#I've helped to raise many babies before but newborns are something different

[moonlit-mystery-writer]

My Oc's Relationships with the Varia

@childe-of-saulot @myrmyrtheorca

Okay! Fair warning before I start on this oc, there will be a lot on her lol. I've been able to play around with her the longest of my KHR ocs and I have her entwined with a handful of other ocs (That I might post some other day).

Secondly, she's the wife of the Arcobaleno and partially cursed as such, so Viper/Mammon will be done later when/if I ever get around to writing out her dynamics with that group lol.

Thirdly, Fran will be on a different post too if/when I get to the Kokuyo Gang.

Celeste Thorne or Celeste Épine is naturally a very caring and kind woman. If she's not actively taking care of someone, she's inevitably mother hen-ing someone. The type of person who's always wanted to be a parent; someone who's always dreamed a big family. However, her chances of being a mother were mostly dashed when her spouses were cursed into infantile forms and her own age permanently frozen no matter how many years pass. Even so, she did everything to keep herself hopeful and positive for the sake of Aria who she was now raising.

Squalo: Celeste is best friends with Squalo's mother and is his godmother. She was one of the first few people who held him as newborn and basically helped raise him throughout his life. Right there for almost ever major milestone of his life, and for the few she wasn't, she showed up not long after. She adores him with all her heart, having a slight tendency to still view him as the ambitious little boy she knew so long ago; the baby who'd stubbornly fuss in her arms no matter what she did as his mother got some much needed rest.

One thing she still does for him that she's done since he was young is get him at least one birthday gift with his birthstone, something she does for anyone she loves. For Squalo, he has plenty of jewelry and charms with aquamarine, but his favorite (though he'd never fully admit it to her) is the bloodstone locket that has the Varia logo on it with a picture of him and Xanxus inside. She got it for him for his first birthday after he became part of the Varia; the bloodstone being both March's second birthstone and a bad joke about him being an assassin now.

Nowadays, when she visits him, she tends to fuss over his hair a little. Celeste knows full well that he can take care of himself and his hair is doing just fine with how he cares for it, obviously. However, as someone with really long hair herself, she instinctively wants to take care of it for him. In fact, she tends to fuss over his health in general, if he gets snippy about it she will point out all his near-death experiences and how he cut off his own hand when he was young. In her eyes, this perfectly warrants her concerns over him.

Bel/Belphegor: Since she was a little girl and knew she wanted a family of her own, Celeste would go on and on about wanting twins. As she got older and older, she was certain one day she'd have twin sons. And well... She wasn't wrong per se, but the method wasn't exactly conventional at all.

She met Bel and Rasiel when they were 4 years old, or more specifically, 3 years old and 11 months. She was in their kingdom after their father contacted the Giglio Nero Famiglia, wanting to discuss the idea joining the mafia life. She was hesitant at first, but after learning he had young sons and running the idea of the visit past Aria, she couldn't help agreeing. Thus, her and the then 12 year old Aria, ending up staying in their kingdom for almost a year. She thought she'd be getting into a situation where the boys were loved dearly by others and that their father was an actual parent to them. That was not the case and she was so angry for the sake of both boys. If she could've, she would've killed their father a million times over and taken them far away from there. The only thing that held her back is the risk that regicide would pose for Aria and the Giglio Nero Famiglia as a whole.

Bel's first memory of Celeste is of him opening a birthday gift she got him. The toy inside was a simple stuffed animal, but it was a mink stuffed animal. To a little him, the fact she took effort in getting him his specific favorite animal instead of just grabbing him something generic meant the world. To this day he has that toy, far more weathered and aged, but still the same. Its also where his dear box animal, Mink, gets its name from.

Celeste tried everything she could to get the boys to stop fighting each other entirely. She could get them to pause for moments, namely by distracting them with activities or singing for them, but it'd never last for too long. Even so, she never yelled or used force or do anything that could hurt them forever. She'd gentle scold, explain why the actions were wrong, then tend to any injuries that may have happened or would clean them both up.

She did everything she could to make sure both twins knew they were loved, but especially Bel. She knew the pains of being the spare heir(ess) very well herself. She knew what it felt like to have everyone's eyes on an older sibling rather than you. So she made sure he knew that she was always there for him. That her eyes were always on him too, not just on Rasiel. Celeste also did this by giving both unique and kinda silly nicknames. Bel's are: Little prince, mon loup, and Baby-Bel Cheese. She still calls Bel these to this day.

I don't think we're ever given a proper timeline as to when the twins gave each other laxative and worms. So! When Bel got sick after being force fed worms by his brother, Celeste stayed right by his side. She took care of him and made sure he got better instead of force. At the time, he was bitter because she'd done the same for Rasiel a week earlier when he poisoned him. However now, whenever he's sick, he will often find himself missing her soft words and gentle touch and how she'd only leave to get things he needed, to check on Aria, or when he was asleep.

Both of them equally hate when she had to leave and leave him behind. Celeste just also hates that she had to leave Rasiel behind too given she loved both twins as her own after all.

Celeste met him again basically right after he joined the Varia. When Viper had called her and said they had a gift for her, one of her lost babies wasn't what she'd expected. But she was so happy to have Bel back in her life, even if she couldn't be right there for him full time. Of course it hurt to learn Rasiel was gone, but she'd never tell him that directly. And it's not like it was a big surprise to learn given that she was the only trying to actively curb their violent tendencies towards each other, there was a part of her that figured one of them would end up killing the other as much as it hurt to think.

To this day, he's the Varia member she spends the most time with outside of Viper. She loves taking him out to places he wants to see or to events or even just short shopping trips. She wants to give Bel the best sense of normalcy that she can despite his upbringing and the fact both of them are so deeply involved in the mafia. As, she knows he'll never fully be able to get it for himself.

Lussuria and Levi: Combining these two because there's not much to them and her! However, that doesn't mean she doesn't care for them at all. She simply didn't get to know them well until after Xanxus got frozen. Celeste did small thing for them to show she cares for them too. Though, her biggest act involving one of them has to be when she bought Lussuria a whole set of diamond jewelry (necklace, bracelets, and earrings) because he's an April birthday like her.

Xanxus: On all level except physical, Xanxus is her son. That's how she sees it at least. They met at a Vongola party when a then 9 year old Aria dragged a less than happy 9 year old Xanxus right up to her, declaring the boy her new best friend. From that day on, he became her own son in her heart. She hated Timoteo, but she was willing to set all of that completely aside so Xanxus could spend time with her and Aria. She doted on him like any spoiling mother would. She showered him with attention and praise. She helped him with homework and made sure to reward his good grades. But she knew that she wasn't the one he wanted that from.

Celeste wasn't stupid. She knew all the boy wanted was his father's acknowledgement. Part of her wanted to fight Timoteo until he gave Xanxus what he wanted. In her eyes, her baby was more than deserving of it. But she held back, knowing it'd just hurt him if he ever learned she had to step in to get him what he wanted most. And she doesn't want him in pain after all. She didn't know what eventually caused Xanxus to hate Timoteo too, but she supported him.

For her, like with the rest of the mafia world, Xanxus simply disappeared. She mourned like any mother would when their child is missing without a trace. However, it wasn't hard for her to learn the real story from the others she's close to in the Varia. She was pissed, beyond pissed even when she learned. At Timoteo, at the rest of Vongola, at the rest of mafia in general, and even at herself.

To her, she failed Xanxus. She didn't love him enough clearly. She didn't give him everything he needed, that's what caused this. Maybe she should've fought Timoteo into give Xanxus the attention he wanted, even if it hurt him emotionally. Hurt feelings are better than being frozen in ice after all... She should've done more for him...

The main reason she hates the rest of the mafia for this though is for a simple reason: They don't miss her son. They miss Timoteo's heir. They don't miss the boy who always struggled getting up in the morning after sleepover with Aria. They don't miss the boy she helped finish hard math homework. They don't miss the boy who loves ligers, who's favorite color is orange, and who loves to read. They don't miss the boy who'd struggle to fall back asleep after a nightmare. They don't miss the boy she taught to swim. They don't miss the boy she carried to bed when he and Aria fell asleep on her couch. They don't miss that Xanxus, her Xanxus. They miss the Vongola Decimo candidate, Xanxus.

For every year he was frozen, she still got birthday gifts for him. Of course, she wasn't sure if he'd actually like them at that point, but she took an educated guess of what he might've liked as he got older. His fist birthday after he got unfrozen, she sent him every last one of those gifts.

Nowadays, she still love him with all her heart as her son. He'll always be her baby after all. But, he's not a kid anymore and she knows it. He doesn't need her to hold her to hold his hand and guide him around anymore. Her little boy is all grown up now. Yet... She can't stop herself from showing him her love the same ways still. She can't help herself from fixing his hair when there's a part out of place. She still calls him all the little nicknames she came up with for young him. She still buys him opal cufflinks and suit pins and more for his birthdays.

She also will still carry him to bed if he falls asleep around her. And I do mean will, she can be frighteningly strong when she wants to be.

Also this applies to Squalo, Bel, and Xanxus. But she does loves sharing those "embarrassing" stories parents will tell about their kids. Like odd games they played, silly mishaps they had, and things like that.

#katekyo hitman reborn #khr #khr oc #khr belphegor #khr squalo #khr xanxus #khr varia #this took me 4 hours to write lol

[sariahsue]

I just saw your take one Lilo&Stitch's approach to child protection and I was wondering if you could give some advice on how to write realistic stuff in this matter? I've been meaning to write a foster care/adoption fic and I do know the system in France must be at least a little different - and I will get down the research hole once I have a bit more time - but do you have any advice on how to write the kids reactions, the way parents deal with everything, the bonding part... things like this, so I can avoid clichés.

You don't have to answer though, feel free to ignore all this akdjwja I just figured there's no harm in asking XD

Yeah, sure! (To anyone else reading this who has a fic, feel free to send me a message if you have questions!) I’m definitely not the most knowledgeable person, but I know quite a bit. And I’m sure things are a bit different in France (hopefully their court system is better - yikes!) but I think the human element would be pretty similar, so here we go. 

First off, know that everyone is foster care is having a rough time constantly. Foster kids, workers, parents, foster parents, foster siblings. And no one knows what’s going on long term. There’s always a lot of uncertainty. Will the kids go home soon? Are parental rights going to be terminated at the next court date? Who knows???

The birth parents, at best, are going through a really tough time in their life, made worse because their kids were taken away from them. Some care about their kids, but they’re extremely self-centered and have zero parents skills. Some are manipulative and see foster care as free babysitting, and as long as they get to see their kid for an hour or so a week, this arrangement is fantastic for them! At worst, they’re just horrible human beings who abuse children. In general, most parents are clueless and selfish and pretty manipulative. They say they’re good parents and have no clue why their kids were taken away, even though their kid has cigarette burn marks on their back, or had to eat out of the garbage to survive because the were left alone for hours at a time when they were four, or worse. They have no clue at all what their behavior does to their kids, and they refuse to listen to anyone who tries to explain it to them.

No matter what type of parents they were, their kids ALWAYS love them and want to go home. Every single one of them. No matter the age. No matter what their home life put them through. Some of them aren’t old enough to understand why they can’t go home. Some have been in foster care for years and hardly remember living at home but still want to go home.  

It makes for complicated foster relationships sometimes because the kid will be attached to both birth and foster parents and feel guilty or conflicted or disloyal, or they’ll try really hard not to be attached to the foster parents in the first place. (I can think of only one exception to this. Two sisters who had been put into another home and liked the foster family and decided that they were going to be adopted by this family and were very excited about it... except the foster family had no plans to adopt them. I never learned what happened there.) 

And this is before accounting for the mental health struggles that often accompany the trauma most of them have been through. Some kids come in with anxiety that makes it difficult to trust new people. Some kids’ behavior is so extreme that it’s difficult for foster parents to take care of them, and so the kid moves around constantly. (If their behavior is too bad, they can sometimes be put into either a group home or residential, either temporarily or permanently.)

Parents are also entitled to visits, usually either weekly or every other week, at least while the goal is reunification (which is always starts out as). Before the pandemic, these usually took place in the DCF (Department of Children and Families is what it’s called in my state) office or in a visitation center. Sometimes the court orders that the visits be supervised so they don’t start promising their kids that they’re coming to get them next week. Often the workers think that sitting down the hallway not listening counts as supervision. 🙄 

With the pandemic, kids have been meeting over Zoom. That’s being phased out pretty soon here. Kids are almost always triggered by these visits. I mean, they look forward to them usually. Some kids are mad at their parents and don’t want to talk to them, but almost always, they want to see their parents. And almost always whatever behavior problems they had before is extremely worse for the next 2-5 days. (Which is terrible if you get a visit every week.) Some parents bail on these visits regularly. Some consistently bail on only birthdays and Christmas. We’ve learned not to tell the kid that they have a visit coming up until we know it’s definitely happening, or sometimes only right before we’re planning on leaving to go, because the anticipation of a visit is triggering or because getting stood up by your own mother is traumatizing. Sometimes you can get the kid’s therapist to write a note asking for the visits to be less frequent for the kid’s sake, but often that just means every other week instead of every week.

For foster families welcoming kids into their home, it’s a little different. They’re often more stable, and their whole life isn’t shifting around them. They’re just getting one or two kids into the family. The home dynamic is going to be a little different. Nothing huge, compared to what the foster kids are going through. It often depends on the kid how fast you get attached. Sometimes you know kids are only going to be there for a month because their normal foster family had to deal with an emergency, but the plan is to take them back soon. Sometimes they’re adorable babies and you get super attached really, really fast. Sometimes they’re so unhappy and scared that they make your home life completely miserable. Sometimes you’ve seen so many kids come and go over the years, and they’ve all left eventually, and your heart becomes guarded to protect you from that pain. But you get attached eventually anyway. 

And sometimes your parents are given a newborn whose goal is reunification and it’s love at first sight even though you don’t know if you can keep him, and then he’s put up for adoption when he’s two and you adopt him SO HARD. And then you make future foster kids upset because you can’t adopt them too. :( And even though they get adopted by friends of yours, they still feel conflicted over it four years later. 

You would think that a kid raised completely in their adoptive home from birth would have no problems, and sometimes that’s the case. Sometimes they still get upset about the adoption when they’re older because the foundational belief they have about themselves is that their mother didn’t want them, even though it’s not true. 

(This is the real-life story of my brother. We are the only family he’s ever known, and he’s 13 now, but he still has issues over being adopted. The other boy is 16 and is doing much better with his new family now, though he still has some issues. We had him for a very long time, and we were all happy that we know his adoptive family well because we stayed it contact with him, which almost never happens when a foster kid leaves.)

Oh, I forgot one thing. Usually when kids first get to your house, they are perfect little angels for a while. Depending on the kid, it’s either a couple days or maybe even three months. It’s called the “honeymoon period.” Once their subconscious realizes that this is a safe place to work on their issues and they aren’t in physical danger, they start to process what they’ve been through. It comes out in a variety of ways. Behavioral issues, bedwetting, explosive anger, nightmares, etc.

A note about social workers: All the workers (at least in my state) constantly have too many cases. Like, double what they’re legally supposed to have. Most of them try hard to keep up. Some DO NOT CARE. Some are fantastic and put extra time in to go to the kid’s end-of-the-school-year recitals and build a relationship with them. They’re in charge of organizing visits and making sure the kids have everything set up and are generally important in the kid’s life. They’re required to visit once a month and make sure foster parents have all the right paperwork and arrange dentist visits and bring them to all their therapy appointments. (FYI, You get a piece of paper that says you’re the legal guardian. You have to show it to schools and doctors when you make arrangements for the kids. My mom also keeps a copy in her purse, just in case a kid starts screaming “HELP! SHE’S NOT MY MOM” in the middle of the store or something. It’s never happened, but you know, just in case.)

Also, you would think that they’re the constant in the kid’s life, but if the birth parents move, the case gets transferred to another office in the state, and so the social workers switch. I sincerely hope that’s not how things are done in France because it’s garbage for a lot of reasons.

Okay, I’ve written you an essay, but I hope it was a useful essay! Let me know if you have any more questions!

#foster care #adoption #birth parents

[katedrakeohd]

Like Father

Word count: 2908

.......

Author's Note: I wanted to get this posted for Father's Day but I got lost in Cordonia 1885 along the way, and had to make my way back. 😏😂

No warnings needed for this one, it's all emotional fluff and good feelings. You might need to keep a tissue handy though. I know I needed a few.

[Jackson Walker face claim: Jason Behr]

[Bianca Walker: Jason's wife KaDee Strickland]

[Young Drake: Atticus Behr]

Thank-you @ravenpuff02 for being my taste tester and giving me the thumbs up. 😊😂

.....

Summary: Drake and Kate are just settling in after welcoming home their newborn daughter Brooklyn. Drake receives a package from his Mom, that hits him right in the feelings and helps him reconnect with his Dad.

:: ♡♡♡ ::

- Like Father -

In the nursery at Valtoria manor, Drake and Kate Walker are spending some quiet time with their newborn daughter Brooklyn. Kate is sitting in the rocking chair cradling their little Beanie in her arms as she nurses. Drake is sitting on the rug nearby leaning up against the crib, watching them. Kate gently curls a lock of her daughter's silky fine hair around her finger, marveling at her delicate features as her tiny mouth and plump cheeks draw nourishment from her breast. She catches Drake's look of adoration and gives him a gentle smile.

"Hi there, Daddy," she says quietly.

Drake smiles back, whispering, "So how's our little girl doing?"

Brooklyn pauses her suckling, breathing a little sigh out of her nose, and then reaches out her tiny fingers to grasp the edge of Kate's robe. She looks up at her mother and blinks sleepily a few times before closing her eyes again and resuming her feeding.

Kate readjusts her hold on Brooklyn and gently rubs her back as she starts to rock, "We're doing just fine. She's looking sleepy but still seems to be hungry. Do you want to come over closer to see?"

Drake grins, an eager expression on his face as he gets up. "I'd love to. I can't help but feel a little envy at only being able to watch."

Kate giggles softly as she watches him come over to stand behind her chair. "Don't worry you'll have plenty of your own Daddy and daughter moments too."

Drake bends down to kiss Kate's cheek, placing his hands on her shoulders, and massaging gently with his thumbs. "Yes, I know. So how are you doing? Do you need anything?"

Kate sighs, enjoying the feel of Drake's warm hands. "Mmm, I could definitely get used to shoulder massages. I'm still adjusting to holding the weight of her in my arms for long periods of time."

Drake strokes his hand through her hair, dividing her long lengths and enjoying the way it waves and curls so easily as he coils and releases it from his fingers. Although it was too soon to tell, he hoped Brooklyn would have hair like Kate.

"Do you want me to get you a pillow? It would give your arms a break."

Kate tips her head back and gives him a grateful smile. "That would be wonderful. Oh, and a bottle of water?"

"Of course, anything for Mommy." He leans down to give her a kiss on the lips.

"Be right back."

On his way to the master suite, Drake meets up with his head housekeeper Marie in the hallway.

"Good morning Your Grace, how are Her Grace and the little one fairing today?"

Drake smiles at the older woman. Her jovial nature was a calming and supportive presence to have around during the settling in period for Kate and their baby. She was a mother herself and Drake appreciated her advice and suggestions.

"We're all doing well thanks. We even managed a few hours of sleep last night."

Drake rubs at the stubble on his cheek self consciously, knowing how tired he must look. He usually tried to maintain a semblance of tidiness and decorum around his household staff but Brooklyn's arrival had meant adapting to her needs over his own.

Marie juggles the laundry bundle she's carrying to hold it against her hip. She reaches out to pat Drake on the arm, giving him a warm sympathetic smile.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. Being a new parent is an exciting and challenging time for everyone. If you need anything don't hesitate to let me or Gladys know right away."

"We will. Thanks Marie." Drake's conscience reminds him he was supposed to be doing something for Kate, and he tries to step by his housekeeper.

Marie snaps her fingers, as she remembers something else, "Oh speaking of Gladys, she wanted me to tell you that a package has arrived for you from your mother."

Drake can't hide his look of surprise, "Oh? Please have it sent up to the nursery for me."

Marie nods as she resumes her duties, "Right away, Your Grace."

Drake walks into their bedroom and makes his way to the wet bar he recently had installed. Since Christmas he'd overseen many renovations to the Manor. Despite it's stony castle type walls and grandeur the Manor at Valtoria was lacking in some modern comforts and amenities. Some bedrooms had only been heated by fireplace and were lacking any sort of heating in the bathrooms. Now they all had infloor heating.

Opening the mini-fridge behind the counter he selects a bottle of water, a cereal bar, and a cheese snack for Kate. When he had the fridge installed he'd imagined having alcohol in it, but thinking about it now he didn't see that happening anytime soon. He was a Dad now, and would probably have to keep his whiskey locked away. But that was ok. Whistling to himself he grabs a pillow off the bed and heads back to the nursery to his family.

Returning to the nursery he finds Kate lowering Brooklyn down into her crib. She smiles and beckons him over, whispering. "She just fell asleep. Is all that for me? You're so sweet honey."

Drake drops the pillow onto the rocking chair and slips his arm around Kate. "I brought you a little snack to keep your energy up."

Kate takes what he's offering and settles down onto the rug to eat her snack. Drake grabs the pillow and lays down beside her, propped up on his elbow. He lifts the hem of her robe and gently strokes her thigh as she opens her bottle of water.

Kate catches him staring at her, and reaches over to mess up his hair. "What are you staring at? I probably look terrible because I've barely slept."

He shakes his head and pulls her over to lean against him, folding his body around her. "No way. You're beautiful Kate. I could just sit here and watch you do anything all day."

Kate breaks off a piece of her cereal bar and feeds it to Drake. "Oh shush. You're just saying that because you're still traumatized from watching me squeeze out a baby."

Drake glances up at the crib as he chews, and then grins at Kate. "Seriously though, you're like my super hero. I'm never going to be able to look at your..uh. you know the same way again."

Kate pats him on the shoulder, "You'll get over it, and before long we'll be able to do things like we used to."

"How long do you think Brooklyn will sleep?"

Kate shrugs, biting off a piece of cereal bar. "It's hard to say, why?"

Drake hugs Kate around the middle and pulls her down to lay next to him. She giggles as he tucks his face into her neck and snuggles in close, his voice is muffled as he kisses her skin, "I say we should have a nap too."

"Right here on the floor?"

Drake nods, closing his eyes with a sigh. "Mmmhmm, and if she wakes up we won't be far away."

Gripping a handful of his shirt Kate soaks up Drake's body heat as she strokes his hair and kisses him on the forehead. She can't help but smile about the way Drake cuddles into her in the same way that she had just been cradling Brooklyn.

Drake inhales deeply, appreciating her scent. "Damn you smell good, different but good, it's almost like vanilla ice cream."

Kate laughs, "I've been breastfeeding. You probably smell the milk I've been leaking."

Drake shifts his position on the floor, running his fingers along the open edge of the silky fabric of her robe. "May I?"

Kate bites her lip as she feels his fingers graze against the delicate skin of her breast, seeing the curious look on his face. "You want to taste it don't you?"

Drake grins as he unties the belt on her robe and delicately lifts it away to expose her breasts. They're so beautiful and round and he gently cups one in his hand and marvels at the weight of it.

"Do they feel different? They definitely look different to me, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a guy who really likes his wife's boobs."

Kate laughs, "Of course they feel different. I need to buy a whole bunch of new bras to keep these puppies contained. And the leaking is totally random and I have to keep changing my shirt or whatever."

Drake gently strokes his thumb around the dusky pink rim of her areola and smiles as he sees a drop of milk start to form. Leaning in he collects it on his tongue, and then closes his lips around her nipple. She draws back when he tries to suck on it.

"Hey there Daddy. You only get a taste, so you better save the rest for Beanie."

Drake chuckles, then wipes his mouth. "Ok, I know she needs that more than I do. But damn that was sexy. How long before I can have you for myself?"

Kate sits up and reties her robe, smirking at Drake as he caresses her thigh. "Give me a few weeks, and let me consult my doctor. I know you're anxious, but Brooklyn is my top priority right now. Be patient."

Drake rolls over onto his back, folding his arms behind his head with a sigh. "I can be patient, dunno about lil Drake though. He has a mind of his own."

Kate gets up from the floor to check on Brooklyn. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices what Drake's talking about. "It's simply a mind over matter type of thing. Here's a suggestion, think of changing dirty diapers."

Drake grimaces, closing his eyes and chuckling quietly, "Oh yeah, that'll do it.

Kate strokes her finger down Brooklyn's soft cheek, watching her tiny hands flex and relax in her sleep. There's a quiet knock at the door and Drake sits up. "Oh right, my package."

Glancing at his lap, and raising an eyebrow Kate giggles, "Your what?"

Drake gets up and goes over to the door, "My Mom sent me a package."

Upon opening the door, Drake is greeted by a smiling Preston holding a cardboard box. "You opened it didn't you?" Drake frowns.

Preston nods, "Sorry Sir, I had to make sure it wasn't tampered with. Would it satisfy you to know there was nothing threatening inside?"

When he holds out the box, Drake takes it with a sigh. "Ok, fine. Just quit smiling at me, it's unsettling. Thank you, Preston."

Drake steps back and closes the door. When he turns, he sees Kate holding Brooklyn cradled to her chest, swaying her gently side to side.

"Oh, was that Preston?" she smiles, seeing Drake's stormy expression.

Drake doesn't answer, just rolls his eyes. He carries the box over and sets it down in the crib and opens the flaps. Kate peeks around Drake to see what's inside.

On top of various envelopes of pictures, a few smaller boxes and what looks like a folded up shirt, there is a folded piece of paper that looks like a letter.

Kate walks over to the changing table to check Brooklyn's diaper, leaving Drake alone with his things. Picking up the letter he reads:

Over at the changing table Kate hears Drake clear his throat, and when she glances over her shoulder she sees him fold up the letter and drying his eyes on his sleeve.

"Drake, honey? Are you ok?"

Leaning on the crib, and looking down at the box, Drake sniffs then mumbles, "I..I'm fine."

Kate shakes her head and then goes back to changing Brooklyn, "If you say so, but those are some fine looking tears. Seriously, what's in that box?"

Drake straightens up and tucks the letter into his back pocket, "Stuff that belonged to my Dad, and some photos and shit. Bring Beanie over and let me show you."

Kate uses a wet wipe to clean her hands, and then sanitizes before dressing her little Beanie in a fresh diaper shirt and then scoops her up into her arms. She kisses her on the forehead and then carries her over to see what has gotten Drake so emotional. "What's up Pop?"

Drake pulls an envelope of photos out of the box. "You never met my Dad, so I guess photos will have to do.”

The first photo they see is of Jackson and Bianca holding a very young Drake. He immediately blushes and tries to shuffle onto the next one.

Kate gasps putting her hand on his arm to stop him, "Awww, is that you? Oh my goodness look at those cheeks."

What about my cheeks?" Drake asks, feeling defensive. "They're perfectly boyish cheeks."

Kate giggles, "Oh I know."

Bringing Brooklyn up to her face she makes smacking noises as she smooches on her chubby cheek. "They're perfectly scrumptious. I bet your Mom gave you kisses and hugs all the time."

Drake shrugs, "I guess so. Doesn't every Mom?"

Kate shifts Brooklyn onto the other arm, untying her robe and letting her have some skin to skin contact up against her chest. "Not all Moms are the same."

Drake flips through more photos, stopping on one of his Mom and Dad kissing under one of the big trees at Walker Ranch.

"Heh, I know this tree." Drake chuckles, holding it out for Kate to see.

Kate smiles, "So do I. We kissed under it too."

The rest of the photos in the envelope show pictures of the ranch, including a young Drake sitting on a pony with a cowboy hat on his head and a big smile. He flips it over and sees cowboy Drake on Cinnamon written on the back.

Drake slips his arm around Kate's waist, pulling her to his side. “I loved that little pony.”

Kate smiles, leaning against his shoulder. “And some day Brooklyn will have her own little pony to love too.”

After looking through some other photos they swap it for another envelope. This one has fewer pictures in it. “Oooh,” Kate says, her face lighting up with surprise. “Is that really your Dad? I can definitely see the resemblance now.”

Drake rolls his eyes and tucks the picture back in the envelope, “Are you seriously going all weak in the knees for my Dad?”

Giving Brooklyn a gentle kiss on top of the head, Kate lays her down in her crib and grabs the envelope from Drake's hand and goes over to sit in the rocking chair. “Wow, you really do have the same Walker frown, and his smile.”

Drake just shakes his head and looks into the box for something else to look at. Picking up a familiar looking blue velvet box, he opened it to find his Dad's Guardian of the Realm medal. Lifting the medal away from the padding, he feels a sense of pride knowing he shares something in common with his Dad other than his genes. Closing the box again he tucks it away and takes out another rectangular shaped box. Opening it he finds his Dad's watch. Feeling a tightness in his chest, Drake chokes back a sob and his eyes start to burn with tears. Although he hated making a fuss about his own birthday as a kid, his Dad's birthday had always been a special occasion. Since his Dad was born in June, it usually meant taking a family camping trip on the weekend nearest his Birthday.

The watch he was holding in his hands was the last Birthday gift he'd ever received. Turning the watch over he sees the engraving that his Mom had gotten done on the metal case. A capital J and W were intertwined in a delicate script. Putting the watch away again in the box, he looked forward to storing it away with his own few pieces of jewelry in the wooden box on his dresser. Wiping his eyes, he realizes that Kate is watching him again.

“Must you stare at me when I'm feeling my most vulnerable?” he smirks, rubbing at the back of his neck and looking away.

Getting up from the rocking chair, Kate walks over to hug Drake from behind, and hands him the envelope of photos. With her cheek pressed up against his back, she rubs her hands up and down his chest. “It's ok Honey, you can cry in front of me whenever you need to. I'll never feel any less of you, or tease you about it.”

Drake clears his throat and glances over his shoulder at her, “But you already sort of did tease me about it not too long ago.”

“Well, yeah. Because you were trying to hide it. Just let it go Drake.”

Drake breathes in a shaky breath and covers Kate's hands with his own, his words coming out thick with emotion as he exhales. “Do..do you want to see what else is in the box?”

Kate gives him a squeeze, and sniffs back a tear of her own. “Ok, sure.”

“Let's turn on the baby monitor, and bring the box back to our room.” Drake suggests.

Kate nods, turning on the monitor hanging on the side of the crib and then follows Drake as he picks up the box and leads the way.

:: ☆☆☆ ::

@jovialyouthmusic @sirbeepsalot @emceesynonymroll @emichelle @mskaneko @speedyoperarascalparty @dcbbw @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria @pedudley @kingliam2019 @kimmiedoo5 @gardeningourmet @drakesensworld @mfackenthal @thequeenchoices @debramcg1106 @fluffy-marshmallow-heart @wickedgypsymoon @griselda1121 @indiacater @texaskitten30 @nikkis1983 @lynne1993 @bobasheebaby @drakesfiance @ravenpuff02 @moonlightgem7

@princessleac1 @janezillow @jlpplays1 @walker7519 @drakesensworld @furiousherringoperatortoad @samihatuli @walkerswhiskeygirl @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @loveellamae @rainbowsinthestorm @burnsoslow @bbrandy2002 @jessiembruno @msjpuddleduck @princess-andromeda-nazario @princess-geek

#drake walker #choices #long post #the royal heir #drake x kate #jackson walker

[sambergscott]

i've been down here before and i know the way out

Summary: Leo Peralta is named after all the greats - the Ninja Turtle, da Vinci, DiCaprio and McGarry. 

(someone asked me to write about the name leo for jake and amy’s baby paying homage to leo mcgarry from the west wing and since i've officially joined Team Leo, i figured i'd do this)

(the title has nothing to do with the fic, it’s just my favourite leo/josh quote and i *had* to use it) 

It’s a weird feeling, leaving his son for the first time. Sure, he’s only going down the hall to get some much-needed coffee and snacks and he’s in Amy’s more-than-capable hands, but he already feels like he’s missing out on so much. What if he opens his eyes? What if he latches for the first time? What if he says his first word? No, that would be crazy. 5 hour old babies can’t talk, not even when they inherit super smart Santiago genes. 

The point is: Leo is the coolest person he’s ever met, named after Leonardo from the Ninja Turtles (or if you ask Amy, some painter from the olden days), and leaving him, even if only for a few minutes, sucks.

He didn’t understand how any of the other Peralta dads could walk out on their sons before and he certainly doesn’t understand it now.

He could never abandon Leo.

Speaking of Peralta dads who abandoned their sons, he instantly recognizes the white hair and crumpled pilot uniform of the man at the coffee machine as his own father and braces himself for the least fun conversation of the day (even worse than a laboring Amy threatening to kill him if he tells her how to breathe one more time).

“Hey, grandpa,” he says, patting Roger on the back.

“Jakey!” He exclaims. “Congratulations, son.”

He’s received a lot of congratulations in the last few hours. From his mom, Amy’s parents, Amy’s brothers, the Nine-Nine, their extended families. Every time he picks up his phone to take a picture of the baby or Amy and the baby or a selfie of all three of them, there’s another 5 comments on his Instagram post about their new recruit. It’s all kind of overwhelming and he hasn’t got back to everyone yet (he knows Amy will want to send handwritten thank you cards anyway), but he has read the comments out loud to Amy and told Leo how loved he already is.

(It’s something Jake didn’t really know as a kid and he vows to raise his son differently, to tell him everyday that his mom and dad love him so much).

Captain Holt’s congratulations in particular brought tears to Jake, Amy and Leo’s eyes. To be fair, Leo was crying because he needed a diaper change, but still. It’s like he knew.

Ray Holt (Received 22:07):

Dear Amy, Jake and Leo (who Gina informs me is named after the ‘smokeshow’ actor Leonardo DiCaprio? According to the Internet Movie Database, he was in something called The Wolf of Wall Street and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, although I have only seen the stage productions of the latter so cannot comment on his suitability as a name sake for your child),

Kevin, Cheddar and I would like to offer our congratulations on the birth of your first son. As newborns go, yours is very cute. We hope the labor went smoothly and that you are all enjoying this precious time as a family.

We understand it is customary to buy a stuffed animal for a newborn baby and since we could not agree on a lion (as his name is Leo) or a Corgi (as we have a Corgi called Cheddar), we decided to buy both. We hope you will have sufficient room to store both in your apartment. If not, we have kept the receipts on our person and will return your least favourite to the store.

We look forward to meeting the newest member of our Nine-Nine family and giving him his gifts. Please provide us with an appropriate time slot for visitation.  

I am very proud of you both. I know you will make excellent parents.

Sincerely,

Raymond Holt, Kevin Cozner PhD and Cheddar the Dog.

His dad’s two word congratulations pales in comparison to his Work Dad’s, but maybe that’s OK. They just have different styles. The more people who love Leo, the better, as far as Jake’s concerned.

He inserts his money into the vending machine and punches in the code for Sour Candies, then repeats the process for chocolate for Amy, while Roger makes them two coffees - strong. Parenthood is already exhausting; caffeine and sugar are the only thing stopping him from straight up passing out on the hospital floor and sleeping for an entire day. Well, that and the fact that he just had a baby who screams bloody murder when he’s not in his mom or dad’s arms.

“I’m going to need help carrying all this back to the room,” Jake says nonchalantly. “Want to come visit him?”

“Absolutely I do.”

“OK.” Nerves bubble inside of him as they get closer to Room 458 and he stops Roger just outside the door. “You have to promise me that if you go in there, you will be part of his life forever.” His eyes are dark, protective. He’s never been more serious about anything. “I will not let you treat him the way you treated me. He’s too good for that. If you’re in, you have to be all in. Are you all in?”

“I am,” he promises. “I know you’d probably find a way to throw me in jail if I let him down. And I won’t. I know I’ve been a selfish jerk but I really have changed - I want to be a good husband to your mom, a good father to you and your sisters and a good grandpa to your son.”

“His name is Leo,” Jake reveals, opening the door and smiling at the sight of Amy holding him. The tight feeling in his chest dissipates, replaced by a familiar warmth. He strides forward and kisses Amy, then Leo. “How were my two favourite people when I was gone? Missing me loads?”

“Of course,” she says without hesitation. “But other than that he just slept.”

“It’s tough being a baby, huh?” He whispers, stroking his son’s dark head of hair. “Maybe you can open your eyes for daddy now though?”

Nope. Nothing.

Damn it. He opened his eyes for Amy while he was in the bathroom earlier, which is totally not fair. She’s already turned him into a mommy’s boy before he had a chance.

(Not that he blames him. Leo does have a very awesome mom. The awesom-est).

“We brought you coffee,” Roger announces, stepping forward. “And congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Amy responds, gratefully accepting the to-go cup and taking a sip, despite it still being too hot. Not drinking coffee for 9 months was worse than all the worse bits of pregnancy combined. She complained about it constantly, but he’s pretty sure it was worth it all now.

“You look beautiful,” Roger says. “Considering you just had a baby.”

“Oh.” She grimaces at the back-handed, misogynistic comment and Jake hands his dad the precious cargo before he can dig himself an even deeper hole.

He hovers next to him, his super sharp detective instincts ready to catch Leo if anything happens.

Surprisingly - or maybe unsurprisingly, considering how he has at least 4 kids that Jake knows of (and maybe more that Roger himself doesn’t even know about, since he’s slept with so many women) - he holds Leo perfectly, supports his head, bounces him gently when he starts to shift like he knows he’s no longer with mom.

Jake takes a picture before he starts full on crying and then Amy takes a picture of 3 generations of Peralta men that, when framed, will make a perfect Christmas present for Karen.

“Leo’s a great name, by the way. I once knew a Leo. Leo McGarry. One of my teachers at flight school.” He pauses and Jake thinks he might start crying before the baby. “Great pilot, even better man. He was strict, but he believed in me, even when I screwed up my landings over and over. He had a heart attack and died a month before I graduated.”

“I’m sorry, dad,” he murmurs. He sounds like his version of Captain Holt and Jake would be similarly devastated if anything happened to him. Although losing his flight school mentor does explain a lot about why his landings are still bumpy as hell.

Roger smiles to himself. “He could’ve flown Air Force 1 if he wanted, the offer was there. But for some reason he decided to stick around and help idiots like me. He was the best of the best. Your Leo seems pretty great, too. You did good, kid. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” He exchanges a meaningful look with Amy. “We did good.”

“Peralta and Santiago. Always been a great team,” she grins.

As if hearing their names reminds him that he’s not being held by a) mom or b) dad, Leo wakes up and suddenly screams for them.

“Here, dad, I’ll take him.”

Roger transfers him back to Jake and like some kind of magic spell from Harry Potter has been cast, he calms back down, content in Jake’s arms.

“So dramatic,” Amy teases, taking another sip of coffee. “Maybe we should’ve named him after DiCaprio.”

#b99 fics #jake x amy #my writing #let me know what you think!!!

[fireflake-art]

HC: Apple Bloom

I've come across new, different ideas for AB, so I'm updating my Harmonyverse HC for her, with a new full-body adult design! Onto the headcanons~

Her parents, Pear "Buttercup" Butter and Delicious "Bright Mac" Cameo, died very close to their youngest daughter's birth. Buttercup was left terribly exhausted afterwards, with so little strength she couldn't even hold her newborn in her arms. Doctors feared she wouldn't make it. With what Buttercup accepted as her final breath, she gave their foal a name. Daisy Blossom. (Granny Smith would later give the filly a name fit for the tiny, sleek filly; Apple Bloom.)

Yet, Buttercup lived through it. She was still weak and tired, but she was alive. On the first day she was allowed to walk around Ponyville, her and Bright Mac took out their oldest, Johnny, to the market with baby Apple Bloom. A few minutes into grocery shopping, Buttercup fainted. Bright Mac raced to help her. Only Johnny saw the supply carriage bumbling towards them, and in that one second he could yell, the young colt froze in terror.

Following the funeral, Applejack vowed to always, always protect Apple Bloom and her family, and Johnny inherited Bright Mac's name and his work. All siblings were contracted to their only remaining grandparent, Granny Smith, after some fight from Bright Mac's best friend Burnt Oak, who was the godfather of the children.

Big Mac and Applejack developed quickly. They couldn't make mistakes in raising Apple Bloom, their last connection to their lost parents. Applejack became a constant helicopter to her, making sure Apple Bloom was comfortable, happy, and healthy. Big Mac was more loose than Jack, but he did take care of the baby a lot, as stubborn AJ took up a wealthy amount of the farmwork.

The more Apple Bloom grew, the more she dreamed of freedom and uninterrupted alone-time. She fixated over proving herself mature, so Applejack would loosen the leash a little, if not all the way. One day, a thought crossed her mind; cutie marks. They were handled as the last step into puberty! She needed to earn her cutie mark to be a big mare!

Soon, she found the only other blank-flanks, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and together they formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders. As roughly the oldest CMC (During the course of the show, Apple Bloom and her fellow classmates are preteen foals, while the Mane Six are in their 20s), Apple Bloom appointed herself the unofficial leader.

Apple Bloom was too young to remember her mother and father's faces from her own memories, so she always relied on pictures and stories from her family. The Apple children weren't aware that their mother wasn't an Apple, so they believed themselves pure-blooded. Applejack and Big Mac never questioned it... But it had confused Apple Bloom since she could think.

Apples were portrayed as strong, tall creatures. A mass of fluff, freckles, and muscles. True forces to be reckoned with. So why wasn't Apple Bloom?

Even before getting her cutie mark, AB was skinny, sleek, small and shimmery. She was curious and self-conscious. It was typical for the average Apple foal to have a growth spurt early into their tweens, and to come out as a new, fluffy and buffy pony. But she just wasn't.

That fact scared her. She hated the idea that she wasn't actually an Apple. That she was just some kid Granny Smith took pity on and fostered. How could she know for sure that Buttercup was her mother, or Bright Mac her father? Why didn't her real parents want her? Was she bad, somehow? Why wasn't she enough for anyone as-is? Not for Applejack, who wanted her to be a perfect, safe carbon copy? Not for her friends, who wanted her to be a commanding leader? Not for Anypony... No creature loved her truly, did they?

She had convinced herself that she was adopted when she met a mister Grand Pear. Finally, she got an answer to why her body was different. She simply had the athletic, slim figure of her mother, and that was okay. Apple Bloom was a little disappointed she wasn't a full Apple, but she was half-Apple, and that made her happy.

Luckily, tho, she did eventually have her growth spurt, late into her teens. Unfortunately to Bloom, this also attracted the attention of... suitors. Ew

Apple Bloom had always wanted to be so many things. Zecora's official full-time apprentice, the real leader of the Crusaders, the strongest Apple... And within a few years, she would achieve those dreams. She would build up her own future, packed with multiple professions (blacksmith, carpenter, engineer, farmer, potion brewer, dancer, fixer, head of a Youth Camp)... And those responsibilities would turn into an excuse as to why she didn't pursue a meaningful relationship.

Love was too messy for her. The idea of falling for somebody and them wasting her time wasn't a thought she favored. Romance was a fickle force, closer to Chaos than the friendship lessons she had been taught and had since mastered. She believed she had everything she wanted. That may have been true, if she wasn't terrified of falling in love.

She was scared. Terrified that if she found someone she really connected with, someone she built her life with and loved more than the stars, that that creature would be taken from her. No matter if the love was true, no matter if they were good and honest, even if they had a beautiful life together, that partner could be snuffed out. And it would hurt. So, so much. Enough that Apple Bloom would be left bitter, paranoid, depressed and alone.

It happened to Buttercup and Bright Mac. It could happen to anyone.

So Apple Bloom didn't have much of a love life. Sure, she had flings, but those were short and wild, with ponies she didn't actually love and that felt the same way about her. Her whirlwind fling with one Featherweight was never supposed to end in pregnancy. It was supposed to be uncomplicated summer fun. But life wasn't like that sometimes. Most of the time, it seemed. Now, because of her recklessness, a child was on the way, and she had no idea how to care for a foal, or a husband.

Featherweight was happy he was going to be a father, but at the same time, he never expected or wanted a baby with Apple Bloom. He only felt genuine friendship for the mare, and she felt the same. They had many long talks over what to do. Apple Bloom promptly crossed off the notion of an abortion before anybody had even mentioned it. Finally, they agreed to have and raise the baby together, as friends.

A week into the pregnancy, Apple Bloom revamped the Cutie Mark Clubhouse into a humble cabin. Featherweight moved in to care for her.

Nine months and a lot of chocolate-laced apple deserts later, Apple Bloom would deliver her first and only baby girl. As soon as she held the tiny filly in her arms, she felt something so fierce in her heart. She never wanted anything bad to happen to this little ball of fluff. She wanted her baby to have a full life, brimming with creatures that loved her. She had never felt something so powerful before the birth of her daughter... Buttercup would be her name, Apple Bloom decided. Maria Meadow Buttercup, after Granny Maria Smith and Pear Butter.

Apple Bloom loved Buttercup so much, she recognized the feelings she had been neglecting. She wanted to feel what love was like when it was romantic. Of course, her daughter was more important than dating for a long while, but after Featherweight moved out and could have Buttercup over at his apartment, Apple Bloom decided to try it.

AB didn't have much luck. Most of her (in hindsight, ill-picked) dates weren't very open-minded when she mentioned her newborn. It took only a few months for her to get frustrated with it. She slowly resented her even trying to find someone. She hated the rejection. She wanted real, true love, from a kind being that sparked something within her. Was that too much to ask?

Then one random day, she stumbled into an old friend. Diamond Dazzle Tiara, her old bully turned friend, who had changed into quite the business mare. She was working a manager position in Barnyard Bargains, her father's international retail industry. Humbly (or stubbornly, as Spoiled Rich would put it), Diamond refused to quit her job as the Ponyville Mayor's assistant. Apple Bloom remembered how convincing and snobby Mrs. Rich could be, and was secretly impressed Diamond had managed to subdue her.

Still, Diamond Tiara was obviously struggling. She needed a break. After Apple Bloom got a friend to fill in for Dia's shift, Diamond couldn't say no to a catch-up-coffee-date! (Which served as a subtle tell for Bloom; Diamond was single!)

Diamond Tiara had so much to spill. Apple Bloom was surprised to see the mare in such a frantic state. Where was the poised, graceful, cunning and confident young mare that Apple Bloom had said goodbye to when she went away for University in Prance? Diamond Tiara had changed, and with good reason.

The mare had been the bride of her university sweetheart, Snails (who would have guessed? Literally no one). They had been happy... until they weren't. And then Diamond had the dumbest idea she might have ever had. Saving their relationship with a baby didn't work. Now she was a divorced single mother with joint custody of their baby, Drama Queen, and, worse, she had had another daughter with wild ex-boyfriend Rumble, siring baby Loudmouth. (Diamond doesn't regret having her daughters, of course. She just wished it was under different circumstances.)

But, but, but, she was happy once she and life-long bestie Silver Spoon agreed to open a restaurant together. It was so fun being the boss! Being awesome bosses with her bestie! Being an awesome, good mother to her young children! It was amazing. She had been picking her life back together, and she had been happy.

Then her mother had to ruin everything even more. Diamond was somewhat afraid of Spoiled Rich. After the birth of Loudmouth, Dia had cut off communication with her mom. But she couldn't muster up the courage to say a much wanted 'no' when Spoiled Rich dropped by and pressured Diamond to go back to Barnyard Bargains. This wasn't what Dia wanted, she knew, but she couldn't find a way out. She needed out, she wasn't happy here, not as her mother's obedient pawn or as a respected employee of her dad's company.

Apple Bloom wasn't going to let her friend accidentally wreck her life. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara constructed a plan to help Diamond stand up to Spoiled Rich, and with support from friends and family, Diamond left Barnyard Bargains and helped Silver Spoon open more establishments, all while happily maintaining her assistant job and becoming a fitness coach.

Diamond Tiara soon moved in with Apple Bloom, originally as close friends... Until something more bloomed.

Other notes~

- Apple Bloom is now a flirty and fun, yet collected and stern mare. She's a good mother, probably the best out of the CMC. She graduated from needing some twisted version of freedom to actually having it, in the form of healthy independence together. Loves chocolate treats, charity work, detective novels, folk and hip hop music, mythology, trashy romantic comedies and cheap horror films, and horoscopes.

- Only rare ponies know Apple Bloom's full name, and that goes for a lot of Apples. They're a Clan of nicknames, basically.

- Apple Bloom isn't heavyset because of muscles, she is simply a plus-sized woman.

- Apple Bloom didn't attend University. She opted to have less on her plate during her pregnancy and the first few years of Buttercup's childhood. Now that Buttercup is a preteen and isn't as much as a hoof-ful as a baby pony, Apple Bloom takes online courses. She is aiming for a degree in carpentry, with minors in mechanical engineering and art.

- As a younger filly, Bloom preferred the calmer, quieter energy of her brother. Into childhood, strong, fearless and independent Applejack shifted into her idol instead. Still, Apple Bloom doesn't like to share either of her siblings, and was very hostile towards their respective partners at first, as well as new friends, old sweethearts, and the occasional friendly stranger. She is also very protective of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who she considers her first real friends. You bet she threatened the hell outta Tender Taps and Gilded Lily.

And she was even more pissed when Granny Smith got a girlfriend!

- Apple Bloom opened a Youth Camp for foals to try out different activities. These foals didn't have to be blank-flanks; it was opened to any kid.

- Her mentor Zecora broadened Apple Bloom's worldview farther than Applejack ever had. Zecora taught her about so many different plants, creatures, cultures, and most notably, religions. Zecora mentioned the belief of Magic (the Ponyverse term for real-world Wicca) to a teenage Apple Bloom, and from there on, Apple Bloom researched the hell outta it.

Magic was mostly a religion practised by non-unicorn ponies and species that were believed, by dismissive unicorns that spread it as the truth, not to be magically inclined. Apple Bloom was raised as a believer of Providence (a form of Ponyverse Christianity), and for a few years considered herself both a Witch and a Provider. She now defines as only a Witch. Wears a Wiccan necklace that promises protection.

- Tattoos do exist in MLP, and Granny was not happy when college-aged AB got roses on her arm. Granny wasn't that supportive of her second tattoo, either; Diamond Tiara's initials (but certainly not as mad as the roses).

- Humanverse Apple Bloom's name is Daisy "Blossom" Alma, and she is an Asian Australian American woman that rocks V-neck flannel crop tops and mom jeans.

- Part of the reasons why Bloom didn't want a shot-gun marriage was for Featherweight's best friend's sake, Pipsqueak. Pip turned jittery and awkward whenever Apple Bloom was around or the pregnancy (and the following newborn baby) was mentioned. Apple Bloom quickly realized Pipsqueak was deeply in love with an oblivious Featherweight, who was even more oblivious to the fact that he felt the same way. Shortly after their daughter was born, Apple Bloom match-made her baby daddy with his bestie, and those two are still together to this day.

- Apple Bloom is still friends with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, despite Sweetie's house being in Canterlot while she frequently tours Equestria as a pop singer, supermodel and exotic dancer and Scootaloo traveling the world as a Scout to reform creatures that need to be taught friendship. Sweetie Belle's job is very time-consuming while Scootaloo's is both time-consuming and dangerous as hell.

Apple Bloom worries about them a lot, Sweetie because she's a recovering drug addict in an industry known for hardcore corruption and Scootaloo because of her reckless nature. Apple Bloom regularly checks in with her old dance partner/Sweetie Belle's also-celebrity husband Tender Taps, the power couple's quietly confident daughter Bella Danzatrice, Scootaloo's surprisingly stable and non-wild genius wife Gilded Lily (who's AB's step-niece), and their shy, smart son Orion.

- Dia and Snails' daughter Drama Queen formed a Sister Squad with half-sisters Loudmouth and Champion (Snails and Twist's filly), and soon brought in Buttercup. Since then, little Buttercup is a bit more spoken than she used to be, but is still lacking in confidence. She's a soft-spoken, gentle, sensitive filly that's at the top of her class. She is most comfortable when with close friends or close family. Like her mother, Buttercup juggles many hobbies, but mostly enjoys crafts and perfume-making. Buttercup requires a lot of encouragement because of her poor self-image. Apple Bloom is always, always patient with her.

And that's the new rewrite! I felt like I left too much out last time, and I sketched an adult AB and made it the base of her new HC: Character. I'll probably be making new ones for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, too, since I've discovered new headcanons from other people that I like more than mine. Peace ✌️

#pastelglitches19 #harmonyverse #mlp headcanons #mlp next gen #mlpfim #mlp friendship is magic #mlp apple bloom #apple bloom #apple bloom headcanons

[xxkellsvixen19xx]

Notice Chapter 15.5

Warning: Child Birth

“Michael," she says faintly, “Michael, since the doctor's coming here, take off my knickers. I don't want to have to do it when he gets here."

He starts by taking off her low heels, setting them out of the way under the sofa, before reaching under her skirt. He takes the time to run his hands over her thighs, but again the moment is interrupted by a contraction. When it passes, he takes off her underwear matter-of-factly and stuffs the garment into his coat pocket.

"I'm not exactly going to leave that lying around," he says with a smirk, and she lets out a breathy laugh. It feels almost like their wedding night again.

"Leave the skirt." She doesn't want Dr Aredeane  or any other servants seeing… that.

But once again, she doesn't have time to even think about being embarrassed. She grips the edge of the sofa cushions so hard her knuckles turn white, and she's out of breath by the time the contraction ends.

As the pain ebbs and flows, she waits to hear a car outside or a knock on the door, but the Dr's voice does not come from the hall. She's lost count of how many contractions she's had. Y/N is in so much torment she barely notices the storm outside, but the few times she does, it seems to be only getting worse.

But then after an eternity, she feels the urge to push.

But even though her body knows what to do, this scenario could not be more different. A hundred disasters flash behind her eyes. She shifts closer to the edge of the sofa, now barely remaining sitting on the cushion, and spreads her legs wide.

“Y/N?"

"I have to push," she says tightly.

He raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you've been doing this whole time?"

Her frayed nerves go haywire. "No, I wasn't. Now just help me!" she snaps, and immediately regrets it. "Sorry."

"Yell at me all you like," he says easily, the corner of his mouth turns up. "What do you want me to do?"

"Wash your hands," she blurts out, mentally kicking herself for forgetting.

It's his turn to look at her nervously. "Are you sure you want me to leave right now?"

"Go! And hurry!"

He leaves, glancing back at her, and she remains behind alone in the study. Silently begging God for help, she takes a deep breath and pushes for the first time.

She can't hold back her guttural groan as the baby descends into the birth canal, and Michael sprints back through the door.

When she bears down again, tears leak out of the corner of her eyes. The next time, she lets out a noise somewhere between a sob and a scream, and Michael looks terrified. She almost asks to hold his hand, but she needs his hands whole and able catch the baby, not broken by her grip.

So she remains on the sofa. She's in so much agony that it doesn't even register that Michael is kneeling before her. Y/N has never been much a crier, but she openly weeps now, and screams aloud when the top of the baby's head leaves her body ever so slightly.

"Get ready to catch the baby," she rasps through her flood of tears.

Michael looks under her skirt. "I can sort of see the head, but-"

"Just do it!" she screeches, past caring about apologies, and gathers what little strength she has left to deliver the baby's head.

She officially enters the ring of fire stage as the head descends. She can't even think straight as she struggles to push the head out, but through her tears, she sees her husband's expression. He stares at the top of the baby's head in awe, and for a split second she can almost forget the pain.

"I've seen a lot in my time," he breathes, "but this beats all."

A scream is torn from her throat as the baby's head finally passes through, and she allows her body a moment to rest. But she has to force her mind to think coherently.

"Is the cord around the neck?" she asks through gritted teeth.

"The cord?"

"It looks like an intestine," she says, about to curse everyone who says men should be taught nothing about female anatomy or childbirth. Society might still be prudish, but Michael being innocently unaware of what an umbilical cord looks like could mean their child's life or death.

"There's nothing around the neck," he assures her. "It looks normal."

A contraction decides her rest is over, and she starts to deliver the shoulders. He reaches under her skirt to cradle the baby's head, and all she can do is weep as she pushes.

"Use," she gasps, "use your coat to catch the baby."

He obediently removes his raincoat, but sets it aside to peel off his softer blue sweater. He quickly rolls up his shirtsleeves and reaches under her skirt again with the sweater. "I have the baby."

But she can't answer. Her entire world, her whole existence, her everything is pain and the baby's torso between her legs. There is nothing but those two sensations. All she can do is push and cry and scream as the torso slides out so slowly she thinks it might kill her.

Then, in a gush of fluids, the baby falls into Michael's hands. Y/N collapses.

Their child's first cries fill the room as she drags air into her lungs. When she has enough strength to lift her head, she sees Michael cradling their newborn – a girl, they have a baby girl – to his chest. His hands and arms and shirt might be covered in blood and mucus now, and the infant is still attached to his mother by a pulsing umbilical cord. Nevertheless, an enraptured Michael gazes down at their child. When her husband looks at her with a smile, she can see tears in his eyes.

As their daughter quiets, there's a rumble of something outside, and she initially thinks it's just more thunder. But she realizes it's an engine just before car doors are heard slamming shut, and then footsteps race to the cottage. The front door bangs open without a knock, and she hears the Drl's voice.

“Mr Langdon?"

"In the bedroom," Michael calls, his back still to the  door as it flies open a moment later. The Dr and a woman Y/N  assumes is a nurse burst in.

“Mr Langdon?" The Dr repeats, and she sees his expression turn from terror to relief when he realizes she isn't dead. And then the newborn prince cries, and the Dr  puts a hand over his heart.

"Tha' must be ye new wee bairn," the Dr says in a Scottish accent so thick he probably bleeds Loch Lomond lakewater. He's got bushy red hair and is wearing an honest-to-goodness kilt, but he carries a medical bag, and that's all that matters.

"Looks like ye did me job for me, Your Royal Highness," Dr. Aredeane  says with a grin.

"I'm glad to let you take over," Michael admits with a shaky laugh.

"My sincerest apologies for the delay," Aredeane adds. "It took time to locate my nurse and a tree had fallen and blocked the road, and then we got lost on the round a bout-" He clears his throat. "Very sorry, ma'am."

"You did your best," Y/N says, voice hoarse. "And Michael did an excellent job." When she smiles at her husband, she sees the blood on his hands that had soaked through the sweater. “Nurse, would you find some towels?"

"Of course, ma'am." She nods, as if bowing more than necessary will make up for being late, and leaves.

Dr. Aredeane looks under her skirt. "Looks like ye haven't delivered the placenta, mam."

She shakes her head. "Not yet."

When Michael carefully places the infant in her arms, Y/N starts crying all over again. She can't remember the last time she cried tears of happiness, but it's a welcome change.

The nurse returns with what is likely every towel in the entire main floor, and Michael wipes as much blood as he can from his skin. Dr. Aredeane steps aside as Michael goes to his wife's side, and he bends down. The doctor and the nurse look away when Michael drops a kiss to their daughter's head and another to Y/N's temple.

"You did it, Y/N," he says against her hair. "And so well, too."

"We did it," she corrects when he pulls away. "I could never have done this without you."

He rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "The most significant thing I did was catch her."

"Which was vitally important," she insists.

"You did everything else," he counters lightly.

"Of course I'm glad Dr. Aredeane is here," she begins, "but I could have been in the world's finest hospital surrounded by fifty doctors, and all I would have truly wanted was you."

He hasn't looked at her this tenderly since their wedding day. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me, then."

She smiles. "You're all I need."

The infant gurgles, and his father looks down at him in wonder. Michael smiles at Y/N, truly smiles, and she reaches for his hand. He grasps hers, and she knows somehow, some way, that they will be alright. He is all she ever needs, all she has ever needed now and forever.

#ahs #ahs apocalypse #michael langdon #cody fern