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a-world-in-grey · 3 years ago

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Sola/Blood of My Blood - Coming of Age II

@secret-engima part 2 of Sola trolling everyone, and the set up to the actual gala itself.

"Are you sure we're allowed to wear gold?"

Axis gives Tredd an exasperated look. "You're worrying about this now?"

"We're not Chiefs!"

Sola rolls her eyes, keeping her head still as Nyx threads dozens of jeweled pins - gold and tanzanite, Sola really needs to thank the Ornata for making them on such short notice - into her hair to keep the elaborate, flower shaped braids in place.

She's not the only one wearing gems in her hair tonight, even if she has by far the most. They've all swapped out their usual wooden beads for gemstone equivalents - and pearls, in Tredd and Sola's cases. Libertus' hair is braided in a reverse braid down the center of his head, tanzanite and green onyx lining the sides.

If Sola isn't allowed to wear a ponytail, neither is Libertus, dammit!

Luche smacks Tredd's hands away from his jacket lapels. "Stop pulling at it, you'll crease the fabric, and I'm not saving you if you ruin Penny's hard work."

Tredd freezes, then glowers at Libertus when her husband laughs. "You're just as scared of her as I am."

"I know better than ta piss her off." With good reason. Penelopeia gets stab-happy when irritated and some of her pins are long.

Luche sighs as he straightens out Tredd's outfit. "Black is the restricted color in Lucian high society. Only the royal family and their Retinues are allowed to wear it at formal functions."

Even then, Papa, Noctis, Sola, and Libertus are wearing sable; the specific shade of black restricted to the royal family themselves.

Nyx pauses in scrutinizing his handiwork. "What about the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard uniforms then?"

"Same as the Retinue." Sola explains and she carefully tests the security of her braids. "They've sworn service to the King, and wear black and silver to reflect that. I'm neither the ruling monarch nor the Crown Heir, so I and my Retinue wear gold as a cadet branch."

"You are His Highness' Sword." Axis notes thoughtfully. "You could wear silver."

She could. It would be appropriate in Galahdian culture too - of any position in the Retinue it would be the Sword most deserving of that particular color. But Sola's not attending as Noctis' Sword tonight. She's attending as Princess, as the daughter of the King and as such she's wearing gold as tradition dictates.

It's also why she's wearing a Pyre-cursed dress instead of a suit like the rest of Noctis' Retinue.

Don't get her wrong. It's a beautiful dress and Penelopeia earned every last yen making it. Sable silk with golden embroidery, high waisted with flowing skirts and no sleeves on account of it being the end of August.

Sola would still rather wear pants.

"Hang on," Tredd says, "why does the King wear gold then?"

Sola deadpans. "He's the King. He can wear whatever he damn well wants."

Who's going to tell the King no?

"Where are we meeting Prince Noctis?" Libertus asks, testing the draw of the knife tucked in the top of his hose. The small blades that are part of Galahdian formal wear are ceremonial, barely the length of Sola's hand span from tip to hilt, and so elegantly decorated Sola could hang them on her wall as art. Of course, being Galahdian, the blades are just as serviceable in combat as any of their primary arms.

They don't expect to need them tonight, but Galahdian sensibilities and Sola's current condition mean all of them are going to wear them anyway.

"At the doors to the banquet hall." Sola wishes she could wear a weapon herself, but there's nowhere she can hide one and still easily access it given her current outfit. Not being able to use her magic for the next several months is going to drive her nuts. “Noctis will enter first with Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto, and we’ll follow after.”

It will allow them to pull attention from Noctis, rather than Noctis’ arrival pulling attention from them. It’s even following protocol, thank the Six for small mercies, because while Sola’s held the position of Noctis’ Sword for nearly two decades now, without the bond Ignis, Gladio, and now Prompto have with Noctis, Sola is still technically a Wayward Sword.

A fact the Court has yet to realize, but Sola has no doubts some will figure it out tonight.

Another reason for announcing her marriage. Hopefully it’ll keep the idiots distracted. Because if anyone seriously tries to Court Noctis for the ‘open’ position in his Retinue, Sola knows her brother will leave them bleeding out on the floor.

Not, Sola muses wryly, that she’ll react much differently. For the best she doesn’t have access to her weapons then.

She’ll have to settle for gutting them with words. She can do that.

Libertus eyes the smile pulling at red painted lips. “You’re sure about keeping your brother in the dark?”

“Only until tomorrow.” Sola replies. “A surprise birthday gift.”

Noctis will have enough to handle as is, and Sola’s job tonight is to ease the load not add to it. She’d rather Noctis focus on getting through the gala and subsequent ceremony than worry over Sola not being able to use her magic.

He’ll do enough worrying over the next several months. Even though he knows full well that Sola is fine. It’s normal for female Lucis Caelums. Sure, Sola was hoping it wouldn’t happen for another couple days, but she’s adjusted since losing her magic yesterday and she has a full Retinue to protect her if anyone manages to get past Aunt Tiz and Uncle Cor’s security.

And even then, Sola is not so far along she can’t defend herself. She’s never needed weapons or magic to kill a man.

Luche snorts. “You just want to see how many people you can shock at once.”

“Well… yeah.” It’s funny. “I’m hoping to make Uncle Cor faint. Again.” She was there when Aunt Tiz announced her pregnancy and Uncle Cor dropped like a sack of wet cement. Highlight of Sola’s week and made taking over as acting-Captain during Aunt Tiz’s bed rest and maternity leave completely worth it.

Sola doubts Noctis or Ignis will faint, but she’s hoping to get Gladio. Papa is unlikely to pass out learning he’s to be a grandfather again, and Sola doubts nothing will shock Uncle Clarus as much as meeting the Triplets and then Axis in the span of fifteen minutes.

Prompto is proving to be increasingly unflappable, but the blonde at least plays along so Sola can expect a reaction from him even if it’s half-faked. At least one of her fellow Retinue finds her funny.

She’s even taken steps to make sure no one catches on early. None of the dishes tonight contain anything that will set off Sola’s nausea and she’s going to be avoiding all the wine served except for the bare minimum sips required at the beginning of each course. Libertus and Axis will be sitting on either side her, and are prepared for some misdirection to help fool everyone into thinking she’s drinking more than she actually is, and them having her magic means they won’t get as drunk as they would otherwise. Having her Retinue close by the entire night will help prevent anyone with magic sense the changes - and even then Sola knows it’s only because Noctis and Regis’ magic doesn’t give them the same level of sense Sola and Dyn’s gold magic affords them.

Her adorable nephew sensed the changes in Sola shortly after Sola herself, and has since been sworn to silence. Dyn is rather gleeful in being in on the secret and is quite looking forward to surprising his father.

Of course, the scamp’s glee means that Noctis knows there is a secret, but he is indulging Dyn and Sola’s fun.

A knock before Crowe opens the door and pokes her head in. “His Highness is on the move.”

Libertus offers Sola his arm. “That’s our cue.”

Sola gets to her feet and takes it. Her Retinue arranges themselves around them. Nyx at the front, Luche on the right at Libertus’ side, Tredd at her left, and Axis bringing up the rear.

Sola grins, and knows it’s all teeth.

“Show time.”

#ffxv #Shadow of Heaven’s Light #Blood of My Blood verse #fusion #Sola Lucis Caelum #Libertus Ostium #Nyx Ulric #Tredd Furia #Axis Arra #Luche Lazarus #Sola is looking forward to this so much #announcing her marriage #forcing the nobles to swallow the fact that ‘dirty refugees’ are permitted to wear black when they are not #that a ‘dirty refugee’ is now ROYALTY #and the much more well-intentioned trolling of her family with the announcement of her pregnancy #she’s still in her first trimester so she isn’t showing yet #but she is far enough along that her magic can’t be actively used #because using magic puts a massive strain on the body #so female LCs lose access to their active magic while pregnant to protect both mother and child #(which was used to argue against LC queens until the Rogue)#Sola still has her passive magic like her self-healing and passive sensing #she just can’t heal others or extend her magic sense beyond her normal immediate space #or access her armiger or use elemancy or shields or stealth #but she’s most irritated about losing access to the armiger tbh #she can’t access her literal dozens of sharp pointy weapons anymore XD

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themetaphorgirl · 4 years ago

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in which Emily makes a poor choice

HEY Y’ALL I AM BACK!!! WITH A PATRON SAINT DRABBLE!!

Y’all can thank @linguinereid for this one!! Sweet Bee suggested this and I ended up writing part of it while I was in line for rides at Epcot.

I’m excited to be writing and posting again!! Please tell me what y’all think of this one, and tell me what I’ve missed in the past couple of weeks!!

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Emily poked at her ear, trying to twist around to get a better look in the mirror. “Shit,” she mumbled, wincing as she prodded a sore spot. She leaned across the bathroom counter, almost sitting in the sink. “I think I fucked up. Shit.”

“That looks infected.”

She jumped in surprise and fell off the counter, hitting the faucet on her way down and splashing water across her shirt. “What the fuck!” she exclaimed. Spencer stood in the bathroom doorway, head tilted and eyes wide like a very small owl. “You little gremlin, you scared the shit out of me! What are you doing in here?”

“You left the door open,” Spencer said. “What’s wrong with your ear?”

She fumbled to turn off the faucet and pick up Hotch’s knocked-over toothbrush. “Nothing.”

“It’s red and swollen,” he said. “That’s a sign of infection. What did you do?” His eyes went wide. “Did you get that piercing after Hotch told you it was a bad idea?”

She smoothed her hair down over her ear. “Nope,” she said. “Why would you think that?”

“I heard you guys arguing about it,” he said. “Hotch said it was against dress code, and you said you didn’t give two fucks about dress code, and he said you were shit at cleaning the piercings you already have and you’d fuck up your ears, and you said-”

“Okay, okay, you and your eidetic memory can stop at literally any time,” Emily said, rolling her eyes. “It’s not that big a deal. There was a girl at the party last weekend who said she’d pierced like everybody’s ears at camp last summer, and she’d always wanted to try an industrial, and-” She paused. “Why am I explaining myself to you? You’re ten.”

“Nine.”

“Close enough. Why are you here, anyway?”

Spencer shifted his weight. “I have to pee,” he said.

“All right, I’ll get out,” Emily said. “But not a word to Hotch, understand? Not a single word. He cannot know about this. You know how smug he gets when he right about something.”

“Is he right, though?” Spencer said. “Did you fuck up your ear?”

“Okay, no swearing either, Alex will murder me if you pick up on me swearing,” Emily said. She stepped out of the bathroom and gave Spencer a little push inside. “Seriously, though. Don’t tell Alex either. You know she’ll be pissed at me too. I’ll- I’ll buy you that Star Wars lego set you want as long as you keep your mouth shut.”

Spencer brightened. “The Millennium Falcon?” he said.

“Sure, sure, why not, just keep your mouth shut!”

She closed the bathroom door and went back down the hall to the common room. It was Derek’s week to pick for movie night; he was having a great time with whatever Will Ferrell comedy he’d chosen, but Hotch was focused on his homework and Alex was reading a book. Emily sat down in her usual spot, tucking her legs underneath her. Her ear was still burning, but she brushed her hair over it surreptitiously. She could keep it a secret, as long as Spencer did. It would be fine.

By Tuesday, she realized it was not fine.

Her ear continued to swell and throb, the skin red and stretched tight around the barbell in the cartilage. She’d had to actually style her hair every morning instead of throwing it up in a messy ponytail or bun, or asking JJ or Alex to braid it for her. It wouldn’t take long for Alex to catch if she kept this up- she was famous for rolling out of bed at the last minute, getting up early to do her hair was drastically out of character. But she wasn’t sure who to be more afraid of catching her, Hotch or Alex.

She sat down at their usual table in the dining hall and pulled her hair back behind her ear, hissing when her nails brushed the irritated skin. “Oh, fuck,” she mumbled under her breath. It wasn’t good. It really wasn’t good.

Spencer climbed up on the chair beside her. “Are you doing okay?” he asked.

She sighed heavily. “How bad does it look?” she asked.

Spencer knelt on the chair so he could lean his elbows on the table. “Pretty bad,” he said. “Ew, is it oozing? I think it’s oozing.” He wrinkled his nose. “You should tell somebody.”

“Like hell I will,” she said, pulling her hair back into place. “This is a hill I will die on.” She paused. “This...this won’t kill me, will it? I won’t actually die on this hill?”

“Probably not, but infection was one of the leading causes of death during the Civil War,” he shrugged. “Try rinsing with saltwater, that might help.”

“Really?”

“Couldn’t hurt. I mean, in a manner of speaking. It’ll probably hurt a lot.”

Emily blinked. “That wasn’t reassuring, babe,” she said.

Hotch walked over to them and set his tray down. “What are you two talking about?” he asked as he sat down and cracked the top of his yellow Red Bull.

“Nothing,” Emily said quickly, dropping her fork in an effort to pick it up fast.

Alex set a glass of milk down on Spencer’s tray. “Sit on your butt or you’re going to fall on the floor again,” she said.

Spencer tilted his head back to look up at her. “I wanted chocolate milk,” he objected.

“Plain first, darling,” she said, bending to kiss his forehead. “Now sit down before you fall out of your chair.” Spencer obeyed, sliding down from his knees to sit down.

Emily poked her fork around in her scrambled eggs. They were way too yellow and a little watery around the edges, and her stomach turned. “Emily, are you okay?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah, fine, why do you ask?”

He gestured towards her tray with his Red Bull can. “I don’t think I’ve seen you eat anything since you came back from the party on Friday night,” he said. “Are you still sulking because I told you not to pierce your ear?”

“I don’t sulk,” Emily scoffed.

“Yes, you do,” Hotch said. “You’re pissed because you know I’m right, and it would be a terrible idea to get an industrial. Especially since you don’t have a guardian over eighteen to sign off on it, so it’d be illegal.”

Emily stabbed her fork into the eggs. “I’m fine and I’m not sulking,” she said. “But you’re wrong. I’ll be fine if I get my ear pierced.”

She met Spencer’s gaze. His hazel eyes were wide, glancing over first at Hotch and then at Alex, but he kept his mouth shut. Her ear throbbed, but she wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing they were right.

By Friday, she knew they were right, and she hated it, but damn, her ear hurt.

She huddled in the corner of the library sofa, her history textbook open on her lap but long forgotten. Her ear was an ever-present pain now, too sensitive to touch, and oozing something disgusting.

The library was quiet and peaceful, rain tapping steadily on the window. James was sorting through his anatomy flashcards while Dave pretended to write a paper while he was really working on the novel he claimed he wasn’t writing. Spencer was lying on his tummy on the floor, absorbed in a book far above his grade level. The rest of the kids were at clubs or practices, and Alex passed by in her own paths as she shelved books and answered questions.

She glanced up to see Spencer watching her poke at her ear; she dropped her hand and glared at him. “Don’t say anything,” she said to him sharply in Russian. “Remember the Millennium Falcon.”

He sighed heavily. “Your ear looks really bad,” he said. His Russian wasn’t as strong as his Italian, and his accent was terrible, but at least James and Dave wouldn’t understand them.

“Not a word!” she said.

Alex plunked down on the opposite side of the couch, jostling Emily and making her scowl. “I’m taking a break,” she sighed. “The sophomores are working on their poetry projects and I don’t want to discuss Ezra Pound anymore.”

Spencer pushed himself up from the floor. “Alex?” he said. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course, dearest,” she said, taking his hands in hers. “What’s up?”

“If I told you I wanted to do something and you said no, and I did it anyway, would you be mad at me?” he asked.

Emily shot him a dirty look, but he ignored her. “Well, I might be a bit disappointed, but I don’t think I’d be mad,” Alex said, squeezing his hands.

“If I did the thing anyway, and I ended up getting hurt, would you be mad at me?” he asked.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Alex said, drawing him onto her lap.

“And you wouldn’t tell me you told me so? And you’d help me?” he continued.

She frowned, clearly concerned over this line of conversation, and hugged him. “Of course I’d help you, baby,” she said. She stroked his hair away from his forehead. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Spencer leaned around Alex’s shoulder to make direct eye contact with Emily. She sighed heavily. “So...you know how I wanted to get an industrial piercing, and you and Hotch said it would be a bad idea?” she said hesitantly.

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Yes,” she said. “Why?” Emily tucked her hair slowly behind her ear. “Emily, holy shit!”

“It’s pretty bad, huh?” Emily said glumly.

Alex moved Spencer hastily off her lap and leaned over Emily to take a better look at her ear. “Oh my god,” she said. “James, can you come take a look at this?”

James pulled his headphones off. “Hm?” he said. “Oh shit! Emily, what did you do?”

She submitted reluctantly to his poking and prodding. “So a girl at the party last week offered to pierce my ear,” she said. “And it...kind of went wrong.”

“That looks like it hurts,” Alex said, smoothing her hair. “It looks super infected.”

“Yeah, that’s the medical term for it,” James said. “Holy shit, Prentiss, I can’t believe you pulled a Parent Trap.”

“A Parent Trap?”

“Yeah, when Hallie pierces Annie’s ear with a sewing needle, an apple, and...you know what, never mind.”

Emily winced as the earring shifted. “Can you just...make Hotch promise that he won’t say I told you so?” she said.

“I think he’ll agree that you’ve suffered enough,” Alex reassured her.

Spencer hovered at her elbow. “I would have said something sooner, but Emily said she’d buy me the Millennium Falcon set,” he said.

“Please don’t scold me for bribing the baby, either,” Emily said.

“Okay, I might scold you about that one.”

#au: patron saint of lost causes #patron saint: emily #patron saint: alex #patron saint: hotch #patron saint: spencer #patron saint: james #criminal minds fanfiction #caitlin writes things #linguinereid #alex is such a protective mama bear

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bleachluna · 4 years ago

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Roleswap

A fic for day 1 of @hitsukarinweek! Also on AO3

Karin sat down next to Toshiro on the sofa, watching as he carefully brushed through their daughter's hair, skilfully and quickly parting the left half into separate sections for braiding. “I can't believe you can do this so much better than me.”

Toshiro didn't look up, currently focused on creating a french plait without pulling on Natsumi's head too much. “You've never really been one for delicate tasks.”

Karin huffed but watched attentively as her husband slowly braided down the back of Natsumi's head. “I guess but still, I'm the mom, I'm supposed to be the one doing this stuff.”

“No that's ok mom!”

Karin's mouth dropped theatrically in response and she leaned forward to poke Natsumi on the nose, “Cheeky.”

Toshiro made sure to tightly hold the half-done braid as Natsumi turned round to grin at her mother, before gently directing her head back to where it was, finishing the braid and tying it off. “Does it actually bother you?”

Karin shrugged. “I mean...a little? I don't know, when you picture having a daughter you think of this sort of stuff right? Dressing her up all cute,” she leaned over to briefly squish Natsumi's cheeks, “doing her hair, that sort of thing but it turns out I suck at it.”

Natsumi turned round quickly, immediately undoing the work Toshiro had done with creating sections in the right half of her hair. “You're good at dressing me up! The clothes you pick are cool! I wanna dress up like you when I grow up.”

Karin lightly slapped Toshiro's leg at his muttered “I hope not” and smiled at her daughter. “Thank you. At least I've got half of it down!”

Natsumi earnestly nodded back at her and turned round so Toshiro could finish her hair.

He carefully recreated the sections in the right half and started pulling it into a second plait. “Practice on your own hair?”

“Honestly I think that would be even worse, at least I can actually see what I'm doing on Natsumi. Unless I set up an elaborate mirror situation. I have no idea how some girls do that honestly, all these complicated hairstyles on themselves.”

A small laugh escaped out of Toshiro. “Maybe they do have an elaborate mirror situation. Well evidently I can always do your hair for you if you want.”

“Oh I know you can, given you cheated being able to do Natsumi's by practising for ages on me, but letting you do it all up for me feels like I'm giving in. I really should be able to do it myself.”

“We can't be good at everything mom. Definitely not right away!”

Karin immediately deflated at the words her daughter had parroted from her, having repeatedly used them whenever Natsumi got frustrated at not being able to do something. Her pride versus being a good example wasn't much of a toss up. “You're right. “ She sighed, “maybe I'm just not meant to be very good at hair. At least I'm good at other stuff huh?”

Natsumi nodded, unintentionally making Toshiro have to redo the part he was on. “Yeah! You're good at clothes, you can do make up super quick! Um...you always make sure I do my school work, even when I don't wanna.”

Karin snorted in response. “You're happy about that?”

Natsumi sighed, coming out more for show than a genuine sigh, copying the actions of adults around her without really understanding yet. “Kinda. I hate it, but it makes me smarter so yeah.”

Both parents let out a laugh at that, Karin gently correcting her. “It makes you more knowledgeable, you're already smart.”

Natsumi's face scrunched up in confusion. “What's the difference?”

“Smart is more...generally speaking people are born with being smart, then as they live life they get more knowledge, and the innate smartness and the knowledge sort of work together. You know how I say your little brother is always experimenting?”

“Uh huh, you said that the other day when he was putting the little bouncy balls though the stair gate upstairs.”

“Yeah, did you remember how closely he was watching the balls when he put them through? My guess is that he was trying to figure out why they fell down, or why they bounced maybe.”

Second french plait now done and tied, Natsumi turned round, facing them. “Falling is gravity! I don't know how they bounce though.”

Toshiro smiled at her enthusiasm. “I think it's the material they're made out of, different types bounce in different amounts. The makers were deliberately looking for a material that bounced well.”

“Oh.”

Karin nodded. “My point is, you can tell he's smart because he's already trying to figure it all out. It's smart to try something out to see what'll happen, that's pretty much what science is, they just make sure to do it carefully. He's a little young for the concept of gravity right now, but pushing the balls through the stair gate taught him the knowledge that things fall down the stairs.

Natsumi gasped loudly. “And he's scared round the stairs now! He learned!”

Karin laughed. “Yeah, he doesn't like going near them without me or your dad now. He used his smartness to experiment, he gained the knowledge that the balls fall down the stairs, and using the two together he probably figured out he could fall down the stairs too.”

“Wow...He can't even talk yet.”

“He babbles,” Toshiro defended, “he understands a lot that's said to him, he'll get there soon.”

“Smartness and knowledge work together so you can figure out the world. Smart is good, but you need the knowledge to back it up and help boost it.”

“Did I experiment when I was a baby?”

Toshiro raised an eyebrow at her. “Last week you poured half a bottle of bubble bath into the bath to see if you could get, and I quote, thousands and thousands of bubbles. You still experiment.”

“But...experimenting isn't bad right?”

He winced at the complicated question. “It is important to try things out, but you still need to get our permission first. Trying out how many bubbles half a bottle gets you isn't really bad as such, but inconvenient when you try it out in the evening when we're trying to get your brother washed and in bed.”

Karin rolled her eyes at how Toshiro put it. “Inconvenient is certainly one word for it. Besides kid, a lot of people have already done these experiments, we might already know the answer without you trying it out.”

Natsumi pouted. “That's no fun.”

Karin put on a stern expression. “Some of them can also be dangerous if you're not careful. Wanting to learn stuff is good, but you need to run them by us first.”

“Okaaaay.”

Karin nodded to her in acknowledgement and then laughed to herself. “You know between you doing her hair all the time and me being the stricter parent maybe we should swap names.”

Toshiro looked at her, confused. “Hm?”

She grinned at him. “You be mom and I'll be dad.”

Natsumi giggled and shook her head. “That's silly!”

Karin smiled down at her. “Ah you've gotta be silly sometimes. But anyway! Now that your hair's all done, you ready to go get changed for dinner?”

Natsumi cocked her head to the side. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Are you gonna let dad do your hair?”

Karin laughed a little awkwardly. “I was just gonna redo the ponytail.”

Natsumi stood up, leaning against Karin's legs and holding her hands as she looked at her. “But if you let dad do it we can match!”

Lost for words, Karin looked over to Toshiro who shrugged in response, she sighed as she shrugged too. “Oh alright then.” She scooted off the sofa to sit in front of Toshiro, Natsumi taking her seat. “Maybe just the one plait instead of two though?”

“Nooooo do two! So we match properly!”

Toshiro smiled in response, leaning down to tease Karin. “The lady has spoken.”

Karin's mouth dropped open as she turned round to look at the two of them. “Do I not count as the lady of the house?”

Toshiro gently pulled out her hair tie as he spoke. “I thought you were dad and I was mom?”

She rotated her head back round so he could work on her hair properly. “Hm, I really tripped myself over there huh.”

“Yep, two plaits it is.” He brushed out her hair and parted it in half. “I'm sure you'll look lovely.”

Karin let herself relax as Toshiro started braiding the left side of her head. “Natsumi go get changed while your dad does my hair ok?”

Natsumi sprung up from the sofa and sped towards the stairs, running up them quickly, making Karin sigh. “I would tell her off for running but maybe it's better she uses her energy up now.”

“And you think running up one flight of stairs will do that? She's excited, she's got even more energy than usual.”

Karin rolled her eyes with a smile. “I don't know why she's so excited, she sees everyone all the time.”

Toshiro talked a little slower as he focused on braiding, “yeah, but it's not often that it's the whole family all at once. It's gonna be a nightmare getting her to bed tonight.”

“Part of me's hoping she'll tire herself out but that's probably naïve.”

“Probably. We'll have to tag team it.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

#hitsukarin #hitsukarinweek #hitsukarinweek2021 #toshiro hitsugaya #karin kurosaki #bleach #my writing #this fic sorta had a life of its own #so it didn't quite turn out how i wanted but hey #also formatting's a little sketchy on the dash itself #looks better on the actual blog or ao3 in case you have trouble

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elsanna-shenanigans · 4 years ago

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April Contest Submission #4: Stupid For You

Words: ca. 6,100 Setting: Modern AU Lemon: No CW: None

Anna adjusts her car visor to block out as much of the sun as possible. Just because the weather feels nice enough to keep her windows down, doesn’t mean she’ll allow the sun cook her through the windshield.

It’s 2:25 PM on a Friday. Back in college, she would have been powering through her final class of the week, racing back to her dorm on her longboard, changing into her pajamas, and replaying the entire Mass Effect trilogy for the fifth time. Now, she spends it idling in the parking lot of West Arendelle Elementary, breathing in exhaust fumes from other idling cars, and pitifully swiping through a dating app.

And to be honest, she might like this routine a little more.

But only because, in a couple of minutes the bell will ring and her favorite ten-year-old will burst through the front doors, skip down to her car, and tap on the passenger windows with both hands.

Not that…she knows any other ten-year-olds, she only knows this one. She doesn’t have like a top ten list of favorite children.

Anyway yeah.

Anna presses against the corner of a parking sticker peeling off at the bottom of her windshield, knowing she’ll have to get a new one soon. The sound of her phone buzzing grabs her attention, and a little bit of hope rises in her as she checks the notification. Unfortunately, it’s just a text from her mother saying not to park behind her when she gets back home.

Anna grumbles, “I swear there’s like zero lesbians in this entire freaking city.”

She’s saved from her petty lamenting by the forementioned bell, and suddenly the barren entrance of the elementary school is buzzing with activity as children pour out of the doors in droves. Some are running, some are walking slowly with their group of friends, but only one of them is skipping.

Or at least Anna could only see one skipping since she wasn’t focusing on any other kid.

Gleefully making her way to Anna’s car is a little girl in a bright-blue skirt, a clean white polo, and a messy braid. Her hands are clutching the straps of her glittery backpack and her lunch box is hanging on for dear life around her neck.

Serah Langford, the self-proclaimed “cooliest” ten year-old in Arendelle.

Serah predictably taps her knuckles against the passenger window and Anna rolls it down. “What’s the password?” she asks.

“Fart Sniffer,” Serah says confidently.

Anna shakes her head, “That was last week’s password. What’s this week’s?”

Serah looks off in the distance and purses her lips. A second later, she says, “Alright I said it!”

“Say it out loud.”

Serah rolls her eyes and says in a dramatically bored voice, “Anna de Milo is the greatest, prettiest, most wonderful babysitter in the world and deserves a million dollars.”

Anna unlocks the door and grins, “That’s the one!”

The embarrassed fourth-grader shuffles into the car, placing her bag by her feet, her lunch box in her lap, and her phone plugged into the AUX cord. Anna would be offended if they didn’t have the exact same taste in music.

A babysitting job wasn’t at the top of her list after she graduated, but when months passed and she exhausted all the search results for “Writer” on Indeed, she was starting to get desperate. Her mother advised her to look for any job so at the very least she could have a steady source of income while she continued to look for writing gigs.

That’s when she found Bizzybee.

Bizzybee is a company that prides itself on being “Tinder for babysitters”, which is a horrible vision statement but she kept from mentioning that during her interview. After a surprisingly long assessment process, Anna was placed into their system and she was free to take on any babysitting/housesitting job she wanted based on the profile of the parent and their needs. Everyone started with the same hourly rate, but with enough good reviews she would be eligible for raises.

The first five families she worked for weren’t a good fit for different reasons (one of the fathers actually tried to make a move on her, which is an entirely different, creepier story). She was beginning to lose hope until she stumbled on the profile of a recently divorced mother named Elsa Langford.

From the very first interview with Elsa, Anna knew she’d finally found the right babysitting job for her. She and Serah hit it off right away, and they worked out a Monday-Friday schedule which allowed Anna to continue searching for jobs while still getting great hours.

Six months later and, despite a couple of job offers, Anna decided to stay on as Serah’s babysitter. It was risky and not at all the path she set out for herself after college, but she found herself enjoying babysitting much more than she thought she would. And because of that, she stayed.

Well…that, and another reason.

Anna snuck a peek inside the lunch box at a red light and frowned at the unopened bag of cookies inside. “Seriously?! I thought you liked Chips Ahoy!”

“Only the chewy ones,” Serah argued.

“They can get chewy if you dip them in milk.” Anna waved the bag obnoxiously close to the little girl’s face. “These things are expensive, you know.”

“They’re $20 on Amazon if you buy them in bulk.”

“$20 is still a lot of money.” The light’s turned green, so Anna has to open the bag with her teeth. When she does so successfully, she pours a couple of the cookies right into her mouth. Chewing with righteous indignation, she says, “You know what you can buy with $20?”

“Dinner with my mom?”

Anna almost chokes on the cookies.

She hears Serah giggling up a storm while handing her a water bottle to keep from dying. After downing half the bottle, Anna takes a deep breath and gets back into the center of her lane to ensure neither of them is going to die. “Serah! What did I tell you about saying that kinda stuff while I’m driving?!”

Serah bounces proudly in her seat, “Well maaaaybe if you didn’t have a crush on my mom, I wouldn’t have to bring it up.”

“It’s not…I’m not…” Anna slumps in her chair, wondering why she even bothers denying it. “Whatever.”

Yes, she has a big, stupid gay crush on the mom of the kid she’s babysitting. But have you seen Elsa Langford? She’s gorgeous. Pale skin, light blonde hair always in a neat, tight ponytail, eyes like calm pools of water, and a killer body she worked tirelessly on after giving birth to Serah. Anna had to drink three glasses of water just to get through the interview with her.

But there’s nothing to it, and nothing’s gonna happen anyway. It’s just a crush.

A stupid, dumb, big, stupid, fleeting, doesn’t-mean-anything, stupid crush on a stupid, sexy mom.

It’s stupid.

[Line Break]

Anna pulls right into the driveway of the Langford’s small, one-story house. It’s in the middle of a long suburbian row of houses that look nearly identical in their mundanity, but this one always stands out to Anna. Not because she’s been to this house countless times, but also because it’s got a vibrant feel to it; like you can feel two main characters live here. Serah skips over to her front door with Anna close behind. She notices the grass is getting a little tall and wonders if Elsa might need some help mowing it this weekend.

She unlocks the front door and Serah immediately takes off her shoes by the front door, places her lunch box on the kitchen table, and hums to herself while she walks to her room. The schedule used to be on the fridge, but by this point Anna’s memorized it.

Make a light snack for Serah, help her with her homework before dinner’s done, clean around the house (that’s not a requirement, Anna just does it), make sure she doesn’t watch the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix yet, and then kick back until Elsa gets home. In between this time, Serah continues to tease her about her crush.

It’s been like that for weeks now, ever since Serah stole her phone one day and read the text Kristoff sent to her about Elsa. The subsequent conversation about what a “MILF” was didn’t exactly help things either.

This time, however, is different. Around 7 PM, while they’re watching an episode of American Ninja Warrior, Serah says something that doesn’t sound like a joke.

“She’d say yes, you know.”

“What are you talking about?” Anna asks cautiously.

“If you asked my mom out, she’d say yes.”

Unsure of how she’s supposed to react, Anna goes with an uncomfortable snort/laugh, “Wh- stop it. Stop kidding around, that’s…that’s silly.”

Serah shrugs like she didn’t say something crazy, and then she proceeds to say something even crazier, “She talks about you all the time.”

“Well yeah, I mean duh. I’m the babysitter,” Anna says like that’s supposed to be her superhero identity.

“No, she doesn’t talk about babysitting stuff.”

Finally, unable to help her curiosity, Anna asks, “What does she talk about then?”

Of course, she doesn’t get a chance to hear the answer. The front door unlocks and the woman they were just talking about arrives from work. Serah rushes to greet her mom and Anna stays sitting to let them spend their mother-daughter time together. And also because, like usual, she’s trying to figure out how to greet Elsa.

She decides on a cheerful “Hi!” followed by asking how work went; it’s casual and unassuming, but shows she cares about her. With that game plan prepared, she takes a quick breath, stands up, and walks over to the happy, little family.

“Hi!” she says with a practiced wave of her hand, though her voice is a little higher pitched than she’d like it to be.

Elsa’s clearly tired by the look of her, but when she smiles at Anna it feels like she’s genuinely happy to see her. Which of course makes Anna’s stomach do backflips, especially when Elsa walks over to her and gives her a hug. Even after taking off her heels, the exhausted banker still has a couple of inches on her.

“How are you?” she asks with her sweet, caring voice.

Anna tries to ignore the faint, flowery scent of perfume on Elsa’s neck, and the intrusive thought of wanting to hold her until all of Elsa’s troubles melt away. “Doing good,” she finally answers with her voice still an octave too high.

Elsa pulls away far too soon, keeping Anna at arm’s length while the younger woman is trying her best to pretend she doesn’t want to know how those lips would feel against hers. “Well let me write you a check and you can head out.”

What? No! Thinking fast, she replies, “No, you look exhausted. You can just rest, you don’t need to pay me right away.” Which is a lie, she has bills due next week.

“No I’d feel terrible if I let you go empty-handed. Trust me, it’ll only take a few minutes.”

“Ms. Langford, it’s okay. I’m in no rush tonight. Give yourself a minute to breathe, at least.”

Elsa frowns, but whatever she’s about to say gets interrupted by a long yawn. “Okay fine, if you can give me half an hour, I’ll have your check ready by then.”

“Sounds perfect!” Anna squeaks.

“And again, you don't have to call me Ms. Langford. Elsa’s fine.”

Elsa pats her on the shoulder and walks over to her room, Anna gets a glimpse of it before the door shuts and she can’t help but wonder what it would be like to be in Elsa’s room one day. Her shameful thought is interrupted by someone bumping her hip.

She looks down and sees Serah with a smug grin on her face.

“Oh hush,” Anna says.

[Line Break]

Anna hates taking breaks, and she especially hates days off. Not just because that’s one less day she gets to see Elsa, but also because that’s who she is as a person. Days she isn’t working provide zero structure, and she forgets how to be a human being without a structure.

The weekends, then, are a tumultuous time for her. If she doesn’t have pre-made plans with her friends, she’ll spend the days thinking about doing everything, inevitably end up doing nothing, and then dragging herself out of the house to do something.

This particular Saturday, that “something” happens to be grocery shopping. With a list that only has “Eggs?” on it, she ventures through every single aisle, wondering if she could get herself hungry enough to buy whatever she’s currently looking at.

So far, aside from the eggs, there’s only one other thing in her cart. And it’s not even for her.

“Pop-Tarts…I don’t know, they might sound good later.” She reaches to grab a box of the frosted strawberry ones but waves it off at the last second. Maybe the next aisle will have something she thinks absentmindedly as her cart almost hits the person in front of her.

Who somehow happens to be Elsa.

“Hi! Hey! Wow hi!” Anna says while Elsa looks at her like she’s genuinely startled. “H-hey there, Ms. Langford.”

After registering that the person yelling at her isn’t a threat, Elsa smiles. “Anna! It’s so wonderful to see you.” She looks as if she’s going to take a step towards Anna, but changes her mind at the last second.

Unfortunately, Anna took that as a cue to also step forward and didn’t move back fast enough. So now, she’s just standing between both carts like she’s commandeering both. “I-I didn’t know you went grocery shopping. Here, I mean. I’m sure you shop, but like…I live near here. Like five minutes away actually.”

Elsa chuckles, and honestly it sounds like honey-dipped guitar strings. But less sticky, and more sexy. “Well I was in the area dropping Serah off to her karate lesson, so I figured I might as well do some shopping while I wait.”

Right, Serah started her lessons last week. She told Anna that she was super excited about “getting to punch bricks and stuff”. Still unsure if she should move yet, Anna adds, “Well I like this place a lot. It’s like one of my top ten places to be- to go. Maybe top five.”

“I’ll make sure to keep that in mind,” Elsa grins like she really is happy to have run into her. She shifts her gaze down and remarks, “Oh, that’s a really nice chopping board.”

Oh. Right. The chopping board’s…still in her cart. Anna lifts it up and holds it like she’s showing off the finest new features in chopping board technology. “Yeah thanks, it’s on sale actually.”

“That’s good news, I’m looking to replace the one we have. I’m tired of scraping plastic off my chicken when I’m cutting it.” Anna knows this, of course, because Elsa’s muttered it to herself every time she’s in the kitchen. “Which aisle did you find that in?”

Forgetting why she has the chopping board in the first place, Anna holds it out and says, “Oh it’s okay, you can just have this one?”

“Are you sure? Don’t you need it?”

Now remembering why she has it, Anna shamefully pulls it away, “Yes. I mean no. No I don’t, I don’t need it. It’s in my cart, but I don’t need it.”

Elsa’s eyes narrow, “I-I’m sorry, I’m confused.”

Well this is happening. And it’ll be even more awkward to explain things if she shows up with the chopping board on Monday. She sighs, finally admitting defeat, “I…I heard you mention you needed a new chopping board, so I wanted to get one for you. This one, actually. This is the one I was going to buy. And then give it to you on Monday.”

Elsa goes from confused to flattered in a second, and much like all of her expressions there’s an inarguable authenticity to it. There’s no exaggerated gasp or a drawn-out “Awww”, instead there’s a smile that could melt a million hearts and a casual touching of Anna’s upper arm.

“I knew I picked a good one,” Elsa says, oblivious to the screaming and fireworks occurring in Anna’s head.

“Ah, i-it’s nothing really. I’m using my paycheck, so in a way you’re buying it yourself haha,” Anna tries to laugh but she squeaks like someone’s just pumped her full of helium.

“Nonetheless, you’ve helped lift so much stress off your shoulders and I want to show how much I appreciate you.” Elsa straightens up a little and looks at the frazzled redhead curiously, “What do you think about coffee?”

“You mean like a coupon?” Anna shakes her head. “I mean a gift card?”

Elsa opens her mouth to respond, but another thought seemingly goes through her head and she purses her lips. A second later, she smiles again, “Yes. Like a gift card. Young people still drink Starbucks, right?”

Anna scoffs, “Ms. Langford, you’re only nine years older than me.”

“And yet you still insist on calling me ‘Ms. Langford’, which always makes me feel much older than I actually am.”

A ton of bricks falls on Anna as she realizes her grave mistake. “Oh my goodness, Ms. La- ah I mean I uh…I’m so sorry. I didn’t- I mean that wasn’t my intention. You’re young, a-and beautiful, and still in your prime. No you haven’t even reached your prime yet! If I made you feel like you weren’t, I’m-”

She’s silenced by the feel of Elsa’s hand coming to rest on…her shoulder? Well that’s new. And exciting. Anna focuses half of her mind on calming down and the other half on what Elsa’s saying.

“Relax Anna, it was just a joke. You can call me whatever you want.” Though Elsa’s voice is reassuring, her smile has a glint of proud mischief from catching her off-guard. “I’m not about to police my favorite babysitter on what words she can use.”

Anna tries to speak but finds her throat too dry. She clears it and tries again, “Really? I’m your favorite babysitter? You’re not just saying that?”

“I went through far too many babysitters before I found you,” Elsa lets out a breathy laugh, eyes glancing to the side as if she’s remembering back to the years she’d had to find the right fit to take care of Serah. Anna wonders what makes her so different from the others, but thinks that’s too invasive to ask. “You’re the best.”

The casual yet loaded compliments and the feel of Elsa’s fingers so close to her bare skin combine to create a dangerous, stomach-churning reaction in Anna. One that sets all her impulses alight, screaming at her to kiss Elsa.

Before she even has the chance to compose herself, Elsa’s already pulled away and is back by the safety of the handrails on her cart. “Well I think I’ve used up enough of your time this weekend. And besides, I need to find something for dinner tonight. I’ll see you Monday, okay?”

Anna blinks, still trying to register things that happened five minutes ago. “Uh yeah, no problem. Sounds great,” she replies without knowing what she’s saying.

Elsa smiles at her and turns the corner, disappearing from direct sight. After an eternity of standing at the end of the aisle like an idiot, Anna groans and covers her face with her hands.

“Stupid,” she mumbles to herself.

[Line Break]

“The evil scientist shouted, ‘This ain’t over, Super Gal! One day-”

Anna presses the buzzer she bought at a dollar store. “There’s no such thing as the word 'ain’t’,” she corrects.

Serah groans, “You’re the worst.”

“You asked a girl with an English degree for help with your story. What did you expect would happen?” Anna taps against the table like an evil villain.

’“I didn’t expect you to not go easy on-”

Anna presses the buzzer again. “Double negative!”

“I’m not even writing!” Serah protests.

“My buzzer, my rules.”

The sound of the front door opening interrupts them bickering like long-lost sisters. Instead of running over to greet Elsa by the door, Serah shouts with exasperation, “Moooom! Anna’s being a jerk!”

“Well that’s what happens when you ask an English major to look over your story, honey,” Elsa replies.

Anna gives Serah a smug grin, the little girl sticks her tongue out in response. Elsa joins them at the dinner table, the tiredness on her face is less concerning tonight but Anna catches her wince when she sits down.

“You okay?” she asks.

Elsa smiles, “Fell off a ladder at work.”

“Oh my gosh, how bad does it hurt? I could-” Anna has to take a pause to let the unhelpful thought of massaging Elsa’s back go away. “-get you some ibuprofen or an ice pack.”

“Thank you, Anna, but I’m sure I’ll be fine in the morning once I sleep it off. After all, I’m not even in my prime yet.” Elsa winks at her, and Anna has to pretend her insides haven’t turned to jelly.

“Is this like that time you fell in the bathroom while trying to pull your pants up?” Serah asks.

“Serah!” Elsa hides her face in her hands, though it’s still possible to tell the remorse she feels through her voice. “Why did I even tell you that story?”

Serah feigns innocence and shrugs, “Because I’m your daughter and you like telling me things?”

Elsa sticks her tongue out in response and it’s much cuter than it has any right to be. Unable to help herself, Anna asks, “Are you sure I can’t do anything for you? I mean like with your back…or whatever.”

Elsa rests her head against one of her hands and doesn’t try to hold back the tiredness in her smile this time. “You’re very sweet, Anna, but I’ll be okay. Just need some rest.” She mumbles afterward, “And a vacation…”

Anna lets her mind wander for a second, thinking of what it would feel like to take Elsa somewhere she could unwind. Like to a spa, or a lake. Elsa feels like the kind of person who finds solitude near water. In her mind, she sees Elsa in a baby blue sundress and a wide brim hat, looking out at the crystal clear waters from a creaky, wooden dock. She sees herself walking down the same dock and Elsa turning to her with a smile, holding a hand out and beckoning her to come over.

“What do you think, Anna?”

The wishful thought dissipates, and Anna’s pulled back into reality by a question she’s not ready for. “Sorry, I was uh…thinking of a story idea. What were you guys talking about?”

Thankfully not asking where Anna’s mind was really at, Elsa repeats herself, “Serah was wondering if you wanted to go to her play tomorrow.”

“I’m playing a tree!” Serah says proudly.

This invitation comes as a wonderful surprise. Serah’s been hyping this play up for forever, but Anna always assumed she would want Elsa to be there. “Oh, I…did something happen? Can you not make it?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare miss seeing my little girl play the part of Tree #2. But I really-”

Serah clears her throat obnoxiously loud.

“Right. We would really love it if you came. Tickets are free, but they’ll be selling popcorn and soda for $2.”

“You can sit next to my mom!” Serah adds, and her failed blink shows she knows exactly what she’s implying. It feels odd having a ten-year-old be her wing woman, but Anna’s learning to roll with it.

“No pressure, though,” Elsa says while wringing her hands together. “It’s on a Friday night, and I know you might already have plans.”

“I don’t,” Anna responds far too fast.

Elsa’s eyes widen in surprise, “Oh. Then do you want to go?”

The chance to sit next to Elsa for an hour in a dark auditorium? Anna would be an idiot to pass that opportunity up. And it isn’t lost on her that it felt like Elsa was about to say she would personally love it if she went.

“Sure, I’d love to go.”

[Line Break]

Far too many questions are still punching Anna in the brain as she pulls into West Arendelle Elementary’s parking lot and walks towards the auditorium. Should she have eaten something beforehand? Is she overdressed? Is she underdressed? Should she have texted Elsa to coordinate outfits? What if this is all some elaborate prank to make fun of her for her stupid mom crush? Did she sweat through her shirt? Is it noticeable?

Her crazy thoughts are interrupted by her phone buzzing. She pulls it out of the back pocket of her jeans and sees it’s a text from Elsa. She’s waiting by the door so they can find some seats together.

Well, that eases her worry about trying to find Elsa in a crowded auditorium. Though crowded might be an understatement. It’s a fourth-grade play, not an opera at The Met.

Once inside, Anna takes a second to admire the impressive renovations of what used to be a musty, old gymnasium (they even put in carpets and sound dampeners). But she’s not here to appraise this place, she’s here to root for her favorite fourth grader/tree and keep the ogling of Elsa to a minimum-

Holy baloney, Elsa’s wearing a dress.

It’s got blue-and-white stripes, short sleeves, and a similar colored waist sash. And instead of her hair being in a tight ponytail, the nearly silver locks fall across her shoulders and down her back.

It’s casual, it’s cute, it’s gorgeous, it’s beautiful, and it’s a stark reminder of how absolutely smitten Anna is.

“I was getting worried you might not show up,” Elsa says with a smile akin to the one she showed off at the grocery store.

Up close, Anna also notices a thin, snowflake necklace around Elsa’s slender neck and she’s already failed in keeping her ogling to a minimum. “You can always trust me to keep my promises, Ms. Langford,” she says with a goofy grin meant to reflect something called confidence.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Elsa responds.

Feeling like she has to mention it, and also because her brain’s still currently fried from seeing an angel, Anna adds, “You look beautifuller. I-I mean not like fuller, I just mean you look more beautiful than usual. Oh gosh, not that you usually look bad because you don’t. You never look bad, you’re-”

Elsa lays a hand on Anna’s shoulder again, which might as well be her reset button. “Anna, do me a favor and take a breath.”

Anna takes a breath.

“Good job. Now let’s go find some seats, okay?”

Anna follows her, too caught up on the feeling of being told she did a good job.

They find a spot at the end of an aisle and close enough to the stage that Serah will be able to find them without looking too hard. Elsa takes the seat on the left, Anna takes the seat on the right. They don’t start talking again right away, not until the conversations all across the auditorium become a blanket of white noise.

And then Elsa lets out a breath, “This feels nice.”

Anna turns to her and notices her eyes are closed, but she still commits to perfect posture so it looks like she’s meditating. “What do you mean?” Anna asks.

“Being…present. Not having to rush to make dinner or beat traffic or anything like that. It feels nice to have a break and just be.”

Anna finds it hard to understand what constitutes this as a break, but then again she isn’t a mother. And she doesn’t know much about what it means to take a break anyway.

Elsa tilts her head like she’s about to rest it on Anna’s shoulder, but instead, she turns to look at her. “Thank you again.”

“For the chopping board?”

“For the chopping board, for taking care of Serah, for being someone I can trust…for everything. It’s hard to- I mean you know it hasn’t been easy for me relationship-wise.”

Anna nods. Learning about Elsa’s divorce and her subsequent failed relationships was a part of why she took this job in the first place. She sympathized with the single mother and knew even then that Elsa could really use someone to have her back too.

“So thank you, for being my…the person I needed through all this. My knight in shining armor.”

The lights haven’t dimmed yet, so she needs to hope the blush on her cheeks isn’t too noticeable. She bites the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling too wide, and then says, “Well, outstanding service is the Bizzybee guarantee.” It’s supposed to be a playful joke, but Elsa doesn’t seem to take it as such.

She frowns, “Do you really only see this as a job?”

This is different, but it doesn’t feel like a good different. Elsa doesn’t usually look like she’s staring into her soul, and she hasn’t asked anything this personal since the initial interview. To Anna, the answer is obvious, but she’s also caught up on wondering what answer Elsa wants to hear. If she says the wrong thing, will she lose her job? What’s the right thing to say? When did it get so warm? And is that citrus she smells in Elsa’s hair? Gosh, why is she so weird?

Shrinking further underneath Elsa’s stone-cold curiosity, Anna finally decides to approach this with honesty. “No,” she starts far too softly. “No, I think I would probably do anything for you…r family. You mean a lot to me. Y-you and Serah, I mean.”

She really hopes that doesn’t sound like a confession. The last thing she wants to do is get fired and have to run out of an elementary school auditorium in tears.

A soft, warmth presses against her hand that’s been resting on her seat. Anna looks down and sees Elsa’s hand on top of where hers should be. If this is a dream, then she never wants to wake up.

“Thank you for saying that,” Elsa replies just as softly.

Finally, the lights dim and the principal is on the stage talking about how hard the fourth-graders have worked on this rendition of The Giving Tree. And maybe it means nothing, but Elsa still hasn’t pulled away. Anna pushes away the thought of her own hand being too sweaty, and the notion that this could be a fulfillment of her craziest wish. Right now, she just tries to enjoy the feeling.

Serah turned out to be an excellent Tree #2.

[Line Break]

Next Monday, everything falls apart.

Or at least that’s what it feels like is going to happen when Elsa gets back from work and immediately asks Serah to go to her room so they can talk alone.

Anna’s never seen her this distraught before. Her ponytail is poorly put together, she’s not wearing any makeup, and there’s a coffee stain below her collar. When she asks if she can do anything to help, Elsa’s response is a quick but harsh, “No.”

She stiffens up. “Oh. O-okay, I’m sorry.”

Elsa shakes her head, places her hand on top of one of the kitchen chairs, but then pulls back like it’s hot to the touch. “Could we maybe sit on the couch?”

Right now, Elsa could tell her to cut off her hand and Anna would do it. She nearly trips walking the five feet from the kitchen to the living room couch, and tries to take up the least amount of space as possible when she sits down. Elsa sits on the far side, clutching a pillow to her chest with her mind probably anywhere else but here.

It’s not a good sight, and Anna’s not only worried about the safety of her job, but Elsa’s condition. She purses her lips to keep from saying anything stupid, and hopes this isn’t the horrible nightmare she’s expecting it to be.

Elsa closes her eyes tight, “I’m afraid I have to let you go, Anna.”

Anna completely deflates. Had she not been expecting this, it would have come as a greater shock to her. But when she pushed her luck at the play by trying to hold Elsa’s hand…she knew her days as a babysitter were numbered. “I understand,” she says sadly.

“I don’t think you do,” Elsa replies, quickly turning to look at Anna. Her eyes look like they’re pleading with her, like she doesn’t want to do this. “You were amazing, and I will give you the best endorsement for any job you apply for. But after the play-”

“I know. I was out of line.”

There’s a tense, awkward second of silence where the two women are looking at each other with equal levels of guilt and remorse. Though their reasons are vastly different. Elsa sighs and places the final nail in the coffin, “No, you weren’t.”

…what?

“Anna, I wanted you to hold my hand.”

What?

“You did?” Anna asks, trying her best to curb her optimism. This can’t possibly be going the way she thinks it is.

Elsa nods, “I’m not- well okay, first of all, I don't want to fire you. Serah, she thinks of you as her big sister, and the thought of separating you two tears me up. But this needs to happen because I…having you around…I feel something for you.”

“Feel something?” Maybe someday she’ll be able to say more than two sentences again.

Again, Elsa closes her eyes. A sternness falls on her face which Anna can tell she’s had to use a lot “Say it out loud,” Elsa mutters.

“What’s wrong?”

One agonizing moment later, Elsa reopens her eyes, and the guilt in them has worsened. “I-I’m attracted to you, Anna, and it’s getting to me. Really bad. I can’t sleep without thinking of you, I got a ticket for speeding a couple of weeks ago because I couldn’t wait to get home to you and Serah, and when you held my hand? Gosh, I felt something I never felt with anyone I’ve ever been with. I have feelings for you, and I have to let you go before I do something I might regret.”

She’s not dreaming, Anna knows that for sure because there’s no weird fog around her and Elsa doesn’t have a horse head. Yet she still can’t wrap her mind around the fact that this is happening.

Elsa Langford, the most beautiful mom- hell, the most beautiful woman- she’s ever known has just confessed she has feelings for her.

But she has to know for certain, so she finally musters up the lucidity to ask more than two words. “Do you really mean that?”

Elsa laughs. But it’s not a “gotcha” laugh, it’s a deeply embarrassed, caught-in-the-act laugh Anna’s far too familiar with. “Yes. I like you a lot.”

That’s all the confirmation she needs. With all the social grace of a bowling ball tumbling down the stairs, Anna responds. “I like you a lot too. Like attractively, I-I mean romantically.”

Elsa’s eyes widen, “Really?”

Anna shows off her expertly crafted awkward laugh. “Of course! You’re sweet, caring, and you’re so beautiful I bet a potato sack would look good on you. When I look at you or even think of you, I just see like rainbows and flutes and warm stuff like blankets or bedrooms- I uh, I mean like…soup. It was just a stupid crush at first, but honestly I don’t think I’ve ever felt this strongly for anyone before. Elsa, you’re a dream come true.”

Elsa’s pale complexion makes the redness that appears on her cheeks much brighter and more beautiful than Anna could ever imagine. This magical moment…it’s something she’ll always cherish and will never forget.

“I love the way you say my name,” Elsa says quietly.

“It’s a very pretty name,” Anna adds.

“Gosh, just kiss each other already!” Serah shouts from the hallway.

They talk for another hour. Despite the looming threat of being fired disappearing, Anna still agrees it’s best she stops working for Elsa. There’s now a conflict of interest, and the last thing they want is for either of them to get in trouble. Which means it’s back to job hunting. On the bright side, however, Anna can now come over whenever she wants so Serah will still have her “big sister”.

As for her and Elsa, they both agree to take things slow to make sure they won’t drive each other crazy. In a bad way, obviously. They both have big, stupid crushes on each other, but with Elsa’s track record for relationships and Anna’s overall social awkwardness, it’s clear that attraction will only get them so far. They have to work for this, if this was something to work for. Nonetheless, they remain optimistic and their first date is set for next week.

Elsa just needs to find a babysitter first.

#elsanna #submission #April 2021 contest #prompt: break

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givemestories-givemelife · 4 years ago

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Blueberries, Lavender & Hot Matcha Tea (Part 2)

A SasuHina ficlet

PART 1| Part 2

AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THOSE WHO COMMENTED, OR RE-BLOGGED, OR LIKED THE FIRST PART TO THIS FIC. It truly means more than I can say. Helped a lot with motivation and it’s super cool to know that people are reading the things I write. I hope the follow up chapter doesn’t disappoint <3

Summary: Hinata has a run in with a familiar face.

Warnings: Brief mentions of grief and anxiety (because Hinata’s a nervous butterfly) but nothing remotely heavy. Also there’s alcohol consumption.

Word count: 6167

__________________________

Lavender

Hinata knows that she needs to start putting herself out there. She can’t stay holed up comfortably in her room while years of her life pass on by, listening to cigarettes after sex under the safe warmth of her white fluffy blanket that still smells like her late mothers perfume, and sniffing essential oils like they’re some kind of soft-core drug to distract her spiralling thoughts from every embarrassingly mortifying predicament she’s ever found herself in.

She’s been trying really hard not to think about spilling her extra hot matcha latte all over this potentially handsome stranger a few days ago. She thinks - potentially - because she did not have the courage to look at the man's face after maiming him and probably ruining his expensive suit!

Hinata’s sure she must have ruined his entire morning, which must have ruined his whole day, and now he probably hates her. Oh goodness, Hinata strongly dislikes the thought of people out there in this world walking around hating her.

Wow, these thoughts are entirely useless, she really needs to stop her brain from going down these awful paths.

Today Hinata has decided to try really hard not to wallow in the comfort of all her numbing guilty pleasures.

So, when Sakura Haruno, the loud and outgoing girl with pretty pink hair, who always smells like strawberries and vanilla from her photography course asked if she wanted to hangout and work on their portfolio’s after class; Hinata was thankful for the distraction.

They had spent that afternoon drinking green tea at the kitchen table in Sakura’s little homey apartment, showing each other their favourite pieces and sharing feedback.

“You have to include this one, it’s so cute” Sakura gushes, pointing at a print of children finger painting; a mischievous little boy is smearing bold red paint all over the face of a girl whose expression is twisted in pure terror.

“You have a real talent for capturing the essence of people.” She continues in a dreamy tone, “it’s like you’re able to capture the moment they’re most alive, even if it’s just the little moments, y’know?”

Hinata blushes at the complement, “th-thank you Sakura.”

“It's kind of ironic that people are your main muse considering how afraid of them you are.” She teases.

“I’m not sca-AhyH!”

Of course, that’s the moment a woman with a giant blond ponytail barges through the door brandishing a bouquet of peonies making Hinata squeal. “Sakura I swear to god if you ate the last of the ice-cream again, I’m gonna- Oh! hello there.” The crazy flower lady stops mid-threat noticing a stranger in her apartment.

“Ino this is Hinata from class, Hinata this is my roommate Ino.” Sakura introduces, failing to constrain her laughter.

Ino’s demeanor does a 180 as she gently rests the flowers on her lacquered kitchen counter and approaches Hinata in a trance like state. “Your hair is so long and gorgeous, it totally reminds me of the violets we have at the flower shop -- you have to let me braid it.” She breathes and Hinata’s eyes are as wide as the sky outside.

“Ino, tone it down you’re going to scare her.” Sakura chides, rolling her eyes, not at all surprised by her roommate's antics. “Do you always have to act like such a spazz?”

“I am but a simple girl who is a slave to all things beautiful.” Ino proudly counters running her fingers through blue strands and Hinata mentally notes that she smells like a garden.

Sakura’s phone vibrates on the kitchen table, “it’s Naruto,” she says glancing at the screen. “Wondering when we’ll be coming over.”

“I don’t know, an hour or two? Tell him we’re bringing Hinata!” Ino adds excitedly and starts to braid blue hair without permission. “You should come out tonight with Sakura and I, meet the rest of the gang.”

“Oh.” In high school Hinata was never able to make friends with girls, and spent most of her time in the photography club’s black room developing pictures. Her introverted nature made it difficult to connect with people, but in this moment, the prospect of meeting Sakura’s friends, and the inclusive enthusiasm from these girls is making Hinata a little emotional. “I-I don’t know.”

“Hinata, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to, but I think it could be good for you,” Sakura encourages.

“Carpe diem bitch,” is Ino’s convincing addition.

Hinata giggles, absent mindedly sniffing her wrist searching for the comforting sweet scent of the fragrance she’s wearing today, “yeah, okay.”

Ino makes a pleased sound and saunters over to a kitchen drawer to snatch a pair of scissors and clips the head off of one the peonies, then ties it into the base of Hinata’s braid. “You really have no idea how cute you are Hinata,” she coos observing her work in admiration and Hinata feels warm all over.

Hinata likes the rapport between Ino and Sakura, there’s something about their friendship that she finds inspiring.

When they split what’s left of the chocolate ice-cream and start getting ready for a night out, Hinata can’t help pulling out her camera and snapping shots of Ino with her shades of purple and Sakura’s vibes in red. Hinata feels outshined in her usual high waisted mom jean and oversized grey patterned sweater.

But that’s okay, she still feels like one of the girls.

~~~

Ino had made a strong case for wanting to get her steps in for the day, (since her fitbit said she had only reached 8243 so far) convincing the girls to walk to Naruto’s apartment instead of taking the bus. On their stroll Sakura and Ino began giving Hinata character profiles of everyone she was going to meet and Hinata found them to be quite amusing.

Ino playfully starts with, “Shikamaru’s like, my best bro. I’ve known him forever, smartest guy I know but a total stoner and he doesn’t give a fuck about anything.

“Choji gives the best hugs and he loves giving them, so if he looks like he’s going in for one - just let it happen - you’ll hurt his feelings if you don’t.”

“Naruto and Kiba are basically the same person and are the biggest loudest dorks on the planet,” Sakura chimes in, “but they’re also super friendly and kinda funny if you can get over their lack of brain cells.”

“Then there’s Sasuke,” Ino says, and hearing that name strikes a familiar chord with Hinata, triggering flashes of fond memories. “He’s really hot, but kind of a dick,” Ino hugs herself smiling at a distant memory, “basically, we all know each other from going to the same high school -”

“Ino and I had the hugest rivalry back then because we both wanted him.”

“What happened?” Hinata really wanted to ask if they were talking about Sasuke Uchiha, but didn’t want to interrupt the momentum of their story.

“We were so stupid causing all sorts of drama in our little social circle nearly tearing it apart, and Sasuke wasn’t having any of it, one day he told us to grow the fuck up and to leave him alone.” That did kind of sound like something Sasuke would say, but that would just be too big of a coincidence, wouldn’t it?

“We both cried.” Sakura snickers sheepishly.

“Eventually we finally realized that friendships should be forever-”

“And boyfriends are whatever.” Both girls enthusiastically finish the rehearsed line making silly faces at each other.

Hinata giggles at that, whishing she had taken a picture, “awe, that’s so cute.”

“And now he’s one of our good friends, but I just want to warn you that he can be cold and he can be mean and if he says something dickish, please don’t take it personally.”

Hinata hums, only half listening to Ino. Was it possible that when Hinata arrives at this apartment she was going to be face to face with the childhood friend she hasn’t seen in over a decade?

Guess she’ll just have to wait and see.

~~~

When Hinata enters the apartment, her senses are immediately overstimulated; it smells salty like ramen and sour with beer which clashes with how clean and pristine the space actually is. It’s decorated with blacks, whites and a few splashes of colors, but overall has a very minimalist feel.

Hinata barely has time to kick her shoes off before she’s surrounded by strangers, and can’t stop the heat from suffusing her face from the disorienting barrage of unwanted attention.

“Hey bitches!” Ino yells at the group, “we’re here! We know you missed us!”

“This is the beautiful Hinata,” Sakura adds, and Hinata really wants to hide under a rock somewhere. “Be nice okay, she’s really shy.”

“Hey I’m Naruto.” A blond man appears beaming at her, outstretching his hand. “I have never seen eyes that look like your eyes before!”

“Oh.” Hinata went to shake his hand but was interrupted by another hand grabbing hers and kissing it, which is so uncalled for.

“And I’m Kiba, don’t listen to that guy, he’s a complete moron.” He says with a wolfish grin and Hinata has no idea what’s going on anymore.

When she tries to turn away, she’s met with the kind face of a stout man in a green Zelda t-shirt with his arms wide open for an inviting hug. She decides to accept her fate by awkwardly stepping forward wearing a confused pout, and lets the arms of a stranger wrap around her in what is surprisingly one of the best hugs she has ever received. He smells nice, Hinata thinks. Savoury and warm like a thanksgiving dinner. For a moment she actually feels safe, like a veil has been thrown over the sudden wave of chaos, giving her a quiet moment for her heartbeat to settle, “I’m Choji, it’s really nice to meet you Hinata, try not to worry so much, everyone here is harmless, I promise.” He says, rubbing gentle circles on her back.

When Choji pulls away, he sends her one last reassuring smile before padding off towards the ponytailed man currently dying of laughter, and joining him on a leather couch. Choji grabs a handful of potato chips from a bowl on the marble coffee table and starts earnestly snacking.

Snacks! Snacks sound really nice right now! Tasting tasty things can sometimes be a good distraction when Hinata is overwhelmed. She self-consciously shuffles forward towards the provisions, drawn towards the colorful array of fresh fruits, grabbing a small handful of blueberries and popping one of them in her mouth. She tries to ignore the pair legs in her periphery... she needs a moment before making another introduction.

Hinata jumps feeling a presence directly behind her, she twirls around to see Naruto pulling back appearing extremely guilty.

What was he doing? Was he pointing at her hair?

“Hehehe, sorry about that,” he says, smiling sheepishly, and scratches the back of his head, “I was just pointing out to my friend here, how beautiful your hair is, what a wonderful shade of blue,” he made a weird face directed at someone over her head, “are you enjoying those, blueberries?”

Okay.

Hinata hears more laughter coming from ponytail boy on the couch.

Weird.

Hinata turns to see who Naruto is looking at and-

Oh.

Sasuke?

Sasuke was here.

It was her Sasuke!

She instantly looks away, eyes wide, staring down at the hardwood floors.

Well, not her Sasuke. But an older version of the one she knew as a child. The one she met that one summer years ago and spent nearly every day with him before her mother fell ill and her family moved away in the wake of tragedy.

And he was... Glaring at her? No, he was glaring at Naruto? He kind of looked like he recognized her, but why would he be glaring?

“This is fucking stupid,” Sasuke seethes and takes off towards the kitchen, where Kiba and Ino are talking and drinking.

Ouch.

Sakura approaches Hinata with a glass in hand, Hinata stares at the ice clinking as she offers it, “vodka soda, with lime?”

Well, one drink couldn’t hurt, Hinata thinks.

She glances over at a brooding Sasuke leaning on the kitchen island sipping his beer.

She might need it.

~~~

It’s nearly an hour later and Hinata feels the dread sinking deep into the pit of her stomach. She desperately wishes she could conjure up some courage, approach Sasuke, and see how he’s been after all these years, but he still hasn’t left from his spot in the kitchen.

She’s starting to believe that maybe he doesn’t recognize her, which is a rather sad thought.

Hinata also appears to be at the butt end of some sort of mean inside joke that she doesn’t understand, ponytail bo- Shikamaru and Naruto joined Sasuke in the kitchen and kept making not-so-subtle glances her way -- but whatever -- she’s a big girl, she’s not going to cry about it even if she wants to.

Currently she’s sitting on the puffy leather couch between Choji and Sakura, Sakura is sharing the memes she’s saved onto her phone this month with Ino and Kiba while Hinata stares down at the melting ice in her drink and Choji attempts to calm her with platitudes.

Hinata doesn’t regret coming tonight despite feeling like the biggest fool in existence.

After all, tonight she actually has the opportunity to reconnect with someone she still thinks about, even after all these years.

She has always wondered what had happened to that bratty boy she met that one summer.

The sinking feeling grows deeper and Hinata feels her heart beating in the drums of her ears.

She takes one last tentative sip before downing the rest of her drink and summons every ounce of bravery she didn’t know she had to strengthen her resolve.

She stands from the couch with shaky determination ignoring Choji’s concerned inquiry, then forces one foot in front of the other strait towards the guiding bright lights of the kitchen.

The easy conversation awkwardly dies down when she arrives beside Naruto and Sasuke. She feels both their gazes land on her, and Hinata spots an ugly orange magnet on the stainless-steel fridge Sasuke is leaning on that has the phrase - believe it! - stamped on it and chooses to direct most of her focus on the positive affirmation.

“Uh, hey Hinata, you doing okay?” Naruto asks, slightly taken aback. Hinata nods still focusing on the magnet, face heating up as the beginning of a buzz tingles in the corners of her mind. “Can I get you another drink?”

She looks down at the empty glass she grips and nods again, muttering a quiet thank you, and handing it over. He takes it and moves further down the island to chat with Shikamaru and starts making her another.

“Hi Sasuke,” she forces passed her chapped lips.

“Hello Hinata.” Sasuke says, sounding about as uncomfortable as she feels and she looks up, hopeful, to meet his burning gaze and quickly looks back at that stupid orange magnet.

“So, you do remember me?” She asks, confused as to why he’s been ignoring her since her arrival.

“I remember how two days ago you ran into me quite rudely, burning me with tea.”

Hinata’s brain short-circuits.

“Wait what!?-”

No! No no no no no. Impossible. No.

“-That- that was you? oh my god, oh no! I am so sorry about that, I really wasn’t looking where I was going, I-I can’t believe this, I swear you just came out of nowhere though, oh my goodness, I can’t believe that was-”

“Please just stop before you give yourself an aneurysm.” Sasuke lifts his hands in a placating manner and Hinata snaps her mouth shut. “So that’s not how you seem to know me?” He asks, further rankling as the conversation drags on.

“So you don’t remember me.” She says mostly to herself, completely humiliated by this entire exchange, every time she opens her mouth it’s like falling down a flight of stairs -- Hinata seriously wishes she would reach the bottom already.

“Remember you from... where?”

“I-I mean I guess it’s not that surprising, we were only nine or ten at the time and it-it was only one summer... over a decade ago... You-you never really did call me by my name either.” Hinata says focusing on her twiddling fingers, her voice barely above a whisper, a pensive smile framing her lips at the memory.

There’s a long drawn out silence before Sasuke slowly asks, “...Tomato face?”

Hinata feels her face burn red at the old moniker, nodding. “Yeah...”

“Hyuuga, Hinata. Shit. Yeah. I do remember.”

The culminating tension finally releases from the moment and Hinata smiles at the black and white tiles breathing just a little bit easier.

He remembers.

“Wait... Did I hear you call her a tomato?” Naruto returns with a mildly amused Shikamaru in tow, handing Hinata her drink, and looks between the pair completely intrigued.

~~~

It didn’t take long for the word to spread that Hinata and Sasuke were childhood friends and everyone congregated into the small-ish kitchen asking curious questions.

It also didn’t take long for everyone to lose interest when Naruto nudged Hinata and started grilling her for embarrassing details of what a prepubescent Sasuke was like, earning him a surly glare. Hinata shyly shrugged saying, “I-I don’t really remember, it was a long time ago.”

Safe to say -- Naruto didn’t buy it, but surprisingly didn’t press further, and the group dispersed, leaving them to reacquaint.

The conversation between them after that was unfortunately still quite awkward, thankfully, Hinata wasn’t entirely to blame.

They exchanged small talk, Hinata mentions that she actually works at Heaven’s Little Corner and was just coming off her shift early when she ran into him the other day, and Sasuke talks about going to school and getting a Bachelor's degree in Business and how he focused on E-commerce after graduation. Overall, their -- re-connecting -- consisted of the typical pleasantries involved in catching up, and Hinata couldn’t distinguish if she was disappointed or relieved when their conversation came to a lull and she couldn’t think of anymore pointless verbiage to drag it along.

What she really wanted was to reminisce over hot days on the beach, collecting tiny crabs to occupy the sandcastles they built, and how Hinata had found sand in her hair days after the event. She wanted to talk about ice-cream and food fights and sneaking out to gaze at the stars in the night sky way past their bedtime, and how they pondered if aliens exist.

“I think the universe is too big for there not to be something out there somewhere.”

She remembers Sasuke saying, thoughtfully looking up.

“I-I think you’re an alien.”

She said back, earning her an indignant huff.

“Whatever tomato face.”

She wanted to talk about how simple everything was when they were kids, how she misses that naivety and how scary the world had revealed itself to be over the years.

Hinata was never good at making friends, even as a child, but she could still look back and she knew that Sasuke was one. He had been the last mark on her childhood that had made it a good one, the last moments she had to truly be a kid before she lost her mother, the truest love she had ever felt, forcing her to grow up.

Instead silence overtakes the kitchen and they both stare at their drinks unsure of what to say.

Sasuke isn’t how she remembers him at all. Yeah, he has the same face, just matured, and the same haughtiness, but the spark for life that had once inspired her seemed to be gone.

Which is an unfair thought to have, she admits, but she can’t stop herself from thinking it.

“Well I think it’s time to go on an adventure,” Naruto awkwardly offers.

“An adventure?” Hinata repeats, eyes growing wide.

“Naruto’s idea of an adventure is leaving the house and walking around the block.” Sasuke says rolling his eyes.

“Hey anything can be an adventure if you let it!”

~~~

It smells like damp grass and Hinata nearly jumps out of her skin as Naruto’s roar of triumph echo's off the surrounding buildings, catching the glow in the dark frisbee Kiba threw him. Sakura and Ino had joined them in their late-night excursion and Hinata can’t suppress the giddy giggles from watching them stumble about attempting athleticism when they are clearly four or five drinks deep.

She snaps a few photos and decides that she likes Naruto’s philosophy of approaching even the mundane aspects of life as an adventure.

This whole day certainly has felt like one.

Hinata puts her camera away, feels the chill in the October air, and pulls her scarf tighter. She casts a glance over at the park bench where Shikamaru was smoking a joint to see that he’s now casually chatting about... string theory? -- to Choji, who continues to nod his head like he understands.

Her trailing gaze then lands on Sasuke and-

Hinata immediately looks back towards the glowing air bound frisbee.

He was watching her - he looked suspicious - Hinata doesn’t know of what.

“Hey Sakura,” Hinata tries to call out, voice wavering, “it’s getting late, I think I-I should start heading home.”

That seems to put a halt on the physical activity for a moment, she’s then hugged by every frisbee player.

“It was nice meeting you Hinata.”

“Come back any time.”

“Yes please! We need more girls in our group, Sakura and I are severely outnumbered.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to walk you?” Sakura slurs slightly, pulling away from the tight embrace.

“I’ll be fine, thank you Sakura,” Hinata smiles at her newest friend and turns to leave but stops at the bench to wave goodbye at Choji and Shikamaru, earning her a warm smile and a lazy nod. She looks at Sasuke’s arms proudly crossed over his broad chest and says, “it was nice seeing you again Sasuke.” And makes her way down the busy street, casting one last glance behind her just in time to see Sakura jump on Ino piggyback style to catch the frisbee in an impressive display of drunken camaraderie.

She smiles wider to herself. Wow. Today was a good day. An Adventure! Even if seeing Sasuke again was really weird and awkward and not at all how she wished it could have gone, she still met a lot of new people – Sakura's friends are so nice! They made her feel right at home and didn’t make her feel too weird about being shy and -

“Hey, Hinata.”

Hinata startles, hearing the sound of her name accompanied by footsteps catching up and her breath hitches when she turns to see Sasuke slowing down next to her.

“S-Sasuke? What are you-”

“I’m going to walk you home,” he snorts like it’s obvious, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black jacket, “it’s late.”

“Oh,” Hinata hugs herself, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious and maybe even a little nauseous as they walk in silence, their steps in sync.

She can feel the heat of his gaze on her and Hinata makes a point to stare at the crispy autumn leaves on the pavement – yeah – Hinata has no idea what to make of this.

“You know it finally makes sense now, why I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Hinata trips over nothing, “you what?”

Leaves. Look at the leaves. The beautiful burnt orange leaves. Just. Keep. Looking.

“At the coffee shop, there was something about you, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Guess I thought you were familiar somehow.” Sasuke shrugs, with an air of nonchalance as they cross the street.

“Oh,” Hinata’s starting to feel warm, she doesn’t know if it’s from their quickening pace, the two drinks she’s had or how Sasuke is close enough for their shoulders to brush.

“It’s kind of crazy that we’d run into each other like this, after all these years.”

Hinata stops walking and Sasuke mirrors her. There’s something in his tone that catches Hinata off guard, something almost fond? Hinata looks back in the direction of his friends, they’re about five blocks away now.

Sasuke seemed... different than how he’s been all night -- more open somehow. Maybe he feels weird about their earlier interactions too, but didn’t feel comfortable acting this way in front of his friends? Sasuke’s always been a very private person, even as a child.

“Yeah it is,” Hinata bites her lip and throws him a timid fleeting smile, silently wishing she knew what was going through his mind.

“So, why did you come back to Konoha.”

“I-uh-” Hinata starts playing with the hem of her sweater and reminds herself it’s good to open up, “-wanted to figure out this life thing for myself – be independent - if my dad had his way, I’d never leave home or do anything that wasn’t part of his plan-” she tapers off, distracted by the approaching sound of music, a dumb smile spreads across her face when she sees an old skinny man on a sparkly bicycle riding past them on the road blaring ‘Dancing Queen’ from an oversized speaker he probably installed himself -- he seemed so – in the moment, like all that existed was him and the music filling the streets that he owned – Hinata silently mourns the missed opportunity of capturing that moment forever in a-

“You were saying,” Sasuke pokes her shoulder harder than necessary, bursting her from her reverie, and starts leading her down concrete stairs away from the bustling main road of the city, towards the waterfront.

“Right,” Hinata continues feeling energized from the random encounter and embarrassed from being caught drifting away in a daydream when they were in the middle of a conversation, “it was – uh - hard to leave my sister, but she encouraged me to go, that I should at least attempt to do the dream chasing thing.” Hinata pats her shoulder bag in reference to her camera. “I saved up some money and here I am, making it up as I go.”

“Hm, you always were snapping pictures everywhere you went.”

Their steps slow to a stop once they reach the cold metal railing where tourists gather during the day overlooking the docks, but it’s mostly quiet at this time of night.

It smells cold from the breeze and salty from the ocean. The lampposts must need changing because the only light is from the half-moon in the cloudless sky, casting them in dark shades of blue.

Hinata takes a deep breath observing the skyline and the colorful lights reflecting in the undulating ocean waves, then asks the question that’s been bothering her since their seemingly kismet reunion. “What do you remember after all this time?”

“I remember...” He trails off, Hinata doesn’t miss the sly edge in his tone. “That I had told you I’d marry you one day,” his voice is deep, almost gravely when he takes a slow playful step closer and Hinata swears her heart skips several beats noticing their breaths mixing in the cold air between them. “And that... you were technically my first kiss.” He says with a sarcastic snort, stepping back, and gesticulates somewhere behind them. “You can’t tell them about it though. Especially Naruto, the idiot would never let me live it down.”

Hinata blushes at the memory and attempts to mask her frown with an indignant pout, trying not to take the jeer personally.

Sasuke always did like to mess with her.

“You were my only kiss.” Hinata then whispers without thinking and regrets it. She immediately hates the implications -- like she’s some inexperienced-love-sick-twenty-something, who’s never gotten over her childhood crush.

Hinata sighs, briefly drowning in her own self-deprecating thoughts, gripping at the railing, eyes a passing ship, and pretends she can’t feel him studying her, surprised by the admission.

“What do you remember?” He asks back, finally breaking the silence.

She bites her lip, thinking, a rush of memories flashing one by one, settling on their goodbye -- her sobbing because she had to move away to a new city thousands of miles away that had special doctors who could treat her mother, how Sasuke was speechless and could only squeeze her tight in the first and only hug they had ever shared.

She remembers how he always told her she should stand up for herself, even against him, and she remembers how sometimes when she was around, he’d bite his tongue, holding back petulant sneers.

There’s a small quirk to her lips when she softly says, “Looking back, I-I always thought that we brought out the best in each other.”

There’s another long silence and Hinata once again feels the heavy weight of his gaze examining her, he reaches out and she stiffens when he gently grips the base of her braid touching the bright pink flower there.

“Did Ino do this?” He quietly asks, and there something hidden in his voice that shifts the mood of their conversation, and he’s close again, close enough for their visible breaths to once again mix, his fingers trail down towards the tail end of her braid.

“Uh huh.” Hinata breathes, watching his fingers play with the tip of her strands.

“Why can’t you…” he starts to ask, unsure, but curious, “never mind.” He let’s go of the braid, huffing lightly in frustration and leans on the railing, looking out towards the roaring waves.

Hinata’s stunned by his sudden apprehension. "Why can’t I what?”

“I said never mind.”

“But… I- I want to know.”

“Why can’t you look at me?”

“Oh.”

Sasuke sighs, “you don’t have to answer.”

Hinata bites her lip hard, internally wincing. “I-it’s not just you it’s most people really.” She starts, racking her brain for the right words “- It’s -it’s embarrassing… Well everything is embarrassing but, I get anxious about nothing all the time? And looking at people. I don’t know. I get paranoid that they can hear my thoughts or something? Not that I’m thinking about anything weird, well sometimes I am… it’s easier when they’re not looking back at me... Anyways... I guess it’s just become a bad habit now…” she sighs and smiles bitterly at the mess that just flew out of her mouth. “So, to summarize, looking at people kind of sometimes really freaks me out?”

“I see,” Sasuke says, Hinata glances at his mouth, he’s smiling a little, it’s almost warm in an amused sort of way, which completely disarms her.

Hinata’s tongue feels dry, “uhm, do-do you ever feel anxious?”

“Never. I get annoyed or frustrated with people very easily though, which can be problematic, not that I care”

“I guess some things never change then.” Hinata teases gently.

Sasuke smirks, he seems ready to retort with a quip but retreats and opts for something entirely different, “are there things that help you with your anxiety?”

There’s something about the question that makes Hinata feel warm all over, she never really gets to talk about these kinds of things without it feeling like it would dampen the mood, but there’s surprisingly no judgement in his tone, he seems genuinely curious, which encourages her to open up some more, "I find different scents to be calming, so I wear whatever my current favorite essential oil is on my wrist every day and whenever I feel too overwhelmed,” Hinata begins to explain in a rush pulling her sleeve up to demonstrate and presents Sasuke her wrist, “I close my eyes, count down from ten and-” Hinata’s breath catches in her throat and her eyes fly open when Sasuke gently pulls her forward by the wrist and she feels the softness of his lips brush over her pulse, then draws in a slow breath to scent the fragrance she chose to wear that day, “...and... sniff.”

Oh goodness, is it getting hot out here? Because Hinata’s face feels like it’s about to burst into flames. Hinata debates pulling her arm back but is currently enraptured by the softest look she’s seen on the Uchiha’s face this evening.

This feels way too intimate, and Hinata thinks she likes it. Hinata thinks that maybe this is what’s been missing in her life. The feeling of being close to someone in more ways than just proximity. Is it possible she’s been physically and emotionally touch starved for years without realizing it?

That’s a thought that petrifies her. How sleeping on your basest human needs can become a habit, and you find yourself going through the trivial motions of existence, not bothering to search for more, for something that makes your heart sing, twist, and turn into itself the way that muscle pumping blood through her circulatory system at a quickening pace is doing right now.

“Lavender,” Sasuke murmurs against her wrist and his breath feels hot on her skin, Hinata struggles for breath when the sensation brings her back to the present moment and she realizes that she’s been staring directly into his darkened obsidian eyes, boring into hers and she finds herself unable to look away. A subtle look of achievement flashes through them when he softly asks, “you okay there?”

Is she dead? Is she imagining this? This whole situation with the soft touches coinciding with depressing epiphanies triggered by Sasuke smelling her suddenly seems completely absurd, and Hinata’s not sure she’ll be able to form a coherent sentence any time soon.

“I uh, uhm.” There’s definitely something wrong with Hinata’s voice when she attempts to speak.

“I think that...” Sasuke smoothly adjusts their hands to interlock their fingers and his hand feels so warm in hers, “you should go out with me.”

What is happening?

“No.”

Hinata kinda meant to say yes, but sure, no works too?

“What?”

“I mean, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Hinata winces slightly. Gosh what is she even saying? Is this some sort of weird defense mechanism because she’s afraid of getting hurt?

Sasuke nods slowly, narrowing his eyes, “why not.”

Don’t you have to risk getting hurt to get anywhere in life that’s worth while?

“I-I don’t know.”

“Hn.” Sasuke breaks eye contact and lets their holding hands fall. Hinata reels at the loss of warmth. He turns away from her and crosses his arms over the railing and looks out towards the dark rhythmic waves of the ocean. Hinata worries her bottom lip between her teeth as she studies the man before her. The moonlight is hitting the sharp angles of his face just perfect, and Hinata’s in awe. He’s all grown up now, and by default that means Hinata is too. Yet, here they are, the oldest they’ve been, and still the youngest they will ever be.

Nostalgia floods through Hinata’s system, deciding to grab the moment instead of letting it pass. She’s not sure when she pulled the camera out of her bag, but the flash went off before she understood that she was taking a picture.

Sasuke jumps slightly at the flash and is pulled from his brooding thoughts, shooting her a puzzled glare.

“Sorry, that was kind of weird of me. I just – I just thought you-you looked erm... nice in the moonlight?”

A bewildered look flashes across Sasuke’s face before a small smile begins to form and he laughs! He actually, genuinely laughs while shaking his head in what appears to be disbelief.

The only thing Hinata can do is smile sheepishly distracted by how handsome he looks when he lets go of his composure, the light in his eyes makes him look younger, like the Sasuke she knew all those years ago.

Hinata wonders if any of his friends get to see him like this.

He looks down at the pavement, shoulders still shaking, smile still present and pinches the bridge of his nose while taking in a slow breath and on his exhale, he reaches into his pocket, pulls out his phone, unlocks it, hands it over and says, “give me your number.”

Hinata tentatively obliges, pulling open the add new contact page, filling in the blanks then handing it back. Sasuke starts typing something in his phone and asks. “Do you work Sunday?”

“Uhm, yes?”

Hinata’s phone buzzes, when retrieving it from her bag she sees a text from an unknown number.

>> I’m going to come by after your shift and I'm taking you out. Don’t even bother using your mouth to respond.

Hinata feels her fingers tingling and tries to open her mouth to speak, closes it, bites her lip to try and stifle her giggles and resists the urge to slap herself in the face for acting like a complete airhead.

She pushes her fears aside one more time tonight...

And takes the damn dive.

<< Okay <3

__________________________

AN2: Wow, okay. A month later and I have the second part to this little story. This is the first time that I’m posting something I didn’t just throw together in one sitting. I’ve also never posted anything that was longer than 1200 words and it’s unexpectedly a little nerve-wracking??? OKAY SO, I guess there’s going to be one last chapter and it’s going to be like 90% SasuHina interactions? And spoiler alert they’re finally going to make-out. I have this SasuHina headcannon where they’re both private people who generally keep to themselves -- so people think they’re a boring couple, but when they’re alone together it’s like they’re in their own little world, and that’s the dynamic I’m looking forward to exploring in the final part. I’m not sure when it’s going to be up since I have a bunch of other stuff I need to work on so it depends on how the inspo hits me, but I do have plenty of fun ideas!

#sasuhina #sasuhina oneshot #sasuhina fanfic #sasuhinafanfiction #hinata #sasuke #naruto #mystuff #Hinata hyuuga #hinata fanfic

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kaidans-alenko · 4 years ago

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Chocolate kisses

Just a little valentines one shot based in the universe of the long fic i’m working on “willow”

Summery: Valentines day is coming up and Lily has the perfect plan to win Kaidan’s heart: homemade chocolate

AO3 Link

"Aughhh!" Lily yelled, resulting in a very alarmed Aiden dashing into their kitchen.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

Lily slammed the pan of what he assumed was chocolate down onto the counter, she had been holed up in their apartment all day and wouldn't tell him why "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to bake." She said, glaring at the pan.

"Bake what?"

Lily tensed up "Nothing, none of your business!"

Aiden picked up her pink recipe book, looking at the page it was opened on "Heart shaped dark chocolate...I didn't know you had a boyfriend." It's not like he was privy to every aspect of her life but they told each other everything and after Nate she had practically ruled out relationships.

Lily blushed, yanking the book from him "I don't."

"Then who are you making it for?"

Lily crossed her arms looking away from him "Maybe it's for you and you ruined the surprise."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you always get me flowers so why can't I give you something?"

"You cook for me every year and besides I hate dark chocolate."

"Well then maybe it's for me!"

"You hate dark chocolate."

"Ugh! Listen, did you just come in to interrogate me?"

"No, I came in because I was worried, you're the one being difficult."

"Fine! I'm making it for someone happy?"

"Who?"

"Why does it matter?"

Aiden shrugged "I'm just curious."

"Well...don't be!" She turned him around, pushing him out of the kitchen. "Now why don’t you focus on your own love life and leave me alone." Lily huffed walking back into the kitchen, leaving Aiden standing in their living room confused.

As much as it aggravated her to admit Aiden was right, she was trying to make chocolate for someone and that someone was her fellow soldier and sentinel, Kaidan Alenko. It was stupid, they weren't dating and she wasn't even sure he liked her so why she was stressing herself like this she didn't know but she was bad with words and everyone liked getting chocolates on valentines day right?

Lily gasped, what if he had a girlfriend? He hadn't mentioned anything but he was also a private person so he probably wouldn't have anyway. Lily fixed her ponytail "Whatever, if he puts all my good work to waste I'll kill him, asshole." She grumbled as she went back to work.

Kaidan shuddered "You okay LT?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah, just a sudden chill." He told her, a troubled look on his face.

"You know they often say that happens when someone is talking about you, maybe Lily is the reason?" She teased. Ashley knew about Lily and Kaidan's respective crushes on each other, her only problem was she couldn't tell either of them. Lily was her best friend and if she wanted her to keep it a secret she would and Ashley was no gossip but damn if it wasn't hard.

Kaidan rolled his eyes "Please, she doesn't even like me."

Oh if only he knew "Then why did you drag me, her best friend on to the Citadel just to pick out a gift for her huh?" Kaidan was silent "if you truly believed she didn't like you, any old box of chocolate would do, wouldn't it?"

"Just tell me what kind of flowers she likes."

"Aiden already gets her flowers."

Kaidan sighed "Of course…"

"She likes stuffed animals though.” Ashley informed him.

"You're kidding." Her? Miss shoot up a colony just because they don't have the time to throw a couple gas grenades. She collects stuffed animals?

Ashley shook her head "Swear on my life, she has quite the collection."

"If you say so." If anyone were to know it’d either be Ashley or Aiden and he certainly wasn’t about to ask him how to win his sister’s heart.

"Come on, I'll even help you pick one out." Ashley grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to shelves filled to the brim with pink, red and white stuffed toys.

"They're cute but they all have 'I love you' written on them." He said as he put one back on the shelf.

"Well are they wrong?" She pried.

"I'm not answering that." Kaidan picked up a white dog with red hearts all over it "aren't hearts a little...forward?"

"Kaidan."

He looked over at her "Yeah?"

"It's Valentine's Day, that's the whole point." Kaidan was definitely the endearingly awkward type and Lily was just awkward. They'd be a match made in heaven if they'd just knock it off and be honest with each other.

"Success!" Lily cried out collapsing to her knees on the kitchen floor, exhaustion finally washing over her. She had been trapped in her kitchen all morning and afternoon trying to get this chocolate to mold correctly and she finally did. "I'm never fucking making chocolate again." She said as she stood up "so he better enjoy it while he can."

Lily hummed happily as she set the heart shaped candy into a small pink box, wrapping a bow around it, trying to push the thought that Kaidan may not feel the same way to the back of her mind "It's fine, I'll just order a heart shaped pizza and cry alone while Aiden has a nice evening with Liara It's okay." She laughed to herself, aware of how crazy she probably sounded. She hoped that didn’t happen but she stopped being an optimist a long time ago.

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

Kaidan sat at the table in the mass hall, the stuffed dog he had gotten for Lily laid in front of him, he felt silly as he waited for her to finish getting ready, the rest of the crew was either on dates or at Flux but he had stayed behind to wait for her. Kaidan might have sorta kinda forgot to ask her out on a date so he had to do it last minute when she probably already had one. He was an adult he could handle rejection, it would suck but he’d get over it, he just needed to get it out of the way so he could get over it. Kaidan gently flicked the dog's ear “Hopefully she’ll think you’re cute enough to forget that she hates me.” at least that’s what she liked to tell him, she was aloof one day but flirted with him the next it made no sense, Ashley liked to tease him by saying he didn’t understand women but maybe he just didn’t understand Lily. It’s not that she was all that easy to read.

Lily peaked over at Kaidan from behind the elevator, her hands behind her back holding the pink box containing the chocolate she made for him, he had a present in front of him too, they were the only two left on the ship was it for her? She didn’t want to assume things but she really hoped it was, she had fantasizing all day in between bouts of chocolate related anger. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself she slowly walked over to him “Kaidan?”

He looked up upon hearing his name, breath catching in his throat at the sight of her, he had never seen her in a skirt before and her gorgeous raven black hair was out of its usual tight ponytail and instead tied into a braid laid over her bare shoulders. At the age of thirty-two here he was blushing like a school boy on valentines day because of his CO’s younger sister. When was the last time he was on shore leave? “Lily you...uh...you look beautif-nice! You look very nice…” he said as he stood up to greet her, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Any other time she would’ve teased him but not now, she didn’t feel like it now, it’s not that she wanted a relationship really, she hadn’t for a long time but she didn’t want to have a just sex relationship with him either, ignoring the fact Kaidan wasn’t the type, what she felt for him wasn’t just physical attraction it went deeper and that terrified her. “I uh...I made these for you.” she said, blushing as she handed him the box of candy.

“You made it?” He asked, surprised as he opened the box.

“Yeah, it’s always a hit or miss with store bought chocolate so I thought i’d give it a try.” she told him as she started tugging on her skirt, the ship suddenly feeling very hot and the more she thought about it the more she realized homemade, heart shaped chocolate may have been too forward.

Kaidan smiled down at her “Thank you Lily, I can’t wait to try them,” he turned around, picking up the dog and holding it out to her “I got you something too, I had heard you liked stuffed animals so…” now it was his turn to blush.

Lily’s face lit up “For me?” she gently took the stuffed down in her hands, looking at it briefly before hugging it to her chest with a smile on her face “I love it, thank you!” Kaidan had never seen her smile, not at him anyway all he got was a smirk at most but not this time, this time she gave him a genuine smile and it was gorgeous. Kaidan didn’t know her history, he didn’t know why she rarely smiled but he wanted to. It’s not like he was big on smiling either but someone like Lily...someone like her deserved to always be happy, to always smile from the bottom of her heart, even if he wasn’t the reason behind it.

“I know it’s very last minute but if you don’t have a date I would like to take you to dinner.” It had been a long time since he had asked someone on a date, probably before he even enlisted and he hadn’t anticipated doing it again for a long time yet here he was jittery with butterflies in stomach as he asked the woman he had a crush on out on a date. God crush...such a juvenile term for him to use but that was the best way to describe it and for as much as they bickered it was probably a long shot but something deep down told him he’d regret it if he didn’t.

“I’d love to, I actually didn’t have any plans either.” She was hoping he’d give her some but she wasn’t going to say that out loud.

Kaidan let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding “Great, that’s uh...great.” he hadn’t planned past this mainly because he hadn’t anticipated her saying yes but before he could trip over his words again Lily took his hand, pulling him along.

“There’s a restaurant I've been wanting to try but I haven’t had anyone to go with.” She said, it was an obvious lie, she could’ve dragged Aiden along but she didn’t because she was holding out hope that she’d be able to go with Kaidan, they weren’t dating, not even a little so to have such hope was silly but she was nothing if not a hopeless romantic, a side of herself she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“What restaurant?” He asked as he was rather willingly led up the stairs.

“Apollo’s? I don’t remember but it’s named after one of those Greek gods, it’s on the presidium I know that much.”

Kaidan chuckled “I’m sure we’ll find it.”

“I hope so! I’m starving Kaidan, absolutely wasting away as we speak.” she said, her tone over dramatic and dragging her feet as if she was about to pass out on the stairs.

It was rare for her to joke with him like this but he liked it and as much as he was getting his hopes up it had him wanting more nites like this but for now he was going to savor this one. The sound of her giggling, something he didn’t expect to hear from her, the sight of her smile, the one she was only directing at him, the smell of her floral perfume, it was light but so very Lily and most of all, the feeling of his hand in hers. Lily’s hands, like the rest of her, were much smaller than his and they fit together like puzzle pieces. He wasn’t about to be sappy and say they were made for each other, he didn’t know that yet but it sure was a nice thought.

#kaidan alenko #f!shenko #lilyshep #aidenshep #mass effect #ashley williams #mass effect fanfiction

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thedemonhunterscousin · 4 years ago

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Senses and Other Oddly Specific Headcanons

1. What does your muse smell like?

The smells of hunting follow Sarah around - metal, smoke, gun powder. A little like leather and convenience store coffee. Mix that with the smell of cheap laundry detergent, and complimentary motel soaps, and the cheapest, closest to unscented shampoo/conditioner/deodorant she can find (the ones that have a fairly pronounced scent linger - and the last thing she needs is the thing she’s hunting finding her cause she smells like vanilla and strawberries or something).

2. What do your muse’s hands feel like?

Strong and callused. Years of hunting and having to work with weapons has made them steady and sure, and firm in their grip, but it’s also left it’s mark in the form of calluses on her fingers and palms, as well as a scar on one hand from having to cut it to draw blood on multiple occasions.

And because she doesn’t always think about things like moisturizer, in the winter it’s not uncommon for her hands to become dry - unless it’s really bothering her, she just ignores it.

3. What does your muse usually eat in a day?

Sarah’s diet generally consists of meals that can be made in a motel room, or bought in a diner or fast food restaurant. It’s not necessarily the healthiest way to live, but she doesn’t exactly have a lot of opportunities to get more, and it keeps her going when she’s moving around and hunting.

Oh, and a lot of coffee. So much coffee in her system.

4. Does your muse have a good singing voice?

She does! But you’re more likely to hear her hum, which she does pretty often when she’s doing menial tasks and things. She only really sings in the shower or along with the radio when she’s driving somewhere, especially on the long highway drives between hunts.

5. Does your muse have any bad habits or nervous ticks?

The biggest and most obvious one is that she swears like a sailor, all of the time. Growing up around hunters will do that to a person. She has enough control to think to sensor herself around young children she doesn’t really know, but that’s mostly because she doesn’t want to be tracked down by an annoyed parent who’s children just learned some new fun words!

She will also sometimes pickpocket people for fun, or if she needs some quick cash, or just to see if you’re paying attention - if she likes you, she will give you your stuff back. Eventually.

She also doesn’t sleep nearly as much as she should, often plays with her pens while writing, and hums when she’s nervous or just bored and doing menial tasks. I don’t know if having one night stands to short term solve her need for non fighting for her life human contact and intimacy and using it to ignore how much she misses affection counts as a bad habit but it’s something! The whole burying that need for affection probably is though.

Her most notable nervous tick is that when she’s stressed or nervous or upset or angry, she will slowly open and close her fists. She doesn’t always realize she’s doing it, but it’s a good way for others to tell she’s upset.

6. What does your muse usually look like / wear?

Most of Sarah’s clothes have that worn in look of being owned and taken care of for years and years. A lot of it has been, or it’s been found at a cheap thrift store and came like that already. Her appearance consists mostly of tank tops, flannel shirts, old band tees, sweaters (some stolen from hook-ups/college exes, some not), jeans and sweat-pants, the old leather jacket she’s had for years, and a pair of sturdy old work boots that have lasted through so much wear and tear. She has one, maybe two nice dresses/outfits for when she needs to dress up.

Most times her hair is pulled back into a braid, bun, or ponytail so it’s out of her way, and make up is generally only used when she needs to go somewhere that it would be expected of her - being at a bar to try and lure out a vampire or something.

7. Is your muse affectionate? How much? How so?

Sarah can be deeply affectionate with people she really likes and is close to, but it’s not necessarily something you’ll see from her on a day to day basis, because a lot of the time she’s by herself and not around other people.

The main two ways she shows it are physically, and through gifts. She likes sitting in people’s laps or having them sitting in hers, hugging or just throwing an arm around someone, just casually being in contact or leaning against each other while doing something together or just doing their own things.

Gift giving is generally something that happens when she comes back after being away on hunts. She’ll return with a charm, or pendant, or amulet, especially the protection kind - she wants the people she cares about to be safe when she can’t be there to protect them. Sometimes she will be closer to home though, and still pick up something just because she saw it and it made her think of them. Either or, its a way for her to say I’m still thinking about you. Even though I can’t always be here, I’m always thinking of you.

All of this goes of course for both friends and romantic partners.

8. What position does your muse sleep in?

On her side, facing the door, usually with a knife near by if not in hand under a pillow or something. She knows better than to trust things won’t try to break in and attack her in her sleep.

9. Could you hear your muse in the hallway from another room?

Sometimes. If she doesn’t want you to, you probably won’t know she’s around. Years of hunting and having to sneak up on that have made her good at being quiet and sneaking around - even if she’s not really thinking about it, which can lead to her spooking people by sneaking up on them. She also likes the quiet because it allows her to hear things she might miss if she was playing music, so you generally can’t tell that way either.

Sarah does sometimes talk to herself out loud though, especially when she’s trying to work through a problem, so there is that. And she hums when she’s doing things, which if you’re in the other room you might hear!

tagged by: the wonderful @listered !

tagging: @bitchetrope, @dragontold (any muse!), @aeipathic (any muse!), @driftinglightofthewoods and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it! go ahead and steal it and say I tagged u!

#headcanons #ooc #this was so much fun thank u!!

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peachyteabuck · 5 years ago

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old school (make me drool)

summary: bunny is sweet, well-behaved. something about princess, though, makes her want to act out for the first time in her life.

pairing: natasha romanoff x ofc

words: 2,663

trigger warnings: heavy md/lg, spanking, forced age regression, manipulation, there’s a vague allusion to starker, breaking of rules,

notes/other: ANYONE WHO USES THIS AS AN EXCUSE TO BRING RAPE FANTASIES INTO MY INBOX WILL BE BLOCKED IMMEDIATELY. this was inspired by @orphiclittleone & i highly reccomend you check out their blog!

ask box / masterlist / commission info / ko-fi

It started when Princess had to go with Steve to a meeting with Natasha. For whatever reason Steve decided she couldn’t be alone, and Natasha said it would be fine. Princess wasn’t too mad, unhappy she could only bring one of her prizes stuffed animals, but nearly-willingly went with her Daddy to Aunty Nat’s. Still, it wasn’t until she met Bunny that the pointed frown left her face.

Steve put her down onto the thick comforter next to Bunny, whose lips were wrapped tightly around a paci, hands clutched around a large stuffed animal of her namesake, eyes trained on the TV in front of her. Her long, thick hair was tied from her face with a pink scrunchie with a bow on it, her knit sweater a matching shade of pink. Her socks were stark white, ankle devoid of the tracker Princess had to wear.

Bunny said nothing at her guest, head only turning when Natasha caressed her face.

“Uncle Steve and I are going to do some work in my office, okay Bunny?” She placed a kiss to the girl’s head where her hair parted, careful not to remove any from her perfect ponytail. “I’ll be down soon to give you your bottle. Until then, play nice with Princess, alright?”

Bunny, still not dislodging the paci, nods and leans into her Mommy.

“Good girl,” Natasha praises, leaving one final kiss to her girl’s forehead before leading Steve into her office, a room adjacent to the playroom the girls resided in. In a moment of good faith, she had her coworker close the door behind them.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Steve chuckled as he sat in the fine leather chair near the fireplace. “I put that track on Princess for a reason, you know.”

Natasha sighed, grabbing the file from her desk. “If we weren’t discussing how someone was disemboweled by a small terrorist organization outside Orlando, I’d keep it open.”

Steve, already worried about what Bucky had exposed Princess to in order to watch her squirm, acquiesced.

Back in the playroom, Bunny made a disgruntled noise as Princess poked her chubby cheek.

“Do you ever speak?” Princess asked, nose wrinkled at her supposed playmate’s poor playful reciprocation. “Daddy said you were quiet, really quiet. He said you almost never talk. I’m not quiet.”

Bunny, much to Princess’ dismay, remains mute. Not a squeak, not a huff, not an eyeroll. Even Bucky’s Doll was better than this, and she was often too exhausted to give Princess enough attention for the girl’s liking.

Princess, though, is anything but a quitter. She pulls back for a few minutes, allowing her counterpart to relax. Just as Bunny seemed the happiest, Princess yanked the paci out of her mouth and pinned her to the floor.

Bunny tried to yell, but Princess placed her hand over the girl’s mouth before she could do anything. As Princess leans close to her ear, she whispers low, giggling as Bunny clutches her stuffed animal’s ears in her tiny hand. “Daddy says we can be playmates, do you want that, Bunny?”

Suddenly, in the span of less than a second, Princess hears her Daddy’s footsteps, hears the knob turning, and jumps off Bunny to the other side of the blanket. Bunny laid, there, stunned, as Nat and Steve picked up their respective littles.

As Steve bid his goodbye, and Nat turned around to close the door, Bunny perched her chin on her Mommy’s shoulder and locked eyes with Princess, who wears a smile fit for the evil penguins from the movie Bunny was watching before Princess showed up.

Somehow, Bunny knew their game wasn’t over.

The next time they met, Bunny is playing on a blanket in Natasha’s expansive backyard, dressed in a plain-pink one-piece bathing suit with her hair in two braids down her back and the bracelet Doll made her on her left wrist. Peter’s in the pool, sunbathing on a unicorn floatie. Doll’s curled into Bucky’s side, shoulders covered with one of her Daddy’s worn t-shirts – one large enough to cover her sensitive, bruised thighs. Natasha, Stark, Strange, and Rogers are all inside, making drinks for themselves as the sun swelters high in the sky.

Princess is the only other conscious person who remains outside, an easily forgettable body as Bunny colors under the sweet shade of the big tree in the back of the expansive yard, quiet enough that the occasional squirrel or bird will hop across her blanket and sniff at her forgotten snack.

She’s unable to ignore her counterpart, though, when Princess plops herself down onto the thick, cotton blanket specifically designated for outdoor use.

Bunny, despite her annoyance, says nothing.

Princess says nothing in turn, watching the girl in front of her meticulously color in the lines of a complicated flower.

“Daddy never lets me color anything like that,” she finally says, staring at the set of sixty-four crayons Princess had wanted for two Christmases and three birthdays but still never received. “Daddy says they’re too complicated for me.”

Bunny stops coloring for a moment, whole body stilling. Princess thinks she’ll say something, thinks she’ll show a break in her shell that’ll give her some in. But no, the sound of crayon gliding against thick paper fills whatever silence Bunny intended to proliferate with words.

It’s then that Princess takes out one of the most-loved crayons – a soft blue that’s had the wrapped long since pulled off.

“Do you like this crayon?” she asks Bunny.

Bunny stops coloring – bright orange crayon inert as she tries to swallow the dryness in her mouth. Fear paints her face as she gazes upon her favorite coloring tool. Out of all her markers, her colored pencils, her watercolor paints. None of those hold a candle to that one crayon. It’s the only crayon she doesn’t like Natasha using, the only one she saves for the special coloring book pages – the ones she gifts her Mommy for Christmas and for her birthday and when Natasha picks her up from spending time at Uncle Bucky’s place because she’s been on a business trip.

Which is why Bunny nearly cries when Princess snaps it in half, then crushes the pieces into something resembling dust. She does whimper, though, does drop the crayon she’s holding and curl her legs up to her chest and stares at Princess with these wide eyes that beg for her to stop whatever it is she thinks she’s doing.

“What’d’ya gonna do about it?” Princess questions. When Bunny doesn’t answer, Princess quirks her eyebrow then moves to grab another one.

Bunny gasps, tears beginning to well up in the corner of her eyes. “Please don’t,” she whispers.

Princess pretends not to hear her, and selects another well-used crayon. “Really, you’re just gonna be a baby and let me do this?”

Bunny looks around the lawn, begging Natasha to come outside or Peter to feel how frightened she is or even Bucky, a man who rarely pays attention to her but seems to like her more than Princess, to look over and wonder why there’s such tension between his best friends’ best little girls. Unfortunately (for you, at least), none of them pay you any mind. Somehow this is worse than when Natasha has to leave you alone for work or whatever it is she does when she’s away. At least then you don’t have to do deal with Princess.

“Please, Princess,” Bunny says a little louder. “Please don’t break my crayons.”

Princess smiles wide and sinister, like that Cheshire Cat from that movie you don’t like very much. “Alright then,” is all she says before standing up and skipping off to lay on the Aurora towel that was in the shade of a different tree. Even though she’s alone, Bunny remains upright, curling around her precious box of crayons.

The third time they meet is Bunny’s birthday party about a month later. The main festivities are over, all the adults drinking from Natasha’s expensive liquor cabinet. Doll’s curled up on Bucky’s lap, playing with a My Little Pony toy (Applejack, of course) and occasionally being fed bits of cake from Bucky’s fork; Peter’s enthralled with the latest installment of their classic movie marathon that’s playing just too loud for Bunny’s liking.

On any other day, Bunny would be elated to watch her favorite movies with her favorite friend. She’s allowed to eat ice cream cake (vanilla, from her favorite pastry shop down the street) and wear her favorite pink dress.

Her hair is in two low buns with a pretty pink bow. Natasha spent the whole morning with Bunny in her lap, telling her how cute she is and how much she loves her. Everything was great, perfect.

That was, until Steve and Princess showed up. Natasha was preoccupied with catching up in her friend to notice Bunny clutching her favorite stuffie or Princess’ sly smile.

Like the first time they met, she and Princess are placed on the blanket that sits in the middle of the playroom. This time it’s fleece, thick, one Bunny made with Doll one of the rare times they’ve had playdates together. It’s full of mint green and soft pink flowers around a bunch of sea animals. Bucky said he found the blanket kit at a craft store and thought the two of them could make it when he and Natasha were working in his office.

There were a few moments of silence as Steve pet Princess’ hair and explained how much Princess had been looking forward to today. Princess just smiles big and wide and teasing, waiting for the adults to leave before she finally speaks.

“Ya know, Daddy and I love teasing each other…” Princess says as if she’s the most innocent conversation maker to ever fail to meet her counterpart’s eyes. “You and your Mommy should try it sometime.”

Bunny gulps, fidgeting with her hands. “Mommy doesn’t…Mommy doesn’t let me do that without her permission.”

Princess scoffs. “Oh, you ask your Mommy for everything. Daddy hasn’t made me do that in forever.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Daddy likes it when I act out.”

“Mommy doesn’t,” Bunny doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know how to stave off what she now understands is inevitable. “Mommy doesn’t like it when I act out. She likes it when I’m good. I get candy, cuddles, stuffies when I’m good.”

Princess almost rolls her eyes, frustrated. “Maybe you should just try it sometime, just to see what happens.”

Bunny doesn’t say anything back, too scared of what would happen. Natasha always told her curiosity killed the cat, but could curiosity kill her as well?

Hours pass without incident, without Princess nagging Bunny or Bunny snapping at Princess or, really, anything happening. Princess merely leaves her to brew for hours, eating cake with her fingers and eyeing Bunny to see how she’s doing. Bunny’s lost in her own thoughts, the only indication of time passing being Steve coming in take Princess home.

As Steve picks her up once more, a smirk spreads across her frosting-stained face. Her eyes are knowing, full of mischief. In the background, the forest fire scene from Bambi plays on the large TV. Bunny wishes she could be one of the forest creatures running for their life, able to get away from the natural disaster that had descended upon her home.

Despite her fear of Princess, her words stick in Bunny’s brain like gum in her hair. It’s all Bunny can think about for days, maybe even weeks after her birthday party. It gets worse when she’s alone, when all she has are her thoughts and her hands and…and…

Bunny decides to do something, do the unimaginable the day Natasha says she’s going to have lunch with Stark and Strange. That she’ll be back in a few hours.

Just enough time, Bunny thinks as she hears the front door shut and the deadbolt lock. Just enough time for her to do the unthinkable.

◦ ◦ ◦

“Bunny!” Natasha calls into the house. There’s the usual pause, one where she’s used to allowing Bunny to find her voice. But for whatever reason, she doesn’t hear the usual yes, mommy? followed by the pit-pat of her feet across the house. “Bunny?” she calls again, but the only thing she can hear is resounding silence.

Natasha’s heartrate picks up tenfold, not even throwing her shoes off as she runs to the room she kept Bunny in when she had a long work day. As she types in the code to open the door, Natasha is met with a sight she’d never thought she’d see:

Bunny, with one hand down her pullup, and the other clutched over her mouth. Her pale yellow pajama shirt is hiked up to her ribs, threatening to fall over where her hand meets her center.

For a moment Natasha does not know what to do, body frozen and chest heaving and heart racing. Bunny hadn’t so much as blinked without permission, let alone touched herself sans asking Natasha beforehand.

Squeaky, breathy moans slip past her fingers, eyes rolling to the back of her head as her body shakes with the desperation that comes just before an orgasm.

That’s what snaps Natasha out of her trance, what makes her fly across the room and grab Bunny’s face with her perfectly manicured hand.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Natasha hisses through her teeth.

Bunny bites her lips, eyes wide with fear. “P-princ-“

Natasha almost growls. “What, Steve’s little?”

Bunny nods slowly, meekly, lip quivering in fear as Natasha hand remains firmly grasped over her jaw. “P-princess s-said that it woul-d be f-un to-“ Natasha, a woman who has not had a hair out of place since the Reagon administration, nearly knocks over Bunny’s designated stuffed animal bookshelf. Wordlessly, she places Bunny over her knee and exposes the soft skin of her ass.

Bunny hadn’t been spanked in years. Ever since Natasha had gotten her, broken her, she’d been the perfect little – so obedient and eager to please, smart and quiet, happy to play by herself while Natasha worked with the others. She was everything Natasha could’ve asked for and somehow more…

But this? This was inexcusable. She was a big believer in second chances, but those must always come after an appropriate punishment.

“You think just because Steve’s Princess can whine and act however she wants, that means you can, too?” she hisses, hitting each cheek twice. “You think that girl’s behavior excuses your own?”

Bunny yelps, trying to find the strength to speak without sobbing. “N…no…” she mumbles, digging her face into her and trying to curl against the woman whose lap she has found herself in.

“What was that?” Natasha snaps, hitting the backs of her thighs this time. The slaps of skin on skin echos throughout the room and stabs at Bunny’s ears.

“No, Mommy, I am not allowed to misbehave! I am not allowed to break the rules”

“Good,” Natasha says through grit teeth. She takes a moment to grope her heated ass cheeks, and you savor the sweet moments away from the sharp pain. “If you didn’t know your place, I would’ve had to call Steve up to see how he keeps Princess in line. Maybe Bucky, too. He once kept Doll in a basement for two weeks because she wouldn’t eat her vegetables. Do you want that?”

Violent shivers shoot through you. Uncle Bucky and Steve are nice enough to you, especially when Natasha’s around. But with her permission to discipline you in their preferred way? You shrink away at the thought. “N-no Mommy. No, Mommy I’ll promise I’ll be good.”

“Good girl,” Natasha coos, another few smacks landing on her bottom. “Now, for the rest of your punishment…” Bunny gulps, trying to relax her muscles so it doesn’t hurt as bad.

“Now, should I put you on meal replacement shakes or keep you in chastity?”

#natasha romanoff x reader #lukis writes stuff #idk how to tag this lmao #also this was supposed to be 3k but i got...tiredt of looking at it

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mental-dilemma · 4 years ago

Text

The Doctors Sister

The Doctor wasn't the only one to escape from Gallifrey, he managed to save his young sister. But now she can't leave the TARDIS and they're traveling to the end of time. So what happens when a mysterious girl lands on the TARDIS mid flight.

Word count: 1947

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

"Wow, that was fast for a refuel it usually takes you at least twenty minutes.” My voice rang from the hallway as I walked to greet my brother and Martha.

“Not in the mood Aster.” The Doctor's voice rang from the console room.

“Who was that?” Martha asked as I stepped into the room from the hallway, light-flooded through the doors as the Doctor rushed around pulling levers and flipping switches.

“Someone I knew long ago, I was a different man back then.” The TARDIS lurched and suddenly we were off.

“Who was it this time, did the Master come by to pick up the flowers you left him.”

“Aster seriously not the time,” he paused and looked at the time dial. “No. no no no no no this isn’t right.” For once my brother sounded confused, confused, and worried.

“What's going on,” I turned to Martha “and who did you see?”

“Well we went out for a refuel and he,” she motioned to my brother, “was explaining something about how the TARDIS recharges when out of nowhere an American with black hair came running up to us shouting for the Doctor.” I stilled, he wasn’t supposed to be alive.

“Doctor. Is he?” He looked up from his position on the console and turned to me.

“I wasn’t completely sure but I had a hunch.”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you there was a possibility that Jack may have lived. I was a little busy regenerating!”

“Ok, both of you calm down.” Martha was used to our fights, all in the nature of being siblings. Combined with the fact I was one of the few people who didn’t tolerate my brother’s god complex and ‘woe is me’ attitude meant that we butted heads a lot. It was honestly a miracle Martha’s stayed with us as long as she’s had.

“Fine, but we will be discussing this. Now, where are we going that has you so

freaked out.” “The end of time.” His voice was so solemn, it reminded me of the stuffy old Time Lords the two of us hated.

“I thought that wasn’t poss---” I was interrupted by the form of a girl materializing right on top of me.

“Where am I? Who are you, people?” She began. I thought I saw the outline of a gun, but she was waving her hands about so I couldn’t make it out properly.

“Oi before you start going all shooty can you get off of me.”

“Sorry.” The girl mumbled in, I realized, a very American accent. When I was finally able to stand up I moved to get a better look at her. She had jet black hair in a braid down her back. She wore plain jeans, a white shirt, and a simple red flannel, welding goggles covered her eyes. I turned my attention to the Doctor and he looked flabbergasted.

“How did you--- when did you--- why?” He stumbled out.

“I think what he means to say is ‘Hi I’m the Doctor, This is Martha, the girl you were crushing is Aster and you’re on the TARDIS, a machine that travels through time and space.” Martha supplied, giving the Doctor one of her signature ‘get it together’ looks.

“Yes! exactly right Martha. Now who are you and how did you get aboard the TARDIS? Also, would you mind putting down the gun, I don’t need you taking out someone's eye waving it around like that.” He had obviously gotten over some of his surprise.

“Right She said suddenly, nervously. “Uh, so I’m Ella. Ella Harkness, I’m actually looking for my dad. I had a lock on his coordinates a few seconds ago but obviously,” she gestured to the room, “I must’ve gotten it wrong. I don’t exactly see him in here.”

“And who is your father?” Martha asked

“Jack Harkness.” The TARDIS lurched to a stop. The girl, Ella, was clearly not prepared for it because she crashed right into me, I caught her before she could cause us to fall again. “Thanks.” She said

“Yeah don’t mention it.”

“Ok, we’re gonna table the whole Ella situation for a minute because I need to see where we are. Do not go anywhere you two.” The Doctor looked at us.

“Oh yes because I’m such a flight risk.” I probably didn’t need to be so sarcastic but it was fun. My brother just rolled his eyes as he and Martha walked out.

“So uh sorry again for crashing into you,” Ella said a few moments after the duo left. She was awkwardly standing near the console while I had moved to sit on the railing. She finally took the welding goggles off her eyes and I saw her pupils were ocean blue, pretty easy to get lost in. I hadn’t realized I was staring until she let out a little cough.

“Huh? Right! Don’t worry about it, nothing bruised nothing broken.” We both kinda just stared at each other after that, neither of us really knew what to say.

“If you don’t mind me asking how come you’re traveling with the Doctor? It is Doctor right?” Ella finally said.

“Yeah, his name is the Doctor. And I mean it’s complicated and a pretty long story.”

“I think we’ll have the time.”

“Okay,” I took a breath and began, “So the Doctor and I are from a planet called Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. When I was a baby there was a war between the Time Lords, that’s me and the Doc, and the Daleks. It got so bad that Gallifrey was destroyed, and so were the rest of my people and the Daleks. I don’t remember much of it. I was a small child when it happened but I do remember the heat and the sound of explosions. Then nothing, nothing until I woke up on the TARDIS.”

“So he saved you?”

“Yeah, I guess he did.” We heard a commotion from outside and soon the Doctor's head was peeking into the TARDIS.

“Ok so I figured out why we’re at the end of the universe, I’ve also figured out why Ella landed her with coordinates fixed on Jack.” The Doctor moved aside and right after a familiar blue coat came striding forward.

“Jack!” I exclaimed practically leaping to crush him in a hug. Ella stood back frozen in space.

“Hey, kiddo.” He said laughing smile lines crinkled around his eyes. He scanned the TARDIS, “Geez Doc you don’t redecorate do you.” He stopped quipping when he landed on a similar set of ocean eyes.

“Uh… hi I’m… I mean my name is….” Ella stuttered as she couldn’t find the words.

“It’s ok, take your time.” I moved from Jack to her to offer at least a little bit of support. She took a breath. “I’m Ella. I’m your daughter.” Jack’s mouth opened and closed several times.

“I… I have a…. Who? When? How?”

“Uh ok who, remember that woman you met in New New York. Yeah, that’s my mom. As for when about seventeen years ago. And then for how, when two people like each other very much, or when they just get drunk, they---”

“Nope! I take back the how.” We all laughed, which helped to melt a lot of the ice in the room. “So Marge is your mom.”

“Yup she uh she gave me this.” Ella held up her arm to reveal a vortex manipulator. The Doctor came in at that exact moment and when he saw it he facepalmed.

“Oh yeah leave it to Jack bloody Harkness to give a teenager a vortex manipulator.”

“Ok hold up I didn’t give her anything.” He turned to my brother about to tear him a new one when Martha interrupted.

“Oi, you two stop the show off we’ve got problems out here,” Martha interjected before the two could start hurling insults.

“Oh thank god.” I mumbled to Ella, “If they had started it would’ve lasted for at least another hour.” She snickered.

“Martha’s right, the TARDIS can’t travel and we heard something on the horizon we need to move.” My brother said.

“What about Aster?” Jack asked.

“I’ll be fine, the TARDIS has enough energy for me. You guys need to get moving though.”

“Aster’s right. We need to go now.”

“Wait why can’t Aster come with?” Ella asked.

“Remember how I said I was young during the war?

“Yeah.”

“Well, I did take some damage and now. Well, now I can’t leave the TARDIS. We’re still working it out but something about the TARDIS helps keep me alive and if I leave well. Let’s just say I wouldn’t get very far.”

“Then I’ll stay with you.”

“You and your dad need some bonding time and what better than running from monsters.”

“Aster knows the TARDIS inside and out she’ll handle herself. It'll be safer for you to come with us.” The Doc said.

“You guys go I’ll be fine, it’ll give me some time to do maintenance anyway.” Jack and Ella moved to the door where the Doctor ushered them out.

“Stay safe, and don’t let anybody in.”

“I know, I’ll have tea waiting when you get back.” I waved and he ran out closing the door behind him. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and rolled up my sleeves. “Now let’s see what we can do old girl,” I said to the room ----------------------------- I don’t know how long passed between everyone leaving and when I heard a noise coming from the console room, it could’ve been a couple of hours or a day. All I know is that I woke up in the library with a book on top of my face, I must’ve fallen asleep reading. I sat up rubbing my eyes. The hallways were cold as I walked to the source of the noise. I hugged my sweater closer as I went.

“Doctor I think we need to turn up the hea---” I stopped when I saw it wasn’t the Doctor. I grabbed the closest object and pointed it at the man. “Who are you and where is my brother?”

“My dear I don’t think that banana is going to do much against me.” I looked down.

“Shit.” I threw the banana aside. “Ok, maybe not but I still know martial arts. Now I’ll ask once more where is my brother?”

“Hmmm, let's see I’d say left for dead on the surface. And I’d be happy to throw you out with him girl.” My eyes widened. What he was saying couldn’t be true.

“You’re lying the Doctor hasn’t died yet and he’ll be back.”

“Did you say the Doctor? The Doctor’s your brother?”

“What’s it to you?” I asked inching away from the stranger, although he had an air of familiarity around him I couldn’t quite place.

“Well, that would mean--- yes I see it now. You’ve grown dear Aster.”

“How do you know my name? I haven’t met anyone since Gallifrey…” I trailed off as it hit me. “Master you’re the Master.”

“The one and only my dear girl now. Now riddle me this why weren’t you out with your brother and his little band of miscreants.”

“I can’t leave the TARDIS. I’ll die if I do.” I began moving back to the hallway away from him. Before I noticed he pushed the lever and the familiar wheezing of the breaks sounded throughout the TARDIS.

“Well, it looks like you're coming with then.” He brandished a gun from who knows where and aimed it at me. “Might I suggest you come down so we can chat a little bit more?”

#Doctor Who #tenth doctor #david tennant #martha jones #jack harkness #simm!master #The Master #The Doctor #Jack Harkness coat #Doctor Who AU #Doctor Who OC #The dilemma writes

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artificialqueens · 5 years ago

Text

papillionlisse 2/? [gigi x nicky / jan x jackie] - pinkgrapefruit

[ chapter two ]

Gigi wakes up from a fitful sleep (mostly caused by the cat laying across her chest) to the sight of Nicky in warrior two - her eyes blissfully closed as her taut stomach twists, muscular thighs tense as she pushes herself into downward-facing dog. She spots Gigi’s staring as she looks up and pokes her tongue out in jest - the brunette giggling slightly too loud for the early hour as Crystal throws a stuffed honey badger across the room before burying her face back into her pillow.

[harry potter hogwarts/beauxbaton au]

A/N - hey! we’re back in the easiest to write multi-chap I’ve ever done! i don’t even care if you guys like it anymore because I’m so in love with these gals. (i still need the validation that you all like it though <3) thanks to frey for being a magnificent beta and let’s get down to it!

They learn remarkably quickly that Nicky is unbearably peppy on a morning - the blonde girl rolling out of bed at 6 a.m. while Jan is still drooling on Jackie’s shoulder to practice some light morning yoga in only a pair of tight gym shorts and a sports bra. Her loosely curled hair is tied into a loose ponytail, and sweat forms in droplets in the dip of her spine.

Nicky winks and Gigi smiles back, sitting up as she gives up on the idea of going back to sleep. She pulls Quaffle onto her lap with a sigh, pushing her fingers into his fur until he unfurls happily, stretching out between her legs.

“Morning,” she whispers, but it’s hoarse with sleep and it makes Nicky chuckle as she rolls into a handstand.

“Bonjour, mon chou,” she responds with a smile - her voice tense as she lowers back down. She stands up finally, grabbing her wand off the end of her bed to roll up the yoga mat and fire it back under the bed - her morning laxity getting the better of her as she lazily sends Gigi’s glasses onto her face with a snap of the wrist. Checking the time, Gigi realises it’s quarter to seven and motions for Nicky to flick the curtains off the thin windows that stand in between each bed.

She watches, as she does every morning, as Jan recoils from the sunlight, hiding her head in the crook of Jackie’s neck with a moaning noise causing the sleepy dorm to erupt into quiet laughter. Crystal makes a nondescript noise as she pats her hand vaguely on her bedside table, looking for her glasses, which she finally finds once she lifts her head and realises Nicky is holding them for her. She flops onto her back with a snort.

“Monday, right?” Asks Crystal, as she fumbles her way into the bathroom - coming out with a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth a few seconds later. She takes one for the team and hits Jan’s foot with a cushion, forcing the girl to actually look up as Jackie busies herself with the last few pages of her book on full moon astronomy to avoid her wrath. Nicky braids a silk scarf into Gigi’s hair as the two watch Jan walk like a zombie into the bathroom, only coming out twenty minutes later having showered and put on some makeup.

“Is she always like this?” Nicky asks, gesturing very generally towards the girl who’s resumed her position tucked against the now clothed Jackie until they all decide to go to breakfast.

“In the morning? Yes.” Gigi responds bluntly. “She’s an absolute zombie before nine unless there are waffles for breakfast, but it’s not a Thursday, so, unfortunately, we’re stuck with this until Jackie can force a cup of tea down her, and then she’ll perk up.”

Crystal joins the two of them and sits on Gigi’s bed. “Almost eight,” she notes, which sparks the group into motion. Nicky watches in amusement as they come together like a well-oiled machine - all ready to go and standing by the door in seconds, each in their robes and choice of shoe - bags slung over their shoulders and wands holstered. She’s pulled out of her staring when Gigi snaps her fingers at her.

“C’mon, Nicks,” she says quickly and Nicky slips her feet into her patent black brogues - sliding the unfamiliar black robes over her white oxford shirt. The robes hold the symbol of Papillionlisse - a purple butterfly alighting a leaf - and they feel homely even though they’re brand new. She slings her powder blue Beauxbaton tote over her shoulder and runs to the door so they can all exit together, making sure to remember the code of knocking that Gigi shows her on the barrel outside the common room door.

She finds she rather likes the look of Hogwarts in the morning - the sun shining through old stained glass in a way that lights up the whole main hall with twinkling lights. The enchanted ceiling is sunny today, and even Jan smiles at the sight of it. Gigi calls her a cliché as she picks two or three flavoured croissants from the platter in front of them and she tries to defend herself with crumbs spraying out of her mouth, giving in as Crystal attempts to shoot her a disapproving look ending in them all falling into warm laughter.

She looks around, trying to spot the other Beauxbaton students, camouflaged from view in their billowy black robes. She identifies a couple by their blue bags and pristine blonde hair and finds she hasn’t really missed them yet - she wonders idly if she will, as she watches Jan enthusiastically explain something about Kneazles to Jackie who softens under her girlfriend’s eyes.

They’re all making their way down to the dungeons when a burly looking guy bodychecks Crystal - her shoulder jerking back in a way that forces her off kilter and she ends up on the floor. The large brunette seethes ‘Mudblood’ through his teeth and Nicky watches in horror as Crystal’s eyes well up.

“Le con,” she lets out - the words scathing as they fall from her lips. He looks at her - eyes narrowing before he leans forward. She reacts on impulse, a firm fist to the lower jaw and he staggers back in shock, barely calling her a bitch before running on up the stairs.

Crystal is back upright now - looking shocked and slightly sick, but held upright by Jackie and Gigi, who look like they’re trying to lower their own anger levels by breathing very poorly and whispering kind thoughts to Crystal.

“Damn, Nicky,” Jan exclaims with a bemused smirk.

Nicky takes a deep breath, pushing the air out through her nose as she shrugs. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” she quips - “Now, Crys, how about we prove his, uh, préjudice wrong.” She links arms with the brunette, leaving the rest of them to wander behind.

“You okay?” She asks quietly, chin resting on the girls shoulder for a second.

“Dicks will be dicks,” Crystal replies, voice more solid than it had been. “I’ll be fine. They’re a rarity nowadays.”

“Good,” Nicky says forcefully. “Dicks will be dicks.”

It’s a few weeks later - the late spring tumbling into early summer and the sky is a glorious blue, not a cloud in sight - they spend the afternoon lounging on the grass on the edge of the Black Lake.

“I saw the Giant Squid once,” Crystal tells them all as she shields her face from the Sun by waving one hand in its vague direction.

“You did not.” Gigi scoffs from her position, laying on her front, body propped up on her elbows. Nicky giggles, in the same position as Gigi, but with her head resting on her folded arms - face illuminated by the sun that filters through the branches of the nearby elm tree.

“We only have horses that drink whisky,” she whines - making the group laugh together.

“I’ve heard of those,” Jackie pipes up from where her head is on Jan’s lap - the blonde braiding wildflowers into her hair.

“Of course you have,” Nicky jokes and the brunette holds up her middle finger much to the French girl’s amusement. “Have they always been like this?” She asks Gigi quietly, as the group goes back to their own separate conversations for a moment.

Gigi hums in contemplation, brushing a strand of hair off Nicky’s face before she answers - the blonde’s striking blue eyes catching her off guard in a way that shouldn’t shock her anymore.

“Not always this disgustingly cute, no, but they’ve been a thing since third year. We’ve shared a dorm since first year, but they sorted their shit out in the summer of third, thank god. You know what we went through?” Gigi asks sardonically, and Nicky shakes her head in a motion for the girl to continue, letting out a giggle at the matter of fact way Gigi tells this clearly nostalgic story. “God, they were painful for a while. Jackie was our go-to homework help and then she got all sad about Jan, and wouldn’t help any of us, so guess who wasn’t doing great in divination that year.”

“It’s literally making shit up,” calls Jan from where she’s sat - choosing to ignore everything else being said. “And I’m the one who likes it.” She pats her divination textbook affectionately as Gigi goes back to explaining.

“But they got together in Hogsmeade and it was all cute, and now they’re this.” Nicky coos like you would at a small dog, before returning her attention to the brunette.

“Will you take me to Hogsmeade?” She asks, eyelashes fluttering and Gigi has to stop herself from swooning.

“Of course, mon Cherie,” she responds in an awful French accent that makes Nicky laugh so hard she rolls onto her back, letting the sun hit her face in a way sure to pepper her nose with even more freckles. “You didn’t have to go all veela on me,” Gigi whispers, and Nicky just winks.

“HONEYDUKES!” Crystal butts in from where she’s studying for charms - lazily trying to perfect the wand movement for one of her nonverbal spells. A spark shoots up from the lake causing Jackie to raise an eyebrow from where she’s laying, absorbing the sun, and Crystal just cackles in response, dropping her wand in defeat.

“Yes, Crys, we can go to Honeydukes,” Gigi appeases. “Any other questions that don’t involve me being a lonely lesbian?” She asks Nicky, and the blonde blushes at the phrasing. She twirls an already perfect blonde ringlet around her finger before looking up to Jackie.

“What exactly do you want to do, Jaqueline?” She asks - the nickname a joke she’s chosen to stick with out of pure enjoyment of the look on Jackie’s face.

Jackie props herself up on her elbows - Jan pouting as a few flowers flutter out of her hair and onto the grass.

“I want to get a mastery in astronomy and arithmancy, and then probably become an arithmancer or a potions astronomer - maybe a code breaker. Something like that,” she muses as she relaxes back down onto Jan’s lap. Nicky watches on, impressed.

“Damn, that’s cool.”

“Well, I’m pureblood, so I either do something insane or I live off my family’s fortune, and the only way I can do something insane is if I work hard as hell for it.” They all hear Jan mutter something about ‘fucking aristocracy’, but they choose to leave her be as she, perhaps slightly more angrily, threads daisies together to make a crown.

“Jan?” Nicky asks, falling back so she can fully sunbathe, her hair forming a halo on the greenery.

“Oh, easy,” Jan claims with excitement - any anger at her girlfriend’s family having passed as quickly as it arrived. “Magical creature healer.” She says it brightly and with enough whimsy that it almost masks the danger they all know the job poses.

“I can imagine you doing that,” Crystal claims, airily. “You’re making my hopes of a normal healer sound boring though.”

Jan giggles. “You can heal me!” She effuses with more excitement than the topic warrants.

Nicky looks to Gigi with a question in her eyes, and Gigi flops down next to her before she answers - watching the sliver of a white cloud pass through the cerulean of the sky.

“McGonagall’s mentioned taking me on as an apprentice,” she admits quietly. “I mean I’d love to. I’d love it.”

“Gigi, that’s amazing,” Nicky says, and Gigi feels how much she means it like an aura washing over her. She feels the love as it trails through every vein in her body, and she assumes it’s a veela thing, because it feels like this unbreakable connection even if it only lasts a second.

“Thank you, Nicky.”

They end up in the library, late at night a few days later. It’s a Saturday, and she and Nicky are pouring over textbooks - barely talking except to pass notes full of badly drawn wand diagrams and the occasional quip.

Gigi has spent the last five minutes watching as Nicky (totally innocently) sucks on a sugar quill and she thinks she might explode, so she practices what she’s trying to write and wordlessly charms her notes page into a paper butterfly, knocking the quill out of Nicky’s mouth, so she can sit comfortably for a minute or two.

“Dieu, you’re so distracting,” Nicky moans as she looks up to Gigi’s smirking face.

“Only for you, mon Cherie,” she schmoozes, eyes half-lidded as she lets her teeth trail her bottom lip.

“Mon chѐri,” Nicky corrects, although her smile is softer, less playful now. “D’amour.” Her tongue darts out to whet her lips. She stands up from where she’s been sitting cosy in a large wooden chair and slides onto the table, so she’s sat right in front of Gigi. The brunette almost short circuits at the way Nicky towers over her like this, but she rolls her shoulders and tries to pretend to be a Veela - just for the confidence.

She pulls her onto her lap, thanking the smoothness of the table and the lack of friction posed by Nicky’s leggings as the blonde lands happily on her thighs.

“Embrasse Moi,” she asks, breathless from the suspense, eyes barely open. “S'il te plait.”

If she looked, she’d see the way Nicky’s ears turn pink when she’s flustered, her pupils the size of saucers, lips full.

“Yes.”

Gigi’s pretty sure she’d be happy to let Nicky do anything to her. Especially in a library.

#rpdr fanfiction #pinkgrapefruit #papillionlisse #gigi x nicky #jankie #gigi goode #nicky doll #jan sport #jackie cox #crystal methyd #s12 #harry potter au #fluff #almost smut #cute lesbians being cute #no snarky tags bc honestly I just love writing this fic

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mockingjayne12 · 5 years ago

Text

Embrace Me

(Jamie x Claire / Outlander Fic)

The ache begins within her heart, slowly kneading its way through her body, settling in the pit of her stomach. Claire gets this way whenever Jamie isn’t around. The slow desire always kindling for him somewhere deep, but the ache, that’s something different. She feels it tingle in her fingertips, begging for his touch, her lips itching for the scruffy scratch as if parched of water, yearning to be drowned in the love she can feel with just a look.

She wanders around their room, removing clothing, struggling to get the ties in the back, the ones he helps her with every night. His strong, yet somehow nimble, fingers delicately undressing her, unless the heat has taken them over, an inferno demanding she be ripped from her the material that binds her, before allowing her to collapse into his arms.

The house has a chill to it, and the gooseflesh spreads across her skin with nothing but her shift to shield her, threatening to prick her bit by bit, little reminders that the man who warms her is not there.

Letting her hair loose, she contemplates braiding it before crawling under the blankets, but forgoes the task, leaving it instead to curl wildly, surely tangling into a mess while she sleeps.

Her toes feel numb across the wood of the floor, the cold seeping into every part of her. Her dark hair haloes across his pillow, as she tucks her feet beneath the blanket. The scent of Jamie surrounding her, her side of the bed completely abandoned when he’s away. Because if she can’t have his arms wrapped around her, she’ll resign to burying her face in the smell of home.

Her hands reach for underneath the pillow, smothering them still, supporting her head, as if capturing the essence of him, and holding him to her.

For as lively as the big house was, it felt empty without him. Her days busy, distracting her mind from the absence felt, but always at night, when the sounds died down, and only the crickets outside chirping, she felt her heart skitter in its loss, syncopating to the loss of the beat that was always within her reach.

Mind wandering through the tasks of tomorrow, she says a silent prayer, one she’d heard Jamie whisper over her more than once, asking to please keep him safe as he travels, walking a fine line through the fires of treachery and loyalty.

The events of the past few days weigh on her, but with hope and anticipation growing, counting the loaves of promise as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

It’s only when she feels the bed dip, rough hands easing gently over her, that she feels herself jolt awake, only to feel scruff of an dimpled chin rubbing against her neck, that she settles. Scooting her backside into the man demanding to be moulded to her, she sighs.

“Yer on my side,” he says with the tiniest of pinches to her ass, his tone playful, but she can feel the stress radiating off of him in waves, his hands gripping her tightly, pulling her to him.

“I wasn’t expecting you home,” she sighs into the arm that she’s come to rest her head on, the soft hair tickling her cheek.

“Rode all night,” he mumbles against her hair, breathing her in as if she were the air that sustained him.

“Hmm,” she hums, his hand lacing her fingers into his own, and she feel his eyes in the dark watching as her ring glints against the moonlight that trickles in through their window.

Reaching back, her hand finds his fully clothed thigh, not having even wanted to strip down before climbing into bed with her, the urgency to wrap his arms around the calm waves of her dreams, evident in his haste.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asks, her thumb tracing an invisible seam before hooking his leg over her hip. Her head tilts to where her lips whisper the words like a promise of support across his face, his lips buried in her neck, refusing to vacate, as if absorbing her pulse, finding strength in the steady beat of her heart.

“I’m gonna lose everything…” he mutters into her, a choke of the words, wetting her own eyes.

“Jamie—“ she begins, before he finishes.

“I can’t protect everyone.”

And there it was.

The grip he has on her hand tightens, his leg hooking her impossibly close, attempting to shield her from anything in the future that dared to take her from him. She knew he wasn’t just speaking of her, his expedition with Knox in search of Murtagh, no doubt crushing him with guilt, as he fought on a side of history he never wanted to be apart of.

She can feel his heavy breathing, shuddering in fear, the evidence of his need for her pressing against her.

“I’m right here,” she assures him turning over to face him, his lips finding her quickly, the rustling of his pants, kicking them down echoing through the room. Briefly releasing her from his grasp, shifting around before she feels his hand rucking her shift up to rest on her hips, lifting her leg, a sigh of contentment escapes her, swallowed by his mouth, as he enters her.

The ache from before no longer pulsing with loss, but filled with an unending need for more.

As he moves within her, her eyes threaten to flutter close, but she forces them open, blearily staring at the man inside her, so willing giving himself to her, vulnerably articulating his fears with every thrust, urgent but slow, unable to get enough, and unwilling for it to end. Claire’s mouth moves with his, gasping openly into each other, his arm wrapping around her torso, sheltering her heaving chest between them, guarding safe their hearts as they race through the dark in search of a future that’s unclear.

“Sorcha…” he breathes into her, a smile spreading across her lips, her hips pressing down into his thrust, sending a jolt through them both, his eyes piercing through her, small bundles of light exploding behind her eye lids, as she falls, lighting the way for him, he grabs her hand, side by side, refusing to let go.

They remain clasped as her heart settles, her breathing ragged, but her eyes refusing to leave the blue that travels over her, as if making sure every piece of her is still there, safe.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she tries, refusing to let him leave her, her free hand moving to untangle what’s left of his ponytail, most of his curls having escaped. Her fingers comb through the knots, massaging his scalp, until he’s pliably melting into her, his mouth once again burying in her neck.

The chirping of the crickets the only sound that creeps into the cocoon they’ve made for themselves, shrouding each other from the world in just that one moment, protecting each other from anything that threatens to tear them apart. Her fingers get lost in the curls, his soft breathing lulling her to sleep, tomorrow’s problems forgotten only for a moment, the support of each other found in the arms of one another.

“Ye smell like bread, Sassenach.”

The silence filled with the soft laughter of them both.

#outlander #outlander fanfic #claire fraser #jamie fraser #jamie x claire

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themetaphorgirl · 5 years ago

Note

Prompt: Emily gets drunk and comes back to the school and she voices her love for all of them and won’t stop hugging bby Reid. Can u imagine the CUTENESS. I cry your au makes me so happy

so I LOVE this prompt. and also my darling @criminalmindsgonewrong needed something fun with Emily. So I hope you like this!!

featuring Hotch’s secret weakness, children learning profanity and Alex’s “I mean business” ponytail

----------

“Hey, guys?” Dave called up the stairs. “I just want everyone to know that none of this is my fault. In fact, I should be considered a hero.”

Hotch, James, and Alex raised their heads slowly from their respective homework. “What the fuck is happening?” James whispered.

“Language,” Hotch whispered, nodding towards the younger kids piled in front of the TV.

“I say ‘fuck’ all the time, Hotch,” Derek said, only half paying attention.

Something heavy thumped on the stairs and a high pitched giggle floated up. Alex closed her Russian dictionary. “If Rossi is bringing another new girlfriend in here, I swear to god…”

Emily stumbled to the top of the stairs and flung her arms in the air like a gymnast landing a vault. “I made it!” she cheered.

Dave climbed up behind her. “Listen, I only lost her for like two seconds,” he said.

“Oh, no,” James said. “You didn’t.”

“Did what?” JJ asked.

“Yeah, did what?” Penelope echoed.

Emily grinned. “We went to a party!” she said. “And there was a tequila!”

Hotch slowly turned to glare at Dave. “It’s a school night, and you took Emily to a party?” he asked.

Dave shrugged helplessly. “She was very persuasive,” he said.

“Very, very persuasive,” Emily nodded.

Alex rested her chin in her hand. “She told you a certain girl was going to be there, didn’t she?” she said.

“I’m very persuasive,” Emily repeated. She threw her arms around Alex’s neck. “Lemme...lemme braid your hair.”

“No, no, not this time,” Alex said, peeling her hands away. “Oh, I’m not excited about sharing a room with you tonight once this starts to wear off..”

Emily smiled dreamily and raked her fingers through Alex’s hair. “It’s so red,” she mumbled. Alex sighed and dropped her chin in her hand again.

Penelope and JJ leaned over the back of the couch to watch. “Do you think she’ll throw up this time?” Penelope asked.

“Oh, absolutely,” JJ said. “At least twice.”

Spencer looked up from his book. “Make her drink V8 again, that worked last time,” he said.

“Emily, we’ve been over this,” Hotch said. “You can get in serious trouble if you’re caught drunk on campus.”

“Oh, shit, no,” she whined. She fumbled in her pockets. “I can...I got…”

“Don’t show me your credit cards again.”

“My credit cards!” she said, waving her wallet at him. “I’ll...I can...yeah, I’ll give ‘em money and it’ll be fine.”

“No, it won’t be,” Hotch said patiently.

Emily scowled and stumbled over to him. “Mr. Hotchner,” she said. “Mr. Hotchner, you gotta...why don’t you fuckin’ smile, dude?”

Derek burst out laughing; she whipped around and shook her finger at him. “This is a serious question!” she said. “I...I know you can smile.”

Hotch grimaced at her. “There,” he said. “Now can you please pour yourself back into your dorm room and sleep this off?”

Emily frowned, plunking down on his lap. “You need to smile,” she said. She grabbed at his face and pulled at his cheeks. “It’s...it’s in there somewhere.”

“Emily, please,” Hotch said, pained, as her thumb came perilously close to jabbing up his nose.

“No, keep going, I wanna see what happens,” Penelope said.

Emily’s frown deepened. “Why won’t you smile?” she demanded.

“See if you can initiate gargalesis,” Spencer suggested.

“The fuck you say to me, nerd baby?” Emily said.

Spencer scowled. “Tickle him.”

Emily brightened. James immediately got up, gathering his homework. “This is going to end horribly,” he said. “Oh god. Oh, god.”

“He’s not smiling!” Emily said, digging her fingers in Hotch’s sides.

Hotch pressed his mouth together, firmly stoic. “Stop trying to tickle me,” he said. “You need to sober up, and I’m not ticklish, so-”

“Don’t ask me how I know this. Back of the knees,” Alex said.

Hotch’s mouth dropped open. “How did you-” he started to say, but Emily lunged for his knees, and he burst out laughing, trying to wrestle her off his lap. “God! Emily! Stop! Stop, you got me to smile, okay, I’m smiling!”

She tumbled to the floor and scrambled to her feet unsteadily, screeching with laughter. “I did it!” she said. “Aha! I knew you could...could fuckin’ smile.”

Penelope held up her phone. “I can’t wait to show this to her tomorrow,” she said.

Emily staggered over to her. “You are so cute,” she said. She dropped her hands on JJ and Penelope’s head. “Two just...cute little princesses.”

“Oh, she’s really gone this time,” JJ said. She gently pried Emily’s hand off her head. “Emily, you should take it easy.”

“I can get you some snacks,” Penelope offered as Emily tangled her hand in her hair, giggling as the pompoms tied to her ponytail bounced. “Some nice saltines, maybe? A piece of dry bread? Something to soak up the alcohol in your bloodstream.”

“Hey, she hasn’t called me ‘cute’ yet, that’s how we’ll know she’s real bad,” Derek said.

Emily let go of Penelope’s hair. “But you are cute,” she said. “So...so fucking cute. You guys are all just...fucking babies and I love...all of you.”

“I’m only a year younger than you,” Derek said dryly. “Spencer’s the baby.”

“Hey!” Spencer protested. “I’m very mature for my age!”

Emily stumbled over to him, leaning over the side of the couch, and swooped him up in a snuggle. “You are a baby!” she said. “Just the babyest...fuckin’ baby.”

“You smell like hand sanitizer,” Spencer complained, squirming in her grip as she smacked kisses on his cheeks. “And I’m not a baby! Guys! C’mon, help me!”

“I’m not taking the risk,” Hotch said flatly. “Now that someone decided to blab.” Alex shrugged.

“Derek!” Spencer said, trying to wriggle away from Emily’s octopus-like hug.

“Nah, man, I’m not gonna take the risk either,” Derek said.

“Ooh! Try to initiate...gargling. Gargantuan. Gar...what was it again?” Penelope said.

Spencer scrunched up his face. “Gargalesis?” he said. Emily grinned and started tickling his ribs. “Noooo! Emily, no, stop tickling me!” He shrieked with laughter, kicking his legs at her and in an attempt to twist free.

“Emily, stop torturing Spencer, he’s going to pee himself,” JJ said.

“No, I won’t!”

“Emily, you gotta stop, he has to breathe.”

“What?” Emily said, momentarily distracted, and Spencer tumbled off the couch and beelined to the table to duck behind Hotch and Alex.

“Emily, you’ve got to chill,” Dave said. “We don’t want a repeat of what happened after homecoming.”

“What happened at homecoming?” Hotch asked, eyes narrowing as Spencer climbed onto his lap.

“Nothing,” Dave said quickly. Emily scowled and started scolding him in Italian; he shot back, waving his hands.

“What’s happening?” Derek asked. “What are we missing?”

“Profanity, mostly,” Alex said.

“Yeah, and you guys didn’t want me to learn how to say ‘fuck’,” Spencer said. Hotch covered his ears.

Emily halted midsentence, holding out her hands. “Wait...wait…” she said.

JJ drew back. “Oh, she’s gonna hurl,” she said.

“False alarm,” Emily said. “We’re good. We’re good, everybody.”

Alex got up from the table and tied her hair back into a ponytail, snapping the elastic with resigned determination. “All right, Prentiss, say goodnight to everybody,” she said. “We’re going back to our dorm, and you’re going to sober up.”

Emily pouted and whined in Italian; Alex rattled something back and Emily sighed heavily. “Okay, okay, take me away,” she said. “Bye, everybody, love you.”

“Bye, Emily,” they chorused.

They didn’t see her again until breakfast the next morning; Emily sat with her head down on the table and a glass of tomato juice at her elbow. “So I take it things went well?” Dave said.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Alex said. “Miss Prentiss over here…”

“Shut up,” Emily mumbled into her folded arms. “Shut up, shut up, shut up…”

“Have we learned an important lesson?” Hotch asked.

Emily raised her head. Her eyes were still smeared with last night’s makeup. “That your ticklish spot is under your knees?” she said.

Hotch’s ears turned red. “No, hopefully you learned a lesson about getting drunk on a school night,” he said. “Or, better yet, you’ve learned to not get drunk because you’re underage and it’s bad for your health.”

“Aw, come on, chief,” she said. She mimed finger guns at him. “Gimme a week, I’ll forget all about this.”

“Oh! I can help with that,” Penelope said. She handed her phone to Derek, who passed it to JJ, who propped it up in front of Emily. “Here’s the video! Maybe this will help remind you.”

Emily went pale. “Oh, cazzo,” she mumbled.

“That basically means ‘fuck’!” Spencer announced.

#au: patron saint of lost causes #caitlin writes things #emily prentiss #drunk!emily #aaron hotchner #alex blake #james blake #david rossi #penelope garcia #jennifer jareau #spencer reid #spencer is sitting on people's laps again and you can't stop me #Anonymous

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justanoutlawfic · 5 years ago

Note

Prompt: Emma convinces Elsa not to go back to arendale, finally saying her true feelings - Elsa is forced to choose between duty and love

Ingrid is gone and Emma is the only person that can understand why that hurts. Anna can too, but she didn't connect with Ingrid like Emma and Elsa did. They had a bond that no one could deny.

Which is why Anna and Kristoff went back to the loft and Emma booked a room for them at Granny's. Elsa sits at the edge of the bed, her blue evening gown draped over a desk chair. She's in an oversized grey New York t-shirt she borrowed from Emma, not that she knows what New York is. Emma just smiles every time she asks. Elsa's undone her braid and shook it out so her near white hair falls messily by her chest.

Emma emerges from the powder room-no bathroom as it's known here-wearing a flannel shirt, her own blonde hair loose. Elsa gives her a small smile and Emma walks over, sitting behind her on the lumpy mattress.

"I wish there could've been another way," Elsa whispers.

Emma makes a noise in agreement. "I don't know who writes these spells, but they're dumb."

"Agreed."

Emma wraps her arms around Elsa's torso and the latter leans against her. "So…what happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Ingrid is gone. The ice cave is melted. You've found Anna…"

Emma doesn't ask the next question but it hangs above them, heavy like the weight that's been on Elsa's chest her whole life.

Arendelle needs their leaders back. Anna and Kristoff deserve a wedding after all this time. The logical answer is that they go back home.

But Elsa also knows what she's started here. Over the past few weeks, she's started a romance with Emma. They've stolen kisses in between research. Sex over practicing spells. There have been seductive whispers in the dark station.

Elsa's never been in love in the past. Being locked in her room made sure of that. But being with Emma these past few weeks has shown her that she could love someone in that way. She can have what Kristoff and Anna have. She deserves love. And she finally has it.

"Don't go," Emma whispers.

Elsa looks back at her. Emma's vulnerability is on full display. Her green eyes are wide, lip trembling. Elsa's never seen her this way. She's not prickly right now…she's scared. Elsa opens her mouth to respond, but then Emma's face hardens.

"I shouldn't have said that."

"Emma…"

"No." Emma pulls away from her. "It wasn't fair of me to ask. You have a life in Arendelle. It's your home, with your sister. I can't ask you to put us above your family or your responsibilities. I wouldn't want you to ask that of me."

Emma scoots back on the bed and climbs under the covers. Elsa stays where she is, putting her chin on her hand.

"I want to say yes," Elsa whispers. "I want to stay here with you."

"Elsa, stop. It wasn't fair of me to ask you. We barely know each other."

"That's not true. We've gotten to know each other a lot over the past few weeks. We have a lot in common, we also have our differences. I know that I haven't felt this way before."

The tears well up in her eyes, as she thinks about connecting with Emma and her family. It's the happiest she's been in a very long time.

"I just need to think," Elsa says. "It's a lot."

"Like I said, I never should've asked."

"Would you stop saying that?"

Elsa crawls across the bed, so she's laying across from her.

"I want to be with you, Emma," she says. "And you deserve to say what you want. We can figure this out."

Emma is still before nodding. "Okay," she whispers.

Elsa loves the beach. It's where she found Anna and she'll never forget it. The waves are calming as they crash against the shore. She's borrowed another set of clothes from Emma, a pair of jeans and a blue flannel shirt, just throwing her hair back into a ponytail rather than bothering with a braid.

She sees Anna has borrowed clothes too, from Snow. She's in a pink pleated skirt with a white cardigan. It compliments her red hair well. Elsa smiles seeing her sister. She's missed her so much and she can't imagine being separated from her for a long period of time again.

"Nice clothes," Elsa comments when they come to the center of the sand.

"People sure dress strangely in this land."

"They do, but it's nice to not get sand on my dress."

Anna giggles, pushing her braid back. "How was your night with Emma?" She bumps shoulders with her sister.

Elsa squirms a bit. "We didn't do that," she says. "We talked about some stuff. How was your night?"

"It was great. David and Kristoff caught up. They made some recipe from when they were boys. Then Regina popped by and we talked about going home."

Elsa bites her lip. "Oh."

"Yes, she found a door for us in Rumpelstiltskin's shop," Anna shivers naming the man she ran into in the past before regaining composure. "It's a direct portal to Arendelle, we can go back at any time."

Elsa turns to look at the waves. Ships pull out of the harbor, seagulls swarm above them in the sky.

"If there's a portal to Arendelle…it means people could visit at any time."

"Yes, Kristoff and David are already planning when to have one."

But Elsa isn't thinking about the guys.

If the portal can go back and forth between Arendelle and Storybrooke, she has an easy connection to her family. It doesn't change that she has responsibilities to attend to, a kingdom that's waiting for her.

"Anna," Elsa says. "Do you think Mother and Father ever really wanted me to be Queen?"

"Why would you ask that? Of course they did."

"They put me in a room for most of my life, locked me away."

"Mother felt bad about that."

"Right but did she trust me? Did Father?" Elsa sighs. "Did I even want to be Queen?"

"What are you saying, Elsa?"

"I became Queen because it was expected of me," Elsa says. "Because I wanted to do "one right thing" for our parents. But I never liked doing it. It never felt like something I was supposed to do."

Anna frowns. "You're saying you don't want to be Queen."

"I'm saying…I don't know. I'm saying that I don't think I'm the ruler Arendelle needs."

"So, who will be?"

"Well, you're next in line."

Anna raises an eyebrow.

"Elsa, are you sure?"

"I just think you are the ruler that Mother and Father pictured," Elsa says. "You're responsible, tough, kind and fair. Anna, without you, we wouldn't know how to defeat Aunt Ingrid."

A small smile creeps on Anna's lips. "But you are all of those things too."

"A strong leader doesn't always have to be a Queen." She thinks of all the strong women she has met since she's arrived in Storybrooke.

"Are you sure this is what you really want?"

Elsa lets out a deep breath. "Yes, I'm very sure." She takes hold of her sister's hand. "We'll always be sisters. Even if you're the Queen and I'm not. Even if you're in Arendelle…and I'm here."

Anna tilts her head, her big green eyes filling with confusion. Then she slowly nods.

"Emma," she whispers.

"I may return to Arendelle one day. Who knows? But for now…I need to see what this is."

Elsa is taken off guard when Anna throws her arms around her. She returns the hug, tightening it.

"You deserve to be happy, Elsa," Anna whispers. "And I can't wait to see how this turns out for you."

Elsa enters the loft, smiling and waving at Snow and David. She heads up the steps to Emma's room. Emma is sprawled across her bed with a magazine, flipping through the pages. Elsa clears her throat, causing Emma to look up and smile.

"Hey," Emma says.

"Hi."

"Did you have a nice day with Anna?"

"We did. We went to the beach, then got a bite to eat. She and Kristoff are meeting up with Regina. I went to talk with Belle."

"Belle? About what?"

"I wanted to see if she needed extra help at the library, turns out she does. And she offered me the loft above it as part of my check."

Emma got off the bed.

"Elsa…you don't have to…"

"I know I don't. And for all I know, this may not work out, but if not, I can go back home." She takes a step forward. "However, if I don't try, I'll never know."

A tear falls down Emma's face and Elsa cradles her face, softly kissing her.

#frozen swan #emma swan #queen elsa #princess anna #ouat #once upon a time #loboselinaistrash #asked and answered

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