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sxveme-2 · 3 years

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blueberry pancakes // bucky barnes

MASTERLIST

Description: A single mother. Juggling being a mom, a full time pediatrician, and a difficult ex who believed now would be the best time to finally be a father. A soldier ripped out of time. Ex-assassin turned superhero. Learning how to balance a new domestic life with handling demons of his past, while facing the trials of the future. a love story began over something as simple as chocolate chip pancakes with hidden blueberries.

Disclaimer: I do not own any original Marvel characters! All canon plots and canon characters belong to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios. This is an original work. You may not publish it anywhere else

Status: Edited

Note: Takes place after endgame. I have elected to ignore Tony's death and Steve's leaving. Did not happen. Quick Reminder! My works are only published here, AO3 and on Wattpad, thank you.

Chapter Fourteen: The One With Her Brother

Warnings: Mention of childbirth

Word Count: 2644

The cool air around the waiting room shrouded a twelve-year-old blonde by the name of Lily Osborne. Wrapped in her cardigan-covered arms was a five-year-old Rose, the younger sister of the eldest Osborne. Just to the right of her sat two conservative grandparents, only moments away from learning if their third grandchild from their daughter would be a girl or boy. So far, the two had only been gifted with granddaughters, two from their other son William, and two from their daughter, Alicia, the mother of the two girls awaiting their newest sibling. Lily had already been through the grief of a new sibling with the little girl that sat in her arms, but it sadly didn't transfer over to the second blonde born from Alicia and Abel Osborne.

The small creek of a door just beside the many uncomfortable chairs stationed behind a small half wall and all four of the family member’s blonde heads popped up. Lo and behold though, it was merely a group of nurses seemingly leaving from their shift. Four collective sighs created harmony throughout the robin egg blue maternity wing waiting room. A heavier head leaned back onto her shoulder and Lily placed a gentle kiss on the bright blonde curls that sat atop of Rose's young head like a mop. Glancing down, Lily saw her little sister’s eyes flutter shut and she let out a gentle sigh, running her fingers up and down the child's thin arms. Just moments later, however, the doors opened once again and a panting Abel Osborne came shooting out with a bright smile plastered on his rugged features.

"Do you guys want to come to meet your new baby brother?"

-----

For as long as Lily could remember, being Cedar's older sister was one of her most sacred pride of joys. Or just being an older sister in general. Especially being so much older than the younger two. Her parents were amazing, sure, and they always did their best with raising the three children. But when it came down to more personal issues and handling things like bullying, friends, or middle school, Lily was their go-to. And she cherished that fact. It was like having her own child, but without a majority of the responsibilities, the mother faced. It helped scratch that maternal itch Lily had since a baby.

Whenever her parents weren't able to, Lily walked Rose and Cedar to school. She was even his emergency contact for high school after their parents, same with Rose. when Cedar began high school, Lily was in her last year of university before beginning med school and handling a one-year-old baby boy and an unhelpful husband, she travelled down to Long Island with Hunter, and joined Cedar for his orientation day when their parents were on a business trip. Everyone thought she was his mother, and the two made a bit of a joke out of it.

Just below a year before that, when Lily and Scott were scrambling together a wedding, it was Cedar who had helped her choose a wedding dress that made her feel beautiful, even while she was four months along in her pregnancy. She was tempted to try and convince Scott to elope, feeling as though she wouldn't find a dress that gave her that moment that made her face light up when she saw herself in the mirror. Luckily, Cedar helped her achieve it.

-----

She didn't want to go, really. It was the last place on earth that Lily wanted to be. Every morning when she looked in the mirror she felt huge. She thought her thighs were getting too big. That her cheeks were getting larger and she felt puffy. All because of the beautiful life growing inside of her. It wasn't her fault. She was four months along in the pregnancy she was handling at the age of 22, all while planning a fairly rushed and impromptu wedding to the father of her unborn child. Even though, if she would admit it to herself, she knew deep down this wouldn't work, and that he wasn't good for her. But she'd never say it out loud.

But today, well, today she just felt awful.

Today was the day that she would be picking a wedding dress. After a whole week of yelling at Lily, her fiancé, Scott, managed to get her to drop the idea of eloping, and instead, funnelling money into a wedding. On top of handling pregnancy and her last year of university. Lily had originally planned to handle this feat alone, feeling self-conscious about having anyone else there. But with her parents and brother now living in her basement, with her brother staying with them over the summer before he would go back to Long Island and stay with his grandparents until Lily gave birth, and their parents would move back home, well...her brother was the only one she couldn't get to stay at her home when she went out.

The boy had just turned 11 and was a pretty stereotypical pubescent boy. But with a much closer relationship with his sister than most kids with the age gap that the two had. Lily depended a great deal on her relationships with her siblings, for she never really talked or even spent time with girls or boys her age outside of school when she was younger. Of course, moving to New York City and over the past few years, she had expanded her bubble.

As the youngest and oldest Osborne sibling arrived at the quaint wedding dress shop in Soho, Lily wished to turn around and avoid any sort of questions about the growing bump that was prevalent on her stomach. Being at this store was the last place Lily wanted to be spending her Saturday afternoon. But alas, the tug of a boy’s hand on her sleeve persuaded the blonde to enter the shop alongside him.

After answering dreadful pregnancy questions from the shop owner, Lily had found the dress. But her hands cupped the growing belly of hers, and those green eyes grew sad as she looked in the mirror. The dress was a spaghetti strap, heart-shaped neckline, lace flower decals dancing across the organza type material, and sliding from her waist in an a-line style. it was loose, flowing, and hid any real evidence of a pregnancy. But Lily knew. She knew what was growing inside of her. What she would look like within two months when the wedding would be taking place. Her stomach even more swollen.

Cedar slowly stood from the couch and walked towards his older sister, taking her hand and looking up at her with the eyes that made Lily realize just how lucky she was. And with a shy nod towards the owner, Lily had found her dress. All thanks to the young blonde boy she called a brother. And those soft eyes.

-----

Ten years later, the two were still as close as ever. Or so she believed. He stood at her wedding party at her and Scott’s wedding when she was twenty-two. He was there when she gave birth to Hunter. God, she remembered the day she went into labour so vividly. And the boy who had informed her distracted parents, and who pushed through the labour alongside his sister, before the actual birth began. She remembered that day so vividly.

-----

Her hand gripped onto the pen she was using to take notes from her online lecture. Being the top student so far in her first year at Medical School had its perks. The professor's offered her online lectures and videos, while she handled the pregnancy. Her brother and parents had taken over the basement, as they came down from Long Island to take care of their daughter, who was very obviously in a neglectful marriage. The cool winds of November whispered secret thoughts to Lily, the window of her office allowing them in.

As Lily went to finish off a note about the fetus in a woman growing, her own decision to take a different approach. A popping deep within her set off a relay of gasps as water trickled down her leg, staining the loose dress she wore over top of her swollen stomach. her hand smacked itself across her lips as a small squeak escaped from her throat. A pair of footsteps ran themselves into the office, catching Lily's eyes as he spotted the water dripping down onto the floor.

"Mom! Dad! Start the car! Lily's water broke!" Cedar exclaimed, holding onto his sister’s hand. The same hand he'd be holding for the next few hours.

—————

Maybe it was the feelings of betrayal that hit Lily the hardest. Before her then sat one of the most important people in her life, handcuffed to a table, waiting to be interrogated by police officers for attempting to break into her ex-husband’s apartment where her child sat, scared to death of the somewhat familiar tone of voice. Or it may have been the disgust that churned deep within her stomach as she came to the realization this was not the same sweet and innocent boy she had last seen a mere few weeks ago when visiting her parents. A boisterous and somewhat playful smile far gone from his face that was now carved full of deep stress lines, with bruises evident on the thin skin below his eyes. This wasn't Cedar Osborne. This was a mere shell of him.

"Sir there must be some sort of mistake," Lily laughed softly, gesturing towards the glass, "That's my brother he would...he would never hurt my son or try to. He's a nice kid how would he—"

"Ms. Osborne, I know this is a shock but this is the man that was caught trying to break into your ex-husband’s apartment." The detective said in a calm tone, "He confessed to it. We just can't get any evidence as to why he may have done it out of him...which is why we called you."

Lily stared at the man in front of her. Her crossed arms dropped to her sides as a look of pure shock took over her previous exasperated and confused face. He wanted her to interrogate her own brother? Try and get him to confess information about a crime he tried to commit against her son. Why Lily wanted nothing more than to smack the living daylights out of the police officer. But then again nowadays she has had this happen often.

"You did not just ask me that!?" Lily exclaimed, "He is my brother, and I know my brother, officer. There has to be a mistake. There has to be! And until you figure out what that is I will not be questioning the same boy that sat by my side at my son’s birth when my husband wouldn't. He is not capable of this. My son is the most important thing to that man and you dare think that he would scare him?" Lily exclaimed, chest heaving.

The officer fell silent. The look in his eyes said it all: he knew this woman wouldn't be interrogating this man. With a curt nod, the police officer spread his arm to guide Lily from the room. Her shoulders moved up and down at a rapid pace as she stormed from the building, her heart racing inside of her chest and pounding in her ears so loudly she couldn't even hear the loud noises from the New York streets. Typically, Lily would wait for an opportunity to cross the sidewalk to her car, but today, she bulldozed through the group of people, fumbling for her keys. The moment the ignition turned on, the tears fell.

The tears ran down her face non-stop as she drove through the streets of New York. Sobs wracked her body as she continued to shake. Lily had no way of comprehending the fact that her own brother was the culprit arrested for attempting to break into her ex-husbands home. Sure it was known that the entire family had a distaste towards Scott Harvey, but the Osborne's were a far from violent family. Docile and subservient almost. It was only when Lily pulled into her driveway when a memory fell on her like a ton of bricks.

-----

'Here Comes Santa Clause' played over the speakers as the Osborne family bustled around the cozy home of Lily's parents’ home. Children played and adults laughed over wine as the previously mentioned woman and her brother slaved away in front of the stove as they prepared Christmas dinner. The two quietly chatted while working on their respective side dish, patiently waiting for the turkey in the oven to finish so they can begin to eat.

"Hey, how's work been going for you?" Lily hummed, working her arm as she continued to mash potatoes.

"Oh yeah," Cedar responded in a gentle tone, "I actually just left the company." he continued, failing to elaborate to Lily as to why on earth he would have left the job as an electrician at a power company that supplied most of Long Island's power.

"Really?" the eldest Osborne huffed, halting her movements and turning to her younger brother, "What happened to your dream of being an electrician?" she wondered, head tilting to the side a bit.

"Offered a different job, better pay," he stated abruptly, turning his back to Lily as he finished mashing the yams that he had been working on.

"I see...where are you now?"

"Dinner's ready!" Cedar yelled, ignoring his sister’s question and pulling the freshly finished turkey from the oven.

-----

Lily felt her heart sink as she recounted the events of the Christmas that had just passed close to a year ago. Her hand slapped itself over her mouth as she came to the realization that her sweet and innocent brother may have very well found himself in a sticky situation. Her mind ran to the worst place she could think of...what if he was working for a hitman agency? No that couldn't be right. HE may be sneaky but Cedar wouldn't be capable of murder.

Shaking her head, Lily pulled her hair back from her face and allowed her breathing to regulate itself once more. God, she felt like everything she knew to be normal was crumbling around her. Everything that she had become accustomed to was falling to pieces and there was nothing she could even do about it. If Cedar was getting invested in solicit and illegal activities, Lily knew she would be the last person he would admit it to. The two had a relationship based on kindness and loyalty...and it broke the blonde's heart, the idea of her baby brother falling into the traps of something horrible.

Stepping from the car, the cool and brisk air of the season chilled the raging heat the flared in Lily's face. Locking her car, the young mother unlocked her front door to hear music playing and the dog going wild. Furrowing her eyebrows and stepping out of her shoes, the blonde made her way down the hall towards the living room where the loud noises were coming from. When she rounded the corner, the sight made all of the pain and sorrow she was just wallowing in mere moments ago fade into distant memories.

Hunter was stationed on Bucky's back as they flailed around to an outdated Justin Bieber song that the blonde boy sang at the top of his lungs, igniting the howls of Joey. With a giggle, Lily dropped her coat and bag and made her way towards the pair, joining in on the singing and dancing. For once, Lily allowed herself to step away from the burden of anxiety and enjoy the moment in front of her.

Her eyes locked with Bucky and she knew, that maybe, just maybe, things could work out.

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thenightling · 3 years

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I have been too shy to talk to you as I haven't been a fan of The Sandman for very long. I hope that's okay and I love your fan fiction. I am almost done reading volume 6 Fables and Reflections and I would like to know how would you rank the stories in it from most favorite to least favorite? Also how would you rank the stories in the third volume Dream Country from most favorite to least favorite?

Hello,

Oh, sure! Don't be shy. I won't bite (unless asked. ;-) I love talking about The Sandman. And welcome to the fandom! I still consider myself new too. I only finally read it for the first time in 2017 and others of my age group were reading them since the 90s. So I'm making up for lost time.

Let's see.

Fables and Reflections in order of favorite to least favorite...

There are so many good ones in this one it's hard to decide.

Fear of Falling - I love this one. Morpheus is helpful and inspiring and it's very pro-creativity and pro-taking chances on yourself and what you do, artistically. Note: Not every version of Fables and Reflections comes with this but the 30th anniversary one does and I'm using that to make this list.

Soft Places - I like this one a lot. It tells the nature of The Soft Places / the Shifting Zones. It's a good story and you get to see characters at different points in their adventures. You have Marco Polo of the thirteenth century, Gilbert obviously shortly after A Game of You but before Brief lives. And Morpheus, fresh from his captivity, right before Imperfect Hosts. This is before Gregory found him and brought him to The House of Mystery to recover. And you can see his character growth. Marco Polo gives him water and in return he uses his last bit of strength to help Marco Polo get home. It's sweet.

Parliament of Rooks - I love this one. It introduces us to the concept of The Lil' Endless, we get to see baby Daniel apparently lucid dreaming while still only a toddler. We get the story of Eve. And it's always great to see Cain and Abel as storytellers. I also love seeing Matthew mock Cain and compare him to Vincent Price. "That Bargain basement Vaudevillian!" Hehe. (I love Vincent Price.) Also Goldie is very distinctly gendered as he here, repeatedly. So why is it, I wonder, that in all the spin-off versions of The Dreaming Goldie is suddenly a she?

Thermidor - I like Johanna Constantine. And this is the first appearance (I believe) of Orpheus other than his brief mention in Calliope and the stand-alone Sandman: Special Song of Orpheus. I also really like Jessamy. (*Glares at David S. Goyer* YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID! ....I'm okay... JESSSSAMY!!!! (You'll get that in about a year I think...)

The Hunt - Who doesn't love a slightly subversive werewolf story / fairy tale? Also Lucien looks great here and we get to see him pro-actively protecting his library.

Song of Orpheus - Some versions of Fables and Reflections don't have this story as it was originally a stand alone one shot but it's absolutely necessary if you aren't well versed in Greek mythology. It essentially retells the myth of Orpheus but with The Endless and Morpheus as his father (Many think Apollo was his father). It's very well told and you really feel for Orpheus. This is not a comfortable story to read but gives you an idea of what Morpheus was like at his most... assholary. It's also really well drawn.

Ramadan - I like this one. The artwork is a little busy but I do love Morpheus’ entrance into the story. Again this is back during his asshole days and there is some good commentary here. It’s also very respectful to the Islamic faith. I love Morpheus’ outfit in this one.

Three Septembers and a January. - This is a good one. Dream vs. Despair. And the real world, historic, Emperor Norton gets to appear in The Sandman. It's historically accurate (save for The Endless) and actually very respectful to history.

August - This one is good but a little sad, a little depressing. It's very well drawn and it introduces us to the raven Aristeas, the poet. Poor Morpheus, welcome to the running gag of being mistaken as Apollo. There's some abuse in here, if I remember right. And Morpheus is a little callous, as he often was before his "Time out" bubble.

___________________________________________

Dream Country in order of favorite to least favorite

A Midsummer Night’s Dream - I love this one. We get to see William Shakespeare for the first time since Men of Good Fortune (the story that introduces us to Hob Gadling). A Midsummer Night’s Dream happens to be my favorite Shakespearean play. I always loved Puck even if Neil did feel the need to turn him into a little psychopath.

If you pay careful attention you see that Shakepseare’s son is tempted with faery fruit and so will be turned into a faery by the eating of it, as is how it goes in some folklore. Sometimes it places you under the faery’s spell. Sometimes it makes you one of them. In this case he becomes an immortal faery and that’s a much better fate than dying (I hope.) He does end up Titania’s slave (Unfortunately fae are a race with a very slave-based class system) but fae are strange and fickle and maybe he enjoys his role serving her and prefers it to the short life he would have had as a human.

This is also the story where we get the famous “Shadow truths” speech from Morpheus, which I hope will be in the new Netflix series. And we learn that it’s thanks to Morpheus that mortals will continue to dream of, think of, and even believe in the fae for years to come thanks to him having Shakespeare write that play. He has helped to sustain faery magick in our world and I like that.

Calliope - This one is a very difficult read since it addresses concepts like slavery, dehumanizing, forced imprisonment and rape. It’s the second time we see non-human creatures being dehumanized by being stripped of clothing and not being perceived as a person. The first time was with Morpheus, himself, in the very first issue, Sleep of the Just. This one is difficult to read because you feel so bad for Calliope. But the revenge Morpheus takes for her is so satisfying. I hope the Netflix show doesn’t change it too much. I know how modern audiences and writers feel about “White knights” and might want Calliope to save herself but I think it’s important to show Morpheus coming to her aid because it reveals how much character growth he’s had. That he knows he treated her poorly back when they were married. And again, the revenge he takes for her is very satisfying.

Dream of a Thousand cats - I love animals. I love cats. I have three cats of my own. Two of them I adopted the very day I read Dream of a Thousand cats for the first time (by pure coincidence). The death of the kittens is something very difficult for me. That is gut wrenching. But I do love the concept that if a thousand souls dream the same thing at the same time it has the potential to re-write all of reality is that things were always a certain way. This also nicely foreshadows the story we get in The Sandman: Overture and I love Overture.

Façade - I’m sorry to say I kind of dislike this one. I don’t think it’s what Neil intended but if feels like it romanticizes death a bit (as a concept, not a person). You have a protagonist who is clearly clinically depressed and isolated and the best answer is apparently suicide!? What she needed was a real friend, one that wouldn’t judge her by her appearance, and perhaps counseling. A friend of mine attempted suicide a few summers ago and I had to hastily contact her mother on Facebook while it was happening so that may have impacted how I see this story. This is one of those stories where I don’t think Death is as kind and sweet as so many fans think she is. She came off as rather callous to me and not really friendly, and Kat Dennings’ delivery in the audio drama verison didn’t help matters.

I’m glad The Sandman audio drama reversed the order for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and façade. I think A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a much better place to end on than Façade.

#The Sandman #Sandman

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godlyborn · 3 years

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start over. / keaton & rory.

date: february 6, 2021 characters: keaton arkwright & rory mikaelsohn summary: keaton and rory talk about everything that’s happened.

Keaton went out for a walk to clear his head of the things that he had been thinking about. Lately he had been talking with his therapist about talking to Rory, mostly apologizing to her, but also talking and re-inviting that part of him back into his life. Keaton was apprehensive about it because he knew Rory had also been through a lot and he didn't want to bring it all back if it was too soon for her. Keaton had been working a lot on doing things for himself and for others, and finding a healthy balance between the two.

With Rory this was hard. He cared so much about Rory, that he was terrified to hurt her anymore than he already had. He just had to take that push. He lowered himself on the ground, at the forrest's edge that was close to the lake, so he was facing the lake. That's when Keaton finally pulled out her number after months and sent a text:

Hey, can we talk? It's okay if you can't. If you want to, I'm in the forrest, near the lake.

All he had to do now, is wait.

Having the day off of work allowed Rory to spend her day wandering the woods, sorting through some thoughts and feelings. Between getting used to a new job, her therapy sessions, the reappearance of multiple Hades children, and Bailey leaving for an unknown period of time - she found her brain unsure of how to handle everything happening. Her best self therapy? Lounging in a tree branch with her eyes closed, taking in the sun on her face and the wind blowing through her hair to ignore the world for just a little while.

Her sense of peace was broken up by her phone vibrating in her pocket, though it took her a minute to find the strength to reach in to grab it. She felt her breath catch in her throat when she saw who it was texting her. She hadn’t heard from Keaton since their mutual breakup, and she found herself nervous to actually see him again for the first time in months. Sure, she knew this conversation had to happen at some point in time, but she still found herself hoping she had more time to get her thoughts in order.

Though, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that having more time wouldn’t solve anything. She wouldn’t magically come up with anything else to say. So letting out a small sigh to try and gather some courage, she replied.

Sure. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

Swinging herself out of the tree and back onto the forest floor, she made the short journey from her spot in the forest to where Keaton said he was waiting. Once she arrived, she saw him sitting where he said he would be, and felt her stomach flip a bit. At the same time, the winds churned erratically around her, the breeze making its way over towards the lake more steps she took in his direction.

When the wind came, Keaton's own stomach did a flip. He knew that wind came before his ex-girlfriend. Keaton watched her step into view. Keaton felt his heart pound in his chest, he didn't think he'd be this nervous. Actually seeing her, made him more nervous than thinking about it.

In front of him, laying on his lap was Sheep. When he felt Keaton turn, Sheep perked up, looking around Keaton curiously, before happily running toward Rory. Keaton let himself smile at her as she stepped closer.

Seeing Keaton turn, she internally cringed at the winds giving her away, silently cursing her power for not cooperating with her for once in her life. Rory gave him a small, nervous smile as their eyes met, but her attention was quickly pulled away from him at the movement she saw in front of him.

Seeing Sheep perk up and immediate charge at her, caused a mix of a laugh and a sob to fall out of her as she dropped to her knees before the dog. “Sheepy!” Her arms came out just in time to wrap them around him, a laugh making it’s way out of her as he immediately started attacking her with kisses. “Hi baby boy, I missed you!” After another few minutes, Sheep happily laid himself on her lap, and she finally looked back up at Keaton, her bright smile turning back into its earlier, nervous state. “Hi.”

Keaton grinned even more watching Sheep with Rory, it felt somewhat nostalgic. It gave Keaton hope that maybe one day they could get to be normal, or at least somewhat normal, no matter what their relationship was. Keaton wasn't going into this thinking they might get back together, he still wasn't even sure if he was ready for that, and the two of them definitely changed over the past few months.

When Rory looked back up at him, he locked eyes with her. "Hi," he replied, not really knowing what else to say. A silence fell upon the two for a moment. "I'm sorry if I dragged you away from anything."

"Oh no, you didn't. Don't worry." She shook her head to emphasis the fact, her hands busying themselves with petting Sheep as he stretched out on her lap. "I was already out here, so it was actually kinda great timing? You know how I am with trees, so." Rory shrugged, also at a loss of what to say. The silence dragged on once again. "So...how've you been?"

Keaton nodded in response to her trees statement. He nodded agin when she asked him how he's been. "Good," he replied, and for once in a long while, he actually meant that, but then he followed it up with, "Honestly." He knew that Rory knew he sometimes lied when he said stuff like that. He wanted to make sure that she knew, he was telling the truth this time. "And you?"

Her head tilted just a bit at his immediate answer, knowing that he was always quick to brush off his own feelings. However, she found herself believing him when he followed it up. She wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he looked better than the last time she had really talked to him. Her smile turned a little warmer as she came to that realization. "Yeah, I can see that. You look good, Keaton." Her shoulders shrugged again at his return question. "I'm doing pretty good. I finally got out of the diner - though Mikey and Ellie almost killed me for it." She joked.

Keaton nodded, "Yeah I uh, a lot has happened since we last talked," he replied to her. He tilted his head slightly though, taking in the blonde hair and the cut. "For honest though? I'm not saying that it's bad or anything, the blonde looks beautiful, and you are totally not at all me, I just, last time one of us dyed our hair blonde, well to be honest, I was really spiralling then."

When he mentioned it, Rory’s hand flew up to her new hair, resting on the ends of her now short style. A frown grew on her face slightly as he continued talking, only the tiniest bit annoyed that he thought this was her losing her mind. It was fair though, considering their past, so the frown fell away quickly as she nodded. “Thanks, but honest, I’m good. This was all Abel.” She said, as if that explained everything. To her it did. “I’m still getting used to the length but I really like it.” Sheep looked up at her when her hand was away from him for too long, and she smiled down at him before going back to petting, looking back up at Keaton. “I promise this isn’t me spiraling though.”

Keaton nodded, feeling relief that she was really okay. If he was being honest, it was really hard not being there for her and not knowing if she was okay. “Okay, I believe you, I just wanted to make sure,” he replied. “It really does look great, you look great Rory.” He let out a soft sigh, shifting slightly, his hand absentmindedly going to pet the part of Sheep closest to him. Sheep looked at him and rolled over so that he was in between the two, in order to get pet by both of them. “I’m uh, really glad you and Abel are getting along again. Honest truth, promise.”

"Thank you, I honestly feel great." Keaton sliding closer made Rory's body freeze for a second, though she wasn't sure why. Instead of trying to figure it out, she focused back on Sheep, letting out a little laugh at his attempts to reach the both of them at once, giving him a small boop on the nose as Keaton spoke. The responding smile was small, almost guilty looking at the mention of Abel. She had a lost of remorse for everything that happened the night of their argument, especially for everything they both said about both Sean and Abel. "Thanks, it's...crazy how familiar it is, yet totally different. If that even makes any sense." She let out a small sigh, feeling the words bubbling under her skin and barely fought to keep them back. "Look, I know I said it a million times before, but I am really sorry. For everything."

“Rory, you,” Keaton started. He wanted to say that she had nothing to be sorry for, but the thought of her bringing up Sean in their fight, it hurt him. “It’s okay now,” he said truthfully. “You don’t need to keep apologizing to me about it. We both said things we weren’t exactly proud of. I know you’re sorry, it’s truly okay. I should really be apologizing to you.”

Rory shook her head, sitting up straighter. "No, stop just-" She let out a huff, trying to get her head in the right order. "Just let me say this. I'm not just sorry for the fight - though that's a major part of it, I was a fucking bitch. But, I'm sorry for everything since I got back from that quest. I was barely a person, let alone a halfway decent girlfriend." Her eyes moved away from him, focusing back on the dog as the words continued to spill out of her. "I was so determined to pretend that I was okay, so that people wouldn't worry about me, but I was a fucking wreck inside, and I know that you saw that, but I still just...kept it from you, I don't know." Her eyes now tilted up, willing away the shine that was now over her eyes. "I guess I'm just sorry that I put you through all of that."

Keaton sighed slightly. “Rory, you put me through that for like two months. I put you through that for five years,” he said. “You do not have to apologize for losing it. Everyone loses it eventually, it’s just a matter of when.” Keaton looked away from her for a moment, working up the courage to speak about what was on his mind. “I think I got so protective because I knew you were hurting and there was nothing I could do to help you because I couldn’t even help myself. I didn’t know what to do. You were the one who was always strong for me, and when I needed to be that person for you, I didn’t know how to be? I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard when I knew you weren’t ready. When I saw you go through this, I was scared honestly, I was scared that you were going to ignore it for so long and end up like I did. I want that for no one, especially not for you.”

Keaton shifted. “I don’t, I don’t know if Mikey told you, but over the summer when I left camp, I uh, had myself committed to this mental health facility. I’m not ashamed of that, really.” Keaton looked at her again. “I learned a lot this about coping and myself... and our past.” He sighed slightly. “What I’m trying to say is, you deserve a break for it, because losing it and putting me through it, it’s not weakness and it’s not bad, it’s just life. It sucks and it’s messy, but no one can even blame you for that. I admit, it definitely could’ve been handled a lot better on both our parts, but what matters is that you’re not losing it anymore.”

Rory wanted to speak up and defend him against himself, but the words wouldn't come out. Cause honestly? She couldn't fight the truth in them. She wasn't sure what she needed when she in the thick of her mental issues and breakdown, but everything that Keaton did to help only made her feel more overwhelmed. So she just stayed silent, letting him rant just as he did for her, looking back down at the dog in her lap when he talked about not wanting her to end up like him. She hated that found herself agreeing to it.

As he continued, her head flashed back up, eyes furrowed in confusion at the mentioning of a health facility. "No...Mikey didn't say anything to me." Probably because she spent a chunk of time not talking to Mikey much at all, but that wasn't the point. Acting on instinct, she reached around the german, resting her hand lightly on top of his. "I'm proud of you, though. A few years ago I never thought I'd be hearing you say this. That took a lot of strength, Keat. Everything's still a bit messy, but we're working on it, on ourselves, so I think it's steps in the right direction."

Keaton nodded in agreement with Rory. "I really am sorry for how I tried to go about everything, you deserved so much more than that, and I really understand and see that now. I'm sorry I didn't really get it before," he told her. Silence fell between the two for a moment, Keaton looked at her hand on his. He wanted to move his, but he honestly missed it. Though, he wasn't going to think too much of it.

"Would we just be able to start over? I mean, we wouldn't erase the years between us, obviously. Honestly, I don't think we could. More of like, start new? We've changed a lot over the last year, so it's not like we can just start from where we left off." Keaton looked at her again. "I would really like if we could start as friends again, honestly I've really missed being able to talk to my best friend. Without all the war, and the pain, and everything. Like actually be friends. That's if you're comfortable with that. If you're not, that's totally okay too, I'll understand if you're not."

A small, sad smile appeared on her face. "I think we both did. I'm sorry too." As the silence dragged on, Rory pulled her hand away, moving it to brush some hair out of her hair before returning it to lay gently against Sheep. She turned her head to look out at the lake, feeling a breeze of calm wash over her despite the conversation currently happening.

Keaton's next words cause a smile to grow on her face, not a full one, but it was a smile none the less. She thought back on their friendship before the war, at how happy they were and how well they fit together as friends. She did find herself missing that version of them, or at least the idea of those two people. "Yeah, I think i'd like that. It won't be easy, though I think both of us already knew that." She turned her head to look back at Keaton. "But I'm definitely willing to try."

Keaton nodded. "I think we both recognize that we need like just to be friends for a while, so it's worth a shot. I'm told I need to be a kid for once, rather than feeling like I need to take everything on," he shrugged as if it was like no big deal, but it was really something he struggled with, is struggling with. "If you're down, it would be really cool to do some things that we've never done as friends, like stupid teenager shit."

Nodding along to his words, Rory couldn't help but smiling a little bit as she joked. "You definitely do, I was always the more childish one between us." Loosening up would do wonders for Keaton, she had always thought that, and was glad to hear the same idea come from his own mouth this time around. "Yeah, sure thing. Just uh, you can text me whenever you have an idea."

Keaton nodded at Rory in response, a smile growing on his own face. "Will do."

#d:keaton #discord #d:keatonrory #keaton #keatonrory

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skiachtro · 5 years

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there’s something off about what he’s been tracking. this morning he had this feeling, this shift in atmosphere. something’s going to happen today, is what he was thinking. the whole day went by. nothing. it turned dark, and the faint sound of leaves crackling and feet shuffling don’t go unnoticed. so he grabs his weapons, puts on his coat, and heads out to the space surrounding camp. the last thing they need is a break in ; the last time there was one of those, luke got captured. he doesn’t want that for him. for any of them. head dipped low, feet quiet in their step, he easily blends in, seamlessly moving from one cover to the next. this sound.. it’s taking him farther... farther... farther... FWING. a dagger damn near misses his head, and he finds himself back up against a tree, breath heavy. christ. ❝ -- all right! ❞ he calls out, quietly-- slowly beginning to unsheathe his knife close to his stomach. ❝ ain’t no need to fight! what do you want? food? shelter? ❞

silence. stillness.

the world stops, and after what seems like minutes, he hears a light thud as something hits the ground. eyebrows furrow, and he’s not immediately moving. he isn’t sure he wants to fall for it. sniffle. whimper. sniffle. now that-- that sounds like... -- a little girl?? slowly, cautiously, he begins to peek from behind the tree, knife held close to his chest, ready to strike. his eyes, instead, find a small figure in the dim moonlight. he squints, like that’s going to help the issue, and lets his guard down, stepping away from the tree. ❝ hey.. you all right there? do-- ❞ he’s advancing rather anxiously, continuously glancing around himself. this would be perfect bait -- but how could he leave something so precious to fend for herself? ❝ -- do you got parents? ❞ voice soft, he puts his knife over he leg when he crouches down, gently reaches for the hair that’s covering her face, tucking it behind her ear. ❝ ah, that’s better! you’re bein’ modest, ❞ he teases. she’s cute, small... reminds him of his daughter. the age this girl is happens to the around the same age when maddison and nadine [ his wife ] left. coincidence, right? small world. ❝ you lost, darlin’? ❞ she doesn’t respond, remains curled up, and he starts to wonder if there’s more to this. he isn’t stupid, he knows almost every trick ; all those years of training didn’t go unnoticed. she won’t answer, won’t really respond to his touch, either. he’s just about to turn around, feeling another kind of shift, when he feels a blade press to the curve of his shoulder where it meets his neck. ah, shit. she’s fine. she’s just deaf, idiot. a soft yet firm, solid voice sounds from behind him, and it makes his heart skip a beat. it’s so familiar, but nowadays any kid could sound like maddie if he had the blessing of hearing one.

over time, he eventually sets his knife down on the ground, hands up on either side of his head in surrender. he doesn’t like that his back is to her. he puts his hands on the back of his head now. ( he’ll comply as long as he has to, until he sees an opening. ) ❝ all right, all right. you win. ❞ i know. confident, bubbly -- it’s almost a cruelty to say it, but this kid seems well adapted. definitely able to take care of herself. the little girl in front of him pops up at the sight of the girl standing behind him, breaks out a smile, reaches out with excited grabby-hands to take the granola bars her sister ( ? ) is giving to her. granola bars that were in abe’s bag. that’s fine. they need it more than he does, no hard feelings. you got a place? he chuckles, ❝ you think if i did that they’d be welcomin’ you with open arms while you’re bringin’ me in as a hostage in my own camp? ❞ who says i’d bring you with me when i finally want to go in? i could just kill you now. can’t be that far away from here, i could find it. ❝ i said if i had a camp-- ❞ don’t bullshit me, asshole! oh. okay. he understands the need to compensate, if you could even call it that. a young child, female nonetheless, that is in this cruel world alone? the girl in front of her was so small, and he imagines the one behind him is as well. -- they were so little when this all started. ❝ all right, look.. i’ll help you out. i will bring you back to my camp.. and i’ll keep you behind me. let them know you’re with me. ❞ what makes you think i believe that? ❝ if you’re as desperate as you seem, you don’t have much of a choice, darlin’. ❞ her eyebrows furrow, looking to her little sister, face twisted, lips puckered ; she’s thinking. max shrugs in front of her, maddie scoffs. fine. but if you try anythin’ funny-- ❝ i won’t. don’t you think i could have taken the two of you on by now? ❞ well.. now that she thinks about it... this is a six-foot-two inch man, and they’re, at most, four-foot-seven. or that’s what you want us to think. ❝ honest to god, you can tie me up if you want to. ❞ she looks at him in disbelief. okay, now you’re reaching. ❝ look.. i had a little girl like her, ❞ expression is downright pitiful as he turns on his knee, wanting to see the girl behind him. and when he finally does: ❝ maddison? ❞ this strong, fierce girl, ready to kill him ( is still a strong, fierce girl, but ) -- she crumbles.

-- daddy? DADDY!

her sword is dropped and she rushes forward, wrapping her little arms around his neck, ultimately tackling him to the floor. at first he doesn’t respond, he’s too busy chuckling. and then that chuckling turns into laughing, and that laughing turns into hysterical laughter. he reaches his hand up, puts it over his eye as though to shield himself from sun ( even though there is none ), he just can’t believe it. ❝ m--madison-- ❞ he’s laughing, he’s CRYING, he’s sitting up immediately to grab her face, look her over. his flesh, his blood. his everything. ❝ oh my god-- oh my god, you’re here-- you’re okay! you’re okay!! oh my god-- ❞ arms wind around her tight, pull her against his chest in a tight, warm hug. ❝ oh, baby girl-- oh, god, how did you get here? where’s your mama at?? ❞ both girls look sad at that, and he furrows his brows at that. looks from max back to maddie, tilts his head. ❝ maddie, what happened? ❞ it takes her a moment, but she keeps it together, soldiers on. at the beginning.. some of your friends came and got us. the higher up guys? anyway, um.. they took us to this facility. everything was okay for a while, but eventually it started to get overrun. the virus was spreading, and they had this emergency protocol? ❝ what protocol? what was the name? ❞ i don’t know, i don’t remember. ❝ okay-- it’s okay, it’s okay. it’s already happened, nothin’ we can do to change it. keep goin’, baby. ❞ i’m sorry, daddy. ❝ no, baby, you’re doin’ perfect. i promise. ❞ she nods. there were a lot of explosions... we barely got out, but mama got stuck.. his head falls back, looking up at the stars for a moment, ❝ god damnit, nadine.. ❞ he misses her. he didn’t want her to go when she had to, and neither did she, but it was the safest thing for maddie at the time. and for nadine, her mother, abe’s wife. ( ex-wife. ) he pushes tears away ; right now it’s easy to move on because he has his baby back, he has -- wait..

confused expression takes over, and he looks back forward to find maddie’s eyes. ❝ you said-- we.. barely got out. you mean you and-- ❞ he nods towards max, ❝ -- her? ❞ maddie nods. ❝ well wh---ere did you find her? ❞ didn’t find ‘er, daddy. she was mama’s. ❝ she was-- ❞ okay, this is a lot. he’s clearly gotten flush, falling back onto his bottom on the ground, and he puts his head between his knees. -- mama always said she was yours.. the wind is knocked out of him, and he can’t do much to cover it up. terror, shock -- it’s written all over his face, and he can’t find any kind of stability.

❝ abel! ❞ a harsh whisper, one hoping to grab attention.

abe twists his head around to find a dark silhouette as it begins to approach, and the closer it gets the more obvious it is to him who it is: willow. she’s a saving grace. what are you doing here? ❝ i could ask you the same thing! who-- ❞ the eldest girl chimes in, i’m maddie! now not only is abel shocked, so is willow. because she’s taken the time to get to know everyone, she’s taken the time to figure out his past and the name of his daughter, and-- ❝ ... maddie?.. you’re-- ❞ i’m his little girl. ❝ oh, jesus christ-- ❞ she’s sorry for the language, but she thinks the situation deserves it. ❝ and who’s-- ❞ her finger points to the younger girl, and this is where abe chimes in: she’s my daughter, too. willow looks to the man on the ground ; how can someone look so shattered but so whole at the same time? a smile is offered to maddie as she steps in closer, crouches down to be face to face with abel. ❝ hey, ❞ she speaks soft, just so he can hear. ❝ i can’t imagine what you’re going through, but you know we can’t be out here. ❞ i know. ❝ hey-- i know you know. ❞ he needs to know that. he needs to know she isn’t doubting him-- because she isn’t. he’s smart, strategic, tactical. he nods slowly at what she says, appreciating the reassuring smile she passes on. ❝ but you also know what we’re bringing them home to. ❞ i know.. but i’m not ever leaving them again. ❝ and i wouldn’t ask you to-- ❞ but it’s dangerous with him, too, i know. but there’s all of us, and he’s barely around. i really think you should talk to rose, too. ❝ why the hell would i do that? ❞ because she knows a lot. and a lot of what she knows are his secrets. ❝ no, i know his secrets. ❞ this isn’t time to be jealous. he isn’t someone to fight over. he isn’t worth the effort. you know he’s out of control, and you know that anything can happen with him. they are in danger, even at home. ❝ i will take care of it-- ❞ willow, ❝ -- abe.. i will. i swear on my life. this is my responsibility, he’s my responsibility. this is my job, and i promise you.. i won’t let anything happen to them. ❞ she means that, she believes that, but sometimes it just isn’t enough. scarecrow is unpredictable. i will kill him myself if i have to. chewing on her bottom lip, she looks anywhere but him ; she knows he would, and he stands a better chance than most of them. he’s a good fighter, an even better sniper. ❝ i know. but that’s a last resort. ❞ a compromise. he gives a quick nod, a silent contract bound.

she’s gotten him focused on something else, eased his panic attack. he’s starting to breathe normally again, calm down, and willow turns to look at the two girls. ❝ hi, there.. -- i’m willow. ❞ maddie speaks up, i like your tattoos. willows hands go up to her own neck, running her fingers down her chest in a gesture of faux shock, gasping, ❝ these ol’ things? please! ❞ the two girls chuckle, and the woman’s voice goes more serious. ❝ -- but thank you, sweetie. ❞ i don’t think daddy would ever let me get one.. ❝ not unless we run into kat von D, honey. ❞ she wouldn’t trust anyone else... except for her old artist. a glance back to abe, reassuring pat on his leg, and she stands. she’ll take over for him, help guide him. ❝ all right, girls. let’s get you back home. short road trip, anyone?! �� maddie nods her head excitedly, and once max sees her sister do that, she joins in ( despite not knowing what the fuck is going on ). ❝ this way, m’ladies. ❞ it’s going to be a long night.

#* drab. the defiant.#* canon. the defiant.#* dyn. the crows.#* dyn. abe and maddie.#* dyn. abe and max.#* canon. the brave.#* canon. the sneaky princess.

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ejm513 · 6 years

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RANDOM HEAD CANNONS PT. 2

Hello my lovelies! While I finally battle through my disaster of a room and work out how to go about the next chapter of my fanfic, I thought I’d do another random head cannon post (months after the last one…)

So let’s get started!

-The Riveras SLOWLY allow music back into their lives. It starts with Miguel being able to sing to Mama Coco, as it clearly helps with her memory and her whole emotional being. As I said before I am convinced if the events in the movie had not happened, or had Miguel not had thought to sing to Mama Coco she would not have lasted much longer. By the end of the movie it’s clear she’s slipping further and further away. Obviously you can’t stop the inevitable, but things like music, and just being loved can make a big difference and the family sees that. Throughout the year music slowly starts to creep in. Family members (even Abuelita) will find themselves humming while they work. The children are allowed to take music classes at school. When the children (Miguel, Abel and Rosa) express desires to learn an instrument they’re allowed to. Then it turns into playing music softly while they work. By the next Dia de Muertos music is a cherished part of their lives once more.

-Miguel may love music… but that doesn’t mean he knows about the mechanics of music. When he looks at real music for the first time he says what I said when I had got the music for Mendholson Elijah;

“What the actual fuck?! How am I supposed to do this?”

-Miguel then proceeds to immediately get in trouble for swearing.

-Miguel isn’t necessarily the type of swear (I mean he’s 12 in the movie) but sometimes it just comes out without thinking.

-Miguel also has to really work at learning the technical part off music.He has talent and an aptitude for sure, but he has to work very hard at it. Honestly he considers it a miracle he was able to write “Proud Corazón”

-Miguel soaks up every type of music he can and I mean EVERYTHING. He’ll listen to any kind of music-from the various kinds of music native to Mexico, to pop, to emo, to country, to rap and hip hop and musicals. He will give anything a chance. He just loves it all and wants to learn all he can.

-Obviously I think Miguel would go into music as an adult, I also think there could be another path for him-history. Why history? Well at it’s core what is history? It’s telling the stories of the past and keeping the memory of what happened and those who lived long ago alive. After his time in the Land of the Dead I can see Miguel being almost obsessive about keeping the memories of those who have passed alive. He also just finds the subject interesting. It’s his favorite besides music.

-As it turns out Miguel is not that only Rivera with an interest in history. There’s Victoria (no shocker there), but the other person who had a interest in the subject was Imelda. Yup. I can see Imelda being type of person to be fascinated by history and other cultures and soaks up everything she can. Where as Tia Rosita, Hector and to some extent Victoria prefer reading novels you’ll find Imelda reading a big history book-most likely about European history. She’s fascinated by Russian and German history because it’s so different from Mexican history.

-In fact I have this idea that if she living in our time she would be a history teacher. I’m itching to write a fan fic about that but that’ll have to wait.

-Why do I think this? Compared to Hector-who is very creative and artistic- I think is Imelda is far more intellectual. I mean she learned how to make shoes, created and ran her own business. That says a lot about how her brain works. I could easily see her relaxing with a big history book and just enjoying learning.

-Both Hector and Imelda are what we would call today total nerds-just in their own special and unique ways.

-People always underestimate Tia Rosita because she is so bubbly and nice-and that is a big mistake. She showed she is a complete bad ass while fighting off Ernesto’s guards. She is far smarter than anyone gives her credit for. She is the only member of the family before the younger generation (Miguel and his cousins) who can speak a second language-English. She’s very interested in languages but never got the chance to learn anything other than English.

-Though Victoria tries to hide it with all her might she has a soft spot for those sill romantic novels her Tia likes to read. She always tries to read them in secret but of course she got caught and is now thoroughly embarrassed by the habit. Though… not embarrassed enough to stop reading them.

-Julio is a fantastic dancer. He could have been a professional if he wanted to-but of course a happy life with Coco was far better than any career as a dancer.

-Julio and Coco dance a lot in the afterlife. It’s always a very simple slow dance due to their age, but they try their best to make up for lost time. a

-Victoria wasn’t Coco’s first pregnancy. She got pregnant very early on in their marriage (like honeymoon baby type of early), but unfortunately, she had miscarriage in the early weeks of the pregnancy. It’s something either of them can’t really talk about, even if the afterlife.

-Though Hector adores his daughter and Coco is thrilled to have her Papa back, once the excitement calms down after their initial reunion (like a day or two after she comes) things get a little… awkward. Hector hasn’t seen her since she was toddler who still needed help to dress herself. Of course he knew she would grow up and grow old but… it’s a different thing to be faced with the reality of it. Hector kind of tip toes around her, trying to give himself a chance to see what she’s like as an adult. Coco doesn’t entirely understand and it a little confused. This continues for a about a week or two until Coco taps him on the shoulder one day and says;

“Let’s talk Papa.”

-They sit and talk, getting to know each other not as adults and forming an adult father and daughter relationship. It involves a lot of well meaning teasing, laughing and being able to talk about pretty much anything.

#coco #pixar coco #random headcanon pt 2 #Hector Rivera #imelda rivera #miguel rivera #Coco Rivera

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