could i ask for gavin x reader where gavin came back from a mission and just wanted to spoil her rotten. he had missed her so much (just like she missed him) and he’s just so sweet
A/N: i went to answer this and then i had to go to the store and when i came back my laptop crashed so. forgive me if this isn't very detailed i apologize !
Gavin Spoiling His S/O
Listen. He's had such a long day, days really with how long he'd been gone, and he just wants to spend the rest of his time with you until the next mission rolls around ! So as such the minute he he sees you he's wrapping his arms around you and spinning you around.
Trying to make dinner??? Don't even worry about it, he'll either make it himself or order food he doesn't want you to lift a finger ! He'll clean up and everything too he's got all the hard work handled!
I imagine this to be pretty late at night so you're probably not going anywhere just yet but if you wanna take a little walk around he won't say no ! He's pulling you so closely to him and making sure you stay nice and warm !
If you do decide to stay in he's getting everything ready to relax with you, picking out your favorite movie, snacks, whatever you want he's already got it in hand, he's that prepared!
Will not leave your side whatsoever, he stays close giving you lots o hugs and cuddles and kisses ! He missed you a lot while he was gone and he needs to show you all the affection that built up while he was away ! Of course only you see this side of him but that's fine its yours and Gavin's little secret <3
*chanting* the boys as dads. the boys as dads. tHE BOYS AS DADS. THE BOYS AS DADS! THE BOYS AS DADS!! (plus points if the kid looks JUST like MC?)
YESS. YESSS.
YESSSSSSSS
MLQC Headcanon - Our little treasure
Victor
He’s the father of a lovely daughter, who looks just like you (to his amusement)
He loves waking up in the morning seeing MC 1.0 and MC 2.0 in bed together
Calls her his little angel (Does that make him Father angel?)
He buys the best presents on her birthday (which unofficially became a celebrated holiday at LFG)
You and your daughter sometimes visit him at the office (much to his delight)
Finishes an entire day’s worth of documents so he can dedicate his time to playing with her
Has her toy kitchen set placed in the corner of his office (so she can bake him a cake while he works which he pretends to eat)
HAS A FRAMED PICTURE OF YOU AND HIS DAUGHTER ON HIS DESK (taken from when you were going apple picking last fall)
He hangs the “I love you” card she made for him on her 3rd birthday on his wall (shows it off to Goldman who doesn’t get paid enough to listen to his boss’ gushes)
Loves the outfits you dress her in (loves it even more when you two are matching)
Hosts the most extravagant parties to celebrate the most random events (the biggest one to date was when she said “dadda” for the first time)
Makes her pudding, but not too often
He wants to prevent her from going to the dentist (just in case she gets scared)
Victor, she’s going to have to go see a dentist someday
He tries hard to not let his daughter become spoiled
He makes her work for rewards
But is actually weak against her tears (you’re the one who has to set your foot down, most of the time)
He looks forward to going home after work (sometimes makes Goldman lock the doors to LFG so he can go home faster)
He loves being greeting by the two of you, while she runs up to hug him
He feels so content in these moments that nothing seems impossible
So he’s ready for another one
Kiro
TWIN. SONS.
SO RAMBUNCTIOUS (he’s actually the loudest one)
He notices their love for music early on
He sings along with them while bathing them
Spends the little break times he has to memorize the opening of their favorite show (he takes on one of the characters to dance with his sons)
He brings his sons to the recording studio, letting them go wild inside
He secretly records them singing in the booth (sets it as his ringtone)
Definitely the type to tell them stories about the monster in the closet, with dramatic sound effects (that’s not what your angelic voice is for, Kiro)
He’s so intrigued at how they look like you (but with blond hair)
Doesn’t like getting mad often, but will do it if he has to (actually pretty scary when he’s scolding them)
He asks Savin all sorts of questions (that he honestly doesn’t want to know the context of)
Savin, how do you remove a ring from a baby’s stomach?
You found out later from Savin (I left the room for 5 minutes, Kiro. And you let the baby swallow your ring?)
Frequent games of “Who can hug mommy the tightest?” (he just picks you up bridal style, letting your legs dangle over the twins’ heads)
Insists he tags along on play dates with the neighborhood kids
He gets along so well with the parents?
Gives standing ovations at their school plays (YES! Do you see those trees? They’re MY trees!)
He makes things like chores and brushing teeth into a game (so they won’t be as hostile towards them)
150% wears matching pajamas with the twins (honestly, it’s like you’re raising 3 kids)
Has mini concerts at home (it’s good that you live in a house, and not an apartment)
WRITES SONGS ABOUT HIS SONS
Performs them on tours ONLY when he knows you’ll bring them there
Has a bedtime routine with them (kiss mommy goodnight, kiss daddy goodnight daddy kisses mommy goodnight)
Always wakes up to see them in weird sleeping positions (takes a picture every time, later makes them into a full album became the present for their 18th birthday)
Lucien
A beautiful daughter, a beautiful wife
Nothing more he could ask for
He’s into making home videos (likes to watch them in between his lectures)
He just likes looking at her (because she reminds him so much of you)
Isn’t reluctant to introduce her to the other professors (but doesn’t like it when they get a little too close)
He can’t hide his triumphant smirk whenever she tells him to pick her up (sorry Dr., it seems my daughter is wary of strangers)
He likes noticing the small details about his child (and how she has the same habits as you)
Like how you stick out your tongue when concentrating
Or how one eye squints a little more than the other when smiling
He buys a tiny lab coat for her (after she said she wanted to be a white fairy princess like her dad)
RAISES. BUTTERFLIES. WITH. HER. (the whole caterpillar to cocoon shabang)
He calls her his Blue Morpho (you’re his Monarch)
Explains every animal during trips to the zoo (she loves calling the animals by their scientific names)
He’s so tall? He has to bend down in order to hold her hand (the reason why he just rolls the stroller instead / just picks her up)
He does little science experiments with her (safe ones, of course)
He takes her word for it when she exclaims how colorful everything is
You sometimes bring her to classes when he’s scheduled to lecture
The class can’t focus while a toddler keeps drawing stuff on the board
He plays picture card games with her
Ok, then what animal is this one?
Leopardus pardalis! (You actually can’t keep up with their conversations sometimes)
He has to hold her hand during her naps (she said it helps her fall asleep better, or something like that)
He’s not complaining
Gavin
He can’t believe this is actually happening
He’s going to be a FATHER
And with YOUR child! (the nurses had to stop him from barging into the room so often)
He insisted that he try the Empathy Belly (so he could exactly know what you were going through during pregnancy)
Didn’t think it would be THIS difficult to just live a daily life
SO PROTECTIVE over his daughter (literally follows closely behind her)
He was honestly worried about being a dad (especially after growing up with that asshole kind of parent)
You put full trust in him because Gavin is DIFFERENT from his father (and now he can believe that)
He loves just how much she looks like you (it’s like watching a mini-you run around the house)
Has workout sessions with her (push-up kisses, squats with her dangling on his shoulders, bench presses with her as weight)
Likes it when she tags along with him to the police station (he brags to the other officers every time)
But bringing her to STF? NO WAY IN HELL (although Eli does come over sometimes)
He changed his diet (from instant ramen) so she could be a healthy child
Has an entire closet full of bandages, ointments, and medicine for when she’s hurt or gets sick (if only he took care of his own injuries like that)
But he is a lot more careful when fighting on the scene
He doesn’t want her to cry over his wounds like LAST TIME (he was so surprised)
Uncle Minor acts as the unofficial godfather (he’s actually good at taking care of kids?)
Gavin teaches her how to ride a 2-wheeled bike (he’s so afraid of letting go, even if she insisted)
He likes taking her out on flights when she’s a little older (they always visit the Ferris wheel afterwards)
He makes another ginkgo bracelet just for her
He has pretend tea parties with her and you (Uncle Minor is the butler for some reason)
He keeps the drawing of you, Gavin, and her safely tucked inside his pocket during missions (it’s his good luck charm)
Doesn’t let her use Sparky, but does let her help him clean it
DEFINITELY THE TYPE TO WALK WITH HER ON HIS SHOULDERS (she’s holding on his neck, chin resting on the top of his head)
Worries about the future boyfriend she’s gonna bring home
Gavin, she’s only 5
Well, yeah but for NOW
WHEW
That was a lot of fluff
Which was your favorite part? Mine would probably be Gavin working out with his daughter (because I’m Birdcop trash like that and actually imagined it)
Starts off most of your days with kisses on your nape and down your spine
On weekends, you usually end up on top of him in bed with his arms around you just because.
Victor cooking breakfast and dinner most days while you two have lunch in his office
Usually have shower and office sex (the large desk has to be put into use sometimes after all. Otherwise, it’d be such a waste lol)
Never overly touchy except for the arm around your waist and the hand behind your back when you two are walking or just standing
He trails kisses on your neck sometimes when you apply makeup before going to work
Travelling from one country to another every month or so, sometimes for business purposes
Passionate and sometimes have angry sex against the wall because Victor can’t stop being an asshole sometimes
Little sticky notes on coffee mugs and reports like missing you, and can’t wait to see you, and a dummy with a smiley face
You dragging Victor to do commoner things and him acting like you’re a pain in the ass
Cleaning the kitchen every other day because Victor doesn’t like anyone touching his kitchen except for you
Expensive gifts like jewelries and dresses during birthdays and anniversaries
But you two have a rule that Christmas must have handmade gifts only
Victor teaching you how to cook — and you fail. Spectacularly.
Falling asleep in his office whenever he works overtime
Maybe not the same matching outfits but your outfits always color coordinate whenever you go outside even if it wasn’t your intentions
But you do definitely have matching Shiba Inu mugs and slippers
Victor berating you about your reports (because you’re the dummy who said that he shouldn’t treat you differently)
Still though, he does give you hints and encouragement when you two are alone together so no hard feelings
In the privacy of your home, you’re dressed up in his pinstriped button up shirts and your panties most of the time (he enjoys the view, thank you very much)
Soft whispered conversations late at night in bed if you both can’t sleep
Attached to the hip in any given occasion. You two can’t be seen without the other
Goldman telling you that Victor corrupted you (‘cause he’s not allowed to ask for your help anymore lol)
A large framed wedding photo at the center of the hall where everyone can see as soon as they come in your penthouse
Frequent phone calls and video calls at night when he’s away for business
Usually have a moviestique reunion at the airport where you jump into his arms and wrap your legs around his waist as soon as you see him
Sharing bubble baths every now and then
You playing the piano and Victor listening while drinking red wine on relaxing Friday nights
Silk sheets, silk pajamas, silk curtains, silk everything and everywhere
Victor reading to you so you’d fall asleep (have you heard his ASMR? Dayum.)
Have loud explosive arguments where it sometimes lead to sex (he both loves and hates your fighting spirit lol)
Sometimes, you two visit an animal shelter and play with animals there (with Victor leaving a very generous donation afterwards)
Might not say I love you frequently but actions are louder than words
Might be adopting a pet at least a year and a half after the marriage
NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT - either the driver is taking you everywhere or nowhere at all
Frequent visits to Souvenir where you chat with Mr. Mills while Victor’s cooking in the kitchen
Even from across the room, the tension between you two is sizzling (and makes other people in the damn room uncomfortable lol)
Photo album full of moments between the two of you
You don’t know but Victor has a separate album that features mostly photos of you that are taken by him
Well, that’s it! Hope you enjoyed it! Others are coming soon — stay tuned!
plot: Victor picks an outfit for his son for school for the first time, MC watches in amusement lolol ^^
warnings: domestic fluff with victor!!!! 💖 💖 (other than that, there's nothing else wrong with this fic!)
notes: S/N means 'son's name' so it's up to your imagination what his name is
word count: 661 words ( ´ ▽ ` )
"Victor, could you please help S/n get ready? I need to fix up a meal for S/n's lunch!" you called out to Victor as he was just finished tying a windsor knot. He didn't reply, but he complied to you anyway. After he sprayed on some cologne onto himself, he went into S/n's room, not before knocking loudly enough for him to hear.
He opened the door, greeted by a ton of toys on the floor, papers that had doodles on them and crayons on the desk that you bought as a gift for when after S/n had his first day of school. "Daddy," Victor heard, his son was on his left, still in his matching dinosaur pajamas and quite sleepy.
"Still sleepy?" Victor smiled softly, his gaze was always so gentle on his son. S/n nodded, not before yawning. "Let's take a quick bath okay?" Victor picked up his 5 year old son by the hip, going to the bathroom to get his son ready for the day. Victor ran a quick bath for him, not particularly a bubble bath. There was some splashing here and there, but Victor endured it all for your sake.
After that, he grabbed a clean and fluffy white towel and rubbed it on S/n's raven hair, he was a striking image of his father. Wrapping the towel around S/n's body, he put him up on the bathroom counter to blow dry his hair and later, brush his teeth. Finally with all that business done, S/n was refreshed, clean and dry.
It was time for the outfit picking. Walking back to S/n's room, he could smell the delicious food you were making, it smelled like bacons and eggs. Opening his son's wardrobe, he was already confused. He'd never dressed up his son before, it was always you picking his outfits.
First off, there was a flannel shirt and some jeans. Then, there was also a yellow t-shirt and short pants that looked really cute. Victor envisioned how his son would look in either of these, and honestly, he liked the latter better. Dressing up S/n in his yellow t-shirt and short pants, there was something missing.
As he pondered, you were quietly watching over both of them as Victor was thinking of an additional accessory that would compliment the look. It was really adorable, to see a tsundere CEO ponder over what his son would wear for the day, Victor sure is a stylish man.
Then, the thought popped into his head, a bucket hat. It would looked,,, really cute on him. He picked up a light blue bucket hat that was sitting on top of his wardrobe and put it on S/n. The sight,,,, the sight was so adorable. S/n looked like a little angel that was sent by God, and Victor was not denying this fact.
Now, he couldn't resist squeezing and rubbing S/n's cheeks, even kissing them on both sides and making funny noises, "You're so cute, you're so cute" He gushed, S/n only whining and holding onto Victor's wrists to try to stop him. "Are we ready for the day?" You smirked, arms crossed while you watched them both stop their actions immediately. Victor coughed to clear his throat, stood up from his kneeling position to look you in the eyes.
"Yes, I suppose." He went back to strict CEO mode again ahhh. Time skip, you and Victor sent off S/n to school before going to work. Victor watches him walk off to his friends, a small but gentle smile playing on his lips, you took this time to tease him.
"You're so cute, you're so cute" you teased, rubbing his cheeks together back and forth kissing on both sides, the same way he did with S/n. He flicked your hands off and tried to look irritated, but that blush on his cheeks just said otherwise.
this was my submission for the Mr Love Dream Date Mid Year Contest!
Look who decided to post something. First a few notes...
This was getting really long (like the longest I’ve ever written actually!) and I worked/am working very hard on it. I just wanted to get the first part out and will hopefully get the second part out this weekend.
MC is not at all how she is in the game in this fic.
There’s no smut in this, but will be in the next one 😉 so no warnings here except language.
anddddd I guess that’s it. Hope you enjoy. 💕
MC chewed her lip, eyes scanning her kitchen where piles of dirty dishes and a mess of ingredients taunted her, an embarrassing reminder of her failed attempts at baking. She cursed herself, wishing she was listening as Kiki asked if she’d be willing to make a cake for a company bake sale. “Sure, uh huh,” was her exact response as she focused more on beating her high score on Doodle Jump than the meeting. (Willow later made fun of her for that… “who even plays Doodle Jump anymore?”)
Standing amongst the disaster that was her kitchen, she sighed, picking up her phone and hovering her thumb over Victor’s number in her contacts, for once not giggling at the nickname “Bitch” she had oh so affectionately given him. God, she did not want to call him. Admitting defeat was difficult enough already without the LFG CEO’s insults.
MC shook her head, turning the screen off and shoving the phone into her bra. Sure enough there’d be a shop or two open still and she could get a mix and call it a night. That would be preferable to asking Victor for help and getting berated for “not being able to follow directions” or whatever he might say. MC grabbed her wallet, adding it to her very handy boob/phone holder bra.
Luckily for her, there was a shitty little corner store within walking distance and it wasn’t cold out. It was a bit dark, but she had walked there on several different occasions, at later times than this-and oftentimes intoxicated in some sort of way-so she wasn’t too nervous to make the small trip.
After a ten minute walk she made it to the store. A bell rang as she entered, the lone cashier welcoming her in a monotone voice, eyes not budging from his magazine. She let out a very informal “‘Sup”, though the cashier didn’t seem to notice or care.
“Do you have cake mixes here?” she asked, earning a sigh and an eye roll from the worker. Still not looking at her, he pointed her to one of the aisles. She thanked him before heading over. Squatting down to get a better look, she took a box off the shelf and looked it over. Vanilla should work, she thought, and read the instructions on the back to make sure she had everything else she needed for it.
MC heard the door ring again but didn’t think much of it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure. “Think I can trick people into thinking I made this from scratch?” She asked, holding out the box to the stranger beside her. He didn’t answer, and she looked over at him, jumping at the sight.
“Jesus Christ!”
“Victor’s fine, thanks,” he replied, taking the mix from her and narrowing his eyes at it. “Really, box cake mix?”
“What are you doing here?” MC asked, crossing her arms. “Also, did you just try to make a joke?”
“Somebody pocket dialed me,” The CEO held his phone up to show her that he was currently on a call with...her.
MC’s face heated up instantly, and she pulled her phone out of her boobs (much to Victor’s surprise and confusion) to see that, indeed, her phone was on and had been on a call with him since she had left for the shop. She sighed as she hung up the phone and shoved it back into her bra, bracing herself for his insults.
Victor’s eyes followed the phone into her cleavage unintentionally. The lightest of blushes brushed over his cheeks, so light that MC didn’t even notice. “Haven’t you heard of pockets?”
“Why do I need pockets when I have a perfectly good set of tits to store my stuff in?” she retorted, placing her hands over her aforementioned breasts, giving them a squeeze.
“Goodness gracious,” the CEO griped. “You really are a hot mess.”
“At least I’m hot, right?”
Victor scoffed, ignoring her quip. “You need to pay more attention. I don’t appreciate random calls this late at night.”
“Late?” MC teased, looking down at her phone and pressing the side button to turn on the screen. It illuminated her cleavage as she read the time. “It’s only nine, grandpa.”
“It’s dark out,” he replied, once again ignoring what she said to him. “You never know what creeps are out this time of night.”
“Oh, like the one I just ran into?”
Victor’s eyes darkened as he looked down at her. “Cut the attitude.”
MC didn’t have a chance to talk back as Victor set the box of cake mix back on the shelf. “Were you actually going to buy this nonsense?”
“I agreed to make a cake for the company bake sale and it turns out I’m not a baker.”
“Don’t you make pudding?”
She shrugged.
“Whatever. I’m not going to let you buy that and I’m most definitely not going to let you give it to anyone else. Come on. We’re going to Souvenir and we’ll whip something up.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
Victor wrapped his hand around her wrist, guiding her to his car. MC was surprised by how gentle his hand was on her, how he led her but not forcefully, but almost protectively. She looked up at him, taking a moment to admire his profile. She couldn’t help but smile. He was an asshole for sure, but she still always enjoyed spending time with him, and she couldn’t help but feel excited at this late night trip to Souvenir.
At Souvenir, MC waited patiently as Victor rummaged through the kitchen, grabbing flour, sugar, and other ingredients as well as measuring cups, mixing bowls, and the rest of the various items they needed. She hopped up onto the counter, watching him. He was a handsome man, that was for sure, but whenever he cooked, she found him drop dead sexy. He wasn’t even cooking yet, but already had that focused look on his face, eyebrows furrowed and lips in a tight line. She wasn’t sure of his feelings for her. Hell, she wasn’t even sure of her feelings for him, but seeing him like that, she couldn’t help the absolutely raunchy images running through her mind.
“Were you raised by wolves? Get off my damn counter.”
His annoyance at her made her chuckle and she slid off, feet hitting the ground with a soft thud.
“How many times have I told you not to do that? Not only is it unsanitary, you could fall and get hurt.”
“I’m not a child.”
“Then quit acting like one.”
MC sighed. “You know, you don’t have to do this. I can just go home and buy a premade cake from the grocery store tomorrow morning.”
“Pointless of you to say considering we’re already here,” he argued, “Plus I am not letting you give up that easily. You promised you’d make a cake and you’re going to make one. A real cake, not some crap from a store.”
MC couldn’t help but giggle from his choice of words. “Oooh, you said crap.”
Victor rolled his eyes. “You really are a child.”
“Box cake mixes aren’t that bad, you know,” she said as he handed her an apron. She pulled it over her head and tied it around her back. “Sometimes junk food can be satisfying.”
“What do you mean? I eat desserts.”
“Yeah, but you eat, like, fancy dessert. Not junk food. Like, don’t you ever want to go get a shitty fast food burger or milkshake?”
“I would rather die.”
“You are so dramatic!” MC said with a chuckle.
“Why would I want to eat something that can be described as ‘shitty’?”
Victor rolled his eyes as she once again found humor in his language. She had heard him cuss before and he didn’t really understand why it was so funny to her. He’d never let himself admit that he found pleasure in her laugh.
“Because it tastes good! Even though it’s bad for you. It’s like a guilty pleasure.”
“Are you quite done?” he questioned, the usual irritation in his voice. Not letting her respond, he continued, “ I preheated the oven and greased the pans already, so now you need to sift the flour and baking soda.”
He spoke as he rolled his sleeves up and also donned an apron. MC couldn’t help but look him over, admiring the muscled arms and chest pressing against his button down shirt as he moved. He handed her a sifter. “Use this.”
MC looked at it, confused.
“Don’t be intimidated. It’s simple,” he told her. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around to hold her hands. With one hand, he guided her to the bag of flour and together they dumped some into the top of the sifter. With his other hand, he placed hers on the crank on the side and began moving it. MC looked up at him and he smiled ever so slightly. “See? Idiot proof.”
Realizing the close proximity between them, Victor cleared his throat and moved away from her quickly. “Measure out the sugar next,” he told her. “I’ll do the butter. We have to add them together in the mixer.”
Victor handed her a measuring cup, and their fingers brushed together as she took it from him. MC paused for a moment, looking up at him, searching his serious face to see any hint of emotion. None.
He watched as she carefully measured out the sugar, adding it to his butter in the mixer. MC didn’t see the small smile on his lips as he watched her.
He turned on the mixer. “Now we have to put in the eggs.”
MC nodded, grabbing an egg and cracking it into the mixture. Part of the shell fell in and she let out a “shit!” before reaching in and swiping the piece out with her finger.
“What are you doing!” Victor’s voice boomed, making her jump.
“What?”
“You don’t touch the mixture, you idiot!”
“My hands are clean!”
“It’s still disgusting. Furthermore, don’t just crack the egg into it like that. Crack them in a separate dish.”
“Why does it matter?”
He scoffed, taking the eggs from her. “So you don’t get a shell or a bad egg in there, obviously.”
MC scoffed right back at him before putting her finger into her mouth and licking the ingredients off.
“For fuck’s sake,” he murmured, though she heard it.
“What? You’ve never licked cake mix off your fingers?”
“No, I’m not an animal.”
“Try it.”
“Absolutely not.”
MC poked another finger into the mix much to Victor’s chagrin. She held her hand out to him. “Just do it.”
“If I do it, will you stop touching the mix?”
“I’ll consider it.”
Victor sighed, face twisted in disgust as he leaned forward to tongue the mixture off of her finger. His gaze met hers and for a moment they stared at each other, each one waiting for the other to move. Though Victor was the one to pull away, standing up straight, shoulders stiffening.
“Well, that was awful. Wash your hands and we’ll continue.”
MC frowned, disappointment and embarrassment settling in. She often felt this way around Victor. Though he annoyed her, there were certain little moments when something he’d say or do would make her heart flutter, and for a split second she’d wonder if there was something between them. She couldn’t help but feel happy at the thought of it, though she tried to bury it. There’s no way that Victor was into her that way. He barely tolerated her.
And, she scolded herself, what would really come out of it even if he was interested? He was her boss. He was an asshole. And she was a moron, as he often reminded her.
MC took a breath as made her way to the sink to wash away the traces of their tongues on her hand. Victor instantly noticed the change in her demeanor. He didn’t say anything but watched her out of the corner of her eye. He, of course, knew all too well about those shared moments, and had to stop himself often from admiring her. It was inappropriate, and could mean danger for her, and he only wanted what was best for MC.
→ Warnings | tw; kidnapping and mild torture, + general heartbreak/feeling like you’re not good enough + the fluff at the end might give you cavities
→ Songs | orbit by hwasa and stefan’s theme by michael suby
→ Note | this plot took all of my brain cells to put together rip but at least I’ll be able to start working on requests again :) and yes, I love harassing victor in these for some reason. the poor boy deserves to be the one to win mc’s love 😔
@n3verending16
Flowers don’t bloom in the dark. Biologically, it’s impossible, but there are other factors that weigh in — things that stunt its growth just as greatly. It’s quite an open ended question, but this time, perhaps simply, the flower just felt as if growing any more was useless without her sun there to see it.
Call it a personal bias, but you think that must be it. Because as Gavin utters the very words you dread to hear, you feel as hopeless as a flower cut off from the sun.
“___,” he sighs. And it’s pained — too pained for someone who has just single-handedly snapped your heart in two. “I’m sorry. But it wasn’t something I could keep from you forever.”
I don’t love you anymore.
The words echo in your head so forcefully that you barely register Gavin’s voice. His apology only goes in one ear and out the other, much to both of your dismays.
“...I don’t understand.” Your voice is flat, but you know it’s only a matter of time and how particularly strong you’re feeling today until that breaks. “Why all of the sudden...?”
Gavin bites his bottom lip, as if holding back something before he only fesses up a shrug in response.
“I’m sorry.”
He sounds sorry, but you know from the bottom of your heart that there’s something underneath it. Gavin, a boy you’ve known since high school, who would always keep an eye out for you, who always picks you up and flies you home, who is always the first person to be there for anything -- is someone you know just as well as you know yourself.
“I don’t want to hear that. Can’t you tell me what’s wrong?”
Your voice raises slightly with irritation, but in lieu of your unclear communication Gavin only stands and takes it. Like he should, you think, but you know that you don’t want to yell at him. He doesn’t deserve that — he never will.
“I really am sorry.”
You‘re at a loss for words as he shifts past you and silently lets himself out of your apartment.
Stay safe.
You frown as you whip around to the closed door, recalling the words he’d whispered to you when walking out. They fill you with a hopeless sense of dread and irritation that you can’t possibly manage to keep at bay for long.
And your frustrations do quickly surface — in the form of hopeless tears, with soundless sobs sneaking out of your throat that have you crippling to the floor.
That was almost 3 months ago.
By now, you’re not over it. You’re not over it in the least, and you’ve never lied to yourself or anyone else about that. That doesn’t mean it’s any less harder, but denial is simply just another fruit that you’re not willing to pick in the end.
Because there are already plenty of other nights that fill in the absent spots that denial leaves. Times where you’re too empty to eat, when you’re too lonely to sleep, and plenty and plenty of nights where your sadness tries to blame Gavin for your troubles — but, you can’t. The part of you that still believes something isn’t right just can’t bear to.
And so, you spend every moment of every sorrowful minute reminiscing, even if every single one of them is not your choice.
You don’t want your heart to drop into your stomach at the mention of his name. But it does. You don’t want to let a single person control your emotions like this, but you do. It’s meaningless to even claim that you want to feel this way, but it’s all too worth it to be the only one that knows you at least deserve better than your worst.
You want to get back to working at your best. You want to enjoy your favourite things again. All you want — all of it’s just out of reach for now. But, without him, without the reason that had torn you apart, you fear it’s impossible.
Yet, ironically, he was the one to teach you that nothing is impossible. He taught you that anything you chose to put your mind to, you could do, and now, you’ll be trying to use that very advice to piece everything back together.
Starting with him, of course.
There’s, of course, still that aspect that sticks out to you as wrong; something you haven’t been able to shake even after months of general, yet still mutual, silence on the subject. Whether it was the hesitance in his eyes or the sadness in his voice, you refuse to believe that it’s the end of the line. Especially considering Gavin’s own personality in regards to you -- it had always been in his best interest to keep you in the safest hands, even before you began to see each other as more than friends. So, it’s not as if you can completely rule out that possibility yet.
But, Gavin is like a lock. And sadly, it’s one that you lost the key to long ago.
Every time you encounter him, whether he flies you home, or helps you with a detail concerning something at work, he’s nothing but friendly and lithe in the ways he interacts with you. There’s little evidence of the hesitation you could’ve sworn that you saw that night, and it discourages a certain part of you greatly.
Still, you don’t want to give up. You feel like doing that would be like casting it to the side -- or more accurately, labelling the situation as plainly unimportant. And no matter what, that isn’t true. You want answers more than anything; concrete ones that won’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth anymore. Answers that even if you didn’t like them, they settle your questions all the same.
Yet, you can’t help but feel pressured to.
Time after time he ignores the unsaid words floating in the air above you, and smiles without pain even when it’s obvious that you do.
maybe I was wrong?
You think hard to yourself one afternoon, right after Gavin had just dropped you off at home; unincidentally, of course. You can’t think of anything else, really, but the heartbreaking possibility that you’re concerned over nothing and Gavin really has just fallen out of love as he said haunts you more than anything else ever has.
That night spent alone is by far the worst.
But unbeknownst to you, a certain someone’s nights vary little.
Gavin feels tremendous regret. It’s a gnawing, aching feeling to know that while not only he lied to the love of his life, he is by no means closer to solving the problem that forced you apart. Three months have passed with only average progress on the particular case, and without you by his side, he can’t help but feel anxious every step of the way.
He feels time and time again the urge to tell you the truth, even if you choose not to accept it. And not just for himself -- but also for you. The way you’ve changed over time is terribly obvious to him if no one else.
But you aren’t a switch he can turn on and off at will -- your happiness is relative to only yourself. He just finds himself wishing that if not him, at least you could find the opportunity to live happily without him for now. He sees the way the emotions in your eyes rise and fall whenever he interacts with you. And though it gives him little insight into what goes on behind closed doors, it makes him feel bad all the same.
Because he knows it’s his fault, and wants nothing more than to get things over with so he can tell you the truth you deserve.
And finally, one day he realises that he might be closer than he thought.
“Gavin.”
He looks up to greet the man who’d just walked in, but thinks better of it when he sees his expression. This particular case had been handed to Eli first, as it fell more under his category than Gavin’s, but was extended out to him in lieu of progression.
That much alone told Gavin that this mission was unlike any he’d done before.
Usually, missions take mere days to complete -- up to about a week at most, but this one has been stretching on for months. It makes him anxious when he thinks about how long Eli had been at it before him, but all Gavin knows he can do nothing more than try his best to shorten it.
“What is it?”
“I think you should see this.”
A newspaper, dated to only a few weeks ago, is tossed on the table in front of him. It doesn’t really look to be anything special, with the headline only referencing business moguls and trivial local news rather than information they’re looking for. But, just as Gavin goes to open his mouth, he notices an article on the bottom of the page. It’s small, barely even noticeable, even, but the moment he reads the first words his eyes widen.
His eyes flicker up to meet Eli’s, who’s standing there with a small smile on his lips.
“Is this--?”
“Yep.” Eli nodded. ”Good thing I actually stopped to read it this morning, huh?”
Gavin’s lips curve up into a distracted smile, his attention returning to the newspaper and ultimately the little article about a missing persons case -- one of the very same they’ve been following. Listed under a few incidents is a woman’s name and information -- all average details such as height and weight that would inform anyone in the public of any specifics.
It’s nothing that they haven’t already uncovered, but there are certain details in the article itself that strike him as odd.
“Time and place of abduction.” Eli fills in the blanks before Gavin can even find the words to speak. “Whoever wrote this article somehow managed to get a hold of the cctv footage from that night and put it out to the public.”
“Spiteful of them to do that,” Gavin mumbles, his grip around the newspaper tightening and loosening with every absentminded flex of his hand. “Especially when we’ve been trying to get it for months.”
“I don’t know, but, let’s not jump to conclusions. Maybe they were just lucky.”
He turns to Eli with a dubious look on his face. “The footage is protected under the ownership of the residence, and not to mention, the permissions you need for it can take months. There’s no way they were just lucky.”
“Look, fine. I agree, okay? It shouldn’t have been possible, but here we are.” Eli shrugs, cutting the argument off even as there was more hanging in the air. “What if they just got special permission from the courts or something? Isn’t that possible?”
Gavin shakes his head. “No way. These processes take a while no matter the circumstances, remember?”
“Fine, then let’s find whoever put this article out and make them tell us how they got their hands on all this stuff.” Eli obviously can’t hold back a smile any more, patting Gavin on the shoulder a bit too lightheartedly for the other man’s taste. “Maybe we’ll be a little closer to finishing this all if we do.”
Finishing.
Gavin turns the word over in his head what feels like a hundred times, but no matter how he looks at it, it’s good -- really good.
He stands up and ceremoniously returns his partner’s smile. “Okay, then let’s do it.”
But, before they even have time to breathe, a new setback finds its way into their plan
“Wait.” Gavin does a double take when, hours later, Eli finally announces the company responsible for the article.”That can’t be right, it’s--”
Eli interjects with a sigh. “___’s company. I know.”
“It’s a production company, though. They don’t do articles and stuff, do they?”
“It’s not uncommon for companies like that to have different departments or whatever.” Eli shrugs. “And the article in question would check out, I guess, considering how close they are to the street with the cctv we’re trying to get.”
“But last time I talked to her, she wasn’t doing anything like that…”
“When was the last time you talked to her, then? Maybe it’s just a recent change or something.”
Eli asks the question nonchalantly, but is really none the wiser about Gavin’s situation than he was when everything began months ago. And so, the words do nothing remind Gavin of memories and mistakes, sending an involuntary strike of pain through his chest.
When was the last time I talked to her?
Not long ago, he thinks. Not long ago at all. He remembers distinctly all of the times he had encountered you on the street, or the times he’d flown you home after a carefully acted day out.
But when was the last time he’d really talked to you? Held a normal conversation?
He finds himself squeezing the hem of his shirt, so hard that his knuckles begin to fade into a sickly white. It’s like a punch in the face to realise something so late, but he can’t help but consider it a bit of a blessing to even recognise it in the first place.
“You know, this makes it easier if it’s just ___.” Eli interrupts Gavin’s downspiralling thoughts, resting his chin on his hand as he says, “We can just ask her about it face to face, then we don’t have to bother with the paperwork for requesting an official interview.”
And around an hour later, that’s how Gavin ends up in front of your company’s doors, cursing Eli and his cluelessness.
He swallows the ball of nerves in his throat and fidgets with his hands for a moment, but he knows that he can’t stay there forever. Everyone around him moves unabridged and casually, whether it be while talking on bluetooth or out on a late afternoon jog. He may not be the only one around that’s stuck in the past, but he sure is the only one taking time to dwell on it.
He uses that much to prompt himself inside.
The inside of the building is just as he remembers it to be, if not the same as it was months ago. It’s the little things he notices, like the familiar fake plants sitting in the corner of the waiting room, or the painting hanging on the wall that you’d mentioned was a gift from your dad a few times.
He’s relieved at least one thing is still familiar.
“Hey stranger. How can I help you?"
Gavin instinctively turns towards the voice, his eyes momentarily widening when he sees who sits behind the reception desk.
"Anna? What are you doing up here?” He gives your friend a polite smile as he makes his way over to where she sits. “Where’s the receptionist?”
She sighs, shaking her head. “He quit a few days ago, so your girlfriend put me up here on duty.”
Gavin pulls his lips into a thin line, trying to hold back his surprise. She didn’t tell them?
“Um, anyway, speaking of ___, where is she right now? I need to talk to her." He changes the subject as quickly as he can manage, and thankfully, Anna doesn’t seem to notice that was the intent.
“Right now? Should be up in her office finishing paperwork.”
“Okay, great. …Do I need a pass or anything?” He asks this, but regrets the words as soon as they leave his mouth. They're suspicious, of course, and it’s a dumb question regardless.
Anna gives him a deservedly strange look.
“Um, no, of course not.” She tries to ease the suddenly tense atmosphere with a laugh. “Just go. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”
“Right,” He laughs nervously and briefly giving his thanks, steadily walking towards the direction of the elevator. When he steps inside, though, he lets out a long sigh. The previous awkward interaction left an embarrassed sting in his chest, and the familiar oncoming heartache of seeing you again will no doubt only add to it.
So, he spends the entire minute of the ride downright terrified.
It’s not like everything is magically resolved when your door opens either, though. The moment he hears your voice acknowledge his presence from inside the office, it’s appropriate to say that his heartbeat doubles -- or even triples, in just seconds.
But contrary to what he expects, your eyes still light up upon registering his face. He doesn’t understand why you’re happy to see him, but he welcomes it regardless.
“Gavin! It’s nice to see you.” You give him a friendly smile, but the all-too familiar feeling of anxiousness still lingers in your expression.
Startled, he just smiles back as he says, “Yeah, likewise. How are things here at the office lately?”
“Ah,” You sigh out a laugh. “They’re fine, but I’m sure you’ve already heard from Anna that our receptionist just quit. It won’t be hard to find a replacement, but it still kind of sucks since he was responsible for coffee runs.”
Gavin winces novelly, playing into your slightly joking tone. “That does suck. Who’s been going instead, then?”
“Minor offered, thank god.” You smile, a sliver of joy finally peaking through your tired eyes.
“That’s good.” He nods, slightly relieved at the sight. “I wanted to ask you, though, I saw an article in the paper that said it came from your company. Since when have you thought to put articles in the paper? I never heard anything about it from you, so--”
You interject, “Articles? We don’t write articles. That’s not the type of company we are.”
He blinks.
“Your company, though--” Gavin fishes his phone out of his jacket, where he pulls up the article in question. “This traces back here.”
Your brows furrow as you lean forward to read the screen in his hand, unaware of the way his face begins to heat up when noticing your concentration. On the other hand, he’s very painfully aware of how your brows twitch as you read it over, and even more so to the way your lips twist in apt concern.
Gavin spits out an explanation in place of the straining silence, and you nod along, though you take in every word at half its worth due to your own racing heart.
“We have basically no contact with the owners of that building, so we wouldn’t be able to get the footage either even if we wanted to.” You explain steadily, hiding your nerves in the squeeze of your knuckles beneath the table. “I don’t remember giving anyone permission to even write something like that, anyway.”
“Would someone else have given permission, then? Or, alternatively, do you think someone put it there for any other reason?”
“I can’t think of another reason, but there are definitely other people in the building who can give permission to employees, of course. “ You push a laugh. “I’m not the one sole source.”
“Anna can do almost everything I can, so maybe she did. Try her next.”
With that, the conversation trickles off weakly. It’s unbearable to do so, but Gavin leaves the room with a clambering heart. He has no doubt that things ought to be difficult if this is what he’ll be returning to, but still saves face for the chance that everything will turn out okay.
And around an hour later, he exits the building carrying all the information he needs.
“Eli, the guy’s gone and quit.”
His partner looks up at him with locked brows when he returns to the STF. “Our article writer?”
Gavin purses his lips and goes silent in thought, but it’s all the answer Eli needs. Gavin’s chest is heavily wrought with regret and disappointment that spans over multiple reasons, but he merely shakes out his shoulders and takes a seat down next to the other man, concealing his face in the way he always has.
Eli only turns a blind eye to Gavin’s front.“I guess that’s just our luck, but it’s still okay right now. Did you get any details about him?”
“Yeah, I managed. I’m not completely sure they’re real, though.”
Gavin hands Eli the small slip of paper that Anna had scawled the man’s information on and explains as he reads it over.
“Anyone else probably wouldn’t get anything out of this,” Gavin says, referencing only the name and phone number of the man in question written on the paper. “But since we’re here, we can probably do something with it, at least.”
Eli nods along as he speaks, and upon skimming the information, a pleased smile curves at his lips. “At least? We’ll have to run them, but it seems viable enough to me -- maybe even enough that this can finally give us the info we need to close the case.”
He returns a smile at the thought.
“I hope it does.”
Gavin’s mind brings him back to a few hours prior, where he watches himself trip and stumble over himself around you through the pitiful eye of his own memory. It takes a lot of him not to frown outwardly at his mistakes, but little to gain the determination needed to fix it. What happened then, that’s not how it’s supposed to be, and he knows it.
The memories switch to happier times when his heart finds it in him -- the starry and clear night he finally kissed you on the ferris wheel, the buzzing warmth of your arms around his torso when he goes a strategically fast speed on on his motorcycle, and of course, the moments where all he can see is you smiling in front of him, looking just as delighted as you always have been.
It’s just out of his grasp, but Gavin finds himself hoping that it’s still in his reach.
Because, in his mind, nothing is truly unattainable. And that philosophy goes for everything, but is most virtuous when it becomes the bearer of good news.
“Everything about this guy checks out for now.” Eli says this from his spot at the database station days later, turning his head over his shoulder to where Gavin is checking the contents of his utility belt from across the room. “So, I’m not sure that much precaution is necessary, Gavin.”
The other doesn’t even look up at his remark.
“Better safe than sorry. You know that.”
Eli just laughs and nods, obviously in a good mood regardless of his partner’s hesitance. “Ok then, whatever you want.”
Gavin gives him a dubious look, but otherwise goes back to his business.
“It’s not like we have much to expect, anyway.”
But, whether or not you expect something doesn’t deter fate. It seemed easy enough at the time, anyway -- so there was no reason for Gavin to doubt their plan even as he walked up to the man’s presumed address.
He eases into the situation by knocking on the mahogany door softly, calling out with what Eli had long called his ‘business’ voice.
“Police! Is anyone home?”
Gavin notes a candle in the window out of his peripheral vision and instinctively furrows his brows. Whoever’s here, the perp or not, it’s clear that they’re at least not one step ahead of him.
So, with that in mind, he makes the split decision to try the door. And much to his surprise, it opens without a lick of trouble, even the hinges not making the slightest sound. He purses his lips slightly as he comes face to face with the dark entryway he was expecting, yet still chooses to silently draw his weapon before stepping into the building.
And the moment he locates a pair of eyes in the dark, he knows his decision to do so was correct.
He clicks his tongue with the shift of the safety lock, his expression instinctively hardening even though he’s sure that the person can see just as much as he can.
“Come out with your hands up!”
Gavin’s voice doesn’t waver, but neither does the faceless figure in the dark.
Multiple sets of footsteps echo throughout the entryway, but Gavin doesn’t let them make a show. His eyes stay locked on the same unblinking ones that had drawn him in, and cocks his gun as if in warning.
Maybe they actually are one step ahead.
“I’ll say it one last time -- and that goes to anyone in the room. Come out with your hands up.”
His voice is cold, and if it were ordinary people standing around him, perhaps they would have listened. But, the thugs surrounding him have little in common with the regular citizen, most startlingly obvious in the weapons they hide sheathed in their belts; daggers engraved by the agency they belong to:
BLACK SWAN COLLECTIVE
The last thing Gavin can recall is the sharp pain of someone thrusting the handle of one of the said weapons into the back of his head, immediately sending him into a darkness he tried so hard to avoid.
Maybe it’s futile, useless even, but as everything goes black, he can’t help but think of you.
“You aren’t seriously planning on wearing that, are you?”
You look back at the exasperated voice that interrupts your shoot preparation, the recording equipment in your hands shifting slightly with your deep sigh.
“Victor, it’ll be hot once we’re on set, I promise.” Sending him only a brief smile, you continue to wrap the cords up. It’s quiet long enough that you naturally assume he’s left, but a few minutes later, you feel a presence at your side taking the last microphone and starting to mimic the same process you’ve been at for what feels like hours.
Victor takes in a near silent breath as he places the microphone in its case, zipping it shut with such familiarity that it momentarily muddles your brain. It’s been almost two years since you’d met him for the second time, walking into his office only to meet his cold voice and fearsome business methods. You’re subconsciously glad that you’ve gone through so much together, albeit tough, because your relationship has moved far because of it all.
“...I’ll grab a jacket before we leave.” You look up and flash another smile at him, but this time, you try to make it seem like you mean it. He seems to notice your hesitance regardless, but the look in his eyes still lifts slightly as he nods wordlessly.
The location of the shoot itself isn’t very far-close enough that the transportation won’t be taxing-but the stakes are still high nonetheless. A reputable American fashion outlet had reached out to Anna around a month ago asking if your company would consider filming an episode featuring some of their pieces, and even without asking you first, she had accepted in a heartbeat.
You couldn’t be mad at her for obvious reasons, of course, but you almost considered thanking her for a separate reason, too -- because it somehow seemed to line up on the perfect date.
It’s a hard pill to swallow even as you think about it, but today, the date of the shooting, is your and Gavin’s would-be year anniversary.
Without this shoot, there’s no doubt in your mind that you would be sulking at home otherwise, halfway through your second or third depression nap of the day. But instead, here you are, conversing quite normally to Victor and feeling a little less hopeless than you expected.
Your mind momentarily flickers to him, though, as if habitually. You can only imagine what he’s feeling like right now, sadly, but you still can’t help but pray that at least a fraction of him feels the pain you do
“___!”
Then someone calls your name, and suddenly, you’re back to work again.
One of the main focuses of the episode for your team is the outfits people on-screen wear, of course. But otherwise, the episode itself features a local meteorologist aiming to spread more information and awareness about the conditions of the recent continuous snow. It may not be known to be directly related to superpowers as of now, but as the producer of Miracle Finder, it’s your job to find miracles, and not only those of the supernatural kind.
“Okay, Victor, let me know when everything on that side is good. I’ll check over here.” You say this and wait for nothing more than a nod before going ahead and double-checking with all of your employees that stand ready to record.
All of your operations for the day seem to be going smoothly, so you shoot a quick thumbs-up to the main cameraman. As soon as your arm is back down at your side, though, you notice your phone buzzing from the pocket of your jacket.
Anxiety habitually runs through you as the screen lights up with a blocked number, unwillfully taking you back to all the times you’d been directly contacted by the unknown officers of Black Swan. It startles you so much that you think about letting it ring, but in the last moments, you decide to pick up.
You release a short breath of relief when an automated voice reaches your ears, and you even find yourself feeling a bit dumb about freaking out over nothing. Yet, while you think, a few words the robotic voice says catch your attention and send your heart into another panicked frenzy.
a wind evolver.
You bite down on your lip subconsciously, hoping that you heard wrong.
The voice says an address with its now eerie-seeming tone, and you squeeze your eyes shut as tightly as you can when the line cuts off without warning.
It’s a prank call. You think, not noticing the way Victor’s eyes finally find your worried ones from across the room. Gavin’s completely fine.
You stuff your phone back in your pocket with a resigned huff, a sour feeling settling deep in your stomach the longer you just stand there. Certain possibilities begin to habitually fly through your mind at a rate where you can barely discern them from one another, but each one leaves you with the same aching in your gut -- the same aching that has saved you so many times.
So, you take your phone out again and dial the number you know by heart.
The line’s continuous ringing suddenly seems ominous, and somehow worsens when you’re greeted by Gavin’s voicemail. But, you don’t want to give up just yet, so you find another name in your contacts that could potentially help.
Eli and you don’t communicate often-at least, not much outside of the times you see him-but he had given you his number soon after realising how close you were to Gavin, only just in case. You didn’t think there would ever have to be a ‘just in case’ scenario -- at least, until now.
Thankfully, he picks up after the first couple of rings, his familiar voice bringing a small smile to your face.
“Hey Eli,” You return, your smile growing slightly at the soft sound of recognition he lets out.
“___!” It sounds like he sits up straight before continuing. “It’s nice hearing from you. What’s up?”
You take in a hesitant breath before starting. There’s still a small chance that you’ll be asking baseless questions, and as embarrassing as that might be, you know you’d rather take it than the alternative.
“Well, it’s something with Gavin.” You say. “I just got this weird phone call saying something about him, and now I can’t get a hold of him. Is he with you?”
Eli doesn’t respond for what feels like a millenia, but then, the soft sound of a keyboard fills your ears, so you opt to wait patiently. He unabashedly picks the phone back up a few seconds later and sighs.
“..Do you remember what the phone call said?”
You recount the automated voice’s words and wince at how Eli curses under his breath. If anything, you know it’s at least not a good sign.
“What? What is it?” Dread spirals through your chest as you ask, habitually expecting the worst.
“Gavin went on a mission last night. He told me he’d get in touch when he finished, but he hasn’t yet.” You can almost hear him contemplating from across the line. “___, thanks for calling, but I’ve gotta go now--”
“Wait!’ you quickly interject, garnering the interest of a few production crew around you. But, you pay no mind to them. “Let me come with you.”
“What? No, ___, you’re not coming with me. Gavin would kill me if I got his girlfriend hurt!”
“Eli,” You sigh, a fingertip’s length away from sitting down to massage your temples. It seems that Gavin had chosen not to tell his colleagues about your breakup as well, but that doesn’t help the massive headache it causes every time to explain when someone catches on. “Gavin and I broke up 3 months ago. And now that that’s out of the way, I’m meeting you at the STF in 20 minutes, and if you aren’t there, I’m going to that address myself.”
He’s silent for a few moments before he lets out a reluctant agreement, only to peg on a few rules at the end that you just nod to.
“...20 and that’s it. Any more and i’m leaving without you.”
“Then I'll be there in 15.” You challenge, unable to contain your smile when you hear his resigned laugh.
“Then I’m counting down, ___.”
You say your goodbyes and hang up the phone, quickly thinking to find Victor. It’s unethical to leave during the middle of a shoot and you know he’ll give you crap for it, but you pray that the case of emergency will balance him out, even if it’s just a little bit.
You whisper his name until you’re able to wave him down, unable to help your nervous smile as he approaches you.
“___? Why aren’t you over there monitoring those--”
“I’m really sorry, but there’s an emergency that I need to--”
You cut yourself off when you notice Victor’s surprisingly unreactive face.
“I need to, um, be there. To help with it.”
Victor’s sigh feels heavier than usual as he crosses his arms, hitting you with his signature dubious look. But, the words that come out of his mouth aren’t at all what you expect.
“You look like you’re expecting me to decline something I have no right to keep you from doing in the first place.”
His words take a few moments to process in your jumbled brain, but before you can even react, he begins to shoo you away.
“That means go, dummy.” A soft laugh escapes his lips as his expression begins to melt. “I’ll tell your coworkers, just try to hurry back so I’m not blamed if something goes wrong.”
Your face perks up at the unexpected but appreciated development, shifting with a wide grin as you thank Victor as many times as possible before slipping away. While you weave your way through the distracted crew members, your phone mimics a lead weight in your pocket-- something that’s almost painful to ignore
But you only keep walking, putting on a brave face and praying that Gavin is okay.
“Nineteen minutes, ___.” Eli tells you this as soon as you hurry through the STF’s doors, tapping his smart watch with a familiar smile. “What happened to that fifteen you were talking about?”
“Shut up,” You scoff, unable to hold back your smile as you shake your head. “Would you really have left without me, anyway?”
“You know the answer already. But enough about that, come with me and I’ll catch you up a bit before we head out.”
You descend into silence as you follow Eli to the research room most frequented by the duo over the past few months, listening to the man skim over the events prior while somehow still leaving no semblance of a detail out. It’s faster than you expect, his explanation, yet it leaves you with very little gaps in the story between Eli’s and your own accounts.
“But, ___,” Eli begins as he picks up his jacket, meeting your eyes with such intensity that you almost flinch. “Make sure that when we’re there, you stay behind me no matter what. If they took Gavin down…”
He doesn’t need to finish.
“Yeah,” You choke out softly, berated by the hazy image your head provides of Gavin being so easily overpowered. “I will.”
Eli gives you a small reassuring smile before leading you out of the room, checking that every piece of his equipment is on correctly as he walks. An involuntary chill runs down your spine at a catch of his expression -- his usual carefree smile replaced with the solemn air that you would expect from an officer.
And you don’t like it one bit.
Gavin’s eyes shoot open, drawing a sharp gasp from his lungs as he slowly begins to regain consciousness. But the crackling sensation that floods his chest cuts him off before he can even so much as catch his bearings, begetting an irritated wince from the already tired man.
His vision is clouded by not only exhaustion, though, as the room is also dark in what feels like an unreasonable manner. Absolutely nothing is clear, whether it be what had happened beforehand, or even what lays a few feet in front of him. But in the meantime, another sharp pain forces him to look down and find out.
Rope burns his wrists as he twists his hands, trying to gauge a location for the extreme pain that has suddenly popped up. Gavin curses under his breath as he looks at the gruesome beds that used to hold his fingernails, snippets of memory coming back to him as his eyes rake over the beaten skin.
“You’re in no position to protect her anymore. Give up.”
A curt voice had induced Gavin to look up hours before, glaring into the tepid eyes that already stared back into his own.
“Ya hear that, pretty boy?”
The second and last black swan officer in the room had leaned over slightly as he engaged Gavin, but stood up straight again when the first gave him a subtle yet strong look of warning.
Gavin was silent throughout the exchange, though in his mind, he knew they were talking about you. Black Swan’s interest in you had all but lessened in the recent months, much to his and the STF’s displeasure. Knowing that they were after someone so powerless but not having the slightest idea why -- that scared him beyond belief.
“Your silence will change nothing,” The first man said, calmly re-buttoning his long coat. “Wind evolver, I’m afraid this is it for you.”
Gavin squeezes his eyes shut upon recalling the interaction he’d tried arduously to forget, inadvertently biting his lip so hard that it disturbs the blood already dried there. Disappointment and pain go hand in hand while flaring through his chest in equal measures.
He even briefly considers using his evol despite how little energy he has left, but is painfully aware of what it would take to escape if he did.
So he stays still, his mind racing far too much to notice the pain. Because even if he should, it’s not him that’s he’s worried about --
It’s you.
Meanwhile, seemingly worlds apart from the danger Gavin perceives, you sit in Eli’s passenger seat, safe and sound yet fueled by the vehicle’s general silence. A part of you thinks that you should be scared, but only because you know it wouldn’t be refuted as much as if you said how you really feel.
It’s not necessarily wrong to be determined, though. And because you’re sure that if your roles were reversed, Gavin would think the same, you don’t ponder on the subject any longer. There’s no use in worrying about something you’ve already set your mind to.
And your intuition proves to be correct.
Upon arriving at the designated address, Eli immediately comments on how normal everything looks, and you can’t help but nod your head in agreement. It’s a small traditional style house that you stop in front of, yet to have signs of people inhabiting it other than the few candles to be seen behind some of the shaded windows -- too ordinary for a place that supposedly serves as a lockhouse for Black Swan
“...It doesn’t really look like anyone’s home.”
“Good. Let’s just hope the bastards have left so we can get in and out, then.” Eli says, squinting at one of the windows while noiselessly drawing his gun. “We don’t want to spend any more time here than we need to.”
Eli wastes no time after you hastily concur, very obviously ready to stay true to his words and making quick work of the lock. The entryway is small and homey, but it has an odd smell to it -- one that’s familiar, but not so much so that you can directly pinpoint it.
It sends an involuntary chill down your spine just thinking about it, though Eli says nothing about it, so you choose to do the same even if it’s difficult. He’s too busy surveying the area to notice your hesitance anyway, and you don’t blame him. If your sources are correct, Gavin is somewhere nearby. There’s no time to be distracted, no matter the circumstance.
With that in mind, you force all of the bad premonitions away and focus on the matter at hand -- and the fact that Eli is looking more sceptical with each passing second. It’s understandable, how his eyes flit around uneasily enough for the both of you combined, but you feel yourself getting impatient just watching him.
“Eli…” You mumble, elbowing him and giving him the liberty of pretending not to notice when he flinches. “Let’s start looking.”
His gaze falls to meet yours, and after a moment of thought, he nods. “Fine. Just stay close, okay?”
You don’t have any qualms with that.
Following Eli around as he checks each room is an unexpectedly stressful job, not knowing if Gavin lies beyond the doors until you get the chance to peek inside yourself. The call you’d received earlier burns hot in your memory each time you do so, the voice’s words of warning towards a so-called wind evolver damning.
It’s a scenario you don’t want to delve into, but is unfortunately a reality you have to be ready to accept.
It takes a few attempts to locate the right place, though it’s all-too easy in the long run; almost worryingly so. But even so, that doesn’t stop you from nudging Eli aside to see the scene better for yourself.
The smell you’d noticed at the entrance is potent here, and with a scrunch of your nose, you finally put a name to the hazy smell. It’s the same one you’d become acquainted with after spending so much time in the hospital months back, and while grotesque, it’s almost intimate in the way you remember it.
Narcotics; the pills and liquids you were given to ease your pain each day and night, hang in the dense air.
Tears fill your eyes as you make your way over to where Gavin sits abandoned against the wall, uncertain of where to start. Bruises litter his exceptionally pale skin almost to the point of disfigurement, and the parts of his hands that are visible from where you crouch down show the empty beds that used to hold his fingernails.
You’re afraid to touch him.
Eli comes up beside you, his hurried footsteps conveying the worry you both feel. But unlike you, he has little problem in taking action immediately, taking Gavin’s wrist and feeling for a pulse.
He doesn’t speak, but Eli’s expression tells you enough.
You take your leave quickly after, relaying Gavin to the nearest hospital and tearfully handing him off to the startled nurses. As you sit, Eli takes the opportunity to fill in the doctor assigned to Gavin, even showing his badge to stress the severity of the situation.
The entire ordeal takes days.
Life all but goes back to normal afterwards, your schedule ultimately flipping on its head with the man you love unconscious in the hospital. The rounds you make to visit him are constant enough that you even acquaint yourself with some of the nurses that frequent his room in the time you’re not at his side.
But even they are incapable of soothing your worries.
Gavin feels nothing but sparkling white pain. Whether it’s burning or freezing to the touch, he can’t tell, but it’s an awfully persistent sensation. It’s confusion personified, and like quicksand, he finds himself unwillingly drowning in it. It’s similar to the lights he sees when he first opens his eyes again -- washing everything out with little effort.
Gavin’s gaze adjusts to an unfamiliar ceiling in due time, and soon after, his ears catch up to pick up the faint sound of a beeping heart monitor. Copious amounts of his senses return to him at once, launching him into a coughing fit that makes him very abruptly aware of the warm presence at his side.
They call his name, though their voice is hardly distinguishable.
But, then they reach out and cup his cheek, delicately rubbing their thumb over the shallow cut that lies there. The intimate touch is unmistakable from then on, the way it caresses his skin familiarly soothing him.
“___…”
Your name leaves his lips in a single pant, his eyes squeezing shut as his coughing suddenly begins to cease. You almost find yourself holding your breath as you look on at him, waiting for another sign of life.
And soon enough, his eyes begin to open again, slowly focusing on your face from where you lean beside him. Gavin’s lips turn up in a small smile, and he makes no attempt to hide the affection that oozes from his gaze.
“___.” He repeats your name, his emotions stretching out control as tears come to his eyes. A thousand things flash through them at once, baring both things you expect and things you don’t.
“...Are you okay?” You ask hesitantly, your hand shifting to cup the side of his head as you study his expression. “Does something hurt?”
Gavin only smiles in response, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes as his body shakes silently. You stare at him for a moment, at a slight loss of what to do when you realise you can’t distinguish whether he’s laughing or crying.
“I’m so sorry, ___.”
You don’t understand.
“What?” Your brows furrow as tears begin to prick at your eyes yet again. “What are you apologising for? None of this is your fault..”
Gavin shakes his head, inadvertently cutting you off.
He lets his hand fall back down to his side, allowing you to see his puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. You can only stare at him as he continues to avert his eyes, ultimately surprised at his uncharacteristic outburst.
“I thought limiting our contact would help keep you safe.” He weeps quietly, his cheeks flushing from what you assume is a healthy mix of embarrassment and emotion. “But I caused us both so much pain. Every day I was held back by the possibility of messing everything up and never being able to see you again…”
Your heart flutters and drops all in the same motion.
I was right after all?
The memories recall moments stretching back to months ago, to all the moments you spent doubting that everything was really done; that you were really expected to move on like nothing was wrong. But hearing that your suffering wasn’t in vain somehow makes it seem like it was all worth it in the most twisted way.
“But look at you,” You interject softly, releasing a stagnated breath as Gavin looks on at you. “You’re here, next to me, and Gavin -- I won’t leave you. You won’t mess up, and everything will be fine..”
Your words fall out little by little as your eyes well with tears, but every single one is wiped away by the hand of the man in front of you.
Your reach up and place your hand over his. “I promise.”
Things are not all well, and little is fixed when you leave the hospital for the night. But somehow, you still feel like it’s just enough.
Gavin arises hours later feeling like his body is full of lead, unable to even open his eyes enough to focus on the dull light of the setting sun. But it’s with that alone does he realise that you’re no longer asleep next to him.
It makes him anxious in his delirium to think about how you’re probably home well by now, doing a face mask and scrolling casually through social media despite the unceremonious hour. You’re in the perfect spot for someone to take advantage of, namely referring to the Black Swan officers he’d recently become acquainted with.
But you’re blissfully unaware of his worries, making your way back home without an inkling of similar emotions in you. If anything, after months of your future appearing gray and blurry, the unexpected clarity of the situation eases something in you.
It’s a relief how lucky you’ve been.
Gavin’s thoughts go to the same concept as he pulls the thick hospital blanket off of himself, lips twisting into a thin line. It’s a miracle you’ve both managed to get so far -- and luck, unfortunately, only stretches so far.
It’s easy to get his original set of clothes back from the nurse, who seemed weak in the knees from the moment he approached her. The shirt smells distinctly of bleach, though his head feeds him the putrid scent of his own old blood regardless of how well it had been scrubbed out.
Getting out is the harder part. While the on duty nurse had been kind enough to slip things like his phone and badge back into his pocket, it was hell convincing the receptionist to let him check out even when he opted to show them his badge. Though eventually, with his name and number written down haphazardly on a loose scrap of paper, he’s given tight permission to leave temporarily.
The night air sends a chill down Gavin’s spine, and the quick change in temperature has the bandages covering his body sticking awkwardly to his skin. He tries to alleviate the discomfort, but the air currents feel odd in the way they swirl around him, somehow unfamiliar in the few days he’d spent locked away.
Though he shakes this away, writing it off just as he has hundreds of times before.
It’s harder than he expects to fly the short distance to your apartment. His healing wounds give way to a slight headache that only interferes more with the air around him. When he drops himself on your balcony, he practically has to lean over to catch his breath.
Gavin’s brows twine delicately together as he clears his throat a final time, straightening up and making sure there’s no sign of his trouble before knocking on the glass.
He smiles when he notices you padding over in your slippers through the sheer curtain. You seem casual enough that it lets him release a breath, relieved that his worries were for nothing. But then you suddenly open the door, catching him off guard once again.
“Gavin?” You’re rightfully shocked at his sudden appearance, the moonlight lining his quickly drooping figure in silver. “Why are you here instead of the hospital?”
He sighs gingerly, averting his eyes with a sheepish smile.
“I… was worried about you.”
You purse your lips lightly, your eyes going up and down his injured body. It’s hard not to notice the way he stands unevenly, no doubt to hide his limp and alleviate the pain in his torso -- but that much shows in just the way he slouches.
As if on cue, Gavin fumbles, letting himself come down into your waiting arms. His breathing is hard in your ear as you stroke the back of his head, cutting down a bubbling sigh in your throat.
Of course he came to check on me.
“You can barely stand, Gav. What were you thinking coming all the way here?” You lean back to see his tired face and chatsey him gently. “You need more time.”
“I was worried about you, ___.” He reaches up hesitantly to stroke your cheek with his thumb, silencing you for a split second as you watch him.
Gavin’s voice is raspy, showing not only his fatigue but also the pain he tries so hard to hide. “Can you allow me that much?”
You pull your lips into a line and look over his face. His eyes search yours simultaneously, but for what, you aren’t sure -- a sign of forgiveness? Leniency? You only know that whatever he wants to find, he probably won’t.
“Why would you be worried about me?” You ask, brows coming together in a delicate sign of frustration. “You were on the verge of death only days ago!”
He lets his hand fall from your cheek as he exhales. “I know. But your name is passed around a lot when it comes to the black swan officers. This time was no different.”
You don’t respond.
Gavin takes your silence as an opportunity to continue. “So, I decided that after my evol leveled out, I would come and check on you. Just to be sure.”
“But what I don’t get, is why you couldn’t wait?” You say, your eyes narrowing slightly as his ajar mouth closes slowly. “You’re nowhere close to being healed. And if you were that worried, I’m sure Eli or someone would’ve--”
He interjects, his eyes darting away. But you don’t miss the way they soften. “Because I owe you this much, ___. I hope you can understand what I mean.”
You do. The things he had said when he first woke up in the hospital, about the situation and the pressure he hoped to alleviate, it all connects back to where you stand now. So, as much as you hate to admit it, Gavin isn’t completely in the wrong for coming.
You nod, sighing in renouncement.
“Yeah. Yeah, Gavin, I do understand. Sorry.” You say it a bit reluctantly, your eyes shifting down until Gavin catches your face in his hands again.
His lips turn up in a small but attractive smile as he nods. “Hey, don’t apologise for being concerned. I love you for caring.”
You could almost swear that you’re hearing things, but looking up into his eyes, you know you aren’t. Your eyes narrow again, but this time in a more goading manner.
“What’s that?” You hum quietly, smiling up at him as the distance between you slowly begins to close.
Gavin gives you the charming smile you missed, his lips brushing yours as he speaks. “I’ll say it as many times as you want, as log as you never forget it.”
The kiss is soft and slow at first -- as meaningful as it should be, but it steadily transitions into what you’ve been holding back since the moment you met eyes again. His hand shifts languidly to cradle the back of your head, augmenting the already rising feeling in your chest.
His hands mould to you as time drags by, seemingly slowing down in your interaction alone. It makes you happy knowing that some semblance of your buried attraction is still eager to pop out again.
Everything passes by quickly after that point, to the moment you’re standing inside again, pulling away from him.
“Gavin, it’s late, you need to rest.”
He looks at you with a boyish glint in his eyes, his lips twisting slightly.
“Let’s stay up later.”
You step aside to pull back the covers on your bed for him. “But it’s sleep! You know, that thing you need to function--?”
He cuts you off by pulling you back up for another kiss, laughing with you as you ultimately decide to return his affection. But, then he catches you by surprise and lifts you into his arms.
“Ok!” You squeal in delight as you’re dropped right down onto your open bedsheets, your hair splaying messily around you. “Five minutes, that’s all!”
“Ten!”
The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them. But, one of the best is when you earn them back.
This time it’s not the sisters, it is now their wonderful mother, Youran, who reveals a nickname of our Sensei, Lucien~! ft. Gavin’s slight? jealousy
This takes place during the sisters’ toddler days.
____
[12PM]
~Knock knock~
Youran strode over to the door and opened it to see Lucien, “Thanks for coming over, Lucien! Come in, lunch will be ready in a few minutes. Make yourself at home.”
The taller man smiled and nodded. He entered the living room to see Gavin relaxing on the couch with the two kids playing in the small kiddy tent near the balcony, occasionally looking over to them. The bird cop turned his head to look at the professor and nodded to him, “Thanks for coming. The girls are playing in there.”
Lucien chuckled, “You’re as laid back as usual. Don’t mind me greeting your princesses.” Gavin shrugged and the professor walked towards the kiddy tent.
When he reached to the girls, he was greeted by a cute sight. Aiyana was asleep, hugging the rabbit plushie that her dad gave her. Alina was laying beside her sister while patting the younger’s head gently. Lucien couldn’t help but pull out his phone and snapped a photo of them.
Alina looked up and smiled brightly as she saw her favorite uncle. Before she could run to him, she remembered that her sister is sleeping closely to her, tugging on her day dress. She gave him a small wave instead, “Hello uncle Lulu~”
Lucien smiled warmly and waved back. He stood up and went to the couch to have a small chat with Gavin. Soon after, Youran called out to them, “Lunch is ready!”
The adults went to the dining table. Youran had a confused look on her face, “Where’s the girls? Are they still in the tent?”
“Baby bird was asleep when I greeted them,” Lucien pointed to the tent. Youran chuckled and went to the tent, “I’ll go get them. They’ll be very fussy later.”
…
“Oh my… Gavin! Look at them!” Youran called for her husband. Gavin stood up and went to where his wife was looking at. The young parents cooed at the sight of their joys asleep. The two looked at each other and decided to just let them be.
They took their seats and Lucien asked, “You didn’t wake them?”
“They’ll be fine. We’ll be able to chat proper topics without the kids interrupting.” Gavin said. Youran nodded in agreement, “They’ll wake up on their own. They’re not the type to wake up crying for food. Either one of them would come out and ask.”
Lucien was surprised at that information. Most of the time he had heard from his colleagues grumbling and sighing about how their kids get extremely fussy without their parents around. He couldn’t help but chuckle, “I wonder where they got that trait from….?”
Gavin’s eyes trailed from the food to his wife, “Definitely you.”
Youran was beet red and tried to push that talk away, “Now, now, Lucchi~ I’m not that type to cry for food~ Of course they’ll get it from me! Food never fails us! What shall we talk about then??”
Gavin almost choked on his food when he heard his wife suddenly calling Lucien by a nickname, “Wha-what? Lu-Lucchi? Since … when?” He looked like a kicked puppy when he stared at his wife, begging for answers.
The woman tilted her head, “Before we got married? I used to call him that. Is there any problem?”
Lucien had a sly smile on his face as he observed the couple. Gavin’s face was the most amusing one to look at where as Youran’s air headed self appears. ‘How amusing…’
…~…~…~…~ time skip ~…~…~…~…
After lunch, Lucien had to leave for his evening talk at the university. Alina had awoken from her nap and peeked out to see her favorite uncle leaving. She almost burst into tears and rushed to him.
“Uncle! Are you leaving now?! Why can’t you stay a little longer? I just woke up!”
Lucien chuckled and crouched down to her height, “I’m sorry, Alina. I have an important duty to attend to.”
“Eehh..~” She pouted, making her resemble her mother more. The professor placed a gentle hand on her head, caressing her hair. “How ‘bout this? On my next off day, I’ll bring you and Aiyana out to play with the kids at the orphanage. Would you like that?”
Alina nodded with full enthusiasm, “Yeah! We wanna go there soon! Thank you, uncle Lucchi~!” She jumped into his arms. Gavin felt his heart shatter at the sight of his first child hugging another man, who isn’t her uncles, right in front of him.
‘… First it was Youran… Now my child..?!’
…~…~…~…~ later ~…~…~…~…
Gavin was sulking at the balcony. He was lost in his thoughts until he felt a small tug on his pants. He looked down to see a pair of matching amber eyes,
“Daddy? Are you okay…?” Aiyana asked as she tilted her head slightly.
The bird cop sighed and lifted the girl in his arms, “I’m okay.”
Aiyana wasn’t having any of it, “Then why are you sulking?” Gavin could only smile at her and didn’t say anything. The girl didn’t push for more answers. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder. Until a certain someone decided to break the ice.
“Ah~! Aiyana! No fair! I want daddy to carry me too~!”
Gavin turned and saw Alina puffing her cheeks out. He chuckled and lifted the girl with his other arm. The two felt comfortable and leaned onto him silently. Youran watched from a far and quickly took a photo of them from behind.
‘So much for being daddy’s girls.’
Meanwhile in Gavin’s mind, ‘You both are definitely not gonna date any boys until you turn 30 years old.’
___
I got carried away. I definitely got carried away. This one seems like a mash up of Lucien and Gavin.
I had a hc that Gavin would be this type of dad but he won’t exactly go overboard like literally bringing his guns with him or show up in his uniform to scare of potential boyfriends.
But anyway~ Victor’s one shot will be on the way soon!
