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juletheghoul · 3 years

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Oblivius Chapter 10

We've come to the end my friends.

This is the last chapter for Francis & Spills and hopefully you'll enjoy it. I have had such a great time writing this story and have received so many lovely messages & asks about my two dumb idiot babies.

Although this is the end of the main story - you can always send in an ask about them because I will literally jump back in at the drop of a hat. (and who knows, might randomly drop a chapter / dabble if I get into my feelings)

Thanks for sticking with me!

Likes & reblogs are appreciated

Frankie Morales x F!Reader

Pairing: Frankie x F!Reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: Fluff & general cuteness, Smut 18+ - dirty talk, p in v sex (NO MINORS + WRAP IT UP) language *time jump at the end - which has a little surprise* (let me know if I missed anything)

Masterlist Series Masterlist Prev Part Playlist

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Age: 29

He knew he shouldn’t have been nervous, but he couldn’t help it.

He was working on his feelings for her, on coming to terms with his hurt and his anger. Once the initial burn of it cooled he could admit to himself that they’d both been utterly stupid. Both were to blame for how things shook out.

He knew this was the right course of action. He knew from the way he felt right at this moment, getting ready to pick Spills up for their first official date. He’d never once in the whole time he’d been with Claudia felt like this.

He had decided to keep it simple. Dinner and a movie. Can’t fuck that up and after everything that had transpired, he needed simple. It had been a couple of weeks since their conversation and things were a little awkward at first - trying to navigate this new dynamic but their conversations had gotten more comfortable. Both of them agreed to make the first date official.

He couldn’t help but smile as he made his way over to her place, even though his stomach was in knots. Even though a small part of him was terrified to fuck this up. Nothing could be sadder for him than for this not to work and have them drift apart but when he saw her rushing over to his truck all the doubts and worries melted away.

Of course this’ll work. I love you.

“Ready?” He asked and the smile was bright on her face when she climbed in and buckled her seat belt.

“Of course. Where are you taking me?” She ran her fingers through his hair and he could have purred, the touch felt so right.

“To our place.” He pulled out and made his way over to Marcellos.

The food was just as good as you remembered. The two of you found your rhythm as you ordered your meals and when they came he wasted no time in tasting your food and offering his plate to you. You sighed at how your heart swelled. This was so easy - so natural and you kicked yourself mentally over and over for not opening your mouth earlier.

You’d been afraid that things would be awkward after your talk and at first it was. The conversations and texts were weird, impersonal and almost forced but after a little while it was easy to fall back into your friendship.

It was so easy because you were friends. You already had the solid foundations for this to work and you were going to put everything you had into it.

You laughed, and you ate, and you enjoyed each other's company - forgetting the time and when he ordered the tiramisu and two forks you smiled big.

“I already bought the movie tickets, so we should leave soon or we’ll miss the previews.” You told him as the waiter cleared the table.

“You did?” He was surprised. “What movie are we watching then?” He asked as he paid for dinner.

“I picked a horror movie, looked terrifying.” you pulled out the tickets and he laughed. Kissing your hand as he walked you out of the restaurant.

He paid for dinner, so you bought the movie and popcorn. You made it with enough time to get good seats in the middle of the theatre, for the best vantage point according to him. In reality you didn’t actually care where you sat.

He lifted the divider as soon as the two of you sat, making sure you could tuck yourself into his side at the scary bits and you wasted no time getting comfortable. His arm was around you reassuringly as the trailers started, the two of you whispering a bit too loudly, deciding what was worth your time and what wasn’t.

You tucked your face into his neck at the jump scares, asking in whispers if it was okay to look. You could feel the rumble of his chest when he laughed, not unkindly. Felt him kissing your forehead softly when it was okay to look.

Despite having already kissed before, despite having had sex once before - this felt so intimate. You looked up at him to find him already smiling at you, your heart racing at the closeness. At the tenderness on his face.

You kissed him. Petal soft and chaste at first but he deepened it, his big warm hand coming up to rest softly on your cheek. His tongue tasted like popcorn and sugar and you couldn’t help but smile into it at first. The movie forgotten, the fear morphing into warmth and desire for him. As far as you were concerned - this was your first real kiss, and it took your breath away.

The rest of the movie was spent with your head on his shoulder. His hand steadily rubbing your arm and his nose buried in your hair and you couldn’t remember ever having a better first date.

---

You left the theatre quietly, the walk back to the truck was a leisurely stroll. Both of you smiling to yourselves as you held hands, your other hand holding onto his arm - you couldn’t get close enough.

He walked you to the passenger side, pressing you up against it to kiss you again quickly. You could see that he was taking every opportunity to press his lips to yours and you let him. Both of you quiet, breathless and giddy. You didn’t need words. Not for this.

After placing a couple more onto your neck and cheeks he remembered himself, and opened the door for you, running around the truck to get in. His hand found its way into yours on your lap as he drove you home.

He walked you to your door and asking him to come in was on the tip of your tongue but he forestalled. Speaking before you could ask.

“I’m coming in to check every corner so you aren’t scared.” He followed you in, closing the door behind him as he spoke. “But I’m not staying over, as much as I want to. I want to take this slow.” He was looking at you and you could have cried, not from disappointment, but from regret. Regret at having wasted so much time - regret that it took so goddamn long for you to get the courage to tell him how you felt and he must have seen the emotion on your face because he was holding onto your face in a flash. Cradling your jaw softly.

“What’s wrong Spills? Did I go too fast?” His brow was furrowed and despite your happiness the regrets swallowed you whole, you couldn’t stop the first few tears from falling.

“No no! I’m sorry. This was perfect and I just- I feel bad that we waited so long and I wasted so much time and we should have done this so fucking long ago.” You couldn’t stop the sob from clawing it’s way up your throat as he held you and he sighed loudly. Pulling you into the crook of his neck within the soft glow of your home.

“No - stop honey. Stop crying please - this isn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have blamed you for everything. We’ve both been absolute idiots and maybe if we’d talked about this like grown-ups years ago all this bullshit could have been avoided, please stop crying.” He kissed your forehead as you clung to him. The smell of his clothes, the feel of him against your skin - his voice in your ear. It was all home and the longer he held you the better you felt.

“Listen, I was angry and hurt but the more I think about it the more I realize that we’re both to blame but it’s okay because we’re starting again right?” He pulled away to tilt your face up to look at him.

“We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be and this is going to work. It’s going to work because as far as I’m concerned you’re it. You’re the only person for me and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Do you understand? Forget everything and focus on this.” He was looking at you so intensely it was hard not to cry all over again. “Tell me you understand honey.” He kissed your cheeks, one after the other.

“Yes, I understand. I feel the same way about you Francis.” You smiled a watery smile up at him and he returned it.

“Good, now I’m going to check before I leave- kiss you goodnight and then we’re going to go out again.” And he did.

—

“Good morning!” You climbed into the truck after putting your beach bag and your cooler in the back. His face smiling at you brightly as he leaned over to you, lips pursed. You kissed him and he handed you your hazelnut coffee.

“Good morning honey.” His good mood was shining through as he pulled away from your home and drove towards the beach, just the two of you. “Did you bring me breakfast?” He kept looking over to see if you had anything for him, which of course you did.

“Of course - open up.” You put the buttery bagel half in his mouth and he ate it with gusto.

---

The day was gorgeous, absolutely perfect for the beach and he set about getting the blankets and the umbrella ready for the two of you. You watched him, savouring the sight of his deft hands making quick work of everything.

“You’re staring at me Spills.” He said it with a smile on his lips and you didn’t look away.

“Yes I am.” You couldn’t help but match his tone - he turned to you then and leaned in to kiss you. He kissed you at every turn and you cherished it, you loved the way he showed his affection for you. He was a physical creature and he luxuriated in being close to you.

“Good.” He smiled as he handed you the sunscreen and once you'd finished, he made himself comfortable against you. He chose to sit with his back pressed up against your chest, between your legs - despite having laid out his own towel.

You were floating.

The water was enveloping you, lapping softly at your skin as you let it carry you. The sun was shining and you had your eyes closed to shield you from it. You had gone into the water first while Frances read but now he was there too, always an arms length away but it wasn’t close enough and you both fell back into your usual rhythm of splashing and teasing until you were wrapped around each other.

You couldn’t help but wrap your arms around his neck, pressing yourself up against him. Even in the cool water, his skin was warm and you felt as he wrapped your legs around his middle. His hands started at your waist, but they quickly moved down and held onto your ass. You laughed.

“What are you doing Francis?” You asked it with a smile, these days it felt like everything you did was with a smile.

“I’m holding onto you Spills.” He was nuzzling his nose into your neck, placing little kisses around your collar bones and up the column of your neck to your ear. You hadn’t had sex since the night before his wedding, the two of you agreeing to take it slow but his hunger for you was becoming more and more evident as the weeks rolled by. His hands roaming a little more each time you were together.

“Onto my ass?” You looked into his face, cherishing it.

“That’s right.” He pressed his face into the crook of your neck, wanting to be closer, always closer. “Do you not want me to?” He smiled lazily - biting at your ear playfully.

“I never said that.” You breathed out the words, he was affecting you and you had to remember that you were in public. You fell into a comfortable silence. The two of you happy to float in the water as well as your happiness alike.

“Francis?” You were staring out into the water as you spoke, your head resting over his shoulder.

“Hmm?” He was resting his head on yours, eyes on the shore.

“Promise me we’ll live near the ocean one day.” You rubbed his back, tracing lines into his skin with pruny fingers.

“I promise, one day we’ll have a little house by the ocean. You’ll be able to hear it when the windows are open.”

The two of you floated out there for a long time, peaceful and quiet and in love.

—-

Your hand found its way into his curls on the way home, the salt water always defined them and it was too inviting to ignore. He never minded.

His hand found its way onto your lap and the two of you were connected the whole way.

“Come in. Park the rustbucket and stay over.” You didn’t want him to leave, not yet. You were ready for the next step in your relationship.

“Are you sure?” He asked even though he was parking the truck.

“Yes, we can order in.” You smiled a smile that had nothing to do with food.

“You’re gonna kill me Spills.” He was hurriedly unbuckling his seat belt, he wanted this just as much as you did and you couldn’t get inside fast enough. When you were finally inside he almost tackled you. Crashing into you with a bruising force, mouth insistent and unforgiving in its need for you.

“I want it in my bed.” You were pulling his shirt off as you pushed him towards your room and he growled.

“What do you want, baby? Tell me.” He was pulling off your shirt, undoing the top piece of your bathing suit as you finally got him into your room.

“I want you to fuck me. Make me cum like you did before, make me feel good.” You pushed him onto the bed and straddled him. He wasted no time and within a few seconds your nipple was in his mouth. Your grip on his curls was tight as you held him close to your chest. His tongue a slow swirl around the pebbled peak of your breast. First one, then the other. He was ruthless in his teasing, sucking roughly and then biting softly.

“You want my cock baby?” He was kissing your chest as he held onto your ass, your clothed core pressed up against the stiffening pillar of his sex. The arousal was a burning coal in the pit of your stomach and every time he pulled you closer it burned hotter. Your cunt ached for him, drooling out your passion into your underwear, the threads of you unspooling for him at your entrance.

“Yes, give it to me - please.” You bit at his neck, tasting the salt of the ocean on his skin and he moaned. You used the momentary distraction to pull off him and finish undressing. You helped him pull off his swim trunks and you pulled him into your shower, both of you were still covered in sand and you wanted to wash the day off him.

His body curled around you as you turned the shower on. His cock was hard and pressed up against the cleft in your ass. His hands were around your waist, holding onto your belly; your breasts. Anything and everything he could get his hands on and you both laughed as you got into the shower. You dragged him under the hot spray, helping him wash the salt and sand from his skin and his hair and he did the same for you.

Once you were clean he pressed you up against the wall, the cool tile against your nipples made you hiss and he pulled your waist toward him, one hand on your back to tilt your pelvis enough for him to slide in.

“Can I fuck you like this baby?” He leaned forward to press a kiss to your neck. You wiggled your hips against him in response.

“Yes Francis, give it to me just like this - please.” He groaned as he rubbed his cock through your folds, even under the spray he could feel how wet you were and he slid in to the hilt. His pelvis flush with the plump skin of your ass. “Fuck, I feel so full - you’re so big.” You smiled at the groan he let out at your words.

“You’re so tight, feels so fucking good.” He snapped his hips, fucking into you hard and fast. Both of you so keyed up that this wouldn’t last and you knew it. “That’s it baby, take it. Just - like- that.” He held onto your shoulder for leverage and you reached down with one hand to rub at your clit.

“Yes, make yourself cum, soak my cock.” He pulled you up holding onto your breast as he split you open on his dick.

“I’m gonna cum…” Your orgasm crashed into you, making you clench around him while he sped up, chasing his own high and you felt it when he groaned into your ear. Felt him emptying himself into you.

—-

You were both naked, laying in your bed in the fading light of the sun. His head was resting on your chest as you played with his hair.

“I'm starving, have you seen my phone? We should order a pizza.” He got up and looked around and for a moment you couldn’t believe that your Francis was walking around your place naked. Even though he’d fucked you in the shower, even though he’d fucked you in your bed; made you cum with his fingers and his mouth and his cock. Your pleasure seemingly more important than his.

“I think you dropped it onto the counter when we came in.”

He came back with it in his hand and ordered your usual order before dropping it onto your nightstand.

“We have forty minutes until it gets here.” He smiled darkly as he crawled up between your legs and despite everything you’d done, you flushed, wrapping your arms and legs around him lazily.

“Better make them count.” You kissed him, and he did.

When the pizza finally came you needed another shower, which you took together. He stayed the night, and never went home again.

——

Age: 30

“Francis, wake up honey, happy birthday!” You were kissing his face, pulling him softly out of sleep. He groaned and smiled as he buried his face into your hair. His hand travelled down to grab at your ass. Even half asleep he pawed at you, making you laugh.

“Mmmph, sleep.” He mumbled onto your skin. Soft and pliant on the bed you shared.

“Francis, come on - get up so we can celebrate.” You pulled him away slightly so you could pepper his face with kisses, something he loved. “Come on baby, get up, I have a few surprises for you.” You ran your fingers through his hair. It was getting longer and you loved it like this.

“Are you naked?” He didn’t open his eyes but you felt his wits sharpening.

“No, that's later, I have other surprises for you, three of them. Hmm?” You waited a few minutes and he opened his eyes.

“Alright alright, I’m up. What’s the plan?” He yawned and stretched.

“The plan is they’re coming to get you in about half an hour so get dressed.” You got up out of bed pulling him up with you.

“Who?” He was lost.

“Your surprises.” He frowned and then it dawned on him.

“Pope? Benny and Will?” His eyebrows shot up in shock.

“Yes! They’re on their way so come on, up up let’s get you ready, they’re taking you out and then we’re going to have a big dinner.” He was moving on his own now and you could see how happy he was.

“Did you set this up?” He was brushing his teeth and you nodded.

“Yes I spoke to Pope a few weeks ago, thought it would make you happy to have them here for your birthday. They’re going to take you out for the morning and then we can meet up at your parents place for a big dinner.” You smiled at him.

“You’re not coming?” He frowned despite his joy at seeing his closest friends in a few minutes.

“No, you have your time with them and I’ll see you in a few hours.” He pulled you close.

“I love you Spills.” He kissed you, deep and insistent, all of his feelings for you behind it and you had to pull away as his phone went off.

“I love you too Francis, now get your ass in gear. See you later, have fun!” You pushed him out, patting him on the butt to get him moving.

———

Age: 33

“I am completely in love with it Francis, look at the windows!” You were walking through the little house like a kid in a candy store. Trying to take it all in.

“It’s really nice, floors are good.” He was looking at the wood, taking stock of the layout and the sturdiness of the staircase leading upstairs.

“Do you think we could afford it?” You were pulling him towards the kitchen, to the big window over the sink where you could just see the water. The yard was a little on the smaller side but it was big enough to put a little patio set and a grill, big enough for the three of you.

“Do you want it?” He stood behind you, his arms around your waist as you both stared out through the window.

“Yes, I think we’ll be really happy here. Do we have enough?” You turned to press a kiss to the stubble on his cheek.

“Yes, we have enough saved and with you going back to work we’ll be fine.” You felt the little hands then, grabbing at both of you and he bent down to pick up your daughter. She was tired and rested her head on his shoulder. “I think she likes it.” He ran his fingers through her soft curls as he kissed her forehead. You couldn't help but rub her little back as she melted into his shoulder.

“Open the window.” He gestured towards the latch and when you did you heard the soft sounds of the ocean drifting in. He was smiling at you, holding onto the little life you’d both created.

“Welcome home Spills."

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nalu4emily · 3 years

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The Unexpected Reward - Chapter 18

Summary: Natsu and Lucy go on a job together, but what they bring home is something neither anticipated. Forced to make a life changing decision, they have to adapt quickly, but that's never easy, especially given the circumstances. As they work together on their toughest adventure yet, they find themselves drawn to one another, in ways they never realised.

Rated mature for a reason. Although this chapter is all fluff.

With one last glance in the mirror, Lucy eyed herself closely in the reflection. Her eyes followed the movement of her manicured hand slowly drifting down the length of the lacy bodice, smoothing over a few creases in the skirt before finally resting under her bump. She studied the silk material carefully, appreciating the way it flowed off of her curvaceous body and delicately trailed along the floor behind.

It was beautiful, unlike the enormous meringue-like frock her friends had so graciously picked out for her. Gone were the days of wearing intricately designed, overly priced, princess dresses that left little room to move, let alone breathe. No, the one she'd picked out was much more flattering, less poofy, and delicately sat in just the right places. It clung to her every curve and emphasised all the parts Lucy liked about her body, whilst also accommodating her growing bump. Her silky blonde hair had been loosely pulled back and curled, decorated with small gem encrusted pins throughout. And her make up had been left minimal, giving her a simple but elegant finish—the look she favoured nowadays.

Her hand began rubbing small circles were it lay, a recent thing she found herself doing, a comfort to her racing heart as it pulsated through her body, echoing the erratic movements of her unborn baby.

She was anxious; who wouldn't be? But she knew that her guild mates would never allow such a day to go badly, they'd all put too much effort into planning it to allow for such folly.

As for Natsu… well, the boy didn't know what'd hit him once the guild found out. He had no idea what getting married really entailed, and figured, like she, it would happen much further into the future than it had. Their friends, however, had given them little choice in the matter, and within a month of the proposal, she was standing in her dream wedding dress about to make that lifelong commitment to the man just as clueless as she was.

In some ways, it all seemed rather convenient. If Lucy didn't know any better, she would've put her fateful coupling down to destiny, but those were the delusions of a small child who'd grown up alone in a big mansion, destined to marry some self important aristocrat and play housewife for his money.

A different life entirely.

Her meeting Natsu had changed all that; he'd opened her eyes to what life could really offer. She'd concluded, after many years as a member of Fairy Tail, that destiny really could be burned to ashes, that fate stood no chance against the likes of her friends, and that she was no different. It had been her choices that'd lead her down this path, and that she had always been in charge of her own future.

So getting married was no longer some massive event that held such great importance in her life, for she had found her true happiness. Married or not, her feelings towards the dragon slayer would never change, her heart belonged solely to him and had done for much longer than she'd ever admit to.

Instead, the wedding would be used a day of celebrating their long lasting friendship, their deep bond and most importantly, the love they'd shared so unconditionally for one another. They'd been through so much together; the pain and heart ache; the cheer and laughter and everything in between; every memory was precious and every moment from now on, even more so.

The longer she thought about it all, the more her eyes began to prickle with unshed tears, threatening to streak down her powdered skin, "Ugh… Stupid feelings..." She whispered, using her finger to wipe up the wetness.

"Aw, Lucy, you don't have to cry! Save it for the actual ceremony, you'll ruin your make up otherwise." Levy was quick to take out a clean tissue, dabbing away at her friends eyes whilst trying not to ruin her masterpiece. "Thank goodness for waterproof mascara, huh?"

"Sorry Levy, I don't know what came over me." She just couldn't understand it; where had all these emotions come from? "It must be my hormones…"

"Nope, I'm pretty sure it's because you're about to get married, Lucy. I imagine lot's of bride's get a little teary on their wedding day." Mira began, offering some words of encouragement. "And besides, Natsu will be just as emotional, I bet."

If memory served correctly, Natsu would be, no doubt, still in his boxers, piling food into his face alongside Happy and Haru, with not a care in the world. It was just a gut feeling, but somehow, Lucy was pretty sure their morning had gone very differently to hers. "Hmm… I don't know. Are we even talking about the same person here? I mean he's probably not even dressed yet."

Mira chuckled lightly, although Lucy saw right through it. She knew that if her words were true, the barmaid wouldn't hesitate to go full Satan-soul on the slayer's ass, ripping him a new one. But the woman said nothing more about it as she reached up to place the veil atop of Lucy's head, before standing back to marvel at the beautiful bride, "There. I have to say, Natsu's one lucky guy! You look good enough to eat, Lucy!"

"Um… thanks, Mira." Blushing, Lucy turned away embarrassed, knowing exactly what the take over mage was inferring, "How much longer until we're ready?"

"Twenty minutes. So we need to pick up the pace or we'll be late." Erza's thunderous tone came sharply from the doorway as she entered the room, her athletic body filling her own, full length dress out in ways Lucy felt slightly envious of. "And the bride shall not be late to her own wedding. We've all waited far too long for it to be ruined now."

Lucy chose to ignore that last bit, never one to dwell on what her guild mates inevitably spoke about behind her and Natsu's back. She quickly put her heeled shoes on and made her way to the door, "Is Anna here yet? She's supposed to be walking me down the aisle."

One of the few decisions Lucy had been allowed to make about her wedding day was who she wanted walking her down the aisle. In replacement of her mother and as someone who meant a lot to both her and Natsu, Anna had been the perfect choice that no one could really argue with.

"I'm here, Lucy!" Anna called, waving her hand as she entered the room, awestruck by how radiant the bride looked in her glistening gown, "Wow! Don't you look stunning! Then again, the Heartfilia gene has yet to fail us." She winked and smiled, "Let's hope this baby follows the same path, hmm?"

Chuckling, Lucy smiled for the first time that morning, feeling a sense of comfort and relief with Anna around. She shared the same kind disposition and caring nature her mother once had; maybe it was a Heartfilia thing? But if Lucy closed her eyes for just a moment, she could almost trick herself into believing Layla was standing right there with her. Maybe, in some weird way, she was, and that's all the young blonde could hope for.

"Time to go!" Erza bellowed, shooing them all out of the door, "We have a wedding to attend!"

On the other side of town, up on the hill where the small cottage stood, a very different story was unfolding, one of complete bedlam, and no one, not even Lucy, should've expected any different.

"Dammit! Why do I have to wear this ridiculous thing anyway?" Natsu grumbled, pulling at the tie around his neck, unhappy that he'd been forced to wear it instead of his beloved scarf. "It's tryin' to choke me, I swear!"

"I don't think it's alive, Natsu…" Happy uttered, having watched his friend battle the urge to destroy the thing for the past ten minutes.

"Yeah, but if it was, I'd totally beat it and burn it to the ground!" Fisting the air in triumph over his imaginary brawl with the inanimate object, the fire breather sniggered.

"You could just burn it now."

The fire mage's smirk turned into an all out evil grin as he went to summon his fire, reaching for the offending material dangling over his shirt.

"Although, I doubt a certain scary lady in armour would be too pleased… Not after everything she went through to get you to wear it in the first place."

And then it all came crashing down again, his need to set fire to it dissipating. He knew better than to go against something Erza had chosen and groaned obnoxiously, throwing his head back onto the pillows in a huff, causing hot smoke to seep from his mouth, "Stupid tie… Stupid Erza…"

Hearing a thump next to him, his eyes rolled to the side, his neck twisting in turn, only to find that Haru had slumped down onto his back as well.

His large blue eyes were fixed on his father's mouth and his lips were pursed slightly as he continued to stare. Then, with a look of determination, he blew with all his might, over and over again in the hopes of forming his own puff of smoke.

Unable to keep his amusement in, Natsu turned over to observe the baby closer, intrigue furrowing his brows and fascination lighting up his face when an untimely idea came to mind.

"Hey Happy, d'ya think Haru might be able to learn magic soon?" He contemplated the thought for a moment as he sat himself up, pulling the little one up with him.

Stopping to think about it, the exceed scrunched his nose up in disbelief, not entirely sure if now was really the time to be having such thoughts, "Really? But he's only just learnt to walk."

"I know, but look at him. He seems to want to." Natsu wasn't sure if he'd even be able to teach him how to breath fire, not without the use of dragon slayer magic and that was off the table. But then again, that wasn't the only thing he could show him. "It'd be kinda cool to see, don't ya think?"

"Uh… I'm not sure now is the time, Natsu… you don't wanna be late." Happy erred on the side of caution, but after one look of his friends scheming face, he was quick to give in, "Then again, it would be pretty cool to see what he does, I guess."

"That's the spirit! We got some time to kill before that Snowflake gets here anyway, so might as well have a little fun." Natsu grinned wickedly, ideas of how to go about it swirling around in his head. "Hey little guy, come 'ere! Daddy's got something to show you!" Igniting his palm, he watched excitedly for Haru's reaction to his magic.

The little boy, although startled at first, stared in wonder at the tiny flame so close to his face, and watched it flicker with the slight movements of his father's hand. It was captivating to be within reach of such burning hot fire, even if he'd seen it so many times before. Although the bright heat was something he so readily associated with Natsu, being this close to it was a first for him, and that made it all the more thrilling.

"Fire!" The child exclaimed, using the springs of the mattress to bob up and down in his excitement.

"Heck yeah, it is! And now that it's just us, we can be awesome fire dragons together, right Haru?" Natsu sniggered like the mischievous imp he was, and brought the kids hand up next to his ignited one.

But after taking one look between his and his father's hands, the little boy pulled away again, a sad expression adorning his sweet face as he stared into his empty palm, "No…" He mumbled, his bottom lip jutting out and his eyes filling with tears, "No!"

"I don't think he understands, Natsu." Happy interjected, not convinced the boy was anywhere near old enough to fully grasp how to handle magic.

"'Course not—not yet anyway. But he will one day, and it's gonna be the best!" The slayer kept his smile as he guided the little boy onto his lap, ruffling his thick hair affectionately to cheer him up again, "Chin up, kiddo! It takes a long time to learn how to wield magic. But with some practice, you'll be the toughest little dragon around, you'll see."

Listening to that calming tone, the child glanced up at his adoring parent, comforted by the big grin that always managed to reach his eyes, a gentle touch that embodied the very bond they shared. The mood was infectious and with a little coaxing, the small boy couldn't keep his lips from curving upwards, brightening the room around them once again.

With newfound courage, he reached his arm back out, placing it near to Natsu and waited expectantly, "Oh, so you do wanna be a dragon, huh? Alright then, but ya gotta give me your best roar first!" Natsu smirked, proud to have taught his son the 'non-magical' version of roaring (aka shouting really loudly) at the very least. And he did just that; at the top of his voice; no encouragement needed, "Whoa! That was super awesome, little guy! Now let's see how you handle this!"

"If you're about to do what I think you're gonna do, then I hope for your sake, Lucy never finds out." Happy warned, not wanting to take any responsibility for what was inevitably about to happen.

"Hey! I'm not stupid enough to burn down my own house. What do you take me for, an idiot?" The answer was yes, but Happy's restraint held strong, knowing he'd be heard even if he'd muttered it under his breath. Natsu, on the other hand, took no heed and brought both hands out this time, taking hold of the chubby little ones waiting for him, "Are ya ready?"

Igniting the flames once more, Haru watched the blazing magic slowly seep onto his fingers, a gentle warmth tingling his flesh, enough to make him flinch as it encased each tiny fist. After a few unsure moments, and the opening and closing of his palms, his blue eyes lit up with a wonderment only children seemed to possess, his very soul shining just as brightly as the flames he'd been gifted.

"Daddy! Daddy, fire!"

Natsu chuckled, as he leant back on the bed, using his now fireless hands to prop himself up, "Haha! I knew you had it in ya! Now you get to be just like a real fire dragon, and as long as you play with it on me, you can't burn anything, either." It was fool proof, he was certain of that. And with the look of sheer astonishment on that cute little face in front of him, Natsu could hardly contain himself.

"Yeah, right! Like you're one to talk…You're the first person to destroy things. It's why we never have any money." It was true and Natsu knew it, but that didn't stop the unimpressed glare he sent Happy's way.

"Why else do you think I put him in my lap?" The slayer tilted his head, his annoyance short lived, "He can't burn me so it's fine, and he's not really wielding fire, it's just pretend." He added, his infamous grin returning, and attention now fully diverted from the child he was supposed to be watching, "They'll go out before long."

"Sure, but, uh… I think Haru may have different ideas…" The exceed said, quietly gesturing to the boy in his lap.

"Huh? How so?" The fire mage asked, but by the time he'd turned around to see, it was already too late, "Haru!"

With one touch from the child's fingers, the fire caught on to the covers they were sitting on and spread like a fuse to a bomb.

"Get out of the way!" It lit up the entire bed in a flash, giving Natsu only seconds to get Haru off of it in time before they both landed in heaps on the floor.

It'd gone up so quickly; such was the destructive nature of those flames, and now his and Lucy's bed, the very bed they slept in every night, was a pile of smoking ash on the floor, the fire extinguished along with it.

Silence. All that could be heard was the silence…

"I… I-I'm dead… I'm so dead…" The dragon slayer's voice was barely a whisper, and his horrified expression said it all. The crushing weight of impending doom loomed over him and no amount of blinking was going to bring back their disintegrated bed, no matter how hard he tried.

What was he going to do? He'd been in control of the situation; he had a plan and it was fool proof. Not a few seconds he'd peeled his sights away from the child—just a few damn seconds and now...

And what about Lucy? She'd be furious, no… outraged by it all! He'd be seeing her in less than thirty minutes from now; how could he look her in the eyes, say their vows, then tell her she'd be sleeping on the couch?! That was a conversation that ended badly no matter what way he looked at it.

"You were saying?" Happy teased, covering his mouth with his paw, the rare look of mortification on his friend's face was priceless.

"Lucy's going to kill me!" His gaping sockets could barely keep his eyeballs from falling out, and his mouth hung low enough he could almost lick the ash off the ground.

"Daddy fire! Daddy fire!" Haru cheered, clapping his hands together while laughing, unaware of the chaos he'd unleashed, seemingly impressed with himself.

"Y-Yeah..." The young man slumped back against the dressing table, the feeling of dread taking over him the more he played out in his mind how he was going to tell his new, and very pregnant wife of the unfortunate news, giving him zero hope for survival, "You're gonna be the end of me, kid!"

"Like father, like son!" It was all too funny for the little exceed, who was attempting, but failing, to stop the flow of cackles escaping his mouth.

"Hey! Stop laughing would ya! It's not funny!" Natsu snapped, the sound of Happy busting his guts slowly grinding away at him.

"But it is! You should've seen your face! Shame Reedus wasn't here to draw the picture!" Happy continued to shriek with laughter, infecting little Haru as well.

"Not you, too!" Natsu complained, but his voice held no real consequence. After all, it was his idea to let the one year old play with fire, and it would be his sorry ass to own up and take responsibility.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Startled by the unexpected but familiar voice, the trio of boys twisted their heads to see an out of breath Gray standing in the bedroom doorway.

"Oh, it's you… Don't you know how to knock?" Natsu dead-panned, apparently more annoyed by Gray's intrusion than the burnt bed.

"Never mind about that, I ran all the way here 'cause your house is smoking! What did you do this time, fire breath?" Glad to see everyone was fine, the ice mage sighed in relief that it appeared to be nothing serious.

"Hey! Why do people always assume it's me? Maybe it was Happy?"

"But it was you, Natsu."

"Shh! I'm trying to make a point here!"

"It was obviously you, idiot! You're the only pyro here!" Gray shook his head, hardly believing that this was the guy about to get married. "Anyway, we need to get going, or Erza will have our heads."

"But… but what about the bed?" Natsu whimpered like a child, pointing to where it once stood.

"Wait… You burnt down your own bed?! What is wrong with you, Dragneel?! Of all the days to be a bigger idiot than normal, you pick today?" Gray smacked his palm over his face exasperatedly. He hadn't even noticed that it was the bed that'd been burnt, but now it was clear to see where all the smoke was coming from.

"Come on, numbskull! We don't have time for this!" Grabbing hold of the still-in-shock Natsu by the collar, he used his ice magic to freeze all of the ash lain bare on the floor, effectively halting the smoke and yanked his rival out of the house, determined to get to the cathedral on time, "We'll deal with your stupidity later, but right now, you gotta get married and I'm prepared to drag you all the way there if I have to."

Lucy could feel the blood pulsing in her ears, her hand clutched at her belly as the sickness she'd been suppressing all morning finally reared its ugly head. She felt sticky and clammy from the extra adrenaline coursing its way through her body—and was now an appropriate time to say she needed to pee… again!?

"Take a deep breath and try to relax yourself." She heard Anna whisper into her ear as they both stared at the large cathedral doors. "When you walk down that aisle, remember its only you and Natsu that matters, no one else, okay?"

Giving a shy nod, she inhaled deeply, as if that was going to be her last breath and tried to calm herself down.

"Are you ready?"

Bowing her head once more, Lucy could hear the guests grow silent behind the large doors, the loud creaking signifying they were opening. Planting one heeled foot over the threshold, the blonde looked up to everyone that was waiting for her entrance, and it was in that moment time seemed to stand still.

Among the gasps and gleaming faces; the decorated pews and hard stone floor; hazy, chocolate eyes scoured the ancient hall. There they all were; her friends; her family; every single person that held such importance in her heart. It made her happy, ecstatic even, that this joyous day could be celebrated with the people closest to her, the people that'd accepted her for who she was and nurtured her into the person she was today.

She hadn't even realised she'd stopped breathing until her lungs began to ache, forcing her to inhale a large breath of air as her legs began to slowly, and shakily, walk forwards.

Her dress glimmered in the dim light of the medieval building, capturing the eyes of the crowd, lighting up the very aisle as the long train behind her rippled with each step she took towards the altar.

But nobody, not even the keenest of dragon senses could see the pure beauty the way he did. With heat pooling in his belly, he watched the girl he loved make her way towards him, dazzling as brightly as the stars she wielded. His mouth ran dry, and his heart skipped many beats, making him question whether it was just his imagination. She appeared before him within a blink of an eye, and it was all to easy to just wash the others away.

"She's all yours, Natsu." Anna said, releasing her arm from Lucy's firm hold and winked at them both, gladly stepping back to let them take centre stage.

But neither mage heard her as their eyes connected for the first time, too enraptured by what stood before them, too absorbed in their own little world, and nothing could penetrate it.

"You… You look beautiful, Lucy." Natsu wasn't easy to fluster, but the pink tinge on his cheeks told her she'd succeeded. "Really… really beautiful…"

Her own bashfulness became evident too, her eyes soaking in his glorious form as if she'd been starved of him, "You're looking pretty good yourself, Natsu." She studied him up and down, her gaze becoming hungry for more. It wasn't very often she got to see his exceptionally toned body in something so formal, and she was totally going to make the most of it.

"T-Thanks..."

The playful wink and cute chuckle only served to make the pink on his cheeks grow darker, as if this was the first time she'd ever paid him a compliment.

‘Wasn't Lucy the one that usually reacted like this?’ He wondered, unsure why his face was suddenly feeling so hot.

“Although, I have to say, it’s still a little strange seeing you without your scarf on.” She admitted, unable to take her eyes away from his slender neck. Usually it didn’t come off until he was ready for bed… or other, less innocent things.

"You can thank Erza for that! She stole it from me and made me wear a damn tie instead." His petulant tone had the blonde sniggering into her hand, his instant annoyance enough to quash any tension left between them, "She even made Haru wear one."

Lucy glanced over to where Haru was sat in the crowd, who, although dressed in something entirely impractical for a toddler, was happily waving to his mother with the biggest grin on his face, "Poor guy…" She said, waving back, "He does look super cute in it though."

A loud cough from the front halted them in their tracks, finally breaking them out of their little bubble, "When you're quite finished." A loud voice echoed through the cathedral walls, making both mages stand to attention and face the front like naughty school children.

An older gentleman with a bald head and long beard stood before them, his bushy brows making it hard to see where his wrinkles stopped and his eyes began glared impatiently at the pair, tapping his fingers on the book he held in his hands, "Now, let's begin."

With an exaggerated sigh, his voice traipsed along the pages of his book, an aged tone that said he'd spoken these words all too many times before, had read those same lines, and joined countless lovers together in matrimony over the years. He was practised and poised, an elegant and poetic speaker, able to captivate his audience…

Unless they were Fairy Tail, of course, and more specifically a pink haired, impulsive dragon slayer, who's attention span rivalled that of a five year old. He'd zoned out the moment the old guy had started rambling, too interested in getting to the good bit—eating food and kissing Lucy, obviously.

It all sounded like drivel, mindless, unnecessary drivel, that seemed never ending, and the hall was so deafeningly quiet, which, was unnerving to say the least when trying to distract oneself.

Well, except for one faint noise, that was.

Thanks to his excellent hearing, he could hear little Haru babbling from the pews. He was being ever so quiet about it considering his lack of awareness for what was going on, and the sudden urge to turn around and take a peek at what he was doing seemed almost too much for the fire mage.

With the slightest quirk of his head, he glanced back to see the small boy playing with Happy's tail, minding his own business, perfectly content without him or Lucy there.

Satisfied to see the infant playing so calmly, Natsu went to turn back around again when a loud 'Daddy!' stopped him in his tracks. The small boy, who'd not been aware of his father's peeping only a moment ago, was now trying to scramble over the blue exceed to get to him.

"No Haru, you gotta stay there. Stay with Happy!" The desperate fire mage whispered, pointing to the cat as a sheepish grin took over at the chaos he'd caused. "Daddy will be over in a minute, kay?"

"You're making it worse, Natsu, turn around!" Lucy whispered rather loudly, never looking away from the old man still talking as she leaned in.

"Sorry Luce, but I could hear Haru talking to himself. I just wanted to see what he was doing." Natsu explained, rubbing the back of his head in habit, "Not my fault he caught me looking."

"You looked at him first, of course he was going to notice you." She said a little louder, enough that the people sat closest to them could hear.

And that was all he needed for the small smirk to creep its way onto his lips, "Oh, so you were watching, too?"

"N-No…" She stuttered, giving herself away, "I wasn't…"

"Liar."

"Okay, fine. But why do I have to listen to this and you don't? I'm just as bored as you are." She admitted, her whispers getting louder the more irate she became, "Do you know how many times I've had to keep myself from yawning? And I really need to pee, too!"

As important as she knew this part of the ceremony was, it didn't half drag. Couldn't they just say 'I do' and be done with it already? Who cared about some God when her feet were starting to hurt!?

"Well, aren't you full of surprises… Maybe you should've gone before." He sniggered, knowing exactly how to push her buttons, relishing in the glare that had imminent death written all over it.

“It’s not like I’m carrying your baby or anything…” She huffed, crossing her arms.

"Alright, if your that desperate, I could always make him go faster." His face lit up with the most mischievous grin, igniting a small flame on his pointer finger.

"Natsu! You can’t do that! You’ll get us kicked out!” She rolled her eyes, though she appreciated the sentiment.

"Aw, come on! Not even a little singe?" He pointed his fiery finger towards the man in front of them, edging it slowly closer on purpose, "His brows need taking back a bit, don't you think?"

Lucy chortled at the thought, highly amused by the man's enormous brows being set on fire and couldn't stop the giggles that followed, her restraint finally caving, "Maybe just a little bit!"

"Will you two pay attention and turn to face each other." The old man grumbled, none the wiser to their little inside jokes. "Present the rings."

The blonde continued to chuckle as she turned to face her partner in crime, her steady heart picking up pace a little now that they were staring right at each other.

His unwavering smile and silly behaviour was something she had always admired. His ability to lighten any situation, regardless of how grim it may seem, instantly had her smiling along, too.

"Now, Natsu, please say your vows."

Inhaling a deep breath, the young mage knew he'd never been good with words. Lucy had always been the speaker, the writer, the one able to talk her way out of most situations, and although the vows he'd prepared were not long like sappy love letters or poetic or book worthy, they came from the heart and that's all he could offer her.

"Luce… I gotta admit, I never saw this coming." He chuckled, his hand tangled into the hair at the back of his head, "And I know for sure you didn't either, but that's okay because no matter what happens, we'll always be Natsu and Lucy, and we'll always be partners."

Without looking away, he held her shaky hand and slipped the precious ring onto her finger with ease, her delicate skin soft against his loving warmth.

"I've always known you were special to me, it just took a while to realise how much, I guess… And apparently adopting a kid with your best friend isn't normal, so…" He shrugged nonchalantly, never giving it much thought, but earned a giggle from Lucy in return. "But I knew you'd put your all into being the best Mom you could, just like in everything you do. You're a super kind person with so much love to give, it's why you're so precious to me, and I wanna protect that with everything I've got. So, that's my promise to you, Lucy, I will protect your heart, so long as it continues to beat."

She gasped, feeling the air leave her lungs as if she'd been winded. It was short and to the point but those sweet sounding words of his, the very meaning behind them were enough to make her knees tremble. She stared, mouth agape at the man that stood before her, blown away by his promise, astounded that he'd once again found the perfect things to say.

A few unplanned tears escaped as she looked over to the little boy in the pews, then peered down to her rounded tummy, feeling the butterflies and the baby's movements fluttering around inside. So much had changed, and this would be a whole new chapter to add to their never ending adventure, an overwhelming thought that seemed all too much for her to get to grips with.

Feeling a warm hand cup her cheek she looked up to the sweet smile of her lover, the person that meant everything to her, and felt this fingers wipe away her tears. He always had a way of filling her with encouragement, even, it seemed, with just a single gesture.

"Thank you, Natsu. Now Lucy, you may begin." The old guy uttered, his gruff voice quieter than before.

Placing her free hand over the top of his, she brought them both to rest on her belly, her smile reaching her eyes as the small kicks poked at their skin, making them both chuckle.

"Natsu, there are so many things I could say that I admire about you; I could also find an equal amount of things that annoy me, too." His sudden pout made her giggle once again, along with the rest of the guild members, "But that doesn't matter, because that's the person I fell in love with. You're loyal, brave and strong; your silly, impulsive and like to fool about, but you also bring smiles to everyone around you, an ability that only you seem to possess.

I can't remember how many times you've shown me the light, lifted me up in my time of need and carried me until I could stand on my own two feet. Your presence and comfort has always been my safe place, somewhere I can call home. You're such a beautiful person, and I'm so lucky to be able to call you mine."

Tears began to fill her eyes again, and she was sure his had become a little watery too.

"So, in return for all that you do for me, and us as a family, I promise to play with your hair when your motion sick and rub your back when you eat too much." Natsu's cheeks lifted up to his eyes, scrunching them closed in amusement as she, too, grinned back at him.

"I promise to love you with all of my heart, to lift you up in your time of need and put a smile on your face when your feeling down. I promise to be loyal, brave, and strong for you, too; to fool about and make you laugh, and to always be there to stop you from going overboard.

I'll forever stand proudly at your side, and hold your hand through whatever life throws at us. You've shaped me into the person I am today, and if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have this wonderful life, such amazing friends, or a family to call my own." The tears that welled began to spill down her pink stained cheeks, but the smile that had been there all along never wavered from her lips, "You're my everything, Natsu, and you will be until the day I die."

A single tear drop slowly trickled down and dripped off of his chin as his breath hitched in his throat. As time once again stood still, it felt like he and Lucy were the only ones present; no longer able to see the guild watching their every move, or hear the grumpy old man scold them for not paying attention. Lucy was his sole focus and without waiting for the final lines to be read, the young groom impatiently pulled her in, and welded their lips together in a display of affection that had the crowd wooing and whistling for them in celebration.

"Congratulations to the happy couple!" Mira mewled, throwing confetti and flower petals over the two still very much consumed by one another.

"Can you believe it? After all these years, they're finally married!" Levy squealed in her excitement, deafening poor Gajeel in the process.

"Who'd have thought our boy, Natsu, would've ever settled down?" Wakaba stood from his seat, cigarette at the ready.

"Yep! It seems like only yesterday he was pulling pranks and starting fights with the other youngsters." Macao smirked, his arms crossed cockily over his chest.

"That's because it was yesterday, Dad! Natsu hasn't changed that much…" Romeo shook his head at the two old farts, but smiled when he looked back to his idol, "Then again, he does have a family now. I guess getting married just kinda made sense."

"Nothing they do makes sense, kid. You only have to look at 'em to see that." Laxus spoke from the pew behind, his thunder legion companions sat right along with him.

"Yes, but they have made their pairing work. As a team, they're like clockwork and as a couple, they're impenetrable." Erza's smile brightened her face as she glanced on at the two newly weds, proud of her friends and of how far they'd come.

"Alright guys, let's move this to the guild! I wanna get my booze on and the bar is waiting!" Cana yelled, drink bottle already in hand as she, along with most of the others filtered out of the cathedral, not wanting to spoil the couples moment.

Natsu and Lucy, however, were in a bubble all of their own; where soft, tinted lips met hot, firm ones in a passionate battle that neither wanted to lose. But the need for air was far stronger, forcing them to separate and stare into each others eyes as they caught their breaths.

"You know, you're supposed to wait for me to pronounce you husband and wife before embracing like that." The bushy browed man said from behind the altar, glowering at the couple he had no hope of controlling.

"Oh… uh, sorry about that… Kinda got swept up in the moment." Natsu grinned sheepishly, chuckling to ease the tension, while Lucy just hid herself behind him.

"Hmm… Well it doesn't matter now. What does is that you are legally bound. Good luck to you both."

"Thanks!"

They watched the man take his leave, only then noticing that the hall was empty, "Huh… Where'd everybody go?" The fire mage was sure the hall had been filled just a moment ago.

"So you guys finally came up for air, huh?" Gray walked over, he and Juvia, along with Happy and Haru the only ones left. "Everyone's gone back to the guild to wait instead of watch you both suck face. Seriously, how long can you hold your breath for?"

An oblivious Natsu only shrugged, but a blushing Lucy was quick to hide her face from Gray's knowing smirk, turning the opposite way to where Juvia was standing with the little baby in her arms, and the blonde's face lit up instantly, "Oh, look at him! Isn't he just the sweetest? And he didn't cry once throughout the whole thing! What a little sweetheart!"

"Yes, Juvia is quite surprised herself that he stayed quiet. Juvia can't say he does the same at night though." The water mage chuckled through her tiredness, a look Lucy was all too familiar with, "But Juvia doesn't mind, not when Gray is so willing to get up with him."

"Aww, Daddy Gray to the rescue, huh? And here I thought you were worried about the whole thing. Looks like you're doing just fine to me!" Lucy said, turning her attention to the ice mage standing there.

"Worried? Who said I was-?" And then it clicked, "Natsu! You told Lucy what I said? That was just between us!" Gray turned to the fire mage, who, had since recovered his own son from the pews, walking him back to where they were all standing.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I only told Lucy, duh!"

"Don't 'duh' me, you weren't supposed to tell anybody, and that includes Lucy!" If he could've smacked his head on a wall, he would've… Or better yet, smack Natsu's!

"But I tell Lucy everything…"

"Oh, you do, do you? That's funny, because I'm certain there's something you haven't told her yet, right?" The look of fear that flashed across Natsu's face was enough to make the ice mage drop his annoyance in favour of revenge.

"Not told me what? Did something happen?" Lucy cocked her head as she looked up from the cooing baby, her sights flickering between the squabbling duo scowling at each other.

"Should I tell her, Natsu?" Gray's smirk was almost sickening, his own pleasure outweighing the consequences.

"Don't you dare, Popsicle!" The fire mage bit out through gritted teeth, "Or I'll rearrange your face with my fist!" If looks could kill…

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" The curious look on Lucy's face quickly turned to frustration the longer she was kept waiting, "Natsu?" Slowly she traipsed her way over, backing him against the rows of benches.

"Uh oh! Looks like hell is about to break loose..." Happy sniggered from his perch on the altar, high fiving Haru as he began to giggle, too.

"Oh dear… You may have started something there, Gray dear." Juvia said, passing the sleepy newborn over to his father.

"Nah! Natsu had this one coming." He sniggered, shushing the baby back to sleep.

A vein popping on her forehead, Lucy's irritation had just about reached breaking point, "Speak!"

Swallowing thickly, the young man looked up to his very new, very pregnant wife, just like he knew he'd have to and wished momentarily that the ground would swallow him whole, "Well… Uh… I-It's kind of… Um…" What was he supposed to say? "I-I was playing with Haru this morning and, u-uh, stuff happened and our bed is now… gone."

Raising a brow, the girl looked even more confused, "Gone? What do you mean, it's gone?"

"Gone… As in it was there… and now its not." He really wasn't doing himself any favours.

"Natsu..."

"Happy did it!" He panicked.

"Hey! No I didn't, you burnt it! You let Haru play with your fire, not me! I warned you it would end badly, but you wouldn't listen and now-"

"You did what?!" Her eyes were blood red as she glared at the suspecting dragon slayer, her hair reminiscent of a certain Satan soul mage. “You burnt down our bed?!”

It was in times like this he was glad that she couldn't out run him, especially not at the moment, as he pegged it for the exit.

"Natsu Dragneel! Just you wait 'til I get my hands on you!"

Her yelling from behind reminded him of all the times he'd found himself in this exact predicament, whether it be from destroying a building or their bed, it brought a smile to his lips at just how familiar it all felt. It seemed as their evolving relationship and family changed and grew, his vows rang true, they would always be Natsu and Lucy, and that would forever be the same.

With one solid push of the large cathedral doors, he opened them wide, allowing the natural afternoon light seep into the old walls. Readjusting the boy in his arms, and with Happy flying over head, he chanced a small glance back at his livid wife stalking her way over to him, and grinned mischievously, sealing his already doomed fate with his final words, "Come on then, Luce! But you'll have to catch me first!"

Thanks for reading!

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chaoticforever · 3 years

Text

Ghost In Your Heart Part 3 | Peter Parker x Male! Reader

A/N: This was requested and I did add a few things to your request. Wasn't planning on doing a third part, but a lot of you liked it, so why not? And I hope everyone likes this part!

"Wait, so you're telling me that this device can access anything at all?" You questioned, looking up at Peter for confirmation.

Three weeks have passed since you've been revived.

Peter has been teaching you about modern world technology, and basically the new world in general. From the style of clothing everyone is wearing down to the new slang that kids say today.

He did ask Ned for help, but he fainted when he saw that you were alive.

Peter nodded and took the phone out of your hand, "Yes, you can access so many things on a phone! Call, text, and have access to the internet in general."

You 'oohed' and Peter thought that you looked so cute like that.

Suddenly, the phone starts ringing, meaning that someone was calling but you didn't know that and knocked the phone right out of Peter's hand. It landed on the bed and grabbed the lamp off Peter's table. You were about to hit it repeatedly, but Peter stopped you.

"Y/N, what are you doing?" He asked, taking the lamp out of your hand as he let out a laugh while you looked terrified.

"The phone's gonna explode!" You covered your head with your hands when the ringing stopped, and when you didn't feel anything, you looked up to see Peter laughing at you.

"Hey, that's not funny!" You pouted, hitting Peter in the shoulder softly.

Peter continued to laugh, but his laughter died down pretty soon, "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to react like that. Is using a phone really that hard?"

"Yes, it is!" You replied, "In the 90s, we didn't have cell phones like this. We had pagers, and they would make a beeping sound when we got a message."

"Like the ones the doctors have?"

"Just like them," You sighed, "Something tells me that I won't be getting the hang of this stuff any time soon."

Peter walked over to you and wrapped his arm around your neck from behind, "Hey, everything will be okay. I'm here with you, and will help you all the time. You will get this." He tried to reassure you.

"But what if I can't?" You shot back quietly, "This is a completely different world for me. Everything is so different and I-" You let out another sigh, "I just don't think that I have what it takes to be in this life, even though I am happy to be here with you." You reassured him once you saw the expression he had on his face.

Peter could understand where you were coming from. You basically jumped over 20 years in time and this was your new future. He could understand, but deep down hoped that you didn't regret at being given a second chance to be with him.

He really wanted you to stay, but he also wanted you to want the same thing, too.

Another two weeks flew by and you actually managed to understand how to play video games. Somehow, you managed to beat Peter in almost every game the two of you played, and Peter loved seeing the way your eye would light up in happiness when you would win.

Eventually, you were enrolled into Midtown High.

The school was... different than you remembered.

There weren't any Jocks or cheerleaders here. It was more like every person was smart. Peter told you that everyone is a nerd in this school and that made sense now. The work was harder than you remembered, but nothing you couldn't get.

Ned actually warmed up to you after seeing that you were completely harmless and still would occasionally flinch whenever you got too close to him.

MJ, a friend of Peter's introduced herself to you, and you could tell that the two of you are going to get along really well with the way her personality was.

On another hand, Peter had been so patient with you this entire time.

He didn't rush you when you were learning everything about the new world, or got angry with you at any point. He was nice about it, and understanding. The friendly neighborhood Spiderman definitely had your heart, and you needed to figure out a way to thank him.

And being the genius you are, you did.

Once nightfall came and Peter finished patrolling, he climbed into his window and surprise was clearly on his face.

You were dressed really nice.

Very casual in a dark blue dressy shirt with black ripped jeans that clung to your ass perfectly, and you had a beautiful smile on his face.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked softly.

He wondered where you were going. Were you meeting with your parents? Or with a friend? Peter had to fight back the slightly jealous part at the thought of you going out, looking nice with a friend.

"We are going somewhere." You corrected, "To thank you for everything you did for me. Learning about modern technology and basically the new world in general. And I think I'm ready to hold your hand down the street along with going on a date and stuff like that."

Peter's eyes widened.

He knew how much you have been putting off going out as a couple which was once again understandable. You were born at a time where homophobia was extremely high, and you could have gotten killed for it.

When he did ask, you always made an excuse as to why you couldn't go out because you were terrified and remembered what happened to the last guy who was outed as gay all those years ago.

But, this wasn't the 90s anymore.

A new time and new period where there is still homophobia out in the world, but isn't as bad as it was back then, and there are many supporters for LGBTQ+ out in the world today.

"A-Are you sure, Y/N. You don't have to-"

You cut him off by pressing your lips against his. He jumped slightly, but kissed you back after a few seconds.

You broke the kiss and smiled at him.

"I'm sure," You stated confidently, "Now, change out of that suit, Spiderboy."

"It's Spiderman!" He whined, but did as you said and changed into something causal like you.

You walked out of his room, heading towards the door the same time as Aunt May who squealed at the sight of you two holding hands.

"Omg, you guys are the cutest couple ever! Couple goals!" May gushed and Peter blushed.

"Aunt May, c'mon!" Peter blushed scarlet red which only made you laugh.

She ran over to your both and threw her arms around both of you, "Peter, I'm so happy that you are going on a date with someone so handsome! And Y/N, take care of my nephew, okay?"

"Understood." You nodded firmly, and she let go of you both and headed back to her room.

"I'm so sorry for her." Peter said, clearly embarrassed by what just happened.

You waved Peter off, "Don't be, I like her. Kinda reminds me of my own aunt."

You walked out of the apartment and stopped outside of Peter's apartment door.

"Peter..." You started, and he gave you a questioning look, "We've known each other for a little over 2 months now and you told me a month ago that you might be in love with me. Do you still feel that way?"

Oh shit. Peter hoped that he didn't make you uncomfortable now. He hoped you wouldn't remember that, but it appears you have.

In all honesty, Peter loved you.

Even though it's been over 2 months, he was in love with you. Never felt this way about someone before.

He gave a nod of his head, "Yes, I said that and still do feel that way, Y/N and I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, but-"

You put your finger against Peter's lips, "Shh, you talk too much. I like you and have a feeling that I'm starting to fall in love with you. And I'm glad you feel the same."

Peter smiled and walked with you hand in hand out of the apartment.

This world as you now know it was different and scary, but with Peter, your loveable superhero boyfriend by your side, you felt like everything would be okay.

XXXXX XXXXX

#peter parker x reader #peter parker x male reader #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #peter parker fanfiction #avengers x reader #avengers x male reader #mcu x reader #mcu x male reader #spiderman x reader #spiderman x male reader #marvel x reader #marvel x male reader #male reader #x male reader #male reader insert

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kuroos-babie · 4 years

Text

Falling in Love with a Single Mom

Iwaizumi x fem!Reader | Bokuto x fem!Reader | Ushijima x fem!Reader

[ Headcanons/MiniFic ]

Request: Can I please req headcanons for Iwaizumi, Bokuto, and Ushijima falling for a single mom? — anonymous

a/n: this one’s looong but i really enjoyed writing it pLS GIVE ME MORE like anything concerning babies id love that please thank u :’] I HOPE Y’ALL WOULD LIKE THIS ONE :D i’d love to make these a full blown fic if any of yall want that hehe

❀ aside from the hushed chattering of students waiting for the professor to arrive, the college lecture hall was fairly quiet

❀ that was until the high-pitched cries of a baby ripped through the room

“hey pipe it down!”

“who would even bring a baby to a lecture anyway?”

“can’t you just bring it outside jeez you’re interfering the class”

“class hasn’t even started yet”

❀ iwaizumi was the last one to speak, your classmates’ snarky comments annoying him more than the baby’s crying

❀ he saw you walk out the hall, pushing the stroller with your head low, muttering apologies

❀ letting out a sigh, iwa stood up with the intention of following you outside, but not before he shoots your classmates a threatening glare

❀ he finds you not too far from from the lecture hall, bouncing your 5-month old daughter on your hip as her wailing turned to quiet sobs while she laid her head on your chest

“there there, were you just sleepy?”, iwa doesn’t miss the soft but tired smile gracing your face

“uhh do you need some help with that?”, you jumped at his voice, startled

“oh no, we’re fine! thank you though...uhh..?”

“iwaizumi, i’m iwaizumi hajime, i believe we haven’t met before” he extends his hand for you to shake which you curtly did

“y/n! yeah i believe we haven’t”

❀ since that encounter, iwa would always sit beside you in class and glare at anyone who so much as attempts to make any unnecessary comments

❀ he’d often offer to look after your baby while you took class notes for the both of you

❀ it didn’t take long for iwa to grow fond of your blubbering baby and, of course, you

❀ he noticed how hard you worked; juggling classes, part-time jobs and taking care of your daughter and he admired you for it, so much so that he spent almost every weekend over at your place, insisting on helping you take care of your daughter

“y/n, i don’t want to seem rude but if it’s alright to ask, where’s her dad?”, he’d ask while holding your child, who was curiously pinching and smooshing at his face, as you prepared lunch

it was a question that’s been bugging him for so long, noticing that there was no sign of any other person in your small apartment except for you and your baby

“oh,” you started with a small laugh, “he left when i told him i was pregnant”

the amount of restrain it took iwaizumi to not curse in front of the baby is unthinkable but the bittersweet way you smiled dissipated his anger and he was filled with something he couldn’t quite comprehend

“it’s alright though! we’ve managed to get this far”, there was a wistful pause before you continued, “i’d love it if she grew up with a dad though.”

“then let me” with a voice so steady, unwavering, and as dependable as he was these past few months he continued, “i’ll take care of you.”

he didn’t even let your tears fall as he pulled you in his embrace together with your child, placing a soft kiss on your forehead,

and for the first time in so long, you’re comforted with the feeling that everything will be fine —and you believed that it will be, as long as he was there

❀ it was just another run to the grocery store with akaashi, him picking out everything on the list while bokuto sluggishly pushed the cart through the aisles

“akaashi what’s taking you so looooong? i want to go hooooome”

“bokuto-san we wouldn’t be spending so much time here if you regularly shopped instead of calling me for help when you’ve eaten the last bit of food in your house and you have nothing else to eat anymore.”

❀ the tall owl-like man deflated more, if that was even possible, as he followed akaashi around

❀ skimming through the snack aisle, he noticed something was tugging on his shirt, but when he looked down..

“daddy?”

AJDKDAFJHKSD DO I LOOK LIKE--

“uhhh akaashi???”

❀ the toddler clutched at the hem of bokuto’s shirt, tear-stained cheeks puffing out as he pouted

❀ bokuto picked the child up and held him in his arms with a bright smile

“what’s wrong buddy? are you lost? should we help you find mommy?”

“we should probably leave him at the security desk, bokuto-san”

“are you my daddy?”, the toddler asked again, teary eyed, ignoring akaashi’s words

“well do you want me to be your daddy?”, he grinned and the child nodded gleefully

“bokuto-san, no”

he turned to his junior, tears welling up his eyes, “akaashi, i’m a father!!”

“bOKuTO-sAN”

❀ the tragedy of akaashi keiji

❀ the rest of grocery shopping went by with bokuto picking out stuff for his “son”

❀ it was all fun and games right before you spotted them

“uhm, excuse me but i think that’s my son”

“mommy!” the child’s eyes lit up as he turned to you

“hi baby, let’s go home you’ve troubled this man enough.”

“mommy i found daddy!!”, he said while hugging around bokuto’s head, earning a chuckle from him

you laughed lightly, turning to the two men, “sorry he has a knack for trying to find a dad during grocery runs”

bokuto and akaashi gave each other a look before the latter spoke, “it’s alright you must’ve been worried, bokuto-san please give back her son”

“but akaashi--”

“give him back :)”

bokuto hesitantly placed your son in your arms, the both of them have matching pouts

your son nuzzled against your shoulder, stifling down his sobs and quietly whispered, “but i really wanted him to be my dad”

“maybe we can meet up some other time again so you and bokuto-san can play?”, you eyed the man pleadingly which earned you a giddy nod from both your child and him

❀ that was how you and bokuto started seeing each other regularly

❀ he’d visit your house every weekend, come with you to pick up your son from kindergarten, take you both out for dinner and even stayed over on some occasions

❀ your son loves him so much and always calls him “dad/daddy”

❀ bokuto calls him “buddy/kid”

❀ your son would often tease bokuto when he catches him stealing glances at you while you walked around the house, getting chores done

“you like mommy don’t you?”, he’d snicker

“i-- whAT? kid where do you get those ideas from?”

you peered through the doorway of you son’s playroom, “baby do you want some snacks?”

“yes please!” the both of them answered at the same time, bokuto turning beet-red while you just stifle down a laugh and went to prepare their snacks

when bokuto was sure that you were out of earshot, he whispered to your son, “kid do you still want me to be your daddy?”

“yes! yes!! YES!!!”, the little boy bounced on his heels happily

“okay good because i think i want to marry your mommy”

“wakatoshi-kun isn’t that y/n-san?”

❀ ushijima grunted as he had his eyes fixed on your form from across the room

❀ it was your high school reunion and even though you both haven’t met in a while, the former volleyball team captain still felt his spine tingling at the sight of you

❀ you’ve always been pretty, pretty enough to catch his eyes and fascinating enough personality-wise to keep his attention on you

❀ though he never spoke of these feelings throughout high school, it never really vanished even when you’re well on your adult years

❀ and seeing you right now, with the same pretty smile but seemingly tired eyes, he can’t help but yearn for you as he did when you were in high school

❀ while walking to the other end of the room to where you were, he thought of anything to try and hit up a conversation with you but he was pulled from his musings the moment you’re standing in front of him, a mere arms-length away

“y/n..”

“oh ushijima-san! long time no see, how hav--”

“mama!”, you were interrupted as your 5 year old child clung to your hips, “mama the scary man’s coming for me!”

“ᶦ ʷᵃˢ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵗʳʸᶦⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ˢᵃʸ ʰᵉˡˡᵒ“ :’/

“baby don’t be rude that’s just uncle goshiki, go on play with him” you urged your son with a gentle hand on his back

“no! his hair looks weird!!”

❀ rip tsutomu bb

❀ ushijima doesn’t know what to make out of the situation

❀ you have a child? does that mean you were married already? was he too late?

“i didn’t know you got married”

“huh? oh no! i didn’t..”, you were hoping he would get the hint but you remembered that it was ushijima wakatoshi in front of you, so you had to spell it out for him, “i got pregnant shortly after college, his dad left the moment i dropped the news though”

the laugh that came from you was humorless, and that didn’t go unnoticed by ushijima

“would it be alright if i took you out on a date, then?”

❀ with face flushed deep red, you bit the inside of your cheek and nodded, sheepishly squeaking out a quiet “yeah”

❀ you both agreed to meet the next weekend for lunch then take your son on a playhouse while you two catch up

❀ then came the weekend, everything was going well, except for one thing

❀ even at the playhouse, your son didn’t leave your side and instead opted for glaring at ushijima across the table in the parents’ waiting area

“baby it’s rude to glare at people, please go play with the other kids”

“what do you want to do with mama!”, he said pointedly at the mountain of a man

“talk?”

“what do you want to talk about with her!”

you couldn’t help but smile at your tiny little bodyguard acting so tough even with a man probably five times his size

“i wanted to know if she would consider marrying me”

at that, you whipped your head to look at the man across the table who was casually talking to your son, the prospect of marrying someone who you secretly pined for for all of high school sending a wave of hot blush on your face

“why?”, your son continued with the questions

“because i would like to marry her”

“why?”

“because i love her”

“since when??”

your face grew incredibly warmer every second that passed by but his answer dealt the finishing blow and you thought your heart would burst

“since all of high school”

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cazimagines · 3 years

Text

Slipping through my fingers

Synopsis: While waiting for Bucky to arrive Zemo reflects on the past, remembering time he spent with his family and when he found them after the Sokovian attack

Warnings: Mention of death, blood, guns, dark imagery, this is a very sad fic, includes a scene from episode 5

Word Count: 2.2k

Author's note: This isn’t a fic that involves a reader this time, I wanted to write about scenes with Zemo and his family as every time I think about it; it makes me sad and I haven’t seen anything like this done yet. Recommended you listen to sad music while reading if you want to feel even more pain. Sorry if this makes you cry.

Masterlist

Screams echoed throughout the hospital room, bouncing off the walls. Nurses rushed around grabbing towels and rushing towards the bed. A man paced back and forth. He ran his hands through his hair in stress as he kept looking over at the hospital bed.

“Helmut” she whispered

Instantly he was by her side. She raised out her arm, palm open wide. He clasped it, giving a tender kiss on her knuckles. “I’m here, my love” he confided as she clenched her eyes. She let out an ear-piercing shriek, clenching his hand tightly as she squeezed.

After a few minutes she exhaled, and the sound of a baby crying filled the room. The nurses wrap the child up in a clean towel, wiping away as much blood as they could before handing it over to the women.

“A boy!” they say

The woman smiled down happily as the baby wriggled in her arms. She lifted her arm to tickle him as her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders, smiling at his son. She looks to him and holds up the baby, offering him to Zemo. He carefully picks up the child, holding him as if he was the most fragile thing in the world.

“Your heir” she whispers as she watches them, a sweet smile gracing her lips.

Tears of happiness slip down Zemo’s face as he looks at his son, his smile as wide as it could be. He leans down and places a gentle kiss on his son’s forehead. Turning back to his wife, he presses a kiss on her forehead as well and hands their son to her.

“Our son, my beautiful baroness,”

Sirens echoed in the street. Though it was days later since the attack, dust still fell as if a reminder of how everything has crumbled. Fallen down.

Footsteps thudded across the pavement. His eyes scanned the wreckage of once his summer house, away from the city. He could feel people staring. They recognized him. The baron. But in a matter of a few days, he had lost any power he had. Now he was one of them, suffering because of the attack, desperate to find his family.

He called out their names. His father, wife, son. There was no answer. Just people staring at him.

He asked them if they had seen anyone else. They shook their heads.

Angrily he walked forward, grabbing the rocks, determined he would find them alive under the rubble.

They had to be alive. They had to be.

“Tonight I am a father!” Zemo declared, sitting down on the lavish seat next to his father.

“And I am a grandfather. I think a drink is in order” his father chuckles, pouring out whiskey into two glasses, placing the bottle back into the glass cabinet. He hands the drink to his son and they give a toast.

“To a long and healthy life for your son,” his father exclaims

“Cheers!” Zemo shouts, clinking his glass with his father’s then eagerly drinking.

His father sits back in his armchair, getting comfy and exhaling happily. He glances at his son, smiling warmly.

“What name have you chosen?”

“Carl. After Grandpa,”

Zemo’s father’s eyes glossed over with tears after hearing that name. His smile tightens as he reaches over to embrace his son.

“Your mother would be proud,”

Zemo hugs him back tightly, burying his head in his father’s shoulders, enjoying the comfort the embrace brought to him, as if he himself was a child again.

“Thank you” he whispers to his father, “Thank you”

After hours of searching, he could see them. The breath leaves his lungs, an inhumane noise falls out from him. He rushes to his father’s side, not caring at how the dirt clung to his clothes, the blood staining them.

His father was hunched over, his arms wrapped around two bodies. Blood stained his head. It trailed down the side of his face, tinting the floor and a rock. A piece of ceiling that had fallen down.

A sob was pulled from Zemo, his eyes clouded with tears he could hardly see. His hand was raised to his mouth, trying to keep everything in. His other hand brushes over his father’s head, wanting to feel his warming embrace one last time, but the skin was cold, clammy. Dead.

His eyes moved further down.

Zemo walked into the kitchen, grinning as he saw the situation before him. His son sat in a baby chair, the remainders of his breakfast split all over the table. His wife was also covered in parts of his breakfast. She held a rag in her hand, attempting to clean up the mess Carl made.

“I see we’ve had quite the disaster this morning” Zemo jokes, walking over to his son, placing a kiss on his head. He pulls out a tissue of his coat pocket and wipes the rest of the breakfast off Carl’s lips.

“Carl has decided he now hates porridge,”

“I don’t blame him. Why have porridge when there are so many other things you can have for breakfast that taste much better,” Zemo says, stepping over to stand in front of his wife, “Like for example, you,” he adds quickly giving his wife a peck on the lips.

“Helmut!” his wife exclaims, looking around the room flustered. “Not in front of Carl”

“I had not realised he suddenly understood the whole English language” he said glancing back to his son who was staring at them, his eyes sparkling and a giggle coming from him.

Zemo turns back to his wife, a smirk on his lips. He raises up the tissue and rubs the porridge off her face. Her eyes flicker to his thin lips, then back to his warm chocolate eyes.

“Oh Helmut” she purrs, warmth flooding her.

Zemo raises his hands to cradle her face, pressing a longer, passionate kiss to her lips. Her arms wrap around his abdomen, tugging him closer to her. He draws back from the kiss, instead burying his head into her neck, kissing it as he wraps his arms around her back, resting on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair.

“I love you so much darling” he sighs, inhaling the sweet smell of her strawberry tainted perfume.

“I love you to Helmut. For forever,”

Her hair was matted with blood, her skin deathly pale. Bruises ran down her arms, down her neck.

Zemo pulled her out from under his father. He whispered her name, shaking her.

“Please,” he begged, “Please wake up,”

But she didn’t.

A scream wrenched from his throat. Hot tears spilled from his eyes. He buried his face into her hair, letting all the pain out. His heart plummeted, shattering inside his chest. He didn’t care who was watching, who was taking photos, videos. He just wanted her. But she was gone.

“Come on, it’s bedtime for you,” Zemo declares, gripping his son’s hand and leading him to his bedroom.

Zemo helped Carl into his pj’s then settled him into his bed, tucking him in.

“Dad, I’m scared of the monster under by bed,” Carl whispers

Zemo tilts his head looking at his son, “The monster under your bed?” he whispers back, leaning towards his son

“Yeah! I think it’s going to eat me,”

“Well, we can’t be having that can we,” Zemo claims, “I’ll look under the bed to see if I can spot anything,”

Carl holds his breath as Zemo dips his head down, searching under the bed. He stays under there for a few moments till,

“ROAR” Zemo shouts suddenly jumping up and at Carl, maintaining his hands in claw shapes and opening his mouth wide to look scary. His son shrieks and Zemo instantly goes to tickle him, making Carl laugh hysterically.

Finally, they settled down and Zemo rested his head on the side of his son’s bead, leaning on his side on the floor.

“That was mean dad!” Carl claims, crossing his arms as he glares at Zemo, but he struggles to keep a smile off his lips.

Zemo chuckles, smiling warmly at his son, “Sorry Carl, but I can confirm there is nothing under your bed,”

“But what if it comes back at night?”

“I’ll always be here to protect you, son. You know that,”

Zemo glances around the room and his eyes land on the pile of his son’s superheroes action figures. He leans over and picks up Iron Man off the heap and hands him to his son.

“But while I am not in the room Iron man here will protect you,”

Carl smiles, hugging the toy tightly.

“Do you think I’ll get to see the real Iron man one day?” he begs.

“I’m sure I can arrange something,” Zemo says, “Now you need to go to sleep or mummy will be upset with us”

Zemo leans over and tenderly puts a kiss on his son’s forehead. He walks away from the bed and glances over one last time at the bed, watching his son gently fall to sleep. He smiles to himself and presses the light switch off.

His little hands were still clutching her body. His once smooth dark brown hair was messy, unkept. His favorite t-shirt, with the dinosaur on, was torn. Stained. Zemo clung to him tightly. He gripped his son in his arms, but his son wasn’t there anymore.

Zemo didn’t even try to suppress his shrieks of agony. The sound burst from his throat. The sound of complete and utter grief.

“Carl,” he wailed, “My son. Please,”

He didn’t even know what he was asking for anymore. For time to go back? For revenge? All he felt was the pain. His eyes squeezed closed, not wanting to see the ghostly face his son still had. He crumpled on the ground beside his wife. His son still cradled against his body.

Slowly he opened his eyes, wiping the tears away. Something red caught his eyes. Beside the bodies was an Iron Man action figure.

Zemo reached a hand out and picked it up. His jaw clenched in hatred as he glared down at it. Using the last bit of strength he had, he threw the toy to the floor shattering it into a thousand pieces.

Years later, Zemo found himself at the same spot where he had lost everything he cherished. Before him stood a statue. The memorial sculpture to all the lives that were lost. His family. There were no flowers by it. He should have brought flowers.

An exquisite landscape surrounded it. Though if he reflected back on it, Sokovia had always been beautiful. He’d just taken the scenery for granted.

He was waiting for the end he knew was coming. Any minute.

He was grateful in a way. He got to appreciate life for one last time. Enjoy what it was like being a Baron again just for a moment. And now he has to go home. Soon to join his family. To see them again.

As he stared at the statue, he could hear footsteps approaching. They finally stopped beside him.

“I thought you’d be here sooner,” he says, taking one last look at the memorial before him. He turns his head slightly towards Bucky, then looks down to the ground to gather his words.

“Don’t worry. I’ve decided I’m not going to kill you,”

“Imagine my relief,”

Bucky moves the gun as Zemo turns towards him, but Zemo already knew he had it. It was Bucky, after all. The winter soldier is still inside of him.

If these were his last moments, he could at least provide some advice to Bucky, though he doubted Bucky would listen. He’d grown fond of Bucky and Sam with the time they spent together and he knew them well enough to know they wouldn’t listen, but it was the least he could do to help.

“The girl has been radicalised beyond salvation,” Zemo says, stepping towards Bucky.

“I warned Sam, but he didn’t listen to me. He’s stubborn as Steve Rogers before him. But you…”

Zemo studies Bucky for a second, curious about his reaction, but Bucky remains impassive, expressionless. ‘One thing they had trained him for’, Zemo thought.

“They literally programmed you to kill. James, do what needs to be done. Karli has people everywhere and there is only one way to make sure she cannot continue her mission.”

“I appreciate the advice. But we’re going to do it our own way,”

Zemo chuckles slightly, looking away from Bucky. A slight melancholy in his voice, “Yeah. I was afraid you would say that”

There was a moment of silence between them, They both knew what was coming. What had to be done.

Zemo’s eyes flicker down to the gun as it clicks again. He perceived what was to happen, but now the moment was here, he could feel fear creep up on him. It crawled into his broken soul. He let out a shaky breath as he brought his gaze back up to Bucky as he raised the gun.

Zemo started down the barrel at Bucky, his gaze unwavering. Though he feared it. It was what he wanted.

He nods at Bucky signaling. It was okay. He would see his family soon.

Bucky pulled the trigger.

Taglist: @sinister-sleep @cable-kenobi @faustlyaccused @chipster-21 @icarusinstatic @yallgotkik @montypythonsholysnail @bunniwritesx @checkurwindow @huntheimpossible @jayxkelsi @avgravy @prestigious-tea @wonderwoman292 @there-goes-thefighter @multiyfandomgirl40 @freyjasamael @ineffablebean

#zemo #helmut zemo #baron zemo #zemo fanfic #sugar daddy zemo #tfatws #bucky barnes #daniel brühl #marvel #mcu

88 notes · View notes

rejectofsociety · 3 years

Text

Febuwhump: Day Fifteen

Prompt: “Run. Don’t Look Back”

Summary: Our friendly neighborhood Spiderman and his two dear friends find themselves trapped in a maze of terror. They suddenly begin to wonder: is any of this real?

Word Count: 2,031

Warnings: Starvation, Mysterio

Written For: @febuwhump

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They had been trapped inside the same endless labyrinth of insanity for the past two weeks. Peter, Michelle, and Ned had no memories of how they had gotten trapped the maze of a warehouse— they only remembered awaking in a dungeon with their limbs chained down. Using his spider strength, Peter had no problem ripping the chains out of the concrete floor. It had taken some time, but Peter had also managed to carefully break the clamps around their wrists and ankles, leaving them free to trek through the pitch black hallways. They had no source of light but they had quickly learned how to navigate through the dark led by Peter’s fine hearing.

In the two weeks that they had spent fighting insanity with every ounce of willpower they had, the three had eaten absolutely nothing and only drank a little bit of dirty (probably sewer) water that had made their stomach ache and heads spin. For the sake of staying alive, it had been worth it.

The halls were brisk, but not freezing, and uncomfortably damp and musty. The air tasted of decay and smelled just as bad— fortunately, the teens had grown numb to it. Having no sense of time, they would rest whenever they grew weary, taking the time to cling to each other and cry as they wondered if they would ever see the light of day again. They longed for their families and fresh meals, but both seemed to be ridiculous fantasies— merely a joke they could laugh at.

As for Peter, he had been filled with gut-wrenching guilt that he could never shake. He was the hero here, he should have been able to find away out by now. He should have been able to protect them. His spider sense was failing him miserably, only occasionally buzzing at small inconveniences like a nearby fly or rat. Of course, neither of his friends were blaming him and he knew that. But it didn’t matter. He was blaming himself.

“Peter,” Ned called— it was their sixteenth day in the maze, but none of them knew that.

Peter turned his head to look to his left in Ned’s direction, their hands were locked together and their fingers were intertwined. This was how they learned to stick together— holding hands like kindergarteners. Peter would have actually enjoyed holding his best friend and girlfriend’s hands constantly if it weren’t for the circumstances.

“What is it?” Peter asked, his throat was dry and his voice was hoarse.

“Do you think that one movie has come out yet?” Ned often came up with random, normal topics to talk about— it helped keep them sane.

“Man, that’s so vague,” Peter managed to chuckle, “which movie?”

“The one based off the video game.”

“Oh. Uncharted?” Peter assumed, “no, I don’t think it’ll come out for a while.”

“Good,” Ned sighed, “when we get outta here, I wanna see it in a movie theater.”

“Me too,” Peter smiled softly.

Then, Peter felt a slight tug at his right hand, making him realize that Michelle had stopped walking. He muttered for Ned to stop, then protectively tightened his grip on Michelle’s hand.

“Em, what’s-“

“What if we can’t get out,” she muttered tensely.

Peter heaved a sigh, “we’ve already been over this.”

“I-I know,” she stammered, “but I can’t stop thinking about it and-“

Peter let go of Ned’s hand and pulled her into a hug. She practically melted into his touch, resting her head on his shoulder and clutching his ragged shirt. Peter held onto her like a lifeline, hating how she felt like a skeleton in his arms.

“None of this should have happened,” he mumbled to her, his face hidden in her wild curls, “and I’m sorry. But I swear I’ll make it up to you. I’ll find a way out, we’ll all get some lunch, maybe see a movie, we’ll do whatever you guys want. But, for now, we should just focus on sticking together, okay? A-and just walk with me, I’ll handle the rest.”

“Peter, I’m serious,” Michelle whimpered, “what if-“

“Then we’ll die,” he blatantly stated, “but, hell, if we die then I’m so, so grateful to die with both of you. I love you two and I know this whole thing’s been scary as hell, but being with you guys has made it slightly more bearable. If we go down, we’re going down together. Understand?”

Michelle nodded slightly and clung to him tighter. Ned found his way to the two and joined the hug. Peter and Michelle felt his arms wrap around them and they pulled him close. They all shook slightly, but they had grown used to the cold and numb to the fear— at this point, they were just exhausted.

Being ill, weary, and half-starved, the children were on the brink of giving up. Truthfully, they would rather lay down and die than live another second in that nightmarish land. The thought of dying was no longer frightening to them, it was rather welcoming and they were gradually beginning to realize that— despite their optimistic words— there was no hope for them. They were doomed to never escape and-

Suddenly, Peter’s hearing picked up on the faintest whistle of wind passing through a tiny opening. He strained his ears then jumped away from his friends when heard the sound again. It was quiet and far away, but within a second he was able to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from.

“I hear something!” He announced.

“What?” Michelle and Ned demanded in unison.

“C-come on,” he frantically took hold of their hands, practically trembling with anxious excitement, “c’mon,”

“O-okay, okay,” Michelle stammered, “calm down.”

Peter ignored her and hurried down the hall, his friends doing their absolute best to keep up with him. As he made sharp turns and listened to the soft sound, the faint scent of polluted, New York air began to reach his nose. His head began buzzing quietly— it was his spider sense reawakening. Any other time, he would have welcomed it, but at the moment it was obnoxiously confusing his senses. Stop that! He thought sharply, you’re distracting me!

He stopped suddenly in the middle of a clearing to gather his thoughts and refocus his senses on the sound and smell.

“Why did you stop?” Ned asked nervously.

“I need a sec,” he replied, “please be quiet.”

His spider sense began ringing loudly in his ears, yet he continued to try silencing it. It was probably “broken” again because it couldn’t seem to focus on anything. It was just screaming in his ears with no rhyme or reason and bringing him a sense of fierce agitation. He was so close to getting his friends out! This could not be the thing that ruined his mission.

“Peter,” Michelle muttered, tugging on his hand slightly.

“Not now, Em,” he replied through grit teeth.

“I’m serious,” she urged.

“So am I,” he grumbled as his spider sense began focusing on the back of his head.

“Peter, turn around,” Ned snapped anxiously.

Peter looked over his shoulder and was met with the sight of a soft, vibrant green light shining in the distance. He knit his brow in confusion and squinted at it— it was just dim enough that his eyes weren’t crying out in pain quite yet.

“Is that our way out?” Ned asked.

“No,” Peter warily replied, his spider sense was frantically urging him away from the light, “no, it’s definitely not.”

He narrowed his eyes at it, tilting his head away slightly to shield his overly sensitive eyes. The light began gradually growing brighter until the three were forced to shut their eyes and look away.

“Peter, what is that?” Michelle shakily questioned.

“I don’t...” his voice trailed off.

A memory of last year hit him in the chest like a sack of bricks and a single thought took over his mind: Mysterio. His heart began pounding in his chest and his mind raced with solutions. Mysterio. He lied. He betrayed me. All of it was fake... his heart skipped a beat. All of it was fake!

“Peter, what do we do?” Ned asked frantically, making Peter realize how close Mysterio was getting.

“Run,” he stated, letting go of their hands, “you have to trust me.”

“What are you talking about?” Michelle furrowed her brow, she could just barely make out the outline of her boyfriend.

“None of this is real,” he promised, “now run. You’ll find a wall and it will feel like it’s there, but I swear you can walk through it.”

Ned’s eyes widened, “are you sure?”

“Yes,” he stated firmly, “run. Don’t look back. I’ll be right behind you.”

Having no other choices but to listen to their friend, Ned and Michelle agreed. Peter felt Michelle’s lips briefly brush his— a fleeting yet meaningful kiss— then the two took off running.

Peter inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, then turned around to face his enemy. The green light began to dim down, revealing Mysterio standing fully suited a few feet away.

“It’s so, so good to see you again, Peter,” Quentin commented, his voice laced with fake kindness.

“You must really love getting your ass kicked,” Peter snapped hostilely, his eyes still sealed tight.

He was all talk and the villain knew it. The boy was exhausted, fatigued, and would fall over if someone blew on him. But, for the sake of his friends, he had to try to hold Quentin off. Maybe they could get help.

“I admire your confidence,” Quentin remarked, “but we both know you can’t win this one.”

“Honestly—“ Peter tensed his famished muscles and prepared for a fight, “— I don’t give a fuck.”

Before Quentin could make another comment, Peter charged him and the two were launched into battle.

At the same time, Michelle and Ned had just stumbled out of a warehouse wall and onto the streets of New York. Fortunately for them, it was late at night and their eyes were safe from the scorching light of the sun. Still, the lights of cars and nearby buildings were enough to make their eyes snap shut.

“Why did Peter stay behind?!” Ned cried.

A distant car horn screamed in their ears, making them simultaneously jolt in surprise and clap their hands over their ears. They were both trembling and Michelle had tears rolling down her cheeks in panic.

“I-I don’t know,” she replied shakily, then her mind finally put the last puzzle piece into place and she exclaimed, “Mysterio! It’s gotta be him, I just know it!”

Ned’s heart sank, “oh shit, you’re-“

“Ned? MJ?” A voice called as it approached the two mangy, skeleton children, “where the hell’ve you been?”

“What happened to you kids?” A second, deeper voice laced with concern asked.

Michelle shielded her eyes from the lights and looked up to see Bucky and Sam, who were by some miracle at exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Overwhelmed with relief, Michelle threw her arms around Sam and hugged him tightly. Despite his confusion, Sam gently hugged back and was filled with a mix of anger and fear when he felt how thin she was.

Ned cracked his eyes open and quickly pointed to the warehouse, “Peter’s still in there! A-and we think Mysterio-“

“Alright, kid,” Bucky interrupted, that was all he needed to hear, “you two stay here, we’ll have Bruce come pick you up, and we’ll get Peter.”

“Thank you,” Michelle managed as she peeled herself away from Sam, “most of it isn’t even real,” she informed, “be careful about that, please.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Sam assured, “thank you.”

“Now stay here, don’t move, someone will get you as soon as possible,” Bucky instructed sternly.

“Yessir,” Ned and Michelle agreed as they sat down on the sidewalk and curled up next to each other.

Sam removed his jacket and draped it over their trembling shoulders then he turned to Bucky. Both men were already tense and prepared for battle.

“This is not how I expected our date night to end,” Sam commented as he stood at Bucky’s side.

“Honestly, this is a better ending than I expected. Finally getting to beat up the guy who hurt Peter is a pretty great way to wrap things up if you ask me,” Bucky replied and Sam chuckled; the soldier smiled fondly. “You ready?”

“Let’s go.”

#i meant to post this earlier #but whatever #febuwhump #febuwhump2021 #whump #peter parker #spiderman #michelle jones #mj #ned leeds #fos #friends of spiderman #spideychelle #petermj #mysterio #bucky Barnes #sam wilson #spiderman ffh #quentin beck

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halothenthehorns · 3 years

Text

THE DEMENTORS KISS

Lily looked like she could get up and kiss him at that kind of news! While it would never not sting to forever realize she wasn't going to be there for her boy, the fact that he had Sirius for him there now was the best second thing she could hope for! She was the only one who had really registered the news though.

Remus was still lost in thought, kicking himself into a grave and getting cold all over because he had seen that look Harry had given him at his exclamation, and he knew quite well what it meant. Even though Harry couldn't say it out loud, Remus would never forgive himself if the rat really did get away because of him.

James looked like he wanted to be happy, he tried for the feeling, and it was certainly there on the level Sirius was suggesting, but something was holding him back. Of course he was ecstatic, he'd do anything in the world for Harry to get away from the Dursleys. Sirius would do a great job taking care of Harry...so why did he feel something foreign and not at all pleasant at the thought?

Sirius clearly didn't notice as Harry tossed him the book, he looked more than happy to take it, looking like he'd sing it to the heavens the justice and triumph he was feeling, but was cut off by Lily.

Lily was shocked that she was the one to notice the time, and deciding to linger on whatever good mood this would afford them for as long as possible, she offered, "why don't we eat."

The boys looked scandalized, and some private part of Lily would have laughed at this, but she insisted her point, "I want to see him being turned in as much as anyone, but it's about time for the baby's lunch, and I'd rather pause now when we've got some good timing."

They didn't look happy, but no one argued the point either. The boys ate probably the lightest lunch they'd ever had in their life, food was the last thing on their mind after everything they'd just lived through, but forced down a bit each to at least get rid of some of Lily's worry lines. No one brought up Remus' condition again, it was a sore enough subject already and they would just have to deal with it after this nightmare book was done, there couldn't be too much left.

The baby was fed and then put back in his playpen for a while longer, none of them wanted him in the room so long as the rat was going to be mentioned. Sirius went back and picked up the book and properly got to reading, still forcing a light feeling into his voice at what he wanted to hear, rather than the worry lingering he knew they all felt.

Harry followed the group along with Crookshanks in the lead, Pettigrew in between Ron and Lupin all chained together, then Snape floating along held aloft by his own wand, being supported by Sirius.

Sirius still adored every last drop of irony reading that caused him.

Snape's head was currently being dragged along the ceiling, scraping it raw, but Harry got the feeling Black wasn't trying to stop that.

Lily wanted to roll her eyes at this childish display, but after everything they'd just gone through she couldn't even find it in herself to do that as all four boys gave little snickers at that mental image.

Black turned his attention to Harry though, showing a lot more interest as he asked him if he understood what this could mean, turning Pettigrew in?

"It's not going to be much fun if you point it out every few minutes," James mumbled, and while Sirius gave him a confused look for how odd James sounded, he put it down to any lingering feelings he had about bringing up the rats name. He didn't feel much better, but knew he'd chant that putrid name for an hour if it would get Harry out of the Dursleys.

Harry agreed that would mean Sirius could go free, but Sirius also added on that he wasn't sure if anyone had ever told Harry, he was also his godfather.

"Well no one ever technically told me, I just sort of found out," Harry couldn't help but give a little smirk, happy to see everyone did the same back. Maybe he was just being paranoid, surely nothing too bad was going to ruin this mood again so soon.

Harry agreed he'd heard, and Black sounded fairly unsure as he pointed out that as such a title he had been expected to take care of Harry should anything happen to his parents. Harry at first wasn't sure what that could mean, so Black kept going by saying he'd of course understand that Harry would much rather stay with his aunt and uncle,

Harry laughed, but he was the only one who did. It was such a ludicrous sentence that he found it the appropriate reaction, but the others were still so foul tempered about everything that they half wished before Sirius properly took Harry in he'd make a visit to those Dursleys and show a bit more of that violent edge he'd displayed.

but if ever he wanted another option...

Remus couldn't help but burst out laughing now when he realized Sirius had only known Harry for five minutes, and this was the first real question he asked him! It was made all the funnier under these circumstances, but he sobered out very quickly as he vividly remembered that his own self may prevent this and more from happening.

Harry felt something bombard his innards, stumbling and cracking his own head on the ceiling as he blurted out he could leave the Dursleys!

Sirius couldn't help a snort of amusement, he knew he understood now far better than he would have then Harry's reaction to this.

Black took that reaction the wrong way, trying to retract he had no problems if Harry wanted to stay there, but Harry cut him off by demanding to know when he could move in!

Which gave them all a good laugh. Harry had only learned five minutes ago that Sirius wasn't some insane murderer intent on killing him, but it became all the more depressing when they realized just how bad Harry's life there must really be if he instantly said yes to the first person who offered. It was quite a terrifying idea to imagine for a moment, some stranger so easily could have kidnapped their little boy...but that hadn't happened of course, and they spent enough time dwelling on horrid stuff of late.

Harry had a goofy smile on his face, he looked as pleased as anyone at this prospect and clung to the image already forming in his head desperately, refusing to admit that he wasn't getting any real feelings about this becoming true. He also wouldn't meet anyone's eyes right then, the last thing he wanted was for someone to ask for details about why he was so eager to get out of there.

Black turned then to properly look at Harry, Snape's head now being left to smash repeatedly against the ceiling.

That set them into giggling maniacs all over again, they wanted more than anything to spend the next set of years listening to Harry's life like this with no concerns about the Dursleys, which with any luck Harry may well confide about to Sirius.

He was smiling down at Harry, a true genuine look that drained ten years off of his malnourished face and for the first time Harry got a glimpse of that picture he'd seen of him at his parents' wedding.

James blanched, he still couldn't picture that, didn't want to. He glanced at his brother's face now and saw him beaming with pride and it looked the most natural thing in the world, he just couldn't understand how ten years would make him hardly recognizable...and he just kept remembering whose fault it was.

They didn't speak anymore as they climbed out of the tree, Crookshanks had darted ahead and froze it for them. Harry could see ahead Pettigrew was still breathing extra hard and still letting out little sad noises.

Sirius hadn't believed it possible, but he only read that with three quarters amount of hatred rather than all consuming. He was still too busy happily picturing in his head he and Harry getting to have all the moments properly in the future like they were right now.

Harry was the happiest he'd been in his life, realizing he could finally leave the Dursley's, he was going to live with Sirius, one of his dad's old friends! What would the Dursleys say when he told them he was going to live with that escaped prisoner they'd heard about last summer?

Lily cracked up laughing hardest of all, they all remembered making jokes about wanting that convict to come make a visit to those Dursleys, and now their wish was coming true in the best way possible!

Lupin still had his wand out, covering Pettigrew and threatening him if he twitched in a way he didn't like he'd regret it. The procession continued towards the castle, when the clouds began to shift, and the moon shone above.

Sirius refused to acknowledge what that could mean, though he more than anyone should know better. He just couldn't do it though, not now! Timing must be on their side, just this once, that the full moon wouldn't peak and Remus would...

Remus went rigid at once, his face going an almost scary white, coupled with just how terrible he looked since he was going to transform this night he looked likely to keel over any second.

James and Sirius couldn't stand that, James going back over to his friend and sitting down on his side to put him in-between him and Sirius as he comforted, "hey, relax Moony, we're all do for a bit of good luck, I'm sure nothing happens."

Remus either couldn't, or wouldn't answer, flapping his hand and silently demanding Sirius go on so he could get his real answer.

Snape rammed into the three of them, because Black froze in place, forcing Harry and Hermione to stop as well as they all watched Lupin, who was beginning to shake.

Remus began hyperventilating at once, he'd been so stressed for so long that this really was too much. He couldn't see anything, couldn't make out any words, his nightmare was coming to life and oh he was well aware it was going to happen again tonight and he was probably going to kill Lily and Harry then, just like he probably killed everyone out there that night as well...

"James, we have to do something," Lily tried desperately to keep her voice from shrieking levels as she danced in place watching Remus shake all over, looking like he had fallen into a seizure and clearly not aware of anything. "He's going to hurt himself!" She felt so useless and desperate she may well be heading towards her own panic attack soon.

Sirius tried to say in an analytical tone of voice, rather than how frustrated he felt he couldn't seem to get through to Remus, "most likely he'll pass out here in a few minutes from oxygen deprivation."

"That's not helping," James ground out, trying to ignore the fact that Remus was folding in on himself and would have long since face planted the table if James wasn't holding onto him.

"Couldn't you use that potion on him, the one you used on me earlier to make me relax," Harry tried, not wanting to wait for a response and go get it now, but he wasn't sure where it was.

"Wouldn't work on him," Lily moaned, logic nearly lost as it was taking everything in her not to do something similar.

James and Sirius were still alternating back and forth trying to calm him down in smooth, reassuring tones. Sadly this wasn't even the first time they'd seen this happen to him, he'd acted like this a few times when he'd first woken up and seen how badly he'd harmed them when they'd first began their monthly transformations with him. Despite their scholarly research, it had taken them ages to convince him his bites wouldn't harm them so long as they were animals, and even then he was left gasping and guilt ridden at how deep some of their scars were. The only thing that ever worked in breaking him out of these was just to let him wear it out, keep talking to him and remind him it wasn't that bad, and try to keep the blood out of sight.

This time all of that was a little harder to pull off, because of how worried they were for the kids. Harry clearly hadn't been bitten, but what about Ron or Hermione? Ron was literally chained up to Remus, without a leg to run on, but Moony would break out of those in seconds and turn on either him or the rat. It would be true irony indeed if the second were to happen, and the rat lost his life to Moony, but for now they were more concerned with convincing him he wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Finally Sirius' prediction seemed to have come true, Remus slumped completely as he lost the fight for air, but he seemed to snap out of it quick enough as he jacked back upright and crashed into Sirius' nose.

"Ouch," Sirius grumbled, rubbing at the spot and grumbling this was a terrible time to be paying him back for that, but one wild look around and Remus realized what was happening and he nearly started all over again.

"Wait, Remus please, calm down," Lily quickly jumped in, trying to catch his eye. "No bites, see you didn't attack him-"

"Or anyone," Harry quickly added on, before hissing in pain as white spots flashed across his eyes for remembering that too soon.

That one little action gave Remus a shot of here and now, seeing Harry in pain was as vivid a reminder as he could get, but it was the comfort he needed. He trusted his friends, and Sirius and James were going to be there for him tonight to make sure he never did this, and Sirius was even there for him then to make sure of the same thing.

It didn't seem to help for long though, as almost at once he began having another spaz attack.

"Moony," Sirius groaned, he'd seen him relax for an actual second and they'd been sure he'd calmed down, what had made him relapse?

"Sirius, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, glory if I actually-" Remus had his eyes screwed tight shut and kept shaking his head back and forth, intermittently muttering, "I am going to kill him," in between apologizing.

It took a moment for the others to catch up and realize why he'd be doing this, and then Sirius gripped his arm so hard there was likely to be a bruise as he hissed, "you don't get to blame yourself for one second for whatever that rat does. If he makes a run for it, Merlin help it, if he gets away, it is not your fault. You couldn't have stopped him then anymore then you could stop him all those years ago from deciding to become an animagus. I hung back to talk to Harry, but Hermione couldn't have done it either, there should have been one of us up there covering him. You don't get to blame yourself for anything he does."

Remus still looked miserable, so they couldn't decide how much of that he'd taken to heart, but he didn't look like he was going to argue the point, so that had to count for something, right?

They didn't really want to at this point, just so sick and tired of everything that could go wrong would, but them hearing about it wasn't going to change what did happen. Harry lived through it, and that was the most important thing to all of them, so despite the fact that Remus wanted to curl up into a hole and never come out, he didn't protest either as James and Sirius convinced Lily and Harry to sit back down so Sirius could find out what really happened.

Hermione fearfully pointed out he hadn't taken his potion, he would be dangerous.

"Least someone admits it," Remus huffed, never understanding how these two, well four he corrected, could still defend him and stand by him even at his worst moments.

He received a very sharp smack from James having heard that, giving him a threatening look to make it clear he'd do worse if Remus didn't cut out the comments about himself. Neither he nor Sirius were delusional in thinking Remus wasn't dangerous at those times, but he wasn't this unbearable monster either like he tried to paint himself.

Black yelled at the two kids to run, but Harry wasn't going anywhere, watching Ron who was still chained up.

Harry's face was set now, fully saying he wasn't going anywhere when Ron was in danger, which gave them all yet another warm flood of happiness when they remembered all over again what good friends, pretty much family, those three were, and felt a terrible wince all over again when they couldn't say the same for their whole family anymore. They all really hoped this wouldn't start showing up every single time now, desperately hoping they could come to grips and the rat's betrayal would stop coming to mind every five seconds soon.

Harry tried to run forward, but Black threw him back and yelled at them to run, then he vanished, a black dog in place. Harry was still watching Lupin though, as dark fur began sprouting everywhere, his arms and legs were dipping on to the ground and sprouting claws.

Remus was still curling into himself in shame and disgust, he'd never had his transformations explained to him in such vivid detail and he just couldn't stand how calm Sirius was forcing himself to sound about it. How was he not disgusted, afraid, he'd been asking himself that his whole life and knew he could never understand when talking about a real life monster.

The werewolf howled, and tore itself free of the chains, but didn't get a second to do anything as the bear like dog caught him at the neck and began dragging him away.

Harry couldn't help but startle in remembered horror at these two doing this to each other. He'd only seen once before two street cats fighting in an alley, but even that hadn't been as brutal as when these two beasts went at it. He'd heard the term fur flying but never before had he understood how bad that could be, watching the literal flesh be pulled off of each other as at least one of them would have gone for a mortal blow.

The two canines went at each other, teeth and claws going wild.

Lily couldn't help but shrink into Harry, just a little bit. For obvious reasons she'd never been near Remus during this time, and her boys had never gone into such detail of how violent these nights could get. It certainly explained why more times than she could count the Marauders would show up with more than just Quidditch injuries, but no one had ever questioned it too deeply because of all the insane things they got up to. She regretted the action at once when she saw Remus flinch like she'd slapped him, and she wanted to apologize and insist she didn't mean it, it had just been shock, but Sirius hadn't noticed a thing and seemed determined not to stop until he got his answer of what happened to the rat during this mess. She still determined the second this was over she would have a proper talk with him, all three of these boys needed it.

Harry had been watching them, so he missed why at first Hermione started screaming, but then he turned and saw Pettigrew going for Lupin's dropped wand.

Remus was trying to get away from his two friends, trying to go back to his own corner of the room or something because he couldn't stand just sitting here and listening to not only taking a bite out of Sirius but how it was unarguably his damned fault that rat really was going to get away now!

Neither of them were still having it though, Sirius was multitasking by digging his elbow into Remus' ribs and reading loudly, trying to get to the part already where hopefully Harry came to his senses and tried to pin down the rat long enough the spell would wear off and he could be stunned again.

James now practically had Remus pinned to his side, all earlier anger at him forgotten and to be dealt with later. His annoyance Remus had turned on Sirius so easily was nothing compared to what Peter had done to him, and he was far more concerned now making sure Remus knew he could look past it, he would make amends to both of his brothers and keep them going just like they did for him every day in this unforgiving war.

Ron overbalanced and didn't have a chance as a shot of light hit him, and he fell.

Harry swore violently, making a move like he wanted to go for his own wand for anyone cursing his friend! His only comfort which he quickly told the others was that it had been a flash of red light, he'd only been stunned.

One more spell was let off towards Crookshanks, who also collapsed.

"Was the cat really necessary," Sirius grumbled to himself.

Harry finally got a spell off, Expelliarmus, and though Lupin's wand shot away and Harry ran forward, yelling at Pettigrew to stop, the man changed form and he was already running away on all fours as they reached Ron.

"No, no, no, no!" They all kept muttering in varying levels of hatred and shock. They still couldn't understand how he could do this to them, to Sirius! He was really running again, leaving Sirius in that exact same circumstance, leaving Harry to deal with an angry werewolf...just leaving like it meant nothing to him.

Sirius was only reading on autopilot now, he couldn't even find it in himself anymore to feel hopeful something good still worked itself out, just wanting to finish this already whatever the answer. He knew Remus was fine because Sirius wouldn't let him attack anyone, Moony would be his priority and he'd let the rat escape, and he couldn't bring it in himself to resent it. He cared more for Remus' sound mind when he came out of this then his own revenge, finally making the right decision. If he'd tracked down the rat once, he would do it again, now with Remus' help.

Harry spun around at the sounds of howling, and he watched as the werewolf made a shot for the forest.

Remus sighed in relief, not caring whatever he'd heard to drag him away, just thankful it was getting him away from Harry and those innocent kids. He wasn't nearly so forgiving of his actions this night, he'd hate himself no matter when the rat was recaught because he'd gotten away this time because of his own stupid, useless, life.

Harry shouted for Sirius, telling him that Pettigrew was making a run for it, and though bleeding from multiple wounds,

Sirius hardly sounded like he cared, he'd survived Azkaban for cripes sake, a couple of scratches shouldn't faze him for long.

Remus didn't hold nearly the same feelings at the news, but reflected it wasn't the worst thing he'd done to his friend recently.

and went charging in the direction the rat had disappeared in. Harry and Hermione turned their attention back to Ron, and though breathing, they weren't sure how to help him. Harry was looking desperately around, his eyes catching on Snape who was still floating there.

James released a violent noise, like he wanted to laugh about that all over again, but couldn't grasp the emotion, he was too caught up on other things. Lingering hatred and annoyance still clung in there as well at Snape even being there, he'd done nothing useful this whole night except to wrongly attack the friends he shouldn't be.

Harry suggested they went to the castle to get help, but then he heard a dog whimper.

Remus made a pretty good attempt at that sound now, thinking he'd gone back around and went for Padfoot again. The others didn't really agree, but trying to think up something else that would attack Sirius right now wasn't pleasant either. Had he chased the rat into the Forest or something?

Harry felt so bad for all of them he asked the first question that came to mind, "Why didn't he just leave the grounds in the first place, why did he hide out at Hagrid's?"

No one needed to ask which he Harry meant, as Harry realized it was hard enough hearing the name whenever it popped up in the book now.

James didn't really want to sit around and think about these things, but he wasn't going to deny his son either. "He was probably hoping Sirius would get caught again, and he could make a miraculous return to Ron, why leave his cushy life if he didn't have to." The terrible bitterness coloring his every syllable left no one wanting to add on further.

Harry muttered Sirius' name in fear, torn between staying and helping Ron, or running after Sirius who sounded like he was in trouble.

Sirius couldn't help a little bubbling of warmth, that Harry was already running off to help him like that, though he knew he didn't really want Harry anywhere near what was going on between him and the rodent.

Sirius won, as Harry realized there was nothing he could do for Ron and both he and Hermione went running to the lake, not taking notice of how cold it was getting...

Lily nearly screamed again, the sound was certainly trying to build up in her throat but kept getting lodged there. She couldn't help it though, she just wanted to scream as loud as she could 'no!' Over and over again until someone proved her wrong this wasn't about to happen! Not to Sirius, he'd been through so much already, he didn't deserve this!

Sirius either didn't notice, or didn't register why the others would be freaking out. Maybe he was still too intent on reading about catching the rat, maybe he was forcing his own denial, either way he kept going.

The sounds of the dog died off, and Harry was watching Sirius as a human.

There was a horrible beat of silence where Sirius froze up, trying to understand why he would do that, but he wouldn't let it last long, blinking past suddenly blurry vision to force out.

He was still on all fours, moaning 'no' as the dementors arrived.

"Why!" Harry yelped clearly startling them all badly, they'd each frozen up and gone into lockdown, strangled breathing a kind description, fear was doing so much to them, but Harry cracked and let out a stream of questions, "why did you change back! Why didn't you keep running? Why would you collapse, you've had years of being around them and you do this now!" His voice kept rising, anger bleeding into his tone, but as Sirius watched him he recognized it wasn't the actual rage at him, but for what Harry was well aware was fixing to happen to him. "Why didn't you just use a Patronus, surely you still had Snape's wand! Why-" he finally strangled himself off, just watching Sirius desperately. He somehow just knew that Sirius was in trouble, that he needed to save him, something went terribly wrong...

"Harry!" Lily finally got out, wanting to scold, but he just looked so desperate she couldn't find the right tone, she was more concerned than ever something really was fixing to happen to Sirius! The worst part was no one could find it in themselves to say anything. Harry's reaction really did lead them all to believe that Sirius was about to be Kissed, and they really couldn't stand that. Not after everything they just went through, getting the truth and then having it smashed down on their lives, they could not deal with the fact that Sirius would still take the fall in the end, leaving Harry like that.

They were all out of anger, they'd spent it out on the rat. Now they were just left feeling empty, scared, and desperate.

Harry couldn't help it though, hadn't even realized how loudly he'd been shouting because his wide green eyes just kept watching Sirius with horror and he knew he didn't want to lose him again!

Sirius was the first to come out of his shock, watching his little pup like that wrenched at every part of him and he'd do anything to get rid of that look, so he blurted out answers to his abundant questions, just for everyone else to hear him talk now, just so he could prove to himself he was still alive even if this was the last thing in the world he wanted to talk about. "I'm no expert on dementors, but I can tell you now that years of being around them only would have decreased my ability to fight them off, not the other way around. The shock of having been away from them for so many months, and then forced back around even one, would have shocked me so bad I'm not surprised if I lost my hold on being Padfoot and reverted." The silence continued, so he just kept talking, trying to fill a void that kept lingering in the room.

"Same reason I wouldn't have been able to produce a Patronus again, or kept running, or anything. It was probably a lot of shock. Not to mention if they really are there to Ki-" he stuttered out, even he couldn't say that with a straight face, but since they all knew what he meant he kept going in a forced relaxed voice like talking about his imminent death was Sunday brunch, "well that's two different things. A dementor gives off a powerful aura, their natural state is what causes the depression most people feel, but when they're set on doing, err, that other thing, it becomes ten times more powerful. Even I never would have been around that. Not to mention the realization that the rat escaped would have put me at an all-time low," he finished, unable to keep the sour filled disgust out of that last part.

Remus snapped first, pulling him into a tight hug despite Sirius' protest and grumbling, "would you let me go! I'm not dead yet, so quit acting like you're staring at my funeral! And if you even start apologizing, any of you, I will personally set out to make every last serious and dog pun in the world!"

"Padfoot that's just cruel," James whimpered, running his hand furiously against his eyes and unable to put any real emotion into his voice.

Sirius finally managed to wrestle himself away from Remus, giving the others a warning look in case they planned on doing the same. "Now I am going to finish this, and, and Harry's fine so that's-"

"That doesn't make this okay," Harry growled, still shaking terribly and looking ready to keep screaming any second. Maybe not at his godfather, but at something about all this injustice.

"You," Lily snapped, moving with lightning speed and snatching the book away, "are not reading that! None of you are."

"So glad you can," Sirius grumbled, not expecting Lily to smack him over the head with the book. "Ouch, what was that for!"

"Because you deserved it," Lily snapped right back, taking his momentary distraction at him rubbing his head to dash back to her seat and try to read, hoping that she could continue to smack him for fifty years to come, hoping that her doing this would distract him for the next seven books...and starting to run out of hope.

At least a hundred of them,

Well that distraction lasted all of six bleeding words! A hundred! It's no wonder Sirius had such a reaction! She really was doubting even she could do this. Hadn't they all suffered enough? Harry had heard both her and James' death, he'd had his life destroyed by one of James old friends, Remus had tried to attack him this night, and now Sirius was going to die! She still hadn't fully wrapped her head around the rat's betrayal, she'd accepted it, but she hadn't had time to process and think. She knew she was still in shock when she could think the words 'Sirius would no longer be around' and not burst into endless tears. All of this had come out in less than a year to Harry, less than two days for them, and she really wasn't sure how she could keep doing this. Then Harry wrapped an arm around her, his live warmth cutting through the worst of the cold and dread, and though she forced herself to keep going as fast as possible, like hearing the words slurring together would make it less painful to hear, she kept glancing up every other word to find the three boys huddled into each other. Still alive, still breathing, still here with her.

coming forward, encircling them. Harry yelled at Hermione to help him, latching onto the memory of Sirius telling him he was going to leave the Dursleys, to live with his godfather.

Sirius couldn't help a little jolt of shock. He was already Harry's happy memory? He remembered back to Harry choosing to leave the Dursleys and come to Hogwarts had produced his best Patronus, until that game where he'd summoned one, even around those fakes, and adrenaline and his love for the game had caused something even more substantial. Now Harry was trying to project another one in his defense, using him and his promise...and it wasn't going to be enough. Glory no wonder the kid had reacted so badly, he must blame himself! It was a miracle Harry and Hermione had even survived this night, dementors weren't known for their discretion. He was now just thanking his lucky stars Harry and Hermione hadn't been Kissed as well!

Then Sirius really looked at Harry, and realized he was actually crying now. He met Sirius' eyes for a second, then he got up and tried to storm away. Sirius pounced at once, grabbing his shoulder and trying to turn him back, and though he did turn back and face him he still screamed, "I could have saved you! You shouldn't have been there, you only were because of me!"

Sirius wasn't having that, growling right back, "you shut that trap kid. You don't get to feel guilty about this, the patronus just wasn't in your capability yet, nothing could have been done. I would have tracked that rat anywhere in the world and then come looking for you, this is his fault, not yours."

Harry couldn't help but wobble then, wondering what about that felt off... he lost it.

Sirius saw the indecision though, the hesitancy, so he kept going. "You were a thirteen year old kid, it was my job, my responsibility, my decision, and his fault. The world's a damned cruel place you had to watch this, but I'll stand here blue in the face till you realize this is Siriusly my problem."

Harry couldn't help it, that was so random he cracked and let out a weak little chuckle.

Looking quite pleased with himself, he nudged Harry back to his mother's side and soothed the room at large now, "that goes for all of you. You can cry at my funeral, so long as you make sure to get my best picture up there."

James' hand twitched, like he wanted to smack the living daylights out of Sirius for actually making jokes at a time like this, but he supposed it was all what they needed. Watching his brother use his vanity and name at a time like this was just so, Sirius. It gave them a shot of fresh air that what they kept reading was not set in stone. Harry must have come back to this time and place for a reason, they must be able to fix this!

Sirius took back his spot, except now in between his friends again, and eyed Lily expectantly. She shook her head at him, a look Sirius had seen practically his whole life of Lily Evans, well Potter now but that wasn't the point, exasperated at the Marauders and everything they did, but it was better than that dead eyed look of loss she'd held seconds ago. Sirius would ignore his own feelings on the matter, and keep babbling all he wanted to until this was done with.

Harry was forcing his mind to concentrate on Black,

Remus couldn't help but randomly wonder why Harry was still referring to Sirius by his last name. He recognized the look of consternation that crossed Sirius' face every time he heard it as well, that was still there right now in the middle of all this, which caused him to finally crack a smile. Maybe Sirius was exaggerating the face, maybe Remus just needed something to smile about before he lost himself, but that did it.

as he cried Expecto Patronum! Black gave one last shiver, but then he rolled over, pale as death.

Sirius was already starting to run out of things to say, recoiling along with the rest of them, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep it up when the moment came and his life was likely to flash across his eyes as surely now as it would then, and he could no longer look upon half of it with any kind of happiness because of the tainted person.

Harry refused to acknowledge that, insisting he was going to be fine and still shouting the spell over and over again, but the dementors were paying this no mind, still coming closer, and the screaming began in his head.

Lily was not stumbling through this as fast as she'd planned, the words kept getting jumbled together and she just knew she was going to vomit here in a second. The only thing still keeping her going was a near constant glance up at the black haired youth, sitting next to her husband. When he caught sight of her staring he put on such a brave face she had no choice but to smile until she kept going.

Only a small bit of silver came out to protect them, and Hermione passed out without even doing that, and Harry was left alone.

Again! Again, and again, and again, Harry just kept getting left on his own to deal with these things, it always felt like he was abandoned at the worst of times, now Sirius was the cause of it!

Sirius finally lost any last drop of comfort he was going for in sake of the others, now wanting to hurry the process up and just greet the Reaper by this point he felt so ashamed.

Harry wasn't quitting though, still saying the spell over and over again, but then one dementor passed through his feeble patronus, and it began to lower its hood.

Sirius swore violently and scrambled to his feet in a real life panic now. All of them were when they realized that thing was going to Kiss Harry! The dementors were acting on orders about attacking Sirius, it didn't make them hate them any less, but if there was one thing to kick them from misery to fire tempered protection it was Harry being in trouble.

What could they do though, what could anyone do? The only living person they could have counted on for help was running around in the Forbidden Forest, Remus wouldn't even realize what was happening until morning, and what could a werewolf do against a dementor? Harry blinked in shock and blurted out "do dementors affect werewolves? I mean, like, the actual werewolf part."

Remus gave Harry a look of utter disbelief. He seemed remarkably calm now, still confused and upset like the others, but not particularly concerned for his life. Considering his reaction to Sirius a moment ago, it gave him a real pause and a blatant reminder Harry had survived. How? No one knew, but he certainly wanted that answer, so instead of cursing and screaming and unnecessarily producing a patronus right now, no matter how much he hated that animal, like he knew they all wanted to do, he answered, "I have no idea. As far as I know the two have never intersected. The werewolf's base emotion is to attack, that's certainly not a happy feeling, so I doubt the dementors could affect that."

Harry grinned in appreciation, watching the others wearily sit back down as they realized what Remus had. They wanted their answers more than swearing to the heavens those things existed.

They'd spent so long being angry at what the rat had done, and now were so low at what was going to happen to Sirius, the fact that Harry was okay was the only thing keeping them going.

Below was a gray skull, with empty eye sockets and a jagged shape for a mouth, which was trying to suck up more than air.

James hands wouldn't sit still. Wanting to reach over and grab hold of Sirius, to never let go so long as he just kept breathing. To reach for his wand and do something, anything to make this go away. To hold and cuddle his baby to his chest, to go and hug his son now so that he had something to cling onto who despite all odds lived when the rest of them hadn't. No one had ever looked under a dementors hood and lived, and now James had a mental image he never wanted, and it still wasn't the worst thing to happen to him today.

Harry lost the hold on his spell, the little of his patronus faded away.

Sirius felt like that was his own lifeline that had been snipped. He fell back against his friends and probably would have kept falling forever if they weren't both there now, each holding tight to him to make sure he wasn't really going anywhere.

Still he fought back, grasping hold of Sirius' arms, trying to insist he was innocent, they weren't going to take him.

Harry felt torn in two, he wanted to go to Sirius and cling to him now, promise himself that a connection to his family really hadn't been lost this night, but Remus and James weren't leaving much room, Sirius looked nearly smothered, and he wouldn't leave his mom now.

The dementor cared nothing, its clammy hands holding fast to his throat, raising him up to meet the replica of its face, and the last thing Harry would ever hear was his mother screaming in his head.

His mother's great sob was his answer, she definitely needed him more, as he curled tightly into her and promised he wasn't going anywhere, and Lily had to blink ghosts and tears and screams away for several minutes, watching the book in her lap and all the little wet spots on the pages that still weren't enough to erase the words, and just wanting this to be over.

Just behind the fog of white in his brain, something silver was moving towards them. Suddenly Harry was back on the ground, face first, the dementor had let him go.

Lily finally felt like she could breathe again, clutching the lifeline of little print that promised her something had changed, whatever had saved her son's life was happening!

The light continued to grow brighter, it was now galloping in a circle around the three of them, and once all of the dementors were gone it went back across the lake.

'A patronus,' they all realized at once. Though what, who could have sent it? Maybe a teacher from the school had come down and realized what had happened. Galloping, that implied a horse like shape to whoever owned it, but there were just too many possibilities, and they were just too exalted in breathing air again to care. Harry was safe...but what about Sirius? Had the dementors gotten him while Harry was being attacked? They had come from all sides...

Fighting against a black swirl, Harry forced his eyes to focus, and as the bright creature came to its end, Harry saw someone oddly familiar greet it...but it couldn't be.

"Who did it look like?" Sirius quickly asked, his voice no longer sounding like his own, but just wanting to think of anything but a shell of his body being left behind for Harry to find.

Harry didn't answer though, he was blinking and squinting at nothing like he couldn't see clearly, still holding tight to his mother and throwing fear filled looks at Sirius. Clearly whoever he'd seen had startled him, but the fact that he didn't answer wasn't promising. Lily just wanted to get the book out of her own hands at this point so finished.

His body failed him, and he fainted.

Lily let out a pitiful moan as she pushed the book away, letting it land on the floor and just clinging to her son because that was all she could think to do. The boys weren't much better, each of them stuck on the idea, but unable to say it, spit it out, it even hurt to think it, because Sirius just couldn't be dead.

HPHPHPHP

So yeah, been dropping little hints for a while that Harry was going to remember something soon that wasn't going to be good, and it was this. Harry remembers how he felt when Sirius died, and has no way to tell them otherwise, but this was the wrong time, so they get to spend this and most of the next chapter thinking Sirius is dead...I am a cruel person and I regret nothing.

#Harry Potter #fanfiction #Marauders #Sirius Black #Remus Lupin #James Potter #Lily Potter #PoA #reading the books

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vanchlo · 3 years

Text

The Partner / Chapter Three, “Rebecca Ann”

*Not my gifs and ugh it was SO hard to find good ones, sigh*

Word Count: 11.6k words / Story Masterlist / Read The Assistant / Read on Wattpad / Song will be at the end, so as not to give anything away ;)

“She is led by love, the world moves for love . . it kneels before it in awe."

- Edward Walker, The Village

“So, what happened in the story next?”

“Are you sure you can stay awake for another chapter, love?” I wheeze, fingers combing through the satiny loose curls that I push away from her eyes. The very pair that I’ve seen so many times in the mirror. “You’re getting tired, Bean. It’s been a long day for you with school and swim team practice.”

“I know, but I can stay awake. It’s getting good.”

“Pinky P?” I almost giggle, holding out my littlest finger that she hooks hers with. Without fail, I could still picture how tiny her fingers were the first time I saw them, and my how they’ve grown. I think it’d be safe to say somebody is going to have big hands, too.

“Yeah, it is, but . . . ,” my words escape me momentarily. Distracted, I stop, hearing the sound of a cry from upstairs, wishing that he would walk into the room. That he would help me with this part, and the ones that follow.

“But, what?”

I’d been called it every day for the last almost ten years, but it still was hard to get used to at times, especially now with the story I tell. I had a hard time sometimes believing how lucky I’d gotten, and she only reminds me as I watch her eyes lull at the feeling of my hand in her hair. Just like somebody I know.

“But it gets sad, love, because you know, sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.”

“Stop it, you sound like you’re making up rubbish rules, just like Daddy,” the beloved word falls from her rosebud lips, and we can’t contain our laughter. The imperfect perfections in her cheeks and the sing-song laughter that peels from her lips makes this all the more surreal for me, like I’m looking right at him. “Now, keep going, Mum. I want to hear more of your story.”

It was never really an awkward silence with Harry, save for the few times after we had a row. No, it hadn’t been anything but comfortable since well, before we had started dating. Maybe even not long after I’d become his assistant, if you’re not counting that painful in between time. Today wasn’t one of those times, but sometimes I may have made it awkward when I couldn’t stop staring at him, just like the way I currently watch as his eyelashes flutter against his skin.

“Skye and Asher?!” the voice says from the phone pressed to my ear.

“Yep. I still can’t believe it.”

“Well, I’ll be darned . . huh,” my dad concludes with a soft laugh. “I hope he knows how much trouble he’s in for.”

“Me too. Skye was pissed with me at first for not introducing them sooner. As if I should’ve known she’d fall in love the second she saw him.”

“That sounds like her,” he muses with nostalgia carried in his voice. A recent memory sits in my mind from the other day when Skye told me the very story that I’m retelling. The apparent love at first sight with Asher and their first date, a rushed love story at best compared to Harry and I’s. He griped about it, Harry, feeling bad for Asher not knowing what was going to hit him. He had his hands full, alright, both boys. “So, how are things with you and Harry then, Boops?”

“Good, really good,” the answer comes easily to me, yet in a hushed voice as I try not to speak too loudly. My next words pause when a furrow gathers between his two brows, easily remedied by the pad of my thumb.

“Your trip went well?”

“Yeah, it was loads of fun seeing his family. I met a few more of them, and they’re all so alike. The cheesy sense of humor, love of board games, and they’re kind as can be,” memories bubble up with my words of our trip to Harry’s hometown close to a week ago.

“Well, it was good to talk to you and catch up, love, but I have to get going to work. You too probably soon, huh?”

“Yeah, and you too, Dad. I miss you . . you’re sure you can’t come up soon for a day or something?” I ask, almost holding my breath, despite knowing it won’t help his answer to sound like the one I want.

“Not sure, Ree, I’ll have to see how it’s going with the next build, we’re getting busy.”

“Okay, I hope you can come up somehow . . Well, I’ll talk to you on Monday, Dad,” listening to his subsequent goodbye, I set down my phone, sighing. Shielding a hand over my forehead, I move my legs under the covers, feeling his warm pair.

It wasn’t often that I’d be awake before Harry, because somehow he was always up early, even on the weekends. Not today, though. I for once had been up before him. It was nice, getting to enjoy him like this, especially considering the way he drove me up the wall yesterday. Silent, asleep Harry was far preferable to me right now. He also couldn’t protest the lazy attempts I made at styling his hair differently when he was asleep, considering he slept like a log.

The colors had begun to change outside, and the shops were building their candy supplies in preparation for the scary holiday. Despite Fall settling around us, a golden tinge still clung to Harry’s skin. Underneath his golden necklace, at the point of his nose, and around his many tattoos. It still surprised me, the four numbers in my handwriting permanent above his heart. It had been filled with so many firsts, and hopefully a few lasts.

Glancing at the clock, I found that our alarm still wouldn’t be going off for a good while. Albeit he couldn’t be more handsome when asleep and knowing what I’m about to do, I fight my way into his arms. His groan is instant and so is the smile I try to hide from my lips.

“Mmm, Becks, ‘m sleepin,’” Harry whines against me, his body like jelly. His arms still find their way around me and so does his chin hooking over top of my head.

“I just wanna cuddle you before work.”

“Fine,” it’s a sighed answer in return, but I hear the defeat in his voice. The way sleep beckons for him, his soft snoring soon resuming. His chest is balmy under my cheek where I lay it, listening for the sound of his heart. Next to his laugh, it was my favorite sound.

It seemed to be a recurring theme throughout today, stealing glances at Harry when he wasn’t noticing, like now as he flips through his menu.

“Are ya gonna ogle me, Becks, or are you gonna figure out what t’ order, love?”

“I already decided.”

“Good, ‘cos so have I,” he announces, laying his menu down. It’s only seconds later that the server sees, and we’re ordering our breakfast. “Seems you and my gran have really hit it off.”

“Oh, you think so?”

“No, I know so. Saw it even. I haven’t seen her take t’ somebody like that befo,’ certainly not any other girlfriend of mine.”

“I really like her - Claire. She’s sweet and even though we’ve only met a few times, she’s so easy to talk to.”

“I know, I love that ‘bout her. You’d think she was my mum’s mum with how sweet tha two o’ them are. She’s been supportive ever since tha stuff started with my dad, always let me talk t’ her ‘bout it without judgement. It meant loads t’ me,” he divulges to me. I can’t help but nod along, and fold my hand into his in the middle of the table.

“I bet so. That sounds like my gran Ann, she was my dad’s mum, but she was always there for me.”

“I see where you get it from, love,” he smiles with a wink of his sunshine eye, lips curling from the rim of his mug of coffee. It still baffles me how he can drink it black, let alone ripping hot.

God, the things those eyes do to me, those lips too. Okay, Becky, chill. Now is not the time. But, then there’s the outfit he’s wearing today and how it’s so him, and effortlessly handsome. It looks like something my granddad would wear - tan slacks, and a cream long sleeved shirt with chocolate brown stripes. Curls in a mess atop his head and parted in the middle, but somehow, it works. It had become my favorite hairstyle of his recently, but that would quickly change with whatever new one he came up with next. For once, it wasn’t Chelsea boots today or the occasional Vans, but instead saddle brown laced up Oxfords. See, how were the casual outfits so handsome? Harry’s outfits always work, and I wish I knew how.

“Whatcha starin’ at, hmm? I keep findin’ you lookin’ at me this mornin,’ startin’ t’ wonder why.”

“What, can I not admire my handsome boyfriend every now and then?” my question comes with a lift of my brow. Now, it’s my turn to look all inquisitive over my cup of coffee.

“Now, I never said ya couldn’t do that, love,” Harry teases with a shit eating grin plastered to his face.

It stuck to his lips as he began to read the paper over his coffee until our breakfast arrived. Even then, it remained.

“Stop looking at me like that,” I titter, cutting my fork through the two layers of pancakes.

“Stop drenchin’ yer pancakes with syrup, yer not gonna taste ‘em. They’ll be all soggy,” he warns, feeding a strip of bacon past his bubblegum pink lips.

“Stop telling me what to do with my pancakes.”

“Watch it, li’l one, or else ‘m not gonna share me food with you,” Harry says, pointing his fork at me. It gleams with strips of maple syrup beading at the tines’ ends. My lips ready their rebuttal, but his eyebrows only inch higher as he cocks his head towards me, silently willing me to continue. “I know ya will, ‘s a given. You always ask t’ taste somethin’ off me plate, don’t even try t’ deny it, lovey.”

It’s difficult to say the least, hiding my smirk and its accompanying giggle. Shaking my head, I sigh as I stab my fork at my pancakes, feeling his foot knock into mine underneath the table. It looked nothing close to Rafael’s here, but somehow, it brought me back to that night in the Italian restaurant. Our first one. The way his foot nudged at mine under the table, and the way his eyes gleamed with a smile. Sometimes, if I thought hard enough, I could feel the fluttering inside of me from the butterflies he still gave me.

“What? Yer a li’l too quiet fer tha talkin’ t’ I jus’ gave you, bug. No witty comebacks? That’s a surprise and a relief all in one,” Harry jokes, dimples set into his cheeks. He had shaved them just a few days ago, but it looked like it had been longer.

My lips are absent of any words. Instead, I busy them with the pillowy pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Looking down at my plate, I cut into the potatoes crisp on the exterior with cheese and flecks of pepper. Setting down my fork, I slowly pat on the bottom of the ketchup bottle.

“Becks? Y’know I was only jokin,’ love.”

“I know, and we both know you’re going to share your lemon poppyseed muffin with me,” it’s my turn for the shit eating grin now. Lifting my gaze, I meet his.

“I told you!” he begins with a shake of his head, pressing his fist to his overactive mouth. “Told ya t’ order yer own, love.”

“Yeah, but you’ll share with me because you love me.”

“I dunno if ‘d go as far t’ say that,” he shrugs. My scoff makes the smile tickle further at his cheeks, and it all but disappears when I pinch his thigh from under the table. “Woman, I swear t’ bloody God-.”

“Swear what?” I pipe up, setting my chin in my hand as he chuckles away across from me. He suffices a response with a shake of his head, feeding a ripe strawberry past his lips. It doesn’t help that he locks eyes with me the second he does it, and lips slow as can be, at that. “You’re bad.”

Harry offers a measly shrug in response, and what speaks volumes is the way he tugs the striped bag closer to him, holding our beloved muffin. Ignoring it, I dip a bite of potatoes into my puddle of ketchup, enjoying the hum of the cafe around us. Harry and I had been coming here for a while now- well, before we had started dating. He liked their food and turned me onto them, starting with getting him breakfast and his special muffin when I was his assistant. I don’t think he took me out to breakfast here until I had come back to work at his firm, but it was a nice treat every once in a while, even if it meant having to wake up earlier.

“I talked to my dad this morning, and told him about Skye and Asher. He was surprised, to say the least. I wish he’d come up and visit one of these days, he’s always so busy.”

“‘m sure he will when he’s not so busy, love, like when his new build ‘s over,” Harry muses, loudly flipping the page of his paper. Watching as he flattens it out, the bite of potatoes on its way to my mouth pauses.

“How’d you know about his new build?”

“‘Cos I talk t’ him too. He rang me tha other day, and we spoke ‘bout um . . I dunno, footie and cooking,” he answers, nonchalantly. Nodding, I shake a little more salt onto my potatoes, trying to will Harry to meet my eyes.

“Maybe he’ll come up if you ask, or if it’s to hang out with you.”

“Oh, hush, you. He’ll come when he has tha time, love, y’know that. Stop bein’ a pout,” he says, folding his paper back up into a messy square. My head shakes when he holds it out to me, instead setting it to the side before he picks up his coffee.

A wheezy laugh drops from his lips as he shakes his head at me, “Fine, here, Ms. Pouty. I must love you a whole lot t’ share me muffin,” Harry sighs, reaching into the bag and soon splitting it in half, handing me a chunk.

“Thank you . . love you,” it comes with a wink that he dismisses with a roll of his eyes.

“I know,” he huffs, breaking off a morsel of the dense bread. His eyes twinkle with mischief when I nudge my foot against his leg underneath the table. “Ditto, bug, always love you back too.”

I tried to find the words but they wouldn’t come. They couldn’t. Huffing, a hand dives into my hair as I stare back at the screen. It’s a welcomed respite when my wrist sings with a notification. Pushing back my sleeve, it reads Team Meeting at 2pm. I tap my palm against the screen to silence it before standing from my desk.

“Don’t look so sad to see me,” a voice teases. Lifting my eyes, I find Simon gliding down the hall towards me. The lawyer life suited him well, and so did his new job at the firm. He certainly had a flare for the suits, sporting a maroon number today. He seemed to be liking it and Harry never had a bad thing to say about him.

“Hi, Si.”

“Something the matter, Big B?” he pries, bumping his shoulder against mine as we turn into the east conference room where a few bodies congregate.

“No, just stuck on writing this deposition, so this will be a good break.”

“You mean a boring break,” Simon jokes, passing me an empty mug.

“Hey, I can’t be caught saying that around here,” I say, sarcasm laced in my hushed voice.

“Oh, yeah. We can’t have the boss’ girlfriend be heard saying his speeches were boring,” his animated lilt tickles a happiness at my lips. A laugh passes between us as steam from the hot coffee wafts across my face.

“What’s this I hear ‘bout boring? Ya aren’t talkin’ ‘bout yer bosses, now are you?” somebody pipes up. Looking over my shoulder, I’m awarded with the sight of Harry grinning far too proudly at his own joke. He embellishes it with a quick wink to me and a hand pressed into the small of my back.

“Oh, me calling you boring? Never in a million years,” Si cracks. I savor the sound of their loud laughs whilst pouring creamer and sugar into mine. Setting it down on the table we stand at, I pick up another mug, filling this one to the top with the scalding coffee.

“Thank you, my love,” my boyfriend smiles when I hand him the hot coffee. “Better go find a seat, tha two o’ you are late, per usual,” he quips, waving a circle into my back before leaving.

“Yeah right, like we’re late,” Si scoffs, turning to walk away. The rest of the gang had joined us by now, and I find an empty seat next to Rose towards the back.

I had come up with my own little rule at these things. It started with never sitting up front by Harry where he and Myles spoke. Certainly, I never sat in the back straight across from him where his eyes would gravitate. They both were bad ideas, and I’d quickly found them out from a past mistake or two.

Today, Myles started us off. There was something about a required employee training. Of course, there was the annual Halloween party coming up later this month, a charity function in the works, and working a table at an upcoming uni job fair. Harry and I may or may not be going as a certain Spice Girls couple, wink wink.

Slowly, like always, it grew to be boring. That’s when the texts started, despite the number of times Harry groaned about me distracting him on previous occasions. I quickly found it near impossible to not give him the dirtiest of looks across the room. It didn’t help that we were on near opposite sides, and he was facing Myles, pretending to pay attention. Per usual.

what should we do 2night for dinner? was thinkin i could do u 2 start with

He did a terrible job of wicking the smirk from his lips when I looked at him next. Kneading at his bottom lip hardly hid it, and drinking my coffee didn’t save me either.

You’re bad, is all I text back, making it look as if I’m taking notes on my laptop. I just hope nobody else can see, but I try to make sure of that.

oh i could be loads of things if u let me love. like in between ur legs 2night or if ur good enough some time b4 we go home

He didn’t even need to add a winky face or a saucy emoji. This man and his way with words, I swear it’ll be the death of me. He will, one way or the other. Hiding my laugh with a cough, I bring my mug back to my lips, nearly choking when Harry’s gaze slinks over to mine.

“You okay?” Si whispers.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answer, holding eye contact with Harry. Nobody else might notice it, but I see it. The way one of his dimples plays hide and seek with me on his cheek, accompanying his sly lips. A pair that I’m itching to have on me, here and now. Well, in fifteen minutes or so.

alright becks? choking already thinkin bout me big dick bein in ur mouth?

Stop, we’re in a meeting, Harry. Your meeting

doesn’t stop me love so don’t let it stop u now

God, you’re unbelievable, Harry

so are those lips of urs bug. cant wait 2 have those pretty things round me cock 2day. up 2 u if ya want me sooner or later

Trying to mask my long sigh, I press the cover of my laptop shut. It’s even harder to resist sneaking a look at Harry. He is so full of shit, faking a glance around the room just to make brief eye contact with me. Of course, while he licks his lips. My eyebrows lift only in the slightest and he manages a shrug at me whilst leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head like the cocky boss he is.

Rose’s spiel that was actually holding my attention is interrupted when my wrist vibrates ten minutes later. I’m already beginning to roll my eyes when I lift it, wondering what Harry has said now. But, it’s not him. It’s who I least expected out of anyone.

Hi, bunny. I’m in London for a few days . . . I want to see you. Could we get coffee or lunch? xo

The rest of Rose’s speech goes absolutely over my head. If you asked me what it was about, I couldn’t tell you, despite the fact that I heard it. But no, I didn’t. Not really. Nor did I hear Simon’s subsequent jokes or when Rose called on me to share progress on our case. I couldn’t remember what, just the way everybody looked at me, like the kid in class caught not paying attention. It didn’t help seeing the worry etched onto Harry’s face, then and now, as I sit in the car next to him.

Another one had come by now, and still, I had no idea what to say or do.

“Did ya hear what I said, ‘bout dinner?”

Lifting my gaze, I see Harry’s patient one waiting for me.

“No, sorry. What’d you say?”

Waiting for the light to turn, his hand had folded mine into his firmly. Delicate circles were left on my skin by his thumb. “You alright t’day, Becks?”

“Fine. Did you want to get takeaway for dinner, or just warm up leftovers?”

“F’get ‘bout dinner fer a second, Becks, and please tell me what’s been botherin’ you t’day. We agreed on no mo’ lies, bug, and I know yer not fine. I can tell,” his objection comes in a gentle murmur, accentuated by his thumb pressing against mine.

“I’m sorry,” it’s sighed, almost lost in the Arctic Monkeys song filling the car, until Harry turns it off. “My mum texted me today, during our team meeting.”

The ‘oh’ that comes from him is teeming with realization and a certain weight to it. All I can think of to do in response is to nod. I busy myself with sliding his new opal ring off his left forefinger.

“‘s okay, bug, I understand . . ‘m sorry, too. So, what’d her text say?”

The white glow from the touchscreen display in Harry’s Rover illuminates the reflective specks in the stone. They cover the rainbow, spanning from purple, white, pink, and a mint green. Harry had joked when he’d gotten it that I was probably going to steal it from him more often than not, knowing how I loved opals. He was right, and that was a few months ago. I had worn it until now on my thumb when he belatedly stole it back from me. It fit him better, anyways.

“That she’s in London, and she wants to get together,” my voice is childlike, shy and lacking volume. Harry begins to speak, until I stop him, with my voice and my subsequent words. “Then, when I didn’t respond that I’m invited to lunch with her and Robbie tomorrow afternoon at some restaurant Robbie likes.”

“Oh,” he hums, lips stilling when he looks over his shoulder before making a turn. “Did you text her back yet?”

“No. I don’t want to go, or talk to her. I dunno why she does this, just pop up out of the blue as if she hasn’t spoken to me in almost two years . . since my accident.”

“You don’t hafta go, Becks. There’s nothin’ makin’ you go. Yer an adult and you make yer own decisions, bug. You don’t owe her anythin.’”

“I know, but that doesn’t stop her from the guilt trips. I don’t even remember unblocking her number . . she must have gotten a new one. But, I’m afraid, Harry,” I confess, threading the ring back onto his finger riddled with fine dark hairs. He allows me, having gotten used to it by now, and the way that I trace the veins poking out of his skin.

“Of what, babe? ‘s not like she can- well, I guess she could.”

I try to swallow past the nerves, and the unsaid words, but it’s difficult, to say the last. “Yeah, she could. It’s not very hard to Google your name and find the address of your firm. She must know by now that I work for you again.”

“Bug, even if she came t’ tha firm, she has t’ get past Amelia first, and that’s not gonna happen. She’d ring you and say who’s in tha lobby waitin’ fer you, you could easily turn her away, if anythin’.”

“You’re right.”

“‘m always right,” he coos, lifting a brow at me goofily when his piercing eyes meet mine. The curl to his lips doesn’t linger, and they soon flatten out with understanding and severity. “It’ll be okay, Becks. Do what feels right. Text her back and say no, or don’t talk t’ her at all. She doesn’t deserve yer time o’ day afta what she’s put you thru.’ Dunno how people like that can’t understand ya don’t jus’ get t’ pop in and out o’ yer kid’s life,” it’s a muttering as his head shakes back and forth. The whirring sound of the garage door opening before us fills the empty space of the car.

Harry knew. He knew all about it with the disappearing parent act, the parent who was preferable when they were absent. Yet, his Dad had popped back into his life, but this time he hadn’t left. Sometimes, I was a tad bit jealous, if I were honest. Not with him, though, but Skye sniffed it out on me once. I had wished a thousand times over since I was little that my mum was different, that she was a normal mum, and a better one. It never came true that wish, but yet at 28, I still found myself making it without trying. Lasting only moments, I still felt sour with guilt at times for the thought, despite being overjoyed for Harry about the recent development.

“Have you spoken to your dad lately?” I decide to say, draping my work bag over my shoulder.

“Ya, um . . yest’day, I think it was. He called me on my way back from tha courts. He’s doin’ a job in Edinburgh but wants t’ get together with us when he’s back. I don’t rememba him bein’ a good cook, but he wants t’ have us over fer dinner at his.”

“That sounds nice. Would you like that?”

The house is quiet and dark when we step inside. The typical one word male response comes as I set my shoes next to his on the mat, letting him take my light coat.

“Shit, kinda forgot ‘bout takeaway. Are leftovers fine, bug?”

“Yeah, I don’t care,” my answer comes. Harry’s humming fills my ears, and although I love it, my attention is held elsewhere.

“Let’s wait on dinner,” he announces, but not until his arms come around my middle do I start to pay attention. The two waiting texts before me disappear when Harry gently takes my phone away, setting it down on the kitchen island. “I think I have an idea o’ how I could take yer mind off o’ things.”

I can’t resist, the way my lips split into a smile. The containers of Harry’s famous stir fry are forgotten on the counter when I feel the first kiss he plants to my neck.

“Oh, really, Mr. Styles, what ever could that be?” it comes out in a giggle, because all control I thought I had is lost with my words. He looks close to one when I turn around in his arms, finding his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“Anythin’ ya want, bug, anythin’ at all.”

“A baby?” I tease, reveling in the sight of his eyes widening. Now, the laugh spills from his decadent, cherry lips.

“Careful there, Becks, yer gettin’ ahead o’ yerself. Y’know my stipulations on that one,” he jokes, wagging a finger at me. The soft light above the granite top island lends a glow to his face, not that he’d ever need another one, considering the sunshine he holds. I wish I could say the same thing for me, but he whisks it away with those very words. “Y’know ‘ll give you a baby one day, all tha babies you want. But, fer now, what’ll make my bug happiest?”

My answer doesn’t come in words or a look- well, I may let one go on accident. It’s hard not to while his eyes bore into mine, my hands making their way up his chest underneath his button down. “Will you come and take a bath with me?”

“Certainly. Rough day, bug?” I only nod my head, feeling the knot in my throat when I try to swallow, unable to stop remembering them all. “Wanna talk ‘bout it?”

My head going from side to side suffices for words, and so does the way I drop my head to his chest. His solid arms come around me, smoothing my hair back with gentle strokes.

“Sounds like a bath bomb and back massage kinda night.”

“Thank you,” is all I say, because I know that he knows, without him having to say it.

“‘Course, my love, jus’ wanna make you happy.”

Closing my eyes, I try to forget the things that had piled up the last week, and the questions I wish I could ask him, but I’m not sure how.

I don’t know where it had started, or even when, really. As Harry dips his hand under the bathwater to get it just right, they come floating back to me. The way he had been distant, and yet not, but one outweighed the other.

“C’mere, my girl,” he coos, inching a finger back and forth, beckoning me over to him. Obliging, the floor is ice cold against my bare feet, but his hands deposit a warmth on my skin I’ve missed. “Can I help you get undressed, honeybug?”

Nodding, I absentmindedly pick a spot on the wall to stare at. It was an imperfection at best, a white divot amongst the soft gray. From one of Harry’s drunken nights nearing a year ago, it appeared one morning and he still hadn’t gotten it fixed. It went unnoticed for lengths at a time, but I wish I could say the same for the things I picked up on this week. The way he’d immediately hang up on a phone call when I entered the room, at work or home. Speaking of his phone, he wouldn’t let me use it when I’d happen to lose mine and needed to look something up, not even to take a picture. Instead, he’d make up some excuse about expecting a call, or that it was about to die, despite seeing his battery was at least half full. It confused me, to say the least, but that only shrank in comparison when it came to the apparent work dinner I wasn’t invited to the other night. Then, there was the entire absence of talking about ring shopping, as if it had never existed. I’d ask if we could go and look at this shop, and he’d agree to it but no more would be said. Or, I’d show him a ring I saw online and he’d have nothing more to say than a one word response. It didn’t help that Skye seemed too busy for me as well, cancelling our weekly dinner to hang out with Asher instead, as if we couldn’t have all hung out together. I could have used one of her pep talks, or so I thought until I mentioned my predicament to her, and she brushed it off, telling me it was probably nothing. That only drove me further up the Worry Wall, now wondering if I was making something out of nothing.

“Alright, bubs?”

She wasn’t alright, and I could tell. It was clear as day, beginning with the far away look in her eye. It only stuck as I lifted her sweater dress over her head, and peeled her black jeggings from her legs.

“Pinky P?” she ignored our inside joke and got into the tub first. As I unbuttoned my shirt, I watched her as she rested her chin on her knees that hugged her chest. I wondered if she knew, and if I had been too distant, trying to hide it from her. The last thing I would ever want to do in the world is to hurt her. I’m afraid that while trying to do the most important thing in my life, I’ve hurt her in the process.

“Becks, wanna go out t’ dinner t’gether on Friday? I heard ‘bout this really great place, I think we’d like it,” she hums an audible confirmation, it’s barely there, whilst holding the raspberry colored bath bomb in her hand. “‘m gonna go and warm up dinner and we can eat it in tha bath. That sound good t’ you, bub?”

“Sure,” she says, again. She usually loves my stir fry, and when she doesn’t request her classic big glass of milk with it to keep the spicyness in check, I know she’s not herself.

Shit, what have I done?

I find her eyes have lulled closed after I set my empty dinner plate on the floor on top of hers. “C’mere, li’l one,” I hum, waving my fingers in and out towards her. She groans a denial, content to rest her head on her knees still. I don’t take no for an answer, hooking my hands in the crease of her legs. “Becks baby.”

Huffing, she lifts her pretty head and stuns me with those eyes. A tiredness sits in them, something more than exhaustion from getting up at six am today. Flashing my award winning smile at her, she at last uncurls herself and wades through the bathwater until I pull her onto my lap.

Now, the hot water isn’t the only thing keeping me warm when she curls up against my chest. Water collects at the ends of her hair, making it hard to comb my fingers through, but only at first. Peering down at her, I watch as her bare chest rises and falls with breaths, something I once was so afraid of not seeing. To never get to see again.

I thank my lucky stars on the daily for still being blessed with this sight. Her temple is damp with beads of sweat and water mixed together, but I can still smell it there, the orange blossoms and vanilla. Her smell, one I could inhale forever.

“‘m sorry ‘ve been so busy lately, I know ‘ve been a bit distant,” it begins as a mumble on my lips, and there’s no stopping it in time. “Know you’ve noticed it too, and that ‘s upset ya.”

“Is something wrong? Did I-,” her question is spoken gingerly, fear in her voice tinged with self-consciousness.

“No, ‘course not, bug. Nothing’s tha matter, and you didn’t do anythin’ wrong, please don’t think you did. ‘ve jus’ been busy with a project at work, but I promise it’ll be finished soon,” the thought itself brought to life by my voice teases my lips with a smile, knowing the finish line that I approach. At last.

“Okay . . thanks, Harry.”

“Welcome, bubs,” I murmur, exhaling against her forehead. Her forehead is balmy where I rest my lips, letting my eyes shut too, listening to nothing but the sound of her breathing. After all of this time, I still felt a chill in my bones when my thoughts were yanked to her accident. Now, it only makes me feel as if my words didn’t do enough to reassure her, but I wasn’t sure what more I could do without giving it away. No, I couldn’t do that. “I love you so much, Becks, can’t wait t’ marry you one day.”

“I love you too, Harry,” it’s an almost snigger from her decadent lips. I wait for more, but it doesn’t come, not until she stirs in my arms.

“What d’ya think yer doin’?” it’s my turn to spill a giggle, watching her move in my arms until she’s facing me. More importantly, straddling my lap and running a hand through my hair.

Her answers came in a simple shrug of her shoulders, but the tilt to her lips spoke volumes more. My name for her sounds from my lips as a tut, but she quickly whisks it away with her own on mine. The rippling of the bath water around us is the only sound besides the way our lips move together. Her ass is spongy and slick beneath my naked fingers, and her squeal against my lips is heaven and everything more.

“Can I still take you up on that offer?” her words graze my mouth, craving me to reach forward and return them to mine.

“What offer, bug?” I ask under hooded eyes, mine boring into hers the color of bottomless oceans.

It was more than music to my ears, it was everything good stitched together by her lips, “To take my mind off things . . and yours, in the process.”

“Certainly,” I say, beginning to move until her hands push against my chest. “Use yer words.”

“Let me.”

It’s a giggled reply at best, because as she adjusts herself on top of me, any possibility of speaking soon wanes. “Yer bloody confusin,’ y’know that, Becks?”

“Is this confusing to you, Harry?” she murmurs with a flick of her expressive brows. It’s not her words, but something else that knocks some air out of me. Nearly impossible to notice, her composure has grown since she’s become a lawyer, especially as she starts to rub her crotch against my hardening member.

“Not at all, baby, jus’ tell me what you need me t’ do.”

“Kiss me,” she answers, fervor shining in her voice. I don’t even get to laugh before she steals it from me with her lips, bringing a groan from them next when she takes my dick in her hand.

A quiet battle rages inside of me, not wanting her to leave, but at the same time, I need her to. There’s never a day where she doesn’t look beautiful, and on days when she has court she tries even more. She asked me once when I find her the most beautiful, and her first guess was these days when she argued her case, but I said no. It brought her eyebrows together in confusion, pinching her oval face in the cutest of ways. No, I found her the most beautiful in the first light of the morning, in the way sleep clung to every bit of her, making her slower and more . . her. It could be found in the lighty giggles that she painted the air with, the way her nose scrunched together in the middle of one. Her hair swept in different places, and how she clung to me like my own personal koala. If koalas were simultaneously personal heaters. Becks was most beautiful in the morning, because in those first few minutes of waking up, I was reminded anew that she chose to be mine. A dream of mine I doubted over and over about the possibility of.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she didn’t need makeup to make her beautiful, but her eyelashes longer from mascara fluttered against her skin with the question. Her dark chocolate eyebrows she swept a pencil over every morning hugged the pale skin between them.

“Oh,” it plummets from my lips with astonishment, and a clearing of my throat. The left corner of her mouth greets her cheek when the gesture clicks with her. God, sometimes she can still take my breath away by just the sight of her, even several years later. “Ya still manage t’ make me weak in tha knees, y’know that? I dunno how you do it, bug,” I reply with a clicking of my tongue, edging towards her. A shade of coral arrives in her cheeks with my words and proximity, only growing darker when I wrap my arms around her from behind.

“So do you, you know.”

“Mmm, thought so, thanks fer tha confirmation, love,” it’s a reply joined by my nose against her temple. Her flighty laugh graces my ears once more, and I’m smiling without knowing it. God, I can’t wait to hear that laugh for the rest of my life. Which reminds me. “You and Rose should get goin’, love, if ya want t’ get t’ tha courts early. Lunch traffic may be bad.”

“Why are you trying to get rid of me, Harry?”

“‘m not, jus’ lookin’ out fer you, ‘s all,” I choose to say, glad she can’t see the way that I check my watch, seeing the texts waiting on my screen. Too similar to how they’re waiting.

“Okay, Dad. I’ll see you later then, for dinner tonight?” Suddenly, I’m looking into her eyes, the very color I hope our kids have. I know our kids will have them, they’ll be so lucky.

“‘ll see you afta yer done, bug. Good luck on yer case, I know you’ll smash it.”

“Thanks,” it’s spoken with warmth, one that I know I’ll miss despite wanting her to go. Needing her to go. “Still picking me up after?”

“‘Course, my love. We can’t f’get dinner t’night.”

“I’m excited. Rose said she likes Isabelle’s,” she comments, wasting her

time by playing with the opal ring on my hand. Mine that she’d stolen for a good while, and I finally took back. “They have really good desserts and steaks.”

“‘ve heard that too. Can’t wait t’ try some with you t’night,” it comes out with a smile, but I’m never sure that I could ever match hers. It had gotten better over the last few days, I think I was finding a balance between keeping it but not keeping her out. Her lips taste of cinnamon roll coffee creamer and cherry chapstick when I peck her, just how she always does. I could do with kisses tasting like that forever and ever. “Bye, bug. You girls drive safe now.”

“We will. Bye, have a good day.”

“See ya. Stop putzing, and get goin,’ li’l one,” I titter, savoring the taken aback look on her face when I slap her ass. The sound of her’s fills my ears as I join her in the hallway, watching her walk away and get onto the lift.

I give it a few more moments, imagining the space placed between us, hoping she won’t be returning for something she had forgotten. Now, that would be bad. Only once I feel confident, do my feet wake up and I start on my way, contradicted by the way my heart gallops like a horse right out of the gates.

“Here we go, Harry. One o’ tha biggest days o’ yer lives, jus’ on tha horizon,” I mumble aloud to me and only him, stopping when I reach the door. Already, I can hear their voices from this side, but before I can open it, I fill my lungs with an impatient breath.

Their sounds slowly fall when I make my entrance, feeling as I’m still running that race inside of my chest, knowing I’m nowhere near the finish line. Perhaps, I’m just a bit closer. When each of their faces lifts to mine, the faces of our families, it imbues me with a shattering sense of reality meeting dreams. One I’ve had held inside of me for so long now.

“Alright, so ‘bout t’night then. You lot ready t’ help me with this or what?”

I thought I knew what I was doing, but when I turned onto our street, I quickly found that I had no idea at all. I was afraid she could feel the clamminess of my hand, or that that feeling of hers would give it away all entirely. The dinner had gone as perfectly as it could’ve, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I only hoped that the next part would, because it was the most important one of all. Arguably, this would be the most important case of my life that I needed to win. A whirring of the garage door gave a background to my thoughts as I tap at my Apple watch, heaving a sigh when I see the text.

We’re all ready when you are!

Pulling my coat around me tighter, I follow Harry through the garage and into the house. He had promised more chocolate once we had gotten home from dinner. Although it sounded wonderful, I wasn’t sure how I could fit any more in my stomach after the lavish meal we had just stuffed ourselves with. I still couldn’t figure out why he had gone out of his way to have dinner together at one of the most expensive places in town, Isabelle’s.

I barely get the chance to shrug off my coat when I feel him tug on my hand. His name escapes my lips in a giggle, similar to the one that gleams in his eyes.

“C’mon, bug, there’s somethin’ I wanna show you,” Harry insists, waiting for me to join him. Leaving the dark downstairs, I follow him up the flight of wooden steps.

“What’s that?”

“Yer supposed t’ be able t’ see Jupiter t’night in tha night sky. I know ‘s yer favourite one, bug,” I find myself nodding along with his words. Still, I’m unable to tear myself away from the warm gray suit he donned for tonight, the one that started it all for us.

“Okay, but I really need the loo first.”

“‘Kay, take yer time. ‘ll try t’ see if I can find it fer us then,” the words leave my lips with a wobbliness to them. If that feeling of her’s was piqued or if she knew something, Becks didn’t let on. All she did was flash me a funny smile before rushing into the bathroom, hardly closing the door.

No matter the lengths I go to, I can’t seem to breath in long enough. It all was descending upon me, as I peeked out at the back garden and felt a warmth bubbling inside of me and onto my lips. The effervescent feeling carried through in my limbs as I stepped onto the balcony, pressing record before smoothing down my hair and my suit.

I felt like if it were ever going to happen, my heart would certainly leap from my chest tonight. Just in a matter of moments, for her. Because of her.

“Did you find it, Harry?” I wonder aloud, stepping through the doorway of the bathroom, returning to our bedroom.

“Y-Ya,” from the balcony of our bedroom, he responds. Was that a stammer, I just heard? “C’mere, bug, lemme show you.”

“Okay,” my answer comes, and so does a thought when I glance Harry’s phone propped up on our bed with the camera pointing at me. Funny that it landed that way, I wonder when he’s going to break it from tossing it onto our bed so many times, I think quietly to myself.

The midnight indigo sky beckoned me forth, as did Harry who looked at me over his shoulder. A soft glow from the balcony light fell over us as I stopped at the railing beside him, peering up at the night sky.

“Alright,” he sighs, stretching out his arm to point a ringed finger at the expanse of darkness. “Ya see that bright light over on tha left hand side o’ tha sky? There it ‘s, that’s Jupiter fer ya. Told ya I knew a thing or two ‘bout space, Becks.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” it comes out in a drawn out breath, astonishment dripping from my words. Even if it was just a twinkling light in the night sky, it was that seven letter word beginning with an A.

A tingly warmth builds on my cheek, and looking to my right, I find Harry smiling at me. For a second, I think I see a wetness collecting in his eyes, but it’s gone when I blink.

“What?”

My question sits in the air, unanswered by him while he brushes his thumb across my cheek.

“Yer amazin,’ Becks . . prettier than any star in any sky, my love,” his words are spaced out in between breaths, and his adam’s apple bobs in his throat, punctuating the end of his words. The corners of my lips lift into a smile, something he can never fail to do, but it was only one out of many.

“Thank you, Harry,” I murmur softly, stepping forward to press a kiss to his cheek. In the movement, something catches my eye. The feeling of his prickly cheek against my lips is but a memory as my gaze follows through with its curiosity. “Wait, what’s-.”

My lips pause and so does the question on my lips when I peer down at our back garden. The trees and bushes are lit up all over by candlelight. A breath gets caught in my throat as the image before me comes together, candles organized with their flames spelling two words. My hand instantly flies to my mouth as my breath escapes me, tears taking their place.

They read, MARRY ME?

I didn’t hear it or let alone see it, the way he had sunk down onto one knee, but when I turn to face Harry, the first one falls. Down my cheek, and then his. His trademark wheeze paints the air as his sages overflow with tears. Swallowing, I taste the briny ones on my lips as an image I’d dreamt of and doubted fills my eyes. It’s unmistakable, the way his knee shakes, the other bent underneath him as the light catches the gleaming diamond ring held in his hand.

“H-Harry,” it’s shaky and adorned with tears, but the sight before me becomes clearer when I blink. “Yes, of course, yes!” I exclaim, and he’s laughing deeply.

“I haven’t even said anythin’ yet, bug,” he chuckles loudly with a shake of his head. “C’mere you, get over here.” Obliging, my legs nudge me over to him where he takes my hand in his.

“Bloody hell, woman, I memorized this whole speech. Least let me try and say it,” the obnoxious and loud laugh that spills from his lips could never fail to be music to my ears. He blows out a breath from his lips rounded into an O, and we both shed apprehensive giggles. “Have I ever told you all o’ tha things I love most ‘bout you, Becks? I could write a book ‘bout ‘em all, but they start with how kind you always are. Reckon it was tha first thing I noticed ‘bout you after those killer eyes o’ yers on tha day we met. You’ve never stopped being kind t’ me, even when I didn’t deserve it, or when others didn’t. That and how bloody unrelenting you are were tha first things that struck me ‘bout you when you were my assistant, Becks. I never would’ve thought we’d get t’ where we are t’day seein’ where we started, but I could never thank you enough fer not givin’ up on me, Becks . . on us. God, ‘m ramblin’ now, ‘m sorry,” there it is again, his signature wheeze. A similar sound comes from me as we take a breather to wipe at our eyes. The only sound surrounding us is the galloping of my heart, probably his too, and my favorite sound falling from his lips.

“It’s okay, keep going. You’re doing great,” I urge him in a soft whisper, hoping my wink is half as good as his when he smiles that sunshine up at me. He nods once, squeezing my hand firmly before going back to tracing nervous circles onto my knuckles.

“Yer humor too, it may be cheesy sometimes, and not as funny as mine,” no, my wink could never be good as the one he gives me now. Effortlessly cute. “But I love it, and so many mo’ things ‘bout you, Rebecca Ann. Tha way you take care o’ me. I know ‘ve said it befo’ but yer so good t’ me with yer cookin’, puttin’ up with my cold feet in bed and tha way I hog tha covers, workin’ t’gether at me firm which I know presents ‘s own set o’ challenges, and how you’ve made me into a better person ev’ry day since I met you. Ya get on me nerves and yer stubborn as a bloody bull, but I can’t imagine spendin’ tha rest o’ me life with anybody but you. ‘s been that way fer years now, love, and I can’t go another day without you knowin’ it.”

“I do, Harry,” it’s a mere whisper, but his smile soaks it all up, and so does mine for his sunshine.

“Hey, what’d I say ‘bout you gettin’ ahead o’ yerself here?” his lips couldn’t lift higher and his sunshine couldn’t be brighter. Our heads shake with songs of laughter, my very favorite tune in the entire world. “Yer me favourite thing in this entire world, bug, and I want t’ spend tha rest o’ me life showin’ you that ev’ry day. I wanna have so many babies with you, even a li’l boy named Lennon perhaps, and a li’l girl named Luna, like we’ve said . . I want t’ argue cases with you fer tha rest o’ me career, ‘cos yer me favourite lawyer. Yer my partner, bug, and I always want t’ have you there at my side, Becks . . There’s so much mo’ I could say t’ you, tellin’ you how I love you, but I know I have tha rest o’ me life t’ do it. So, Rebecca Ann Holte-,” he pauses with a frog in his throat, shaking his head. A knot tightens in mine as I watch him press his face into the crook of his arm, crying quietly with a smile. Pulling away after a moment, he exhales and looks to me with a wet smile dripping with sunshine.

“Harry,” I sigh, tears tightening around my words.

Clearing his throat, he continues, “What d’ya say t’ changin’ that last name o’ yers t’ Styles fer me? Will you marry me, Becks?”

“There’s nothing I’d want more, Harry, than to spend the rest of my life with you,” they’re coated in tears, soon mixing with his when I collapse into his arms, my lips pressed against his. I feel the nervousness spill at last from his lips when they touch the crown of my head, laying kisses there in layers as we shed happy tears.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yer ev’rythin’ ‘ve ever wanted, Becks,” Harry whispers there, pressing me firmly against his front. The light catches the well of tears in his eyes when I belatedly pull away, bringing my hand to his cheek. “My fiancee.”

“Fiancee . . I like the sound of that,” I murmur, tracing the outline of his bottom lip. He nods with my words, just as a tear falls into the divot in his cheek.

“Y’know what I like tha sound of?” his voice is gentle and just above a whisper that I answer with my head cocked to the side. “Rebecca Styles. Becky Styles.”

It couldn’t feel sweeter, the sound that coasts off my lips, him soon replicating it. Even sweeter it tastes when I touch my lips to his, finding that same word in his smiling eyes. Following them, they fall to the mahogany colored wooden box he clutches in his hand.

“Oh, ya, can’t forget ‘bout this now. ‘s very important,” Harry says, opening the box once again, and I’m brought to tears by the sight of it.

“Harry, is that-,” I begin, but tears take hold of my voice prematurely, my hand over my mouth in disbelief. Sniffling, his ring laden hand dives into my hair, knowing how it calms me. “H-Her ring?”

Flicking my eyes to his, he hums a reply before his lips part, “Ya, ‘s yer Grandma Ann’s, Becks.” his neck smells of vanilla and sandalwood when I find myself in his arms again, spewing ugly tears onto his shoulder. “Been on tha phone with yer dad almost ev’ry day fer tha last two weeeks talkin’ ‘bout it, ‘bout doin’ this.”

Hiccups rack my chest when I pull away, eyes gravitating towards the glinting piece of jewelry tucked away into his large hand. “I-I see why you were being so sneaky lately,” I muster, swiping under my eyes. Despite the breaths I try to shove down my lungs, I can’t stop shaking.

“Ya, ‘m sorry ‘bout that. I thought somethin’ was up with you, figured you’d noticed. Didn’t mean t’ keep you out, Becks, but couldn’t have you findin’ out and spoilin’ all tha fun I had planned fer you,” he murmurs, booping my nose. My eyes fall shut when he presses his lips to my cheek, nudging his face against mine. “Important stuff here . . Now, let’s see if it fits.”

Gulping, I hold out my hand, wincing at the way it shakes. As I watch his long fingers delicately remove the golden ring from the velvet cushion, I try to remember how I’d come to be sitting on his lap. How all of this had happened. A sigh of relief washes over me when he takes my hand in his, gently squeezing it before his other nears it. With bated breath, my gaze flicks between his hand and his greens that watch the same.

A smile climbs my cheeks as Harry slides off my promise ring, pressing his lips to the naked skin. Happiness sighs from my lips with a choked sound, watching how he carefully places the thin golden band onto my finger. Folding my fingers into his, his wheeze graces the air as I admire the nostalgic ring.

“They’re me Grandma Claire’s diamonds too, from her wedding ring. She wanted me t’ use ‘em when I told her I was goin’ t’ propose t’ you,” he explains softly as I tilt my hand back and forth, watching how the several diamonds catch the light.

“Oh, Harry,” it catches in my throat as disbelief paints my insides. Guilt rises with it as I remember growing upset with him in my mind, fearing that this was never going to happen. Now, as I stare down at the ring that seals our promise, I truly can’t fathom it. Seeing is believing.

I’d seen this ring time and time again whilst growing up, admiring it on several occasions. My gran even let me wear it once or twice, joking that it was because I was her favourite. I never thought I would get to wear it one day myself, and that thought makes my vision swim with more tears. Blinking them away, I brush my thumb over the round diamond set into the middle, and the smaller tear drop shaped ones set into the winding bands of gold connecting to the main band.

“How’s it fit, bug?”

“Perfect,” my answer is shy, riddled with memories from the only other time I’d worn it before. It had once swallowed my finger, hanging dangerously loose. Not now. No, it fit me snugly, reminding me of all of the years that had passed. Bringing my eyes to his, the dimples only fall deeper into his cheeks. “It’s more than beautiful, Harry, thank you . . Thank you for letting me keep her with me every day, and Claire too.”

“Yer mo’ than welcome, Becks. ‘m so happy that they get t’ be a part o’ this with us.”

My chest only shakes harder when he says those words, and I even feel his do the same against mine. At last, the dryness in my throat wasn’t because of pain or hurting, but for a moment, I let myself feel that. I allow myself to remember speaking with her about when I would get married one day as I wore her ring that was too big for me, wishing for a second that I could go back to that day.

“Harry, you have no idea how much this means to me . . to get to have her with me for this.” wrinkles gather around his eyes when I see them again. They’re painted with tears, and the mere sight of him makes my heart swell. I never thought it could be this good. No, not when I dreamt out loud with my gran about one day wearing a big, white dress and marrying the man of my dreams. I could have never known that I’d be blessed with a man who was that, and more. “I used to talk to her about my silly little girl dreams of getting married, and she’d let me try on her ring and . . “ I muse, my forehead pressed to his, staring at the ring together.

“Yer dad told me ‘bout that, it only made it seem even mo’ perfect t’ use her ring. He was so happy t’ pass it on t’ me, Becks- onto you,” Harry whispers, sponging kisses across my face in slow movements. I couldn’t remember a time when I hadn’t been smiling, and was sure that I’d never be able to stop, mumbling soft ‘thank you’s to him.

“Well?!” comes a shout from nowhere. Nearly jumping, my gaze lifts to the balcony railing and the flickers of light I make out through them where the voice had come from. “What’d she say?! We’re bloody dying over here waiting, and freezing our asses off, mind you!” When my eyes meet Harry’s, our giggles light up the air around us, our breaths mingling.

“I’m fucking freezing! Are you done yet?” comes yet another voice, one that I also recognize. My eyebrows only fall further into a question as I look at Harry.

His shoulders rise only to fall, “What? Don’t think I set up all o’ those candles and lit ‘em meself, d’ya? ‘s flatterin’ if ya think so, but I had a li’l help.”

“What, who?”

“Who d’ya think, bug? Our family,” he answers, swiping his thumb underneath my eye to catch a tear. It makes my lips still, the way he said it. They’re my family now, and mine is his. “Care t’ do tha honors, or shall I?”

“You can. I just know you’re itching to,” it’s a giggle that only grows louder as he lifts his eyebrows at me.

“She said yes! We’re gettin’ married!” Harry shouts, and a loud cheer follows ensuite from down below. My favorite sound in the world fills my ears when his lips come to press against my head. “My Becks, forever and ever, baby.”

“Forever,” I repeat aloud, trying it out, as if I hadn’t already a million times over in my head. “Wait, who all did you rassle together for this sneaky mission of yours?”

“We’ll meet you inside, it’s fucking cold out!” Robbie shouts, followed by a loud ‘brr.’

It comes from his lips again, that sound. Tilting my head to meet his eyes, the sound of his heart thumps in my ear. I’m not sure I could have found a better spot.

“As you can tell by their loud mouths, Skye and Robbie, first o’ all. Then, ‘course yer dad and my mum, me sister, Myles, and Asher,” he grins, pride dripping from every word he speaks. “My Dad helped with tha reservation at Isabelle’s, he couldn’t have spoke higher o’ tha place. I can see why now, can’t picture our pre-proposal dinner bein’ anywhere else. It only made t’night mo’ perfect . . ‘d thought o’ doin’ it with Scrabble tiles, seein’ how ‘s always been our thing, but I wanted somethin’ grander. Mum and Gemma gave me tha idea o’ spellin’ it out bigger ‘til I thought o’ candles. Then, it was jus’ a matter of gettin’ enough o’ ‘em and lightin’ ‘em. I left tha hard part t’ them, and that jus’ left me with tha ring. Reckon that was really tha most difficult o’ all. Me Gran said I could have her wedding ring, I almost started cryin’ I was so choked up ‘bout it. It was that weekend I took ya home with me, seems it made her a li’l emotional talkin’ t’ ya knowin’ what was gonna happen. That was ‘til yer dad said he wanted me t’ have yer Grandma Ann’s ring, seein’ how close tha two o’ you were . . It jus’ seemed perfect, ‘d been thinkin’ so long on what kinda ring t’ get you, and it jus’ clicked. ‘Course, I still wanted t’ include me Gran somehow. Yer Gran’s ring was missin’ a few stones and hers fit jus’ right. I couldn’t be happier ‘bout tha ring, Becks, and it looks so beautiful on you, love. Like . . like it was made fer you, bug.”

Words escape me, not that any feel like they could do any justice at this moment. No, those ones aren’t anywhere to be found, besides the ‘thank you’ I tell him, and the other one I say to him with my lips.

I’m unsure if my legs will ever stop feeling like Jello when he helps me stand, my arms around his waist at the soonest chance. His lips radiated sunshine, but this time, every inch of his face did too. It’d spread to his limbs, imbuing me with his contagious rays when his arms come around me, and the way his lips wouldn’t leave mine alone.

“What are you doing?” it’s a mumbled question laced with pure confusion when he pulls me over to the right side of the balcony. Realization only dawns on me when I watch what he picks up, light at last revealing it. “You recorded it?” there they are again, hugging my voice and refusing to let go.

“‘Course, I did,” Harry grins, sliding his hand into the cloth handle on the other side of the compact camcorder. “Still am, look at my beautiful fiancee, and soon t’ be wife.”

“Harry,” it sounds sad until my laugh overwhelms it, because my smile hasn’t even signalled a departure.

“Look at that dimple shinin’ so bright,” he remarks, thumbing at the indent in my left cheek. It wanders to the imperfection below my eye. His hand is warm and clammy when mine comes to surround it, overflowing his eyes with tears. “And that ring- bloody hell, can’t believe I get t’ marry you- Hey, kids, if yer watchin’ this one day, which I bloody well hope you are, this ‘s yer Mum. ‘sn’t she absolutely gorgeous? I can’t wait t’ marry yer Mummy, she’s truly tha best person ‘ve met in me entire life- well, ‘til we meet you lot.”

“Harry,” this time, it’s choked with a sob, or a few. His hand comes to his eyes, pressing his thumbs against his greens with that sunshine on his lips. The breathy sound of happiness sings from his lips when he drops it after a few moments of soft tears, staring back at me, his book wide open.

“Figure we should show ‘em tha main attraction,” panning to the right, I follow him to the balcony where the multitudes of flickering flames still remain. “We’ll hafta go and blow ‘em out.”

“Not yet. I just want to look at them awhile . . with you.”

His reply is only a sniffle, amplified by the way he pulls me against his side, pointing the lens at us now. I look past it, down at the ground where the sight still steals the breath from my lungs, just like the pair of lips on my forehead.

A few moments later, maybe longer, Harry’s whisper breaks through my thoughts, “Ready t’ go downstairs and show ev’rybody?”

“Just a few more minutes.”

“Dontchu worry, we’ve got forever, Becks.”

Usually, I’d roll my eyes at the cheesy line he deals, but I can’t stop staring at him, still smiling at the thought of getting that with him. Forever.

It beckoned me, trying and failing to drag me away, but I still wasn’t ready. Soft snores had begun to leave his lips long ago. I’m not even sure what the hour was anymore. Skye was the last to leave, to nobody’s surprise, when the small hand was nearing the eleven. Chocolate galore, charcuterie boards, pizzas, and sparkling grape juice filled the hours amongst more crying and stories upon stories. Harry’s clothes were the first to go once we were alone, and mine followed his soon after.

I wondered if I’d ever stop thinking about it, or more importantly, stop staring at it. Only the least bit of light ran through the barely closed curtains, catching the ring, just like it’d always been. I also wondered when I’d stop crying, it was a little embarrassing when it happened in between the sheets with Harry.

His stirring beside me brought my eyes upward and to him. Lines gathered on Harry’s forehead in his sleep, relaxing a second later. A huff fell from his lips and into the air as he relaxed, an inked arm stilling underneath his pillow. With a long blink, I belatedly tug the covers over my shoulders, nuzzling my head into the crook of his neck. He didn’t groan anymore or even move at the touch, or when the tip of my finger begins to trace the lines of the numbers hovering over his heart. The year that started it all, a three letter word that now had turned into forever, something I never thought I would get to have with him. I fall asleep with the smile still stuck to my lips, unwavering against the warm skin of his neck.

A few days later, and it still hadn’t worn off. Secretly, I was hoping that it never would. Again, the smile still came when I caught sight of the promise on my finger, and was only a reach away. When I stopped in front of the sink in our ensuite bathroom, it fell when I called to Harry with a question, but only for a moment.

“Babe, have you seen my pill pack?”

“No, I don’t think so. Have you checked tha usual spots?”

“Yeah, I don’t know where I put it,” sighing, I pad across the cold, tile floor. “Oh. Well, I’m sure I’ll find it.”

Song: Let’s Get Married by The Bleachers (click to listen) ;) ;)

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myheroacademiashorts · 4 years

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May i request a oneshot with Shouta Aizawa and a male hero reader, please? They have a surrogate baby daughter together(Shouta being the donor) and they find out that her quirk is like Shouta's but not quite the same thing, you can can decide what kind of quirk it is, I'd love to see what you come up with!

Thank you for the prompt! It was so cute and interesting to write, since this was my first time writing for and BNHA character in the position of a parent. Hope you enjoy! (Also if you couldn’t tell, I never know how to end my writing so if the ending seems awkward, IM SO SORRY)

Title: Just Like Dad

Pairing: Dad!Aizawa Shouta x Male Reader

Rating: Fluff!

Words: 1,735

—————————————

“Honey, I’m home!” Your tone was playful - you knew how much your husband hated the mushy pet names you cursed him with - as you stepped into your house. It was raining outside, pouring buckets as you shook out your umbrella and tucked it away inside of the closet, along with your dripping coat. It was silent, which would’ve been normal if only Shouta were here, but your daughter was much more lively. “Shouta?” You called out once more, bending down to take off your rain boots and place them neatly beside your family’s tidied shoes. “Kara?”

“In here.”

A sigh of relief escaped your lips as you stepped further into the house, immediately noticing Shouta’s dark hair peeking up from the couch. He turned to you slightly, dark eyes trailing over your figure, and he offered you a soft smile. “Welcome home.” He said and you stepped forward to place a tender kiss to his forehead. He smelled like vanilla and whiskey.

“Where’s our little troublemaker?” You teased, and answered your own question as you glanced down to see your 4-year-old daughter nestled in Shouta’s lap. She was sleeping softly, eyes closed as she snuggled further into her father’s side. “That’s weird. She isn’t one to typically nap.” And she wasn’t; even though she had been from a surrogate, with Shouta being the donor, she acted very unlike the brooding man. While he was quiet and moody, Kara was more like a firecracker.

Shouta sighed, moving the papers he had been grading to instead lay a hand on the young girl’s head. “I’m worried she’s coming down with something. She’s been sleeping since coming back from school.” At that, your eyebrows jumped up. Kara hated nap, and instead usually spent the remainder of the day running around the house, littering her toys in every room possible.

You rounded the couch and sat beside your husband, wedging your daughter between the two of you and gently shaking her awake. “Kara? Sweetie, wake up.” You said slowly, and groggily she blinked her eyes open after a few seconds. Even though she didn’t have the personality of your husband, she ended up looking like a carbon copy of Shouta, with the unruly black hair and dark eyes. You ran your fingers through her hair at that moment, then pressed your hand to her forehead. “Are you feeling okay? Daddy says you’ve been sleeping a lot.”

Kara yawned, then set her sights to you. “Mhm. Just tired.” She said, and yawned once more. You smiled slightly, because her action reminded you of Shouta, and went back to playing with her hair. “Oh, yeah? Did you have a busy day at school?”

“Not really. All we did was color, and I was tired then too!” Her voice was returning to a level of its usual lively manor, but her words did little to ease your worries. Her forehead didn’t feel warm, so she didn’t have a fever. You furrowed your brows.

“Do you hurt anywhere?” Your growing panic was evident in your voice, and Aizawa rested a soothing hand on your arm.

“No, I feel okay.”

You turned to your husband, frown deepening. “Should we take her to the hospital? Maybe Urgent Care? I’m pretty sure I have a friend on duty tonight, let me try calling her.” You fumbled for your phone from your pocket, scrolling through the contacts with shaking hands and wide eyes. You stood from your seat, picking up Kara and holding her closely. The phone rang for a moment, pushed up against your ear, before quickly sounding off the mechanical voice asking to leave a message. “Damn.” You muttered under your breath, mind whirling at what to do as you tried to calm yourself by grasping Kara. You still considered yourself a new parent, and just the thought of your toddler falling ill made your stomach churn. “Shouta, she didn’t pick up. Maybe we should…”

You trailed off, turning around to look at your husband only to see him with shocked eyes and jaw unhinged. “Shouta? What’s wrong?” You loosened your grip on your daughter, and that’s when you felt it; the tingling.

You looked down at her daugher, dark eyes brightened to a familiar red as an array of glitter began to swirl around her small body, and eventually your own. Now you were the one gaping at her, silent as you watched everything unfold in front of you. Even her hair was beginning to lift; not as drastically as Shouta’s, but enough to notice. “What in the…”

“She… She erased your quirk with that dust.”

“She did what?”

You snapped your attention to your husband, eyes still widened as the glitter began to disappear into thin air. While Shouta had the quirk “erasure”, you had one called “fairy”; the name was pretty self-explanatory. You could conjure up a pair of transparent wings at will or in great distress, as well as use a type of fog to cause a mind fuzz to your enemies. It wasn’t a very violent quirk, so instead of going into hero work like your husband, you had decided to follow a different route as a psychological investigator, using your quirk to weaken one’s mind and dig the truth from it.

“Well, your wings began to come together, but then Kara… She just made them disappear. I saw it.” Shouta stood up, hurrying over to you and forgetting all about his U.A. student’s papers as he tucked his daughter to his side. “Her eyes changed, and there was some strange glitter before… Before she just erased your quirk.” She was beginning to doze off again, and finally you understood. You used to have similar drawbacks when you first got your quirk, a lot of people did, and now it made much more sense on why she was so exhausted all day.

“Oh my god.” You said, the answer finally dawning on you as an excited smile overtook your frown. “She got her quirk! Holy shit, Shouta!” The dark haired man shot you a warning look at the use of your curse, but you didn’t pay attention to it. Instead, you were bubbling. Your daughter finally got her quirk, and while only part of it seemed to be derived from her father and the other from her surrogate, presumably, you wanted to scream out in joy.

“Oh my god! We’ve got to go get her tested, and make sure everything is okay… Check the extent of her new quirk, how it’ll affect her body. Oh, Shouta, this is the best day ever.” You were blabbering, and tears were beginning to roll down your cheeks. Shouta fully took Kara from you, where she mumbled slightly before falling back to sleep, and used his free hand to grasp your own with a grin.

“Our baby is growing up a lot faster than we thought, huh?” He muttered, more to himself than to you as he looked down at the child in his arms. Kara snored quiety against his chest, snuggling deeper into his warmth as you tried your best to cease your sniffles. “Let’s get her into bed. It’s around that time, anyways.” You didn’t verbally reply, instead nodding your head as you trailed behind him and into Kara’s small bedroom. The walls were painted a bright green, most of her toys still littering the floor as Aizawa carefully maneuvered his way past each one. Kara didn’t even stir when she was tucked into her bed, deep in sleep as her father tucked her in. For a moment, the two of you stood beside one another, staring down at the sleeping form of your daughter with nothing but adoration, before you sighed.

“… I love you, Aizawa.” You murmured, leaning into your husband’s side and resting your head on his shoulder, eyes still trained on the sleeping form of Kara as her chest gently rose and fell with each breath. You could feel Aizawa staring at you, and waited a few seconds before swinging your eyes to his own. You saw nothing but love and adoration in his dark eyes, and with a growing smile he grabbed your chin and forced your face upwards, lips hovering over your own. You could smell his breath, a mix of mint toothpaste and the whiskey he had been carefully sipping on earlier, as well as the cologne that still clung to his clothes. You took a deep breath.

“I love you too.” His voice was low, and before a grin could completely overtake, his lips descended on your own. It was a sweet kind of kiss, not full of the clash of teeth and tongues with hands tangled in one another’s hair - although you loved those kisses just as much. One of his hands winded around your waist, squeezing at the skin that hid there, and you pulled back with a giggle. “C’mon, let’s not wake her up. Plus, I know you didn’t finish grading those assignments.”

At that, the dark-haired man groaned, only prompting another grin from you as you shushed him. The two of you left the room, a lingering look at Kara before you gently closed the door with a barely audible click and moving to the couch. “You’re really going to make me do it?” Aizawa said playfully, a fake glare sent in your direction as you shoved him back in his original seat.

“Yup! Or else.”

Aizawa snorted, picking up the pen and handful of papers he had set down moments before. “Scary.” He teased, and you whacked him lightly on the side of the head. Then, just as quickly, you peppered him with kisses. “How about this? Finish grading, and tomorrow we can all go to a cat cafe together. I got the day off.”

He brightened, face noticeably filling with excitement at the idea of sitting with cats all day. “You drive a hard bargain, love…” He sighed dramatically, then resumed his grading with new vigor. “But it looks like I’ll have to accept.”

“… After we take Kara to the doctor’s, of course.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be as simple as you said.”

You didn’t answer, instead placing a final kiss to the man’s hair and disappearing into the kitchen, a grin glued to your face. It had been a good day, indeed, and you couldn’t wait to see what was in store for your family next.

#bnha #mha #bnha writing #mha writing #aizawa x reader #shouta aizawa #shouta aizawa x reader #aizawa shouta #bnha fluff #mha fluff #dad!aizawa #my hero academ #boku no hero academia

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lailannajacobs · 4 years

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A Surprise Visit and a Familiar Deal - Counterfeit Criminals pt. 1

Pairing: loki x fem!reader

Chapter Summary: What do you do with the god on your ship?

Warnings: none!

Word Count: 1.1k

A/N: Hope you enjoy this lil chapter! Would love to know what you think or what you think will happen next! <3

Counterfeit Criminals | Part One

You froze. It wasn’t possible. You had to be imagining his voice. He couldn’t be here. But you knew he was. Nothing was impossible with the Prince. You had learned that the hard way. The shame was on you for having forgotten it.

What did you do now?

There were a million different things you wanted to shout, say or do to him, but you refused to react. There was no way you’d let him know how much you’d hurt after he’d gotten you chased out of Asgard. He obviously hadn’t cared enough about you to have wanted you to stay on Asgard with him, and you were a fool for having thought he’d have felt any different. He was the God of Mischief, Prince of Asgard. You were just some human in a long list of people he’d fooled and used for his own means. You should have remembered that. Despite making a fool of yourself then, you were going to control your temper for once in your life. Sucking in a long breath, you held it at the top and let it back out slowly until you knew you weren’t going to fling a dagger at him.

You turned and crossed your arms over your chest, leaning back against the wall. The sight of him took your breath away and you almost cursed him out right there and then before remembering plan. His hair looked freshly washed, tucked behind both ears, curling slightly at the bottom. As always, he was clean shaven, revealing the sharp lines of of jaw and cheekbones, only softened by the slight upward tilt of his lips. His head was tipped back, chin up in that cocky way of his that had always made you wonder whether he knew something you didn’t. It was a look that never failed to make you want to stab him and today was no exception.

If the effects of escaping Asgard had been apparent on you in the bags under your eyes and the general fatigue, the effects on the Prince were a general glow and confidence that radiated from him. All of it almost made you reach for the dagger.

Instead, you kept a bored look plastered on your face, “How’s life on the throne, wolf?”

He shrugged, “I wouldn’t know. Didn’t you hear? Thor came back from his mission early, and he and Odin took care of the Midgardian their together. Such heroes.”

“I tend to make a point of avoiding any kind of contact with a realm that kept me prisoner for almost a year and then used me as bait for personal gain when I would have been free a few month later,” You growled, unable to stop yourself, “But you know, that really must have sucked for you.”

His eyes never left yours, though for the first time, maybe ever, he seemed to be at a loss for words, lips pressed tight. For a moment, you wondered if an illusion stood in front of you, but you dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. You’d seen him too often in your dreams to know the difference between an illusion and the real thing.

Shaking your head, you pushed off the wall with the intention of shoving past hi, “Not that I don’t want to stay and chat, Prince, but I really don’t want to stay and chat. Get off my ship before I get caught and thrown in a dungeon again. Maybe you can manage it this time.”

“I believe a thank you would be in order first,” His voice sounded suspiciously like a threat as he stepped in front of you at the last second, blocking your path so that you stumbled to a stop mere inches from him.

The stale smell from the tombs that clung to your clothes was replaced by the pleasant smell of lemon and pine, and for a second you couldn’t breathe. You were back on Asgard with his body pressed against yours as you danced in the middle of the ballroom. Clenching your fists, the bite of your nails digging into your palms brought you back to the present.

You looked up at him, wondering what you he believed you had to thank him for. Then it dawned on you.

“You’re the reason I got out so easily….wait. What did you do to the guards?” You demanded.

He rolled his eyes, “Nothing permanent. No need to overreact.”

“Overreacting seems reasonable considering the rumours about you,” You replied coldly, saying the words you never would have said or thought a year ago.

“I thought,” He flinched but stopped, banishing all emotion from his face, “So, you believe the rumours now. It’s nice to know you’ve gotten smarter since we’ve last seen each other, Midgardian. Good for you.”

“It’s great what a little first-hand experience can do to help,” You answered with a shrug, doing your best to keep the anger at bay.

He let out a dry laugh, the sound almost scary. The sound reminded you of the laugh he’d give Odin, and you froze, hating the sound. He raised a brow, looking down a you.

Scoffing, you shouldered past him and made your way to the driver’s seat. You flipped the switches, powering your ship, ready to go.

“What are you still doing here?” You demanded.

He leaned his arms on the headrest of the opposite seat and grinned, “You, Midgardian, are going to be my ride off this realm.”

“No.”

He snorted, “Think again. You do owe me for having gotten you and the eye out of Asgard.”

“I never asked you to do that and I never asked for that artefact,” You snarled, your hands tightening around the steering wheel, “I owe you nothing.”

He shrugged, “And yet, I’m not leaving. Unless you would like to find your ship in the middle of an angry mob in the next thirty seconds, you’ll find it in you to give me a ride.”

You looked out into the trees and saw nothing. He could be bluffing, but you had been sitting in your ship longer than was safe. You didn’t want to risk prison again. With a sigh, you decided that bringing him with you was worth saving your own life.

“I’m not bringing you to Asgard,” You snapped.

“Understandable,” He nodded, “Close enough will do.”

You shot him a look, to make sure he knew you were serious, “After that you get out of my life and stay the hell away. Deal?”

He smirked, “Deal.”

#Loki Laufeyson #loki #loki fanfic #loki fanfiction #loki x reader #loki x you #loki x female reader #marvel fanfiction #fan fiction #fanfic

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 3 years

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Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 129

129

Gearing up, Keith’s body shook as he strapped his gun into place. They had a lead. They finally had a lead worth chasing. Coran had been working hard behind the scenes, trying to match the trace elements found on the clothing Matt, Sam, and Shiro had, but it was a pissed off vampire that’d given them their lead. The fucking opera was a set up. An auction held for the rights to hand over Lance and Lotor to Sendak. Attending the opera had provided the evidence that Lotor was cooperating with VOLTRON, a move seen as going against Zarkon. The winning bid had the rights to present Lance and Curtis to Sendak, with the promise of some kind of riches from Zarkon over the return of his son to his side and the breeder for experimentation. Lotor had no clue there was a joint bounty on his head. His stupid ego probably thought no one would dare turn against him or sell him out. Lance’s existence had become the source of rumours in the vampire community. Keith felt sick at the way they spoke of his boyfriend like he was some kind of trophy.

Betrayed by the continual fail of payment, then removal and death of half their group, they couldn’t confirm the location where Lance would be being held, they’d given the address of the vampires they’d been betrayed by. They had no evidence Lance was alive, or what had happened to him since they’d been double crossed before they could personally make the apprehension. All they had were their damaged egos... and their heads seeing Keith hadn’t set eyes upon them personally. With confirmation of the intention of removing Lance and Lotor on private jet.

Pidge was a gremlin channeling her scary talents into tracking down the lead with such determination Keith felt compelled to find something. He couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t start hunting on his own if this didn’t pan out. He’d tried so hard to be the man Lance would want him to be. But it was harder by the day. 10 fucking days was too long.

Placing her hand on his shoulder, Krolia gripped it hard

“Keep your head in the game. If you mess up, I will drop you”

Like he’d mess this up. Their first real lead. Lance’s health and safety, alone with Curtis’s, took priority

“I know”

“If he’s there, we’re getting him out”

“I know”

“And if he’s not, you need to be prepared for it”

“I know!”

He knew all too well. The information was out of date and provided by angry vampires that could simply be looking to take advantage of the situation

“Good. You’ll be with me. Shiro will be leading the wolf squad”

Why were they being separated? Shiro was an exemplary agent, not... oh. Ohhh... They thought both of them too emotionally compromised to complete the mission without going off script. The wolves would stop Shiro, with Krolia stopping him if she felt he was acting out. Yeah. Keith might not be able to stop himself if the moment presented itself... but he and Shiro had earned the right to be there when their boyfriends were found

“Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am”

““Mum” is fine. I want him back too. I won’t fail you, Keith. If you think about it, he’s my son too. My family, too. That’s why you’re coming with me”

So his mother was saying if he interferes with her getting Lance out, he’d be expected to provide cover for the both of them. It wasn’t that she thought him inept. It was that she lost the love of her life and didn’t want him going through it too...

“I... mum... what do if he isn’t there?”

“Then we follow the evidence, even if we have to go it alone. I’m sick of this game. I’m sick of knowing you’re going through hell. I’m going to do whatever I can to bring him back to all of us. Him and Curtis... thank god these rooms are sound proof”

Keith found himself chuckling, almost immediately feeling guilty for the sound, sobering sadly

“I didn’t think I’d see the day you’d sideline the mission”

“I didn’t think I’d see the day when I did either. I think I spent too many years as a hunter and not nearly enough as a mum”

“To be fair, I wasn’t ready to let you in”

“And to be fair, I tried too hard. I love you, Keith. I won’t let you down”

Krolia was surprised as Keith threw his arms around his mother. Keith also kind of surprised. He could feel his mother’s warmth. Feel the way her body tensed, then instantly relaxed. She’d worked so hard. The bags beneath her eyes were next level. Not only was she working, she’d been there for everyone in their group. She’d even been out running errands for Miriam, then providing a buffer when Luis came to scream at Coran over his mother being apprehended. A lot of things had happened over the last ten days, but it was finally coming to an end. All those times he’d sworn to get Lance back were finally going to become reality.

As he was getting ready to leave, Pidge came rushing into the room, throwing her arms around his waist. Hunk hovering, but when Keith extended his arm, the big teddy bear came in for a group hug

“Be safe out there. I can’t lose another brother”

“I will be”

“Don’t be reckless. And don’t get hurt... and ...”

“Pidge, I can’t rescue Lance if I’m too reckless”

“I know... I wish I was coming with you. I want to see these bastards pay for what they did to us”

Hunk nodded

“Be careful, bud. We don’t want to lose you”

Hugs were such a strange thing. Keith felt almost invincible, or at least a hundred times more ready to face what was coming with a simple hug from his two friends. He’d been such an arsehole worrying about Lance. He’d barely been able to contribute. Pidge was a tech wizard, bullying her way into getting access to everything. Hunk was just as bad as her. Put the two of them together with Sam and all things tech related were at their mercy. Breaking the hug, Pidge pulled something out her pocket

“I have this. I know we can’t come, but if you need support you can reach us on this one. It’s the same as what the blades us, but I’ve keyed in a seperate channel for just us. It’ll also tell me your location...”

Just in case something happened. He got it. This time he was the one wrapping arms around Pidge. She was brilliant. Completely and utterly brilliant

“We’re going to get answers and we’re going to get him back...”

“And then I’m going to punch him in the dick for being kidnapped”

Keith snorted

“Not before I do. Okay. You guys should head back. It might be a while before you hear anything and Mami is going to need your support”

“We’ve got this handled. Take care of yourself”

“I will...”

Lance had seen enough movies to know when something was up. Lotor had been moved into the same room as him. Chained on the other side of the bed. Acxa, Zethrid and Ezor were chained together, with Curtis in seperate chains. Curtis had the most mobility of them, he could “waddle” around, waddling from where he’d been thrown into the room across to sit beside Lance. There were bruises across Curtis’s face. His horn seemed longer too, but his friend still smiled at him. Out of everyone, Lance was most relieved to see Curtis was okay. Tangling their chains together they clung to each other. After being silent for so long, Lance couldn’t find the words to tell Curtis how relieved he was. That and both he and Lotor had been gagged. The ball gag in his mouth was made from some kind of spiked metal. His lips taped over, with extra tape over the side straps of the muzzle device they’d forced him to put on. Curtis couldn’t get the tape off properly, the pain leaving Lance in tears... then again, he’d already been crying with happiness over seeing Curtis again.

Lotor’s gag was worse than his, as were his chains. Metal spikes dug into the vampires face leaving weeping wounds. His chains must have had a higher concentration of lead or mercury as the wounds around his wrists were no joke. Lance had had a lot of time to really break things down, he now believed beyond a doubt that Lotor had tried to trade himself to Sendak in order to secure their release, only to be betrayed by Narti and her own ambition. Him getting Shiro, Matt, and Sam out was the best he could do... and maybe he thought like Lance did that together they’d be stronger than what they turned out to be. He still didn’t like Lotor as a person. His ego made him want to smack the fellow vampires head into the closest wall until he learned humility.

When they finally came for them, Zethrid nearly had Lance laughing. He maybe, definitely, kind of liked her. She seemed kind of freer to be herself when Lotor was gagged. She had a joke for every occasion, including being led off into the unknown. Thanking the room for being “drab”, “filled with terrible company”, and “an experience she wouldn’t recommend”, she actually waved as she was led away. Lotor had seemed bored of her commentary, but Lance hadn’t been. She’d laughed a lot. Compared him to Keith with both of them being helpless and cute, and needing them to show up and rescue them. She’d made Ezor jealous as she complained about Lance not turning into a cute little bat. Ezor promised Zethrid could have a hundred pet bats if she just stopped wanting Lance for a pet. Zethrid pointing out that those bars didn’t have a cute human form that looked cuddly. Lance really was glad she hadn’t been gagged, though Keith would have pissed enough to gag her himself.

Between the three witches being taken and returning for them, hours must have passed in the matter of minutes. When they undid his chains from the bed, Lance held onto Curtis so fiercely that the vampire on chain duty couldn’t pry him off his friend, even with the threat of the cattle-prod. Spitting in his face, the two of them were let together, snarky remarks made about him being a “slut of a breeder and a mistake”, thrown around like leaves in a breeze. This was their final chance to escape, but now he’d gone and bonded with the others, he wasn’t okay with leaving anyone behind. Captive bonds and all that aside, it was true that Zethrid and Ezor had helped Keith at the shipping yard on his birthday. He at least owed them for that. Acxa didn’t say much, though Zethrid did tease her a hell of a lot about her possibly liking Keith. Alas for Acxa, Keith was his and he’d never willingly give him up, though Acxa did say that it more like kinship that love... Yeah. No. She’d not be left alone with his boyfriend when he finally got back to Keith.

Not moving fast enough, Lance was smacked over the head with the handle of the cattle prod, stumbling and nearly taking Curtis down with him. Both of them were already leaning against each other in an attempt to remain upright. How Curtis could stand being so close to him when he was a mess Lance wasn’t sure. He’d been too docile. He should have been louder. He should have screamed the house down and made things harder for his captors. Meeting Curtis’s eyes, Curtis smiled softly at him. It seemed as if he’d already accepted they wouldn’t be getting out of this. Well fuck that. If he had the chance he’d be taking it.

Seeing they were being moved, Lance got a good look at the place they were being held. Another set of stairs confirmed there were two stories underground, practically purpose built for housing vampires. The hallways dimly lit, wallpaper peeling in places. He tried to absolutely memorise everything down to the smallest detail. Depending on the outcome he wanted to have enough information to provide an airtight statement that couldn’t be rebuked by even the best lawyer. So everything was memorised. The size. The layout. The mould in the air. The creek of the floorboards. This place didn’t have much love poured into it. Not like his house. He always had sunlight streaming into every room. Warmth and love filled his home. He wanted to avoid the sensation of being trapped underground and everything stereotypical vampire trope.

Led through to a darkened living area. Lance’s knees went weak. Standing before them, in all his unholiness was Sendak. Disgusted by his surrounds, blood was splattered across the floor. Death hanging in the air. Narti’s body hadn’t been moved. The witch’s features still held the same almost surprised look, despite the decay of her body. The stench was as shocking as the senseless waste of life. As Lance’s body broke out in goosebumps, Sendak strode across the room, cloak billowing as if there was some kind of supernatural wind behind him. Taking Curtis by the horn, his friend was cast aside, Lance’s nails scraping his arms as he tried his hardest to ignore the urge to submit to the vampire in front of him. Taking him by the chin, Sendak’s eyes met Lance’s. Lance paralysed by the feeling of terror coursing through every fibre of him. Sendak’s ego was every bad thing that lurked in the night. Every bad thing in every depiction of hell. His touch felt scolding, as if a red hot poker had been driven through up his chin and into the core of his brain. This was a true vampire. An old vampire. A vampire that’d been reborn by the monster inside. No humanity remained in those eyes as black as charred flesh.

Tilting his chin, Sendak examined him. Lance knew very well he didn’t look presentable. Even in the days he’d let himself go with depression over his cursed state, he’d never let himself fall this far. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had some kind of facial hair messing up his handsome face

“So this is it? This is the thing all the fuss is over. Remove these chains. He’s hardly fit for much more than lying on his back, and that’s already been seen to. A full belly of human filth”

Keith was not filth. Their children were not filth. His body was screaming to submit, but he knew he could push past an ego now. He’d done it to Lotor. Lotor had tried to make his mind go all dreamy, but he’d fought it. He needed to fight past Sendak’s ego. He couldn’t even spit in the man’s face. The best he could do was sloppily take a swing when his chains were being removed. Sendak catching his fist and twisting his arm as he turned him, pushing up so hard something snapped and Lance screamed around his gag. How fucking dare Sendak touch him?!

“Do not think you can fight me. You’re valuable, even without those things inside of you. Accidents do happen. Load them up. I want them out within the half hour”

When Sendak released him, Lance dropped, cradling his very broken arm to his chest as he dragged himself over to Curtis. Curtis was awake, semi-dazed, and his horn ripped clean in half. The half showing a sick dark red, almost crystalline mess. He tried to say Curtis’s name, but all that came out was whimper in pain. Curtis was tough but this was cruel. Cruel like burning ants with a magnifying glass. He was only human. Letting go of his arm, he took Curtis by the hand, squeezing to let him know he wasn’t alone. Grunting in pain, the hunter returned the gesture. Curtis knew full well that Lance couldn’t go against Sendak. He knew all the shameful feelings being in the vampire’s presence brought up. If Curtis could have, Lance knew he would have tried to protect him from him. He couldn’t even lie and fake a smile. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t exhausted to the bone or that he didn’t have a glaringly obvious compound fracture. He wanted to. He wanted so badly to crack a joke and show Curtis he was trying. If he could just get his mouth free... He could get his mouth free. His hands were free. He was the freest he’d been in days. If he could... if Curtis could give him some blood... he might... he might be able to finally be useful.

#once bitten twice stupid #oncebittentwicestupid #ashratherose

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