Hi hunny! I didn't see any sign of requests being closed (for Garcello) but if they are feel free to ignore this! Maybe some HCS (and maybe a little scene at the end) Of Ghost!Garcello and Child!Ghost!Reader who died at a really younge age due to smoke (ex: fire smoke) And he feels really bad for them and over time they become like best friends almost like father and son/daughter/kid. Reader can have any pronouns! Have a good day! <33
Hi love! Requests definitely aren't closed so no worries! I'm sorry this took me a bit to get to, but here it is!
***
- Getting used to ghost life took him awhile, but once he realized it wasn't all that different from normal life he began to enjoy it. Sure, nobody could see him, and sometimes it got lonely, but he was free to do whatever he wanted.
- He met you after the apartment complex burned down. You passed in the fire, smoke inhalation, because your ghost wasn't burned. You had been trying to find your family but nobody would answer.
- He decided to take you in, teach you how to be a ghost. You were startled at first, learning you were dead. You felt alive, obviously you weren't, if the way people walked through you was any indication.
- It took him awhile to get through to you. You wanted your mom, wanted your family the way it was, but you couldn't. And he knew that was hard to process. So he kept an eye on you and let you process things.
- And when you finally came around he was right there, ready to help you. Take care of you. He tried to help you find your mom, but the only thing you found was a gravestone with her name. She didn't come back as a ghost. He wasn't sure why, who did and didn't come back was beyond him.
- After awhile he got used to having you around. You were comforting, in a way. You reminded him of Annie, something in him wanted to take care of you, so he gave into it.
- Over the years of being a ghost you grew closer to Garcello. He was always there, just a calming and comforting presence. You started to see him as the father you ever had, and he was alright with that.
---
"Please! Somebody please I can't find my mom!" He watched as the child tried tugging on the jackets of the firefighters and running to the people who had been evacuated from the building. He leaned against one of the trucks, taking a last drag from the cigarette and dropping the butt of it. It faded before it hit the ground and another materialized between his fingers. People walked around him, past him, through him, never even knowing he was there.
"Mommy! Please I want my mom!" He watched the same child tug on more sleeves and arms, and nobody turned an eye their way. He couldn't believe people would just ignore a kid like that. Somebody would just leave a child alone, even when they were dealing with their own worries. Suddenly the kid turned and locked eyes with him, running towards him and reaching for the edge of his jacket.
"Please look at me, I just want my mom." The kid said, gripping his jacked and tugging it to get his attention. Garcello dropped his cigarette in surprise. Nobody should be able to see him. Nobody living at least. The child had tears streaming down their face as they tugged Garcello's jacket.
"Hey, hey it's alright." He said, gently resting his hand on the child's back. Their shoulders dropped as they leaned against Garcello, pressing their face into his stomach and wrapping their arms around him as they sobbed. He slowly knelt down and picked up the kid, holding them against his chest.
"You're alright." He tried comfortingly as the kid cried against his shoulder. He looked around the crowd for a woman missing her child, someone that would be looking for the one he held, not that there was anything he could do, but, he had to look.
The house was a mess. You knew it hadn't been inhabited in awhile, but you hadn't expected to need a tobacco cleanup before you even started. The woman you had hired did a good job but even she couldn't get it all out of the paint. The floorboards would need to be replaced, the walls would likely have to be sanded and repainted, and you had no doubt the carpet had to go too.
You turned the sander off, removing your respirator and sliding your headphones off your head to take a break. You walked into the kitchen area, opening the fridge. You shuddered as a cold chill ran down your spine and you looked around. Your mother would say someone just walked over your grave, but you weren't the superstitious type. You chalked it up to standing in front of the fridge after working up a sweat.
You pulled the sandwich out of the fridge and shut it, thankful the new owners had agreed to turn the power on. You sat down on an unopened five gallon bucket of paint and dug into your lunch. You looked around the house. You had pulled down the blinds and curtains to let the light into the small space. It was nice, homey. You wondered how it ended up abandoned.
You continued to work on the walls for the next few weeks until the house was repainted. Hopefully that would erase the lingering smell of cigarettes. The previous owner was obviously a heavy smoker. Maybe that's the reason it was abandoned, they finally had one too many.
You were going to start work on the floorboards today. There was no way you could just refinish them, years of neglect and tobacco had worked it's way into the wood. You had measured the rooms that needed it and ordered the replacements, now just came the process of tearing it out. But, the house seemed angry.
You smelled cigarettes more often now. But you figured it was because of the floorboards. You heard thuds from somewhere within the house, but you figured it was just the wind messing with the attic vents. You got cold chills often but chalked that up to the newly fixed air conditioner that hadn't been calibrated yet.
You finally had enough when a violent chill ripped through you one day as you were trying to rip up one particularly stubborn floorboard. You hooked the claw of your hammer under it and pulled upwards, splintering the wood. This board had been held in with twice as many nails, that were twice as large as normal flooring nails.
"Alright listen house ghost if you're upset then come deal with me yourself. But stop giving me problems!" You shouted to nothing, feeling silly. But shouting at this "house ghost" was a decent outlet for your frustrations at this remodel. You turned to pull the rest of the floorboard up, spotting something tucked within the floor joints. You reached for it, feeling your shirt sleeve snag on one of the nails as you pulled it out. You examined the hole in your sleeve before turning your attention to the item in your hand.
"Put it back." You heard a deep voice growl. You jumped, gripping the small box tighter as you looked up. There, sitting on one of the piles of ripped up floorboards was a tall man with a mysterious green glow around him. He was holding a lit cigarette in his hands. You sat back as your chest heaved.
"How the hell did you get in here?" You snapped. You had locked all the doors and the windows while you worked. There was no way he could get into the house without you knowing, the new owners hadn't even picked up their keys yet.
"No, how did you get here?" He asked, taking a breath from the cigarette. When he blew out the smoke was green and glowed with a strange light.
"This is my house, what are you doing here?" He asked. You held your hammer as a weapon as you sat back up on your knees.
"Your house? No, this house was just purchased. I know the owners and you're not one of them." You said. The man snorted, taking another puff from the cigarette. You took a moment to examine him. He wore jeans with a white t-shirt and a black jacket. He had a heavy pair of brown work boots on and a brown hat atop his teal hair that cast a shadow over his eyes. He would be handsome, if he wasn't scaring you right now.
"Bullshit." He said.
"Who are you?" You asked. If he was here to hurt you he would have done it already.
"I already told you, I'm the owner." He said.
"No you aren't. Who are you really?" You snapped. You were starting to get tired of him.
"I'm the ghost that had until now tolerated you sanding down my walls and ripping up my floor. But I need you to put that pack of cigarettes back, or we're going to have a problem." He finally said, standing up from the pile of floorboards. His feet made no sound as he walked towards you over the floor joists. He grabbed your wrist and shook your hand to loosen your grip on the small box, that you now realized was an old pack of Marlboro cigarettes. When his hand touched yours you felt a familiar chill shoot down your spine.
You dropped the cigarettes back between the floor joists and he stood over the pack protectively.
"I, ghost?" You asked. He took the cigarette from his mouth and blew more smoke as he nodded.
"Yes, the house ghost that you've been yelling at for the past week. My name is Garcello." He dropped the cigarette in his hand and it faded away before it connected with the ground. You looked up at him and he tilted his head.
"How, what?" You asked.
"I died, and apparently my spirit is tied to that pack of cigarettes. So it needs to stay here." He said, pointing to the pack of cigarettes between his feet.
"So you can stay here?" You asked. He snapped his fingers and another cigarette appeared between his fingers that he gestured to you with before speaking.
"Now she's getting it." He said, taking a drag from the cigarette.
"Why do you want to stay here?" You asked, looking around. It was a nice house but it was small and in a state of disarray.
"It's safe." He said, looking around. You tilted your head.
"Listen I did a lot of shit while I was alive, and for a few minutes before I came back I was in hell. Literal hell. I have no desire to go back." He said, taking another drag from the cigarette.
"Actual hell?"
"Yes, real hell, with satan and the fire and all that." He said. He pulled his hat off and ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly. It fluffed out for a moment before he pulled the hat back onto his head.
"So those cigarettes need to stay here because if anything happens to them I'm gone for good." He said. You looked at the cigarettes between his feet, then back to him.
"They can't stay here." You said. He let out a low growl and his hair flared out around his head. The glow around him grew a little brighter and the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end.
"Says you? Who even are you?" He hissed.
"I'm the one the owners hired to remodel the house. I can't just leave a pack of cigarettes, that has a ghost tied to it, in the floorboards. I'm pretty sure that violates some contract I had them sign." You explained.
"What are you going to do about it?" He took a step towards you, and although you knew he was trying to intimidate you, there was a hesitancy to it. As though he didn't really want to hurt you.
"Well I'm not going to burn it or anything, if that's what you mean." You said, reaching for the cigarettes. You picked them up and examined them. The pack was worn and faded and there were a few cigarettes missing from the inside. Garcello seemed distressed as you turned the box over.
"Please be careful." He said, holding out his hand.
"You're really nervous for a ghost." You said. He rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"You would be too if the eternal damnation of your soul was being prevented by a pack of cigarettes." He said. You snorted, that was definitely true. You set the cigarettes on the counter next to you and he looked between you and the pack.
"You're just going to leave them out?" He asked. You knelt back down, hooking your hammer under the floorboards again and ripping the next one up.
"I mean for now. If you're so stressed then move them." You said, tearing up another floorboard.
"I can't." He said, standing next to the pack. You looked up to him in confusion. He could obviously touch things, he had grabbed your wrist and been knocking things over.
"Why not?" You asked. He took the cigarette from between his lips and touching the corner of the pack with the tip of his finger. There was a sizzling screaming sound that came from his, skin and the pack of cigarettes. He pulled his hand away to reveal a black spot on the corner of the pack.
"If I try it burns it. I'm not sure why." He said, replacing the cigarette between his lips. You stood from the floor, walking past him and examining the pack.
"Can you just like, put it in a box and bury it in the back yard or something?" He asked, watching as you picked up the pack again.
"It would take a long time to make a box that's watertight so this wouldn't fall apart." You said, setting it back on the counter top. Garcello rested his elbows on the counter and rested his chin in his hands.
"How did it even get under the floor boards if you can't touch it?" You asked.
"I was with people when it happened. They put it under the floor and nailed it back down. For awhile they came to visit but, I guess they got busy." He said. You looked to him to see him working the cigarette around his mouth.
"What if I take this with me when I leave. Will you like combust or something?" You asked, pointing to the cigarettes. He tilted his head.
"No, I'll just go with you." He said. You nodded.
"Well you can't stay here, and I'm not just going to let you burn in hell." You said. He took the cigarette from his mouth and narrowed his eyes at you.
"You're going to take a ghost home." He said. "Like i'm a kitten you found on the street." He finished.
"Well it sounds bad when you put it that way, think of it as a roommate situation." You said. Garcello raised his eyebrows and nodded.
"Could be nice. It's been awhile since I've spent time with people." He said.
"Well you can come home with me or, I can drop you somewhere else." You said. Garcello shook his head.
"I don't have anywhere else to be dropped." He said with a chuckle. You picked up the pack of cigarettes, walking around the counter to slide them in the empty pocket of your lunch bag.
"That settles it then. I guess you're coming home with me." You said. Garcello looked at you and cracked a small smile.
"Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"Well hell doesn't sound fun. And maybe I feel kind of bad that you've been stuck her alone for so long." You said, kneeling back on the floor and working to pry up the next floorboard. Garcello knelt next to you silently before placing the cigarette back in his mouth, gripping the floorboard with one hand and ripping it up. You looked at him in surprise and he grinned.
"Lesson one of having a ghost roommate, we're pretty strong." He said with a laugh, pulling the next floorboard up as well. You let out a laugh as he pulled another board out.
"Maybe you should come with me to every job I do." You said with a smile while the two of you worked together to pull up the remaining floorboards.
"Yeah maybe I should." He said, reaching down and gripping one of the leftover nails, pulling it out bare handed.
"It would be nice to see so many things." He looked up at you with a smile.
"So I guess you're just going to live in my lunch bag then?" You asked. He wrinkled his nose.
"I don't live wherever the pack is, I just am tied within a certain distance of it." He said.
"So is it a set distance or you can't like leave the building?" You asked, sitting back on your feet.
"It's kind of a distance. Like I can get halfway out the backyard, and out to the road out front, but I can't cross the street or anything." He said. You nodded.
"So are you tied to a distance from the pack as a whole, or if I took one of the cigarettes could you follow that one specifically?" You asked. Garcello approached you with a handful of bent and broken nails and held out his hand to you. You pointed to the paint can of nails next to the pile of floorboards and he dropped the nails in the can.
"I don't know. I never tried." He said with a shrug.
"I guess we have a lot of experimenting to do then." You said. He paused to look up at you before pulling up another floorboard.
"You're serious about taking me with you?" He asked. You furrowed your brows.
"Yes? What else would I do?" You asked with confusion in your voice.
"Drop it in the first garbage can or puddle you see." He said simply, pulling up a second floorboard.
"I wouldn't do that." You said. You saw Garcello's hair float around his head a bit more as the green glow intensified briefly.
"Why not?"
"I like you. You're nicer than most of the living people I know." You said. The halo around him intensified further and his hair flared around him like a lions mane. You watched as his cheeks blushed a bright pink and you smiled.
"Sorry, it's been awhile since someone said they liked me." He said.
"Can I try something?" You asked. He turned to you and nodded before taking the cigarette from between his lips. You leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. His lips were soft and warm. You pulled back and had to squint to see him through the green light. His hair was standing on end and his eyes were glowing green. He pressed his hands to his face to hide his blush and you had to hold back a giggle as his hat started to float off his head.
"Fuck I didn't know that happened." He said. You let out a laugh.
"It looks like we both have a lot to learn about ghosts."
HCs about Garcello with a crybaby s/o? Like they cry over everything, both tears of sadness and joy
Of course love! I myself am very emotional lol so this was fun to write!
***
- Garcello's a little confused at first, because you cry a lot.
- He's no stranger to tears, don't get me wrong, but the first time you cried because you saw a kitten that was too small he was confused.
- He'd never cried like that before? His tears were reserved for times of great sadness in his life, but you had tears for every occasion.
- And he loved you for it? He loved how open you were with your heart. You cried when you were sad, yes, but you also cried the first time he told you he loved you. And you cried when you met his cat, and you cried when you laughed too hard.
- He thinks it's beautiful how open to your emotions you are. And you don't treat tears like something taboo, he thinks it's amazing.
- You actually are able to help him open up to his own emotions. He hadn't realized how closed off he'd been to them.
- He started feeling more. He would get misty eyes during movies when he never used to. Sometimes his eyes would water when he laughed.
- He didn't feel his emotions as deeply as you did, not yet at least, but to him life felt fuller once he learned not to hide from his emotions.
Ever wonder how living with Garcello be like when Covid first started and quarantine was the big jam? 👀
Ooh I actually do have a few headcanons about this anon! I hope they satisfy this curiosity haha
***
- Garcello works construction, so when lockdown started he still had to go into work until they finished their current project. This meant you were home alone a lot at first.
- It took a bit for you to get your own routine, but after your job adapted to a work from home system it was more or less your usual routine, just without Garcello.
- When they finally finished the project and Garcello finished his two week qurantine he was finally able to come home to you.
- Even though you already settled into your routine, it took him awhile to settle into his own. He was a freelance worker so he didn't have a job to keep busy with during quarantine.
- He bouncd around a few different hobbies, but none really stuck until he found he enjoyed song writing and music production.
- He also convinced you to learn how to play minecraft with him. You have a shared world and he adopts every single animal he finds (You had to cut him off after he adopted the tenth cat).
- He also got back into cooking during lockdown. His mom taught him how to cook traditional Italian meals when he was younger, and he loves cooking them for you now and sharing his heritage.
- He thinks the best part of lockdown is being around you so often. You get to cuddle him as often as you want because he's a big softie and would never say no to cuddles.
- Every evening you snuggle on the couch together and watch your favorite show, a movie, or work on your Minecraft world together.
- When things opened up and he felt comfortable going to stores he found it a little hard to remember to wear masks all the time. He didn't need them at home.
- He ended up buying masks in fun patterns and designs he liked to help him remember. His favorite mask has a Ghost McDonalds logo on it.
- Wearing masks all the time actually helped him cut back on smoking because he couldn't just have a cigarette in his mouth all the time.
You stood with the group of kids at the bottom of the hill bundled in your coat and snowpants, your ski's standing upright next to you. It was a field trip for the local elementary school and you were giving the "crash course" of skiing for the ones who hadn't done it before. There were a few that had brought snow boards and been thrown into your class, which is why you were standing at the bottom of the hill waiting for Garcello.
Your fiance was the one who taught the beginner snowboarding classes. He wasn't technically supposed to be working today, the school had said there weren't any students bringing snow boards, but he had tagged along with you in case you needed him. You were glad he was here, even if he had been at the top of the only double black diamond course when you radioed him to let him know he had a few students.
"Ms, what are we waiting for?" One of the young girls asked as she held up her hand.
"Well sweetie I'm not the greatest at snowboarding, and some of your friends are going to snow board today. So I have my friend coming over to show them how and make sure they're safe." You said. The girl looked at the small group of kids standing off to the side with their snowboards and wrinkled her nose.
"Where are they?" She asked. You nodded. You weren't sure if he had ridden the lift back down, or decided to go through the course. If he had taken the lift it would be awhile.
"Good question, let me ask him real quick." You said, taking your hand off your stomach and pulling out your walkie to press the button on the side.
"Garcello do you copy?" You asked. You heard static on the other end and air rushing past the mic before Garcello's voice rang through the speaker.
"Yeah I copy, what's up?" He asked. You smiled, he must have taken the course down.
"What's your ETA? I've got a couple of eager beavers here." You said with a smile. The little girl smiled back at you.
"About ten seconds actually, coming in hot. Wanna back everyone up?" He said. You glanced up the hill to see him hop off one of the rails. You quickly bustled the kids off to the side as he came to a stop, sending a wave of snow into the space you had just been standing. By the time the powder had cleared he had pulled his mask and hat off and unstrapped his boots from his board. He wasn't wearing his jacket, just his boots and a pair of snow pants with his white T-shirt tucked into the waist band, it got hot on the slope sometimes.
"Hey babe." He said, kissing the top of your head before turning to look at the kids. Majority of them had let their mouths drop open when Garcello came to a stop and only a few of them had closed them. The kids holding the snowboards were nearly vibrating with excitement and some of the ones with skis looked like they wished they had picked up a board instead.
"Hey guys!" Garcello said to the kids with a wide smile. You knew he loved little kids, he loved to teach and spend time with them. You figured he would make an amazing dad when the two of you had kids.
"I'm Mr. Abbandonato." He said. The kids tilted their heads seemingly in unison and Garcello Chuckled.
"I know, it's a big name. But you guys can call me Garcello, or Mr. A, or Mr. G, anything really." He said. One of the girls raised her hand and Garcello nodded to her.
"I like your hair Mr. Garcello." She said. Garcello chuckled and ran his hand through his teal hair.
"Thanks, I like yours too." He said, gesturing to the twin braids she had in her hair. The girl beamed and Garcello held up his board with both hands to show the bindings for his boots.
"Ok! Has Ms. (l/n) showed you how to clip in yet?" He asked. The kids shook their heads. You had been waiting for him, you knew clipping into a snow board was different than a set of ski's.
"Ok, so you guys all have step on bindings on your boards and skis because they're rented from here, mine are a bit different, they're called strap in's." He said, leaning his board against the side of the house for the ski lift and lifting his foot to show his boot that was missing the clips the kids boots had.
"But that's not important for you guys. Now come watch this,"
The kids listened and watched intently as Garcello explained to them how to step onto their boards and ski's. He seemed to draw them in with his animated expressions and gestures as he helped each of them clip into their boards and gave them a high five or a fist bump. When he had finished explaining everything that was similar between skiing and snowboarding, you split the group into two. The kids with the snow boards followed Garcello to a different section to learn how to control their boards and you turned to your group.
"Alright, we're going to move to a different area so we can learn how to stop in our ski's." You said. The kids followed you as you began walking to the beginner area and the same girl as before, the one with the two braids, piped up as she walked beside you.
"Ms. (l/n)?" She asked. You looked down at her and smiled.
"What's up?" You asked. You slowed her pace to match hers as you walked.
"Mr. Garcello is really nice." She said. You nodded. He was nice. He was sweet and patient and you always swore his heart never ran out of room for people.
"Do you like him?" She asked. You looked down at her and smiled again, resting your hand on your stomach without thinking.
"Yes, Garcello is my friend. I like him." You said. She wrinkled her nose.
"No I mean like him. Like want to marry him." She said. You chuckled and pulled your left glove off to show her the ring Garcello had given to you.
"Yes, I do want to marry him, and he wants to marry me." You said. The girl giggled and looked up at you as you put your glove back on.
"Lucky." She mumbled to herself and you let out a laugh.
***
It was the end of your shift and you were exhausted. You had changed out of your soaked clothes and put on more comfortable shoes than your ski boots. You were just waiting outside the employee locker rooms for Garcello before you left. You heard the door click and Garcello walked out of the locker room in his regular jeans and band T-shirt with his black jacket over it. He was holding his board in one hand and had an unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth no doubt ready to light it the second you stepped out of the building.
"Hey." You said as you leaned against his side that wasn't holding the snowboard. You looped your arm around his waist as he rested his arm over your shoulders and pulled you in, taking the cigarette from his mouth to kiss the top of your head affectionately. The two of you walked out out to your SUV and Garcello went to work getting the ski's and his boards onto the roof rack. You climbed into the car and started it so it could warm up. Garcello climbed into the car in the drivers seat, breathing into his hands before shrugging off his jacket and handing it to you. You looked at him, confused.
"Use it as a pillow, I know it hurts your neck when you sleep on the door." He said. You gave him a small smile and balled up the jacket to tuck under your head.
You woke up about an hour later to Garcello lifting you in his arms and carrying you up the three flights of stairs to your apartment. He laid you gently on the couch, leaving a kiss on your forehead before walking back out the door to get the ski's and boards and lock the car. You sat up and stretched, unzipping your coat before reaching down to take your shoes off. You decided to take a shower before curling up on the couch for the evening.
You had just stepped into the shower when you heard Garcello's boot steps in the apartment again. You called out to him and heard the door to the bathroom open. You peeked out from behind the curtain and smiled to him.
"Without me?" He asked with a fake pout on his lips. You reached your hand out to him and he took it, bringing it to his lips to kiss your knuckles softly.
"Come join me then." You said. He shook his head.
"I don't want to steal all the warm water." He said. Now it was your turn to pout.
"I'll wash your hair for you." You offered. Garcello smiled and pulled his shirt off over his head.
"You know how to get me." He said with a laugh as he undid his belt. You retreated behind the shower curtain, making room for Garcello to step in with you. He always took up so much room, he was built broadly, but you loved it. Loved him.
You leaned into his bare chest, wrapping your arms around his midsection as he pulled you into him. The two of you stood like that for a moment, just enjoying each others presence, when you spoke up.
"I did promise I'd wash your hair." You said. Garcello chuckled.
"You don't have to, it's alright." He said. You shook your head and grabbed the shampoo bottle.
"I like washing your hair. It's soft." You said. Garcello smiled and shook his head as he turned his back to you and tilted his head back so you could reach his hair better and keep the soap from running into his eyes.
When you had finished showering, Garcello got out and handed you one of the largest bath towels you owned. You wrapped it around yourself and followed him out to your bedroom to get dressed in your comfortable clothes. It was only 6 pm, plenty of time to relax with a movie and your favorite snack.
When you walked into the kitchen you saw Garcello standing in front of the open door thanking somebody. He closed it and turned to you with two boxes of takeout from your favorite restaurant in his hands. You smiled as he set the boxes on the counter.
"I ordered before we got in the shower." He said, turning to you. You wrapped your arms loosely around his neck and kissed him. He rested hands on your sides as he kissed you back.
"Wanna go start up a movie and I'll put this on actual plates?" He offered, pulling away to look at you. You nodded and walked to the living room to start one of your favorite movies. Garcello followed you a few moments later holding two plates of your favorite food. He set the plates on the coffee table in front of the sofa and you moved out of the corner, allowing him to sit down in the corner. You shuffled closer to him and he lifted his arm to let you cuddle against his side. You rested your head on his chest and your hand on his thigh. He kissed the top of your head before leaning forward and picking up the two plates, handing you one of them.
The two of you ate silently, watching the movie and being completely comfortable around each other. Garcello finished his food first and set it on the coffee table, sitting back on the couch with his arm over the cushions. When you finished your food he turned sideways and kicked one leg up on the couch, the other hanging off the edge. You laid down with your head on his chest and your hand on his stomach. You'd pushed the blanket off long ago, he was too hot. You pushed the hem of his shirt up and traced lines between the few freckles on his stomach.
"Hey," He said half heartedly. You set your hand flat on his stomach and he looked down at you with a blush on his cheeks. "I know I need to get back in shape." He said, pulling his shirt back down. You looked up at him with a pout.
"What do you mean in shape?" You asked, sitting up and resting your chin on his chest. He scratched at the stubble on his chin and let out a sigh.
"I have a dad bod without being a dad babe." He said. You pushed his shirt up again and ducked your head to kiss his stomach. It was soft, and that made him all the more comfortable to snuggle with. You looked up to see a bright pink blush covering his cheeks
"I love your body Garcello." You said. He ran his hand down his face and covered his mouth in an attempt to hide the blush covering his cheeks. The tips of his ears that showed through his hair turned bright red as well and you smiled.
"Y'know you were great with the kids today." You said. Garcello lowered his hand to look down at you.
"I like kids, they were good." He said. "They listened really well and they asked a ton of questions."
"You'd be a great dad." You said. Garcello thought for a minute and the corners of his mouth twitched upwards in a smile.
"You think so?" He asked. You nodded and smiled.
"I'd love to have kids someday." He said, looking back up at the ceiling with a small smile. You stood up from the couch, climbing off of him and walking to your bedroom to pull the small picture out of your night stand. You walked back into the living room and looked at Garcello, holding the picture close to your chest.
"Did you mean that?" You asked. Garcello slowly sat up with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, I did. I want kids someday. If you want them too, obviously." He said as he folded his fingers together in front of him, resting his elbows on his knees and looking up at you. You hoped to god they would have his eyes, his smile, his everything.
You stepped forward, still holding the picture tightly. Before now this had been your secret. Yours alone, your burden to bear if something went wrong, but it was time to share it. You offered Garcello the picture. At first glance it was hard to tell what it was, just a grainy grayscale mess. He flipped the picture over to read the words "baby Abbandonato - 8 weeks" written on the back in your handwriting. You watched as his eyebrows leapt to his hairline and he flipped the picture back over, squinting at it.
"Is this," He looked up to you. "Is this an ultrasound?" He asked. you pressed your lips together and nodded, twisting the ring around on your finger. He looked back down at the picture and delicately brushed his fingers over it. You watched the tears well in his eyes.
"Is this you?" He asked, looking up again. You nodded, opening your mouth to explain when Garcello shot to his feet and lifted you off the ground in a tight hug, burying his face in your shoulder while you looped your legs around his waist. When he finally set you down he was smiling wider than you had ever seen and there were tears streaming down his cheeks. He dropped to his knees, resting his hands on either side of your stomach.
"Hi baby," He said. You let out a soft laugh as you ran your fingers through his soft teal hair. He lifted your shirt and pressed a kiss to your stomach.
"I'm your dad, I already love you so much." He said. You blinked, trying to clear the tears from your eyes. You didn't know why you had been nervous to tell him. He loved you endlessly, and he loved kids, there was no reason he wouldn't be excited about this.
"Garcello, they can't even hear yet." You said, resting your hands on his cheeks and tilting his head to look up at you.
"I know, but they can feel it. I want them to know I love them." He said, standing up again. He pulled you into a hug and you rested your head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat in your ear and feeling your own beating against his stomach as you hugged him. You stood there with him for awhile, three heartbeats beating together for the first time.
It was cold outside. You had forgotten your coat at home before you walked to work. It was warmer during the day and you hadn't thought you'd need it but now as you walked home, doing your best to stay warm with your uniform shirt and jeans you wished you had brought it anyway.
You ducked into an alleyway to get a break from the relentless wind and blew into your hands to attempt to warm your fingers. You wrapped your arms around yourself, tucking your fingers against your chest as you did. You considered calling to see if one of your friends could give you a ride home when you heard a voice from the alley.
"Holy shit." He said. You jumped, turning to see a man standing across from you, a cigarette in his mouth and a brown cap on his head. He was wearing a heavy black jacket with one hand shoved into his pocket and the other holding the cigarette between his lips. His hair was dyed teal and his eyes were shadowed over by the cap. Normally you would be on alarm at this man, but something about him seemed trustworthy. Calming.
"What the hell are you doing out here without a coat?" He asked, standing from the wall and approaching you. He took the cigarette from his mouth and blew the smoke from his mouth. You stood straight, arms still tucked around yourself.
"I just forgot it." You said. He tilted his head, placing the cigarette between his lips again and shoving his hands in his pockets.
"How much further do you have?" He asked. You cleared your throat.
"Not long. I'll be fine." You said. The wind changed directions so it was blowing into the alleyway and you shivered again.
"No you won't. Here." He said, removing the black coat and offering it to you. You were hesitant. This was a stranger, a man you didn't know, but, the coat looked warm. And you couldn't feel your fingers anymore. You accepted it slowly before sliding it on. The inside was lined with something soft, and the exterior blocked the wind. The coat was warm because he had been wearing it.
"Thanks. You don't have to." You said, tucking your hands in the pockets of the coat. He shrugged, taking the cigarette out of his mouth again and blowing the smoke out.
"Don't worry about it." He said, shoving his hand into the pocket of his jeans. He patted the pocket, patted his other hip, then his back pocket, and looked to you.
"Hey my cigarettes are in the inside pocket of that, can I have those?" He asked. You reached into the interior pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro's to hand to him. He nodded as if to say thank you before sliding them in the back pocket of his jeans with a soft cough.
"Do you want this back now?" You asked, pulling the coat tighter around you and tucking your chin to warm your face as well. The jacket smelled like cigarettes, of course, but also slightly earthy. It smelled comforting and safe. He shivered as he braced himself against the wind and shook his head.
"Nah, take it with you. I'll be alright." He said. You felt wrong about taking his jacket. This man you'd just met.
"How about, you walk me home and I'll give it to you then?" You offered. He turned back to you and shook his head.
"You don't even know my name and you're going to let me walk you home?" He said, dropping the cigarette butt and stepping on it with his boot.
"I'm Garcello." He said, offering you his hand. You shook it with a smile.
"(y/n)." You said. He retracted his hand, pulling the pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket and pulling one out. He replaced the pack, holding the cigarette between his teeth and patting his pockets down again.
"Oh shit, hey my lighter should be in the other pocket of that." He said. You laughed as you pulled the black zippo lighter from the pocket of the coat and handed it to him.
"Anything else you want out of here?" You asked, sticking your hands in the pockets of the coat and holding up the ends. He laughed and shook his head.
"Nah, you can have everything else." He teased. You walked out of the alley with Garcello walking next to you on the side towards the street. It was something small, but something your dad always told you a gentleman should do. You looked to see the goosebumps on his arms as he shivered slightly.
"Garcello, are you sure you don't want this back?" You asked. The coat was warm, you didn't want to give it back, but you didnt want him to freeze. Garcello shook his head, taking the cigarette from his mouth and turning his head away from you to cough heavily into his elbow. He slowed his pace, coughing more as he did. You slowed with him, resting a hand on his shoulder and the other between his shoulder blades on his back.
"Oh shit." He said when he finally recovered. Clearing his throat with a laugh. You stepped back, letting one hand still rest on his forearm.
"Are you ok?" You asked. He nodded, clearing his throat again.
"Yeah, just something that happens." He said. You pulled your hand away as he stood straight again. "My fault for being a chainsmoker." He joked. You tilted your head sympathetically and smiled.
"Come on, almost there." You said as you started walking again. He walked with you, offering you his arm. You took it and leaned against him as you walked. He was warm and your hands almost burned when you touched his skin.
The two of you walked in silence until you reached your apartment building and stopped in front of the door. You took a moment before looking back to Garcello, taking the coat off and giving it back to him. He took it with a smile and put it back on.
"Thanks for walking me home." You said. Garcello shrugged.
"It's nothing. Glad I could help." He said, putting his hands back into his pockets.
"So, where do you live?" You asked him. You couldn't imagine he would walk you home if he didn't live in the area.
"Oh y'know that alley? You actually walked into my living room." He said with a smile Your eyes widened.
"Hey I'm kidding. I live in the building next to it. My roommates don't like smoke so I smoke outside." He said. You let out a breath and shoved his shoulder.
"I really thought I just stole a homeless man's coat for half an hour!" You exclaimed. He let out a laugh before bringing the cigarette back to his mouth.
"So what if I want to see you again?" You asked, wringing your hands together. Garcello lifted his head slightly and paused before pulling his phone out, unlocking it and handing it to you.
"Let's work it out then." He said. You texted yourself from his phone and handed it back to him with a smile. He returned your grin and took another puff from the cigarette.
"And if you ever want me to walk you home again, just let me know." He said, turning and walking back down the street with his hands shoved in his pocket.
C, E, J, K, L and W from Fluff Alphabet? (You can do less if that’s too many! :D)
It's not too many anon! I'm sorry this has taken me a bit to get to
***
C = Cuddling (how do they like to cuddle?)
- Garcello likes to be able to see your face, so cuddling with you laying on his chest, or with his head on your chest, is fairly common. But sometimes when he's asleep he'll pull you against his chest and spoon you just because he wants to be close to you.
E = Emotions (how do they express emotion around you?)
- Garcello isn't the best at expressing his emotions when you first get together, because he repressed them a lot as a teenager. But as he went to therapy more he learned how to express his emotions and does his best to clearly explain what he's feeling to you.
J = Jokes (do they like to joke around with or prank you? how?)
- Garcello is giggly as all hell. He loves to joke and laugh with you. He's the king of dad jokes despite not having kids of his own yet. He sometimes plays small pranks, just things like putting things on shelves you can't reach so he can get them for you and hold them ransom for a quick kiss.
K = Kisses (how do they like to kiss you?)
- All the time. He loves kisses all the time. And not just kisses on your lips, but he loves to kiss your cheeks and forehead and nose and chin, pretty much everywhere on you. Just little kisses to say "I love you" or "I missed you" or "That was cute"
L = Love (how do they show you they love you?)
- Garcello's tells you he loves you. His love languages are words of affirmation, physical touch, and quality time, so that's how he shows love the most. He didn't get a lot of any of those in the foster homes he grew up in so he likes to tell you he loves you and shows you through little touches and spending time with you.
W = Warrior (how do they feel about you fighting? Would they fight for you, beside you, etc?)
- Garcello knows that in a fight you can hold your own, probably, he hopes. He doesn't want to make you feel like he thinks you can't defend yourself, but he worries about you getting hurt. He would 100% fight beside you and defend you, and he would also fight for you if he had to. Usually he's a lover, not a fighter, but when it comes to you he's willing to break a few rules.
