The clatter of her practice sword on the ground is almost louder than the crunch that rings out from his wrist. He inhales sharply, biting back a shout — no matter how many times it’s happened, he will never get used to breaking a bone. That shit hurts.
“Fuck, fuck fuck. Fuck, Seaweed Brain, is it broken?”
“Think so,” Percy grits out. He tries for a smile, and Annabeth matches it, small and worried. He leans into the hand she cups over his cheek. “Not too bad, though. If I just dump my water bottle on it —”
“Absolutely not. Water healing leaves you achey when it rains, you know that.” Shifting to wrap her arm around his waist, she helps him stand, shouldering some of his weight like it’s his ankle that’s broken. He lets her, reaching down to squeeze the hand resting on his hip — I’m fine. We’re good. She turns her hand to wrap clasp their hands together — Okay. If you’re sure.
They walk together to the infirmary, taking their time. Aside from the pain pulsing from his arm, it’s not too bad — camp is as balmy as usual, and the spring break energy is practically visible, it’s so potent. The Demeter cabin has plants growing everywhere, flowers and fruit trees blooming as bright as a box of new crayons, and the air is filled with shouts of laughter and teasing. Annabeth’s steps fall in time with his, and she’s a comfortable warmth at his side, pressed from shoulder to hip.
“You still okay?”
“Yep.” He catches her eye, smiling crookedly at her. “Doesn’t even make my top fifty.”
She rolls her eyes, hipchecking him. “Don’t I know it, ya klutz.”
“Not sure I would call being flung from the St. Louis Arch being a klutz. Or exploded in a volcano. Or crushed under the sky. Or slashed by giants. Or chased by —”
“You’re talking, but all I’m hearing is Annabeth, please, please pinch me, as hard as you can —”
“Hey! Get those claws off me, gods you’re worse than an empousai —”
“— and when you’re done pinching me please put me in the tightest headlock you can manage —”
“I am injured! You are beating up an injured person right now!”
“— and then please just bite a chunk out of my shoulder —”
“Cut it out or I’m telling Mom!”
“Wimp,” she taunts, finally releasing him. “I don’t go running to Sally every time I lose a fight.”
“Wha — you do so!”
She ducks through the infirmary door, smirking like she can’t hear him.
“You literally — you snitched on me last week! I got grounded for two days!”
“And you deserved it,” she says primly.
He gapes. “I did not!”
“Anytime you two are done,” Kayla drawls, shoving a clipboard at them. They accept it with matching sheepish grins, cowed at her perfectly arched eyebrow and slowly tapping foot. “I got patients to deal with and older brothers to harass. Let’s get this moving.”
She is shockingly good at humbling people for a thirteen year old. The two of them turn to their clipboard, chagrined, letting her stomp away with an exasperated He’ll be with you soon! Don’t set off the sprinklers again!
“That was one time,” Percy mumbles, ears reddening.
Annabeth pats him on the back. “There, there,” she says mockingly. “The fact that it was one time definitely negates the fact that you flooded the entire Big House because you got jumpscared by a child.”
“Harley can be sneaky, okay. Let me live.”
“Literally no.”
Annabeth does most of the paperwork for him, ‘cause she’s a nerd because his wrist is far too swollen for him to write properly, so it takes maybe half the time it normally would. The infirmary is crowded as Hell, though (he knows, he’s been), so they settle in for the wait, amusing themselves by tearing little pieces off of a blank form, balling them up, and tossing them in increasingly harder places. Percy is winning 7-4, although Annabeth might just pull through if she manages to toss her paper ball into Travis’ wide-open snoring mouth.
“Hey, guys. Sorry for the wait.”
Aw. She missed. Percy was looking forward to that.
“Hey, Will.”
He drags his attention away from the son of Hermes to greet his friend, but frowns before he can open his mouth.
“Woah, dude, you good? You look exhausted.”
Will snorts. “Welcome to spring break, man.” He holds his hand out for the clipboard, scanning it briefly. “Sparring injury? Oh, thank the gods. I could use a break. Here, face me.”
He climbs up onto the minimal left over space on the cot, tucking his legs under his thighs. Percy turns to mirror him, hesitantly sticking out his arm — A break? he mouths to Annabeth, meeting her eyes over Will’s head.
She shrugs.
“Just spent four hours putting Jake’s nose back on his face,” Will mumbles, placing a careful hand on his fingertips and his forearm. Percy flinches — his skin is blisteringly hot. Like someone just dropped a hot stone onto him. “I never want to sing a skin cell hymn again in my life.” He prods at Percy’s wrist for a moment, gentle enough not to hurt. “Okay, hold still, I’m gonna fix ya right up.”
Healing hymns are familiar, by now, but Percy will never get tired of them.
The cool thing about ambrosia and nectar is that as pleasure food for the gods, it’s pleasant. It’s whatever taste you want, whatever you need to have most, you get it. But healing hymns are intentional the way nectar and ambrosia aren’t. Ambrosia and nectar happen to be healing for demigods — healing hymns were constructed to knit you back together, like you mother smoothing a bandaid over a skinned knee. They’re warm and sweet and deeply, endlessly comforting in a way most things simply cannot claim to be. They don’t feel like a medical procedure or a hasty patch job, they feel like someone gripping you tightly and promising you’ll be okay. They feel like getting carried to bed when you fall asleep on the couch. They feel like sitting down after hours of standing, like a drink of water when your throat is drier than sand. Healing hymns draw the pain and sick and ache from your body, and they feel like relief.
But this time, Percy can’t focus on it.
With every word, Will seems to get a little duller. Nothing like the horrible ash-grey he went in the war, dragging the poison from Annabeth’s body, but like his usual sunny disposition was dialed down a few notches. Enough that Annabeth frowns in concern, drumming her hands on her thighs, watching him closely.
“There,” Will says, pulling away. Percy turns his now-healed wrist, noticing the slight pant to Will’s breath, the strain to his smile. The shake of his blistered fingertips.
“You look overworked,” Annabeth says quietly.
Will holds his hands up in a what can you do gesture. “Spring break.”
“You said.”
“It’s just busy, is all.”
“Yeah, but —”
“Guys,” he interrupts, smiling tiredly, “there are two hundred ADHD demigods at this camp right now who have been trapped in a classroom for six months. There are three of us. I’m going to be a little drained; we’re all a little drained. But I’m fine, okay?” He gives them a second to scrutinize his expression, eyebrows raised in amusement. “I have been running my infirmary for years. I know how to pace myself, and I certainly know how to make sure my siblings are pacing themselves. If something goes really wrong, Chiron is a whistle away. I can go longer than you guys without sleep, anyway. Apollo kid health.”
“If you say so,” Percy says reluctantly. “I just — I can wear a wrist brace, man. Not every injury needs to be handled when it happens. You can tell people no.”
“I appreciate that, Percy, and I’ll keep it in mind. Anyways, I’ve got more patients. Stay off that wrist for the rest of the day, okay? It might be tender for a bit.”
Percy turns to Annabeth as Will leaves, frowning. He’s has never noticed the so-called spring break stress before (his camp spring breaks are usually a blast, but now that he’s thinking about it, he can’t think of a single spring break where he spent any time at all with Will, which is odd), but it can’t be good for him. There’s gotta be something they can do to ease some of the bruising under their friend’s eyes.
“I could set off the fire alarms again,” Percy suggests. “That’ll certainly get this place cleared out.”
Annabeth snorts. “I think that’ll cause more harm than good, Seaweed Brain. It’ll just fall in him to clean it all up, after.”
“Shoot.”
Percy counts nine of the forty cots currently unused. Will, Kayla, and Austin are rushing from cot to cot, handing out nectar, wrapping bandages, rattling off hymns at light speed. All three of them look exhausted, squeezing shoulders when they pass each other, knocking hips, exchanging tired smiles. This is so clearly something they’re used to.
Annabeth’s head rests on his shoulder.
“It wasn’t always like this,” she whispers. “When it was fully staffed…”
Percy exhales heavily. Yeah. He remembers. There was a lot less complication, once upon a time. The most chaotic the infirmary would get was when Lee would challenge his siblings to Hymn Karaoke — trying to heal with pop songs. There was a lot more laughter, at one point. A lot more people.
Percy sighs, squeezing his eyes shut. It never does well to dwell, but he — gods, he wish they all had more time. To sit with it, to acknowledge…everything. Siblings. Friends. A camp that’s smaller than it’s supposed to be.
Annabeth squeezes his hand again, and he squeezes back, resting his head on top of hers.
“Hey,” she murmurs after a moment, pursing her lips at the front door. “Look.”
Slinking through the entrance like a criminal is Nico, in all his dork ass black camp shirt glory. He looks around shiftily, like he’s trying to make sure no one sees him, and when his gaze lands on Percy and Annabeth his eyes widen. Annabeth smiles at him, but it does nothing to ease the spooked look to his face, back arched like a startled cat. He turns to leave, but before he can slip back out the door —
“Nico!”
The son of Hades whips back around so quickly he brains himself on the doorframe. Percy ducks his head and bites his lip, hard, because he can feel Nico’s glare at the side of his head like the press of hot coal, and if he laughs as badly as he wants to then the infirmary is about to look like a Spirit Halloween.
Will turns back to his patient, squeezing his eyes shut and rattling a hymn off so quickly it makes a burst of light pop from his whole body, and rushes over to where Nico’s standing. He only trips over two things, which is remarkable for him. Percy would be proud if he wasn’t a little embarrassed on his behalf.
“Nico! Hi!”
“He-ey, Will,” Nico says, voice cracking badly on every vowel. Annabeth shoves her face into Percy’s shoulder, body shaking.
“I didn’t know you were coming! I thought you were in the arena all day.”
Nico shrugs, shoes scuffing the floor. “I am. I just — uh, I got hurt? So. Came to see you.”
Will’s beam is so bright it hurts to look at, a little. Percy squints and realises that’s not just the excitement, actually — he really is glowing, faintly. His hands flap slightly at his sides.
“Well, you’re in the right place, then.”
“Yeah.”
Neither of them say anything for a minute, rocking back on their heels. Will watches Nico closely, biting his lip. Nico looks resolutely at the floor.
“We weren’t this bad,” Annabeth whispers, “were we?”
Percy shakes his head. “Nah, there’s no way.”
“Gods. It’s so — I don’t know whether to smile or take a dip in the Lethe. It’s embarrassing and endearing at the same time.”
“Painful to watch, but I can’t stop looking,” Percy agrees.
“What’d you hurt?” Will asks, finally. “Did you pull your shoulder again?”
A look of panic flits briefly across Nico’s face until he smooths it to something neutral, aloof.
“Yep. Totally. During — sword fighting, I swung — I did this really big thrust, actually. Just — hugely powerful, training dummy exploded on impact.” He clears his throat. “Some might say too powerful. If you can imagine.”
Percy cradles his head in his hands. “Oh my gods — ”
A light flush dusts Will’s cheeks. He brushes a strand of hair behind his ear, fiddling with his earrings. “Woah, really? I’ve never heard of that before.”
Nico smirks, standing up a little straighter. “Well, it’s not the first time. I tend to go pretty hard.” Remembering his supposedly hurt shoulder, he exaggerates a wince. “Too hard sometimes, I guess. Could you do the — the energy thing?”
“Oh — gods, yeah, sorry. Hold on.” He stares at Nico’s shoulder, hesitating. “It, um, works better with skin-to-skin contact.”
“I have seen crystal vases less transparent,” Annabeth says, aghast. “In two years he’s going to remember this and try to drown himself.”
“I will be counting down the days,” Percy says gleefully.
On rare, rare occasions, the gods answer his prayers. Clearly, both Nemesis and Aphrodite are looking at him kindly today. Percy makes a note to scrape some of the good stuff off his plate for them both today. Hell, maybe he’ll skip the portioning and toss them an entire roast chicken each. Or something. They deserve it.
Will places both hands — interesting, Percy notes, his wrist was snapped cleanly in two and he only needed one hand, wonder why that was — on Nico’s shoulder and closes his eyes, screwing up his face in concentration.
“Huh. I’m not feeling much damage. You said it was your right shoulder?”
“I heal quick,” Nico says loudly. “I mean, some of the damage might have — um.” He clears his throat. His face glows a faint crimson. He clears his throat again. “Y’know?”
Will’s face is a similar shade.
“Right, right. Yeah. Um, brace yourself.”
Instead of starting to sing, Will closes his eyes, holding completely still. After a moment, the tips of his fingers begin to glow; soft, ambery yellow, flickering like lit candles. He opens his eyes again and focuses intently on Nico’s bare skin, tracing patterns around every defined muscle, leaving a trail of light behind. He lingers, for a moment, when he connects the last string of light, waiting until it has faded entirely from Nico’s skin to remove his hands and shove them in the pockets of his coat.
“That better?” he asks softly.
Nico swallows. “Yeah.”
“Good. I’m glad, Nico. It means a lot that you — came to me. When you needed it.”
“I trust you, I guess.” Nico looks away. “You know what you’re doing.”
“I think I just threw up in my mouth a little,” Percy says thoughtfully.
Annabeth laughs, shoving his shoulder. “Don’t be mean.” She pauses. “Me too.”
With a sigh that can only be described as besotted, Will steps reluctantly away.
“I have patients,” he says, in the same tone of voice Percy usually says I have midterms. “So I gotta…”
“Yeah, no, go. Do your —” Nico gestures vaguely. “Doctor thing.”
“Right. Yeah. I’m gonna — go.” He turns, walking back towards a group of Hephaestus kids who appear to be tightly entangled in some kind of net. After a few steps, though, he pauses, biting his lip, then darts back over to Nico, pressing a lightning-fast kiss to his cheek — “Um, bye. Thank you for visiting. Bye,” — and then runs back over to his siblings, shy smile on his face.
Nico’s jaw is brushing the floor of his father’s palace. He stands, still as a statue, for four entire minutes.
“I think he just died,” Annabeth observes, eyebrows climbing higher and higher up her forehead with every passing second “Damn. Survived so much only to literally die because a cute boy kissed his cheek. A true hero’s end.”
Percy, because he is a kind, concerned friend, clears his throat loudly.
“Yo, di Angelo, you alive?”
Nico startles so violently he falls right over. Percy shoves his fist in his mouth to keep from cackling.
“Shut the fuck up,” Nico hisses venomously, scrambling upright. “Both of you, shut the — not a word —”
Percy and Annabeth make the mistake of looking at each other and simply erupt. Percy can’t feel his stomach. His lungs have abandoned ship. He’s glad as hell he’s in the infirmary because he is heaving for breath, tears streaming down his face, entire body convulsing. Nico stands in front of them literally shaking with rage, entire body redder than one of Apollo’s sacred cows, trying and failing to string together a threat that will ease any and all of his suffering. Annabeth screeches, almost falling off the bed as she cackles. Percy cannot even find the strength to catch her, his muscles are so weak.
“I fucking — I hate you! Both of you! You’re dead to me!”
“Your face!” Percy shrieks.
“Percy Jackson, I am going to turn you to fucking dark matter! I despise your very essence! I —” He stomps his foot. “I’m leaving, and I’m going to leave a rotting corpse in your cabin! Screw you!”
“Oh my gods,” Annabeth wheezes, digging her nails into his arm. “Oh my gods, that was —”
Percy wipes a tear from his eye. “I love being alive. I love being alive so much.”
“It really is great.” Composing herself, and biting back the leftover giggles that keep bubbling out, Annabeth looks back towards Will. He stands much straighter, now, smile back to full brightness. His siblings, too, look rejuvenated, snickering to each other and making kissy faces behind Will’s back. “So many beautiful things to witness. I’ve never seen his face go that red.”
Percy sighs. “This is genuinely going to carry me through the semester. I think his soul died a little. And Will just — gods, that kid is bold.”
“Oh says you, Mr. Do I Get A Good Luck Kiss.”
“Hey, I earned that.”
Annabeth grins, punching him in the shoulder. He grabs her wrist and tugs her towards him, chasing the curve of her smile. She laughs into his mouth and it taste like strawberries and freedom, and he presses a kiss to her cheek, to her jaw, and the side of her neck, resting there, breathing against her skin. After a moment her hands come up and slide in his hair, gently untangling the knotted mess.
“He is one thousand percent going to put a zombie in your bed, you know,” she says after a moment.
Percy snorts. “Yeah, I know.” He smiles. “Worth it.”
Hi hi!! I'm pretty sure this is my first time requesting so I am a bit scared afjrjwj...
Anyways could you do Scara x reader (could be gn,whatever makes you comfortable!) where Scara is a complete nerd and is just explaining to reader about his nerdy interests/hobbies while reader just thinks about devouring and worshipping him 🤭
You could ignore/delete if you want or if it doesn't fit with your rules!!(I did read them but just in case) have a great day/night and take care of yourself!!❤️
𐙚 secret obsession
⟡ you discover what Scaramouche's face (a boy in your class) really looks like and now you can't stop thinking about him
— pairing : nerd!scaramouche x gn!reader
— warnings : NSFW; reader is obsessed? A bit too much, lmao; yandere reader; penetrative sex (in reader's imagination); oral (m!receiving)
— a/n : HIII! YOU LOOK SO SWEET :( Don't be scared to send smth, I loved your request 🫶 I hope I did your first request well and ty for reading the rules😭😭
part 2
You know what they say about not approaching the shy kid who sits alone at break because they usually mean trouble? You did completely the opposite of that.
Scaramouche should've been the smartest boy in your class. However, his presence went unnoticed by the other students, even though he had a charming beauty that he hid behind his hat and corrective glasses. These same glasses that you picked up from the floor when he collided with you while blindly speeding up his steps in the hallway with a stack of notebooks in hand to deliver to the professor.
Your mouth opens in shock at finally seeing him without that giant hat he wore all the time, lying on the floor along with his lenses and notebooks. Soft skin, round and bright eyes of a vibrant color like a doll that you couldn't stop staring at.
"Y-you're in the way." he mutters, lifting his finger to adjust the glasses that hung on the tip of his nose with his other arm holding the notebooks tightly against his chest, and slightly panicking when he notices the lack of presence of the frame.
"You're welcome." you level up the glasses to his face, straightening the messy strands of hair on his head with your fingers and a smirk on your face. He blushes and forms a pout with his mouth, mumbling something you couldn't hear and taking his glasses back from your hand, without even looking back before running away.
As the days passed, the more lost your mind seemed to become after your sudden encounter with Scaramouche. You'd taken the hat he had forgotten home, as he had run away from you out of the blue that day and left it with you. Until now he didn't seem to notice the lack of the accessory, unlike your mind which couldn't erase the meeting between the two of you from your memory.
Your thoughts were always about him and what happened that day, how silly he looked wearing glasses, but still how satisfying it was to know that you were the only one who was aware of his ethereal beauty. Your concentration was unconsciously broken the moment your eyes landed on Scaramouche, head wandering through scenarios that you created about him and made your heart race without your permission.
The situation got to the point where one of your teachers called you to talk about your sudden lack of attention during class and your friends started to worry, asking you if everything was okay, you just shrugged it off as a personal problem.
Maybe if you took the time to actually talk to him and get to know him better, that would stop, right? Wrong.
It was incredibly difficult to maintain a topic with Scaramouche (that or he didn't pay you the slightest attention). He was closed off, in a way that scared you. His hat was still stored with you inside a large bag that you took to school every day. You weren't the shy type, so why so much trouble handing his belongings back? It's not like you got attached to it or anything...
But in the end, talking to him ended up being inevitable, as you were paired up together to work in pairs by a great irony of fate. All you had to do was ask a simple "what do you have in mind?" for him to start babbling on his own, and you just assumed that was how you'd bring up a topic next time...
"Next time?" This should be the last one! It was just a matter of handing over his hat and continuing with your life, but did you really want that?
He would never know the dark places your mind wandered to as he spoke huge sentences without a single pause. How his velvety voice sent you soaring.
It was so naughty of you to take your fantasies — that you were supposed to have in the confines of your room — to the classroom, your thighs rubbing against each other under the table in search of relief.
"Are you even listening to me?!" His call would bring you back down for a second. Your chin rested in the palm of your hand, but without stopping your mouth from opening and a little drool dripping from the corner.
Maybe you would listen to what he had to say if he threw you face down against a counter, aggressively took off your shorts just to fuck you from behind :(
Of course, it'd be more difficult to understand and assimilate what he wanted to say in your fucked out state, but he could thrust the knowledge into you!! Moving his waist like crazy and laying his chin over your shoulders. His mouth so close to your ear that all you could hear were his off-key moans.
He'd look so cute all concentrated!! Eyes closed and sweat running down his forehead. At some point he would get so out of control that his tongue would roll out, and thin lines of drool could be seen in his mouth. You could be his little fuck toy, as long as he uses you and only you for his pleasure.
The way he'd squeeze your waist too... After having made you cum so many times, of course that area of your belly would be sensitive! The way he squeezes you, at the same time he thrusts his dick with all his might into your wet hole, you think you're going to faint. It even feels like he's hugging you like a cute teddy bear, without caring how messy he's leaving your insides.
"You're not paying attention again..." he complains, clearly irritated. You nod and he rolls his eyes, continuing with his speech when he thinks he's got your attention.
But maybe that's not the right way... He should leave you on your knees in front of him, sucking his dick willingly so you can learn your lesson. Doing your job of cleaning him up after he had taken his cock out of you.
Classes end and you say goodbye to Scaramouche. He's clearly surprised when you pull him into a hug, rushing out before he can say anything, smiling and giggling. Now you were covered with his sweet scent. The same fragrance that impregnated his hat.
Oh, and about the hat... Who knows, maybe one day you'll return it to its owner again? It's still very useful to you. (╯︵╰)
Summary: You are another lost soul at Sunny Day Excursions. You’re aiming to settle in Helena, Montana, where Beau Arlen is the new sheriff in town. But you’ve both got a past you’re running from.
AN: Welcome to my first ever Big Sky series! I’ve been wanting to get to this for a while now. I’m so glad I finally get to start sharing this with you! I truly hope you enjoy the ride. (Note: This is set towards the beginning of season 3.)
Song Inspo: “Fly Away” by John Denver. And remember, you can listen to the full Take Me Home Playlist ⬅️ here.
Word Count: 4,400
Tags/Warnings: A bit of angst, a bit of setup, “Glamper Girl,” and a side helping of cops enjoying baked goods…
❤️ Series Masterlist
Part 1: All of Her Days
“This really feels like cheating,” you mused.
Yet again, you surveyed the sheer size and luxury of this tent you were supposed to be “camping” in.
Between the giant king-sized bed with crème and burgundy comforters, a two-seater dining table, a dresser (with a vanity), and even a small bookshelf, it looked like the Taj Mahal of glamping.
“Can’t you just enjoy it?” your best friend replied, poking a teasing finger into your side. She smirked when you flinched and gave her some playful side-eye. “My parents are the ones footing the bill, anyway.”
“Of which, I intend to pay them back for my half,” you said. Mary just rolled her eyes and waved you off. Her parents’ money was something she’d never had a problem spending.
“Come on, they’re getting ready to go on the hike without us,” she said, tossing her little purse over her shoulder. You were a bit more practical with your backpack, filled with a bottle of water, a couple snacks, bug spray, and your sketch pad.
Mary bumped your shoulder with hers as you two walked out of the tent, and you gave her a smile. You were glad she insisted on this little week-long excursion. It gave you exactly five more days to enjoy the fresh air of no responsibilities, before you returned to reality.
“So where are you guys from?” you asked a couple of walking companions on the early-morning hike.
The woods of Helena, Montana were vast and deep, and you found them a bit intimidating. You were a city girl, through and through, but you were learning to appreciate the mountains and the steep trails flanked by dense trees. You were also grateful that you weren’t alone.
Emily seemed to be a nice girl around sixteen, while her stepfather Avery was a lightly graying man in his 40s. You pegged his accent as English, the “casual posh” kind. On a scale from Dame Maggie Smith to Dick Van Dyke's attempt at cockney, you’d put Avery on a Benedict Cumberbatch level.
“Well, I met her mother in Houston,” Avery replied, nodding at the girl beside you. “She and Emily joined me here in Helena after we were married this past spring.”
Emily confirmed with a nod. “Yep, starting school here in a few months.”
At that, you could smile. “Me too, actually.”
Emily gave you a confused look while she fiddled with an app on her phone.
“What? You’re still in school?” she asked.
“No,” you laughed. “I’m—”
“She’s a college professor,” Mary tacked on. “AKA: a giant nerd.”
Emily tried not to smile at your expense. You just shook your head at your friend.
“Thanks,” you said wryly, despite your amusement. “We can’t all be personal trainers. One can only take so much Spandex.”
Mary rolled her eyes and prepared to fire back a retort, but your attention shifted back to Emily, who seemed to be debating whether to press a red button on her phone. You thought it looked like a voice recording app.
You followed her line of vision and saw Paige and Luke up ahead—a young “happy couple” here at Sunny Day Excursions. They were whisper-yelling at each other, sniping something about Luke’s birthday. Apparently, he had a problem with getting another year older.
Don’t we all, you thought, with no small amount of sarcasm. The guy had been a sour apple since the start of this trip, and to be honest, he was starting to get on your damn nerves.
“This is like, prime time stuff for my podcast,” Emily whispered.
You looked over at her. “Oh yeah? What’s your podcast about?”
“Relationships, lies, that sort of thing,” she replied.
You almost grimaced. Good luck finding willing subjects for that one.
Mary snickered on your other side. She leaned close to your ear so only you would hear.
“God, Paige’s voice is so effing annoying. Like a chipmunk on helium,” she said. “I feel sorry for him.”
You shot her a dry look. “He’s the one asking for it, if you ask me. But they’ve been going at it the whole time. Makes me feel sorry for both of them.”
You shook your head and kept walking on the trail. Mary sobered as she stared back at you. She was reminded of why you two were really here, and what you’d been through this past year…
What you all had been through.
You and Mary fell behind Avery and Emily on the trail, giving Mary the opportunity to touch your arm and stop you in the middle of the trail.
“Do you really plan to stay here?” she asked. “In dusty-ass Montana? With the snakes and the bears and the old hicks?”
“Well, I got the key to my apartment before we got here,” you said. And she knew that. “My aunt is letting me crash with her until the rest of my things ship over in a couple of weeks, and I start a new job in the fall. So yeah, I’m staying.”
Mary’s lips pursed. She gave you a long look, but you held your ground. You even popped your Airpods in for good measure. You were done with this conversation.
She huffed and kept walking.
You watched your friend go in annoyance. You knew she would try to talk you out of your decision at some point on this trip, but you hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
Heaving a sigh, you looked up at the clear sky above you, filtered through the tall trees. You took a moment to collect yourself in this great big no man’s land, where you could finally let yourself slow down for a minute, and breathe.
You raised the volume in your Airpods when a particular song came through.
“All of her days have gone soft and cloudy. All of her dreams have gone dry,” crooned the soft melody. You nodded to the rhythm of the mellow notes, but all the while, you tried to blink through the sting of tears.
“All of her nights have gone sad and shady. She's getting ready to fly…”
You rubbed your left hand, where you still had the tan line of the ring you used to wear.
“It’s really okay, sweetie,” Mary tried to console you, rubbing her hand between your shoulders.
After the hike, you all had returned to camp and sat down to brunch. It was an amazing spread, with waffles and muffins and Danishes, eggs done three different ways, toast with jam, assorted sandwiches, coffee and orange juice (and sparkling wine for the adults).
But even with a huge plate of appetizing food in front of you, you were sulking a bit. You had your face covered by your hands as you rested your elbows on the table.
“One of my only goals on this trip was to ride a damn horse, and I couldn’t even do that,” you said.
Sunny Barnes and her husband Buck were the heads and hosts of this whole trip. And after the hike, their son, Cormack, had tried to help you onto the nice chestnut mare the handler had brought out of the stable for you. But your entire body had locked up in fear at the prospect of being vaulted onto the horse.
In fairness, she was huge. And you were both afraid of heights, and animals that could buck you off its back and trample you.
You hadn’t been able to speak. You just shook your head vigorously every time Cormack asked you if you were okay.
So he’d graciously patted your back and gave the mare to Emily instead.
“I’ve never been able to ride a horse either,” Avery offered in commiseration. You lowered your hands and gave him a wan smile.
Emily was carving an apple with an impressive (and somewhat scary) looking pocketknife. She shrugged.
“It’s not so hard,” she said. But, perhaps realizing how she sounded, she looked up and gave you an apologetic look. “Sorry. I mean, I’m sure you’ll get it! It’s hard in the beginning, but once you get used to it, it’s like riding a bike.”
Right. A bike with hooves, you thought, ripping a piece of bread from your egg and cheese sandwich.
Mary bumped your shoulder with a teasing smile. “You just got showed up by a high schooler. Again.”
You pursed your lips in amusement. You tossed the piece of bread. It hit her dead between the eyes. You giggled at the way she jumped with a start.
“Real mature,” she shot back.
“Yeah,” you replied, taking a giant bite of your sandwich for good measure. “I learned from you.”
Even Emily snickered, making Mary roll her eyes in amusement.
Shortly after, Avery and his stepdaughter were finished with brunch and got up to get back to their tents.
You glanced over and noticed that Emily had left her knife on the table, now closed in its sheath.
Sheriff Beau Arlen may have still been relatively new in town, but he considered himself a consummate professional.
He’d agreed to accompany Cassie, the local private investigator (and his friend), up to this mountain pass to look for a missing backpacker. Questioning Buck and Sunny Barnes and their crew was just good old-fashioned, thorough police work.
But if it also gave Beau a chance to check on his daughter up here “glamping” with her half-baked stepfather, then he couldn’t pass up on that opportunity, now could he?
After talking to Buck and Sunny, who hadn’t seen hide or hair of the backpacker, Beau let Cassie take care of questioning Cormack Barnes while Beau found his daughter outside her tent. After giving her a big hug and inspecting her “tent” (Really? he thought. Looks more like a hotel room than a tent.), he asked her how her trip was going so far.
“Good, Dad. But you really didn’t have to come all the way out here just to check up on me,” Emily said. She was amused, but no longer surprised to see him.
“No, no, no. I didn’t, okay?” Beau refuted. Though at the look on her face, he knew he wasn’t fooling her. She was a sharp kid. “All right, maybe not the only reason. We had to talk to Sunny about a missing backpacker. It’s something Cassie’s investigating.”
Emily’s amusement faded into surprise, and then concern.
“Wait, what?” she said.
“Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing. Just, you know…parents probably didn’t get the memo that ‘off-the-grid’ was part of the deal,” he said, giving her a meaningful raise of his brows. Maybe his daughter didn’t have to screen so many of his calls while she was on this trip.
But he smiled. Just seeing her made his whole week better…and it alleviated some of the hurt in his heart. Not getting to be with her on a trip like this stung. And knowing Avery was the one who got to be there for her grated on him.
Beau was already missing too much of his daughter’s life, and he still wasn’t too sure on how to deal with that.
Speak of the devil, he thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Avery approaching. Beau forced himself to look as close to pleasant as he could get around his ex-wife’s husband.
While Mary went back to the tent to freshen up, you grabbed Emily’s pocketknife and went to look for her so you could return it. It had a wood-carved hilt and had her initials, E. A., engraved on the side. The knife looked special, not the kind of thing you wanted to lose.
You found her outside her tent with her stepfather, and a man you didn’t know. He had broad shoulders and short brown hair that swept above his brow. When he turned to look at you, the first thing you noticed was the cut of his bearded chin, and then the green of his eyes.
You didn’t realize it, but your insides stilled, just for a moment. Then you remembered to smile.
Avery looked a bit tense, as did the newcomer. You sensed you were interrupting a tete-a-tete.
“Uh, hi. I’m sorry,” you said, and extended the sheathed knife toward Emily. “Just wanted to get this back to you. You left it at the table.”
“Oh! Thanks,” Emily said gratefully.
“Well, hi there,” said the new guy. He was tall, you noted, wearing a beige jacket over a buttoned-down shirt, some jeans, and boots. It was a casual look, but all worked very well for him…in a rugged cowboy sense.
“This is my dad,” Emily supplied.
“Sheriff Beau Arlen, ma’am,” he said, giving you a more friendly smile that you matched in kind when you shook his hand. You also gave him your name to go along with it.
“You here for a little belated vacation, Sheriff?” you added.
“No. Matter of fact, I’m here on police business,” he replied. That concerned you, but he was quick to wave a dismissive hand. “Everything’s okay here. Just checking on a missing backpacker. But it looks like we’ll have to continue our search for him elsewhere.”
You hummed at that in concern. “Well, I hope you find him.”
“I do too,” he agreed with a nod.
Then, Emily took the slight pause in the conversation as her chance to escape.
“Okay, Dad, well, we’re gonna go hike down to the lake,” she said, gesturing at Avery. “But as you can see, I’m fine. We’re fine.”
Beau’s smile became a bit tight, but he nodded in understanding. He gave her a big hug, and you could see he was reluctant to let her go. Avery stood behind them. He held tension in his shoulders. You felt a bit awkward yourself, being in the midst of what was clearly an uneasy family dynamic.
Beau released his daughter. After she took off with Avery following close behind, Beau turned to you next. You tried not to blush at the sight of his handsome face.
“Sorry, again,” you said, raising a placating hand. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
His lips twitched upward, and he shook his head. “You’re fine. Though you don’t look like a local. You from outta town?”
I could say the same thing about you, cowboy, you thought. There was a slight southern drawl in his voice that sounded like Alabama. Maybe Texas?
“You got me,” you nodded. “I’m from Chicago originally, but…I’ve actually just moved here to Helena.”
“Ahh, a city girl,” he remarked. “Small world. I just got here a few months ago myself. Houston, Texas.”
Your smile brightened. Right on the money.
“Yeah, I figured,” you couldn’t help teasing him a little. His grin kicked up in the corner.
“How’re the mountains and fresh air treating you then?” he asked. “Better than that blanket a’ smog in Chicago.”
“We do not have smog…or, well, not that much,” you laughed, “but yes, I’m actually really liking it here so far. I mean, I just got here about a week ago. I’m still learning. Though Emily actually tried to help me ride a horse today.”
“Yeah?” His brows raised. “How’d that go?”
You had to laugh. A kind of self-deprecating laugh that had you half-covering your face to stem off your blush.
“Not well,” you admitted.
Beau ducked his head with a smile. He met your eyes in amusement, but not without kindness.
“Well, here’s a tip for ya,” he said. He planted his feet, held his hands up into lightly clenched fists. “The trick is in the legs. Grip tight, but not too tight. He’ll think you’re rarin’ to go.”
You blinked a bit wider. Was that just honest advice…or was he sort of flirting with you?
It made you blush in earnest.
“Ah. Good to know,” you said with a laugh. He treated you with a tip of his imaginary hat.
“Hey,” someone called out.
Both of your heads turned to a tall black woman with long curly hair. She gave you a polite smile before she nodded up at Beau.
“You ready to go?” she asked.
“Ah, yep,” Beau nodded. He gave you an apologetic look. “Sorry, gotta get back to the station.”
“Oh, of course,” you said. But you held up a finger. “Wait, just a sec.”
You hastened back over to the table of confections from brunch and offered them a chocolate chip muffin each for the road. Cassie politely declined, but Beau gladly took his.
“Although, are you trying to stereotype me or somethin’?” he teased.
Your brows furrowed in confusion, but after a moment, it hit you. You’d just given a cop a baked good.
“At least it wasn’t a donut,” you quipped, despite your embarrassment. Beau still looked bemused, but he let you off the hook.
“That’s okay. I’ve never been known to turn down free food,” he assured.
“He really doesn’t,” Cassie confirmed. You noticed how she was waiting, arms crossed.
“Well, there you go! Sorry for keeping you,” you said.
“Not at all, darlin’,” said Beau. His smile had a charming gleam. “Nice to meet you.”
You quirked a smile back. “Wow, you are from Texas.”
You didn’t think you’d ever been called darlin’ in your life.
Beau’s good humor shifted into slight embarrassment himself.
“Sorry. I’ve been told to stop doing that,” he said. When he chuckled, you did along with him. You weren’t offended by it, just surprised by the old-fashioned endearment.
“It’s okay,” you said. “Nice to meet you too, Sheriff.”
You raised a hand in goodbye, and Beau returned it, watching you go. Meanwhile, Cassie watched him with a small smirk. He stepped down from the short platform in front of Emily’s tent to meet her.
“Were you just checking out Glamper Girl? In front of your daughter, no less,” Cassie remarked.
Beau shot her a look of denial. “I did no such thing. I’m a professional. And a gentleman, mind you.”
Cassie rose a brow at him. It stirred up a bit of his defensiveness.
“But, I’ll have you know that Em had already moved on when I had a friendly conversation with the glamper,” he said.
Cassie rolled her eyes. Right.
That afternoon, you decided to bring your sketchpad and your modest collection of paints to the lake. You sat on the bank and tried to paint, while Mary joined the others in swimming.
“That looks nice,” Emily’s voice startled you from behind.
You twisted to look at her, and she gave you an apologetic look. She was dressed to go for a swim in a one-piece bathing suit and some shorts. She seemed more of a conservative dresser than typical high school girls her age. Maybe that had something to do with a policeman being her father, or maybe that was just her personality.
“Sorry,” she said, raising her hands.
“It’s okay.” You waved it off and gestured for her to sit beside you if she wanted. She did so, admiring your work over your shoulder. You felt a little embarrassed by it, but you didn’t mind her watching you try to paint ripples of light on the water.
“Are you an artist?” she asked.
You shot her a smile. “You’re very sweet, but no. I just started this year.”
You’d just Googled some therapeutic techniques instead of, you know, going to therapy. You just knew that if you did, your aunt would probably tell your parents, who would never let you hear the end of it. Specifically, why it was a waste of time. Your father especially would have something to say.
But one of the sources you found suggested trying out some creative outlets to calm the mind and think productively, but not create more stress for yourself. You’d tried a few different things, but landed on painting. It was working for you so far, even if you didn’t think you were that good.
“How do you like Montana so far?” you asked your companion. “Your dad told me you guys just moved here too, a few months ago.”
“Yeah, when my mom got remarried, my dad moved to stay close to me,” Emily explained.
Your brows raised. Your painting hand paused with the brush near the page.
“Well, that’s a good father,” you said. You smiled at the thought of Beau Arlen. The way he hugged his daughter before, like she was his entire world, and the fact that he’d moved entire states just to stay with her, told you a great deal about the town’s new sheriff.
Emily nodded, but her lips were pressed. “He’s a bit overprotective.”
“Well, he is a cop,” You said, smiling. “I assume that’s just part of the package.”
“I get that,” she said. “It’s just…a bit much sometimes.”
You gave her a sympathetic look. “I understand. My dad can be like that too. He’s got his soft moments, but he can be a real tough nut too… He’s a retired fireman.”
“Wow, that’s cool,” Emily said. She looked impressed. “Did you ever want to be a firefighter?”
You chuckled. “No, and he never wanted me to. It just wasn’t my beat, anyway.”
In the many years before your father had risen in the ranks to firehouse chief, your mother had often worried about him when he was on shift. Being a firefighter in inner-city Chicago had brought some hard and dangerous calls.
But you had always been more bookish, and both your parents were grateful for that.
You sighed. Your paintbrush made a stroke of deep green on the page, creating darker shades in the bottom of the lake.
“I did end up dating one though. Almost married him too,” you muttered, before you could stop yourself. You forgot you were talking to an insatiably curious girl.
“Really? What happened?” she asked. You looked over at her, and she was staring at you with her full attention. You remembered then that her podcast was supposed to be about relationships, but you had no desire to be a subject.
“It didn’t work out,” you said at last, and with difficulty.
“Why?” Emily asked.
Your internal struggle kept you quiet. It gave time for Emily to really see the withdrawn, almost pained look on your face, the slight hunch of your shoulders. She deflated guiltily.
“Uh, sorry,” she said.
You offered a small smile. “It’s okay, honey.”
“I’ll uh, just let you get back to painting,” she said. You waved her goodbye after she got up and left, giving you one last look before she joined her stepfather in the lake.
You let out a deep breath. The teen was tenacious, and naturally curious. That in itself wasn’t such a bad thing. But as you watched her splash at Avery, laughing that weightless laugh that kids got to have, you realized how much you missed being that young and free in your heart.
Again, out of habit, you set down your brush and rubbed at your empty left ring finger.
Mary finally joined you back in your shared tent after a long night of socializing by the fire. You had kept to the tent, reading Much Ado About Nothing for one of your classes that would start in the fall. It wasn’t your first time reading the Shakespeare play, by any means, but you did want to brush up on it.
“You know, you’re actually supposed to be vacationing on this vacation,” Mary pointed out. She started changing into her pajamas for bed. You were already cozy in one of your old college hoodies and some shorts, not to mention snuggled under the warm blankets.
“I am,” you said defensively. “I hiked, I painted, I ate no less than one burger, a basket of fries, and three smores, and now I’m reading.”
“Yeah, for school,” she pointed out. “I may not be as smart as you, but I know homework when I see it.”
You shot her a smile. “You’re plenty smart, M.”
She snorted and slipped into bed beside you. It felt like the sleepovers you two used to have in college, years ago, when she’d come to crash in your dorm, or you in hers. She’d been a philosophy major (despite not giving two shits about Socrates), forced to attend college by her parents. You were an English major, working three part-time jobs just to get you through until graduation.
“Hey,” she said, laying a hand on your shoulder. You turned to her in question. She seemed more serious than usual.
“I’m worried about you,” she said. “And I’m not the only one.”
You sighed. Lowering your book, you leaned back against your pillows and stared up at the tent’s fairy lights.
“I know,” you replied. “But you don’t need to be.”
“Yeah you keep saying that, but you know the real reason I’m here, right?” Mary asked. Her insistent hand on your arm made you meet her eyes.
“You don’t have to do this," she said. "You don’t have to move out here and leave everything behind. You should just come home with me. Your parents, our friends—everyone wants to be there for you, like we have all year.”
Your lips pursed, and you shook your head.
“I’m not going to change my mind. So if that’s really why you’re here, and not to just spend some time with me, as my friend, then you should just go home,” you said. “I’ll leave here and go to my aunt’s house. I’m sure your parents can negotiate some kind of refund.”
Mary got angry and huffy, just like you thought she would. You weren’t playing around though. This was your life, and your decision.
If your friends and your family couldn’t be happy for you, or at least understanding, then they could at least respect you. You just weren’t sure when they’d get the hint that this was real.
You were moving to Montana, permanently.
On the drive back into town from the camping site, Beau ate his chocolate chip muffin and tried his best to listen to Cassie—to her theories on where the backpacker might’ve gone, and how best to tell the parents to keep her on this investigation.
A good part of him was still thinking about his daughter, wishing he could be there with her right now.
And maybe, his mind occasionally wandered…thinking about the pretty shade of your eyes when you smiled at him.
AN: And there we have it, Part 1 of a new series! If you liked it, please let me know! 🥰
And a special Happy Birthday to @jackles010378! 💖 I was going to say we're both Aries (mine is next month) but forgot Pisces comes first lol. ♓
Next Time:
The trees were tall and dark now. The moon was filtering through them like the sun had during other day hikes, but it was much more ominous at night.
“Shit,” you muttered. You gripped your flashlight in worry as panic started to well up in your chest.
Now you were lost.
You jumped with a start when the hoot of a bird passed by overhead.
Shiiiit. This was very bad.
You kept moving forward on what you thought was the trail. That was all you could do, keep moving forward. You made a few turns around some trees, occasionally calling out for Sunny, or Mary, or anyone to hear you.
The richest neighborhoods built with maybe a couple hundred yards of forest between them and the Forest Hills trailer park.
“I don’t want to see that rubbish out my window.” Steve’s mother would say as she closed all the blinds at the back of the house come winter. Something beyond the bare trees that Steve could never see, and she didn't want to.
“You be careful in those woods now, Eddie. Don’t wanna see ya gettin’ hurt.” Wayne would warn. Never telling him to stay out, just a “Be careful.” since he knew Eddie would go no matter what.
That couple hundred yards of forest was Steve’s favorite place to go; it was Eddie’s favorite place to go.
At the halfway point between their homes, they made a place all their own. The place they met.
Whenever Steve felt alone, he would go to their spot.
Whenever Eddie felt like a burden, he would go to their spot.
Steve wouldn’t be alone, and Eddie could never be a burden to his friend.
They would play there together in the spring when Eddie would visit for Easter, all summer long when Steve was on break from school (Eddie too, visiting his Uncle for the season). During the short extra hours of Thanksgiving before they would have to go back for dinner. Every bright, freezing day of winter break.
Every day was some sort of adventure, either one that Eddie’s uncle had read to him about from those Ring Lord books he loved, or an adventure all his own! Eddie was always telling some sort of story.
The short hills and valleys became foxholes, sticks and branches were swords and bows, giant spoons to stir a potion of mud and bugs, the walls of a fort just for them.
“Hear ye, Hear ye! Beloved denizens of Harringson county, Fort Steddie is now complete!” Eddie declared loudly, putting the last leafy branch onto the lopsided roof. It was the summer after Eddie officially moved to Hawkins. They were 11.
“Steddie?”
Eddie jumps down from the tree he’d latched onto to get up to the roof and pushes the short curls he’s managed to grow back since last year off his forehead. “Yeah, like Steve and Eddie mushed together. Duh.”
“Not..Eddeve? Why not just call it Fort Harringson?”
“All options were considered, Stevie,” Eddie assures, holding one palm up, his other hand resting behind him on his lower back. “Steddie had a better ring to it.”
“You have a better ring to it.” Steve teases, running off immediately, Eddie not far behind with his favorite branch-turned-sword.
A scant two years later, Steve and Eddie share their first kiss under the roof of Fort Steddie, in the heart of Harringson County.
Two more finds them nearly coming to blows.
Eddie embarrassed Steve. On the very first day of High School. Steve doesn’t even fucking remember what it was that Eddie did now, the actual offence lost to time.
The last time he and Eddie were together in those woods?…Wasn’t.
“It’s high school Eddie, I wanted to–to be cool!”
“Well, I think you’re cool. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Eddie’s hair is longer now, it curls under his ears and Steve still remembers how it had felt between his fingers.
“No! ‘Cause you’re not cool! You’re a nerd!” Steve remembers he regretted those words immediately after they left his mouth. No. He regretted them as they were coming out.
Eddie’s jaw had clenched.
“Eddie–”
He turned on his heel and marched back towards his trailer.
“Fine! Walk away! Just like everyone else in my life!” What was he talking about? His parents weren’t around enough to walk away.
Eddie doesn’t look back. He only pauses to grab his backpack where he’d dropped it against a tree.
After that day, Steve feels alone whenever he enters the woods behind his house.
Every day since then, he’s wanted so badly to tear apart that lopsided little fort in the middle of the forest.
But he couldn’t.
He couldn’t bear to tear down the only place he’d ever had where he didn’t feel alone.
He couldn’t bear to tear down the place of his first kiss with the man he still loves.
For years, Fort Steddie sits empty.
Steve and Eddie will both deny ever going back, but of course they had. Always missing each other, in heart and in reality.
It was the first place Steve thought of when Dustin barreled into Family Video looking for Eddie in March of ‘86, but he couldn’t get the words out. His mouth denying his brain’s demands to tell them about their spot in the forest.
So he kept quiet, letting the others figure out where else Eddie might be, promising to check there himself as soon as he had a chance.
Luckily though, they had found Eddie. In Reefer Rick’s boathouse of all places. Steve’s first thought when getting threatened with a broken bottle to the throat (after “Oh thank fuck you’re safe.”) was that it was good Eddie hadn’t hidden at their fort, it was too obvious of a spot.
Much later, while walking through the freezing cold upside-down Hawkins, Robin questions the little shelter they come across when almost to Eddie’s trailer.
“Is this Castle Byers?” She asks, sticking her head into the little door.
“No,” Steve and Eddie say at once.
Robin and Nancy both give them a weird look, but Eddie barrels forward, “We shouldn’t be that far now; I built this in the woods outside my trailer when I first moved in with Wayne.”
Eddie jogs forward to reach them, he and Nancy heading up the group now, Robin trailing behind.
Steve gives the fort a wistful look as he passes, then jogs forward as well, further into the fray.
They push on; they plan, they build weapons, Eddie builds a shield. Dustin copies him.
When Steve, Robin, and Nancy head back towards those same woods, the forest’s sure safety replaced in his gut by pure dread, Eddie stops Steve with an unsure “Hey Steve? Make him pay.”.
Steve loses it.
He stomps back the three steps he’d taken, grabs Eddie by the open flaps of his jacket and vest, and kisses him.
It only takes half a second for Eddie to kiss him back; their lips falling into rhythm as if no time had passed at all.
“What did I just tell you, Eddie?” Steve questions the dumbfounded metalhead under his hands, ignoring Robin and Dustin’s wolf-whistles while zipping up the protective layers his dumb of ass, beloved Eddie was about to leave open to the unforgiving world around him.
He can see how red Eddie’s face is, even in this dark hellscape. “What’d yo– You sa–”
“I said.” Steve emphasizes, pulling up the thick plastic zipper of Eddie’s new vest. “Don’t try to be cute, don’t be heroes.” he hooks his fingers into the armholes of the armored clothing, holding Eddie close. “You can’t help the ‘cute’ part, but you can help the second part.”
Eddie continues to stare at him, dumbfounded.
“Keep him safe, Eddie. Keep yourself safe too.” He looks him over once again. “I’ve been alone in those woods for too damn long. I’d like to keep you around once this is over.” he whispers, smirking at the other man.
"I-I will.."
Steve steps back, walking backward toward the woods, toward the Creel house, “It’s not quite Fort Steddie without the ‘Eddie’, you know.” Eddie’s own smirk climbs onto his face despite his attempts to frown it away.
Steve finally turns, walking away with Robin hanging off his side, no doubt berating him about the…all of that that just happened.
Speaking of: “Holy shit Eddie, what the fuck was all that??”
“Language, Henderson.”
i originally posted this as the shorter angsty-er version but i liked the rest of what i wrote too much not to post the whole thing 😅 so if you saw the first version, i hope you like the additions lmao
Dating the olo'eyktans son wasn't as bad as anyone thought, even if you were human and he was na'vi.
He chose you, out of all the girls in his clan who'd throw themselves at his feet he wanted you as his mate.
You sighed turning around in your chair to face your boyfriend who was sprawled across your bed laying on his back, Norm had been gracious giving you a giant bed so Neteyam was comfortable if he ever came over.
Standing up you walked over to the na'vi climbing ontop of him to straddle his waist "Teyammm" you pouted.
"Yes syulang?" He spoke softly looking up at you "What is wrong?" His huge hands moved to your thighs rubbing soothing motions on them.
Leaning down you pressed a soft kiss against his lips "I want you" , the tips of his ears along with his cheeks turned a light shade of pink "I..I don't know what you mean.." his voice quiet as his looked away.
Placing your hand on his cheek you turned his face to look at you “Do you trust me sayrìp?” , the omaticaya gulped softly before nodding his head.
Your eyes narrowed slightly “Words baby” , “Yes mommy, I trust you.” Smiling you leaned in kissing him softly “Good boy~”
Neteyams tail swished happy at your praise, he watched as you leaned back to reach for the ties in his loincloth. Once you untied his loincloth pulling it off his hands went to cover himself.
“What’s wrong baby?” You asked tilting your head slightly , Neteyam’s eyes looked anywhere but at you “I am just nervous..”
“It’s ok paskalin, you’ll enjoy it I promise” finally turning his gaze to you he nodded slowly hesitantly removing his hands placing them by his sides instead.
Your mouth watered once you saw the size of him, long and very girthy with beautiful patterns of tanhì littering his cock.
Slowly you leaned down licking from the base to his tip, a sharp gasp left your boyfriends lips as you took his cock in your mouth.
Neteyam’s eyes rolled back as you began bobbing your head taking more of him, his hips started bucking up shoving more of his cock down your throat.
Tears pricked your eyes but you weren’t about to quit now, while you tried focusing on bringing your beautiful boy closer to the edge one of your hands reached down to gently massage his balls.
Your boyfriend hissed as he pulled you off his cock, thick spurts of bioluminescent cum shot out covering your clothed chest and thighs.
Panting Neteyam’s eyes widened “I’m sorry..i’m so sorry..” you only chuckled softly looking down at the mess he made “Don’t be sorry yawne it’s fine.”
The na’vi just shook his head “But I m-” he’s cut off as you grabbed him by the chin “Paskalin, do you think I’d do something like this if I wasn’t prepared to get a little messy?”
Neteyam was quiet for a bit after that but still unsure about the whole thing “What if I can not pleasure you that well?..”
“My darling boy.. I will still love you either way, besides I’m sure you’ll feel amazing inside of me~” with that you slowly began to undress throwing your clothes off the side of the bed.
Your boyfriend couldn’t help but blush as he watched you, his eyes roamed down your body now actually seeing it for the first time.
Straddling him you lined his tip with your soaked entrance before slowly sliding down onto him, whimpering Neteyam squeezed his eyes feeling your gummy walls sucking his cock inside.
Fuck he was huge.. by the time you took him to the hilt there was a small bulge in your stomach, cupping his face you leaned in kissing his nose “Open your eyes darling.”
Neteyam’s eyes gradually opened , “Good boy” you praised, slowly you began lifting yourself up only to drop back down onto him coaxing out the most beautiful sounds from your boyfriend.
As you picked up your pace he became a whimpering mess underneath you, his tail curled around your thigh while he leaned his head back against the headboard.
Seeing the opportunity you leaned in leaving sloppy kisses and hickies along his beautiful azure skin, “M-mo-mmy rutxe..” he gasped bucking his hips up.
“Please what, darling?” Grinning you leaned back looking at him, his ears are pinned back against his head, eyes rolled back with his mouth slightly agape.
You knew what he wanted, you just needed to hear him try and say it.
“Oe” he panted “Oe rä'ä kame” tears rolled down his face as he got closer to the edge again, your own orgasm was approaching fast.
Wiping his tears away you spoke softly “Well if you don’t know, how is mommy supposed to give you what you want?”
Sniffling he looked at you through his still teary eyes “Sna’lo rutxe rä'ä ftang..”
A list of Nightmare Time episode ideas that I thought of and I think would be cool:
1.) Mr. Chasity has been trying to sell the old Waylon Place for far too long. After trying and failing over and over, he decides to take matters into his own hands by going in himself to see what all the fuss is about. But nothing could have prepared him to meet the real ghosts of Waylon Hall. And boy oh boy do they have shenanigans in store. (The episode would be called 'Unholy Ghost')
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2.) It's been a few months since Hatchetfield was destroyed in that awful 'accident'. Emma and Paul have been living under the aliases Kelly and Ben Bridges. (there can be a joke where Emma doesn't even pretend to care about her alias and Paul cares too much.) They live in Colorado now. Emma's finally started her pot farm, and Paul is working in marketing. For the most part, they have a good life. Only Paul's acting a bit different lately. Emma caught him humming company jingles, tapping his foot to a beat she can't hear. Maybe those spores he inhaled had some effect on him. It's probably nothing, but he's never sung in the shower before...(I don't have a name for this one yet.)
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3.) Max Jägerman is failing remedial algebra. In fact, he's doing so poorly that his dad shells out and hires him a tutor, PJ. (Bryce's nerd from 'Literal Monster.) He reluctantly lets her help him. At first it seems to work and his grades are rising steadily, but as PJ lets her guard down, Max starts to notice some things. Strange symbols scribbled in the margins of her notebook, almost like...jagged smiles? Weird stains on her hands, when she gets too close she smells like roadkill. And there's this white spider that keeps showing up in his room. Sometimes he feels like it's trying to tell him something. Or warn him. Without knowing what he's gotten himself into, Max has to evade getting his soul swallowed by a hungry god of darkness. (The episode is called 'Dirty Dude Soup')
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4.) Charlotte Sweetly is jealous. Her church friend, Carol Davidson, has exactly the kind of life she wants. Charlotte's seen the way her boss talks about his wife, and would give anything for Sam to feel that way about her. One day, Charlotte finally gathers her courage and asks her how she does it. Carol takes pity on her, and decides to reveal an important secret: it's all the product of a ritual, an ancient spell she stumbled upon on a trip to an amusement park. She claims that ever since she did it, her husband can't get enough of her. "I am all he sees. He calls me the apple of his eye." Charlotte doesn't believe her at first, but Carol gave her the instructions, and why the hell not? She tries it. Unfortunately, Charlotte messes up the wording. The spell still works, but not quite as intended. And an all-seeing police officer could be a good thing, but Sam is not a good police officer. (maybe let's call this one 'Omnipocop'. But that's awful to spell so suggestions are welcome)
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5.) While trying to be an assistant, Steph accidentally botches one of Pete's science projects. He forgives her, but she still feels bad even as he assures her it's no big deal, throwing the mix of chemicals out his window just to prove it. What he doesn't know is that the last family that lived in the Spankoffski house buried their dog in the backyard, and Pete's chemical slurry just brought it back to life. On a probably unrelated note, Paul has been trying to ignore the damage he's finding in his apartment. He's been chalking most of the tipped over garbage cans and torn apart cushion up to rats--giant rats?--or maybe a squirrel. But when a decades-old "missing dog" poster shows up on his doorstep, he can't ignore the truth for any longer. (the episode would be called "Patches' Revenge" and I thing it would work because it's just the right amount of weird. It would end with Paul teaming up with the nerds to defeat undead Patches with science.)
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6.) To his utter delight, Miss Holloway finally agreed to go out with Duke on a proper date. Nothing huge, just some ice cream and a walk on the beach. They're both enjoying themselves when Miss Holloway hears something. Duke can't hear it, but he still follows her down the shore to some kind of cave grotto, where she claims the noise is coming from. She tosses a pebble into the water, testing how it might react. A few moments later, the pebble come flying out again. Duke is stunned, but Miss Holloway tosses her ice cream cone. Sure enough, a few moments later is comes flying back, perfectly dry. They've clearly discovered something, and over the next few days, Duke and Miss Holloway experiment and try to learn about the grotto and the water in it. It's too deep to see the bottom, so their tests mostly involve tossing different things to see how they'll react. Little do they know, there was a reason Miss Holloway could hear a noise coming from the cave. There's a reason it drew her in, too. There's something singing to her, something that lives at the bottom of the grotto. And with each thing they feed it, it becomes a little bit stronger...(and then it's called something unassuming like "Wavecrest Cave")
So that's Nightmare Time season four all lined up. Please tell me if you have a good name idea for episodes 2 and 4. Also if anyone wants to use these as writing prompts, be my guest (just tag me so I can read them)
A/N: I kind of felt like writing something with the turtles again. :3
In my private time I have written a lot about them (especially about Donnie) and I could publish my stuff here :D
(Picture from Pinterest!)
Warnings: Mention of weapons and violence
Part 2
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Leonardo (Strangers to Lovers):
On the night patrol, Leo had decided to split up a bit
On the roofs, he looked closely at the streets and alleys to ensure the safety of the city
At a traffic light, Leo saw you
You were standing next to an older lady and you were chatting with her as you helped her across the street
Your smile was gentle and loving as the older woman laughed with joy
Leo looked at the scenario for a while before you and the older woman walked across the street
When you were on the other side, you waved to the older lady and then continued on your way
Leo briefly looked after the older woman before following you over the rooftops
He followed you until you were at your apartment and put some food out for the street cats
With such a simple action you had Leo's full attention and he was happy that there were still people like you
He made it his own mission to take care of you
Raphael (Cinnamon roll and Guard dog):
Raphael spotted you while he was on patrol
You were backed into a corner and threatened with a gun. The thief wanted your valuables and all your money
Raphael immediately intervened by throwing his sai so that the weapon was knocked away by the thief
Then he grabbed a few bricks and threw them down to knock out the thief
The thief ran away while you still stared up to see your savior
Raph saw a dark corner where you couldn't see him and he jumped into it
"Give me back my weapons."
You had thrown them into the shadows as you silently looked in his direction
You thanked him several times before you stood up and tried to walk towards him, but Raph immediately growled loudly, making you jump back
"Can I meet you again?" you asked him
Raph just huffed before climbing up and leaving you alone
Donatello (Sexy sassy and timid nerd):
Donnie sometimes sneaked into famous universities (without Leo knowing) to see what it was like at a public university
He also saw you quite often during class
Donnie found you very interesting, even though you never really listened, didn't take notes, and never participated in class, you got good grades and got through every class
You were quite popular, with the boys and girls, but you had rejected everyone
One day Donnie had put his number in your bag, hoping he could get to know you better
He knew it was risky, but he wanted to try it. His brothers simply weren't allowed to know
Of course you found his number and called him immediately, but it was a video call
Donnie had always taped up his cameras, but it still scared him. Then he answered
You talked for a while and he had to spend a really long time proving that he didn't go to your university but was homeschooled
You had a good time and even became friends
Donnie found himself admiring you as you still had your camera on and sometimes smiled into it
Michelangelo (Aggressive chihuahua and calm giant):
Mikey had spotted you when it was Halloween and everyone was out celebrating
He snuck out and tried his luck at talking to you. He always got along well with his looks, including you
You had put on the Hogwarts uniform and even had a wand
Mikey complimented you and you had a very long conversation, which you both enjoyed
You told him that his costume looked incredibly realistic, to which he could only giggle nervously
"I've been working on it all year, little one."
His little nicknames for you always made you giggle and his heart fluttered every time he heard it
But when Mikey was whistled back by Leo, he staggered towards you in disappointment before disappearing into the crowd so that no one noticed him anymore
You were disappointed that he had to leave, just like Mikey was disappointed to leave
Since then, you came to the place where you met every day and Mikey saw you there all the time
I got into the hot car and with a small jump I left my butt in the passenger seat, I took the wet towel with the sweat of my "older brother", I wiped the sweat from my armpits, the smell of the towel permeated the entire car, but we are used even to each other's sweat.
Immediately, I noticed the smile of my "older brother" who was next to me, impatient to compare the size of our biceps, he flexed his colossal arm in front of me just to show off the size of the triceps that were originally mine.
-WOW! I can't believe how fast those arms have grown! All my friends are going to be so jealous when I go back to school in January! -
I'm glad to know that my brother was enjoying my "gift" but I was even more glad that it didn't cost me a single penny, like every year my family exchanged Christmas gifts.
And The One this year was Kevin, My annoying little brother, Normally I would have bought him something like a video game or something I could play with, but this year I had spent too much money on my ex-girlfriend, That bitch squeezed every penny out of me until my wallet was totally empty. And all for what in the end I will find her in the bed of a campus idiot…
Whatever. I was broke, depressed, AND still owed my chubby 15-year-old brother his little Christmas present. When I was at the mall looking for some gift no bigger than $5 I came across a Shiny coin lying on the floor I probably couldn't buy my brother a video game this year, but I was sure he would love this coin, he's a total nerd, and he loves to collect these kinds of things for his Dungeons and Dragons game.
I wanted to give him his gift a couple of days before Christmas, and privately I didn't want my family to be mad at me for breaking the rule with the price of the gift, and when I gave it to him, he didn't seem too happy with his new coin his disappointment was very noticeable on his face. So I promised him that I would take him to the gym with me to help him with those extra kilos so that he would stop being teased at school for being overweight.
As soon as I told him that, his expression totally changed, we didn't use to spend a lot of time together and when he came home from the gym at the university he always begged for some attention from his older brother. Well, now we are inseparable.
The moment I handed him the coin, our hands touched. A strange sensation from the coin ran through our bodies. I couldn't move or take my hands off the coin, no matter how hard I tried, my muscular arms didn't react. Nor the rest of my body for what seemed to me 5 long minutes.
Without warning the strange sensation disappeared and me and my brother were pushed backwards, the strange coin fell to the floor making a metallic sound.
As soon as I opened my eyes I knew something was wrong with me, my body was totally different, my muscles were gone and instead of my fantastic six-pack I now had a little slice, my tanned skin from afternoon jogging in the sun was replaced by pale smooth skin, my long hairy legs were now short and hairless.
Before I panicked, I looked up and was speechless. In front of me was a giant flexing his huge arms, tensing his muscles trying to imitate the positions that I usually do in front of the mirror for my Instagram photos.
-Is that… my body?-
The words escaped from my mouth and caught the attention of the person occupying my body, he took me by the arms and got up as if I were a baby.
-THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRO! THIS IS THE BEST GIFT EVER, THIS IS FUCKING GREAT! LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT YOU! I AM YOU!-
He was playing with me like I was a doll, he abused his new strength, and he flipped me in the air. From this new perspective the ground looked really far from my new position, I was terrified. And although a couple of Tears came out of my eyes as I tried to escape from his strong hands, He didn't stop until the fear escaped me in the form of urine.
I had pissed in my pants, by the time my brother noticed I got down slowly, and I ran away from him as fast as my little legs could, I ran to the bathroom to release the rest of the urine that was fighting to escape from my little developing penis.
-Hey… I think, I got too excited…- His voice I recorded filtered through the wooden door while the sound of my urine in the toilet sounded at the same time, when I finished peeing I looked at the huge urine stain that was on my shorts, There were even some drops on my T-shirt
I undressed, stepped into the shower and let the hot shower wash away the mess in my crotch, The soothing sound of hot water and the sound of her apologies merged into a loud song, for a minute I had forgotten that I was in the body of my little brother.
Furthermore, I took the soap to deep clean my brother's body and I could tell the difference between his body and mine, for me. It was so strange to see myself and that none of my muscles were defined in my skin, I flexed one of my arms and all I got was to see the small hanging fish that my brother's classmates made fun of so much.
When I got out of the shower I took my towel instead of the towel with Spider-Man cartoon patterns and completely dried my brother's body, when I finished I rolled it around my belly to hide my new fishnet and left the bathroom.
My brother was still by the door, but the Emotion on his face had faded, -I... I'm sorry, I didn't want to... - He didn't finish his sentence, he seemed to have understood that he had hurt me, he just extended his arm and showed the coin He gently took my arm and slowly put it in my hand.
The exchange was reversed immediately, this time much faster than the previous time, and before I realized it I was no longer wearing a towel but a tank top and tight shorts.
Thank God, this was a back and forth exchange. I was relieved to be back in my body, but this little experience changed me completely. Since then me and my brother have been swapping bodies throughout our vacations, I think I've been spending more time in his body than mine, meh it's not like I have anything better to do.
I even kept my promise to take him to the gym, I let my brother use my body to work out, so he would have more self-confidence and succeed, maybe I did too well, He doesn't hesitate to flex his muscles in front of any stranger's face to stare at him for more than 5 minutes, he is still too innocent to know that all they want is to take him to bed.
But no one would ever try anything on him “intimidating gym bouncer”, and while he has fun impressing a bunch of perverted fagots, I would see to it that my brother will never feel the way he made me feel again even if I had to ”personally”
Hey folks! if you like bodyswap stories take a look at my patreon, I have a lot of more stories, and you can help me keep creating more stories!
thinking about steve going to cosmetology school and learning how to be an esthetician and cut hair, because nothing matters to him more than making sure other people take care of themselves and feel beautiful in their bodies
and eddie is an absolute little trash man who doesn’t know the first thing about skin care besides that he should probably wash his face with something other than his bar soap that he uses on his body, so he gets some cheap face wash that doesn’t have too many ingredients, but he’s still not 100% sure if it’s good or not. he doesn’t take care of his hair much, either, just washes it every few days (he does know the difference between shampoo and conditioner, and vaguely how to use them) and uses some random leave in conditioner spray he found that helps his curls stay,, curly.
and eddie spends most of his time getting stabbed by his coworkers and friends, because he 1000% would at the least work in a tattoo shop, but probably would wanna stab people and help them look and feel cool as fuck
so one day steve decides he wants a cute little nose piercing, because robin got one recently and it looked cool on her, so why wouldn’t it look cool on him? plus, best friends do everything together, right??
he goes to the same shop rob went to, and sees one of the most beautiful people he’s ever laid eyes on, and then realizes that the man he’s been making googoo eyes at is definitely about to be the one to stab him, and holy fuck if that doesn’t make him so nervous he almost passes out
and when he’s sitting on the chair so eddie can mark his nose for the piercing, he gets a real up close look at him and realizes that his skin is fucking perfect, and being the little skin care nerd he is, he asks him about it
“oh uhh... i just kinda wash my face every few days when i feel like showering? not anything special..” eddie says, throwing him an awkward smile before he sticks his tongue out the side of his mouth and concentrates on getting his mark perfect.
“i think... this might be the best spot! take a look, don’t touch your nose please, and let me know if you want me to move it!” he tells steve as he steps back and gestures to the mirror next to them.
steve checks his nose out in the mirror and nods, “yeah! i genuinely have no idea how it’s supposed to look, so i trust you.” he takes a moment to look at eddie again while he sets up the rest of his station, and makes sure his clamp has the right tightness. “are you for real that you only wash your face every few days..?”
“i mean.. i don’t know why i’d lie about that? i just... am real busy and haven’t ever really done anything else?” eddie shrugs, “if you’d please lay back, i’m just about ready to stick ya.”
they finish the piercing, with steve barely bleeding, but crying quite a bit, and steve’s on his way with his cute little gem sticking out of his nostril.
eddie definitely thinks that’s the last he’ll see of steve, even though he was so gorgeous and asked... odd? questions? but he guesses that seeing the pretty man at a beauty supply shop made sense, all things considering. steve doesn’t see him yet, because he’s bending over to pick items out of a box on the floor and put them on the shelves he’s stocking, and thank god he doesn’t because eddie really can’t stop a giant blush from spreading on his face.
“uh.. excuse me.” he coughs awkwardly, trying extremely hard to keep his eyes off of steve’s ass. “i was wondering if you guys have any of this one face mask i like?” he asks, holding up an empty bottle of an old mask that he got for free from nancy forever ago.
“oh yeah! that’s just over here, it’s a really good mask!” steve says with a big smile, leading him over to the brand that it belongs to. “that one costs about... $30, but seeing as you stabbed me and definitely undercharged me, it’ll be on me.” he smiles, taking a box and starting to walk to the front counter.
“wh- how do you know i undercharged you? what if we just... do really cheap piercings?” eddie stutters, surprised that steve had even noticed. he definitely did undercharge him on account of being a total babe, but steve didn’t even have ear piercings, so how could he have known? they don’t keep their prices visible, and he just kind of gets to charge what he wants as long as he covers the jewelry and tool cost.
“i definitely don’t think normal shops charge $15 for a nose piercing, dude. plus, my best friend got her nose pierced by you a few weeks ago and you toootally charged her like.. $50 bucks.” steve grins, scanning the face mask and his employee card. “and i do so appreciate the cheap piercing, so just accept this as a thank you. and, maybe, let me buy you dinner this week?” he smiles, writing his number on a receipt and handing it to eddie.
“sure thing, stevie. lucky for you, flattery works on me. i’ll give you a call soon, sweetheart.” eddie blows him a kiss with a wink and walks off, his free face mask and steve’s number in his hand.
DP x DC prompt/story where, after falling through a portal in the Ghost Zone, Danny winds up in the heart of Gotham.
Danny knows right away that he’s in a different universe. The air feels... different. There’s some ectoplasm, but it feels foreign and wrong. Like hearing your voice through a recording.
Danny quickly tries to figure out how different this universe is to his own. He finds a newspaper and the articles he reads make his brows furrow together in puzzlement. Apparently superheroes and vigilantes are commonplace in this world. This city. He’s not sure how to feel about that.
He learns the city is called Gotham-- and quickly realizes just how dangerous it is. Danny has been in the city for less than thirty minutes when a man tries to mug him. He manages to slip away uninjured, but Danny is exhausted from exploring the GZ earlier that day. He finds an abandoned building to hunker down in for the night.
It’s not until the next day when Danny’s predicament really settles in. He is lost in a dangerous city-- in a different universe-- and he has no idea how to get home... or if he even can.
If only to keep his mind from wandering, Danny sets about procuring supplies. If he has any hopes of surviving, he needs food, water, and warmer clothes. He reluctantly steals what he needs, trying his best to take from larger establishments.
Danny also starts looking for work so he can make some money and keep his stealing to a minimum.
Using overshadowing to manage the hiring process without documentation, Danny winds up working at a small coffee shop. It’s a simple enough job, and one he’s done before back in Amity Park.
When Danny isn’t working, he spends his free time exploring Gotham. He keeps moving locations, trying to find a more comfortable spot to sleep at night as fall slowly turns into winter. The cold doesn’t bother him as Phantom, but it’s another story when he’s curled up at night as a human.
It doesn’t take long for Danny to cave and start trying to help as Phantom. There’s so much crime in Gotham, and it seems like the vigilantes can’t keep up with it. It bothers him to hear the gunshots and screams, and he does what he can when he can.
Unfortunately, fighting humans is much more difficult than fighting ghosts. Humans are much more fragile than the enemies he’s used to, and more than once Danny almost accidentally kills a robber trying to stop a simple assault.
He also quickly learns that Batman is very suspicious of Phantom and does not want him in his territory. Danny keeps his distance from the vigilantes, but he knows they want to learn more about him-- and might try and capture him for interrogation if they could only figure out how.
It’s frustrating for Danny. Helping out as Phantom is the one thing he can do that reminds him of home, and even that is a struggle. His Obsession suffers for it, as he slogs through the days, trying to figure out how long he can keep this up before breaking under the strain.
One thing that brightens Danny’s days is seeing his favorite regular at the coffee shop. A cute guy around his age, who he feels immediate affection for after watching him down a latte with 6 shots of espresso in it like it was nothing. The guy’s name is Tim.
Danny develops a nice rapport with Tim. He comes by almost every day, and never once looks well-rested. Danny is reluctant to make friends-- still holding onto the thin hope that a portal might open up and let him head home any day-- but it’s hard to resist Tim’s charm. He reminds Danny of Sam and Tucker in ways-- with his dark sense of humor, and his love for technology. He’s also a giant nerd and Danny swiftly learns a host of new universe memes from him (some of them being eerily similar to his own world’s).
At some point Danny realizes they’re flirting. He’s not sure when that started-- he’s always been an awkward mess at it-- but they’re both flirting and Danny is falling hard.
Danny winds up meeting some of Tim’s siblings not through Tim introducing them, but through them finding him. It’s a bit weird, but funny. He’s not sure how many siblings Tim has; it seems like he says a new name every time he mentions them.
Danny tries his best to skirt around his own home life, but he can tell Tim is curious. Danny has a shitty little apartment now, but it’s hardly much of a life.
Tim and Danny wind up going on a few dates and he is absolutely smitten. The hope of returning home has slowly been dying in Danny’s chest. More and more he clings to his work at the coffee shop and those instances where Tim walks through the door. It feels like the only thing he has to live for at the moment.
One night Danny hears a loud commotion while he is flying as Phantom. He follows the source of the noise and finds one of the Gotham vigilantes, Red Robin, bleeding out. He’s a mess-- half-buried under rubble with a gunshot in his side and blood dripping from his mouth. Danny tries to perform triage on him, but realizes that the man is dying.
It’s while holding the vigilante, trying to ease his suffering with ice as he passes, that Danny realizes he seems familiar. The hair, the lilt to his voice as he tries to speak... Danny can’t help but remove the domino mask, spurned on by a horrifying suspicion coiling in his chest. He screams when he sees Tim’s familiar, wide eyes staring back at him. They’re growing dim.
Danny acts purely on instinct. He’s not sure what drives him to do it-- what instinctual knowledge takes over-- but Danny fills the wound in Tim’s side with ectoplasm. Too much ectoplasm. His hands spark with the material, and Tim’s body jerks-- he screams and Danny isn’t even sure if what he’s doing is right.
When Danny pulls his shaking hands away, Tim lies still. Ectoplasm seeps from his wound-- his mouth. He’s not even breathing. Danny watches on in horror, wondering if all he did was make Tim’s last moments pure agony.
Tim’s eyes flutter open, briefly flashing green. A familiar ring of light sparks to life at his naval, but it splutters away as Tim groans, staring up at Danny with tired eyes, and passes out. He’s breathing, agonizingly slowly. His heartbeat, once steady as any human’s, is hardly there. It’s all too familiar for Danny.
Danny reaches to scoop Tim up, not knowing if he will thank Danny for what he’s done once he’s lucid. Before his hands can touch him, Danny feels a malignant presence behind him and hears the telltale click of a gun.
codywan meetcute in a laundromat. Cody needs the giant washing machines for, say, washing a ton of tablecloths from his restaurant (please think about Cody cooking, pouring his heart into making even the simple recipes, or coming up with creative stuff. isn't that delightful? now think about Obi-Wan cooking. the horrors.)
Obi-Wan teaches at a university - crucially, he's not a professor (no professor money, no job security), and he has a fraught relationship with his family. Dooku is the rich grandpa who constantly holds the threat of disinheriting him over his head - and worse the threat of withdrawing his approval, his affection. and Obi-Wan is already on thin ice for pursuing some "liberal arts bullshit" as Grandpa puts it. so when his washing machine breaks and he has no money to fix it, he's not going to ask for help.
their schedules somehow align - Cody is there late after closing, Obi-Wan is a night owl, it's not very busy and they keep seeing each other. one day Obi-Wan is tired and drops the stack of papers he's grading, and while Cody helps him pick them up, he notices -
"Anna Kamieńska?" Cody asks, a spark of recognition in his eyes, "The poet is a great mute," he quotes wistfully, then looks sheepishly away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your business."
and Obi-Wan is in love and they can be nerds about dead Polish poets together. Obi-Wan will finally eat a warm meal and a vegetable, Cody will be forced to take a day off and not work himself to death, and they move in together and buy a new washing machine.
(also Obi-Wan finally comes out to Grandpa Dooku and tells him to get off his case. Cody was already out to his brothers, but he has to endure the mortifying ordeal of introducing Obi-Wan to Rex, who owns a gym and no brain-to-mouth filter. it still goes better than with a teenage Boba.)
Ask: Omg omg omg Jen please please can I have some Bruce/Hulk and Reader. I'm in desperate need of some super fluff, like imagine Hulk just picking you up and snuggling you all warm when you're I'm you're sad 🥺🥺🥺
AN: Super fluff, you say, Elsie? In fact it’s so fluffy I had to throw in reader comforting Hulk too - mutual comforting. Set in the world of You, Me and the Other Guy and slots in as part two of the series.
Beta’d by @lunarbuck
Moodboard by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics
Master list | Series Master list
Relationship: Bruce/Hulk x Reader
WC: 1.5k
CW: Fluff. Lots of cuddles. Soft kisses. Implied Tony being a dickhead. Working in customer retail sucks.
In every way that mattered, your life had improved immeasurably since you and Bruce had started dating. You already had a friendship, a connection, and you couldn’t believe how easy the two of you just fit.
It was still early days though - you had your shifts, and when Bruce, or rather the Hulk, wasn’t off saving the world with the other Avengers, he had his research and other interests.You didn’t want to live in each others pockets, but still made the effort to see each other at least three times a week, and spoke on the phone all the other days.
You’d introduced him to your small circle of friends, and none of them realised who he actually was, aside from being a sweet nerd who’d swept you off your feet. It was the one advantage of having two personas, you supposed - it meant that he could maintain privacy when out and about.
In return, Bruce had invited you to come and meet the other Avengers. He’d done that charming thing of coming over all shy, asking you while cleaning his glasses with his shirt, so that he wouldn’t have to look at you and risk rejection.
“I mean, you only have to come if you want to. I don’t want you to be disappointed or overwhelmed, because they can be a handful. Tony will tease me… and flirt with you, Steve’s actually got a filthy potty mouth, Nat can be pretty intimidating, Thor, when he’s here, is loud and Clint… well… he’s got a specific sense of humour.”
You’d reached out and placed your hand on his arm, and he’d put his glasses back on and looked at you, expression unreadable.
“I’d love to meet them, and not because they’re the Avengers, but because they’re your friends and colleagues.”
“As long as you’re sure.”
You’d shifted closer, cupping his face with your hand and brushing your nose against his.
“Certain.”
They’d been everything Bruce had described and more, but you’d won them over, and now had your own Avengers Tower access clearance. Sometimes you and Bruce met up there, especially if he was working late, or had been on a mission. It was also the best space for you to hang out with Hulk. The green giant was actually a massive cuddle bug, and enjoyed lounging in his/Bruce’s room, watching Disney movies with you while eating insane amounts of popcorn and candy.
At first, Bruce had been reticent about letting you spend time with his other persona, but you’d convinced him that you would be fine. You knew almost from the first moment that you’d met him that you and Hulk would be friends, because he and Bruce were two sides of the same coin - he would never hurt you.
Now, so far in your relationship, it had all been sunshine and roses - well, apart from that night, but considering what it had led to, you couldn’t be too upset - you and Bruce having cute dates, sweet kisses and lots of laughter. As you got off the subway you hoped that he’d be able to manage something different, and you didn’t mean intimacy. Well, that would be nice, but also, you were content to wait until it felt right for both of you. What you did need today was comfort, because it had been A Day TM (a really shitty day) because even the best relationship could improve what it was like to work in a retail job.
It wasn’t as though you weren’t used to asshole customers - you had to usually deal with one or two every day, but today! It was like they’d all held a meeting and decided to show up at the same time and be meaner and more horrible than normal - asking for complex drinks that made no sense, then telling you that you’d done it wrong, when you’d actually triple checked with them before starting.
Walking up to the front entrance of the tower you fanned your face, trying to disperse the tears that threatened to fall from just thinking about it. You wouldn’t let them bring you down!
Striding into the building, you flashed your access card to the security guard before swiping it at the executive elevator. You were glad that you’d be able to travel straight to Bruce’s floor. He wasn’t expecting you at this time, but one of your colleagues had owed you, so you’d ended your shift a couple of hours early and made your way straight here. Hopefully you’d be able to hang out in his room while he finished up his work for the day. Or maybe you could keep him company in the lab if you signed some kind of NDA.
You could feel yourself spiralling and you swallowed back a small cry, turning it into a hiccup as the elevator came to a halt and you virtually stumbled out into Bruce’s living room…
… to be met with the sight of Hulk, sitting on the floor, worry beads around his neck, watching Lilo and Stitch.
His face broke into a broad smile when he saw you, and he clambered to his feet as quickly as he could.
“Pretty Girl!” He turned and looked at the clock and then back at you. “Pretty Girl early!”
You bit your lip and nodded. Despite your mood, a small smile played at the edges of your mouth.
“Uh-huh. I just needed to see you… or Bruce.”
Hulk looked at you for a moment, and blinked. “Pretty Girl okay that Hulk here, not Bruce?”
You nodded, his earnestness and innocence threatening to destroy the last of your control. You took a step towards him, followed by a second and then you were throwing yourself into his arms, pressing your face against his chest and letting the tears of frustration flow.
Slowly, Hulk wrapped his arms around you, and you noticed he was a little unsure.
“Pretty Girl sad. Did bad man come back and try hurt you?”
You lifted your head, and sniffed with a little smile. “No. Nothing like that. Just a bad day at work.”
You eased out of his hold so you could drop your purse and take your coat off.
“How Hulk help? Want Hulk smash?”
He was too sweet. It was tempting.
“No. No smashing. Just be you, buddy. Sit back down and I’ll join you - we can finish watching together. I just need some cuddles.”
He let out a light snort and lumbered back over to his pile of cushions, dropping down heavily. You knew that Tony had had this floor reinforced, but you were still astounded when the floor didn’t shake. Once he appeared comfortable you joined him, climbing up into his lap and pressing into his side. He was so warm!
You watched in silence together for 10 minutes or so, both of you letting out the odd bark of laughter at the antics of Lilo and her extraterrestrial friend. You could feel yourself calming down just through this - being here and being cared for, with no expectation, something that previous boyfriends had never given you.
You were glad you had Bruce, and Hulk. Which brought you back to why the latter was here.
“Hey, Big Guy. Any reason you’re out today? Was there a mission, because I know Bruce had a load of scientific stuff to do today.”
You felt his body stiffen under you.
“No mission. No smash. Stark happen.”
You sighed - it stood to reason.
“Did he frighten Bruce again?”
He let out a resigned huff.
“Wanted to know what makes Hulk appear. Now Hulk not want to go back. Hulk come here, home. Watch movies, try to be calm.”
You rose up on your knees and pressed your palm to his cheek, feeling him lean into it gently.
“So you’ve had a bad day too? I’m sorry. What about if I get some more snacks and you pick another movie. How does that sound?”
“Hulk like snacks. Hulk like movies. Hulk love Pretty Girl.”
You dropped a kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Love you too, Big Guy.”
You got up, and went to the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards for enough snacks to keep Hulk sated. You smiled to yourself as you heard him talking to FRIDAY, picking the next thing you were going to watch. Snacks and drinks obtained you took your place, back on his lap.
The opening credits played and you smiled - the Little Mermaid.
“You know, if you ever have this problem again, ask FRIDAY to call me. I’m more than happy to help cheer you up. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Yes. Hulk and Pretty Girl best friends.”
You both settled down then to watch Ariel fight for her true love. Hulk kept an arm around you, holding you close, but without squashing you, and every so often you ran your hand up and down his arm or scratched your fingers into his black hair, quietly soothing him.
About 10 minutes from the end, Hulk started to fidget and shift under you. You got up and watched as he slowly shrank, and his skin returned to pink. Bruce looked up at you, slightly chagrined, from the pillow nest on the floor. “Hey.”
You smiled and sat back down next to him, wrapping your arms around one of his and leaning your head on his shoulder. “Hey, yourself. Feeling better?”
“Absolutely.” Bruce leant over and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “And you? Sorry I wasn’t here to help.”
“Not your fault. And I’m sure there will be another day with a-hole customers. I’m also certain that Tony won’t frighten Hulk out of you again.”
Bruce chuckled. “You give him more credit than he’s due. Although he might not try it again for a while - the Other Guy smashed up his new Porsche…”
You couldn’t help it - you laughed out loud, cuddling into your boyfriend, and realising that life wasn’t so bad after all.
This is a prompt fill for this prompt from @stealingyourbones!!
Ao3 link: Here
Tim is fighting his body. The cursed thing needs sleep and he simply doesn't have the time for it. He just needs another day of being awake, he'll have the case closed by then and all the reports wrapped up. Wait, he has that investor meeting scheduled in what would be his recovery time. He can't push that back again.
Tim blinks hard, pinching the bridge of his nose. He has been up for… three, no four days now. He entirely blames the death cult that had entered Gotham. If those bitches had just waited like a week to start shit he would have been fine, but no! Zatanna is off-world and Constantine has a curse on him that won't let him leave the house of mysteries, much less enter Gotham. Luckily, he can still call to get advice from both.
He can feel himself slipping into sleep like he can't fucking do. He snaps his eyes open and grabs for his 9th cup of coffee, only to find it empty.
…
Fuck it! If this is how he has to live right now, he's gonna fucking change it! He can dabble with eldritch beings beyond comprehension too—and do it even better!
The cult wasn't even up to date on what they were trying to summon. Unlike Tim, who just so happens to have gotten his hands on the instructions for the right summoning ritual for the Ghost King and was about to fucking use it.
He gets up from the Batcomputer and heads up to the kitchen to grab the supplies he needs. He was lucky Alfred was out grabbing groceries, otherwise he would have never been able to get anywhere near the older man's kitchen. He takes the leftover Alfredo from the fridge and puts it into a small pot to warm on the stove. All he needs now is to grab silver and gold sharpies, a small candle, and one of the giant rolls of paper he used to draft blueprints. If he was at his apartment he would just draw it on the floor, but he's not risking any more of Alfred's disappointment and wrath today.
He checks on the pasta, seeing that it's warm enough, then he prepares two bowls. If he was making a meal for an occult being he sure as hell was getting some himself.
He puts the food aside and works on drawing the array in silver and gold. After he finished the center of the array he couldn't help but feel that it looked strangely familiar. Not that he has seen this exact array before this whole mess, but by the fact it looks like some type of writing he's seen… Holy fuck it's Gallifreyan. What kind of nerd is the ghost king if they are using Gallifreyan as their summoning array?
He shakes his head. He needs to focus and finish adding the symbols on the outside of the Gallifreyan. He looks back at the instructions to make sure he was copying it correctly when he spots it. The last bit of this array is the First Ones language from She-ra. Tim has decided this is fine, and he just won't think about it.
He was thinking about it.
Why was this summoning like this? No wonder the death cult doesn't have the right fucking summoning. Who in their right mind would think an extradimensional death deity would have their array be made out of fake fucking languages from different TV shows. He has so many questions that he doesn't have time for.
Tim takes a deep breath, clearing his mind the best he can. He just needs to get through this, ignore the fact that whoever set up the summoning ritual is a giant fucking nerd. He reads the next set of instructions. . .
He is going insane, he is fucking sure of it.
The fucking instructions say that the array is in several different languages and that to finish the summoning he needs to translate. He then needs to say it out loud, starting from the outside going in. Looks like he'll need to break out the First One’s translator he has saved on his phone. Luckily, he has Gallifreyan memorized (for the most part).
Tim sets the offering in the middle of the array, placing his own bowl on the floor next to him. He takes a deep breath. The translations weigh heavy on the tip of his tongue, despite how ridiculous all of this is. Now he just has to hold back his giggles.
“Pluto is a planet. Get fucked, losers.'' As the words enter the air the summoning circle grows a lazarus green. After a couple curious moments there's a popping noise, as if someone opened a wine bottle, and there is a figure sitting across from him.
The figure is a humanoid male with short, shaggy white hair that blows in a nonexistent wind. Their long legs are crossed as they hover a few inches from the floor. The clothes weren't too strange, just a black tight fitting jumpsuit with gray accents. It showed off their lean muscles, which Tim shouldn’t be focusing on. He has a deal to make!!
Their burring green eyes gaze around the room before landing on the offered food. Their face lights up with a fanged grin. The other’s excitement was almost contagious as they start eating. Tim follows the other’s lead and dings in himself. God, Alfred’s cooking is so good.
“Oh, fuck yeah!! I was craving alfredo!” They say around a mouth full of food.
“I’m glad it was something you like. I was worried that you’d hate it and this whole thing wouldn’t work,” Tim’s voice seemed to snap the being to full attention.
“Shit. Sorry about getting distracted there. You summoned me?”
“Yeah, I want to make a deal to-”
“Okay wait,” the white haired being interrupted. “Before we get into this I have to place some ground rules.”
“Of course.” Tim expected this, Nothing came without compilation after all.
“Good, first I am allowed to deny any request and or offering. Second, all deals are final once fulfilled. Finally, anything relating to the manipulation of time is off limits. I’m still cleaning up from the last time I did one, and I’d just rather not deal with that,” the other said while gesturing with his hands almost spilling his bowl.
“Is that all?” Tim asked skeptically.
“Yep! You can make your request now.”
“I want to not have to sleep ever again. I need to make myself clear with you on this, I still want to have the ability to sleep but for it to not be something that I need to do to live healthy,” Tim stares the (presumed) ghost in the eyes, waiting for their response.
“Oh, that’ll be no problem, but what will you offer in return?” They stare back at him, burning green into his soul.
Something in Tim knows that the king wouldn’t accept his soul as an offering. After all, they didn’t even ask for any blood in their summoning, why would they want something like that now. He has to think of something different and quick, Alfred should be home soon. He should have moved this out of the kitchen… Wait.
He has an idea.
“How about in return, I take you out to get food? It can be from anywhere you want in the whole world, just give me time to set up reservations.” Tim offers, hoping that’ll work.
“And you’ll be paying,” the other asks with a raised eyebrow and soft grin.
“Of course!”
“Deal!! It’s a date,” Tim blinks a couple times before the meaning of the other’s statement fully hits him
“Oh! Yeah it is. I’m Tim.” He offers out his hand.
“You can call me Danny. To most I'm High King Phantom—but you know that.” Danny banters, taking Tim’s hand.
Their hands are bathed in green flames that warm Tim’s hands pleasantly. The deal has been struck, and Tim can’t help but notice the nervous excitement coming off the other man.
Cardin: Ha! You stupid nerd! (Shoves Jaune) Reading books and shit!
Jaune: Laugh while you still can! You're the stronger one now, but some day, I'm going to grow up, and I'm going to teach myself how to make chloroform and knock you all out! Then I'll drag you into my basement and chain you to the walls! The first thing you'll see when you wake up is me, standing over you as your new god!
Jaune: AND THEN I'LL MAKE YOU WORSHIP ME IN WAYS NO GOD HAS BEFORE.
Cardin: ...
Ruby: (Bandaging him) And then what happened?
Jaune: (Sniffles) They beat me up and took my books~!
----------------------------------
Ruby: Fuck you guys! I'm going back out there and kicking their asses!
Jaune: No, Ruby! Vengeance protocol dictates that we should lay low after an attack and conserve our resources!
Ruby: Fuck the rules! They insulted us!
Jaune: Ruby, as a guy who gets his ass kicked so much he could be a professional, listen to me. The only thing we can do for now is survive!
Ruby: Oh, so I should just cower like you, should I? LIKE A LITTLE BITCH?!
Yang: (Pops Ruby in the head) As far as I can see, you're the only one acting like a little bitch here, Ruby. Now listen to what Jaune has to say.
Jaune: Thanks for sticking up for me, Yang!
Yang: Shut the hell up, Jaune! And you, Ruby Rose, open your mouth.
Jaune: Keep crying, Ruby. It'll make the bread taste like tears.
----------------------------------
Pyrrha: Jaune, I know this is tough, but... Is there a higher power you worship?
Jaune: I used to worship Monty Oum.
Pyrrha: Who's Monty Oum?
Jaune: THE GOD OF DEATH.
----------------------------------
Goodwitch: You there! Who the fuck are you?!
Jaune: Jaune Arc, sir!
Goodwitch: Why the fuck are you here, trainee?
Jaune: To become a huntsman, sir!
Goodwitch: That's bullshit! Look at you! I bet you play with dolls!
Jaune: Well, yes, but only for roleplay revenge fantasies, sir!
Goodwitch: Shut up, Banana-Slut!
----------------------------------
Blake: You can do it, Weiss. Just focus on your core when using the tether.
Jaune: Yeah, it's not too hard if you concentrate.
Weiss: Even you can do this, Arc? I know I'll regret asking this, but what's your secret?
Jaune: I, uh.... I kinda have a natural advantage with this skill.
Weiss: What do you mean?
Jaune: I, uh... I used to experiment a lot with auto-erotic asphyxiation.
Weiss: ...Just take me up the tether.
----------------------------------
Jaune: Oh! I also like to read!
Blake: Oh, really?
Jaune: Yup! For example, did you know that if you electrocute someone underwater, it'll leave no burn marks?
Blake: ...
----------------------------------
Jaune: So... I gave it a lot of thought, and I decided. I'm going to serve on the front lines.
Nora: What?! Why?! Jaune, seriously, you suck at everything you do!
Jaune: I know.
Nora: With your tactical brilliance, you could easily land a spot as an officer away from the battlefield!
Jaune: I know.
Nora: So why the hell are you coming to the front lines with us?!
Jaune: ...
Jaune: I WANT TO SEE DEATH.
----------------------------------
Ren: We're finally here, Jaune. We finally made it as huntsmen. Do you have any regrets?
Jaune: No. It was either this or med school.
Ren: I... wasn't aware you wanted to be a doctor. What was going to be your specialty?
Jaune: (Wide grin) EUTHANASIA.
----------------------------------
Coco: I'm open to suggestions.
Nora: Let's give all of our weapons to Ruby and have her use them to build a giant rifle-toting, sword-swinging mecha.
Coco: What is this, a fucking anime? No!
Blake: We could always give up and run away.
Coco: No!
Ruby: Let's play Arrowfell!
Coco: NO, GOD DAMMIT! NO! Does anyone have any good ideas?!
Ren: Jaune has one.
Coco: ...Dear god. Alright. How bad is it?
Jaune: This is an old revenge fantasy I used to reenact with dolls.
Yatsuhashi: Holy shit, this guy is fucked.
Jaune: In my most elaborate schemes, I'd pretend the dolls could see me before stabbing their eyes out and burning them alive.
Fox: ...Jaune, has anyone ever told you that you have an unhealthy obsession with ocular trauma?
Jaune: It's like closing the windows to the souls!
Cardin: You know, if we shoot out the Grimm eyes, we could finish them off without losing anyone.
Pyrrha: Jaune, you are the creepiest fucking guy I've ever met, but hey, that's not a bad plan.
----------------------------------
Nora: Jaune, can I ask you something?
Jaune: Sure!
Nora: This is going to sound stupid, but... Let's say I, hypothetically, have romantic feelings for a fake brother-
Jaune: You mean Ren?
Nora: Yeah, whatever. But let's say I acted on those feelings. Would it... Would it be wrong?
Jaune: Nora, why are you asking me about socially moral protocol?
Nora: Because you're the only one I can trust to not tell anyone. And even if you did, everyone would just assume you're being a creep again and I could deny everything.
Jaune: Wow, Nora. That's cold, dark, and manipulative genius.
Nora: I'm sorry, I just really need to know.
Jaune: I've never seen you in this light before.
Nora: Is it wrong?
Jaune: Hey, can I have a lock of your hair?
Nora: Answer my question, Jaune!
Jaune: Alright, alright! Look, the way I see it, I don't see anything wrong with your feelings, Nora. He wasn't really your family anyways, so even if you did incest-bang, it would've been fine.
Nora: It's not incest!
Jaune: I know, I know! I just prefer to think of it that way!
Nora: ...
Jaune: Bitch, don't even give me that look. You already KNEW what you were getting into asking me for advice!
----------------------------------
Marrow: General, wait!
Ironwood: God dammit, Wags, not now!
Marrow: General, Huntsman Ren and Pine along with Huntress Valkyrie are invaluable soldiers, and thus are completely expendable. But you should know that Huntsman Arc is said to be one of the most fucked up people on Remnant!
Jaune: (Thinking) No! They found my secret!.
Ironwood: Oh, really?
Jaune: Act normal- (Meow) NO, MISTER WHISKERS! NOT NOW!.
Ironwood: And just how fucked up are we talking?
Jaune: (Twitching hard) GET YOUR LITTLE CLAWS OUT OF MY EYES~!.
Marrow: Fucked up enough, some say, to rival even you, General.
Ironwood: ...To rival me, you say?
Ironwood: JAUNE ARC!
Jaune: MEOW!
Ironwood: Is what they say true?! Are you truly a fucked up little shit?!
Jaune: Well, I think I'm perfectly normal, but I may have a few desires and tendencies some may classify as... off?
Ironwood: ...Okay, Huntsman Arc. We're going to play a little game, and if you lose, the survival of both yourself and your friends over there, too!
Jaune: Sir, this is a horrendous abuse of authority-!
Ironwood: SILENCE!
Ironwood: Jaune Arc, I challenge you to a personal duel to the death! We shall fight with words to determine once and for all who is the most fucked up human being on the planet!
Jaune: (Huffs) Okay, this? I can do!
Jaune: I PLAY WITH HUMAN DOLLS!
Ironwood: I PLAY WITH HUMAN LIVES!
Jaune: I laugh at death!
Ironwood: I worship Salem on the weekends!
Jaune: SALEM! WORSHIPS! ME!
Ironwood: I lick tears off of orphans!
Jaune: I call arson a career!
Ironwood: I joined the military to watch people die!
Jaune: I celebrate living failure!
Ironwood: I submit to certain death!
Jaune: I harass the elderly!
Ironwood: I dip my soldiers with disease!
Jaune: I throw rocks at the homeless!
Ironwood: Oh yeah? Well, you wouldn't know anything about this because you're a virgin, but casualties are my favorite form of sexual foreplay! (Jaune stunned) YES! HAHAHA! Foolish child! You thought you could match wits with the worst of us and win?! You played the cards of a petulant boy, Jaune Arc, and now you and your little bitch friends will die!
Jaune: (Looks to his team)
Nora: (Thinking) You can do it, Jaune!.
Ren: (Thinking) There's no one I've ever met who's creeper than you!.
Jaune: You thought you were fighting a mere moral? You thought you could probe the darkness that is my mind?!.
Jaune: FOOL! I SHALL DROWN IN THE MAELSTROM OF MY NIGHTMARES! MY TENTACLES SHALL TWIST AND CONTORT YOUR THROAT AS I THROTTLE YOU WITH VISIONS OF HERMAPHRODITIC SUCCUBI AND VIOLENT! OEDIPEDAL! RAPE FANTASIES!
Jaune: I will take your cities! I will subjugate your children! I will rape and devour your armies! But you, only you shall survive, so that you may bear testament to my will and ultimate revengeance!
OMG YOUR MIGUEL FIC ARE SO GOOD even for YOUR first time! so I wanted to ask you if your doing request or your request are open if you could do a Miguel x shy/nerd-wife!reader (fm) you don’t have to if you don’t want to or if your request box aren’t available
But like imagine reader who’s a blogger and is writing a story about something and reader stay up all day and plaining to spending all night on the blog, and reader was working in coffee table, while working on it, and that when Miguel just came back after dealing with HQ and come home just to see his sweet wife that he love to teased/bother her when she working🤭 . Like imagine reader is so focused typing her way and didn’t even notice Miguel came home.and so Miguel had a great i idea to tease her by touching her waist, kissing her earlobe, teasing her breast as reader was just blushing and telling him to stop as she pouting and trying to remove Miguel hands, as the other hands (of Miguel) is turning off the laptop, and then he carry her to there room as reader is just hitting his back and telling him I got to finish that blog till like(let say on Tuesday it was a Saturday for them) and Miguel just wanted to tease her and touch her.. and have $ex..,
Like imagine Miguel has shy/nerd-wife!reader underneath, as Miguel harsh thrust into her as reader tear/crying came from her face as reader is trying to cover her face with her hands and is moaning toward Miguel to stop, or saying it to big, or to good, and asking Miguel if he could come closer to hug him 😩. Praise kink for this one? or any kink is fine honestly.
Also to say again you don’t have to do this if you don’t want too or if your request isn’t open yet I’m sorry 😞 just wanted to ask this if you could do this.
BYE! And have a great day!
HI! Thank you so much for the request! This was so fun to write! I hope you like it! I have never done a request before so I hope I get to do more in the future!
----
Inspiration
Miguel x shy/nerd-wife!femreader
Summary: Miguel just wants to give you a break and help you with your writings...What's so wrong about that?
Biting your nails you stare at your blank computer screen, the blinking cursor almost seems like it's mocking you. Meeting your three-day deadline seemed like an impossible task. Two new writing assignments needed to get done, and what were these writings supposed to be about? Spider-Man of course! A subject you knew all too well about from being a fan and also the hero's wife.
You and Miguel had gotten married six months ago, funnily enough, you two met through your writings on your blogs. Blog one was your business blog where you worked for a news outlet writing about the hero and his good deeds across Nueva York. The second blog however was for your means, a dedicated fan blog filled with fanfiction you wrote about Spider-man in various ‘situations’. Let's just say Miguel still teases you to this day about your nerdy little side blog, But he loves it, especially when you need some proper ‘inspiration’.
Sitting on the floor of your shared living room you are tapping your fingers on the coffee table trying to find any spark of inspiration. You had been sitting and pondering all morning, trying to write your stories. Three cups of coffee in and still nothing was hitting you. Standing to stretch you hear your joints crack and then suddenly the rush hits you. Chasing the idea you quickly start typing, flowing with your newfound inspiration that seemed to bloom from thin air. Sometimes it just hits you when you least expect it.
Enthralled with your writing you don't even notice your giant of a husband walking through the door of your shared apartment.
Miguel, Having had a particularly hectic day, wanted nothing more than to come home and curl up in bed with his bashful little wife. Six months of marriage and you were still as shy as you were when you first got together and he loved it. Your sweet touches and soft voice are all he craved after such a long day, but as soon as he saw you typing feverishly away he knew it was going to be hard to get you to stop working for the night. Miguel had learned to recognize the sight and what it meant, sitting on the floor, in his large shirt you had slept in the night before and the cold cup of coffee on the table with you staring at the computer not even acknowledging him. You were in a time crunch.
Carefully going to sit on the couch behind you, he gently places his large hands on your shoulders and gently starts to rub the built-up tension.
“How many days?” he asks frankly
Without even looking up at him your soft voice chirps out “Three days”
With that Miguel sighs in relief, he leans down and begins to kiss your neck gently. “Plenty of time” his smooth voice purrs as his plush lips caress your skin.
Admittedly your skin warms causing you to blush, Miguel knew all the ways to rile you up and kissing your neck was one of them. With a deep breath you refocus not wanting to lose your train of thought, giving in and letting him distract you wasn't going to happen right now. Typing away you ignore his caressing.
“Oh? We are very focused huh? Come on, take a break mi amor.” Noting your resistance Miguel tries to urge you to give in.
Carefully he takes his hands from your shoulders to slide slowly down your waist to grab your hips making a tingle shoot down your spine. He then nips at the skin just behind your ear. Biting your lip, trying to repress the feeling of how your skin begins to tingle from his sensual soft bites. Feeling the arousal begin to pool in your panties you try reasoning with your husband. “Miguel, this is important, I want to finish this.”
Miguel hums into your neck as he continues to kiss softly, squeezing your hips in his strong hands. Then his warm breath fans over your ear “Let me help you Hermosa” he kisses your earlobe and bites it slightly pulling. The teasing causes your nipples to start to perk rubbing against your shirt, the sensation of the fabric rubbing makes you wetter.
“M-Miguel…” you softly mewl, your face is a deep shade of blush as your husband continues to distract you. Sliding his large hands up your shirt your skin feels like it's on fire at his warm touch. Slowly caressing every curve of you taking in your soft hums of protest. Miguel just can't help himself, once he starts with his little wife he can't just stop. Finding your breast he begins rubbing carefully against your sensitive nipples he slightly pinches the soft buds, making your breath hitch and back to slightly arch.
“That's it baby, it feels good don't it?”
Licking a stripe up your neck he squeezes your breast finally making you turn to face him. Face flushed and your lip in that slight pout just makes him want to bite it.
“Can’t you wait till I'm done?” you say pleading with him.
Shaking his head no he just smirks at you, watching as you try not to moan as he continues to play with your sensitive breast. Your soft hand grabs onto his strong forearm trying to move him off. He would let you move his arm away only to quickly move it back to either your sensitive nipple or your squeezable hips making you squirm at either touch.
“Miguel, if this was your work I wouldn’t do this to you…”
“Cariño, you too shy to tease me like this”
Staring into your eyes he slides one of his hands down to your cunt. Slipping his finger under your shorts to rub against your panties feeling your sweet arousal seeping through.
“What's that? Are you wet right now?”
“Stop Miguel” you try to swat away his hand, embarrassed he feels how easy wet you become for him.
Miguel takes one hand and shuts your computer while pinching and twisting your nipple causing you to moan getting wetter in the process. Not wanting to quit you open your computer again trying to work and ignore him but when you do his hand slips down to rub your clothed clit, making you whine and pout swatting him away again.
“Come on my sweet girl, we need to deal with your little problem, a break would do you some good”
He closes your computer again and kisses against your neck rubbing tight rough circles against your clit. Wiggling from the intense pleasure, you try using both hands to push his hand away. It’s now time to get stern with him.
“No Miguel, I only have three days”
“But you are so brilliant baby you will only need one to get these knocked out, I find you write better when you are under some pressure”
You shake your head and open your computer trying to get back to where you left off. Miguel stands from the couch seemingly accepting defeat, but that's not how your husband works, he doesn't give up easily.
Right as you're about to continue typing you are lifted by his strong arms and slung over his broad shoulder. With a quick squeak and a protest you tell Miguel to put you down and let you work, But your complaints fall on deaf ears. Miguel starts walking you to the master bedroom, You knock your fist against his muscular back trying to get him to put you down.
“Careful baby you will only hurt your sweet little hands doing that”
Hating to admit it but he's right, beating against his solid muscles won't do anything to him but it would make your hands sore. Mustering up some courage you do the only thing you can think of to show him your seriousness.
Taking your hand you quickly swat a slap on his plump butt causing him to stop. Well that was new, his shy little wife has never smacked his ass before, and he was not about to just ignore this little action.
“M-Miguel O’Hara put me down this instant!” using your best serious voice.
Suddenly you feel a sharp slap against your ass making you yelp, the stinging sensation where he spanked you causes your face to become hot as your voice becomes caught in your throat. Continuing his pursuit, Miguel reaches the bedroom. Before you know it you're being tossed down onto the plush mattress, your sexy husband crawling on top of you with a sly smile. Miguel then rips his shirt open instantly relieving his well-defined abs and beautiful bronze skin. An action he has found to instantly make you bashful, quickly you move your hands to hide your embarrassed face. Hating how the sudden action always arouses you. Does it cause you to have to buy him replacement shirts? Yes, but it is worth it to watch his shy wife get so desperately turned on.
“Oh, where's that brave girl from a minute ago who was slapping my ass huh? you going to act all shy now?”
With your hands still covering your face, you nod your head getting a laugh from Miguel. He leans forward kissing the back of your hands.
“Aww, my shy baby is so cute when she's flustered, and soaking wet.” pushing his long finger under your shorts to rub against your ruined panties.
You try to close your legs but Miguel's firm hand stops you.
“Miguel, my deadline…” speaking through your covered face.
Miguel hums as he starts to slowly move his hands to your hips, fingers hooking into your waistband to pull them down slowly. Though you are complaining you lift your hips to let him slide them down with ease.
“Yeah baby, your deadline, I’m just going to help you out, give you some inspiration” he leans his head down and watches as your slick leaves a dark mark on your panties. Miguel licks a strip on the wet spot making your hips jump forward.
Sensually biting your underwear he starts to pull them off your soft legs away from your dripping hole, revealing your weeping cunt to him. As he does it you open space between your fingers to watch. His red eyes flick up towards you and smiles with your panties in his teeth. Quickly closing your fingers you hide again and Miguel just lifts your legs over his shoulders sliding your panties off you painfully slow. Tossing them quickly to the side he looks at your glistening hole, feeling your thighs shake.
Kissing down your calves he slides his warm hands down your legs, continuing to leave kisses and soft bites in his wake. Carefully, he watches you as your breath becomes more labored and soft moans leave your mouth. Toying with your bashful body is causing his erection to strain painfully in his pants.
Reaching your inner thighs kissing them sweetly, staring down at you he speaks to your hidden face.
“You like it,” he said confidently.
Peaking through your fingers you see him, lips caressing your skin, crimson eyes blow out with desire.
“Come on baby, say you like it” he breathes watching your hands slowly slide down as he gets closer and closer to your heat. Sucking and biting, leaving hickeys as he trails down your soft thighs.
You're a shaking, sweating, whimpering mess. Foreplay is always this strenuous, always teases you this badly, he's relentless. Moving his eyes all around you, drinking you in. Licking his lips at your tight pussy so eager and desperate for any stimulation. Miguel wants to do nothing more than to taste you and hear your sweet moans, but he wants you to want it to tell him you like it. Against your better judgment, you move your hands to reveal your face crying out “I- I like it! I like it!”
“Good girl” he growls before he quickly rewards you by licking a long strip up your smooth folds tasting your arousal. Cock throbbing in his pants, he takes his hand and swiftly sheds the confining material palming his aching length as he continues to lick you. A whine slips through your lips as your husband's tongue pushes into your slit and his nose nudges against your clit. Your Hips buckle forward and squirm as he eats you out ravenously. Moving from your tight slit he wraps his lips around your clit and rolls his tongue across it as he hums into you.
Rolling your hips you are begging for more and he has to pin your hips down as he pushes you to your high. Your juices drip down his chin as he devours you. The coil in your stomach is warped around so tightly as he gets you closer and closer. Sliding your hands down to your soft nipples you pinch and pull at yourself chasing the pleasure. Before you can get to your sweet release however Miguel pulls his face away from your aching cunt. Licking his bottom lip he looks down at you watching as your face contorts to confusion, you almost want to cry as he's leaving you wanting more.
“Aw don't make such a sad face beautiful, I just want you to cum on cock.”
Lining up his thick member to your tight pussy he lets you feel the weight of it first, teasing you causing your hole to constrict around nothing, hips buckling desperately.
“Look at this pretty little pussy, it's just begging for me to fill it. And you said you wanted to work, now look at you.”
You hiccup at the teasing praise he gives you. In almost an instant you were whining as he pushed his tip against your tight hole.
“I wanted to finish my-”
Before you can finish your sentence he thrust into you with a harsh slam making your eyes instantly tear up and a moan being ripped from your throat. The sudden force causes you to tense up and walls to clamp down on his hard length as he bullies his way into you praising you as he bottoms out in you.
“Oh my quiet baby, what was that? I missed what that soft little voice was trying to say. Can you repeat yourself?”
As you try to form coherent sentences Miguel thrust in and out of you faster and harder each time, making you lose your breath as it's promptily fucked out of you. Feeling your eyes starting to cross from your approaching high you look and see Miguel just smirking at you as he starts to break a sweat at his relentless pistoning. If you didn't know better you would think your husband is trying to split you half.
Miguel shifts and angles himself in your silky walls till he finds that spot that has you clamping down on him and making your mouth hang open.
“Ooo, there it is, mmm how does that feel baby?” he quickened his pace and you were trying to cover your face as tears streamed down your cheeks, the pleasure being too intense. You start trying to form the words
“G-g-ooooo-” But Miguel is relentless and fucks into you harder, then he starts to mock you.
“G-g-g-oo? I don't know what that is?” He mockingly teases you, causing you to hide your face in your hands, but he's tired of that and quickly takes your wrist and pins them above your head.
“Aww no hiding, I want to watch my beautiful wife's face, Now what are you trying to tell me?”
Pounding into your cervix, his large tip nudging in as he continues his grinding into you. You're just gasping as you start to see stars. The punching then rubbed against your cervix as you creamed, making it easier for him to slip deeper.
“G-g-Good! S-s-so good!” you finally scream out as he has you clamping hard on his thick cock squirting your sweet release on him.
“Ooohhh, that's what you were trying to say…fuck…I think your good too baby…so sweet and tight for me aren’t you?”
You nod as his pace gets sloppy and you feel his cock throbbing in you as his overstimulating you makes tears flood your face. Miguel watches your tits bounce at the relentless pace he's set, he can't help but lap his tongue at your hard nipples sucking and pulling on the tender buds. Miguel continues his pace, breaking away from your tits to coo sweet words to you.
“You're such a good girl, look at you taking it all so well. Clamping down on me so nicely. So perfect for me, my perfect little wife”
Miguel starts to moan, thrusting harder and quicker into you. Brain fuzzing as you quickly approach your second orgasm.
“M-mi-miggy, Ah, can you get closer, pl-ah-please..” you wrap your hands around his neck, your cunt starting to tighten around him again. “I want, I want to, hug you, pl-please miggy”
Miguel gives you a lazy smirk; How could he ever resist your sweet pleas? Leaning down on his forearms he cages you under his massive body. The heat of your two bodies makes your sweat roll down rapidly. Your sensitive buds rub against his smooth skin. His body tense and shuddering as he chases his high. Rolling his hips deliciously in your spent cunt, the sound of your squelching hole along with Miguel's gruff moans and your incoherent stuttering fills the room. You wrap your legs around his waist and arms around his wide back, clawing onto his back, pulling his tense body closer to you. Now closer you swear he's in your stomach. Miguel kisses feverishly against your skin, sloppy licking and biting at your soft neck. Snaking his hand down to your lower stomach he presses down on you feeling the head of his cock through your thin skin.
“That's right baby, I'm going to fill you up. Feel how deep I am? Going to fucking breed you. ”
Before you know it you're cumming again, your second release hitting you harder than your first causing you to leave a milky sheen on him. Seeing white as you moan, shaking from how it rips out of you. Miguel presses his lips to yours, slipping his tongue into you desperate to swallow your pleasure. As he moans into your mouth, you feel him tense as he cums in you, causing your lower body to warm as you are filled up by his thick seed.
Keeping himself in you he slowly comes down from his high breath ragged as he tries to calm his breaths. Rolling you on top of him he holds your exhausted body close to him, relaxing you in his loving embrace. Pushing the hair stuck to your forehead back and giving you soft kisses, he rubs small circles with his thumb on your hip. Completely spent and your work far from your mind you are almost drifting to sleep when Miguel decides to break the silence.
“Okay,” Will says, when they’re comfortably on the road. This early in the morning, Highway 17 is practically empty; nothing but sunny skies and clear air rushing through the open roof. The emptiness may also be attributed to the fact that it is a random Tuesday. “Pick a number between one and nine.”
“Uh, five.”
“Good choice, good choice.”
He opens the centre console, digging around Nico’s – well, and his, at this point – collection of CDs to find the right one. He makes a little noise of triumph when he finds it, blowing on the back and wiping it on his shirt before sliding it into the port.
“One half-assed polish isn’t gonna fix those scratches, Solace,” he teases.
“If you weren’t such an emo fuck, Playlist Five wouldn’t be so scratched.”
Nico laughs, conceding this round. Will looks inordinately pleased, nose scrunching along with his tiny smile even as Linkin Park starts blasting through the speakers, which he hates.
“Three songs ‘til Britney,” he grouches as Nico starts hollering along to Points of Authority. Nico shakes his head, still grinning – as if he didn’t make these playlists. If he is truly so miserable, he wouldn’t have put the song on at all.
(Nico knows, in the very back of his mind, that Will actually and truly cannot stand Linkin Park. To him, it’s not music at all. He has never been able to get into it, as much as he truly likes music of every genre. If Linkin Park is on this playlist, and they’re on more than one of the playlists Will has made specifically for their shared car rides, it’s because he cares about Nico more than he hates the band. Nico shoves this knowledge deep into the dustiest corners of his mind, because that’s more than he can afford to think about.)
The next couple hours pass by comfortably. There isn’t much to remark on the side of the road except the odd fruit stand, or farm advertising eggs and honey, so onward Nico drives. He keeps an eye on the odometer, but mostly trusts Will’s calculations. If he says they won’t need gas ‘til Anthony, wherever the hell that is, Nico believes him.
“Highway changes to the 98 through here,” Will says, nodding to the tiny sign that boasts nothing except Ft. Meade CITY LIMITS, right next to the giant banner half the size of the church it's attached to that reads, REPENT OR BURN.
Ah, Florida. Please one day change.
“Do I need to exit?”
“Nope, the road just changes to a different number.”
He eases off the gas as they approach the tiny town, watching carefully for state troopers. And, like, children, probably. So far he’s passed twelve gun ranges and one school, but whatever. He can have priorities, even if this garbage state doesn’t.
“Hm. 98 is a better number.”
“Absolutely not,” Will tells him, aghast. “17 is a prime number!”
“Ninety-eight is more fun to say. Also, prime numbers suck.”
“You take that back –”
Nico slides up his sunglasses, shaking his head fondly. Nerdiest nerd to ever nerd. He would be embarrassed if he wasn’t so endeared.
He presses back on the accelerator as they exit the town, turning up the music as Will’s rant ends. He shucks off his shoes – Feet off my goddamn dash, Solace – and curls up into his seat, burying himself in a book. Nico glances away from the road to try and read the title, but quickly gives up since the font is bright fucking purple, for some reason, and in some horrible looping shape that he knows will give him a migraine. All graphic designers should be in prison.
“Hey, there’s apparently a gator reserve forty-five minutes ahead.” Nico squints again at the book. Barely, he can make out “roadside” and “weird”. “‘Weird American Roadside Attractions’,” Will reads aloud, noticing Nico looking. “Such as a very nice and highly rated gator reserve –”
“No.”
“Road trip, Nico. Adventure.”
“I’m super happy to adventure away from living fucking dinosaurs, Solace.”
“Aw, come on, they’re kinda cute –”
“Two thousand pounds per square inch of jaw strength! You are the one who told me that!”
“You don’t think you could take one in a fight?”
Nico stares at his best friend incredulously. He’s got a thoughtful little frown on his face, looking at the sky as he contemplates. Nico notices, vaguely, that the shade of his irises is the exact same colour.
“No, I do not. Obviously.” He pauses. “You think you could take a fuckin’ gator?”
“I think it’s possible.”
“See, that’s crazy, because fifteen seconds ago I genuinely believed you were an intelligent person.”
“Do not lie to me and tell me you don’t have a list of animals you know you could take in a fight,” Will says, instead of rising to the bait. He waits, meeting Nico’s glare, eyebrows raised.
“An ostrich,” Nico admits, begrudgingly. “I feel like – one good punch to the throat –”
Will smiles smugly at him. “That’s what I thought.” He turns back to his book, fiddling with the corner of a page. “Also, ostriches are more closely related to dinosaurs than alligators. So. Check and mate, motherfucker.”
They pull into Anthony at around eleven, at pretty much exactly a quarter tank – just like Will predicted. He looks inordinately pleased about it, so Nico shoots off a quick prayer to the karma gods.
He trips on his way out of the Jeep. Nico smirks.
“I’m gonna go stretch my legs,” he says, unaware of Nico’s hand in his humbling. Nico waves him off, attention turned to the gas pump.
Annoyingly, as he pulls out his card and handles the pump, he remembers Will’s scrunched nose and pursed lips as he’d explained, when they were 16, how gas station pumps were frequently more germy than their toilets, and cleaned approximately one hundred percent less. Suddenly, his hand begins to feel grimey.
Twelve bags of chips, a gas station slushie, and a pair of clean hands later, Will is still nowhere to be found. Nico frowns, craning his neck to look around the tiny parking lot as if he somehow missed Will’s neon orange shirt the first time he looked. Still not catching sight of him, he walks hesitantly back to the Jeep, tucking his snacks away and biting his lip, contemplating. Will is both very fast and very easily distracted, but he has enough sense not to go too far in a random town five hours from home. If he sticks by the car and waits, Will’ll be back soon.
But, on the other hand, waiting is torture.
Easy decision, really.
He locks the door, hopes that no one will show up with a pair of wire cutters and a flathead screw driver, and sets off. The first thing he notices, and he adds it to his mental list of things to loudly complain about when Will is locked in the car with him, is that it is fucking sweltering. In the hours approaching the afternoon, the day has gone to pleasantly warm to so hot the air is actually thick with it, and he doesn’t have wind ripping through the open windows to cool him down. Plus, he’s wearing jeans, and for the first, and hopefully only, time in his life, he envies his friend’s cargo shorts.
The second thing he notices is that Anthony, Florida, is empty as shit. All the love in his heart to the people who call it home, but also, move, maybe. He’s hesitant to stray too far from the gas station, in case Will comes back and finds him gone, but there are no hills or anything. He can see quite far down the road. The only thing he sees is a possum starting a fight with a poor random guy – which, actually, is kind of fun to watch.
Perhaps he has judged Anthony too harshly.
“Nico!” shouts a voice, startling him. He whips around and finds Will, standing in the goddamn centre of the road, the dumbass, waving like a lunatic.
“There is no possible way I was going to miss you,” Nico informs him when he’s close enough. “You are approximately the height of the Washington monument. I could not miss you if I tried.”
“I wasn’t waving to get your attention, I was waving to shoo away the eagles that mistook you for a mouse.”
Nico kicks him in the shin. Will, well used to his violence, dodges, grinning, except in the act of hopping away from Nico’s dangerously hardy boots, he somehow wraps his foot around his own ankle and goes sprawling.
Nico smirks. “Who’s the short one now.”
Faster than he can even follow, Will’s hand darts out, wrapping around his ankle, and tugs, yanking him yelping on the asphalt next to him.
“Foul!”
“All’s fair in love and war, Neeks.”
Shut the fuck up shut the fuck up shut the fuck up, Nico screams at the alarm bells blaring in his brain, he doesn’t mean it like that and you know it oh shit he’s looking this way quick look normal look normal –
“I can do war if that’s what you want, Solace,” he manages, honestly quite proud of himself for managing speech with approximately fourteen percent of his brain still functioning. Damn.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway.” He crawls to his feet, offering Nico a hand. He takes it, dutifully fighting the urge to pull Will down again, just to be an asshole. He’s cool like that, and most definitely being normal about the scrape of Will’s callused fingers against the inside of his forearm. “I found maybe the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, and I need you to come look at it immediately.”
“Sick,” Nico says, immediately intrigued. He and Will have their differences, sure, but if there’s one thing they can agree on it’s their sense of humour.
He follows will down the road, passing the gas station again. (His car, thankfully, remains in one piece and beautifully not-robbed.) They dark across an empty intersection, walking across a yellowed lawn as they approach a run-down, patchy, one-storey bungalow with a rusted sign that reads: The Iron Works.
“Behold,” says Will gleefully, “the Abstract Iron Centaur.”
And behold, Nico does.
Gaping, he observes the structure standing proudly under the sign. Striding proudly, rather, its front legs bent to simulate movement, its human arms poised as if ready to strike. It wears a medieval knight’s helmet, and holds a rusted axe. The entire structure is a little taller than Will, and made of, presumably, iron, rusted into a light roan red.
“Abstract Iron Centaur,” Nico repeats, after several minutes of silence.
Will still looks delighted. “It was in my book. I had no idea what to expect and also I didn’t believe it was real. Isn’t it the greatest thing you’ve ever seen?”
“It’s…something.”
“We gotta take a picture, Neeks. I never want to forget this thing.”
Nico allows himself to be pulled, still somewhat bewildered. It’s not even the oddest thing he’s ever seen, it’s just – he has many questions, like, for example, why? How long has this creature existed? How long will it persist? Who created it? Why is it in Will’s dorky book? Does it house a soul?
“Okay, squish in, this camera is older than your elderly ass and doesn’t have a timer.”
The familiar jab breaks him out of his stupor. “Seven months older than you, fucker.”
“Geriatric.”
Without warning, Will crowds them under the Abstract Iron Centaur’s lifted arm, and then presses his widely grinning cheek right flush to Nico’s, raising his beat-up camera to the air.
Nico’s brain goes static.
“Say cheese!”
“Hnngh,” says Nico, as the camera blinds him.
Luckily for his continuously worsening blood pressure, Will pulls away the second he hears the click, shaking the ejected negative to help it develop, and Nico has a second to remind his lungs that they have a function, actually, get your shit together, I am not dying in fucking Anthony, Florida.
“You look like a dork!” Will says, delighted. “Look!”
Blinking at the photo shoved one sixteenth of an inch from his eyeballs, Nico indeed looks. The Abstract Iron Centaur looks more foreboding on camera, somehow, but Nico barely notices it – instead, he finds his gaze drawn to the beam so wide it forces Will’s eyes shut, and the dazed, dopey look on his own face; eyes wide, mouth dropped, slightly, and posture undeniably leaning into Will’s magnetism.
Humming to himself, Will slips his wallet out of (one of) the (many) pocket(s) of his shorts, tucking the photo inside it. Nico melts into a puddle of goo on the dead grass. His mortal soul escapes his body, descending rapidly. His atoms return to star dust. Et cetera.
“Oh, shit, we gotta go if we want to reach Georgia in good time.”
“Right,” says Nico, voice cracking. He clears his throat and tries again. “Let’s go.”
He absolutely does not haul ass to his car. He walks at a normal pace, for normal reasons, thoughts in a normal place.
“Back on the 75,” Will instructs as they peel out, sliding sunglasses on his nose. “We gotta scoot around town a bit to get to the entrance, but it won’t take long.”
“D’you know this place?” Nico asks, even though he doubts it. As far as he knows, Will was outside of Sarasota one time: in the move from Austin. He supposes his mother might have had a concert up here, or something, and unusually, let him tag along, but he doubts it.
“Nah, just memorised the map.”
Nico hides a smile. “Oh, of course.”
It’s all too easy to tease Will, but there was a reason he was valedictorian. There’s a reason for his many shining scholarship offers, his endless well of ridiculous facts pulled from nowhere. He is, genuinely, the smartest person Nico has ever met.
Even if he genuinely believes he can fight an alligator and win.
“Two hours ‘til we cross state lines,” Will says brightly, shouting slightly over the wind as they merge onto the highway. “And then on to infinity!”
“Onto infinity,” Nico agrees, matching his smile.
Already, he’s proved Nico wrong. They’re farther now than Will has been since he was seven, and there’s nothing in his expression that suggests he wants to slow down.
Privately, and quietly, Nico lets himself start to hope.