#and if I tell them ‘nothing suck it up buttercup’ they’re gonna laugh and then double down on the sprays | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lovelyirony · 4 years

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"a single thread of gold/tied me to you" for ironhusbands?💛

If there is one thing that James Rhodes cannot stand, it is “love at first sight.” In his professional and personal opinion, there is no such thing. It is simply a concept that Disney invented so they could make cutesy stories about princesses finding their princes immediately and give people hope about love, but in the end it is all about the money.

“You’re a cynic,” his sister Jeanie tells him over breakfast. She flings a stray Cheerio at him. “You are a cynic and you’re never gonna date someone because they’re going to think you suck.”

“People are going to date me and realize that I’m a good, realistic choice,” James responds, sticking his tongue out and stealing a drink of her orange juice. “People are going to date you and you’ll be disappointed because you watched too many romantic movies and you let it taint reality.”

“Loser.”

“Dork.”

And then he’s in college.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t meet Tony Stark for two years despite the fact that every single year, they live in the same building on different floors. He has had to evacuate about twenty different times because Tony cannot stop himself from doing experiments in his room.

The third year, James is an RA and required to live with one of the residents because of “experimental tendencies.” They don’t elaborate on why he’s stuck with a roommate, what the tendencies are, or who he is.

“You’ll know,” comes the email from the coordinator, and he has never wanted to curse so badly in an email before, but here he is.

But he’ll deal with it. Just like how he’s going to deal with everything this year.

He thought he would get the room to himself for a little while before everyone moved in and brought everything and he would check them in.

But no.

There’s his roommate, lounging on a bed, and grinning.

“Simply enlightening to meet you, James. They told me I could come back if I had a trusted roommate.”

“And they stuck you with me?”

“Well they were going to stick me with some dude who got the email, and then immediately transferred to Dartmouth. So I think you were the second option.”

“Great.”

He hates life, maybe just a little bit.

Tony wants to do things. Which is fine, but he isn’t really in the mood to have the conversation of the fact that he can do things, but he doesn’t want to do them. He has to focus on being an RA and preparing for the Air Force.

“Why prepare for that when you could be living?” Tony asks, lounging on Rhodey’s bed.

Oh yeah, that’s new too. Rhodey. Apparently, “Jim,” “James,” and “Rhodes” were unacceptable nicknames.

What is acceptable is Rhodey. And of course, the “honey bunches of oats” and “loveliest RA of all time in the history of MIT” and “sugar-puff” and “sweetness overload”

He’s responding to all of them, by the way.

Rhodey didn’t think his mental health would get this bad by the beginning. He had actually scheduled it to be around October.

And then the students come. There are nervous freshmen, the sophomores who don’t say anything as they move in and get settled, and the returning juniors and seniors greet Rhodey and Tony with familiarity and laugh about the posters that Rhodey’s worked hard on.

“So, we’re having joint-RA’s or something?” Miles asks, throwing his comforter over his bed.

“No, we’re not,” Rhodey says, hoping his expression is somewhere along the lines of not-showing-emotion. “Tony’s just...”

“I’m simply too exhausting for Housing to deal with anymore, so I have a babysitter,” Tony says with a wink. “And who better than our lovely Rhodey?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Sugar-puff?”

“Still no.”

Miles snorts.

“This year should be good. Tony, you gonna pull any fire alarms this year?”

“Rhodey has expressly banned experiments in the building, unfortunately,” Tony sighs. “It’s like he doesn’t want everyone to bond over having to leave at two in the morning...”

“Nothing says bonding like hating a rude wake-up call,” Rhodey says, and Tony nods. “We’ll let you get all moved in, Miles. Remember that floor dinner is at six!”

“You got it!”

Rhodey gives Tony a look.

“You know, I can do this on my own.”

“Aw shutterbug, I’m not gonna let you.”

“Are you really this intent on following me around?”

“Well, what if I want to overtake your position next year? What if you tragically get a raging headache and it’s up to me to know what to do? What if your mother kidnaps you and never lets you come here again?”

“I’m sure the college kids will be fine,” Rhodey stresses. “And I’ll still have access to email and the groupchat, genius.”

Tony just laughs.

“Alright, okay. I gotta go get some shit for my new class. The teacher sent out an email stating that the textbook is mandatory, and we have to do book work. This feels like eighth grade all over again.”

Rhodey snorts.

“Is it for Professor Casper?”

“Yeah, did you have him?”

“Yeah, you don’t need the book. You can find it online for free, and he never collects the book work. It’s a waste of time to get the book.”

“You’re an angel-and-a-half, love of my life,” Tony says. “And for that, I’ll snag an extra pudding for you at the dining hall.”

“Is it vanilla or chocolate this time?”

“Chocolate with cookies in it.”

“Oh my god, seriously? Already?”

“Guess they must have had a jump,” Tony teases. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

Tony has a specific way of getting people to open up and actually talk with others that Rhodey envies.

If Tony wasn’t so hellbent on convincing the group that if Miles and Kamala create a distraction, they could totally sneak out one of the pictures of the mascot.

“We are not doing that the first week,” Rhodey says. “Maybe the last.”

“It’s a beaver,” Tony whines. “Who’s gonna miss it, a Canadian?”

“It’ll be the floor bonding activity,” Gwen says, finishing off her fifth (maybe sixth) slice of pizza. “Better than talking about your feelings about the campus or whatever.”

“No.”

“We’ll convince him soon,” Tony whispers conspiratorially. “Also, who here is a freshman? I have some advice regarding the math classes and which teacher you want...”

Rhodey does have to admit, that sometimes it’s easier to have Tony around, who is so willing to stay up until the late hours because of some stupid drama or to help Peter at his chemistry homework and also ease his anxiety about leaving his Aunt May all alone.

Tony isn’t all wild and crazy as stories have led him up to be.

"I wore out all my crazy freshman year after going to two frat parties and deciding that no one knew anything about how to have fun,” he declared. “I mean, come on. Why have beer pong when you could quiz people about obscure fashion facts?”

Rhodey snorts.

“Don’t make that the next game night. Hey, what do you think about having a movie night this Friday? I’m thinking something not scary, we’ve been doing a lot of those.”

“It is October, what do you mean not scary?”

“Some of our residents don’t like scary,” Rhodey reminds him. “Honestly, I think we could do with a bit of Halloween fun.”

“Hocus Pocus? Double Double, Toil and Trouble? If you want to be slightly scared of old women and clown parties, I’d recommend it.”

“You weren’t scared of clowns beforehand?”

“Of course not, I wanted what they have; the ability to fit eighteen people in a car.”

“Couldn’t you just gut the car?”

“Not the same effect, honey-pie. Not the same effect.”

Miles and Peter both end up lobbying for Hocus Pocus, with little to no competition other than a promise that the other choice would be shown later on in the semester.

They’ve shoved all the chairs together and multiple people have brought out their own chairs, and Tony saves a seat for Rhodey under the premise of “Rhodey organized it, he gets a seat.”

It’s a tough squeeze, and Tony and Rhodey get all tangled up together.

Tony smells like expensive cologne and coffee, and he grins up at Rhodey and maybe the lights from the TV aren’t bright enough, but for a moment his heart skips a beat.

Well. Shit.

When he goes home for Thanksgiving break, Tony seems a bit...sad.

“What, your mom cook the worst turkey in the world?” he jokes.

"Sure,” Tony says, eyes unfocused. “Yeah.”

"Dude, you okay?”

“Yeah,” Tony says, turning. His smile brightens, eyes crinkling. “Why wouldn’t I be fine, buttercup?”

Rhodey gives him a look.

“I’m gonna call you when I get home, okay? You better answer.”

“I always answer to you,” Tony says, and damn Rhodey’s mind shouldn’t be going where it is.

Rhodey waves, gets in his car, and thinks about how Tony most likely has a problem on his mind, how he should probably not room with him, and his Aunt Ada’s green beans.

God, he loves those green beans.

Tony is alone for Thanksgiving. Jarvis and Ana got an opportunity to visit Aunt Peggy in England, and he knew that they hadn’t seen her in two years. He didn’t want to be selfish, have them stay just for him.

So, it looked like deli turkey sandwiches were in his future. If there’s still some soda in the fridge, maybe that too.

He sighs, and turns towards the lab. Dum-E’s not even here, as he didn’t fit in the travel car, so Tony let him loose on the floor to “keep guard” over the dorms and make sure that no one broke in or stole the cords that he knows he accidentally left in the common room.

The odd thing is, he had almost told Rhodey. Almost let him know that he’d be alone for Thanksgiving, but is that weird? That’s weird, right? To tell people your emotions just...it’s so messy.

They have to deal with it, you have to deal with the fact that they’re dealing with it, and then other people know that you both are dealing with it and it’s just a whole mess of epic proportions, you know?

Rhodey finds out on Thanksgiving, when they’re doing the parade on the TV and there’s a new snippet on the gossip channel when they go on commercial break.

Howard and Maria Stark, vacationing off the Mediterranean Coast.

“It’s reported that Tony Stark has preferred to spend his time in the vacation home,” the news reporter said, her smile wide and placid.

“Tony’s lucky,” Mama says, wrapping golden yarn around her fingers as she works on another sweater. (A small one, a tiny one. It’s for the new baby in the family for Christmas.) “He tell you about it?”

“He’s not there,” Rhodey says numbly.

“He’s not?” Dad says, eyes raised over the newspaper.

“No.”

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” Dad asks.

“No, no he didn’t.”

“Well then. Next time he’ll come with us.”

Rhodey nods.

“Christmas?”

“Clear it with his parents if they’re not spending time together.”

“Got it.”

Rhodey’s Thanksgiving is...nice. He can’t stop thinking about Tony going alone.

So he calls him. It’s two in the morning, he might be asleep, and Rhodey’s not sure if he got the “eight” in the last four digits right or not.

“Howard’s out, who is it?” comes a sleep-addled voice.

“Good thing I’m not looking for Howard, Tones.”

“Rhodey? Why are you calling me?” Tony asks, and Rhodey can imagine his eyes lighting up and that’s...that’s something.

“You spent Thanksgiving alone, I wanted to see how you were.”

“Aw, checking in your residents?”

“Checking in on you.”

Tony stills for a moment at the phone.

Besides Jarvis, no one had ever really checked in on him.

“Um, I’m fine?”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I mean, it sucks to be alone on Thanksgiving, but I don’t really like any of the foods that people usually have, so I’ve been fine. I ordered wraps from my favorite place.”

“Good to hear, good to hear.”

There’s a silent pause for a moment, the one where they both try to find something to say.

“Listen,” Rhodey says. “If you’re ever stuck for a holiday alone, you’re coming with me, okay?”

“I don’t want to intrude on your family,” Tony says softly.

“They all wanna meet you. Jeanie says she can kick your ass at ice hockey!”

“You guys can actually play ice hockey?”

“With limited degrees of success.”

“Oh, now that I gotta see some time.”

They come back to college, and Tony is back to his usual antics, greeting everyone who comes through the elevator with a shower of shredded paper.

“Welcome to Winter Wonderland! Next stop: suffering through finals!”

“Ugh,” Kamala groans, “stop it. Stop making me think. I have to memorize Byronic poetry. Do you know how boring that is?”

"Speak for yourself, I have to build a wooden chair,” Riri whines. “Who works with wood these days? It’s so old-fashioned.”

“Create the most bitching chair alive,” Tony says. “And I’ll help you with the necessary tools. Your professor isn’t expecting much, mainly just that it can support the weight of two people, you’ll be fine. Kam, Byronic poetry is not that bad, you will be good. We will bake cookies.”

“Can we even bake cookies? I thought our floor got banned from kitchen usage,” Peter says. “Hey Rhodey.”

“Hey kiddo,” Rhodey says. “First of all, yes we are banned from the kitchen. Second, we’re only banned and get in trouble so long as they know we’re there. And since more than half of us are nocturnal creatures and I am willing to wake up to help, we can bake cookies.”

There are cheers around the room, and Tony mocks offense.

“You don’t trust me to help the future youth?”

“Given that we’re not allowed to rent out any more equipment from the front office? Yes.”

“You wound me, darling.”

“Only as much as kitchen equipment goes, sweetheart.”

Tony grins.

“Aw, you missed me.”

“Yeah, I did. Now come on, you gotta help me with a billboard about the movie night this Friday. We thinking a romantic comedy or something mildly terrifying but probably won an award?”

“Mildly terrifying!” Gwen calls from her dorm. “If we watch two people falling in love I’ll choke! We’ve been doing it all year!”

“We’ve only watched, like, three rom-coms?”

Gwen rolls her eyes, as if he’s missed something completely obvious.

“You don’t get it. I’ll try again later. Hey, are we doing floor dinner tonight?”

“They’re serving pizza sandwiches, so obviously,” Tony says. “We will feast like kings.”

Christmas is a festive time for Tony. He loves it, and goes overboard with decorations. Rhodey lets him, because you can’t stop Tony once he loves something (and Rhodey is kind of. Fond of him).

Pepper comes up from the fifth floor, whistling.

“Damn, Jim. I knew you would do a good job with decorations, but not this good. Is this...did you buy a miniature village? How was this budgeted?”

“It wasn’t,” Rhodey says. “Tony’s really into Christmas and the floor convinced him that the theme should be Christmas Village. He’s been crafting identities for each villager instead of studying for any exam. The craft store employees know him by name now.”

“Well, we all have our vices. You two seem to get along well. Housing is pleased that he hasn’t blown up anything yet.”

“If they try to serve cheese ravioli again, he might.”

“That’s a problem for Dining,” Pepper reminds him.

“Still, it’s abominable. Where did they get them, bottom of the Hudson River?”

She snorts, adjusting her shirt.

“Probably, but hey. They still got eaten, even if that one freshman threw them all back up at the entrance.”

“It was payback, they were vile.”

Tony waltzes into the lobby, arms filled with glittering tinsel.

“We are not letting you hang that,” Pepper says, gaping at it all. “Do you know how hard it is to get rid of tinsel?”

“We’ll manage!” Tony says. “Also, are you free at six-thirty?”

“No, that’s when we’re getting dinner on my floor, what do you need?”

“Just that little tidbit of knowledge,” Tony says, looking down at his phone.

A message buzzes from the groupchat, and Rhodey glances at it:

We are a go for the real Christmas tree. I have the vacuum, and a believable lie. Rhodey’s gonna tell us when the RA on duty is gonna come so we can hide it.

Rhodey looks at Tony, grinning. He smiles right back.

“Is there some weird roommate telekinesis I’m missing here?” Pepper asks.

“Yes,” Rhodey says. “We’re discussing dinner plans.”

Another text from Harley:

I’m already picking one out with Peter. I have good taste. When is the ornament-making party?

Pepper looks at them.

“You’re planning something that I probably would have to disapprove of. I’ll tell people I got your floor watched tonight.”

“Pepper, light of my life, my absolute sunshine? You’re the best,” Tony says, grinning. “Rhodey-darling, help me with tinsel?”

He can’t say no. Simple as that.

That is how tinsel gets strung throughout his hair as he’s watching Tony climb onto chairs that shouldn’t be climbed on to hang it from everywhere.

“People deserve to have a good-looking Christmas,” he says. “Besides, I wanna win the decoration contest.”

Rhodey laughs.

“Okay, okay. I think we got it in the bag.”

Later on in the week, Tony can be seen flitting about from room to room with help and jokes to lighten the mood.

Rhodey has to admit, being an RA with Tony around is...nice. Better than he thought.

And maybe he has feelings. He’s not going to say anything about it. After all, they’re roommates. He also isn’t allowed to have a relationship with anyone on the floor, regardless of anything.

It doesn’t mean every RA follows it. God knows Sharon’s snuck down to the fourth floor to see Sam near-about every night, and her residents usually keep it a pretty good secret.

Still. There’s also everything else to consider, and the fact that he doesn’t even know if Tony likes him like that.

He doesn’t have to focus on it.

At least, not until the week of finals when he’s dying and Tony’s made him peppermint hot chocolate and sits on his bed, just about an inch away from his notes for his history class.

“Do you remember what you told me on the phone?” Tony asks softly.

“You up to compete against Jeanie for this year’s ice hockey championship?” Rhodey asks, smiling.

Tension releases from Tony’s shoulders.

“Only so long as you’ll have me.”

“Always, genius. Always.”

After the last resident leaves for the holiday and Rhodey checks in with those who are staying, he and Tony hit the road, dragging suitcases behind them.

“Are you sure I’m allowed?” Tony asks. “I can always find a hotel along the way...”

“Mama wants to meet you, I keep telling them a ton about you,” Rhodey says, laughing. “They told me they want to hear your side of the great Glitter Debacle.”

Tony laughs.

“You mean the truth?”

“Uh, I’m sorry, how are you going to convince them that green glitter was needed? And that you could clean it out of carpet?”

“Determination and grit?”

Rhodey laughs again as they pull onto the highway.

After a couple of hours, they make it to Rhodey’s home. His sister comes out, hugs for both.

“Good to meet you Tony,” Jeanie says. “I’ve heard a lot, and I think we’re going to get along awesomely after I tell you every single embarrassing thing that Jim’s ever done.”

“Only if I get to share stories too,” Tony teases, grinning. “Aw, they call you Jim?”

“What do you call him?” Jeanie asks.

“Jim-Jam, angel-dear, sugar-puff, Rhodey. You know, the usual.”

Jeanie snorts, taking one of Rhodey’s bags.

“Calling you the first one from now on.”

“Tony did you have to let her hear any of those?” Rhodey asks, exasperated in a teasing manner.

“Of course I did,” Tony sing-songed. “Now after you, I’m sure your mom is waiting to hug the living daylights out of you.”

It’s not until Rhodey gets all settled in and Tony is downstairs competing with his dad in a round of chess that Jeanie sits on his bed, the intention to annoy.

But it’s...different. She looks at him.

“You love him a lot, don’t you?”

Rhodey stills.

“You wouldn’t have told him he could come here if you didn’t.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Jeanie says, flipping braids over her shoulder. “Nice of you to finally realize that I’m the smart one.”

Rhodey doesn’t say anything as she saunters out of the room.

He makes the decision not to tell Tony.

If it goes wrong and if Tony says no, he doesn’t want it to be an awkward family event but more importantly, the most awkward rest of the year ever. He can say it as they’re moving out, and that’s that.

He tells Jeanie as such.

“I thought you didn’t believe in love,” she says as they’re preparing the soup for dinner.”

“I don’t believe in love at first sight,” Rhodey says. “I do believe in love. There’s a difference.”

There’s a hell of a difference.

First sight, you don’t know everything. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on? Oh you learn so much more, and they become that more important.

He learns that he doesn’t mind picking up tinsel, so long as Tony is laughing and singing along to all of the worst Christmas songs ever, and maybe. Just maybe he could picture looking at Tony underneath the fairy-lights that they hung in the dorm room for all time.

Love is terrifyingly exhilarating, even when it isn’t supposed to be.

Rhodey did not think his heart would race so much as Tony listened to his Mama talk about her wedding china, about the utter disaster that his father was.

“He forgot his tie,” Mama said, smiling. “Oh my lord, my mother had a cow about that. I thought he looked kind of dashing.”

Tony’s eyes drift towards the wedding pictures, which are slightly shaky, but everyone had such wide smiles.

It’s a far cry from the publicity photos from the Stark wedding, Rhodey remembers the solemn expressions, the stuff tuxedos.

“I love it,” Tony says softly. He looks at Rhodey across the table, setting down the final plate. “Tell me more, Mrs. Rhodes.”

“Call me Mama, honey, Mrs. Rhodes is for people I don’t like that much. I think you’re gonna be my new favorite.”

“Even over me?” Jeanie says, grinning as she kisses Dad on the cheek. “I’m your favorite.”

“You’re my favorite until now,” Mama says. “Don’t think I don’t know that you skipped out on setting the table because Tony was here and graciously offered.”

“It was nothing,” Tony says. “Just happy to help. Thank you for letting me stay at your home for the holidays.”

“We’re always lucky to have guests,” Dad says, setting down the main dish. “Now let’s eat.”

Family dinner is a brand new concept to Tony. He’s had maybe four or five of them, and the majority of which were staged for some holiday shoot or some “celebrating American values” shoot.

It was awkward, weird, and he didn’t get why.

Now, he does. Jeanie has been steadily moving mashed potatoes away from Rhodey’s plate, and Mama caught her eye and winked, distracting him with talk about his college major and news about the neighbors.

Mr. Rhodes watches it all with a careful eye and a lax smile.

After dinner, they play cards.

It should be boring, but Jeanie puts on an old record and Rhodey keeps trying to count cards, and Tony didn’t think you could count cards in a game of Spoons.

“You can’t, he’s just a try-hard,” Jeanie stage-whispers.

“You-”

Jeanie laughs, rolling herself out of Rhodey’s grasp as he chases her around the family room. Tony leans back into the couch, and shouts with surprise as Jeanie trips Rhodey into the couch.

His body twists, and Rhodey’s facing him on the couch and they’re close and with the fire roaring in the fireplace and the Christmas lights outside shining through the windows, it’s almost magic.

It is magic, but Rhodey is kind of terrified of that.

Tony breathes in, breathes out.

“Hello sugar-puff,” he says.

“Hello genius,” Rhodey says, a smile on his face.

Oh.

The night does not get much sleep.

Tony doesn’t sleep anyway, but Rhodey finds that quite often he can’t sleep without some softly-playing rock in the background, doesn’t matter if it is a highly-questionable AC/DC song. That and Tony softly murmuring about his plans, and it’s like a personalized lullaby.

Rhodey cannot sleep. Tony’s in the guest room, and he can’t sleep.

There’s a soft knock on his door.

Tony’s there in shorts and a t-shirt that’s probably expensive, but he’ll never say if it is or not.

“Can I...I can’t sleep.”

“Get in here, Tones. I can’t sleep either.”

The bed is a tight squeeze, but they make it work.

Rhodey whispers until he drifts off to sleep about Christmas and school and everything else.

Tony watches with quiet eyes, interjecting with his own stories occasionally.

They fall asleep tangled up together, and Rhodey doesn’t mind it one bit, not as he pulls Tony in closer.

Waking up is bittersweet, honestly. Rhodey has Tony in his arms, and that’s...that’s perfect. He thinks this is going to be the best thing that’s ever happened in his lifetime.

“It’s too early, darling,” Tony groans. The light from outside is already peeking through the blinds, and he has stuffed his head right back into a pillow.

“Jeanie’ll be here soon to bother us for Christmas breakfast,” Rhodey says. “And unless you want her pouncing on the bed and landing on wrong everything, we better get down there.”

Tony smiles sleepily, stretching.

“Thanks for letting me sleep in your room, honey-bunch.”

“No problem,” Rhodey said. “Missed the constant AC/DC and late-night discussions about robotics.”

“Not like I did much talking, Mr. Sap,” Tony teased. “Or was it me who mentioned that they had a favorite plate for dinner?”

“Listen, it’s superior and you did not once interrupt that story to complain. I think I did a great job explaining it.”

Tony laughs.

“I’m gonna go get dressed, okay?”

“Not until after present unwrapping,” Rhodey says. “We stay in pajamas.”

“I’m cold,” Tony whines.

Rhodey chucks his sweatshirt at him.

“Then here you go.”

Tony’s eyes light up as he shrugs it on, wiggling as he brings it up to his nose. It shouldn’t be that cute. But it is.

“You are the light of my life.”

Rhodey laughs, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe. Now come on.”

They head downstairs together, and they both get swept up into the speed of things, with Jeanie racing around the house and telling Tony that he got treats too, they just didn’t have a back-up stocking.

“Hush,” Mr. Rhodes says, handing Tony a carefully wrapped gift. “After breakfast, we’ll go ahead and open it.”

He smiles, and Rhodey thinks it’s the best thing he’ll ever see.

Christmas gifts, Rhodey thinks, are his new favorite thing to see Tony interact with.

It’s painfully obvious that he’s never really had any personal gifts, anything that reminds people of himself. He carefully unwraps the paper, careful not to rip it.

“You nerd,” Rhodey says, grinning. “Come on, show us what you got.”

Tony laughs as he opens a box with two coffee mugs from the rest of the family, emblazoned with “Rhodes” on one cup, and the other being a simple red with gold trim.

“They’re perfect,” he says. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re feeding his coffee addiction,” Rhodey answers.

“Like you aren’t doing the same,” Jeanie teases. “You made him his cups of coffee this morning.”

“That is because I have trained him well,” Tony says, grinning. “Rhodey, here’s my present to you, open it.”

He’s nervous.

Both of them are, but Tony especially so.

He told Rhodey once that he’s not good at shopping for other people. He tends to have the phrase “go big or go home” permanently circling in his mind, and it can lead to...complications.

(Rhodey remembers the overhaul of his closet for his birthday, complete with a visit from a rather well-known designer.)

Inside is a beautiful jacket. It’s all patchwork, artfully sewn together with embroidery thread spelling out “James” at the lapel.

“I commissioned Janet,” Tony says, smiling softly. “She wants you to still walk in her fashion show, by the way. Says you’re a model.”

Rhodey snorts, shrugging on the jacket.

“You helped with this, right?” Rhodey says. “I can see it in the gold thread you got on the sleeves.”

“I may have had some creative input.”

“I love it,” Rhodey says. “Now here’s mine.”

Tony breathes, and Rhodey wonders if this gift will be enough. He feels a bit stupid, it doesn’t seem like that great of a gift, in retrospect-

It’s a puzzle.

A puzzle of their favorite cafe and restaurant to go to at MIT. It was in a shop window, and Rhodey could tell that Tony would love it.

On top is a scarf, since Tony gave away his last one to another student in their philosophy class.

“I love it,” Tony breathes, tackling Rhodey in a hug. “I love it, I love it! We have to do the puzzle after this.”

Mrs. Rhodes sends her husband a look.

Yeah, Tony would be around for a long time.

They set up the puzzle on the floor of Rhodey’s room, clearing away any luggage. It’s silent for a while, Tony moving around the pieces and Rhodey looking for edge pieces.

They work closely together, side by side.

Rhodey can’t stop staring.

He should be able to. He’s stopped himself before, but now?

Sunlight is coming in through the window, playing around Tony’s fingers as he nimbly picks up puzzle pieces, and this is the eternity that Rhodey wants so badly. If he died right now, he thinks he would choose for Heaven to look like this.

“You okay?” Tony asks, eyes looking up. He took his contacts out, and now he’s just in his tortoiseshell glasses, the ones that he secretly likes more and Rhodey loves.

“I’m in love with you,” Rhodey blurts out, because he can’t stop thinking about how beautiful Tony is and how much he loves him.

He realizes that this could very well be considered a mistake. Because they still have to live together and drive back together and it won’t be the same, and the residents will notice no matter how well they both act--

Tony pops his head right under Rhodey’s chin.

“Kiss me?”

That’s all it takes.

They mess up part of the puzzle, but that’s okay. They find they don’t mind it too much. They can work on it later, when Tony’s done getting Rhodey out of his new jacket and Rhodey works his hands underneath Tony’s sweatshirt.

Mama takes one look at them for dinner and grins.

“Jeanie, you owe me a night of dish-washing.”

“Seriously?”

“Mama!” Rhodey hisses, embarrassed beyond belief.

Tony just cackles, and elbows Rhodey out of the way so he can get to his chair at the table.

“Couldn’t have fooled you for a second, could we?” Tony teases.

“Not at all,” Mama states proudly.

Rhodey rolls his eyes and squeezes Tony’s hand under the table. All will be well.

When they both get back to college, none of their residents are surprised, at least not until they have to have a “knocking before entering” policy put in place after one particular late morning.

#lovelyirony writes #jeanie rhodes #mama rhodes #rhodeytony #ironhusbands #pepper potts #harley keener #gwen but i can't remember her last name #spidey gwen #gwen spider-man #kamala khan #peter parker #tony stark #rhodey

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fallingappleshurt · 3 years

Text

Bumblebees and Buttercups

Tommy knows how to get into the forest and even though it’s against the rules he can’t resist showing his friend

Hiiii I disappeared for a bit- sadly but I am back with a little snack sized fic that could probably use more polish!

This takes place in my DFF AU and here is the ao3 link!

Hope you enjoy!

A soft breeze brushed against Tommy’s skin as he pulled on his friend’s floppy, threadbare, sleeve.

“Come on! It’s not that far now!”

“Where are we even going? We’re all the way in the fourth ring!” Tubbo said, jumping over a dip in the road, Tommy had insisted on showing him a ‘very cool and important secret’ after school that day but wouldn’t explain a single thing else.

“You’ll see- now come on! You’re so slow!”

Tommy missed Tubbo’s eye roll and tried to urge him along, hoping to avoid the more dodgy areas Phil warned him about years ago.

He led them past Skeppy’s shack, past the dilapidated buildings, and towards the fence. They ended up close to the gap that Tommy had followed Techno through a few weeks earlier.

Tommy ducked behind a house, motioning dramatically for Tubbo to follow, Tommy looking for the telltale willow tree vines that hid the gap, ignoring Tubbo’s questions.

“There it is!” He started to run but skidded to a halt, cautiously checking the area, then crept forwards, waving for Tubbo to join him.

He peeled back the gangly green vines and looked to Tubbo for a reaction.

“What- what is this?”

“The forest outside the rings!”

“Well obviously- how did you find it?”

“That’s not important,” Tommy grinned, “What is important is that we have access to the outside world.”

“What are we even gonna do with this?”

“Well- I don’t know- it’s- it’s cool! It’s just cool-” He paused, “Not like you would get cool.”

Tubbo nodded, taking a step closer to the fence, “What do you think is out there?”

“Nothing we can’t handle! Come on- it’ll be fun! We can do anything we want!” And without waiting for a response Tommy marched in, Tubbo sighed before trailing behind.

The edge of the forest looked worse than the last time Tommy had seen it, more litter was scattered in the foliage and trees, the thickets were sharper and pulled at already thin clothing and pricked his skin but that didn’t stop him.

“Do you even know where you’re going?”

“Of course! I’ve been here loads of times!” Tommy jabbed a thumb at his own chest proudly.

“How many times?”

“Uh- too many to count!” Tommy stammered, scrambling over a mossy log, intentionally crunching on the leaves. “Just know that I am a professional!”

Tubbo snorted, optioning to crouch under the log instead.

They continued deeper into the woods, soft sunlight dappling through the canopy of leaves, emerald green grass brushing against their ankles, the chittering of nearby animals filled their ears.

“Do you think there are bees in here?”

“Of course- there have to be!”

“I’d like to see them- I’ve only seen a few in the rings…”

“Hell yeah! Let’s go find us some bees! There are probably some close by!”

The pair bounced through the woods, crossing little creeks and streams, hopping from rock to rock and trying to swing on the low hanging weak vines on the trees.

Tommy had tried a particularly weak one, slipped, and landed flat on his back.

They happened upon a little flower patch, immediately taking notice of the buzzing coming from the vibrant flowers, a few yellow specks fluttering about.

Tommy watched as Tubbo crouched down and inched closer, biting his lip to stop from laughing.

“Ya know Tubbo- I don’t really get why you like those things.”

“I don’t know why either, I just think they’re neat, come and watch them.”

“No- that sounds boring.” Tommy said as he shuffled closer to Tubbo, who was poking tentatively at the bees. “Moths are better.”

“No they’re not,”

“Yes they are!”

“If they are so much better then where are they?”

“They-they’re not out right now- because-” Tommy trailed off briefly.

“‘Cause they’d get eaten.” Tubbo filled in nonchalantly, not bothering to look up.

Tommy shrieked, “Aw no! That’s sick- that’s so sick! You’re so twisted!”

“I’m not twisted- that’s just how nature works-”

“Nature is stupid!”

“You’re stupid-”

They bickered back and forth for a moment before the argument dissolved and they sat in a not awkward but not comfortable silence.

Tubbo broke it, rubbing a soft yellow flower petal between his fingers, “I wonder what type of flower this is- the bees seem to really like it.”

Tommy looked up, briefly stopping from pulling up grass, “They’re buttercups.” He said simply.

“You answered that fast.” Tubbo teased, watching Tommy’s head shoot up.

“Well- well yeah! Because I’m so smart I just know these things!”

Tubbo laughed, plucking a bee free buttercup from the ground and laying it across Tommy’s busted up shoes.

“Sure big man.”

In turn Tommy took it and tried to weave it between the laces, after he mangled the steam just enough to get it to stay he picked a buttercup of his own and stuck it in a free button gap on Tubbo’s shirt.

They grinned at each for a moment before Tommy cleared his throat and looked over at the bees, “Hm, they aren’t so bad.”

“They’re great- at least they actually do things for the environment- unlike moths!”

“I’m tired of your shit! Moths are great and it’s not my fault that you’re too stupid to see that!”

The banter continued until they heard the bushes rustle and froze, it was too strong and too loud for it to be a small animal. Tommy put up a hand and crept forwards, taking care to not step on anything that could alert the thing of his presence.

He stood on his tiptoes and looked out to see something slinking forwards, hissing softly, not in his direction, it almost blended in with forest as it.

He wasn’t able to recognize it but knew it was bad news, just looking at the monster’s bend form sent sharp shivers down his back.

Tommy let out a shaky breath and took a step back, he had heard Techno say there were monsters in the forest before but he thought Techno was just trying to scare him.

He tried to rationalize to himself, it was fine, the monster didn’t even know he was there, they just had to sneak away- which was totally doable!

Tommy took a one cautious step backwards, still keeping his eyes locked on the monster. He took another, didn’t make a sound, and the monster's head snapped to the side, zeroing in on him.

It’s eyes narrowed and it let out a sharp, grading, cry before charging forwards at full speed.

Tommy shrieked and ran towards Tubbo, grabbing his arm in an attempt to pull him up, babbling about a ‘something big something bad- monster- run run run’.

They rushed through the trees, trying to stick close to one another without tripping, jumping over large roots and avoiding vines they didn’t dare bother to look back.

“We need to move around more- so we’re harder to follow!” Tubbo called to him, Tommy shook his head.

“No! We could get lost- besides we can out run that bastard!”

The land started to look a little familiar, the trees started thinning and the chitters of the animals were dying down.

Tommy dared to look behind him and skidded to a halt, chest heaving, he didn’t see the monster behind him and flopped on the ground, trying desperately to suck down as much air as possible.

He heard Tubbo stop too, looking over to see him leaning against a tree, sweat dripping down his forehead.

“So- besides- besides the monster- I think that went pretty well.”

Tubbo gave him a look before laughing, “Yeah- yeah it did.”

They waited for a few moments, trying to get their breathing back under control, Tommy took to breaking a twig into smaller pieces while Tubbo fiddled with the flower still stuck in his shirt.

After a while Tommy sat up, immediately regretting it as all the blood rushed from his head, tossing the shredded twig bits aside.

“We should probably get back home,”

Tubbo nodded as Tommy climbed to his feet then rushed over and grabbed Tubbo’s shoulders.

“You can’t tell anyone about any of this, okay Tubbo? It has to be a complete secret.”

Tubbo nodded again, putting his hands on top of Tommy’s, “Got it!”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Okay- now let's get out of here.” They walked to the edge of the forest and after making sure the coast was clear ran over and ducked back through the fence, pushing the swaying willow vines away.

The fourth circle was quiet, the cracked cobble brick roads were barren, the sun was just starting to set so they picked up the pace.

They couldn’t have gotten three houses down the road until they ran into Technoblade, he barely spared them a passing glance, in favor of messing with a hole in his sleeve.

“There you guys are.” He said, “Knew you were out here.”

“What- how?”

“It’s a sense- I can tell when you’re doing something stupid.”

“That’s rude- I don’t do stupid things-”

“Sure Tommy, now lets get home.” Techno had already turned to walk away.

“Get home?”

“Yes.” He looked over his shoulder, “You have people who worry about your wellbeing you know.”

‘I don’t think you know that.’ Tommy wanted to retort but kept his mouth shut, trailing behind Techno who didn’t seem to understand there wasn’t a rush to get home and there was no need for him to walk that fast.

The walk back was mostly silence saved for a few questions about the weekend's homework. The trio eventually reached the rusty metal stairs, Techno turned to Tubbo.

“Can you make it back to your place okay?”

Tubbo nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be fine, see you later.” He waved and continued down the street.

They watched him leave and Tommy felt his nerves settle just a little bit when;

“You were in the forest.” It wasn’t a question.

“Uh-”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Tommy froze, not sure of what to do, was Techno mad at him or just annoyed? He could never tell.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Techno sighed, Tommy shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Didn’t see anything weird in there?”

“Nope.” Tommy felt like it was probably better if Techno didn’t know about the monster even if it didn’t get that close- better safe than sorry.

Techno eyed him up and down. “Okay you’re definitely lying.”

“What! No I’m not- you stupid-”

“Yeah yeah- just get upstairs.” Techno sighed again, nudging Tommy towards the stairs.

Tommy stuck his tongue out but headed up towards the apartment anyways, grinning when he looked down and noticed the buttercup still wrapped in between his shoe laces.

It was busted up and missing a few petals but was still soft between his fingertips and glowed softly in the dim light of his room.

He put it in a little glass of water on his desk for a reminder of his adventure with his friend.

#mcyt #tommyinnit #tubbolive #tubbo #clingyduo #clingyblr #MCYT DFF AU #Apples Writing #I forgot how to tag #fluff #flowers and bugs

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feisty-fae · 4 years

Note

If you still do the flower ask thingys.. 👉👈 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙜𝙤 :)

HoooH boY hEre we gO-

Alisons: Sexuality?

I sexually identify as a can of beans

Amaranth: Pronouns/Gender?

Cis female she/her

Amaryllis: Birthday?

27 September

Anemone: Favorite flower?

All flowers pretty,, but stargazer lily, rose, dahlia and cherry blossoms

Angelonia: Favorite t.v. show?

I don't watch tv but I'll list some other stuff i like to watch:mha, beastars and aggretsuko

Arum-Lily: What’s the farthest you’d go for a stranger?

Idk depends on scenario??

Aster: What’s one of your favorite quotes?

"Kanye West he likes, fingers in his ass."

Aubrieta: Favorite drink?

Any Milkshakes or smoothies (mostly banana and strawberry for milkshake and p much anything for smoothie)

Baby’s Breath: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

I've never had kith

Balsam Fir: Have you ever been in love?

Well you see yes but actually no

Baneberries: Favorite song?

I listen to a lot but to keep it short:baby in the kitchen, in my mouth and friends slowed (chase atlantic)

Basket of Gold: Describe your family.

We p chill fam

Beebalm: Do you have a best friend? Who is it?

Irl bestie,, shes not on tumblr lol

Begonia: Favorite color?

PinKKK

But i like most colours

Bellflower: Favorite animal?

Cats,,,,

FoxES,

ANYTHING CUDDLY AND CUTE

Bergenia: Are you a morning or night person?

Night

Black-Eyed Susan: If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be?

I'd be like a doggo bc it would be the most fun i think-

Bloodroots: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a vet but then when my granny asked me "but whos gonna clean up the animal poop?" I was like "eWW pO0pP!" and then decided that mayb i shouldn't be a vet

Bluemink: What are your thoughts on children?

They're either really kind and sweet

Or literal demons from hell

Legit no inbetween

Blazing Stars: What are you afraid of? Is there a reason why?

I'm afraid of lot of things-

Borage: Give a random fact about your childhood.

I was one dumbass bitcg-

Bugleherb: How would you spend your last day on Earth?

Idk eat pizza and cry or smth ajakamkw

Buttercup: Relationship Status?

Single

Camelia: If you could visit anywhere, where would you want to go?

NEW YORKKK, CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE OFFF THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO NOW YOU'RE IN NEW YOOORKKK

Candytufts: When do you feel most loved?

When someone hugs me or just generally spends time with me

Canna: Do you have any tattoos?

Nop

Canterbury Bells: Do you have any piercings?

I used to have piercings when i was a bab but eHh haven't worn them since and i dont think my ear holes are big enough now-

California Poppy: Height?

4'10 grrr I'm the omega midget and I'll devour ur ankles

Cardinal Flower: Do you believe in ghosts?

Nop

Carnation: What are you currently wearing?

Pant, pink top and black hoodie

Catnip: Have you ever slept with a nightlight?

I think i have??

Chives: Who was the last person you hugged?

My mom and my dad

Chrysanthemum: Who’s the last person you kissed?

I never kith

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font?

I dont have one so imma say sans bc it always looks out of place and makes me laugh-

Columbine: Are you tired?

I feel like screaming and jumping around my room like a crackhead

Common Boneset: What are you looking forward to?

Nothing in particular ig

Coneflower: Dream job?

Smth kinda fun and art or design related hopefully,,,,

Crane’s-Bill: Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert but i also get lonley easily

Crocus: Have you ever been in love?

Nop,,,,

Crown Imperial: What’s the farthest you would go for someone you care about?

I would get run over by 5 monster trucks, jump off a plane, get mauled by 10 bears, get trampled on by a stampede, get brutally tortured for 12 hours straight, yeet myself into the Grand Canyon and then break all my bones with my bare hands if they weren't broken already

Ok basically i care a lot

Cyclamen: Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? What was it?

I had this st bernard plush called Sparky and this lion named Sammy,,

Daffodil: What’s your zodiac sign?

Libra

Dahlia: Have you done anything worth remembering?

My memory is legit so bad it's probably concerning uHHH

Daisy: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

Mayb art??

Daylily: What would you do if your parents didn’t like your partner(s)?

Ehhh i might reason with them and then if they still disagreed I'd just keep the relationship a secret

Dendrobium: Who is the last person that you said “I love you” to?

My parents

False Goat’s Beard: What is something you are good at?

Ehhh arT

Foxgloves: What’s something you’re bad at?

EhhHh everything that isn't art-

Freesia: What are three good things that have happened in the past month?

Oh boy here comes my shitty memory-

Hmmm

Idk but I'm mostly happy that I've been more social and stuff and i feel like im kinda coming out of my shell a bit

Not sure what to say for other 2 bc nothing in particular has really happend?

Garden Cosmos: How was your day today?

Ehhh oK??

Gardenia: Are you happy with where you’re at in your life?

Mayhapsn't

Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two?

I hope to pass all my exams and get an okish job mayb

Glory-of-the-Snow: What are ten things that make you happy/you’re grateful to have in your life?

1.fRIENBS ILY MY HABIBIS

2. Fammm

3. eHhh yummy food,,

4. Drawing and uhhh art

5. EPIC MUTUALS

6. Ok idk what else aside from like serious stuff like house and etc.-

Heliotropium: What helps you calm down when you feel stressed?

Drawing, crying, venting to a friend/parent

Hellebore: How do you show affection?

Hugssss,kith,cuddle, *draws u stuff*

Hoary Stock: What are you proudest of?

MmmmmMy aRRt?

Hollyhock: Describe your ideal day.

Wake up

Don't go to school

Vibe with friends

Sleeb

Hyacinth: What do you like to do in your free time?

MmMmMM aRT-

Hydrangea: How long have you known your best friend? How did you meet them?

Ehh 8yrs? We met in hell school

Irises: Who can you talk to about (almost) everything?

Friendos

Mom

Laceleaf: How many friends do you have?

6..?? Aa idk theres some people that idk if they'd consider me a friend or not,,

Lantanas: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Idk any compliment is best compliment for me,,

Larkspur: What do you think of yourself?

Ew yucky gröss

Lavender: What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

m y a r t

Also my hair bc its soft and wavy,,

Leather Flower: What’s your least favorite thing about yourself?

Everything else-

Lilac: What’s something you liked to do as a child?

Climb trees and do dumb shit

Lily: Who was your best friend when you were a kid?

Same irl bestie i mentioned before

Lily of the Incas: What is something you still feel guilty for?

MmmmmmMMM,,,

Lily of the Nile: What is something you feel guilty for that you shouldn’t feel guilty about?

MMMmMMmMMMMmmmMMm,,,,,,

Lupine: What does your name mean? Why is that your name?

Well I chose Fae bc i thought it sounded pretty

Marigold: Where did you grow up? Tell us about it.

Idk what to rlly say lmao

Morning Glory: What was your bedroom like growing up?

Kinda the same but i had toys everywhere-

Also when i was like 5 i had this legit fucking cursed thomas the tank engine shaped bed that i actually found a pic of but it's FUCKING HORRIFYING SO I PROBS WONT SHOW HERE-

Mugworts: What was it like for you as a teenager? Did you enjoy your teenage years?

EW BEING A TEENAGER SUCKS ASS HOW DO I UNDO????

Norwegian Angelica: Tell us about your mom.

Hi mom ily ur epic

Onions: Tell about your dad.

Hi dad ily ur epic

Orchid: Tell about your grandparents.

Omg i miss my grannies sm bc i couldn't see em this year bc nasty pandemic

Pansy: What was your most memorable birthday? What made it be so memorable?

Haha shit memory gor brrRR-

I don't really remember too many specific parties but when i was like 7-10 i had these epic parties in those birthday places with the giant play areas

I kinda wish i wasn't too old to go to them sobs

Peony: What was your first job?

I haven't had a job yet

Petunia: If you’re in a relationship, how did you meet your partner(s)? If you’re not in a relationship, how did you meet your crush/how do you hope to meet your future partner(s), if you want any?

Hmmmm idk? I haven't really thought abt that but i don't really mind i just wanna find someone to vibe with,,

Pincushion: How do you deal with pain?

I cri

Pink: Where is home?

Home is home home

Plantain Lilies: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would stop/change?

Now where do i start...

Prairie Gentian: Who is someone you look up to? Describe them.

I look up to people that are kind, caring, brave, funny, cool or stronger than me ig?

Primrose: Describe your ideal life.

Basically my current life minus school, stress,pandemic and responsibilities lmao

Rhodendron: What is something you used to believe in as a child?

I used to believe in ghosts after i thought i encountered one

Ricinus: Who’s the most important in your life?

Hermmmst

Rose: What’s your favorite sound?

Peoples laughsss also music

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory?

Bro i dont have one,, my aphantasia makes it hard for me to remember stuff-

Sage: What’s your least favorite memory?

Snapdragon: At this moment, what do you want?

I wantttt better chargersss thattt donttt telll meee thatt myyy tablett will finishh chargingg innn 1 dayy andd 7 hoursss

St. John’s Wort: Is it easy or difficult for you to express how you feel about things?

Kinda difficult but im opening up more

Sunflower: What is something you don’t want to imagine life without?

fRIENDS,,,,,wAh

Sweet Pea: How much sleep did you get last night?

8 hrs

Tickseed: What’s your main reason to get up every morning?

Idk ig i kinda have to go to school and do stuff

Touch-Me-Not: How do you feel about your current job?

Non existant

Transvaal Daisy: What’s your favorite item of clothing?

My black and white stripy top, and all my hoodiess

Tropical White Morning Glory: Describe your aesthetic.

I don't think i have just one aesthetic bc im drawn to so many different aesthetics at the same time-

Like vintage, neon, dark, spoopy, pastel, cute, etc etc

Tulip: What would be the best present to get you?

OMG I LEGIT JUST SCREAM AT ANYTHING ANYONE GIVES ME-

IF SOMEONE GOES OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE ME SMTH I CRY,,

Vervain: What’s stressing you out most right now?

🤏

Wisteria: How many books have you read in the past few months? What were they called?

I haven't been reading anythinggg

But i should really finish reading Percy Jackson bc it do be picking up dust-

Wolf’s Bane: Where do you want to be in life this time next year?

Everywhere

Yarrow: Do you know what vore is?

Mmm yummy 👅

Zinnia: Give a random fact about yourself.

I am currently living and breathing yes

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sponfawn · 5 years

Text

MTH - Rowdy Bros (part 2)

Continuing from part 1, I'm not going to do every interaction in every chapter, but I'm going to analyze interactions in some key scenes.

* He knows how to use it/Lonesome when you go

In chapter 5, the scene with the team of school shooters happens. We get a lot of new information regarding the Boys' priorities, general lives, and interactions. Some of the info isnt surprising, since we know they work for an evil corporation, but it does give more explicit insight into their experiences. The Boys are completely unconcerned with the hostage situation - Brick is just annoyed, Butch is excited cuz there's a surprise with guns and even impatiently asks if the gunmen will shoot Brick or what, and Boomer's reaction is very nonchalant and relaxed.

Boomer acts like they're people he's just met (tho not new friends). Hes familiar, laid back, and just talks to his brothers like he normally would, as if the gunmen aren't of any significance at all. When one of them tells him to get on the ground, he literally just pouts back like a little kid and says no. Brick literally only decides to help cuz Blossom so desperately needs him to. From the exchanges with the gunmen and each other, we see more clearly what the Boys have likely done. Boomer can tell from a glance what type of gun the guy near him is carrying, all 3 of them know what the human brain looks like outside of the body (with disturbingly casual responses to the idea of it), and a bit later Brick instantly field strips one of the guns. They're familiar with identifying and handling advanced weaponry, and are clearly desensitized to extreme and traumatic levels of violence at 17 years old. But the most important thing that we get from this scene, I believe, is the dynamic that the Boys have.

Brick knows that due to their heroic duties, the Girls will be vigilant for their opportunity to strike, that they automatically will prioritize taking down the shooters to save the hostages, and that theyre perceptive enough to follow Blossom's lead in a split second. He know that his brothers don't have that same motivation, and is concerned that they won't get the message. But all he has to do is say, "Boys", and they snap to attention, Boomer prompting him for directions. All he says is, "help" - hardly an order - but they immediately understand and are ready to jump into action as soon as they get the signal. Brick can say what he wants about their lack of dilligence and obedience, but Boomer and Butch are on it when it comes down to testy situations. Butch still ends up collecting a bunch of guns and shooting various gunmen, and he's not as efficient as Brick would like because of his manic enjoyment of violent/dangerous situations, but he is ready to throw down for Brick at the drop of a single word. Putting a pin in this as well.

* beach episode! - we’ll still have the summer after all

Pretty early on in this chapter, Butch’s raging jealousy makes its first appearance (upon finding Brick and Blossom interacting alone on the beach). Because he works through his emotions with physical activity, he starts the (series of) iconic volleyball games. After the game between Blossom and Buttercup ends, Boomer and Butch try to get Brick to play a game with them. In the struggle between Brick trying to escape and his brothers trying to drag him to the net, he slips out of his shirt and all of the girls present flip their shit. As expected at this point, Butch, but also more surprisingly Boomer, becomes jealous, as well as the rest of the guys present. When Butch realizes that even Buttercup finds Brick attractive, he goes as far to say, "you're not allowed to find my brother hot!" After Brick declares hes going swimming, some of the guys say “girls suck”, to which Butch bitterly replies, "no, Brick sucks." He holds a ton of animosity and resentment towards Brick, certainly more than Boomer generally expresses for him. Yet, soon after, when the fighter aircraft attacks, Butch is the first to join Brick and pull up by his side when he yells for the others to pull back. After he orders Butch and Boomer to keep the aircraft flying at the same altitude and lead it away and then back towards him, Boomer is the one who asks what he's doing, Butch says nothing. After Brick rips out the aircraft's embedded computer, Blossom begins to examine it. He asks if she has any use for it, and as soon as she says no, he says "Butch, fire", and Butch immediately destroys it in her hand. He responds as quickly as if Brick had pushed a button to fire a laser. It's automatic, and he knew exactly what Brick wanted him to do, with no further explanation. It's also interesting to me that Brick didn't order Boomer to do it. While it may have been coincidence, I also want to put a pin in this thought.

After the Boys go home, and Brick finds out that Darius took over and they have to stay another year, he tells his brothers. And this time it's not Butch who sticks around, but Boomer. After Butch has already left, he helps Brick get blankets and a pillow for the couch, tries to cheer him up. He wants to go, but he knows Brick's emotional state is fucked up and he seems to actually care about him in that. After Brick tells him to leave, when he closes the front door, Boomer can't hold his smile in anymore cuz he's finally free to go back and see Bubbles. I think this is the first time when we see Boomer concerned about Brick, in terms of his emotional well-being. I would say his behavior still has an air of obligation about it, but it tells us that he cares about Brick and is loyal to him, in a way that is otherwise rarely shown.

* bonus chapter: Imperfect boys with their perfect lives

This bonus chapter is short, but it does reveal some things about our Boys. The first thing we find out is that the other field agents at JS genuinely like the Boys. They refuse to let Penny hire movers, insisting that they help. Later, they gather around and laugh as Butch chugs a gallon of coffee. Another detail of note, is that before they attend Townsville High, the Boys seem to have a slightly more amicable, normal (on the surface) sibling dynamic. Brick is still a grumpy pissbaby, complaining about how Darius wants them out, and he threatens to strangle them after they almost cause the Girls to discover them in the movie store. But he lets the Boys do what they want within reason. Boomer tries to lightly cheer him up, and even Butch seems to try to improve his mood, saying that once Brick is in charge of JS he can wipe Townsville off the map. In other scenes in other chapters, the Boys still joke and pick on each other like siblings, but I think that perhaps due to the toll Townsville takes on Brick’s mood and stress levels, along with Boomer and Butch’s growing relationships with the Girls, their dynamic is more strained. At JS, things were generally going according to Brick’s plan, and we’ve seen how an improved mood can change Brick’s entire demeanor and behavior towards them - going so far as to shorten Butch’s punishment by a week. In Townsville, I imagine he’s in a chronic bad mood, even for Brick standards.

* hey there Mr blue, we’re so pleased to be with you

The scene I want to talk about in chapter 7, is when Brick sacrifices Bubbles to the black blob that Him deployed. Again, we see Butch’s automatic loyalty to Brick. Buttercup is choking Brick, when Butch whacks her away.

When Blossom rebukes him for protecting Brick, Butch repeats that she’s not his leader, that she shouldnt even think about giving him orders (and we’ve seen how immediately responsive he can be to orders that Brick gives). Even when Buttercup, his best friend, tells him to move he is resolute, taking a fighting stance. We know that he’s reluctant for things to escalate, watching Buttercup carefully, as he tells Brick to explain quickly. But his resolve never visibly wavers. Meanwhile, Boomer doesn’t move an inch to protect Brick. He’s simply in shock, over what happened.

When Brick comes up to him, Boomer does something that we haven’t (and that likely Brick hasn’t) seen him do before. He directly questions Brick’s actions. In the scene with the aircraft, he asks Brick what he’s planning to do. But it’s because he wants to know what the plan is, not because he’s accusing Brick of making a bad or questionable decision. In this scene, he is showing outward disapproval of what Brick thought was the best decision. And not only that, he (a literal employee of Evil) is questioning how Brick (a verified supervillain and coworker in the industry of Evil) could do that to Bubbles, a superhero. No wonder Brick is unsettled, Boomer is expressing dissent, and suddenly has morals in regards to a superhero.

* Monday broke my heart

Chapter 9 has 2 important scenes that I want to discuss: interactions between his brothers and Brick the day after his date with Blossom, and some interactions at Robin's party. After the date, Brick is miserable. He doesn't sleep at all, he doesn't eat, he doesn't shower, he just hunches over the kitchen table all night. His brothers, who feel much better about their nights, try to cheer him up at least half-heartedly. Boomer is the one who asks if he's eaten, if he wants or needs anything. Butch encourages him to take a shower. After he finally does, they burst into his room, joint in hand. Boomer tells him to cheer up, Butch says "don't suppose you're gonna tell us what's up", and they just spend time with him, passing the joint around. It's scenes like this that I really treasure regarding the Boys. None of them are very communicative or vulnerable with others, and only Boomer seems to have much emotional intelligence in terms of self-knowledge and caring about others' feelings, but both Butch and Boomer do try to be there for Brick, in the ways that he allows them to be. It's easy to forget that between the ribbing, resentment, and abusive discipline.

Unfortunately, it's not even a week later (on a Friday, after several miserable days of Blossom basically ignoring him, and of trying to convince himself it's just adolescent hormones) when Brick turns his own emotional unrest against Boomer. He accuses Boomer of letting Bubbles get to him too much, of listening to her too much, and not having his priorities straight. He tries to order Boomer to break up with Bubbles, even threatening to make it more difficult for Boomer when they return to their jobs. And while he makes some good points about some of the unhealthy aspects Boomer's relationship with Bubbles (like fixating on her at the expense of his own interests and personal time, and becoming overdependent on her), he is absolutely projecting his own feelings and priorities onto Boomer. I think in a way he's worried about Boomer getting hurt like he is hurt, assuming it's inevitable and that it's just due to some distracting hormones.

He doesn't want Boomer to be "trapped". But it's still really very much about himself. He doesn't want Boomer to "drop everything [he's] doing if she so much as utters a word", and throw away everything Brick's been working for. He wants Boomer to do what he hopes he would do in that situation.

This exchange sends Boomer flying to Bubbles, and in their conversation, he reveals some very important aspects of his motivations, and his relationship with Brick.

Boomer is not invested in Evil. We've seen his more passive nature compared to Brick and Butch, and his active efforts to try to be good for Bubbles, something Brick would probly never even consider. Brick obviously makes the calls, and Boomer goes along with it cuz he literally has nothing else to do. His motivations so far have been his loyalty in emotional attachments, and lack of moral conviction. But recently, those things have been changing. Now he has someone he loves who reciprocates in a clear, communicative way. And that same person is teaching him what being "good" means, and asking him to change. In contrast, Butch goes along with Brick out of loyalty to a degree, and also cuz where else is he going to be able to get out his aggression and superpowered physical need for destruction and violence? Where else is he going to be able to handle dangerous weapons, and have enough money to self-medicate? Especially since, by himself, he's doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his reliability or ability to think on his feet.

Getting back to the scene, Boomer is venting about Brick wanting him to break up with Bubbles. And he frantically rants about how Brick is the leader, Butch is the tough guy, and he has nothing. How he's the runt, that the only thing people ever remark about him is that he's the stupid one, that his brothers don't need him for anything. That the one thing that makes him special is his music gift, but even that isn't really his. He's got some serious self-esteem issues, especially in regards to his brothers. Bubbles tries to calm him down, and Boomer ends up Bubbles about the Boys' job. Again, in their conversation, we get a little peek into his inner world, and his relationship with Brick:

Here we see that Boomer still cares about Brick, and still feels a sense of brotherly obligation to him. But I think he's pretty much done in terms of long term loyalty. I think he'll always care for Brick, but he's deciding in this moment that he won't always follow his lead, there's an expiration date. It'd be really interesting to see how Brick reacts to that when the time comes. I'm gonna put a pin in this thought as well.

Just before the party, Blossom and Bubbles go over to the Boys' apartment to give Boomer a haircut. As Blossom's beginning to cut his hair, Brick enters the apartment. After Brick asks what the they're doing, and Blossom says she's cutting Boomer's hair, Boomer makes a point of showing another act of defiance. He addresses Brick, making sure that he can see him reaching for Bubbles' hand - a silent, but pointed rebellion against Brick's previous orders to break up with her.

At the actual party, the infamous truth or dare game plays out. The part I want to talk about is when Buttercup kisses Brick on a dare, and Brick and Butch's subsequent interaction. As Brick goes back inside, Butch is waiting behind the door, glaring at him.

Brick glanced at him and frowned. What?”

Butch just stared at him, fuming.

“What, Butch?” Brick sighed.

“You're a fucking dick,” Butch spat, shaking his head, and shoved past Brick as he went back upstairs.

Brick's initial reaction, reads as confused. His second reaction is tired, exasperated, and I feel like he's just like "ugh what now". Like this is a repeated issue, where he doesn't know why Butch is mad at him. And this to me just demonstrates a continuous utter lack of understanding, in terms of Butch's perspective, and a surprising lack of pattern recognition for Brick. The only reason we've seen for why Butch is ever pissed at Brick, is due to jealousy. His reactions and behaviors are pretty damn consistent. But Brick just doesn't connect the dots, whether cuz of his issues with analyzing emotions, or cuz he was lost in thought. Either way, he fails to realize how attached Butch truly is to Buttercup. He doesn't see that it's not just Boomer (and himself) who's "trapped" by one of the Girls. And to be fair, Butch himself doesnt know it, but for someone who declared that he knew Butch and Boomer, he really doesn't know shit about Butch's internal experiences. This point of resentment and bitterness on Butch's part is a good jumping off point to go into a quasi-conclusion built from the many scenes I've put a pin in.

Butch is deeply loyal to Brick. We see this in many scenes. During the incident with the mama monster and her babies, Butch tells Blossom, "you ain't my leader". He says this again when defending Brick against Buttercup and Blossom in chapter 7. At the beach, Butch executes orders without question, and without hesitation. At a single word, he immediately eyebeams the computer in Blossom's hand, almost as quickly as if Butch was a gun and Brick had pulled the trigger. And all of this is in spite of the deep-seated jealousy and resentment Butch holds for Brick, the fact that he treats Butch like crap, beating the shit out of him over disobedience, and the fact that Brick is a controlling killjoy. So why is he so unquestioningly loyal to Brick? I think one aspect is that he obviously cares about his brothers. Yeah Butch makes fun of them, and gets mad at them sometimes, but that's what siblings do. Regarding the abuse, he has literally said that the reason Brick is so hard on him is cuz "he deserves it" (chap 3). This is a common mindset in abuse victims, and Butch is no exception. This next reason doesn't necessarily have much evidence, so its more of a headcanon, but i think he's also aware, to an extent, of how Brick has taken care of him and Boomer. He knows Brick got them out of Him's grasp, knows he's basically why they have a job with JS at all, why they've had good income. He's not the most analytical, but he's observant of others' moods, emotions, and behavior. We've seen him be so with literally everyone in the hallway when the Boys first attend school, with Blossom and Brick, with Buttercup, Mitch, etc. He acts like a dumbass, but he's not stupid. I think he sees how Brick has had his back (at least against outsiders), and this is a contributing factor to his loyalty. There's also the fact that siblings often fuck each other over, and still love each other and remain loyal to each other. As much as theyre atypical siblings, they're still brothers.

In contrast, Boomer seems to not be as unconditionally loyal to Brick. He tries to be there for Brick, particularly in terms of emotional support, but he is more inclined to ask questions about orders, and when it came to Bubbles he's even willing to outwardly show defiance against Brick's judgement. Ultimately, Boomer is very emotion driven. For loyalty, he needs to love and be loved. He loves Brick, and I think Brick loves him too. But Brick is not exactly demonstrative in his brotherly affection, and I think Boomer needs that. He craves and needs recognition and affirmation. Brick recognizes that Boomer is emotionally driven, but doesn't realize his emotional needs. And that is where Brick fails as a leader. Brick doesn't recognize the need for different leadership styles, based on the needs of his brothers/team. And that is why he's going to lose Boomer eventually. To someone who reciprocates and demonstrates their affection for him.

* Tried to stick a dead body inside me

This last part is on Chapter 10, with particular focus on the symbolism in the Vortex. I've already basically outlined my theories on this in relation to the Boys' dynamics in a post (link in the reblog), but I'll briefly summarize. The actions that happen in the Vortex, as well as the different positions of the Boys, is very important in regards to their relationships with each other. Boomer is at the lowest place, reflecting his lack of self-worth compared to his brothers. He stands at the bottom of a deep pool. He's alone in the cold, dark depths of the water, and the only way out is up. Brick is in the middle, standing on the floor around the pool. He has more freedom of movement than Boomer, and can make more choices. But soon he finds that he's swallowed up by rising waters as it floods outside of its designated area, disregarding boundaries, unable to be compartmentalized. It reflects his loss of control over his situation/environment, his inner turmoil, and relatively recent inability to simply contain and subdue his emotions. Butch is at the highest point, on a fence with Buttercup, feeling free and at peace with her at his back. Because he is literally "on the fence", with Buttercup on the other side, I feel like he might be (subconsciously) reevaluating where his loyalties lie - with Brick, or with Buttercup. It's worth noting that he is only able to be at that height when she is with him. As soon as Brick moves through her as if she's not there, Butch is eviscerated and pushed backwards off of his perch. And the culprit responsible for cutting him open and pushing him off the fence, forcing him "back in his place" or "back in line", is Brick - the one person Butch always seems to lose to (in his mind at least). This also reflects how Brick uses violence to discipline Butch and keep him in line, and that he tries to use that punishment as a way to regain control (since he unknowingly uses Butch's insides to pull himself out of a situation he couldn't control).

Going back to Boomer and Brick, Boomer is the weight dragging Brick down, reflecting Brick's view that Boomer is the runt, and also more recently, a liability due to his attachment to a certain blonde, blue-eyed Powerpuff Girl. Boomer sees Bubbles and her nurturing, loving care for him as a way out of the dark isolation he feels at the bottom. And that's the way he feels with his brothers. He's left behind, alone and cold, Brick and Butch far above him. But he has no hope that they will help him up. It's only Bubbles who seems to see him down there, and altho she doesn't help him either, she does inspire him to gather the strength to pull himself up to grab hold of her.

The symbolism honestly conveys their current relationships with each other, and their internal experiences, in such a concise and creative way that it gets me every time.

TL;DR

Butch is extremely loyal to Brick in an automatic and unquestioning way, despite all the resentment he has for Brick. But I theorize that that may be changing, very slowly, due to Buttercup. He genuinely cares about his brothers, even tho he rags on them a lot and isn't demonstrative or expressive about it. He seems to internalize the idea that he deserves violent consequences for misbehavior, and I wonder how much of his self-destructive behaviors are linked to that.

Boomer is loyal to Brick, but it's not quite as ingrained as Butch's loyalty. Bubbles is heavily impacting his loyalties, partly cuz, generally speaking, Brick and Butch make him feel worthless while she makes him feel wanted and loved. I think he knows his brothers care about him to an extent, but he has emotional needs that they arent willing or able to fulfill. He and Butch are closer than he is to Brick, and I think he understands Butch better than Brick does at least.

Brick is much more emotionally driven than hed like to admit. It influences what he allows his brothers to do, and how he enforces discipline on them. He's pretty typical in terms of thinking that his abuse and manipulation is justified or acceptable. I think he actually wants what he thinks is best for his brothers, but it's very tied to what he wants and thinks is the best path. He projects a lot of his wants and issues onto them. I don't think he's ever imagined a future where they weren't a team. Despite his emotional nature, he lacks emotional intelligence and doesn't understand or know Butch and Boomer nearly as well as he thinks he does. He knows their behavior extremely well, but not the inner processes and motivations that drive that behavior. And I think that's gonna trip him up.

#sbj more than human #rowdy bros #part 2 #its a super long one #im sorry #i wouldve broken it up #but i felt the points i was trying to make #might be more confusing if i broke it up

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sanderssidesfanfiction · 5 years

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We’ll Carry On - Chapter Fifty Five

We’ll Carry On Tag

General Content Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Substance Abuse, Abandonment, Minor Character Death, Transphobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociation, Bullying, Homophobia

October 27th, 2019

“Hey, Jack,” Logan said, catching his boyfriend’s attention.

“What’s up, baby?” Jack asked.

Logan ignored the way his heart flew into his throat at the pet name. “What do you think we’ll do if we wind up being together for a whole year?”

Jack paused in scrolling his phone and hummed. “Well, I imagine that there’s gonna be a lot of kissing, but outside that I don’t really know. And I don’t really care, either. As long as I get to be with you and celebrate, it’s all good to me.”

Logan turned crimson. “Jack, stop it!”

“Never,” Jack vowed.

September 23rd, 2020

Logan fiddled with the bow tie he was wearing at Dee’s suggestion. He felt a little ridiculous, but he had to admit that a regular tie would have been too formal for his and Jack’s date. He slicked his hair back with a little hair gel, and gave himself a nervous smile. It didn’t seem like it had been a year that he and Jack had been together. It felt like forever and yet no time at all. It felt...right.

The doorbell ringing brought Logan out of his musings, and he hollered through the house, “I’ve got it!” He dashed down the stairs and opened the front door, to find Jack standing there with a small bouquet of duct tape flowers. “Duct tape?” Logan asked.

“They double as pens,” Jack explained, pulling one out of the small container they were in, revealing a pen cap on the bottom.

“I love it,” Logan laughed. “Thank you.”

Jack offered Logan a shy grin as Logan put the flower pens on the small table by the door. “I will tend to those after our date,” he said with a little laugh. His voice had stopped cracking by now for the most part, and his voice wasn’t super deep, but it definitely wasn’t what it used to be. He felt like a guy, and honestly, the fact that he was with Jack just made the experience that much better. Because Jack never ruined the illusion. He didn’t treat it as an illusion at all. “Where are we going, anyway? You never specified. Just that it was dress-casual.”

With a smirk, Jack gestured to the car. “You shall find out when you get in the car, Mister Picani.”

“I hate you sometimes, I hope you realize that,” Logan said with a laugh as he got into Jack’s new-to-him car. “In a joking way, of course.”

“‘Course,” Jack said, getting in the driver’s seat and setting off down the road. “Your clue is in the glove box.”

Logan sent Jack a glance when Jack grinned like he had made a particularly good pun. He opened the glove box and found two tickets for the local theatre’s production of “Clue: On Stage.” Logan was speechless for a good minute. “I...wow. That was a terrible pun, Jack.”

“I know,” Jack said with a grin. “But worth it.”

“If you say so,” Logan replied with an eye roll.

“I do say so!” Jack laughed, grabbing Logan’s hand with his free one. “I love you, I hope you know that. And I know you love me, because you put up with my puns.”

Logan shook his head. “That’s it? That’s all you see that says ‘I love you’?”

“Is there anything else?” Jack asked, glancing at him.

“Well, I always figured that you knew I was saying ‘I love you’ when I sent you pretty pictures of space that I found, or when I found a song that reminded me of you,” Logan said with a shrug. “And then there’s when we send each other selfies, or you’re upset and I send you a meme or three about the situation. Or when we hang out after school in drama club, laughing at all the younger techs who are trying so hard to be cool but have no idea what they’re doing.”

Jack smiled softly. “That’s you saying you love me?”

“Well, yeah,” Logan said. “I’m not much one for words, so I try to do smaller gestures that show you that you matter to me. I thought your love languages might be quality time and gifts? So I sent you stuff and I hang out with you whenever I can.”

“What are your love languages?” Jack asked. “So I can know what I can do to help you?”

“I generally receive love in acts of service or words of affirmation,” Logan said. “But quality time is also important to me, so I’m not sure how to rank them.”

“That’s okay, Lo, you don’t have to, I was just curious,” Jack said. “I guess neither of us are big on physical touch, huh?”

“It can get overwhelming,” Logan said. “And I know you just like to respect people’s space.”

Jack grinned at Logan as they pulled into the parking lot of the theatre. “Here’s some words of affirmation: I love you, and there’s nothing I would rather do than spend the night watching this play with you.”

Logan turned beet red and buried his head in his hands. “Jack, no,” he murmured.

“Jack yes!” Jack said with a laugh, getting out of the car and helping Logan out as well.

The two walked into the building and Jack held Logan’s hand as they showed their tickets and got to their seats. They leaned back and relaxed as the show started. Logan kept his hand intertwined with Jack’s as the characters showed up, one by one.

Slowly, as all the suspects were investigating each other, Logan let his grip on Jack’s hand grow lax, as he was completely sucked into the story. He only came back to himself when Jack stretched and wrapped his arm around Logan’s shoulder. Logan looked at Jack and rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out. Jack grinned, held a finger to his lips, and pointed to the stage.

When the play ended, with Colonel Mustard using the lead pipe in the observatory to kill Mister Boddy, Logan and Jack clapped along with the rest of the audience as the curtain call came. Logan whistled at the end when they all took a bow, and Jack laughed, nose wrinkling up and all his teeth showing in his pure joy at Logan’s enthusiasm.

They headed out of the theatre as slowly the lights came back on. “That was so much fun!” Logan exclaimed to Jack, once they were outside again. “This was a great night!”

“It’s gonna get greater,” Jack said with a grin. “Because we still have dinner to go to.”

“Oh! Right!” Logan had forgotten about that. He was supposed to come up with a place where they could have dinner. “I know it’s not five-star cuisine, but we can head back to my house for some chicken alfredo? I made sure that Dad and Ami got all the ingredients we’d need.”

“Sounds perfect,” Jack said, kissing Logan’s nose and getting into his car.

Logan squawked indignantly and fell into Jack’s car, going on a rant about how he was a very serious man, and as a very serious man he did not get kissed on the nose.

“You do by me, so suck it up, Buttercup!” Jack said with a grin.

Logan scoffed and crossed his arms with a huff. “I’m a very serious man,” he grumbled.

“Of course you are, baby,” Jack laughed. “But I have to let you know I love and trust you somehow. What better way than that? Doing something that I wouldn’t be caught dead doing otherwise because germs and trust issues and I don’t want to get slugged.”

Logan glanced out the window. “You could just use words of affirmation and acts of service.”

“Kissing your nose isn’t an act of service?” Jack teased.

“Well...no,” Logan said, frowning.

“Really? Because that nose of yours is practically begging to be kissed,” Jack said. “I’m doing a service for every man loving man out there by kissing it.”

Logan groaned. “Stop,” he whined.

“Never,” Jack declared as they pulled up to Logan’s house.

They got inside and Logan promptly picked up the flowers and moved with them into the kitchen. Logan checked the fridge, pulling out chicken breast, before pulling pasta from the pantry, ignoring Jack’s confusion all the while. When he had retrieved all of the ingredients, he said, “Now we’ve entered the cooking part of the challenge.”

“Logan, no,” Jack laughed.

“Logan yes,” Logan retorted. “We’ve gotta figure out how to be domestic with each other eventually, hopefully before we have to worry about moving in together. And after such a fun play, don’t you think it would be fun to cook dinner, and share it, just the two of us, somewhere in this house?”

“I guess...” Jack said hesitantly. “I’m a little worried about your brothers running in on us, though.”

“We’ll be eating chicken, Jack. Not...you know?”

Jack turned cherry red in embarrassment. “Logan! Don’t talk like that!”

Logan winked at Jack before pulling out a pot and filling it with water. “A little innuendo now and again won’t hurt anyone, Jack. We’re seventeen. My dads will understand.”

“It’s not them I’m worried about,” Jack hissed, walking over to Logan and watching him fill the pot with water.

Logan rolled his eyes and put the water on to boil. “Pretty sure my brothers wouldn’t get it, Jack. Only Roman might, and he wouldn’t tell the others.”

Jack glanced around nervously, and Logan rolled his eyes, murmuring, “C’mere, you,” and kissing him softly.

In an instant, Jack was kissing him back, and Logan had to lean against the counter because Jack was making him weak at the knees. He wrapped an arm around Jack’s back to try and help himself stand again, but Jack grabbed Logan by the hips and hoisted him onto the counter. Logan shrieked softly before dissolving into a fit of giggles, Jack kissing all over Logan’s face as the water started to boil. “Okay, so, noodles?” Jack asked.

“Yup,” Logan said, watching as Jack put noodles in the pot with a pinch of salt. “We need a pan for the chicken.”

Jack reached between Logan’s legs to get to the pan...right as Dad and Ami walked in. Logan stiffened as Ami choked and Dad grew red. “This is not what it looks like!” Logan assured.

Hurriedly, Jack pulled out the pan to show to the stunned parents, and began greasing it up. “Just...just needed a pan to cook, nothing untoward was happening, or will happen tonight!”

“I should hope not, considering Logan’s room isn’t soundproof,” Ami deadpanned.

“Logan, off the counter, please,” Dad choked out.

Logan complied and scratched the back of his neck. “...Sorry.”

“Just...don’t let it happen again,” Dad said. “Especially when your brothers are in the house.”

Logan hurried to assure them that wasn’t going to be a problem, and the two adults left quickly. “...That was terrible,” Jack said.

“Agreed,” Logan replied.

They stood in silence for a bit as Jack stirred the noodles and Logan watched the chicken. Then, Jack turned to Logan and kissed his cheek with a chuckle. “This is kinda fun,” he admitted.

“Thank you,” Logan said softly. “I thought you might like it once you actually bothered to try it.”

“Cooking?” Jack asked.

“Domesticity,” Logan said.

“I resent that,” Jack grumbled.

Logan laughed and kissed Jack’s cheek in return. They plated the food once it was done and Logan looked around. “I guess...we can use the dining room? High chance of brothers, though.”

Jack shrugged. “With this kind of messy food, I wouldn’t want to eat anywhere that there’s a risk of making a mess.”

“Fair enough,” Logan conceded, and the two sat down at the table in the next room over to eat.

They ate in semi-silence for a minute, before Logan said, “I think we did a good job.”

“Agreed,” Jack said. “I’d do it again.”

“You mean that?” Logan asked, voice soft and hopeful.

Jack looked at him fondly and nodded. “Of course I mean it. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”

Logan smiled. “That’s what I like about you. You know to get to the point with me, even if the point is banter.”

Jack laughed. “And that’s what I like about you. Always looking for a silver lining in the clouds.”

“What can I say?” Logan shrugged. “When I lived under so many clouds all my life, the best part of my day would be finding a silver lining. At this point, it’s just a habit I don’t really feel inclined to kick.”

“I don’t want you to kick it,” Jack said, grabbing Logan’s free hand. “You’re amazing just the way you are, Lo. You don’t have to change anything about yourself if you don’t want to. Not here. Not with me.”

Logan smiled softly. “I know.”

#we'll carry on #sanders sides fanfiction #logan sanders #our creations #danger gays

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thepinkwriterr · 5 years

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Loner // IT 2017 Chapter Fourteen

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Fade into you Strange you never knew Fade into you I think it's strange you never knew

Tuesday

April Fifth, 1993

I got up that morning, throwing on one of Bill’s sweaters and some shorts. The weekend was so hectic, I was actually looking forward to school. At this point, school would be more tame than home.

Kali and James were still fucking. I heard them downstairs on Monday night, watching a movie. I ignored them as I went about my morning routine. I still hadn’t talked to either of them.

The three day weekend lasted too long. I couldn’t wait to get back to school and passive-aggressively rub it in Casey’s face that I had Bill.

There was a beep from outside and I ran out the door, and into Bill’s car. “Morning babe.” I smiled, leaning over to kiss him.

“Morning.” He kissed back. As he drove down my street, I turned on the radio. I gave him one of my favorite cassette tapes. It was the mix tape Kali had borrowed that James had made. Neither of us could make mix tapes.

“I’m half the man I used to be…” I sang along to the music. “Half the man…” Bill hummed. “Feelin’ uninspired, think I’ll start a fire. Everybody run, Bobby’s got a gun.” I sang again.

“Think you’re company, than she tells me I’m a creep.” Bill chimed. “Friends don’t mean a thing, guess I’ll leave it up to me.” That was me.

He pulled into a parking space, turning the car off. We walked in, hand in hand. It was second nature to us now, we had no second thoughts on the PDA.

“Oooooo, look at the newly weds!” Ben laughed as we walked over. “Duh dum dum dum duh dum duh dum!” Bev sang.

I laughed, rolling my eyes. “Where’s everyone else?” I asked. “Richie drives Eddie and Stan to school. The ole blue baby is a taxi.” Beverly patted her hand against Ben’s shoulder.

I laughed again. “Why are you so smiley?” Beverly poked at my ribs. I giggled,”I’m just so happy!” I grabbed Bill’s hand.

“Uck! Get a room.” I heard a familiar voice grumble behind me. “Don’t be so rude, Richie!” Eddie whisper shouted. “Richie Tozier, always a pleasure.” I smiled at him. He rolled his eyes.

“Hey, uh, thanks for…what you did Friday.” Eddie leaned over, whispering to me. “No problem.” I whispered back.

“Why so secretive Danielle?” Richie asked wryly,”Does someone have a wittle cwush on Eddie bear?” He asked in a baby voice, his bottom lip protruding his top. I felt Bill’s grip on my hand tighten at Richie’s joke.

I rolled my eyes,”You’re such an ass.” Richie opened his mouth to rebuttal, but the school bell rang, interrupting him. “Saved by the bell…” I heard Eddie mumble under his breath. I laughed, whatta dork.

I went through the day, smiling. And at lunch time, I actually had people to sit with! That’s right, not just Kali, put a whole bunch of people!

Richie sat across from me, on the middle. Eddie sat next to him on the end, Stan seated next to Richie. I was in the middle, Bill to my left, Bev to my right. Ben ate with his popular friends.

Apparently, they didn’t mind this. Beverly was pretty popular, and so were Bill and I. Eddie, Stan, and Richie were all the “losers” of the group. But, how I looked at is, we were all losers.

Eddie’s mother was overbearing, so he never went out. And when he did, it was only with us. Stan is a Jew, who is very nervous and shy.

Richie is a grungy stoner who’s parents don’t care about him. Bill writes the school paper and wear sweaters. Of course people think they’re losers. I don’t think they’re uncool. They’re pretty fun.

When lunch was over I went to the library for study hall. I sat at my usual seat, pulling out Lolita. I looked over the cover, the memory of Kali and I rushing my mind.

“Uck, that is just disgusting! How could you write this filth?” Kali scowled, leaning back on the sofa. I shrugged,”I can see the beauty in it. At least he loved her.” She scowled animatedly at me. We both laughed, turning back to the movie.

“Y’know who I would love to be Lolita to?” Kali asked, turning toward me,”My brother?” She scoffed,”No, listen! I would love to fall in love with Brad Pitt! He is so dreamy!” Kali smiled, clasping her hands over her heart. I rolled my eyes,”You’re such a superficial bitch.” “You know it.” She smirked. “If I were to fall in love with a man…it would have to be for his heart and nothing else.”

God, I missed our movie nights. I missed laughing for hours over stupid things we said while talking. I miss our serious talks. I even miss that one time we got caught smoking pot and cried while talking to our parents.

But this is her fault. She’s the one who started it. But, maybe- “Hey girlie.” Beverly interrupted my thoughts. I realized I had been staring at the front cover of my book for about five minutes.

“Why ya staring at your book?” Bev asked, brows furrowed.

Kali’s POV

I sat up in James’s bed, dread consuming me. I miss Danielle so much. When Friday night rolled around and I didn’t get to watch movies with her in our pj’s, I felt like a piece of me was missing.

And she was. She was a huge piece of me. Without Danielle, there would be no Kali. And I know without Kali there would be no Danielle.

But when I see her, she looks like she’s thriving without me. She’s so happy. Meanwhile, I’m falling apart. I just can’t seem to be happy.

I looked down at Jame’s sleeping, peaceful face. I wonder if he knows how I feel. I doubt it.

When I woke up in the morning James was making breakfast. As I stood up I realized the only clean clothes I had here were some shorts. I felt panic rush my veins. What was I going to wear?

I scurried into the kitchen in just a sheet,”Can I borrow some of your clothes?” “Of course.” He chuckled. “Thanks.” I quickly stepped back to his room.

I pulled a white t-shirt out of the back of his closet and his flannel from the floor. This’ll have to do for now. God, I look like a dirt ball.

Sat at the kitchen table, eating my pancakes slowly. “Y’know,” I spoke through my mouth-full of pancake,”I can breakfast one of these days.”

James chuckled as he sat across from me,”Alright. Tomorrow you can make breakfast. A special treat for my last day here.”

I choked on my pancake, throwing a coughing fit. “You’re leaving tomorrow?” I exclaimed after I controlled myself.

He nodded. “I would’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t want you to be upset.” “Well, we’ve gotta go for a date tonight!” “I was planning it, Doll face.” He smirked.

Parking in my usual in my usual space, I turned the car off. I covered my eyes with my hands, taking a deep breath in. I exhaled slowly, trying to prepare myself for the day.

I grabbed my bag, then exited the car. I heard my ankle boots click against the road, producing a sound I normally loved. But the enjoyment of the sound was cut short.

Danielle and Bill walked ahead of me, hands clasped. I sighed, pulling my walkman and headphones from my bag. I popped in the mixtape James made me. Yellow Ledbetterchimed through the headphones, filling my head with bliss.

“On a weekend I wanna wish it all away, yeah. And they called and I said that I'll go. And I said that I'll call out again. And the reason I ought ta leave her calm, I know. I said, "I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag”.” Eddie Vedder crooned as I walked past Danielle and her friends.

She looked truly happy. Far Behind started as I walked into the bathroom. I sat down against the wall. I stayed there until the bell rang.

Most would say eating with you teacher is lame, but eating with my English teacher, Mr. Helms, was quite enjoyable.

It was quiet in there, and I got to read a book I always wanted to. After lunch was Math.

After Math class was history. The teacher, Mr. Zigler, was explaining our projects toward the end of class. One of the students raised their hands. Well, that’s new.

“Yes?” He asked, pointing to her. “Will we be able to work in groups?” He smiled,”I just about to say that. Uh, yes, partners, actually.” Everyone cheered, turning toward their designated ‘best friend’.

“But, I get to choose who you work with.” He smiled. Everyone stopped, then groaned. “Oh stop! It is not that bad.” He joked. He grabbed his roster, reading off each persons fait.

“-Stan Uris and Casey-“ Well, that sucks. “-Kali Tozier and Beverly-“ You’ve gotta be fucking with me. First this Danielle thing, now this? What’s gonna happen next? Is James actually gay? Am I gonna catch him fucking Eddie Kaspbrak in his living room? Is my mom gonna tell me she’s been cheating on dad? Am I gonna shut my hair in my car door?

I looked over at Beverly, who had a sour look on her face. I’m not so happy about it either, Buttercup… The bell then rang, interrupting my pouting.

My last period of the day was study hall. Where I was headed to now, coincidencedently.

The metallic cover of the Walkman shone against the overhead lights as I pulled it from my bag. I secured the headphones over my ears, hitting play on the walkman.

Fade Into You floated from tape to the machine, through the headphone wires, into the speakers, through my ears and into my brain. As I made my way down the laminated hallway, I really payed attention to the lyrics of Mazzy Star.

I want to hold the hand inside you

I want to take a breath that's true

I look to you and I see nothing

I look to you to see the truth

You live your life

You go in shadows

You'll come apart and you'll go blind

Some kind of light into your darkness

Colors your eyes with what's not there.

Fade into you

Strange you never knew

Fade into you

I think it's strange you never knew

As I sat in the back of the library, I felt tears brim in my eyes. Danielle’s absence mixed with the beautiful lyrics were enough to cause the tears. I felt a hot drop on my cheek, gliding down my warm skin.

I stood, gathering my things into my bag. Even the headphones and the walkman. I waited until the bell rang a few minutes later, then left the building. I drove to the nearest record store. I pulled into a space, ripping the key from the ignition.

I got out, storming up to the door of the store. I opened the door, hearing a bell ring upon the door opening. I beelined for the cashier, prepared to ask about where to find Fade Into You.

As I reached the counter, I was faced with Beverly Marsh. The words of my History teacher rang though my mind as I stood at the counter.

She smirked,”What can I help you with?” I sighed shortly,”Do you have any Mazzy Star tapes?” She nodded, lifting up a piece of the counter to walk through the store.

“So, tapes, huh?” “Yup.” “I never liked CD’s much either. Tapes look cooler.” I laughed,”I know right.” Wait! Did I…just agree and laughwith Beverly Marsh? I baffle myself each and everyday.

“I-uh-I guess we gotta work together in history, huh?” “Yeah,” I sighed again,”That’sgonna suck.” I shrugged. “Maybe not.” She turned and walked back to the counter.

I furrowed my brows at her statement, but brushed it off. God, I can’t stand her. I plucked the tape from the rack, then went to the counter.

“Have a nice night.” Beverly waved. “Mhm.” I hummed as I walked out the door.

#it #it movie #it 2017 #it movie 2017 #eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #ben hanscom #bill denbrough #bev marsh #beverly marsh #finn wolfhard #richie tozier x reader #bill denbrough x reader #beverly marsh x reader #bev marsh x reader #finn wolfhard x reader #stan uris #fanfic #lgbt

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crimsondomingo · 6 years

Text

Day 20: Hanahaki

For my July AU a Day Challenge

(Let me mention that I had never heard of this before, but I really love where I took it. Big thanks to @a-redharlequin for the help on this one! You are the best!)

“Are you trying to tell me you’re gay?”

“No. Well, yes, but… I mean a real faerie.”

Cisco laughed.

“I’m serious!”

“Sure, dude. I mean, that whole throwing up flowers thing is a neat magic trick and all, but I’m not an idiot. What’s the joke?”

In frustration, Barry tore his shirt over his head.

“Whoa, man, are you gay for me, coz I love you but…” Cisco trailed as Barry turned around to show off the wing pattered tattoos on his back that slowly began to unfurl into 3D, expanding until they were an impressive size clearly large enough to lift Barry, and delicately edged in the colors of a scarlet marigold.

“Holy shit. Can I touch them?”

“No.” Barry spun around before Cisco could get any close. “They’re sensitive.”

“Sensitive like…” He bobbed an eyebrow suggestively.

“Yes, that kind of sensitive.” Shifting his shoulder blades, Barry started to put them away.

“Wait! I want to see how they go back.”

Appreciating that Cisco was at least more curious than panicked, Barry turned around again so he could watch the way the wings shrank and folded in to lay flat against Barry’s back, then shimmer into place until they merely appeared like tattoos again.

“This is sick,” Cisco said while Barry put his shirt back on. “You’re really a faerie? Wait, like Tinkerbell, nice if a bit moody fairy, or steal children, trick people out of their names and souls for fun creepy kind of faerie?”

“The second one.” Barry glanced away. Then saw how Cisco’s eyes widened. “That’s why I left! I’m not like that. I wanted to be better, so I left to live among humans.”

“Among humans…” Cisco repeated, the full breadth of this finally hitting him. He paced a little around Barry’s apartment before slumping onto the sofa. “Do you have, like, magic powers?”

“Sort of.” Barry shrugged, sitting in the armchair opposite him. “I’m a faerie of springtime.”

“Which means…?”

“My clan is tied to new life and new beginnings.”

“Like how all the births you’ve helped with have zero complications?” It had sort of become a joke among the nurses and orderlies that Barry was a good luck charm, especially with births. “You really are lucky!”

“Fae always have a lot of luck, but with anything tied to our clans, we have an inordinate amount of it, so it would be pretty impossible for anything to go wrong when I assist a birth. I can also generally heal, but if I use my powers too much, people might suspect, so I try to only stick to the luck part. And I can also do this…” He held out his palm to show Cisco how he could also create life, but only springtime plants and flowers.

Cisco accepted the daffodil Barry handed him.

“Sweet. Wait, so why are you throwing up flowers?”

“That’s what I need your help with, or maybe some advice. It’s a curse. It happens when we fall in love.”

“Uhhh…” Cisco set the flower on the coffee table.

“Not with you.”

“Cool.” Cisco relaxed. “Cool. You’re just, like, my best friend, so it would be weird. But wait, falling in love makes you throw up flowers. That’s sucks.”

“It’s specific to falling in love with humans, especially if they don’t love us back. It’s considered a sign of weakness. It’s one thing if we fall in love after getting a human under our thrall first, but the other way around…” Oh no. Barry felt the purge coming again, but still, he could do nothing against it as he spewed a smattered of flower buds onto the coffee table. His apartment was covered in them.

Cisco grimaced, leaning further away now that he knew this wasn’t a trick.

“They’re not wet or anything,” Barry tried to defend himself. They were perfectly lovely, salvageable, and sweet-smelling flowers.

“Still, dude. Gross. But okay, moving on. Who is it?”

Glancing away as he pulled a stray petal from his mouth, Barry said very softly, “Len.”

“Len? Wait…Detective Snart? With the spine injury? Who…despite being shot and having a prognosis of never walking again, made a miraculous recovery—dude.”

“I couldn’t help myself! He’s…he’s amazing.” Before Barry had been able to stop himself once he got to know Len better, he’d poured every ounce of healing magic he had into the man until it was almost as if he’d never been shot in the back.

Cisco eventually relaxed again. “But he doesn’t love you back, huh?”

“Not yet. He doesn’t know me well enough. He doesn’t trust or open up to people easily. At least I know he likes me.”

“Yeah? He said so?”

“No, but I’m throwing up buttercups.” Barry flicked some of the petals across the table. “It means he finds me attractive.”

“Neat,” Cisco said, though his grimace said the opposite. “So what’s the problem, other than petals everywhere?”

“The problem is it’s going to keep getting worse. It started an hour apart, now it’s every twenty minutes, and it’ll keep shrinking if I don’t tell him how I feel, until it’s just constant, can’t stop, and then it kills me.”

“Kills you?!”

“I’m doomed.” Barry buried his face in his hands.

“Come on, man,” Cisco patted his back, “you’re not doomed. You just have to tell him how you feel.”

“I can’t,” Barry moaned into his hands. “If he rejects me, the same thing happens.”

“You choke on flowers and die? Shit. How long do you have?”

“Only another twenty-four hours at most.” Barry lifted up. “It’s not enough.”

“Well your curse hasn’t met me,” Cisco said firmly. “I’ll be your wingman. Hehe, even though you’re more my wingman, coz you have…” He cleared his throat when Barry looked at him miserably. “Sorry, this is serious.”

“Len checks out today. What am I gonna do?”

“You woo him, that’s what! I’m not gonna let you drown in flower petals, man. Snart’s the reserved type, that’s all, he’s just guarding his heart. But if he knows you like him, he’ll open up. If you can’t tell him straight-out, then you have to show him how much you care. Take him out to lunch. Invite him back to your place.”

“I’m not gonna sleep with him.”

“Not even to save your life? But you don’t have to sleep with him, I just meant spend as much time with him as possible so it clicks and he realizes how amazing you are. And if all else fails, maybe telling him as a last-ditch effort will push him over the edge.”

“I guess.” Barry sighed. Cisco was right. It was the only choice he had left.

Both of them had the day off, but Cisco, being amazing, promised to keep his cell phone on him if Barry needed help, while Barry headed in plainclothes to the hospital to intercept Len before he checked out.

He looked gorgeous as always, more so than Barry had ever seen him since for once he was dressed in normal clothes—dark jeans, long-sleeved T-shirt, leather jacket. Needing a cane for a while in no way diminished the view. In fact, it suited him well with his generally dramatic presence.

“Can I treat you to lunch?” Barry said before Len had even managed a greeting. “I’m off today, and you’re leaving, and I don’t want to miss the chance to…well.” He felt his face grow hot. He was a mostly immortal being who’d seen nations fall and met thousands of humans over his lifetime, but this man still reduced him to a fumbling child.

Len was just so…everything, and when he smirked in response, Barry felt weak in the knees.

“You’re on, Barry. Didn’t think you were the fraternizing type.”

“I’ve been known to be full of surprises.”

It sucked to have to duck away every twenty minutes to spew flowers, but during one such dash to the bathroom, Barry called Cisco.

“I think it’s working. I’m throwing up carnations now.”

“Yay?”

“Carnations mean fascination and new love, Cisco. He likes me.” Barry could hardly keep the smile from stretching his face, even as he spit leftover petals into the toilet.

“Congrats, man! Now, don’t let him go. Invite him back to your place so you can tell him how you feel.”

Barry was terrified, but he was also dying, so getting over his insecurities was the least of his problems. And amazingly enough, Len said yes.

“Something important to tell me?”

“Yeah. Not bad. I mean, I hope it’s not bad.”

When they arrived though, Barry felt another purge coming and excused himself to the bathroom.

“Sorry, nervous stomach.”

“Nervous of little ‘ol me.” Len grinned. Oh he was beautiful.

“I’ll be right back.” Barry ducked off. The flowers he spit up were still carnations, but Barry had hope that this would work—confessing to Len that he loved him, knowing that eventually he also had to admit he was fae. Maybe Len would react as well as Cisco had. There was always a chance.

Stepping back out into the living room to take the plunge, Barry instantly froze. Len had swiped a handful of peanut M&Ms from the bowl on Barry’s end table and was popping them into his mouth, eating them.

Barry buying Len lunch at a restaurant was one thing, but anything Barry had bought and brought to his home to just be his was, well, his. And the rules about humans eating fae food were very specific.

“Sorry, what a terrible house guest. They’re just a weakness of mine,” Len said.

Barry could only stare.

“Barry? Are you okay?”

Taking a breath, Barry wished Cisco was there to help him soften the blows he had coming, because he had no idea how to make this sound less terrifying. “I have several things I need to tell you, and at this point, I’m not sure which one is going to freak you out more.”

#coldflash #au a day challenge #hanahaki au #crimson's writing #barry is a faerie

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imaginetonyandbucky · 6 years

Text

Find Your Way Home | Part 3 of 5

Warnings for surprise (and unwanted) kisses.

When Bucky and Tony make it back to the Tower, they hear Steve first. “You shouldn’t have risked it!”

“Oops,” Tony says with a grimace. He straightens his shoulders and then leads Bucky out of the elevator onto the communal floor. Natasha is there, already changed out of her dress for sweats, facing off against Steve.

“I admit it, it’s totally my fault,” Tony says as he bursts between them. “The Buckster and I went out for ice cream and did not bring anything back for you. Whew, glad that’s off my chest. I guess maybe confession is good for the soul.”

“Tony,” Steve growls, unamused.

Bucky’s tenses in the face of Steve’s anger, but Tony doesn’t break stride.

“What’s up, buttercup?” Tony asks. “Look, we’re fine, everyone’s fine, so maybe bring it down a notch -”

Steve storms past Tony, up to Bucky. “Buck, are you okay?”

Bucky nods and looks past him to Natasha. “Yeah. It was just an intense memory.”

Natasha sighs, sympathy on her face. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d already remembered me.”

“Not.. not that,” Bucky admits.

“What?” Steve asks.

There’s a moment of silence, and then Tony steps in.

“Look, Steve, let’s just -”

“Don’t,” Steve warns. He looks back to Bucky. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

Bucky offers a smile. “Yeah, Stevie. I’m fine. Ice cream was a good choice.”

It wasn’t the ice cream as much as Tony’s ability to talk and distract Bucky from his thoughts, but it did help.

“Good,” Steve says with a sigh, his frown releasing into a smile of relief.

“I’m gonna call it a night, though,” Bucky says. He wants to page through his journals, try to see if there were hints to this in his previous writings. Then maybe he can talk to Natasha about it. He can talk to someone of his pack. He gives Steve a half-hug, then a nod to Natasha and Tony, and then heads to the stairs to go to his floor.

“Tony, I need to talk to you,” Steve says behind him.

(More after the break!)

The memories from the Red Room aren’t pleasant, but Bucky writes them down anyway. Sometimes it helps to get them out of his head, and sometimes it doesn’t.

Talking to Natasha helps. Someone to confirm them as real or not, to the best that she can say.

Steve does the same for those he was present for, and he and Bucky keep walking the streets of New York City, talking over old memories and making new ones.

And the rest of the pack. Bucky’s pack. Bruce is good to go to when Bucky wants tea and silent company. Clint is best for jokes and games, but he watches Bucky with a sharp knowing gaze at dinner. With Sam, Bucky keeps watching sports and trading sharp, teasing jokes. With Tony… JARVIS tells him that Tony is unavailable.

“Sir is traveling. May I pass on a message?” JARVIS offers when Bucky can’t find Tony in the Tower.

“Still? No, it’s not important,” Bucky says, frowning. He hasn’t seen Tony in days, ever since the ballet, but Tony does have a company to run. Tony makes sure to mention it often when he runs in and out and misses pack dinners.

Pack. Bucky has a pack. His bloody history and all, they don’t mind him joining their pack. Each of them shares pieces of their own past - Bruce tosses a comment over a cup of tea, Clint at the end of long sparring match, Natasha over discussion of Bucky’s journals, Sam after nightmares kept them both awake at three am and searching for hot chocolate - and Bucky shares pieces of his.

Bucky has a pack. He has a home, a territory. A place where Bucky doesn’t have to kill to survive or maintain some hierarchy. A place where Bucky can follow Steve’s lead, can watch his back. A place where he and Steve can sit together on the couch, sharing space as they watch the Wizard of Oz.

“We snuck into the theater to watch this,” Bucky realizes, the memory coming to him. “Then we got kicked out because we tossed popcorn at Frank Walsh.”

Steve turns to him, grinning wide. “Yeah, we did!”

“He - what did he do? Something with, with water?” Bucky asks.

“He’d tripped Mary Murphy so she fell into a puddle,” Steve confirms. “Wrecked her new dress.”

“Oh, yes, that was it!” Bucky says with excitement, the piece coming back to him. He grins back at Steve. The small, everyday memories were even better because there’s nothing but amusement and happiness. Bucky chuckles as he replays the memory again in his head, adding in Steve’s details.

“Buck, you’re amazing. I can’t believe… I’m just so happy you’re here,” Steve whispers.

Bucky grins. “Me too, punk,” he agrees as he lightly punches Steve’s shoulder.

Steve shoves him back, and Bucky laughs. Steve leans closer, and Bucky grins at him. Steve leans ever closer, and Bucky stares wide-eyed as Steve stares at Bucky’s mouth, still leaning in.

Steve kisses him, a light brushing of lips.

Bucky tamps down on his response of shoving Steve away and running, and simply freezes. Steve pulls back, dark blue gaze flicking up to Bucky’s, then licks his lips and leans back in.

Steve kisses him again, harder. When Steve reaches up to cup Bucky’s face, Bucky slides away. He doesn’t touch Steve, afraid he won’t judge the strength of the push correctly.

“I - I don’t remember that,” Bucky says, backing away.

He doesn’t remember. He doesn’t remember. He remembers dances and kisses and other things, yes, but not with Steve. He doesn’t… he doesn’t remember Steve, not like this.

Steve ducks his head, his face heating. “You wouldn’t. We couldn’t back then, but now things are different, Buck. Two alphas can be together, and it’s fine! We can be together now.”

“You’re bonded,” Bucky croaks from his dry throat.

“Not anymore,” Steve admits, squaring his shoulders.

Bucky leaps to his feet. “What?!”

“We broke the bond,” Steve says, getting to his feet as well. “Tony understands, it was never like that between us. Buck, you - you’re it for me. You always have been. Now that we can be together, I -”

“You bonded,” Bucky interrupts. “You don’t break bonds.”

“Another thing they do now,” Steve waves off. “Bucky, don’t you… don’t you want to try? With me?”

“I… I don’t remember,” he whispers, and then he runs.

Bucky runs from Steve. He runs from the Tower. He runs from Manhattan.

Bucky pauses when he crosses the bridge to Randall Island. From the park, he can see Riker’s Island and the planes landing at LaGuardia. The breeze blows the sharp scent of the river into his face, masking the scents of the others around him as he stands and stares.

Steve broke his bond with Tony for Bucky. Bucky invaded the pack and caused it to break. What if the pack breaks apart, because of this? The pack would be gone, and it would be Bucky’s fault. Steve would lose his pack. Bucky would lose his pack. The first and only good thing since Hydra found him, gone.

Bonds aren’t meant to be broken. Broken bonds… there had only been a few that Bucky had seen, right at the beginning of the war before he’d been drafted, but it’d been terrible. There was no need to wait for a letter home, the one left living knew immediately - that connection broken. A presence in your mind, keeping you company, suddenly missing.

Tony had been gone. Tony had left the pack because Steve had broken the bond. Steve had broken the bond because he wanted to be with Bucky.

Bucky gasps for air.

People around him start shouting and pointing, and Bucky looks up to see Sam in the sky with his wings. Bucky sighs, but he stays where he is. Sam lands in an open area, and then waves and does a few autographs before he comes over to Bucky.

“If you feel like a swim, I could recommend a few more sanitary options,” Sam says as stands next to Bucky.

“You following me?” Bucky growls.

“Yeah, next time you don’t want to be followed Mr. ‘I’m a Ghost Story,’ try to avoid the public cameras that JARVIS can hack into,” Sam drawls.

“Did you think of that yourself, or did JARVIS have to tell you?” Bucky returns.

Sam snorts. “I don’t know what Steve was worried about. You’re fine.”

Bucky turns away, his jaw clenched.

Sam eyes him. “Or not. You gonna tell me what happened to get you both so worked up, or do you want to brood some more?”

Bucky takes a deep breath. “I have to leave the pack.”

“Whoa, okay, hold up,” Sam says. “Why?”

For a moment, Bucky hates Steve for making Bucky say it because Steve didn’t tell Sam back at the Tower. “Steve broke his bond with Tony so he could be with me.”

Sam reels. “Damn. That’s a trip and a half.”

Bucky keeps it to himself, but he can admit that he’ll miss Sam. He’ll miss everyone. He’ll miss Steve, but he can’t be the reason that the pack breaks. He doesn’t want Steve to be without the pack, and Bucky can run if that’s what it takes.

“Doesn’t tell me why you gotta run, though,” Sam says.

“You don’t break bonds!”

“It might not have been the thing back in your day, but people do. It happens, sometimes for good reasons and sometimes for bad,” Sam says, kindly. “Look… Barnes, Bucky. People are people. What Steve and Tony do, or don’t do, is up to them. They’re able to make their own choices, and if they broke their bond that’s on them. That’s not on you.”

“What, and you don’t care that your pack is breaking?” Bucky spits out.

“Whoa, man. The pack isn’t going anywhere,” Sam defends. “We’re still here. We’ve been through too much shit together to let something like this cause us to split. Yeah, we all got some things to figure out. And you can bet that Nat and Bruce and Clint and yeah, me too, are gonna track down Tony and chew him for going through that alone.”

Sam stares out at the water, and Bucky processes.

“You need space, we can get that,” Sam continues. “But we’re a pack Barnes, and that includes you. Someone needs to be the riff raff we cart around.”

“Suck it, Wilson,” Bucky returns without heat.

“You wish,” Sam returns with a light punch to Bucky’s shoulder.

Bucky lets him land it.

He thinks about telling Sam about how he doesn’t remember that about Steve. He doesn’t remember wanting Steve. He remembers the pull of omegas, a few alphas, and even some betas - but not Steve. Steve is there, always there like a guiding light. Steve is always going to be pack, Bucky thinks, but not… not bonded. Not mate.

Bucky swallows the confession.

“You want to go for a drink or something?” Sam asks, pointing back towards Manhattan.

Bucky shakes his head. “I’ll meet you back at the Tower.”

Bucky returns.

Steve is visibly relieved and Sam gives him a nod. However, despite Sam’s assurances, pack dinner that night is the most awkward one that Bucky has attended.

It’s Steve at the center of the storm, though.

After the looks and the nudges and silence had reached a new level of tension, Clint finally asks, “So, Steve… got any news you’d like to share with the pack?” Natasha elbows him. “What? I didn’t sit through SHIELD’s lectures about Proper Pack Communication for this!”

“Clint does make a good point,” Bruce continues. “Why didn’t you tell us, Steve?”

Steve clears his throat and sets down his fork. He darts a quick glance at Bucky, but then meets Bruce’s gaze. “I thought Tony might want to be the one -”

“Oh no, it’s not that easy,” Clint interrupts, and despite the comical smile on his face his gaze is cold. He points his fork at Steve. “When he left - and we’ll kick his ass for that, when he comes back - you, oh Great Alpha Leader, had the responsibility to -”

“Clint,” Natasha interrupts softly, putting her hand on his arm. Clint settles back into his seat with a huff and turns away. “You should have told us Steve,” Natasha levels, her voice blank.

Steve raises his hands in defense. “Sorry, I should’ve -”

“Pardon the interruption,” JARVIS breaks in, “but there is a distress call coming in.”

An oil tanker is on fire ten miles off shore. The Coast Guard is on their way, but the assistance of the Avengers would be appreciated. Steve barks out the orders: suit up and get to the jet, Bucky you’re benched.

So Bucky stays behind, watching from screens that JARVIS provides as the Avengers take off to see what they can do about saving the crew and what’s left of the tanker. He doesn’t have audio, but he doesn’t need it to realize that the new screen that has popped up next to one of the exterior feeds from the Quinjet is from the Iron Man armor.

Tony is back.

Bucky sits back and watches the rest of the pack work together. Iron Man and Falcon rescue the crew, carrying them over to the Coast Guard boats. Natasha takes over as pilot of the jet to skim the waves while Clint looks for anyone who jumped ship. Steve coordinates with the Coast Guard to put out the flames and hook up the tanker to the tugboat. The Hulk not needed, Bruce starts giving environmental and wildlife protection agencies the heads up about the spill.

When the situation is handled, the Avengers head back. Now would be the perfect time for Bucky to disappear, if he is going to. He knows exactly how much of a head start he would get.

“Sergeant Barnes, would you care to oversee arranging a meal for when the pack returns?” JARVIS asks him.

“You need help?” Bucky asks, side eyeing one of the cameras that he knows JARVIS uses.

“I confess that without taste buds or even a simple desire to eat, I am not as skilled in the choosing of food as yourself,” JARVIS replies.

Bucky sighs. “Sure, I can handle that,” he agrees. JARVIS has never had a problem in choosing food before, but Bucky is glad to have something to do. The task anchors him to the Tower, as he reviews menu options and delivery speeds.

He doesn’t want to leave.

Bucky clears off what had been left of the pack dinner. He reheats what can be reheated and tosses what has to be tossed. He orders a variety of Indian dishes, a general pack favorite, to add to the table.

“Is… is Tony coming back too?” Bucky ventures.

“Yes, sir is currently en route back to the Tower,” JARVIS confirms.

Bucky adds some extra samosas to the order.

Everything is ready and waiting, when the Avengers return. Bucky lurks, he admits he’s lurking, in the corner as they come trailing inside. One by one they thank him for the food, and they collapse at the table.

Including Tony, who is all smiles and grins and ease as he takes a seat.

Dinner is easy. Tony exclaims over the extra samosas and piles them on his plate. Steve loses the tension in his shoulders as no one talks about what happened before the call. Clint and Sam joke, Natasha and Bruce fight over the last of the butter chicken, and Bucky sits quietly and simply listens.

Pack, still here, still together.

Bucky watches Tony most of all. He’s wearing the remains of a business suit, with the jacket slung over the back of the chair and tie lost somewhere else. The red undershirt is buttoned all the way to the top, hiding Steve’s mark that would still be on his neck. He’s thinner than he was before, and Bucky realizes that Tony has moved the food around on his plate more than he’s actually eaten it.

Bucky knows what he has to do.

He waits until lunch the next day, dodging Steve’s invite for another walk around NYC. He puts together a sandwich and then takes a deep breath before he asks JARVIS to take him to the penthouse.

“If you are looking for sir, you will have more success in the workshop,” JARVIS replies.

“To the workshop, then,” Bucky says with a gulp.

Bucky has never been to the workshop. Steve and Sam had edited it out of the tour, though let him know it existed. Dread and fear twist in his stomach. He’s been in the workshops of Hydra and has no desire to ever step foot in one again. He doesn’t want to associate those memories with Tony’s, isn’t sure when he sees the workshop that he won’t imagine himself there again.

The elevator doors open to panels of clear glass, Tony working on something beyond. Bucky knocks on the glass door, not able to stop his gaze from flickering to every corner of the workshop looking for… Bucky doesn’t even know, a chair?

Tony looks up. Something passes over Tony’s face, too quick for Bucky to identify, and then Tony waves Bucky inside.

Bucky enters, trying to keep the tension in his body from showing. Then his shoulders lower, his posture relaxes. The workshop is layered with Tony’s scent, comforting Bucky and offering no reminders of the bloody, painful memories of the workshops of Hydra.

“What can I do for you, Robocop?” Tony asks, wiping his hands off on a nearby rag.

“Nothing, I just… brought you lunch,” Bucky offers, lifting the plate as evidence.

Tony squints, a confused smile on his face. “You brought me food?”

Bucky nods.

“Uh, okay?” Tony says. “Just set it there, then.”

Bucky sets the plate where directed and then, with a nod at Tony, backs out of the workshop. The weight of Tony’s gaze is on Bucky the entire way.

Usually it was death that caused a broken bond, but Bucky remembers what he is supposed to do. Family takes care of the remaining half, always. Steve is his best friend, his brother, his always-pack. Bucky will take care of Steve’s bonded, even if it’s broken, even if Tony has a pack. Tony has Natasha and Clint and Sam and Bruce, and they stick to him a bit tighter ever since Tony’s return. Tony doesn’t need Bucky, not when Bucky is part of the reason that Tony is dealing with a broken bond, but this is Bucky’s duty.

For everything that Tony gives to the pack, Bucky can bring Tony food at the least.

He brings Tony another sandwich and a smoothie the next day. Bucky receives the same confused look as the day before, but he’s allowed to leave the plate and glass.

Bucky does it again on the third day, and Tony mocks the lack of variety.

For the fourth day, Bucky tosses together a fruit salad for Tony that turns out to be acceptable and then, after going to a soccer game with Sam, pages through a cookbook. He’s noticed how Tony continues to breeze in, out, and around pack dinners without staying for very long. It’s so close to being the same as before that sometimes Bucky thinks what Steve told him that day, after Steve had tried to kiss him, wasn’t real. Maybe Steve and Tony are still bonded, because Steve doesn’t act any different when they’re out walking around the city.

Except when Bucky catches Steve giving him these looks, sad and longing, but Bucky has been ignoring those.

Bruce takes a seat next to Bucky on the couch, stirring the tea bag in his cup, and Bucky looks up from a recipe for turkey burgers that seem like a lot of work without much reward.

“I admire your efforts,” Bruce starts, and switches from fiddling with his tea cup to fiddling with his glasses. He still doesn’t look directly at Bucky. “But Tony has a lot of people looking out for him.”

Several moments of silence pass before Bucky says, “I know.”

Bruce clears his throat. “Good. Then you know to be careful. Also, Tony only likes beef burgers, so I don’t suggest trying those.”

Bruce claps Bucky on the shoulder and then leaves. Bucky stares after him, a bit wide-eyed and feeling more nervous than if Natasha had come by and threatened with her knives.

Natasha doesn’t threaten, though, not even when she comes up next to him when Bucky is chopping vegetables. She sneaks pieces from underneath his knife, but otherwise says nothing and doesn’t pull out her own knife to help. She gives him a judging look, sneaks one last bite, and then walks away.

Bucky keeps an eye out for any additional tripping hazards as he brings the salad down to Tony.

Tony isn’t in the mood for a salad, though, and Bucky mentally berates JARVIS who guided him in this direction. Tony takes one look at the bowl and storms around the workshop table. There are deep circles under his eyes, Bucky notes, and more coffee cups scattered around than usual.

“Alright, enough. Time to come clean. Fess up, Buckster, what’s with the whole food thing?” Tony accuses as he waves at the salad.

“I, uh, thought you might like…?” Bucky offers, shrinking back.

Tony whirls, eyes bright and angry. “You don’t have to keep doing this. I am capable of feeding myself, no matter that I’m a castoff omega, or whatever it is that you’re thinking.”

“No!” Bucky defends. “That’s not… of course I don’t!”

“Then what? Some kind of penance or apology because of Steve? Don’t worry it’s not needed. He’s all yours.”

Bucky shakes his head, but the words won’t come.

“Well then what, you want to rub it in my face that he chose you? Guess what - I don’t even care!” Tony shouts. He turns and swipes everything on the table, including the salad, to the floor.

Bucky leaps back.

“You think, what, that I’m down here heartbroken? That bond meant nothing. It was all political, for PR and to cement the pack. And guess what, it worked! Congratulations, no hard feelings, Steve can dump me and our pathetic bond and move on to you now, and you don’t have to worry about me and this - whatever this is!” Tony kicks at the mess on the floor, and then whirls on Bucky, eyes wet. “So you can just fucking stop, okay? And get out!”

Bucky flees, but he turns back to look when the glass door hisses shut behind him.

Tony has crumpled to the floor, face hidden in his hands.

#winteriron #tony stark #bucky barnes #tony x bucky #alpha/beta/omega dynamics #a/b/o dynamics #alpha bucky #omega tony #past steve x tony #steve x tony breakup #background steve x bucky #(briefly!)#fic:fywh #prompts #hddnone

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sunbrights · 7 years

Note

Buttercup

buttercup: ingratitude

Their first year of middle school, Harasawa Himari is the most popular girl in their class. She is well-spoken and friendly, with a pretty, round face and butterfly pins in her hair. She makes top marks, and is an emerging figure on the girl’s track team.

She corners Peko in the girl’s locker room. (And Peko feels cornered by it, the weight of Harasawa’s presence and the wall of eyes that follow her.) “Pekoyama-san,” she asks, perfect teeth bared, “does Kuzuryuu-kun have a girlfriend?”

It’s not private, or subtle, or quiet. The other girls shriek with giggling play-horror.

“Are you interested in him Harasawa-san?!”

“You know who his family is, right? Right?”

“Himari-chan’s gonna be a femme fatale!”

“She’s gonna end up in a ditch somewhere.”

“Look at Pekoyama-san’s face!”

“Shh shh shh!”

Peko says, “I don’t know,” and shuts her locker door. It’s true. How the young master conducts his relationships is not her business.

Harasawa’s face falls in coordinated disappointment. “Oh… really?” She blushes a delicate shade of pink, just in the apples of her cheeks. “I thought if anybody knew, it would be you. This is so embarrassing… You won’t tell him, right?”

Peko doesn’t answer.

Harasawa smiles at her, and takes her silence as tacit agreement. “I appreciate it, Pekoyama-san.”

The young master does not connect easily with his peers. Most avoid him by reputation alone, and those that don’t learn to regret it once they’ve faced down the force of his temper.

(He would never admit to loneliness, always insists his isolation is by design, but Peko has been walking behind him for too many years to not notice the way his shoulders tense when a circle of their classmates erupt into laughter during lunchtime.)

Harasawa, however, does not allow herself to be intimidated. Not by him, and certainly not by Peko. The morning after making her intentions known to the girl’s locker room, she stops by his desk and smiles, coy and demure, where everyone can see her. “Good morning, Kuzuryuu-kun.”

He glares up at her, leant back in his chair. “Speak for yourself.”

She isn’t cowed. She maintains his gaze, still smiling, and only says, “I am,” before returning to her seat at the front of the room.

(He complains to Peko about it later— “What the fuck was that? Stuck up bitch,”— but in the moment, his eyes follow the sway of her hips.)

Harasawa keeps trying. She is as unassuming as she is persistent, her firm friendliness never eroding an inch. She doesn’t cross his boundaries, but neither does she back down from his challenges. She smiles easily, and is pretty when she laughs.

Eventually, on occasion, the young master smiles back. Harasawa graduates from greeting him in the morning, to asking him questions about class lectures, to standing with him at his locker in the afternoon and telling him insignificant stories about her track meets. One day she calls him ‘Fuyuhiko-kun,’ and he lets her.

Peko says nothing. On the days he lingers with Harasawa, Peko waits for them to finish, and then she escorts him home.

How he conducts his relationships is not her business.

They have kissed once, that Peko is aware of.

She hadn’t meant to intrude. Her goal had been to observe Harasawa during her practice while the young master attended his after school clubs, but instead she finds them both skipping, tucked together behind one of the broad trees by the track field.

It’s Harasawa’s initiative. They’re only talking, at first, until she takes it upon herself to adjust the lopsided knot of his tie. She tugs him down, tilts her own chin up, and their lips meet clumsily in the middle. It looks uncomfortable for the both of them.

Harasawa giggles when it’s over. She buries her face into his chest, her cheeks that same delicate shade of pink, and it’s at that point Peko realizes she’s been watching too long.

She returns to the front of the school building to wait for him. (There is an unfamiliar tightness in her chest.) However he chooses to spend his time, she will ensure she is available whenever she is needed.

He’s alone when he emerges some time later, his bag slung over one shoulder. He rubs at his neck when he sees her. “Dammit, Peko,” he says. “You don’t have to always wait out here for me.”

“I do,” she answers. “It’s my responsibility to see you home safely.”

His cheeks flush. She’s upset him, again. “You’re not listening! I’m telling you, you don’t. I’m not some little kid you have to keep tabs on all the time.”

She isn’t sure how to answer. She doesn’t want to upset him further, but her duty is immutable. “I’m sorry, young master,” she says, in lieu of anything else.

“Whatever.” He strides past her, head low. “Let’s just go.”

The young master begins to complain of money missing from his wallet. It’s in small increments, a few hundred yen he thought he had suddenly not there when he stops at a vending machine, but it continues over the course of several weeks.

It takes only timing for Peko to catch Harasawa in the act.

She has the acting skills suited for con artistry, but not the mental steel. Her fingers tremble when she slips her hand into the young master’s jacket pocket, even though he’s already left the room, and even though she must have already done it countless times before.

“I would recommend you put that back where you found it,” Peko says, turning the corner of the door, and Harasawa flinches so badly the wallet tumbles from her fingers.

She scrambles to pick it up. “Pekoyama-san,” she says, and her smile is weak. It’s the first time Peko has seen her afraid. She presses the wallet back into its pocket. “You surprised me. I was just— I was—”

“Hey.”

The young master is behind her, in the doorway. Peko steps aside to let him past, but he hovers, squinting at her. “What are you doing?”

“Pekoyama-san was looking for you,” Harasawa says, rising to her feet. Her composure smooths back over her face, but her hands still shake when she picks at the hem of her skirt. “I should get to practice. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

In her haste to get out, she fumbles her role. He dislikes public displays of affection, but she still leans up to kiss his cheek when she passes. He rubs at the spot with the heel of his hand.

Harasawa’s footsteps retreat down the hall. The idea of her walking away sits poorly in Peko’s stomach, but the choice isn’t hers to make.

She waits, but he won’t make eye contact with her. He steps past her to gather his things, and then makes for the door. “C’mon,” he says over his shoulder. “Let’s go home.”

She follows. He’s walking fast down the empty hallway; she has to lengthen her strides to keep pace with him.

“Young master,” she tries.

He doesn’t answer.

“Young master, there’s something important that—”

He turns around so quickly that they nearly collide. Peko stumbles a step back, to give him space.

“How stupid do you think I am?” he demands.

“I don’t—”

“I know it’s her. Who the fuck else would it be?” His fists are clenched. His shoulders tremble with barely-restrained emotion. Peko isn’t sure that all of it is anger. “You seriously thought I couldn’t figure that out on my own?”

“No,” she says. “I only wanted to confirm her guilt so that you—”

“Well, stop! How many times do I have to fucking say it? I don’t need you following me around picking up after me all the time! Just stay out of my business!”

He sucks in a breath. It rattles, damp, in his chest. He turns his back on her, scrubbing at his eyes.

“I am your tool,” she says, because she can’t think of anything else. “I’ve overstepped my bounds. I apologize. Whatever course of action you decide, I will carry it out.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he answers, muffled by his sleeve. “Just stop, Peko.”

He walks away.

She waits ten paces, and then she follows.

It takes another week, but it happens. He and Harasawa come back from lunch separately: him first, scraping the chair back from his desk, and her second, her eyes puffy and her makeup smudged. The understanding is that whatever was between them ended, but no amount of prodding from the other girls gets Harasawa to offer any more explanation than that.

A month later, she transfers to another school.

No one approaches his desk again.

The morning of their first day of high school, he sends her away.

“The second we walk in there, there’s nothing between you and me,” he tells her for the third time, while he fixes his tie. “We’re classmates. We met today. You can’t be hanging around me all the time.” He stares at her through the mirror. “Understand?”

Hope’s Peak is his chance to grow. It is the opportunity he needs to finally shed all the excess weight of his childhood that has been holding him back.

She says, “Yes.”

#peko pekoyama #fuyuhiko kuzuryuu #kuzupeko #danganronpa #tbh i'm not sure what this is anymore #it started out one thing and then this happened #but here it is!#thank you for the prompt!!#anon #asks and answers #memes #sunwrites

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