#fluffy alan friday

[dxcstrange-stuff]

"Moral Decay"

#Still so normal about S3 Alan YEP #fluffy alan friday #stephen dillane #alan blunt #alex rider series #alex rider #alex rider tv #anthony horowitz #my art #artwork #spy #mi6 #fan art #digital art #artists on tumblr #illustration #drawing #fanart #artist #character art

[donutsandbagels]

Happy Alex Rider Season 3 day! 🥳

#stephen dillane #alan blunt #alex rider #5 April 2024 #fluffy alan friday

[flyboytracy]

Okay but what if Scott rly was Alan’s dad?

I was gonna post this for Earth & Sky week if I managed to complete it but it’s smol Tracy’s birthday and it’ll probably never see the light of day otherwise so why not :D

I’m always a ho for an AU so here’s one I started over lockdown called ‘Okay but what if Scott really was Alan’s dad’

☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆ ☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆ ⌒ ★ ⌒ ☆

Long before International Rescue was a thing, the Tracy boys had lived on a farm in Kansas. It’d belonged to their late mother, God bless her soul, and these days it only grew crop for an environmentally friendly fuel because Tracy money came from technology instead of the earth.

The boys’ famous army father was gone for days at a time and there was plenty of rumours why that was. Mrs Wyatt who lived down the lane from the Tracys said she’d heard the man was alcoholic and probably had been for a long time because his teenaged son had been looking after the rest of them since his poor momma died. She saw them troop past her gate every day on their way to school and back, and then to the park on the weekends when their pa’s jet wasn’t on the drive.

Mr Colton, who lived at number fifty-four said he’d taken his son to the pool at the same time that the Tracy boys had been there without their father as usual. He told Vera that he’d overheard the youngest chattering away to the red-headed one about a rocket he’d called the TV21 until the eldest had overheard and shushed them. According to Mrs Johnson who was friends with Ms Hernandez at the school, Col. Tracy had budding engineers, astronauts and a future Olympic swimmer at the home he never seemed to return to. Instead it was Scott and Virgil who took their brothers to swim meets and galas and even to the Cosmosphere. Ms Hernandez could find nothing to complain about because all four of the Tracy boys grades were above average and threw off the teachers’ bell curves when it came to subjects like science and math.

That Scott boy sure had his hands full with three brothers, his own future and a possibly alcoholic father to look after, so the whole town was surprised when he went and knocked up the Austin girl after being crowned king and queen of their grad ball. Not much ever happened in the backwater towns of the sunflower state so everybody knew about it the morning after the night Pa Austin went round the Tracy’s farmhouse to have it out with the Colonel.

The rumour mill had been on fire for months after that because Mrs Johnson had been having her usual perm when she’d heard Ma Austin tell Shirley all about how her daughter’s boyfriend had been going to leave their small town after graduation. She’d seen the way the Tracy boy cared for his brothers and had expected he’d give up his plans to join the military if he had a kid of his own at home with her.

To the town’s surprise, it turned out that the Colonel was actually a long distance father and not an entirely absent one. Pa Austin had stormed to the farmhouse that night with his shotgun in hand, only to be greeted by a hologram of the great Colonel himself, sat eating dinner on a beach somewhere as his boys ate dinner round a table in Kansas. Austin had gone round with the aim of threatening at least one Tracy with his shotgun but hadn’t got that far because Colonel Jefferson Tracy could still dominate a room from over a thousand miles away.

According to Pa Austin, his fancy hologram was just as tall as the real thing and pretty sober which put paid to Mrs Wyatt’s theory that he was an alcoholic. In fact he was a Big Apple businessman now, and a darn good one at that because by the end of the evening it had been decided that his eldest son would join the GDF as planned and the child would remain with its mother but want for nothing. Tracys took care of their own and Pa Austin said he’d realised that when the colonel’s youngest boy had kept interrupting their conversation to show him trash he’d found in the pond at the park and Tracy hadn’t brushed the youngster off at all.

The big holographic man had promised they’d feed the ducks at the weekend, which meant half the town was hanging around the park come Saturday morning.

The youngest had appeared first, full of joy and enthusiasm that his older brother didn’t share as the red-head was dragged across the grass to the pond. The second eldest was close behind them and had a couple of toy boats in his arms which left the eldest Tracy boy and his father to bring up the rear.

They were deep in conversation when they appeared, the Colonel strolling along easily with his hands behind his back like an old fashioned gentleman. Scott was by his side and gone was the little boy always running to catch up. In his place strode a man and it was rather disappointing really.

The Tracys moved away shortly afterwards. Stan the mailman said he’d seen fancy suits taking pictures of the farmhouse and the Tracys had paid for their mail to be redirected but he couldn’t seem to find an address. The Austins had an address for the Tracys, but they also had a pretty hefty NDA in exchange for a very comfortable lifestyle and weren’t much inclined to break it just to satisfy everyone else’s curiosity.

It all died down after a while and people got bored of watching Sophia get bigger. Her old flame might’ve flown out of the picture but his presence sure was felt around town when Sophia got her own car and fancy place on the Tracy’s dime.  Ms Hernandez said the colonel had insisted Ms Sophia continue her education alongside being a momma to his first grandchild and Shirley heard there was a job at the Tracy’s family business when she wanted to get out of Kansas.

Nothing exciting happened in their little backwater until the day a private jet landed on the main street and Sophia was whisked off to give birth at a very fancy hospital. According to Ma Austin, she had a private room and the colonel had parked his jet on the roof since his son wouldn’t make it back in time for the birth.

They did seem to be a good family, the Tracys, even if they’d disappeared off the face of the earth in the past eight months or so. The only trace anybody could seem to find of them was on the Tracy Industries website where each son had a mention in the CEO’s bio but real information was scarce. They disappeared off Ms Hernandez’s records and there was nothing about them on any government website. Nobody was truly surprised that the Colonel had chosen to disappear because they’d come to realise a few things after reading his bio. For one, the fella was a billionaire several times over and two, he adored those four boys of his more than anything because his words about his achievements had been clinical but the paragraph about each of his sons’ achievements had made old Mrs Johnson cry.

Of course everybody wanted to know what happened but the Austins didn’t have a lot to say. The Colonel was a very nice man who didn’t seem to have taken offence to Ms Austin’s actions. He’d offered her further education and employment instead of the lawsuit most men in his position would’ve filed. There were rumours the fella was working on a top secret project that’d change the world, but in their little backwater there were rumours about everything.

Alan Tracy didn’t pay attention to any of those rumours as he grew up with his momma in a sleepy little town in Kansas. The little boy loved many things including his momma and their house that had a big garden with a tire swing and a sandpit he used to re-enact grandpa landing on Mars. He loved ice cream and going to the park and he even liked Kindergarten ‘cause he got to draw pictures of his family and space.

But what Alan Tracy loved most of all was his daddy. He didn’t get to see him a lot ‘cause he was learning to be a pilot like grandpa, but every Friday evening a fancy car arrived to take him a little way out of town where grandpa’s jet would be waiting to take him to the island for the whole weekend.

Sometimes grandpa flew it but he had lots of meetings around the world so other times he’d see Uncle Virgil through the window and squeal with excitement ‘cause his biggest uncle had the best toys. He was gonna be an engineer and could fix any of Alan’s toys, even the one that failed a moon launch. He had Alan’s undying love ‘cause the little boy could hang from his arm like a monkey and  he had lots of fun stories about his daddy. They were best, best friends and Alan liked to crawl into that big plaid shirt and bug him ‘til Uncle Virg showed him pictures of when daddy was little.

Uncle Virg wasn’t always around though ‘cause he was studying in Denver but that was okay ‘cause Alan had two more uncles to play with. Johnny didn’t really like to play but when he was home he let Alan play with his telescopes and taught him all about space.

Alan loved his daddy but he thought he might love space even more. He loved it when Johnny took him up to the peak of the island in the dark and they sat for an hour to watch for shooting stars. Alan had fallen asleep once on the big fluffy blanket and the best thing of all was when he woke to find daddy had an arm around Johnny’s shoulders and Alan had been drooling on his shirt.

“Hey, sprout.” Daddy had smooched his forehead when he’d noticed bright blue eyes staring up at him with joy, “I love you. John says you’ve been learning about the stars some more.”

“There’s Ursa Major!” Alan had stood up to be able to point out the little pinpricks of light that made up the Ursa Major Constellation and he still hadn’t been taller than his daddy, “Johnny says Ursa’s a big bear like Uncle Virg.”

“Johnny told you that, did he?” his daddy’s laugh had made Alan feel warm right down to his bones and he’d dived for a hug. Impossibly long arms had folded around him and Johnny, drawing them both into the safest place in the universe for so long they missed most of the shooting stars and Johnny made them go away so he could see the rest. Alan didn’t mind ‘cause dad swung him up onto his shoulders and let him get wet on the rocky beach by the villa since it was bath time anyway.

Alan loved Sunday mornings on the island when daddy was home. Alan liked to wake him up by bouncing on the bed ‘cause the sky was awake so they should be too. And then they’d get dressed in matching blue swim shorts and go for a run around the island and if he ran faster than daddy on the home stretch he was allowed to jump into the pool like Superman. Gordon was usually in there by then and kept an eye on Allie doing the doggy paddle in the shallow end whilst daddy went to get breakfast out the fridge. There was something cool that beeped super loud that time he tried to moonwalk on the bottom of the pool like an astronaut and Uncle Virg had dived in like a bowling ball to fish him out. Gordon had laughed a lot but Uncle Virg hadn’t even smiled ‘til daddy gave him one of those hugs that made booboos stop hurting.

Alan really loved his uncles but he loved his daddy most and it was hard to stand on the runway with Uncle Virg to wave goodbye. Uncle Virg didn’t seem to like waving goodbye either so Alan always held his hand to make him feel better and did his best to be like daddy so Uncle Virg wouldn’t miss him too much.

He seemed to end up being more like John as a couple of years passed and everything in his life changed. Grandpa took him to London to get measured for a suit for daddy’s graduation and he didn’t understand why Uncle Virg kept frowning at Gordon for laughing about daddy’s graduation from big school. He asked Uncle Virg what was so funny, and then Grandpa and Grandpa’s weird professor friend who used big words Alan didn’t know yet, but none of them seemed to know and even daddy missed a step when Alan asked him on their way to the fancy dinner Grandpa was hosting at his penthouse in New York for his newly graduated son. Daddy never ever missed anything which was annoying when Alan was trying to get hold of Gordon’s cookies but he’d breathed air the wrong way and Uncle Virg had to thump his back a few times.

Daddy had talked about how cool Alan looked in his little gray suit and Alan had been so happy he’d forgotten about his question ‘til after dinner when they were still at the table and he’d pulled himself onto Grandpa’s knee ‘cause Uncle Virg and Gordon were being loud and he’d been a tired little boy by then. He’d tried one last time to find out what was so funny about daddy’s last graduation and Grandpa had rested his chin atop Allie’s head.

“Your momma and daddy had you after his last graduation.” Grandpa rumbled, “You were quite an unexpected surprise for your daddy, but a welcome one. Gordon likes to remind your daddy about what a big surprise you were.”

“Your daddy was a surprise too, as I recall.” Grandma Tracy was sat with Grandpa and Alan loved visiting her but sometimes she made him cookies and he didn’t love those.

“I love daddy, not cookies.” he mumbled tiredly and fell asleep right there at the table.

That meant he missed the way his Grandpa coughed to quieten his four boys because he had something real important to discuss with them. Scott knew what it was, and Virg had an inkling because it was difficult to disguise underground excavations from a highly skilled engineer. They were sat together with Virgil’s elbow resting on the back of Scott’s chair and blue eyes softened when he realised where Alan had got to.

Alan had managed to sleep through the inaugural meeting of International Rescue and life was never the same again after he woke up.

#idek #AU warning #dad!scott #i'm just such a ho for dad!scott #this is what happens when I watch things like Bridgerton

[meetmymouth]

when sunny met harry (2) : harry styles imagine

read part one here summary: harry and y/n break up but they’re not the only ones suffering. their -now her- golden retriever sunny thinks harry’s coming back.

Just like everyday, as soon as she turns the lock, Sunny comes running to the front door, nails ‘clicking’ on the wooden floor as he jumps up and down on the other side of the door. As soon as the door’s unlocked and opened fully, Sunny leaves no time for hellos or any other form of greeting before he’s on her. It’s Friday night which is why there’s a bag for life full to the brim with groceries next to her backpack and Sunny takes it upon himself to sniff around the packaged food as if he’s looking for food.

It’s also the night Harry’s finally coming to see Sunny.

A month has passed since the phone call and it was last week when Harry’s name appeared on her phone, messaging to see if he could visit Sunny soon. Truth be told, she wasn’t ready to see him just yet. She knew she could’ve said no, or told him she would let him know when it would be a good time to visit but one look at Sunny’s way, she had caved in. Or was the look for reassurance only? She had accepted it in a heartbeat because deep down, she knew Sunny wasn’t the only one missing him.

And now there she was, trying to ignore Sunny as he barked relentlessly at the hoover.

When she reaches the corner of the sofa, Sunny comes closer to her and barks directly at Hetty the Hoover as if he’s trying to set some ground rules.

“Sunny, no!” The hoover is now turned off and she tries moving Sunny away from poor Hetty.

“Leave her alone! Sunny, down. Come ‘ere!”

Sunny does come, and she sits his bum down at her feet and stares at Y/N as if she’s going to reward him for being a menace.

“Why are you such a dickhead, huh,” she gives a pat to his fluffy head. “Do you know who’s coming to see you? Wanna wear your nice collar?”

As the pets continue, she feels a sudden pang of sadness at the memory of seeing Harry for the last time in this flat.

She thought about the look on his face; his beautiful eyes all glassy and lips pouty. Dark circles under his eyes and a large box full of his own share of vinyls to accompany his reluctant posture. How alien and hesitant he had looked in the middle of their, now her, living room.

She tries remembering the last conversation they had, last proper conversation before everything happened but Sunny’s heavy panting interrupts her thoughts and she heaves a sigh.

“Do you...” she extends the word deliberately knowing it will hype him up. “...know who’s comin’ to see your squishy mug today?”

This does nothing to hype him up though. Sunny remains seated at her feet, tongue slightly out as he stares at Y/N’s face as if she’s talking nonsense. “Harry’s coming, Sunny.”

At the mention of Harry’s name, Sunny’s goes crazy. He starts jumping up and down -as much as he can with the limited space between him and the sofa- and his tail keeps wagging in sync with his hoarse barking.

Although she too feels giddy about having Harry in the flat again -though she has to repeat the reason why he’s visiting in the first place every five minutes-, she’s also worried that her next door neighbour Mr. Yoni will knock on her door with puckered lips and slit eyes. As soon as she opens the door, Mr. Yoni will sigh and Y/N will start apologising, trying to bribe him with a cuppa and Tesco’s bourbon biscuits she knows he likes.

As she writes and plays the scenario in her head, she also keeps tidying up the living room, fixing up the pillows, collecting empty mugs and some pens scattered around. When she starts doing the washing up, she hears Sunny chewing the bone Harry’s gotten him and can’t help but roll her eyes at how sentimental she’s being. Exes and a dog.

So what, she thinks, are we going to co parent a bloody dog now? Saying yes to him visiting was a weakness on her part. She knew it was. She’s also not expecting them to get back together just because Harry’s coming to see Sunny. No. She has to get her shit together.

Harry’s charming. Interesting. Lovable and endearing. From the first night she’s laid her eyes on him; in his stupid corduroy trousers and a fuzzy striped cardigan, she knew she couldn’t forget him after that night. She was totally mesmerised by him. By his face. Yes, he was handsome- he is handsome. But he was also beautiful. Pretty. He had soft features, delicate... but there was also a sharpness to him, could cut you with his affection as soon as your eyes met across the room. His love could kill you. He could’ve told you the earth was flat and you would think ‘well, this kid is onto something’. It was his charm and the general aura to him that held you back from questioning him and his actions.

When they first met, he had just gotten out of a relationship. She knew because they ran in the same circles. She knew of him. They’ve been to the same birthday parties and even one or two weddings. Despite that, they had never spoken to each other before that night. So when they shook hands at a close friend’s birthday party that night, his hand still damp from the beer bottle he was holding, she knew she had to get closer to him, she wanted to be the reason behind that dimple appearing and the crinkle by his eyes when he smiled, his two larger front teeth peeking between his parted lips.

Though, much to her dismay, they didn’t hit it off like it happened in the movies. Theirs was a civil introduction. Nice… friendly. She couldn’t say much and the conversation died quickly as he was swept away from her by his friends. She had later learned that he found her annoying at first. In his words, she looked like she was better than anyone in that room. In her defence, it was because she was mesmerised by him and well, she wasn’t exactly the social butterfly Harry seemed to be. They always laughed it off though, with drunken smiles and chuckles between wet, sloppy kisses. It took them six months of friendship until she had enough and asked him out. One day while sipping margaritas in her garden, she had had enough and called him out. ‘Bloody hell you’re stubborn as fuck’ she said, ‘you’ve been looking at my arse all day and I’m pretty sure you’ve been eyeing my lips since like last month. So either come kiss me or just… keep it in your pants’. And then there he was, making a move.

Seven months into their relationship, Sunny became a member of their- well mostly Y/N’s family. They were happy. Sometimes too happy that it kept her up at night, wondering if the universe was plotting something against them soon. Turns out it wasn’t. They were just Harry and Y/N. Too comfortable with each other. Too in love. Too happy. Until the bickering had begun. At first it was mostly because Y/N kept putting his clothes in the wash before they got ‘really dirty’. Or how Harry kept making a mess in the shower, never cleaning up after himself, leaving his hairy razor on the counter. And it didn’t help when he started spending most of his free time in Los Angeles while she worked in London. It wasn’t only his fault. She had also stopped making time for regular phone calls as he kept them no longer than ten minutes and it went from long, meaningful chats to Harry talking more about his friends and their adventures than himself. In return, Y/N more or less, and perhaps without realising, started cutting their conversations short and vague because ‘I think the chicken’s ready, I’ll ring later’ or ‘Sunny’s chewing my shoes again, gotta go’.

When he came back from LA, everything started going downhill as if they weren’t bad enough before. Y/N started feeling uneasy in his presence; feeling self-conscious, mostly when they ate, when he came to have a wee while she showered or when they had sex. It also didn’t help how they always had people around. They didn’t get much free time to themselves. It was always Harry and Y/N… and the others. So it was a gradual thing, the fall of their relationship. And when they officially ended things, he not only left her heart in pieces but also another, much tinier heart was more or less broken. Sunny’s.

She puts those thoughts away and focuses on the washing up in front of her, snorting at how she’s been rinsing the same mug since God knows when despite it looking squeaky clean. Taking off one of the gloves, she touches the screen of his phone and her eyes widen at the time. Harry would be here any minute and she didn’t even have the heart to change into something more comfortable.

She decides on a cup of tea and spots the opened package of cheese twists and perches on the sofa. TV’s on, filling the flat with Alan Carr’s distinct voice as Sunny comes up and places his head on Y/N’s leg, looking as precious as ever.

“God forbid I eat anything by myself. You silly boy,” She breaks one of the cheese sticks in half and throws it next to his paws. “There you go.” As soon as the stick hits the floor, it’s gone in seconds as Sunny tries to lick the remnants of the cheese stick off of his face and the wooden floor.

Two more cheese sticks later, she gets a text from Harry letting her know that he’s here, at the door.

As she makes her way towards the front door, Sunny follows behind. Her heart starts beating faster and she feels her cheeks heat up, having an epiphany that Harry’s here, on the other side of the door. Sunny barks once as her hand reaches the door handle as if he knows who’s here. As soon as the door opens, their eyes meet and it’s like someone’s pouring hot water down her head. Harry opens his mouth but he gets interrupted when Sunny spots him.

Y/N watches as the two go crazy for each other, Sunny jumping up and down, trying to get his paws on every part of Harry’s body as Harry tries crouching down to pet him.

“Dear God you’ve gotten huge! Sunny! Bloody hell- ouch- stop biting m’ankles!”

“Come inside, he’s inviting you in,” she mutters and immediately regrets that stupid remark. As if it’s Harry’s first time meeting Sunny.

He looks up again and gives her a smile. “Are you inviting me in?” He says, tone as playful as ever. He glances down at Sunny again before she catches his eyes.

“Come in before he has a heart attack trying to get all your attention.”

“Always been an attention seeker, am I right Sunny boy?”

After he takes his shoes off, they make their way inside, careful not to trip and fall since Sunny’s still trying to catch Harry by his ankles. She sits on the far end of the sofa as Harry crouches down to give Sunny a proper cuddle.

The dog looks like he’s having the time of his life as Harry scratches his head, massages behind his ears and gives him gentle pats on his furry bum and Y/N tries hard not to cringe at the dog hair swirling in the air. He looks mesmerised by Harry and Y/N can’t blame him. When Sunny sneaks in a couple of licks, they both laugh as Harry wipes the sticky saliva with the arm of his thick jumper.

“Alright, alright, chill.” He gets up despite Sunny’s whines and his attention is now on Y/N.

“Hi,” she can’t help but give him a little wave from the sofa.

“Alright?”

“Mhm. Want a cuppa?”

“Would kill for one actually,” he grins impishly and Y/N’s already on her feet, walking towards the kitchen.

When she glances back, Harry’s following and just like before, Sunny’s following close behind as if he’s being pulled by an invisible string. Clingy dog. She wonders if he’s feeling the things she’s too afraid to feel ever since Harry’s stepped into her flat.

They wait for the kettle in a slightly awkward silence as she takes the time to get used to his presence in her home again. It’s bittersweet, having him in the kitchen. Like when he used to wake up in the mornings and make a mess which he referrer as making breakfast. If it weren’t for the sound the kettle was making, she swears she could still hear the clatter of cutlery and Harry swearing loudly whenever he dropped something on the floor.

“Thanks for, you know, thanks for this.”

“Don’t worry about it, Harry. He’ll probably go ballistic as soon as you leave but I know you were missing him so… yeah.”

He gives her a sad smile and looks down at the dog who’s laying at his feet.

“Does he bark... always? Like, how bad does it get?”

“Well,” she puts the teabags in the mugs. “He sits in front of the door and barks non-stop as soon as I’m home. He usually tires himself out by the time I’m out of the shower but it’s been worse lately.”

As she pours the water, Harry glances at the fridge and a snort leaves her mouth at how reluctant he looks.

“Wha’?”

“I know you wanted to get the milk out. Just- don’t make this awkward. You can open the fridge without my permission.”

He gives her a pout and she has to turn her back to him and fiddle with the spoons for an unnecessary amount of time so that she doesn’t reach out and pinch his lips.

“I didn’t want to act like I own the place,” he mutters, milk in hand and Sunny all perked up at the sound of the fridge.

“Don’t worry about it. Honestly.”

The milk is back in the fridge, teabags stored back in the cupboard, kitchen light is turned off and they find themselves on the opposite sides of the sofa. Y/N sits cross legged on the spacious sofa while Harry’s looking oh so formal, one hand holding his tea and the other scratching Sunny’s fluffy neck who’s still not letting him out of his sight.

“You comfy there?”

Harry looks up, startled, and chuckles. “Erm, yeah. Why?”

“Dunno, you just look like you’re ready to run as soon as your tea’s finished.”

She knows she’s not subtle, judging his every move ever since he laid foot in the house. It’s not like she wants him to feel uncomfortable or guilty. It’s the opposite really; she doesn’t want to see him look so uncomfortable and on edge. It’s selfish really because it’s only been months after their breakup. Of course they both felt uncomfortable and awkward. And when he looks like his one foot is out of the door, Y/N feels horrible. She feels like it’s her own fault that he’s not feeling welcome.

“I just- I don’t know the limits? Like…” he places his tea on a coaster and clears his throat. “Like how comfortable should I get? Or- should we get? Am I allowed to sit all relaxed on the sofa…”

“Look, I get it. I’m sorry. I’m acting like a kid,” she takes a sip from her tea.

“Maybe- maybe I shouldn’t have suggested it this soon?” Harry more or less whispers, as if he’s walking on thin ice and he is. They both know it.

And well. Is he wrong? Were they stupid? Was she stupid, having his ex over for the sake of a bloody dog? Who was she kidding? She selfishly wanted to be in his presence again and she used both Harry and Sunny.

The awkward silence now increases as she tries to find something to say.

She wishes she was Sunny. Not because he’s still at Harry’s feet, head laid upon his socked feet but because he’s probably clueless to what’s been going on.

“Y/N?”

When she looks up, Harry’s still looking at her. His eyes are full of concern and she hates how familiar it looks.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really sorry. I don’t feel unwelcome at all. I know that’s what you’re thinking,” he gives her a tiny smile and her eyes fall to his dimple.

“You’re right though. I think we both acted without thinking. I mean, it’s kind of my fault anyway. Calling you like that-”

“No-”

She shakes her head feverishly. “Yes. Ringing my ex as if Sunny’s a baby and he won’t fall asleep until his daddy wishes him good night.”

It’s dead silent until a snort comes out of Harry’s mouth and Y/N raises her eyebrows.

“Well he kinda is a baby, in’ he?” He reaches and pats Sunny in the head, making him perk up at the attention being given to him again. “And I am the daddy so…”

When he looks up though, Y/N’s watching him with an unimpressed look on her face.

“Too soon?”

“Not surprised at your inability to read the mood. Always cheeky. You done seducing that tea?”

When she stands up, Sunny does too. He knows she’s making her way to the kitchen with her tea in hand so he would normally follow close behind, thinking she’s going to fetch him more snacks.

He laughs at that though. He does because they get each other’s weird sense of humour.

“Nah I’m trying to see if I can finish it.”

“I won’t even take offence at that. I know I make a mean cuppa so, suit yourself.”

She tries passing him but he stops her.

“Come on, please sit down. I won’t get mad if you do the washing up after I leave,” he gives her a smile and surprisingly, it’s enough to make her sit down.

He waits for her to speak but it never comes. They sit in silence while Harry pets Sunny aimlessly.

“Can we- can I continue what I was saying before?”

“What? About you being a daddy?”

He snorts at that, the same hand that was petting Sunny now coming up to his head, fingers running through his hair so effortlessly. She watches as the hairs glide smoothly between his long, ring cladded fingers.

“No,” he rolls his eyes but a there’s a hint of smile there somewhere.

When their eyes meet, she smiles at him, properly smiles at him for the first time that night. When he returns it with his own dimpled smile, she almost forgets. She forgets why he came and for a second, it feels like they’re back in time. Back to when they spent most of their nights in front of the TV. Sunny curled up and snoring by the sofa while Y/N played with Harry’s hair, their legs tangled and his back against her chest. It takes her a minute to understand why Harry looks so confused.

“Sorry, I’m just really tired,” she murmurs.

“’s okay. I’m kinda glad you didn’t hear what I so bravely confessed there,” he chuckles at the ground and the sound makes Sunny lay his head against his legs, asking for more pets.

Despite his vagueness, she smiles at his boyish charm. “What was it?”

“Nah, not tellin’ you now,” he smirks, never once looking up from his petting session with Sunny.

A sigh leaves her mouth and that’s when he looks her way.

Were they flirting? Could exes flirt? Should they flirt?

And wait, did he get a new ring?

“Was it about my poor taste in cushions again?” She smirks, trying to sound as nonchalant as she can.

“Well-”

He tries getting comfortable on the sofa, leaning back and crossing his legs but Sunny starts barking as if to complain about Harry’s divided attention. He reaches down and gives him a pet but never once takes his eyes off of her.

It’s quiet after that. None of them speak. They lose the eye contact as soon as Sunny abruptly gets up from his laying position and walks to his water bowl, both of them watching him leave.

“He’ll bite my ear off as soon as you leave tonight,” Y/N mumbles, trying to pass it off as a joke but Harry doesn’t smile.

Instead, he sighs and scratches his knee. “I actually saw Sunny the week you called me… your brother was walking him near Gemma’s house and- well, yeah.”

At the news, she feels an anger bubble up inside her. Not towards Harry -maybe a little- but towards her brother. Since her brother’s not here, she’s going to take it out on Harry.

“Why didn’t you tell me when I rang? You- I, oh God. I’m such a fucking idiot. You came here out of pity and not because you missed Sunny, right?” She keeps going as if someone’s been timing her. “You probably laughed after right? At how pathetic I was? You should’ve told me!”

“Well, I didn’t! It’s not a big deal-” he tries again but she cuts him off and he’s slightly taken back by her widened eyes.

“Not a big deal? You came here because you pitied me! Well fuck, I know it’s pitiful but you shouldn’t-”

“I wasn’t missing the bloody dog, I only saw him that week! I used him to see you!”

She freezes, trying to process his words but as always, Sunny steals the show.

This time, he’s choking on his water.

⋆                           ⋆                                 ⋆

            ⋆                              ⋆   

💌 SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS 📝 MASTERLIST

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[voguingtodanzig]

THE CELESTIAL JUKEBOX, PRESENT TENSE - 250 SONGS

Again, some of this is personal and sentimental, linked to time and place and experience.

50 Cent, “Many Men (Wish Death)”

100 gecs, “800db cloud”

10,000 Maniacs, “Candy Everybody Wants”

Bryan Adams, “Everything I Do”

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, “Spanish Flea”

America, “Sister Golden Hair”

Julie Andrews, “My ​​Favorite Things”

Animal Collective, “Brother Sport”

Aphex Twin, “Tha”

Fiona Apple, “Extraordinary Machine”

Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”

Ash, “Shining Light”

Atlantic Starr, “Always”

Atlas Sound, “Washington School”

Autechre, “Vose In”

The B-52s, “Deadbeat Club”

Bananarama, “Cruel Summer”

The Beatles, “All My Loving”

Beck, “Girl”

Belle & Sebastian, “Seymour Stein”

Benoit & Sergio, “Boy Trouble”

Beyoncé, “Countdown”

Bikini Kill, “Alien She”

Bilal, “West Side Girl”

Bjork, “It’s Oh So Quiet”

Black Dice, “Pigs”

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, “Stop”

The Black-Eyed Peas, “Imma Be”

Blast Off Country Style, “Cutie Pie”

Blondie, “Heart of Glass”

The Bloodhound Gang, “Your Only Friends Are Make-Believe”

The Box Tops, “The Letter”

Brainiac, “I Am A Cracked Machine”

Michelle Branch, “Everywhere”

Laura Branigan, “Gloria”

The Breeders, “Off You”

Danny Brown, “Gremlins”

James Brown, “Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine”

Jackson Browne, “Somebody’s Baby”

Vanessa Carlton, “A Thousand Miles”

Harry Chapin, “Cat’s in the Cradle”

Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”

The Carpenters, “Yesterday Once More”

Julian Casablancas and the Voidz, “Human Sadness”

The Chemical Brothers, “Free Yourself”

Chixdiggit!, “My Restaurant”

Cibo Matto, “Sunday, Pt. 1”

Ciara feat. Missy Elliott, “One, Two Step”

Clipse, “Dirty Money”

Jim Croce, “Operator”

Crosby, Stills, and Nash, “You Don’t Have To Cry”

Christopher Cross, “Ride Like the Wind”

Cryptacize, “Mythomania”

Crystal Castles, “Air War”

Culture Club, “Karma Chameleon”

Terrence Trent D’Arby, “Sign Your Name”

Daft Punk, “Around the World”

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, “Hold Tight”

Dead Kennedys, “Kill the Poor”

DeBarge, “The Rhythm of the Night”

Deerhoof, “+81”

Deerhunter, “Octet”

Depeche Mode, “Personal Jesus”

Dial, “Helium”

The Diplomats, “Dipset Anthem”

DMX, “Stop Being Greedy”

The Doobie Brothers, “Black Water”

Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, “Nuthin’ But a G Thang”

The-Dream, “Love King”

Duran Duran, “Hungry Like The Wolf”

Bob Dylan, “Positively 4th Street”

The Eagles, “Lyin’ Eyes”

Eat Skull, “Cooking a Way to be Happy”

Elastica, “Connection”

The Everly Brothers, “All I Have to Do is Dream”

The Ben Folds Five, “The Battle of Who Could Care Less”

Eleanor Friedberger, “Stare at the Sun”

Eminem feat. Dido, “Stan”

Brian Eno, “Cindy Tells Me”

Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”

Extreme, “More Than Words”

The Fall, “Glam-Racket”

Roberta Flack, “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

Flipper, “Ha Ha Ha”

Dan Fogelberg, “Longer”

The Free Design, “The Proper Ornaments”

Fur, “Devil to the Lamb”

Garbage, “Only Happy When It Rains”

Judy Garland, “Over the Rainbow”

Kevin Gates, “Paper Chasers”

Ghostface Killah, “Shakey Dog”

Freddie Gibbs, “20 Karat Jesus”

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “The Dead Flag Blues”

Gorillaz feat. De La Soul, “Feel Good Inc.”

Go Sailor, “I’m Still Crying”

Granddaddy, “A.M. 180”

Colleen Green, “I Want to Grow Up”

Green Day, “Basket Case”

Grimes, “REALITi”

Gucci Mane, “Break Ya Self (Brrrussia version)”

Guided By Voices, “Teenage FBI”

Harvey Danger, “Flagpole Sitta”

Helium, “XXX”

Keri Hilson, “Pretty Girl Rock”

Hole, “Malibu”

The Hollies, “All I Need Is The Air That I Breathe”

Michael Jackson, “Rock With You”

Jay-Z, “Hard Knock Life”

Henry Jacobs, “Guitar Lesson”

Jawbreaker, “Fireman”

Jeremih, “Oui”

Jewel, “Standing Still”

Jimmy Eat World, “Sweetness”

Billy Joel, “Uptown Girl”

Scott Joplin, “The Entertainer”

Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”

Juelz Santana, “Mixin’ up the Medicine”

R. Kelly feat. T.I. & T-Pain, “I’m a Flirt (Remix)”

Kool and the Gang, “Celebration”

Lana Del Rey, “Off to the Races”

Lagwagon, “May 16”

The Libertines, “Horror Show”

Limp Bizkit, “Re-Arranged”

Lindstrom, “Where You Go I Go Too”

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, “Lost in Emotion”

Lit, “My Own Worst Enemy”

The Lonely Island feat. T-Pain, “I’m on a Boat”

Lotus Plaza, “What Grows?”

Lower Dens, “Candy”

Courtney Love, “I’ll Do Anything”

Love As Laughter, “Idol Worship”

M.I.A, “Bamboo Banga”

Madonna, “Hung Up”

Madlib, “Mystic Bounce”

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, “Ramp of Death”

The Mamas and the Papas, “California Dreamin’”

John Mayer, “New Light”

Meek Mill, “Dreams and Nightmares Intro”

Men at Work, “Safety Dance”

George Michael, “Faith”

The Modern Lovers, “I’m Straight”

Modest Mouse, “Heart Cooks Brain”

The Moldy Peaches, “Nothing Came Out”

Chris Montez, “The More I See You”

Alanis Morissette, “Head Over Feet”

Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, “Lucky”

MXPX, “Party, My House, Be There”

My Bloody Valentine, “You Never Should”

Nas, “The World Is Yours”

Johnny Nash, “I Can See Clearly Now”

Neu!, “Hallogallo”

New Order, “Subculture”

New Pornographers, “The Laws Have Changed”

Wayne Newton, “Danke Schoen”

Harry Nilsson, “Jump into the Fire”

Nine Inch Nails, “Wish”

Nirvana, “About a Girl”

The Notorious B.I.G., “Warning”

Maura O’Connell, “Summerfly”

The Orb, “Little Fluffy Clouds”

Panda Bear, “Mr Noah”

Pavement, “Harness Your Hopes (BBC Evening Session)”

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”

Liz Phair, “Shane”

Pinhead Gunpowder, “I Am An Elephant”

The Platters, “Only You (And You Alone)”

The Pointer Sisters, “Jump”

Michael Praetorius, “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen”

Elvis Presley, “A Little Less Conversation”

Primal Scream, “Keep Your Dreams”

The Prodigy, “Breathe”

Propaghandi, “Anti-Manifesto”

Brian Protheroe, “Pinball”

Psychic Graveyard, “No”

Public Enemy, “Fight The Power”

Aileen Quinn, “Tomorrow”

Radiohead, “A Wolf at the Door”

Gerry Rafferty, “Right Down the Line”

Bonnie Raitt, “Something to Talk About”

The Ramones, “Chain Saw”

Otis Redding, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “In Motion”

Lou Reed and Metallica, “Junior Dad”

Rihanna feat. Jay-Z, “Umbrella”

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, “Islands in the Stream”

The Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Devil”

Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, “Somewhere Out There”

Rosemary Krust, “Private Amber”

Diana Ross, “Theme From Mahogany”

Roxy Music, “More Than This”

A Savage, “Eyeballs”

The Shangri-Las, “Leader of the Pack”

Shanice, “I Love Your Smile”

Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Sightings, “Yellow”

The Silver Jews, “Blue Arrangements”

Alan Silvestri, “The Back to the Future theme”

Paul Simon, “Kodachrome”

Ashlee Simpson, “Pieces of Me”

Slade, “Cum On Feel the Noize”

The Smashing Pumpkins, “Here’s to the Atom Bomb (New Wave version)”

The Soft Pink Truth, “Do They Owe Us A Living?”

Sonic Youth, “Jams Run Free”

Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown, “No Air”

Spoon, “The Mystery Zone”

Starving Weirdos, “Land Lines”

Stereolab, “Plastic Mile”

The Strokes, “12:51”

Swell Maps, “Let’s Build A Car”

Taylor Swift, “Style”

Stylophonic, “R U Experienced”

Jazmine Sullivan, “Mascara”

Suicidal Tendencies, “Institutionalized”

Taco, “Puttin’ on the Ritz”

James Taylor, “You’ve Got a Friend”

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”

Throwing Muses, “Not Too Soon”

TLC, “Baby-Baby-Baby”

Tortoise, “Djed”

The Toys, “A Lover’s Concerto”

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, “Summer Nights”

A Tribe Called Quest, “Can I Kick It?”

UB40, “Red Red Wine”

Joe Walsh, “Life’s Been Good”

Scott Weiland, “Paralysis”

Steely Dan, “Do It Again”

Stiff Little Fingers, “Suspect Device”

Stylophonic, “RU Experienced?”

T.I., “What You Know”

Mary Timony, “Blood Tree”

that dog., “I’m Gonna See You”

The Tymes, “So Much In Love”

Ultimate Painting, “Out in the Cold”

The Unicorns, “Child Star”

The Velvet Underground, “The Gift”

Waka Flocka Flame, “Hard in da Paint”

Ween, “Even If You Don’t”

Weezer, “Endless Bummer”

Kanye West, “Devil in a New Dress (G.O.O.D. Fridays version)”

WHAM!, “Wake Me Up (Before You Go-Go)”

White Hassle, “Oh, What a Feeling”

Matthew Wilder, “Break My Stride”

Bill Withers, “Lean on Me”

Wolf Eyes, “Human Animal”

Stevie Wonder, “My Cherie Amour”

Wye Oak, “Siamese”

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Maps”

Yo La Tengo, “My Heart’s Reflection”

Zaimph, “Removing Bits of History”

The Zombies, “Time of the Season”

[welcometophu]

The Meaning of Home, Chapter 1

The Meaning of Home Chapter 1

Tags for all Welcome to PHU novels will be available at the PHU tag list on Pillowfort. This list is under construction as of Sept. 5, 2021.

[ First | Next ]

Even knowing that he’ll see him at the end of the trip, it’s strange for Pawel to be driving to his childhood home without Conor in the car. Usually his son would be requesting music changes, playing videos so loud that Pawel could hear them even with Conor’s headphones in place, or generally talking up a storm. Even after cranking the radio up to fill the silence, Pawel feels alone in a way he hasn’t felt in a long, long time.

He can’t blame it entirely on Conor. Yes, as a single father he hasn’t had much, if any, time to himself in the last nine years. But this past academic year has been chaos to the point where it seems strange not to have one of his students in the car as they head off to save the world.

Students, yes, but he’s not that much older than most of them. Some of them are friends as well.

Rest. Take the summer and rest.

The voice in his mind sounds suspiciously like Mac, and he hears Carolyn’s soft, aggravated huff not long after as she adds, Get normal amounts of sleep. Take a shower. Eat real food.

Spend time with your kid, imaginary Mac adds.

Great. He’s back to being that only child who used to have conversations with invisible friends, except now, as an adult, it’s advice about self-care from real people who aren’t even here.

The thing is, they’re not wrong. He knows he has a tendency to focus intently on the one most important thing at hand and tune out everything else. Since fall semester—for the first time in nine years—that wasn’t Conor, and he still feels guilty about that. He feels the kind of guilty that means there are two brand new games for Conor’s handheld system in a bag on the back seat, along with a cooler holding freshly butchered grass-fed bison steaks as a thank you for his father for helping him out.

Pawel exhales.

Maybe he’s having a little trouble letting go of the chaos. In a way, it felt good to be busy. To fix things.

They saved the world.

Nobody knows it, but it happened. And Pawel knows, so he should be satisfied with a job well-done.

The question is: what can he do now?

Rest.

For all that they’re imaginary, the voices of his students are right, and he knows this. It’s just hard to let it all go, to accept that the chaos has ended and he can do that. But he’s clean-shaven, and his hair is neatly trimmed, even if he didn’t go back to his buzz cut. He looks older in the mirror than he remembers being when the school year began. He might even look his age, which would go a long way to gaining respect from incoming freshmen in the fall.

He just needs something to do with himself while on vacation over the summer.

Maybe his old dojang would let him step into a taekwondo class or two while he’s visiting Dad. It’d be nice to be the student rather than the instructor for once.

You couldn’t let go of control that much.

“Shut up.” He says it as if imaginary Mac would even listen.

One song ends, and for a second, the silence in the car echoes before the next song begins.

This isn’t working.

He reaches out to touch the button on his radio dash for the phone, then presses Mac’s number from his contact list.

“Aren’t you with your family?” She starts speaking without bothering to greet him.

He adjusts the volume so that her voice isn’t quite so loud. “Hello to you, too. I’m almost there now. It’s quiet in the car. No Conor. Not even any grouchy almost adults grumbling about saving the world, or muttering about sparring.”

Mac snorts softly. “I’m only a few years younger than you, Pawel. And out of us all, Rory’s probably got the oldest soul. I take it you’re bored?”

“A little,” he admits. “Pels’s family moved into the house on Friday, then left for Burlington. As far as I know, everything’s gone well up there; they weren’t back before I left the house today. Anita’s got my number in case she needs anything for the house while they’re renting it out this summer. Traffic’s been decent, so I’m maybe fifteen minutes from my Dad’s house now, and the silence is killing me. How’s your summer break going?”

There’s a delay before Mac replies, and her voice sounds determinedly cheerful when she does. “It’s a break. I’m thinking about my research, and the fact that my advisor is in Italy until the end of June and told me I can’t work without him there. Which means Mom thought I should come home for a while, and right now things are… awkward… with me and Dad. So. There’s that.”

When Mac says it, Dad means Senator Delwin Palmer. Pawel knows what that meant to Mac as a part of a secret government training program for Talented children, before she came to PHU. He knows that everything they learned about the government involvement in the creation of the soul-destroying Shadows has only made her relationship with her stepfather more difficult.

He makes a small noise. “Are you going back to PHU soon?”

“Mid June, so I’ll be here about three weeks. I’m going to take my brother to the festival when Rory and Thorne are in DC in a couple of weeks, and I’m spending most of my time in the museums and libraries in DC until then.” She exhales. “I’ve thought about going to see my father, but I think that’ll be the weekend that I drive back up to PHU. I’ll just stop in to visit him in the city while he’s got some time off work.” Mac hesitates, her words more forceful when she asks, “How long are you planning on staying with your dad?”

Fine, Pawel will accept the change of topic, changing conversational directions at the same time as he takes the exit into town that will lead to his childhood home.

Sort of. It’s not the same house he grew up in, but it’s close to the same neighborhood.

“I don’t know,” he admits. “I’m on leave for the summer. It’s not a sabbatical—they don’t do that for less than a year, and right now they won’t let me go for a whole year until the department has more experienced faculty. But it’s a paid leave and I’m supposedly researching my next book. The thing is, Dad doesn’t have a lot of space since he moved into the retirement community. I’m going to be crashing on his couch. Conor’s got the bed in the guest room.”

“Sounds great for your back.” Mac laughs. “You’ll probably still sleep better than you did for most of the spring.”

“Probably,” Pawel agrees. “I think—” He stops abruptly, because that makes it sound like he has a plan in place. “I’m going to play it by ear. Conor’s made friends there, although he’s clearly missing Alan and home, too. Everyone keeps telling me that I need to just stop trying to fix things and take a break. Including a voice in my head that sounds suspiciously like you.”

“Good to know my voice has infected your brain, like the way I hear yours saying ‘commit to the kick’ whenever I’m sparring and going for that head kick against a much taller opponent,” Mac says dryly.

“They’re all taller than you.” Pawel takes a series of turns, remembering to turn left instead of right at the critical intersection. He slows down; there’s no one else on the road behind him to annoy, and he’s not quite ready to arrive yet.

Mac sputters. “Rude.”

“True.”

“Fine. True,” she agrees. “Taekwondo is a sport for tall people. I’m just a good jumper, and before you say it, no, I’m not teleporting to get there. Most of the time.”

He rolls down the road towards a four-way stop. There’s a sign across the way proclaiming the entrance to Hart Acres. If he turned left, he could make his way to the police station where his dad works, and right would loop him back behind his old neighborhood.

Straight takes him into his dad’s new life in a retirement village where half the people who live there aren’t actually retired. His dad’s been living there for a year, and Pawel’s not sure when he’ll finally step down as Police Chief. He likes his work far too much to give it up.

Dad says it’s easier to keep working when he doesn’t have to worry about the little things like mowing the lawn. Hart Acres takes care of that for him.

Pawel’s pretty sure Dad’s going to work until he has both feet in the grave, and then he might just keep going.

“Hey.” Mac’s voice is low. “Did I lose you?”

Right. He was having a conversation.

“I’m just about there,” Pawel admits. “There’s an old lady walking her fluffy dog down the street. I guess I should hang up. Focus on finding the place and not hitting the two people that are in the middle of the road having a conversation.”

No exaggeration. Now that he’s pulled into Hart Acres and is following the first traffic circle he encounters around to the second exit, there are small knots of people gathered everywhere. Including two smack dab in the middle of one of the side streets.

They see him looking and lift their hands in cheerful synchronized waves.

“I am really not ready to see my dad as the kind of guy who needs to be surrounded by old people looking for a social life,” Pawel mutters. He makes a disgruntled noise when Mac snickers.

He’s in front of the house before he can say anything else.

“Go,” Mac says. “Hug Conor for me, and tell him to work hard. He’s still in school, right?”

“Another three weeks, yeah,” Pawel says. “I might take him out for a day on Friday to head up to Buffalo for Rory and Thorne’s tour, though. It’s a holiday weekend, so maybe the school has the day off—they do weird things with snow days sometimes. Although the weather was strange this winter and they might not have the extra days.”

“Nikki would apologize if you need her to,” Mac says. She’s quiet for a moment. “Hey. You really should take the time to rest. Let your dad be the parent for a little while. Enjoy being home, and with your family. You don’t have anything you need to save right now. The world isn’t ending. Just have fun for the summer.”

“Only if you promise me that you’ll rest, too,” he responds. He wants to say that he understands that it’s not that easy. He understands that talking to Delwin Palmer is going to be complicated, and that putting herself back in that environment only brings the PTSD out in full force. “You can always call me if you need someone to talk to.”

“I’ll let you know when I’m back in the area,” she says. “Maybe we can get together and spar. I’m taking a break from organized classes while I’m home.”

Her old dojang isn’t full of happy memories like Pawel’s is.

“Sure, we can do that.” He catches movement out of the corner of his eye; the door to his father’s unit nudges open. “Conor’s coming out. I need to go.”

“Bye, Pawel. Rest.”

“I will,” he promises.

The music blares for a moment after she hangs up; he turns the key and silences it. He manages to get out of the car as Conor races around it and slams into him, hugging him hard. Pawel wraps his arms around him, and exhales as he feels the familiar crackle of Conor’s magic around him.

“I missed you,” Pawel murmurs. His hand is between Conor’s shoulder-blades, and it feels higher than it used to rest in this same position. “Did you grow in the last two months?”

“An inch since he arrived.” Dad stands on the lawn next to a girl about Conor’s age that Pawel doesn’t recognize. Her mouth is pinched and her brows furrowed. She has her arms crossed tight across her chest as she leans forward, a myriad of braids falling forward across her shoulders and down her back. Dad puts a hand on her shoulder, and she straightens up, shoulders relaxing. “I started a growth door for him here. We’ll need to get a mark on it for you so he can see what he’s aiming for.”

There was a piece of trim in Pawel’s childhood house that had marks for every few months of his age, from toddlerhood to adulthood. He wonders if the new owners painted over the careful notes made in his mother’s hand, and the messier ones his father wrote after she passed away.

“I had Dziadziu put Emma on the door, too.” Conor slips from Pawel’s hold and grabs his hand, dragging him towards Dad and the girl who still watches warily. “This is Emma. She’s in my class, and she’s a Weather Witch, and she’s my friend. We’re both new here. She’s talked to Alan with me.”

“I know they’re married,” Emma says with a heavy sigh and an eyeroll. “Conor’s not my boyfriend. I don’t want a boyfriend.”

“You say that like people have been trying to tell you that you can’t be friends because you’re a boy and a girl.” Pawel stops in front of her and holds out his hand solemnly. “Hello, Emma. I’m Pawel. And don’t worry, I understand that most people are full of shit. Right now my best friend is a girl and I can assure you I have no romantic intentions towards her whatsoever. And if I did, she might kick me in the balls.”

Dad makes a strangled sound.

Emma tilts her head, brow still furrowed. “I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t say that people are full of shit.” She takes his hand and looks at their joined hands in some confusion, then drops it again. “But you’re right. They are. Come on, Conor.”

“I think you’d like Mac,” Conor says as he walks by Emma’s side and they disappear into the house. “She’s small but fierce. She used to be a gymnast and now she kicks ass.”

Pawel should say something, but he did just tell them that people are full of shit, so maybe he can cut him some slack for language this time.

“I did say that someday you’d be lucky enough to have a kid just like you,” Dad observes. “That said, Conor’s been a good kid while he’s been here. Getting good grades, getting his work done. He and Emma bonded straight off—her parents disappeared not long before you did, so they had something in common. Except, of course, you’re back and they’re not. She’s living with a foster family here.”

There are a dozen potential things wrong with everything Dad’s just said. Pawel rolls the thoughts around in his mind as he heads back to his car, opening the doors so that he and Dad can both take several things into the house. “Do they know she’s Talented?” he asks.

“You know where the guest room is.” Dad points through the living room and kitchenette to the small hall beyond. “Right at the end there. Just take Conor’s stuff down. We’ll put your things to the side in the living room for now.”

Conor pops his head out of his room just as Pawel arrives. “What do you mean for now? Aren’t we staying all summer? I thought we’d stay here all summer, Dad. Dziadziu said we could.”

There are times when Pawel wonders what their family looks like from the outside: three generations having three separate conversations in tangled instances, answering questions in random order. He can see where Emma sits on the bed, Conor’s tablet in her hands. She doesn’t seem concerned.

“I’m sleeping on the couch, Conor. We’ll stay in town, but we might need to get a hotel room. I’m going to need a bed eventually,” Pawel points out.

“I’ll move in with Emma. Her dads wouldn’t mind.”

“I don’t think they’d even notice,” Emma says dryly. “I like Conor better than Matt.”

“She has four foster siblings,” Conor stage whispers.

Emma looks up, gaze pinning him. “They aren’t my siblings. I’m an only child. We’re all just fosters in the same house, except Nevaeh and Jennie. I think they’re almost as good as adopted. Jennie doesn’t even remember her parents.”

For once, Pawel is the one getting whiplash from the swift turns in conversation.

“Is everyone Talented?” It’s the same question, asked a different way, and this time he throws it out there for anyone to answer. He drops the bag of Conor’s summer clothes on the bed, next to where Emma sits.

“Her dads are both Talented!” Conor bounces up onto the bed, almost knocking the suitcase off. “One’s Clan and one’s—”

“They aren’t my dads,” Emma snaps. She drops Conor’s tablet on the bed and stands up, her body shivering so hard that her braids shake. “My mom and dad are coming back. They aren’t my dads at all. I’m just staying there until—”

“My dad can find them.”

Emma’s mouth is slightly open, her voice a small squeak. “What?”

“My dad is really good at everything about Talented people. He’s an expert.” Conor nods quickly. “He’s so much an expert that he teaches people not to be stupid—uninformed,” he corrects himself, “about what it means to be Talented. He knows everything.”

“Not everything,” Pawel tries to stay, but Conor steamrolls over him.

“He just saved the world, and he’s friends with Clan and with Mages, and we know this entire commune of Mages up in Burlington and if anyone can find your parents, he can,” Conor says firmly. “You’ll do it, Dad, right?”

“I think I’d need a little more information before I can promise that,” Pawel says slowly.

“Your father is supposed to be resting.” Dad stands behind him, and Pawel doesn’t need to turn to know the look Dad gives Conor. He was on the receiving end of that look himself many times as a child. Dad continues, “The last time your father got involved in something, he disappeared and you came here.”

Conor’s mouth snaps shut, lips pressed and his cheeks flushed. “He came back,” he mutters. “He always comes back.”

Emma pats the bed and when Conor sits, she puts her arms around him and holds on. “Maybe mine will come back, just like yours did. Then your dad won’t have to go find them.” Her whisper is too loud to be entirely secret. “I don’t want your dad to disappear again.”

“Me neither,” Conor admits.

“Emma.” 

“Dziadziu!” Conor interrupts him. “Did you ask Emma’s dads—”

“They’re not my dads.”

“—if she can stay over tonight?” The sadness is gone from Conor’s expression as he bounces on the bed. “She’s got stuff in a drawer from the last time she stayed. She can get on the bus with me in the morning, and we can play games with Alan online later.” His gaze skates to Pawel. “If you say it’s okay, of course.”

It’s only been a couple of months, and Conor has somehow built himself a routine here. Pawel isn’t entirely sure how he fits into it.

It’s strange thinking about Conor growing up and growing apart from Pawel when his son is only nine years old.

“I talked to them,” Dad assures them. “But that means sleep tonight. It’s a school night, and I’ll be checking. No magic after dark. No surprise storms. No more rain indoors.”

“That was once!” Conor protests.

“Lights out by half past eight, and I want you asleep by nine,” Dad says in a tone that brooks no argument. “You’ve got plenty of time before then; we haven’t even had dinner yet. You might even be sick of each other by then.”

“Never!” Conor and Emma chorus.

Pawel has to wait for Dad to move before they can both slip out of the room, leaving the door cracked. “I’m glad he’s made friends here,” Pawel says quietly. “He and Alan are—well, I’d almost call them codependent sometimes. I was worried. But they both seem to be doing well.”

“Conor’s fallen on his feet, that’s for sure. He’s a lot like another child I once knew: just starts talking until he finds his spot to fit in. Might even have a bit of a savior complex.”

Pawel gives his father a dark look. “I do not have a savior complex. If I did, I’d have followed you into law enforcement, rather than going into academia.”

Dad smiles. “You’re still saving people. You just go about it in a different way on a daily basis. But it seems to me like you didn’t even hesitate when you found out your students needed your help. You can’t resist a puzzle.”

“Apple didn’t fall far from the tree, I get it,” Pawel mutters. “Fine, fine. We’re all peas in a pod, and a hundred other trite descriptive phrases. The Szczek men have similar traits.”

“Mm.” Dad leads the way outside, so they can retrieve the last few things from Pawel’s car. “Some of us have learned how to ask for help,” he says quietly. “Conor’s made himself at home in Emma’s foster house. He’s spent more than a few nights there, and yes, before you ask, I trust her foster fathers completely. One of them works with me. But that’s something you might want to think about this summer, Pawel.”

Pawel shoulders the backpack with his computer in it, and closes the door to his car. “What’s that, Dad?”

“You don’t have to do everything on your own,” Dad reminds him. “For the summer, you’ve got me. Think about what to do when you get home. The fate of the world doesn’t need to rest on your shoulders alone.”

It seems like everyone’s got something to say about his bad habits. The thing is, Pawel’s got help at home. He’s a single father; he knows he needs assistance sometimes. He’s got Alan’s family next door. Emily’s always willing to help out with Conor. But he’s also got… a lot of responsibility. He’s a professor, and a dean, and he leads Coven and the taekwondo team. 

Who the hell else is he going to rely on? Pawel does the things no one else is available to do.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” he says, because he knows it’s what Dad needs to hear. “I’m not going to overwork myself again. I’ll make sure I’ve got help.”

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#welcometophu #welcome to phu #the meaning of home

[mstrumpeter]

“I’m glad we both have found back to you.”

     ____________________________________________________

Preamble: Sooo... our BluesBrothers Discord Server made me do it. I wrote my first very own fanfic. 😊 It has gotten a lot longer than I intended it to be, so please bear with me, if there’s not too much going on in part 1 but part 2 will follow asap :)

      ____________________________________________________

Alan Rubin x fem!Reader (chapter one)

Word Count: 2.060

Fandom: Blues Brothers

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blues Brothers characters or movies.

Warnings: none

The story takes place before the movie and before Jake went to jail for sticking up a gas station.

It was one of those afternoons Kelsey spent at the Soul Food Cafe at West Maxwell Street. She was sitting at her “regular” table at the window, sipping a cup of coffee and listening to those beautiful tunes from John Lee Hooker and a few other musicians who were performing outside in the streets. Occasionally she took a look at the opened book in her lap but couldn’t seem to focus on anything she read. If only he would stop staring.

Across the room 2 guys were seated dressed like Hasidic diamond merchants, black suit and tie, black hat, black boots, they even wore their dark sunglasses inside. Kelsey wondered if she had seen them before, surely they must have caught her eye. In any case one thing was certain. The taller one was permanently watching her. Although he was wearing his glasses she could feel his eyes on her and it annoyed the young woman to no end. She usually came her after work to relax and calm down but being watched certainly didn’t make that any easy. From the corner of her eye she saw the tall one getting up and walking over to her table. “Hiya, how are you doing? I’ve seen your face a couple of times before.” Slowly the girl turned her head from looking out the window to the man who, without asking, took the seat at the other side of the table. “Err… Hi, thanks I’m… doin’ good?” Was that a question? Get a grip girl “I spend quite a few afternoons here, that’s right. What about you?” As the man spoke the blonde girl took a closer look at him. He was actually kinda cute, well, from what you could see under all those black accessories. “Same here. Me and my brother play in a band”, he said as he pointed to the shorter guy who still sat at their table but gave Kelsey a small nod. “The two guys in the kitchen are also in our band, they work here for some side cash.” She chuckled “Sounds like your band isn’t in great demand then.” He gave her back a little smile “You know some times are easier and some are tougher on us. It ain’t easy out there. But perhaps you’ve heard of us…? The Blues Brothers?” The girl shrugged her shoulders. “Well, one more reason to come by when we’re playing our next gig. This Saturday we’re at the…” He got interrupted by his brother, who was standing in the door, followed by a slightly pale, thin man with long, blonde and fluffy hair and a dark skinned, very muscular guy in a tight shirt. “You comin El?” “Yeah s-sure!” He assured the three men then turned back his attention to Kelsey. “Listen I gotta go, we’re on our way to rehearsal. Can I meet you again sometime? How about tomorrow, same time, same table?” And before Kelsey could agree or disagree the strange dressed man was dragged on his collar and out of the cafe by his brother.

“Jake we weren’t finished you know?” His brother sighed “I love you Elwood but you’ve been working up the courage to talk to that girl for what feels like weeks now. Thought you’d speed it up just a little once you finally did make a move.” Elwood looked shyly to the side “Yeah.. it’s just, you know I’m looking for something serious, that takes some time.” “I do. And I do want you to be happy. But I don’t wanna be late for rehearsal, everyone will blame me again, when it clearly was your fault.” Jake joked and gave his brother a soft bump with his elbow. The next day Kelsey left work, as she checked the time she still felt unsure about what to do. Usually she would go to the cafe but then again there could be that guy waiting for her. Was he even coming? Kelsey never agreed on meeting him again though. Did she even want to meet him again? He definitely was cute and I barely know any people in this city beside my coworkers, so why not? And so she found herself sitting at “her” table again, waiting for the man in his suit to show up. When the doorbell of the cozy dine up rang she was torn from her thoughts but greeted with a friendly smile by him. “I wasn’t even sure you’d come but here you are, I’m so glad.”, the handsome man spoke as he took a seat. “My name’s Elwood by the way.” “Hi, I’m Kelsey. Yeah you got torn away rather quickly yesterday.” “Sorry for that, today I’m all yours. We only rehearse on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So.. you enjoy music?” “Oh absolutely. I adore jazz and blues and cannot do much with today’s music to be honest. I don’t know anyone who feels the same so this feels like my sanctuary. Did you grow up in Chicago” And so Elwood told Kelsey about the St. Helen orphanage where he and Jake grew up, how they became interested in music and founded the band. And Kelsey told him how she was raised in NewYork and only moved to Chicago a couple of weeks ago since she needed to leave NY and her past behind, to make a fresh start.

A couple of days later Elwood and Kelsey met for their 2nd date. They agreed on Kelsey picking him up right after rehearsal and they’d go out for dinner. Fortunately there was enough time for her to go back home after work and before her date. She took a shower and made sure to take extra care of her blonde, curly hair. Typical. When it matters those curls do what they want. She decided on her favourite dress, a black sleeved gown with golden ornaments, tied around her waist with a cute matching belt, ending just above her knee and a pair of black laced boots. Kelsey rarely felt self-confident. Over the years she did realise that she was pretty but her figure always made her feel unsexy. She wasn’t much overweighted but simply curvy, with a wider hip and some bigger thighs and butt. That dress though made her feel pretty, so she was satisfied with her look in the end as she left the house with a few butterflies in her stomach.

The young woman took a glance at the note the musician gave her and looked rather insecure at the building in front of her. No doubt this was the address Elwood had written down for her but this looked nothing like a place for rehearsal. Well, how does Bo Diddley state so well in one of my faves songs “Can’t judge a book by it’s cover” She started humming the tune as she entered the old, abandoned-looking building. Not having a clue in which room the band was practising she simply followed the sound of music and as she got closer and the sound become clearer she could identify the song. It was “Green Onions” by Booker T and MGs. Wow. She hadn’t heard that one for ages but she instantly started to feel the vibe. When she finally found the boys, their rehearsal had already came to an end. What a shame, I’d love to listen to some more songs, they sound quite talented. “Kelsey! There you are!” Elwood yelled from the other side of the room, raising one arm. The girl felt uneasy being on display but as she let her gaze wander through the room she noticed that aside from Elwood, Jake and one of the man she had seen in the cafe before no one else as giving her great attention. Most of the band members were busy with their instruments, they were either cleaning or doing some maintenance work on it. Elwood took a few big steps to catch up with the blonde girl “Hi, glad to see you!” He seemed to be pure excited for her to meet the guys. “C’mon I’d like you meet the rest of the band. You know, they became like family to me. Hope you like ‘em too. I know you will!” he said eagerly. “So you already know Jake of course and I believe you have met Blue Lou and Matt before.” “Yeah I have, nice to see you again.” Kelsey stammered. Wouldn’t say I “met” them but rather took a short glance at them. “Sure, we know ya’, a regular at our diner. 2nd table at the window…” Matt started “A chopped cheese and one big white coffee.” Lou finished for him. Yeah okay that’s crazy. The girl laughed nervously “Haha, alright, you scare me! Think I might order something different next time.” She then got introduced to Tom Bones at trombone, Donald Dunn at bass guitar, Murphy at keyboards, Steve at lead guitar and Willie at drums. One man was left, he was standing with his back to Elwood and Kelsey and seemed incredibly deepened in whatever he was doing, looked like the zipper of his instrument case was stuck. They approached him when Elwood continued “And last but not least of course we have Mr. Fabulous…” The man quickly turned around as he heard his nickname when not only his jaw dropped a few inches.  “Alan?” “Christ Almighty! Is that the McAllister girl? I didn’t know you where in Chicago!” “Well right back at you!” Kelsey grinned. “You.. two know each other?” Elwood asked confused. “Yeah, Alan was my trumpet teacher back in NY.” “Oh didn’t you tell me you had just started learning since you moved here?” “Err.. right, I.. err.. quit and picked up playing again”, Kelsey stumbled somewhat embarrassed. She felt strangely awkward admitting that she had quit at some point in front of Alan. She swore she could see some disappointment in the trumpeter’s eyes or perhaps it was the disappointment in herself. “Well if you need a brush-up I’d be glad to help.” Alan smiled. “Really?”, Kelsey bursted out and tried not sounding too excited as she went on. “I sure would appreciate that.” “How are Mr. and Mrs. McAllister doing?” That question caused a sudden change of the girl’s mood, Alan could read her facial expression immediately. “How about we catch up over coffee sometime? Guess you might be pretty interested how I ended up with these lunatics!” He laughed and gave Elwood a little flick against the brim of his hat. She gave him a little smile when Elwood grabbed her hand “Shall we?” Before neither one of them could say anything, he twisted her around, leading her to the door. “He really has a talent to kill the mood, hasn’t he?”  Elwood joked. “Nah, everything’s alright”, she assured the handsome man at her side but turned around to meet Alan’s gaze who was looking after her.

The trumpeter closed the door and threw his keys at the table, letting his instrument bag slide off his shoulder onto the sofa. He then grabbed a bottle of beer, a cloth and the tube of polishing creme from the drawer, unpacking his horn. He couldn’t believe he stumbled into her today. It had been ages. Back in NY her parents had hired him as her trumpet teacher. That was over 10 years ago, she was only 14 back then. A teenager. Not the kind of girl that stood out in the crowd to be honest but that girl today, that woman - looked nothing like the teenager from NY. She really had grown into a looker. He remembered how she used to straighten her hair when she was younger, what a shame after seeing those beautiful blonde curls today, she looked like an angel. That dress perfectly hugged her curves and loosening it up with those black boots suited her a lot. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, that smile simply didn’t want to disappear from his inner eye. We was torn out of this thoughts when he’d realised he almost put the entire tube of polishing creme on the cloth  - and into his lap. He sighed in annoyance and went to the kitchen to clean himself up. After getting rid of the mess, he made a couple of sandwiches and slumped in front of the telly… with a certain young woman on his mind.

chapter 2

chapter 3

chapter 4

#blues brothers #blues brothers fandom #Alan Rubin x fem!Reader #Mr.Fabulous #fanfiction #blues brothers fanfiction

[gumnut-logic]

So much writing

The last two weeks have been painful at work, some serious stress, and it impacted on my writing quite badly.

So please excuse me while I bounce around the room and celebrate the last few days and what I’ve managed to write.

I dropped all my WIPs for a moment, including the Kermadec Fic which I have hit a snag on and will be rewriting the last bit of.

You wonderful peeps kindly sent me some random prompts and as I was feeling a little better on Friday, I started writing again.

And they were short ::cackles:: Somewhat of a miracle for me nowadays.

...

Two on Friday, around work.

Do you have any unusual fears?

This one was Johnny and what happens when he gets cut off from Tracy Island and Eos.

Do you prefer having or not having a schedule?

Scott deals with the important things.

...

Then Saturday rolled in and I could focus better.

A memorable experience on public transport

I wrote Penny! And Pen & Ink! This was a first for me. I also got to have a ride on a Sydney ferry :D

An Unusual Fear

Poor Gordy. Thankfully Virg and Allie handle it better than Scott ::glares at the Commander:: And yes, I know Virgil laughed in canon too, but I’m choosing to ignore that ::glares at the writers::

Kayo comforting Alan

Ooops, forgot to give this one a title. Alan is upset after an incident and Kayo comes across him.

...

Then Sunday morning after a good night’s sleep I got my teeth into the next one.

John hated taking public transport

I put our poor sociophobic redhead on a public bus for over a year. This is what happened :D Younger!Tracys, pre-IR

...

I guess I could write more tonight, it is only 10.30pm, but I’m choosing to bounce around excitedly and acknowledge that after a shitty week, I managed to write six fics in three days :D And most of it was fluffy-ish :D And short :D

Now I just need to work out what sort of movies each of the boys would like the most. ::ponders:: I’ve had Scott preferring action movies in the past and saying that Virgil only watches them because he wants to spend time with Scott. Hmmm...::pondeers more::

Nutty

(making stuff up in my head...always)

PS: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your wonderful comments and likes and reblogs. I grovel at your feet amazed at how kind you are all to me ::hugs you all to bits:: Thank you for supporting my crazy, and for feeding my pen. Thunderfam rock!

#nutty is nuts #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #John Tracy #Gordon Tracy #Pen and Ink #Scott Tracy #Penelope Creighton-Ward

[dxcstrange-stuff]

Hubby has returned from the war...

I am SO chuffed for S3 of Alex Rider guys...I will be consuming Alan's scenes so violently I am just so utterly in love...

#alan blunt #fluffy alan friday #stephen dillane #alex rider tv #alex rider #anthony horowitz #alex rider season 3 #spy #mi6 #alex rider series #my art #artwork #illustration #digital art #character art #artists on tumblr

[donutsandbagels]

Fluffy Alan Friday! x

thanks @introvertedpedant

#stephen dillane #alan blunt #alex rider tv #season 3 #fluffy Alan friday

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

That October Mood

Rating: G 1,838 words Gen AO3

Courtney wasn’t really in a mood, despite what her mother might say. She was just… antsy. Sure. That’s why she hadn’t been able to sit still all day. Had bounced off the bus, grabbed her gear and headed towards the Brownstone. She’d maybe been a bit surly to her mom and Pat on the way out. Definitely snapped at Mike. But he was her little brother, these things happened.

No, Courtney wasn’t in a mood because how could you be in a mood when you were flying at dazzling speeds across the country. Her curls whipped in the wind and the cosmic staff hummed under her. The weather was clear and clouds fluffy as she made her way to New York. She didn’t even get caught in the passing shower outside Cleveland. So, definitely not in a mood.

Landing on the roof, Courtney headed for the aviary and the elevator. It was a Friday afternoon, even two time zones ahead, so the place was bound to be filling up soon as members of the JSA came for their weekend meetings and trainings. She just had to find someone to talk to because despite the flight Courtney was still in her not mood. Which was getting worse as she waited for the elevator, the birds swooping overhead reminding her of the fact Kendra had left. Moved out and joined the League. And how Courtney missed her.

But it was fine, everything would be fine. She’d just find someone else or – and though she kicked herself for thinking this – there’d be some catastrophe and Courtney could expel this whatever it was with some punches and shooting stars. Except the halls were weirdly quiet. Almost eerily quiet. There was chatter from the lab as she passed and mention of Ted being down in the gym but that didn’t pique her interest. She headed for Jakeem’s room, only to see the door was still closed meaning he wasn’t here. Courtney grumbled and went in search of Maxine and remembered that she was at rehearsal until well after dinner. Pivoting, Courtney headed back for her own room and silently cursed Billy for having quit.

The not mood maybe be boiling into an actual mood. Which sucked.

Courtney threw herself on her bed, letting the staff bounce beside her and her backpack fall to the floor. She wasn’t going to wallow. If Courtney allowed herself to wallow then she really would be in a mood. She sat up and considered her options. There was clearly no point in disturbing the Brownstone’s other occupants but she needed to do something otherwise Courtney might just burst.

A thought struck her and Courtney pulled her phone out of her bag. She could always call Jack. Since giving her the staff he’d wiped his hands of heroing but delighted in hearing her adventures. Though he usually hid it behind liberal amounts sarcasm and lots of “Ohmygod, kid you’re going to kill yourself”s. In her heart, Courtney knew he loved it. Except, calling Jack meant he’d also want to chatter and it’d probably be about his kids, who were adorable, but Courtney dealt with enough smelly diapers from her little sister and she didn’t really want to hear about them from Jack. He was just as likely to go on at her about potty training as about old records anymore. Loathe as she was to admit it, Courtney would much rather hear about the records. She actually liked swing music. A lot. Not that she’d tell anyone. She blamed all the forties holdouts she found herself surrounded by.

That was it. Courtney wasn’t going to lay here and stew or sour further. Nope. She was getting up and going to find something, anything, to do. Hell, she’d even find Ma Hunkle and offer to clean the bathrooms at this point.

Leaving the staff and her phone on her bed, Courtney headed towards the kitchen. There was the distinct possibility that she was just getting hangry. Besides, eating was something to do. A wind sent her hair falling in front of her face and static electricity tingled down her spine. Jay must have just passed her. She kept walking, except Jay now stood before her.

Unlike Courtney, he wasn’t in uniform. Instead, worn jeans and a polo shirt that really sold his grandfatherly vibe. “Just the girl I was looking for,” he grinned. “Obsidian said you were here early; I’m hoping you might be able to help us out.”

Suddenly everything clicked. No wonder she felt out of sorts and no one was around, Courtney was early! Normally she had a football game to cheer at on a Friday night, except the other school’s coach was in the midst of a scandal and their season had been suspended. Meaning Blue Valley had no one to play against this week and so the game was cancelled. Which meant she missed hanging out with Mary at one of their houses or the diner downtown before getting ready. Courtney also missed the challenge that cheering provided: trusting in her squad to catch her instead of the staff, pushing her own strength and reflexes without the help of the belt as she tumbled and jumped. Pat was always on her about how important balance was, especially for superheroes, and she’d come to really rely on the games to just decompress and reset before the weekend. Be Courtney Whitmore, not Stargirl.

No wonder she was in a mood.

With this realization, Courtney felt the jitters and acid words building in the back of her throat begin to drain away. It was a slow process, but it was something.

Courtney grinned back at Jay. She could help, she definitely could help. “What’s up?”

“You are our resident teenager so Alan, Ma, and I were hoping to pick your brain. Some of the other kids are downstairs already too. You can get changed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” Jay said with another smile. Then he was gone.

Standing there Courtney couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the empty air. Jay had asked for her help, not Stargirl’s but Courtney’s. She was in fact going to go put on some jeans and a t-shirt before heading to the kitchen. Her mood was slipping away with each step.

In the kitchen, there was a group of people all clustered around the table. Ma Hunkle bringing a platter of snacks over when Courtney walked in. She couldn’t hear what they were talking about but she had a clear view of Grant and he looked like he was seriously considering getting up, walking to Titans Tower, and asking them to take him back. Though that wasn’t necessarily a bad sign since Grant normally looked like that. Especially with Rick and Jesse flirting at each other from either side of him.

Courtney took the empty chair next to Jay. “What’s up?” She glanced around the table and got the weird sense they’d been waiting for her because the side conversations stopped.

“Well,” Alan started, “the Brownstone always participates in trick-or-treat but we were thinking about doing something else for the teenagers and college kids this year too.”

“And I nixed the haunted house idea already,” Ma added as she slid the platter closer to Courtney. “There’s enough things that could go wrong with the stuff in that museum without the addition of jump-scares.”

Giggling around her carrot stick, Courtney shared a look with Jesse across the table.

“So,” Alan picked back up again, “we thought about hosting a movie night. We figured there was enough space and we certainly have large enough screens.” He smirked at a private joke. Courtney looked to Jay for some sort of explanation but he just seemed to shrug back at her.

“Is there a point to this?” Grant sighed. Though he did pick up a piece of pointedly passed celery.

“We hoped you might have ideas for some movies. Our list so far mainly consists of Hitchcock and Ghostbusters,” Jay broke in with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Grant’s eyes seemed to light up. “You mean like horror movies?”

“We’re open to suggestions,” Alan nodded.

“I’ll make a list,” Grant said excitedly. He was already pushing his chair back and heading for the drawer with the pens and notepads.

“Hocus Pocus is a classic,” Courtney offered. She wasn’t into horror like Grant obviously was, but she did like Halloween movies. “Corpse Bride and Coraline and all those other stop animations are fun.”

“There was one I used to watch when I was a kid,” Rick drummed his fingers on the table. “This girl found out she was a witch-”

“Sabrina the Teenaged Witch is a show, not a movie,” Jesse interrupted.

Rick laughed. “No, not what I was thinking of. She found out she was a witch and snuck off with her siblings after their grandma to this other world.”

“Halloweentown!” Courtney yelled excitedly. “Those are great! There’s four of them, though they changed the actress who played Marnie in the last one. The two Twitches movies are other classic DCOMs.”

Grant brought back his list and laid it on the table. “Here. The Goth movies are really great but the fact he turned out to be a literal demon and a supervillain kinda ruins them.”

Courtney screwed her face up at Grant in the same way she did whenever Mike said something incredibly stupid. Which in her opinion was a lot. “What?”

“Uh, the Titans files have it.” He scratched at the back of his head awkwardly as he sat down again.

“We could run an all-day marathon with these alone,” Jay said as he glanced at the list.

“Why not? A sort of come and go as you please?” Jesse suggested.

“Do some of the darker stuff later with the Disney and like Beetlejuice in the afternoon,” Rick nodded.

“Run Rocky Horror at midnight,” Jesse shared a grin with her husband.

“Oh!” Rick seemed positively thrilled by the idea. “And Lost Boys right before. Great bad movie.”

“Lost Boys?” Courtney turned her skeptical look on Rick.

Rick seemed scandalized. “Only the best vampire movie there is.”

Courtney gave him her most skeptical look.

“No no,” Grant shook his finger towards Rick, “he’s got a point about Lost Boys. Cult classic.”

While Courtney didn’t entirely believe this – The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the other hand sounded like a great idea – she did have to admit the guys’ enthusiasm was fun and infections. “I guess we’ll just have to watch it,” she smirked.

“That’s a great idea, Court,” Jay patted her back. “We could watch a bunch and pick our favorites to narrow it down.”

“Advertise it as the JSA’s favorites too. Be great for marketing,” Jesse nodded.

Ma shook her head, “We better get started then, there’s a lot to get through.”

“I’ll rally the troops then,” Jay was already gone.

Courtney took the initiative to make some popcorn. Her mood really had disappeared. Amazing what the prospect of a movie night did.

#dc comics #stargirl #courtney whitmore #jay garrick #alan scott #ma hunkle #jesse chambers #jesse quick #rick tyler #hourman #green lantern #the flash #justice society of america #jsa #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #own writing #my fic #the blonde brigade #teen titans #grant emerson #damage

[argylemnwrites]

What’s In A Name

Pairing: Seth Levine x MC (Jessica Parker)

Book: Red Carpet Diaries (about 18 months after Book 3)

Word Count: ~750

Rating: G

Summary: Naming their dog is serious business to Jessica. Seth... not so much

Author’s Note: This is the first of the 12! little drabbles I’ll be posting over the next 4 Fridays leading up to Valentine’s Day as part of my Fluffy Friday series. That means 3 little drabbles featuring a variety of the couples I write for each Friday. This one is 27. Pets from the Domestic Fluff prompt list as requested by @chaotichuman0090

Jessica sat on one end of the sofa staring over at her husband at the other end in disbelief.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Come on, the name suits her, don’t you think?”

“Seth, you’re insane if you think I am letting you name our dog Buckeye.”

“I don’t see the problem. It’s not like I suggested naming her Cornhusker.”

Jessica rolled her eyes, “You can’t be serious right now.”

Seth flopped down across their couch, laying his head on top of the two year old yellow lab that was positioned in between them. They’d adopted her from a rescue five days earlier, and since that time, they’d just been calling her “Girl.”

 “Come on, Iowa. Don’t you think she looks like a Buckeye?” Seth asked, nuzzling the dog and looking up at Jessica with an exaggerated puppy-eyed gaze of his own.

“Buckeye isn’t even a name, Seth.”

“Well, we need to name her something. It’s getting kind of awkward at this point.”

“I know, I know, but if we’re naming her after a team, shouldn’t we name her after my team? I’m a much bigger fan than you are.”

“But I at least went to Ohio State. You never worked for the Vikings,” Seth retorted, sitting back up and staring straight at her.

“You can’t compare college to the NFL like that, you know that’s not fair. Come on, Seth. You don’t even like football that much!”

“I can still have school pride. How about a compromise - you give me this, and I’ll let you name our first kid Adam Thielen if you want.”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

“I’m serious, Jessica. Thielen is a nice gender neutral name, or…” he pulled out his phone, clearly looking up some list of the most famous Minnesota Vikings players, “Randy Moss or Cris Carter or Alan Page or Fran Tarkenton or…”

“Okay, I pick Fran Tarkenton.”

“Wait, for real?”

“No, you moron.”

“I don’t know, Fran Tarkenton Parker-Levine rolls off the tongue nicely.”

Jessica just laughed, “What if I actually held you to that agreement?”

“We would just be doing our part to be good celebrities by choosing a clearly bonkers name for our child.”

“Well, we just have the one name to focus at the moment We can worry about baby names when I’m actually pregnant. For now, let’s just name this dog.”

Seth crouched down in front of the sofa, looking intently at the lab, almost as if he were trying to stare into her eyes. Jessica hadn’t been sure they should let the dog on the furniture right away, but the first night, Seth had invited her up next to him on the sofa, and now it was her favorite spot. Jessica didn’t really mind as Girl was warming up to them quickly. She also supposed she needed to be a little more lax on things staying neat and tidy in their home since they were trying to conceive, and kids were going to lead to far more mess than a dog.

After several long moments, Seth looked up at Jessica, “How about Fran?”

“Really?”

“Well maybe Francie, but yeah. I kinda like that name for a dog.”

“You don’t think it’s too old fashioned?”

Seth turned his head back to stare at the lab. Jessica bit back a laugh as the dog cocked her head to the side and stared right back at Seth, almost like she was trying to figure out what he was doing.

“She has an old soul.”

“Really.” Jessica deadpanned.

Seth nodded solemnly, “Sometimes you can just sense these things, Iowa.” He got through his statement with complete seriousness, but he couldn’t keep up the charade much longer after that, bursting into a huge grin. Jessica just shook her head at him.

“You better take this more seriously when it’s our baby.”

“Jessica Parker-Levine, I promise I will take naming our child as seriously as needed.”

Jessica raised her eyebrows, “I know you’re constructing a loophole for yourself with that phrasing.”

“If you haven’t figured out in three years of being in a relationship with me that lightening the mood is kind of my thing, well I don’t know what to tell you, Iowa. Besides, I was being serious with Francie. I think it kind of suits her.”

Jessica slid off the couch and crouched down next to Seth, joining him in looking at the dog.

“Yeah,” she said, reaching up to scratch Gi- Francie behind her ears, “me too.”

Permatag: @speedyoperarascalparty @mfackenthal  @lilyofchoices  @thequeenofcronuts  @jamesashtonisbae  

Red Carpet Diaries: @octobereighth 

Seth x MC only: @choicesarehard​ 

#seth levine #seth x mc #rcd fanfiction #rcd #red carpet diaries #choices fanfiction #choices #playchoices #choices stories you play #fluffy friday

[atc74]

Baby & Lucille

Square(s) Filled: Escort AU for @spnaubingo, Embarrassing First Meet for @spnfluffbingo2019

Warnings: Bitchy reader (keep reading), Charming Escort!Dean, I don’t know...it’s fluffy and sweet

Summary: Dean accidentally spills his coffee on a complete stranger, but will he get a second chance to make a first impression?

Pairing: Dean x Reader 

Word Count: 1645

Written for: @spnfluffbingo2019 @spnaubingo 

Beta’d by: @just-another-busyfangirl, thank you for making me better

A/N: Inspired by this ask from @luci-in-trenchcoats: What if it's Coffee Shop AU but they do Embarrassing First Meeting for Fluff bingo as well (maybe erring more on the fluffy side of things)? Or Coffee Shop AU, they hit it off, but Dean knows he's supposed to end up in an arranged marriage with someone in the near future. He and reader still pursue each other but ultimately, they find out their arranged marriage is supposed to be with one another? I decided to skip the arranged marriage because these two just took me in a whole different direction. Hope you like it Michelle!

“Thank you,” Dean smiled at the barista, taking his morning Americano. He could get coffee at home, but it just wasn’t the same.

“You’re welcome,” the barista replied. “It’s always a pleasure to have you, Sir.”

“Please call me Dean, Alan. I’m just a man,” Dean argued.

“On the contrary, Sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar,” Alan countered.

Dean laughed, giving Alan a final wave. He turned to find a table when he ran into something. “Son of a b-!” His coffee went flying, the cup shattering on impact and his much needed drink splattering all over him and another patron.

“Look what you’ve done, you klutz!” the woman, now covered in his Americano, yelled.

“I’m so sorry. I should have been careful,” Dean apologized. He reached for a towel on the counter and began wiping down her expensive coat. It was nice. “Is this cashmere? I will pay for the dry cleaning.”

“Yes, it is cashmere, thank you for noticing. You have excellent observation skills for someone with no grace,” she chided. “Now, your number or a business card so that I can send you the bill?” She held out her hand, waiting.

“Oh, yeah, right,” Dean grabbed a pen from the counter and a napkin, writing down his number for her. “So sorry about this. Here you go…?”

“Y/N, Y/N Y/L/N. That’s the name that will be on the bill,” she snapped, ripping the napkin from his large hand.

“Duly noted, Miss Y/L/N. Again, sorry about the mess. Have a pleasant day.” Dean took a seat at the nearest table just as Alan brought him a fresh cup. He glanced in her direction as she waited for her own drink, not able to take his eyes off her. Normally Dean was very smooth in his daily life and especially with the ladies. Never had he met a women that made him flounder like he had, despite the embarrassing first meeting. Well, at least he hoped he would see her again.

He enjoyed the spectacular cup of java while he checked his emails. A few had come in over night about a new job. He flipped through the names on the list until he landed on one that he recognized. He read over the bio.

New to town, looking for a date for company gala. No funny business. I run a fortune 500 company and do not have time for shenanigans. Must be well read and spoken. Black tie. Pick up requested Friday at 6pm. Be prompt.

There was no please, no thank you, but Dean knew he couldn’t turn this one down. He met all the requirements, but there would definitely be shenanigans, if he had a say. His finger tapped the accept button. Dean finished his coffee and whistled his way out the door.

“He better be on time. I have to arrive early. I have to make a good impression. This has to go well. What if they don’t like me?” Y/N babbled as her assistant and best friend, Charlie, placed the finishing touches on her hair and make-up.

“Y/N, you have to relax. I am sure he will be on time. He is a professional after all. And just be yourself, well, maybe a more laid back version of yourself. You tend to be a bit high strung in social situations.” Charlie laughed as she moved the last pin into place. “Voila! What do you think?”

Y/N turned and faced the mirror, stunned at the woman staring back at her. “Charlie…” Her hand flew to her mouth.

“Yeah, I know. I’m amazing. But I can only work with what I have and you are a beautiful canvas to begin with, Y/N. Breathe. Everything will be fine,” Charlie assured her. “Now let’s get you dressed!”

Dean arrived ten minutes early, pulling in front of the newly finished luxury condo building. He put the car in park and was grateful that his brother had agreed to loan him his Mercedes for the night. By the sounds of it, Y/N had high standards and he didn’t think his Baby would measure up. Which is a shame, because Baby is all class, but some people just do not have an appreciation for the classics anymore.

He stepped out of Sam’s car and entered the building. Dean was greeted by small man whom he assumed was some type of concierge. “Sir, may I help you?”

“Yes, Y/N Y/L/N please,” he answered politely.

“And whom may I tell her is calling?” the man prompted.

“Her knight in shining armor.” Dean flashed the man his million dollar smile. The man simply nodded and placed the call.

A few minutes later she entered the lobby, dressed in a fitted black evening gown that flared at the waist. The neckline was high and modest, but he had never seen a woman look more stunning. She glided toward him her hand extended as her eyes met his face.

“You?” she scoffed, skeptical that her date for the evening was the same buffoon that had spilled coffee on her earlier in the week. “I think there has been some misunderstanding, Mr. Winchester.” She pulled out her phone to call the escort service when he stopped her.

“Miss Y/L/N, there is no mistake. I know our first meeting was a disaster, but the agency paired you with me for the evening. I promise to be on my best behavior. I meet all your requirements, I assure you,” he promised, extending his elbow to her. “Shall we?”

Y/N reluctantly slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her outside. “Nice car. Pretentious, but nice.”

Dean opened the door, taking her hand as she slid into the butter leather seats. He closed her door and walked to the driver side, settling himself behind the wheel. “Thanks, but it’s not mine. I borrowed it from my brother. I didn’t think my Baby would fit your standards.” He pressed the ignition and pulled out into traffic. “Where to, my lady?”

Y/N gave him the address and he swerved through traffic, adjusting his route. “What do you mean ‘fit my standards’?”

“You’re very well put together, Y/N, and I can appreciate that. You’re a no-nonsense business woman with goals. I am a daytime mechanic and moonlight as an escort, saving enough money to buy the shop I manage. I’m college educated but I come from simple roots. I’m a grease monkey by choice and my chariot is 1967 Chevrolet Impala. Her name is Baby,” Dean explained.  

“I admire your honesty, Dean. I may run a Fortune 500 but I was raised on a farm in Nebraska. I can lead a board meeting but I am not much for social functions. I prefer my ‘62 Chevy C10 pick-up. She gets terrible mileage but she was my dad’s and she’s all I’ve got left.” Y/N was quiet and gazed out the window as the city flew by.

“I’d like to meet her some time.” Dean looked over, his date quiet. “What’s her name?”

“Lucille. She’s a redhead.” Y/N giggled.

Her laughter rolled off the leather interior of Sam’s car and it was music to Dean’s ears. “So why the need for a date? You’re educated, successful and beautiful…”

“Men tend to be intimidated by all of those things. My last boyfriend couldn’t handle my success, told me I needed to slow down,” she confessed. “I told him to pack his shit. He got fired for sleeping with his assistant. I got a new job, a new condo and a fixer-upper in the country where I plan to retire.”

“You’ve got goals. I can respect that. What I can’t respect is a man who doesn’t think it’s okay for his partner to be more successful than him. Like me? I could be perfectly happy with a woman who has her shit together. I’ve got goals too, but I wouldn’t mind a sugar mama. Just sayin’!”

“Oh, is that all we are to you?” Y/N slapped him in the arm.

“Hell no! Women are strong as fuck. I’m just putting it out there that I spent the last thirty years taking care of my little brother. I would like find someone that doesn’t care if I am happier under a car than behind a desk. Success isn’t measured by board meetings or profits. It’s measured by happiness. I don’t live for dollars, I live for moments.” Dean turned his attention back to the road.

“And yet, you’re working two jobs,” she argued.

Dean thought for a minute before he acknowledged her. “Because my goal is to be my own boss so I can take the time to live those moments. Working for someone else doesn’t give the right kind of freedom, no matter the number of vacation days. Besides, I’ve already put in my notice. My loan application was approved and we close next week.”

“Congratulations!” She clapped excitedly for a man she didn’t even know. “I’m sorry for being bitchy at the coffee shop. I was really nervous about meeting my new employees and then the coffee and it-it was just a rough morning.”

“Thank you. But please don’t apologize. Let’s think of tonight as a fresh start.” Dean smiled over at her as he put the car in park. “I’m Dean Winchester.”

“Y/N Y/L/N.” She held out her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/N.” Dean took her hand in his and gently kissed her knuckles. “Let’s get through tonight and tomorrow, we’ll introduce our girls. I think Baby and Lucille could be great friends.”

“I look forward to that.” She smiled and for the first time in months looked forward to a day off.

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