Chapter Text
Setting down the eyeliner you take a look at your masterpiece. Astros, having been the unlucky victim of the latest command, takes it in strides as you finish doing his makeup. While you wish you could say you had done his makeup horribly on purpose, the fact that his face was just so small, the tools too big, and you very much not adept at makeup, he looked more like a 5 dollar clown off of Craigslist, then the over the top drag look you had been going for.
Oh well, not like it needed to be good, it was just for shits and giggles anyway.
You gave Astros a lopsided grin and a thumbs up as you tried to swallow your giggles, to which he responded with two lazy finger guns before strutting down an imaginary catwalk and striking various poses. You let your laughter flow at that, being joined by everyone else as Astros continued to pose like the true inner drag queen he was.
Tuscan let out a cat call, likely trying to get a rise out of Astros or Admiral, but Astros, not one to be outdone, simply blew Tuscan a kiss and winked.
You snorted at Tuscan’s indignant look, as if he was insulted that Astros would dare to dish him a serving of his own medicine.
“addy do i look like the ideal partner or what?” Astros asked, standing before Admiral with his head tilted, and chin framed by his hands.
“I Would Say Or What,” Admiral teased, a ghost of a smile on his teeth.
“ouch babe. that hurt. right here,” Astros said, tapping his sternum with a pointer phalange. “in fact, i might just fall down ,” he finished before belly-flopping on top of Admiral.
“Guh! Why!?” Admiral cried as he tried to extract the koala-like bitty from his side.
“heh, sorry babe, just couldn’t help falling for you,” Astros responded with a tired chuckle as he nuzzled his face into Admiral’s cheekbone. Unfortunately for the now brightly blushing bitty, Astros also smeared his makeup all over Admiral’s cheek by doing so.
“Stars Blast It Astros! The Makeup!” Admiral whined, having given into his fate of being Astros’ body pillow.
“heh, i’ll makeup to you,” Astros answered, chuckling at the groan he received in return.
You laughed alongside the group at Astros’ antics, but tried your best to quell your giggles as you shuffled the deck for a new round. You pulled a three, and slid two more cards towards Admiral and Astros since you didn’t think Astros would be letting Admiral go anytime soon after finally being allowed back onto his pillow.
When everyone had their card, Tuscan laid the king card on the table and smirked. Bringing his hands together, he cracked his knuckles, making you grimace at the horrible popping noise it made.
“heh, looks like it’s time ta reign on this parade. 1, go get me some mustard an’ oreos. 2, make at least one pun in every sentence ya say for da next 2 rounds,” Tuscan said, pausing to snicker at Admiral who had loudly groaned at the second command, while James got up and headed to the kitchen. “3, 4, and 5, tell me yer dirtiest pickup line.” Tuscan finished, smiling wickedly at the rest of you still in the room.
James returned to the couch, dropping off a couple of mustard packets and four Oreos on a napkin in front of Tuscan, before returning to his seat next to Cass.
“What’d I miss?” James asked.
“Y/N, Astros, and I have to tell Tuscan a raunchy pickup line,” Cass sighed as James began to snicker.
“tuscan,” Astros called, gaining said skeleton’s attention, his grin ticking up when Tuscan’s gaze shifted to him, “here's one for ya. my favorite planet is usually pluto, but it could be uranus if ya let me explore it.” Astros said grinning widely as he leaned over Admiral to watch at Tuscan.
Admiral’s skull flamed a vibrant royal blue at Astro’s words and actions. He then muttered something under his breath to Astros, whose own cheeks tinted a dark ultramarine blue, before he settled back down into Admiral’s side.
Tuscan and James snickered at the exchange, while Cass crinkled her nose at the dirty joke, while you tried to think of a good dirty pickup line.
Man, dirty jokes were not your forte. Your parents loved to shelter you from the internet as a kid, but it came with both advantages and disadvantages. Sure you never got cyberbullied or pulled into any inappropriate encounters with adults or the like. But now as an adult, you have to play catch up learning all the random lingos and past trends, which included a fair share of dirty slang that can still go over your head at times. Hopefully, you’ll be able to pull something good out of your ass, because you got nothing memorized for this.
“Come on Cassy! Let’s hear that pickup line!” James teased, bumping shoulders with a frowning Cass.
“Ugh, fine,” Cass said before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath in through her nose before letting it out and looking at Tuscan, “Hey man, is your name Winter? Cause you’ll be coming soon.”
Tuscan’s eyelights sparkled in mirth at the dirty pun as he snickered at a grumbling Cass. Well your time to shine you guess.
Doing your best to try and give Tuscan a sly smile through your nerves, you tell your own dirty pickup line. “Hey handsome, you look pretty good right now, but I bet you’d look even better naked and needy on my bed.”
Tuscan blinked before his face quickly became a vibrant scarlet red. A few nervous laughs left him as his cheekbones grew darker.
Tuscan’s POV
Oh stars, he, he hadn’t been expecting that. Nor had he expected to be affected as such. Just the thought of him being in such a…state…for you.
***
Tuscan’s blush deepened at the images that floated into his mind. Of your face hovering over the entirety of his small form, planting feather-light kisses across his exposed body. Taking extra care over the scars that mar his bones, permanent reminders of his past torment, but symbols of strength to you. Of the gentle caresses and praise you’d plant upon him as he submitted and whimpered out his need of you. How’d your plush lips would move lower and lower until-.
***
“Yo, Tuscan you okay?” You asked, concern tinting your voice.
Snatched from his fantasy, Tuscan gaze snapped to you, only for him to immediately look away as his blush reignited with a passion.
“i’m good!” Tuscan squeaked out, mentally cursing his magic-heated cheekbones, his thoughts, and the high pitch of his voice at this moment.
“Right, and you’re sure?” You asked skeptically as you eyed him.
He wonders how you’d eye him if he were bare before- nope. nope, nope, nope. Stop that.
Tuscan hid his face in his hands as he felt them heat more, cursing himself for not wearing his hoodie instead of his custom jacket so he could hide his face better. He vaguely wonders if he even had any magic in the rest of his body from how heated his face was at this moment.
“i’m f-fine sweetheart! all good!” Tuscan yelled out through his hands, still too embarrassed to even look at you or anyone else at the moment.
“Did, did I go too far? With the comment?” You asked quietly, your own nervousness leaking into your voice.
Tuscan’s hands flew from his face as he shot up and shouted, “NO!” His mind then caught up to his actions making him avert his gaze and clear his nonexistent throat with a cough as he tried to play it off. “no sweetheart. yer fine, i’m fine. jus’ ferget about it, ya?” Tuscan pleaded as he gave you a side eye and a nervous smile.
Astros and Admiral began to chuckle to each other in their shared pillow, as if they had just been let in on a particularly humorous inside joke. Tuscan glared over at the two, even as his blush continued to burn heatedly. There’s no way those two fucks know anything. And even if they somehow did they better keep their fuck’n traps shut.
“Oh, okay,” you said with an awkward smile as you rubbed nervously at your left arm.
Tuscan tracked the movement, having begun to recognize some of your nervous ticks. Shit, Tuscan hadn’t meant to make you feel bad. And now you were thinking you had made him uncomfortable with your comment when he had, quite literally, asked for it, while he was the one having less than pure thoughts about you.
Tuscan took a deep breath, wrangling his magic back under his control as he willed the blush to fade and turned to you with an uncharacteristically sincere smile across his face.
“really, it’s okay sweetheart, jus’ caught me off guard is all.” Tuscan said, finally meeting your eyes steadily as he waited for your nerves to settle at his reassurances. As soon as he saw the acceptance in your eyes he let his smile shift into a smirk. “i’ll have to return the favor cum time.” Tuscan remarked, letting out a laugh as your face blanked at his joke before you shook your head and let out an exasperated sigh, before shifting again into an amused look as you gave in and let out a few chuckles.
Tuscan continued to laugh as you played it off as a joke, letting the topic drop, even as his soul hurt at not being taken seriously. But what was a bitty to do but accept it and move on? Tuscan pushed his thoughts and feelings aside as the game continued, eager for a good distraction.
The game continued late into the night, the group finally crashing around 1 in the morning. James and Cass were intertwined in the right side of the L couch, while you were curled up on the left side. Astros and Admiral were nestled together into Cass’s neck and pillow. And Tuscan laid starfish on your side as he fought sleep.
A yawn unwillingly slipped past his shark-like teeth as he lay in wait during his self-imposed vigil. He had failed last night to protect you from the Horror, but not tonight. Tonight he was determined to stay up and watch over you while you slept. That bitty would not get a second chance to harm you, Tuscan would make sure of it.
Another yawn clawed it’s way out of his nonexistent throat. Tuscan groaned when it had passed, slapping his face in an effort to keep himself awake. Tuscan glanced over at the kitchen, just barely being able to read the microwave clock from where he lay. 3:26. Tuscan groaned, just wanting to give in and let sleep claim him as he snuggled into your soft side.
He kinda wished Burgerpants was still trying to get a hold of you, the buzz of your phone had been a good wake-up call, but it had gone silent 2 hours ago.
Tuscan chuckled at what the cat monster might be trying to call you about. Perhaps he was trying to tell Tuscan off for prank-calling him earlier near the end of the game.
Ha ha. The dude had been so confused. Tuscan had wanted to continue to fuck with him but the bastard had started to mention something about the Horror bitty or someone looking for them? Whatever. Tuscan had hung up, not wanting his good mood to be ruined with that fucker. Then the bastard had to try and call back and text you for like an hour. Whatever, Tuscan doesn’t care what the cat has to say about him, and he’ll tear Burgerpants a new one if he tries to take it out on you.
Tuscan smirks at the thought, a purr rumbling from his ribcage at the idea of protecting you or your honor.
Another yawn escapes his maw as he finds sleep once again pulling his sockets closed. His own purring soothes him as he relaxes fully into you. A contented sigh leaves him as he lovingly nuzzles into your side without fear of being caught and outed as a softie. A huff left Tuscan at the thought of being soft. He wasn’t soft. You’re soft. Mhmm, very soft. Tuscan thought as he subconsciously kneaded into your side, purr ramping up.
A final yawn leaves him before he curls into a tight ball on your side, nestled into the blankets that frame his sides. Sleep finally clai-
“Ahem.”
Tuscan snaps awake at the voice, head whipping around to face the offending noise, eyelight blazing to life and magic sparking angrily in the air.
Tuscan lets the magic die though as he sees it’s just Admiral standing over him. Though Admiral’s face seems a bit tight, and his left dead socket twitching nearly imperceptibly. Tuscan could have sworn he saw a red pinprick in it for a second but it was gone in a blink.
Admiral seemed to take a second to compose himself, taking a deep breath before returning his attention to Tuscan, his face shifting into a neutral expression.
Tuscan was still trying to get used to that. It was weird not to see the Baby Blue smiling, even if that smile had been faked as he’s come to learn over the course of the day. The real Admiral was honestly a bit intimidating, not that Tuscan would ever admit that, but this was better than those unnerving fake smiles he had always plastered on during their time at the shelter.
Admiral clearing his non-existent throat brought Tuscan back to the present, and he scowled at the bitty standing over him, even if he was grateful that Admiral had stopped him from fully falling asleep.
“what?” Tuscan snarled, irritated by falling asleep and at being caught in a vulnerable moment.
Admiral brought a finger to his teeth, flicking his eyelight towards your face before gesturing his head in the direction of the kitchen. Tuscan scrunched his browbone but got up nonetheless, giving you one last look before grabbing Admiral’s arm and porting the two of them onto the kitchen counter.
“what?” Tuscan asked again no less irritated, but quieter now that he was more awake and not wanting to wake everyone else up.
Admiral eyed the group on the couch before turning his gaze back to Tuscan and whispering, “I am sorry about how I was. I want to make it up to you.” Admiral said crossing his arms midway through.
“what?” Tuscan asked again, his tone more confused than angry this time.
Admiral sighed before explaining, “For my behavior at the shelter, and earlier today. I am sorry.”
Tuscan grumbled, crossing his own arms as he looked away. “ya, well, i wasn’t exactly a bouquet of roses either, so…i’m also…sssorry.”
Admiral grinned a bit at Tuscan’s pained apology, making said bitty scowl.
“Well, friend, I suggest a bonding activity to seal this new friendship,” Admiral said, accentuating ‘friend’.
Tuscan scrunched his nasal ridge. “huh? now? wait, ew no! i ain’t fuck’n bondin’ with you!” Tuscan whisper, yelled.
Admiral rolled his one good eyelight looking irritated. “Language, and no I did not mean that kind of bonding activity. Honestly, is your mind ever not in the gutter?”
Tuscan huffed and squinted at Admiral. Tuscan was just beginning to realize how sketchy Admiral was being. The fuck does this guy want? Calling Tuscan over and away from the group at 3:30 AM and then suggesting a ‘bonding activity’. What the fuck was he supposed to think!?
Tuscan glared at the other bitty, defenses coming up as he tried to decipher Admiral’s intentions.
“Do not give me that, just listen. I want to make it up to you, but what I have in mind, I can not achieve on my own. Normally I would ask Astros to assist me but he is, or, has an aversion to the kind of activity I have in mind. So that is where you come in instead.” Admiral replied calmly as he looked off in Astros’s general direction, ignoring Tuscan’s raised haunches.
“stop dancin’ around and just say what ya gotta say!” Tuscan hissed irritably.
Admiral’s gaze flicked back to Tuscan. His resting face hitched up into a sinister smirk that better fit the face of a Razzberry than a Baby Blue. His singular working eyelight flashed with a ring of red around the blue, and a faint red pinprick sparked to life in his dead socket. The sight unnerved Tuscan enough to take a surprised step back as he began to sweat nervously.
“I suggest we ensure a certain bitty has a horror-ible night's rest,” Admiral replied darkly, his sharp grin growing when a matching one crawled onto Tuscan’s own face.
“well when ya put it like that, pal, a late-night bonding activity don’t sound so bad.”
The two bitties then began to chuckle darkly to each other in the quiet of the night, while the rest of the group slept blissfully unaware of the two’s nightly plans.