#( vi. ceebastian )

[consultingsister-aa]

five times kissed / bash ( any verse )

this meme for: @theasteriae​ verse: happy verse

I. 

Celia has never seriously dated before. There were boys but they had little to no interest in getting to know her. They just wanted to fuck her. People were always saying she was too pretty for her own good and she was starting to think that was true. 

Only Basher Moran didn’t seem that bothered about how pretty she was. Although she assumed, that was what drew him to her in the first place. It was silly and unrealistic to say otherwise and she certainly fancied him from the moment she saw him. It had nothing to do with her laugh and everything to do with his jawline. It wasn’t true anymore now. 

It had been one of the best summers of her life. She could hardly believe she had been tempted to turn Alex down, to return to Surrey, alone and melancholy. Sherlock has said he would come up but would have likely cancelled last minute. Cee has never spent so much time with people apart from at school and it took a while to get used to all the sibling and cousin dynamics. It was like something from one of her books; The Chronicles of Narnia or The Famous Five. They all had inside jokes and pet names and moved around each other like a choreographed dance. She knew her bothers well enough but she rarely had to deal with a cramped kitchen and sharing bedrooms. They knew each other differently than the Morans. 

It had been a fantasy of hers to live like this. When she was young and it was just her alone in that big house, she would daydream about having lots of brother’s and sister’s and cousins to play with. Adventures at the beach; caves and pirate treasure. She imagined herself into their childhood and al of a sudden, felt a lump in her throat. It was more than jealousy; it was something like grief. Greif for that lonely little girl who would always aways be alone. 

“What’s up?” Bash interrupted her thoughts. Clearly, her state of mind has shown on her face. 

“Nothing. I’m just a little sad to go back to school after all this.” 

Bash sighed knowingly, turning back to look out over the water. Even though she had come with Alex, Celia was spending more and more time on the beach with Bash. They sat in the dunes, a blanket around their shoulders, watching the sun fall into the freezing water. Even in the height of summer, the water was freezing. “Yeah, I’ll miss the beach,” he agrees. 

She turns to look at his profile, shoulder bumping into his. “I’ll miss you.” She didn’t quite mean you individually, she meant you as a family, but she was glad he took it that way. 

He turned to look at her and then leant in to kiss her for the first time, both their heads moving in the opposite way so they didn’t bump noses, as if it has been rehearsed. Cee had never been kissed like that before but it was almost exactly how the songs and books and poems described it. It was like seeing fireworks. But perhaps more wonderfully, when he kissed her like that, she didn’t feel so alone. 

II.

It had felt like a long time since that first kiss, although it has only been seven years. In the prospect of a lifetime together, that was short. But she couldn’t help but think about that moment, as she stood at the waters edge, champagne glass in hand, breathing deeply in the cool evening air. Behind her, her specially built carnival glows, reflecting in the dark waters. 

She’s changed from her wedding dress into a short ballet style tutu skirt, which stopped a little north of where her father, new husband and aunt-in-law might have liked. Long legs end in bare feet and she lets the water lap up against her ankles. 

“Hey, Mrs Moran-- there about twenty million people wanting to see you back there.” 

She turns back with a smile, just in time to see Bash - messy hair, jacket long gone, shirt sleeved rolled up - before he wraps his arms around her from behind, pressing a kiss into the side of her face. “There are not twenty million people, you’re such a drama queen.” 

He laughs. She does too. Then they relax into silence and both watch the waves. After a moment, Cee begins to cry. 

“Hey, hey,” Bash moves to turn her round, concern on his face. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing-- I’m just-- I’m just so--” 

“What? Oh god, you’re regretting it already. I said, if you weren’t ready, that we could--”

“Happy!” Cee interupsts him with laugh, “Bash, I’m happy. I am so happy.” 

He looks so relived, it only makes Cee laugh again; more happy tears spilling onto her cheeks. He pulls her close, a deep kiss, just them. Maybe the big party was too much. She was danced out; talked out; laughed out. She just wanted this. And the best bit was, she had it, and she had it forever. 

III. 

“Twins!?” 

“Are you fucking serious?” 

Cee can tell the nurse wasn’t expecintg that reaction from her, but she couldn’t care less. One more baby was enough of a shock, but two more? She looks over at Bash, who’s grinning and offers a look as if to say ‘what are you smiling about, you bastard’. 

“I am very serious Mrs Moran. You can see one heart beat here,” the nurse points to a black mass on the monitor, “and the second,” another black mass, “here.” Cee will just have to take her word for it. She got very upset when she couldn’t see what the nurse was talking about with Beua but she’s over it this time. She’s already over being pregnant this time and now it’s just going to be two times worse? Well, it was always two times worse but now she knows about it. “I’ll leave this up and give you a minute,” the nurse smiles at the parents and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Cee’s face is full of panic. 

“What?” Bash moves into the side of the hospital bed, taking Cee’s hand in his. 

“What do you mean, what? Bash-- I can’t handle three kids. You’re away all the time. I didn’t even know if I could do two but three babies? I’m out of my depth here.” 

“So what are you saying? You want to-- not--” 

“No, no, I’m just-- it’s a lot, Bash. Twins. That’s twice the baby!” 

“And you,” now he moves his hands to her face. Eye contact is key with Cecelia, pyshical contact and looking her in the eye. “Are twice the woman. You can do this. You can do anything.” 

Cee takes a calming breath and nods. “I love you,” she manages and leans forward to kiss him softly, just in time for the door to reopen. They never get a moments peace anymore. 

IV. 

Celia closes the bedroom door very gentle behind her. It feels like having babies again; a house full she doesn’t want to wake up. Bash just smiles up at her, taking off his glasses. He’s only been in the job four hours and he’s already bringing work to bed. 

“Do they love their new rooms?” 

Celia pulls an apoletic look, pulling off her dressing gown. “Immy says she wants to go home.” 

“To Suffolk?” 

“Yeah.”

“She’s knows she’s now living in Downing Street, right?” 

“You know that a ten year old could not care less, right?” 

Bash just laughs, laying his arm out over her pillows so she can snuggle in next to him. For a moment, they just sit there, head leant back against the headboard, drinking it all in. They had been working towards this for over ten years and now? The real work was just beginning. She can already feel her eyes getting heavy. “You’re happy here though, right?”

“Mm,” she hums. She’s not sure yet. Suffolk is her home, more than she ever though it would be. It was where the boys all grew up, their childhood rooms even though they were all grown up and out the house now. It was where Immy was born, where they played capture the flag and five aside football when the rest of the family came over. 

Downing Street might be a symbol of how far they had come, but it wasn’t home and she doubted, no matter how long they were here, it would ever feel like one. She already had plans to nip back to Suffolk the first weekend they could. “Yeah, this is what we’ve wanted for so long. We just need to settle into it.” Cee looks up to Bash, smiling at the fine lines already marking his face. But his eyes look the same as they did when he kissed her for that very first time on the beach. He’s so good to her, always. 

She kisses him, the sort of kiss they haven’t had in a while. Five kids, two demanding careers and a whole country wanting his attention tends to lead to pecks of affection and quickies whenever they can get it. But they have a moment now. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispers, lips still touching his. “I’m so proud of us. For everything, not just this job. I love you.” 

V. 

They had been in rooms like this so many times over the years. The bad lighting, the round tables, the stage. Only, rarely for her. She had, happily, she wanted to add, taken a back seat for most of her life. Her skillset was better suited to a life of support and planning; organising and committing herself to the task at hand. Whether they was her husband’s career, or her children’s lives. How could she call them children now though? Immy sat next to her, one arm lazily draped across her own baby bump, the other reached out to hold her mother’s hand. 

All heads had turned to the stage as a larger man in a ill-fitting suit took to the podium. His welcome speech was short and sweet, something Cee appreciated. She had told anyone who she could that she wasn’t bothered; even to be nominated was an honour but she was bothered. Her stomach swam with anxiety in a way it hadn’t done in years. 

“And the winner, of the twenty-forty-eight Booker Prize goes to... Cecelia Holmes.”

The table around her, well dressed and well mannered, rose with celebration; clapping together hands together and whooping. Immy kissed her cheek, Beua was quick to follow but she wouldn't get around them all. Although, she couldn’t forget one of them. 

Bash had sat across from her for most of the night. Although it was her night, it was also the first time in months all the family had been together in one place. Well, not all the family. You could fill the whole room with all the family. They were on stand-by, waiting for the news. They could have a party anyway, Immy had said, but they’d take down the banners if she didn’t win, though she suspected they wouldn’t have to. That had made Cee laugh. All the family tonight mean the six kids. Beua, Cass, Edmund, Perc, Immy and Hugo, ranging in ages from early forties, to twenty-two. Her children. Fuck the books, these wonderful, clever, funny, thoughtful kids were the best thing she had ever done with her life. And it was all thanks to Bash. They had caught each others eyes all night and it had made her feel young again. Like when they used to catch each other eyes over the dinner table at Nettle Cottage. 

She was aware there was a room full of people waiting for her but she was hungry for the kiss. Her hands reached for his face and she wasn’t that surprised to see a tear in his eye. “I’m so proud of you,” Bash managed, although years of shouting in Westminster had left his voice a little hoarse. She kissed him again, although she could feel the ever secible and dependable Beua trying to take her arm towards the stage. 

“Of us,” Cee corrected him, before allowing her oldest son to resort her to the edge of the stage. She hadn’t prepared a speech but she thought she might mention that first kiss, under a tartan blanket, on a beach in Suffolk that inspired a lifetime of literary work. 

[consultingsister-aa]

incorrect quotes ft. @theasteriae

[consultingsister-aa]

TABLOIDS!! ft. @epiitaphs + @theasteriae​ inside story: for years rumours have swarmed Bash and Cecelia Moran surrounding the parentage of their eldest son, Beau Moran. but as Beau grows up and begins to look more and more like his ‘uncle Seb’, is it time for the Prime Ministers family to come clean? sources claim Seb and Cecelia Moran are ‘still close’ after so many years and even ‘meet for lunch at least once a month’. the Prime Minister remains cool under questioning however, “I’ll tell you what I’ve always told you, Beau is named after his father, Sebastian Moran.” 

[consultingsister-aa]

happy / british politics verse family  @theasteriae

[consultingsister-aa]

“ i wanna be the one you go to. the first one you tell when there’s something good. the shoulder to cry on when it’s bad. and every mundane thing in between. i want to share it all with you. ” / bash

A MEME, PROBABLY ... NO LONGER ACCEPTING 

At first, she doesn’t really hear him. Well, she hears him. She’s touched, he’s being sweet. But Bash is always sweet to her. Too sweet. She doesn’t deserve him. Celia puts him through so much trouble. She remembers waking up to see his face after the overdose. He looked so happy to see her. If it was the other way round, she would have been furious. Killed him the second he woke up. 

And she always puts her friends first. Cancelled dates, displaying at parties. Poppy and her boyfriend broke up. Lex got a bad hair cut. Alex needs me. He’s so patient with her.

University too, a long four years not quite ended. Every time there was an exam or a paper or something she could do in her sleep but convinced herself she was going to fail, he was there to bring her off the ledge. Kiss her neck, tell her how pretty and clever she was and that she could do anything she put her mind too.  

So she heard him, but she didn’t really hear him. The subtext. The question. “I know, babe.”

The heiress smiles down at the packing box, pilling in another hundred shoes. The new house in London has a closet. A walk-in closet. They’re hardly living in student accommodation but this is a serious step up. She’s half thinking about that. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t noticed he’s staring at her, bated breath, waiting for her to reply. 

Finally, Cee looks at him. “Wait. Shit-- Bas’, are you-- what is happening? Are you--” 

They knew this was on the path they were on. Together forever and one day they would make that jump into adult commitment. Not before graduation, they had agreed, once they were in London. She reckons he’s jumping the gun a bit; they don’t graduate till tomorrow. 

And she doesn't know what she’s suddenly terrified. For the past six years, they had talked about them and their future with relative ease. It was like putting on her favourite pair of Chanel pumps. Felt like it was made to fit, gorgeous but comfortable, could be worn with almost anything. Fuck, she was thinking about shoes again. And that damn closet in London. But he’s pulled something from his pocket. A little box with something sparkly inside. Big and sparkly. Her heart jumps into her throat and she’s worried for a second she might throw up. 

“Tell me if I’m getting this wrong. Are you asking me to-- Sebastian, is that a-- a ring or an engagement ring? Fuck. Fuck! Yes, of course, I want to share it all with you as well, of course, yes.  Fuck.” Already, she’s crying. Of course, she is, it’s Cee. “I lo-- love you so much, oh my god-- let me see that thing-- Lex is going to fucking die!” 

[consultingsister-aa]

let’s get you cleaned up. / bash

this meme for: @theasteriae verse: british politics 

“I can do it, I can do it.” 

Celia doesn’t make an effort to move through. In fact, she won’t move. She called him home for this exact reason. For the past three days, every time Beau stopped throwing up, one of the twins would start again, then the other and finally, yesterday, she too had had to make a dash for the bathroom. 

One week into Bash’s first-ever month-long foreign trip, Celia had had to call her husband home; the Moran children had a stomach bug, probably caught during the first week back at Beau’s school, and mummy was struggling. 

He found them all snoozing, having managed to keep down vanilla ice cream, in front of some Disney movie Celia had trouble differencing from the rest. Ed wad on her chest, a handful of his mother’s hair gripped within his hand, even though he was fast asleep. If she tried to stand up, he would throw a tantrum. On the other sofa, Cass and Beau had set up base camp, with pillows, blankets, stuffed toys and a basin, just in case. They were a sorry sight. 

“We didn’t do this because Kelsie was there. Even though she totally fancies you and your hotel rooms are next to one another, by the way.” Her arms move protectively around Ed as Bash reaches for him and she nods, without explaining herself, towards Cass. Get him in the bath first. “I would have called you home for a much sexier reason if this was a jealousy thing. If anything, I was worried that the vomiting emojis would keep you out there.”  

[consultingsister-aa]

𝐂𝐄𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍 ft. @theasteriae You wipe the tears from my eye and you say that all that it takes is a phone call. I cry at the thought of being alone and then I wonder how long it will take til I'm home again. I don't want anything more than to see your face when you open the door, you'll make me beans on toast and a nice cup of tea and we'll get a Chinese and watch TV

[consultingsister-aa]

@theasteriae​ said: “ you’re really beautiful. even if you drool. ” / bash

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐞 ... 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

Even though his voice was soft, she woke as if he had shouted in her ear and looked at him as if he was radiating some bright light; squinting up into his face. “What? Why-- oh Bas’--” her voice was slightly slurred, and she raised a pathetic hand to hit his chest. She couldn’t do it properly and instead her fingers bent painfully against him. She gave another pathetic whine. 

Twins, unsurprisingly, were twice the work of just one child. She thought it wouldn’t be so hard but they never wanted to do anything at the same time. If one was up at two am and down again at three, the other wanted to be up at three am and down by four, only for the other to be up again. And everything had to be done at a pace that Beau could keep up with, who, even at only two, was taking his big brother job very seriously. He delighted in shouting nonsense sentences at his mother and seemed to think he was in charge where Bash was away. In this state, Celia was close to allowing it. She would never tell him, but Sebastian being away for days on end was slowly killing her. It had been so much easier when it was just one baby. 

“What time is it?” She whispered, eyes already closed. “Oh god, am I late for nursery? Just prop me up, I can do it. Just let me-- let me find the gear stick and then we can-- we could just take the train--” she was cut off with another yawn. “I think you should make banana bread today, I’m not going to have time and Cass needs to-- well, you know what he’s like, don’t you? Can’t keep him from-- I think you should do the banana bread or we’ll lose the race, babe.” 

Even in her half-asleep state, she managed to pat his arm. “I’m so happy you’re home now.” 

[consultingsister-aa]

@theasteriae​ said: ceebastian

𝐎𝐓𝐏 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 // 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆

Who is a night owl: Cecelia. She tries her best not to be but often loses track of time and will fall asleep at her desk, leading Bash to have to get back up and carry her to bed.  Who is a morning person: Bash, he is always up before Cee, sometimes up before she has even woken up. He usually comes back to bed for morning cuddles after his run though. Still, even then, he’s up with the kids. She’ll do after school but she’s a zombie in the morning.  Are they cuddlers: Cee will tell you they’re not, Bash will tell you they are. Cee is lying.  Who is the big spoon: Bash, always. Sometimes Bash will ask Cee to spoon him but she just complains loudly about how stressful it is. It only lasts about twenty seconds.  Who is the little spoon: Cee but technically Puck the dog. Cee is medium spoon.  What is their favourite sleeping position: Cee really can’t be too hot or touching when she’s asleep but she doesn’t mind his arm over her or something like that. As long as she can easily roll away to be a cooler part of the bed, she’s pretty happy.  Who steals all the blankets: Celia actually tends to pile them on top of Bash and then accuse him of stealing them.  What they wear to bed: Very little. In the early days, it would be nothing but since the kids are old enough to climb out of bed, Cee will wear some oversized indie band t-shirt and Bash will wear boxers. Usually with a dressing gown within reaching distance for both of them.  Who likes seeing the other wearing their t-shirt: Bash, although not when he has run out of clean clothes because of it and Cee has two closets filled to bursting.  Who falls asleep mid-conversation: Bash, more and more often since they had kids. Cee really needs to be dark and silent to fall asleep but Bash could do it standing up, tired enough.  Who wakes up in the middle of the night with nightmares: Bash, for sure. Cee has very occasional ones but Sebastian’s PTSD has him suffering from bad nightmares often.  Who accidentally punched the other in their sleep: Cee. Bash can get violent in his sleep but usually he either sleeps in the spare room when he feels a bad night coming on, or Cee wakes up quickly when he starrs moving and can get out of his way. Cee on the other hand will randomly kick and punch with no warning, and then will just roll over like nothing happened.  Who can’t keep their hands to themself: Bash sober, Cee drunk.  Who said “I love you” first: Cee did but she’ll tell you otherwise.  Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background: Celia but mostly because Bash has a Nokia brick and doesn’t trust technology.  Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror: Bash writes cute messages and Cee drawns dicks.  Who buys the other cheesy gifts: They both do whenever they travel without each other. Stupid little keyrings and or the free pens they get.  Who initiated the first kiss: Cee did and she will admit to this one. It was a power move! Who kisses the other awake in the morning: Bash does. It’s the safest way to try and persuade Cecelia to get up in the morning.  Who starts tickle fights: Cee but Bash finishes them.  Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower: Bash asks, Cee just gets in.  Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch: Bash does! It’s a little risky for Cee to turn up at Bash’s work with no warning but at least once a week he shows up at her office, checks out the models to wind her up and then they go out on a lunch date.  Who was nervous and shy on the first date: Neither, really.  Who kills/takes out the spiders: Bash takes them outside and Cee violently kills them.  Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk: Cecelia, always and loudly. Usually as Bash had got her over his shoulder and they’re making their way home at 10pm. 

[consultingsister-aa]

JAMES BOND + ceebastian   ft. @theasteriae

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and you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me and at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover  ft. @theasteriae

[consultingsister-aa]

@theasteriae​ said: “Am I a good person?” / Bash

ASK MEME // ACCEPTING 

“Good is relative.” A reactionary answer, she didn’t put it through the normal people filter that she usually does. That’s the magic thing about Bash though; he’s not often looking for Cee’s normal people answers. She can see his sting of thought leading back out to the evening like a red line. A bad day at work; the car breaking down to top it off and she’s been one of her moods all day. Thoughtful, rather than upset. Unreachable for both Bash and Lia who were both in search of sympathy. Must be frustrating for them, she did try and engage at dinner. 

Then Nox and Vi in the hall, screaming bloody murder that seems to be some new game without rules or any achievable goal. They’re used to their mother snapping at them to be quiet but Sebastian? It’s like a puppy, who is usually so sweet you suddenly biting without reason. The anger that flared into Bash’s eyes as he shouted for them to go to bed quickly had faded into shock. Cee had prodded them up the stairs, gently chastising them, “didn’t we ask you to be go to bed half an hour ago? Puck is waiting for you, he’s so sleepy.” But before she followed them up, she pressed a kiss to Bash’s cheek, whispered for him to go sit down. Finally, after days of being present but a million miles away, Celia gets hom. 

She made her way back downstairs slowly, considering the matter at hand. She didn’t want to brush Bash off with a, of course you are darling. She also didn’t want to make light of him; no you’re not but that’s how I like it. As she stepped into the hall, her own gallery wall of carefully selected photographs greeted her, as they did every morning and every day she got home. So many smiling happy faces and she could say with confidence that many of them were good people. Mary was always good, so was John. Even Sherlock with his black and white view of right and wrong. But as she stopped at a picture of Bash, with tiny baby Vi asleep on his chest, it was hard to see a bad person there. What bad person could have so much love for his family? What bad person could sleep on the other room because the dog wanted to sleep on the bed during a thunderstorm. What good person could kill for money?

She kneels in front of him and repeats herself. “Morality is relative. And subjective. When we make moral judgments, we are simply expressing our personal likes and dislikes. Saying 'Hitler was bad', on this view, is the same as saying, 'I don't like Hitler'. I’m not,” she paused to explain herself, “comparing you to Hitler. Morality only serves to justify whatever we collectively consider an ideal. In a war, for example, killing is good. Good and bad... they adapt with the times... they...” she seemed to struggle with her thoughts, which usually flowed as easily as the wine on a Friday night. Perhaps Bash wasn’t looking for a lesson. 

“Bas... you have done bad things. But you have also done good things. I know bad people, you know bad people. Bad people do not pick their kids up from school or wear Mickey Mouse ears in Disneyland. You’re not an evil person Bas. I think you probably fall for people who are pretty morally dubious but...” she smiles even though she regrets making it into a joke. Cee pulls herself up into his lap, one arm around his shoulders and the other in his hair, slowly stroking through it, kissing his head. “You’re good, you’re good, you’re good.” 

[consultingsister-aa]

ceebastian through the decades  ft. @theasteriae

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CLASS OF 2001 | voted most likely to be the next gwyneth paltrow and brad pitt  ft. @theasteriae

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same energy a mr and mrs moran mood ft @theasteriae

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ft. @theasteriae