Jeremy: Geoff why did you only hire hot people? It’s unfair.
Ray: Says the tiny gymnast who could probably bench-press me
Ryan: There is a trend of rather...attractive hires.
Jack: I think Geoff might have a ty~ype
Geoff: Don’t get too full of yourselves you’re all hideous in my eyes.
Geoff: Apart from Treyco.
Jeremy: I wouldn’t be opposed to trying that, Ray.
Jeremy: Aww, Geoff. That’s a shame. I guess I’ll take this nice Irish whiskey I got back to my place then…
Jack: Probably for the best. Can’t give him the drunk excuse for waxing poetic about any of us later.
Geoff: Shut up Jack!
Geoff: You’re all assholes :{(
Jack: You know you love us :-*
Ray: He hasn’t murdered any of us in our sleep, of course he loves us
Geoff: Just give me the whiskey and leave me in peace.
Jeremy: Only if you give me a kiss~
Geoff: Get your little stubby legs in my office and we’ll see ;{)
Jack: But Geoffrey! :-( what about me?
Ryan: You can’t leave the rest of us out like this.
I’m reposting stuff I submitted to dikdickdik because that blog’s no longer around, and I’m leaving it all how I submitted it so if you’ve already read this, sorry.
This one is some good old porn ft. Geoff, Ryan, Trevor and an early morning blowjob.
"Wow, wasted no time getting him on his knees, then?"
Ryan twists off the cap of a bottle and hands it to Geoff as he sits down beside him, taking a swig. Geoff grins down at Trevor and sips his own cola, scritching over Trevor's scalp.
"Doesn't like when I'm not paying attention to 'im," Geoff says, smiling at Trevor's narrowed-eye glare. A few seconds later Trevor starts moving again, sliding up Geoff's cock and swirling his tongue over the head before sinking down.
"Oh, he doesn't?" Ryan asks, a smirk clear in his voice. He sets his bottle down on the coffee table beside the arm and a hand appears on the back of Geoff's neck.
Geoff doesn't pull his eyes from Trevor but Ryan leans over and kisses him, his eyes closing reflexively as Ryan pushes his tongue into his mouth. Trevor makes a displeased noise underneath them and scrapes his teeth over Geoff's shaft in warning - Geoff's hips jerk and he mutters a curse into Ryan's mouth.
"He's gonna bite my dick off," he jokes.
"Tough," Ryan murmurs, muffling him with his lips again. He rests a hand on Trevor's head besides Geoff's and that seems to appease Trevor a little, leaning into the touch as he sucks pointedly on the head of Geoff's cock.
"Thought Michael would've worn him out last night," Ryan mutters, breaking the kiss to look fondly down at Trevor. With both of them gazing at him, Trevor moans happily, bobbing his head a little faster now.
"Gav's not walking straight," Geoff says, leaning his head against Ryan's. "I'm pretty sure Trev's not the one they wore out."
Ryan chuckles and strokes a thumb over Trevor's cheek, the touch light and adoring.
"Insatiable, aren't you?" He teases. Trevor smirks best he can with a mouthful of dick and Ryan smiles.
They spend another few moments watching Trevor work, the sounds of his mouth wet and obscene in the quiet living room. Ryan turns again to capture Geoff's mouth, kissing filthy and deep.
"Weren't you with Jack last night?" Geoff mumbles.
"He's asleep," Ryan complains. Geoff laughs and urges Trevor's head down further.
"God, just as bad as him, aren't you?" Geoff breathes, tugging lightly on Trevor's hair to indicate him.
Ryan nods and Geoff presses his drink into Ryan's hand to fist his shirt, pulling him in closer.
Ryan breaks away to put the drink down and Geoff returns his attention to Trevor, watching himself disappear into his mouth. Trevor shifts and fuck that's his throat that's his throat - and the look he gives Geoff, smug despite the tears shining in the corners of his eyes, is definitely not helping.
Geoff's knees tremble as Ryan leans panting against his side, both of them watching Trevor, giving him the attention he likes. Their hands are threaded in his hair, a couple of Ryan's fingers overlapping Geoff's as they follow his movements. Geoff chokes on a low moan and Trevor hums, the vibration running through Geoff's cock and balls and down into his toes as they curl into the plush carpet.
"'M close," Geoff grunts, resisting the urge to buck up onto Trevor's hot mouth and instead pressing his shoulders against the sofa, panting hard while Trevor sinks down lower. His eyes flutter shut as he shoves the head of Geoff's dick into his throat and Geoff breathes out a string of curses.
Ryan groans when Trevor's nose presses against Geoff's pubes and Geoff frantically gasps out a warning, tugging a little on Trevor's hair to get his point across but Trevor stays down, and when he looks up Geoff loses it and comes straight down his throat.
While Geoff melts into the sofa, groaning softly, Trevor pulls off, coughing slightly before he licks Geoff clean.
"Fucking shit," Geoff whispers, and hears Trevor's hoarse laugh in reply. He closes his eyes to catch his breath and lets his hand slip out of Trevor's hair as Ryan leans down to manhandle him somehow. Onto the sofa, by the feel of it.
When Geoff opens his eyes he finds Trevor straddling Ryan's lap, both of them liplocked and Ryan's hand already shoved down Trevor's sweats. He chuckles breathlessly and reaches into the fray to palm Ryan, grinning when he bucks eagerly.
Geoff nudges Ryan's cheek with his nose and Ryan turns to kiss him, too, fierce and hot and desperate. Trevor ducks down to start marking up Ryan's neck, pulling a moan from him that buzzes straight into Geoff's teeth. His hips twitch up again into Geoff's hand and Geoff slips it up to rest on Ryan's chest, smiling at the frustrated whine that gets him.
Suddenly, without any warning, Ryan pushes him away, pulling his hands off of Trevor and turning him around in his lap - Trevor protests at the loss of contact but doesn't resist. Ryan abruptly yanks Trevor down so his ass is right over Ryan's crotch and the action startles a sharp moan out of Trevor.
Geoff slides his hand out as Ryan pulls Trevor back against his chest, the angle forcing him to kick his legs out so he's no longer supporting himself. Ryan presses his cheek to the back of Trevor's head and grins at Geoff before looping his arms around Trevor, snaking one hand down to tug his sweats down and expose him as the fingers of the other curl around his hip.
"No underwear?" Geoff teases. Trevor shoots him a wink.
Ryan hisses as Trevor wiggles against his crotch and Geoff leans in to muffle Trevor's raspy moan with his mouth, kissing him while Ryan wraps his hand around Trevor's cock. It's flushed and leaking at the tip and only gets wetter as Ryan strokes - Geoff breaks the kiss to watch, notices how Ryan hooks his chin over Trevor's other shoulder to kiss at his jaw.
"Aren't you glad they didn't wear me out?" Trevor asks, cocking an eyebrow. Ryan jerks him harder and he gasps out a small moan but still looks at Geoff for an answer.
"Is it even possible?" Geoff replies, and Ryan scoffs. Trevor flushes faintly and rolls his hips up into Ryan's fist, tipping his head back against Ryan's shoulder.
"Thought we fucked all the cocky out of you," Ryan teases, rubbing a thumb over the dripping head.
"Mm, guess you'll have to try harder," Trevor says, eyes fluttering shut at the next twist of Ryan's wrist.
Geoff scoots up closer and rucks up Trevor's shirt to his armpits with one hand, tracing over the quivering muscles of his abdomen and circling around a nipple to make him shiver.
Ryan busies himself with the bolt of Trevor's jaw and Geoff with his chest, murmuring praise into his neck as Trevor groans and leaks and rocks impatiently on Ryan's lap.
"Ryan - Ryan," Trevor gasps, his voice breaking into a whine as his hand flies to Geoff's thigh, nails digging in viciously.
"You close?" Ryan croons sweetly, huffing out a laugh as his hand speeds up. "Gonna come all over yourself for us?"
Trevor nods and his muscles spasm under Geoff's fingers as he comes, moaning brokenly and shooting messy up over his abdomen.
Geoff rubs his fingers through the mess as Ryan strokes Trevor through it, coaxing out more come to slide over his knuckles and pool at the base of Trevor's dick. Trevor shudders and groans, his head lolling on Ryan's shoulder while he trembles through the last of it.
Ryan grunts and pushes Trevor forward a little to rest his forehead on his shoulder, rocking up desperately into Trevor's ass and shuddering apart not moments later, panting through a tight whine as he comes in his jeans.
Trevor laughs breathlessly, delightedly, into the air, relaxing back against Ryan, who grunts and loops an arm around his waist. Ryan's other hand wriggles onto Geoff's thigh and Geoff rests his head against Trevor's, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"Aw man, am I too late?" A voice complains from the hallway. Geoff lifts his head to look over Trevor and see Jeremy leaning up against the wall, arms crossed and smirking as he looks at them, sated and boneless on the sofa. Trevor holds out his hands to him and beckons him over.
"No, of course not," he says, and Geoff laughs as Jeremy saunters over.
"Insatiable," Ryan laughs, glancing up at Jeremy.
its 1:18 am and i had the cutest thought of fahc ot7 passively arguing about who gets to use lindsay and jack's laps as pillows bc they all agree that the girls are the Softest and geoff likes sticking his face in jack's tummy but gavin likes how soft her pyjamas are and ryan fits perfectly in the divot beside lindsay on the couch but michael's head is Just The Right Height on her lap and jeremy is just a cuddle bug who dives for the couch if there's someone on it he can hug for a little while
for @sorcererinslytherin because I love any excuse to build rec lists :D
The Loverboy Diet by gala_apples (HS/magic au. very angsty with lots of relationship fights, but the author handles the issues very well)
Crowned Souls series by @whalehuntingboyfriends (king au. slow build. abso-friggin-amazing, drop-everything-and-read-it-NOW)
Tonight, This Is Our World by J (j_writes) (fahc, more ficlet collection but story-esque still)
On the Importance of Workplace Synergy by anarchetypal (Michael PoV fahc get together)
You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by Dogskull (Jeremy joins the fahc. and later, the relationship, WIP)
Go Classy Into That Good Night by Banach_Tarski (fahc, with respawns and enemies to lovers)
Song of the Sea by Hoodedscarlet (merman!Michael and his human boyfriends)
Words, Words, Words by formosus_iniquis (fahc soulmate au)
Take No Prisoners (Take No Shit) by missingnolovefic (fahc, WIP)
Not what he seemed by esoper (abuse tw. Ray has some issues)
Colors by Iprefernerdnotgeek (fahc soulmate au)
Bit by Bit by DarthAbby (more fahc soulmate au)
Warmth by Angelology (hybrid au angst)
Helpless by ShadeOfAzmeinya (Ryan-centric fahc angst)
Kidnapped (Again.) by Angelology (fahc, Gavin gets kidnapped)
Vertigo by whalehuntingboyfriends (more hybrid au angst. with fahc flavor)
and while we’re at it, Heroes Die Here, Iscariot, Trust and last but never least The Great Sealand Takeover are great fahc stories full of angst and Hurt/Comfort
And a quick short list of OT7 stuff:
Burning Bright by whalehuntingboyfriends (immortal fahc)
concept: fake jack the southern belle and fake ryan the quiet lil peach who fall in love, run away together, fall out of love, go their separate ways, and then fall in love again--not with each other, necessarily, but with the thrill of the chase and street races at 4am and the sound of sirens and the slip of blood between their fingers as they hold hands and laugh at someone begging for mercy, and with sweet tea and sundresses and geoff and gav and jeremy and michael and lindsay
ot7 golden boy where the others are being held hostage and he has to bargain for their release?
((i had an illegal amount of fun writing this one. tagging @cutefeyrad cause you were interested. and @miss-ingno))
“Ah, Mr. Free. So glad you could make it.”
The woman smirks over at him, her chin up and posture tall. She holds a gun at her side, barrel pointed right at Geoff. Geoff is in chains and forced on his knees by one of this lady’s goons. And he looks so small, so powerless and so humiliated. And it sends another wave of pure fury, pure rage through Gavin. Gavin prevents his anger from showing on his face, replacing it with a careful and calculated smile.
“I don’t like to leave people waiting,” Gavin says with a flare of his hands.
Behind her Gavin spots some of the others in various states of consciousness and fighting against binds. Michael was snarling and trying to claw at and bite everyone who dared get too close, but since he was tied what looked painfully tightly to a chair, he couldn’t do much. Ryan and Ray were both knocked out, though Gavin couldn’t tell from this distance if they were faking it or not. Jack was calmly sitting in the chair she was tied to, glaring at everyone but not moving or fighting. Jeremy was watching everything wearily but not making any moves to fight back. Not yet at least.
“Tell me Mr. Free, how much do you care for your crew? How much do you think they’re worth?” the woman gloats at Gavin. Oh, she really thinks she’s the one in control in this situation. How cute. “Because the starting rate is 5 million.”
Gavin throws his head back and laughs. A full body laugh like that was the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard. “Not that much, love.”
The women’s mouth opens in confusion so Gavin continues. “What? Do you think I’m going to spend that kind of money on them? Sure they were fun for a while, great lays, but darling they aren’t worth that much.”
“Then why are you here?” the women says, confusion only deepening as she adjusts the gun still facing Geoff.
“I just had to meet the crew that managed to capture all six of the Fake AH Crew. It’s rather impressive. Most people can’t get Mogar, let alone the Vagabond. He’s a fucking mess,” Gavin says, waving indifferently towards Ryan. “You must have had to knock him out first.”
“Actually got him last,” one of the three goons speaks up, a look of almost pride flashing his features. Gavin’s playing them like a fiddle and they’re enjoying it. Gavin’s smiles back at him.
“Now that is impressive,” Gavin says adjusting his gold sunglasses. “So no doll I’m not paying. They aren’t worth a penny of mine.”
Gavin makes the mistake of glancing at the rest of his crew. Michael has that look of confusion before a burst of anger. He’s shaking in his seat and Gavin quickly looks past to prevent breaking his façade. Jack’s expression was cold and hard but Gavin can still see the hurt in her eyes and that calculating look when she’s trying to figure something out that she just can’t believe. Even Ryan was stirring, clearly not passed out and even more clearly furious.
But the look on Jeremy’s face is the one that nearly makes Gavin break. Its pure betrayal and hurt like Gavin had physically slapped him. Gavin swallows and stands up a little taller. Keep distracting. Keep playing it up.
It’s the look in Geoff’s eyes that makes it easier for Gavin to do it. Geoff knows Gavin is just playing with these people. Geoff has known Gavin the longest, has seen the Golden Boy form from the frail, skinny kid picking pockets in shady bars. Geoff has been there for every piece of gold added, every fake smile practiced, every flirtatious tone perfected. Geoff knows all of his tricks, all of his lies. Geoff gives Gavin a small nod, unseen by everyone but him. Gavin continues.
“But what are you going to do with them now?” Gavin says, looking at his nails as if uninterested. “You’ve got one of the most infamous crew bosses in your hands. But do you know how to break him? Because doll, I’ve picked up all the tricks of the trade. For the right price, maybe I can help you.”
“Gavin…” Jeremy breathes out desperately. Gavin refuses to look at him, can’t look at him and focuses on the woman instead.
The woman eyes him, something suspicious but also impressed. “And why would I do that?”
Gavin shrugs. “Figured I could be of service. Seems like I’m out of a job now since you have the crew I worked for. Might as well try on getting a new one. Though let’s be honest. Everyone is going to want me.” Gavin laughs again, something almost seductive in its tone.
He takes a few steps towards to woman, twirling his golden necklace through his golden fingers. He speaks just barely above a whisper, words dripping from his golden tongue, leaning in close to the woman. “Doll, I’m an offer you can’t refuse.”
The woman glances away, considering the offer. Gavin steps back and smirks, something dangerous hidden in it. He twists his golden rings around his finger, catching the glances of the other men of this crew, winking at the one holding Geoff. Show up his cockiness, create an air of power. Follow all lessons Gavin’s learned in building this mask of gold and desire.
Then a red light catches Gavin’s attention in the corner of his eye. A tiny red dot on the woman’s forehead. Sniper sight. Gavin’s smile widens. Good boy, Trevor.
“Well this is been fun, loves. But I think its time we get this party started,” Gavin says, slowly reaching for his golden pistols. “Oh, and just so you know? Next time you’d get better luck if you actually get all of the Fakes. You missed one. And that one is bloody pissed.”
The woman opens her mouth to speak but she doesn’t get another chance. A gunshot echoes out around them and a hole appears where the woman’s brain was just moments before. Gavin whips up his guns with blinding speed, shooting at the other rival crew members with pinpoint accuracy.
The rest of the crew is dead before the woman’s body even hits the ground.
Gavin holds his guns up a few more moments, checking the rest of the room, eyes cold and dangerous. Once he’s sure there’s no more threat, and he can hear Lindsay and Mica making their way over, he relaxes, dropping his guns and all the tension in his body.
He goes to Geoff first, pulling out a hairpin and working on lock-picking the chains. Within a minute the chains are gone and Geoff stands up, rubbing his wrists.
“Good work there,” Geoff says, clapping Gavin’s shoulder. Gavin nods, shoulders slumped and too tired to smile.
Lindsay and Mica burst in and start helping the rest of the crew get untied and free. They’re all in various states of health and Gavin sees Lindsay is on the phone with Caleb as she examines Ray who is definitely passed out. But everything seems recoverable. They are all ok. There are all safe.
“Don’t bloody do that again,” Gavin says to Geoff.
“I’ll try not to,” Geoff grins and throws his arms around Gavin. Gavin holds tight, burying his head into Geoff’s shoulder, shedding the Golden Boy piece by piece in the safety of Geoff’s arms.
“We’re all good thanks to you,” Geoff says, running a hand through Gavin’s hair.
“I think I scared the lads,” Gavin mumbles, seeing the flashes of betrayal again in everyone’s eyes, the hurt that he caused.
“They’ll be alright,” Geoff reassures. “We’re all going to be alright.”
for the 400 followers prompts, hybrid fahc weird animal shenanigans? (i love ur writing!!)
((so uh. remember how I said that my prompt fills would be around 1000 words? and no more than 2000? Well this ended up at nearly 3400.... To be fair the reason for that is because this is essentially 6 minifics in one. Also made this OT7 for @somuchspoopyness (i hope u dont mind if i count this as your prompt fill too? if not tell me and i’ll do something separate for yours)))
Geoff (And Ryan):
Geoff grumbles under his breath, crumbling the papers into a ball. Nothing was working. Nothing was fitting together. There were too many holes in the plans, too many things not being timed at the right times. People falling through, plans falling through. Nothing was working.
Geoff was frustrated. Geoff was really fucking frustrated.
And so was Ryan. Forced to help Geoff, he was getting more and more agitated both from the planning and from Geoff’s own frustration.
Geoff tries to pace the room, tries to get rid of the frustrated energy but it wasn’t working. If anything, it was making it worse and he needed a release and he needed it now.
And then Geoff turns to Ryan and Ryan gulps because there’s that look in his eye and Ryan knows exactly where this is going to go.
Geoff lowers his head, points his horns right at Ryan, and surges forward.
Ryan has barely enough time to lower his own head and catch Geoff’s horns with his own long horns. A loud crack seems to shake the room as they connect. Ryan winces and takes a step back, just barely enough time to recover before Geoff is running at him again.
Another loud crack fills the room. Then another. Then Geoff huffs, pulls himself up, shakes himself off, and goes back to the piles of papers scattered across the desk.
“Feeling better?” Ryan asks, rubbing his head.
“Much,” Geoff says as he picks up the papers and looks through them as if the last minute didn’t happen. “Thanks.”
Ryan shakes his head and slides right next to Geoff, picking up where he left off in rereading through their research, and feeling much better himself too.
Jack:
Jack normally doesn’t mind going to the bars. Doesn’t mind when the crew decides to go bar hopping, celebrating one thing or another. She usually enjoys it. The warm fuzz of alcohol mixing with the drunken laughter from her lovers. The fond shaking her head when they get into shenanigans and sly smiles when they tell her their drunken prank plans.
But tonight Jack was just tired.
She still went of course, if for no other reason than to watch everyone. She’ll still enjoy the night, but she was too tired to drink much, too tired to get involved in their drunken shenanigans.
She stayed out of their conversations as they sat in the table. And when the others left to sit closer to the bar or bet over pool, she stayed at the table. She didn’t mind. The others knew to give her some space. And she just silently watched over them all with a careful eye. (She could practically hear Ray singing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ at that thought, despite the fact that she was a lion. But specifics were never one to get in the way of Ray meme-ing before).
Jack does another scan of the room, glancing at each of her boys as she sips her beer. She does a quick scan but something catches her eye and she snaps over to it.
Gavin was at the bar, looking like he was waiting for a drink and some stranger was pressed close to him. A little too close for comfort, whispering something to Gavin, and Jack could see the flash of unease, of panic in Gavin’s eyes. Jack immediately shot up and stormed over towards Gavin.
The closer she gets, the more uncomfortable she can tell Gavin is. He’s trying to shift away from the stranger, eyes glancing around in that calculating way that Jack knows he’s already trying to plan an escape. The stranger, however seems to notice none of that, placing his hands on Gavin’s hands repeatedly despite Gavin trying to pull away each time.
“Gavin!” Jack says in fake cheeriness as she approaches him and kisses his cheek. She loops her arm around his shoulders and keeps in there, a small showing to the stranger that Gavin was hers. She can feel the tension rolling from Gavin’s shoulders, relief in his eyes.
“Hello, love,” Gavin coos back, in an exaggerated affection that has the stranger sending them both sharp glares. Good. Jack can glare back.
“Didn’t tell me you where here with anyone,” the stranger says, laughing but there was no humor in it.
“Actually I did,” Gavin huffs, dropping any pleasant casualties he had before. “A lot.”
The stranger seems to ignore Gavin, continuing. “Don’t be such a fucking tease then-“
A deep growl erupts from Jack before she could try to suppress it. Both Gavin and the stranger startle at the sound, something too predatorily in the noise, too dangerous.
The stranger shakes his head and gives a mumbled “fucking hybrids” under his breath before turning and leaving them alone.
The second he’s gone, Gavin whips around to Jack. “What was that? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you so bloody scary before.”
“I-I really don’t know, I did it without thinking,” Jack says sheepishly.
“It was awesome,” Gavin says, giving a quick kiss to her lips. “Thanks Jack.”
“Anytime Gavin,” she grins as she returns the kiss.
Michael:
It was one of those rare lazy afternoons where they didn’t have much to do. Where they could actually relax for a bit, just get to enjoy each other’s company.
That afternoon started with Ray and Michael playing video games, the only two who didn’t actually have anything to do that day and making the most of it as they always do.
But games got boring after a few hours and the sun started dipping in the sky and the others still weren’t home and Michael got tired. And when he got tired he got affectionate.
Michael sprawled across the couch, head on Ray’s lap and legs curled around Ray’s. Ray paid little mind, half petting Michael’s hair, half playing whatever game he had on.
And then there’s a strange noise coming from Michael and Ray pauses his game and just stares at Michael for nearly a minute. And then bursts into laughter, waking Michael up from his doze.
“Dude, were you purring?” Ray says between laughter.
Michael’s face turns red. “No!”
“You so were! You’re such a cat, dude, holy shit.”
Michael grabs a pillow and hits Ray across the face with it. “Shut the fuck up!” he says but Ray keeps laughing.
“Its kinda cute,” Ray says as his laughter slows.
Michael lies back on Ray’s lap, burying his red face against Ray’s stomach. “Shut up,” Michael mumbles.
Ray shakes his head and goes back to petting Michael’s hair. “Why didn’t you tell me you could purr? Oh man wait until the others hear about this!”
“You tell them and I’ll kill you,” Michael mumbles again, holding up his claws against Ray’s side.
Ray gives a short laugh. “Ok tough guy, I won’t tell your secret.”
“You better not,” Michael says before drifting off again. Ray goes back to playing and when Michael starts purring again Ray can’t help but smile.
And pull out his phone and recording Michael’s purr, then sending a video message to all the others with just a cat emoji and a heart.
Ray:
It wasn’t rare for one of them to go off on a job by themselves. Sometimes it was needed, sometimes one of them just had to blow off steam by themselves. They’d go on the job and return perfectly fine. Lone jobs were normal.
But Jeremy was so new to this all, so new to the crew. Of course Ray was anxious.
He tried to keep himself busy while he waited. While they all waited. Played any random assortment of video games all day, anything that could keep his focus. Unfortunately it would never keep his focus for long.
Ray sat on the couch, chewing the string of his hoodie, hands mashing the controller buttons, and foot tapping impatiently without his conscious control.
“Would you stop doing that?” Gavin grumbles as he walks in from the kitchen. “You’re driving me insane.”
“Stop what?” Ray says, not looking up from the game as he gets yet another headshot.
“Tapping! You’re doing it again!”
Ray stops; only just realizing he was even doing it. “Oh, uh, sorry?”
Gavin huffs then flops on the couch next to Ray, throwing his legs over his and silently watching Ray play. Ray can see the lines of worry across the other’s face, but chooses to ignore it just like his own worry.
A few minutes pass before Gavin speaks up again.
“You’re doing it again! Stop it!”
And sure enough, Ray had started tapping his foot.
“I’m sorry! I can’t help it!”
“Well why not!”
“Its just something I do when I’m anxious alright?” Ray snaps.
“What are you going on about? What are you so anxious about you can’t control your own foot?”
“Your nose gaining sentience and smothering us in the middle of the night,” Ray says with bitter sarcasm as he goes back to playing his game.
Ray expects Gavin to laugh but he doesn’t. Expects him to yell at Ray making fun of his nose but he doesn’t. Instead he shifts closer, putting his wings over both of them. “Is this about Jeremy?”
Ray sighs. “Yeah…”
Gavin presses a kiss against Ray’s temple. “He’ll be alright.”
Ray rolls his eyes but wraps an arm around Gavin. “You’re worried too, don’t think I can’t tell.”
This time Gavin sighs. “Yeah, well. I worry about all of you.”
Ray softens and pulls Gavin closer. “Let’s worry together then.”
This time Gavin does laugh, pulling closer and laying down across the couch. Ray lies down with him, wrapping his arms around him. And Gavin covers them both in his wings, warm and soft. Ray feels himself calming down already and it isn’t long before he finds himself drifting off.
Jeremy gets home that night, tired but fine. He enters in, dragging his feet and just wanting to take a shower when he spots a mess of feathers on the couch and a pair of rabbit ears sticking out of them. Jeremy smiles, shaking his head at the two of them. He picks up the blanket on the other couch (which they’ve clearly forgotten was there or at least they didn’t think they’d fall asleep and need it) and carefully sets it on top of them. And before he leaves the room to clean up, he pulls out his phone and takes a picture of the two of them to send to all the others. (And for possible blackmail later).
Gavin:
Before you ask, yes Gavin’s wings work. Yes he can fly. You can stop bloody asking. So what if he doesn’t fly that much? That’s his business and not yours.
Ok so maybe Gavin had a slight fear of heights. So maybe the air currents were so strong in the city it made it difficult to fly anywhere. Maybe flying made him incredibly anxious so he did it as little as possible. But no one needs to know this. He’s fine regardless of his willingness to fly.
He’s fine.
Until, of course, he needs to fly.
It’s during a heist because of course it’s during a goddamn heist, everything bad that happens goes down during a heist. And this particular heist found Gavin stuck on the roof of a building, cops hot on his tail, and nowhere else to go but up.
And with nothing else to do, and yelling from everyone else in his ears, he closes his eyes and jumps.
He’s fine for about five seconds before it all goes to shit.
A big gush of wind catches him off guard, pushing his wings back and throwing him out of balance. Gavin screams, wings flapping helplessly as he tries to right himself, tries to not go falling to his death. But he’s falling, falling, falling and he can’t keep up, nothing is working, his wings aren’t working-
He barely makes it to the next building over before he’s crashing down. He grunts as he falls, shoulders screaming as they hit the rough cement of the roof. His head is swimming, vision blurred and it takes him a second to realize he’s still alive, he’s ok. He digs up enough strength to pull himself up and crawl behind a structure to keep himself hidden from the cops who chased him up here in the first place.
He pulls his wings tight around him, body shaking and hands pressed tightly against his mouth to stop from being heard. Tears blur his vision and he doesn’t even register when the cops’ voices stop, head too loud and body shaking too much. He lost control so completely, so devastatingly there. He could’ve died, oh god he could’ve died.
Gavin tries to catch his breath, but its shaky and its harsh and he keeps taking in big gulps of air but it’s no enough. God now he can’t breath, can’t move and his head is buried in his hands as he tries to remind himself he’s on land, he’s not falling anymore, he’s ok.
Suddenly Gavin registers the quiet. Too quiet, like the world turned on mute.
He dropped his coms.
The realization hits, filling him with instant dread. He can’t hear the others and they can’t hear him and there’s no way to know who is ok. A new rush of panic fills Gavin and he can’t bloody move-
He has no idea how long he is up there, no idea how long he is just sitting there, trying to breath, trying to calm down. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, he has no idea. He just remains in a curled ball under his feathers, grasping for air, and panicked out of his mind.
His panic doesn’t break when he hears muffled shouting. Doesn’t break when the roof access door is broken open, doesn’t break when he hears Geoff’s voice screaming his name. Screamed desperately, panicked, and more terrified than Gavin has ever heard him.
If anything it all makes Gavin’s panic even worse.
Geoff spots him, Gavin supposed its hard not to, feathers puffed out to make him seem three times his size. Geoff kneels down next to Gavin, still repeating his name over and over and yelling at him. Screaming to know what happened, how Gavin can’t just go silent on them like that, how terrified they all were. And Gavin opens his mouth to respond but all that comes out is a pathetic, strangled noise instead of words.
Geoff reaches out and brushes through some of Gavin’s feathers, brushes across his face and arms as he checks for injuries, face taunt with worry. Gavin can hear Geoff talking to the others, telling them he found Gavin. He can hear Geoff ask him again what’s wrong but Gavin still can’t respond, only reach over and grip Geoff’s shirt tightly like a lifeline.
“Gavin, hey,” Geoff says, running a hand through his hair and lifting Gavin’s chin to look him in the eyes. “C’mon bud, breath. Breath with me, you’re ok.”
Gavin nods and copies his breathing. Geoff continues petting his hear, running his hands through his feathers to calm him down. Eventually Gavin is able to breath normal again. He throws his arms around Geoff, burying his head into the others neck. Geoff breathes a sigh of relief and holds onto the lad.
“Can you tell me now what happened?”
“Bloody cops were chasing me and I had to fly to get away. Wind was too strong. Fell,” Gavin says quietly against Geoff’s shoulder.
“We heard you screaming on the coms before you went silent. I’m guessing that’s why?” Gavin nods and Geoff sighs. “Fucking scared us pretty bad, Gavin.”
“m’sorry,” Gavin mumbles.
“Lets get up, we should get back to the others,” Geoff says as he stands up and helps Gavin get up as well. His feathers were a mess, body still shaking slightly, and he looked like a mess, but he was ok. He was alive and going to be alright and that’s all Geoff needs. “And if you loose your coms again, I’m fucking firing you Gavin.”
Gavin crackles a small smile. “You could never do that Geoff, you love me too much.”
Geoff smiles back. “You’re right. After all, no one could replace you and your huge ass nose.”
“Geoff!” Gavin says, mock offended as the two of them fall into laughter. And Geoff throws an arm around Gavin, leading him down the roof access door and back to the rest of their family.
And Gavin feels the last of the panic dissolving, leaving him knackered as he walks with Geoff, hand in hand. Flying was bloody awful but looking at Geoff now and knowing the others are nearby, well. If they’re always here for him, he can survive flying when he needs to.
Jeremy:
Jeremy is perfectly aware that he is tiny and a prey animal and overall not very intimidating. He is also perfectly aware that he works with some rather intimidating people and predator hybrids alike. But Jeremy isn’t scared of them. He loves them and they love him. There’s nothing go be afraid of. But fuck if he isn’t skittish around them.
He doesn’t want to be skittish. It’s an instinct he can’t shake no matter how much he tries. Like how he flinches when Jack yawns, showing her sharp (so fucking sharp they could rip him in half) teeth. Or when Michael throws his hands up with sharp claws wide and terrifying. Or even Ryan, when he is in full Vagabond, laughing dark and creepy. Well it just makes Jeremy have the instinct to get as far away from him as he fucking can.
He tried ignoring it for a long time. Tried pretending like he didn’t have that instinctive fear that the others were going to hurt him, where going to eat him. But of course, it all comes to head anyway.
It’s after a bad heist. One that left Jeremy tired physically, emotionally, mentally. There were a few too many close calls that left wings singed, tails scratched, and ears cut. The kind of heist that wrecks Jeremy’s nerves, which are buzzing even after he got to a safe house. Even after there are no more bullets and sirens to run from anymore.
It’s only Jack and him at this safe house, being forced to break into pairs to escape the heat. It’s only him and Jack. The lion hybrid that Jeremy knows he shouldn’t be afraid of but his nerves are surviving on pure instinct and every instinct is telling him to RUN AWAY.
Jeremy just hides himself in one of the rooms instead. Flipping on the news channel to see if there’s any news on the others and ignore the dreading fear of Jack being nearby with her sharp teeth and sharper claws. And he’s fine. He’s perfectly fine hiding out here until shit dies down and he calms down.
But then Jack has to be her usual motherly self and decide to check in on him, opening the door to the room Jeremy was in and causing him to flinch. Jack either doesn’t see it or doesn’t think much of it because she continues to enter the room. Jeremy tenses (got he wishes he could just fucking relax) and when she reaches out to touch his shoulder, Jeremy flinches back so hard he nearly falls out of the bed.
The second Jeremy sees the look of worry and betrayal on her face he begins apologizing. He isn’t even sure what he says, tripping over his words to try and explain until she holds up a hand to stop him.
“I get it,” she says, taking a step away. “Ray was the same way when he first joined. Instincts take over sometimes and I’m sure today isn’t helping. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Jack, you don’t have to-“
“No, no, its fine,” Jack reassures. “You take you’re time. I’ll be in the other room if you need me.”
“You really don’t-“
“It’s fine, Jeremy.” She says, giving a soft smile. “I’ll be right in the other room for you. Rest up.” And with that she turned and left.
The second she’s gone all the tension leaves Jeremy and he hates himself for it. Jeremy lies down across the bed and lets the exhaustion overtake him. He makes a promise to himself to make up to Jack in the morning with kisses and food and showing her all the love he has for her.
