Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You’ve had the Dateviators for a couple of months now, and you are forming pretty strong relationships with all the objects in your house. That is not a sentence you ever expected to say. Oh well. It’s true. You’ve made friends with your furniture, your appliances, a few abstract concepts, even the kitchen sink! Ha ha.

As you lie in bed, psyching yourself up to start your day, you think about all the cool new people (objects?) in your life, and how much they mean to you, smiling fondly to yourself. They all have their quirks, but so do you, and you’ve grown incredibly close to quite a few of them in a relatively short space of time.

An idea begins to form in your mind, and you hop out of bed with slightly more enthusiasm than usual. Today, you are on a mission to hug every single object in your house!

Operation Hug Everything is a go.

Chapter Text

Once dressed and having eaten breakfast, you don your trusty Dateviators, thinking carefully about where to start. There are a few gimmes right off the bat, things that you know would never deny you a hug. You make your way to the living room, striding with purpose.

You fire the Dateviators at your blanket, and Mateo appears before you, his face lighting up when he sees you.

“Hey, look who it is!” he calls to the inanimals, and a few of them bound up to you to say hello.

“Hey guys! Aww, I missed you too!” You can’t help reaching down to pet Davi’s head and scratch Sprite under her chin. Davi soon runs off to play again, and Sprite rubs against your leg before curling up to take a nap. You look back up at Mateo, who is watching you with a soft expression. “And hello, Mateo. Sorry, got distracted.”

He laughs. “That’s okay, I don’t mind you saying hi to them first. They make it pretty difficult not to.”

“That’s true. But I’m actually here to see you!”

“Really?” He cocks his head curiously at you. “What do you need?”

You open your arms wide, grinning. “Can I have a hug?”

“Of course!” he says, returning your smile with great enthusiasm.

He wraps his arms around you, and you sink into the warmth of his embrace. Mateo’s hugs are comforting; he smells like your favourite blanket, he is impossibly soft to the touch, and he’s never the first to let go. If you stayed here long enough, you would start to get sleepy. But you have work to do, so you reluctantly pull yourself free.

“How was that?” he asks.

“Perfect. Thank you, Mateo.”

“Any time!”

One down, many more to go.

Chapter Text

It’s time to strategise; you have a monumental task ahead of you, and it’s only just beginning. Progressing room-by-room seems the logical way to go, and since you are already in the living room, you decide to start there. You look around for your next target, and your eyes settle on the fireplace.

Dante is leaning casually against the mantlepiece when he appears. He greets you with the usual, “Hey, hot stuff.”

“Hey, yourself.” You step closer, holding a hand out towards him.

He straightens up as you approach, giving you an easy smile as he takes your hand in his. It’s warm, but not hot enough to burn you. You tug him closer, and he offers no resistance as he closes the gap between you.

“Feeling a little chilly today?” he asks, wrapping his arms around your waist. You loop yours around his shoulders in return, and he chuckles, before dropping his voice to a flirtatious purr. “I bet I can warm you up.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it,” you say, returning his energy.

He presses kisses against your cheek, his lips hot against your skin, and you let your eyes flutter shut as the warmth permeates through you.

“Is that better? Or do you want more?” He holds you tighter, nuzzling his face into your neck. It’s very sweet, but the truth is you weren’t very cold to start with, and now you’re starting to sweat a little.

“I think I’m good now! Thank you!”

He releases you, and you sigh in relief. He looks at you quizzically.

“You weren’t cold at all, were you?”

You shake your head. “Not really. Sorry. I just wanted a hug.”

“Well, you could have said that! Now I’ve made you overheat!”

“You didn’t give me a chance! You started flirting, and it was a really great line, so I couldn’t just let it go to waste. It’s not my fault you’re so… hot.”

Your words hang in the air for a moment, tension stretching between you until finally, it breaks, and you both burst out laughing.

“Okay,” you admit, “now that I say it out loud, I realise how stupid that was.”

“It’s okay, ember.” He places a hand under your chin, smirking. “You may be an idiot, but you’re my idiot.”

“Gee, thanks.” You roll your eyes, but can’t hide the grin that’s forming on your face. You playfully shove his hand away. “Get out of here. I’ve got things to do.”

“Fine.” He turns to leave, then stops for a moment, turning to look at you over his shoulder. “But thanks for the hug. That was nice.”

“You’re welcome.”

He nods, and then he’s gone.

Chapter Text

You take a second to cool off while you decide who to ask next. Your gaze settles on the coffee table, and you smile to yourself. You press the button on your Dateviators and…

“Hey there, darlin’,” says Abel, brightly. “What can I do you for?”

“Hey, Abel!” You open your arms towards him. “Hug?”

He chuckles. “Don’t mind if I do.”

His strong arms wrap around you, and he lifts you off the floor a little, holding you securely in his embrace. He hums contentedly, and you feel his shoulders relax as he settles into the hug, but his grip on you doesn’t loosen. After a moment, he places you gently back down, keeping his hands on your waist as he smiles at you.

“How did you know I needed one of those?” he asks.

“Homeowner’s intuition.” You tap the side of your nose. “Gotta look after my precious things. You need me just as much as I need you.”

“Well, you might be right about that.” He pauses, then breaks into a grin as he flushes slightly. “Hold on, did you just say I was precious?”

You nod. “As a matter of fact, I did.”

“Aww, come on now.” He looks away from you, embarrassed. “I’m not nearly as precious as Monique, or Mac, or Keyes! I’m just a humble table.”

“I’m not talking about monetary value, Abel. You’re precious to me because you’re important!” You pull him in for another hug, closing your eyes as you hold him tightly, hoping to convey the emotions that words cannot express.

“Oh,” Abel gasps. He hesitates for a moment, seemingly unsure how to accept your meaningful gesture. He settles for patting you affectionately on the head. “Thank you, darlin’. That means a lot to me.”

You pull away, satisfied that your message has been received. “You’re welcome.”

He scratches the back of his neck. “Well,” he says, “I suppose I ought to get back to work.”

“Alright. I’ll let you go. See you around, Abel!”

Abel gives you a cheery wave as he leaves.

Chapter Text

Not wasting any time, you turn to your couch, firing up the Dateviators again.

“Heyyyy,” says Koa, greeting you with a relaxed smile. “You gonna join me for a while?”

“Yeah, is that okay?”

“It’s always okay! Come take a load off.”

You approach Koa, thinking about how best to do this. He’s a couch, right? What if…?

You slide onto Koa’s lap, trying your best to seem as nonchalant as possible about it. Technically, this is how you two usually interact; it’s just that he’s normally not looking at you while you do it. Luckily, he doesn’t seem to mind at all - in fact, his face lights up once he realises what you’re doing.

You lean back against him, and he rests his arms comfortably over your stomach. You feel a little awkward at first, but the steady rise and fall of Koa’s chest and the warmth of his torso against your back are incredibly relaxing. The tension ebbs from your body, and Koa seems to sense it, sighing in contentment as you sink further into his embrace.

You don’t even realise you’re falling asleep until Koa’s gentle snores bring you back to reality. You need to get up, or you’ll never get through the rest of the Dateables today. The problem is, Koa’s arms are still wrapped around you, and your sleepiness has sapped your strength. You half-heartedly attempt to move one of them off you, but Koa mumbles in his sleep and grips you tighter. Damn.

A little nap couldn’t hurt, right? You’ll get back to the hugging… as soon… as you… wake up…

zzzzz

Chapter Text

Twenty minutes later, you awake from your nap well-rested and ready to get back to your mission. Once you have extracted yourself from Koa’s lap and said your goodbyes, you turn your attention to the task at hand. Who next?

You decide you’ve had enough of the living room for now. Time to shake things up a bit! You head to the upstairs bathroom to find your makeup supplies.

“Darling!” comes Barry’s greeting, happy as ever to see you. “Get over here! Come on, come on, come on.”

He waves you over with a tone of urgency, so you pick up the pace as you approach him. Before you can react, he has taken your chin in one hand and is applying lipstick to your lips with the other. He steps back to assess his work, narrowing his eyes as he contemplates something.

“Hmm. Not quite.” He jots something down in his notebook, using the lipstick as a pen. When he looks back up at you, he finally takes in your confused expression. “Oh! Sorry, darling, I forgot to explain myself, didn’t I? Silly me. I’m trying out some new lipstick colours, and this one just didn’t look right on me, so I wanted to try it on you! I thought it might work a little better with your complexion, but it’s still not quite right. I think perhaps it’s the lipstick’s fault, not ours, hm?”

“Must be.” You grin. “There’s no other logical explanation for it looking bad on both of us.”

He hands you a makeup wipe, and you take off the offending product. He nods with satisfaction once you’re finished.

“Much better. Now you look gorgeous again!” He clasps his hands together, admiring you with a look of pure adoration.

“Aww, thanks, Barry! You’re such a sweetheart.”

You open your arms for a hug, and he happily obliges, throwing his arms around you with a squeal of delight.

“You’re too kind, darling,” he mumbles into your shoulder. “You put up with so much of my nonsense, you’ve helped me with so many things, and you keep coming back here to see me, no matter how much I talk your ear off. I love you so much!”

“I love you too, Barry.”

You give him an affectionate squeeze, which he returns immediately. When he pulls away, he gives you a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh!” He covers his mouth with his hand, giggling a little. “Sorry, darling, let me get that for you.”

A quick glance in the mirror confirms your suspicions: Barry’s own lipstick has left a pink kiss mark on your cheek. He quickly wipes it off with another makeup wipe, giggling all the while.

Chapter Text

You hear an indignant cough from behind you and turn around to find Bathsheba watching you, her arms folded and her expression furious.

“What’s this I hear about you going around giving out hugs? Where’s mine?! I’ve been waiting here all morning, and you still haven’t come to see me yet!” she complains.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Bathsheba, I thought you would have realised I was saving the best for last,” you lie, quickly. “But I can give you yours now, if you prefer!”

She harrumphs, eyeing you suspiciously, but you can tell your compliment is working its magic. “Really? Is that true?”

“Of course it’s true!” You open your arms towards her. “May I please have a hug from the most perfect princess in the house?”

Her expression softens, and her shoulders begin to relax, just a little. “Well, I suppose you may. But only if you give me more compliments first!”

“Anything for you, gorgeous. My beautiful bathtub. Angel of the upstairs bathroom.” You take a cautious step closer, arms still wide open. Bathsheba begins to smile.

“Oh… Come here, you!”

With a laugh, she throws her arms around you. She smells like bubble bath mixture and soap, and her skin is slightly damp. She squeezes you tightly, humming in satisfaction.

“That’s my girl,” you murmur.

She pulls away, grinning at you. “Well? Wasn’t that the best hug you’ve had all day?”

“It was the best hug I’ve had ever!”  

She nods resolutely, as if she expected nothing less.

Chapter Text

You leave the bathroom, finding yourself in the bedroom. A grin spreads across your face as you approach the closet, stepping inside to a chorus of:

“HOUSE HOMIE!!!”

“Hey, guys!”

You step further into the room, and your five himbo hangers leap up from their various positions to come bounding over to you. Hank 2 gives you a fist bump. Hank 1 ruffles your hair. Hank 3 is flexing his arms, hitting various poses and glancing at you to make sure you’re looking. You give him an enthusiastic thumbs up, and he grins proudly.

“Have you come to hang out with us?!” asks Hank 4, his excitement palpable.

“We were about to go sailboarding if you wanna join,” says Hank 1.

“Sorry, dudes, I don’t have time for extreme sports today.” They all groan in disappointment. “But I was hoping to get a Hank Hug?”

“Oh, hell yeah!” says Hank 5.

“Can do!” says Hank 2.

“Come here, gorgeous,” says Hank 3.

You are promptly swallowed by a sea of limbs.

Group hugs from the Hanks are always out of this world, and this one is no exception. There’s something comforting about being surrounded by a wall of muscled bodies, like a shield, or a force field, sheltering you from the world beyond. Nothing could ever hurt you in here.

“Thanks, guys,” you say. “This is nice.”

“Any time, homie!” promises Hank 5. “Just say the word.”

“Chyeah,” agrees Hank 4. “You could be all like, 'Come hug me, Hanks!' and we’d be there. No matter what, brah.”

“You’re so sweet,” you hum. You lean your head up slightly so he can kiss your forehead, and he happily obliges. “I love you guys.”

“WE LOVE YOU TOO!” they all reply at once, slightly deafening you. You wince, and they at least have the decency to look ashamed.

“Sorry, homie.”

“That’s okay. I appreciate the sentiment.”

Chapter Text

You emerge from the closet and approach the mirror to fix your tousled hair. Amir gazes back at you, looking surprised and concerned.

“Azizam, what happened to you?! Were you caught in a sudden gust of wind? Did you fall into a bush?”

You laugh. “No, Amir. Nothing like that. I got Hanked.”

His expression shifts to confusion. “Hanked? What on earth does that mean, Azizam?”

You point to the closet. “The Hanks. You know, the coat hangers? I went into the closet, and they were very excited to see me. Hence, I got Hanked.” You gesture to your appearance. “They Hanked all over me.”

“I see.” He grimaces. “Then perhaps you had better let me help you.”

Amir begins fixing your hair, gently returning every strand to its rightful place with great precision.

“There, much better. See?”

He stands behind you, holding your shoulders as he angles you towards the mirror. He’s right, you look immaculate now.

“Thanks, Amir! What would I do without you?”

“I dread to think, Azizam!” he says, with genuine horror. “I dread to think.”

You take his hands in yours, bringing them down to wrap around your waist. He smiles, and you lean back into him as he holds you there, looking at yourselves in the mirror.

“You are beautiful, Joonam. Just exquisite. Look at you.” He speaks with such reverence as though he were describing a work of art. “Your nose – it is perfect. Don’t ever do anything to it. And your smile! What a smile you have. That smile could topple empires; it could raise mountains.” He brings a hand up to your chin, tilting your head up slightly. “Look how your eyes sparkle in this light, Azizam. You captivate me.”

You turn around to face him, looping your arms around his neck and pressing your face into his shoulder. “Thank you. You always seem to know exactly what I need to hear.”

“I am not saying it because you need to hear it! I say it because it is true!”

“I know. But still, thank you.”

He presses a kiss to your temple. “You are most welcome.”

Chapter Text

On your way out of the bedroom, you decide to talk to Dorian. You fire up the glasses once more, and he appears in front of you, blocking your path.

“Hi, Dorian,” you say, smiling sweetly. “How are you today?”

“Fine, I suppose.” He watches you, almost warily. “I’ve seen what you’ve been up to. Are you going to hug me?”

“I would really like to, but I won’t if you don’t want me to. It’s not compulsory.”

“Hmm.” He glances around the room, then behind him into the corridor. “Alright, just this once. But don’t go shouting about it.”

Hugging Dorian feels a little like hugging an actual door; he is incredibly stiff and pretty solid. All the same, you wrap your arms tightly around him, tucking your head under his chin. He splays his hands out over your back and rubs his thumbs gently up and down.

When you pull away, he refuses to make eye contact with you, a light dusting of pink on his cheeks.

“Was that okay?” he asks.

“That was perfect, thank you.”

He smiles, and his eyes soften just a little. “Don’t go making a habit of it. I have a reputation to maintain.”

There’s something about his tone that tells you he doesn’t mean a word of what he’s saying.

“Don’t worry, Dorian,” you say, conspiratorially, “I won’t tell anyone that you secretly like hugs.”

He flushes a deeper shade of red, looking at you in alarm. “I never said that. That’s not- I don’t-” He groans, then sighs. “Go on. Go bother someone else.”

He swings open to let you past, and you blow him a kiss as you leave. He pretends he doesn’t notice.

Chapter Text

You are now in the upstairs hallway. Looking down at your feet, you realise your next target is obvious. Although her employer may be a little trickier…

Florence lights up when she sees you, hurriedly dumping the stack of papers she was holding onto her desk. “Hello, you! Are you here to see Mayor Celia?”

“In a moment, yes. But I would like to talk to you first!”

“Oh, really?” Her eyes widen in surprise. “Why is that?”

“There’s something very important I have to ask you,” you say, in your best serious voice.

“My goodness!” She smooths out her skirt and tucks her hair behind her ear, drawing herself up as tall as she can. “Well, I’ll try my very best to help you with it, whatever it is.”

“Florence, if you would be so kind, may I please have a hug?”

It takes her a moment to process what you said, but then she laughs in relief, bringing a hand to her chest. “You had me so worried! Don’t do that to me! Of course, you may. Come here, silly.”

She opens her arms to you, and you grin as you fall into them. She squeezes you tightly, rocking the both of you from side to side.

“Aww,” she coos, closing her eyes.

After a long moment, the two of you separate, and she smiles sweetly at you.

“That was very nice,” she says, “thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”

“You said you were going to see Celia next, right? Are you going to ask her for a hug, too?”

“That’s the plan!”

Florence gasps. “Well, good luck to you. Let me know how it goes when you come back down, okay?”

“I will,” you promise, before heading up to Celia’s office, full of apprehension.

Chapter Text

You knock on Celia’s door, and her voice calls, “Enter!”

You enter the room to find the mayor sitting behind her desk. She gives you a small smile.

“Now, then, what can I do for you?” she asks.

“I have a very small, very simple request, Mayor Celia, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

She quirks an eyebrow at you. “Your presence is never an imposition. I feel I must make that known first and foremost. Now then, onto the matter of your request, which I find intriguing.” She gestures at you to continue.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like… a hug?” you finish, tentatively.

“Hmm.” Celia rises from her seat, making her way gracefully across the room towards you. “I think that can be arranged, don’t you?”

She wraps her arms around you in a gentle embrace. She places one hand on the back of your head and the other on the small of your back. Despite the lack of force being used, she manages to convey a deep affection with her touch.

Once she pulls away, she straightens up immediately, clasping her hands in front of her. “There. Will that do?”

“Exactly what I needed, thank you.”

She nods. “Very well. If there’s nothing else, you may be on your way.”

You slip back out through the door, descending the stairs to Florence’s office. When she sees you approaching, she squeals, rushing up to you with excitement.

“Well? How did it go?!”

You grin triumphantly. “I got one.”

“You did?! How was it? Was it perfect? Was it everything you hoped it would be?”

“It was… nice. Very gentle. Very Celia.”

“Oh,” says Florence, wistfully, pressing her hands to her cheeks. “That sounds wonderful…”

You give her a wink. “You’ll get there someday.”

She flushes a deep pink and swats you on the arm. “Stop it! You don’t know that.” Then, quieter, “Do you really think so?”

“I know so.”

Florence sighs. “I hope you’re right.”

Chapter Text

While you’re here, you might as well talk to Wallace, right?

“WALL,” says Wallace, by way of greeting.

“Hi, Wallace! Can I get a hug?”

“WALL!!!!” says Wallace, gleefully. He picks you up in a bone-crushing hug, shaking you from side to side like a child hugging a teddy bear. “WALL!!”

“I love you too, Wallace!” you manage to choke out.

Chapter Text

You head into the workout room next. Might as well, since you’re here, right? A quick scan of the room gives you several ideas of who to tackle next. You make your way over to the fan in the corner. Time to make someone’s day!

“Hi, Fantina!” you say.

Fantina squeals in excitement, clapping her hands and jumping up and down.

“Is it my turn?! Am I going to get a hug too?! This is the best day of my life! I think I’m going to pass out.” She fans her face with her hands. “Calm down, Fantina,” she sing-songs. “Stop freaking out, you’re gonna scare them away.”

You wait for Fantina to get a hold of herself, smiling patiently. She takes some deep breaths, then holds her arms out to you, squeezing her eyes shut as if she can’t bear to look.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she says, “just do it. Do it before I explode.”

You hug her, and she squeezes you so hard you think your lungs might collapse. She presses her face into your shoulder, sniffing loudly.

“Wowwwww, you smell amazing!” she groans. “I mean, I already knew that, but it’s so great to be able to smell you this close up. Did you use your coconut body wash this morning? And is that…?” – she takes another sniff, this time closer to your face – “ooh, you had waffles for breakfast! We should hug more often. I’m learning so much about you!”

You laugh awkwardly, patting her on the back. “Yeah, maybe. We’ll see.”

She squeals again, jumping on you and kicking her legs up behind her so that you are suddenly carrying all of her weight. You only just manage to catch her in time, and you stumble a little at the sudden shift in your centre of gravity.

“Woah! Careful, Fantina, you almost knocked me over!”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” she says, putting her legs back down. “I just got a little overexcited. But you caught me! Wow! You really do care.” She bites her lip, looking at you with adoration.

You take a step back, brushing yourself off. “Uh, yeah. Or, you know, I was just trying not to fall over.”

“You’re so athletic,” she croons.

“I’m really… not.”

But, I know someone who is…!

Chapter Text

When you fire the dateviators at your weight rack, you find Dunk in the middle of doing some bicep curls. He doesn’t notice you at first, so you watch him work out for a while, his brow furrowed in concentration, counting reps under his breath.

“18… 19… 20!” He puts his weights down with a satisfied grunt, then turns around, finally noticing that you are standing there. “Oh, hey! Sorry, I didn’t see you there. I was kinda in the zone, if you know what I mean. How long were you waiting for?”

“Don’t worry, I pretty much just got here. I didn’t want to interrupt you mid-workout.”

“Aw, no way, you can interrupt me any time!” He grins widely at you. “You wanna pump some iron with me?”

“Actually,” you give him a sly smile, “I was wondering if you wanted to put those arm muscles to good use.”

He gives you a knowing look. “Ahh, you’re here to play tennis!”

“No, Dunk. Not tennis.”

“Huh. Badminton then?”

“Uh-uh.” You bite your lip to stifle a laugh.

“Then what?” He looks completely lost. “Basketball? Hockey? Oh, a press-up competition!”

“A hug, Dunk. I’m asking you for a hug.”

Realisation dawns on his face. “Ohhhhh, a hug! These babies are great at hugs!” He flexes his arms, then looks at you with a gleam of mischief in his eyes. “Come here!”

He flings his arms around your waist, picking you up and spinning you in circles while laughing maniacally. You can’t help but dissolve into laughter, too. Eventually, he does set you down again and gives you a proper hug. You’re a little dizzy from all the spinning, so you lean on him quite heavily, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He just holds you close, rubbing your back and making the occasional happy noise. Once you’ve regained your balance, he releases you somewhat reluctantly.

“That was really nice,” he says. “I hope you liked it too.”

“I did. Thank you.”

He looks incredibly pleased. “Any time you want another one, you know where to find me!”

Chapter Text

You head downstairs to the kitchen, and as you enter, you find Stefan arguing with Friar Errol.

“If you would only accept convection into your heart-”

“I DON’T NEED TO ACCEPT ANYTHING INTO MY HEART. I need you to GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!”

Mr Cluckles clucks at him sternly.

“I will not calm down! I’m trying to tenderise this steak, but if this moron doesn’t stop talking to me, I’m going to end up TENDERISING HIS SKULL.”

Friar Errol gasps, clutching his holy instruction manual to his chest. With a growl, he turns on his heel and walks away, blowing straight past you without acknowledging your presence.

Stefan heaves a huge sigh, clenching and unclenching his fists. You approach him with great caution.

“Hey,” you say, softly. His head snaps up in your direction, but when he sees it’s you, he visibly softens. “If you want me to go, I can come back later, but I was just wondering if you might want a hug?”

You’ve barely finished your sentence before he strides right up to you, scooping you into his arms with such force that you let out a little “oof.” He takes a deep breath, then another, dropping his head to rest on your shoulder. You rub his back soothingly.

“Everybody is trying my patience today,” he says through gritted teeth.

“I know, Stefan.”

“He thinks he can replace me.”

“No one can replace you, Stefan.”

He lifts his head to look at you, a surprising vulnerability in his eyes. “You promise? You’ll never replace me with that- that-” He points angrily in the direction Friar Errol went.

“Never.” You take his face in both your hands. “I promise.”

He holds your gaze for a moment before seemingly deciding you’re telling the truth. He smiles, relieved.

“Okay. Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime.” You give his shoulders a squeeze before stepping back. “I’ll let you get back to your steak.”

He leans in to you conspiratorially. “I’m gonna pretend it’s his face.”

“Oookay. Have fun with that.”

You decide to just leave him to it.

Chapter Text

You leave the kitchen to chase after the friar, since he seemed equally distressed by his conversation with Stefan. When you find him, he is pacing the dining room, listening to his hymns on Rainey’s record player and humming along. He seems tense.

“Hi, Errol.”

You give him a little wave when he looks up at you, and he nods in acknowledgement before resuming his pacing and humming.

“I saw what happened back there,” you continue. “Are you doing okay?”

“Of course I’m not,” he snaps, “that oaf threatened me! And all because I simply tried to spread the good word, to share with him the beauty of Convection. He is a fool. He will be obsolete before he knows it.”

“I think Stefan was just feeling a little insecure. People tend to be when you tell them they aren’t needed anymore.”

Errol scowls at you, huffing in annoyance. “You’re taking his side?”

“I’m not taking sides.” You hold up your hands placatingly. “I’m just trying to help you see things from his point of view, to understand why he reacted the way he did. I don’t think he should have threatened you like that, though. Did it scare you?”

He hums in agreement, turning his head away from you as he says, quietly, “It was terrifying. I thought for a moment he might actually hurt me.”

“Oh, sweetheart…”

You reach out to touch his arm, and in one sharp movement, he brings up his hand to grab your wrist, preventing you from moving any further. You stand there, motionless, as he looks into your eyes. His gaze is harsh, wary at first, as though you might be trying to tempt him somehow, or perhaps hurt him, but the longer he looks at you, the more his eyes soften, and the looser his grip becomes. You push gently against him, slowly enough that he could easily stop you again if he so wished, but he doesn’t, instead letting you bring your hand up to his face to cup his cheek. He closes his eyes with a sigh, leaning into your touch involuntarily.

You guide his head closer, bringing it down to rest against your shoulder, and wrapping your arms around him. The effect is immediate: he hooks his arms under yours to press his hands flat against your shoulder blades, his brow furrowing as he returns your embrace with the fervour of a starving man given food. You place a hand at the back of his neck, and he shivers, pushing further into your touch.

“It’s alright,” you whisper, “you’re safe now.”

“Sanctuary…” he mumbles, and you can feel the warmth of his breath through your shirt.

You hold him until he decides he’s had enough, at which point he straightens, clears his throat, gives you a polite nod, and walks briskly back to the kitchen, muttering something under his breath.

Chapter Text

You decide to head over to Roofbucks for a pick-me-up. You’ll need the energy if you’re going to complete your mission, after all! Plus, it’s a good opportunity to get a hug from the cutest coffee maker in the world.

Kopi smiles when she sees you walk in, lifting her head from where it had been resting on her hand, propped up by her elbow on the counter. It must be a slow day; the café is empty.

“Look who it is, my favourite customer! You want your usual?”

“Yes, please!”

You lean on the counter to watch her work as she sets about making your drink.

“Here you are.” She places the cup down in front of you, and you take a sip. It’s perfect, made just the way you like it.

“Thanks, Kopi. You’re the best.”

She blushes a little. “Aww, thank you! I’m glad you like it.”

“I do! In fact, I would like to show my appreciation with more than just words, if that’s alright with you?”

Kopi gives you a quizzical look, and you hold your arms out to her in response.

“Oh! You want a hug!” Her face lights up with a smile before falling again. She grimaces awkwardly. “Well… I’m not really supposed to touch the customers…”

You look around at the empty coffee shop, turning back to her with a mischievous grin. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

She chews her lip thoughtfully. She looks torn between wanting to hug you and fearing her boss’s wrath. After a moment, she draws herself up tall, smiling at you once more.

“One little hug couldn’t hurt. And how would they know anyway?”

She comes out from behind the counter, eagerly pulling you into a hug. She seems to fit perfectly in your arms, and her hug is as warm and comforting as the drinks she makes.

“You’re a good hugger,” she says. “I could use more of these on days when the customers just never seem to be happy.” She sighs, and you hold her a little tighter.

The bell above the door jingles, and she rips herself from your grasp faster than you have ever seen her move before.

“Hi, welcome to Roofbucks!” She quickly smooths out her apron. “What can I get for you?”

As the customer rattles off their order, seemingly not having noticed the scene they walked in on, she shoots you a look that’s somewhere between relief, amusement, and gratitude.

Chapter Text

You wander into the laundry room and spot Harper sitting in the corner, crying.

“Oh, my goodness. Harper, are you okay?” you ask.

She looks up at you, her pretty face streaked with tears. “Dirkie said some really mean things to me, and then he went to see Washford and Drysdale, and now he’s hiding upstairs in your closet and he won’t come out,” she wails. “I know he’s cheating on me with those Hanks. What do they have that I don’t?!”

Oh boy.

You sit down on the floor next to her. “You know, the Hanks really don’t seem like the type to sleep with someone else’s boyfriend. They’re actually very sweet guys. Have you ever talked to them?”

“I don’t need to talk to them.” She glares at you. “I know exactly what they get up to in there. Hamper’s intuition.”

“Right, yes. Okay. Sorry.”

“I just don’t understand what he wants from me,” she says, despondently. “I give him all my love, and he treats me like this! I don’t deserve that.” She suddenly rounds on you. “Do I?”

“Uh, no! Of course not. No one deserves the silent treatment,” you reply, diplomatically. “Relationships are about communication.”

“How am I supposed to communicate with him when he’s hiding from me?! This is so unfair.”

“I don’t have an answer to that, I’m afraid.”

She brings her knees up to her chest, and she suddenly looks very small and helpless. You can’t help but feel a little bit sorry for her.

“Would you like a hug?” you ask.

She sniffles. “Yes, please.”

Harper practically tries to crawl into your skin; she climbs into your lap, curling herself around you until you are caged in by her body. She looks at you with sad, wet eyes.

“You would never hide from me, would you?”

“No,” you answer, instinctively, though at this point you’re not sure if that’s the truth.

“Of course you wouldn’t.” She trails a hand down your cheek. “You’re so wonderful.”

“Thank you?”

She buries her face in the crook of your neck, sighing contentedly.

Eventually, Harper decides she misses Dirk too much and leaves to go bang on your bedroom door some more. You wish her luck with this endeavour.

Chapter Text

Washford and Drysdale are practising their acrobatics when you arrive. They move gracefully, but with great power and strength behind every movement. Drysdale notices you first, calling out to you from his position on Washford’s broad shoulders.

“Well, hello! Come to join us, have you?”

He propels himself upward, twirling through the air with practised ease before landing on his feet in front of you. Washford steps forward to join him, slipping an arm around his shoulders and extending his other hand to you. You take it.

“The swirling tide of our love pulls you along with it,” says Washford, kissing your knuckles. “Will you allow it to carry you out to sea, to feel the thrill of the riptide as it threatens to pull you under?”

“Um. I was just wondering if I could get a hug?”

Drysdale chuckles. “Well, it’s a little boring, I suppose, but perfectly doable. What do you think, Washy?”

“The warmth of a lover’s embrace can be the rock that one clings to in the eye of the storm.”

“My thoughts exactly,” says Drysdale, cheekily. “Come here, cherub!”

You slide in between them, Drysdale holding you from the front, while Washford drapes himself over your back, his arms around you both.

Drysdale gives a thoughtful hum. “You know what, I think I could get used to this.”

“It is certainly a pleasurable experience,” agrees Washford.

“What a great idea, cherub.” Drysdale smiles at you. “Gorgeous and intelligent, how do you manage it?”

“I can’t help it; I was born this way.” You give him a wink, and he laughs before planting a kiss on your forehead.

“To be borne from the waters of the womb already perfect,” Washford muses, “if such a thing were possible, I am certain only you could achieve it.”

Drysdale looks scandalised. “What about me?”

“I was employing the usage of the plural ‘you’,” answers Washford, quickly.

Chapter Text

As you enter the office, your gaze falls on the D20 sitting on your desk. You pick it up, rolling it between your fingers. Impulsively, you give it a little shake before releasing it onto the desk. 17! That’s a good sign, right?

You activate the Dateviators, and Chance appears in front of you.

“Ho there, traveller! May I ask what you were rolling for?” he asks, his glasses glinting under the light.

You grin at him. “It was a persuasion check.”

“Oh, really?” He cocks his head at you; it seems you’ve piqued his interest. “Tell me more.”

“Well, there’s this really cute die I know, and I was hoping to convince him to give me a hug.”

“O- Oh!” His eyes grow wide as he realises what you’re saying, a blush creeping up into his cheeks. “There’s no need to roll for that! It’s a free action.”

He holds his arms out to you in invitation, and you waste no time wrapping him up in a hug. You close your eyes with a satisfied hum as he returns your embrace.

“Aww, and you call me cute,” he coos. “You’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!”

You respond by snuggling further into his arms, which elicits the exact response you were looking for: Chance’s face grows an even deeper red, and he laughs affectionately. You lift your head to look at him, and he gently rests his forehead against yours.

“Hi,” you say, quietly.

“Hi, yourself,” he answers.

He looks a little silly from this close up, and you start to giggle. Chance must be thinking the same, because he starts to laugh at the exact same time. You pull apart, just a little, to catch your breath. Once the laughter has died down, he smiles at you, his eyes full of love. He leans in to kiss the tip of your nose.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“My pleasure,” you reply.

Chapter Text

You turn to your desk, activating your Dateviators to bring her to life.

“There you are!” says Dasha, her hands on her hips as she smiles at you. “Abel came to see me earlier, saying you are giving out hugs, yes?”

“I figured people would start to notice sooner or later. Yeah, I’m on a mission to hug everything!”

“A very noble quest! I approve. And now, of course, you come to see me.” She holds her arms out to you. “My hug will lift your body, and your spirits!”

And lift you she does. Dasha sweeps you into her arms as easily as picking up a toddler. Her embrace is firm, but not crushing. You allow yourself to melt into it, feeling entirely secure.

“My beloved, how is it that you are so huggable?” she asks, adjusting her grip so that she can hold you tighter. “You are like little teddy bear, or soft marshmallow. I could hold you in my arms all day.”

“As delightful as that would be, Dasha, I’m not even halfway through hugging the entire house.”

She sighs dejectedly. “Ah, well, I suppose you must complete your mission. Let nothing stand in your way, not even my incredible hugging skills.”

She gently places you back down, clapping a hand onto your shoulder. “Best of luck, beloved. Your sweet embrace will bring joy to the entire house. I know this to be true.”

“Thanks, Dasha. I’m on it.”

You give her a mock salute as you walk away.