it’s like I fucked up before I really got the chance to let it go anywhere, and what if it’s a mistake? What if I made the world’s greatest fuck up and married a great man in Vegas and then threw it all away a week later?” you raked your hand through your hair quickly, trying to ignore the tears forming quickly in your eyes. 

“Oh my god, sweetie, it’s going to be okay… You’re going to have to trust me when I tell you that it’s going to be okay…” she patted you on the back and you let the tears fall down a bit, quickly dabbing them away with the now balled up tissue in your hand. 

“I don’t know if I can, Pen…” you tried to smile up at her, but you could feel your lips wobbling and you let your head hang again before you could let out a choked sob. 

“No, nonononoonono, listen to me… Okay, promise you won’t hate me after I say this?” She said, squishing your cheeks between her hands as she made you look up into her eyes. 

“I pwomise,” you sniffed out, voice muffled by her strong grip. She let you go then, content that she had your attention. 

“I know for a fact that the boy is as infatuated with you as you are with him because… because I saw you two.” She stopped there to watch your reaction, but you froze, so she continued.

“You… you called me from wherever you guys were out in Vegas, mumbled some words over the phone and then sent me a picture of a brochure with an address on it, and then when I turned up it was a wedding chapel and you were getting married.” She winced out those last words, and you gasped at the confession. 

“You were one of the witnesses! Penelope!” You pointed an accusatory finger at her, but it was half-hearted. You knew that you were stubborn enough while sober. You certainly wouldn’t have been persuaded out of something you obviously wanted while blackout drunk. 

“I know, I know, I’m sorry, but you guys were just too cute! He was giving you all these small kisses on your forehead and on your cheeks, and you looked like innocent kids giddy and high on love, and I didn’t want to bring you back down to earth. You looked so happy, and I do not make it a habit to get in the way of my friends’ happiness.” 

“Penelope, why didn’t you say anything?” You groan out, sounding a bit like a petulant teenager who has just discovered her mom threw out a shirt she hadn’t worn in years. 

“I wanted to, but I was told not to…” she winced away. “And before you ask, I won’t tell you who else was there! Just know it was someone else who also loves both of you and would’ve pulled you two out of there. No questions asked if they thought you were making a stupid decision!” 

You let the revelations sink in, one by one. Penelope was there. Reid couldn’t keep his lips off of you. The other witness thought you two were good together. It almost didn’t surprise you when you started giggling, finding humour in the situation at least. 

“Oh my god, Penelope, I got married in Vegas to my coworker. And I think I’m in love with him now.” You were in a fit of giggles now, and Penelope hesitantly joined in at first. 

“Yeah, I suppose it is funny when you put it that way.” 

“God, what am I going to do? How am I going to face him from now on?” You pulled yourself together again and faced Penelope again, hoping that she would have actual answers for your very rhetorical question. 

“Well, at least we have a couple of days off now. You don’t have to see him again until we go to work.” 

“No, we have a date tomorrow,” you said matter-of-factly. “Appointment, really, he’s reading some books on alcohol induced memory loss tonight, and then I’m going over to his place to see if any of it can help us fill in the blanks.” 

“Oh god, you’re going to talk books with Reid. That’s practically as romantic as it gets for him. No wonder he wifed you up.” You playfully kicked her leg, and she laughed again. “Okay, so no avoidance, okay. Maybe you could put the moves on him? Try to recreate that scene with the handcuffs. Who knows what might happen.” She wiggled her eyebrows at you then, and you did your best not to once again be overcome by a fit of giggles.

“Okay, enough of my romantic problems. I was promised When Harry Met Sally and that ice cream has probably melted, so let’s get to it.” 

–X–

You braced yourself at the apartment door as you psyched yourself up to knock. As promised, you’d been greeted in the morning by a text from Spencer with his address and a proposed time to meet. He’d suggested 5pm, and you’d agreed, but here you were 20 minutes early, probably looking overdressed and over eager to spend time with your coworker/ husband/ soon to be former husband, maybe. 

You’d left Penelope’s apartment that morning, having had an impromptu sleepover, happy that you’d at least confirmed your own feelings. You’d taken a taxi to collect your car, then spent the rest of your time at home overthinking and overpreparing. 

You’d put on a dress and some make-up, and you were almost regretting the decision now you were on his doorstep, wondering what he’d think. You worked one of the toughest jobs in the world together, and you knew that he’d seen you completely black and blue after going blow for blow with unsubs in the past. Would he think this sudden effort was weird? You tried not to pace, knowing that your footsteps in the hall would alert him to your presence, but you couldn’t bring yourself to knock just yet. 

You checked your phone again. 4:45. You couldn’t spend another fifteen minutes out here overthinking, so you finally just pushed ahead and knocked. Almost as if he had been waiting on the other side of the door this entire time, Reid answered immediately, not even letting you get a third rap in before he was there standing in front of you. 

“Hi,” you said, standing there awkwardly with your hand still up, ready to knock again. 

“Hey,” he replied, smiling at you. 

You felt his eyes trail down your body, taking in your appearance. The dress you’d chosen wasn’t particularly special, just a mid-length tiered dress with bow straps. The weather was getting chillier so you’d layered it over a plain turtleneck, enjoying the added bonus of not having to conceal down your neck to mask the love bites he’d lavished upon you only a few nights prior. 

You looked at him as well, and you were pleasantly surprised by his casual wear. He was more dressed down than he was in the office, but not by much. He was still wearing slacks, and a button down shirt as well, but he’d thrown a beaten up CalTech sweater over the top of them, and he looked so cosy you wanted to bury your head in his chest. He was wearing his glasses, and you were so thankful for that, as you forgot how well they suited him, fitting him perfectly. 

“You’re early.” He said, finally breaking the silence between the two of you, drawing you out of the trance he’d kept you in while you took in the sight of him. 

“Yeah, I guess I just overestimated how long it was going to take to get here. Is that okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s great, totally fine. Come in.” He moved his body to the side slightly so you could enter the door, but kept his outer arm pressed against the door so you had to duck under it, brushing past him as you went. The small contact made your entire body buzz, your heartrate picking up as you willed yourself to act natural. 

“The food should be here any minute.” He smiled as he followed you back into his apartment. “I wanted it to arrive before you got here so I could surprise you.” You turned around to face him, and you could hear the bashfulness in his voice as he made the admission. 

“Sorry for ruining the surprise,” you smiled up at him. “What did you order?” 

“I remembered you mentioned that Korean streetfood place a while back that does those spicy rice cakes and kimbap rolls, so I got us some of that. Is that okay?” 

“Sounds perfect.” You were touched that he even remembered the conversation when you yourself couldn’t even think of when it might have happened. He turned and walked further into the apartment, and you followed him this time, finally looking around and taking it all in. 

The walls were obviously lined with bookshelves, and there were books laying around in piles everywhere. The walls were painted a dark colour, which made the space feel calming, almost more intimate, and sunlight was streaming in from the open window on the back wall. 

“Sorry, it’s not much. Take a seat wherever, and I’ll grab those books I was talking about.” 

You took a seat on the couch and watched him trail around the room, picking up books from several shelves and stacks. 

“Okay, this is all of them. So the main takeaway is that it usually takes two weeks to fully recover memories from alcohol induced blackouts.” He explained, bringing you a stack at least eight books high. 

“Spencer, did you read all of these last night?” You asked. 

“Yeah, I said I would, I thought it would help.” 

“Spencer,” you took his hand into yours as he set the books on the floor and flopped down to the couch beside you. “I really appreciate you putting in all this effort to help us, but you could’ve just come home and relaxed, you know. Our case was long and tough, and now all of this, you deserve a break.” You stroked your thumb over the back of his hand, trying to make the gesture calm and reassuring. 

“I know, I wanted to do this. I want to remember what happened between us,” he whispered the words softly, not needing to fill the space with much sound as you’d crept closer and closer together since he’d returned. 

“So, uh, two weeks then, is that it, we just have to wait for the memories to return?” you asked quietly, letting go of the small moment you’d shared to get back to the task at hand. 

“It seemed so, but there are some other more general tips we could implement that could help us piece together what happened. We might at least be able to figure out who our witnesses were.” 

You felt almost guilty then, but you kept your mouth shut. You’d decided the night before that you wouldn’t tell Reid about Penelope. At least not yet. You wanted the time first to see if he could possibly feel the same way about you before you worked up the courage to let him in on what you had learnt. 

“Yeah, I’m open to try anything. Within reason, that is.” 

“Great! I was thinking at first that maybe we could do a cognitive interview, but as we only have each other to work with, I thought that might make some of our answers more biased and not garner effective results. But we could still try to jog our memories by working out some of the same emotions, doing some things we could have done that night, and seeing if any of it rings a bell?” 

“Some of the things we did that night?” 

“Yeah,” he repled. 

“Like… like make out or get handcuffed to a bed?” You enjoyed watching the flush creep up his neck, and his eyes go wide as he struggled to backtrack on that one. 

“No, no! I mean, unless you want to, or you think it would help?” It was your turn to be left speechless, your mouth suddenly not complying with your brain as you begged yourself to respond somehow. All you could muster was a glance down at his lips that lingered a bit too long, your body slowly creeping forward. 

He noticed and moved closer towards you as well, letting his hand grasp your waist as you got caught in his atmosphere. 

“It’s worth a try, right? To regain our memories.” He supplied you with the words, letting you stay silent as your lips grew closer and closer together, seconds away from taking your breath away forever. 

A loud rap at the door and a shout of “delivery” had the two of you suddenly bouncing away from each other, Reid scrambling to the door to collect the food, while you stood up awkwardly and tried to pretend there was something really interesting on his bookshelf that had caught your attention all of a sudden. 

For the Nth time in so many days, you found yourself trying to convince your heart to beat a little quieter, and you managed to get yourself under control as he returned with the food.

“I’m sorry, I lost track of time…” he trailed off as you nodded, joining him back at the couch as he began unpacking the food. 

“It’s totally fine, we should eat anyways, trust me when I say this stuff doesn’t taste even half as good cold.” You smiled at him, but it didn’t go quite to your eyes. You really wanted to kiss him, and you were really doing your best to control your disappointment, not wanting to show off how desperate for him you were. 

“Well, you’re in luck, because you now get to witness one of my only flaws,” he said, fishing out two sets of chopsticks from the delivery bag. “I am absolutely terrible with chopsticks.” 

You giggled at him and grabbed the pair he offered you, letting out a dramatic fake gasp. “And you only tell me after we get married? That’s it, I want a divorce,” you laugh, and the two of you settle down into a comfortable silence as you begin your meal. 

–X– 

Two hours later, and you’re still no closer to locking lips with the man than you were earlier. You’d had a nice time talking with him over the food, both of you sitting like kids on the floor as you ate over his coffee table. He’d told you about a Korean film festival he’d attended a few years back, one of many international film festivals he’d been to, and you sat and listened, in awe of the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something that excited him. You hoped that one day, he’d talk about you in that same way. 

You helped him clean up and settled back onto the couch, where he’d mentioned having a copy of one of the films that had since been subtitled, and you ended up in another movie marathon.

The movie was good, but his presence next to you was even better. He’d stretched out his arms on the couch behind you, letting you snuggle up into his side as you pulled your legs up and under you, screwing yourself up in a comfortable little ball, burrowing into him for warmth. He was a fire beside you, and you wished you were bold enough to push further into him, to drag your hands across his skin and feel even more of him, continuing the exploration from earlier. But you weren’t, and, honestly, you were tired, so you let yourself sit peacefully beside him, touching but not much, as you were lulled to sleep by the sounds of the TV. 

It was pitch black outside when you finally cracked your eyes open again, but he was still there next to you on the couch. The movie had been turned off, and so had the TV, and there was a blanket now wrapped around your legs, so he had obviously moved, but he had also come back to you. You shifted your head up to look at him and smiled. He’d picked up another book from who knows what shelf and was reading slowly so as not to wake you with the movements of his hand as he traced down the page. Your head had moved from his chest to his lap, and he held the book off to the side in one hand, his other resting protectively over your waist. He was so engrossed by his book that he hadn’t even realised you’d moved and that you were awake until you spoke to him. 

“Spencer? What time is it?” you asked, your voice thick with sleep. 

“It’s 11:30. You fell asleep during the movie and you looked like you could use the sleep.” 

“Wow, what a way to tell a girl she doesn’t look so good,” you laughed at him as he pouted down at you. 

“I didn’t mean that. Y/N, you look beautiful today. You look beautiful everyday.” 

You lifted yourself up from his lap, one hand braced on either side of his legs on the couch as you bought yourself eye-to-eye with him, your chests close enough to touch if you took a big breath in. Instead, yours were shallow as you looked up at him through heavy eyes. 

“Thank you, Spencer.” You whispered, silently begging him to close the space between the two of you. But he didn’t, instead, clearing his throat and putting his book down, breaking your eye contact. 

“I should be getting home now. It’s pretty late.” You said, standing up from the couch. He followed you up and around as you started collecting your things and organising the space you’d occupied. 

“Y/N it’s late, and you’re tired. I can’t let you drive home like that. An estimated 30% of road accidents occur due to sleep deficiency, you know.” 

“It’s fine, I don’t want to get a taxi and just leave my car here and then have to come back in the morning. I’ll be fine driving,” you said, but he softly took the keys out of your hands as you grabbed them from your bag. 

“Stay here tonight.” He said, less of a suggestion than an already established fact. You looked up at him and knew there was no changing his mind, but he continued anyway. 

“I have a spare toothbrush and some old clothes you can probably use as pajamas, and it’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before. Maybe…maybe waking up next to each other again will help jog our memories, too. We only have until the end of the week, right?” 

He looked at you expectantly, and you let out a little sigh and nodded your head, letting him guide you away to the bedroom and back into sleeping in his arms. 

--×--

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[lloydfrontera]

Nevermind me asking for novel spoilers, I just waited a week and read chapter 123 myself. This was. I don't know what I expected but this was worse than I thought. Everybody is dancing and relaxing and they have no idea that Lloyd just saw or heard of all their deaths. I wonder why Javier didn't get mentioned in the ending spoiler, it's not like Lloyd to not care about him. I hope that's because Javier is all alone like he was in the book, and not because he's dead too and it was too painful for Lloyd to talk about. Which means that Lloyd/Suho died alone, technically killed himself drinking, and with no certainty that his past self would see him and hear all that. Oh gosh. That's not even something he can fight, it's all little things that nobody could stop. That's going to be interesting to see how he tries to prevent all that.

i am so sorry nonnie i kept meaning to reply to your ask but my inbox is,,, a mess alshdkddfs

this was!!!! such a good episode???? oh my god?????? i really liked it?????? THIS IS THE LEVEL OF QUALITY WE COULD HAVE ALL THE TIME???????

the change to make this particular spoiler happen during a festival for lloyd,,,, diabolical,,,, getting to see everyone happy while lloyd gets told in detail how everyone will die,,,, oh my god,,,

I wonder why Javier didn't get mentioned in the ending spoiler, it's not like Lloyd to not care about him. I hope that's because Javier is all alone like he was in the book, and not because he's dead too and it was too painful for Lloyd to talk about.

funny you should mention this because it is indeed my one complaint about the chapter lol

in the novel this spoiler isn't told outloud by lloyd. instead he's writing in a journal, which our lloyd initially takes to mean everything went okay because he was never one to write journals so the fact that he took on such a boring pastime must mean everything is fine, right?

it wasn't fine. at all.

in fact, as his future self passes every page, he gets to see every entry as things get worse and worse. it's somehow even more heartbreaking like that because we see lloyd's immediate thoughts as everything falls apart around him and not just a condensed version told months later.

but the point is! at the last moment, when lloyd has finished writing down his last entry, saying how he now just wants to... rest, admitting that he already came back once thanks to the bonus life from berkis, he starts convulsing, throwing up blood and covering the entire page with blood. and right as everything is fading away he hears someone into the rush calling out to him.

and lloyd's last word is javier's name. btw.

i meant it when i said in almost every spoiler we get to see javier is there with lloyd in one way or another. i don't know why they changed this particular detail, especially when as you said it's uncharacteristic of lloyd not to mention javier at all and someone who hasn't read the novel wouldn't know what happened to him. it makes sense in the novel because he's writing to himself and he knows where and how javier is, so him bursting at the last minute is purely for our benefit, to let us know that he is still there, he is still meant to be the last one standing, he is still the one fate wants to carry on with the story. but if he doesn't appear in the webcomic then lloyd should at least mention him in his message to substitute that.

it's weird. i wonder if they're gonna talk about it in the next chapter.

Which means that Lloyd/Suho died alone, technically killed himself drinking, and with no certainty that his past self would see him and hear all that.

yeah. Yeah. starting with this spoiler a pattern emerges concerning how increasingly self-inflicted lloyd's deaths are which is Fun :)

and yeah! we're officially into the second half of the plot where the most interesting and insane things happen so! it's gonna be real fun :DD!!!

[alrightbuckaroo]

hi ada! it's nice ask week! i hope you don't mind me coming into your inbox!

what are your 3 favorite scenes in lone star?

what's your favorite hobby outside of fandom?

what's your favorite song/album right now?

Hello Rachel; I don't mind at all! I hope life is being kind to you and that hateful messages cease entering your inbox for the rest of time <3

what are your 3 favorite scenes in lone star?

Oh gosh, only three??

Maybe it's cheesy but I love the proposal scene. There's so many layers to it: the fact it was episode 3x18 and TK woke Carlos up at 3:18 in the morning, just after Carlos told TK he can wake him up at 3 a.m. if he needs anything??? I love the red string of fate, I love synchronicity I love soulmates. I also love the fact TK holds Carlos' hands the way he did when he told him they make a pretty good team. I say it all the time, but they really do hold one another like that's the reason God gave them two hands <3 Also the way TK rocks back and forth with excitement? The same way he flipped the ring he was going to propose to Alex with but because of anxiety? If I'm going to love anything it's a reference let me tell you that much!

I have gone out of my way to show people the Lou story line because to this day it might actually be my favorite. It's so miniscule, in a way, in the grand scheme of things but nothing beats TK walking in, posed like this: 🧍‍♂️and asking Carlos if they were robbed. As if the COP would just be sitting in a mess of a living room if they had 😭

Saving Grace is tied with Push as my favorite episode and I'll occasionally think of Grace telling Judd, "You're so tall." and Judd replying with, "You're so beautiful." and feel the need to scream because I LOVE them so much. I have a spin-off I want to write based off a Tarlos AU that's in the work and I can't wait to write them falling in love because I love falling in love with their love.

what's your favorite hobby outside of fandom?

Media consumption seems like the weirdest thing to call a hobby, but truly, that's what it is!

I love watching films that I don't know I'm about to love (Humboldt County, my beloved) , discovering new television shows that rewire my brain (looking at you AMC's Interview with the Vampire), listening to music that feels like sunshine (Cannock Chase by Labi Siffre, you will always be famous) or reading a book that makes me want to bite a brick (A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice ruined my life (affectionately)

If I'm not doing any of that, and this is going to sound so corny, but I write! I've been working on a novella for a little while as I'm trying to prepare something for grad school (that isn't gay firefighter fanfiction lol) and I was working on a book of poetry before realizing that I'm a much stronger narrative fiction writer than I am a poet (Ada Limón if I could just have a sprinkling of your voice please ma'am)

what's your favorite song/album right now?

Album wise it has to be Cowboy Carter. I've been saying it since forever, but Beyoncé truly is on a very different level than any other pop artist we have right now (and I like a lot of them! I loved eternal sunshine and I can not WAIT until Dua drops her third album in May)

If anyone is the music industry right now it is her because she is constantly reinventing herself as well and influencing the industry as whole. Did you know that she's the reason music comes out on Fridays now? Her impact !!

Anyways, one of my favorite genres of music is Classic Country; so think 1950s, 1960s Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Skeeter Davis, Lee Hazlewood, Glen Campbell; that whole bunch.

So, I was so excited to see what Beyoncé was going to cook up because that is a woman who makes sure each and every thing she makes is perfection and my god, it got as close as any of her work has gotten so far.

It also features an interpolation of Good Vibratations by The Beach Boys, who's one of my favorite artists so it feels like this album was made specifically with me in mind. Here's hoping Act III is rock because I need to hear her with Jack White again.

[gabessquishytum]

Helloo, wasn't sure how to go about this but please ignore the previous ask if there's already one in your inbox. My internet was kinda screwy when I sent it before, so I wasn't sure if you'd received it or not (Tumblr said it was sent but I have doubts, my internet was seriously screwy XD) But I made one teensy edit in my ask, BAHAHAHA I made it hornier is what I mean... I need to touch some serious grass.

This blog really isn't good for my heart, I mean my god, the last few asks have been an absolute exercise in control for me, testing my ability to not squeal like a goddamn lunatic in public. All of them feed my inner bottom!Hob demon so much, I just can't.

The insane stamina Dream ask is just gloriously messy, and imagining the aftermath is doing things to my mind, okay. Imagining Hob fucked stupid, still on his knees but his front has completely collapsed - his arms gave up pretty early actually - but now, he's been reduced to a twitching mindless mess, his eyes are glazed over from the pleasure, mouth open and drooling, and finally his arse, my gosh his poor, puffy, swollen, and twitching open hole that's just leaking Dream's cum continuously. It can't seem to close, not yet anyway, but for the moment, it seems like Dream may have gotten a wee bit carried away. Oh well, since Hob's mind is already gone, Dream might as well enjoy himself more by eating out Hob, all the cum's gotta come out sometime, right? I'm sure Dream will make up for the brutal fucking and the overstimulation with aftercare, it'll be a nice surprise for when Hob mentally recovers enough to be aware again XD.

The sex pollen/aphrodisiac ask, GORGEOUS. Titania, get fucked by literally anyone else. I love this one, I really do. I love the image of Hob being confused cause Dream's not fucking him, pulling on Dream's clothes whining all the while, forgetting that there are people watching (faeries but whatever) reverting to his sugar baby voice to beg, calling Dream daddy UHAIUHIAUANSDANGGFDGDSGFDDASND okay. It's just so cute, okay? Begging Dream so sweetly to fuck him, cause he feels so hot and itchy inside, and he's clenching around nothing. When that goes ignored, Hob takes off his clothes cause he can't take the heat anymore, and he reaches around to fuck himself with his fingers, without permission. Dream is just absolutely horny and livid now, everyone is getting a show all because Titania dared to fuck around with such an underhanded tactic. And Hob may have been drugged but he should've known better than to touch himself without permission, he's definitely getting a punishment when they get back, but for the moment, Dream needs to show everyone that he's perfectly and wonderfully happy with his human lover.

The language kink, I just. I just can't. Is there any kink that won't fit these two. I mean, Dream being merciless, purposefully making Hob mispronounce everything, making him cry over his mistakes. At some point, the sadistic bastard just drops the pretense and fucks Hob for the rest of the session, making him cry all over again.

Basically, Hob needs to be fucked stupid, and be left gaping and sloppy. Always. Always. No exceptions.

-Love Yan Anon <3

Alakskdjfh the Internet definitely ate your first message but this one got in loud and clear!! Thank you so much for appreciating and embellishing some of the recent Slut Archive moments! I must say that the sex pollen lives rent free in my mind <3

I truly appreciate your appreciation of the smut, my dear. Just take care of that heart of yours 😉

[secret-laughs]

OH MY GOD YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS SO RIGHT

God John gets the worst ghost tickles (both literally and figuratively) ever and it kills him every time.

Like the demons aren't even getting him yet he's giggling to himself like a baby over just a couple teases. I feel like the sheer feeling of butterflies in his stomach gives him ghost tickles and it causes him to just get all smiley and giggly.

“Awww what’s the matter? We’re not even touching you yet.” “S-silence!!”

I like to think that sometimes only John can hear the teasing from the spirits so Garcia is looking at John smiling like an idiot and giggling. And he’s asking what’s wrong and John’s just “n-nothihihing..” Garcia doesn’t believe him at all just all “uh huh.”

ALSO. GARCIA DOES DESERVE TO GET DEMON’D KILL HIM!!!!!!

I feel like the spirits would fuck with him subtly at first. Like they’d tweak his hips or brush against the back of his neck. At first he thinks it’s just John messing with him and initially lightly scolds him for messing around.

“John I get it you want me to laugh, but now is not the time nor place.” “…????? What”

Eventually though it slowly gets worse, pokes turn into light kneading and squeezing. Garcia at this point has already been hiding his gruff chuckles by conveniently coughing in time with it but at some point he just can’t take it and starts to laugh whilst dramatically falling to his knees (/hj)

Also!!! You’re allowed to dm me anytime with hcs if you don’t wanna wait for me to send an ask :3

oh my god you are literally a blessing (haha get it haha) GOD. YOU ARE FEEDING ME. aha, I’d be happy to dm if you are ever up for it! I definitely don’t mind, send me a message if you want to! though if you prefer staying in my inbox that’s also fine aha

my god john saying “silence” is so real. god. AHH. and since he’s generally a very quiet person he’d naturally also try to stay quiet but he can’t help but nervously smile. and I agree even the mildest of teasing seems to get into his head easily. I feel like as if he’s someone who is easily nagged so there’s definitely a struggle there.

Jesus I love john and Garcia scenarios it’s so silly 😭 Garcia just raised an eyebrow suspiciously at John, especially if he isn’t exactly sure what’s going on regarding the whole tickly demons. but I feel as if Garcia would be somewhat dismissive of it but if it’s persistent then he definitely gets skeptical.

and AHH. Lee Garcia. oh my god him thinking it’s john at first is so funny especially if this is shortly after their first meeting it’s like. john would feel nervous about tickling him (and i feel like as if he’s a bit of a nervous ler in general LMAO but that’s a topic for another time) so he feels a bit taken aback when he’s lightly scolded and accused. only to practically freeze in shock when he sees that the demons are doing the same thing to Garcia that they did to john.

literally falling to his knees is so garcia, despite being strong and holding himself up well he’s overall not used to the feeling of getting tickled especially cause he’s older now so. when it becomes more intense and he can’t cover it up anymore he ultimately doesn’t know how to cope. practically on the ground trying to bat those hands away with one arm as the other tries to keep himself stable, such as trying to balance his weight on it. AND THE COUGHING YOURE SO RIGHT. small snorts coming out of garcia if it eventually slips and now it’s John’s turn to be confused hah.

[musette22]

Hi, hello, hey Minnie my love 💕💕 I really don’t have anything to ask or say but I just was thinking about you and I thought I’d drop by to tell you how wonderful I think you are and how I hope you’re having the most wonderful weekend, because you deserve all the nice things 🥰🥰🥰

Also to tell you that your tags on the gifset of Steve in Captain Marvel have me thinking about your lumberjack boyfriends, so now I’m just sitting on the couch with a cup of tea thinking about them in their little cabin being all domestic. Them waking up on Sunday morning but staying in bed until noon, kissing languidly and curling up together, Bucky messing up Steve’s already messy hair even further. Bucky making them breakfast, humming along to a song while he’s at the stove, a song Steve has been playing a lot recently from an old record he loved before the war. Steve sitting on their couch looking out the window, smiling dopily at Bucky talking to Bernie right outside while he’s repainting some of the shed….just, you know. Peace and quiet and sweetness, just pure domestic bliss. Bc that’s all I want for them, and your fic was just so freaking lovely and brilliant and gave us all of that and more.

So I guess I’m also dropping by to tell you that, and to thank you again for sharing your amazing writing with us, I’m so grateful for it and for you 💖💖💖

Oh my god Maya, this is crazy, I was sending Oula an ask just now and I was fully planning on dropping by your inbox after to tell you that I adore you and that I can't wait to catch up with your fics, and lo and behold, what do I find in my own inbox?? That's right, this ridiculously sweet message from you 😭💘🥺💛

Are you kidding me??? Why are you the sweetest human on the planet, huh? Please explain 🥺💖 Arrgfgh YES, that Steve from the Captain Marvel post credits is just how I imagined Steve in Calico Skies (only happier)

And then Bucky is a little like this, only with longer hair and more of a beard (and happier)

I MEAN 🥺😍🥺😍 Imagine these big, lovely boys being all sweet and domestic and happy together 😭 Everything you described is just absolutely PERFECT for them... All the domestic bliss they both crave, all the sweet, quiet moments, the normalcy and the peace they deserve, in their cabin with their pets and their friends nearby 💫💘 I LOVE IT, it makes me so, so happy. Thank you so much for sharing these lovely thoughts with me, darling Maya, and for your super duper kind words that I do not deserve but appreciate regardless 🥰😘

And since we're on the topic of fics: I can't WAIT to read the last instalment of the Leather Jacket 'verse, but on the other hand I can feel myself wanting to put off starting it simply because I don't want it to be over 😭💗 I love the wonderful universe you've created for these beautiful boys SO much, with their pining and their fears and their bravery and their little notes and, eventually, their little girl 🥺💖 It's everything they deserve, and I can't thank you enough for giving it to them, honey baby 💛💛💛💛💛 You're such a talented, wonderful soul and I'm so happy to know you, amd so grateful for your lovely message 🥰 Hope you're having a splendid Sunday, lovely Maya!!!

[amywritesthings]

CHAPTER 14?!?!? I cannot tell u how great it was. The writing, the characters, the mood - everything was perfect. Literally in a sense that it felt very realistic, especially since they're new to this and you can actually see that (usually ppl write as if they're professionals even though they never did another and I just don't buy it, u know?). The doubt on what to do and how far it can go and the small awkwardness (I think that's the word) and the CONSENT!!!! Ughh 🤌

I also like how they're discovering and growing in this field together. I can't wait to see how their characters develop. I'm really curious as to why James was so devoted to scout regiment and I pray for future angst between the mains. I'm a real sucker for that besides the obvious. ;)

Last thing (I'm sorry this is so long 😭), but will the story just be over when she regains all her memories or will it continue for a little while after?

Anyways this chapter was a real treat, thank you. <3

Oh this message just made me 🥰🥰🥰

I am SO happy that it came off as realistic! Yes, I would love to write Levi as some kind of sex god of the Underground, but IMO my Levi has always kept it close to his vest and isn't with the highest sex drive. I def wanted to capture the essence of 'we've never done this before but we are EAGER to figure it out but also wtf are we doing here!?!?!?' It was super important to me to use this scene as an establishment of not only Levi's inexperience, but also his explicit need for consent. (They've grown up together! They're best friends! Ofc it's gonna be weird! But Levi Ackerman, Consent King!)

I will be honest right now and say I gave everyone a smut chapter because of the angst that's on its way. This was my 'sorry, have a cookie' moment. Flashbacks basically cover the entire No Regrets OVA, with my own canonical spin on them, so... if ya know then ya know 👀

NEVER APOLOGIZE I FREAKING LOVE LONG MESSAGES/ASKS!

I just outlined some of that, so that is a good question! No the story will not end once she regains her memories - there will be a continuation (since she... did technically super-defy levi's orders to go back after oluo cough so she cough kinda super-messed up.)

This is a wonderful thing to see in my inbox. You are incredible. I adore you. Thank you for messaging me!

[fruitcoops]

Hello everyone! Oh my god! Today has been so good--hearing your thoughts about the angsty amnesia fic kept me going throughout the slog of classes and I really can't tell you how much it means that you enjoyed it. I read every single message about it, and every single one made me smile. I don't think I've ever had a fic get that many notes in that short of a time span (seriously, holy shit y'all and hi hazel), so I figured I'd leave the next step up to you!

There were several requests for a sequel, so...

Option 1: Soft snuggles and recovery ft Hattie

Option 2: Bits of recovery, but focused on Sirius' first game/ practice back

**The sequel will not be out until Saturday at the earliest! My week is a mess right now haha

As always, leave your vote in my inbox or in the replies of this post. I'm going to bed, so voting will remain open until 7 am PST/ 10 am EST tomorrow. Again, I love you so much. Thank you for today.

[countessren]

The Bad Batch || Writing Prompts

1. If we get caught, you’re deaf and I don’t speak English.

2. How is it that when something happens it’s always you guys?

3. I...I didn’t think we would get this far.

4. Please put that down, that’s not for playing.

5. If I had a credit for every time we get in trouble I would be the richest person in existence.

6. Don’t tell me...you broke the hyperdrive.

7. You can’t say that! At least not in front of the child!

8. What does this do?/If you want to find out, you’ll have to close that door.

9. You know I didn’t mean that/Well it sure sounded like you did.

10. If I wanted to waste my time, I would have asked for your opinion.

11. Don’t put me on the spot, I wasn’t listening.

12. Don’t look at me, he did it.

13. I can’t help it, you’re too important to me.

14. If you’re aiming to piss me off, we’re well past that point right now.

15. If one more person damages this ship, I’m taking Lula.

16. I’m sorry...but I can’t do this anymore.

17. Don’t accuse me of being the jerk, I’m not the one who needs to develop a personality.

18. Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn’t punch you in your perfect face.

19. So, what’s the plan?/ You’re telling me that you didn’t come up with one?!

20. Awwww, you’re so adorable when you blush.

21. Get away from me, you’ve annoyed me now.

22. When this is all over, I’m going to take you somewhere far away from all this mess/ I’d like that.

23. If you touch my stuff without asking one more time, I swear.../ You’ll what? Pummel me to death?/ If that’s what it takes, then yes. I will.

24. I don’t think I can do that. I just...I don’t know.

25. Did you...did you just compliment me?

26. The systems are fried because someone didn’t fix the wiring issue!

27. Stop blaming me for your mistakes!

28. I’m tired of trying to fight so hard for someone who doesn’t even want me.

29. Prove it hotshot.

30. You should be more careful, you don’t want anything drastic to happen now do you?

31. You’ve got to be kidding me, I’m not wearing that thing.

32. You know you can tell me anything, right?

33. I’m a little busy right now, but sure, what can I do for you?

34. I’m fine, honestly it’s just a scratch/ That is not a scratch, what are you talking about?

35. Stay awake for me, please!

36. I can’t lose you, please just...just come back to me.

37. Could you stay? Just for a little while, please?

38. You really think I’m a valuable part of this team? Even after that?

39. Please don’t ask me to do that, I can’t.

40. You have to be more careful, one day you’ll come back to me in pieces.

41. I’m sorry, forget I said anything.

42. If I may/ No!/ ...Apologies.

43. Can I interest anyone in a vacation?

44. You can’t keep going around and destroying things/ Oh yeah, watch me!

45. This is never going to work/ You look beautiful darling, stop worrying.

46. Can’t we just relax for the day? I’m tired after yesterday.

47. The stars...can’t do it...not today.

48. I’d laugh but I would prefer to keep my life.

49. Don’t test me.

50. Oh please, I would rather die than be partnered up with him for this mission.

51. Wait, remind me again why we are doing this.

52. I love you so much, I want you to know that in case-/ In case nothing. Nothing will happen. Don’t ever say that again.

53. You’re heavy, get off me.

54. For the love of god, please just be nice to each other.

55. I care too much, so sue me.

56. How dare you, you will treat me with respect.

57. Can I...can I give you a hug?

58. I uh...I don’t know how we managed to get out of that alive/ Well, now that we have, you owe me.

59. Just keep your eyes on me, don’t turn around.

60. Is this...reg...bothering you?

61. I wouldn’t shoot the messenger if I were you/ But it sends a message/ Yeah, the wrong type of message!

62. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to fix this ship, but I’m so over having to stop every five minutes.

63. Honestly, you’re the only person that keeps me calm.

64. Well maybe if you listened to me instead of that damn holopad we wouldn’t be in this situation.

65. I’m really sorry/ Go away, I’m not talking to you.

66. It hurst...it hurst so much/ Just stay with me, don’t you dare close your eyes.

67. If we could stay here all day, you know I would hold on to you and never let go right?

68. Cuddles?/ ...Fine.

69. I’m innocent I swear/ I know you, you are far from innocent.

70. Uh oh/ What? / Nothing...nothing at all.

71. Tech said I was bleeding internally, that’s where all the blood is supposed to be!/ Wrecker...no.

72. I can help, just let me-/ No, you’ve done enough.

73. I...I’m cold/ Well that’s unfortunate, I can’t do anything about the weather.

74. You inconsiderate, lying, two-faced prick!

75. If you don’t remove your hand from my shoulder, you won’t have hands at all.

76. Kill me, but don’t hurt them. Please...

77. Is anyone else having trouble figuring out how we are all still alive?

78. I could seriously just-/ Just what sweetheart?

79. I want you know that I’m sorry if things weren’t easy for you, but it wasn’t easy for me too. I had to be strong for everyone else when you fell apart...and it broke me too.

80. You’re not the only one who’s having second thoughts.

81. Please just...just leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about it.

82. I could honestly just sleep forever right now/ Come here...

83. I love you, but it’s okay if you don’t feel the same.

84. This isn’t you, you have to fight it.

85. Give me a chance, I’ll prove to you that I care/ You have one more chance, otherwise I’m gone.

86. Shoot me once, shame on you. Shoot me twice...yeah that’s my mistake.

87. Ow!/ You deserved that/ What did you do that for!?/ You know exactly what for!

88. It’s so cold in here/ Here, have my blanket.

89. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so mesmerising in all my life/ I have.

SOULMATE AU PROMPTS

90. The first words you say to your soulmate are tattooed on your arm.

91. You don’t see colour until you meet your soulmate.

92. You can hear your soulmates thoughts.

93. When you touch your soulmate, you see glimpses of what your future will be like together.

94. You can feel your soulmates pain.

95. You can feel intense pain whenever your soulmate is in danger.

96. You have random visions of what your soulmate sees, but neither of you know it until you meet.

97. You have a clock that counts down to when you will meet your soulmate.

98. You have the same tattoo/scars as your soulmate.

99. One of your eyes is the same colour of your soulmates.

100. The name of your soulmate is tattooed somewhere on your person.

PLEASE GIVE CREDIT IF YOU USE ANY! WHETHER IT BE A LIKE, REBLOG OR @MENTION! Requests will be open as of 8th of June, so feel free to flood my inbox until then! You can also comment below should you wish to request anything.

[iphoenixrising]

(6am/Prime Girl back to the super random chaos again haha) B A B E I serously caNNOT - I read your post about some AUs you’d like to get to and?? The Civillian CEO one literally spoke to my SOUL???? I’m just picturing Tim, fully aware of the Batfam’s identities (because he may have followed in his parents’ footsteps, but that didn’t stop him from his hobby when they were gone) starting to deal with some of this corruption, and then Dick and Jason are s o enraptured by Tim. Because this isn’t a Tim that is docile or subtle about anything.

As a CEO, Tim loses none of his sass or cleverness. When he sets his sights on someone, he does not hold back.

And his tech and detective skills would totally come into play, of course - after all, so much to dig up, so little time. (And those computer classes he took in Highschool and college? Absolutely paying off)

And Lucius would obviously stay with WE, but I can imagine Tam meeting Tim, this young, vigilant and untarnished CEO with so much to do and so many expectations, and rolling into the fray.

Tim, having grown up in these environments, knows how to wear his masks, to smile as he snatches information from tipsy gala-goers, to draw plans out of the elite of Gotham like it’s child’s play.

So maybe Dick and Jason see him at a gala one day. They’d known about him before, of course - but Tim Drake only became CEO about a month ago, so they were expecting the idealism to die sooner than later (like it does with most Gothamites)

However, they watch as he works the crowd, smile glinting in a way that verges on too-sweet and p, laughing as a mogul talks of some sort of Organisation they’ve set up involving the homeless, and -

The man is in prison the following week, charged with many counts of trafficking, and he’d miraculously ended up in a court that couldn’t be bribed -

Oh, yes, now they’re interested.

Anyways, so Tim starts running into Bruce’s wards a little more, of course. They try to be subtle about it, but Tim is very well aware of them and knows that he’s either being investigated or he’s some weird form of civilian city-cleanup entertainment (and wow, maybe he was flattering himself)

But they start wooing bit by bit, and our boys have maybe one combined subtle bone in their bodies, and Tim, here, has had so much practice with people that he realizes very quickly what their intentions are.

Instead of confronting them, though, which may lead to questions and turn them off from him (because they only wanted sweet but fierce normal CEO Tim - there’s no way they would want him as he is -) he decides that ‘hey, isn’t this an opportunity?’ And begins to help himself to their help.

Maybe it’s a file on some shady business dealer he’s left out ‘accidentally’ when they come over for coffee, or maybe it’s a hint here or there about a drug circulating on the down-low to a very specific group of people, or even notes on a cop he’d noticed a discrepancy with.

Dick and Jason are always so interested, after all, and Nightwing and Redhood are always so willing to help out a plain, ordinary CEO with his worries.

Everything could come to a head one day, however, when Tim might slip up somewhere due to lack of sleep and get caught in something. With little other choice he might call Dick or Jason and ask for help, and, well?

Wouldn’t they just find their little civilian detective so much more interesting?

(*coughcough* ANYWAYS - I hope you’re doing well!! Love love you and all your works, fren! I really hope I haven’t overstepped any bounds with this short thing inspired by your au, but I honestly just love your writing and this concept!! Many many hugs to you and kiddo!<333)

Prime Girl babe!

I was so happy when I saw your message in my fucking inbox and then, then, you bring this to my table? This buffet of clever, sassy, civilian Tim getting all kind of comfortable with hot vigilantes because he absolutely takes no shit when it comes to corporate bribery and corruption, is one of those CEOs that pretty much refuses a pay raise and puts it back into the company, that pushes for more than the standard 2% for his hard working employees, that makes sure they're donating to the right causes in Gotham, demands to see change whenever they support a cause? (The only reason the skate park keeps getting rebuilt after any number of shitty bad guys blows it up is because Tim can't stand the thought of a Gotham without one. Same for the several rec centers all over town.) And you, you, put this in front of me like an offering to the Gods of the Muse that Tim not only knows, but he takes perfect fucking advantage of it to use them strategically in bed and out to make sure the underground criminals, the blue collars, the corrupt politicians, cops, and judges, get their fucking due with minimal effort and no bodily harm in his future?

And like this idea isn't good enough by any stretch, but let's just have a nice CEO facing down one of Gotham's crime syndicates because he absolutely fucked up and he's done good things so this isn't a bad way to go–

When the skyline breaks in and a whole lot of pissed off vigilantes take the scene.

I'm not going to say the Red Hood isn't utterly vicious, or that one of his clips isn't rubber bullets. I'm not going to say Nightwing is banter-less once he sees how beat-up Tim is, the blood oozing from the cuts on his face, the deep bruising and swelling. I'm not going to say how merciless Robin is when he sees the usually clean cut CEO an utter exhausted mess.

Nor am I going to say how much they all coddle the fuck out of him for the next few weeks, stalk him in his office, his home, his commute to assure themselves he's okay, he's healing, he isn't in anyone else's hands–

except theirs.

[nethandrake]

keep me as your finish line.

stevetony. avengers assemble. rated t. fake/pretend relationship. 4.9k words.

for the fall backwards: an avengers assemble flash exchange hosted by @cap-ironman and @ishipallthings

also on ao3.

*****

Like most shenanigans of this sort, it happens on a Tuesday.

“—was saying! But Sam told me— Hey, what’s that?”

Tony follows Steve’s line of sight, pointed towards a small glimmer coming out from the cracks on the sidewalk. Steve edges closer, getting down on one knee to pick it up.

“What is it? A dime?”

“Nope,” Steve replies, holding his hand up. “Not even close.”

It’s a ring. It’s a pretty thing, a band of silver with a small diamond nestled in the middle.

“Why, Steven,” Tony begins teasingly, “you’re going to propose to me in the middle of a sidewalk?”

Steve’s grin widens. “Carpe diem.”

“How romantic.”

Tony’s about to drag Steve up to his feet when a flash of light stills him.

There’s a crowd gathered around them, holding out their phones and they grin manically.

“Say yes!” someone calls.

“Say what?” Tony asks.

“Say yes,” Steve replies, infuriatingly calm. “They want you to marry me.”

Tony freezes. The noise around them grows louder.

“Well, Shellhead?” Steve murmurs, his grin plastered back on. “Marry me?”

Tony should say no. He should haul Steve to his feet and tell everyone to scram, tell them that this is all a misunderstanding. He should toss the ring far, far away and make a run for it.

“Yes,” he whispers instead.

 *****

  Tony breaks the silence halfway through the elevator ride.

“Well, that was something.”

Steve chuckles. “I’m never picking a ring up ever again.”

Tony lets out a hollow laugh of his own. “The board’s going kill me.”

“No, they won’t.”

“Yes, they will,” Tony insists. “Me a part of a fake public proposal? The stocks are going to plunge, the board will be on me even more than usual, and the media—”

The media. The public.

Steve.

Oh god.

“Steve,” Tony begins, “I—”

The elevator doors open. They step into the common area.

There’s a banner that’s stuck to the ceiling with arrows that says, ‘CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ENGAGEMENT’, in block letters. Heart-shaped balloons hang from every corner of the room. Cupcakes with icing in Captain America and Iron Man colors are stacked high in the middle of the dining table.

“Surprise!” Sam cries out.

Clint whoops. Thor blows on his party horn.

Oh god. The team.

How could he forget?

“We are not telling them,” Steve murmurs.

“Yes, we will,” Tony hisses back.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Tony would’ve argued back if Hulk hadn’t gathered them both into his arms, squeezing them with his massive, massive arms.

“‘Bout time you got together,” he says cheerfully before mashing Steve and Tony’s faces together.

That’s how Steve and Tony have their first kiss.

  *****  

They don’t end up telling them.

Tony doesn’t know why they don’t. It’d make sense to. They’re all friends. They’d understand how stupid the whole thing is, even if Tony has to suffer at the hands of their teasing.

But then Thor claps Tony on the back and regales the team with every instant Steve and Tony would wax poetic about each other and Sam shoves congratulatory cookies into his face and Bruce shows up to offer his congratulations and Tony just can’t bring himself to say anything. At least not yet.

Steve is perfectly content with keeping up with the charade, sticking by Tony’s side and openly holding his hand and nuzzling his cheek and looking at Tony as if he’s his whole world.

It doesn’t make sense. Steve’s the paragon of righteousness and truth. He never lies. Why he would start doing it now, over something dumb like this? It’s beyond Tony.

“About time you kids came out with it,” Clint says between mouthfuls of cake. “Felt like you kids were taking forever to tell us.”

“Which you didn’t,” Natasha points out, arching an eyebrow.

Steve rolls his eyes, wrapping his arm around Tony’s waist and pulling him close. “We figured you guys would just hound us about it.”

“Hey, I can behave.”

“Sure you can,” Steve says before brushing his lips against Tony’s cheek.

Clint makes a retching sound. “You know what? I’m glad you guys kept it on the down-low. Don’t think I could take any form of PDA from either of you.”

God, if he only knew. If all of them only knew.

 *****

  The thing about being fake engaged while living with friends is that they have to share the same living space.

Which means sharing the same bed.

“I can take the floor,” Tony says as he exits his bathroom. “I’ve slept on worse.”

Steve’s gaze falls on him. He’s already dressed down in a tank top and shorts. Tony does his best to avert his gaze.

“Don’t be stupid. It’s big enough for the both of us.”

Tony glances at his king-sized bed with doubt.

Steve rolls his eyes and beckons him over.

Like a moth to a flame, Tony follows.

  *****  

 The next morning is total chaos.

Tony’s phone is overwhelmed with messages and missed calls. His inbox is full of lengthy emails. The press is divided. So is the board.

Fury asks to see him, to see them.

The team has gathered in the communal kitchen when Steve and Tony head down in rumpled clothes and bed hair. The grins they send them are wolfish.

“Good night?” Clint begins, waggling his eyebrows.

Steve beams, draping his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “Very good night.”

And it’s too much. Too sudden. Too everything.

So like any sane person would in this kind of situation, Tony hides.

  *****  

  Steve forces his way into the workshop on the fourth day.

“You can’t hide from me forever,” he says. “The team’s worried about you. I’m worried about you.”

Tony ignores him, fixating on the hundredth tabloid headline about him and Steve on the screen in front of him instead.

Steve closes the news with a wave of the hand. “Hey,” he says softly, “you alright?”

Tony doesn’t say anything for a long moment. “It’s a mess. The whole thing’s a mess. Imagine when everyone finds out that this is all fake. They’ll kill us.”

“Not if we stay engaged.”

Tony whips around to face Steve. “You can’t be serious.”

Steve nods, solemn. “Oh, I’m serious.”

“JARVIS, run a—”

“I’m not a Skrull,” Steve huffs. “Or an LMD. Or under the influence of magic. Or mind-controlled. I genuinely do think we should stay engaged. At least, for now.”

Tony stares at him in disbelief. “God, do you hear yourself right now? Does it make sense to—”

“Yes.” Steve pulls up the holograms again, scrolling through. “Look. Everyone’s happy—”

“Not everyone.”

“The team’s happy for us. Fury isn’t pissed for once. The stocks have been soaring since the news. If you haven’t been reading trashy tabloids and right-winged articles, you would know that a lot of people are supportive. In fact,” Steve opens a new article, “a lot of people in the LGBTQ+ community are excited. The announcement’s helped a lot of people come out, or at least be more accepting of their own identities. It’s good for the people.”

Tony exhales heavily. “I’m not saying it isn’t. God knows that everyone needs all the support they can get. It’s just that we shouldn’t. It’s not right. I may be pan but you’re—”

“I’m bi.”

Tony blinks. “You’re—”

“Bisexual,” Steve affirms.

Tony files that information away for later. He’s one step closer to having a mental breakdown and processing the revelation that Steve’s bisexual wouldn’t help matters.

“Regardless, this isn’t a life or death situation. I can deal with the company and the press and—”

“You’re my friend. I can help.”

“What if you find someone you—”

“I don’t think I will,” Steve says firmly.

“Steve, I—” Tony sighs, wiping his face with his hand. “What about the team? Shouldn’t they know?”

“The fewer people that know, the better.”

Tony blinks. “Are you crazy?”

Steve grins. “Nope.”

“Well, jury’s out on that.” Tony groans, slumping in his seat. “God, we should’ve told them it was all a misunderstanding.”

Steve smiles, squeezing Tony’s shoulder in reassurance. “It’ll all work out. You’ll see.”

Tony highly doubts that.

“You’re not going to wear someone else’s ring.”

“You can make me a new one.”

“I figured you’d say that. So, you know.” Tony climbs up to his feet, pulling one of his desk drawers open and reaching inside. “I didn’t lock myself up for no reason. Here. It’s not vibranium but uh, hope you like it.” 

Steve takes the ring out from the velvet box gingerly, as if he’s afraid it’ll break. “You’ve always had my heart,” he murmurs as he examines the inscription on the silver band. “Wow.”

Tony’s breath catches at the reverence in Steve’s tone. “Figured you’ll like that kind of sappy thing.”

“I do,” Steve says and god he sounds so happy, so touched, so— “Here’s yours.”

It’s a simple gold ring, with a familiar scrawl engraved on the inside.

You’ve given me a home.

Tony almost breaks down.

*****

read the rest of ao3.

[xpeachesncream]

Can i Request a Drabble where Aiko keeps sending taehyung Nudes and the reader gets insecure about her appearance bc of it? She compares herself to Aiko and it makes taehyung upset :/ im not too good with requests sorry if this isn’t clear

perfectly wrong | drabble [11]: it’s the way that she sits pretty with that perfect hourglass shape of hers in her nudes.

word count: 1.8k

warnings: cussing, implied sexual content, jealousy, insecurities about image/looks

Okay, let's be real. Men love nudes. They all have needs, and they all love marveling at a naked body, especially when it comes unexpectedly. It could be a good, or bad thing. Whatever it is, they love that shit either way. I'm calling a man's bluff if he ever says he didn't enjoy looking at someone's nudes.

Taehyung isn't exempt. It was honestly the biggest highlight when he went on his fuckboy spree. Just the feeling of being wanted so badly that girls would send you nudes to grab your attention. Biggest ego booster.

Before anyone gets on his ass, he loves his woman and he quickly taps out of the snapchat so he doesn't see it for long. It's been Aiko's 5th nude so far, and he's already knowing what to expect when the notification hits his screen. He knows this shit.

You were there the first time she sent him a nude over snapchat. You both looked at it, confused that it had been sent to the wrong person since she hadn't sent him anything in between that movie selfie and this. It became a running joke for awhile, but it eventually died the less you saw or heard of it. You just actually didn't know she was still sending him nudes.

So, when you see her snapchat notification pop up on his screen again, you're a little taken aback.

"Aiko's still sending you snaps?" You ask as you hug Taehyung tightly while you both are cuddling on Jimin's couch, watching another yet unsatisfying episode of Unsolved Mysteries. You all had just finished watching The Hate U Give, Jimin throwing the channel on something random afterwards. He sat on the other portion of his couch, hugging a pillow tightly against his chest as he cussed to himself and mumbled questions about how people could stand this show if barely any of the episodes were actually solved.

You get the frustration, right? You just wanna know if they ever caught the killer, or if they found new clues, but most of the episodes end so abruptly with that 'if you happen to have any info regarding this case' message with the number to call.

"Yeah, it's whatever though." Taehyung says, keeping his eyes on the tv while you fiddled with his phone.

"Woah!" You say as you pressed on her snap, revealing her nude and on her bed, fingers trailing down to her lady friend. You tilted your head as you watched her begin to rub her clit ever so softly. The thing that gets you though is her body, and how she sat there, looking like a perfect hourglass. "Interesting." Taehyung looks at his phone and does a double take.

"Oh shit." He nonchalantly says as he also tilts his head confusingly while looking at the snap, causing you to shake your head and hit his chest as you tap out if it. The second thing that catches your eye is how many times her name comes up in his history.

"She's been sending you snaps?"

"Yeah, but I don't pay much attention to it." He caresses your arm as you slightly tilt your head up to look at him.

"Have they all been nudes?"

"Yes, but I told you I don't pay much attention to it, baby." You were unsatisfied with his answer, only because you just got a glimpse of what she sent tonight. You have no idea what the others looked like, but you were thinking it was just as this one was - the perfect position in her hourglass shape.

"Okay." Is all you say. You suddenly felt insecure as fuck, knowing your man had seen those snaps of her. She honestly looked like a fucking goddess and it kills you. He used to fuck her, for god's sake! Aka he used to have the hots for her to some extent?! He considered it once, and it makes you feel a little queazy knowing he could again.

"What happened?" Jimin asks from his side of the couch.

"Aiko sent Taehyung a nude." You flatly respond.

"Seen it, she's sent me the same ones." You roll your eyes because for Jimin, it's whatever. For your man though, please. Don't come up in his inbox with that mess. What the fuck was she trying to do here, show the world her coochie? She was feeling herself that much?

Shit, honestly. Single and with that body, you would be too. Fuck, that's annoying.

"Baby, it's nothing, okay?" He gently tickles your chin.

"Kaaaaay, I heard you." You say as bothered as possible. For the remaining time at Jimin's, you're quiet. Your mood has plunged. You just wanted to sulk in your bed. Taehyung takes notice, but he was going to wait until you two were alone to bring it up.

Which is now, in the car, in your guest parking spot.

"Okay, what's going on in my pretty lady's head?" He shuts off the car and sinks into the driver's seat, having the damn nerve to manspread in it.

"Nothing."

"Mm, not gonna fly with me, sweetheart."

"I just can't believe she's been sending you nudes."

"So what? It doesn't mean anything."

"Yeah right, with that body of hers? How could it not? You used to have a thing for her."

"Used to."

"Her body is fucking perfect, it's annoying."

"Babygirl, don't do that. I don't like when you compare yourself. You're the only person I know who's close to perfect." He boops your nose, but it leaves you unamused. You're just letting your feelings of insecurity and jealousy get to you that everything is clouded. All the things he's saying doesn't reach you, and you're literally in the mood to pick a fight for no whole ass reason over it. That was exactly one of your other bad habits that you had trouble unlearning.

"Whatever." You brushed him off, making him a little irritated with the way you were coming off over this. Again, Taehyung doesn't mind reassuring you. He loves doing it. He loves babying you and being the best he can be. But there were days where your attitude did get to the best of him, especially when he was trying. Taehyung hadn't given you a reason to make you doubt him since you two became exclusive, so he didn't think it was necessary for you to act the way you were acting.

"Really, Y/N? This isn't necessary."

"Why are you still even entertaining her snaps? Shouldn't you have gotten rid of her contact info already?" He grabs his phone and blocks her on snapchat, showing it to you before shoving it into the small storage space under the car's radio.

"There, happy?"

"Why are you so mad about it? I'm sorry you want to see her body so fucking badly."

"I'm mad because you're being a brat when you don't need to be." He looks at you intimidatingly with his piercing eyes. "You're putting words in my mouth. I never said I wanted to. Plus, I've told you time and time again that it was nothing and that it didn't mean anything to me." You roll your eyes, getting out of the passenger's seat to make your way up to your apartment.

Alright so, here's the deal. You feel like Taehyung is missing the point. Aiko looked so good in that ones nap. So good that you suddenly questioned your own look and felt completely insecure. You disliked hearing him say it wasn't a big deal, because it was. To you, at least.

Taehyung sighed heavily before going after you. He does a light jog, barely catching the elevator you had hopped into.

"Y/N, don't do that." You glared at him.

"It's not a big deal, right?" He sighs again before running his hand through his curly hair. The elevator doors open, but he wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you back in and preventing you from walking out. "Tae, let me go."

"Nah." He shrugs. "Not until we fix this." The elevator stays at their floor.

"You said it wasn't a big deal." You crossed your arms.

"Okay, I'm sorry." A good thing about Taehyung is that he's learned to be better about admitting his mistakes and saying sorry when he's in the wrong. "I shouldn't have said it in a way that would make you feel like I'm discrediting your feelings." You continue to look at him silently, the elevator suddenly going back down to the lobby. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner or get rid of her shit earlier. But baby, her snapchats don't mean a thing to me. I don't care how 'good' she looks or if they're nudes." He uses finger quotes. "It's still not you."

"I just--" You sighed, watching a lady come into the elevator to join you two to go up to the 8th floor. "I feel like I can't look that good. She had the perfect hourglass figure and she looked so good posing for her nudes. The perfect angle, her hair, the way she smiled through her eyes. I can only imagine what the others were like." He shook his head and shrugged.

"I honestly don't remember." Truthfully. He really didn't care about them, even if he took a quick glance. At the end of the day, they still weren't memorable because it wasn't his lady. "And I don't care if she has that, or whatever it is. I love you." He smiles toothlessly at you. You catch the lady scrunch her nose and smile at you both before walking off. "I love every single thing about you. You're the definition of perfect to me. I hate when you compare yourself because I really, really wish you could see the way I see you."

"Cheesy." It causes you to chuckle a bit and press your hand against his chest as he presses the button to your floor.

"Yeah, okay. You still like to hear it though, I know you." He smirks playfully as he pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head. "If it's not you, I don't want it."

"I honestly hate you sometimes." He shrugs before picking you up by the legs and carrying you, causing you to squeal.

"So then hate me."

"Put me down!"

"Say it to my face in bed, baby." He playfully smacks your ass in the hallway, allowing it to echo as he carries you to your apartment. It was hard to stay mad at Taehyung, but you were grateful you had someone like him who could bring you back down to Earth. You had your fair share of bickering and unnecessary arguments [because you liked picking fights with your attitude], but he was still able to show you that he would ride or die for you, no matter how silly things got.

That was your man, and your man only. Sorry Aiko.

[hopelesshawks]

hi omg idk if you still take requests but i saw this tiktok and it just gave off keigo vibes to me 💀 i was wondering if you could write a little something based off the tiktok ✨

ALSO I LOVE THE KEIGO SELF CARE MINI SERIES 😭 i was just screaming and crying into my pillow after reading each parts lol thank you for writing them!!!

When I tell you I screamed when I watched the tiktok, omg. Definitely Keigo vibes from it omg. Idk how soft it ended up? But it is adorable and I love it.

This is the last ask and part 12 of the soft Keigo self care mini series. I still can’t believe I got through them all, this ended up like a week long event hahaha. I’m always happy to take more soft Keigo requests of course but this is the last “””official””” (if you can call it that lmao) entry. Thank you all so much for these. This started as a way to cheer me up after a rough couple assignments and it turned into such a great journey. My requests are still open and I love getting things in my inbox so don’t be shy.

Look HPSC meetings are boring as shit. No one can tell you any differently. Anything involving the HPSC is objectively the worst part of hero work. Instead of being out on the street fighting and preventing crime, you’re stuck in a too small meeting room with five other heroes and a couple HPSC reps who are ranting about crime statistics and tax revenues and quarterly earnings and other nonsense you stopped paying attention to after the first thirty minutes. You’re bored and you’re about to make it everyone else’s problem.

You’re desperately searching for some form of entertainment when your eyes land on your boyfriend seated on the other side of the table. (You’d been banned from sitting next to each other after you’d gotten bored one meeting and got caught trying to distract him. You’ve since learned to be stealthier.) Hawks, god bless him, is actually paying attention despite his relaxed demeanor making him seem like he couldn’t care less about the meeting. He tries very hard to be the best hero he can be and you know he pays attention because he’s hoping to one day render the commission and its stupid corporate like structure obsolete but that doesn’t mean you can’t mess with him at least a little during the meeting right? Right.

You know for a fact he won’t be able to move or say anything to you during the meeting so you carefully slip your phone out of your pocket and look for inspiration around the room. When one of the HPSC reps brings up the costs and damages of Mt. Lady’s last job, you have to suppress the urge to laugh as an idea finally comes to mind. You pull up your messages with Hawks, type out “I wish I was as pretty as Mt. Lady”, hit send, and wait. You can tell the moment Hawks gets the message as he slips his phone out of his pocket, his eyebrows scrunching adorably in confusion as he sees your name pop up on the screen. You watch him swipe it open and then his face slowly morphs into something very carefully blank as he reads over what you just sent. He angles his chair over towards you and slowly lifts his head and it takes literally everything in you not to burst out laughing then and there when your eyes meet his. If looks could kill you’d be so dead right now. You have to use your debriefing folder to cover your face as you try to collect yourself and stop the barely suppressed giggles from escaping you. Not only that but he literally gives you the death stare for the entire rest of the meeting. When it finally ends you’re one of the first out of the room but you know Hawks won’t be far behind. You race to the elevators and quickly jam the door closed button, knowing the other heroes will likely hold him up. You literally see his scandalized and angry face as he finally escapes the meeting room and starts marching towards the you before the heavy metal door closes. You manage to make it out the lobby but Hawks must have escaped out a window because you’re barely two steps out the door before he’s literally sweeping you off your feet.

“Put me down,” you protest without heat as he flies you both higher up in the air, knowing full well you can’t safely escape him so high off the ground. “What the fuck was that text about huh?” he questions. The laughter you’d been holding back since you’d first pranked him finally bubbles out of you and his scandalized look at your reaction only worsens it. “Oh my god I was kidding,” you gasp out between laughter. Hawks groans as you continue to cackle in his arms. “You were messing with me,” he huffs. “Yes! You make it so easy bird brain,” you chuckle. “I should drop you right here.” “You won’t.” “Bet.”

You let out a startled yell as Hawks does indeed drop you and you start plummeting down towards the street. You’re only falling for a few seconds before he catches you again, grinning like the asshole he is. “Oh my god, you actually dropped me you little shit!” you shout, hitting him in the shoulder as it’s his turn to laugh at your expense. “Guess you can call us even then,” he smirks. “Fine, I guess,” you huff playfully. “Let’s get you home troublemaker.” “You sure you won’t drop me again?” “Don’t tempt me.” “Hey!” “I’m kidding! I could never. Love you (y/n).” “Love you too Kei.”

[on-maars]

Find My Way Home (Back To You)

Alright I wrote a post Eddie Begins episode fic and I really hope you’ll like it :)

Read it on AO3

Eddie sighs and turns around for what might be the tenth time in the past two hours.

He can’t sleep. He can’t sleep without being back there again. He can’t sleep without stopping the nightmares. Not about the war. He’s had his fair share of night terrors about the war, but lately the nightmares have taken another direction. He doesn’t dream of being the target of a thousand snipers anymore. He dreams of that moment. He dreams of being back there again, buried in the ground, thirty feet of wet earth above him, trapped, without any way of getting back to his son, without any way of getting back to his family. It’s suffocating, and Eddie often wakes up soaking wet, his hair sticking to his forehead, his sheet drenched in sweat. Drenched in sweat, and tears. His tears.

He can’t sleep and he tried everything. Every method he can think of. Every method his mother used to teach him when he was scared and alone at night, suffering from insomnia. He tried some breathing exercises his therapist showed him the week before, tried taking a walk around the neighborhood to clear his head and take his mind off things, he tried reading a book and even went through some meditations videos on YouTube that Buck recommended to him a while back. But nothing is working. His mind keeps sending him back to that place. To the well.

Eddie turns around again and lets his eyes fall on his alarm clock as it reads 2:49am. Eddie sighs and presses his hands to his face, apprehending the 24 hours shift waiting for him in the early hours of the morning. Not necessarily because of the fatigue. After all it wouldn’t be the first time Eddie gets through an awfully long shift with the 118 with only a few hours of sleep in his system.

No, he’s only apprehending it because he knows, deep down, that he’s so far from being in the right state of mind to face the difficulties of his job. He feels more restless, more fidgety, less focused than usual. And if there is no doubt in Eddie’s mind that the 118 is going to notice his mood swings. And if they notice, then he’s going to need to explain. Explain the extent of how messed-up he is in the head. Explain how the war still terrorized him sometimes at night. Explain how tight his throat is ever since he’s made it out of that well. And that’s a conversation he’s not ready to face.

Eddie looks up at the ceiling and gropes around in the dark until his right hand finds his phone. He knows scrolling mindlessly the news is only going to keep his brain more awake but he doesn’t find it in him to care anymore. He unlocks his phone and frowns when he notices an unseen message from his sister in his inbox. The message is short, but it catches Eddie’s attention.

“Isn’t he your friend Buck?!”

There is a link just underneath it and when Eddie clicks on it, his breath catches in his throat and his heart starts pounding hard against his chest. It’s a video. A video of that day. A video of the rig, collapsing, and burying him under thirty feet of earth in the process. Only the video doesn’t show only that. It also shows his coworkers’ reaction. It also shows Buck.

Buck

Buck, who collapses on the ground and completely falls to pieces. Buck, who screams his name and starts digging the earth with his bare hands. Buck, who bursts into tears and whose face is contorted with fear, rage and pain. Eddie watches him as he continues calling out his name in agony, he watches him as Bobby needs to physically restrain him to stop him from digging, and Eddie swears he can feel his heart cracked open at the sight.

The scene is devastating, heartbreaking, and the last seconds of the video only shows Buck, sitting on the ground, his head down, tears rolling down his face, as the rain continues pouring down on him.

By the time Eddie finishes watching the video, his hands are shaking and the room is spinning. His whole body is tense, buzzing with a nervous energy and Eddie closes his eyes fiercely but he can’t get the images out of his head. How can he? How can he when he had to sit through and watch his best-friend having a complete breakdown in a video with more than a million views? How can he when until then, he was so far up his own ass not to notice that Buck was hurting too? Not to notice that he wasn't the only one who ended up traumatized by this day?

He sits back straight on his bed, and leans his back against the headboard, running both of his hands through his hair a few times, ignoring how his heart pulses in his head, making it hurt.

He takes his phone in his hand and gets up, stepping out of his room and going down the stairs until he reaches the living-room. Here, he lets himself fall on the couch, rubbing his temples with his fingers, his eyes closed. In vain. It’s no use. It’s no use trying to get his breathing back to normal while the only thing he really wants is to see his best-friend with his own two eyes and make sure he’s okay.

“Can you come over?” He sends. It’s short and vague, but Eddie knows Buck keeps his phone in sound mode at all times just in case this kind of emergencies come up.

But is it an emergency? Eddie asks himself as he brings his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. It’s not. Not really. But Buck’s answer still comes after just a few seconds.

“Be there in 15. You okay? Christopher?”

“We’re okay. Just need to see you.”

Eddie jumps out of the couch and starts pacing back and forth in the living-room, not knowing what to do with himself. He squats down and starts picking up every Lego bricks lying around on the carpet, on the coffee table under the sofa. Christopher was in the middle of building a (more than unstable) house before heading to bed and he seemed so tired from his school day Eddie didn’t have the heart to ask him to tidy. He’s in the middle of retrieving a brick which ended up under the carpet when he hears the distinct sound of someone opening the front door.

He whirls his head around and finds himself face to face with Buck who looks around the living-room in alarm, his eyes wide. His hair is disheveled and his shoes are mismatched and Eddie almost feels bad for waking him up in the middle of the night while they both have a 24 hours shift waiting for them in a few hours. His best-friend’s face softens when his eyes fall on him, and Eddie doesn’t waste any time to close the gap separating them and wrapping his arms around his neck to hold him close.

“Evan Buckley I swear to god you’re going to be the death of me.” He says, not thinking twice before burying his face in the crook of his best-friend’s neck. Buck seems taken aback for a few seconds, but he doesn’t question it and reciprocate the embrace with just as much vigor. “I’m sorry.” Eddie eventually says, grabbing his tee-shirt with his right hand.

“You’re sorry?” Buck repeats, his voiced filled with confusion. “About what?” He adds.

“God I’ve been so far up my own ass these past few days, haven’t I?” Eddie asks, taking a step back and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, following his gaze until he’s sure Buck looks at him in the eye. His best-friend seems reluctant at first, almost as if he already knows where the conversation is going, but then he finally meets his gaze and Eddie’s look is so intense and he’s watching him with so much attention something in his face just breaks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what, Eds?” Buck asks, but from the way his voice breaks, Eddie knows it’s just a way for him to try and take the conversation elsewhere.

“Buck.” Eddie says, and it’s a warning. We’re having that conversation whether you like it or not.

“Eddie, just- Don’t, alright?” Buck starts. “It’s okay. You’re okay. It’s all that matters.”

“I saw the video.” Eddie says, taking another step backwards until he sits on a kitchen chair, running his right hand through his hair.

“What video?” Buck says, his voice small, but sighs and looks down when Eddie maintains eye-contact. “Took you long enough.” He only adds, leaning against the fridge. “It was literally everywhere on the news. Big headlines too.” He says, letting out a humorless laugh.

“Buck-”

“But again, I’spose it’s fun to see a firefighter completely losing it after his best-friend has been buried thirty feet underground.” Buck cuts in, his voice hollow. “I guess it ‘entertains’ people just fine”

“Buck-” Eddie starts, but his friend is faster.

“As if I want to relive that moment, you know?” Buck goes on and his voice is louder now, more aggressive. “As if one time wasn’t enough.”

“Buck, I-”

“Eddie, you cut the damn line!” He exclaims and Eddie jumps with surprise at how raw and demanding his tone is. “You cut the damn line!” He repeats and a tear rolls down his left cheek. “And you know what the worst part is? The worst part is that I can’t even blame you for it! You wanted to save that kid… I mean, how can I blame you for wanting to save that kid, Eddie? I can’t. I would be a fucking hypocrite if I did, man. Cause I would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed.”

“It doesn’t mean you can’t be mad.” Eddie says, keeping his eyes down, incapable of meeting his best-friend’s gaze. “It doesn’t mean you can’t be angry.” He adds. “Hell, I know I would be.”

“I just- Eddie, did you ever stop for a second to imagine what it was like for me? I was pulling you out Eds. I was pulling you out and then the weight was just- the weight was just gone. You were gone.” He says through gritted teeth and Eddie darts his eyes towards him for just a second, but that’s still enough time for him to see the expression of complete agony and pure heartbreak on his best-friend’s face. Eddie looks away just as fast and sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

“But that’s not even the worst part, oh no.” Buck goes on and Eddie knows this one is on a roll. He’s determined and he won’t stop until he got everything off his chest. “ Because then this damn rig just collapsed and I- I couldn’t get you out, I- You were… You were buried, Eds. You were buried and I swear to god I would have dug the whole thing with my bare hands if I had to.”

“I know you would’ve.” Eddie only says, staring at Buck, his eyes filled with the tears he’s been trying to hold back for the past fifteen minutes. “I know you would’ve.”

“I didn’t give up on you.” Buck answers, as if he’s trying to justify his actions in a courtroom. “You’ve got to know that, alright?” He repeats. “I didn’t give up on you. Even when people were trying to convince me that there was no way you would have survived that, I didn’t- I didn’t give up on you.”

“Hey, hey, I know.” Eddie instantly reassures him, getting up and closing the gap between them. “I know.” He repeats, cupping Buck’s cheeks with his hands. “You didn’t give up.”

“I didn’t give up.” Buck nods, his lips quivering.

“Buck, do you think- do you think I’m mad at you because you didn’t try hard enough?” Eddie manages to articulate, his fingers playing with the roots of Buck’s hair. “How could you have tried any harder?” Eddie adds, letting out a nervous laugh. “For Christ’s sake Evan, you told me yourself you were ready to dig the whole thing by hands. There’s nothing you could have done. You hear me?”

Buck frantically nods and Eddie sighs, wrapping his right arm around his neck to pull him forward. Buck’s whole body tenses and it’s only when his shoulders start shaking that Eddie realizes his best-friend is full-on sobbing against him, his tears wetting his white tee-shirt. Buck rests his forehead on his shoulder and Eddie simply runs his left hand through his hair while the other traces small patterns on his back, holding him tight. He presses his lips on his hair, closing his eyes fiercely for a few seconds while throwing his head backwards, looking up at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry.” Buck says against him. “Here I am again, making the whole thing about me while you’re the one who’ve been buried underground.”

“Don’t be stupid Buck, I’m the one who should apologize here. I was so focused on my pain and the nightmares that I-”

“Nightmares?” Buck whirls his head up to meet his eyes. “You have nightmares about the well?” He asks, his eyes full of concern, and Eddie lets out an incredulous laugh.

“Yeah but that’s not the point, Buck.” He says, dismissing his concern with a hand’s gesture. “I should have seen you were hurting. I’m sorry.” He adds. “And yes I have nightmares but Buck you need to know you’re the only reason I got out. You and Christopher? I couldn’t have done it without you guys. Wouldn’t have done it. But I promised myself I’ll always find my way back home. So I did.”

Eddie cradles his chin with his left hand, forcing him to look up.

“That… That was sappy as hell, man.” Buck tries and Eddie snorts, placing his hand on his cheek to make him look away.

“Says the one who was ready to dig thirty feet of wet earth with his bare hands.” He says playfully and then Buck does this thing again where he looks down with a shy smile and Eddie’s heart just melts at the sight.

When Buck lifts his gaze again, their lips are only separated by a few inches of space and Eddie’s head is spinning. He stays there, motionless, not knowing whether he should finally gives in to years of pining and unresolved tension. But then, Buck’s eyes dart towards his lips and all his good sense goes up in smoke. Eddie looks at him for permission and when Buck nods, he places his hand on the back of his neck and presses their lips together. It doesn’t last long. It’s brief, and when Eddie takes a step back, Buck’s lips chase his own a second time and he only smiles and complies happily.

This time, the kiss is more heated and Buck’s hands find their way on the back of Eddie’s neck, biting his lower lip to demand access to his mouth. Eddie smiles against his mouth and runs both of his hands through his hair, bringing him closer. This earns him a small whimper from Buck and Eddie only kisses him harder, pressing his best-friend’s body against the fridge and sliding his hand underneath his tee-shirt.

“God I can’t believe we waited three years to do that.” Buck says Eddie huffs out a laugh against his lips.

“Well I mean you were a bit slow on the uptake.” Eddie teases him.

“Oh fuck off.” Buck taps him on the head playfully. “You know I couldn’t just- I had to be sure.”

“I know.” Eddie says, his voice soft.

“I couldn’t do the first move. I had to wait for… I had to wait for you to do it. Even if I knew that you- because I knew. Of course I knew. But-”

“Hey.” Eddie cuts him off by cupping his cheeks with his hands. “I know.” He repeats. “Alright then Evan. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Lead the way, Edmundo.”

“Not my name.” Eddie says with a smile, taking his hand in his to guide him towards the bedroom.

“Sorry. Eduardo.”

“Still not my name, man."

"Diaz?"

"That's it, you’re sleeping on the damn couch, Buckley.” Eddie warns but the smile on his face betrays him.

“Really? You would make me sleep on the couch? The guy who was ready to dig 30 feet of wet earth with his bare han-”

“Oh my god will you shut up?” Eddie whispers loudly, being careful not to wake up Christopher fast asleep in the adjoining room.

“Make me.” Buck says, a hint of amusement in his voice and Eddie?

Well Eddie wastes no time to crash their lips together another time.

[giuliafc]

Voicemail... Again?

Read it on Ao3 || FFN

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Fluffy, KhanOfAllOrcs

Summary: Marinette forgot again to close the call with Adrien's voicemail after calling him to arrange a cinema 'date'. And this time, Adrien gets more than he bargained for. (Wordcount: 951 words)

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Written for the "Snippet July" challenge of the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server @miraculousfanworks AND for LadyNoir July @ladynoirjuly Day 11 — Hypocrisy/Voicemail-calls. Let me know what you think!

oOoOoOoOoOo

She had done it. Again! She couldn't believe it! And this time, it was even worse. Much, much worse. So incredibly worse that she couldn't even breathe for how much worse it was.

———- Flashback———-

There was this new 3d anime movie that was going to air the following week at the local cinema. Marinette knew that Adrien was a dork, and how much he loved anime, and this one in particular was one of his favourites. So, Alya had convinced her to invite Adrien to the movie and eventually, after hours of looking at the phone and then throwing it on the chaise, Alya had grabbed Marinette's phone and dialed the number. Marinette wished she could dig a hole and hide when the call went into voicemail.

"Uh, h-hi, it's Ma-marinette. Hi. I… know you like ears. Uh, I mean anime. You don't like ears, that would be silly. Uh, well, yeah, so… theeeeeere's this anime cinema and… maybe… watch it? I m-mean, with me. Uh. Not as a date. N-no… totally as friends. So, let me know. 'Kay. Cya!"

That said, she threw the phone on the chaise and sat down on her desk chair to stop the mad beating of her heart. And, of course, she had again forgotten to hang up. And, of course, Alya said,

"Way to go! You finally asked him out!" She raised both arms in a victory. "Although I must say that, for the one and only Ladybug, I would expect more courage. I mean… 'totally as friends'. Yeah. Right…"

Marinette blushed. "I've been Ladybug, all along, Alya, and that has never prevented me from being a blushing mess in front of him."

"Yes, I know," said Alya with a smirk, "but now you decided to give up all romantic relationships because it would interfere with your role as Guardian. So you—"

Marinette's phone interrupted Alya with a loud beep: "End of the message. Goodbye!"

Marinette's heart sank to the ground, her face blanched, her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?" She grabbed her phone and saw Adrien's picture fade away.

"Uh oh…" whispered Alya. "Don't tell me you forgot again…"

———- End of Flashback———-

Marinette lost the ability to breathe. She looked at her phone. Then at Alya. Then at her phone again. Then she let out a skin curling scream, as she grabbed Alya by the shoulders and shook her. "THIS IS A DISAAAAAAAAAASTER!!! ALYA, YOU CALLED ME LADYBUG! I CONFIRMED IT! YOU SAID THAT I WAS THE GUARDIAN! OH MY GOD! IT DIDN'T EVEN ASK ME TO SAVE IT, IT JUST DID! MY LIFE IS OVER!"

"I thought you had hung up!" said Alya, who also lost all redness from her face, looking quite grey.

Marinette dug the fingertips of both hands into her cheeks. "He can't listen to that message! This time, he REALLY can't!"

That was how they ended up once again stealing Adrien's phone. And this time, Rena Rouge helped Marinette with one of her Illusions. They snatched the phone, and after quite a few hours of attempts, they managed to work out Adrien's new locking pattern, and went into the voicemail to delete the message.

When the voicemail said, 'Message deleted', finally Marinette breathed.

But she shouldn't have. She should've noticed that the message was stored in Adrien's read inbox. Because in his room, sitting in his desk chair, elbow pinned on his desk, chin resting on the heel of his hand, was Adrien. Eyes-wide and super pale. Holding his home phone receiver (which he had just used to check his stolen phone's voicemail) in his other hand.

"Marinette is Ladybug?" he whispered as he recovered his ability to breathe. "And Alya knows?"

Plagg looked sheepishly at his holder, noticing how hurt he was by his partner's behaviour. Honestly, Pigtails? Stealing his phone? That was low… and telling her identity to someone else before a reveal with his holder? That was even lower. Plagg felt a rush of disappointment shooting through his little body and, before Adrien asked anything or even dared look at him, he fled inside his cheese cabinet.

He wasn't paid enough for this. Nope. He wasn't going to help Pigtails out of this mess. For once, she would need to face his gamin and tell him the truth. Because he didn't deserve this hypocrisy. But he couldn't finish his reasoning because, from outside the cabinet, Adrien said it loud and clear, "Plagg, claws out!"

oOoOoOoOoOo

When Ladybug landed atop the Eiffel Tower, she expected to see Chat Noir smile and greet his Lady warmly. Not tonight. Tonight, he didn't even look at her until she sat next to him.

"Who else knows?" he asked abruptly, his gaze lost, admiring the lights of the city flickering beneath them.

Ladybug's brows furrowed. "Knows what?"

"Your identity, Marinette." The way he emphasised her name left no doubt about the kind of black humour he was in. "Besides Alya, who else knows?"

Ladybug uttered a shocked gasp. "Wh-wha…? How?"

Instead of answering, he showed her his hand, palm facing up. "Can I have my phone back, please? Since you already deleted your message. Is that what happened when we faced Copycat? You made a mistake and had to steal my phone to rectify it?"

Ladybug's eyes widened, her complexion paled. "A-adrien?"

Chat Noir's gaze didn't soften. He just stared, his green eyes looking uncomfortably serious to Ladybug. "Don't change the subject, M'lady. Stop being a hypocrite and be honest with me. Tell me the truth. I think I deserve to know."

And as Ladybug lowered her gaze and blushed, she knew it was true. She cleared her throat and finally let it all out.

---------------------------------

Author's Note

There you go. Day 11 a bit earlier than usual but… this was easy. I had this thought in my mind since the day I watched Copycat: how could Adrien not have called his voicemail from his house phone to hear the message when he 'lost his phone', since it's not hard at all to do? So when I got the prompt with hypocrisy written next to voicemail… I just let my brain go loose!

I hope you liked this little story and will decide to reblog with tags and/or comments, or leave me a comment on Ao3 or FFN. You know that comments are my bread and butter and I love to read your feedback!

Until (hopefully) tomorrow, bug out!