this is just goldenpunk fluff idk what else to tell you, there's no plot to this
“Hi,” Pav whispered, as soon as the call connected.
“‘ello,” Hobie hummed. “Wha’ are ya’ upto?”
“Nothing, I’m just out getting some groceries. Auntie sent me out and told me not to come back, until I find the brand of tea she likes,” Pav smiled and Hobie could feel the sun shining on his face. Then he frowned. “Are you still in bed?”
Hobie laughed. ”I was readin’ a book,” He said, holding up 1984.
“Gadhe. Tell me you've eaten something, at least,” Pav shook his head, putting a bag of potatoes in his cart.
“Ate some leftover chips, luv’, don’t worry about it.”
“I am going to worry, it’s like 2 in the afternoon at yours, and you’re still in bed. I’m not even there to cook you something.” Pav whined. Hobie felt something warm curl up in his chest.
“Awwh, babe, you love me?”
“Of course, janemann, I love you so much.” Pav held up a pack of tiny biscuits Hobie recognised to be ‘little hearts’. “I would literally kill to kiss you right now.”
“I’d die to kiss ya’.”
“Yeah.” Pavi stared at something off camera, doing some calculations with his unoccupied hand. “Hey, do you think I should get the family pack for 150 rupees or buy two 4-packs of maggi at 160?” He turned to the camera, showing a yellow pack of noodles to Hobie.
“I don't even know the difference,” said Hobie, finally getting up from his bed, looking for the copper water bottle Pav had bought for him.
Pav hummed, “I’m getting the two 4 packs,” He dumped the said items into his cart. “Should I get schezwan chutney for you?”
“The red spicy one? Oh fuck yea’ ov' course,” He said, watching the shirt ride up Pav’s shirt as he reached for the sauce on the top shelf. “It too high for you, shona?” Hobie asked, seeing the predictable blush rise up Pav's face at the hindi pet name. He loved it when Hobie tried and butchered hindi.
“Jaanu, you know I'm in public. I can't respond like I want to, that's so unfair.”
“I know, mere subah ki kiran,” He said, voice raspy, words feeling unusually rounded yet familiar.
“Hobie!”
Hobie laughed. He could see the deep, almost-maroon blush high on Pav’s cheeks.
“Have you been learning from Gayatri again?” Pav asked, voice accusatory, and a sparkle in his eyes.
“I'm not gunna conform o' deny tha',” Hobie finally found the bottle under the bed, and drained it.
“I love you so much, you ass.”
“I love ya too. Wha' time is it at yours now?”
“Around eight pm, why do you ask?”
“I thought we’d eat together, you could have dinner early and I'd’ve a late brekkie.”
“It’s a late lunch at this point,” Pav scolded. “But yes, I'd like that. What are we eating?
“Mac n' cheese?”
“You know that auntie would kill me if i told her that's my dinner.”
“Jus' tell her it's a snack.”
“You are the snack,” Pavi giggled, highly weird behaviour when in public, but Hobie liked the thought of them being disgustingly cute for everyone to see. Everyone to see their love. Everyone to see how important Pav is to him.
Another part begged him to hide Pav away bc what if his enemies hurt Pav to get at him?
Hobie shook his head, because what enemies did he have? He was a tattoo artist and Pav was a physics academic. It's not like they were fighting supervillains everyday.
Pav thought the head shaking was for his comment because he doubled down. “No you definitely are.”
“Does tha' mean you wanna eat me instead ov' the mac n’ cheese?”
“No- I mean- Yes, but what the fuck Hobie, I’m literally at the supermarket, and yes I have earphones in, but-” Someone knocks into Pav.
Hobie recognised the glint of her earrings a moment before he heard her voice. “Oh my god, Pav! You didn't tell me you were back in India?”
“Gayatri! I'm sorry, I came back like 3 days ago, and I've been too busy with packing Maya auntie’s things, I literally forget to sleep,” Pav laughed.
“Sounds like an excuse, Pavitr Prabhakar, you little bitch. If you had let me know, I'd have helped you.”
“That's exactly why I didn't tell you, aren't you working on that new movie? With Ranveer Singh in it?”
“So what, I could make time? And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help Maya auntie and you to pack her things- Where's she going by the way?”
“Oh, uh- she's moving to the UK, in with us.”
“Oh, she's leaving?”
“Yeah, Hobie and I thought it'd be better if she lived with us and UK has better resources aur sach bolun to unko mujhe apne paas hi rakhna hai.”
“Yeah that's good, I'm going to miss her, I'll miss you both,” Gayatri's voice seemed sad. “But now I've got an excuse to barge into your house.”
“Wasn't I reason enough?”
“You? yes. Hobie? yes. Dono saath mein? Nope, thank you I'm pretty sure I’d have to bleach my eyes.”
“Thats-”
“Shut it. Speaking of hobie, show me the ring?”
Hobie watched as Pav swapped hands, bringing up his left ring finger into view, a familiar ring shining under the harsh grocery store lights.
Gayatri muffled a squeal. Pav’s grin was so wide that Hobie thought it was bleeding off him to Gayatri and him because Hobie found himself smiling into the cabinets as he took out a box of pasta.
“Ohh! kitna pyaara hai! is that real moonstone?”
“Yeah, it's covered with a thin layer of artificial diamond, it's custom made.”
“I'm so jealous. if my next partner doesn't put in at least this amount of effort, i'm breaking up,” Gayatri shoved Pav gently.
“Hobie would love to hear that. Hey, Hobie, did you hear that?” Pav turned to Hobie gleefully, Gayatri butting into the frame with a delighted look.
“Hi Angrez, wasn't stealing Pav’s heart enough? You had to take Maya auntie too?”
“Oh you can’t hear him, take my other earbud.”
Gayatri takes it, sticking out a tongue at both of them.
“Hello guruji, you are the one 'elpin' me charm them,” Hobie saluted her with the spoon he was using to scoop out salt.
“Oh my god you are so impossible, what's the status on the Kohinoor?”
“Still on the king's head, regrettably.”
“You promised to get it back if I let you have Pav-”
“Hey, am I a tradable commodity now?”
“-at this rate you have to return the entire British museum, including interest.”
“I'd gladly do tha' on its own.”
“I’m going to accompany Pav to yours to make sure you do just that. Okay, guys, you can get back to your mushiness. I need to get going.” Gayatri waved at him and handed Pav his earbud, disappearing out of frame.
Pav looked at him with a giddy smile “I saw you put pasta in water, what do you want to bet I can check this out and get a take out box in ten minutes?”
“Not one euro or a rupee, I know ya can, including Maya auntie’s favourite tea.”
“I already found it,” Pav held up a box and Hobie couldn't resist blowing a kiss.
“You're on then,” He said, holding up a bag of shredded mozzarella. “Let’s see who gets mac n’ cheese done first.”
___
Translation:
gadhe - you ass (but this is the animal ass)
janemann - love of my life (not exactly but close enough)
maggi - verrrryyy popular desi masala ramen noodles
copper infusion water is considered healthy hence the copper bottle
schezwan chutney - a chilli garlic paste its delicious idk the recipe
shona - gold/love
jaanu - my life
mere subah ki kiran - my morning sunshine
Ranveer Singh - famous actor
aur sach bolun to unko mujhe apne paas he rakhna hai - and to be honest, i want her to stay close to me
dono saath me - both of you together
kitna pyaara hai - its so cute
angrez - foreigner (of the english kind)
guruji - extremely respectful word for teacher (when i say extremely respectful i mean it)
kohinoor - famous diamond stolen from india during British Raj
A/N:
this took me forever to edit
i tried a different process of writing which was quicker to finish but took so long to edit iwndiedksndid but ill do this again bc i like this way much better
this fic was inspired by my parents shout out to them for doing long distance straight after marriage with a 1 year old (me) i could never
this is like the fic I like more and didn’t quite hit the ground running, I’m thowirng it back out there bc yay
Kaoru has been depressed and gay for so long, it's one of the few things he doesn't share with his twin. That's why he is so drawn to Kyoya, why he watches him so much.
AKA
Kaoru is sad and lonely and he wants to be sad and lonely with Kyoya, but he also thinks that he is the only one who can understand.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
So I made a powerpoint presentation to convince @coulson-is-an-avenger to watch kinnporsche & because it’s my current special interest that means I enjoyed creating this far more than expected. I thought why not upload it for community review, well here you go. (if tumblr doesn’t shadow ban this post). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Enjoy! <3
EDIT: corrected some misinformation and added the slides I forgot to put in the first time, oops (that’s what I get for doing this out before work)
The guide includes show’s basic summary; main genres/tropes/themes and the official streaming link! You can find some content warnings in the notes of this post. Shows are listed by countries, numbered by the order I recommend watching in, not by rating. The list will get updated regularly (last update 22/08/22).
Thailand 🇹🇭
1. KinnPorsche
mafia boss/bodyguard; action; dark-ish
Kinn, a son of a prominent mafia head, is ambushed by an enemy and meets Porsche, a bartender who comes to his rescue for a price, thus beginning their reluctant relationship as boss and bodyguard, which soon turns into something more.
iQIYI
2. You’re My Sky
sports; university setting; coming of age
Thorn, a young basketball player follows his senior Fah to university as a result of the promise they’d made — to become national basketball champions. However, to his dismay, he finds that Tupfah has already given up on basketball. — Aai has to work in pairs throughout the semester with San, 1 year footballer; in order to receive a scholarship to study in Japan, Ai must be willing to do everything to get an A grade. — Track running requires the compatibility of the team members to be very high. Vee, who became the new racquet 4, has to speed up training to fit in with the team as quickly as possible, especially with Dome, spending extra time together to train. Is love actually a major obstacle on the path of being an athlete?
Viki
3. Cutie Pie
arranged marriage; secret identity
The sons of two companies, Lian and Kuea, have been engaged to each other since childhood. One decides he doesn’t want the arranged marriage anymore while the other decides to win him over.
YouTube
4. Until We Meet Again (+ Between Us)
soulmates; forbidden love; reincarnation; university setting
Two boys who couldn’t be together in one life find each other again in another.
YouTube (UWMA) & YouTube (Between Us: Special)
5. I Told Sunset About You (+ Last Twilight in Phuket, I Promised You the Moon)
coming of age; childhood friends to lovers; high school setting
Two childhood best friends-turned-rivals meet again, awakening an old rivalry and old feelings. They now have to navigate their lives together and the growing attraction toward each other.
No official international streaming available at the moment to my knowledge, you can watch on Dramacool.
6. Something In My Room
ghost/human; horror-ish; mystery
Looking to start a new life in a new house with his mother, Phat feels something uncanny in his room, which turns out to be the ghost of Phob. Phob wants Phat’s help in solving the mystery of his death before everything is too late.
YouTube but I recommend to watch the extended version on Dramacool
7. Manner of Death
crime; mystery; dark
Bunn, a forensic pathologist is threatened to identify a manner of one victim’s death as suicide— something that is not true according to the autopsy performed. The prime suspect seems to be a man named Tan who denies all involvement. They team up together to find the real murderer.
WeTV
8. Triage
time loop; hospital setting; crime; mystery; dark
As a resident in the emergency room, one should be indifferent when not saving a patient’s life. But Tin got the chance to reverse a random patient’s death for the second, third, and countless times. To help Tol and save his life.
AIS PLAY
9. Secret Crush On You
“nerd”/popular guy; queer friend group; university setting
Discover the secret of a nerdy young man, Toh, who fell in love with a popular third-year senior. Because his dream is so far from reach, observing is the only thing he could do. But what happens when one auspicious day the world devises an opportunity for Toh to make himself known to his crush Nuea?
YouTube
10. Love Mechanics
cheating; university setting
A love story that starts one night in a club — between Mark, who is drunk and carrying the painful burden of his one-sided love, and the boy who he bumps into and mistakes as the object of his affection. They spend a night together and gradually Mark falls for Vee although he knows Vee has a beloved girlfriend. Will the love between them make it?
WeTV
11. Don’t Say No
best friends to lovers; relationship exploration; university setting
Leo and Fiat, two childhood best-friends who love each other, begin to date; but they are both insecure and end up having a turbulent relationship with many obstacles.
Viki
12. Unforgotten Night
trash watch; mafia
Heartbroken Kim is in need of someone to embrace his body for just one night and sleeps with a stranger he meets at a bar. Kamol, a mafia boss, is a man with special B-D-S-M needs in bed who actively switches partners as no one is able to satisfy his desires in its entirety. Kim makes Kamol realize that he’s finally found the one who’s able to perfectly fit his needs.
YouTube & extended bed scenes on GagaOOLala
GMMTV Thailand 🇹🇭
1. Bad Buddy (+ Zero Photography)
enemies to lovers; forbidden romance; university setting
Fueled by their parents animosity, Pat and Pran have competed with each other in nearly everything in life. In public, they are rivals, but behind closed doors the pair are open to being friends… maybe more.
Bad Buddy (YouTube) & Zero Photography (YouTube)
2. Not Me
revolution; freedom fighters; secret twins
When his twin Black is viciously attacked and subsequently left hospitalised in unconsciousness, White is unable to endure the harm done to his brother in silence. He learns Black was a part of a gang of anti-capitalist freedom fighters, and it was one of them who betrayed him. White disguises himself as Black to discover who betrayed him and put him in a coma.
YouTube
3. Enchanté
childhood friends to lovers; university setting
After living in France, Theo comes back to Thailand and he meets his childhood friend, Akk. Theo finds a book with a message welcoming him and signed as Enchanté, he becomes curious about who this guy is. Will Theo successfully guess who is the Enchanté in the university?
YouTube
4. Theory of Love
unrequited love; best friends to lovers
Third year film student Third has been harboring feelings for his friend Khai. After three years of painful unrequited love, Third decides to stop, no matter how difficult it may be. But when Third decides to stop, Khai decides to start.
YouTube
5. He’s Coming to Me
ghost/human, mystery
After his death, Met is a ghost that is consumed by loneliness. That is until he meets a strange boy that can see him. The two bond in a state of happiness and joy as they develop into friends. But what happens when Met falls for the boy who is alive?
YouTube
6. 3 Will Be Free
polyamorous triad; on the run; mafia
After an unexpected event that involves sex work and mafia gangs, three individuals find themselves on-the-run together as they attempt to escape death.
YouTube
7. A Tale of Thousand Stars (1000Stars)
a second chance in life; village setting
After a volunteer teacher dies in a tragic accident, her heart is transplanted into Tian. He learns about his donor’s life through her diary and decides to follow in her footsteps. Now a new village volunteer teacher himself, Tian meets Phupha and as the two slowly grow closer, Tian notices his new heart beats quickly whenever he’s near the man. Much like the heart’s previous owner, Tian cannot help but fall for Phupha.
YouTube
8. 2gether (+ Still 2gether)
pretend relationship; university setting
When Tine is chased by Green, who he does not reciprocate feelings for — he ends up begging Sarawat, the campus’ most popular guy, to fake date with him in order to chase Green away.
YouTube (2gether) & YouTube (Still 2gether)
9. Cupid’s Last Wish
best friends to lovers; body swap; road trip
Korn and Win are childhood best friends. Conflicts arise when Win’s father includes Korn in his will, granting him part of the family’s farm’s stocks and breaking up their friendship. Win gets into a car accident with his sister Lin, and wakes up to find his soul in her body. To return to his original body, Win sets off on a road trip to collect holy water across the country with Korn as his companion. Can this adventure get their relationship back?
YouTube
10. Dark Blue Kiss (pre-story in Kiss Me Again)
established relationship; university setting
(Taking off from the Kiss Me Again series) Pete and Kao have grown closer to each other in their relationship. Kao takes on part-time tutoring for high school students. With one of the students fueling Pete’s jealousy, his relationship with Kao gets tested in several occasions. Meanwhile, the love story between Sun and Mork begins.
YouTube (Kiss Me Again) & YouTube (Dark Blue Kiss)
11. Vice Versa
parallel universes; body swap
Talay and Puen find themselves in the bodies of strangers in a parallel universe. Talay wakes up in the body of a man named Tess. Puen is a famous actor who is now in the body of Tun. Both of them have to live their lives in a new universe that is not their home. The only way to put a stop to this chaos is to discover portkeys that will take them back to where they came from. Love and friendship grow with them in the new universe.
YouTube
12. The Eclipse
Akk is a head student prefect in country’s leading all-boys school. Rumour has it that there is a curse that will punish students who disobey the school rules, a curse that grows stronger as the solar eclipse nears. Akk has to keep an eye on a mysterious new student Ayan, who regularly challenges the school’s norms.
YouTube
Japan 🇯🇵
1. Cherry Magic!
mind reading; office setting
By still being a vіrgin at 30, Adachi Kiyoshi gains a magical power – the ability to read other people’s minds by touching them. At first, he’s overwhelmed by his new ability, and it’s not proving to be helpful to him. But that all changes when he accidentally touches Kurosawa Yuichi, who he learns has romantic feelings for him.
WeTV
2. Kieta Hatsukoi (My Love Mix-Up!)
misunderstanding; high school setting
Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she’s written the name of another boy — Ida — on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!
Viki
3. Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss!
lucky guy/unlucky guy; university setting
College student Fukuhara Kouta has bad luck that causes problems everywhere he goes. One day, Shinomiya, a student with super good luck, helps him out. Now, in order to divide the luck between them, Fukuhara needs to be with Shinomiya all the time.
Viki
4. Old Fashion Cupcake!
age gap; boss/assistant; self-discovery; office setting
At 39, Nozue realizes that by letting himself be carried away by his daily life, he ended up locking himself into his routine. It is Togawa, his 29-year-old subordinate, who shakes up his habits by offering him one day to go snack on pastries in an establishment particularly popular with girls. From one snack to the next, Nozue feels rejuvenated… But is it really the effect of these delicacies or rather that of emerging feelings?
Viki
5. A Man Who Defies the World of BL
breaking the 4th wall; comedy; university setting
It suddenly dawns on Mob that he lives in a BL world! So he must turn down any hot guys who approach him.
Viki (S1) & Viki (S2)
6. Two People Who Can’t Fall in Love (Koisenu Futari)
aromantism; asexuality; self-exploration
Sakuko finds it difficult to live in a society which operates under the assumption that people will fall in love with each other. She meets supermarket employee Takahashi and ends up living with him under one roof because of their similar values towards romance.
No international streaming available, watching instructions on this Tumblr
China 🇨🇳
Chinese shows are adapted from explicitly queer novels, the shows are undeniably and obviously queer, but nevertheless the queer romance part is censured.
1. The Untamed
period drama; fantasy
An epic fantasy with a romance at its center, led by a problem child who comes back from the dead 16 years later in order to fix the broken world he left behind — and finally unite with his true love.
YouTube
2. Word of Honor
period drama; fantasy
The leader of assassin organisation Zhou Zishu quits his position in pursuit of freedom with drastic measures. In his travels, he meets Wen Kexing, the leader of Ghost Valley who wants nothing but revenge. The two become entangled in various machinations within the martial arts world, and eventually become soulmates instrumental in each other’s redemption.
YouTube & Special Episode
3. Couple of Mirrors
period drama; socialite/assassin
You Yi is a young, innocent, and kind-hearted socialite and a successful author. Her perfect life is turned upside-down when she discovers a betrayal by the two most trusted people in her life. With no one left to turn to, she finds refuge in the friendship and support of Yan Wei, a lonely female kill-er disguised as the owner of a photo studio.
YouTube
South Korea 🇰🇷
1. Semantic Error
enemies to lovers; university setting
A serious programmer and a rebellious artist clash over a school project. Their animosity keeps escalating to new extremes, defined by petty pranks and feisty arguments.
Viki
2. Light On Me
love triangle; high school setting
One day Tae Kyung, a high school loner, starts questioning his own judgment and gets advise from a teacher to join the school’s student council. He meets the Vice President of the council, Shin Woo, who is somewhat cold toward him. However, he also meets the super-attractive President of the council: Da On, who appears to take an instant shine to him. The beginnings of a romance appear to be in the cards for Da On and Tae Kyung, but Shin Woo does not seem to approve.
Viki
3. Tinted With You
period drama; time travel; hinted at polyamory
A high school student gets magically transported to the feudal period. Confused by his surroundings, he encounters a banished prince and his devoted bodyguard. The three characters live together and fall in love.
Viki
4. Blueming
coming of age; university setting
Cha Siwon, a college freshman majoring in film studies, does a lot to maintain his image because of his past life of unpopularity. He meets Hyeong Dawoon, a classmate of his with perfect looks, good grades, and everything at his fingertips. Siwon’s feelings of wariness for his classmate soon change into something else.
iQIYI
5. Mr. Heart
sports; university setting
Jin Won is a university freshman who has a talent for running marathons. Sang Ha maintains a smile despite his difficult environment. A romance drama about the love and friendship between a rising marathon star and a pacemaker.
Viki
6. Kissable Lips
vampire/human; university setting; bittersweet
A campus romance between Jun Ho, a vampire who is walking the path of extinction, and Min Hyun, a human with pure blood.
Viki
7. Cherry Blossoms After Winter
secret crush; high school setting
Ever since his parents passed away, Haebom has been living in Taesung’s house. And now, being a 12th grader, he enters the same class as Taesung, which makes the whole situation way more awkward. Living together 24/7, Taesung and Haebom’s relationship is bound to change.
Viki
8. Ocean Likes Me
restaurant setting
A healing food romance between Han Ba Da, a young entrepreneur who dreams of starting an udon restaurant with a beach in the background but finds serving customers difficult. Ba Da then meets Tommy, a failed musician who returns to his hometown after wandering and has a new dream. Together, both of them step towards their dreams.
Viki
9. You Make Me Dance
dancing
The story of Song Shi On who is an aspiring contemporary dancer with a broken heart because he is not receiving love from his family and of Jin HongSeok, once a keen pianist, who has given up on his dreams to pursue a lucrative but unfulfilling career of a loan shark. But spending time with Shi On changes his perspective on life, and the duo forms a close bond that eventually turns romantic.
Viki
10. WISH YOU: Your Melody In My Heart
music
A talented singer-songwriter and a keyboard player add love and harmony to each other’s lives as chase their dreams together.
Viki
11. Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding
period drama; cross-dressing
When a bride runs away on the eve of an arranged marriage, her brother steps in under the guise of a woman to wed the groom in a secret-filled union.
WeTV
12. To My Star
celebrity/ordinary person
Actor Kang Seo Joon was once one of South Korea’s biggest and most popular stars, but after he’s rocked by a public scandal he goes into hiding. In his hideout, he gets acquainted with his new roommate, a young chef who leads a modest, unassuming life. Despite having wildly different personalities, the two begin on a relationship.
Viki (S1) & Viki (S2 which I don’t recommend unless you like painful content)
Taiwan 🇹🇼
1. History3: Trapped
mafia boss/policeman
The story of a police officer who becomes trapped in the underworld, as he develops feelings for a gang leader.
YouTube or Viki
2. History2: Crossing the Line
sports; high school setting
When an injury sidelines a high school senior from the volleyball team, he develops feelings for a recruit.
YouTube or Viki
3. Be Loved in House: I Do
workplace romance
When the new boss arrives at the company, he immediately clashes with a headstrong, hot-blooded employee over a controversial workplace policy. Although their relationship starts off combatively, the two of them develop a bond as they work and live together.
Viki
4. We Best Love: No. 1 For You, We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd
enemies to lovers; secret crush; university setting
Zhou Shu Yi has spent his entire life as second best thanks to Gao Shi De, whether it be academics, arts or sports, Gao Shi De always managed to beat Shu Yi. Many years later, Shu Yi can finally breathe a sigh of relief when he and his nemesis part ways for university. However, as fate would have it, Shu Yi finds himself defeated once again when Shi De transfers to Shu Yi’s college for his final year. Could the reason that Shi De is seemingly following Shu Yi be something other than to torment him?
WeTV (S1) & WeTV (S2)
5. Plus & Minus
best friends to lovers; lawyers; secret crush
Zheng Ze Shou and Fu Li Gong have been best friends for over twenty years. Now, they work as divorce attorneys in the same law firm. Despite their close brotherly bond, this friendship never escalated affectionately until now.
Viki
You can watch many shows for free on YouTube, and watch others on streaming websites by setting VPN to one of the countries in the list. In other cases I recommend paying for subscriptions to show appreciation and support of content in order to get more of it in the future, but if you can’t, watch on KissKH (better quality) or Dramacool (better variety). Enjoy! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
listen when i tell you im loving writing this prapaisky abo lmao
“You can always go hiking through the woods,” suggests Prapai, who had been sitting idly by the fire pit, staring down at the long since cooled down ashes. “Loads of things to find in there.”
“Was that sarcasm, sir?” questions Sky whose agitation was slowly rising by the second.
“Sky…” comes Rain gently.
“No, it’s okay, Rain.” answer Prapai. “I was actually being sarcastic, so he was right to ask.”
“Prapai.” Payu warns.
“What?” asks Prapai. “He likes to risk his life doing stupid things, so why not go back to the source of his favorite danger, and go hiking? He won’t need his right hand doing that.”
“I don’t need my right hand to do a lot of things,” spits out Sky. “Why don’t you come over here and find out what those things are!”
“One of those things involves your mouth, doesn’t it?”
Fell in Love With a Girl is an alternative rock song by The White Stripes, released in 2001. Some of the lyrics were changed for reasons which will (hopefully) become obvious when you read the fic.
This writer is still trying to get a grip on Cockney slang, so please cut her a little bit of slack (even if it is admittedly a little painful to read).
Also I headcanon Hobie’s pronouns (he/she/they) because the gender binary is a construct. Gayatri is a (she/they) demi-girl, keep those in mind because otherwise it’ll be confusing to read.
This is set some months before Across the Spiderverse.
tw mild mentions of death, swearing, self deprecation
A slashing high-speed guitar groove dampens her mood. A familiar, brash rock song has Hobie’s lips turning downwards. Don’t get him wrong. They’ve always loved The White Stripes. It’s just that this particular song’s been filling her insides with a heavy misery these days.
“Fell in love with a girl!”
He see flashes of a dimpled smile, and Jack White’s vocals do nothing to alleviate the Frasier Crane.
“I fell in love once, and almost completely!”
Bewitching brown eyes, like bronze and hazelnuts and honey and a million other treasures rolled into one.
“He’s in love with the world!”
A head tipped back, a laugh rippling through the air, providing warmth, even in the cool air. Legs kicking back and forth through the puddles in an elated dance. Raindrops sliding down brown skin. If they close her eyes, Hobie can feel her heart caught in his throat all over again, and almost pretend the humidity in the air is from India’s Monsoon season instead of a cloud of sweaty teenage B.O.
“But sometimes, these feelings can be so misleading…”
“He turns and says, ‘Are you alright?’”
“I say, ‘I must be fine, cause my ’eart’s still beatin’.’”
“He goes to meet her by the river-side, yeah!”
“And with every stolen kiss, I feel my hope depleting!”
“Hey!” Pavitr had exclaimed, sitting up at once. The two of them had been lying on the sad excuse for a mattress Hobie had pulled out in one of their old houses, the way she usually did when they hung out- either chattering excitedly or calmly basking in each other’s company.
“’Ey what?” Hobie asked with a lopsided grin as his fingers fiddled with their guitar strings, Pav’s enthusiasm as infectious as ever.
“She said yes!” He said, grinning elatedly at his phone before pointing it in Hobie’s direction. “Gayatri and I are going on a date!”
“Oh,” is all Hobie could manage at that. Her hands stopped.
Instantly, Pavitr’s brows furrowed and his expression twisted into a vaguely annoyed scowl. It was more adorable than anything though, which is how Hobie knew that he was gone. “What do you mean ‘Oh’?”
“I mean I thought you had some excitin’ news for me, bruv,” Hobie lamented, putting their guitar away to lay back in a gesture meant to convey boredom. “Not chatter ’bout whichever lass you’re chirpsin’ at the moment.”
“Arey!” Pavitr said, lightly slapping Hobie with his phone and making the punk laugh. “I will have you know that Gayatri is an extremely classy teenager!”
“And?”
“And she’s smart! And funny! Who knows? She might even be The One! Maya Auntie seems to think- ah!”
“Come off it!” Hobie said, having in one smooth motion pinned a pillow over the other Spidey’s head with both hands, effectively smushing his face into the mattress. “You can’t seriously be thinkin’ of marryin’ someone you ’aven’t gone on a single date with!”
“Gah- I said she might be, Hobie! I didn’t- ack! Stop squishing me! Do you have any idea how many germs mattresses have?!”
“’Round sixteen million per square inch,” Hobie answered, before she was roughly thrown off and nearly pinned down himself. Fortunately, while they might not be nearly as buff as the other Spider-Man, she more than made up for it in wilyness. He wormed his way out of Pav’s arms in a move that’s taken a good few months of practice. “Missed me- ah!”
“Die!” Pavitr laughed as the pillow falls off his best friend’s face slow, leaving an irate expression in its wake. He threw another but this time, Hobie managed to dodge, lighting fast reflexes grabbing it mid-air to toss it back.
Pavitr ducked and it sailed right past him, before he pounced on Hobie.
Miss. Miss. Hobie grabbed him in a headlock and noogied those perfect locks while Pavitr giggled and tried to escape- translating to another miss.
Pav elbowed them, hard, causing Hobie to double back a bit- but not before the other Spidey grabbed her arm and flipped Hobie over his head.
He fell onto their back on the mattress, sending a small cloud of dust into the air. When it cleared, she could see as well as feel the knee pinned firmly to his chest. That dimpled mouth pulled into a self-satisfied smirk as Pav’s dark eyes flashed under even darker eyelashes.
“Ha! Not so full of herself now, is she?” He noted smugly.
“Um.” And a visible gulp is the only answer Hobie can give him cause blimey, Pavitr never works out and yet his thighs are made of solid titanium. The dim room is suddenly awash with a neon pink lighting as Hobie glows in fluster.
Pavitr- aside from a slight squint- seems to be entirely unaffected, until his gaze flicks towards the floor and his eyes widen. He scrambles off the mattress with a cry of “Shoot!” as Hobie sits up and watches him, trying to steady their breathing.
“What?”
“Hobie, my guy, I am so sorry- I have to go! My date with Gayatri is in fifteen minutes! Agh- why am I always late?! Gayatri is never gonna agree to a second date now-”
“Pav-”
“Oh God!” He started running around the cramped space, digging around for something. “Wh- where’s my watch?!” Pavitr asked, combing through a box full of records. “Ohhhhh, Mr. O’Hara is gonna kill me if I lose it-”
“Oi! Pav-”
“Shit!” He crouched and examined the small bedstand the box was lying on, opening one of its drawers, only to receive a lungful of dust. “Sh- shi-” Pav choked, doubling over slightly as he coughed.
He eventually managed to calm down, rubbing at his eyes and sniffling slightly as he tried to figure out what he was doing. His eyes widened again when it hit him and he whirled around, only to have two hands clamped over his cheeks by Hobie.
“Pav, stop!”
“You’re not gonna get anything done if you go rushin’ around without a clue what you’re doin’.” Her grip relaxed into something softer, hands gently cradling his face rather than squishing it.
“Wha-? I know what I’m doing, I’m looking for my watch!”
Hobie gave Pavitr a small, amused smirk before walking over to the other side of his mattress and grabbing something off the ground, tossing it over. Pavitr caught it with ease, due to his Spidey Senses.
He looked at the object in his hand. “My watch! How-?”
“You passed by that corner just a minute ago,” Hobie informed him as they walked back over, still smirking, “but you were so busy searchin’ that you didn’t stop to actually look at what you’d found.”
Pavitr put the watch back on, grinning wide as it beeped in approval, before launching himself at the taller Spider, arms wrapping snugly around her torso. “Hobiiee! Nandiii!”
“Wha-? Alright, Alright,” Hobie chuckled down at him fondly, mussing Pav’s hair. “Don’t make a big thing of it, china plate.”
Pavitr snuggled in closer, making the punk’s heart swoop in her chest, and he wrapped their arms around Pav as well, pressing her smile into his soft locks. He breathes in the pleasant scent of coconut for a few moments before saying, “When you said you ’ad a date, I didn’t think you meant right now!”
Pav laughs before looking up at them with an expression she can only describe as adorably bashful. “Haha. It was kind of a spur of the moment kind of thing.”
“Well then,” Hobie decided, grabbing Pavitr by the shoulders and turning him around, shoving him towards the door. “Best not to keep the lady waitin’.”
“Hey, wait a minute!” Hobie stopped pushing, and Pavitr turned. The boy grabbed Hobie by the arm and pulled him downward, wrapping his arms around their neck to press a kiss to her cheek. “Seriously. Thanks, Hobie.”
“A- anytime, luv,” Hobie grinned, glowing brighter than ever. Logically, he knew that this was another one of India’s cultural quirks- being openly affectionate with your mates. Emotionally, they were on fire.
Pavitr shoots her one last, beaming grin before hopping through a portal and leaving. His radiating warmth stays with Hobie long after he goes.
“Dark hair with a curl!”
Jack White’s lyrics are barely audible over Hobie’s thoughts.
“Mello-Roll for the flavor and the eyes for peepin’!”
Gayatri was nice enough. They were whip-smart and charming, from what Hobie’s seen and heard of her. Pavitr’s been even brighter than usual since they started going out, and really, didn’t she want what was best for her mate, at the end of the day?
“Can’t keep away from this boy!”
His frown pulls wider.
Gayatri made him happy. And even if she weren’t The One, someone would be. Someone other than Hobie that is.
“These two sides of my brain need to have a meeting!”
The punk was misery-incarnate, he thought. There was a black hole, a hollow void of pain where his heart should have been most days.
Pavitr deserved better than that.
“Can’t think of anything to do, yeah!”
This wasn’t all there was to life, Hobie realized eventually. Pavitr helped show them that. All she’d known since he was a dustbin lid was the cold London streets and the colder sneers of those around them.
That changed one day when she found a patch of swirling hexagons down by the ends.
For all the distrust Hobie put in the Spider Society’s intentions, he was forever grateful for the chance to meet Gwen, Margo and Pavitr. They weren’t sure where she’d be without them.
Probably much, much worse off than he already was.
“My left brain knows that all love is fleeting!”
“Oi!” Hobie’s snapped to attention by their band’s lead singer, Javed, moving over to her.
“You alright, mate?” he asks, frowning up at the punk.
“Never better,” Hobie replies, and he’s half-tempted to make up some rubbish excuse and leave. But their mate looks genuinely concerned, in a way Hobie only longed for during the first few years of her life.
“You sure?” He asks, placing a hand on Hobie’s arm. “You ’aven’t been out with the rest o’ us in forever. S’alright if you’re feelin’ a bit overwhelmed.”
“S’not that,” Hobie told him curtly.
“Then?”
And the truth of it- Hobie being in love with his best friend, a boy from an entirely different universe in more ways than one, someone in a happy relationship with a loving romantic partner- seems ridiculous to say out loud. The words don’t make it out of Hobie’s mouth.
“S’nothin’,” he insists.
And something about Javed’s eyes turn positively wicked. “Listen. I dunno what’s wrong, yaar, but I do know that sometimes, the best way to forget about your troubles is to just close your eyes and let yourself drift away with the music for a little while, yeah?”
At this, Hobie chuckles despite themself. Then breaks into full-on cackling. Eventually she doubles over, having to lean onto his best friend for support.
“You bastard!” they exclaims when she can finally breathe again, highlighting the accusation with a slap to Javed’s chest. “Tryin’ to use my own words against me?!”
“Learned from the best,” Javed smirks, before grabbing his hand, ignoring Hobie’s squawk of protest, moving closer to the stage. “Come on, mate, can’t spend the night just mopin’ around.”
“Javed-” they attempt weakly, before spotting the rest of her bandmates- Jun, sitting atop Rory’s shoulders, throwing signs of horns into the air with two hands. The latter smirks at Hobie when he catches his eye. Beside them, Mel screams along to the music before beaming back at their lead guitarist when they and Javed get close.
“Yeah?” the boy in question asks, glancing over at Hobie with his ever-present smirk.
She grins wickedly and noogies his hair when they finally make it to the others. “A right wanker you are.”
“Kuttay!” Javed bites back playfully, shoving him off before brushing his hair back into place.
And for a second Hobie’s face falls, as they remember another voice, another tongue spelling out those consonants. Then, she shakes his head.
No more mopin’, they remind herself.
So he takes Mel and Javed’s hands right as the song changes, and scream-sings their lungs out.
Monsoon Season // A period of heavy rain in many hot Asian countries.
Bruv // Multicultural London slang word for “Brother.”
Lass // British slang word for “Girl.”
Chirpsing // Multicultural London slang word for flirting, or chatting someone up.
Arey // Multilingual South Asian word, similar to saying “Hey!” or “Oh God!” Typically used when you’re annoyed or distraught, or want to get someone’s attention.
Come off it // British slang words used to vigorously express disbelief.
Blimey // British word used to express shock, surprise or alarm.
Mate // British slang word for friend.
“Nandiii!” // Malayalam for “Thank youuu!”
China plate // Cockney slang for “Mate.”
Dustbin Lid // Cockney slang for “Kid.”
The Ends // Multicultural London slang, used when you’re referring to your own neighborhood.
Yaar // Multilingual South Asian word, similar to saying “Dude.”
Wanker // British word for a contemptable person.
Kuttay // Multilingual South Asian word meaning “Bitch.”
Okaaaay pls gib that pre-TBABTO Stuilly scene. The night they got together, before they met Reader. I need to see the high emotions of that moment!
Ahhhhh! I am so, so happy you asked for this! I am so stoked to finally get this out! I wanted to write this for like ever! So fucking happy holidays to you Sunny, @polyghostfacehours this is for you, the biggest TBABTO fan ever! So for the unaware, Two Boys Are Better Than One, is my poly!Ghostface long fic, I adore it, and writing one-shots and exploring parts of it is the best, so whenever I can sink my teeth into this verse again I do it. I spent so long on this one, so much thought went into it, I hope you allll adore it! This is how Billy and Stu got together in TBABTO specifically. This is also my first like non reader fic, just legit characters, so that is wild too! Everyone enjoy the last fic of the year! Oh, and happy new year!
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Rating. Explicit. Length. 5.1K. Billy Loomis X Stu Macher. NOT READER INSERT! Pre-Events Of TBABTO. Warnings: Emotions. Shitting On Maureen Hard. Crying. Murder. Gore. Death. Lying. Making Out. Sneaking Around. Mentions Of Oral And Hand Stuff. Emotional Confessions.
—
“What If It Isn’t A Joke?”
—
Billy Loomis was one of the most consistent things in Stu’s life.
Certainly more so than his parents ever have been. He felt invisible in his own house, his folks were much more concerned with other things so he had the need to get his attention outside of the house. What is one of the easiest and most satisfactory ways to do that? Being a loud and funny kind of guy, a class clown, naturally, it works, he gets the attention he has sorely been missing at home and in the process he ends up meeting Billy.
The two might seem a little odd as friends at first but they just work, always have, a sort of ease that was hard to find and that few friendships ever did. Did they fight and get on each other's nerves at times? Duh.
What close friends didn’t?
Stu could be sensitive and Billy could have issues with his temper and both could say shit at times they didn’t mean, especially while upset, but it was always ironed out in the end.
It was easier to deal with the hard emotions when he was around Billy, he felt heard and understood, someone else got him and kept him distracted when stuff was rough. So whenever the favour was in need of being returned Stu was more than happy, willing and able.
The hardest time in Billy’s life was unexpected to say the least. Billy’s home life always seemed so much more stable, he liked going to his house, his mom was always sweet to him, they seemed happy, adjusted, normal.
Mr.Loomis’ affair was a complete shock when it came out.
The fact that Billy’s dad cheated was insane, him cheating with his son’s friend’s mother was unbelievable, totally unthinkable.
So Stu was there for him, when the news came out, when everything looked so dour, when Billy’s mom left, he became the distraction his friend so desperately needed. Whatever he felt like Billy needed he was more than willing to do. Making him laugh became harder and harder, but the few times he could it would make Stu melt inside, the sound and smile spreading from brunette to blonde.
Stu really thought that Billy was starting to do better until the other horrible news came out. While his family was torn apart, Sidney’s was not, Mr.Prescott was insistent on them working it out, her family was still whole. Billy was avoiding Sidney like the plague, not wanting to be around her in any capacity. If they hadn’t been friends, if he didn’t go around to her place, then maybe the two wouldn’t have met, maybe his mom would still be around, it was too much to think about.
It was the first time he had ever seen him cry. Billy had cried in his life, sure, but he always hid it, didn’t want to be seen in that way, not even by his best friend but as they sat in Stu’s bedroom and he let loose emotionally. Divulging all he held in the tears fell and Stu didn’t judge or blame him, honestly shocked it took this long for him to get to this point. He wanted to reach out and touch him but he didn’t, afraid it might make his friend lash out. It was hard to see him like this, he was just as upset honestly, it was total bullshit, seeing him hurt so much made him hurt too. He didn’t deserve this, his family torn up, he let his own feelings spill forth as he said, “Maureen is a fucking bitch.”
It was like the floodgates opened even further after that, encouraged from what Stu said he began to really allow himself to vent, “She is such a bitch! She’s so fucking fake-”
“The fakest.” Stu agreed with a nod, before the rant from his friend continued, “-to think I went over to her house, I fucking sat there, ate the shitty food she cooked and she acted all sweet and normal all while she was fucking MY dad! Destroying MY parents' marriage!”
It was nauseating, again Billy and Sidney were friends for fucksake and she did that? Looked at one of her daughter's friends and went after their dad.
Billy ran a shaky hand through his hair and Stu in a moment of bravery, finally reached out, his hand to his friend’s knee and he said seriously while meeting his gaze, “She’s a disgusting fucking slutbag whore who deserves to rot.”
Billy let out a humorless laugh, closer to a sob, “You can say that again man, fuck.”
The pair said some truly awful shit but they were alone and in their feelings, it was harmless, right?
Besides Billy seemed to feel better, lighter after that vent session and so, it kept happening. Getting all his feelings and aggression out seemed to be working for him.
That same theme of ‘she should just rot’ kept coming up. One of these venting sessions Stu made the joke that, “You know we should really just kill her. That would fix all your problems.”
He laughed, it had been so long since he had genuinely laughed, warmth bloomed in Stu’s chest as he watched Billy wipe at his eyes, “Shit, yeah just put her outta her misery.”
“Take her out back and shoot her, like a less loyal ol Yeller.” Stu teased, pulling another laugh out before saying, “Actually that comparison is offensive.”
“Is it?” Billy asked on an exhale and Stu said, “Yeah. To the dog.”
A new favourite edition to the bitch sessions made its appearance, joking about how Maureen Prescott should die and what they would do. At first it was funny, ridiculous ideas that in no way had much basis in reality, cartoony in nature. But soon enough it started to shift and change and bleed, turning into them talking more seriously, Billy is the one who began to get more real with it, graphic and violent. “A gun is too good for her.”
A questioning hum from Stu and Billy said, “It’s too quick, too clean. She deserves to fucking suffer.”
There was this look in those warm brown eyes. A fire, a passion and Stu realised that he was serious. He looked more like himself, but also, better in a strange kind of way, as if this was helping him come back more to who he was before this mess, being put back together but better.
“What would you do to her Billy?”
There was no pause, no hesitation as he started to say, “I’d want to do it in her house. I’d want to go there and make her afraid for her life, make her feel small and helpless, make her beg for me to not do it but I would.”
“How would you make her suffer?” Stu asks, there was hardly any space between both of them.
Their eyes met and he said, his tone sure and confident, an undeniable edge of heat to it that had Stu questioning himself and his own feelings, “I’d take that knife in my hand and I’d make her regret every single action, no matter how small, that led her to ruining my life. I’d fucking skin her alive, I would-”
“What then?” His voice didn’t sound like his, why was he out of breath?
“I’d drive that knife into her, over and over. The bitch likes to be penetrated so much I can give that to her, I’d stab her until she was unrecognisable, make her choke on her own fucking blood.”
Jesus he shouldn’t like that thought even the smallest bit and yet it made him feel something he refused to contend or deal with. He thought maybe this was enough, it was all done but the next time Billy came over he wanted to talk about seriously. Nights spent up late talking out every single angle possible and figuring it out, countless movies watched, pages of notes scribbled down, it bonded them even closer together somehow. Stu felt special because Billy was the only person he trusted enough with this side of himself, to help him through this. Stu kept convincing himself, perhaps if they planned it that would satisfy him, then they could stop, they would stop.
But then Stu finds himself in all black, with a knife he bought and Billy by his side, the pair of them outside the Prescott house after Cotton Weary just left, the perfect patsy to pin it all on, thank God that Maureen slutted it up so much, it really helped them here. Sidney and dad were both not home and unaware of what was about to happen.
It happens so fast, a total rush, breaking in, ropes used, he held her down while Billy tied, quick and practised moves. She was gagged, the sounds she made were still awful when ice cold sharp steel was driven into her over and over. He got caught up in the moment, when Billy offered he couldn’t help himself, he took the knife, it wasn’t like he even wanted to do this really, he more wanted to do this with Billy, share the experience, be apart of this, do it for him, he’d do anything to make him happy.
Together, this is all about doing it together, he couldn’t let him do it alone and moreover he didn’t want him to, if Billy was doing it? So was he. His own personal feelings be damned.
The knife feels heavy, the handle slick with blood already, he had to grasp it firmly to keep his hold on it, he didn’t look where he stabbed, not on the first one anyway. It slid in so easily, so smoothly, Stu always knew he was strong but he didn’t really think about how much until this moment, the next he stole a glance and the third he couldn’t look away. From hand falling, to blade embedding, to twisting and pulling it free, the sickening sound of it unignorable, Maureen was weak, her body jerked upwards as he removed the weapon, the new wound was deep, even more blood poured out, she was coughing, near the end.
He couldn’t finish her off, it wouldn’t be right, he gave the knife over and Billy took it gratefully.
He didn’t need to hold her down any longer, she had no fight left. This is the one image that was the most dangerous, the one that refused to leave his brain that made him the most concerned about doing this. Seeing Billy, knife in hand, blood soaking into his clothes, above the woman who brought him so much pain, tore his family apart irrevocably, his body and muscles taught, ready to strike. Stu watched every second of it, the end came quickly, more quickly than Billy would have liked, he wanted to spit on her corpse but that would be reckless, even more stupid than this already was.
Instead he cursed her out, Stu let him get some of it out of his system, horribly obscenities flung before pulling him up and dragging him out of there. As soon as they were outside they were running, had to get away, the reroute pre-planned and careful, they didn’t stop until they had made it back to Stu’s place.
They were safely inside Stu’s room, still slick with blood and out of breath, Billy opens his mouth and says, “We did it, we actually did it, holy fuck Stu-” And before he could say anything in response there are hands on his face, sticky, warm and he is pulling him close and to his shock, he was kissing him.
He had dreamt about this, fantasised about it much more than he would ever admit to anyone, least of all Billy, but he never thought it would actually happen. His mind went blank, it took a moment for him to respond, to return his effort and kiss him back, his own tacky hands reaching out and fisting in the shirt of his partner in crime. He kisses differently than he imagined he would with one small detail still as he predicted it would be, he is forceful and fiercely confident. He doesn’t want it to stop, he clings, returns all he is given, unsure what this is or means, if this is simply a one off, or worse some kind of sick joke.
He pushes down any worry, choosing to focus in on the moment, drinking in every single second of it, of him, how he tastes and smells, the heat radiating off him, the feel of them pressed together. He didn’t want it to stop, didn’t want it to end, but all moments, even the best ones, are just that, moments.
Inherently fleeting is the very nature of a moment. Here and then gone, always meant to end, no matter how tightly we hold, it isn’t something we can change.
Stu has to hold back a whine when Billy breaks away, sucking down a deep breath and he is terrified, wondering if he was about to say it was a mistake or some prank. Instead the hands on his face move, thumbs sweep over his cheeks and down, the move isn’t smooth, lingering blood making the movement clumsy but somehow better, it made it feel more real, grounded Stu to the now, to them. Billy spoke, genuinely, as he was staring into Stu’s eyes, “Thank you.”
His mind felt slow and far too sluggish, felt much more in his body, his brain having a strong disconnect as he is riding the high from his first, and hopefully, not his only kiss with his best friend, he spoke without thinking, “For?”
Billy laughed, eyes closed and nose wrinkling as his head pitched forward slightly and that made Stu smile, wide and goofy grin spreading easily on his face. Billy’s head came back up, another deep breath with his hand on Stu’s chest, he wondered if he could feel his heart going nuts, Billy sighed, “You’re fucking hilarious man.”
“Thanks.” Stu hummed out, his hands moving now, letting go of his shirt, smoothing over shoulders. The brunette looked down at himself and said, “Jesus, we're a mess. Mind if I use your shower?”
“Yeah, no sweat, go for it.” Came his response as he pulled his hands away.
He didn’t think about what they did.
Shockingly he really didn’t. Maybe if he didn’t share that kiss with Billy, maybe if after they were both cleaned up they didn’t raid Stu’s kitchen and eat way too much food, maybe if he didn’t sleep over that night he would have felt some kind of guilt, his mind might have run and slumber would elude them. But that didn’t happen, Billy stayed and he didn’t question his decision much and he still didn’t when Marueen’s body was discovered and the media circus in town started.
The two clung closer, spent tons of time together, and of course, talked. Billy found himself hating Sidney more and more as time drags on. Listening to her talk, even briefly about how much she was hurting, how much her mother didn’t deserve it, all it served to do was infuriate and annoy Billy. She deserved to hurt, deserved the pain, he couldn’t be the only one hurting, he lost his mother and now she lost hers, the scales felt more even but surprisingly the pain he felt didn’t stop. It eased but it still had a particular sharpness, an edge that could cut deeply if he were left to linger on it too long.
It was a week after that first kiss. It was late, watching a movie, not the first of the night, it was dark, nothing but the blue lights from the tv illuminating the space. They were on opposite ends of the couch, Stu was reclined, back against the arm rest, hands behind his head, one foot on the floor, the other resting on the couch, knee bent, extremely relaxed. Billy was in an equally at ease position, leaning back, cheek resting on his hand. They weren’t really joking or riffing, a comfortable silence had fallen over them, Stu was focused on the movie, but something pulled his attention, namely, Billy moving. He thought he might be going to use the bathroom or get another snack or something, Stu’s head turned to see what was up but instead of him standing, there was his best friend, coming closer. He didn’t know what to say, what he could say as he settled on top of him, unsure of what was about to happen until for the second time he felt Billy’s lips on his.
They didn’t talk about it.
They talked about a lot of things, but not about the slowly building physical relationship between them. They didn’t talk about the long make out sessions, or the afternoon they got off while watching each other or the hand jobs or the blow jobs, or the many other things they did when fooling around.
Stu was never sure when it would happen, seemingly for no real reason, the mood would hit his partner in crime and he’d give into it and soak up all of it. He wanted to return it, wanted to reach out and touch, wanted to press into him, kiss him, but he also didn’t want to be rejected. The idea of trying to initiate something only to have Billy recoil was heartbreaking so he didn’t.
He just spent time with him, always hoping that Billy would start something up, nervous tension lingering in the back of his mind. Luckily, thankfully, it seemed to be happening more often than not, the sneaking and fooling around was fun, way too fun as it kept ramping up. It was hard to remember the awful act that they committed unless Billy brought it up and when he did he would just be reminded of the confusing feelings he had that night. It was like something was woken up in him that night, something he didn’t expect, it started to pop up more and more, in those quiet, lonely, few and far between moments when Billy wasn’t around.
He liked the connection, the fact they had a secret, that is what he liked, right? He didn’t like holding the knife or the way the body spasmed under him when he stabbed it, the rush of emotion and blood, he wasn’t that person. At least that is what he kept telling himself.
So why is he so into the image of Billy that night, wielding that blade and covered in blood.
He didn’t like to think about it, it was much too confusing.
He only did it for him, he didn’t do it because he enjoyed it on any sort of personal level, nope, no way.
Stu used to never give a shit about the news but as the trial progressed it seemed to be the main thing Billy and him watched. Almost always on in the background.
It was a late Saturday afternoon when the news dropped.
They both were in Stu's living room, had the TV on, had been talking, trying to distract themselves as they waited, wondering if they'd really done it. Stu had been laying back on the couch, throwing a ball up and catching it over and over, just something to occupy his hands and give himself something to focus on.
Billy was in the chair near him, boots on the coffee table and when those words actually filled the air between them, they couldn't believe it.
“Cotton Weary has been found guilty for the crime of murdering Marueen Prescott.”
Stu sat up, looking over to Billy, wondering if he heard, hell wondering if he heard right himself, asking, "Did they-?"
The pause was killing him.
Billy had his eyes still focused on the tv, but he started nodding and then he said, "They...They did."
He sat back in his chair and Stu practically fell over himself as he got off the couch, "Holy shit man!"
Stu’s mind started running a mile a minute and his mouth tried to keep up, “This is huge, massive, this is everything you wanted man, just! Fuck they believed it, they think he did it, they think that pathetic shithead Cotton fucking Weary did it-”
He kept talking, rambling, Billy seemed a million miles away, he was sure he was thinking just as much as he was. The verdict was really sinking in. Stu's hands were on his shoulders and gave his best friend a small shake. "We actually did it!"
Billy finally let himself smile that afternoon and he said, "Yeah. We did."
Stu’s own face threatened to hurt from smiling as he was stuck on that word. We. He is totally right, this couldn’t have happened without both of them.
It was a massive relief. So much pressure taken off. They had both been feeling it, even if again, they didn’t talk about it, but now it didn’t matter, they did the impossible, literally got away with murder.
Obviously they had to celebrate it properly.
They could really relax now, the pressure was totally off and the high was unlike anything else.
It felt corny to think, let alone ever say out loud, but Stu had been to and hosted a lot of parties, loved the attention, the feeling of it all, however, being alone with Billy here, was so much better.
They didn’t stay at Stu’s for long. They went out and upon his urging he said he had a plan. Billy figured the least he could do was put a little faith in him. So when a few hours later, a box of pizza and a stolen pack of beer later, the car was parked in the forest and he asked, “Where are we going, man?”
“Were almost there, c’mon you’ve had fun so far, right?” Stu asked and he had to admit, he did, times with Stu were always fun.
“Yeah I have, but what are we doing in the fucking woods?” Billy asked, hand not holding the six pack gesturing out to the trees around them. Stu rolled his eyes, “What’s wrong with some fresh air and a change of scenery? We’ve been stuck in my house for weeks watching the damn news! It’s right up here-”
A groan, pretending to be put out, but the smile on his face is fond and Stu’s shoulder bumped his, “Shut up.”
“With how much you talk I can barely get a word in edgewise anywa-” The joke died on his tongue when they reached their destination. He had never been here before. A break in the trees, a clearing, a cliff and a pretty stellar view of Woodsboro as the sun was finishing setting.
“Holy shit.” Billy said and Stu said as he passed by him, “Right?”
“Where the fuck did you find this place?”
“Heard from a little birdie, don’t worry about it.” Stu told him as he sat down, patting the spot next to him, “Let’s eat before the pizza gets cold.”
This is just what he needed.
Laughing and joking around, no worries, everything worked out amazingly. A few slices and cans in they both felt loosened up enough, far away enough to really gush.
“You know what is the craziest part about this?” Billy started.
“The fact we got away with it?” Stu asked and it made him pull the can away from his mouth, the back of his hand hitting his chest, “Yes! Exactly! We didn’t just fool the fucking idiot Woodsboro cops, we didn’t just trick Sidney fucking Prescott, we pulled one over on the entire country! Everyone was watching this case coast to Goddamn coast!”
When he put it in words like that it was a little hard to not be excited by it. There was a lot of power in it, something about it did feel totally nuts. “I still can’t believe it! When they said he was guilty I thought I was going insane! It’s completely-”
“Unbelievable!” Billy cut in, his hand on Stu’s shoulder and he said, “And we did that man. Us.”
Stu nodded, corners of his mouth pulled up again in a grin, he took another drink, liking the feeling of Billy’s hand on him too much, “Yeah man, us.”
“If only there really was an us.” Stu mused quietly to himself. This was fine though. It wasn’t everything he wanted but just being near him and with him was enough, he could live with it. He pivoted the subject.
“Do you think about that night we did it, often?” Stu asked and Billy groaned, his head tipping back as he said, “Yes! Oh my fucking God, yes.”
He sighed, “That night was just-” He let his sentence trail off, “-everything I had been wanting for so long.”
“Everything, huh?” Stu asked with a nudge and no small amount of hope and he said, “Yeah, I felt, so, so out of control for so long, like my life was destroyed, the rug pulled out from under me and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt really helpless but that night, this, what we did, I’ve never felt more sure of myself. Like I was doing what I needed to take all that power back.”
Stu had a problem. A serious problem. Listening to his best friend talk about the night they committed murder shouldn’t make him almost melt, hearing how happy he was, how it fixed everything, how Stu helped fix everything.
“You really seemed to enjoy it in the moment.” Stu said quietly and Billy was up on his knees, he finished draining his current can, a casual toss of it aside before looking down at him, “You didn’t seem to exactly hate it yourself.”
He didn’t.
Stu ignored the feeling that stirred in his chest at the memory of him wielding the knife, instead he was a little bold, he said, “I certainly didn’t hate the little after party at my house.”
“Ah yeah, after our clean getaway?” The brunette inquired as he moved closer, Stu snorted, “Clean getaway? Did you see the state of our clothes and my bathroom after that? Nothin’ clean about it.”
Billy let himself laugh, he was beside Stu now, much, much closer as he said, “Fucking corny as shit man, that’s what you are.”
“You still laughed.” Stu pointed out and he had to concede, “I did. You make me laugh more than anyone.”
No retort was handed out because there was no opportunity for one to be given because before he could they were kissing. Stu is sure he leaned in first but Billy closed the gap so fast it was almost as if who started it didn’t really matter.
Billy hadn’t been able to stop thinking all night. Hadn’t been able to look away from Stu all night either. He had been thinking, felt like he had been thinking more about Stu and this, whatever it was, since that first kiss, no that was a lie, since before that. After that kiss is when he started thinking more about him, so much more.
He thinks he had been thinking more now about everything between them then he ever did when he was planning the murder.
His feelings were such a mess, he felt like a mess. He felt things, deep and real, things that made him ache and it was finally too fucking much.
Reluctantly pulling away he breathed out, “Stu?”
“Yeah man?” Came the out of breath response and Billy sat up, “I got something on my mind, it’s been something I’ve been thinking about a while-”
“You can talk to me, you can always talk to me.” Stu assured, concern was tinting his tone as he sat up too.
Where could he even begin to explain all that was going through his mind all this time?
Stu could see he was struggling, he reached out, holding out his hands and Billy sighed in relief, he took his hands, gratefully. He felt his hands were way too sweaty but he didn’t say anything about it. He took a deep breath and met his gaze, Stu gave a nod, encouraging him, he seemed almost worried, “Spit it out man.”
Right, he’s right, just say it.
“What we’ve been doing, ever since that night, it’s been-” Amazing? Fantastic? Better than anything I have ever experienced? Nothing seemed quite right. His mind is going as fast as his heart, “-and I can’t stop thinking about it and you and, it’s like we are joined at the hip at times but still when you’re gone-” He laughed, a shake of his head, “-I miss you.”
A deep and shuddering breath, “How fucking lame is that shit? I hang out with you all afternoon and all fucking night after doing stuff like this-” He squeezed his hands, “-and when I leave I still miss you.”
He didn’t stop talking.
“And I am so thankful! You have always been here when I really, really needed it. You are there for me more than anyone, I mean fuck, look what you did with me!”
Stu let out a small laugh and Billy kept rambling, “And that, I keep thinking of all that.”
“All of what?” The question was so quiet he wasn’t sure Billy would hear him at first.
“All those things you do. That dumb laugh and smile and how you can never keep that stupid tongue in your mouth.” Stu opened his mouth and Billy laughed, letting go of his hands and instead forcibly closing Stu’s mouth who tried to squirm away.
“Knock it off man, oh my God.” It was absurdly fond when he said it, pulling away his hands when he was sure he wasn’t going to continue being such a dumbass.
Stu agreed, wide grin and still snickering, “Okay, okay-”
“What I am trying to get across is this, thing, whatever it is, I don’t want it to be a secret any longer.”
Was he hearing him right, he couldn’t help it, he asked, “Billy what are you saying?”
He still had his hands on him, another reassuring touch, thumb tracing over his pulse, “I’m saying I don’t want to keep sneaking and fucking around. I want to be with you.”
Did he die?
Stu couldn’t help but wonder if he actually fucking died in the car on the way here. He wanted to ask if he was joking or something but instead he didn’t question shit, why should he? It was everything he wanted, about to be handed to him, so he didn’t say anything. Hands fisted in Billy’s shirt and he pulled him to him, he kissed him first and they both melted into it. When he finally did pull away Billy asked, “So you want that too or-”
“Yes, holy shit yes, okay?” Stu laughed, arms wrapping around him, a strong hug and Billy hummed out, “Holy shit are the words of the day aren’t they?”
“Seems like.” Billy responded as he returned the hug. They stayed up there for hours before they came down sometime after three in the morning hand in hand.
They weren’t sure where to go from here or how it would all pan out between them in the long run but hey they did get away with murder. When they were together, they could do anything.
summary: chan has a bit of an obsession with dog hybrid videos. encouraged by his friend, he finally adopts the golden retriever hybrid seungmin. what chan doesn’t anticipate, however, is seungmin becoming more impawrtant (sorry for this) to him than anyone else in the world…
pairing: human owner!chan x golden retriever hybrid!seungmin
genre: angst, fluff
warnings: mentions of past abuse (e.g. hitting, yelling, abandonment issues), memories of traumatic experiences, insecurities, reverse psychology, broken glass, accidental cut, mentions of blood, first aid, crying, cuddling, overuse of the word pup (i mean, LOOK at him), jealousy, starving oneself, kissing, confessions
author’s note: this story takes place prior to the events in sharing my heart fic and the title is once again inspired by a song by the neighbourhood: sweater weather but i took the liberty of changing the lyrics a bit to fit the purpose of my plot 🐕🐶 lots of song references to look out for
word count: 3.4k
Chan had spent his free time in the past few weeks watching videos of dog hybrids. Sure, maybe it was an obsession but it wasn’t an obsession that hurt anyone. They were just so cute and cuddly Chan couldn’t resist consuming more and more content.
So I've been pondering over this fic idea for a while and I was stuck on what path I wanted it to take. I've written a bit and I feel as if this one is gonna be a long one so please be patient with me. ❣️
I also was unsure on who's perspective to write it in. I've ended up writing it from 3 different perspectives - Stefan, Colin and the Doctor. (This is why it's gonna end up being a longer fic than I thought.) ❣️
I'm getting there but here's a little teaser from Stefans perspective.
If anyone has any ideas for this story than feel free to comment on this post or message (ask?) me privately. ❣️😁
You see when Stefan had first found about how to navigate his own timeline and the loops, he messed up. A lot. There were numerous good timelines. Ones where Bandersnatch gets released with a good rating, and Stefan goes on to live life in relative ease. Though Stefan doesn’t remember them all, and there are defiantly some that he’d like to forget. There are timelines without Colin; without his dad; without Bandersnatch. All feel like they haunt him for different reasons.
Flashes of the awful things he’s lived through started to consume his brain. Blood, there’s lots of blood and pain, but not his own. The sensation of control, someone something telling him what to do. Twisted images of a blue face blurred together with green text on a black background. Bandersnatch. His mind told him. Pax. The face started to become more clearer, it’s features screwed up in pain and horror. The thief of destiny.
A blood curdling scream rips through his throat. This place… it’s getting to him. He stumbled back till he hit the wall, falling to the floor. I’ve given you the knowledge. I’ve set you free. Do you understand? Hands move up his face and into his hair. He really didn’t understand.
Closing his eyes tight, Stefan pulls at his hair. Stop! His mind screams, Let me go!
“Let me go!” Stefan screams as he falls to the floor.
Requested by anon. Shameless fluff, my teeth are rotting. Wouldn’t have it any other way lol Enjoy!
You and Gally were friends. That’s how it always had been, ever since he let you on his team of builders, and how you thought it always would be.
As staggering as it initially was that the rough and tough Keeper had warmed up to you, you welcomed it thoroughly.
You were comfortable in each other’s presence. Working alongside him was fun, with your lighthearted conversations and the multitude of inside jokes you had come to share. Having lunch together had become a fairly regular thing for the two of you and being in one another’s company throughout the day, even when work wasn’t involved, inevitably brought you closer.
