"Abuse is when a man seeks to break someone for his own pleasure," Whumper said. "Correction is when a man seeks to build someone up by teaching them where they stand. You're lashing out because you're being held to a standard, and you're too soft to meet it."
His hand on the nape of Whumpee's neck tightened not enough to hurt, but enough to command absolute attention. He leaned down, his face inches from Whumpee's, his eyes boring into theirs with a terrifying intensity.
"Don't you ever use that word again to cover up your own lack of discipline. It's an insult to people who have actually suffered."
No thoughts. Just Whumpee drifting in and out of consciousness, muttering nonsensical slurred protests, and weakly trying to pull st their restraints before their eyes roll back and they slip away into unconsciousness again.
I did this a long while back but I lost the post and wanna do a fresher one...
ATTENTION WHUMP COMMUNITY...
❗️I NEED WHUMP STORY RECCS❗️
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use this space to promote your whump fics, people! 😍 ANY and EVERY whump fic! Doesn't matter the tropes, sfw/nsfw, fandoms etc. etc. - PLUG IT ALL! LET US EAT IT UP!
I am desperate to read some new stories and I'm sure there will be something out there for everyone even if it's not my cup of tea!!!
PROMOTE AWAY! REBLOG AND COMMENT WITH YOUR WORKS! 💖💫❤️
I noticed that there aren't many Whump challenges in November, so here we are - Nowhumpber 2026!
The challenge is run by @stars-hide-our-fires and the predicted timeline is as follows:
February-April: Prompts form open to give prompts
April-July: Poll to vote for prompts
July-September: Prompt list put together and released
November: Challenge commences!
December-January: Completionist lists published
RULES:
Any and every media is accepted, writing, art, collages, playlists, moodboards, and anything else that tickles your fancy
EXCEPT FOR ANYTHING AI GENERATED. Obviously I can't police this, but if I find AI has been used to generate some or all of an entry I will not be promoting or reblogging it
You can use as many or as little prompts as you'd like, on any day, and are welcome to use prompts after the challenge ends as well (I may not reblog it then though)
For me to reblog your entry on this blog, tag @nowhumpber-challenge (or @stars-hide-our-fires with the #nowhumpber tag)
Any type of whump is accepted, OC, general or fandom, however please tag everything/add appropriate warnings (I may or may not reblog NSFWhump and would prefer it be under a cut if explicit)
HAVE FUN! This is meant to be something fun to look forward to, and since it's right after Whumptober I get that you may not complete every single day - which is fine!
This is my first time hosting a whump event, feel free to send in any asks you may have, and let the whumping commence!
✨️ Hiccup Whump Prompt / Request / Challenge List ✨️
*will be updated as I write new ones*
All That Matters (T ▪︎ 2,285 words)
Prompt: Ransom ▪︎ Hiccup goes missing on his morning flight, and the ransom note Stoick finds in Toothless's saddle bag, written in Hiccup's own hand, reveals that he has been taken by a man who makes even Alvin the Treacherous look like a Valkyrie. The price for Hiccup's life is steep, but Stoick will pay any cost to get his son back from the monster who has stolen him.
What the Boss Don't Know, the Boss Won't Mind (T ▪︎ 2,518 words)
Prompt: Upside Down ▪︎ Ryker and his men decide to have some fun with Hiccup while Viggo is away on business, despite his orders to leave their prisoner alone. So when their fun spirals out of control and Hiccup nearly dies as a result, Viggo is far from pleased.
The Cracks Fear Made (G ▪︎ 1,234 words)
Prompt: Coma ▪︎ It has been four days since Hiccup was struck by lightning. Gothi has treated his surface wounds — strangely beautiful, branching burn marks, like a winter tree reaching for Valhalla. But the healer does not know if Hiccup will wake, does not know if he will be the same if he does wake. And so Stoick does the only thing he can do: He waits, watches, and prays that his son will come back to him.
Surrender (M ▪︎ 23,328 words ▪︎ 4/5 chapters)
Prompt: Surrender ▪︎ The Edge has been under siege for two weeks. The good news? The Hunters want only one thing. If they get it, they will leave the Edge in peace. The bad news? They want Hiccup.
Brave Face (T ▪︎ 2,138 words)
Prompt: Wrists + Chains ▪︎ We Are Family AU: Hiccup wants to be strong, to hold out no matter what Alvin puts him through. But he's also fifteen years old, chained in a cage about to be tortured. Kidnapped, far from his home in the heart of hostile territory, wrists a mess of pain and bruises. Dragons, he's used to. But cruel men willing to do anything to break him, wanting only to take what he refuses to give? These are uncharted waters, leaving Hiccup floundering far out of his depth.
Defy (T ▪︎ 2,280 words)
Prompt: Drugged ▪︎ The moment Hiccup sees the vial, he knows with crystalline certainty that Viggo has no interest in playing games with him today. But if Viggo wants him to drink its contents, he's going to have work for it - because Hiccup isn't going down without a fight.
Down to Earth (G ▪︎ 2,789 words)
Prompt: Crash ▪︎ The Eel Effect AU: Either the gods hate him, or he's their favorite punching bag. Because Hiccup can't think of a better explanation for the day he's had. But even curled on the ground, body broken and battered and bruised, Hiccup is more concerned about curing Toothless and getting the Eel Pox remedy back to Berk than his own injuries.
Target Practice (T ▪︎ 3,804 words)
Prompt: evil Johann, knife-throwing ▪︎ Hiccup is at the mercy of Johann, who wants to use him as target practice.
A Downed Dragon (T ▪︎ 1,931 words)
Prompt: Toothless's prosthetic taken to hurt Hiccup ▪︎ Hiccup fights when Ryker tries to take his prosthetic - so Ryker, knowing it will hurt Hiccup far more to see his dragon grounded, takes Toothless's instead.
Impulse Control (G ▪︎ 2,852 words)
Prompt: Dagur struggles with sadistic side/accidentally hurts Hiccup ▪︎ In a moment of panic and anger, a reformed Dagur lashes out and accidentally hurts Hiccup, shattering the trust and comradery he's worked so hard to maintain with his former enemy. AU of Sins of the Past.
Not a Hero (M ▪︎ 6,745 words)
Prompt: Dagcup + Forced Caretaking ▪︎ The Zippleback Experience AU: After Hiccup is brutally tortured by Ryker, Dagur does something neither one of them expects. OR Dagur's shifting feelings towards Hiccup as he realizes that what he's wanted for so long - to see Hiccup suffer - doesn't at all feel like he thought it would. In fact, it might not be what he wants at all.
In the Shadows (T ▪︎ 4,193 words)
Prompt: Mugged ▪︎ Hiccup knows he shouldn't separate from his friends in the Northern Markets. He knows he should stay on guard, shouldn't let his mind wander. But he does anyway, and the price is far steeper than he ever could have imagined. Or, Hiccup is mugged while visiting the Northern Markets.
A Gift for Viggo Grimborn (T ▪︎ 5,087 words)
Prompt: Weighted Net + Gag ▪︎ Hiccup goes from getting a gift to being the gift, and Ryker Grimborn gives his younger brother the best Snoggletog present ever.
To Hurt, to Heal (T ▪︎ 6,517 words)
Prompt: Viking Painkillers + Healer Fishlegs ▪︎ Sometimes healing cannot come without a lot of pain. Fishlegs learns this the hard way when Hiccup is shot with a barbed arrow and his friends are forced to hurt him even more if they want to save his life.
Never Break (M ▪︎ 2,700 words ▪︎ 1/2 chapters)
Prompt: Caving to Interrogation ▪︎ Hiccup hasn't talked. Nothing Viggo does to him will make him talk. Or so he thinks.
Defiant Ones (T ▪︎ 4,959 words ▪︎ 1/1 chapters)
Hiccup's father has warned him about Savage, a man as brutal and ruthless as his name. Never antagonize him. Easier said than done. A much whumpier Defiant One AU where Hiccup mouths off to the wrong person and ends up paying the price.
Of Metal and Ink (And Stolen Futures Ripped from Grasping Hands) (T ▪︎ 2,358 words ▪︎ 1/1 chapters)
The last time that Hiccup narrowly escaped Viggo's clutches, Viggo made a promise. And now that Hiccup and Toothless have been shot out of the sky by Hunters, helpless at the hands of their greatest enemies, Viggo follows through on his horrifying, future-shattering, life-altering vow, and rips Hiccup's freedom, birthright, and future from his hands with one touch of ink and metal.
(I am now on a BuckTommy kick bc of you. I hope you are happy with yourself 😂)
Asdfghjkl OH OH! My friend. You have no idea the can of worms you've just opened 👀👏 I take full responsibility for your BuckTommy obsession because I am obsessed with them and I need more friends to be obsessed with the BuckTommy whump with me. But oh my god YES I HAVE RECS FOR YOU!! Did you know that I clicked on the BuckTommy tag on AO3 and, after filtering out the things that squick me out, I went page by page looking and reading any scrap of whump and angst (specifically Tommy focused cause I want him HURT) that I could find? Did you know that that was over 600 AO3 pages of fanfics I went through? And that I bookmarked like 150 individual fics? When I tell I went crazy over these two...I WENT CRAZY. So yes I have fics to rec!
Brace yourself! This gonna be HUGE. And there's more to read on my AO3 bookmarks if you want to look (under aceofwhump)
(I also may have started writing a few of my own inspired by the prompts for BuckTommy whump week that I missed so we'll see if I can finish those because apparently I can't finish a fanfic to save my life lately)
Tommy whump centric
Hold on a little longer and believe I'm here to stay by salty_autistic_writer Summary: "You don't want to know this about me, Evan," Tommy says after a moment of hesitation, his walls cracking for a volatile moment, pain flickering in his eyes before he tries his best to look indifferent again.
Buck feels hurt. "What are you talking about? I'm in love with you, Tommy, I want to know everything about you."
Oh. This was not how and when he wanted to say it.
Buck knows he's in love with Tommy but has a feeling that Tommy is keeping something from him. The inevitable confrontation reveals scars and shows they will have to fight for their happiness together.
TW: suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt,
nothing to worry about by elizabethgee Summary: It's early in their relationship. Tommy gets hurt, and Buck tries to figure out how to take care of his new boyfriend.
The Path to Burnout, Anxiety, High Emotions, and Really Missing Your Boyfriend By Tommy Kinard by bccw13 Summary: Three weeks of misaligned schedules, picking up shifts, helping or hanging out with friends and family, Tommy was exhausted. A particular bad day at the end of a long three weeks has Evan helping his man let it all out.
When evening falls so hard by xanthippe74 Summary: Tommy remained silent for the entire ride home, and when they were stopped at a red light, Buck glanced over and saw that he had propped his elbow on the door in order to cover his eyes with one hand. Light sensitivity, Buck told himself. A common concussion symptom. Tommy definitely wouldn’t be crying in Buck’s truck right now. Not unflappable, confident Tommy.
There was something going on with him—something more than being shaken up by an accident.
Three weeks after their disastrous post-breakup hookup, Buck gets an unexpected call from Tommy.
The Devil Doesn't Bargain by torturedslothdepartment Summary: Tommy Kinard lived a whole life before he walked into Evan Buckley's life, and it's not one that he's offered up much of so far. Until Evan starts asking questions.
TW: graphic depictions of rape/sexual assault, abuse, military abuse, self harm, suicide attempt.
grayscale mountains of monotone thoughts by xTarmanderx Summary: Tommy’s depression gets the better of him after a rough shift.
Focus by firewasabeast Summary: “Focus. Focus, focus, focus, focus.” The words stumbled out of his mouth unconsciously. His fingers tapped against his thigh rapidly. His eyes were wide but hazy; blearily searching for something to center on but coming up empty.
“Focus, focus, focus.”
He was sweating. It dripped down his forehead, off his eyebrow, to his cheek. It tickled as it ran over his nose. It gave him chills on the back of his neck.
“Focus, focus.”
His leg shook, bouncing up and down anxiously. It was hard to breathe. Hard to breathe the way he needed to breathe anyway. He could only inhale part of the way, short and stunted exhales making him dizzy.
He could hear people yelling at him. Could hear them calling his name.
They might as well have been speaking a foreign language.
A tunnel to crawl through by prufrocks Summary: Evan sits back on his haunches, unweighting Tommy's legs, and he feels like maybe he could float away from here, unmoored as he is from the bed, from the situation. He's in trouble now, or he will be in a few seconds, but for just this moment he's removed from the forces of gravity, and it feels nice.
"Tommy," Evan says, a tremor in his voice, and that's enough to bring Tommy rocketing back down to Earth. "That wasn't a sext, was it."
Tommy makes a decision. Buck meets him halfway.
TW: suicide attempt
White Noise by seisirasei Summary: Tommy never meant to chase after the call—he certainly never meant to get buried under a crumbling house with too many regrets and a body giving out beneath him. But one bad feeling led to a collapse, a broken leg, and a 9-1-1 call he almost didn’t make.
With Maddie on the line and the 118 closing in, Tommy confronts more than just the pain.
Threshold by seisirasei Summary: Excerpt: Tommy stumbled to the door, every step a battle against the waves of heat and exhaustion that threatened to pull him under. When he opened the door, he thought he must be hallucinating.
“Ev—” he tried to say, but his throat was too dry, his voice too weak. He swayed on his feet, his vision blurring.
“Tommy!”
What You Wanted, What I Needed by seisirasei Summary: One desperate night forces Tommy to confront his broken pieces—and the one person who’s always willing to be there to hold him together.
Excerpt: "Why not me?" Tommy whispered, his voice breaking, tears streaming down his face. "Why can’t I be enough for you?"
Buck cupped Tommy’s face, his thumbs brushing away the tears. "Tommy," he said softly, his own voice trembling, "you’ve always been enough. You just have to believe it."
the air it hurts by Anonymous Summary: After Tommy gets hurt in a near-fatal accident, he learns that there are some things he doesn't have to be afraid of. And that he no longer has to feel jealous of the family he left before it became one.
Hang on 'til the hurt is gone by tabbytabbytabby Summary: After a long shift, all Tommy wants is to spend the next two days off with his boyfriend. Unfortunately, a bout of food poisoning threatens to derail that, but Evan is there to help him through it.
Throw Me In The Deep End by MustLoveTommy Summary: It's a great day for Buck since he will get to spend the next two days with Tommy. Unfortunately, Tommy sends him a message that changes all their plans.
TW: depression
The Fire in the Fall by writerdot Summary: The air feels suffocating and even through his turnouts, the heat is reaching unbearable levels and they haven’t even entered the complex yet. He looks at the burning building in front of him and sighs, thinking that he would pick today, one of the worst days he’s had in a long time, to volunteer to help with ground ops.
Or: Tommy Kinard has a very bad day.
Sick of It by firewasabeast Summary: In which Tommy gets sick, and he and Buck head towards making up.
The Things I Cannot Change by firewasabeast Summary: Buck thought he and Tommy knew everything about each other. Thought their relationship was as solid as ever. Until Gerrard mentions a military operation from Tommy past, and a confirmation from Eddie makes Buck realize he might not know Tommy at all.
TW: depression
No Man Left Behind by firewasabeast Summary: Eddie linked his hands together. “This is gonna hurt like hell,” he warned before using all of his strength to pull Tommy out of the helicopter.
The scream that escaped Tommy as Eddie pulled on him could have taken him right back to Afghanistan, if he'd let it. A guttural scream that verged on sounding more like an animal than a human.
“I know, I know,” Eddie soothed even as he continued to drag Tommy across the wet, muddy ground. “Gotta keep going. I think it's gonna blow.”
Tommy tried to look up toward the sky, focus on the clouds, the trees overhead, the sun trying to poke through. But the pain was too much, so he squeezed his eyes shut and opened his mouth wide and let himself yell in a way he'd never yelled before. His arms dropped to the side, fingernails scrapping through the mud and leaves as Eddie pulled and tugged and said things that Tommy couldn't bother to hear over his own cries.
Hold me on my bad day by bidisasterevankinard Summary: Tommy had a bad day, has an awful morning he starts as blanket burrito, but his boyfriend's cuddles make it better
The Weight of the Past by adoctoraday Summary: Sometimes the weight of the past is just too much to carry alone--and now, Tommy has Evan to help him shoulder this burden.
a fevered blur by aceanx Summary: Buck is a damn good firefighter. He knows every piece of equipment and what it does back to front, he’s able to get dressed in under thirty seconds, and his overall response time is pretty damn quick, in his eyes. He’s aced every test he’s done for the academy, even when he had to get cleared for duty multiple times, and he’s read the manuals backward and forward more times than he cares to admit.
He’s put blood, sweat and tears into this job. He loves nothing more than being a firefighter. His concern is never about himself on the job. He knows he’s capable and he knows even if something were to happen, he would be alright. He can handle the strain of the job. He’s nearly died several times and has actually died once, after all. If getting struck by lightning hasn’t scared him away from the job, nothing will.
Buck’s a damn good firefighter, except when it comes to his loved ones getting hurt.
That’s the one thing he can’t handle.
-----
another "buck finds out tommy's chopper has crashed" and cue panic.
You Ask How I'm Doing Like You Knew What Was Wrong by Snaptic Summary: Eddie saw Tommy freeze as the first string of fireworks went off in the distance. He had flinched, and his quick scan of the yard had brought his attention to his friend, who had gone so still he could be a statue.
OR
Tommy finds a sense of belonging with the 118. In Buck's absence, Eddie steps up.
I Am The Broken, I Am The Wound by NeverlandPoet (do_androids_dream) Summary: Buck found Tommy in the bathroom, a dark shade crouching next to the shower, clasping his knees. He dropped down, put the phone aside and let its light illuminate parts of the ceiling. It was enough to see Tommy’s face, absolutely frightened, eyes wide open, staring into the void. He was panting way too fast, close to hyperventilating. Buck knew these signs.
“Tommy. Hey. Look at me, okay? I’m here,” he whispered, his voice hoarse for some reason. “What... what's going on?”
“I don't know,” Tommy said, almost sobbing, “I don't know, I just don't know.”
Microsleep by salty_autistic_writer Summary: After showing up at the hospital after his long and hard shift, Tommy is so tired he's experiencing microsleeps. Buck drives him home. (Written for Whumptober Day 8: Sleep Deprivation)
The Bracelet She Wore by space_cadet09 Summary: Buck and Tommy enjoy a relaxed day exploring LA. Their peaceful outing takes a dramatic turn when they witness a violent crime on the street. As Buck springs into action to help the victim, Tommy is overwhelmed by a traumatic memory from his childhood. This event forces Tommy to confront the deep pain of his past. As Buck supports Tommy through this emotional journey, their bond deepens, showcasing their love and mutual support.
*BuckTommy Whump Week 2024, Day 2 Prompt: "I'm fine. Just, I wanna be finer." | Prompts: Emotional hurt // PTSD*
The Fire is Inside the House by Writer_Lethogica Summary: Evan "Buck" Buckley is fighting a wildfire with the 118, when he sees a helicopter crash - the helicopter of his boyfriend, Tommy Kinard. It's a race against time to find Tommy before the wildfire hits the crash site. Part 6 of Denial-verse
thursday's child has far to go by vincerets Summary: Tommy laughs, as much as it can be called a laugh when he can barely get the air to do it, but his breath still grazes against Buck’s lips, the ghost of what he really wants. It’s warm, and Tommy’s still looking at him, and it’s been eighteen days, and he’s baked on nearly every one of them. They’re in a crashed helicopter and Tommy’s pinned down and it’s a terrible idea and it’s been eighteen days, he’s counted every one, and-Buck kisses him. Tommy's helicopter goes down. Buck copes. Kind of. Hey - he never said he was coping well.
Please, I've Been On My Knees (Change The Prophecy) by unhingedangstaddict Summary: Tommy leaned against a tree and tried to catch his breath. It wasn’t exactly easy between the intense heat, thick smoke, and the painful ache in his ribcage. He guessed it had to be at least seven or eight broken ribs, but he wasn’t a doctor nor was he going to poke around at his chest and try to figure it out- it didn’t matter anyway. His head was throbbing in pain and his limbs felt incredibly heavy. The ringing in Tommy’s ears hadn’t stopped, and the pain in his shoulder and arm was getting worse and worse.
But Evan was waiting for him.
This was not how Evan Buckley would turn out to be his last.
Tommy pushed himself up off the tree he’d been leaning against and continued walking.
---
S8E6 Fix it fic featuring a helicopter crash, anyone?
I sabotage and break my own heart, just in case by harmonic-intervention (BackseatSerenade) Summary: Yeah, no. This wasn’t happening. Not again. Not after all of that.
- Bucktommy fix-it. Two words: helicopter crash
Hold on hope by icestar663 Summary: Things Buck didn't want to have to do today: 1 - Find out his boyfriend was missing 2 - Stay put 3 - Convince said boyfriend that he had to save himself
I See the Memories (and the Tragedies) by DarkAliceLilith Summary: “C-can’t b-breathe.”
“What happened? Do you need help?”
“N-Nightmare. A-a-army.” He could barely get words out, his brain not even really caring that he had called the wrong person.
Unbroke hearts like yours (what'd you wanna waste that on me for) by allthefandoms84 Summary: Tommy has regretted leaving Buck almost the instant he left that fateful night but he doesn't believe he is worthy of being in Buck's life. Tommy is hurting after the break up but refuses to allow his friends to see how much he misses his Evan. After an accident leaves Tommy hurt he still refuses any help during his recovery until Buck bullies his way back into Tommy's life. Refusing to believe they are truly over Buck has his work cut out for him convincing Tommy he deserves good things.
all this love i've thrown away by jamesandanthony Summary: The first thing Tommy notices upon coming back to his senses is the cold.
Despite the rain, he doesn't remember the day being particularly cool when he'd left for work that morning so he cracks open his eyes to take stock of what is almost certainly some kind of situation with a capital S.
Ah yes.
The ground had swallowed him up as he'd landed.
Silly of him to forget.
Dear Agony by NeverlandPoet (do_androids_dream) Summary: BuckTommyWhumpWeek, Day 5: Hypothermia
walls come crumbling down by writerdot Summary: Buck and Tommy are trapped in a building collapse. Because of course they are.
Buck whump centric
Because Evan Buckley was loved. by Emaisnialleraf Summary: Based off my twitter prompt : Another flash of lightning shoots across the room as arms around his waist draw him closer. He feels Tommy press a sleepy kiss against his curls. "S'okay, sweetheart." A heavy palm trails softly across his back to calm the trembling. "I'm right here."
Give Me Tonight by Lostintheuniverseslies Summary: Buck didn’t want to jump. Not at first. Sitting on the edge of a condemned high-rise, tequila warming his veins and quieting his thoughts, he wonders if making the silence permanent wouldn’t be so bad. Then Tommy shows up—blue flight suit, steady hands, and a voice that refuses to let him disappear.
a vessel, tempest driven by saintsurvivor Summary: Sent to a medical call at an elderly couple's bungalow with reports of a suspected heart attack and the victim having been trapped against the front door, the 118 hits tragedy midway through a twenty four hour shift.
A roaring sound, rhythmic and constant, a heavy breeze that just touches him. Buck turns towards it, magnetized. “You’re alright, son,” Bobby tells him, orders him, as if Bobby could simply stop time and death and Buck’s own body in its tracks. “You’re gonna be just fine.” The blue and red lights of the Ladder Truck, illuminating the street, but still Buck’s eyes threaten failure, blurring until it melts into one.
Both Buck and Tommy get whumped
Hold My Hand, I'll Walk With You My Dear by salty_autistic_writer Summary: Everything’s been nice so far. Nice and cosy. Buck has been feeling content and he does like the movie. He’s snuggled up to Tommy, who radiates body heat. He even was considering putting his head on Tommy’s shoulder. But now, Buck suddenly can’t focus on the movie anymore. Another full-body shiver catches him. His mind feels foggy and floaty. And somehow, he feels a restlessness settling in that absolutely makes no sense in this situation.
Stunned, Buck realizes that he’s scared.
Or: 5 times Buck and Tommy talk about their fears and 1 time they defeat fear together.
All the Pain by NeverlandPoet (do_androids_dream) Summary: When an auspicious evening ends in disaster, Buck and Tommy are left to suffer the unexpected consequences. (BuckTommyWhumpWeek)
Branching Out by writerdot Summary: “It’s kind of cold in here,” Evan says calmly. Tommy gets off the dining room chair to go to the thermostat when the world spins around him.
Evan’s in front of him in an instant.
“Tommy,” Evan says, voice insistent and when he looks up, Evan is shaking, hard, and...is that water?
Evan’s covered in it, from head-to-toe, curls plastered to his forehead. Tommy can feel himself shaking now, freezing, his body aches and he’s wet too, what the hell?
“Tommy,” Evan is insistent. “Tommy, baby, I need you to wake up!”
Or: Buck and Tommy are in a little predicament.
Lost and Found by nine_one_wanton Summary: Tommy retreats mentally and geographically after Bobby’s death. While still processing his own series of losses, Buck goes out to try to bring Tommy back.
Please don't leave me by Honestlynervousnut Summary: Buck has a horrible nightmare
Catastrophe by NeverlandPoet (do_androids_dream) Summary: BuckTommyWhumpWeek Day7, Canon Typical Injury (on both)
Let the walls break down by harmonic-intervention (BackseatSerenade) Summary: A whole month. That was how long Tommy could push his luck.- bucktommy fix it, near-death experiences will force them to talk if nothing else will
Darius Astor was a freak. Everyone at school knew it. He was the quiet, brooding goth kid- a mystery of a boy who sat in the back of class and kept to himself. Occasionally his classmates would catch him silently studying them as if he didn’t trust them, but he rarely spoke. No one dared to approach him. He was creepy.
Nobody wanted to associate with him, not even the theatre kids, who had a habit of collecting social outcasts. They had tried to bring him into their circle once or twice, but Darius never really fit in with them. Darius never really fit in with anyone.
Even Tristan knew about him, despite being new to the school. He had been warned that Darius was an oddball and that it was best to avoid him. After all, why waste your time with someone who clearly wanted to be left alone? Even those who had managed to talk to him said that he was pompous, aloof, and standoffish. It was clear that he wasn’t someone to bother with.
So, imagine how awkward it was when Tristan found himself alone with him one night.
It was a crisp autumn evening, and the theatre troupe had been working hard on the fall school play. The actors had long since scampered off with their co-stars, but the tech crew remained behind, shutting down the A/V systems and ensuring that the lights were off before they too made their way out for a group dinner.
Tristan had been apprehensive about joining the crew at first, but he was glad that he did. Working the sound and light board made him feel like the captain of a spaceship, and it was a fun challenge to make sure that he and the team hit all the cues that they needed to in order to bring the production to life. The best part however was that he had made friends. Starting at a new school halfway through your high school career was never easy, but his new pals were making it bearable.
The tech team had gathered outside near the parking lot and were deciding on where to eat, as if they wouldn’t just hit up the same old 1950’s-style diner that they always did. Perhaps tonight would be the night they went somewhere else, but Tristan highly doubted that. They were all dining on a high schooler’s budget after all, which was never much. Plus, those burgers couldn’t be beat. There was just something about that greasy mess that felt fitting for late nights after practices and performances.
A gentle breeze blew through his hair and caused tiny goosebumps to prickle on his arms. Dang it, he had forgotten his hoodie inside. While his friends continued their decision-making process, Tristan excused himself and told them to go on without him and that he’d catch up.
He dashed back into the building and slipped into the auditorium, then peeked into the sound booth for his lost sweater. Nothing there. He scanned the seats, wondering if he had left it on a seatback. Nope. It wasn’t on the stage, either. Where had he…?
Ah, right. One of the leads was having a problem with her mic pack, and he had gone backstage to help fix the problem. He must’ve left his hoodie in the dressing room.
There was a light on when he made his way into the wings. Strange… he thought they had turned them all off when they left. It was coming from the very dressing room that he meant to check out anyway. A lucky break. Tristan rounded the corner and nearly jumped a foot in the air at what he saw; Someone was in there. Darius Astor.
“JESUS!” Tristan exclaimed, placing a hand over his pounding heart. He thought that everyone had gone home for the night and that he was alone.
Darius looked up from what he was occupied with – packing up a personal makeup bag. He was mainly responsible for painting the sets, but he had other passions and hobbies, including creating elaborate makeup looks for both himself and the cast. That service was pretty much the only reason that anyone ever spoke to him.
His dark eyes were lined with black eyeliner, and smokey eyeshadow complimented the rest of his look: black, black, black. He was spooky in his goth attire, enough to make anyone believe that vampires were real and that he walked among them. That thought was especially convincing on the days that Darius had his face painted a ghostly pale. Tonight was one of the nights that he wore such a look, freaking Tristan out even more.
Darius gave the blonde a once over and noted his frightened reaction, but didnʻt comment on it, almost as if he was used to having that effect on people. He turned back to packing up his supplies.
“That must be yours.” he remarked, then nodded at the hoodie laying in a crumpled heap on one of the chairs by the door.
Tristan tried to get a grip on himself and come down from his fright.
“Ah, yeah. Uh… thanks. Sorry, I just— I didnʻt know anyone was back here. You scared—you surprised me.”
“Scared” didnʻt feel like a nice thing to say, especially when Darius looked back up at him with such a dour expression.
“Hm.” he responded disinterestedly.
Tristan stood in the doorway, stupidly frozen like he had forgotten how to move. He was struck by Darius, but he didnʻt know why. Something about him was just fascinating. He had never looked at him long enough to really see him.
Darius frowned at Tristan’s staring.
“What?” he bit. “Is it yours, or not?”
“Yeah.” Tristan said quickly. How embarrassing to be snapped out of a stupor like that. He finally came back to his senses enough to scoop up the hoodie and slip it on, then turned to leave. Out of habit he reached up to flip off the light switch but caught himself. His hand hovered over the toggle as he paused in the doorframe.
“Why are you here?” he questioned, glancing back at Darius. “Everyone’s gone out to dinner. Didnʻt you want to come?”
Darius exhaled through his nostrils and zipped up his pouch.
“Wasnʻt invited.” he said.
“Oh.”
“It’s okay.”
Was it though? Tristan spoke before he thought. “Do you want to join us? We’re going to Mel’s.”
Darius hefted his messenger bag and tucked his makeup case inside. He looked mildly irritated, briefly pressing his lips together into a tight line before he answered.
“You don’t want me there.”
“Sure I do.” Tristan replied.
No, he didn’t. Darius was right. But it felt wrong to leave someone behind, even if it was the very guy that he’d been warned about.
Darius was silent as he approached Tristan. The heavy platform boots that he wore had him standing just a pinch above eye level, and the way his poofy black hair was styled made him seem even taller and more imposing, especially given his overall appearance. He stopped before Tristan and peered down his nose at him. Truly, he was intimidating…
Darius squinted, as if trying to read Tristan’s aura to figure out his intentions.
“Do you really?” he asked.
They were standing too close together, and the scrutiny was making Tristan uncomfortable. He shifted his weight and took a nervous step back, breaking eye contact so he could glance elsewhere.
“Yeah.” he squeaked. “You’re part of the team, right?”
Darius considered him for a second longer, then huffed at the proposition.
“Fine.”
Oh, fucking hell. Tristan secretly hoped that he would say no. His friends were going to think he had lost his marbles for inviting him. Hopefully Darius was chill, though so far, he seemed just as off-putting and frigid as everyone had said.
“Great.” Tristan said, making a conscious effort to not sound sarcastic. He flicked off the light as Darius pushed past him out the door.
***
They did it. Those losers actually did it. For the first time, the theatre tech crew had decided to go somewhere else to eat. Tristan didn’t discover that until he and Darius had gotten inside the diner. Of course it would be tonight. Of freaking course.
“Hold on, I don’t see them. Ahh…” Tristan’s fingers furiously flew across his phone screen as he texted the group chat to figure out where everyone had gone instead. Incredible. Fantastic. They finally changed pace on the night he decided to bring the weird kid along.
Darius stood behind him with his arms crossed as he stared at the silver diner walls.
“I should go.” he said.
“N-no, it’s cool. They just—” Tristan stopped and read the text that had just come in. His friends were at the pizza joint across town. Ugh, by the time they got there everyone would be finished eating. That would make it all the more awkward to have this raincloud of a plus one with them.
“Oh, it looks like they changed their minds and went home instead.” Tristan lied.
With a sigh, Darius’ shoulders sank, almost as if he had expected this outcome. He cocked his head to the side and shot Tristan an incredulous look. Maybe something like this had happened to him before.
“Uh huh…” It was clear that he didn’t believe him.
Good God. Tristan pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, taking a moment to think. Fine. Just one meal with this guy. It couldn’t be that bad. He had invited him after all. It was probably better this way. He’d have a tale for his friends on Monday without having to subject them to whatever was coming.
“You wanna eat?” Tristan asked without turning around.
“What, just you and me?”
“Yeah. We’re here, so…”
“Okay. Sure.”
They were seated at a booth in the back corner, just the two of them sitting across from each other like a bizarre date. They’d make an odd couple – the spooky morose fellow and the gangly blonde computer nerd. Hopefully people weren’t staring at them.
Tristan had been to this place dozens of times before and didn’t have to look at the menu to know what he wanted, but it took Darius a bit of time to decide. When their orders had been placed, they sat in silence.
Darius took a sudden interest in anything and everything on the table within arm’s reach, taking extra care to study the apparently captivating shapes of the unremarkable salt and pepper shakers, reading every kind of sugar packet, and idly wiping down the greasy ketchup bottle.
“So,” Tristan started. “you paint sets?”
Darius ran his fingers across the sealed top of the creamer in his hand, his painted black fingernail polish popping against the all-white container.
“Mmhm.”
There was a long pause before Darius realized that he should probably fill it with a response.
“You do audio stuff?”
“Yup. And lighting.”
Darius nodded lightly, though his gaze was on the Formica table’s hypnotic boomerang pattern. He kept staring at it like he hoped to unravel a hidden message about the universe buried somewhere within the repeating retro design.
It was killing Tristan that he didn’t know what to say to the guy. How do you start a conversation with someone so strange? He couldn’t just jump in and ask ‘So, why don’t you get along with anyone?’. That would be horrible.
“Have you lived in town long?” Tristan asked, straightening out his silverware.
“My whole life.”
“Ah, Cool.”
Was Darius ever going to get beyond simple answers? He asked no follow up questions or had any deeper conversation. No wonder people had trouble befriending him.
“Have you eaten here before?” Tristan tried to keep the conversation going, though playing ’20 questions’ was getting old quickly.
“A time or two. Don’t remember it much though.”
“The burger I ordered is really good.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. You can try some if you’d like.”
“Thanks.”
Tristan’s eyes widened in exasperation, and he had to turn away so Darius wouldn’t see. This was impossible. Maybe he should just be content with them eating without speaking. Perhaps that’d be better than pulling teeth just to get Darius to talk to him.
He was saved from coming up with another attempt at conversation by the food arriving.
Tristan chewed his burger thoughtfully, all the while feeling Darius’ uncomfortable gaze burning into him. It was awkward, like the other boy was judging every bite he took.
“So, what, did you lose a bet or something?” Darius finally asked, picking at the basket of cheese fries he had ordered.
Tristan coughed to avoid choking. “Beg your pardon?”
“This.” Darius leaned back against the booth and made a circling motion with his hand, indicating the two of them. “Why did you ask me out to dinner? Is it a dare or something? What do you win?”
Tristan frowned, unsure if Darius was joking. He had to be… right?
“A dare? This isn’t a dare. I didn’t lose a bet. I just thought you might want to come, that’s all.”
Darius looked unconvinced and stared back knowingly, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Uh huh…” he muttered.
“Why the hell would I have been dared t— God, has that happened to you before?”
Darius dipped one of his fries into the melty cheese, then took an exaggerated bite. All the while he never broke eye contact with Tristan.
“Yeah.” he stated flatly.
The burger no longer tasted as good as it had a second ago. Tristan put the whole thing down and tried to work out what Darius had just said. He dropped his voice and leaned in a little closer.
“People really take you out to eat on dares?” he asked in disbelief.
Darius gave him a strange look. He crossed his arms defensively and rested them on the table.
“Yeah.” he repeated, as if it was a well-known, obvious fact. “Dinner, school dances, after-school clubs. Most of the time they just want to see if I’ll actually come. If I do, they get their laughs and rewards, and I get ignored for the rest of the time. Or mocked. Or made fun of. That is, if they even show up themselves. Been stood up several times. Not pleasant.”
Tristan suddenly realized why Darius had been so interested in the pattern on the retro table. He found himself also lost in the swirly boomerangs as he tried to avoid looking at the other boy.
“Damn Darius, I’m—I’m so sorry. That’s really shitty.” he said.
With a weary sigh, Darius gave a dismissive wave of his hand.
“Whatever, it’s fine. I’m used to it.” he plucked another fry and chomped it down. “So again: what’s in it for you? I prefer to just get all the cards on the table as quickly as possible. Makes the pain easier to deal with.”
Shyly, Tristan peered back up at him, meeting Darius’ scrutinizing gaze.
“Nothing.” he squeaked. “Really. Honestly. Nothing.”
But Darius kept his vision trained on him, as if he was trying to crack a difficult puzzle. Tristan sat up a little taller.
“Look, Darius… I— I’m gonna be real with you here, okay?”
Darius rolled his eyes and his shoulders sank again, though whether it was in relief or annoyance, Tristan wasn’t quite sure.
“Ah, yep, here it is.”
“No—” Tristan started. “Look, I didn’t want to invite you here tonight…”
Darius was listening politely, but his expression had soured.
“… But I did, and it wasn’t because of some stupid dare or bet. I just… I felt sorry for you. No one should be left behind alone. That sucks.”
“Hm.” Darius fiddled with his napkin, pulling it taught like he was debating shredding it into little, tiny pieces, but was holding back from doing so.
“Don’t feel sorry for me.” he said. “I’m a loner. No one likes me, but again, I’m used to it.”
“I like you.”
“What?”
Tristan couldn’t look up at him. He felt hot. Why were his ears burning?
“I said I like you.”
Zsst! One small piece of the napkin tore and fluttered down to the table.
“You don’t even know me.” Darius frowned.
“You’re right, I don’t; but everyone deserves a friend. If you wanna talk—”
“Ah, so it’s that.” Darius said bitterly. “More than just dinner, huh? Get to know the freak, get me to trust you, then dump me like all the others have before and use my secrets as cannon fodder.”
Tristan was stunned.
“Who did that to you?!” he gasped. Seriously, why were people so mean to this guy?
Before Darius could reply, the waitress interrupted them, offering to bring the check.
“Will you be splitting?” she asked in a bubbly tone, apparently completely unaware of the more serious topic of conversation between the two of them.
“Y—”
“One check.” Darius spoke up over Tristan.
“I— Huh? Are you sure?” Tristan asked.
“Yes. One check, please. Thank you.” It was the darnedest thing- Darius’ voice had softened, and he flashed the woman a bright and friendly smile, one just as pleasant and kind as any other happy, well-adjusted individual would. Once she left, Darius turned back to Tristan and his face went back to normal – sullen and moody.
“Look— ah, what did you say your name was?”
It occurred to Tristan that he had never even introduced himself. What an idiot! That had to be uncomfortable and awkward as hell for Darius to be dining with a complete stranger.
“I’m Tristan. Tristan Carmichael.”
“Okay Tristan. Well thanks for your concern, but I really don’t need any of your pity, real or fake. It’s okay, I’ll be fine. I don’t need friendship from you or anyone else.”
When the waitress returned, Darius paid the bill for both of them. Tristan attempted to cover his portion, but Darius pushed his money away.
“Forget it.”
“But why would you do that?” Tristan asked timidly.
“You seem like a nice guy. A little naive maybe, but nice. I’m simply returning the favor. It’s nothing.”
As Darius shoved the change into his billfold, a loose piece of paper slipped out and slid across the table, coming to a stop right in front of Tristan. It was a concert ticket stub. He leaned in to read the headliner, and his eyes flashed in recognition.
“Wait, you went to the Hellish Unlikes concert, too?”
Darius froze. “Too?” he repeated, quirking an eyebrow. That wasn’t a band that most people around town enjoyed. “You were there as well?”
“Yeah!” Tristan grinned. “… Well, sort of. I really went for the opening band, Corntastrophe.”
Darius wrinkled his nose. “The guys in vegetable costumes?!”
Oh God, his voice had pitched up at the question. Was it in disbelief, or disgust? Tristan quickly made an addendum.
“Uh, y-yeah… but I stayed for the whole show, and Hellish Unlikes was pretty good! I don’t remember many of their songs, but I liked the one that went...” he started humming a tune, though he wasn’t confident in his recreation of it. All the same, Darius perked up for the first time all night.
“Bridge to Wonderland. Hey, good choice. If you liked that one, you’d probably like Silky Sunsets too.”
“Was that the one that went…” Note after clumsy note, Tristan tried to recall that one as well.
“No, that’s Dreamsong Paradise. Silky Sunsets goes like…” much to Tristan’s surprise, Darius began humming and finger drumming on the table.
“Oh, right! I remember that one. It was kind of sad.”
“Sad?” Darius asked. “Did you listen to the lyrics?”
“Well, not the best… it was loud in there.”
“It sounds sad, but it’s more bittersweet. It’s about the sorrow of a good day being over but being happy that you lived it. Watching the sunset is a reminder that another morning will come and that tomorrow’s what you make it. The lead singer wrote it when he— ah…”
Darius cut himself off, then cast his gaze to the floor.
“Never mind. Sorry. You don’t care.”
Tristan adjusted his position to get more comfortable.
“Sure I do. Tell me what I missed. I wanna know.” he legitimately was curious, and not just because that was the most that Darius had said the entire meal.
Darius hesitated, perhaps trying to gather if the permission to continue was loaded with an ulterior motive, but Tristan looked sincere. Cautiously, he returned to speaking about the song’s meaning…
… and just like that, Darius Astor had slipped into a conversation. Incredibly, he seemed to get more relaxed and chatty as he gushed about the band’s discography. Was that a twinkle of passion in his eyes? It was hard to tell behind his swooping black bangs. Tristan tried not to stare, but when he noticed it, he felt as if he had spied a rare bird - one that he was terrified of making the wrong move around and scaring away.
What was weird was that he found that he liked hearing Darius ramble on. It sounded like he had a lot to say, but no one to share his enthusiasm with. Maybe he needed this release. Tristan wasn’t about to deny him that outlet.
Their discussion kept flowing right out to the parking lot. Half an hour passed. When Tristan was sure they had hit the final lull in their conversation, Darius surprised him again.
“So, what about your band, Corntastrophe? What’s their deal?”
Tristan chuckled. “Oh, that’s a whole can of worms.”
“Why do they wear those costumes? Is there a story behind it?”
“Yeah, but it’s a long one.”
“I’ve got nowhere to be…”
Darius didn’t know what he had signed himself up for. He let Tristan show him two of his favorite Corntastrophe songs, then patiently sat through his dump of the band’s lore and antic-filled backstory. There was a lot, including recurring characters that would show up during their concerts and fake battles with bad guys on stage.
Perhaps he wasn’t ready for just how silly and absurd the band was; The more that Tristan told him, the more Darius seemed like he was having trouble holding his serious and cool self together.
“So, it really is a whole world?” Darius asked.
“Oh yeah, it’s way more than just their concerts. They had a fanclub picnic a while back where The Meat Masher attacked and—”
“The Meat Masher?”
“One of their villains. During an announcement, he came out on stage and threw these slimy uncooked hot dogs at the crowd to get everyone riled up…”
“You’re fucking lying.”
“I’m not! The band asked for help defeating him, so the Cornflake Cadets had to blast him with their cardboard pitchforks to—”
“I’m sorry, what? The Cornflake Cadets?”
Oh no, they were really in the weeds, now. Tristan had gotten so wrapped up in his excitement that he had said too much. This was getting way too dorky. He needed to shut up.
“It’s their fanclub.” he clarified quickly, trying to move on, but Darius was hung up on the concept.
“And how does one become a—pbbt…—how does one become a Cornflake Cadet?”
Why was his mouth twitching like that? No way… was he holding back laughter? No flipping way…
Fine. Tristan would further expose himself just to see how Darius reacted.
“Well, if you sign up on the website you get assigned a cadet number…”
“You are one, aren’t you?”
Darius had clocked him. Tristan covered his face with his hand, hiding bashfully behind it for a second. With a small nod he acquiesced, pulling out his wallet, opening it up, and retrieving a membership card. He flashed it at Darius long enough for him to see the image adorning the front: an ID-style photo of him beaming ear-to-ear. He was dressed in a produce-themed scout uniform, complete with band-related pins, patches, and a bright yellow and green cap printed to look like a corn cob.
Darius stared in disbelief, then burst out laughing. The sound made Tristan’s stomach flutter. So, this was what true humiliation felt like…
…
No… this was something else. Some strange tickling feeling...
Darius was laughing. Laughing at him but laughing all the same. It was a nice sound, even if Tristan was the butt of the joke.
Darius collected himself. “Sorry.” he said. “But holy shit… you’re a nerd nerd.”
Tristan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Yeah…”
The goth shook his head, though a bewildered smile remained on his face.
“You know what, that took guts to own. I respect it. You’re an alright guy, Tristan.”
Tristan sucked in a quiet gasp. Darius had given him his seal of approval? Had that ever happened to anyone else? Like… ever?! Apparently, all it took was a bit of self-deprecation. That, or perhaps Darius thought of him as too hopelessly nerdy to be perceived as a threat. For once, apparently that was an asset. Whatever his reasoning was… Wow.
Tristan tucked the cadet card back into his wallet.
“Okay, well now that you know one of my secrets, I’m trusting you to keep it.” he wasn’t truly embarrassed about his love of Corntastrophe or his loyalty to their fanclub, but it wasn’t exactly something that he wanted to shout from the rooftops. He still had to try to fit in with everyone else at school, after all.
Darius scoffed, though this time it sounded like playful ribbing rather than his typical disdain for the world.
“I’m not gonna tell anyone, Corndet.”
“Cornflake Cadet…”
“I know. Fuck, it’s just so corny…”
A notification on Tristan’s phone stole his attention away.
“Oh my god, when did it get to be so late?” he exclaimed. He thought the night was going to drag on forever, but once Darius had come out of his shell a bit, he had genuinely gotten lost in conversation with him. “I should get home...”
“Guess I should get going, too.” Darius agreed, straightening up. He opened his mouth to say something else but appeared to be second guessing the thought. It wasn’t lost on Tristan, who spent an unneeded extra few seconds fishing around in his pockets for his car keys. Finally, Darius gathered his courage.
“Um… Thanks for tonight.” he spoke quietly, guarded. “It was fun.”
Tristan was internally freaking out, though he refused to show it.
“I’m glad.” he replied, then decided to go out on a limb. “Would you like to do it again sometime?”
Darius’ face fell. He took a deep breath in and released it in a trickling sigh. It took him so long to answer that Tristan began to wonder if he had heard him.
“Yeah…” Darius finally uttered, nearly at a whisper. He bowed his head and would no longer meet Tristan’s gaze.
‘Yeah’? Then why was he—
… Oh. … Oh shit. Tristan realized why he was suddenly acting so closed-off. This was probably the point in the night where their more cruel peers would reveal their true colors to him. Tristan had to let him know he was serious.
“I’ve got nothing going on next Saturday. Wanna hit up the used record store on 9th street that afternoon? Maybe at like 2:00?”
Darius stared hollowly at the ground until the question sank in. When it did, his vision swept back up to Tristan.
“Wait, you really mean it? You want to go to the record store… with me?” there was genuine surprise (and perhaps a hint of cautious optimism) in his tone.
“I mean it. Unless you know someone better to point out which Hellish Unlikes albums are worth buying.”
Dairus appeared dazed. Once again, he assessed Tristan, waiting for any kind of tell, but no smirk or jeer came. Tristan didn’t even flinch. Darius allowed himself to take a breath and his lips pulled into a soft, fragile smile.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
“Alright then, it’s set. I’ll see you there.” Tristan tipped his head to say goodbye. “Have a good night.”
Darius nodded back before heading off. “You too.”
It was quiet in Tristan’s car. Too quiet. He pulled up his music app and was about to turn on his normal driving playlist when his thumb paused and hovered over a recommended band: Hellish Unlikes. After how much Darius had talked them up, it only made sense for Tristan to give them a second chance.
He tapped on Silky Sunsets, the song that Darius had specifically recommended. As the melody flowed from his speakers, Tristan focused in. The instrumentals still sounded sad to him, but the lyrics indeed held a soft, hopeful joy that he had missed before. Darius was right- he did like the song a lot more after really listening to it. That was a pleasant surprise.
… Actually, the whole evening had been a pleasant surprise.
He watched as Darius’ car pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road. The red taillights faded into the night, and in the following silence Tristan was left to sit with an uncomfortable realization: He had been too quick to judge.
The song wasn’t so bad.
No.
Darius wasn’t so bad.
Music could be misunderstood. People could be misunderstood. If someone would just take the time to listen, they’d discover that there was more to both than what was on the surface.
Poor Darius… Had anyone truly given him that chance, or was he nothing more than a novelty to them? Could others honestly not see that there was a person hiding behind his eccentric clothing and style? He had been let down and hurt again and again, yet he still took the risk of going out to dinner with a stranger. Why? In hopes of finally meeting someone who really got him?
Tristan gripped his steering wheel. Maybe it had to be him; if no one else was going to see Darius as anything other than a punchline or the subject of a story, Tristan would. They didn’t have to be best friends, but simply letting Darius know that someone out there cared would make him feel better. He had nothing to prove to anyone; he just wanted to be kind.
His phone pinged again. It was a text message from one of his tech crew friends.
“We missed u tonight! Hope ur dinner was good lol”
Tristan cringed. They had no idea what really happened.
… He had to tell them about eating with Darius, didn’t he? There was no way he couldn’t. Somehow, some way, people would find out regardless. The student body had a freakish knack for discovering things on their own.
His friends wouldn’t be weird about it, would they? He could explain that Darius wasn’t so scary after all, just cautious for his own self-preservation They’d understand that and be nicer to him, right?
HUGE thanks to @risahraun for beta-reading! Boy howdy that ending eluded me for weeks. I REALLY appreciate your input and thoughts as I wrestled with this chapter! <3
