Your job wasn’t interesting by any means, at least, compared to the pro-heroes that roamed the streets. Their job taxed their bodies and pushed to their physical limits. Your job pushed your body limits in other ways and even though you weren’t risking your life like the other pro-heroes, you still arrived at your home worse for wear.
Trudging through the front door, you sluggishly placed your things on the counter of your apartment. You opened your fridge to find anything that could hold you over until the morning as it was almost midnight. You grabbed a cup of yogurt, shoveled it down, and discarded it into the trash. You didn’t want to keep him waiting.
You walked into the shower removing your cloths and stepped inside, letting the hot water sooth your tense muscles. You sighed, letting the stress of the day exhume from your nerves as you lightly massaged your neck muscles. You finished washing up and stepped out of the shower, drying yourself off before making your way to the bedroom.
You put on an oversize shirt and didn’t even bother with underwear as you slipped under the covers, doing your best to avoid rumbling feathers that hung in the air. You really didn’t want to wake up the beautiful man next to you, but it was already too late as he groaned and his wings stretched, reaching the ceiling.
“Lil’ Chick?” The nappy blond-haired man called out. “You finally done with work?”
You hummed as you relaxed face down in the bed. “Long day. People suck.”
He gave you a small chuckle, something like music to your ears. He slowly squirmed over toward you and lazily draped an arm over your back and planted a kiss on your head. “Welcome home, my songbird.”
You could have cried with how much stress he released from you with just a couple of words, but your tiredness didn’t allow you to. You simply turned to face him and wrapped your arms around his waist. “Missed you.” You said as you buried your head in his chest and lazily traced your fingers across his back.
He tightened his grip around you, also lazily tracing his fingers across your back until his hands dipped to your thigh. “No underwear to bed? Naughty songbird.”
You knew very well what he was thinking, but you also knew he had an early shift in four hours. “Mm, no. Both work early tomorrow.”
He hummed and returned his hands to your back.
“Sorry.”
“Why are you sorry, songbird?” He asked, craning his neck to look at you. “You know I don’t expect that from you, right?”
Your eyebrows scrunched together. “I know, it’s just… we’ve both been busy and haven’t really had time for each other, especially lately.”
He held you closer as his lips ghosted yours as he gazed into you with half lidded eyes. “We can make time.”
“I know.” You said. “I just worry that…” your words fell. You wanted so bad to voice your insecurities, but you haven’t been seeing him for long, and you didn’t know if it was appropriate to bring up. You didn’t want to be the clingy one, yet these thoughts disturbed you, even when you were with him. You tensed up in his arms, which didn’t go unnoticed by the him.
“Tell me.” He said, closing his eyes and softly rubbing his nose against yours. “You can tell me anything.”
“It hurts sometimes.” You admitted. “When I’m at work and I know you’re here, waiting for me. Or, when I’m home and you’re working.”
“Yeah, songbird, it hurts me too.” He danced his lips across your face. “I miss you so much… but I know we can make it work.”
You said nothing as you wondered if you and him could actually work. Your relationship with him wasn’t exactly public knowledge. You remembered the day you both confessed to each other. After months of flirting and questionable innuendo’s, he pulled you into a dusty closet (not the most romantic but it worked) and pinned you against the door, tilting your chin and confessing in a voice that made your heart flutter and your breath go short: “I need you.” Not a want but need.
He had also told you that he couldn’t be with you. In public, that is. He was working on something “top-secret” and could not be available.
“But I can’t stand you without my lips on yours for another second, songbird. I need every moment with you.”
Your heart melted at those words and he held true to them. Every fleeting moment he could get with you meant the world to him, even if it was holding onto you for a couple seconds more.
So, when you confessed that you were hurting, he couldn’t help but feel his heart break just a little bit. He needed you to know that you were more than enough for him if he could call you his. His songbird. And he told you this while he held onto you, his wings stretching as if to cover you up with his warmth. “So, don’t think you can get away from me that easily.”
Your body curled up and fit into him like a puzzle piece. “Thank you… my angel.” You said as your hand ran through his feathers.
He sighed as he closed his eyes, content with your warmth as you do the same. You both had an early morning, but you stayed up just a couple more minutes just to steal a little but more time to feel him next to you. Unknowing to you, he does the same, daydreaming of the day he could spend all day with you in his arms.
Just looked through some word documents and discovered a load of stories that I did back in October and November that have not been shared yet: Most need rewriting/editing but this very short gem below only needed some minor tweaking... Hope you enjoy :D
... ...
Title: Baby Talk. From @gumnut-logic Fluffember prompt list (Yes, that long ago) Day 28 - Say.
“Hi, I’m Scott, I’m four years old, I love aeroplanes and jumping off the couch. Although mummy and daddy tell me off for that one. My best friend became a big brother to a little sister last year, he’s really good at it, and I want to be the same. So, I will always cuddle you, care for you, and when you get bigger I will help you to learn all of the things I found hard. I promise that I will be the best big brother you could ask for…” He leaned in and kissed his mother’s tummy, feeling a kick back in response… “Love you too!”
Hmm, this started off as a ‘care’ set of screenshots for Fluffember, but somehow it ended up being a Scott & Virgil fest.
Top two SOS Pt2, Home on the Range, two from Recharge and the last is from The Hexpert.
Enjoy :D
Nutty
(Scott is definitely the one most illustrated in the ‘caring role’. Sometimes it is Virg, but trying to find shots of the other bros caring for each other is a challenge - any suggestions?)
PS: I do not own these images, I’m just sharing the joy.
Something moved. It dug into Jeff’s side and woke him up. Lifting himself up onto his elbow, he felt something against his back. Squinting, he saw a medium sized form curled up in front of him. After letting his eyes adjust, he saw three heads on the pillow beside him and smiled, realising he'd been joined in the night. The child next to him groaned and moved again, elbowing Jeff in the ribs. A quick look over his shoulder confirmed it was John who was lying behind him, though Jeff was surprised to see his eldest on the other side of John. Scott was old enough to not be scared of a storm, but he had been sharing a room with Virgil and John. Jeff wondered if Scott had gone looking for his brothers when they weren’t in their beds, only to find everyone in the master bedroom. Jeff smiled at the sight of Scott cuddling John.
Lying back down, Jeff pulled Virgil into him. The boy continued to move, the nightmare that gripped him causing him to whimper. Jeff stroked the boy’s brown hair and muttered into Virgil's ear, trying to bring him comfort. Virgil's nightmares were thankfully rare, but when they came, they were vivid and at their peak he would thrash and yell out. Lucille knew exactly how to comfort him but had never given Jeff the information. Now Jeff had to go back to trial and error, hoping he could bring relief to Virgil before he woke his brothers.
Jeff lay there feeling inadequate as Virgil continued to twist in his arms. The nightmare was getting worse and Virgil started to thrash more and muttered the word 'no' over and over. Virgil's leg kicked out, hitting Gordon's leg and waking him up. Gordon rubbed his eyes and looked at Jeff before his eyes settled on his brother.
"Virgil okay?"
"He's just having a nightmare. The storm must have scared him a little. Don't worry, he'll be okay soon."
Gordon yawned and rubbed his eyes. Jeff watched as Gordon reach out and ruffled Virgil hair.
"Be brave Virgil."
Jeff smiled as Gordon curled back up and fell asleep. Jeff lent over and kissed Virgil's cheek.
"You hear that Virgil. Be brave." Jeff whispered in his ear, "You are safe and loved. We are all here with you."
Brushing his fingers through Virgil's hair, Jeff felt relief as Virgil seemed to relax slightly against him. The boy’s mutterings and movements decreased, and his breathing became more regular. Jeff sighed as Virgil's nightmare came to an end. Jeff continued to hold Virgil as he closed his own eyes, letting his body relax, and allowing himself to drift off, comforted by the knowledge that all his boys were close by.
He had promised himself that he wouldn’t turn and look, that he would wait until she got to his end of the aisle on the beach. It had been a day they had been waiting for for too long, one distraction after another forcing delay and reorganisation. Then, finally, things had just fallen into place at the right moment and everything had come together quicker than he could have possibly imagined.
Though he had made a promise to himself, he hadn’t at all expected to keep it. Behind him, Gordon’s low whistle as the piano music started was already drawing temptation. His own heart was suddenly thundering in his chest, nerves unexpectedly getting the better of him.
Next to him, Scott leant in, “She looks amazing.”
And that did it. Allowing a brief second to glare at his big brother’s knowing grin as he turned, Virgil felt his heart stop as he laid eyes on her.
She was beautiful.
The dress was white and simple, light and floaty in the gentle breeze of the beach. Her hair was in light waves, loose over one shoulder just how she knew he liked it. There was just the faintest of traces of makeup on har face that he could make out as she walked towards him, no doubt forced on her by Penny.
Maybe it would sound cheesy if he said it out loud, but to him, it was none of that which made her beautiful. It was the look in her eyes as they caught his, the way her lips curved up in the slightest nervous smile, and the faintest colouring of her cheeks.
He loved his family, but they were forced together by birth. Kayo had been thrust into the mix by chance and forced to get to know the five of them. Over the years she had always kept herself to herself and never gave away more than necessary to Virgil and his brothers.
Until things had started to shift and suddenly the two of them had been so much closer. That she had chosen to let him, to trust him with the side of her that nobody else got to see, had made him feel all sorts of things that he wasn’t sure he was quite capable of describing. Because someone like Tanusa Kayo Kyrano who was so ridiculously strong and brave and determined to everyone else, but so fragile and vulnerable at the same time.
Simply thinking about it made his heart bunch up and his shoulders square, and he knew exactly what lengths he would go to for her, to support her and hold her and do anything he could to just make her happy. In return he knew that she would give all that she could for him.
A lump swelled in his throat at the thought, whilst they had his family around him to support and love them both, neither had ever expected to have anything more than just that. International Rescue and living on an Island simply didn’t match with the opportunity to find a romantic partner. Yet there they both were, decked out in only the very best wedding attire for their day on the beach they both so loved.
Scott nudged him, passing over a handkerchief with a smile and a shake of his head. Virgil had to laugh at himself as Kayo stood to face him, her eyes were glistening in the sun, a sure sign that she wasn’t far behind with her own tears.
“They’d better be happy ones.” he murmured taking one of her hands as he wiped his cheeks.
Her smile lit up as she laughed and nodded, “I’m marrying you, there’s nothing I could possibly be sad about today.”
Okay... Yeah, I'm gonna try this, despite my brain going a billion directions at once right now with less than a week to the event I'm tabling at. XD But anyhoo. ARE YOU ALL READY FOR A WHOLE LOTTA BIG BROTP? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROLLY GETTING. :Db YOU'RE WELCOME.
Titch late, but when I tried to write earlier I felt too sleepy... and then I rolled around in bed, unable to sleep. (I love pms. lol ^^;;;;) So I’ve tried to put some kinda words together. IDK if makes sense but anyhoo...
Day 1 - Hugs
He often wishes he could do more for his big brother and best friend. If he could somehow share the weight that sitting on those shoulders, he would do it in a heartbeat, but Scott keeps his troubles closely guarded. He would keep them hidden entirely from them all if he could, but he can't. He tries, but he can't ever keep them from Virgil.
When Virgil found him sitting on a deck chair outside, long after the everyone in the villa has gone to bed, that alone tipped him off that something was wrong. With the moon but a crescent in the sky, the stars shine brightly, but not quite enough to see details. It wasn't enough to see exactly what was lurking in his brother's gaze, but still, Virgil could see enough.
Of course, Scott tried to claim he'd lost track of time and should head to bed. Of course, he tried to beat a hasty escape. Virgil had put a stop to that by pulling his brother into a sudden hug.
Scott had frozen up at first, but slowly his brother's barriers broke down as Virgil, without a word, just held his brother tighter.
Virgil wishes he could do more and perhaps there will be something he can do when they head inside and he finds out what's specifically troubling his brother tonight, but for now this is something.
Okay, in some discussion with my fellow writers and readers we came up with the idea of a post-Whumptober challenge fest involving fluff...buckets of it...to apologise to all our characters for the nastiness we commit during the wonderful whump season.
So the concept of Fluffember...er...Fluffy November...was conceived. Words were needed, so here they be, one for each day of the month.
There be words, there be a tag to tag your works with. Other than that, go for it. You can choose one or many, work backwards, forwards or higglety-pigglety. There can be art, writing, papier mache, sand sculptures or sonnets. Whatever your muse desires, take it and run with it.
Create and have fun!
Nutty
(off the edge, but learning to fly)
Above reads...
Fluffember 2019
1. Hugs
2. Blanket
3. Care
4. Touch
5. Cry
6. Date
7. Comfort
8. Encounter
9. Hot beverage
10. Expression
11. Eyes
12. Food
13. Gift
14. Message
15. Hair
16. Item of importance
17. Flower
18. Tuck in
19. Home
20. Kiss
21. Love
22. Memory
23. Music
24. Award
25. Compliment
26. Pet
27. Pillow
28. Say
29. Family
30. Special place
Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS
Rating: Teen
Summary: “I need my big brother, not his sacrifice.”
Word count: 1953
Spoilers & warnings: Angst. Spoilers for ‘Recharge’ & Season 3
Timeline: Episode Tag set during ‘Recharge’
Author’s note: For @sofasurf who asked for a little Virgil comforting Scott. Fluffember 2019 Prompt #7 Comfort.
Many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for putting up with my crazy.
Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.
-o-o-o-
It was the whimper that woke him.
The tent was warm, the heat cube doing a thorough job at staving off the ice cold of outside. The insulated material of the tent itself still rippled with the gust of arctic winds, the muted roar a continual background to everything.
But despite the winds, that soft whimper reached out in the dim light, wrapped around his heart and yanked.
Virgil sat up, the fog of sleep falling from him so abruptly it was dizzying. His brain came online throwing data at him - where he was, events up to now...who he was...
The aurora generator, Max, the Arctic...
Scott.
There was another whimper and Virgil shot to his feet, stumbling towards the sleeping form of his brother on the other side of the tent.
They had dozed while waiting, never willing to give up the opportunity to grab sleep when they could. Max ready to alert them the moment the way was clear.
His brother lay on his rack on his back, his expression one of anguish.
The sight hurt.
Virgil knew Scott had been struggling of late. The signs were all there. The recklessness, the urge to do and do and do. It tore at him, but Virgil was at a loss as to how to help.
He had tried everything he knew already and Scott continued to shrug him off, ignore his advice, his nudges. There had been moments where Virgil had thought he was going to lose his brother in the last year and he was fumbling to find a way to save him.
Save his brother.
The irony was painful.
Scott was a light sleeper. The man bounced from deep sleep to awake at the smallest nudge. The fact he was still caught in the nightmare despite Virgil’s movements was telling.
“Dad.” It was a recognisable whimper and Virgil couldn’t help but reach out.
A brush against his hair. Whispered. “Scott.”
His brother started, his eyes shooting open as he gasped awake. A frantic moment as they latched onto Virgil like a lifeline.
Hi hand continued to cradle his brother’s hair. “Hey.”
To Virgil’s astonishment, Scott blinked away tears as he obviously scrambled to compose himself. “Uh, Virgil.”
There were no words for a moment as the man threw himself into a seated position, rubbing his hands over his face.
Virgil fell back on his heels, giving his brother a moment to pull himself together.
“Want to talk about it?” Tentative and quiet.
“Not really.”
Silence and awkwardness for a moment.
“You mentioned Dad.”
Blue eyes shot at him and just for a moment there was a vulnerability there that shook Virgil to his core.
“Don’t want to talk about it.” To Virgil’s horror, Scott’s voice was shaking.
“Scott-“
“No, Virgil.”
“But-“
“No!”
Virgil’s lips thinned.
Scott turned away, running his hands through his hair. “Sorry, I just can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Please, just...don’t.”
The hand rubbing his face was unsteady.
If Virgil was honest with himself, seeing Scott like this scared him. Scott was his big brother, always strong, always there. He certainly wasn’t infallible, and there had been times in the past...they always left Virgil uncertain. He was ashamed to admit that he relied on Scott to be the strong one when things were falling apart.
If Scott was breaking under the pressure...
He swallowed and squared his shoulders. “You need some downtime.”
Scott spun to look at him. “What?”
“If you won’t talk about it, you need some time off to work things out.”
He shook his head. “No. No. Not possible.”
“It is.” Virgil sat on the floor staring up at his brother. “It won’t all collapse without you. We can manage.”
“Yeah, right.”
That caused an arched eyebrow, but to be honest, it wasn’t unexpected. “I’m glad you have so much confidence in me and our brothers.”
Blue eyes, stressed and obviously in pain stared at him.
“Talk to me, Scott.” It was a plea. “I don’t bite.”
“Not according to Gordon.”
He rolled his eyes. “He bit me first and you are not distracting me. Talk to me or I’ll ground you on medical grounds and you can talk to someone else.”
That got him. Scott straightened where he sat, anger flaring. “You can’t do that!”
“Just try me.” His lips thinned and he rammed his point home by staring his brother down.
Okay, proof that Scott wasn’t firing on all thrusters as Virgil won the staring contest, Scott’s eyes darting off to the left.
Soft. “I can’t.”
“You can.” The barest of smiles. “You’re my big brother, you can do anything.”
It was a gamble playing that card. It could trigger more stress at the reference to Scott’s position in the family or it could work as intended and bring back the memory of the first time Virgil had uttered those words.
He had only been around eight at the time and well and truly deep in hero worship of his big brother. Truth be told, he had never really lost that worship. It had changed over the years into more of a respect, but there was still that ingrained opinion that Scott was capable of doing so much.
At the time, it was a case of trying to get Gordon’s ball out of a tree. The two of them had been staring up at the ancient oak while Gordon screamed his preschool heart out at their feet. No adult was available and Virgil was too short to reach the lowest limb.
Scott wasn’t.
But they had been forbidden from climbing the tree with a threat of dire consequences.
But they had to get that ball. It was brand new, brought home from Dad’s latest business trip.
“You can do it, Scott. I’ll help you.”
The whole incident summed up their entire relationship. Scott leading, Virgil helping to make it happen.
“I’m not ten anymore, Virgil.”
“But you are still my big brother.” He reached up and placed his hands on Scott’s bowed shoulders. “You will always be our big brother. You don’t have to prove it by working yourself into the ground.” A pause. “Or by trying to kill yourself in the process.”
“I can’t...”
And there is was. A glimpse of truth.
Pushed away by stubbornness.
“I do what I have to do.”
Virgil’s hands tightened on his brother’s shoulders. “Then you will force me to do what I have to do, and ground you.”
“Virgil-“
“No! You listen to me. What happened to Dad wasn’t your fault! You’ve done everything humanly possible to find him, to carry his legacy, to keep us all afloat. But goddamnit, Scott, I won’t lose you like I lost Dad. I can’t do it!” His brother flinched, but Virgil had to push on. “I’m watching you fade away, day by day. And then you throw these stunts that terrify me. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve saved you over the last year? How many times seconds have counted? The uranium mine, Scott. You’d be dead. So fucking dead and then where would we be?!”
The tension in Virgil’s shoulders threatened to travel down his arms and just throttle his brother into understanding. “I’m not you, Scott. I can’t do this without you. And I can’t bear the thought...” He swallowed, taking control of himself. “If not for yourself in the short term, then do it for us. Take some time! And we can work out what you want for the long term. But please, please...just stop.”
Virgil found his heart thudding in his chest, his breath rasping with the urgency to get Scott to realise exactly what was at stake here. It was the expression in his brother’s eyes, wide and staring, a little fear in their depths, that shook the anger from him. There was a moment of pain, everything hanging in the air surrounding them like some life-sucking miasma, and Virgil grabbed his brother, yanking him into a desperate embrace.
It was a cling and he wasn’t sure if it was for himself or to reassure Scott, but either way, it was sorely needed.
Scott’s arms hesitated, but eventually wrapped around Virgil’s back, fingernails scratching against uniform fabric.
Uniform. Virgil’s eyes closed as his grip tightened and his head fell to Scott’s shoulder.
“Virg-“
“You’re more important.”
“I-“
“Please, Scott.”
His brother didn’t answer immediately, shifting in Virgil’s grip before gently tugging away.
Virgil let him go.
Scott wouldn’t look at him.
It was frightening to see his big brother like this.
“I...I think it is kind of ironic.” Scott’s voice was quiet.
A frown. “What?”
“That we are both afraid of the same thing.”
Virgil stared at him, no words, waiting.
His brother swallowed as if steeling himself before catching Virgil’s eyes. “I can get there first. If I can do what has to be done, I...you and the others don’t have to.” Blue eyes bled honesty and not a little fear, but Scott let out a desperate little laugh looking away. “I can’t lose you either.”
“God, Scott.” Virgil resisted the urge to grab and hug his brother again, instead resorting to grabbing his hand. “We are stronger together.”
Something broke and Scott’s face screwed up. “Virg, you weren’t there. He was...” Fingers were ripped out of Virgil’s grip and Scott buried his face in his hands. “He was just gone. I can’t...”
Virgil reached up and gently pulled those hands away. Scott’s face was strained and red where his hands had been jammed against his cheeks.
His eyes shone.
Words caught in Virgil’s throat. What could he say? That he and his brothers weren’t going to die? That everything was going to be all right?
He would be lying.
He couldn’t promise anything...any more than Scott could in kind.
“We could shut down International Rescue.” But the words hurt and Scott immediately tensed up.
“No. We do this for Dad. For Mom. For everyone who needs saving.” Simply saying the words put the spark back into his brother’s eyes. It was a mantra, a core philosophy, a reason why they did what they did.
“Then we do it together. We watch each other, protect each other and save each other. We do it together, Scott, and keep each other safe.” A swallow. “I need my big brother, not his sacrifice.”
Scott stared at him. One hand slipped from Virgil’s grip and reached for the side of his face. Gloved fingers brushed across his cheek bone, tangling in his hair.
Whispered. “Okay.”
The barest of smiles flickered across Virgil’s lips. “Thank you.”
And he was being pulled into a hug, Scott dragging him close. Virgil’s arms wrapped around his brother and for a long moment they simply held each other.
There was a tightness in his chest and Virgil had to blink several times to clear his vision.
Maybe this had worked. Maybe Scott would take the steps toward not risking his life so often. Please, God, keep him safe.
A particularly strong gust of wind shook the tent and broke the moment, the insulated material banging against the metal frame.
Scott pulled away and Virgil let him go, falling back onto his heels once again before creaking to his feet. Neither spoke as Virgil made his way back to his bunk. The whole conversation had been exhausting.
“Virgil?”
He turned back to his brother. Scott was still sitting on the edge of his bed. “You were wrong.”
What? God no.
“You do bite. You sink your teeth in and hang on until you get what you want.” Scott’s expression was solemn. “Thank you.”
Virgil smiled a little sadly at him. “I do what I have to do.”
