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28. Survive
Last Updated:
2024-12-17 17:21:37
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Fluid 29. Last Time
Quill wiped down the machine and glanced at the girl's wrist again. The small infinity symbol was clean against her skin, as precise as it was forgettable. Eighty-four of these. He'd counted."You're good to go," he muttered, tugging the gloves off.She beamed at him, rattling off something about how much she loved it, but Quill barely listened. He finished cleaning up his station, nodded as she handed over cash, and ushered her toward the door. The bell chimed faintly as it swung shut behind her.The door opened minutes later. "Quill."Quill stiffened. He turned slowly. Herc Matthews stood near the counter, grinning in a way that was both familiar and disarming. Herc always managed to look comfortable, like he was born to be wherever he happened to be at the time, and make people notice in the process. Tall, broad, scarred, and annoyingly handsome. His mismatched eyes...one brown, one striking blue... locked onto Quill.He'd always looked at Quill that way. Like he never wanted to st
Last Updated : 2024-12-17Fluid 30. Stop
Quill pressed the final line of ink into Herc's skin. He wiped the design clean, examining the smooth curve of the tattoo as it wrapped perfectly over the scar along Herc's lower stomach."Done," he muttered, setting the machine down and reaching for a cloth.Herc tilted his head, glancing down at the fresh ink. "Looks good. Like always."Quill didn't respond. He wiped away the blood and excess ink, then cleaned up the rest. "I think this is the last one," Quill said abruptly as he tossed the stained cloth into the tray.Herc frowned, sitting up carefully. "What do you mean?"Quill pulled off his gloves, turning toward the counter to clean his tools. "I'll send you to someone else to finish the rest. I can recommend a couple good artists."The chair creaked as Herc stood. "So, that's it? I don't get a choice in this?"Quill's shoulders stiffened slightly, but he kept his back turned. "It's probably for the best.""Best for who?" Herc shot back.Quill didn't answer. Herc pulled his sh
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Fluid 31. Planted A Seed
Quill paused, his hands steady as the needle hummed faintly against Hawk's ribs. The design was coming together smoothly, but he could feel the tension radiating off Hawk, his breathing still too heavy. Quill shut off the machine before leaning in.His lips brushed lightly against Hawk's. "I have always loved you. Stop doubting that."Hawk blinked, his breathing slowing slightly. "I know… but did you love him? Did you? You two were always so...""Stop," Quill interrupted sharply, cutting him off before the spiral could start. He grabbed a clean cloth and pressed it gently against Hawk's side. "You're already breathing too heavy for me to work."Hawk didn't say anything at first, but his shoulders still rose and fell unevenly. Quill sighed, setting the machine down and shifting until he straddled Hawk in the chair. He kept the cloth pressed against Hawk's ribs.Hawk groaned dramatically. "Get off me. You're gonna break the damn chair."Quill smirked faintly, leaning closer until their
Last Updated : 2024-12-18Fluid 32. About You
Lilly hesitated as she stepped into the dimly lit back room of Fluid. The air felt heavier here, carrying a faint tang of alcohol mixed with the metallic scent of old paint. Quill's boots clicked softly against the scuffed floor as he locked the door behind them. She cast him a sidelong glance, suspicion creeping in like an itch she couldn't scratch. Across the room, Hawk leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tight over his chest. Even in the shadows, the set of his jaw screamed tension."Well? What's the big reveal?"Quill shifted his weight. He exchanged a look with Hawk before taking a sharp breath. "We're werewolves."Lilly blinked once. Then twice. Finally, she snorted."Werewolves?" She smirked. "Good one. So what's the real secret?"Hawk groaned. "He's not joking."She stopped moving, and the smile slowly disappeared. She quickly looked back and forth between them. "You're serious."Quill nodded. "Dead serious."Hawk rolled his shoulders. "Alpha males, if you want the full
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Fluid 33. The Fun Part
The small apartment above the businesses felt oppressive that night, the usual hum of comfort replaced by the weight of anticipation. Quill stood in front of the mirror, tugging at his tie with mounting frustration. The fabric twisted and wrinkled in his hands, refusing to cooperate. He threw it down on the dresser with a sharp exhale, leaning on the edge with his palms. The reflection staring back at him didn't look like him. The suit, pristine and tailored, felt like an ill-fitting costume for a role he didn't want to play."This is stupid," he muttered, brushing his hair back before it flopped forward again. "I look like I'm auditioning for a bank job."Hawk didn't answer immediately. He was sprawled on the couch, one ankle resting on his knee, a half-full whiskey tumbler balanced in his hand. His own suit fit perfectly, the sharp lines complimenting his frame, and somehow, he looked both at ease and like he didn't belong there either."You don't look like a banker," Hawk said eve
Last Updated : 2024-12-23Fluid 34. Why I Am
The office felt stifling as Quill and Hawk focused on the grainy security feed. The static shimmered faintly, but it didn't obscure the image of their fathers marching toward the gallery entrance like they were the ones who owned the place. Quill leaned closer."They're here," he muttered, tightening his grip on the edge of the desk.Hawk stood motionless behind Lilly's chair, his eyes locked on the screen. "I told you they'd show. Even if they were fighting, I knew they would show."Quill rubbed his temple, exhaling sharply. "I can't believe they are acting like we wouldn't know they did any of this. Really? Do they really think we are that naive?" Hawk rolled his eyes and leaned against Quill. "No, they think they scared us enough it wouldn't come up. That we wouldn't dare go near something like this." Quill leaned back against him and allowed the contact to calm them both for a second. "Or each other." Lilly leaned casually against the filing cabinet nearby, watching the screen
Last Updated : 2024-12-23Fluid 35. Can't Control
Hawk leaned near the booth's edge, the muffled buzz of the gallery below barely registering. Lilly stood beside him, a notepad balanced against her hand as she tapped a pen lightly on its surface."Collect the names and details of everyone asking about Quill's work," Hawk instructed, keeping his focus on the closed door that led upstairs. "We'll need them later."Lilly slipped the notepad under her arm. "It's already done."He nodded, then he stepped away from the booth, moving toward the stairs. He didn't say anything else as he pushed through the gallery doors and headed upstairs.The apartment was quiet, almost unnaturally so, until a loud crash shattered the silence. Hawk stopped mid-step, listening as another crash echoed from inside. Without hesitation, he opened the door and stepped inside.Quill stood in the center of the room, surrounded by debris. A broken side table lay in pieces near the wall. One of his finished paintings, vivid and expressive just days ago, had been torn
Last Updated : 2024-12-24Fluid 36. Let It Go
The paint dried in uneven streaks beneath them, vivid smears marking every chaotic movement from moments before. Hawk lay on his back, one hand resting in the mess of colors, while Quill stretched out beside him, quieter now. The tarp clung to their skin, the air carrying the faint scent of paint and sweat.Quill shifted closer, his breath warm against Hawk's chest. "Do you think they regret it? Any of it?"Hawk traced an absent-minded line through a smear of blue paint on the tarp. "No. People like them don't regret things. They double down."Quill stayed quiet. "I hate that it still gets to me. It feels like they win every time I care.""They don't win. You still made them face it. That's a kind of victory."Quill brushed his hand lightly through the mess between them. "I don't feel victorious. I feel… emptied out.""That's good." Hawk sat up. "Now there's room for something else."Quill let that settle. He didn't move for a while, simply breathing and listening to Hawk's heartbeat
Last Updated : 2024-12-24
Latest chapter
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
Fluid 43. Cancel It
Hawk struggled to keep his grip steady as he carried Quill up the narrow stairwell. Every step felt slower than the last, but stopping wasn’t an option since people seemed to be everywhere. People who didn't need to see Quill in this condition. They were both rogue now. The last thing they needed to display was weakness. Lilly emerged from the second-floor landing and froze. “What happened?” She reached for Quill’s arm to steady him as Hawk's foot caught on the step.“It was his dad. He cornered him in public where he knew we couldn't do much to defend ourselves,” Hawk adjusted Quill’s weight before trying the step again. When he barely managed to step up onto the landing, he sighed loudly. “Just... Just help me get him inside, will you?”Without another word, Lilly slipped under Quill’s other arm, helping Hawk maneuver him through the doorway and onto the couch. She knelt beside him, pulling back his shirt to check the damage. Dark bruises were already forming, and dried blood clung
Fluid 42. Nice Choice
Hawk leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, watching Quill wrestle with a stubborn IKEA manual. The kitchen smelled faintly of coffee and sawdust from the makeshift furniture projects they’d started but hadn’t finished. Their new place was beginning to feel like home... Kind of. It felt like a chaotic mess more than anything at that moment. “We need bedding,” Quill muttered, tossing the manual onto the table with a resigned groan. His dark hair fell over his eyes, but he didn’t bother pushing it back. Hawk just smiled at how frustrated Quill was over something that small. “Something that doesn’t feel like sandpaper or retains the sweat smell that hovers around you constantly. And plates that match. Or, you know, plates at all. Silverware would be fantastic as well. You know, metal ones, not plastic. I mean, we are adults, right?”Hawk smirked and sipped from his mug. “You planning a dinner party or something?”Quill shot him a look. “I just want to eat off something that i
Fluid 41. Make Waves
Quill paced outside the tattoo shop. Hawk was nearby, leaning against the doorframe. “You’re wearing a hole in the sidewalk.”Quill didn’t respond, focusing on the horizon where Hadlin should have appeared by now. “He’s late."“You don’t have to do this, you know.” Hawk stepped away from the doorframe. “You’re working yourself up before he even gets here. What if he shows and you’re already unraveling?”“And what if he doesn’t show up at all?” Quill shot back, finally turning toward Hawk. Quill bristled at how easily Hawk could unsettle him without even trying.“Then we’ll handle it,” Hawk replied. “But he’ll show. You know he will. He showed up to the art show. I just wish you could have met with him then.”Quill opened his mouth to argue when a shadow appeared around the corner. Hadlin’s figure emerged, broad and familiar but carrying a presence that felt too much like a memory and a stranger combined. As he came closer, Quill had to take a deep breath. Hawk moved aside, giving Quil
Fluid 40. When You're Ready
Sunlight spilled into the room, catching on the edges of the sheets tangled from the night before. The warm aroma of coffee mingled with the faint hum of morning life. Hawk shifted in the bed as Quill placed a steaming mug on the nightstand. He stretched slowly before pulling the mug closer, savoring its inviting heat. Across the room, Quill moved with uncontainable energy.Bare feet tapped against the floor, moving with a sense of purpose that seemed to escalate by the second. Drawers opened and cabinets closed in rhythm, filling the small apartment with a gentle chaos. A half-folded blanket was tossed over the arm of the couch, quickly abandoned in favor of a stack of papers needing attention. Quill’s shirt, half-tucked into sweatpants, betrayed the impatience driving him from task to task.Hawk leaned back against the headboard, the cup in hand barely touched. He observed Quill darting between chores, his movements light and full of energy.“What’s gotten into you?” Hawk asked.Qui
Fluid 39. Did I
The backdoor of Fluid slammed shut behind them, the muffled echoes of the crowd barely audible as Hawk dragged Quill upstairs. His grip was firm, his strides relentless, and his presence demanded attention. Quill followed, working hard to keep his breathing steady. Hawk was so charged, so sure, he didn’t want to shatter the moment by mentioning what he’d seen. Herc could wait. This was Hawk’s time.The door to their apartment swung open, and they stumbled inside. Hawk didn’t waste a second, turning and pressing Quill against the nearest wall. He explored Quill’s suit with urgent and searching movements, filled with a raw hunger tempered only by hesitation. Quill felt the uncertainty in Hawk’s actions, his careful intensity as he navigated this new territory. The mix of boldness and hesitance elicited a visceral response from Quill, distracting him from everything else.“Damn... You liked that, didn’t you?” Hawk said, tugging the zipper of Quill’s suit halfway down. He moved his hands
