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ratcatcher0325 · 3 years ago

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Nobody’s Fool (Chapter #31)

Here’s Chapter #31. The gang discovers something unexpected about where they’re dining. Penn endures more humiliation.

Previous: Chapter #30

Next: Chapter #32

CW: Adult language, dehumanization, abuse, extreme angst,

Reblogs > Likes. Thank you! ________________________________________

NOBODY’S FOOL

Chapter #31: Table Manners

Word Count: 2288 Read Time: Approx. 18 mins

[Penn’s POV]

Beyond the three imposing figures taking up the majority of my point of view, Travis sat next to the larger of the two wealthy men, Riley next to him, Dani at the opposing head of the table and Eveline perched between her and Sam, seemingly miles away from where I stood. If any of the three men nearest me reached out to crush my skull between their fingers, I doubted any of my friends would be able to intervene in time. I felt very little and very vulnerable all of a sudden.

No sooner did this thought pass through my mind, when a spectral and crooked old finger of the tall man seated at the head of the table appeared before me, I assumed as an offer to shake. I swallowed hard. I had to do my absolute best to impress these two men. I forced a smile, doffing my hat and placing it over my heart as I reached out my palm. Instead of responding in kind, the finger suddenly hooked itself around my back, shoving me forwards. Before I could collapse to my hands and knees, a thumb, bony and unfeeling, collided into the hard surface of my sternum. Within the breadth of a heartbeat, I found myself suspended in the air.

I had to resist every fear filled instinct not to squirm inside his cold and steely grip. As he raised me into the air, he nonchalantly retrieved glasses from inside his suit jacket and perched them on his long, thin nose. His icy blue, watery eyes now magnified like some ugly alien creature through the lenses as he pulled me close to his face. He regarded me like some prize antique, examining my details, feeling my weight in his hand.

He forcefully grabbed my face between two fingers, rotating my head back and forth, as if to check for a full range of motion. I shuddered. His hands felt so bloodless and cold! I wished desperately that one of the humans around me would say something, anything to make this stop. He leaned in to his partner’s side, sharing his view of me with him. The round man leaned in, a sparkle in his eyes, glasses newly perched on the bridge of his wide nose too. “Handsome little creature…” the voice was crackling and dry. My heart pounded in my chest.

Suddenly, I was lowered down, still dangling in the air, as the tall man turned his attention to Travis, addressing him, “So this pet of yours really can perform? It’s not some sleight of hand?” I tried my absolute best to turn over my shoulder enough to see Travis’ reaction, but could barely move at all. I just hung there limply, trapped, silent, scared. There was a pause as Travis seemed to be collecting his thoughts.

“Uh… Um, yes! Yes absolutely! To-to be honest, sir, he’s the most naturally talented musician I’ve ever met, human or otherwise. If… if you want I’m sure he’d be happy to show you, wouldn’t you Penn?” Travis was trying his best to help me out of this icy grip. Thank you, my friend.

“Fascinating… and no that won’t be necessary….” He held me up again, as Sam’s voice filtered in over my right shoulder. I stiffened the moment I heard him speak.

“You see, gentlemen, this pet is a one of a kind goldmine! Just think about the brand new market you’re unlocking here. Something truly original… sensationalism is the new capital nowadays, is it not?” The two old men chuckled gleefully, agreeing. Before Sam could continue, we were interrupted by the arrival of the waitstaff.

I was haphazardly placed back on the table, barely able to keep my footing as I struggled to regain my balance. The dry, papery voice above me addressed the other humans, without giving me a second look. “Ah, yes! You ladies present will have to forgive Jon and I, this is one of our favorite haunts whenever we are in the city… but I promise, the food is still of excellent quality, I highly recommend the lobster myself…” I furrowed my brow, utterly confused as to what he was talking about. Until I saw the waitstaff.

Instead of the expected men and women in white shirts and ties, the humans serving us were…. Well, to put it politely, very scantily clad. All of the servers were women. Hair and makeup excellently done, even for this afternoon crowd. Their bodies were prominently on display, their dresses skin tight and revealing. I swallowed hard, averting my eyes. My low angle point of view did very little to leave things to the imagination. My face flushed.

Oh. We were at a gentleman’s club.

I watched as my friends also shifted uncomfortably. The interior of this place had read more as a restaurant and lounge… not what it evidentially was. One woman, holding a thin wooden case, stepped between the two suits and offered them their choice of premium cigars, while another laid out ashtrays before them. Others still passed menus to the rest of the party. I tried my best to keep my gaze fixed and low.

I heard a gasp over my right shoulder that made me stiffen with fear. Before I could turn and see the source of it, I felt pressure between my shoulder blades and around my neck as I was lifted, past Sam’s right shoulder into the air by one of the, uh, waitresses, hanging by the collar of my shirt. “Oh my god!! Look at you!!! Aren’t you just precious?!?” She squealed, a gleaming white smile radiating down at me. A few of the other women surrounded her, eyes sparkling as they fawned over me.

“Awwww, look at him! Look at how red his widdle face is getting! Are you embarrassed widdle man??” Fingers pinched my cheek. I could hardly breathe. It took all my effort to keep from trembling.

Sam’s voice re-entered the conversation, “Watch out Castro, our charming little ladies man here might just steal your favorite girl!” The men laughed heartily together. After all the thought was adorably preposterous. I felt heat rising in me, anger shaking me to my core. I hated this so fucking much. I hated him.

“Oh, never! Violet loves me, don’t you my darling?” Castro leaned his bony cheek towards the woman who held me, and she leaned in for a kiss. The age difference was appalling. I felt my stomach twist with disgust. This had all been a horrible mistake. “Now, my dears, give us a moment to look over the menu, yes? We’ll call for you when we’re ready…” obediently they put me down and left the room. I rubbed my aching throat and coughed as I struggled to breathe again. When she had lowered me down, she placed me in the undignified position of all fours. I had to awkwardly shuffle back to my feet.

I looked about and found Travis’ eyes. I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged. We should try to see this through, strange and uncomfortable as it was. “You like being loved on by the ladies, little man?” I clenched my jaw. Fuck you, Sam. I wanted so badly to be able to deck him in the face.

Eveline, who had yet to say a single thing, squeezed his arm, “Sam…”

“What, babe? I’m just talking with him, man to man… right, buddy?” He tousled my hair, roughly, smacking me on the side of the head as he did so. Was that on purpose? I was boiling. Careful, keep it together.

Everyone ordered their meal. Sam ordered for me. I grit my teeth. The two wealthy men were well into their cigars by now, the ashtray no more than a few inches from where I was seated. I tried not to show it, but the smoke was stinging my eyes and burning my lungs. I absolutely hated the smell and taste. Especially after all the times I’d been forced to breathe the foul stuff in over the years.

“So, as I was saying, I think producing a standalone album featuring this guy could be a real boon to you and your investors. Have either of you gentlemen heard of ‘The Nemo Effect’?” They exchanged glances, curious. I slumped in my chair. This felt like only a few degrees away from being bought and sold, myself. Had I come all this way to still be a commodity to humans? I clenched my fists. What was I supposed to do but sit there and take it? “Essentially it was this phenomenon where after the children’s movie Finding Nemo premiered, sales of the tropical fish featured in the film sky rocketed. I’m just saying… if you buy some stock in the pet market… the more you invest in this guy, you’ll just be expanding your customer base. Hell, you could even coordinate with breeding companies to produce litters that look just like him! The way I see it, this album blows up enough and every family will want one of these cute little guys of their own!”

I was mortified. Blood boiling. The thought of being directly responsible for more pets being purchased by human families, destined to live miserable, pathetic lives shook me to my core. I fucking hated Sam.

Mr. Finely took a huge puff of his cigar, leaning in, his glasses gleaming in the warm electric light and obscuring his eyes as he stared at me. He could practically see dollar signs as he looked me up and down. “Well, I’m sure you’re aware that the pet market has been staggering lately… what with all those fucking advocacy groups and hippie lobbyists in D.C.—“ just then a waitress handed him a fresh drink.

“Well… I don’t want to speak for Penn but I think the point of all of this… besides him just being an objectively good musician, is to bring awareness, you know? Make people think of pets as more than just toys. Penn’s no different from the rest of us, just… you know, scaled down.” I would have kissed Travis right then if I could reach him.

All three men beside me burst into laughter. “That was a joke, right? You’re joking! You must be! No, no, young man. Social justice and all that bullshit will destroy you. You understand that, yes? Listen, son. I’ve been signing record deals for nigh on forty years and I promise you, if you want to win this game you have to play by the rules. Now, you’re already breaking a few by choosing this… atypical… lead. And being a bit out of the box is fine. That generates interest. It makes people feel like they’re rebelling. You know, they used to think Elvis was possessed by Satan because of the way he moved his hips!” He chuckled, tapping his cigar and half choking me to death with its smoke.

Sam clapped a hand on Mr. Castro’s shoulder, as he laughed along with him, “You’ll have to forgive Travis. He’s a talented musician, but never really had a head for business. Artist types, you know?” Travis opened his mouth to speak, but just then our food arrived.

This was the most tension filled meal I’d ever eaten. And that was truly saying something. I was filled with rage. I kept trying to imagine all the awful violent things I would do to Sam if only our situations were reversed. I had no real desire to eat a single thing, preferring to just sort of push it around. Suddenly I felt something hard press into my spine. I whipped around. Sam, his mouth full of food, was poking me with his fork. “You’d better eat that before it gets cold… don’t want to look ungrateful now, do we?”

“Sam, please. Maybe he’s just not hungry…” Eveline again.

He flashed her a pained, condescending smile, “My love, can’t you see I’m trying to help him know how to behave? If he really wants to pursue this he needs to learn how not to offend the people around him.” I didn’t know how much more of this I could take, “If you want your deal, you’ll be a good little pet for us won’t you? Yeah, you’ll do as your told, huh?” He jabbed me again with the fork, laughing. His two friends chuckled, amused. It fucking hurt, each prong on the utensil about as big my eye, stabbing into my back and ribs as he practically knocked me out of my chair.

“S-stop! Please…” I was barely holding myself together now. Blood pounding through my head.

“Okay. Okay. I’m being an ass now, aren’t I? I’m sorry everyone! I’m sorry, Penn.” There was that same sickly sweet tactic he loved to use. I felt bile rise in the back of my throat. He stuffed another bite of food into his mouth, continuing as he chewed. “Listen, you’re a talented little fella and I think you’ve got a good thing going with Travis and the gang. I believe in you, little man. I’m sure you’ll go on to accomplish big things!” He flashed me a food filled smile. It was disgusting, “Now, as a symbol of good faith, I got you a little something. I think you’re gonna love it! Castro, can we—?” The older man nodded, beckoning to one of the women waiting on us. She leaned in close and he whispered in her ear, before pecking her on the cheek. As she turned to leave he smacked her on the ass. Only the three men at the head of the table found this funny.

After what happened last time with the present he’d given me, I could only imagine what was lying in wait.

#Stick a fork in him #See if he's done #What's the surprise?#giant/tiny #g/t related #g/t community #g/t au #g/t #g/t angst #g/t writing #size difference

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chilling-seavey · 3 years ago

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okay idk if you’re doing blurbs or whether this has been done but we’ve done ABM dani meeting the boyfriends and we’ve done the wedding but what about the bfs asking ABM dani for permission to propose to his daughters or them calling him to say “DADDY IM ENGAGED?!?!” either one u want haha

i love your writing btw ABM is my fave but seasons change is very close tho

↳ A/N Aw thank you so much!! I loved this idea and I think a bit of Daniel's character development can be seen here...and we get a bit more information on the girls' endgames! <3

↳ Word Count: 2811

↳ Anything But Mine Masterlist

Clementine

March 31, 2044

“Water break?”

“Sure.”

Winston watched from the stool as Daniel stood and walked across the studio space to the mini fridge, tapping his fingers gently on the curve of the acoustic guitar on his lap. He was thankful for the offer of water because he was feeling terribly parched all morning and it was only a matter of time before his voice gave his nervousness away.

“Don’t want to run your voice out.” Daniel joked as if he had been reading his mind and returned with a bottle of water outstretched to him.

Winston took it with a tight smile and a curt nod, “Thank you.”

“I’m still in shock that you gave up music for law because you have a serious ear for this shit.” Daniel complimented as he took his seat on the rolling chair just across from him, unscrewing his own bottle cap.

Winston chuckled politely and gave him a little bashful shrug, “I dunno how much money is in music and I thought law would help me to build up a nice savings to provide for…”

He faded out and took a long sip from his bottle.

Knowingly, Daniel only smirked, “To provide for my daughter?”

“Yeah.” Winston strained out of his sip.

Daniel just shook his head and turned back to the sound board, “I mean I dunno how much providing for Clementine needs…she’s been fiercely independent from the moment she was born.”

“She’s already making more than I am.” Winston admitted.

“Ah ha,” Daniel glanced over his shoulder to the younger man once more with a teasingly little joke of, “so she’s providing for you.”

“I…” Winston’s words stopped in his throat but Daniel hardly noticed as he turned back to the sound board again. Winston swore softly under his breath and shifted on the stool to set the acoustic guitar back on its stand nearby. His hands rubbed nervously on the thighs of his slacks and he cleared his throat, “I was wondering…if I may have a word with you…about Clementine.”

Daniel, one to be far too engrossed in his music equipment, didn’t even look up, “Whatever she did, I gotta say she’s your problem now.”

“No, no, nothing like that.” Winston shook his head.

Daniel still wasn’t looking at him.

With a soft sigh, Winston raked both his hands through his hair and then decide to just spit it out before he drove himself completely mad, “I want to ask her to marry me.”

Daniel spun around in his chair in a half second, “What?”

Now staring right at the man who he was facing this important question, Winston suddenly missed the sight of his back instead. He took a small breath, “I wanted to ask your permission to ask her to marry me.”

Suddenly Daniel’s stomach twisted and he slid his own palms against the thighs of his jeans nervously, completely taken back by this question he hadn’t had a second to prepare for. He always had Florence to be by his side and he honestly wished she was present for this so he didn’t have to try and swallow back his nervous, emotional, frightened vomit that was threatening to come up. Or maybe he was just dramatic.

“Dan…uh…Mr. Seavey, are…are you okay?” Winston stumbled out, worried at the sudden unreadable expression that had spread across his girlfriend’s father’s face.

“You’re…” Daniel took a small inhale, “You’re asking me for my permission?”

“Yes, sir. It would mean a lot to me. It would mean a lot to Clementine, I’m sure, as well.”

Daniel tried his hand, “And if I say no?”

Winston swallowed thickly, “Well, then I would be…I would be very upset but I would respect your answer and refrain from proposing to your daughter.”

“You would?”

“Yes, sir.” Winston nodded stiffly once. He wondered if Daniel could hear his heartbeat thudding from across the room. He wondered if Daniel could hear his mind whirling with thoughts chanting ‘please don’t say no’ over and over.

Daniel took a second to weigh his options, that saying no would be the selfishly easy way to go to keep his daughter to himself just a little while longer. It wasn’t going to be long until his other two were gone as well. But then he thought of Clementine and how smitten she was with her man and how angry she would be if Daniel put a block right in the middle of Winston’s plan for their future. Daniel wanted to take a timeout and call Florence to ask for emotional support but before he could,

“Yes.”

It was out of his mouth before he could even form a coherent thought, as if the spirit of his eldest daughter and level-headed wife spoke the answer for him. It was quiet – so quiet Winston had to lean forward and ask for clarification of what he said – and Daniel raised his eyes to the young man sitting across from him.

“Yes.” he answered again, more clearly, “Clem is…she’s…in love with you. It’s obvious. And it’s obvious that it’s mutual because you look at her like the way I have looked at my wife from the moment I met her. I’d be a fucking idiot to say no to you right now.”

Winston exhaled in surprise, “Really?”

Daniel forced a small smile, “Yeah, really.”

“Oh my God.” Winston stood from his stool, not even knowing what to do with himself, “Can I hug you?”

“Yeah.” Daniel laughed and stood with him and they shared a tight hug.

Daniel lingered there a moment, not long enough to make it weird but long enough that he let himself accept the fact that with a simple one word answer, he had blessed a son into his life. Well, riding on the fact that Clementine would say yes.

Of course, she said yes.

Penelope

June 11, 2044

“So sorry I’m late.”

Daniel glanced up at the young man hurrying over to the table in the corner of the coffee shop where he had been waiting for nearly ten minutes, “No problem.”

Anthony dropped his bag to the ground and took his seat across from him with a sigh, “Penelope hates saying goodbye when I drop her off at work.”

“Yeah, I get that. You shoulda seen her in kindergarten.” Daniel chuckled.

“And the way she idolises you? I bet it was ten times worse for you.” Anthony said coolly as he raised his hand to call over the waiter.

Daniel just smiled into his cup of tea at that statement as the younger man placed his order. They shared casual conversation about the weather and work and if the air conditioner had been fixed at Penelope’s apartment. Anthony spoke like coffee breaks with his girlfriend’s father was a casual occurrence, not a single falter in his voice, no hesitation or nervousness present. Maybe it was the fact that he knew that Winston got an easy yes because it had been only three months since Winston got his permission and now Anthony wanted to do the same. That was the thing with Clementine and Penelope; they were always close in every sense of the word.

It had been a long time coming for Penelope and Anthony as they had been dating five years – he was her first boyfriend – and it was obvious that they were basically a perfect match. Honestly, Daniel couldn’t have asked for a better partner for his shyest and most often misunderstood daughter but he might not have out right admitted that. But what Daniel didn’t expect was the conversation to veer in the direction of this young man’s adoration for his daughter so suddenly. Was five years sudden?

Anthony spoke quickly, it was something that Daniel had come to terms with since the day Penelope introduced them, but in that moment, he could hardly keep up, “I just wanted to sit you down and talk, you know, man to man. I’ve been thinking about Nell so much recently – more than normal if that’s even possible – and the last five years we’ve had and I love her. I am in love with her. I swear, there’s not a moment that goes by where I’m not thinking of her, that I’m not seeing her in every piece of art I pass, that I’m not…that I’m not completely obsessed with her. She’s literally it for me, man, like…”

Anthony faded out under Daniel’s lingering stare and he tapped his hand against the side of his mug with the sudden wave of nervousness that froze the words in his throat for a moment. Daniel knew what was coming by that point, he could sense it like there had been a change in the air or a shift of the rotation of the earth, and as he watched the young man in front of him gush about one of the four most special women in his life; Daniel knew.

A calm smile pulled at Anthony’s lips as he stared into space and he drummed his fingers on the table before looking back at Daniel, “I need to marry her. I need to marry her or…or…or I’ll never forgive myself. I can’t put this off any longer. I would have done it already but Penelope literally idolises you and I know the moment that I ask her she’d ask me if I had asked you and…so…I needed to ask you. I wanted to ask you. So…I’m asking you.”

Daniel, fighting away his feeling of watching another little girl slip out of reach, smiled lightly at the bumbling young man.

Anthony took a breath, “I’m asking you if I can marry your daughter.”

Daniel barely opened his mouth to offer any response before he was interrupted.

“You have raised an incredible young woman.” Anthony blurted out, almost as if he were desperate to keep Daniel on his side, “She is so generous and intelligent and beautiful and so damn creative. She is a wonder, sir, and I…it would be an honour to marry her. An absolute honour.”

“I mean, keep going,” Daniel chuckled, slouching back against the booth, “I like hearing you gas me up as a father.”

“Shit, did I cut you off? I’m so sorry.” Anthony jumped in. “I’m so sorry. I’m just dreading that you’d say no.”

“Why would I say no?”

“Why would you say no?” Anthony repeated breathily as if needing to speak aloud to process the question, “I dunno. Because…because…”

“It was a rhetorical question.” Daniel chuckled, leaning forward again as if at a serious meeting. It was a serious meeting. “Listen, as stunningly incredible as Penelope is, she’s not an easy person and when she was little she really gave us trouble – of no fault of her own – and part of me always sort of worried that she’d stay so far behind her peer group that she’d never fit in enough to find someone willing to put up with everything she needs and everything she is.”

“Oh, believe me, Daniel, she is no trouble to me. She is a masterpiece to me.”

Daniel would be embarrassed to say that the young man’s adoring words towards such a cherished piece of Daniel’s own heart and soul was truly making him blink back tears, “I’ve known you five years too now and I’ve seen how you’ve supported her and loved her and how she’s a whole new version of herself when she has you.”

“Please.” Anthony breathed into the universe.

“Of course, you can ask her to marry you.” Daniel said softly.

As if he had been expecting a no, Anthony huffed out a sigh of relief and he pressed his hand to his chest, “Oh my God, thank you.”

“Do you have a plan?”

Anthony shook his head, “God no, not yet. This was my first step. Now I need to think of everything else. It has to be absolutely perfect.”

“Perfect proposal for perfect Penelope.”

Anthony grinned across the table and they clinked their mugs together as he agreed with a sweet, “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Lucy

December 23, 2047

There was nothing Daniel adored more than holding a baby. From the moment his eldest daughter was first laid in his arms, that fact was sealed. Now, staring down at his first grandchild sleeping in his arms, Daniel felt like life was nothing less than a surreal blessing.

Florence was cuddled up at his side, her arm curled around his with her cheek resting on his shoulder, “You look so good with babies.”

Daniel glanced over at her, “Wanna have another?”

Her soft scoff was hardly an answer but she pressed a kiss to his shoulder gently.

Even as their family grew up and all three of their daughters were long moved out, their tradition to travel out west for Christmas never once fell through. The noise of Daniel’s childhood home was always reaching new heights year after year but the four-month-old baby girl in his arms slept soundly regardless, even as dinner was being put away in the kitchen and Tyler was playing his country music through the Bluetooth speakers a little too loud.

“How is she?”

Daniel glanced up at his eldest daughter as she approached and Clementine leaned over him to get a look at her sleeping baby in his arms.

“She’s just perfect.” Daniel whispered gently.

“I have to get her changed and put down for the night.” Clementine said.

“No, no.” Daniel moved one hand to push his daughter’s hands away as she tried to reach for the baby. “She’s fine here.”

“Come on, dad.” Clementine chuckled. “Say goodnight.”

With a soft pout, Daniel leaned down and kissed the baby’s forehead, “Good night, littlest angel. I love you.”

It was honestly perfect timing that Clementine took her daughter from him in that moment because what followed probably would have had Daniel dropping the poor baby to the carpet. His phone rang in his pocket and with his watchful eye on his daughter and his granddaughter disappearing upstairs, he pulled it out to see who was calling.

Lucy had left before dinner for a date with her boyfriend and he hadn’t expected to hear from her for the rest of the night since she was staying at her own apartment in the city. He answered his youngest daughter’s phone call with almost a hint of nervousness in his chest, and Florence just snuggled closer to him until the warm light of the fireplace and Christmas tree and chaotic noise of the ever-growing family in the background.

“Hey, Luce.” Daniel answered.

“Daddy.” Lucy breathed out, her voice obviously trembling. “Oh my gosh, Dad, thank God you answered.”

“Are you okay?” Daniel asked hurriedly.

“I am…incredible.” she laughed breathily. “Daddy, I’m getting married.”

The sudden tensing of his body had Florence raising her head from his shoulder in confusion.

“What do you mean you’re getting married?” Daniel repeated so his wife could hear.

Florence leaned in so both of their ears were pressed to his cell phone.

Lucy let out an excited shriek, “Xavier proposed tonight, Daddy! It was so perfect! Under all the lights at the Christmas market and my ringis so stunning!”

Daniel felt like the rug was swept out from under him after having two prior engagements ran past him first. He wasn’t expecting this at all. He wasn’t prepared for this at all. Florence rubbed a comforting hand across his chest, staying quiet while eavesdropping on the phone call that wasn’t hers.

“Wow,” Daniel forced himself to choke out for the sake of his excited youngest, “That’s…great news, princess.”

“I feel like a princess, Dad!” Lucy gushed. “We’re on our way over, okay? Don’t tell anyone yet, I want it to be a surprise, but I hadto tell you first.”

Daniel smiled softly, honestly, at the obvious adoration all of his girls carried for him and he leaned his head against his wife’s. Lucy was always one to be loud and eccentric and she talked on a mile a minute about step by step of the proposal and how it happened and what she was wearing and what he said and how so terribly excited she was. She was the last of his daughters to be engaged and to be married and although part of him wished he had that cliché moment of being asked his permission, maybe this was for the best. Daniel wasn’t very good at letting go, even when he knew he had to.

Anything But Mine Taglist: @hopelesslylivv @hopinglimelight @onlyangelavery @randomlimelightxxx @jonahlovescoffee @sbrewer21 @bessonsbxtch @viamiasoncrack @21burritoseavey @queenseavey23 @xkelsev @serenityseavey @marthagryffindor @lotus-brekker-inn @ijustwantmyloveback @my-fangirling-outlet

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#the way im literally drowning in schoolwork but still wrote something to post #les gooo #but bc im so busy this is #unedited as heck #anything but mine #daniel seavey #why dont we #why dont we imagines #daniel seavey imagines

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itcameuponamidnightqueer · 3 years ago

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the harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun [2/31]

pairing: dani/jamie summary: nothing fancy, just a soft + short collection of prompts for damietober

“Baby, do you want more popcorn?” Jamie doesn’t answer, so Dani swirls her hand in the bowl, absently hoping there will be more in there than just unpopped kernels this time. (There isn’t.)

“Jamie,” Dani tries again, poking lightly with her elbow, “we’re out of popcorn.”

But Jamie still doesn’t respond, so Dani pauses the movie to look at her and immediately melts at what she sees.

Jamie, half-sitting next to her on the couch, her head lolled to the side at an angle that would be awkward and uncomfortable if she weren’t also deeply asleep. Her right hand is still resting securely on Dani’s knee, which is probably why it took Dani so long to notice. It’s become a familiar weight, now that they’ve settled into a professional and personal routine. Dani gets days of activity in their shop and nights of rest, Jamie’s hand a solid, reliable point of contact whenever Dani needs it, and she never turns it down.

She picks up Jamie’s hand, wonders whether it’s worth it to wake her or just arrange her into a better position and let her sleep. But Jamie’s always grumpy the next morning if she falls asleep on the couch, and Dani selfishly sleeps better when they’re both in bed.

She kisses the back of Jamie’s hand and moves the popcorn bowl out of the way of anyone knocking it over.

read more @ ao3

#the haunting of bly manor #damie #damietober #dani clayton #jamie taylor #fic

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boasamishipper · 3 years ago

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1, 4, 6, 13, 19, 21, 24, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 46, and 50 for Robisanya, if that’s not too much to ask! (Honestly I’d go for your thoughts on all of them but that might be a little excessive 😂)

hi @greetings-and-defiance! i accidentally deleted your ask halfway through answering it - sorry about that. here it is again!

1. Who wakes up first?

They’re both on the same sleep schedule as they have to wake up at the same time for practice. In the off-season and his free mornings, Sam likes to get up earlier to go on runs, and Dani sleeps in, though he’s usually awake by the time Sam gets back.

4. When they can’t sleep, what do they do?

Talk, cuddle. Sometimes they’ll migrate to the couch and fall asleep to one of the Harry Potter movies or a romcom they’ve both seen a hundred times. Other times they will find Other Ways to keep themselves occupied ;) ;) ;)

6. Who falls asleep last, watching the other with a small affectionate smile?

It’s a tossup, but probably Sam. Dani, as most Energizer Bunny Human Beings Do, tends to crash hard, and he saves his small affectionate smiles for when Sam can see them.

13. Who points out a dog when they see one?

Both of them. Dani once jumped off his motorcycle before it was fully parked just to pet a cute dog (though he Does keep a fair distance from greyhounds ever since The Incident); Sam will roll his eyes at Dani’s antics but will be right by Dani’s side at the sight of a cute dog.

19. Who puts their cold hands/feet on the other?

Sam, to wake up Dani on cold mornings after he returns from his morning runs. Dani, after team snowball fights.

21. Who’s clumsier?

They’re both pretty steady on their feet, though Dani has clumsier days sometimes because of his knee. (When he trips and Sam catches him there are Many jokes made about Dani ‘falling’ for Sam.)

24. Who’s the better cook?

Depends on what they’re making! Sam is better at Nigerian dishes, Dani is better at Mexican dishes. On everything else they’re pretty evenly matched, though Dani will claim Sam makes better tea than him and Sam in turn will claim that Dani makes better tea than him.

27. Who cooks at 2 in the morning?

Neither, as they’re usually asleep, and if they’re both up at 2am, they’d rather have sex than get out of bed and go to the kitchen.

29. Who licks the spoon when they’re baking brownies?

Sam. He steals the spoon out of Dani’s hand.

31. Who has bigger cravings? What are they?

They’re about even in this regard, though Sam will never say no to chin chin and Dani will never say no to Sal de Mar Takis.

33. How do they eat ice cream? What’s their favorite flavors?

Sam always orders a waffle cone because when he was growing up, he and his sister used to race against the clock to eat their ice cream before it dripped onto their hands. Dani always orders his ice cream in a dish - the tiny spoon makes it easier to dramatically gesture and the risk of him dropping his ice cream in a moment of excitement is lessened. Sam has three or four main flavors he alternates between, and Dani always orders what looks the most colorful and exciting (and if nothing like that is offered, he orders strawberry).

35. What do they smell when they smell amortentia?

For Sam, amortentia smells like freshly cut grass, and the ocean, and suya spice, and Dani’s aftershave. For Dani, amortentia smells like the lavender-scented towels in the locker room, and petrichor, and vanilla, and the product Sam uses in his hair.

36. Which one is the secret snuggler?

Neither of them are secretive about enjoying snuggling - though maybe each of them are surprised by how much the other enjoys it.

37. Which one offers their jacket to the other when they complain they feel cold?

Dani. Sam never complains, but Dani pays close attention; the second Sam looks uncomfortable by the cold, Sam finds himself the wearer of Dani’s hat, scarf, and coat.

38. Who reaches for the other one’s hand while driving?

Sam doesn’t own a car, and Dani drives a motorcycle, but if one of them has to drive, it’ll be Sam, and Dani will reach for his free hand (and kiss it) while he’s driving.

40. Who is the most affectionate?

They’re both very affectionate, but I will say Sam is more affectionate when it comes to words and gestures, and Dani is the more affectionate when it comes to touch.

41. Who is the big spoon/little spoon?

It’s fifty-fifty, but it tips just the tiniest bit in favor of Big Spoon Dani / Little Spoon Sam.

46. Who initiates kisses?

Depends on the type of kiss! Dani initiates hand kisses, cheek kisses, and shoulder kisses more often, whereas Sam initiates forehead kisses and nose kisses more often. Re: regular lip kisses, it’s pretty even.

50. Who gets overwhelmed by small acts of kindness?

Sam does, though not as much the longer they’re together. (Every day he looks over at Dani and wonders how he got this lucky. Little does he know Dani looks at Sam every day and thinks the same.)

send me a number and an otp!

#thanks for asking!#ted lasso #robisanya #sam obisanya #dani rojas #sam x dani #thank you for this ask!! i love talking about these two

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jess-rewatches-prodigalson · 4 years ago

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Killabustas (S2, E9)

My time-stamped thoughts for this episode are below. As always I reference Malcolm’s mental health. A lot. So if that’s going to be a trigger for you, don’t keep reading.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

0:00 - Are the birds flying past Malcolm’s apartment supposed to be an omen for the rest of the season? Or just some foreshadowing for the bird-heavy episode? .....I’m probably reading wayyy too much into this.

0:12 - Ugh. Someone give this sweet cinnamon roll a hug. He’s spiralling. He is so close to having a total mental breakdown and it breaks my heart. (but like, I also want to see it because emotional whump is my favourite).

0:23 - “How can I trust you? I know what you did.” This. This is what’s killing Malcolm. The fear that if Gil, Dani, JT, and Edrisa find out what he did for Ainsley they won’t trust him. He’s afraid they’ll abandon him. He’s afraid that they’ll hate him as much as he already hates himself. ISTG the moment they all find out (or tell Malcolm what they suspect) Malcolm will break. That will be the metaphorical straw that breaks the camel’s back.

0:34 - Anyone else think Malcolm looks completely adorable (yet super sad and scared) when he’s focusing on painting? <3

0:45 - “Why must everything you paint have an exit wound?” I love that this suggests that this isn’t the first mother-son painting session. <3 hahaha

0:47 - “It’s a pear.” It’s heartbreaking that Malcolm didn’t even realize that his pear was bleeding. C’mon Jessica, it’s time for an intervention. Malcolm is breaking in front of you. DO SOMETHING.

1:01 - NO. DAMN IT FEDAK. I wanted to see Malcolm’s reaction when Jessica told him she was writing a memoir. I wanted to see it so badly. I wanted to see him panic about the fact that she was inevitably going to disclose information about his childhood that he’d rather not have public.

1:09 - “How much worse you really are.” OOOOOOOOOOHHHH SHIT. I can’t believe he said that to his Mother’s face. hahahaha OMG. Malcolm is a little shit head and I love him. Well, at least I know he’s upset about the fact that she’s writing this book. His jab at Jessica proves that much.

1:42 - Is Malcolm playing matchmaker here? hahaha or is he just trying to get Jessica out of his loft ASAP?

1:53 - “Why didn’t they call me?!?” Can you hear the sound of my heart breaking? I understand why they didn’t call him in on this one BUT it’s not helping Malcolm’s mental health. On top of the fear that he is becoming his father, the stress of covering up a murder, the fear that his sister is going to become a serial killer, his childhood trauma, and usual mental health issues - Malcolm is afraid he’s going to be abandoned if the team finds out about Endicott. This is reinforcing those fears.

1:55 - “Where should I start?” At least Jessica can see how much pain Malcolm is in. I wish she’d do something constructive about it.

2:00 - “Forget to call someone?” Something about the way Malcolm waltzes into the frame and delivers that line is super endearing. He’s like a little kid running after his older siblings and their friends when they tried to go to the mall without him. <3

2:05 - Why the hell didn’t Gil just pull a 1x12 on Malcolm and insist Malcolm take a holiday? Hell - he could’ve gotten Jessica to enforce it. The fact that Gil is being super distant with Malcolm is not helping Malcolm’s very fragile mental health. GIL I’M DISAPPOINTED IN YOU (and I have been all season....) :(

2:12 - “Trauma’s my middle name.” Okay so 1) what is Malcolm’s middle name? If it’s Martin please tell me he changed it when he changed his last name. 2) At least we got a small papa!Gil moment this episode. <3

2:26 - “Fine.” This is Gil terrified. Remember what Gil said in 1x12? “He was losing it. I mean, I could see that. But I was afraid that I’d lose him.” That’s why Gil is letting Malcolm on this case. He knows Malcolm is losing it and he’s terrified of what Malcolm might do to himself with time on his hands. Gil doesn’t think Malcolm should be working but he knows it’s the only thing he can do to help Malcolm in the short term.

2:42 - hahahaha Gil’s taken-aback look when Malcolm starts not-so-subtly being a member of the Gillica fan club. hahaha <3

3:00 - Okay. I’m done. Edrisa can’t still think she and Malcolm might happen. I can’t handle this blantant one-sided worship anymore and I’m so glad it’s ending this episode (I hope).

3:07 - “and also, you’re bleeding.” <3 JT looking out for Bright. <3

3:12 - “Oh. I thought that this was your hobby?” <3 Dani teasing Bright. <3 I love that Dani, Edrisa, and JT are at least giving Malcolm some positive attention right now. It’s good for his fragile mental state. <3

3:40 - The directing is really good this episode. I’m not usually a person who notices that kind of thing but DAMN.

“It’s an expression of power and control.” “Sounds like someone with serious anger issues.” Yikes. Why do the ‘cases of the week’ always relate back to Malcolm’s current mental health crisis?!? Malcolm dismembered a body (for Ainsley but still). Now he’s profiling that the act of dismembering a body is an expression of power and control. That reinforces his fear that he’s becoming like Martin. Dani’s distaste and offhanded comment about anger issues won’t help Malcolm’s very real fear of abandonment. Hell, it’s compounding his fears that he’s like his father - the man obsessed with power and control who has a nasty temper when things don’t go his way.

4:09 - “Our killer derived pleasure from this.” Dani looks terrified when Malcolm says this. Is it just because she thinks this is a gross and scary murder scene? Or is it because she’s connecting the Malcolm+Endicott dots?

4:11 - “budding homicidal psychopath” is this supposed to be foreshadowing that Malcolm is becoming a psychopath? The writers have been suggesting that Malcolm enjoyed cutting up the body all season. .....and I don’t want the story to go that way. Please no.

4:15 - “I think I just became a vegetarian.” hahahaha JT is my hero. I love this dude and his dry but humorous comments.

4:26 - Once again - I can’t rewatch the Martin+Capshaw scenes. Once was more than enough. My basic thoughts on this particular scene? Capshaw and Martin are both gross. I think Martin is desperate for physical contact and Capshaw knows it. I think Capshaw is manipulating Martin (why is a mystery to me). I also think Martin is manipulating Capshaw so he can use her to help him escape.....I do however think Martin is a heterosexual male who is full of lust and physical desires. (which is really gross to me - a sex-repulsed asexual).

6:22 - I have a serious love-hate relationship with this scene. On one hand, Gil is clearly so so so concerned about Malcolm here and it warms my cold dead heart. On the other hand, the fact that he sends Dani to talk to Malcolm instead of just talking to Malcolm himself kind of pisses me off. Gil’s been really distant with Malcolm all season and it’s killing me. BUT I also kind of understand why Gil is passing off Malcolm to Dani (I don’t agree with it but I digress). All season the writers have been pushing the Brightwell relationship. We’ve seen a lot of really good meaningful conversations between Dani and Malcolm. At this point in time, it appears that Malcolm is willing to open up to Dani more than anyone else. Think about it. Even in season 1 - Malcolm never really opened up to Gil about his mental health. Gil knows that Malcolm won’t talk about his mental health with him - so he’s sending in the expert (Dani). I’m not happy about this but I kind of get it.

6:39 - OMG. Malcolm excitedly sliding into the room is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. <3

6:44 - “What are you guys talking about?” “You.” Exhibit A. If Malcolm had just responded with “what? why?” or Gil had followed up his statement with “we’re worried about you” we could’ve had a meaningful conversation about Malcolm’s mental health. Right. Here. BUT Malcolm knows why they’re talking about him. Malcolm is deflecting. He doesn’t want to talk about this with Gil. So he rolls his eyes and walks away. Gil shouldn’t have let Malcolm off the hook so easily. :(

7:36 - “There’s a special place in hell for people who hurt birds.” Ugh. I just want to hug this little cinnamon roll. <3

7:55 - “Where’d this murder board come from?” hahahaha I love how JT’s constant mood is “I work with crazy people”.

8:07 - “You’re a web sleuth.” I love that JT somehow manages to get across that he thinks Edrisa is a complete weirdo but he respects the hell out of her. Also - the fact that JT teases the people he loves is so cute to me.

8:31 - “Ouf.” This was funny but it also felt a little ooc? Like wouldn’t Gil just cross his arms and say “Edrisa” as a gentle but stern warning?

8:53 - Does Edrisa have no filter or do people really think about sex this often? As an asexual, I’m genuinely asking.

8:55 - I love how uncomfortable Gil and JT get every time Edrisa starts talking about sex and/or reproductive anatomy. hahaha

9:37 - Did Martin ever kill animals? As a teenager maybe?

9:47 - “They have all the control over this cages, seemingly inferior creature.” ....is this supposed to be a subtle reference to the Martin/Capshaw thing? Capshaw being the killer and Martin being the inferior animal she’s controlling?

10:15 - Nope. I’m out. Can’t do it. So gross.

11:00 - “It’s super gross.” Malcolm is all of us.

11:08 - Soooo is Martin fantasizing about killing Capshaw after they do sexy things (hopefully consensual ones)?

11:52 - “Oh I’m already crazy.” This is somehow adorable and completely heart shattering. Malcolm is hiding his pain behind humour but he genuinely believes that he’s crazy. :(

12:00 - Is this the only conversation Malcolm and Edrisa have ever had without Edrisa hero-worshiping Malcolm?......I like it?!?! These two are total weirdos and should definitely be besties.

13:14 - Damn. Edrisa is shining in this episode. <3 <3

13:33 - “No. You won’t” hahaha JT being the team big brother is so cute.

13:46 - “You coming?” Malcolm is so soft here. <3 <3

14:00 - I love everything about this scene. I love how Dani opens up to Bright - even though it’s clearly still painful for her to talk about. I love how attentive and caring Malcolm is. I love how in character they both are. Malcolm is trying to deflect his problems. I love how Malcolm is 100% aware that Dani doesn’t believe his “I’m fine” bs. Dani is trying to get him to open up by sharing some of her own demons with him. Dani looks upset and worried that Malcolm won’t open up - but not surprised.

15:00 - “I pulled a Bright.” hahahaha OMG. I love that Dani and Malcolm don’t question this expression at all. It suggests that the team has used the phrase “pulling a Bright” before and I am here for it.

15:27 - This is what I call ‘passively suicidal’. Yes, Malcolm jumps in front of that car because he thinks it will help him solve the case. Yes, it’s technically an action motivated by the will to live. HOWEVER, he doesn’t move out of the way when Dani tells him to. That car is driving slowly. He doesn’t move. Because he’s in a mental state where he doesn’t care if he lives or dies. He has moments when he cares about life (like solving a case) but those just aren’t enough anymore. Yes, he looks a little alarmed when the car approaches him - but I honestly doubt Malcolm is frozen in fear.

15:56 - “You had the right of way. He can’t sue.” Holy shit. First of all - I immediately think Ashton is a douche. Secondly - is this how America works?!?! In Canada we teach our drivers that the ‘pedestrian always has the right of way’.

16:11 - “My super close friends from online.” Honestly - I feel called out. This is how I must sound when mention my internet friends to my family.

16:25 - Sooooo we’re all in agreement right? The fact that Malcolm has hit the left side of his head without medical treatment this many times = 1) mental breakdown sometime before the end of the season or 2) a way to get him out of taking the fall for Endicott.

16:38 - *sigh* can someone please hug this man!?!? He just can’t catch a break. This whole conversation between Malcolm and hallucination!Martin is heartbreaking. It shows that on some level even Malcolm knows he’s going to break soon because his mental health is in tatters.

17:23 - “She’s not like the others.” Who are the ‘others’? Are these the other people that Malcolm’s had a romantic interest in? Are ‘others’ friends from Malcolm’s past? Or are the others Gil, Edrisa, and JT?

17:34 - Ugh. Floppy haired. Bruised. Sad. My whump heart is so full.

17:56 - Does Malcolm not go on the internet? He didn’t know what a sock puppet is? (granted, I’m 24 and I didn’t know either).

18:04 - The firefighter’s name is BLAZE (Blaise)?!? Are you kidding me?

18:24 - “No. No, it isn’t.” Damn. JT is worried about Malcolm. Just look at him.

18:51 - Do I think it’s weird that this dude is so openly flirting with Edrisa in the middle of a police questioning?!? HELL YES. Do I think it’s weird that Edrisa’s allowed in the questioning??!!? HELL YES. Am I glad they’re giving Edrisa a love interest who isn’t Malcolm? OH HELL YES. ....also Edrisa and Blaze are kind of cute? Like they’re both weirdos and they’re both into each other so ...?!!?

19:47 - Wow. This whole “Killabustas police interrogation” scene is painfully hard to rewatch. Like - the dialogue makes absolutely no logical sense but it had to be there for the plot? Everything is just too convenient. The pamphlets. The fact that these members were all so quick to meet IRL. The fact that these dudes were able to track Alex down so quickly....I mean....who is buying this nonsense?!?!

20:05 - Ugh my asexual ass can’t handle the amount of horny people in this episode.

20:18 - Anyone else think it’s strange that Gil referred to Malcolm as “Bright” to Jessica?!? I mean, Jessica is Malcolm’s mother. PLUS it feels like Gil is trying to emotionally distance himself from Malcolm?!?

20:24 - “Remind me to take Malcolm out of my will.” hahahahaha OMG. I love Jessica so much.

20:44 - These Jessica/Gil scenes were a highlight of the episode for me. They’re just so cute. I love how supportive Gil is. I love how Jessica isn’t repressing her feelings with booze during this episode. I love how open about her insecurities Jessica is with Gil. I love how happy they both look. <3 <3 <3 <3

21:24 - “Some still do.” YES!!!! YES!!!! Keep flirting Gil!!! Don’t give up on her!!! <3 <3

21:45 - Holy shit. How much does Edrisa get paid?!?! This is a rich person apartment. I’m shook.

23:05 - Again. I must fast forward through the nasty romantic manipulation that is the Capshaw+Martin scene. The sexual tension made me nauseous the first time. But I WILL say that I think the black guard in this scene - Mr. Benjamin will be the dude Martin maims next episode (from the previews) - not Mr. David. Either that or the black patient in the room.

25:25 - “Watch out. I bite.” ........I have no words. My asexual ass is shocked, disgusted, and .....kind of proud of Edrisa for going after what she wants (even if she’s super crass about it).

26:03 - “That’s a seriously twisted mind.” “Sure. The kind I get.” This whole scene is heartbreaking. I honestly can’t tell if Malcolm is projecting himself, Ainsley, or both of them onto the suspect. “He killed for attention” - sounds like Ainsley to me. “Alex was going to out him to the group” ......HOLY SHIT. Does this mean Ainsley’s going to try and kill Malcolm and/or Jessica because she think’s they’ll rat her out?!?!?! “It’s about preserving the group. The Vulture needs them.” - That sounds like Malcolm to me. Malcolm doesn’t want to tell the team about Ainsley because he needs them and he’s scared they’ll abandon him if they find out about Ainsley.

27:10 - I’m getting secondhand embarrassment from the west coast of Canada.

27:21 - “Our killer would never order take out.” Weak, Malcolm. Weak excuse.

27:40 - annnnnndd this scene was a hard skip for me. I can’t watch Martin and Capshaw prepare to do sexy things. Nope. ALTHOUGH, I will say: Capshaw’s story about how she ended up in Claremont is interesting. Whether it’s true or not is debatable but it definitely shows that Capshaw is manipulative and creepy like Martin. I have a very strong feeling that Capshaw is a psychopath, serial killer, or sociopath.

31:00 - Edrisa checking out Malcolm’s loft is everything I dreamed it would be. The fact that she’s clearly in awe of his weapons collection. The fact that she has no regard for his privacy and just starts going through his fridge and sleeping area. The fact that she so openly comments and judges the stuff in his loft (ie. restraints on the bed, lack of food in the fridge). It’s perfect.

31:27 - “This is the fridge of a very sad person.” LMAO. I love this line so so so much. I love how Edrisa seems to be realizing for the first time just how broken Malcolm is. I love how sheepish Malcolm looks when she unintentionally calls him out. I love how amused Dani is by the whole situation. <3 <3

32:00 - annnndddd the Killabustas have taken over Malcolm’s loft. They don’t ask for permission to set up his TV. They don’t awkwardly hang out near the door until Malcolm invites them to ‘make themselves at home’ or any of the other common pleasantries us North Americans go through when we visit the homes of acquaintances. They walk right in and claim ownership. It’s kind of beautiful?

32:13 -......so did they already have Malcolm’s wifi password or am I expected to believe that they either a) have a mobile hotspot, b) are using data, c) web-sleuthed their way into hacking his wifi, or d) Malcolm had his wifi password written down somewhere super obvious inside the house?!?! This is honestly the most unrealistic thing about this episode. It’s 2021. The first time you visit a friend’s house you ask for their wifi password. It’s what you do.

33:28 - Ok. I like the kiss on the cheek. Very respectful. She clearly would’ve been down for more but he’s a gentleman and I respect the hell out of it.

33:48 - “I’m sorry Blaze is so jacked.” hahaha OMG Edrisa - Malcolm’s not romantically interested in you. He never has been. Read the room woman!

36:11 - Ashton is Malcolm in this scene. “I’ve been a freak my whole life. I had nothing until that bird video. Suddenly, I was a part of something.” == “I’ve been a freak my whole life. I had nothing until I joined the team. Suddenly, I was a part of something.”

36:38 - “Ashton, it won’t work. Family will only go so far. Because once they know the truth - who they’re really after - they’ll give up on you. And no more family.” Ouch. This hurts. Malcolm genuinely believes that Gil, Dani, JT, and Edrisa are going to abandon him the second they find out what he did for Ainsley. Malcolm thinks they’re going to hate him. Malcolm thinks they’re going to think he’s like Martin - a criminal. A killer. Look at how broken Malcolm looks and sounds here. It’s not just that Malcolm thinks he’s going to be abandoned. It’s that he thinks he deserves to be abandoned. He thinks he’s a monster.

37:02 - EDRISA!!! DAMN. I love this badass. <3 <3 So proud of the girl who literally had a panic attack in 1x15 when she had to save a that ‘almost-victim’ by injecting alcohol into him.

38:05 - My heart is so full. This is honestly one of my top 10 moments of Prodigal Son to date. I love that we see Gil’s new car. I love that he’s working on his car in a police mechanic shop. I love this little glimpse into Gil’s personal life - the man who likes fixing up old cars with a cold beer while listening to 80s music in an boombox from the 80s. <3 I love the absolute adorableness that is Jessica and Gil awkwardly flirting.

I love that Jessica - the rich socialite - holds Gil’s wrench without question. Even though she looks a little confused. I love that Jessica comes to Gil this time. He’s been instigating the flirting most of this season. It looks like Jessica’s finally ready to be an equal partner in the relationship.

I love that Jessica - the rich socialite - takes a drink of Gil’s working-class beer with a smile. His social class isn’t beneath her. She doesn’t care about how rich he is - just about the purity of his intentions and the depth of his devotion to her family.

39:00 - “Oh I remember her. How fiercely she protected her kids.” I LOVE THIS. I love that Gil is attracted to Jessica’s devotion as a mother. I love that the fact that she had children with another man (a serial killer) doesn’t bother him. He loves how fierce, independent, and strong she is and that’s absolutely gorgeous.

I love who wholesome their romantic moment is. Unlike Edrisa and Martin’s live scenes - it’s not fast, heavy, and physical. It’s slow, gentle, and emotional. Gil and Jessica dance like an old married couple when the song they danced to at their wedding comes on the radio.

I love the setting of the scene. How they’re dancing in a dirty mechanic’s shop. Jessica is dressed like the rich woman she is and Gil is wearing a plaid shirt rolled up to his elbows. The contrast is striking and beautiful. I love that Jessica isn’t trying to make Gil fit into her social status. She’s not dragging him to rich people galas and forcing him to dress or act like someone he’s not (although he would so do that for her). She’s hanging out with Gil on his turf and she’s delighted about it. <3

40:08 - “Do you think you can ever really know someone?” Isn’t this what Malcolm said to Gil in 1x17 as the whole Endicott thing was boiling? You know - a few episodes before the team arrests Malcolm in his loft when he’s in the middle of a mental crisis?!? Is this foreshadowing for the next mental health breakdown?!? (Hopefully a fully mental health breakdown this time?!?!)

40:18 - “Masquarading as someone he wasn’t” Yikes. Malcolm truly believes he’s lying to the team just because he’s not acting like a monster. Malcolm has truly convinced himself that he is his father’s son.

40:45 - I don’t even care how you feel about Brightwell. The fact that Dani is the only person this whole season who has told Malcolm that he’s not a monster makes her the greatest friend he could ever ask for.

40:51 - “Ever since Nicholas died.” ....well Dani isn’t a moron so if she didn’t connect the dots before she will now. If we don’t get an intervention next episode I’m going to throw hands.

40:57 - Why. Does. Martin. Have. To. Ruin. Every. Chance. Malcolm. Gets. To. Begin. To. Heal?!?!

41:16 - “ooooohhhh here comes the kiss” .....honestly though. Martin is every Brightwell shipper.

41:20 - I respect the hell out of Malcolm for shutting Dani down like this. Yes - he absolutely should’ve come clean with her. HOWEVER, he clearly isn’t ready to share this burden and the fact that he shut down the progress of any romantic relationship is really good. Because Dani would be SO MAD if they started dating while he was actively lying to her. It would be the end of their friendship. Forget your Brightwell ship - they wouldn’t even be friends.

41:40 - “Why are you ruining this!?” Dani had to have heard this. Even if she didn’t....Malcolm was pretty obviously glancing over her shoulder at hallucination!Martin before she left. There’s no way Dani - a detective - won’t be able to figure out that Malcolm is hallucinating. I WANT A MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION. NEXT EPISODE. I’M MANIFESTING IT INTO EXISTANCE. EVEN THOUGH I DON’T TRUST FEDAK TO GIVE IT TO ME. I JUST WANT SOMEONE TO HUG MALCOLM.

42:06 - Honestly thought Capshaw was going to beat the crap out of Friar Pete here. This woman is unstable. Mark my words. She’s going to kill someone (if she hasn’t already).

I know I kind of shat on this episode a bit but I honestly really liked it? I loved the character development it gave us. Even if the plot was pretty subpar.

Thanks for hanging out. See you next week. <3 :)

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louiseleblancdiggory · 4 years ago

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Trick, treats, bets

31 Days of Spooktober

Day 11/31

Prompt: “Scaring the kids? You already do that without a mask” brycehunt pls (i'm asking this one bc of you)

Bryce both loved and hated Halloween.

She loved the costumes, the whole spooky vibes. The candy promotions were amazing, and the Devil’s Night parties were even better. But she also hated the—

Her thoughts were interrupted by the thing the hated the most. Bryce grunted, getting up and grabbing the bag of candy sitting by her side. It’s not that she hated the kids that came to her apartment for candy, she herself had done it throughout her childhood and adolescence, she just hated needing to get up all the goddamn time unless she wanted spray paint on her door or toilet paper glued to it.

She thought about leaving a bowl outside and letting the kids grab it, but it always ended up with a single boy taking the whole thing, not only making Bryce need to get up all the time during the night nonetheless, but it also forced her to buy a new bowl on the following day.

Plastering a smile on her face, Bryce opened the door, looking at the pack of children in front of her.

“Trick-or-treats!” They all said in unison, some voices muffled by their masks. Bryce’s smile turned genuine, and she started handing out the candy. As they received their candies, the kids said a quick thanks, moving to the other apartment across the hall.

Bryce prayed that he wasn’t at home, that he, like any other adult, had gone to some Halloween party. She had planned on, but her shift started so early on the following morning that she just gave up the idea, celebrating only Devil’s Night. Unfortunately, her prayers were not heard because a second later, the red door across from hers opened, a gigantic figure taking up all the threshold space. He was in his usual black pants and black shirt, a Scream mask covering his face.

Upon seeing the mask, some kids screamed, some kids laughed and most did both. They repeated the same phrase they had said moments ago to her, and so he started handing out candy.

Incapable of holding herself back, Bryce smirked ironically, leaning against her door frame. “Scaring the kids? You already do that without a mask, Hunt.”

As he always did when Bryce teased him, Hunt’s head snapped up, and she could almost see his eyes narrowing under the Scream mask.

The thing about her neighbor was plain and simple.

She fucking despised him.

Always had, even though Danika would usually point out that it was only Bryce’s stubbornness talking too loudly. Her roommate actually liked their neighbor, and that sometimes meant that Bryce had to arrive to see Hunt and Dani talking on the hallway as if they were friends. Bryce supposed they were, but she’d never admit that her best friend was friends with him.

Dani hadn’t been there when Bryce first moved their shit in. She had been traveling with her excuse of a mother to visit her sick grandpa, and so Bryce got the responsibility to move everything in before the end of summer. She hadn’t mind, not really. It wasn’t like Danika owned tons of shit, and most of the boxes were Bryce’s anyways.

And that’s when she had met Hunt.

For her whole life, Bryce had been told she was the biggest pain in the ass anyone could meet. The people saying that obviously hadn’t met Hunt Athalar.

The guy had bothered her every fucking day for a whole month. Every time a different complaint, every time just as annoying. She was being too loud, she was coming in too late and slamming the from door, her music was shit, she had to shut her dog up… Bryce wondered if Hunt made a fucking mental list every weekend regarding what he was going to complain about that week.

In the beginning she tried to be nice, tried to be polite to her neighbor but after two weeks she was just so fed up, that when Hunt complained about her coming back home so late, she just snapped.

“Well, you fucking prick, I come home late because I have a social life. Differently from you, apparently, who spends his day planning what’s he’s going to complain about next.” Bryce said, her drunken voice loud in the corridor. Hunt was standing at the door, eyes narrowed at her. “Actually, I can understand why you do that. Why you don’t have a fucking social life. It’s because you’re fucking insufferable! Going out with you must be the worst fucking torture ever.”

After that, she had slammed the door and prayed to the gods that the outburst would finally make him stop bothering her.

It didn’t.

When Dani came home, however, things got better. For some reason, Hunt seemed to like her better than he liked Bryce. If it depended on her, Danika wouldn’t even talk to that asshole, but since talking to her roommate apparently made him more friendly, Bryce never complained.

Hunt raised his mask from his face, giving Bryce a sarcastic smile. “Quinlan, always a fucking pleasure hearing your voice.”

“There are kids present.”

Hunt rolled his eyes, giving out candy to the last kids. “Cussing makes me look cooler than you to them.”

Some kids giggled, and Bryce tried— she really did try— to keep her mouth shut. “Don’t kids adore clowns?”

Despite the fact that Bryce felt as if she was back at fourth grade after that one, she felt somewhat smug.

Hunt let out a single laugh, still sarcastically smiling down at Bryce from across the hall. “I’m still the preferred one.”

“No, you’re not.”

As the kids left, Bryce knew she should go back to her apartment and hope she wouldn’t need to see Hunt’s face again for the rest of the night, but he kept standing there, and she didn’t want to be the first one to back down.

Hunt managed to bring out the very childish side of her. It was just wonderful.

“Why don’t we bet, then?” He asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Bryce narrowed her eyes, looking him up and down for no reason at all other than attempting to unnerve him. Judging from his impatient look when her eyes raised back to his face, her attempt was successful.

“I honestly would rather put toothpicks under my nails and then hit them against a wall.”

“So dramatic.” His smile widened. “But it’s ok that you don’t want. I’d be scared too.”

Oldest fucking trick on the book. Stupidest one too.

And she fell right into it.

Bryce grunted her jaw. “What fucking bet?”

“I think the kids would prefer me over you. You think the opposite.” He explained, gesturing to the middle of the corridor. “We put a box there asking them to write the number of the best house. Whoever wins gets a favor from the loser.”

Bryce scoffed, shaking her head. “As if I’d put the risk of having to owe you a favor in the hands of a bunch of ten years-olds.”

“Shouldn’t worry if you think you’re gonna win.”

Bryce bit the inside of her cheeks, looking Hunt up and down again. She knew it was a terrible bet, and she definitely did not want to owe him anything if she lost. Bryce didn’t even care about what the kids thought of her, she just didn’t want Hunt to be all smug and feeling superior.

“Fucking shit.” She murmured, rubbing her eyes. “Put the fucking box in the middle of the hallway and at midnight we count.”

And what was supposed to be a calm night— sometimes annoying— of just handing out candy, became a kissing-the-ass-of-a-bunch-of-kids night. Bryce was extra nice to all the kids, but she never asked them to vote for her house. She didn’t even knew if they were actually doing it, but she felt like asking for votes felt a little too much.

She handed out more candy to each one as she had previously expected, complimented costumes and even made small talk to the older trick-or-treaters, but beyond that she just acted normal.

As midnight approached, though, she started to wish that she had asked for those votes. The perspective of being in debt with the person she most fucking despised was terrifying, and she knew that if she lost, Hunt would definitely pick something to make her miserable.

Although she’d never admit it, she was anxiously waiting by the door for ten minutes already when the clock chimed midnight. Both she and Hunt opened the door at the same time, both looking at each other for a quick second before rushing to the box in the middle of the hallway. For the first time since she had met him, Bryce didn’t insult, scowl or even talked to Hunt. They just sat in silence on the floor and started to count.

Surprisingly, it looked like all the kids had found the question interesting enough because there were at least sixty paper votes inside the box. Half to her content, half to her worry, she and Hunt were pretty tied.

Hunt smiled, shaking the box. “Last vote, Quinlan.”

Bryce was staring at that box as if it held the answers to all of her problems. They were currently 34-34, and whoever got that vote won.

For the seconds it took Hunt to take the paper out of the box, Bryce’s heart was basically galloping inside her chest.

And when he smiled, her heart dropped.

Before he even placed the paper down on his pile, Bryce was already resting her head against the wall, groaning and cursing the children.

“Fuck no. No, no, no. Fuck, fuck no.” She groaned, shaking her head as she looked up to the ceiling.

“Don’t be a sore loser, Quinlan.” Hunt said, and although Bryce wasn’t looking at him, she knew he was smiling.

“Go choke on a dick, asshole.”

Hunt’s rich laughs reverberated through the corridor, and Bryce groaned one more time.

“The way I’m feeling right now.” Hunt gloated, only half speaking to her.

Bryce snapped her face back to him, eyes opening. She made a face, showing him the middle finger. “Why don’t you just ask your fucking favor and leave me alone?”

Hunt’s smile was nothing short of scary, and Bryce was already bracing herself for his next words. “Remember two weeks after you moved in?”

Bryce’s nervousness was substituted for confusion, and a crease created in between her eyebrows. “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

Hunt’s smile grew. “Remember what you said?”

Bryce simply narrowed her eyes.

“That going out with me would be, and I quote, the worst fucking torture ever?” Hunt’s voice was sweet, smile enormous, and it took Bryce only a second to understand.

“Oh, fuck you.” She said, jaw falling. Bryce knew Hunt had no interest in her, he just wanted to antagonize her life. “Fuck you, you fucking fuck.”

Hunt laughed again, throwing his head back. Bryce crossed her arms, head shaking as she still had her jaw somewhat dropped.

“Really? You can ask for anything and you decide to chose something stupid just to annoy me?”

Hunt was too busy laughing to respond to her, and Bryce got up, scowling down at him.

“I’m gonna make you wish you’d never been born during the three hours I’m out with you.”

Hunt controlled his laughter, looking up at her. “Wouldn’t expect anything else from you.”

Bryce opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she just turned on her heels, walking up to her apartment and slamming the door without looking back at Hunt.

She decided, in that moment, that she actually fucking hated Halloween.

A/N: Getting sick when you’re doing a challenge is the biggest bitch ever. I’m hopeful I’ll finish before Halloween but who knows? This is quick and the first time I write Brycehunt, so new waters for me. Hope you enjoyed!

Tags:

@in-love-with-caramel-macchiato @jlinez @courtofjurdan @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln @ladywitchling @lexflame @sleeping-and-books @annejulianneh111 @perseusannabeth @linshryver @mu-si-ca-l @camilamartinezdunne @dank-queen7 @minaidss @starborn-faerie-queen @booksofthemoon @loveofbooksandwine @jesstargaryenqueen @bluejaberry @multifandommessblog @yesdreamblog @superspiritfestival @ireallyshouldsleeprn @woollycat22 @julemmaes @claralady

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softforf · 4 years ago

Text

31 Days of Wayhaven: Day 8 - Villain

Pairing: Felix Hauville x F!Detective (oc: Danielle Greene)

Words: ~700

@31daysofwayhaven

“This is is insane.”

Dani raised an eyebrow, turning in her seat to face Felix. “What is?”

“This,” he said while gesturing vaguely at the television lighting up the dark room. “Why would he tell them his whole plan? He’s like the worst bad guy I’ve ever seen.”

The corners of her lips quirked into a small smile as she shifted the blanket over them and turned back toward the screen. A shot of a crazed scientist pacing around his lair quickly cut to the hero covertly shrugging off the binds around their wrists.

“See? They’re getting away already!” Felix exclaimed, motioning at the screen again and knocking the now empty popcorn bowl to the ground.

“It’s because he’s a movie villain. This is, like, a classic trope.”

“Well, it needs to be revisited,” Felix snarked, leaning back with a smile and throwing an arm across the couch. “I would be a much better evil mastermind.”

At that, Dani bit back a chuckle and turned again to the movie flashing across the screen. He leaned closer, his face inches away from hers, and widened his eyes at her expression.

“What is that?”

“Nothing,” she laughed while making a great effort to keep her eyes straight ahead.

Felix dropped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her body closer to his. “No, come on. You’ve got to tell me,” he whined.

She shook her head, biting her bottom to hold in the laughter that wanted to trickle out.

“Danielle,” he stated with mock sternness in his very best impression of Rebecca.

No longer holding back the smile from her face, she peered sideways at Felix before giving an eyeroll and turning to face him. He grinned back at her expectantly with raised brows.

“You would totally monologue if you were a villain,” she managed to get out with a laugh.

Felix drew back with mimicked hurt and put a hand over his heart. “How dare you? And here I thought you liked me.”

She gave a soft chuckle at his faux wounded expression. Felix took this as encouragement to slump down further with an exaggerated pout. “That is so untrue,” he complained waving his free arm in the air. “I would never go on like that for real.”

“It’s just what happens in these movies,” Dani giggled as he quickly broke his charade to throw her a smile. “And you would totally give up your entire plan immediately.”

“Name one person who would ever act like that,” he challenged with a grin.

“Murphy kind of did.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Dani could have kicked herself. She watched the dramatics fall off Felix’s face to be swiftly replaced with concern. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it just as quickly with a worried press of his lips. Dani shifted uncomfortably at the cold feeling on the back of her neck and nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, ignoring the way her hand shook.

Brushing the chill away, she plastered a small smile across her face. “Hey, maybe you’re right. He told me his whole plan and we managed to stop him. Guess it’s not a great idea.”

Something flashed in Felix’s eyes too fast for Dani to identify before she watched him slip into practiced nonchalance and recline back against the sofa.

Both turning their attention to the screen, she leaned further into Felix’s side and placed her head on his shoulder. The hero was now shooting across a gleaming body of water in a speedboat, the villain’s lair burning in the distance.

“Okay, we missed a lot,” Dani chuckled, reaching for the remote. “We should rewind.”

He only hummed in agreement.

Settling back in, they watched the evil scientist pace across the screen again. Dani pressed closer to Felix with her eyes still on the screen, the moment before apparently forgotten. He squeezed his arm a little tighter around her and tried to focus on the action scene unfurling in front of them.

Gunfire echoed out of the speakers and bright flashes of light lit up the small frown across his face as he stared down at her. “Yeah, we skipped all the good parts.”

#31daysofwayhaven #twc #the wayhaven chronicles #felix hauville #f hauville #agent f #twc fanfic #twc writing #oc: danielle greene #twc detective #this is purely self indulgent #baby's first fanfic #don't judge too harshly i am sensitive thank u #my writing

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dannymayevent · 4 years ago

Text

Oh, but I’m clearly destined to wander

Congratulations, @wholocksupersoupofpain, for completing all 31 days of Dannymay 2020!

Phic written by @bibliophilea for your Day 15 artwork - Favorite AU - because Space AU is such a phantastic AU, and what you did for it was inspiring.

Phic can also be found on ao3 and ffn.

Title from "Beautiful Times" by Owl City.

*~*~*

Dani dances.

She twirls and weaves, her long, braided hair following her every movement, her longer blue scarf flowing around her, floating gracefully in the vacuum of space.

There is a freedom in her dance that cannot be expressed with words. But there is also yearning - in the way she darts from one point in space to another, like a butterfly untethered by anything but its own whims - whims which pull her too and fro, restless in her longing for something new and exciting in the vast beyond.

Valerie watches from the airlock, helmet in hand, enchanted as she always is when she watches her lover dance. She notes the subtle desperation in the tension in Dani’s back - the longing in the way her legs smoothly launch her from nothing to nothing, in the way her arms point to stars and galaxies far, far away - and she smiles softly, sadly. She'll be leaving soon now.

Dani turns to the airlock, and waves excitedly at Valerie, waves at her to come join her in this dance. Valerie is quick to hide her sadness, and she puts on her helmet, locking it in place before venting the airlock.

She twists open the lock and pushes the door open, joining Dani in the great beyond, the vastness that is space.

*~*~*

Dani dances.

Her giggles echo in the small living space of the spacecraft, the only home she’s ever known. She spins and spins, bumping into the walls and the ceiling and the floor before she trips and flips into her father’s lap.

"Careful, my little comet," her father says, their secret language humming and clicking in her ears. He smiles fondly down at her, and she giggles, floating up to give him a kiss on his forehead.

"Yes, papa!" she dutifully answers, before darting away, her giggles and her long, blue scarf trailing in her wake as she spins and spins again, doing her best to emulate the graceful twirls of the woman in the flickering holovid.

The woman smiles at no one as she flickers, and she speaks in their secret language, voice soft and gentle, yet commanding attention.

"When we spin, we spin with our core, the same way our home spins - the core of our planet pulling the surface with it, pulling us all with it into a celestial dance which guides us in our journey through the universe."

Dani stops spinning to listen, attention rapt upon the woman, before smiling widely and spinning again. She doesn’t see the way her father’s smile cracks, the way his eyes shine with tears before he wipes them away.

She does notice when he floats to the center of the room and pauses the holovid, staring at the flickering image of the woman. Her smile is radiant, deep black hair floating mid-twirl, eyes shining with joy. Dani’s father stares into her eyes.

"It’s time to say goodnight to mama," he tells Dani. Dani looks between the holovid and her father’s eyes, wrinkled in sadness even as he smiles gently. She nods quietly, and floats up to the woman’s face, and kisses her on the forehead. The flickering image tingles her lips.

"Goodnight, mama," she says, before turning to her father and hugging him hard.

"I love you, papa," she says in their secret language.

Her father huffs in surprise, before wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you, too, my little comet."

*~*~*

Dani dances.

She twirls and weaves through the club, almost floating effortlessly between people as she dances, flitting between dance partners like a bee collecting pollen from one set of flowers before flying to the next. The white highlights in her skin tight jumpsuit and her loosely braided hair shine in the ever changing lights of the dance hall - purple, then red, then blue, then green flashing and fading into each other in time with the music. The black in her hair reflects the lights above her, but not as brightly; the black in her suit is nearly invisible in the throng of bodies and low light, hiding the motions of her lower legs and lower arms as she dances through the crowd - hiding her hands as they filter through the pockets of dancers, picking out wallets and coins and credits before stashing them in one of the many hidden pockets in her suit.

She glances at the bar for the fifth time in as many minutes, and this time makes herself hold eye contact with the beautiful woman staring at her. The woman’s red jumpsuit seems to change color in the low, changing light, and the black, reflective highlights accentuate the curves of her muscles and body. Her dark, curly hair is cropped short, geometric designs buzzed along the sides of her head. But what captivates Dani the most are her eyes. They are bright green - almost as green as Dani’s own eyes - and though they’re hard now, they shine with a life Dani can’t help but drink in, can’t help but want to explore.

She dances over to the bar and props herself up against it, smiling a winning smile at the woman in red.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Dani asks sweetly.

"Only if you can tell me whose credits you’re using," the woman replies, raising an eyebrow.

Dani doesn’t miss a beat. "Phillip McCarthy. I’m sure he won’t miss it."

The woman’s other eyebrow raises to join the first. The McCarthy’s are notorious for their smuggling operations in this sector of the galaxy - anything from drugs to artifacts to people. If it sells, chances are the McCarthy’s have a say in where it goes. Phillip in particular is known for his ruthlessness. Heir to the smuggling kingdom and drunk on his mother’s wealth and power, he goes where he wants and brings the party with him. Few who cross him live to tell the tale; the rest speak only to the coroners, and only speak of terrible, painful death.

The woman glances to the dance floor, where McCarthy drunkenly grinds and bellows to the music in the spotlight, surrounded by his posse - pilot fish seeking out a taste of that spotlight, that wealth, that power. She seems to make a decision, and her eyes soften as she lets out a low whistle, cracking a smile. "Ballsy. I’ll drink to that."

Dani lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, and can’t help but grin. She waves down a bartender. "Two fireflies. On me."

She scans the credits, then turns back to find the woman staring at her. She notes the blush in her cheeks, and her grin turns sly. "Like what you see?"

The woman sputters. "W-what? No, no way, um, not that you’re not gorgeous or anything, I just - I didn’t come here for - look, can I get a name from the beautiful woman who just bought me a drink?"

Dani laughs, and feels her own cheeks blush green. Who knew a woman with such a confident stare could be so cute?

"It’s Dani," she chuckles. "And what can I say, I see a beautiful woman staring at me, how can I not buy her a drink?"

The woman frowns. She opens her mouth to retort, but a purple arm comes between them, hand adorned with expensive rings pressed against the bar. Dani looks up and sees Phillip McCarthy doing his best to loom over them despite his swaying stature. More intimidating is his posse - all in varying stages of drunkenness, but none as drunk as McCarthy, and there are a lot of them.

McCarthy squints his eyes at Dani. "You stole from me." Then he smirks. "But you’re new around here, aren’t you? Tell you what - I’ll let it slide if you do a little dance with me." He leans in close, and Dani wrinkles her nose at the stink of liquor on his breath. "I’ll show you what a real McCarthy can do for you."

"No thanks." Dani puts a hand on his chest and pushes him away. He stumbles back, surprised by her strength. Then he growls, stepping back towards her.

"Hey bitch, do you know who I am? I could make your life a living hell - you stole from me." He forces his face into a smile. "But I’m a nice guy. I can be forgiving. I’ll give you one last chance to do the right thing."

McCarthy grabs Dani’s arm, and Dani glares. Who is he to touch her like that? Before she can act, the woman in red grabs the hand that grabbed her, just above the wrist.

"Let her be, McCarthy. She was just about to return those credits. Right?" the woman side-eyes Dani hard. Dani rolls her eyes and pulls the credits from a secret pocket with her free hand, flicking them at McCarthy.

McCarthy‘s face sours. The credits bounce off his chest, and one of his posse picks them up. "Stay out of this, Gray," he snarls. "This is about respect. And I’m gonna teach her a lesson."

His hand tightens painfully on Dani’s arm, and Dani hisses. She feels the woman - Gray - tense beside her. Gray peels the hand from Dani’s arm and twists, earning a squawk from McCarthy, before shoving him back into his posse.

"I said, let her be." Gray growls.

McCarthy’s face twists in drunken rage, and he rounds on Gray. "How dare you-"

Dani kicks him in the throat, and he chokes, eyes wide with surprise, crumpling backwards to the floor.

Shit. She didn’t mean to kick him that hard - just hard enough to get him to shut up and back off from Gray. She stares wide-eyed at his crumpled form, barely able to hear Gray’s voice over the pulsing of her core in tune with her heart. He’s gotta be alright - she doesn’t know what she’ll do if she did any permanent damage, or worse, killed him-

McCarthy coughs harshly and works himself to his elbows. He stares up at his posse. They stare back. Then he flushes bright pink and points, croaking, "Get them."

Gray springs into action, fighting down the part of the posse closest to the door. They’ll never make it that way - not with more of the posse gathering by the door, ready to catch them should they make it past the first wave. Four of them turn on Dani, and she leaps into action, sweeping her foot out and spinning, knocking them away from her and clearing a path to the dance floor. She grabs Gray’s wrist, startling the woman.

"This way!" Dani shouts, and pulls Gray into the crowd.

Gray pulls against Dani’s grip. "There’s no exit that way!"

Dani pauses for a second, locking eyes with Gray. She smiles confidently. "Trust me."

Gray holds her gaze, then grins and nods. She twists her wrist and suddenly they’re holding hands, Gray a half-step behind Dani as they navigate the crowd together - Dani twirling and dancing between dancers and posse alike, Valerie twirling with her and taking down McCarthy’s people as they flee. They operate in sync, as if they’ve known each other for longer than five minutes, and Dani revels in the feeling. This is better than dancing on her own, better than dancing with a throng of bodies in time to the music - this is the most alive she’s ever felt.

The crowd thins, and she guides Gray to the back of the warehouse, dodging security. The back wall is lined with small windows 20 feet above the floor. They should be closed, but Dani knows for sure that one of them is open to the night air. As they approach the wall, she grins at Gray and lets go of her hand, putting on a burst of speed to reach it first. She kneels below the open window, holding out her hands to give Gray a boost.

Gray smiles at the move, kicking off of one of McCarthy’s men and using the forward momentum to sprint to Dani. She leaps into Dani’s hands, and Dani throws her into the air, sending her soaring to the window. Gray grabs the window sill and pulls herself effortlessly through, out into the night.

Dani grins and stands, surveying the mix of McCarthy’s posse and club security running towards her. McCarthy himself has somehow made it to the front of the posse, and he stops and snarls upon seeing her. She grins cheekily and waves, making a show of jumping up to the window - not many people fly in this sector of the galaxy, she’s learned. She hears McCarthy screech some sort of profanity, and something about his mother, as she pulls herself through, dropping to the next roof and picking up her backpack in a single, graceful movement. She takes a moment to look upwards, at the night sky.

The sky is only partially covered by clouds, a dark expanse faintly speckled with unfamiliar constellations where the clouds don’t touch. The light pollution from the surrounding city drowns out most of the black and stars, but she can just see Wolf 359 peaking out from behind a cloud. She smiles. Maybe she’ll head there next.

"You gonna stand there all night?"

Dani starts and turns to see Gray, eyebrow raised, but hand held out towards her. She blushes and grins, stepping forward to take her hand. This time, Gray leads, guiding Dani off the roof and through the streets and alleyways, away from the club and into the darkness.

They only stop for breath when they’re sure they aren’t followed. It’s then that Gray lets go of Dani’s hand, walking along a street and staring at the ground. Dani’s about to ask what she’s looking for when she suddenly stands up straight, turning back to Dani, hand outstretched.

"Hand over the credits," Gray demands.

"What? No!" Dani scoffs. "That’s like, half my haul!"

Gray rolls her eyes. "You can keep the rest. I don’t know where you’re from, but around here, credits are traceable."

Dani sighs, but does as she’s told. Gray shoves the credits down the sewer grate next to her. So that’s what she was looking for.

"The sewer flows downriver," she says. "You should head in the opposite direction, towards the space port." She points a thumb behind her, down the alleyway. "That’s where you’re headed, right?"

Dani gapes at her. "How did you-"

Gray raises an eyebrow. "It’s like McCarthy said - you’re not from around here. And you’ll need to get off planet now that you’ve pissed off Mr. High and Mighty."

Dani winces. "Sorry about that, Gray. But what about you?"

Gray smirks. "I can handle him. I’ve been doing it for years. Oh, and the names Valerie. It’s what my friends call me."

"Valerie." Dani tests the name out on her tongue. It feels right. She beams up at Gray - no, Valerie - and then bounces up to her. She caresses Valerie’s cheek with one hand, and kisses her chastely on the corner of her lip.

"Thank you, Valerie," she whispers in her ear.

And then she bounds away, dancing through streets and alleyways, climbing to the rooftops, almost flying as she careens upriver, towards the space port.

*~*~*

Dani dances.

Valerie dances.

They meet again, multiple times in both of their travels. And they dance.

And they dance.

*~*~*

Valerie dances.

She pushes off from the airlock, gliding into her lover’s arms. Together they twirl in the vastness of space, the stars and ship revolving around them, but they only have eyes for each other. Then Dani smiles, and kisses the top of Valerie’s helmet, and spins away from Valerie.

Valerie’s suit stabilizes her spinning with a thought, and she spins more slowly now, tracking Dani as she twirls through space, with Valerie at the center - Valerie at her center. She doesn’t know how, or why, but she’s managed to capture the most beautiful comet in the world. She is somehow the force which pulls Dani from shooting aimlessly through space - the star about which Dani orbits. Valerie is Dani’s star, and Dani is Valerie’s comet. Wherever their paths may lead, whichever outer reaches of space Dani flings herself to, Valerie knows that she will always, always come back to her.

Dani comes in for a hug, and they spin together, staring into each other’s eyes, naught but plexiglass and atmosphere and the vacuum of space between them. No one but themselves for hundreds of miles.

"I love you, my comet," Valerie says in Dani’s secret language.

Dani’s smile widens, and her eyes shine with the light of a home she’s never known - a home she chooses to make herself, with Valerie at her center.

"I love you too, my star."

#danny phantom #dannymay2020 #fanfiction #prize

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sayhitoforever · 5 years ago

Text

Burn Season - Malcolm Bright x Reader - Pt (2/?)

Fictober 25/31

Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 - GIF credit to malcolmbrighted

Malcolm waited as patiently as he could manage until Y/N was alone before crossing the warehouse space towards her. He noted the way her eyes seemed to trace patterns in the ash and grime, patterns he didn't see. She paid no mind to his presence as he hovered just a few feet away, moving with her as she paced. Malcolm was too much like a dog with a bone to keep quiet indefinitely though.

“So, how long exactly does it take you to key into people? Is it a matter of time spent with them or the topic of conversation?” he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, hands in his pockets. The three burned bodies behind him were all but forgotten, all so he could focus his attention on the bigger mystery in the room.

She gave Malcolm a measured look that was almost hauntingly indifferent. “I don't believe I follow your question, Mr. Bright,” she said as she bent over, eyes studying what she could see of the building’s concrete foundation.

“I didn't even know that JT liked the opera. And Dani told me she hates cilantro just last week.” Malcolm watched her face with a scrutiny he knew she was aware of.

“She's got that sad cilantro-soap gene,” Y/N said with a deep sigh as she stood up straight. “I see that we're both a little married to our work, profiler.”

Malcolm wrinkled his nose at the name, catching the edge of disdain in her voice. It was awfully distracting, he thought to himself. She was distracting, beautiful in a way that was hard not to draw attention. And yet she didn't seem to carry herself in the way that people who knew they were attractive usually did, with a seemingly effortless confidence. Everything about her felt so practiced, so controlled, so intentional. She would have been unsettling if she wasn’t so utterly fascinating.

“You know, I have a theory that social chameleons are sociopaths that learned to—” Malcom began, deciding that maybe his go-to blunt questions approach wasn't going to work in this particular situation and that maybe outright declaring his intention with this conversation was best.

“Don't move,” Y/N barked, voice sharp and Malcolm literally froze mid-step. “You almost just destroyed my ignition point.”

Malcolm watched as she crouched down in the ash and grime, the hem of her stunning dress dragging in it as she leveled herself with the floor. He looked up briefly to see that they were standing just outside the warehouse now, in the back of it actually, with only the charred steel foundation around them. Y/N was completely enraptured by whatever she was studying, Malcolm entirely forgotten above her as her eyes traced the line she had found.

“How long have you been an arson investigator?” Malcolm asked finally, hating the still silence, needing answers, answers in any form he could get them.

“A few years.” Y/N replied, getting down nearly to the point that her cheek touched the floor.

“Why arson?” Malcolm knew it was the most profiler-esque question he'd asked yet, and he expected an equally evasive answer from her.

She sighed as she sat back on her haunches, eyes moving up to view the three charred corpses from where she was. “Fire is as beautiful as it is dangerous, much like people are. It eats away at what is old and weak and leaves the possibility of new growth in its wake. With the right accelerant, it can destroy faster than most people think fathomable, or it can get snuffed out with just a breath.” The brief smile she gave Malcolm as she looked up was coy, borderline flirtatious. “Everything works better with the right accelerant.”

Malcolm would have had to have been stupid not to catch the double meaning of her words. And the look on her face caused his pulse to jump briefly. He had to choke down all of the questions that loaded his tongue as Gil rejoined them, looking hopefully down at Y/N who remained crouched in the ash.

“You're looking at a single ignition point. They left a gas trail, starting outside, here, and going into the building. No gas can remnants likely because it burned along with your three friends over there. Who were, no doubt, expecting your suspect.” Y/N paused, cocked her head slightly to the side as she stared past the group to the bodies in the distance again. “Probably a match starter that they threw down here. Clean, very clean. Professional. You're also looking for a single suspect, not a group.”

“And just how exactly do you know that?” Malcolm asked before Gil could speak first, feeling as close to agitated as he had since Y/N had walked onto the crime scene.

“Because I've seen this before.” She glanced skyward briefly to see the sun had set completely, the only light left was that of the cop cars stationed sporadically and the lights they were beginning to set up. She looked up and gave Gil an apologetic grimace. “Send me whatever you get off the bodies. If Edrisa can find any secondary accelerants, then Snake Eyes here could probably figure out just how premeditated this was and we can go from there. I've got some time tomorrow. I can come in, if you'd like?”

‘Snake Eyes’, Malcolm mouthed to himself as Gil offered Y/N a helping hand up.

“We would greatly appreciate that. Edrisa will likely be up all night with this one,” Gil said, sounding remorseful.

“Oh, good,” Y/N said, eyes as bright as her smile. “This benefit shouldn’t last too long and I’ve missed our early morning Baby Stout days.”

Gil’s expression spoke only of exhausted exasperation. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just tell me that you and my M.E drink on the job.”

Y/N’s grin just widened. “Have a good evening, gentlemen.”

“Let me walk you to your car,” Malcolm said quickly, following after her without giving Gil another glance.

She said nothing as she picked her way across the crime scene towards a black sedan parked on the other side of the street, pulling keys from her purse. Malcolm thought it was strangely fitting that whatever perfume she was wearing smelled a bit like a burning pine forest; sharp, earthy, smoky. A heady, intoxicating combination.

“I look forward to working with you further, Mr. Bright. This case will give us a chance to get to know each other better,” Y/N said with a wink and the same coquettish smile that said she already had him all figured out.

She pulled open the driver’s door and, out of ingrained manners, Malcolm held it open for her. But he was unable to look away from her eyes, slightly entranced and feeling all for the world like a butterfly pinned to corkboard with her stare.

“Do try to get some sleep, this case will be a challenging one.” The door slipped out of Malcolm’s shocked hands as she pulled it closed. The car started, the headlights flickered on, and she pulled away from the curb, taking a sharp right and disappearing out of sight.

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friendstobrothers · 3 years ago

Text

Chapter 3: Trial

Sergei's Plight

By Charmed Wolf

Alright, the third 11 days of Sergei's treatment, it's also the start of the trial of the three teens that burned Sergei as horrifically as they did. The pictures that was taken of the raw burns before treatment were entered as evidence to be used, there were people that were helped by Sergei at the trial to support Nikita and Sergei; even though Sergei couldn't be at the trial because he was still going under burn treatment. Still, there were people that thought that Sergei deserved the burns when the truth said otherwise.

~March 31, 2022~ Kyoki's choice threw a monkey wrench into the Karens plans.

“I'll do what I can for Sergei, after all he and his family is considered family,” I was satisified with Kyoki's answer, I suppose those Karens that were listening to us talk were expecting negitive answer; well, Kyoki threw monkey wrench into their plans with her choice. If I knew that wolf, I would know she wouldn't back down from anything and that's including defending Sergei and anyone of his family. “So, I suppose that puts a monkey wrench into your plans, I don't turn my back on family,” she was calling my Russian brother family, she did that on purpose saying that Sergei is family; I know for fact that she's only one sniper that can hit smallest target on human body, femrol artery, also not afraid to tell truth. One of those Karens went to Kyoki and tried to slap her when Danieli got in between them, hand on his dagger, he wasn't about to let those Karens touch Kyoki, or for that matter, slap her. “You touch or slap her, there is no telling what she'd do to you,” it was warning from Danieli as he had his hand on his dagger, those Karens have to back off or be mauled by wolf; and that's wouldn't be pretty.

Kyoki got to Sergei's room while he was in process having bandage change, she saw the burns for themselves and literally felt like ripping up those teenagers that did this to him. “Some of the burns are still blistering, for right know, Dr. Stein will do one more bath later and then skin graphs,” Sergei understood what nurse had said; those clean bandages felt itchy to my Russian brother, also it comes with territory of burns, Sergei always had been sensitive on his right side most and these burns made that even more sensitive. “I'm glad you came, Kyoki,” she walked in once covered, she was aware that Sergei was still undergoing burn treatment after what those teenagers had done; she knew better than to touch bandages once to his bed. Some of those burns had made it hard for Sergei to move, working with Slavlana helped relieve that stiffness. “I don't turn my back on family, and you know that, Sergei,” My Russian Cossack brother nodded sipping some water, he knew that Kyoki would never turn her back on her family; there was more important news from courthouse. They were going ahead with trial, even though Sergei wasn't going to be able to come to testify, prosecuting atterney had idea to tape Sergei's testimony for trial. “The prosecutor came to the Castra Praetoria, he's going ahead with the trial, he still want your testimony, I suggested he tape it,” I know my Russian brother was ready for this, he wanted this done at very beginning of his ordeal; Kyoki knew how much pain Sergei had been in since beginning. People that didn't know Sergei, they were ones that were supporting my Russian brother most when he needed it.

“Why so soon?” Kyoki told him that there wasn't anything on prosecuter's desk to take care of before Sergei's case, trial date was set for tomorrow and it's not April fools joke; I knew Kyoki wasn't foolish as those Karens thought she was. Oh, she's smarter than what other people think she is, Sergei knew it when they first met years ago. “Tell me that's April fools joke,” there was gentle smile to her lips, that said it for my Russian Cossack brother that this isn't; like had been said, Sergei deserved justice for what happened to him. Alyona had also come to be with Sergei, by then, he had fallen asleep after getting news about trial going foreward.

~April 1, 2022~ April fools, the start of the trial.

“It's the start of the trial, I'm wanting to get your testimony for your case,” this prosecutor was fighting go get Sergei justice that he deserves; I knew taping it didn't take long, this prosecutor had got what he needed to help my Russian brother. I know Sergei gave some strongly words to defence atterney, this defence atterney doesn't know my Russian brother way I know him, he knows nothing of what Sergei likes and dislikes. “Спасибо, for this chance to at least emotionally heal from this,” Danieli knew that this was start of Sergei healing emotionally and not just physically; he also knew that there had to be someone that could relate to about being burned for my Russian brother, of course, the itchiness came back and it was kind of funny to see him sit and try not to srcatch at it so much. Some kindhearted person left a nice moisturising lotion, it was something recommended for Sergei.

“I think my skin is starting to getting dry,” Sergei said trying not to scratch at his burns, then he and I started to laugh at an old memory of when he and I first met; it was time for me to go to courthouse for trial. I was going to do my best to support Sergei, he's more than friend, he became my brother from Russia. “I hope to be back later to sit with you,” I had told him as I had left room, he knew that I had to be their to testify about what happened night he was burned; he knows I will be honest, I know for fact I didn't like seeing my Russian brother getting burned like this. I wondered who that kindhearted person was that left that decent moisturising lotion for Sergei, there was note taped to bottle, note itself wasn't bad and very nice. ~'I'm sorry about what those teenagers had done to you, the fact remains, you didn't deserve what you got after the kind things you did. If you need someone to talk to, I'm avilable at anytime.'~ Maybe this person had heard what had happened and wanted to offer support, I just don't know though; the lotion was unscented as that was recommended for after treatment skin care, Dr. Stein also recommended moisturising sunscreen if Sergei was going to be taking shirts off.

I know for fact Sergei is going to take and pay closer attention to caring for his skin, if anyone touches him on his right side, I know he'd be laughing because he'd be sensitive there. “Whoever this person is, she most have known what is like to be burned,” Sergei said looking at bottle of moisturising lotion, sure enough; this person that had gave my Russian brother lotion, did know what it was like to be burned. Of course, he was grateful that someone who could relate to his situation and to give him helping hand with after treatment skin care by giving him things he needs, there was going to be more to come with skin care and this trial.

~April 2, 2022~ Day two of the trial, Prosecution's evidence mounts up.

“They did opening statements yesterday and a review of evidence, Sergei, it's all in your favor to help you to heal,” Kyoki pays attention to trial to keep updated with what's going on, those Karens really didn't like what she had done other day; Danieli said once that once Kyoki makes up her mind, it stays made up. And he's right about that, once this legendary wolf makes up her mind, it stays made up. “Have they started with testimonies yet?” Kyoki looks up from what she was reading, she knew that Sergei was tense and didn't really want those Karens near by; it looked like they were up to nothing good. One of nurses had to ask them to leave burn floor because they were making my Russian brother nervous, if they didn't leave, security would have to be called to escort them out of hospital entirely. “Not yet, and that's listed for today,” she had a feeling that those teenagers were going to lie on stand and under oath, and she's usually never wrong about things like this; it turns out she was spot on with her feeling. Those teenagers did lie through their teeth about what had happened that March 9th, Proculeius and I both knew truth of what really happen that night. “They just ruined their lives when they did this to me,” Kyoki knows when Sergei gets pissed, he gets rather quiet to a point where he won't say anything; and that's where he is now. My Russian bother knows Proculeius and I will tell truth about what really happened, we all knew that Sergei didn't deserve those burns as those teenagers said he did.

“Now it's Proculeius' turn to testify about what happened,” Kyoki knew that Proculeius actually came through and gave an earful to defence atterney, he was right to say that this defence atterney was foolish thinking he knows Sergei; he doesn't know my Russian brother in least little bit. I took stand after Proculeius was done with defence atterney, I knew I had to be just as honest as Proculeius was. “I know Yushka will be honest about what happened March 9th,” Sergei was right when I took stand; I was honest about what I saw, it was because I knew what I saw. I knew those burns weren't even self-inflicted, those were delibretly done to Sergei.

“I can't believe that the defence atterney just walked into his own trap,” Kyoki knew what was going on with trial, I gave defence atterney good thrashing; prosecuter called for Sergei and said he had done do deligence and taped his testimony for this trial. So, it was because that my Russian brother was still in hospital because of what those teenagers had done to him; Sergei told defence atterney that he doesn't even have any clue to who he is, what he likes and dislikes or what the aspect of honor is to Cossack and among other things. “There you have it, he played his best card, those teens are sunk,” Kyoki just turned tv off knowing that Sergei had went quiet, he wasn't mad at prosecutor; it was those teenagers he was mad at for what they did to him, scarring him for life after pouring petrol on him and then lighting him on fire. Kyoki could see tears in his eyes fall one by one; she knew that those teenagers had not only scarred Sergei for life, they also had ruined their own lives with what they had done. “Sergei, you have every right to be upset with those teens and what they did to you, they said you deserved those burns, they're wrong because you didn't deserve this,” Kyoki was right with what she had just said; Sergei knew it deep down that Kyoki was right, this is what it means to be supported and not abandoned. I wish this community would open up their eyes to see that, right now, they really are blind to fact that Sergei isn't bad at all.

~April 3, 2022~ Third day of the trial, Prosecution keeps the evidence coming.

“Dr. Stein had testified on your behalf,” Kyoki was still by Sergei considering that he's more like family than friend; it was explained in detail of how severe those burns were, he also described how much pain Sergei was in after first few days after coming into hospital. I know the rawness of those burns when Sergei had first came in, there was reasoning behind his decision to document how severe those burns were. “I suppose it should be told so people would know,” Those Karens wouldn't believe what Dr. Stein was saying, he was being honest with what was going on going with my Russian brother's treatment; it meant that Sergei isn't as much pain as was when he first came in. Kyoki noticed those Karens were back looking at Sergei's blanket, Danieli spent too many hours on making that blanket for him. “Kyoki, don't tell me that they're back,” she didn't have to tell him that they were, his eyes drifted over to doorway and saw those Karens; Danieli knew as well as Kyoki that they weren't up to any good. The Legendary wolf got up to doorway to wave nurse over to tell her that those Karens were back, I knew Sergei wasn't going to give up his blanket, his name was put into blanket.

“What did you do to them, Kyoki?” she just smiled as she sat back down to see what was going, security personel came and had to escort those Karens out of hospital; they vowed that they will get that blanket. Kyoki didn't think they will be back, there were effectively banned from entering this hospital again. “All I did was to have them thrown out because they were wanting to steal your blanket, Sergei,” he knew that Kyoki was trying to pay attention to trial, there was another witness that saw what Proculeius and I did; it was from another angle from where we were. My Russian brother recognized who this man was, it was Karl Freiderich Housen, he immigrated from Germany years ago to start all over. “He just pointed out that those teenagers were lying through there teeth because he knows what he saw,” Kyoki said looking up at the tv screen, Karl often would visit children in the Children's hospital; one of those children told Karl that Sergei was in hospital with severe burns. Karl sweetly told that little girl that he knew because he saw what had happened, he had plans to visit with my Russian brother when he was done with his visit with the little kids, and often in his Native German clothes. “I enjoyed Karl's company one evening when I couldn't talk,” I knew Karl would know that sometimes best guestures don't require any words; the old German had come through my Russian brother with his testimony, judge called Recess until next day. Nurses come into his room with bandages for bandage change, it was deep 2nd degree burns to 3rd degree burns on his body, those 3rd degree burns were mostly consetrated to his right side and back under his right shoulder. “Okay, time for bandage change, Sergei,” those burns didn't looks as bad as when he first came to hospital; old bandages were coming off easier, it could be seen that Sergei's skin was permanently marred.

Sergei wanted to show those teenagers what they did to him, I know he was literally angry with them for screw up his life as well their own lives for those burns. “We're all finished with the bandage change,” one of nurses said as old bandages were changed, as soon as they left; Sergei's pentup emotions came out and he just started to cry. When Kyoki told me what happened, I wished I could be there by his bed.

~April 4, 2022~ Defence's pitiful display.

“I will tell you that defence atterney is making a pitiful display,” Sergei was right about what defence atterney was doing; especially when crossexamine what we were saying, it was disrespect and Proculeius and I repeatedly called him out on him. Even Karl had to call him out on him, I didn't want my Russian brother to be upset again as did Danieli and Kyoki. “I haven't seen those Karens all day today,” and that was good to hear that they hadn't made their apperence; I know Legendary wolf would make it stay that way, Danieli freely gave that to Sergei as way of telling him to get better and to know that he was there for him. It was support that my Russian brother needed that community refused to give him, they refused to give support just because he happens to be Russian, deep down, that's worst thing to do to another human being. “Sergei, You're quiet,” Kyoki sensed something wrong when he when quiet, whenever my Russian brother goes quiet like this; there is something wrong and he's angry. He just didn't say anything because of what was going on, he was upset and he knew it as well as Kyoki knew it. “He's making mokery of my heritage,” Kyoki knew that was reason why Sergei was so upset, she couldn't blame him and didn't want to blame him; Sergei stood by her when certain senator had made bold claim about being Native American. He knew better because he knows Kyoki has more Native American in her than this stupid senator, and He told me about it, making that wolf angry is bad idea. “Kyoki, Спасибо, вам не нужно было оставаться,” all what she did to answer him was touch his cheek, she didn't have to stay and she did anyway; it was like what she said about family; she never turns her back on family. Family doesn't have to be related by blood, adopting others into family can make up family, like everyone did at Castra Praetoria.

“Нет, Сергей, я хотел остаться, потому что ты моя семья, ты мой русский брат,” that made Sergei smiled when he heard Kyoki speak in perfect Russian, it was pleasant surprise to hear that from this beautiful wolf; he had not any idea that Kyoki could speak Russian. She turned tv off when trial was at Recess to give my Russian Cossack brother chance to rest, by then, Sergei was already asleep before Kyoki left his room.

“I have a feeling that it was going to be tomorrow the closing arguments,” Kyoki had said while walking to waiting jeep with Danieli, they both knew that prosecuter was asking for maximum sentence because of severity of what they did to Sergei; I don't know how many times that judge had to repramand defence atterney for what he was doing. Even Sergei's friends were calling for harshest sentence possible, they didn't like seeing their Russian friend wrapped up in bandages going through skin graphs, medicated baths and bandage changes. He was in so much pain at beginning of this whole ordeal, I knew he wanted this to end and I couldn't blame him and didn't want to blame this man who had been my brother for many years from first time I met him to now.

~April 5, 2022~ More despicable acts of the Defence.

“All I can see is more mess that this defence atterney is making,” Kyoki knew better than what this defence atterney was doing, he went to as far as to make fun of Sergei's Russian culture; it was making me mad when he went as so far as to accuse Sergei of having something to do with Invasion of Ukraine when I know it wasn't true that he didn't have anything to do with that. I know he and his family helped us tremdiously to get us out, then sending all those cases of water to Poland for refugees from Ukraine. “He's lying through his teeth and Yushka knows it,” my Russian brother was right that I did know it; Sergei didn't want that man anywhere near him now, I really couldn't blame him being so angry with him. I suppose Sergei's words didn't connect with this man's brains or he just didn't care, Kyoki suggested it was both, the words that Sergei said and fact that this man didn't even care. “Sergei, do you want me to just turn it off?” Sergei just shook his head, he was wanting to hear verdict being read; I was hoping it would be that would be good verdict. I knew prosecuter had said his closing statement to end this part of trial, I wished there was something more we could do for Sergei. “Well, the jury will be out for awhile,” Kyoki said seeing that there wasn't more that could be done, it was up to members of jury to render verdict, it didn't take long for those jury members to render their verdict. “I feel vindecated now those teenagers had been found guilty,” I had to congratulate prosecuter on his win, next step in this journey was sentencing phase of this trial; Sergei felt like weight had been lifted of his shoulders. There was more yet to come in his journey to heal and recover from his burns, I know he's never going to be same after his whole ordeal.

“Well, those teens really ruined themselves, royally,” Sergei didn't have to say anything about that, he already knew what Kyoki was meaning; he hated fact they had literally lit him on fire trying to kill him when he had done nothing wrong to deserve such pain that he had gotten while he was just trying to walk to our jeep just to get home, in beginning of this journey, all what Sergei could do was scream in pain or cry because of amount of pain he was in both physically and emotionally. And what broke him most was fact this community had largely abandoned him only to find out that his friends became his family and his aquantinces he met became his friends really quick, they learned very quickly who Sergei really is and what his personality is really like.

“Одна нога готова, другая для начала. Никиту обманул российский президент, и эта война решила за нас,” Sergei knew this was just the beginning of what was still to come, he knew his brother was lied to after what they were promised; he knew they weren't going to be getting what they were promised. Then this war happened further causing problems for my Russian brother, then it came to March 9th where he ended up getting burned horrifically on his arms, his legs, his back, his sides and his chest and abdomen.

~April 6, 2022~ Sergei's determination to never give up.

“Okay, we're going to do one more bath, after that, I'll do more skin graphs on your side and back to further clean it up,” Sergei had something to say to Dr. Stein, it was something out of his childhood that needed to be explained; those 3rd degree burns had made my Russian brother that more sensitive on his on his right side, so when nurses go to put medicated burn cream on him, he had to try everything to keep from laughing because it really does tickle. I think Sergei found it embarrassing for him to say anything, with sentencing phase 2 weeks away, prosecuter's office had sent nice gift to Sergei to get better and that nice and they didn't have to. “Yushka, I think I had told you about my most ticklish spot,” I knew which spot he was talking about, he did tell me of how when he was child; he had been so ticklish on his right side and now those burns made it that more ticklish.

Dr. Stein started to get things lined up for Sergei's bath, I had noticed that it didn't hurt as much as it did in beginning of this and that was good. “Is there one thing you need to tell me before we begin?” I knew that Sergei was going to tell good doctor about his sensitivity on his right side; that was something that was needing to be made known, then there was problem with those Karens trying to take Sergei's Siberian region flag blanket multiple times before Kyoki had to step in and put end to it. I could tell it on Sergei's face that he was rather embarrassed about it, so I had to encourage him to go ahead to tell Dr. Stein about it.

“It's more embarrassing than anything else, I have been more sensitive on my right side ever since childhood, it doesn't hurt, just ticklish,” my Russian brother knew that Dr. Stein had gotten charge out of that when Sergei told him, it was something unexpected and different; usually with burn patients, those 3rd degree burns would start to hurt. With my Russian brother, it was making him more sensitive on that right side to his middle of his back, it explained why he couldn't lay on his back when going up. “I have never heard that before out of a patient,” he knew he was going to be extra careful with Sergei because of that level of sensitivity; he told the nurses to be extra careful with Sergei's right side with it being ticklish, Danieli knew why my Russian brother always slept on his stomach. With the things set up for bath, one of nurses came to get Sergei to get to where they have tub, they would gently get him out of his old bandages and trying to be extra careful on his right side. “Okay now, we can start,” Dr. Stein worked on cleaning up those burns, like he did in beginning of this journey; Sergei was being good trying not laugh. It still tickled as medicated wash was put over his right side and down right side of his back, I knew as well as Danieli that this was last of medicated baths he's going to need.

~April 7, 2022~ More support to come.

“I hope there wasn't anymore bandage changes to,” I knew Sergei didn't enjoy going through those bandage changes, even though they don't hurt as much as they did in beginning of this; deep down, I knew he still hurt emotionally from what had happen to him. I can't blame my Russian brother for feeling this way, I still don't blame him for feeling way he does, this war in Ukraine hurts everyone in different ways. “Sergei, lean over here against me,” I let him lean over toward me, just as he did in beginning of this whole ordeal; I could see emotional pain come out Sergei. It was heartbreaking to someone I had been so close to feel so abandoned, I know where to put the blame for this, I was at loss for words for the emotional pain this brother of mine is feeling. 'Должен быть какой-то способ перестать причинять такую боль,' I just do only thing I could do, that was to hold him close and be mindful of his bandages; this wasn't cry of pain like in beginning, this was cry of something deep down something more painful than any physical pain. How could majority of this community just turn their backs on Sergei when three teenagers had taken petrol and poured it all over him and then just light him on fire? How can majority of this community just abandon someone who had nothing to do with that invasion? “Мой брат русский казак, мне больно видеть, как ты так страдаешь,” Before anything could be said, I had learned Russian growing up in Zaporozhia; so I'm very fluent in Sergei's native language. It hurts me to see when he's hurting like this, no one has ever believed him when he says anything about he has done to help refugees, if I could, I would show people here what real compassion is of what was shown to those refugees.

“Yushka, is he that hurt?” I didn't have to answer Nikita, he saw tears for himself and knew his brother was emotionally hurting; he didn't have any words for this himself as much as I didn't. It was like reel that keeps playing without end of what those teenagers had done, I stood there by his bed just to softly stroke his hair just to try to get him to calm down or to fall asleep, which ever came first on Sergei. “You know, Nikita, this is where I wish had my Bandura to play, just something to calm Sergei,” I knew Nikita knew what I was meaning, Nikita and I both saw some Asian-American ladies at doorway; it looked like they came long way. Their intentions were gentle and good, they came into his room just offer their support for Sergei just because they knew he was hurting.

“It hurts to feel abandoned, but he's not alone,” it true words, his friends hadn't abandoned him; his family hadn't abandoned him. I knew he had know that I had been their in beginning, Proculeius had been making progress in clean up efforts to make sure that Castra Praetoria was cleaned up, he never once and never will abandoned Sergei. “People are blind when they can't see past the fact he's Russian, it doesn't mean he's a bad person,” it was one of the women that was talking, all we could do was listen to what she was saying; she saw how heartbroken we were to see my Russian brother feeling rejected and abandoned just because he's from Russia, his older brother found it frustrated that no one would talk to him for same reason. I know that Dr. Stein had seen how emotionally hurt that Sergei is, he wished that there was some way he could make people see what their actions are doing to Sergei, even if it means taking this story online.

~April 8, 2022~ People shamed for praising for what happened to Sergei, it was unwanted.

“I wish people would stop praising those teens for doing something is condemned, it had hurt him so much physically as well as emotionally,” Dr. Stein was talking to psycologist who happened to be Asian-American, she took time to listen; she knew what was going on. She knew about what Sergei was going through right now, people don't listen to me when I try telling them that Sergei isn't bad and fact he's human like all of us.

“I refuse to listen to those that think what happened to Sergei is a good thing,” I shared Kyoki's feelings deep down, I knew what she said was true; I saw my Russian brother walking hall with Slavlana. She hadn't given up on Sergei after all what he had done for her when she had immigrated from Ukraine, it was evident by his look on his face that people had given up on him. “I'll get you back to your room if you're tired, I don't want to wear you out,” Sergei just shook his head not wanting to say anything; he wasn't tired from walking halls with Slavlana, he was tired of being hated just because he's Russian. I know I get love because I'm Ukrainian, to me, this doesn't add up why I get love while my Russian brother gets nothing but trash dumped on him and then this happens where he's burned by three teenagers; I had been trying to make people see what their hatred is doing to him and it's wearing him out. “Alright, we'll continue, you just say when you would like to return to your room, I can help you,” he understood that fact she wasn't going to give up, she knew sad fact that Sergei was being hated for reason that wasn't very good; as what Kyoki would say, it's wrong so many levels. I could tell on Kyoki that she was getting furious with those that think this acceptable; I also can tell she wants to shake those people and tell them to wake up and show them that this isn't acceptable what so ever.

“I'm starting to get tired,” Danieli knew that it wasn't Sergei's usual voice, this voice was quiet and sounded heartbroken; Slavlana took Sergei back to his room. She thought that he belonged here among his friends and family, she saw look on Sergei's face and it broke her heart. “Why are people doing this to him?” it was rehtorical question because we already knew that answer and it was reality, he knew that I would be getting love while Sergei got nothing; I knew what Danieli was planning to do to try get people to wake up. It even meant taking Sergei's story to air waves and to tell everyone what is really going on, as it was said before, this invasion of Ukraine hurts everyone in different ways; in this way, three teenagers had tried to kill my precious Russian brother. Why do I call him precious? Because he's precious to everyone that knows real him, not just me or Danieli or any of his family, everyone that considers Sergei to be good close friend or brother.

~April 9 2022~ Danieli takes to the air waves, it had people crying.

“Danieli made it to the radio station, I'm hoping he's successful, this has to end now,” Kyoki was right because all of us are tired of seeing people treating Sergei like trash, I know as well as Kyoki that he's not trash or any kind of refuse; Kyoki and I see him for who he is. Seeing him hurt emotionally like this makes us hurt, it also makes this magnificant wolf very very furious and I can't blame her. “I brought a radio so we can listen,” I knew that was smart, so we tuned into radio show to see if Danieli was successful; it turned out that this radio host was looking for saddest story, it turned out that Sergei's story was just what he was looking for.

This radio host had heard of Sergei, it got him curious what his story was. “I have it on so we can listen to the show,” this was hopefully beginning of help for Sergei, I shouldn't be only one that get love; I know for fact that my Russian brother deserves to be loved also and not getting hate like this. I'm afraid it will kill him one day if this doesn't end, this radio host was intently listening to this story and was instantly heartbroken. “So far, it's working,” I knew what Kyoki meant by it, I had know idea that there were thousands of other people listening to this show; people hadn't had sign that this was happening to Sergei. Fortunately, we had radio down low enough so we can hear it and to let him sleep, now those people that had tuned in were heartbroken how tragic this was getting to be. “I can say we wait, I hope response would good,” Kyoki understood I what I was saying, it was now waiting game to see if any would respond; as tragic as this invasion is doesn't mean that people can treat others like trash like this. I knew this must be replaying in Sergei's mind as this prosecuter was preparing for sentencing phase of this trial, he knew how horrific those burns were and how tragic this was. “I'll be right back, I'm going downstairs to get something to eat, come and get me when Sergei wakes up,” I knew Kyoki was hungry and had to get something to eat, so far; Sergei hadn't moved to wake up. That wasn't good sign to see him not wanting to wake up, I was beginning to think that something could be wrong as Kyoki came back. “Any movement from Sergei at all?” I sadly shake my head and just stroke Sergei's hair, for me; only hair I have is my forelock and my Russian brother knows that from first time we met long time ago.

“How long have I been sleeping?” It was Sergei waking up, his voice still quiet and heartbroken; I told him that he had sleeping for about 2 hours. Kyoki remembered of all funny times of when Sergei and I would have dueling whistles and his older brother had to get involved, now not even that doesn't appeal to him; that is how much he's emotionally hurting that fun things that he once wanted to do aren't even appealing to him. “Sergei, I know this hurts you, Danieli is trying make people see your story, Yushka is trying to wake people up to see what their hatred is doing to you,” Kyoki could see tears well up in Sergei's eyes, there was little girl at doorway with her grandmother; she saw how sad Sergei was; deep down, it was more than just saddness, there was hurt there also. Kyoki softly stroke Sergei's hair as he leans foreward with his face to her shoulder, this grandmother was blogger and took her granddaughter home and started to blog Sergei's story to get his story out.

~April 10, 2022~ Hundreds of people know Sergei's story, they offer to donate in his name to those in Ukraine.

“Any answers to the radio show yesterday?” Danieli shook his head as he sat by Sergei's bed, I though it was good idea to get his story out; just to tell people what is going on with my Russian brother and what this hatred is doing to him. It's making me concerned about him, I don't like seeing him hurt like this one bit. “I know you're getting furious about this, I'm furious also,” I could tell that Danieli wasn't happy by this, until one man started to take a chance; and that's all it took from reading this blog and listening to this radio show. He walked a mile situation almost like Sergei's, he didn't want to use pity, he wasn't about to do that to Sergei.

“All I can see is the fact he wants a chance and there is a call for help and it's being ignored,” this young man was right, he was new to same support group that Sergei had been going to; he wanted to get to know Sergei as man and as human being. Hundreds more started donation drives in Sergei's name, taking what good my Russian brother and his family had done and multiplied it. “Is it okay if I stay?” Sergei looks to doorway to see who this young man, he saw past those scars to see a human being; like his other friends, all what was needed was one chance. People that were doing and running donation drives, they were trying to tell others about Sergei's story, there will be people that don't want to listen, and it's on them for hating someone they don't know. “I don't mind if you if you stayed,” this young man knew deep down that this wasn't Sergei's voice, he was concerned about my Russian brother as he came to the bed; there was one question on his mind. We all new that answer all to well, Peter wanted hear it from Sergei first hand. “Who hurt you to where you sound so heartbroken?” Peter had been in Marine Corps, he was taught that you never leave brother behind; he saw those tears in Sergei's eyes fall before they could be wiped away. I wanted to say something, but with good reason decided not to, I wanted them to talk to get to know each other. “Physically, it was three teenagers that tried burning me alive, emotionally, it was people who don't know I really am,” I could tell that Peter wasn't going to leave, he was beginning to see Sergei as brother; this young man was upset that my Russian brother was being treated this way. He knew that Dr. Stein and nurses were taking chance on Sergei when he saw Sergei shift to sit, he saw white bandages down Sergei's legs, he had heard about trial; now he sees what really happened to Sergei. Still, he decided to stay by my Russian brother, still believing that Sergei needs a chance despite fact he's Russian.

“Yushka, you wouldn't believe this,” Kyoki showed me overwhelming response from hundreds of people to Sergei's story, hundreds of people wanted to know who Sergei is deep down; they wanted to see past those burns down to his very soul. Peter already took that step and just came when people hadn't, now it looked like things were changing, although, there could be some people to spoil it and try to convince people otherwise.

_____________________________________________________________

Sergei was sounding heartbroken because he was, one of his friends decided to take matters into his own hands and take to the air waves and to bring to light how wrong Anti-Russian hatred is and what it's doing to just this one man; it's bad enough to be burn so horrifically by three teenagers, what hurt him the most was being abandoned by a community that had once stood by him without cause. One had made a bold choice to see Sergei for who he is deep down, this young man in the story can be anyone that can be brave to see people for who they are, that's what Jesus did before He went to the cross, He saw past the sins of people and ate with the Tax collecters and other sinners of His time. It made the Religious leaders at that time mad, Jesus loves the lost.

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vcg73 · 7 years ago

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Witch!Kurt #31: Getting Ready

This one is simply Kurt and Adam getting ready to go out. Next time I will do the bachelor party. I make no promise that will be no more incidentals after this one. They tend to creep up on me unexpectedly!

~*~*~*~*~

“I know it’s rather late to be asking, given that the event starts in an hour, but are you sure you don’t mind the idea of a shared bachelor party?” Adam asked, joining Kurt in front of the long dressing mirror where he was fixing his hair.

He met Adam’s reflected eyes. “Not at all. Since we have mostly the same friends, and they would have either had to throw two parties or split us up between them if we did it the regular way, this seems more sensible to me. Besides, I’ve always hated the idea that a man is supposed to be so reluctant to get married that he requires a night of wild debauchery to face up to it. Anyone who feels that way shouldn’t be getting married at all, and you can take that from someone who felt like he was having increasingly heavier weights piled on his shoulders every day closer to Labor Day.”

“Labor Day?”

“The day Blaine picked for us to get married.”

Adam made a sour face. “Chosen with no input from you, I suppose. Appropriate, though, considering he was anticipating being able to mooch off your heard-earned physical and emotional labor for the rest of his sodding life.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way before,” Kurt said, shaking his head ruefully. He still felt disgusted and rather ashamed when something reminded him of just how much of his autonomy he had given up to be with Blaine. Even without the dirty magic affecting his will, he had spent too long allowing Blaine to make all the relationship decisions while he stayed in the shadows just to keep the fighting to a minimum. “Actually, I think he just picked it because it was the last day of summer break before school would begin again. This was before he bombed out of NYADA.”

Adam’s only response was a grunt that somehow expressed his opinion of Blaine and his “talent” better than any words could have.

“I’d much rather just bid a fond and mutual farewell to our screwed up pasts and drink a toast to a happy future together tonight,” Kurt continued. Then his smile faltered a little. “Oh, unless . . . Were you trying to tell me that you did want a separate party? Because I’m sure we could still call the Apples and . . .”

“No,” Adam cut in quickly, stopping him from reaching for his phone as he realized that Kurt was about to jump into one of his characteristically self-sacrificing gestures. “No wild oats or fear of a metaphorical ball and chain here, love. I feel the same way about making this a shared positive memory, and you must know that I’d marry you this instant. Though I couldn’t swear to my own safety once the coven got hold of me if we were to skip their gathering and elope.”

Kurt had relaxed again at the reassurance. “Me too. I don’t entirely know what to expect from next week’s ceremony, but I’m pretty sure Brittany would cry if she missed out on attending, and then Santana would be out for my blood, and Dani and Elliott would probably disown me, especially if I took that away from them and also made them miss out on throwing a double bachelor party.”

“Ditto Clark and Tonya,” Adam agreed, remembering how excited his old chums had been when Dani and Elliott had asked if they wanted to help plan the event. He was delighted that the two groups were getting along so well. “The only reason I asked is that I had thought you might wish for a more private soiree to bid farewell to boyhood and single life. A night out with just the girls perhaps, since you’ve always been their particular pet, or hunting up some of your New Directions folk for an old-time chorus party.”

“No. I’ll admit, there was a time when I couldn’t have imagined anything else, but I’m a lot more comfortable in mixed company now than I was in high school. And I’ve got Santana, Brittany, and Johnny from the old gang. Plus Artie Abrams is supposed to be there tonight and he’s bringing another McKinley friend who just moved to the city as his guest. I don’t think you’ve ever met Unique, but I’m sure you’ll love her.” Kurt laughed. “Besides, it won’t take much to coax a song out of anyone. I’ll get my chorus party no matter what.”

Adam smiled, knowing that would indeed be the case. The two of them seemed to attract song-birds wherever they went. “So in short, a party with food and drink, songs and laughs, a mixture of old and new friends, with the one you love most by your side sounds as good to you as it does to me?”

“Practically paradise,” he sighed, tipping his head sideways for a moment to rest against Adam’s handy shoulder.

Adam stared fondly at their reflection for a moment, then his attention was distracted by the sight of his necktie, rumpled and hanging at an odd left-leaning angle over the breast pocket of his new dress shirt. He made a disgusted noise and tugged at the knot, trying to get it even again. “How can this bloody thing have got cocked up in just ten minutes? I swear it’s having its own way every time I take my eyes off it. You haven’t gone and given Johnny permission to joke-spell my wardrobe have you?”

Giving his sky-high coif a satisfied pat, Kurt set his bottle of sculpting conditioner aside and turned to help. His eyes danced. “I would never do that. It does sound like Johnny’s sense of humor, but I think you’re safe. He and Monica have each sent about 20 texts today related to magical body and soul infusion, so I think they’re safely obsessed elsewhere.”

As he spoke, Kurt pulled the abused tie free of Adam’s fretful fingers and gently stroked a few wrinkles out of the dark cherry-patterned silk before tucking it back around Adam’s collar, which he also deftly straightened before tying the cloth back into a swift, runway-perfect Windsor knot and smoothing it over Adam’s chest with a fond pat. “There you go. Stop taking out your nerves on this and it will be fine.”

“Thank you,” Adam said, shaking his head over the easy efficiency. A minute in Kurt’s capable hands and the tie looked better than it ever did after suffering his own haphazard fumbling. His dad had taught him how to do up a proper knot when he was ten and facing his first school uniform, but Adam never had or would share Kurt’s natural affinity for clothing. Vowing to keep his hands off the masterpiece lest he ruin it again, Adam put his hands into the pockets of his black straight-leg jeans and allowed himself a little pivot to and fro, admiring the overall effect. “Not half bad if I say it myself.”

Kurt’s eyes swept his form from the neatly gelled peaks of his golden-blond hair to the tips of his new chocolate brown suede Oxford shoes. “You look healthy and handsome, and I love this outfit on you, although you look so good in it that I’m tempted to skip the party and peel you out of it again.”

Preening under his beloved’s approving gaze, Adam said, “Why thank you, sir. I must say that I regret our timetable as well. The spot of necking when we arrived home was very nice indeed, but this navy silk with the black laces down the front makes me want to unwrap you like a present, and damn the consequences.”

“What, this old thing?” Kurt teased, smoothing the shirt and tucking it more securely into his hip-hugging leather pants. The skin tight black material had thin navy laces down the side of each leg to provide a coordinated contrast with the shirt. He had created the outfit himself, winning his very first photo op in Vogue dot com’s ‘one to watch’ section that Isabelle used to showcase up and coming designers. With a sly glance toward Adam, Kurt loosened the shirt laces slightly, adjusting them to reveal small diamonds of pale flesh from chest to navel.

Adam groaned. “Not fair. Those trousers are already doing evil things to me on their own.” Running a fingertip over one of the matching exposures at Kurt’s hip, he said, “The lack of underwear is a bold choice.”

“Well, I have to make one concession to wild singledom, right?” Kurt said playfully, raising both arms and bumping his hip against Adam’s. Then he laughed. “Actually, though, I’m not as risque as you think.”

Adam considered this, tilting his head to take a closer look at Kurt’s bum. “Thong?”

He nodded. “I don’t like them, but I have to bite the bullet with this outfit. A couple of high school experiences taught me that leather plus commando turns me into a gross sweaty mess.”

“Baby powder is helpful, I’m told.”

“It is. Trust me, there are some places you just do not want to risk being chafed, but I still hate it. I wish I was one of those people who could just glisten attractively, or stay completely cool under stress, but I sadly inherited my father’s hard-working pores.”

Adam playfully sniffed at his neck, then kissed it. "I rather like you wrapped up in a layer of manly musk.”

A burst of laughter responded. “Oh, well. Then I’m sure you’ll be absolutely swooning by the time I’ve been pulled onto the stage or dance floor half a dozen times. And so will I, because I overheard some of the gang laying out plans for us, so don’t think you’re getting out of providing some of this evening’s entertainment.”

Kurt’s hands went up, stopping Adam’s hand from rising to fidget with his abused tie again at the reminder of the crowd he would be facing tonight. “Sorry,” Adam said, cheeks flushing. “S’pose I’m a bit nervous about this still.”

Lacing Adam’s fingers between his own, Kurt lifted them to rest over his heart. “I was only teasing. You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable and nobody will think badly of you if you don’t. And if anyone gets too drunk and persistent, send them to Tubbington. He’s promised to be a sort of chaperone tonight and keep everyone in line so all of us ‘kids’ can have fun.”

Startled, Adam laughed. “Somehow, L.T. is not the first one who springs to mind when I think of responsible chaperones.”

“Me either, but after Brittany squashed all of his wilder suggestions, I guess he decided he might as well just be the grown-up instead. He doesn’t show off what he can do very often, but I trust his ability to handle things if anybody gets out of line. Have you ever noticed that even Santana is respectful to him?”

“I have. When she gets sharp and snarly with everyone, Tubbington finds an excuse to take her off on an errand. We haven’t had a single explosion of outright cruelty since he formally adopted her as his second Familiar charge.”

Kurt nodded. “Exactly, so trust him and trust me. I’ll be there the whole time. I really want you to come out and receive your share of the love I know all of our friends are putting into this party.”

Adam relaxed, allowing Kurt’s happy anticipation to reignite his own and push the fear back down. “Thank you, darling. I’ll do my best. And maybe I will give the stage a go. Though it’s been a long while since I sang a song for any audience but you and the family, so hopefully the others won’t be expecting too much.”

“The plan is for both of us to get completely shit-faced, dance like we’re receiving electroshock, and dominate the karaoke stage like Rachel Berry searching for the perfect duet partner,” Kurt said with such a solemn face that Adam almost believed he was serious. Then he laughed and Adam relaxed again. “Kidding. Drink, sing, and dance if you feel like it, or stay in your seat and just nurse a soda if you prefer. Though I may insist on one duet together if you’re feeling confident.”

"That sounds very nice, love. Either way, I don’t want you to feel that you can’t get up and have fun without me. This is your celebration as much as mine, and I want you to enjoy it. Though on that note, I do promise I’ll keep you from doing anything that you’ll be ashamed to report to Burt next time you speak.”

Kurt covered his mouth, but a snort escaped anyway at the reminder that his father would almost certainly ask him all about the party the next time they spoke. “Thanks, I may need the help. Keep the others from getting any audio/video evidence to use as blackmail and I promise I’ll keep anyone from hounding you to perform.”

“Deal,” he said. He kissed Kurt, stroking the back of his head with gentle fingertips. Kurt had been too busy to visit his stylist over the last couple of weeks and Adam loved playing with those little curls when he had the chance.

Kurt returned the kiss eagerly, willing his love to give Adam strength for the evening ahead. “Should we call someone to come Teleport us?” he asked after a moment, putting a hand on Adam’s chest and backing up a step, reminding them both that they needed to get moving if they did not want to be late for their own party.

Adam considered it. “Would you object to taking a walk up to the Garden Street circle? It’s nippy tonight, but if we bundle up it shouldn’t be bad. I’d like a chance to center myself before we face the mob.”

“That sounds good. I could use a little exercise before gorging myself on snacks and booze,” Kurt agreed, happy and a little surprised at the suggestion. Adam found walking out in the world to be more of a challenge at night, when the atmosphere was dark and close. He had been spending a few minutes out on ‘that bloody fire-escape’ every morning, until the wide-open platform began losing its dread, and Elliott had made a copy of his friend’s new work schedule so the coven could take turns acting as escort whenever Adam walked to and from Bui’s Tea.

Adam had not bought the ‘I just happened to be going that way’ excuse for long, but he was grateful for the distraction of friendly company on his bad days, and even more for his new friends’ willingness to let him go it alone on the days when he felt that he could handle it. The good days were slowly coming to outnumber the bad, but Adam still rarely ventured out after dark. The route he was suggesting tonight was well lit, which would help, and there were always hopeful cabbies milling around that particular area, so it wouldn’t take long to catch a ride to Callbacks.

Both young men bundled themselves up in coats, gloves, and scarves. Adam tugged his favorite blue woolen beanie over his blond hair and cocked his head when he saw that Kurt was doing without. “No hat? Darling, it can’t be more than one degree C out there tonight.” He picked up another of his collection, a cheery red and cream creation that he had knit during some of his long hours of convalesce, and offered it to Kurt.

“I’m fine,” he said, stepping back as though he feared the woolen hat would somehow force itself upon his head if he got too close. “It’s sweet of you to offer, but I didn’t spend an hour getting my hair perfect just to mash it down flat again with that. I just hope I used enough hair spray to counteract the wind.”

“I’m sure you have, but I don’t want you to catch cold and I think you’re forgetting a little skill I’ve got,” Adam said, pulling off his beanie and twitching his fingertips to make his own wavy locks curl, straighten, spike, and then go back to normal again. “I can fix it up in a wink if you get mussed. And if you don’t care for this hat, you could wear one of your more ‘fabulous’ examples.”

Kurt had perked up at the idea of a ready magical solution to any hair related catastrophes that might befall him, but at Adam’s second suggestion he gasped, “Oh!”, clasped his hands and hopped in sudden excitement, and dashed into the bedroom where Adam immediately heard the sounds of rummaging. When Kurt left Lima for New York, he had left behind much of his accessory collection out of fear that it would be either be out of style, or that he would not have enough room for them if he ended up living in a broom closet somewhere. He had asked Carole to pack and send them after Christmas.

When he reemerged, it was not so much walking as strutting. Kurt’s left fist rested on his exposed hip as he held his long black wool coat back on one side and vamped slowly into the room. On his head was perched a tall black top hat, around which he had wrapped a blue silk scarf to form a trailing hat band that created the perfect accent for his runway ready ensemble. Doing a spin on one booted foot to make the streamers dance, he then bowed and doffed his new addition at Adam.

Adam made impressed noises as he walked a slow circle around Kurt. “Here I thought you were marrying me for my stunning good looks, but I see now that I needed a fallback position, for I have become entirely eclipsed by my stunning fiance.”

With a grin and a kiss to his cheek, Kurt said, “You’d better stop that or we really will be late to the party.” He began fastening up his coat and pulling his gloves back on. “Are you ready for this?”

"As I’ll ever be. Let’s go. We’ll take the long way ‘round, and you can help me come up with a perfect song for our couples duet.”

Recognizing both a show of faith in Kurt’s ability to keep him safe along the way, and a promise to try his best to overcome his fears and have just fun tonight, Kurt squeezed Adam’s hand. “Sounds great. But you know I’m staking a preemptive claim to the powerhouse divas, right?”

“Not a problem as long as you’re singing with me,” Adam laughed, letting go of Kurt’s hand just long enough to lock the door behind them. “But if you go up with Elliott, he may fight you for them.”

“Only Diana Ross,” Kurt quipped, putting up the additional ward against magical intruders with a quick toss of his head.

Hand in hand, the young couple headed toward the building stairwell and started walking down, the bright sounds of laughter and playful arguments over song suggestions echoing cheerfully behind them.

The End

#Witch!Kurt #incidental chapter #W!K 31 #Kurt and Adam #just the two of them for now

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