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castielific · 3 years

Text

Title: Fancy and the tramp

Story status: Complete, 8 chapters

Rating: Explicit

Tags: Dean/Castiel, Alternate Universe, Fake boyfriends, pretend relationship, homeless!Dean, rich!Cas, family, angst with a happy ending, temporary breakup, getting back together, coming out, past!homophobia, self esteem issues, Dean Winchester has a sexuality crisis, first time, homelessness, bed sharing, pining

Sex tags: anal sex, switching, bottom!Cas, bottom!Dean, first time, frottage, marking, blowjob, fingering, barebacking

Special warning: Contrary to what the title may presage, there are no spaghettis in this story.

Summary:

"Okay, let's be clear on one thing from the start. This is not a lifetime movie and I'm straight, so no falling in love, get it?"

"I get it, Dean," Castiel nods.

Well, that's it then, apparently Dean is going to a fancy engagement party with his new fake boyfriend. What a weird day.

Link to AO3

Chapter 1 under the cut:

************

"Come on Ricky, you owe me that money!" Dean says on his phone, taking a step forward when the line of the coffee shop shortens.

"I don't owe you shit, Dean. You still owe me the last three months of your rent," his ex landlord says on the phone.

"And I'll pay you, you know I will. But to get the money, I need a job, and to get that job I need some new clothes and-"

"Yeah yeah, I know the deal. You think no one has told me that one before? No bueno, man, I'm keeping your deposit," Ricky grumbles.

Dean groans in frustration. "Come on, all I need is fifty dollars so I can buy a pair of pants without any holes in it. You give me fifty, I get the job and I pay you back, how does that sound?" he tries to negotiate.

"Like a fucking lie," Ricky spits just before hanging up.

"No Ric-fuck!"

The woman in front of him in line sends him a dark look. Dean rolls his eyes at her. Like she hasn't heard worse before.

Ricky was his last shot. It was a long one, he really does owe that bastard some serious money. Guess he can kiss the job interview at two goodbye. It's some kind of assistant job. It sounds easy enough, buying coffee and picking dry cleaning and stuff. It was still a long shot anyway. Dean's only real job experience is being a bagger boy when he was seventeen and it lasted about two months before his dad decided to move them further east.

So far, he'd always managed to get by doing repairs or cleaning at gas stops and motels. The older he gets and the harder it gets to find that kind of random job. People are more willing to give a few bucks in exchange for manual tasks to a kid than they are to a nearly thirty years old guy. Now they just tell him to fuck off.

And since it's always been casual and off the book, the only official work experience he has is the bagger thing. He doesn't even have a high school diploma because he dropped out long before that. Not exactly a stellar resume. Which explains why he hasn't found work in eight month and is currently living in his car. Thank God he has Baby.

He had been too ambitious thinking he could get his own place. It could only pay rent for about five months before he went broke. He's never had a home before, and had no idea that having an apartment cost so much. In motels, you don't exactly have to pay for water or heat or utilities. There was a bunch of stuff he hadn't planned for that ate up the last of his meagre savings. Ricky threw him out after three months when Dean couldn't scrape up enough money to pay rent anymore, putting a violent stop to Dean's pipe dream of living a normal life. He hoped it would be simpler to get a job if he had an actual address, had even thought about scrapping up enough to maybe get his GED. He's not sure what he's going to do now.

He's always wanted to be a mechanic. If his dad ever taught him anything, it was how to take care of the Impala. John taught him all the basics and Dean got the knack of it. As a teen, he spent days reading car magazines and working on the Impala, trying to learn as much as he could about how cars worked and how to repair the different parts. He knows enough by now that he could easily work in a garage, but he's got no diploma, and hasn't found anyone willing to hire him on faith alone.

The line of the coffee shop shortens again, the barista asking her order to the goody-two-shoes in front of him. Dean looks regretfully at the display of sandwiches. He searches his pockets and only comes up with three dollars. Of course, the cheapest piece of food cost four dollars. Dean sighs. Guess just a coffee will have to do today.

He won't have another choice but to go to the soup kitchen tonight. He hates it there. The food is crap and he wants to punch the prancy people serving it. They always try to give him some Jesus bullshit with his food, like Jesus is ever gonna put a roof over his head and find him a decent job. Neither Jesus nor God nor whatever gives a crap about him. Not that he blames them. Hell, if they exist they're probably not big fans of the guy that used to slip into church as a kid to pick the lock of the donation box

"Just an americano, please," Dean says regretfully when the barista asks for his order. At least it will keep him warm and fill his stomach for a short while.

Halloween just went by and the weather is becoming really cold. He should use the last of Baby's tank to go as far south as he can before winter really hits. He probably won't get farther than Wichita though, and the thought makes him shiver. No one wants to get stuck for a winter in Wichita. Maybe he could go and see if he can make a few bucks at the nearest motel, that kind of place always needs a handyman's help. He hasn't tried the one on Corn Street yet. He's noticed only two lights are still working on their sign, he could offer to help with that. If he makes fifty bucks, he might be able to reach Austin.

Dean stops on the sidewalk in front of the coffee shop, pondering if he should walk to the bar a few streets down or the motel. Sometimes Benny, the owner of the bar, lets him use the sink in the back to wash up. If he's lucky, he'll even get some leftovers from last night. It's generally just some stale pretzels, cold fries on good days, but it's still better than nothing. He's got two cans of beans and a car with an near empty tank to his name right now, so he's not picky.

Dean takes a look at his watch. It's eleven thirty already, the leftovers are probably already in the trash at Benny's. The motel is probably his best bet.

"I'll give you a hundred dollars if you pretend to be my boyfriend." comes a hoarse voice, way too close to his ear.

Dean jumps, nearly spilling his coffee on himself. He spins to the right to face the man who just talked and is met with a pair of clear blue eyes. Way too close again. He waits a second for the man to take a step back as he realises as close Dean turning brought them, but the guy just continues to stare at him, head slightly tilted to the side. He's wearing an oversized trench coat over a dark blue suit that looks expensive. He's so close a gust of wind makes the bottom of his coat brushes Dean's shin.

"Dude, personal space," Dean reproaches, taking a step back. "And fuck off, I don't swing that way," he adds, not meanly. It's not the first time he's getting hit on by a dude. Sadly, not even the weirdest. He's strictly into chicks though, so no dice.

"Two hundred bucks," the man insists. He looks ready to fall on his knees and beg, eyes going wider and wider as he throws a panicked look to the right of Dean's shoulder. "It won't take more than ten minutes and all you have to do is nod along," he begs, making Dean wonders if he's in danger somehow. Maybe he has a stalker or an abusive ex?

Dean follows his eyes to a woman coming closer. She's very elegant in a grey pantsuit and a long white fur coat as she walks straight toward them. He can feel her eyes judging him even from thirty feet away, looking at him from head to toes. If he wasn't already self-aware of the number of holes in his jeans, he would definitely be under that gaze.

"Five hundred dollars," the other man whispers just as the blond woman reaches them.

"Castiel, dear, you should have told me we would have company, I would have notified the restaurant," the woman says, sending a clearly disapproving look toward Dean as she deposits a kiss on the other man's - (Castiel, apparently, what kind of name is that??) - cheek.

"Mother, let me introduce you to my boyfriend," Castiel says, looking ill at ease. He's obviously not a very good liar.

Dean blinks a few times as their attention turns toward him. Castiel seems to be trying to communicate something with his eyes, and Dean frowns in incomprehension for a moment before he gets the hint.

"Huh. Dean. Winchester," he finally says. "Ma'am," he adds when she just continues to stare at him like he has grease smeared all over his face. He's pretty sure that she wouldn't want to touch his hand if he were to offer it to shake, so he doesn't.

"Naomi Novak," she introduces herself. "What a delight to finally meet Castiel's new companion," Naomi says, her deadpan tone contradicting her words. "Of course, I would have preferred not to be ambushed by such an announcement. Castiel, you know, that Le Délice hates it when we change our reservation last minute. Who knows if they will even have a table for three," she declares, already composing a number on her phone.

"It's okay, mother, Dean won't be joining us for lunch."

"Oh, is it because your attire isn't appropriate?" Castiel's mother asks, looking at the holes in Dean's jeans and the big leather jacket that used to be his dad's. "I assure you they won't say a word about it if you're with us," she reassures.

Dean squirms a little, wondering what the hell is even happening. Ten minutes ago he was buying a coffee and going at his day like a perfectly normal person (well, albeit a homeless and jobless one). Now, his fashion sense is being criticized by the mother of a man who is pretending to be his boyfriend. Did a piano fall on his head or something? Has he finally lost his mind?

He looks to the man beside him. He's scratching the side of his neck in nervousness. The move makes his coat fall a little over his wrist, revealing a freaking Rolex watch. Dean looks back to the woman, eyes sliding on her diamond earrings and the huge rock around her neck.

You know what? That's not okay. His stomach has been crying for food since last morning, and he's what? Supposed to help this stranger by saying no to free lunch at one of the most prestigious restaurants in town? Fuck no. He's gonna eat like a king and make a few hundred bucks off the back of those rich assholes.

"In that case, it would be my pleasure to join you," Dean announces with his most charming smile.

"What?" Castiel can't help but bark. "But y-your work thing?" he tries, sweating. The round panic eyes are back. Dean sends him his best shit eating grin. They both know he now either has to invite this stranger to lunch or reveal the lie to his mother. The guy is trapped and may as well continue to play along.

"It's not as important as a chance to finally get to know your mother, honey," Dean answers. "He's told me so many nice things about you, Naomi. Can I call you Naomi?"

"Of course, dear," Naomi says. She looks a little wide eyed too, probably thrown by Dean turning on the charm to the max.

"Perfect! We shall go now, we don't want to miss your reservation. I do hope it won't be too much of a bother for them to add a chair to your table," Dean says. He should probably tone it down with the pompous tone, because he nearly added an English accent here.

Naomi leads the way, and Dean is going to follow when a hand grabbing his arm makes him fall a few steps behind.

"What the hell are you doing?" Castiel hisses.

"Acting as your boyfriend?" Dean says innocently. By Castiel's glare, he's not fooled.

"I asked you to nod silently for ten minutes, not to do method acting for a whole meal," he reproaches. Naomi sends a look behind her shoulder and Castiel smiles at her like there is no worries, indicating for her to lead the way,

Dean shrugs. "I had some free time."

"I'm not giving you more money than planned, if that's your goal," Castiel says with a suspicious squint.

"I'm fine with the five hundred as long as you're also paying for lunch," Dean says, wiggling his eyebrows as they walk toward the restaurant. Something passes on Castiel's face that Dean can't quite identify. The other man stares at him for so long that it's a wonder he doesn't trip. He finally relents with a long suffering sigh as they enter 'Le Délice'.

Apparently, Naomi Novak is prominent enough that they don't mind changing her reservation after all. They're seated at a table near a legit indoor fountain. Dean is looking around, trying not to let show how impressed he is by the place. The walls are made of stone and covered in frescos that he always thought you couldn't see outside of a church or castle. A waiter gives him a leather covered menu and Dean opens it eagerly. After a few niceties to Naomi, they're asked what they want to drink. Dean has an inkling that he probably shouldn't ask for a beer in an establishment like this.

"Same for me, please," he says after Castiel ordered some wine with a name Dean can't pronounce. At least, he hopes that's wine. Who knows. Hell, in this place the bottles of water are probably more expensive than his usual brand of beer.

Dean starts to second guess his decision when he realizes that the menu is in french. What is it with rich people and France? He just wants a damn steak, how do you say that in french? Is there even steaks here or is it just frog legs and snails? Oh god, he hopes not.

"I think I'll take the duck today," Naomi notes. "Nobody cooks it better than chef Francis. How about you Dean? Have you ever come here before?" There is a mean glint in her eyes that says she knows perfectly well he hasn't. Hell, from the side eyes he got from everyone as they crossed the room, everyone here knows he's not from their world. There are three holes in his jeans, threads hanging from the bottom and his dad's leather jacket probably should have ended up in the trash about three years ago. Even now, it's still too big for him and the sleeves are so scruffed that they're nearly paper thin. The original dark brown color has turned to a light beige in most places from wear. His scruff is just the bad side of too long now, and he hasn't had a haircut since April, strands starting to fall into his eyes. At least, he's wearing his best plaid shirt and managed to wash up last night, so he's not smelling too rank. Why would Castiel pick him out of all the people in the street at that moment to play his boyfriend? It makes no sense at all. From the guy's obvious discomfort as he hides behind his menu, he probably realizes it.

"Actually, Naomi, duck sounds like a delicious idea," Dean says, voluntarily ignoring her question. To be honest, he’s never even eaten duck before, but it's poultry so it probably taste like chicken. You can't go wrong with chicken, right? His stomach certainly likes the idea, gurgling so loudly that he has to hide it behind a cough.

Castiel ends up ordering some fish and soon their drinks arrive. Dean barely has time to sip at his red wine before Naomi pounces.

"So, tell me everything, how did you two meet?"

Dean nearly chokes on his drink. Castiel seems to gulp down his whole glass.

"We met at a coffee shop. Dean was in line in front of me and we started to talk," Castiel explains, not quite meeting anyone's eyes.

"How quaint!" Naomi exclaims, clasping her hands in delight. "I'm just sorry that you didn't tell me about it sooner, Castiel. How long have you been keeping this charming man a secret?"

"Not-," Castiel clears his throat, "-not long."

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you Dean. I sure wish this luncheon will give me the chance to learn everything about you."

Luncheon? Who even talks like that outside of Downton Abbey?

"I do hope I'll get to keep some mystery, we wouldn't want this guy to lose interest," Dean says with a wink. He pats Castiel's hand on the table. Should he hold it or something? How open on PDA are gay people those days? Not that he knows more about how heterosexual couple act in public anyway, especially in those crowds. It's probably safer to keep the PDA to a minimum here.

"You have to at least tell me some things. For one, what career path are you on?" She looks like a shark circling her prey.

"I'm a mechanic," he lies. He'd rather stay as close to the truth as possible. It's a little unfair that Castiel is letting him do all the talking when his initial demand was that he stayed silent, especially since it's his skin that Dean is apparently saving, but the guy looks like he's swallowed a potato whole.

"Oh, that's...interesting," Naomi says in that insincere tone of hers. She looks like he told her he was fucking children’s corpses every full moon. He's two seconds away from telling her that he's actually jobless, penniless, and homeless, just to see her face, when Castiel intervenes.

"How is Anna's engagement party coming on?"

Thankfully, this seems to be a subject Naomi loves because she tells them about every aspect of the future party all the way through their meal.

Duck, as it turns out, is actually very good. It's more like red meat than chicken, which is a great surprise. Although, Dean isn't a fan of the way rich people put tiny quantities of food in very large plates. He eats all the dinner rolls and scrapes every single bit of sauce out of his plate, yet he's still hungry by the end of it. He nearly starts crying when the waiter asks them if they'll take dessert and Naomi declines. He's starting to wonder if that little piece of duck was worth sitting through lunch with her.

"That sounds like you're turning this into a wonderful event, mother, Anna must be delighted," Castiel compliments.

"Oh, you know your sister," Naomi waves it off. "It sure feels like a nice opportunity to introduce your new beau to everyone."

Dean frowns. What's a beau? Is that him? That's not him, right?

"I wouldn't dare take any attention away from Anna," Castiel tries to refuse.

"Don't be daft, you know your sister won't care. Everyone will be so happy that you've finally found-" she passes a long look, over Dean, like she's doubting anyone would actually approve of him. She certainly doesn't seem to, "-someone," she finishes lamely.

"Oh shoot, I don't think I'm available that night," Dean tries to play off.

"I'm not sure I've told you the date of it yet."

"Cas did," he says. The other man perks up at the surname, but whatever, 'Castiel' is a mouthful. "And I have this huh work thing, you know? Bummer," Dean says with a fake pout.

"What kind of 'work thing' can a mechanic possibly have on a Saturday evening?"

Dean tenses up, pursing his lips. "One he can't get out of?"

"Nonsense, you're coming," Naomi brushes off. And that is that apparently. Shit. There is a vein about to pop on Castiel's forehead. "Castiel, dear, you look a little white. Was the fish okay?"

"I-Yeah-I-Actually, do you think we could possibly cut our lunch short? I am indeed feeling quite unwell."

"Of course, my dear," Naomi says, leaning forward until her hand touches his forehead. "You're as clammy as a fish. I should come home with you, and make sure you're okay," she announces, taking her napkin off her lap and deposing it on the table, ready to stand up.

"No!" Castiel stops her, a little too brusquely. "I-Dean will take good care of me, don't worry," he says, getting up and grabbing Dean's arm so he does so too. Dean follows his lead, all too happy to get out of here. "Stay and enjoy your tea, mother."

"If you say so," Naomi says, sending an unsure look at Dean, obviously upset at being brushed off in his favor. "Call me this evening, or I'll worry all night."

"Of course, mother," Castiel acquiesces, kissing her cheek. Dean hovers behind him. Is he supposed to kiss her too? Wave hello? Shake her hand?

"Dean," she says as what is apparently a sufficient goodbye. Thank God. "I'll be sure to see you on Saturday," she reminds just as they're walking away.

Cas turns on him as soon as they're outside the restaurant.

"What was that?!" he asks, not quite yelling. He starts pacing, rubbing a hand through his already pretty ruffled hair.

"You owing me five hundred bucks? Dude, you're lucky I don't charge you more for the fresh hell I just lived through."

"You went through hell? You?!" his pacing gets faster and Dean has an idea that if he stops pacing he might punch him in the face.

"That's what you get for asking this kind of stuff from a perfect stranger," Dean shrugs, pushing a pebble with the point of his shoe. His red sock is peeking out from a tiny hole near his big toe. It's such a contrast to how grand everything and everyone looked in there. It's making him feel like shit. He's maybe feeling a tiny bit guilty for trapping Castiel like that too. He doesn't seem like a bad guy, albeit one with a psycho mom.

Cas turns on him, eyes glaring and mouth open in what will probably be a flow of reproaches. He stops himself before he says anything though, seeming to deflate. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breathe instead, shoulders falling. "I'm sorry. You're right. I should be thanking you. I have no right to make you any reproach when I brought this on myself."

"It wasn't so bad, though, was it? I mean, I think I sold it?" Dean asks, a little hesitant. He even used pedantic talk and everything.

"You did as well as could be expected."

"That's not much of a compliment…".

"I shouldn't take more of your time," Cas apologizes, taking his wallet out. Dean goggles at the amount of cash in there.

"You really shouldn't have that much cash on you, that's, like, asking for trouble."

Castiel squints at him like he's wondering if that means Dean is gonna rob him for a moment, before he hands him a wad of cash.

Dean's eyes bulge out, "That's way more than five hundred dollars."

"There's also an advance in there to buy some clothes for the engagement party."

"The what now?" Dean blinks dumbly for a second until his brain catches up to what is happening. "Dude, no, I'm done!"

"You were the one to push it so far in the first place," Castiel reminds. Accuses, really.

"I just wanted to eat fancy food, okay! Not, like, go steady."

"There will be lots of food at my sister's engagement party," Castiel tries to persuade. Badly.

Dean gives him a nonplussed look. The cash feels heavy in his hand. He's never had so much before. This could help him get a new start. What's a night of playing Downton Abbey compared to the many many nights he might not have to freeze his ass off in the backseat of his car thanks to it?

"Why are you even doing this anyway? And why would you choose me? Do I look that desperate for cash?"

"No," Cas says after what's definitely a too long pause. Dean scowls. "You were in front of me in the coffee shop line. I heard you talking on the phone. You said you needed some cash to buy a new outfit for a job interview. Begged, really."

"Where the fuck do you get on listening in on other people’s conversation?"

"I didn't listen, I just heard."

"You know, what? Fuck you," Dean spits, "I don't need that bullshit in my life right now." He has enough cash to get to Austin and replenish his stock of food, even buy some new clothes. At least this way he can keep his dignity rather than being insulted by a bunch of rich assh-

"Please," Castiel begs, following him as Dean storms away. "You don't understand…"

"Oh I understand perfectly," Dean says, stopping and turning around so brusquely that they nearly bump into each other. "You think you can shit on other people from your high horse and that they'll still do your deed for a few hundred bucks. Well, I'm not your freaking puppet, man."

"I have never shitted on any-" he stops himself with a frustrated groan, before turning on the puppy dog eyes. "Dean, please. Listen to what I have to say at least?"

"I know what you're gonna say. I've seen that movie before, Cas. You're going to bring me to that party, so you can parade me around like I'm some earned price or some shit. Meanwhile you get to appease mommy dearest and the clan of hyenas putting pressure on you to find a husband, while still having the satisfaction of giving them a huge fuck you by bringing a guy like me instead of the golden boy they're dreaming of."

"I-" Castiel stops himself, pursing his lips. "That's actually not that far from the reality."

"Of course it isn't. Told you, I've seen that trope before. Except this is real life and your plan sucks, so you can keep your money and I'll keep my dignity. Just grow a pair and tell them all to fuck off, will ya?"

"You sure do like saying that to people," Castiel sulks. "Are you sure you can't do it for me?"

"Oh believe me I would love to tell your mom to fuck off, but I like my balls attached to my body, so that's a hard pass."

Castiel laughs slightly at that and Dean can feel his own anger start to abate at the sound. "Good self-preservation instinct on your part," Cas mumbles. The puppy look is still there, except now it's making him feel like he's kicked the puppy.

"You know, we're in the 21st century, right? You shouldn't feel pressured to the point of inventing a boyfriend. Who gives a shit about that nowadays?"

"My family does," Castiel answers in a long sigh. "You don't get it, how could you... I have three brothers, Dean," Castiel explains. "Two sisters. My little sister, who is just nineteen, just got engaged. I was already seen as the irremediably unwed one and now I…," he pauses, sending a nervous look at Dean, looking ashamed.

"Oh come on. How hard can it be? You're rich, objectively good looking. Do you have weird kinks or something?"

"I-I wouldn't know. I've never even been in a relationship before," he confesses, looking at the ground.

"When you say 'relationship', you don't mean you've never…" Dean inquires. Cas' cheeks redden, and Dean blows like he just got punched. "Wow. That sucks."

"Yes, it's very pathetic."

"What? Eh no, it's not pathetic. Surprising, yeah. But, to each their own, you know?"

Cas inclines his head like he's not sure he does know.

"I'm sorry I tried to drag you in all of this. You seem like a good man. You don't deserve-"

"-to be served on a platter to your family?" Dean asks, searching Castiel's gaze until they exchange a smile.

"Yes. That." The man is still looking dejected. The money is still in Dean's hand. That duck really was good. Damn it.

"The food better be freaking awesome," Dean relents with a frustrated grunt. Castiel seems instantly relieved. "And you're not pretty woman-ing me," he warns, pointing a finger at the other man. "I'm choosing my own clothes and I don't give a shit if I don't know which fork to use for fish."

Castiel's head is tilted and he's blinking owlishly, like he doesn't understand a word that Dean is saying. Figures. He's not sure how he could convince anyone that he's this dork's boyfriend, honestly. Naomi certainly looked like she wasn't fooled.

"I'm sorry for the way my mother behaved toward you. I assure you, being yourself will be amply sufficient to the task."

"Dude, the way y'all talk, where do you come from, Victorian England?"

"I-I don't think I have English ancestry, no. Why?"

They blink at each other for some time.

"I must be a freaking masochist."

Cas' face scrunches up even more in incomprehension.

"Okay, let's be clear on one thing from the start. This is not a lifetime movie and I'm straight, so: no falling in love, get it?"

"I get it, Dean," Castiel nods.

Well, that's it then, apparently Dean is going to a fancy engagement party with his new boyfriend. What a weird day...

You can read the rest on AO3

#destiel #destiel fic #deancas #dean/castiel #dean/cas #spn fic #ao3 fic #destiel fanfiction #AU #pretend/fake relationship #homeless!dean #rich!cas #myfic #my fic #castielific #castielificfic

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escxpiism · 3 years

Text

( olivia holt, 23, she/her ) * hey, i’m looking for the office of ALICE ADAMS. they’re the EMPLOYEE who’s known around the office as THE MASK if that helps ? not to be a gossip, but i’ve heard that they’re ADAPTABLE but JADED, is that true ? i also heard that they’re the one who CATFISHED DAVID HASSELHOFF. anyways, here’s the coffee they ordered.

hi y’all !! i’m may ( 21 // est // she/her ) and i am super super pumped to be here !! i’m also very much writing this against my better judgment ya girl’s running on four hours of sleep and has the option to sleep more but......... is not tired ?? so i do apologize if my mind is secretly tired and makes this intro,,,, even worse than it would be fahouedn. on with the show !! anyway anyway!! feel free to like this if u wld like 2 plot and i will hit u up!!

( also, for some vibes if you so choose to read, here’s the link to her playlist ! )

----------------------------------------------------

QUICK FACTS:

full name: alice audrey adams

date of birth: october 26th, 1997

*will not perfectly reflect the zodiac big three below because that’s.... math.

zodiac big three: scorpio sun, virgo moon, taurus rising

gender & pronouns: cis woman & she/her

sexual orientation: bisexual

education: ged, bachelor’s degree in film — pratt institute

enneagram: 4w3

mbti: enfp

temperament: sanguine-melancholic

label: the mask

various inspirations: “nutshell” - alice in chains, “santa monica” - everclear, “polly” - nirvana, “jennifer’s body” - hole, “creep” - stone temple pilots, kate wallis ( cruel summer - shhhh ), heather davis ( crazy ex-girlfriend ), satana hellstrom ( marvel comics ), bojack horseman - without the amount of problematic ego ( bojack horseman ), eddie huang ( fresh off the boat ), the great britney spears evolution ( temporarily stopping at circus era )

BACKSTORY:

triggers in order: toxic family dynamic, grooming (nothing super in-depth), kidnapping (? like it was ‘willing’ but no. see next trigger for why), toxic “relationship” (and 11yr age gap w/ a 16y/o we hate it), straight-up captivity, very brief mention of suicide + heroin (very!)

*would like to quickly preface that this isn’t just Dark for the sake of being r/im14andthisisdeep but that’s for a later time **(also! i have markers for where the grooming + Super Dark parts begin and end! -- also, the Super Dark part is all very public knowledge. had articles. media frenzy. first thing that comes up if you google her name) *** also. if u need it then a tl;dr is below this section hfkldsa

alice audrey adams was born to the type of family that names all of their children alliterative names ( however, they sadly didn’t get their own kardashian-style show )... alexis adams (working name, utp if taken as a wc)... alfie allison adams (working name, utp if taken as a wc)... born to anna adams and allen adams... we hate it here.

as u can see... all of the kids were basically named after allen... they all had ‘al’ names.... extremely confusing

plot-twist: THAT’S the darkest part

the adams were very concerned with public image. as a family in the upper echelon, they simply had to be! a narcissist father, a distant mother, put in competition with her siblings — there was no truly healthy dynamic in the household. but they looked good. they went to church every sunday, a ‘wwjd’ sticker on the back of her mother’s car. they did just enough activities and took just enough trips together to get the image across. they threw parties. they attended parties. they were the picture perfect american family — they even had two cats in the yard! life used to be so hard!

of course, in reality, this all left ms alice quite the lonely gal. but don’t worry! she didn’t turn to hedonism! lord no! instead, she turned to other people. a lot of friendships — couldn’t tell if they were real or #fortheclout — but at a point, did it matter?

grooming tw: it all came to a screeching halt when she met luke johnson, the son of their neighbors. he came back from california to georgia to visit family, care for his ailing father. oh, he was a good man! sure, he was ‘somewhat’ older than her — 27 when she was 16 — but he was such a good, handsome young man! and they were all still calling him young man, after all.

alice ‘began’ a torrid affair with luke after about a month into his visit. although she saw no immediate wrong in it, he insisted she keep it a secret ‘for the time being’ — which really just made it all the more exciting! he made all the storm clouds that hovered disappear.

one day, the levee broke for alice (still figuring out what exactly happened because i don’t wanna go too dark since this is already extremely dark, but trust that it had something to do with her parents and was just enough to push her over the edge). convinced luke was the only safe person, she turned to him. knowing their small community would catch on and essentially exile him, he took that opportunity to convince her to go back to santa monica with him where they could ‘start anew’ after his father’s death.

there are a few details i plan on adding regarding like. how legality playing into it. but i may just reserve those for an official bio lhakfsdfj

**BEGINNING OF SUPER DARK** for a while, there was the question of whether they should consider it a kidnapping or not. she went with him willingly, but she was still underage (and… you know, that age difference… the power dynamic... gross y’all). the adams insisted that it was (bc it basically was lbr) — primarily because it would make them look far better — but the community still questioned the logistics and legalities of it all… ugh. did the police really wanna deal with that? ugh.

in any case, on the other side of us america, autumn was nearing. alice would have the very occasional inquiry over how school would work (very occasional! don’t worry, luke!), over the logistics of her new life… and, after receiving multiple calls from various friends (in addition to her siblings) that sounded genuine, began wondering… if she’d made the right choice. questions about him.

when she began bringing up the idea of going back — at least for the school year!! — he would continuously remind her that she was not old enough to buy herself a plane ticket (and he was not about to do that). she also couldn’t rent a car yet (and he certainly wouldn’t let her take (one of) his car(s)!). but most importantly? he loved her. and she loved him. (what a creep!)

so, for a hot second, it seemed like she was stuck. damn legalities!! damn love!! you know, until she texted her older sister back with all of the problems that only being 16... and “in love”.... caused. her sister offered to fly down, buy her a plane ticket, and fly back with her.

when luke saw this (with all the unrestricted access to her phone he had so he could block, delete, and manipulate as he pleased), he confronted her. things went awry. she wound up in his budding wine cellar (which he soon emptied, of course… those merlots :( ….). he messaged back and, as her, said it was actually all good!! luke had figured out the logistics and she could call whenever she wanted!!

and those calls became frequent! because she would pick up when luke held it up to her! because she was pretty sure luke would kill her if she didn’t!

she wasn’t sure how long it was until she was officially Found. it took what was ruled a suicide by luke, a shot to the head and heroin in his system, to finally get any authority’s attention. all she knew was that she went to santa monica in mid june and she stopped seeing regular daylight by late july. so some time in august to some time in april… **END OF SUPER DARK + GROOMING**

she was returned to georgia shortly after and everything was different. from herself to her friends. but everything was also the same. from her room to her family. it was all… teasing. she began going to therapy, but she really sucked at it?? so she just let her therapist rely on various articles that covered the event. because it had been a media circus. good enough, amirite??

she didn’t have the will or patience to put on that peppy facade she’d had before, but there were still a few things she found a smidge of joy in. music (although her taste had… slightly altered and wow! it’d been almost a year since she’d picked up that bass!), videography… just those small things, you know??

for the first half of the ~ 2014 fall semester ~, she attempted actual school. really was not working out. with, for probably the first and only time, her parents’ approval and understanding, she dropped out and studied for a ged -- shorter and self-led -- instead.

she passed with a pretty decent grade... but it’s been argued that she really shouldn’t have gotten into pratt institute (she was at least realistic and didn’t apply to, like… cornell), but she did. national news helps.

while in the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, she learned of masters. she submitted an application as a joke — because her grades sucked!!!!! — but guess who got a job?? oh, she could pretend it was because her selected portfolio was actually genuinely good… but, man… we all know…

fun fact: my uncle applied to harvard as a joke. some twenty-five years later, we still haven’t heard back :\

she… continues to suck. like… she kinda wants the place to eventually burn down?? figuratively speaking (or is it…) but ya, for all the monopolizing she has seen turn people Evil?? but the hell can she do about it… just gotta make sure she keeps her in-house videographer job… maybe she can do something about it when she like… is capable. fuaihoelwdjkn

she sees an in-house therapist and i’d say ‘good for her,’ but it was mandated l m a o

doesn’t talk about herself all that much!! but that might not matter for some people, yk?? ugh journalism <3

y’all im so bad at ending intros.

TL;DR:

(consult above trigger list): bright kid in a super rich and toxic family because obviously. everything they did was just to look good <3 also they all had ‘a’ names which is the biggest tragedy of all :( ‘fell in love’ when she was 16ys/o with a 27y/o who was visiting to care for his father in his final days. had a torrid affair. creep. creep (luke) basically made her ‘fall in love.’ she thought creep was the only safe person at one point and creep was like ‘wanna go back 2 santa monica w me?’ and she was like ‘yes.’ and everyone was like ‘was this kidnapping... we cant tell....’ then he became even more possessive when she started questioning him and some logistics. when she finally found a way she could go back to georgia for a spell, he was like ‘no u can go in my wine cellar btw i will be taking all of the wine out.’ he kept her there from august to april and... only reason he didnt keep keeping her was bc he was Caught so. back to georgia where the devil went down. everything was Worse. even the things that were the same. but hey, the sob story that landed her in the news plenty of times got her into a college she shouldn’t have gotten into and gave her a leg-up in a joke application for a job at masters (in-house videographer). really bad at doing her work but like... fuck the man i guess??

PERSONALITY + HEADCANONS:

has no time for Fake Nice (which, as a born southerner, she’s really good at sniffing out!). has no time for arrogance. kind of makes her at odds with the nyc upper class...

on that note, still got a lil bit of some georgia twang

she lets herself indulge in various vices, but has left a previous hedonist status. weed and alcohol are still pretty common, but everything else is kept at arm’s length.

also, while on that topic, she Does Not drink wine. being trapped in a cellar... kinda makes u averse. like. literally despises it. will go on autopilot and make it KNOWN if offered wine.

also ALSO while on that topic, after looking it up and seeing she fits the new york city requirements, she has a medical marijuana card <3 the one good thing, if u ask her, to come out of therapy/psychiatry <3 will not show it off unless absolutely NECESSARY bc then it gets personal or <3 will lie about why and say it’s like for epilepsy or sumn unless ur rolfe but <3 she has it <3

at odds with herself. enjoys the company of others, definitely has a history of being an extrovert, but has become very selective with the company she keeps.

VERY private person! has had enough public standing!

...has occasionally used her story to advance her tho bc it’s her national newsworthy tragic story and she can exploit it if she wants <3

when good charlotte said “i don’t wanna be in love”?? she felt that. her last ‘relationship’ ruined that for her <3 save her <3

used to be really into pop! bc pop is fun! she loved some britney (i mean... she still does... how can u not!)! but. her taste has changed drastically. rarely listens to pop. has traded britney for like.... hole and the like.

her parents didn’t use this as the basis for her name but,, 2 me,,, she’s named alice for a reason <3 gotta luv alice in chains <3

y’all i found a youtube comment on a video called ‘nirvana - half the man i used to be’ (the song was, in fact, ‘creep’ by stone temple pilots) and it’s <3 her music taste <3 click here for it <3

the above said, dresses like she’s in seattle in the early 90s.

her rumor is true btw she DID catfish david hasselhoff and she will proudly tell u. it’s her best accomplishment.

completely stopped talking to her parents and got cut-off a while back ago so now she’s livin like the Prols

which is how a rich kid one of my profs once advised referred to his classmates.... hilarity ensues.

the above in mind, her parents say she’s testing the waters as a ‘normal person’ to save face. they can’t have anyone knowing their family isn’t perfect <3

she has a pet turtle whom she named “dr. turtle,” although he’s constantly referred to as “doc” or “the doc.” he has his own youtube channel and tiktok account.

she has a wall full of evidence that courtney love did not kill kurt cobain... it makes sense, believe me.

became a vegetarian...... partially because it was different from her original life and a way to control something, partially because this commercial made her feel SO BAD.

literally her default mode is stoned like... a totally sober alice is rarer than a nessie sighting

when she was 18, before she could ‘hold her liquor’ as well as she can now, she got a lil too drunk and now has a portrait tattoo of courtney love on her forearm. but it was done well at least!!

kind of ironic considering her career, but RARELY posts on any social media site except twitter. after the media circus in 2014 and All Eyes On Her, she’s just..... so tired...... of ppl seeing her face and being like ‘omg ur that wine cellar bitch!’

(drugs tw) has become more and more Addicted to playing around with fate. j chill on a ledge, talkin to some pals, but deciding it’s a good idea to swing her legs on the wrong side of ledge? totally! mixing a lot of alcohol with opioids which she is not accustomed to? DEF!! (end tw)

more to come!!

CONNECTION IDEAS:

i have two (2) queued up!! but while we wait for them to post, i’ll just… link them over here: 1, 2

muse u <3 the other half of her subplot from the main <3

her older sister!

her younger sibling!

some of the basics!! you know: close pal, roommate, drug buddies (but she gotta hit them up), fwb, ons, frenemies, enemy

ppl who recognize her from the 2014 luke johnson articles and have either brought it up or,,,,,,, act Awkward™

cld be fun 2 just have like. a jam bud. someone who plays any instrument and they j. jam sometimes.

ppl she sells. some of her medical marijuana to. bc yk what weed may be legal in nyc now but,,,, she’s still found a way to be broke she will accept anything. and also it just became legalized THIS YEAR so!!

i have a budding wc page @ https://escxpiism.tumblr.com/wcs (and when i say budding, i MEAN budding) so feel free 2 check it out!!

more to come!!

#masters.intro #alice | intro !#this took me like....... 2hrs 2 write so i do indeed think my mind is fooling me and actually lagging behind.

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serendipitous-magic · 4 years

Text

Why Don’t We Read: An Impromptu Essay By Me Because I’m Mad

You know how everyone is always saying “oh, I was such a big reader when I was a kid but I just don’t read books anymore, I don’t know what happened”? And how old people are always griping about “This is called a BOOK, it has no commercials and no loading screens, hardy har har har snorf har”?

What if it’s because we just don’t have time anymore?

Think about it. More and more and more of our time on earth is eaten up at our jobs just trying to survive in an economy where “minimum wage” covers maybe 1/3 of bare minimum expenses. And not only that, but we’re expected to juggle more and more and more things every single day. Long, uninterrupted hours simply... do not exist anymore.

Every day you have to not only commute to work, and then work, and then commute back, plus all the little chores and mundanities that make up every day life, cooking food and then eating food and folding laundry and cleaning and putting gas in the car and don’t forget that dentist appointment and better call Mom and if you have a lawn you have to water it and weed it and you have to figure out if you have enough to pay rent this month and you still have to call FedEx about that missing package and now you have to cook again and now there’s more laundry and so many emails to respond to and it’s been months since you washed your sheets hasn’t it and

BUT THEN

You are expected to do and be and keep up with so many things.

You’re supposed to work out, or jog, or do yoga, and you’re supposed to meditate or do a breathing exercise daily because it’s good for you, and while you’re at it, make sure that your living space looks like a magazine or an Instagram post, you need X minutes of sunshine a day to be healthy and Y minutes of exercise and Z number of steps, and you need to be an environmentalist and make sure you’re doing your part to save the planet, and you need to be constantly self improving, you need to be learning a language on Duolingo and doing projects like crocheting or writing or antiquing, you have to be completely unproblematic and constantly monitor everything you do and say and post because one tiny little thing can have the internet jumping down your throat, you’re supposed to be a nutritionist and a fitness nut and an expert on everything you talk about because society has become so black and white that saying “I don’t know” or “I didn’t know that before” is looked on as unacceptable, you’re supposed to know what’s in your coffee and where it came from, you’re supposed to be a son a daughter a sibling a parent a student a mentor but also you’re supposed to be an interior designer, a small business owner (if you do any kind of Etsy or commission thing), a revolutionary (you’d better care about every overwhelming, exhausting injustice in the world and you’d better take action against it - see below), a curator (if only of your own blog), a rhetor (you’d better damn well know how to argue or you’re screwed in this society), a teacher (because school districts don’t teach anyone shit), a negotiation expert because it is car salesmen and insurance agencies’ job to fuck you over as hard as they possibly can.

Oh and don’t forget, you’re supposed to simplify your life and live in the moment. That one’s very important.

All of this is most likely while you’re already working anywhere from 20-40+ hours per week.

Keep up with your friends on Facebook, spend time to see what they’ve been up to, spend time posting your own pictures, catch up with your Instagram and Twitter and Tumblr feed, and for fuck’s sake you’d better make sure you’re reblogging all the right things about current social events, and you’d better also be caught up on the news, which all happens and changes so fast now that communication is instantaneous, keep up with all the politics, know every new outrage and be outraged about it, keep up with the politicians, the scientists begging us to listen, the latest news about the celebrity outed as a bigot, the latest shooting, the latest bombing, the latest protest, you’d better keep up with all of that and know what’s happening in the world, every minute of every day, and oh don’t worry about having to seek the news out, it comes to you. Every little ping on your phone is a new piece of news.

And you’d better care about it all. You’d better have enough energy in your body and mind to care about all the politics and all the injustice, and be rightly outraged every single day by the state of the world and every new horror, but you’d better also care about the dying planet and the burning rainforests, the oil spill, the glacial melt, you’d better be outraged about that too and you’d better be able to act on that outrage because those are all so important, and they are, but then you also have to care about insurance companies ruining people’s lives by making it impossible to afford healthcare, and you have to care about how agricultural companies have made cruel and byzantine webs of laws to drive farms out of business and make food, a basic necessity of life, a business, and one that’s designed not to feed and nurture people but to make money. And then while we’re on the topic of money you’d better care that the top 10 richest companies in the world create 70% of the world’s pollution, and you’d better care about how billionaires could fix most of the world’s biggest problems and they simply choose not to, and how Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos and everyone like them have an amount of money and resources that no single person could ever come close to earning, and how if that wealth was fairly redistributed and recirculated into the economy then maybe minimum wage would actually earn you a living and that’s not even to mention the other systems of brutality and cruelty and injustice in society, the racism, the homophobia, the ableism, the ageism, the sexism, the -ism -ism -ism on for infinity

So you’d better buy and use reusable straws and reusable coffee cups, you’d better cut down on your CO2 emissions, you’d better take shorter showers, you’d better recycle your plastics and spend time at the store thinking about how you can buy things with less plastic wrapping, while you’re also thinking about those big agriculture companies, oh and by the way your eggs? The chickens they came from live in cages, barely being allowed to move for their entire lives, and you’d better be outraged about that too. Where do you think that milk came from? What does that cow look like? How about those peas, were they picked by someone being paid $1 an hour? Every single item on the shelf has some deep horror woven into its backstory.

You’d better sign every petition you can and you’d better reblog the right things about taking action against injustice and you’d better be vocal about it, you’d better buy your soap and your clothes from small businesses instead of supporting the big evil ones that are much easier to access and much, much cheaper (because somebody suffered, somewhere along the line, to make it that cheap), you’d better remember to save your pasta water to water your plants with instead of wasting it, you’d better make your gifts by hand (if you have the time, which you don’t), and

And then there’s the beauty industry.

You cannot go a single day without seeing something about “lose weight fast!” or “The Skinny Girl Cookbook!” or “This Weird Thing Burns Belly Fat!”, and everyone you see on screen is twig-thin or muscled, and don’t forget that you’re supposed to take the time to love yourself and practice body positivity too, oh wait no it’s too late, now body neutrality is the right thing to say and think. Every part of your face and body has some malady and you can buy a cure! Spend this much to get rid of acne, spend this much to wax your legs, buy this for wrinkles and that for stretch marks, this cream smooths out your skin to look like an eggshell instead of human flesh, that cream “fixes” those bumps on your arms that apparently aren’t allowed to exist, a basic face of makeup is at least 5 products if not 10, there are countless tutorials on how to make yourself better, because you aren’t okay as you are and you never will be as long as somebody can sell you something to “fix” yourself.

Oh, and that’s more time spent, too. Take the time to shave, to moisturize, to do your 3-step skincare routine, to slather all different kinds of goops and goos on various parts of you, take the time to pluck your eyebrows and exfoliate your feet and

Everything wants your attention, every second of every day. Because attention is money. Netflix Hulu Youtube watch this ad look at this ad Twitter Disney+ Twitter again Facebook more ads look at this ad sign up for this subscription package watch this new season of this show, watch this new movie, watch this watch this watch this watch look at this this watch this watch this look at this look at this look at this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this look over here look at this look at this look over here watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this look at this

And then at the end of the day you still have to reserve time for the people in your life that are important to you, and leave time for those long conversations with your sister or time to bond with your kid or time to go on dates with your S.O.

And then you’re supposed to take time for yourself. Self care. Like social media is always saying to do. Take a bath, drink some tea, relax. If you have time.

And all of that. ALL of that. Most likely happens in the small slivers of time before and after your work day, or on the weekend in the small sliver of time before or after you fold that laundry and cook dinner and attend to your personal matters and maybe hang out with a friend if you’re lucky.

And I just described a fairly privileged, not-on-the-brink-of-poverty, not-in-and-out-of-the-hospital, not-constantly-targeted-by-violence-or-oppression life. I just described a cushy life.

Is it any fucking wonder that we all feel shattered? Like our time, even on free days with absolutely nothing scheduled, is made up of tiny pieces? Is it any wonder that it seems like nobody can sit down with a book anymore?

I’m so fucking tired.

#impromptu essay because I'm goddamn mad #long rant #sorry this blocks off your whole dash #but I don't think this one should have a read more line tbh #modern society #books #compassion fatigue #lifestyle #we need to change society but i'm afraid the inertia is too much #and the people in power who WANT it this way #are too powerful to beat #i should not be this fucking exhausted at 22

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savannahsdrabbles · 3 years

Text

Ocean Song - Part 8

rating: PG

notes: 1.7k words. A03 link can be found here. Also thank you to @rusty-wayfarer and @starfiretheninja for beta-reading.

Salt.

His head perked up and he inhaled greedily, scent glands tingling as he drank in the thick, sharp scent of ocean air. His senses had alerted him a while ago that they were approaching the shoreline - even before the humans had verbalized their own realizations - but the increasing smell of the water and the deep rumble of churning waves still made his heart beat all the faster. A primal desire deep within his bones yelled louder and louder with each plodding step, urging him to hit the ground running and not stop until he could feel shifting sand between his toes and icy spray on his skin.

He was fairly certain that he could successfully make a break for it at this point – most of the feeling had returned to his limbs, despite Girl not being able to remove the “collar” as planned. She’d stated her intent to do so after she and Boy finished covering their car with branches, hoping to disguise it while they were gone and cover their tracks. Once she’d seemed satisfied, the girl squatted before him and pulled the egg from an unseen place in her pelt.

“There’s only one button on it,” she’d reasoned out loud as she rolled the object in her palm and glanced nervously at his neck. He hadn’t liked her expression – why was she so hesitant now? Just remove it! “When I clicked the controller last time, it seemed to turn the power off. So maybe clicking a second time will make it release?”

She’d been wrong.

The moment her fingers left the surface of the egg, he felt his body begin to shut back down. Thankfully she’d been able to undo the process before his panic could fully set in, but the experience had still left him rattled and wanting to either smash the egg or bury it deep within the earth.

After that plan had failed, she and Boy decided that they would take turns standing behind him and prying at the collar with all of their might. He’d cringed away from their outstretched hands at first, giving small growls of warning when they reached for his throat, but reluctantly relented when Girl mentioned that the sooner they could get it off, the sooner they could get moving. He settled on clenching his teeth and curling his claws tightly into fists as the humans both attempted to jam their fingers into the small gap where skin met collar.

After a few minutes of them tugging and him mentally screaming, Boy gave a sigh and announced that he should be able to get it off using tools from “the Marina”. Girl had seemed to agree, and the next thing he knew, he’d been scooped back up into Boys’ arms and the trio began their slow journey down the cliffside.

The majority of the long walk had consisted of the two humans quietly talking between themselves while he squirmed anxiously in Boy’s arms; this was better than being held still, but it was still far from what he would consider comfortable. He’d tried to distract himself by listening in to their conversations initially, but gave up after only a few minutes. He’d long prided himself as being the best interpreter in his family, but now he felt like he was only catching a third of what was being said. What in the world were they even going on about, and why did it take so long for each Human to speak? Surely their communications could be much more efficient if they simply focused on vocal inclinations – why waste time sounding out long phrases that could just get lost amongst the waves?

In an effort to keep his mind calm, he took this time to reflect on either Human’s voice; he focused on memorizing their sounds and taking note of how exactly their tones changed as he spoke.

Boy was definitely the louder of the two and seemed to be more aggressive – though not quite in a way that made him fearful; he wasn’t like the Humans from earlier. He simply seemed to dive into his words and actions headfirst, not stopping to consider the potential consequences. This theory was proven correct several times during their walk, when Boy would suddenly take off running and launch himself over piles of leaves and twigs. The turtle clung to the front of his pelt each time, chattering nervously as he was jolted about and nearly dropped on multiple occasions. However, despite the Human’s abrupt movements, he couldn’t help but feel secure in his arms. Being held steady by calloused hands had become a traumatizing part of this whole ordeal, but this was… different. In more ways than one, Boy reminded him of Strong Brother.

Girl, on the other hand, was different; if he had to choose between the two of them, he felt more inclined to trust her. Her calm, caring and sometimes worried manner was comforting. She was clearly strong and could be loud as well – was this just a universal trait in Humans? – but she seemed to be more reserved with her volume. Her hands were also smaller and gentler than Boy’s. Even when she’d been breaking him out of the moving prison, her tone and hands had stayed soft and kind, promising him that everything was going to be okay. She’d kept all of her promises so far – they were out of the terrible place, away from the two “goons” as she referred to them, and were heading towards the ocean.

The longer they walked, the calmer he could feel himself becoming. Even if he could only understand a portion of what was going on, he couldn’t help but feel safe. Still, he felt hungry to know more.

Speaking of hunger.

He curled slightly inwards, arms wrapping around his stomach as a loud grumble echoed from within his body.

“What was that?” Both humans froze in their tracks, heads swiveling around. He stiffened as well- were they being pursued? What was happening?

His stomach gurgled a second time, ignoring his shushing and attempts to stay still and quiet. Two pairs of eyes instantly fell on him.

“Holy crap- was that your stomach?”

He blinked in surprise. Wait – they were startled by him? Did Humans not have hunger sounds?

“Y-yes,” he finally answered in Family Tongue. “Need eat.”

The two teens stared back, blinking. “Um… come again?”

“Food.”

More blinking and glancing between each other.

He sighed tiredly. It had been a long day, and he didn’t know the correct Human Spoken Word translation. Why couldn’t they just understand? He patted his lower plastron with emphasis and spoke again, this time dragging out the sound. “Hungryyyyyy.”

The Humans hesitated, and for a moment he felt like he was going to cry with frustration. Then Girl finally spoke up, patting her own stomach and cocking her head. “It’s probably been a while since he last ate – maybe he’s hungry? Is that it? Are you hungry?”

The turtle bobbed his head in excited relief, patting his plastron again. “Hun-gerr-ee.”

“Right – hungry!” Girl laughed, and he felt his heart skip a beat and clench all at once. Her happy sounds reminded him of Small Brother. It felt like it had been a lifetime since he had last heard the orange speckled turtle laugh. “Well, we should be reaching the marina any minute – there’s usually a couple of shops that are still open at this hour, so I’m sure we can grab something to eat.”

“Speaking of which,” Boy suddenly squatted and sat his passenger on the ground, then stood back up and rolled his shoulders. “Ugh – my back is killing me. No offense dude, but you weigh a heck ton.”

The turtle shuffled his feet on the pine covered ground and cocked his head thoughtfully, considering the words. He wasn’t sure what they meant, but he could tell by the tone that they seemed despairing. After a moment, he nodded and pursed his lips in an imitation of the Human’s expression. “’Fense, Dood.”

Another surprised laugh bubbled out of Girl’s mouth, which she quickly stifled with her hands.

Boy shook his head, but his large grin and shaking shoulders betrayed the laughter that he was holding back. “I’m sorry – that was kind of rude. I was going to say, though, we’re getting close to the marina now so we should probably figure out what the plan is.” He pointed at Girl. “How about you guys stay here while I go rent the boat and grab us something to eat? I can text you or something when I’m ready, and you guys can come meet me at the docks.”

“Sounds good to me,” Girl nodded, then hesitated. She gestured in the direction they had been headed. “Wait –what if someone sees him? I know there’s probably not much of a crowd right now, but there’s bound to be security cameras and at least a couple of people that would freak out. Maybe we should cover him up?”

To the turtle’s horror and fascination, Boy reached down and grabbed the bottom of his pelt, then yanked it over his head to reveal a second layer underneath. Before he had a chance to gawk any further, Boy leaned over and dropped the outer pelt into his lap. “Here – take my hoodie. It might not totally fit over your shell, but at least it will get you semi-covered.”

He stared down at the material in his lap, still pondering whether or not he should fling it away in disgust, when Boy suddenly turned, pushed through the bushes, and vanished into the night.

“Wait – where he going?” he whined softly. “Why leave?”

Pine needles crunched nearby as Girl joined him on the ground. She crossed her legs, resting her elbows on her knees and chin in hand, then leaned forward as she spoke softly. “I’m not sure how much of that you understood, but Casey is going to go get us a boat, okay? Then he’s going to text me – err, tell me when he’s ready - so that we can go join him at the water.”

“Water.” he repeated, bobbing his head. “Cay-cee go to water?”

Girl grinned, a small huff of air escaping her nose as her cheeks curved upwards. “He is. And speaking of Casey and I, let’s have a talk.”

#tmnt #tmnt 2012 #tmnt fanfiction #savannah drabbles #sea turtles au

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atticusm · 4 years

Text

*clears throat* hi, is this thing working? i’m candy, broadcasting from aest and i go by she/her pronouns. may i present my baby atticus! i did not intent for this introduction to get as long as it has, so i am sooOOOooo sorry about that. in short, this is my kindergarten teacher that takes a while to warm up to people but likes to talk ... take that as you will. he likes to have fun when he’s in the mood and loves his job and will do anything for his loved ones. give this a like if you’d like to plot and i’ll head to your dms, or hmu either or! stats, wanted connections and all that jazz to come i’m just to excited. ENJOY :’) @mapleviewstarters

full name : atticus james maitland nickname(s) : ace , atta , atti ( rare ) birth date : october twenty-seven zodiac sign : scorpio age : twenty-seven gender : cis male pronouns : he / him / his sexual orientation : bisexual romantic orientation : biromantic education : high school diploma , bachelor of arts in elementary education , teaching license/certification

tw: infidelity.

BACKGROUND

born three years after his older brother, atticus was brought into what seemed to be a happy, stereotypical “ everyday ” family - yet by the age of two karissa and heath maitland’s mariage was anything but a joyous one. to the outside world the maitland family were the one’s that would be there whenever someone needed a helping hand, would be the first to put their hand up for community activities, be seen smiling and have no qualms. behind closed doors, however, that was not the case.

atticus grew up with his mother and father arguing profusely or even barely speaking to each other on a regular basis. there were times that they got along, of course, but atticus always looks back on his childhood filled with tension. like he was walking on eggshells. the most he had fun with his family was when they went on holidays or were out and about in general, simply because his parents would put on an act. dare anybody in mapleview know what was going on between them.

when atticus began to find his voice, he began to step in when his parents would argue; telling them to stop though it would only get him so far. sometimes they wouldn’t hear him when he was very young, or they would demand him go to his room and they were having an adult discussion. as time went on, karissa would back down and she, atticus and his brother would often go for a walk together. they would often talk about everything about anything, would find something to do together and she soon became his favourite person.

when it came to school, he went through phases of loving it, then hating it and then coming around to loving it again. this didn’t change much all the way through to the end of high school. there was a lot he liked about school as he got older - mainly because he could get out of the house and talk to people, find new things to do and explore new interests. some interests his parents wouldn’t be too happy to hear about, like getting his first stick and poke tattoo at sixteen in his best friends basement.

around the start of his final year of high school, a fight between karissa and heath broke out as per normal in the early hours of the morning. it had woken atticus from the slamming of doors and screaming between them, but what took him from his bed was the sound of their family car leaving the driveway. he doesn’t ever remember seeing his mother cry before that point, and seeing her sitting on the back porch in the moonlight trying to muffle her crying broke him.

turns out heath had been had been having an affair, and it wasn’t the first time he had cheated on karissa. it had happened when he was seven, though they had agreed to work through it for the two boys - much to atticus’ disgust. he sat with her that night, and although she didn’t want to to begin with, she let him comfort her and she talked about it all to him.

by the end of his senior year, his parents had were living in separate houses and filling for divorce. and atticus was all for it as much as it hurt him. he knew it would be for the best. they couldn’t stay together any longer and the fact they stayed together for him and his brother riddled him with guilt. not only did he feel guilty for being the reason they stayed together, he also felt bad for how people would’ve seen their family after the divorce was finalized.

COLLEGE/TEACHING

atticus went straight to college, not wanting to muck around and waste time in getting his degree. he studies hard, but that didn’t mean he didn’t party hard. one third of college was spent drunk/hungover, another was spent with his head in the books and the other was on practical work placement. the minute he stepped into a classroom on his student teaching placement he knew there was no turning back ( not that the debt would be a deterrence ).

he graduated at twenty-two, spent one school year as a teaching assistant at the elementary school and applied the year of his twenty-forth birthday. luckily, he got the job as a kindergarten teacher. this will be his third year teaching kindergarten.

atticus has always loved children and has always been interested in the idea of teaching, specifically younger children. he loves always learning new things, which teaching can certainly do for him, but mainly he wants to be able to impact the lives of children in a positive way and make a difference. children are the leaders of tomorrow and if he can make that difference, make a child smile or make coming to school fun, then he feels like he’s accomplished something in his life. he knows that he remembers his teachers that made him feel like he could do anything and be who he wanted to be. not only that, but he certainly needed a positive adult figure at that age when home life was filled with such tension.

PRESENT

at the moment, atticus is renting a nice little house in chestnut drive while he saves for his own house. he is very comfortable with who he is and whoever thinks otherwise is free to their opinion, but he doesn’t care for it.

he is not on speaking turns with his father, and hasn’t been since mid college. he would rather chew off his own arm than speak to him. atticus is well aware he is holding a gruge, but he doesn’t care; maybe in ten years time he’ll loosen up but not any time soon. thankfully, heath moved out of town so not speaking to him makes it easier.

this is all i have for now but let’s build on this by plots!

PERSONALITY

atticus can have a lot of fun, you just have to get him in the right mood. he won’t go out for night on the town if he’s feeling low because he’s just going to have a depressive come down and how self destructive he can be. he had his reckless days, and he’s more aware of the consequences his actions cause.

with that being said! he’s very social, loves to talk as long as it’s not about himself too deeply. will be that guy that won’t leave you sitting alone and will engage in conversation with anyone about almost anything.

his moods can be very up and down, leaving him to be very unpredictable. one week he’ll be very happy and cheery and the next he’ll be extra reserved, keeping to himself and his thoughts.

atticus keeps people at a distance and will be very suspicious of those he doesn’t know. there are times he honestly wishes he could be a mind reader because it would put him at ease ( at least a little bit ). it takes him a long time to warm up to people and when he does, he forms very deep connections with them. he has a lot of people he knows, but few close friends.

touching on that, he will do just about anything for those he cares for. he is vengeful, cunning and will bide his time to take out his payback if need be if someone hurts his loved ones. he will always keep his job in the back of his mind, and if he needs to, he will get someone to do his dirty work for him ( don’t come at me for it ). when he cares for you, you’re basically like family to him.

he is a very caring, loving gentleman and affectionate deep in his core. whenever a child comes in upset, after making sure the class is working away in groups, he’ll talk to them. or whenever they’re hurt, he’s the first one they call over. in his personal life, atticus is definitely the person you can ring in the middle of the night if you need help and he will be there one he’s made a quick instant coffee for the both of you.

very very passionate about his job! atticus stays up late some nights looking for new work ideas, stays back late to hang up artwork, is in early more often than not to make sure the classroom is set up just right.

he loves to express himself through his clothes; wearing colours and patterns and flared pants. much like harry but tries not to go too over the top for the workplace. catch him after work showing off those tattoos ( that i will write about on his stats page ) with low cut tops and patterned vests, or silk pants, ruffled blouses. that is where his money goes.

#mapleviewintro #this was so choppy i know it but my eyes are burning #this is what i have so far but let's plot #god i hope this was ok tell me if i'm missing anything

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lost-your-memory · 4 years

Note

I have another prompt for my dear! please could i have a college au where cat and kara are room mates who are secretly dating and Cat’s parents surprises them. please can you include the line “for gods sake put on some pants kara.” NC x

It took FOREVER to finish this (one night, one day and almost half another night) but I hope you like it. It’s full AU, Cat & Kara are about the same age in this fic (around 23 & 25yo probably), I took a lot of liberties (Cat might feel a little OOC, I’m not happy about it but since they’re young ... why not?) and I added a twist at the end for the actual line of the prompt. Careful, it’s rated E Thanks NASCAR anon for this prompt!

—

“It’s perfect!”

Kara’s excitement echoes in the apartment.

“Of course it is! I lived here, until a week ago …” Lois replies, sounding amused. “Now, the thing you have to know about this perfect, cheap rent-controlled, three-bedrooms apartment with the real pine-wooden floor, the high ceilings, the many windows that let in as much sunlight as possible …”

Kara narrows her eyes at her friend, sensing that there’s a catch coming.

“… Is that it comes with a roommate.” Lois finishes with a smile.

It’s a cartoon worthy scene; Kara’s jaw all but drop in astonishment. Lois doesn’t even look sheepish, Kara absentmindedly notices. If anything, she looks almost smug, as if proud of her little prank.

“I’m not taking it,” Kara flats out declare, grabbing her backpack and moving toward the door. “I can’t believe I got my hopes up, I should have known better.”

“Hey, what does that even mean?” Lois calls after her, sounding outraged. “Hey! Kara, come on. You know you won’t be able to afford anything else as nice and as close as everything you want.”

That makes Kara pauses, because it’s nothing but the truth.

The apartment is spacious, luminous, close to everything she needs and it even has a small garage next to the building where she could park her bike. Not to mention that the cheap rent is nothing short of a miracle, especially in this neighborhood.

Kara hesitates, hovering near the entrance. She quickly studies her options. Alex did tell her she was welcome for as long as she needed but she knew her sister’s patience was starting to grow thin, especially since Lucy came back from her semester abroad and was now living with her. Lena would be more than happy to have her but the situation in between them was still a little weird and beside, Kara didn’t want to risk stumbling upon either Lex or Lillian Luthor. Winn would be over the moon but her exuberant friend would be too much for her in less than a week, she could bet her weight in potstickers.

“I hate you,” Kara mutters under her breath. She needs a place to stay and this apartment is her best option, she knows it. Turning around, she glares at her friend “Why didn’t you tell me about the roommate in the first place?”

“I knew you needed to see the place, first. It’s a really good place, you know?” Lois gestures around, encompassing her surroundings. Kara can only nods because the large living room full of bookcases already feels like home, just like the all-equipped American kitchen on the other side of the place, with an island that has stools in front of it.

“Still. Not cool,” Kara mumbles and this time, Lois does look a little contrite. “Anyway, where’s the roommate?”

“She’s abroad for the moment, she’ll be back in a week or so. I already texted her to inform her, she’s … Well,” Lois trails off, looking a little thoughtful. Kara narrows her eyes again. “She’s something, that’s for sure.”

Kara groans and rubs at her eyes.

“Meaning she’s not happy you trapped her with a new roommate in her absence. That’s just great, thanks a lot Lois.” Kara sighs, looking down to search for her phone in her backpack. “Who’s she, anyway? What does she do?”

Lois doesn’t reply right away. Kara finds her phone and looks up, following Lois line of sight and landing on a frame hanged on the wall, near one of the bookshelves.

“You have got to be kidding me … Your roommate is your ex?” Kara asks, stepping forward to study the picture.

It shows Lois on the left, radiant with a carefree smile and her dark hair wind-whipped around her head, looking down at a smaller, blond woman whose smile is a little more reserved but her hazel green eyes are lit up with joy and love. They look incredibly happy, standing close to each-others and with a jungle waterfall in the background.

“You’re moving in with my cousin and leaving me to deal with your ex? That’s a new low for you, Lois,” Kara accuses, turning an angry glare to her friend.

“Come on Kara, it’s not like that!” Lois retorts, sounding a little hurt. “Cat and I are still best friends. We broke up a long time ago, way before I met Clark …”

Lois glances at the picture and her eyes soften in a way that tells Kara she probably doesn’t know the whole story there.

“Does she know who I am?” Kara groans, because she doesn’t need more drama in her life.

“Not specifically, no. She knows you’re a friend of Lucy,” Lois replies. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to tell her, not right away at least.”

“Gee, talk about a poisoned apple …” Kara mutters, looking around at the splendid apartment that came with such a high price. “Anything else I should know about?”

“Yes … Cat’s the heir of a big, big law-firm. Her parents are … Well, loaded doesn’t even start to cover it. They’re all the way up next to the Kennedy, the Clinton or whatever rich family you can think of, when it comes to the level of wealth.”

“And that’s important because …” Kara prods, arching an unimpressed brow.

“Because that reaction, right there, slightly judgmental and downright provocative, will get you ejected in no time,” Lois retorts, rolling her eyes. “Cat’s family is very rich, sure, but she actually works really, really hard to get by on her own. The only money she accepts from her parents is for her birthday and at Christmas and I’m pretty sure she gives most of it to a bunch of charity association anyway.”

“She works?” Kara snorts, disbelief clear in her voice.

“She does, yes. She’s a law student but she’s also taking a bunch of Business and Communication night classes, when she’s not tutoring or working as a part-time assistant for Perry White.”

Kara doesn’t say anything to that. She figures if the woman works so much, she won’t be around too often and maybe, maybe this arrangement will work.

“Alright. I’m taking it,” Kara sighs and she waves a threatening finger in front of Lois when her friend smiles victoriously. “However, this goes against my better judgment and don’t think you’ll get away with this so easily.”

“Sure, whatever you say, super puppy,” Lois replies with a laugh before handing over the keys and the paperwork.

—

“You’re the new roommate,” a voice comes from the entrance of her bedroom.

Kara doesn’t even startle. Instead, she finishes writing the line she’s started and then put down her pen, flexing her fingers to chase the slight cramp that threatens to spread.

Eventually, she looks up from her essay and falls into a pair of startlingly bright hazel eyes. It’s a little mesmerising, with golden sparkles swirling in it that somehow highlight the very faint freckles on her eyes and cheeks.

“I don’t know if ‘new’ is the right word,” Kara retorts, eying the woman standing in her door frame. She’s small but somehow, her presence is very commanding. She breathes power and authority, especially with the powerful black high-heels, the black pencil skirt and matching jacket opened on a crisp white shirt. “I’ve been living here for three months, now.”

It had been like living with a ghost, so far, and a fancy one with that. One that left leftovers sushi in the fridge, that drinks wine and seems to have a soft spot for dark chocolate, who dresses all fancy and sometimes forgets a pair of shoes, a shirt or a jacket in the living room, who stacks up books as if it was collector and who leaves a very strong, heady trail of spicy yet woody perfume behind.

Kara hadn’t minded in the least, glad to have the space for herself on the rare moments she’d been in. Still, her curiosity had more than once left her hesitating in front of the perfectly white door, devoid of any posters or decorative element in any kinds, that led to Cat’s bedroom.

Cat smiles, slowly.

She looks a little older than in the picture that still hangs on a wall in the living room. Her hair, of a distinct shade of golden blond, is shorter and barely brushes her shoulders now, lazily curling toward the end. She’s wearing makeup but it’s light, as far as Kara can tell. No daring lipstick, no pronounced contour or strong blush, it’s all carefully applied to give the illusion of something natural.

Kara leaves her desk and comes to stand in front of Cat, distractingly noticing she’s still a little taller despite the daring high-heels.

“Kara Danvers,” she introduces herself, extending a hand. “Pleasure.”

Cat looks at the hand and seems to hesitate for a moment. Kara doesn’t back off and waits, not looking away.

Eventually, Cat seizes Kara’s fingers and gives them a firm handshake. “Cat Grant. Likewise.”

After that, Cat leaves without a word and Kara takes a deep breath, inhaling the woody perfume that still hangs in the air.

—

“How is it going with this roommate of yours?” Lucy asks, handing a beer to Kara before sitting down next to her on the couch.

“It’s … civilized, I guess?” Kara replies, taking a big swing off her beer and slouching against the cushions with a heavy sigh. “She’s barely there anyway, it’s like living with a very clean ghost.”

Lucy laughs and Alex, sat on the floor next to Lucy’s legs, snorts.

“Cat Grant is many many things, but she’s certainly no ghost.” Lucy eventually replies, voice soft and gentle, and Kara glances at her.

“Right, you must know her, since she dated Lois for a while …” Kara recalls, before cheering as Alex manages to beat her record time in the car-racing video game she’s playing.

“I do know Cat Grant, yes,” the younger Lane nods. “She’s … well. I have no words to describe Cat Grant.”

That earns Lucy a curious look from Alex before the game starts again. Lucy seems lost in her mind for a little while but when she returns to the moment at hand, it’s with a warning in her eyes.

“Piece of advice though, my sister broke Cat’s heart when she ended things with her and despite Lois insisting that they’re still best friend, I wouldn’t mention your cousin’s name around her.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Kara mumbles. “Aside from this one time where we officially met each other, I haven’t seen her.”

Lucy gives her a strange look but then Alex swears, loudly, and their attention is back on the game.

—

It starts with post-its.

Kara is in a hurry one day, she grabs the plate of leftover sushi to bring as her lunch and leaves a yellow note instead. It says “Sorry about the sushi, I needed lunch. I’ll buy you a fresh plate tonight.”

The same evening, she places a fancy assortment of sushi in the fridge and leaves a green post-it : “As promised; fresh from that shop you seems to like. I asked for your usual. Bye!”

The following morning, as Kara opens the fridge to grab the milk, she notices a post-it on the plate of sushi, but it’s blue. The handwriting is neat and precise “Thank you. Help yourself if you need the rest for lunch. C.”

It takes Kara totally by surprise. She was mostly expecting some kind of warning, a subtle “back off” kind of reply but the apparent easiness of this little exchange warms her heart.

When she comes back from her shift at the bar she’s tending every three nights, she places a bottle of fancy wine on the kitchen island and sticks a pink post-it on it. “Thanks for the lunch! I heard it’s good wine, let me know if you like it? Bye.”

The next afternoon, when she emerges, the bottle is gone but there’s a brown bag instead, with a yellow post-it. “The wine is actually one of my favorite, thank you. Potstickers? I noticed you seem to eat a lot of them … Enjoy. C.”

That makes Kara’s day.

—

“Movie night?” says the pink post-it on the coffee table when Kara comes back from her soccer practice.

She laughs and shouts across the apartment “I need a shower first, meet me on the couch in twenty minutes. Also, I’m ordering pizza, our usual.”

Kara pulls out her phone from her pocket and calls their usual place.

The man on the other side greets her by her first name and jokes with her about the last national soccer game score before telling her their pizzas will be there in half an hour. She thank him and writes “Pizzas will be there in 30 min” on a blue post-it, replacing the pink one on the coffee table.

Once in her room, she carefully add the post-it to her collection, in a notebook that’s already filled with colorful notes. She’s annotated each one with a quick context quote so now the little book is telling a story.

Kara smiles softly at the last note and then closes the notebook, already stripping from her dirty clothes before she jumps in the shower.

—

“I’m fine, Alex, I swear! It looked a lot scarier than it was, I promise,” Kara protests, swatting away her sister’s hand. “Stop fussing!”

Alex leans back and glares down at her sister, Lucy standing next to her.

“Scarier doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Alex growls, eyes flashing with anger. “I just watched you get hit by a car thrown at full speed, get ejected from your bike, fly across the road and then land miles away, right through the windshield of another car. It truly is a wonder you’re still alive!”

Kara looks a little sheepish at that but her stubbornness resurfaces instantly and she raises her chin.

“Yet, I’m perfectly alright and I’ll be out in two days. Now stop fluffing my pillows!” Kara pushes Alex’s hands away again.

“Wait until mom hears about this,” Alex threatens, storming out of the room after one last glance at her sister.

Lucy sighs and takes a seat by Kara’s medial bed. She doesn’t say anything, she simply watches and Kara slowly deflates under the unrelenting, watchful gaze.

“I know. I’m being an asshole,” Kara sighs, finally looking away. She feels bad that she scared Alex and Lucy but honestly, she’s been through worse. “I just … I hate hospitals.”

Her voice is small and low. Lucy doesn’t say anything, she simply takes one of Kara’s hands in hers and squeezes. Kara squeezes back, grateful for her friend’s quiet presence.

“Oh my gosh, Kara!”

“Cat?” Kara looks up and sees Cat enters the room, a look of pure panic written across her face.

In all the months they’ve been basically living together, it’s the first time Cat’s not all perfectly put together. She looks disheveled, her cheeks have that red glow that comes from running against the wind and her clothes, a pair of casual jeans and a soft navy blue pull-over, are too casual and a little crumpled, not perfectly adjusted like always. Her eyes are ablaze with panic and adrenaline and Kara watches, a little enthralled, as the golden sparkles swirl and swirl and swirl around in the hazel irises.

“You idiot!” Cat shouts, striding forward and hitting the ground with more force than strictly necessary. That’s when Kara notices Cat isn’t wearing heels. “What the hell were you thinking!”

Cat stops on the other side of the bed, across from where Lucy’s sat and still holding Kara’s hand.

“Uh … I was just driving back to the apartment …” Kara tries to reply but the burning glare Cat throws her shuts her up right away.

“You could have died, you absolute, stubborn, ridiculous idiot!” Cat accuses and Kara shrinks a little in her bed, not understanding why Cat was so angry at her. “I was waiting for you for our usual movie night, but you didn’t come home. You weren’t answering my texts and it was getting so late …”

Cat takes a deep breath and Kara goes to say something but another glare dissuades her.

“I eventually texted Winn, thinking you were still at the bar, to ask if you were alright. Imagine my surprise when he instantly called me and told me you’ve been rushed into the nearest hospital, because you got hit by a car!” Cat all but yells the last few words, fury echoing in her voice and it’s suddenly too much because she’s pacing.

“I was already on my way when you sister called me, to let me know about the accident,” Cat adds and now she looks hurt. Kara doesn’t even know why, she doesn’t understand what prompted Cat to unleash like this. They’ve been getting close lately, verging on the line of best-friends really, but this categorized relationship doesn’t explain Cat’s outburst.

Helplessly, she stares at her roommate and notices the unshed tears gathered in the hazel green eyes. All of a sudden, Cat looks small, vulnerable and so impossibly lost, all Kara wants to do is leap out of her bed and hold her close.

She opens her mouth to apologize when a new voice echoes in the room.

“Kara! Thank God you’re alright!”

Clark rushes to her side and grabs her hand, already fussing around her like her sister did before, puffing the pillow, moving the plate of food and beverage around, checking the tubes and the machines gathered near the bed.

“I got so scared, when Alex called! What happened, who did this?” Clark points to the bandage around her head and then to the many strips on her collarbones and along her arms. He looks incredibly relieved but Kara sees the anger in his eyes, not knowing if it’s directed at her or at the person responsible for her injuries.

“Clark Kent? You … You know Kara?” Cat asks, looking stunned and a little confused. Kara winces and pushes her cousin away, ready to explain, when Lois makes her entrance.

“For the love of God, Kara, we got so scared! Don’t do that again okay?”

“Gee, what is it with you people, do you seriously think I did this on purpose? Stop telling me to not do that again, I’m not the one responsible for the accident”, Kara rebels and glares at everyone around, her eyes bouncing from Lucy, to Clark, to Lois and finally, they land on Cat.

Cat, who’s glancing between Lois, Clark and her, looking utterly hurt, betrayed even. Kara winces again and reaches a hand but Cat shakes her head no.

“Hey there, Kitty Cat!” Lois greets, sounding surprised and slightly uncomfortable, and Kara wants to disappear into the ground and to never face either Lois or Cat ever again. “I didn’t know you’d be there.”

“Believe or not, neither did I,” Cat retorts, curtly. Her eyes are flashing with hurt, anger and confusion. The golden sparkles are dimmed, in the darkness of her green irises and Kara shudders when the gaze focuses on her. “Of course, you’re related to Clark.”

“He’s … my cousin, yes. We’re … almost the same age, give or take six months,” Kara nods, knowing better than to lie her way out of this situation. Cat’s gaze is full of heat and Kara squirms.

“Is there a reason as to why you never told me about this particular relationship?” Cat asks, voice cold and collected, the green of her eyes darkening even more.

“Actually, that’s my fault,” Lois jumps in, looking very sheepish. Kara wants to tell her to shut up, to stop talking but of course, there’s no telling that to Lois Lane. Ever. “I told Kara you would throw her out of the apartment if you knew about her relationship to Clark. I advised her to … not say anything.”

Cat seems about to lash out again but before she can says something, she’s interrupted.

“What on earth is happening in here?” Alex asks, stepping into the room and glancing at all the people present. One look at Cat and Lois tells her everything she needs to know.

“Oh,” Alex sighs. She takes a deep breath and then looks right into Cat’s eyes. “Cat, I’m sorry we never told you. It wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have played along with Lois idea to keep this relationship a secret and I’m truly, really sorry.”

A thick, stunned silence follows Alex’s apology. Cat looks thrown off, more than anyone else, but she manages to recompose herself.

“Thank you, Alex. I … appreciate that,” Cat accepts the apology and then gestures to Kara. “Please, take care of the stubborn idiot over there.”

After that, she exits the room without another words.

—

There’s no post-it waiting for her when she returns to the apartment, three days later. The place is dark and quiet and Kara doesn’t even need to check to know Cat’s gone.

She’s tried to reach out, through texts and calls, for the past three days but Cat is nothing if persistent in her indifference. Kara feels miserable and while it’s tempting to blame it all on Lois, she knows it’s her own fault.

She should have told Cat about Lois secret the moment they started being friends.

They’ve been so close lately, having regular movie night on the couch together with various sort of take-out, Kara showing up at Cat’s work after her soccer practice to pick her up and bring her home, Cat studying on Kara’s bed while Kara wrote her essays at her desk with soft music in the background, Cat dropping by at Kara’s bar, in between Kara’s shift, to have a drink or share some food, the many excursions they went through across town, the museums Cat dragged Kara to, the walks by the beach sharing an ice-cream or some candy flush, talking and laughing and debating about one thing or another.

Cat’s love for old books and the way she would sometimes smell like it, like dust and old pages, a scent Kara found familiar and grounding. Kara’s strange tastes in music and Cat’s mockery of it, a façade to hide the fact she was very curious and sometimes even liked the same things Kara did. Cat’s tendency to tidy everything and Kara’s messy self, their many arguments about a forgotten sweater or a pair of sneakers in the way. Kara’s terrible attempts at cooking and Cat’s irritated yet fond looks whenever she tried something new.

Cat’s warmth against her flank on the couch as they watched a movie. Cat’s way to adjust the collar or whatever top Kara was wearing before they left the apartment. Cat’s scent, heady and dizzying, so comforting, that still lingered on the couch long after she was gone.

Cat’s laugh, like a melody, a sound that meant home.

She never realized how much Cat had come to mean to her, until she was gone.

—

“Why so glum?” Winn asks, sitting down at a stool next to her. He looks a little concerned but mostly, his eyes have the glazed glow of someone who’s had too much to drink.

“Nothing,” Kara sighs, nursing her glass of Scotch and watching as Alex and Lucy dance together in the middle of the crowd. “I just … nevermind.”

“Feel lonely?” Winn supplies and Kara throws him a shocked glare, a little alarmed that her very drunk friend is still able to read her so easily.

“Come on. You’ve been mooning over that roommate of your for months now, it’s practically visible from space,” Winn rolls his eyes and then winces, apparently regretting the move. “I’m guessing she’s still not talking to you and … you miss her, am I right?”

Kara sighs, heavily so.

“Yeah, I do. It’s ridiculous, really.” Kara lets out a frustrated breath. “She’s … she’s Cat Grant.”

“What does being Cat Grant entails, exactly?” Winn asks with a frown, because of course he doesn’t see the point.

Kara finishes her drink and asks for another one before taking a deep breath.

“She’s … she’s so incredibly smart, in a way I still can’t exactly fathom. Her mind is quick and sharp, she manages to see the details in everything without loosing the big picture. She’s witty, too.” Kara chuckles, eyes sparkling. “Her sarcasm has this cutting edge that could probably freeze the sun but somehow, when she smiles … it’s like … it’s like … she is the sun itself, you know? It lit up her whole being from the inside, she just glows and it reaches her eyes. It always reaches her eyes when she genuinely smiles.”

Winn’s listening, eyes intent on her despite the drunken glaze.

“She’s incredibly proud. She doesn’t like when people just overlook her because her parents have money. She’s a real perfectionist, you know? Always pushing for everyone to be the better version of themselves, to never be content with just what they have and to dare reaching out for more. She’s doing it to herself, to the point it must be exhausting, I think,” Kara smiles, a little sadly. Cat never allows herself to just be herself. “She works really hard, in her classes, for the students she’s tutoring and even in her job. She never gives up. I’ve heard stories of how she’s treated in this newspapers … It makes my skin crawl everytime she talks about it, but she doesn’t even pay attention to it. She’s ambitious. So much, I swear one day she’ll be president or something.”

“Well, here’s one career path I didn’t even consider, until now …”

Kara swirls around on her stool, so fast she almost ends up on the floor but hands land on her hips and steady her. Cat’s smiling, a little smugly, and her eyes are bright with something Kara doesn’t even dare to interpret. She steps forward and invades Kara’s space, smelling like spice and wood, with just a hint of alcohol.

“Hey,” Kara whispers, dropping her eyes to her knees. “You’re … back.”

“I wasn’t supposed to be,” Cat replies, her voice low and a little hesitant now. She still has her hands on Kara’s hips and Kara feels her skin burn under the warmth of Cat’s palms, through her clothes. “I just … I … I missed you.”

Kara freezes and then blinks, a little helplessly. “You did?”

“I did,” Cat smiles, leaning forward. “I took a plane this afternoon and then came straight from the airport because Winn texted me, said you were here.”

Kara glances at her friend but the stool he previously occupied was empty. Kara and Cat were all alone near the bar, save it from the coming and going bartender on the other side of it.

“How much of it did you hear?” Kara asks, swallowing hard under Cat’s focused gaze.

“Apparently, your mooning over me is visible from space …” Cat chuckles and Kara groans, hiding her face in between her hands and muttering something about killing Winn.

“Please don’t,” Cat whispers, slowly prying Kara’s fingers away from her face. “I’ve been … too scared to make a move. I didn’t know … I didn’t know you felt that way about me.”

Kara looks up to meet Cat’s gaze. It’s so bright and hopeful, it takes Kara’s breath away.

“I did. I do. I …” Kara sighs, looking down again. “I should have told you about Clark, I’m sorry about that. I thought … I thought maybe you wouldn’t like me anymore, if you knew I was Clark Kent’s cousin. I know you and Lois have a … complicated story.”

Cat slowly removes her hands from Kara’s hip and the loss is jaring, it makes Kara shudders. Cat takes the stool Winn has just vacated and looks at Kara with sadness in her eyes.

“We … had, a complicated story. I’m not going to lie, she broke my heart when she ended our relationship but it’s not fair to put all the blame on her, as tempting as it is,” Cat explains with a slight chuckle. Kara arches a surprise brow but doesn’t say anything. “I … never told my parents, about Lois and I. Worse, I hid her, on the few times they came visit me. She …”

Cat draws in a breath and accepts the glass of wine the bartender places in front of her. She’s a regular in this bar where Kara sometimes works, the other bartenders know what she likes and they’re past the point of asking, they just go with it.

“As flawed as Lois is, as annoying as she can sometimes be, she never hid who she was and she didn’t deserve the way I was treating her, back then. I … I understand, why she broke up with me. We stayed friends, and I value her friendship a great deal.”

Kara tilts her head and looks at the way Cat plays with her drink. The deep burgundy beverage swirls in the glass, slowly, regularly, it’s a little fascinating.

“I got so scared, Kara. When Winn called me to let me know about your accident … I felt as if my whole world was crumbling. I was … terrified of losing you. I didn’t understand why, at first,” Cat says and there’s a tremor in her voice, hints of terror in her hazel eyes. “I might be a little … awkward, when it comes to feelings. Dealing with it has never been my strong suit and I’m a firm believer of bottling everything up and letting it sink somewhere safe.”

Kara slowly reaches and takes Cat’s hand in hers, brushing her thumb across Cat’s knuckles. She doesn’t say anything but with just a nod, she encourages her to keep talking.

“I found you in the hospital, all banged up, with a bandage on your head and everywhere on your body and I … I wanted to hold you, to feel that you were real, still alive and not going anywhere but I … I got scared, Kara,” Cat breathes, squeezing Kara’s fingers. “Of my own feelings, their intensity, the way it ruled every thoughts in my head, every decision I could make, everything. Clark was just … a convenient excuse for me to reject the blame on something else. I admit, I did feel a little betrayed that you didn’t tell me, but it’s not why I stormed off. It’s not the reason I left town.”

“Why did you?” Kara asks, softly. She thinks she knows the answer but she still needs to hear it and more importantly, Cat needs to say it.

“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?” Cat sasses, wanting to remove her hand but Kara holds on and nods. Cat nods too and takes another deep breathe, followed by a long swing of wine. It takes her a minute but she eventually manages to look Kara in the eyes.

“I … I think I’m … falling in love with you, Kara Danvers.”

Kara smiles, widely. “You think?”

Cat rolls her eyes and swats at Kara’s hand. “Shut up.”

“Aww, no,” Kara says, grabbing back Cat’s hand and pulling it close, placing it over her heart. Its frantic beats seem to surprise Cat and she stops struggling against Kara’s hold. “Let me talk. I don’t think I’m falling in love with you. I know I am. I have been in love with you for a long, long time now, but I didn’t want to admit it. I’m no better than you when it comes to feelings, it’s a fucking scary thing.”

Cat gasps and Kara brushes her thumb against the hollow of Cat’s wrist. “I love you, Cat Grant. I love you, and I’m an idiot for not having said so any sooner.”

“You are an idiot,” Cat nods but there’s no denying the pure, unadulterated happiness that shines in her eyes as she smiles, genuinely, widely so. “You’re my idiot.”

Kara doesn’t wait and leans forward, kissing Cat with all she has and all she is. It’s soft and yet intense, tender but passionate and so incredibly intimate. Her hands move to hold Cat’s cheeks, cradling her close and keeping her there as she pulls back, a little breathless.

“I’ve been dreaming of kissing you since the moment you fell asleep on my lap while watching The Empire Strike Back,” Kara whispers against Cat’s lips, earning a chuckle and an eye roll.

“You know I don’t like Star Wars,” Cat muses, dropping a kiss at the corners of Kara’s mouth.

“Liar. You love it,” Kara shakes her head and her laugh gets swallowed in another kiss, deeper this time, more demanding, pressing. A hand tugs at the front of her sweater and she obliges, stepping up from the stool and invading Cat’s space to slide herself in between Cat’s legs.

A moan escapes the back of Cat’s throat and the sound sends a bolt of pure desire down Kara’s core, making her tremble a little against Cat.

“Wanna get out of here?” Kara asks, moving her lips down to Cat’s jawline and dropping a line of soft, sweet kisses alongside it.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Cat groans and before Kara knows it, she’s being dragged outside by her girlfriend.

—

Nothing really changes.

They still have a movie night once or twice a week. Kara still goes to pick up Cat after her soccer practice. They still go to the beach and to the museums together, sharing ice-cream or candy flush. They still study together, listening to music. Kara still tries to cook on a regular basis, under Cat’s fond yet unimpressed gaze. They still argues about the clothes in the living room.

There’s just a lot of making out in the middle.

Sometimes, the movie plays on the TV but no one is watching. Books and essays lie on the floor, amongst the discarded clothes that tend to get removed very quickly these days. There’s hand holding whenever they’re outside together, sweet kisses and small gestures. They go to Alex and Lucy for game nights once a week and it’s comfortable, easy. They still argue and sometimes they even fight and they end up sleeping in their respective bedroom, until one of them caves and gets up to join the other one in the middle of the night. Cat goes to Kara’s soccer games and Kara makes the regular effort to attend some of Cat’s work events.

All in one, they work and it lasts.

—

“You guys are so sickeningly in love, it’s disgusting,” Alex grumbles one morning, three months after the official start of Cat and Kara’s relationship.

She’s hovering by the door with a box of donuts and a cardboard trail full of coffee cups.

“Alex, do come in,” Cat smiles and opens the door a little wider for the older Danvers to step in.

“Is my sister even decent?” Alex asks, nervously looking around. She’s walked on them a few times already and she now knows better than to just knock and enter without answer.

“She’s getting dressed, yes,” Cat chuckles, rolling her eyes before eying the coffee cups with interest.

“Yes, one of them is for you,” Alex puts the donuts box on the kitchen island and hand over her non-fat, no whole milk, bulletproof latte to Cat. She looks a little nauseous as she picks up her own cup. “I don’t know how you can drink this, seriously.”

“Force of habit, I suppose,” Cat shrugs.

Kara bounces out of Cat’s bedroom and comes hug her sister before moving around to kiss Cat. It’s soft and sweet, brief but with just enough love to content Cat, who relaxes back against the kitchen island with a dreamy smile on her lips.

“Sickening,” Alex mutters but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“You’re just jealous because Luce’s away for a few weeks and you miss her,” Kara rolls her eyes at her sister and opens the donuts box, already picking a chocolate one and handing it over to Cat. She then chooses a jelly filled one for herself. “Where is she anyway?”

“Paris, again,” Alex sighs. “Her environmental law firm is sending her to negotiate at a climate summit or something.”

“Our hero,” Kara smiles and she means it. It makes Alex smile too.

“Alright, are you ready?”

“Sure, let’s go,” Kara says, moving around to go pick up her bag in Cat’s bedroom. When she comes back, Alex is waiting for her by the door and Cat’s lingering near the couch, looking a little sad.

“Awww no, don’t be sad. It’s only three days, I’ll be back before you know it,” Kara laughs, dropping the back on the couch to hug her girlfriend.

“Urgh. I’m gonna wait for you in the car, bye Cat!” Alex says, waving goodbye and then closing the door behind her, offering them some privacy.

“I know, I know but I just …” Cat pauses, looking a little frustrated. Kara slides a finger under Cat’s chin and lift it, slowly.

“Tell me,” Kara pushes, looking into Cat’s eyes. She knows it’s still hard for Cat to deal with feelings, to accept and express them.

“I don’t sleep when you’re not here,” Cat whispers, looking small and vulnerable. Kara’s heart burst out with love and she leans in to kiss her girlfriend, long and hard. Hands tangle in her hair and a body she now knows by heart presses against hers.

“I love you, Cat Grant. I can’t wait to come back to you,” Kara says softly, randomly dropping a few kisses on Cat’s face. It seems to ease Cat just enough to make a smile appears.

“Please do,” she whispers, leaning forward to place her forehead against the crock of Kara’s shoulder.

“You know I will, Cat. I’m not going anywhere, you’re stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me,” Kara replies, caressing Cat’s hair with one hand and stroking her back with the other. “I’m your idiot, remember?”

That makes Cat laugh and it’s how Kara knows she can go.

—

Kara climbs the stairs leading to their apartment so fast she almost falls a few time. She’s holding her bag, overthrown on one shoulder, with one hand and the other is keeping a bouquet of flowers upright. White lilies, Cat’s favorite.

She drops the bag at her feet and fumbles around to find her keys, barely managing to enter the right one in the lock when the door is thrown open in front of her. She’s expecting Cat but instead, there’s a much older woman in front of her.

“Hello,” says the stranger. “Who are you?”

The woman is smaller than Kara but the commanding presence is oddly familiar. She’s concealing her age fairly well but the creases on her forehead, the crinkles around her eyes and the defined veins on her hands are still giving it away. She’s wrapped in a burgundy ensemble, pants and a matching jacket over a black shirt and she’s wearing heels. Her pixie haircut hardens her features and highlight the dark green of her eyes.

“Uh … I’m Kara, and I live here. Who are you?” Kara asks, frowning at the stranger in her apartment.

“I’m Kat …” the woman says and Kara snorts.

“No you’re not,” Kara replies and the woman throws her an irritated look that’s all too familiar.

“If you let me finish … I’m Katherine Grant, Cat’s mother.”

Kara gapes and stares, unable to says anything. It’s definitely not what she was expecting to come home to.

“You must be … the roommate,” Katherine muses, looking up and down at Kara’s figure. “Are those flowers for us?”

“Us?” Kara repeats, entirely too lost to do anything else.

She’s coming back from a very intense soccer camp training, she’s exhausted, missing her girlfriend and the way this woman is looking at her with something like disdain in her eyes is grating on her nerves.

“My husband and I,” Katherine exaggeratedly articulates, as if she was talking to a dumb person. “I assume my daughter told you about our visit?”

Kara grits her teeth and counts to ten before she manages to plaster a smile on her lips and extends a hand.

“Actually, she probably forgot to tell me. I’ve been away for a few days and just coming back from a sport camp, but here,” Kara gives away the flowers. “I’m Kara Danvers and despite the awkward beginning, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Grant.”

That seems to please Katherine because the faint shadow of a smile tugs at the corners of her lips. It’s barely there but Kara’s taking whatever she can, especially since the 'meeting the parents’ situation didn’t start out so great.

“Is Cat around?” Kara asks, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“She’s on her way back from work, apparently,” a man’s voice echoes behind Katherine. Kara glances further in the living room and see a gentleman in a navy blue three pieces suit standing near one of the bookshelves. He’s taller than his wife, with distinguished features and metallic grey hair perfectly ordered atop his head. His eyes are of a grey-blue color Kara finds oddly comforting.

“Don’t stand in the way dear, do come in,” Katherine gestures for her to step in and Kara tries not to seethe that this stranger is inviting her in her own place. She grabs her bag and excuses herself to her bedroom.

She’s not used her own bedroom in months and it shows. Dust is gathering on her wardrobe, on her desk and on her bed night stands. It’s all too neat, too ordered for her taste. She searches for her phone in her bag and curses when she sees it’s out of power. She plugs it and unpack her stuff while it gathers enough battery to be launched again.

When it finally starts, it vibrates non-stop for about two minutes.

She has eight missed calls and twice as many texts, all from Cat.

“Uh oh,” Kara sighs.

She’s about to call Cat back when her phones goes off, Cat’s calling.

“Hi babe,” Kara greets, smiling from ear to ear.

“Kara, oh my gosh where have you been?” Cat’s panicked and short of breath. “I’ve been trying to call you for hours! Nevermind, whatever you do, don’t show up at the apartment tonight, my parents are in town and they didn’t announce themselves, as usual …”

Kara stays silent after that. She knows Cat’s still not out to her parents, they’ve talked about it and Kara knows Cat isn’t ready but after what happened with Lois, Kara was still expecting some kind of gesture. A step in the right direction. Something to hang onto. This, Cat lying to her about her parents dropping unannounced and asking her to hide until they’re gone, was not great.

The disappointment hurts, like a needle piercing her thick skin and reaching the sensitive part of her.

“You don’t say,” Kara retorts, a little coolly. “Your mother sounds lovely. I have yet to interact with your father though. What should I do, hide in the closet in my bedroom until they’re gone?”

There’s a pause on the other side of the line, before Cat speaks again. “You’re … home?”

Again, this isn’t the excited welcome Kara was expecting. Instead, Cat sounds terrified, slightly sick even.

“You know, sometimes I wonder … am I just a piece of furniture, to you? You sure as hell conveniently seems to forget that I live here, too,” Kara snaps, not handling her disappointment well. She looks at herself in the mirror of her bedroom.

She’s already dressed for it, casual jeans, a red hoodie beneath her leather jacket and she’s wearing her favorite pair of red converses to go with it.

“Nevermind Cat, I’m going to the bar. I wasn’t planning on working tonight but I guess it doesn’t matter anyway,” Kara says, shortly. “Don’t wait for me, I’ll crash at Winn’s tonight. Have fun with your parents.”

Kara hangs up and grabs her keys, her wallet and pushes them in her pocket with her phone. She gets her motorcycle helmet and a backpack she fills with whatever clothes will work as a pyjama, some toiletries and then heads out.

“I’m sorry Mrs and Mr Grant, but I’ve been called out to replace one of my coworkers, out sick. Since I figured you’d like to have some time with your daughter, I won’t intrude that way. Enjoy your dinner,” Kara waves at them and exits her place as fast as she can.

In her pocket, her phone keeps vibrating but she just ignores it.

—

“She’s calling me now, please do something,” Winn says, sounding slightly terrified.

His phone is lit up with Cat’s name above a wallpaper that says 'Breathe and pick up’. It usually makes Kara laugh, but not tonight.

“Nope,” Kara says, ignoring the call and going away to clear some tables and takes a few orders.

“Still no progress?” Alex asks from behind him, and Winn shakes his head.

“I think Cat royally screwed up this time,” Winn says, sadness echoing in his voice. He’s known the Danvers sisters for a long time now and he’s been in their life long enough to recognize when the situation’s really bad.

“I agree,” Alex sighs, worriedly looking at her sister across the bar. “She’s not calling me though, I must be her very last resort …”

“Cat’s terrified of you, so yeah I’m pretty sure you’ll be the very last person she calls,” Winn laughs but it’s hollow, it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“And yet …” Alex mumbles, raising her phone to show Cat’s name etched on it.

“Oh, whow,” Winn lets out a breath. “That bad …”

“Hi Cat,” Alex greets, placing her phone against her ear. She keeps her voice neutral and cool but her eyes are burning with anger.

Winn doesn’t hear what Cat says but the anger flaring up in the older Danvers eyes tells him it’s not good. It calms down pretty quickly though and Winn hears sobs, coming out of Alex’s phone.

“Cat … You did something terribly wrong, there’s no denying it. I know it, Kara knows it, you know it … What’s done is done,” Alex eventually speaks, voice low but clear. “What you can do is apologize. Make up for it. She’s not asking you to come out to your parents, she would never ask that of you. She simply doesn’t want to be or to feel like your dirty secret.”

Winn nods approvingly.

Cat speaks some more and Alex shakes her head.

“Give her some time to cool off, she’ll be back. Cat, I mean it. Do not try to push her, you’ll only manage to do more damage,” Alex warns. “I know my sister, she’s head over heels in love with you, she’ll come around.”

Cat must have asked for some reinsurance because Alex adds, fondly “She’s still your idiot, you know. Just, give her time, give her space.”

After that, Alex hangs up and Winn gives her a knowing look.

—

“Please, don’t leave me,” Cat asks the moment Kara steps back in the apartment, a week after Cat’s parents visit.

Kara’s thrown off by the unexpected greeting, by the vulnerability in her girlfriend’s voice, the red rimmed eyes and the way Cat fidgets with her hands.

She’s standing next to the usual bookshelves in the living room and Kara distractingly notices the picture of Lois & Cat is gone. Cat’s wearing one of Kara’s university sweater, a pale grey hoodie with NCU blazon plastered in blue across the front. It looks too big on her but somehow, it still suits her better than Kara.

“What? No, I’m not here to breakup with you!” Kara frowns, dropping her keys in the usual plate on the small table by the entrance. She hangs her leather jacket next to the door and then turns around to face her girlfriend, who seems at a loss as to what to do.

“Come on,” Kara opens her arms and steps forward, inviting Cat in the embrace. She doesn’t need to tell her twice, Cat all but hurls herself at Kara and holds onto her for dear life.

“I’m so sorry, Kara I’m so sorry, I made a mistake, or a few …” Cat sobs against Kara’s shoulder and Kara feels fingers twist into the red fabric of her hoodie, tangling in it really. “I didn’t know … I didn’t want to … I’m …”

“Cat, look at me,” Kara pulls back just enough so she could meet Cat’s eyes. The hazel is dimmed, reddish and it’s all puffy but Kara still finds that Cat is the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. “I know, okay? I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I know you, and I believe you when you says you reacted poorly.”

Cat takes a deep breath and then shakes her head, hands still holding onto Kara’s hoodie.

“I never meant to make you feel like a dirty little secret, Kara,” Cat says, voice a little steadier. Kara doesn’t interrupt, her arms still wrapped around her girlfriend’s silhouette. “It was so very wrong and I am truly, really sorry about the way I treated you.”

“Thank you,” Kara nods, accepting the apology and acknowledging Cat’s efforts at offering one. “I know you panicked and you did tell me you’re not exactly good with feelings, I should have anticipated it. I’m sorry I ran away and gave you the cold shoulder for a while.”

“I hated it. Every second of it. I’ve missed you, Kara,” Cat whispers, resting her forehead against Kara’s collarbone and stepping in closer.

“I’ve missed you too, Cat. Just, don’t freak out on me the next time your parents are in town, okay?” Kara asks, lifting Cat’s chin and leaning in for a kiss.

It’s incredibly soft and tender, slightly hesitant too. It lasts for a little while but then Cat’s wrapping a hand around Kara’s neck and pulling her in closer, moaning into the kiss. The next thing Kara knows, they’re stumbling backward to Cat’s bedroom, clothes flying in every direction and greedy hands reaching for smooth skin. Cat’s whispering her name in a way that makes Kara’s knees go really weak but she still manages to sweep Cat off the ground, groaning at the way Cat’s thighs close around her waist.

“Bold move, my love,” Cat chuckles but her eyes are dark with lust and impatience and she leans forward to kiss Kara senseless.

“Hmf,” Kara’s replies gets muffled in the kiss and it’s not long before they’re finally falling into Cat’s bed, Kara’s hands already roaming Cat’s body, worshipping it really.

It’s been way too long since they hadn’t been intimate and there’s a certain tenderness into the way Kara takes her sweet time to kiss every inch of Cat’s skin, lingering on some soft spots and biting into some others, guiding Cat’s hands and murmuring words of love. Cat’s still clinging to her in a way that betrays her fears so Kara kisses her eyelashes and murmurs “I’m not going anywhere Cat. I’m yours, remember?” Cat looks at her with such awe and wonder in her eyes, Kara laughs and kisses her, loving her with everything she is, everything she has to offer, all the love she feels.

It’s very early in the morning when they finally fall asleep, tangled together in Cat’s bed.

—

“Cat? Cat sweetheart, are you in there?”

Kara jolts awake at the sound of Katherine Grant’s voice, coming from the living room. It takes a few seconds before the reality of that statement catch up with her brain.

“Cat! Cat wake up, your mother’s here,” Kara hisses, rolling around in the bed and missing the edge, falling on the ground with a loud thud and a swear word.

“Humpf,” Cat grumbles, grabbing a pillow and placing it over her head. Kara has never cursed the fact her girlfriend wasn’t a morning person so hard before. “Too early.”

“For fuck sake, Cat, wake up!” Kara groans as she rises up from the ground and looks around for something to throw on herself. She’s naked and if her memory serves her well, most of their clothes are still in the living room. She grabs a sweater that hangs from the side of Cat’s wardrobe and starts searching for some trousers or at least the very least, underwear.

“What are you doing up? Come back to bed,” Cat mumbles and Kara feels a hand run along her legs as she moves around the bed.

“Cat!” Kara grabs her girlfriend and gently shakes her awake. “Cat, your mother is here, in our living room, where we left all of our clothes last night …”

“My … mother?” Cat suddenly looks wide awake, if not a little pale and unsteady.

“Yes, your mother …” Kara nods, wincing as Katherine’s calling for Cat again. “Come on, get dressed and get out of the room, I’m going to hide in your bathroom.”

“No, don’t hide,” Cat states and Kara freezes, looking unsure. Cat moves to stand on her knees on the mattress and she reaches out for Kara’s face, pulling her down for a kiss. It’s slow and loving, sure too.

“Uh, Cat?” Kara asks, a little dazzled.

“No more hiding,” Cat murmurs again, a shy smile gracing her lips.

“Cat, I’m coming in,” Katherine announces and before Kara can hide or move, really, the bedroom door is thrown open and Cat’s mother’s standing in the door frame.

“There you are,” Katherine smiles. Her eyes linger on the scene in front of her but she doesn’t look in the least phased. “We brought breakfast, care to join us?”

Cat looks as dumbfounded as Kara feels and they exchange a confused look.

“What?” Katherine asks, frowning.

“You … You’re not mad?” Cat dares to ask, reaching for Kara’s hand and squeezing it. Kara returns the gesture and steps closer to her, protective.

“Mad? Why would I?” Katherine seems entirely too at ease and Kara feels really out of her depths here, but she doesn’t move.

“Uh …” Cat is at a loss for words, clearly.

“You mean, that you’re dating a woman? Please,” Katherine makes a dismissive hand gesture that seems to be destined to no one in particular. “You never fooled anyone, Cat. Your father and I have known since the day you came home babbling about this special friend of your, Olivia was it?”

“Olivia? But I was … in highschool,” Cat says, eyes wide.

“Well, yes, and?” Katherine frowns again, as if Cat’s addition wasn’t relevant in any way.

“I didn’t … I didn’t even … know, back then!” Cat protests, looking really confused.

“You didn’t, but we did. Now, put on some clothes and join us for breakfast,” Katherine orders and she turns her gaze to Kara. “For God’s sake, put on some pants Kara! Then you’re welcome to join us, I would love to know more about my daughter’s girlfriend.”

After that, she closes the door and the sound of her heels fades away back to the kitchen.

For a moment, neither Cat or Kara speak.

They’re too stunned to even think about anything to say.

“What did just happen?” Kara eventually wonders out loud, breaking the strange quiet of the room.

“I have … no idea,” Cat replies, shocked.

“I think … as far as a coming out goes … this one should wins some kind of award,” Kara eventually chuckles, shaking her head and resuming her search for something to wear.

“What are you doing?” Cat asks.

“Uh … finding something to wear?” Kara replies, opening Cat’s wardrobe. “Your mother all but ordered me to put on some pants …”

“I like you better without your pants on,” Cat muses, voice low and seductive. It sends a shiver down Kara’s spine.

“Oh no no no. Don’t give me that look, Cat. Your parents are literally in the next room and I’ve already went through enough embarrassing time with them to last a lifetime,” Kara shakes her head and steps away from the bed, out of Cat’s reach. “Come on, get up, get dressed. We’re having breakfast with your parents.”

“Here’s a sentence I never thought I would hear coming from my girlfriend,” Cat smiles, eyes alight with joy and happiness, love.

“Something tells me we should get used to it, too,” Kara smiles back and moves closer to kiss Cat. “I love you, Cat Grant.”

“I love you too, Kara Danvers,” Cat whispers against Kara’s lips. “My idiot.” THE END

#Supercat #Kara x Cat #Lucy x Alex #Sentences prompt #I can't believe it's so long #Seriously #I'm exhausted #Supercat AU #Kara x Cat AU #University AU #Roommates AU #OMG THEY WERE ROOMMATES #I seriously used a whole bunch of clichés in there #Also re-used some good stuff like Kara being a soccer player #rated E

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orlandoscooterstech · 3 years

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Choosing A Scooter For Your Holiday Season

If you're used to counting on a mobility scooter to get around, the suggestion of journeying abroad as well as leaving it behind may seem rather daunting.

The concept of taking it with you, particularly if you are actually planning to fly to your destination, can easily toss up its own set of challenges. You might be regarded concerning bringing along extra components in case it breaks down as well as ensuring it makes it from A to B securely and in one piece. Some visitors may additionally remain in a setting where they don't need to have to utilize one daily but simply yearn for one to submit scenario they pick some unplanned exploring or even possess a duration of extended sightseeing and tour intended.

Instead of placing your own self with the worry of taking your own mobility scooters rental Orlando abroad, why not consider tapping the services of one the moment you reach your place? It's a lot easier than you may believe and also may be the suitable answer to any mobility issues for over 50s visitors.

Where to choose a mobility scooter

A variety of shopping center, destinations and also vacation retreats both in the UK and also on the continent right now use tourists the option to tap the services of mobility scooters. Call ahead to learn if your location gives this service, or search online for a hire solution. There are numerous organizations that can easily provide the mobility tools you call for to throughout the UK and pick locations abroad-- Disabled Gain access to Vacations listing several of all of them on their internet site. Additionally, if you are booking your trip through a traveling representative, they might effectively be able to organize the hire for you.

Choosing the right mobility scooter for your needs

In order to enjoy your vacation, you will certainly require a scooter that's the excellent suitable for you and your demands. When opting for which one you might require, you need to initially bear in mind your body weight as well as build in order to guarantee you possess the most pleasant expertise. It is also worth taking into consideration exactly what you may need it for in the course of your holiday season-- if you are actually anticipating hours of sightseeing, you undoubtedly yearn for a style developed for longer jobs of travelling. Ask the recommendations of your selected hire company as they must have some knowledge of the destination and also have the capacity to support your option.

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Additionally, you may want to employ a ramp alongside your mobility scooter. These could be folded up as well as carried along with you-- a wonderful assistance in a location where there is no assurance of fell visuals to reduce your traveling. Making sure you load the right sort of adaptor to fit the re-charger is actually a top priority, as well.

Many mobility scooters fall into one of three major types. There is actually the light in weight scooter rental Disney world Orlando. These are actually commonly portable and can be appeared a car boot need to you want to do some exploring out of community. Light in weight scooters are actually best if you plan on making much shorter experiences like getting around a holiday season hotel-- they tend to manage smoothly for around 10 kilometers on a full electric battery.

The upcoming major classification is actually the popular mid-sized mobility scooter. These are strong, four-wheeled contraptions as well as can easily run for all around 20 miles on a totally charged electric battery. Mid-sized mobility scooters are actually commonly developed to become dissected without the use of tools to ensure they can match a car-- though not along with as much ease as the light-weight versions.

Our team possess the large mobility scooters. Not simply may these powerful devices hold up to 30 rock in value, they can easily run for around 25 miles on a total battery as well as often tend to find with lots of helpful extra attributes like clues.

Examine you are actually covered

Guarantee you are crystal clear as to that is responsible for the mobility scooter ought to it break as well as what the operation is actually for getting it preset promptly. Also, ensure you comprehend what type of cover their insurance provides you along with.

And also inspecting your scooter is covered just in case of emergency situation, do not forget to reserve your own private travel insurance coverage to be sure you're covered, also. Allow your chosen insurance provider know that you will definitely be rent mobility scooters Orlando abroad to make sure that they may see to it you are covered if you have an accident while utilizing it.

When it involves finding the right traveling insurance policy for your conditions, there are actually an almost excessive quantity of plans and also insurers to pick from. Let rentorlandoscooters you make that choice by limiting the collection according to your requirements, to ensure that you can return to more exciting jobs, like preparing your holiday season.

RentOrlandoScooters

1189 Blackwood Ave, Ocoee, FL 34761

Phone: (407) 815-3071

#Scooter

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cecphotos · 3 years

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Reach For The Stars in Joshua Tree National Park

Price: $950, $250 dollar deposit required, Optional Post-Processing After Workshop for $125 More details on pricing and deposit below.

Join me May 14-16, 2021 in Joshua Tree National Park for a multi-day immersive experience amongst ethereal Joshua Trees, amazing rock formations and dark skies. This unforgettable photographic experience will include four Golden Hours and two nights exploring the vast arid landscapes in one of the country's most interesting National Parks.

Scroll down for all the details

About The Workshop

During this workshop, I will guide you through Joshua Tree National Park while helping you to translate emotion and vision through our photographic medium. I am dedicated to providing the best instruction on all aspects of the art of landscape photography and night photography. Whether you are just beginning or are a seasoned pro, I am ready to help you move forward with your photography as all levels are welcome to participate. Together we will create an unforgettable photographic experience this spring by chasing light and capturing the early spring night sky.

Itinerary

Tentative Schedule: Since this is a field workshop, we will remain flexible to weather and light conditions to ensure we are able to shoot during the most ideal conditions. The final itinerary with exact times will be made available on Day 1. Lodging, airfare, transportation, park fees and all meals are the responsibility of the attendee.

DAY 1: Friday, May 14th 6:00 PM Meet at Park Entrance (Meet and Greet) 6:30 PM Depart for Sunset Shoot 8:00 PM Depart back to Dinner and Rest For Astro Session 11:00 PM Meet For Astro Session

DAY 2: Saturday, May 15th

4:00 AM Move to Sunrise Location (if necessary) 6:00 AM Return To Hotel for Meals and Rest 6:00 PM Meet for Sunset Shoot 8:00 PM Depart back to Dinner and Rest For Astro Session 11:00 PM Meet For Astro Session

DAY 3: Sunday, May 16th

4:00 AM Move to Sunrise Location (if necessary) 7:00 AM Workshop Concludes for rest and easy check out of Hotels.

Transportation

No Transportation will be provided to, from or during the workshop. All attendees are responsible for arranging their own transportation. Any car will be sufficient for our outings, but a vehicle with higher clearance may allow you more ease on some roads throughout the park.

Airports

The nearest airport is in Palm Springs, California

Los Angeles is about 140 Miles to the West

San Diego is about 170 Miles to the South

Rental Cars

Many options are available for renting a vehicle of any kind from either airport listed above. Any car will be sufficient for our outings, but a vehicle with higher clearance could make driving easier on some roads in the park.

Accomodation

Hotels:

There is no lodging available within Joshua Tree National Park. However, there are many places to stay in nearby communities. Please contact area chambers of commerce for information.

I would recommend staying in 29 Palms or just outside of the park towards the town of Joshua Tree. You will find lots of accommodations in both of those areas including hotels and AirBnB.

Camping:

Camping is very popular in Joshua Tree and campgrounds sell out quickly. Learn more about the nine campgrounds in Joshua Tree. There are also a number of options for camping outside of the park. Restaurants, Grocery Stores, & Picnic Areas:

There are no restaurants or grocery stores inside Joshua Tree National Park, but nearby communities provide these services. Check with area chambers of commerce for more information.

Joshua Tree has eight picnic areas: Cottonwood, Indian Cove, Live Oak, Split Rock, Cap Rock, Hidden Valley, Quail Springs, and Black Rock. Their locations are shown on the map here at the bottom of the page.

Remember: help us keep wildlife wild. Never feed wild animals. Store food in hard-sided containers or in your vehicle. Carefully clean up all trash and leftovers, even small crumbs.

Things to Bring

It’s always good to know what equipment you need. If you have any questions about the necessities I’m here to help, but here is a list of essentials and recommendations for the trip:

Equipment:

DSLR / Mirrorless camera and lenses

DSLR or Mirrorless camera is an essential tool to get the most out of the workshop and your photos

Wide Angle Lens - 12-24mm (Faster lenses are better for night photography, but not essential)

Mid to Long Range Zoom - 24-70, 70-200, 100-400 are great ranges to capture intimate scenes

Tripod (Sturdy as the Fall months can have very strong winds)

All filters you might have, a Circular Polarizer is a great tool

Remote / cable camera shutter

Needed for tack sharp images and long exposures

Several memory cards

You never want to run out of space for pictures. Bring several or empty at the end of the day

Spare camera batteries

Another thing you never want to run out of in the field. Bring several fully charged with you and charge over night

Head torch (for any night or low light walking and shooting)

Raincover for camera and camera bag cold come in handy in some rare cases of rain or high wind!

Small Camping Chair or Stool for comfort

Clothing Items:

Many layers -It should be quite mild to warm for our trip, bt May can still hold a few cold nights. Plan for warm days and mild nights

Gloves, Warm Hat, warm socks (If there’s a cold spell)

Sunglasses, Large Brim hat, and Sunscreen are recommended for the daytime

Hiking Shoes\Boots are recommended

FOOD:

Food, Water, and all other essentials. No Food or water will be provided before, during or after workshop; unless otherwise stated in the itinerary.

Plan ahead and have plenty of water available as it is very dry and can warm quickly on clear days.

Physical Requirements

Some hiking will be required, but the hikes will be around 1-2 miles at most. Most of the hiking is very flat and moderate in difficulty at best. Typically shooting is done within a mile of the car and most hiking should be generally light in elevation change. We’ll be sure to move at a fair pace and no student will be left behind.

Please make me aware of any concerns you might have about your physical abilities.

What is Included and Not Included

INCLUDED:

• Tuition • Expert instruction in the field with Chris Ewen Crosby • Video Introduction and Presentation Prior to Workshop • Guidance to key compositional attributes throughout the park

NOT INCLUDED:

• Flights and transportation • Lodging • Meals • Park entrance fees • Travel and cancellation insurance

Payment, Fees and Terms

COST: The cost of the workshop is $950 and includes everything listed in the “What’s Included” Section

PAYMENT: A non-refundable deposit of $250 is required to reserve a space on this workshop. The final balance of $950 is due and payable 60 days before the workshop begins. Full payment is due at that time or thereafter, and there will be no refunds on the full amount owed if you cancel after final payment. However, if another client happens to fill your space, you will receive a full refund, minus your non-refundable deposit. Payment(s) can be made using the Add To Cart button of this web page using a credit card via Paypal and Stripe. If you would like to pay by another method, use the contact form on this page to ask Chris about options for sending a personal check or bank transfer.

COVID-19 ADVISORY:

In accordance with state and local public health organizations, Chris Ewen Crosby Photography & Samy's Photo School are following all COVID-19 related protocols. All participants will be asked to maintain social distancing protocols of 6 feet from anyone not in their household. Face coverings are mandatory for all. The class size for this event has been limited to only 5 students to further minimize the risks associated with COVID-19. Please do not attend this class if you are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19 including fever of 100.4 or higher, cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste/smell, fatigue, diarrhea, muscle aches and headache.

Participants will be required to sign a COVID-19 addendum and assumption of risk form

CANCELLATIONS: Cancellations require me to re-open enrollment and/or to engage in additional promotional efforts to fill the workshop on a short notice, therefore, my policy is that there will be no refunds of the deposit. The balance (minus the non-refundable deposit) is refundable up to the 60-day deadline. Thereafter, the balance is also non-refundable, with one exception: if we find participants to fill all canceled spaces and the workshop is ultimately full when it begins, then you will receive a refund of the balance within two weeks of the workshop’s conclusion. The deposit remains non-refundable. All refunds are subject to a 6% processing fee. I highly recommend that you obtain travel/cancellation insurance for all workshops to protect yourself against unusual circumstances.

PARK FEES: All attendees of the workshop are required to pay the National Park Entrance fees upon entry to the park and are not included in Workshop Fee. Further instruction will be provided to students prior to their visit.

Joshua Tree Entrance Fee - per vehicle - $30.00

This permit allows all persons traveling with the permit holder in one single private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van) to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.

Joshua Tree Entrance Fee - per motorcycle - $25.00

This permit allows persons traveling on one motorcycle to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.

Joshua Tree Entrance Fee - per individual - $15.00

This permit allows a single individual traveling on foot or individuals traveling on one bicycle to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.

Joshua Tree Annual Pass - $55.00

Annual pass providing free entrance to Joshua Tree for 12 months from the date of purchase

Curriculum

Curriculum will be catered to each individual’s skill level and may vary from student to student. Below you’ll find some common topics based upon different skill levels.

BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

I am a big believer in fundamentals in the development of any skill, photography is no different. I start all my workshops by ensuring that we have a good foundation to build on. Below you’ll find some sample topics:

Shooting in Manual Mode

Understand The Exposure Triangle and how each affects the image (aperture, ISO, shutter speed)

How to Meter and Expose for best results

Using light for better captures

Compositions made simple and easy

Understanding and using camera settings and menu options

ND’s, Polarizer and Grads - Which to use and when to use it

Tips and Tricks for easier workflows and shooting experience in the field

Photographing the night sky - Exposure, Focusing, Compositions

INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED

Those who have a greater understanding of their cameras will get some more advanced shooting techniques to focus on light, location and making good decisions to make the most of the variables. Some advanced topics are listed below:

Exposure bracketing and blending

Focus stacking for depth of field and sharpness

Creative blending to bring the vision to life

Composing for interest, depth and focus

Time Blends for Night Sky

Conclusions and Expectations

SUMMARY

Your satisfaction, enjoyment and educational experience is important to me. The goal of this workshop is to allow you to further understand your camera, composition and artistic expression while using the amazing landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park. I want to ensure that everyone comes away with great instruction as well as a great experience in nature. Most importantly, we are going to have fun! Having fun is a critical part of any good photography adventure. When you have fun, your mind is free to expand and learn.

POST PROCESSING

Post Processing is not included with this workshop. You can purchase an additional 3 hours of post processing instruction with this workshop that will be completed following the workshop. Editing is done via group video session in the following weeks from the workshop. It is recorded and available for download shortly after the session is complete. Instruction is given in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Topics of post processing will vary upon your skill level. Common topics below:

Lightroom and Photoshop Workflows

Maximizing your RAW captures

Keys to clean editing

Stacking for depth of field and noise

Use of Luminosity Masks

Blending methods

Finishing an Image

and much more...

Learn More About Chris

Chris is a photographer and educator based in Long Beach, CA. It is a desire to teach, love for the outdoors, and photography which resulted in his role as a landscape photographer and educator. When not sharing his photography knowledge he can be found exploring nature’s beauty in his endless search for perfect light and discovery.

Learn More About Chris’s Workshops

Chris’s workshops cover a wide-range of photographic instruction and all its aspects, but also put an emphasis on having fun to enable creativity to thrive. Chris puts the emphasis your development as a photographer, incorporating infield fundamentals and cutting edge techniques to help you find your vision and bring it to life in post-processing. Whether you are just beginning or a blooming professional, Chris will help you to create meaningful and inspiring photographs while leading you down a path towards finding your own creativity.

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