In the Beginning

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In the Beginning, Tony and Mads were a little bored. So they started a writing project that ended up being MASSIVE and HUGE and IMPORTANT. They wrote stories back and forth about their characters, building a universe that they didn't want to let go. So they gave the characters super powers and moved them to Vermont.

And then they looked at what they had created and saw that it was good.

No, not all 300+ are going in here, just ones that don't need massive amounts of backstory and contribute to our mutual headcanon about these characters.

Written by Mads, prompt number 209: Or Maybe Not
“What about this?” Ginny hauled out yet another floral monstrosity. Chase had called her over with a plan. The mission? Clear out the damned closet. No more floral prints. No more scary sweaters. James was protesting this. A lot.

Chase shook his head. “Nix it.” She grinned and tossed it onto the bed, where the pile of ‘rejects’ was growing by the second.

“What was that?” Chase knew exactly where James was. He was sitting in the hallway, sulking. Because his daughter and his husband had locked him out of his own bedroom. It was safe to say he wasn’t happy. Especially because he could just tell what they were doing. What they’d both been threatening to do for years now. He thumped the back of his head against the wall. “Just put it back, whatever it was!”

“No deal, Jamie. You know you were just asking for this to happen.” Chase tossed another sweater onto the bed. There was silence on the other side of the door.

“... I remember him owning this when I was like... six.” Ginny held up another questionable item.

“Toss.”

“I liked that one!” There was a distinctive whine to James’ voice.

“You don’t even know what we just tossed. Take it like a man, Jamie.” If it would make him feel better, Chase would take James shopping to replace whatever they’d taken out. As long as Ginny was allowed to come, and James only walked out with things they’d approved.

“This is a mutiny.”

“Suck it up, Dad.” Ginny giggled. “Maybe this’ll improve your fashion sense.”

“And maybe not,” Chase laughed. “But it’s a start.”

In the hallway, James crossed his arms. This was completely unfair.

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Written by Mads, prompt number 4: Inside

“Dad, that’s cheating!” Ginny was laughing as she darted back down the hall, where her father had been camped out.

“My house, my rules,” James countered, grinning as he stood up, chasing after his daughter. This was the best idea they’d had in ages. There was nothing better than acting like idiots. And this was a good chance for Chase to prove just how good he was with Ginny.

“Augh! Chase!” Ginny squealed and backtracked, nearly crashing into James as she tried to get away.

“Gin! Move, girl!” She glanced back at him, surprised, but she darted to the side, giving him a clear shot at James. He shot, then winked at her and ran off. Ginny grinned. Oh. This could be fun. She followed Chase and crouched beside him in the kitchen.

“Two against one is cheating, Blondie.” Chase rolled his eyes.

“Not when it’s two blondes against a brunette, kiddo.” Well, two blondes against James. “’Sides, your dad is good at everything. I say it’s time we kick his butt.” Even Ginny couldn’t argue with that logic. She smirked and tapped her fist against Chase’s. The pact was made, and James was going down.

“What are you two whispering about over there?” James knew they hadn’t moved, because he hadn’t heard the thundering footsteps. Somehow, he didn’t trust the two of them. “Ginny...? Chase...?”

The two blondes made a dash, coming at James from either side. There was no escape. “Oi! That’s cheating!”

“Like you’re one to talk, Dad!” Ginny grinned and aimed, zapping the target. She had a smug look on her face, so like her father. “We win.”

“That’s not fair, Gin.” James looked from his daughter to his fiancé, playful accusation playing across his expression. “And you.” He pulled up his gun and fired, shutting down Chase’s targets as well. Ginny laughed and threw her arms around her dad’s neck, whispering in his ear. Chase looked dismayed. This couldn’t be good. And it wasn’t. James grinned. “Round two. Campbells versus Kilbourne.”

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Written by Tony, prompt number 203: Harsh
Ring. Ring. Ring.

Even before James picked up the office phone, he knew exactly what who was going to be on the other end. "Dr. Campbell."

"James! What the FUCK is this?" He pulled the phone away from his ear, knowing exactly what his boss was talking about. "You get your skinny ass down here right now."

He walked calmly to the Administration wing, tapping lightly on Chase's door as he walked by. They both knew what was happening next, and it had been coming for a little while. James slipped the diamond ring out of his pocket and onto his finger.

Inside the office, to the confusion of the girl he was talking to, Chase did the same.

The hiding was over.

As soon as he stepped into the office, the director of Maddock stood, waving a piece of paper in the air. "Resignation? What's going on here?"

"I was offered a research position at Medson. Head of the Psychiatric Research department, actually. And I'm going to take it." He crossed his arms over his chest. He was defensive, and smiling.

"But they can't be paying you much more, and I thought you liked your job."

"I love my job. But I can do good work at Medson, and there's another reason I need to work somewhere else."

"And what the hell is that?" She was used to his antics, or so she thought. But this was new.

"For the past two years I've been romantically involved with my subordinate, Dr. Chase Kilbourne. Last week, I proposed to him. We kept it a secret because of the rules against fraternization, but we want to be publicly together. This gives us that opportunity. Also, we'd like to know your address, for the wedding invitation."

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Written by Tony, prompt number 144: Bar
"So, you are paying for all of this, right?" Chase drank some more of his beer, and smirked at Rome, who was bobbing his head violently to the music.

"Yeah, I am. I treat all the new guys on the team to drinks their first day. Call it tradition. It's how I know who'll last. If they can put up with our drunken antics, it'll be fine." James took a sip of his rum and coke, and nudged his best friend. "You go get the next round, Rome." The younger man grinned up at him, and headed off, swaying slightly.

"Kid's a lightweight, isn't he?"

"Yup, and he's going to get very affectionate soon, so I don't recommend sitting closest to him."

"He's gay?"

"Nope. Straight as an arrow. He just gets huggy. And sometimes I need to save him from hugging the wrong person."

Chase laughed into his drink. Even a few drinks in, James was still just as dry and witty as he had been back at Maddock. "And you? Do you get drunk and affectionate with coworkers?"

"Post hoc, ergo proptor hoc. You know what that means?"

"After hoc, therefore something hoc." Chase finished off his beer. "I didn't pay much attention in Latin."

"After a thing, therefore because of the thing. It's a logical fallacy."

Chase shook his head. "And what does that have to do with what we were talking about? What were we talking about?"

"I don't get affectionate with coworkers because I'm drunk. It's because I think they're interesting." James arched his eyebrow over his glasses.

"And am I interesting?"

"Very. Interested?"

"Yeah. Anything I should know?"

James thought for a moment, then said, "I have a sixteen-year-old daughter, and the kid will be sleeping on my couch tonight. I can't let him try to get himself home like this. Still interested?"

"...yeah, I am."