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wildemaven · 9 months

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fall apart, again : chapter one | joel miller

Pairing: Post Outbreak! Joel Miller x OFC!Genevieve

WC: 5k

Warnings: 18+ Blog; Heavy on the Angst, post-outbreak world, no specific age mentioned but reader is close in age to Joel, minor character death, Ellie and her smart mouth, leaving the rest to read at your own risk to not spoil things, reader has a name but there are zero references to her appearance/she’s a blank slate character, 2nd POV, this is way AU so can be read as Game Joel or TV Joel

A/N: I’ve been so excited and nervous for this series. I don’t have a timeline for posting with this one, just going to take my time with it. Big thank you to @gnpwdrnwhiskey for listening to me wrack my brain over this series and for being my second set of eyes!! Please go check out her new Dieter Series!!!

Series Masterlist / Playlist / Inspo Board

Spring was slowly transitioning into the next season.

Bright fragrant blooms wilting away into the dry soil from where they were born— a poetic reminder of the time.

21 Summers.

21 years of surviving.

Enduring.

Remembering— the normal life before the outbreak that you mourn daily.

A giant Bur Oak lends itself to you, branches providing ample shade as you sit resting against its sturdy trunk, the ground cool beneath where you sit.

The harsh sunlight filters through the tree’s canopy, a warm dapple light speckled all around you.

There’s a gentle flicker to your left that catches your attention, a single light-ray hits the small diamond on your dainty gold band where it sits heavy on your ring finger. You hold your hand up, remembering back to when you both had found it, he had immediately dropped to his knee— it wasn’t much, but it was perfect.

“I give you this ring as a reminder that we face this world together. We’re an unbreakable team.”

Even after all these years and the circumstances of the world around you, it’s a vow you stand by.

Branches above rustle and crack as a breeze sweeps through, the edges of the paper that is resting on a book in your lap fold over with each small gust, drawing your attention back to the words you’ve written.

…We passed what looked like it was a small farm at one point. It made me yearn for normalcy. Where we could settle into the small farmhouse, drink our morning coffee on the wraparound porch while we watch the sun rise. Have all the animals that would give a homestead atmosphere. A coup of chickens where we would gather eggs daily, a flock of sheep and goats for milk, and a small herd of cows— because what’s a farm without some cows I can give silly names to.

We’d raise a family in that farmhouse— lots of babies running around to wrangle. Breakfast of pancakes and fresh eggs, all of us together around our table, then tucking them all in at night after we’ve read them several stories.

We’d lay in each other’s arms as the crickets sing their chirping songs. A breeze washing over us through the open windows, the evening air lighter and crisp as the night fades and our worn bodies succumb to sleep.

There wouldn’t be heartache or sadness. No fighting or stressing over jobs. We’d be happy. We’d be together…

“Eve! Let’s get goin’— we only got a few more hours of light left. Should be at the cabin before sundown.” The thick Texas twang breaks through your thoughts.

Steve standing off in the distance, his blonde hair disheveled and wind blown as he looks back to where you’re tucked under the tree.

He’s handsome in his own right, not someone you would have ever found yourself with in different circumstances, but now you wouldn’t know how to function without him.

A chance meeting the day of the outbreak had brought the two of you together.

You were working as a traveling nurse at a hospital 4 hours from where you lived, instantly going into crisis mode as lead of the trauma response team, the ER quickly overwhelmed with patients seeking treatment for bites or flu-like symptoms— it was unlike anything you had ever seen before in all your years as a nurse.

Steve, a retired detective, was on vacation with his wife visiting a friend before the initial outbreak happened. The morning of, he’d gone on a duck hunting trip, while his wife went to breakfast with some girlfriends at a local Waffle House. He had brought her into your ER when he noticed she was acting strangely, similar to the symptoms the news was reporting as a widespread epidemic. Her outcome was not hopeful as you did your best to administer vials of antibiotics and fluids, the infection moving through her was beyond anything you could treat.

It was Steve who made the call to abandon his wife and the hospital and the realization hit fairly quickly that there was less you could actually do to help others.

Fleeing the area, seeking solace in one another as you both navigated through quarantine zones— searching for familiarity in your former hometown, only to be met with decimation and nothingness.

Steve’s way around a gun helped keep you safe when evading FEDRA, the nursing kit you put together came in handy when stitching him up between shootouts and fighting off the infected— this was now your new normal.

As the years progressed, you both found contentment with each other. Security gave way to a sense of comfort and revival, falling into a deeper connection beyond two people surviving a post outbreak apocalypse— if you were going to be in each other’s lives, you might as well be fully committed.

“Eve! Pack your shit up— let’s go!” He spits out a little harsher, no real malice behind his tone— he likes to stick to his schedule.

You don't respond, folding your letter carefully then tucking all of your items into your canvas pack. Standing to your full height, you give your legs a minute to let the blood reacquaint fully, your hands brushing the bits of dust and weeds from your pants.

You hear Steve continue his huffing, as you make your way closer to where he’s standing.

“I thought I told you to knock it off with those pointless letters!” He gruffs, hands secure at his hips and his head cocked to the side, hoping to catch your gaze.

Your letters. They had become a loose journal, your stream of thoughts you needed to get out so you were not plagued by the pain and anxiety that came with them whirling around your brain.

Letters to your past, letters to a new life that awaits you and sometimes to no one at all— you wrote about your travels, things you missed or longed for now, hope for the future.

They were too much to keep, pages and pages filled with your words and stories, some containing memories too painful to read or share, a weight you didn’t want to carry, so you scattered them throughout your travels. In the last 21 years, you’ve written hundreds of them, dropping them in abandoned mailboxes, or tucked away in the abandoned spaces you’d settled into in passing, as if to send them to whomever you were writing to— leaving a trail of your life across cities and states.

“And I thought I told you to stop calling me Eve— guess we don’t always get what we want?” You had asked him multiple times over the years to not call you Eve, that was your former life and you hated the reminder, but you know he doesn’t do it out of spite.

The gravel crunches under your boots as you walk past, not looking to argue with him in the heat of the sun.

Steve’s hand reaches out clasping around yours, halting your movements, his eyes fixed on you, furrowed brows as if he wants to say something.

“Hey— Ya know I love you, right?” He sighs, his fingers toying with the gold band on your ring finger.

You look to where your hands are joined, the twisting of the gold band a small gesture of his when things get tough or tense, you smile when you meet his gaze again.

“I know.” You do know, and you feel it too. “Come on, we’ve only got a few hours of light left.” He shakes his head, but gives you a smile at the way you throw his comment back at him.

It had been close to 2 hours of walking, nearly dark, by the time you both made it to the cabin, nestled among dozens of other abandoned cabins on the hillside of an old ski resort.

You imagine it was a popular spot in its prime, filled with families taking their kids on their first snow trips, friends racing each other down the slopes, non-skiers enjoying warm beverages in the lodge while everyone else enjoyed the snowy weather.

Now desolate and forgotten, a stop for raiders on the hunt for supplies and hostages or survivors seeking refuge in search of a town just north of here, Jackson.

Steve had managed to trade for a hand-held CB radio early on, he kept tabs on chatter that happened among FEDRA, staying one step ahead of their whereabouts. At some point he had stumbled upon private channels used by other survivors, he didn’t talk much about what they discussed with you, it was his realm of expertise and a small thing that was just his, so you didn’t push him to share more than what he was willing to.

It was a year ago he had connected with someone and heard about Jackson. There was an offer for a place for a fresh start, a community of other survivors, somewhere to feel safe and comfortable without fear of being attacked, placed in solitary confinement, killed— or infected. Steve decided it was where you both were meant to be, hashing out a plan and specific route on his tattered map, making sure to stay in constant contact with this person in Jackson as you both traveled.

Venturing further into the resort, you both settled on the lesser marred of the dilapidated cabins.

“I’m gonna check the perimeter, you go on inside— check each room first, I’ll be right in. But remember, if I’m not back in ten minutes, you don’t come looking for me— you wait until morning and you head over that mountain, under no circumstances do you leave that cabin before sunrise.” Steve instructed, his hands on your shoulders reassuring the doubt he can see written all over your face.

“Steve— W-what if, there’s something inside—“ Your voice is barely a whisper, nervousness creeping in as your hands grip onto Steve’s wrists that have moved to cup your face, his thumbs smoothing across the apples of your cheeks.

“We’ve done this a million times before, I know you can do it— I wouldn’t send you in there if I didn’t think you were capable, you’ll be fine. Just think, this is the last time we have to do this. Then it’s you and me, in Jackson, together and safe— ‘kay?” His direct eye contact really drives home the message— together and safe.

“Okay.”

“I love you, go be brave.” Romantic and encouraging as he presses a kiss to your forehead.

“I love you— be safe, please.”

“Always.” He shoots a wink with his mustached smile, a few slow steps backwards then turning to make his way up the backside of the cabin, pulling the butt of his rifle close to his chest, hunched and scanning every inch of the surrounding area.

The cabin would seem warm and inviting if the possibility of a Clicker behind the door wasn’t a high probability.

Armed with the knife Steve insisted you keep on you at all times, your refusal at his request for you to carry a gun, you make your way up the front steps.

Each move was slow and calculated, the wood beneath your boots wobbled and creaked the closer you got to the front door. The handle is cold to the touch as you twist it open, pushing the door with a little extra effort to unstick it from the doorframe.

It’s dark and musty, uninhabited by the living and anything beyond that at first glance. Dust and cobwebs cover every surface, pictures still mounted on the walls slightly hanging uneven. A floral couch with two side chairs still arranged in an inviting way, waiting to be enjoyed during a long conversation. The kitchen was small but large enough that it still would have been possible to whip up a hearty meal over the stove, then gather at the tiny table to enjoy the meal and dessert.

You’re grateful the floor plan is an open space, no immediate threat to you upon entering.

There’s only two doors, which you assume hide a bathroom and a bedroom.

The first door reveals nothing but a sink, toilet and shower-tub combo— you’re looking forward to a hot shower when you get to Jackson.

You stare at the closed remaining door, the handle of the knife twisting in your hand as you prepare yourself, not really feeling like you have it in you to take out anything that might be waiting for you on the other side.

A deep breath in, reaching for the the handle you give it a quick jiggle announcing your presence, twist and a quick swing open— a queen size bed draped in outdated sheets, bedside tables with lamps covered in a layer of dust, a dresser opposite the bed with a giant mirror hanging above it.

Empty.

Relief washing away the dread.

Stepping into the room, you toss your pack and knife onto the dresser before finding a seat at the end of the bed, the mattress shifting under you, the springs groan as you settle into a comfortable spot.

You’re not sure how much time has passed since you entered the house, noting it’s been a while since you had heard or seen anything from Steve, but knowing he likes to be thorough, you’re hoping he makes his way through the front door soon.

The moon has crept into the night sky, shining through the small bedroom window, illuminating the reflection staring back at you.

Sometimes you forget how long it’s been since you’ve seen what you really look like. While it’s you that you’re staring at in the mirror, you feel slightly unrecognizable to yourself— aged by 21 years in every sense, tired and worn down by the state of the world and lack of sleep.

Your fingers lightly trace over your skin, taking in every detail, rediscovering every angle of your appearance— the old characteristics blending into the new ones.

A yawn escapes you, remembering what Steve had said about not leaving, you decide to get yourself comfortable in bed and wait for him.

Kicking your boots off, you crawl up the length of the bed, plopping your head down onto the stack of lumpy pillows, your mind wandering as you run through all the scenarios as to why Steve hasn’t returned yet, debating whether you should go take a look outside or listen and wait for morning— scared of what you might find waiting for you.

Your eyelids begin a heavy blink, struggling to remain open and alert, your breathing evening out as your body relaxes into the mattress, sleep consuming your mind.

Warmth surrounds you, the bed dipping and creaking pulls you from your sleep, immediate panic bursts in your chest as your eyes shoot open, your vision blurred as you seek out the movement of a shadowy figure behind you.

“Hey, hey it’s okay— it’s just me.”

“Steve?!” Turning your body to lay facing him, your hands fisting his shirt, scanning his face for any sign of distress or discomfort. “What took you so long?”

“I’m fine.” Placing a hand over one of yours that’s settled on his chest. “Decided to wait a bit, just to be sure nothin’ was out there— I’m sorry.” His hand moves to the base of your neck, his forehead resting against yours.

“S’okay.”

“No— I’m sorry for callin’ your letters pointless earlier. I know how much they mean to you. I just—“ He releases a heavy sigh, voice quivering as he avoids eye contact with you.

“What— what’s the matter?” You sense there’s something Steve’s not telling you.

“Nothin’s the matter. I just worry about what’s goin’ on in that pretty little head of yours— you shut down on me and I just wish you’d let me help you carry the burden.” His gaze moves back to yours. “Promise me, when we get to Jackson, you don’t let your thoughts weigh you down any longer— promise me you’ll let yourself be happy there.”

“I p-promise.” You say, brushing the blonde strands of hair off of his forehead. “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier.”

“Nah, I was pushin’ your buttons— I deserved it.” You both laugh at his response.

Steve leans into your space, his lips slotting over yours, it’s angled and slow, his grip on your neck still steady as the kiss begins to deepen. Throwing your leg over his hip, canting against the sturdiness of his thigh, seeking out some sort of friction to relieve the building ache between your legs.

But before things are about progress, Steve’s pulling away from your mouth, slowing the roll of your hips with his hand.

“We should get some sleep— we’ve got close to a 3, maybe 4 hour walk tomorrow, we need to get all the rest we can get.”

“Y-yeah, of course.” Your response is breathy, a slight pang in your chest at his soft rejection, questioning whether you had been too harsh towards him earlier in the day— but your body could use the rest.

Adjusting yourself, you turn away from Steve, his large arm wrapping around and pulling you closer to him. Your back now against his firm chest, each one of your tense muscles slowly relaxing into him and his warmth.

Thoughts of a new start in Jackson flood your mind as you drift off into a deep sleep. A chance at a better life, where Steve and you can settle into normalcy together. Retire from the constant fear and panic of daily survival out in the open. The taste of prosperity and the sense of peace, an almost tangible reality for the two of you.

Steve senses sleep has set in for you, the ease of your regulated breathing paired with your gentle snores. He nestles himself into the crook of your neck, his fingers instinctively migrate to your ring smoothing over the cool metal, his thick whiskers tickle lightly at your skin as he whispers reserved confessions into the balmy. A gentle kiss to your shoulder before allowing himself to fully breathe easy, deciding to keep a watchful eye throughout the night.

“You’ll be happier Genevieve, I promise.”

The sun is in its full glory once you both set out on the last stretch of your journey over the mountain.

Steve had been rather short with you all morning, you chalked it up to his tossing and turning all night, his eyes bloodshot, evident in lacking sleep— he had promised everything was fine, so you believed him.

“How much longer do you think we have?” Not really knowing what to talk about with the uneasiness that’s been going on all morning.

“I don’t know, Eve— they guy said it was about a 3 hour walk from the resort. We’ve been walking close to 2 and a half, so we’re probably close.”

“Please don’t call me—“

“Jesus Christ Genevieve! I’m fucking sorry! But you don’t make it easy for me sometimes— I feel like I’m always at a fucking arms length away from you even after 21 fucking years.” Anger shoots from his mouth like bullets, you’re not sure you’ve ever seen him like this, at least never towards you. “It’s a goddamn name! Gen, Eve, Genevieve— they’re all the fucking same!”

“I-I’m sorry.” Tears prick at your eyes, you try your best to not let them fall— you’ll save them for when you’re alone in the safety of your new home.

“Fuck! No, I’m sorry— shit! C’mere.”

Steve pulls you into him, his face hot against your cheek as he holds you close, the button down he’s wearing is drenched in sweat, there’s a slight tremble to the grip he has on you.

“Are you okay?” You pull back to get a better look at him, beads of sweat glisten across his forehead, his cheeks flushed a bright red.

“Yeah, just really fucking tired.”

*CLICK*

“Hands where we can see them! Slowly, no fast movements!” A woman’s voice echoes through the air.

Steve releases you from his arms, both of you slowly turning, arms raised up as you were told.

There’s 5 of them, all on horses with their guns drawn in your direction. The woman seems to be in charge of the group, her horse placed a few feet in front of the others.

“We don’t mean no harm, we’re just trying to get to the settlement just over this mountain. You must be Maria? I was told you might greet us before we got there.” Steve says, keeping his tone even as explains himself.

“Am I supposed to know who you are?” She asks, her expression still unreadable as she waits for Steve to respond.

“No— you don’t, but I was told you would bring us the rest of the way in.”

Maria takes a minute to decide whether she wants to believe Steve or not.

“Scan them.” Looking back at one of the men behind her, nodding to where Steve and you are still standing with your arms raised. “I don’t care who you talked to, you get scanned before you come in.”

The man grabs a device from his saddle pack, then makes his way towards you, the other 3 men’s guns still aimed, fingers hovering over their triggers.

“Lady’s first.” The man states, placing the device on your neck, there’s a small zap to your skin when the scan is administered.

“Green!” He shouts, holding the device up to show the green screen in Maria’s direction.

You breathe a sigh of relief, even though you knew you were fine.

Turning towards Steve, the man places the scanner on Steve’s neck, Steve’s eyes locking with yours as the man presses the designated button to conduct the virus scan.

The man steps back quickly, a flash of red catches your attention.

“RED!” He holds the device up.

The other men direct their aim to Steve, his head hanging low and no sign of resistance to finding out he’s infected.

“Steve! No— Tell them you’re not infected!” Insisting he speak up. “He’s not infected! Scan him again! Please!” You scream at the group, your voice straining as you plead with them to scan Steve again, convinced it was a bad read.

“Please!! Scan him—“

“Genevieve— it’s not wrong.” Steve says.

You turn to him, chest heaving and your throat burning from yelling, confused by what he’s saying.

“What? What do you mean it’s not wrong? You’re not infected Steve— you’re just tired, they need to scan you again!”

“I was bit.”

You can feel the blood drain from your face as the words leave his mouth. Your brain takes a moment to register what he had said.

Bit.

Infected.

“No— no! No, no no!”

“Genevieve—“

“W-when?”

“Last night, there was a runner that came out of one of the other cabins—“

Steve’s confession hits you like a ton of bricks in slow motion. You hate it and don’t want to believe a single thing he’s saying, because the reality is that this is where it ends for him— for you.

The tears burn as they begin to stream down your face.

“You didn’t say anything though—“

“I needed to get you here— I needed you to be safe.”

Your chest heaves as you try to catch your breath, throwing yourself at him, anchoring your arms around his neck.

“No! I can’t do this without you— I can’t lose you too!”

“Yes, you can. You’re the bravest person I’ve known in a long time. You’re going to get there and you’re going to meet new people and you will be able to help out because that’s what you love— you love helping people and I love that about you. This is your chance to start over, to be happy— do that for me?” His hands cup your face so he can look at you, his eyes filled with tears as well. “Do me a favor, write me one of your letters— I want to know everything.”

You nod, unable to speak, the lump in your throat growing as your remaining time together dwindles away.

“I love you, Genevieve.” His words muffled against your skin, leaving one last kiss on your forehead.

“I love you, too.” You breathe out, your eyes closed savoring his soft touch one last time.

“How long?” Maria asks Steve.

“Probably ‘nother hour left, give or take.”

“Alright Genevieve— you’re riding with me, hand your pack to one of my men. Andrew, you hang back with Steve— you know what to do.” Maria orders everyone.

Wiping your tears before placing a kiss to Steve’s cheek, then turning to where Maria is waiting for you, handing your pack to one of her men. Maria leans down to grab onto your arm, as you hoist yourself up onto the backside of the horse.

“Let’s head back.” Maria says, pulling the reins up and to one side to signal the horse to turn around, a click of her tongue has the horse moving forward in the direction of the settlement.

You can’t bear to look back in Steve’s direction, not trusting yourself to not run back to him.

Leaving him and knowing his fate is like reliving the same pain you endured 21 years ago. The outbreak takes everything from you for a second time.

Your world shatters, crumbling as the horse carries you further and further from him.

*BANG*

The sound ricochets out over the valley, your heart sinks as a new wave of tears silently fall.

You don’t remember the entire ride to the settlement or how you ended up on the porch of a two story house.

Maria had mentioned putting you up in her brother-in-law's converted garage, a small studio bedroom where those new to the settlement would stay while their permanent residence were being cleaned and prepped. She said it wasn’t anything special and you’d have to use the main houses kitchen and bathroom, but you’d have your own space in a few days— so interacting with a few strangers was the least you could do for the hospitality.

You honestly didn’t care where she put you for the time being, the stables would have been enough, you just wanted to be alone.

Glancing over your shoulder you see others moving about freely, children running about in the open, a stark contrast between what you had been so used to.

There’s rows and rows of homes, a small town-like area, a community garden— this place was everything that Steve had described to you, he would have loved it.

The opening of the front door pulls you back to the front porch where you’re standing with Maria.

“We’ve got a newcomer, she’s going to stay here until we get a room ready down the street.” Maria explained to the young girl who is glaring at you.

“Why do you keep bringing them here? This isn’t a shelter— can’t she stay somewhere else?”

“No, she can’t. This is Ellie, her bark is worse than her bite— she’ll grow on you. Ellie, this is Genevieve let’s let her get comfortable and situated— she just lost whom I’m assuming was her husband, so please make her feel welcomed.” Maria coerses Ellie into letting you stay, but you don’t miss the eye rolling throw your way.

The home is spacious and inviting, you decide it’s far more comfortable than the stables would have been.

“Ellie, can you grab Genevieve a glass of water please.” It’s more of a demand than an ask. “Here Genevieve, have a seat here at the table. I’m sure Ellie can make you something to eat if you’re hungry too.”

“So now we’re a shelter and we have room service? Her legs don’t seem broken to me—.”

“Ellie, glass of water!”

The girl grunts something under her breath as she follows through with getting you water, you settle into a chair and try to not let the unwelcome feeling that’s been looming over you since you set foot in the house add to the pain that is still radiating through you.

You wipe a few tears you hadn’t realized had fallen, a new wave of emotions hitting you, another moment of realization of Steve not being here with you like you had both talked about.

“Is there anything else I can get you Genevieve?” Maria cautiously places a hand on your shoulder, you take it as her way of apologizing for your loss.

“Umm, just my bag would be great and a shower would be nice.” You sniffle, ready to lock yourself away for the day, not wanting to be forced to have unwanted conversations with a teenager who already hates your new presence.

“I’ll go grab your bag from the stables, then you can start getting settled.” She gives your shoulder a light squeeze before turning for the front door. “Ellie, be nice.”

A glass of water is placed in front of you, a few cubes of ice float around the clear liquid. You don’t even remember the last time you had enjoyed an ice cold drink.

Ellie situates herself in the chair across from you, looking as if she wants to say something.

“So— your husband is dead?” 14 years old and a great conversationalist.

“No— y-yes.” Your chest aches at the mention of ‘your husband.’

“Well, that’s not confusing. So, did you watch him die?”

“Hmm?”

“Your husband, did you watch your husband die?” She asks again.

“N-no.”

“I’m all out of questions then.” She slinks back into her chair.

You stare at the ice, almost half the size it was when it was placed in front of you. Wishing you could slowly melt away, become the nothingness you feel like.

The front door swings open and closes with a gentle click, the clunking sound of boots makes the presence of whoever stepped into the house known.

“Hey kid, sorry I’m late. Tommy wanted to get drinks after our patrol.”

A deep husky voice permeates the room, its thick syrupy tone seeps into every little crevice of your memory, its familiarity prompting the goosebumps to form across your body.

“I didn’t know we were having guests— this a new friend of yours?” He asks, his foot step getting closer to where you're still seated at the table, your back turned to him.

“Fuck no! It’s one of Maria’s strays. Said she has to stay here until her room is available— which is bullshit if you ask me!” She spouts off, her annoyance very apparent.

“Ellie, manners!” He grits out.

You lift yourself from the chair, steadying your weak state on the table and chair as you turn in his direction.

Your heart nearly stops the moment your eyes land on him— a ruggedness to him, his soft brown eyes filled with a darkness that comes with loss and sorrow, his dark locks and beard sprinkled with tuffs of gray, an overall hardness about him that hides his true self.

“Joel?” Your eyes wide and filled with more tears, the name is barely a whisper as it falls into the air.

“Eve?” A name he never thought he would say again.

#fall apart again series #joel miller tlou #joel miller #joel miller x you #joel miller x ofc #Joel Miller x ofc!genevieve #the last of us #tlou #the last of us au #the last of us game #the last of us hbo #pedro pascal #wildemaven writes

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chickycherrycola · 4 months

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(no place like) home for the holidays

Its Christmas Eve! Which means its FINALLY TIME for me to unveil the very special project I've been working on! I got a Christmas-y, holiday-themed idea in my head several weeks ago that started out as a few loosely connected scenes, and eventually spiraled into a whole-ass novel 😅 and today I am so pleased to present my most recent labor of love to the Soul Eater fandom: (no place like) home for the holidays. Its centered around Soul and Maka visiting Soul's family for the holidays, and its fluffy, its sappy, its pine-scented, and its so so mushy. I really hope that if you read it, that you enjoy 💝🎄

As always, I gotta give a special shout-out to @moriohpissky for all of her assistance bringing this fic to life. Thank you Leah for the beta read, the idea bouncing, and the assistance with the lovely moodboard! 💕

I'll be posting a chapter a day until the end of the year, starting with Chapter 1 today!

Rating: T

Summary: After a bit of convincing from his overzealous but well-meaning older brother, Soul returns to his hometown in upstate New York for Christmas with his meister in tow. It's been more than ten years since he's been home, and along the way, he'll have to contend with more than just a long-buried past - travel delays, shitty motel rooms with less-than-ideal sleeping arrangements, Wes's horrible ugly sweaters, and, perhaps most daunting of all... his feelings for Maka.

Preview of Chapter 1 under the cut, or read the whole chapter on Ao3!

Ch 1: All I Want For Christmas Is You

His phone rings just as he’s realizing he might be the slightest bit inebriated.

Incoming Call…

Wes

The only reason Soul picks up the phone is because he's on his fourth cup of eggnog - or is it his fifth? Truthfully, he's lost count at this point - and he'd woefully underestimated the potency of one sixteen-ounce pour of eggnog, let alone four or five of them.

(A rookie mistake, honestly, given that this year's Christmas party libations had been supplied by Black Star.)

Before he can think twice about it, he's swiping the green answer button and pressing his phone to the side of his face.

"'Sup?"

It's perhaps a bit too casual a greeting, considering he hasn't spoken to his brother in… months, now.

"Well, color me surprised," Wes chirps through the speaker, and Soul can't help how he cringes in response. "Is that you, little bro, or do my ears deceive me? I suppose I’ve simply forgotten what your voice sounds like, after all this time."

"…Should've sent you straight to voicemail."

"Oh, yes, voicemail, I love leaving those,” Wes hums thoughtfully. “Do you know, I’ve even taken to writing out my messages before I call you. Pity, I was quite excited about this one.”

Soul removes the phone from the side of his face and holds the top of it against his forehead as he draws in a long, slow breath, in part to dredge up his quickly dwindling patience, and in part in an effort to stop the room as it perilously spins around him.

Goddamn eggnog. Goddamn his brother.

When he holds the phone back up to his ear, he asks, as evenly as he can:

"What do you want, Wes?"

“I should think it's fairly obvious,” comes his brother’s reply. “I want to talk to you, Soul. If the fact that I continue to call you once per week despite your insistence on not answering doesn’t make that clear enough.”

"Alright," Soul leans backward against the kitchen counter and crosses one leg over the other. "So talk. Here I am."

Against all better judgment, he brings the red solo cup back to his lips and takes a hearty sip from the spiked eggnog sloshing around inside.

If he must converse with his older brother, maintaining his current level of intoxication will at least make it a tolerable experience.

“Jesus, Soul,” Wes laughs. “Don’t make it sound like talking to me is a death sentence, I just want to chat. What’s new, how’s life, how’s the… what is your title again? Death Knife?”

“Death Scythe.”

“Right! Silly me. How’s the Death Scythe thing going? No ulterior motives, I swear.”

Soul narrows his eyes in suspicion.

“I didn’t ask if you had any ulterior motives.”

Read the rest on Ao3!

#soul eater #soul eater fanfiction #soul x maka #soul eater evans #maka albarn #christmas fic #cherry writes #an evans family christmas

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foxes-that-run · 6 months

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Question...?

Question..? track 7, is the most clearly directed at Harry on Midnights so I will start there. In the vein of Style, Two Ghosts or Perfect there is no attempt to hide the muse here. To me, these songs are intended to draw attention. It was the surprise song on the 20 May anniversary.

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This post also has more on Question

This timeline suggests it may have been written late 2021

Lyrics

[Intro] I remember

Firstly, Remember is a reference to Wildest Dreams and she samples Out of the Woods. 2 words in and we know it's Haylor, Taylor is being clear, she's referencing 1989.

[Verse 1] Good girl, sad boy Big city, wrong choices We had one thing goin' on I swear that it was somethin' 'Cause I don't remember who I was Before you painted all my nights A color I've searched for since But one thing after another Fuckin' situations, circumstances Miscommunications, and I Have to say, by the way I just may like some explanations

Good Girl/Sad Boy is a matured reference to Style, where she was a good guy. He was also a bad guy in Blank Space.

'Painted my all my nights a colour I have searched for since' is one of my favourite lyrics, because Harry gets all of the colours, it also touches on the theme that are are irreplaceable to each other.

Miscommunications are also a key theme for their songs to each other. They do not communicate in words what they can in song.

[Chorus] Can I ask you a question? Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room And every single one of your friends was makin' fun of you But fifteen seconds later, thеy were clappin' too? Then what did you do? Did you lеave her house in the middle of the night? Oh Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight, oh When she said it was too much? Do you wish you could still touch her?

This is often thought to reference New Years Eve which is a sad event to me. I think it is less literal, referring to how people are both thrilled and aghast that they were together.

The second half refers to the events of Say don't go to me.

In a 2013 vanity fair article swifts rep said:

“After Swift ended the relationship, he pursued her for the better part of a year until she finally took him back. “But the whole time she says she feels like he’s looking at every girl,” the source continues. And then when they were in London together he “disappears one night and after that it was like he just didn’t want to keep going.” Styles’s rep, Benny Tarantini at Columbia Records, said that all of Swift’s source’s claims are “undeniably false.””

[Verse 2] Half-moon eyes, bad surprise Did you realize out of time? She was on your mind with some dickhead guy That you saw that night But you were on somethin' It was one drink after another Fuckin' politics and gender roles And you're not sure and I don't know Got swept away in the gray I just may like to have a conversation

The bad surprise refers to an event in 2016 which I think played a role in her disappearance.

The dickhead guy is Calvin Harris. In Ready for It...?, Illicit Affairs, Woman and Delicate talk about that period as well as other songs.

Gender roles in politics is a beautiful line, she explores this more in Slut!, The Man and what makes them beautiful muses for each other is they are both purposeful with their gender expression.

[Bridge] Does it feel like everything's just like Second best after that meteor strike? And what's that that I heard? That you're still with her? That's nice, I'm sure that's what's suitable And right, but tonight

'Does it feel like everything is second best' reflects a theme that no one compares to the other, in particular:

Ready for it: Every lover known in comparison is a failure, and

As it was: "Seems you cannot be replaced / And I'm the one who will stay."

#haylor #midnights #question...?

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niceinchnails · 1 year

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Watch futurama

(00:07)Fry: [voice-over] Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and the gorilla starts throwing barrels at you.[A planet opens up and a huge gorilla starts throwing barrels at the spaceship. It dodges a few but one hits it and it explodes. The gorilla thumps its chest and "Game Over" flashes on the screen. The spaceship and gorilla isn't real and Fry is playing an arcade game called "Monkey Fracas Jr". He wears a red jacket and has orange hair with two distinct forks at the front. A boy stands next to him. The game is against the wall of a pizzeria called Panucci's Pizza.]

(00:20)Fry: And that's how you play the game!

(00:22)Boy: You stink, loser![Panucci, a middle-aged balding man wearing a vest, leans over the counter with a pizza box.]

(00:24)Panucci: Hey, Fry. Pizza goin' out! C'mon!![Fry sighs, takes the pizza from him and walks out.][Scene: New York City Street. Fry cycles past people outside O'Grady's Pub enjoying their New Millennium Eve. A cab pulls up and he sees his girlfriend inside.]

(00:38)Fry: Michelle, baby! Where you going?

(00:41)Michelle: It's not working out, Fry. [Next to her is a guy with his arm around her. The cab pulls away.] [shouting; from cab] I put your stuff out on the sidewalk![Time Lapse. Fry is still on his bike getting more and more depressed.]

(00:46)Fry: I hate my life, I hate my life, I hate my life.[Cut to: Outside Applied Cryogenics. He stops outside a building and locks up his bike. A man sneaks up behind him, cuts the chain and steals his bike.]

(00:58)Bike Thief: Happy new year![Scene: Applied Cryogenics Corridor. Fry steps out of the elevator on the 64th floor. He knocks on a door marked "Applied Cryogenics". A sign underneath indicates "No Power Failures Since 199[7]". There is no response at the door and Fry goes in.][Cut to: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. The room is empty and there are no lights on. Strange pods about 6ft tall line one of the walls. There are a few other machines around the room and a desk and a chair in the middle of the room. Fry wipes some condensation from a window on one of the pods, revealing the face of an inanimate man inside. He turns around.]

(01:17)Fry: Hello? Pizza delivery for, uh ... [He reads the delivery note.] ... Icy Wiener? Aw, crud! I always thought at this point in my life I'd be the one making the crank calls! [He sits down on the chair, puts his feet on the desk and opens a can of beer.] Here's to another lousy millennium.[He unenthusiastically raises his hand and toasts.][Cut to: Times Square. Crowds have gathered for the countdown. "10" appears on a huge screen.]

(01:36)Crowd: [chanting] Ten![Cut to: Paris. A screen on the Eiffel Tower displays "9".]

(01:37)Crowd: [chanting] Neuf![Cut to: Vatican City. The Pope holds up a sign with "VIII" on it.]

(01:38)Crowd: [chanting] Otto![Cut to: Egypt. Egyptians crowd around the pyramids.]

(01:39)Crowd: [chanting] Saba![Cut to: Athens. People are gathered around the Parthenon.]

(01:40)Crowd: [chanting] Eksi![Cut to: Great Wall Of China.]

(01:41)Crowd: [chanting] Wu![Cut to: Taj Mahal.]

(01:43)Crowd: [chanting] Char![Cut to: African Village.]

(01:44)Crowd: [chanting] Thathu![Cut to: Tokyo. A screen displays "2".]

(01:45)Crowd: [chanting] Nee![Scene: From space the whole planet sees in the new millennium.]

(01:46)Crowd: [chanting] One![Cut to: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. Fry unenthusiastically blows a noise maker and starts losing his balance on the chair. It tips back. Fry waves his arms around trying to regain his balance. As he falls he doesn't see the shadow of a small creature under the desk. The chair tips back and Fry falls off it and rolls backwards into cryogenic freezer number 40. The dial on the machine automatically sets itself for 1000 years.]

(01:55)Fry: What the--?[He looks around and screams. In a flash he is frozen in time.][Time Lapse. Days and nights and eventually years pass à la The Time Machine as he stays locked in the freezer. Civilisation is destroyed by aliens twice until eventually huge buildings spring up around Applied Cryogenics. The timer stops 1000 years later and the door opens. Fry is unfrozen. Initially disorientated, he stumbles around and notices something to his right. He presses his face against a large window and stares in awe.]

(02:46)Fry: My God! It's the future. My parents, my co-workers, my girlfriend; I'll never see any of them again. Yahoo![Opening Credits. Caption: In Color.][Scene: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. Fry continues looking out of the window. The door opens and two shadows walk in.]

(03:32)Terry: [melodramatically] Welcome to the world of tomorrow![The other shadow turns on the light. They are lab technicians both wearing white lab coats. The dramatic one, Terry, is a blonde Caucasian with large glasses. The other, Lou, is a black-haired Asian.]

(03:36)Lou: Why do you always have to say it that way?

(03:38)Terry: Haven't you ever heard of a little thing called showmanship? [He turns to Fry.] [dramatically] Come, your destiny awaits![Scene: Applied Cryogenics Corridor. The technicians leave Fry outside the Fate Assignment Officer's office.]

(03:47)Lou: Have a nice future.[The door slides open.]

(03:50)Fry: Cool! Just like in Star Trek! [The door closes on his head.] Ow![Cut to: Applied Cryogenics: Fate Assignment Officer's Office. A woman wearing a black uniform stands with her back to Fry looking at a clipboard. She has purple hair held up in a ponytail.]

(03:53)Leela: Good afternoon, sir. [Fry is impressed with what he sees. Leela turns around. She has one huge eye in the middle of her face. Fry screams.] Name?

(03:59)Fry: Uh, Fry.

(04:01)Leela: I'm Leela. Now, it's New Year's Eve so I'd like to decide your fate quickly and get out of here.

(04:05)Fry: Can I ask you a question?

(04:07)Leela: As long as it's not about my eye.

(04:09)Fry: Uh...

(04:10)Leela: Is it about my eye?

(04:11)Fry: Sort of.[Leela sighs.]

(04:13)Leela: Just ask the question.

(04:15)Fry: What's with the eye?

(04:16)Leela: I'm an alien, alright? Now let's drop the subject.

(04:19)Fry: Cool, an alien! Has your race taken over the Earth?

(04:22)Leela: No, I just work here.[Fry looks out the window. A passing blimp displays "Happy New Year 3000". Leela follows his gaze.]

(04:27)Fry: Wait a minute! Is that blimp accurate?

(04:30)Leela: Yep. It's December 31st, 2999.

(04:33)Fry: My God! A million years!

(04:37)Leela: I'm sure this must be very upsetting for you.

(04:39)Fry: Y'know, I guess it should be but, actually, I'm glad. I had nothing to live for in my old life. I was broke, I had a humiliating job and I was beginning to suspect my girlfriend might be cheating on me.

(04:52)Leela: Well, at least here you'll be treated with dignity. Now strip naked and get on the probulator.[Scene: Applied Cryogenics: Probulator Room. Fry lies on a metal table surrounded by probing equipment. Leela puts a single-lensed goggle on and presses a button. Fry squeaks.][Time Lapse. Leela tears off a printout and reads it while Fry starts to get dressed.]

(05:06)Leela: Interesting. Your DNA test shows one living relative. He's your great-great-great-great-great-great-great...[Time Lapse. Fry is now fully dressed.]

(05:12)Leela: ...great-great-great-great-great nephew.

(05:14)Fry: That's great! What's the little guy's name?

(05:16)Leela: Professor Hubert Farnsworth.[She turns the page over to show Fry the photo. Farnsworth is an old bald man who wears thick glasses.]

(05:19)Fry: Eurgh![Scene: Applied Cryogenics: Fate Assignment Officer's Office. Leela types something on a computer.]

(05:21)Fry: Y'know, I'm the luckiest guy in the whole future. I've been given a second chance and this time I'm not going to be a total loser. [A buzzer buzzes.] What's that?

(05:30)Leela: Your permanent career assignment.[She turns the screen around to show him his career. "Career: Delivery Boy" is displayed on the screen.]

(05:33)Fry: Delivery boy? No! Not again! Please! Anything else![He grabs Leela's hand.]

(05:37)Leela: Take your hands off me! You've been assigned the job you're best at just like everyone else.

(05:41)Fry: What if I refuse?

(05:43)Leela: Then you'll be fired--

(05:44)Fry: Fine!

(05:45)Leela: Out of a cannon into the Sun!

(05:47)Fry: But I don't like being a delivery boy.

(05:49)Leela: Well that's tough! Lots of people don't like their jobs but we do them anyway. [She points at a poster of a man wearing a hardhat with the caption "You Gotta Do What You Gotta Do".] You gotta do what you gotta do. Now hold out your hand. I'm gonna implant your career chip. It'll permanently label you as a delivery boy.[She picks up an implant gun. It has two huge spikes on the end.]

(06:03)Fry: Keep that thing away from me![He gets up and runs out of the room.][Cut to: Applied Cryogenics Corridor. He runs from the office.][Cut to: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. Leela runs in after Fry and he dodges the implant gun.]

(06:11)Leela: Hold still, dammit. I don't have good depth perception! [She jumps at Fry, misses, and falls into a cryogenic freezer. It sets itself for 1000 years.] You've got until the count of five to let me out of here. One--[In a flash she is frozen.]

(06:25)Fry: See you in a thousand years! [He starts to walk out but hesitates. He walks back and changes the freeze time to five minutes.] You owe me one.[Scene: New New York City Street. Fry runs out of the building and looks in awe at the sights around him.]

(06:48)Fry: Whoa![Spaceships take off, there are traffic jams in the sky and billboards advertising Bachelor Chow. A couple walk past him nearly naked except for some strategically-placed black bars. He looks up and sees people flying through a green tube overhead. He walks around a corner and finds an entrance to the tube. A pedestrian steps in.][original airing]

Man #1: JFK Jr. Airport.[subsequent airings]

(07:07)Man #1: Radio City Mutant Hall.[The man is sucked up into the tube.]

(07:10)Fry: Cool! [He steps into the tube.] Um. Cross Town Express?[The tube sucks him up and he screams as he flies through it. People look up from the street and stare at him. He is taken across the city, past the Statue of Liberty, underwater and finally out the other end smack into a building. A man looks up from his newspaper.]

(07:38)Man #2: Pft! Tourist![Time Lapse. A hover-car flies over a line of traffic on the road and a police car chases it. Fry walks around a corner and sees a line of people outside a small grey booth.]

(07:45)Fry: Hey! A phone booth! I can call my nephew. [An impatient robot joins the queue behind him. It is more or less human-shaped, grey, with an antenna on top of its head.] Wow! A real live robot! Or is that some kind of cheesy New Year's costume?

(07:57)Bender: Bite my shiny metal ass.[Fry looks around at the robot's ass.]

(07:59)Fry: It doesn't look so shiny to me.

(08:01)Bender: Shinier than yours, meatbag![Fry steps into the booth, overlooking the sign on the side that says "Suicide Booth".][Cut to: Suicide Booth. Fry presses a button and nothing happens. The robot steps in behind him.]

(08:21)Bender: Listen, buddy, I'm in a hurry here. Let's try for a two-fer![He puts a coin on a string in the slot then pulls it out again and chuckles. A pleasant woman's voice speaks.]

(08:28)Booth Voice: Please select mode of death: "Quick and Painless" or "Slow and Horrible".

(08:34)Fry: Yeah, I'd like to place a collect call.

(08:36)Booth Voice: You have selected: "Slow and Horrible".

(08:39)Bender: Great choice! [Knives, tasers and Jacob's Ladders come out from behind a hatch.] Bring it on, baby![Fry screams.][Time Lapse. The robot is getting impatient.]

(08:50)Bender: C'mon, c'mon! Kill me already! By the way, my name's Bender![He holds out his hand.]

(08:55)Fry: Help! What's happening?[The sharp objects move forward. Fry pushes Bender to the side of the booth. The sharp things stab and twist at the air and finally return to behind the hatch.]

(09:02)Booth Voice: You are now dead. Thank you for using Stop-N-Drop, America's favourite suicide booth since 2008.[Cut to: New New York City Street. Fry runs out, gasping.]

(09:10)Bender: Lousy, stinking rip-off! [He kicks the booth.] Well, I didn't have anything else planned for today. Let's go get drunk![Scene: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. The timer on Leela's chamber runs out. The door opens and she defrosts.]

(09:22)Leela: Two, three-- Hey!

(09:25)Terry: [melodramatically] Welcome to the world of tomorrow!

(09:28)Leela: Shut up, Terry.[Scene: Applied Cryogenics: Ipgee's Office. Leela's boss sits behind a large desk and she stands in front of it.]

(09:30)Ipgee: This is unacceptable, Leela. You must find this Mr. Fry and install his chip.

(09:35)Leela: Look, he's just a nobody who doesn't want to be a delivery boy. I'd really rather not force it on him.

(09:40)Ipgee: Well that's your job, whether you like it or not. And it's my job to make you do your job whether I like it or not, which I do, very much! Now get to work! [Leela leaves. He puts his feet up on the desk.] Life is good![Scene: O'Zorgnax's Pub. Fry and Bender sit at the bar. Bender drinks a bottle of Olde Fortran malt liquor.]

(10:02)Fry: Why would a robot need to drink?

(10:04)Bender: I don't need to drink, I can quit anytime I want! [He belches fire.] So they made you a delivery boy, huh? Man, that's as bad as my job.

(10:14)Fry: Really? What do you do, Bender?

(10:16)Bender: I'm a bender. I bend girders, that's all I'm programmed to do.

(10:19)Fry: You any good at it?

(10:21)Bender: You kidding? I was a star! I could bend a girder to any angle: 30 degrees, 32 degrees, you name it! [unsure] 31. [normal] But I couldn't go on living once I found out what the girders were for.

(10:35)Fry: What?

(10:36)Bender: Suicide booths! [He finishes his drink and swallows the bottle.] Well, Fry, it was a pleasure meeting you. I'm gonna go kill myself.[He gets up.]

(10:43)Fry: Wait! You're the only friend I have!

(10:46)Bender: You really want a robot for a friend?

(10:49)Fry: Yeah, ever since I was six.

(10:51)Bender: Well, OK. But I don't want people thinking we're robo-sexuals. So, if anyone asks, you're my debugger.[Fry looks out the window and sees Leela.]

(10:59)Fry: Oh, no, it's the Cyclops! [He crouches down behind Bender.] Don't look! Don't look!

(11:03)Bender: I'm not looking![His eyes zoom in to Leela.][Cut to: Outside O'Zorgnax's Pub. Leela shows Fry's photo to a man. The man points to him inside the pub. Fry and Bender run off. Leela talks into her wrist communicator.]

(11:11)Leela: This is officer 1B-DI requesting back-up.[The cops, Smitty the human and URL the robot, are standing right behind Leela. Smitty replies in his wrist communicator.]

(11:15)Smitty: We'll be there in five minutes.[Scene: Outside the Head Museum. Bender stops Fry outside the building.]

(11:20)Bender: We can hide in here. It's free on Tuesdays![He runs up the steps dragging Fry behind him.][Cut to: Head Museum. Hundreds of heads in jars are stacked on shelves. Leonard Nimoy's head in a jar is on a platform in the middle of one of the rooms.]

(11:29)Nimoy: Welcome to the Head Museum. I'm Leonard Nimoy.

(11:33)Fry: Spock? Hey! Hey... Do the thing![He does the Vulcan salute from Star Trek. Nimoy chuckles.]

(11:36)Nimoy: I don't do that anymore.

(11:38)Fry: This is unbelievable! What do you heads do all day?

(11:42)Nimoy: We share our wisdom with those who seek it. It's a life of quiet dignity.[Enter a woman.]

(11:47)Woman: Feeding time![She shakes a box of what looks like fish food over the jar. Nimoy eats what comes out.][The door opens and Fry turns around. Enter Leela, Smitty and URL.]

(11:58)Leela: Hmm. [She looks around and sees Fry and Bender hiding behind a shelf in amongst other assorted heads.] I'm sorry, Fry, but I have to install your career chip.

(12:10)Fry: Yeah, well, if you're sorry why are you doing it?

(12:12)Leela: It's my job. You gotta do what you gotta do! [Fry backs away and hits a shelf with the heads of US presidents on it.] Watch it![Richard Nixon's head falls off. The jar smashes.]

(12:22)Nixon: That's it! You just made my list![He jumps up and starts biting Fry's arm.]

(12:26)Fry: Ow! Stop it! Down, boy! Bad president![Bender tries to pull Nixon's head off.]

(12:29)Smitty: Alright, buddy, step away from the head![Fry and Bender put their hands up.]

(12:34)URL: I'm gonna get 24th century on his ass![They turn on their lightsabers and start to hit Fry.]

(12:41)Leela: Please, officers, there's no need to use force.

(12:45)URL: Let us handle this, weird-y.[He hits Bender.]

(12:49)Leela: Oh, come on, he's just a poor kid from the Stupid Ages.

(12:53)Smitty: Keep your big nose out of this, eyeball!

(12:56)Leela: No-one makes fun of my nose.[She kicks Smitty and URL. Fry and Bender run off and hide in a room.]

(13:09)URL: Damn!

(13:10)Leela: You guys were totally out of control.

(13:12)Smitty: It's our job. We're peace officers.

(13:15)URL: Yeah, you know the law: You gotta do what you gotta do.[Leela considers this.][Scene: Head Museum: Hall of Criminals. Bender locks the door.]

(13:22)Bender: Oh, we're trapped![Fry looks to the end of the room. There is a window with bars across it.]

(13:27)Fry: Wait a second. You're a bender, right? We can get out of here if you just bend the bars.

(13:32)Bender: Dream on, skin tube. I'm only programmed to bend for constructive purposes. What do I look like, a de-bender?

(13:38)Fry: Who cares what you're programmed for. If someone programmed you to jump off a bridge would you do it?

(13:43)Bender: I'll have to check my program ... yep.

(13:46)Leela: [from outside] Open up!

(13:48)Fry: C'mon, Bender! It's up to you to make your own decisions in life. That's what separates people and robots from animals ... and animal robots.

(13:56)Bender: You're full of crap, Fry! [He turns and a dangling wire catches on his antenna and electrocutes him.] You make a persuasive argument, Fry.[He starts to bend the bars.]

(14:09)Fry: Come on, Bender! You can do it.

(14:11)Bender: Can't ... I ... can't ... do ... it![The bars bend and break off completely.]

(14:16)Fry: Yes!

(14:18)Bender: You were right, Fry! From now on I'm going to bend what I want, when I want, who I want! I'm unstoppable![His arms fall off but he manages to somehow reattach them without any help.]

(14:36)Fry: I don't know how you did that.[Leela kicks the door open. Fry and Bender dive out through the window.][Cut to: Outside Head Museum. Fry runs off and Bender bends the bars back so Leela can't climb through. He runs after Fry and Leela reaches out through the bars.]

(14:44)Leela: Wait!

(14:45)Bender: [shouting] No, thanks.[Cut to: Alley. Fry and Bender stop at a dead end. There is a drain below them with a grate over the top.]

(14:51)Bender: Looks like one of us will have to bend this grate.[He flexes his fingers but Fry just lifts it. Bender groans and they climb down the ladder. He reaches back up to the grate and bends it just for the hell of it. He chuckles and follows Fry.][Scene: Ruins of Old New York. Fry and Bender step off the ladder and look over the vast ruins of the city that looks like the city from Beneath The Planet Of The Apes. Collapsed buildings and rubble litter the streets and holes in the roof let in a few shafts of light.]

(15:05)Fry: Good Lord! What is this?

(15:08)Bender: It's the decaying ruins of Old New York. Welcome home, pal![Time Lapse. Fry and Bender walk down a ruined street.]

(15:15)Fry: It's my old neighbourhood. Man, this brings back a lot of memories.

(15:20)Bender: Keep 'em to yourself, Pops![Cut to: Ruins of Rockefeller Center Skating Rink. Fry leans over a wall.]

(15:23)Fry: This is where I brought my girlfriend on our very first date.[Flashback. Fry skates with Michelle on the crowded ice.][Flashback ends. The ice is gone, replaced with murky green waters inhabited by a green tentacled creature.]

(15:35)Fry: My God! She's gone. Everyone I ever knew or cared about is gone.

(15:40)Bender: Wait! There's someone you know![He points at Leela, standing with her implant gun.]

(15:43)Fry: Oh, can't you leave me alone? I'm miserable enough already.

(15:47)Leela: Look, I know it's not much consolation but I understand how you feel.

(15:52)Fry: No, you don't. I've got no home, no family--

(15:55)Bender: No friends.

(15:56)Fry: My whole world is gone. You can't possibly understand what it feels like to be so alone.

(16:02)Leela: I understand. I'm the only one-eyed alien on this whole planet. My parents abandoned me here as a baby and I don't even know what galaxy they were from. I know how it feels to be alone.

(16:17)Fry: Look, Leela, I don't understand this world but you obviously do, so I give up. If you really think I should be a delivery boy, I'll do it. [He holds out his hand to Leela. She gets the implant gun ready. Fry cringes and looks away. The gun clicks but Fry feels nothing. He opens his eyes and sees Leela drop her own chip on the floor.] Your chip. What are you doing?

(16:37)Leela: Quitting.

(16:38)Fry: Why?

(16:39)Leela: Because I've always wanted to. I just never realised it before I met you.[She puts her hand on his and smiles. Bender puts his hand on top.]

(16:48)Fry: What is the matter with you?[Bender quickly takes his hand off.]

(16:51)Bender: I just wanted to be part of the moment.

(16:53)Leela: Hey! He stole my ring!

(16:55)Bender: Sorry. [He hands Leela's ring back.] Well, that solves the mystery of the missing ring. This calls for a drink.[He reaches into his chest cabinet and pulls out three bottles of beer ... and drinks them all himself.]

(17:03)Leela: I don't wanna spoil the party but we're all job deserters now. We're unemployed and we have nowhere to go.

(17:09)Fry: Correction: We're unemployed but we have a doddering old relative to mooch off of.[He holds up the picture of Farnsworth.][Scene: Planet Express headquarters, Lounge. Professor Farnsworth is asleep in his chair. The TV is on.]

(17:18)Clark: [on TV] Hello, I'm Dick Clark's head. Welcome to a special year 3000 edition of New Year's Rockin' Eve![The crowds around him cheer. The doorbell rings and Farnsworth wakes up.][Cut to: Outside Planet Express. Farnsworth opens the door to Fry, Bender and Leela.]

(17:30)Farnsworth: Who are you?

(17:31)Fry: I'm your dear old Uncle Fry.

(17:33)Farnsworth: I don't have an Uncle Fry.

(17:35)Bender: You do now![He pushes Farnsworth back inside.][Scene: Planet Express, Lounge. Farnsworth and Fry are hooked up to a machine. It dings and a red light flashes.]

(17:40)Farnsworth: By God, I am your nephew! This is absolutely incredible!

(17:45)Bender: Can we have some money?

(17:47)Farnsworth: Oh, my, no.[Scene: Planet Express: Farnsworth's Lab. The four walk in.]

(17:50)Farnsworth: Let me show you around. That's my lab table and this is my work-stool. And over there is my intergalactic spaceship! [He points in the general direction of a big green spaceship in a huge hangar next to the lab.] And here's where I keep assorted lengths of wire.[He opens a drawer but Fry is more interested in what's in the hangar.]

(18:02)Fry: Whoa! A real live spaceship!

(18:05)Farnsworth: I designed it myself. Let me show you some of the different lengths of wire I used.

(18:12)Smitty: [from outside] Attention, job deserters! Come out with your hands up. We have you partially surrounded.[Leela gasps.]

(18:18)Fry: No![Bender literally shits a brick.][Cut to: Outside Planet Express. Smitty holds Nixon's head in a jar. The glass is cracked and taped in places.]

(18:20)Nixon: Get those bums![Cut to: Planet Express: Farnsworth's Lab.]

(18:22)Bender: Well, we're boned!

(18:24)Leela: Can't we get away in the ship?

(18:26)Farnsworth: I suppose it is technically possible. Though I am already in my pyjamas.[They run towards the ship with Bender carrying Farnsworth under his arm.][Scene: Ships Cockpit. Fry runs in and sit in a seat in front of a control panel.]

(18:37)Fry: I'll get us out of here.[He presses a few buttons and pulls a lever. A little hatch opens in the control panel, a paper cup come down and the machine fills it with coffee.]

(18:44)Farnsworth: Can anyone drive stick?

(18:46)Leela: I can. As long as I don't have to parallel park.[She takes off her coat, sits in the pilot's seat and pushes down a lever.][Cut to: Planet Express: Hangar. Klaxons beep and a huge piece of machinery lifts the ship to a 45-degree angle. The entire hangar roof retracts so it is open for the ship.][Cut to: Outside Planet Express. Peace officers armed with laser rifles are stationed outside. URL sees the roof open.]

(18:57)URL: If they try to take off, give 'em an ass-ful of laser.[Smitty nods.][Cut to: Ships Cockpit.]

(19:04)Leela: Prepare for lift-off. Ten.[Cut to: Times Square.]

(19:06)Crowd: [chanting] Nine![Cut to: Egypt. The future pyramids now rotate in mid-air.]

(19:07)Crowd: [chanting] Amania![Cut to: Paris.]

(19:09)Crowd: [chanting] Seven![Cut to: Alien Ship.]

(19:10)Aliens: [chanting; in alien] Six.[Cut to: Applied Cryogenics: Freezer Room. Lou sits in an open pod and Terry raises a glass.]

(19:11)Terry: [dramatically] Five![Cut to: Head Museum. Leonard Nimoy is wearing a party hat.]

(19:13)Nimoy: Four.[Cut to: Ships Cockpit. Fry, Bender and Farnsworth are sat on a couch at the front of the cockpit.]

(19:14)Farnsworth: Three.

(19:15)Bender: Two.[He is so tense that he rips the arms off the couch.]

(19:16)Leela: One!

(19:17)Fry: Blast-off![Cut to: Outside Planet Express. The ship takes off.][Cut to: Times Square. People cheer in the new millennium and fireworks explode all over the city. "3000" is projected onto the moon and the ship flies between the fireworks.][Cut to: Outside Planet Express.]

(19:26)Nixon: Fire! Fire![The peace officers fire their laser guns randomly into the air.]

(19:30)Smitty: I can't see nothing. Pretty though![The altitude of the ship increases and laser bolts narrowly miss it.][Cut to: Ships Cockpit. The ship clears New New York airspace, flies through the atmosphere and heads through the solar system. Everyone cheers.]

(19:44)Fry: So, I guess, without jobs, we'll be fugitives forever.

(19:47)Farnsworth: Not necessarily. Are you three, by any chance, interested in becoming my new spaceship crew?

(19:54)Bender: New crew? W-What happened to the old crew?

(19:57)Farnsworth: Of those poor sons of-- But that's not important. The important thing is I need a new crew. Anyone interested?

(20:03)Fry: Yes! Yes! That's exactly the job I've always wanted!

(20:08)Leela: Thanks for the offer, Professor, but we don't have the proper career chips.

(20:12)Farnsworth: Oh, that won't be a problem. As luck would have it, I saved the chips from my previous crew.[He empties the career chips out of an envelope marked "Contents Of Space Wasp's Stomach".]

(20:20)Fry: This is awesome! Are we gonna fly through space fighting monsters and teaching alien women to lurve?

(20:26)Farnsworth: If by that you mean "transporting cargo" then yes. It's a little home business I started to fund my research.

(20:34)Fry: Cool! What's my job gonna be?

(20:36)Farnsworth: You will be responsible for ensuring that the cargo reaches its destination.[The smile fades from Fry's face.]

(20:41)Fry: So, I'm gonna be a delivery boy?

(20:44)Farnsworth: Exactly![Beat.]

(20:46)Fry: Alright! I'm a delivery boy![He waves his hands in the air and the ship flies on.][Closing Credits.]

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bitterbelphie · 4 months

Text

"So let me get this straight..."

Mammon scowls at Satan across the table, arms crossed as he slouches down.

"This guy's mimic has been creeping around town you go to over something that you took from him?"

"No!"

Mammon throws his hands up in frustration, eyes wild. He slaps them back down on the table with emphasis, gesturing forward animatedly.

"It was a bet! And it wasn't even him! How was I supposed to know- I can't check the legitimacy of EVERYTHING that gets bet over there. How can I? I don't know everything!"

"You don't know much, really..." Your light bullying comes from your slouched and unimpressed form practically melting out of the chair you're so bored.

"Hey! Show some respect for your older brother, would ya? This isn't the time!" Mammon sighs, exasperated. You note that there's some actual fire behind his gaze... "I don't even think this thing is lookin' fer me to begin with. I mean- These places yer sayin' it's goin' to, do those sound like me? C'mon. Seriously?"

"Well, no. That's what makes it so odd... So maybe it's looking for whoever it was that had that coin last."

Satan presses a knuckle to his lips lightly, shaking his head a little bit...

"... For all we know, it's already found them. Until we find the mimic... Mmh."

Satan looks at you, but you're already dredging yourself up from the depths of your seat, fishing your phone out and sighing tiredly. You scroll here and there, tap, tap... And soon enough, you're placing your phone quietly in front of Mammon with a cool expression. His attention is on you easily, inquiry written in his every feature.

"... Mammon. Scroll through these pictures and tell me if you recognize any of them."

"Him-"

"Eh?"

You're barely even adjusting it from a little farther down back to the top of the page- Probably just barely scrolling along the third person on the list before Mammon's crowding your phone and pointing at it.

"Yeah, him! Veridian, I think it was- He's one 'a the guys that you see over at the card tables every other month 'r so. Quiet guy. Why the hell do you got a picture of 'em ready though?"

You sigh, shaking your head and frowning helplessly. What a stupid question, but... That's Mammon, you guess. Not leaping to the worst possible scenario even if it's the most obvious, to you.

"He's one of the people who went missing in the last month. He disappeared New Year's Eve, and that was that... But someone else vanished, too. All similar evidence to the mimic sightings. People are getting pretty freaked out."

Mammon's face falls. Satan rolls on relentlessly and fluidly, nodding.

"... Right. So it's looking for the coin, not simply the last person it thinks had it, is what it sounds like. And now that it's got a colder trail, it's probably going to have a more unpredictable path. Granted that it's leaving enough of a mess to follow..."

"..."

Mammon's jaw tenses, his brows knit. He backs off a bit, standing at the table in an uncomfortable quiet. Veridian... Mammon's a social sort. You can guess that maybe he acted like the guy was just a shmuck, but that he kjows the regular faces over there. You wonder if they were friends... Supposing maybe he's feeling similarly to how you felt knowing that nice baker got eaten by what she thought was her goddamn oven.

"... Mammon. We'll get ahold of it. If you want, I'll keep it around so you can give it a good kick."

"Forget it. Just deal with it, this thing's bein' a real pain in the ass... Can't have it runnin' around with Winter here, neither."

He rubs the back of his head uneasily... Always Winter with this one. Acting like he doesn't care, just to show his face on caring in another way. He's a bad actor, usually. He is about things like this... He's the closest to human out of all of you, you think.

"Right," Satan punctuates the conversation, cutting it to the end succinctly. "Then let's stop sitting here chatting about it anymore. The trouble's going to keep piling if we keep sitting around. Good hunting."

#.narrative #{{ I HAVENT WRITTEN IN. A LONG TIME. IT MADE ME REALIZE }}#{{ i got three days off and have a soul again. so i wrote and god... listen fjdj }}#{{ it will be bad. but it will be written. by god #{{ part 1 of 4 }}#{{ these are all. queued }}

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konfuchsius · 1 year

Text

My first post on this account here on Tumblr was a short fanfiction in german and it seems that I never posted it in english. Since then and because it is a Silvester (New Year's Eve) story I wanted to post it on New Year's Eve. However every year I missed that day. ^^' So I am posting it now as a little filler until I write something new. AND I finally tried myself in writing Heijis accent in english! (or is it more like a slang? Somehow both). The reason I didn't included his accent until now is because I'm way too unsure of the english language to fully grasp it so ... Fell free to tell me how well I managed that.

Conan leaned slightly forward on the railing of the balcony and looked up at the still dark night sky. He enjoyed the silence a bit, the soothing chirping of the crickets and that he got away a little from the hustle and bustle that was going on in the house right now.

Ran, the uncle and he had been invited to a New Year's Eve party by Sonoko. Actually, he hadn't wanted to come, but sitting around at home all alone hadn't been an option either.

Although..., slowly he wondered if it would not have been the better choice. Now he was standing out here alone, hiding from the joy with which the others were celebrating the new year. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't fake a happy smile anymore. For him, 2019 was not a new beginning, not a new opportunity, not a reason to be happy. He was still stuck in this child's body and had been for a year now.

A sigh escaped him, but it was immediately drowned in the torrent of sudden loud music. Someone had opened the door to the balcony. He did not turn around, he would soon find out anyway who it was that so abruptly put an end to his rest.

"Now now, moping around lonely in the cold ain't gonna cut it Kudo."

Conan turned to the newcomer in surprise. He would have expected anyone, but not him. "Hattori?! ... What are you doing here?"

"Well, celebrating, I guess. I was invited too."

"Is that so?..." Shinichi was aware that his tone towards his friend was not appropriate, but he just didn't feel like talking.

Heiji noticed this immediately and simply stood silently beside him, leaning back against the railing. He, too, turned his attention to the starry sky and lingered that way for a few minutes. At some point, however, Conan let out a snort.

"What do you want?"

"Nothin', just keepin' ya company."

"I don't need company. And if you're here, I bet Kazuha's in there too. Why don't you go and see her?"

"Kazuha's in there havin' a good time with the other girls right now, she's fine. But I'm not so sure about ya."

"And how is that any of your business!!!", Conan unintentionally got loud and wheeled around to Heiji. A moment later, he looked guilty to the ground and muttered, "Sorry..., please just leave me alone. I don't feel like company right now."

Heiji seemed anything but impressed by Shinichi's outburst of anger. "You don't really think I'm just gonna leave my best friend lonely at a party like this! I know for a fact that it won't make yer mood any better."

Shinichi remained silent.

"Kudo, either ya gotta tell me what's goin' on now, or I'm gonna have to make ya do it some other way. Whereby... I think I already know." Shinichi just gave him an indifferent look. "It's because of your rejuvenation, isn't it? The girl still hasn't figured it out." When Shinichi finally showed the first emotion, but then immediately looked away again, he went up a notch. "And Ran's in there celebrating, probably wishing for nothin' more than for Shinichi to finally show up in the new year."

Now the little boy finally wheeled around to him, eyes twinkling. He had his attention. "What do you want, Heiji!!! If you already knew, then why are you still asking me!!!"

"So I'm right.", Heiji stated matter-of-factly. He turned around and dangled his arms over the railing. "Why? Because ya wouldn't be talkin' about it if I wasn't. But listen Kudo. I'm yer friend. Ya can talk to me. That's what friends are for!"

"I know that, but-"

"No buts!", Heiji interrupted him and looked at him with seriousness in his eyes. "Ya hold back a lotta things, all the time ya want to master everything by yourself, but ya don't realize that it'll only make ya unhappy. And not only you. Ran called me because she's worried about ya!"

"Ran what?", Shinichi blinked several times in surprise. "Wait... Kazuha isn't here at all, is she? And you weren't invited at all, either."

Heiji shook his head slightly. "She was terribly worried about what was wrong with ya. She said you'd been like this for a while. So she contacted me an hour ago asking for help, I hopped onto the next train, and here I am."

Shinichi just looked at his friend for a long time, then cleared his throat. "You do realize that there are enough people who would take advantage of your willingness to help?"

"Maybe, but then that's how it is. But that doesn't change the fact that I wanna help where I can."

"You really are amazing Hattori." Shinichi smiled slightly.

"No more incredible than you," he replied with a laugh.

"Ran did- She sent me a text message..." Heiji looked in astonishment at Shinichi, who started opening up out of the blue. "She wishes me well..., and that I finally get this case closed." His fingers visibly clawed into the wood of the balcony and his voice sounded bitter. "I just can't do this anymore. All of this. Running around as Conan, watching her suffer.... and lying to her. Do you understand?" Shinichi lifted his gaze, pain reflected in his eyes. Heiji had never seen his friend like this before. He had probably had an even better grip on his emotions so far than any of them had ever been able to guess. Still, at that moment, Heiji was grateful to him for dropping the facade.

"Maybe... ya don't have to." Shinichi looked at him lacking understanding. Heiji chose his words more carefully now. "If ya wanna tell her..., then do it. 'Cause even if ya put her in danger like that..., it's not just guns that can kill a person, Kudo." Heiji's gaze wandered inside through the window. "And is she really safe just 'cause she doesn't know about your transformation...? Ya gotta know if that little piece of security is really worth what ya're givin' up. There's no guarantee, on either side."

Shinichi averted his eyes from him. A silence fell between them for a while as they simply stood side by side, looking up at the stars as if they held an answer for them.

"Maybe... you're right."

At that moment, the bells of Tokyo's church tower began to chime and colorful rockets made their way into the sky with a loud roar.

The guests of the party rushed onto the balcony where the two friends had been standing alone until only moments before. However, Shinichi no longer minded. Because now he had a New Year's resolution to look forward to. Yes, this year would be different. And whether he would keep it as good or bad in memory, was probably only known by the stars, who began to completely drown in the exploding color spectacle.

#dcmk #shinichi #kudo #shinichi kudo #heiji hattori #heiji #detectiveconan #detective conan #gen #fanfiction #conan edogawa #conan

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msmercury84 · 4 months

Text

*Author's Note: Before I post my new chapter, here's a Christmas chapter from last year.*

"Christmas and New Year's Eve in Aldebourne" from "I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny."

*Author's Note: Smut warning at the beginning of the chapter. Not for readers under the age of 18.*

Leigh awoke in the middle of the night with a need to visit the bathroom. She very carefully climbed over the back of the couch to avoid disturbing Bill. Spencer made her way upstairs and turned on the hall light so she could have an easier time seeing. Once she finished her business in the bathroom and washed her hands, Leigh decided to brush her teeth. She didn't want to have bad breath from the extra Limoncello she drank.

Once Leigh finished brushing her teeth and rinsing out the sink, she turned off the hall light and quietly went downstairs. On her way into the living room, Spencer noticed that the fire was dying down. Bill had stacked some firewood by the fireplace. She got several pieces and used the poker to break up the fragments of the wood that was nearly gone.

Guarnere turned over, expecting to put his arm around Leigh. He sat up, looking for her and saw her bending over fixing the fire. Bill noticed that she didn't need help with the fireplace and he grinned as he took in the view of the silk tap panties moving up slightly to show her behind.

"That's (he pronounced the word as 'dats') a beautiful sight, Baby." Spencer was startled and she almost dropped the poker.

"Oh, Honey, I didn't mean to wake you, I was trying to be quiet."

"You didn't wake me. I noticed my angel wasn't beside me, so I was lookin' around to see where ya were. Seein' ya bent over like that really does somethin' to me, Sweetheart." Leigh put the poker in a metal umbrella holder that was by the fireplace.

She walked over to the couch. Guarnere loved the sight of her breasts slightly bobbing in her silk bra as she strode toward him. He got up from the couch to allow Leigh to get back to the side on which she was sleeping.

"Baby, how did ya get up wit'out gettin' me to move?"

"I crawled over the back of the couch because I didn't want to disturb you."

"If you need to get up again, wake my ass up an' I'll move. You could've hurt yourself."

"I'm fine and it wasn't much of a drop to the floor if I fell."

"Promise me you'll ask me to move, OK, Honey?" Spencer agreed.

"You done a good job gettin' the fire goin'. I ain't just talkin' about the fireplace." He winked at Spencer before he stretched out beside her.

"I'm sorry that I passed out from drinking too much. That was foolish and selfish. Honey, I really wanted to make love with you." Guarnere pulled Leigh close to him, kissing her.

"Don't worry about it, Sweetheart. I ain't upset wit' ya. It can happen to anybody. Are ya feelin' OK?"

"Thanks to you, there's no hangover. You're so sweet to take care of me."

"Anytime, Baby. How do ya feel about me takin' care o' you this way?" Bill traced his fingers down her back as he gave Leigh a slow, sensual kiss. When the kiss ended, she replied,

"Go right ahead, Bill, I'm all yours." Guarnere gave her a tender kiss that quickly turned passionate. Leigh opened her mouth to allow his tongue in. Bill softly groaned as she sucked on the tip of his tongue. Spencer broke the kiss to nibble at his ears. She kissed his angular jaw line.

"Honey, you look good enough to eat." She gently sucked on his neck, taking care to keep any marks below the area that the collar of his uniform shirt covered.

"Baby, I don't care if ya leave marks on my neck. I'm not ashamed to show that my angel loves me." Leigh continued to explore his body with her tongue and lips. She flicked her tongue over his nipples and Bill chuckled.

"That kinda tickles." Spencer continued to move down his torso, moving the waistband of his boxer shorts enough to allow enough room for her tongue to go under the waistband. Bill's cock was hard and Leigh stroked him through the fabric of his shorts. She reached into the opening on the front of his shorts and gently grasped the shaft of his cock.

She held him as she first licked and then gently sucked the tip of his cock. He groaned louder, trying very hard not to thrust his hips up as Spencer lavished attention on the tip, alternating between licking and sucking. Leigh noticed a few drops of pre come. She lapped them up,

"You taste so good, Baby." Guarnere gently pulled her up.

"Let me make love to ya, Sweetheart." She reclined on the couch as Bill began to kiss the tops of her breasts. He sucked her nipples through the silk bra. Leigh sat up so he could remove the bra.

Guarnere carefully placed the bra on the coffee table. He turned his attention back to Spencer's breasts and her nipples.

"You're beautiful. " She moaned softly, running her fingers through his hair. He wrapped his lips around her nipple, sucking harder. Bill gave her other nipple the same treatment before he pushed the covers back and moved down her body. When he encountered the damp silk fabric between her legs, Guarnere smiled,

He gently sucked her clit through the silk. Leigh's hips thrust up as she moaned louder. Bill loved to hear her sounds of passion. He removed the silk panties, placing them with the bra on the coffee table.

"Baby, would you open your legs for me? I love to look at ya, an' it's easier to taste ya this way." She eagerly did as he asked. Leigh felt incredibly sexy and extremely aroused. He stroked the silky curls between her legs, telling her,

"You're perfect, Sweetheart." He bent down to capture her hard clit between his lips. Spencer was moaning louder as Bill gently sucked her clit and worked two fingers into her wet interior. Guarnere continued to suck her clit as he thrust his fingers into her. Leigh's hips raised as she started to come. Bill smiled, looking up at her,

"Leigh, you are so goddamned gorgeous when ya come." He kept sucking her clit as she rode out her orgasm.

"Oh my God, Bill!" He licked the lips of her sex, working his was back to her clit.

"You taste so good." Guarnere moved up to hold her, giving Spencer a passionate kiss. She tasted herself on his lips.

"That's hot as hell. Baby, I need you inside me." Bill grinned as he got a condom out of the cardboard carton on the coffee table. He carefully put it on and knelt over Spencer.

"Do you wanna be on top, Honey?" She got up and Guarnere reclined on the couch.

"Oh, hell yes!" Spencer straddled his hips, moaning loudly as she slid down his hard cock. Leigh started to circle her hips as she rode him. She would move up until only the tip of his cock was in her, then Spencer would quickly slide down his cock.

Bill groaned, grabbing her hips as he thrust up into her. He adored the sight of her full breasts bobbing. Guarnere moved his hands from Leigh's hips to her breasts, cupping them.Spencer moved faster, circling her hips. Bill loved holding her breasts, but he needed to grab her hips as he thrust up into her, faster and harder.

"Honey, I hate to stop you. Can we try it with me bending over, like I was when you saw me in front of the fireplace?" Bill had a wicked grin.

"OK, you little fireball. First, ya need to turn over an' get on your knees." Spencer eagerly got on her knees, raising her ass up a little bit. Guarnere groaned softly,

"Oh, Baby..." He inserted his cock into Leigh, grasping her hips. She gasped at the sensation of being completely filled by him. Spencer didn't realize what made this position feel wonderful. Bill was stimulating her G-spot as he thrust into her.

"So damned good!" She pushed back against him as he thrust harder and deeper into her. Spencer could feel an orgasm building within her. Bill increased the speed of his thrusting. Leigh felt the pleasure surging through her body.

"Oh, fuck, yes!" Guarnere felt her contracting around his cock and hearing her comment pushed him over the edge. Bill thrust deeper as he came.

"So good!" When her climax ended, Leigh lay atop him. Bill gently turned Spencer onto her side. He withdrew from her and removed the condom. Guarnere put it on a newspaper from the day before. He pulled on his boxer shorts and took the paper to the upstairs bathroom. Bill put the used condom in the toilet and flushed it. Guarnere washed his hands and stopped by Leigh's bedroom, getting a nightgown out of the chest of drawers. He went downstairs and handed the nightgown to Leigh.

"I thought ya might like to sleep in this." She thanked him and put on the gown before reclining on the couch. He put the newspaper in the fire, along with a few more pieces of wood.Bill went back to the couch and stretched out beside Leigh, kissing her tenderly and holding her close to him. He made sure they were both covered with the sheet and the blankets.

"Sweetheart, you're goddamned good at makin' love. All the practicin' we done is really payin' off." Leigh smiled,

"I have a good teacher." Bill kissed the tip of her nose,

"I just happen to be crazy in love wit' my student. Baby, honest to God, I wanna take time makin' love to ya like you deserve. A beautiful woman like you should be appreciated and savored like a good bottle o' wine or some top shelf whiskey." Leigh gave him a tender kiss,

"Honey, the way you make love to me is fabulous. Have you ever heard me complaining?"

"No."

"Then there's no need to feel the way you do."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Honey."

"It probably ain't too long after midnight, so that makes it Christmas mornin'. Merry Christmas, Baby." Bill kissed Leigh. She returned the kiss,

"Merry Christmas, Honey. That's one of the best Christmas presents I've had. It was the right size and it fit me perfectly. I wouldn't think of exchanging it for something else. You gave me a very impressive 'package.'" Guarnere chuckled,

"The wrappin' could've looked better."

"The ribbon on that package should be blue because it's worthy of winning first prize."

"I'd tell ya to go ahead an' get the ribbon, but I know you would probably do it. I don't wanna wear it around the house." He smirked and added, "At least ya didn't have a tag on your legs that said, 'Don't Open Until Christmas.' 'course it's Christmas, so I'd just ignore the tag." Spencer slightly blushed, then she burst out laughing at Bill's remark. The more Leigh thought about his remark, the harder she laughed.

"Bill, that was a perfect comment. If we were home now, we would be visiting our relatives later in the day. I don't think I could keep a straight face if I saw a tag on a gift saying " Don't Open Until Christmas." I would be laughing my ass off and blushing at the same time."

"Are you ready for some sleep, Baby? You wore me out an' I loved every minute of it."

"I'm worn out, too, but it was worth it." She put her head on Bill's chest and he put his arms around her. They soon drifted off to sleep.

Guarnere awoke again just before daybreak. Despite having Leigh beside him, he was too cold to sleep. He carefully got up from the couch, not wanting to disturb Leigh. He put on his uniform trousers, shirt, socks and boots. Then, he put an extra blanket on her after he tucked the top sheet and blanket around her. Bill went upstairs and got his OD jacket and some gloves. He quietly went downstairs, putting the gloves and jacket on the dining room table.

From there, he went to the basement, found a shovel and began to shovel coal into the furnace. Guarnere hoped the house would be warm before Leigh awoke. He went upstairs, putting on his jacket and gloves and went outside to bring in some firewood. Although it was still dark outside, Bill was surprised to see what he estimated to be over a foot of snow on the ground. He guessed that the temperature was in the single digits.

The road through the village that led to the Army base was completely blocked by the snow. Guarnere didn't envy the person or people who had to clear the road in the icy wind. Once he got back inside, Bill got the fire going again in the fireplace. He took off his boots and placed them on the hearth to dry. Then, he quickly removed everything but his boxer shorts and got back on the couch, snuggling close to Leigh and spooning with her.

Guarnere drifted off to sleep after the house started to warm up. He awoke later, checking his watch, discovering it was 7 a.m. Spencer yawned and stretched. She turned over to face Bill, smiling and telling him,

"Good morning, Honey." He returned her greeting, giving Leigh a kiss.

"Sweetheart, let me take a quick bath an' shave. After that, I'm takin' care of breakfast. By the time you clean up, everythin' should be ready when you come down to eat.

When I was up earlier gettin' coal in the furnace an' a fire goin' in the fireplace, I wanted to surprise ya wit' breakfast in bed. Well, breakfast on the couch. Then, I got back on the couch an' went to sleep."

"You've done enough work, don't worry about cooking. I don't mind fixing our breakfast."

"I know ya don't mind, Baby. It was so cold that I woke up early. I didn't want you gettin' up to an ice cold house. It wasn't a big deal to stoke the furnace. You made that delicious feast last night. I wanted to make somethin' we have every year for breakfast on Christmas mornin'. It's called a strata. If you got eggs, cheese, bread an' Italian sausage, I'll get it cooked. It ain't no trouble an' ya know I enjoy cookin'." Bill gave her what he hoped was his best persuasive look.

"How can I say 'No' to those adorable puppy dog eyes? You probably used that expression to your advantage when you were a little boy. OK, you win, Honey. I have all of the ingredients in the kitchen." Guarnere smirked, then kissed Spencer.

"I can't help it if I'm adorable. Thanks, Sweetheart. I promise you're gonna enjoy the strata."

After bathing and shaving, Bill went downstairs to prepare breakfast. While he was in the kitchen, Leigh bathed, washed her hair and shaved her legs and her under arms.

Spencer put on her panties, bra, slip, garter belt and stockings before putting on another Wiggle Dress that she had made. It was cranberry colored with a sweetheart neckline. She had a clip on each side of the dress that looked like tiny sprigs of holly with berries.

Next, Leigh put on new black open toed pumps that she bought in London. She applied her makeup and went downstairs. Bill heard her walking downstairs and he left the kitchen, going into the dining room. Guarnere smiled,

"There's my beautiful angel. I wish every dress ya had was a Wiggle Dress. Your body was made for that style. I made fresh coffee an' the Strata has to bake for a few more minutes.

"I wish those things on your dress were mistletoe." Since Melissa was at the house Bull shared with "Popeye" Wynn, Bradford Freeman and Floyd Talbert, Guarnere didn't need to keep his voice down when he added, "I'd enjoy kissin' ya under the mistletoe. Then, I'd put one o' the mistletoe things on the waist of your panties an' do lots o' kissing' under the mistletoe."

"You don't have to find mistletoe, Bill. You're welcome to kiss those areas whenever you want. I should get mistletoe and put it above your boxer shorts. That way, you might allow me to make love to you with my lips and tongue."

"Baby, you don't have to do that. You probably wouldn't tell me if ya didn't like doin' it."

"I want to do it, but you never let me try to please you that way. Bill, I wouldn't insist on doing it if I didn't like it. I really would tell you if I disliked doing something."

"Most o' the time, I want to be inside ya. From now on, if you wanna do that, just tell me. I'll sure as hell enjoy it."

"I'll need to practice on you so I can please you as much as you please me." He winked,

"They always say 'practice makes perfect.' OK, you wild little devil, let's have some breakfast, an' then I'll give ya your Christmas present."

"I need to get your gift and your card from my bedroom."

"You'll have plenty o' time after breakfast."

"I'm doing the dishes since you went to all the trouble of cooking."

"Ain't that much of a mess, but we can clean up together, Sweetheart." They walked to the dining room table. Bill had already set the table. He pulled out a chair for Leigh. She thanked him.

"I'll bring everythin' in that we need, Baby." He returned with a pot of fresh coffee and filled both cups. Then, Bill went back into the kitchen and brought out a fairly good sized baking dish with a lid. He put it on the table, removed the lid and showed her the Strata, saying,

"It turned out great. I think you're really gonna like this, Leigh." He asked her for her plate. Guarnere put a serving on both plates and took his seat at the table. Leigh took a fork and tasted the Strata. She chewed and swallowed the food,

"Honey, this is delicious! Is this one of your mom's recipes? It's everything for breakfast in one dish. This is so good that I'll have to have a second helping." Guarnere was pleased that Spencer enjoyed her breakfast.

"Yes, Ma learned it from my Nonna DiSabato. It's been a Christmas family tradition for a long time. You eat as much as ya want, Baby." He grinned, adding, "Since it's Ma's recipe, I'll tell ya what Ma would say to you if you wanted another helpin', 'you an' Billy are too skinny.'" Leigh laughed,

"That's very accurate. She's so sweet and your mom has a great sense of humor. From the first time I saw her, she treated me like family. Actually, all of your family made me feel as if I belonged with them." Bill grinned, thinking,

"Ma an' everybody else knows that you're gonna be part of the family someday." Guarnere swallowed some food and replied

"Thanks, Honey. My folks are crazy about you, too." They enjoyed breakfast and Bill insisted on getting more coffee for himself and Leigh.

"That's sweet of you, Bill, but you don't need to wait on me hand and foot."

"I enjoy doin' things for my baby." He was proud that Spencer liked the strata enough to have a second, albeit smaller, helping.

"Would you please show me how to make Strata sometime?" Bill told Spencer that he would be glad to teach her. He turned on the radio, finding some Christmas music. After they finished eating, Guarnere and Leigh washed the dishes. Coming out of the kitchen, Bill heard noise made by some very familiar sounding engines of Sherman Tanks. He looked out of the window,

"Baby, they're drivin' tanks down the road to clear off the snow. That's a hell of a good idea. Those tanks can get through about anythin'. They need 'em all over Philadelphia, they work better than snow plows." Spencer came out of the kitchen and went to stand beside Bill.

"Those tanks work better than any snow plow I've ever seen. I wish I had a camera. My grandpa would love to see those tanks going through the snow. He's fascinated with all things mechanical." Guarnere put his arm around her shoulders,

"Is this the same man who sends that excellent beef to Ma and Pop? I'd like to meet him an' your grandma after the war is over."

"Yes, he sends the beef to your parents. I know that he and my grandma would love to meet you, too. My grandma has the same kind of caring and giving personality that your mom has. She would cook a huge, delicious meal for you and she would think that we're both too skinny. No visitor to her house goes away with an empty stomach. She is one of eight children and she knew some hard times growing up.

My great grandpa was a farmer and he worked hard. Sometimes he wasn't able to sell what he grew on the farm because of a drought or other bad weather affecting the crops. They had just enough to survive. That's why she insists on cooking and sharing what she has."

"I understand growin' up like that. She sounds like a really nice lady, Honey." They watched the tanks, then Spencer went upstairs to brush her teeth and get Bill's present and Christmas card. Guarnere brushed his teeth after Leigh was finished. She took the package and card to the living room.

Bill walked into the living room and bent down to get her gift and card out from under the couch. He then gave her the gift and card as he sat beside her on the couch.

"This is beautifully wrapped." She removed the silver wrapping paper and the red ribbon. Leigh set the ribbon aside to keep. Spencer opened the box. She took out the silver bracelet,

"Bill, this is absolutely stunning! Someone carved the flowers and the butterfly into those pieces of silver. I love it! Thank you so much, Honey! Would you please put it on me?" Guarnere was happy that she enjoyed her gift.

"Sure thing, Sweetheart. Which arm do ya want it on?" Spencer held up her left arm and Guarnere carefully fastened the bracelet.

"There ya go, Baby. It looks nice on you." She opened the card and read what Bill had written. Leigh kissed him.

"The card is beautiful and so are the words that you wrote. Thank you, Baby. I only wish my gift to you would be as nice."

"Honey, you gave me that feast last night. Nothin' I could find would come close to toppin' that." Bill opened his gift,

"Baby, where did you find these cigarettes? I've looked all over Aldebourne an' part o' London trying' to find this brand. You know they're my favorite!"

"I sent money to my dad and he bought them. Then, he sent them here. As I said, you should have a better gift."

"This gift is fine. I've been cravin' this brand like crazy. Lucky Strikes ain't bad, but Pall Mall are the best. You're so thoughtful, Sweetheart." He read his card.

"That's so sweet. You're a blessin' an' I love you, too, Leigh. If it's OK wit' you, I'd like to put my card up here on the coffee table to kinda display it." Spencer told him that was fine with her.

"That's a good idea, Bill. I'll put my card with yours. This bracelet fits as if it had been made for me and it's perfect with my angel necklace. Honey, thank you so much." Guarnere pulled her close to him, giving her a tender kiss. Leigh broke the kiss to tell him,

"Thanks for the delicious breakfast, too."

"I'd be glad to cook for ya any time, Baby."

"Where did you find this bracelet? I've never seen such delicate and beautiful work like this."

"I looked all over London, I was startin' to wonder if I'd have to find somethin' else, then I found this jewelry store that was kinda off the main part o' town. I wanted to find somethin' you could wear wit' your necklace. As soon as I saw the bracelet, I knew it was for you. Like I said about that fancy underwear I got ya for your birthday, that bracelet is beautiful an' elegant, just like you." Spencer smiled and kissed Bill again,

"Honey, I thought that it would be kind of a sad day since we couldn't be with our families, but you made this a very happy Christmas."

"I got an idea, why don't we call our folks later today?"

"That's a great idea. It would be nice to talk to everyone."

A co-worker called and told Leigh she heard from her boyfriend who lived at the Army base that the football game was cancelled. The soldiers decided to have a snowball fight that would take place at 1 p.m. She also asked if Spencer could help make hot chocolate o coffee for everyone. Leigh promised to be there.

Later, in the afternoon, Bill and Leigh got a ride to the base in a jeep that was passing by. The men couldn't resist a snowball fight. For those at the Army base not taking part in the snow throwing, indoors was the best place to be to avoid getting hit by dozens of snowballs as they flew through the air. The men in Easy Company wanted to be on the same team as Buck Compton. They knew that the former college baseball star could throw an object a great distance with a great deal of accuracy.

Leigh was watching the snowball fight from the Mess Hall. She, Melissa and three other WAACs volunteered to help one of the cooks make hot chocolate for everyone. The cook took her into a storeroom after getting her to promise that she wouldn't tell anyone about several bags of sugar provided by the Army. Sugar was rationed in both the United States and the United Kingdom. A less than scrupulous person could make a fair amount of money selling the sugar on the black market.

Spencer and Adams heard the commotion outside as they got the hot chocolate prepared. Leigh looked out of the window, smiling as she watched Bill, Joe and Buck gang up on George, Frank and Don. The men were running and laughing as they pelted each other with liberal amounts of snow. Melissa looked and told Leigh,

"It's sweet to see 'em playing like young boys. I'd like to think that we'll all be home this time next year."

"I'm glad they have a chance to have fun and goof off. This brings home the point to me that despite their training, they're still young men. Melissa, from your mouth to God's ear. I hope we're all home by this time next year " Melissa noticed Leigh's bracelet, saying,

"Oh, that's so pretty! Did you get that today?"

"Yes. This is my gift from Bill. I love it!"

"Denver gave me this necklace." She untied the top of her apron to reveal a necklace consisting of a small blue stones on a dainty silver chain.

"That's lovely! It really compliments your blue eyes and that delicate chain is perfect."

"Denver had a tag on it that said, 'Don't Open Until Christmas." Spencer burst out laughing. She kept her voice down, telling Melissa why she laughed. Leigh was blushing and laughing. Adams laughed loudly. The other women glanced in their direction, but said nothing and continued to make hot chocolate. When the laughing and giggling was over, she asked her friend,

"Did Bill enjoy his feast?" Leigh told her about the dinner and about inviting Perconte. Spencer invited Melissa and Bull to supper. She then told her friend about Frank saying how he enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner with the Guarneres. Adams grinned, asking her,

"What did Bill think of that?"

"He asked me if I had heard what Perconte said. Then, he said, 'that's a sweet idea, Baby.' I agreed with him."

"It sounds like Bill wanted to know how you felt about getting married."

"I thought the same thing. When I answered him honestly it made him happy. As you can probably guess, I would be all for getting married."

"I thought so. I have a feeling you will be engaged or married by the time the war ends." Before Adams could answer about the supper invitation, the cook walked in saying,

"It looks like the snowball fight is tapering off. Is the hot chocolate ready?" They told him yes. Soon, some of the men walked into the mess hall, hoping to get a cup of coffee. They were surprised to learn that homemade hot chocolate was available. When the cook told the men that some WAACs prepared it, the men were eager to sample the hot chocolate.

The majority of the men enjoyed the homemade hot chocolate and the remainder had coffee. The cook told the WAACs that their help wasn't needed in the cleaning of the utensils and other items used to make the hot chocolate.

Bill and Leigh were preparing to leave. Colonel Sink had a jeep with a driver to take anyone home who did not live on the Army base. The driver was waiting in the warmth of the Mess Hall. Buck Compton was throwing a few snowballs at George Luz. Both men were still in a playful and mischievous mood. Luz asked Spencer,

"Why didn't you join in the snowball fight? "

"I'm not dressed for it. If I had pants and boots, I would've been out here with you guys. Believe it or not, I don't throw like a girl." Bill raised his eyebrows,

"That so?"

"You bet your ass it's so." Both Compton and Luz laughed at her reply. Buck said,

"You talk a good game when the fight is over. Let's see what you've got." George told her, winking to let Spencer know that he was joking,

"She won't do it, Buck, Leigh doesn't want us to laugh at her when she can't throw a snowball." Leigh asked the men,

"Do you want me to hit a certain target or a person?" Luz was laughing,

"Buck, don't tempt her, that woman's hands are lethal weapons. You want proof, ask Bill." Guarnere laughed, telling George in a good natured way,

"Shaddup, Moron. Ain't nothin' wrong wit' my baby's hands. She happens to be very skilled wit' her hands." Leigh blushed a bit and Bill quickly added, "Get your minds out o' the gutter. She's a talented musician." Luz had a wicked grin as he said,

"Are you sayin' that she's also a good organ player? She probably gets lots of practice playing with a certain organ..." George was silenced when a snowball thrown by Leigh hit his head." Spencer wasn't offended by Luz and she was laughing as the snowball hit its intended target. Bill laughed loudly and kissed her.

"That's showin' him, Baby. Good job!" Compton grinned, replying,

"Damn good throwing, Leigh." George grinned.

"I didn't even see that comin'. Boys and Little Sure Shot, how about a quick snowball fight?" The men were interested, but Spencer told them,

"I want to do it, but I need pants, a shirt, a coat, boots and gloves." Compton saw Frank Perconte. He called him over, asking if Leigh could borrow the items of clothing she needed." Perconte was glad to help. He asked Bill and Leigh to walk to the house in which he lived on the base. Once they got to the house, Frank escorted Leigh to his room and brought out everything she needed, including socks. Perconte removed his boots.

"I hate to miss the snowball fight, but I only have one pair of boots." Spencer thanked him. Perconte and Guarnere went out of the room to give her privacy so she could change her clothes." Leigh took off most of her clothing and she hung her dress, slip and coat in Perconte's closet. She put her garter belt, stockings and shoes in the closet, then she quickly donned the borrowed OD trousers, socks, shirt and boots. Spencer tucked the surplus material of the trousers into her borrowed boots.

She was surprised that everything fit fairly well. Leigh grabbed up the gloves and the OD jacket, leaving the bedroom. Bill saw her walking into the living room of the house.

"Sweetheart, you look adorable. I wish I could get a picture of ya in the OD uniform an' boots. Frank, thanks for helpin' her."

"I brought a camera from home. Wait just a minute and I'll get it." He soon returned with his camera. Frank took one picture of Leigh standing by herself. In the next picture, Bill had his arm around her. They both thanked Perconte for his help. She wrote down her parents' address so he could send the pictures to them.

Bill helped her into the jacket and Spencer got it fastened. Then, she put on the gloves. Guarnere held the door open for her. They walked back to rejoin Compton and Luz. Both men told Spencer that she looked cute in the borrowed uniform and boots.

Word quickly got around about another snowball fight. By the time everyone arrived, it was Bill, George, Buck, Leigh, Muck, Penkala and Malarkey against the same number of men from Charlie Company. One man from Charlie asked,

"Is it true you got a skirt fightin' with you?" Spencer stepped forward.

"Yes, it's true."

"We won't be rough on you, Doll, but we're goin' after those boys from Easy."

"Treat me like the rest of the boys, or you can suit yourself. I won't take it easy on you guys." The men from Charlie got a good laugh at her reply. Both groups separated on the area normally used for drilling exercises. Two makeshift snow forts, which were big walls of snow made by participants of the earlier game, still remained.

The battle began in earnest. Compton gave the opponents a rapid fire barrage of snowballs. Luz and Bill provided cover for Buck while Muck and Penkala made extra snowballs. Leigh was the unofficial sharp shooter and she made several accurate, rapid shots at the men from Charlie. Bill was extremely proud of her.

"Baby, where did ya learn to throw like that?" As she dodged incoming snowballs, she answered,

"I grew up with two male cousins who are like brothers to me. We lived fairly close together and spent lots of time together playing. They taught me how to throw." Toward the end of the battle, one man from Charlie pointed to the knitted hat he was wearing, telling her,

"If you can hit my hat, I'll give you 10 bucks." He stood near the wall of his team's snow fort. Spencer accepted the deal. She took careful aim and hit the intended target. The Charlie Company paratrooper looked at her in awe.

"Doll, you got a good pitching arm." When the fight ended, he walked over to Leigh, shaking her hand and handing her the money she'd earned. Buck Compton upped the ante. He told Spencer if she could hit a certain branch of a nearby tree, he would give her an additional $15.

The branch was toward the top of the tree. Leigh took her time and hit the branch. Bill grabbed Leigh around the waist and spun her around before setting her feet gently on the ground again.

"Ain't nothin' my baby can't do!" He gave Spencer a passionate kiss. Colonel Sink walked out of the Mess Hall in time to see Guarnere kissing a small paratrooper. He walked over to investigate, grinning as he recognized Leigh.

"Miss Spencer, why are you in uniform?" She explained the situation and Sink laughed.

"How about showing me your throwing skills?" Sink asked if she could throw a snowball over the opposite snow fort. That was a fairly long distance shot, but Leigh made it. The men and Sink applauded. Buck Compton gave her the money she earned. Leigh told him that she couldn't take money from a friend. He insisted, saying that she earned the cash. Spencer thanked him.

The colonel wished everyone a Merry Christmas and took his leave, telling the group that he wanted to get inside his quarters where it was warm. Guarnere walked Leigh back to Perconte's house. He told Frank about Spencer's throwing skills as she went to Perconte's room to change clothes. She thanked him again for all of the items she borrowed. Frank said that he would see them at supper.

They went into the Mess Hall to let the driver know that they were ready to leave. Although the main road was made passable, the deep snow made the colonel decide to ensure that anyone needing a ride into the village wouldn't be forced to walk. Guarnere and Spencer thanked the driver and he took them to the house. They entered the house. Leigh immediately started to get supper prepared.

"You're an amazin' woman, Baby. I wish my folks an' my sisters could've seen ya throwin' those snowballs. Next time somebody says somethin' about somebody throwin' like a girl, I'm gonna tell 'em about my girl. If you threw like that as a kid an' if you was in my neighborhood back then, I woulda fallen in love wit' ya, right on the spot.

Baby, I can warm everythin' up. I've had lots o' practice helpin' Ma. You worked wit' the food yesterday an' you've been busy today. Why don't ya take it easy an' let me take care o' supper."

"Thanks, Honey. I really appreciate the help. All I need to do is cook the remaining oysters, make a batch of pizzelles and make some fresh coffee."

"I can make the coffee for ya. You have enough to do, Baby." Spencer kissed him,

"You're so sweet, Bill. Now, I can get everything ready before Perconte gets here. I just need to get my dress changed to what I wore earlier today." Leigh went upstairs and put on the cranberry colored Wiggle Dress and her open toed black pumps. She touched up her makeup and brushed her hair.

Spencer went downstairs and into the kitchen. She got some water to put in the Christmas Tree stand. Then she plugged in the lights on the tree. She turned on the radio and then she got white placemats with tiny holly leaves and berries embroidered on the edges. She put the placemats on the red tablecloth gracing the dining room table.

Soon, the table was set. She went into the kitchen and put on a white apron with red poinsettias embroidered on it. Bill was busy getting the food reheated.

"You're lookin' beautiful, Baby." Leigh thanked him and got to work making the pizzelles. She giggled when Bill tried to grab a few fresh cookies, sneaking behind her to get to the platter of cookies on the kitchen counter.

"Honey, I won't smack you with a wooden spoon for taking some cookies. Eat as many as you want."

"It makes Ma crazy if too many people are in the kitchen wit' her when she's tryin' to cook. I learned how to steal a few cookies when I was a kid."

"If you got caught, did you stay out of trouble using your adorable puppy dog eyes expression?" Bill laughed,

"Most o' the time it worked. A couple o' times, Ma hit my ass wit' a wooden spoon, but she didn't hit very hard." Leigh laughed as she finished making one batch of cookies. She had enough batter for a second batch, so she worked on getting the crispy cookies finished.

After the cookies were made, Spencer started to make oysters in polenta. Bill had the food ready and he was making the coffee.

"We have a lot of food. I hope you and Frank have good appetites." She heard someone knocking at the door. Spencer told Bill she would be back after she answered the door. Leigh was surprised and happy to see Melissa,Bull and Perconte. Melissa told her,

I hope this isn't extra work for you, but when Frank told us how good the supper was last night, Denver and I decided to come back here instead of eating in the Mess Hall."

"I was just telling Bill that we had a lot of food. You and Bull are more than welcome to eat here." She greeted Perconte,

"I'm glad to see you, Frank. Would you like some fresh pizzelles and coffee?" Leigh hung his and Bull's coats on a coat tree by the door. Melissa took care of her coat. Adams told Bull and Frank,

"Boys, help yourselves to some homemade candy. We tried to make all of the usual Christmas treats." Bill came out of the kitchen and he greeted Perconte and Randleman. He told Bull,

"You're in for a real treat, Buddy. Leigh made the Feast of the Seven Fishes." Guarnere explained the traditional meal and told Melissa and Bull about the items they were about to eat.

"My Baby went all out makin' the food from Ma's recipes. She even made Limoncello." Guarnere told them about the potent aperitif. Everyone enjoyed their supper. When Bull and Melissa complimented Leigh's cooking, she told them that Mrs. Guarnere sent her recipes for the feast. Randleman told Bill,

"Your mama must be one hell of a good cook!" Guarnere smiled,

"Thanks, Bull. Ma's a damned good cook. Leigh cooks just like her. This is the first time my baby tried to make this feast. It usually takes at least two women to do all o' the cookin' " Spencer thanked Bill for the compliments. The group talked, ate, laughed and enjoyed each others' company. Bill got up to refill the coffee pot and the wine glasses. Frank had a few extra pizzelles.

Leigh brought out the Limoncello and the delicate glasses. Bill told Randlman and Adams,

"This is strong stuff, but it's good. It can knock ya on your ass if you ain't careful." Everyone sipped and enjoyed the aperitif. Bull told Bill,

"Buddy, that's strong as moonshine. It's damned good." Melissa enjoyed the drink as much as her boyfriend.

"Denver is right, it is as strong as moonshine. This puts Tennessee sippin' whiskey to shame." Leigh made sure everyone had plenty to eat. To her surprise, every morsel of the food was eaten, including the pizzelles.

"Tonight, I'm helping with those dishes." Bull, Melissa, Frank and Bill told her that they would all pitch in to get everything cleaned up. Guarnere was also sent to relax, since he helped get everything ready. He decided to call his parents. It took a long time for the operator to set up the person to person call. Guarnere thanked the operator and wished her a Merry Christmas. The phone rang in South Philadelphia. Augusta answered and Bill said,

"Merry Christmas, Ma!" She smiled and told him "Merry Christmas" and asked about the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

"Ma, it was perfect. Leigh done a great job wit' everything. A buddy o' mine said it was his first Christmas Eve away from home an' the feast, so she invited him, too. He's the guy who called the spaghetti at Camp Toccoa 'Army noodles wit' ketchup.'" Mrs. Guarnere laughed,

"I remember hearin' that story. Son, did you give Leigh the ring?"

"No, Ma. I thought about it, but I wanna wait until the war is almost over. How's everybody doin'?" She said that everyone was fine.

"Ma, you would've been so proud o' Leigh. She done everything exactly right. My baby even made pizzelles an' Limoncello. She had me an' Frank back for supper today. That made lots o' leftovers. Her roommate Melissa an' her boyfriend were here to eat, too. Melissa's boyfriend is a paratrooper, too, an' he's from Arkansas. He said to tell ya that you're a damned good cook."

"That's sweet of him. Be sure to thank him for me. I can tell you're really proud of Leigh. That's a lot of work for one woman to do. She told me more than anything, she wanted you to have a good feast on Christmas Eve. Please send her our love, Billy." Guarnere smiled when he heard what Leigh told his mother.

He told her about the snowstorm, the snowball fight and Leigh winning money by throwing snowballs. Augusta enjoyed hearing about Spencer borrowing the uniform, boots and coat, plus the way she could throw.

"Leigh can do just about anything. I gotta tell the girls about her. Julia will love hearin' about this. All of your sisters will be proud of her."

"I'm real proud o' my baby." Mrs. Guarnere promised to give Bill's dad and sisters his love. They ended the call since it was expensive to call from overseas. Guarnere went into the living room.

"Ma sends her love. She's tellin' the girls about you winnin' money throwin' snowballs. The phone's all yours, Baby." Leigh thanked him and went into the dining room to get the person to person call placed to her parents.Cal answered the phone. He enjoyed hearing about Leigh making the feast, the snowstorm and the snowball fight. Spencer asked his daughter,

"Did you put those boys to shame with your ability to throw the snowballs?" Leigh giggled.

"Yes." She added, "Dad, the Army base sent Sherman Tanks driven by men in the motor pool to open the main road. I wished I could've taken a picture of that for Papa (her grandfather)." Cal agreed that his father-in-law would have enjoyed seeing the tanks in action.

Mr. Spencer chuckled when Leigh told him about borrowing the uniform and boots so she could participate in the snowball fight.

"If they had enough sense to allow women into major league baseball, you would be a great pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds." She thanked her father and told him about Perconte taking a picture of her in the uniform. Leigh briefly spoke with her mother, who was busy preparing supper for a house full of relatives and friends. They both sent Bill their love and they wished the couple a Merry Christmas.

After Frank went back to the Army base with Bull and Melissa, Spencer and Guarnere listened to the radio and snuggled on the couch. Leigh got extra blankets for the bed in her room. Since the roads were open, she and Bill didn't want to risk sleeping on the couch. After Spencer washed her face and brushed her teeth, she put on her nightgown. Then she went into her bedroom to remove her bracelet and necklace, placing the jewelry in their proper boxes.

Guarnere stoked the furnace with coal and got ready for bed, brushing his teeth. He got into bed.

"Honey, you gave me some great gifts. Ma told me what ya said about wantin' more than anythin' for me to have the feast. I love you, Leigh. I hope you ain't too upset wit' me, but we need to wait until mornin' to get up to somethin.' I didn't get much sleep an' I'm beat." Spencer got into bed, shutting off the bedside table lamp.

"Thank you for my beautiful bracelet and card. I love you, too, Bill. I'm really tired, too, so it doesn't bother me at all to wait until morning." They snuggled close and Bill wrapped his arms around her before sleep claimed them.

On New Year's Eve, many Easy Company men and several townspeople gathered at The Blue Boar to celebrate. Leigh played the piano and sang while Dexter, Nigel and the owner of the pub played the trumpet, trombone and clarinet. Spencer wore a blue wiggle dress which went well with her angel necklace and her new bracelet.

"This song is an old American Jazz tune, " A Hard Man is Good to Find." Loud laughter came from the audience. Spencer laughed.

"Let me try that again. The song is called ' A Good Man is Hard to Find.' My first statement is undeniably true." More laughter came from the audience and Bill winked at Leigh. Dexter, Nigel and Andrew played the intro to the song along with Spencer. They received a loud round of applause. Leigh asked her fellow musicians if they knew the old Sophie Tucker song, "Some Of These Days." When the men said that they were very familiar with the song, Spencer told the audience,

"I learned the next number from my boyfriend's mother. She does a fabulous rendition and she also sounds like Sophie Tucker. This is 'Some Of These Days." Bill soon found out that Leigh learned a great deal from Augusta on how to sing the song. Guarnere had a big smile on his face as he listened to Spencer. Leigh played and sang a few more songs. Andrew Heriott announced that it was getting close to midnight. Spencer went back to sit at the table with Bill.

As the crowd counted down the last ten seconds of the year, Guarnere stood up and extended his hand. Leigh took his hand and stood up. Bill pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around Spencer and giving her a passionate kiss.

The patrons in the club sang "Auld Lang Syne" as the couple kissed. Bill broke the kiss, telling Leigh,

"Happy New Year, Baby. Here's to another year of bein' together. I love you, Leigh."

"Happy New Year, Honey. I love you, too. Let's hope we're back in the States by this time next year."

"I'll drink to that. It would be great to celebrate New Year's Eve in Philadelphia again." Bill was hoping that Leigh would be his fiancee during the new year.

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that-basic-simp · 1 year

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New Year’s Eve

"Tonight is going to be so elaborate!" Junkrat squealed in excitement.

"What's goin' on tonight?" I walked over and asked him.

"Do ya not know what today is?"

"N-No."

"It's New Year's Eve!" he smiled.

"New Year's Eve? I haven't celebrated that since I was banished. Actually, I lost all track of time when I was banished. How do ya guys normally celebrate?"

"How Roadhog and I do it, is we just sit around and wait until midnight. Right when it turns midnight, I set off the fireworks! Other people have different traditions and such when celebrating New Year's."

"I see. Thanks, Junkrat," I said and walked out of the warehouse, trying to remember what I did with my family.

What better way than to ask them about it. I grabbed my swords from the warehouse before heading to the Wastelands. Climbing up the familiar sand dune, I found my house sitting right at the top of it, like always. Smiling a bit, I walked over to the back door to see my father was sitting on a wooden log.

"G'day, kiddo," he smiled and stood up, hugging me.

"Hey, dad."

"What brings ya out here? And without Odessa?"

"I wanted to ask you and mum somethin'."

"Well, come on in."

We walked inside the house and sat down, my mother coming out from her room and sitting beside me.

"What brings ya all the way out 'ere, Y/N?"

"I wanted to ask ya somethin'."

"Ask away."

"When we were still back in Junkertown, what did we do for New Year's Eve?"

"Well, before we had you, Y/N, your father and I would go out to dinner, nothing fancy, and we'd come back to the house to wait for the fireworks show to begin. However, there was this tradition everyone does if they're in a relationship."

"What's that?" I asked.

"A New Year's kiss," my father said. "Every year your mother and I would kiss one another in the same place and when we had you, we both gave ya our own version of the New Year's kiss."

"Which was both of us kissin' your cheeks," my mother chuckled.

"I see," I nodded my head.

"Ya didn't have anything planned for Odessa?" my mother said.

"No. I didn't. That's why I needed some help."

"Well, this is a good time to start your own tradition, Y/N," my father said. "Ya don't have to do ours and ya certainly don't have to do anyone else's. This might be a good chance to figure out what works and what doesn't work for you and Odessa."

I nodded my head. We began talking about the traditions my grandparents partook in before I decided I knew what I had to do. I said goodbye to my parents and headed back towards the gates of Junkertown. When the gates opened, Odessa was standing by them, waiting for me.

"Dez," I said.

"G'day, princess. What were ya doin' out there?"

"I needed to ask my mum and dad somethin'."

"I'm glad ya came back in one piece, but let me know if you're goin' out there."

I nodded my head and she wrapped her arm around my waist, leading me back to the warehouse.

"Hey, Dez?"

"Yeah, princess?"

"D-Did you have any ideas on what to do tonight?"

"What's tonight?"

"New Year's Eve."

"Ah, yes. I did have somethin' in mind."

"What is it?"

"I was either gonna take ya out for dinner or we make somethin' at home."

"Well, this is a good time to start your own tradition, Y/N. Ya don't have to do ours and ya certainly don't have to do anyone else's. This might be a good chance to figure out what works and what doesn't work for you and Odessa."

My father's words rang in the back of my head. I looked up at Odessa and smiled at her.

"Why don't we try makin' somethin' at home?"

"I'll be ok with that," she looked down and smiled at me. "I'll get some things to work with before heading home."

"Sounds good."

"I'll see ya later, princess," she smiled and pressed a kiss to my forehead, removing her arm from my waist and walking off in a different direction.

I finished working up in the warehouse for today. Junkrat was mostly working on the fireworks for tonight and when it was time to close up shop, he took his fireworks and ran out of the warehouse, Roadhog following behind him. Meri and Geiger said goodnight to me and helped me lock up the warehouse. I headed back home and when I opened the door, Odessa was in the other room getting started.

"What were ya thinkin' of making?"

"I was going to make somethin' I made for the people back in Overwatch. It's nothing too fancy, but everyone back at headquarters loved it," she said.

I walked over to her after closing the door, helping her make the dish. Once we had finished, we grabbed our plates and walked out onto the balcony, watching as people in the area we lived in started to get setup for a party tonight.

"Ya think a lot of people are gonna be out drinkin'?"

"Ya know it," she chuckled.

"Would ya like to go out and get a couple drinks?"

"Nah," she said and wrapped her arm around my waist, pulling me close to her. "I'd rather spend the night with you, princess."

I smiled and leaned into her side, finishing up our dinner. When we had finished up, she grabbed my plate and headed inside, washing the dishes before returning. She stood behind me, her arms wrapped around my waist and we patiently waited for midnight to strike. While we were waiting, we joined the people in the area and started to talk with them, having a drink here and there. The kids were lively tonight, which I was surprised by because of how late it was getting and when I was a child, I had little to no energy around this time of day.

When the clock was at 11:50, Odessa and I headed back to the house and leaned against the balcony, standing side by side one another.

"Junkrat said tonight is going to be elaborate," I said.

"I expect nothin' less from him," Odessa said. "That man is pretty smart when it comes to explosives, but nothin' else."

Finally, the clock struk midnight and bright lights appeared in the sky. They were the colors of the flag before it changed into different symbols. One of them was Odessa's emblem she had on her shirt, another was in the shape of Roadhog's mask, and finally, it was the symbol Junkrat used for his explosives.

"Hold on, princess. There's one more."

"What?" I asked, looking up.

The night sky was dark before one last firework was fired. It burst and then it was followed by a handful more, really lighting up the night. I smiled, watching all of the colors appear in the sky. Odessa reached over and placed a hand on my cheek. Turning towards her, I was met with the same smile she had given me the day I told her I liked her. Leaning towards me, she placed her lips against mine and I happily kissed back, wrapping my arms around her neck.

She pulled away after sometime and placed her forehead against mine, "I love ya, princess."

"I love you, too, Dez."

A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Let’s bring in the new year with a bang!

#junker queen #queen of junkertown #junkerqueen #odessa stone #odessa dez stone #overwatch #buff woman

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iphoneartgirl · 8 months

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Native Cam

Okay, done gone 'n got mixed up with 'nother ramblin man, I reckon.

But Joshua Rascal Walker's Sunday nite ramble made it clear I ain't no young fool schoolgirl no more.

Was right pleased when my little Man done showed up the next mornin' after vanishin'bout 5 PM. Scared me half to death, couldn't figure how he got away and still ain't sure how he got back.

Ain't got no sleep Sunday eve, either. All's I wanted was to heave afore he come back. My feelings was all tangled up when he showed up, you could say.

He was dirty as a hog in slop, no denyin' that.

So, afta'bit, I done washed him, real gentle-like. When I got the water pressure just so, he started tremblin' them lips, shakin'em like Elvis. Whole lotta shakin' goin' on, not the bad sort - happy shakin. Eyes shut, head thrown back, arms spread wide.

When it was done, I gave him a soft towelin' off. No noisy, nerve-janglin' hot air blowers messin' with my man. Oh no, no, no. Mama takes proper care of her little Man.

Ain't nothin' but the best for my Josh.

Once we made our way back home, he took hissef a good nap. (Lord knows he needed it after whatever he was up to that night...)

Once he woke up, I fetched him a toy to tear into. Then we had ourselves a real serious talk 'bout how I got needs to understand when he needs his own space.

Before, not afta.

Modern woman I am, value my independence. We don't gotta be clingin' like ivy.

But I told him I gots t'be in charge of when I'm gettin' some SPACE in this relationship. Can't have "space" sneakin' up on me from behind.

At 73, it ain't like when I was young and could be runnin' round plasterin' poles with lost dog posters. Them energetic days are long gone. My nerves can't take it when someone I love just up and disappears.

This week marks two months of me 'n' Josh together, a real tale like Harold and Maude. He's a year and a half, but he's got an old soul, 'bout 45 in there. Me, I'm 73, feelin' like a sprightly 13 ½.

Both of us tryin' our hardest to make sense of what's betwixt us 'cause we fancy each other, even though we're worlds apart.

So, I wants y'all to know I done made my peace with our boundary conversation so’s you can help hold me to it.

Jus' look at Josh's face in that picture up top and you'll see he gave the situation a genuine ponder.

The way he worked it out in his mind was to go on and sign right up for a shiny new Discover Card, gettin’ DOUBLE CASH BACK on all his buys till year’s end. Promised he’d hand over the cash to Mama soon as it comes.

Since we ain't been together long, I reckoned I could make do with that for now. Me bein’ a fire survivor and all, I needs the help.

Would rather jus'be with him all day, every day, but seems he ain't quite ready for that level of spiritual commitment. So 'til he is, I'll keep on truckin' as his Material Girl Mama, livin' in a material world... takin' all that double cash back he'll hand over.

❤️🎶🎼🎹💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻😍

But that's not what l'm in this for wit’him. I want the whole enchilada. I want his whole heart.

I can be patient.

But, I can already see most of his double cash back goin' towards me buyin' him toys ‘cause he tears 'em up faster'n a jackrabbit.

Yet, what else can I do? That little critter's so dadgum cute, I can't hardly take my eyes or hands offa him.

I need all y’all to help hold me to my short-term compromise now, y’hear?

And I still am going to be thankin’ all y’all my whole life for helpin’ me get through that ramblin’ nite. You just let me know if one of your love ones goes ramblin’ and I’ll be prayin’ with you till they come home.

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ultraphobic · 3 months

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Hi Lane, this is your Santa!!

Of course, I found the right moment lmao, but I wish you a Happy New Year! I had a pretty busy holidays and work week and I just came here now.

I hope your Christmas and New Year's Eve were wonderful and you received good gifts!

today in my country they celebrate the Old New Year lol. this was due to the difference in calendars and it continues to be celebrated to this day as a good tradition, although not like a real New Year. So Happy Old New Year hehe!

omg hi!!!!

happy new year & happy old year <3

i've been working heaps too hehe

how are u! hows winter goin :)

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t4llhum4n · 6 months

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FUTURAMA Episode 101

"SPACE PILOT 3000" By David X. Cohen & Matt Groening Transcribed by Dave,

The Neutral Planet [Over the caption December 31st 1999 a crude spaceship flies through space, cruising over and under planets and a man speaks.]

MAN (voice-over) Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and the gorilla starts throwing barrels at you.

[A planet opens up and a huge gorilla starts throwing barrels at the spaceship. It dodges a few but one hits it and it explodes. The gorilla thumps its chest and "Game Over" flashes on the screen. The spaceship and gorilla isn't real and the man, called Fry, was playing an arcade game called "Monkey Fracas Jr". He is in his mid-20s, wears a red jacket and has orange hair with two distinct forks at the front. There is a little kid standing next to him. The game is against the wall in a pizzeria called Panucci's Pizza.]

FRY And that's how you play the game!

KID You stink, loser!

[Mr Panucci, a middle-aged balding man wearing a vest, leans over the counter with a pizza box.]

PANUCCI Hey, Fry. Pizza goin' out! C'mon!!

[Fry sighs, takes the pizza from him and walks out.]

[New York Street. Fry cycles past people enjoying their New Millennium Eve. A cab pulls up and he sees his girlfriend inside.]

FRY Michelle, baby! Where you going?

MICHELLE It's not working out, Fry. I put your stuff out on the sidewalk!

[Time Lapse. Fry is still on his bike getting more and more depressed.]

FRY I hate my life I hate my life I hate my life.

[Cut to: Outside Applied Cryogenics. He stops outside a building and locks up his bike. A man sneaks up behind him, cuts the chain and steals his bike.]

BIKE THIEF Happy new year!

[Applied Cryogenics. Fry steps out of the elevator on the 64th floor. He knocks on a door marked Applied Cryogenics. A sign underneath indicates No Power Failures Since 199[7]. No one opens the door so Fry goes in.]

[Cut to: Cryogenics Lab. The room is empty and there are no lights on. Strange pods about 6ft tall line one of the walls. There are a few other machines around the room and a desk and a chair in the middle of the room. Fry wipes some condensation from a window on one of the pods, revealing the face of an inanimate man inside. He turns around.]

FRY Hello? Pizza delivery for......Icy Wiener?! Aw, crud! I always thought at this point in my life I'd be the one making the crank calls! Here's to another lousy millennium.

[He unenthusiastically raises his hand and toasts.]

[Cut to: Time Square. Crowds have gathered for the countdown. 10 appears on a huge screen.]

CROWD Ten!

[Cut to: Paris. A screen on the Eiffel Tower displays 9.]

CROWD Neuf!

[Cut to: Vatican City. The Pope holds up a sign with "VIII" on it.]

CROWD Otto!

[Cut to: Egypt. Egyptians crowd around the pyramids.]

CROWD Sabaa!

[Cut to: Athens. People are gathered around the Parthelon.]

CROWD Eksi!

[Cut to: Great Wall Of China.]

CROWD Wu! [Cut to: Taj Mahal.]

CROWD Chaar!

[Cut to: African Village.]

CROWD Thathu!

[Cut to: Tokyo. A screen displays 2.]

CROWD Wu!

[From space the whole planet sees in the new millennium.]

CROWD One!

[Cut to: Cryogenics Lab. Fry unenthusiastically blows a party blower and starts losing his balance on the chair. It tips back. Fry waves his arms around trying to regain his balance. As he falls he doesn't see the shadow of a small creature under the desk. The chair tips back and Fry falls off it and rolls backwards into cryogenic freezer number 40. The dial on the machine automatically sets itself for 1000 years.]

FRY What the?

[He looks around and screams. In a flash he is frozen in time.]

[Time Lapse.Days and nights and eventually years pass � la The Time Machine as he stays locked in the freezer. Civilisation is destroyed by aliens twice until eventually huge buildings spring up around Applied Cryogenics. The timer stops 1000 years later and the door opens. Fry is unfrozen. Initially disorientated, he stumbles around and notices something to his right. He presses his face against a large window and stares in awe.]

FRY My God! It's the future. My parents, my co-workers, my girlfriend. I'll never see any of them again. Yahoo!

[Opening Credits. Caption: In Color.]

Yeah no as a mobile user I do, in fact, feel awful for you guys

It doesn't mean that I won't retaliate tho

#so so sorry #i'll start tagging “long ask” if you wanna block it #t4llt4lks #long ask

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likethesword · 3 years

Note

#kat rambles #hazelnut!!#hows your new years eve goin?#asks #hazel #definitely a living human

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chloelucia13 · 3 years

Text

Nothing Personal: Chapter 8

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x female!reader (enemies to lovers)

Prompt: Bucky’s public appearance was lacking in the… well, everything department. And now, with him fully being in the public eye as the new Captain America’s right hand man, that needed to be fixed. That brought you into the equation, someone who seemed to be the direct opposite of the White Wolf. Bubbly, friendly, the perfect PR girlfriend for the grumpy man. Whether he liked it or not.

Chapter Summary: Time makes the heart grow fonder, at least that’s what they say. You thought you’d finally let go, but the world likes to keep you on your toes. (Word count: 5047)

Warnings: mostly angst, some fluff, language, mentions of cheating, mentions of drinking

A/N: Holy cow guys! It’s the last chapter! We’ve made it! But don’t worry, I’ll also be posting an epilogue and I can always do drabbles for these guys! As always, my taglists, messages, and inbox are open!

Catch up here!

Two years is a long time.

Two whole years had gone by, two Christmases, two birthdays, two Halloweens. The third year was creeping up, whizzing past New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s day.

Time seemed to slow down, though, on March 10, 2028. Truly, time basically screeched to a halt for the past two March 10′s, but for some reason, it was more noticeable this time around.

Maybe it was because you realized that it had been three whole years now since you’d met Bucky. Maybe it was because he was now 111, one of your lucky numbers. Maybe it was because you thought back to that party you threw him for his 108th, how he told you all that time ago that he never wanted you.

Nevertheless, your mind was flooded with ideas of what you would’ve gotten him for his birthday. A new pair of combat boots, a nice homemade dinner and dessert, a day off from all the craziness in his life.

Maybe just a hug would’ve been enough for him.

During that first year, when you weren’t engulfed in your thoughts of Bucky, you were actively searching for work. It was hard getting a job when you moved back down to Louisiana. Being the ex-girlfriend of an American hero isn’t really good publicity.

Luckily, the only people who didn't care about your relationship status were kids, so you got a job at the local elementary school as a teaching assistant.

It was nice. The kids were cute, the job just covered your rent, and you got free lunch. It was... peaceful.

Well, it was peaceful until you’d reach the World War II section in history and you’d have to stare down at photos of the Howling Commandos, of Bucky Barnes himself. Obviously, the kids weren’t oblivious to news. They’d see Bucky’s face and make the connection, and once they did, the questions about him were endless. Of course, they were harmless and pretty cute if you were being honest, but it still stung.

The most common question was about what he was like, and it was a hard question for you to answer. You didn’t know what he was like. To others, he was kind and playful but still stoic. He was like that with you a few times. But mostly, all you saw of him was cold, distant, and reserved. But the kids didn’t want to hear that.

“He was a brave man, and he cared a lot about the people he loved,” you’d tell them with a smile, and after a while, it felt true.

Other than the few rare days that stood out for one reason or another, every other day blurred together until it had finally reached the Fourth of July.

Sam, Mr. Captain America himself, had it in his mind that he had some patriotic duty to take upon himself. thus he decided to hold a large event at the docks, complete with food and fireworks, and of course, photo ops with Captain America and the Winter Soldier.

You stared at the flyer that sat on the top of the pile you were holding. Winter Soldier.

“You’ve got a stink face goin’ on,” Sam teased, nudging your shoulder. He stared down at the flyers, sighing. “Listen, I don’t want him anywhere near you, but it’s for the family business. And besides, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“White Wolf,” you spoke, looking up at Sam.

“What?”

“I remember Bucky telling you once that he preferred White Wolf over the Winter Soldier. But these flyers say Winter Soldier.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Come on, he screwed you over and you’re making sure he gets called what he’s comfortable with?”

You shrugged. “Just forget I said anything.” You grabbed the tape gun from Sam’s hands and began to rip off a few pieces.

“Hey, hey, slow down.” He took the flyers and the tape gun from your hands. “You’re right. We’ll go and fix them.”

You gave him a nod, a small smile quirking on your lips.

***

Organizing a party was hard enough as it is. Having to organize a party for hundreds of people while having the fear of seeing Bucky once more looming over you? Nearly impossible.

You sat on Sarah’s couch, your head in your hands as you tried to physically soothe your migraine. “Tell me again why we have to do fireworks?” you grumbled.

“Because they’re fun!” AJ piped up, earning a hum of agreement from Sam.

“And expensive! And dangerous! Did y’all forget that we’re doing this on a wooden dock?”

“Oh come on, Y/N, get into the spirit!” Sam whined, shoving your shoulder.

“God, you’re obnoxious.” You leaned back on the couch. “You do understand that this is in 2 days, right? I have no idea where we’re gonna get all of these fireworks from.”

“It’ll be fine, you stress too much.”

As you were about to open your mouth to argue, a knock sounded at the door. You rose from your seat, and you didn’t notice the look Sam and Sarah shared. “I got it, I need a break from this.”

“No, no, I’ve got it,” Sam spoke up, rushing over to you.

“Sam, I’m like five feet from the door, it’s fine.” You rolled your eyes at him and continued walking, reaching out and gripping the doorknob.

“Y/N, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”

You looked over your shoulder and gave him a weird look, stopping for a moment to think about what he was saying. With a shrug, you turned back to the door and opened it.

Shit.

“Y/N,” Bucky breathed out, his eyes meeting yours as he stood up straight.

You gulped. “James,” you spoke curtly, taking a few steps back. You wanted to walk away, to turn on your heel and run as fast as possible in the other direction. But you were frozen, lost in a trance as you stared into his eyes.

Sam appeared behind you, placing his hands on your shoulders and pulling you from your stupor. “This is what I was talking about,” he hissed in your ear before jerking his head to one side, signaling over at the open side door. You gave him a nod and slipped away, wrapping your arms around yourself.

Footsteps sounded behind you as you sat down on the porch steps, your back tensing as you contemplated turning around to see who was coming.

“You okay?” Sarah spoke, settling down next to you and nudging your shoulders with hers.

A sigh left your lips. “I don’t know,” you told her.

It was true. Part of you was happy to see him in the flesh after all of these years, see his blue eyes glisten in a way that couldn’t be caught on camera. You wanted to hug him, to beg him for another chance, to kiss him just once. The other part of you a jumbled mess of heavy emotions. Anger, regret, misery, wariness. You didn’t know if you wanted to scream at him, cry, vomit, or hold him close to you.

***

It had been a rough couple of years for Bucky.

After everything fell apart, after he lost you, no one wanted to talk to him for awhile. He understood why, of course, and he knew he’d do the same if he was in their shoes. Jess didn’t even talk to him, other than her confirming that the arrangement was over with and having him sign a few things.

During that time of loneliness, he thought a lot about what you’d told him. God, how could he even try to forget what you said. Every word, every cry, every strangled gasp of breath was ingrained in his mind, playing on a constant loop.

It wasn’t the 40′s and he couldn’t hop form girl to girl like he used to or blame his dumb actions on said girls. You told him he was free now that the relationship was over, when the last thing he felt was free when you let him go. You never wanted to see his face again. You gave everything up for him, and you did it because you loved him. He broke you.

Then he looked back on the past four months, all the effort you put into the relationship. Your birthday party for him, complete with a bonfire when you wanted to burn the tabloids that put him in a bad light.

You were so adamant on showing him that he wasn’t a monster, while everything he had done to you was nothing short of monstrous.

Hell, you almost died for him, let yourself get tortured for hours on end because you wouldn’t give up where he was. He wished he could say that he knew he was in love with you he found you clinging on to life, but it wasn’t. He wished he could say he was stubborn up to that point.

Truly, he fell in love with you that first night at the bar wearing your pretty sundress and your signature beaming smile on your face. He remembered that he wished he could taste the sugary drink on your lips, get drunk off of you and let himself give in.

His thoughts traveled to that first night he spent with you, your limbs tangled together and his lips latched onto yours to make up for lost time. You didn’t even need to have any liquor on your lips for him to feel intoxicated. It was the first time he felt that way in close to a century, the hazy dreamlike state that made his head spin as he craved more.

If he did sleep, he’d fall asleep on the carpet of your old room, imprints still left in the fabric from your bed frame and your bookshelves and your desk. His cheek would be pressed against the carpet, leaving a pattern on his skin when he’d inevitably wake a few hours later from a nightmare.

He didn’t dream of his days as the Winter Soldier like he used to. Now, he dreamt of your tear-soaked cheeks, your pleas for him to stay, your ragged sobs. He dreamt of Steve who was disappointed in the man he became, the man who’d hurt someone so easily. He dreamt of you and Steve ignoring his pleas for you both to stay, you two had your backs turned to him as you walked away and faded from his view.

After a few months, Sam gave in and spoke to Bucky again. Bucky had suspected Maria Hill had something to do with it as she was worried about his reckless solo missions that usually ended with him in the medical bay. They’d joined back together, but it took about another 12 months for the two to get close to the way things were. But it would never be the same, they both knew that.

Wanda had barely spoken a word to him in two years, and it was only after his 111th birthday when she’d found him sobbing in your old room that she let her walls down slightly.

“Bucky?” Wanda spoke, peeking her head through the cracked door.

Bucky sat on the floor, his back propped up against the wall and his head in his hands. His legs were pulled up to his chest and his elbows rested on his knees. His whole body shook with sobs, and when his fingers weren’t scrubbing away the tears on his cheeks, they were tugging at his long and tangled waves.

“Bucky,” Wanda gasped, stepping inside and rushing over to him. “Are you okay?”

At her voice, he froze for a moment. His hands retreated from his face and he stared up at her, his lower lip quivering. “I can’t close my eyes, Wanda,” he rasped.

“What do you mean?”

“Every time I close my eyes, I see her. I... I can’t do it anymore. I miss her so much it hurts.”

She bit back the snide comments that rested on her tongue. Instead, she stayed silent, settling onto her knees next to him.

“A picture came up in my notifications, from three years ago. It was the birthday party she threw for me.” He held back a sob, unlocking his phone and sliding it over to her.

On the screen was a Facebook post (she made a mental note to tease him later for still using Facebook) that one of the party’s attendees made three years ago, popping up as a memory in his notifications. The post was a collage of photos. Photos of the scenic lake, of Bucky staring distastefully at the cake you made him, at your face smiling up at him while he was giving you a tight-lipped almost-grimace, of your face and Bucky’s illuminated by the bonfire.

“I love her,” he admitted, staring up at the ceiling. “I love her so much and I just want to see her one more time, but I can’t and it hurts so bad.”

Her lips pressed into a fine line. “I know, Bucky.”

“Can...” He sniffled, wiping the tears from his cheeks before looking at Wanda. “Can you do something? Please? Just... do something with my mind so I can see her one more time?”

The request took Wanda aback. For as long as she’d known Bucky, he was adamant that he didn’t want anyone in his mind, that he had enough of people being in his mind for ten lifetimes. Now he was begging her to manipulate him, to project something in his mind that wasn’t real just so he could feel a sliver of peace. But did he deserve the peace, a momentary refrain from all of the guilt he held for hurting you? “You know I can’t do that. You... You need to feel what you did. You can’t forget it.”

He nodded, his head bowing. “Trust me, I’ll feel it for the rest of my life.”

It was true. He’d felt that pain since you left, settled deep in his stomach and sitting heavy like a stone. After that day, it became more present, that stone sitting heavy on his chest and making it hard to breathe.

But when he saw you on the other side of the door, caught off guard with a smile teasing on your lips, that weight was lifted for a moment, and he finally was able to breathe.

He stared into your eyes, and he knew that if his hands weren’t occupied with holding his few bags, he’d be pulling you into his arms and kissing you like he’d fantasized every night for the past few years. Maybe you’d let him, maybe you’d pull him just as close and melt into him. Or maybe you’d slap him, wrestling out of his hold before cursing him out. He knew he didn’t deserve the former. He knew he deserved the latter.

But a man could hope, right?

Before he knew it, you were rushing away, shoulders hunched and arms wrapped around yourself. That’s all that he could catch before you slipped out the side door. He watched Sam and Sarah share a look before Sarah directed her two young boys to go to their rooms and she followed you out the back door.

“She still can’t look at me,” Bucky spoke before he could stop himself.

Sam let out a huff, leading Bucky inside and taking his bags. “Don’t tell me you’re surprised,” Sam sassed, glancing back at Bucky as he led him back to the guest room. “You know what you did to her.”

Bucky nodded, lips pursed. “I know.”

Sam set Bucky’s admittedly-light bags next to the bed, moving to the doorway when Bucky sat down on the bed. “Just try and keep your distance from her.”

Again, Bucky nodded, staring at his hands in his lap. “Promise.”

As Sam turned to leave, Bucky spoke once more. “Can you tell her I’m sorry?” he rasped, voice barely above a whisper. “It’s... It’s not enough, I know that, but I just want her to hear it.”

Sam let out a sigh, incredulously shaking his head before turning back to Bucky and giving him a small smile. “I’ll tell her,” he agreed before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

***

“Sam, I truly have no idea how you bought 100 pounds of fireworks,” you grunted, tugging the seran-wrapped box off of the truck bed. “I don’t even know where we’re gonna set these up. Or if I can even get them off the truck.”

“Oh come on, I thought you were a strong woman,” Sam joked, grinning at you before ushering you to the side so he could have a crack at the box. Bracing himself, he wrapped both arms around the box and tugged with all of his might, only for it to budge slightly.

You let out a laugh. “I thought you had some superhero workout regimen you stick to?”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s mostly legs. Can’t have a tree without a good trunk.”

As you and Sam continued half-joking-half-bickering, Bucky silently stepped over. The moment your gaze fell on him, you went quiet, watching his every move.

Bucky picked up the box with ease, holding it in his arms and looking at you. “Where do you need it?” he asked.

Your brows knit together for just a split second before you let a small smile crack on your face. “You can just set it down for now,” you spoke with a hint of trepidation.

He nodded, placing the box down in front of you.

“Thank you, James.”

He let himself savor the heat that flooded his cheeks and the flutter in his chest when you finally spoke to him. “Of course,” he spoke finally, clenching his hands at his sides to keep from reaching out for yours.

You two stood there for a moment, tension hanging heavy in the air as your eyes stayed locked on his.

You forgot how blue they were, how they held so much emotion if he let them. There was something in his eyes as he stared, something you thought you could place but were too fearful to hope for.

“I’ll, uh, I’ll come get you when we need it moved,” you breathed out, breaking eye contact to stare down at the box.

His lips pursed for a moment before he let out a hum of agreement and walked away.

“What the hell was that?” Sam scoffed, waving a hand in front of your face. “I thought you were done with him.”

“I am,” you argued, sitting down on the box.

“I think your googly eyes say otherwise.” He seemed upset, and you knew why. You were upset for the same reason.

It wasn't fair that Bucky could just worm his way back into your heart, making you swoon over him despite how much he hurt you.

“Just drop it. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Sam let out a sigh, squatting down in front of you so you two were eye-level. “I’m sorry,” he spoke, patting your leg. “I just don’t want you getting hurt again.”

“I know.”

There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. “Do you still love him?”

Your heart sunk to your stomach. You’d been asking yourself that question ever since that day, and every time, you’d come up with the same answer, no matter how much you hated it. “I... I think so, yeah.” You sniffled, putting your head in your hands. “God, I’m pathetic, aren’t I?”

“No, you’re not.” Sam grabbed both your hands and held them in his own. “I’m gonna tell you something you might not like.”

You huffed out a small laugh through your nose. “That’s all you do, Sam.”

“Bucky’s hurting too.”

“Sam-”

“Hey, just listen.” He waited until your lips were pursed shut before continuing. “I know love when I see it, and I know that Bucky loves you. Truly, no matter how much of an asshole he is.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you and Buck are my friends, and you’re both hurting because of each other. I just want you two to be happy, but I don't want you to do anything you don’t want to do. Just... Think about it, okay?”

You reluctantly nodded. “Okay.”

***

The event turned out to be much bigger than you’d expected.

As you talked to some of the attendees while helping out with a little bit of everything, you found that people had driven from states away just to get a chance to meet Sam and Bucky. It was crazy to you, seeing the boy you’d grown up with be such an idol in someone else’s eyes.

You tried to stay as low-key as possible during the night, but there were quite a few people who had recognized you from the paparazzi photos. They’d ask about you and Bucky, about why you broke up, and you’d just have to smile and give them some weak explanation about how you two were better as friends.

Everything seemed to die down as the sun set and the photo ops between Sam and Bucky had ended. As soon as you got the chance, you escaped from the crowd to sit at the end of the dock, feet hanging over the edge as you stared out at the water.

Though your eyes didn’t move away from the horizon, you could tell that someone had sat down next to you.

“They really like you,” you spoke.

Bucky shrugged, fiddling with his hands. “I think they really just like Sam,” he argued, stealing a glance at your profile once every few moments.

“Well everyone was asking me about you, so I’d have to argue against that.”

His shoulders slouched slightly. “I’m sorry.”

You shrugged. “I was expecting it. A lot of my kids ask about you too, so I’ve had some practice.”

“Kids?”

“I’m a teacher now.”

A smile settled on his face. “That’s good. I bet they love you.”

“They tolerate me,” you teased, a smile cracking on your lips as well.

There was a beat of silence, but the tension that was there earlier no longer sat in the air. After a moment, you turned to face him. The waves that once only fell to his temple now skimmed just below his jawline and a few strands were tucked behind his ear. You were pretty jealous of how good it looked, you had to admit.

“Your hair is longer,” you pointed out. “It’s still wavy.”

“Someone told me once that they liked my hair when it was wavy,” he hummed, looking at you. “I don’t remember who, though.”

“Hmm, I wonder who it was.”

He grinned. “Maybe I’ll remember someday so I can thank them.”

You let out a laugh, pressing your forehead against his shoulder.

You don’t know the tears that flowed down your cheeks, the sobs that strangled your throat after just a few moments. Maybe it was because you had finally touched him, felt the heat of his body underneath you. Maybe you were reminded of everything you’d never have.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he whispered when he felt your fingers tightening around his leather jacket, heard the sobs bubbling past your lips. His arm wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you closer to him.

You pulled a fist away from his jacket before slamming it down, hitting him in his shoulder. “Why’d you do it?” you cried out, hitting him again and again. “Why the fuck did you do it?”

“Y/N-”

“You broke me, James. I hate you.”

Those words hit harder than any of the feeble punches you were throwing, knocking the breath from his lungs. He pulled you closer, pressing your face into his clavicle and he rested his chin on your head. “I’m so sorry, doll.”

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.” You let out a wail, slumping against him. “Why did you do it? What was wrong with me?”

“Nothing is wrong with you. God, you’re... You’re perfect. You’re too perfect for me. I just... I couldn’t let myself have anything good.”

“You’re such a fucking idiot.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“I gave you all of me, and now I have nothing left. I can’t feel anything anymore, James. But I still love you. I don’t know why, but I do.”

He was silent, his eyes closed as he took in your words.

He loved you. He knew he did. Why couldn’t he just say it?

With a sniffle, you wiggled yourself out of his grip and rose to your feet, wrapping your arms around yourself. “Goodbye, James. I hope you’ll be able to heal from all of this,” you spoke with a sense of finality, not even sparing him a glance as you turned on your heel.

Bucky watched as you walked away, your dress blowing in the wind. He remembered that dress.

It wasn’t until you were halfway down the dock for him to finally snap out of his stupor, jumping to his feet. “I remember” he yelled, his hands shaking.

You stopped in your tracks, scrubbing the tears off of your face before you glanced back at him. “What?” you shouted back, waiting for a moment before shaking your head and continuing to walk.

Bucky felt the panic flood his veins as his body worked on autopilot, breaking into a run to try and catch you before it was too late. When he was only a few feet away, he spoke again. “You wore that dress on our first date. At the bar.”

That made you fully freeze, glancing down at the dress that you’d absentmindedly threw on this morning.

“You look just as beautiful in it as you did that night. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that night.”

He stepped over to you, walking around until you two were face-to-face.

“I’m sorry for it all.”

“James-” “There’s a lot of things I need to apologize for, and I don’t know where to start. But I’ve been trying to get better, to let myself have people close to me. To let myself love again. You made me want to do that. I was so scared of letting myself love again, letting myself be vulnerable, that I hurt you more than I thought possible. I’m so fucking stupid for doing any of that to you, for letting a woman as amazing as you slip right through my fingers when you were the best thing I’ve ever had. But I didn’t even have you. A-And I guess maybe I had this issue with control, that I was so scared of letting you go on your own, letting you make your own decision to leave me, that I just had to push you away myself so I knew why you left. I just... couldn’t let myself get too close because I might lose control.”

you could hear the quiver in his voice, and though you didn’t dare look at his face, you could tell that he was crying. His voice held that certain husk that you’d heard only once, and it made your heart shatter.

“Why are you telling me this?” you whispered.

“Because I care about you.”

You nodded, looking over at the setting sun on the horizon. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think that if we met under normal circumstances, if we weren’t forced into a relationship, we would’ve worked out? Do you think that you... That you’d love me?”

“Oh, doll,” he whispered both of his hands cupping your cheeks and tilting your head up to meet his gaze. “I love you now. I-I’ve always loved you.”

“When was the last time you told someone that?” There was a hint of annoyance in your voice.

He sucked in a shaky breath. “Probably to my mom. Or to Steve.”

You gulped. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

“No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through, and I’m sorry that I hurt you so bad.”

His eyes were swimming with tears, but you could tell that his words were honest. You could see the admiration in his eyes, the emotion he’d tried so hard to hide until now. “James-”

“I think I knew that night at the bar that I was in love with you. God, you were just so perfect and beautiful. And you’ve only gotten better.”

You knew he could feel the heat that flooded your cheeks at his words. “I guess I’m finally getting a glimpse of that flirty ladies man I’ve heard so much about.”

“I wanna show you who I am. I... I want to try again. I want to give you the love you deserve. Take you out on dates and kiss you and... I just want to be yours.” There was a moment of silence as he searched your eyes. “But I know that I don’t deserve that chance, and I understand if you won’t give it to me. We can never see each other again. Whatever you want.”

You tugged your lower lip between your teeth in thought, staring into the vast oceans of blue that swirled in his eyes. “I want to start from the beginning,” you spoke finally. “I want to know all of your favorite things. I want to know the real you. And we’ll just see where that takes us.” Your hands moved up, resting on his and linking your fingers together. “How does that sound?”

“That sounds perfect, pretty girl.” A smile broke across his face, crinkling the corners of his still-damp eyes. “I’d do anything for you.”

“Promise?”

He nodded, his thumbs caressing your cheeks. “Cross my heart.” He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against yours. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Before we start from scratch, can I get one last kiss?”

You let out a laugh, bumping your nose with his. “Just one.”

“That’s all I need.”

With no hesitation, his lips captured yours, his hands holding you as close as possible as he poured every last emotion into the kiss. His lips and yours still tasted of saline, but it was perfect. It was everything you needed.

You two jumped apart as a boom sounded in the sky, and you both looked up to see fireworks exploding above your heads. “He was definitely timing that,” you joked, looking over at Bucky to watch the colorful lights dance over his face. “These lights sure are flattering on you, James.”

He sighed, turning to face you. “Doll, if you keep calling me James I might just cry again.”

You grinned. “Bucky.”

He wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you against his chest. “That’s more like it.” He leaned down, pressing his lips against yours once more.

“Hey, you said one kiss,” you playfully whined against his lips.

“Yeah, but we were interrupted. Now, let me get my kiss.” He kissed you again before pulling away, staring at your lips. “Okay, one more.” Another kiss. “Hold on, just one more.” Another kiss. “One last kiss.” Another kiss. “I lied. One more.” His lips melted against yours as you melted into him, hands gripping at his biceps. “Hmm, maybe one more.”

“Bucky!”

---

Tags: @summerdaughter, @spid3rgwen, @girlfriday007, @lmaosupertuff, @pansexualproblemchild, @toothhurtyam, @claudiaatje, @angstysebfan, @tyzerman91, @hawsx3, @slut-for-buck, @foggyempathfireperson, @etherealghostface, @bby-aj, @stolenxkissess, @joseyrw, @aperiya, @mooonlitstars, @tyzerman91, @stumbleonmywords, @geekanista, @imtaashu, @440mxs-wife, @havesaltwilltravel, @cxddlyash, @lukesaprince, @lilbean-2002, @vghz82, @joannie95, @sharanyasrivastava

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wiypt-writes · 2 years

Text

25 Days Of CHRIS-Mas

Day 10: Rewrite The Stars

Summary: Jimmy surprises you on Christmas Eve

Pairing: Jimmy Dobyne (Loss Of A Teardrop Diamond) x Reader

Warnings: Bad Language, smut (NSFW, 18+)

W/C: 2k

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction, any likeness to any persons or events in real life are purely co-incidental. I do not own any characters contained herein bar the reader and/or any original characters. I do not give consent for my work to be copied and posted/translated onto any other sites. If you see this fiction anywhere other than Tumblr, it has been taken without permission.By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer and ALL warnings posted here.

A/N: So this is set in a slight A/U, where the reader and Jimmy have history. They shared one final night together before he accepted Fisher’s offer, but then…well, you’ll see

25 Days Of Chris-mas Masterlist / Main Masterlist

Day 9- Paul Diskant (Street Kings)

It rarely snowed in Tennessee, but for some reason it was in the forecast for today. Jimmy doubted it would happen, but it would be the icing to a perfect night if it did.

He had been working hard, doing what he could to punch and save, splitting what very little extra you had to spare between something special for you and a gift for your daughter. Since walking away from his potential life of riches, it had been hard, but he wouldn’t change it for the world. Some days he was working for twelve hours straight, but he didn’t care. For him it was worth it.

Your last night together, when you’d taken a ride in his car, had supposedly been just that, but as soon as he’d seen you again a year later, with that babe in your arms, his baby…he knew he couldn’t go through with the sham marriage.

Instead he’d walked away, done right by you, the woman who had held his heart for years.

And now, he was making due on a promise he put on himself, that this Christmas, your first as a family, would be special. He'd already carved and built a rocking horse with the help of his daddy, thrilled to give it to your daughter in the morning, but tonight, tonight would be all about you. He'd already arranged it, your mama would watch the little one, his father nearby to help. He'd take the truck from the commissary with you in it into Memphis, where the two of you would be dressed up for dinner and walk along the shops and decorated street corners hand in hand.

It wasn't anything fancy, like when he was with Fisher, but he had enough saved to don his best coat and slacks, his cap and you the new dress he was to give you this afternoon as he'd ask for your hand for the night. And moreover, he knew it didn’t need to be fancy. That wasn’t how you both worked. You loved him for who he was, and he you.

It was the end of the day, the commissary under his dad's now sober hands and Jimmy left with a bright smile. He drove down the road, across the property and up to the house that he now shared with you and your mama, your daughter happily playing as she toddled around.

As soon as she spotted him, she beamed and made her way towards him, toddling and babbling away as she grinned.

“Hey, Moonbeam.” Jimmy swung her up into his arms, “did’ya miss Daddy today?” She cooed and clapped, her way of telling him yes. "Oh good, I missed you too." He nuzzled into her chubby cheeks. "Where's Mama?"

She blinked, her tiny hands curling into his jacket.

“Right here.” Your voice sounded behind him and Jimmy turned to see you, wiping your hands on your apron.

“Hey, Sweetheart.” He smiled, kissing your cheek softly.

"Hi, handsome," you softly drawled. "How was your day? I'm just finishing up some wash for Miss Fisher."

“Not bad, but I don’t wanna talk about work,” he smiled, “I wanna talk about tonight.”

At that you smirked. "It's Christmas Eve, I have to get this laundry to Miss Fisher before dark."

“Yeah, but once that’s done we’re goin’ out.”

"What? Jimmy.... What about Cora? We can't afford...."

“I’ve been savin', and Cora is gonna be just fine. Your mama is having her for the evening.”

"Where we goin'? Oh, Jimmy, I ain't got a thing to wear! I ain't washed my hair, I've been workin' all day." You suddenly felt shy and self-conscious.

“You look fine.” He shook his head, “and as for what to wear… I got that covered.”

He passed Cora off, turned and rushed out the shoddy screen and out to his truck, producing a brown paper wrapped box with a red bow on it. He grinned as he handed it off to you, in exchange for Cora once more.

“I… Jimmy!” You gaped at him, “we said we were savin’ for a rainy day!”

"I ain't touched that, this is somethin' extra I been savin' for." He nodded to the box. "Open it, Sweetheart."

Unable to stop the smile on your face, you walked through to the kitchen and lay the box flat on the small table before you pulled at the bow. Once that was undone you tore off the paper to reveal a flat, white box. Lifting the lid you gasped at the dress inside.

"Oh Jimmy...." you pulled the simple navy frock from the box and smiled as it glistened with sparkles adorned to it.

“You like it?”

"I love it, but it's...."

"Don't worry about that part," he knew where your mind was going.

You sighed and shook your head, “you spoil me.”

"It'll never be enough to make up for the time we lost, darlin. But I'll spend the rest of my life tryin'."

You shook your head, “I love you.”

"I love you," he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. "Now, get ready, we're goin' into town. I got a whole night planned for us."

"Okay," you squealed in delight and rushed to finish the laundry that someone from the main house would be up to collect soon.

After that, you got ready for the evening that Jimmy was promising you. Your dress hugged you in all the right places and it felt far more luxurious than anything you’d worn before, even your wedding dress. That itself was a cream lace smock your mama had sewn together from her dress to your daddy and pieces of matching lace that were lying around the cupboards.

Jimmy himself was dressed to the nines, his posh jacket and slacks fitting perfectly to his frame.

“You look beautiful,” he smiled and you shyly smiled, blinking a little.

"Thank you," you drawled. "You look handsome as ever."

Jimmy chuckled and held out his arm, “Shall we, Mrs Dobyne?"

"We most certainly shall," you cheekily grinned at your moniker.

The ride into Memphis itself was about twenty minutes from the estate, passing through the property as you went. The pair of you made light chatter until Jimmy found somewhere to park and then hurried round to open your door for you. With the extension of his hand, you were helped out of the truck and the pair of you waltzed down McCann Street until you hit Main Street.

"It's just a bit up from here," Jimmy smiled warmly.

"Where are we goin' Mr. Dobyne?"

"You'll see."

You avoided pressing anymore, even though you were curious. You knew how hard he had been working to save enough to treat you like this, and it clearly meant a lot to him to be able to step out with you in such a way. Ladies in their club best and gents dressed in tails and ties were out on the town, and as you and Jimmy stopped walking just in front of The Waldorf, you gasped.

"The Waldorf? Oh Jimmy!" You grinned.

It was one of the most expensive places in town, a dinner club for those more fortunate than you, perhaps Jimmy at a different time. He was the Governor's grandson after all.

“I wanted to do something special,” he rubbed at the back of his neck, his cheeks a little flushed from both the breeze and the way you were looking at him, like he’d hung the moon and the stars. “You deserve it after everythin' we’ve been through.”

Your eyes pricked as they welled up. "Thank you, I don't know what else to say."

“You don’t need to say anythin’,” he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your temple. He then gestured to the door, “shall we?”

You nodded, happily allowing the doorman to open the door for you and take your coat.

The place was packed with people. Couples and gentlemen associates, dining in their best while white gloved waiters carried drinks and foods on silver trays. You suddenly began to feel overwhelmed, like you didn't belong

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jimmy sensed your discomfort, “tonight we’re just another pair of self-indulgent schmucks, same as anyone else in here.”

"Okay," you smiled and the two of you were led to your table, albeit somewhere towards the back, a gentle hand on the small of your spine.

Your chair was pulled out for you as Jimmy waited for you to sit before taking up his chair.

Two glasses of champagne were dropped off at your table immediately, as you took in the scenery.

“So, this is how the other half live.” You giggled, watching the people who occupied the various tables.

“How they exist,” Jimmy shrugged, “money helps, but… it ain’t the most important thing a person can have.”

"Well, what is that, then?" You politely leaned into the table, a playful glint in your eye.

“Health, happiness, a family, someone who makes it all worthwhile.”

"Well, then I'm living like a true debutante already," you winked.

“And I’m the richest man alive,” Jimmy reached for your hand, giving it a squeeze.

The Christmas Eve menu was prefixed and as each course arrived, you ate every bite. The champagne steadily flowed and you found yourself happily balanced with a bright smile, enjoying one of the best nights out you'd ever experienced. You were sad when the time came to leave. Jimmy paid the check and once you’d been helped back into your coat the pair of you stepped back outside.

"Thank you for this, this is probably the best gift outside Cora I've ever been given."

“I just wish I could do it for you more often,” Jimmy’s hand wrapped around yours. “I love you.”

"I don't need a fancy life like that. I wouldn't know what to do!" You leaned into him as the two of you headed down Main towards the center of town where the tree was standing in the middle of the traffic circle.

“Oh, I dunno.” Jimmy chuckled, “sure I could think of a few ways to keep you occupied.”

You gasped, "Jimmy Dobyne, don't be crude."

He laughed, “we’re married, I’m allowed to be.”

You laughed as the pair of you walked. As you neared the tree, you then sighed, "do you ever miss it?" You asked. "The parties, the escortin', being the Governor's grandson in that way?"

“No,” he shook his head, “there’s a lot of expectation, people always watchin’ and judgin’, always wanting to get one better. That life, it’s not for me. It’s an empty existence, I’m far richer with what I have now than I ever was.”

"I love you," you smiled up at him as you stopped to gaze at the tree.

“I love you, more than I can ever begin to explain,” Jimmy looked down at you, “one of my biggest regrets is how I left you that night. Not being there for you when Cora was born, to help you and care for you both. I’d change it all in a heartbeat if I could.”

You gazed into those beautiful blue eyes, "well, you can't change it, but you're gonna get a second chance to do just all that."

He blinked at you, frowning. “A second chance? What…”

"I'm pregnant, Jimmy," you said softly.

For a moment he stood, dumbfounded before his face split into a huge grin, “really? You’re….you’re sure?”

"Mama thinks at least two months, maybe three. I ain't bled in that long."

“Oh, Y/N!” His arms swept you off your feet as he swung you round lightly, pressing a kiss to your lips, “wait till I tell Dad, he’s gonna be over the moon he gets to share it this time too!”

You giggled as he spun you, kissed you.

"Oh, this is the best night," he grinned.

You smiled as he set you down, reaching up to cup his jaw. “Merry Christmas.”

"Merry Christmas, darlin'." He whispered with glistening eyes as little white flakes began to appear in the air and on your coat.

🎄🎄🎄🎄

Day 11: Nick Gant (Push)

#wiypt25daysofchrismas #day 10 #jimmy dobyne #jimmy dobyne x reader #reader insert #chris evans characters

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