He is somehow the only one without a grudge for Peppino.
Peppino was wanted, Vigilante held a duel fair and square, and took his defeat mildy upset but got past it quickly. Everyone else gets their ego absolutely destroyed by Peppino. Vigilante? He has better things to do.
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Summary: You and Adrian spend the evening unwinding as a typical couple would, with dinner and a movie at home. Too bad nothing about you and Adrian is typical! Adrian of course is his cute self. Could this be your new normal?
A/N: I hope you enjoy. If you're wanting more spice or to read the first 5 chapters, please check out my master list
link to parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
You wave Adrian over. He looks up from the cuttingboard, green eyes bright and watering.
“These now?” He points at the onions he painstakingly chopped.
“Yes.” You smile and he hurries over, looking at you for direction. “Into the pan.”
He sweeps them into the pan and you hand him bowls of chopped tomatoes and garlic, which he dumps into the sizzling olive oil.
“Smells so good…” He grins.
“Not much different than Fennel Fields, I expect.” You brush up against him playfully.
After leaving his place, he was pretty quiet and withdrawn. He tried to call Chris a few times and muttered in frustration about how his friend was always too busy for him lately. You'd considered ordering take out after the day you'd both had, but thought cooking dinner together would be a good distraction.
“Yeah...” He frowns in thought. “I was hoping to work in the kitchen eventually.” You hand him a wooden spoon and he stirs the tomatoes around the pan and shrugs.
“Adrian, you helped save the world from a literal alien invasion…”
“I know, but have you ever tried steak pizzaiola?” He frowns.
You reach around him and lower the heat.
“Tomatoes sauteeing, pasta water is almost boiling, chicken is in the airfryer….” You tick your fingers off.
“I almost forgot.” You grab a container of salt. “Do you want to salt the water?”
“Salt the water?”
“Yes, a very important step when making pasta.”
“Says who?” He asks skeptically.
“Like, every Italian that's ever existed.” You rest your hands on your hips.
“Oh.” He seems unconvinced but adds the salt and grins over his shoulder at you.
“I feel like a chef.” His dimples pop, eyes twinkling behind his glasses.
“Let's get the basil.” You pull him to the only window in your apartment that gets the afternoon sun and you pinch a few basil leaves from the potted plant there.
Adrian shifts behind you, his hands brush your elbows.
“This is way better than crashing at Chris’ place.” He whispers, snuggling his chin into the crook of your neck, soft curls brushing your cheek as he presses a kiss behind your ear. You run through the truth of the situation in your mind again, how you would tell Adrian.
Chris is missing.
They can't find him.
I think Emilia is having a mental breakdown…
“Adrian… “ You clear your throat and he squeezes you reflexively. “I need to tell you something.”
His throat bobs against your hair and a tremor travels through his chest. He's bracing for something bad.
“Yeah?” His voice is low and quiet, his arms loosening around your waist.
You turn, searching his face. He's looking past you, at the basil plant, at the tiny shoots of new growth from where you've pruned leaves off.
You realize then you can't bear to disappoint him, not right now. Not when he's actually at ease and happy. Let Emilia be the one to tell him tomorrow.
Harcourt, even though you disagree with her on so many levels, is your superior. When the truth comes out, and this house of cards she has built to hold up the trust and unity of her team collapses, you'll be there for Adrian.
Has anyone ever really been there for him? His family? His friends? Since you've met him, his smile shines blindingly bright, but his eyes... why hasn't anyone noticed how much yearning resides in them? Or do they just care about their own bullshit more?
You pivot the conversation. “Want to watch a movie?”
“Are you kidding me?” His face lights up. “Got any slasher movies?”
-
Tucked under a blanket, you and Adrian squeeze together on the couch, empty dinner plates discarded on the coffee table. Your legs are wound together, feet sticking out. You sigh and lean into him, watching as a car of teenagers speed down a winding coastal road.
When you showed Adrian your collection of DVDs, he sat cross legged on the floor and sorted them to his liking, something you'd never thought of doing before. The top three being Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Finding Nemo. You shouldn't be surprised that Adrian's genres of choice are campy slasher films or a movie about clown fish.
“What would you do?” You ask quietly.
“What do you mean?”
“Would you call the cops?” You nod towards the screen at the arguing couples.
“Well… I wouldn't be stupid enough to hang out with an asshole like Barry.” He quirks his face, wrinkling his nose. You press your lips together, thinking Chris can sometimes be like Barry.
“Okay, but hypothetically?" You look over at him. “You hit someone in the middle of the night. Leave them, or help them?”
He pauses for a moment, considering. “I'd take him to the hospital. It was an accident, he was in the middle of the road.” He looks thoughtfully at you. “At least, leave him out in front of the E.R.”
“I… I think I'd probably leave him.” You admit.
“Oh,” he grins at you. “Cold blooded.”
You lick your lips. “He'd probably leave me if the roles were reversed.”
“You don't know that.” He eyes you thoughtfully, before turning back to the screen.
But you do know that. It's happened before. The night your parents were murdered, you were meant to die with them on the side of that highway. Someone had to have seen the car jacking and assault. And they… just kept driving by.
You've learned that people leave when it gets hard. They leave when you fuck up. They leave when they're scared. That's what you remind yourself when you look at your life and can't recognize a friend. It's… strange finally having one. You shake it off and cuddle closer to him, his hand grips your thigh.
“You okay?” His whispers against your hair.
“Yeah, just a little cold.”
“Come here.” He lifts his arm and you slide under it, into his warmth, breathing him in. He leans down and kisses your temple.
-
Before bed you watch as Adrian stalks the apartment testing every lock, every window.
“You rent this place… can never be too safe.”
“My landlord is a grandmother who lives in Florida.” You remind him.
“Yeah, well, grandma's can be evil too.” He says while inspecting the bathroom mirror. He places a fingertip against the surface, and pushes his glasses up, head leaning side to side to inspect the reflection.
“Adrian, it isn't a false mirror.” You fold your arms and smile.
“Did you take it off and look?” He asks, running his fingers along the edges of the frame.
“It’s just a regular mirror.”
“Okay, fine. But…” He strides to the window by your couch, and inches a book shelf over to pull the blinds up. “I don't trust this window lock.’ He jiggles the window, his loose curls bounce and he scowls behind his glasses. “It's loose.”
“Its practically painted shut, Adrian.”
He gestures in frustration at the window. “Someone could get in and rob you, or.. they could hurt you…” His voice cracks.
Your brows knit at the panic in his eyes. When you stride to him, his eyes get wide and he shrinks, unsure if you're irritated with him. Your heart is in your throat when you wrap your arms around him.
“What… What'd I do?” His arms encircle you, pulling you close.
“Nothing.” You bite back the tremble in your voice. “We can fix the window so you don't need to worry.”
“Oh.” He leans back, eyes searching yours and kisses you when you tilt your chin up. “Good. I can fix it.”
“Thank you.” You smile up at him.
“I’ll go to the hardware store tomorrow.” He beams a smile at you, eyes twinkling.
-
“Youre sure the couch is okay?” You ask, wearing the silkiest, sexiest pajamas you own. He's wearing flannel pants. And that's it. His loose curls are tousled and his eyes sleepy behind his glasses.
“Yeah, of course… I'm not some kind of pervert or anything.” His eyes roam the length of you.
“Adrian, I don't think you're a pervert. We can share the bed, it's not like you have to protect my honor or anything.” You tap your foot. Really, he wasn't getting the hint.
“What do you mean?” His brows knit. “Of course I do.”
“We're adults, Adrian.”
“Doesnt matter.” He leans back across the couch, legs hanging off the side.
“You're going to wake up all stiff. Besides, we're… like… I don't know. What are we? Partners? Dating?”
“We’re dating?” He grins.
“Well, who else are you seeing?” You ask, folding your arms, a smile tugging at your lips.
“Just you…” His eyes widen and he tries sitting up, muscles bunching.
“Then it's more than dating.”
“I don't know, I've never done this before!”
“We're together.” You stand next to the couch and he runs his hands up your bare legs to your waist, lips parted as he looks up at you.
“You still sure you want to sleep on the couch?” You whisper, heart beating fast as your gaze rakes over his half naked body.
“Yes. I'm closer to the door. If the Stingers find us, I'll be the first to know.”
“Okay.” You bite back a sigh. “Good night.” You lean down and press a kiss to his lips.
Obviously, if you want him in your bed, which you do, you'll have to be direct. You want him close. You want to feel his body heat and hear his steady breathing next to you. You want him to wrap you in your arms.
Fuck. It's probably best for him to stay on the couch tonight. You wet your lips and turn to head into the bedroom.
“Good night.” He whispers as you pull away.
-
You feel the bed shift in the middle of the night. Then the comforter you shook off in your sleep flutters down on you again. A hot, hard body slides in behind you. You press against him. Adrian's lips brush the crook of your neck.
“Adrian? What's wrong?” You ask groggily.
“You were… I don't know. I heard you cry out while you were sleeping.” He says into your hair.
“Oh…” You murmur. Its pretty normal for your sleep to be disrupted by anxious and intense dreams.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
You hum and curl around the arm he drapes over you, sleep beginning to overcome you again. He stays until you fall asleep, this time it's a dreamless peaceful sleep.
When you wake up in the morning, he's still there, wrapped around you, face pressed into your shoulder, breaths deep and steady. Soft morning light streams in through a window casting a warm glow against his skin and hair. He groans sleepily and presses his hips against you and you grind onto him in response.
“Shit… I'm sorry.” His voice is heavy with sleep and his hands tighten around your waist.
“I must have fallen asleep.” He sighs.
“I'm happy you did.” You murmur and lean into him when he buries his face in your hair.
“You smell so good.” He whimpers, pulling you tighter against him.
“I wish we could just stay here.” You whisper. Does this really have to end? How are things going to shift when Harcourt breaks the news to Adrian that Chris is missing?
“Why can't we?” He says sleepily. “I haven't slept so good in… probably ever.”
You smile. Your hand finds his cheek and he presses a kiss to your lips when you turn toward him.
“Harcourt wants us at headquarters at ten.”
“Fuck.” He grumbles. “Sometimes I wish I was just a normal bus boy.”
“Or a chef?”
“Or a chef.” He murmurs. "I'd do normal if it was with you."
You lie there for a moment longer, savoring the feeling of being held by someone - by more than someone. Adrian. Your partner who has saved your life and you his. He's taken punches, knives, and bullets for you. You would do the same for him. You've laughed and cried together.
You hold onto the warm feeling of having his chest move against your back, arms holding you right, relaxed in one anothers presence. You realize, you could embrace a normal, beautiful, life with him. Even after running from the possibility of it for so long ... you want normal, you want everything, with him.
... to be continued...
link to parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Previous parts and more are on my master list, thank you for reading along and I hope you enjoyed 💙🧜♂️
✭ Hi so I was really upset about something this morning and like the logical bitch I am - I started writing. So here enjoy my Pop Star Vivi au one shot before I actually properly introduce the au lol
Actual summary - Vivi, being a robot, is extremely reluctant to even try going into the rain despite... Needing to leave the house of course. Thankfully, she has a trusty assistant to help her in this au. Unfortunately though, her assistant loves pushing her to try new things... Including stepping into the rain because she knows she's waterproof. They also have a much needed conversation and it's just a really chill fic lowkey. ✭
☆ Shining Stars au is mine!! Yippee!! It's also purely a Vigi au I'm so sorry it's very very self indulgent (feel free to ask me about it!) ☆
✩ Time to tag the usual crew, who all actually probably know about this au because I keep leaking it in my Discord server lol
It was just another autumn day, another day of being the celebrities assistant and...
Waiting outside in a yellow raincoat, matching rainboots and staring at her boss as she trembled like she was being asked to step into a ring of fire instead of just the calming rain falling from the sky around them. Gi just stared at her, unmoving, not believing that this was the same snappy, sarcastic and kind of full of herself idol that she had been hired to assist. This was a trembling mess of a woman, hiding her face and tucking her tail between her legs, looking like she was about to get murdered instead of just... Slightly wet.
This was honestly kind of pathetic.
"Miss Vivi, I understand that you're a robot, but-"
"Vee fries in water. I can't fry. I have a tour next week! I have meet and greets! I have social media to worry about!"
"I worry about the socials now, Miss Vivi. You can't let the numbers get to you, you have to understand that they're not controllable. They don't mean as much as real fans do, real people who show you how to love and how to get through the day, how to feel better when everything feels like it's... Just not okay. Like you did for me... And I want to do it for you too." Gi softly replied, soon looking down at herself, then pulling out a green umbrella and opening it, just to offer it to the trembling robot who was huddled near the door in her sneakers, jeans and hoodie. It wasn't the best outfit for a casual stroll to the cafe in the rain but... It was the best attempt at looking casual the robot had done by herself so far. Vivi just looked at the umbrella, then looked at Gi, who just smiled warmly.
"We can play this game all day, Miss Vivi. I don't mind."
"Why..?"
"Because." Gi shrugged, thinking for a moment before smiling again. "You deserve to understand that it's okay to face your fears and not be okay... Just like anyone else. I know I'm just your dumb little celebrity-"
"You are not fucking dumb." Vivi hissed as she slightly move out of hiding, glaring at her assistant like she just committed a war crime. Or unfollowed her on social media, that was just like a war crime to the idol though. "You're just naive, thinking you can just- be my friend! You're my assistant, my coworker, nothing else!"
"Still in denial huh?" Gi teased with a huge grin, then looked innocent when she noticed the growing blush on the other's face. "I mean, co workers don't fall asleep cuddling each other, I don't think."
"I AM NOT A LESBIAN!"
"Me neither, I'm bi."
"I'M NOT GAY IN ANY SORT OF WAY!"
"De Nile is a river, boss." Gi teasingly pointed out, smiling even wider. "Aren't you scared of water?"
Vivi paused at that, then stomped over and simply went to shove the gachapon out into the rain, but Gi quickly backed up in time. Vivi, having accidentally walked off said porch in pursuit of the one who was pissing her off, was now standing in the rain, slightly off her front porch, staring at the other like the world just exploded. Gi just watched her closely for any reactions, then slowly offered the umbrella, which Vivi quickly took and hid under.
"You had a reason..."
"Mhm, you don't think when you're angry." Gi pointed out, giggling afterwards. Vivi couldn't even be mad anymore as she just adjusted the umbrella to be more comfortable for her to hold before she looked up at the sky, taking a moment to watch as the rain fell around them.
"You're too observant for your own good, Gi." Vivi softly spoke after a long pause, getting a little laugh from the toon standing beside her before they leaned against her. Vivi just put her arm around her, letting out a soft sigh as she felt her face heat up again. That dumb gachapon really just knew how to win people over after pissing them off... Vivi glared at her slightly. Gi just looked up at her with those same, big mismatched eyes and little innocent smile she always had, which made the pop star turn away again. If she kept looking she'd know she'd be teased relentlessly for it... Even if she secretly adored the chaotically playful teasing and loved hearing her little snort laughs every time she went along with whatever that chaos gremlin had in store for her.
"... Right... Let's just get the damn coffee already..." Vivi softly spoke up before she let go of the other and casually started strolling down her long driveway, avoiding looking over at the other as she knew she was being as adorable as possible right now. She memorized the sounds of her skipping so she didn't have to witness it and get that same annoying feeling in her chest... Even if the robot found it comforting at times.
"Right, so, I was actually going to ask if you wanted me to schedule anything for you today or if today's just your getting ready for the tour next week day. I could look at some last minute openings for you, maybe we could host a spontaneous meet and greet at one of the local libraries or something fun!" Gi suggested as she pulled out her green work tablet, though she was stunned when the idol snatched it away from her and shook her head.
"Coffee first, idiot."
"Ah, right-"
"You need your energy, look after yourself better too. You're important to the tour, I can't have you burning yourself out the week before either. If you're insistent though, I suggest helping out at the animal shelter, it's not only great for popularity and maintaining my public image, it's pretty relaxing just walking dogs and helping them meet new people. It brings eyes to the shelter as well..."
"You like dogs?"
"...They remind me of you..." Vivi whispered, blushing as she looked up at the sky again, trying to bury her feelings as they walked side by side down the empty sidewalk, trying to stay nonchalant and casual. "They're loyal animals, never let you drift off from the right path yet never shove you too hard when you're not okay. They remind you how much you're cherished and loved even if you snap at them a bit at first, they make great companions when you're lonely and you need someone to remind you that you're heard and seen." She explained, pausing in her steps for a moment afterwards, swallowing the urge to say something else. To admit that that's exactly what her assistant did for her, to confess that she's never felt so loved and seen in her entire life by anyone else. Vivi squinted a bit at her own thoughts, though the gachapon just waited patiently at her side, just like she always did.
So patient. So caring.
She didn't deserve it.
She never deserved someone so patient... Or anything so patient for that matter.
"I don't deserve a dog."
"Miss Vivi, I don't think that's true, I think you'd be a great dog owner."
"I don't deserve you." Vivi blurted out quietly, looking off into the nearby field of grass and freshly trimmed bushes, staring the sign that signalled they were leaving the neighborhood she lived in. Gi just stared up at the celebrity in complete shock and confusion, wondering what she could have possibly meant by that, wondering if she was being way too kind for the idol to believe she was being genuine and doing her best to just - help.
She didn't know the struggle the idol was going through right now, the struggle of finally accepting that she wasn't straight, that she genuinely was falling in love with someone she never would've expected to cherish so much.
Vivi just shrugged after a long pause, giving her assistant her work tablet back before she looked back at the sidewalk, gently nudging the other before she started walking again. Gi just walked beside her, keeping her pace, keeping her focus on the very conflicted looking robot pop star as they walked together.
"Miss Vivi..?"
"... I lied when I said you weren't my friend, I'm sorry... I don't know how to accept close bonds... I never really had any as a kid... I was just that strange robot girl in the back of the class in school... I'm sorry I lie to you a lot, I'm just... Not sure how to accept... This. Us. You." Vivi softly explained as they walked together, shrugging as she pulled up the hood to her hoodie and adjusted her umbrella. "You're too good for me... You should really reconsider..."
"Reconsider living the best life ever? Pfft, you're joking, right?"
"..."
"Right..?"
"I'm not the perfect celebrity everyone thinks I am, Gi. I don't think this is the best life..."
"Well, I don't need perfect, perfect is boring. I think it's fun having some bad days, because they make the good ones even better. I don't care how long it takes for you to adjust, I'm a patient girl, soooo- I'm not leaving unless you fire me yourself, as I said on my first day, on the follow up call you made." Gi replied sweetly, grabbing the idol's hand gently with a warm smile and that same look of love and genuine care in her eyes that Vivi had seen every single day since she was hired. The robot stared at her for a good minute, then weakly smiled as she gripped her hand right back, a giggle soon forcing itself out of her from how genuinely happy she felt holding her hand in the rain on the sidewalk on just another random day as they walked to get coffee.
Vivi honestly had never felt more loved and happy in her entire life, and she was really hoping it wasn't showing as her natural smiles were extremely awkward looking and she knew it all too well.
"Then you're fired, get outta here." Vivi teased sweetly, elbowing the gachapon softly with a wink and one of her extremely awkward smiles. Gi immediately burst into a fit of those adorable snort giggles Vivi had grown to adore, the gachapon covering her mouth with a sleeve covered hand as she tried to keep her laughter down as they approached the little cafe the pop star had always gone to every morning to get her coffee.
"Awh fuck not again!"
"I'll give you your last paycheck directly this time, right over your stupid eyes so you see it this time instead of stepping on it."
"You're such a meanie!! I might just quit anyways!!" Gi retorted before she burst out laughing, getting the idol beside her to also burst out laughing at their dumb, nonsensical inside joke of the fake firings that never even happened before. They both just made it up on the spot, both just going along with it and bullshitting it together. They were hysterical, even though the events they were joking about never even happened.
The barista inside just stared at them with her huge brown eyes and sighed, shaking her head as she just started making their usual coffees, used to seeing them every single morning and knowing exactly what they wanted because of it.
They were two doofuses in love and not even aware of it, just laughing together in front of a coffee shop they were planning to walk into but haven't even noticed they were there yet. Vivi honestly even forgot it was raining... All she could think about was her dumbass little assistant who was laughing right beside her, who had stolen her heart and changed her life for the better.
Albeit making her life a bit more chaotic in the meantime... She appreciated the chaos though, and just hoped she'd be the idol, boss and best friend that little chaos creature deserved.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming