The Faculty - Written for 100 ships

[prisca]

Title: Much too hot
Character: Stokely Mitchell, Casey Connor
Word Count: 347
Prompt: nude
Finished: 01.09.2021

:::

„A penny for your thoughts!“

„Hm?“ Casey turned around, looking at Stokely questioningly.

The girl shrugged. „Zeke! He cuts a fine figure on the playing field. And I admit, even I wouldn't mind a glance at his naked body.“

Casey turned deep red; wildly blinking, he huffed: “What the heck are you talking about?“

„No need to worry, I am happy with Stan. But maybe you should be a bit more careful.“

„I don't get it. What are you suggesting?“

Stokely smirked. „C'mon, Case, I am no fool. You two are hanging around a tiny bit too often lately.“

Casey swallowed. „We... we are friends.“

„Friends, sure.“ She rolled her eyes. „And why are you sitting here at the bleachers every afternoon, looking at him as if you want to rip off his football shirt right away? Don't get me wrong; I don't care what's going on between you two, but...“

Blue eyes widened in shock. „How can you think this? Zeke is not...“

„Zeke is smart. He always knew to put on a good show for others not to get into trouble. And a coming out at Herrington High would turn the world into hell for both of you. So, maybe you should better stay out of his way for a while.“ When she noticed tears sparkling in Casey's eyes, she put her arm around his shoulder. „Hey, it's not forever. Just a month until graduation. And then...“

Casey looked up. „ We want to go to Boston together. Zeke has already sent an application letter to the city college,“ he murmured. „Though I think this is not fair, he is smart enough to go to MIT. But they did reject him.“

Stokely smiled. „Don't worry; I'm sure he will make his way. You two will make your way. Just some more weeks of abstinence.“

„That's easier said than done.“ Casey sighed and glanced back to the playing field, where Zeke had just put off his helmet and lit a cigarette. „If he only wouldn't look so fucking hot.“

The Faculty - Written for 100 Ships and Creative Challenges

[prisca]

Title: Daddy Zeke
Character: Zeke Tyler, Marie (OFC)
Word Count: 343
Prompts: blue for 100 Ships; bedtime for Creative Challenges
Finished: 02.09.2021

Note: This story is part of my 'Homeland' universe, where Casey and Zeke are married and have adopted a little boy / two children. All stories can be read as a stand-alone ones.

:::

Zeke had just placed a DVD into the recorder when a light whimpering, coming from the baby phone, made him prick his ears. The little girl was with them for some weeks already, and the first time Casey hadn't been around to put her to bed. The whimper turned into sniffing, and Zeke put his beer down.

The nightlight fell onto the children's beds when he opened the door. Jason was deep asleep; Zeke chuckled slightly. Nothing could disturb his dreams, not even the loudest thunderstorm. But Marie was fully awake, looked at him with her eyes wide open.

Zeke stepped closer, caressing her cheek. „Hey, baby girl,“ he whispered. „What's wrong? Can't sleep?“

Marie sniffed again, and he picked her up. „You miss daddy Casey, don't you? I do, too. But today is an important day for him, you know, he will get an award for some of his photos. We can be proud of him.“

Deep blue eyes looked at him as if she could understand his words, and Zeke couldn't help the thought of how similar her eyes looked to Casey's. No wonder that a lot of people were sure that he was Marie's biological father. But Zeke knew better. He would never forget the miserable state they had found her into after forcing the door of the shabby motel room open, where her much too young mother was living together with some other drug addicts. As a social worker, he had already seen a lot, but the baby, covered in a dirty towel, too weak to cry, had broken his heart. Later in the evening, when he told Casey about this horrible moment, the decision to take her into their little family had only been a matter of seconds.

Zeke pulled her closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder tiredly. „Never again,“ he murmured, „neither to Jason or you will happen anything that horrible again. Not as long as Casey and I are around.“ And he started to hum a lullaby, soothing her back to sleep.