(thinking a lot about bens relationship with his human body. i like uaf trying to assert that ben was still strong and capable w out the watch, but i think it loses an aspect of his character that was always important, that being ben finding himself inadequate and weak in his human form and overusing the watch to escape it. i think thats why the feedback arc hit so hard, bens hatred of himself and his past over something that was never his fault, all stemming from his hatred of his human body. i personally interpret the feedback arc as less of a drug addiction metaphor [which if it is was pretty shittily written] and more of becoming consumed by what youre not. that theme with ben is most of the reason i relate to him and project on to him as a fellow transexual)
a couple years ago (probably sometime in late 2020) i found a video of that unreleased demo from the jf sessions/end of the world videos (supposedly it's called never buried?) being played live. it's seemingly only the second half of the song and the audio is unfortunately pretty muddled, but it's the fullest version that i'm aware exists. filmed may 11th 2013, ie when waterparks opened for aaron carter.
I'm pretty sure the next chapter, Ch. 35, will be the last one of the main fic. There will be other fics with these two though. I can't let Hunter and Wren go, not yet anyway. But I did want to let you know so you can be preparing yourself. Hopefully no one will be as sad as me at the thought of this story ending. :'(
Summary: Set in a modern AU (an ambiguous year): Wren is a librarian who meets Omega, a twelve-year-old living with her five older brothers. Omega feels Wren and her oldest brother, Hunter, would be good for each other and tries to play matchmaker. Wren's anxiety and shyness make that more difficult than Omega hoped. Wren is based on me and my experiences with anxiety and how it affected the beginning of my relationship with my husband.
Pairing: Modern AU Hunter x F!OC Wren
Word Count: 4295
Warnings: Sibling teasing. Real world swearing.
Author's note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. I thought it might be helpful for some people who also deal with anxiety to see how it affects relationships, and to see there are people out there who can "put up" with you...that you aren't "too difficult or exhausting" for the right person. (In quotes, because those are all things I thought about myself for years.)
My modern AU was inspired by the amazing Modern Batch AU stories by kaydear (Illyria_Lives) on AO3.
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"What would you like for breakfast," Hunter asked as they reached the kitchen. He dropped his hands from her shoulders, where he'd kept them while gently directing her.
"I don't usually eat much breakfast, so whatever you will be eating is fine."
"I was probably going to make some bacon and scrambled eggs, maybe some toast? But we also have oatmeal and cold cereals if you'd prefer that," he replied. "Oh, and bagels too."
"Umm...actually scrambled eggs and a bagel sound great," she replied.
"Okay, your wish is my command." He ran his hand down her arm, holding her hand briefly before turning to the fridge. He started pulling out bacon, eggs and milk. "The bagels are in there if you'd like to go ahead and have one while waiting for the other stuff?"
"No, that's okay. I can wait. Do you need help with anything?" she asked.
"Nah, I'm fine. You can just relax. Or did you want to take a shower?"
"I don't have any clothes to change into. After breakfast, I might go home. At least for a while. I didn't plan on staying last night, so I didn't prepare for this."
Just at that moment, Omega popped around the corner after first looking for Wren in the living room.
"Hey, Wren! You're not going home, are you?" She sat down next to the woman at the table.
"Omega, don't pressure her. She didn't plan on staying all night, so she might need to go home and take care of some things," Hunter gently reminded his little sister.
"Oh, I know. I didn't mean to pressure you Wren. I'll understand, whatever you want to do." Then she leaned in and very quietly said, "I saw you earlier this morning when I came down. You two looked like you were sleeping well." She gave Wren a beaming smile.
Wren could feel her face get hot, and she looked down at the table before glancing Hunter's way. He didn't act like he heard, but she would be surprised if he hadn't.
"Yeah, that is a really comfy couch. I don't see how anyone can stay awake when they're on it. You sure couldn't last night." She gently bumped Omega with her shoulder, hoping to divert her attention away from finding Hunter and Wren sleeping on the couch together.
"Yeah, it's super comfortable. And roomy! It didn't look like you two had to be too scrunched up or anything. Just the right amount of space."
"Omega..." Hunter wasn't mad, but he was issuing a warning that she was heading into dangerous waters, and she needed to turn around.
She didn't acknowledge him, but she did heed his warning and said, "Hey, Hunter, can I have some eggs?"
He said, "Sure, kid. Did you want bacon too?"
"No, just the eggs. Thanks. Wren, I'm going to watch some TV with Wrecker, you're welcome to join us, but I understand if you don't want to." And then she looked between Hunter and Wren with a mischievous grin.
"Thanks, Omega. I need to decide what I'm going to do, but I appreciate the offer." She put her arm around the girl's shoulders and gave her a quick hug.
"Sure!" And she was off to the living room.
"Sorry," Hunter said quietly, looking her in the eyes.
"Nothing to be sorry about. She was fine." Wren didn't want him to be upset with Omega, because she really didn't do anything wrong.
"Well, she's still a little pushy, and I think you could probably use less of that right now. You do whatever you feel most comfortable with. But we probably have something around here you could wear if you did want to take a shower. I can get you one of my T-shirts or sweatshirts."
Wren was conflicted. She wanted to stay, because she really was enjoying being with Hunter. She was so comfortable with him at this point. It felt right being there with him and his family. Wearing his pants. Him making her breakfast.
But she was tired. Not sleepy, but mentally tired. She'd been around other people for so many hours. And the desire to be by herself for just a few minutes was getting pretty strong.
"Hunter..."
"Yeah," he said, turning to look at her while still standing at the stove with the eggs and bacon.
"Ummm...I'm...well, I was wondering..." she trailed off, not sure how to say what she wanted to say.
"Wondering what? Are you okay?" He was starting to sound concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay. But...I was wondering, is there somewhere I could go to just be by myself for a few minutes. Maybe in your room or something? I'm sorry, I know that sounds silly. Or I could just go hang out in the bathroom, but I didn't want to tie that up when there are so many of you." She trailed off.
"No, that doesn't sound silly at all! I totally get that. You need to recharge, right?"
She nodded, a little surprised he knew what she meant. Then she remembered back when Omega first talked about her oldest brother in the library, she said he was also introverted and had trouble being around a lot of people for too long. So maybe he understood more than she thought he did.
"Sure thing. You can go in my room and lay down for as long as you'd like. Like I said last night, the sheets are almost totally clean." He gave her an encouraging smile.
She looked at him and said, "You're sure/"
"Absolutely, I'm sure. Did you want me to show you?" He set his fork aside and turned to her.
"If you don't mind, yeah." She stood up and he turned the burners off. She could hear Wrecker, Omega, and Echo in the living room. She hadn't heard Tech or Crosshair yet.
"Come on." She followed him out of the kitchen to the laundry room right next door, then on into his little bedroom. The bed took up most of the room. "There you go," he said, pointing at the bed. "And here are a couple of extra blankets if you want them." He set them at the foot of the bed.
She moved closer to the bed and turned down the covers. Then she sat on the edge. "This is so nice of you. I realize how dumb this seems. I just need a few minutes. Then I'll be back out for breakfast."
"It's okay, absolutely nothing dumb about it. I've been in that same boat before, so I totally understand."
She crawled under the covers and laid on her side, looking up at Hunter. She gave him a small smile. She held her hand out to him, and he reached for it. She took hold of his hand and squeezed.
He leaned down and kissed her on the head. "Get some rest."
"It will just be a few minutes." She assured him.
"Take as long as you need, really." He smoothed her hair and put some behind her ear. He cupped her face with his hand and she closed her eyes. He smoothed his thumb over her cheek before fully pulling away. "I'll see you in a little bit."
"Okay. Thanks, Hunter." He left with a smile.
And she was alone, in his bedroom, in his bed. With the scent of him all around her. Even if he'd only slept in the bed once since he'd done laundry, the sheets still smelled like him. Like his shampoo, and his deodorant, and his...after-shave maybe? And she was pretty sure she could just stay here the rest of her life and never tire of it. It was warm and cozy, and she felt like she was surrounded by him, but without the stress and anxiety of him actually being there! She loved it!
She looked around a little bit, since she was alone. He had shut the door, but left the lamp on the bedside table on. She could turn it off if she wanted, but for now she wanted to look around. On his bedside table there was a clock, the lamp, and a picture of Omega and him. She was on top of his shoulders, and he was carrying her around. She was pretty sure she'd seen the same photo on the living room wall, but this was a smaller print. It was a really adorable picture of the two of them. Omega looked so happy. Well, they both did.
There was also a reusable water bottle, and on a shelf down lower there was a box of Kleenex. Next to the table was a small trash can.
There was practically nothing on the walls. There were a couple of children's drawings in frames, she assumed those were Omega's handiwork.
The room was neat. There weren't clothes laying on the floor. There was a small wardrobe in one corner, and a dresser in another. The only other thing was a straight back chair, and it had what looked like the clothes he'd had on yesterday draped over it. She could appreciate a guy who didn't immediately put every article of clothing in the dirty laundry. Let it air out a bit first to see if it could be worn again. No need to do extra laundry. And she can especially imagine how much laundry this house of six people produced. She rolled over on her other side and saw a full-length mirror hanging on the wall. It was wider than most full-length mirrors and she could see almost all of herself as she was laying there.
A thought popped into her head...an unwanted thought. Or maybe not so much an unwanted thought, but one she felt should be unwanted. She thought, That mirror would show just about everything that went on in this bed.
And then her face got hot even thinking about it. She turned back over quickly and tried to forget that train of thought.
She tried to relax and closed her eyes. She could hear a very faint mumbling, like the family talking, but she couldn't make out what they were saying, so it wasn't distracting at all. She just wanted to lie here for a few minutes and recharge. She liked that word that Hunter used. He gets it.
The next thing she knew, she heard her name being spoken very softly, but by a very sexy voice. Her first thought was, is this a dream? If so, I don't wanna wake up. But then she felt the bed dip and she rolled just a bit until she made contact with something warm.
She heard her name again, "Wren? Did you want to eat something? I can bring it to you here, if so."
Hunter.
Of course it was Hunter's voice. The voice that causes shivers wherever it's heard. She was still half asleep, but she chuckled to herself.
"There you are. What's so funny?" He was moving some hair out of her eyes as she opened them and looked up at him.
She chuckled again and said, "Nothing." Then she looked at the clock and said, "How long was I asleep? I didn't mean to actually fall asleep."
"It's only been about fifteen minutes. And I wouldn't have woken you up, but I didn't want your eggs to get too cold if you did want to eat. But it's up to you. I'm sure someone else will eat them if you aren't up to it now."
He reached out his hand to lightly run the backs of his fingers along her cheek. She looked at him, and her face got warm. He was looking at her with such affection, it was almost scary to her. She'd been doing better with this, but being in his bedroom, in his bed, surrounded by HIM, with him looking at her like that...it was enough that she needed to hide her face in the pillow.
He gently rubbed her shoulder. "Are you okay? Did you have enough time to recharge? Or do you need more time? Or did you want to go home? I can even drive you home if you aren't up to driving yourself. One of the other guys can drive your car for you."
He was so kind. So fucking kind. How can he be so kind? She didn't want him to think there was anything wrong, so she moved her face out of the pillow so she could look at him again.
"No, I'm okay. I'm not sure how long I'll stay today, but I want to stay for a little while longer. I want to eat breakfast with you at least."
"Okay, good. I'm glad to hear it." He stood up at that point, and she pushed the covers back. As she swung her legs out of the bed, he held out his hand to her. She took it and allowed him to help pull her up. They were standing very closely at that point, and he bent his head forward to kiss her forehead. Then she put her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Hunter."
"For what?" he asked with an amused tone.
"For...everything. For your kindness and caring, and especially for your patience with me. I don't know that any other guy would have put up with me for the past few months, the way I've acted." She felt a lump forming in her throat.
And he could hear her voice begin to quiver. "Hey, hey, Wren? Hey, it's no big deal. Lots of guys would have done that, I'm not special. There are a lot of nice guys out there. And..." He had pulled back so he could look in her eyes, where he could see tears forming. "And, let me be clear. You haven't done anything wrong in our time together. You've been one-hundred percent honest and truthful with me, letting me know how you felt. And that took a lot of courage. I know you were scared. And I know you're still scared." He put his arms around her and hugged her at that point, laying his cheek against her head.
"But the fact that you're still here, trying to work through that fear...that means more to me than I could say. I wasn't going to give up on you. Before Crosshair stopped at the library and talked to you that day, I'd already decided I was going to give you space, but I wasn't going anywhere. I was going to be here in case you decided you wanted to try. With me. So I don't want you to think I'm some kind of saint or anything like that. I'm just a guy. A guy who really likes you and knew you were worth the little bit of extra effort it would take to break through your walls."
At that point he could feel the wetness of her tears on his shirt. He swayed very gently with her, placing a kiss on her head now and then as she cried silently.
"Hey, Hunter! Is Wren going to eat these eggs? I don't want them to go to waste!" Wrecker broke the quiet of their solitude. She pulled back and sniffed. She reached down for a Kleenex from the box by his bed, and wiped her eyes.
"We'd better go if I want some eggs, I reckon." She had a smile on her face when she said it.
"I think you're right. Come on." He put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. They walked into the kitchen where Wrecker, Omega, and Echo were finishing up their breakfast.
"Wren!" Omega and Wrecker called her name at the same time. "Did you want some eggs, Wren?" Wrecker continued.
"Yeah, sorry, Wrecker. I fell asleep in there." She gave them both a smile. Hunter gave her shoulder one more squeeze before stepping away to get her a plate.
"That's okay! I just wanted to make sure you got some eggs and bacon if you wanted it."
"Well, I do want some eggs, but you can have that bacon. I'm going to have a bagel with my eggs." She walked to the fridge to pull out the bag of bagels Hunter had pointed out earlier. She also grabbed the cream cheese next to them. "Is it okay for me to toast my bagel in this toaster?" She asked Hunter, as she came up beside him.
"What? Oh yeah, it's got wide enough slots for bagels. Help yourself." He gave her a smile as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Did you want some coffee?"
"No, I'll take some orange juice though, if you have it."
"I'll get it!" Omega jumped up and grabbed the juice from the fridge. She set it on the counter, and then reached up to get a glass for Wren. "Here you go!"
"Thanks, Omega."
The girl went back to the table with a huge smile on her face. She looked at Wrecker and Echo, and they smiled back at her. All three of them looked over at Hunter and Wren who were standing next to each other, Hunter dishing up some eggs for Wren, and her toasting her bagel. The three siblings looked back at each other and nodded their heads smugly. It seemed like Omega's plan was finally going to work out, and the whole family was very happy about it. Even Crosshair, but don't expect him to admit it.
After breakfast, Wren offered to do the dishes. Hunter told her she was their guest, so she didn't need to worry about them. They'd take care of it. But she wasn't having that. When they were eating, he had mentioned he would take a shower at some point, so as they got up from the table, she said, "How about you go take your shower, and I will do the dishes while you're doing that." He could see that stubborn look on her face, so he gave in.
"Okay, if you insist. I will go take my shower, and you can do the dishes." He lightly touched her arm as he walked past her. She saw him go towards his room, and then come back out with some clothes. She smiled at him as he walked past the door. He gave her an adorable lopsided grin as she started filling the sink with water.
When she heard the shower start, she dried her hands. She walked to the living room where her purse was still sitting next to the couch. She reached in and found the small wrapped gift she'd brought along with her.
Omega noticed her, and said, "Watcha' doin', Wren?"
Wren just smiled at her and said, "I just needed something out of my purse." Omega nodded and then turned her attention back to the TV and the SpongeBob episode Wrecker and she were watching.
Then Wren quickly walked to Hunter's room and set the small package on his bedside table leaning against his water bottle. She didn't have the nerve to give it to him in person, but she thought he'd surely see it there. Just so it was after she'd left.
It was nothing personal, it was just a pocket-sized Leatherman multitool. Her dad used to always have one with him, and he swore by them. She thought it might be helpful to Hunter now and then. She hoped he didn't think it was a silly gift.
She hurried back into the kitchen before he got out of the shower and continued washing the dishes. There weren't a lot to do, so after about five minutes, she was finishing up by cleaning the counters. She heard the bathroom door open, but she was so focused on what she was doing, she didn't realize Hunter had come up behind her. He simply said, "Hey-"
She jumped and gasped, clutching at her chest.
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you!" She could hear his apologetic tone before even turning around to see his face.
She started to say, "It's o-", but when she turned and looked at him, she lost her train of thought. "-kaaay," she finished slowly. His hair was wet. He'd towel-dried it, but it was still hanging limply around his face. And she couldn't stop looking at it. At him. She was pretty sure her mouth was even hanging open a bit, but she couldn't seem to stop it.
"Are you sure you're okay? You look like you saw a ghost." He looked in her eyes.
She was sure her face was bright red, because she was hot enough to be uncomfortable, so she averted her eyes.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm okay. I just startle very easily."
"Is that all it is?" She could have sworn there was a bit of a teasing tone in his voice, along with the smile she was pretty sure she heard.
"Yeah, that's all." She looked at his face, fixating on his hair again. Before she could stop herself, she reached up and took a few strands in her fingers. Then she took some and put it behind his ear. He was looking at her with the softest eyes, and he reached up and held her hand. He brought it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, then turned her hand over and kissed her palm. She stopped breathing at that point.
"Have you decided what you're going to do today? Stay? Go home?" His voice was so soft she almost had to lean forward to hear him. He lowered their hands, but continued holding hers.
"Umm...I think I'll go home for a little while. Long enough to shower and see how I feel at that point. I might come back, but I might not. If I don't, please don't take it personally. I'm just really tired."
"I understand. It's okay, whatever you decide." He brought his other hand up to her face and lightly ran his fingers across her cheek, then continued until he was cupping the side of her head. He then kissed her forehead, leaving his lips there for a few seconds. "I've really enjoyed you being here with us. With me. It has made me ridiculously happy."
She looked into his eyes and said, "I've really enjoyed it too. I really have." She looked down at their hands. "Even if I'm worn out, it was absolutely one-hundred percent worth it."
And then she leaned in and put her free arm around his waist, hugging him. He dropped her hand and put his arms around her, pulling her towards him just a bit.
He laid his head against hers and said, "You're really special, Wren. I hope you know that."
They stayed like that for longer than she would have thought possible for her just a week ago. Until they heard footsteps coming down the stairs and a loud scoff. They both looked in the direction of the noise, and Crosshair was standing there.
"You two are disgusting. I don't want to have to run into this every time you're over here now."
They pulled back from each other just a bit, but didn't drop their arms. They both had smiles on their faces as they watched him pour himself a cup of coffee. He turned around, looked at them and said again, "Disgusting." As he walked out of the room though, they both caught the smile on his face that he was trying so hard to hide from them.
After saying her good-byes to everyone else, including Omega who looked very disappointed when she said she'd be going home, she was standing at the door with Hunter. She told him she didn't want him walking out, it was too cold to go out just to walk with her. He tried to insist, but she convinced him to stay.
"I have a feeling when I get home, I'm going to crash. And I'm not going to want to get up again. So I'll just call it now and say I won't be back today. I hope you don't think that's for any reason other than I'm tired. I would like to spend the day with you, I'm just exhausted.
"I get it. It's really okay." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Would you want to get together later this week? Like...a date?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." There was no hesitation in her response.
"Great, I'll be in touch then. Be thinking what you want to do or where you want to go," he said.
"Would you want to just come to my place? I could make us supper and we could watch a movie in our comfy clothes. Or if that's dumb, we could-" But he cut her off.
"No, that's not dumb at all. It sounds amazing. The answer is yes, let's do that. How about Saturday night?"
"Okay, it's a date." She gave him a blinding smile.
"Yeah, it's a date." He leaned forward and placed a very soft kiss on her cheek. "See you then."
"Okay. See you then." Her voice was a whisper at that point. She reached behind her for the doorknob and fumbled until she found it. "Bye." She pulled the door open, and he took hold of it, keeping it open as she walked out.
"Bye, Wren. Get some rest."
She gave him a little wave before turning and walking to her car. When she got ready to drive away, she tried to subtly look towards the house. She could see him inside looking out the window of the door. She waved again, and he waved in return as she pulled away.
Oh my god you've outdone yourself! This was so cute and I teared up reading it! This was so soft and the dynamic is just getting better and better!
He's so gentle with her and so caring! And not to mention Wren is starting to get used to being looked at like that by someone who loves her! It's too much for my fragile heart to handle!
I think my favorite part has got to be him letting her into his room! Hunter knowing exactly what she needs to recharge and take a minute to herself! They're so cute, I'm gonna miss them 😭
Chapter-specific Author Notes: This didn't progress the timeline AT ALL. But I wanted to show Hunter's point of view of the events from last chapter.
Summary: Set in a modern AU (an ambiguous year): Wren is a librarian who meets Omega, a twelve-year-old living with her five older brothers. Omega feels Wren and her oldest brother, Hunter, would be good for each other and tries to play matchmaker. Wren's anxiety and shyness make that more difficult than Omega hoped. Wren is based on me and my experiences with anxiety and how it affected the beginning of my relationship with my husband.
Pairing: Modern AU Hunter x F!OC Wren
Word Count: 3627
Warnings: Mention of anxiety and some physical symptoms. Sibling teasing.
Author's note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. I thought it might be helpful for some people who also deal with anxiety to see how it affects relationships, and to see there are people out there who can "put up" with you...that you aren't "too difficult or exhausting" for the right person. (In quotes, because those are all things I thought about myself for years.)
My modern AU was inspired by the amazing Modern Batch AU stories by kaydear (Illyria_Lives) on AO3.
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Dividers by animatedglittergraphics-n-more
Hunter had been looking forward to the weekend ever since he’d had lunch with Wren. She had texted him a couple of days later saying she would come to watch the games with them on Saturday afternoon. She’d also asked him what drinks she could bring for everyone. He told her to just get a variety and they would drink whatever it was, but she insisted he tell her everyone’s favorites. She really was such a kind person.
An indescribable warmth swelled in his chest. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling, but it was a little overwhelming. He knew he’d never been in love, so he wasn’t sure if it was that or not. But he figured he was on his way if not already there. But he also wanted to reign that in, because things were still so fragile with Wren, he didn’t want to do or say anything to scare her again and make her bolt.
But he knew that he was looking forward to her coming over more than he’d looked forward to anything in a long time. So, when he heard the doorbell ring and Omega jump up and run to get the door, his heart jumped into his throat. He took a couple of deep breaths as he heard Omega throw the door open and say, “Hi, Wren! Come in!” And then he heard Wren’s voice, “Hi, Omega. Thank you.” It struck him again what a nice voice she had. It was deeper than a lot of other women’s. He might even describe it as husky. It definitely caught his attention when he heard her talk for the first time.
Omega and Wren appeared in the doorway to the living room. Wren looked in and said, “Hey, guys.” Hunter stood up and said, “Hi, Wren.” He walked towards her, reaching for the bags in her hands when he got close enough. “Let me help.” She thanked him as he took most of the bags she was holding. He walked to the kitchen to put the drinks in the fridge. He heard Wrecker and Echo saying something to her, but he already had his head in the fridge, so he didn’t hear exactly what.
When she came into the kitchen, he commented on how many drinks she’d brought. She didn’t need to do all that. But she said she wanted to get everyone’s favorite, and they could keep what was left over and drink it as they wanted. After he got out some of the sodas, he noticed an individual plastic bottle in the bottom of one of the bags.
He grabbed it and brought it up. Looking at it, he realized it was chocolate milk. He loved chocolate milk. But he was so confused. How did she know that? Maybe it was for someone else. Maybe for her.
He showed it to her and said, “Who did you get this for?” sounding very confused.
She looked a little alarmed and said, “You.” But then quickly added, “If you want it. You don’t have to drink it though!” She looked nervous and embarrassed as she looked away, messing with her hoodie.
He was so surprised, but he could feel a smile starting. “But how did you know I like chocolate milk? I don’t think I’ve mentioned that to you.”
She looked up at him again and said that since he didn’t tell her what his favorite was, she asked Omega. That’s how she found out. He was still surprised, but so happy that she’d gone to that trouble for him. He looked at Omega and said, “I don’t know how I feel about you two teaming up behind my back.” But he said it with a lighthearted tone. He was actually thrilled that they got along well enough to do something like that.
Wren laughed with Omega and said, “Well, we will only use our combined powers for good.”
Hunter loved hearing her laugh, and he really loved when she was comfortable enough with them to joke around. It made him laugh along with them. He thought he noticed her blushing, but didn’t let on like he saw. His hand itched at his side to reach out and touch her cheek, he was sure he could have felt the warmth of that blush. But instead he busied himself with putting the rest of the drinks in the fridge to distract himself. All of the drinks except the milk, and he took that with him.
He told Wren to help herself to the snacks and they’d order pizza around 6:00. She gave him an incredibly sweet smile as she thanked him. He was going to walk on past her to go back to the living room, but that smile stopped him in his tracks. He reached his hand out slowly and touched her arm. He leaned down enough that he was looking directly into her green eyes, the light shining in the gold flecks he’d never noticed. He’d also never seen the much darker green rings around her irises. She didn’t often make eye contact, so it was difficult to see her eyes well. But in the few seconds there in the kitchen, he noticed everything. Including the depth behind them. The apprehension she showed on the surface, but something else much deeper. It seemed like admiration. Admiration for him. And it was enough to render him speechless for a few more seconds. He finally realized he might be making her uncomfortable, so he said quietly, “I’m really glad you’re here.”
She took a quick breath and said, “Me too. Thanks.” It was so quiet he almost didn’t catch it, but he gave her a nod and a smile before letting go of her arm and walking on.
His heart was beating quicker and he quietly took a deep breath before reaching the living room. He didn’t want his brothers to notice anything and make comments. He really needed to stay calm and not drop too far over the edge yet. He needed to keep his head about him, because there were still so many things that could go wrong. He was trying not to get his hopes up too much about the path they might be starting down.
As he walked into the room, he said, “Wren brought drinks for everyone, guys. They’re in the fridge. She has everyone’s favorites.”
Echo said, “Oh that’s so nice of her!”
Wrecker chimed in, “I love her!” and laughed. “But don’t worry, Hunter, I’m not trying to step on your toes. It’s all very innocent and platonic.” He gave Hunter a wink.
Hunter just shook his head at his brother. He then turned to Tech and said, “Hey, Tech, she even got you some of that probiotic soda you like.” He wasn’t even sure Tech had been listening, since he seemed so engrossed in his phone, but his head popped up at that.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I saw a few cans of it, a couple of different flavors.”
“How did she know I like that?” Tech asked.
“I told her. She asked me what everyone’s favorites were earlier this week. And I know you prefer water, but I thought maybe for a special occasion you’d be okay with a treat,” Hunter finshed.
“Well, thank you, Hunter.”
“Oh, I didn’t have much to do with it, it was all her.”
“But you mentioned the probiotic sodas. So, thank you. And I will be sure to thank Wren as well.”
Hunter nodded at him before asking for a recap of what he’d missed in the game, since he saw there had been a couple of scores in just the few minutes he’d been in the kitchen. Tech went on to fill him in. At the same time, Crosshair stood up and walked out, headed to the kitchen. Hunter watched him go, and just hoped he would be kind to Wren, since she hadn’t come in when Omega had.
He turned to Omega and said, “Where’s Wren? Still in the kitchen?”
Omega replied, “Yeah, she was getting snacks.” He nodded and said okay. She continued, “Things looked really good between you two back there.”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed a little as he looked at his little sister. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, just the smiles and laughs and…” she looked around to make sure no one else was paying attention to them. “…and touches.” She gave him an innocent smile that hid the mischief beneath.
“Omega. You need to leave us to deal with each other in our own ways and in our own time.”
“I know! I’m not saying anything. Or doing anything. I just noticed, and I was happy to see it.” She bumped into his side, letting him know she was teasing him.
He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze, kissing the top of her head. He whispered so no one else would hear, “I’m happy too.”
She looked up at him with a bright smile, kissing him on the cheek before going back to her snacks. He loved her more than he thought possible just a year ago. He’d always loved his brothers, and Ninety-nine, of course. But with her it was different. His protective nature was in high gear when it came to his little sister. He almost felt more like a father to her at times, and he never thought he’d feel like that towards someone. He’d been a protective older brother his whole life, even in the Army with his brothers in arms, but raising a 12-year-old girl was a whole different feeling. And he was so glad he had the help of all his brothers when it came to Omega’s care. Between the five of them, they surely couldn’t mess up too badly.
She scooted away from him a little so she could eat her snacks easier and wouldn’t take the chance of spilling her plate on him. When Wren walked in, Omega patted the empty spot on the other side of her and said excitedly, “Come sit by me!” Hunter smiled at the joy in the girl’s voice. She was so happy to have Wren with them. Wren nodded, smiled, and began walking towards the couch. She happened to look his way as she was taking her seat, and he still had the smile on his face from talking to Omega.
She asked him if he liked the milk saying she wasn’t sure what kind to get. He’d already drank most of it, so he showed her that and told her it was great, thanking her again. She said, “You’re very welcome.” He noticed a pink tint to her cheeks again as she looked down at her plate.
Omega asked her about the cheese ball, because she’d made it and was really proud of it. Echo had shown her how to make it, but she did it all herself. Wren told her it was delicious, and Omega was so proud. She looked up at Hunter, and he reached down and patted her leg.
Wren asked about the game, and Tech gave her a “quick” recap. Or as quick as he could anyway. And they settled into watching. Although Omega wasn’t that interested in the game, so before long she was quietly talking to Wren. Hunter wondered if he should tell Omega to leave her alone for a little bit so she could watch the game, but the pleased look on Wren’s face let him know she didn’t mind at all.
At halftime, Wrecker ordered pizzas, and they ate those during the second half. They were all having a good time, laughing and joking. Wren really seemed to be having a better time than she had any of her previous visits. Hunter had to assume she had finally let down her guard a little bit, allowing her true self to show more. And she really is a fun person. He knew that all along, but she just needed time to be able to share that with everyone.
After Wren was done eating, she stood up to take her trash to the kitchen. She held out her hand to Omega for her plate, but Omega stood to take it herself. She said she would help, and Wren thanked her, placing her hand on Omega’s head and smoothing her hair down. Hunter was watching both of them with what he could only imagine was a goofy grin on his face. He only realized that though when Wren caught him looking. He sat up straighter and coughed, trying to hide how he’d been staring. Wren held out her hand for his plate, and he handed it to her with thanks.
She said, “You’re welcome.” The smile she gave Hunter was probably the most relaxed and genuine smile he’d ever seen from her, and he felt his stomach do a flip.
After a couple of minutes, he stood and went to the kitchen to get a soda. He could hear Echo, Omega, and Wren talking and then laughing. As he walked in the kitchen, he said, “What’s so funny in here?”
Wren turned quickly to look at him and stumbled over her words when she said, “Oh nothing. Just laughing at how silly I can be.”
He smiled at her and said, “Oh, okay. Well, you’re the good kind of silly. The kind we enjoy around here.” He started to walk towards the fridge, and as he passed by her, he lightly brushed his hand across her lower back. She felt warm and he felt a tingle travel from his hand up his arm. He didn't really think about it before he did it, it was just something that seemed right at the time. But right after, he wondered if that was too much. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. He was walking on past her, so he pulled his hand away pretty quickly.
He saw her face flush as she looked down at the table. And he heard her whisper, “Thanks.” She didn’t look back up at him though, so he went on to the fridge to get his Pepsi. Omega must have told her that was his favorite soda. Those two are a good team.
He was pleased to think about how they get along so well. His little sister and his...what is Wren to him...his special friend? That sounds dumb, but he wasn't sure what to call her at this point. She's not his girlfriend...yet. He certainly hoped she would be, but he didn't want to get too far ahead of himself. She seemed to finally accept the fact that he was interested in her...romantically. And she was willing to stick with it and try to date and possibly be in a relationship. He just didn't want to mess things up by calling her his girlfriend too soon.
Well, hopefully he wouldn't have to think about that for a while. He doesn't need to label anything right now. He offered to get drinks for everyone, but Omega was the only one who took him up on it. They all slowly made their way back into the living room.
He saw Wren reach down beside her on the floor and bring up a bag. She then pulled out something wrapped in Christmas paper. She told Omega she was sorry it was so late. He noticed Omega's face light up temporarily, but then he saw it fall immediately. She said she didn’t have anything for Wren, and he could tell she felt bad about that. Wren told her it was fine. She said it was more of a family gift, and she wanted to give them something as a thank-you for having her over so many times and feeding her, and for how kind they had been.
At that point, Hunter thought about the gift he’d picked up for her. Maybe he would give it to her after all. He said, “Thanks, Wren. That’s really nice of you.” He looked at her and found her already looking his way. They locked eyes for a few seconds, but then she looked back down at Omega opening the gift. It was a Princess Bride gift set with the movie and a couple of books. Omega looked so excited. She tackle-hugged Wren, who almost fell off the couch at the force of the girl’s hug.
Hunter said, “Careful, Omega!” Although Wren assured him she was fine, and she was glad Omega liked it.
Omega said, "Look Hunter," and handed him the behind-the-scenes book.
He looked at the back of the book, and said, “This is really neat, thanks, Wren.” He handed the book back to Omega. Then he said, “And actually, Omega, we do have a gift for Wren.”
He's not sure why he approached it that way. He could have just told her it was a gift that HE got her, not the family. But since the gift she gave was more for Omega than him, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by making her think he specifically got it for her. Even though that's exactly what he did.
Omega looked at him and asked, "We do?"
“Yeah, remember? It’s just that it’s in my room. I had forgotten. I’ll go get it.” At that, he stood up and walked past them to go to his room. When there he opened his closet and got the gift bag that was on the shelf.
When he came back into the living room, he held it out to Wren, and said, “Merry belated Christmas. From all of us.” He then sat back down in his spot on the other end of the couch.
He saw Wren holding the bag very carefully with a small smile on her face. She almost looked embarrassed, but still pleased. She looked around at all of them, and then reached into the bag. He could tell the moment she realized what it was, because she immediately broke into a huge beautiful smile. Then she pulled the lamb all the way out of the bag and held it up for everyone to see.
He heard Omega say, "Awww..." quietly.
When Wren looked at Hunter, he felt his chest tighten and his stomach flutter at how happy she looked. If this is all it took for her to be so happy, he would get her a stuffed animal every week for the rest of their lives. It was an incredible feeling to see her like this after seeing her so anxious and stressed so many times before.
He asked, "Do you like it?”
“I LOVE it!” she exclaimed. “It’s perfect!” She held it out for Omega to look at, who then reached out a hand and petted it to feel how soft it was.
Omega then turned to Hunter with a confused look, but he tried to convey with his expression, I know I'm the one who got it for her, but let's not make a big deal out of it. When he saw her small knowing smile, he just rolled his eyes at her.
“That’s so adorable. Thanks, everyone!” She looked around at all the siblings with a huge smile.
“Oh, I think you know who you should be thanking for that,” Crosshair smirked. “And it’s not all of us.”
Hunter had the urge to punch him right then. Why did he have to make everything difficult? But also, why wasn't Hunter used to it by then? He just gave Crosshair a warning look, telling him to be quiet. And then Wren turned to Hunter.
“Well…thanks…I really appreciate it.”
He nodded at her and quietly said, “You’re welcome. I saw it and it made me think of you, so I just grabbed it.”
Then it was Wrecker's turn to try to embarrass Hunter, although he knew Wrecker did it more innocently than Crosshair. He had to go into the whole story of how he saw Hunter pick it up at the store, and he wondered if it was for Omega, but then he remembered Wren and her sheep and figured it was for her.
Then he said, "But I didn’t say anything.”
Hunter quietly said, "Until now." He was sure Wrecker saw the look on his face, but it didn't stop his big smile as he looked between Hunter and Wren.
He said, "Yeah, until now," as he laughed.
Hunter felt his face get hot, but he looked back at Wren saying, "I'm glad you like it."
Wren hugged the lamb to her chest and said, "I really do. Thank you!" She started talking to Omega about it, allowing the girl to hold it for a while to see how soft and squishy it was.
After a few seconds, Hunter turned back towards the TV, but instead what he saw were four faces staring at him with smirks and smiles. He gave them all dirty looks and nodded towards the TV as if to say, Turn around and watch the game! But he heard Wrecker and Crosshair snickering.
He turned back to Omega and Wren, and after they talked a bit more about the lamb, Omega handed it to Wren so she could go back to her new book. Wren looked at him over the girl's head, and he felt himself smiling at her. She gave a very subtle nod in his direction, and after a few more seconds, looked back at Omega, and then the TV.
He could barely contain his excitement that she was still going to be there with them for a few more hours, since the second game was just starting. A sense of peace came over him as he felt he was right where he should be, with who he should be with.
Chapter-specific Author Notes: Well, this didn't progress the timeline as much as I expected. But I didn't want to make the chapter any longer, and I wanted this stuff included. Sorry for those who just want me to wrap it up already. ;) I'm getting there! I would say it will be one or two more chapters, but I keep saying that and then it doesn't happen, so I'm just not going to promise anything.
Also, I had to rush here at the end, because I need to leave. If you see a typo or some other grammatical error, or if something doesn't make sense, I apologize. I will edit again when I'm home.
Summary: Set in a modern AU (an ambiguous year): Wren is a librarian who meets Omega, a twelve-year-old living with her five older brothers. Omega feels Wren and her oldest brother, Hunter, would be good for each other and tries to play matchmaker. Wren's anxiety and shyness make that more difficult than Omega hoped. Wren is based on me and my experiences with anxiety and how it affected the beginning of my relationship with my husband.
Pairing: Modern AU Hunter x F!OC Wren
Word Count: 3442
Warnings: I can't think of any.
Author's note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. I thought it might be helpful for some people who also deal with anxiety to see how it affects relationships, and to see there are people out there who can "put up" with you...that you aren't "too difficult or exhausting" for the right person. (In quotes, because those are all things I thought about myself for years.)
My modern AU was inspired by the amazing Modern Batch AU stories by kaydear (Illyria_Lives) on AO3.
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Dividers by animatedglittergraphics-n-more
Wren set some of the bags down on the porch, so she could ring the doorbell. She had texted Hunter mid-week to ask what she could bring to watch the games. She said she would be over on Saturday. Of course, he told her she didn’t have to bring anything, but she insisted. She asked if they had already gotten all the drinks they would need. He said that they hadn’t been to the store for that yet, so she said she would bring drinks. Then she asked him what everyone’s favorite drink for watching football was. She now had all those drinks in her bags. Luckily, a couple of the guys liked the same thing, so it wasn’t as many different drinks as it might seem.
She also had the gift she had gotten for Omega/the family before Christmas. She decided she would give it to her now. And tucked away in her purse was a small gift she’d picked up the day after her lunch with Hunter. It wasn’t a really personal gift, she didn’t want to overdo it, but she wanted to get a little something for just him. She wasn’t sure if she’d actually be able to give it to him though. She would play it by ear.
She rang the bell, and it was quiet for all of five seconds, but then she heard feet running through the house. She could even hear Omega’s voice say, “It’s Wren! I’ll get it!”
She hadn’t seen Omega after her talk with Hunter earlier in the week, so she wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a reaction.
The door swung open quickly, and Omega’s bright smile was welcoming her. “Hi, Wren! Come in!”
“Hi, Omega. Thank you.” She picked the other bags up again and walked through the door.
Omega reached for a couple of the bags to help her. They walked the few steps into the hallway and when they reached the door to the living room, Wren looked in. She saw Hunter sitting on the end of the couch, and it was obvious Omega had just been there also. There was a messed-up blanket lying next to him.
“Hey, guys.” Wren quietly said, not wanting to interrupt if they were engrossed in the game that had already started.
“Hi, Wren,” Hunter said as he stood up. He reached out his hands towards the bags she was carrying when he got close enough. “Let me help.”
“Okay, thanks,” she replied, as she let him take most of the bags from her. He began walking towards the kitchen, so she followed along with Omega.
Wrecker said, “Hey, Wren! Good to see you!”
“Good to see you too, Wrecker,” she replied. She looked towards Echo, Crosshair, and Tech and nodded at them.
Echo said, quietly, in that deep and soothing voices of his, “Hi Wren. Glad you could make it.” Wren could listen to him talk all day. Hunter had the sexy smoky voice, but Echo’s was just deep and always so calming.
Crosshair just gave her a small salute with his fingers, and Tech, barely looking up from his phone, gave a small wave.
In the kitchen, Hunter opened the refrigerator, and started placing cans and bottles inside. “You didn’t have to get all of this, Wren. This is a lot of drinks.”
“I know, but I wanted to make sure everyone had some of their favorites. I’m sure there will be leftovers, but you guys will drink them at some point.”
When he reached into the bag and pulled out a small bottle of chocolate milk, he hesitated, showing it to her. “Who did you get this for?”
She said, “You.” But then hurriedly added, “If you want it! You don’t have to drink it though.” Her voice trailed off as she looked at the floor, her fingers playing with the zipper on her hoodie.
“But how did you know I like chocolate milk? I don’t think I’ve mentioned that to you.”
She looked up at him and said, “No, you didn’t. And you didn’t give me your favorite when I asked you for everyone else’s. So I took it upon myself to ask Omega what your favorite was.”
He smiled at Wren, then turned to Omega and smiled at her. “I don’t know how I feel about you two teaming up behind my back.”
They both laughed. Wren said, “We will only use our combined powers for good.”
He laughed with them. Wren felt her face flush and get hot. Hearing him laugh like that was such a pleasant experience, and it sent a jolt of electricity through her body. She thought to herself how she’s going to have to get more used to being around him, and all the ways she found him attractive. She couldn’t be getting hot and flustered at every little thing.
After all the other drinks had been put in the fridge, he kept the milk with him and said, “There are snacks here whenever you wanna munch. Help yourself. We’ll probably order the pizza around 6:00.”
“Okay, thanks.” She smiled at him.
He started to walk past her, but he paused and gently placed his hand on her arm. He said so quietly that she wasn’t sure if anyone else would have heard him, “I’m really glad you’re here.” When he said it he leaned his head down just a little so he was sure he could look into her eyes.
She felt her heartbeat quicken and her breath catch. “Me too. Thanks.” She replied so quietly that she wasn’t sure if he heard her. But when he gave her a small nod and a smile, she assumed he had. Then he walked on past and back into the living room.
Omega had been getting some chips and veggies on a plate. She was trying not to react to what she’d seen. She couldn’t hear what Hunter and Wren had said to each other, but she did see the touch, the looks, and the smiles. She had to stop herself from squealing and hugging them both.
“Hey, Wren. Did you want something to eat?” Omega asked.
“Uuuh…” she was trying to clear her head after the interaction with Hunter. “Yeah, I’ll get a little something. Thanks.” She grabbed a paper plate and started gathering up chips, veggies, some little appetizers that someone had made. There was something wrapped in bacon, some little barbeque smokies, loaded potato skins, and a cheese ball with crackers. This family didn’t mess around!
Omega finished filling her plate with snacks and said, “I’ll go on in to the living room, so just come in when you’re ready.”
“Okay, I will be in shortly.”
Omega walked out and Wren took the opportunity to sit down at the table and relax for a minute. She knew once she went into the living room, she’d be on edge and more nervous. She put her elbows on the table and then her head in her hands. She tried to do a breathing exercise she’d read about, trying to calm her heart and her nerves. She was so engrossed in the exercise that she didn’t hear someone approaching.
“What are you doing?” It was Crosshair.
Wren’s head popped up quickly, as she startled. “Oh! Uh, nothing. Just sitting for a minute.”
He got a plate and started loading it up with snacks. “Just sitting here, huh? Why?”
“I don’t know. Just catching my breath.” She didn’t know what else to tell him. Surely he would move on quickly. “Oh, I brought some drinks, they’re in the fridge. Hunter said your favorite is Dr. Pepper, so I got some for you, if you’d like. You don’t have to drink it, but…I just wanted you to know it’s there.”
“Well, thanks. That’s nice of you.” He walked to the refrigerator, and took out a can. “Can I get you something? Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m ready.” She went ahead and stood up, since he didn’t seem like he was going to leave her alone about it.
He motioned for her to walk out first, so she did. When she got to doorway leading into the living room, she paused, looking around to see where she should sit.
All of the chairs were taken by Echo, Wrecker, and Tech. The one Crosshair had been sitting in was empty, but she knew that’s where he would want to sit again. So she looked towards the couch. Hunter was on the far end, and Omega was sitting in the middle, with a blanket on her legs. She patted the empty spot beside her and said, “Here, Wren. Come sit by me!”
Wren smiled at the girl, and said, “Okay.” She took a quick look at Hunter, and he was looking at her with a small smile on his face. She sat next to Omega and set her drink on the end table next to her. She kept her plate on her lap.
After sitting, she looked Hunter’s way again. She said, “Is the chocolate milk good? I didn’t know what brand to get.”
“It’s great. Thanks again. It’s been a while since I’ve had some.”
“You’re very welcome.” She returned his smile again. She felt her face get hot again.
“Do you like the cheese ball? I made that!” Omega said to her.
“You did? Yes, it’s delicious! I’m a big fan of cheese balls, and this one is especially good.”
Omega beamed proudly. She looked at Hunter, he smiled at her and patted her on her leg.
Then Wren asked to no one specifically how the game was going, and Tech started giving her a run-down of the highlights of the first quarter. She thanked him, and then they all settled to watch. Omega wasn’t all that interested in the game though, so she started talking to Wren just a few minutes later. That was fine with Wren, she liked talking to the girl, and the game that was on wasn’t that important to her. But she made sure to talk quietly enough that they wouldn’t bother the ones who were wanting to watch more closely.
At halftime, Wrecker called to place a pizza order. That arrived about a half an hour later, and they ate that in the living room. There was a lot of laughing and talking throughout the evening. Wren was loosening up as time went on. She was a little surprised to realize she was even able to joke around with Hunter a little bit.
When she was finished with her pizza, she stood up to take her plate to the trash in the kitchen. She held out her hand to Omega for her plate, but Omega said, “I can help you.”
“No, you don’t have to. I was just going to take some with me as I went.”
“I want to help. It’s fine.”
Wren smiled at her and put her hand on Omega’s head, rubbing her hair a little bit. “Thanks, Omega. You’re very sweet.” Then she looked over Omega’s head to where Hunter was sitting. He was watching both of them with a smile on his face. When he realized Wren had caught him, he sat up straight and cleared his throat. She held out her hand for his plate, and he handed it to her.
“Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome.” The smile she gave him might have been the most relaxed one yet.
Omega got plates from Wrecker and Crosshair. Wren went to get Echo’s, but he said he needed to get up and stretch, so he would just take his own. Omega and Wren walked to the kitchen to throw away all the trash.
“I’m so glad you came over, Wren. It’s always so nice to have you here. And I was afraid you might not come over anymore…”
“Omega…” Echo had a warning in his voice.
“I was just going to say that I was afraid she might not come over anymore if she didn’t want to be around Hunter. That’s not bad.”
“No, that’s fine for you to say, Omega,” Wren jumped in. “I was beginning to wonder myself. But Crosshair stopped by the library and told me some stuff. And then I contacted Hunter to see if we could get together and talk, and so that’s what we did. He knows how I feel, and about my anxiety and fears. And he said he’s willing to be patient, so he asked for it!” She laughed after saying that.
Echo and Omega laughed with her.
“What’s so funny in here?” Hunter said from the doorway.
Wren whipped her head around quickly, startled that he was there. ”Oh, nothing,” she said. “Just laughing about how silly I can be sometimes.”
“Oh, okay. Well, you’re the good kind of silly. The kind we enjoy around here.” Hunter brushed his hand along her lower back as he walked past her. Her face flushed, and she looked down at the table.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
He walked to the fridge and pulled out a soda. “Anyone else want another drink?”
Omega told him what she wanted, but Wren and Echo said they were fine.
When they wandered back into the living room, the first game of the day was wrapping up. Wren thought this might be a good time to bring out the gift she got for Omega.
She reached down for the bag she’d left on the floor next to where she was sitting and brought it up on her lap. She said, “Omega, I got you a little something. I’m sorry it’s late.” And with that she handed her a gift wrapped in Christmas paper.
“Oh! You didn’t have to do that! I didn’t get anything for you!” Omega actually seemed distraught.
“Hey, now, that’s perfectly fine. I didn’t want you to get me anything. It’s just something I saw in the store, and it made me think of you. Well, actually, it made me think of your whole family. So let’s just call it a family gift, then you don’t need to feel bad. It’s a thank-you for all the times you had me over and fed me and all the other things you’ve done for me.”
Hunter spoke up, “Thanks, Wren, that’s really nice of you.” As he said that he looked at her, and found her looking at him. Their eyes held for a few seconds, before she got uncomfortable and looked back at Omega opening the gift. She finally made it through and found the Princess Bride gift set.
“Oh, wow! The Princess Bride! The movie, and the book!! And a behind-the-scenes book too! Thank you!” At that she threw her arms around Wren and practically toppled her off the couch, since she was just perched on the edge.
“Careful, Omega!” Hunter warned. But they all laughed.
“I’m fine! I’m glad she likes it so much,” Wren responded.
“I love it! Look, Hunter!” At that Omega turned to her brother to show him in more detail what she’d gotten. He took one of the books and turned it over to look at the back.
“This is really neat, thanks, Wren.” He handed the book back to Omega. Then he said, “And actually, Omega, we do have a gift for Wren.”
“We do?” the girl asked.
“Yeah, remember? It’s just that it’s I my room. I had forgotten. I’ll go get it.”
Wren watched him walk by with a small smile on her face. They got her something? She’s really glad she brought something now. Or maybe they wouldn’t have given it to her if she hadn’t given them something. Maybe that’s why he was holding it back, so he didn’t make her uncomfortable.
After a minute or so, he came back out of his room with a small gift bag. He held it out to Wren, and said, “Merry belated Christmas. From all of us.”
She took the bag gently, as if it had something precious inside, and put it on her lap. She looked at Omega, and then around at the other guys. They were all watching her with varying levels of interest. Some were still watching the TV, but looking her way now and then, and others, like Wrecker and Hunter, were watching closely.
She reached inside the bag, moving the tissue paper aside and saw a fluffy white something. As she grabbed it, she could tell it was a lamb. A stuffed lamb! It had a sweet smile on its face, and looked almost like a cloud with such soft “wool.” The smile she wore as she looked up at Hunter made his heart feel too big for his chest.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I LOVE it!” she exclaimed. “It’s perfect!” She held it out for Omega to look at, who then reached out a hand and petted it to feel how soft it was.
Omega turned to Hunter with a questioning look on her face. She was confused. She hadn’t been with him when he bought that. He must have done that on his own
Wren didn’t notice the looks that passed between Hunter and Omega. Him trying to tell her, I got it for her, but let’s not make a big deal out of it. And her getting a small knowing smile on her face. And him rolling his eyes a little at her.
“That’s so adorable. Thanks, everyone!” She looked around at all the siblings with a smile stretching from ear-to-ear.
“Oh, I think you know who you should be thanking for that,” Crosshair smirked. “And it’s not all of us.”
Wren saw Hunter give Crosshair a warning look as she turned his direction.
“Well…thanks…I really appreciate it.”
He nodded at her and quietly said, “You’re welcome. I saw it and it made me think of you, so I just grabbed it.”
“Yeah, I saw him get it!” Wrecker spoke up. “It was when we were shopping for Omega, and when he picked it up I thought, is he getting that for Omega? But then I remembered Wren had told us about how her family had raised sheep when she was a kid, so I figured it was for her. But I didn’t say anything.”
“Until now,” Hunter said with a slight frown.
“Yeah, until now,” Wrecker laughed.
Wren thought she might have seen Hunter’s cheeks darken a little, but he turned back towards her with a smile and said, “I’m glad you like it.”
She hugged it to her chest and said, “I really do. Thank you.” She sat back on the couch and Omega sat back as well. She held the lamb out for Omega to hold, and they both talked quietly about it.
Hunter watched them for a few seconds, and then looked up towards the TV. But what he saw first was all of his brothers turned looking at him with smirks and smiles on their faces. He gave them all a stern look as if saying, “Turn around and watch the game.” They all turned, but there was more than one giggle and snicker heard from the group of them.
The fact that this lamb was from Hunter and no one else caused not only Wren's face to warm, but also for that warmth to spread through her whole body. He got her a gift. Back when things were still very much up in the air with them. Back when she’d practically run away from him. He still got her such a thoughtful gift.
She would definitely give him the small gift she’d picked up for him. It wasn’t quite as personal as what he got her, but she hoped he would like it anyway. She wasn’t sure when she would give it to him, but she’d figure it out as the night went on.
Omega said, "Here you go, I want to look at this book," as she handed the lamb back to Wren. She then picked up the behind-the-scenes book and started flipping through, looking at the photos.
Wren turned Hunter's direction, looking over Omega’s head. He was already looking her way. She saw his eyes soften as a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. She very subtly nodded at him, and he returned the gesture. After a few more moments, she looked back down at Omega with her book, then at the TV where the next game was getting ready to start. She was actually excited to think she would still be hanging out with them for a few more hours. This is exactly where she wanted to be.
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