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antebellumite · 1 year

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Antebellum Peeps ( TM ) As Dogs

some people and dogs were not included. include more at your leisure..

Albert Gallatin is a Labrador Retriever. He's smart, resourceful, basic, but he also gives very reasonable person vibes, even if he can feel a little boring at times. Still, that complete uninterestingness is what makes him special.

Samuel Howe is a Schnauzer. He's caring, social, protective of what he cares about for as long as he cares about it. I have never seen another dog that looks as much like a misogynist than schnauzers do. I like to think the ears and muzzle hair fit him.

William Lloyd Garrison is a Doberman. Proud, looks intimidating at first, and doesn't forget or forgive easily. Noble, just generally popular and well known. You can always depend on him to do what's right, even if it’s not exactly what you want him to do. This is Garrison as a dog breed, but also for him as a human being.

Floride Calhoun is a Chow Chow. High strung, bites strangers, and judges and ranks everyone based on their usefulness and importance to her. Fatalistic, cruel, probably some unresolved trauma as a natural consequence of being a Christian White Southern Woman in 1800s. Very Chow Chow behaviors.

Thomas Benton is a Rottweiler. Like a doberman, but more stocky, Benton is courageous, good-natured ( when he isn't faced with Clay, Calhoun, or Foote ), and confidently self assured. He's a stereotypical police dog, MANLY.

Andrew Jackson is a Canary Dog in behavior and a Greyhound in physique. He is large. He engages in dogfights. He looks fast, but is actually fairly chill and doesn't mind being lazy. He could rip someone apart. He WILL rip someone apart. He drools. He contains multitudes.

Benjamin Brown French is a Goldendoodle. Like a goldendoodle, French was created upon this Earth for one purpose. For a goldendoodle, that purpose was to remind mankind of their hubris. For French, it was to be the guiding voice of The Field of Blood. Both of them are lovable and funny unique abominations in the worst/best way.

Charles Sumner is an Akita. A very sleep deprived Akita with heart issues. Very strong, large, bear-like, and could probably take down a tank if he could. Like an Akita, though, Sumner is long-lasting and has thick skin! Metaphorically.

Harriet Martineau is a Papillon. Intelligrnt, petite, friendly, and has a much smaller stature than most of the other dogs on here, and despite not being American, is actually much more well-educated about American politics than actual Americans! She is also tiny but gives an air of great dignity and royal elegance as well a cuteness.

Julia Howe is a Wetterhoun. She's a water dog, with a natural talent, and despite being fairly reserved, gets along well with other people. She also has a strong will and won't back down from a challenge and is actually way more tolerant and patient than most people around her notice or give her credit for.

Daniel Webster is a Mastiff. Like a Mastiff, Webster is SCARY HUGE, has a reputation as being noble and almighty, and is the perfect fighting dog ( in terms of debate ). They both reportedly have the exact same mouth shape. He's also not easily provoked, similar to the Mastiff, and is pretty docile and domesticated when it really comes down to it.

Harriet Beecher Stowe is a German Shepherd. She's willing to learn, incredibly curious, smart and she's actually competant at what she sets out to do. Stowe, also like a german shepherd, is a very recognizable kind of figure, just like how german shepherds are recognizable dog breeds.

John Calhoun is a Border Collie. He, like a Border Collie, is terrifyingly smart. Calhoun is also adaptable ( to changes in political climate ) and great at herding ( his colleagues to secessionist ideals ), like a border collie.

Jefferson Davis is a Skye Terrier. Only ever had one person he actually loved ( his first wife ), and never moved on after her death. Like a Skye Terrier, gives off large amounts of old man energy. Had some pretty funky facial hair too once you stop and think about it. I also think it's funny how I'm assigning Davis a super tiny dog when in real life he was like Abraham Lincoln's hight.

John Quincy Adams is a Shiba Inu. BOLD and ridiculously PROUD and incredibly CLEAN and GRUMPY and INDEPENDENT and UNHAPPY and DIGNIFIED and ALOOF and THERE IS LITERALLY NO OTHER DOG THAT FITS JQA MORE.

William Seward is a Siberian Husky. Seward, similar to a Husky, is stubborn, clever, capable, and despite having great intentions, does tend to have some odd ideas at times. He’s extremely determined in his tasks, perhaps overly so. They're both also dogs that are instantly recognizable on sight, and have something to do with Alaska.

John Randolph is a Pug. He just is. His health issues are infinite. He looks hideous. He is tiny. He vibrates with rage at any given moment. Every noise that he makes only alienates him more. He is such a pug I genuinely can't imagine him as anything else, even before he contracted tuberculosis.

Rachel Donelson Jackson is a Bichon. She just wants to live her life, and move on, similar to a Bichon's passive nature. Chill, going with the flow. She and Bichons share the same vibes.

Nicholas Biddle is a Pomeranian. Tiny and extroverted and happy and friendly and lively and playful! Loves being in the center of attention like any other pomeranian. Both Biddle and Pomeranians have fantastic hair and are always alert about changes in their enviroment, and aren't afraid to challenge others. Often to their own detriment.

Mary Todd Lincoln is a West Highland White Terrier. Like a West Highland White Terrier, Mary Lincoln is tiny, and has a temper that can vary wildly depending on what's going on and who she's with. She hates being rough handled and is normally assured, stubborn and self-confident.

Louisa Adams is a Pitbull. Intelligent, trustworthy, kindhearted, and genuinely a good person even if it might not seem like that at first. She enjoys taking humorous situations literally, or at least with tongue in cheek, and if you wrong her she will not let it go. She's also a pretty medium-sized figure, both in society and as a dog.

Abraham Lincoln is a Great Dane. Because TALL politicians mean TALL dogs. Yet, despite being an imposing figure, he's genuinely friendly and is incredibly loving and devoted towards others, including strangers and especially children! He's just in general laidback, but make no mistake, can definately become dangerous if you provoke him.

Henry Clay is a Collie. His defining feature is that he's sensitive and keenly aware of other's emotions, as well as very goal-oriented and is terrified of any prospect of failure on his part. He can be " single-minded to the point of obsessiveness." And like a certain other collie on this list, Clay is also great at herding people towards desired politics.

Fanny Longfellow is a Golden Retriever. Gentle, smart, affectionate, adorable, and is incredibly tolerant of outsiders. Her friendliness is the stuff of legends, and she was incredibly popular and well known ( although not very much today ). She'll gladly pull others into her family, and she just gives really shiny Good Vibes.

Stephen Douglas is a Jack Russel Terrier. A bite that's ten times larger than his size and is very, very, fearlessly, active. If left bored or unhappy, Douglas will do great damage, like kickstarting Bloody Kansas. The Jack Russel Terrorist if left to his own devices.

Margaret Bayard Smith is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Loyal, devoted, and surprisingly responsible. She has hidden insecurities and despite what others might see as drawbacks, she has shown her effectiveness, intelligence, and presence time and time again.

Theodore Parker is a Chihuaha. He's a good guy and just wants to make sure that things turn out well for his friends and family. He's smaller than you might think he should be, but what he lacks in physical strength, he can easily make up for in bullets and words. He also needs serious modern medical intervention.

Martin Van Buren is a Pekingnese. Ridiculously fancy and small. Like a Pekingnese, also recognizably cold and determined, and tends to manipulate those around him, and tends to be stubborn and set in his ways. Yes, he truly does seem to make his own rules on how the world works, but he makes up for it by being a dandy.

Varina Davis is a Cocker Spaniel. Fancy and her hair is fantastic, gives very prestigious vibes about her. She is independent if needed, but still cares for others. Despite this, she still does have a vicious streak a mile wide.

Anna Maria Calhoun Clemson is an Australian Cattle Dog. A very intelligent herding dog, like her father, and closely resembles him. She can actually be pretty affectionate, but knows what she wants and definitely isn't afraid to nip people or bite to get there.

Adele Douglas is a Poodle, But specifically, she's of the medium-large variety. She's larger than Stephen Douglas that's for sure. She's intelligent, fancy, traditionally feminine, and is better than you in every way. She's loyal and greatly sociable and energetic. She's protective of her family, and loves them, even after they're dead.

Anne Royall is a Keeshond. She's relatively unknown, similar to a Keeshond, and can learn very quickly. She's a quick learner, intuitive, empathetic, and very persistant in what she believes in what's right, no matter what anyone else tries to tell her.

Lucretia Clay is a Newfoundland. She's calm, motherly, supportive, and a little larger than life. Doesn’t like crowds. She also has great athletic ability, which might or might not include swimming. Not sure about Newfoundlands’ business skills regarding her though.

Hugh Lawson White is an Afghan Hound. They're both dignified and aloof with a clownish streak and have also fantastic hair. White, like the Afghan Hound breed, is very old. Or at least, I always imagine him as being old.

Jessie Benton Fremont is an Alaskan Malamute. Big, smart, in charge, very influential. Prominent in her day, similar to an Alaskan Malamute and both her and the breed are distinguished and recognized today. Both of them also have something to do with a gold rush, one Californian, one Alaskan.

Susan B. Anthony is an Azawakh. She's independent and determined, as well as intuitive and understanding about what's going on around her. She's typically reserved, and while not aggressive, it does take some time and sensibility to get to know her. Fast, and both organize in groups to take down enemies.

Louisa May Alcott is a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Genuinely happy, enthused, collected, and satisfied with what she has. She's confident in nature and works well with children and her family members. Despite this, she's also vigilant, and can be outspoken and revolutionary if you pay attention. Inclusively, the four Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs all contain vaguely Alcott-like traits- a fitting parallel to Little Women.

Emily Tennessee Donelson is a Borzoi. She's calm, reliable, and tends to follow others' instructions, but she's also independent and can be rebellious at times. She doesn't need you or anyone, and quite frankly, she doesn't have many strong feelings about leaving if she doesn't feel respected. I realize I am painting a very weird picture of the Donelson-Jackson family here but just listen to me ok.

Robert Hayne is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Adaptable, highly affectionate, playful, patient, eager to please, and both of them have a higher mortality than others. Both Hayne and the CKCS breed are both highly adorable and dandy-ish as well.

Margaret Eaton is a Basenji. She's friendly, a bit gossipy, though reserved with strangers. She cannot be trained and she and the Basenji both resemble pariahs in their lifetime. She has her own goals and wants and isn't afraid to try and reach them. Eaton also just in general feels like she'd be a sort of square, short-furred kind of dog, and I also think she doesn't like wet spaces.

Henry Longfellow is a Samoyed. He's optimistic and friendly and lovable and unique and I have an instant revulsion against using the same dog breed twice, otherwise, he'd be a Golden Retriever. The Samoyed's incredibly long and poofy white coat also resembles the long beard that Longfellow developes later on in life.

Sarah Polk is a Yorkshire Terrier. Fairly humble, but still elegant, important, and an air of prominence if she feels like it. She also isn't often taken seriously, despite her genuine great advice, but that's okay, because through god and girlbossification all this are possible.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is a Schipperke. Determined, steadfast, sturdy, and like a Schipperke, is great at organizing and 'herding' people into organizing movements and the like. She's also a rarer kind of dog breed because the portraits taken of her look very prim and proper, which I'm pretty sure was all on purpose, but either ways, it still works.

Maud Howe is a Saluki. She is very freelancing, independent, and a rather creative person, all of which are incredibly similar vibes to a Saluki. She's shy, but despite this is also a socialite and interacts with others, playing a part and serving in various societies to help her community. She seems like a very special person, in the end, and really does deserve to be called a special breed of dog.

Sarah Goodridge is an English Setter. She's a gentlewoman by nature, intensely friendly, and she's very active and adores visitors, as well as being sensitive to criticism.

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imherongraystairstrash · 1 year

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Dontou have hc with them with alex during the first years post chot?

Hello! I have SO MANY Alex hcs! Though I will say, it was hard to limit myself to when he was so young, so I included some older Alex hcs as well because I just couldn’t help myself hahah

-After Kit’s death, Alex used to sleep with their cat (Marie Purrie) even though Cecily had forbidden ever since they got the cat. When Cecily found out about this, she turned a blind eye

-He has nightmares until he’s about 5 years old. For the first year, it’s every night and he wakes up screaming and thrashing. Slowly, he begins having them less, but they are still constant until he turns six (that is, a little over two years after chot). While he stops screaming in his sleep, the dreams are still incredible vivid. Sometimes, when they’re especially rotten, he’ll slip into his parents room to seek their comfort. He doesn’t like waking his mother, so he sort of sits beside her bed until Cecily inevitably wakes from nightmares of her own, and notices him there. Of course, she reaches out and immediately folds him into her arms. Alex loves sleeping in his mother’s arm because he rarely gets nightmares when he’s with her.

- Alex has always been interested in being a warrior (His name fitting, as it means “defender of men”) but after the events of chot, he becomes obsessed with the idea of saving people, kind of like Kit was. Only instead of saving them through science, Alex wants to save them through combat fighting. As a child, he reads about weapons religiously and it always seeking guidance from the older shadowhunters around him, to help make him a better warrior.

Older Alex:

-Gabriel and Cecily get him a pet dog once they deem him old enough to take care of one (that is, when he’s about twelve or thirteen years old). She’s a border collie that has mostly black hair, though she has a bit of white on her snout and paws. Alex named her Helia. Nobody knew why; Alex always kept the reason to himself: it was in homage of his science-loving brother, since Helium is the second element in the periodic table, and Christopher was the second child.

-I think something changed in Alex after chot; I feel like if there were an alternate universe in which he was never kidnapped and Kit never died, Alex would have been completely different: happier, more carefree, sarcastic and a bit flirty. But because the events in chot happened, I think of him being more like Alec (funny enough) and Julian in the sense that he’s more quiet and puts high expectations for himself.

-Alex’s worst enemy is himself

-He’s INCREDIBLE with the bow and arrow. Just amazing. He never misses, even if the shot seems impossible. His arrows go at a deadly speed and hit their mark impeccably. At fifteen years old, the Clave awarded him with a medal for being one of the best archers in his age range (14-18) in recorded Nephilim history. Alex was embarrassed, not liking the fact that he had to stand in a room full of people staring at him as he received the medallion.

I’m going to stop here in case I’m boring you hahah

Thank you for the askk 💕💕

#chot spoilers #tsc #tlh #alex Lightwood #gabriel lightwood #cecily lightwood #chot #Ana hc #anon asks

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darkmatter-nebula · 11 months

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You voted for it, and you're gonna get it! The "Lost But Now Found" AU fanfic where Colli and Hunter stumble into a Silent Hill-esque situation! A road trip takes a nightmarish turn for the small starboy and the young Grimwalker. Let's get ready to rumble, my dear fellas!

One-Shot: The Cult

It was a quiet night. The most inseparable pair of brothers, a certain young Grimwalker and a certain small starboy with otherworldly fluffy lavender hair and a heart of gold, was on a road trip. Just the two of them and their best friend Flapjack.

Colli had a peaceful smile on his adorable multi-colored face as he was sleeping on the backseats of Hunter's car. Hunter's magenta eyes were filled to the brim with love and adoration for him. Out of a sudden, it was getting very foggy.

Hunter couldn't see anything and he immediately hit the brake of his car as fast as he could. For a unknown reason, the former Golden Guard and Flapjack fell unconsious as soon as the car stopped. Colli was in such a deep slumber that he was unaware of what was awaiting him...

"Ngh." Hunter finally stirred awake. "What the heck was that?" 《I don't know, Hunter!》 Flapjack was just as confused as the blonde boy. "Colli, are you alr-" Hunter couldn't end his sentence. "Colli? Where are you?" Hunter went wide eyed!

Colli, his beloved little brother and the light of his life, was missing! The kindhearted eternal little boy vanished without a trace! Hunter immediately left his car. He and Flapjack found themselves in a mysterious and very foggy town.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Hunter called, but no one answered. Hunter was determined to find Colli. He, along with Flapjack, decided to look for him in this... this scary Ghost Town. "I hope you're alright, my beautiful little Sunshine." Hunter whispered, his voice was filled with concern.

Meanwhile, Colli woke up. He found himself surrounded by people from a strange, and very fanatic, Cult. "Our guest is finally awake! Get our Leader, I'm sure he wants to speak to the boy." A cloaked figure said to a tall and brutish looking man.

Colli's heart was slamming against his ripcage as the Cult Leader stepped into the room. This man definitely was bad news! "Greetings, my boy. Do not fret, I'm not going to hurt you... yet." 'Y-yet?!' Colli thought with a scared expression.

"Who are you? And what do you want from me?" Colli asked, his small body was visibly trembling. "You're going to be our source for immortality and eternal youth! We know about you, Colli Clawthorne-Noceda-Deamonne-Whispers." The Cult Leader spoke dangerously calm.

"B-but how?" As soon as Colli asked this, everyone in the room began to laugh. "We were watching you and your family for a while. We know how protective they are of you. Especially that blonde boy. Well, he and the bird are about to fall for our deadly traps!" The Cult Leader smiled sadistically.

Colli tried to put everyone to sleep with his magic. Unfortunately... "My magic isn't working...!" As it turned out, Colli had a collar around his neck. Said collar surpressed the immortal celestial boy's magic. "No...!" Colli whispered. The sweet little boy felt... he felt defeated.

At the same time, Hunter and Flapjack were fighting a whole army of nightmarish creatures. "Get out of my way! I'm not going to let anything happen to my little brother!" Hunter was fighting tooth and nail to get Colli back.

The unbreakable bond and unconditional brotherly love between Colli and Hunter were enough to give the sixteen years old boy the strength to keep going. "I'm going to save you, Colli. I promise!" Hunter whispered as he and Flapjack were fighting through the mass of monsters.

Hunter and Flapjack left behind a lot of dead monsters. "Wait for us, Colli. We'll be there in no time."

Colli's kind eyes were filled with fear as the brutish looking man seemed to be oddly interested in him. He carried Colli to a metallic table and strapped him onto it. "Only a few minutes remain, and we're going to be immortal. You're going to serve us for all eternity."

The man did something that let Colli's blood freeze. He caressed the blue side of his adorable multi-colored face. "You are a pretty little thing." As soon as the man was about to kiss Colli's freckled cheek, Hunter bursted through the door.

"GET YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF MY LITTLE BROTHER, YOU PERVERT!" Hunter managed to knock the giant man out. "Hunter! Flapjack! I'm so glad to see you alive and well!" Colli teared up with tears of joy as Hunter freed him from the weird table.

Flapjack used his beak to open the lock of Colli's collar. Colli was incredible relieved as his magic wasn't surpressed anymore. "Thank you so much!" Colli floated up into Hunter's loving arms. Unfortunately, there wasn't much time for affection.

"NO! The boy is ours!" The Cult Leader had a crazed expression as he arrived at the scene. Before everyone could attack Hunter with their weapons, Colli didn't hesitate to turn said weapons into harmless toys.

Then, the pacifistic little starboy used his magic to send everyone to into a deep slumber. Hunter, who teleported Colli and himself out of the building, had the urge to kill the people from the Cult.

But he knew that his purehearted little brother wouldn't want this. The most inseparable pair of brothers, along with the red cardinal, returned to Hunter's car. The blonde boy wrapped his arms around Colli and cuddled him close to his chest.

Hunter pressed with infinite tenderness his forehead against Colli's. Colli intertwined his fingers with Hunter's and visibly began to feel better. "Let's go home, My Love." Hunter whispered as he placed soft and loving brotherly kisses all over Colli's sweet face.

The End

#lost but now found au #the collector #hunter #clawthorne brothers #clawthorne-noceda-deamonne-whispers brothers #flapjack #fanfic

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colleenmurphy · 14 days

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"Cybil Flannery's missing you say? Can't say I'm too surprised, she always one to just...wander off somewhere when she got the itch to explore. Maybe she's going a little funny?"

Was all her former daughter-in-law could say before she carefully rolled her own hand rolled cigarette on the front porch of tidy white '67 Holiday Cottage, her shutters newly painted a deep plum to match her newly rehung front door.

"I'd be more worried about dealing with that dog of hers once you find her. Last I knew he was real mean."

Satisfied with her answers the local uniforms left her lot in peace leaving her to enjoy the summer sunshine and the gentle breeze along with the momentary quiet. The wind gently shook her wind chime collection before a soft whimper and a scratch at the inside of her front door caught her ears. Popping the hand roll into her mouth and lighting it carefully she sighed.

"Hang on, Buck I'm comin'."

Her former mother-in-law's mangy mean tempered mutt had stuck around after his mistress was carted over county and territory lines for some reason. Without the old woman's nasty temper he really was a good dog. After a few baths and a trip to the vet for some long needed care Buck was a new dog. They found out he had a preference for elk steaks and dark meat drum sticks with sweet potatoes over anything else in the world.

"It's amazing I can finally tell what color you are.."

His Labrador style double boat shined as bright as a copper penny in the sunshine. Laying his head on her knee as she sat back down in patio lounge he wiggled his ears and his tail at her. She'd made the mistake late one night after she'd finally relented and let him sleep in the house of leaving her rolling tray out on the coffee table after the twins were tucked in for the night and they both discovered that Buck enjoyed an occasional herbal elevation session.

"I already gave you an edible from your treat stash. You're the only dog I ever had to make weed cookies for before you know that?"

Her voice drifted into a sing song lilt as she hugged him and played with his ears. Dawn and Fawn could lead him around on a piece of yarn and he'd dutifully follow them and keep a close watch on his charges. The border collie in him was strong with the herding instinct. He even sorted the local cats and herded them off towards Denny's place, much to his delight as well as their brother Stevie's.

"So...I gotta ask you.."

Buck looked at her in a very human fashion almost as if he was waiting for her to continue. He huffed a 'go on...'

"How the hell did you end up with Cybil?"

Buck's ears went left then right twice and then down for a beat then up again. In her heart of hearts she knew the answer, just as she knew Buck knew how she'd ended up a Flannery.

"Frank baited you in with promises too huh?"

A sad sigh and another head on Mar's knee.

"We don't ever have to worry about that stupid fucker again, buddy...never again. If he comes anywhere near here, which he won't don't worry...I'm shooting him but not before you get to bite him in the balls."

A happy tail thumping sounded as Mary ventured back into the house to find another lighter and grab another special biscuit for Buck.

"Consider this pain and suffering allowance....sit, Buck."

Buck dutifully sat down like a gentleman and waited for his cheddar peanut butter snap Mary made for him special. The special ingredient being her homegrown. Given his age it seemed to help his anxiety and mild arthritis.

"Good boy!"

#Hidden Hills verse #Mary Colleen Delaney

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lillian-nator · 3 years

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Ranch AU

Or, as we all call it, The Cowboy AU

Essentially, this was something that I created, and it’s gonna be purely fluffy, with a small bit of angst here and there. Any of the angst will be hurt/comfort. It’s meant to make us all feel better after those fucking harsh lore streams. I started it, based off of some shit in the Dad!Schlatt AU, and after that I honestly didn’t write most of it. It had really been a project in the discord, because we were all sad and shit, so if you have some fluff to offer, please do! I am happy to make almost anything canon - and we could always use more ideas. :)

I hope you enjoy some mindless farm boi fluff!

BASIC INFO:

It's SBI's Ranch (Phil is Dadza, Tommy, Techno, and Wilbur are his sons)

Phil, sells to the local stores, and manages the crops. He doesn't do too much labor anymore. He hired his boys for that.

Dream, SapNap, Purpled, Tubbo, Callahan, and Punz are all hired farm hands

George, Niki, Ranboo, and Fundy work at the shop where they sell their products; Niki makes all of the dairy products, Fundy and Ranboo stock, label prices, and keeps track of sales, and George works customer service with his Gogy magic.

Wilbur works with the sheep, the goats, and he trains the dogs (Collies - they herd sheep), he also works with the crops a lot

Schlatt isn't hired but he might as well be. He can be found wherever Wilbur is, and is probably drinking a beer he stole from Phil. He doesn't get paid, but he eats all of their food.

Tommy works with the cows, the pigs, the chickens, the horses (sometimes), his goose, and the dogs / cats that they own

Tubbo works with Tommy. Essentially. But he also works on the crops, and the bee farm that they have set up.

Techno works with the horses, and is currently training to be a veterinarian.

Dream works on horses with Techno - they race the horses competitively - but otherwise, is where ever he is needed (usually crops)

Purpled works with Tommy and Tubbo. He mostly works with Tubbo on crops and his bee farm.

Punz and SapNap haul things. As your resident Chads, they are in-charge of moving heavy things and doing manual labor.

Callahan is their repair man. He fixes tractors, and machines on a daily basis.

SOME HEADCANNONS:

HENRY, a saga:

that henry has a matching bandana to the one Tommy has so that everyone knows thats henry. Tommy doesn't like it when people touch henry so henry gets a bandana - Shark -

when Phil first started raising Tommy, he would've never guessed that he would turn out the way he did.

He was loud, and brash, and hit his brothers, and made fun of the neighbor's kids, but then Tubbo became Tommy's best friend, and then Phil introduced Tommy to the cows.

The cows are Tommy's everything.

When a Bred Heifer is due, he sits with them everyday past their due date - he sat with Betty for 5 days when she wouldn't birth a calf. He was so fucking worried.

When one of his cows are sick, he sleeps in the barn until they get better. His last days with Harvey fucked him up.

Tubbo, Tommy, Purpled, and Ranboo spend long nights at the farm, and Tommy always leans against Henry as he stares up at the stars.

Henry who his best girl (all cows are girls and Tommy doesn't give a shit about gendered names). Henry who wears a matching bandana. Henry who is fluffy, and warm, and Tommy's everything. -

Sometimes when Tommy had a bad day, whether it’s stress, or school, or just whatever, Tommy sleeps in the Henry’s stall with her. Phil has so many pictures of Tommy curled up with Henry. From when she was first born to now. - Eye

Tommy hates winter because that’s the one time of year Phil won’t let him sleep in the barn. Even with the layers and heat lamps it’s too unsafe. Tommy always gets up extra early in the winter. Both because he has to check and break ice in the water troughs but also because he misses his girl - Eye -

Henry's mother, Betty, was the first Cow Tommy had helped during birth. He sat with her for 5 days when she hadn't gone into labor past her due date. It took 9 hours for Henry to be born, and Tommy was there through the entire thing -

Well, almost the entire thing. He was at school for the first hour of labor, and was so pissed at Phil when Phil knew and didn't immediately come get Tommy from School.

It always felt like Tommy and Henry had a special bond because Tommy literally raised Henry from birth. -

They didn't think Henry was gonna make it when she was first born, but Tommy was fucking determined, and bottle fed that cow every single day and night. When she was slowly weened off milk, Tommy got unironically sad that he didn't have to bottle feed her anymore.

He still visited her every morning, and milked her mother at dawn, right after he got eggs from his hens. -

Henry waits for Tommy at the end of their long ass drive way when he gets home from school. She knows that when the bus pulls up that her boy is back and so she’s always there waiting lazily for pets and a nice walk together back to the house. Even when it’s cold and someone is waiting for the kids to get home in an ATV or something Tommy always walks back to the house with Henry - Eye

Thinking about how long these fucking country roads are. And how Tommy and Tubbo have the same bus stop even though Tubbo and Tommy's houses are a couple of miles away. Tommy has to walk a mile to get to the beginning of his driveway, and seeing his favorite girl there is like a reward at the end of a journey. Tommy probably keeps a bag of feed in his backpack, which is just a mixture of grain, hay and corn, and gives Henry a handful to thank her for waiting for him.

Clementine, The Goose:

Tommy has a goose, and names it Clementine.

He found her in the woods one day, when she was very young, and he decided he was going to keep Clementine.

Clementine is only ever nice to Schlatt and Tommy. No one knows why.

Clementine follows Tommy around. Very endearing.

Phil doesn’t question it at this point

NEW MILO, the sequel:

OG Milo is a kitten that Wilbur found on the side of the road, in the rain, and he took the kitten in, trying to save him. Wilbur immediately got attached.

Techno pulled an all nighter, half spent trying to save OG Milo and the other half comforting Wilbur. "You couldn't have helped, he was too starved and out in the rain for too long." Phil adds that if Techno can't save something, it can't be saved. - Ethan

Wilbur's next cat was named New Milo in honor - Ethan

Anyway, New Milo has three kittens. Blood God, Boots (given to Fundy), and Bumbles (given to Tubbo). They're called the Bees and they were born Christmas Eve - Ethan

BLOOD GOD, the pussy:

Blood God is Techno's cat. Its just a ferall little molly that loves techno too much. - M -

After Techno helped New Milo have her litter, he wasn't originally gonna keep any of the kittens, but he saw this tiny thing with the orange muzzle and just: stole her.

He is also nicknamed Blood God, for both his skill in hunting and healing

He originally named her Piglet because the orange spot looked like a pig snout [the main reason he chose her and not her stronger littermates] but called her Blood God teasingly when he first adopted her

Wilbur didn't realize he meant it as a nickname and told everyone her name was Blood God

Techno still calls her Piglet, but everyone else calls her Blood God because that's the name on her collar.

Most of their cats aren't collared, but Phil made her a custom collar because he was worried she'd get lost hunting with Techno and Dream - Ethan -

Blood God is such a batshit cat. She's a runt, really, oddly small compared to her siblings, and she's their best mouser

She's the cat that everyone leaves scraps for, but never tries to pet out of fear

Often she'll climb up people's legs and sit on their shoulders, and it's the only time you can pet her.

She is very, very affectionate with Techno and he loves her very much. He has her very well trained, and she comes with him and Dream when they go hunting sometimes alongside a terrier.

She's a little itty bitty calico molly and she has an orange patch right over her muzzle - Ethan

TOMMY'S HENS, the chicks:

He gets real defensive of his hens. They lay eggs for him. They deserve to be treated well. -

Tommy does in fact have an egg incubator; Sometimes it's just better. Tommy prefers letting his hens care for their own eggs, but he does still use the incubator - Ethan -

Some chickens enjoy being thrown so they can flap and shit. A few days after passing ownership of the hens to Tommy, Phil is going down to the crops and just sees Tommy chucking his hens and watching them rush back to be thrown again

he feels a hint of "what the hell" but he notes the gentleness tommy does it with and how the chickens seem to be enjoying it and he shrugs and keeps walking - Ethan -

Once Wilbur was helping Tommy with the chickens and he dropped an egg

Unfertilized, of course, but Tommy looked like you'd just punted a toddler

Three years later, Wilbur isn't allowed to touch the eggs anymore

Tommy's paranoid he'll hurt a live one

"Get out." "What - Tommy it was an accident, it was just one egg." "If you aren't gonna treat Phoebe's eggs with care; You can get the fuck out." "Tommy -" "Out." -

the quality chicken eggs depends usually on how the chicken feels. While under his care, the eggs the chickens produced were really good.

Under Tommy's care? Phil's eggs tasted like horseshit in comparison - Ethan -

They have their like, main barn and to the side of it is a little pond. The chicken coops are a little beside it, with the singular duck coop (he only has four ducks) closest. He calls the area the Business Bay

AGES:

Tommy - 16 Tubbo - 16 Purpled - 17 Ranboo - 17

Techno - 19 Wilbur - 21 Schlatt - 19 Phil - idk like 45 or some dad shit

Fundy - 18 Niki - 19

SapNap - 18 Dream - 19 George - 20 Punz - 19 Callahan - 20

RANDOM HC’S:

Tubbo, Niki, Ranboo, and Fundy are siblings. -

Whenever they eat meat they talk about who they're eating.

They tell stories about their day and such but they always start dinner, when its meat, saying "rip lmao" and telling stories about them

...they don’t do it when they eat beef

Everyone sitting down with their plates of ham Wilbur: so who was it? Phil: Fern Tommy, already eating: rest in peace fern Techno: he shat on my boots once -

Each of the boys get a few animals that aren't allowed to be butchered.

Wilbur has Friend, Enemy, and Skit the Bull. (Wilbur wanted to name a Bull "Shit", but Phil said no because Tommy was 11 and already swearing too much for his liking)

Techno has none of the livestock. He only cares about Blood God, and his horses.

Tommy has a pig [currently unnamed], his Hens (6 or 7 of them, that lay eggs), and his dairy cows -

Phil is ALWAYS chewing on straw. -

Tommy, Techno, and Wilbur all call Phil "Pops" or "Pop". They all used to call him "Papa" though. It's like a coming of age thing for the three of them, when they stop calling him "Papa" and start calling him "Pop".

Phil may or may not have cried when Tommy started calling him "Pop" at the age of 12.

ALTHOUGH, all 3 boys know that if you want anything, you call Phil "Papa". Phil can't resist it. -

Techno and Tommy with starry eyes: pops Phil: no Wilbur: Papa Phil, with slightly less confidence: n-no - Ethan -

Tommy holding a baby calf in his hands that he walls to bring inside for the night because hes in love with her: papa please!! Phil, practically in tears: fine. - M

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1ddiscourseoftheday · 3 years

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Thurs 4 Feb ‘21

Confirmation is here at last of Harry’s role in the film adaptation of My Policeman, brought to us by queer fave Greg Berlanti (and his husband). Harry will costar with Emma Corrin, who you may remember from the at the time inexplicable seeming Harry/Emma cross promo last August-- given the pains they took then to emphasize that the relationship was platonic, one assumes this film will go for a different promo tactic than the current one! They share a stylist though, so they’ll no doubt be beautifully coordinated. Harry will play Tom, which some people object to on the grounds that Harry is the wrong person to play the role of a closeted man which is certainly… one opinion. Aaaaand there’s plenty more of that discourse (and about him playing a policeman) to come over the coming months so I’ll just leave it there for now! Anyway and as for that current project, we got more DWD set pics today, featuring Harry in various costume outfits! There’s ones where his character looks bloodied, and ones where his character looks clean but absolutely terrifying, grown up frat boy from hell looks to give you CHILLS, plus some of Harry as Harry in a bright orange hoodie designed by his friend Kunichi Nomura.There was also {moustache spoilers} some weird facial hair on display. Okay then!

Project Defenseless has been launched to push Defenseless up in the streaming charts and push for radio play! The fan single project offers resources and organized pushes to get people streaming and promoting on all the platforms and reaching out to radio, and has fans making lots of very cool edits besides! “I see what you’re doing with defenseless! You are all incredible!” said Louis. That song is such a fitting choice for this kind of project! Its journey has been all about the fan response from back when Louis played it for us for the very first time in 2019 (it was the one everyone was screaming about from soundcheck clips for the few hours between that and hearing the songs for real even) and afterwards he told us about how although he’d always liked the song it clicked for him in a new way after getting the fan reaction, saying “something happened to it when I performed it live, and ever since then it really kind of got me,” and “the fans make everything sound amazing, they made it sound so good,” and “the fans for whatever reason really took to this song, so now it has a special place in me heart definitely”. Plus of course there was the long saga of fan stress when it seemed like it might not be on the album and rejoicing when Louis finally definitively confirmed that it would be, after what seemed like might have been a reversal on his part due to the outcry about it. And now she’s climbing all kinds of charts like a the star she is! The song shot up on itunes (#3 worldwide, #1 in 16 countries) just for starters and the project has only just got going. Louis commented on the stats-- “An album track off an album that’s a year old. You lot blow my fucking mind! Thank you so much!”

Louis also commented on a Jack Saunders (BBC indie music DJ) tweet and followed guitarist Johnny Took of the DMAs on twitter which is weird only in that he didn’t already.

There’s news about Zayn’s Zach Sang interview, and it’s not the most surprising news but it is very sad; Zach says “hi beautiful humans, this convo was scheduled for last week but we got a rain check from his team. this conversation can still happen, it ain’t over yet! we’ll keep ya in the loop. I listened to this album 7 times! we’re determined” Well... damn. However Zayn DID pop up with some spon-content but like… the WEIRDEST ad content?? It’s for Coors Light and, well I’ll let Zayn tell you about it! “They’re gonna see if they can put a commercial inside your dreams... which is kind of messed up.” HAHAHAHA I have nothing to add! What Zayn said!!! “So we’re gonna give that a go and uh see if it works,” he says, sounding appropriately skeptical, followed by “wish me luck”. Does this kind of sponcon count as malicious compliance? Technically he DID say the stuff he was supposed to- and he’s doing an instagram live for them Sat, supposedly. I can’t wait to see how that goes! Wish him luck! The latest installment of the NIL comic book video series is also out today, but just one this time instead of a pair. This week’s song is Connexion and the new comic shows us that the figure pursuing our hero is, drumroll-- himself! The call is coming from inside the house!

Unlike interview shy Zayn, however, Gigi is out there ready to overshare, as long as it’s to Vogue. She has plenty to say about giving birth to zaby Khai (newly revealed nickname: Khaiba) at home at the Pennsylvania farm. The article says that they decided to have the birth at home due to COVID placing restrictions on hospital births that would have prevented Bella and Zayn and Yolanda all being present, and after she and Zayn watched the documentary The Business of Being Born. “They placed a blow-up bath in their bedroom and sent their three cats and border collie away when the midwife expressed concern that the sphynx and Maine coon felines might puncture the tub with their claws,” the interviewer learns while horseback riding with Gigi. The article also says Zayn “caught the baby” but it isn’t a direct quote from Gigi and I’m thinking a bit of an exaggeration perhaps. Gigi had the baby at the Hadid family farm but she and Zayn have since relocated to live at his farm, which is nearby, where they say they will be raising the child, with Z’s mom Trisha coming to stay to help out for the first month, that Khai sleeps with them, and that Zayn said his experience of the whole thing reminded him of the birth in a lion documentary they’d watched. Neither mentioned it but it has been spotted that Gigi and Zayn each now have tattoos of the name, Khai, in Arabic.

Meanwhile, Niall surfaced only in golf guy mode- a Modest Golf announcement and a podcast appearance to promote the new Modest initiative to get young people into playing golf. He says they want to “get rid of that thing that’s been holding golf back for a long time, that it’s a boring sport…” and I know he means he’s trying to combat that idea but when I tell you I LAUGHED!

#Harry styles #louis tomlinson #zayn #niall horan #a week before Louis confirmed that Defenseless would be on Walls he said in an interview that the rock version of Just Hold On was on the al #album #it seemed like that got bumped in favor of defenseless due to fan rallying #there had been things he’d said that made us think defenseless wasn’t on the album #which UNFORTUNATELY I COULD NOT FIND which is very annoying but I remember that there was a reason we thought that #he had said some things #Barry McGee #the degrees of separation between Harry and myself get thinner every day but will I ever meet him? NO :(#tbh do I even want to in some weird awkward way maybe also no but still sigh #4 feb 21 #greg berlanti #the zaby #Kunichi Nomura #emma corrin #jack saunders #johnny took #zach sang #project defenseless #zigi #gigi hadid #me: just peacefully trying to crank out a huge post about the history of defenseless and fans #stuff: KEEPS HAPPENING all DAY

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actuallyilya · 3 years

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Black-Ops Characters I believe would have cats and/or dogs. Also, these are just the Campaign characters + some Warsaw pack characters!!

Dog Only

Lazar, Lazar gives off big cuddly dude vibes™ meaning he would want a pet he could bond with better. Dogs are (usually) very playful and loving. He also CONSTANTLY attracts dogs. I also think he would adopt a Golden Retriever. Idk. Vibes™

Sims, Sims seems like the type of guy who likes being outdoors. Parks, hiking, jogging, etc. So he would 100% rather have a buddy to do those hobbies with, rather than go alone. A bit into his childhood, he had another dog he grew up with from the age of 12 and up, but once he left for school/the CIA, he felt bad, and eventually, the dog died of old age :(. But I do think that he loved that dog very much and no dog would ever come close to the memories he had with him. I think he would adopt a Border Collie.

Woods, Look this mother fucker DISPISES cats. He thinks they're gremlins and refuses to ever pet one he hasn't had a bad experience, just doesn't like them, claims that 'they're satan's little bitches'. He also would rather have a pet that you can call do cuddle, rather than hope not to get scratched. He either would have a German Shepherd or Great Dane. He wants a dog that will make him seem cool 🥶😈 but everyone knows that man is a sweetheart.

Hudson, He is most definitely a dog person, He does not care about the dogs are better than cats argument. 'It's an idiotic argument, Besides, we all know dogs are better'. His dog is a family dog, she's very friendly to anyone who comes by Woods, Mason, etc and she loves his kids. At first, Hudson hated the idea of having a dog, it would be a liability, but he was the first person who genuinely fell in love with the dog. He would have a German Shepard, who is military trained because he wants to protect his family.

Knight, Look, with the very little of the information we know about him, I GENUINELY think this man would have a dog. We know he's a little on the bad side, but still, he needs some friends. Even if the friend is a dog. He would probably adopt a Kangel Shepard. Also, he loves to play with his dog very often and is super protective of the dog.

Okay, now to the people who would have cats!

Park, Look, Park is like those people who sit in front of a window with a computer/notes in front of her while her cat calmly sits in front of her sleeping or sunbathing. Okay? I love her to pieces and I know damn well she would get along better with cats than dogs. She has actually argued with Woods about it a lot. She would also have a Chartreux

"Suck it Park! Dogs are the best pets, they won't kill ya in your sleep!"

"Woods, Cats' cleanliness makes up for more than a few scratches here and there, unlike dogs who like to sit in their own filth."

Mason enjoys silence, dogs do not give silence, they are loud and he prefers cats overall, He has had his cat for a while, a few years before David joined the military, his home felt empty, He knew he had always been rough on Mason but the cat gave them a small bonding experience, Although he loved the cat, it caused an argument between him and woods (It wasn't an end-the-friendship argument but when they're drunk they definitely argue) He would have a Birman, he also heavily enjoys cuddling with a cat.

Wraith, She strikes me as those people who genuinely love working with cats or at shelters, maybe she had a cat growing up, maybe she worked at a shelter before she went all Warsaw pact. But regardless, knowing she can't stay in one place forever, she still tries to still somewhat work at shelters, she isn't open about it because it caused an agreement between her and Knight. However, he always had a friend tag along with her while going to the shelters. She wouldn't own any pets, but her favorite breed would be Burmese cats "their fur is a black as my soul"

Stitch, This guy just loves cats, As a young kid, he didn't really have many friends, he usually kept to himself, as a result, he would wander areas a lot, during one of his walks, he found an injured cat, He nursed the cat back to health and kind-of kept this side of himself a secret as his father was very 'men do the work while women stay at home' luckily it never rubbed off on him. However, Just like Wraith, he tagged along to the shelters, he didn't wear the gas mask, but a lot of his scars showed, but he found out the cats/kittens were less scared of him if he just showed his face. Although he has an edgy feel, he loves Maine coons, they are very gentle, friendly, and very intelligent (As you can see, you can tell who is my favorite Warsaw pact operator)

Who would have BOTH cats and dogs.

Adler, look this motherfucker does not want to admit that he loves both cats or dogs. He easily gets attached to animals, cats, dogs, the whole sha-bang. So either/or, He loves dogs because he enjoys working with them, such as training, jogging, etc. (Sims stopped going running with him after Sims adopted his dog, but Adler knew he couldn't be responsible for a dog knowing he's always out on missions). But he also loves cats, he loves how majestic they are, when they purr, kneed, etc. He loves it. He occasionally invites himself to Park's house to spend time with her cat, not even with her. Park doesn't mind as she knows she now has a free cat-sitter. If Adler could, He would have a Great Dane and for a cat, he would have a Bengal Cat

Naga, Over the course of his life, Naga has worked with tons of dogs. He had always appreciated them helping him in his line of work. Whether they helped him weed out a rat amongst his men, or helped make sure no one was stealing profit, I think he heavily enjoys their company. Naga has always been a little intimidating, But with a cat by his side, even more, on his lap, on his desk, such a tiny animal had so much subtle power. If the cat had a problem with you, he had a problem with you, He even decided he enjoyed having a dog so much, he adopted a dog, luckily, after a few months of trying, they both got along and peacefully sit in his office. He would defiantly adopt a Donskoy Sphynx, and for a dog, he would adopt a Cane Corso, mostly for weather reasons.

Perseus, owns both a cat and a dog, rarely going out for rough missions, he can have two pets in his life and properly take care of them, His current dog, a Siberian Huskey (perfect for the current climate) he's had for five years, his cat, a Korat, he's had for three years. He occasionally takes them both into his office as to not have lonely days, on the days he has to either a) leave fast such as for safety, Stitch, Wraith, and Knight were made responsible as they are his trustable people.

Finally, Bell. Bell loves both of them and never really owned any animals, while working for the CIA, they had a knack for attracting animals while going for walks, they usually arrived with one or two animals, even birds! Mostly kittens and puppies, but even the impossible is possible for them. Woods and Mason found this hilarious and tried not to fall in love with the animals (even if they were there for a short amount of time) Adler or Park always had to be the one to take the animal out of their hands because he knew no work would get done and a rule had to be implemented so it wouldn't happen again (news flash, it did happen, very often)

Solovetsky Ending: let's just say Adler didn't shoot Bell, Adler would take Bell to shelters and would even go with them to save stray (injured) animals. The two actually grew very close and it sort of became a hobby. Adler got his taste of animals and Bell go to feel happy for a few hours, they both learned a lot. After one night of dinner, they found a stray kitten with no family around, they waited an hour to try and see if the mom would come back since It didn't, They took in the kitten, it was an off-day for the workers, so they nursed the kitten for like four days before having to give it up to the shelter.

Duga Ending: After Perseus took Bell in, let's just say the same thing happened, they weren't allowed to be on the field because they weren't mentally able to handle war and risk of being kidnapped so they kind of stuck around the area, although it was rare, abandoned animals did sometimes appear. The first time it happened. Bell was wearing a large coat and returned freezing with only a t-shirt on. Perseus was at the front gate, waiting for some of the operators to come back, but instead, they returned, freezing, a small fluff ball was in their hands while they were slowly developing hypothermia.

"Bell?! What the hell are you doing without a coat?!"

"I-I know, B-But I-I saved a dog."

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whump-town · 3 years

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Kittens

I wrote something along these lines as an idea a while ago and I finished it now in-between breaks I’ve allowed myself between an essay I have to write. I figured it’s not my best but no one gets hurt and Hotch talks to a cat for the majority of it so it’s not that bad

The creaking of the old floorboards stops Hotch from going down the hall and checking to make sure Jack is up. He stands for a moment at the mouth of the hallway, listening to Jack curse and mumble under his breath. Most of which, he can’t hear but there are dips in Jack’s voice which allow for only certain words to float their way down to him.

“Where-- that little motherfu-- he’s going to-- shit, shit, shit--”

Hotch huffs a little laugh, a chuckle that makes no more than the whisper of a breath of noise leaving his mouth. Parenting doesn’t make much sense and Hotch is certain he’s probably supposed to say something to Jack about the cursing but to his credit, Jack hasn’t spoken like that in Hotch’s presence. Plus, it would make him a hypocrite to get too frustrated over it. He cursed at sixteen and he still does. He also smoked and got into all kinds of trouble and, as far as he knows, the most Jack gets into on a Saturday night is too many energy drinks and a new book.

As curious as Hotch is about whatever it is that Jack is fussing with, Hotch has to get breakfast ready. He turns and starts to walk to the kitchen. That’s where he’s headed when he sees something small and orange bolts ahead of him. Glancing over his shoulder, in the direction it had come from, Hotch finds nothing. Just the light peeking out from behind Jack’s door.

Hmm. Odd.

Hotch continues down the hall, looking around the floor as he goes. Trying to see what it was and where it went. Until he gets to the kitchen. “Oh,” Hotch raises an eyebrow at the kitten he finds sniffing the floor near the oven. A tiny orange kitten. He picks it up, observing it as he turns it around to inspect the tiny thing.

It looks up and him and gives a little irritated meow.

“You must be motherfucker,” Hotch says, rubbing a finger over its head. “I think Jack is looking for you.” Hotch smiles as the kitten purs, pushing its head under his finger for more. He indulges it and, he has to admit, the thing is cute. He doesn’t mind it. “Are you hungry?”

He goes to the fridge and inspects the findings… slim pickings. “Cats are lactose intolerant, right?” He looks down as the kitten squirms his arms. Rolling over it attacks his fingers but cradled to his chest it’s safe. “I don’t know anything about cats.” He’s never had any pets. Haley had an old dog named Bailey when they first got together. A border collie her father bought for her birthday years before from a farmer in town.

Growing up in the country he’d seen plenty of stray cats and dogs but he’d never had his own. There was a porch cat he used to feed bread to but his father scared it off and kicked it once. Hotch had looked so much like his father that the cat wouldn’t come to him anymore after that incident. That was probably for the best.

“Here,” Hotch finally settles. He pulls the almond milk out of the fridge, setting it on the counter. He adds the container of blueberries beside it. “I’m having oatmeal but I reckon you can probably have almond milk, right?” With a frown, he makes a mental note to ask Emily or Garcia about that. One of them is bound to know. For now, a little almond milk is probably fine. It doesn’t have milk in it but he wants to be certain.

Taking a bowl out of the cupboard, he hums and reaches over for the measuring cups. He’s been making oatmeal for years so he’s mastered the eyeballing it technique. However, the half-cup measuring cup is the perfect size for him to use as a bowl for the kitten.

“Has Jack got you any food?” he asks placing the kitten on the counter. He pours a little almond milk in the half-cup and smirks when the kitten takes to it immediately. “Well… you probably wouldn’t drink that if it wasn’t good for you, right?” Probably… well, maybe.

This feels exactly like when they brought Jack home. He and Haley had been terrified of every little thing. They were constantly calling someone about something. He can easily call Emily or Garcia but… he’s an adult, he can handle a kitten.

“Stay,” he orders stepping away from the counter to grab a pan. The kitten doesn’t move just stands contently where it is drinking the almond milk. Hotch gets the oatmeal going, keeping an eye on the kitten out of the corner of his eye. “You’re hungry,” he notes, with a tilt of his head. And when it looks up at him, almond milk all over its face, there’s no way he can deny how cute it is.

His oatmeal doesn’t take that long to make and distracted with watching the kitten it’s a nice easy pace. Bowl of oatmeal in his palm, angry kitten trying to escape from where it’s tucked between his chest and forearm, and the little cup of almond milk pinched between his fingers he sits down at the kitchen table. “What has he named you?” Hotch asks, settling it all down on the table. It occurs to him it could be a little strange to let the cat on the table but it is a cat so if it sticks around he assumes there will be lots of table sitting.

Hotch can’t remember what book Jack was reading last week-- which is chronologically his best guess at when his little friend here made its way into the house. With hindsight, he can recall Jack having been just a little more distant with him, secretive. Jack is also significant with his decisions so maybe Hotch should think more along the lines of Jack’s favorite books, not his most recent reads. Then again maybe Jack hasn’t named the cat or he chose something out of a song or a movie.

Looking up as he hears Jack’s door creak open, he scowls back down at his lap. The kitten having stretched up at his chest and bats at one of the buttons on his shirt. He taps its little paw warningly, just enough to jar it a little, and judging from the look he receives this little warning tapis nothing something it was expecting.

“Hey, dad.”

Hotch looks up and hums back, nothing unusual because he certainly isn’t going to give up the advantage he has right now. His son is a snarky little shit -- purely Emily’s doing -- and Hotch rarely gets moments where he comes out ahead of whatever jokes Jack (or Emily) can make at his expense.

Jack comes around and nods his head, timidly going about making himself some cereal. Hotch doesn’t comment on his son’s socks -- one is teal with bright, highlighters yellow bananas and the other is beige with pink polka dots. Hotch had given up on Jack and socks. Jack gets a little thrill out of this rebellion and Hotch should just be happy that it’s not worse.

The two of them really have nothing in common. Jack loves science and math (Hotch has to use a calculator for simple multiplication). Hotch prefers for each of his books to look like they have never even been read (Jack has so many sticky notes in his copy that Fahrenheit 451 that it looks silly). Jack refuses to carry around a planner and writes everything down on the back of his hand (Hotch has multiple planners and color codes things in delicate details).

“Oh.” Jack turns with his cereal in his hands and sees the kitten in his father’s lap. That bright orange over his black dress pants. Jack knew his father wouldn’t be mad -- he can count on one hand the number of times he has seen Hotch angry. Though, he knows what he’s done wasn’t the right course to take. He’s not so sure what to do now, he hadn’t planned this far ahead.

Hotch hums again, nodding his head.

Jack looks down at the floor and timidly takes his seat across from his father at the table. Tucking his legs underneath himself to avoid hitting Hotch’s much longer stretched-out legs. Normally, he wouldn’t think twice about hitting his dad’s legs but today he’s sensing he should probably consider his actions a little more. “Am in trouble?”

Hotch raises an eyebrow and looks away from the kitten to his Jack. He’s looking down at his cereal, playing with it so he can avoid looking at Hotch. Jack’s never really been in trouble. Hotch is a little too lenient at times but even Jessica is pretty bad for that. Even so, Jack has turned out pretty okay, he’s still a kid (16 isn’t that grown, despite that being the age Hotch’s father kicked him out at -- well sent him to boarding school but that was only after he spent a month couch surfing and sleeping in a shitty tent he stole).

“No.” It’s a cat and he’s not mad and Hotch doesn’t see just yet where he could make this a learning opportunity so… he’s not going to make it a big deal. It’s hard, in situations like these, to know where normal discipline comes into play. His own father would have beat him senseless or locked him out of the house for a week, maybe longer.

“Oh.”

Hotch frowns, “do you think you should be?” He doesn’t mean it to bait Jack, he means it honestly. There isn’t a right answer.

Jack shrugs, “I mean, I don’t know.” Jack is aware that his father isn’t like most dads but they’re in a unique situation, the two of them. “You should probably lecture me about something, right? I mean, I don’t think I’ll be sneaking in any more cats but that’s not as a result of any lecture. I certainly wouldn’t do it with a dog.”

So maybe not a lesson learned but still sounds like there’s no point acknowledged. “Okay,” Hotch reasons. It sounds fair. “Well, next time we talk this sort of thing over, okay? I respect you and your decisions and so I ask for your opinions on things, right? I need you to respect my opinions.”

Jack nods.

“So, any names?”

#criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction #aaron hotchner #jack hotchner

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yeochikin · 4 years

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little sunflower. | s. mingi

a/n: thank you so much to anon for requesting this, and for your patience! i honestly loved writing this so much aaaa but wbk that colly is a sucker for barista aus dffdnjf anyways, hope you enjoyed reading this! ✨💖

word count: 9k

main focus: mingi x fem. reader

warning(s): there could be inaccuracies in this regarding the floristry field and being a barista, with that, i do apologise ;; other than that, i don’t think there are anymore! also, do excuse any grammar mistakes as this has not been proofread!

pulling back the curtains that allowed the rays of the morning sun to seep through the dim bedroom, your eyes squinted over so slightly at the sudden brightness hitting your vision, causing you to blink rapidly to adjust to the bright light. once you were finally used to the brightness, your gaze was met with a clear blue sky, as if the morning hours were bidding you a good morning. the sight alone was enough to make your lips pull themselves into a contented smile. with how it was raining a few days ago for the past week, you were glad to see the sun shining ever so brightly as if it was a huge spotlight hanging in the sky’s canvas hanging above the small town you are currently living in for the past couple of years.

of course, you knew that there were a few people whom you had known loved the rainy days. deep inside, you would be loving it too with how relaxing the sounds of the rain gently pelting against your rooftop along with the cool air making you crave for something hot to drink from your favourite sunflower patterned mug before letting the sleep succumb you due to the sounds of rain acting as a soft lullaby, mother nature’s lullaby was what you had called it. however, with your current work?

you could only wish that rainy days would happen during the weekends.

being the town’s florist, rainy days meant there was a lot of cleaning up to do the very next day, with how some the soils of your flowers and hedges outside of your shop needed tending to do, some of them would even manage to get all over the ground outside of your shop. if you needed customers, a welcoming appearance would be crucial for said shop without it looking like some type of abandoned building instead. not only that, you had to make sure that some of the flowers were not ruined.

so now here you are, standing in front of your vanity. your fingers gently clipped some of your hair back with a couple of hair clips in the shape of your favourite flower, the sunflower if anyone couldn’t tell by now, then gave yourself one last look at your appearance for the day. once satisfied, you grabbed your work bag which consisted of your essentials that were necessary for your workplace, quickly making your way out of the house, locking the door behind you.

the town you are currently residing in is a safe place with how friendly faces would be seen everywhere you go but you can never be too sure. placing your work bag into the little basket that was attached to your bicycle, you finally got on and made your way to your little flower shop.

but of course, not before stopping by aurora cafe.

as soon as you stepped into the cafe, your senses were instantly hit with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee along with baked goods that lingered in the air, no doubt just having them fresh out of the oven after the cafe has been opened for – you checked the time on your phone – about half an hour or so. it was always a routine of yours, really, coming almost an hour after the cafe had opened before making your way to the flower shop. though it did not necessarily need a lot of energy throughout most days, you wanted to have that extra boost from the cafe’s goods or else you would easily fall asleep while tending your flowers.

but of course, other than grabbing your usual morning coffee with a side of a pastry of your choice for the day, there was simply another reason why you always stopped by the cafe.

“hello to you too, little sunflower.” a deep voice belonging to a certain tall owner greeted you as soon as you stepped up towards the counter, a sheepish smile playing over your lips at the name. despite how deep the timbres in his tone was, it held a certain amount of warmth that you were oh-so-familiar with.

standing at the cash register, stood song mingi, the barista of aurora cafe who smiled down at you through his large circular framed glasses, his eyes turning upwards that reminded you of tiny crescent moons as he did so. his hair was slicked back ever so stunningly that never fails to make you stop in your place every time to absentmindedly admire and hold yourself back from how much you wanted to run your fingers through the strands of his hair but the idea was enough to catch yourself, internally mentally scolding yourself for making it seem like you were some sort of freak for staring at him silently.

mingi, just like you, was one of the recent residents of the town that had recently moved in as well, though he had already been living here just a year before you moved into town. you still remembered how he offered to help you out in moving some of your things into your house.

“do you need some help?”

a deep voice reached into your ears, causing you to cease your soft huffs from the numerous amount of times going back and forth from the moving truck to the inside of your house by carrying your boxes. there, you spotted a tall boy who seemed to be around your age, standing in front of you with his hands shoved inside the pockets of his loosely knitted cardigan that somehow managed to look ever so stylish on him with the way his glasses hung over the bridge of his pointed nose. had he didn’t push them back with his index finger, they would surely fall off.

regaining your senses, your eyes blinked widely for a few times over the male who was still waiting for your response patiently, before giving him a sheepish smile after glancing over the bigger boxes in the truck that would have clearly taken most of your time of the day trying to move them around by yourself.

“if it is not troubling you in any sort of way possible, i would love some extra hands helping me out.” you said, shifting the box in your arms as you could finally feel the weight slowly growing heavier the longer you stood there, feeling the ache in your arms starting to appear.

as if sensing your discomfort, the other simply brushed off your comment with a gentle ‘it’s no problem at all.’ before taking the box in your hands away from your hands, shooting you a bright grin that could somehow rival the sun hanging above your heads in the early afternoon sky. looking over the small house the two of you were standing in front of, the male glanced down at you.

“this house right?” he asked, making sure it was not the wrong house that he would suddenly barge into without knowing to whom it belonged to. his smile only widened as soon as you nodded your head at his question as you made your way to grab another box.

and with that, the two of you started to make work of putting the boxes where they belonged in the house. from there, the two of you decided to get to know each other a little more.

from what you gathered, mingi, the tall boy’s name, is indeed around your age. you found out that he had just moved into town a year before you did, saying that he was working as a barista with a friend who owned a cafe along with his girlfriend in town, saying that the friend had took over his grandfather’s cafe after the man had retired was what you had heard by what mingi had explained. from the way the taller male had happily explained how he just loved to experiment with different recipes being taught by his friend’s girlfriend, you had made a mental note to stop by the cafe soon.

skies above would know what a good cup of caffeinated goodness could do to you. that is, if you weren’t still busy organising your things in the house. you could only hope that nothing too overwhelming would be waiting for you tomorrow, though maybe you should not have jinxed that.

as soon as you told mingi that you moved here due to the fact that you are soon opening up your flower shop in town, his eyes glinted in excitement. but who were you kidding? everything seemed to fill his curiosity as if he was a child wondering what the world has to offer around him.

the passing seconds of moving the boxes and rearranging some of the easier and smaller furniture in the house turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours. before you know it, it was already nearing the late afternoon with how the sun was almost sinking deep into the sea of pink mixed in with the colours of dark blue. a low gasp was released from your lips at the realisation of how much time had passed, turning to the male next to you while sprouting up multiple apologetic phrases.

the boy, on the other side, could only emit a light chortle from your actions and gently gave your shoulder a gentle pat with a tilt of his head as soon as your eyes met his own.

“if you’re that sorry, stop by the cafe tomorrow. that is, if you’re not busy!” the taller said. and before you could even protest, his phone suddenly went off, one finger being held up as if to tell you to wait for one moment. quickly fishing out his phone from his pocket, mingi answered the phone.

“what’s up, wooyoung?” there was a brief pause in his sentence as he listened to the other end. despite speaking through the phone, your ears could hear the faint words of ‘help’ and ‘coffee beans’ from the other end.

patiently, you waited until mingi was done with the brief phone call, the boy flashed you a sheepish smile as soon as he shoved the phone back into the pocket of his denims.

“that was wooyoung, he needed some help at the cafe, saying he wanted someone to taste test the new coffee beans he just ordered so i guess that’s my cue to go.” he explained before the glint of mischief swirling in the pools of his dark brown irises came back once again.

“and about tomorrow, come by if you can, little sunflower!” with a hand ruffling your hair, mingi winked down at you, then he is already on his way, leaving you stunned in place.

who knew that after the first meeting could lead you into coming to the cafe almost without a fail every morning before going to work. you weren’t going to lie, something about the taste of the coffee and pastries had some type of.. magical taste to it? if that would make sense. though, maybe it’s just you having a sweet tooth. not only were the food and beverages absolutely delicious, you also got to know the main people who handled the cafe as you remembered the time you decided to visit the place as soon as you were done setting up the flower shop for the day back then.

the owner of the cafe, jung wooyoung was what you had learned his name as soon as you came into the cafe on the second day of finally becoming a resident of the town. at first you were intimidated by how intense his gaze was as he worked on some of the customers’ orders along with the fox tattoo on his arm. but as soon as he lifted his head from the espresso machine and saw you reading through the menu, a huge grin spread over his lips, immediately welcoming you inside his cafe.

the two of you had a short conversation after you ordered a medium sized vanilla latte, wooyoung asking the expected questions from where you lived before coming here, to what made you decide to escape the city life and come to live in a small town just in the outskirts of the city. as soon as wooyoung told you to wait for your order, a girl came out of the kitchen with a tray of freshly baked cinnamon buns, a cat resting on her shoulder blades with its tail swishing back and forth lightly.

with the softened expression on wooyoung’s face after seeing the girl gave him a gentle grin, you knew that she is the girlfriend mingi had mentioned before. like wooyoung, she, too, has a tattoo but for her, it was around her wrist which looked like a bracelet of roses.

the girl noticed you and greeted you with a bright smile forming over her lips. the two of you introduced yourselves and with what you had gathered, she is in charge of baking the treats in the cafe wooyoung owned. even if she did not mention her position before, anyone could probably tell that she is the baker of the place with how she seemed to spend most of her time in the kitchen.

and lastly, there was the other barista, song mingi. now, you should have really thanked him for convincing you to come into this cafe in the first place from how happy he sounded as he told you about his workplace. upon seeing you at the counter, his eyes widened ever so slightly, claiming that he didn’t expect you to actually come to the cafe.

“gotta show you that i’m truly apologetic from yesterday, you know?” you laughed upon seeing how his jaw was slightly dropped at the sight of you standing near the waiting area wooyoung had told you as he worked on your drink.

mingi could only release a light laugh to hide his flustered gaze, a hand coming up to rub against his nape. “i just didn’t expect that you would come, i mean, i understand how busy you could be when you just moved i-”

“mingi, breathe.” wooyoung called out as he handed you your coffee, you mumbling a low ‘thanks’ in return before taking a small sip of the drink, careful not to burn your tongue.

instantly, your tastebuds were washed with the subtle bitter yet sweet taste of the caffeinated goodness. somehow, the drink felt really smooth on your tongue. the hot drink once you had swallowed it down was enough to make you feel warmth surging itself throughout your veins.

“this is really good!” you exclaimed, eyeing the hot drink in your hands before you heard wooyoung release a proud laugh, making his way to mingi’s side with his hand gently patting the taller shoulder.

“believe it or not, mingi was the one who taught me how to make the drink. at first, i wasn’t really good at it, surprisingly. so i hesitated to put it on the menu, but this guy right here,” he nudged mingi’s side with his elbow.

“was the one who showed me how to do it. perfect for when you just wanna wind down after a long day.” he said, mingi sinking down his teeth against the plush muscle of his lower lip to contain the bashful grin from forming.

turning to look at mingi, your lips curled themselves into a gentle beam, a brow quirking up, “might be a frequent customer with how good this is, i hope you don’t mind.”

the other could only simper at your words, giving you a subtle wink as wooyoung left the both of you to work on the other orders he received, “not at all, little sunflower.”

“the usual again, little sunflower?” you heard mingi’s voice reaching into your ears, him leaning on his elbows on the countertop with a lazy grin gracing itself over his lips.

feigning annoyance at the nickname, you merely rolled your eyes at him, effectively causing the male to release a low chuckle upon hearing the soft ‘you seem to forget my name.’

“i know your name is y/n, genius. but you know i like calling you little sunflower better, you remind me of one.” mingi winked, causing you to feel a familiar warmth reaching the apples of your cheeks before giving the tall barista a bashful beam.

suddenly, a loud voice came from behind. before you had the time to see who it was (not that you didn’t recognise the source immediately), wooyoung came out from the kitchen to greet you in his usual cheery manner. your irises caught sight of how some of the flour had managed to get onto his cheeks, effectively making you release a low giggle at the sight as you sent him a small wave of your hand. his girlfriend wasn’t in town at the moment, she had mentioned that she was going to visit her parents for a little while.

from the couple of years you have lived in the quaint town, the four of you managed to create a tight bond with each other but you would have to admit that the closest bond you have would be with the taller barista. it was truly a wonder why anyone would be intimidated by him at first. but by his height, it could be possible. yet if they truly get to know him, the way you would describe mingi would simply be… warm and safe.

despite only knowing each other for the said number of years, mingi had always been there for you (still is), even when you tried to shut everything and everyone from the outside world whenever you had one of those days where you feel like life has been an absolute pain in the neck. from the planned hangouts in the town’s diner every time the both of you finished with work for the day, to unannounced visits in each other’s houses for a lazy platonic cuddle session on your off days.

speaking of off days, today was totally not one of them, recalling why you stopped by here in the first place. you were too intent on listening to wooyoung as he animatedly boasted about how he managed to bake new recipes that were taught by his girlfriend and how you should try them that you forgot to mention that you needed your usual latte and a treat of the day. that was, until a brown paper bag along with a cup, which had a familiar distinct vanilla scent wafting through the little holes on the cup’s cover, entered your line of vision.

“can’t forget about these, little one.” mingi’s voice reached within your ears. you don’t know why but somehow, it made your blood rush to your cheeks, immediately causing you to look everywhere in the cafe, other than the tall male’s soft gaze on you due to being flustered, your hands taking the two items as he handed them to you with a quiet ‘thanks’ leaving your lips.

you knew that mingi always had different nicknames for you but lately, more frequently than not, you had noticed that he kept calling you little sunflower. not only that, you had caught him staring at you a few times whenever you decided to relax in the cafe as you waited mingi to finish his shift knowing that the cafe closes a little later than your own workplace. thinking that he would look away after being caught, you were the one caught off guard instead every time the said boy would send you a cheeky wink before laughing lightly at the sight of your confused (and red cheeks) face, going back to getting a customer’s order as they walked in. however, you only disregarded the feelings away with a simple thought in mind.

sure, he had called you that in the past but it was never with such a tone that was enough to make your insides feel all warm, stomach fluttering as if you had swallowed a bunch of butterflies.

song mingi is only being nice to you, like he is to everyone else. and with how close the two of you are, there was bound to be some sort of teasings in every friendship that had formed a tight bond.

of course, anyone would feel the way you were feeling. who wouldn’t be when he just held the brightest of smiles on his face along with the gentle deep timbres of his would be heard, asking about a customer’s day as they waited for wooyoung to make their drinks so they wouldn’t feel as awkward lingering around the waiting area. needless to say, he’s just a friendly giant.

“as much as i like you being here, i think you should go and open up your shop, i know that you needed some cleaning and tending to do after the rain yesterday.” wooyoung’s voice suddenly cut your train of thoughts, a cheshire grin curling over his plump lips before walking back into the kitchen, not before sending you a small wave.

mentally slapping your forehead as soon as your eyes landed on the wall clock hanging idly on the cafe’s wall ─ you had noticed it was a wooden clock carved in what seems to look like a cat and a fox cuddling up next to each other with the time being displayed in between the two forms ─ before shifting your gaze at mingi who merely chuckled down at you as soon as he caught sight of the slightly alarmed look in your eyes.

“i’ll see you later, okay?” mingi said, reaching a large hand out to gently caress the top of your head, a habit of his you had quite gotten used to in the years of knowing him.

your tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly at the action before giving him a faint nod of your head as you gripped the drink, and the paper bag in your hands, scurrying out of the cafe, shouting a quick ‘bye wooyoung!’ while doing so.

and with that, you made your way to the flower shop on your bicycle, the corners of your lips quirking up as the wind brushed against the strands of your hair.

unbeknownst to you, a certain tall barista watched your retreating figure grow smaller and smaller through the large windows of the cafe before heaving out a low sigh.

“you still haven’t told her?” wooyoung asked, wiping his hands on his apron as he walked out of the kitchen. the one in question could only shake his head, cheeks puffed slightly from the way his lips formed a small pout as if he was disappointed in himself.

the shorter boy shook his head and gave mingi’s shoulder a light tap.

“what are you scared of? i’m sure she feels the same way.” the raven haired boy piped up, mingi scrunching his nose in response.

“she sees me as a friend, woo. so, i guess i might not have the chance. what if she rejects me? am i in the friend zone?” mingi whined, head tilting back as he emitted a deep groan out of frustration from the conclusion he had uttered.

deadpanning up at the taller boy, wooyoung gently slapped the back of mingi’s head, the other yelping at the sudden action while the shorter one simply rolled his eyes, an amused smile playing over his brims as he made his way to the kitchen upon smelling the sweet scent of the pastries being baked in the oven.

“i swear, both of them are so dense.” he mumbled to himself.

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

“and that’s the last of them.”

you huffed as you finished applying fertiliser around the base of your newly sprouted sunflowers, a hand resting on your hips while the other one lifted up to dab away the thin sheet of sweat that had formed itself over your face from the long hours of tending to your flower shop.

as expected, the rainy days had already made you instantly got you to start working as soon as you arrived with wilted flowers and weeds being removed, the hedges that lined against the windows of your shop being trimmed from the ever growing branches, making sure to check the flower pots in case of hidden pests are present, and so on. despite how difficult it could be working in the flower shop, you are still content in choosing the florist’s life.

standing outside of your little shop, you stretched out your gloved hands up in the air to release the little tense knots that had formed in your lower back from a long while of just leaning down to trim the hedges earlier, sighing in relief upon feeling the ache subside before walking back inside your shop as soon as you were done with your little self-given tasks outside.

it was another slow day in the flower shop today, but you didn’t mind. you thought that you could spend some of your spare time to focus on making the bouquets someone in town had booked for an occasion. they didn’t have to say what it was for, but with the amount of roses they had chosen for the bouquet, you knew it was for someone special.

that’s what you liked about being a florist, you get to see the hidden messages in the bouquets being ordered by the people in town, from a gift to someone special that had caught their heart’s attention to a bouquet full of remembrance of one’s family member. of course, you could understand why some would choose the wrong types of flowers for an occasion, so you are happy to help them any time they had trouble in picking them out. you could only imagine the happiness that would etch itself into their beloved’s faces upon receiving the gift.

your nimble fingers made quick work of tying the little ribbons around the bottom of the bouquet, then leaned back slightly to give one last look of the bouquet in front of you, checking if there were any misplacements of flowers, or if the paper wrapped around the flowers did not quite compliment the colours, even checking if the wrapping was a little loose in fear that it could fall out of one’s grasp if not handled carefully. much to your delight, the bouquet of tulips managed to look as pretty as they were on their own bed of tulips that it made you mentally give yourself a pat on the back.

of course, that was not the last bouquet you needed to do. though it was a slow day, you had received a few calls on your phone, requesting you to do a certain themed bouquet in each request. you were thankful enough that the dates they needed the flowers were varied and not back to back, or else it would have made you stay inside your shop for a few days without going home.

deciding to take a small break from the endless time spent on decorating the bouquet, you leaned back against your seat and checked your phone, in case you missed any requests from your customers or simply notifications from your friends. to your surprise, you see a text message from mingi. opening the text, a picture of the boy, showing his signature heart pose with a caption asking if you were doing alright in the shop displayed on the screen of your phone. giggling to yourself, you switched to the camera application before posing with the bouquet you had made near your face.

[ you ] i’m alright, how do you think i can manage my shop, hm? and also, look at this bouquet i made!

grinning to yourself, you pressed send. not even a minute later, you had received a response from the tall boy.

[ mingki !! ] i like the sunflower.

you read the text over and over again, even to the point of staring at the sunflower and pink heart emojis being included in his reply, your eyebrows furrowing in confusion. you glanced over at the bouquet, and shook your head, fingers flying over the keyboard to type up a reply.

[ you ] dummy, these are tulips???

[ mingki !! ] little sunflower…

[ you ] huh?

[ you ] oh wait.

[ you ] nvm.

[ mingki !! ] took you long enough, heh. also, i gotta go before wooyoung yells at me. see you later!

you swear you could feel your cheeks burning as your eyes went over his previous reply over and over again, subconsciously smiling to yourself as he familiar fluttering feeling was felt in your stomach. however, a sudden thought had intruded your mind once again.

he only sees you as his close friend, nothing more.

with a groan, you buried your face on top of your arms that rested on the surface of your worktable, cheek pressed against your arm as your eyes stared out the clear sky being displayed outside of your window as you were slowly losing yourself in your thoughts.

you are going to admit it. for the past few weeks now, you have started to see mingi in a different way. ever since the day the two of you had your platonic cuddle sessions while watching a random documentary about penguins at his place one time, the close proximity was enough to give you a brief opportunity to admire the taller boy, of course, in a discreet manner by glancing up at him from your lashes as you were pressed against his chest.

everything about him was just so breathtaking. from his eyes that held so much life to them, twinkling in happiness every time they landed on you, to how pointed his nose was and how much you wanted to just.. ‘boop’ it with the tip of your finger. his cheekbones were prominent and high that made it was easy for anyone to see the faintest of blushes dusting over the apples of his cheeks whenever he received compliments or praises, or maybe it could be when you were the one who showered him with so many praises without even realising it.

and lastly, his lips. those lips that would always greet you with their usual bright smile that you couldn’t help but to find so contagious that you would find yourself smiling with him. you had to admit that you were a bit envious of how luscious his lips looked, and how pretty was the dip of his cupid’s bow.

it was from there that you realised that it was no ordinary admiration towards the tall barista. you weren’t dumb, you clearly knew why you felt these certain feelings towards the male. you knew that no matter how many times you brushed away those thoughts, it would always come back at you with a bigger bite.

you knew that you have indeed developed feelings towards song mingi.

“damn it, y/n! he does not see you in the same way.” you groaned, burying your face deeper against your folded arms on your worktable.

every day ever since then, you kept telling yourself that it was merely a crush and it would go away as soon as it appeared. but with the time almost stretching into two months by now, a small voice deep inside you whispered that it will not go away any time soon. however, you being you, you would be in a constant stage of denial at the fact, stubbornly shoving any ideas involving the boy away.

sure, mingi is a really nice guy, and not to mention, a very good looking barista as well. sometimes you would even notice a group of schoolgirls would giggle in a flirty manner whenever he served their drinks, mingi smiling politely at their way with a bow of his head to greet them before going back to his work. there was no doubt everyone in town liked the cheerful and friendly neighbourhood barista. it would be selfish of you to think that you would be the only one he treated with such warmth swirling in his irises.

but.. is it bad if you wanted to be a little selfish?

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours. the day has stretched into the late hours of the afternoon, the clear blue sky was now slowly being replaced by a river of pink and crimson, the white clouds blending in with the swirl of late the afternoon colours while the rays of sun danced over any surface it landed on as if saying goodbye for the last time of the day.

standing in front of your flower shop, mingi peeked in through the windows with confusion laced in his features. the cafe closed a little earlier than usual today due to the fact wooyoung had something else, so mingi had texted you prior to coming to your place after not receiving a reply from you after a little while. concerned that something might have happened, he decided to see you. hence, why he was at your workplace.

“y/n?” mingi called out, looking around the area for you, yet only silence greeted him back which caused him to grow a tad more concerned at your whereabouts.

it was when he walked in your little workstation for bouquets that made him release a little sigh out of relief. it had seemed you had fallen asleep on your worktable with the way your head was resting on your folded arms. quietly walking over to your hunched figure with the intention of waking you up, mingi noticed the bouquet a few inches away from you, the same bouquet you had shown him earlier through text.

just as his gaze shifted to you, you shifted ever so slightly in your sleep with a tiny groan leaving your pouty lips. mingi’s eyes watched as you slowly lifted your head up before fixing your position on your chair, the grimace in your face no doubt already feeling the dull ache in your muscles, before a hand reached up to rub the sleep away from your eyes.

“had a good nap?” mingi chuckled, hip resting against the edge of the worktable.

the sudden deep voice reaching your eyes made your head snap up at the source, eyes blinking up at him a few times, thinking whether the inner conflict you had earlier somehow reached your dreams. but with the aching in your shoulders and back, this was very much reality. with a sheepish smile, you simply gave the tall male a shrug of your shoulders.

“could be better if it weren’t for the soreness afterwards.” you said, causing mingi to let out an amused chortle, you chuckling along with him due to the contagious laugh.

“i was wondering why you weren’t replying to my texts, got me worried, little sunflower.” he said, head tilting at your phone sitting idly on the table.

with furrowed brows, you grabbed your phone to check. and true to his word, mingi indeed had texted you earlier. immediately, a string of apologies left your lips as your hands rubbed against your palms, eyes shutting tight as if not wanting to see some type of disappointed expression forming on his visage. clearly, it was never your intention of ignoring him or the like. much to your surprise (and relief), your ears picked up the sounds of his deep laugh rumbling out of his chest after your reaction before making his way around the table to reach you.

feeling a slight weight on your head, you peeked an eye open but nearly fell out of your seat with how close his face was with your own, his hand resting itself on top of your head to give it a fond caress, meeting your gaze by kneeling a little next to you. his expression softens at the sight of you pulling your lower lip between your teeth, still thinking if he was mad at you.

“hey, don’t worry about it. i understand you had a lot to do earlier. besides, i wanted to see you anyway now that i got out early.” his voice was gentle as he reassured you, the hand on your head gently stroking your hair.

that gentle look in his eyes.. that damn look.

it was enough to send your mind spiraling once more, the feelings you had been shoving deep down inside you managed to spring out so easily as it was a switch that only he could do. you could feel blood rushing to your cheeks as your hands dropped themselves in your lap, fingers playing with the hem of your shirt afterwards.

“i still feel a little bad, though.” you mumbled, mentally scolding yourself for the slightest crack in your voice as you finally had gathered the courage to speak.

shaking his head then getting back up on his feet, mingi held out his hand for you to take, his fingers wiggling playfully as if teasingly telling you to hurry up. with a quirk of your brow, you looked up at the male in question.

“come on, little sunflower, i wanted to show you something.” he simply said.

“how do i know you are not planning to murder me, mingki?” was your response, playfully squinting your eyes up at him, to which caused him to scoff in disbelief.

“no matter how annoying you could be-”

“excuse me?”

“i can’t do that, you’re too precious to me, little sunflower.” mingi said, sending you a cheeky wink in return upon seeing the glare you sent towards his way at his previous statement, laughing to himself as his fingers ruffled your hair.

“come on!”

“okay, okay, just let me close up my shop!”

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

you let mingi lead the way as you had no idea where he was planning to take you, sitting on the little seat of your bicycle as mingi was the one who maneuvered it, your face slightly warm as he told you to make sure to hold onto him tightly, your arms encircled around his waist.

with the familiar trailway with trees and the meeting branches to create a natural arch above your heads, you may have an idea of where the two of you were headed. while he carefully avoided the big rocks on the trail, not wanting the both of you to fall off of the bicycle, the two of you talked about your day, you giggling at the way mingi had complained how wooyoung kept scolding him for making the slightest mess on their workstation. knowing wooyoung, he’s a bit of a perfectionist whenever it comes to the cleanliness of his working space so you felt a little bad for mingi who had to sit through wooyoung’s scoldings throughout the day.

after a few more minutes of walking, mingi finally announced that the two of you have arrived, your eyes lighting up in excitement upon the sight in front of you. you were right, he had indeed brought you to a favourite place of yours in town.

“you’ve been whining how you missed going to the lake lately ever since the rain had started.” mingi chuckled once the two of you had gotten off of the bicycle, resting it against a large tree.

“i swear, it gets prettier and prettier with every visit..” you breathed, making your way to the little pier above the water with mingi quietly trailing behind you, his hands shoved deep inside his pockets.

everything around you felt so magical. you could hear the birds singing their songs around the two of you as the both of you stood on the pier together, the ripples of water rolling towards the lakeside along with the calming breeze of the late afternoon wind, shutting your eyes momentarily upon feeling the cool air brushing against your face with the faintest of smiles gracing itself over your brims.

on the other hand, mingi leaned against the railing behind you as his gaze was focusing on your figure, his lips forming a small ‘o’ at the way you looked so in peace. with the sun’s rays hitting against your face, the wind gently caressing the strands of your hair, and the scenery in front of you acting as a background, there was one thing that appeared almost instantly in mingi’s mind.

you looked so effortlessly ethereal.

the corners of his lips twitched up at the last word, knowing for a fact that if he ever said it to you, you would instantly hide your face against the palms of your hands, claiming that he was exaggerating and how you had your flaws to look… ethereal. but that was the thing, all of your flaws, from your little insecurities to the features that you are very proud of to have whether it was a freckle or a little mole on your face, everything about you is absolutely endearing to the boy’s eyes.

and he wants you to see that.

remembering the true intention of bringing you here, mingi swallowed thickly as his hand fidgeted with the little velvet box in his cardigan’s pocket before taking it out to discreetly check the item inside. mingi could feel his heartbeat increase its pace with the way his eyes had caught sight of the silver simple necklace, the sunflower pendant laying ever so prettily in the middle of the box. he had finally gave in to wooyoung’s advice, or rather, naggings ever since mingi had told him his little secret involving the town’s florist.

true, from what he told you was about wooyoung scolding him throughout the day, but half of it was telling mingi to finally stop beating around the bush, knowing how the two of you clearly see each other in the same way yet too afraid to even speak up about it. hence, sticking to giving you flirty winks whenever you looked at his way or even affectionately using the name he gave you often, loving the way your cheeks turn pink due to being flustered every time he called you ‘little sunflower’.

but today, he is finally going to do it. no more dropping hints.

before coming to your shop earlier, mingi had stopped by the town’s little gift shop as if something deep inside him steered his mind to do so. at first, he only wanted to look around the little place but as soon as his eyes landed on a particular item, he knew he had to get it.

taking a deep breath, mingi closed the lid of the box and hid it back inside his pocket. lifting his head up, he noticed that you were still admiring the way the sunlight has touched the waters, creating some type of naturally made shimmer on the waters.

“little sunflower?” he called out, your head immediately turning to give him your full attention with a low hum of response.

taking a couple of strides to stand in front of you, his free hand reached up to carefully move the stray strands of hair that had managed to cover your eyes, smiling faintly as soon as his eyes were met with yours, wonder and some type of hidden affection filled in your irises, before resting his hand against your cheek. mingi ran the pad of his thumb along your cheekbone as the two of you stood in silence, the only sounds that were made were from the jovial chirpings from the birds along with the rippling water from below.

“i’m not gonna drop any more hints, we both know about our feelings towards each other.” he started, your breath hitching in your throat, feeling nervous as to what he was going to say.

“we both know that we are too scared to even take that huge step, fearing that everything around us would change no matter what outcome it’ll be.” mingi continued, trailing his hand down to rest it just below your chin as if silently asking you to keep your eyes on him, his thumb now ghosting over your lower lip which sent shivers down your spine.

“but today, i’m finally going to take that step.” he whispered.

you swear that you could feel the whole world slowing down its pace, the only ones mattered were you and mingi. from the sounds of the water rippling underneath, you could only make out the sound of your own heart beating against your chest that you swear the taller one could hear it as well.

mingi, on the other hand, could feel his hands shaking from the nerves racking his body, making him to pause momentarily in his ministrations before eyelids fluttering shut as an attempt to calm himself, collecting the words he wanted to say as soon as he felt like he was ready to say them. now meeting your eyes with his, he finally said it.

“even though i know my feelings towards you, and yours towards me. you aren’t quite subtle with the staring, you know?” he teased, grinning upon seeing you sending him a playful glare as if denying his claim but the slight flush in your cheeks were enough to tell him otherwise.

“all i’m saying is that i absolutely adore you, i can’t stop thinking about you, little sunflower.” mingi continued, voice growing soft.

your hand reached up to rest itself on top of mingi’s cheek after finally gaining the courage to do so, smiling softly to yourself as you watched how easily the boy leaned against your touch.

“i feel the same way. every day, i could feel my feelings for you growing stronger and stronger.” you mumbled softly, but mingi had caught them word by word.

another wave of silence hung over the both of you once again, eyes full of unspoken love towards one another. slowly, you could feel how the both of you felt as if some type of invisible force was pulling your faces closer, and closer, until the tips of your noses are barely touching. your eyes glanced down at his full lips as you could feel an unfamiliar tingling sensation on your own, then shifting your gaze back up to meet with mingi’s.

from the look in mingi’s eyes, you knew exactly what he wanted to do next but looking as if he was holding himself back.

“alright?” he heaved out, you nodding your head.

“alright.”

and with that, the both of you finally closed the distance. his lips felt soft against your own, and very faintly, you could somehow taste the distinct flavour of coffee on his lips which caused you to grow addicted.

you felt his arms snaking around your waist and tightened around it, then playfully lifting you up, causing you to release a muffled noise out of surprise while your own hands quickly held onto him for support. the both of you only parted from the kiss to let your laughter mingle with each other as mingi spun you around in his arms briefly, and placed you back down on the wooden floor of the pier, the two of you staring at each other’s faces, both wearing the same fond smile on your lips.

that was, until a look of realisation washed itself over mingi’s features as his hand quickly fished itself in his pocket to grab at the little velvet box in his hands. “i have a little gift for you.” he said in a sing-song voice, telling you to close your eyes afterwards.

staring at his face for a few seconds, you obeyed. eyelids fluttering shut, you patiently waited for whatever surprise he has up in his sleeve.

“and now, open them!” you heard his excited voice called out.

your hands flew to cover the loud gasp escaping them at the sight of the sunflower necklace laying inside the box, eyes meeting up with mingi’s nervous ones.

“mingi, you didn’t have t-”

“i know but i wanted to.” he cut you off almost immediately, his expression softening up as he watched the way your eyes kept glancing down at the necklace, then up to his face, then back at the necklace.

“it’s so beautiful..” you breathed out.

you heard mingi softly asking if he could put it on you, to which you gladly agreed to by turning around so your back was facing him. with your help by moving your hair away, mingi swiftly put the necklace on you, clasping the two ends together, leaning down so he could press his lips against your shoulder blade with his arms encircling themselves around your waist.

“my little sunflower.” he whispered into your ear, the both of you smiling as you watch the sunset together.

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀

“a sunflower has come to brighten my day it seems.” the deep timbres of the barista reached into your ear as soon as you stepped foot into the cafe, making you release a tiny scoff, feigning disgust at the cheesy line.

“are you really going to say that every time she enters the cafe, mingi?” wooyoung called out with a shake of his head, scrunching his nose in distaste.

“let the love birds be, love.” you heard a feminine voice say, grinning as wooyoung’s girlfriend, who winked at you in return, walked out of the kitchen with a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls in her mitten cladded hands.

it had been a few months since mingi and you started dating. if you were being honest, it felt as if nothing much has changed between the two of you but at the same time, something did changed, if that makes sense? the flirty winks turned to discreet kisses on your head every time mingi would pass by your table while no one paid attention to the two of you, and the staring between you two changed to affectionate words being mouthed to the other whenever you would catch each other staring.

the platonic cuddle session in your house would turn to not so platonic as mingi and you would exchange kisses as you sat on his lap which then turned into a brief slow makeout session with the television acting as background noise for the two of you, whispering affirmations to one another into the night sky hanging over your heads.

“but babe.” wooyoung whined, following his girlfriend from behind like some type of excited puppy.

mingi could only roll his eyes in a playful manner and made his way around the counter to pull you into his arms, pressing little kisses all over your face. the cafe won’t be open in twenty minutes or so. hence, why mingi has been openly showering you with his affection, not that you were complaining.

giggling softly at the ticklish feeling of his lips all over your face, your own hands reached out to cup his cheeks, finally being able to press your own lips against his in a brief kiss.

“got my usual, now i’m ready for another day to lift sacks of fertilisers and potting some plants.” you teased, pressing the side of your face against mingi’s chest as he pulled you close against him.

“uh-huh, last time you said that, you got grumpy because you didn’t get to have your morning coffee.” mingi deadpanned, poking your side with your index finger to which made you lightly move his hand away.

“i promise i won’t get grumpy again!” you grumbled, lower lip jutting out.

mingi could only pinch your cheeks, slowly letting you go, although reluctantly, to make his way to his workstation to work on your latte anyway despite you not wanting him to.

“you don’t have to.” you mumbled, leaning against the counter while watching your lover make your cafe.

“i want to, little sunflower.” he shrugged, sending you a playful wink.

you are going to admit it, the name he gave you seemed to never grow old no matter how many times mingi had called you that. something about it sounded so special to you no matter how cheesy it could sound to someone else. or maybe you are just whipped over the tall barista, which of course, you will not deny that as well.

of course, that goes the same with mingi.

every time you enter the cafe, you would see him smiling ever so happily. you also noticed how he could be rather bouncy in his place whenever he was excited as soon as you mentioned that you would sleep over at his place. some would have thought that you were the one stealing his hoodies when in reality, he was the one who made you wear them. something about you wearing mingi’s clothes was enough to make his chest swell with so much adoration and love that he would just scoop you up in his arms, and kiss all over your face.

“one vanilla latte, made with love for my little sunflower.” you heard mingi say, handing you the cup, which you thankfully took no matter how much you denied of it earlier.

“this cafe will be filled with the scent of cheese with how much the two of you are flirting.”

a certain raven haired barista called out, coming out of the kitchen with his girlfriend trailing behind, her hand holding the back of his shirt while doing so. you merely stuck your tongue out at wooyoung before checking the time, realising that you were running a little late to open your flower shop.

“i gotta go and open up my shop. a customer of mine would be needing their bouquet today.” you announced as you grabbed your things, mingi leaning over the counter with lips puckering up.

“you forgot something.” he mumbled.

shaking your head, your hands reached out to cup his cheeks and pressed a couple of quick kisses on his lips, before making your way out of the cafe, bidding your goodbyes to wooyoung and his girlfriend.

“right in front of my coffee.” the raven mumbled, his girlfriend laughing at him.

“you don’t see mingi saying that when you’re being all whiny for hugs.” she retorted, mingi grinning at the words.

he failed to pick up the next response from the raven haired barista, opting to lean against the counter as he watched your figure getting on your bicycle before heading off to your shop. mingi could feel a fluttering feeling in his chest as the smile on his lips seemed to never disappear from his lips.

truly, mingi was infatuated with his little sunflower, and nothing could ever change that.

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thdorkmagnet · 3 years

Text

The Princess and the Street Dog

Hello everyone!! So today I am posting a birthday gift for my dear amazing friend @kikithefox231. She had an idea for a Lady and the Tramp AU and I fell in love with it! Of all her incredible AU’s this one might be my favorite, haha. She also offered to make a cover for it and gosh it just turned out adorable!! Thanks for that Kiki and Happy Birthday, dude! You deserve it!

Star's life had always been perfect. Ever since she could remember she had been living the life of luxury. She had been adopted by a lovely family of humans known as Eclipsa and Globgor. They treated her with so much warmth and kindness that she never felt unloved. She could do basically whatever she wanted: sleep on the bed at their feet, eat half of Globgor’s morning donut, and she was even free to bark and chase around as many birds or squirrels as she wanted.

Yep, life for Star was pretty good.

Loving with a silver spoon would do that to you. Sure there was a problem or two from time to time but nothing that ever threatened her lifestyle. The biggest hiccup had been when Globgore and Eclipsa had a 'baby' as they called it and suddenly the attention was shifted away from her. She was pretty upset and even a little jealous until she had actually seen little Meteora and her heart had melted. She fell in love with the baby and her tail was wagging so much the first time she saw her, it was a wonder it didn't break off.

So yeah life for Star was good.

Except....

It wasn't. Lately Star has been craving more. She wanted to see more than the small fenced-in enclosure she called home. Sure she loved her home and owners and couldn't ask for better but at the same time... she wanted more! She knew there was stuff out there that she had never seen before and she would love a chance to see it someday.

Of course it wasn't her fault she had started having these thoughts, they had been implanted into her brain by the wild street dog known as Marco. Ever since he started showing up, Star has begun desiring more from her life than the pampered existence she knew. He would come around to bother her and tell her stories about life outside of fences, about railroad tracks and garbage cans and fire hydrants. Star pretended not to care but inwardly, her curiosity was beyond peaked and she secretly loved whenever Marco appeared, something about him just drew her in and she couldn't quite explain it.

Not that she would ever let it show.

Star was thinking about him as she laid out of the grass, letting the bright sunlight soak into her warm fur. She had had a very busy morning, fetching the newspaper, burying the bone Eclipsa had given her, barking at a group of stray birds that wandered into her yard, the usual stuff and she was enjoying some well deserved rest. Of course she was also trying to show off the new pink bow her owners had tied around her ears, it looked great on her and she was happy to gain attention over it.

But then her peaceful morning was interrupted as she heard a distinct set of pawprints heading her way. She let out a groan, while her heartbeat began to pick up its pace again. There was only one animal in the world those pawsteps could belong to, Marco's brash, confident stride too distinct to be anyone else.

Star felt her heartbeat racing against her chest and her tail began to wag against her will. She did her best to hide her joy though, pretending to be asleep. She didn't want to let him know the effect he had on her, even though she was practically shivering with anticipation.

She felt the tiniest of smiles form on her face as she heard the gate to her yard creak open. She didn't know why but she loved the fact that Marco was there to see her. That he came all this way specifically for her. Something about that caused goosebumps to appear under her fur.

She listened as his paws padded on the soft grass getting closer and closer but she didn't dare risk looking. Maybe if he thought she was sleeping he would leave and honestly even though she wanted to see him, she didn't want the temptation that came with him. His wild, chaotic nature was hard to resist.

But her charade proved ineffective when a cocky voice said, "Hello princess."

Star let out a fake sigh, pretending to be annoyed by the nickname he had given her, instead of the intense feeling of joy that rushed through her. "Why do you always have the worst timing? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something."

Marco lay down in front of her, their faces so close their noses were nearly touching. "Funny, to my eye it looks like you're doing a whole lot of nothing," he said with an intoxicating smirk.

Star huffed, sticking her nose up in the air like her friend Ponyhead had taught her, saying in a superior tone, "For your information it's called a nap."

Marco wasn't at all affected by her power, rolling around some on the grass as he commented, "Wow, I knew you were pampered but I didn't realize the pet life made you so lazy."

Star couldn't stop the growl at the teasing insult, her cheeks puffing up in the cutest way. "I'm not lazy!" She argued, shooting the street dog an annoyed scowl. "For your information I had a very busy morning!"

"Doing what? Getting a pedicure?" Marco asked with a sly grin, clearly enjoying getting under the cocker spaniel's skin.

"No that was the day before," Star replied without thinking. But upon realizing her mistake she flushed, knowing how the argument was just made invalid. The collie broke out into laughter and Star resisted every urge in her body that told her to hide her blushing face from his gaze. Instead she simply settled for looking away and pouting.

"Whatever, it's not that bad," she muttered under her breath. In a louder voice though she asked in an annoyed huff, "Did you come all the way here just to insult me?"

"Nope," Marco said, finally recovering from his laughing fit, stretched out his limbs and back as he spoke. "Actually I was on my way to have some real fun and figured I'd invite you along." The dog crossed his paws in front of him before laying his head on top, giving the pampered pooch a knowing smirk. "But clearly you're too busy to come."

Star saw through the dog’s attempt to manipulate her, his hidden smug and wagging tail giving him away in a heartbeat. But Star was not so easily manipulated and so she kept a straight face as she replied, "That's right. So why don't you run along and let me nap in peace." She turned her back to him and laid down closing her eyes while listening closely to see if he would actually leave or not.

But even this was not enough to shake Marco as he trotted around her, now facing her again. "Oh come on," he pressed bending down so that his face hovered a few inches from her own. "Don’t tell me you aren't curious? Where's your sense of adventure? Don't you want more out of life than being a pet! Don't you wanna see what a dog's life can really be?"

Star didn't know how to reply to that, because she was curious. She did want to see what life off of a leash was like. She knew she shouldn't but she did and that burning desire made her hesitate. Marco's offer was so intriguing, could she really pass up this chance?

Marco could see her will breaking and added in a hinting tone, "Come on, princess. You know you want to."

"But-But Eclipsa and Globgor," she quickly stammered, but the excuse was halfhearted and she knew it.

“I’ll have you back before they even know you’re gone,” Marco promised, giving her a trusting smile, one that Star found impossible to resist, her curiosity and the street dog’s pressure pushing her over the edge.

She let out a long, drawn-out sigh, before finally saying, “Okay, fine.” But she added quickly, “But only because it’ll get you to leave me alone.”

It was clear Marco saw through her obvious lie due to his wide smirk but thankfully he kept whatever comment he had to himself as he simply replied, “Cool. Glad to hear I finally convinced you.”

“Not like I had much choice,” Star muttered sourly, stretching out her limbs as she finally stood. She made sure to not let her smile show, her excitement at finally getting to see the outside world making her inwardly giddy. But she did not want Marco to see that.

Marco chuckled to himself at Star’s pouting and told her smoothly, “Hey, I promise you’re gonna love it and a street dog’s ode is his life.”

“Really?” Star questioned, raising a teasing eyebrow. She allowed the dog to lead her over to the opened gate.

“Oh yeah, just because we aren’t pampered head to toe doesn’t mean we don’t have standards, princess.”

“Well, I suppose we’ll just have to see how true your ode is then, won’t we?”

Marco gave her a confident grin over his shoulder, that caused Star’s cheeks to heat up. “Challenge accepted.” The two reached the gate and Marco waved a paw towards the exit, bowing his head low. “After you,” he said in what could almost pass for a sophisticated tone if Star didn’t notice the sarcasm dripping from his every inflection.

“Such a gentlemen,” she returned, playing along with his act as she trotted past him, keeping her head held high in a dignified manner. But she paused just a second as she reached the crosswalk, feeling anxious to take that final step into a world she didn’t know or understand. She didn’t pause for too long though, feeling Marco’s stare on her back, no doubt judging her hesitation and wanting to prove herself to the street dog she forced her paw onto the hard cement sidewalk. For some reason, Star’s body tensed up, her hair standing slightly on end as if she expected some disaster to happen the moment she left the safety of her yard. But nothing happened, the pair remained untouched and Star felt slightly embarrassed for the irrational panic.

Marco grinned brightly at seeing the fussy dog finally stepping outside her comfort zone and his tail wagged happily as he watched her reluctantly standing on the sidewalk. He had been waiting for this moment for so long and he finally had convinced his crush to go on an adventure with him. He could see her start to rethink her decision though, indecision flashing in her eyes and he quickly said, “Come on, it’s this way.” And with that he headed off towards town, already coming up with the quickest route out of the fancy neighborhood. He held his breath slightly as he listened closely for Star’s pawsteps and after a couple seconds he heard her following along behind him and felt his heart leap in his chest.

Star made sure to stick close to Marco as she stumbled along blindly behind him, the burning curiosity in her chest pressing her forward as her beloved home slowly faded in the distance as she journeyed into the unknown.

...

Star was enchanted by the world outside her fence. She could only gap and wag her tail at every new sight that came her way, following along behind Marco. There were so many things to see, automobiles and fire hydrants and so, so many humans! Thousands of new smells invaded Star's nostrils and she couldn't help but sniff back eagerly. She wanted to know what all of it was and meant.

She tried to keep her composure, especially when she caught a few smirking glances from Marco. She was a lady, after all. Still, it was hard to act sophisticated when you were left gawking awkwardly at something as simple as a window shop. Star jumped when a Jack-in-the-box popped up from behind the glass and Marco laughed. She tried to ignore the annoying tramp as well as her warm cheeks.

Marco led her over to some railroad tracks and they followed them for a short ways. Again, Star couldn't hold in her excitement as she asked, "Do you think we'll see a train?"

"Probably not, the trains don't usually run at this time," Marco nonchalantly replied, boldly walking on the tracks themselves, while Star trotted next to them.

"Oh," Star replied sadly, unable to hide her disappointment.

"Maybe next time, princess," Marco reassured her, giving her a tiny glance.

Star didn't reply but her tail wagged just a little bit harder at the thought of there being a 'next time'. She hadn't been too sure about an outing with the street dog at first but she had to admit she was enjoying herself. Maybe she wouldn't mind having a 'next time' with Marco.

Then the two reached their destination.

Of all the places Star had been imagining (since Marco had insisted on it being a surprise) an old rundown farm was not one of them. If farm was even the right word. The grass had been picked clean, only dirt and mud left. The house was falling apart loose boards and peeling paint making the place look hazardous. The only thing of even remote interest was a worn down chicken coop. Star gave Marco a skeptical look silently asking 'Is this the place?'

The mutt ignored his critical companion, breathing in the rustic air before sighing contintly, "This place never changes."

"Are you sure that's a good thing?" Star commented, wrinkling her snout.

Marco finally picked up on the pet's contempt and said confidently, "Trust me, Star. You are gonna love this."

"If you say so," Star replied, shifting uncomfortably on her paws, suddenly not sure about her decision to tag along. The dirt especially making her hesitant. Eclipsa hated having to give her baths and would usually ask Globgor do it. Star didn't want to cause trouble for her owners.

But she was already here and she didn't want to turn back now, she would never hear the end about it from Marco. She had to prove to him once and for all that a pet could be just as wild and reckless as a stray.

So, Star just took in a breath, gazing up at the wire fence that sealed off their entrance and asked, "So how do we get in?"

"This way," Marco replied, padding over to the fence and gesturing with his paw to a small hole just under where the fence was. He quickly widened the hole, using his front paws to scoop out dirt so both he and Star could fit easily under.

Star watched as the collie easily slipped through the hole, not a single patch of fur even grazing the fence line. He then turned, waiting for Star to do the same.

But she hesitated.

Marco watched her stand there awkwardly for a second, before asking, "What is it now, princess?" A smirk grew as he added teasingly, "Afraid of getting a little dirty?"

Star's gaze narrowed slightly but she shook her head, causing her ears to flop back and forth. "No, it's just... my bow."

"Your bow," Marco repeated, an eyebrow beginning to raise.

Star felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment, suddenly feeling stupid for bringing it up, but she lowered her head so Marco could clearly see the pretty pink ribbon tied around her ears, resting comfortably at the back of her head. "Uh yeah, Eclipsa and Globgor just bought it for me, I'm afraid it'll get ruined." Her voice grew softer and softer with each word, shame making her voice slowly break off, lost to the wind.

She waited for Marco to laugh or taunt her but surprisingly the dog didn't say anything, instead just gazing around thoughtfully at the fence. Star watched in surprise as his bright brown eyes searched for any openings, before they landed on a small gate.

"Hang on I got an idea," Marco said. The hound then began the grueling task of trying to open the small lock with nothing but his nose. It took several attempts, trying to tease the small clasp up and Star held her breath at every try, sighing in disappointment each time it slipped right back into place.

Finally after several endless minutes, Marco managed to get the gate open, a small push from his paw allowing Star to easily enter inside.

Star happily trotted inside, touched by Marco's kindness. "Thanks," she whispered shyly. "I really appreciate you doing that for me." She scratched a paw in the dirt absentmindedly.

Marco shrugged. "Well I couldn't let you ruin something important to you because of me, what kind of friend would I be, then?"

Star was too stunned to respond to that, just staring at him, wide-eyed. The slight sparkle in her eye seemed to make Marco uncomfortable, coughing into his paw before turning away and adding quickly, "B-Besides, then I'd never get you to come out of your fancy cage again, soooo-"

Star smiled softly back at him, easily picking up on his attempts to cover up his compassionate act and simply replied, "Well thanks all the same."

"S-Sure, it's no big deal, really," Marco nervously stuttered, for the first time losing his cocky demeanor that Star had so heavily associated with him. Looks like there was more to Marco than she had thought. And Star couldn't help her curiosity as she wondered what other sides to him waited beneath his rough exterior.

"Anyways," Marco continued in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "Let me show you what we came here for."

"Oh please," Star said teasingly, trotting along beside him as he led her to the chicken coop. "The anticipation is killing me."

Marco gestured with a paw at the coop. "Here we are!" He said in a showy tone.

Stars eyes narrowed in confusion. "I'm confused is it behind the dirty chicken coop orrr-"

Marco gave a fake laugh at the comment. "Haha, very funny. No, it is the chicken coop, Star."

"And why do we care about chickens, exactly?" Star asked, still not following Marco's train of thought.

"Easy. We're gonna scare them and then chase them around a bunch."

Star was startled by this answer, blurting out, "Why would we do that?"

"Because it's fun," Marco replied simply.

"But we won't hurt them right?" Star asked nervously.

"Naaahh," Marco dismissively answered, already walking up the wooden plank that led inside. "They love it. This is what they live for."

"Well, alright then," Star said wincing but still followed after her friend. She still had a point to prove, after all.

Once inside, the smell of must and feathers filled Star's nose and she blinked a few times waiting for her eyes to adjust. The chickens all lay on small piles of straw that acted as their nest, each snoring peacefully, oblivious to the intruders in their home. The pampered pup looked over at her friend, unsure of what to do now.

But it seemed Marco was easily in control of the situation, shooting her a wink before sucking in a deep breath. Before Star could question what he was doing the mutt let out a loud series of barks that caused Star to flinch and startled the birds from their slumber, squawking and flapping around the coop wildly. Then they all rushed towards the only exit and Star barely had time to jump out of the way of the fluttering of a thousand feathers.

Star watched stunned as the birds scattered out across the yard, still clucking loudly and making a huge fuss as they scrambled around blindly. The pet felt a twinge of regret for scaring the birds until her eyes landed on Marco. The street dog crouched forward on his front paws, so his tail was sticking up in the air. It was wagging so quickly it was a wonder it hadn't lifted him off the ground. There was a playfulness in his eyes and his tongue stuck out just slightly and Star couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of the grown dog acting like a mere pup.

Marco heard her chuckle and flashed her a winning grin that caused Star’s whole body to warm with affection and she smiled back at the mutt without even thinking. Then, without warning, the street dog launched himself towards one of the chickens causing it to squawk and scamper away as fast as it’s claws would allow. But Marco was on it’s tail in a second, following closely along behind it and letting out a few yips here and there to keep it motivated on escaping him. Star now outright laughed at her companion’s ridiculous display, his tongue now hanging fully out of his mouth as he chased after the bird, which zigzagged around the yard in some form of evasive maneuver.

Star laughed harder and harder until her stomach hurt and there were tears in her eyes and still the mutt continued his hilarious display. Marco paused for only a second, panting wildly but clearly enjoying himself and he gave a slight incline of his head towards the lady dog, beaconing her over. Star shook her head, still thinking of her privileged upbringing, it simply wouldn’t be dignified of her. Marco’s eyes flashed with some kind of determination but quickly raced after the chicken again.

This time though, he seemed to be guiding it in a specific path, cutting it off at several points and forcing it to turn and run and Star realized too late that he was leading it over to her. She shrieked and quickly moved out of the way as the chicken ran past, a few feathers flying up into the air and landing in her soft fur. Marco flew by her in a blur and she shot him an annoyed glare which he returned with a shrug over his shoulders.

Star let out a huff, but a smile spread across her face a second later as she chased not after the chicken, but Marco himself, all thoughts of preserving dignity and respect lost as she gave into the tramp’s game. “Get back here, you scoundrel!” she barked playfully.

“You’ll have to catch me, Princess,” Marco shouted over his shoulder, delighted his companion was finally joining in on the fun.

The two giggled as they raced around the yard, sending chickens fluttering into the air at every turn, the chickens themselves now forgotten as a game of chase broke out instead. Star, not used to running this much, found herself struggling to catch up to Marco but she refused to give up. Thinking quickly, she broke off course, running around the chicken coop and able to outmaneuver the hound. She let out a laugh of victory shouting, “Gotcha!” she lept towards him but he quickly jumped out of the way, causing her to land hard in the dirt.

Star sat up quickly, spitting rocks and dirt from her mouth before growling as she heard Marco’s laughter. She rose to her paws, shaking the loose dirt off her shiny fur, before shooting her friend another glare. “Oh, that’s it, you’re on now!” she yelled, barely able to suppress her own laugh. Marco fake gasped before taking off running again and Star raced after him.

The two ran around the small backyard together and Star smiled brightly, enjoying the feeling of the wind on her face, the pounding in her heart, her ears flapping behind her. All of it. And all those days, living safe and secluded in her small home melted away as the feeling of true freedom overtook her. Marco hadn’t lied to her when he said she would have fun, Star was having the time of her life and she never wanted it to end!

Star seeing several chickens pecking at the ground in front of her and Marco, smiled mischievously before letting out a loud bark, causing the birds to panic and scatter, several of them flapping their wings right in the poor dog’s face causing him to stumble back in surprise. Star used this opportunity to pounce on her companion, knocking him to the ground and pinning him under her weight. “Gotcha!” she shouted in victory, her front paws perched on his back and her head held high. “How’s that for a house pet?”

Marco chuckled, before rolling over on his back, causing her to slide off of him. The two lay on the ground for a minute, panting, staring into each other’s eyes as they smiled blissfully.

“Alright, I admit that was pretty good,” Marco finally said, his tone full of some emotion Star couldn’t quite place, but there was a tenderness in her eyes that made her tail wag in joy. “I knew there was more to you than meets the eye.”

“Hmm, turns out there’s more to you, too,” Star commented shyly, suddenly looking away to hide her burning cheeks.

“Like what?” he asked, leaning a little closer to her so their noses were almost touching.

“Like… maybe you aren’t as annoying as I thought you were,” Star answered softly. The cocker spaniel found herself scooting closer to her companion. She didn’t know what she was about to do but she knew she wanted whatever it was to happen.

“You might even be really… nice,” she finished.

There was now almost no space between them, their faces so close Star could smell Marco’s scent. It was musty and gritty but full of so much life and she wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything about Marco, wanted to be a part of his life in the same way he had become a part of hers. She wanted-

“Hey!” A loud voice interrupted the moment and Star looked over to see a human, an angry scowl on his face and a gleaming gray tool perched tightly in his hands. Star shivered at the hatred on the man’s face and she thought she saw Marco put a protective paw in front of her but it could have been her imagination. “Stop scaring my chickens, you mutts!” The man raised the shiny barrel so it was now facing right towards the pair of dogs and Star felt her heart drop.

Marco let out a loud bark, which caused the man to jump and a loud bang rang through the air, hurting Star’s sensitive ears. The ground right beside her paw was stuck by something hard and fast, kicking dirt up into the air and terror shot through Star as she instinctively pulled her paw away from the sudden impact. “Run!” Marco shouted and Star didn’t have to be told twice. The two raced out the open gate, several chickens flapping out of their way and scattering into the street. Another loud bang sounded behind Star, who flinched but didn’t dare turn to see what it was, her heart racing quickly in her chest.

She just focused on following Marco and not on the loud, angry shouts of the cruel man that grew further and further away. The street dog led them onto the street and Star didn’t hesitate to follow him, hoping he knew best. But at that exact moment, a car pulled out right in front of them and Star froze in terror. Thankfully, the car swerved to avoid hitting her, honking loudly in annoyance but sparing her life, thankfully. Star shook her head to free herself from her paralzed state and quickly chased after Marco, who was now quite a bit ahead of her.

The street dog seemed to not notice his companion lagging behind as he swerved around several humans who now crowded the sidewalks. Star saw Marco disappear around a corner and quickly followed after him.

Star found herself in an abandoned alleyway and she sighed in relief to be out of the street and away from danger. But this was short-lived as she realized she didn’t see Marco anywhere. “Marco?” she called, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice. After the scare earlier the silence of the alley was unnerving to Star and she felt her body shaking some against her will. She tried to hide her fear but her body didn’t seem to want to obey as she shuddered and shook, taking hesitant steps farther into the dark, abandoned alley. Her voice grew quiet as she softly called out for her companion, getting weaker and weaker as she received no answer. Where was he?

Star was starting to question if she had gone the wrong way, when she heard something behind her and her heart leapt in joy. “Marco!” she called hopefully.

But her hopes were dashed as a pair of rough looking street dogs emerged from the shadows. Their fur was matted and dirty, their faces set in permanent snears, while their eyes burned with both hunger and anger in equal intensity, everything about them gave Star the creeps and she found herself backing away from them as they approached. They blocked Star’s only exit out of the alley, living her trapped with these vile creatures... alone.

“Well look what we have here,” one of the dog’s said, the disgust in his tone clear and Star noticed there was a piece missing from his left ear. “A prissy pet has wandered into our territory.”

Star shrank under the intense gaze, keeping herself as low to the ground as she could, trying to look as non-threatening as possible in the hopes they would leave her alone. But that seemed to be wishful thinking.

“What’s the matter, little lady, wander away from your humans or did they throw you out on the streets like the rest of us?” the dog said again, clearly the leader.

Star felt a sudden burst of anger at the comment and held her head high as she responded critically, “Perhaps if you weren’t so ugly or rude you would have a chance to live outside of the gutter. But it seems you two are exactly where you belong.”

The two dogs just stared at her stunned for a second, not sure how to respond to the harsh criticism and Star felt a small burst of pride for standing up for herself. However, this quickly turned to regret as the dogs let out deep guttural growls, their faces filled with fury and Star instantly wished she hadn’t provoked them.

“Well it seems the princess has quite a bark on her,” the lead dog said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and envy. He slowly stalked closer and Star backed away nervously, only to run into a large wooden fence, trapping her and leaving her at the mercy of these vicious creatures. Both hounds sneared at their prey’s helpless predicament, clearly enjoying Star’s looks of panic and quivering body, her fur practically standing on end. They moved torturously slowly, playing with their victim as they savored her terror. “Let’s see if your bite is just as sharp,” the lead dog growled.

With that he sprang towards her, jaw opened wide, his fangs ready to sink into flesh and fur and Star screamed, turning her head away and squeezing her eyes shut so she didn’t have to see her own death. But at the last second, something flew over the fence, a flash of brown descending quickly and landing between Star and the street dogs, slamming into the attacking leader and knocking him to the ground.

Star hesitantly peaked open an eye only for them to widen in surprise as she saw the determined, brash form of Marco now standing protectively in front of her. He was lowered to the ground in a defensive stance, the nails of his claws digging slightly into the smooth tile, looking ready to attack at any second. His ears were lowered in a threatening manner and his face had contorted into a chilling snarl, baring his fangs at the rival dogs, a deep growl echoing from his throat. Star’s mouth hung open as she stared longingly at Marco, in that moment she couldn’t think of anything more beautiful than the sight of her friend coming to her rescue. Her heart was beating violently in her chest but if it was out of fear or love Star couldn’t determine, ultimately deciding it was a strange mixture of both somehow.

“Stay away from her!” Marco barked out in warning and Star felt a chill run through her. This dog before her was nothing like the annoying mutt she had grown to care for. The Marco she knew was all smooth smiles and playful looks, but this dog in front of her… he was a predator at its purest form. His every move, every inflection, every action was focused on one task only- to defend. Star realized she was seeing yet another side of Marco today. The true primitive animal that lay beneath the levels of charm and charisma. And yet, instead of fear, Star only felt herself falling all the harder for her companion.

Because he was protecting her and that was all that mattered.

The two dogs were not deterred by Marco’s death-filled glares, instead this only seemed to anger them more as the lead dog scoffed and snapped, “Oh what? Are you seriously going to try and tell me you are protecting this pet?”

Marco only growled in response, his eyes narrowing and seeming to scream ‘Just try something I dare you’.

The lead dog seemed amused by this as his and his partner started to circle around Marco, looking for an opening and Marco watched them wearily. “Didn’t realize you were so soft,” the lead dog taunted. “Can’t believe you would actually risk your life for an outsider. You’re one of us, remember?”

“I am nothing like you!” Marco barked and that seemed to bring the tension to its boiling point as all at once a fight broke out.

Star could barely track the flurry of claws and teeth and fur as the hounds mangled one another in any way they could. Marco fought valiantly against his two opponents, sinking his teeth into any patch of fur that drifted too close, while easily dodging out of the way of the others' attacks on him.

The smaller dog managed to sneak up behind Marco and jumped onto his back, Marco letting out a howl of pain as its sharp fangs bit into flesh. But with a simple kick of his backpaws the other dog went flying, slamming hard into a trashcan and letting out its own yelp of agony.

The lead dog then caught Marco by surprise, as it snapped its jaw around Marco’s left paw, pressing down and drawing blood, staining Marco’s fur red. Marco again let out a cry of pain but was quick to retaliate, using his good paw to slam into the dog’s face, catching him right in the eye and the lead dog yelped and pulled away.

But the lead dog shrugged off its injury, snarling and going in for the kill, its dripping fangs opened wide as it headed straight for Marco’s throat, ready to tear it out in one motion. But Marco saw the attack coming from a mile away, stepping out of the way and burying his own fangs in the back of the hound’s neck as he passed. He used the momentum to throw the dog across the alley, the vile dog slamming into the same trashcan as his partner, the two now laying in a heap on the ground.

They recovered slowly, raising their heads as they looked over to their opponent with bleary, pain-filled eyes. Marco towered over them, his eyes flashing with murder as he growled sharply, “Had enough.”

The other dogs lost their nerve, shrinking in fear before the menacing Marco, whimpering nervously as the lead dog muttered, “Okay, okay, fine. You win. You and the pet get off easy, this time. But if I see you in my territory again-”

Marco stepped closer so they were now face to face, his eyes flashing dangerously as he growled, “Oh yeah and what are you gonna do?”

The lead dog struggled to keep a straight face as he backed away from the superior hound, him and his lackey now the ones shaking in fear. Marco let out a sharp sniff before declaring, “Now get out of here before I change my mind and finish what you started!”

The two dogs didn’t have to be told twice as they ran speedily away, their tails tucked between their legs as they fearfully escaped Marco’s wrath. Star breathed a sigh of relief when the two dogs vanished from view but stared at her friend in concern as his body remained tense and alert. She approached him slowly, reluctantly, afraid he might lash out at her if she made any loud noises but he didn’t. He simply glared off into the distance, his posture threatening and calloused.

“Marco?” Star whispered anxiously. She didn’t like seeing her friend this way. Now that the danger had passed she wished the annoying but lovable Marco would return to her, seeing him go from a carefree puppy into this wild animal was too much for her mind to comprehend.

But slowly, cautiously Marco began to relax. His tight muscles loosened and his fur flattened back into place. His posture grew less rigid and more easygoing. His twisted expression melted into a vacant, far-off look and his hardened gaze slowly softened as he turned to address her. Star nearly fainted with relief, Marco still far from his playful self, but it was still much better.

Marco blinked once as his eyes seemed to focus in on her face and he muttered softly, “Star.” He regarded her for another second, his brown orbs scanning her up and down before he finally added, “You okay?”

Star nodded dumbly, not sure she could produce words right now, her throat tight from the terrifying ordeal. Marco gave her a worried look but sighed in relief saying, “Thank goodness. I was worried those jerks might have hurt you.”

“Do you…” Star began, before reconsidering, wanting to word this correctly to avoid upsetting her friend. “Does that happen… often?”

“What, the fights?” Marco asked, an eyebrow slowly raising.

Star nodded, before explaining, “You seemed like it wasn’t your first.”

Marco scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Well to be fair, that was hardly what I would call a fight. Those two idiots had no idea what they were doing. I’ve been in way tougher scrapes then-” Marco cut himself off when he noticed Star’s eyes widening. He quickly corrected himself, plastering on a forced smile, “Uhh, I mean, it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m as tough as they come, Star.”

“I-I see,” Star muttered, not sure what else to say. Life on the streets must be hard if this experience was anything to go by and she wanted to cry as she imagined all the times Marco must have been hurt or scared. While she was busy living it up in a house where her every need was cared for, he was busy trying to stay alive.

Marco, almost as if reading her thoughts, suddenly told her in a calm, even tone, “Hey, don’t worry about me, I love living on the streets even if things are a little rough sometimes. Life out here isn’t all bad, I swear. That just.. wasn’t the best example.” Marco rolled his eyes before adding, “I just can’t believe those mutts would attack you like that! If I ever see them again I’ll-” His gaze hardened and a low growl echoed in his throat as he thought of the two attack dogs.

Star quickly cut in before her friend could lose himself to his anger, blurting out, “No, no, I’m fine, really! They didn’t do anything to me! Although that’s mostly thanks to you.” She blushed slightly at this but gave him a bright smile. “Thank you, by the way, for saving me.”

“No problem, princess,” Marco replied, a cheery grin lighting up his face. “What kind of friend would I be if I let you get killed on your first trip into town?”

Star giggled slightly as she added playfully, “Oh yeah, is that more of a third trip kind of thing orrrr-”

Marco laughed and Star felt her heart thump against her chest at the sweet sound. “I see this experience hasn’t hurt your witty comebacks at all,” he said, giving her a knowing look.

“You wish,” Star replied with a teasing grin.

Marco opened his mouth to say something else, moving towards her in emphasis, but instead hissed in pain, cringing as his left paw touched the ground. Star’s eyes widened in concern and she asked worriedly, “What’s wrong?”

The street dog lifted his hurt paw up, cringing in pain, and that’s when she saw the damage the two dogs had done to him. Blood was dripping from the wound, staining his fur red, and it hurt Star just looking at it. “Oh my gosh, are you okay?!” she shouted, moving closer to properly inspect the wound.

“But Marco quickly brushed off Star’s concern, telling her in a slightly strained tone, “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch is all.”

Star gave him a doubting look. “Are you sure? It looks pretty bad.”

“Nah, just gotta walk it off is all,” he said, before flashing a wide, goofy grin in her direction. Star felt her heart go out to her friend, her stomach churning slightly with guilt over him getting hurt protecting her. He was clearly more hurt than he was letting on and Star wanted desperately to help him in some way. She wanted to repay him for what he had done for her, some small token of her gratitude. And this seemed like the simplest way of doing that.

She scanned her brain, thinking hard for an idea, when suddenly a thought popped into her head. She smiled softly to herself before turning her head as far around as it could. Marco watched her curiously as she shook her head back and forth a few times, finally managing to grab a loose end with her teeth, before she slowly pulled it loose. The bow came undone, the ribbon now hanging loosely in her mouth and she carried it over to her friend’s paw. She carefully began wrapping the stretch of cloth over Marco’s injured paw as the street dog stood there in stunned silence.

It took a bit of time, having to use her nose, paw, and teeth to tie the make-shift bandage into place, but slowly, meticulously she managed to wrap up the wound. And with a final tug on the ribbon, Star let go, moving back to admire her work.

Marco stared down at the ribbon in confusion, before looking back up at her, a tenderness in his eyes that did all kinds of crazy things to Star’s heart. “Why did you do that?” he asked, looking so baffled that Star almost laughed out loud at the strange expression.

“Well, I had to stop the blood somehow,” she replied instead. “It was dripping all over the pavement.”

“No, I mean, your pretty bow, you kinda just ruined it,” Marco said, his voice hushed. “Wasn’t this important to you?”

Star shook her head. “You needed it more than I did,” she replied simply. “Besides Eclipsa and Globgor can always get me a new one.”

Marco’s eyes flooded with deep affection, a fondness that went so much deeper than he seemed to be able to comprehend, and Star knew without a doubt she was finally seeing the whole Marco. There was a longing there, a need for companionship that he had been starved of for so long, but also slight fear, like he was afraid to give himself away to her, his guarded heart opening up just a little wider to let her in. And from the way his eyes roamed over her face, it was like he was seeing her for the first time.

And honestly, Star understood all of this, because she was feeling it herself.

But instead of trying to run from this feeling, she embraced it, welcoming it openly. Because she liked this feeling and she didn’t want it to stop. She wanted it to be a part of her and she hoped that Marco wanted that, too.

After a few awkward minutes of gawking at each other in silence, the spell was broken not by one of the dogs but by a car horn from the street outside the alley, the loud noise causing both of them to jump and bringing them crashing back to reality. Star shook her head, before staring up at the darkening sky, declaring nervously, “Oh no, it’s getting late. I should probably get back to the house.”

Marco nodded in agreement, although he seemed disappointed at this news. “Yeah, that would be best, I guess.” He turned to lead her out of the alley, his tail hanging limply between his legs and his ears lowered in sadness. “Come on, princess. I’ll walk you back.”

Star stared back at him in sympathy before rushing to catch up, not wanting to risk being separated from him… again. She walked with him side by side, staring at his depressed face for a few seconds before saying softly, “Uh, hey. Thanks for bringing me along. Sorry for the trouble I caused you.”

Marco shook his head. “No, no, you aren’t any trouble. I’m just sorry things got so… tense back there. Looks like my efforts to show you the wonders of life off the leash didn’t work out so well, huh? You’ll probably never want to step foot outside your fence after all that.”

“Actually, I had a good time,” Star told him and he turned to her with shock.

“Seriously?” he asked, giving her a disbelieving look.

“Well, okay it got a little crazy and traumatizing there at the end,” she admitted before letting out an involuntary shudder. She gave him a bright grin as she added, “But I’m glad I decided to come with you. I never realized how boring and predictable my life was before. Or just how much I was missing out on. So thank you, for showing me.”

Marco was still giving her an incredulous look, still too dumbfounded for words. And Star found his awkward gawking adorable, adding sweetly, “But maybe next time we can do something a little more relaxing.”

This finally seemed to get Marco’s attention as he asked excitedly, “Next time.” His eyes shimmered with anticipation, his tail starting to wag, once again.

Star nodded. “Mmhmm ‘next time’,” she repeated, giving him a shamelessly flirty grin.

Marco’s eyes flashed mischievously as he declared in a hinting tone, “Well, y’know I do happen to know a little place here in town, if you’re interested.”

“Oh. What did you have in mind?” she asked, giving him a small nudge with her shoulder.

“It’s a nice Italian restaurant. The owners and I go way back and they are also generous with the hand-outs. Their pizzas are okay but their spaghetti is to die for.”

Star giggled, her heart thumping eagerly against her chest. “Sounds perfect.”

“So, pick you up at your place, late tonight? After the owners are asleep.” His eyes were full of hope and joy and so many emotions at once that it almost made Star ache. He was opening himself up to her again, letting his true self show and Star knew she had to grab on tight. Grab on and never let go.

Because if she was being honest with herself, life with Marco was what living was really all about.

“It’s a date.”

#Star vs #Star vs AU #My Writing #kikithefox231 #Lady and the Tramp AU #Starco #Bad boy x princess

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sympathyfortheblinderdevil · 3 years

Text

All Is Fair: Ch. 19 Velvet

Tommy's plans have everything to do with a little velvet box. Ada and Polly have reservations, but Tommy is off to the country to bring back his bride.

Sorry for the giant-ass hiatus. I've had Covid and complications from Covid, so it has been tough to find my muse. I hope you like this offering.

“On the table by the window will be fine, and if Mrs. Gray arrives before we’ve come down, send her up here,” Ada spoke quietly to the maid who had brought a tray of tea and scones into the bedroom. She didn’t want to wake the boys, who were sleeping uncharacteristically late for a Christmas morning. Her own chances for a good night’s sleep had been poor to nonexistent after Tommy dropped his bombshell.

She’d had a bath and fixed her face and hair before the sun crept over the eastern treeline of Tommy’s estate. By the time the sky had begun to fade into the bruised lavender shade that she loved best, she had slipped into a burgundy satin and velvet pantsuit. She stood at the window and watched the dawn go fuchsia, then salmon, and finally pale blue before she rang for tea. The loosely draped satin of her top flowed like liquid as she poured her first cup and waited for Aunt Pol.

Like many others who were raised with very little, Polly celebrated Christmas in a big way. The loss of her own children and the hardships she faced while raising her nieces and nephews had meant that she couldn’t get enough of a proper Christmas morning through the eyes of a child. Polly made it a point to be with Charlie or Karl or both on Christmas morning, and she brought enough gifts to make Croesus blush. True to form, she came down Tommy’s drive, fresh from sunrise mass, as Ada poured her second cup of tea. Ada stifled a giggle as she watched one of the house boys struggle under the weight of a huge red flannel bag filled with gifts, but her lightened mood was short-lived as her mind returned to the news she had to relay to her aunt.

“Happy Christmas, Ada,” Polly sang as she walked through the door and pulled Ada into a hug.

Ada squeezed her back with all her might inhaling deeply the scent of French perfume. When she pulled away, she placed her finger to her lips to warn Aunt Pol to be quiet. “The boys aren’t awake yet. Have some tea.”

“I’d rather go wake the boys. Who ever heard of having a lie in on Christmas morning?”

Ada wrinkled her brow and gestured toward the sitting area, “I really need to speak with you before this all gets started. It’s Tom.”

As they settled into a pair of dainty boudoir chairs, Polly lit a long brown cigarette and sighed, “This had better not ruin my Christmas. What’s he done now?”

“Well there are two things, and they are somewhat related,” Ada started. As much thought as she had given the recent turn of events, when it came down to telling Aunt Polly, she didn’t quite know where to begin.

Polly took a long drag on her cigarette and blew the smoke towards the window, where the draft from the aging sill sent it wafting into curlicues. “Take your time, love, but those boys will be awake before long.”

Ada looked down at her fidgeting hands. “Esme is in town, and Tommy is getting married.”

Polly sat up noticeably straighter and raised her voice. “And just exactly how are those two things related?”

“Tommy is marrying Lia, but I think Esme is partially responsible for his sudden decision to propose.”

The whole story came spilling out of Ada starting with how Jenny came after Tommy, armed with information that she got from her copper boyfriend and Esme. “She told him that if he really cared about Lia, he’d let her go before she got hurt.” She took a deep breath and wrinkled her nose, nearly afraid to voice her thoughts to Pol, “I’m convinced that he’s marrying the girl half out of spite.”

Polly nodded knowingly. “And the other half is that he loves her and doesn’t want to lose her. This impulsivity, it isn’t like him.”

“Apparently, Esme laid it on rather thick. She had Jenny talking about tormented souls and such.”

Polly was taken aback. That Esme—she could hold a grudge like no other. The family would need to get a handle on her. On the other hand, all of their lives depended on the protection and discretion of Moss and his men. If there was any trouble in the ranks, it would need to be swiftly dealt with. Jenny’s man was a liability.

“Is Tommy getting rid of the copper?”

Ada nodded in the affirmative. “Tommy contacted Moss and to let him know about the leak in his department. He told Moss that the money that changes hands between them is meant to ensure discretion on the part of his officers and that any more exceptions would mean a change in leadership at the top. The only reason that Jenny’s man hasn’t been permanently reassigned to guarding the prison’s shithouses is that Tommy ordered him to keep Jenny away from Lia. At least until he can marry her.”

Polly nodded and raised her eyebrows in agreement. “What about Esme?”

“He said wants to make things right with her. He said it’s not right that she’s a Shelby, but she won’t even take our money for her children. He wants to call a truce and set something up for her and the kids.”

Polly scoffed, “I’ll handle Esme. She’s more likely to take it if it’s coming from me.”

A melancholy feeling came over Ada all of a sudden. She remembered taking care of John’s kids when Martha died. They were like her little brothers and sisters, but before long Freddie was back from France and babysitting was the farthest thing from her mind. Then a few years later they lost John on Christmas day. She wished she had spent more time with them all. Maybe there was hope for some kind of reconciliation. It would be nice to have John’s children around.

There were sounds of movement in the hallway, and they realized that their time was almost up. Polly leaned forward and asked, “And this marriage proposal? Did you see it coming?”

Ada cut her eyes toward the door then back to Polly. “No, Aunt Pol, just a few days ago I was worried that he was growing bored of her and that he was going to break her heart. I believe that when Jenny told him that Esme was on about curses and the blood of the innocent on his hands, it got to him. I think he has it in his mind that Lia is his second chance...his saving grace. He says he wants to keep her safe, give her the Shelby name. He kept saying that he doesn’t want to lose her. He was saying things like, ‘I have to do this the right way this time.’ Just talk to him. I’d love to have her in the family, but she's not like us. I want to see Tom happy, but it’s not fair to drag her into this life without knowing what she’s getting into.”

***

The following morning, Tommy stepped into his study to find Polly curled up on the end of the couch while she smoked and waited for her tea to cool.

He circled around his desk, unlocked the drawer, and slid a blue velvet box into his coat pocket before announcing, “I’m off”

Polly smiled into her teacup, “Where are you going?”

“You know where, Pol,” he grunted as he pulled on his overcoat.

“Do you love her?”

“Yes. As much as I’ve ever loved anything.”

“Anything or anyone?” She let her words settle on him as she took a long drag from her cigarette. “You know there's a difference, right? I know she makes you feel alive and strong. I know she adores you and makes you feel like the most important person in the world, but, Tommy, she’s a real woman with a real heart that can be broken.”

“I know that. No one’s heart is getting broken.”

He crossed the room to where Polly sat and gazed down at her with those limpid blue eyes that made her want to believe him.

“I know what I’m doing, Pol. No one’s heart will be broken.”

She reached out for his hand and squeezed it with both of hers, softly smiled, and whispered, “Alright, Tommy, alright.”

***

Tommy walked along the path that led to the barn, his boots crunching into the near-frozen gravel. His left arm swung at his side; the fingers of his right hand unconsciously rubbed the velvet of the ring box that was nestled in the pocket of his coat.

As he approached the barn, he could hear the rise and fall of indistinct voices. One of them was unmistakably hers. He stopped walking and took in the scene before him. A few milk cans stood against the wall, and a hay wagon was parked beside a neatly kept fence. A collie poked her muzzle out of the barn door, perked up her ears, and warily barked.

“What is it, girl?” Lia said as she patted the dog’s back and stepped around her.

He hardly recognized the girl standing before him: face scrubbed clean, hair tied back with a workman’s kerchief, clad in dungarees crammed into muck boots, and a barn jacket that was at least two sizes too big for her.

“Tommy! What on earth are you doing here?” she gasped.

A weathered voice called from behind her, “Who’s here Lia-Bug?”

Her father came out of the stall just in time to see Lia rush to Tommy and throw her arms around him.

“I can’t believe you’re here. You should’ve sent word that you were coming.” Her muffled words were warm as she nuzzled her chilled face into his neck.

Tommy gently pulled her away to his side and cleared his throat. Lia’s father stood a few feet away, wiping his hands on a kerchief like the one tied in Lia’s thick waves. His moss-green eyes never wavered from Tommy’s as he spoke, “Auralia, where are your manners?”

He stepped up to Tommy with his hand extended, “Patrick Montrose. You must be Thomas Shelby.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Montrose. Call me Tommy.”

With his hand gripped firmly around Tommy’s he returned, “Alright, Tommy. You might as well call me Paddy since we’re damn near the same age.”

#peaky blinders #tommy shelby #peaky blinders fic #peaky blinders fiction #peaky blinders fanfic #tommy shelby x oc #all is fair

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silver-lily-louise · 3 years

Text

Nephil’s Best Friend

Read it on ao3, or below!

~oOo~

Magnus is always out late on Tuesdays. With his position as High Warlock of Alicante still being relatively new, the higher-ups of the Spiral Labyrinth are eager to keep their fingers on the pulse as Downworlders slowly become established within the bounds of Idris – and Tuesday evenings are apparently when the Council’s schedule most conveniently overlaps with Magnus’ own.

Which means that tonight, Alec is walking home. Thankfully, it’s a pleasant evening for it, the thunderstorm from earlier having cleared up into a bright and cheerful summer sunset; and the streets are quiet by this time, too. After spending all but a few of his earliest years in New York – where the Shadowhunters are up all hours on patrols, instead of keeping a nine-to-five in political offices, and where there are Mundanes causing noise and light all around them too – Alec’s not quite sure, still, whether the quiet of his journey home is pleasant or eerie.

But tonight, a better word for that tranquility might be useful, or lucky. Because in the bustle of New York, he likely would have dismissed any non-demonic rustle in the shadows. Now, however, he stops in his tracks, his hand automatically going to his single holstered blade as he turns towards the alleyway, even though he’s not so much wary as curious. ‘Someone there?’ he calls softly. The whined answer he gets isn’t human, he knows that much, and so he moves forward slowly, not wanting to spook - - the puppy that he finds there, cowering in the meager shelter of the building’s overhang, which clearly hasn’t been enough to keep it out of the storm because the poor thing is soaked through.

Alec’s heart lurches in sympathy, and he drops slowly into a crouch, keeping himself angled away slightly so as not to seem confrontational. ‘Hey there,’ he croons, gratified when the dog doesn’t immediately run, at least. ‘What’re you doing out here, huh?’ He wonders if the pup has a home – it’s not likely, given its emaciated state and the lack of a collar. Strays never used to be a problem in Idris, really; but of course, that was before a rift opened above the capital. Before dozens of soldiers left their beloved four-legged companions safely at home in their kennels and yards and cellars, and went to fight a battle they wouldn’t return from.

He pushes that thought aside, for now, and roots around in his pocket, smiling when he encounters a few chicken-flavoured biscuits. ‘They’re meant for our balcony cats,’ he explains gently, scattering them in a line between him and the puppy. ‘But I think you’ll like them anyway.’ He’s immediately proved right, of course, the starving pup sniffing out each biscuit quickly and following the line towards him, scarfing them down. When it steps out of the shadows a bit, Alec’s heart melts a little further – this isn’t exactly a small puppy, it’s already nearly as big as a fully-grown cat. But it’s clearly still young, ears which look like they ought to be pointed still floppy around wide, dark amber eyes, and not even any gangly quality to the paws just yet.

A pup this young, he reasons, likely doesn’t have any reason to be afraid of people yet. The way it’s come close enough to get the last few cat treats would suggest that, too. If he’s right, and if he’s careful, it should be happy enough for Alec to pick it up and take it somewhere safe.

And if he’s wrong… well, that’s what iratzes are for, right?

Decided, Alec reaches out – firmly, but not suddenly – and scritches the pup’s scruff for a moment. ‘Alright, then,’ he murmurs, reaching out his other hand in the same manner, ‘up we go.’ The pup squirms in his arms for a moment, clearly surprised by the change in elevation. But then the water in its fur seeps through Alec’s shirt, and in turn, the pup must realize that it’s essentially being treated to some body heat after being out in the storm. It settles down, snuggling into the crook of his elbow.

Alec smiles, satisfied. ‘There we go,’ he says, slowly, slowly coming up from his crouch. ‘Let’s get you someplace warm and dry, huh?’

He turns on his heel, and starts walking in the direction he came from.

Just past the offices of the Gard, a response to the increasing stray problem has finally popped up in the form of a small, fairly informal animal shelter. The Shadowhunter behind the desk right now looks up as Alec walks in, and their polite smile immediately shifts into something more sympathetic. ‘Oh, dearie me. What have we here?’

Alec gently sets the pup down on the lowered, cut-away part of the desk, its claws tapping sharply against the anti-slip metal – the receptionist doesn’t seem to disapprove, so he thinks he’s understood its purpose well enough. ‘Someone who got caught in the storm,’ he says by way of reply. ‘There’s no collar, so I hoped you might be able to help.’ ‘Absolutely – you did the right thing bringing her in,’ the receptionist confirms. They crouch a little to look the dog over, examining the ears and eyes before running gentle, deft hands over each limb.

It's not long before they straighten up again. ‘Well, good news,’ they say. ‘She doesn’t seem to be hurt in any way.’ Alec finds himself breathing out a sigh of relief. ‘Glad to hear it. Thank you.’ The receptionist rolls up their now-damp sleeves, and gives Alec a wan but genuine smile. ‘We can take it from here. Rest assured, she’s in good hands.’

And Alec knows that’s a dismissal – but between the sight of the puppy still shivering a little, and the slightly concerning number of endurance and stamina runes on the receptionist’s bared forearms, he hesitates. ‘I could… stay and help for a while, if you want?’ he offers. ‘Either with her, or if there’s something else that needs to be done while you’re…?’

The receptionist considers him for a moment – and then gives a slow nod. ‘You’re very kind,’ they say. ‘We are pretty understaffed right now. You’ll need supervision, obviously, but it could be useful to have an extra pair of hands.’ They turn briefly to a square blue folder, opening it up and taking a pen. ‘If I could just take your name and get you signed in for our records?’ ‘…Gideon,’ Alec finds himself saying. ‘Underhill,’ he adds, hoping that Andrew wasn’t exaggerating about the number of cousins he has in Idris.

Apparently he wasn’t, because the receptionist doesn’t think twice, just jots down the name he’s given and closes the book. ‘All right, Gideon. I’ll find someone to cover the desk, and we can go and get this one – oh,’ they say, their face lighting up. ‘Which reminds me, the first order of business should probably be a name for this little one. Since you brought her in, any ideas?’ Alec looks at the puppy once more – and is suddenly reminded of red fields under warm Spanish sunshine, the image as vivid as it was in person thirteen years ago.

A soft smile pulls at his expression. ‘How about Poppy?’

His evening at the shelter passes quickly. Alec helps to set up Poppy’s new little room, cleans up the muddy footprints a collie cross tracked in from outside, and helps the receptionist – who introduces herself as Christina – scrub down and rearrange the outside exercise course; and by the time they’ve done all that, Alec is excusing himself and rushing home, only getting there a few minutes before Magnus portals in and immediately starts waxing lyrical about how incredibly annoying that pompous old moron Claudius has been all day.

It’s not until they’re in bed, with Magnus already asleep, that Alec realizes they’ve managed to talk about everything except his trip to the shelter. Oh well, he muses – it’s not really that important. He can tell Magnus all about it another time.

***

The rest of the week is something of a nightmare. It feels like every ten minutes there’s another hour-long meeting, every Shadowhunter Alec deals with has an interfering political agenda, and – worst of all – everyone on the continent suddenly needs Magnus’ help and can accept no substitute. (Which is fair enough; Magnus is, Alec’s pretty sure, one of the most powerful warlocks alive. That doesn’t mean Alec has to like how in-demand and busy his husband is, though.)

Still, it’s something they’re both used to by now; they make do with stolen snatches of time, curling up exhausted on the couch or digging in ravenously (and therefore silently) to their takeout before clambering into bed, all clumsy tired kisses and murmurs of I love you, get some sleep, okay? Overall, their evenings are an oasis of calm that make the week bearable. They don’t, however, provide Alec with an opportunity to tell Magnus about his unusual evening at the dog shelter.

And then suddenly, it’s Tuesday again. Alec packs up his things, heads out of the building… and turns left, towards the shelter.

When he gets there, it’s not Christina who greets him from behind the front desk this time – it’s Sophie, the young woman who took over last week while Christina and Alec moved Poppy in. ‘Hi,’ she says brightly. ‘I remember you – Gideon, right?’ ‘Right,’ Alec says with a smile. ‘I thought I’d come check in, if that’s okay – I wanted to ask how the dog I brought in is doing? Poppy?’

Sophie nods and scrolls through something on her computer, before reporting that Poppy is apparently settling in quite well; she’s a little timid around the bigger dogs, but she’s taken well to her food and her new routine. Alec thanks Sophie for the update. And then he says, ‘Do you guys need a hand with anything this evening?’

The walk home this week isn’t such a rush, and so Alec has some time to think about the situation he’s gotten himself into – the one that’s based on a lot more deception than he’d typically be comfortable with.

He’s realized, now, why he lied about his name the day he took Poppy in. However much he values the opportunities his career path has given him to make the world a better place, he’s never been one for the spotlight, and he misses the anonymity of just being a foot soldier sometimes. So when he wasn’t recognized, that part of him clearly latched onto the opportunity and ran with it. Alright, he decides. So that means coming clean about his real name at the shelter isn’t an option. But equally, he doesn’t want to stop going – he wants it to be a regular thing, if they’ll have him. Even if they don’t know his real identity (or maybe even because they don’t), it’s nice there. He likes spending time with the animals, of course; and on a deeper level, it’s nice to make such clear progress without nearly as much pressure, when his day job feels like the exact opposite sometimes.

Fine. So he’ll keep going, and keep using the fake name while he’s there. That just leaves the fact he hasn’t told Magnus yet, and that’s easily rectified. All it takes is for Alec not let it slip his mind tonight, and just tell Magnus about his evening.

…Except, for some weird reason, he doesn’t want to.

That’s the snag Alec’s mind keeps catching on, and he can feel himself frowning as he walks the last few blocks home. He tells Magnus everything, provided it’s his to tell. He likes telling Magnus everything. Keeping secrets isn’t something he usually enjoys, especially when it comes to his husband. But for some reason, this is different. This secret – however accidentally it formed – feels fun, for lack of a better word. Alec kind of wants to keep it to himself, at least for a little while.

Their building comes into sight, Alec instinctively glancing up at their windows on the top floor – and then he smiles, his decision made. There’s no harm in keeping his weekly exploits quiet, for now. He thinks that Magnus might even approve of it. After all, a harmless, light-hearted secret, kept only for the sake of mystery… isn’t that pretty close to being coy?

***

On Tuesday, September 7th, Magnus has a plan, and he’s fairly proud of himself for it.

He’s not the best at keeping track of ages – truth be told, he hasn’t known his own to the year for a good few decades now – but he does try to keep track of milestone birthdays. For example, he knows that he doesn’t have to worry about Ragnor’s millennium for another century or so; he knows that the plans for Catarina’s fifth centennial in a few years are safely underway; and he knows that Raphael is still over a decade off of one-hundred, plus that he’s already threatened disownment if Magnus makes a big deal of it.

Relevantly for today, he also knows (yes, all right, after a quick text to Isabelle just to check) that Alexander is turning thirty in five days; and obviously, that calls for something special.

He’s thought on it for a while, and he knows exactly what to get his husband on such an occasion – which one of their idle conversations over the years holds this newest key to making Alec smile. I feel like I’ve missed something. Is there a reason Madzie’s drawn you with a hellhound? It’s a regular dog, Magnus. The red eyes are just because the black marker ran out. But no, there’s no reason, she just knows I like dogs. …I didn’t know you liked dogs. I wasn’t aware you had any experience with them. Well, not a lot. But there were all these strays around the Madrid Institute, back when Izzy was stationed there, and whenever I got to visit her we’d spend hours outside with them. Kicking a ball around for them to chase, feeding them whatever scraps we’d managed to sneak out – you know, that kinda thing. That sounds like a good memory. So, does this mean canine companionship is in the cards for your future? I don’t know. I hope so.

Of course, in Magnus' opinion, Alexander deserves a pedigree companion – a dog with the best possible genetic history, screened against all illness and with irrefutable evidence of long-lived parents and grandparents. But, as with many things, there is a certain gap between what Alec deserves and what he wants; and because Magnus has turned out to be surprisingly good at this whole husband thing, he generally knows which one to go for on any given occasion.

So, on this particular Tuesday evening, at a time when he's usually working and so Alec has no reason to expect him home, Magnus heads to the local animal shelter. 'Good evening,' he says cheerfully to the receptionist. 'I'm Magnus Lightwood-Bane. I called yesterday about potentially adopting a dog?'

They talk for a while about what might be best for him, dog-wise - he asks for one that's fairly large, if possible (after all, Alexander is a veritable tree, and deserves a dog he can rough-and-tumble with if he wishes), emphasizes that they absolutely must be able to exercise a certain level of civility with cats, and reassures the lady from the front desk – Christina – that the nature of his work means that he is very rarely out of the loft for prolonged stretches, and that he is more than happy to establish the proper care on the rare occasion it does happen.

Christina smiles at him, and leads the way to an enclosed outdoor playpen of sorts, with a few dog toys spread over the simple agility setup. 'I think we might just have the perfect fit for you, Mr. Lightwood-Bane,' she says. 'I'll get Gideon to bring her out so you can meet her.'

***

Alec is rationing out servings of cat food for tomorrow's breakfast service when Christina appears. 'Gideon,' she says with a smile, 'we have a -' 'Chris!' Josef suddenly rounds the corner, skidding into the room with a vaguely panicked expression. 'We need you – Tibbs got into the storeroom somehow.' Christina curses. 'Alright. Gideon, I need you to take Poppy through to the meet-and-greet, I think she's finally got a good match here. I’ll check in with you afterwards.' With that, she turns on her heel and strides off to deal with the stubborn moggy who, for some unknown reason, only lets her near him.

Once he's alone again, Alec deflates a little – but this is good news, he tells himself firmly. In the months he’s known her, Christina's very rarely been wrong with her instincts on rehoming, and Poppy deserves a good, loving place to grow up. She deserves a family – one that can focus more wholly on her needs than even the best-run shelter could.

Still, that doesn't stop Alec’s heart breaking a little as he goes and fetches one of the leashes, then bends down to scruff Poppy behind the ears as he clips it on. 'Come on, girl,' he says quietly. 'There's someone here for you to meet.' He leads her down the now-familiar corridors, turns towards the meet-and-greet area, plasters a professional smile on his face as he opens the door - - and stops dead in his tracks.

Magnus looks back at him, wide-eyed for a moment; and then his mouth curves up into a surprised smile. 'Well, hello there,' he says teasingly. 'Gideon, I presume?'

By the time Alec's done with his explanation, Magnus' expression has shifted into something amused and fond. 'It wasn't about keeping it from you,' Alec tries to explain anyway. 'It was just -' Magnus raises a hand to stop him, before letting it fall down to clasp Alec's. 'I know, darling. I'm not annoyed, I swear – a little mystery simply serves to keep the romance alive, hm?' He winks. 'I'm almost sorry I've discovered your secret. Though I suppose fair's fair, as I imagine your birthday present is hardly a surprise now.'

Alec blinks - and then his gaze darts down to Poppy, currently sitting between them and receiving pettings, though another zoomies-venture around the meet-and-greet is likely imminent. 'Oh,' Alec breathes – and he can feel his face twist into an excited grin as he looks back up at Magnus, god, in all the excitement he almost forgot why - 'You like her, then?' he checks, suddenly anxious. 'She can be ours? She's so smart, you wouldn't believe – she's got some issues with possessiveness, but we're working on it and she's making such good progress; and she's so good with cats, honestly, we've tested her with them and she -'

Magnus cuts him off with a laugh, nodding. 'Yes, darling,' he says, a playful, affectionate tilt still to his tone. 'Yes, we can take her. How could we not, when she's clearly already so attached to you?' He glances down with a smile at where Poppy's now stretching out and begging Alec for a belly rub - and then he looks back up, all business but for the glint in his eyes. 'All right then, Gideon. Would you please show me where I can sign the proper papers?' He smirks. 'I have a feeling my husband's going to love his birthday present.'

The two of them manage to keep their cool through the signing process, thankfully. Magnus hands in the paperwork, and is given an appointment that Sunday to come pick Poppy up, once she’s had her final vet check. Alec finishes up his shift and heads home, with his colleagues none the wiser as to just who is going to be taking care of Poppy in the future.

On the afternoon of Sunday, September 12th, Magnus goes to the shelter – alone, of course – and brings home their new puppy, who barks with joyful excitement once she realizes who’s waiting for her on the other side of the portal.

Naturally, Alec’s 30th birthday is his best one yet.

~oOo~

#malec #malec fanfic #shtv #shadowhunters #shadowhunters fanfiction #shs #mine

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madpanda75 · 4 years

Text

“Taking Chances Part 8: A Case of the Ex”

Oh Sonny, what are we going to do with you? Actually I can certainly think of one or two things 😜 Anyways, welcome to Part 8 where we find out how the reader reacts when Sonny brought over his “mystery guest” to dinner 👀

Thanks for all the love with this series! You guys are amazing ❤️

This couldn’t be happening. This was a dream. Yes, a dream. You were simply having a nightmare. It was an illusion. A succession of images that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Any moment now you would wake up with Rafael’s limbs entangled around you like overgrown vines, heating your body. You swore that man was a walking furnace. From under the table you discreetly pinched your arm, wincing slightly when you felt the sharp pain from where your nails dug into your skin. Oh no. That proved it. This was real.

When you announced to your family that the engagement with Theo was off, you happened to leave out several important details such as coming home from work early one day to find him in bed with the flighty twenty-one year old who delivered your dry cleaning. Only your sisters knew the truth and you practically made them swear a blood oath that they wouldn’t tell a soul.

It’s not that you were a particularly private person. Being raised in the Carisi household, everyone was in each other’s business. But with Theo, it was different. He was your next door neighbor. You grew up together. You were the Mary to his Joseph in the Nativity play in the third grade. Your mom and his mom taught Catechism together. Breaking off your engagement left you heartbroken and you didn’t want to burden your family with the details. Your dad was recovering from a heart attack. Your mom had her hands full between caring for your father and worrying about her children. And then there was Sonny.

Working with SVU over the years, you noticed a change in him. He was more quiet and cautious, even becoming a borderline realist—a stark contrast from the goofy, loveable, optimistic, older brother. You saw how Mike Dodd’s death affected him, even though Sonny tried to hide it from you. Then a year later during a night out at the bar, he drunkenly confessed that a perp by the name of Tom Cole had held him at gunpoint while he was trying to save a victim. You saw how his body trembled in fear, the tears in his eyes. Although you begged him to get therapy, he shrugged off your suggestion and told you to drop it. You never spoke of it again. The last thing you wanted to do was give him one more thing to worry about. Your life and all its troubles seemed to pale in comparison to the nightmare he had lived through.

Rafael glanced between you and the man who resembled an Italian Vogue model standing next to Sonny. “Is that who I think it is?” he mumbled. The tiniest nod of your head confirmed his suspicions.

So this was the infamous ex-fiancé. Theo was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome: chocolate brown eyes, thick shiny mane, and a dazzling smile which Rafael could’ve sworn were caps. Not to mention, he was in your age bracket.

Rafael slumped down in his seat a bit, feeling self conscious. He had always thought he was a decent looking guy. Walking down the courthouse halls with his swagger and sharp suits, he noticed several women and men eyeing him. But compared to Theo, Rafael felt like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Gina narrowed her eyes. “What is he doin’ here?”

“Yeah,” Bella added. “Shouldn’t he be out getting his dry cleaning?”

“Girls,” Julia scolded although she was just as surprised to see your ex in her dining room.

The last time Theo visited your parents was about two years ago when you both were making a seating chart for your wedding. Then one Sunday you came to the house alone with your eyes red-rimmed and puffy, announcing the engagement was off. You had claimed the reason was because Theo was moving too fast and that you weren’t ready to settle down just yet. But something told Julia Carisi that there was more to the story than what you were letting on, call it a mother’s intuition. Regardless of your mysterious breakup, your mother was not about to be rude to her new guest. She could give Emily Post a lesson in being a good hostess. Getting up from the table, she smiled and pulled Theo into a hug. “Theo, sweetheart. It’s so nice to see you. How’re your parents?”

“Great to see you too, Julia. The folks are fine. I hope it’s ok I’m here.”

“Absolutely. We have plenty of food.” Julia turned towards her husband. “Dom, can you get another chair?” Your father didn’t respond, still in shock over the sudden reappearance of your ex. “Dom!” She clapped her hands to get her husband’s attention.

“Huh,” Dom said, snapping out of his trance. “Oh sure.”

As your father left to get a chair, Sonny smiled and patted Theo on the back. “Let me grab ya’ a plate and some silverware.”

While your parents and brother were busy making your guest comfortable, Theo caught your eye and immediately made a beeline towards you. “Hey stranger.” Before you could even react, he wrapped his arms around you, his one hand pressed into the small of your back. “You look beautiful,” he whispered, his lips grazing your ear. You stood there frozen with your arms at your sides. It took all your strength to quell the wave of nausea rising in your stomach.

In Rafael’s opinion, the hug lasted much longer than what society would deem to be acceptable. His fists slightly trembled. He could feel himself quickly transforming into the ugly green monster within. “Hi,” he said, a little too loudly. “I’m Rafael. Y/N’s boyfriend.”

Finally letting you go, Theo turned towards Rafael and laughed before focusing his attention back on you. “He’s kidding, right?”

You immediately reached for Rafael, finding comfort in his presence by your side. “Actually he’s quite serious. Do you find that amusing?”

Upon learning that you and Rafael were together, Theo’s lips curved into a smirk that left you feeling uneasy. “Well then, I suppose congratulations are in order,” he replied and extended his hand to Rafael. “You’re a lucky man. There’s nobody like Y/N.” He glanced your way with a glint in his eye. “Nobody.”

Dom and Sonny came out of the kitchen with an extra chair and a place setting. “Here ya’ go, pal,” Sonny said. Theo took the chair and placed it right next to yours, reaching across you to grab some of your mother’s lasagna.

He took a bite and moaned. “This is delicious, Julia. I’ve sure missed your cooking.” His foot slyly nudged yours under the table causing you to scooch your chair away.

Being smushed in between your boyfriend and your ex-fiance was some sort of cruel torture. You were seconds away from lunging across the table and punching your brother, but instead you stood up. “Sonny, I need your help getting some wine from the kitchen.”

“Now? But we have wine here.” Sonny motioned to the Amarone on the table.

“Yes, but there’s a nice Chianti in the kitchen and it’s on a shelf that I can’t reach.” You crossed your arms and gave your brother a threatening glare. “Now or I’ll eat your liver with some fava beans. I hear it pairs nicely with a Chianti.” Sonny sighed and followed you into the kitchen.

You gripped the edge of the sink and silently counted to 10 in order to calm yourself before addressing your brother.

“So where’s the Chianti or did ya’ just bring me in here to watch ya’ breath,” Sonny remarked.

You whipped your head around and narrowed your eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Sonny innocently shrugged. “Havin’ lunch with my family.”

“Don’t be cute.” You tugged on your mom’s yellow kitchen gloves and began to furiously scour a greasy pan with a brillo pad, finding some sense of clarity in your angry cleaning. “I can’t believe you invited Theo. How dare you!”

“What’s wrong with that? Theo hasn’t been here in ages.”

“Yes and there’s a reason for it. We broke up or maybe you haven’t gotten that through your thick skull yet.”

Sonny pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t understand ya’, Y/N. First ya’ break off the engagement with Theo cause he’s movin’ way too fast even though you two grew up 6 feet away from each other for 18 years. But one month with Rafael and you’re ready for a colonial, 2.5 kids, and a collie?”

“My personal life is none of your business,” you growled.

Sonny scoffed. “Well actually it is my business since you are fuckin’ someone I work with.”

You dropped the dish you were cleaning with a violent clang, water splashing everywhere and took a few steps toward your brother. “Choose your next words wisely, Dominick Carisi, Jr.”

Sonny shook his head, his appearance akin to disappointment. It was hard for him to separate the woman you had become with the little girl you once were. If he closed his eyes, he could picture you with your skinned knees and unruly hair coming out of your french braid, demanding piggyback rides from him. And even though that little girl was gone, you were still so young and naive about this world. There was so much you needed to learn.

“What happened to us, Y/N. I mean we used to be so close. I’m your big brother and I’m tryin’ to look out for ya’.” He tentatively put his hand on your shoulders, tilting his head lower to meet your gaze. “I’m doin’ this because I love ya’ and I want what’s best for ya’. I’ve worked with Barba for years. I know him and he’s not a good fit for ya’. You’re going to regret this.”

You fought back the sting of tears and tucked in your quivering bottom lip. You refused to cry in front of Sonny. Although you hated to admit it, his opinion mattered to you. It broke your heart that he didn’t approve of you and Rafael.

Just then the kitchen door swung opened, revealing your boyfriend’s handsome head poking in. “Everything ok in here?” He stepped into the kitchen. “Cause Gina is asking me when we’re gonna make her an aunt and that led to one of your nieces asking where babies come from and your mom is trying to eavesdrop on you both with a glass held up to the wall.”

“Why don’t ya’ mind your own business, Barba,” Sonny sneered. “I’m talkin’ to my sister.”

“Not anymore. We’re leaving.” You rushed past him and ran back out into the dining room, meeting the shocked faces of your family.

“Everything ok?” Julia asked. The shortness of breath in her voice indicated that she had just ran to her seat from her position near the wall.

“I’m sorry. We have to go,” you mumbled and made a mad dash to the foyer to grab yours and Rafael’s coats.

Your parents exchanged a worried glance and immediately followed you. “Honey, are you sure? What about dessert? I made your favorite cheesecake. Please stay,” Julia pleaded

Your dad leaned forward and spoke softly, “Ya’ know if you’re upset about Sonny bringing that pretty boy punk over for lunch I can kick him out. For that matter, I can kick Rafael out too. Anything for my little patatina.” He grinned and booped you on the nose.

You faked a smile for your father. “That won’t be necessary, Pops.”

Julia smoothed down your hair. “Then sweetheart what’s wrong?”

The words were right there at the tip of your tongue. You wanted more than anything to confess everything then march over to Theo and crush his balls into powder. But one look at your family told you now was not the time, not when you were surrounded by your adorable albeit nosy nieces and nephews and your sisters who thought of family drama as a national sport.

So instead you hemmed and hawed, stammering over your words as you tried to think of a plausible reason for your sudden departure when Rafael spoke up behind you. “Actually it’s my fault,” he lied and wound his arm around you. “I’m so sorry. I got a call from work and I need to run over to the office for a few hours.”

Sonny followed Rafael into the foyer and arched a brow in suspicion, not falling for his excuse. “That’s funny. I never got a call from Liv about a case or anything.”

Rafael turned towards the detective and narrowed his eyes. “Oh don’t worry. I’ll be filling you in on the details later.”

“Well, let me pack up some food for you both. It’s the least I can do.” Julia gently cupped your face and patted Rafael on her way to the kitchen in search of tupperware but you stopped her.

“Some other time, Ma. We really have to go.” You kissed her and your dad and waved goodbye to the rest of your family.

“Thank you for a wonderful meal. It was nice to—” Rafael was unable to finish his farewell as you dragged him out the door.

“What the hell was that all about?” your dad asked Sonny once you had left.

Sonny ignored him and pushed past his parents to run out after you. “Y/N! Wait!”

You stopped in your tracks and turned towards your brother, slapping him hard across the face. Your entire body shook with rage, tears streamed down your cheeks. You felt completely and utterly betrayed by the one person you had relied on your entire life. “Stay out of my life,” you said in a shaky voice before getting in the car with Rafael and driving away.

You only made it one block when you had to pull over, your tears blinding your vision. Slumping over the steering wheel, your forehead connected with the horn causing the most pathetic little beep as you cried even harder. This was not how you intended the day to go. Rafael rubbed your back in soothing circles. “Shhh, it’ll be ok, hermosa. Everything’s going to work out,” he cooed.

“No it won’t,” you wailed and banged your head against the steering wheel several more times.

Rafael winced and tried to pull you away from the beeping horn, not wanting to create yet another scene. “Babe, stop. I don’t want someone from Neighborhood Watch to come out.”

You sat up and sniffled. “I’m so sorry about Theo and lunch.”

“I’ve experienced much worse during lunch. Trust me.” He handed you his handkerchief and ran his fingers through your hair. “Do you want me to drive?”

You loudly blew your nose and hiccupped. “Sure. Can you drive?”

“Of course I can drive. Now let’s trade.” Unbuckling your seatbelt, you got out of the car and swapped places. “Can I drive?” he mumbled, chuckling to himself. Of course he failed to mention that he only learned to drive a few years ago, never really seeing a need for it when he lived in Manhattan, one of the highest rated cities for public transportation. Once you were comfortable, he turned on the ignition and sped down the street, making his way back to the city.

*****

Sonny stood there, stunned, listening to the sound of your car screeching down the street. A laugh coming from the porch signaled his attention. “Ladies and gentlemen of Sycamore Avenue, behold the man who was just bitch slapped by his baby sister!” Bella announced.

Sonny rolled his eyes. “What are ya’ doin’ out here?”

“Ma wanted me to check on ya’.” She sat down on the front step and patted the spot next to her at which he begrudgingly obliged her request. She leaned forward and inspected the right side of his face. “Huh, interesting. I can make out a thumb print.”

“Stop it.” He crossed his arms and scooted away, trying to cover the one side of his face.

Bella shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re an amazing big brother and I’m grateful for all you’ve done, especially with Tommy. But when are ya’ gonna realize Y/N’s not a little girl anymore. She is the most level-headed out of all of us that includes you,” she said with a smirk and playfully nudged him. “She knows what she’s doing and Rafael is an incredible guy. Ya’ have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not see that he adores her.”

“I just want what’s best for her and that’s not Rafael. You of all people should understand. Ya’ caught a glimpse of the world that Rafael and I live in during Tommy’s trial. I don’t want that for her. I don’t want that for any of ya.” Sonny sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, slouching as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders

“Hey,” Bella softly said, flicking her brother’s ear to get his attention. “I know your job is tough. I mean I can’t imagine the things you face everyday but ya’ gotta stop this. You have to stop living for this job, it’s gonna eat you alive. We’re all worried about ya.”

Sonny scoffed. “I’m fine.”

“Oh yeah? Then tell me when was the last time ya’ went out on a date or ya’ didn’t wake up from a nightmare or ya’ took a vacation. Think about it.” She patted his knee and stood up to leave before turning back one last time. “Just don’t push people out of your life cause otherwise you’ll end up alone.”

Bella had hit the nose right on the head. He hated when she was right. Between law school and work, he hadn’t been living. When he wasn’t working, he was studying or taking a class or screaming in his sleep after having yet another nightmare of Tom Cole holding a gun to his forehead. In truth, there was someone who had caught his eye. Someone he had wanted to ask out from the moment he saw her and yet whenever he made an attempt, something stopped him.

Why couldn’t he just let everything go? Why couldn’t he live anymore? Sonny felt as if he was standing on the edge of a cliff, about to topple over the edge, about to leave everything and everyone he held near and dear to his heart. Sitting there on the porch, he shivered a bit in the early spring air, unsure what felt worse, the sting of your hand across his face or the words you last spoke to him.

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