fluff war prompt! simmons keeps having to fix grif's computer... but grif *might* actually just be ruining it so simmons has to fix it and talk to him.
grifs computer is beyond fucked but its totally worth it
alright, angst war prompt! the wash-as-church birthday we never got to see, feat. the reds and blues!
Also on Ao3
This time, the memory felt different.
Wash sawthe familiar face of Allison, laughing at a camera, but the accompanying guiltand sorrow wasn’t there. Instead, it wasreplaced with a sick sense of joy. Hefelt happy, happier than he had inyears, and Wash hated it, because he didn’t know why.
He washolding the camera and pointing it around the room. In front of him, Allison laughed as she heldout something that Wash couldn’t focus on. It was glowing softly, and looked pink.
A cake. Is this…the Director’s birthday?
He heardher start to sing, off-key and endearing, and the happiness he felt in hischest doubled. Wash recoiled. He felt sick. This wasn’t him, this was someone else, or was it, he couldn’t remember.
And now everythingwas fading, and Allison was there again, but she was leaving, and he knew shewouldn’t come back, he had to stop her,had to –
Leonard, come on. Stop it, put that thing down.
Stop, please, he knew what washappening, he had to stop her, bring her back -
“Church!”
Wash heard the voice, but didn’trecognize it.
“Church, Church, Church!”
Someone was shaking him. It was Allison, begging him to let her go,but he couldn’t, he –
“Washington!”
Tucker’s voice shocked Wash intowaking up with a jolt. He was tangled upin his sheets, panting hard. Caboose waslooming over him, gripping his shoulders so tightly it hurt.
“Church, you were yelling in yoursleep,” Caboose said simply, his big eyes looking concerned.
“Lot more than yelling,” Tuckersighed. Wash could tell he was trying toplay off his concern as apathy, but he could see a tinge of fear in his eyes. “You…you okay, man?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m good.”
Wash managed to pry Caboose’s handsoff his arms as he sat up.
“What are you still standing herefor?” he asked suspiciously, glancing between the two of them.
Tucker rolled his eyes as Caboose’sface lit up.
“We have a surprise for you,Church!” he said brightly.
Wash rubbed his face and yawned.
“Can it wait until after I getcoffee?”
“Do not go in that room!” Caboosedemanded. “That’s where the surprise is!”
Tucker was smirking in thecorner. Wash shot him a look and hesighed.
“Don’t look at me! All I can tell you is that it doesn’t involvebullets like last time.”
“Or knives. Or giant tanks,” Wash added.
“Right. This one’s actually nice!”
Wash smiled and pushed himself offthe bed.
“Lead the way.”
Caboose started jumping up and downas he made his way to the door.
“Oh, Church, you will love thissurprise! I made it all by myself!”
Tucker coughed.
“With some help from Tucker,”Caboose added under his breath, clearly displeased.
They reached the door and Caboose turnedback to Wash.
“You have to close your eyes,silly!”
Wash shot another look to Tucker, who threw up his hands.
“Hey, I don’t make the rules!”
Wash sighed and covered his eyeswith his hands. Caboose tugged at his armand pulled him forward through the door.
“Surprise!”
A collective of voices cheeredloudly, and Wash dropped his hands and stared at the sight in front of him.
All of Red team was huddled behindthe kitchen counter. In front of them,pink and glowing like his memories, was a birthday cake. It looked sloppily made, and some of thecandles were slowly sliding off their perch, but it seemed edible.
“Do you love it, Church??” Cabooseasked, again bouncing with energy. “Iknew it was your birthday, so…”
Tucker chuckled and leaned over toWash.
“It’s actually Church’sbirthday. We celebrate every time, just…playalong, would you?”
Wash nodded numbly, steppingforward. Sarge scowled at him.
“I know you’re a dirty good-for-nothingBlue! But there’s such a thing asknowing your enemy! And what better wayto gather information than to spy on them at a celebration of their annualaging?!”
“Plus, Caboose said there would becake,” Grif added. “I loveee cake.”
“Grif, you can’t just take a man’sbirthday cake!” Simmons protested. “Thereare rules!”
The two started squabbling andSarge tried to break it up. Caboosebounded forward and tried to get everyone to start singing Happy Birthday, while Tucker shook his head and gave Wash a knowinglook.
Wash wasn’t paying attention.
He was remembering his memories ofthe Director, how happy he was. He was focusingon how disoriented he felt now, because they couldn’t have known.
Back in Freelancer, there had beena night where York had drunkenly tried to hack into the Director’s personalfiles. He had gotten nowhere, but he didget his birthday. He had turned toWashington and bent over laughing because
Whatare the odds? Who would have thought?
Washington didn’t think it was abig deal. He had smiled with the newknowledge and moved on, but now…
Butnow
He figured it wasn’t thatweird. People share the same birthdayall the time. There were only so manydays in the year.
He didn’t think the Reds and Bluesknew that.
Caboose had finally rounded upeverybody and now they were singing. Itsounded awful, but he didn’t care, because for one small moment he was backwith his friends on the MOI, as they gathered around one measly cupcake theyhad managed to scrounge from the mess, York and Carolina holding up theirlighter to serve as a candle, CT giving the finger in the general direction ofthe Director, and he was home.
Hewas home.
The song ended, and he foundhimself back in Blue base, Caboose pulling him over to blow out the candles. He closed his eyes and, like a child, made awish.
Whateverthis is. Please don’t let it fall apartlike last time.
He leaned forward and blew all thecandles out in one breath.
Caboose whooped for joy andimmediately handed out plates. Grif wasthe first to get a slice as Simmons reprimanded him. Sarge scoffed about “the food of our enemies”before taking a bite. Caboose got icingspread all over his face and Tucker laughed at him. Wash got the last slice and settled into theback of the kitchen, shoving Grif out of the way as he tried to make himselfsome coffee.
The Reds and Blues chatted andargued amongst themselves. Grif had alreadycurled up and was taking a nap. Caboosewas babbling about planning the next party.
Wash licked the icing off hisfingers as he looked around the room. Heshoved back images of Allison and a camera, instead focusing on his friends.
Hisfamily.
****
Thanks to @spacershepards for the prompt! I’m still open to anything, just send me an ask!
hey! um, this is a strange question. i love this whole "south as carolina's sister" idea, and i immediately ended up started writing something, but i figured i better ask before doing anything further? like, i don't know if you'd prefer to write it, or if i needed to get permission prior to writing it or anything. at first i kinda figured if i @'d you and linked the original post it wouldn't be a big deal but i figured might as well ask?
OMG. go forth and create, honey. thanks for asking! i totally don’t mind people writing about my ideas as long as they @ me and link any relevant material. have fun! xo
Ooooh, that’s a toughie. It usually depends on my mood and what season we’re talking about, but I think overall my most consistent Red fave is Lopez. He’s just. So done with everything and everybody.
17) least favorite ship?
Oooh, this feels like a dangerous ask, ngl. Okay, right off the bat is L*lix and T*cklix, I am just not a fan. And then, I dunno, probably Ch*rboose, as well. Anything with Felix or Caboose, really.
