#I would be the fully grown adult sobbing in my mom or dad's hug | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

edith-hyde · 2 years

Text

Norman Osborn X Female Reader

I Forgot My Umbrella - Part 22

Word Count: 2379

Summary: Your old college roommate, Tracy, arrives at your apartment in tears. Will Norman stick around to meet her?

Warnings: Age gap. PG.

A/N: I had to reference the Great Gatsby. I just had to.

Archive

——

In horror you turned to look at Norman.

“It’s Tracy!!” You hissed.

“Who?” He questioned as he mirrored your panicked expression.

“My college roommate! I told you about her once I’m sure. Oh this is… Guh. Her timing stinks!”

Tracy knocked again and you looked back through the peephole. Thank God she was alone. But as you inspected her features, your stomach dropped.

She looked like she had been crying. She clearly needed some emotional support, which meant now was not the time to spring your relationship with Norman on her.

“Ah cripes….”

You looked back at Norman who was now standing. He was glancing around your apartment like he was trying to find another exit but his only option was the fire-escape; which he looked like he was honestly considering it.

“You shouldn’t have to run. But… she looks really upset so maybe you should go…” You shook your head, “No. We’ve got nothing to hide.”

“But-”

“She was bound to find out sooner or later, right? I mean, if you wanna hide or run, I won’t stop you. But I do kinda think it’s a little ridiculous. We are grown adults and it’s not like Tracy is going to run it to the newspaper… at least I don’t think she would.”

Norman ran a hand through his hair and grimaced.

“Are you sure you’re ready for her to know about us?”

You gave a nod. In truth you were just trying to be brave.

“I’m gonna open the door now.”

Norman hesitantly sat back down, eyes glued to you and the door. With a deep breath, you opened it. You skillfully placed your body so that Tracy couldn’t see Norman from where she was standing.

“Hey, Trace. What’s up?”

As soon as Tracy saw you, she lurched forward and wrapped you in a hug.

“-Oof! Whoa!”

She started sobbing into your shoulder and all you could do was hold her as she cried.

“Hey now, what’s all this about?” You questioned softly, “What happened?”

Tracy sniffled.

“I left him, Y/N. I told him he could go drown in a ditch!”

“Harsh, but well deserved…”

“I told him to get out and never talk to me again, but he… he…”

Tracy hiccuped as she pulled back so she could look at you.

“He won’t stop calling! He keeps spouting all this crud about how he’s the only man that will have me, and that I’m his whole world, and… and… he’s been showing up at my apartment and following me to work and I don’t know what to do!”

You grabbed Tracy’s shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes.

“Dan has totally lost it! You can stay here for now, okay? And if he comes lookin’ for ya, I’ll rip him into so many pieces they won’t be able to identify him.”

Tracy laughed as she wiped her eyes.

“Thanks. I’m really sorry about this. I didn’t know where else to go. My mom and dad live in Jersey now and my brother is out of the country.”

“It’s fine,” you reassured her, “I know you’re a great roommate already so I really don’t mind.”

Tracy chuckled as you opened the door fully to let her in. But when you stepped to the side, your heart skipped a beat.

How would she react to Norman?

“Oh! Trace I can explain-”

You turned, expecting to see your boyfriend seated at the counter, but he was nowhere in sight. Instead, you saw that the window was opened.

He had run.

“Explain what?”

Tracy turned to look at you and you forced a smile.

“My apartment is such a mess!” You said as you gestured around, “Sorry! I’ve been a bit too busy to clean.”

“It’s fine. You’ve always been messy.”

Tracy shuffled over to the couch and plopped down. With a deep sigh, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She had her backpack with her which she dropped at her feet. She was clearly exhausted but she seemed to be calming down.

Closing the front door, you headed for the window and closed it. Norman was nowhere to be seen so you assumed he had just gone to his car and left. You were just thinking about how silly he must’ve looked going down the fire-escape, when you spotted Norman’s coat hanging by the door.

Without drawing too much attention to yourself, you took it, hid it from view, and headed out the door.

“Wait here a second,” you announced, “I ordered some takeout a little bit ago and I wanna meet ‘em at the main door.”

Tracy waved her hand but didn’t open her eyes. Without another word, you escaped out into the hall and were about to go running down the stairs when you spotted Norman sitting on the bottom step, his head in his hands. Slowly, you came to sit by him on his right. You laid his coat across your legs, absently smoothing out any wrinkles.

“Sorry,” he muttered, “I panicked. I guess I’m a child.”

“I don’t blame you. This would’ve been a pretty bad time to tell her.”

You giggled to yourself.

“I should call you Jay Gatsby for jumping out the window like that. I’m glad it wasn’t raining.”

Norman’s head came up and you felt his pain as you looked into his watery eyes.

“I don’t want you to think that I’m ashamed to be seen with you,” he pleaded, “I just… I don’t want your friend to judge you because you’re with me-”

Lurching forward, you silenced Norman with a kiss. It was forceful and short lived but it succeeded in quelling Norman’s worries. When you pulled back, you fixed him with a stern glare, right hand still gripping his collar.

“I’m not ashamed to be seen with you either. I appreciate your concern for my reputation but it’s like I told you- I don’t care. We can’t hide forever, as tempting as that is. We’re going to have to tell people eventually.”

You released Norman’s collar and he nodded.

“You’re right… I’m sorry if I made you feel as though you couldn’t tell anyone about us. After all, I did tell Otto…. And I’m sure he told Rosie.”

You arched an eyebrow.

“You told Otto? When?”

Norman nodded.

“The morning after you confessed. I’m sorry. I didn’t ask if that was alright…”

“Norman, if you wanted to proclaim it from the rooftops, I wouldn’t stop you.”

He chuckled as he wiped a hand over his face. After a short moment of silence he met your gaze.

“I wish I had your confidence,” he sighed.

“I’m only confident when I’m with you.”

Norman smiled as he wrapped his right arm around you and pulled you over so he could kiss your temple.

“If you want to tell your friends, I won’t stop you. Just… give me some time to mentally prepare before I meet them. Today was too sudden and your friend seems to be having a rough time.”

“Of course! I don’t wanna spring anything on you. But I think I will tell her about us either today or tomorrow.”

Norman rose to his feet and you helped him put on his coat. Afterwards, he pulled you to him, locking his hands behind your back as he smiled at you.

“I’m going to head out and get myself some dinner. You girls have fun, alright?”

“I’m sorry our date night was ruined,” you pouted, “I was really looking forward to it too.”

You could tell that Norman was struggling not to be upset as well. But he forced a smile and responded like a responsible adult.

“There’s always tomorrow or Sunday.”

You scowled.

“But Tracy will probably be staying with me for a while… that’s gonna make it pretty hard to have our movie nights.”

It’s fine. You can just come over to my place.”

Norman gave you a grin as your face started to turn red. He brushed some hair out of your face as he spoke.

“Would that be alright with you?”

“Yup!”

Norman chuckled as he leaned down and gave you a chaste kiss, his knuckle hooked under your chin. You were so glad that he started this. It was nice. You were finally able to give him that goodbye kiss you had been yearning for.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight.”

You untangled yourself from Norman and headed back up the stairs. You paused at the top to look back just as Norman turned back at the threshold. He smirked at you.

“If you do end up tearing that boy to pieces, let me know. I’ll help you hide the evidence.”

You laughed and waved him out the door.

“Get outta here.”

He gave you that poop-eating grin of his, just before disappearing into the night. You took a seat at the top of the stairs to wait and it wasn’t too long before the takeout arrived.

Returning to Tracy, you found her watching TV with a dull expression. When you entered she barely glanced at you.

“That took forever.”

“Yeah, sorry. But it’s here now.”

You set the food down on the coffee table and went to get some paper plates so you could split it. Tracy saw the food and her mood brightened a little.

“Wow you ordered a lot. It’s like you knew I was coming,” Tracy laughed.

You didn’t answer as you got the two of you some soda. When you came to sit next to her, she started stuffing her face with gusto.

“So how’s work?” She asked in between bites.

She was clearly trying to distract herself with anything not related to Dan. You were happy to oblige.

“It’s goin’ alright. Had a bit of a rough day today but we got through it.”

“Is it hard? Being an assistant?”

“Not really,” you shrugged, “I mean I have to manage a lot of stuff, but the computer handles most of the hard work. Pretty much all I have to do is tell Norman where and when something is happening.”

“And… How are things with your boss?”

You stared down at your food, your grip on your fork tightening. You knew you’d have to tell Tracy the truth but you weren’t really prepared.

“Y/N?”

Your head came up. Tracy was giving you a quizzical look and you sighed. You sat your food down and tried to compose yourself.

“There’s no easy way to really tell you so I’m just gonna say it.”

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes.

“Norman and I are dating now.”

You peeked a look at Tracy. She was staring at you, her fork half lifted to her mouth. After a long moment of silence, she set her food down on the coffee table with an unreadable expression.

“You’re… you’re dating? You and Norman Osborn are dating?”

You nodded.

“So… you actually managed to seduce him. I can’t believe it.”

You tossed a throw pillow at her with a look of disgust. She laughed as she caught it and placed it in her lap.

“I didn’t seduce him!” You snarled, “Why do people keep throwing that word around?! I couldn’t seduce anybody even if I tried!”

“You had to have done something!”

You shrugged, face turning pink.

“I dunno… I was just myself… I’m still surprised that he likes me… we’ve only been dating for like two weeks so it’s all still really new to me…”

Tracy leaned forward.

“So you guys are like, legit dating? He’s not trying to be your sugarda-”

Before she could get the word out, you snatched the pillow from her lap and hit her with it again.

“We are legit dating!”

“Okay, okay!” She giggled as she snatched the pillow, “I believe you.”

Tracy leaned back to lay on the couch arm as she squeezed the pillow to her chest. With her eyes on the ceiling, she spoke.

“Wow… this is big, right? Like he’s your first boyfriend that survived past the first few dates… ya know I should’ve known you’d end up with an older guy. You always complained about how immature everyone was. And you’re old fashioned so it fits.”

You tried not to take her words as an insult.

“Yeah…”

Tracy sat back up, a grimace on her face.

“But why did it have to be Norman Osborn? Like why couldn’t you find someone less… I dunno. Him?”

You clenched your jaw, trying not to let your anger boil over.

“You haven’t met him. Your opinions are entirely based on news articles and that’s not fair.”

Tracy took a moment to think.

“Yeah, that’s true…” she met your gaze, “Is he good to you? Like he’s not some creep, right?”

“He’s an absolute gentleman,” you assured her.

“So have ya kissed him yet?”

You ducked your head.

“That’s none of your business.”

Tracy slammed her hands down on the pillow and she leaned forward.

“Oh my gosh, you kissed him! How was the first kiss, huh? Tell me! Was it good?”

“I’d rather not talk about this!” You groaned.

“I’ve been waiting for you to have your first kiss for ages!”

“Your obsession with it is so weird!” You complained.

“To me, you’re the weird one. Now spill. How was it?”

You growled in frustration as you lifted your head to meet her gaze.

“FINE! First off, he kissed me. Second, it was…”

You trailed off as you remembered the moment in question that took place not even an hour ago. Your face started turning red and Tracy gave you a crooked smile.

“That good, huh?”

“I’m done talking about this!” You declared.

You started stuffing the Chinese food in your mouth as you glared at your friend. Tracy started laughing and picked up her own food.

“Okay, okay, we’re done… But have you told Kevin or your parents about him yet?”

“No… I haven’t really had the chance and I was gonna wait for a bit… Telling people I have a boyfriend is gonna be stressful.”

“Kevin will probably be cool with it. Your mom might be chill, but your dad… That’s gonna be a fun conversation.”

“It’ll be alright,” you said more to yourself than to Tracy, “It’ll work out… I hope.”

#i forgot my umbrella #norman osborn #norman osborn x reader #spider man: no way home #sam raimi spider man #fanfiction

69 notes · View notes

amazingphanisnotonfire-imagines · 4 years

Text

Kevin//you know i'll never be lonely, you're my only one

Request: Hi can I request a platonic Kevin/Jones!reader where Jug'a sister is best friends with Kevin and is with the core 4 when they find him alone at the Farm and she brings him home with her and there's hugging and hot chocolate and cuddling? Please? My boy needs love!

hey! i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again...kevin keller deserves the world! anyway, i hope you enjoy! also, the title is from a queen song (you’re my best friend) if you’re wondering! i absolutely love this song, and i recommend you listen to it if you’re sad (which i hope you’re not). also, to the anon (and anyone else who needs it) who was sad last night, i don’t know if this is something you’re going to read, but if you do, i hope it cheers you up!

When the sun rose over Riverdale, bringing with it a new day as well as a second chance, you thought it was the end of your troubles.

A night of being hunted down with your friends and brother through the dark woods had eventually ended. And as you hugged the people you thought you’d die with, you knew you don’t think you’d ever be as happy to see Cheryl Blossom ever again.

However, just as day was bringing a new dawn, effectively solving all your problems, across town they were just starting for your best friend.

You just didn’t know yet.

Its only when Betty pulls away from your group hug, frantically asking about her mom do you realize that maybe not everything is okay. Because despite the fact that the five of you are safe, it doesn’t mean everybody else is.

And at the top of that very long list is Kevin Keller.

Betty is first through the chapel door, but you’re not far behind her and as soon as you run in, you come to an abrupt halt. If it weren’t so depressing, the scene in front of you would have been breathtaking. The candles flickering, the clothes neatly folded and the general atmosphere reminds you of something from an old film.

But as soon as you see Kevin sat on the floor, legs pulled up to his chest and a completely broken look on his face, the allusions shatters...along with your heart.

“Kevin?” Betty asks and his head lifts slightly.

“They left me.” Your expression softens at the tone in his voice and you swear you can actually feel your heart cracking.

Kevin has been your best friend for years, he’s stuck with you despite the obvious divide between the two of you. Him being from the Northside with a sheriff dad, and you being from the southside with a gang member dad, its far to say there were a few people who disapproved of your friendship. Not that either of you cared, you were best friends...platonic soulmates...who cares what anybody else thinks. And even though the two of you had grown apart over the past few months (specifically when the farm came to town), you always managed to find your way back to each other.

So seeing him like this physically hurts you. He’s already been through so much and right now you want to scream and shout at the universe for treating the kindest and by far the best human like utter crap.

“I wanted to go, but they said that someone had to stay behind to explain what happened.” He sobs and the seven of you exchange looks.

“What did happen?” Archie asks.

“The worthy ascended, of course.” He scoffs.

“Who did? Where’s my mom? And Polly?” Betty asks and you roll your eyes at her.

Despite her being sweet and kind the majority of the time, she did sometimes get a little wrapped up in herself and her issues, and right now, that annoys you. Because here Kevin is, abandoned by this group that brainwashed and alienated him, only for Betty to care more about two grown adults who can usually make their own decisions.

“Gone.” He states, anger in his voice as he stares vacantly in front of him. “Everyone is. And we’ll never see them again.” The room suddenly feels colder all of sudden, Betty lets out a small cry as she practically falls into Jughead’s arms, while the rest of you stand around, none of you wanting to move...just in case.

You’re the first one to do anything. You make your way towards Kevin and cautiously sit beside him.

“Are you okay?” You ask. You’ve asked him that countless of times, but this is the first time its ever felt like you’re asking a stranger. You may be sat beside him but you feel a thousand miles apart. Usually you’re attached at the hip, but there’s a rather large space between you, physically as well as metaphorically and it just feels wrong.

“I-” He cuts himself off before he can say anything further. Instead he just cries, his head drops to his hands and you’ve never seen somebody look so lonely, despite being surrounded by people.

You don’t say anything in return, you just wrap your arms around him and pull him into a tight hug.

The two of you stay like that for at least half an hour. Eventually everybody else goes, Jughead being the last one to leave, sending you a small smile before closing the door behind him, until its just the two of you again.

It takes some persuading, but eventually you get Kevin back to your house. Thankfully your dad has already left for work so there’s no awkward questions about why you’re covered in mud and why Kevin is crying.

“Here.” You hand him a mug. Its his favourite one. Something you got him to keep at your house. A small smile twitches at the corner of his lips as he takes it, but it disappears as quickly as it came, instead leaving behind a miserable expression.

You remember the last time you gave him hot chocolate in that mug, but the memory does nothing to make you feel better. If anything it just makes your heart ache more.

“You always make the best hot chocolate.” He’d said, an eager smile on his lips as he watched you slowly bring it to him.

“I always put double the recommended powder in.”

“Ahhh, so now I know you secret recipe.”

“Plus, the cream and sprinkles help a lot too.”

“Yeah.” He agreed. “Very true. But we can just pretend its all you.”

“Aww, thanks.”

“Hey. If there’s ever a day that your hot chocolate doesn’t make me smile, just assume that I’m dead inside.”

“You’re so dramatic.” You’d rolled your eyes at him, and he’d gasped loudly, feigning offence.

“I know. But its part of my charm.”

“Keep telling yourself that.”

“It is.”

“Has that ever actually worked on anybody.”

“Not yet...but it will.”

His eyes had been so full of hope, now they were just dark. Like all the light had been sucked out of them.

The house is quiet, but its nice. Compared to the eery quiet of the woods and the farm, its quite comforting and you’re very glad to be back home, especially after thinking you wouldn’t be so lucky.

“Thanks.” He replies, taking a sip before placing it on the coffee table. If you’re being honest, its nice having Kevin here. Its something else to focus on instead of being stuck in a continuous loop of your memories of the previous nights. Although you’d much rather prefer he was upset over some boy thats broken his heart.

“Do you want another blanket?” You offer, rearranging the one you’ve already draped across his shoulders. “Or the TV? I can put a film or something on? Or we can just see what’s on? Or music? Do you want anything to eat?” You know you’re fussing over him, and you know he’s going to hate it. But there’s nothing else you can do. You can’t go back and change everything, no matter how hard you try.

A part of you feels like its your fault. Kevin is supposed to be you’re best friends, but you still let him get caught up in all of this. You let the farm take him, you made him feel alone. You made him feel the need to find friendship and family somewhere else, somewhere dangerous.

And by the time you realized what was happening, it was too late. Despite the numerous attempts. It was too late to help him.

Now he’s sat on your couch, clutching an old blanket around him like his life depends on it, and you really don’t know if he’s ever going to fully recover from this.

“Why do things like this keep happening to me? Am I cursed? Do you think I’m cursed?” He breaks the silence. Maybe he know’s exactly what you were just thinking. Or maybe he’s just thinking out loud, but either way it makes you frown and quickly face him.

“Kevin. You’re not cursed.” You grab his hand and he forces himself to look at you.

“It sure feels like I am.”

“The only thing that is cursed, is Riverdale. But we’re not going to be here forever. We’ve got one year left at school, and then we’re out of here. We’re going to do all of the things we’ve had planned since we were little. Our road trips across the country. Our apartment together thats filled with trinkets and utter junk that we’ve picked up over the years. We’re going to meet so many new, normal people and we’re going to shock them with our shared trauma. You’re going to meet a nice boy who treats you like you created the universe. You’re going to be so happy, I just know it. And one day this is all going to feel like a far away nightmare. Riverdale and all of its horrors will just be distant memory, something you laugh about from time to time. Okay?” You hold your pinkie out towards him and he sends you a look. “I promise. And I never break a promise.”

“That is very true.” He nods, wrapping his finger around yours. “Y/n?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been so alone the past few months.”

“I know.” You smile sadly at him, wiping a few tears from your cheeks. “But I’m always going to be here for you, no matter what happens. You’re my best friend and I love you so much. You brighten my day just by walking through a door, and no matter how much I dread doing something, you make it 1000 times more bearable.”

“Y/n.” His expression mirrors yours. Sadness mixed with hope, and more than a few tears, but you know what he’s trying to say.

“No matter how alone you feel, you’re not, okay? You are never ever alone. No matter what day of the week, or what time, or even how far apart we are. I’m always going to be here.”

“I love you.”

“I know you do.” You nudge him softly. A slight smile appears on his lips, and even though its not the same as his usual, its better than nothing, and so you take that as a win. Your head falls to his shoulder and he rests his on top of yours, both of you finally feeling somewhat at peace after months of hell.

“What the hell happened to you?” He asks suddenly and you pull away from him. He’s looking you up and down, a concerned expression on his face while he waits for your answer. “Why do you look like...that?”

“I was hunted through the woods by Penelope Blossom and a bunch of other psychos.” You shrug and his eyes widen.

“Wha-”

“But thats not important right now.” You shake your head. “What’s important, is that you’re safe. And we’re going to need re-fills soon.” You look towards the mugs on the table. Neither of them are anywhere close to being empty, but you just want to change the subject and thankfully Kevin gets it. “I think we both deserve extra sprinkles this time.”

#kevin keller #riverdale #riverdale imagine #platonic imagine #kevin keller x reader #jones!y/n #jones!reader #kevin keller imagine

51 notes · View notes

lashtoncurls · 5 years

Text

Hungry Eyes(AI) pt3

Summary: Ashton is the new performing arts instructor at the country club Izzy and her family attend every year during summer. And the unexpected happens when they fall in love while he teaches her to play drums and dance.

Words: 2.3K

Warnings: curse words, smut

A/N: I enjoyed writing this part so much more than the rest. Third and last part(maybe) And slightly different picture because this is how I imagine he would look like, except with red hair.

Izzy sat on the desk in Ashton’s room as she tapped the drum sticks while he strummed the chords on the guitar.

“So, Calum huh?” Ashton asked curiously, a mischievous smile on his lips.

“What about him?”

“I saw you two walking around the lake the other day.”

“Oh, is somebody jealous?” Izzy put the sticks on the desk and made her way the bed where Ashton sat, taking the guitar from his hands.

“Why would I be jealous?” Ashton pulled her in by the waist so she was straddling him, her legs on either side of him.

“There’s nothing there. My dad likes him, but him and Lily are after each other. He knows about us anyway.” Izzy wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her fingers through his hair, massaging lightly. His eyes closed as she continued moving her hands through his scalp, pulling lightly when she reached some longer parts. As her hands massaged and pulled, her lips began to place open mouthed kisses on his neck. Ashton groaned when he felt his jeans become tighter as Izzy ground her hips on his.

“Fuck, Iz stop.” He tried to push her off, but Izzy insisted in staying in her spot, her hips grinding harder as she kept kissing him.

“Don’t want to.” One hand moved from his hair to his waist as she snuck it under his shirt, feeling his warm skin. She’d seen him shirtless before, during the drumming lessons, but it wasn’t like now. He watched her move so she could pull the black t-shirt off of his body and bit her lip as she admired the man in front her.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, babygirl.” Ashton growled as her hands ran down his back and up his chest. Izzy raised an eyebrow as she pressed her lips against his and ground her hips more.

“Is that a challenge?” Ashton flipped them over so she was laying on the bed, her legs still wrapped around his waist. He pressed his lips to hers again as her legs pushed him harder against her trying to get some sort of friction. Their kiss soon ended with him between her legs and her moans echoing off the walls as he sucked and licked, her hands buried in his hair. His fingers held a steady pace as he brought her to her orgasm, her legs shaking as he kissed her.

“I want you.” She whispered against his lips as his hands caressed her sides.

“You have me.”

“I want you.” She blushed as a hand covered her face and she giggled lightly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m so sure.” Ashton looked at her before he nodded as he kissed her again while she unbuttoned his jeans and he helped her slide them down his legs. Her small hands wrapped around his dick, a small moan leaving his lips as he pulled them away and put the condom on. They shared kisses and light touches until as he thrust into her slowly, her nose scrunching at the slight sting she felt.

“Tell me if it’s too much, okay? We can stop if you want.” Ashton whispered as he was fully inside of her.

“Keep going.” She shook her head and made him move. After a couple thrusts the pain turned into slight pleasure as he moved. Izzy’s moans reassured him that she was feeling good, but as much as he wanted to move faster, he wanted to make this as pleasurable and enjoyable for her.

“Iz, I can’t hold it anymore.” Ashton spoke as he bit on her neck lightly, careful not to leave any marks. She nodded and he thrust until he came inside her and his head buried in the crook of her neck again. They stayed in that position for a couple minutes, her hands wrapped around his shoulders as she realized what she had just done. There was no regret as Ashton looked up at her to be met with a smile as he kissed her lips slowly.

After the night they had spent, Izzy thought about telling her dad that her and Ashton had spent the whole summer together. Their time at the club was ending and in two weeks she would be going back to school in New York. But she knew that he would flip when he found out.

“I don’t understand how Joy and David still let Calum hang around that bunch of delinquents.” Izzy’s dad spoke as he watched in the music room one day they went to watch her and Lily during their dance lessons.

“Their not bad, daddy.” She whispered as her cheeks turned red.

“They had something to do with his broken hand and he still hangs around with them. I don’t understand.”

“Oh, Ashton had nothing to with it. None of them did.”

“How would you know?” Her dad questioned as they moved to the music, Ashton directing the couples at the front of the room.

“I-I just know.”

“That red haired boy, he’s the trouble maker. David said Calum’s been hanging around with him since last summer and look at his hair. I’m sure he influenced that too.” Izzy let go of her dad and walked away.

“Calum dyed his hair because he wanted, no one made him do it.”

“Alright, okay.” Her father put his hands up in defense as he watched her frown and cross her arms “Where were you last night by the way?”

“Huh? I-I was with Calum.” She almost shouted as her cheeks reddened again.

“Don’t lie to me, Lily was with him after dinner. Where were you?” His face showed nothing but anger as Ashton watched from the other side of the room.

“I-” Izzy ran out of the room before a scene was caused, but her father followed her and grabbed her arm as they reached the edge of the lake, Ashton running after them.

“Answer me young lady. Where were you?!”

“I-I was with Ashton.” He let go of her arm as he let out a laugh.

“Right, so I spend all this money for you to be doing something to keep you away from criminals and you end up sleeping with him?! I had no idea I was raising a slut.” Izzy gasped and at her dad's words and how he laughed at the end.

“Excuse me, Izzy isn’t a slut. She’s the most fucking wonderful girl I’ve ever met and she’s so much more than just a rich girl. She’s nothing like you and she’ll never be.” Ashton intervened, Izzy hiding behind him.

“I paid for you to teach her how to dance. Not to sleep with her! I should have you fired!” He directed towards Ashton and grabbed his shirt in fists.

“Fire me, go ahead I did nothing wrong. I love your daughter and I’ll never be sorry for anything.” Ashtons smile made her fear for him. Her father was a man of his word, and if he planned on firing him, he would go through with that.

“Listen here young man, I’m not taking my family with me now because I’ve paid for the rest of the month and it’d be a waste. But you stay away from her for the next two weeks or I will for sure have you fired.” He let go of his shirt and began walking away before he turned to look at Izzy hugging him.

“Isabel, come with me. Now.” She let go of Ashton and he kissed her cheek before she walked next to her father in complete silence.

“Dad-“

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“But, dad you have to listen to me! Ashton isn’t who you think he is. He’s so much more than a-“

“I said I don’t care!” Her father turned around and screamed at her before he sighed and looked up “You’re not who I thought you were.” With that he walked away and left her as the tears rolled down her cheeks and she broke in sobs. Her father wasn’t who she thought he was either. Izzy was anything but a slut, and her father knew nothing about her now that she was a grown adult.

After she calmed down, she made her way to the cabin and closed the door to her room before she buried herself under the blankets.

“Iz, are you okay?” Lily asked as he laid down next to her sister and hugged her. They talked about what happened and how Ashton was really worried about her.

“Please help me.” Izzy sat on the bed as Lily looked at her and nodded “I need to go to talk to Ashton tonight. If mom and dad walk in just tell them that I’m not up to talking, please.” Lily nodded again and they made their plan.

At midnight Izzy snuck out through the window in her room and Lily did as they had planned when her father went in to check on them. Ashton and Izzy talked that night and he comforted her, reassuring her that he truly did care for her; and he thanked her for defending him like she had.

“No one has ever done that for me.” He whispered in her ear and held her close before he attached his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. That night they made love until she had to return to her room.

——

Two weeks passed faster than they wanted them to, but it was now two days before Izzy and Ashton had to head back home. They had been sneaking around her parents with Calum and Lily’s help, but now as the final show of the season was coming up Calum had tried to convince her dad to let her play.

“Mr. Sanders, please let her play. Without me the band is nothing. My hand is better but I can’t go through more than 5 minutes without pain yet.”

“Calum, I’ve already told you no. Isabel knows she’s to stay away from that boy.” Her father ignored his request as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Daddy, please let her play.” Lily intervened as she took Calum’s hand in hers “They have someone important coming to see them today and it would really really help them if Iz played with them.” Their father looked at both of them as Izzy sat in front of them without speaking, her eyes locked on the rain falling outside.

“Fine, she can play.” Izzy smiled and winked at Calum and Lily before they walked away and she got up to give the good news to Ashton.

They set up the stage before dinner, and she was nervous because her father had not seen her play at all. In two weeks of sneaking around him, she had been wary of what she said around him. Calum and Lily were fairly close, and her father beat himself up for not putting the pieces together sooner.

Dinner time came around and when the lights dimmed and they took their places, her father wanted to pull her out from the drum set in front of her. She wore a short black top and ripped black jeans that exposed her midriff, but the smile in her face gave away that this was really one thing she loved to do.

“Hi, I hope you’re all having a good night. Thank you all for another great summer. I hope you enjoy the last set of the summer.” Luke spoke into the microphone and they began playing. Lily and claim watched her father realize that Izzy was amazing at playing the drums. She put all her passion into it like Ashton had taught her.

“You did so good baby!” Ashton pulled her in for a hug before he pushed her sweaty curls from her face and kissed her forehead.

“You did too.” She smiled and kissed his cheek as she stood up on the tips of her toes.

“I’m so glad I met you.” He whispered as they sat on the bench outside of the dinner hall.

“Me too.”

“Tomorrow is your last day here.” Ashton took her hands in his and played with her fingers as he sighed.

“You act like New York is on the other side of the world or something.” Izzy giggled and looked up at Ashton, admiring the way his hazel eyes shine bright in the setting sun.

“I know it’s not, but I don’t know if I’m staying in Jersey or going back to New York. I don’t know that I could live the life you do.” He shyly admitted with a sigh “And I don’t know where the band is going. Michael and Luke are moving to California and who knows where that will take us.”

“I’m not asking you to move with me, Ash. I just want you to know that I love you. I love you so much. And wherever life takes us, I’ll always be here for you.”

“Oh, baby.” Ashton pulled Izzy in for a kiss as his hands cupped her cheeks, her face leaning into the touch as he pulled away and looked at her right in the eyes “I love you, a lot more than I’ve loved someone before.” She wrapped her arms around his torso as he wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her into a hug and kissing the top of her head. They talked some more as the sun fully set, their hearts filled with love for each other. When they made their way back to her cabin, her father approached them and stopped them.

“Look, I know what I said before was harsh, but I see Isabel has learned a lot from you teaching her music and dancing. And I see you make her happy. That’s all that matters.” He patted Ashton on the shoulder and walked away, leaving them both with beaming smiles on their faces. They shared a kiss and stood in front of her cabin, not thinking about anything but the love they shared for each other.

Tags: @myloverboyash @haveiquitefinished @lashtonchesthair @toofadedtofight @calumrude @heaven-high-water @angelbbycal @norawashere @lukesflaredpants @moonlightgodcalum @roselukes @slimthicccal

#ashton irwim #ashton irwin blurbs #ashton irwin imagines #5sos #5sos blurbs #5sos imagines #5 seconds of summer imagines #5 seconds of summer blurbs #5 seconds of summer #calum hood #calum hood blurbs #calum hood imagines #luke hemmings imagine #luke hemmings #luke hemmings blurbs #michael clifford #michael clifford blurbs #michael clifford imagines

39 notes · View notes

littlebitoffanfic · 5 years

Text

Perfect Moment

Fandom: Friday the Thirteen Characters: Jason, Pamela Relationship: Jason/reader Request: heya! It's the Jason!Anon from earlier~ Super excited you're open to doing this though. So like I said, i really loved your jason imagine and was wondering if you'd maybe wanna put that 'into fic form' basically? Like the reader was friends with Jason growing up and didn't care about the deformity but then he died and her parents took her away until one day (bonus points if on the anniversary of his death or his birthday) she comes back and they reunite and fluff? If not lemme know AN: I kept it a little closer to my headcannon just by having his mother a little more involved. I hope that’s alright 😊 Original headcannons: http://littlebitoffanfic.tumblr.com/post/176634985554/dating-jason-would-include “Stop it, STOP IT!” You screamed, thrashing against the kids holding you back. “HE CANT SWIM!” But the others continued to chase him along the floating rafts. You watched in horror as he stumbled a little then tripped. He looked to you, searching for some kind of help. Turning your head, you looked for the adults. They were meant to be here, they were meant to be watching. “Please! Leave him alone!” You scream out, tears streaming down your cheeks as you struggled against the two pairs of hands that held you in place. They were 2 boys who were three years older than you, so they easily held you back while their little friends chased Jason. Then it happened. Jason nearly got back to his feet when he slipped and fell head first into the water. Your heart stopped as you froze. He couldn’t swim. The boys froze as well, knowing that he couldn’t swim. They hadn’t intended to chase him INTO the water, just to spook him. You heard one of the boys behind you turn and try to call for a councillor but they didn’t respond. You managed to slip out of their grasp only to have a larger hand grab your arm. You turned to see one of the adults with his shirt partly open and lipstick on his neck. Another ran past and dove into the water but they immerged without him. “Let me go! I can find him. He doesn’t trust you.” You fought just as hard against the grown up, but with little success. You knew Jason wouldn’t go near the grownups because they dismissed him and treated him poorly, but maybe if you could get to him. “Sorry, no ones allowed in the water.” The man shook his head. Something in you broke and you twisted around and bit down on his bare forearm, hard. he screamed out, letting go of you and you took your chance and ran to the water. Only for another grown up to grab you by the waist, lifting you up and carrying you back to the cabins. You trashed and screamed, crying out his name. -------------time skip ------------------ You woke up in a cold sweat as your own screams echoed through your head. Sitting up, you gasped for air as you looked around you. It was still dark in the small motel room. The clock showed 4am although it flickered on and off a few times. you felt your tears running down your cheeks and you were quick to brush them away as you got out of bed, heading to the bathroom. You knew there was no point in trying to go back to sleep. Your nightmare would just replay that day on a loop anyway. Even after so many years, you still remembered it like it was yesterday. Sometimes you would still be a child, and sometimes you would be an adult. But the outcome was all the same. After Jasons death, you took a turn for the worse. But who could blame you. Seeing your best friend murdered then neither the kids nor the councillors facing any repercussions for their actions (or lack of), made you bitter and resentful for any adults that weren’t your parents or Mrs Voorhees. She had been one of the first to comfort you, wrapping you in her arms as the two of you sobbed. That day, you lost a friend and she lost a son. She understood why your parents were concerned and helped when it came time for them to take you away from that place. She would stay, but she hated the sight of you staring out at the spot, hoping he might return. You later found out that she had given your parents a massive lump some of money to put you through school and college. She had been saving it for Jason, but now wanted you to have it. So you went to the best school and graduated with top marks. For a few years, you studied a few different coursed but nothing ever stuck. You were smart, and had a wide range of talents but you never really connected with anyone again. So you travelled a little by yourself, earning money through your art. But then your mom and dad were involved in a crash. One which saw you left as an orphan and you didn’t know where to go. parentless and friendless, one place suddenly popped into your mind. Camp Crystal Lake. You stayed for as long as you were needed, giving your loving parents a nice send off and seeing their estate was handled correctly. They both had life insurance and a chunk of savings which was all left to you. This plus the sale of their home and a few other assists meant you were set for life. 5 months after their death, you packed up your car. Some items you put into a long term storage but the sentimental items like their wedding rings and a locket came with you. a weeks dive had lead to you spending the last night on the road at this motel. It was okay, a little dingy but just enough to get a decent nights sleep and a breakfast. You glanced at your wrist, the purple and blue friendship bracelet was tattered and seen better days, but it was made for you by Jason, so everywhere you went, it went. You had made one for him, the same colours to represent you both. You ran your brush through your hair while you contemplated spending another night here. You had already missed a full days travel because you decided to stay again last night so you knew you had to move on. Besides, if you left at 6, you would be at crystal lake by 4pm. After packing up your things and going down for breakfast, you handed back your keys and paid your bill. Heading out to your car, you couldn’t help but feel a slow building dread. Maybe it was the fact the day was dreary and grey. You arrived at the entry gate at 5.30pm, a little later than you would have liked but the roads were dangerous, so you took it slow. You felt a shiver run through your spin as you pulled up outside a cabin. Even though it was still daytime, the rain and black clouds made it look later than it was as you got out the car, pulling your hood up. Looking down at your bracelet, you felt a small rush of hope. You didn’t even know if she was still here. You could see someone moving about in the cabin she and Jason had called home. It took 10 minutes for you to gather the courage to walk to the cabin. walking up the three steps to the porch, you pulled down your hood once out of the rain and knocked three times, your hands shaking violently. There was a pause from inside, then you heard footsteps coming to the door. It opened and you nearly dropped to your knees as Mrs Voorhees stood in front of you, aged but still fully recognisable. And apparently, you were the same. “[y/n]?” She breathed, her hand dropping from the door as she stared at you. She reached out a trembling hand, pushing a strand of your wet hair back out your face so she could see your eyes properly. When she did, her face broke into a smile as her eyes pooled with tears. She pulled you into her arms, hugging you as she swayed. You cuddled into her, your own tears making you sob onto her shoulder. She felt your shaking body and you both ended up kneeling on her porch in each others arms. She pulled you into her home and set you down on the couch before rushing to make you tea. “Is it just you? Will your parents be coming back?” She asked when she returned, placing the cup in front of you on the small coffee table in the centre. You dropped her gaze, looking away. “They, um, they passed away.” You cleared your throat, fresh tears coming into your eyes. “Oh, im so sorry.” She sat next to you, wrapping one arm around you while placing one hand on your lap comfortingly. You told her about the crash, and about how you had decided to come back here. She said you could stay with her as long as you liked, and that she had seen a cabin not too far from here up for sale, if you were wanting to stay. ---------------time skip ----------------- “Mrs Voorhees? I bought some fresh bread.” You call as you enter her cabin, your handmade bread in a little tin to protect it. “Oh lovely.” She smiled as she walked out from the kitchen. “Smells delicious.” “Thank you.” You giggle as she takes it from you and heads back to the kitchen. After staying with her for 2 weeks, you had put in an offer for the cabin about a quarter of a mile from hers. It was accepted and you had been living there for 4 months now. But something strange had been happening. “May I ask you something?” You ask, following her to the kitchen. She hums a yes. “Have you noticed someone in the woods?” Pamela freezes, not daring to look at you as she glances out the window. “N-no, my dear. Why?” She stutters a little as you slid into a seat at her breakfast bar. “Well, ive just felt like someone’s watching me. Im sure ive seen someone moving about outside my house at night. Its just.. strange.” You shake your head, unable to describe it. “How so?” she asks, sitting down across from you with a raised eye brow. “Its not… I don’t think their… dangerous. It feels more like having a protector than a stalker.” You scorn yourself, unable to put it into a way that didn’t sound ridiculous. “Maybe you do. Maybe someone’s looking out for you.” She smiles kindly and it gives you some level of peace to your mind. “Oh, while Im here.” You suddenly remember. “One of the councillors is asking around about… him.” there was a moment of quiet that rushed over you both. “We’ll finish it all soon. Only a few more days I think.” She looks at you for your reaction to which you nod. After years of resentment that built up, she had offered you the only thing to stifle that need. She first told you about her plans after you ran in on her killing a couple who had been having sex. You had kept the girl while she killed the guy then the girl. You had joined her (after she had offered you an escape if you promised not to tell). So you helped to kill the young councillors. You vowed you wouldn’t let them open this camp again. It would disrespect Jason’s memory. Leaning back, you smiled as you looked up at the walls, which had a number of pictures hung up. Of the 8 photos, 2 were of her parents and their wedding, and the other 6 were Jason. You were in 3. “You two were always attached at the hip.” She smiled fondly, following your gaze to her son. “Your parents often joked with me that we’d be arranging a wedding about now.” “You might have been.” You smiled sadly. ----------------flash back----------------- “please take it off?” You begged, your pigtails bouncing as you jumped excitedly. Only a week before the tragic incident, you could have never guessed how drastically your life was about to change. Jason, with a small huff, pulled off the bag he wore over his head. His face, which was severally disformed, made him hid away from people. The only people he didn’t push away was you, his mama and your mom and dad. “I heard your mama saying we have to get married.” You giggled, pointing between you both. It was true. She had been joking about it over coffee with your mom. Jason glanced to the floor, a small blush dawning his normally pale cheeks as he glanced back to you. He adored you, anyone could see that. Even if it was a puppy crush, that didn’t stop every adult thinking you two were destined for each other. “If we did, we could live together and stay up late and drink all the fizzy drinks we can! It would be so much fun.” You giggle, skipping across to your room to the shelf. Jason ran up behind you, nodding excitedly as you pulled some books off the shelf and fell to the ground. Jason joined you as you opened the books up and spread them out. All on pages where the main characters were getting married. “I want to wear a dress like her.” You point to one of your favourite characters, having always wanted to wear a dress like in a the fairy tales. But Jason’s eyes were on another book. In that illustration, the two main characters were leaning forward and kissing while guests threw white confetti over their heads in celebration. He reached out and tapped the page, looking back to you in fear as he pointed to himself. Years of friendship had created a silent communication between the two of you that baffled the adults. “yeah, we’d have to kiss. My mom and dad do it all the time.” You nod but that didn’t seem to answer his question. He pointed to himself again and looked down, running his hand up the side of his misshaped face. “Of course I do.” You reach out, taking his hand off his face and answer his silent ‘would you kiss me?’ question. Jason jumped at your response, beaming at you as he grabbed both your hands. “You wanna practice?” the two of you leaded forward, meeting each others lips. A totally innocent kiss, one that adult would chuckle at and call cute. One which made an adult you smile back on fondly. When you pulled back, you were giggling but that didn’t cover the blush on your cheeks. Just then, your mom called you both for dinner. You dragged Jason to his feet, promising that when you got married, you could eat whatever you wanted for dinner. ---------------present -------------------- When you were walking back to your cabin, you felt the gaze of someone. You knew they were there, you knew it in your gut that someone was close by, but when you around you saw nothing. As your house came into view, you saw there was something on your porch. Frowning, you walked a little fast until you could clearly make out what they were. Daffodils. One of you favourite flowers when you were a child. Jason would pick some from his mothers garden when you were upset or if it was your birthday. Walking closer, you saw about 10 had been left on your porch. You picked them up before sliding to sit on the step. Tears rolled down your cheeks as you smiled at the flowers and looked up to the forest that surrounded the cabin. Taking one, you left it propped against your step before you went inside to place them in water. When you glanced back out about an hour later, the single daffodil was gone. --------------------time skip ------------ You gasped for air as you stumbled through the woods. It was dark and raining heavily. this couldn’t be happening again. The blood that covered your hands was mixed with wet dirt from where you had fallen a couple of times. Pamela Voorhees was dead. You gasped for air. Not another one. Not someone else you loved. You had just been in time to see that bitch councillor swing an axe and take her head off her shoulder. You screamed out in anguish as you watched the last person you had allowed yourself to love be killed. Killed. A rage took over you as you ran at the girl, taking her to the ground and punching her in the face. When she tried to swing the axe at you, you grabbed it and ripped in from her hands, straddling her torso and bringing the blade down into her skull one, two, three, four times. You began to lose count. Finally, you pulled yourself up and stumbled back from the murders, eventually running into the woods. sobbing, you ended up catching your shoulder on a tree and you fell to the ground in a wreck. Everything around you was collapsing again, and there was nothing you could do about it. You screamed in vain as you tried to relieve the pressure that rested heavily on your chest. Pushing yourself to your feet, you took a deep breath, trying to get it straight in your mind what you would do next. but you just broke into sobs that wrecked through your whole body. Until, you heard something move in front of you. Your head snaps up and you freeze. about seven foot away from you stood a man. He was tall, reaching at least six feet and maybe 6 inches tall compared to your smaller height. He towered over you and yet, he seemed scared of you. He wore a sack over his face, the moon showing a single eye hole for him to see out of. It looked like the type of thing Jason would wear. Jason. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t be alive. looking away, your eyes closed as tears flooded your eyes again. “You cant be him.” You breathed, more to yourself than to the man. You heard him coming closer and you opened your eyes again to see him holding out something to you. You looked into his large palm and saw two things that made your heart jump into your throat. In his palm was the head of a daffodil, like the one you left out a few days ago. And around it was a purple and blue faded friendship bracelet. You raise your right hand, the very same one on your wrist. The one he had given to you, which meant that was the one that you had given to Jason. While your wrists hadn’t got that much bigger, he had grown massively, so the thought of him carrying around your friendship bracelet with him all this time. It could only be him. A smile dawned your lips as a fresh spark of hope went through your body. “J-Jason?” You looked up as you step closer. Your heart was hammering and your blood racing. You didn’t know how much more you could take tonight. A single nod was enough to send you over the edge as you collapse to the floor unconscious. -------------------time skip ----------------------------------- When you woke up, you had been carried back to your bed and tucked in. From the moment you woke up, you had felt that spark of hope once again. This was different. Even after your parents past, you knew Pamela might still be around. But you never thought for a moment that Jason might still be alive. The first few weeks, you didn’t really see him again but you understood. While he knew who you were, he didn’t know you. But that didn’t stop him staying close to you. The disappearances of the councillors was investigated and decided it had been one of the guys who was unstable. Said guy was at the bottom of the lake but the police think he is on the run. Even Pamela’s murder was made up to him rather than the girl and then you. You were given a miss because you had been in town during one of the murders and people had said it couldn’t have been you. Plus they doubted you could take a woman’s head off. Pamela was buried next to the empty grave of Jason’s. She was given a nice send off like you had done you own parents. You had seen Jason’s figure by her grave a few times but left him. But his presents became known more and more. When you walked through, he forest, he would follow you at a distance. It was nice and calming, knowing this great beast of a man was protecting you. It made you shiver at the thought. today, you had decided to try and lure him closer for the first time. It was his birthday today. You knew and remembered every year. But this year, you had bought him a few little things from town as well as painting him a portrait of his mother which had come out perfectly in your eyes. You planned to bring him back later but, for now, you wanted to wash up. It was a warm day and, for the first time since you were a child, you wanted to take a dip in the cool water of a lake. taking a towel, shampoo and conditioner and changing into a bathing suit and putting a summer dress over your suite you had picked up from town, you went to the lake which was about a ten minute walk from your home. Placing your things near the water, you pulled your dress over your head and slipped off your sandals. Walking slowly into the water, you smiled at the feeling of the fresh water on your skin. You walked out till the water came up to your chest and ducked under the water. When wet, you went back to the shore and grabbed your shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair out. Once done, you thought about getting back out, but then you looked out over the sparkling lake and you wanted to swim for a while. Going back out to your waist, you slowly started to swim. You kept close to the bank, having not swum in years but you found it was like riding a bike. Your body still knew what to do. You ducked your head under the water to wet your hair again. Coming up, your hair fanned out around you in the water and you felt nice and cool in the hot sun. twisting in the water, you floated on your back with closed eyes. Then you felt something was off. Opening your eyes, you glanced to the bank and saw Jason. he was pacing the bank desperately. He tried to come into the water but only got the water to his ankles and he moved back. You could see how tense he was and how desperate he was looking at you. He was scared. Twisting back to your front, you started to swim back to him. “jason, its fine. Im fine.” You call out to him but that didn’t calm him. When you were able to reach the bottom, you stood up and started to walk out of the water. You thought of running, but then you imagined yourself falling over and him freaking out even more. When you were up to your knees, you saw Jason charge into the water. You reached out for him, thinking he would just take your hand and lead you out. But he didn’t. He wrapped his arms around you and swept you up into his arms. You couldn’t help but laugh at the feeling as he pulled you out the water. But you could feel how hard his heart was hammering in his chest. He was really worrying. He was panting and his whole body seemed to tremble as he looked up at you. Once on the bank, he set you down and looked you over for any sign of injury. “Im fine.” You smile, reaching out and taking his hand, as you often did when you were children. He froze, looking down at your smaller hand in his own. You notice his green jacket was now partially wet from picking you up. You suddenly felt a little exploded in your swimwear. Ducking down, you picked up your towel and wrapped in round your torso, smiling at Jason as you did so. The you grabbed your dress and, after quickly drying yourself off, you pulled it over your swimming costume. Sure, it stuck a little because you were still a little wet, but you thought it was better to show him you were okay. you glanced down and realised that during his pacing, he had knocked one of your sandals forward into the water. “Damn.” You whispered, darting down and picking up your now soaked slipper. But before you could consider what you were going to do, you were swept up into his strong arms once again. He didn’t both picking up your shampoo, conditioner or soggy slipper, but you didn’t mind as he started to carry you back into the woods. He lifted you so you were perched on his shoulder, his arm wrapped security around your legs. You smiled at the action, feeling like you weighed next to nothing. You placed your hand on the other side of his bagged head to steady yourself. You could feel his malformed skull under the bag as he tensed under your touch, glancing up to you. But you just smiled, looking in front of you both as Jason turned back to watch where he was walking. When you reached your home, Jason slid you off his shoulders. You had left the door unlocked but as you padded up onto your porch, Jason stayed back. You opened your front door and were about to go inside until you realised he wasn’t following you. He had stopped at the stairs, looking down at them as if he was scared to step up. Turing back, you leaned against your door. “Jason?” You called to him. “Do you want to come inside?” Jason paused, staring at you like you were some kind of angel before nodding and slowly climbing the stairs. Once he was close enough, you reached out and took his hand, dragging him inside like you use to do when you were children. Once inside, you turned to him, your eyes falling on the mask which felt a little like a brick wall now between the both of you. “Could, could you take it off?” you asked, your eyes darting to the bottom of the bag over his face. You saw his whole body tense and he took a step back from you, his eye moving to the floor. Hunched over on him self, he shook his head. you considered leaving him, but something drove you to push him a little. “You know I never cared when we were younger. Why would I now?” You duck your head a little and he glances up at you. When he meets your gaze, you smiled softly. He took a few deep breaths and shakes his head again. You felt your heart break a little because he no longer trusted you. That bond was broken. Looking away from him, you blink back tears. You thought that when he finally came to you and spent time with you that it wouldn’t be a problem just like when you were children. Maybe he thought you were like the ones who had hurt him as a child. The thought made your heart ache because you loved him. You loved him. The realisation dawned on you as you realised why you were so drawn to him. That child like love you had felt had exposed since you had seen him that night in the rain. You thought your heart raced when you saw him because you were excited to see your oldest friend, but that wasn’t the only reason. You loved him deeply, whole heartedly and eternally. You hadn’t realised it but your tears were running down your cheek. Jason moved forward, taking a hesitant step towards you. He didn’t realise your tears were something more than just you bring upset. They were part of a complex hurricane of emotions. But he didn’t see that. He thought it was purely because he had refused your request. you looked up, your eyes wide with tears as he reached up and started to draw the bag up slowly. “Don’t.” you blurt out, holding out your hands to stop him. “Don’t do it if you aren’t ready. You can wait until you trust me.” He looked out of the one eye hole and you felt like he was looking into your sole. The intensity coming from him was overpowering before he continued to raise his shaking hands to his bag. Slowly, he pulled the bag up over his face and off his head. He refused to meet your gaze once his face was revealed, instead his gaze fell to the floor like he was ashamed or embarrassed. But you couldn’t pry your eyes away from his face. His face had matured immensely since you had last seen him. His skull was bald and misshapen but he barley had any hair when you had known him. His right eye was sunken a little and not in line with his left and his nose was a little flatter than normal. His cheeks had small indents and dips. His mouth seemed to droop at the side but you couldn’t tell if it was him controlling that. But to you, he was ever so handsome. He wasn’t the boy you remembered. His new height, strength and muscles compared with his matured features was enough to drive you mad. Then you realised he was waiting for you to do something. He had glanced up to you but when he met your gaze, he dropped it again, a soft whine leaving his lips. It broke you. Walking up to him, you reached up and cupped his cheeks. He moved his face up so his eyes met yours. Moving closer, you press your lips to his in a soft kiss. One of your hands ran down his cheek to rest on his broad chest which you could feel his heart hammering under his shirt. After a moment, a shiver ran through his body and his hands grabbed your waist as he slowly responded to your kiss, moving his lips against yours. You could feel how he trembled under your touch but responded so eagerly to your affection. You pulled back to gasp for air before feeling him lean forward to retrieve another kiss as if it was his new source of air. Your hand slips to the back of his head, running down to his neck, keeping him close. Your body was pressed against his own, his height dwarfing you but you felt like you were both equality as dominating in the kiss. You were glad because you were scared it might intimidate him but he seemed just as eager as you were. When you parted, you were both panting. Your cheeks were a dark red from a deep blush as you looked up at Jason. He was breathing heavily staring down at you in surprise. Then he collapsed to his knees in front of you, his hands grabbing your waist as he presses his forehead against your stomach. It took you a moment to fully realise what had happened just because your head was still spinning from the kiss. He was on his knees after he had received his first kiss from you. Looking down, you might have thought he was frightened but then he looked up at you. In his eyes, you saw he adored you and was staring up at you with awe. There was tears in his eyes but his lips were pulled into a smile. You dropped down in front of him, sitting across his lap as his arms engulfed you once again. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, burying your face in his neck and holding him close as he mirrored your affections. You pressed soft kissed to his neck whenever you could. Suddenly, you remembered the small items you had gathered for him. “Oh, I almost forgot.” You scrambled out of his lap and darted to the side, grabbing the wrapped items. When you came back to him, you kneeled in front of him, presenting them to Jason. “Happy birthday.” You smiled, seeing something that reminded you of surprise in his eyes. His hands, still shaking from before, took the presents. Slowly and without even ripping the paper, he opened each in turn. With each one, his smile grew wider until he got to the portrait of his mother. His smile faltered and fell as tears welled in his eyes. you moved closer to him, wrapping you arms around him. you allowed him to take as much time as he needed before he turned to you. His arms locked around you as he silently thanked you again and again. Her portrait was hung up on your wall, right beside your own parents wedding photos. After she were hung up, you pulled Jason to your sofa, sitting with him on your sofa. That night, he stayed the whole time with you, answering your questions as best he could and asking his own through a note pad. You fell asleep on his shoulder and he didn’t move you, instead wrapping his own arms around you and lying with you till morning. --------------------time skip --------------------- Since that first kiss, Jason never left your side. the only reason he left you was if someone came too close to the camp and he would rush off to protect you. Sometimes you would follow him to try help. He would be annoyed with you for putting yourself in trouble but then you showed you could handle yourself and he would relax a little more. “Can you come on a walk with me?” You ask, as you meet Jason on the porch of your home. He ha just come back and was slightly bloody, but you didn’t mind that. you could see the smile even though he now wore a old hockey mask. You much preferred this to the bag. Jumping down the stairs, you took Jason by the hand and led him into the woods. It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set in over the lake. You had been waiting for him to get back for a few hours. Of course, Jason would do absolutely anything for you, regardless of what it was. As you walked, you looked down at your intertwined hands, your heart skipping as you saw how truly bigger he was than you. How his hands could rip people in half, had killed people, and yet he was so gentle with you. His touches were sometimes filled with fear, like he was afraid he would break you. Looking up at Jason, he glanced over and caught your eyes. You smiled sweetly at him, being truly happy for the first time in a long long time. Jason ducked down, lifting you up and placing you daintily on his shoulders, as he had done so many times before. You giggled, allowing your fingers to trail over the back of his neck and sides of his head. leaning down, you press a soft kiss to the top of his head. Jason froze, but not from your affection. No, he heard someone moving in front of you both. He lowered you to the ground, cautiously before pulling out his machete which he carried on his belt. “I’ll head down to the lake. Come find me when your ready.” You smile, reaching out to run your fingers over his forearm before walking away. Less than 10 minutes and a scream later, Jason found you by the river. You had taken off your shoes and socks to dip your feet in the cooling water. When you heard him approaching, you turned to see him over your shoulder and you couldn’t help but smile. Jason froze. The image of you, beautiful and perfect, with the crystal blue water and setting sun in the background made his heart stop. He never dared to join you in the water, but he was no longer completely fearful you might be swallowed by the water. you moved out of the water to him, taking his hand in yours and pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles. in that moment, everything was perfect in both your eyes and his.

#Friday the thirteenth #jason voorhees #jason voorhees x reader #Jason x reader #reader insert #request

63 notes · View notes

dysfunctionalmasonsmoving · 6 years

Text

Mason Family Drabble - Moving On

Long post

“....You want to move out?”

Had she heard him correctly? Was there something blocking her ears? Brown hues stared at her oldest in shock, completely taken aback by the news he just broke to her. The teenager who stood a whole six inches above her sighed softly, his lips drawing in a line as she could see the wheels in his head turning, pondering on what he should say next. He was honestly unsure of what to expect from his mother, given that she often told both of her sons that she would never try to ‘stop’ them from growing up and carrying on with their own lives - but at the same time, he was very close with his mother and knew that no matter how hard she tried to convince them, the thought of her boys leaving hurt like hell. It was inevitable. He didn’t want to upset her, but he also didn’t know how to explain himself without being direct and honest with her - as she always told him that he should be.

“Not really...moving out per se...” Jack tried to explain, hand scratching at the back of his head and neck, his face putting on a very ‘awkward Kim’ like expression (he was pretty much the spitting image of his mother). “You know that house just down the street? It’s like...five houses away from us? Well, Bailey’s dad just bought it and it has an in-law suite he’s willing to give to her, and so I thought...I mean, it’s just right down the street - it’s not like I’ll be hundreds of miles away...” No, she thought to herself, fighting a frown that quivered on her lips. That’ll be after you graduate and go to military school...She still didn’t like the idea, but Kim always made sure that her kids knew that she would support them no matter what path they took in life - even if she didn’t fully agree with it.

The Bailey he was referring to was Bailey Reynolds, Jack’s also seventeen year old girlfriend, whom he started dating a little after his sixteenth birthday. She was a nice girl, very polite and respectful - Kim liked her (she was definitely better than his last girlfriend, whom completely broke her boy’s heart). Kim didn’t know much about to admittedly, only that her mother moved far away after divorcing her father and leaving him to raise the girl all on his own - she could sympathize with Mr. Reynolds, though her circumstance was still different considering the joint custody agreement she had with Jacob (then again, with the way he’s been acting for the past few years now, he was near the equivalent to a deadbeat too). She could understand his desire to live with her, he really did seem to that strong connection with her, though she wasn’t sure if she could call it love yet...But maybe she wasn’t being fair, after all she was Jack’s mother so her opinions were a little...bias.

“I thought that maybe I could split my time between here and that house.” Neither of them were even going to mention the living arrangements with his father. “And I don’t have to pack up all of my stuff either...Look, Mom,” he put his hands on her shoulders, craning his neck down a bit just as she had to tilt her head back to look up at him - God, she remembered how small he once was...It was almost hard to believe. “I’m not making any final decisions, I wanted to talk to you first. I’m not asking you to force yourself to agree with me or even to let me go. Technically, I’m not legally an adult yet, which means you can still boss me around.” The two of them chuckled, with Kim adding, “Hey, I’m your mother, that gives me the right to boss you around even when you’re forty - now, whether you listen to me or not is the key here,” which earned a laugh from her oldest. They exchanged a few more words back and forth, with Jack reciting some life lessons and valuable teachings his mother often spoke of. He knew that Kimberly wanted him to be independent - and she really did, she didn’t think it was right for her almost grown sons to be taking care of her as they had been, they had their own lives to lead - but that didn’t change the fact that she was still their mother and she really did feel like she was losing them.

“You’re not losing me, Mom. You’ll never lose me.” If you don’t go off to war, I won’t... She kept that thought to herself. “I’ll come to visit so much, you’ll beg me to leave you alone for a while.” Not true, but she understood his point. “Look, I am asking you for permission here, because like I said I’m not technically old enough to make that call by myself. And Bailey will understand if you don’t want me to do this, she’s actually had the same discussion with her dad about living on her own at this age and that’s what made him buy the house with the in-law suit - so she can live on her own but still be with him at the same time. But like I said, I’m not rushing into anything here. And you don’t have to give me an answer right now. Think about it, doesn’t matter how long. Bob [Bailey’s father] said I was welcomed there no matter what, whether it’s temporary or permanent.”

He kissed his mother on her forehead before pulling her in a tight hug, Kimberly almost clinging to her son for dear life as she thought over what he had told her. He then let her go and said that he was going to start making dinner, and then left her alone to really think and ponder on the situation. A swell of pride filled her, this was perhaps the moment she truly realized that her son wasn’t her little boy anymore. He was becoming a man, if he wasn’t that already. Tears welled in dark brown hues, but it was uncertain if they were happy or sad - perhaps both. Jack was his own person and was clearly ready to make his own decisions to benefit his own life. She knew this day would come, she was waiting for it. But honestly? It felt too soon...

It wasn’t more than five minutes later that she pulled him aside. With hands cupping cheeks that matched her own, Kimberly tearfully gave him her answer.

“Go.”

He was ready to move on. She would find a way to cope, she wasn’t about to stop her son from being happy. He always had a place in her home, too - that would never change. Sure, her nest would be one chick away from being completely empty now, but it was something that she couldn’t - nor wouldn’t - control.

“But you promise me you’ll visit just like you said! Twice a week - if you’re not busy that is.” He still had school and was also looking for a part time job, she wouldn’t blame him at all. Jack laughed softly and nodded. “I promise.” But that wasn’t good enough and they both knew it. The mother and son held up their pinky fingers, wrapping them around each other’s and smiling, before following up with another tight embrace.

“I love you,” Kimberly sobbed quietly. “And I’m so proud of you.” Her words even caused him to shed a few tears. “I know, I love you too. And I’m proud of you. I couldn’t have ever asked for a better mom.”

Oh, well now she was just a crying mess.

#writings of the muse (drabbles)#headcanon: kim #my pride and joy (jack)#putting the fun in dysfunctional (family)#{.....mason family feels at 1am....not even surprised one bit}#{*sobs in a pillow*}#long post #long post tw #tw long post

2 notes · View notes

dust2dust34 · 7 years

Text

Pieces of Always: October 2033, Part II (FICoN ‘verse)

Life continues after Forever is Composed of Nows.

by @so-caffeinated (and @dust2dust34)

Summary: Jules' choices effect everyone around her more than she realizes.

An ongoing non-linear collection of family moments for the Queens. (You do not need to have read FiCoN to enjoy this, but it will spoil the end. Please see the first installment for additional author notes. Thank you @jsevick and @alizziebyanyothername!)

A/N: Please see the first chapter for an important Author’s Note.

A/N: The effervescent @so-caffeinated is fully in the driver’s seat and she’s kicking all the ass, so please go send her your love!

(read on AO3)

October 2033

Time crawls by at a snail’s pace. Oliver’s lived a lot of long days in his life, but it’s been awhile since one has seemed as drawn out and pained as this one.

“Let her come to you,” Felicity had told him, her hands resting against either side of his overly tense neck. “Both of you need to take a breath and calm down.”

“How the hell do I calm down, Felicity?! How am I supposed to not be absolutely furious about this?” He hadn’t even realized how tense he was until her fingers dug into the back of his neck, kneading the tight muscle that barely gave at all beneath her touch.

“I’m not telling you that you can’t be mad, Oliver,” she’d clarified. “Hell, I’m mad. And I’m hurt and scared and so, so frustrated. But yelling at her isn’t going to help anything. And you know that. You know Jules. A screaming match would make her defensive and push her away and I’m terrified of losing my baby right now as it is. So you need to cool down and give her some space until she’s ready to come to you. You got me?”

He’d nodded, only a slight tilt of his head in acknowledgement. She might not have even picked up on it had her hands not been physically touching his neck. But they were and she had. And she’d murmured, “Thank you” before pressing up on her tiptoes to touch her forehead to his and adding a quiet, “We’ll get through this.”

He’s spent the day trying to believe her, but for all his might, he can’t figure out how.

After so much struggling with Jules, after so many years of consciously and consistently trying to prove how much they love her, how much they like her, to have had all that progress ripped away in the course of a few hours last year… it’s absolutely gutting. It’s too much to bear, makes something hollow out in the pit of Oliver’s stomach.

He would do anything at all to save his baby girl. But he hasn’t got a clue how to save her from herself.

In the hours after that conversation with Felicity, she’d gone up to talk to Jules alone, considerably more composed than he could even imagine himself being, and he’d gone down to the basement to beat the crap out of a punching bag.

It hadn’t helped. His frustration had proven too bone deep to be exorcised by hitting leather ‘til his knuckles bled, but it had provided a distraction, a way to pass the time and exhaust his body further. Not that his body really needed help with that. It’s not like he’d slept at all last night. Between the terror of realizing they had no idea where Jules was and the anger when she finally turned up and the absolute grief of Felicity’s sobs after Jules sloppily spewed accusations at them, at Ellie when she wandered downstairs… sleep hadn’t been an option. Being awake had been a nightmare enough.

Exhaustion had saturated his muscles, muddied his mind, as he pounded the punching bag into submission, but Oliver’s as stubborn as his daughters and he’d been in no place to slow down and take a rest.

The lone bright spot of his day had come when Felicity had found him after her talk with Jules. There’d been a whole lot more hope on her face than there was scarcely a few hours before and she’d hugged him and cried into his neck that Jules had invited her to come with to therapy and had said she loved her. The intensity with which Felicity had needed that was clearly overwhelming. She loves her children fiercely - all of them - and that Jules doesn’t know that, doesn’t feel it, is something that hurts her more than Oliver can stand.

Something about Felicity’s tears in the security of his arms had shifted Oliver’s anger to a softer, more broken tone. He’s upset still, but there are layers to it, now. There is also pain and hope and fear and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. He just… he wants to fix this, to heal his family, and it feels wounded beyond repair at the moment.

Now, as Felicity quiets in his arms, her body sagging against him, he holds her closer and presses soft kisses to her hair. “You should get some sleep,” he tells her, his voice achingly soft. She’s not being gentle with herself right now, so he needs to be. His hand soothes up and down her spine and she shudders out an exhausted sigh against his chest. “Take a nap, honey.”

It’s not like she slept last night either.

“Yeah,” she agrees, nodding against him. Her word breaks with a yawn. “Yeah… Jules is in her room. She knows she’s grounded and she didn’t put up a fight about it at all. Nate’s reading up in the family room and Ellie was chatting on the phone in her room, last time I looked.”

“I’ve got them,” Oliver promises. “You don’t need to worry. Not right now, anyhow. Go sleep.”

Honestly, in spite of her agreement, he’d sort of expected her to put up a fight. But she’s been running on worry for about twenty-four hours now and with the kids safely ensconced in the house, that adrenaline is fading away, leaving her completely sapped.

“I’m glad you and Jules had a good talk,” he says as she steps back and squeezes his hand lightly.

“Me too,” she agrees. “But I think it drained me even more. I just… I just want…”

“I know,” he agrees when she can’t finish the sentence. The precise words don’t matter, he knows the sentiment behind them and he feels it wholeheartedly, too. Most days, he’s not sure he can find the words either.

“Don’t stay down here, okay?” she requests. “The kids need to see us today.”

She’s right. He knows she’s right and he tells her as much. He kisses her once more before she makes her way upstairs to take a nap and he hops in the shower to quickly rinse away the sweat and blood and frustration the day has wrought. He doesn’t bother wrapping his split knuckles, but he does smear a bit of neosporin across them before slipping into a fresh pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt and heading back upstairs from the basement gym.

He’s barefoot, his steps unintentionally near silent, and when he hits the first floor and steps into the kitchen, it’s clear Nate hadn’t heard him coming because he jumps about a foot from his place perched atop a barstool with his hand stuck in a giant jar of jellybeans.

“Dad… hey,” the eleven-year-old greets, looking for all the world like a deer in the headlights from behind the wire-rim of his glasses.

“Hey, bud,” Oliver answers, fighting back a smile as he raises an eyebrow at the candy. “Isn’t it a bit close to dinnertime for sweets?”

“It’s just some jellybeans,” Nate argues with a huff.

“Put ‘em away,” Oliver says seriously. “You’ll ruin your appetite.”

This is mundane - as close to rule-breaking as Nate ever gets - and there’s something so routine about Nate sneaking junk food, that Oliver forgets for a split-second that today is different, that Nate had to have been affected by the stress of last night, too. So, it comes as an unwelcome surprise when Nate actually snaps at him.

“Yeah,” Nate says sharply. “I’m just a horrible kid having candy. I might as well be breaking the law and driving drunk like a total idiot who’s gonna get themselves killed, right?”

Part of Oliver recoils a little at that. Instinct has him wanting chastise Nate for talking back, but he holds his tongue when he sees Nate’s lower lip quiver a little and his eyes turn suspiciously glassy.

“Come here,” Oliver tells him as he walks over to the barstool and wraps his arms around his little boy. And he is a little boy still. For all he’s grown lately, for as adult as he likes to make himself seem, he’s caught somewhere between childhood and teenagerdom. He’s still learning about the world around him, still adjusting to so many of the harsher realities of life, and he clearly can’t process how his sister could be so cavalier about her own life. In all the fuss over Jules herself, Nate had been somewhat overlooked.

“She’s okay, Nate,” Oliver tells the overgrown little boy as he sniffles against his father’s shirt. “She wasn’t hurt and we’re getting her help.”

“I hate her,” Nate mumbles on a sob. He doesn’t mean it, not really, but the words still feel like a serrated blade to the gut for Oliver. “She’s selfish and she hurts everybody because she only cares about herself and I hate it. I hate it so much.”

And that, at any rate, is something Oliver knows he believes, something he feels fully in this moment. Nate loves his family so gently, is so childlike in his affection at times, that he’s prone to boiling everything down to the simplest explanation for his emotions. But, in truth, Oliver’s aware that Nate only feels this so strongly because he does love his sister. And all of this - all of it - boils down to fear and confusion.

“It’s okay to hate what she did,” Oliver tells him. “I do, too. I think she even might. But you don’t hate her, Nate.”

“How can she do this to us?” Nate demands, pulling back and looking up at his dad. He’s still got a jellybean pinched between his fingers. “Doesn’t she even care about us at all? Does she not even know how scared we all were? She made Mom cry. Does she just think she’s too good for all of us? Or… or want to get away from us? Or… wish she had a different family?”

“Oh, god, Nate… no,” Oliver sighs, taking the boy’s hands in his own and sitting on the barstool next to him. “It’s the opposite of that.”

“I don’t understand!” Nate says. It’s a loud, childish protest that makes him seem so much younger than he is for a moment. “‘Cause I’m sitting here feeling bad for getting busted eating jelly beans and disappointing you when she goes out and does the stupidest, most dangerous things I can think of and then she acts like it’s our fault.”

Oliver’s quiet for a long moment, watching his boy. “You heard when she got home last night?” he asks, as pieces click together.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Nate admits, letting go of one of his dad’s hands to wipe at his own nose. “I know you tried to hide it all from me, but I’m not stupid, you know.”

“Never once have I thought you were,” Oliver tells him.

“I heard the cop,” Nate continues, as if his dad hadn’t spoken at all. “I know what she did. She could’ve died and all she did was yell and blame all of us… I think she hates us.”

Oliver blows out a thin, steadying breath. Nate isn’t saying anything he hasn’t thought himself, in his darker moments with Jules. Emotionally, it does feel like she hates them sometimes, like she blames them for her own existence. Rationally, he knows better, he’s fully aware that pushing people away is her defense mechanism, that sass and snark and distance are weapons of self-defense inherited from both her aunt and her mother. She’s honed them into mighty weapons over the years and, at times, they feel unbeatable. But Oliver’s faced down far deadlier foes in his day and he’s not about to concede this battle.

“I know you don’t understand,” Oliver tells his son, meeting his gaze with a sympathetic look. “It’s complicated... more complicated than any of us realized for a really long time. Your sister doesn’t act this way because she doesn’t love us. She does. She’s just terrified, deep down on the inside, that we don’t really love her.”

“But we tell her all the time!” Nate protests. To him, that seems like enough. It’s so simple to a kid his age, one who’s never had Jules’ insecurities, and to some extent, Oliver’s glad his son can’t understand.

“Words help,” Oliver agrees. “Actions help more. Just saying we love her isn’t going to convince her of anything. We’ve got to show her. Again. And again. And again. Right up until she feels it. Right up until she knows it’s true…. So no more saying you hate her, Nate. You and I both know that’s not true and it’s the last thing she needs to hear.”

Nate bows his head sheepishly at that and stares at the jellybean in his hand as he rolls it back and forth between his fingers like a worry stone.

When he speaks again, it’s in the smallest voice Oliver can remember hearing. “I just don’t want my sister to die.”

“Oh, god, Nate,” Oliver breathes out. The words spoken aloud by his son hit him like a suckerpunch and a solid wave of nausea roils through him at the very idea.

But Nate’s not done and it seems like all of a sudden the floodgates are open.

“Drunk drivers kill people and they die,” Nate says intensely, like it’s absolute, like he can’t understand how Jules is even alive today. He probably can’t. “And the cop said she took drugs, too, Dad! Drugs are bad and wrong and they hurt you and make you do bad things and they can kill you, too, and I don’t wanna lose my sister. She’s my sister!”

Oliver feels entirely out of his depth in this moment. Part of him wishes Felicity were here right now, instead of asleep upstairs. She’s always connected easier with Nate than he has. But, on the other hand, part of him is glad that he and Nate get this moment. Hard as it is, Oliver understands all too well what it feels like to be terrified of losing his sister, and he’s grateful that Nate’s opened up to him about this.

“She made terrible choices last night,” Oliver agrees. “But she knows that. She could have died, it’s true. And she knows that, too. But Nate, you can’t worry about what could have happened. You’ve gotta deal with what is. And right now, what we’ve got is your sister home and safe. We’re getting her help and she’s promised to listen and work with us. That’s a big step for her.”

“What do I need to do?” Nate asks. “Tell me what to do.” The poor kid sounds desperate. He’s grappling for a way to help his sister and Oliver knows the boy needs direction, somewhere productive to focus his energy. He’s just eleven, barely in middle school, and he has so little control over what’s going on in his family right now.

“What you need to do,” Oliver tells him, “is bring your sister jellybeans.”

“...Excuse me?” Nate asks, confusion etching itself across his face. Oliver has to break a smile at that. Nate is the sweetest, cutest little kid and he loves this boy intensely even if it sometimes feels like they don’t quite understand each other. Today… today they do.

“Take the jellybeans upstairs. Knock on your sister’s door. Tell her you brought some to share and tell her you were worried about her. But don’t bring up specifics about yesterday,” Oliver advises. “Don’t blame her for anything and don’t argue with her. Definitely don’t tell her you hate her - it’s not true anyhow. Just remind her you love her. Hug her, if she’ll let you, and listen if she wants to talk, even if it’s just about what jellybean flavors she likes the least.”

Nate’s very quiet for a moment before he says “Popcorn.”

“What?” Oliver asks, blinking back.

“She hates the popcorn flavored ones. She spits them out,” Nate informs him with a tiny shrug. “They’re not my favorite either. We both like the sweet ones.”

Of course he does. Nate’s sweet tooth is absurd.

“Maybe remind her you know that about her, then,” Oliver tells him. “She probably needs to see that people pay more attention to her than she realizes.”

“Okay,” Nate agrees, hopping off the barstool and taking the jar of jellybeans in hand. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Oliver replies. “Just… don’t eat all of those, okay? You really don’t want to spoil your dinner.”

“Don’t worry,” Nate answers, a small grin curving at his lips. “I’ve got loads of room.”

It’s probably true. Between him and his new buddies Matt and Carlos, who seem to materialize out of thin air anytime there are snacks around, Oliver’s debated getting a second fridge for the garage. It’s been awhile since the years when Will devoured everything in sight and neither of the girls have ever had the growth spurts his boys seem prone to. Oliver had forgotten what it was like, but is fast realizing that leftovers are not going to be something that last very long for the next few years of Nate’s life.

Nate wanders upstairs, munching jellybeans as he goes, taking the steps two at a time. It’s only after he’s out of sight that Oliver lets out a sigh of exhaustion. He really hadn’t counted on an emotional run-in with his little boy today, but maybe he should have. There are so many ways Jules’ actions last night have affected their family - so many ways the kidnapping last year continues to hurt them all - and it feels like they’re still discovering new wounds that aren’t done healing on a regular basis.

Needing to be available to the kids, but with all of them occupied and Felicity hopefully asleep, Oliver feels a bit restless. There’s plenty he could be doing for work, of course, even though Senate’s not in session right now, but he’s pretty sure anything of that nature would be distracted and fruitless today.

But he needs to do something.

He heads out back, leaving the door open as he goes, and looks for a project. The first thing that catches his eye is the grill and he spends a few minutes scrubbing it clean before it’s pretty clear that’s done. Then he moves on to picking up yard debris. October or not, it isn’t like their yard is huge and there’s not that much work to be done. He rakes, breaks a few larger branches to toss into the bin, even takes a moment to sweep the deck. But it’s done quickly and he finds himself in the same state as before, antsy to keep his focus honed on something but lacking direction.

The old fairy castle he and Digg built together back when Jules wasn’t even crawling yet looms overhead. It’s eighteen years old and it shows. There’s some paint missing along the roofline and a few boards near the ladder look like they could use to be nailed down a little better, a few need to be replaced. He’d be surprised if the roof wasn’t leaking some. It’s been years since the kids have used it. But, if he closes his eyes, he can still hear Jules’ laughter as she pelted her little sister with water balloons and Ellie’s shriek of delight as Will swooped her up in his arms before they both aimed the hose up at Jules. He can remember Nate wanting storytime up there and Ellie making him do a double-take when she - once again - declared herself president of the fairy kingdom and dubbed her father Captain of the Fairy Knights.

Days like those are done, now. Will’s an adult living his own life. Jules is in college. Ellie’s interests have gone from fairy kingdoms to volleyball and vigilantism. And even his little Nate’s a middle schooler, letting go of childish things far faster than Oliver’s ready for him to.

But the fairy castle still stands. And, even if it no longer matters much to any of the kids, it suddenly means a whole lot to Oliver that it’s still there, still in good shape, a standing monument to the childhoods he’s treasured so much but are fast fading away.

Fixing a few nails turns into replacing some boards and reattaching some shingles. He’s lost track of time entirely when someone hands him a piece of sandpaper, jarring him back into the moment.

“Been a while, but this is familiar,” Digg says.

Oliver pauses a moment, before taking the sandpaper from Digg. “Yup,” he agrees, focusing on smoothing over the rougher edges of the wood he’s just replaced on the old playhouse. “Been a long while.”

“You want some help?” Digg asks. Oliver doesn’t have to look to know his old friend is standing there, looking up with crossed arms and a broad stance, already well aware of the answer. They’ve known each other for more than twenty years, have seen each other through the best and worst parts of their lives, and had each other’s backs in countless life-threatening situations.

Compared to all that, this should be simple. But it’s not. Because when Oliver slows down, when his hand stills against the splintered wood, all of the sorrow and frustration and anger rushes back over him. And he can’t even breathe for how badly he feels like he’s failed his daughter.

“I got it,” he tells Digg without looking back. Digg gives a grunt that’s meant to sound like a concession, but also definitely means he’s being insightful. “I need to do this,” Oliver adds a moment later. It’s an admission that leads Digg to a far more satisfied hum of agreement.

“For Jules,” Digg tacks on.

It seems so obvious when he says it aloud.

“Yeah,” Oliver agrees, nodding once sharply, his gaze still fixed on the roughened edge of wood he’s smoothing over. “Yeah, for Jules.”

“She know this is for her?” Digg asks. Oliver finally looks back at his old friend. Halfway up the ladder, he towers over Digg for the moment, but something about the other man still seems larger than life.

“I’m not sure she’s ever believed anything I’ve done was for her,” Oliver confesses. His whole body slackens at the words and he takes the few steps down to solid ground, leaving the fairy castle unfinished. That’s okay. It can’t be fully repaired in a day. It’s a much bigger project than that.

“You’ve done a better job with her than you think, Oliver,” Digg tells him.

“Doesn’t feel like it,” Oliver returns, casting a glance toward the house. Felicity’s in the kitchen and she gives him a little wave. He smiles back, but he wonders how much time he’s spent out here. It’s getting dark.

“They ordered pizza,” Digg tells him, anticipating his next question. “Nate figured I was the delivery guy when he answered the door. I’m gonna try not to be insulted by how disappointed he was.”

Oliver snorts at that. “Bring him food next time and you’ll be his favorite.”

But Digg isn’t about to take the bait and switch the conversation to something lighter. “I saw Jules for a second,” he says instead and Oliver finds himself holding his breath for whatever Digg is gonna say next. “The pizza got there right after me and she came down to grab a slice before heading back up to her room... She’s okay, man. She’s gonna be okay. You know that, right?”

“No,” Oliver answers, picking at a splinter in his palm. It’s rooted deeply and he can’t get a hold of it. It’s just time, then, that’ll force it out, that’ll let his hand heal up. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be comfortable as it does. “It took years in hell for me to clean up my act, to decide I had to be someone other than the self-entitled screw up I used to be. I don’t want that for her, John.”

“Jules isn’t you,” Digg says. “Not even close. Yeah, she’s going through a rough time right now and you’re in uncharted waters with her. It’s not like there are parenting books on how to help your kid cope with knowing they don’t exist in another universe. But she’s got something you never had, Oliver, something that makes one hell of a difference.”

“Yeah?” Oliver asks. “What’s that.”

“You, man,” Digg tells him, looking at him like he’s nuts for not having figured this out immediately. “Jules has you and Felicity to help her through all of this. And if there’s one thing I know about the two of you, it’s that you’re both the kind of people who refuse to give up when things get hard. What’d your parents do the first time you got busted drunk driving.”

“They, uh… they covered it up,” Oliver admits. His mind drifts to thirty years back and the dingy cell he and Tommy hadn’t spent more than twenty minutes in before they were given an apology and a ride home. “I think they paid the department off.”

“You get in trouble for it?” Digg questions.

“If I did, it didn’t make an impression,” Oliver replies. “I remember my dad being a little upset. I was glad, at the time. It proved I was important enough to him to pull him out of a meeting.”

Digg hums, a quiet noise that somehow indicates a total lack of surprise. “And what’d you do about Jules so far.”

“There was some yelling and some crying last night,” Oliver allows, starting to pack up his tools as he talks. It’s really gotten to late to work. He’ll get back to it tomorrow. “I left her a note that she’s grounded til she’s forty, but I’ll probably shave a few years off for good behavior. And she’s lost her car. I donated it to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers this morning. They were more than happy to come pick it up.”

“Somehow, I think that’s gonna make an impression,” Digg tells him. “Oliver, man, I didn’t know you before the island, but by all accounts you were sort of an asshole.”

“Thanks,” Oliver says dryly. He can’t really counter it, though.

“No problem.” Digg smiles. It’s a toothy grin. “My point is that Jules isn’t. She’s young and she’s hurt and scared. She doesn’t know how to deal with what happened to her, but she’s not a bad kid. She doesn’t need five years in hell to change who she is, Oliver. The kidnapping is her island. You’re the one helping her find her way back right now, even when she doesn’t see it.”

That idea gives Oliver pause, makes him stop and look at Digg like he’s waiting for more.

“Being a parent isn’t easy,” Digg adds. “Believe me, I know. But you’re a good dad and Jules is a good kid. She screwed up, yeah, but she’s got you on her side. And that’s gonna make all the difference.”

Digg’s approval means a lot. It always has, and Oliver finds he’s intensely grateful that his friend chose to show up today.

“You come by just for the pep talk?” Oliver asks. If he did, it worked. Digg’s presence always seems to have a calming effect. He helps make sense of chaos. Oliver could not be more grateful for that if he tried.

“Mostly,” Digg admits. “That and I wanted to distract myself. Sara’s flying solo with her mask this evening, remember? She told me if I didn’t get out of the lair she was gonna cut comms, because she’s stubborn and difficult and-”

“And yours?” Oliver asks with a dry laugh. He actually had forgotten about Sara’s first solo venture tonight. The last day has been such a whirlwind...

“I’m crediting this one to hanging around your girls,” Digg informs him. “Because if we’re talking stubborn…”

He’s got a point. His girls and Sara Diggle are all strong young women. As a dad, that makes him equal parts proud and terrified. Sometimes they push too hard, go too far. They’re far less ready for the world than they seem to think they are. And, as well trained as he knows Sara Diggle is, he also knows exactly how terrified Digg must be right now, knowing his girl is out there on the streets without him.

“Everything’s been quiet lately,” Oliver reminds him. “And she shoots like she was born with a bow in her hand. She’s ready, Digg. I know that sounds crazy. I know it feels like just last week you were dropping her off at kindergarten-”

“Damned right it does,” Digg agrees. “Blink your eyes and you’re gonna be right there with me.”

Ellie. He means Ellie. And he’s not wrong. She’s fifteen going on twenty-five, these days. She’s pushing so hard - too hard - and it’s too much for him to bear. He can still see her chained to that floor in a pool of her own blood when he closes his eyes. He can still remember the sharp sense of terror that had nearly gutted him as he and Felicity both rushed to save their little girl’s life. Seeing her so hurt, so helpless, he’s not sure he can stand the idea of her ever willingly putting herself in danger after that.

Fate be damned. Forget talk of legacy and the other Ellie. This is his little girl and all he wants is for her to have a fulfilled, happy life that doesn’t leave him with a sense of terror about her safety. That’s all he wants for all of his children.

He’s pretty sure that’s not gonna happen.

It’s a notion entirely reinforced when a noise from the house draws both his and Digg’s attention.

Two stories up, a window slides shut. It’s dark out now, but not so dark that he can’t make out the sight of his daughter carefully climbing down the brick exterior of the brownstone, blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and a sword sticking out of the rucksack on her back.

...a sword. It’s not even close to her best weapon, but it also leaves no doubt whatsoever what she thinks she’s doing.

He and Digg watch in silence for a moment, both of their heads tilted slightly as they appraise Ellie’s descent down the face of the building.

“Hi,” Oliver shouts loudly after a moment, once he’s sure she’s low enough that if he startles her and she falls, she won’t hurt herself too badly.

But she doesn’t fall. She’s Ellie and she’s got reflexes long-honed by Sunday night training sessions and refined by her own training she’s taken on this past year.

“Dad!” she squeaks. She’s frozen somewhere between the first and second floor, staring at him like she’s trying to figure out a way to not be busted.

Too bad for her there isn’t one.

“I didn’t see you there,” she says, swallowing hard.

“We figured,” Digg replies. The amusement in his voice is just unfair.

“That you didn’t see us is proof enough that you’re not ready for what you thought you were going to do,” Oliver tells her sharply.

Ellie drops at that, fast and purposeful. She lands in a crouch with cat-like grace, quiet and steady, before standing tall and looking her father defiantly in the face.

So, she’s not letting this go, then.

Fantastic.

“I have to be ready,” Ellie tells him defiantly. “Cynisca needs me.”

“Cynisca has her mom watching over her on the comms,” Digg informs her, staring her down like a target.

“Cynisca?” Oliver questions, blinking at Digg in confusion. Last he’d heard, Sara hadn’t settled on a code name.

“Spartan princess,” Digg replies. It would be impossible to miss the pride in his voice.

“And the first woman ever to win an Olympic medal,” Ellie adds. “And all-around badass tomboy. But that’s not the point. I’m Sara’s best friend and I need to have her back. You have to let me go.”

“The hell I do,” Oliver scoffs immediately, the novelty of Sara’s self-proclaimed name falling away quickly. “You are fifteen years old, Ellie.”

“I’m ready!” Ellie argues. And, oh, she really thinks that, doesn’t she? She’s pink-cheeked with frustration, something he can see even from the dim porch lights, and her fists are tight, tensed with white knuckles. “You can’t make me stay behind, not when Sara’s out there right now facing the worst this city has to offer!”

“I can and I will,” Oliver snaps, holding up a finger in warning. He’s not used to Ellie acting out, not like this. This is something Jules would do or maybe even Nate. But not Ellie. “After everything that happened last night, you want to just sneak out of your room at night and go fight crime? You’re not that irresponsible, Elizabeth.”

“Right,” she huffs. “Because I’m the good one, right? I’m not allowed to step out of line. That’s reserved for Jules. She gets to break rules and put people’s lives in danger and come home to a hug while everyone walks on eggshells about how poor Julie-bug will feel. I try to go look out for my friend and help this city and I’m the one that gets called irresponsible? Yeah. That’s fair.”

“Ellie, your sister is dealing with-”

“I don’t care!” Ellie shouts with all of the frustration she clearly feels. “I don’t care what Jules is dealing with. What about what I’m dealing with? Did you even think about that? Does that even matter or is it just poor broken Jules? I’m not gonna be a victim, Dad. Not ever again and I’m not going to let anyone else be either. This is who I am. This is my destiny and you can’t keep me from it.”

“The hell I can’t,” Oliver growls lowly, taking a few steps until he’s right in front of his defiant little girl. “You think we won’t care about what you went through, Ellie? You really think we don’t care how you’re coping? Really?”

She has the grace to look a little embarrassed at that.

“Your mother and I have done everything we can think of to help you through this,” Oliver reminds her. “Everything. And you know that. But, Elizabeth, this is the most selfish and thoughtless thing you’ve ever done. After the absolute terror you know your mom and I went through last night, you were just going to sneak out of the house at night to go start a fight? You’re smarter and more thoughtful than that and I’m absolutely disappointed in your choices right now. Go to your room. You’re grounded.”

She’s an absolute ball of teenage angst and emotions when she replies, red-faced with a sniffly nose and wet eyes. “You’re ruining my life!” she shouts, absolutely shaking with anger and frustration and shame.

“Ellie… Elle,” Oliver calls as she brushes past him. But he doesn’t get a response.

Unfortunately, Ellie’s going in the door, right as Jules hovers in the threshold, looking like she’s considering coming out.

“Get out of my way. You’re always in the way!” Ellie snaps at her sister. Oliver holds his breath waiting for a response from his older daughter, but she’s too stunned and Ellie’s gone too fast for a response.

And Jules… Jules looks hesitant, nervous. She’s fidgeting, oddly vulnerable right now, and Oliver finds he absolutely has to hone in on her. Ellie can wait. She needs to cool down anyhow - and he needs to add motion sensor lights to the building, obviously - but Jules sought him out. That’s a rarity.

“Teenagers are fun, huh?” Digg asks, clapping him on the shoulder and pulling his attention for an instant. Oliver says nothing in reply but the raised eyebrows he returns speak volumes. Teenagers are… well, they’re unlike any challenge he’s faced before, anyhow. That much is certainly true.

“I, uh… Dad, do you have a minute to talk?” Jules asks. Like he would say no? “I mean, if you and Uncle Digg are busy, I could-”

“No,” Oliver cuts her off. “No, honey, it’s fine. We’re just chatting. Of course I have time for you.”

“I’m gonna head in and talk to Felicity for a bit anyhow,” Digg tells them before adding. “Glad you’re okay, Jules. You scared a lot of people last night.” It’s a stark reminder that when something’s wrong, the entire team responds, not just her parents and Jules nods at her toes before looking back up, locking eyes with her father.

“I messed up. And I’m sorry,” she says. There’s no doubting the bald-faced earnestness of her voice or the serious look in her eyes.

Good.

Oliver’s relieved to see it. “Talk later, Digg. I’ll want to hear all about Sara’s night.”

“You got it,” he agrees readily, squeezing Jules’ shoulder as he passes her and heads into the house.

There’s a long moment of absolute silence. Through the window, he can see Felicity blinking in surprise at the stairwell Ellie disappeared into. While he can’t hear the words, Digg’s clearly filling her in. Oliver knows that for certain when his wife’s shoulders droop and she rubs her forehead with newfound strain. She meets his eyes and there’s a whole world of unspoken conversation that lives in their shared gaze.

“Take Jules. I’ve got Ellie,” her face says. He doesn’t even question it. He just knows. And he nods in reply as she gives him a sad smile and starts toward the stairs. Digg stays behind, taking a seat next to Nate who is positively inhaling pizza while staring somberly down at his plate.

It would be wonderful if just one of their kids wouldn’t be in the midst of a dramatic, emotional crisis today. Oliver’s not sure he can handle more. He’s put off cluing Will into what happened last night because he’s not sure he can stand to see his older son’s reaction. Not today. There’s enough going on and Oliver doesn’t need to add to it. So, he does the only thing he can - he takes it one step at a time, puts one foot in front of the other and deals with crises as they come at him.

And right now… right now is about Jules.

She’s looking past him, confusion splashed across her beautiful face as she takes in what he’s spent his afternoon doing. He just watches her for a moment, hands stuffed in his pockets while she tries to make sense of his work.

Sometimes Jules says more through her silence than with words. He’s learned to listen to what she doesn’t voice. And, because of that, he knows she hasn’t reached any kind of understanding about his work on the playhouse when she finally does speak.

“You were cleaning up the fairy castle?” she asks, brow furrowed as she looks at him. “Why?”

“When I started, I wasn’t sure either,” he tells her walking over to his tools to finish packing them away. “I needed to do something with my hands, I guess, something to keep myself busy.”

“And when you finished?” she asks. He can practically see her holding her breath.

“I’m not finished, honey,” he says, crouching down and looking up at her as he puts a hammer and nails back in his toolbox. “It’s about maintenance. I let it go too long. You can’t just fix something once and expect it to stay that way forever.”

Jules is a sharp girl - so very much her mother’s daughter - and Oliver’s not surprised in the least when she sighs and folds her arms, giving him a sassy look that’s all her own.

“Some of my best memories of us are back when I was building this thing,” Oliver tells her, standing up and brushing his hands off on his jeans. “You’d nap in a playpen right over there while I worked. I remember talking to you, asking your advice. You’d just giggle and try to eat the grass. One time I showed you color samples and you spit up all over one. I took that as a clear vote against the pink.”

It’s really, really quiet for a moment as Jules looks at the playhouse, trying to see what he does. “I don’t remember that,” Jules tells him. “I was too little.”

“Yeah,” Oliver agrees. “I know. But I do. And whether you remember it or not, it’s a part of our roots, you and me. Building this for you meant a lot to me. It still does.”

“Building it for me and Ellie, you mean?” Jules ventures. Oliver hates the caution in her voice. He absolutely hates it.

“No, Jules,” he counters. Part of him wants to shake her by her shoulders until she understands. “For you. We knew we wanted Ellie one day. And we hoped we’d have her and that she’d one day use and love this treehouse, too. But I didn’t build it for her. I built it for you.”

He must sound convincing, because she seems uncomfortable. It’s never easy for Jules to accept what she wants to hear. He’s not surprised at all when she steps up, touches the still-rough wood on a board he replaced, but changes the topic entirely.

“I guess I really screwed up last night, huh?” she asks. She’s not looking at him.

“Yes you did,” he agrees right away. He’ll be gentle with her, let her take the lead, but not about this. There can’t be any room for doubt this time.

“I probably deserved everything you yelled at me last night,” she adds quietly. “Even if I don’t remember a lot of it.”

Oliver sighs. “Whether you remember it or not, it’s part of our roots, too,” he says again.

“Yeah…” she agrees in a tiny voice before casting her eyes back toward him. “I am sorry. I just… I was just…”

She’s struggling to explain, but she can’t. That makes Oliver’s heart drop. Not because she can’t find the words, but because she doesn’t seem to quite know how to make sense of it for herself.

“I could demand an explanation,” he says. “Or I could threaten you or tell you stories about people I’ve seen who ODed or crashed after drinking and driving. But you’re already facing consequences for what you did and secondhand stories of thirty-year-old mistakes by someone you never know aren’t going to make an impact. And, I can’t really insist you give me an explanation when I don’t think you have one for yourself… Do you?”

She’s blinking hard, and he knows she’s fighting back tears. For all the walls she puts up, Jules feels everything so intensely.

“No,” she agrees, sounding small and scared. “I don’t. Right then, I just didn’t care. I just… I didn’t want to hurt and I didn’t like how I felt. I was angry and sad and Katie said it would be fun.”

Anger and frustration roils around in his heart, but Oliver pushes it back down. Jules might have terrible taste in friends, but Katie’s no older than Jules, barely an adult and he suspects she has her own internalized problems she can’t quite process. What those are, he’s not sure, but it’s his own daughter he’s concerned with, not her friend.

“I’ve never once told you not to be friends with someone, Jules,” he points out. “Not once. But I don’t like Katie. And, maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think you like who you are when you’re around her, do you?”

Jules looks so young in this moment, her arms wrapped around herself as she stares at her toes. God, she’s such a little girl still, such a child, at least to him. He wants to hold her close, protect her, shelter her from the world. But he can’t protect her from herself.

“No,” she admits, though from the sound of her voice it plainly hurts her to say it. “I don’t. It wasn’t as fun as she said and today really, really sucks and I feel like the worst person in the world.”

“You’re not,” Oliver promises her. “Honey, you’re not.” She doesn’t shrug him away when he touches her shoulder, so he takes a risk and tugs a little, pulling her close. She lets him, tucks her head against his shoulder and sniffles into his shirt. She doesn’t hug him back, but she doesn’t shy away either. It’s more than he’d honestly dared to hope for. “You’re learning. You messed up and, thank God, you got lucky. That you feel bad about what happened, that it scared you… that’s proof enough that you’re not a bad person. You’re hurt and you’re trying to fix that all on your own, but you don’t know how. And Jules, honey… you aren’t meant to. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you are in life, your mom and I are gonna be here for you helping you in any way we can. You just have to let us.”

She shudders a little in his arms, curling in more. Her arms don’t wrap around him, but he can feel her fingers curling into his shirt, holding on for all she’s worth without opening herself up.

“You don’t hate me?” she asks a moment later, in the quietest voice he can imagine.

“I could never hate you, Julie-bug,” he tells her immediately. That he still has to tell her this guts him. “Not for anything. Neither could your mother. So, it might be a good idea if you stopped trying to make us.”

She pulls back at that, wide-eyed and wary with confusion as she looks up to him. The sight of it absolutely breaks his heart, because she still doesn’t understand why she’s doing what she’s doing.

But he does.

“It would be simpler for you if we did,” he adds, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. “Proof that every bad thing that man said about you was true would be a whole lot easier than living with fear and blind hope that he wasn’t. But that’s never gonna happen, Jules. I don’t know how to prove to you that there’s nothing you can do to make us stop loving you, but I do know your mom and I will never stop trying. Not ever. No matter what you do.”

“Dad…” she says quietly, swallowing and looking down at her feet. It’s a lot for her to process, but he’s not done.

“The next time you think about doing something that could cost you your life, I want you to consider that it’s not just you and me and your mom who would pay for that,” Oliver tells her. “You have so much more of an impact on everyone than you think you do.”

“What are you talking about?” she asks, rolling her watery eyes at him. It’s a defensive gesture, a dismissive one, and so very painfully Jules.

“Nate was confused and terrified of losing you,” Oliver points out. “Ellie’s still boiling mad because she doesn’t know how to cope with any of this. Digg and Lyla and Roy spent the whole night worried about you and helping search for you. Frank was out there looking for you while Grandma Donna tried to put a brave face on for your little brother and sister. Your Aunt Thea asked how she could help. And then there’s Will…”

“What about Will?” Jules asks. Her tone says she’s not sure she wants to know.

“I haven’t told him yet, Jules,” Oliver confides. “I couldn’t figure out how. Especially after we found out what happened.” Jules sucks in a breath at that, brow furrowing as she watches her dad. “His mom died last year in a car accident,” Oliver points out. “You saw how hard that hit him, how hard it still hits him. He was working last night. If things had gone worse, if you’d crashed your car, he could very well have been the first one on scene. You might question how much your mom and I love you, but you’ve never questioned your brother. So, next time you think about drinking or popping pills and getting behind the wheel of a car, I want you to consider what it would do to Will if he were the one to find your body.”

The mention of Will cuts through something with Jules and she absolutely breaks right in front of him. Her whole face crumbles and her hands shake as she stops even trying to cage in the sobs that have been boiling just beneath the surface. Her knees wobble, unsteady under the weight of reality, and Oliver goes to hold her upright. No sooner are his arms around her, lending her support than she lets him bear her weight entirely.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, oh my god. Daddy, I’m sorry,” she chokes out. It’s entirely emotion, raw and uninhibited. “I don’t know how to do this, what to do. I didn’t mean to screw up. Not like this. I don’t want to hurt you. Or Will. I’m so sorry.”

“I’ve got you,” Oliver promises, holding her close as she lets everything out that she’s been caging in for so long. This has been a building for a year and she’s got so much to give voice to, so much to cope with, but this feels like a big first step in the right direction.

Part of him wants to promise her that it’s okay, but in a lot of ways it’s really not, so he doesn’t. He won’t lie to her. Instead he makes soothing noises and vows over and over that he’s got her, that he’ll help her, that he loves her. He is steady, her port in the storm, and he will not let her get pulled down by the undertow.

“What do I do?” she asks, still red-faced with tear tracks staining her face when the sobs finally abate. She looks so very lost, so completely reliant on his answer. He wishes he could just fix all of this for her, snap his fingers and make it all better, or take on her battles himself so that she doesn’t have to. But it doesn’t work like that.

“Make better choices,” he tells her. “Every day. Talk to your therapist. Listen to us, even if you don’t always believe us. Ditch Katie. And help me fix the fairy castle.”

She’s nodding along right up until his last suggestion, which has her pulling a face in surprise and laughing a little, even if it’s a wet sound. “What?” she questions.

“You and me, Jules,” he tells her, smoothing his hands over her shoulders. “We built this side-by-side once. I’d like your help to get it back in shape now.”

“No one’s gonna use it now,” she points out, glancing up at the long-empty treehouse. “We’re all too old for that.”

“I know,” Oliver agrees. “But that’s not the point.”

She pauses, reappraises the fairy castle through new eyes as she bites her lip. He wonders what she’s remembering, how many great days are linked to that carefully carved fort. A lot. He’d bet there are a lot. More than he knows, even.

“No,” she agrees after a minute. “I suppose it’s not.”

“Tomorrow,” he tells her, squeezing one of her shoulders. “Eight a.m. sharp. You and I are gonna start fixing it back up together. Okay?”

“Yeah,” she nods, a small smile inching across her face. “Okay. I think… I think I might kind of like that.”

Him too, he realizes. Building new memories with his little girl as they fix a remnant of their past? Right now, he’s not sure he can think of anything he’d like more.

Thank you for reading! Reviews literally feed the soul and muse, so go send some love to @so-caffeinated!

#olicity #oliver queen #john diggle #julianna queen #william queen #felicity smoak #ellie queen #forever is composed of nows #ficon #pieces of always #arrow #fanfiction #my fics #my fics: cowritten #so-caffeinated #dust2dust34

35 notes · View notes