#i always forget the address only the cross streets and i have to bounce around street view trying to find it

[havethetimeofyourstyles]

Chapter Three.

a/n: get ready for the yearning in this chapter! also please make sure to reblog to share and leave feedback — it really helps writers continue wanting to post and continue writing.

SERIES MASTERLIST | word count: 8.2k

come talk to me about wtsgd! i’d love to know your thoughts!

April 30, 2017

Luci woke up to loud knocking on her front door, too loud for eight in the morning when she wanted to sleep in. She thought she was dreaming, like someone was knocking directly onto her head, telling her to wake up. But the knocking increased, making her scream into her pillow, getting out of bed. Her pink soft house slippers that Ren made sure she brought so she wouldn’t get her new floors dirty with her outside shoes padded on the wooden floor and towards the entrance, opening the door. 

Once she opened her door, her parents and Nathan were behind it, smiling as they waved their hands into a jazz-like movement. 

“Lulu!” 

“My Lucky!” 

“Ana!” 

Her family charged through her doorway, bringing her into their arms for a family group hug. Luci was wide awake and smiling at the sight and presence of her family. They all eventually let her go to give her individual hugs to have their own moment because they just missed her that much. 

They made their way out of the front entrance and hallway, walking more into her apartment as Ren and Beatrice looked around in awe of how much natural light that was provided. She gave her parents a tour before they all settled into the living room where they had a cup of coffee in to-go cups and ate breakfast sandwiches. 

Luci then told them the events that happened yesterday, minus her unexpected hangout with Harry, and they were furious. All at once, their hearts broke but were quick to ignite with anger. 

“How could she do that?!” Ren had an angry expression on his face, and it was one that she and Nathan had always been afraid of ever since they were younger; it was rare to see their father angry since he was much softer as it would take a lot for him to get him to that state. 

She shrugged her shoulders. “People favor power over fairness these days, or else they’d lose their biggest stars.” Nathan scoffed from the sofa chair next to the couch, but didn’t say anything more. 

It was the harsh truth of showbiz that almost everyone knew—it was a fact; Broadway and Hollywood don’t play fair, it’s obvious they want the best of the best, and if that’s passing up a new talent that could take them to the moon over the seniority of actors who’ve been in the industry for much longer, they’ll take that opportunity. And Luci knew that when she signed up for this. 

Beatrice told Luci that she was sorry this was happening, and they all agreed that whenever her time to perform on stage comes, they’d be there. Luci smiled at her lap, appreciating their support. The Suki family talked for another hour and a half, catching up on the month that passed when they weren’t all together, before they took the subway to the hotel they were staying at to catch their flight out of New York. Luci said her goodbyes to them in front of the hotel, apologizing that they had to come out here for nothing, but they brushed it off, saying that they would do it again just to see her. 

She watched them get into an Uber, waving at her family as they took off down the streets of Manhattan. She took the subway back to Brooklyn as she wrote down a list of what she wanted to do today; find more decorations, clean, eat pizza, and crack a bottle of wine because she damn well needed it. 

It was almost eleven a.m. when she got back to her apartment and decided to get ready for the day. Her throat felt incredibly dry, so she hydrated herself, gulping the liquid down her throat until she heard a knock on her door. Luci furrowed her brows, wondering if it was Nathan or Beatrice behind that door, asking if they’d left their wallet or phone since they were the more forgetful ones in the family, but when she looked around her living room, she didn’t find anything.

A knock on the door was heard and Luci sighed, walking over to open it as she didn’t expect the person behind it. 

“Samuel?” 

“Hey, babe.” A smug smile was present on his face, but a scowl was present on hers, rolling her eyes at the pet name.

“What are you doing here—no, how do you even know where I live?” Luci placed her hand on her hip, a wrinkle in between her eyebrows. 

“Not gonna let me in?” He gave her an amusing smile, and she rolled her eyes, huffing before moving to the side and letting him in. He walked into the main part of the apartment, looking around. 

Luci crossed her arms, trailing behind him. “So, are you gonna answer my question?” 

“I got your address when you texted me to come over that one night, remember?” 

She mentally cursed herself. Her relationship with Samuel had done a complete one-eighty. After the afterparty on opening night, things were very weird between them after she denied his request to have sex with him in the bathroom of the longue. He had avoided her unless it was work related, but even then, he kept the conversation and words to a minimum, adding attitude and rudeness. If she thought things were weird then, it got even weirder the night leading up to when Daisy took her spotlight on stage last night. 

During rehearsals, he’d flirt with Daisy sometimes even kiss her up. Daisy would give Luci a snarky look every time his face was in her neck, biting her skin, and that was when Luci found out the real reason why Daisy despised her. All because of Samuel. All because of a man. The bitter looks didn’t bother Luci and it wasn’t like she was jealous, but it simply confused her because one day he wanted to fuck her and was sweet to her but when she said no, he was rude and would fuck someone else—there was no real type of closure. He probably took her into the bathroom after she left, Luci thought. 

So, she didn’t really care for him anymore because after all, he was just a someone to fuck; all she cared about was why he decided to show up at her apartment unannounced and uninvited. 

“That was a very weak moment for me.” Luci rebutted mockingly; Samuel scoffed and smirked cockily. He leaned against her countertops, and she hated that she still found him attractive because anyone with eyes knew very clearly that he was a very sexy guy, and the worst part was that he knew it too—he knew it very well. “So, tell me what the fuck you’re doing here?” 

“I’m here to tell you that you’re probably not going to perform anytime soon…” he said in a mocking tone, a fake pout on his face as he gave her puppy-dog eyes. 

She scoffed, shaking her head lightly. “Aww, did Daisy tell you to come all the way here and tell me that?” 

“And if she did?” 

“It’s cute that you’re a messenger now. It suits you since you have all this time to waste, like you did mine.” She breathed out a laugh, making him roll his eyes, and it only brought satisfaction to hurt his huge ego. “Well, how about you tell your little Daisy to stop sending people to tell me things because if she had the balls, then she would tell me herself. Plus, you’re wasting your time here to tell me one little thing that doesn’t affect me.” Luci dramatically gasped. “I’m really living in both of your minds rent-free, aren't I?” 

Samuel inhaled heavily, biting back his words as if Luci had offended him, but it would only make sense that he felt that way because of his feelings for Daisy. He headed towards the door with Luci hot on his tail as a way to push him out faster than he came in. 

“Well, I’ll see you Luci—not on stage, but yeah, I’ll see you.” She wasn’t going to lie, but those few words took a dig at her heart; luckily, she’s an actor, so she was able to mask her pain and anger, giving him a scornful smile as she opened the door. Samuel chuckled, not amusingly but in a way that made him think that she was an outright bitch. 

Harry’s door suddenly opened, making him stop in his tracks as he witnessed the interaction happening because it definitely looked like this guy was just leaving her place. Luci’s head turned towards him as her eyes widened slightly; Harry had a weird look on his face, looking back and forth between her and Samuel. 

“Hey, Harry.” Luci broke his train of thought and Harry looked directly at her, smiling slightly. 

“Hi, Luci.” She suddenly felt a wave of nerves wash through her, butterflies erupting in her stomach once he said her name, thinking that he was by far the best person to say it. 

She felt antsy, fiddling with fingers as she started bouncing on the balls of her feet—a habit that she did when she started to feel nervous. Samuel could see straight through her, catching all the signs when she was a bit anxious and he had a feeling that it had something to do with her neighbor. 

Samuel brisked past her, giving her a kiss on the cheek to mess with both of them; Luci’s eyes widened, pulling her face back but it was too late as his lips had already connected with her skin. 

“See you, Luci.” Instead of the cocky smirk he had when he arrived, he had a loving and kind smile as he left because he wasn’t the only actor in the room. 

Once Samuel rounded the corner, Luci looked at Harry and there was a crease in between his brows. 

“I-I, uh, that’s not-”

“No worries. You don’t need to explain to me, honestly.” Harry walked out into the hallway, locking his door before giving her a toothless grin and walking down the hall. 

Luci’s mouth was slightly ajar as she watched him. She closed her door and placed her forehead against it quite harshly, letting out a frustrated groan.

After much sulking, she decided to get on with her day, hoping she can be as productive as she hoped to be. But the thought of if Harry liked her—even as a person or ‘friend,’ if she could call herself that—lingered around in her head; and she doesn’t know why what he thought of her had so much of an affect on her, but it did. Maybe it was because she had a sort of infatuation with her neighbor, or that she couldn’t stop thinking about him and what he was doing across the hall. Whatever it was, she only hoped that he liked her too. 

May 13, 2017 

Quite early, Luci received a phone call from Tal. 

Her phone was buzzing rapidly on her brown wooden nightstand; and in her sleep, she was trying to determine if she had set an alarm the previous night. When she thought she did, she let her phone snooze for ten minutes. But it was certainly not an alarm because just a few seconds after the buzzing stopped, it had started again. 

Grumpy as usual in the morning, she groaned, propping her elbows on her mattress as she pried her eyes open and picked up her phone. When she saw Tal as the caller ID, her brows furrowed in confusion. 

“Hello?” 

“Luci? Luci? Hi, can you hear me?” The gauging sound of the city was heard on the other end of the call, and she could just imagine Tal placing one hand to her ear as she walked through the bustling streets. 

“Yeah, I can. Hi.” Luci’s voice increased, becoming more audible for Tal. 

“Great! So, I’m glad you answered. I know things have been a bit weird lately ever since, y’know…” she said, referring to when Daisy had stolen her spotlight. “But I want to let you know that you’re performing tonight. I’m saying this in a calm manner because I know you know the shit in the show, so I’m not worried about it. But I need you to play Kim tonight.” 

Luci’s breath hitched in her throat as her eyes widened. She was completely speechless and she felt like she was dreaming. But first thing’s first, she needed to know why Tal’s statement at the end was demanding and slightly panicked. 

“What happened to Daisy?” She wondered, sitting up fully on the gray wrinkled sheets from her slumber. 

Tal sighed deeply, perceptible through the chaos of the outside. “Last night, she partied a bit too hard. She’s just getting back to her place, according to Samuel, and she was high off her ass. I don’t need that today, or ever. So, I figured this would be the perfect time for you to step in.” 

“And why me? Why not Wendy?” Luci referred to the understudy for Kim. 

“Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t stick up for you when I should’ve. Daisy has always been…intimidating to me, which is crazy because I run the show, but I should’ve been more stern with her. So, with Daisy out of the picture for today, I want you to perform tonight.” 

Tal genuinely felt guilty that she wasn’t being the stage director that she should’ve been. She let Daisy control some of the show when it should’ve been her to direct everyone. Tal loved her job, she did, but every time she had Daisy as one of the lead characters, she almost dreaded work. She didn’t want to be one of those people who dreaded work because although theatre is stressful at times, it’s also fun and her passion. 

“Okay…” Luci couldn’t hold it in any longer. “I’ll perform tonight.” 

Tal let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much, Luci. I’ll see you at five.” \

“I’ll be there. Bye, Tal.” 

Luci hung up the phone and sat on her bed for what felt like forever, simply gazing into the sheets as she couldn’t believe what had happened. Luci was going to perform tonight; her dream was finally coming true. 

When the realization hit her, the corners of her lips turned up into a bright and excited smile. She laughed and screamed and squealed into her pillow, doing a little mini dance on her bed. Looking at the time, it was nearing eight so she had plenty of time to start her pre-show morning routine. But the first thing that she needed to do was to text her family. 

I’M PERFORMING TONIGHT! 

Instantly, she got responses from them. 

Nathan: REALLY?! I get off work at four, I could take a last minute flight. 

Luci hearted her brother’s message. 

Pa: Luci, I’m so happy for you! Your mother is still asleep but I’ll wake her up and tell her the news. We’ll see what we could do to make it to the show. 

She thanked them, texting that she hoped to see them tonight, but would understand if they couldn’t make it since it was last minute. 

Hopping out of bed, she washed up and changed into her workout clothes to go on a walk and grab a smoothie. It was such a beautiful day out that there were more people out on the streets in the morning than usual as they were basking in the bright sun and lovely weather. 

Once she got back home, she made her favorite breakfast—a bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel with cream cheese; and rehearsed some of the more emotional and dramatic lines, taking notes on which parts needed more depth of emotion. 

The day had gone by relatively fast as she showered, tidied, and packed her belongings; and it was already 3:45, so she headed out the door. 

As Luci was locking up and about to walk down the hall, she looked at Harry’s door. She hadn’t talked to him in about two weeks, since the time he opened his door to Samuel kissing her cheek. She had sort of missed him, and she felt like the event with Samuel had put up a wall; she felt like he was avoiding her.

Thinking back to their conversation at the diner, she remembered that he told her he would be there when it was her time to perform, and she didn’t want to not inform him on that because she had a feeling that he would be disappointed hadn’t he known. 

Bravely, she stood in front of his door and knocked, hoping that he was home because she didn’t have his number to tell him. Luci waited one minute before she knocked again and waited another minute before sighing. Just as she was two feet down the hall, his door suddenly opened, making her turn around quickly. Harry looked out into the hall without taking a step out of his apartment and saw Luci with a tote bag on her shoulder, wearing leggings, a vintage tee with Stevie Nicks printed on it, and a beige cardigan. 

“Luci?” 

She turned around. “Harry, hi. Uh, how are you?” Her attitude had visibly changed and brightened as she was ecstatic to see that he answered the door. His hair was wet, separating the strands of hair into slightly thicker chunks as water droplets lingered at the tips; which explained why he didn’t answer the door right away. 

“Good, good. How are you?” 

“Good—great, actually. I-I’m actually performing tonight and I wanted to tell you that in case you wanted to watch the show.” She suppressed a wide smile, linking his hands together to refrain herself from jumping up and down in excitement. 

Harry raised his brows before the corners of his lips turned upward. “Really?” She nodded. “Luci, that’s amazing!” He exclaimed. 

“Yeah, I’m really excited. I was just called this morning that I was performing tonight, so I’m heading to the theatre right now.” 

“I’m so happy for you. But I, uh, have plans already tonight. I’m sorry,” he said sympathetically. Luci couldn’t deny the ache in her chest when he said that, but she completely understood as it was a last minute decision for her to perform. 

“Oh, no worries. Maybe another time whenever I get to perform again. I’ll let you know?” 

“Yeah, please do.” He nodded. There was a bit of silence after as there was nothing left to say. “Well, uh, good luck out there.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “Maybe we could get some coffee or a smoothie. There’s this really good smoothie place down the street-”

“Brooklyn’s Smoothies?” He asked; Luci nodded. “That’s my go-to smoothie place. But yeah, I’m down for that. Just let me know when.” 

Now, she had another thing she could be excited about: her second hangout with Harry. 

“Great!” She headed towards the hall before she walked back towards him, pulling her phone out. “Here, put your number in—only if you want to.” He chuckled, grabbing her phone as he quickly put his number and name into his phone before handing it back to her. “I’ll text you. Bye, Harry!” She waved as she walked towards the end of the hall; Harry waved back before walking back into his apartment and closing the door. 

Once she was on the subway, she found Harry’s contact, which he named himself ‘Harry (neighbor)’ as if he thought she was going to forget who he was. But it was quite the opposite as he seemed to invade most of her mind as she mindlessly thought about him. She almost always curses herself for being so nervous around him, but that was because he somewhat intimidated her; and that said a lot because she’s very confident in her own skin and rarely finds anyone intimidating. But there was just something about him that made her nervous, and that thought slightly scared her. 

Hi, Harry! It’s Luci, here’s my number. 

She placed her phone face down on her thigh that was relentlessly bouncing before she hit send. Before sending it, she looked over the text, practically overthinking a simple greeting that didn’t need any more thinking. A few minutes later as she was transferring trains and sitting on the blue bench, her phone vibrated. She picked up her phone as the screen lit up; Harry’s message appeared on the screen. 

Hiiii, thank you. Good luck tonight x 

Luci smiled crazily at her phone, putting her chin to her chest as she hid her smile from the many people on the subway with her. She thanked him, and decided to start another conversation after the show so she could tell him how the show went, which was an excuse to text him again. She locked her phone and turned the volume up higher as G Luné played through her Airpods. 

Her cheeks had started to hurt due to the fact that she couldn’t stop smiling, like it was genuinely difficult for her stop. A surge of happiness and relief had washed over her that she felt the happiness line on her chart increase. With a little over two months of living in New York, she had felt like her career was going nowhere when that was the entire reason why she moved there; the whole situation with Daisy had made her life plateaued as her happiness line wasn’t moving upwards. But tonight, it was skyrocketing.

T-minus five minutes until showtime, and Luci was bouncing on the balls of her feet. She started humming and whistling to get her mind off the perturbation that ran along the linings and spaces of her body; it didn’t help that everyone was literally running around, passing by one another through the dark corridor. 

Obviously, everyone knew that it was Luci’s first night performing, so they tried keeping everything light and easy for her, which she appreciated. Once she walked through the doors of backstage, she was immediately greeted with warm and excited smiles—the complete opposite as the last time she walked through the door. Nina squealed and hugged her as they both jumped around in elation; Luci truly missed the first friend she’d ever made on Broadway, and they promised each other that they’d hangout more often outside the theatre. 

After Luci had her hair and makeup done, changed into her costume, and was mic'd up, she was standing on the side of the stage where she could hear the crowd settling into their seats as they talked amongst themselves. Peter, who was playing Chris tonight, stood beside her, rolling his neck in circles and moving his jaw around. She was glad to know that Samuel wasn’t performing tonight because god only knows what he would say to her, only to get inside of her head right before the show. 

She heard the technical and stage crew speak into their headsets, asking if everyone was ready as they counted down from ten. The lights went out, the curtains were pulled to the side, and Luci’s mind went blank as ‘Kim’ took over, completely owning this character because it was fucking showtime. 

After two hours of pouring emotion to give her best act while the spotlight was on her, shining brighter than ever before so she couldn’t see the audience below her, watching intently, her first performance was successfully over. 

She’d earned a majority of standing ovations and was called for another curtain call, where she ran back on stage to overwhelmingly smile brightly, waved, bowed, and blew kisses to the crowd who were whistling and cheering for her wonderful performance. This amazing and exhilarating feeling was something she anticipated, and it did not disappoint; it was a feeling that she wanted to feel every other night. She loved the praise, the cheers, and the claps that were thrown at her so fast that she could cry at how hard the impact was. 

When she left the stage and headed over to the dressing room, her cast members cheered for her as Luci clapped all around the room for everyone’s hard work tonight as well. They all took pictures with one another to share this memorable moment; Luci told everyone to send her the pictures because she wanted to get them framed for her apartment because this moment was definitely frame-worthy. 

When it was time to leave, they all took off their costume and hung it on its rightful rack, and changed into their own clothes before walking out into the lobby where the audience could meet and greet some of the cast. Cheers erupted in the lobby once the cast walked through the doors, and they all smiled, mouthing ‘thank you’ and bowing their heads in appreciation. 

Luci walked through the crowd as they stopped her to tell her that she did an amazing performance; she was grateful and said thank you to everyone she came across. She weaved through the crowd, trying to find Nathan or anyone she could share this moment with; and she was lucky that Nathan was tall because she spotted him instantly. 

When she finally reached him, she was somewhat surprised to see their parents with him because they didn’t mention they were coming tonight, just that they had to see what they could do in order to make it. 

Beatrice was the first one to hug her. “Oh, my Lucky Star. I’m so proud of you!” She hugged Luci tight, swaying to the side. Once her mother let go, she hugged her dad who had the proudest and biggest smile on his face. 

“Lulu, you did amazing up there.” She smiled into Ren’s shoulder, feeling herself tear up from the positive reaction of her performance. 

Nathan was patiently waiting for his hug; and Luci pulled away from her father, giving him a smile before hugging her brother. 

“Ana, you’re so talented.” He squeezed her, patting her back as she always found the action comforting since she was a little girl. Beatrice was taking photos of her kids, tears glossing her eyes at her greatest accomplishments. 

“Thank you for coming. I know you’re tired from work, but thank you for being here anyways.” She could tell that Nathan had just put a long coat over his navy blue scrubs, meaning that he had flown to New York straight from work. 

“No worries. We wouldn’t miss this for anything, honestly.” 

Luci pulled away, smiling as she faced her family. She thanked her parents for coming, still surprised, and they said the same thing Nathan did: that they wouldn’t miss it for the world. 

They took pictures amongst each other, taking a family selfie before Ren had just asked someone nearby to take a proper photo of them. 

“Excuse me? Do you mind taking a picture of us?” The man turned around, making Luci softly gasp. Tonight was just full of surprises because Harry was the one who turned around and nodded, grabbing her mother’s phone to take a picture of her family. 

Harry looked dashingly handsome; he wore black trousers, a baby pink shirt with a black coat over. He held a bouquet of flowers in his arms as he took the picture; and for the life of Luci, she couldn’t dare to stop smiling at him instead of the camera. 

Ren was the first to walk over to him and thanked him, but Harry didn’t walk away, he simply stayed put until Luci walked over towards him. Her parents and brother were looking at each other warily, wondering how Luci knew the man who took their picture. 

“You’re here.” She smiled so brightly as if the spotlight was glued onto her. 

Harry blushed, looking down at his feet before looking back up. “Yeah, I told you I would be here when you were going to perform, right?” Something that she hadn’t witnessed yet until now, that took her by surprise, was the dimple that indented his left cheek, more so than his right cheek. He looked absolutely adorable when he smiled, on top of being handsome; Harry was simply a beautiful man. 

“You did tell me that, I remember.” She couldn’t stop the giddy grin that felt like it was permanently placed on her face because she couldn’t believe that he was here. 

“Oh, these are for you. You did an amazing job—the crowd loved you.” He handed her the mixed bouquet of pink peonies, baby pink roses, white lillies, and baby’s breath wrapped in brown paper. Luci smiled down at the bouquet, admiring how pretty the colors and how well the different flowers looked together. She wondered if Harry picked these out himself; if he individually picked every single flower that was in the bouquet. 

Feeling her face heat up, she unexpectedly leaned in for a hug; and this time, he was ready as he opened his arms and hugged her. He squeezed her tighter than he did when she was crying in his arms, making her heart flutter in her chest. Luci had completely forgotten that her family was behind her until she pulled away. Her eyes slightly widened, knowing that they were most likely enjoying the show that was happening off-stage of her hugging a man they didn’t know. 

“Thank you so much for coming, Harry. It means a lot to me.” He simply nodded. Luci slightly turned her body, presenting herself to her family. “Uh, Harry, this is my family. And this is Harry; he’s my neighbor.” 

Beatrice brows raised, and Luci gave her a knowing look that told her not to say anything weird. 

“Hi, I’m Beatrice, Luci’s mom.” She shook his hand. 

“Hello, I’m Harry. Nice to meet you.” Beatrice turned towards Luci with wide eyes once she heard his accented voice, and she chuckled at her mother’s reaction. 

Ren and Nathan introduced themselves, and they all made conversation quite easily. It was a side that Luci’s never seen of Harry—quite talkative. She wondered if she was the problem as to why he wasn’t so talkative. But she figured that almost everyone wanted to impress and get along with their friend’s parents. 

Once they were finished talking amongst themselves, Beatrice whispered into Ren’s ear and then Nathan’s; and Luci wondered what they could be so secretive about that they couldn’t say it out loud. 

Suddenly, Nathan said, “Well, we’ll see you soon, Ana.” He gave her a quick hug as Luci furrowed her brows, confused. 

“Oh, I thought we could get dinner or something.” It was like her parents didn’t even consider her suggestion as they were hugging her goodbye. 

“I have to get back to Boston, work tomorrow, y’know?” Nathan excuses; Luci nodded, understanding before turning her head towards her parents, seeing which excuse they’ll use since tomorrow was Sunday. 

“Uh, we have a flight to catch—red-eye.” Beatrice spoke up, a little white lie slipping so easily on her tongue. Luci looked at Ren, finding him nodding, warily looking at his wife. 

She could tell, inside and out, that her parents weren’t being truthful because she knew that they’d want to spend every minute with her while they were in the city so they wouldn’t get a red-eye flight on her opening night. Plus, Beatrice had been eyeing her and Harry ever since he introduced himself, so she knew that her family acting weird and how they suddenly had to leave was most likely them wanting Luci to hangout with Harry. 

“Plus, don’t you have an afterparty to go to?” Ren asked. 

“I mean, yeah, but I could always skip it-”

“Now, why would you do that? It’s your opening night; people are gonna be wondering where you are!” Ren did make a point, making Luci mentally agreeing. 

Luci didn’t bother asking any more questions, and decided to let them leave, although she was a bit sad that they had to leave again. They said another round of goodbyes and hugged each other tightly; they planned to come to New York again so they could properly hang out, and Luci said that she’ll see what she could do with going back home to visit. Of course, they didn’t forget to say goodbye to Harry; Ren and Nathan shaking his hand as Beatrice gave him a hug. Luci watched them interact as if he was an old boyfriend or a new boyfriend that they happened to like and adore so much. 

She waved to them as they headed outside the Broadway Theatre doors, and then she was left with Harry. He shyly smiled at her, and Luci hugged the bouquet of flowers tightly to her chest. 

“Uh, would you like to go to the afterparty with me?” She asked. 

Luci watched as Harry considered the invitation in his head. There were two options that he was debating from: go home and have a boring night in, or go to an afterparty with his insanely beautiful neighbor that he was slowly but surely taking a liking to. He realized that wasn’t such a difficult decision after all, so he chose the latter. 

“I’d love to.” 

The entire cast settled into the same lounge that held their very first afterparty. The lounge apparently didn’t mind since everyone contributed to buying lots of alcohol, so they obviously wouldn’t pass up the opportunity of business. 

Luci introduced Harry to the cast who decided to show up, and she was happy that they were very friendly and welcoming to him because the last thing she wanted was awkward tension between her neighbor and coworkers. She wished Nina had gone to the after party because Luci knew that she would get excited about the neighbor she’s crushing on. 

Luci and Harry decided to pace themselves with the drinks as they didn’t take the shots that were given to them at the same time as the rest; instead, they nursed and sipped their drinks. They were towards the end of the circle, in their own world as they talked to one another. Luci was happy they were getting to know each other better, but she figured that was the help and magic of what alcohol did. They told each other childhood stories that made each other laugh, increasing the buzz going on inside their heads. 

Harry had an additional glow to him when he was tipsy, and Luci thought it was the cutest thing ever. He was very touchy—placing a hand on her arm, shoulder, or knee at any given moment—and his laugh was contagious as it was loud and he threw his head back. It was a side that pleasantly took her by surprise, and she hoped that as they continued talking and hanging out, this side of him comes out more when they’re sober and comfortable with one another. 

“Can I ask why your brother calls you Ana?” He wondered, asking at the same time Luci was taking a sip of her drink. 

She nodded. “Yeah. So, Nathan is five years older than I am, and my mom and dad said when he was five, he still had a hard time speaking, like he’d babble and seem to talk gibberish. Anyways, when I was born, my parents were trying to get him to say my name, but couldn’t pick up on the first part of it; he started out with ‘An,’ but eventually picked up ‘Ana.’ And since then, it just seemed to stick—he’s the only one who calls me that and would personally get offended if someone else called me that.” She ended with a chuckle and a sip of her shot. 

“What’s your full name?” 

“Luciana Ivy Suki.” She said slow and a bit sultry, which she hadn’t meant to. The dark light and booze didn’t help that she felt a bit sexy. 

Harry smirked slightly. “Luciana.” He stated as if he was testing how it sounded and felt on the tongue. Luci felt a chill run down her body, making her skin prickle from the goosebumps. 

If she was starting to melt from the sound of her nickname from his lips, the sound of her full name had completely liquified her. 

After an hour, the two moved to the bar, completely forgetting that they were with the cast. Luci suggested getting more drinks for them, and Harry told her that he’d come with. He said something along the lines of “don’t want to miss a moment hanging out with you,” and Luci swore that her heart was becoming a butterfly’s nest as it sank down to her stomach and made her smile. 

“It’s genuinely insane how talented you are, like I was nearly crying by the end of the show!” He complimented, sipping on a Pomegranate Paloma through a thin black straw. Harry was genuinely so amazed as he watched Luci act, alas he was near the rear mezzanine, which was towards the back, he was still blown away by the entire production, especially Luci’s talents. 

“That’s so sweet. Thank you, Harry.” She smiled down at her Royal Manhattan, swirling the drink around in its glass. She was used to taking compliments about her acting and talent, but when Harry complimented her, it made her insides jittery and her face heat up; she felt so honored that Harry was praising her for her talents. 

“Now, can I ask…I thought you had plans tonight. What happened to that?” She wondered. 

Harry blushed, nervously chuckling. “Uh, I canceled them.” 

Her eyes widened. “W-Was it anything serious?” 

“It was a date that my friend, Jeff, set me up with but I wasn’t all that interested in the first place. 

She pouted. “Harry, I feel bad.” 

“Don’t be. I wanted to be here.” She smiled at that, looking at the contents inside of her glass. 

“I’m really glad you’re here.” She reciprocated the thought, clinking her glass with his as they both sipped their drinks. 

After another hour, the cast was lessening one by one, calling it a night as they said their goodbyes to Luci and Harry. She hadn’t realized how quickly time had gone by until the bartender of the lounge had told them that they were closing in a few minutes. Luci looked at her phone as the time read 12:55 a.m., which her and Harry laughed about because they were both in shock about the night being so late already. So, they left the lounge, not before generously tipping the bartender $40 each and gathered their belongings; Luci made sure to not forget the beautiful flowers Harry gave her. 

Neither of them felt like they were sober enough to get on the subway themselves, knowing they would probably get on the wrong one or fall asleep and end up somewhere else. So, they decided on an Uber, seeming as that was the most responsible and safest option there was. 

Luci got inside the black Honda, saying ‘hi’ to their driver. The entire ride back to Brooklyn was quiet, only the soft breaths they both exhaled and the pounding of their hearts. Harry felt himself getting sleepier, and unexpectedly resting his head against Luci’s shoulder. She tensed up at first, not expecting the action, but she welcomed it, placing her head on top of his. They both watched the city through the car window as it disappeared from their sight once they were in Brooklyn. 

Once they were in front of their apartment complex, Harry offered her his arm and she looped her arm through his, leaning into his side as he guided her to the elevator. He leaned against the corner of the elevator with Luci pressed up against his side with her arms still around his, and he looked down to see her eyes closed. He softly smiled, moving the strand of hair that had fallen in the middle of her face to the side. 

The loud Ding! of the elevator seemed to wake Luci up as she startled awake, making Harry chuckle. They walked down the hall and towards their door; Harry occasionally had to tell Luci to keep quiet as she was singing ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls, but Harry couldn’t help but join in. 

When they got to their doors, as usual, they unlocked and opened it; but they didn’t immediately go inside their apartments. Instead, they turned around to face each other; both of their eyes droopy from the slight buzz that was still in their system. 

Luci smiled before leaning in to hug him. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as his arms went around her waist. The hug was sweet and warm as it definitely fed to the touchy-feely side of their buzz. 

When they pulled away, Luci leaned up to boldly plant a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for being here, Harry. Shall we hang out next week?” Harry nodded, not trusting his voice to say anything as his heart erupted into flames. She gave him a smile as he was frozen from the chaste kiss; and Luci walked into her apartment, waving at him before she closed the door. 

Harry was out in the hallway, stunned as he blushed from the small kiss she had left on his cheek; and it was something he was going to be dreaming of until he wakes up, only to think about it over and over again. 

Harry was cooking breakfast when he heard relentless knocking on his front door. He peeked his head out from the kitchen to look at the door, like that would tell him who was behind it, as he was whisking some eggs in a white glass bowl. Setting the bowl down, he walked over to the door and opened it. 

To his surprise, Luci was behind it as tears streamed down her face with her phone in her hand; she was in her soft blue pajama pants with a black hoodie over, and despite her recent state, Harry thought she looked absolutely adorable and cuddly. But he pushed that thought to the side; immediately, Harry was concerned. His eyes widened and his protective side turned on, thinking he was going to lose his shit on whoever caused this poor girl to cry. 

“I-I’m sorry. I just…” she hiccupped, and Harry took her into his arms. He was slightly confused about what had happened during the six hours he’d last seen her—when they were coming home from the lounge. He still couldn’t get that kiss out of his head; in fact, it was difficult for him to sleep because he kept reiterating it in his head.

He pulled her into his apartment, closing the door as he sat her down on his brown leather couch. She cried into his shoulder as she passed him her phone that was unlocked on an article. He grabbed it, not letting go of her while he rubbed her arm. 

The article read on the bright screen read: 

Miss Saigon or Miss No-BE GONE! 

Just twelve hours ago, I went to see the show ‘Miss Saigon; for the second time. The first time I went to see it was last month when Broadway star royalty, Ms. Daisy Beck, was playing the role of ‘Kim.’ With its amazing cast, production set, and story-telling, I knew I needed to see the play again. 

My hopes and dreams were crushed when I didn’t see Ms. Beck on stage, but instead, a newbie Broadway actress known as Luciana Suki. Before writing this review, I did some research on her to my very best ability because she’s practically a nobody in this business, and found out that she had been in several commercials since she was a child (great another child actor) and has been on Off-Broadway, which definitely explains the acting! At least give a man a warning before I decide to put up with a shit-show of a performance. I couldn’t even stay for the entire show because it was completely horrifying to see injustice served to Kim and a downgrade from Daisy Beck. 

I tried, I really tried; but I left during intermission. Luciana Suki is not meant to be playing the part of Kim—almost everyone agrees. There was no connection, no emotion to the character, and it was a poorly done job in Luciana’s part and the casting. 

It’s Daisy Beck or no production. Simple as that, or else, the show will lose its audience and precious money that they wasted on paying Luciana Suki. 

Harry sighed, balling his hands up into fists as he locked her phone and set it aside. How could anybody be so cruel? He understood the importance of critics to the theatre, but to outright insult and humiliate someone wasn’t even critical—it’s being straight up rude. 

Once Luci was ready and had somewhat calmed down, she pulled away from Harry’s embrace, looking at him. Poor Luci’s eyes were swollen and her eyes were red from the crying, and she was a sniffling mess. Harry quickly grabbed her a few tissues to dry her tears, and she blew her nose into the soft cotton paper, not really caring how unattractive she thought it was. 

“That article was written by Adam West—the most important critic in Broadway.” She wiped the snot under her nose. “H-He practically just ruined my career and any chances I have on Broadway ever again.” Luci sobbed as it was difficult for her to accept the fact that she may never act ever again because of a senior journalist. Her chest hurt and her eyes started to become sore from the amount of times she squeezed them shut, freeing her tears. 

“No, come here.” Harry’s heart ached for her, and he couldn’t imagine what she must be going through when that article was directly made towards her. He pulled her in for another hug, and she softly cried against his chest, staining his white t-shirt with her tears, but he couldn’t care less. “You’re insanely talented—critics or no critics—no one could deny your talent. What he said was unprofessional and poorly written, and that’s coming from an English major and a teacher. Now, I’m sure that you know you’re extremely gifted and you’ve worked hard to get to where you are. So, don’t let him get to you because almost everyone loved your performance last night.” 

Harry reassured her quite well that Luci had calmed down; it helped that the vibrations from his chest to her ear as he talked had soothed her—it was quite relaxing. She pulled away again, looking at him through glassy eyes as another tear threatened to fall. He placed his palms against her cheeks, taking his thumbs and running it across her skin to wipe her tears away. 

“Would you like some French Toast? Heard it’s a comfort-food, but I may be wrong. Maybe I’m being biased because I think my recipe is good.” He tried lightening up her mood, and it’d definitely worked because she breathed out a chuckle and nodded. 

“I’m not intruding, right?” He shook his head. “No significant other to get mad at me and throw me out?” She slyly asked as she had been wondering if he had someone. Plus, she was still wondering about the red-hair woman who frantically left his apartment. 

“Nope.” 

“The…red-haired girl. You’re not with her?” 

Harry smirked as he definitely indulged into the slightly jealous feeling that Luci was portraying. “No, we’re not dating. She’s just a friend.” He chuckled. “What about you? Someone I should be worried about?” He stirred the topic towards her as curiosity also got the best of him. 

“Nope.” She answered the same way he did. “Do you make out with all of your friends? Noticed her lipstick was a bit smeared off.” Luci knew later on that she would regret opening her mouth and spewing out those particular choice of words. Her tone also seemed a bit jealous, and she had no right to be, but her crush on Harry was quickly increasing. 

“I mean, some of them; when the time comes.” He somewhat joked. 

“Would you make out with me?” Luci spat out, but quickly slapped her palm against her mouth, eyes widening. Her mind was speaking for herself as she’d been dreaming of the way Harry’s pink lips felt against her mouth and other places she wouldn’t dare speak aloud. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why-”

“Yeah, I would,” he responded honestly. This was the most honest and straight-forward he’d ever been, which only occurs every few months, so it was time to close that window again and wait for it to open. But he also couldn’t deny his attraction to her, like it was difficult to not be so enticed with her. He felt at complete ease with her, and it felt incredibly easy to talk to Luci and be open. “So, the French Toast?” He changed the subject, walking over to the kitchen, leaving Luci glued to her seat on the couch. 

Astonished by his words, she was extra shocked that he was so quick to move on from his response. But she was glad to know that he would want to kiss her, maybe, some time in the future; but the thought made her giddy because she undeniably wanted to kiss him too.

come talk to me about your favorite moments and scenes, and your thoughts and feelings! thank you for reading <3 next chapter will be posted next saturday! 

#harry styles fanfiction #harry styles au #harry styles angst #harry styles smut #harry styles fluff #harry styles x ofc #harry styles ff #harry styles fanfic #harry styles series #harry styles writing #teacher!harry #boyfriend!harry #actress!oc

[that-random-one]

I'm Lost... Again

Todoroki Shouto x Reader

Warnings: Swearing, Reader has a terrible sense of direction

Date Posted: 2/22/21

A/N: When I was writing this I didn't know where it was going with it. I meant for this to be angst or something because I was feeling angsty and then I ended up with this. I also meant for this to be shorter, but my fingers said no. I have no fucking idea how to write proposals either so that part ended up shitty and too cheesy for my taste, but my brain said no to different ideas so it's staying there.

It was your and Shouto's anniversary. It has been 4 years since you started dating and it's been a little over 5 years when the both of you met.

You met at the Hero Gala when your mentor, Hawks, introduced you to him. He was a sidekick of Endeavor's at the time. You were only 19 years old when you were introduced, roughly half a year out of Shiketsu High. Shouto, being a year older than you, was 20 when you met. You frequently saw him on the news and always thought that his quirk was cool.

After the Hero Gala, you ended up seeing more of him for some reason. Hawks and Endeavor worked together often, so you constantly saw him on missions. Sometimes your patrol routes would cross each other too. Occasionally, you trained together when either Hawks or Endeavor had to talk to each other for something and had to go to the other's agency. Somehow one of you was dragged along or willingly went. Either way, you ended up seeing each other and decided to train together to pass time.

About a year of this went on and you both grew undeniably closer to each other. Eventually, Shouto asked you out while you were training together. You were surprised and ended up getting frozen by Shouto's quirk. After he defrosted you, you said yes.

Throughout your 4 years together you told each other an unmeasurable amount of I love you's, moved in together, and have had plenty of interrupted dates because of the duties of being pro heroes.

You also can't forget the many fights you've had with each other. They reach from play fights about your terrible sense of direction or Shouto's terrible theories to small fights that could be easily fixed with an 'I'm sorry' and an 'I love you', or to that single big fight you've had where you almost left him. Shouto quickly chased after you when you slammed the front door closed with tears streaming down your face. That fight took a bit more to fix than an 'I'm sorry' and an 'I love you.

Throughout your entire relationship, Shouto never regretted chasing you when you left through that door. He has never regretted being with you. He never thought that it was possible to love someone this much. That's why he planned something special for your 4th anniversary.

Shouto asked Midoriya and Uraraka for help setting everything up. Uraraka was a big help with making sure everything looked perfect. She was also a good second opinion on confirming if you were to like something or not.

It's not that Shouto didn't know if you liked something or not, he just wanted everything to be perfect for you. Asking the female that just so happens to be your best friend seemed like a favorable person to ask for a second opinion.

With the help from the other two everything was ready before he knew it.

"Wow. It looks so beautiful." Uraraka took in the sight that they all put hard work into.

"It does. I bet Y/n is going to love it!" Midoriya enthusiastically said with a big smile on his face, clearly proud of what he helped do.

"Yeah, I think they will." A small smile taking place on Shouto's face. His stomach filled with butterflies, anxious for your reaction even though he's sure you'll love it.

~~~~~~~

You were supposed to meet Shouto two hours ago for the night he had planned. You ended up getting lost though. You were currently driving on a road that you have no idea where it leads.

You have no idea how you got here. Shouto gave you the address that you were supposed to meet at. You put the address into the GPS, doubled no, tripled checked that it was correct, and began driving.

You ended up taking a left instead of a right, then a right instead of a left. You took a bunch of more wrong turns and the poor GPS couldn't keep up with your constant turning and froze.

You pulled over and put your head on the steering wheel for a while. When you had enough self-pity you sat up straight again and looked at the time. Shit. An hour and a half have passed. You were late. Very late.

"I swear I wasn't driving around that long. Shouto's gonna kill me." You muttered to yourself and put your head on the steering wheel again. "Okay. I'll just retrace my steps- turns? Whatever. I'll make my way back home then retry and not get lost again. Yeah, a great idea."

You looked to make sure no one was coming in either direction. When it was clear you made a U-turn.

"Ok, so I turned left to get on this street. That means I need to turn right. Wait, fuck which way is left and right." You quickly held up your fingers to make L's. "Nope, that's wrong. I need to turn left."

You kept on driving straight, looking for a road on the left. One problem, there were so many left turns and you didn't know which one you came out of.

"Shit. Going left brings me closer either way right?" You turned left on a road you randomly picked. "Ok, I went another left next, right? Fuck I can't remember. I should have stayed where I was."

You take another left hoping that you would see something familiar. Your hopes soon got crushed. You looked at the time. It's been another half hour.

"Fuck."

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Shouto was sitting at a nearby bench to where you were supposed to meet, his leg bouncing up and down at a concerning speed. He knew you had the day off. He knew you would finish everything you needed to do today hours before the arranged time. So where were you?

A lump caught in his throat as his mind wandered. Did you stand him up? Were you done with him? Did you not love him anymore?

He shook his head as if to rid himself from those thoughts. No, Y/n isn't like that. They wouldn't do that…, right? He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the ground. You idiot. This is Y/n we're talking about here.

Even though he kept trying to reassure himself, that you weren't standing him up, that you still loved him. He couldn't stop the burning he was feeling behind his eyes. All of his insecurities reaching the surface.

He looked back up, taking in the view in front of him. He was sitting on a cliff that overlooked the water, a beach to the right of it. All of the surrounding trees had fairy lights around them, multiple strings of lights connecting each tree.

The sun had long past set. A sunset you were supposed to watch together while you had dinner and talked of everything and nothing. Just enjoying each other's presence since your jobs have been more demanding than usual and you've barely had any time together lately. The moon was shining on the water, making it glitter. The only light around was coming from the fairy lights.

He stood up from his seat on the bench and lifted his arms above his head, stretching. He walked to the edge of the cliff and stood at the edge. He gazed at the sight and took in a deep breath, the wind ruffling his red and white hair. The air was much fresher here than in the city.

He then felt his phone buzz in his pocket, disrupting the peaceful silence. Someone was calling him, but he didn't feel like picking it up. He let the call go to voicemail.

It started to buzz again, signaling another call. He sighed out of annoyance, what the hell was so important that they couldn't leave a voicemail or text. It was his day off anyway, it's his time to relax. He fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at who was calling.

It was you. A picture he took of you laughing when the both of you went to a cafe for a date. When you saw it you scrunched your nose up in disgust, but let him keep it since he said it made him happy to see you laughing.

Before he could answer the phone and demand answers to where you are and what's so important that you stood him up, the call went to voicemail. He unlocked his phone and went to his contacts. He found your contact and just as he was about to hit the call button you called him first. He quickly picked up and instantly started talking, not allowing you to say anything.

"Where the hell are you? What's so important that you had to stand me up? Are you…" He paused, a lump in his throat but forced the words out. "Are you with someone?"

~~~7 minutes earlier~~~

"I have no idea where I am. I'm completely fucking lost. I am now hitting the 3-hour mark of being late." You laughed out. Half of you were surprised because you didn't expect to get this lost. The other half of you honestly expected this considering your terrible sense of direction that no GPS could help you with.

You give up, screw your pride. You need fucking help finding your way to where Shouto is, or your home at least. You pulled over and turned off the ignition.

You grabbed your phone out of your pocket and turned it on. You were immediately greeted with a picture of you and your friends. You smiled at the memory of going to the park and goofing off with all of them.

You unlocked your phone and saw the picture you took of Shouto when he was sleeping. He looked so peaceful and cute that you couldn't help it.

You went to your contacts and found Shouto's contact. You clicked the call button and held the phone up to your ear, waiting for him to pick it up. After what seemed like forever the call went to his voicemail. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

You called again only to end up with the same result. You decided that the third time's the charm and if he didn't pick up you would call someone else for help. You clicked the call button and held the phone up to your ear one more time.

Almost immediately Shouto picked up. You were about to greet him when you were attacked with questions. "Where are you? What's so important that you had to stand me up? Are you…" He paused, you could tell from his voice that he was upset. You waited for him to finish his last question. A sudden feeling of dread filled you. Nothing could prevent the shock you felt with his next question and how soft and hurt his voice sounded whispering it. "Are you with someone else?"

"What?" That is all you could manage out due to your shock.

"Are you with someone else?" His voice was louder but just as hurt.

"No! No, Shouto why would you ever think that?" You heard him let out a breath of air out of relief.

"I'm sorry. It's just that it's been 3 hours since you were supposed to be here. I assumed the worst and forgot it was you. You would never do that." You let out a small chuckle. "Um… where are you anyway?"

"Oh. Um…" You cleared your throat as you felt your cheeks heat up out of embarrassment. "I don't know."

This utterly confused Shouto. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I may be lost. Again."

Shouto laughed, feeling like an idiot about forgetting your awful sense of direction, and assumed everything but that. He started walking towards his car. "What street are you on? I'll come to find you."

"Uhh… I'm on Willow and 3rd." You took another look at the signs in front of you to make sure you read them correctly.

~~~~~~~

"Wow. It's beautiful." You took in the view in front of you. You walked to the edge of the cliff, taking in all of your surroundings.

"I had help from Midoriya and Uraraka." Shouto felt around in his pocket for the small black velvet box he had in it. When he found it he pulled it out and opened it, the piece of jewelry shining in the moonlight. He got down on one knee. His heart was beating so fast, it was like it was determined to burst right out of Shouto's chest.

"We'll have to thank them later. The air is so fresh here. It's nice." You turned around and your breath hitched in your throat.

"Y/n, I love you so much that the word can't come close to how I feel. I love you so much that it hurts." You felt tears well up in your eyes and your heart start to beat faster. " I want to have to find you whenever you get lost forever. I want to have our movie nights and cooking together forever. I want to fall asleep in each other's arms forever. I want to wake up to your beautiful face forever. I want memories of you, of us, forever. Y/n, I want you forever. Will you marry me?"

A few tears escaped your eyes. "You just need the unicorn and 6 years old me would be shrieking yes." That did not help Shouto's nerves. Was that a yes or a no? Shouto's expression must have shown his confusion because you were giggling. "It's a yes, Shouto."

Shouto took the ring out of the box and took your left hand. He slid it onto your ring finger, letting go of your hand as stood up. He then placed a hand on the back of your neck and gently slotted his lips against yours. You kissed him back until you both ran out of air.

"I love you."

"I want my unicorn before I tell you those words again." You teased him.

"Unicorns don't exist though." His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as to how he could get a unicorn.

You giggled, "I love you too, Todoroki Shouto."

#Lowkey I have terrible sense of direction too #thats why I only go to places I actually know #Ngl at first I did not understand why people loved this man😃 #He slowly grew on me though😭 #todoroki x reader #todoroki x y/n #todoroki x you #todoroki shouto x y/n #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki shouto x you #bnha x y/n #bnha x you #bnha x reader #mha x you #mha x y/n #mha x reader #todoroki shouto #bnha #mha

[themidnight-ghost]

If we had 5 more minutes

Kate Fleming moves in with Jo Davidson under witness protection. Feelings are discovered, they get a dog, host Jo's first (proper) Christmas, and Kate finally realises what it's like to truly love someone. 

“You can live the life you should have lived. Be free to be the person that you really are.”

“Where do you plan on going next?” Steve took another sip of his beer; god knows what was going on in his friend’s mind. Kate Fleming had been confused ever since she met the infamous Jo Davidson, and after the conversation they just had, he knew Kate would be crazy to let her go.

“Home, probably.”

Steve could hear the uncertainty in Kate’s voice, and he placed a reassuring hand atop of hers, “If you want her, go get her, mate.”

“I’m afraid.” Kate ducked her head, “I know she has witness protection, but something tells me it won’t be enough. I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“Follow your heart. If I deserve a shot, so do you.” He gestured to the harsh autumn air drifting through the slit in the doorway. Kate felt like it was calling her. She knew exactly where she wanted to go and who she needed to see, “I’ll text you.”

Steve Arnott smiled as he watched his best friend grab her jacket and flag down a taxi, “I know you will.”

By the time Kate arrived at Jo’s safe house, it was already 3 am. She felt terrible leaving the woman alone after everything that had happened, but who could really blame her. After knocking on the door 6 times, doubt started to rise in the DI’s chest. What if Jo had forgotten about her? What if she was asleep? What if something terrible had happened?

Fleming knocked again, this time with more urgency.

“Jo? It’s me, Kate. Can you open the door?” After no answer, Kate started becoming illogical. She was never a rational person, often acting on impulse and facing the consequences. It never even occurred to her that Jo could’ve been in the shower. Kate automatically presumed the worst and started looking for a way to scale the building.

Using her detective skills, Kate located a web of ivy stretching up the side of the house. She tugged on it gently at first, then with a little more force before pulling herself up, gasping slightly as a branch gave way but continued to climb, unaware of the approaching figure.

“I didn’t know you have a double life.” A tired Scottish accent echoed through their street, and Kate almost lost her footing, “You look like you’re about to rob me.”  

Thankful that the darkness hid her reddening cheeks, Kate began to make her way down to the former DCI who wore matching sweatpants and sweatshirt.

“Then again, I wouldn’t expect anything less from the woman who saved my life.” Jo twiddled her fingers as Kate approached, not wanting to cross a line.

“It was nothing, don’t worry about it.”

It wasn’t nothing.

Kate still remembered when Steve pulled over the van, how she froze after seeing Jo in such a dangerous position. The DI wanted to say something when they switched places, caress her hand as a sign of good luck, kiss her goodbye or reassure her that everything would be okay. Instead, she waited in silence as Jo was taken away from her yet again.

Unable to take the stillness, Kate spoke again, “How are you feeling?”

“I can’t sleep,” Jo admitted with a sad smile, “I’m constantly locking my doors, checking behind me and closing curtains. I want it to end, Kate.”

The DI wasn’t ready for such an honest confession, but she presumed it was because Jo had nothing left to lose - everything she had was now lost or a lie.

Kate automatically stepped forward, “It will end. The Gaffer’s picked out a place for you, somewhere in the country but still close to this place. You’ll be under witness protection. It’s like I said: you can live the life you should’ve lived.”

“Alone?” Jo’s accent was unusually weak. Alone was the harsh reality Jo didn’t want to admit true. She wanted nothing more but for Kate to come with her and live out a life together free of AC-12 and the OCG, but both women knew that wouldn’t be possible. Kate had a son and her job. Besides, Jo wasn’t worth loving.

Kate Fleming felt the same way. Every instinct in the DI’s body was begging to run to the smaller woman and hold her tightly in her arms, never letting go. It wouldn’t be practical. No one was supposed to know about Jo’s location, not even Hastings.  

“I’m sorry, Kate. Forget it; I’m the last person you’d want to be stuck with.”

Jo clearly still felt guilty about leading Kate to her death, but all of that was in the past. Kate didn’t care, and driving off into the night regardless of previous events was the best decision Kate had ever made.

“Jo, wait.” The DI instinctively grabbed the smaller woman’s wrist, stopping her from leaving, “Hear me out. I’ve never considered myself as anything other than straight, but that’s changed.”

Jo liked how Kate’s hand felt, securely wrapped around her wrist and never letting go. It felt safe like nothing can hurt her anymore.

“Christ, I’ve never been good at wording things or forming sentences, but I’ve never felt this way before, and I feel like a child.”

It only just occurred to Jo that this could be a confession.

“You’re so perfect. And even with everything you have going on, you’re still perfect even if you don’t think it now. And in the un-weirdest way possible, I want to follow you.” gentle drops of rain fell from the sky, “I want to follow you to the country, to England, to France, to wherever. Just so I can be with you. And I feel guilty that it took me this long to tell you because if something, anything happened in that prison, I don’t know what I’d do.”

At first, Jo thought this was a sick joke set up by AC-12 to get revenge, but the only thing in Kate’s eyes was honesty.

“You mean that?” The former DCI mentally cursed at her answer.

Taking both of Jo’s hands, Kate pulled her close.

“Of course I mean that. I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.” Something clicked, “I’m going to do everything I can to go home with you.”

And for the first time in ages, Joanne Davidson smiled. Too absorbed in the DI’s presence to consider anything else, she hesitantly cupped Kate’s face, pressing their foreheads together in the rain.

“Come home with me, Kate.”

☁️ ------------------- ☁️

Even though Kate doubted witness protection, she’d pulled a couple of strings that allowed her to move in with Jo. Initially, Kate had used Jo’s history with the OCG to convince AC-12 to let her move in, but as more truths became unearthed, Kate outed herself to Carmichael and was given the nod of approval.

It wasn’t the way Kate wanted it to go, but it still worked, and the DI wasn’t complaining. She still kept her job, her best friend, all whilst getting to live with the woman she... loved? Kate was still wavering about that word.

“I didn’t think it would be this big,” Jo spoke over the radio as the pair pulled into the driveway of a rural cottage.

Kate smirked, “Only the best for the best.”

Matching Kate’s humorous tone, Jo pointed to the ivy snaking up the trellis.

“Just in case you feel like climbing into the house again.”

“I was worried, yeah?” Kate gently nudged the smaller woman in the passenger seat, “Besides, I didn’t feel like waiting around all night.”

“Thank you, Kate.” Jo took the DI’s hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, “For everything.”

“You really need to stop thanking me for everything. Give yourself some credit, Jo.”

“Let’s not go there just yet.” Jo unlocked the car door, becoming Kate to follow.

The DI knew Joanne still had problems with her role in their relationship. She believed that everything she did was selfish and wrong, refusing to see the good aspects like when they got drinks together or walked back to Kate’s drunk and free. Free from AC-12 and the worries of life outside and inside of work. When they walked hand-in-hand, looking at the moon whilst convincing themselves this was a totally platonic thing. Jo was yet to know that she helped Kate discover who she truly was and where she belonged.

Unlocking the little red door, Jo’s mind started to buzz. What colour would the walls be? Where would the kitchen go? Is the wall big enough for a tapestry?

“It’s a tad… plain,” Kate commented.

“That’s the point!” Jo enthusiastically hugged the DI, “We get to choose how to live. For once, we are in control.”

Witnessing Jo so excited made Kate’s heart flutter. Consumed by euphoria, Kate picked up her lover and spun her around in their new living room, their laughter bouncing off the walls and filling the space.

The pair ended by facing each other, breathing heavily through bubbles of laughter.

“What colour should the kitchen be?”

“Green,” Jo tucked a strand of hair behind Kate’s ear, “With a gold tint.”

Kate smiled at Jo’s newfound confidence, “Sound good, boss. Ever thought of getting a dog?”

“Please, Kate,” Jo became solemn, “You don’t need to call me boss anymore.”

Kate took her hand, “But, I thought that was our thing? If you want me to stop, I will.”

Jo inhaled deeply. There are certain things she didn’t want to address, especially after the moment they just experienced. That being said, Joanne Davidson knew the key to any healthy relationship was communication.

“Can we just start again?” Jo fiddled with her fingers, something she always did when anxious, “I don’t want to remember what I put you through or the pain you faced because of my mistakes.”

“I’m sorry, Jo, but I don’t want to start again.” Kate touched the older woman’s shoulder, “Those experiences, they make us who we are; it’s why we’re so close. The universal experience we share with AC-12 and the OCG: it’s us, and I don’t want to forget that.”

Witnessing the walls of Jo’s mental castle crumbling, Kate continued.

“You made mistakes, we all do. It’s what makes us human. We learn from them, adapt, overcome, and that isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Even if forgetting was possible, we can’t pick and choose to get rid of the bad and keep the good. You must find good in the experience. To me, that good is you, Jo.”

Jo buried her head into the crook of Kate’s neck, “I don’t deserve you.”

“I could say the same.”

The pair stayed like that for what seemed like hours. Jo cried it out into Kate’s chest, gripping her shirt as the DI whispered honest words of comfort.

☁️ ------------------- ☁️

After adjusting to their new life, the couple decided to take that exciting yet predictable step and get a dog. It was something Kate Fleming had wanted to do for a long time, and Jo was in no place to stop her. The agreement was that if Jo designed the house, Kate could design the dog… or something as such.

After rolling down the windows, taking many wrong turns and singing Taylor Swift at the top of their lungs, the couple eventually reached the pet shelter.

They held hands as they walked through the kennels.

“What are you looking for, Kate?”

The DI hesitated, spoilt for choice, “Something with personality and spirit.”

“Sounds like a tough one-”

“Christ, what the hell is that!” Kate abruptly pulled away, running over to one of the kennels, “It’s some sort of hairless rat.”

Jo tried her best not to laugh at her girlfriend’s antics, “Kate, you can’t just say that. You’ll hurt its feelings!”

The DI kneeled over in a fit of laughter as the hairless rat-dog chirped towards them, and this time it was Jo’s turn to laugh at the little dog as it spun sporadically in circles.

“Look at the tufts of hair poking from its chin!” Kate mocked before focusing her attention elsewhere, “What have you seen?”

Jo wordlessly pointed to the kennel housing a golden labrador. His eyes were kind and gentle, and he greeted them with a waggy tail. Both women crouched by the glass, Kate resting a hand on Jo’s shoulder for support as the former DCI pressed the palm of her hand against the kennel bars. The dog was cautious at first but started licking Jo’s palm delicately.

“He reminds me of myself,” Jo murmured, and Kate wanted her to continue. The DI never expected Jo to relate to a dog. A hawk maybe but never a dog, “In prison, I mean.”

“He reminds me more of Steve; look at his mug.” The quip Kate made to lighten the mood worked, and soon the couple had signed the papers and were driving back home to Taylor Swift, Steve the dog accompanying them in the back seat.

Jo’s first rule was that Steve wasn’t allowed on the bed. The second was that he couldn’t chew anything of value in the house. Unfortunately for Jo, Steve and Kate ignored both of them.

It started when Kate heard Steve crying in his bed, so she naturally felt sorry for the animal and brought him upstairs to sleep with the couple. All was going well until Steve the dog slotted himself between the pair, separating them for the entire night.

“Come on, mate,” Kate whispered as she pulled the dog back, “I’ve spent enough time without her already.”

After about 10 minutes of trying to move the labrador, Joanne Davidson’s tired voice muffled into the pillow: “I told you the dog shouldn’t be allowed on the bed, Kate.” The DI knew Jo was smirking from how she said her name and decided to get her own back. She refused to spend any more nights without Jo wrapped in her arms.

Climbing past Steve the dog and over the blankets, Kate adjusted herself in the darkness, so she was lying comfortably on Jo’s back. Rolling her eyes, Jo shuffled upwards, letting the DI snake her hands around her waist and cushion her head in Jo’s neck. Jo seriously considered letting Steve sleep on the bed every night.

☁️ ------------------- ☁️

With no recent actions from the OCG, AC-12 gave Kate the go-ahead to release details of her and Jo’s location to 2 people maximum. It wasn’t a debate. Fleming approved Steve and Ted in a heartbeat, making sure they knew the pans for Christmas eve.

Jo Davidson had never spent Christmas with someone before, never mind someone she loved. Even with Freida, Jo had been alone, never fully able to relax or enjoy the rainbow lights and festive music, but as she sat snuggled in front of the wood burner with Kate, she was entirely able to absorb the atmosphere:

Their Christmas tree in the corner, Steve the dog chewing a candy cane, stockings over the fireplace, the unfinished gingerbread house on the kitchen counter, Christmas music outlining the walls and being curled up in the arms of the love of her life as she breathed gently on her neck whilst reading a book.  

“I know you’re unsure about the L-word….” Jo trailed off, once again twiddling her fingers.

Kate kissed her cheek, “Lesbian?”

The former DCI wanted to be as honest as possible, “You know what word I mean, Kate. And I know it scares you.” A beat, “You are in no position to say it back, but I need to tell you that I love you, Kate.”

Kate reassuringly rubbed Jo’s side.

“You love me?”

At that moment, Jo felt a wave of embarrassment overtake her. She felt like a child in a playground handing their crush a dandelion. The former DCI tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded shyly.

“You mean a lot to me, Jo,” Kate admitted with a smile. She had been brainstorming how to say the L-word without actually having to say it, “More than most people and you need to know, you’re the most important person in my life.”

Content with the answer, Jo snuggled into her lover’s side, drifting away to the sound of carol singers and church bells.

Forgetting to send Steve and Ted a text not to ring the bell, she was thankful to see them (mainly Steve) making ‘lovey dovey’ faces through the window. Kate rolled her eyes at her friends’ antics, cautiously prying herself away from the smaller woman and opening the door, pressing a finger to her lips.

“We didn’t mean to wake you,” Ted said sincerely, placing the bag of Christmas presents on the table.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Kate admitted, “It was mainly Jo anyway, her nightmares are on and off, and last night wasn’t the greatest. But you-” She turned to Steve,

“Finally got the girl I see?” Her best friend greeted her with a witty remark and a hug.

Ted peered into the couple’s living room where Jo slept to admire their tree.

“No star?” He questioned.

Kate assessed Steve’s Christmas eve takeaway, “Jo said her mum had a tradition where they put the star up on Christmas day. I figured we’d keep it alive.”

“You should go wake her, mate. God knows how she’ll react to someone in her house. Nevermind us of all people.” Steve mentioned, not wanting to make a bad impression.

“Just don’t break anything.” Kate quipped.

Steve the dog and Steve the person got along surprisingly well, and when not being interviewed about the OCG, Jo and Ted actually had a lot in common. All four shared Steve’s Christmas eve takeaway whilst watching ‘Love Actually’ and, much to Kate’s dismay, started on her trifle during ‘A Muppets Christmas Carol’. The night ended with an excitable game of charades in which Steve and Jo had to act out Scooby and Shaggy - Steve gave Jo a piggyback around the cottage, both adults screaming with glee as they paraded around.

To be honest, Jo didn’t have high hopes of keeping a relationship with Ted and Steve, especially after Operation lighthouse. It was unfortunate because Kate cared so much about them, and despite not knowing them, it automatically made Jo care about them too.

Christmas day passed too quickly. They started by opening presents. Kate got Ted a ‘Worlds Best Dad’ mug, and Steve bought him a customised top saying: ‘Not H’.

As well as last night’s takeaway, Steve bought Kate a sign he stole from AC-12 whilst drunk (don’t ask how he didn’t get caught) and an Alexa. Kate went for a more classy option: a framed photo of them wasted at a karaoke bar.

Finally, it was Jo’s turn. Due to Kate’s last-minute planning, the former DCI had no chance to buy Ted or Steve anything, but they didn’t mind; they hadn’t formed enough of a bond yet. However, Kate insisted she presented her present first. The DI could hear her heart thumping in her ears as she handed Jo the small jewellery box containing 2 necklaces, each with a personalised pendant: a small silver gun, the other a golden car. Jo admired them with adoration; every detail had been etched into the metal, even the make of Steve’s getaway vehicle.

“A matching set?”

“To remind us of how far we’ve come.”

Jo wasn’t sure how her present could top Kate’s but proceeded with the gift-giving. It was a weighted blanket, a set of bond touch bracelets for when Kate went back to work and a cute little photo book personalised with added newspaper clippings, annotations, dates and locations relating to their relationship.

Jo’s act of love deeply touched Kate’s heart. A series of small yet meaningful presents was definitely her speed, and Kate couldn’t stop herself from flicking through the photobook and admiring all the small details like her favourite colour, preferred flowers and location coordinates which Jo had marked in.

“It’s adorable. Thank you, Jo.”

Jo simply nodded as she sat in Kate’s lap, fiddling with the silver gun around her neck. Kate Fleming had the car, of course.

Unable to move after the Christmas dinner, the group spent the rest of Christmas relishing each others company. Jo and Kate started by carelessly putting up the star, the former DCI needing a lift from her girlfriend to reach the top of the tree. Human Steve was with dog Steve, Ted had a cuppa and a newspaper, commenting on various political events, occasionally uttering a ‘mother of god’ making Kate, who was now squashed under Jo Davidson, chuckle.

That was the first Christmas where Jo had properly smiled.

☁️ ------------------- ☁️

Kate Fleming had been married once, and it was a disaster. Let’s just say she wasn’t ready for it. She had too many regrets, doubts and problems in her own head. That marriage put her off love for a while. Not only that, but the universal experience of being heartbroken was enough to make her want to stay single forever. That was the plan until Joanne Davidson arrived. Jo Davidson helped Kate discover who she was and become comfortable with her sexuality. The woman who helped her embrace the demons, who humbled her whilst building her up and never tore her down.

The DI was on the fence about her feelings until she almost lost Jo at the shootout with Ryan Pilkinton. On that night was when Kate decided to take Jo and run, the city wasn’t safe, and the pair wanted out. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t work.

That’s why Kate was standing by the door, ring in pocket, dog lead in hand, ready to propose to the woman she loved.

“Ready to go?” Greeted the Scottish accent she loved so dearly.

“I’m the one waiting for you, boss.” Jo lovingly ruffled the DI’s hair as she stepped out of their cottage, taking a freeing breath of air; she grinned when Steve bounded behind her and Kate linked their arms.

It was autumn again. The couple proceeded to the nearby hill path, through the arching oak trees, across the wooden bridge kate thought how nice it was to see Jo free from all those layers she used to wear at work. The former DCI swished her legs through the sea of leaves, and Kate did the same, both women snickering like toddlers when they flew up in her face.

Kate knew Jo would want something intimate and private rather than exotic and loud, so she planned to propose at the top of the hill which overlooked the city. Kate had timed the walk perfectly so the sun would set, and she could properly see the golden tones reflecting on her lover’s face.

Finally reaching the top of the hill, Kate admired how perfect Davidson looked as she gazed contently at the sunset, contrasting against the flushed sky. Steve the dog sniffing around for squirrels Kate realised they had the perfect family.

“Jo?” Kate looked calm, but inside, she was terrified of rejection, “Forgive me for not saying this earlier; I just didn’t know how to word it.”

Aware that she had Jo’s full attention, she swallowed the nonexistent doubt and continued.

“I love you. I love how sweet you are with kids. I love how you get sleepy when it rains. I love how you fiddle with your fingers when nervous. I love how you’re obsessed with skittles but only the yellow ones. I love how you turn your head into my hand when I play with your hair. I love how insanely ticklish you are. I love how you adore being the little spoon, even if you won’t admit it for anything. I love how you drive so. So carefully when someone else is in the car. I love how you can’t pass a field of cows without saying ‘cows’. I love how you hug every dog you see. I love how you scrunch up your nose when you feel like you’re going to sneeze.”

Kate knelt down on one knee.

“I love your fear of fireworks. I love how cuddly you are when you’re tired. I love all of that and everything else too, and I could keep going all day with listing all the millions of things that make you Jo. I love you, Joanne Davidson, and I am always going to love you.”

She pulled the box from her pocket, presenting it to her lover.

“Joanne Davidson, will you marry me?”

Jo looked starstruck, but after what seemed like hours, she shook her head. Kate went numb, her face fell, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The DI didn’t even feel Jo take the box from her hands’ nevermind see Jo taking a knee.

“You seem to be giving all the speeches lately.”

The Scottish accent pulled kate out of her daze, and the taller woman tenderly gasped at the sight of Jo Davidson, down on one knee and offering her a ring.

“I don’t think you realise the impact you’ve had on my life, Kate. You saved me. Not just from the OCG but from myself, and I don’t know how to ever thank you for that. Through the time we’ve known each other, you’ve been my knight in shining armour. You stormed the tower-like Flynn Ryder when Rapunzel needed help, risked your job just to get us out of the city. You intercepted the transport vehicle, and without you, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Jo couldn’t contain her grin as she witnessed Kate's reaction.

“The only time is smile is when I’m with you, Kate. I can be myself around you, and I’ve never been more thankful to have someone in my life. When we first arrived, you told me that we shouldn’t start again because our story makes us who we are. I’m ashamed it took me so long to realise this. We’re here today because we made choices we can’t change, and even though it’s broken me and built me back up, there’s no one else I’d rather go on this journey with. You, me and Steve, of course.”

Kate felt like she was on top of the world and the following sentence was everything she wanted to hear and more.

“Please, Kate Fleming. Will you marry me?”

Obviously, Kate said yes.

☁️ that ending honestly makes me feel sick so I wrote my own. I'm glad Jo found happiness - she deserved it. but we all know it should've been with Kate. thank you for reading bestie x 😔 ☁️

#flemson #joanne davidson #jo davidson #kate fleming #katherine fleming #jo x kate #jo davidson x kate fleming #line of duty #line of duty season 6 #alternate ending #line of duty flemson #flemson ending #line of duty alternate ending #kelly macdonald #vicky mcclure #ted hastings #steve arnott #bbc

[dontbesoweirdkira]

Can you do a list of Mic being pure w/ his favorite student, (y/n) (like, he’s not afraid to show it), but she’s living with her friend and their family since she’s alone in Japan, and trying to keep it a secret. But when he finds out he’s just “ASDFGHJKLWHAT”, and he’s trying to help her with so many things, which soon evolves to “custody of child—”.

https://dontbesoweirdkira.tumblr.com/post/189518600672/hey-its-me-again-i-hope-you-are-still-open-for

A/N: I first would like to say I ALSO HAVE EATEN A NUCLEAR REACTOR...it tasted like radiation and strawberries yummy!  Here’s your soft present mic X student. I hope you enjoy.  

(I kind of made it where you aren’t fully living with your friend. Just bouncing from the streets to her house every so often if that makes sense??)Requests open

-So at first Mic didn’t notice anything was up...well no he did but he kind of brushed it off since he didn’t want to cross any boundaries.

-Like when he asked for your parents signature but they were always somehow “out of town” or “working overtime” 

-Or when he was going to offer you a ride home since it was pretty late but you just insisted to walk by yourself. And how you didn’t bother to call them and let them know you were going to be home a bit later than usual. 

-He was always curious but like i said he didn’t want to cross a boundary and make you feel uncomfortable about something so personal. Besides how would he bring it up?

-”Hey Y/N, Why do you always conveniently “forget” to fill out your home address on forms?” 

-Yeah see his dilemma?^ And like what if it was nothing and it really was just a convenience.  It seemed better to leave it alone and not worry. You’d tell him if something was going on, right?

-Maybe one day you’re talking to your friend and He’s just around the corner so he overhears the conversation.

-”Hey Y/N, my family is going out of town for a few weeks. I- i would ask if you could come with so you’ll have some place to stay but we are going out of the county and you know how that is..”

-”Oh..um..Don’t worry, I'll figure something out.”

-”Are you sure? I- i can always leave the house key so you can have somewhere safe to go? But uhm, My cousin might come over every so often to watch a game or to check the house so be alert and make sure he doesn’t see you.” 

-”N-No it’s okay, seriously. I’ll find somewhere to go, thank you though. ”

-”Well, I'll leave the key under the doormat if you change your mind, we’re leaving in the afternoon tomorrow so after then the place will be yours for a bit.I’ll text you later, ‘kay?”

-He’s shocked?? Like he thought maybe your at home life wasn’t good or maybe you were embarrassed about living in a low income place, but you were homeless?? And you’ve been staying with your friends every so often?? Why didn’t you tell him? Did you not feel comfortable? He’s in this weird state of shock and acknowledgement.

-For the rest of the school day hE Is cOnTemPlaTiNg oN WhaT tO Do. He’s not sure how he should bring it up or even if he should bring it up. 

- *is casually being torn apart internally as he’s trying to teach english*

-*dEeP sPaCe STarE while he is standing at the board pointing to the sentence structures*

-”Sensei, are you oka-”

-”IMTHINKINGASHARDASICANTOFIGUREOUTASOLUTIONDONTPRESSUREMEoKaY.”

-lolol but once classes are over he taps you on the shoulder and asks if he could walk with you home for a bit. You visibly nervous, you reject and say “Umm It’s all right Mr.Hizashi, you’re busy and I don't want you to take up any of your time plus it’s late and I'm tired and i have to go and-”

-”Y/n...You don’t have to make up excuses, I know you don’t have anywhere to stay.”

-stopping in your tracks, your eyes went wide and you faced him 

-”I heard you talking to that friend this morning.”

-M-mr.Hizashi I can explain-”

-cutting you off once again he begins “Hey, you don’t have to do any of that. It’s your business. But I don’t want you to just roaming around or staying anywhere alone anymore, okay? If you would like, I have an extra bedroom at my house, you can stay there until we get everything sorted.”

-”No..Mr.Hizashi...It’s okay..I’ll be okay, I’ve always have. Plus you have been such a great teacher and already went out of your way more than what I could have asked...staying with you would be too much.”

-”Y/n, it’s okay to ask for help. I seriously don’t mind. At least stay for the night so you can eat and have a roof over your head, then in the morning we’ll figure something out.”

-You hesitantly accepted but you told him that you’d be out of his hair as soon as the next morning hit.

-That night going to his house was...nice to say the least. The guest bedroom that he had was bigger than your friend’s kitchen and nicer than any place that you’ve stayed at. It really was heaven. So warm and cosy. There was a nice sense of nostalgia and security, something you’ve haven’t felt in years. His home was somewhere anyone would want to live in their whole lives. 

-”Once you’ve settled down, you can come to the dining room. I ordered some take out, I figured you’d be hungry.”

-For a moment you sat on the fluffy bed and just took in everything. God was so good to you right now and honestly you thanked him. Although it frustrates you to think that this would only last for a second and you’d be back on the streets, roaming around. Yeah yeah, Hizashi wants to help you but you knew soon he’d get tired of your presence in his house…..they all did. 

-Taking a deep breath, you went to go meet hizashi in the dining room.

-He welcomed you then motioned you to sit down at any of the seats at the table. “Oh hey, there’s miss america. You may sit anywhere you’d like. And help yourself to the food here.”

-You sat down across from him, only not to look at him just to have your eyes on the empty plate in front of you. You didn’t really touch any of the food actually or even make a sound. You weren’t trying to be rude or anything, you just..there was a lot on your mind and facing hizashi seemed difficult.

-”Are you okay Y/N? I hope sushi is okay. I- i meant to um ask what you would like to eat first. I’m sorry.”

-”No I’m sorry for-,”  twiddling your thumbs for a moment you then looked towards the blonde fellow “Mr.Hizashi..My parents left when I was around three but they left me with my aunt. She was a very good person and took good care of me but she got very ill...and um you know. At first I was living in her apartment but i couldn’t pay for it when it was time for rent so..I stayed with my friend for a couple of months. But her parents kind of got tired of me staying there and it was this thing, so I lied and told them I found a family member to stay with. And um up until now I've been staying on the streets. Sometimes having a sleepover once every so often.”

-”Y/n…”

-”I didn’t tell you because I was so scared… I didn't know what to do and I really really don’t want to go in foster care or anything so I just thought I was better off keeping it from you. But I guess it backfired anyways because you still found out haha….I’m sorry Hizashi. I hope you don’t think of me any less. I- it was a tough situation and all and you know how that is...”

-He immeadately stood up, walked over to you and hugged you. It was with So mUcH compassion and genuine love. You really was his favorite student no scratch that HIS FAVORITE HUMAN i swear he would end the world for you. 

-He gave you a little cheek kiss and was like “I’m not letting anyone put you in foster care and I'm sure as hell am not kicking you out even if i have to take custody of you.”

-”w-wait what? wAiT wHaT???”

-”KID IM fucking keeping you here safe with me even if i’m in court all year. We are going to make this work somehow, you aren’t doing this alone anymore. Do you understand?”

-YeAh hEs cRyInG iM cRyinG yOuRe CryInG wE aLl CryinG 

-BRO YOU ARE UGLY CRYING NOT NO SOFT CUTE CRY LIKE HAHA YOU SOUND LIKE A WALRUS TRYING TO SAY ‘t-tH-Th-HaNKy-yyy-YoUUU-UOi  mR hIzZaShIiIi”

-He whipes the tears of your cheeks and ruffles your hair 

-”it’ll be okay Y/N, I promise.”

-I swear he’s like rushing to the computer and trying to figure out how to adopt you.

-”HoW tO aDoPt a ChILD wHen You aRe a hEro.”

-There's an actual wiki-how about it???????

-No but he’s really doing his research and is visiting lawyers trying to find the right one. He has them immediately looking into everything and making sure that his chances of getting you is as high as possible. 

-He’s up late at night on the phone, emailing,  and writing

-He has pounds and pounds of evidence that he is the most fit person to take care of you. He is not playing whatsoever

-He already let’s you decorate and he even gives you an office so you can do work or whatever. He most definitely brought you clothes and stuff for your room.

-When the courts and everything finally approves it after a long year of fighting, he picked you up and spun you around.

-”What did I tell you?!? I was not going to lose you and i made sure of that. And starting today and the rest of  forever you’ll never have to be alone.”

-BonUs

-100% takes you out somewhere super fun and nice. 

-”Wait we must take a selfie, The first day we are legally Father-daughter!”

-The most chaotic duo now, Everyone at school knows he adopted you and like he won't let anyone forget it.

-MISSSSSS AMERICAAAAAAA, is now, MISSSSSSS HIZAAAAASSSHHHHHIIIIIIII.

-”WHEEEEERRREEEE ISSS MYYYY LITTLE MUSHROOM???”

-”YYYYYY/NNNNN YOU LEFT YOUR BAG IN MY MINIVAN.”

-He has a minivan now. It also has a ‘Yeah I’m a soccer dad and i’m proud’ sticker on it.

-He joined the PTA 

-HE IS SOOO BIASED I SWEAR NO ONE IS ABOVE YOU IN HIS CLASS AND NO ONE BETTER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT

-Always hugging you and giving you little cheek kisses when he sees you in the halls

-Made a titled track called “Now a dad”

-he most definitely wears ‘Best Dad’ shirts now. He also is in a ‘Single dad’s in Japan’ group now

-”I think we look just alike, Don’t we Y/N?” you both smiled and posed at the same time

#Headcanon #headcannons #x reader #fanfic #dating #oneshot #imagines #bnha present mic #present mic x reader #present mic #mha hizashi #hizashi yamada #yamada hizashi #hizashi yamada x reader #aizawa x reader #mr aizawa #shouta aizawa #aizawa shouta #toshinori yagi #my hero academia #my hero acadamy #mha x reader #mha #boku no hero academia #boku no hero imagines #anime #anime headcanons #bnha teachers #BNHA Headcanons

[wonder-kid-pugh]

The Bet - (Kelley O'Hara x reader) part 2

So...turns out it won't fit in two parts...so stay tuned. Enjoy!!!

"Okay now I'm really starting to think your stalking me"

Kelley just grins as she rocks forward and back on the balls of her feet, "You didn't think I would forget our date did you?" Ignoring her remark I look at her as I lean against the door, "How do you know where I live? Not even Christen knows where I live".

Her grin, if possible, grows even bigger, "Want to hear something amazing?" She turns and points at the house across the street and two doors down, "That's my house". I pinch the bridge of my nose, "You have got to be shitting me right now". She holds her hand to her chest in mock hurt, "Ouch that hurts! I thought you would be more excited neighbor". She shakes her head, "I was walking down the street gutted that I forgot to ask you for your address to pick you up for our date when you could imagine my surprise when I see you walking into the house down the street from me. It must be fate!" All I do is scoff and roll my eyes while she grins and chuckles at me, "So ready to go on our date? I thought I could show you around cause your new and all".

I bite my lip and sigh, "I can't right now Kelley". Her grin disappears as she scrunches her face at me. But before she could even ask me why a loud voice cuts her off.

"Bells! Who's at the door?"

I sigh as he toddles into my leg and I open the door wider for him to see Kelley who now stands wide eye at the child. He shrinks behind my leg and clings onto my shorts as he peers up at me, "Who dis?" I sigh and pat his head and I motion to the shocked girl, "Peter this is Kelley she goes to school with me". He looks at Kelley his head tilted, "Fwiend?" This seems to snap her out of her revere as she nods crouching down a small bit to talk to Peter, "Yeah I'm a friend of Belle's".

She gives him a small smile, "I was going to see if Belle wanted to come get ice cream with me. Wanna come?" Peter's eyes light up as he tugs on my shorts looking up at me, "Can we?" I sigh as I look between Peter to Kelley who smiles, "My treat". I sigh as Peter gives me his best puppy dog eyes.

The things this kid would do for ice cream

I sigh and nod my head back, "Go grab your shoes". Peter scampers back into the house to grab his shoes while I turn to Kelley who had a curious smile, "Let me just grab my shoes". I quickly slip on my trainers before turning to help Peter put on his own. But I'm beaten to it it seems as I see Kelley kneeling down and helping Peter put on his shoes. "There! All done". Peter flashes her a toothy smile and wraps his arms around her neck in a hug, "Thank you!" Kelley seems taken back before hugging the child back, "Uh your welcome".

Kelley stands up and looks at me watching them, "Ready to go?" I nod grabbing my keys and phone before we leave.  Peter runs a bit ahead of us but stay near enough as we didn't know our way around. "Why didn't you tell me you have a little brother?" But I just shrug crossing my arms, "You never asked". "Well I'm asking now. Tell me about yourself" she says. I sigh, "Peter's my little brother. He's seven and as you could probably tell would do anything for ice cream". I smile as I watch Peter carefully jump over the cracks in the sidewalk always being really superstitious about that, "He didn't like the fact we had to move and leave all his friends but he got over it quickly. He's already making new friends so that's good. Mom works a lot so I'm usually the one looking after him".

Kelley nods her head along and bites her lip, "What about your dad?" I lick my lips and look down at the sidewalk. I guess she senses my discomfort about it as she quickly retracts her question, "Sorry dumb question. You don't have to answer that". I smile in appreciation as she instead nods her head toward the ice cream shop, "Here it is". We walk in and go to the counter where we're met with a worker, "Hey what can I get you?" Kelley goes first, "Can I get Mint chocolate chip please?" I smile, "Can I have strawberry please?" Kelley lifts Peter up so he can see the display case, "What do you want little man?" Peter grins and taps the glass rapidly, "Chocolate please!" The worker chuckles, "No problem".

He starts off with Peter's handing him the tub on the counter which Peter quickly takes. I tussle his hair, "What do you say?" Peter grins, "Thank you!" We all laugh as he happily goes back to eating his Ice cream while the worker makes Kelley and mine. As he puts the two cups on the counter I go to pay for Peter's and mine but Kelley is already handing him the money, "No I can pay for ours". But Kelley shakes her head with a smile, "It's okay it's my treat". I sigh knowing it's too late now anyways to stop her and smiles, "Thanks". She just gives me a big smile, "Want to go to the park near here? We can eat and Peter can run around for a bit". I nod, "Sounds good".

We make the short 5 minute walk to the park and Peter is already off towards the playground but I call him back. I can see him hesitate and looks longingly at the swings before running back to me. I clean the chocolate that was in his face with a napkin, "You know it's supposed to go in your mouth right?" He just shrugs with a big grin making me smile and ruffle his hair again, "Remember don't go to far and I have to be able to see you at all times". He nod and bounces on his feet clearly itching to go. I chuckle and pat his head, "Go play". He takes off towards the swings while Kelley and I sit on the bench and watch him while we talk.

At one point it comes to a lull in the conversation as she just sit there in silence. But it's not weird or anything it's actually comfortable. I watch as Peter swings across the monkey bars as I speak up, "My dad left us".

This gets her attention as she turns her head to me but I keep my eyes on Peter, "I love my mom but sometimes it feels like she's never home. That she loves her job too much". I run my hand through my hair, "And I'm not defending him, he had no excuse for stepping out on our family but I can understand where he's coming from. She was never home basically and I guess he went to go find comfort somewhere else. He knew what he was doing, I knew what he was doing hell I think mom knew what he was doing. He was sleeping around I guess he got tired to waiting for mom to put him before work. But he fucked up and got one of the women pregnant. And just like that he dropped us".

I clench my fist, "It hurt. It hurt like hell. But I could handle it. I was old enough to know what was happening I think I knew it was going to happen eventually no matter how much I hated it. But it was the fact that he just completely forgot about Peter. He would make promises and get him all excited and then bail on him. Until eventually he just stopped. And I was left trying to explain to Peter why daddy didn't want us anymore".

It's quiet until I feel Kelley put her hand on mine, "I'm so sorry Belle". I give her a small tight lipped smile, "It's fine. Wasn't like it was your fault". I sigh and look at Peter happily comes down the slide, "I just wish we were enough for him to stay". She squeezes my hand making me look at her, "You are more than enough. He was just too stupid to see it". I smile as she rubs her thumb over the back of my hand, "Thanks Kel". She gives me a small grin, "Anything for the Princess". I roll my eyes but chuckle as I shove her shoulder, "Shut up Beasty".

She chuckles, "If I'm beast does that make you my Beauty?" "You wish" I grin at her. "Your really good with him" Kelley nods her head towards Peter. "He's my brother" I shrug before turning to her, "he likes you. You were really good with him today". She smiles, "If you were to ask any of the team they would probably say it's because I'm kid myself". I can't help but laugh and nod, "I can see that".

We stay there for a little while longer before Kelley looks to the sky which is quickly darkening, "We better get you home". I nod and stand up, "Peter! Time to go". He quickly jogs over and grabs my hand, "Home time?" I nod and we start walking home when it starts to drizzle.

"Damnit" I mutter as it starts to get heavier and we're still a good bit away from the house. I look down at Peter and he starts to shiver a bit which is understandable seeing as he's only in shorts and a t-shirt the same as me. "Cmon here buddy" Kelley says to Peter as she pulls off her jacket and hoodie. She swiftly zips the jacket up over him which was obviously massive on him but got the job done. She holds the hoodie out to me, "Put this one". But I shake my head, "No I'm fine". But she thrusts the hoodie into my hands, "I'll be fine. Just put it on". Reluctantly I pull on the hoodie as we pick up the pace so we're jogging now as we have to carry Peter as he can't run in the jacket. By the time we make it to the house it's really pouring now as we all filter in the house. I unzip Kelley's jacket from Peter and hand it back. "Thank you!" Peter smiles and Kelley just ruffles his hair, "No problem bud". She runs off into the house while I frown as I see Kelley is soaked to the bone, "Hang on a second". I go to the press and grab her a towel tossing it to her, "Here you can dry off a bit while the rain dies down and warm up a bit".

She nods wrapping it around her, "Thanks". I notice some fly aways stuck to her face and I brush them from her eyes, "You shouldn't have done that. Your going to get a cold now". She gives me a small smile, "It's worth it if the two of you are okay".

I look into her hazel eyes expecting to see her amusement at the joke but as I stare into her brown orbs I see the seriousness behind her reply. It was only then I realize I still had mg hand close to her face and blush and pull my hand away making some space between us, "T-thanks". She hums and looks out the window before looking down at her watch, "I better get home before it gets too late". I frown as I see it still raining outside, "Should you not wait it out a bit longer?" She smirks, "Why? Will you miss me too much?"

I scoff but can't stop the smile on my face, "Not likely Beasty". But she chuckles, "I better get home before Mon worries. You know how they get". Almost immediately she winces at the comment now it's her turn to frown, "I'm sorry that was really-" but I shake her off, "It's okay Kels". She nods and hands me back the towel before going for the door, "I'll see you Monday Belle".

As she opens the door I sigh, "Wait!" She pauses as I grab a pen and take her hand before scribbling on her hand, "Please don't make me regret this". Kelley looks at her hand and grins as she sees the digits while I smile at her, "Text me when you get home so I know you got there safely". She once again flashes me her big smile and zips up her jacket a bit more, "Will do". She seems to hesitate but steps back in and pulls me in for a hug. Once I recover from my surprise I hug her back and I can't help but think how good her hugs are. As she hugs me I realise this is my chance as I slip the money for the ice cream into her back pocket discreetly. She doesn't seem to notice as she whispers in my ear, "See you later Beauty". I can't help but smile as she pulls back, "Bye Beast".

She gives me one last smile before running out the door and into the pouring rain. I watch her for a second before I close the door and go to change out of my damp clothes and into my pajamas. It was only a short while later when I get a message back from an unknown number. And I open it to see a picture of Kelley all snuggled up under her blankets.

Home safe and sound all warm tucked into bed xx

I can't help but laugh and send back a quickly reply before going to check on Peter.

This girl......

#Kelley O'Hara #kelley o'hara x reader #kelley o hara x reader #kelley o hara imagines #kelley o hara imagine #uswnt #uswnt imagines #uswnt imagine #uswnt x reader

[alpaca-writes]

Mystics, Chapter 11

When Arch becomes hired on at Mystics by the strange shopkeeper Lyrem Nomadus, everything seems to be going well- in fact, their life nearly becomes perfection. Soon enough, however, Arch realizes that perhaps not everything is as perfect as it seems….

Directory: [chapter one] [chapter two] [chapter three] [chapter four] [chapter five] [chapter six] [chapter seven] [chapter eight] [chapter nine] [chapter ten]

Tag list: @myst-in-the-mirror, @livingforthewhump (let me know if you want to be removed)

CW: claustrophobia, getting lost, deadname use, bullying, noncon touching (nonsexual), knife whump, torture, flaying.

-----

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE PAST IS SPENT AND DONE WITH

        “What a fucking freak,” Marcus sneered. The jeering of all three kids bounced off the brick walls as they left Mystics alone for the rest of the evening.

        “How much was there?” Jess tugged at his arm, breaking away from Kyle to do so. “I have my eye on one of those Kate Spade purses”-

        “Definitely not enough for a Kate Spade here,” Marcus sniffed. He twitched flicked his head to the side, sweeping strawberry blond curls off to one side. He’d repeat the process in another minute.

        Jess pouted her lips at Kyle who peered back with a scowl.

        “I’m not spending my third on that,” he refused. “I’d rather lift one”-

        “Oh, but they’re all mag-tagged,” she explained. “Can’t lift one without setting off the alarms”-

        Marcus stopped at the corner looking at a silhouette standing there, not moving. The rest of the streets were empty.

        “Maybe we should cross,” he said.

        “Nah, he’s just some old homeless guy.” Kyle muttered. “Why would he care”-

        “I care! If ----- decides to snitch, then all they need is another witness. My rep will be ruined,” Marcus said emphatically. He flipped his head again. “Then that’s that, No college hockey for me. It only takes a little more than an accusation these days and I’m out.”

        “There are cameras across the street,” Jess pointed out. “Let’s take the alleys.”

        Kyle rolled his eyes. In the short time the three had bickered about which way to go, the man at the corner had disappeared again. The other two had already decided to head down the alleys, almost leaving Kyle behind in the decision.

        They turned at the end of the alley where they were met with a T and a brick wall. They turned right.

        There was another T intersection, and again, the three were met with a brick wall. Marcus shrugged, and turned left. Eventually they would reach the edge of seventeenth street.

        Brick wall.

        “What the…” Marcus mouthed to himself. Jess laughed breathily at him as he tried to understand where he needed to go.

        “Just forget it, we’ll take the road, you dummy,” she exclaimed, thoroughly entertained by him.

She turned right.

        At the end of that alley, there was yet again another brick wall.

        “Wait,” she huffed. Looking down either end of the alleys, they only saw darknesses lying there.

        Kyle chuckled, “Oh yeah, you guys remember that screen saver on those old Microsoft computers?”

        Marcus hardly heard him. Like, Jess, he was now extremely confused.

        Kyle continued, “like those old brick wall mazes that it would send you through and… wait… did they ever end? I can’t remember if they ended”-

        “Nobody cares, Ky,” Marcus said abruptly. “Let’s turn around.”

“You don’t like it here?”

        “Holy fuck,” Kyle exclaimed, while all three of them jumped out of their skin. A man in a simple button up shirt stood to address them. He was standing about ten feet away.

Marcus started first.

“Uh, hey, man. We’re just trying to find our way back to the road. Could you tell us where to go?”

The man looked as though he was pondering the answer for a moment.

“The road?” Lyrem tapped his chin. “No, I don’t know of any roads here.”

Marcus feigned a grin, “you’re funny. That’s… that’s very funny.”

Pulling Jess by the hand, he led her past the man. Jess pulled Kyle, and Lyrem simply looked on as they went by.

“Just ignore him,” Marcus advised, whispering.

They turned left, back the way they came, and then right, only to see the same man standing in front of them again.

“Okay, seriously, what the fuck is happening?” Jess questioned in a mild panic.

“I know!” Lyrem exclaimed excitedly. He approached them, regarding the walls proudly with his hands behind his back. “It’s almost as bad as the Musei Vaticani, isn’t it?”

“What is he saying?” Kyle whispered to the others.

“I dunno! I don’t speak Spanish,” Marcus hissed back.

“Guys, he’s coming closer.” Jess interrupted.

“Now, now,” Lyrem tutted to them, smiling. “I was hoping you three would split up by now. It’s much easier to transport you separately-

            -Oh dear… Odd question, do I sound like a human trafficker to you?”

They didn’t answer him. Jess backed away to hide behind the two boys.

“Arch always tells me I sound rather… disturbing. I’m beginning to wonder if they might be right…”

“Arch?” Marcus spit.

Lyrem nodded. His face lit up with a sudden realization. Remembering why he was there, he held out his hand.

“I would like to take back what was stolen from Mystics, if you don’t mind.”

Marcus swallowed his fear. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the wad of paper bills.

“Yeah, here, take it. Look, I- I am sorry for what we… what we did.” Marcus stammered forcefully. There was already too much trouble to deal with for a few measly hundred dollars. Lyrem snatched it away with a quick hand.

Lyrem paid him no attention as he counted the cas, regularly licking his thumb as he did so. At the end of the apology, and the count, he sighed. Looking back at the boys with his brow raised. It seems as though Jess had already left them behind.

“I appreciate it. Honesty is quite a rare thing to find in children these days,” he answered them, placing the cash in his back pocket.

Kyle turned around, noticing the absence of the thin fingers with long black nails that usually brushed up against his own. He looked over his shoulder.

“Where’s Jess?”

Marcus turned. Seeing nothing but bricks and Kyle, he shook his head and shrugged.

“I’m sure you’ll see her again soon.” Lyrem assured. “Well, this is all I came back for, so I think I will be on my way now.”

 Lyrem turned his back on the boys, and strolled off further into the alley.

“Hey,” Marcus hollered. He chased after Lyrem like he was a life line. “We’ll follow you out”-

The man was gone. He entered the darkness through a doorway the others couldn’t see.

“Ky, I think he’s gone now, we need to find Jess and- Ky?”

There was no answer. Marcus spun in several circles before resorting to accept that Kyle had left him behind.

He ran to the other end of the alley, finding nothing but a brick wall again. In frustrated panic, he slammed his fists against it, as though he imagined it to be a door. It was just red brick; solid and rough against his skin. There was no left or right turn here; the corners were engulfed in shadows. He turned around-

Brick wall.

He was boxed in. Alone.

What little light existed above him before slowly dimmed to nothing. Feeling the weight of the walls grow in closer to him, Marcus curled in on himself. Lyrem didn’t lie about him finding Jess again soon. She would awake beside him after he was finished carrying their boxes into the back room- an hour or so before the three of them had entered Mystics.

------

Week One.  

“Keep your eyes closed.”

        Arch stood in the back alley of Mystics. Lyrem had asked them to close early so that he could show them a surprise in the back- a new, very valuable item that he was extremely excited to show off. He was insistent that Arch be the first to see it. Reluctantly, but albeit curiously, Arch did as they were told and closed their eyes. They heard the backroom door open with a hydraulic groan. Lyrem reached out to their hands to lead them through carefully.

        “Alright, now this will be an odd request, but I also need you to hold your breath until I say it’s alright.”

        Arch exhaled in a chuckle. “What?”

        “Promise me, Arch.” Lyrem didn’t sound quite as amused.

        “Alright, alright, I promise. I won’t breathe, and I won’t open my eyes until you say so.”

        “Okay, here we go,” Lyrem pulled them forward until they were over the threshold. They led them through a few further steps… The labyrinth was inactive. That was good. It meant that neither of them had broken the rules. He heard the door shut. “You can breathe and open your eyes now.”

        There was a clapping sound from Lyrem’s hands. Arch was almost expecting a surprise party for themselves as they opened their eyes. Disappointed, they saw the plain grey walls of a large backroom warehouse instead. Poorly lit as it was, there were a couple spare tables, several chairs and multiple rows of shelving filled with variously sized boxes and random objects.

        “What was the point of that?” Arch looked back at the door.

        “It’s keeps you from being pulled into the wrong… room.” Lyrem said. “This door leads to more than just here and the alley way. There’s a third place it can lead, and it’s impossible to find the way out from it.”

        Arch looked at them with raised brows. Then they looked concerned, furrowing them, they produced a couple wrinkles above the bridge of their nose.

        “Do you need me to get you a glass of water, or something?” There must have been some kind of medication that Lyrem needed to prevent certain… strangenesses from evolving. Arch thought perhaps that duty had lived and left with his wife Maria. They wouldn’t mind picking up the responsibility if it meant that Lyrem could maintain his sanity- but he had to tell them what he needed first.

        “No, no.” he refused. “Actually, I need your hand, if you please.”

        Arch’s eyes widened. “My hand?”

        Lyrem nodded. Arch lifted their right hand. Lyrem asked for the opposite.

Arch lifted their left instead; a fresh red scar about an inch in length on display.

Lyrem held one hand on a knife unsheathed from his pocket, hidden behind his back. He met Arch’s confused gaze with an apologetic smile.

“Memorias reditus,” he said. Gripping Arch’s hand tightly, he sliced the blade into their scar, fresh blood dripped to the floor as they cried out angrily and in shock. Arch pulled their hand back, cradling it with the other.

“Fucking hell, Lyrem!”

“Apologies, Arch. It is a necessary deed, I’m afraid.” Lyrem shrugged, and wiped down the knife on a stray piece of fabric.

Arch grimaced and checked their hand over. The cut was deep and very sore- throbbing with their pulse. Lyrem had reopened a wound on them that was still healing over. Arch looked at him, still convinced that Lyrem was well and truly off his rocker in a dangerous way. He was leaning his hip against a metal table, waiting for a reaction from them.

“I... I think I need stitches, Lyrem. Look, I know that things have been difficult for you since Maria left so I’ll tell people this was a work accident. But… y-you can’t just cut people like”-

Arch stopped, then moved their gaze from watching Lyrem’s smirking grin to a darker corner. There was movement over there.

“Wait...” Arch’s face twisted into mess of confusion. “Wait, what’s… what’s happening to me? What did you do?”

They were lost in a recollection of events; events from a week ago. Lyrem kindly allowed them the time…

 “Do you need help with any of that?”

“Oh! No- no, I’ll be alright. These are just… going into the back room for now… You should keep an eye on the store, don’t want anyone walking in to take our merchandise,”

         The back door to Mystics clicked shut.

“It’s alright, you’re gone now.” Lyrem ushered Arch from around the corner. They were still nursing the side of their face where Marcus had hit them… Well, he hadn’t yet. Not really.

Arch would help Lyrem carry each of the large boxes into the back room. The beings inside were unconscious, lost in their own created darkness.

“Close your eyes and hold your breath, Arch.”

With a little further convincing, Lyrem and Arch stepped through with each of the boxes without triggering the Labyrinth to appear.

When they were inside, Lyrem had Arch help with piling the boxes into the darkest corner of the room near a plain wall.

Panting from the work, Lyrem smiled at Arch delightfully as he leaned against the boxes with his elbow.

“What… What do we do with them now?” They asked.

Lyrem sniffed and looked the boxes up and down, and then wiped some stray beads of sweat from his forehead.

“I’ll set up the wall, drill some holes for their chains and then you’ll be able to do whatever you want.”

“Whatever I want?”

Lyrem nodded.

“How long will it take to set up the wall?”

“Bit eager, aren’t you?”

Arch shifted awkwardly at the comment, but Lyrem laughed it off.

“Give me a day,” he answered. “Can you give me a day?”

Arch rolled their eyes. “Yeah, I can give you a day.”

Lyrem smiled. “Wonderful.”

Arch returned to the present with a shudder.

“You returned my memories,” they commented. “And it’s been longer than a day, it’s been a week at least! What took you so long?”

“I had a delivery,” Lyrem said simply, lifting himself off the table; pleased with their reaction to the memories they regained. If there was any more of a defense he wished to provide, he omitted it. He gathered a roll of thin white gauze from a cabinet against the wall and a bottle of rubbing alcohol, setting it in front of Arch at the table

“Oh,” Arch realized apologetically. “Did it work out?”

Lyrem poured the alcohol onto their hand. Arch winced in silent agony and then they began to wrap their own hand carefully as Lyrem answered their question.

“Unfortunately, not. I quite despised having to use an infernal spell on fakes. It wasted so much time- and energy.” Lyrem began, “The deliverer was none the wiser either. I venture to guess that their client was unaware of the fact they were given a fake as well. But in my line of work, I am the one who takes the blame if an object is not vetted perfectly. A single flaw could incur a wrath I would not want to live to see.”

Arch nodded, assuming to understand. They tied off their hand and followed their boss across the backroom.

Arch gulped as they approached the wall, and stopped, before getting too close. The alarm bells rang loud and clear in their mind even as they saw the boys’ legs against the ground and their torsos set against the concrete; their arms supported by the chains that held them there. Their heads were covered in black cloth bags. They weren’t moving. They could be asleep. Or dead. Arch wouldn’t know the difference from where they stood. Lyrem continued on for several steps before realizing that they had stopped in place. He noted the look on Arch’s face. One of fear. One of hesitation. Lyrem stepped beside them and planted a strong hand on their shoulder.

With a crooked finger, he lifted Arch’s chin. Successfully, he broke their gaze from the bodies on the floor to stare into his hazel eyes instead. He could feel them trembling and a pitiful expression threatened to ruin the gentle moment between them. He replaced it with a stern calmness.

“They cannot hurt you any longer,” he said. “You are in control now.”

Arch wondered for a fleeting moment if they truly were in control. Perhaps Lyrem was intent on getting off on their transition to the dark side, or perhaps he was trying simply to be supportive. Either way, Arch forgot that internal debate the moment Lyrem handed them the jeweled blade. They grasped it tightly, just to say hello.

 Week Two.

        “Bring it up carefully, now.”

        “He’s crying, Lyrem.”

        “It’s just water on his face. That’s all.”

        “Like this?”

        “Yes. Now, bring it back... and angle the blade more flatly against his arm... Lovely.”

        Arch gulped, and did as they were told, trying to ignore the whimpering screams that were emitting from Kyle through their cloth gag as they cut into his forearm. Lyrem had strapped it down to a table and chained the rest of the boy to a chair bolted into the floor. His blood was pooling. Arch had rolled up their sleeves to keep the blood off of their clothes. They would have to remember to bring an apron for the next time and other sessions.

        Arch paused and lifted the blade away; scratching the side of their face, as a bit of acne there had been bugging them for the last couple days. Adults said it would start to go away at some point as they grew older. Arch stopped believing that over a year ago; convinced it would never really go away.

        “Arch? More flat, please.”

        “Right. Sorry.”

        “Good,” Lyrem praised. “Now, you’ll need two hands. One to hold the skin, and the other to push the blade through.”

        Arch broke their eye contact from Kyle’s arm to look at how he, their victim, had been reacting to the practice flaying. That was a mistake. They couldn’t tear their eyes from the sight. The pleading blue eyes, the fear in them... Arch gulped again. All that guilt threatened to rise up, wanting to revolt against the torturous act that their own body was performing.

        “Breathe.” Lyrem reminded them.

        “I can’t… I can’t…” Arch placed the blade back down on the table. They blinked, and took the opportunity to pull their eyes away from their victim.

        “Would it be easier if I covered his face for you? I’m sure I have a sheet or something around here somewhere”-

        Lyrem stood from his seat and toured his own expansive back room, searching the shelves for anything that could be quickly draped over Kyle’s head. Arch stood as well, backing themselves away from the table, they shook their head.

        “I don’t think I want to continue this tonight,” They admitted.

        “Oh, please don’t quit now, Arch. You went twice as far with him last week,” Lyrem reminded them as he still searched. “I don’t want you to leave here without doing a little more than you did before.”

        “It was easier then. I was still mad that they hit me. That they stole from you.” Arch explained. They looked to the wall, and noticed the absence of one of their dreaded classmates. “By the way, where did Jess go? She was there that night too.”

        Lyrem approached them with something dark and folded neatly in his hand.

        “Ah, yes. The fabled Jess unfortunately had to be sacrificed for the greater good. My unique hospitality was a short-lived experience for her,” he smiled slightly as the realization of a pun crossed his mind. “You asked that question last time you were here as well, you know.”

        “Everything’s still sort of jumbled in my head,” Arch clarified. “I think, when you lifted the spell, it revealed feelings more than specific memories…”

        Lyrem lifted a brow, and settled himself against the end of the table. “That is an interesting review of the experience. Eventually, my memory spells will lose their effect on you. You’ll begin to remember this place, everything you’ve done without the spell needing to be lifted each time.”

        “How long until then?”

        “It will happen when you are ready. I can’t be sure, honestly.” Lyrem admitted. “Until then, you can maintain your daytime innocence. I am sure it’s better that way.”

        Arch looked down at their own hand where a deep red mark was scored into them. Lyrem would scar it over for them before they left again- a minor healing that would also remove the memories of what was happening in the backroom- but only temporarily.

        “I would have liked to say goodbye to her,” Arch said absently as they toyed with the edge of the blade against their thumb. They lifted their gaze, catching their employer’s eye. Lyrem looked interested enough for them to explain their offhanded comment. He prompted them to continue with a caring nod.

        “We were close growing up. Used to be neighbours, actually. Then she moved. She changed in Junior High and started picking on me when everyone else would. While I was still a tomboy, she became “Barbie girl” and then in High School she met this asshole. But… the rest is just history, right?”

        “’The past is spent and done with, and the future is uncertain’,” Lyrem quoted. “’Every man’s life lies within the present.’”

        Arch approached the table once more and sat in their chair to resume their work.

        “Sometimes,” Arch began slowly flaying the skin away, as Kyle’s screams threatened to drown out their words. “you say things as though they are wise things… But, really, you’re just basic.”

        Lyrem placed the folded cloth neatly on the table without another word. Arch clearly didn’t need it quite as much as he assumed they did. He sat across from them, watching intently as another one of Kyle’s layers of skin peeled neatly away from the prison of his body, and wondered how much longer Arch would continue to do as they were asked.

#torture #whump #whumpblr #writeblr #writing #Alpaca writes #whump blog #Mystics by Alpaca #creative writing #mystics #whump writing #writing blog #whump stuff #tw torture #tw claustrophobic #Lyrem #Arch #tw bullying #noncon touching

[silverwhiteraven]

Borne of the Stars - Chapter 8 - An MLB Kryptonian AU

Tag List:  @eve-valution @weird-pale-blonde-person @kris-pines04 @soulmate-game @abrx2002 @amayakans @vixen-uchiha @heldtogetherbysafetypins @raisuke06 @dorkus-minimus @captainartsypants @mopester-is-here @moonlightstar64 @annabellabrookes @maribat-is-lifeblood @toodaloo-kangaroo @the-navistar-carol @elspethshadow @chocolatecatstheron​ @ivymala07

[ Summary: Marinette tries to get the group moving, and a certain elderly man interrupts their travels. ]

[ Posted on Ao3 ] [ Chapter 1 ] [ Chapter 7 ] [ Chapter 9 ]

“Wow Kara, you’re right, she really is cute,” Babs notes.

“Mhm,” Karen nodded her agreement, and Marinette laughed nervously.

Nino, ever her savior, steps forward and holds up his hands like some kind of shield. “Okay, break won't last all day, maybe we should head out and show you guys around like we planned, yeah? Mari, we can stop by the bakery for lunch, right? Would your parents approve?” 

Gratefully accepting the proffered change of subject, Marinette nodded vigorously. “Yes-Yeah, of course! They’re always ready for friends to visit, we can go before heading back” she managed to stutter out. Grabbing Nino’s hand and squeezing it in thanks, she started dragging him off, glancing back only to smile and then confirm the American girls were following along. They were.

“This bakery wouldn't happen to be the one Kara says you live over, right?” Karen asks curiously.

“Oh! I sure hope it is!” Babs piped up, bouncing on her heels as she half skipped alongside them. “I loved those goodies she brought to school last year. They really were worth skipping out on some Sweet Justice.”

“Sweet Justice?” The Parisian duo parroted in slightly alarmed confusion.

“Best ice cream in Metropolis,” The other three girls sing-songed together, Karen in a soft appreciative voice, Barbra in an excited tone, and Kara with a strong hint of pride.

“And home-base to our team!” Babs whispered conspiratorial, a glimmer in her eye to accompany the grin.

“You have a team?” Nino blurted in a hush, his own eyes filled with a few stars. He usually had a tendency to worry about his newfound superhero friend and all her heroing, but he still got caught up in the excitement of their business every once and awhile. 

The American girls all nodded, and it fully downed on the Parisians that they were in the presence of not just one hero, but three. 

“Can I, uh, ask who all is on your team?” Nino inquires in a hushed tone. “You don't have to, but it's kinda cool to know you guys, and I wouldn't want to leave anyone out in the praises.”

After a cursory glance around for anyone nearby, they shrugged and nodded before Kara decided to fill in the blanks.

“The full team would be Supergirl, Batgirl,” a slight tilt of the head towards Barbra, indicating herself by waving a hand at the civilian pair excitedly, “Bumblebee,” Kara’s head tilted over to Karen who wiggled her fingers in her own mirror image of Bab’s wave, “Zatanna, and Green Lantern- well, a Green Lantern. They’re probably planning a visit already, Zee was totally bummed she couldn't come as an exchange student,” she adds the last part as a passing thought, not fully sure yet still confident about the possibility.

“Oh!” Babs pulls their attention to her as she raises a hand. “Don’t forget Wonder Woman! She’s not exactly a teenager, but she still works with us a lot despite being mostly independent now like Superman and Batman.” The other two heroes nodded in agreement.

“Mari, bro,” Nino looked at her, the stars in his eyes still present, “how are you not, like, freaking out right now?”

Marinette really had been silent for most of the conversation as the group walked, and she shrugged in thought. “After everything that happened last year and all those visits from Supergirl, I guess I just got used to it. This is super cool, I don't deny that! I’m just more subtle in my awe, I guess?”

“Oh, yeah! That works, yes,” Karen says in support. “I much prefer a more subtle awe; all the attention can be a bit intimidating, you know?” 

“Exactly!” Marinette responded, and the two giggled at their shared experience.

Nino and Kara rolled their eyes in fond exasperation at the two, both of them being much more oriented towards the spotlights in their own ways.

The group stopped at the crosswalk of an intersection, waiting to be allowed to cross. A clattering pulled their attention to a collapsed figure in the center of the street. 

Kara heard the two cars coming while Marinette saw them from the corner of her eye.

At the same time, both moved forward.

Kara dashed forward alongside the other girl, scooping up the small elderly man as Marinette grabbed the cane that had skidded away.

They both reached the opposite sidewalk together, just as the cars passed by them, one each going in the opposite direction of the other, right at the spot the old man had been only a moment ago. 

“Woah, that was close,” Kara commented, setting down the short elder man on his feet as she looked off towards one of the vehicles. 

“Let’s not do that again,” Marinette adds, passing the cane to the person Kara rescued before she addresses him. “Are you alright? Hurt at all? I hope you're more careful next time, that could have been bad.”

“Yes, and no, not at all, thank you two,” he answers with a sweet and thankful smile. “You young ladies are rather brave,” he adds as the rest of their group rush over as soon as the light turns. 

“Are you three alright??” Nino fretted, checking them all over despite how perfectly fine they seemed to be before he joined them on their side of the street. Even Marinette, in a stroke of luck, hadn't tripped on the sidewalk’s curb.

“Kara, that was dangerous!” Karen added on in her own worry, but it had a slightly different note to it. In a softer tone, she adds: “Your cousin…You don’t think…” 

“He would consider that a little too heroic?” Barbra finished helpfully.

Kara winced at the words and rubbed her arm nervously, looking away. “I had to; he’ll forgive me for it, it’s not like I really did something bad.”

Despite her words, Kara still sent an apologetic look to the smaller old man. It wasn’t a ‘sorry for saving you’ look, but rather, ‘sorry I can’t do it again’.

Marinette smiled reassuringly in response to her friend’s frets. “We’re fine, Nino, but thank you for worrying.” 

She then turned back to the man to respond to his last words. “I’m not all that brave; Kara’s the real brave one of us. After all, I only grabbed your cane. But I’m glad to hear you’re unhurt.” She smiled again to the man, digging her box of treats out and offering it out to him. She missed the way Kara had frozen up beside her at her words.

The old man nodded and chuckled in response as he gratefully accepted an offered macaroon. “Perhaps, then, call it courage. Thank you again. Have a good day, all of you.”

They kept an eye on him as he hobbled away, waiting for him and his tropical flower-printed shirt to disappear before turning back to one another. 

There was an awkward pause before Marinette broke the silence and grinned at everyone.

“So! Now that we’re no longer in any life-risking situations, who wants to keep heading towards the Eiffel Tower? We still have a lot of time before we go to the bakery for lunch.”

The tension escaped the teens and there were a few low laughs of relief and Nino now took the lead. Marinette fell back a bit to walk beside Kara, bumping her shoulder into the other to gain her attention and a questioning hum.

“You alright there?” 

“Yeah, yeah, thanks for asking, Cupcake,” Kara gave her a sideways grin and Marinette laughed.

“Alright, if you say so. Are you worried about your Clark getting upset with you at all?”

“No, no,” she shook her head and chuckled, “He said no super-heroing, that was just normal, everyday heroing, I’ll be fine! I just…” 

“Just?” Marinette looked up at the other quizzically.

Kara turned to look back at her again, her eyes and returned smile softening.

“I just haven't heard you call me Kara before. It’s…New.”

Turning away, Marinette blushed as she realized Kara was right, she really hadn't been calling her by name since learning it.

“I guess, I just needed to get used to it. I’ve known you so long by another name, I needed a little bit to adjust so I wouldn't call you the wrong one. 

“But I think I got it now,” she adds with a triumphant grin, her fist now held up in offering for a fistbump. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Kara Danvers.”

“Please,” she responded with an eye-roll and a bump of her fist to the other’s, “It’s Kara Zor-El, my precious Geode. You’ll do well to remember it,” she teases with a wink, Marinette suppressing her responding giggles at the whole situation. 

It wasn't long before the group reached their first destination, then headed toward another and another, finally ending at their final checkpoint: The Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

#Borne of the Stars #maribat #miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #Karanette #kara danvers #karen beecher #barbra gordon #nino lahiffe #clark kent #dc super hero girls #crossover au

[lieutenantcharleslorem]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rating: General Audiences Relationships: Julian Bashir & Elim Garak, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak Characters: Julian Bashir, Elim Garak, Jadzia Dax, Jake Sisko, Miles O'Brien, Molly O'Brien  Summary: 

When Garak asks what Halloween is, he ends up getting roped into a get together to carve pumpkins. Maybe it's more fun that he expected.

Some softness between Garak and Bashir, but nothing happens so could be read as friendship.

---

Garak sat down across from Dr. Bashir delicately, and placed his napkin in the neck of his shirt as he always did. They had opted for Quarks today as the replicators in the replimat had been acting up.

“Apologies for my lateness, Doctor. I was absorbed in a project.”

“Not at all, Garak, I’m afraid I’ve only been here a few minutes myself.”

They sat in silence for a moment, Garak taking a sip of water, and Julian putting some sort of sauce on his sandwich.

After a long pause Garak asked, “Doctor, what is Halloween?”

“Halloween?” The doctor asked almost incredulously.

“If its something private to humans forget I asked—”

“Oh, no, it’s not private at all. I was just surprised you want to know about such things.”

“I don’t even know if I want to know. I know nothing about it. Only that I am making a tail for Molly for Halloween. Normally I would have asked Mrs. O'Brien. She doesn’t mind a chat. But as her husband was with her, I assumed he wouldn’t want to sit through a long explanation.”

“I don’t think the chief’ould minded. It’s a holiday.”

“See, if it is sacred I would understand not wanting to share—”

“It’s not sacred at all. … Well, maybe it depends on your definition or sacred,” Bashir said with a smile. “Some people enjoy taking it very seriously.”

“It’s patriotic then?”

“No. Well no more than any other holiday from one’s own culture. It’s… spooky.”

“Spooky? If memory serve that’s your soft word for scary, correct. Almost playful?”

“Yeah, and that describes the holiday pretty well too.”

“So it is a holiday that is scary… but in a… fun way?”

“Exactly, couldn’t have put it better myself.”

“That sounds like something Klingons would come up with.”

“Not that kind of scary. I don’t think Klingons would even say the word spooky, probably think its undignified.”

“Right… I still have no idea what Halloween is.”

“Ugh, Garak.”

“Well, Doctor, you must admit you haven’t exactly painted me a picture.”

“Okay, okay, so I don’t know if anything I’m about to say is true—”

“What?”

“I’d have to ask the computer, but what I remember is 2 separate things that could just both be myths, but they were that people wanted to celebrate the people who had died that year so everyone went around to the families of people who’d died and exchanged gifts with them. The other thing is this idea that maybe people believed this was a night spirits were able to come to the tangible world, but if we all dressed like we were as scary as them… maybe they’d think we were one of them and leave us alone?”

“O…Kay….”

“But then as things do, it grows and changes, gets taken over by different people, and becomes this very secular cross culture holiday, where children and sometimes adults go around in costumes and knock on people’s doors. They say trick or treat, and the person gives them food or toys.”

“Trick or treat?”

“Yes, it used to mean that if the kids didn’t get something they would do something mean like scare the homeowner, or throw eggs at the house.”

“My goodness.”

“But nobody does that anymore. I think the last time something like that happened was something like 50 years ago when a bunch of teenagers replicated exorbitant amounts of toilet paper and covered the president’s house in it. Of course the president of the Federation was human at the time—” Garak nodded. “And if I remember correctly he wasn’t particularly angry. Just said something like, anyone who wanted to was welcome to take some of it home to recycle through their replicators.”

“So… Give me a treat… or get tricked?”

“Exactly.”

“Forgive me if this is a cynical question… but why provide the treats? Also what constitutes a treat?”

“Well, like I said I believe the tradition changed over time, probably having been more personal in the past, but why we still do is probably not just tradition but remembered tradition, childhood joy, you know? When you’re a kid, you go trick-or-treating, and then you start to get a little older, and even if you’re still going you might go later than you used to and you start opening the door to your house for the little kids who’s parents take them just before dark. And they’re sweet and cute, and you develop these 2 types of fond memories. And you do it as long as you can, and then you grow up, and you don’t think, why should I do this for other people? –you think, oh I can’t wait to see the little kids this year.”

“It sounds like you really like Halloween.”

“Eh… Do I? Maybe it’s just easy to wax poetic when you’re far from home. I haven’t celebrated Halloween since I was at the academy.”

“Cadets still trick-or-treat?”

“Ahaha, no, no at that age it’s usually big parties and bad hangovers.”

“I see…”

“Oh, but San Francisco does do the Spook Parade every year, and that’s what I usually did with Erit. There would be stalls, food and drink, a pumpkin carving contest, not to mention the thousands of people walking down the street dressed as zombies and ghosts and all manner of spooks.”

“That sounds like quite a gathering. If we did things like that on Cardassia one could certainly disappear into a crowd…”

“There’s a lot of commotion. I don’t know how much a spy could learn about anyone at a Halloween party.”

“What ever do you mean? I certainly wasn’t suggesting someone go on some sort of reconnaissance mission dressed as a ghost. I was merely observing that it sounds like bigger crowds than Cardassians are used to.”

“Of course.”

“Now, what was this you said about carving pumpkins?”

“You cut faces into them.”

“But… what’s a pumpkin?”

“It’s like, a gord. Like Bajoran spice yams.”

“… Ah, and you use them to make sculptures…”

“Sort of…”

“Why?”

“It’s spooky. And I don’t know, it’s fun.” Garak didn’t look convinced. “Jake,” Julian, said as he saw Jake walking by, “Tell Garak it’s fun to carve pumpkins.”

Jake stopped. “I haven’t carved pumpkins in ages! When are you doing it?” he asked leaning over and putting his elbows on their table.

“Oh, we weren’t actually planning on anything,” replied Bashir.

“Yes,” said Garak, “I would prefer not to be covered in yams.”

“Aw, but that’s half the fun,” said Jake.

The Chief and Dax walked down the steps from the upper level. Garak and Bashir weren’t sitting far from the stairs and they could hear, “What do you mean, off?”

“I don’t know, it just taste a little off,” replied Dax.

The chief sighed. “I’ll look at it tomorrow.”

“You know,” said Bashir, refocusing them, “Maybe we could make Jack O’ Lanterns together.”

“Did someone say something about Jack O’ Lanterns?” asked O’Brien. “You know my people invented pumpkin carving.”

“I see,” said Garak skeptically. He had heard many humans claim their ancestors did important things. He never understood why, wasn’t it enough that humans did it?

“That’s not just bluster,” said the doctor, seeing the look on Garak’s. “Pretty sure the Irish did start the tradition, but there were a lot of Irish immigrants in America.”

“You realize I don’t know what those words mean.”

“Uh… People who talk like Miles moved to where people talk like Jake.” Garak smiled cheekily, knowing Bashir was really dumbing it down for him. “And, back in the midst of capitalism, where Sisko lived had a lot of social influence, and if they were doing something fun, everyone wanted to do it.”

“What about where you’re from?”

“Well, I’ve heard Britain was a little late on the Halloween bandwagon, but by the time I was born not celebrating Halloween was sacrilege.”

“You said it wasn’t sacred.”

“You know what I mean.”

“It’d be cool to carve some pumpkins,” said Jake. “Not a lot of human activities on the station.”

“Oo! If you’re doing it, I want to come,” said Dax. “I like digging out the guts.”

“We could do it on Halloween, since it’s this weekend,” said Jake.

“Your quarters?” Jadzia asked Julian.

“My quarters? Yes, alright. What do you say, Garak?”

Garak paused. “I have no desire to get my hands dirty.”

“Wear gloves then,” said Jake cheerily as though Garak wasn’t just trying to get out of it.

“Yeah, Gar’ or we can do fake ones,” said Jadzia. Julian knew they didn’t care one way or the other if he came. They must’ve just been pushing him for Julian’s sake.

Or perhaps it was just worth it for the look on Garak’s face at the sound of Jadzia shortening his name. He stared at her incredulously, and she stared back, daring him to make a fuss over how she’d addressed him.

Finally he sighed and said, “Oh, well, if you insist.”

“Well if you all are havin’ a little Halloween party,” said O’Brien, “I’m bringing the kids by to trick or treat.”

“Oh, yeah, my dad has been working on some chocolate recipe of my grandpa’s,” said Jake.

“Ah, he’s gonna get the kids all sugared up.”

“I’ll do something non-edible,” said the doctor.

“Thanks, Julian,” O’Brien said patting Julian on the back. He started to walk away and Dax followed.

“Wait, Chief, also the circuits in the…”

They couldn’t hear anymore as they walked out of earshot.

 When Garak showed up to Bashir’s quarters Halloween night, Dax and Jake were already there. He felt like he should have arrived earlier. But the good doctor seemed like he thought everything was going perfectly.

“Come in, come in!” He rushed.

‘He’s had sweets,’ Garak thought, as he watched Julian bounce up and down happily. He was relived to see that he had been right in his assumption about the dress code, which was simply spooky and not full uncomfortable costumes just to sit around in Bashir’s quarters. Jake was wearing a hideous orange tunic with a little black pumpkin pattern, Jadzia looked comfy in a loose black dress with a spiderweb print, and Bashir’s long-sleeved turtleneck had the outline of bones.

Garak didn’t have access to anything so kitschy, so he’d worn a normal red outfit but added a black cape. It actually kept him warmer than usual, so it was no inconvenience.

Julian had moved his table away from the wall so they could sit on all sides. It wasn’t as big as Sisko’s but it would fit the 4 of them.

“Well don’t you two look festive?” Garak said as he sat down across from Dax and Jake, trying to be polite.

Julian had disappeared somewhere, but suddenly he was back and pouring everyone a drink.

“It’s black,” said Jake.

“It’s witches brew,” said Julian as though it was the scariest thing in the alpha quadrant.

Jadzia to a sip. “It’s wine.”

“Oh, I shouldn’t…” Jake said sniffing his glass and then taking a taste. “Oh, it’s root beer.”

Garak tilted his glass of black liquid and saw it was a bit more viscous than the others. “Kanar?” he asked. Julian nodded as he placed a large pumpkin down on the table.

“So,” he said, “I ordered these from earth, they’re the genuine article. I also got some gourds from Bajor. And I replicated these little foam ones, so they have no guts, and if we wanted to keep them forever we could, or we can just throw them back in the replicator.”

“I’ll take a gourd,” said Jake, pulling a bright red fruit toward himself.

Julian grabbed him a bowl. “Save your guts,” he told him. “The major wants to make some sort of face mask with it.”

“What?” said Jadzia, “she hates that kind of stuff.”

“I don’t know, she only told me Bajorans think it’s good for the skin.”

Jadzia looked a little annoyed, but she let it go and started pulling the largest pumpkin over to her. “I’m gonna take this big boy.”

 “How do you know it’s a boy?” Garak said with a practiced innocence.

“Because I decided he is, and gourds don’t seem to mind what gender you tell them they are. Not like cats.”

They stared at her for a moment waiting for further explanation, but she just picked up a knife and started cutting into the top.

Julian continued to get a few things as they started to work: different shaped knives, cookies shaped like bats, cheese and crackers.

He placed a little plate of chocolate next to Garak when he realized Garak wasn’t working.

“Garak, aren’t you going to carve a pumpkin?”

“That’s alright, I don’t want to take from anyone else.”

“Garak, that’s why you’re here. There’s plenty of pumpkins. Too many, in fact.”

“I don’t want to make a mess.”

“Use a foam one.”

“Well, it’s not entirely free of mess, is it? I—”

“Alright, we all know that you think this is silly, but just try to have fun, will you? Here, we’ll use this foam one,” Julian said, sitting close to Garak and pulling over a glitter covered fake pumpkin about the size of a basketball.

“I’ll do this eye,” he continued, “And you do that one.”

He started cutting into the pumpkin, and Garak felt as though he’d been left with no choice so he acquiesced and picked up a knife. He hadn’t been expecting that they would work on one together, and he tried desperately to hide his smile. They had to be close to work on the same pumpkin, so as they carved, their arms sat against each other. It was warm.

Sitting with the lights dimmed to see the glow from their pumpkins, Garak had to admit he was enjoying himself a bit more than 16:00 hours and one glass of Kanar would usually allow. Julian was just explaining what the Monster Mash was when there was a beep at the door.

“Yes?” Julian replied.

The sound of children singing, “Trick or treat!” came through the com.

Julian got up, a stack of something in his hand, and went to the door. Garak decided to follow.

“Happy Halloween!” Julian shouted as he opened the door. “Now what might you be?” he asked Molly.

There were 5 children standing at his feet, one other human besides Molly, two Bajorans and a Bolian. Miles stood next to them holding a tiny Kirayoshi in a bee costume.

“I’m a cat,” said Molly. “Look,” she turned around, “Mr. Garak made my tail stand up!” Garak smiled.

“That’s amazing, and what about the rest of you?” Julian asked. He looked to the Bolian.

“I’m a bizchin!” Julian believed that was a Bolian bearlike creature, but he wasn’t sure. The boy was covered in fake fur though.

“I’m a princess,” said the other human.

“What about you?” Julian asked a Bajoran in all black who seemed to be wearing red contacts.

“I’m a Pah Wraith,” he said shyly.

“Spooky,” said Garak. “And you?” he asked the other Bajoran.

The child seemed very embarrassed. His face was covered in gray make up and he seemed to have drawn some squares on his face but it was difficult to tell as they were smudged.

“Uh… Molly said that you… be something that scares you…”

“And what’s that?” asked Julian.

The child mumbled something.

“What did you say?” asked Garak, kneeling so he could get a better look at the boy.

“I’m a Cardassian…”

Julian winced. He looked at Garak, hoping this wasn’t going to start something.

“Excellent choice,” said Garak. “Your costume is quite scary. You remind me of some legates I know. Downright terrifying.”

The Bajoran smiled. “Thanks,” he said. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Oh, no?”

“No, you’re just a tailor.”

“That’s right, just a tailor.”

“So,” said Julian, “Would any of you like a coloring book?”

They all nodded, and he handed them each one.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got something for you too, Yoshi,” said the doctor lifting up a little ghost. “BoOoOo,” he said to him quietly. “Can you say boo?”

“Bbbbbbbb,” Yoshi imitated, taking the toy and gumming its head.

“Straight in the mouth,” said Miles, “Everything straight in his mouth.”

“It’s clean,” said Julian with a smile, “It’s a teether.”

“Thanks, Julian. Always thinkin, you.”

One of the Bajoran children was still looking at Garak. “I wouldn’t think a Cardassian would want to celebrate a human holiday.”

Garak smiled. “I just like to have fun.”

“Me too,” said the Bolian.

“Come on, guys,” said Molly, “We still have to go to the Cap’in’s and he’ll have food,” said Molly.

“Alright,” said Miles, “Everyone say thank you to the Doctor and Mr. Garak, and let’s go.”

“Thank you, doctor, thank you, Garak,” came a mix of voices as they started to walk away.

“Happy Halloween,” said Molly, and everyone got the idea they should say it too.

“Happy Halloween, Dr. Bashir!”

“Happy Halloween, Garak!”

“Happy Halloween!” Garak called out after them. “…Such a charming group,” he said after the door had slid shut.

“You know you never mention how much you like children.”

“Like children? No more than any other age of humanoid.”

“You sure about that?” Julian asked joining the others in the living area. Jadzia had laid down on the couch and Jake had her feet in his lap so that he could fit on the couch too. The room was still only lit by Jack O’ Lanterns.

“I suppose I… like people whom the universe hasn’t ruined yet.” He glanced at him, and Julian could feel the underlying like you.

As much as Garak complained about Federation optimism, he did grow tired of people full of prejudice, jaded and beaten down. Julian, and children were still fresh.

“I had too much root beer,” Jake admitted.

“May have overindulged as well,” said Jadzia, hiding her face in her elbow.

“Well, if everyone needs to head out and get some sleep—”

“I didn’t say that,” said Jadzia.

“Yeah…” said Jake quietly “You know it’s kinda nice having a relaxed Halloween.”

“Yeah, Curson went to some crazy Halloween parties, but it’s nice to just be… chill?”

“Well, if you’re sticking around, we could watch a Halloween film. I can probably get it up on the computer screen,” said Julian.

“Okay,” said Jadzia, sitting up to make room for him. Jake scooted over too.

Julian sat down on the couch, fiddling with a pad to find something to watch. He patted the empty space next to him.

“Sit down, Garak.”

With 4 people on the same couch they all had to sit quite close, but the doctor didn’t seem to mind.

“Doctor…”

“Yes, Garak?”

“Thanks for… showing me your rituals. For you know, including me.”

“You’re always welcome.”

#ds9 #halloween #garashir #garak/bashir #fanfiction

[iamyoursinblog]

Girl, what more beautiful than moonlight

Pairing: Park Jinyoung x Reader

Genre: fluff

Word Count: 3,8 k

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LIST

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'How tired I am' he drove in a car through the night city. He dreamed of getting to his shelter and drinking beer. It was a difficult day, today the schedule was crowded. After a hard day's work, he always went to the roof of the house to admire the stars and the night city. No one ever went there, even though the door wasn't close. In the corner of the roof stood a wood outdoor daybed, he often lay there admiring the stars. Today was beautiful weather and the sky was clear. On the way home, he stopped by the shop and bought beer and snacks. He took a shower and changed his clothes. When he going up the stairs, his phone rang.

"Hi. What are you doing?" say his friend's cheerful voice.

"Hi Jaebeom. I’m back home and I’m going to have a beer.” he answered

"Again going to sit half the night on your roof?"

"Maybe not half a night"

"Forget about your roof. Get dressed and come to us. We're going to get drunk tonight, we're going to go to the club to meet someone. You're too young to spend nights alone."

"Another time. I'm really tired today. I want to rest after a busy day."

"Oh do what you want. Whatever. Sit on your roof in lonely!"

"Okay, okay... Don't get mad... I promise next time I will definitely go with you."

"I'm hanging up. Unlike you, I have what to do in this evening, I'll go and meet some beauties." Jaebeom hung up without waiting for an answer. He laughed. That's why every time he decides to spend the evening alone. He opened the door and went out on the roof. The fresh breeze refreshed after a hot day. He reached out looking up into the sky. He walked towards the daybed without taking his eyes off the stars. He spent so much time on the roof that he could move around with his eyes closed.

"Beautiful evening," he said addressing the stars.

"You're right, the weather is great." He froze with surprise. Looking towards the daybed, he saw a girl lying in the middle and staring into the sky. He could not see the face only with her hair and bare legs which stood bent at his knees. In one hand you had a bottle of wine, lifting it you took a sip right from the bottle. He was wondering who you were and what you were doing in his favorite place.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked as he approached.

"I moved into this house today, I was told that everyone can use the roof" you sat down with your back to him. You turned around and smiled, "Does this belong to you?" You slapped on the daybed.

He was standing still, he couldn't look away from your face. He never seems to have seen someone so beautiful. His heart started beating faster. What's wrong with him, why he's reacting like that. You looked at him in anticipation of an answer. Right, he's got something to say. What did you ask there...

"No, it was already here when I moved."

"Great." You moved on daybed, making room for him "It was too stuffy in the apartment, how cool is there to have a place." You lay down again. Turning his head in his direction did you say, "You're just going to stand there?"

"What? No, I just didn't expect anyone to see here. Normally no one comes out here." he answered, coming closer

"Oh, it was your secret place until I broke your peace." You laughed while taking another sip of wine "I'm sorry. But don't throw me out... I promise not to disturb you! Consider me a ghost, don't pay attention to me"

God, what a crazy girl. A ghost that drinks wine from a bottle...

"I wasn't going to kick anyone out, this place is public" he quickly replied. He sat down with his back and opened the beer. After taking a few big sips, he lay on his back looking up into the sky.

"Apparently you've had a bad day, too." you asked

"Not that so bad, just busy" he replied turning his head. You were face-to-face. You looked back at the sky and took a sip of wine. He kept looking at you as if he first saw a girl in front of him. You were wearing a men's shirt and shorts. Because the shirt wasn't fully buttoned up when you lay down, it lifted itself up, exposing your stomach. It wonder if you live with a boyfriend. He thought about it, looking at the men's shirt.

"I'm not weird, fairly. I just haven't had time to buy the dishes and glasses yet," you said, lifting up the bottle.

"I don't.. okay" he looked up "Did you move in here with a boyfriend?" asked he while taking a sip of beer.

"A boyfriend? Oh you're talking about the shirt, I have almost all the household clothes are men's, they are much more comfortable. Okay, I'm taking my words back, maybe I'm weird. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You have a girlfriend?"

"I'm alone too"

"Have you lived here for a long time?"

"A few years. The neighbors are nice so you don't have to worry, the area is also calm, the streets are well lit and there's a supermarket nearby."

"You speak like a real estate agent"

"You're right, maybe they told me the same thing when I was watching this apartment before moving in," he laughed. Thanks to you, all the fatigue of the day passed while he was lying and laughing.

"You have beautiful eyes" you said moving closer, which caused him to blush "Oh I'm sorry I didn't want to embarrass you, don't think anything, beautiful color" you pushed back.

How awkward, what he was a fifteen years old teen, why he blushed, how annoying.

"You didn't embarrass me, it's just hot here" he said, taking a few sips of beer.

You lay in silence looking into the sky. He lost track of time, he was very comfortable.

“I think it’s time for me to disappear, as it should be for a ghost,” you said laughing. “I leave you enjoying your secret place without strange people nearby. See you. Good night" you got up and headed towards the exit "Thank you for the company "

"Good night" he rose, escorting you to his eyes. After you disappeared from view, he lay back. He laughed, remembering the words of Jaebeom is that he should met with someone tonight. Who would have thought that a normal evening on the roof will give acquaintance with a beautiful girl. He stood up abruptly, "Damn... I didn't ask her name" he lay down cover his face  with his hand while laughing at himself.

The next day he went to work in the morning without encountering you, he didn't even know which floor you lived on. The day wasn't loaded so he got out early enough. Jaebeom called and invited him in the evening for a beer, and he agreed. He came home to change, went into the elevator and pressed his floor. Coming out of the elevator he turned into his hallway and headed for his door. A loud ringing of glass stopped him half way and he went back to the elevator.

"Fuck... Why do you even need eyes? You can walk five meters without intertwining your feet?" You sat on the floor looking at the box and cursing. You lay down on the floor and kicked the box with your foot, which made the sound of broken glass heard again. The box was almost near his feet and he looked inside. Inside was a bunch of shards from glasses and coffee cups, but not a single whole.

"Are you okay?" he asked, smiling as you lay on the floor and yanked your feet in hysterics like a little child. You sat down abruptly after hearing a voice, but  after  see him in front of you fell back to the floor.

"I'm so clumsy! I need to chop off those hands and feet, there's absolutely no use for them!" You whined dramatically, while raising your legs and arms in the air.

"Do you think you'll be less clumsy without them?" he asked.

"Logically!" you sat down and crossed your arms, "That's what I was missing, good logic." You smiled and stood up. Stepping closer you kicked the box again, making it ring.

“Do you always behave like a child for whom didn’t buy the toy he asked?”

"I don't think this kind of behavior is illegal", you laughed, "So we live on the same floor. Now I know for a fact that I was lucky with a neighbor. I live in the last apartment on the right."

"And I'm last on the left"

"We're protecting this floor," you said, standing up in a superman pose, and he laughed loudly. "I told you it was strange, right? Just accept it." you smiled while lifting the box "See you later" you said goodbye and went to your apartment.

'Interesting girl' thought he, and went into his apartment.

He quickly changed his clothes and headed for the door. He stopped and looked into the kitchen. He came up and took one wine glass, one water glass, and one coffee cup off the shelf. When he left the apartment, he went to you. He didn't stop smiling until he got to your door and ring to doorbell. You have opened the door and he laughed. You were in blue pajamas with ducklings. That was too sweet.

"That's it for you. I don't think you're going to go for new glasses today" he said, handing you glasses.

"Thank you, it's so sweet! I'll get it back as soon as I buy new ones," you said bouncing with happiness.

"Don’t worry, I have enough glasses. Okay, I have to go, otherwise my friend will wait"

"Have a good rest" you smiled and winked. "Thank you again for the glasses"

"It's my pleasure. See you. ”He waved, headed for the elevators.

He didn't stop smiling until he got to the car. "Oh, I didn't ask her name again"

Half an hour later, he drove to the bar where Jaebeom was waiting for him. He came up and sat down at his table.

"Oh came. . I already thought you again will exchange me for your roof. Don't you regret not coming with us yesterday? We met interesting girls" said Jaebeom pouring him beer

"I met someone yesterday, too."

"You? Met? On the roof? Is there another one as crazy as you in your house? And who is it?"

"Someone who is more beautiful than moonlight" he replied, taking a sip.

"Is that a girl?"

"Yes, a girl"

“Wow, I'm impressed. And what is she like? What is her name? How many years?"

"I don’t know"

"Are you sure it was a real girl and not a ghost?" asked Jaebeom raising an eyebrow

"I'm sure. She's weird, but in a good way. She can make you blush. She's also very fun and with her comfortable. Sometimes she can act like a cranky child. And she has a unique taste in clothes" he not stopped smiling while talking about you.

"It seems someone has fallen in love with this 'girl is more beautiful than moonlight'!"

"What? No, hyung. She's just interesting, she's not like the others."

"Yeah, okay, let it be as you say."

The conversation changed to working topics, and stories about yesterday's party. A few hours later he left the bar and went home. He was lying in his bed, but his thoughts were with you. He quickly got up and stretched his T-shirt. As soon as he got up, he went out on the roof hoping to see you. But there was no one here. It was foolish to hope. He kept coming every night, but you weren't there.

On the fourth day he stood by the door and wondered whether he should go up. Why did he keep doing it? He turned back and went into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a can of beer. He sat alone in the kitchen and drank beer. No, it is in any case necessary to clear his mind. He threw out an empty can of beer and went to the roof. You were there, he was mentally glad that he was so determined to go up. You were lying in the middle of the daybed again. Your jacket, bag and stilettos were lying on the dusty floor in one heap. Nearby stood a bottle of whiskey half empty. You sat down and filled the glass, and then you drank it in a volley. He sat on the edge of the couch. Your face was sad as you looked at the night city.

"Apparently today was a really bad day if you drink alone" he said, drawing your attention. You turned your head and smiled broadly at him. You crawled on your knees to him and hugged tightly, he had to hug you with one hand so that you would not fall.

"Oh hello my roomie. Long time no see ”you tried to seem fun, but because of the alcohol you did it poorly. You were very drunk.

"Be careful or you fall" he brought you back to your place. You poured the glass and handed it to him.

"You want a drink. It dawned on me today that I had no one but you to drink with. It's funny" you said, he took a glass from you and took a sip.

You lay down using his knee instead of a pillow.

"Something happened?" he asked

"Yes, but I don't want to talk about it anymore"

"I understand. Get up I'll take you home." He lifted your bag and jacket off the floor, throwing them on your shoulder, looking at your shoes, he decided you weren't going to be able to go in it now. He picked up your shoes with a bottle and a glass. Taking off his flip-flops he put them in front of you helping you to shoe. You could barely stand on your feet, he put your hand on his shoulder, hugging your waist. You slowly went down to the floor and he came to your apartment. After a few attempts, you were finally able to open the door. He put you on the couch, then left your clothes on a chair, and a bottle and a glass in the kitchen. Then he came back, see that you sitting on the floor.

"Roomie, help me to get up, " you said, holding out your hands. "Exactly! I don't know your name. What's your name, roomie?" You winked at him

«Jinyoung! My name is Jinyoung."

"My name is ________. Nice to meet you."

He helped you get up" "Thank you, roomie" you said and gave him a big hug, "Thank you, now my mood is good."

He tilted his head a little bit to look at you, but you kissed him. He froze on the spot, his body refused to move. Your lips kissed him tenderly. He liked it too much. But he quickly broke the kiss. You smiled and winked "Good night, Jinyoung" you staggered go into the bedroom and fell on the bed immediately fell asleep. He kept standing in the middle of your living room, his lips burning from your kiss. He quickly came out of your apartment and headed for his.

"What was it? She never ceases to excite my heart. _______! Now I know her name." He sat on the bed, continuing to talk to himself. He closed his eyes remembering the sensations of your lips. A light wave of excitement passed through his body. "So stop. It was just a drunken kiss no more" he climbed under the blanket and quickly fell asleep.

In the morning he quickly got ready for work and left the apartment trying not to think about anything. He was so focused that only a moment later saw that you too came out of the apartment and headed for the elevators. Today you were wearing white t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. You dragged your bag across the floor. Judging by your pale appearance, you had a severe hangover.

"Hi" he said when he came closer.

"Oh roomie! Long time no see. I hate myself. Why am I so drunk yesterday? I remember drinking a few glasses, but today I saw that I drank almost half a bottle. No wonder I don't remember getting home. Roomie, can you just kill me so I don't suffer much?" You looked at him with compassionate eyes before you rest your forehead against the wall.

"Don't be so dramatic, you're must going to eat and you're going to feel better," he said with a smile. He didn't know whether to rejoice or be upset that you didn't remember anything, not that he was with you on the roof, not his name or kissing. You went into the elevator and he pressed the first floor. You crawled down the wall squatting.

"By the way, the roomie. I still don't know your name. My name is ______!"

"My name is Jinyoung. And nice to meet you." He smiled, twice he had not yet presented himself to the same person.

"Me too" you winked at him.

You left the house and you waved to him getting into the taxi "See you" he waved to you in the wake heading towards his car. He hasn't seen you in days. The week came to an end and there were two days off. Finally, he'll be able to rest. Or rather, he thought so. Until called Jaebeom and said they had a barbecue on the roof tonight. He got dressed and went out to the store. He left the house and saw you getting in the car.

"Roomie!" You waved to him "How are you?"

"Great. Going somewhere?"

"Yes to work. I hope come back to home today."

"If you'll be hungry as you come back, come to the roof. I'll grill the barbecue" he smiled

"If I come back, I'll make you company. Bye" you waved again and left.

In the evening he sat on the roof with Jaebeom set a table. He put all the ingredients on the table, and poured them a drink.

"Why did you decide to make a grill on my roof?" he asked.

"How is 'why'? I want to see a girl what more beautiful than moonlight." Jaebeom laughed. "Or does the ghost have a day off?" he asked with a smirk

"I knew it, that you didn’t just start it."

"What? I was just saving a friend from hallucinating."

"I didn't make it up, she's a real person!"

"And what is the name of the girl what more beautiful than moonlight?"

«_____! Her name is _______!" he replied rolling his eyes.

"Did you invent it or did you find a name on the Internet?"

"Oh you do not want to believe, your business. Stop bothering me and eat"

Jaebeom continued to joke while Jinyoung grilled the meat. The loud thud of the door drew attention.

"Roomie! Pikachu came to the rescue and on the smell of meat!" You ran along the roof jumping and waving your arms over your head, in yellow pikachu pajamas. In one hand was a bottle of soju and in the other meat. From this species Jinyoung laughed loudly. 'How can you be so weird and cute at the same time,' he thought. Turning his head he laughed even louder. Jaebeom sat with his mouth open in full shock watching what was happening. "Oh! I thought you alone! Hello!" You stopped abruptly and dropped your hands, bowing lightly to welcome Jaebeom

Jaebeom so sat with his mouth open looking at you. A minute later, he came to his senses "Oh yes, hello."

You went up to him and clapped on his shoulder "Why didn't you say you weren't alone?"

"And miss a show like this. No way!" he continued to laugh out loud. He moved to the th side, making room for you. "Sit down here, Pikachu"

“Do you plan to call me that all night?” said you, handing him the meat. You took off your hood and gathered your hair in a ponytail.

"Don't even doubt it!" he recalled of a friend who still hasn't fully recovered from your appearance. "By the way, this is my friend Jaebeom."

"Jaebeom, it's nice to meet my roomie's friends. My name is ______!" you said, holding out your hand to Jaebeom.

Jaebeom looked at your hand before taking it. "Nice to meet you, too"

"Have you been free earlier?" he asked, handing you a few pieces of meat.

"Yes. I thought you were going to do it alone, so you'd need to keep you company. If I knew that you are not alone, I would not hurry so."

"I'm glad you're here. I'm sick of his jokes," he said pointing to Jaebeom

"Oh you might think your jokes are much better, " replied Jaebeom. "So you live here?"

"Not on the roof, but yes. I recently moved into this house."

Jaebeom pointed his finger at you, "Stop, you're the girl what..."

"Hyung, eat meat", Jinyoung shoved a few pieces of meat into the mouth of Jaebeom to shut up. "Truth is very delicious"

You laughed when Jaebeom sent a murderous look in Jinyoung direction.

"If you're talking about a weird girl what's behaves  herself like a crazy. yes, that's me."

"I see. Very interesting" said Jaebeom winking to Jinyoung.

The evening went very well, you drank, ate and laughed a lot. Jaebeom told funny stories about Jinyoung while he was attacking Jaebeom trying to shut his mouth. After all you've cleaned up, you've gone home.

"She's really very... Interesting. But I think she only saw you as a friend. Won't miss your chance, moron" said Jaebeom when they went to bed.

"Don't worry, hyung. I definitely will not miss her" he smiled as he recalled your laughter and smile.

A few days later, he invited you to a coffee shop near the house. You sat discussing the weather and the new movie which is coming out soon.

"Let's go on a date" he asked looking you in the eye

"It's also a date" you winked at Jinyoung

"No, not as friends. I'm about a date between a guy and a girl who likes each other" he kept shaking with excitement.

"Are you so sure I like you?" you asked, putting the cup on the table

"No, absolutely not sure. But I hope so."

You sat silently for a few minutes looking at him. You got up and leaned across the table resting on your hands. You kissed him, and goosebumps ran over his skin. This time he did not break the kiss, stopping you. After a moment, you pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"I agree"  

_______________________

LIST

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[dannineedsfriends]

A Favour - Parrlyn Part 1

About a week into the second half-term of the year was exponentially and quintessentially annoying. Cathy was cold, irritable and tired and being too paranoid to delay school for coffee, she was grouchy. Constantly. Yet the uncaffeinated version of herself was outwardly positive and inwardly demonic, which is extremely detrimental in the long run, when people ask you to do their homework for them.

  She found it hard to say no to people in the first place, and now that the internal demon had latched itself, like a leech, to her soul, she was most definitely going to pretend to be very enthusiastic and happy, when she's digging herself into a sad hole to the underworld. So when Anne Boleyn came sliding into the seat across from her, she was preparing herself for total anarchy. 

  "Before you say a word, yes. I'll do it." Cathy sighs, knowing the exact words that were about to erupt from the girl's mouth. 

  "Okay good. So if you're into pussy, I need a desperate favour from you for like 3 months." Anne's face has lit up with relief, and she leans eagerly forward onto the table, not at all detecting the realisation of 'fuck' plastered across Catherine's face.

  "Hey- no- no no no -" she defends. "I never said that-"

  "No take-backs! You're helping me now." She smiles sweetly, and the tone leaks into her voice. Boleyn has a high reputation for never needing anything from anyone, taking no bullshit, and being extremely defiant. What would she possibly want from Parr? 

  "You do realised that you definitely tricked me, right?" 

  "I know exactly what I'm doing now shush, smarty pants! So - I need you to pretend to date me for maybe half a year--"

  "You just said thre-"

  "You have no right to interrupt me." She brushes her comment aside. "Because I may or may not have bragged about the fact I was seeing a really beautiful girl, who's super smart, for ages and now people want to actually know who she is."

  Anne leans over to over Cathy's hands with her own, grabbing her fingers and squeezing them. "This is a thing now. And you can't stop it." 

  The smile the girl gave her as she bounced away was unnerving. What the fuck just happened? From what she could understand in such a short time, she was no longer single. For six months. But not really not single because it was fake? She sighs and scribbles out her plans for the weekend, written on her hand. 

  Cathy wasn't exactly sure how she was even supposed to contact Anne, considering that they had never had a conversation, let alone any form of contact outside of the school ground. She realised that she was watching Anne walk away when she noticed her turn around, as if realizing the same thing before trudging back, throwing her bag on the chair and raking through it, before taking out a small piece of paper and slamming it down in front of her. 

  "Now I can leave." 

--

  Every time she saw Anne from that point on, her life was a living nightmare. Catherine didn't even like talking to friends - let alone a random girl from school claiming to be her girlfriend, when she was straight. 

  Cathy always enjoys coffee alone on a Saturday morning, before going to the library to continually revise or return some-book-or-other. She sat on the table, the one near the window, farthest from the door. She has her coffee black, with one sugar: she had often been told that someone's coffee order reflects a person and considering hers was pretty bitter, she assumes it's of relative accuracy. 

  She runs a hand through knotted curls, left down for once and they parade down her shoulders, concealing her face more than she cared for as she stared out the window at nothing in particular. Or at least nothing until a figure dressed in all black crossed over the road and threw their hood down, waving vigorously to her attention. Anne. 

  Cathy groans and turns away from the window. Now? Really? There were somethings in life that happen at the wrong time, and this was one of them, she decides. Her hands clench the warmth of the coffee cup, eyes squeezed shut and hoping that the prosecutor of her doom would spring through the door and bother her. Someone, somewhere was trying to severely mess up her day.

  Quiet webs of mumbling embrace the room and bring comfort to Cathy, who is still trying to  indoctrinated herself into believing that Anne wasn't going to walk in and sit down in front of her. 

  "Why do you have your eyes closed?" a confused voice calls abruptly from across from her. She opens her eyes to see the black-lathered figure that was Anne Boleyn. Gremlin energy at its finest. 

  "No reason. I was meditating, it has a very calm atmosphere in here." Catherine nods slowly, taking a slow sip from her cup, inhaling loudly to exemplify her tranquility. She wasn't exactly lying to her, either. Sometimes she did meditate here, briefly and uncomfortably, but the smell of the shop gave her a sense of safety and wellbeing. 

  She catches Anne looking her over with slightly squinted eyes and for once, she doesn't look like she's about to rip Cathy's outfit to shreds. The girl stands up, putting her bag in the seat. 

  "Wait here a minute? I just want to get a drink." 

  She nods and Anne walks to join a cue, coming back about five minutes later, smiling gratefully, as if she was expecting Cathy to get up and leave before she got back. 

  "What'd you get?" She questions curiously, placing her cup down on the table to look into hers. 

  "Fruity tea! You wanna try some?" She pushes the cup across the table. 

  "Are you sure? What if I have herpes?"

  "Do you?" Anne cocks an eyebrow. 

"No…?" 

"Then take a drink!" 

  Cathy watches her for confirmation before taking a sip, eyebrows furrowing as she tastes it. "I don't know if I like it. Nah. You keep that shit."

  She gently pushes the cup back across the table and gets her own drink to get the taste out of her mouth. 

  "Says the one drinking black coffee. Like some sort of demon-" 

  "I'm not a demon! Milk makes coffee disgusting and it gives me energy. Shush yourself."

  "Uh-huh, uh-huh. Suit yourself, Cathy." Anne smirks, finger tracing the rim of the plastic lid. 

  "I can hear the sarcasm in your tone, and don't give me those eyes, Annie." She counters, running a hand through her hair again, feeling the corners of her lips curling into a smile. 

  Anne grins through gritted teeth. "What a lovely nickname."

  "I know you love it, Annie." She sings, tilting her head to one side as if to antagonize her that slight bit more, and to her surprise, Anne starts laughing. 

  This seemingly immortal, and extremely annoying, being was laughing. It's bubbly and as her smile grows wider, she throws her head back for brief seconds before her eyes find Cathy's. Why was she laughing so much? 

  Anne sips at her tea, the smile lasting way longer as she watches Cathy. "I'm super hungry right now. How would you feel about going and getting some food with me, after we've finished here?" 

--

  After Anne had offered to walk her home, Cathy began to feel more appreciative of being stuck with the girl for so long. If she was this nice all the time, then it was practically a dream come true, if she was completely honest. Though she still had her moments of being annoying, they became more and more playfully annoying, less maliciously annoying, as before. 

  "So…" Anne drawls, walking close to her. "Are you free later on this evening? Late on tonight-ish."

  "Is it a girlfriend thing?" She asks slowly, contemplating her words carefully, and Anne nods in response. "What do I even need to do..?"

  She shrugs. "Give me a nickname. I don't care wha--"

  "Annie."

  "Okay." She hesitates, forgetting her words and not wanting to say something completely unorthodox. "Maybe hold my hand? Whatever comes naturally?"

  Cathy nods slowly, their shoulders brushing against each other as they walked down the streets. It was still mid-morning, and it was relatively quiet outside, the only other sounds being passing cars and the squawking of unseen birds, the rest of the space filled with their voices. 

  "Am I supposed to wear anything nice..-? I don't have any party-suitable outfit, to my recollection."

  "Who on Earth uses the word recollection in a normal conversation? I swear you speak like you're constantly writing an essay." Anne rambles, shaking her head and brushing hair behind her ears and looking over at Cathy. "But honestly anything's fine. Wear jeans and a shirt, and that's about it. We can ditch the shirt on the way home, if you get me."

   It takes a moment for the comment to register before Cathy realises and playfully smacks her arm. "We are keeping our clothes on, thank you very much."

  "Ohhhh, so you're that type, huh?" 

  "Anne Boleyn, I swear to God-" Anne snickers at her anger. 

  "But yeah! Honestly anything's fine. Come what you're in now- you look pretty."

  Cathy scoffs and stops in front of her house, shaking her head to Anne. "Thank you for walking me home, but you really didn't have to."

  The other girl just smiles at her as if to say: you know I did. She's still thankful nonetheless and gives a small wave as she opens her door, turning around one last time to blow her a cheeky kiss, before closing the door behind her. 

--

  Cathy walked to the address of said party, waiting for Anne outside, where she had been messaged to meet her, hugging her cardigan around herself and looking both ways down the street again, eyes raking through the darkness and finally the vivid sound of sandals hitting the pavement sounds behind her. She turns and sees the one and only Anne Boleyn tearing down the street in dungaree-shorts and sandals, which she inferred to be the worst possible decision of clothing in the middle of November.  

  The girl steams to a halt in front of her, breathing wildly with the biggest grin on her face, red lipstick coating her lips and apparently part of her chin. Cathy steps forward to her, taking her face in one hand and using her thumb to wipe away the straying lipstick. 

  "You scruff. What am I, your mother?"

  Anne grins into her hands, wrapping her arm over her neck and kissing her jaw softly, moving to whisper in her ear. "They're watching us through the gap in the curtain. They think we don't know they're there."

  Cathy shakes her head softly and pulls away from her. "Can you lead in? I've never been to a party and I'm nervous."

  Anne makes a comment about her being nervous at everything but leads anyway, knocking briefly before letting herself in. 

  "THE GREMLIN'S ARRIVED." Cleves shouts from the couch, Kitty next to her grinning and turning to look at  the two girls stood in front of the door. 

  "Who's the random girl-thing-?" Kitty asks ambiguously, referencing to Parr and pointing a single finger, lazily. 

  Aragon, at the statement of her friend pops her head around the door frame to catch a glance at the two unsuspecting lovers. "Are you kidding me? She's real?"

  "Duh she's real. Why else would I say she existed?" Anne narrows her eyes to slits and shakes her head, taking Cathy's hand and leading her in to the rest of the girls, all lounging around. 

  Practically as soon as they sit down, the blonde girl, who Parr finds out is referred to as 'Jane', 'Seymour' or even 'Mother Seymour', moves away to sit on the floor and then she watches the four girls form a semicircle around Anne and herself, and she clenches her hand. 

  "What're they doing..-?" Cathy whispers softly into Anne's ear, and she earns a shrug in response, unsure herself. 

  "I'm Catherine..?" She says louder, and her voice ceasing to shake, to the credit of her emotional stability. 

  "So then Catherine. When exactly did you and our dearest Anne Boleyn here meet?" Cleeves presses, a wicked smile spreading across her lips.

  Her eyes widen and she shifts slightly. "Ah- gosh. We- uh. We met in school. She wasn't in any of my lessons- but she caught my eye because she was so beautiful and- and we got talking." she nods, certain and looking over at Anne with an affectionate smile. 

  Kitty's the one that presses it even further. "Out of curiosity, how in this entire galaxy did you choose to fall in love with Anne Boleyn?? When did it happen?"

  She wipes the look of surprise off of her face and lets out a shallow breath. "If I'm honest, it wasn't a choice. It was something that just happened all of a sudden and I don't exactly know how- but the moment I think I decided that I had fallen for her was when she decided to walk me home from getting coffee, on our first date. It wasn't planned either, she just showed up and sat down and shoved tea down my throat..- and then all of a sudden she was walking me home and I wanted her to stay so badly."

  Anne's staring at her from the seat beside her, a stupid grin teasing her lips and she purses them to hide it, hands interlocking at the base of her own neck. Cathy ignores the look of her, scared of the reaction she's getting from her, and her gut begins to drop when she realises that she meant every single one of her words. 

  "And how long did it take for her to bed you, hm?" 

  "Well… she hasn't yet… She desperately wanted to, but I wanted our first time to be special and not hiding from the kids in the school bathrooms." Cathy shoots her a glance and Anne's jaw has dropped to the floor, and a surprise looks across her face as if to say: how did she know?

  Aragon grins, interjecting to the conversation. "Since we're getting into these juicy kind of details, does Anne have any weird kinks that she's told you about?"

  Catherine crosses and uncrosses her legs anxiously. "Uh.. to the discretion of Anne, I won't reveal that answer."

  "conFIRMED: ANNE BOLEYN HAS A PISS KINK" Cleves stands up and yells, followed by Anne herself shortly after. 

  "Okay! That's enough. Leave her alone." She announces loudly, turning back to her with an apologetic look. 

  "She didn't deny it..-" Anna mumbles, dipping her chin and turning to the other girls. 

  Anne sits back down, closer to Cathy then before, putting her chin on her shoulder as the room breaks put into general conversation. "Thank you, for that." She whispers, smiling at the lipstick mark against her jaw, deciding not to tell her because it made her beauty more authentic. 

  Cathy turns to her, shrugging the shoulder that Anne wasn't leant on. "I do try, y'know. And that's now fifty quid, please. Pay up, gremlin." 

  "I'm not paying you shit until I get my money's worth, thank you very much. And I'm paying you in kisses because I'm poverty." Anne grins, hand raising to push a curl behind Cathy's ear, and to her bewilderment, she doesn't object to it. In fact, she leaves her hand there, resting against her head and she watches as the girl gently closes her eyes and leans into the touch. "That's gay."

  With that, she gets up from leaning into Anne's hand, shifting to look towards her more. "You are literally a lesbian, what do you want from me?"

  "She wants pussy!" A perfectly timed comment from another conversation makes Parr grin and purse her lips to stifle a laugh. 

  "I mean- she's not wrong." Anne admits. "I'm either horny or sad, constantly and at this point I can't tell the difference between the two." 

  "Wow. You should probably get a girlfriend sometime soon." She shrugs, watching her lips and the velvet-red colour that covers them. 

  "Mhm." Anne hums, tilting her head as her eyes wash over Catherine. "Hopefully, soon, yeah."

  She drags her eyes away from the scarlet lipstick, and back to around the room, scanning each person carefully. "Since when was this a 'party'?" 

  "Well… this is our version of a party. We usually don't drink or anything, because we look to have a combined age of six years." Catherine can't help but glance down at Anne's bra, which she could clearly see through her shirt. 

  "Uh-huh. Yeah-" she nods and looks her in the eyes again, and looking away. 

  "Did you just-"

  "Yeah."

  "Well then." Anne shifts, throwing her hair over her shoulder. 

  "You don't look six." Cathy feels the need to clarify. "If you were six, I would be seeking serious and intensive therapy about my sexual tendencies."

  "Did you just-"

  "Yeah. Don't mention it." She shakes her head, looking away, but Anne insists on scooting closer, and putting her hand on her knee, smiling comfortingly. "You're so cold- I can feel your hand through my trousers." 

  Cathy shakes her head, disappointed and sighing at how idiotic Anne is. 

  "What gave you the genius idea to wear shorts and sandals in November?" She grumbles, taking her cardigan off and draping it over Anne. 

  "I like being cripplingly cold so that when I get into bed, I don't want to get out because the only warmth is bed." 

  "I hope you know that that's fucked up, right?" 

  Anne shrugs, putting her arms through the sleeves and wrapping it around herself, shuffling to lay into Cathy, sighing softly. "I'm sorry." 

  It comes naturally to turn and press her lips to the apex of Anne's head, leaving them there for a few seconds before her arm reaches around her, shushing her gently. 

  She sighs into her hair, breathing her in. Anne smells nice, she decides, though she's not exactly sure what of. Cathy can picture nights in with the girl nestled in her arm, cuddled up watching movies until they pass out, gripping onto each other, and then she turns away from her, looking around the room. These girls are the reason this is happening: why Anne Boleyn was tolerating her, loving her, to a degree. It was fake, she reminded herself coldly. All of it. 

  Anne Boleyn was only being nice to her because she got herself into a mess. After all, who could possibly love Catherine Parr for who she really is? 

#parrlyn #parrelyn #parr x boleyn #boleyn x parr #catherine parr #anne boleyn #sixthemusical #six the musical #six musical #my lesbian babies #it could be parrlyn idk man #thats gay #six #six fanfiction #six fandom #six fanfic #catherine parr x anne boleyn #anne boleyn x catherine parr

[ashsblurbs]

True life is lived when change occurs

*Part two. Make sure to check out the other parts and enjoy. Just search the tag Change Series* 

There was a light knock on the door. Steve and Natasha sat in the doctor’s office waiting to see if everything was okay. Steve shook with nerves. Usually this stuff didn’t bother him. He was in and out of hospitals when he was a young child until he was about thirteen did his health finally turn in a new direction. This was different. There was some else’s life at stake not just his own. Steve’s knee bounced up and down. One of his nervous ticks. Natasha placed a hand on his knee to calm his nerves. “Steve, everything is going to be okay. This isn’t like your first appointment.” Steve looked over at her with worried eyes but tried to at least give her a small smile. “I know. It’s just after this month it will make it real. I will go into the second trimester and will know the gender of the baby. Like this baby will actually be here.” Natasha chuckled. “And it wasn’t real when you were throwing your guts up.” Steve just looked over at her. She wasn’t wrong. He was about to say something when the door opens up to his doctor.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Rogers, how are you feeling today?” “Oh, you know just like I am only four months pregnant.” That made the doctor smile. “How’s the morning sickness? Any weird cravings.” She motioned for him to lay down on the bed so she could examine the baby.  “Actually, it has stopped. Still feeling slightly tired but feeling like myself again. Is it weird that I am craving for turkey sandwiches like all the time?” The doctor smiled and lifted his shirt up. Steve had a slight bump starting to show. The first time this happened it freaked him out in a good way. He had called Natasha right away to share the news.

“Look, do you see it.” Steve panned his phone onto his belly, but Natasha wasn’t buying it. “What am I looking at exactly?” “You don’t see it. The curve right there. I’m showing.” He just smiled and held his stomach. This was real and this just proved to him that there was an actual baby growing in him. “Steve, you are adorable, but I can’t see anything.”

The doctor squeezed the cold gel on to his stomach sending shivers through his body. The doctor moved the wand gently looking to see where the baby was today. Steve was nervous when he didn’t hear a heartbeat right away. It was possible this early on to miscarriage and not know it right away. Then relief washed over him when he heard the patters of the heart and his baby came alive on the screen.  “So, if you look right here you can see their nose and here’s a hand.” Both Natasha and Steve look at each other with tears in their eyes. It never got old for Steve. He was surprised every time they came in at how much the baby grew. The doctor commented that it was about the size of a fig. “Would you like to know what the gender is?” Steve looked over at Natasha for her advice. “Hey, this is your kid. Don’t look at me.” Steve looked back at the doctor and shook his head yes. “You see right here.” She pointed to the bottom right of the screen. “Steve you are having a girl.” Tears ran down his face. He was having a little girl. As the overwhelming feeling of excitement washed over him all he could think about was Tony. How excited he would be and most likely would spoil this little girl. “Would you like any prints?” Steve couldn’t focus. He couldn’t answer so Natasha spoke up for him.  “Yeah, can we have four prints please.”

Steve sat in the car just staring at the photo of his daughter. His daughter. “Hey, you okay. It looked like you went through a wave of emotions back there.” Natasha was driving them to a baby store. Steve wanted to buy something. Something that was pretty and frilly. Something that was cliche for a baby girl and Steve didn’t care. You got to have a little girl once in a lifetime. Once in a lifetime. “Yeah, I was just thinking about what he would think. He would definitely be over the moon excited. Buying stuff, we didn’t need because he would want to spoil her. You know he would have been such of a good dad.” Natasha put the car in park and looked over at him. She had the mother look and Steve knew he was getting a lecture from her.

“Steve, Tony was a good man about four months ago. Don’t get me wrong y’all were a good couple. Actually, saw a happy ending for you too.” If this was supposed to make Steve feel better. It really wasn’t working. He looked out of the window trying not to think about Tony. Tony was probably at some business meeting right now or at a lunch with a blond dame or a brunet male. Steve wished he were here with him, whispering beautiful things to their daughter. Celebrating what their love had created. Natasha snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention once again.

“Steve look at me. I wasn’t finished. Tony might have been the love of your life four months ago but now he is a real son of a bitch. Tony left you with no explanation except for a stupid letter. I’m not saying to forget him because you never will be able too.” She points down at his stomach indicating that this kid could look actually like the man he once loved. “But Steve you need to focus on you and this kid. You need to focus your happiness. Are you happy Steve?” Once again tears welled up into his eyes. Some days were harder the others. He often finds little things in the apartment that reminded of Tony. Then he would find happiness when he would look in the mirror at his protruding belly or when he was reading parenting books. “Thank you, Natasha. I am very happy. I am excited for this new chapter in my life to begin. I’m glad you are here to be with me for this moment in my life.”

Steve ran his hand over the beautiful dresses. There were so many options so many styles. He didn’t just want to pick out any kind of outfit. He wanted the outfit to match his little girl. “What about this one. It’s purple. It screams summer which is when she is due right.” Steve shook his head. That didn’t feel right to him. Until he saw a gold tutu and red top set. This was perfect. Even through Steve hadn’t met her yet he just knew she was going to love the color red. “Are you sure because I really love this blue one?” Steve looked down at his small bumped and smiled. “Yeah I’m sure. I just have a gut feeling.” He placed the outfit on to the counter to check out when he spotted a small teddy bear. It was very small with just a single blue ribbon around it. He picked up and ran a finger down it thinking this would be perfect for her first stuff animal but decided against it.  Maybe next time he would come back and get it.

Natasha laid the blue dress she liked and some small ballet shoes on the counter. She tried to put more up there but Steve insisted that they would come back. No use in buying a lot when he was only eighteen weeks pregnant. They had time to do all of the shopping they wanted. “Is this your first?” The cashier commented. “Yes ma’am.” The cashier clapped her hands in excitement. “Awe that’s wonderful and it looks like you are having a girl. Do you have a name picked out yet?” Steve thought about it. He had one in mind, but he swears he was going to keep this one close to his chest. 

Pepper was on the phone with another stockbroker. Her third one today. She was stopped in her tracks when she saw a flash of red in the corner of her eye. She stopped in the window of the boutique. Well not actually a boutique but a baby store. She saw one of her old friends, Natasha, and Tony’s ex. boyfriend Steve checking out. Steve was showing Natasha a small bear with a little boy ribbon around his neck. Pepper felt like she was intruding on a moment between the two friends. But she was curious. Maybe Natasha was pregnant. She always knew Bucky would have been a wonderful dad. As Pepper stood lost in her own daydream, she heard a ding of the door opening. Shit she thought. Pepper hid around the corner as the two crossed the street. Pepper went into the store and bought the bear. This would be a wonderful gift for her old friend.

Steve sat in his unfinished nursery putting away the few things he got at the store. The room was so empty he thought. He still needed a crib. He still needed so much. Steve became very overwhelmed with how much he still needed to do. He placed his head in his hands breathing in to ease his anxiety. He stood up wanting to get some fresh air. This was going to be good for the both of them. When he opened the door to find the small little bear he saw at the store, he was taken aback. Steve looked up and down the hall to see who had must have delivered this precious gift. A tinge in him hoped it might have been Tony, but he had to block that thought out of his mind. All he knew was his daughter had a guardian angel to look after her. Steve looked around the apartment and felt like this wasn’t his home. He squeezed the bear tightly to his bump. “Hey sweetie are you ready for a change.” Steve looked around and knew what he needed to do next for both of their sake.

Tony sat in his office looking out at the New York skyline. He just came to back to pack up a few items and then he was going to run back to Malibu. He couldn’t bare being in this city any longer. Tony didn’t want to risk running into Steve. He couldn’t risk seeing the heartbroken look that would be in his eyes. Tony heard the door open and looked over to see Pepper walking in holding a small envelope that was address to him. Pepper placed it on his desk. “Tony, did you Natasha was pregnant?” Tony looked at her curiously. “Not possible. Her and Bucky didn’t want kids or at least not right now.” As he was speaking, he opened the envelope to a photo of a sonogram and three simple words written on the bottom, it’s a girl. He looked up at Pepper and showed her the photograph. “Well isn’t this odd. You just mention pregnancy and I get sent a sonogram.” Pepper took it out of Tony’s hands to examine the photograph.

“This is Natasha’s handwriting, so I was right she is because I saw her and Steve at that cute baby story on 32nd and north. I even bought this adorable bear for her. I dropped it off at your old apartment since who knows where Nat resides now.” As Pepper kept speaking, Tony zoned out. Steve was there with her. What if it wasn’t Natasha but Steve? He pushed that thought out of his head. If it was, Steve would have said something. “Yeah, Pepper that’s wonderful. I must go now. You know I’m very busy.” He ran out the door with Pepper staring at him in a perplexed manner. Tony found himself in the bathroom having a small panic attack. He just couldn’t push past the thought that it was Steve. It must have been a coincidence. He was happy for Natasha. Tony thought to himself he had to send her some kind of congratulation gift.

#stony #superhusbands #stevetony #superfamily #change series #ash's blurbs

[newgeht]

Binding Ink

Chapter 5 Summary: Everyone had a name forever embellished on their wrist. This was the name of their mortal enemy… Or at least it was supposed to be. Characters: Minerva Orlando, Lucy Heartifilia, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Sting Eucliffe, Rogue Cheney, Yukino Aguria, Natsu Dragneel, Cana Alberona, Freed Justine, Levy McGarden, Jude Heatifilia, Lisanna Strauss.  Pairing: Minlu, NaYu, Jerza, Stingue, Frecana Words: 5590 Rating: T  AO3 | FFNet 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

“Gray?”  

He stood in the clothes he wore yesterday with the small addition of cloth bandages. Gray’s face held small scratches, the inflamed red making his eyes darker than normal. His smile shredded with heroism but other than that he was completely unreadable and completely out of place in her sunny-filled home. That dark hair an infringement on the warm decor.

Lucy wanted to slam the door in his face but smiled instead. It was a bittersweet curl of her lips, the ice mage’s eyes filled with hope. “Morning, Lucy. You sleep…” He paused his eyes a pool of worry as they looked over her but the look should have been reciprocated on her own face. Gray obviously noticed how she was dressed, taking in her outfit. “You’re not planning on leaving so soon, are you? Jude made us breakfast.”

She pushed past him, unable to think coherently in his presence. Since when did her father make breakfast? And when did they refer to one another on a first name basis? Not only that, but why the hell did he let Gray stay? He had always hated mages, but for some reason he had taken a liking to Gray. Jude choose the ice-maker mage out of her entire group of friends. But at a fault, Lucy was always too nice. “I guess I can stay for breakfast. Minerva never gave me a time.”

“Minerva?” Gray questioned bitterly. He walked past her, opening the door to the kitchen, a gentleman when he really wanted to be.

Oops, Lucy thought. The smell of eggs and burned bacon filling her nose. She wrinkled her nose, the bacon not appealing to her senses one bit. “Yeah, she wants to take me somewhere. Is there a problem?” She stated curtly, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. She kept her back to him, daring Gray to answer her.

Her father stood at the oven, lost in his own world for now. He never was a good cook, mostly because he hated the hobby. Which is why she was so surprised he was taking up the reigns of making breakfast.

He sat beside her, shaking his head hesitantly. “I thought we could go out with Natsu and Yukino… But since you have plans, that won’t work.”

Lucy didn’t look at him. If she did, she would fall into Gray’s trap like she always did. It was how this predicament first started but there was no way she was going on a double date.They weren’t dating. Not even close to it. But she did miss hanging out with Natsu and she hadn’t seen Yukino in a while. “I can bring Minerva with us and we can all hang out together.”

Now she could hang out with all of her best friends at one time. “I can also call Erza to see if she’s available. She’s been very busy with guild business as of late. And I also heard that she’s seeing someone.” Keeping the conversation as casual as possible, Lucy winked at Gray.

“I’ve heard about it too,” he chuckled. “I’ve also heard that he’s a wizard saint.”

Jude cleared his throat and presented them with two plates. They were filled with broken sunny-side-up eggs, almost black pieces of bacon, and triangular slices of burnt toast. “Morning kids.”

“Morning,” Lucy chirped happily, already stuffing her face with the eggs. They weren’t seasoned at all. “Thanks for the breakfast, dad.”

He gave her a cross look and she began to eat in a more civilized manner. Jude looked at her with discontent, turning to fix his own plate. His deep tone holding a gust of austere. “You worried me last night, Lucy.”

She kept her eyes down, Gray giving her an awkward side glance. Lucy knew he didn’t really care, he was making plans to give her away. “I just went out with friends, and-”

“But you don’t come home unconscious and in the arms of you boyfriend.” Jude was frigid, his true personality becoming unleashed -a cold-hearted businessman.

Gray and Lucy stilled at the mention of being in a relationship. “But he isn’t-”

“She isn’t-”

Their eyes met as Jude turned around. “What is it? You know better than to stumble over you words, Lucy.” The jolly facade replaced with sternness and rigidity.  

“Sir, she isn’t my girlfriend.” Gray stated, his face tense as he looked at her father.

Jude gave him a cold glare, uninterested in his comment. “Nonsense, you two have been together since the beginning of your second year.” His face darkened, facing Lucy once again. “I can see everything that goes on in this house, boy.”

Lucy’s eyes met Gray’s once again, he knew about everything between them. Deep down she felt regret clutching at her, making its way up from the tips of her toes and seeping into her heart. “Don’t yell at him. I’m the one you’re mad at.” Lucy gained her father’s attention back, not prepared for his outburst.

“I’m afraid it does. Even if you claim you’re not dating, it doesn’t matter either way. It’ll end as soon as you graduate.” She shook her head, shame and misery filling her. Lucy looked down as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, she knew exactly what he was alluding to. He already found someone for her to get engaged to.

Out of the corner of her eye, Gray shifted. It was obvious he didn’t know what to do but he was managing. “Look, Lucy hasn’t done anything wrong. She was just out with friends last night, don’t yell at her for that.”

And in one quick second, Jude’s personality switched. Speaking to her with a soreness, “I’m dearly sorry, Lucy. But it’s the way things have to be.” Gently he pat her head and began to eat his own dish. “I’ll leave the two of you to clean up this mess, I have to get to work. Meet me in my office when you get home, Lucy.”

She didn’t acknowledge him, only listened as he left. His expensive leather shoes clicking against the hardwood floor, the door opening without a breath and shut with a voracious belt as he left. She gripped her firsts, sucking in the tears as best as she could.

Gray’s hand came down on her back, rubbing it lightly. She could tell that he was scared to touch her. His fingers barely ghosted over her shirt. “Let’s just go Gray. You still need to get ready.”

She stood up and picked her plate of food up, all appetite lost. Gray followed her into the kitchen, beginning to wash his plate as Lucy scrapped her food into the trash.

“Is he usually that much of an ass?” Gray took Lucy’s plate, dipping it into the suds.

“Ehhhh…” Lucy debated on what to say, her father took a drastic change after her mother passed. “He’s just stressed right now and worried about me is all. Being a big tycoon and raising a child isn’t easy.”

He moved the dishes to the drying rack, shaking his hands. Drops of water flew from them as he shook, drying the rest by wiping his hands on his pants. “You can talk to me, Lucy.”

Lucy ignored him, grabbing her car keys off the counter. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know, Natsu said to meet at his place.” Gray frowned when she picked her keys up. “I can take us, you know.”

“I’m not coming with you to the Fairy Tail dorms, Gray. I’ll meet you there. Now let’s go.” She was eager, her home gradually becoming a living nightmare with each passing day. The tension between her and Jude ready to snap at any moment. Lucy wasn’t ready to come home tonight, afraid of what her father might say. Afraid to face the reality she was raised in.

They exited her home, each going their separate ways. As Gray pulled out of the driveway, Lucy started the ignition, focused on the small screen in her hands. She had to tell Minerva something before she started to drive, otherwise she would forget completely. At her thumbs was the beginning of a message, but she kept deleting and fumbling with the words. She frowned when she finally sent the message to Minerva, worried that it wasn’t suitable enough.

Lucy: I’m going over to hang out with some friends, but I would still love to see you today! It’s going to be tons of fun, here’s the address…

Lucy overloaded the message with smiley-face and heart emojis, but she didn’t care. She hoped that Minerva would make it down to Natsu’s house, there was some things she needed to discuss with her. Backing out of the garage, her yellow Volkswagen Beetle raced and buzzed down Strawberry Street.

Lucy was absolutely pissed off at this point. The road to Natsu’s home was treacherous. The dirt rode to his humble abode held unsuspecting traps! It was full of rusty nails and potholes, her poor car wasn’t made for this type of terrain. She was such an idiot for even attempting to drive on it, and now her yellow bug had suffered.

The back left wheel had two nails stuck in the tire. They had punctured the tire and completely ripped it apart, leaving the wheel sad and deflated. Lucy could only imagine how much more trouble she would be in if someone had to tow the damned thing.

Shaking her head, she stood up from the car’s wheel and immediately pulled out her phone. Looking down she had no idea who to call, but Minerva’s name had popped up.

Minerva: Omw

The message was sent right after Lucy left the house and she smiled at the thought of seeing the enticing woman once again. She leaned on the back of her car, not sure of what to say in response but there was no need.

Coming around the bend was Sabertooth’s very own vibrant Volkswagen van. The car was bouncing as it came toward her, the boisterous music rocking the vehicle. Lucy waved at it in desperation, hoping that whoever was in there would stop.

It was like they had read her mind, the vehicle of rowdy students stopping. The door was violently thrown to the side and Lucy was pulled in by a pair of hazel eyes.

“Hop in, Blondie. We’ll fix your little buggie later, right now we have a party to crash!” Sting happily whopped in the driver’s seat and took off.

Lucy squeaked as the door wasn’t even closed, a pair of warm arms wrapping around her. Rufus stood in and pulled it fully shut as those same arms buckled Lucy in. “Nice to see you again, Lucy.”

Minerva’s voice sent a small jolt through her, hooked on the woman’s natural charms. Looking at her wistfully, Lucy spoke excitedly. “I’m sorry for the mess I caused last night, I didn’t mean-”

A silken finger was placed at Lucy’s lips, silencing her. “Worry not, Lucy. You did well and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but… Flare was really…”

The finger was back at her mouth and Lucy blushed. “You beat her by a long shot. That crazy bitch just decided to cheat.” Minerva was clearly pleased with Lucy. Once she mentioned Flare, the lines in her face tightened. Although Flare

“Yeah, don’t ya worry one bit, Blondie. Everything has been taken care of.” Sting turned to wink at Lucy, pulling up to Natsu’s small cabin home. Lucy knew something else had happened, but she wasn’t going to question it right now. There was no point in bringing drama to a friendly get together.

The door to the car was thrown open once again, startling Lucy. But wait… Sabertooth was never mentioned when the plans were made. “Hey Minerva… Did you invite these guys?”

In the dark car, she couldn’t really see Minerva but the day shed a small light on her. Lucy gasped when she saw the small cut on her lip. Surprised to see the bandages that were wound around her neck and the bruises that littered her arms. All she could utter made Minerva’s face go blank.

“What happened?” The boys from Sabertooth, stopping their chattering to look at the two of them. They backed off, afraid of what Minerva was going to say.

The scowl that formed on those busted lips made Lucy cringe. “I did some training with my father early this morning. It’s not as bad as it looks, I’m fine.”

The boys made their way to the front door, leaving them behind. Lucy stared at Minerva, not sure if it would be wise to push it. She decided not to and smiled, holding her hand out to Minerva. She walked past Lucy, leaving her hand empty.

Lucy’s first question was ignored but she trusted that Sabertooth wouldn’t mess anything up; most likely, her own gang would ruin this sooner than them. After all, the nature of her friends was a big ball of randomness accompanied with destructiveness.

Natsu’s house was small and quaint on the outside, just a cute log cabin. But once you passed the threshold, it completely different. There was expensive hardwood floors (usually covered with clothes), the nicest furniture sets, and the newest wizarding technology! On his regular budget, he couldn’t afford this -no one could. But his father, Igneel, left it to Natsu in his will. Once Natsu turned 18, he moved right in and had been living here for the past couple months.

The moment she put her foot inside, Natsu came barreling toward her. “Lucy! I told everyone that you would show, my best friend could never let me down. But that popsicle told me you wouldn’t be coming! But now you’re here, how dare that fucker lie to me.” He pulled her in for a back-creaking hug, lifting her up off the ground. “We were all so worried about you yesterday!”

“We?” Lucy stangled out, Natsu soon relieving her of his hold.

“Yeah, Luce.” Stepping to the side, he revealed much of their class. Levy, Cana, Freed, Wendy… Everyone who hadn’t graduated yet was here. Lucy smiled at them, walking further into the room. “You didn’t pick up your phone at all.”

Cana sauntered over to them, wrapping her arms around their necks. She pulled them close together, alcohol on her breath. “The betting pools were in your favor Lucy. You’re alive!”

“You guys bet on whether or not I was alive!” Lucy exclaimed, shrugging the card mage off.

“Well, naturally,” Cana quipped. She took a sip from her canteen, offering it to her. “But the good thing was that no one thought you were dead.”

Lucy ignored her offer, still annoyed. “That’s beside the point.”

Cana chuckled heartily, walking back to her previous place -Freed’s lap. Glancing around the room, there was two sides, Sabertooth and Fairy Tail. It was split almost down the middle, Natsu and Yukino the only outliers. Natsu had settled back into her side, pulling the celestial mage in despite her protests. Her face shone a bright red and Lucy could only gush at how cute they were together.

There were various snacks set on the coffee table, most barely touched. Lucy picked up a pretzel stick and munched on it, contemplating on what to do with her friends. If the tigers and fairies weren’t going to associate with one another, then she would make them. A small lightbulb appearing above her head, a small thought coming to mind.

“Hey Cana, do you have any non-drinking games?” Lucy inquired, grabbing some more of the breaded sticks.

Cana pulled herself away from Freed, that small canteen still in her hand. Her purple eyes flashed with playfulness, her lips pulled into a small grin. “There’s spin-the-bottle.”

Lucy shook her head, no way, almost everyone here was in a relationship. “Something else, you cheeky devil.”

“I think truth or dare should work,” a cool voice interjected. Gray walked in through the door, holding a couple boxes of pizza.

Most of Fairy Tail agreed but a head of white hair shook profusely. “I-I can’t play that game… It’s too…”

Natsu pulled Yukino into his side, reassuring her as he rubbed her arm. “Don’t worry, Yuki. The game won’t be that bad.”

Minerva chuckled and she leaned on the fireplace. “You fairies always make a big mess of everything. I can’t imagine all the possible ways you guys can ruin a simple game of truth-or-dare.” A couple glares were sent toward the dark haired girl but Lucy knew she wouldn’t be phased.

“Maybe we could try never have I ever…” Yukino suggested faintly, looking down at her lap. Her cheeks were seared red as Natsu whispered something into her ear. Her friend was always so bashful and shy, but she was proud of Yukino speaking up in such a large crowd. Natsu was really rubbing off on her fellow celestial mage.

“I love that idea, Yukino,” Lucy beamed. “Anyone object to this?” Her mocha eyes searched around the room, not one person abstaining to the game’s recommendation.

Except a certain blond from Sabertooth. “Wait, how the hell do we even play this game?” Beside him, Rogue facepalmed as Sting sat back in the love seat.

“It’s simple…” Rogue muttered, shaking his head at Sting’s idiocy. This small comment making the room chuckle. To Lucy, the two were like night and day -absolutely perfect for each other.  “Depending on what we decide, you hold a certain amount of fingers up. And by turn, one person will start with the phrase ‘never have I ever’ and proceed to say something random. If you have done it, you put a finger down. Whoever is left with the most fingers wins.”

Sting nodded slowly, his face piquing with foolishness. “So whoever wins is the loser?”

This caused everyone to laugh. Lucy caught Minerva’s small and delicate giggle through the boisterous guffaws of Fairy Tail and she swooned at how melodic it was. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull her attention away from the enigmatic teenager.

Lucy clasped her hands together, surveying the group. “I think we should just do seven fingers. It’s not too little and not too much, right?”

“We should just do ten, Luce! I wanna go all out for this!” Natsu’s eyes were lit with the force of competition. The blonde couldn’t help but shake her head at his vying tendencies.

A couple other agreed with Natsu, especially Sting. Sabertooth’s Class president held up both of his hands, “If we do ten, we’ll have more fun!”

This caused Rogue to flick his partner’s head. “Don’t be so ridiculous, we always have the option for one more round.”

Sting’s mouth formed in the shape of an ‘o’, standing down from his argument. “I think seven it is then, Blondie.”

“You’re a blond too, Sting.” Rufus muttered, his forefingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked miserable standing at the fireplace with Minerva. Lucy supposed that if he really hated the fairies, he wouldn’t be here. She knew that’s why their buff mascot, Orga, hadn’t shown. The guy only tolerated them at the beach.

“We should probably grab some food first. I don’t want the pizza to get all soggy and cold.” Gray had propped open the boxes of pizza on the kitchen counter, helping himself.

This was another consensus amongst the group, everyone crowding around the granite kitchen countertop. Everyone in modesty grabbed what they knew they could stomach, but Natsu and Sting grabbed entire boxes for themselves.

Even with his level-temper, Gray could always find a way to banter with Natsu. “Aye fire fuck, you know how much one of these pizzas cost?”

“Don’t nag on me. You’re the one who brought them to share, ice princess.” Natsu opened his box and shoved one whole slice into his mouth, chewing with his mouth open. He did it to spite Gray, the ice mage melting from the hot blood running in his veins.

His shirt was thrown from his body as he stalked over to Natsu, the door opening. “I thought you two promised no more fighting when I left.” Everyone’s favorite red head, stood with great confidence as she stood in the doorway; a blue haired man behind her.

Lucy squeaked when she saw the woman, “Erza!” The blonde practically tackled her, embracing the woman that was two years her senior. She had graduated from Fairy Tail as valedictorian, also receiving the highest honors from the magic council. Now she was working as an S-Class mage in the guild, Lucy had really missed her so much.

Gray and Natsu squealed in fear, embracing one another as the best of friends. “We didn’t think you would come, Erza.” Natsu grasped Gray’s hand in an awkward manner, shaking it as he spoke to her.

“Just as you thought I wouldn’t come,” Lucy drawled.

They were certainly surprised by her arrival, putting their best effort in to make it look like they weren’t about to brawl. Erza merely glared at them, glancing around the rest of the room. Her brown eyes stopped on Minerva, her stare narrowing. “Minerva.”

Minerva was still standing by the fireplace, proclaiming that she wasn’t hungry. She held a cup of water to her mouth, the tiniest amount of hatred sparking in her eyes, “Erza. It’s nice to see you once again.”

Everyone was frozen at the two’s interaction, waiting for the girl’s claws to come out. But Erza nodded at the tiger, clearing her throat as she stood to the side. “Sorry, for being so rude but I have brought a guest.”

A soft smile was set on the blue-haired man’s face, a large ancient-looking red tattoo set over his eye. He looked oddly familiar to Lucy, but she couldn’t place her finger on it. “It’s nice to finally meet you guys, Erza has many great things to say about you all.” At this, a small blush appeared on her face. “I’m Jellal-Siegrain.”

And Lucy’s eyes were met with stars, he sat on the magic council! Everyone else began to murmur good and bad things, not sure of how to receive him. Fairy Tail was never on the council’s good list, more like their hit list. Erza gave a small look to Lucy, telling her they would talk about it later.

To settle the group’s excitement, Cana began to speak. “We were just about to play a game, of Never Have I Ever. You two have to join us.” She winked as she looked at the two of them, sidling up to Freed’s side.

Jellal glanced at Erza sheepishly, his eyes full of doubt. The red head grabbed the blue-haired saint by the hand, both of their faces blossoming with pink. Fairy Tail bust into a melodic discord, sending good regards to Erza and Jellal. Lucy really was happy for her, Erza deserved to be as happy as possible. (Even if she was a tad bit jealous of the celebrity she sported on her arm.) Erza sat with Jellal on the floor by the coffee table, their hand holding about as elementary as it could get. She thought it was cute how bashful the were being about their relationship.

“Who's up first?” Erza inquired. Aside from Minerva and Rufus, everyone held up their seven fingers.

And as luck would have it, Natsu thrust his hand up into the air, startling his girlfriend. “I wanna do it! I gotta good one.”

Lucy gave him a thumbs up and his green eyes were fixed on Gray. “Never have I used ice magic!”

Gray grit his teeth, raising his fist at Natsu. “You can't just target people like that, tabasco breath.”

“Uhm…” Levy breathed out, only holding six fingers up. “Technically, I've used ice magic before.”

The ice-maker mage in defeat curled up one his fingers. “Have it your way then.”

Natsu looked to the side of him, poking Yukino. Her brown eyes widened as she was put on the spot, fumbling over her words. “Ah… Uhm… Never have I ever played strip poker.”

Lucy as surprised to see so many people put their fingers down, even Freed. Natsu teased Yukino, nuzzling his nose into her white head of hair. “We should play it sometime then, babe.”

Already frazzled, Yukino shook her head. “Don't taint our innocent Yuki, Natsu.” Minerva chided in her own demented way.

Natsu leaned down, Yukino’s face glowing pink. Minerva cleared her throat, her gaze sending daggers at fire slayer. He chuckled, completely unphased by the tiger. “It’s your turn, Miss Pouty Face.”

It was evident that Minerva didn’t approve of the nickname. She let Natsu off the hook, taking her turn. “I have never driven a car.”

Everyone put down a finger, Minerva smirking victoriously. Gray couldn’t hold his tongue, “How have you never driven a car? Doesn’t your dad own a car company?”

Sabertooth looked uneasy, Minerva shutting him down. “I only have a motorcycle license. I never took too kindly to automobiles, only tolerated. Bikes are more of my thing.”

The unease of the tigers vanished, almost seeming surprised by Minerva’s answer. Lucy was sure she was the only one who noticed. But Sting chimed in right after her, “I’m the lady’s chauffeur. There’s no reason for her to drive anyways.”

Some chuckled at his answer. Apparently his Volkswagen minivan was today’s new limousine. But the tension of the room settled, Rufus ready with his own statement. “Never have I ever… Failed an exam.”

Lucy groaned, admitting defeat. Everyone but the blond, Levy and Freed put their fingers down. She was now left with five fingers, though she was lucky. Only one was down to four, Levy.

“You’re such’a putz, Rufus. You should have done something more fun like, I have never been caught having sex.” Sting’s laugh was flamboyant, hunching over as he saw the couple across from him lose again.

Lucy blushed as the memory of Natsu and Yukino crossed her mind. She had been very unlucky that day. The two were also a maddening red, Cana choosing to mock them. “Damn, I guess Yukino might be less of an angel than we thought.”

“I-It wasn’t like that-” Yukino tried to explain herself, but failed.

“Shhh… It’s ok, Yuki.” Lucy cood, “Everybody has sex.”

Her brown eyes were pleading, the rest of Yukino’s classmates smirking. “Just like how everybody poops,” Sting so graciously included.

Rogue rolled his eyes, elbowing his boyfriend. “You have the humor of a toddler.” Sting simply nodded, nudging the unruly slayer. “Right, it’s my turn. Never have I ever,” he glanced around the room, making sure to make the rest worth his while, “found the person behind the ink.”

Though Rogue’s was ominous and a bit metaphorical, Lucy understood. Only a few putting their fingers down, along with her. Some looked at Rogue with confusion, including his boyfriend.

“What d’ya mean?” Sting eyed him, the question flying completely over his head.

Jellal interrupted, “He means have you found the mage you’re supposed to fight to the death with. He just decided to put it in a more eloquent statement.”

The blond immediately put a finger down, flashing a look toward Gray. Lucy noticed the brooding ice mage had put a finger down, leaving him with three fingers. She tried not to think much of it, very uninterested in speaking to him at the moment. She knew the grudge wouldn’t last for long anyways, Gray was one of her best friends.

The attention of the room was brought toward Jellal as the council member sighed, his lacrima com blaring. He kissed Erza’s cheek and stood, “It was nice to meet you all. Council duties call, as always.”

Erza blushed, waving by to him with the rest of the group. The moment the door closed behind him, Fairy Tail gushed. Cat calling and teasing the scarlet haired mage about the “hunk of a man” she brought in, even Sting joined in on it.

She became a flustered mess, unable to answer the questions directed toward her. In order to get everyone’s attention, she blurted out the next round. “Never have I ever gotten a tattoo.”

There was complete silence, the realization dawning on everyone. “Uhm… Erza.” Lisanna was certainly brave to speak up. “We all have the tattoo of our guild emblem.”

The room was filled with cacophonous and bright laughter, the scarlet haired mage holding her head down in shame. But above the rambunctiousness, Lucy could hear the light chiming of Minerva’s own laugh. It was very quiet, a spring’s breeze. And she was completely hooked on it. But as soon as Minerva’s laughter rang, it subsided along with everyone else’s.

Lucy grinned, ready for her turn. “I have never ran a red light.”

Minerva shot the blonde a look of appraisal as numerous fingers were put down, including her own. Lucy shined an innocent smile toward the tigress, proud of knocking some numbers down.

“Go on, Levy,” Lucy said.

The petite girl was alight, her mouth quirking to the side. “I would like to but I have never gone skinny dipping.”

All the tigers put a finger down, followed by Cana, Freed and Erza. This surprised Lucy, the red head paying no mind to her inquisitive stare.

As the rounds continued, the fingers dwindled. Levy was out first followed by Natsu (he blamed it on Gray). And now Lucy was left as the last one standing next to Cana and Gray. Cana's presence baffled the blonde, she thought the drunkard had done so much more but apparently all three of them were lacking when it came to a social life.

Lucy had experienced so much heartache but not much when it came to life experiences apparently. She gave Cana a devilish yet innocent smile, wiggling her single finger at the brunette. “Never have I ever had a fruit cocktail before.”

Neither of her two opponents put a finger down and Lucy pouted. Cana shook her silver canteen at Lucy, snickering. “I only drink hard liquor, Lucy. None of that girly shit for me. And Gray wouldn't dare touch something like that, it would ruin his masculinity.”

“At least I'm not poisoning myself with it. Shouldn't your liver be dead by now?” She swore that Gray's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

“If only life was so nice.” Cana erupted with laughter, slapping her hand down on her knee. She composed herself in quickly, gazing at Lucy with the same impish face she had previously. With the next round being her turn, the brunette didn’t hesitate, “Never have I ever had sex before.”

Everyone gasped as they saw their “innocent”, blonde friend finally admit defeat. Lucy and Gray didn't bother to look at one another as they put their fingers down. Erza was the most shocked out of the bunch, staggering to her feet. “Who took your chastity?!” With vigor, she shook Lucy's shoulders, those brown eyes boring into her own.

“Back off, will you? Everyone has their own personal life that doesn't involve you, Titania.” With much vehement, Minerva spat the woman's nickname out, challenging the red head. She looked past the requip mage and directly at Lucy, shooting her a sympathetic glance. Lucy could feel her cheeks rise with heat.

Sting and Natsu were completely out of place, searching for something that he could do to stop this cat fight. Lucy expected that the two had the maturity to keep their cool but that was not the current case. Natsu tugged on Erza's arm in an effort to calm her down but her magical aura flared. The red a clear warning sign for him to back off.

“This conversation has nothing to do with the likes of you.” Erza's attention was now focused on her rival, Minerva.

Minerva's aura easily surrounded her, a dark iridescent purple coming off her body. “It involves everyone when you're standing in the middle of the room.” She replied with ease, confidence exuding from her.

Erza sighed and her aura dissipated followed by Minerva's. It seemed like Minerva was only hostile when others challenged her, sinking her teeth in when they made a mistake.

“Lucy and I will go somewhere else then.” Erza acted as if her word was law, pulling her away.

But Lucy shook her head, yanking her arm from the steely grip. “Let’s not make a scene of this, Erza. I will explain everything to you,” her confidence dwindling as Lucy spoke, “later. Can’t we enjoy the party just for now?”

She felt that Erza already knew, her gaze turning ice cold. This was focused on Lucy and then to Gray, almost daring them to speak out of turn. But in that same moment, the look was gone. It was replaced by a small smile and Erza’s voice boomed with content. “We can. I didn’t mean to make a big fuss. You know how I feel about those type of things.”

Lucy simply nodded, taking a small glance over to Minerva. She was practically begging for an out, those hazel eyes filled with understanding. The Sabertooth student huffed, stepping outside. The sliding glass door closed silently, Natsu’s cream curtains hiding any view of the picturesque forest. No one questioned the territory mage’s antics, it just looked like she was heading outside to cool down. But Lucy felt like Minerva wanted her to follow, but she needed the perfect opening.

Especially with Erza and Gray breathing down her neck.

#minlu #minerva x lucy #minerva orlando #lucy heartifilia #binding ink #my fanfiction #fanfiction #w/w #oml i can't believe i almost forgot to post this

[clicklinder-blog]

The Chronicles of Cambodia

One can travel in different ways: observe the surroundings comfortably through a car window; or blend into the local people’s life, experiencing and going through their pain and joy, troubles and concern, just like the author of The Chronicles of Cambodia did. In this book Vlad Linder described in detail his journey to the land of The Khmer Rouge, which took place in April 2012…

1

A week after my arrival in Sihanoukville, I was rather tired of the predictable life of a settled tourist. Staying at a snug little house right on the shore of the Gulf of Siam, I kept feeling I was looking at the world through a well-polished, barely visible glass. I set off to a place, where you could hardly hear a foreign tongue and where you wouldn’t have pancakes with strawberry jam for breakfast.

After roaming several miles away from popular tourist places, I found myself on a plain narrow cobblestone street packed with small hair salons, bars and various street food stalls. I turned from the main street onto one of the numerous side streets, walked several yards along a high brick wall and was happy to discover a cozy courtyard surrounded by three houses. On one of the porches several middle-aged women were sitting absorbed in a cash card game. At the same time they were giving instructions to the pedicurists almost lying on the ground at the women’s feet. I addressed one of the players with a question, if she had a room for rent in this wonderful and peaceful nook. Her card partner gave an affirmative answer at once and invited me to see the place.

Having negotiated the price for a while, I paid several tens of dollars and became a rightful tenant of a tiny room located on the ground floor of one of the three houses, overlooking a piece of a brick wall and a narrow strip of the sky as a perk. The delighted landlady handed me a heavy padlock and a small key, hurried back to the game and placed all the rental income on a bet then and there. At any time of the day or evening she could be seen at the same place with the same people and engaged in the same fascinating pastime. However, it was rather convenient, especially when I needed her to solve some household issues.

2

The next day I was walking back from a nearby market in a cheerful mood, when I saw the usual company, but the atmosphere was completely different. Instead of lively amusement usually accompanying the thrill of the game, I saw everybody with cards put aside, their heads shaking from time to time. They were all ears, listening to a woman from the neighborhood, who was telling something and sobbed violently. Her red tearful eyes searching for support said it all. I offered the girl some water and asked what had happened and how I could help. Weeping and trembling in emotions, she answered in a rather good English, as far as I could judge, that she needed badly to get to her family house situated 236 miles away from here as soon as possible. The locals couldn’t help — they mentioned lack of time or ‘important’ gambling affairs. I decided not to go deep into the story, but asked her to stay there a few minutes. I took the stuff I’d bought out of my backpack and filled it with the essentials we would need for a trip. A few minutes later our tuk-tuk rattled down the cobblestone road to the nearest bus station, bouncing and swinging, bumping every pebble and pothole.

3

It turned out the bus tickets had been sold out, so we had to make the first 155 miles to the Cambodian capital in a small old Toyota together with several more passengers. Mile by mile my neighbor kept us immersed in her sad story. An hour before our first meeting she found out that one of the three brothers of hers had had a motorbike accident. A paramedic, who had arrived in an ambulance to the accident scene, was the first to let her know about the tragedy. The three young boys were taken to the closest district hospital. There were several phone calls from the doctor while we were on our way. Each call made the gleam of hope in her eyes get dimmer and dimmer. She fainted twice in my arms: the first time — when she heard one of the injured had deceased without regaining consciousness, and the second time — when she was told her 19-year-old brother had passed away. None survived.

‘‘I will never pray to Buddha again,’’ she whispered weakly in her mother tongue, slowly regaining consciousness, her eyes still closed. I will never forget what I felt, when I heard those words slipped out of her heart in despair. Emptiness filled all the inner and outer space, like ink spreading over a blank piece of paper. The bright day gave way to a black night. The only sound I could hear in the darkness was the thud of my own temples; the pain in my chest meant my heart was still alive. The sky, usually distant, airy and light, now came crashing down on me. It is always unbearable to see the hope and faith die, but if love dies, the heart turns to stone forever. Her love was strong.

4

At last we covered the most part of the distance. In the capital we dropped by one of the numerous bike rentals and, following my companion’s advice, I took Honda sportbike with studded tires. It reminded a racing greyhound — slim, high and slightly arched. When I straddled the bike, my feet could barely touch the ground. Sixty odd miles at 95 degrees Fahrenheit was a tough challenge, I must say! Furthermore we had to maintain a high speed to arrive before dark. When the asphalt road ended, we made a stop before the last and the most challenging part of our trip. My hands trembled as if electricity had passed through them. My T-shirt and shorts were drenched in sweat. The ride was immortalized in an exhaust pipe burn on my leg. The girl coped with the situation quite well in spite of what she had been through.

It had rained in the province the night before, so a once normal country road had turned into squelching mud, however a little sun-dried. The bike, bored with the asphalt road, now shuddered in anticipation of impassability and started getting its studs into the ground so furiously, that huge lumps of mud splashed yards away in all directions and onto us.

5

For the first time since the beginning of our trip I looked around to see a real Cambodian village. Dozens of kids playing outdoors, peasants tired after the work day, and jolly drunks — as soon as they noticed us, they all greeted us cheerfully and waved. We had to move slowly and carefully, trying to avoid huge puddles and boggy places, where indifferent tall herons were standing still, domestic ducks were scampering around with their ducklings, dogs were barking, and white cows were walking solemnly with their calves. Smoldering fires were seen on both sides of the road. The smoke formed white vaguely-outlined arches. When, amidst an endless field of tobacco, a young stallion galloped out of one of the arches all of a sudden, its bell on the neck ringing, crossed the road in three long jumps and disappeared in heavy smoke in a blink of an eye, I thought it was hallucination, as the picture was quite surrealistic.

6

Having overcome all the obstacles we reached the ferry. My companion’s home village was right across the river. We got down to the water along a stony but easy trail in complete darkness. Without cutting the engine I directed the headlight at the opposite bank and honked several times. The opposite bank answered with a starting engine, and after some time a big floating structure took us onboard. The ferryman was a very young boy sitting on the edge of the boat and hugging an old diesel motor fastened to one of the crossbeams with wire. On my way back after several days, I noticed how serious and responsible the boy looked. His daily important mission of taking people across the river made him a grown-up beyond his years. We paid half a dollar and crossed the river.

7

A local brindle dog was the first to greet us near the house. It barked crazy and ran around us in circles until I got off the bike and let the dog sniff me. Nuzzling its wet nose into my legs, it found the fresh burn on my left calf and started licking it enthusiastically. That was how we made friends.

The rustic courtyard was lit by the only fluorescent lamp. Its cold light covered only the central part of the courtyard, not reaching the remote corners. They had electricity for several hours a day starting from 6 p.m. — it was rather expensive, so one bulb per house was a matter of course. People from the neighborhood gradually filled the courtyard and encircled us. When I realized I was still wearing the helmet, I got rid of its stuffy and tight embrace, and appeared at my best before the spectators. All over in mud, my bristle almost as long as my hair, and soaked in sweat, I was standing there, in the middle of nowhere, lit by an electric moon, looked at by dozens of attentive eyes. When it turned out that I was the first foreigner ever visiting this village, I felt ashamed for my appearance. I looked around smiling guiltily, which caused excitement, and everybody present — from kids to old people — smiled back. The people gave way to us, I made several steps and sank to the stairs leading into the house. My companion brought a pot and a bar of soap, and pointed at a row of big jars with water seen here and there in the courtyard. ‘‘Grab any and wash yourself,’’ she said. I turned round the corner of the house, where nobody could see me, and poured half a big jar of warm rainwater over myself. While I was tampering with the pot, cleaning one spot and soiling another at the same time, they made a dinner and bed for me. So many things had happened during that hard day! I went up the stairs into the house, expressed my gratitude for the dinner and fell asleep immediately, enveloped in the delicate smell of tobacco leaves cured downstairs. The population of this and many other neighboring villages made their living by growing and curing tobacco, and preparing it for further export to Vietnam.

8

When I woke up the next morning, I realized I had fallen ill. The planned return trip was postponed. I was down with fever the following days, coughing and sneezing vigorously. At the same time I saw the family making arrangements for a funeral. The girl’s relatives lavished care and attention on me, as if I were part of the family. One after the other they gave me ginger tea and lime drink, rice and mango, telling me about their hard life in the village.

9

Soon I got well, and we started back after several days. I left the house with a heavy heart. I got used to the people who gave me shelter, and got a taste of the joy and grief of real life.

Life goes on!

Cambodia, April 2012

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#travel #art #book #writer #new #2019 #adventures

[greetthedawn]

AN:

Hey y’all! It took me longer than I expected to write this one, but I’m happy with what I came up with. Shout out to my old roomie who watched me do a full Black Flag playthrough so she could be my beta reader for this story. Luv u girl <3

A twist, a tale, a rip through my sail

And we’re made to watch the walls fall down

Cause goodbye’s too strong, too strong a word

When I’m weak from everything that I’m told

Yes, I’m weak from everything that I’m told

And I’m weak from all the things that I know

            The sun was setting over Havana’s port and color danced across the clouds like a tapestry in the wind. Edward was reclined against the stone wall that loomed over the gently rolling water in the port. He used the tankard in his hands to muffle his amusement while his beloved rebuked their crewmen for their spending habits. As predicted, most of the lot had blown their earnings on an assortment of funs and fancies before their second night in the city had begun. Unfortunately for them, this was not the day to come asking young Master Kidd for extra handouts.

           Mary somehow towered over a gunner no less than a head taller than she was, nearly chest to chest. Her arms were crossed, and she held her chin high. The poor lad she was grinding beneath her metaphorical boot hung his shoulders low and stared intently at anything that wasn’t his quartermaster’s unyielding, narrow-eyed glare. In one hand she held a shiny new knife that would look impressive to most. However, compared to the cutting glint of Venganza menacingly strapped to her hip, he thought it would appear better suited alongside a dinner plate.

           “Tell me, Powder Monkey Herraro,” she condescended. “You bet this strumpet… how much coin, that your cock was more threatening than you new knife?” She gave her wrist a wiggle for emphasis, letting the fading sunlight bounce off the polished blade in her hand.

           Herrero cleared his throat. “I bet half, sir.”

           “Half of what, Herrero?” Mary arched her scarred brow expectantly.

           “Half my wages, sir.” The man rolled his shoulders nervously. Edward could tell he was hoping to appeal to Kidd’s infamous moral scruples with his honesty. He wasn’t sure what her punishment for deception might be, as none had ever dared, but he or any sane man would be loath to find out.

           Mary inched closer to Herrero, peering up at him intently. “Let me finish your story for you, man. Jaysus knows I’ve heard it before. She took up your bet, you had a few more drinks, and when it came time to perform you lost your nerve.”

           Herrero swallowed – his pride, clearly – and nodded with great shame and embarrassment evident in his manner.

           Mary smirked and slapped the flat of the blade to the man’s chest. She stepped back and let him cautiously take it from her hands. “No world-wisened woman believes a boastful man. Those who can support their claims have no need to brag, and they have no need to flash shiny objects for a lady’s admiration. A knife like that says fresh gold. That’s blood in the water to a lady of pleasure, and a mark who’s too pickled to get it up makes for light work.” She turned and strode toward Kenway, leaving Herrero to face the raucous ridicule of his crewmates. “Sell the knife,” she called back as she walked away. “It’ll keep you fed til you prove to me you can handle the gold I give you.”

           Edward passed her the tankard in his hand as she joined him against the wall. “A tongue lashing like that ought to curb his misbehavior for a time.” He offered a toothy grin of pride. He knew few others who could make men of Herrero’s might wither like ferns before the sun. “You’ve always had a handle on these louts. You’ll be a natural parent, far more disposed to it than myself to be sure.” The warmth in his voice was curbed by a touch of selfish hesitancy.

           She rolled her eyes. “A better parent wouldn’t have lost her child to madmen and murderers.”

           “Are you insulting murderers?” He teased her with mock offense and a sly wink.

           “Oy, mind your step,” she warned with a raised brow, but he could see the warmth of humor in her eyes. “A better parent might not be a murderer, herself.”

           “Oh, on the contrary, I might argue it makes you more suited to parenthood. Refined protective instincts, ability to stand your ground…”

           She shook her head in mild amusement and raised the tankard to her lips, but he reached out to stop her with a light hand on the rim. “You’re not genuinely worried about your fitness for motherhood, are you?” he asked softly.

           She set down their drink on the wall between them. “Any sane man or woman would be. It’s unexplored territory and your aptitude decides an unfair amount of the course for a helpless child, not to mention anyone they ever get close enough to affect. Besides, my… professional affiliations won’t make for the safest upbringing. She’ll make me vulnerable, and that vulnerability puts her on the butcher’s block.”

           He squeezed her wrist, desperately wishing they were in private where he could do more to comfort her, but also knowing she likely didn’t need the reassurance. Moments of self-doubt were rare for her, though when they did happen they were fleeting. Her convictions were unshakable but she had to consider the possibility she might get it wrong, else how could she be sure she was right? “Don’t give a thought to her safety. There’s not a Brother among us who wouldn’t cut down a whole fleet themselves to protect your little girl. And Mary... you never need to worry about your fitness as a parent. You’ve raised me into a man of quality and character all on your own, have you not?”

She smiled at that, warming his heart in the process. “Not that you’ve made it easy, mate.”

           He grinned back cheekily. “What child would, in truth?”

           The corner of his vision sparked in that moment with the aura of a friendly face. Mary must have sensed it too because her head whipped around just as soon as Bell broke free from the mingling crowds of the port market. She tugged on the sleeve of his robes, pulling him after her as they went to greet their young friend.

           “What news?” Edward inquired with a terse urgency to his tone once they had drawn within earshot.

           Bell’s eyes landed on the pair through the throng of traders and he gave a relieved and eager sigh and he way his way over to them. “I did as you said, sirs, and scoped out Ignacio du Mont. He’s a man of modest means, though he seems to live more comfortably than one of his post in the shipping business ought to. All those in the neighborhood that I spoke to sang praises of his leadership in their community, but there seems little remarkable about him outside of those two points.”

           “And the house?” Mary pressed, her demeanor measured yet hopeful.

           “Aye, the address you gave is indeed the du Mont residence,” Bell confirmed. “It’s a grand thing, but aging and in need of some upkeep, and its staff seemed well-treated. Their quarters are on the ground floor, while du Mont resides above with his wife and small child.”

           Mary noticeably stiffened at Kenway’s side. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, checking her from appearing too personally invested in this piece of news in front of their crewman. “What can you tell us about this child?”

           Bell shrugged. “Not much. It’s a wee lad, less than a year of age by my eyes.”

           Mary relaxed under the captain’s fingers, a little disappointed, he guessed. He let his hand drop from her coat.

           “Anything else you can tell us?” Mary questioned, shifting her weight away from Edward inconspicuously.

           “Just this: there are many empty rooms in the house that appear to be equipped for children. When I asked after the family, I learned that they sometimes take in urchins off the street. They care for them, find a suitable couple for an adoption. It’s all quite… philanthropic, though the rooms seem to have been empty for a time.” He hesitated for a moment, somewhat unsure of himself. “If I may be so bold as to assume that your true intent is on one such urchin, I feel confident that du Mont will have some valuable information to help you on your way.”

           Edward bristled protectively, but Mary laid a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Aye, you may be so bold, but I’d ask that you make no further assumptions about this matter,” she confirmed. “It’s not your due to go digging in it just yet. Though I’d wager you’re right about du Mont. I expect he’ll prove a willing font of knowledge.” Her fingers graced the ruby pommel of her dagger lightly.

           Edward grinned at her, his tension turning to anticipation. “I do hope he won’t mind us two dropping in for a chat, then.” He reached into his coat and removed a rather sizable pouch of gold, which he pressed into Bell’s grateful hands. “For your family, as promised.”

           “That ought to pay for a physician and keep your family in food and home until your father is well enough to work again,” Mary added. “If his illness draws on, we’ll be glad to send more. You need only to ask.”

           Bell nodded with eyes wide at the wealth between his fingertips. The Assassins both knew he wasn’t the type of boy to waste a single coin on himself when it was needed elsewhere. It would all certainly make it back to his loved ones. “I thank you, sirs. My family won’t forget this kindness.”

           Mary clapped his shoulder. “Nor will we forget yours. You’ve done us a great service. Now off with you! You’ve a courier ship to catch.” She waved him away with a small smile of confidence on her lips. Edward knew she was pleased with herself for finding this one. It was only a matter of time before they welcomed him to the Brotherhood, he was sure of it.

           Bell nodded gratefully again and scurried off down the docks to find the fastest vessel with a course set for London. There was many a captain that would lie hand over foot to get his hands on that purse with false promises of delivery, but the young boy was a pirate himself and would surely see through such ruses to find a trustworthy sea craft.

           Mary put a hand on her partner’s back and led him down the road into town. The city was beginning to quiet around them as children were put to bed and families tidied up after their supper in the tranquility of dusk. The hum of domesticity hung in the autumn air light as a feather, yet Edward felt it smothering him like a downy pillow as he tried to stifle his uncertainty for their near future. He was grateful, however, for the shadows drawing long across the dusty Havana streets. Their cover allowed them to move toward du Mont’s home with fewer anxious glaces about their surroundings.

           “A foster home,” he mused eventually, breaking through the buzz of insects and the gentle breeze. “Odd that Torres would have such a connection. Did he really deal in children with the frequency to render it necessary?”

           Mary frowned and cast a scolding glance, but he could sense by the steady pressure of her hand on his spine that she wasn’t truly irritated at his remark. “I don’t like to imagine my daughter as a commodity to be bought and sold, or any person for that matter. But I can see why the Templars would value a man like du Mont. They can harm and manipulate their enemies as they’ve done me without having to take responsibility for the child’s wellbeing, and it’s more difficult to keep track of where they end up if another party handles the transactions. It’s almost clever, really. Something I might have done, were I of a different mind about the ethics of it.”

           Edward nodded thoughtfully. “I would have thought it too kind a solution for a man of Torres’ disposition. Perhaps he did hold a soft spot in his heart for babes… though it seems perverse to distinguish them from the other innocents he so sought to control.”

           Mary’s lips pressed into a firm line. “I hope you’re right about that. If this du Mont harmed my girl…”

           “I’ll gladly hold him down while you split his skull.” He pressed a supportive kiss to her temple as they walked. “Though I’d rather toy with him a bit first. I know merciful deaths are your color, but mine run darker yet. You’d be welcome to join me in my fun, however.”

           She smirked at his proposition. “I s’pose I haven’t wrung the whole scoundrel out of you yet.”

           “Would I be any fun if you had?” He punctuated his words with a saucy wink.

           Mary eyed him up and down suggestively. “Perhaps it isn’t the worst thing.”

           By the time they reached the address that Ikal had given them some days earlier, the sun had sunk resolutely behind the mountains and the most commanding sounds in the air were the wind and the shuttering of windows. Mary led the way as they circled the residence. It was a two story home, proud but not immodest, with fading green walls and white trimmings that glowed pale in the dawning moonlight. There was no hint of the heavy security that they were accustomed to dealing with when infiltrating Templar bases. In fact, the building gave no more hint of concern toward intruders than its neighbors did. Edward found it highly suspect, but didn’t voice his unease. If Ikal said this was where they would find their man then this was where they needed to be.

           They found a window sitting open on the second floor at the back of the house, its wispy curtains dancing sleepily in the warm breeze. Mary ran at the wall, kicking off the side boards to push herself into the air and grip the windowsill. Edward stayed on the ground, keeping watch for any patrolmen and waiting for her to scope out the interior. She hauled herself inside and disappeared for a long moment before poking her head back out. She signaled for him to follow, but to do so quietly.

           He sprinted at the house and pushed off the side as she had, propelling himself up to the open window. She took his hand and pulled him in. When his eyes adjusted, he found himself in the dimly lit room of a child. du Mont’s infant son slept to his left, letting out the tiniest of snores every handful of seconds. Carefully, Edward crept to where Mary was crouched at the open doorway, peering into the hall. It was empty. Together they slunk into the greater house. Mary headed with purpose toward the door opposite the landing of the stairs, seeming to sense something within, and quietly, gently twisted the knob. She cracked the door open just enough for them to slip into the room.

           Ignacio du Mont laid by his wife’s side in an opulent four-poster bed that had seen some wear. The emerald green drapery hung loosely around the sleeping couple. Edward snuck to the man’s side of the bed and grabbed a fistful of the heavy velvet curtain. With that in hand, he engaged his wrist blade and pressed one long edge against the exposed flesh of his target’s throat, covering du Mont’s mouth and nose with the cloth to muffle his reaction. The Spaniard’s eyes snapped open, fluttering like wings as he adjusted to consciousness and took in his tense situation.

           Mary hovered at Edward’s side. Her hand rested lightly on the grip of her ruby knife, intimidating but not yet threatening. “We have no quarrel with your wife,” she hissed lightly through the darkness. “Best you come with us, so as not to disturb her.”

           Edward tentatively removed the curtain from du Mont’s face and motioned for him to stand, pressing the blade to his neck a little rougher as a warning. Eyes wide but compliant, the Spaniard held his hands just above his head as he was led into the hallway. The Assassins led him past his son’s room to one at the other end of the house, far from the sleeping ears of his family yet still high enough to hurt should they need to throw him from a window for whatever reason.

           The room they had selected was an abandoned nursery. The walls were a gentle, soothing shade of yellow, and two bassinets were nestled along the far wall. An assortment of toys adorned the shelves and two plush, burgundy chairs sat by the window facing each other. Edward pushed du Mont into one and Mary settled into the other.

           Mary leaned forward commandingly, placing her elbows on her spread knees with her hands clasped loosely between them. Her calm was menacing. “Are you the man the Templars call Ignacio du Mont?” she inquired evenly.

           Their target gave her a nervous, but puzzled look. “Sí, that is my name, though I know not of these Templars you speak of.”

           Edward tightened his knife’s grip on his captive’s skin. “Don’t lie, cockrobin. Your hide won’t thank you for it.”

           du Mont tensed, his fingers digging into the upholstery of his seat. “That is my honest truth, I swear to you!”

           Mary raised a steadying hand. The captain met her eyes and he could tell she believed the squirming Spaniard’s words. He eased up, feeling du Mont relax beneath his grip.

           “Is it true to that you work for the former Governor Laureano de Torres?” Mary pressed.

           du Mont shook his head, looking nervous and a bit confused. “I took contracts from the Governor on occasion, sí, but my day to day work is with a shipping company. Rum, tobacco, sometimes armaments if the price is high enough. That sort of thing.”

           The set of Mary’s mouth firmed, but the sparkle in her fawn eyes gave away her eagerness at his admission. “Tell me, Ignacio, did these contracts ever ask you to deal in the trafficking of humans? What is the price for that, I wonder?”

           Their mark’s eyes grew wide and he threw up his hands in defensive objection. “No, never, sir. The slave trade is a dark and immoral business, simply uncatholic. I would not sully my hands or my family name with it. We are not so desperate for the gold it would bring that I need stoop so low. You dishonor me with the accusation.”

           Mary leaned back in her chair with her hands crossed over her lap, skeptical. “So the Governor Torres has never brought you a child to dispense of.” Her tone was pointed, trapping.

           Understanding dawned on du Mont’s face and he backtracked on his indignation. He shook his head and huffed to the floor. “I must explain. My wife has this passion for children, you see. She herself was orphaned as at a tender age, but was lucky enough to be taken as a ward… Others are not so fortunate. We house children in crisis around the city as there is a need for it. You can see from our relatively vacant home that she has quite a knack for finding suitable families for the sweet babes that cross our door, and has gained some pleasant notoriety in the city for her work. This news reached the Governor at some point and he offered to aid our efforts. A few times over the years, Torres’ men would bring us a child or two. Sometimes they stayed for a time before the Governor sent to retrieve them, and other times we were asked to find them loving homes. Such children always came with a hefty donation… and a request for discretion.”

           The man’s passion for his cause seemed true, but his last words stirred Edward’s blood. “Did you not think to ask who these young ones belonged to? Did the cloak and dagger of it not rouse your suspicions?”

           du Mont raised his hands concedingly. “In truth, they did at times. At first we suspected them to be the Governor’s bastards, and might have left it at that had there not been so many over the years. But what power did we have to investigate? And how could we do so without having to admit to ourselves our own part in any nefarious plot? It would ruin my wife. The only power I possess is to care for and nurture these innocent souls and to place them with families who will do the same. And every man must make compromises. Their price has permitted us to take in many others who come to us through honest means, children we might otherwise have needed to turn away.”

           Mary nodded thoughtfully, less irate, more understanding than Edward himself. “I respect your motives, but not your methods. Unfortunately, those are personal to me. You see, one of these little ones came to you straight from my own arms, robbed from me at her birth.” She leaned in closer, her eyes imploring, attempting to appeal to the loving parent in du Mont. “You’re a father. You have a young son. You can imagine how I must find my daughter, how I have died everyday that I have been unable to do so since that morning last April when she was stolen from me.”

           “April?” du Month started. He gave a heavy sigh and glanced at Edward patiently but warily. “May I stand? I have something you may like to see.”

           Kenway let him rise, but kept his blades at the ready should their new friend make a move to escape. The Spaniard led the way down the stairs with the pirates at his tail and took them into a study. He went directly to his desk and ran his fingers along the underside of the table’s lip. There was a soft click and a hidden drawer popped out at the side. He gently lifted a small, blue notebook from within.

           “It was never a direct condition of our arrangement that I wasn’t to keep records on the children Torres brought to me, but I don’t suspect he would be pleased that I have. Regardless, the secrecy made me uneasy and I wanted insurance should their origins come back to haunt me as you have this night.” He handed the book to Mary. Edward loomed at her shoulder, watching as she thumbed through the pages, seeking one dated April 1721.

           “I remember your girl. She came to me still slick from the womb. We seldom get them so small, and we feared for a time that she wouldn’t make it… but she had strength in her. I particularly enjoyed having her here. She was a quiet, agreeable thing.”

           “Not at all like her mother then,” Edward quipped playfully, earning himself a dark glare from Mary.

           “Here,” his partner breathed when she landed on the page. There was an address - a plantation at Matanzas - and three names: the adoptive couple, Thiago and Catalina Reyes, and their adopted daughter.

           “Maria?” Edward remarked incredulously.

           “Sí, that’s the name the Governor gave when she was brought to us,” du Mont confirmed, perplexed at his change in tone.

           His lover laughed out loud, and the sound was angry. “That codger…” She turned to du Mont and explained, “The mother was an englishwoman named Mary. She… didn’t get on with the Governor. Giving her child the Spanish iteration of her name, I suppose it was both a tribute and an insult. A way to honor the mother and their quarrels, yet possess the daughter as spoils of war.”

           du Mont nodded. “Indeed, I knew Torres to have an ever slightly perverse sense of humor. Still, he paid well, and your child was no exception. The money was put to her good care, I can assure you.” He took the book back from her and ripped out the page concerning Jennifer before locking it safely back in his desk. “I don’t know what your quarrel was, but believe you me, I have no affiliation with him past what we’ve discussed, and no stake in his affairs. I am sorry for the part I played in your daughter’s kidnapping, and for the pain it caused your family. I am not in the business of separating parent and child. Quite the opposite, actually.” He offered the paper to Mary, who took it gratefully.

           “Thank you for your help, and for keeping my girl safe during her time here.” After pausing in contemplation for a moment, Mary reached into her coat and pulled out a pouch of gold. It bore the Assassin insignia. She dropped the sack onto du Mont’s desk with a soft thud and the jingling of coin. “You and your wife do noble work here. If you ever seek to do business with a more honorable cut of folk, show this symbol at your threshold. Our friend Rhona will know to seek you out.”

           du Mont smiled amicably. “I will keep it in mind. Now go in peace, dark friends. Your daughter awaits.”

           Mary nodded in farewell and started out the door. Edward lingered a moment, hesitant. His insecurities and fears about this child mounted again at this new information, holding him back from following the person he cared about most. They were so close to finding Jennifer, but every step they took closer to her took him one step closer to an irrevocable change in his relationship with her mother. Jenny would always come first in Mary’s eyes, as she damn well should. Would he be able to prioritize her the same way, this child that should have been his but now never could be? Mary would expect it of him. If he was a good man, he’d be up to the task. Maybe someday he’d get there. He just had to hope that happened before he could ruin himself in Mary’s eyes once and for all.

           The woman he loved paused just outside, looking back at him expectantly. “Coming, Kenway?”

           Looking at her in the moonlight, strong and healthy and alive, he knew this was not the greatest thing he would be willing to overcome to stay by her side.

           “Aye,” he called back, his voice catching every so slightly. He turned to du Mont and gestured farewell. “Cherish your wife and son,” he advised. Looking around the plush, modest study he added, “You’ve been blessed with a good life here. I envy you for it.”

           He followed Mary out of the house, leaving behind their slightly puzzled new friend to mull over the strangest night of his recent years. With a hand on his partner’s back, the two Assassins set off down the road toward what Edward hoped would become the happiness and satisfaction he so craved.

A sound, a light that rips through the night, now too far away

But when I follow my heart, it leads me to you

When I’m weak from everything that I’m told

Yes, I’m weak from everything that I’m told

And I’m weak from all the things that I know

           The moon hung low on the horizon. Its silver reflection reached out across the sea, stretching toward Edward only to be broken apart by the waves just before reaching him on the shore. The captain sat tucked into the sandy slope of a kingston beach, bare-chested and bare-footed. He wiggled his toes deeper into the soft, bleached grains before him, still somewhat warm from the hot, sunny day. The temperature cooled each inch he dug deeper. Flecks of it clung to his arms and legs and hugged the damp bottom-third of the bottle at his side like a sleeve askew.

           While Mary had gone back to the Jackdaw to make the necessary preparations for their trip at first light, he had come to commune with the sea as he always did when he felt he was losing control. The ocean was one thing he knew he had command of. Here, he was a devil and a king. He inspired fear in his enemies and loyalty in his friends. There was no battle he couldn’t win, no place that was barred to him. Try as they might, these West Indies couldn't seem to kill him.

           What he couldn’t control, however, was his future. Tomorrow night, his relationship with Mary was decidedly going to change. Tomorrow, Mary herself was going to change. She would be a mother in more than just blood and name. He couldn’t say for certain how that might affect their dynamic. Their relationship, their partnership, those were sometimes strained and always carefully balanced. This child would throw a very sturdy weight onto one side of all things. Could they learn to compensate? Edward couldn’t be sure. Mary was so firey and he was so hard-headed. How would the responsibilities of parenthood interact with those traits?

           Moreover, he couldn’t control how tomorrow would go for Mary. There were so many unknowns, so many variables, that he couldn’t ensure the day would go to plan. He couldn’t predict how receptive young Jennifer would be to the change, or if she would be able to understand what was happening. His feelings about this girl’s origins and the potential ramifications on his own life aside, Mary deserved to be reunited with her daughter. Even if it meant he had to give her up altogether to make it happen, then so be it. He would do whatever he could to make their mission a success along with their life thereafter, but ever since that night he’d pulled Mary out of that reeking prison cell he’d had a crippling fear of not being able to do enough. A fear of being too late.

           The sound of familiar footsteps at his side flushed his chest with warmth. The small, rough hand on his bare shoulder was a welcome reminder that he didn’t do this - or anything else - alone. He looked up to see Mary, not James Kidd, at his side. Her hair hung loose, gently lifted here and there by the warm breeze winding around them. She was dressed down to a white blouse with simple trousers and no boots. Her expression was more relaxed than he had seen it in a week, much to his pleasant surprise. “Mind if I join you?” she asked in a murmur.

           In response he took her hand and pulled her down to the sand next to him. She leaned her shoulder against his and gazed our across the water. The waves broke with a soothing, steady roar, their crests five deep as they rolled in toward the beach.

           “You’ve been out here quite a while,” she observed after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

           He turned his head and pressed a small kiss to the crown of her head. She smelled like salt, sweat, and smoke. “Aye, I wanted some quiet. Needed to do a bit of thinking. Did you get on all right with the crew?”            She nodded. “The damp louts will be right and ready come dawn,” she said in a scoff, rubbing the back of his hand affectionately with her thumb.

           He smiled lightly at her irritation with their ever-intoxicated crew and squeezed her fingers. “It is my great regret that I didn’t steal you aboard the Jack years ago. If only Adé had forced my hand a year or two soner.”

           Mary laughed at that. “As though you could have talked me into it, at the time. Or as though you’d have even asked. You’re well aware I’d have used it as a chance to guilt you into joining our Creed, and we both know how eager you were to subject yourself to that back then.” She elbowed him in the ribs teasingly.

           He playfully shoved back before letting out a wistful sigh and hanging his head. “No, you’re wrong about that. I would have jumped at the chance to sail with you. I know I wasn’t an easy man-” She cut him off with an arched brow. He returned a cheeky grin and revised his statement. “-am not an easy man to call friend, but Mary, even then I craved your approval. Yearned to stand at your side an equal in character, worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as you and your brothers. I thought I could go about it my own way, thought that riches and reputation could buy me that right. I tried, Lord knows I did, but I almost lost you for it, and did lose so many others.” His thoughts wandered sadly to their motley family in Nassau, long gone. Thatch, Anne, all the rest more colorful and abrasive.

           She held his gaze calmly with affection and concern in her sharp eyes, staying silent as though she could sense there was more he wasn’t saying. And there was. He didn’t want to say it, was loath even to think it in the shadowed privacy of his own mind. Maybe it was the alcohol swimming about in his veins, however, or that look she was giving him, the patience that always broke him to pieces in the end, but he felt it needed said. Tomorrow would be a different life from the one they were living in that moment on the beach beneath the waning moon. If he didn’t tell her that night, he would most certainly take it to his grave.

           With an anxious huff and a heavy pull from his bottle of rum he continued, his words directed at the rolling waves before them. “More than anything, I hope I would have asked you aboard because I wonder what might have been different in our lives if we hadn’t spent those few years apart.” He pulled his hand from hers, ashamed. His fingers dropped to grab fistfuls of sand, letting the grains sift through them like the wasted days he might have spent loving her instead of his gold. “My cursed partnership with Roberts, your arrest, our long months languishing away just there.” He nodded toward the dim horizon where the lights of Kingston jail glittered in the night across the bay, deceptively and offensively beautiful. He swallowed hard as his throat tried to trap his next words in his chest. “But mostly… I hope Jennifer could have been mine. My blood. No other man’s.” He tried to keep the jealous venom out of his tone but it was all he could do to get the idea past his lips. Controlling his emotions was out of the question. With a rough sigh he conceded, “It’s a natural consequence of my past choices that she is not. But I do hope I could have found a way to be worthy of that honor. To win your favor each night, to make you so satisfied, body and soul, that you need not visit another man’s bed or spend your days in the light of his affection. To be enough. A joy and not a burden.”

           Mary was still as he said all this, carrying on with her patient silence. When he dared glance at her, she was studying the horizon. Her wrists were draped loosely over her knees and her thumbs picked absently at her middle and ring fingers as they sometimes did when she was deep in thought, carefully selecting her words. He couldn’t name the emotion on her face.

           “Anne always said he reminded her of you,” she started after a tense moment of quiet had passed between them that, to Edward, didn’t seem like it would ever end. “I never saw what she did in that. But each of you was after the same thing as the other, something more meaningful than base gold and drink. Esteem, respect, community. Perhaps that’s what she always meant. He was the only man dry enough to fight beside us women that night. He was killed in the struggle while the drunken rats cowering below deck got their fair trial. Twisted fate, that. I never had the chance to tell him I was with child, but I think he’d have been happy. Proud, even. I didn’t love him, nor did he love me to my knowing, but we respected each other, and he’d have made a good father. His name was Jamie. My girl has his red hair.” She turned to face him and placed a hand on his knee. “I’m not going to soothe your ego, Kenway. I have no regrets for these past few years, though I can’t speak for what I might have done had things unfolded in any other manner. But I know my course lies with my daughter, and there’s room alongside us if you’re as certain of your heading as I am of mine. Given time, who knows? Perhaps one day there will be a child that’s equal parts your blood as they are mine.”

           Edward’s insecurities didn’t melt away as she spoke, explaining her side, nor did he feel any more settled about the past and his own regrets. Maybe, though, that was a good thing. His ghosts and regrets were almost welcome friends now. They were the driving force for his ambitions, a somber glimpse at the darkness that awaited him should he ever slip into his old ways, the easy ways. Each morning and night he faced them and counted up his deeds to assure himself they would never again be his reality, would not rob him of even one more day of happiness than they already had. Mary, their future together, even a child one day… they would be his reward for staying his course. He had a feeling that Jennifer would serve as both a ghost and a reward.

           He kissed her then, forcefully. “I can wait for that day,” he promised her. “Because Jennifer is a part of you, and there’s not one damned piece of you that I don’t love more than any of my own.” And he meant that. Until the day that they were ready for another, and every day after that, he would love that little girl as though she were his very own, because she was Mary’s and Mary was his from then and forever more. At last.

Do you think of me when you look to the sea?

I know it’s hard to grow when you’re pushed to your knees

I know our time will pass, your love, it will last

Darling, we will never break

Never break, darling

Song: To The Sea - Seafret

#CWMN Full Chapters #Come With Me Now #Kiddway #Kiddway fanfiction #Mary Read #James Kidd #Edward Kenway #Assassin's Creed Black Flag

[jillychristmas]

how to why not

I am in love. I’m here to admit this for the first time, I guess to only myself because, while it shouldn’t ever be something someone is ashamed of, it’s something I am, in fact,  ashamed of. The first question is so obvious...what is there to be ashamed of? Well, in my perception this love is a one way street and at 27 years old, I thought we’d be past driving down it. But life is unpredictable and it’s not the first time or even like the fourth or fifth that I’ve been so sure something would or would not happen and the opposite came true. After this past year, I truly believe anything, and I mean ANYTHING, is possible. It’s provided an interesting perspective for me as normally I am tempted to take that in the negative. My brain jumps to worst case scenario and I sit and I wait for it. Maybe to some extent I have even manifested it into existence. It’s funny though, a few years ago, I worked with a man who added “#WHYNOT” on every single thing he posted on social media, and I mean every. single. post. To be honest, I thought it was some kind of inside thing- a joke or some kind of mantra, and one day, I decided I needed to know. When I asked he said, “There are things on this earth that only happen once ever, there are even more things that have impossible odds, maybe 1 in every 100, 1000, 1,000,000 right? But those things all still happen once, and I say why not that one time be me?” I don’t think I will forget that for as long as I live, but I digress.  That paragraph is a good example of how my brain avoids addressing the subject at hand, so back to my point. Back to sitting here and writing so that I can come to terms with where I am, and maybe provide my head with a wee bit of clarity and space. I met a boy a year ago, from would you believe it, TINDER. I may have written about the experience in a prior post, I can’t remember, but it was the best first date I had ever had, and when he asked for a second, I was overcome with joy. Three months of this like hooking up and hanging out and I brought up the dreaded question...where is this going? And to my surprise and a bit of sadness, he said nowhere. He wasn’t interested in a relationship, because the one’s you want really never are right? I keep these flashbulb memories of me and him, being absolutely perfect together, and sometimes I wonder if just maybe, he does too. I thought I was both cool and strong enough to handle the friends with benefits thing, but that ended as you could predict, quite poorly. In an argument, this boy showed his mean side, and for the first time in my life, I left someone literally on read and walked away. It should be of no surprise that two months later, he hit me up an apologized. We decided to try just being friends. The next few months are a bit of a blur, but the relationship was weird. We both clearly had walls up, there was an undeniable tension and when I attempted to address it, that mean side peeped it’s head. I can take myself out of any situation, and understand how it looks. If this was my friend I would say, this is not how a relationship or friendship or anything is supposed to be. You don’t need it, but what the outsider fails often to be able to do, is actually put themselves in the specific situation. But again, I put on my bad ass girl panties and walked away. You already know where this is headed right? 

Three months later, we talked again, but I immediately noticed a change. Everything felt lighter. We did our first one on one outing for his birthday, which I was dreading to the highest of keys, but I ended up having so much fun. I drove home that night and cried. Feelings flooded my body and there was nothing I could do. He consumed my thoughts, and I battled between was this worth fighting feelings for? Is the same pattern going to repeat itself? How am I going to handle enjoying my time with someone I can never have? That’s three of twenty million questions that bounced around my mind like Olympic ping pong. I decided I wanted him in my life, and that being friends was the best way to do it, and he said that he agreed. I once heard, “Fake it til you feel it,” and convinced myself if we stuck to the friend boundary, this could be something beautiful. We talked almost every day and started hanging out even more. I can sit on the couch and watch the entire season of The Undoing or go on our own bar crawl on a Tuesday night and enjoy every second of all of it. I’ve never said okay to doing so many things outside my comfort zone, but also never had more fun doing so. 

About a month ago is when things started to veer, and maybe you think I’m going to say in a negative direction, but I actually can’t decipher what emotions are attached. First, we made a long term plan, a professional sporting event that was months away. I was floored. That meant we had to make it copacetic for a period of time longer than ever before, but listen, I was here for it. Next, I asked to visit his home state “one day” and he invited me on his next return two weeks down the road. When that didn’t work with my schedule, he suggested Christmas. Again, floored. This is also when the, for lack of a better word,  touching started. I have told him since day one, his hugs are something special. As a society I really think we are slighting the hugs, and post pandemic, they’ve basically fallen victim to cancel culture. So hugs with us were normal, but hugs turned into cuddling on the couch and then to cuddling in bed and taking naps together and all these kind of cute things. When we discussed what this was going to be again, he had said no sex. I was bummed, but was he probably doing what was best? Yeah. I read something on Pinterest that same night that said something along the lines of “When someone sets a boundary they are not trying to end it, they are trying to save it.” Felt timely. But just as a boundary was put up, I let a wall down. I opened up to him about the battle of the brain that I started at 24; my war against anxiety. If you met me on the street, you would never know what I went through. I am self proclaimed hilarious, chill and a go with the flow type of person. My anxiety surrounds a very specific issue, but it comes in hot and heavy when it’s here. I can count on my fingers how many people know the depths of that journey and I thank the universe for them regularly. I think the hardest opponent you can go up against is your own brain. It’s a part of me I am learning to accept, I’ve healed tremendously, but every now and then I have a moment and this shit is a sneaky mother. I fear the stigma that comes with it, about not being understood, I’ve experienced that more than once, but I decided to tell him. As a side note, I’ve been significantly more open about it. What really helped me was reading a book called DARE, which was about not living with anxiety, but defeating it. Reading those pages I felt so seen and to understand that this was so much more common than I knew, I just felt related to. So I hope that maybe by being more open, I will be able to be my more authentic self and maybe even make someone else feel understood too. When I told him, I didn’t cry, but I came close. He just sat and listened and halfway through, he got up and came right next to me and put his arms around me. He didn’t say anything, he just held me. It made me get even closer to tears more, I felt accepted and secure. This obviously made me like him more and or realize this might be an incredible friend. But back to the boundaries... here we are now blurring those boundaries. I have a decent amount of male friends and I can’t say I’ve ever crossed the lines this much before. The last time we were together, hooking up was brought up. I just want to take a second to say as someone with an anxiety disorder, these conversations often terrify me, but this past one, I was a beast. I am so afraid of saying the wrong or pushing him away, that I often silence myself, but this last time, I was that girl. I was light hearted and funny and he said he changed his mind. Laying in a bed, with our lips like movie status close, I didn’t go through with it. I got up and we went to dinner. I know what you’re thinking, “Sis what the f is up?” and to tell you the truth I have no idea. I have polled A LOT of people about this situation, various ages, guys and gals, like you name it and I am curious on what the hell you think is going on. 

Without the back story, my coworkers, who are all dudes around my age, told me this is dating, this boy is into me, why am I calling us friends? No, I won’t tell them the backstory. I will say, they had some strong points and said we’ve done some things they would never do with a girl they didn’t like or weren’t really interested in. We’re not even talking about the cuddling, just some of the outings we’ve had. I told my one guy friend more details and he was most confused by the lack of sex. We’re doing everything a relationship is except that. Which I pointed out is a friend right? But he insisted this goes beyond. Also been the devil on my shoulder telling me to just go for it. To make my move and live a life of more oh wells than what ifs. I’ve always been that type of person, I’ve been rejected a lot in a variety of scenarios in my life, but I’ve never been left wondering. Then we have my best gals, the ride or die people that I tell every minuet detail too. They’ve told me to ditch him, but they’re also realistic. They’ve seen how happy he makes me, but also how sad I get because this is so close to being a perfect (I know nothing is perfect, but you know what I mean) relationship. They’ve told me I’m doing the impossible, trying to subside feelings for someone and still be friends. They’ve told me they want to shake him because these moves are unprecedented. I’ve taken all of these into consideration, and determined that I’m somewhere between professing my feelings and ghosting him. 

But I came here to write, because writing is for me. I can listen to all these opinions, I can try to guess what he’ll do next, but there’s only one thing that I can control and that is lil ole me. I am proud of myself for opening up to him, despite the fact that one day there is potential that it might hurt me. I guess that applies to any situation in life though, there is always some kind of risk. I am learning to control my reactions. Just because I think something, doesn’t make it true and it definitely doesn’t mean that I need to react to it. I am keeping all doors open for outside potential. I’m not silly enough to throw all my eggs in one basket for the billionth time. I am learning to let myself feel. I mean really feel. I’ve been in the suppressing game for a long time and I have to say that whole “get it out of your system idea,” there’s really something to it. I’ve let myself cry and feel anxious, but also I’ve let myself feel joy, happiness, butterflies, deep belly laughter, euphoric, warmth, security, and yeah, love. I don’t know what the future holds, I typically assume it’s pretty bleak when it comes to my “dating life,” so while these incredible moments are happening, I am going to whole heartedly be present. This has shown me that while I have come an incredibly long way, I still have some things to work on, as I’m sure we all do. I have my tougher days, but there’s something telling me that the best is yet to come for me. Why not right?