Summary: (College AU) “Oh, come on Tucker, you’ll be fine!”
Rating: general
Words: 612
Pairing: Grufer
“Oh, come on Tucker, you’ll be fine!”
“You actually think that I’m going to trust your judgment here?”
“Yes. Because I know what I’m doing.”
“Then why don’t you do it?”
“Because, you’re the athlete here!”
Tucker was staring at the building, looking from the tree next to it, to the roof, to the fire escape, and then back to Grif.
“Why didn’t you get Wash to do it?”
“… He said no.”
“What about those other guys in his class? York and North?”
“… They also said no.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah.”
Tucker sighed, looking back at the tree again.
“So, what is it exactly that I have to do?”
Grif’s eyes lit up, glad that Tucker was at least considering it.
“Ok, so you climb up into the tree, hop from that branch- yeah, that one right there- onto the roof, then hop over the side and land, already running down the fire escape-“ he held up his phone, grinning at the other- “all in a span of six seconds.”
Tucker looked over the area again, judging the height.
“I can’t get up the tree in that time, but the rest I can probably make happen.”
Grif practically bounced up and down with excitement, gesturing to the trunk.
“Get going then!”
Tucker rolled his eyes, moving over to the tree and rubbing his hands together, studying the branches for a moment. He had always climbed trees as a kid; he knew where to look to get up. Spotting what he was looking for he hopped up, grabbing a branch with both hands and swinging his feet up, getting them safely on the trunk and pulling himself up into the branches, climbing for a while before working his way out onto the one Grif had pointed out.
“I’m not sure I want to do this anymore!” He called down as he realized just how far the building was from where he was standing.
“C’mon Tucker! Do it for the Vine!” Grif was chuckling as he shouted it, getting his phone set up.
“If I live through this, I’m going to kill him.” Tucker mumbled the words as he worked his way out a little farther, waiting until he got a thumbs up from Grif before he ran, taking a flying leap and clearing the lip of the building easily. He rolled for dramatic effect, sprinting and, since he was feeling so good about himself after that jump, doing a front flip off the side of the building. He was headed straight for the fire escape, but he hadn’t judged the room right, and his right ankle caught on the banister. He yelped, hearing more than feeling the snap, but without getting time to think about it as he started rolling backwards down the stairs.
He got two flights down before he managed to stop himself and he sat there panting as he heard the feverish footsteps running up the escape.
“Dude, are you ok!?”
Grif appeared next to him, phone still in his hand, obviously worried about the fall Tucker had taken. He looked the brunette over, noticing the size of his ankle and wincing.
“Hurt my ankle and I think I hit my head, but other than that I’m fine.” To prove his point he moved to sit up straighter, groaning and almost falling backwards as he became light headed again. Grif grabbed his shoulders, sitting back against the railing and laying Tucker down so that his head was in his lap.
The brunette took a minute to steady his breathing. “You’re so lucky I love you.”
The other grinned at that, leaning down and kissing him on the nose. “I know.”
Summary: “You know, out of anyone, I have to say, you aren’t the worst person to be trapped here with.”
Rating: general
Words: 1483
Pairing: Grufer
“You know, out of anyone, I have to say, you aren’t the worst person to be trapped here with.”
Grif nodded in agreement, taking another bite of his cookie. “I have to agree, man. We’re just lucky that it was this base that collapsed. Otherwise we wouldn’t have my stash.”
Tucker rolled his eyes and ate another Oreo. “Dude, Wash won’t let food out of the kitchen. Ever.”
The orange soldier shuddered. “I don’t know how you manage.”
Tucker grinned. “It’s a struggle.”
They smiled at each other, falling into a companionable silence. The red base had collapsed in on itself a few days prior. Tucker had been doing drills and had seen the walls begin to shiver. Sarge was shouting, and as he got closer, the aqua soldier heard that he was telling Simmons and Grif to get out. Simmons had been working on his cyborg arm, and he had barely made it out.
Tucker was watching though, and caught sight of a large piece of roof about to fall on top of the maroon soldier. He ran forward, managing to get Simmons out of the way before the whole thing fell. He got caught in it though, the falling piece knocking him unconscious. Grif, who was right behind him, managed to drag him out of the way before the rest of the thing collapsed. Unfortunately, he could only bring the blue farther inside, and by the time the collapse was finished, Grif and Tucker were inside the remains of red base with about five feet of rubble between them and the outside.
Sarge had suggested that they use the tank to get them out, but Wash had shot the idea down. That could hurt them. They were still working on ideas, which left a concussed Tucker and slightly wounded Grif inside the base.
Grif shook his head, leveling his gaze with the blue again. “Why did you save him? It would have made more sense for Simmons to be in here with me. Not that I’m complaining!” he added hastily. “Just… Why?”
Tucker looked at his knees, which were curled up into his chest. They were sitting on the floor of what used to be the back of the base, where Simmons and Grif’s room was. There was barely any space, and Tucker’s back was against the pole of one of the bunks, while Grif was across from him, leaning against the wall. Their legs were next to each other, some food spread out in between them.
“I don’t know. It was kind of… instinctual, I guess.”
Grif watched his face, and knew Tucker was in deep thought.
“Well thanks. The little bitch would have been in here whining constantly if it had been him.”
Tucker chuckled. From the time he’d spent with Simmons, he knew it was completely true.
The two sat in silence again for a while. After a bit, Tucker heard Grif’s breathing deepen and he looked over to see him asleep where he sat. Tucker grinned. Trust Grif to be able to sleep in the light, leaning against broken rubble.
The aqua soldier shifted, reaching behind him to dislodge whatever it was that was poking him in the back. He pulled out a book; small, and covered with brown leather. He opened it. The first page just had the word “Grif” on it.
A journal? A record book? He flipped through it curiously, surprised by what he found. Lists. Just a book full of lists.
“What the…” he whispered quietly, looking through them. There were ones like simple to do lists, but some were more complicated than that. He opened the book to the page with a piece of ribbon in it.
Things to think about:
‘Great title.’
-Sarge situation.
-The tank.
-Where the scar came from.
‘Well, that one’s interesting.’
-Take care of Freckles.
-Is diesel really better?
-Restock food.
-Tucker?
Tucker blinked at the last mark. There were only seven things on the list, and most of them were fairly standard. But the last one. Just Tucker, with a question mark.
He was confused, and barely heard Grif moving as he woke up. He did, however, hear the indignant cry from the red as he realized what Tucker had in his hands. He reached out, snatching it from the blue and closing it quickly, watching him warily. They stared at each other for a minute.
“You read them?”
“You make lists?”
“…When I need to, yeah.”
“… Huh.”
“Huh? Just huh?”
“Why are you confused about me?”
Grif blinked. “What?”
“Your list. ‘Things to think about.’ It just said Tucker. With a question mark. Why?”
The orange soldier broke eye contact, looking down and setting the book to his other side. He sat down again, leaning his head back against the rubble.
“Don’t worry about it dude. They’re just to help me.”
Tucker didn’t want to push him, so he just stayed quiet. He was trying to figure out how to apologize when he heard something falling, accompanied by shouting. He was on his feet in a second, Grif following close behind as they made their way out to the main room. They had barely gotten there when they watched light stream in, a hole appearing in the wall and a robotic arm poking through. Well, as close to an arm as Freckles had.
Grif cheered, running forward. Tucker watched him go, quickly following after. He was crushed in a hug as soon as he passed over the edge of the hole. He heard Wash yelling at Caboose to put him down, that he could still be hurt, but Tucker just laughed, patting the larger man on the arm. “Missed you too Caboose.”
He looked over to where Simmons, Sarge, and Grif were. He caught Simmons watching him, but the maroon soldier looked away quickly. The blue didn’t miss the look that passed between the two, Grif glancing at him once before shaking his head at Simmons. The red raised an eyebrow, but Tucker didn’t see more of the exchange than that, because Wash wanted him to get back to base to make sure he was ok, and Caboose was babbling about how heroic Tucker had been when he had saved Simmons, and Freckles was off to his side, and Tucker just wanted to go home.
“Just give me one second.” Wash watched disapprovingly as the aqua soldier jogged over and grabbed Grif by the shoulder. The orange soldier jumped, whipping around to face him.
“Sorry about the book, dude. I didn’t know it was important.” He held out his hand, a grin on his face. “We cool?”
Grif grinned back, shaking the hand and rolling his eyes. “Yes, Tucker. We’re fine.”
Tucker thought back to the scene that night, lying in his bed in blue base. The reds were staying there for one night only, so that they could rebuild in the morning. Tucker had immediately offered Grif a place in his room, knowing that it was that or the main room with Sarge and Simmons. The orange soldier had readily agreed, despite the disproving look from his superior.
“Hey Grif?”
“Yeah?”
“What was up with Simmons today?”
“What do you mean?”
“He looked pissed at me.”
“That’s weird.”
“I thought so too.”
“… It was probably nothing.”
“Hey Grif?”
“Yeah?”
“Is it because it was me that got trapped with you instead of him?”
“Why would he be upset by that?”
“Because you guys are together and everything.”
“WHAT?”
“What?”
“We are not together dude!”
“Really?”
“Oh god, no.”
“Oh… Well who do you like then?”
“Who said I like anyone?”
“Your list did. There were little hearts and shit on the bottom of the page.”
“You’re that fucking observant?”
“Hey, I’ve been working with Wash for a year. Don’t try to change the subject. There were hearts on the page, right under my na-“
“…”
“Grif?”
“What?”
“What’s the real reason my name was on that paper? With hearts?”
“…”
“Grif.”
“Just go to sleep Tucker.”
“Dude, you can tell me, you know.”
“No. Because you’re a blue! And even with Simmons pressuring me, you don’t need to know shit like that!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t care what Simmons says, you don’t need to know that I like you!”
“…”
“…Just go the fuck to sleep, Tucker.”
“Hey Grif?”
“What!?”
“I’m glad you told me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because now I don’t feel like shit for liking you.”
“…”
Grif didn’t hear Tucker move. He didn’t see the other when he moved off his bunk in the dark to kneel on the floor next to him. He did, however, feel Tucker’s lips against his own.
And if Wash walked in the next morning to get them up and found them on Tucker’s bunk, Grif’s arms wrapped around Tucker’s waist and their legs entwined, both fast asleep, he didn’t say anything.
“What the…” Grif had just opened his book to the first page when he watched the small piece of paper flutter out and to the ground. He bent over, picking it up. The book was one that Simmons had recommended to him; some sci-fi warriors story. He really hadn’t been expecting a scrap of paper with a phone number and the words “Call me” on it to be in there, but he wasn’t complaining. He loved messing with the people who actually did stuff like that.
He took out his phone, inserting the number into his contacts as the title of the book, and sent a quick text.
(3:48 PM) To: Finality- “You shouldn’t leave your number in books. Someone might find it.”
He sat back in his seat on the train, feeling proud of himself. He sat reading for a whole three minutes before he felt his phone buzz.
(3:51 PM) From: Finality- “That’s the point, sweetheart. So tell me; what’s the name of the lucky, twenty-something lady who found my number?”
Grif snorted as he wrote back.
(3:52 PM) To: Finality- “Sorry dude, more like an unlucky thirty-something dude. Guess you’re out of luck too.”
He snickered as he felt it go off again no more than a minute later. His smile fell when he read the guy’s text though.
(3:53 PM) From: Finality- “Oh. Well then, what’s the name of the lucky, hopefully Bi-, Pan-, Gay-, man who got my number?”
(3:54 PM) To: Finality- “The bisexual man who got your number is named Dexter, but everyone calls him Grif. And how about the Bi-, Pan- man giving out his number? Does he have a name?”
(3:56 PM) From: Finality- “The pansexual man whose number was in the book is called Tucker. He has a first name but it’s stupid as fuck, so Tucker works.”
Grif chuckled at that, realizing that it was his stop only when he heard the bell go off. He grabbed his things, exiting the train station and entering the small restaurant near his apartment. He sat down, ordering a coffee before pulling his phone out.
(4:15 PM) To: Finality- “Well then, Tucker, it’s nice to meet you. Kind of. I guess. Since I haven’t really met you, I can’t really say. But you must live in the same town as me, if you’re leaving your number in our library.”
The waiter walked over, asking him if he wanted a refill or something else off the menu. He politely declined, watching the other people until his phone buzzed.
(4:21 PM) From: Finality- “Well, if you’re talking about Gulch, then yes, we live in the same town. I’m heading into work right now, otherwise I would offer to come meet up with you.”
Grif rolled his eyes. He watched a few people pass him, glaring at one guy, a short, black guy with a ponytail holder in his dreads. He apologized. Obviously he was late for something.
(4:23 PM) To: Finality- “I must say, I’m disappointed.”
Grif noticed that his waiter had stopped coming by, and by the time he figured out that he actually wanted food, the guy who had run into him was his replacement. He walked over, tightening his apron as he walked. Grif was distracted slightly by the man’s badge. Before he could even speak, Grif came out with “What kind of a name is Lavernius?”
He noted the man’s shock before anything else. Apparently people didn’t comment on it too often. “I don’t usually go by it, but they wouldn’t let me put my last name on the tag.”
Grif nodded. “Alright, that I can understand. I have the same problem. So what would you rather I call you?”
“No; before I tell you that, you’ve got to tell me yours.”
“What?”
“You have to tell me your name after that introduction.”
“Well, you know, Dexter isn’t really a hit with people.”
Lavernius cringed, laughing softly. “Ok, I have to admit; that’s almost as bad as mine.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now, what the hell do you want me to call you.”
“I go by Tucker.”
That made Grif blink. Tucker… there was no possible way. He ordered his food as quickly as possible, realizing that yes, this was the guy he was texting. What a fucking coincidence.
There was only one way for him to be sure though. Once Tucker got back with his food, he quickly sent a text to the number. They were halfway through their banter when Tucker jumped slightly, sliding his phone out of his pocket and reading something.
(4:48 PM) To: Finality- “Well, I have to say, you’re cuter than I expected.”
Tucker gave a quick glance around, focusing back on Grif when he noticed the knowing half-smile he had. The pieces seemed to click together and he laughed.
“What are the odds?”
“Low. Very, very low.”
Grif hung around until Tucker had a chance to go on break, the two of them sitting in Grif’s booth, chatting idly about nothing and everything. Grif got home that night in a slightly livened haze, kicking off his shoes and flopping down on his bed, his phone bouncing twice on his chest as he settled.
The thing buzzed after a few minutes and he picked it up, smiling at the text.
I want you to know, that when I typed that out, I heard the faintest "God damn it, Barb" in the distance. Grufer is Rougher and that's the way they like it!
oh god i would so say Turf if it wouldn't be an impossible tag. I don't know about Grivernius... it sounds like what they would name their pet cat while their drunk.
