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15. Still Hiding
Last Updated:
2024-11-01 20:54:00
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Fluid 16. Didn't Do This
Hawk and Quill followed Lilly through the main floor to her office. She stepped inside, motioning for them to enter. The desk was scattered with a spread of photos from the previous night. At first glance, they appeared harmless enough until Hawk realized what they were. "Wait," he muttered as he bit back a growl. "You were taking photos? What the hell, Lilly. We didn't agree to that."Lilly glanced at him. "Calm down. No photos of either of you were taken. I'm careful with these things. Some guests paid extra to be photographed for custom art pieces or to take the images home. Commissioned works, you know? You're not in any of them. Promise."Quill frowned, eyeing the photos before looking back at her. "Then why bring us here? If we weren't in any of them, what's the point? I don't want to see others... moments.""Well…" she began, glancing between them. "I sign NDAs with all my clients, so I can't show most of these images openly. But Quill, as an artist interested in commission w
Last Updated : 2024-11-02Fluid 17. A Mirror
"You know…" Quill said, his voice edged with frustration as he sketched rough outlines on the notepad in front of him. "I'm happy your dad's eyes don't glow the same color as yours when he's shifted. His wolf is an ugly piece of shit, I remember that much. It should be easy to capture it even though it's been years since I saw him as a wolf. Unfortunately, your wolves are similar enough to jog my memory."A soft throat-clear cut through the air. Quill's hand froze mid-sketch, and Hawk whipped his head toward the door.Lily was leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed and an unimpressed expression painted on her face. "Don't stop on my account," she said dryly. "I'm dying to hear what else you have to say about these wolves of yours."Quill carefully set the pencil down. "How long have you been standing there?""Long enough," Lily replied, stepping further into the room. "Long enough to hear about the wolves you're so keen on working into this little commission. And definitely l
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Fluid 18. Not That Simple
Hawk stepped out of the shop and headed straight for Fluid. He didn't hesitate. The door was locked, but his key solved that problem quickly enough. Being Lilly's landlord came with a few perks, and he wasn't shy about using them when necessary. Quietly, he slipped inside. Lilly sat behind her desk, papers fanned out in front of her. Her pen clattered to the desk as her head snapped to the door. She stood abruptly. "You broke in? Are you kidding me right now?" "Don't be so dramatic. I didn't break in. I used my key. I'm your landlord. Remember?" She snorted and crossed her arms. "That doesn't mean you can just walk in whenever you feel like it. Boundaries, Hawk. Heard of those?" He shifted slightly. "Boundaries? Funny. You didn't seem to care much about those when Quill let himself in not too long ago." She rolled her eyes. "That was different. Back then, I didn't know you two were lying to me." "We weren't lying." He pushed off the doorframe and took a step forward. "And Quill
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Fluid 19. Always You
Ding. Hawk glanced down at his phone, grinning as another email popped up. Another RSVP for the art show. He hadn't expected the responses to flood in so quickly, but they had. Nearly twenty confirmations arrived within hours of sending the invitation, and they hadn't slowed since. Each one felt like a small victory. Setting the phone aside, Hawk leaned back against the gym counter, scanning the space that would soon host the event. It wasn't exactly the kind of venue most would expect for an art show, and Quill had made sure to voice that opinion. Several times. "It's a gym," Quill had muttered the night before, standing in the middle of the floor with his arms crossed. "It smells like sweat and stale body oil. You're really telling me this is where you want people admiring my work?" "It won't smell like this on the night," Hawk had assured him, hands raised in defense. "I'll clean it. Deep clean it. You won't even recognize it. Trust me." Quill hadn't looked convinced. "Trus
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Fluid 20. Without Letting Him Go
The scent of paint and sawdust lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh coffee that Quill had brewed earlier. The apartment above the building wasn't much yet. Just bare walls, a few mismatched pieces of furniture, and an air mattress shoved against one corner that was doubling as Hawk's bed. A pile of unopened boxes sat near the door, evidence of how chaotic the move had been. Hawk leaned against the small counter in the kitchen, his gaze trailing to where Quill was sprawled out on the mattress, sketchbook in hand. The sun filtered through the large, uncovered windows, highlighting the younger man's furrowed brow as he worked on tattoo designs he planned to offer."You know that sketchbook's going to fall apart, right?" Hawk teased. "Pretty sure you've redrawn the same design ten times now."Quill glanced up, his longer brown hair falling into his face. "It's called refining, genius. You wouldn't get it. Bench-pressing and sketching don't exactly overlap in skill
Last Updated : 2024-12-15Fluid 21. Complicated
Quill woke before dawn. He stared up at the ceiling, willing himself to shake off the remnants of sleep. He'd slept better than he'd had in years. Hawk had only shifted closer throughout the night. He was now pressed against his back with his arm covering his eyes. Quill loved waking up like this. He always had. He rubbed his face, forcing himself upright. His legs swung over the side of the bed, and he stretched until his shoulders cracked. He looked back to Hawk and smiled. Hawk sighed faintly from under his arm but didn't wake up. They had been inching closer again, closing a gap that had stretched far too wide for far too long. Quill had missed this... Missed him.Their rekindled connection was both thrilling and unsettling. They were building something again, piece by piece, but the foundation still felt shaky. It always did when their Dads were involved. Quill couldn't decide if the prospect of losing it again scared him more than the effort it took to hold on to it.He pulled
Last Updated : 2024-12-16Fluid 22. Got A Problem
Lilly perched on the edge of the bed, leaning slightly against Hawk's side, while Quill lingered by the door awkwardly. She glanced between them, ready to tease them solely because of how uncomfortable they both suddenly were. "Are you seriously planning to host Quill's first big art show in a gym?" she asked.Hawk shifted and rubbed his face. "I didn't have many other options."Lilly smiled as she tilted her head. "You didn't have many other options, or you didn't want to think about other options? Big difference."Quill stepped into the room. "I told him it was a bad idea. It's not exactly a flattering venue."Hawk exhaled sharply. "I know. But I did what I had to do."Lilly folded her arms, clearly considering it. "It's clever, I'll give you that. But it still feels... off. I'm sorry I kicked you out and made you even have to think about using the gym."Quill shrugged, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his discomfort. "You don't need to apologize. It's not like it ruine
Last Updated : 2024-12-16Fluid 23. Together
Quill grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. He rummaged through a pile of clothes on the floor, muttering under his breath as he pulled on a shirt. Hawk watched him from the bed with his arms crossed."You're leaving?" Hawk asked.Quill didn't answer immediately, his focus on lacing up his boots. "I should get back to my place," he said finally. "Can't have people thinking we're... you know."Hawk leaned forward. "Thinking what?"Quill paused, looking everywhere but at him. "That we're living together. Like... like a couple."Hawk stood, crossing the room in two long strides to stand in front of him. "We're not hiding like that anymore." Quill froze. "So... we're a... couple?"Before Hawk could answer, Lilly laughed loudly. "About time you two figured that out. Now focus. There's a huge, very irate man downstairs."Quill straightened. "My dad?""Brown hair, brown eyes. Yup," Lilly said with a pop of her lips. "And he's in a mood, apparently."Hawk glanced at Quill, then back
Last Updated : 2024-12-16
Latest chapter
Fluid 52. Be Your Alpha
The room stayed dark. Sealed shut. Blacklights hummed low and steady above them, casting everything in bruised violet. No windows, no clocks. It could've been midnight. It could've been noon. Time didn't reach in here.Quill moved first. He tried to stretch his legs, but his muscles pulled tight. His joints ached from staying twisted up in the same position too long. His muscles protested. He blinked against the dark, vision still blurry, and forced in a deep breath. The soreness had changed. No longer jagged. Now it was just a steady throb, sunk deep into tendons and spine.Hawk shifted beside him. Bare skin dragged against his ribs. Warm. Solid. He didn't move far. Didn't pull away. Their legs stayed tangled. One arm rested across Quill's stomach.It should've felt peaceful.There was a sharp and sudden commotion near the door. Plastic or cardboard. Something scraping against metal.Quill flinched. Hawk shot upright.Lily stood in the doorway holding two paper bags and a cardboard t
Fluid 51. I Want More
The forest closed in. Every branch scraped open skin. Every root waited to catch an ankle. Quill kept one arm tight around Hawk's ribs, and Hawk leaned in harder with each step. Their legs didn't move so much as drag forward, shredded by gravel and stiff from the shift. Nothing in them worked right. Nothing had settled yet.They didn't speak. The path to the edge of Hawk's land tilted in and out of view, soft with fog, harsh with light, never still. Every breath hurt. Talking would've meant letting go.The sound came fast. Branches cracking. Leaves scattering. Footfalls too heavy, too reckless. Human.Quill tensed. Hawk lifted his head.Then Lily appeared, tearing down the slope with both arms out like she'd fight the trees if she had to. Dirt streaked her jeans. Her jacket flapped open. Hair tangled across her face, caught in the brush she didn't bother to avoid."I've been screaming your names for two hours!" Her voice cracked. "Two! I thought you were dead. I thought one of you ki
Fluid 50. His Alpha
Hawk's shift came slower, more deliberate, each crack of bone echoing through the trees. His body moved like it was being reassembled piece by piece. Blood still covered him, and each tremble beneath the skin said he was running on sheer will alone. When it finished, he stood tall, barely steady, his chest rising hard with every breath. Quill didn't say anything. He couldn't. His chest tightened under the weight of it all. The sight of Hawk standing upright, blood-soaked and trembling, sparked relief so sharp it nearly took him down. But beneath it was something else, something that cracked him open in a way he didn't know how to brace against. It wasn't fear. It wasn't awe. It was the raw, staggering realization that the boy he loved had become something else entirely. He stepped forward. One foot, then the other. His knees quivered beneath the effort. The ache in his bones warned him to stop, but he couldn't. He had to see. Had to feel that Hawk was real. Heat radiated from Hawk,
Fluid 49. Inevitable
The door cracked before it gave, wood splintering with a groan that echoed through the apartment. Quill's wolf shoved through, claws gouging the floor as the last remnants of restraint vanished. The hinges snapped free. Wood slammed the wall, leaving Lily pressed back against the tub with her arms raised defensively. He took one step inside. Then froze. She put her hands down and exploded. "You said three knocks and a growl. That wasn't three knocks and a growl, Quill! That was a damn explosion." His ears flicked. His muscles twitched like he couldn't decide whether to lunge or curl up. For a second, they just stared at each other, both breathing hard. Lily wasn't scared of him, and she wasn't exactly backing down, even in the face of something that should have scared the shit out of her. He dropped to the tile. It was the only thing he could think to do. The shift slammed through him in a wave of cracking bones and torn skin. He didn't fight it. He didn't need to. He collapsed f
Fluid 48. He Knew
Hawk moved in silence, blood dripping from his fur in thick, wet streaks that mapped a path of everything he'd survived to get here. Every step across the landing sent pain cutting up through his legs, but he welcomed it. He wore it like proof. His body had taken more than it ever had before, had broken in places that would scar permanently, and yet it carried him up one more level. The stairs groaned beneath his weight, old wood creaking under his sheer size.He was bigger than before, heavier from weeks of pushing his body past its limit, built for this exact moment whether he'd known it or not. His claws curled hard against the steps, carving shallow lines into the wood without meaning to.He reached the top. Paused. Stared down the hall.No guards. Not even a whisper of breath on the air. No shifting shadows. No footsteps. Nothing.Just the door at the end. Cracked open. A glow from a desk lamp bleeding out through the gap. No commands being shouted. No smug Delta watching the ha
Fluid 47. Claim
Quill sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, his fingers intertwined with Lily’s. He didn’t look at her. His focus locked on the metal rails that seemed to mock him. They were his own cage.Hawk had been gone for eighteen hours, and the agony bleeding through their bond had intensified. The pain wasn’t his own, but it was close enough to feel like it. He squeezed Lily’s hand once as he felt a new type taking over his body."I don’t think this is random," he muttered. "He left upset. You saw it. There’s only one place he goes when he’s like that. He never learns that lesson."Lily frowned. "What are you saying?"Quill stood abruptly, letting go of her hand even as he swayed. "It’s his dad. It has to be. He runs to his family's land when he’s pissed. It's an instinct he cannot deny, and his dad knows it. If I’m feeling this kind of pain through the bond, there’s no way it’s anything good." Every fiber of him screamed to run, to find Hawk and tear apart whatever threat stood in the way, but
Fluid 46. Endurance
Hawk’s shoulders slammed against the damp, cracked concrete wall as a fist collided with his ribs. The dull ache of hours past was nothing compared to the fresh, sharp agony spreading through him now. Blood trickled from his lip, the copper tang mingling with the mildew and sweat clinging to the air. They’d kept him upright for nearly five hours, the chains digging deeper into his wrists each time his knees buckled. The Deltas worked in typical precise, brutal shifts, ensuring the punishment never stopped for more than a moment.The whip cracked again with a sound that seemed to echo off the walls. The leather struck his already raw back, and the skin tore under the relentless assault. Pain seared across his shoulders and spine. Still, he didn’t cry out. The defiance in his silence seemed to irritate them more than any words could have.“Stubborn bastard,” one of them sneered, his boots crunching over the dirt-caked floor as he circled Hawk. A steel baton slammed into Hawk’s side. Hi
Fluid 45. Show Back Up
Quill quietly ended the call with Lilly as he realized his slip. Hawk stared at him in disbelief. "Herc was there? At Fluid? Watching us? Are you fucking kidding me?" Quill's head lowered. "I didn't know he'd be there. I swear I didn't see his name on the guest list."Hawk's growl reverberated around the sparse apartment as he stepped back, pacing a tight line across the room. "Wow. Fucking wow. You didn't think to tell me? Not once? All this time?""I didn't see him until that night, across the room." Quill wavered slightly, but he stood his ground. "You were riding such a high from the performance, and then..." He gestured vaguely toward his own injured body. "Things got complicated.""Complicated?" Hawk barked out, his footsteps halting abruptly. "You thought hiding this would somehow make that better?""I wasn't trying to hide it," Quill replied quickly, the words tumbling out as he realized that Hawk was insanely pissed about this. "It just never felt like the right time to bri
Fluid 44. Slip Back
Conversation filled the apartment, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter from Lilly on the speakerphone. It offered no hint of the storm churning beneath Hawk's skin. He tried to focus on the weights he was lifting, but his attention was split. Across the room, Quill sat reclined on the couch, flipping through a sketchbook. Lilly's laugh came through the speakerphone he'd propped on the coffee table. He was describing a project idea with excitement as Lilly cleaned her office downstairs. Hawk adjusted his grip on the barbell. He pressed it upward, his muscles straining under the weight. He'd brought the equipment up from the gym days ago, unwilling to leave Quill alone for long. Each rep felt like a battle against his thoughts, which circled endlessly around the easy camaraderie he heard between Quill and Lilly."You've ruined your entire schedule now," Quill teased.Hawk set the barbell back onto its stand with a sharp clank. "I'll work it out. Sometimes you have to break
