"I believe this is for you." Sam says, handing the envelope to Ant who takes it with confusion.
"How did you end up with a confidential letter?" He questions, looking at Sam suspiciously who in turn hold his arms up in surrender.
"Look it was posted this morning before Ponk and I were even awake. There's no address, so it was done on purpose."
"We should probably find out who posted it Sam." Ant sighs, not failing to notice the other mans indifference.
"I think, Anthony Frost, that you should look inside that envelope. Then you can decide what you want to do with who gave it to me. But listen to me very carefully, when I say I don't know who posted it. And listen even closer, because I know, that the contents of this thing, are going to lead to something crazy. Get in your office, lock your door and phone the next town's department because I have a gut feeling that this neck of the woods ain't so friendly."
"You've already seen inside, haven't you."
"I promise Officer Frost that I drove straight here when I discovered it on my hallway floor."
"Sam-"
"I have to go Ant, I really do, but the next time I hear about this envelope it better be good news."
With that Sam turns on his heels and heads out.
The building isn't busy this time in the morning despite it almost being midday. The rush hour traffic settled long ago and most the people passing outside are in no particular rush to get anywhere.
The dozen holding cells they have are empty, only two being taken up the previous day by the drunk and disorderly. They've long gone home, hungover and embarrassed.
Ant's office is slightly bigger than the others due to his position, but the clutter of paperwork and multiple filing cabinets make the space feel cramped and uncomfortable.
He sits at his chair and stares at the envelope before him. He spares a quick glance at the picture by his phone; a selfie of himself and Red the day they made it official at a cat cafe. It's the only area he keeps clean.
He opens the envelope and prays to Prime he does the right thing.
Eret knows their days are numbered when they have no choice but to open the door.
Officer Ant Frost tries not to look smug as Eret reluctantly turns around to be put in cuffs.
Officer Ant Frost most definitely doesn't smirk as he drives to the station.
Officer Ant Frost also doesn't laugh when the 'big boss' takes in his own colleagues for questioning. He has no doubt that it'll be hard introducing new people to work at the station, but if it gets rid of the corruption, he supposes he can deal.
-
A month.
A lot can happen in a month.
In a month Foolish finds out he has his first wobbly tooth which prompts Dream to tell him all about the tooth fairy (despite never having a visit from the creature himself). This, in turn, prompts a week long fascination with trying to make the tooth even more wobbly; it doesn't work.
Purpled gets the guts to ask Puffy if Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo can sleep over which she delightfully agrees to. They keep her awake through the night, but Puffy doesn't mind; it just shows that her boy is comfortable to ask for things!
Dream also kisses George. They aren't official... yet...but the blonde haired boy came home from a "not" date blushing furiously, and smiling like nobody's business.
And Punz...
Punz is given a letter telling him he has to attend Eret's trial as a witness. Puffy assures him that he is allowed to give a statement in a private area so they don't have to see Eret at all, but Punz tells her he doesn't want to think about it until closer the time; he still has months.
Punz also gets accepted to the apprenticeship he applied for which is apparently cause for celebration. There's a small part of Punz that thinks she's doing it out of sympathy, but they all choose a cake at Niki's bakery and eat at the park. It's nice.
Right now the three brothers are at the den. It hasn't changed at all since the last time they sat on the flattened cushions, or trampled over brambles and barbed wire.
"Big day tomorrow." Dream casually mentions and Punz snorts at his lack of subtlety.
"Oh gosh, I wonder why?" He jokes back. Purpled has his head on his legs and is halfway asleep as Punz runs his fingers through the youngers hair.
"Are you excited? To finally be an adult?" Dream asks, eager for the answer. He seems more excited than Punz is.
"Puffy hasn't made me pack my bags yet, so I suppose that's a bonus."
"Do you still believe she'll kick you out?" Purpled mumbles, eyes closed.
Punz thinks for a moment, before shaking his head, small smile on his face.
"I guess not. I just never expected us to be all together for it."
"Neither did I." Dream admits, and Purpled gently nods his head in agreement.
"I always promised," Punz begins, "that if we weren't together, and I was old enough, I'd fight for us. We'd live together in an apartment, and Dream and I would work to pay rent, and Purpled would do well in school so he'd get a better job than either of us. And we'd be together."
A car horn blairs in the background which scares a few birds out of the trees, but nothing can break the silence that falls over the trio.
"Oh damn, I think I'm crying." Punz laughs, and sure enough there are a few tears on his cheek, and regretfully, a couple fall into Purpled's hair.
"It's okay to cry," Purpled reassures, brushing salty tears from his head. "I don't think I ever had a plan for if things never worked out. I think I was always afraid of having to choose, like, if we were ever apart, which one of you would I have to go with? That thought terrifies me, because I don't want to be away from either of you two...or even on my own."
"Prime, are we all getting deep?" Dream jokes but the others can see him preparing to say something himself.
"Okay, alright, so...when we arrived at Puffy's I think I was trying to be positive to be seen as a good kid, yknow? It's why I was getting pissed at you Punz. I thought with your birthday so close, this was the last time we'd be able to spend a big event together. I don't know. I was scared but tried to compensate by being good...I think."
Punz can't help but snort, despite the fact he's still crying.
"Man, we are fucked up."
"Just a bit." Laughs Dream. "We'll be fine."
"I don't doubt it. Being together on my eighteenth is all I've ever wanted."
"And you're gonna get it. I promise, Punz."
They don't walk home until the sun starts to set, and Puffy doesn't ask where they've been.
Punz spends his last evening as a 'child' watching a film, squished between his biological brothers, his foster brother and Puffy. It's the safest he's ever felt in a long time, and it feels so damn good.
YOU ARE READING
Reputation
Fanfiction"Dream legs it down the alleyway, bag gripped tightly in his hand. His cheeks are already red and angry from the bitter cold wind and his feet numb inside his shoes. He can hear rasped shouts from behind him, and forces his legs to move faster." Or:...
