#For those keeping track why yes that is more than half of the game gear's sonic library

[colorsisgoodactually]

My favorite genre of Sonic fangame is: "Remake of a portable Sonic title that takes the base idea and spirit and makes something WILDLY different that gives the game a whole new lease on life."

[redorich]

We Didn’t Start the Fire (part 4)

ao3 link

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 5

Wilbur receives some shocking news, and calls in the cavalry.

Wilbur pulled his phone from his front pocket. The other three men present in the clearing were taking care of the traumatized young man as best they could, and though Wilbur felt it was remiss of him to not join them, he knew this call was more important.

“Hello?” Grian picked up the phone.

“Hi, Grian…” Wilbur didn't know where to begin. He and Grian hadn't known each other for most of their lives, and when they found out they were half-brothers… They were glad to have found each other, but Wilbur didn't want to live in the shadow of his older brother. Thus, their relation was kept a secret, though both were quick to emphasize that they were most certainly not ashamed of the other. It was easier, that way. Almost like being an only child again.

“Wil, are you alright?” The frown in Grian's voice was evident even through the distortion of a long-distance call.

“We found out what happened to Tommy and Tubbo.”

“That's great, then!” Grian said. “But you don't sound happy about it.”

Wilbur looked over his shoulder as though someone were spying on him. He fervently whispered, “It was a Watcher.”

The line crackled with static. “I see,” said Grian stonily.

“Please, I need your help,” Wilbur begged. “I know you left that behind you, but you're the only person I know who can help.”

“For a child, Wil, you don't even have to ask.”

Before Wilbur could so much as thank his brother, Grian hung up. Wilbur couldn’t decide if that was a good or bad thing-- he didn’t know what to say anyway. He watched as an exhausted Tommy leaned into the side of a very stiff, awkward-looking Techno. Dream and Sapnap had taken to playing some sort of violent pattycake game in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I hope you know what you're doing, Grian.

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

Techno squinted at the sunset. The group from the clearing had moved to spawn, to better accommodate whatever drama was going on. Techno wasn’t entirely sure, to be honest, but both Dream and Wilbur were hiding something-- that much he was sure of. Whatever. They were both morons, so he’d find out eventually whatever the hell it was they were trying to keep secret.

Hm. Something about the sunset was off. The longer he spent analysing it (because, like all intelligent individuals, Techno’s hobbies included staring at the sun) the more apparent it became.

“Dream,” he said, “is it supposed to rain soon?”

“No, why?”

“‘Cause there’s a giant miasma of death and despair on the horizon,” Techno deadpanned. “Actually, it seems to be approaching rapidly. Yay.”

Dream blanched-- not that Techno could see it, of course. At least, not on his face, covered as it was. It was in the defensive raising of his shoulders, the half-step back he took, the minute fumbling for a weapon he didn’t have. While the black cloud of unrestrained summer fun drew closer, Dream seemed to be debating with himself internally.

“Techno,” he finally said, “protect my body.”

With that, Dream promptly passed the fuck out, leaving Techno to catch his body. Right as the Watcher (he presumed) made it to spawn, another Watcher materialized with enough force to create a minor earthquake. 

Looking up at the second Watcher directly above him, then down at Dream’s unconscious body in his arms, Techno muttered to himself. “What is it the guy says on Danny Phantom? He’s going ghost?”

Dream-Watcher shrieked at not-Dream-Watcher. The other watcher shrieked back, and Wilbur's return went almost unnoticed. He was panting, hands on knees. He was too far away to tell for sure, but Techno was near certain that Wilbur had sprinted all the way from wherever it was he'd been. Who in their right mind would sprint toward a Watcher without a reason-- ah.

“Grian, no!” Wilbur shouted. Ah, so the not-Dream-Watcher was Grian. Good to know. Techno hadn’t seen the guy since the last MCC.

“Mine,” Dream-Watcher hissed.

“Mine,” Grian-Watcher replied, pointing a weird shadow-tentacle-thing at Wilbur. Techno's eyes narrowed. Where had he seen that before..?

Dream-Watcher lashed out with a pointy appendage. The sheer force of it tore entire branches from nearby trees. Quackity was running around like a chicken missing its head, Nikki was clutching to the side of a hill for dear life, Wilbur was Panicking, et cetera. Grian-Watcher was gearing up to do some sort of attack which would obviously be noisy and cause lots of property damage. It was at this point Techno realized, hey, I’m the only one who’s figured out that these dumbasses are OUR dumbasses. He stood up to clarify the situation, ready to shout over the noise that these Watchers were known allies and friends, when he remembered with a gasp exactly where he had seen Grian-Watcher’s shadow-tentacle-thing. “Hentai!” he shouted.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, staring at Techno.

“N-now that I’ve got your attention,” he continued, hoping his red cheeks didn’t betray the fact that he hadn’t meant to say that, “the Watcher guy to the west is Dream, and the Watcher guy to the east is Grian. If you could please not destroy the server fighting the guy who is on your side, I think we’d all appreciate it.”

Right before their very eyes, everyone watched in disbelief as the bigger Watcher shrank, coalescing into the friendly builder they all recognized. It was impossible to tell Dream-Watcher’s expression, being a gigantic cloud made of void, but Techno imagined that the weird chuffing noise Dream-Watcher made was indicative of some sort of moue of distaste. His entire semi-corporeal mass flew straight at Techno at mach speed, so Techno dumped Dream’s body on the ground like a sack of potatoes (except no, Techno treated his potatoes far nicer than that.)

Dream groaned, sitting up. “Did you seriously just yeet my body into the dirt?!”

“Did you seriously just yeet your body into my arms?”

Grian walked over, intercepting Dream and offering him a hand up off the ground. Warily, Dream took it. 

“If you’re here to help us,” Dream said, “why the fuck did you show up as a Watcher?”

Grian suddenly found his shoes very interesting. The tips of his ears were red. “Well… it’s faster, for one. Jumping from Hermitcraft to the MCC as a human is difficult enough, I don’t even want to think about how long it would have taken to get here. As a Watcher, I can jump straight to my territory, fly through some void, and make it here through some bedrock. I took off as soon as I got Wilbur’s call--” Grian gasped. “Oh no, did I leave Mumbo’s iron farm on?!”

“...Right,” said Techno, who understood some of those words. “Anyway, how are we going to get Tubbo back? That’s the important part.”

“Can you fix Tommy?” Dream demanded.

Grian took a step back. “I'll see what I can do for Tommy. If it's what I think it is, we'll need Tubbo along. Which brings me to my next point…”

“We're attacking an unknown Watcher in its own territory, aren't we?” Techno asked.

Grian smiled humorlessly. It had too many teeth. “Why yes,” he said. “Yes we are.”

[lizwontcry]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Breaking Bad Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jesse Pinkman/Walter White Characters: Jesse Pinkman, Walter White Additional Tags: I hope y'all like kissing Summary:

A small, quiet conversation that turns into more. AU take on the scene from 5x6, Buyout.

Jesse lets go of Walt’s hand and Walt questions why he immediately feels so intensely disappointed, but Jesse doesn’t alter his gaze off Walt’s face. Instead, he gently removes Walt’s glasses and puts them on the coffee table. Walt is so moved by this seemingly innocuous gesture that it renders him speechless. And apparently Jesse has decided they don’t need words, anyway.

____

He's losing him. Walt is losing Jesse and it's making him feel the worst kind of helpless. Ever since he took down Gus, their partnership--hell, their relationship--has been thriving, and now he feels like he has to think quick to get them back on track. Ha, back on track--ironic since they almost got away with robbing the train of its methylamine, and then...

He can't lose Jesse. Not now.

Walt reaches out and puts his hand on Jesse's shoulder. It's a little damp from sweating under their cumbersome, restrictive protective gear. The occupational hazards of cooking meth, Walt supposes. They were just taking a lunch break in another random stranger’s house when Jesse stumbled upon a news story about the kid in the desert.

Jesse is, understandably, still unhinged about Drew Sharp. Walt gives a half-hearted speech about “running the business their way” and soul-searching after they’ve made all their money, but he knows he's not getting through to Jesse. It's so frustrating to feel like Jesse is slipping further and further away from him when Jesse is the only person who remains faithful and loyal. The only person he can truly trust.

"Listen, why don't I finish this up? Why don't you... why don't you go on home, hmm?" Walt says. Maybe if Jesse had more time to himself, some peace and quiet, he'll calm down. Walt’s starting to see that’s not likely, however. He may not ever be the same. Walt is almost certain he at least used to possess as much empathy as Jesse has, but he can’t actually remember a time when he did. It’s sort of disconcerting.

“You sure?” Jesse asks.

“Absolutely,” Walt says. “Yeah. I’ll take care of this.” He claps Jesse one more time on the shoulder and gets up to go back into the tent. But Jesse grabs his hand and causes Walt to abruptly turn around. Walt is a little shocked by this gesture--Jesse rarely touches him; in fact it seems like he goes out of his way not to most of the time.

“Mr. White… I can’t go home--what's the point? I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I want to find Todd and I want to--ugh, I want to strangle that piece of shit!”

“I know. I know you do, and I've told you over and over again--we will deal with Todd."

"Oh, yeah? How is that? How are we going to deal with this nazi asshole who just shot a kid right in front of us? We have to talk to Drew Sharp’s parents, Mr. White. We have to do something."

"Saul is going to handle all of that, don't worry. That's why we pay him, Jesse. To deal with things like this. And Todd is not going to go unpunished. I promise you."

Jesse does not look convinced. Walt gets it--Jesse has a certain affinity for children; he can relate to their innocent young souls, or something. Walt is not made of stone--he mourns the senseless death of the kid, too, but he's become numb. It's just easier to be numb than to think about all the carnage that has fallen around him. Because of him, some might say. Walt disagrees, but that's another subject entirely.

Perhaps giving in to Walt's attempt at compassion, Jesse sinks into the couch next to him. Walt pats Jesse on the shoulder again; Jesse looks up at him, a somber expression on his face. His eyes are wet with silent tears.

"I just... don't know how we're going to move on from this," Jesse says softly.

"I know, but I will handle it. Come on, don't you trust me?" Walt asks.

Jesse shakes his head. "I don't know, Mr. White. I want to. But it just keeps happening, yo. Everywhere we go, someone dies. I can’t… I can’t do it. I can't keep doing this.”

Walt’s heart sinks a little. Again, he wishes he had the gift of comfort, but he’s never been very good at that. So instead he sits down with Jesse and awkwardly puts his arm around him. To his surprise, Jesse sighs and puts his head on his shoulder. Again, Jesse rarely shows any signs of physical affection towards him, but Walt isn't going to deny him of it. Jesse seems to need it now more than ever. The weight of Jesse’s head on his chest, his steady breathing, the warmth of his body… Walt feels like his heart is beating a little faster now. He tries not to think about that too much.

"Jesse... listen to me," Walt says in a low, controlled voice. “We've been through a lot together this past year, haven't we? And with everything that happens, I've managed to keep us moving forward."

"Yeah... I guess," Jesse says, sniffing a little.

"We got out of the Tuco situation, remember? My plan worked."

"Yeah, but you kinda got us into that one, too," Jesse points out. "I know you went all Rambo or whatever on him when I was in the hospital, but still... you got us mixed up with him in the first place."

Walt nods; he'd concede Jesse the point. "Okay, well, how about killing those dealers before they could kill you first?"

"Yeah, but I pretty much repaid you for that one, yo," Jesse says. He squeezed Walt's hand for emphasis. "Don't you think?"

Walt nods, and sort of feels bad for making Jesse think about Gale yet again.

"Yes, you did. Of course you did, Jesse. And I can never thank you enough for that.”

Walt is quiet for a moment. He doesn't want to lose this momentum they've been building up together, so he continues. "The point is... you can trust me. Saul will deal with the boy's parents and Mike will figure out what to do with Todd. We can overcome this. And I want you by my side when we do--I can't do this without you."

Jesse chuckles. "That's bullshit. You can get any asshole off the street and teach him what you've taught me. No big deal."

"That's not true. And even if it were, I wouldn't want to. It's you and me, Jesse. It's always been you and me."

Jesse looks at him again, his glistening blue eyes shining in the harsh light of the living room. Walt knows firsthand how much Jesse can get away with, with those eyes of his. How charming he can be when he really wants to. Walt admires the ease of Jesse's good looks.

“One more thing… one more reason to trust me--I got you into rehab, Jesse. I found you in that disgusting hellhole you were in and I picked you up and I brought you out of there. But first I held you in my arms, remember? I held you while you cried. And I made sure you would be okay. Doesn't that mean anything?" He's not trying to lay it on so thick, but Walt is getting a little emotional just thinking about it. The way Jesse clung to him that day, never wanting to let go. Walt's shirt was drenched in Jesse's anguished tears by the time he finally got him out of that godforsaken house.

"Yeah... I remember," Jesse says. He finds Walt's hand again and lightly intertwines their fingers together. Walt wonders where this is coming from, but he doesn’t want it to stop. In fact, just like everything else in his life lately, he needs more.

"I don't know what would have happened if you didn't take me out of there, yo. Honestly, I don’t even know how I ended up there in the first place. It’s all a blur."

“Well, that’s all over now. You’re safe, and I will always do my best to make sure you stay that way. That’s all I want, Jesse. That’s all I want you to know.”

“I get it,” Jesse says, but there’s no hint of the usual annoyance in his voice. Instead his voice is calm and unwavering.

Jesse lets go of Walt’s hand and Walt questions why he immediately feels so intensely disappointed, but Jesse doesn’t alter his gaze off Walt’s face. Instead, he gently removes Walt’s glasses and puts them on the coffee table. Walt is so moved by this seemingly innocuous gesture that it renders him speechless. And apparently Jesse has decided they don’t need words, anyway.

As Jesse leans in, Walt grabs his neck--maybe a little more forcefully than necessary, but god, in the moment in between Jesse looking at him and then meeting his lips, Walt decides he needs this. He needs Jesse, and more than that, he wants Jesse.

Jesse groans a little as Walt crashes into his lips. It’s as though if Walt doesn’t immediately claim Jesse as his own, this will all come to an abrupt end. And Walt can’t have that.

After a moment of desperate kissing, Jesse roughly pushes Walt back. “Jesus, Mr. White, you kiss like a fuckin’ bull in a china shop. Slow down, yo. I’m not… I’m not going anywhere.” He sounds so vulnerable (albeit somewhat annoyed), and Walt is finding himself captivated by this kid he’s taught so much. It makes him feel... defenseless. Exposed. He’s so used to feeling the exact opposite towards Jesse that this is really throwing him off his game. But Walt kind of enjoys the sense of being out of control for once. Especially with Jesse.

“Show me,” Walt says softly, almost in a whisper. “Teach me.”

Walt can’t prove it but he swears Jesse’s eyes get even bluer as he leans in again and places a gentle kiss on Walt’s lips. He moves even closer to him, nearly in his lap, and the tenderness of Jesse’s delicate kisses makes Walt weak in his already bad knees. If he wasn’t sitting down, he’d probably be falling to the ground right about now. And although they both probably smell like the chemicals they're using to cook, Walt can't help but appreciate Jesse’s natural scent as the kissing intensifies. Somehow the smell of tobacco on Jesse’s breath and the taste of saltiness from the chips he ate for lunch is only turning Walt on more.

“Come here,” Walt murmurs. “Come closer.” As always, Jesse obeys. He faces Walt on his lap, straddling him, his knees buried in the couch. He wraps his arms around Walt’s neck as he kisses him even more fiercely, while still keeping it soft and steady. Walt takes Jesse's lead, melting into the kisses, not being aggressive or rough; just enjoying how Jesse can't seem to get enough of him.

Walt moans as Jesse’s tongue finds his own. He moves his hand under Jesse’s thin black t-shirt and strokes his back as their lips continue to meet, over and over again, almost uncompromisingly. His back is so warm, and Walt can’t help but sink his fingertips into Jesse’s lean muscles, slightly scraping his skin with his nails. Jesse gasps and stops kissing Walt for just a moment, and Walt gets another look into those moody ocean eyes.

“Mr. White…” Jesse whispers, and Walt gets it. They should stop doing this. They never should have started in the first place. Why are they even doing it? To distract themselves? There's a million other ways to accomplish that, none that involve sticking their tongues in each other's mouths. This way does seem to be the most effective for the time being, though.

“I know, Jesse. It’s okay. I want this, too."

This seems to be what Jesse needs to hear, because his lips make their way back to Walt’s. Walt bites Jesse’s lip just slightly. Jesse groans a little.

"Sorry... you just taste so good," Walt says into Jesse's ear. He licks Jesse's earlobe and enjoys how Jesse trembles under the tender touch of Walt's tongue.

When Walt returns to his waiting lips, Jesse makes this humming noise that goes straight to Walt’s groin. He moves his hands down to Jesse’s hips; his pants seem to fit him better these days but Walt is still able to run his fingertips over the tender curves of his hip bones. Jesse gasps into Walt’s mouth. Walt’s heart is positively racing now and all he wants to do is lay Jesse down and explore every inch of his slight, diminutive body.

Walt loses track of time as they keep coming together. All he knows now is Jesse's lips, his tongue searching his mouth, his fingertips brushing Walt's neck, his shoulders, his collarbone.

Jesse finally pulls away, which is probably a smart idea because Walt’s about to consume him whole if they don’t stop soon.

They both try to calm down and steady their ragged breaths before either of them figure out something to say. Or if they even need to say anything at all.

Jesse manages to speak first. “I think I’ll go ahead and take off, man. Um… Look. I’ll be at home. For the night. If like… you want to stop by or whatever.” Jesse is so cute when he can’t even meet Walt’s eyes.

“Good,” Walt says, nodding. “I might just take you up on that.” Might? Walt has never looked forward to anything so much in his entire 51 years. He can just imagine pulling up to Jesse’s house, finding his way to his bedroom, slowly undressing him… but he’s getting ahead of himself. Maybe steady heads will prevail by then; maybe either or both of them will have come to their senses. But from the way Jesse’s gazing at him now--and the heat coming from Jesse’s jeans that grew stiff while he was on top of Walt--he knows that’s probably not a possibility. He hopes it’s not a possibility.

“Yo, that’s cool. See you later. Oh, and thanks for finishing up here,” Jesse says. Walt just nods, and watches as Jesse gets his things, takes one last look at Walt, and hesitantly leaves the house, closing the door behind him.

Walt can’t help but whistle as he finishes the cook.

[crystalninjaphoenix]

MerMay 2021 Day Thirty-One Reunion

“This is no fun, we always tie,” Muirin said, brushing sand and erasing the game of tic-tac-toe they’d been playing.

“Well what do you want to do instead?” Sereia asked. “I need to do something, I can’t just sit here and keep worrying.”

Muirin shrugged. The two of them looked around. When Stacy and Chase had gone off on their scouting/possible rescue mission, the kids had been told to stay behind and wait, with the others looking after them. And now they were all sitting on the ocean floor. Or at least most of them were. Jackie kept swimming back and forth, pacing the waters as he tended to do when anxious about something. The other three—Marvin, Jameson, and Schneep—were sitting nearby, also playing a game drawn in the sand. It wasn’t familiar to the two kids, but it involved moving around pebbles. “We could teach some of them to play,” Muirin suggested.

“Oh, yeah, that could work. They’d probably suck at it and one of us would actually win,” Sereia joked. She pushed away from the ocean floor and upward into the water. “Let’s—”

Jackie suddenly shouted. “Something’s happening up there!” He swam up towards the surface, but before he could even make it, there was a big splash, and a flurry of bubbles as something big fell into the water. The kids gasped, and the three merms playing the game jumped to attention. Jackie didn’t wait for the bubbles to clear and dove right in. The others heard him scream in excitement. And when the bubbles cleared, Jackie had Chase and Jack in a big hug.

“Jack!” Marvin shouted.

“My friends!” Schneep gasped.

Both of you?! Jameson signed, stunned.

“Dad!” The kids cried out in unison.

And everyone swam forward, joining Jackie in hugging the other two. Excited voices overlapped each other so that nobody could make out any words. But it didn’t matter. The relief and happiness were almost physical presences as everyone laughed and chattered. Chase gave his kids each a tight squeeze, and Jack looked around, confused but overjoyed. It was a good few minutes before everyone pulled away.

“How are you awake?” Schneep asked, looking Jack over for any injuries. “Did Chase do it?”

“Did he wake me up? Uh, no, I just kinda...woke up. Apparently. I mean, I don’t remember falling asleep, really,” Jack explained. “Something happened, though, right? I can figure out that much.”

“Oh yeah, a lot of things happened, but right now, I—oh my gods, you’re okay!” Jackie couldn’t resist giving Jack another quick hug. “It’s a fucking miracle! We were so, so worried.”

You’re alright, right? Jameson asked. What happened after you woke up?

“Well, I was in this weird place with a bunch of humans, and at first, it was like they were kind of watching me, you know? In this small tank,” Jack explained. “But then they moved me to a bigger one, and there was another merm there—do you remember that electric eel? I mean, Jackie does, he scratched him up, but—why are you all looking at me like that?” The other four were staring at him, equally wide-eyed in a strange combination of surprise, fear, and a bit of anger.

Marvin was the first to look away, turning his attention to the ocean floor. “Hey!” he shouted, swimming downwards.

It turned out that the large thing that fell in the water was a glass tank. Now it was upside down on the sandy floor, and Anti was half-pinned underneath it, the glass wall coming down on his tail. He was trying to wriggle out from under it, but froze when he heard Marvin shout and saw him approaching. After a few seconds, he growled at him. But Marvin wasn’t paying attention to him. He darted around the tank and picked up a reddish stone sphere that had landed nearby. Then he immediately retreated.

Jack glanced around, taking in the way everyone was tense, looking at Anti with caution in their eyes. Chase had positioned himself in front of Muirin and Sereia protectively. “Um...” He wasn’t really sure what to say, other than reiterating that he didn’t know what was going on.

Anti managed to pull himself out from under the glass tank, but didn’t move afterwards. He looked at the others, huddled in a group, then looked up towards the surface, and then out towards the open sea, and finally back at the others.

“Are you...okay?” Jack asked.

And Anti nodded slowly.

“Jack...do you not remember anything?” Schneep whispered.

“What? I mean, I don’t remember a lot. But you know what? I can figure out that you guys don’t like him, for some reason,” Jack waved in Anti’s direction. “I mean, I know he attacked Jackie and me, but—”

“Oh, Mr. Jack, there’s a lot more,” Sereia piped up. Chase looked back at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s, uh...a bad guy, basically.”

“Do you know what this is?” Marvin asked, holding up the reddish stone.

“One of your power stones?” Jack guessed, shrugging. 

“I...okay, kind of? But no?” Marvin looked over at Jameson for help.

It’s a siren stone, Jameson explained. If a merm has siren blood, it lets them control others through the power of their voice. He paused. Anti used it on you. That’s why you fell asleep.

“Really?” Jack looked back over at Anti. Jackie and Schneep had broken off from the rest of the group, and now Jackie was circling above Anti while Schneep hesitantly looked him over for injuries. “I, uh...don’t remember that. I...really?”

“And he did a lot of messed up stuff after that,” Chase said. Jack was surprised to hear a bit of anger in his voice. “I...we don’t have time to tell the whole story right now. But trust me on this.”

“Uh...okay.” Jack couldn’t quite believe this. Yes, he remembered Anti attacking him, and Jackie telling him that the eel had done the same to him. But...for all his aggressiveness, Jack couldn’t picture Anti doing that. Anti hadn’t seemed hostile towards him while they were both in tanks in that human facility, just towards the humans who showed up. And even then, he’d dropped it the moment the humans left, returning to being...quiet, really. And more than a little scared. “I mean...you guys wouldn’t lie about that, I guess.”

The others relaxed a bit. “It’s good to have you back, Jack,” Marvin said, smiling.

“Hey, it’s good to be back. Those were a strange few days.”

Nothing happened to you? Jameson asked, clearly worried. The humans didn’t do anything?

“Not really. They just kinda watched me.”

Meanwhile, Schneep was backing away from Anti, apparently having found no injuries. Though he still looked a bit worried. Jackie let out a breath of relief, and moved downward, reaching towards Anti. The moment his hand touched Anti’s shoulder, there was an audible ZAP! accompanied by a lot of green-tinted electricity. Anti jumped, scrambling backwards across the sand, and for a moment, he looked utterly terrified. Then he bolted.

“Hey!” Schneep shouted. But as Anti got farther away, he sighed, and didn’t pursue him. Instead, he made sure Jackie was alright, who looked very dazed after that electric shock.

“Uh...should we do something about that?” Chase asked, worried.

I think it’s fine, for now, Jameson said, though he also looked anxious. We should focus on more important things. Jack’s missed a lot.

Marvin suddenly gasped. He rushed over and grabbed Jack’s hand. “Jack! Jack, Jamie and I are gonna be life friends!”

“What? Seriously?! Oh my gods, congratulations!” Jack laughed. “Can I say that I knew it would happen all along, even if I didn’t?”

There was another splash in the water, a smaller one. This time, the bubbles cleared, and revealed Stacy, wearing a wetsuit, goggles, and scuba gear. The kids shouted and rushed over, Chase following shortly after. “Everything good?” he asked.

Stacy gave him a thumbs-up.

And Chase sighed in relief. “Ha. Roxy’s gonna be so mad about you rolling the tank into the ocean.”

Stacy shrugged—as if to say “eh, it doesn’t matter”—and turned her attention to the kids, who were swimming all over her. Sereia kept trying to get a piggyback, but was foiled by the fact that she currently had a tail instead of legs. That made Chase laugh.

Jack swam over to him. “Soooo...are you guys officially partners again?”

Chase blushed. “Well, I—” And Stacy nodded. That only made him blush more.

“God, I really missed a lot, didn’t I?”

“You sure did!” Jackie swam back over. It appears he wasn’t too hurt by that electric shock, though Schneep was following him closely, trying to keep checking him. “Gods, I mean, everything happened. Schneep had a neighbor for a bit there.”

Schneep huffed. “She was quite rude about it, at first. But, ah...things were better. She made Jackie’s new shirt.”

“Okay okay,” Jack laughed. “Why don’t we talk about this now? I get a feeling it’ll take a while.”

The group settled down. Eventually Stacy and the kids had to get out of the water, but Sereia and Muirin insisted on sticking around. The merms took turns filling Jack in on everything that had happened while he was asleep, good and bad, major and minor. They told him that Sam was alright, which was a relief. And they told him what Anti had done, which was a surprise. It took a while, with everyone jumping in and interrupting each other and getting off track. By the time they were caught up to present day and the rescue, the sun was starting to set, and Stacy and the kids definitely had to leave. She had to return the van to the Institute of Marine Biology, after all. And they had to start packing, because tomorrow would be the last day they’d rented the beach house for.

The merms could have gone their separate ways then and there. But, now that all of them were together again, they really didn’t want to. They kept talking, well into the night, about things that didn’t really matter but that felt important to them. And eventually, right there, a few miles off the coast, they all fell asleep together. It was a bit awkward at first, finding the right position, but in their sleep, they all huddled closer together, until they were piled up. Chase and Jack were at the bottom, next to each other, Schneep wrapped around them, Jackie spread out on top, and Jameson and Marvin together, a bit to the side. It was warm, peaceful, and all of them fell asleep, completely content.

None of them knew that a few hours later, in the dead of night, a pair of glowing green eyes would return, staring at them. Anti watched for a while, shocked that they’d fall asleep out in the open, where anyone or anything could attack at any moment. Including him. For a moment, he was tempted. They wouldn’t bother him again. He’d never worry about them killing him ever again. But...would they actually do that? He was surprised to find that he thought they wouldn’t. And...it was...cruel, to attack something that was no risk to you. Wasn’t it? Hadn’t he known that for years? So...why was he considering it?

Shaking his head, Anti slowly backed up, then turned and left. Where he was going, he wasn’t sure. He never was, really. Maybe he’d find these merms again. Maybe they’d find him. Only time would tell. As Anti headed out into the open sea, he turned to look back towards the six one last time, then disappeared.

[tricked-out]

Early Morning in the Skellington Manor: Anthology #1

Here's the first of the Anthology chapters! Who's ready for more Tricked Out content? [Read it on ff HERE]

Halloween Town

Mid-January, 1993

Just after sunrise

Ivy blinked awake, confusing creeping across her features at the dimmed daylight outside. She listened for a moment, wondering if the Tailypo had decided to have another fight with the Monster Under the Bed, but only silence met her ears. She groaned and flopped onto her stomach, pulling the lumpy pillow over her head in the futile attempt to fall back asleep, but the slow insistence that something something something was wrong refused to stop tapping away in the back of her mind, growing steadily stronger the longer she stayed awake. After a few more fitful, denial-filled moments, she grit her teeth and rolled out of bed, shoving her shoes on and scrubbing her face. Yawning she let the strange tug in her stomach pull her from bed, cracking open the door into the stillness of the Manor.

It wasn’t completely strange to have the Manor be still - contrary to what Citizens may think, Jack did have his quiet spells, hours (days, really) where he directed his energy towards a project, eventually emerging with a sheepish apology and an offer of attention or food - which did make her feel more like a pet, but oh well.

The point, however, was that even in his focused bursts, it was never fully silent: clinking, mumbling, endless pacing and sometimes small, “harmless, really!” explosions.

But tonight (today?) there was none of that. The clock she couldn’t read didn’t tick, so Ivy’s footfalls felt louder than ever. The wood creaked beneath her feet and she fought the urge to hold her breath, watching the beams of early morning sun filter through the dusty windows. She tilted her head, trying to listen the way Jack and the other monsters did, but eventually gave up, rolling her eyes as she headed towards the place he was most likely hiding - that musty study of his.

She shouldered the large door open, peering into the pitch darkness. The air was stale and silent as the tomb, and Ivy hated how her heartbeat picked up.

Jack was there, sitting at his desk, a single candle illuminating the soft bone of his face, even as it sucked out every other light source in the room. His stitched lips were moving, but Ivy couldn’t hear the words, no matter how she strained. His brow was crinkled and his hands were clenched, but most worryingly of all he didn’t move at all when she entered, no twitch of his body betraying that he knew she was there.

All the while, his sockets were fixed on the great black book that was splayed out before him - nearly half his height and wide as the surface of the desk itself, hundreds of fresh and fading names scrawled within. Ivy had only seen the Book of Records once before, and it sent a familiar chill up her spine.

“Jack?” She asked softly, feeling that dark tug in her stomach grow when the skeleton still didn’t move. “Jack?”

……………………………………………………………

Jack’s bones and skull ached. He’d started the morning off so well, too - a game of fetch with Zero outside, fixing a door upstairs that hadn’t been creaking enough, and even a start on some paperwork for the Mayor, all with the soothing sound of Ivy’s heartbeat in at the edge of his awareness. But he’d just had to go to the Book, to flip through the yellowed pages, to see Sally’s name freshly inked in her graceful script, declaring her to be a full Citizen of the Town. He’d let one finger trace the edges of her name, imagining her cloth-soft fingers brushing over the same spot and stubbornly refusing to admit why he wanted to imagine it. But it had all crashed down when he’d noticed a name of the opposite page - one that had been clear, if old, just a few weeks prior and now all but fully faded away. He’d stared, frozen, at the nearly-faded name, almost illegible to the naked eye. How had he not noticed a Citizen was fading to their Second Grave? When had this happened?

How many others?

Then had begun the spiral that he knew all too well - reading over the names of the past, from years before his own arrival in Halloween, desperately trying to keep the names of those that had passed on remembered somehow.

“You’ve forgotten us, Jack,” came a raspy whisper and Jack shuddered, twisting his skull as though to shake it loose.

“No. N - no, I haven’t, I swear -”

He whispered the dead names frantically, the sense of weight and responsibility causing his shoulders to quake. How was he supposed to fulfill his duties when monsters through the ages were dying off? When he was the only one who knew the names of whatever parts of them still existed? When -

Something pulsed at the edge of his awareness, some insistent sound, tiny and hesitant like a mosquito. Jack brushed it aside, dimly noticing that his aura had gotten larger than usual, but he didn’t allow it to break him from his recital. Sockets tracking across the page, lips moving silently, as he tried to ignore the fact that if he were living his breath would be coming quick and short.

The mosquito grew louder, more insistent, and bashed at the edge of his aura. Mind in the past, Jack pulled in his awareness (when had it gotten so large?) and turned his skull towards the intruder, skull creaking and black aura flaring behind him in warning. He knew that the black of his eyes matched the darkness of the room around him, but the familiar sight of human skin and wide eyes stopped him from flinging the intruder across the room.

“Jack?” The human asked, high-pitched and hesitant. Her own miniscule colors had shrunk down unconsciously, aware of the threat Jack gave off. The cobwebs began to recede from his brain, some of the whispers of the past dying down, and the memories of the now trickling in. The name of the human before him fell into place, and he forced himself to unhinge his jaw and answer.

“Ivy.” He knew his voice was raspy and low, and even to him it sounded as though he were speaking from a great distance. “Are… are you alright?”

Ivy stifled a snort of disbelief, and the familiarity of the gesture did more to ground Jack than the feeling of his desk bending beneath his fingers. “I think I should be asking you that,” she retorted, slowly edging her way fully into the room, though keeping her back to the wall in a way she clearly thought was subtle. “What are you doing?”

He glanced at the Book and shuddered, slamming it shut as though to muffle the voices of the dead within, wincing a bit at how Ivy flinched at the noise. He’d worked so hard to not give her a reason to fear him, and now … a wave of exhaustion hit him and he leaned into his hands, kneading the joints of his metacarpals into his sockets. “It’s … it’s nothing, Ivy.”

“Sure doesn’t look like -”

“Go back to bed.” He knew it was curt, but his jaw was growing tense again and he thought he may need a wrench to loosen his bones enough to move. He heard Ivy cross her arms rather than leave and sighed, knowing he didn’t have the energy to fight with her.

“I’m not gonna let you sulk here in the dark - “

“I am not sulking!” Jack’s head swung up, sockets blazing, and both flinched at the volume of his shout. The spark of her fear he tasted in the air was enough to smother his next wave of anger, but he knew it wouldn’t be the same with Ivy. Jack saw the fire kindle in her eyes, the way her fists clenched, and felt his bones tense in preparation for the storm.

But then Ivy paused, her eyes flickering down to the Book, and Jack heard her take a deep breath. He allowed himself to close his sockets once more, knowing he should apologize but unable to bring himself to speak.

He heard her move closer, her footsteps humanly loud and quiet breath disturbing the stillness of life. It was strange, he passingly mused, to have such a strong presence of life in a room so filled with death.

He thought back to the names, the monsters who’d left to their Second Graves, and wished he had the ability to cry.

“Jack, what’s wrong?” It was the softest voice he’d ever heard her use, but he couldn’t bring himself to answer. His shoulders hiked, his hands clenched even tighter, and he shook his head, cutting off her next words of, “Jack, it’s ok, you can tell …”

No, he couldn’t. Because what would he do if her name was added to the Book one day, only to fade away as she herself did?

There was a long moment, in the stillness of his study, and if Jack bothered to try, he thought he might have heard the sounds of gears turning in Ivy’s head. As it was, he allowed the darkness in his ribs to seep upwards, drag his body and mind down until nothing seemed to matter but the pain in his joints, or the tug where his heart once was.

It was a surprise, then, to feel a warm human hand slipping under his arm. It was only centuries of self-control (and, yes, perhaps exhaustion) that prevented him from tossing the 16 year old across the room as she applied pressure under his arm, lifting him out of his seat.

“Knew you’d be light, Bone Boy,” she muttered, and Jack heard the words as though they might apply to another. He fancied viewing himself from outside his body, escaping the confines of his overly-large form. He thought it might be a funny sight - a skeleton, over 8 feet tall, folded against a deceptively strong human girl in Halloween clothing, her hair still sticking up from sleep. He saw, rather than felt, his feet drag across the floor as Ivy pulled them out of the study. She was saying something, he knew, but no matter how he tried he couldn’t focus on the words. She seemed to notice, switching to her mother tongue, and Jack almost felt the flicker of a grin at the teasing affection behind her words.

They came to a familiar ebony wood door and Jack could feel some hesitancy in his companion before she lifted once foot and turned the handle, gently kicking the door open. He heard her laugh at something, then felt himself being tipped sideways and onto the soft surface of his bed. He half-heartedly tried to sit up, only for Ivy to strike him in the center of the chest, sending him backwards with an “oof!”

“Don’t even think about it,” she said, in English once more. “I’ll tell Null to howl if you try to get up before sundown.”

Zero? Sure enough, the ghost dog was floating over Ivy’s shoulder, casting the side of her face in a white glow. In intense focus, she scratched under his chin, which resulted in the dog flopping over dramatically and drifting down to rest his head on Jack’s ankle, trapping him in place.

“Seriously, when was the last time you slept?”

Words … those were still difficult, getting his jaw and mind to corporate. “L… La - last week.”

“Ok, not awful,” Ivy conceded, head dipping to the side. She blew a tuft of hair from her face and yanked a blanket over his form, despite the fact that his suit and shoes were still on. “But not great either.”

His jaw creaked as he went to respond, but Ivy was quicker. “That’s ok, though. You’ll get through this.” She paused, giving him a rare serious look. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“How -”

“You get this look when you’re su - brooding,” she amended quickly. Jack didn’t think it was much better, but he was too tired to protest. “You don’t have to tell me, just … you’ve always been here for me. So, I just - I want you to, y’know, know it’s the same if you, uh, need somebody to talk to. I’m,” she cleared her throat, eyes flickering to the ceiling. “I’m here for you too, ok?”

She went to leave, and Jack forced himself to reach out and grasp her hand. She paused, pulse back to a normal speed beneath his fingertips and she glanced over her shoulder at him. She waited, dark hair aglow in the moonlight, as he struggled to speak. He tried to tell her the pressures on his mind, the uncertainty of the future, the darkness that crept around them from all sides. But there was too much youth in her gaze, a humanity he hadn’t seen in years, and he was loath to be the first to disrupt it. So he settled back, instead allowing a much softer, “go to bed” escape his lips.

Her own quirked up, expression almost soft. “Don’t worry, Dad, I will.” It always sent a particular warmth through him when she said that, and it allowed him to loosen his grasp, allowing her fingers to slip through his. “Get some sleep yourself, ok?”

She pointed her finger at him in faux sternness, and Jack allowed himself to smile. “I will. Thank you, love.”

Ivy nodded, making a self-satisfied noise. After a final scritch to Zero, she walked from the room, closing the door with a final, “horrid dreams, Jack!”

The skeleton waited until her heartbeat had faded to kick off his shoes. Zero growled warningly but Jack shushed him, laying back down to placate the dog, who rolled his eyes and tucked himself tighter against Jack. Soon the ghost was fast asleep, almost transparent in the sunlight coming through a crack in his blackout curtains. Jack leaned back against his pillow, feeling a different kind of exhaustion begin to tug him down. A few whispers persisted at the edge of his consciousness, but he was able to ignore them, the internal promise of doing better tomorrow allowing him to fall asleep until sundown.

[katefiction]

The fandom fiction: a joint fiction by the royal fandom

2013

This was a round robin story where each person continued a part of the story. Sadly I can not locate the end of the story therefore it ends on the cliffhanger! However people still wanted me to post this.

katefiction

Eight pm on a chilly night, and Kate sat on the couch under a warm mohair blanket, her legs resting on William’s lap.

William stared intently at the tv screen, his thumbs working rapidly on the games controller he was holding. To his left on the single seater couch, Harry did the same.

‘Come on…

(I can not find the rest of this part. The other parts are complete)

iminlovewiththecambridges

There was short silence for a second between the three royals.  All that could be heard was the light patter of Lupo’s footsteps scampering around.

‘Hang on, I don’t quite understand’ said Kate breaking the silence, ‘You’ve really got me confused.’

On the screen of the glowing iPad was a newspaper article.  The contents had clearly baffled both William and Kate.

The headline read: PRINCE HARRY HAIR TRAUMA. GINGER HAIR DYE USED BY PRICE HARRY CAUSES BAULDNESS.

‘Wait, it’s a joke… more made up rubbish’ replied William returning back to his plate cleaning duties.

‘Nooo! But it’s the truth! Wills WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? I can’t have a head like yours; I need to keep up my appearance for the ladies!’ screamed Harry, who very dramatically fell to the floor. ‘WHAT IS LIFEEE!?’

Chuckling, Kate gave Harry a small kick and started to whip him with the wet wash cloth.

‘Get up! The floors dirty drama Queen.’

‘Sorreeyy, why would the floor be dirty anyway if you’ve cleaned it?’

‘Don’t be so rude!’ Kate said sternly.

William looked at Kate a bit puzzled.

‘Kate it’s just banter.’ William said soothingly trying to calm his wife down.

Harry got up and cautiously made his way back to the living room and started to watch the TV out of the way.

‘Oi! Harry, don’t get too engrossed in Keeping up with the Kardashians. Top Gears on, it’s supposed to be a real good one tonight.’ William shouted into the next room.

‘But I thought we were supposed to go through the catalogue tonight. Y’know, the one with the baby furniture.’ Kate replied softly.

‘Sweetness, how are we supposed to go through baby furniture when we don’t even know the sex of the baby yet? Plus, like I said it’s supposed to be a really good episode tonight.’

Kate gave William a dirty look. ‘Oh don’t worry then, babies don’t need furniture anyway.’ Said Kate rather sarcastically, and with that she turned and swiftly made her way out of the kitchen.

‘C’mon, Kate. Kate! Catherine!’ shouted William as he ran after her down the corridor.

Late at night the corridor of Kate and Williams’s apartment was unsettlingly peaceful.  A sort of calm before the storm.

The paintings lining the corridor glared down at William as his Italian handmade shoes trod their way along the royal blue carpet.

‘Kate wait, sorry. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings and I know I shouldn’t mess your hormones about.’ Stated William apologetically.

Kate stopped in her tracks nearing the top of the staircase.

‘Hormones! How dare you put this down to hormones! I cook and clean for you and all you do all day is play video games with your overly dramatic brother. I gave up so much for you, and you never show any appreciation.’ Kate bellowed.

‘Whoa, Kate watch your step’

‘Don’t tell me what to do. You’re not the boss-‘

Before Kate could finish her hormonal rant to a startled Prince William, she lost her footing and fell down the staircase.

williamandkatelove

In a second William runs towards Kate and saves her. Harry came out of the living room rushing towards them “what happened he asked” he asked, but they both didn’t say a word.

For almost half an hour they both stood in there place without moving, lost in each others eyes. Harry could her their hearts beating so fast and load so he asked again, still with no answer.

Kate tried to apologies many times through the night, but William was very angry to hear her.” Sometimes you just let your anger controls you and for what nothing” he yelled at her then he left her standing at the staircase by her own with her eyes felled with tears.

The next morning Kate was so sick, she didn’t think about what happened until she met William at the breakfast table “are you okay” William asked “you are very pale today, should I call the doctor?”

“help me William am very dizzy” whose were her last word before she fainted

William swiftly placed his hand under her head “Kate Kate can you hear me love”.

Making the matter worse he found out she was bleeding. William felt as if his heart stopped …..

writingroyal

"Harry!" William cried out, holding his wife close.

Harry, who had crashed on the couch, popped up. "What? Jesus, I'm always getting yelled at in this bloody house."

"Kate's bleeding!...Fainted!" William yelled again.

He pressed his fingers to her neck. Still breathing, good.

Harry scrambled into the kitchen, eyes wandering frantically from William to Kate.

"Should I ring for an ambulance?" he asked.

William nodded. "Yes, get me a pillow from the couch while you're at it."

Harry hurried back into the living room, pulled his phone from his discarded jeans, and grabbed a pillow of the couch. He handed the pillow to William while he dialed the number for an ambulance.

William placed the small throw pillow under his wife's head and tried to get her to come to. Behind him he could hear his brother yelling Kensington's address to the operator.

"Yes, I am serious...Kensington Palace!" Harry shouted, shooting William a incredulous look as he tugged at his unruly hair.

Kate was still breathing, regularly. She looked like she was asleep except for the small stain of blood that had pooled in between her pant legs.

The baby!

"Tell them to hurry, Harry," William told him, becoming frantic.

He stroked Kate's cheek. "Hun, sweetheart...can you hear me?"

Kate's mouth twitched at the corner and then a quiet groan passed between her lips.

"Open your eyes," William demanded, half hysterical.

Kate eyes fluttered much longer than William would have liked but they opened nonetheless. "What am I doing on the ground?"

Harry had just hung up from the phone. "Fainted."

"Oh," Kate said.

William looked up at Harry. "Are they coming?"

Harry nodded.

Luckily, the ambulance arrived in a matter of minutes. Although, William and Harry thought it had taken much longer. Kate was placed on a stretcher and taken away in the ambulance, William riding alongside of her, to St. Barts.

Harry knocked on the hospital room door.

"Come in," William's voice came from behind the heavy wood door.

Harry let himself in and the whirring and beeping of the machines hit his ears, along with the sound of the low-quality television that hung on the wall.

Kate was dressed in a hospital gown with flimsy blankets piled around her legs. William sat beside her.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked.

Kate shrugged. "Just a bit nauseous, is all. They said I am a bit dehydrated which could have caused the fainting."

"They're still running tests," William interjected, squeezing his hands together that they were turning red. "To see if the baby is..."

"Hello there," the doctor said as he stepped into the room. He was dressed in a white lab coat and held a clipboard under his arm.

"How are we doing?" he asked, cheerfully.

"Just want to know the results," William said, trying to get news as soon as he possibly could.

"Well, the tests all came back fine. The babies--"

"What?" Harry said.

"Surely, you mean baby. As in the singular fetus growing inside that woman right there," William said, his voice high and his finger pointed at Kate.

passionatelyroyal

William awoke in a cold sweat. He glanced over at his wife, cuddled in to his side, hand rested on her stomach sleeping. He sighed. It had all been a dream. He rolled over and glanced at the clock. 7:45AM. he could wake her.

"Baby, I need you to wake up." William pleaded with his wife, gently shaking her awake.

"Whats the matter? She mumbled, rolling over to face her husband.

"I think you're having twins. I had this dream and a doctor said that you were having babies and I couldn't believe him but he said you were. " William whispered, grabbing Kate's hand.

"I think you're crazy. But lucky for you, I have an appointment today so we can get to the bottom of this." She responded.

Later that day, the couple sat in a London doctors office, hands intertwined as they waited for the scan to start. The doctor entered the room and began the scan.

"Well it looks like we were wrong. There are more than one." The doctor said, continuing the scan.

William looked at Kate with disbelief. It had only been a dream.

"How many more?"

phff

When the news finally hit, the world went undeniably crazy.  News articles, television segments, blogs, magazine spreads.  The news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting twins had caused quite the stir among the royal watchers.

A Royal Pair.

There were those who were thrilled; going gaga over the idea of two bundles of joy.  There were those who were annoyed; not at all excited about two more royals to deal with.  And there were those who were simply enthralled with the logistics of it all; speculating about the idea that the first one born would someday be King and the thought that, in a surgical situation, the DOCTOR might be the one making such an enormous decision about the future Sovereign.

But, as the world began to take up the idea of royal twins, The Family was just beginning to digest the news.  For the most part, everyone was happy—thrilled for the young couple.  The Windsors and The Middletons alike.  All were excited.

Except for one person.  One person who, when faced with the news, did all that they could to keep from bursting apart.

thecambridges

Jessica Hay.

Her name was universally known. William and Kate were never allowed to forget her and royalists the world over were never spared a single article without the mention of her name. What nobody knew however, was why she lent her name to so many inaccurate stories.

Would she share why if people asked? Possibly. But nobody ever cared that much. They just used her name as a source and handed her the money in return.

But it wasn’t about the money, not at all. It was jealousy. Jealousy at the fact that Kate had been the one to marry William. Jealousy that it was Kate’s face on the front of the newspapers. And now, jealousy that she was going to have two beautiful babies.

Truth was, she had dreamed of marrying William just as much as Kate had, if not more. She had wanted her name on the front of every woman’s magazine in hundreds of different countries. And above all, she wanted a baby.

But life had chosen Kate over her and now she wanted revenge.

Up until the announcement of twins, adding her name to fake stories was enough. It hurt Kate and it got her name in the magazines.

But this was the final straw.

It was time to step things up a notch.

mischievousmiddletons

It would take her a few days to come up with something huge, something that would plunge the Cambridges into a scandal so deep they’d never escape it.

As Jessica plotted, William and Kate arrived home, eager to alter their baby preparations to include two children, not just one. Everything would have to be doubled, such as toys, furniture, blankets, diapers, cribs, clothes and everything else they had put in place for the arrival of their baby.

A few days later, the two lovebirds stared into the newly refurbished nursery at their royal home, with the news of two royal babies still sinking in.

Kate leaned into Will and sighed heavily, “Twins…”

“Don’t worry babykins, we’ll handle it” Will wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

He was always mindful of his wife’s baby bump, but now that there were two Baby Cambridges growing in there, he was even more careful with her.

“I know we’ll handle it” She gently pecked his neck, “It’s my womb I’m worried about…”

Will tightened his arms around his wife’s shoulders, hoping to reassure her with his hold, but a series of doors flying open and rushed footsteps quickly ruined the moment they were having. Their private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton approached with an exasperated expression on his face and a tabloid newspaper in his hands.

“William, Kate…” he took a moment to gather himself, then held the paper out.

“Jessica Hay is at it again”

hiddlesandcambridge / williamcatherinelove

Before Jamie could get another word in Kate turned to William and told him, "I'm not even going to listen to what she is up to. I don't care any more. I'm going for a lie down. I have a feeling that our little grapes are going to be keen on football when they're older."

"Okay babykins. You get some rest and I'll end this once and for all. I love you." They shared a kiss and Kate left.

William turned to Jamie, "Right then Jamie, what has she been saying now?" They turned out of the nursery and towards William's office.

"Well, Sir. She has claimed that the twins are not your's, but Harry's." William's eyes went from blue to black, but Jamie wasn't finished, "She also claims she has proof from Kate herself."

William's face just blew up into sheer anger. Jamie himself had never seen him like that. "SHE HAS DONE WHAT?"

"Sir, you have to calm down. This is not going to help Kate or the twins if she sees you like this." Jamie has always had a calming influence on William like that.

"You know what Jamie, you're right. I need to talk to her. Can you find me Jessica Hay's address and phone number. No one is going to do this to my family and get away with it."

royalserenade-alwayskate / catherinemfan

Kate woke with a start. She reached out to the side of bed, hoping that William would be there to provide her with the warm, fuzzy feeling that could only be obtained from him alone.

He wasn’t there. There was this tugging feeling in her that made her feel extremely uncomfortable, and it wasn’t the twins.

There was pacing footsteps downstairs and whispers of the staffs. Kate remembered what happened before she took a nap, so she went down to asked about William and what he had done about Jessica Hay and her allegations.

They fall into an immediate silence when Kate approached them.

“Where is William?” Kate asked Jamie.

“Kate,” Jamie begin and then stopped to clear his throat. “William.. He..”

Jamie almost never stammered as long as Kate had known him. He had always go straight to the point. And the others, they were staring at her, bleary-eyed.

Kate wanted to burst out with questions. About Jessica Hay, about what she had said, about William and what he had done. But as she put two and two together from her instinct, Jamie’s stammering and the staffs’ looks, she was nearly sure that something had happened when William attempt to put a stop to Jessica Hay’s ridiculous behavior. And that something, according to her instinct, wasn’t good.

phfanfic-againstheodds

“Jamie,” Kate said, forcing her voice to keep steady, even though that isn’t at all how she felt. “Don’t dance around the subject. Where is my husband?”

Jamie cleared his throat. “I’m sorry Kate, Will is being held at the police station.”

Kate blinked. “I’m sorry. What? Why?”

Jamie straightened his shoulders. “Jessica Hay called the police. She is filing assault charges against William.”

Kate’s hands instinctively went to her belly; a protective, motherly motion even though this had nothing to do with the twin’s safety. But, this was their father who was in trouble, and it was the only kind of protection she could offer anyone at that moment.

“Assault?” Kate whispered. “As in, she’s saying he hit her?”

Jamie nodded. “Yes.”

“Oh my God.”

“Kate…”

“Jamie, my husband didn’t hit anybody. He’s never hit anybody,” Kate cried.

“I know. Believe me, I know. But she called and they had to take him in. This isn’t like the old days where the Royal Family can’t be touched. They can’t keep this under wraps. They have to treat it seriously. Especially since…”

“Especially since she will go to the media,” Kate finished for him. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

Jamie sighed. “She already has.”

Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes and she fought them as hard as she could. She fought to press the lump in her throat down, to keep herself under control.

“Kate, we are doing everything we can. Will is cooperating. The Protection Officers that were there will clear his name. But she’s lit up the press.”

The tears slipped from Kate’s eyes. “She’s telling the entire world that William beats women.”

“No one will believe it,” Jamie tried to assure her.

“Some will,” Kate whispered. “And it will never be forgotten.”

“Kate, we’ve done all we can do for right now, but if there is anything I can do for you…”

Kate immediately cut in. “Take me to my husband, Jamie. Take me to William.”

(The End. Please do get in touch if you remember the ending.)

[supermanshield]

Finding this is hard

~~~

Yet despite his best efforts tonight, Clark smiles at him, and even through the screen and slightly distorted feed he feels the warmth. Tingling suppressed because it’s nothing like the real deal. The one he’s seen directed at Lois, or when Clark talks about Lana.

Bruce has accepted that Clark will never be interested in him. Until finally, Clark takes a chance.

~~~ 

Words: 5,242

A/N: This only started because I was thinking about the layout of Wayne Manor, and for some reason considered Tim’s room next to Bruce’s. It grew into something much bigger from there, became much too serious and I completely lost track of the humorous angle I wanted to go for at first. Yay angst.

Also, another one in Bruce’s POV, which I always considered harder than Clark’s POV, but I am also working on two+ things with POV Clark.

Read on AO3

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“Quiet night?” Soft thud of Clark’s boots on the rooftop behind him and footsteps walking over to where Bruce sits crouched at the edge. An affirmative grunt is all he gives Clark in return, eyes trained on the building across the street and listening to shards of conversation being fed to him by the cowl from the bugs he has planted earlier.

“Stakeout.”  

Minute flicker, Clark shifting in and out of focus, and he sits down next to Batman. “Turned the security camera on the corner over to the building with your guys in it.”

“Hnn. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Don’t use your superspeed though. Don’t need suspects scrambling because they see red and blue.”

He chances a look over at Clark. Squatting down on a grimy rooftop in Gotham, back against the half wall running around the perimeter – good, anyone on the street can only maybe see his black hair and Batman’s cowl blends into the dark of the night anyway –, and hair and cape wet from the rain is not a good look on Superman. He stands out like a sore thumb next to Batman, doesn’t belong here. Yet, it has been a long time since Bruce has sent him out of his city because of all that, his presence now a comfort that has crept up on Bruce. And Clark has learnt, too. Hiding in the shadows just like him and helpful to a level that used to be annoying. It’s not that Bruce is dependent on him for this kind of stuff, he really isn’t. He can just… welcome the company sometime. That’s okay.

“Did you have something to discuss?”

Clark shrugs, one corner of his mouth goes up. “Just thought I’d check up on you.”

“You can use the communicator for that.”

“Right.”

After a while of sitting like this, Clark’s hearing clearly focused on the same conversation as Bruce, they both perk up at the same time. Silently following the suspects is a job for Batman. He sends Superman away, tells him through his comm to go back to Metropolis and silently thanks him for the company.

Much later, after a meet-up with Robin at the docks and on their drive to the Cave, Red Robin behind them on his bike, Bruce considers his relationship with Clark. Damian stays silent in the seat beside him – lets him brood - , and when they get back to the cave, he and Tim (even Tim), both tired, disappear up to the house for a snack and sleep.

Maybe he has let Clark get too close. Got too comfortable around him and let down those meticulously crafted walls. Yet being around Clark isn’t painful anymore, feelings born out of curiosity evaporated a long time ago. A mere physical attraction shoved into the depths of his being when reciprocation turned out impossible. He’s accepted that, Clark is a friend, and Bruce is content with his family, as far as that is possible with two teenagers and an aggressive prepubescent son in the house, and more scattered across the city and the east-coast (he is). It was a necessity to keep Clark at arm’s length, before. Protect them, put yourself last, don’t be selfish, don’t let yourself fall (don’t pull Clark down).

He has even chased Selina for a bit in an attempt to settle down as expected of a man his age and his status, his name, but it ultimately wasn’t worth it. Selina obviously not the right person for settling down and his interest faked, a game of cat and mouse (bat).

So yes, he can be close to Clark. They are friends, after all.

----------

Clark’s brain is a super-computer and more human than Bruce’s at that. It comes in handy when filtering through recordings or data and Bruce can’t think of a better reason to invite him over for dinner and a joint case-study in the cave.

He doesn’t remember the last time Clark has been up in the house and not just in the cave. It’s ridiculous really, they’ve been friends for years, only Bruce hasn’t been acting like one while Clark has put in 100% effort (and only sporadically to the point of annoyance).

Friendship leads to bad things and more, like with Harvey. But Clark is not Harvey.

“Thanks for inviting me for dinner,” Clark says when they walk back down into the cave. “You didn’t have to, I mean. But it’s nice to talk about non-cape stuff for once and see you interact with your kids.”

“I didn’t invite you because I had to, Clark. We’re friends.” Fact, not question and (obviously) obvious to Clark.

“Of course.” But a dazzling smile in his direction (he finds he wants that, more, and that’s exactly why he can’t) and Bruce decides that now is as good a time as any to go on patrol and leave Clark with the brunt of the work that they started on earlier. A few quick commands and suits up, utility-belts packed, and Robin, Red Robin, Batgirl, and Batman speed out of the cave to go on patrol.

----------

A steaming cup of coffee appears on the desk in front of him and Clark sits down in the other chair and swivels towards him. It always goes like this; Bruce will come up early, ready for monitor duty whatever time of the day it is. Clark walks in almost a clockwork five minutes later, coffee or tea in both hands, a quick silent rush of his cape and he reappears with snacks, sometimes dinner (leftovers from Martha’s cooking, and Bruce hears his stomach growl in betrayal at the first waft of chicken, cooked vegetables, goulash). They often get paired up, being in the same time-zone and no one else wants to spend time with Batman much. Except maybe Diana, or J’onn. (But Diana pries too much, seeking out the truth. J’onn doesn’t pry at all, even though he could. With him it is hyper-focus and silence for most of 6 hours.)  

So, it’s fine with Clark, nothing’s expected and there is familiarity in their conversation. The time passes faster and he gladly chooses this over any board meeting where nothing ever gets done anyway. But today monitor duty is during his patrol, and Tim and Damian are out on their own. Together. Dick in Blüdhaven and Cassandra out of commission in bed. One of Bruce’s screens is continuously focused on Gotham, two small figures in capes and chasing bad guys and each other. They do their job and Bruce watches his other screens, listens to Clark and nods appropriately, goes over some new schematics for a suit improvement.

Corner of his eye, peripheral vision is dedicated to the two small figures in Gotham. The screen shows the top of Wayne Tower and Red Robin pacing up and down, clearly talking, unhappy, Robin has crossed his arms. Bruce can interrupt them over the comms, give them a good scare, but they’d never learn. The need for them to work together more poignant as Bruce becomes older and Damian almost ready to join the Teen Titans if it wasn’t for Tim. His heart skips a beat when Damian’s hand goes for his katana, but Tim holds up his in surrender, holding him off and it is fine, they’re okay.

Bruce turns back to his other screens only to find Clark looking at him, one eyebrow raised.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” Clark takes another bite of his Mars bar, feigning oblivion.

“Listen.”

“It’s my hearing, B. I can’t just turn it off.”

“Then focus on something else.” Clark turns back to his side of the monitor bank and Bruce goes back to his work, but he’s lost his focus. Gotham not just in his peripheral vision anymore and of course, Clark notices.

“Want me to go down there? I’ll keep an eye on them. Or you go and I’ll stay here.”

“No, we have a job to do. So do they.”

Clark doesn’t look convinced and something in the back of Bruce’s mind screams of Superman’s disapproving scowl at a brightly coloured child next to Batman’s black cape. But that is a long time ago and Clark looks at him now with a crease between his raised eyebrows and a hand on his shoulder. Worry, a question.

“No,” he says again. “They need to do this together. I trained them. I trust them.”

That hand lingers on his shoulder a moment longer, and Bruce doesn’t shake it off, doesn’t want to. The weight behind Clark’s touch and his gaze ground him, get him out of his thoughts and back to focus on work.

----------

It’s a couple weeks later and they’re all in the cave, Tim and Cass on the matts, sparring, Damian off by the workbench quietly cleaning his gear. Bruce has a video feed open to the Fortress of Solitude, where Superman and Supergirl are looking into the Kryptonian database for the origins of an abandoned alien ship found on Mars. Or at least, Superman is. Kara is playing with newly acquired Krypto, two streaks of red and a blur in the background from time to time. Clark’s family is expanding, too.

Their conversation is all business, small talk quickly waved off by Bruce and he keeps them on track. He has other stuff to do and if Clark can’t find anything about the ship in the Kryptonian data, he’ll contact Oa and let the Lanterns handle it. Yet despite his best efforts tonight, Clark smiles at him, and even through the screen and slightly distorted feed he feels the warmth. Tingling suppressed because it’s nothing like the real deal. The one he’s seen directed at Lois, or when Clark talks about Lana.

“I could uhh… come over?” The uncertainty in Clark’s voice surprises Bruce, but Clark quickly picks up again. “Got everything we need here. I’ll send it to you and we can come up with a plan.”

“The Lanterns can handle it from here,” Bruce says resolutely, pauses. “OK, come over. Bring Kara. I want to have Tim teach her some things about tracking and deduction.” At the mention of her name, Kara appears, now fully visible and Krypto at her side, looking up expectantly at the ball in her hand.

“Hi, guys,” she waves, and Bruce finds Tim and Cass behind him, and even Damian has come much closer. She pretends to hold a magnifier in front of her face. “Detective Kara on the case.” Cass smiles and waves. Tim greets back and says something about listening to detective Tim, smug voice and all smiles. Bruce looks back at Clark to find him still staring at him, holds onto that and Clark’s blue eyes, until Kara speaks again. “Sooo, sleepover at the manor tonight? It’s getting a little boring up here. No offence, Kal.”

Clark holds up his hands. “None taken.”

Bruce cuts in quickly. “No. Tonight’s training and then back home. Damian and I will go on patrol. Clark can stay here with you guys.”

Clark chuckles. “Bruce, it’s fine. You’ve got room enough and I’ll just go back to Metropolis tonight.”

Bruce’s stare turns into a scowl, and Clark folds his arms. Tim lets out an uncharacteristic groan, Cass rolls her eyes. Clark breaks first, unfolds his arms but it’s not without a smug smile when he says, “We’ll be right there.”

 -

They all have supper together, it’s an odd sight at the table with Clark and Kara in their super suits, capes left folded on one of the benches in the cave. Damian is already in the under-suit of his Robin costume, the rest of them still in training sweats, but Alfred only scoffs mildly as he joins them at the table, impeccable as ever. Bruce gets lost in conversation with Clark while the children have their own thing going on. So lost, in fact, that he forgets about patrol time until Damian gives an incessant tug on his sleeve and tells him to ‘get ready, father. I cannot believe you let the alien distract you like that.’

On top of that, in the cave Clark somehow convinces him to let Cass, Tim, and Kara have their sleepover. It’s good for Kara, he says, she needs to spend more time with people her age. Of course Tim then asks if Kon can come too, and Clark happily says yes, at which point Bruce has to remind him that it’s his home, his room is right next to Tim’s and everyone needs their sleep, and thinks it’s a good thing they’re not raising these kids together. They’re opposites, he would be the strict parent, and everyone would go to Clark to ask things (evidently, they already do, or at least Tim does, and Bruce wonders again if he’s let Clark let too close).

That night on patrol though, he can’t shake the feeling that something about tonight felt absolutely right. He chalks it up to the manor, it’s large, it’s supposed to be that full, and his age. He’s not weak, he’s just becoming a sentimental old sap.

----------

On Tuesday afternoon he runs into Tim in the hallway adjoining both their bedrooms where Tim tells him about a recent board meeting at WE, some adjustments he wants to make to their financing plans, coffee cup in hand and stack of papers in the other. Mature, he looks mature.

“How old are you again?” He asks after Tim finishes talking.

Exasperated sigh and waving the stack of papers. “Did you even hear anything I said?”

Bruce just glares at him in answer, raises an eyebrow.

“Right,” Tim says. He hums. Tim is going to fly out soon and Bruce is not quite ready to acknowledge how that makes him feel, but he’ll do his damn best to make sure it’s a good experience for him. To not push him away. To not lose him. “You know I’ll be out of here as soon as soon as I’m eighteen.”

“And finish school.”

“Fine, and finish school. Then I’ll get my own apartment. Might get quiet here.”

Bruce shrugs. “It won’t be quiet with Damian around. I could always call Clark to come over if it gets boring.”

“Clark?”

“Or-”

“No, no, invite Clark. Good for you.” He elbows Bruce and steps into his room. Tim’s grin is just a little unsettling, worth a second thought, but the only possible answer is simple enough. Clark slips into his conversations and his thoughts like he’s supposed to be there (he is). Being around him is more than comfortable, it’s normal. Much better than back in the day when he was always with Lois and Bruce is completely over his feelings.

---------

A mild injury (twisted ankle, he landed wrong and feels it up in his knee), and Clark insists on going back to the cave with Bruce after patrol. He sends Damian to the showers and to bed, slides into the chair in front of the computer and takes off his cowl. Clark hovers around, it’s annoying, he offers to get an ice pack, but that’s Alfred’s job and he’s there as soon as Bruce sinks down. Tim’s at the other end of the large bank of monitors, tracking shipments of something. Bruce should really be more interested and know what Tim is up to, but he’s tired, sore all over, just wants a nice warm shower and sleep. Work first.

Maybe it’ll go faster with Clark around. At least, if he would just stop worrying about Bruce and actually help him. They’re looking into some recovered DNA when Bruce reaches up, rubs at his neck subconsciously.

“You okay?” Clark’s question startles him, both their eyes still trained on the screen. Listening again.

“I’m fine, just sore.”

“Go to bed. I’ll do this.”

“No, I still need to write tonight’s report.” Rubs at his shoulder and rolls.

“Ok. Then here, let me.” Clark walks closer to him, behind the chair, makes a motion with his hands. It takes just a bit too long for Bruce to catch on, but he leans forward slightly. Clark deftly removes the cape and cowl - and it should really worry Bruce that he knows how to, but he forgoes an angry comment as soon as Clark’s hands touch his shoulder. They’re warm along his shoulders and neck, large, gentle despite their incredible strength. Of course, Clark easily finds all the knots and twists and kneads in just the right places. Bruce tries to refocus on his work, tries to be annoyed with Clark for knowing exactly what to do, but the smooth slide of Clark’s thumbs on his trapezius muscles makes it hard. Friends can do this.

It’s somehow much too soon when all the tension is gone and Clark pulls back his hands, but he pushes the thought away. Clears his throat. “Hnn. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

He hasn’t noticed Tim leave, but his spot is empty now, hears him rumbling around in a different part of the cave and the rest of their work gets done quickly in silence.

“I think we should wrap things up here,” Bruce says after finishing his report. He pushes himself up out of the chair, has to hold onto the backrest for support. Clark, automatically, reaches out to him to help.

“Report all done?”

Bruce nods.

“Ok, then. Need any help getting upstairs?”

“No.”

Clark hasn’t let go. In fact, he’s come closer, every colour blue visible in his eyes and his breath ghosting over Bruce’s face.

“Bruce, I-“

“Yes.” The grip on his arm becomes tighter, slow tug. Lips on his, impossibly soft and a hand gently supporting his back. But his own hand stings and the next second Clark stands in front of him, shocked and appropriate distance between them again. Bruce swears in pain. His hand throbs.

“What the fuck, Clark.”

“Crap! Sorry, Bruce, I…” Bruce clenches his jaw, there’s a sigh, then only a gust of wind, Clark’s speed too high for Bruce to even see the streak of red flying out of the cave.

“Bruce.” He whirls around at the sound of his name, heart racing. Tim’s stopped on his way to the stairs, towel around his neck and Bruce ignores the pain in his ankle as he makes his way over. “Fuck, why did you try to hit him?”

“Bed, now.”

Tim groans overdramatically and walks past him into the house. Slowly, Bruce makes it up the stairs and to his bedroom, where he collapses into bed and a restless sleep.

---------

The next day it’s glowers from Tim, no hugs or any words from Cass, and Damian isn’t much better off. Alfred gives him more than a few pointed looks, no sassy raised eyebrow and all scowls. Bruce ignores them as much as they ignore him and the house is quieter than it’s been in a long time. He needs to deal with this himself, he just doesn’t know how to yet. It all lasts until evening, when everyone is in the cave quietly getting ready, where Tim finally speaks to him.

“You lead him on.”

“What?”

“Clark. You lead him on.”

“I heard you, Tim. I did not.”

“You get too close to the alien, father.”

“Clark is a friend. I am close to him.”

“No, you let him get close. You lower your defences, and your body language is all… open.” The last word sounds like a reach within Damian’s vocabulary, chosen carefully.

“Exactly,” Tim joins in. “You lean into him; he moves towards you. You make googly eyes at him; he makes googly eyes at you. When you’re not looking of course.”

“I don’t make googly eyes.”

Tim sighs. “You get the point. Hell, I’ve seen you having coffee with him in the kitchen after patrol more than a few times. I thought that-”

“Tim.”

One of his trademark teenage sighs again, all frustration and no patience. “For a so-called billionaire playboy, you’re really bad at telling when someone is actually interested in you.”

“I’m done talking about this. Suit up. All of you.”

“Had me believe you were in love with him…” A mumble and it dies down as Tim puts on his helmet. The roar of his bike engine drowns out Bruce’s words. “Clark isn’t… that’s just me.”

By the time the cave is quiet again, Damian is waiting for him in the batmobile, arms crossed over his fastened seatbelt. Bruce pulls the cowl over his head and doesn’t notice Cass behind him until she tugs on his cape, puts a hand on his shoulder. “You… love.” She touches his chest. “Clark. Loves you… too.”

 -

On patrol that night, Bruce’s mind wanders. If Damian notices he doesn’t comment on it. They intercept a weapons shipment by the docks, take down the thugs. Standard night in Gotham.

Clark isn’t gay. Straight? Bruce has never outright asked him, always assumed. Lana and Lois all he has to go on and he simply came to a logical conclusion. Though it’s a flawed one, and contradicted by himself on top of that. CEO of a billion-dollar company and he has women hanging of his arms at every society event he goes to because it’s expected. To be straight. He can’t imagine Clark having to do that – maybe it was his rural upbringing, though the Kents are not like that.

And of course, Clark brings Bruce’s whole world, the lies he tells himself, down with one simple kiss. After eleven goddamn years, and all he can feel is loss, lost time, frustration and anger as his fists connect with ribs, jaws, elbows on the street. He needs Clark to explain. He needs himself to understand.

---------

“Bruce.” Clark opens the door, still dressed in a blue button-up and off-the-rack slacks. It’s clear he hasn’t been expecting him; a single plate with a half-finished dinner sits on the table, next to a laptop.

“Why now.”

“What?” Clark clears his throat, swallows a remnant of his dinner. “I’m sorry for what happened.” He steps aside to let Bruce into the apartment, follows him towards the small living room. “I didn’t mean to… I just thought- “

“That’s just it. You didn’t think, you just-” Bruce stops himself, groans. He isn’t here to fight with Clark, but it is just so goddamn easy. Toe to toe and head to head despite half the room separating them. Clark’s jaw sets in that all too familiar way and his expression drops from astonishment and curiosity to calm and collected.

“Are you just here to yell at me? Because I’m really not in the mood. I’m sorry. I thought you were interested in… that. Clearly, I misread the signs, so it won’t happen again. Can we just forget about this whole thing… and move on or something?”

“No.” To Bruce, moving on is impossible.

“Right. Why are you even mad at me? If anything, I should be the one being angry with you. And it doesn’t sound like you came here to apologize for hitting me.”

“No, I didn’t. I’m here so you can explain one thing to me, Clark. Why did you kiss me?”

An eternity packed into the second it took Clark to find his reply, and his answer anything but satisfying. “I don’t know. Maybe we’ve just been spending too much time together.”

“We’re friends. Friends spend time together.”

“Yes. Ok,” Clark sighs, averts his eyes. “I’m attracted to you… and I thought it was mutual. I mean, you let me give you a massage. You’ve never let me done that! So really, I’m sorry if I misread the situation.” Clark holds up his hands, palms up in explanation, excuse. All of it seems much too easy for him, something to brush off.  

“I didn’t think my behaviour would cause such a complication.”

“A complication.”

“I didn’t know, or I would have done things differently. Ergo, a complication.”

Clark breaths in and out, pinches the bridge of his nose under his glasses. “Ok, do you have a problem with me being the way I am? Because that’s what it sounds like. It was just a kiss. Get over it.”

“You jump to conclusions, Clark. As always.”

“Cryptic and you leave me two steps behind, Bruce. As always.”

He looks around Clark’s apartment. The couch is small, but he sits down anyway, motions for Clark to sit on the armchair. Ikea. It puts him across from Bruce and level. “I didn’t know you were…” he has to strain for the right word. “Not straight. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Clark runs a hand through his hair, closes his eyes and takes of his glasses. “I thought you were supposed to be good at reading people. I thought you knew.”

“All evidence pointed to the contrary.”

“Bisexuality is a thing you know. And I don’t have to tell you everything about my love interests.”

“Right. Feels like you do, though.”

“So then,” Clark tries. “You’re just here to confirm my sexuality.”

“Not just that.”

“Oh. So, you are… You’re not out, are you?”

“Neither are you, apparently.”

“It’s complicated. And it’s not like I actively hide it,” he says accusingly. Evidently, conditioned bias can really be a bitch sometimes. There’s a whole other conversation to be uncovered behind Clark’s complicated. One they should have. Maybe later. Bruce swallows.

“Why I hit you. I overreacted. I taught myself to… not want that, and-”

“Rao, Bruce, stop. You don’t have to deny who you are. Not around me.” There’s that comforting hand on his again. So much of Clark's communication is rooted in touch. He's held back, Bruce realises now, and finds he desperately wants a lot more of it. Hand on the armrest of the couch, he doesn’t pull away.

“Will you let me apologise. I didn’t mean to hit you and I’m sorry. You know I would never, and it’s stupid.” He looks at where Clark’s thumb touches his bruised knuckles. “Clearly,” Clark agrees.

“The thing is. I was finally content. Happy with what I could have. My family. You as a friend. And then you go and ruin it all with a stupid little kiss.” He has to avert his eyes, look up at the ceiling to consider the absurdity of it all. Biggest miscalculation of his life. The feeling of loss washes over him again like a tidal wave of his own making, and he can’t help but wonder if it feels the same for Clark. “Eleven goddamn years, Clark. Took you long enough.”

Clark’s chuckle does things to his stomach that he hasn’t allowed himself to experience in a long time. He joins Bruce on the couch. “Hey. At least I had the courage to do something.”

“Okay. So you suck a little bit less at this than me.”  Some of the tension finally leaves his body, and Clark visibly relaxes next to him. He turns towards Bruce, like on the watchtower, like at dinner. Bruce thinks of what Tim had said, how they lean towards each other, always, and it feels right, fits. Opposites attract, or something.

“Can I kiss you?”

“God, yes. Didn’t really get the full experience last time.”

“Wonder whose fault that was.” Clark’s face has come much too close for Bruce to see his smile, but he can hear it, feel it in the way there is just a little bit of teeth when their lips meet. This time, the kiss is much better. The feel of Clark’s lips under his own, his hands on Bruce’s thigh, his chest, so warm. Clark’s curls and incredibly strong pulse. He commits it all to memory. Just in case.

“And he says I jump to conclusions,” Clark states to the room, and Bruce has to close his eyes to keep from laughing.

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

Epilogue

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

It’s been over a month since the incident with Bruce and Clark in the cave, and honestly, Tim thinks he would be seeing more of Clark. He felt a little disappointed at first, didn’t talk much to Bruce. Because of course, leave it to him to just shut everyone out again and pretend nothing had happened. Damian – annoyingly so – takes after his dad, works hard and just a tad too victorious.

Tim considers himself a pretty good detective.

However. It takes him a couple days to notice, too long, Bruce would say, that Bruce is calm. More relaxed. If that’s even possible for Batman. Well, not out on patrol of course, but at home. Tim’s doing homework in the ground floor study one day when Bruce walks in, looking at his phone. Smiling. Distracted and he hasn’t noticed Tim on time, clearly, when he quickly pockets his phone and asks Tim what he’s working on. The smile lingers.

There’s a league meeting but when batman returns to the zeta platform in the cave, the usually present proverbial protruding vein is not there, and Bruce doesn’t stomp to his computer right away. Instead, he takes a whole five minutes to remove the constricting parts of his uniform, eat one of Alfred’s sandwiches, and comfortably installs himself in front of the large monitor. It’s as un-Bruce and healthy as Batman can get and it doesn’t go unnoticed. No one comments.

And then. Bruce comes home late one night – on time for patrol – from the office. Or so he claims. But his tie is loosened, shirt not perfectly pressed anymore, and he smells like Pakistani curry. He could have got the food delivered of course, but it’s the windswept hair that betrays exactly who brought him back to Gotham after a dinner in Metropolis.

All of it culminates, there’s more little things and it’s the kind of behaviour that stands out when you spend a lifetime practicing every possible degree of a scowl and a faked interest in small-time fun.

Tim’s suspicions are finally confirmed in a much too unsubtle way when he’s in his room late one night – or maybe early morning –, under the covers and ready to go to sleep. There’s stumbling, bumping into the wall outside his room. His first thought is a threat, but then he hears Bruce’s voice. And another. Creak of the master bedroom door and footsteps shuffling on carpet.

“Take that off.” Straightforward as ever, Bruce.

“This too?” And yep, that’s Clark. Where are his noise cancelling headphones?

Constrained. “Yes.”

Tim clicks on his bedside light, stumbles around his room extra loud, hoping Clark will hear him. Notice he’s awake. At the very least, Superman should be considerate.

“I thought you had superspeed.”

“Patience, B.”

“Waited for you all week.” The rest was muffled, a creaking sound.

Under the safety of his covers and the protection of his headphones, Tim thinks about texting Stephanie. Or Kon. Or Dick. He groans and decides to put on some music instead. Why couldn’t Bruce just come out to them like a normal person? Why didn’t he spend an all-nighter in the cave tonight? Why did he ever choose the bedroom next to Bruce? At least Damian won’t be able to hear them. Right? He makes the mistake of lifting up one side of his headphones to check, only to hear a rhythmic thump, thump, thump, and drops it right back down. Okay. He can probably do some more work on the Two-face case down in the cave. It’s not like he needs sleep, anyway.

He just needs to have a very stern talk with Batman and Superman come morning. And move to a different bedroom.

[alitaimagines]

“I’ve always been told, one day I’ll find someone who changes my mind but when they come along, I won’t think twice cause I already good thing with me, yeah I got everything I dreamed.” 

note: still looking for more MHA and Haikyuu!! character suggestions!! this is a bit long but I had fun with it so that’s why. if you want another anime with this scenario, dead ass lemme know, I’ll do it. 

them seeing you with someone else after your break up:

Sakusa Kiyoomi: you end up with Bokuto 

the reason why you probably ended up with Bokuto was because of Sakusa’s germaphobic tendencies. 

with Sakusa not really being into going out much, the options of where to go out on dates was v. limited. you would offer to just go to a park and walk around, somewhere in the park that didn’t have a lot of people in the park but he didn’t like the idea and shot it down. 

it got to the point where you got tired of him constantly shooting down your date ideas and you were tired of having to bend over backwards for him and just broke it off. 

was Sakusa hurt? probably. but you tried to let him down smoothly and even tried to remain friends but he didn’t like that and cut complete contact with you. 

a few years passed when you ran into someone at a bakery. he had black and silver hair and the brightest personality you had ever seen. some stuff and things happened and you got his name and number. 

Bokuto had told you that he played professional volleyball and your mind immediately thought of Sakusa. you didn’t pay much attention to it so when Bokuto begged you to attend one of his games, he gave you a spare jersey and front row tickets. 

the professional volleyball scene was something someone had to experience at least once in their life. the crowd, the players, everything was turned up to eleven and it had been one of the funnest nights you had in a while. 

you had waved at Bokuto a few times but Sakusa hadn’t seen the interactions. it wasn’t until after the game when you met up with Bokuto when Sakusa realized everything. 

“hey Sakusa, how are you?” you asked him as Bakuto gave you a look, “you know him?” the owl eyed boy asked, “yeah, we dated in high school and bit in college but I guess you can see what happened,” you mentioned. 

Sakusa remained silent as Bokuto waved off the small jealousy, “it’s nice to see you again,” was all Sakusa said before heading to go take a shower. 

being that Sakusa and Bokuto had their social media accounts, he would see what went on that night and the photos he posted with you. videos of the two of you at a club with a few other players were on Bokuto’s Insta story but he couldn’t say anything. it had been years since the two of you broke up and it wasn’t his place. 

did it sting? yeah but what was it to him. he just had to deal that his teammate was now dating someone he once loved and that was that on that. 

Haiba Lev: you end up with Kenma

oh, your break up with Lev probably had to do with his modeling career. your schedules didn’t add up and the two of you hardly seen each other. it was a lack of time and it was a mutual break up.

Lev was hurt that you were no longer with him but he understood that his career didn’t make time for you. he was upset and Alisa tried to introduce him to other girls but they weren’t you. 

Lev probably thought of you as his first and only love. 

as for you. you rekindled your relationship with Kenma out of genuine accidents. you would end up at the same stores Kenma would be at and the two of you exchanged numbers. one thing led to another and he added you onto his team.

the two of you tried to hide the relationship for a while and it worked for a bit but you knew that the relationship was going to get more serious and it was best to rip the bandaid off before it became too late. 

the fans of Kenma loved the two of you together. even if you weren’t together, you would end up on his streams every so often and just watch him play whatever game it was while answering questions, giving him playing advice, or even trying to learn how to the play the game he was playing. 

one day out of pure curiosity, Lev checked out one of Kenma’s streams. he had a bit of down time and wanted to see how successful his former teammate was. 

for a while, the stream was normal. Kenma was playing Minecraft and Lev was engrossed in the stream until he noticed the door opened. the stream went mute until a baby pink gamer chair was pulled up and you sat down next to him. 

Lev’s eyes widened as you gave Kenma a kiss and offered him advice on his Minecraft word (I’ve never played it before so ignore my ignorance). Alisa was able to see Lev’s sudden change in mood and looked over to see what caused it. when she made the connection, she sighed knowing her brother was probably going to be upset for a few hours now. 

she called off the rest of the photoshoot they were doing and told Lev to head home. all Lev could think of was how you would hold him the way you were holding Kenma. you ran your fingers through his long hair while answering questions from the fans.

Lev knew you weren’t a gamer. he tried to get you to play video games with him but you always denied but as he watched the stream, you would grab the controller from Lev and do something every so often.

fate was a dumb thing, Lev thought. the love of his life was happy in another relationship and there was not a single thing he could do. he knew he could always find another girl but none of them amounted to you. 

Kuroo Testurou: you end up with Yaku 

this man was a WHORE in college. am I wrong? No. I don’t take criticism. he probably dated you during your time in college and during that time, he thought of you as another fling but that wasn’t exactly your thought on the relationship. 

the cause of the break up was probably because he cheated on you. you were done with him and you absolutely disgusted by his actions during your relationship. 

the way you dealt with that was by you going over seas to teach. under some odd circumstances, you happened to land a teaching gig in Russia and there you met Yaku. you didn’t have the slightest clue that those two were friends nor did Yaku ever bring it up. 

you found it odd how you ended up in another relationship with someone in the volleyball world but maybe that was your type. a relationship with Yaku was completely different than being with Kuroo. he prioritized your relationship and even offered to have you hold some position with the Cheegle’s so the two of you wouldn’t be apart for so long. 

you admittedly accepted it and taught the kids of the players who happened to travel along with him. Yaku was over the moon because of it and not even a year and a half in, the two of you married. it was super sudden but you said yes and held the ceremony back home.

because of the ceremony, it was like an unsanctioned Nekoma reunion. Lev, Kenma, Yamamoto, Taketora, and of course, Kuroo attended the marriage. Kuroo hadn’t gotten the fancy wedding invitation with your photo on it but he texted Yaku a few days before for the venue address.

the ceremony was huge but the thing that stopped Kuroo dead in the tracks was the huge photo of the two of you in the front of the venue. it was from your engagement photoshoot and it was like Kuroo’s life had turned upside down. the two of you being together, nevertheless married, was not what he seen coming. 

Nekoma players had a table separated for just them and their partners and when you both finally made rounds to thank everyone for coming, your eyes widened at the sight of your ex boyfriend sitting next to Lev. the two of you stare at each other, you with mild disgust and Kuroo with genuine surprise. 

the both of you figured it was best not to mention the past between the two of you to Yaku being that it was your wedding and the mention of a past relationship at this point was useless. you put your pride aside and quickly thanked Kuroo for coming to the wedding. 

what didn’t stop you was basically showing off your happiness with Yaku. this was your last hoorah before you completely shut Kuroo out of your life for good and made sure to kiss Yaku in the most civilized yet slightly sexual way. 

Kuroo was happy for the two of you because he knew Yaku was giving you the life you craved with him at some point. Kuroo was not ready to settle down yet however seeing you happily married kind of kicked him into gear. his bachelor days would have to end eventually and in the back of his mind, he thought that maybe he made a mistake by fully pushing you away. 

Oikawa Tooru: you end up with Kageyama 

oh how fate worked in such weird ways, right? the two of you went to Seijoh together and when he left for Argentina, the two of you had to break it off. neither of you wanted to do distance and as much as that hurt, you were the one who made the first move and broke it up with him. 

Oikawa was BIG HURT but knew this was the right choice. the two of you tried to keep contact with each other but considering he lived and played in another part of the fucking world, the time never worked out and eventually, you both just gave up. 

okay so you met Kageyama when played with Schweiden. you were a reporter who happened to oh so catch the eye of Kageyama and he personally seeked you out after every game. what Kageyama thought would be a small fling was actually more of a crush. 

Kageyama finally grew a pair and asked you out. the two of you dated for about the time he played for the Adlers and up until he went to play in Italy. he asked you to come with him knowing that you were probably the only one he could ever see himself with and you agreed. 

the move to Italy was odd but you and Kageyama made it work. you got to know who his friends were in high school and that’s when Oikawa came up. when you broke the news that you used to attend Seijoh and actually dated Oikawa during your three years. he was admittedly surprised and even though there wasn’t any animosity, a pang of jealousy and hatred was still there and in the end, Kageyama snagged his girl and with that, he was hella proud. 

again under weird circumstances, the two of you ended up in Japan for a a volleyball thingy and with that, Oikawa had to be in attendance. 

you weren’t harboring feelings for Oikawa anymore and although you were 100% in love with Kageyama, seeing Oikawa made your heart race out of nervousness. you ended up dating his former enemy and you had no idea how he would take that. 

after Kageyama introduced you to his former teammates and his best friend, all of you sat down to talk amongst each other. you heard stories on top of stories of how Kageyama was like at Karasuno but what you weren’t prepared for was when you finally met up with Oikawa again.

you and Kageyama were secretly making out in the parking lot after the dinner thingy. he had you pinned up against the car and literally initiating sex right there but what stopped the two of you was the familiar voice to the two of you. Oikawa had sang Kageyama’s name and when Kageyama looked to see his former enemy, Oikawa’s eyes immediately shot at you. 

“are you the two of you?” Oikawa asked you as you nodded, “Kageyama and I? yeah, we are,” you replied extremely flustered, “how?” Oikawa asked again.

“we met when I played for Schweiden,” was all Kageyama said before he whispered to you to get in the car. you did what he asked and waved Oikawa off as the two men stared each other down. 

no matter how much those two grew up, there would still be that small animosity between them and like Kageyama had previously mentioned, he won Oikawa’s girl and for the moment, Kageyama finally one upped him. 

neither of them thought of you as some competition but Oikawa was still kinda in love with you so seeing you nearly having sex with Kageyama so openly, it triggered that small high school feeling. 

tsukishima kei: you end up with Nishinoya

an odd pairing?? I know but when I was looking for gifs, those two oddly came up a lot together so I ran with it. okay back to what I was saying, you must’ve dated Tsukki in college, homeboy was not dating during his Karasuno years. 

the two of you were probably going really strong together but when an opportunity arose for you to go to Italy to do some interning there, you accepted and Tsukki was less than pleased. he thought it was irresponsible of you to make such a huge decision without his mild input. 

that decision caused for the two of you to fight like there was no tomorrow and broke up because of it. Tsukki thought what you did was irresponsible and you didn’t think it was that big of a deal. with that, you left for Italy and had no intention of paying mind to Tsukki or the argument. 

you met Nishinoya at a market. the two of you were in the same city as you interned in the same place Noya was fishing for Marlins at. you were picking up a few things for your apartment and your roommate at the time wanted you to get her a fish for her to cook later in the day. when that happened, you caught Noya’s eye and the two of you got to talking. 

his vibrant attitude was a complete 360 from Tsukki and even though he wasn’t exactly your type, you gave Noya a chance and managed to actually fall in love with him rather quickly. because of that, Noya managed to keep in contact with Tanaka and he found out. during that time, Karasuno was holding a get together for former players, brought to you by Daichi and Suga. 

you thought of the reunion as a way to visit everyone back home while Noya just wanted to see Tanaka and a few others again so the two of you went. again, you had no idea that Tsukki and Noya knew each other and when the day of the reunion came up, the three of you were S H O O K. the entire team was tbh. 

Tsukki probably never lost his smart mouth and when he seen that you were with Noya, you were ready to fight the 6′0 man without any consequences when he made a comment in passing. Noya had the mediate the entire interaction and said that the past was the past and you were with him now and Tsukki had no business in something that no longer included him. 

in the back of his mind, Tsukki knew what Noya was saying was right but his insecurities and ego wouldn’t let him back down. Noya loved you and although Tsukki was technically his friend, he was going to pick you over Tsukki any day of the week and the three of you probably had to end up being separate tables. 

because everyone was of age and there was alcohol being provided, you and Noya def got drunk along with Tanaka and admittedly Yachi and Hinata. the lot of you drank like there was no tomorrow and while Tsukki wanted nothing more than to continue his smart comments, he knew it was best to drop it and watched as you and Noya drank and danced together. 

Yamaguchi was able to tell that his best friend was hurting in the inside but he knew if he said anything, he would earn a smart comment. every time you and Noya kissed, Tsukki would make a disgusted face or straight up gag but anyone could tell that Tsukki was HELLA jealous. 

finally when the reunion ended, everyone who got drunk got sent to their hotels in cabs as you and Noya were basically blacked out and not even in the right stage to be driving home. you were hanging onto Noya as he placed kisses all over your face while you waited for the cab to arrive. 

Tsukki wanted to apologize for his actions but by the time he got to you and Noya, the two of you were already in the cab, probably making out and trying to get home as fast as possible. his mind wandered to the nights where you and him would go home drunk and do exactly what you and Noya were probably planning on doing. 

in the end, Tsukki knew there was no chance that you and him would ever become friends and in a way, he liked that. he was glad that you and Noya were living in another part of the world because it gave him enough time to get over you and find someone else. overall, the break up was rough but Tsukki knew that shit happens for a reason and maybe you weren’t meant to end up with him. 

Akaashi Keiji: you end up with Konoha 

oh boy, this relationship was odd from the start. when you were dating Akaashi, you knew his teammate held feelings for you but at the time, you didn’t pay any mind to him and stuck with Akaashi as you were basically enthralled with him. 

the reason for the break up was probably college. both of you went to different ones and you figured it was just more beneficial for the two of you just to end it before anymore feelings got hurt in that process. it sucked but that was just the way life worked. 

you ended up meeting Konoha in Tokyo. you both were in the pharma business and worked in the same building, just different departments. you knew that Konoha would befriend you the minute he found out you worked at the same place he did so when you found his office, Konoha fucking ASCENDED when you told him. 

that day the two of you went out for drinks and that was assumedly the first date for the two of you. you found it odd how you ended up finding Konoha again but this time, there was nothing stopping from the two of you dating and Konoha made sure that he asked you out as soon as possible. 

Konoha and yourself made enough money by working in medicine that the two of you lived lavishly once you moved with each other. the house was placed a few minutes out of Tokyo and the house was big enough to hold a house warming party when it was done getting remodeled and furnished. 

you had pushed him to invite a few former Fukurodani members to attend the party and that included Bokuto, Akaashi, and Haruki to which they all came. Akaashi had heard from word of mouth that the two of you ended up together but he wanted to see it to believe it. 

when the party came up, you were wearing a dress, pretty tight fitting in the areas you wanted to flaunt and you knew that Konoha was going to have a ball taking the dress off of you when the party was over. plus, Konoha knew how to wear a suit well and you were planning on doing the same thing to him. 

as soon as the three Fukurodani members arrived, you sat them at the main two tables and made sure that you and Konoha would sit with them for the dinner. you wanted to catch up with your former friends but you were still a bit awkward around Akaashi. 

the awkward atmosphere wasn’t really felt around Konoha nor Haruki or Bokuto but you knew you wanted to get Akaashi alone to thank him for coming and making sure that there was no hard feelings between you, him, and Konoha. 

once you were able to get him alone, the two of you talked for a while and chatted about how work life was until Konoha found the two of you. while he trusted you completely, he didn’t have as much trust in Akaashi and decided to stay for the rest of the conversation. 

Akaashi understood where Konoha was coming from as he did the same thing with Konoha back in high school but he was already kind of over you and had no intentions of stealing you back. in a way, he liked you and Konoha together. he had no idea why but he did like it. 

he watched as you and Konoha would give each other pecks here and there but while he felt a pang of jealousy, ultimately, he wished the next time he seen either of you, he had that special someone in his life. just to show that he had moved on and that the three of you could start becoming friends again. 

ALITA 

[darkkitsuneprincess]

Conquest (Nobunaga x Reader)

Finally! Something new and lovely! With the threat of Mitsuhide’s route release (major SQUEE action over here ‘cause I do love me some snek), the smut gears are churning again.  With any luck it won’t take as long next time to post something new. So…here you go. Enjoy!

Title: Conquest Pairing: Nobunaga x Female Rating: M (again, very NSFW) Length: 4100 words Description: AU game of Go, now with smut action!

*******

The soft clack of wooden soles filled the empty hallway, a stark counterpoint to the knocking of my heart as I made my way to the tenshu. My hands shook against one another inside the sleeves of my kimono. My belly quivered. So much rode on my winning just one game of Go. If I had any hope of returning to my time—of returning home—I needed to withstand Nobunaga’s advances. He was determined, a man possessed if I were honest in my description, and I stood no chance. Even with regular tutelage in both gameplay and battle strategy from Mitsunari, I was fooling myself to believe I was any contest for that terrible and beautiful tactician’s mind.

Having reached the door to Nobunaga’s room, I hesitated. I always hesitated. My heart was his long before he pressed his hand to my chest and claimed it for his own. It had taken nearly dying for me to accept that truth. Yet now that we were back in Azuchi, back in this familiar space with nothing to stop us save my own inhibitions… my body quaked with a mix of anticipation and fear.

What would he choose to claim tonight? How would I react? Did I want to let myself be claimed if I couldn’t prove his love for me?

I didn’t know. I wanted him as much as I wanted the air I breathed and I was even willing to take on all the awful things that came with him—ruthlessness, cruelty for the greater good, death—so long as I knew I would be more than a temporary plaything. For him, for his love, I could choose to stay…

I pushed the thought away and tapped my fingers against the door, sealing my fate.

“Nobunaga, I’m here.”

“Enter.”

And so I did, sliding the door to the side and slipping in. The sight of him robbed me of breath. Nobunaga lounged against his armrest from behind the goban with a thin smile on his lips, a predator even in repose. He stalked me with his gaze as I crossed the room on unsteady legs and took my seat on the vacant cushion. His gaze was appreciative and hungry. Haughty, as if my losing was already a foregone conclusion.

I wouldn’t let myself dwell on the fact that I had no chance of beating him as I picked up my first stone and followed his opening volley with one of my own. We were silent as we placed our pieces, the soft clack of the stones the only sound in the room. This game was…different than the last. Nobunaga was focused yet not, his gaze traveling upward to my face more and more often as we claimed and lost territory. Despite my own distraction, I managed to hold my own until the very end. In a series of quick, incursive moves he wiped out the narrow lead I’d held for most of the game, crushing my territory in a solid and decisive victory.

“I win.”

…a phrase that haunted me. I stared at the goban in frustration. My losing was inevitable, yes, but no less annoying. Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from scowling, I leveled Nobunaga with a cold stare.

“So you did.”

He blinked in surprise. “No smart remarks from you?”

“What good would it do? You’ve already set the terms of our wager.”

“This is quite unlike you,” he responded. “Are you unwell, Y/N?”

“No.”

An arrogant smirk lifted one corner of his mouth. “Are you so desperate for my touch that you are willing to give in then?”

Yes. “No.”

“Then why not put up a fight?”

“Because you won.” He looked…disappointed almost, as if he’d expected a long battle. “Do you want me to fight?”

“I’ve come to expect it from you.”

“Well I’m just full of surprises, aren’t I?”

I found myself in his arms in the next breath, the sound of stones scattering across the tatami a distant echo behind the hammering of my heart as the spicy scents of cinnamon and incense surrounded me. My hands landed on his arms just above the elbows, my brain noting wildly in the moment that my hands didn’t even go half-way around.

“As am I,” he answered.

My skin prickled with awareness everywhere we touched. His ragged breath slipped over the skin of my throat, igniting the flame low in my belly as he leaned close and captured my earlobe between his teeth. I shivered, a tiny moan escaping my lips.

“Such sweet cries from one who shows no affect,” he murmured, his deep, sonorous voice rumbling through me and setting my nerve endings on fire. The tip of his nose moved down the line of my throat with the lightest of feathery touches then back up again. His fingers flexed against my hips, the warmth radiating from his body seeping into my skin through the layers of my kimono. “I would almost believe you enjoy yourself when I touch you.”

And there’s the trap, I thought.

Rather than implicate myself, I remained quiet, my fingers flexed against his arms to keep them from shaking while his lips slid over my skin to the split at the throat of my kimono. My head fell back and I bit my lip to keep from making another sound. He knew full well what he did to me. There was no need to stroke that massive ego of his further.

“What shall I claim tonight?” he asked, his lips moving against my skin. His fingers dropped to my leg where my kimono had bunched around my knees, sliding beneath the layers of fabric to tickle over my outer thigh. “I own so many parts of you, yet my lands are not connected. Your leg, your lap, your ear, your forehead, your hand…”

“You speak as if you’ve forgotten basic battle tactics,” I said. I was goading him and I knew it, but his touch did such wicked, wonderful things to me. “You may be a master at Go, but even I know that to win at Risk, you have to keep your territory intact.”

“What?” Nobunaga pulled back and looked down at me, curiosity burning in those beautiful, cinder-red eyes.

“A strategy game from my time. You start with a map of the world and use your armies to conquer the continents piece by piece.”

“It sounds delightful,” he said, a smile softening his sharp gaze. I knew I had his attention now. His curiosity was almost as insatiable as his hunger. “You will teach me this game.”

“Is that what you want for winning?” I question, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. “Me to teach you a game?”

“Absolutely not,” he answered without hesitation, his fingers digging into my sides to remind me exactly where I was. “I will claim my prize and learn everything you know of this game.” He leaned in again, nibbling along the cuff of my ear and winning another moan for his trouble. “And then I will use that knowledge to destroy you again and again.”

“That’s not fair!”

Nobunaga groaned despite the smile on his face when he pulled back. “Will you give me no peace, woman?” he asked, his devilish expression turning predatory.

“Probably not,” I replied.

His hands threaded through my hair, his long fingers massaging my scalp in the process. I shivered as those calloused fingertips traced my ear and slid down my throat. His touch was more intoxicating than any sake, more addictive than any drug. The tiny voice of reason in my mind told me I should put a stop to this, but my heart and body craved him.

“I continue to claim you bit by bit, yet those lips of yours protest. Your body responds…” His fingers drifted over my shoulder and down my arm, leaving a trail of tingling warmth in their wake. “…and it tells me you want this.” My hand rose in response to his touch and our fingers threaded together. “Then you deny me.” His other hand slid to the back of my head, closing around my hair. “Perhaps you will be willing to relinquish control of those beautiful lips now.”

“You are a warrior, yes?” I asked.

“Yes…”

“Then how can you possibly enjoy the conquest if I don’t resist?”

Nobunaga’s gaze darkened and his smirk grew into a feral, hungry grin. “So you want to be hunted…to be claimed.”

In a breath I was on my back on the tatami, his large, muscular frame over me and filling my vision. Gone was the cold façade of the conqueror, replaced with a fiery new passion I’d never seen before. That look in his eyes, beautiful and desperate, it burned.

“If being claimed is what you desire…”

“You only get to claim one thing,” I reminded him at the same time I pushed against him. He did not move even an inch.

“But the choice is still mine,” he responded and began to map with his lips the parts of me he’d already taken—my hand, my ear, my forehead, my leg, his palm over my heart…

“Make your selection, Devil King.”

The flames in his carnelian eyes burned hotter and his smile twisted into something almost cruel.

“The Devil King is not interested in petty acquisitions,” he said, leaning in to drag the tip of his nose along my throat. “No…I want complete submission. Tonight you will give everything to me.”

“All is fair in love and war, Nobunaga. I will not submit.” I pushed harder against him and slipped away, rising on shaky legs to put some distance between the two of us. I couldn’t think with him so close, taking up all my attention.

Nobunaga tracked me with his gaze as I moved to the other side of the room and slid open the balcony door. He was enjoying this. Truth be told, so was I. My safety was never once in question; if I asked him to stop, he would. OF that one thing I was certain.

“Do you still intend to return to your time?” he asked, his rich, deep voice hinting at uncertainty.

“I…” I had thought so much about it but had yet to come to a conclusion. These games, his driving need for me to look only at him, the way I felt in his arms… Sasuke told me not to get attached, but I’d gone and done it without realizing it. I wanted Nobunaga and everything he was willing to give me. I could tell myself that now because to do otherwise would be unfair to either of us. Yet the thought that he could so callously take lives in the name of his ambition, though…

“My fireball is without retort.” He rose to his feet, fluid and graceful despite his considerable size. “How interesting.”

“I am not a toy, Nobunaga.”

“No…” he replied, eating up the distance between us with long strides. “My toys do not talk back to me.” Those long, lean fingers closed around my jaw. His thumb grazed my bottom lip. His eyes burned with that cold fire.

“If I claim these tonight,” he did it again, “will you try to stop me?”

I stared up at him, mouth open, breath coming in small gasps. Would I ask him to stop? Did I have the strength to push him away again?

“You’ve taken my heart,” I said, my voice thin and raspy against his fingertips, “what could be more important than that?”

“Is that…surrender I hear?” he questioned, closing the distance between us while his thumb continued to toy with my lips.

“Not even close,” I responded, catching his thumb between my teeth and biting harder than necessary. Nobunaga grunted in response, his gaze darkening as it focused on the spot where I, for once, held him captive.

“You are brave,” he said, pushing his thumb deeper into my mouth. Swirling my tongue around the callused digit, I reveled in the salty-sweet taste of his skin. I closed my lips around his knuckle, suckling gently and drawing a gasp from his throat. “Naughty girl,” he added, ripping his thump from my mouth as he closed the distance and claimed my lips.

Oh… Oooohhhh…..

He held me by the throat and the back of my head, plunging his tongue between my open lips and drawing me into a delicious new battle. His cinnamon-and-incense scent was infused into his lips, and I couldn’t stop the moan from rising as I twined my own tongue with his, enjoying this new kind of warfare.

My back hit the wall and Nobunaga’s strong arms caged me in. This man now owned me, body and soul. I only hoped I could live up to whatever expectations he’d built in his mind.

Nobunaga broke away from my mouth, his lips leaving a fiery trail along my jaw to my ear, then down my throat. Before I realized what was happening he had my kimono open, kissing and licking his way over my collarbone toward my breasts. My fingers carded through his soft, thick hair and my head fell back against the wall with a soft thump. I never wanted this feeling to end, but my competitive spirit flared to life under his touch.

“Nobunaga…” I gasped as his lips closed on the aching peak of my left breast. His hand rested above it and my heart hammered against his touch, urging him onward as he licked and suckled at my sensitive flesh. “That’s—mmm—that’s not…not your t-t-terri—ngghh—territory…”

“It’s too late for revolt,” he answered through his teeth, without letting go of my nipple.

“It isn’t revolt if you never had control of the territory in the first place.”

He let go of me with a wet pop and laughed. The jerk actually laughed at me. “So you’ve declared war against me, have you?” A smile slid onto his lips but a shiver overtook him as I moved my fingers against his scalp, dangerously close to the back of his neck. He tensed as if waiting for me to launch an attack.

“I did nothing of the sort. You declared war against me the moment you placed the goban between us.”

“Then you should save yourself the heartache and surrender to me.”

“There is no honor in surrender.”

His mouth fell open in a flash of surprise. Then Nobunaga raised one eyebrow and his smile widened further. The look in his eyes was one of pure heat. He was enjoying this as much as I was. “You do remember who I am, yes?”

“Of course.”

“Then who am I?” he asked, his fingers tickling along the length of my leg and causing me to shiver. My kimono hung open to the floor. He could have taken advantage at any moment, but he remained in his territory, his gaze locked firmly on mine.

“You,” I started, pulling my fingers from his hair. I placed my hand against his cheek, allowing his warmth to seep into my skin, “are the Oda Nobunaga, one of Japan’s great unifiers.” I allowed my smile to widen and my eyes to narrow. “and you are on your knees in front of me.” I captured his jaw in my other hand as his eyes widened, holding him tightly as I leaned close—so close that I could feel his ragged breath against my lips. “It would appear, my Lord, that you have submitted to me.”

“Have I?”

His gaze darkened and his fingers ceased their teasing torment along my skin. Something flashed in his eyes—something dangerous—and for a moment I wondered if I’d taken this game too far.

Too late now.

“A man who goes to his knees willingly is one who submits, is he not?”

Nobunaga laughed. The sound rumbled through me, spreading more of that delicious, tingling heat in its wake. “First rule of warfare, little one,” he said, and before I could draw my next breath, my back was against the cover of the futon, “when you have a man on his knees, you should always bind his hands so he cannot attack.” My kimono lay open on either side, the evening air cool against my overheated skin. Nobunaga held himself above me, his lower half nestled between my parted thighs. Everywhere he touched burned.

He captured my earlobe between his teeth, worrying it until I moaned with a mix of pleasure and pain. “A cornered man on the verge of surrender is often a desperate man.” He turned his attention to my neck, leaving small, stinging bites on my skin. “And a desperate man will stop at nothing to win.”

Nobunaga returned to my lips, drawing me into another rough, battling kiss, and when he released his hold on my mouth, my hands were bound above my head with my own obi cord.

“Do you know what I do to those who demand my submission?” he asked, teeth raking over my neck again. I stared up into his gaze and shook my head slowly. “I crush them beneath me.” Nobunaga flexed his hips against my core, unquestionable proof that he now had complete control over me. He stilled, dropping his mouth to my ear, and took a deep breath. “If you do not want this, Y/N, tell me now because I have no intention of stopping.”

His words excited me. Despite his complete domination of me, he was still concerned about my well-being. That alone urged me onward as I reached up with my bound wrists and took his face in my hands, drawing his mouth back to mine. He kissed me like a man possessed, with all the passion and fury locked inside his ice-bound heart.

“I will not submit,” I said, my voice small and shaking when we parted, and his eyes darkened further as if he waited for the perfect moment to deliver the death blow, “not without a fight.” Surprise filtered into his features and I thrust my hips upward, knocking him off balance just enough to be able to hook my leg over his and flip him onto his back. His surprise turned to shock and amusement as he found himself on his back, his wrists in my tied hands against the floor. I leaned over his big body, my unbound breasts pressing against his chest as I dropped my mouth close to his ear. “I can also demand submission,” I said, my lips grazing the cuff of his ear and causing him to shiver. A growl rumbled out of his throat and his hands flexed under mine, reminding me that he only allowed me the appearance of control.

“Demand what you like,” Nobunaga replied, a smile splitting his beautiful face, “it appears you and I seek the same goal.” He punctuated his words with an upward thrust of his hips. His arousal became apparent as his cock slid against my core, halted only by the fabric of his night robes.

Then I was on my back again, Nobunaga’s embrace gentle and his kiss punishing. He tore away the remainder of his clothing with one hand and settled his hips between my thighs. Those long, calloused fingers moved over my thigh to my hip, then between our bodies to seek out my wet heat. He dipped one finger inside and I answered with a moan.

“I see my little conqueror enjoys losing,” he said, laughing against my lips as a second finger joined in, pushing deep and stretching, preparing me. “It was an impressive battle,” he continued, curling his fingers up and finding that secret, sensitive place that caused my hips to rise of their own accord, chasing that bright point of pleasure, “and now I shall claim my reward.”

“Nobunaga…” I gasped as his fingers vanished, his name sliding into a long, low moan as he pushed inside, filling me almost to the point of pain. An answering rumble issued from his throat as we came together. Only when he was fully seated inside me did the sound die away.

“Mine…” he growled, catching my ear between his teeth once more as he began to move. My hips rose to meet his deep, hard thrusts, my body begging for more under his fast, steady rhythm. I looped my bound arms around his neck and clung to him desperately, my lips seeking purchase along his shoulder, at the base of his throat; anywhere I could touch became my territory as he drove me higher and higher into the most intense, sublime pleasure of my life. “Mine…” he groaned again, repeating the word like a prayer punctuated with tiny, stinging bites over my skin and long, delicious kisses. My belly quivered in anticipation as that knot of pleasure curled tighter and tighter, urged on by the draw and drag of his heavy member moving inside me. Nobunaga shifted his position, deepening his reach and bringing his hips down against me with each thrust. My fingernails dug into his shoulders, my head thrown back in ecstasy, and I shattered.

My channel tightened, drawing him deeper still as wave after wave of the most exquisite pleasure crashed over me. Still he rode me through it, his rhythm increasing and pushing me higher until he seated his hips fully against me and came with a loud, desperate moan.

Nobunaga collapsed against me, breathing hard, and I held him to me as we came down from the pleasure high, his hips still gently rocking and my own rising to meet his movements. Tiny aftershocks of pleasure jolted my core as the realization of what I’d done tried to take control. I’d given him everything he wanted without securing my own requirements. But the way he’d looked at me…

I pushed the thoughts away, leaning up to kiss the top of his head. His soft, feathery hair tickled my face and I felt his cheek tighten against my chest as he smiled. Nobunaga pulled my arms from around his neck and rolled, pulling me to lay atop his body yet retaining our intimate connection. He released my wrists, kissing the angry, red lines where the silk had burned my skin. His fingers combed through my hair and slid down my back, holding me to him.

“You are a truly amazing creature, Y/N.” He laughed, the sound rumbling all the way through me and rekindling that fire burning in my core. I looked up, suddenly bashful as he stared down his nose at me with a new intensity to his gaze.

“How so?”

“You bring out both the best and worst in me.” He punctuated the statement with an upward thrust of his hips that told me he was nowhere near finished. He was still inside me, and his cock was already stiffening again. The action drew a low, weak moan out of me. “You allow me to play out the most lurid of fantasies. You give me exactly what I need.”

“A-and what is…is that?” I asked, fighting to stay focused on his words as his movements under me became more pronounced.

“A beautiful, entertaining bedmate of which I may never tire,” he answered, sitting up and capturing my mouth as he brought my hips down hard against his. He held me in his lap, my legs bent on either side of him, and thrust upward again, urging me to move. Those big, broad arms closed around me, placing me exactly where he wanted me as he continued his slow, languid kiss.

This second round was less desperate; slower, more intimate. We kissed long and deep, his tongue twining around mine and expressing the affection he couldn’t vocalize. My hips rocked against his slow thrusts, tilting so that each time we came together, the brush of his hips stimulated me further. Though we were less frantic, every sensation seemed heightened. It was less about chasing the climax than enjoying the moment, and enjoy it we certainly did.

Nobunaga held me tight, his fingers dancing over my skin as we moved together, our bodies instinctually finding a rhythm together and stoking those low-burning flames until we came together in a strangled series of whispers and moans.

We collapsed together into the bed, exhausted and delirious with pleasure. I dozed against his shoulder. He slept with his head against my breast, never allowing me farther away than his arms could reach. Throughout the night we sought the warmth and pleasure of each other’s bodies time and time again until the sun began to rise.

[andcontemplation]

The Last Snowball

~or~

Why Joyce Hates Jim Hopper’s Guts (a love story)

--

December, 1964

--

"Skipping class again, huh?"

Jim Hopper thought he’d been busted, until he turned to see his tiny brunette friend cross the hall toward him with a great big smile on her face. He chewed slowly on the last bite of his second sandwich of the day as he watched Joyce flutter up to him like a little bird. 

"Did you run here to state the obvious?" he asked through a smirk and a mouthful of bologna. 

"What? No!" Joyce’s nose scrunched up and she quickly shook her head before the big smile crept back. "You weren't by the steps after fifth, and I was looking for you. I wanna ask you something!"

"Why are your cheeks all red then?" he asked. 

Joyce brought a hand up to her left cheek and stood on her tiptoes to look at her reflection in his locker mirror. Indeed, her cheeks were ten shades of crimson, and the blush only deepened when she saw it with her own eyes. 

Hopper swallowed and raised an eyebrow slowly. 

"What's up?"

Joyce sighed and fidgeted with the lock on his locker door. Then she repositioned the textbooks in her arms, looking anywhere but at him. She tried not to think about how hot her cheeks were getting under his gaze.

"Well -- I don't know if you noticed, but the winter dance on Friday is a Sadie Hawkins," she said holding her breath, before sneaking a peek at him with wide, worried eyes to gauge his reaction. But there was none.

He just kinda shrugged.

"Yeah, I know. Half the junior girls asked me already," he admitted, crumpling the empty paper bag that once held the rest of second-lunch and tossed it in the trash can over her head and behind her. Completely clueless, as usual. 

Joyce deflated.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, keeping the smile plastered to her face, desperately trying to ignore the heaviness in her chest at his words. "Who?"

Hopper shrugged again and turned back to the mess in his locker, getting ready to head out.

"A bunch of chicks. I told 'em 'No.'"

"Oh." The heavy feeling disappeared just as quickly as it came. "A bunch, huh?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"Uh… well, I don't know," Joyce sighed and trailed off. "I just thought, maybe…"

"Yeah?"

 "You and I..?" 

She didn't want to say it -- she couldn't possibly say it. The words caught in the back of her throat, but Hopper was getting impatient. 

"Well? Spit it out!"

Joyce took a deep breath. 

"Well, it's just that... it's the Snowball. And I wanted to see if maybe you wanted to go. With me?" 

She shifted her weight nervously as she waited on his response. It felt like forever as she watched his face change from clueless to amused, confused, and then back again.

"Hmm, no thanks," he said finally, coolly shrugging his hunter green plaid jacket over his broad shoulders. "I got plans." 

Joyce's face fell for real this time, and she leaned back against the lockers, letting his locker door shield her disappointment. Hopper was rummaging around his locker again, banging books around on the shelves and dropping his winter gear at his feet -- hat, mitts, a pair of long johns, and big woolly socks.

"Why don't you ask your new boyfriend?" he asked rather bluntly from behind the locker door.

"Who? Lonnie?” Joyce leaned forward to glare at him. “Lonnie's not my--" She bit her tongue and steered the conversation back on track, knowing the topic of Lonnie Byers was not a welcome one with Hopper lately.

"I wanted to ask you, dummy!" she told Hopper, feeling her mood start to sour. "Since you're like... I don't know? My best friend?"

"Aw," Hopper said, clutching for his heart and rolling his eyes. "Be still my beating heart. You make it sound so special." 

Joyce bounced on her heels in frustration. Sometimes she wished she was taller so she could properly smack him on the back of the head. 

"I just mean-- We went to our first Snowball together. Shouldn't we go to the last one too?"

"Uh, no?" Hopper said and then ducked out of her reach when she aimed for his arm. "What? I'm struggling to see the big deal here. It's just a dance!"

Joyce raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. What a stick in the mud!

"It's the last Snowball, Jim."

"And this is the last week I can bag a doe with my tag, Joyce."

He bent down to gather up the small pile of clothes on the floor and shoved them into his backpack. Joyce set her jaw, grimacing. 

"A deer?"

"A female deer," he grinned up at her.

Joyce clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"You're telling me you'd rather kill some poor, innocent creature than dance with your best friend all night?" Her voice trailed off, hopefully conveying the intentions behind the words --  I like you, you big doofus. 

But Hopper didn't catch on.

"Yes, absolutely."

He said it so abruptly, Joyce struggled not to look too offended. 

"Well, I… I thought you could only hunt 'til Last Light anyway?" 

Hah! She had him there -- according to Indiana fish and game regulations, he wasn't allowed to hunt after the sun went down. Honestly, she didn't know much else about hunting other than that small fact, but Joyce clung to it like a life raft. 

"Why don't you just come to the dance afterwards, then? Meet me there?" Joyce persisted.

"No can do!" He pressed his lips together, unapologetically. "I plan to be elbow deep in blood n’ guts after Last Light."

Her jaw dropped, and it made him smirk again. 

"That's disgusting!" Joyce said, horrified. 

"So's a Sadie Hawkins!" he exclaimed. "Girls asking guys? What's next? Cats chasing dogs? C'mon, Joyce." Hopper snorted at his own joke and stood up. 

Joyce tried to ignore the rude passing comment, even though it made her want to stab him with her women’s lib pin. Why was she asking him again? Oh right. Those pesky feelings... the same ones she'd been fighting for the last four years. Just when she thought she had them beat, making herself believe she only ever wanted to be just his friend, feelings would rear their ugly head again and make her act like a complete fool. Like right now, for example:

"But it's the last Snowball!" She tried with him one more time. “Come on, don’t be such a party pooper.”

Hopper slung his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed the last of his junk shoving it back in the locker, anywhere it would fit. He heaved a sigh.

“So? We had Homecoming last month. Prom's in spring. How many dances do we really need?"

Never mind that Joyce was helping Karen plan each of those dances and leading the Pep Club in decorating the gym for all of them too. Or that this was their last year of school -- ever! He knew perfectly well how much it all meant to Joyce and she couldn't believe he wasn't a being bit more sentimental about all of it. 

"It's our last Snowball." 

That's when Hopper finally got it. And then he rolled his eyes. 

"You realize that none of the guys are going, right?”

"Nuh-uh.” Joyce shook her head. “Not all the guys. Some of the seniors are going with the gals!" 

She didn't know exactly how many, and she left out the part where it was mostly the steadies going together, hoping to convince him.

"Well, none of the single guys are going," Hopper assured her again. "Trust me. We all have plans. Besides, that dance is only for the freshmen and middle-schoolers, now. Last year was so lame."

"Plans?" she echoed.

"Yeah. I told you! My card's punched all week."

"Heya, Hop!" Benny called out, interrupting them from down the hallway, catching their attention over the top of the other student's heads. He raised his .22 in his hand to Hopper like a chalice. "Hunting?"

"Hunting!" Hopper hollered back and turned back to Joyce. "See? Hunting."

Joyce rolled her eyes and let out a grumble -- at least his plan wasn’t Chrissy Carpenter again. 

"How many times can a man go hunting in a week?" she asked pointedly.

"Well, Beatles say there's 8 days…" Hopper started, slamming his locker shut.

"Let me rephrase that," Joyce interrupted. "How many times can a man go hunting in a week and bring home absolutely nothing?"

Hopper narrowed his eyes on Joyce and chewed his bottom lip, biting back what he really wanted to say. She knew full well he hadn't gotten anything yet this year, and he was quickly running out of time to prove his machismo to his pals. Now she was purposely rubbing salt in those wounds. 

"Look at you, being funny," he said flatly, moving her aside to follow Benny out the double doors. "Don't let me spoil your little party, okay? Slow dance with Karen if you have to," he added with a wink. 

"I hate you, Jim Hopper!" Joyce called out after him, meaning every word in that very moment. Just when she thought Hopper might change, here he was, being his same-old callous self. 

"Feeling's mutual," he chuckled over his shoulder. "See ya later!"

"Yeah, whatever, Captain Funwrecker." Joyce grumbled back as she watched him walk away.

Her spirit was crushed. 

Her crush? Crushed. 

Was it too late to bottle all those feelings back up? Swallow what was left of her pride and ask one of the shy, senior guys instead? At least, she thought, Bob Newby’s always a sure thing.

Lonnie was her original back up choice, but she already knew he'd laugh in her face too, just the same as Hopper had done. 

Lonnie wouldn't be hunting, though. Just drinking and partying at the quarry or whatever he and his miscreant friends liked to do for fun -- she still hadn't quite figured that out, though she was beginning to think maybe being a miscreant was more fun than it sounded. More fun than hunting poor innocent creatures anyway. Or playing lone wallflower at the dance again...

As the last bell rang, Joyce wondered why all the boys she liked had to be such jerks.

---

[ramble-writes]

So... Today is my Frank's birthday. Yes it is May 1st deal with it. BUT, here we are again with MORE of the Frank Brothers! I told myself I was gonna do this cuz it would be nice and I'm finding myself liking this AU. So James belongs to (again~) @franks-mixtape! As for the Julie (same one from the previous one) that one belongs to my bf. So.. Happy Birthday to my boy, big ol’ boofer you are. And Luke I tried to make sure I still got a mellow raven tone right cuz hi I haven’t been writing in a while.

NOTE!!!! This would take place after the valentine’s fic. So meaning that Fenik and James met in 1995 which carried onto 1996 (year in-game legion disappeared). As for the first wolf bros fic, that one was like.. an in the middle thing. So yeah.

Warning(s): cursing, teenager stuff lol

Don’t forget to like, reblog, and follow if ya wanna see more! (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤

-

Due to a teacher, the pack of Fairview knew about one of Frank's birthdays. On January 18th on a Thursday, the teacher for physics during roll call had briefly announced it when he called out James’s name. This information was quick to be relayed, since Joey was there in the class to hear Julie, Susie, and the other Frank, Fenik as his middle name goes.

Good on Fenik’s part for having a free period since he was quick to leave the school and hurried off to see about something simple to get his brother. Though... Any sort of gift or a word of cheer was met with hostility and retaliation. Of course, this worried the hell out of the three. Fenik only knew about what really happened and as to why his brother hated his own birthday a few days later when the raven-haired teen came stumbling to his brother’s home drunk off his ass and told the whole story.

Damn near broke the russet-haired Morrison’s heart at it...

Fast-forward to March. It was something about after valentine’s that Julie wondered about Fenik’s birthday, and had brought up this thought to his brother, Joey, and Susie. James was quick to be against it and said to drop it with a snap. He may not know what horrors his other half went through, but Fenik’s been the wolf the longest and had yet to ever snap. And he didn’t want to risk that. The last thing he honestly wanted (but never admitted) was for there to be a fight and for any of them to be hurt or worse, killed.

Of course, it brought on determination to mix with curiosity. Which was a bad mix when it comes to Julie since she went over to the russet-haired teen's foster home. Her last class was a free period, so it made it easy to get up and leave without really sticking around. Since it's most likely the couple has his papers upon fostering, it would have his date of birth on it.

"So... He's a May baby?"

"That's right. And on the first, no less," Audrey responded with a nod. A look crossed her face, then the woman turned to look at the young girl. "Do you think he wants to do anything for his birthday? With what he's been through, I think it would be nice."

Julie casted her eyes to the side, brown orbs focusing on a cross country trophy with a figure in a running position with the words '2nd Place: Fairview' engraved at the bottom.

"His brother says it would be a bad idea to do anything after what happened on his birthday."

"You mean, the other Frank? His half brother?"

"Mhm. He doesn't know what would happen if we do something for him. Though, I do agree since raven head threw a big fit on his birthday. Frank knows what happened, but hasn't told us."

Audrey nodded in understanding. Seeing as the two have the same father, of course, they would confide in each other. She does remember back in January that night when she went to check on the (unknowingly) wolf, that she saw the two in Fenik's bed. Amber eyes had looked over with a gesture for her to be silent. From what she could see of the passed-out teenager, was that he smelt of alcohol and just barely could see cheeks stained with tears.

"Then... How about a gift?"

That made Julie think. She wouldn't really know what he would want seeing as there's quite a bit he keeps to himself and or only shares with James. So she just shrugged. At least they have till May to think it over.

-

May 1st was only about a week away. The pack had about a full month to plan on what to do. Even though it was on a Wednesday, the weekend could be used up for the group. Despite his best efforts with telling them it's a bad idea, James caved and (reluctantly) agreed to help out to see what things caught his brother's eye.

So far, nothing. But, the raven-haired 19-year-old, on his first hunt, noticed something about the russet-haired teen. It was after they took down a moose, how Fenik managed to detach the head with a snap of the spine and the sickening ripping sound of flesh and muscles. James had... no idea how much blood was truly on the both of them till Fenik shifted back.

Blood covered his mouth and chin, running down his neck to his shirt under his jacket. And his hands were *drenched* from biting and attacking the moose. Back to the point, the black pelted wolf watched how the skin on the head was cut off with a knife the other had stowed away. It clicked that way. Bones/Skulls were of his interest with how he was careful with it and set it up against a tree.

"Whatcha doin' there fuzz butt?"

"Ideas are needed. Plus, gotta draw out your first hunting band! You're a Morrison, brother. And, maybe, if you'd like. A new skull. I'm thinkin' flesh hanging off the antlers."

"That's... bitchin. But, for another day. I'm cool with the band."

Fenik nodded, then finished what he was doing before shifting back and headed back over to his brother. It did surprise James when the rust-colored wolf took a big ol' bite out of the carcass and *swallowed* it down. He decided not to make a comment and tried it out himself. Weird how as a wolf the taste of raw meats doesn't taste so bad.

-

Since the days have gotten warmer with summer coming, clothes were lighter so no one overheated. At lunch, it was clear to the others how relaxed Fenik looked, not minding when his soon-to-be teammates from track & field would come over and pat him on the back to wish him a happy 19th and some even gave him 10 or 5 bucks (10 = about 8. 5 = about 4). He didn't mind *that* part one bit.

When school was out, the pack stood outside the steps as per usual. Well, except Joey till he did hop down the steps with a pretty big grin on his face. This made the two Morrisons and Julie look over with a raised brow.

"Somethin' up, Joe?"

"Yup! So, ya know how you told us you and raven head here went on his first hunt, yeah?"

Fenik nodded slowly, suspicious of what the tallest of their group was going on about. He heard his brother sigh in his head and go on about how he tried to tell them not to. "Yeaaaah?"

"And ya got all those tattoos n such, right?"

"Joey... What did you do."

The 18-year-old smiled and took off his backpack. Opening it, he withdrew a bag (that he most likely stashed in his locker) and handed it over. The russet-haired teen blinked as he took it, peaking in with amber eyes. Reaching in, he withdrew a box no bigger than the length of his forearm.

"A stick n poke?"

"Yeah! Well, we know that you do pretty well in art and that from some of the stuff you've shown us, you do all those dots that create really cool images."

"Stipple. That's what the media is called."

"Yeah, th-"

"JOEY YOU DIDN'T WAIT FOR ME!"

Susie came running down the steps with what looks like a book in her hand that she's waving about. Turns out the book was a sketchbook. At first, there was a slow build of concern and worry with how quiet he is, that is till they all felt a wave of sadness mixed with happiness. Hearing Fenik sniffle with a smile on his face was something.

"Sorry ah... I've.. never really celebrated my birthday. Always thought of it as bad since I was put in the system a day before my birthday. And.. all the others after that in every home, they just took the extra money I was supposed to get every May."

He ended it by muttering how the families thought it was bonus money. There were shared looks at that. Put in the system before turning 8. Ouch... James then leaned onto his brother's side, feeling him lean back. He isn't good with words, but as they say, actions speak louder than words.

After that exchange was done, the five all went home. Even after that day, Fenik was a bit snide on the fact that the other two didn't really get him anything. But, maybe Joey just had a higher knowledge? Though that didn't seem right, James did know about it as well.

The silence that followed didn't make any sense till Friday.

When the russet-haired teen got home, he was confused. One moment James hurried off to his house, then the next moment he was at the door of his house with his backpack.

"Bro, what the hell are you doin?"

"Waiting on you, and the others."

"Others?"

James just motioned for him to open the door, when he did, his parents were there waiting with bags of what he could tell is camping gear.

"Uh... What is going on?"

Mitch looked up upon hearing the teen and stood there proudly with a smile on his face as he gestured to the two big bags that hold two separate tents, rolled up sleeping bags, bags that probably have food and blankets, and other things.

"When was the last time you've been camping?"

"Uh... Six years ago? I think? Why?"

"We thought it would be nice to go down to the lake. Minnewanka to be exact," Audrey exclaimed with a smile. James let out a snort of a laugh from behind at the name, which the woman ignored before turning her attention to the people that walked up to the door.

"And we thought it would be nice to bring your friends and your brother! That's why they have their bags for the weekend."

Fenik turned his head to look over his shoulder to see Susie, Joey, and Julie there with what were their backpacks that were once full of school supplies, but now hold clothing. It took a moment for him to put the pieces together and his eyes widened.

"Wait, is this for my birthday?"

The six people in the room all smiled with nods of their heads. This made him get excited and rushed over to the stairs and his steps thundered as he ran up to his room. The raven-haired teen went up after the silence that followed after his other half left, wanting to avoid the awkward standing without knowing what to say.

-

The trip was long, but the weather made up for it. Susie, Joey, and Julie were in the backseat, mainly because the brothers insisted since they wanna sit in the truck bed. Honestly, the happiness that radiated from both was astounding considering the many shit foster homes they had.

It was Fenik who insisted that they howl out along the ride, mainly to be idiots in his excitement but, as far as he knows James probably hasn't tried to before. The sound though, was loud when conjoined from the two. Joey ended up sticking his head out to do it as well, Susie had turned down her hearing aid to make it easier to join in from her head coming out of the back window. Julie just chuckled with a roll of her eyes with Mitch and Audrey.

Upon getting there, a spot was reserved for them marked in outdoor safe spray paint. What was odd was how it was marked F.J. Fenik looked to the two adults, assuming it was a way to mark as him and Julie, that was till they looked at James with worried yet hopefully glances.

"We thought it would be nice to celebrate both your birthdays. From when I last saw you, James. You passed out in your brother's arms and looked like you've been crying."

There was a visible flinch from the raven-haired teen at that. He did remember getting drunk and stumbling to the other's home. He couldn't remember all that he said in his drunken stupor, but he did remember that he mentioned why he hates his own birthday. It clicked in his head right there and he stared at the two adults before muttering a low: "Why..."

"We may not know the reason why, and we know we were told to not do anything for you in the future but..."

"What the old bag is trying to say is, why not knock out two birds with one stone in the best way possible. At least y'all can go out and let all the crazies inside, out."

Green eyes sought out to hopefully lock with amber eyes, and they did, but it felt like there was a gentle coax in James's mind.

*'Ya might as well go with it. They ain't easy with "no" for an answer. But, they mean well. Honest.'*

The 19-year-old looked back at the two adults who were scolding each other from Mitch calling Audrey an 'old bag.' Looking down to the marker, he toed at it before letting out a sigh.

"Alright. But just this once. No more shit after it," He concluded. That caught the two's attention, but they nodded in understanding. For the rest of the time till dinner, they set up the two tents. One for the adults, the other for the teenagers. It was nice that a grill was there since hamburgers, salmon, and what other things they brought in cans were cooked.

It was Susie who declared that any gifts that were brought were to be given. She ended up giving Fenik a scarf she made, an infinity scarf that's a big circle. Course, he put that on. The one from Julie was... Questionable. It was a collar and a leash which promoted James to point and cackle like a mad man.

"AWW YOU GONNA TAKE YOUR WITTLE PUBBY OUT FOR WALKIES!!" He wheezed out, just howling with laughter before yelping when his brother had taken the leash and snapped it like what people do with belts. As a joke (they both know), the younger of the two chased after the eldest yelling about tying him up to a tree. The adults didn't get it, but the teenagers did and Joey fell down from wheezing so much.

When it all calmed down, Fenik yelped at a toy hitting his head and plopping onto the ground. A *squeaky* toy. He just glared at his brother who snickered, making the joke about the collar and leash worse. He muttered a 'thanks' to it before stopping at feeling something plush be placed on his head. He let it land in his lap to see a folded up plaid blanket, blue and red in color with its usual mixed colored squares when it comes to two colors. Thick in material too, meant to keep one warm.

*'It's not every night we get to run around the forest like some shitty dystopian forest novel, so I thought why not get something that'll ease ya when we're apart.'*

Fenik brought it up to his face to rub his face on it, but the fact that it was practically coated in James's scent honestly did bring him comfort that he kinda just... sat there with his face in it silently before lifting his face up with a smile on it. It was easy to tell that he's pleased about it.

-

Did they go night swimming? Yes. There was a bit of daylight left so it made swimming perfect for the teenagers as they did their best to not be so loud to disturb other sleeping campers. Of course they couldn't help the squeaks and yelps that were let out from falling in and water being splashed. Joey ended up calling it good and declared he's heading back to dry off and sleep. Susie followed after. Julie did as well, after wishing the both of them 'Happy Birthday' and kissing the both of them on the cheek.

It left the two Morrisons there on the shoreline, sitting there gazing out as the last bit of light faded and allowed for their eyes to adjust and adapt to the dark. Fenik went over to the lump that is his towel and unrolled it to pull out his newly acquired blanket, only to see a little box plop out. Confused, he picked it up as he headed over to his brother and sat down to drape the blanket over the both of them.

Before he could even ask, James nudged him to open it. He didn't press on but listened and ended up withdrawing a cord necklace tied around what looks like a tip of an antler. It was engraved too with what appears to be a half of a wolf face, but the lines were dyed green. That's when he noticed another one with the other half of the face and lines dyed red.

The raven-haired teen took both. The one with the red lines he put on around his neck, then fitted the one with the green lines around his brother's neck. A matching set, but the one the russet-haired one had was bigger, until it clicked as to why.

"Remember that box ya showed me of those pieces of bones you've collected or snapped off?" When Fenik nodded as a response, he kept going. "I took the tip from that moose we took down, then this one that I have from the deer you told me you hunted. So I thought, why the hell not?"

"And you made a matching set out of them... Thank you..."

James nodded with a half smile, then his eyes followed as his brother stood up. He did the same and shifted after Fenik did. Compared to the walking hellfire the rusted colored wolf is, he's a shadow with orbs to lure in those that are unsuspecting. Together, it was just two big overgrown dogs that caused chaos like puppies.

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Pokemon Master Quest, Episodes 37-40

In which Misty picks up a big green buddy and we get one of the best battles of the show to date.

Big Green Buddy

It’s always fun when we get a shake-up in our protagonists’ lineup of Pokemon. And this time, it’s Misty’s turn for a new friend: her Poliwhirl has evolved into a Politoed! One of the benefits of Johto introducing multiple possible evolutionary paths for certain Pokemon is those Pokemon can encompass a greater variety of personality types when they evolve. In contrast to a tough, macho Poliwrath, Politoed is the friendliest little hippie you ever set eyes on. He’d rather clap and dance about than get into combat, but once he gets off his ass and gets to work, he’s a bruiser you don’t want to be on the wrong side of. He even gets the honor of the silliest yet somehow coolest move in the Pokemon moveset: Swagger. This cuddly green guy has so much drip that he can use it as an attack to turn his enemies against each other. Tell me you don’t want that on your side. I dare you. In just a couple episodes, Politoed’s shown more character than Poliwhirl ever did over the hundred-plus episodes he had before evolving. That, folks, is what we call an absolute win.

Battle Magic

I’ve mentioned in the past that Master Quest is regularly pulling out some of the best battles of the entire TV show up until this point. For the first time, it feels like this show can actually have cool fights that aren’t just two jpegs smacking into each other until one of them falls over. Well, episode 39 keeps that train rolling strong, pitting Ash against the fully evolved forms of all the original starter Pokemon in one of Team Rocket’s smartest schemes yet (honestly, they could’ve easily gone legit at that battle park, they have a fantastic knack for playing the game master). The episode is just three straightforward one-on-one battles, one right after the other, and it contains the most consistently excellent sakuga we’ve ever gotten from this show. Venasaur’s razor leaf tears through the air with genuine velocity. Charizard’s Dig attack is explosive and dynamic. Totodile blasting off the ground with his water gun is sharp as can be. There’s a tracking shot of Blastoise training its hydro pump on Pikachu that really feels like it’s flying through the landscape. Trees crash to the ground with real impact, every tackle and headbutt packs a real punch, rubble is lavishly animated as it bursts from the ground... hell, even Charizard and Totodile’s Scary Face-off makes those scary faces look genuinely intimidating as they stare each other down. And Pikachu’s climactic thunderbolt finishes it all off with aplomb. This is just damn good action animation from start to finish, and it makes for the rare fight in this show that’s entertaining on a pure spectacle level. It’s almost good enough to make you forget to be annoyed that Ash shouldn’t need to pull out Dexter to examine these Pokemon, he literally owned all these Pokemon before and should know them by heart, which even Misty calls out but then why is he doing it in the first place he shouldn’t need to learn Charizard’s stats when he had a whole-ass arc with his own Charizard god dammit. Yes, I am poking holes in the logic of something that’s clearly just there to get the audience up to speed, I demand better continuity from this kid’s show, dammit!

Best of Team Rocket

-”We’ve been going about it all wrong! We’ve been trying to capture Pikachu by trying to capture Pikachu!”

-Lmao, that was a surprisingly good con up until it wasn’t.

-”That went better than expected!” “Yes, it’s great we have such low expectations.”

-Today, I have seen Jessie in G-rated bondage gear being remote-controlled by her teammates. It was weird.

-skdjfhskjdfh nice tiptoeing Jessie

-”She’s not half bad!” “Yeah, it’s the other half I’m worried about.”

-”Always cover the catch!”

-”Meowth and I were the ones who did all the digging, dearest.”

-”Alright, who told Arbok the meaning of the word Lose?”

Odds and Ends

-how did they build a bulldozer

-”One, two, three, four, Team Rocket’s who we’re rooting for!” Always nice when Team Rocket has an even more troublesome opponent so we can actually root for them.

-When suddenly, Gundam.

-Lmaaaaaao, that’s gotta smart. All your best weapons used for scrap repair.

-Why... why are we treating this one-time Cleffa leaving with all the gravitas of one of Ash’s Pokemon?

-”That’s pre-tty weird.” dlksjdfkdsj what was that line read

-Wow, that mistaken identity got cleared up much faster than I expected.

-”You get a pension?” dkjfhksjdfhsdf roasted

-Another bit of fun cultural clash; cheerleading is less common in Japan than America, so this Pokemon Cheerleading squad is supposed to come off as more unusual than it does to us. Hence why Ash seems so confused.

-Wow, I was not expecting that kind of outright sobbing. Definitely the best cry-acting of the show thus far. Though I think the movies have it beat...

We’re really getting close to the end, huh? See you next time!

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 129

129

Gearing up, Keith’s body shook as he strapped his gun into place. They had a lead. They finally had a lead worth chasing. Coran had been working hard behind the scenes, trying to match the trace elements found on the clothing Matt, Sam, and Shiro had, but it was a pissed off vampire that’d given them their lead. The fucking opera was a set up. An auction held for the rights to hand over Lance and Lotor to Sendak. Attending the opera had provided the evidence that Lotor was cooperating with VOLTRON, a move seen as going against Zarkon. The winning bid had the rights to present Lance and Curtis to Sendak, with the promise of some kind of riches from Zarkon over the return of his son to his side and the breeder for experimentation. Lotor had no clue there was a joint bounty on his head. His stupid ego probably thought no one would dare turn against him or sell him out. Lance’s existence had become the source of rumours in the vampire community. Keith felt sick at the way they spoke of his boyfriend like he was some kind of trophy.

Betrayed by the continual fail of payment, then removal and death of half their group, they couldn’t confirm the location where Lance would be being held, they’d given the address of the vampires they’d been betrayed by. They had no evidence Lance was alive, or what had happened to him since they’d been double crossed before they could personally make the apprehension. All they had were their damaged egos... and their heads seeing Keith hadn’t set eyes upon them personally. With confirmation of the intention of removing Lance and Lotor on private jet.

Pidge was a gremlin channeling her scary talents into tracking down the lead with such determination Keith felt compelled to find something. He couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t start hunting on his own if this didn’t pan out. He’d tried so hard to be the man Lance would want him to be. But it was harder by the day. 10 fucking days was too long.

Placing her hand on his shoulder, Krolia gripped it hard

“Keep your head in the game. If you mess up, I will drop you”

Like he’d mess this up. Their first real lead. Lance’s health and safety, alone with Curtis’s, took priority

“I know”

“If he’s there, we’re getting him out”

“I know”

“And if he’s not, you need to be prepared for it”

“I know!”

He knew all too well. The information was out of date and provided by angry vampires that could simply be looking to take advantage of the situation

“Good. You’ll be with me. Shiro will be leading the wolf squad”

Why were they being separated? Shiro was an exemplary agent, not... oh. Ohhh... They thought both of them too emotionally compromised to complete the mission without going off script. The wolves would stop Shiro, with Krolia stopping him if she felt he was acting out. Yeah. Keith might not be able to stop himself if the moment presented itself... but he and Shiro had earned the right to be there when their boyfriends were found

“Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am”

““Mum” is fine. I want him back too. I won’t fail you, Keith. If you think about it, he’s my son too. My family, too. That’s why you’re coming with me”

So his mother was saying if he interferes with her getting Lance out, he’d be expected to provide cover for the both of them. It wasn’t that she thought him inept. It was that she lost the love of her life and didn’t want him going through it too...

“I... mum... what do if he isn’t there?”

“Then we follow the evidence, even if we have to go it alone. I’m sick of this game. I’m sick of knowing you’re going through hell. I’m going to do whatever I can to bring him back to all of us. Him and Curtis... thank god these rooms are sound proof”

Keith found himself chuckling, almost immediately feeling guilty for the sound, sobering sadly

“I didn’t think I’d see the day you’d sideline the mission”

“I didn’t think I’d see the day when I did either. I think I spent too many years as a hunter and not nearly enough as a mum”

“To be fair, I wasn’t ready to let you in”

“And to be fair, I tried too hard. I love you, Keith. I won’t let you down”

Krolia was surprised as Keith threw his arms around his mother. Keith also kind of surprised. He could feel his mother’s warmth. Feel the way her body tensed, then instantly relaxed. She’d worked so hard. The bags beneath her eyes were next level. Not only was she working, she’d been there for everyone in their group. She’d even been out running errands for Miriam, then providing a buffer when Luis came to scream at Coran over his mother being apprehended. A lot of things had happened over the last ten days, but it was finally coming to an end. All those times he’d sworn to get Lance back were finally going to become reality.

As he was getting ready to leave, Pidge came rushing into the room, throwing her arms around his waist. Hunk hovering, but when Keith extended his arm, the big teddy bear came in for a group hug

“Be safe out there. I can’t lose another brother”

“I will be”

“Don’t be reckless. And don’t get hurt... and ...”

“Pidge, I can’t rescue Lance if I’m too reckless”

“I know... I wish I was coming with you. I want to see these bastards pay for what they did to us”

Hunk nodded

“Be careful, bud. We don’t want to lose you”

Hugs were such a strange thing. Keith felt almost invincible, or at least a hundred times more ready to face what was coming with a simple hug from his two friends. He’d been such an arsehole worrying about Lance. He’d barely been able to contribute. Pidge was a tech wizard, bullying her way into getting access to everything. Hunk was just as bad as her. Put the two of them together with Sam and all things tech related were at their mercy. Breaking the hug, Pidge pulled something out her pocket

“I have this. I know we can’t come, but if you need support you can reach us on this one. It’s the same as what the blades us, but I’ve keyed in a seperate channel for just us. It’ll also tell me your location...”

Just in case something happened. He got it. This time he was the one wrapping arms around Pidge. She was brilliant. Completely and utterly brilliant

“We’re going to get answers and we’re going to get him back...”

“And then I’m going to punch him in the dick for being kidnapped”

Keith snorted

“Not before I do. Okay. You guys should head back. It might be a while before you hear anything and Mami is going to need your support”

“We’ve got this handled. Take care of yourself”

“I will...”

*

Lance had seen enough movies to know when something was up. Lotor had been moved into the same room as him. Chained on the other side of the bed. Acxa, Zethrid and Ezor were chained together, with Curtis in seperate chains. Curtis had the most mobility of them, he could “waddle” around, waddling from where he’d been thrown into the room across to sit beside Lance. There were bruises across Curtis’s face. His horn seemed longer too, but his friend still smiled at him. Out of everyone, Lance was most relieved to see Curtis was okay. Tangling their chains together they clung to each other. After being silent for so long, Lance couldn’t find the words to tell Curtis how relieved he was. That and both he and Lotor had been gagged. The ball gag in his mouth was made from some kind of spiked metal. His lips taped over, with extra tape over the side straps of the muzzle device they’d forced him to put on. Curtis couldn’t get the tape off properly, the pain leaving Lance in tears... then again, he’d already been crying with happiness over seeing Curtis again.

Lotor’s gag was worse than his, as were his chains. Metal spikes dug into the vampires face leaving weeping wounds. His chains must have had a higher concentration of lead or mercury as the wounds around his wrists were no joke. Lance had had a lot of time to really break things down, he now believed beyond a doubt that Lotor had tried to trade himself to Sendak in order to secure their release, only to be betrayed by Narti and her own ambition. Him getting Shiro, Matt, and Sam out was the best he could do... and maybe he thought like Lance did that together they’d be stronger than what they turned out to be. He still didn’t like Lotor as a person. His ego made him want to smack the fellow vampires head into the closest wall until he learned humility.

When they finally came for them, Zethrid nearly had Lance laughing. He maybe, definitely, kind of liked her. She seemed kind of freer to be herself when Lotor was gagged. She had a joke for every occasion, including being led off into the unknown. Thanking the room for being “drab”, “filled with terrible company”, and “an experience she wouldn’t recommend”, she actually waved as she was led away. Lotor had seemed bored of her commentary, but Lance hadn’t been. She’d laughed a lot. Compared him to Keith with both of them being helpless and cute, and needing them to show up and rescue them. She’d made Ezor jealous as she complained about Lance not turning into a cute little bat. Ezor promised Zethrid could have a hundred pet bats if she just stopped wanting Lance for a pet. Zethrid pointing out that those bars didn’t have a cute human form that looked cuddly. Lance really was glad she hadn’t been gagged, though Keith would have pissed enough to gag her himself.

Between the three witches being taken and returning for them, hours must have passed in the matter of minutes. When they undid his chains from the bed, Lance held onto Curtis so fiercely that the vampire on chain duty couldn’t pry him off his friend, even with the threat of the cattle-prod. Spitting in his face, the two of them were let together, snarky remarks made about him being a “slut of a breeder and a mistake”, thrown around like leaves in a breeze. This was their final chance to escape, but now he’d gone and bonded with the others, he wasn’t okay with leaving anyone behind. Captive bonds and all that aside, it was true that Zethrid and Ezor had helped Keith at the shipping yard on his birthday. He at least owed them for that. Acxa didn’t say much, though Zethrid did tease her a hell of a lot about her possibly liking Keith. Alas for Acxa, Keith was his and he’d never willingly give him up, though Acxa did say that it more like kinship that love... Yeah. No. She’d not be left alone with his boyfriend when he finally got back to Keith.

Not moving fast enough, Lance was smacked over the head with the handle of the cattle prod, stumbling and nearly taking Curtis down with him. Both of them were already leaning against each other in an attempt to remain upright. How Curtis could stand being so close to him when he was a mess Lance wasn’t sure. He’d been too docile. He should have been louder. He should have screamed the house down and made things harder for his captors. Meeting Curtis’s eyes, Curtis smiled softly at him. It seemed as if he’d already accepted they wouldn’t be getting out of this. Well fuck that. If he had the chance he’d be taking it.

Seeing they were being moved, Lance got a good look at the place they were being held. Another set of stairs confirmed there were two stories underground, practically purpose built for housing vampires. The hallways dimly lit, wallpaper peeling in places. He tried to absolutely memorise everything down to the smallest detail. Depending on the outcome he wanted to have enough information to provide an airtight statement that couldn’t be rebuked by even the best lawyer. So everything was memorised. The size. The layout. The mould in the air. The creek of the floorboards. This place didn’t have much love poured into it. Not like his house. He always had sunlight streaming into every room. Warmth and love filled his home. He wanted to avoid the sensation of being trapped underground and everything stereotypical vampire trope.

Led through to a darkened living area. Lance’s knees went weak. Standing before them, in all his unholiness was Sendak. Disgusted by his surrounds, blood was splattered across the floor. Death hanging in the air. Narti’s body hadn’t been moved. The witch’s features still held the same almost surprised look, despite the decay of her body. The stench was as shocking as the senseless waste of life. As Lance’s body broke out in goosebumps, Sendak strode across the room, cloak billowing as if there was some kind of supernatural wind behind him. Taking Curtis by the horn, his friend was cast aside, Lance’s nails scraping his arms as he tried his hardest to ignore the urge to submit to the vampire in front of him. Taking him by the chin, Sendak’s eyes met Lance’s. Lance paralysed by the feeling of terror coursing through every fibre of him. Sendak’s ego was every bad thing that lurked in the night. Every bad thing in every depiction of hell. His touch felt scolding, as if a red hot poker had been driven through up his chin and into the core of his brain. This was a true vampire. An old vampire. A vampire that’d been reborn by the monster inside. No humanity remained in those eyes as black as charred flesh.

Tilting his chin, Sendak examined him. Lance knew very well he didn’t look presentable. Even in the days he’d let himself go with depression over his cursed state, he’d never let himself fall this far. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had some kind of facial hair messing up his handsome face

“So this is it? This is the thing all the fuss is over. Remove these chains. He’s hardly fit for much more than lying on his back, and that’s already been seen to. A full belly of human filth”

Keith was not filth. Their children were not filth. His body was screaming to submit, but he knew he could push past an ego now. He’d done it to Lotor. Lotor had tried to make his mind go all dreamy, but he’d fought it. He needed to fight past Sendak’s ego. He couldn’t even spit in the man’s face. The best he could do was sloppily take a swing when his chains were being removed. Sendak catching his fist and twisting his arm as he turned him, pushing up so hard something snapped and Lance screamed around his gag. How fucking dare Sendak touch him?!

“Do not think you can fight me. You’re valuable, even without those things inside of you. Accidents do happen. Load them up. I want them out within the half hour”

When Sendak released him, Lance dropped, cradling his very broken arm to his chest as he dragged himself over to Curtis. Curtis was awake, semi-dazed, and his horn ripped clean in half. The half showing a sick dark red, almost crystalline mess. He tried to say Curtis’s name, but all that came out was whimper in pain. Curtis was tough but this was cruel. Cruel like burning ants with a magnifying glass. He was only human. Letting go of his arm, he took Curtis by the hand, squeezing to let him know he wasn’t alone. Grunting in pain, the hunter returned the gesture. Curtis knew full well that Lance couldn’t go against Sendak. He knew all the shameful feelings being in the vampire’s presence brought up. If Curtis could have, Lance knew he would have tried to protect him from him. He couldn’t even lie and fake a smile. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t exhausted to the bone or that he didn’t have a glaringly obvious compound fracture. He wanted to. He wanted so badly to crack a joke and show Curtis he was trying. If he could just get his mouth free... He could get his mouth free. His hands were free. He was the freest he’d been in days. If he could... if Curtis could give him some blood... he might... he might be able to finally be useful.

[isitgintimeyet]

Road To The Aisles

AO3

Previous

Happy New Year. I hope 2020 is a good one for you all.

So, Chapter 17... probably about 6 more to go (still writing it , aargh). I have it mapped out in my head, it’s just getting it down that’s the problem!

Thank you for reading and thanks as always to @mo-nighean-rouge, @happytoobserve, @wickedgoodbooks for their support

Chapter 17: A Conceivable Estrangement

“You'll stay with me?'

Until the very end,' said James.”

-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Jamie slumped onto the bed.

“Wha- what did ye say?”

“I said I’ve been offered a promotion—” Geneva began.

“Aye, I heard ye and I’m asking ye what did ye say… what did ye tell them?” Jamie interrupted impatiently.

“Oh, I’m taking a bit of time to consider it. Weigh it all up, you know.”

“And what about William?”

“Of course you’d still be able to see him.” Geneva sounded calm.

Jamie breathed deeply, trying to quell the wave of nausea that was currently overpowering him.

“Hello… are you still there?” Geneva broke the silence.

“Aye, I’m still here. Still here in Glasgow, over two hundred miles from Manchester. Ma son would be two hundred miles away from me. How would that work? I wouldna be able tae see him every week.”

Geneva dismissed his concerns. “I’m sure we could come to an alternative arrangement, if I accepted the job.”

Jamie could feel his nails digging into his palm as she spoke. “I tell ye this, Geneva, we have joint custody and I willna let that go without a fight. I am prepared tae do whatever it takes fer my son… whatever it takes.”

He abruptly ended the call and threw the phone onto the bed.

Claire caught the tail end of the phone call as she came into the bedroom. She joined Jamie on the bed, leaning her back against the headboard. Jamie, ashen faced, scooted up the bed to rest his head in her lap. She stroked his curls.

“That was Geneva. She’s been offered a job in Manchester. She's considering it. Probably holding out fer more money.” He spoke bitterly.

“I gathered that was what the call was about.”

“She thinks we can come tae ‘an alternative arrangement’ over William.” Jamie mimicked Geneva’s accent.

He shifted slightly and moved his hand to rest on Claire’s thigh, lightly drawing delicate circles with his fingers against the worn fabric of her old leggings. No matter what the situation, she was a balm to his soul, her very presence giving comfort to him. Even this...

“Ye ken,” Jamie spoke softly. “I didna want a bairn. I mean, I did want a bairn but in the future and with someone I loved.”

Claire’s hand found his and squeezed it.

Jamie continued. “Aye, a bairn planned and wanted… with love. No’ like this, definitely no’ with Geneva. When she told me, it felt like ma world had ended, ma future wi’ ye. And it was all ma stupid fault. I didna want a bairn. All I could think was about us, what it would do tae us. Am I terrible tae admit that? I was sae worried it would come between us, that ye’d walk away. I wanted the whole situation tae jes’ go away. But I kent that I had responsibilities and I tried tae do the right thing fer everybody. Until he arrived, I never realised how much I would love him. And now he's here and I fought hard tae be in his life. I'm no' giving that up."

Claire remained silent, lost in her own thoughts and memories of the past twelve months.

“Have I shocked ye? D’ye think me bad tae say these things?” Jamie asked worriedly. He lifted his head to study Claire’s face.

She shook her head, chewing her lower lip. It seemed to be time for confessions.

“You haven’t shocked me. Everything you felt was perfectly natural. You didn’t choose the situation, you were forced into it… stepping into the unknown. And, to be honest, it felt like my world had ended too. I’d found someone to build a future with and then you hit me with the news. I nearly walked away.”

She could feel Jamie’s body tense as she spoke those words.

“But,” she continued. “I didn’t... I couldn’t. I decided you were what I wanted, so I had to stay. I had to accept what had happened. I can’t tell you how resentful I was of Geneva… watching her carrying your child, growing bigger, feeling it kick. Those experiences… they should have been mine.”

Her voice cracked. “And worrying at first about her hold on you. Would you leave me for the baby?”

“Sassenach, why did ye no’ tell me this?”

“I didn’t want to admit it to myself, I don’t think. Plus I wanted to remain strong, support you, dealing with Geneva and her mother. Then once he was born and they were playing their vindictive little games, I had to be strong not just for you, but for William too. I couldn’t bear the thought of him growing up not knowing how much you loved him.”

“Ye’re a rare woman, Claire. Everything ye did was fer me and William.”

She nodded as Jamie reached up and stroked his thumb across her cheek, wiping away a tear.

She cleared her throat. “But now, Jamie, it’s different. Now I know William and love him too. What I do now isn’t just for you and your son, it’s for me. So, I say, if Geneva does try and take him away, we fight that bitch every inch of the way.”

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

Jamie pushed William in his pram around the country park, keeping up a running commentary as they passed various animal enclosures. He finally paused for breath and noticed that William had fallen asleep at some point. The commentary had been necessary, despite William’s apparent disinterest in any of the animals and preference for the strap of the changing bag which, even now, was clutched in his dimpled fist. It had stopped his mind from focusing on anything else… like the fact that these father-son bonding days would reduce once William started nursery next week, or once (or if) Geneva moved to Manchester.

Anticipating Geneva’s decision, Jamie had already rung Ned Gowan’s office to make an appointment for later in the week. This time he was taking no chances and was not going to rely on Geneva’s ability to ‘do the right thing’.

And he was dreading seeing her this evening to drop William off, and to have to pretend to be civil was more than he could bear. At least, once William was in nursery, his meetings with her would reduce.

Jamie looked down at his son, still sleeping peacefully. Civility be damned with Geneva! He was going to say exactly what he felt when he saw her later.

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

By the time Jamie pulled up outside Geneva’s house, he was quietly seething. He was determined not to make a scene in front of William, but had geared himself up for an unpleasant conversation.

Geneva opened the door as soon as he knocked. Without a word she took the car seat from Jamie and kissed William, tickling his chubby cheeks, and smiling in response to his gummy grin.

Jamie was shocked at Geneva’s appearance. Never usually less than perfect, her face was pale, her eyes red rimmed with black mascara tracks smudging her cheeks. She made way to give him access into the hall.

A voice called from the living room. “Is that my grandson? Geneva, bring him to me.”

Geneva glanced at Jamie and then took William to his grandmother. Jamie waited awkwardly, keen to say his piece but, preferably, out of earshot of Louisa. He could hear a low murmur of voices followed by an angry and somewhat loud exclamation of ‘fine’ from Louisa as a full stop to the conversation.

Geneva returned to Jamie and beckoned him into the kitchen, quietly shutting the door behind her.

“Geneva, I need tae talk tae—” Jamie began.

Geneva interrupted. “Jamie, I’ve made a decision. I’m not taking the job in Manchester. I’m staying here.”

Jamie stared at her, stunned into silence. Having geared himself up for a fight, he felt momentarily numb before a feeling of elation and relief washed over him.

“Oh, weel,” he stumbled over the words. “Er… I dinna ken what tae say… thank ye.”

“I didn’t do it for you, you know.” Geneva was quick to clarify. “I did it for my son. I was never close to my father. Isobel was more Daddy’s girl, I always seemed to be with Mummy. I sometimes wonder what…how things might...”

She blinked rapidly, her eyes bright with tears. Her voice faded away, leading to an awkward silence. Jamie shifted slightly and looked around the immaculate kitchen, unsure what to say next.

It was Geneva that broke the silence. Her voice was back to its usual brisk tone.

“Anyway, I tried to negotiate for remote working… to stay here in Glasgow, but they need a presence with the clients actually in Manchester. So I had to decline it. Another opportunity will come up here, I’m sure.”

“And Louisa?” Jamie sensed this was the cause of Geneva’s distress.

“Well, Mummy hasn’t taken it too well. She’s only half an hour from Manchester, so you can imagine what she was hoping for.”

Jamie grimaced then realised and tried to assume a neutral expression. “Ah, I can imagine.”

He continued to talk as Geneva led the way out. “Anyway, I have tae thank ye again fer considering what’s in William’s best interests.”

As they entered the hall, Louisa stepped out of the living room.

“I think he needs changing.” She studiously ignored Jamie and passed the rather smelly baby to Geneva.

“Right so, I can drop him off on Sunday evening. I’ll email you about what he needs for nursery.” Geneva headed up the stairs.

“Bye William. Da will see you Sunday. And Geneva… thanks.”

Louisa waited until Geneva was in William’s room before she finally acknowledged Jamie’s presence.

“I hope you’re happy,” she hissed, her face screwed up in a mask of petty vindictiveness. “My daughter is throwing away career opportunities because of you. She’d still have let you see him, you know, if she’d taken the Manchester job.”

“Aye, I dare say.” Jamie drew himself up to his full height and stared down at Louisa. Instinctively she took a step back. “I dare say I’d be able to see him every month or so, but dinna forget we have joint custody and, make no mistake, I would have fought ye every inch of the way in any court in the land. Fer all the traps and games the two of ye have played over the last year, this is the first decent thing that yer daughter has done. Ye should be proud of that. Instead ye’re giving her grief because she willna be next door tae ye in England.”

Louisa had not quite finished. “But what about William? What will happen when you and your ‘doctor’ girlfriend have children of your own? Will you and your family still be as keen to have him around? Would you fight for him then?”

Jamie blanched at Louisa’s insinuations. “William is ma flesh and blood. He will be ma son whether Claire, my ‘fiancée’ and I have one or four or twelve children. To think that I would ever treat him differently is one of the biggest insults ye could have paid me.”

He opened the front door and stepped outside. “Ye will always be William’s grandmother and have a place in his life, but ye dinna have a place in mine and I hope ye remember that.”

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

Claire waited nervously for Jamie’s return. She knew that he was planning on some straight talking to Geneva and hopefully then they would be in a better position for the meeting with Ned Gowan.

“Again,” Claire sighed to herself. “Do we have to go through all this every year?”

From her seat in the living room, she heard Jamie come in and go straight to the kitchen. She quickly followed to find him pouring two glasses of champagne.

She looked quizzically at him and pointed at the champagne. “Why?”

Jamie handed her a glass and took a sip himself. “Celebrating. Geneva has refused the job… fer William’s sake, no’ mine. I dinna care what reason. He’s no’ leaving me. Louisa is furious. Blames me fer it, of course. I dinna care about that either.”

Claire took a large gulp, coughing as the bubbles tickled her throat. “So, we are actually celebrating that nothing is changing?”

“Aye, and Geneva stood up tae her mother and did the right thing… with no lawyer present.”

“And,” Jamie put the glass down and wrapped his arms around Claire’s waist, bending slightly to nuzzle her neck. “With the money we dinna have tae spend on Ned, how about a wee trip tae Loch Lomond this Saturday night? Nice hotel, a few drinks, good food and then...”

“And then?” Claire teased, nibbling his ear lobe.

“And then, we can go up tae our room, I can pull ye on tae ma lap and we can talk about the first thing that pops up.”

Claire snorted with laughter. “Hmm, Mr. Fraser. Sexy you may be, subtle you most definitely aren’t.”

[opheliawritesxo]

When In Paris

Prompt (in bold): 26 – “I call dibs.”

Pairing: 12 – STUCKY

Summary: After Bucky’s first mission back with the team, the quinjet breaks down so the Avengers have to spend the night in a hotel and of course the two boys from Brooklyn pair up; but there’s a problem. There’s only one bed which causes Steve to have a goddamn crisis and Bucky does what he always does, save the punk’s ass.

Warnings: pure fluff that it’ll rot your teeth, an extremely over used trope, implied smut (if you squint but read between the lines y’all), strong language

Word Count: 1.9k

A/N: This is day 1 of 30 prompts. The list is here if you wanna check it out (x) I’m hoping y’all will get smut by day thirty but even with eleven years of fan-fiction writing experience under my belt smut is something I’ve never tried so y’know have some fluff for now (which is a rarity in itself so count yourselves lucky). ALSO DID I REALLY MANAGE TO WRITE LESS THAN 2K I AM SHOOKETH

Sitting outside on the fire escape, Bucky relished in being back in Brooklyn after so long away. Once again sharing an apartment with Steve, it truly felt like being home again. Except instead of Bucky heading to the docks and Steve staying at home, their roles were switched. Bucky still wasn’t called out on missions, not yet anyway. He’d only recently passed his med and psych evaluation, but he knew Steve was wary about him being back in the field.

           “Buck?” He heard the sleepy voice of his best friend call; it was only then that Bucky realised it was 3am and he should probably be in bed.

“Yeah?” He called back, pushing himself to his feet and heading towards the window.

“There’s a mission, kinda big.” Bucky raised an eyebrow at the towering blonde as he stood in front of him, half in his suit.

“You wanna bring me in?” Steve sighed, rubbing between his eyes.

“It’s a hydra base, we kinda need your expertise here but you don’t have to actively go inside. You could stay on the quinjet and just feed us information.” He rambled; Bucky couldn’t stop the small smile that was forming.

“Nah I don’t mind. S’not like they can put me under, all the words are gone, and I got the fancy new arm from Shuri. Is everyone going?”

“Uh yeah.. think so.”

“Well then punk, looks like my biggest worry is gonna be Stark.” Bucky grinned as he squeezed Steve’s shoulder, heading to pull on his uniform for the first time. It was safe to say he was nervous about what was going to happen, but he’d always had Steve’s six and he’d had his.

The mission itself went exactly to plan, a rarity but it did happen occasionally. The only thing that went wrong was the quinjet breaking down before they headed back causing them to have to stay at a hotel for the night whilst Tony sent for a replacement. They were in a beautiful hotel in the outskirts of Paris, the most romantic city in the world. Tony, as expected, took a room to himself with Bruce and Thor partnering up same with Natasha and Clint which left Steve and Bucky.

           After being handed their keys, the two boys from Brooklyn headed upstairs. Their room was on the top floor with three floors between them and any of the other Avengers which Tony helpfully pointed out with a wink. Steve was used to Tony’s innuendos and just took the keys with a shake of his head, but Bucky was certainly confused at the implication. So, what if there were three floors between them and the others, what was the big deal? It wasn’t until they both walked into the room that Bucky’s brain finally decided to catch up with him.

“Tony, you son of a bitch.” Steve grumbled as he looked ahead of him. Bucky raised an eyebrow, peaking to the side of Steve to see what cause the ‘I’m-disappointed-in-you’ grumble; a staple for 30’s Steve. Mainly seen whenever Bucky would work longer at the docks without telling Steve.

There was only one bed.

“I call dibs.” Bucky helpfully called as he made a beeline for it, jumping on top of it and stretching himself it. He didn’t understand why Steve was so disgruntled by it, not like they shared a bed for their whole childhood and even before Bucky shipped out. Saved a lot of money on heating when they could just share body heat.

“I’ll take the floor.” Those words from Steve stopped Bucky in his tracks. Pushing himself up on his elbows.

“No, you won’t.” Bucky muttered as he looked over at the man. “C’mon Stevie, this bed is big enough for both of us. You’re gonna fuck up your back if you sleep down there.”

“Seriously Buck it’s fine.” Groaning, Bucky pushed himself to his feet. Grabbing pillows off the bed and placing them on the floor. “What ya doin’?”

“Well if you’re gonna be a dumbass and sleep on the floor then I am too. Either we both sleep in there,” He smirked, motioning to the bed. “Or neither of us do.” His hands were placed firmly on his hips, mimicking Steve’s most famous pose.

           Groaning with his head in his hands, Steve rubbed at his face before throwing his hands in the air. “Fine! If we’re playing that game then I guess we’re both sleeping in the bed. You win jerk.” He mumbled.

“Always do punk.” Bucky’s cheshire cat grin slipping straight onto his face as if it hadn’t been dormant for seventy years. That only served to make Steve’s heart skip a beat. “Now c’mon, I’m beat.” Steve gulped and made for the bed still in his full uniform, but Bucky stopped him with just a look.

“What Buck?” He sighed.

“You’re not wearing your full tac gear in bed.” Steve felt a blush rise up his cheeks.

“I-“

“Stevie for fucks sake just take it off and get into bed. I’m going into the bathroom if it’s your modesty you’re worried about.” The former assassin grumbled as he made his way into the bathroom. Groaning Steve quickly pulled off his suit leaving him in just his undershirt and boxers. He chastised his past self for not wearing looser boxer briefs.

           You see the problem here was that Steven Grant Rogers had been head over heels for one James Buchanan Barnes since he was fourteen. Now he’d never acted on it because he was in fact; a big ‘ole scaredy cat. With his myriad of health problems back pre-serum he never had to worry about sharing a bed with Bucky because at the time it was just sensible and any appendages that might take interest in snuggling into the most attractive man Steve had ever come across in his life, didn’t particularly work; see previous myriad of health problems. Then came war and they didn’t really get a chance to share a sleeping bag or even a tent for the short time they were together with the Howlies. Now in the 21st Century with actual honest to god proper heating that you could control at the touch of a button, there was no need to share a bed.

Steve made his way under the covers and buried himself in as far as he could go. As Bucky came back out he snorted at the mound under the covers.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothin’ m’just tired.” The man with the apparent plan let out an exaggerated yawn as if to say ‘look at me this is not suspicious at all no sir, nothing to see here.’

“Uh huh, whatever you say punk.” Unlike Steve, Bucky was quite happy to strip off his tac gear in plain view for Steve. Opting to go shirtless and in the tightest pair of tighty whities Steve had ever seen causing a very unmanly squeak to fire its way out of his throat. He was doomed.

Bucky just rolled his eyes, sauntering over and pulling at the covers so he could get in, since Steve had them in a white knuckled grip. Settling in, Steve moved himself right to the edge of the bed. Bucky had, had enough. This couldn’t go on any longer.

“Okay I’m sick of this. What the fucking hell is up with you!?” Bucky snapped. “Ever since I came back it’s as if I smell of shit! You can’t get far enough away from me. Gonna tell me what’s going through that idiotic mind of yours or are we gonna continue playing these games?”

Steve was both heartbroken and slightly turned on at Bucky’s tone. He hadn’t meant to have been that obvious in his avoidance but in Steve’s defence it was for Bucky’s own good. The 21st century might be more inclusive than it was back when they were bunking together in Brooklyn, but Steve was still Captain America. He still had a reputation to uphold.

“Buck.. I’m sorry.” Steve muttered as he scooted closer to the other man. “I didn’t mean to be a dick ‘bout it I just.. I’m.. well.. there’s things about me you’re not gonna like.”

“Stevie, I like everything about you. Try again.”

“You don’t get it Bucky! I-I’ve been keeping this secret since I was fourteen and I don’t- I’m scared alright?” He croaked, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to look at the eyes that gave him his last happy thought before he crashed the Valkyrie into the ice.

           Bucky sighed, placing a soft hand over Steve’s which was lying in between them. “I’ve known you since you were seven punk. There ain’t no secret about you that I don’t already know.”

Steve scoffed, wishing he had the strength to pull his hand away. “So, you know I’m gay then?” He snapped.

“Yup.” Bucky replied, exaggerating the P at the end. “You’re not exactly subtle when you’re trying to check out my ass.” Steve’s heart stopped and he truly was a sixteen-year-old kid from Brooklyn again.

“W-What?”

“Oh, come on Steve, you’re smarter than this. Your sixteenth birthday in ’34, we talked ‘bout kissing remember?”

“Uh huh..”

“Remember I kissed you on the couch, told you we had to get practice in before we went out and got ourself some dames?” It was all coming back to Steve now. The looks Bucky used to give him, how Bucky always flirted with the girls but never took them home.

“So you-“

“Yip.”

“All this time?”

“Yes sir.”

“But.. how.. why..”

“’Cause I never found the right time to blurt out ‘hey stevie, see instead of practising kissing can we actually kiss for real ‘cause you’re my best guy and I wanna spend the rest of my life with ya even though we’ll probably get arrested but fuck it’.” Bucky exclaimed, grabbing Steve at the hips and pulling him forward, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s waist.

           Steve couldn’t quite believe this was real. He was pretty sure he’d knocked himself out back at the base and this was all a fever dream. Bucky chuckled softly as he moved to cradle Steve’s face in his hands.

“You like me?” Steve squeaked causing Bucky to erupt in belly aching laughter.

“I think I a bit more than like ya punk. I love you Stevie. Have done ever since I was seventeen.” Steve closed the very small distance between them by practically launching himself at Bucky. Kissing him with every ounce of love and adoration he had to give; which was over seventy years’ worth of it.

“I love you too Bucky, have since I was fourteen.” He whispered, peppering kisses to the others jaw. Bucky was the one to initiate the kiss this time around. It was deeper and more passionate than the one Steve had initiated but it held no less love. The kisses didn’t stop there, there was seventy odd years of making up for lost time to do.

           If they slept through their alarm in the morning and opted to stay in the hotel for a couple of days longer because, when in Paris; there would be nods of understandings and shouts of ‘have fun!’ from the others. In reality though, Natasha would find herself with a lot of favours to call in from the others since she’d been the one to ‘break’ the quinjet. Safe to say, everyone at SHIELD and in the Avengers were wholly aware of how much those two idiots needed to declare their love for each other and just bone for heaven’s sake.

[mememan93]

too 10 zelda games and why?

an ask? sick!! ok top 10 zelda games with reason coming up! (why cant i tag asks??)

1: skyward sword (duh)- Everything about this game is amazing, the soundtrack, the Npcs that feel like people, the puzzles, the controls, just everything! The storyline was linear, but really worth it! This might seem unpopular, but i also loved fi, from her aesthetic to her theme, hell i didnt mind her tips, no matter how many times i play through the game! People say they dont like having to fight the imprisoned/ghirahim 3 times. I loved the ghirahim fights and didnt mind doing it 3 times. And while the imprisoned was annoying, it was there because of plot consistency. The old woman says that too much power will draw it out, and if that didnt happen every time yall would be complaining about plot consistency. Skyward sword also had some of my favorite characters: Ghirahim and this version of Zelda!

2: Spirit tracks (wii u virtual console): this was my first Zelda game, I used to play it at family events with my cousin on his ds because social anxiety. You might think that i have it so high for nostalgia, and while that was the case for a while, i recently got the virtual console version, and played though it twice (you know when you do something recently it loses its nostalgia?) the soundtrack was great, i loved anjean, and zelda in that game was incredible. Taking the form of a phantom to help you, literally all of zeldas and links interactions were adorable. People said hey didnt like the touch controls and while they did take some getting used to, i adjusted kinda quickly, and when i played phantom hourglass afterwards, i kept dying cause the rolls were different.

3: Ocarina of time (3D): yes i didnt have an N64, fight me. Oot is a fan favorite, and for good reasons. It basically invented the zelda formula (if i have my release dates straight?) not counting alltp. Shiek is one of my favorite characters in anything ever, and admittedly, i did get a little sad when navi left. The soundtrack is good, but short when compared to other zelda games (that and it keeps getting taken off of youtube gdi!) again, ive never had an n64, so idk what the water temple was like back then, (i know about the iron boots gear screen) but from some of my cousins reactions, it seems to be a LOT better in the 3ds version

4: A link Between worlds: This is a really solid entry in the zelda series. Its got just enough difficulty that i dont remember literally everything, but easy enough that i can listen to something like TAZ while playing and understand whats happening in both. Ravio is a good character, though i wish you could steal for him. The items system was really cool, but i like that feeling of “whatre ya gonna get in this temple” that most zelda games have.

5. Minish cap (virtual console wii u): the minish cap is an all around pretty game. The graphics are just beautiful, the soundtrack is amazing, specially minish woods! And its got another of my fave characters, Vaati! Ezlo was also a great character, and sure the kinstones are annoying if youre tyring to 100% the game as are the figures, so this is why we dont 100% things! /s

6. Majoras Mask (3D): Disclaimer: i havent finished this, i was in ikana when my sister lost our copy of the game. But i know the story. MM is a game with only 4 dungeons, so it would seem short right? No, because of the 3 day system it takes longer than expected and wants you to plan out what youre doing. It had a lot of memorable sidequests and the masks were really fun as well. The soundtrack takes those OOT sounds and creates a whole new feel and its a heckin good time!

7. Twilight princess (wii): another game i havent finished! This time because spider scary, and im worried about encountering another one. Midna is super awesome, as is the wolf form and twilight sections, but on the wii, the controls are… awful. Anyone who complains about skyward swords motion controls has obviously never played this version of the game. Zant was cool, but then he was immediately overshadowed by ganondorf with little explanation. At least in Skyward sword ghirahim makes it clear that all he wants is demises resurrection. 

8. Wind waker (HD): for a lot of people this is their favorite, but idk it just never really clicked with me. Maybe its because i saved in the wind temple and Makar vanished so i had to reset my game? The soundtrack was good, but not really my fave, and i didnt like the king of red lions all that much. But other than that, it was a pretty solid game, just not one of my faves.

9. Phantom hourglass (wii u virtual console): after i beat spirit tracks i just HAD to play phantom hourglass, and i gotta say, i was pretty disappointed… the temple of the ocean king was like the tower of spirits, but the time limit. Oh the time limit. Also they fucking nerfed tetra in this game cmon! Ceilia made navi nosies, which i found funny for some reason. Honestly, the only saving grace is linebeck. his theme is amazing, he did grow on me, and the final boss fight against him was *chefs kiss*

10: Botw (both wii u and switch): yeah i just dont really like botw all that much. Half of the soundtrack is pretty decent, but the other half is * 5 piano notes* “what you want MORE???” I didn’t like botw Zelda. At all. At best she was quirky and kinda annoying, and at worst she made me wanna slam my head into the wall. I also didnt care about the champions, no matter how much the game wanted me to. The divine beasts were pretty bad, and the shrines were just kinda tiresome. The graphics were pretty cool (THANK GOD THERE WERE NO SPIDERS) i mean its a cool game, just not a cool zelda game, ya know? Also this is the only game thats made my wii u crash. And it wasnt just one time. Do with that what you will