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rendevousz · 3 years

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little hacker

avengers x fem!teen!reader

characters: brief clint barton, tony stark, steve rogers, natasha romanoff, peter parker

summary: you hacked into tony's systems and he, along with the team, track you down.

warnings: mentions of death and a car crash, hacking written by someone who has no idea how it works

word count: 3241

note: hi um this is my first oneshot on tumblr i hope you like it!!

you were 14 when you first met the avengers. your family had gotten into a tragic car accident and you were the only one who made it out alive, leaving you in excessive guilt and burden; guilt because you were the only one granted a second chance at life and burden because you had to live your life, barely scraping by as you were dropped the responsibility of taking care of your sick grandmother.

at 11, where all that the kids your age had to worry about was whether their pocket money was enough to get themselves an after-school snack, you worried whether or not the money left to your name was enough to survive.

at 11, where girls worried about their changing bodies and asked their mothers about it, you had to figure it all out yourself and with the help of your trusty laptop, the only gadget you had, one that your dad had gifted to you after you had gotten 100s for all your tests at age 8. he thought you were his little prodigy and figured a laptop would treat you well. you took care of it well because while you didn't want to spend the last of your money left, —that was specifically set aside for your grandmother's hospital bills— you wanted to hold on to the laptop for as long as you could, as a reminder of your loving father, as well as the memories the item held, after you've watched movies with pretty much all of your passed family members on that laptop at different points in your life. that was why whenever the thing lagged due to how much you've been using it, you almost always figure out how to fix it until it was good as new.

at 12, while your classmates had their parents to protect them when they were out at night, you feared for your life whenever you were out past dark. which led you to learning self defence from youtube videos. you learned them pretty quickly and with your sharp-wittedness, you no longer feared to be out at night. you even had the honours of trying out your skills when some men thought they could get you just because you were smaller than them.

at 12, where kids your age were having fun, enjoying their childhood, you had no choice but to be mature and think for the good of yourself and your sick grandmother. you were forced to grow up and you were probably more mature and intelligent than the rest of your classmates combined.

and at 13, you realised that money wasn't going to grow on trees and the money you were left with wasn't going to last forever. it had to last until you were old enough to work. but with your grandmother's condition getting worse and worse, you were forced to drop out of school. you were upset because you loved it. you loved knowledge. but family came first and the only thing that your knowledge increased on was on computers.

which led to you being able to hack into tony stark's bank account at only 14. you had no other choice than to steal money and who better to steal it from than a guy whose pocket change could probably last you another five years or so? you knew who tony stark was, the whole world knows who he is. and you thought that maybe he would be too preoccupied with his alter ego saving the whole world, along with his group of earth's mightiest heroes that he wouldn't notice the tiny bit of money you'd stolen from him.

of course the billionaire had been alerted immediately by his AI when you'd accessed into his systems. "security breach?" he exclaimed, immediately dropping the tool he was tinkering his suit with in his lab.

he spent about 3 minutes, that was how long you took touring around in his systems, observing what you did in it. he watched as you did nothing about the highly confidential information he had and instead, stole....5 grand from his bank account? that was barely a scratch to his account. what was going on?

he had requested FRIDAY to track down the hacker, mainly because he was perplexed that someone had hacked into his well protected system just to steal a tiny bit of money but it seems that even FRIDAY couldn't track down where it came from.

he told the team and it was then that everyone worried how dangerous the hacker could possibly be.

"who steals just 5 grand after hacking into a billionaire's bank account?" clint frowned after tony had explained the whole situation. "i mean, if i managed to hack into your systems, i'd do way more than just steal a couple bucks."

"exactly. and who knows? they might just be waiting for the right moment to install dangerous malware into the system and until we find the culprit, they're roaming somewhere out there with all our confidential information right at the tip of their fingers. if they decide to use it against us..." tony trailed off, for once having a worried expression on his otherwise nonchalant face. he's never been this clueless about what to do with any sort of technical issues concerning the avengers or himself.

you on the other hand, after getting complacent that you weren't caught, kept doing so for the next couple months or so. you had no ill intentions, just trying to scrape by. the whole situation puzzled tony. he didn't care how much you've taken from him in total now, you were right; it was merely pocket change to him. but you were still considered a threat since you had free access to his systems and he didn't even know who you were or where you were.

that was until you made a tiny mistake, one that if tony wasn't spending every waking moment trying to track you down he wouldn't have noticed. and though it was a small mistake, it certainly was going to change how things ran from then on.

that afternoon, after having just gotten back from visiting your grandmother at the hospital, you were planning to get more money from the billionaire's bank account at the comfort of your own home. god, hospital bills were expensive. once you had had a little snack, you settled down on the couch and opened your laptop. but being the quick-witted person you were, before the screen in front of you lit up, you saw movement from behind you.

your heart raced. you could handle fighting people but those usually happened in alleys at nighttime. this was in your home, your safe place. you made sure to lock the doors and there weren't fire escapes outside your windows so how did the intruder get in?

you could tell they were trying to be inconspicuous to get to you and so you let them. you let the person think that they were going to get you without a fight but when they were right behind you, you swiftly turned your body around and jumped over the couch. the masked intruder let out a surprised yelp and the two of you fought for a bit. before you knew it, you had them pinned under you in just ten seconds.

"wha– how– what?" it sounded like a boy. you looked down at him and noticed his red and blue spandex suit. you frowned. wasn't this the friendly neighbourhood spiderman guy or something? why was a superhero breaking into your home?

he was coughing from your knee pressing down onto his chest and you lifted it slightly, enough for him to breathe but not enough to escape. he seemed grateful though because he muttered a seemingly embarrassed 'thanks'.

"get off the kid or i'll blast you off of him myself."

you look up and saw the iron man repulsor aimed right at you, and obviously iron man himself was standing right there in the middle of your small apartment. behind him stood a redhead, who you knew as the black widow, aiming a pistol at you, and a man with a shield, captain america. the spiderboy must've come in through the window and unlocked the door for them.

when you made eye contact with steve, he frowned in confusion. you looked way too young to be the culprit they had expected. he muttered a quiet 'wait, what?' before tony stark revealed himself, his iron man faceplate opening.

"um...kid? where are your parents? or guardian? we need to see them because there's been some highly illegal activity coming from this address." the man in the suit spoke. you stayed still, knee still pressing against the boy under you, frowning at the adults in the room. they noticed your apprehensiveness and slowly lowered their weapons. "we're not here to hurt you, you can release the boy now," steve told you gently.

you usually weren't one to trust easily but since these people were known superheroes, you reluctantly stood up, still anxious of the possibilities of what they could do to you. the spiderboy got up too and dusted his back, before going to stand next to steve. you were confused as to why these heroes were breaking in your home until you remembered what you had been up to for the past weeks. how could you forget when that was the only reason you were still surviving?

your eyes widened with fear when they met tony's soft ones. he looked at you with such care and worry that you were reminded of your late dad. the man in front of you wasn't the arrogant man you've watched on youtube. you felt bad for stealing from him now. you used to think that he deserved it, despite how little you took compared to how much he had. the man knelt down before you so he didn't appear so big in front of you, seeing your frightened expression. little did he know you were frightened for a totally different reason.

"anyone else living here, kid? because i tracked down this address and someone has been stealing money from me. i might need to have a little talk with them." he explained, looking around the house. you fiddled with the hem of your shirt nervously, scared of what would come once you came clean about your actions. you were scared you were going to be taken in for juvenile crime but you were also scared of the consequences of lying straight to their faces. so you took a deep breath before deciding to just tell the truth.

"t–that would be me, sir." you admitted in a small voice, avoiding eye contact with the billionaire you had been stealing from. a few shocked looks from the team and an incredulous 'what?' from tony had you biting the inside of your cheeks in fear.

"i'm truly sorry about that, sir. i..." you trailed off, debating whether or not to justify your actions because you thought that he might not even want to listen to it. "i had to pay off my grandmother's hospital bills because she is very sick. my family died a few years ago in a car crash and i was the only one who made it. i was left some money to my name but having to survive on that along with paying off nana's bills, it was bound to run out. i...i thought that since you were a billionaire, stealing a few thousands wouldn't matter to you...i'm so sorry, sir. i– i'll start working to pay you back.." you stuttered out, holding your hands together so it would minimise the shaking.

tony's mouth opened and closed, like fish out of water, not knowing what to say to you. he stood up and you were on the verge of breaking down right then and there, feeling as small as you did before he knelt before you. "p–please don't report me, sir. i– i don't know what would happen to my nana if you do.. i swear to you that i didn't mess with your other files. i only accessed the system for your bank account and that was it. i have no ill intentions, please don't report me.." you were now the one kneeling down in front of him, begging.

the team were flabbergasted at the scene unfolding before them and tony was quick to get you off your knees, which scared you even more because the death grip of his metal hands on your forearms had your mind running wild at the millions of possibilities of what he would do to you. was he going to kill you and leave you somewhere that people were never going to find your body? or was he going to dispose of you and use his power to remove you permanently from the system so no one came looking for you? he had the power to ruin your life and you feared that.

snapping you out of your mental breakdown, he spoke softly. "hey, it's okay." and that was when you realised the 'death grip' he had on your forearms had only been your paranoia getting the best of you. he was barely even touching you. your teary eyes looked up at his soft, brown ones in fear.

then he smiled at you.

"it's okay. i understand the reason why you did what you did. you're a good kid, your nana is so lucky to have you. what's your name?" he knelt down before you once again, knowing that him standing tall in his iron man suit terrified you. "y/n." you responded timidly.

"how old are you, y/n?" this time, it was steve who asked. you had forgotten that there were other people in the room, too consumed by your fear for your life a few moments ago. "i'm fourteen, mr america, sir." you whispered out, the sight of captain america in person intimidating you until you saw a kind smile on his face.

"you're pretty young to be doing what you've been doing, y/n. are you aware that you're the first person to be able to hack into my heavily protected, supposedly impenetrable network? many have tried to do so and failed, and they were really smart people too. have you been doing this for a while?" tony asked.

"um...my father gifted me this laptop when i was 8 because i did exceptionally well in school. he believed i was a child prodigy and let me have a laptop since he knew my studies wouldn't be affected by the distraction of entertainment. i used to only hack into games to cheat my way up the ranks but only recently i tried something else since i had nothing better to do and i've been out of school for a while now. i knew you were a billionaire so i tried just for the heck of it and surprised myself when i got in on the first try. and then i saw your bank account details and i really needed money so i stole some... again, i'm so sorry about that." you apologised, looking down at your feet.

he couldn't believe it. you were just messing around and you managed to get into his system? you, a mere fourteen year old who was out of school, managed to single handedly do what geniuses around the world had failed to do?

he was initially just going to have a talk with the hacker, and in case they were dangerous and had backup, he brought his own. but bringing steve, natasha and peter proved to be unnecessary when the culprit turned out to be you.

"where did you learn those moves?" natasha stepped closer towards you. you looked up at the redhead, noticing the glare she had on you when she aimed her pistols at you was replaced with curiosity.

you fiddled with the hem of your shirt even more, embarrassed to tell her that you learned to fight from a couple of youtube videos when she had gotten years of actual training. you were pathetic compared to her. "i, um, i learned them from some youtube videos."

her eyebrows raised in surprise at the revelation. you hadn't gotten professional training yet you moved like you had. peter had superhuman strength, agility and endurance yet you took him down in under ten seconds. sure it may have been a disadvantage to peter because he was caught off guard but he should've been able to take you down still.

now was tony going to let the chance of a lifetime slip by? no, of course he was immediately thinking of recruiting you. your dad had been right about you being a prodigy. you adapted to new skills quickly and you were perfect for recruitment.

"hey kid, wanna be an avenger?"

your eyes widened and your jaw dropped in shock. steve immediately turned to him, an incredulous look on his face as he glared dangerously at the billionaire. "stark, you wanna think about this for a minute?"

"thank about what, cap? you saw what she did to the spiderling. and she successfully hacked into my system on her first try and we took weeks to trace her. romanoff back me up here," he saw how impressed natasha was by you and he knew the redhead wasn't going to disagree. "stark's right, steve. she's only fourteen and she's capable of so much already. we need someone like her."

"exactly! she's only fourteen! this life is dangerous for her!" steve argued. peter then tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "hey, mr rogers, i'm a sixteen-year-old avenger and she took me down easily. not gonna lie, it hurt my pride, also my back when you flipped me over your shoulder," he turned to you but you didn't say anything because you couldn't see his facial expression. "but i think she's going to be okay, sir."

steve sighed before turning to you, the defeated expression on his face softening when you looked up at him with your doe eyes and a small smile. you didn't answer to tony just yet since it seemed that steve had a say in it as well but you were dying to say yes. not only were you not going to be reported for your crimes but to be recruited by iron man himself to be an avenger? who could say no to that? not you, at least, since you had nothing better to do with your life at the moment.

"well, what do you say, kid?"

your smile grew and you nodded happily. the team couldn't help but crack a smile at how happy you looked for the first time since they've encountered you.

"well, you should go pack your important stuff so we can go back to the tower. you're going to be moving in if you're an official member of the avengers." tony told you and you nodded, walking towards your room to start packing while the team sat on the couch to wait for you.

"wait, what's going to happen to my nana?" you turned back towards them, worry etched onto you face. "don't worry about it, kid. you can give me the details later and i'll settle it. she'll be in good hands." he assured. "okay." you mumbled in response.

you were actually going to be an avenger. "awesome.." you grinned to yourself as you packed.

#avengers #avengers x reader #avengers x teen!reader #tony stark x teen!reader #captain america x teen!reader #steve rogers x teen!reader #natasha romanoff x teen!reader #teen!reader #peter parker x reader #marvel #marvel x reader

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spiltscribbles · 3 years

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Prompt: remus and lily as siblings or half siblings or biological family in any capacity pls 🥺

Oh God!!! Baby!!!🥺🥺😭 This is such a favorite AU of mine!! I’m literally— sorta— writing a To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before AU right now and they are the bestest siblings in that!!! They share a little sister and they are just so cute!! And Petunia is conveniently off in university oaiwefjoiaswejfiogreghoij And I just love Remus and Lily both so much it hurts!!! And so I wanna spit out a bullet point Ficlet at you! And I’m not even sorry just because I love you so endlessly for tossing this into my inbox foiwaeifmkaeoirfgjieoarujoidkioweajgh

So like in my head, becs that Voldy bitch doesn’t know how to actually world build, the Muggle born children who get their Hogwarts letters, are also invited to join this like support group for ordinary folks with magical children. It’s like a thing that’s held in the Ministry of magic over in London once a month, and the parents are taught about the Wizarding world while their children kind of go to this separate room to intermingle and read Hogwarts; A History with one another, and just vibe, because pure bloods and those close to that have always sorta known one another and such, so this is a nice way for the Muggle borns not to feel so excluded.

So the thing is, obviously Lyall was a wizard, but also we all know I don’t fuck with him lmfao. So I picture that after he leaves for the final time when Remus is around nine, and finalizes the divorce with Hope, she— being the bad bitch that she is, just marches to the ministry with her half-blood, werewolf son, and demands to learn everything about the world he’s part of, because she refuses to let him be deprived of anything.

Eventually she becomes one of the tutors for the adult section because she’s such a quick study— being a professor herself back in Cardiff and just being an all around bombshell tbh. So one day, in February of 1970, there’s this ginger haired, northerner who stumbles in with his daughter who looks so much like him that it’s crazy— dimples and smile and upturned nose. Though she has her mother’s eyes, who had past away when she was only seven from a freak car accident.

And when he first shake’s Hope’s hand, he’s like kind of mind boggled over how beautiful she is, and thinks that maybe all wizards just put on some sort of charm to look unearthly, till he finds out that she’s as Muggle as he is towards the end of his visit. And he is just entirely love struck tbh.

And for the next couple months or so, he kind of just yearns from afar, and then spends the ride home to Cokeworth listening to Lily’s excited chortling about her friend Remus who’s apparently a half blood and who likes the same treats as her and knows how to draw things so amazingly, and it isn’t until like May, when he ambles to the other room and realizes that Remus is actually Hope’s fucking son, and he already knows that she said she began this group after separating from her husband who was a wizard himself. So Lily’s father— Nate— quite literally just shoots his shot and asks if Lily would like to get ice cream with her new friend since Petunia won’t be coming back from there Grams’s house till late, and Hope sorta smirks from over the kids’ heads because she sees exactly what he’s doing and is impressed that he’s finally done something for fuck’s sake.

And like obviously they fall hard for one another, and they probs get married like Lily’s second year at Hogwarts.

Wait, just Lily’s you ask??

Yes my beautiful duckling, because plot twist!! (We lovee plot twists!!!)

In this AU i picture that McGonagall kind of visits during the summer months leading up to the children’s first year at Hogwarts, just to give them some supplementary readings and answer the questions for their future schooling, and when Dumbledore tells her about Remus’s full situation with his lycanthropy and all, she does some research, and figures out how Beauxbatons is much, MUCH more accommodating to “dark” creatures, and she’s already pretty chummy with Hope and knows that she’s actually a French citizen herself, the daughter of Algerian immigrants. So Remus technically has the possibility to attend Hogwarts or Beauxbatons, and so Hope and Remus talk on it long and hard, and she knows he’s already become fast friends with Lily and their thick as thieves with one another, but it’s also just so much safer for him.

So the week before Lily is set to go off to King’s Cross, they fly over to France and they get Remus settled in his dorm abroad.

I think while they’re away, Lily and Remus actually somehow become closer, because their parents are still dutifully dating and neither of them are all that familiar with their surroundings, so they send one another so many fucking letters through that first term, that the owls of their schools always give them the dirtiest looks lmfao. And they really catch on like a house on fire, like it’s one of those relationships that is just innate? Like you know when you have a best friend you guys kind of just slip into one another lives? Like even when you don’t talk for a while or whatever, it’s just natural<3 <3

So neither of them ever spend the hols of winter or spring in Hogwarts/Beauxbatons, becs that’s when they really get to vibe.

They tell one another the different cool charms they’ve learned, and hate that they can’t show them with their actual wands yet. And they watch all their favorite films and almost adopt this secret language that’s only the quirk of their brows and twitch of the lips, and Petunia hates how freakily attuned they are with one another and sneers at them for being such freaks in all aspects. Also in this AU Lily fucks off from Snape wayyyy sooner, because instead of having to deal with that nasty, bigoted, slime ball she has the cutest and funniest and most amazing bestie in Remus!

And before Hope and Nate exchange vows in the winter of their second year, the little family of five go to this tiny park that’s all lush grassland and a shiny jungle gym and a pair of swings tucked away by trees, and they sit at this picnic table, and Hope— with her steady, ever buoyant voice, explains to them why she and Remus decided to send him to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts, and Petunia is like gawking in fright, and Nate looks sort of distressed, but Lily just cocks her head and shrugs her shoulders, because it’s still Remus— her closest companion Rem— and nothing could change that. So she takes his hand from where it’s fiddling with a splintered piece of wood on the tabletop and she squeezes it tightly, watches him glance up at her with the late summer wind billowing in his tawny curls and the fear in his honey eyes, and she simply tells him that it doesn’t matter. And Lily will never forget the way his features spasm at that, going suddenly loose and bright and thankful, and then Nate probably tousles his hair and kisses Hope’s temple and shyly asks how they should accommodate once they move in with one another.

And that park becomes sorta special tbh.

It’s in that alcove with the swings and trees where Lily and Remus go when things are becoming too much, or they would just like to escape the world by one another’s side.

It’s where they tried their first cigarettes that Remus had gotten from an older bloke in Beauxbaton’s when they were thirteen and feeling adventurous. And where they go to listen to the releases of their favorite albums, and when Remus told Lily that he’s gay for the first time before leaving to both their fourth years and it’s like one of those spots they both think of and feel golden.

Oh God! Imagine how cute of a celebration that Nate and Hope hold for them both becoming prefects!!! Hope and Nate definitely insist on some sort of summer todo! And they invite their friends and all that jazz and OMFG what if Lily’s wearing some sorta powder blue sundress that matches Remus’s oxford shirt and they both are grimacing in all the photos and are just not thriving foieajfoierjgiearfoijsdkgxh But like they would be doted on rotten that whole day! This is so cute! OMFG! And this probs means James became Prefect as well and so Remus gets to tease her when he sends her some sort of congratulations letter and she’s totally blushing and trying to hide her grin, and Lily retaliates by kicking his ankle tbh bahaha

Okay also now I’m thinking of like Lily’s like fifth year, and her Muggle studies class is doing some sort of seminar to see if these idiots can actually survive in a totally Muggle area without a lick of magic, so like it’s spring hols, and guess who she’s partnered up with???

Cookies for you because we all know she had to work with James and Sirius lmfao!!!

And she’s totally still trying to hide her crush on James— who’s nearly always leering and winking her way— and she might actually punch Sirius’s face simply because he’s such a smug bastard, and being from a working class family like herself, she’s like always ready to fight preppy rich boys tbh

So James and Sirius decide to plan out the simulation in her house that’s right outside Cardiff and Remus is cackling the entire morning before they’re set to arrive because she’s so pissy about it lmfao

Okay so like obviously the boys end up taking the port key and land in front of her place and it’s Remus who answers the door, still painted with humor because Lily was just screaming about “if Potter brings that insufferable snitch here I’ll bloody shove it up his arse” and James is immediately on the defense because Lily’s only ever talked about her sister and brother who live with her at home, and this dude is golden where she’s pale and has curls over her straight hair and just, obviously they’re not related by blood at all. And for his part, Sirius is like *Oh! Oh! Oh! Pretty!!! Pretty boy!! Muggle boy? Pretty Muggle boy!*

But Remus obviously knows who they are straight away, so he like waves them inside before rounding to the stairs and calling for her to stop clogging the toilet or something else mortifyingly embarrassing, and Lily promises to put like pickles in the next set of face masks that they do because she knows how fucking allergic he is to them, and she wants her chuckles damn it!!

“Potter— Black,” is how she greets them with a derisive sort of glower that Remus can completely see through, so he has to excuse himself while laughing over to the kitchen. “You’ve met my delightful brother I see.”

And James’s entire posture relaxes and he’s back to grinning like a dope, and the only weird part is that Sirius has got on the very same face, *Pretty Muggle boy is Evan’s brother* So like they are both scary levels of elated, rip.

But sucks to be Sirius because Remus leaves after that to meet up with a friend from town who’s also the best dealer tbh, and so he has to deal with James’s awful levels of flirting with Lily while they scrounge up their itinerary to send their professor for the seminar type thing, and he doesn’t even have a pretty distraction XS

But Lily does force Remus to come along with her on the trip to London because “On God, if I spend a day alone with those bellends by myself I will punch a wall”

And it is literally the worst, but best double date/first date that’s full of Sirius and James fucking up with everything— including asking some poor Tesco employee where are their fudgeflies and giving a homeless man a hand full of galleons and James’s snitch somehow ending up in the meaty hands of some kid at the tube. But also tbh it’s hella cute when Lily lets James give her his jacket when they’re walking along the Thames and it’s getting chilly, and when Remus lets Sirius share his stick of cotton candy and they both sorta stare at the sugar on each of their lips.

But then they go to some tiny museum, and while they’re looking at a impressionist piece, Sirius is totally trying to show off to Remus and is explaining how he could turn the bench their sitting on into a really nice bouquet of Lupins, and in the middle of his stupid showboating, Remus lightly corrects him on some facet of Gamp’s law, and Sirius freezes— shocked still— and he’ sort of gaping like an idiot, before Lily stops his blustering with a scoff “He’s a damn wizard also you arse.”

And Sirius is floundering for the rest of the evening, and he has so many questions, but they all die on his lips every time he glances over at Remus and he’s just smirking at him with this electric glint in his golden eyes

So obviously when they’re back at Hogwarts he pesters Lily every second of every day about Remus, and why he’s not at Hogwarts. “None of your fucking business.” And asking where Remus goes instead. “Beauxbatons, thankfully far away from you.” and he asks her about a thousand other questions that Lily either scoffs at or simply cuffs him around the head for daring to even try getting his address.

And she pokes fun about the situation to Remus and tells him how much more of an idiot he’s acting like, and how hilarious it all is. And she’s shocked when he responds to her letter merely by saying, “Hah- he’s cute.”

And so obviously she shoots back a reply that’s a letter of all his worst traits, mainly that he’s an arrogant toerag, and that he’s a posh idiot who could probably live off his inheritance for three lifetimes without blinking, and about how he doesn’t date anyone for longer than a couple months, and how he’s practically brothers with James bloody Potter, and yet again, Remus just tells her, Hah- he’s cute, before mildly moving to talking about his latest charms paper and how he’s been asked to be their DADA’s professors TA next year, and how Andrew keeps trying to try again with him but Remus would rather poke his eyes out with a spork.

So Lily is totally fuming when she recognizes that she’s lost and begrudgingly gives Sirius Remus’s info, after telling him lowly and with her most menacing glower, “IF you fuck around with my brother I will murder you without a flinch.” And she’s quite literally five feet nothing to Sirius’s broad, six-foot frame, but he knows that she could do it with a snap of the finger, and he promises that it’s not just a gag on his end. And Lily actually believes him.

So Remus and Sirius begin writing to one another a sickening amount, like so steadfastly that it gives Lily a complex whenever she finds Sirius waiting at the Owlry every Wednesday morning for the bird that arrives with two letters tied to it’s leg, one for each of them.

And God, one time, right before they let out for summer hols, Lily accidentally takes the one marked for Sirius— and holy christ!!!, She did not need to know just what exactly her brother has been getting up to in the sex department of things— like she legit contemplated using a memory charm on herself JFC

And Sirius probably ends up on their doorstep again in late July, with James at toe, and somehow their is a small harmony painted between the four of them, and it’s by Christmas of sixth year when James and Sirius begin talking about how amazing it’ll be when they’re actually in-law brothers, and Lily blames Remus for everything when she’s pretending to be cross over it, but then James puts his arm around her shoulders, and she sees how gentle Sirius is when he twines his fingers into Remus’s own, and it feels good, feels right.

It feels like something that can be forever.

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mirkwoodshewolf · 3 years

Text

A heavenly reunion pt. 2; Queen x reader

*Author's note*

And here's the last part of our last chapter of the Rock Angel series.

First of all I just wanna thank ALL OF YOU for your support. This was the FIRST fic I wrote that got me into the Queen/BoRhap fandom and (much like my Bad Wolf series) "Set it all free" was just gonna be a one-time oneshot. But YOU, the people on tumblr inspired me to make this into a series, so thanks to you guys for your lovely support of this series, cause without you, I don't know if I would've continued on after a few chapters till it might've caught up with "Set it all free". But thank you all, you guys are BEYOND AWESOME and I love each and every one of you.

Until the next update :)

ALSO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC CHOICES BELOW. CAUSE THIS PART IS A HEART-PULLER/TEAR-JERKER.

*Final ROCK ANGEL taglist (sniffles sadly)*

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@sparkleslightlyy

@starswin

@onebigfangirlworld

@labessieisallama

@naturalswifty89

@5sos-wdw

@isabella-bby

@ssa-sadboi

@bohemiansweede

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@queensdivas

@queendeakyy

@queen-paladin

@geek-and-proud

@wormzteef

____________________________________________________________

"(Y/n), (y/n)." I felt someone shake my arm gently trying to wake me up. I looked up and I turned to see Brian sitting by my bedside.

"What Bri?" I tiredly groaned.

"Come downstairs with me, there's someone else the guys and I want you to meet."

"Do I have to get dressed?"

"I think you'll be just fine love. C'mon." He helped me get up and wrapped an arm around my shoulders guiding me down the stairs since I was still bloody tired.

We soon arrived in the piano room right where I had first met David and Elton. The first thing I notice was the other three queens all grinning at me, like they were keeping something from me but wanted to tell me.

"What's going on here?" I asked wearily.

"Darling, as I'm sure Brian told you, we have some people we'd like you to meet." Freddie spoke up.

"Guys if it's any of the singers that have long passed before my time, I think I met them all last night at the concert."

"Well these two are artists you haven't met." He finished for me. At this point I was confused. It was then Roger spoke up.

"It took us several meetings with the 'Big man' himself, to allow you to meet these two who have been waiting an eternity to see you again."

"Again?" I asked. They all smiled widely at each other and that's when Deacy opened up the slide in door and two figures came walking in.

PLAY VIDEO

Two figures I had not seen, in a very, very, very long time. The man looked to be in his mid-30's with shoulder length (h/c) and (e/c) eyes, he was semi built not overly muscular but not quite twig-like thin. The woman was around her early 30's if not late 20's the youngest being 28 with midback (h/c) and bright (e/c).

"Again." The man said. I was gaping, my body froze and I felt like collapsing there crying hysterically.

For standing there before me were none other than my parents.

"We've been waiting a long time for you (Y/n)," my mum started off.

"It's been far too long but now you're finally here." I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes began to fill with tears as I choked out.

"After all this time you two were both here just waiting for me to finally arrive just so that I can fall to the ground and cry hysterically. Dreaming of the day when I—I would try to figure out what to say to you both when I would see you if I ever saw you. And now it—it's finally happening. You two standing before me....." as I spoke, both my parents slowly walked toward me with soft eyes. "And I can't even......I just can't believe it. You two are actually here?"

"Yes my darling little cub, every day for your whole life." My mum said as she cupped my face in her hands. Tears of happiness glistened in her eyes as she praised me through a lump in her throat, "And we are so, so proud of you." I looked down but she still kept hold of my face.

"Oh mummy, daddy!" My mum immediately hugged me as tight as she could as we both wept. I nuzzled my face into her chest as she held onto me so tightly while stroking through my hair.

*3rd Person POV*

As they watched the two women hug each other, Freddie and Deacy who stood side by side each other couldn't help but have their hands over their hearts at such a moment. They all have heard the stories of her parents and whatever photos she had saved back home, so they knew what her parents looked like.

But now finally seeing (Y/n) reunite with the parents she had lost at such a young age, forced to being verbally abused by her aunt and uncle it was just heartwarming yet heartbreaking to see this touching and well-earned reunion.

After being tightly embraced and kissed beyond oblivion by her mum, (Y/n) felt a hand at her shoulder and saw it was her dad. He smiled and allowed his tears to fall as he embraced his daughter.

Roger and Brian, being the father figures for her down on earth were all smiles and teary eyed at seeing their surrogate daughter finally reunited with her real father once more. They had the privilege to help protect her in her young adult life, but they knew they'd never compare to the actual love this man had for his little girl.

(F/n) cupped his daughter's face gently in his strong, calloused hands and wiped away his daughter's tears before giving her a kiss on the nose, like he's done in the past. A move that Brian never knew her own father did, but was honored to have given (Y/n) a piece of affection that her real father had done.

By the end of it all, (Y/n) ended up sandwiches between her parents by the end as they were now on their knees. Her head buried into her father's chest as his arms were wrapped around her back while her mum rested her head against her daughter's and had her arms wrapped around her daughter's waist. (F/n) looked up at the four band members and said gratefully.

"Thank you." The four queens nodded and Deacy said.

"We'll give you three some privacy."

"No, please stay!" (Y/n) whimpered out. "I want my whole family here right now." At hearing that statement, who were the boys to deny their Rock Angel. With acceptance from the parents, the four men all got in on the group hug.

(Y/n) once more surrounded by the people that had loved her the most.

With some major convincing as well to bring her parents here to the 'Rock heaven' Queen and the Rock Angel had here, they also managed to move a quiet little cottage just up the road for (f/n) and (m/n) to live in.

When (y/n) and the boys went to visit the house, (y/n) was amazed to see that it looked exactly like her childhood home before she was forced into the hell house of her aunt and uncle. It was all the same, the tan wallpaper, the curtains, the bookshelves, the little TV, everything.

*My POV*

Wow, my parents and my boys together. I can't believe how lucky I am. Now my heaven really is the best of both worlds. And I never want to be away from it again.

We were all gathered around the dinner table for some well deserved breakfast. My mum was cooking in the kitchen with Deacy helping her out while me, my dad and Brian were setting up the table and as for Fred, Roger and my dad were out talking in the backyard.

"Breakfast is ready!" my mum called out from the window. Her and Deacy began bringing in the dishes and even Brian helped out with some of the biscuits.

"Mhm, mum this is so good. Just as I remembered breakfast being." As I took a bite of my pancakes.

"I'm glad you still love it dear. I was worried I had prepared it wrong."

"Nonsense, your cooking is superb (m/n) darling!" Freddie proclaimed.

"That's what I've always told you love." My dad said.

"You're just saying that because I was the cook of the family. Poor man can't even boil an egg without setting it on fire."

"Well that's one thing you and Rog have in common." Deacy teased.

"I got better didn't I?"

"Ten years later, the guy tried to poison us one time during our Japan tour." Brian spoke up.

"You know what Brian?" Roger started as Brian gave him a mocking look.

"Alright boys enough. No fighting at the table!" My mum scolded.

"Sorry Mrs. (l/n)." they both said. Even though they were technically older than my mum, she still had them on their toes. My mum maybe a sweetheart but I guess I inherited my fierceness from her. Screw with her and she blows up and attacks like a lioness.

"Anyways I can't tell you how proud we were of your performance last night (y/n)."

"You both saw the concert?"

"Of course. The Heaven rock and roll concert is open to everyone in heaven that has passed on. So long as you have a love for music and respect the artists that go up there, anyone is welcome to watch. And you were amazing up there love." My dad said.

"Taught her everything she knows, poor dear completely changed after I helped her gain some confidence to own the stage." Freddie said as he playfully ruffled my hair.

"Oh don't we know it, she was always such a shy girl." Mum said.

"Mum." I groaned out.

"In fact, wait right here." She stood up and went over to the bookshelf and pulled out a familiar red album book.

"Oh my god." I muttered.

"Now I have seen that you boys have been neglected in seeing your beloved Rock Angel in her childhood years."

"Mum, mum no!" I begged her. She then turned to Roger and said his name with a wide smile. "Mum, mum please don't!" It soon turned into an all breakout of me trying to take the album away before anyone could reach it, while my mum and the guys were all saying yes.

My mum and I were having a bit of tussle with her trying to give the album to Roger and me trying to stop it. But Roger soon intervened and grabbed the book and it was then I was screwed. I let out a groan and tapped out.

"Okay that's it, goodbye. I'm outta here."

"Oh no you don't, come back here dear." I was pulled back by Fred who kept me in his lap as the album was opened and the guys all either pulled pictures out from the album or passed the book along. My parents each explaining what either photo meant or how old I was in the picture.

Freddie had the picture of me petting a goat and riding a pony. He fawned over the pictures and flipped it over to see that those pictures were from my 5th birthday at petting zoo that was located on a farm about 20 miles away from our house.

"She always wanted to be a ballerina when she was 3 years old." My mum explained as Deacy soon turned a picture over to show me a picture of 3 year old me in a princess tiara and ballerina outfit and tutu. Giving me that pouty face of his almost as if saying 'look at you baby sister.'

"That girl never took that leotard and tutu off for a straight week. Even slept in it every night." I buried my face into my hands as I heard the boys laugh.

Oh god this was embarrassing!

This is why I never wanted the boys to see this album but I should've known that if my parents were in heaven, they'd have this album with them.

I don't know how long the torture was but I was relieved when it finally ended. Of course the boys kept fawning of just how adorable I was and why I kept the fact that I was such a cute child from them this long.

"Alright you all done now?" I asked impatiently as I finally stood up from Fred's lap.

"Oh come off it love, do you have any idea how long we have waited to see these pictures?" Brian stated.

"Too damn long. Now I've got eternal blackmailing against you sister dear." Deacy tormented as he came over to me and got me in a headlock and gave me a noogie.

"Mum! Deacy's trying to blackmail me!" I whined out.

"Tattletale." He grumbled.

"Now, now Deacy don't go blackmailing my daughter." My mum stated firmly as she and Brian began cleaning up the now finished breakfast plates and pans.

"Sorry Mrs. (L/n)." Deacy said. But Roger stood up and whispered something in Deacy's ear and I could see the mischief in both their eyes as they shook hands with each other.

God I only knew trouble was going to come from this, whatever it was that they had planned.

As the day went on, we were back at Garden Lodge studios merely relaxing under the warm sun out in the gardens. I was sitting with Brian and Freddie going over our next concert game plan for tonight's show.

Occasionally I was petting either Bucky or Freddie's two cats Oscar and Romeo who were lying right side by side with Bucky. While Roger and Deacy were playing frisbee with Sammy.

"Something troubling you darling?" asked Freddie. I turned toward him and Brian who were both looking at me concerned.

"I guess."

"You guess?" questioned Brian.

"This may sound silly but....how do you check in on the family and friends you've left behind?"

"You miss Jack and the kids, don't you?" Freddie said. I looked down solemnly.

"It was just so painful for them to see me as I was in my final years. I—just want to make sure they're all okay, especially Jack." They nodded and that's when Freddie said.

"There is a way. Come with me darling." He stood up and helped me onto my feet and we walked back to the house.

We were up in the basement studio and said as he stood in front of the window separating the booth and the lounge area with the controls.

"If at any time we need to see the ones we love, the way to them is through the thing we love. Touch the glass and it'll show your heart's desire." I looked at him like he was crazy but he just nodded telling me to do it. I placed my hand on the glass and said.

"I'd like to see my husband and children, please." Soon the glass shined a light and soon an image of Jack came up.

He was lying in what looked like a hospital bed and I saw our four kids surrounding him, looking like they were about to break down crying.

"Jack." I muttered sadly. "Is he....."

"I don't know darling. He may or he may not. We cannot determine that. All we can do is watch. It pains me because I had to live it so many times seeing you, the lads, David, Elton and my family pass on."

"But he promised me he'd watch out for them after I was gone."

"Guess he couldn't live without the love of his life." The image then disappeared leaving me feel empty and heartbroken. "Oh (y/n)." he softly cooed before I felt his arms wrap around me and I buried my face into his chest as I softly wept.

By around supper time we were back at my parent's place all getting ready to sit down and eat. I was sitting between my dad and Roger while in front of me was Deacy.

I was currently piddling around with my mashed potatoes suddenly not having an appetite after what I had just witnessed.

"Everything okay love?" I heard Roger say.

"Hmm." I hummed.

"Use your words baby girl, now c'mon what's going on?" asked my dad.

"I—I guess I'm not in the mood for potatoes."

"I've got a nice apple pie cooling in the kitchen." Suggested my mum.

"No thanks mum." I set my fork down and sighed solemnly as I leaned against my chair. Before any other questions could be asked we heard the doorbell ring. I felt Rog gently tuck a strand of hair behind my ear before standing up giving me a gentle peck on the top of my head and heading towards the door.

I felt my dad wrap his arm around me allowing me to lean against him.

"Hey (y/n)." I heard Roger say. I looked up at my dad and he told me to go on before kissing the top of my head just like Rog did and I walked from the kitchen over to the front hallway. "Someone's here to see you." He stepped aside and standing there was Jack.

He looked about the exact age when I first met him. The short sandy blonde hair, same outfit, and those same gentle greenish-blue eyes that made my knees grow week.

"Hey (y/n)." I walked right up to him and didn't say a word. "I—god I didn't expect to be here like this but.....look at you. It's like you hadn't aged a day. I—" I gave him a firm slap across the face. He looked at me in shock and I snapped.

"I thought you promised to take care of our kids! The grandkids!"

"I'm sorry but I....when I told you on the day we sailed to Capri for our honeymoon that I would die rather than live a lifetime without you, I literally meant it. I did try to be strong but the stress of the press of them bringing you up. Hounding our children and grandchildren just....." I cut him off by cupping his face and kissing him.

He was stunned for a moment but he relaxed as I felt his arms wrap around my waist and he deepened the kiss. I felt him pick me up and spin me around along the front porch before finally setting me down.

"I've missed you." I whispered.

"I've missed you. I've missed you soo much." I could just see the pain in his eyes. He wasn't just meaning after my death. Since he's had to suffer for 3 years due to my dementia making my mind deteriorate, making me forget him most days or who our kids were. He cupped the side of my face and captured my lips once more.

"So this is the young boy who stole my little girl's heart in the end?" we were forced to separate as not only my parents but the rest of Queen now stood by the front door entrance. Jack looked at my mum and dad wide eyed and said.

"Are—are those two....."

"Jack darling, there are two very special people you haven't met yet. I'd like you to meet my mother (m/n) and father (f/n). Mum, dad this is Jack." Mum was the first one to walk up to Jack with a warm smile.

"So this is the famous Jack Kline. Let me get a good look at you," she placed her hands on his shoulders forcing him to separate from me just a bit as she observed him. She nodded and said with a warm smile, "I'm glad I can finally say this to you in person (Y/n), you definitely picked yourself a handsome young man."

"Thanks mum."

"Thank you Mrs.—"

"Please Jack we're family. Call me mum." She said as she gently cupped the side of his face. He smiled and said.

"Okay.....mom." She hugged him and even though he was at first shocked, he gladly embraced my mum back.

After their embrace he came back towards me and he whispered in my ear, "You look so much like her."

"That's what the guys have been saying all day." I whispered back.

"So glad to see you here with us Jack darling." Freddie said.

"Freddie!" Jack said happily as the two of them hugged each other. Freddie kissed both of my husband's cheeks and said.

"You've done good Jack dear. I've been watching you along with that beautiful wife of yours. And thank you for naming your last baby after me."

"It was really (y/n)'s idea. I just agreed to it. It—felt right at the time."

"Well I appreciate it nonetheless." Jack then turned to Brian who smiled at my husband and the two of them embraced each other as Brian also ruffled my husband's hair.

"Good to see you again Jack."

"And you too Brian. It wasn't the same without you. I still never got the chance to beat you at Scrabble."

"And you never will." Brian bragged.

"It's true my dear, even I have yet to beat him once again, you bastard!" Freddie pipped in. When Jack finally turned towards Deacy, I thought he was going to just breakdown.

"Jack."

"Deacy, I—is it......"

"Who else did you expect, John Lennon?" Jack softly choked out a laugh before Deacy brought him into a hug. I couldn't help but awe at the sweet reunion.

I knew Jack had waited so long to be reunited with his brother, his mentor and dearest friend.

He blamed himself after Deacy's death thinking had he been there for him more, he could've somehow prevented him from dying, even when I assured him that there wasn't anything he nor I could do.

So this was his closure, and I was happy to see that he got it.

After they separated from each other, Deacy playfully ruffed Jack's hair much like Brian did in that typical 'big brother' kind of way.

"I'm sorry. If I—had I know I could've....."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault okay Jack. Listen to me, okay? None of it was your doing. You understand that?" he nodded and embraced Deacy once more.

"I missed you Deacy."

"And I missed you too, my little protegee." It was then the only person he had yet to meet face to face was my dad.

My dad approached him and eyed him up and down as well as circled around him a few times like a lion circling its prey before going for the kill.

"I have seen everything that's happened with my little girl." He told him straight forward.

"E-everything?" Jack choked out nervously.

"Oh yes, everything. But if I had to say out of any guy that tried to win my baby girl's hand. I'm glad it was you son." It seemed to ease Jack's nervousness that was until, "and I was thankful to have another set of eyes looking after my little girl the way I would see fit of the situation, don't you agree Roger?"

"Indeed (f/n)." Roger stated smugly as the two of them clasped hands with each other.

"Dad!" I whined out which made both my real and surrogate fathers chuckle. "But we don't need to worry about this one. He's a good chap."

"Alright enough with the interrogation. Now that we have an extra guest, let's adjust the table and get him some good quality food." I smiled and we all returned back inside for a good meal and some long catching up and family bonding.

Now I won't deny it but I refuse to state that Jack finally got his wish of seeing all of my baby pictures and of course the guys wanted another look at them along with Jack as both my parents told every embarrassing story they could remember from when I was 2 till before the crash.

About a month later the theme for this coming concert was a 'cover performance'. Each artist got the chance to do an entire set based off of their own cover versions of different artists songs. The boys and I got to do songs from Bowie, Elvis, and the Beatles and right now we were gonna take things down a notch.

Brian and I stood by the piano, me sitting on top of it and he sitting at the benches.

"Right first of all we'd like to thank you all once again for coming to see us, it's really been a blast. This next song was written by the wonderful, talented and legend Diana Ross. This song was written for an animated film that hit number 1 in Japan. This is 'If we hold on together'." Brian then began playing the piano and he looked right up at me as he began the song first.

PLAY VIDEO

I joined in on the second bridge staring right back at him before the two of us joined in together in a beautiful duet. His high range angelic voice and my mellow but soft alto voice blended like a beautiful concoction.

*Brian*

Don't lose your way With each passing day You've come so far Don't throw it away

Live believing Dreams are for weaving Wonders are waiting to start *Me*

Live your story Faith, hope and glory Hold to the truth in your heart

*Both*

If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever The clouds roll by For you and I

Bri and I touched forehead with each other smiling lovingly at each other. The spotlight shined once again but this time on Roger as he lead the next verse gently beating on the drums before being accompanied by Freddie's voice.

*Roger*

Souls in the wind Must learn how to bend Seek out a star Hold on to the end Valley, mountain There is a fountain Washes our tears all away Waves are swaying Somebody is praying Please let us come home to stay

*Roger and Freddie*

If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever As clouds roll by For you and I

Freddie soon took over for a brief solo, his powerful voice moving the crowd before Rog and Bri joined in. Showing off the three voices that helped make most of the Queen songs as powerful as they were.

*Freddie*

When we are out there in the dark We'll dream about the sun *Freddie, Brian and Roger*

In the dark we'll feel the light Warm our hearts, everyone

Much like Deacy always did whenever they performed Liar, he came right up beside me up close to my mic and the two of us sung together the brief duet before the other three members joined in. And I couldn't help but wrap my arm around my big brother as the two of us sang, and I even felt his arm go around my waist as out heads touched each other's lovingly.

But as we reached the final part of the song, Freddie and Roger joined Brian, Deacy and I at the piano. The five of us coming back together as a family as our voices sung in perfect harmony.

*Me and Deacy*

If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die *All*

Dreams see us through to forever As high as souls can fly The clouds roll by For you and I

We all looked at each other before finally embracing each other in a loving group hug. I patted Roger and Deacy's backs rubbing them as the crowd roared with applause and if anyone had no heart, I'm betting everyone was probably crying, just like we all were at this very moment.

"I love you guys." I said to them into my microphone.

(A/N GO TO 1:37)

The five of us were gathered at the top of a cliffside hill right by the old oak tree with a swing set that once was near my childhood home back on Earth. We all were sat along the edge of small cliff just looking out toward the sky, speaking not a word just enjoying the company of just being together.

As the sun began to rise, the guys all looked down at me and I looked up at them. All four of them just smiling lovingly down at me. Brian pulled me up onto his lap resting his chin on my head, giving it a kiss, Roger rested his head against my left shoulder wrapped his arm around me as he nuzzled against my head kissing my cheek or temple every now and then, I soon felt two different pressures on my lap.

I looked down to see Freddie and Deacy laying head to head of each other on my lap. I stroked through their hairs and down their faces and I felt each of them kiss either my palm or the back of my hand. While they each lifted up a hand to caress my face or wipe away a hidden happy tear that wanted to escape.

This is how I wanted every post-concert performance, every day, every eternity to be like. Here with the four boys that weren't just rockstars to me, but family.

If there was anything I had to say about all of this; if you had told me to describe my life in three simple words, I would always tell you this.

Best. Internship. Ever.

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needtherapy · 3 years

Text

The Necromancer’s Apprentice

Xue Yang has seen The Dark House and he’s heard the rumors that a zombie, a witch, and a necromancer live there. It’s stupid, obviously, but...well...maybe he’ll just sneak in one night and find out.

It’s better than doing nothing. It’s better than going back to the group home. It’s better than sleeping on the street.

Aka, three mildly feral twentysomethings are forcibly adopted by one (1) very feral thirteen-year-old Xue Yang.

Read on AO3

Many thanks to @coslyons for co-writing this with me (all the funniest parts belong to them) and @kevinkevinson for beta.

There is a Dark House in Ballard, and people say to avoid it.

It is probably not called the Dark House because evil lurks inside, although there is some debate about that. It is called the Dark House because it is black from threshold to cupola, from shutters to frames, and it looms on a block where whimsical shops of brick and steel are far more common. Unlike the thrift store and the record shop, the hiking outfitter and the vegan patissiere, no ivy reaches toward the roof of the Dark House. Unlike the local yarn store, no dogs sniff the Dark House’s gate, although at least two cats—also black, naturally—are always sitting on the porch.

It may not be fair to judge a house by its color, but the local legends are clear. If you step on the cracks in the sidewalk, the Dark House will steal your soul. The wrought iron gate of twining snakes comes alive under the light of the full moon to snap at unwary joggers. Children who walk alone after dark get eaten, and the yard is full of bones that wail songs of their murders.

Xue Yang sits on a bench, across the street, eating ice cream and admiring the house. He wonders about the sanity of people who mow the lawn and trim the roses, yet painted their pretty little house black, until it occurs to him that he could just go inside and find out.

He waits until dark, not to stay hidden, but because it’s a more terrible idea, and Xue Yang always gives himself permission to do more terrible things whenever he gets the chance. The high iron fence buzzes with a strange kind of energy that crackles in his palms, so Xue Yang wraps his hands tightly in his flannel shirt as he climbs over. His mother always said he was a practical boy, back when she was still around to say things.

Xue Yang lands in the backyard with a quiet thump onto thin and scraggly grass. The center of the yard is dark under the watery moonlight, with the dirt churned up and loose, and for the first time, a tiny twinge of warning pings in the back of his mind.

He ignores it.

With a flick of his wrist, he summons his knife, a long black switchblade that is seven kinds of illegal and which he loves more than anything else he has ever had, not that there is much competition. With nimble and practiced hands, he slides the knife between the door and the frame, twisting just right when he reaches the lock. With a grin of triumph, he turns the handle, shaped like a gaping mouth, and opens the door.

In the center of the room, there is a long sort of table that seems somehow to pull all the darkness of the room toward it. The shadows gather most thickly around a large, human-shaped lump laid out stiffly on top of it. Xue Yang reaches out to poke it and feels something unexpectedly warm give slightly under his finger.

The shadowy lump on the table sits upright with a sudden jerk.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Xue Yang shrieks.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” the shadowy lump shrieks back.

“Why the fuck is everyone yelling?” a voice says, and the room is suddenly filled with light.

The shadowy lump rips off the sheet and turns into a guy in his early twenties with a scraggly little beard and wicked bedhead. The voice belongs to a grumpy-looking woman wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe. She squints at him in the oppressive brightness, glaring for a long moment before apparently deciding to deal with the man on the table first.

“Wei Wuxian, I’ve told you a thousand times that the workshop is not a place for sleeping.”

“Technically—” the man begins, before being abruptly cut off by the woman.

“If the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘yes, Wen Qing,’ then I don’t care. Go to bed.” She rounds on Xue Yang and he takes a tiny, involuntary step back. “You. What are you doing here?”

Before Xue Yang can answer, another guy—this one with long hair, killer tats, and a dedication to the goth look Xue Yang has to admire—runs in with a baseball bat held in his hands like a club.

“Jiejie! Is there something wrong?”

The woman—Wen Qing, she’d said—pinches the bridge of her nose and says, “It’s fine, A-Ning. I’m just trying to figure out what this little hooliganthinks he’s doing breaking into my house and tripping all of my wards while I’m trying to fucking sleep .”

Xue Yang is now convinced that what he’s broken into is some kind of madhouse, and he pastes a charming smile on his face, the one he uses when fists are clenched and the smell of alcohol burns in his nose. The smile whispers words like “anger issues” and “prone to destruction,” and it’s usually weapon enough, but he holds his knife a little tighter too, just in case.

The woman snaps around like she’s felt his fingers grip the handle of the blade and holds out her hand. “Give it to me.”

No. He will not. His chin tips dangerously, his smile grows icy spikes.

Her eyes narrow. “I could just take it.”

They face off for a minute, the tension almost palpable. Actually, Xue Yang thinks, it’s not tension after all. There’s something else in the air. It reminds him of the buzzing fence, and he doesn’t like the way it confuses him.

“Ah, Wen-jie, let him keep her. Can’t you tell? The kid is scared, they’re both scared, and it’s not like he can hurt us.”

Xue Yang is offended. He is not scared, but he’s relieved that Wei Wuxian spoke up all the same, because even though Wen Qing purses her lips and looks annoyed, she drops her hand.

“Fine.” She crosses her arms again. “Wei Wuxian, make sure our little guest leaves. I’m resetting the wards in five minutes and going back to sleep.”

“Yeah, sure.” Wei Wuxian grins and shoots finger guns at Wen Qing. “Sleep well and dream of me.”

Wen Qing rolls her eyes. “Yes, because I love having nightmares.”

“Oh shoo.” Wei Wuxian flicks his hand at the goth man and Wen Qing. “To bed with you both. I can handle it.”

Their footsteps creak on the wooden floors as they walk further into the house. Xue Yang and Wei Wuxian wait in silence until the footsteps quiet, and then Wei Wuxian turns to Xue Yang. The grin he’d been wearing drops off his face and he looks serious, his eyes shaded and dark.

“Look kid, you should know better than to piss off powerful witches. It tends to be bad for the health.” The side of his mouth just barely tilts upwards, more wry than mirthful, and he looks old now. Old and grey and tired. “So, we’ll just call this a learning experience, and you’ll never come here again, right?”

Xue Yang snorts. “Are you kidding? If you’ve got real magic why the fuck would I leave now?”

“Toddlers shouldn’t swear.”

“I’m almost fourteen, fuck you very much.”

“Ah yes, I am now so convinced you are an adult.” Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. “It’s two in the morning. You want to go home and go to bed. There’s nothing here for you to be curious about at all.”

Something sibilant and musical weaves its way through the words, and Xue Yang has his hand on the door knob before he fights off the slithering compulsion.

Holy fuck that was cool.

“Nah, I think I’ll stay,” he says, sauntering back casually, pausing to look at a weird painting of a monster facing off with an axe-wielding guy in front of a lighthouse. He feels a very strong sense of camaraderie with it right now.

Wei Wuxian sighs. “Sure, maybe you’ve got a little gift. But you’re a kid. Don’t you have parents who are going to, you know, notice you’re missing?”

Xue Yang stares him in the eyes, willing himself not to flinch. Something tells him this is a chance he’s never going to have again, a chance that requires honesty.

“No.” Xue Yang lifts his chin stubbornly. “I don’t.”

Wei Wuxian stares back, and Xue Yang gets the feeling that he sees all the years and all the disappointments that fit into that no. He doesn’t care. No one gives you what you want unless you take it.

This standoff lasts forever, or maybe it’s only a few seconds.

“She’s going to kill me,” Wei Wuxian mutters, and a little louder, “You can sleep on the couch tonight, but I’m locking you in the room and if you touch anything, I will turn you into a mannequin.”

He turns to leave, but looks back with a frown. “Wen Qing builds beautiful, elegant wards that you’ll never feel, never even notice if she doesn’t want you to. Mine will hurt. Don’t. Touch. Anything.”

Xue Yang decides, in the principle of magnanimity, to agree. “Whatever.”

Wei Wuxian shakes his head and points a finger at Xue Yang. “Go to sleep, kiddo.”

The words hold Xue Yang’s hand and lead him to the couch, make him lay down, and within minutes, he is asleep.

He opens his eyes to piercing sunlight and a pale face inches from his.

“What the fuck!” he yelps, instinctively grabbing for his knife and snapping it open.

“Mr. Wei, he’s awake and noisy,” the face says, and Xue Yang focuses on its features.

It’s the goth guy. His arms have full-sleeve tattoos, matching patterns of stark black geometric lines and circles, but his neck has weird black veins tattooed on it. His eyes, which are still way too close to Xue Yang’s, are so dark they’re practically black.

“Where’s the witch?” Xue Yang asks, sufficiently recovered to be an asshole.

“Boiling children,” Wei Wuxian retorts. He’s leaning over the table and taking notes in a tattered book, poking something with a tiny screwdriver. “It’s the only reason we let you stay.”

“Really?” Xue Yang can’t decide if that’s cool or terrifying.

“He’s always like that in the morning,” Goth Guy says conspiratorially. “By ten, he’s pretty nice again.”

“I’m never nice,” Wei Wuxian grumbles. “A-Ning, can you take our miscreant home, please? The last thing I need is cops knocking on The House door asking if we’re kidnapping children. Again.” “Okay, Mr. Wei.”

Xue Yang panics. He can’t go back there. Not since they found him alone with the fire. He knows what they’ll do, and he can’t go back. He won’t . He ducks under Goth Guy’s arm and has his knife angled under Wei Wuxian’s chin before he’s even processed the motor function commands “get up” and “don’t let him send you away.”

“No! You have to…” He scrambles though thoughts, desperate ideas, each one crazier than the last before he hits on words that work themselves loose from his mouth. “You said I had a gift, you have to teach me to use it.”

Wei Wuxian frowns, but instead of being afraid or angry, he tips his head and whistles, two notes that almost sound like a name. To his great shock and horror, Xue Yang’s knife vibrates in his hand, and his fingers snap open like a broken trap, dropping the knife onto Wei Wuxian’s waiting palm. He carefully folds the blade back into the handle.

“Jiangzai,” he says, almost affectionately.

It doesn’t mean anything, but then it does , and it hits Xue Yang so hard he collapses to the ground. The knife has a name, and he knows it’s right as soon as Wei Wuxian says it. Xue Yang’s heart pounds, and he hates it. He hates this motherfucker who just took his knife away and he hates the Goth Guy who is helping him back to his feet. He doesn’t want to stay anymore, and he shakes off Goth Guy, wishing he could throw his kindness on the floor and stomp on it.

Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes. “Okay, maybe you have a little bit more than a little bit of a gift. But you still can’t stay, and I’m not teaching you anything.”

Xue Yang snatches his knife— his Jiangzai—out of Wei Wuxian’s hand and stomps to the door. “Fine. Fuck you.”

He gets as far as yanking the door open and slamming it against the wall before he realizes that there is a person in the way, and she doesn’t look inclined to move.

“Here you go, kiddo,” she says, handing him a bag. “I bought you some clean clothes and a toothbrush. A-Ning will show you where the bathroom is. Come back down for breakfast when you’ve changed.”

This is somehow more terrifying than when she was yelling at him. Yelling he understands. Now she’s just being...creepy. He stares at her belligerently, and she sighs.

“Listen, you little shit,” she says, bending over to look him dead in the eye. She doesn’t have to bend very far, he realizes. She’s actually tiny, even though she seems as big as the Fremont troll. “You will either go willingly with A-Ning, who is very nice, or you can test my patience and get buried in the yard with all the rest of the naughty children who break into my house. Your choice.”

Yeah, that’s more solid ground.

“Fine.” He grabs the bag from her and waves at the Goth Guy. “Lead the way, A-Ning .” He means it to be an insult, but Goth Guy just grins.

Xue Yang hears Wei Wuxian ask, “Wen Qing, what the fuck,” before Goth Guy herds him up the wide staircase, and he doesn’t hear any more of her answer than, “A-Xian, I can’t let him leave. You don’t understand, I did a location…”

This close to the Goth Guy, Xue Yang decides to acknowledge that the pale translucence of his skin is probably not makeup.

“I’m Wen Ning, by the way. I doubt Mr. Wei or jiejie introduced me,” Goth Guy—Wen Ning—says in a casual tone.

“So are you actually dead or what?” he asks Wen Ning, and Wen Ning grins.

“Or what,” he answers enigmatically, and gently shoves Xue Yang in a bathroom with pink tiles and a claw-foot tub.

Once he’s bathed and changed, Xue Yang heads back downstairs. Breakfast is bacon, eggs, and toast, and he doesn’t even pretend it isn’t the best food he’s eaten in a week. It is, in fact, the first food he hasn’t stolen in a week, and that alone is a novelty.

He’s halfway done with his food when Wei Wuxian, who hasn’t touched a bit of his and looks as sullen as an orange, says, “I have been informed that there is some arcane rule about teaching a gift you discover, and my...how did you put it, dear Wen Qing? My immortal soul and earthly being will be in danger if I don’t capitulate to the inevitable?”

He glares at Wen Qing, and she smiles sweetly at him.

“Whatever,” Xue Yang says around a mouthful of eggs. “Are you going to eat that?”

Wei Wuxian passes him the plate of food, and Xue Yang closes his eyes in bliss. Food is amazing.

“There are conditions—don’t look at me like that, Wen-jie. I agreed, okay? I get to set conditions. First of all, you do whatever I tell you. If I tell you to sell turnips on the street corner, you better sell some goddamn turnips. Second, you don’t touch anything unless I say it’s okay. A lot of this stuff,” he waves his hand around the white and yellow room, which looks surprisingly cheerful for a kitchen in a black house, “is priceless and dangerous, so…”

Wen Qing clears her throat and glares at Wei Wuxian.

“Uh...don’t touch anything.” Wei Wuxian finishes, snaking a piece of bacon from Xue Yang’s plate and shoving it into his mouth before disappearing back into his workroom.

Wen Qing rolls her eyes. “I promise he’ll actually teach you stuff once he pulls his head—” She visibly checks herself. “Once he stops being an idiot. More bacon?”

The rest is on AO3

#the untamed #cql #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #xue yang #wei wuxian #wen ning #wen qing #Seattle #modern au #modern with magic #found family #the untamed fic #13k words #I just think teenage Xue Yang would have been very different with a family

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savethelastdan · 3 years

Text

Yashahime Is Over Party: Contribution #2

“All right, all right!”

The crowd of villagers quieted (some with a wince) as the high-pitched shout rang around the village entrance. Ten-year-old Moroha gave them one last warning glare for good measure.

With, as her Great-Grandpa on the other side of the Well would say, “more gusto than should be necessary”, she then leapt upon the nearest height-offering surface - one of the tourists’ suitcases, emblazoned a dozen times on every side with “FRAGILE” - and began her welcome speech.

“Shut your mouths and hold onto your butts, folks, because this is a real treat! The coolest village ever to exist in any timeline, on a sunny day! Since my big brother is at kitsune academy today, you all have the honor of yours truly acting as escort around this prime piece of feudal real estate!”

Dramatic pause for emphasis. (Yes, she’d taken some liberties with the script that Shippo had left, and she didn’t quite know what ‘prime piece of real estate’ actually meant, but her cousin Towa agreed that it sounded fancy and fancy always worked with humans.)

A soft-faced young woman glanced around the crowd self-consciously before raising a hand. “You mean, this is the village where priestess Kikyo - “

“Ahem!” Moroha held up the wooden sign hanging from her neck, tapping the carved-in letters spelling ‘Village Tour Guide #2” with one nail. “Are you wearin’ the sign?”

“Oh. Uh, sorry.” The woman blushed.

After a moment, Moroha cleared her throat. “Okay, yeah, it is. But there’s a bunch of other super-cool people here, too! If you wanna meet them - follow me!” With that, she jumped from the suitcase to land solidly in the dirt. A few tourists reared back from the cloud of disturbed dust, putting them at the back of the moving crowd.

“First up, the sister of the blah-dee-blah-famed-priestess-blah-dee-blah Kikyo - Lady Kaedeeeeee!” She swung both arms in a dramatic half-circle towards the healer woman’s hut; the crowd ooh-ed and ah-ed appropriately. “On days like these, she’s either healing a sick patient, birthin’ a new baby, or taking a long nap! Since she’s awfully old, the napping’s more frequent.” Hooking an arm around a teenage tourist’s shoulder, she hissed in a spooky tone, “Some say she’ll live forever, getting older and older until she’s like a living zombie-”

“I heard that.” With a cross expression, Kaede leaned out of the window.“Don’t think I won’t curse you for those bad manners.”

Moroha waved the group on with a nervous chuckle.

“And this is the home of the most famous demon slayer known to womankind - Sango!” Cupping both hands around her mouth like a bullhorn, Moroha drew out the last syllable of the woman’s name to emphasize her coolness. Several of the humans perked up with excitement; it wasn’t hard to imagine that they had themselves benefited from some of the woman’s work.

“Her husband Miroku lives here too. He used to be a monk, but now he’s a family guy! My papa says -” She straightened, putting on a deep, gruff tone - “it’s a damn miracle -” Dropping the tone, she grinned cheerily at the group - “nobody will tell me why!”

As if on cue, the door to the house opened to reveal a group of tall, bickering young adults. The loudest were two women with matching features, the only visible difference to a stranger being that one’s slayer outfit was trimmed in pink and the other’s in green. Behind them trotted a younger boy, also wearing a slayer outfit in red.

“I’m taking the kusarigama, you’re taking the wakizashi!” The green-outfitted slayer said, ignoring her sister’s attempts to talk over her. “Otherwise you and Mom will have two long-range weapons, and that makes no sense!”

“Plus that’s Uncle Kohaku’s specialty!” Their brother piped up; he dodged the twin elbows that swung back at him as easily as if they’d warned him. “She wants to impress him with it so he’ll take her on his trip to the mountains with Rin this summer!”

Through the left-open door, came the sweet smell of treats baking - one of the many hobbies Miroku had taken up with his time, now that he wasn’t going to up and die (Moroha knew she wasn’t technically supposed to know about that. Or probably phrase it like that… But if her godfather Koga said it that way, why was it any different for her?)

The group of slayers stopped short upon seeing the crowd; with awkward bows, they quickly skirted their way around the gaping tourists.

““That’s Sango’s kids; every one of ‘em demon slayer prodigies.” Slinging her arm around the same teen from earlier, Moroha shook her head with a dramatic sigh. “Makes me almost want another sibling. Except then I’d have to share my room, nooooo thank you!”

“Excuse me.” A mustached man in the middle of the group raised one arm curiously. “I heard one of those women mention Rin - is that the human who died twice and was resurrected by the sword Tenseiga?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. That’s Rin.” Moroha tapped her own head thoughtfully and muttered under her breath, “Was it really only twice…”

“Does she still live here?” The man’s mustache drooped in a frown. “Or did she go to live with that dog demon?”

“Dog demon? Ohhh, you mean Uncle Sesshomaru!” A smile stretched across her face. “I almost forgot about him! Nah, after she got married she decided to stay in town -”

“Married?!” The group erupted in murmurs of horror. One kerchiefed mother clapped her hands over the ears of her daughter; the mustached man turned green.

Moroha’s face fell. “Well, yeah. She wanted to keep taking healer lessons from Kaede, and even though he travels a lot, she wanted to stay by Kohaku’s side when he comes home. Be a team, and all that.”

“Ohhhh, so she’s Kohaku’s wife!” The human mother’s shoulders slumped with a sigh. “How lovely and age-appropriate.”

Moroha wasn’t sure what that meant, but if it made the negative energy go away then she was all for it! “Rin’s super cool, anyway. She knows how to heal demons, not just humans, and she tells really good ghost stories, and she’s actually really good at arm-wrestling -”

Suddenly she ducked her head to whisper, “She’s probably my favorite cousin, if I’m bein’ honest with ya.”

“Do you have other cousins?” A man who appeared to look a thousand years old squinted in her direction. Perhaps in confusion, but it was hard to tell with all the wrinkles. “I doubt a full-blooded dog demon like that Sesshomaru fella would leave his legacy in the hands of a human girl.”

“My mom would say that’s prejudiced,” Moroha said helpfully, causing the old man to blanche. “But Rin’s got two little sisters, who you can see riiiiiiight now!”

With a dramatic twist, she whirled around to point in the opposite direction with both hands, adding a low growl that was meant to mimic the roar of an excited crowd.

The moment was slightly underwhelmed by the confused looks of the tourists as they took a moment to figure out where exactly to look. That’s okay; she’d work on it.

Down the road, her twin cousins leaned against the wall of a house (Moroha’s house, which she was saving for last because you always save the best for last). Towa was smiling and pointing out something up in the sky, while Setsuna wore a very predictable scowl. From this far away, the red streaks in their hair were little more than smudges.

The extremely old man with an attitude problem made a weird hacking noise, most likely in surprise.

“Did he adopt them like your other cousin?” asked a teenage girl.

“Kinda!” Both hands landed on her hips; Moroha then modeled her expression on her Uncle - stoic, dismissive, oh-so-cool. “On a cool spring night, Uncle Sesshomaru walked into the darkest, deepest forest on the planet, waved his sword over a really old and creepy tree, and when he cut it open - there they were. Two lil’ hanyou babies.”

Dramatic pause.

“Just kiddin’.” Laughing loud enough to bring back the wincing from the group, Moroha slapped her knee. “They’re full demons. I can still take either of ‘em in a fight, though. Oh!” She pointed up in the air with a wide, excited smile. “There’s their mom right now!”

Murmurs of confusion filled the air as the tourists moved their heads this way, that way; only when a chilling breeze morphed into flesh and bone, right before their eyes, did the group exclaim in collective understanding.

Moroha waved. “Hi, Auntie Kagura!”

“Yo.” Clearly taken aback by the crowd, the wind demon gave a tiny salute. The side of her neck bore a half-moon symbol tattooed on the skin; Moroha thought it was neat, even if her dad thought it was a dumb, archaic wedding ritual. “Do your parents know you’re doing this?”

“Uh, duh!” She held up the sign with a cheeky grin.

“Fair enough.” Upon spying her daughters across the way, Kagura’s expression softened a bit. “Well, I’ll see you later.”

“No, wait! We’re actually heading the same way.” Gesturing to the not-moving crowd, Moroha repeated, “The same way. Meaning the best part of the tour - come on, folks, work with me here -”

Kagura snorted, walking quickly as though to avoid the gawking humans and their nosy questions about how she had been resurrected or could still live now that Naraku was dead or got Sesshomaru to admit he had feelings much less have kids with her. A curt “none of your business” was all they’d get, no matter how much Moroha tugged on her sleeve and whined about “giving people their money’s worth.”

Luckily, once they reached Moroha’s house, it was easy to escape. After all, a much more awe-inspiring attraction awaited the group of lucky, lucky tourists.

“And now! The Greatest Love Story Of Our Time!” With a winning grin, Moroha landed a kick on the door, sending it slamming open.

“Oh.” Kagome blinked at the group from where she sat on a futon in the middle of the house, surrounded by magical artifacts. A scroll marked with ink rolled from her lap all the way to one side of the room. Behind her, halfway through helping her put her hair in a bun, Inuyasha froze “Uh, hello?”

“My parents! Dumdedumdummmmm!” The warmth of her pride felt like it was going to burst in her chest. It was the absolute best to come home to people who loved her! Whether it was tickle fights before bed, or her dad taking her and Shippo out on demon-tracking trips, or her mom humming a lullaby if she felt sick on the full moon night, Moroha was certain her family was the best of anybody’s anywhere. “One fell through time, and one fell -- fell, uh, for her -- sorry, I’ll work on it.”

Inuyasha huffed in the way that meant he was going to complain later. Kagome just chuckled and waved.

For once, the humans reacted exactly the way Moroha wanted them to - smiling, clapping, appreciating the wonder of her super-beautiful-and-also-hella-powerful mom and grumpy-but-still-amazingly-brave papa. She launched into the story she knew by heart, of how they had come to be together and saved the whole world while they were at it. Some parts were probably missing or misrepresented, from the laughter in her mom’s eyes, but she had enough of it right that half the tourist group was in near tears by the time she was done.

“And now, they have one more accomplishment to add to the long list - parenting the greatest warrior this world has ever seen. Moro-uh, Beniyasha!” Swirling the ends of her fire-rat robe, she twirled. “The Crimson Slayer!”

“Slayer of my patience, maybe,” Inuyasha snapped, though he was unable to hide his smile as he marched over to grab her by the collar. “Come ‘ere, kid. You’ve got chores to do!”

Tossing her over his shoulder, he waved dismissively at the group of humans. “Sorry folks, the show ends here. Yeesh...”

Moroha cupped both hands around her mouth, screeching to be heard over her parent’s laughter before the door shut.

“Make sure to leave your comment cards in the box at the entrance!”

#moroha #setsuna #towa #kagome #inuyasha #miroku #sango #kinu #gyokuto #hisui #sesshomaru #rin #kohaku #kagura #yashahimeisoverparty #hnyisoverparty #yashahime #shespitsfire #savethelastdan

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keelywolfe · 3 years

Text

FIC: Welcome to Backwater ch.15 (spicyhoney)

Summary: Stretch is still dealing with the fallout of the last chapter. Like he needs anything else to happen right now?

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Read ‘First Step’ on AO3

Read it here!

~~*~~

As hot as the days were, these last, lingering sticky days of summer, the nights in Backwater tended to cool off as soon as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

It made for a good time to sit out on the back porch for a quick smoke. Usually only tobacco, Stretch didn’t have Red’s resilience when it came to getting up the next day after smoking his atom bomb version of weed. The last thing he wanted was to give the local kids their first view of an ugly hangover, he’d leave that sort of education for their parents to dole out.

Most of the time, Stretch kept it to one cigarette. His first paycheck was better than he’d expected but it was still wiser to be frugal, so he stuck with his one cig and tried not to think about how that would have pleased his brother. Blue’d been trying to get him to quit for years now and in the past months whenever his bro brought it up, his ex always chimed in with a similar opinion on it, both of them citing statistics as if they were practicing for a damned public service announcement.

Quitting his smokes was something Stretch resisted for no damn good reason other than he didn’t want to quit, thanks, sorry for him trying to adult a little around here. All the nagging did was take the joy out of it and left him smoking out of resentment rather than recreation. Cutting down to one a day was milestone he’d never managed to get to back in Ebott. Not even when the Docs told him it might help with—well.

Anyway, tonight he’d decided to indulge himself; after the day he’d had, he figured he deserved to go through a whole damn pack.

The porch light was a stark, sodium-yellow and the furniture cast strange shadows in it, bones of the true darkness that lay beyond. Stretch sprawled out on the dusty old sofa, blowing lazy smoke rings up at the overhang covering the porch and occasionally tapping ash into the rusty old Maxwell coffee can that Red kept around as an ashtray. The other skeleton had already gone inside, and the living room windows were dark, a pretty big clue that he’d probably already headed off to bed. Early for him, but, eh, Stretch figured he’d had a hell of a day, too, and his guilt over his own involvement in that sat in his chest like a lead brick.

At his feet, the dog curled up in a tight little donut of fluff and Stretch absently pet him with his bare foot, wincing as strands of hair caught in his bony joints. The dog didn’t seem to care about the little yanks and tugs, only huffed out a contented sigh, pushing demandingly into the touch.

“dunno if you deserve pats,” Stretch told him absently. He tried for something resembling stern, though he didn’t stop petting, “you weren’t being too friendly out at edge’s place.”

The dog only snorted and rolled to his side, giving Stretch access to his belly for more rubs.

Stretch hadn’t even realized Red brought the dog along at first. Not until he hauled his bike over to truck bed, still flustered over the almost-could be-kinda-a-something that his boss/landlord’s timely arrival interrupted. Before he could even start heaving the bike in, the dog popped up like a slobbery jack in the box and began attacking Stretch’s face with kisses.

“wha—stop, you shit!” Stretch sputtered, laughing and trying to fend off the dog’s eager advances. The bike was heavier than a normal one and awkward to hold, and between that and the doggy love attack, Stretch lost his grip. The handbars swung into the side of the truck and shrieked their way down in a scrape of metal against metal as it fell, the rest of it finishing off with a loud clang. Not that it did any damage; Red’s truck probably only qualified as one by a technicality, held together by vague hopes, rust, and the liberal use of miles of duct tape.

Behind Stretch, Edge spoke up, “Here, let me help.” But the moment he stepped forward, the dog’s excited wriggling screeched to a halt and morphed into stillness couched with a sudden, unexpected growl.

“woah, hey, boy,” Stretch said with surprised caution. The dog hadn’t even growled when those guys in town were trying to use him as a pinata, too scared, maybe, but Edge wasn’t a threat so why the hell—

A low, deep throated snarl came from behind Stretch and the dog yelped, ducking down into the truck bed, cowering. Stretch whipped around to stare at Edge in disbelief, okay, yeah, that one wasn’t on his bingo card for weird happenings. "did you just growl at my dog?"

Edge only looked back steadily, "You have to assert dominance."

Well, uh, that was…it did seem to work, sort of. The dog chose that moment to abandon ship, scrambling up and wriggling through the little back window that led into the cab to curl up against Red. The moment he was safe, he looked at Stretch and Edge with wounded betrayal, like he hadn’t started it, the little shit.

Good thing the dog didn’t know what the memory of that growl was doing to the inside of Stretch’s pants, (fucking rawr). The pooch would never forgive him.

“quit traumatizing mutt," Red snorted. He ruffled the dog’s ears soothingly and the pup settled, resting his chin on Red’s femur as he looked up with a mournful ‘the big kids are pickin’ on me’ expression. "c'mon, armstrong, let’s hit the road, s’getting dark."

That woke Stretch up from his dual versions of shock and unf!shock. He grunted with the effort of heaving the bike into the truck bed, mumbling a grateful ‘thank you’ when a second pair of strong hands helped out, and he really, really tried not to feel the way Edge was pressed up against his back, a line of warm moving against him as both of them settling the bike securely in. It was only when Edge stepped back and took his fatal distraction with him that something clicked.

Wait. Not the mutt, but—

Stretch stuck his head in through the open window, looking at the skeleton and his dog, who pointedly weren’t looking back. “you named the dog mutt?”

“didn’t name it anything,” Red scoffed. He scruffed the dog, whose name was totally Mutt, gently.

“technicalities won’t save you,” Stretch told him gleefully, “there was a list on the counter, you had options, and you still named the dog…dog.”

That got finally got him a look, or more precisely, a glare. “could always let you walk home.”

That was true. Stretch abandoned ribbing without even getting to pun about it and climbed hastily into the truck. The door hinge squalled when he pulled open the door, flakes of rust falling in a shower as he slammed it shut. No wonder Red didn’t drive around much if this was his primary vehicle, but in the interest of not getting kicked out, Stretch decided it would be for the best to not bring up the rubber banded pile of newspapers Red was sitting on. He definitely wasn’t gonna ask how Red was reaching the pedals.

Edge rounded the truck to Red’s side, briefly outlined in the glare of the headlights. With the remains of the sun at his back, his eye lights were stark in the growing darkness. Bright crimson glaring in at his brother as he stood next to the truck, his arms crossed over his chest. “You could always come in for coffee.”

It wasn’t a question and Red didn’t answer it. “tell the kid i said hi.”

Edge replied tartly. “Tell them yourself.”

“heh.” A strange laugh, humorless and somehow still tinged with amusement. “see ya around, bro.”

Yeah, there was some kind of story there, all right, and Stretch was the guy who waited too long at the concession stand and came into the play during Act 3.

There was only one person who might give him any answers, since two-thirds of the people involved already turned him down and it was the same guy who didn’t even give Edge a chance to say goodbye, only threw the truck into reverse and with a clumsy three-point turn that barely avoided any of the flowerbeds, they were headed back down path that led to town, out of the woods.

The ride back wasn’t exactly quiet, the bumpy road and rattling complaints of the truck took care of that. But it was wordless, for a while. Until they got closer to the main road and the bumps smoothed out a little, droning hum of tires on asphalt an invitation.

“red—” Stretch started, slowly. He wasn’t even sure what he was gonna say yet, uncertain if he really wanted any other revelations tonight. He was feeling a little epiphanied out.

Red only sighed deeply, “pretty sure you, the kid, and my bro had a helluva chat, you sure you really wanna talk to me about it now?”

No. Yes. “maybe?”

The newspapers under him made a dry shuffling sound as Red shifted his weight to change gears. “one question, kid, that’s all i got answers for. choose wisely.”

Great, now he was on an impromptu grail quest.

Stretch hesitated over his options; there were so many, how could he pick only one? Like, why didn’t Red live with Edge and Frisk, why had he refused to even go into the house, and what the hell was up with Edge being so salty about it? Hell, there were deeper question than that, if he wanted to dig. How had they gotten out of their Underground to here, what happened to Red’s leg, so many whats and wheres and whys.

A look at Red showed he was grinding his teeth, his crimson eye lights focused solely on the road and at the end of the day, there was only one question Stretch really needed an answer to tonight, for reasons he desperately didn’t want to talk about.

He ran his tongue over his teeth nervously, looking down at his hands in his lap rather than the passing blur of road in the headlights out the windshield. “you knew who i was when you first saw me here, didn’t you. edge said you watched the tv when we first came to the surface.”

The joints in his hands creaked as they went tight on the steering wheel and Red exhaled with weary slowness. “yeah, i knew.” He slanted a brief glance at Stretch, eye lights flicking between him and the road. “gave me a hell of a start, don’t mind tellin’ ya. you were busy chasin’ beer cans and didn’t notice me almost fallin’ on my ass.”

“that’s why you helped me, isn’t it, when i first came to town?” The accusation that Red was ‘adopted’ him because he looked like Edge stung, but it was true enough, wasn’t it. Someone with his kid brother’s face, someone to feed and clothe and take care of, like he couldn’t with his own bro for whatever their secret reasons were. Like he was a fucking pet, another dog, woof woof, and the care that seemed so genuine that morning felt suddenly tainted, as stifling as his own brother’s.

“heh,” Red’s mouth twisted into a sneering smile, “kid, come on.”

Stretch said nothing. He could see the neon sign from ‘The Whistling Cow’ slowly approaching, looming closer, blurring in his vision and there was no subtle way to wipe at his sockets, he could only do it quickly and hope it wasn’t noticed.

A failed hope, like most. Red made an impatient sound, loud enough that the dog sleeping his lap stirred, then he said roughly. “yeah, okay, you reminded me some of my little brother, but that ain’t why i let you stay.”

Let it go, let it go, Elsa, you don’t have anywhere else to go. “then why?”

“‘cause i like ya, that’s why!” Red snarled. His ever-present grin curled into a grimace, tight and strained, each word as sharp as one of his jagged teeth. “been rattling around alone in this old shop for awhile now. been kinda nice to have someone underfoot, since i ain’t got goddamn feet. good enough?”

“yes,” Stretch admitted, a threadbare little word. It was, helped ease some of the pained tightness surrounding his soul to know that Red wasn’t simply another person who wanted to be around him not out of friendship, but mere circumstance. He’d had plenty of that in his life and all it left him with was an empty contact list on his phone and an emptier ache in his soul.

He startled at a hand awkwardly touching his own, bony fingers briefly squeezing before they withdrew. “stretch? you and my bro ain’t nothin’ alike. c’n trust me on that much.”

“is that good or bad,” Stretch couldn’t help asking. He thought of the little borrowed room he was sleeping in at night, his part time job hawking groceries, of Edge’s home in the woods with its beautiful gardens and delicious meals.

Red shrugged. He turned the wheel, guiding the truck into a parking spot that was nearly hidden on the other side of the shop. “beats the fuck out of me, just is, and it don’t matter, anyway. don’t care what the charts and graphs and shit say, ain’t no reason to compare ya. ya ain’t the same person. you’re you and bein’ you should be good enough for anyone.”

The engine ticked slowly as it cooled and Stretch thought of the way their landlord back in Ebott kept mistaking him for Papyrus, of getting bitched at once for a window he hadn’t broken or thanked for muffins he hadn’t brought. Not anybody or nobody, only himself, at least here in Backwater. “thanks.”

“s’fine,” Red grunted. “just don’t forget i ain’t your bro.”

“oh, fuck, no,” Stretch blurted out. He winced as he realized how that sounded. “i mean, you’re more like a mom, anyway.”

“heh,” That laugh was more a little more genuine, not much, but it was something. “fuck you.”

“nah, that wasn’t in the rental agreement.”

“and thank the fucking angel for that.” With a groan of hinges and a slam of the door, Red got out of the truck, the dog at his heels. He didn’t turn back to see if Stretch was with him, only went as fast as he could, cane swishing at his side as he practically ran into the house, the screen door banging shut behind him.

Stretch followed more slowly, stopping off at the porch and that was where he stayed, thinking about having a cigarette and not at all about giving Red some time to himself after having the asshole he was trying to help question his motives, exactly like an asshole would.

Mutt hesitated, debating for a minute over choosing between them before finally decided that Stretch was the victor, and whether or not that was because he thought Stretch needed watching over more didn’t matter. Stretch appreciated the company, anyway.

That left him here, smoking and watching moths flutter suicidally close around the porch light.

Stretch dropped a used butt into the coffee can and debated lighting another. On one hand, he was starting to feel a little nauseous from so much smoking, on the other, he sort of wanted to feel nauseous. Wanted to feel something that he could name.

What was the proper term for how to feel when you were living in a weird town with alternate version of yourself and your bro, which, by the way, one out of the two has been crawling up your top ten list of spank bank partners? If there was a definition for it, it was gonna take more than a quick google search to ferret it out.

He still hadn’t decided whether or not to light another when at his feet, the dog suddenly lifted his head, ears perking up.

“what is it, boy?” Stretch leaned up on his elbow, squinting out into the darkness outside the protective ring of porch light. “if this is about a kid in a well, you can tell timmy he’ll have to wait, this is not a good time—hey!”

A threatening line of fur rose up on the dog’s back as he let out a low, deep woof, nothing like the little growl at Edge earlier. Before Stretch could grab for him, Mutt was scrambling to his feet. He leapt off the porch and ran off into the night, fuck, in the direction of the forest.

“hey, wait! no, no, no, damn it!” Stretch shoved his feet into his shoes, wincing at the friction and almost immediately tripping over the laces. “not that way!”

There was barely time to hope he didn’t break his damn leg as he chased after the dog, following the little puff of whiteness through the dark as he tried not to go facefirst into anything. It was sheer luck there weren’t many obstacles in the path; town was in the opposite direction and there was nothing much behind the shop but parched earth and dead grass. Right up until the edge of the woods where saplings rose up in clusters, little ponds of greenery that led to the ocean of trees and that was where Stretch skidded to a halt, watching helplessly as that patch of white disappeared into the darkness.

Yeah, okay, he wasn’t about to go in the woods, ignoring warnings around this place was bad for life expectancy and Stretch wasn’t the kind of guy who’d feed weird critters after midnight.

“fuck, fuck,” Stretch muttered under his breath, pacing right outside the treeline and slapping away any sapling that tried to get in his way as he wracked his brain for what the hell he could do now.

Maybe if he stood outside and shouted at the damn mutt, he’d at least have something to follow back out. He wasn’t sure there was much else he could do, the townsfolk were nice, but he didn’t think asking them out for a midnight search party for a dog would go over very well.

Overhead, the bloated circle of the moon faded in and out from behind the clouds. He didn’t even have his phone, it was still in his bag on the porch, safely beneath that splash of light that seemed so far away now. Stretch dug into his pocket for his lighter, the rasp loud over the faint rustling of leaves overhead. It flared to life and the tiny flame barely illuminating the space around him, but it was better than nothing.

“mutt?” Stretch called tentatively, then more coaxingly, “c’mon boy, come back out!” He tried a few iterations of that with increasingly sappy endearments, feeling as stupid as he had when he’d tried them on his ex. The dog responded about as well, stubbornly refusing to bow to any version of baby, sweetums, or snooky that Stretch tried.

“damn it all to hell,” Stretch cursed softly. First, he’d gotten caught nearly macking on Red’s little brother when he’d said he wouldn’t, not a broken promise but still, then he’d blunder into giving Red’s traumas a quick poke, and now he’d lost the dog that he’d only just gotten for Red. He was obviously already pretty attached to the so-named Mutt and after hearing him vague about how he’d been lonely, it wasn’t much of a surprise.

But going into the woods after him felt a hell of a lot like making a bad situation worse.

Stretch sighed heavily. Nope, better not to chance it. Maybe if he brought out a bowl of food, the dumb mutt would smell it and head for home and—wait.

…what was that? Stretch tipped his head to the side, straining to listen.

He hadn’t really even notice that soft sound at its beginning, the soft lilt of a melody winding its way through branches and leaves out of the woods, a song he almost but didn’t quite know. It was the seductive peal of a silver laugh of delight, it was the delicate caress of the wind, the chuckling burble of a cool stream pouring invitingly over smooth rocks, and the intangible caress of unearthly desires

It was the alluring sweetness of a siren, the song of a temptress calling one who was no sailor into a dry sea and doom.

His vision was cast into paleness like the bloom of the moonlight, filling him to the brim until nothing was left within but that endless song. Without a single thought of his own left crowded in amongst the tangled notes in his head taking mastery over him, Stretch took his first dazed step into the woods.

tbc

#spicyhoney #papcest #keelywolfe #underfell #underswap #underfell papyrus #underswap papyrus #underfell sans #welcome to backwater

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ashlee-bonfamille-lyons · 3 years

Text

Home. {Bonfamille-Lyons + T}

Ashlee asks if she can continue to live at the Bonfamille-Lyons home and is pleasantly surprised to know they consider this her home as much as she wants it to be her home.

TW: nothing, pretty wholesome, just ashlee being embarrassed at emotions. The Norm.

@ber-bonfamille-lyons @simba-bonfamille-lyons

ASHLEE

Ashlee didn’t technically need the Bonfamille-Lyons anymore. She could easily move into the dorms as of the next year. She could easily move out. Her trust fund was now active which was an added perk.

It was just over the last year of living with the Bonfamille-Lyons there was something about the security they gave. The ability to come home and knew (for the most part, she still doubted it sometimes) that they wanted her there.

Even with the issues they all had.

So the most recent question she needed to figure out was whether or not she was staying for the next year.

If they wanted her to.

So it was her turn to bring up the uncomfortable topic at dinner, though she might have been the only one that was uncomfortable? It was weird asking for things and she didn’t like it. Especially when she didn’t already know the answer.

Stabbing at her dinner, Ashlee’s nose scrunched up slightly.

“So I was debating dorming next year since you guys don’t have to be legally responsible for me or anything anymore.” Ashlee had debated it last year too though last time it was because she didn’t want to be in their way. To force them to have to deal with her. It was just determined a steady house compared to the dorms was a better move for her at the time. And it had been, Ashlee had slowly grown more comfortable. Finally put roots down in a different way than if she had lived with Ashleigh.

“I was just wondering though if it was okay that I stayed longer? Didn’t dorm. I don’t want to keep making my issues yours so I can move out no problem too. I mean you two are still kind of newly married and I’m raining on your parade.”

SIMBA:

Honestly, Simba had no idea what was brewing in Ashlee’s mind. He couldn’t read her quite the way he could read Ber’s. He was getting better at it, but he didn’t have as much practice. Not only because he hadn’t known her properly as long, but because he didn’t spend enough time with her.

It was a different dynamic from Kiara, who had taken after him and was just as boisterous, her moods just as easy to read. Not that Simba minded. He had enough conversation for two introverts.

He had just taken her silence for silence. Maybe she was tired from dance or from rehearsals. They all were. The Bonfamille-Lyons didn’t slow down just because it was summer! Well, Simba didn’t anyway.

So, when she spoke and started talking about moving out and them not having responsibility for her anymore, his fork very dramatically fell out of his hand and clattered onto his plate. He swallowed comically. There was a bolt of panic that ran through him. Both because he didn’t know if Ashlee pulling away was a sign of something, but also because he didn’t want her to leave.

Which meant the next part of what she said whiplashed him hard the other way and he opened his mouth to say YES! Please stay… but—

He stopped himself and instead looked at Ber. This was the kind of thing he knew he should have a conversation with his husband about at least, because even though it felt like it, maybe it shouldn’t be an easy decision.

Ber was already looking at him when their eyes connected. Simba searched his husband’s face for a moment and then raised his eyebrows, wondering what Ber was thinking of the whole thing. He hoped they were on the same page but in something like this, Ber had only recently started changing his mind and Simba didn’t want to upset that process. (Especially since he was thinking ahead, about kids of their own…) Ashlee was a good first step towards that. She hadn’t been a hard decision, for either of them. Simba hoped that hadn’t changed.

BERLIOZ:

No, Ashlee wasn’t like Kiara (and therefore Simba) at all.

She was actually a lot like Berlioz.

Maybe on the surface, people wouldn’t think this. They were both quiet (that much was obvious), but Ashlee was pricklier, pushing back in certain situations in a way that might seem more outwardly like Lou than Berlioz’s own easy-going flow. But it all came from the same place; that’s what Ber knew that others might not. Sometimes he felt like he understood Ashlee without needing to ask her questions or pick at her brain. He felt the times when she wanted space, but could also predict the times when she didn’t-- when she emerged from her room and drifted silently back downstairs with those ballerina feet of hers, taking up a place on the chair in the living room while they watched TV or, more rarely, asking Ber his opinion on this or that song for a performance.

It had never felt like raining on Ber’s parade at all. It wasn’t like Kiara. She wasn’t loud. She didn’t whine for attention. She wasn’t picking fights or sneaking into Ber’s studio to play with a guitar that she really shouldn’t be bloody touching.

Honestly, he kinda liked Ashlee a lot.

But instead of just giving into the compulsive need to smooth Ashlee’s social anxieties (see? Another similarity), he caught his tongue and glanced toward Simba. He expected Simba to do the smoothing, the way he was so good at. Their eyes met though and for a second it was quiet.

Ber raised his eyebrows and tilted his head toward Ashlee in a only-perceptible-by-Simba manner.

What are you doing? This expression said. Tell her it’s okay????

SIMBA:

Simba knew that look.

It made Simba smile and he wanted to lean in, grab Ber by the ears, and kiss him.

See, Simba had always known that Ber was capable of great love. He had been loved by him for years and years now. And maybe Ber thought that he could only love one person as big as he loved Simba, but Simba knew it was the opposite. That once your heart expanded, it could expand again. And again. It wasn’t that he thought Ber would have an infinite source of love, the way Simba did, but he knew that Ber was capable of it. When he wanted to be.

It made him so happy to know that Ber felt that way about Ashlee.

He would kiss him later. He didn’t want Ashlee to think they were stalling because they were reluctant to say yes.

When he turned to look at her, he managed to lower the wattage of his smile. He reached out and covered her small hand with his, giving it a squeeze.

“Ashlee, of course you can stay, as long as you want. When we signed those papers, it wasn’t just until you became an adult. You’re part of our family. We enjoy having you with us. You’re not making your issues ours. We want to help you. You aren’t ruining anything for us. Our being married and our love for you aren’t mutually exclusive. Even once you do move out, whenever you decide you’re ready for that. You can always come here. Home.”

ASHLEE

Ashlee was expecting the silence, maybe she should have brought it up one on one and let them discuss. Maybe she should have added in the fact they didn't need to give her an answer right now.

Even if she wouldn't make eye contact with them right now it was okay that they would take their time and figure it out. Ashlee had dropped enough bombs on them like this. Suddenly and out of the blue.

She would probably need to get better …. Assuming she was staying.

It was Simba's touch that got her to look up at them, her eyes darting between the two quickly. The tension rolled off her shoulders. A new breath just showed Ashlee how much she had tensed up in those few moments.

It was still so strange to be chosen. She wasn't used to it outside of the girls. But they did want her. Their love for her. It was a little bit scary of a thought.

"I like the thought of this being my home. I don't think I've had one that I've wanted to call mine for awhile." Ashlee mumbled, eyes dropping a bit. Way too embarrassed with this conversation.

BERLIOZ: If Ber really really thought about all this, he’d probably find it surprising.

Because Ashlee fit here. But maybe that wasn’t supposed to happen. When everything happened a year ago and Simba first asked Berlioz if Ashlee could stay, of course Berlioz said yeah-- he wasn’t gonna abandon the girl, especially not when she was on the cusp of adulthood like that. It wasn’t so long ago that he’d been her age and...okay, not even a little in her position, but… he’d felt lost and unsure and wanted a safe place to land. For him, it was Simba’s. Made sense that Ashlee would find that safe place with Simba too.

But the fact that it was sticking? That was more than just… Simba. Because it wasn’t so long ago that Berlioz was her age, yeah, so it wasn’t that long ago that Berlioz had craved independence. Moving into your boyfriend’s house was way different than staying with a guardian, even if that guardian wasn’t your parents.

So shouldn’t Ashlee want to leave? Shouldn’t she be dying to get the hell out of here, go live in the dorms, be independent? Or get a flat with her extremely horrible friends? The fact that she didn’t…

Maybe it meant that Berlioz was doing something right too.

This was a big feeling for Berlioz. So big that it had to be kept quiet, because unlike Simba, that was how Berlioz expressed himself best. He couldn’t unleash it into the world, in wild laughter or exuberant shouting. It was too precious. He tucked it closer, instead, and caught Ashlee’s eye, and he smiled.

“Hey, I get it,” he said to her. “I uh… felt the same for a while. So don’t worry about it. It’s yours for… as long as you want.” He shrugged because he knew that Ashlee was embarrassed so best to treat it like it wasn’t a big deal, even though it really, really was.

#simba bonfamille lyons #ber bonfamille lyons

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lady-divine-writes · 3 years

Text

Klaine Advent Drabble 2020 - “Wanky” (NC17)

Summary: An unfortunate find in a secret drawer leads poor Tracy to believe that she's getting a dog for Christmas, and leaves Kurt stuck between a rock and a hard place: does he stick to his guns, or does he traumatize his sweet, innocent daughter for life? (1918 words)

Notes: Written for the @klaineadvent Drabble Challenge 2020 prompt 'learn'.

Read on AO3.

“Hey, guys!" Kurt sings from the front door, brushing snow off the shoulders of his coat before he crosses the threshold. "We’re back!”

"Sorry we took so long," Blaine says, "but we had a heck of a time finding ..."

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you!” Tracy squeals, leaping into Blaine’s arms the second he comes to a stop in their living room. "Both of you! Thank you so much!"

“Thank us?” He wraps his daughter in a bear hug, confused as all get out but in no way stupid enough to turn down a hug. “Thank us for what? Kurt?”

Kurt shrugs, making a don’t know noise as he sheds his coat and hangs it, returning quickly for a turn in the hug rotation. "Brittany? Santana?" He looks expectantly at the ladies who have been watching their daughter all afternoon. "Do you know what's going on?"

Brittany, hands behind her back, shifts her weight anxiously from foot to foot, while Santana, arms crossed over her chest, looks nearly gleeful. It’s Santana's glee more than Brittany’s anxiety that makes Kurt’s back start to sweat.

“It seems Tracy here was poking around in your naughty bits and found herself a little treat.”

Kurt and Blaine shoot her confused looks, though Kurt’s leans more towards annoyed.

“Can you be any less vague?” Kurt asks.

Santana grins. “No.”

Brittany carefully enters the conversation. “Tracy may have accidentally figured out what you guys are getting her for Christmas.”

"And what are we getting her for Christmas?" Blaine asks.

Brittany swallows hard. "A ... a dog."

Tracy dislodges herself from Blaine's torso and latches on to Kurt’s.

"What?" Kurt says, dumbfounded.

“Didn’t we specifically say no to a dog?” Blaine whispers.

Kurt hugs his daughter tight, stealthily covering her ears with his hand. “We did."

"So how did she come to that conclusion?”

“She found this.” A guilty smile flickers across Brittany’s lips as she brings a hand out from behind her back and shows Kurt something that makes his face turn paper white. He doesn't have to look at his husband to know that Blaine is wearing the same dropped-jaw, mushroom pale expression of horror that he is.

Brittany is handing him a black leather collar with a row of rhinestones across the front.

When Kurt comes to his senses, he reaches for the collar, eager to tuck it out of sight.

Mortifyingly, Tracy intercepts it.

She eyes it reverently. But then she sighs, her expression slipping from overjoyed smile to apologetic frown.

“I’m sorry I snooped in your special drawer.”

“Didn’t we make it perfectly clear that drawer is off-limits?” Blaine asks, crouching to talk to her.

“You did.” Tracy hugs the collar to her chest, afraid the dog she has wanted for so long might be slipping away from her.

“Then why did you look in there?”

“It seems a little birdie told her it’s only off-limits because that's where you hide her presents,” Santana explains, maneuvering her shrinking wife behind the protection of her body. “Poor, impatient Tracy couldn’t resist.”

Kurt glares over Santana’s shoulder at Brittany, who completely disappears behind her wife.

Blaine stands, ruffles his daughter’s hair, then takes his husband by the elbow and gives him a tug in the direction of the kitchen. “Excuse us, Peanut. I need to talk to your Papa alone for a minute.”

“Ok, Daddy.” Tracy releases Kurt and walks glumly towards Santana, sighing significantly as she slips into her arms, still hugging that collar to her chest.

That’s the scene that kills Kurt.

Tracy hugging that collar.

The collar he wears on his and Blaine’s "special" nights out.

The kind where they pretend they don’t know one another, and they flirt in a bar like strangers. Blaine picks him up with a proposition, money exchanges hands, and they spend all night in a room at a no-tell motel with Blaine riding him, pulling his hair hard, calling him his "good little bitch".

Yup. His nine-year-old daughter is hugging that collar.

“Oh my God!” Blaine says the second they're behind closed doors, a hint of amusement in his tone that gives Kurt an urge to flick him on the forehead. “What do we do? What do we do?”

“I hope we’re agreed that she doesn’t deserve a thing if she’s invading our privacy!”

“Yeah … well … hmmm …” Blaine waffles.

Kurt’s eyes go wide. “Blaine!”

“To be honest, Kurt, I don’t know what you have against the family having a dog. Tracy has wanted one forever. It would be a good companion for her. Besides …” He looks down at his hands, twiddles his thumbs “… I … kinda … want one.”

“That’s great!” Kurt snaps, frustrated since he thought they were a unified front on this issue. “But tell me this - who’s going to take care of it? Huh? Who's going to feed it and walk it and clean up after it when it vomits on the floor at three in the morning? I’ll tell you exactly who’s going to do all of that! I will!”

“We can teach her to be responsible! She’s at that age!”

“This isn’t the way things like this are supposed to work! If she wants a dog, she needs to earn it! Not commit a misdemeanor! That proves she’s not mature enough! And if we give in, we'll be perpetuating that behavior!”

“Technically, it’s not her fault. You heard what Santana said.”

“Yeah, well, that only proves someone else is culpable. It doesn’t change the fact that Tracy broke the rules. In fact, if she thought her Christmas presents were in that drawer, that makes things worse!”

“This one indiscretion aside, she deserves a dog! She’s a straight-A student. She keeps her room clean without being told. She helps out with dinner, the laundry, the dusting. And let’s face it, between your trophies, my trophies, and all the other knick-knacks in this house, she deserves a dog for that alone!”

“I am not going to make this decision on the spur of the moment! We need to talk about boundaries, hash out rules!”

“Fair enough."

“Which we will do after the holidays!”

“And what do we do until then?” Blaine asks, his eyes brimming with the same disappointment Tracy’s had. He'd started getting excited when he thought Kurt might cave. Now Kurt's pulling a "we'll see". “She already found the collar. How are you going to explain owning that if we aren’t getting her a dog for Christmas? Which is in about a week, by the way.”

“We’ll be honest with her,” Kurt decides. “We’ll explain, in age-appropriate terms, why we have that collar.”

Blaine jerks back, the fringes of a chuckle tickling his throat. “So … she’s mature enough to know about your collar kink, but not old enough to own a dog?”

“I’ll … cross that bridge when I get to it, all right?” Kurt mumbles, his face turning bright red. "But for now, that's my final decision! End of discussion! Take it or leave it!"

Kurt turns on his heel and heads for the living room. He will not be manipulated into giving in, even if this whole thing did start with a misunderstanding.

He opens the door and spots Tracy rocking in Blaine’s recliner, looking at pictures on Brittany’s phone, while Brittany and Santana sit beside her, making encouraging comments.

Tracy, still hugging that Godforsaken collar, looks like she’s been crying.

Brittany looks positively devastated, as if she didn’t just ruin Tracy’s chance for happiness, but helped her get the dog of her dreams, then ran it over with her car.

Santana leads the conversation, which Kurt assumes is about clothes - one of Tracy’s favorite things to window shop. But as Kurt walks closer, he catches a peek at the screen, and his heart deflates. During his and Blaine’s conversation, Tracy had started a Pinterest board titled ‘My Favorite Dogs in the World’. Brittany and Santana are helping her add to it – teacup poodles, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ...

'That one's cute,' Kurt thinks when he spots the silky thing. 'That fur would be fun to style. We could do it together! A bright pink bow, maybe a sparkly barrette ...'

The sparkly barrette brings his mind back to his collar, and he gives himself a hard, mental shake.

'No. Don't waver. Stay the course.'

He approaches his daughter slowly, preparing himself for the worst conversation of his life so far.

Kurt swallows hard. “Tracy?”

Tracy looks up at him with watery eyes. “Yes, Papa?”

Her bottom lip wobbles.

Ugh! This is going to be impossible!

“There’s something I need to explain to you … about that collar.”

“Yes?”

Kurt crouches down in front of Tracy, meeting her eye to eye. “You see, sometimes when you buy a collar, it’s for a dog.”

“A-ha …” Tracy says, hopeful ... and mildly confused.

“And sometimes, two people … two grown adults who don’t own a dog ... might buy a collar to …”

Brittany and Santana both gasp when they realize what he’s doing.

Brittany stares like a deer in headlights.

Santana, on the verge of a laughing fit, gets up and leaves the room.

“Yes, Papa?”

“Well, they might buy a collar because …”

“Because …”

"Because ..." Kurt looks at Tracy, silently wishing she'd catch on without him having to say another word. Not catch on to what they use the collar for, but catch on to the fact that no, they will not be getting a dog right now. He looks into her huge, brown eyes, so much like Blaine’s, her hopeful expression dimming with every second of this asinine explanation.

Is he really going to do this?

Is he really going to tell his beloved daughter that she's not getting a dog because that collar she found is one of her fathers’ favorite sex toys? That the last time they used it, Kurt was wearing it, and Blaine was riding him like a bronco, growling obscenities and smacking his ass?

No! He can’t do that!

What responsible parent would!?

When Kurt first found out he was going to be a father, his own father gave him some valuable life advice.

“When you become a parent, you sort of fool yourself into believing that you’re in charge. You're the teacher," his dad had said. "But in reality, parenting will put you on your ass over and over until you realize you know nothing. But you learn. And one of the most important lessons you’ll ever learn is to pick your battles. Because situations will come up that you’ll never dream of, things that you hope to never handle. But, in the end, when you’re debating right and wrong, you have to decide – are you doing what’s best for your child? Or what’s best for you? Because, surprisingly, the two aren’t always the same.”

In short, Kurt has to choose between psychological trauma, pet dog, or sticking to a rule that's rigid simply because bending it would hurt his ego.

When he thinks of it in those terms, the answer is simple.

His father, as always, is right - mostly.

The most important lesson Kurt will learn from this particular situation is that he needs to get a lock on that damned drawer!

Because watching their new pet tromp through the house wearing that collar is going to burn his eyes every day of his life until he dies.

#klaine advent 2020 #klaine advent: learn #klaine fic #klaine fanfiction #klaine

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justjessame · 3 years

Text

Starting Over Chapter 35

We had HOURS to fill before we needed to show up for forced social time at Connie’s, and while a HUGE part of me wanted to pull Bucky back into the house and make every single room OURS - he had to unpack and I had to get prints ready for my audition portfolios and I had a special one to make for Sarah. While I worked in the spare room - where Dad had set up the rest of the tools of my future trade - a photo printer that I would have probably fainted had I seen it prior to the Snap and all of the software that would give me the upperhand in taking what my camera and my eye had taken and work it into something even more amazing - Bucky put away his clothing and books.

He checked in with me as I worked to find the best shots. Asking if I wanted something to drink or snack on, or just to drop a kiss on my temple. Occasionally he’d take a peek and gasp at what he’d see - forcing a smile to creep onto my lips.

“Are you honestly impressed -” I looked up at him, studying his face as he stared at the images on my laptop that I had up trying to see which angles would work best for what I wanted to show prospective gurus. “Or are you just trying to make me feel good about myself?”

Bucky shook his head and bit his lip. “I can’t find the words to even describe how amazed I am by this -” he pointed at the pictures that were in front of us. “How can you SEE these shots?”

I shrugged. “How can you flip a knife without looking at it and NOT lose fingers on your right hand?” He snorted. “It’s just one of those quirks I guess.” I pointed to a stack of finished pictures that weren’t going in my portfolio. “Don’t let me forget to put these in an envelope to take with us?”

“Sure,” he reached for them, but waited until I nodded permission before he picked them up. They were the pictures I’d taken of Bryn on the day that Walker had - well they were the day that Bryn and I had spent in the park with bubbles and my camera. “This is Connie’s little girl, Bryn?” I smiled and tilted my head in affirmation. “She had fun with you,” his smile grew as he went through the stack. “She likes the bubbles.” I giggled at how much fun she’d had with those damn things.

“She also likes filling the swear jar,” I warned him. “She’ll shake you down even if you catch yourself before you get the entire word out.” He raised his eyebrow. “Her daddy’s promising a trip to Disney and I swear she thinks she’s partially funding it.”

“I hear the mouse is expensive.” Bucky was grinning at me when he set the prints back down beside me. Leaning closer, he let his lips trail along my jaw. “How much longer are you going to be?”

“I could be tempted into a break,” I murmured, eyes fluttering closed as his breath got closer to that sensitive spot just under my ear.

Humming his agreement, I was in his arms and in our bedroom before either of us could complain. After all, all work and no play -

“Tell me again,” I was muttering as Bucky drove the Mustang down the street as I gave him terse directions to my best friend’s house, “why are we doing this?”

“Because your friends want to see you,” he had the top down and his grin was ALMOST worth it. Almost. “They missed you, Brooke.” I sighed. “I’ve known you for less time than they have, and I missed you while I was gone.” My heartbeat stuttered. “They want to celebrate having you back, let them?”

“OK,” I agreed as we pulled into an empty spot that was close to the house, but the amount of cars I was seeing lining the street was giving me more than enough anxiety. Connie and Joey lived on a residential street that had good parking for the area - and there weren’t many empty spots. Not enough to make me feel like the words “tiny gathering” was going to be a reality.

I had the envelope with Bryn’s pictures in my bag and Bucky took my hand after he made sure the top was secure and the doors were locked. We could hear the sound of music as we got closer to the front door and I was feeling the churning grow in my stomach, his fingers gave mine a comforting squeeze as the front door opened before we cleared the top step of the porch.

“There you are,” Connie’s face looked a little too forced perky to make my stomach less knotted. Her eyes a little too wide, her smile a little too twitchy. “Brooke! Bucky!” I stared at her, wanting like hell to turn the fuck around and go home. But I didn’t get a chance, because she was pushed out of the way and someone NOT from our group came out and I knew precisely what she hadn’t texted or called to warn me - what she hadn’t had a chance to say -

“Hey, Brookie!” Kelly Taggert, wearing something tighter than anything I had ever owned in my entire life, sauntered out and slithered up to Bucky’s free side. “YOU must be Buck BARNES, the Winter Soldier!” I watched as her long pointy fake nails, painted a poisonous looking pink, danced up his arm. “My, aren't you built like a brick shithouse?”

My eyes felt like they were going to pop completely out of my head. I opened my mouth, but before anything could come out, Bryn came marching out and screamed for money for her swear jar.

“What’s that?” Kelly stared down at Bryn like she was speaking some foreign language never before heard. “Connie, what's she saying?”

“You said a swear word,” Connie’s lips were so thin I was impressed she could get words through them. “You owe the swear jar a dollar.”

Kelly laughed, a loud donkey bray of a noise and I blinked. “Sure, honey, catch me later.” Her nails seemed to sink into Bucky’s arm, which was pretty amazing since she was on his left side. “Come on, hot stuff, let’s go introduce you to everyone. Brookie needs to catch up with Connie.”

I was stunned. Just fucking stunned. I watched as she yanked Bucky away from me and through the door. He stared at me, I imagine hoping for a rescue, but all I could think was - honestly I’m not sure I have a thought in my fucking head.

I listened as the donkey braying continued even as the door shut behind them, leaving Connie, Bryn, and me on the porch. I was still blinking, trying like high holy fuck to figure out what the hell just happened.

“She overheard Mertle telling Mrs. Guinness that we were having a get together tonight for you and Bucky.” Connie’s lips were still narrow and so were her eyes, locked on her closed front door. “Joey tried to cut her off, but how do you uninvite someone you never invited?”

“She -” I shook my head. “Did she just -” I blinked. “Bryn?” Bryn took my hand, the one that Bucky had held less than a minute ago. “Sweetheart, stay very far away from that terrible woman, ok?” I looked down at my goddaughter and watched her nod solemnly up at me. “She’s a very bad thing.” Another nod. “And here,” I reached into my bag and took out two dollars. “This is for what’s about to happen.” I figured I’d better pay up, because it might get ugly.

“Brooke -” But I was already opening up the front door. Kelly Taggert was NOT a friend of mine and Bucky Barnes was MY fucking boyfriend, so this was not the day.

I found her trying to wrap herself around him. While he was doing the best dodge and weave I’ve ever seen an adult man ever do - I had a feeling that Joey and the guys would be trying to draft him for some sport teams. Squaring my shoulders, cracking my neck, I took a deep breath and heard Connie come up beside me -

“She’s not worth it,” she muttered.

“No, she isn’t,” I agreed. “But he IS.”

I walked forward with a smile plastered on my face. I watched as my friends - Joey, who was working on getting a buffet together and his brother, Mike was helping while trying like hell NOT to stare at the spectacle that was Kelly. I saw Mary and Tawny, of the often off and on coupledom with Sam (who wasn’t around, but that was kind of to be expected) who nodded with a grin at what they could sense was coming. Carrie and Chris were cringing at the scene that Kelly presented, but when they caught sight of me, the cringes morphed to smirks. Mertle was shaking her head, but then again she was the parent here.

“There you are,” I gave Bucky HIS smile, the one that ONLY he got, and he looked at me like I was an angel come to save him. “I lost you there for a minute.”

“Hey,” his voice was deep and low, and ANY normal human would have picked up exactly what he was throwing down AT ME. Kelly Taggert wasn’t even CLOSE to normal.

“Aw, isn’t it sweet that you two are like besties.” She sneered at me, and I rolled my eyes at Bucky. “Brookie here has ALWAYS been besties with the boys.”

“And Kelly here has ALWAYS been flat on her back with whoever pays the most attention to her at the moment,” I smiled at her. “Isn’t that right, Kelly?” I watched as her eyes narrowed and those pointy, ugly ass nails dug a little harder into Bucky’s Vibranium arm. “Read the room, Kel, you’re not welcome.”

“I was invited,” she sneered and I raised an eyebrow. “I was.”

“By who?” I asked, looking around the room. “It’s MY welcome back party, right?” Everyone gave the affirmative. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but was Kelly one of our gang?”

“That would be a NO,” Mary offered from the corner with a snort. “Kelly was only part of the gangbang - after the games.” OUCH, that might be a tad -

“And since she slithered in here, latching onto YOUR guy,” Connie stepped up beside me, suddenly less worried about me smacking Kelly with more than words. “And INSULTING MY child -”

“Wait, WHAT?” Joey slammed down the platter he was holding. “What did this bitch say about Bryn?” “Daddy!” I snorted, ut-oh, I guess Bryn didn’t count that two bucks I gave her towards Joey’s swearing.

It took less time than I expected - Kelly was out of the house with a bye-bitch, don’t let the door - and she threw out a threat that she wouldn’t darken Mertle’s salon with her business again - to which Mertle tossed back that -

“That’s alright, dear, we aspired to a higher class of clientele anyway.”

Once she was gone, Bryn got her cash from Joey for the “bitch” comment - even though I technically didn’t use my two dollar pre-pay, and then the party got back on track. Bucky was wrapped around me faster than a blink and I was enjoying myself more than I expected to - finally handing the photo packet to Connie.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, showing everyone the pictures I’d taken. “I swear, Brooke, this is why your Dad was so -”

I rolled my eyes, smiling as Bucky’s lips met my neck. “You know, technically no one has met you,” I murmured.

“Yeah, well, I met Kelly, wasn’t that ENOUGH?” I laughed, but insisted on introducing him to everyone - and it went far better than his first introduction into the group.

#bucky barnes/oc #the falcon and the winter soldier #alternate universe #Mild smut #fluff #FLUFF AND SMUT #humor

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starrynite7114 · 4 years

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things you never knew: three

A/N: Sorry this took so long! I kept writing and writing, and here we are with 5000 something words. The story is definitely starting a little slow, so many secrets and questions popping up, but I promise, things are going to pick up soon.

If you guys ever want to discuss the story, please feel free! I love questions! <3

I also added new characters on the characters post, please check it out!

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Thank you all for the recent follows and likes, I really appreciate all the love!

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“Please Theo, I just want to go home.” Ailee sobbed, as she held her stomach, on her knees, head against the concrete.

“You have no home.” Theo spat out venomously. “How can you be the best at Maquina if you’re going to long for home? Personal relationships exhibit weakness, they give your enemies a target.” He looked at the four men that surrounded Ailee. “Again.”

The four men approached Ailee one at a time, Ailee was able to defend herself, and take a few down. That was until there were multiple people who attacked her, then Ailee was back on her knees, holding her stomach once again. She coughed, blood coming out of her mouth, her whole body was aching.

“This is your home till I see fit, till you’re prepared to be the best in Maquina.” Theo stated. “Who do you want to go back to? Angel Reyes?” Theo chuckled, shaking his head. “He is a waste of space my darling sister, you have no future in Santo Padre with him. You have romanticized this life with the Reyes’, but let’s be honest, you don’t fit in that life. You belong to this world, to keep the balance of power as your uncle fondly tells you.” Theo scoffed. “We can take over the world Ailee, we can have the governments of this world pleading to have us on their side, to have us manufacturing weapons of mass destruction for them. Do you not want that for me? For me to be able to bring back honor to my family’s name?”

Ailee did want to help her older brother out, but this was insane. She wasn’t cut out of this, she didn’t want to be a monster.

“What did I tell you?”

Ailee remained mum, not saying anything to Theo. She didn’t want to be here. This was the last place she wanted to be. She was only supposed to be here for a few weeks, but when she arrived, Theo took her passport and her cell phone. She couldn’t even contact John and Vince and it frightened her, but she didn’t let it show. Theo pounced on fear, and she tried her best to not be afraid.

“What did I tell you?!” He yelled out, hitting her with the stick he held in his hand. She fell to the ground, her forearm holding her up as best as she could.

“Fear is a concept for the weak. You have to face your fears in order to become the best.” She repeated his mantra in a monotone voice, three months of pain and suffering sinking in. She terribly missed Angel. Her saving grace, her fucking Angel. Whenever she thought about killing herself, ending this miserable life, she thought of Angel. His stupid jokes. His stupid smile. His warmth. The way he would hold her whenever she had a hard day at the academy. The way he would tell her that everything was going to be okay when a thunderstorm frightened her. The way he would make silly faces at her while she was eating dinner with his family, her family.

She fucking missed him.

He was the light at the end of her tunnel.

If she focused on that, she could survive this fucking hell.

“I’ve done everything I can for you since we were children, Grace. I’ve always taken care of you, made sure you were okay, read you bedtime stories, it was all me. When you were here, you were free from the scrutiny and hardships your parents put you through. All I’m asking is for you to give this training your all, to beat John and Vince.” Theo squatted down in front of her, lifting her chin up. He slapped her, blood spurting out of her mouth. She couldn’t even cry, the tears only further aggravated him. “I’m doing this because I love you.” He took his phone out, a live-stream of Angel at the scrapyard was on his screen. “You don’t play by my rules and I’ll kill him. See, as I’ve said, personal relationships are a cause of weakness.”

Ailee felt her tears welling up again. She looked down, taking a deep breath. She stood up, and looked up at the four men before her. Theo saw the way her face hardened, smirking at the victory he achieved.

“Again.”

=============

Creeper watched Ailee as she unloaded her SUV. He heard the grand opening was in three days and he wanted to check on his younger cousin. He’s given her space since her release from jail, but like Angel said, she was an adult, she had to handle adult conversations. But somehow he knew that wasn’t the issue.

“Are you just going to stand there or are you at least going to help me?” Ailee’s question broke him out of his trance, giving her a sheepish smile.

“I got you.” He took off his gloves, picking up a box from her trunk. Walking inside, he was surprised to see a few people inside working, they looked at him, greeting him so uniformly it was creepy.

Ailee walked in behind him, raising an eyebrow as to why Creeper stopped.

“Creep, why the hell are you blocking the way?” Ailee questioned.

“Didn’t know where to bring it.” He turned to her.

“Counter.” She nodded her head forward.

They both placed the boxes on the counter and went back outside. Ailee sat at the trunk of her car, watching her cousin slightly pace in front of her. Creeper was her cousin from her father’s side. His mother was Jin and William’s half sister. She was the middle child in between them. They got on well and Creeper has been a part of her life since she was younger. Truth be told, he was one of the few members of her dad’s side she was fond of. He was a good dude and was loyal to a tee. He was always so kind to her. Whenever she would get in trouble with her parents, she would sneak over to his house which was just a house over and let him distract her with stupid shit he would do.

He also taught her how to box to release pent up aggression she had. Ailee was taught to keep her feelings to herself, to not show your emotions as it was a sign of weakness. Due to this, when she would become angry, frustrated, sad, whatever negative emotion, she was never truly able to show it. Instead of letting her brood, he would take her out, taking Angel along and letting her box. Sure, maybe him and Angel were punching bags along with other people at the gym, but Ailee needed it.

“How are you?” Creeper questioned.

“Good, just busy with setting up the shop. How are you?” Ailee began to slouch, and she immediately corrected her posture, feeling the smack of the stick one of her trainers used to carry around whenever she would slouch.

“Slouching is a sign of laziness, improper posture is not allowed for an agent of your caliber. Fix it, it will help you in life later on considering all the injuries you have sustained.”

Prim and proper, that’s how they were supposed to be. Always clean shaven, hair tied in a ponytail, no messiness. It was a dress code, which was comical to Ailee, but she figured there had to be a code somewhere.

“We have a run tomorrow. I just wanted to check on you. I know we’re far from forgiven, but you have to know that we tried to see you multiple times.”

Ailee’s eyebrows furrowed. She kept hearing that, they tried to see her yet it never happened. “I doubt that. Felipe saw me, so did Jin and Theo.”

“Theo? Your psycho half brother?”

Ailee nodded her head tensely, recalling how her brother visited her a few times and remembering how uncomfortable and irritating it was. He wasn’t allowed on American soil, yet, he risked it to see her. It was idiotic and there were so many times she wished he was caught. For some reason, he was always evading the authorities. He was only on their radar if he stepped foot on US soil, he technically didn’t have a warrant on him since he hasn’t done anything to catch people’s attention. Selling weapons to lowly Eastern European countries didn’t really alarm government officials. Who didn’t sell weapons to militant groups? When he starts having bigger clients then that’s when the problem arises. But with him seemingly using a rebel group too close to the border, that’s when things changed. Rebel groups against the cartel were unpredictable, their loyalty was fluid, much like the governing governments of the world. If you fit their purpose, then they were loyal to you.

“Yes, and before you ask, I don’t know how he got to American soil, he just did.” Ailee shrugged. “Look, I think we can all just move on, whether or not you attempted to visit me or not, it’s no longer my concern. I’ll stand clear from you all and you stand clear from me.”

“You know we can’t do that, Angel wouldn’t agree to that.” Creeper knew how much Angel was itching to confront Ailee. From what he heard, he already did and he met her boyfriend, Alexander. He was almost sure that information was incorrect and Angel was just being dramatic. Any man around Ailee was not accepted by Angel.

“Well tough shit, Angel doesn’t really have a choice does he?” Ailee scoffed. “It’s my only request primo, please respect it.” She knew this was an awful request, but she could keep tabs on the Mayans without actually being involved with them. There was too much history and hurt to actually work with them. Ailee wasn’t willing to face that demon, facing that would cause things to resurface she long buried.

“Angel isn’t going to give up on you. It’s been five years, that’s enough time to get past grievances.” Creeper knew it wasn’t but Ailee blocked them off, how could she be angry at that?

“Let me ask you something, if you took the fall for the MC and they never visited you, would you welcome them with open arms?”

“Of course, there must have been a reason why they didn’t and we did try to visit you, you shut us down.”

“I didn’t have a ‘no-visit’ list. If those other people were able to visit me, then how were you not able to do so?”

“I don’t know Lee! You fucking tell me!” Creeper was frustrated. It was like going around in circles with Ailee. “We tried, we really did, but you made it very apparent that you didn’t want to speak to us.”

“Look, there’s no point in arguing about things. Like I’ve said, let's all move on.”

“Lee, you were never this heartless. I get it, you’re upset because you feel like we’ve abandoned you, but I can guarantee you we didn’t. We’re family.” Creeper knew Ailee could hold a grudge, but this was different. She couldn’t hold this against them all.

“Family is such a strange concept. One abandoned me and the other uses me as a weapon to serve a purpose that is a joke to be honest.” Ailee scoffed. “Look, again, my stance is quite firm. Let’s all be cordial, but otherwise, I want nothing to do with any of you.”

Before Creeper could reply, a voice interrupted them.

“Heads up.”

He looked to where the voice came from and it was Alex, Ailee’s childhood friend. What surprised him was the little girl, five years old at most running towards Ailee. He watched as Ailee jumped out of the car and opened her arms for the young girl.

“Baby!” Ailee kissed her cheek, lifting her up. “This is Tio Creeper, this is my daughter, Melody.”

Creeper tried his best for his mouth not to drop open, the shock of being introduced to Ailee’s daughter shook him. The little girl looked just like Ailee, but she didn’t have Ailee’s hazel eyes, she had brown eyes, much like Angel. He couldn’t believe this, Ailee couldn’t have had a child while she was in jail. Money talked, he knew that, but he doubted that Ailee would have a kid with Alexander while she was in jail.

Nothing was making sense.

He noticed the hearing aid then, eyeing Melody curiously. “She can hear?”

“Yes, of course she can. She’s just more comfortable with signing still because she thinks her voice is weird.” Ailee kissed the implant on her baby’s forehead. “She’s fine. Baby, come on, say hello, Tio Creeper would love to hear your voice.”

“Hello,” Creeper did note that her voice didn’t sound normal, but she was adorable. She hid her face at the crook of Ailee’s neck.

Creeper noticed Alexander appear behind Ailee, the little girl reaching for him.

“I got you babe,” he picked her up, kissing Ailee at the top of her head. “Creep, nice to see you.”

“You too man, didn’t know you were allowed outside of Europe.” He knew the business the Leon’s had. Regardless of their real estate venture, cocaine still made their world go around.

“Helps to be attached to this one.” He nodded his head towards Ailee. “I’ll leave you two.”

“It’s fine, Creeper was just leaving.”

“Does Angel know you have a daughter?” Creeper knew those brown eyes anywhere, he’s been brothers with the man for years and known him before that due to Ailee.

“Why would he need to know?” Ailee gave him a look, but he could tell that she wasn’t comfortable, that being back in Santo Padre was biting her on the ass.

No one could hide anything in Santo Padre, especially not from the Mayans.

“Well for one, that kid looks like Angel.”

“She isn’t Angel’s kid, she’s my kid.” Ailee countered. “Why does she have to be Angel’s kid if she’s my kid?”

“So she isn’t your actual kid?” Creeper was beyond confused. He had a hunch that Ailee was never inside, it was all but confirmed for him. Jin would never have let Ailee remain in jail. Hell, her brothers would have never let her remain in jail. How could he be so naive to think they would do so? He knew Ailee was upset, but there was no way she would have them in a ‘no-visit’ list.

“That’s none of your business. She’s my child. There are plenty of people with brown eyes primo, stay away, this is your only warning.” Ailee took her child inside, Alexander following after her.

He had to do some digging, but he was going to need some help. Taking his phone out from inside his kute, he dialed the number that he knew could help him.

“You busy?”

Melody looked nothing like Alex. She was Angel’s kid and he was going to get to the bottom of this.

=============

Olivia walked out of her apartment, frowning when she saw Kevin across the street. She unlocked her car and watched as Kevin walked over to her.

“EZ hasn’t been answering my calls.” Kevin informed her.

“And this concerns me why?”

“Don’t be difficult Liv, he needs to check in with me, you know this.” Kevin sighed. “I’m still trying to figure out how you managed to get this deal for him.”

“I know people.” Olivia shrugged. Kevin was such a lowly agent, he could never know of the existence of Maquina. Hell, only high ranking officers knew of their existence and even then, it was a hand selected few who knew of their existence. A shadow organization that helped the balance of power in various regions of the world.

“You must know high ranking people.” Kevin always tried to pry on what Olivia did for a living. He knew she headed an IT department for some company, but Olivia always kept him within arms length. Much like EZ, he’s known Olivia too yet, she was very hesitant to be alone with him. “Who do you know?”

“Doesn’t matter Kevin, if you nail Galindo, it’s beneficial for your career and keeps EZ away from jail.” She placed her things inside her car, turning to face Kevin. “I don’t see why there is a need for you to know who my connections are.”

“What happens to EZ when he serves his purpose?”

“Whatever he wants.” Olivia didn’t understand his question. EZ could do whatever he wants. “He could just tell the MC that this wasn’t the life for him and go from there.”

“You’re not worried he’s going to go back to Emily?” Kevin knew that Olivia had feelings for EZ. Only EZ didn’t seem to know she had feelings for him.

“That’s none of my concern. EZ is a big boy, he can do whatever he pleases.” Olivia slammed the door to the back passenger.

“After everything you’ve done for him, don’t you want him to at least return the favor?”

“Kevin, I didn’t do this so EZ could pay me back. He’s my best friend, I’m glad I was able to,” she sighed. “I want to help him. He can get his second chance in life, he’s far too brilliant to rot in prison.”

“Just tell him to call me.”

“Sure will.”

She watched as Kevin made his way back to his vehicle. She slid in her car, locking it immediately out of habit. She’s had a few close calls and would rather be safe.

Olivia wasn’t going to lie. She wondered if EZ would go back to Emily once Miguel was in jail. He most likely would.

His first love.

Love of his life.

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. She gave those hopes long ago. She deserved better than waiting for someone who would never see her.

“Once this is done, you should come back to Spain.” She recalled Jin telling her. “Your talent is wasting away in Santo Padre. Ezekiel will be safe and can start over, you’ve given up so much for Ezekiel. It’s time to move on.”

Jin was right. It was time for Olivia to move on. She deserved a happy ending as well.

And maybe it was with Nathan, Alexander’s younger brother.

Olivia parked behind Carniceria Reyes, turning her car off and sliding out. She wanted to stop by before she spent the rest of her day at the coffee shop.

She knew EZ would be there.

And like she predicted, he was there with his father.

“Mija, you’re here.” Felipe fondly greeted her.

“Hey pops.” Felipe refused to acknowledge her whenever she called him Mr. Reyes. He said they were family and she agreed. Her real family was basically non-existent. The family that she recognized

“Hey Liv,” EZ greeted Olivia, giving her a quick hug.

“Kevin came to see me.”

EZ frowned. “Why?”

“You’ve been ignoring him, he wanted you to call him.”

Before EZ could reply, he heard a motorcycle making its way down. He watched as Angel stopped in front of the Carniceria.

“I’m going to tell Kevin to stop approaching you.” EZ didn’t feel comfortable involving Olivia in this whole ordeal. He told Kevin time and time again that his point of contact with him would be his father, not Oliva. He knew of the crush that Kevin harbored for Olivia ever since they were children, but Olivia was off-limits, Kevin knew that, he made sure of it.

“EZ, it’s fine, he just wanted to make sure things were okay.”

“Let me rephrase that, I don’t want him talking to you. He’s putting you in danger.”

“Be reasonable, he’s hardly doing that.” Olivia wanted to tell him that her life was always on the line. That whenever she went to Europe, it might have been the last time she would see EZ when she visited him. Sure, she wasn’t a field agent, but the work she did for Maquina was immensely valuable. Taking her out of the picture would greatly blind Maquina.

Felipe had to hold back a chuckle as he saw how bent over Ezekiel was about Kevin approaching Olivia. Whenever they would have family parties and Olivia attended, Kevin was always far away since Ezekiel did not like how much Kevin tried to impress her. Olivia never seemed to mind Kevin’s presence, which further irritated Ezekiel.

“He’s staying away from you, that’s that.” EZ walked out to meet with Angel.

Olivia looked at Felipe and sighed. “I’ll just go and say hi to Angel.” She walked out, Angel whistling as she did.

“Knew there was a reason God wanted me to come to the carniceria.” Their flirty banter was always fun, but Olivia knew it was nothing, hell it was nothing to her and everyone knew who Angel belonged to.

“Shut up Angel.” EZ put on his helmet.

Olivia laughed. “Keep your brother safe.”

“Yes mom,” Angel winked at her. “You know I got him.”

“You coming to give me a hug?” EZ opened his arms.

Olivia shook her head and hugged him. She loved hugging EZ. It always brought her comfort when she was young and there was no difference now. When she first picked him up from prison, it was such a satisfying feeling. She hugged him tightly and he ended up sleeping over her place that night, catching him up on all the pop culture things that she could do in one night. Ever since then, EZ slept over often and they would just watch endless television shows.

Currently they were watching Stranger Things, almost caught up with the series.

“Be safe.” She kissed his cheek.

“Of course, we have to finish Stranger Things.” He smirked.

She watched as the two brothers drove away. Looking across the street, she saw Alexander outside, shaking his head. The smirk on his face made her chuckle. Alexander was the older brother she never wanted, but she was truly glad to have him in her life. Crossing the street, she made her way towards Alexander, shaking her head.

“Knew you couldn’t stay away.”

“You know me, wherever she goes, I go.” Alexander shrugged. “Nathaniel will be disappointed to know you’re around Ezekiel again.”

“Nathaniel isn’t my boyfriend and even if he always understood my relationship with EZ.” Olivia walked in the cafe, a smile immediately spreading across her face. “Melly!” She fondly called out to Melody,

Melody turned around, smiling as her eyes landed on Auntie Olivia. She ran up to her and Olivia caught her, lifting her up in her arms. “Look at you, you’re so big now.” She kissed her cheek. “Mommy is going to be so much nicer now cause you’re here.”

“Haha,” Ailee shook her head. “Liv, did you get the tickets for the Safari Park?”

“Yes, I emailed them to Sierra last night.” Olivia was pretty sure she did, especially since Ailee wouldn’t stop bothering her about it.

“Sierra did get it and I emailed it to both of these difficult people.” Sierra Ayala, Alexander’s assistant and right hand woman replied as she walked towards them. “If you two actually checked your emails, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

“You’re the best Sierra.” Ailee bowed to her. “We’re all going right?”

“Yes, I figured it would be nice to give everyone a break.” Olivia placed Melody back on the ground. “We can get an AirBNB there and enjoy a few days off after the opening?”

“Sure, that sounds like a plan.” Alexander agreed. “Sierra, mind booking it for us?”

“It’s what you pay me for.” Sierra teased. “Would you mind if I skip out? I have friends and family in Los Angeles I would like to visit.”

“Sierra, why didn’t you say so? Alexander can handle his vices for the next week. Take the time off, spend time with family.” Ailee suggested. “I can have one of the trainees tend to Alex’s needs.”

Sierra looked apprehensive with Ailee’s suggestion. She’s been on vacation before, but the longest she had been away from Alex was about a week and half before she came back. She was antsy. Alexander was an adult and could handle himself, but she also knew how disorganized Alex was, how terrible he was at checking his calendar. Even though she got a temp while she was gone, she knew how unbearable Alex could be.

“I see that look, I’ll be fine.” Alex promised her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I know I seem helpless, but I promise I’m not. How much trouble can I get with going to the zoo?”

Ailee, Olivia and Sierra gave Alexander a look. Alexander rolled his eyes and took Melody. “Come on Melly, we’re not appreciated here.” He walked away, leaving the three women laughing.

“Is everything in place for Alexander to take over or is Nathaniel and Victor making noise?” Ailee questioned Sierra as they all took a seat around the table.

Sierra placed a tablet in front of Ailee. “Nathaniel doesn’t care much for the illegal side of the business, he however wants to manage the real estate side. Victor, well, you know he has his own business.”

“Matchmaking is hardly a business.” Olivia chuckled.

“It’s working for him.” Sierra shrugged. “Alexander is poised to take over, but Nathaniel switches his mind every once in a while. Though, it doesn’t seem that their father would hand the business to Nate anyway.”

“Why, Nate is competent enough.” Olivia had a soft spot for Nate. He was her first boyfriend, the man who made her see a life away from EZ, but they broke up a year ago since Olivia didn’t want to make the move to Spain as he had been requesting.

“Nate also acts on impulse and is not very business minded. He doesn’t think of the long run and thinks of the short run.” Ailee knew that handing Nate the business wouldn’t benefit the Leon’s especially since he wanted to break ties with Maquina, believing they were limiting their potential. “And he wouldn’t keep the relationship with Maquina, which, you know, to each their own.”

“He thinks that they would be fine without Maquina’s protection.” Sierra confirmed Ailee’s words.

“Without our protection, they would be indicted.” Olivia frowned. She knew Nate always just thought that everything was so simple and Olivia couldn’t blame him. Everything was handed to him, whatever he wanted, his parents gave to him. He thought that they were untouchable, that this deal was for Maquina’s benefit, but that was hardly ever the case.

Maquina swept in before a government agency could indict a certain crime organization, offer them immunity and the ability to continue their operations with no government interference, as long as they remained the most powerful organization in their area, keeping the balance of power and unabling any other organization to take over. It seemed simple, but it was complex.

It didn’t always work out.

There were eastern european countries that had too many players in the game to truly fully control it, but Maquina had some strongholds in Poland and Romania. Otherwise, every other country was still free for all.

Maquina’s purpose was so fluid. On one hand they were used to assassinate government officials to install a new power. Then other times, they were implanted to empower rebel groups to overthrow out of control regimes. There truly was no black and white in this world, it was whoever benefited who.

But the Leon’s had a stronghold in West Germany, Spain, and Italy for the last thirty years. With Alexander taking over, they expected for it to continue, even if they were trying to become legit, which was a hoax.

No one ever went “legit”. Illegal work was always so much more beneficial.

=============

Creeper parked his motorcycle under the shaded area of the yard, right beside his Hank’s motorcycle. His eyes landed on Vince, as he ate chips atop the picnic table. He knew that Vince was in town as well, which was never a good thing. Two Maquina agents in one place was far too many. It meant that they were implementing a program here, which meant that something or someone has piqued their interest.

“Creep, this is a sudden phone call.” Vince finished off his chips, crumpling it and making it in the trashcan a few feet away from the picnic table.

“Something isn’t adding up.” Creeper didn’t want to beat around the bush. Ailee was his younger cousin that he always protected. It killed him to not be able to see her while she faced this jail sentence. He didn’t know how to help her and all he wanted to do was just that.

“Numbers wise? I don’t do book keeping, you know this.” Vince knew why Creeper called him over. Maybe he was laying devil’s advocate, but he didn’t give a fuck. It was time the Mayans found out what was going on. He was never onboard about keeping them in the dark about Ailee, especially not Angel.

“Your sister seems haunted.”

“She was in jail for five years.”

“You know what I mean, that’s not jail.” Creeper sat beside Vince. “Come on, we were all close once. It killed me knowing she was in there. She was the little sister I never had. Be truthful with me, you know you could trust me.”

Vince sighed. He retrieved the folder he was sitting on, handing it over to Creeper. “All the information you want, you need, is in that folder. John and I figured that it would be best for us to be as honest as possible.” John thought it was best to set up life for Ailee after Maquina. Once they took care of Theo, both brothers wanted her away from Maquina. What better place to stay than her safe haven?

“She has a kid?” Creeper questioned.

“Melody is here?” Vince was surprised that his niece was in town, but he figured Alex brought her along. Melody only could be apart from her mother for so long.

“Is she Angel’s?”

“No, Ailee adopted her from an orphanage in Europe.” Vince explained. He understood Creeper’s confusion, the kid did look like a mixture of Ailee and Angel. But as far as he knew, the kid was adopted. Ailee brought Melody home one day, explaining she was from an orphanage in Spain. “Not Reyes’ kid.”

Creeper eyed him, but ultimately chose to move on.

“Your sister wasn’t in jail was she?”

“I’ll be back with John later tonight, might want to share that with your brethren.” Vince got off the table, making his way over to his car.

“We have a run later.”

“Tomorrow then.”

“Vince, why is Maquina setting shop in Santo Padre?”

Vince chuckled. “Why else would we set up shop? There’s a threat that has to be controlled.”

“Galindo?”

“We have bigger cartel’s to worry about before we worry about the Galindo cartel.”

“Who is it?”

“We don’t know yet, but we’ll keep you all updated.” Vince unlocked his car.

Creeper watched as Vince’s car disappeared, sighing. He opened the folder and his hunched was confirmed. Ailee’s release date stated December 14, 2014. Closing the folder, he made his way inside the clubhouse.

“She was never in jail.” Creeper threw the folder down at the table where Angel, Bishop and Taza were sitting.

“The fuck you mean?” Angel questioned.

“Vince dropped off all those records right now. You guys saw him.” Creeper sat beside Angel. “She was in jail for that initial two weeks, but otherwise, no other fucking records.”

“That’s fucking impossible.” Bishop had to play charade. He knew Ailee wasn’t in jail, he didn’t make a deal with her uncle for no reason. “Your father saw her.”

“That was during her first two weeks.” Angel looked at the records and she was booked in the jail, her release date was what fucked him up. “It says her release date was December 14, 2014.”

“Exactly. Ailee was arrested around Thanksgiving when we had that run to Vegas. She was released two weeks later.” Creeper knew something was off. Ailee didn’t even look like she had a hair touched on her head. She looked hardened as if she was in jail, but it wasn’t for survival.

“Jin most likely bailed her out, using his connections.” Creeper, Taza, Hank and Bishop knew what Maquina was, the rest of the members didn’t, not even Angel. They knew that Jin was a powerful man, but they just had their guesses as to why he was so powerful. Creeper knew of Maquina, the details, not as much, but he knew not to fuck with them. They could make anyone disappear. One call, and it was done.

“She made a deal.” Angel looked through the paperwork in front of him. It was her release forms. “Jin bailed her out, this is his signature.”

“Well if she made a deal, what could it possibly be?”

It dawned on Angel that whatever business Ailee’s family was involved in, it wasn’t exactly safe. He remembered when they were younger, how Ailee was always in physical activities that involved fighting. Her parents were very adamant that she learned how to defend herself, get good grades and not interact with many people. She was always in her books, books that kids her age at that time shouldn’t be reading. Angel always thought that her parents were strict and rarely let their kids have any fun. Ailee was a very affectionate child, but she was always rejected by her parents. The only time she could enjoy any affection or praise were from his own parents. It was weird how his parents seemed to understand Ailee’s hardship along with her brothers.

Ailee always said that she didn’t want to get in the family business, it cost your soul, she had told him. But it seemed like that’s what happened.

“It’s her soul. She exchanged her soul for freedom.”

#angel reyes #angel reyes fanfiction #angel reyes fic #angel reyes fanfic #mayans mc imagine #mayans mc fic #mayans mc fanfic #tynk

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 3 years

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Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 209

209

The problem with supernatural senses was the ability to hear everything. Lance sympathised with Keith, cringing in second hand embarrassment for how his fiancé tried to talk to Pidge. Keith’s awkwardness was a thing of legend. There were a lot of “ums” in his sentence, and he’d twice assured Pidge “that it was okay if she didn’t want to”, before he finally asked if they could talk. The pair of them heading into the house as Hunk kept his eye on them.

“Catching” Hunk staring, Lance decided to say fuck it to manners. Hunk wasn’t upsetting Pidge on purpose. Shay wasn’t upsetting Pidge on purpose. They just weren’t quite clicking and though it wasn’t his place to say it, he didn’t want Pidge to feel left out because her best friend was dating the woman of his dreams

“Hunk, what’s up?”

“Pidge just went off with Keith... I thought they were going to check on Shiro and Curtis... I’m just... uh, I’m kind of wondering why they left”

Scratching the back of his head, Hunk stumped the other “adults” at the table. Allura and Coran both nursing empty tea cups, with Krolia kicked back and holding her half empty beer near her stomach

“It’s nothing to be worried about. They’ll be fine”

“Yeah, but... Dude, don’t you think she’s been acting weird lately? She doesn’t message me as much as she used to, and she didn’t defend how useful UV light could be to hunting vampires”

Hunk took the bait. Sure, Lance had been leading him

“Keith noticed Pidge isn’t happy and he’s gone to have a chat and make sure she’s okay”

Hunk gaped at him. Lance would have chuckled at his friend’s surprise if he hadn’t squashed his ego down. He didn’t want to hurt Hunk, nor did he particularly enjoy the conversation they needed to have. Shay pressed her lips together for half a moment in thought, before breaking her silence

“I can’t remember anything that would have upset her. Are you sure she’s upset?”

“Pidge is learning how much adulting sucks. We’re all in relationships now. We don’t do the fun things we used to do together. We don’t have games night anymore. We don’t hunt. Her best friend is moving in with his girlfriend and she wants to be involved. You guys haven’t done anything technically wrong, she just misses the old times. She’d decapitate me for the hell of it if she heard me. She’s feeling a little insecure right now, but Keith’ll calm her down”

Hunk immediately teared up. Nooo. Not Hunk tears. Whenever Hunk got teary, he did too

“I didn’t... I didn’t realise”

The first tear rolled down Lance’s cheek, causing him to sigh at himself mentally. He was so weak when it came to Hunk tears

“That’s because you haven’t done anything wrong. I’d be mad if you had and my face wound be all scary. Everyone grows and changes. Keith and I can hardly deny we’re very focused on each other. It’s really easy to do when you’re in love. Maybe at the end of the night you could suggest a games night? Or you could have her look at properties with you? She’d probably be able to blackmail the realestate agent into giving you cheaper rent...”

“I didn’t...”

“Dude, I know. I’m in no position to talk either. I let her down too. I let all of you guys down. I love you, bro. I love her, too. You guys are my family. Pidge just needs a little reassurance your still best friends for life... I kind of hope they’re not inside too long, I need to pee... I can’t wait for this pregnancy to be over... I want to meet them already”

Allura placed her hand on his shoulder

“I’m sure they’ll be here soon. We all can’t wait to meet them. You and Keith shall be amazing parents”

“Yeah. It’s going to be weird not having them inside me anymore...”

Lance loved it when they moved. He loved resting his hands on his belly and feeling them moving. Already so full of life. He loved belly rubs from Keith, and the way Keith cuddled into his stomach, peppering kissed to his stretched skin as if trying to kiss their twins through it. But everything else was getting too much. The joint pain. The fatigue. The constant heavy feeling in his chest. The last week of feeling constantly ill. His stupid yoyoing ego that couldn’t understand how a pregnancy had weakened him so much. The fits of anger. His overly active sense of smell. He was tired... and tired of waiting... but he... he also wanted to wait until he went into labour naturally so he could keep feeling them inside of him. For years he’d wondered how it’d feel to be human again. To fall in love and do all the other amazing things humans did... He’d never felt more human than in the last month of his pregnancy. He wasn’t sure he could mentally cope with his ego if he and Keith did chose to wait much longer. Mums to be were amazing. Movies just didn’t do justice to all the ups and downs of pregnancy. Feeling a tingling in his skin, Lance looked down at his arm, realising he was starting to burn under the lack of cloud cover. He wanted to give Keith and Pidge privacy, but if he stayed outside much longer, he’d go up in flames... Then again, Keith did say he was “smoking hot”.

Lance’s living room had also been transformed. The same bunting that hung outside, hung from everywhere it could inside. Stopping by the bathroom, Lance waddled in on Keith and Pidge mid-hug. Keith probably didn’t know what to do with being hugged so fiercely, still, it was a nice moment between the pair of them

“Hey, guys. Got room for one more?”

Breaking the hug, Pidge moved to make space between her and Keith. Lance waddling over to drop himself down between the pair of them. Yeah. Keith had a point. Maybe it’d be better to deliver early rather than feel cramping when he sat wrong, or sat too fast. He’d recognised that with fatigue came pain sensitivity. Small cramps had been happening more often over the last week, and he’d been reduced to crying over them more than once.

Leaning in, Keith kissed his cheek, Lance smiling at the action because he was so grossly in love with Keith that even a small kiss still managed to make him feel a million times better

“I thought I left you outside?”

Lance moved to show Keith the start of the sunburn on his arm. He’d run it under cold water to ease the burn, but it was still warm and tender to the touch

“You did. Apparently too much sun is bad for vampires... who would have thought?”

“I did wonder if I should find you an umbrella...”

“I’m fine. Plus, I’ve got my two favourite people here, so I thought I’d come stock up on some love”

Excusing himself to the bathroom, Lance knew he’d upset Hunk yet Hunk had to figure out how to make things right with Pidge without his meddling. He probably could have been more tactful about things, and picked a better time to bring the subject up. This was supposed to be party, not a counselling session. Feeling the twins kicking up a storm, he took Pidge’s hand, placing it on his belly. His friends were good about not just touching his belly without asking first, Pidge the one who seemed to hesitate the most when it came to feeling him being bashed up internally

“I think they know that their Aunty Pidge is here”

“Either that or they’ve inherited Keith’s inability to sit still”

Keith pouted, Pidge poking her tongue at him causing the werewolf to huff

“Lance is just as bad as I am”

“Lance has changed a lot since you came into our lives. You both have. You can tell you two are dating. You’ve got that old married couple vibe where you finish each other’s sentences and sound the same”

Lance couldn’t deny it. Keith had picked up so many of the expressions he used. And Lance had definitely picked up Keith’s habit of swearing openly.

“That’s what happens when you fall in love. Actually, Keith and I have something to tell you. We’re madly grossly in love, not just in love”

Pidge rolled her eyes at him

“I already know that. One bite between you and you’ve both turned into idiots”

“You know what they say, “Once bitten, twice stupid””

“Dude, it’s “once bitten, twice shy”. But I like your one better. You bit Keith to save his life and you both turned into love struck morons with a shared brain cell between you”

Keith frowned heavily at Pidge’s joke, Lance snorting due to how true it was

“He really does feel like the other half of me. I’d be happy to share a brain cell with him any day of the week. I know you’re worried about the future, but you’re always going to be a sister to me, and an aunt to the twins. No more sad, Pidge, not when she’s a scary little ankle biting gremlin that we all love”

Pidge pulled her hand back, looking to her lap

“Hey, you know I’m proud of you, Katie. You’ve been through a heck of a lot, like the rest of us. Things might have changed and they might be scary, but you’ll always have a home here with us... provided you don’t bring your work home and destroy my house with your experiments”

Pidge groaned deeply

“You blow up a circuit board once and they never let you forget it. And, if you call me “Katie” again, I’m going to give you a dead arm to go with that dead body of yours”

“Oh no! The gremlin’s getting angry. Quick, babe. You’d better make her a coffee before her wrath descends upon us”

“Fuck you”

“I’m flattered, but I’m in a loving and committed relationship... I mean, if I were two decades younger...”

Pidge punched his arm to shut him up

“You suck”

Lance continued with his shit stirring mood

“Quite well, don’t I, babe?”

“I’m not getting into this, but yes”

“See, my skills have got Keith’s stamp of approval”

“You’re going to have my footprint stamped to your arse if you keep traumatising me like this”

Wrapping his arms around his gremlin, Lance kissed her hair. Pidge trying to shove him off

“I love it when you’re mean. I wouldn’t change a single thing about you”

“Keith, help. Lance is being weird”

Keith hefted him back so Lance was laying awkwardly in his arms looking up at his fiancé. Bopping him on the nose, Lance went cross eyed as Keith let his finger hover

“Babe, leave the bitey creature alone. She’s fine. More importantly, did you put cream on your arm?”

Lance didn’t really prescribe to the use of burn cream seeing he healed on his own. Cold water would forever be the best things for burns

“Burn cream isn’t always good for burns, aaaaand the aloe vera is in our bathroom. Which is upstairs, and totally too much effort right now”

“You can’t ignore it. Where else got burnt?”

“I don’t know. Stop picking on me. I thought we were picking on Pidge”

“We’ve done that. I’ll grab the aloe vera, and Pidge can get you some blood. We have the whole day to relax... provided no one’s gone and planned party games”

Pidge burst that bubble. That tiny bubble of maybe fitting an uncaught nap in... This fatigue thing was ridiculous

“Oh, dude. There’s totally party games. We’re going to set up penalty beer pong under lunch”

Keith scrunched his brow. From how he was positioned, Lance kind of wanted to poke his finger right up Keith’s nose. It was like his nose was staring down at him, begging to be poked

“Should I be worried?”

Lance didn’t like to brag, but beer pong was his jam. His first time through college not so much, second time, he was pretty much undefeated. With how long it took to set up, it wasn’t usually one of their party games. Poor Keith had no idea what penalty beer pong had in store for him, Lance would have to defend his fiancé’s honour

“Seeing it’ll be you and Lance facing off, you should definitely be worried. Buuuut I totally didn’t tell you that. If you two are going to keep being gross, I’m going to go back to the party”

Whelp. Keith was on his own then... It was nice knowing him

“It’s okay, Pidgeon. Go forth and abandon us. Leave us... be that way... We’ll be back out as soon as I’ve had some blood and this sunburn starts healing. Maybe I should change into something longer, I don’t want to burst into flames at my own baby shower”

Keith bopped him on the nose again, before helping Lance sit back up

“That’s probably a good idea, babe. You’re smoking hot as it is. That’d make you literally flaming hot”

Pidge was completely right. They really did share one brain cell. The idea leaving a stupidly huge grin on his face that Pidge called “creepy” before leaving the pair of them.

Penalty beer pong... of all the things they could have played, they’d chosen some kind of abomination that belonged in hell. After lunch, Hunk had taken Lance aside, while Matt and Pidge took Keith inside. Both of them forced to wear headphones so they couldn’t hear each others answers to the questions for their friends had prepared. Keith felt very very dumb. 20 questions on Lance should have been easy... but their friends had really wracked their brains being creative and going for the odd, mostly unknowable things that he was supposed to know about his “boyfriend”.

With the living area the only place big enough to fit all of them, the coffee table was covered with a thick piece of plywood where the cups were set up. Keith didn’t like to admit that he’d never played beer pong. He’d never had the kinds of friends that did, nor did he go to college. One of the more popular games at Blade headquarters was darts with knives instead of darts, and vampire faces for targets. You took a shot if you failed to stick the knife in the vampire when it was your throw. He’d never been invited to play with James and the rest of them... He and Shiro used to have shooting target competitions, but that was just the pair of them with the winner getting out of some mundane house chore, that Adam usually scolded them about.

Kneeling across from him, they’d both avoided the penalty cups so far. Keith thought not getting the ball in one meant not having to drink what was it in. No. Instead the penalty was played out for each question they got wrong about each other. Each cup contained some kind of condiment construction Keith really wanted to avoid. It started tame, first with chilli sauce, then soy, then vinegar... slowly progressing in quantity and combination. The last cup was a grotesque mix of what seemed to be a little of everything from Lance’s pantry. Having swapped questionnaires, Hunk and Matt were their quiz masters. They were fifteen questions in, Keith not feeling the effects of the vodka he’d had to chug when Lance got the ping pong ball in his cups. His fiancé, not able to drink, was delegated water. Keith wasn’t sure that Lance actually won anything from playing against him seeing he’d have to pee the moment the game was done.

“Lance. What is Keith’s most annoying habit?”

Throwing the ping pong ball, his fiancé landed it perfectly in the cup. That’s how it went. Question, throw, answer, shot...

“His amazingly lacking self confidence since turning into a werewolf”

His damn fiancé got that one right... like the rest of them.

“Keith. How many years, combined, did Lance spend attending University?”

How the fuck was he supposed to know that? He didn’t know how long it took to be a lawyer... he didn’t know how long it took, or if Lance had any recognition of prior training to drop the amount of time he was required to study, plus his fiancé was a smart little shit... Lance looked sympathies and smug at the same time. Yeah. His questions were far easier than Keith’s had been. Tossing the retrieved ping pong ball, it landed in one of the penalty cups

“Um... I’m going to with... um... 12 years”

Lance groaned, Keith knowing he’d gotten the answer wrong. Matt delighted in telling him

“11 years and six months. Apparently being a lawyer in the early 90’s meant less time in class... Your first penalty shot is chilli sauce. Bottoms up”

If a jalapeño’s had sex with another jalapeño, then their offspring continued in breeding, that would only explain the fire in Keith’s mouth. His eyes running as his throat burned. That wasn’t simple chilli sauce in there

“God... it burns... what the hell is that?”

“Ghost pepper sauce”

Lance shot Matt a glare

“That’s not very nice. You guys are dicks”

Matt shrugged at Keith fanned his burning mouth

“Then he shouldn’t have gotten the question wrong”

“We didn’t really talk about it. Babe, you okay? Rieva, can you get Keith some milk, please. You guys are banned from giving Keith chilli ever again”

“Chill, dude. He’ll survive. Right, it’s your turn”

Lance plucked the ball from what looked to be soy sauce, unamused Keith’s ego wanted to flip the stupid board of cups over. Their friends were slightly laughing at his reaction to the chilli and Rieva hadn’t gone to get him a glass of milk

“Okay, Lance. What’s Keith’s deepest secret that he’s hiding at he moment?”

Keith had answered “He’d always believe in mothman until his dying breath”. Lance hummed at the question

“That he doesn’t hate Lotor as much as he says... it’s either that, something to with me, or something to do with his crush on mothman”

“Correct...”

No. That wasn’t correct at all! The game was rigged

“You two didn’t bother telling us that you’re engaged! Which is a secret to do with Lance, so technically correct!”

Suddenly Keith got the feeling that beer pong was less about what they knew about each other and more about what the group suspected and wanted to confirm

“They’re what?!”

From Pidge’s yelling, she mustn’t have been in on it... So this was all Matt’s idea to get them to confess to their secret engagement?! He could strangle him for putting them both on the spot like this. Right. He could play it cool... yep. No secret here

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb, dude. We found the empty ring box in your bedside drawers. Why didn’t you tell us?! Do you know how happy we are for you guys?! This is awesome... Maybe not as awesome as Rieva saying yes to me, but we’re supposed to be your friends! We need to have a party to celebrate this”

Ahhhh. Keith wanted to laugh in relief. They hadn’t been caught yet, and now it seemed like a pretty fun idea to mess with Matt for going through their things

“That’s was from Krolia. There was never any ring in that box”

“You expect us to believe that?”

Keith glanced to his mother, Krolia shrugging as the others also looked to her

“Miriam and I both thought they’d make the cutest grooms. It’s not my fault he hasn’t proposed yet”

“What makes you think I’d be the one asking? Lance could always ask me, right, babe?”

“Yep. I totally could have been the one to ask him”

Sharing a look, Matt and Hunk both chuckled. Their “Sunshine Teddy” shaking his head

“Man, we all know Lance is the romantic one. He’d spend everyday waiting for you to ask, rather than asking you. Then, he’d expect the whole fairytale night. Dinner at a fancy restaurant. A bouquet of red roses as big as him...”

Hunk counted on his fingers, Matt adding as Hunk stalled mid-thought

“Don’t forget the champagne and the hotel room”

Hunk quickly counted those two on his fingers

“Yep. Lance is too much of a romantic”

Matt nodded quickly

“He’d drop hints too... Romcoms. Jewellery brochures... Though you’d probably miss them like you missed Valentine’s Day”

The pair were ganging up on him, Keith depressed about the fact they were right. Lance would have loved all that, but his fiancé didn’t need all that. He’d proposed in a horrible hotel room...

“Keith is romantic. Sure, his idea of good date is a trip to a shooting range, or some other combat related activity, but he’s very romantic. I don’t need all the fuss, I just need him”

Hunk faked feeling faint as he grabbed Matt by the arm, Matt playing it up and acting as if he were concerned

“Hunk?!”

“I’m okay... I never thought I’d live to hear Lance say something so unLance like. Pregnancy has changed you, man. Next thing you’ll give up watching your soap operas... Dude, my heart can’t handle the changes”

Keith mentally thanked Lance for trying to stick up for him. He wasn’t the world’s greatest fiancé, yet he felt better that Lance thought he was good enough for him. His fiancé had more to say on the matter

“You two keep picking on Keith. He’s awkward and he’s a little emo, but he makes me happy. We could get engaged in a room so dingy that Jesus couldn’t save it, and I’d still be happy”

Hunk waved his arm, kind of weirdly and kind of as if he were trying to gesture “how big this was”. Keith felt his lips turn upwards as Lance pretty much told everyone they’d gotten engaged while away, yet none of their friends would put two and two together

“But as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always been a sucker for those big movie engagement scenes”

“Movies aren’t real life. Matt, that box wasn’t any of your business. What were you doing in our room?”

“Helping Shiro and Curtis build your present. We were looking for an adjustable spanner”

Lance leaned back to rest his weight on his hands, bottom lip wobbling

“You know the tools are kept in the laundry, and you know you’re not supposed to be in my room...”

“We were...”

No one messed with Lance’s room, or his bed. Lance washed and changed the sheets alone, swapping the blankets whenever the whim took over

“I don’t care. I’m sorry, but I can’t... I need air”

Keith jumped to his feet before Lance started started struggling to his. As Coran went to help the vampire, Lance slapped his hand away with a sad “sorry”. Moving to Lance’s side, Keith looped his arm around his waist

“You guys can take over playing. No listening in”

#once bitten twice stupid #oncebittentwicestupid #ashratherose

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thelastspeecher · 3 years

Text

D&D AU - Elf Kid Adventures, Pt. 2

Electric Boogaloo

I actually have two more scenes planned to tie up this little story arc in my D&D AU where Stan is half-orc and half-elf. I originally was going to include those scenes in this post, but then these two scenes on their own were much longer than I expected. So, uh, here’s some awkward stuff, some angst, some “aww” moments, and most importantly, a whole mess of Stan being head over heels for Angie.

Enjoy.

——————————————————————————————

Stan couldn’t decide whether the expectation he did chores was the worst part or the best part of staying at the McGucket farmstead. On the one hand, he had to get up when Ole Tinbeak – the earliest rising rooster – crowed. On the other hand, the praise from Mr. McGucket never seemed to end.

“Excellent!” Mr. McGucket said cheerfully, watching Stan lug a bale of hay twice his size. “I must say, Stanaximus, yer the strongest elf I’ve ever seen, and yer only a child right now!” Stan grinned despite the straws of hay poking his face. “Would ya consider employment as a farmhand?”

“Thanks,” Stan said, slipping into the manners that Mrs. McGucket had insisted on drilling into him. “But I like being a ranger with Angie and Lute.”

“Fair enough,” Mr. McGucket said. Stan set down the bale of hay. His vision now unobscured, he spotted Lute standing a few feet away. Lute had never seemed that intimidating to Stan before, and his new age (and matching immature wardrobe with many pairs of shorts) only served to hinder his continued attempts. He was in his thirties, according to Mrs. McGucket, which made him like a human five-year-old.

“He’s only bein’ nice to you ‘cause yer a guest,” Lute hissed. Stan snorted.

“If you could see through all that hair, you’d know that’s not true,” he replied. Lute lifted the dark bangs that covered his eyes to glare at Stan.

“I can see just fine,” Lute snapped. Stan grinned.

“Aw, is someone grumpy ‘cause he’s overdue for a nap?” Stan teased. Lute blushed fiercely. The McGucket parents had insisted Lute have at least one nap a day at this age. Something about the extra rest being particularly important for growing elves. “Maybe you should go sleep.”

“You-” Lute started. Mr. McGucket came over. He took his youngest son’s hand.

“He’s right, Lute. Stan, think ya can finish the chores if Angie helps?”

“Uh, sure. But I don’t know where she is,” Stan said slowly. Someone jumped down from the barn’s loft, landing lightly in front of Stan. Angie beamed at him. “…How long were you up there?” Angie shrugged.

“It’s startin’ to get a bit dark, so ya best check the fence fer breaks first, ‘fore night falls,” Mr. McGucket said, leading Lute out of the barn. Stan and Angie nodded. Once Mr. McGucket was gone, Stan turned to Angie.

“We’re supposed to check the fence?” he asked.

“Yep! Follow me.” Angie walked out of the barn. Stan followed. They went to the enclosed cattle pasture and began to follow the fencing. “Luckily, breaks ‘re pretty easy to spot,” Angie said cheerfully. “And easy to fix, too. Just a quick Mending.” Stan nodded silently, trying to ignore how the setting sun made her golden hair turn a fiery orange. They continued to walk in silence for a few moments. “Don’t let Lute get ya down,” Angie said in a low tone.

“Huh? Oh, I’m not.” Stan shrugged. “I actually kinda like being a kid again.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m-” Stan rubbed the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly. “I’m not in that big of a rush to get this curse removed, to be honest.” Angie came to a stop, leaning against the fencing. Stan did the same. His hands gripped the wooden slats. Angie turned her head to face him. A few long golden strands of hair loose from her braid bounced with the movement. The sun cast her form in a brilliant halo.

“Why’s that?” she asked. Distracted by how she looked in the fading light, Stan didn’t hear her question.

“Huh?” he mumbled. Angie rolled her silver eyes. As dusk encroached, they began to glow with a faint foxfire.

“Why are ya not in a hurry to be back to normal?” she asked. “I thought ya missed yer tusks.” Stan sighed.

“I mean, I do.”

“Then what’s goin’ on?”

“I…” Stan trailed off. Angie scooted closer to him. Her hand rested next to his, their skin touching. Stan’s heartrate picked up. Unable to stop himself, he blurted out the truth. “I forgot how much better people used to treat me.” Angie’s eyes widened.

“…Pardon?” she asked.

Shit. Way to go, Stan. This is what you get for being so easily distracted by pretty girls.

“I grew up in a mostly human settlement,” Stan said quietly. “The only elf who lived in town was my mom. Looking like her, I got attention. But it was good attention, ‘cause a lotta humans are obsessed with elves. Even travelers passing through would sometimes stop and talk to me and my twin brother. I think…” Stan furrowed his brow. “I think my mom said that, if we had grown up in a proper elf environment, we wouldn’t be allowed to interact with visitors. I guess elf kids are considered really important, so they get kept away from outsiders. At least, that’s how it was where my mom grew up.”

“Ma says things were the same way where she came from,” Angie said. “She ‘n Pa had some disagreements ‘bout it when we were little. So it’s probably a high elf thing, not a specific place thing.”

“Yeah.” Stan took a breath. “I liked getting all that positive attention. But then my tusks started growing in, and my hair got darker, and I got bigger in a way that elves just aren’t.” Stan looked down at the dirt. He nudged a clump with the toe of his borrowed boot. “I stopped looking like my mom and started looking like my pops. And I don’t have a lick of human in me, so I don’t look like a proper half-orc. By the time I was sixteen, I looked full orc.” Angie made a strangled sound. Stan looked at her.

“Sixteen?” she choked out, shocked.

“Orcs don’t live that long. Until I became an adult, I aged close to the same rate humans do. I think I was about twenty when my elf side kicked in to slow it down.”

“Oh. Right.” Angie nodded. “You told me ‘fore that you were in yer sixties.”

“Yep. Haven’t aged a day in the last forty years, thanks to Mom.”

“Yes. Okay, continue yer story.”

“Well, I dunno how much there is left to tell. I looked like an orc, and you know how people treat orcs. Visitors stopped giving me treats and started putting their hands on their weapons when they saw me. Since that’s how it’s been for the last few decades, I forgot that people didn’t always look at me like I was about to kill them.”

“Even if you don’t get the curse reversed, you’ll start agin’ on yer own,” Angie pointed out. Stan’s stomach twisted into a knot. “Sooner rather than later, you’ll look like yer father again.”

“Yeah. I know.” Stan’s head drooped. “It’s just-”

“No need to explain. I understand,” Angie said firmly. She placed her hand over Stan’s. Stan’s heart skipped a beat. “It’s easier to be an elf than an orc.” She quirked a half-grin. “Though, just so’s ya know, I prefer yer orcish self to yer elvish self.”

“R-really?” Stan stammered. Angie nodded.

“Tusks ‘n all.”

-----

Stan had just finished his breakfast when Mr. McGucket entered the kitchen.

“Stanaximus?” he said. Stan looked over.

“Yeah?”

“Walk with me, son.”

“Um. Okay.” Stan deposited his plate in the sink and followed Mr. McGucket outside. “Did you need me for something?”

“I just need to have a lil chat with ya,” Mr. McGucket said airily. “But I think you’d prefer the chat happen where there aren’t ears to listen.” Dread began to build in Stan’s gut. The two walked off the main, cleared area that constituted the farmstead, and into the surrounding woods. Mr. McGucket moved through the trees like he was one with his surroundings, effortlessly silent and graceful. It was actually almost difficult for Stan to keep track of the man, as he blended in so well.

I mean, he is a wood elf. Makes sense.

“What did you wanna talk about?” Stan asked. Mr. McGucket smiled.

“You courtin’ my youngest child,” he said simply. Stan stumbled over a root. Mr. McGucket caught him. “You all right?”

“Yeah, I’m- I’m-” Stan swallowed. “What makes you think I wanna court Angie?”

“I see the way ya look at her. Like she’s the sun, moon, ‘n stars. There’s no mistakin’ what that means.” Mr. McGucket looked at Stan. “You can deny all ya want after this conversation, but I want ya to be truthful durin’ it, okay?”

“…Fine,” Stan mumbled. He clenched his hands into fists and ground them into his eyes. “I…I really like Angie, and being a kid again has made it a lot worse.”

“Makes sense. Children have lesser control over their emotions, after all. Thank you fer bein’ willin’ to talk blunt with me.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Now, I encourage ya to court Angie, once you’ve all been returned to yer proper ages. But I needed to warn ya that a courtship with her won’t go without difficulties.”

“What- what do you mean?” Stan asked. Mr. McGucket sighed.

“Politics. Yer a noble, and my wife, she…she was somethin’ sim’lar ‘fore she left her home to be with me. I don’t know whether she still has her title or not, and our children certainly don’t have any titles, but they do technically belong to a very powerful sun elf house. If you were a wood elf, or even just a reg’lar sun elf, I doubt it would be a problem. As it is, it might not be. But it could be. So I figured I’d warn ya.”

“But I’m not noble,” Stan said. Mr. McGucket frowned at him. “You guys keep insisting I am, but I’m not! Maybe my mom is, or was, but my pops, he was about as far from noble as you can get.”

“Was?”

“…Pops passed away a few decades ago,” Stan said quietly.

“My condolences.”

“I don’t need ‘em. He was a kinda shit father.”

“Hmm.” At Mr. McGucket’s thoughtful, though noncommittal, sound, Stan looked up. There was a troubled look on the man’s face. “Would that be related to the scars on yer back and arms?”

“How- how do you-”

“Harper saw when he took ya to the lake to swim last week,” Mr. McGucket explained. Stan stifled a curse. The oldest McGucket son, Harper, had showed up unexpectedly with his adopted children, then insisted on them all doing activities during his visit. Harper was an incredibly odd person, but Stan thought he was at least tolerable.

At least, I used to think that. Now that I know he’s a snitch? Nah.

“I want to revisit this at a later time,” Mr. McGucket said after a moment. “Right now, we need to talk about you courtin’ my daughter.”

Do we?

“There’s no doubt you have noble blood, Stan. Just yer full name is one that’s indicative of high status. Even if ya don’t have a noble title or upbringing, ya have it in yer heritage.” Mr. McGucket cocked his head thoughtfully. “Though not havin’ a title will prob’ly make it so Angie’s own royal blood ain’t a factor.”

“Did you say ‘royal’?” Stan croaked. A twinkle entered Mr. McGucket’s eye.

“Yes.” Stan’s jaw dropped. “Now, I will say- wait.”

“What?” Stan asked. Mr. McGucket now looked at him with visible concern.

“Open yer mouth, son.” Before Stan could comply or refuse, Mr. McGucket carefully pried his jaws open, looking at his teeth like he was determining a horse’s age. “Oh, no. Are these…fangs?” Instantly, Stan broke into a cold sweat.

Fuck! My tusks! They started coming in! Mr. McGucket released his hold and took a step back, worry etched on his face. Stan closed his mouth.

“It’s okay,” Stan said quickly.

“Son, you have two teeth what shouldn’t be there, and what look awful dif’rent from yer other teeth.”

“It’s, um…” Stan’s mind raced. “My pops, he got cursed when he was younger, and it got passed down to me somehow.”

“Really.”

“Yeah.” Stan rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not a problem.”

“Maybe. But when we get this main curse off ya, we’ll take a look at this one that made ya grow fangs.”

“Maybe…”

Gods, no, there’s no way in any of the planes that I’d let some elf take my tusks away. Stan and Mr. McGucket entered a large clearing. Stan blinked at the farmhouse before them. Without him realizing, they’d walked back to the McGucket farmstead. Mr. McGucket put a hand on his shoulder.

“Yer a very interestin’ young man,” he said.

Damn, and he doesn’t even know I’m half-orc.

“I’d like to have many more conversations with ya. But since yer likely to woo my daughter, I have no doubt I’ll have plenty of opportunities to chat.”

“I might not court her,” Stan said quietly. The second he spoke, he knew it was a lie. There was no chance he wouldn’t shoot his shot.

“It’d be a shame if ya didn’t, since ya have not just my blessin’, but that of my wife, too.” Mr. McGucket squeezed Stan’s shoulder. “And not to mention, we wouldn’t push ya to court if we didn’t think it would go well.” Stan swallowed. “All right, ya can go back to denyin’ now. I have to go run a few errands, and you have some chores.”

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Stan headed for the barn. As he approached, Angie emerged from it. She caught sight of him and waved. Stan’s heart did yet another backflip upon seeing her. She came over to him.

“Were ya in the woods with my pa?” she asked.

“Yeah. Don’t worry, he didn’t try to hunt me or anything. He just wanted to talk.”

“What were you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“How you’re actually a long-lost elven princess,” Stan said casually. Angie gasped and punched his shoulder. “Nah, it was just weird stuff where he called me ‘son’ a lot and wanted to know about my family.”

“He called ya ‘son’, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Sounds to me like he was askin’ ‘bout yer fam’ly ‘cause he considers ya part of ours.” Angie winked. “Good luck with that.” Stan grinned confidently.

“I think I can handle your family. I mean, I handle you all right,” he said. Angie threw her head back and laughed.

“I’ll let ya continue to think that.”

#hhhhhh I love writing Stan simping for Angie and vice versa. just love me some Stangie #btw no clue when I'll write the finale for this story arc #hopefully during my days off for Thanksgiving next week #Stangie #Stanley Pines #Angie McGucket #Lute McGucket #Pa McGucket #McGucket Family #DnD AU #ficlet #my writing #my stuff #speecher speaks

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imaginejamesandsirius · 4 years

Note

Maybe James and sirius adopting a kid and being all cute and protective..

((A/N: Mentions of past abuse for both Harry and Sirius, and a discussion of bullying and racism here at the beginning))

"Hey Haz, how was school?" James asked. It wasn't a completely innocent question because Harry had been having trouble recently, but he hoped his tone was light enough that Harry wouldn't feel like he was interrogating him.

"Fine," he muttered, in that way that always meant it hadn't been fine.

James looked up from the essay he'd been reading. If it were Sirius, he'd ask if Sirius wanted to talk about it. If he said yes, they'd start talking, and if he said no, that meant they'd talk about it later. But Harry had been neglected before he came to live with them, and letting him have time alone when he was upset didn't feel the same that it would have to another teenager. Watching what he said around Harry was different than watching what he said around Sirius. He and Sirius had been figuring out what bothered Sirius at the same time, when they were both teenagers. It was a whole different playing field now that he was an adult and it felt like Harry was still a kid. Seriously, hadn't he just been ten yesterday? And now, somehow, he was fifteen and dealing with shite that James had never had to deal with. James swallowed, trying to think of the best way to phrase this. "Was something bothering you?"

Harry clenched his jaw and stared at the floor moodily.

Wow, James really didn't miss his teenage days. He'd been a pretty happy guy, and even he'd been fucking miserable compared to being an adult. "Was someone bothering you?" He might be way off base, but he remembered getting shit for being Indian at the prep school where pretty much everyone else was generationally British and pasty skinned.

"It's no big deal," Harry muttered. "I can handle it." He shifted his bag on his shoulder then shuffled off to his room.

James set the papers to the side and wondered when Sirius would be home; he was always better at dealing with these issues when they came up. He blew out a breath and rubbed a hand through his hair. If he wanted to be a decent father, he was going to have to have these talks without Sirius doing everything for him all the time. He pushed himself up and walked to Harry's room. "Hey," James said, leaning against the door frame. He didn't want to invite himself into Harry's room without permission-- Sirius had made sure to tell him about respecting private space because it had never been an issue when it was just them. "I- erm. I don't want to pester you, but I also don't want you to think that I don't care. I know it's been bad at school, but I can't help unless you tell me what it is."

"I said I can handle it."

"Taking people's shit because you think you can stand it isn't the same as being able to handle it. Or- maybe it is, but I don't think you should have to."

For a minute, he thought Harry wasn't going to answer. "She said you're not my real dad," he said quietly, like he was ashamed of what this other girl said to him.

"Well I mean, I'm not your birth father, and that means a lot to some people."

"Sirius only puts up with me," he said, wiping at his face in a way that meant he was starting to cry but didn't want anyone to notice.

"Sirius loves you," James corrected. "He was the one that saw you first. He told me I should meet you because you were amazing, and he was right." Tentatively, he took a step inside, walking over to Harry and putting a hand on his shoulder. When Harry leaned into it, James put his arm all the way around him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "We can switch schools if that's what you want."

Harry shook his head but leaned into James's side. "She was in a bad mood, it'll be fine."

"Okay," James said slowly, wondering how he was going to broach this next part. Bugger, he'd never been able to manage subtlety. "I. Erm. I'm concerned that people are bullying you. And that you're not telling anyone because you think it doesn't matter." Because at Harry's old school, his cousin had encouraged that behaviour in the other students. No one could be Harry's friend back then even if they wanted to, and James remembered what it was like to be in school; Harry looked different and he didn't dress right and he didn't care to try and be like everyone else. That meant people were going to notice, and they weren't going to keep their feelings about it to themselves. "I- I don't like bringing this up because you probably don't want to think about it, but if that's happening, I would really like it if you told me."

"It's not- no one's beating me up or anything. It's not like that."

"Glad to hear it, but that doesn't mean they aren't bullying you."

"I'm not weak."

James swallowed. "You remind me so much of Sirius. I love both of you, but that's also pretty scary. His parents... they were abusing him, and he never said anything because he didn't think it was bad enough. I would really like to not wait until we get to that point with you. Being a teenager isn't the greatest, but I also don't want for you to look back on this time and only be able to think about how much you hated everything."

Harry kind of broke down crying, and James couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

In other news, Sirius went down to Harry's school-- soon to be his old school-- to get some record or summat that they needed to transfer him, and they tried to convince him to change his mind. Sirius ended up yelling at a few people, which wasn't really anything new. They almost called the police on him, which also wasn't anything new.

Harry thought it was hilarious.

"Nobody told me being a parent was so bloody stressful," Sirius mumbled, his face smushed against James's chest.

"No offense, love, but what did you expect?"

"Your parents never seemed that stressed."

James snickered. "I brought home my boyfriend when I was sixteen and asked if he could live with us. Believe me, they were stressed about it, even if they never let us know about it."

"Not to mention that one year you had detention literally every day."

"Yeah... they weren't too thrilled with that. Let's just be happy that Harry isn't more like us."

Sirius groaned loudly.

"He only got in trouble once," James said, and he was kind of surprised that, yeah, it had only been the one time.

"And that was defending his friend so it barely counts. I can't believe he has a bloody boyfriend that he never told us about."

"He told us about him tonight; that was the whole point."

"Sod off," Sirius said, shoving weakly at James's head. "I want to whinge, and I can't do that if you're being reasonable."

James yawned widely, then threw his glasses at the night stand. They skid across the surface and fell to the ground. He was going to regret that in the morning, when he couldn't remember what had happened to them. "Don't let me stop you. Go right ahead."

"He said he's planning on living with him when he goes to uni. He's way too young for that."

"Mhm," James said, even though him and Sirius had done the same thing when they moved out of Mum and Dad's house. Technically, with Sirius moving in with him and his parents before they'd graduated, they had done it younger than Harry.

"He's going to get his heart broken. Harry's too good of a person to deserve that."

For most people, getting your heart broken at least once was expected. James hadn't had to deal with that because he'd fancied Lily, gotten over it, then immediately fallen head first for Sirius. The closest Sirius had gotten to heartbreak was when he thought James was going to marry Lily and they were going to have five kids together-- never mind that Lily had loudly and repeatedly stated that she didn't like children and later come out as a lesbian. But James had agreed to let Sirius whinge, so he hummed again.

"I take it back, you're no fun like this."

"'m tired."

"Big baby."

"Says the man curled up on top of me."

"I'm only half on top of you," Sirius said.

"Much better. Listen love, if Harry is going to get his heart broken by this Draco bloke, the best thing we can do is be there for him. By which I mean that I don't want for you to freak him out with another sex talk."

"The first sex talk went fine, you arse."

"Uh-huh." It had, actually, but admitting that was less funny. James yawned again, snuggling a little closer to Sirius.

James started to drift off, but he was still aware enough to hear when Sirius whispered, "I can't believe he's moving out soon. It feels like he barely moved in."

"Yeah, I know." James kissed his head. "He's not leaving us forever, just cause he's moving out."

"It won't be the same."

All James could do was hold him tighter.

#prongsfoot #fanfic #harry potter #james potter #sirius black #filled #no magic au #established relationship #married #raising harry #post hogwarts #siriuslystarbucks #Anonymous

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luci-in-trenchcoats · 4 years

Text

Love Her (Part 8)

Summary: Dean and the reader are recovering at home when they start to look over the paperwork for her to leave the system. Dean has a strange feeling though and when Sam takes a look, more than a few bombshells are dropped and the reader learns Dean’s still haunts him deeply...

Masterlist

Pairing: Doctor!Dean x foster daughter!reader

Word Count: 3,400ish

Warnings: language, mentions of death/fire, so much angst

______

“Y/N,” said Ana, rushing into your room early the next morning. You took a deep breath and rubbed your face in the dark room. “Nightmare?”

“Yeah,” you said, laying back down, staring at the ceiling. “What time is it?”

“About seven thirty. Why don’t you go back to sleep? Dean’s still passed out in bed,” she said.

“Are the twins up?” you asked.

“They’re finishing breakfast and then I’ll drop them off. You need something? You want some water?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” you said, rolling to your side, back to her. You felt the bed dip and you sighed. “I’m not in the mood for a talk.”

“You know, everyone in this house has nightmares. Everyone here has some kind of trauma. It sucks but those are the cards we all got dealt. But somehow we all wound up together.”

“Your point?” you asked.

“You have three people you trust. Rae and Ryan you know would never hurt you. Dean, you trust him to protect you, even if you’re not willing to admit it to yourself yet. I understand that I’ll have to earn it with you. But give me a little to work with,” she said.

“I don’t have much faith in people anymore,” you said.

“Yeah. I didn’t used to either. Then I met my husband Dan and he reminded me that there are good people out there. He died four years ago. Dean was…” she trailed off. You looked back over your shoulder at her.

“What?”

“He’s just a good man. He’ll put you three kids before the world,” she said. “I know how much he’s done for me. I hope you can put everything that happened behind the two of you and just be family.”

“Do you take care of him?” you asked. She nodded. “Good. I know there’s other things that happened to him. He deserves to be taken care of too.”

“I know you were eavesdropping the other night. Well, I figured it out eventually but those other things Dean and I might have discussed, let him bring them up,” she said.

“He and his dad used to fight a lot, right?” you asked.

“I’ll just say, you kids, and especially the fact that you are back, have helped him heal more than anything,” she said.

“Ana,” you said. “I do like you. Be patient with me is all.”

“Y/N, I will be as patient as you need me to be,” she said, giving you a smile. “Don’t worry about me. Focus on you. I’m sure we can get to the point of doing our hair and gossiping and eating too much cheese and chocolate in our sweatpants. You two hang out and recover for now, okay?”

“Mhm,” you said.

“Alright. Head back to sleep for me. You need it.”

“Alright, you’re doing better,” said Dean after lunch, putting his flashlight away after checking your concussion again.

“You are such a worrier,” you said as you finished off the last of your ice tea.

“You took a hit that would have landed me on my ass. I’m just a tad concerned,” he said.

“Hey, when I’m all better, can I box again?” you asked.

“Yeah. I missed doing that with you,” he said. “I’m guessing you never kept up with it then.”

“No. I didn’t want to,” you said with a shrug. “Just did school and read a lot. Anything happen around here I don’t know about?”

“I don’t think so. Ryan and Rae play soccer. They’re advanced readers in school which is pretty awesome. Sam got a girlfriend, Eileen. I asked him to hold off on introducing you guys yet. I thought it was a lot of new at once,” said Dean.

“Thanks,” you said. The doorbell rang and you both turned your heads, Dean frowning. He walked over and you followed, Dean opening it to reveal Paula standing there.

“Dean,” she said, stepping inside.

“Paula. Your unannounced visits don’t have the best track record with us,” said Dean, narrowing his eyes at her.

“This is a routine conversation I have with any foster that turns eighteen,” she said. “May I?”

Dean waved his hands and she walked over to the living room, taking a seat on the couch as you crossed your arms in the chair, Dean walking over and standing behind you.

“Well you two look chipper today, don’t you,” she said.

“Whatever you’re talking about, she ain’t leaving,” said Dean.

“Y/N,” said Paula, opening up her bag and ignoring him. “I know your original intention was to stay in foster care as long as you were able to. However, this leaves you in the system technically and given your desire to stay with Dean, I’d recommend you leave the service. As you’re eighteen, you don’t have to have the requirements such as a home or income or-”

“Give me whatever I have to sign. I want out,” you said.

“I figured you’d want that,” she said, sliding over some papers. Dean picked them up off the coffee table. “Your signature isn’t required.”

“I want Sam to read these over first,” said Dean.

“It’s all perfectly standard,” she said.

“Paula. I’m having a lawyer look at these before Y/N signs anything,” he said.

“Fine,” she said. “Call my office when she’s ready.”

Paula left without another word and Dean frowned.

“That was weird,” you said.

“You ever get a bad feeling about her?” Dean asked you.

“She’s not my favorite person in the world but I guess I don’t really know. Why?” you asked.

“She was always telling me not to contact you and not to tell you about your dad’s custody terms. The stuff with Rae and Ryan getting ripped apart shouldn’t have been that much of a possibility if she was willing to fight it. I always had this weird feeling about her after she took you away that night,” he said. “Even like with the doctor’s office thing. It all seemed odd to me.”

“Maybe you’re just worried,” you said.

“I hope so. We’ll have Sam look at this just to be sure.”

“Y/N, you didn’t sign anything, correct?” asked Sam in Dean’s office that night.

“No,” you said, giving him a look. “Why?”

“There’s a clause in here, a sneaky little one that would block all future adoption attempts, even as an adult. You could always fight back but it would likely take years if you’d...Dean,” said Sam, getting up when Dean left the room.

“I’m gonna kill her,” said Dean when you both caught up with him in the foyer, Sam grabbing his arm but Dean shrugged away and started pacing. “I’m gonna kill the bitch, I swear...she stole Y/N from me, from us.”

“We don’t know-”

“She stole her!” said Dean, fuming as Ana came out from their room and into the foyer. “She along with that asshole murdering convict hurt my kid.”

“Dean-”

“My daughter, Sam! For what? So the sick bastard could keep her? No, he wants to control her. I’d kill him too if I could get to him but I’ll settle for-”

“Dean,” said Ana, looking at you. “Calm down.”

Dean stared at her and laughed, throwing his hands up. You looked to Sam who was shaking his head.

“Last time I calmed down, my brother died,” said Dean, his face hard but you all heard the light waiver to his voice.

“Brother?” you asked. Dean closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“We had a half brother,” said Sam quietly. “Dad…”

“Dad snuck out on mom once when we were kids. He got some other woman pregnant. No one knew until this other woman got cancer and died and here’s five year old Adam coming to live with us,” said Dean.

“That’s why you fought with your dad,” you said, Dean nodding.

“Couldn’t even wrap it up when he had to cheat. But mom was a saint through it all and by then, they’d worked their crap out so Adam became our brother. I was so angry with dad, we didn’t speak a whole lot for a few years. When I was twenty, us boys went camping. Adam was only eight at the time,” said Dean, swallowing hard. He opened his mouth to speak but you saw him hesitate.

“We got lost and we ended up getting separated,” said Sam. “I broke an arm, Dean dislocated his shoulder and Adam…”

“Adam fell,” said Dean. “And he got hurt and he didn’t wake up.”

Dean bit his bottom lip and looked away, putting his back to you when you saw him shudder.

“Things got bad,” said Sam.

“Dad thought I did it on purpose,” said Dean, his voice high and cracking a bit. You figured he was crying, even if you couldn’t see. “He was my little brother. I got one killed and nearly got Sam killed too.”

“Dean kind of stopped talking to us after he and dad had their blowout. I got a phone call every once in a while but that was it. It wasn’t until Joanna had her accident that everyone made up again,” said Sam.

“You’re forgetting the part where dad thought I did it as payback because he got you out of the house first when it caught on fire when Sam was a baby,” said Dean. “I was fucking four and he thought…”

The house was quiet aside from Dean crying into Ana’s shoulder, her arms wrapped around him.

“He’s wrong,” you said, Dean wiping off his face before he looked back at you. “Your dad was wrong. I think he was angry and took it out on you. I’m sorry. I don’t think he thinks that anymore but he was wrong to ever say that. You’re kind and understanding and you care about people. You didn’t deserve any of those bad things to happen to you, no one in this room did. Everyone’s got their own fucked up shit to deal with and you could have forgotten about me. But you didn’t. You protect me and you make sure I’m safe and I know it’s okay to be a complete mess because you’re always there for me and I think your dad should realize that you’re the kind of parent every kid needs. I need you.”

He gave you a smile, one you remembered seeing when Ryan called him dad for the first time. You weren’t ready for that but for the first time since your mom had died, you knew it in your core that someone loved you unconditionally.

“So listen to Ana and just take a breather. It’s okay. I’m okay. We’ll talk to the office and get it all worked out,” you said. He nodded and Ana took him by his arm back to their room, Sam looking down at you.

“Let’s make her life hell,” said Sam. You blinked slowly at him. “She fucked with you, she fucked with all of us. She’s gonna pay for that.”

“Is he okay?” you asked.

“No,” said Sam. “No, he’s not. He doesn’t talk about Adam. It’s too raw for him. But what you said meant the world to him. He will be eventually. I can guarantee he’s going to be holding onto what you said while he rides through this one though.”

“Can you stay over tonight?” you asked.

“Yeah. I wasn’t really planning on going anywhere, kiddo,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks, Sam,” you said, giving him a hug.

“We have to talk some more about this stuff so I can start to work a timeline. You okay to do that now or do you want to wait until tomorrow?” he asked.

“Maybe tomorrow. I’m not in the mood right now,” you said.

“Alright. I’m not much either,” he said. “Why don’t you take a hot shower and call it an early night? I’ll be up in the guest room if you need me.”

After your shower, you lay in bed for awhile, watching the clock tick by until it was after eleven. You got out of bed and wandered down to Dean’s room. The door was open a crack and you caught Ana’s face, getting a wave inside from her. Dean was passed out beside her with his head buried in her side, her hand in his hair.

“You guys okay?” you whispered. She nodded and smiled.

“He’ll be okay. I’m going to stay home tomorrow. You?” she said back.

“I’m okay,” you said, giving her a smile. “I just wanted to check.”

You turned around and left, just out of their side of the house when you felt arms wrap around you.

“S’not your job to worry about me, sweetheart,” said Dean quietly.

“We’re family. It’s always my job,” you said. You felt a half-laugh, half shaky breath against your back. He kissed the top of your head and gave you a big hug.

“Thank you for checking on me,” he said. “Now go to bed for me unless you need me for something.”

“I’m okay, Dean,” you said.

“You sure? That was some pretty big news we found out tonight about Paula,” he said.

“I’m more concerned with you,” you said.

“I’m okay. I will be,” he said. “I never wanted to tell you like that. It’s not something I talk about really.”

“It’s okay. I cry too,” you said.

“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he said. “Go on now. Bedtime.”

He dropped his arms away and you headed down the hall, spinning back around quickly. He was already gone though and you went back to your room, climbing under the covers.

“Good morning,” you said when Ana and Dean walked into the kitchen. “Sam took the twins to school and I helped make breakfast.”

“You didn’t have to do that, sweetheart,” said Dean as he went past and ruffled your head.

“Sam did most of it,” you said as Ana grabbed herself a few plates for her and Dean.

“Well thank you sweetheart,” he said, taking a seat at the counter.

“He looks better,” you said quietly as you got him some coffee.

“He is. Mostly. Still upset about the whole Paula situation for the most part,” said Ana.

“I know you two are talking about me,” said Dean.

“Periods, babe,” she said as she spun around.

“Oh,” he said, Ana smirking when her back was to him. “I mean...is something wrong? I’m a doctor and a big boy. You guys can talk about that in front of me.”

“Yes, we were talking about you,” laughed Ana. “Take the hint next time, De.”

“I was buying tampons for her before you,” said Dean.

“I didn’t realize you were an expert,” said Ana. “You guys go bra shopping too?”

“He hid outside the store,” you said.

“Listen, that I have no medical expertise on,” said Dean.

“He tried,” you said with a smile, setting his coffee down in front of him.

“Yeah, I tried,” he said, curling an arm around you waist as he took a sip, giving you a side hug.

“Dean,” said Ana, sliding a plate of food over to him. “Eat some food.”

He released you and you walked around to sit up on the kitchen island, your own coffee in your hands as you watched them eat.

“Are you two gonna stare at me all day?” he said with a mouthful of eggs.

“You got hedgehog hair,” you said, staring at him as he chewed slowly.

“Rabbit,” he said.

“How is that even a tease?” you asked.

“You both look like hedgehogs,” mumbled Ana.

“You’re one to speak,” said Dean.

“I better be a cute hedgehog,” she said. “Wait, I thought I was a fox.”

“Cause you got red hair and foxes are cute but you know, it could kill you if it wanted to,” said Dean.

“I’m okay with a fox,” she said. “You know foxes come in more than just red. Y/N could be a baby fox.”

“I ain’t a baby fox,” you said.

“That’s right, she’s a baby wolf,” said Dean.

“Why am I baby? I am quite literally an adult now,” you said. They looked at one another and then back at you.

“Baby,” they both said, breaking into smiles.

“I’m not a baby!” you said.

“You’re cute like a baby,” said Ana.

“Come on, baby wolf. Still badass,” said Dean.

“Can I at least be like, teenage wolf?” you asked.

“Baby wolf. You don’t get to pick your own animal kid,” said Dean.

“At least I’m not a baby sloth,” you said.

“Ryan’s a goat,” said Ana.

“Naturally,” you said with a laugh. “He still loves his goats?”

“Oh yeah. I think we’ve gone to the fall festival like every weekend so far this year,” said Dean. “What did we pick for Rae? Crocodile?”

“Yeah. She bit a boy at the park,” said Ana as she ate.

“I was proud but had to pretend to be mad,” said Dean. “Some kid was bullying her so she showed him who’s boss.”

“A bully?” you asked.

“I mean, it wasn’t too long after you left. She and Ry were complaining to another kid that they missed you and the kid started to make fun of them and Ryan started crying and he ran over to me and I just saw Rae bite this kids arm and yeah, our baby of the family is a scrapper apparently,” he said.

“She’s tough,” you said.

“I always thought Ryan was the hard one until you left,” said Dean. “Turns out they’re both hard.”

“Do you still read to them?” you asked. Ana smiled and took a sip of her coffee, glancing at Dean.

“No, not so much anymore. They like to read on their own. They’re both very good. They’re always coming home with books from school,” he said.

“Dean says you’re a big reader,” said Ana.

“The foster kid normally doesn’t get to pick what to watch on TV. Books are free from the library,” you said.

“You want a TV for your room?” asked Dean.

“You don’t have to,” you said.

“We’ll get you one. Unless you’re a fan of constant cartoons,” said Dean. You nodded and they returned to eating, Ana eyeing Dean every so often.

“Yes, honey?” he asked.

“If I leave you two alone to run to the grocery store for an hour are you good with that?” she asked.

“Mhm,” he hummed.

“We’ll be okay,” you said.

“Alright. I’ll try not to be too long,” she said.

Fifteen minutes later the house was quiet and you’d gotten dressed, in a pair of leggings and a baggy shirt, wandering down to Dean’s room to find him lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

“Hi,” you said.

“Hey.”

You climbed on top next to him, rolling onto your side.

“How’s the cheek today, sweetheart?”

“Okay,” you said. “Are you okay?”

He turned his head and shook it.

“Not really. Go get your jacket,” he said. “I want to go somewhere.”

_____

A/N: Read Part 9 here!

#spn #supernatural #dean x foster daughter!reader #series #au #dean winchester

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capricornus-rex · 4 years

Text

A Legacy Begun (11 - End)

Chapter 11: The Spark of Hope | Cal Kestis x Reader

Summary: After a long time of running and fighting, you and Cal decided to finally settle down after all these years to raise a family. However, it was never a life of peace whilst the shadow of the Empire looms over your heads.

Prompt/s in play: Anon prompt (found in Chapter 1 link) + fic idea

A/N: Wow, I’m a day overdue on this. I was supposed to work on this a day ago until I had a yard accident. Don’t worry, nothing’s broken, but something’s... wiggling. Hopefully, I’ll be okay in a few weeks... hopefully. Sorry for the delay, you guys.

Also posted in AO3

Tags: Scruffy! Cal Kestis, Daddy! Cal Kestis, Adult! Cal Kestis, Jedi Family, Jedi Offspring, Force-Sensitive Offspring, Settling Down, Rebel Alliance

Chapters: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 | Previous: Part 10 | Masterlist

11 of 11

The Kestis family and the Mantis crew eventually decided to join this alliance with the objective of stopping the Empire at all costs. They took up the offer a month after Mari Kosan had personally approached them.

For young Cassidy, it was a big adjustment, having to leave the home she knew back in Zera III and begin to live in a new home. The child had mixed feelings about it, she had sensed the uneasiness of her parents when they prepared for their departure that day.

“I never saw a planet that red before,” she gasped, gawking at Yavin’s main planet that they passed by as they approached the moon’s atmosphere.

When the Mantis had cut through the skies and had full view of the forests that covered the land mass. All of a sudden, little Cassidy didn’t feel a bit homesick anymore.

“It’s… almost like home,” she softly uttered, the treelines reminded her of the wide, green dells of Zera.

Greez prepared the Mantis to land near the open area in front of the sandstone structure. Upon closer look, it would’ve been a temple when it was still in its prime. The entire family was greeted by Mari Kosan, who went out of her way to meet with them as soon as she saw that familiar ship flying into their radar.

The bustle of the temple-turned-base of operations fascinated the young Jedi. Never has she ever seen a different kind of ship besides the Mantis, she had to step back while keeping her head titled up—emphasizing the gargantuan size of the fighter ships.

The new feeling was a two-way road: for the adults working in the base, it was new for them to see a kid running around—understandably so, it was someone’s daughter. As for Cassidy, she wasn’t used to this much people in a single place, she felt small and therefore found more solace with her family.

“This place is so much bigger than our house, Mom!” she exclaimed.

“Well, it is a base after all, darling,”

“Did they build that too?” she points to the pyramid.

“No, it looked like it’s been there way before they even came here,”

Much like her lifestyle in Zera III, Cassidy found herself a spot where she can practice her saber techniques in peace without being in the way of the adults working in the base. It’s no surprise that her spot was another clearing in the forest, little did she know that she was in full view of the scouts in the watchtowers but they didn’t mind her that much, it was also only a few meters away from the base so she can find her way back on her own.

Her parents eventually found her spot, thanks to a watchtower scout, and they continued their training—almost as if nothing happened. Over time, her skills improved and she was able to spar with her parents—something that she has been secretly dreaming even before she had her own saber constructed.

“You’re catching up real quick!” Cal encouraged.

“Well, I’ve been practicing all week, Dad!”

“Don’t get cocky then, Cassy!”

Cassidy’s combat techniques had evolved from sticking to only Form I: Shii-Cho to being a practitioner of Form III: Soresu, occasionally making a medley out of the first four forms if the situation arises. It was a blatant contrast to her father’s combined forms—which were technically powerful, swift, nearly-brutish in terms of movement, and is highly likely to be overwhelming for an unskilled opponent.

You observed that Cassidy was more in the offensive and Cal was being defensive in his stances. He surely didn’t go easy on sparring against his daughter.

“You confuse your confidence with arrogance, keep yourself grounded—literally and figuratively!” Cal lectured as he proceeded to lunge at her, to which she barely dodged by a hair. “Celebrating too early will cloud your judgment. You may think you’re winning—but you’re getting closer to loss.”

From that, Cassidy became more conservative with her attacks, timing for the right window of opportunity to get a jab at Cal, he disarmed her when he made a flurry of combos against her to the point that the grip on her saber had weakened and led her scuttling on the dust. The tip of his lightsaber hovered mere inches away from the front of her face.

“Well, Cassidy?”

This isn’t how Cassidy pictured herself in today’s instruction. While she had her father thinking that she’s submitted to the ground, she mustered her energy in her hands and Force-pushed her father away. It wasn’t a strong push, but enough to stagger him away from her so she can reach for her saber.

Igniting it the second the weapon reunites with her hand, she lunged for an overhead strike to which Cal flimsily deflected while trying to regain her footing.

“Impressive,” he commented as the colors of their blades mixed in the tight space between them. Cassidy pulled away before she could let the weight of her father overcome her in the block. “Most impressive.”

Cal switched his saber off, signaling the end of today’s session. Cassidy made a celebratory spin of her saber before turning it off.

“You’re learning everyday,” you added.

“There are just some parts that I can’t get right,”

“You’ll have plenty of time to work on that, sweetie. Come on, it’s time for lunch, Greez is making your favorite,”

“Alright!!”

Cassidy raced out of the forest, forgetting to wait for her parents and simply dashed towards the Mantis. You and Cal exchange insights on your daughter from today’s session.

“She’s becoming more and more skillful. She really is a born fast learner,”

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t think she’d do a Force-push on me. That was quite creative of her,”

Cal insisted that his daughter had inherited tactfulness and adaptiveness from you.

“Yes well, she got that tinge of recklessness from you,” you rebutted, half-jokingly.

The two of you walked out of the clearing and followed Cassidy to the Mantis. Apparently, she was waiting for you by the entry ramp, when she had caught sight of her parents she disappeared into the ship, probably helping out set the table inside.

“If there’s one thing Cassidy is weak for—it’s fried Nuna legs,” Cal quipped, nothing but a chuckle from you became his reply.

The first few months have been peaceful, yet there was always the looming fear that war will come here and ravage the moon. Your only comfort being you’ll be fighting with good people and in numbers.

—–

0 BBY, IN THE TIMELINE OF “A NEW HOPE”

In the midst of the committee, he was held in high regard, looked upon with great esteem, they turned to him whenever the subject matter felt like his insight was crucial. He was a constant figure among the meeting rooms in the base. They didn’t look down on him due to his second origin of being a scrapper, as a matter of fact, he had the same knowledge as their engineers.

“Master Kestis,” a voice, faceless among the crowd in the meeting room. He had insisted everyone to simply call him by his first name, but out of force of habit, they end up addressing him as Master.

When he knew that it was hopeless for him to correct them, he turned to that voice in the room that addressed him. His glance prompted them to continue.

“Do you think it’s plausible to have a far-range receiver to pick up the Empire’s signal?”

A brief pause allowed him to think. He returned his attention to the holograph where they had gathered.

“Well, the concept is similar to something I’ve designed for our previous home. But to make its range farther—for instance, from the surface to off-planet—we’re gonna have to need a stronger satellite, calibrate it with an open channel frequency, and once we test it, we can figure out how far our dummy ship’s signal can be picked up once it’s out of the moon. The farther, the better—it means that we can pick up the Empire in our radar before they even realize it.”

“It’s an ambitious design, but not impossible,” Gial Ackbar, the Mon Calamari admiral, interjects. “It’s sure to help us buy time when the need to evacuate comes.”

“We’ll see what we can do in the drawing board,” the head engineer added, stroking his grey-white beard as if he’s come up with an idea to add up to Cal’s concept. “I think we can do that on one of the prototype transponders we have to communicate with the pilots from their ships once they’re off the planet.”

“That could work, I’d like to see it some time, if you don’t mind, Head Engineer,”

“My boy, it will be a delight if you stop by!” the old head engineer chuckled, tucking his hands into the pockets of his long, white coat.

The meeting was adjourned after a few more discussions varying between the Empire and the base’s own resources. Everyone else dispersed in the meeting room and Cal was one of the first people to leave the room, trading curt nods at fellow rebels as he passed by the hallways.

Cal wore many hats and served them one by one—sometimes even juggling two at a time. But past the formalities, the conferences, and the ceaseless interaction with the diplomats, he always returns to the one role he has been taking on for eleven years.

“Dad! Watch me train with Mom!” Cassidy comes running up to her dad in the hangar and he catches her in his arms.

“I wouldn’t miss it, sweetie,”

“Then we’ll spar, right?”

“You betcha!”

Father and daughter appear into the forest clearing where you had been waiting for the two of them. Cassidy slipped her hand away from her dad, Cal gently holds you by the cheek and pulls you in for a kiss.

“Darling, you’re back,”

“I missed you,”

“It was only for an hour or two,”

“Yeah well, meetings aren’t really my thing,” the bridge of his nose crumpled, playfully making a grimace as he stretches his arms upward and wraps one of them around your shoulder. “This is a bit more of my thing.”

Bemused, you rolled your eyes and found his hand on your shoulder, “Which one—today’s instruction or me?”

He inched close and grinned, the tips of your noses brushing against one another, “Both.”

His lips pecked yours, but he doesn’t plan to let go of you any moment soon.

Now at eleven years old, Cassidy continued to prove her potential as a Jedi.

The child was lithe and nimble, using them to her advantage whether in combat or traversing the terrain of the obstacle course that her parents had built together. Her strategical skills were put into good use in that training course.

Her liveliness in combat was balanced out in using the Force and meditating, courtesy of you, no less.

“You’re getting better at the fighting,” you initiated, eventually slipping away from Cal’s arm. “But let’s see how you’ll fare without your weapon.”

Using the Force, you spirited away the saber from Cassidy’s small hand. She didn’t have time to react on it and realize that you’re stealing away her saber.

“Oh, don’t think about pulling the same trick as you did with your dad,”

There was stern tone in your voice, just hearing it made Cassidy’s stomach churn. To reassure her that it was going to be a fair fight, you removed your saber from the designated hook on your belt and joined it with Cassidy’s atop a rock’s flat surface.

“There will come a time that you’ll be robbed of your weapon—mostly by your enemies. And when that happens, you’re essentially bare—but don’t let that deter you. The weapon you have next to your saber is yourself. Now then…”

It occurred to her that she had to wield only the Force and engage in hand-to-hand combat against you. You seldom engage in any form of combat with Cassidy—because that was more of Cal’s work—but it was only this one time where she saw you throwing fists and delivering kicks. She’s seen you fight with a lightsaber, but rarely with your bare hands.

Your own daughter was surprised to face her mother—who was barely angry or aggressive, always sweet and doting—not once did Cassidy ever imagine you challenging her. Then again, you were a Jedi, she knew that you would eventually.

She tucked her knees down, placing herself in a stance with her fists in front of her.

“Good form. Now, see if you can attack me,”

Cassidy resumed to being the one who always engages in the offensive first. Springing her heels toward you, she attempted to pull a punch—in the blink of an eye, the whole of your palm stopped the impact on wherever she was planning to hit you.

You pushed her away, deflecting her blow, and she restarted her stance. For every punch she threw, she was denied of landing it; in perfect balance, you bent down level to her waist and your leg literally swept her off of her feet.

“Throwing punches may feel thrilling, but if you’re going to be reckless like that first moment, it’s not going to work,”

“I’ll try again,” she declared, steeling her mental willpower and her demeanor.

Going back to your stance was your reply, you anticipated her attacks. This time, she opted to start with a kick and your forearm shielded you from the tip of her boot. When you swung her foot back to the ground, she hooked her left fist towards your cheek—a bold move, you thought, but it was nothing as you repeated the same deflection as the first time. Cassidy took you by surprise when she flung a kick against your side when you were busy blocking her punch with your arm.

You staggered at the impact, you dented the earth with your boots as you skidded and reset your footing to face her in the other direction. A small smirk curled along your lips—that meant that she’s impressed you with her last-minute tactic—and the fistfight continued.

“Good!” you exerted. “Keep making use of your advantages, Cassidy!”

Cassidy allowed the adrenaline to flow within her, dictate her movements, and be able to analyze the situation faster before you could retaliate. Punches and kicks land between mother and daughter. Flinging and trading fists, making sure that it doesn’t only cut through the wind.

Eventually, your eleven-year-old secured her win on this round when she delivered a kick on your knee and then to your abdomen. When the adrenaline had died down in her system, Cassidy’s clenched teeth loosened and the tension in her shoulders relaxed. She darted towards her mother’s side, assisting you to get back up on your feet.

“Oh… Oh no, Mom! Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine, sweetie,” you grunted, managing a reassuring chuckle and taking her hand, you repeated. “It’s fine.”

“I’m so sorry, I… I don’t know what gotten into me,”

“A little adrenaline couldn’t hurt, Cassy,” you tussled her hair. You exhaled away the aches that her hits have delivered.

The arrival of a Corellian freighter called your attention, catching a glimpse of it on the trees’ canopy. The intrigued youngling darted out of the clearing to find it landing right in front of the base, opposite of where the Mantis idled.

“Wow, that’s a big piece of junk,”

“Now Cassidy, be nice,” Cal lightly scolded.

“Oh come on, Dad, you think so too, right?”

He sighed, bobbing his head left and right, “Okay, it’s not the best piece of work, really.”

“Knew it!” the child chuckled.

From afar, you spot the Princess exiting the ship, flanked by a pair of men, a Wookiee, a gold protocol droid, and a blue-and-white astromech.

“Well, it seems Her Highness has gotten herself stuck with an interesting band of misfits,” you commented within Cal’s earshot.

“Quite an interesting rescue team if you ask me,”

The family approached the group, appearing out of the clearing to greet the princess with the greatest esteem.

“Ah, Your Highness, this is Master and Lady Kestis,” the soldier introduces.

“Your Majesty,” husband and wife greeted and bowed in unison, to which the Princess immediately dismissed.

“Oh come now, there’s no need for formalities,” she beamed a smile with lips as red as roses.

Cassidy was still a tad shy towards newcomers, she hid behind Cal’s hip as she gazed at the mismatched group of misfits; she was mostly interested with the Wookiee and how tall it stood over everyone else, when the brown, hairy creature met eyes with her, she was startled and hid her face against her dad’s arm, but the Wookiee tilted his head slightly, mirroring the child’s gesture as she gradually peeked out of her father’s arm. When she sensed that the tall creature was harmless, she flashed a shy but friendly smile and the Wookiee groaned softly.

The same head engineer from Cal’s meeting beckoned him to join them inside the base.

“Lady Kestis, if you don’t mind, we would like to have your company in the council room as well,”

“Of course,” you turned to Cassidy. “Daddy and I will be back, okay? You go play wherever you like.”

“Okay, Mom,”

You kissed her forehead, “I’ll see you later, okay?”

She nodded and you let her free. You and Cal followed the head engineer and the Princess, boarding a cart separate from theirs on the way into the hangar. The Kestis couple sensed the urgency as they strode into the meeting room, while having the meeting, Cassidy had wandered off into the hangar—secretly following the newcomers and caught the eye of the boy with sandy brown hair.

“Hello there,” the nineteen-year-old spoke in a friendly tone and bent to her level. “What’s your name?”

“Cassidy,”

“What a pretty name. Well, Cassidy, I’m Luke! Nice to meet you,” he gladly extended his hand, offering her a handshake. She hesitated for a few seconds but took his hand with hers and they shook on it.

She didn’t notice it, but Luke’s friendly smile unconsciously dissolved as he felt something within the girl. It was similar to a feeling he had not too long ago. Even with his eyes opened, he suddenly reminisced a moment where he had his vision obscured and the sound of the lightsaber buzzing against projectiles rang fresh in his eardrums. He shook away the thought and managed a smile in front of Cassidy as he let go of her hand.

“Did you rescue her? The princess?”

“Yeah, I guess we did,”

“Are the bad guys coming here? Because I have a bad feeling about it,”

“Oh well, would you look at that—just when I thought you were the youngest here, there’s one who beat you to it,” the other man, obviously taller than Luke, cuts in before he could give the boy a chance to reply.

The Wookiee grunted in reply.

“Don’t scare her off, Chewie,” the man blurted.

In reply, the Wookiee raised its voice on the man with the black vest, flailing its arm to emphasize whatever point it was making. While the three bickered, Cassidy turned her head to the freighter they came in with, she reminded herself of her father’s scolding and bit her tongue.

Moments later, all of the pilots started gravitating towards the room where the engineer had summoned them. Although he wasn’t a pilot yet, Luke decided to join in, but he politely excused himself in front of Cassidy before he went with the herd of orange jumpsuits. Amidst that gathering of pilots, Cassidy’s parents were also in that briefing, listening to the head engineer as he points at the blueprint of the plans they’ve recovered while giving instructions.

“So much for that far-range receiver,” Cal mumbled within your earshot.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance in making it,” you comforted as you listened.

“Using proton torpedoes, a precise shot into this small exhaust port found in this trench—it’s an opening so small, its width roughly measures about two meters—will cause a chain reaction into the oscillator, destroying it from the inside,” the head engineer explained.

Murmurs filled the room, heads turning left and right as doubt begins to fill the meeting room. You and Cal glance at the uneasy pilots, their collective inhibition was so loud that neither of you don’t need to sense it—because everyone else in the entire room did.

“That’s impossible!” a faceless voice, lost in the crowd of orange and white, stood out from the whispering.

“Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you all,” the engineer adjourned.

“Are you fighting with them?” that question had been suffocating you for the duration of the briefing.

“No, I don’t think I have the strength to leave my girls here,”

Relief washed over you as you smiled, Cal secretly slipped his hand to yours and intertwined fingers with you. The two of you watched the pilots disperse out of the room, some were confident, some were nervous—but if there was one thing they had in common: they’re ultimately anxious.

Cassidy eventually found Luke donning a starpilot’s jumpsuit. She watched the blue-and-white astromech droid being hoisted by a magnetic crane into the designated port on the exterior of the X-Wing.

“I hope they’ve calibrated and oiled your S-foils well,” Cassidy blurted. “It’s gonna be hard if it’s not fully locked in their attack position.”

“You sure know your starfighters,” Luke smiled, impressed.

“My dad used to be a scrapper, so he knows his stuff. Plus, he helps with the ships too!” Cassidy said proudly.

Luke replied an awkward but friendly laugh as he climbed the ladder onto the cockpit of his X-Wing.

“Hey Luke!”

“Yeah?”

“May the Force be with you!”

“May the Force be with you too, Cassidy!”

You beckoned Cassidy into the far side of the hangar, where the three of you watched all of the X-Wings wheel out of the hangar and take off to the skies—carrying the hope of the entire Rebel Alliance as a first step to battling the Empire.

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