( something happens when a habit finally breaks. there's a release from the obligation. the same thing happens when a curse breaks. he feels it all at once. he assumes his siblings do, too, but there's no reason to talk about it out loud. the weight holding them down their entire lives - it's been lifted.
and what does shepherd do?
he screws everything up.
nah, that's not a fair assessment. but, after watching his ancestor disintegrate into nothingness, well, he feels life is fleeting. the first thing everyone does is get breakfast. bloody mary's or mimosas. one has to be chosen, there is no option for neither. rowena gets one of each. there is a large cheers to a job well done.
what there isn't is a discussion about what shepherd pulled. not only the massive win for all Gemini kind, but the impulse he followed. his lips. annie's lips. lips met. and then he kept her close. but, highs don't last. his last mentor would know that.
everyone separates in the hotel lobby. a job well done sits silently on every expression. a promise and the knowledge that nobody has ever done what this group has done. everyone has calls to make or sleep to catch up on, or in shepherd's case, as he lets annie close the door to their room behind them, a talk.
he's always been way too good at talk.
unless that talk is about something.
he can't shipp his was out of this, but he also doesn't want to. he just doesn't know how to proceed. so, he cracks open two beers to start. he hands one to his best friend and clicks the bottle against hers. )
[Annie's never really been good at the relationship thing.
She messed around with both men and women in her teens and early twenties, but it was never anything serious. Then in her late twenties she was given the gift of a dead brother, an AWOL sister and a preteen girl looking to her as her as the only remaining family member left to keep her alive, followed by joining an underground organization where you spend a lot of time with your coworkers and not much else. She didn't want to fuck any of those relationships up, so she's taken up the policy of not shitting where she ate, metaphorically speaking.
This isn't to say there's been no one. A one night stand here and there when she felt the urge. But she met Shep and ... it was something else.
He's attractive, certainly. But there was also a vibe that she hasn't felt with anyone else. An understanding that didn't require any crossed lines. She's been in his corner and him in hers since the moment they met and when he kissed her, it's the moment she realized that maybe this is what they always mean when they talk about partners.
But because they've known each other so long, it also means she knows when he's freaking out.]
Always.
[Then she raises an eyebrow, amusement coloring her features.]
But, he's also the picture of disaffected, ended-too-soon youth. Deep down, he'll always be that eccentric stoner. He just has armor now. Or, maybe being a stoner was the armor. He's quickly realizing it doesn't matter. His psychotic brother is inside his sister, which, he doesn't like thinking about, but he's under control, but other than that, the shame and the trauma, maybe it has a place to go now. Away. Far away from him. )
I - didn't ask if you wanted the big hero's kiss. You know how big I am on consent.
[She takes a step closer, letting one hand rest on his shoulder. Closing some of the distance that she's been keeping because he was freaking out, but she liked the closeness coming out of that moment, so she's willing to reclaim some of it.]
But I'll forgive you for it, if it makes you feel better.
( He looks down at her hand and then back at her. )
I'm really out of practice. And a lot of people that I care about die. ( Read: his family, one very nice truck driver, and her friend in Los Angeles. Not a lot. ) Sometimes, I ramble on and I make no sense and I'm really whimsical and I'm not ever going to get rid of my kaftan collection. I'm borderline a nudist, but sometimes, I just really love socks. Like, the way socks feel. And, I say all of my thoughts out loud when they're not about self preservation or safety so that will... probably get old.
[She feels like she should probably call that to attention because nothing he's actually mentioned here is new. Except for maybe the socks part. But regardless, none of this is a dealbreaker, at least in her opinion, otherwise they probably wouldn't be as close as they are.]
( He remembers the day she and Alexander found him. He remembers that first week. And then that first month. And he remembers every late night he couldn't sleep, restless and scared, and Annie being up, too, for her reasons. He made it his personal mission to get her to smile. He got extra points if she laughed. )
I haven't. I'm not. I'm - processing. And, you're processing. And sometimes, it... takes two - to - ( He kisses her, intertwining their hands, taking the bottle out of her hands. ) process. ( He sets both bottles behind him. They were a waste to open, but it was more about the fidgeting, right. Buying time. ) That is, if you -- want to process. Together.
[She leans in to catch his lips with hers as they fall into the bed, and they resume working through some of these new angles to their relationship.
Honestly, she should probably be grateful that they weren't interrupted until the after glow, but she does grumble as both of their phones beep simultaneously. She turns to reach for hers, muttering to herself.]
Cordy was covering a project for me, so that's probably what she needs to be relieved on.
[She scrubs a hand over her face.]
It'll take us a few hours to get back, but I can get started on what she's working on from here. Though I also do not like the sound of raining dead people.
[And she responds in the chat: Check for zombies first.
Alexander replies that she probably has been, but he'll have Cordy and Angel double check to make sure.]
[But on the other hand, there is probably one thing they should settle before they go back to work.]
Are we keeping this to ourselves? Because if I tell Serena, I can't promise that she will. And I don't mind either way - personally, I don't think it's their business, but I'm also not ashamed of it either.
Uh, well, we just -- the it is new and it isn't anybody's business. But, tell your niece. You want to tell her. And, she always wants you happy. For a change, let know you are. If you are. And whatever shakes out from there, well, I don't think we have HR and you and I are on the same level. And maybe, Serena will let us have some time to ourselves to...explore this. Before it's a full-blown this.
Or, we can suss out the timing of their bets and put someone on top. I think Crash deserves the win, but Alexander's always allergic to fun, so maybe it could give him a leg up in the office politics. Or, we let the winner win. What do you think the bet involves? Costumes or jerseys for the losers?
( You think the two of you have created a monster, Annie, by giving into all of this, you've created your own. )
Pretty sure he's just cash, because they're very uncreative in that respect.
[Or, if you're Alexander, he figured if it hadn't happened already it wasn't going to happen. Alexander does not believe in romance, do not tell his boyfriend.]
But I can probably get the terms out of Serena once we're back.
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everyonelives2025-10-11 07:15 am
shep & annie | williamsburg
and what does shepherd do?
he screws everything up.
nah, that's not a fair assessment. but, after watching his ancestor disintegrate into nothingness, well, he feels life is fleeting. the first thing everyone does is get breakfast. bloody mary's or mimosas. one has to be chosen, there is no option for neither. rowena gets one of each. there is a large cheers to a job well done.
what there isn't is a discussion about what shepherd pulled. not only the massive win for all Gemini kind, but the impulse he followed. his lips. annie's lips. lips met. and then he kept her close. but, highs don't last. his last mentor would know that.
everyone separates in the hotel lobby. a job well done sits silently on every expression. a promise and the knowledge that nobody has ever done what this group has done. everyone has calls to make or sleep to catch up on, or in shepherd's case, as he lets annie close the door to their room behind them, a talk.
he's always been way too good at talk.
unless that talk is about something.
he can't shipp his was out of this, but he also doesn't want to. he just doesn't know how to proceed. so, he cracks open two beers to start. he hands one to his best friend and clicks the bottle against hers. )
Thanks. For coming with me.
no subject
She messed around with both men and women in her teens and early twenties, but it was never anything serious. Then in her late twenties she was given the gift of a dead brother, an AWOL sister and a preteen girl looking to her as her as the only remaining family member left to keep her alive, followed by joining an underground organization where you spend a lot of time with your coworkers and not much else. She didn't want to fuck any of those relationships up, so she's taken up the policy of not shitting where she ate, metaphorically speaking.
This isn't to say there's been no one. A one night stand here and there when she felt the urge. But she met Shep and ... it was something else.
He's attractive, certainly. But there was also a vibe that she hasn't felt with anyone else. An understanding that didn't require any crossed lines. She's been in his corner and him in hers since the moment they met and when he kissed her, it's the moment she realized that maybe this is what they always mean when they talk about partners.
But because they've known each other so long, it also means she knows when he's freaking out.]
Always.
[Then she raises an eyebrow, amusement coloring her features.]
Are you freaking out?
no subject
( Yes.
But, he's also the picture of disaffected, ended-too-soon youth. Deep down, he'll always be that eccentric stoner. He just has armor now. Or, maybe being a stoner was the armor. He's quickly realizing it doesn't matter. His psychotic brother is inside his sister, which, he doesn't like thinking about, but he's under control, but other than that, the shame and the trauma, maybe it has a place to go now. Away. Far away from him. )
I - didn't ask if you wanted the big hero's kiss. You know how big I am on consent.
no subject
[She takes a step closer, letting one hand rest on his shoulder. Closing some of the distance that she's been keeping because he was freaking out, but she liked the closeness coming out of that moment, so she's willing to reclaim some of it.]
But I'll forgive you for it, if it makes you feel better.
no subject
( He looks down at her hand and then back at her. )
I'm really out of practice. And a lot of people that I care about die. ( Read: his family, one very nice truck driver, and her friend in Los Angeles. Not a lot. ) Sometimes, I ramble on and I make no sense and I'm really whimsical and I'm not ever going to get rid of my kaftan collection. I'm borderline a nudist, but sometimes, I just really love socks. Like, the way socks feel. And, I say all of my thoughts out loud when they're not about self preservation or safety so that will... probably get old.
no subject
Shep, how long have we been friends?
[She feels like she should probably call that to attention because nothing he's actually mentioned here is new. Except for maybe the socks part. But regardless, none of this is a dealbreaker, at least in her opinion, otherwise they probably wouldn't be as close as they are.]
no subject
( He remembers the day she and Alexander found him. He remembers that first week. And then that first month. And he remembers every late night he couldn't sleep, restless and scared, and Annie being up, too, for her reasons. He made it his personal mission to get her to smile. He got extra points if she laughed. )
no subject
[Some of those may not even be cons from her perspective. Sometimes she could use a little whimsy when things feel too serious.]
If you've changed your mind, we haven't gone too far to go back to what we were. We're too good a team for me to throw that away.
[She'll deal with it, and she'll move on, but at least she'll know.]
But if you haven't changed your mind, I'm right there with you.
[Just as she always is.]
no subject
no subject
In the past, I've found that processing is usually much more effective when done together.
[Is that a lame line? Maybe. But don't blame her, she's a little rusty.]
no subject
( He walks her backward toward the bed, putting his own moves on display. )
no subject
[She leans in to catch his lips with hers as they fall into the bed, and they resume working through some of these new angles to their relationship.
Honestly, she should probably be grateful that they weren't interrupted until the after glow, but she does grumble as both of their phones beep simultaneously. She turns to reach for hers, muttering to herself.]
Honestly, you would think we run the place.
no subject
( He checks his phone, too, sighing, to see they probably were messaged in the same chat. )
... What does 'It's raining dead people,' mean?
( And the explanation comes through with the next bubble. )
That's what it means. ( He looks over to check in with Annie. ) They need pinch hitters.
no subject
[She scrubs a hand over her face.]
It'll take us a few hours to get back, but I can get started on what she's working on from here. Though I also do not like the sound of raining dead people.
[And she responds in the chat: Check for zombies first.
Alexander replies that she probably has been, but he'll have Cordy and Angel double check to make sure.]
no subject
Anything I can help with on my end? Besides a shower.
no subject
[But on the other hand, there is probably one thing they should settle before they go back to work.]
Are we keeping this to ourselves? Because if I tell Serena, I can't promise that she will. And I don't mind either way - personally, I don't think it's their business, but I'm also not ashamed of it either.
no subject
( So it's not inappropriate. He doesn't think. )
no subject
[He hires plenty of couples and plenty of couples have happened under his purview. As long as they continue to do their jobs, it'll be fine.]
But I'm pretty sure Serena, Crash and Alexander have a bet going. So just be aware, we're going to be creating a monster.
no subject
( You think the two of you have created a monster, Annie, by giving into all of this, you've created your own. )
no subject
[Or, if you're Alexander, he figured if it hadn't happened already it wasn't going to happen. Alexander does not believe in romance, do not tell his boyfriend.]
But I can probably get the terms out of Serena once we're back.
no subject
( Unlike this connection. )
Yes. Get the terms out, then drop the big bomb. Then we go public. Then we go global.
no subject
[She leans in to give him one more quick kiss before pulling back.]
Tell me about it on the way home.
no subject
( Quick kiss achieved. )
But, we can discuss any and everything else on the way. I'm going to jump in the shower.
( With that, he does, he gets dressed and they pack. And then they take off to parts unknown. California? )