thingsthatshine | Open Post

He's incredibly glad that Brennan was not allowed to take measurements. He didn't mind the gawking so much, or the statistics she'd rattled off to he and Booth about their appearance (and he was only less surprised because he'd heard rumors about someone working for the FBI that looked like him, plus he'd stalked Brennan a little. Shhhh it's his M.O.). He doesn't say it (because she doesn't know what he is) but he's pretty sure the likelihood of meeting that person goes up when one has eternity to meet said person.

Angel sleeps very little and when he does sleep, it's generally after dawn. He's a nocturnal creature, after all. He's surprised to see Brennan, but not upset by it. He likes her. He has a feeling she would appreciate both his love for and his frustration with the history channel. He tends to watch things and argue with the TV, getting upset because they get so damn much wrong.

"People tend to need help most at night though. Besides, I'm a light sleeper. I'd hear anyone that walked in." Also, he can handle most anything that comes through the door. It's warded against supernatural threats and humans wouldn't stand a chance against him, even if they had a gun.

"Can I get you some tea? Or some water?" He tries to be a good host.

Emily loves Lorelai and she knows that, but Emily is definitely scary. Almost everyone who's met her would agree. She would run Peter through the wringer and there would be nothing Lorelai could do about it. Eventually, she'll take Peter to dinner at the Gilmores because he has met every other important person in her life, though he should know, Rory was the most important person to meet.

"Chinese sounds good," she responds, tossing the words over her shoulder in the direction of the stairs. "We can watch Breakfast at Tiffany's with it's entirely un-PC Chinese portrayal."

They can have more pizza rolls with the Chinese. A smile curves her lips as he wraps his arms around her and she relaxes back against him with a soft, contented sigh. She is so in trouble when it comes to this man. "Hey, Sexy. How's it going?" she asks, finally turning in his arms to kiss him lightly.

Most days, Katniss is the first to wake. She's always been an early riser and moving in with Matt has yet to change that habit. Today is different. She had stayed up late to watch the snow fall on the city, kept warm by a blanket wrapped tight around her body and a cup of cocoa nursed in her hands. She had stayed up even later after Matt had come home. Patching up his mild injuries had turned into loving of a different kind. Not that Katniss complained.

But it kept her up late and kept her in bed much longer than normal. It's the aroma of the tea permeates her dreams. Not that she ever really remembers them. The nightmares are bad enough that if it means sacrificing all of her dream memories, so be it. She takes a deep breath and smiles sleepily, savoring the smell of earl grey. A second later, she purrs at the feel of lips against her temple.

"Morning already?" Katniss murmurs, tugging the warm blanket tighter over her bare shoulder. Her legs curl closer to her chest. "We just went to bed."

She's done her best to be understanding about Peeta's new role in Teleios. Most of the time, it comes easily. Life isn't all that different from what it was before. She wakes up each morning and hunts. When he's not busy with his job as emissary, he bakes. They have their family here; none from Panem chose to go home. Life is good. Safe. Happy.

But every time he goes away, even for a day, it feels as if her life starts to fall apart around her. She worries about Peeta. She worries that he might not be safe around the other emissaries, or that they all might be attacked by some outside force. She becomes distracted as she hunts and takes to haunting his bakery instead. She plays with the rings on her finger, their still unfamiliar weight. But mostly, Katniss waits. She waits until the moment she can hear his voice again and run to him.

That's exactly what he does when he she hears his voice. She stops preparing the meat for dinner and runs towards the front door. For all she hates it when he's away, this is definitely the sweetest part of his job. Whenever Peeta returns, she can breathe again. Katniss hugs him tightly and whispers, "You're back."

Her side trips to District 4 are always the highlight of her visits to the Capitol. No matter what else happens while she's in the Capitol, she has this. She has the knowledge that when all is done and over with, she'll have time with Auggie that no one - not even Snow - can take from her. If the President has caught on to their tryst, he hasn't said a word. In some ways, he's only benefited from this. Having Auggie to lose makes Katniss all the more cooperative. President Snow gets a beautiful, young, and compliant Victor to parade around, do with what he will. In return, she gets this.

Time spent on his boat isn't unusual. She loves those trips. When she and Auggie are alone on the yacht, there's absolutely no one else in their world. She can be who she is without fear of consequence. She can be a girl in love and forget about every indecency she's had to go through. They rarely leave the boat during that time, too wrapped up in each other - and too concerned with getting caught. Katniss never complains. She values every second she gets with Auggie.

As she snuggles closer to him, she decides that she can get used to this. The fire is warm and inviting. Auggie even more so. She tilts her head up, placing a kiss on his jaw. "I've missed you," she answers, kissing him again. Every kiss and every touch makes the Capitol seem further away. "It was too long this time."

She's in trouble? He's/i> the one in trouble. Especially now that his crew's remembered his existence and plan on picking him up. What's he supposed to say to her? 'Sorry babe, gotta dash. The galaxy needs some saving'? He can't exactly ask her to come with him. Lorelai's got a life in Star's Hollow. She has a daughter. Rory might be doing her own thing right now, but Peter saw the bond between them.

Shit. He's in so much trouble. Maybe he can just distract her right now. Distract both of them. Who needs dinner when they can skip straight to dessert?

"Better now that you're here," he says, completely aware how cheesy the line sounds. At least it's a truth. Peter kisses her back, his mouth a little more demanding than hers. "We've got some time to make up for."

Lorelai knows nothing of the crew or that they're going to pick him up. He could say that and promise to return. She could also go with him, but she's always going to have to come back to Stars Hollow. Rory may not need her the way a child needs a mother, but both Rory and Lorelai need each other. That is never going to change.

As always, Lorelai is in absolute favor of distraction when a problem arises. However, he better not leave without a word to her. That would not only break her heart but he'd be in for a world of trouble when/if he returned.

It does sound cheesy, but Lorelai is a fan of cheese, both dairy and verbal, particularly when it's true. "At least a weekend's worth," she agrees when he breaks that kiss. She wraps her arms a little tighter around his neck and kisses him with the same sort of passion and demand that he'd incited. She goes up on her toes just a bit (has she mentioned how much she loves how tall Peter is) and presses her body against his, her fingers creeping up to card through his hair.

While Katniss is a morning person, Matt usually isn't. However, he'd wanted to take advantage of the snow before it turned slurry and grey. After that, well, he figures they can take a nap. He'll probably need it and he thinks Katniss could do with the luxury of a few more naps in her life.

He's with her: as long as she's not having nightmares, that's what counts. Because Katniss is a morning person, he rarely sees her like this, waking up sleepy and warm. He nuzzles his nose at her temple.

"Morning already," he tells her. "The city is covered in snow and everything has shut down. I thought maybe we'd go take a walk in the snow."

A lot of the time, it's easy to forget that Peeta is actually in charge of the place. He bakes and he comes home. Once a month he listens to complaints, suggestions and the like. Their life is almost exactly what they'd wanted it to be, what they'd dreamed it would be.

The days when he has to leave Teleios is an exception. It's harder on Katniss than it is on Peeta, but he doesn't like being away from her either. He doesn't like that she worries, but he knows there's nothing he can do to alleviate that. It's part and parcel of loving someone, of being loved.

Peeta's arms go around Katniss and he lifts her slightly off her feet a moment. "Of course, I am. " This is the best part of his job for him as well. He pulls back slightly so he can look at her, his eyes gliding over her face. "How's my beautiful wife?"

That doesn't get old, not for him.

Auggie lives for those visits from Katniss. The rest of his life seems dull in comparison and he's reminded of how bleak things were before he'd fallen in love with her. He's very aware that their relationship gives Snow another hold on him, on Katniss and that's exactly what he wants to talk to Katniss about, at least in part. Yes, it's about so much more than them, but it's also all about them.

The boat has always been Auggie's favorite spot. Spending time there with Katniss has only made it more special to him. One of these days, he hopes their world is bigger than his boat. He wants more with her. He wants a full, whole life with Katniss rather than moments stolen.

He closes his eyes, basking in that kiss, in her touch, in the feel of her body against his. "It's always too long," he tells her, "but I agree." He takes a deep breath, holding it a moment before exhaling. "I actually want to talk to you about something that could change that, that could give us more time together."

Of course, it could all backfire on them. He knows that, but he thinks it could be worth it.

He does have a point when it comes to the snow. If they don't wake up early enough, they'll never get to see the pristine white of first snow. It'll turn grey and yellow and all other sorts of colors representative of the city streets. That had been part of the reason why she had stayed up watching it fall last night. But the bed's comfortable. She's warm and safe underneath the blanket. Having Matt so close only amplifies the feeling.

"Mmm," she murmurs, grabbing a fist-full of his shirt to tug him closer to her. "Everything's shut down?"

A lot of time, it is easy to forget. Life follows the same pattern as before. But it's always at the back of her mind. He's the emissary. That puts him in a position of power that also might put him at risk. How can she forget that? How can she turn off the worry, especially when he has to leave? She could have lost him in the 74th Games. She had nearly lost him in the Quarter Quell, and again at Snow's hands. Life has been good. Too good. Sometimes it's hard to think it will stay this way.

but he's right. It is a part and parcel of being loved, of loving someone. She's always going to worry about him and Katniss knows that he'll always worry about her. It's worth it though. It's worth it any time Peeta calls her his wife.It doesn't get old for her, either.

"Happy to have her husband back," she answers, laughing when he lifts her off the ground for a second. "Extremely happy."

It doesn't get old for her, either.

He's not the only one who lives for these visits. She comes alive when she's around him. Life is no longer dull and depressing. It might give Snow a new advantage to use against them both but she needs this. She thinks Auggie probably needs this, too. Everything is real when she's with him. It makes everything Snow has her do worth it. So long as she gets Auggie, she can survive it all.

The one thing she won't let herself do is dream of that better world. A full, whole life with Auggie is the greatest gift she can imagine. Living not as his secret girlfriend but his wife. Having his children. But that's an impossibility. Something that will never happen.

"What are you talking about?" Katniss asks with a frown. Although she stays curled up in his lap, she pulls her head away far enough to look more closely at him. "You know Snow won't allow it."

It's been a long time since he's had to keep a secret from someone important. This isn't like keeping one twin from finding out that he's slept with the other, too. Peter genuinely cares about Lorelai. Hell, he might be falling in love with her. Despite that, he's kept quiet about Star Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy. It was easier to have her think that he's just an average guy from Missouri. Now, he's not certain what to do. Leave without bothering with any goodbyes? Make up another excuse? Tell the truth?

He'll take Plan D for $100, Trebek. Why should he bother planning anything out when he can continue to fly by the seat of his pants? Definitely the safest route.

"At least," he agrees, the words murmured against her lips. He runs his hands down her back, resting his palms on her ass before lifting her up on to the nearest counter. Peter kisses her again as he plays with the hem of her shirt. At least a weekend's worth means that they need to get started ASAP. "First, we need to get you out of these clothes."

Exactly and while he can't actually see the snow, he can smell it and feel it. He'd like to go play in it while they still can rather than when it gets nasty and gross. Comfortable, safe and warm are all good things, but imagine how good it's going to feel to get back into the bed after being outside in the cold.

When she pulls him closer, it's impossible for him not to kiss her. His lips fin the corner of her mouth and the sharp plane of her cheekbone. "Everything's shut down, which means I'm not going to work and neither is anyone else."

She prefers it that way. She prefers that Gansey always seems to stumble with words when around her. He's typically so verbose and articulate, so good at the speeches he gives. From the start, he always managed to say the wrong thing around her. Blue had found it irritating at first. Now, it's one of those traits she finds endearing about Gansey.

The idea had been his, a way to spend the last few weeks of their summer before their first semesters at school started. Blue had been quick to agree. How could she say no? She had always wanted to go to Costa Rica and given her intent to study watershed science after all, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain a leg up on her studies. The work has been hard but rewarding. The best part has been seeing how Gansey has enjoyed every second of it, too.

That night, she expects to go back to their hut in the village. When he leads her elsewhere, Blue is dubious at first. She plays along though. Blue trusts him, even as she starts to grow a little concerned the deeper they get into the forest.

"This isn't Henrietta," she reminds Gansey. "Or Cabeswater. Going this far from the village isn't safe."

It had felt good. She can understand why Ronan tended to destroy something. It's only a band aid to the pain rather than any kind of real cure but it helps. For those few blissful minutes, she can forget how much her life sucks and how much she misses him. She can forget that she killed her true love and fucked up all of their lives.

Thankfully, for some reason, Ronan always seems to forgive her. No matter how bad the fight is, he always seems to forgive her. She knows that the reasons are selfish. She knows that he likes seeing her as broken as he is because she likes the same thing. Blue might be down in the dirt and mud but she isn't there alone.

She shivers as the cold breeze blows a few lingering snowflakes in her hair. The least he could've done is get her a sweatshirt or something to wear over her tank. Why would he bother being considerate? That's not Ronan's style. And the truth is, she likes the cold. It fits the day. Fits it better than the warm, sunshine filled day that engulfs the rest of Henrietta.

"Gimme a few beers," she decides, closing the trunk to the Pig as soon as the beer's been removed. "Then maybe we can go back outside."

While it'll never be the same as seeing the city covered in snow first hand, she'll do her best to describe it to him. It's not the same, Katniss knows, but she'll still try. At least when he's not distracting her with snowballs or other games out there. Because he's right; if she's comfortable, safe, and warm now, it'll all be even better once they return to bed after the cold.

"We can walk in the street?" she asks sleepily, corner of her lips curled into a smile from his kiss. "No cars?"

It's not that Tris isn't happy. Teleios might not be as adventurous as it once was, especially now that the war is over, but it still holds its mysteries and exploits. She's not bored. If Tobias and the farm weren't enough to keep her busy, Zeke the dog remains a handful. She has friends here. They're friends that border on family and although she still misses her parents every day, in some ways, the ache would be worse in Chicago.

No, life in Teleios isn't bad. More than anything, it's a life. They wouldn't have this if they returned home. She'd be dead. She wouldn't have any kind of life. Leaving Chicago is worth that, isn't it? A chance to live and thrive and grow old with Tobias. It has to be better than dying young and being reunited early on with her parents in Heaven. It has to be.

Every now and then, the melancholy gets to her. Tris misses Chicago so much it hurts. And she feels that overwhelming sense of responsibility owed to the city. She left when she should have returned to help the survivors of Abnegation and Dauntless reclaim the city. Tris knows how events played out in Tobias' timeline - everything that had happened after leaving the Factionless. Would that still happen now that she'll never go back? Or did she doom her city to Jeanine's lead - or worse, reset by the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.

These thoughts continue to plague her as she sits on the ledge of the Hancock. It's peaceful up here above the city, in a place that came from her home. Rarely anyone tends to come up here, except those wanting to use the zip line. She's surprised when she hears footsteps but turning around to look seems too difficult. Then whoever it is might see the guilt of abandoning Chicago and ask questions she doesn't want to answer.

Tris doesn't expect Tobias to be the owner of those footsteps. Nor does she expect him to take a seat on the edge beside her. Tris watches him for a couple of seconds before resting her head against his shoulder. She sits there quietly for a few seconds more before finally asking, "Aren't you afraid?"

Lorelai is going to be crushed if Peter doesn't genuinely care about her because she's definitely in love with Peter. She'd been under the impression that Peter felt the same way. She'll be more than a little surprised to find out about the Guardians of the Galaxy; she might think he's crazy. Fortunately, crazy isn't a turn off for her. He's going to break her heart, isn't he?

Well, there's something to be said for Plan D. Lorelai spends much of her life operating by the seat of her pants.

When he lifts her up to the nearest counter, her legs wind around his waist and pull him closer. Her hands slide over his shoulders and down his back a little. Her lips curl into a smile at his words. She leans in slightly and kisses him again. "I like the way you think. The bedroom? Or...are you liking the kitchen?"

He knows that his position puts the both of them at risk, but at the end of the day he did this so that they can have this life they have so that everyone here in Teleios can have this life. So far, it's been worth it and the risk has been low. He still hates the trips away from her. He imagines he always will.

They've both given up far too much for this life to ever take any of this for granted, and Peeta is okay with that. He's rather live a life incredibly aware, appreciating every day and every moment.

Deep contentment and a happiness that he couldn't imagine before bubbles up inside him with her laughter and the way she says the word 'husband' like it's a sacred, beloved word. "That's incredibly fortunate for the both of us," he tells her as he puts her back on the ground. He press a kiss to that space below her ear. "I think your husband needs to get reacquainted with his wife."

That's exactly why he's investing in this rebellion. He wants this to be their life, not stolen moments when Snow allows it.

Lately, that's all Auggie can seem to do: dream of a better world, work for a better world. He's been spending so much time helping with the rebellion, plotting their next move and trying to decide exactly the right point to bring the Mockingjay in. More importantly, he's spent time trying to decide exactly how and when to bring the woman he loves into this. He knows that Katniss could reject the idea of a rebellion and if she does, everything he wants changes because at the end of the day, rebellion or no, all he really wants is her.

"No. He won't. That's why we need to overthrow him. A rebellion, Katniss. That's what I'm talking about. A group of people that want to get Snow out of power. They want to end the Games, end the Victor racket. If they're successful, if we help them be successful, we could have a life together without any secrets or stolen moments. Just this. All the time."

It does feel good to break something beyond repair, to make something that was once whole as broken as they are. If he were a better person, he'd feel like an asshole for bringing Blue into this destruction, for not encouraging her to heal, to move forward with her life. Ronan is not that good a person.

He forgives her for the same reason; he doesn't want to be down in the dirt alone.

He's not that considerate and he suspects that Blue will like the cold as much as he likes it. It's punishing and they both want to be punished, which is why they're here together. It's why they always end up together.

He grunts at her decision and heads toward the house with the beer. He slams though the door, leaving it open for Blue and takes the beer into the kitchen and sets it on the counter. He grabs a couple out, sliding one across the counter and opening one for himself. He takes a long drink of it then lets his gaze settle on Blue.

He appreciates the way that Katniss describes things to him. He likes to hear how a place looks to her. Really, he's looking forward to everything about this little adventure. It's not often they get an entire day to themselves, particularly a week day.

"Mmmmhmm," he assures her, lips humming against her temple. "No cars. Maybe a few people out doing the same thing we'll be doing: enjoying the snow day."

It's proof of just how she affects him. For a long time he wanted to be the smooth, suave Gansey around Blue; he wanted to impress her. Now he prefers being able to be 'just Gansey' with Blue and he's learned that she's far more impressed by who he really is than by who he shows the world. That's one thing that he admires about Blue, always has: what she shows the world is precisely and exactly who she is. That's brave, in Gansey's opinion. He spends a good deal of his time terrified that the world will see who he really is and find him lacking.

It's not the sort of trip that he usually takes, but there's no Welsh king to search for and he likes the idea of making the world a little better place with something other than his money (though he's put some of that into the project as well). This project doesn't feel like an obligation or a pipe dream, but something solid he can support and a way to help Blue out as well.He has enjoyed being here.

"Mmmm, I'm aware," he hums a little, clearly pleased with himself. "It's safe as life," he promises her as they come to the edge of the clearing. He stops just inside it and watches Blue rather than the scene he's laid before her. He knows what it looks like. He wants to know what she looks like seeing it.

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