#Gina is the fun aunt in every world

[evita-shelby]

National Anthem

chapter 16

cw: mentions of drugs, drug trafficking, mentions of infidelity, mentions of a failed poly relationship, the usual i think

taglist: @zablife @justrainandcoffee @thegreatdragonfruta

Jack’s celebrating as the world comes crashing down around them.

He has vanquished the last of his rivals in Hollywood, he’s amassed five million dollars in just money alone and once Roosevelt won his bid in the next elections, Jack would finish his triumph by setting up his political takeover.

By then he will have more money than Ebenezer fucking Scrooge and come out of retirement to hunt down every bastard who uses his tricks to make their wealth.

“Why are you cutting off Michael from your business?” Gina asks, confused as to why Jack’s cutting off all strings to Shelby’s stocks and businesses to avoid any losses before anyone realizes the shit that will go down in a couple of weeks.

People would become desperate for money when they find it all gone on the morning of Black Tuesday. Jack needs Shelby to be in desperate need to take up that opium deal Brilliant Cheng is making and can’t find a single English buyer for.

“’Cause Mickey thinks he knows better than us, better than you and me, kid.” Jack knows men like Michael, Laurie was like that, and Jack had been on his way on becoming that way if Kennedy hadn’t humbled him properly.

Gray is smart, but constantly overestimating his own capabilities to the point he now thinks himself better than his boss. He’s been told to sell, to follow Jack’s lead and abandon ship before he sinks with it, but Michael thinks he knows better.

The Devil knows more because he’s old and not because he’s the devil, something Eva’s fond of saying and Michael Gray refuses to learn even after these past years.

“He listens to me; he knows I learned more by being taught at your knee than all those colleges you tried to send me to.” Gina is proud of being Jack’s blood, proud of her meager skills and the hold she has on this twat.

She and Gray were made for each other, he thinks. If his niece didn’t have him as an uncle, Gina would be joining the desperate people who would lose it all in October. Jack won’t let her share Gray’s misery, especially now that Gina’s gotten herself pregnant by the boy who’s too English to build his own kingdom.

“Like you listened to me about fooling around with him and the chauffeur?” he smirked knowing the girl thinks he’s unaware of that bastard she’s carrying, unaware of her trysts with the handsome driver her mother’s got.

“They way you lecture me about it, you’d think you never had your fun before you married her… and after” Gina returned fire knowing damn well her worst traits come from him more than they come from her mother and Laurie. “Poor, poor Aunt Evie being so friendly with Gloria while you were fucking her behind her back.”

The girl thinks she has the upper hand in this, knows Eva and their children are his Achilles heel. But she doesn’t know the real story about the affair with Swanson.

“You could be great if you didn’t overestimate yourself, Gee.

Eva knows about Gloria; she fucked her more than I did. If you’d dug deeper instead of thinking you knew everything, your shot would’ve hit the mark.” The gangster and retired businessman sat back in his chair and set his plans for Shelby in motion.

“But you’re young, got plenty of time to learn from your mistakes, I’ll give you a second chance, kiddo. If you want a seat at the table, you have to make sure Michael burns all his bridges with Shelby before you come back home as Mrs. Gray.”

She’ll be back here with a failed coup and her dear husband unaware he’s a piece in their board. Until then, Gina will be busy enough to fuck off and let him enjoy becoming a full-time gangster once more.

Politics was something he’ll be getting into, become the Kingmaker Nucky Thompson proclaimed him before Jack took his empire from under his nose.

“I see everything’s right on schedule.” Eva comes into his office wearing a designer coat closed tightly and a bloody red smirk.

“Only when you plan my days, sweetheart.” Jack watches her shut the blinds on every window for what would take up a great part of his afternoon. “Gonna miss fucking you in this office.”

“Bet your replacement won’t use it as fully as we have.” The witch had canceled his meetings this afternoon before he’d returned to the office after a business lunch and Jack would have to have lost his brain if he didn’t know exactly how his wife planned on celebrating his last day of work.

The first day in this office as the President of the Nelson Investment Company had ended with a scantily clad Eva lying on top of his spanking new desk, the last one ends with Eva stripping for him like a professional in Boston’s best brothel.

“About time we had kid number six, isn’t it, Mrs. Nelson?” Be a crime not to end this chapter in their lives without a lifelong memento.

Harry would be turning three next year, he’d been handed off to the nanny now that Eva is very busy trying to map out their lives and respective companies for the next five years with her clairvoyance. How she managed to plan an orgy for his thirty-seventh birthday a week ago was beyond him.

The witch smiles wickedly as if she didn’t hate the being pregnant and birthing part of this, “We’re ending it the way it began, dear husband: twins.”

Edmund for his dad and his twin sister, Eunice.

Black Tuesday comes with the world losing its shit while the Nelsons are sleeping in their yacht to keep people from bothering them. The kids were in the safety of the house and enjoying the rest of the week off school until things calmed down

Those who mattered to them had sold all their stocks and invested their wealth in the few things that will provide money in this next decade. Their charities were well stocked for the incoming shit show, Eva’s readied the things that would give some relief to those stuck at the bottom of the barrel and ensured everything was on track for Jack’s foray into politics.

“They should be in Birmingham now.” Eva whispers softly as they sleep in.

Jack’s been enjoying retirement, as much as a man as restless and active as her husband can. He’s taken up coaching the boys in football and training Kitty for track before school begins this autumn, trying(and failing) to build more shelves for Rosie’s doll museum and even helping with little Harry.

If you saw him you didn’t think he was at his wits end barely a month into retirement. His gang and illicit businesses help keep him busy now, thank the spirits, the thrill of having to work harder at keeping himself from unwanted attention slowly took up the space work used to.

It was like their early years in their marriage. Him coming home with blood on his collar or his cuffs, pupils dilated from the combination of adrenaline, booze and drugs, and hard as a rock even if he had was bleeding out.

He'd gone out to set the groundwork for the opium, build up his control on the heroin market and even find those ballsy enough to deal with illegally sourced opium. Jack had come in at dusk, doped up on the sample Brilliant Cheng had given him as a parting gift and having proven who the King of Boston was.

One million dollars worth of opium each year until the supply increased five times its worth with the end of prohibition.

“God, I wish I could be there when Mickey tells Shelby how he’s lost all their clean money.” The gangster snuggled against her; face buried in her chest because God forbid the man sleeps without her. “Want that bastard to come begging me for help.”

After so many years, Shelby was back on the show. And sure Jack still blames the man for his role in Clive’s death, but they need him alive. Besides killing a man who wants to die is no fun.

“He will, mi amor, you can count on it.”

[ascendancy-echoes]

Chapter 9: The Truth

5th of Eighthmoon, 1016 AG, Castle Guardia

Oren Stormward-Guardia could honestly care less that he was the prince of the kingdom. At ten years old, he was more interested in learning about the world and how it worked. That curiosity led him to question everything constantly.

He had always been a curious kid and there were plenty of things his parents and their friends, the Ashtears, would give answers for when he asked. Like how the Ashtears weren’t really related to his parents but since neither of his parents had brothers or sisters, they were like family. The adults would gladly tell him how the seasons and the moon worked, how birds could fly or what was in the ocean.

However, there were things the adults kept secret. Things that didn’t make sense to Oren.

It all started a year ago. One day, his Aunt Lucca and cousin Zarya came to the castle after his Uncle Janus had finished teaching his sister Liz and him. The next thing Oren knew, there were all sorts of strict rules about when he and Liz could move freely about their own home.

During the past year, he had asked why couldn’t he and Liz leave the castle without guards to see Granny Gina. Why did they need permission to walk around their own home unsupervised? Everyone claimed Guardia was a peaceful and safe land. He assumed the same should be said of their home as well.

It didn’t take Oren long to notice a pattern. During the first few weeks of the new rules, he noticed that unless Uncle Janus paid a visit to the castle, he and Liz had to have guards nearby and no one left the castle.

So he would ask why this was so and all he was told was that he shouldn’t and didn’t need to worry about it.

While Liz was unbothered with the routine and spent her free time practicing swordplay with their father and learning about how to be a leader from their mother, Oren was silently dissatisfied and preferred other activities.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like spending time with his parents, Oren could be just as good with a sword as his sister but the fear he might hurt someone kept him from aspiring beyond the basics. As far as learning about politics went, he knew his sister was first in line to the throne so he saw no need to learn about a job he didn’t think he would have.

So he spent his days in the library or his room reading all sorts of history and science books until that became boring. Then he would sneak out to explore the castle. He sometimes wondered if his parents knew about the secret passages or not. Or that the old locks were easy to undo with a bent wire and a nail.

While it was fun to explore the secret passages, his favorite days were when Aunt Lucca and her daughter Zarya came to visit.

Aunt Lucca would gladly tell him about her inventions and how they worked while Zarya was always happy to sit nearby and color or read. Oren didn’t fully understand why Zarya was different from other kids and didn’t always want to play with him or Liz but he knew in her own way Zarya looked up to him and enjoyed his company.

“She says your name all the time at home,” his aunt once told him. “She wants to visit you and Liz nearly every day.”

One day, when Oren was picking out a book in the library to take back to his room, Lucca appeared at the door and asked if he could hang out with Zarya for just a few minutes while she talked to his parents down the hall.

“Yeah sure, no problem,” he replied.

“Listen to Oren, okay?” Lucca said to Zarya who was flapping her hands close to her body and humming loudly.

“Oookay!” Zarya replied in a sing-song cadence to her voice.

Lucca smiled at the two and departed. Zarya ran over and hugged Oren so suddenly that he almost fell over. Zarya always greeted everyone with a hug. Oren didn’t always mind it but Zarya was stronger than she looked and it was getting kind of awkward to be hugged by her as the both of them got older.

“Hey, Zarya.”

Zarya made a happy sort of sound. It wasn’t quite a hum or a squeal but the beaming smiling on her face and her giggles told Oren she was in a good mood. He smiled at her and started to take his book over to a table as she turned her attention to the patchwork shoulder-bag covered in stars that she had slung over her side.

“I waaant… Oren to read?” Zarya asked after a moment. Oren looked up as she shoved an old book at him. “Read please??”

“What’s this?” Oren took the worn-out book into his hands and opened it. The pages were almost falling out and filled with incredibly detailed drawings that almost looked like photographs.

There was a drawing of a cat that had a strong resemblance to Zarya’s cat except the patch of darker fur was on the other side of its face. There was a drawing of a royal-looking family in extravagant clothes that Oren had never seen before and they looked an awful lot like Zarya’s dad… There was also a map to an unknown building on one page.

Oren turned the pages and saw drawings of his mom and dad when they were young and Zarya’s mom, Aunt Lucca. Another page had a robot not unlike that old machine Aunt Lucca had in storage. There were also drawings of a woman dressed in scraps of leather and furs and there were drawings of his ancestor, Sir Glenn, so detailed that it was as if the artist had seen them in person as opposed to the paintings he had seen.

There were also strange symbols and what looked like writing but certainly not in an alphabet Oren knew. One symbol stood out to him, he had seen it on some strange boxes that he couldn’t open down in the treasury, buried deep behind some crates. 

“Daddy’s book.” Zarya suddenly declared. 

Oren looked at the book, alarmed. Zarya had a slight habit of taking things that didn’t belong to her without asking. Usually it was something minor like snacks or a wooden decoration from the living room. He looked at Zarya, then back at the book, and asked, “Wait, does Uncle Janus know you have this?”

“Read daddy’s book?” Zarya chimed hopefully.

“I can’t read this, Zarya,” Oren replied. He looked at her earnestly and asked, “Does your dad know you have this?”

Zarya looked down at her dress and fiddled with the pockets. “Have this.”

Oren knew it would be faster just to give the book to Zarya’s parents than press her further on the matter. He sighed and asked Zarya to go with him to talk to her mom and dad. 

As he went to close the book, Oren noticed something sticking out of the pages. It wasn’t the same paper as the rest of the book so he opened the page again and saw a photograph. Just like the drawings within the sketchbook, Oren saw his parents In their youth standing beside Zarya’s parents, and there was also the robot and the woman dressed in leathers and furs. She had black drawings on her arm and leg. Sitting down on a stump next to the strange woman was the man from the drawings that looked a lot like his ancestor Sir Glenn. The man was holding the Masamune in his right hand and his left arm looked like it was made of metal.

“What the…”

Oren’s thoughts were interrupted by Zarya making a grab for the book.

“Zarya!”

Oren quickly shut the sketchbook and kept the delicate object out of her reach. “I know you want me to read this, but let’s ask your mom and dad first.”

Oren understood that Zarya was different from other kids. She had a harder time controlling herself and harder time staying calm. Nonetheless, it always caught him off guard when she would let out a loud scream and start crying.

“No, Zarya! You can’t grab books like that! Stop! We need to ask your dad first!” Oren shouted over Zarya’s wailing and her demands that he give back the book. As he moved repeatedly to keep the sketchbook out of Zarya’s hands, a familiar voice called out.

“What is going on in here?” 

It was Lucca. She came into the library and hurried over to Zarya who was still crying and trying to grab the book from Oren.

“Zarya. Breathe, sweetie,” Lucca said firmly. She calmly soothed Zarya for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Oren took the opportunity to look at the photograph and drawings some more. He had many questions and, much like his mother, was not afraid to speak his mind.

“Aunt Lucca?” he asked as Zarya finally calmed down in her mother’s embrace. He closed the book and offered it as Lucca turned to acknowledge him. “Why does Uncle Janus have a photo of all of you with a guy who looks like Sir Glenn and some lady in a weird outfit? And when did you build that robot and where is it?”

Lucca looked speechless as she accepted the book from Oren. Oren couldn’t recall her ever looking so shocked in his life but here he stood with his aunt staring at him like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have.

“Oren… The answer is kind of complicated,” she finally replied.

“Daddy’s book?” Zarya whimpered. 

Lucca looked at Zarya and frowned. 

“Zarya Meiri Ashtear,” she scolded. “We do not take things without asking.”

“Sorry,” Zarya sighed. She didn’t sound sincere but Lucca and Oren knew Zarya well enough to know she really meant her apology.

~o~O~o~

Meanwhile, Crono and Marle decided that they couldn’t wait for Lucca to come back to tell Janus that they had been considering that they needed to ease up on the constant searching for Mystics. They had been considering the situation for some time and had wondered how to approach him about it. Janus, as expected, became agitated at the notion of changing a routine.

“It’s been a year and nothing,” Marle noted. “We can’t have you stressing yourself out like this.”

“But-“

“Janus, we know you don’t want anything to happen to us or your family. We don’t want anything to happen either,” Crono interjected. “But we think it’s clear that the Mystics aren’t going to try anything after what happened… We aren’t saying stop what you’re doing but maybe do it less.”

Janus frowned. He didn’t like the fact that Crono and Marle were suddenly considering that he should stop checking for infiltrators on a near daily basis. He had gotten better about focusing his magic to detect auras without triggering migraines as often as he used to. He has gotten used to the routine. He pulled at his sleeves and sighed heavily. Just as he was about to protest further, Janus heard Lucca outside the room telling Oren and Zarya to stay outside and wait.

Lucca hurried into the room and shut the door behind her. “Janus. Zarya found your sketchbook. The one you came back with.”

“What?! I had that on the top of the bookshelf in our bedroom out of sight,” Janus exclaimed. “When did she-“

“That’s beside the point,” Lucca interrupted, handing the book to Janus. “She gave it to Oren and he’s seen the drawings and the photo. He asked me about them… I didn’t want to lie but I didn’t tell him anything either.”

The room fell silent as Lucca's words hit Crono, Marle and Janus. Years of avoiding their tale was over. There was no way to properly lie about the drawings or the photo and Crono and Marle knew their son well enough that he wouldn’t let the matter rest. It wasn’t that they never intended to tell their children of their adventures, but they knew a lot of what they had done were not things young children should hear stories of.

“We need to tell them something,” Marle sighed. “Not everything but something.”

Crono nodded and looked towards Lucca. “Tell Oren to get Liz and come back here.”

~o~O~o~

Oren and Liz sat across the table from their parents. It strangely felt like roles had been reversed. Their parents looked ashamed as they sat there and looked for the words to explain the photograph Oren had discovered. The photo now sat on the table between Oren and his parents. Lucca and Janus stood nearby with Zarya.

“The simple answer is… that is Sir Glenn,” Crono finally said. “The woman was named Ayla and the robot…. was not made by Lucca. His name was Robo and he was from the future.”

“What?!” Liz shouted incredulously. “How did you meet Sir Glenn?! He’s been dead for four hundred years! And how did you meet a robot from the future?!”

“Time travel,” Janus replied flatly.

“We wanted to tell you kids so many times about Glenn and the others but we didn’t know what to say,” Crono sighed as his children stared at Janus in disbelief. “Even after all these years, we barely understand how it all worked.”

“I still don’t get why you didn't tell us any of this,” said Oren.

“Because you’re too young… we were too young,” Janus replied.

“What your uncle means is… we saw and dealt with things no kid should ever see or do,” Marle explained. “All we can tell you right now is we were briefly able to time travel and met your ancestors and made some dear friends in the distant past and distant future but everyone had to return to their own times and we have no way of visiting them now.”

Oren and Liz considered this newfound knowledge. Oren looked at his uncle and remembered the drawings. The king and queen in fancy clothes he didn’t recognize from any history book. The other lady, maybe a princess, dressed the same style as them. The fact Janus looked far too much like that king for it to be coincidence.

“Uncle Janus?”

“Yes Oren?” Janus was looking down at Zarya who was leaning against him and humming to herself.

“I saw the drawings in that book of people that look like you… Are you a prince or something?”

“Daddy’s a prince!” Zarya shouted happily.

“No, I’m not a prince,” Janus said to Zarya. Looking sternly toward Oren, he added, “I do not want to talk about It right now. Do you understand?”

Oren nodded. He noticed his parents glance back quickly at Janus before returning their gaze to him and Liz.

“Why did you guys time-travel?” Liz asked. “Wouldn’t that mess up history? Or did you already do that and-”

“Why don’t we talk about that later?” Marle interjected. “The whole story is long and complicated and I don’t think your aunt and uncle really want us to discuss this in front of Zarya.”

“Your mother is right,” Lucca sighed. “Maybe we should take Zarya home and come back tomorrow.”

Oren nodded. He and Liz said goodbye to Janus, Lucca and Zarya as the Ashtears departed the room. Moments later, they could hear Zarya loudly protesting their departure, asking to stay and visit, followed by her parents firmly stating they were going home.  Zarya let out a cry of distressed acceptance that she was going home. Crono buried his face in his hands and let out a heavy, groaning sigh.

“Am I in trouble, dad?” Oren asked quietly.

“Trouble? No, god no,” Crono said, looking up at him. “All you did was ask some questions we weren’t really ready to answer. The whole thing… It’s a sensitive topic to your aunt and uncle.”

Marle prodded him in the shoulder and smirked. “Don’t deny it was hard on us too.”

She looked at Oren and Liz and smiled. “You are both young, a lot younger than we were when we discovered we had the means to travel through time… but you are both very smart and mature. We’ll tell you what we’re comfortable sharing but understand there are some things we simply aren’t ready to tell you.”

Oren nodded. He and Liz sat there as their father told them of what happened during the kingdom’s Millennial Fair, the day he met their mother. 

Liz and Oren listened intently although they could barely believe the story as their parents talked of discovering the future was going to be destroyed by a massive monster called Lavos and that was their motivation to go on such an adventure. To save the future of the world.

While their parents avoided the finer details, Oren and Liz listened as Crono and Marle took turns telling the story of how they traveled through time with Lucca and Janus, meeting Glenn, Robo and Ayla. They told Oren and Liz about the End of Time and Spekkio who taught them how to use magic so they could fight and protect the planet, omitting the fact to Liz and Oren that they had inherited that ability.

“In the end, we fought Lavos and won against all odds,” Marle concluded. “After the battle, Ayla and Glenn returned to their times to ensure history would continue on.”

“But what about Robo?” asked Oren. “What happened to him?”

Crono and Marle exchanged glances before Crono admitted that Robo returned to the future, despite the risk that he might cease to exist. They didn’t know what happened to him after he walked through the Gate before the Gates closed for good.

“Maybe someday we can see them again but it’s not likely,” Crono noted. “Your aunt has tried for years to rebuild the Epoch, the machine that helped us time travel when the Gates weren’t feasible.”

“Why hasn’t she finished building it yet?” Oren asked, his curiosity hungry for more. His parents were smart but there was no doubt to Oren that Lucca was the dictionary definition of a genius. If anyone could build a time machine, it would be her.

“A lot of things have occupied her time over the years,” Marle replied. “You’ll understand when you’re older. For now, why don’t you and your sister go have some fun. We’ll talk more later.”

Oren and Liz nodded and left their parents’ study.  Once their children were out of the room, Crono sighed and said, “I’m surprised they didn’t ask if they have magic too.”

“If we tell them, they’ll probably want to learn some spells,” Marle remarked. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that conversation quite yet.”

Crono nodded. He knew that conversation was probably going to be happening sooner than later. A part of him hoped it wouldn’t come up at all but Crono knew that life couldn’t be that easy.

[cherryblossomriot]

i had a dream the other day that was basically a dinluke cowboy au and it has been HAUNTING me, so just allow me to deposit it upon you like my subconscious drop kicked it onto me:

Luke is a disabled veteran who has returned from war one hand lighter and several scars heavier. When he returns, his family, who are heavily involved in the politics/military of this fictional land, don’t understand his now jaded and melancholic view of both the world, but also the ideologies that they so strongly believe in, leading him to constantly feel like an outcast even among the people that he so dearly loves. They’re all passionate and strong-willed, but they still don’t understand, not his struggles with mental health or his new perspective, and it just makes things worse and worse and worse. Anakin is a general, and though he’s seen the gruesomeness of war firsthand, he’s also become desensitized to it and has anger-management issues, so he often almost finds a sort of refuge within the chaos of battle, so he clearly cannot even fathom the emotions and trauma that Luke is trying to sort through, much less know how to deal with them properly. Padme is a senator and cares deeply about the crimes and seemingly senseless violence occurring during the war, but she’s also a politician and knows how to play the long game, so when Luke comes to her, he leaves feeling misunderstood and pushed aside. Leia is the only one who seemingly understands, as the pair of them have a deep, intrinsic bond, but she doesn’t fully grasp Luke’s moods and doesn’t handle his breakdowns and flashbacks well. So everyone feels a little upset, a little unsettled, and a lot like they don’t understand why and how Luke has changed, which leads to Luke feeling more and more out of place within his own family. The war ends relatively soon after Luke’s return, which leads to parades which leads to awards which leads to balls and banquets, all of which Luke is forced to attend, his heart dragging but his head held high, because he’s an Amidala-Skywalker goddammit, and we have a certain responsibility and image to maintain to the public and everyone who endured so much. So Luke has to sit there through awards and boasts of glory and mentions of battle scars and it goes on and on and on, and he has to smile and bear it and accept the medal that they’re giving him because he did such a great service to his country and-he has a panic attack. A nasty one that leads to him having to flee from a ballroom, and outside to the gardens. Once he’s there, he realizes that he doesn’t want to go back in. At all. So he runs away. He just picks a direction and goes, stealing a car on the way (this is a modern au but also fictional countries because I don’t want to get into real politics, hooo boy no siree). In the middle of nowhere, he gets caught in a storm and basically crashes his car and passes out. 

But when he wakes up! That’s when the fun begins. 

He’s in this cozy sort of bedroom, and this hot guy is fast asleep in the chair beside his bed, and is that a little kid in his lap? Anyway, the hot guy wakes up, introduces himself as Din Djarin in the softest, most attractive voice Luke has ever heard with his own two ears, and doesn’t ask him where he’s from or what he was doing driving in the middle of bumfuck nowhere at 3 in the morning, so Luke is obligated to have a lil crush on him, even though he’s not sure about the kid. So he asks, and Din introduces him to his son Grogu, who waves at him and signs hello, because, as Din explains, he doesn’t speak much, and the foster system wasn’t too kind to him, so he’s got a little bit of trauma to work through. And Luke just, instantly falls in love with this soft dad and his cute little son who can shift his features from the biggest, most pleading puppy eyes ever to the face of a demented gremlin who will try to eat the frog he caught in the backyard, no matter how slimy it is, or how hard it tries to wriggle out of his hands. Din tells Luke that he can stay for however long he needs, because Luke’s kinda injured from his accident, and anyway, once he’s healed up, they always could use another hand on the farm. So Luke stays, and he meets all of Din’s other farm hands (and shitty friends). There’s Boba, who doesn’t talk much, but when he does it’s always something slightly ominous and menacing, and Luke thinks that his name sounds familiar...hey wasn’t he on the news for robbing a couple banks a few years back?...no, surely not..., Fennec, who speaks even less than Boba, and manages to be far, far more intimidating, but also helps Luke with his prosthetic and gives him fun little tips that always sound more like she’s cut off a lot more limbs than she’s lost. Cara Dune (who is not gina carano but i digress) is also there, and she’s just constantly a harbinger of chaos, but will babysit Grogu whenever Din wants to brood and stare longingly into the distance (or at Luke who’s also brooding as the sun sets but shhh). Bo-Katan and the gang are there, and while Bo-Katan grumbles about how the old ranch boss had different/better methods on how to run things, she still follows Din’s lead and helps him with the finances and taxes. They all take to Luke like a wildfire, because Luke is a sunshine boy who can make friends with literally anyone and somehow manages to make Din not only smile but laugh, but also because they can tell he’s got a lot of trauma and pain bubbling just under the surface, and they all silently but collectively agreed a long time ago that they are the patron saints of troubled and lost souls. 

When Luke gets better and starts to help out, he’s constantly upset with himself because he used to help out at his aunt and uncle’s farm in the summers when he was a kid, and he knows how to do this stuff, but his prosthetic is really throwing him off and his body has sustained a lot of other injuries that make doing manual labor a much more different experience than it used to be, but everyone is really patient with him and helps him out, especially Din. At one point, Din is so nice that Luke just loses it, because he doesn’t understand how Din can be so kind and so patient, and care about him so much, and kind of calls himself broken and useless in front of Din, and Din gets super protective and grabs his hands (real and prosthetic) and tells him that he’s not broken or useless, and you’re so sweet and wonderful, and can’t you see? Ever since you’ve been here, everyone’s been so much happier, so much lighter. You’ve brought something precious to us, but most of all to me. And they’re standing really close and for a second Luke thinks Din is going to kiss him, but instead, Luke realizes that he’s crying, and Din just wraps his arms around him and holds him.

After that, time sort of blurs, marked by things like Grogu climbing into Luke’s bed because he sensed that he was having a nightmare, and Din waking up to find the pair of them coloring in a serene silence, Luke getting the hang of ranch life and his prosthetic and dealing with his panic attacks and flashbacks as they come, and Din enduring relentless badgering from his friends because hey, if you don’t marry Luke, I will and Fennec, you’re a lesbian and that doesn’t matter, it’ll be a marriage of twink and butch solidarity. And all the while, Din and Luke are spinning closer and closer towards each other, two suns hurtling in their orbit to the other with an inescapable certainty. 

When it finally happens, they’ve just gotten back from one of those cowboy dances (idk what they’re called...hoedowns? yeah okay) (and yes, I wanted to hit all of the cliches in the book, thank you very much), and Grogu’s fallen fast asleep on Luke’s shoulder. After they tuck him up all snug in his bed, they head out to the porch, because it’s raining outside, and the steady thrum of water droplets splattering on the roof and on the grass is the most soothing sound Luke has ever heard (aside from Din’s voice), and he’s a little too afraid to go to sleep and ruin his perfect night with a nightmare. They stand there for a while, silence binding them together, shoulders brushing every now and then, hesitant and questioning. Luke thinks about how Din had asked him to dance earlier, his lips tilted in a teasing, but achingly soft smile, and how his heart had pounded a tattoo to the shape of his ribs when they’d pushed up so close together, the fast, rowdy dances of the beginning of the night having faded to something lasting, something meaningful. Luke remembers the ball he’d run away from, how the dancing had been cold, almost jeering in a way, and Luke realizes how far he’s come, how different it is here. And suddenly, there isn’t a question in his mind anymore. He turns toward Din, who turns toward him, and when he leans forward, Din breathes an uncertain “Luke-”, but he doesn’t get to finish the thought. Luke kisses him, and he kisses back, and it’s just them. There are hands in hair and noses nudged together, and at some point, they move, without either of them releasing the other, into the house and into Din’s bedroom. Buttons are unbuttoned, and whole stretches of skin are kissed, and when it’s over, they curl up together, Din tucking his head into the crook of Luke’s neck and falling asleep there. 

When they wake up, Luke explains why he came here, why he ran away, all the while Din looks at him with his beautiful dark eyes and runs his hands through Luke’s hair, which is catching the sunlight filtering in through the window and making him look like he has a halo, all the while never once condemning him for keeping it a secret this whole time. After he’s finished, he expects some sort of shocked reaction-after all, his family’s pretty famous, but all Din does is kiss him and ask, “Wait, so you have a twin?” 

It’s so unexpected that Luke throws his head back and bursts into uncontrollable, and very contagious peals of laughter, and when he’s finally able to breathe again, he kisses Din’s forehead and murmurs, “I love you.” 

Din, who has been touch starved and lonely for years (no time for relationships when you’ve got a business to run and a toddler to raise), tears up and kisses him, too overwhelmed for words. But Luke understands.  

And then Grogu pushes his way into the room holding up a box of Frosted Flakes above his head and shaking it, as if to say, I’d like to eat now, please. 

Din and Luke stifle their smiles into the other’s shoulder, and when they get up, Luke can’t help but think that he’s finally where he belongs.

----

It takes approximately .5 seconds for all the others to figure out they’re together now, and Cara and Bo-Katan (of all people) start cheering immediately, to Din and Luke’s shock. Boba and Fennec grumble and begrudgingly hand over a huge wad of cash each to Cara and Bo-Katan because they thought it would take them at least another two weeks to get together. Din’s very done with his friends at this point, but he takes one look at Luke’s flustered but smiling face and decides he won’t kill them all this time. 

And if everyone thought Luke was a lot of excitement for a humble ranch in the middle of nowhere, then they are in no way, shape, or form, prepared for when his very angry twin sister shows up with a himbo with a shit-eating grin and his 7 foot tall best friend she hired to track her brother down. 

(needless to say, Boba punches Han within two minutes of interaction).

[kpopfanfictrash]

s is for sexy

Author: kpopfanfictrash

Pairing: Jungkook

Word Count: 1,532

Rating: PG-13

Summary: An accompanying drabble to The Art of War More. This drabble takes place after the events of both TAOM and L is for Lunacy. Jungkook is included in People magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive issue, but you can’t find a copy anywhere.

[ PART OF MY JUNGKOOK BIRTHDAY DRABBLE GAME ]

“We’ve made a terrible mistake,” you complained, sinking down on a park bench to rest your chin in one hand.

Coming to a stop, Gina craned her neck to peer over her shoulder. “I agree,” she said. “We should’ve stopped and gotten donuts at that shop I pointed out.”

“Gina.” You looked up. “Read the room, alright?”

“Right, sorry.”

She grinned, plopping down on the park bench beside you. Adjusting her green and white striped shorts, Gina lifted a hand to scan the horizon. A few children played on the slide at the playground, their innocent cackles drifting over the hedges.

Utterly exhausted, you sighed. “We should give up.”

“No!” Gina turned to face you, appalled. “We’re not stopping until we’ve combed every newsstand in the city. Until we’ve harassed every bodega owner! Until our names are plastered under persona non grata in every library!”

Normally, Gina’s speeches were enough for you to crack a smile, but not today. Today was the day Jungkook’s big magazine article was released and you had woefully dropped the ball. To be fair, Seokjin had suggested you order the volume ahead of time, since the People’s Sexiest Men issue tended to sell out, but you completely forgot.

Jungkook had stayed on campus through Senior year, but then had immediately entered the NHL. This was his second full season with the team and already, he was garnering national attention. Much of this was due to a viral clip of your boyfriend removing his jersey at the end of game five of the western conference finals, but said clip wouldn’t have gone viral if Jungkook had been on the bench.

The fact that he got playing time in his first season was remarkable – let alone that he was playing in the semis and was now considered the league’s It boy. Already there were rumors of him being nominated for end of year awards. Jungkook was excited about those, of course, but you and your friends were more excited for this. People’s Sexiest Men Alive.

He wasn’t the cover, of course – that was reserved for A list celebrities – but it seemed Jungkook’s abs had been enough to land him a mention. You’d planned on wallpapering the apartment door with the photo before he got home tomorrow, but that wouldn’t happen if you couldn’t get your hands on a copy.

Unfortunately for you, the issue seemed to be sold out.

Sighing again, you folded your arms over your chest. “Has Seokjin said anything to you?” you asked Gina. “Was he able to find one?”

“How should I know?” she said, somewhat defensive. “It’s not like I know everything Seokjin does or says.”

You stared at her for a moment, unsure how to respond. “Uh – I know?”

“Right.” Gina swallowed, somewhat mollified. “Why don’t we call him?”

Shaking your head at her weirdness, you pulled your phone from your pocket. Honestly, Gina and Seokjin had been acting mad weird lately. They acted all cagey and awkward whenever you asked one about the other. If you didn’t know better, you’d almost think they were fighting.

Dialing Seokjin’s number, you leaned back on the bench and listened to his ringback tone. Kim Seokjin was one of the only people you knew – well, him and your aunt – who still had that feature, and Seokjin hadn’t bothered to update his since 2011. It was still Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.

HEY, I JUST MET YOU! AND THIS IS CRAZ –

“Hello?”

“Seokjin,” you groaned. “When are you going to change that dumb ringback tone?”

“Whenever Carly Rae goes out of style, so never.”

Gina, having overheard, cracked up beside you.

“Anyways,” you said, switching to your other ear. “Any luck on the search?”

“Sorry, but nope. Seems your boyfriend is more in demand than that one donut shop Gina always wants to go to.”

“That, or it’s the fact that Michael B. Jordan’s on the cover.”

“Yeah, probably that.”

“Alright,” you sighed, picking a thread on your jeans. “Thanks for trying, Seokjin.”

“Anytime,” he said and hung up.

As you shoved your phone in your purse, Gina looked at you warily. “No luck?”

“Nope.”

“Hm.” Gina leaned back on the bench. “Maybe we should switch gears here, get creative. We could cut out semi-nude photos of Jungkook and stick them to the pages of last year’s edition!”

“Where would I get last year’s issue, though?”

“Good point.” Gina thought. “You could just stick semi-nude photos of Jungkook to your front door?”

“Gina,” you laughed, shoving her shoulder. “Stop stripping my boyfriend!”

“There it is!” Gina beamed. “I knew I could get you to laugh.”

Shaking your head, your smile faded a little. Gina was right though, this was silly. It would’ve been fun for Jungkook to come home from his away game to this, but it was hardly the end of the world. You would just order a copy online and wait.

Heaving a great sigh, you stood from the bench. “Okay,” you said, turning to Gina. “Let’s head out.”

Gina convinced you to go to the donut shop at least, so you didn’t arrive home empty-handed. That was the reason she gave you at least, although you knew it had more to do with her recently launched donut Instagram.

The box was precariously perched on your hip as you shoved open the door, placing the keys on the hook to kick the door shut. As you turned to walk inside, you started – nearly dropping the entire box of donuts on the floor.

“Jungkook?” you gasped.

Chucking the box on the counter, you dashed across the room.

Jungkook laughed when you reached him, immediately jumping to wrap your legs around his waist. He caught you easily, warm hands on your waist as you buried your face in his chest. Somewhat awkwardly, he walked you towards the kitchen.

“You’re back!” you blurted, pulling back to see him.

Jungkook grinned, rosy-cheeked from your touch. “I’m back,” he agreed, depositing you on the kitchen counter. “Miss me?”

“How?” you demanded, poking his chest. “How’d you get home so fast?”

“I feel so welcome,” Jungkook teased. At the look on your face, he grinned. “Coach cancelled tomorrow’s practice, so I caught a flight back today.”

“Yay,” you said happily, leaning to rest your head on his chest.

The steady thrum of his heartbeat reassured you and for a moment, you allowed yourself to enjoy this. Jungkook smelled as he always did, like light floral and cotton, and the weight of his hands on your thighs made your heart calm.

His thumbs played with the thread on your jeans, which sent your mind to other places – places involving your bed, his ass and zero clothes – but for now, you were content with this.

“What’s in the box?” he murmured into your hair.

“Oh, right,” you said and pulled back. Twisting around, you dragged the donut box towards you and popped the top. “Some might be a bit squished since I threw them. Gina and I went to the new donut place on Lakeview.”

Jungkook’s eyes went super-wide. He immediately bent to grab the closest donut, powdered sugar getting everywhere when he bit into the side.

“Yum.” Jungkook’s eyes rolled exaggeratedly back in his head. “Wow, this is the best welcome home I’ve ever gotten. There’s you, of course, but also – donuts.”

“Obviously,” you said. “There was actually supposed to be another surprise, but I kind of messed it up.”

Jungkook licked powdered sugar off his wrist. “Messed something up? You? Don’t buy it.”

“Suck up,” you teased. “But no, really. I wanted to get your People’s Sexiest Men edition! I was going to plaster it across the front door and embarrass you.”

Jungkook grimaced. “As fun as that sounds, the donuts are better.”

“What? You aren’t proud of how sexy you are?”

“I don’t care about that.” Jungkook swallowed the last of the donut. “As long as you find me sexy.”

Tipping your head back, you groaned. “Okay, now you’re seriously sucking up.”

“Mm.” Placing his hands on either side of your thighs, Jungkook’s nose grazed your jawline. “Anything else you want me to suck?”

“Jungkook!”

Drawing back, his gaze glinted darkly. “Besides, why do you need that photo of me with my shirt off?”

You frowned, perturbed and he reached one hand overhead. Still looking at you, Jungkook did that stupid-hot thing guys do where they remove their shirt with one hand. When his six pack abs were revealed, they left you a bit speechless.

Flexing a little, Jungkook grinned. “You have the real thing.”

“Shut up,” you groaned, shoving his pec. Oh – hard. Sliding down from the counter, you began walking towards the bedroom. “But since you offered…”

Jungkook waggled his brows. “I did.”

“Get in there, sexiest man alive,” you laughed. “Show me what you got.”

“Alright.” Jungkook caught himself on the doorframe with both hands. “But before we go any further, I feel compelled to clarify I’m not People’s sexiest man, just one of them. Michael B. Jordan is the sexiest man alive.”

“Jungkook!” You pointed through the door. “Bed!”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a salute.

You stared after him, grinning stupidly before following.

 kpopfanfictrash, 2020. Do not copy or repost without permission.

[p-artsypants]

Longest Night (50) Celebrating

Here we go! The last chapter! And it’s a doozy! 

I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I grew up calling all of my parents friend’s ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’. Some of them I still do. Which was really fun when I dated a family friend and kept calling his mom ‘Aunt Julie’. We are not related. Fun times!

Also, there’s some nicknames in this chapter. “Peepums” is Tom. “Nonnie Cheng” is Sabine. And “Nonna Gina” is Tom’s mom. You know how grandparents all have their weird nicknames. 

Ao3 | FF.net

20 years later

—

When Marinette awoke that morning, she was alone in bed. It wasn’t that odd. Adrien had always been an early riser, but this was a different reason than just that. 

But she didn’t worry. It was best just to leave things the way they were. 

Dressing in a robe, she went downstairs to start making breakfast. The kids were old enough to get ready on their own now, and as long as they were down before 7, she didn’t bug them. 

The first into the kitchen was the youngest, Emma. A complete girly-girl and lover of all things pink and fashionable. Even at 12, she had her own sophisticated sense of style (party cultivated by her grandfather). She danced in her pink dress and adorable white flats. “What do you think, mama? Perfect for career day? Do I look like a professional?” 

“Of course you do, sweetheart.” 

She beamed. “Where’s papa?” 

“Oh, uh, I’m not sure. He couldn’t sleep last night, so he went for patrol. He hasn’t been back yet.” 

Emma frowned hard. “He’ll be there for career day though, right?” 

“He wouldn’t miss it for the world! But Peepums and Grandfather Gabriel are going to be there too.” 

“Is Peepums bringing treats?” 

“I would assume so. He never passes up a chance to bring snacks. Now, I’m making crepes, you want one or two?” 

“Just one, mama.” 

“Alright.” 

The next down the stairs was the oldest (by two minutes) Hugo. “Morning mama,” he smiled brightly. 

“There’s my birthday boy! Feel any older?” 

“No, but I feel wiser!” He joked, as he jumped on the stool by the counter. 

“Where’s Louis?” 

“Stuck in the toilet.” 

“And you mean that figuratively, right?”

He shrugged. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Crepes, blueberry, your favorite.” 

“Yes! I want five!” 

“You can have three, I don’t want you to get a tummy ache before school.” 

“Lame! Bring on the crepes!” He pounded his fists on the counter. 

“Three, and then if you aren’t stuffed, I’ll consider more.” 

Then came the unmistakable sound of a body slowly falling down the stairs, before a dark haired teen crawled across the floor and collapsed next to his mother’s legs. 

“Ah, Birthday boy part 2. Welcome to the land of the living!” 

“It should be a crime to have to wake up early on your birthday.” Said the boy, face flat against the ground.

“You truly are my child,” said Marinette with a smile. 

“Where’s pops?” Asked Hugo, digging into his second crepe. 

“Out on patrol.” 

This caused Louis to stir and look up. “Did something happen?”

“No, he just couldn’t sleep.” 

Hugo frowned. “Nightmares again? He’s been having those a lot lately.” 

“Yeah. I’m not sure why he’s having them. But you kids don’t need to worry about it.” 

“Are we still okay for our party tomorrow?” 

“Of course!” Marinette beamed. “Even if papa wasn’t feeling great, we’d still have it! Aunt Chloe reserved the rooftop pool for you, after all.”

“…I’m so excited,” said the child on the floor, with no enthusiasm. “You just can’t tell right now.”

“Well, you’re not going to get any rest on the floor. Sit in your seat and eat your crepe. I’ll make a little coffee.” 

“…yay…” 

—

Emma bounced nervously in her seat. She was flanked by Tom and Gabriel, who had both already presented for career day. 

The day was almost over, and her father hadn’t shown. 

“It’s okay, my little cupcake.” Tom assured, petting her blonde hair. “He’ll be here.” 

“And if he doesn’t make it,” added Gabriel, “It wasn’t because he didn’t want to. He’s probably out there stopping a criminal, saving lives. I know you’re the most important thing in the world to him.” 

Emma nodded, believing both of her grandfathers, but also not wanting to be one without a dad on career day. 

Through the years, Emma had gotten used to her father’s unpredictable behavior. He loved her to the end of the world and back, and would move mountains for her if he could. And most days, it really really showed. 

But some days, he just wasn’t…there. Emotionally, spiritually, or like today, physically. Her mother had similar episodes, but mostly in mood swings. She got angry sometimes, seemingly over nothing. Never directed at Emma or her brothers, thankfully, but Emma knew that there was something different about her parents. 

She knew the story. She had been told pieces of it growing up, but never allowed to watch the footage. Mama and Papa had been kidnapped and tortured, because they were superheroes, and they were never the same after. The details were vague, and she was told it would be too scary for her to handle every time she asked. But she saw the scars, heard her father’s screams at night. 

Most days, she didn’t want to know.

“Alright! I think that’s everyone!” Miss Bustier called. “Thank you all for participating in our career day! It’s awesome that we have such a wide range of jobs just in this very room!” 

Emma deflated. Her father really wasn’t coming. 

Tom laid a giant hand on her head and rubbed. 

But then, there was a knock at the window. 

“Chat Noir?” Miss Bustier asked. 

The man in black waved as she opened the window. 

“So so sorry I’m late!” He apologized, hopping into the room. “I caught a robber, and I walked him down to the police station and we had to do all this paperwork—“ 

“Papa!” Emma shouted, leaping over her desk. She ran to him, and threw her arms around him in a crushing hug. “You made it!”

“Just in time it seems,” he laughed, hugging her back. “I’m sorry I’m late. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course! Come on, it’s your turn to present!” She took his hand and led him up to the front of the room. “Everyone, this is my dad, Chat Noir! He’s a superhero!” 

—

The next day was Saturday, and Marinette was full of stress up to her neck. She paced poolside, as her family helped set up for the party. 

“Alright, Nino’s on music, Alya’s on Emma duty, Chloe covered catering, mom and dad have the cake, Gabriel and Emilie have decorations…what am I missing?”

“My Lady, you’ve gone over this list a hundred times. We’re fine.” 

“Drinks! I forgot the drinks!” 

Adrien pointed over at the bar. “Luka and Kagami are on drinks, remember? Luka’s making his mimosas for the adults.”

“Oh, right.” Then she pointed at him. “No alcohol, alright? Not with your medication.” 

“Oh come on, these are Luka’s mimosas! I’m gonna get krunk!” 

“Dad’s gonna get krunk?” Asked Hugo, from the pool. 

“No one is getting krunk!” Marinette poked Adrien in the chest. “Look what you started!” 

“I’m only teasing.” Adrien laughed, taking his wife’s hand. “Relax My Lady, it’s a party, a sweet 16 party! Everyone’s here to have fun. And they will as long as we relax.” 

Marinette got close, whispering conspiratorially, “that’s just the thing! Do you remember our sweet sixteen parties?” 

“Well...I didn’t have a party,” Adrien shrugged. “You, Alya, and Nino helped me escape the house and we went to the movies.” 

“Yeah, and they spent the whole time making out, so you and I just sat there awkwardly.” 

“I think I put my arm around you,” he grinned. “My very good friend.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“And your sixteenth...was that the year that Lila told everyone it was on a different day?” 

“And you were the only one who called to confirm it was on the original day, and so you were the only one that showed? Yep, that’s the one. I cried on you for 15 minutes when I realized no one else was coming.” 

“I mean, yeah, that sucked, but we still had fun with your family.” 

“My point is, this is Hugo and Louis’ sixteenth birthday. I want them to have a good one, to have what we couldn’t have.” 

“You have their gifts in your purse, right?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Then I wouldn’t worry about it. Their friends and family are coming, everything looks good, so just relax.” 

Marinette took a deep sigh. “You’re right, my love. Whatever happens, happens, and we’ve done all we can.” 

“The party will be fine, Mom.” Said Louis from a lounge chair. 

“Ah! Louis? Why aren’t you in the pool?” 

“I’m perfectly content just relaxing here. I’ll get hot soon enough and go in the pool.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Adrien wrapped an arm around his wife. “Marinette, let him alone. He’s fine. You know he’s our introvert.” 

“Mama! Papa!” Emma called, running towards them from the hotel elevator. “Look at the swimsuit grandfather Gabriel got me!” She twirled, letting the shimmery, glittery greens, teals, and purples swirl in a kaleidoscope of color. “I look like a mermaid!” 

“You sure do, Princess!” Adrien beamed. 

Emma squealed in delight before running back to Alya. 

“See? All of our kids are enjoying themselves. The guests are slowly trickling in...” he gestured to the elevator where more classmates with gifts arrived. “And no catastrophes yet.” 

“Fine fine, Kitty, I get it. I’ll have a mimosa and lighten up.” 

“Have one for me too!” He called after, as she headed to the bar. 

Soon, the guests arrived. Hugo and Louis had invited their entire class of 18 kids. Some parents stayed to help with chaperoning, and some even brought younger siblings that were friends with Emma. 

It was turning out to be a real shin-dig. 

So far, Marinette felt at ease. The four parents that had stayed were mostly just hanging out at the bar, but the kids were in the pool, and no one was drowning. 

Louis still reclined on the lounger, sunning himself. 

“You're still doing okay over here, kiddo?” 

“Mom, I’m doing so okay. So okay, it’s ridiculous. Nonna Gina brought me over a virgin mimosa, cause everyone’s talking about them. I feel like I’m on vacation.” 

“As long as you’re content, I’m happy. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t feeling left out.” 

“Nah,” he waved her off. “I will go swimming, but I’m going to wait until after eating.” 

“Okay, kiddo.” 

Seeing Hugo happily enthralled in a cannonball contest, and Louis sunning himself like a cat, she decided to check in with her youngest. Though she saw Alya at the bar talking to Kagami, and Emma nowhere in sight. 

This used to make her panic immediately. None of her kids were especially hyper or rambunctious. They didn’t run off on their own, especially without letting her know. 

But there was still a fear, still a niggling doubt in the back of her head that said ‘what if’? 

As calm as possible, she approached the adults at the bar, and asked Alya. “Have you seen Emma?”

“She ran down to the lobby to use the bathroom,” Alya answered casually. 

“Alone?”

“Yeah, Marinette, she’s 12. She can handle going to the bathroom alone.” It was a reassurance, no judgement. Because sometimes, Adrien and Marinette needed a reminder that their children were well adjusted and had plenty of common sense.

Marinette knew that. And it wasn’t the bathroom part she was concerned about. It was the trip down to the lobby by herself. 

She heard a father speak softly, “for superheroes, they are certainly overprotective of their kids. Kind of feel sorry for them.” 

Marinette nodded at Alya, and retreated sheepishly. Was her paranoia ruining her children’s lives? 

“What’s with that look, My Lady?” Adrien asked, softly, sipping on his drink. 

“Sorry, sorry, I just…overheard something I shouldn’t dwell on.” She looked at the drink in his hands, narrowing her eyes. 

“It’s virgin!” He handed it to her. “I promised I was going to quit. Getting plastered at our kid’s birthday would be the worst time for them to find out I have a problem.” 

“It’s not a problem yet, but that’s why I want you to stop. So it doesn’t become one.”

“Hey! Let go Isaac!” Louis’ voice carried over the water. Instantly, Marinette and Adrien were alert and looked to see a larger boy pulling Louis toward the pool by the arm. 

“Hey!” Marinette called out. “Let him go! If he doesn’t want to go swimming, don’t force him!” 

“Oh come on, Lady!” The father from the bar shouted over to her. “What’s the point in having a pool party for your boys if they aren’t even going to go swimming!?”

SPLASH

Louis surfaced with a gasp, and then a defeated “aw man!” 

“Are you okay kiddo?” Marinette asked. “You didn’t have your phone on you, right?”

“No, I’m fine.” He took off his soaked shirt and dropped it on the edge of the pool with a loud plop. “Just…didn’t want to get wet yet.” 

“Dude, come on Isaac, don’t be such a turd!” Hugo chastised. 

“He looked lonely!” Isaac argued. 

“Whatever,” Louis said, defeated. “Just…don’t dunk me, okay?” 

“No promises!”

Adrien frowned at the exchange as Louis swam over closer to his brother. “Isaac, Isaac, why is that name familiar? Is that the kid that’s been picking on Louis? Why is he here?” 

“Oh,” Marinette smacked her head. “That’s what they were asking about!” 

“What? Who?” 

“A few weeks ago, the boys were asking me questions about what to do about a classmate people don’t get along with. They asked if they should include them in the party if they were inviting the rest of the class. I told them that would be the right thing to do, but I didn’t realize they were talking about Louis’ bully!” She groaned. “And it looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” She glared at Isaac’s dad at the bar. 

Adrien smiled over at the pool. Both Hugo and Louis were laughing and seemed to be having a good time. It seemed Louis was already over his impromptu dunking. “Our kids are resilient. It’ll take more than that to bring them down.” 

“They are strong.” Marinette breathed. “Stronger than me.” 

It was then that Emma returned. “Hi mama, I’m back. Aunt Alya said I should check in with you because you were worried? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going.” 

Marinette smiled at her. “It’s fine Emma. You told Aunt Alya, so someone knew. You just know I’m a basket case.” 

Emma frowned at her mom. “You’re not a basket case. You’re just...worried?” 

“Does that bother you? Do I make you feel trapped or smothered?” 

Adrien stared at his wife in horror. Likewise, so did Emma. “No! Not at all!” She hugged her around the waist and added, “Nonnie Cheng worries about where I am too. She says it’s because you went missing, and it’s scared her ever since. I don’t want to scare you, mom.” 

Marinette hugged Emma tightly and said, “I have the best kids in the world.” 

“In that case,” Emma grinned. “Can I have some soda?” 

“Sure, just tell Aunt Kagami what you want.”

“Thanks mom!” She beamed and scurried off. 

“And no running!” Marinette called after. “Girl’s got my clumsy streak. She’ll break her neck.” 

“Crisis averted it seems.” Said Adrien. 

“For now,” Marinette narrowed her eyes. “But Ladybug never rests!” 

Adrien pecked his wife on the lips. “Someone has to be responsible.” 

“Hey pops!” Hugo called from the pool. 

“What’s up?” 

“We’re going to do a diving contest! You should join!” 

“Yeah!” 

“Come on Mr. Dupain-Cheng!” 

“Show us some Chat Noir style!” 

Marinette nudged him. “Go ahead. Show those kids how it’s done.” 

He smirked. “Okay okay.” He took off his shirt and laid it on the lounger by their bags. Then he entered the pool from the shallow end, coming up behind the kids. “How does this diving contest work?” 

“It’s easy!” Said Hugo, “we’re going to take turns coming up with unique ways to jump in the pool. Winner is the best technique, or most creative.”

“I got one!” Said a chubby kid. He climbed out of the pool and up on the diving board. 

“Make room!” Someone called. “Cannon ball champion on the loose!” 

“This is called ‘The Patrick Star’!” He bounced twice, getting real air before leaping out, parallel with the water, arms and legs spread out like a starfish. 

And he collided with the water with a resounding clap, making everyone go, ‘ooo!’ 

The kid surfaced, his entire frontside pink. “Ow.” 

The rest of the class laughed at him. 

One by one, classmates would come up with a dive, though most were a lot more elegant than the first. 

“I call this, ‘The Ladybug’.” A girl said. She ran and jumped, twisting in the air while throwing her arm, mimicking Ladybug’s yo-yo. She managed to say “bug out!” Before she hit the water. Marinette whistled. “She’s got my vote!” 

“Come on, Pops,” said Hugo. “It’s your turn!” 

“I don’t have a—“ 

“Just make something up! Go go!” 

Adrien pulled himself out of the pool and headed toward the diving board, aware of the people watching, curious. 

This was his twin boys’ special day. He had to be impressive. He had to be the cool dad. 

He took a running start, falling into a front flip as he hit the diving board. His adult weight bowed the board with force, sending him up into the air. He curled tightly into a ball, using the momentum to rotate three times, before coming out of the ball and diving seamlessly into the water. 

When he surfaced, the crowd of kids were going wild. They screamed and chanted “Dad! Dad! Dad!” 

Obviously started by his boys. 

Adrien beamed as he treaded water. Being Chat Noir was great, even with all the pain it had brought him. But being his kid’s hero was the absolute best. 

But everything came to a screeching halt as Isaac, the butthole kid, let out a loud, “EWWW!!” Grabbing everyone’s attention. “What’s wrong with your dad’s back!? It’s all gross!”

Adrien slammed his eyes shut, all at once feeling self-conscious. But this was just a dumb teenager. Maybe he didn’t know any better. But before he could gather himself to calmly explain his scars, his boys spoke up for him. 

“It’s scarring, you jerk,” said Louis. 

“He got it from being a superhero, when he was just two years older than we are!” Added Hugo. 

Isaac scoffed, “Chat Noir and Ladybug aren’t real superheroes! Not like the ones in America! All they do is rescue cats from trees and show up for charity events. They don’t even do anything anymore!”

Adrien sloppily backtracked, reaching out for the edge of the pool. 

“Just yesterday, he caught a robber! That’s not nothing!” Hugo defended. 

“Oh yeah?” Said Isaac, “My dad said that they used to fight supervillains, but they couldn’t stop the guy responsible for them! He said they’re losers and failures!” 

“Hey Jean,” said one of the parents. “Tell your kid to shut up.” 

Isaac’s father took a chug from his beer and shrugged. “Someone had to say it.” 

“Monsieur,” said Ladybug with god-like patience. “I suggest you and your son leave. I don’t feel the need to play host to someone who could be so hateful and misinformed.” 

“Misinformed?” The man, Jean, scoffed. “I was there. I saw the stream back then. I remember what it was like. The weekly akumas, classes and events always cancelled. The only reason they stopped is because Hawkmoth gave up. I don’t think you guys should be getting recognition anymore. Sorry, not sorry.” 

“Mom?” Louis called from the pool.

Jean frowned, continuing. “The rest of us have to make a living working hard, every day. You and your husband just put on some skin tight leather and prance around. Now you’re set for life. It’s disgusting.” 

“Hey man, if you don’t like it, you can leave,” said Alya. “No one invited you. I heard your son was only invited out of obligation.” 

“Mom!” Louis called again. 

“Marinette and Adrien suffered enough for a lifetime. Every day is a struggle! How dare you say otherwise!” 

“MOM!” Louis screamed. 

Marinette whipped her head over to the pool, seeing Adrien struggling to keep his head above water. Louis and Hugo were holding him up. She hurried over. “What happened? What’s wrong?” 

“He’s having an attack!” 

Tom rushed over, reaching his hands under Adrien’s arms, and pulled him out of the pool. He tried to set him on his feet, but he kept leaning forward, trying to lay down. His eyes were wide, but unfocused, as his breaths came rapidly. 

Marinette tugged on his arm. “Come on, Kitty. Not here.” She called over to Chloe. “Is there a room we can borrow for a second?”

“Follow me!” 

Louis broke off from the group, but Hugo and Marinette were quick to escort Adrien away from the party. 

“Mom?” Emma asked, right as they were about to get on the elevator. 

“It’s okay, Honey. Dad just needs a minute. Stay behind with Aunt Alya, okay?”

Emma nodded, though didn’t look convinced. 

Chloe showed them to her room, where she quickly got a towel for Adrien to wrap up in. 

Hugo and Marinette eased him down to sit on the couch. There, he slumped, his head resting on the back of the couch. 

Louis found their room, cup in hand. “I brought a coke. I know that usually helps.” 

Marinette sighed in relief. “Thank you baby,” she took the cup from him and put it in Adrien’s hand, then helped him take a sip. 

They sat for a while, watching Adrien breathe slowly and take occasional sips from his drink.

“I’m so sorry boys,” Marinette looked to them sadly. “We didn’t mean to ruin your birthday.”

Hugo frowned at her. “What? You guys didn’t ruin anything. Isaac’s the one that pooped on our party.”

“Yeah,” added Louis, “and we were having a great time up until now. Don’t worry about it mom.” 

Adrien very shakily brought the cup towards his face, and Marinette was quick to help, so he didn’t spill. “Dad’s going to be fine,” she explained. “Why don’t you boys get back to the party?” 

“If it’s okay, I’d like to wait until dad feels a little better. I’d feel guilty if I left,” said Louis.

“Me too,” said Hugo. “And I need a few minutes to calm down to keep from punching Isaac in the face. What he said was dumb. He has no idea what you guys do.” 

“…it shouldn’t have bothered me…” Adrien said, softly. 

“Dad?” 

“I’m okay,” he took a deep exhale. “Just…lost myself for a moment.” 

Hugo hugged him tightly around the shoulders. “Love you, dad. Don’t worry about it.” 

“I’m sorry for scaring you boys…and your friends. But I’ll be alright now.” 

“You recovered pretty quickly,” Marinette noted. 

“It’s because I have my big strong boys with me.” He wrapped his arms around his sons. “There was nothing to worry about.” 

Except, there was. 

Alya burst into the room, Chloe behind her, with a look of panic. 

“Marinette, come quickly!” 

“What? What’s wrong?” 

“It’s Emma! She’s been akumatized!!” 

—

As Emma watched her father be rushed out of the party, a stone fell into her gut. No matter how often this happened, no matter how good they got at catching the attacks, it still scared her when it happened. 

She was torn between wanting to be with him, and not wanting to see that vacant expression on his face. Her mother said it was a coping mechanism he developed a long time ago, when they had been kidnapped. He just switched his brain off when he got overwhelmed, as to not experience pain. It only happened a few times a year, only in super stressful situations where he thought about his torture. 

Emma wiped at her face as she looked over the party. Alya was chastising the adult man that had talked bad about her father, and Hugo and Louis’ friends were ripping into the kid that started the whole mess. 

Everyone was angry and yelling. 

“Emma?” Gabriel asked, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright, dear?” 

“Oh, Grandfather…” She sniffed. “I’m just…scared.” 

“Your father will be alright. It’s nothing physical, it’s just a mental state.” 

“I know…” She screwed up her lips. “But I’m scared people are going to keep saying that stuff to him. Mom acts like I’m too young to understand what’s happening…but people are forgetting that they are real superheroes, and they act like they’re mascots. I’m scared this is going to happen again.” She rubbed at her damp eyes. “He doesn’t deserve it. Neither of them do.” 

“You really love your parents, don’t you?” 

“Of course! They’re the best!”

“Then, I have a plan. Would you be willing to help?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“Come with me, we’ll speak in private.” 

Curious, Emma followed Gabriel into the hotel, down to a conference room. He locked the door behind them. 

“You remember our little secret?” 

“That I know you were Hawkmoth?” 

“Yes. My plan requires me to come out of retirement, just this once…and to akumatize you.” 

She looked startled. “You want to turn me into a supervillain?”

“Only if you agree to it, dear.” He pet her hair. “My goal is to make you a supervillain, so you can terrorize Paris and remind them of what Ladybug and Chat Noir used to do. I’ll be able to see through your eyes, so I can stop and undo any damage if something goes wrong.” 

Emma crossed her arms. “You’d make mom and dad fight me?”

“Not fight you, rescue you.”

She frowned again, thinking about it. Then she nodded. “Let’s do it!” 

Gabriel smiled at her, and opened his sports jacket, where Nooroo was hiding. “Nooroo, Dark Wings rise!” 

In a flash of purple light, Hawkmoth had returned. Inside his cane, a little white butterfly fluttered. 

Emma danced on her toes. “What kind of powers are you going to give me? I want to be pretty!” 

He chuckled at her eagerness. “Of course, my sweet Emma.” He evilized the butterfly, and then coaxed it into the paw print bracelet she was wearing. 

A purple mask appeared on her face.

“Mermaidia, I’m giving you the power of the seas. You may travel through any body of water, and turn those that oppose you into sea creatures. In exchange, you must give Chat Noir and Ladybug a taste of nostalgia. Do you accept these terms?” 

“Absolutely, Hawkmoth.” 

The dark purple fog encompassed Emma, turning the sweet blonde girl into a real mermaid, with purple hair, shimmering scales, and an abundance of glittering gold and jewels. In her hand, she held a trident. 

Hawkmoth took a bottle of water from the table, and poured it on the floor. 

Mermaidia stepped into the puddle, and disappeared. 

—

“Regardless if you feel like you’re right, it’s still your opinion. And an opinion doesn’t give you the right to be an asshole, especially to people who are hosting this party!” Shouted Alya. 

The rest of the parents were quietly watching the exchange, not really wanting to get involved. But they were also paying attention to a similar argument in the pool. 

“You are a grown adult and a parent. It’s your job to teach your kid respect and kindness, two qualities I haven’t seen from him today.” 

“Look lady, I know you’re friends with the Dupain-Cheng’s and all, but come on. It doesn’t bother you that they don’t work at all? What’s the point of them calling themselves superheroes anyway? They should just hang up the suits and get real jobs.” 

“They. Can’t.” Alya emphasized. “Did you not just see what happened to Adrien? What if he was working and he had an attack? What then, smart guy?”

“He won’t have attacks if he was doing something with his life!” 

“They are full time parents, and full time heroes! They do more than just ‘rescue cats and make celebrity appearances at charity events’! How can you be so ignorant?!”

“What did you call me!?” 

Screams came from the pool, and the argument halted. 

Mermaidia had made her appearance. 

“I am Mermaidia! You all have grown too soft and comfortable! I’m here to remind you what it was like back when there were akuma!” She laughed, pointed her trident, and turned a child into a fish. 

The party descended into madness, as Mermaidia shot rapidly. None of the teens in the pool escaped, and all turned into various fish and sea creatures. 

Isaac turned into a starfish, and Emma stuck him to her arm. “You’re coming with me. I want you to see how wrong you were.” 

Several adults had tried to escape as well, but Mermaidia stopped them in their run. 

Only those who knew the identity of Hawkmoth, or were previous Miraculous users didn’t panic. Rather, they stood staring, confused. Alya backed away carefully, and escaped into the hotel. Whether Emma purposely let her go or not, she would never know.

“Emma?” Asked Sabine. 

“I’m not Emma anymore, I’m Mermaidia!” She turned Isaac’s father into another starfish, and stuck him on her other arm. “You mocked my parents, but now, they’re the only ones that can save you! Ahahaha!” 

“Emma, stop.” Tom demanded. “You’re a good girl. We can’t let what people say get to us. People will always have their opinions that we disagree with, but we can’t take it personally.” 

“But I can take this personally!” She shouted back. “My father is the greatest man alive, and no one will doubt that when I’m through! Just you see!” 

She turned the rest of the assembled party goers into creatures, before leaping into the pool and disappearing.

—

Ladybug, Chat Noir, Alya, Chloe, Louis, and Hugo all returned to the party, only to find a bunch of fish. 

“What the…?” 

“She’s called Mermaidia,” Alya clarified. “She’s turned everyone into sea creatures. She appeared from the water, so I think she can transport through liquid.”

“She totally can, dude,” said a sea turtle from the pool. 

“Nino?” Asked Chat Noir. 

“Cha dude, what do you think? Pretty fitting for me, huh?” 

“Are you okay?”

“Totally. All the little dudes are too.” He gestured to the fish in the pool. 

“Emma turned the kid and his dad who started the argument into starfish.” Said a sea-snake. “They’re on her arms. So be careful when you attack.”

“Luka?”

“Yep.”  

“Where’s my mom and dad?” 

“Over here!” Called a walrus. There was a crab next to him, waving a claw. “We’re fine, honey. Just save Emma!” 

“Next question,” Said Ladybug, wielding her yo-yo angrily. “Where’s Gabriel?”

Chat Noir rested a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s focus on saving Emma, and then we’ll find him.” 

She sighed. “You’re right, as always, kitty. However, I think we might need some help with this akuma.” She opened her yo-yo and reached inside, pulling out two octagonal boxes. Then she turned to Hugo and Louis. “I hoped to give you your presents later, and hoped you wouldn’t ever have to use them. But desperate times come desperate measures.” 

Hugo and Louis smiled at each other, with excitement. 

“Louis, my wise, observant, and cunning child, this is the Miraculous of the Snake. With it, you can turn back time an infinite amount of times in a five minute duration. You will use it for the greater good.”

“Sweet.” 

“And Hugo, my brave, bold, and exuberant child, this is the Miraculous of the Turtle. With it, you can create an impenetrable shield. You will use it for the greater good.”

“Yes!” 

“Louis, to transform, simply say ’Sass, Scales Slither.’ And Hugo, your phrase is ‘Wayzz, Shell On’.”

“Sass, Scales Slither!”

“Wayzz, Shell On!” 

A flash of green and teal, and the boys were turned into superheroes. They high fived each other. 

“The Reptile Boyz are back in town!” Hugo cheered. 

“Really? ‘Boyz’ with a ‘Z’?” Chat Noir asked flatly.

“It’s cool, old man!” Said Louis. 

“Alright team, let’s focus,” Ladybug said, a bit too fondly for the situation at hand. She took out her yo-yo, and looked for intel. There was a special report live from Nadja Chamack. 

“—Mermaidia is the first Akuma in 20 years! It was thought that Hawkmoth had retired, but it seems he has one ace left up his sleeve. The akuma was last spotted at the Luxembourg park! Hopefully, Ladybug and Chat Noir are on their way! Again, this is a real akuma, so it is advised to stay indoors and away from water!” 

“She’s at the park! Let’s go!” 

—

This wasn’t nearly as scary as Emma thought it would be. In fact, she was having a lot of fun. Hawkmoth did advise her that she would be influenced by her anger, but that really didn’t seem to bother her. It was really fun to turn people into sea creatures. 

Though, she did feel really guilty when she hit people that were crying in fear. 

But that’s what her parents were here for! To undo all this! It was fine! 

“I am Mermaidia! And Ladybug and Chat Noir are your only chance for salvation!” 

“Now now Emma,” Chat Noir spoke from behind. “Go easy on us. We’re a little wet behind the ears.” 

Emma had to stomp down the urge to run and hug her father, and instead declared. “There you are, Ladybug and Chat Noir! Ready to do battle?” 

Ladybug simply crossed her arms. “If you don’t give up your akuma, you’re grounded.” 

Mermaidia stomped her foot. “You can’t ground me if you can’t catch me!” And she leapt into the fountain. 

“She’s escaping!” Cried Hugo. 

“Quick, fan out! Look for sources of water, and call as soon as you get sight of her!” 

—

This was not Hugo or Louis’ first time using a Miraculous. Every once in a while, Marinette and Adrien would allow the children to pick one out to try, and then they’d have a family game of tag out on the Paris rooftops. The rules were to stay safe, and to not allow the media to take pictures. And at the first sign of danger, they were supposed to go home and let Mom and Dad handle it. 

So the boys were familiar with their powers, but boy, they were not ready for the anxiety of an Akuma attack. 

They may have been older, but Emma was still the reigning champion of tag. 

“Find anything?” Louis asked, crossing his brother. 

“Not a scale,” said Hugo. “Have you activated your Second Chance yet?” 

“No, but I will the second we find her. Then if she escapes, we can just reverse time.” 

“Smart.” Then, Hugo’s eyes caught on something in the river. “Huh?”

“What?”

“How often do you think whales go down the Seine?” 

“Uh…never?” 

“There she is! She’s on top of it!” Hugo activated his distress beacon on his shield, making sure to keep up with Emma, but also stay out of sight. 

“We have to play this carefully. She can literally jump into the water and disappear at any second.” 

“Not if there’s no water to disappear into,” said Chat Noir, appearing from nowhere. 

Hugo resisted a scream. “D-Chat! You’re too sneaky!”

“I’ve been doing this a while, kiddo. Ladybug’s not here yet?” 

“No, what’s the plan?”

“I have half a plan…”

“Then it’s a good thing I have half of one too!” Said Ladybug, finally joining them. “After you sent your signal, I called the French Waterway Commission and had them close the lock she’s on.” 

“What did what the what?” Hugo asked. 

“The river is made up of locks,” explained Louis, “chambers that fill and empty with water so boats can travel. The ground isn’t level, and the water level changes.” 

“So Ladybug basically had them dam up the section Emma’s on right now,” said Chat.

“But she can still travel through water, so once she reaches the dam, she’ll just abandon ship, er, whale.” Hugo observed. “So then what?”

“Then we put my plan into action,” Chat cracked his knuckles, and stealthily made his way to the river bank. 

Louis and Hugo watched in fascination as Chat called his Cataclysm and touched the water. In a boiling wave, it rolled quickly past Emma, evaporating as it went. It didn’t even have time to settle, just went up in a cloud of steam. 

The whale that Emma was on run ashore, and she came to a halt. “What?”

“Nowhere to run now, little girl!” Ladybug called. 

Mermaidia jumped from the back of the whale and landed in the sand. It wasn’t even damp. Chat had literally evaporated all the water in that section of the river. 

“Second Chance!” Louis activated his bracelet. And just in time too, as Mermaidia shot a beam at Ladybug, and turned her into a dolphin. “Second Chance!”   

Time restarted, and Louis shouted. “Ladybug, dive!” 

Ladybug dove out of the way, missing the three shots Mermaidia took. 

“I’m not going to take it easy on you just because you’re my mother!” Emma shouted. “So let’s show Paris what a real superhero looks like, hmm?” 

“Oh you are so grounded when this is over, little lady!” She dodged another blast, and called for her Lucky Charm. 

Hugo called for Shelter while she glanced around, looking for the purpose of the tennis racket her Miraculous had bestowed upon her.

Then it dawned on her. 

A grounding wasn’t enough for her naughty child. Oh no. This called for the big guns.

The second Hugo’s Shelter faded, she shot out her yo-yo, catching Emma around the arms, and yanked her to lay across her leg. Hugo and Louis peeled the captive starfish off, while Chat took the trident. All the while Mermaidia wriggled around, fighting against the yo-yo string. 

“No akuma in the trident, my lady.” Chat Noir shrugged. 

“Oh, I’ll get it out of her.” Ladybug raised the tennis racket. “Where’s the akuma at, Emma?” 

“This is cheating!” 

“Okay, you asked for it.” And Ladybug brought the tennis racket down on her bottom, once, twice, three times before Emma cried out. “Okay okay! It’s in my bracelet! Stop! Stop!”

Chat broke the bracelet, freeing the butterfly, as Ladybug set her crying daughter down in the sand. 

She caught and purified the butterfly, and removed everyone from the bank of the river before casting her cure. 

Emma Dupain-Cheng returned, pouting, and still rubbing her behind. “I was just trying to help…” 

“Where’s your Grandfather?” 

“He’s in a conference room at the hotel. But don’t be mad at him, please…” 

Before Ladybug could yell more, Isaac and his father approached her. “Uh, Ladybug?” 

“Yes?”

“Look, I wanted to—we wanted to apologize. Thank you for rescuing us, and I’m sorry. I guess I had forgotten what it was like having akumas around. You still stopped Hawkmoth, right? Well…until today…” 

“Hawkmoth is a friend of ours now,” Ladybug clarified. “He’s paid for his crimes, but today has shown that he hasn’t quite learned the right way to deal with problems. I believe he was well intentioned, but we will be having words.” 

Isaac’s father nudged his son. “You want to say anything?” 

Isaac shyly looked at the family and admitted, “thank you for inviting to the party. No one invites me to things.” 

“Yeah, well, work on your boundary issues, and maybe it’ll happen more often,” said Louis. 

“If you guys want to head back to the hotel, I think there’s still time for cake!” Said Chat, with optimism. 

—

After the Miraculous cure restored the party, everyone gathered again and lunch was served. 

But, the Dupain-Chengs were in the conference room. Marinette and Adrien frowned at their youngest and Gabriel. 

“Now, son--” Gabriel began. 

“What were you thinking?” Adrien interrupted. 

“I was thinking that Paris needed a little reminder of all the hard work you guys did.” 

“Yeah, cool,” sniped Marinette. “Except now they think you’re out of retirement, and that’s a huge reminder that we didn’t stop you!” 

Gabriel took the brooch off. “Then here. Make it official. Tell them that this akuma was my swan-song and I made it to surrender.” 

Marinette took the brooch regardless, and put it in her bag. “I don’t know what I’ll say to the media. They’ll want to know who you are, and if you’re going to prison…and akumatizing your own granddaughter?” 

“I told him I was okay with it!” Said Emma. “I knew what I was getting into. It’s not that big of a deal!” 

“Not that big of a deal!?” 

There was a knock on the door, as Hugo and Louis peeked their heads in. “There you are, Grandfather!” 

“Hi boys,” he smiled at them, softly. 

The twins pushed passed their parents to stand in front of him, arms crossed, just like Marinette and Adrien. 

“What you did was terrible,” Said Louis. 

“So awful,” echoed Hugo. 

“You could have permanently hurt or traumatized people.” 

“Done thousands of dollars of property damage.” 

Gabriel sighed. “I know…I just—“ But he was cut off as the boys wrapped him up in a tight hug. “What?”

“Thanks for the coolest present ever!” 

“Yeah! Mom gave us our Miraculous, but the chance to use them on a real akuma!?” 

“Hey!” Shouted Emma. “I was the akuma! No thanks for me!?”

They gave her a noogie. “Thanks twerp.” 

“You’re a twerp!” 

Marinette and Gabriel met eyes. He gave a sheepish shrug. “I know I’m bad. But I deeply love my family.” 

She then gave up trying to be angry. “Alright fine. I admit it. It was fun to fight an akuma again. But it’s over now!” 

Adrien shook his head fondly. “Thanks for meddling dad.” 

“Your welcome, son.” 

“I want cake!” Hugo shouted. 

“Cake time!” 

“Yay cake!” 

“No cake for Emma. Only broccoli.” Marinette clarified. “You were naughty.” 

“Aw man!!” 

--

AND THAT’S THE END! 

Oh my word this story got AWAY from me! It was only supposed to be maybe 20 chapters when I first started on it? But here we are, a year and a half later, and over 200,000 words! I kinda can’t believe I’m done! 

Anyways, thank you all for sticking around through all the heartache. I appreciated every single review and like. And one parting question: What was your favorite part?

[pollylynn]

Title: Proprium WC: 1000

“Do you ever look back on something you’ve done and it’s like somebody else is doing it?” — Alexis Castle, Limelight (6 x13)

He’s never regretted his past. He has a million reasons why, in his whole life, he has truly never regretted his past, beginning with the truly superficial: His past was a hell of a lot of fun. 

He’d discovered early the need for transgression—not just the willingness to transgress, but as the scholarship kid who needed constantly to demonstrate his right to exist at this boarding school, at that prep school, he had learned to lead others into transgression. He was the laugh riot, the total lunatic, now recruiting those who were up for absolutely anything. It had its consequences, but it was fun. 

And then came a modicum of fame, and that first little burst of wealth. There was Kyra, then, and maybe he regrets that a little. She was an anchoring, tempering force, and maybe it’s more accurate to say he’s embarrassed by that. He’s embarrassed at the cliché of needing a good woman to keep him from complete excess. 

And then there wasn’t Kyra. Kyra was gone, but he’d learned not to be quite  so stupid with his money, and that still left over quite a tidy Transgression Fund, and Richard Castle picked up where little Ricky Rodgers had left off, and he really doesn’t regret any of that—not even the police horse, though possibly he regrets things in his permanent medical record born of the unwise decision to ride his mighty loaner stallion truly bareback. 

He doesn’t regret Meredith—even without taking into consideration that he could never regret the relationship that gave him his daughter, he doesn’t actually regret the high-profile volatility of it. He doesn’t regret straightening himself up and remaking his image into something much more kid friendly when it became clear that Meredith was neither going to remake her image nor become more kid friendly. He doesn’t regret the stiff, cultivated Gina years any more than he regrets the release valve years in between. 

He has always believed this narrative of himself—his regret-free legend—but current events seem to be shaking its foundation. Mandy Sutton shakes its foundation, because she is a hot, miserable mess. But she’s also a familiar mess, to a point, at least. 

He’s searching back through the young woman’s recent and not-so-recent true tales of hangovers and trashed hotel rooms for the case and for himself—and also so he doesn’t have to write Pi’s impossible recommendation. He’s searching back, and all of it rings a bell. He sees in the photos and the clipped, angry quotes how unhappy Mandy Sutton was, has been, is, and he remembers with sudden and startling fidelity, what it was like to be that lonely, to be always falling forward into the next messed up moment. 

It’s worse for her. His projection or nostalgia or whatever it is goes only so far. It’s exponentially worst for Mandy because she’s exponentially more famous, because she doesn’t have even the daffy, intermittent support of Martha Rodgers, she has a personal assistant and a mother whose made herself into a distant work friend. She has skeevy exes coming out of the woodwork, and it’s another cliché, but the Jesse Joneses of the world are always going to be more of a nightmare than the Merediths, the Ginas, and so on. 

He’s caught up in empathy for Mandy Sutton that surprises him in how far beyond nostalgia it goes, how far beyond any kind of extended paternal feeling for this young woman who is just a few years older than his own daughter. He’s caught up in something that might be belated regret for the years he spent emotionally treading water—transgressing to keep everyone’s expectations low, not least of all his own. 

He’s so caught up that he misses whatever it is that Ryan and Esposito are laughing over as they come strolling into the break room. He hears Beckett and Facebook and Dad. He might hear Aunt someone or other, but he’s distracted. His mind isn’t on the two of them, until it is—until the name of Aunt someone or other resolves in his mind—Aunt Theresa who has memorized every scandalous act he has ever committed and several he has not committed. Aunt Theresa who hates him. He puts the pieces together. 

“Beckett was talking to her dad?” He twists around on the to face the boys and nearly tips over backward. 

Ryan has the good grace to look a little sheepish, but Esposito finds it all hilarious. “Oh, yeah, Castle! Your fling with your ex-wife? That’s all over the Beckett net.” 

He closes the lid of his laptop with key-crunching force. He leaves it sitting on the high top and goes in search of her. She’s at her desk, her pen moving furiously over a legal pad. She’s engrossed, but he risks interrupting. He feels suddenly like he has to. 

“I’m sorry about the Page 6 thing.” He sinks into his chair. “Kate. I’m sorry.” 

Her head snaps up. She’s annoyed that he’s interrupted her train of thought, or she is about to be annoyed by that, but she sees that he’s serious. She sees that his regret is sincere and takes a breath to clear as much of it from her voice as she can. 

“Castle. I don’t seriously think you were gazing lovingly at your ex-wife.” She gestures at the spread of paparazzi photos of Mandy fanned across her desk. “It’s not your fault tabloid journalism and gossip columns exist.” 

“No,” he says, “But my past . . . who I was. Anything they write about me is plausible. And it’s not just about me anymore. It’s about you, too.” He’s casting about for the words to convey this strange state of mind he’s in. “And I’m sorry for that.” 

She’s giving him an odd look, but she snakes her hand across the desk and gives his fingers a discreet squeeze. “Hey. Don’t be, okay? Who you are now. That’s what matters.” 

A/N: Castle. Introspection. Super not a thing. 

Images via homeofthenutty

[coffeecomicsgalore]

Unveiled Love

@smutember

Ao3

Chapter 30 – Free Day

Marinette brushed the wrinkles from the front of her gown while her mother and best friend fixed the veil that had been placed perfectly beneath the low bun. She looked into the mirror and eyed her hand crafted dress, ensuring that no stitch was out of place.

It was an empire waist chiffon dress with beaded lace throughout. It had thick lace straps that covered her back until it created a sweetheart neckline on her bust, plus additional lace trailing down her sides until it reached the corset strings on her back. Under her bust was a line of silver beads, separating the bust from the loose skirt that encouraged her swollen belly to protrude without being too obvious. She kept the hem low, allowing her to wear kitten pumps to give her some height without swelling up her sore feet.

It was a mix of glamor and comfort, and Marinette was excited that she was able to create this for herself.

She let out a nervous sigh and played with her necklace, before a comforting hand reached out to capture her palm and ran her small fingers across her knuckles.

“I remember how nervous I was at my wedding.” Sabine began and shot her daughter a sweet smile. Marinette sighed back and placed her free hand on her mother’s, relishing in the softness as her mother talked her down. “Your father stood at the front of the altar and fidgeted with his tie before he noticed I had already walked into the room. I was so nervous that I could feel the flowers shaking in my hands.” Marinette looked from her mother’s comforting gaze back down to her hands while she continued to speak. “The moment we gazed into each other’s eyes, the nerves left and it seemed like the clouds escaped bringing in that sunshine.”

Marinette smiled, tears ready to fall from her eyes. She placed a hand to her belly, feeling slightly stretched as she felt the flutters of her child move within her.

“That boy loves you so much. He already loves this baby so much. And we love him so… so much.” Sabine looked up at her with a sad smile, her heart breaking as she thought of Adrien. “He’s going to need all the love he can get right now.”

“Yeah…” Marinette sadly stated, thinking back to the chaos that ensued a week prior.

Hawkmoth’s takedown was completely bittersweet and unexpected. One afternoon after Marinette had left a prenatal appointment, she was on her way to see Adrien in the office when a fierce akuma had captured her and placed her in a gilded cage. When Adrien had heard the news and that Marinette was the one that was captured, he transformed into Chat Noir, but had gone completely feral at the thought of his fiance and unborn child being harmed.

Luckily, Marinette had decided to give the temporary heroes their miraculouses since she wasn’t able to fight. She would only transform to capture the akuma that Chat would bring to her in a safe area, but she would never leave Chat to fight the battles alone or without any backup.

Carapace, Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, Viperion, and Ryukko had all met up with Chat Noir on a hidden rooftop near the makeshift prison to create a plan to save her and defeat the akuma in tandem. 

Chat had walked out first, flaunting and cracking jokes at the villain while the others took their positions in hidden spots in the area surrounding them. When the villain asked where Ladybug was, repeating whatever Hawkmoth had spoken to him through their connection, Chat quickly acknowledged that she was indisposed at the moment. He then finished his sassy monologue with a ‘not to worry’ and that ‘he would defeat the villain as always’.

Hawkmoth, apparently distraught over his plan slipping through the cracks before it even began, decided to come out of his lair and face the cat alone. The thought of thinking the battle would be over before it began crossed his mind, with overtaking and capturing Chat Noir to be used as bait to lure Ladybug out winning over his thoughts.

Little did he know that the rest of the team would come out and fight against the supervillain, beating him down until Chat removed the butterfly brooch from his neck. Seeing Gabriel Agreste detransform in front of his eyes caused rage and hostility from the cat, and Carapace had to shield Gabriel with Shelter to actually keep him safe and out of harm.

Queen Bee spoke out the words that no one wanted to say, admitting that Carapace should have let Chat attack him until police arrived. Carapace had to begrudgingly disagree with her thoughts while deep down inside he would have loved to see the attack against Gabriel, especially for all the shitty things Gabriel had done to Adrien over the years. Marinette could only hold her belly as Rena Rouge wrapped her arms around her in comfort, angry tears running down her cheeks at the thought of what was to come next.

Both Gabriel and Nathalie were in prison awaiting trial, and Marinette had spent every day with Adrien to comfort him in distress since that day. She would have called off the wedding and waited until he was mentally better from the ordeal, but Adrien insisted they should go on.

“He wasn’t worth having there anyways.” He told her sadly, yet she could feel the grief coursing through him. “The only family I need is here with you and our kitten.” He finished with his palm over her bump.

A knock on the door brought Marinette to the present, her hand still running soothing circles where she felt the flutters. Sabine pressed tissues to her face to stop the unintentional tears that ran down her cheeks and Alya brought over the makeup kit to fix any splotches that had appeared.

“I thought I was supposed to be the one to cry at these things.” Tom said softly, walking up to Marinette to take her hands. 

Marinette looked up at her father and gave him a wet smile, a soft chuckle leaving her lips as she saw his sincere smile.

“Sorry, papa. Just thinking about Adrien.” 

Tom pressed a kiss to the top of her head and beamed. “I will tell you this. That boy is so nervous, yet has the happiest smile on his face. You couldn’t even tell that his world fell apart a few days ago.”

A sigh of relief came out of her as Tom explained what he was doing in the other room with Nino. Apparently, Nino had given Adrien a shot of his aunt’s famous moonshine, causing Adrien to pucker his lips in distaste, while also simultaneously tripping over his feet as he tried to get a drink to wash away the aftertaste. Tom caught him before he landed face first onto the floor, and Nino could only hysterically laugh at Adrien’s expense as he brushed himself off.

“Nino is a good boy. He really cares for Adrien.”

“Yes, he does, Mr. D.” Alya laughed out and Marinette finally felt content enough to smile a real toothy grin. 

“The ceremony is about to start. You ready?”

Marinette took one look in the mirror and let out one more anxious sigh. “Absolutely.”

----

Adrien cried the moment he noticed Marinette walk into the room. Nino had packed a plethora of tissues, just in case, and made the entire congregation laugh when he pulled one out of his pocket and caused the whole pile to fall unceremoniously onto the floor.

Marinette began to cry, too, when her papa handed her off to him, finally noticing how handsome he looked in his grey tux with green features. Adrien tried to hand her a tissue to help her out, but she pursed her lips as she held in a laugh, also pulling out a plethora of tissues from a pocket she had crafted in a hidden spot of her dress.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Tom was more of a blubbering mess than Sabine, Gina and Roland also tearing up as they watched the exchange, while the Gorilla held up his camera to photograph the occasion with a handkerchief peeking from his large hand. Even Nino shed a tear or two! 

The vows were handcrafted and meaningful, each word directed to exactly what the world could see of them. The kiss was a mix of tasteful and passionate, the deep feeling of the love that they shared could be felt throughout the room.

The reception was wonderful and fun. The food was absolutely amazing and the sweets were out of this world. Adrien and Marinette danced all evening long, only taking breaks when she needed a rest or a bathroom break.

At one point while waiting for dinner to be served, Marinette jolted in her seat and pressed a hand to the side of her stomach. Adrien noticed her flinch and immediately leaned over to her, ensuring that she was okay and whether or not they needed to leave.

Marinette shot him a teary smile, then silently grasped his hand and placed it at the spot.

“What-” He tried to say, but then felt it. The baby had kicked hard enough that it could be felt from the outside world. Adrien’s breath hitched as he waited for more movement, and was pleasantly surprised when he felt the baby kick twice more before settling back down.

Marinette watched as his eyes watered, the soft expression of his eyes and smile causing the tears to flow down her cheeks.

“That’s our kitten, my love. That’s our family.”

“Today has been one of the best days I could have ever asked for.” He whispered before pressing his lips on hers in an amorous kiss.

-----

Adrien carried Marinette over the threshold of their hotel room as his lips captured hers in a frenzy. He was slightly tipsy and she was extremely horny - two extremes clashing together in a powerful way that would probably lead to getting pregnant if they weren’t already past that part.

He lowered her slowly onto the bed and sat beside her serene form, departing from her lips for a second to kiss her jaw. He trailed kisses down her neck until he reached her collarbone, eliciting a moan from her lips. Marinette tilted her head to the side, giving him free access to her exposed skin.

Adrien brought one hand up to cup her cheek, bringing his face back up to hers to place slow, pleading kisses on her kiss-swollen lips. He took his free hand and reached around her shoulder blades, searching and finding the button that would loosen the lace straps completely off her shoulders.

Never removing her lips from his, Marinette helped him remove his jacket, then slowly removed the tie that hung listlessly around his neck. When Adrien felt her hands leave his chest, he reached up to her shoulders and pulled the straps down the sides of her arms. 

They slowly parted to gaze into each other’s eyes. Her eyes fluttered with a pleading expression and he hungrily glared at her with a dark desire. She bit her lip as he ran his hand up and down the smooth skin, then closed her eyes as he leaned over and kissed her shoulders. He continued to kiss the supple skin as he ran his hand to her back, finding and loosening the corset string until it was loose. 

Marinette let out a sigh of relief as she felt her breasts become free from the confines of the dress, and placed a tender kiss to his lips as a reward. She then helped him unbutton his shirt, taking a second at each one to kiss his neck as she removed them fully.

He could feel his cock twitch in excitement, but he had planned to take this night slow with her to relish in the moment of marital bliss. Even if it was agonizingly slow, he knew he would cherish this forever.

Marinette helped slide the shirt off his shoulders, leaving his torso bare in the dimly lit room. Adrien stood and reached out to grab her hands, bringing her up to her feet and kissing her once more before sliding the dress completely off her body.

He carefully maneuvered it around her torso, then watched as her milky skin looked serene under the yellow glow. Once the dress pooled at her feet, he held onto her hands to help her walk out of it, her white lace panty the only clothing left until he could make love to her.

Marinette kissed his lips once again while her hands roamed his chest before her hands found the hem of his gray suit pants. She ran her hands across his hips until she found the button, popping it off and sliding the zipper down as slowly as she could manage. He kicked his shoes off and waited until she undressed him, the clothing pooling down revealing black boxer briefs that accentuated his ass and cock, pleasing her sultry stare.

Adrien ran his hand up and down her torso, relishing in the warmth that radiated off her body. He took in her gorgeous body, her beautiful, supple breasts, the roundness of her bottom, and the way the goosebumps revealed themselves once his touch left her skin.

He walked around her until her back was facing his chest, and he kissed her neck until he trailed down to her shoulder. Her eyes shuttered close at the touch. She held onto the feeling for stability, letting out a whimper once his fingers dipped into the band of her underwear. Sliding the fabric over the swell of her ass, he ran his palm over the skin while the panties fell to the ground. He smirked as she let out a moan when his fingers brushed over her clit, caressing the mound until his fingers found the folds.

“Already wet, my wife.”

“Adrie-” She began, but let out a breathy moan as his fingers slipped into her entrance.

“I’m going to make sweet, sweet love to you. Nice…” he started to thrust his finger in and out of her excruciatingly slow, “... and slow.”

Marinette grinded her ass against his cock as he continued to thrust in and out of her. Her head fell back as her breathing came out harsh, a need to release imminent from the tense nature of her body. Adrien nibbled on her ear and licked the shell of it, blowing cool air on the damp spot to help her further. Marinette gripped onto his forearms as he played with her nipple, and with a graze to her bundle of nerves within her core, Marinette reached her peak and came down hard, her walls clenching around his fingers until the spasms slowed down and her breathing leveled out. 

Adrien pulled his fingers from her core and inserted them into his mouth, licking the juices clean from his digits as she settled her head against his shoulder.

“You taste delicious.” He moaned into her ear, and she shivered at the sound.

Adrien turned her around and kissed her lips, wrapping his hand into her hair as he blindly guided her backwards towards the bed. When the back of her legs reached the mattress, she slowly lowered herself down until she was sitting comfortably, and Adrien laid her down onto her back slowly, never allowing his lips to leave hers. 

Their kisses were soft, yet flirty, their tongues darting into each other’s mouths for a better taste, a deeper feel, and their hands explored their bodies until it was etched into their memories.

Adrien let go of her lips enough to remove his boxers and socks off his body, then leaned back down over Marinette’s waiting form, placing his knee in between her legs. 

She scooted herself up until her head landed on the pillows, and Adrien followed her until he was hovering over her body. She opened her legs wide enough to let him into her space, and he gladly accepted by brushing the tip of his cock against her folds.

Adrien kissed her, slowly sliding his cock into her core until it filled her completely. Marinette gasped, wrapping her arms around his neck for purchase, a feeling of satisfaction as her husband took her fully.

She peered up at him and kissed his lips, before pressing sweet kisses down his jaw until she reached his clavicle. Adrien thrusted in her, holding his cock in her for a second before thrusting out. Every time he did that, Marinette’s breath would hitch and her eyes would shutter close. Her moans were soft and nearly silent, but the whimpers were sexy and vocal as his speed increased within her. She shifted her hips to give him deeper access, screaming out when he hit the spot that would eventually turn her into a puddle of goo.

He thrusted quickly before slowing down again, increasing Marinette’s mewls until she was writhing beneath him for more.

Adrien acquiesced to her silent plea, thrusting rhythmically until he could feel the coil begin the form in his core. He needed to hold out as long as he could, giving her a chance to climax once more before he let go. Adrien could feel her body tense up within his arms, her walls clenching around his cock, the rapid breathing as she clasped her eyes tightly, and he knew it would be a matter of time before she fell off the edge and into the abyss.

Marinette moaned out as she reached an intense climax, her legs squeezing Adrien’s torso as he fucked her through her high, his groans loud as he expelled himself within her. His erratic thrusting slowed until his hips stilled, and he hung his head onto her chest as they calmed down from the buzz. 

He pulled himself from her and laid beside her lithe body, careful not to place his weight on her abdomen. He wrapped his arm around her torso while his head remained in the crook of her neck, and Marinette could only kiss the top of his head with a sleepy smile on her lips.

She ran her hand up and down his back as her eyes shuttered close, the comfortable silence enveloping them as they began to fall asleep.

Adrien pressed his lips to her shoulder before looking up at his wife, and she in turn looked down at her husband. 

“I’m so happy that you’re mine.” Adrien mumbled out as he ran his hand over her belly. “And that we get to build this family together.”

Marinette smiled at his words. She ran her hand through his hair until he purred beside her, and he smirked against her skin as he savored the soothing sound.

“I love you.” He whispered out, sleepily. He was more in a state of dreamland than he was in the room.

“I love you too, chaton.” She looked down to see his eyes shuttered close. “You and me against the world.”

And with a quiet whisper, Adrien finished their phrase as he fell into a deep sleep, “Always.”

[welllpthisishappening]

First-Line Center, Part Two

She hadn’t read the invitation.

It hadn’t changed in years, after all - a set of rules and expectations for a New Year’s party that they were all going to break anyway because the most traditional thing about this team was flouting tradition. So, Emma had mostly ignored it. Until. A shout and Killian refusing to wear a tie and something crashing in her kitchen, one kid worried about another and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something.

There was a joke about fresh ice to be made, she was sure.

—–

Word Count: 4.1 K Rating: F for festive family feelz AN: There are a lot of people in this story. Like. So many people. Matt Jones thinks his parents are the best, you heard it here first. And this also marks the end of Going Top Shelf on Ao3. There are still far too many one shots I haven’t posted and I don’t know that I’ll ever give up on this ‘verse or this family that is genuinely my most favorite thing to write. I will probably post the rest at some point. Thank you, as always, for letting me shove this family at you, internet. It’s the best. 

|| Also on Ao3 if that’s how you roll ||

—–

The loft, for the most part, hadn’t changed much in the last thirty or so years. Emma wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing – there were still crystal glasses and a wait staff with impeccably creased pants and the outfits, across the board, were as absurd and over the top as they normally were. 

It wasn’t much different. 

Except there were more people. There were kids and grandkids and significant others, a low hum of talking and laughing and every single one of them breaking that rule about not discussing hockey. Emma glanced around, trying to find the two other kids that she hadn’t seen yet, but that was a fool’s errand because she heard the footsteps before she heard the shout and the slightly strangled dad seemed to echo around the room as soon as Peggy skidded against Killian’s side. 

“Hey,” she breathed, eyes bright and just a little out of breath and Emma absolutely, positively did not want to consider why that was. She was starting to make several sweeping assumptions. Killian pressed a kiss to the top of her hair, eyes flashing towards Emma. “You guys doing that mind melding thing?” “That what thing, exactly?” Emma asked, and Peggy made a face, twisting so the beads on her dress didn’t dig into Killian’s side. 

“The mind melding thing. Toph said you were doing it before.” “When did you see your brother? And where’s your other one?” “Probably teaching Noah how to score fifty goals a season.” “You think Matt's going to score fifty goals this season?” Killian cut in, interest and something that felt like pride almost too obvious. Emma bit her lip so she didn’t look like a complete idiot when she smiled. 

She wasn’t sure that worked either. 

She was really starting to believe her suspicions were right. 

“Please,” Peggy huffed. “He’s on some other level right now. He’s being an idiot and,” she paused, using Killian’s shoulder as leverage and Emma followed her gaze across the loft. “Look.” 

Emma’s breath caught. 

Loudly. 

Matt and Roland were crouched in the corner of the room, a tiny stick clutched in Noah’s hands and a makeshift goal that may have been Henry’s phone and Leo’s keys, both of them mumbling instructions under their breath while Elsa and Mary Margaret recorded the whole goddamn thing. 

“Oh,” Emma breathed, a rush of memories and feelings she wasn’t entirely expecting. 

“The more things change, huh?” Killian muttered. It took some finangling to get a step closer to her, having to shift Peggy slightly and drawing a not-so-quiet grumble out of her. “What do you know, little love?” “Nothing!” “I genuinely do not know who is worse at lying you or your brother.” “Which one?” “Take your pick at this point,” Emma laughed. “How long have they been over there? And seriously what do you know, babe?” “Like, at least twenty minutes. MD got here before I did though, which was super weird to begin with, but who knows? Maybe Claire’s a good influence.” “You didn’t answer that last part.” “I genuinely have no idea. Honestly. I’ve barely talked to MD. He’s been busy being cute and breaking all of Aunt Gina’s rules, but again, it’s super cute and Aunt Gina doesn’t care at all.” “Where is Gina?” Killian asked, glancing around like she was going to appear out of nowhere and chastise all of them for daring to question any of her actions. 

Peggy opened her mouth to answer, but there were more footsteps and more hands clapping on shoulders and really none of them had evolved as people at all in the last thirty years. Will grinned when Killian groaned, slinging an arm around Peggy’s shoulders to rest his chin on the top of her hair. 

He wasn’t wearing tails – although the pattern on his jacket probably would have done damage to Emma’s eyes if she stared at it for too long. There were far too many colors. And his tie clip appeared to be masquerading as a small disco ball. 

“You better hope Gina doesn’t find you, Cap,” Will said. “How is it that you get away with no tie every year?”

“I guess that means Gina likes me more than you. Did you bring something to drink? Can I get something to drink?” “Cap did you not bring anything to drink again?” Robin called from the other side of the room, moving towards them with a waiter half a step behind. Killian rolled his eyes. 

“You getting that guy to follow you around?” “You want to drink or you want to make fun?”

“I think that’s suggesting we can’t do both perfectly well,” Emma said, leaning around Killian to grab two glasses. And if nothing really ever changed at that party or in that loft, then she was exceptionally glad that the quality of the champagne fell underneath that umbrella. “You yell at Liam about being the better grandfather yet?” Robin didn’t quite flush, but he definitely pressed his lips together and Will’s laugh echoed in the minimal about of space around them. It only served to push his chin further into Peggy’s hair.

“I am not a kid, Uncle Will,” she grumbled, doing her best to pull away from him and it absolutely did not work. It never really did. “You don’t get to do that anymore.” Will hummed. And didn’t move his arm. “Yeah, yeah, where’s the boyfriend?” “Talking to Henry.” “Your dad challenge him to a shootout yet? Dr. J’s way too busy doing whatever he’s doing and Chris got roped into meeting Leo’s—what’s her name?” “Oh my God.”

“Not an answer.” “And we just got here, Scarlet,” Killian said, but the distinct lack of contradiction appeared with neon lights and sound effects. “So, you know...we haven’t had time. You talk to Matt?” Will tilted his head, brows pulled low because it was, admittedly, kind of a weird question and they hadn’t even taken their jackets off yet. “Should I have?” “Nah.” “Wow, no wonder Pegs sucks so much at lying, she definitely got that from you and Em.” “Ok, that is not a compliment at all,” Emma sighed, another round of footsteps and Phillip’s tie was metallic. Ruby weaved her way through the crowd, a bright red jacket covered in sparkles and maybe they should have made another rule about how both she and Scarlet made the whole thing incredibly weird and far too competitive every year. 

“Emma’s the worst liar in the world,” Ruby announced, tugging the half-finished champagne out of Emma’s hand and ignoring her cries of protest completely. “C’mon, gimme this. My jacket keeps scratching my skin.” “And whose fault is that?” Will asked archly. He waved his hand towards a different waiter, flashing a smile when Ruby did her best to hip check him into the nearest wall. “Nuh uh, not going to work Lucas. My balance is unparalleled.” “Modest too,” Phillip added. “I have a question.” “It makes me nervous that you felt you had to announce it,” Emma said slowly. She wasn’t entirely surprised that they’d drawn the crowd – more ridiculous outfits and Regina flanked by both of Henry’s daughters, and Mary Margaret’s smile appeared to be permanently etched on her face. And Harper whatever her last name might have been only looked vaguely overwhelmed. 

That was definitely a step in the right direction. 

Elsa flicked her fingers against Killian’s shoulders when she moved towards them, Liam next to her and Anna’s hair twisted into elaborate braids, more than a few streaks of silver there as well. 

Maybe things had kind of changed. 

Emma hadn’t realized she was leaning against Killian’s side until he kissed her hair again. 

“Got the drinks before you even took your jackets off, huh?” Elsa asked, arching an eyebrow and they should have patented that move years ago. They’d have made a fortune. 

Killian’s lips quirked. “You cry about your grandkid?” “Nah, that’s Liam’s game.” “Aw, c’mon,” Liam groaned, both Robin and Will drifting dangerously close to cackling. Regina made some kind of noise that might have been an agreement. 

“I think that means your old, leader,” Will said, laughter clinging to his voice. “Not you though, El. Just Liam.” “Yeah, good save, Scarlet,” Elsa murmured. 

“Something about top-tier defenseman,” Anna added. Her dress was green, more sparkles along the edges and none of them were very creative. They were all covered in sparkles and there was probably a joke about looking like ice to be made. 

Or there would have been if Phillip didn’t cough pointedly, staring at the lot of them with a hint of frustration and dash of amusement and Aurora was showing off photos on her phone. 

“Did we interrupt you, Rook?” Robin asked, chuckling when Phillip flipped him off. “There are kids here!” “His grandkid is here,” Killian muttered. He hissed when several fingers flicked at his jacket again, not able to swat them away with one arm around Emma and the other still awkwardly twisted between Will and Peggy. “He’s got a grandkid because he’s old, you see.” “Yeah, yeah, you’re hysterical, Cap. Looking a little greyer up there than usual, aren’t we?” “Was that supposed to be in the collective?” “Shut up.” “It’s nice to see that the maturity level of this team hasn’t changed with its hair color,” Ruby said, nudging Emma in the side when Mary Margaret started to play the video of Noah. And, really, she refused to be held accountable for whatever noise she made. 

Because she’d already had quite a bit of champagne in quite a short amount of time and it was definitely warm in that loft and there was too much smiling and too much laughing and the video was so goddamn cute it probably should have been illegal. 

“Nailed it,” Ruby mumbled to Mary Margaret, a hum of agreement and quick swipe of knuckles under eyes. “And,” she added, making sure her voice dropped to something almost resembling a whisper, “you got to get here on time, Em. M’s went full-on sugary sweet mom with Leo’s girlfriend.” Emma’s eyes moved, a little begrudgingly, away from the screen and those assumptions may have been guarantees now or whatever and—”Do we like her?” Mary Margaret shrugged. “Leo hasn’t stopped laughing all night.” “Seems like a sign.” “Of you guys ignoring me,” Phillip interrupted sharply. Emma widened her eyes, expression only a hint less mocking than the general ooh that moved across the entire group. 

“Known goon, Phillip—” Will started, but there was more glaring and more laughing and Regina was handing out more glasses of champagne. 

“What’s your question, Rook?” Ruby asked. “Or comment or concern or whatever.” Phillip clicked his tongue, but Ruby had never been intimidated by any of them and the likelihood of that changing was slim to none. She drank the rest of her champagne in three, quick gulps. “What’s going on with Matt?” The oxygen flew out of the room. Or got whistled two minutes for roughing. And ruining the conversation. 

Phillip grimaced, eyes darting around like he was waiting for someone to say something or agree with him and no one made a single noise. Killian’s hand tightened around Emma’s shoulder. 

“Do we think something’s wrong with Matt?” Anna whispered. She absolutely did not whisper. They were all absolutely terrible at holding their alcohol. 

“No,” Emma and Killian said quickly, but they were also pretty God awful at lying and she was totally going to blame the alcohol. And that video. Mary Margaret should not be allowed to have a phone anymore. 

“No?” Elsa asked. 

“No,” Killian repeated. There were more footsteps. Because they were all absolutely terrible at lying and keeping secrets and whispering. Especially the whispering. 

“Wait, which one is Matt?” another voice asked, quiet and a little cautious and that must have been Harper. They probably should have introduced themselves to Harper. 

Leo shifted on his feet, nodding in the direction of the approaching footsteps. “The one who looks like he’s about to drop gloves with all of us at once.” “I don’t entirely understand that joke.” “And it might not have been a joke,” Peggy mumbled, holding up both hands when Matt glared at her. 

Harper looked stunned. 

“We’ll get you all caught up to speed,” Ruby promised. “If M’s can figure out what icing is in less than one season, you’ll be totally fine.” She ignored Mary Margaret’s scoff, turning towards Matt and the stick held lightly in his hand. “Hey mini-Jones. You going to bite off any reporter’s heads in the next few days?” Matt froze, crossing his arms awkwardly and the tie around his neck was far looser than it should have been. “No one bit anything in post.” “Did I say that?” “Certainly sounded like it.” Ruby hummed, eyes far too bright to be anything except concerning. “What do you think you know, Ru?” She shrugged, but the smile was full blown now and Harper was still muttering questions under her breath. “I know nothing until you confirm it, mini-Jones. Weird how it always seems to happen that way.” And Emma needed to stop, simply, reacting – sounds falling out of her without her explicit permission, but she couldn’t do much about it and something snapped into place and Killian might have been laughing. It felt like it at least, body shaking against hers and fingers moving towards her neck because they still hadn’t taken their goddamn coats off. 

“Is someone going to explain what is going on?” David asked, a few more sounds of agreement. 

“Oh my God,” Peggy yelled. Her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide as she bobbed on the balls of her feet. Matt glared at her. “I know what it is. Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God! MD!” “Shut up, Mar.” “I didn’t say anything! Oh my God. Am I right though?” “I thought you didn’t say anything,” Leo muttered knowingly, and Matt’s glare wasn’t quite as sharp when he turned that direction. 

“Whatever, Nolan,” Peggy hissed. “MD. Is that—oh my God, did you tell Toph?” “Mar—” “—No, no, did you tell Toph and not me? Are you kidding me?” “I genuinely have no idea what is going on,” David admitted. No one acknowledge him. Probably because Peggy was trying to beat up her older brother, barely restrained by Will and a recently-returned to the conversation Jeremy Humbert who was also trying to say hello to Emma and Killian at the same time. 

It would be a miracle if they didn’t scar Harper for life. 

“MD,” Peggy pressed, lunging forward and barely making contact with the front of his shirt. “Are you sure?”

His eyes narrowed, a particular type of glare Emma wasn’t sure she’d ever seen one of her kids use on one of her other kids. And she was half a second away from reprimanding two grown adults who were both wearing absolutely absurd outfits, heard Killian’s quiet hey now that had always worked, every single time, but Matt groaned louder than either one of them combined. He leaned forward, pulling Peggy towards him – a cry of rather loud indignation from her, that only made Chris laugh from the other side of the room. 

“C’mere,” Matt growled, wrapping his arm all the way around Peggy’s waist. She put up a fight, kicking and punching his arm, but he was honestly having some kind of season and Emma’s gaze moved towards Killian like there were magnets involved. 

He smirked at her. 

“Oh my God, caveman,” Peggy snapped. “Where’s your wife? Does she know you’re an absolutely insane person?” “Mar, I swear, if you do not stop talking right now, I will—" “—What? What, MD? Please go into exact detail of what you’re going to do.” He made another noise – ridiculously familiar and Elsa had to tuck her head into Liam’s shoulder to stop her laugh from bordering on offensive. Anna didn’t even try. And it only took another moment for reinforcements to arrive, Chris jogging across the room to help move Peggy. Harper was never going to come back. 

They’d have to apologize to Leo. 

“God, P, stop playing rag doll and just move,” Chris sighed. She dug her heels further into the ground. 

“Are you not going to help with this?” Roland asked, walking back into the room with a kid hanging off his back and Lizzie smiling next to him. 

Emma shook her head. “What could I possibly do?” “Ah, yeah, fair enough.” “Smart kid.” “Less fair.” “Mar, I am serious,” Matt continued, doing his best to drag her into the nearest corner and there wasn’t much of a point anymore because they all spent far too much time together and helped raise each other or something equally absurd and Killian’s fingers were warm when they twisted around Emma’s. 

Peggy stuck her tongue out. “Fine, fine, fine, but the next time—you know what, I don’t care. Fine. Let’s go.” It only took a moment. 

Emma was, honestly, surprised – was certain Peggy would demand answers before they found the corner or simply check both Matt and Chris until she was in charge of the situation, but it was also kind of nice, that hint of anticipation and waiting and—

“I knew he’d want to tell them first,” Claire said. Emma jerked her head around at the addition to the group, the whole lot of them standing in the middle of the goddamn loft with a slightly cautious looking waitstaff lingering against the walls. 

She was dressed up as well, hair twisted at the nape of her neck and more sparkles, but the outfit had nothing on the look on her face – something about glowing and the next line shift and absolutely wonderful and complete and utter change. 

Killian kissed Emma’s cheek. 

And Claire flushed slightly, arms wrapped around her middle when her teeth found her lower lip. 

“I didn’t actually tell you,” she said. “So I didn’t ruin the surprise or anything.” “Is it a surprise?” Emma asked, only a little disappointed her voice shook. She might have been crying. She was absolutely crying. 

“Ah, I don’t know about that. It was almost responsible.” “Oh. Yeah?” The question was ridiculous, another string of inexplicable and unplanned emotion, but Emma could barely see through the tears in her eyes and Ruby’s sniffle sounded far too loud. Although, not quite as loud as the shriek that came from the far corner, both Chris and Matt doing their best to quiet Peggy. 

They failed. Miserably. Or, well, as miserably as it was possible to be when everything seemed to be glowing and new and filled with very expensive champagne. 

“Look who’s old now, Jones,” Regina muttered, tugging lightly on the back of Noah’s shirt. Elsa snickered, Anna wiping away her own tears and Roland grinned as widely as anyone else in the room. 

Peggy was still screaming. 

“Are you kidding me, MD?” She was jumping, arms flailing and hair falling out of its updo and Chris had shifted behind her, trying to control either one of those things, but that was a pipe dream and Peggy was absolutely crying too. 

Matt smiled. And shook his head. “No joke, Mar,” he said, soft and honest and Emma’s heart felt like it grew forty-seven sizes. She leaned back against Killian’s chest. 

Peggy’s hand flew back to her mouth, finally staying on the ground for more than a few seconds. Her shoulders shook slightly, though, and then it was a whirlwind of sounds – exhales and sighs and you’re going to be so good and there was far too much crying, but Peggy jumped at Matt and he caught her with the kind of athletic dexterity that was absolutely, positively genetic. 

That boded well for the future. 

Emma didn’t count how long they stayed in that corner – a moment and thing and three kids who loved each other more than just about anything else in the world and believed in each other more than anything else in the world – but Matt pressed his cheek against Peggy’s hair, eyes lifting with the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. 

“So, uh, we’ve got some news.” “Good news,” Claire added, her own expression drifting closer to joy than anything else. “Like, you know. Good news.” “The best news,” Roland amended. “Although I’m totally ready to battle Matt to the death for, like, dad of the year award or something.” Matt groaned, but any hint of frustration was gone, replaced only with announcements and new and he moved towards Emma and Killian slowly – as if he were worried about spooking them or their recently acquired status and— “I’ll win every time if I’m half as good as you guys,” he said. 

Emma had no idea what sound she made. Killian’s knees buckled slightly. And Matt practically beamed, hugging both of them at the same time. 

Mary Margaret took video. 

Maybe she could keep her phone. 

“So, uh…” David started. “Just to be certain here, complete sentences and official statements—” “—That was good,” Ruby said. “C’mon, mini-Jones. Let’s get official so David can toast and we can promise Harper we’re not all usually this weird.” Lizzie shook her head. “We’re always this weird.” Matt laughed softly, moving back to Claire’s side and Emma’s record wasn’t going to be for eye rolls. It was totally going to be for crying. “We’re, uh…” Matt said, pausing to take a deep breath and his gaze didn’t move away from them when he spoke again. “We’re going to have a baby.” “Yeah, I think we picked up on that kid,” Killian said, voice gruff. “Why the face during post, then?” “I wasn’t really doing anything during post.” “God, it’s like all three of you are trying to do the worst job of lying to us. Didn’t we age out of this already?”

“We went to the doctor yesterday,” Claire explained when Matt didn’t immediately answer, far too busy rolling his eyes and trying to contain his sister’s limbs. “They didn’t want to let him off of our morning skate, but then he scored, so…” “Oh,” Killian said. “Right. Right. That’s—” “We’ve totally got pictures.”

He took a deep breath, ignoring the small army of cameras pointed towards him because they were the most absurd family in the history of the entire NHL and several different universes. 

Liam threw his whole head back when he laughed, his own tears obvious and maybe they weren’t just absurd, they were a bunch of giant saps. “We toast? Gina got that crazy expensive champagne, right?” “It pains me that you think I wouldn't get the very expensive champagne,” Regina said. 

“Of course, Your Highness, of course. No more cracks about getting older, right?” “I make absolutely no promises,” Emma grinned, doing it entirely for the reaction. Liam cursed in Norwegian. 

And there was, in fact, a copious amount of champagne and discussion of that one goal the night before reenacted several times by several different grandchildren with a variety of cameras pointed their direction. And there was dancing and food and a countdown that felt more important than it ever had, a shift and a change and everything all at once. 

And Emma expected the kiss, something about tradition and rules, but she was a little stunned by the everything of that too – Killian’s thumb tucked under her chin and a look she couldn’t quite ever name, but had come to absolutely covet and she smiled before his lips landed on hers, soft and insistent and—

“I love you,” he whispered. She kissed him again. 

“More than anything. Even if you’re kind of ancient now.” Killian laughed, breath warm against Emma’s cheek. “Yeah, as long as we get to do that together, I’m good.” “What a line. You look up kid-sized jerseys on your phone yet?” “No, did you?” Emma shrugged. “Maybe.” “Maybe meaning definitely?” “You really didn’t look yet?” “Nah,” Killian said, fingers doing something entirely unfair against her side. “I asked Liam and Locksley where they got theirs.” “Cheater.” “Efficient.” “Yeah, yeah, whatever you have to tell yourself, grandpa.” “I like that sound of that, actually.” “Good because that’s what we’re going with,” Matt yelled, twisted around Claire and he hadn’t moved more than a few inches away from her for most of the night. 

Killian nodded, tugging his phone out of his pocket and Emma didn’t have to look to know that there was already an order receipt in his email. “You good with that, Swan?” “Better,” she promised. 

The packages came two days later – plural, with more baby-sized merch than they’d bought for any of their own kids, a fact all three kids were quick to point out before Emma quirked an eyebrow and tilted her head and Peggy and Chris had to admit that they’d ordered their own merch too. 

[etatmagique]

❝ the simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them. ❞

( alisha boe, genderfluid, they/them ) · for a half-blood/werewolf, i’d call you lucky for not picking a side. why fight for what’s right versus what’s easy when you can just sit down, right claudia samatar ? i mean, a twenty-four year old potioneer knows better than to get involved in political affairs, especially a horned serpent from ilvermorny. didn’t i hear that at school people used to describe you as adroit and secretive. staying neutral is always harder than it initially seems. ( the smell of blooming lilies of the valley in the spring, softly running your fingers through your child’s hair, the calmness of a beautiful and bright starry sky you’re looking up at far away from any big city, refusing to get your eyesight fixed because you love wearing glasses too much, re-reading a book so often yet taking such good care of it that it doesn’t even show in its physical quality & sun rays piercing through the clouds after a rainy day / sam )

— ♡ CHARACTER PARALLELS ( MOST LIKE ) :: Amy Santiago ( Brooklyn Nine-Nine ) + C3PO ( Star Wars ) + Nina Sayer ( Black Swan ) + Temperance Brennan ( Bones ) + Lisa Simpson ( The Simpsons ) + Spencer Hastings ( Pretty Little Liars ) + Burton Guster ( Psych ) + Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow ( Marvel ) + Lois Lane ( DC Comcis ) + Monica Geller ( F.R.I.E.N.D.S. ) !!

— ♡ CHARACTER PARALLELS ( LEAST LIKE ) :: Ash Ketchum ( Pokemon ) - Naruto Uzumaki ( Naruto ) - Titus Andromedon ( The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ) - Phoebe Buffay ( F.R.I.E.N.D.S. ) - Joey Tribbiani ( F.R.I.E.N.D.S. ) - Bart Simpson ( The Simpsons ) - Gina Linetti ( Brooklyn Nine-Nine ) - Olaf ( Frozen ) - Bridget Jones ( Bridget Jones’s Diary ) - Michael Scott ( The Office )

TRIGGER WARNINGS THAT CAN BE FOUND BELOW THE CUT: Pregnancy.

STATS PAGE + CONNECTIONS + PINTEREST BOARD

i’m not including a tldr in this intro bc lazy(tm), but if you want a lil summary, you can just ask me for it and i’ll write one for you !

backstory.

Claudia is the child of a healer and a muggle doctor. Both their parents were very busy whilst they and their younger siblings were growing up, and yet, Claudia’s parents always managed to make time for their children. They were strict, always expecting a lot from Claudia and their siblings, but there was never any doubts that the Samatars loved their children.

All in all, Claudia had a pretty eventless childhood. They were happy, had all they needed, and though there were some rougher patches in their life, especially around puberty, they generally were very happy.

Their extended maternal family was from Montréal, and every summer, Claudia and their siblings spent at least a month there with their grandparents, which Claudia looked forward to every year. Their grandparents got them to travel all around Québec, whilst also discovering Montréal itself, and Claudia loved traveling around the province with them. It was there, when they were thirteen, that Claudia was bitten and turned into a werewolf. They were camping in Mont-Tremblant, and Claudia had made some friends they had figured out were from the wizarding community too (but went to Beauxbâtons because they didn’t speak English). One night, Claudia sneaked out of the camping site with them to explore the woods, and the little group got attacked by a werewolf. They all made it out alive, though two of them were severely hurt, and the other three became werewolves (and were obviously hurt too).

At first, Claudia blamed themself very strongly for what happened to them, yes, but mostly for what happened to their new friends. Sure, they hadn’t been the one to present the idea of going out alone into the forest, but they hadn’t been the voice of reason like they usually were, and they felt extremely bad about that. They kept in touch with the rest of the group after that, and eventually, it was through talking to them that they managed to lessen their feeling of guilt.

Claudia was scared at first, to be honest. They had done a project about werewolf rights at Ilvermorny before they were turned, and truly cared about the rights of werewolves, but they had never considered what would happen to them if they were turned, and it was quite a shock. Mostly, the pain of transformations was the worst bit. After a while, their parents managed to find the right potions to make things better, and knew someone who could make the potion that would make transformations far less dangerous for everyone around, but the first few transformations were very painful, and Claudia had never dealt well with pain.

Luckily for them, they had a good support system, and though it wasn’t easy, they learned to live with their condition. In fact, they even ended up telling their friends at school about it in their last year, knowing fully well that the news would travel as one of the friends they had told couldn’t keep a secret no matter how much she respected Claudia. 

In school, Claudia loved Potions class, and they had no hesitations before going into potion work after graduating. Not only did they actually really enjoy making potions, but they also loved the idea of being able to make the potion they needed for their transformations all by themself.

Now a freelance potioneer, Claudia sells most of their potions in various apothecaries and shops, and has a own line of products. It’s not super big yet, but they have a good sense of business, and with the help of their aunt (a well-accomplished businesswoman), they believe they might be able to make it bigger.

Last year, Claudia gave birth to their daughter, Aurora. At the time, Claudia had a serious boyfriend, but they’ve amiably broken up since (this is currently a fulfilled connection). They each have Aurora for a week, and Claudia agreed to let her ex have Aurora on Christmas, as Claudia has never cared much for Christmas, but insists on having her for New Years and Aurora’s birthday.

Claudia was a bit young to have a child, but they quickly got used to the judgmental stares, and only cared about it at the beginning. After all, being a werewolf, Claudia was used to judgmental people, and was quite good at detaching themself from others’ opinions. The only thing they did worry about was if their daughter would resent them for the fact that she’d necessarily inherit some werewolf traits, but Claudia has come to the conclusion that they’ll deal with that in time, if it ever becomes a problem for Aurora.

All in all, Claudia’s a good parent, although she’s obviously constantly learning and makes mistakes, just like all parents. Luckily enough for them, they’re currently living with their aunt in Manhattan, and though Julia (their aunt) doesn’t get involved in the raising of Aurora, she’s been a lot of help in general. 

present day.

Claudia is genderfluid, and only realized that about two years ago. They prefer they/them pronouns, and at the moment, they prefer “feminine” nouns like witch, mother, queen, princess, aunt, sister, etc.

Claudia thought about doing something. After all, they want the world to be a safe place for Aurora, and so it would make sense to fight for that. However, they also want to be there for their daughter, and therefore have decided to stay neutral. For now.

personality.

Claudia is very down-to-earth and often finds themself being the voice of reason. They do enjoy having fun, though, although that fun often goes through reading, going to see theatre, older muggle movies, etc. They’re not much of a party person, and though they have a few very good friends, don’t really like spending time in big groups, which is why they work on their own. They do know they might have to hire more people if they want their business to grow, but to them, there’s a difference between employing people and having a billion friends.

To-the-point, Claudia says it how it is, and doesn’t stray from what they want to say very often. They’re very honest, and sometimes maybe a bit too honest. They’ve been working on that, though, as they really don’t mean and/or want to offend/hurt/wound others with their words.

Claudia doesn’t share much about themself, and can even be considered secretive. They keep to themself most of the time, and although they do open up to their few close friends, they never reveal more than what they think is necessary.

[arielmackav]

❛  when you were little you held your mother’s favorite glass figurine in your fingers & you loved it so tightly that you snapped it in your palms & since then you’ve let go of beautiful things before you get around to breaking them. ❜

SYDNEY SWEENEY? No, that’s actually ARIEL MACKAY from the MARAUDERS ERA. You know, the child of ISABELLE MACKAY? Only 24 years old, this SLYTHERIN alumni works as a WAITRESS and is sided with THE NEUTRALS. SHE identifies as CIS WOMAN and is a MUGGLEBORN who is known to be BLUNT, CRUDE, and RECKLESS but also LOYAL, INGENIOUS, and AMBITIOUS.

character inspiration: rebecca bunch (crazy ex-girlfriend), eleanor shellstrop (the good place), gina linetti (brooklyn nine-nine), shane madej (buzzfeed unsolved), annie landsberg (maniac), maeve wiley (sex education) aesthetic: bottles of whiskey stashed beneath a mattress, the mess of a home the morning after a party, lacy red lingerie, neon signs lighting up a dark room, boisterous laughter sounding from the bedroom, cherry red lips sucking on a lollipop links: stats, pinterest triggers: parental death, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, suicide attempt, medication

isabelle mackay was born into a small, devoutly catholic family, built on traditions and strict beliefs that mimicked the ideals of the outside world. with her mother at home to fulfil the role of housewife, her father was left to work every day in rough factory conditions in order to make ends meet. the family was poor, that much was obvious, but there was never any love to compensate for all the bad luck this family had been dealt. isabelle was never good enough, never christian enough, never helpful enough, and the birth of ariel winter mackay on april 3rd 1956 when isabelle was just twenty, fathered by a man without a face nor a name, was the straw to break the camels back — isabelle would never speak to her parents again.

ariel’s childhood was fun, but at the same time kind of rocky. i mean, issy didn’t have any family left, she was a single mum in the late fifties working a part-time secretary job and she had no idea how to raise a child. ari and issy spent a lot of time with issy’s friends, who became like aunts to ariel and allowed her to grow up surrounded by strong, independent women.

but ariel had a bit of a troublesome streak. it seemed as though chaos and destruction followed her everywhere she went, and it caused her to jump from school to school until she’d eventually been expelled from eight primary schools by the age of eleven. issy could not understand what was wrong, she couldn’t explain certain things that happened around the little blonde girl because they were seemingly unexplainable, and she was starting to grow seriously worried until a tall woman with a big hat knocked on their door and introduced the mackay family to the world of magic.

ariel was honestly ecstatic to go to hogwarts. she’d always known that she was different to the other kids, that she was special, and this only went on the prove it. and now, surrounded by other kids the same as her, maybe she could finally find a place that she fit in - a place that she could call home.

she was sorted into slytherin after a minute of the hat sitting on her head, and at first she slotted right in with the rest of her housemates. they were all just as fun, ambitious and intelligent as her and she was excited to find a place that she belonged. but slowly she started to notice that still she was being treated differently - there was something about her that had other kids turning their noses and left her unable to befriend many of her housemates for the pure reason that they wouldn’t talk to her. the first time she was called a mudblood, she cried for days - she’d expected hogwarts to be welcoming and instead she was still that weird kid that everyone wanted to avoid.

of course, as she grew up, it became obvious that not everyone hated her. she started to hang out with more of the gryffindors in her year and sought out the people who weren’t disgusted by her ambiguous (‘tainted’) lineage. moving through her first, her second, her third year, she became quite popular amongst the student body, and her fun-loving, easy-going attitude attracted many boys and girls who wanted to befriend her.

[ BIPOLAR & MEDICATION TW a small hiccup arose in her third year, when a pattern of violent, depressed and manic behaviour began to show in her every day life. at the tender age of fourteen, ariel was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and at age fifteen was prescribed lithium in order to keep it in check. her tendency for manic episodes meant she had to tone down on her usually adventurous nature and had to keep a check on how many people she surrounded herself with - too many and she could be sent over the edge. though she was still widely popular and incredibly fun to be around, she wasn’t known to have many close friends and was sometimes noted to disappear for days without explanation and return as if nothing has happened. END TW ]

[ PARENTAL DEATH TW everything was all pretty smooth sailing for miss mackay until a few months before the end of her sixth year, when she received a letter detailing the horrific death of her mother, isabelle mackay. devastated could hardly begin to describe how ariel felt — it was as if her whole world was crumbling around her. her mother, her one true rock throughout all the pain and misery and heartache of her life was gone and now she had no one. END TW ]

[ SUICIDE & SUBSTANCE ABUSE TW after the death, ariel fell into a deep depression into which no one could pull her out. for a while she relied on substance abuse to even keep her going, but after coming close to suffering from alcohol poisoning, she moved off it and instead completely isolated herself from everyone around her and allowed herself to fall deeper and deeper into her own depression. over the winter break of her sixth year, during which she had moved to her mum’s friends place in dublin, ariel finally completely broke and attempted to take her own life. of course, she was not successful, but after spending months in the hospital after this attempt, she finally spoke to a professional and started on the slow and bumpy road to recovery. END TW ]

alycia (her mum’s friend and now ariel’s caregiver) was reluctant to allow ariel to return to hogwarts after the traumatic few months they had endured, but after much begging on ariel’s part, she finally relented. returning to hogwarts for her final year, it was clear that ariel was all but a different person. once the life of the party, the sassy and adventurous and fun-loving girl of her year, ariel was now much quieter and a lot less adventurous. she was still ever so dependent on alcohol and still talking to a psychologist within hogwarts (as was requested by alycia), and though it was clear that ariel mackay was all but a different person, she was trying her very best to once again be happy.

but of course, being truly happy is never going to be easy. with grades that could only be described as subpar and absolutely no idea as to what she wanted to do with her life, ariel felt lost after leaving school. she wanted to make a difference in the world, she wanted to prove that just because you didn’t come from magic, didn’t mean you couldn’t prove yourself in this world, but how the hell was she supposed to do that without the grades to prove it? she tried anyway to apply for the auror program, but of course they all but laughed in her face, and so instead she spent a year doing nothing, feeling sorry for herself and trying to figure out what the hell it was she wanted.

deciding ultimately on her nineteenth birthday that she was sick of sitting around, she found herself a job at the hogs head, serving the drinks she so often drowned herself in. she saved every dollar she received, living with alycia still to avoid the cost of rent and at twenty-one, still lost and confused, she flew herself to philadelphia in america and attempted desperately to find a reason to smile.

it was in philly that ariel met natalie --- and for the first time of her life, ariel fell in love. the romance was tumultuous, to say the least, full of twists and turns and bumps that left them on and off again for over a year. it was on the fourteenth month of their relationship that they got into another screaming match and when natalie told ariel to leave and never come back, she meant it. and ariel was devastated. she thought she’d found a home in philly. with natalie, the good times had been worth the bad and she’d finally been as happy as she was before her mothers death. and now it was finished.

one week after the break up, ariel packed her bags and left --- back to london. alycia welcomed her back with open arms, but that didn’t make it any easier. her heart was broken, and she was still lost. finding a job at a small cafe in hogsmeade, ariel tried to put her life back in order, but she didn’t even know what that order was. twenty-three and still completely directionless, still just a blip on most people’s radar, just a drunk adult, on and off her meds, never truly happy.

she’s trying, though --- she’ll always try. she moved out of alycia’s home into her own apartment, she surrounded herself with people who love her and she applied for the auror program every month (still no word). she stayed out of the war only if to keep herself sane (but she’s obviously sided with the order --- she’d be damned if anyone doubted her ability just because she was a muggleborn). she didn’t have much purpose, but it felt good to try.

the timeclash, though --- now didn’t that fuck things up. she had to start all over again. alycia wasn’t with her, and in fact, why the hell was she? but what might be worse is the fact that she can’t find out anything about what happened to her... no one remembers her, she had no children, she didn’t die in heroic sacrifice. she just was, and she was... boring. all this time she’s been focused on being happy, but maybe she should’ve been worried about making a goddamn difference. she’s a nobody, and she wants to be a somebody.

RANDOM FACTS

swears like a sailor and drinks just as heavily. it’s a vice she’s never been able to shake and kind of doesn’t want to? yikes

used to see a therapist once a month but ghosted him about a month before the timeclash. why? who knows! she’s never been good at keeping a handle on her mental health --- she gets lost and confused and assumes no one can help her. this is the fourth time she’s done this.

has a small silver bangle on her left wrist that she fiddles with when she’s anxious. it used to belong to her mother, her and alycia found it while sorting through her stuff after her death, and tbh she hasn’t taken it off since the day they found it. it’s a part of her mother that she can take everywhere with her, and that’s a comfort you just can’t surpass.

[dalyons322]

so i watched every Disney+ Original and

i liked em. well, most of em but like, there wasn’t anything i really hated. so here’s my ranking of basically every Disney+ Original.

1. Imagineering Story - This is, like, easily the best. Oh my GOD, it’s good. Just- just watch it.

2. Noelle - Cute! Anna Kendrick really makes this movie. Think Arthur Christmas crossed with Elf and that’s basically this movie.

3. Marvel’s Hero Project - Pleasantly surprised by this! The first episode really got my attention and it’s great to see so many amazing kids spotlighted!

4. Lady and the Tramp - Def one of my personal faves. There were elements that were changed that I’m supportive of (like Aunt Sarah not being that big of a character in this version), but much like the original, the Bella Notte scene is the standout.

5. Encore - This is a reality show that I am here for. But the way they executed the idea of this show was just good and I’m excited for future episodes.

6. The Mandalorian - Listen, until Baby Yoda showed up, I thought it was fine, albeit a bit slow. But then the baby showed up and things started to pick up imo.

7. HSM: The Musical: The Series - It’s cute so far. I can appreciate that it’s fully its own thing while being a love letter to the original film. I think I just need to see more episodes before I can fully form an opinion on this show (though Nini, Gina and Ashlyn are my personal faves rn).

8. World According to Jeff Goldblum - This show isn’t bad by any means and is actually a joy to watch. It’s just the one that made the least impression on me. But I would totally recommend it. Just, you know, I’d recommend all this other stuff first.

9. The Other Shows - Pixar in Real Life is really fun to watch, especially when you don’t know what to watch. Same goes for Disney Family Sundays, which is a cute DIY show. Both are fine imo. And Float was really sweet and emotional. Def one of my favorites as far Pixar’s “Sparkshorts” go. All are good watches.

I definitely have a few nitpicks with the service (like how there’s not a “Continue Watching” thingy nor are there notifications for when new episodes drop) but overall, I’m personally excited for the future of Disney+

[evita-shelby]

Preview for ch 16 of National Anthem

Jack’s celebrating as the world comes crashing down around them.

He has vanquished the last of his rivals in Hollywood, he’s amassed five million dollars in just money alone and once Roosevelt won his bid in the next elections, Jack would finish his triumph by setting up his political takeover.

By then he will have more money than Ebenezer fucking Scrooge and come out of retirement to hunt down every bastard who uses his tricks to make their wealth.

“Why are you cutting off Michael from your business?” Gina asks, confused as to why Jack’s cutting off all strings to Shelby’s stocks and businesses to avoid any loses before anyone realizes the shit that will go down in a couple of weeks.

People would become desperate for money when they find it all gone on the morning of Black Tuesday. Jack needs Shelby to be in desperate need to take up that opium deal Brilliant Cheng is making and can’t find a single English buyer for.

“’Cause Mickey thinks he knows better than us, better than you and me, kid.” Jack knows men like Michael, Laurie was like that, and Jack had been on his way on becoming that way if Kennedy hadn’t humbled him properly.

Gray is smart, but constantly overestimating his own capabilities to the point he now thinks himself better than his boss. He’s been told to sell, to follow Jack’s lead and abandon ship before he sinks with it, but Michael thinks he knows better.

The Devil knows more because he’s old and not because he’s the devil, something Eva’s fond of saying and Michael Gray refuses to learn even after these past years.

“He listens to me; he knows I learned more by being taught at your knee than all those colleges you tried to send me to.” Gina is proud of being Jack’s blood, proud of her meager skills and the hold she has on this twat.

She and Gray were made for each other, he thinks. If his niece didn’t have him as an uncle, Gina would be joining the desperate people who will lose it all in October. Jack won’t let her share Gray’s misery, especially now that Gina’s gotten herself pregnant by the boy who’s too English to build his own kingdom.

“Like you listened to me about fooling around with him and the chauffeur?” he smirked knowing the girl thinks he’s unaware of that bastard she’s carrying, unaware of her trysts with the handsome driver her mother’s got.

“They way you lecture me about it, you’d think you never had your fun before you married her… and after” Gina returned fire knowing damn well her worst traits come from him more than they come from her mother and Laurie. “Poor, poor Aunt Evie being so friendly with Gloria while you were fucking her behind her back.”

The girl thinks she has the upper hand in this, knows Eva and their children are his Achilles heel. But she doesn’t know the real story about the affair with Swanson.

“You could be great if you didn’t overestimate yourself, Gee.

[mackayari]

❛  when you were little you held your mother’s favorite glass figurine in your fingers & you loved it so tightly that you snapped it in your palms & since then you’ve let go of beautiful things before you get around to breaking them. ❜

have you been re-introduced to ARIEL MACKAY? last we heard, the HALFBLOOD was most familiar with TIMELINE ONE. I don’t recall if they were always a SLYTHERIN, but I’ve heard the SEVENTH YEAR is still AMBITIOUS, LOYAL, INGENIOUS and CRUDE, RECKLESS, BLUNT, so that’s familiar. at least SHE remembers her way around the castle.

character parallels: rebecca bunch (crazy ex-girlfriend), eleanor shellstrop (the good place), gina linetti (brooklyn nine-nine), shane madej (buzzfeed unsolved), annie landsberg (maniac), maeve wiley (sex education) aesthetic: bottles of whiskey stashed beneath a mattress, the mess of a home the morning after a party, lacy red lingerie, neon signs lighting up a dark room, boisterous laughter sounding from the bedroom, cherry red lips sucking on a lollipop links: stats, pinterest triggers: parental death, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, suicide attempt

ariel mackay never knew her father. in fact, her mother ( isabelle mackay ) isn’t even quite sure who the man is. the late fifties proved to be a tough time for poor old isabelle mackay, and it resulted in excessive alcohol consumption, a string of one night stands, and eventually the birth of her one and only daughter, ariel winter mackay, on april 3rd, 1960, when she was only twenty years of age. if they were to ever investigate, they would indeed find that ari’s father was a famous pureblood wizard, thus making her a half-blood, as issy is a muggle.

ariel’s childhood was fun, but at the same time kind of rocky. i mean, issy didn’t have any family left, she was a single mum in the early sixties working a part-time secretary job and she had no idea how to raise a child. ari and issy spent a lot of time with issy’s friends, who became like aunts to ariel and allowed her to grow up surrounded by strong, independent women.

but ariel had a bit of a troublesome streak. it seemed as though chaos and destruction followed her everywhere she went, and it caused her to jump from school to school until she’d eventually been expelled from eight primary schools by the age of eleven. issy could not understand what was wrong, she couldn’t explain certain things that happened around the little blonde girl because they were seemingly unexplainable, and she was starting to grow seriously worried until a tall woman with a big hat knocked on their door and introduced the mackay family to the world of magic.

ariel was honestly ecstatic to go to hogwarts. she’d always known that she was different to the other kids, that she was special, and this only went on the prove it. and now, surrounded by other kids the same as her, maybe she could finally find a place that she fit in - a place that she could call home.

she was sorted into slytherin after a minute of the hat sitting on her head, and at first she slotted right in with the rest of her housemates. they were all just as fun, ambitious and intelligent as her and she was excited to find a place that she belonged. but slowly she started to notice that still she was being treated differently - there was something about her that had other kids turning their noses and left her unable to befriend many of her housemates for the pure reason that they wouldn’t talk to her. the first time she was called a mudblood, she cried for days - she’d expected hogwarts to be welcoming and instead she was still that weird kid that everyone wanted to avoid.

of course, as she grew up, it became obvious that not everyone hated her. she started to hang out with more of the gryffindors in her year and sought out the people who weren’t disgusted by her ambiguous ( ‘tainted’ ) lineage. moving through her first, her second, her third year, she became quite popular amongst the student body, and her fun-loving, easy-going attitude attracted many boys and girls who wanted to befriend her.

a small hiccup arose in her third year, when a pattern of violent, depressed and manic behaviour began to show in her every day life. at the tender age of fourteen, ariel was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and at age fifteen was prescribed lithium in order to keep it in check. her tendency for manic episodes meant she had to tone down on her usually adventurous nature and had to keep a check on how many people she surrounded herself with - too many and she could be sent over the edge. though she was still widely popular and incredibly fun to be around, she wasn’t known to have many close friends and was sometimes noted to disappear for days without explanation and return as if nothing has happened.

DEATH TW: everything was all pretty smooth sailing for miss mackay until a few months before the end of her fifth year, when she received a letter detailing the horrific death of her mother, isabelle mackay, at the hands of a drunk driver.devastated could hardly begin to describe how ariel felt — it was as if her whole world was crumbling around her. her mother, her one true rock throughout all the pain and misery and heartache of her life was gone and now she had no one.

SUICIDE TW: after the death, ariel fell into a deep depression into which no one could pull her out. for a while she relied on substance abuse to even keep her going, but after coming close to suffering from alcohol poisoning, she moved off it and instead completely isolated herself from everyone around her and allowed herself to fall deeper and deeper into her own depression. over the winter break of her fifth year, during which she had moved to her mum’s friends place in dublin, ariel finally completely broke and attempted suicide. of course, she was not successful, but after spending months in the hospital after this attempt, she finally spoke to a professional and started on the slow and bumpy road to recovery.

alycia ( her mum’s friend and now ariel’s caregiver ) was reluctant to allow ariel to return to hogwarts after the traumatic few months they had endured, but after much begging on ariel’s part, she finally relented. returning to hogwarts for her sixth year, it was clear that ariel was all but a different person. once the life of the party, the sassy and adventurous and fun-loving girl of her year, ariel was now much quieter and a lot less adventerous. she was still ever so dependent on alcohol and still talking to a psychologist within hogwarts ( as was requested by alycia ), and though it was clear that ariel mackay was all but a different person, she was trying her very best to once again be happy.

and then it happened --- and everything was suddenly a thousand times worse. a battle caused by a war that ariel had never been exposed to, her mind torn into a body that had experienced things she’d never even dreamed of. at first, it wasn’t even obvious to her ( alycia was still alycia and ariel was still ariel ) but when she started receiving letters from a girl she’d hardly spoken to in the year below her claiming to be her ‘best friend’, she knew that something was up. and now, she’s terrified; terrified because she knows she has to do something, even when she hardly has a grip on what’s going on. she’s muggleborn and proud ( at least to her knowledge ) and the knowledge that that could get her killed in this universe makes her sick to her stomach. she wants to fight --- to do something. she just doesn’t know what that something is yet... 

[clexaweekofficial]

Clexaweek2018 Masterlist

Here it is: the masterlist of all fics, art, and more created for Clexaweek2018! They’re not in any particular order but I put ratings and word length at the bottom of their summaries. There was a LOT to go through, not everyone tagged me/sent me a link, and the tags can be finicky to search through (example: found a bunch I missed because I was searching through the #Clexaweek2018 rather than #Clexa week 2018) so please shoot me a message and let me know if I forgot yours so I can add it on. Otherwise...enjoy! Please reblog as well as like that way word gets out and we can share the Clexa love! :)

Fics: Day 1- Meet Ugly

Monographs by Raspberry Tree Lexa finds her girlfriend in bed with another woman. M, 1160 words.

(and when I touch you) i feel happy inside by brokendevil At least by the third time, Clarke isn't technically grabbing a stranger's hand. Or: five times Clarke held Lexa's hand first and one time Lexa held Clarke's. T, 7826 words, complete.

The Escape Artist by ivywoman63 Lexa’s a temporary cop, Clarke’s a temporary perp. Small town protest leads to Lexa throwing Clarke in the slammer. It’s like Orange is the New Black. No, it’s nothing like that. 
Just a little, fluffy, fun one shot for ClexaWeek 2018. T, 10918 words, complete.

The Morning After by TheSSClexa Clarke wakes up the morning after, she can’t remember much, not even the woman’s name. Taking a peek out the bedroom door, last night’s lay is definitely hot - and, is she making pancakes? T, 9139 words, in progress.

The Flower Girl by Kendrene When Lexa notices that flowers are vanishing from her garden, she decides to investigate. A blonde thief, an ambush, and a walk later she finds herself with more than she bargained for. And falling for someone new. Or: the one where Clarke steals from Lexa's garden and thinks she can get away with it. E, 2122 words, in progress.

let me make it up to you by almostafantasia In which Clarke gets an internship in the city and completely ruins her chances with the cute girl who shares her commute when their first ever interaction starts with an accidental boob grab. Or so she thinks. E, 6767 words, complete.

Can't Think Straight by billet_doux Behind her, a tap on her shoulder caught her attention. Clarke turned, ready to yell at whatever invasive, goody-two-shoes freshman was about to reprimand her for yelling and making a scene past quiet hours, but the blood drained from her face as she met the eyes of a campus policewoman. “Shit.” It was going to be a long night. Or: the one where Clarke makes a dumb decision, and Lexa, a campus officer, has to bring her in. T, 2673 words, complete.

Surprisingly, The Best Night I've Had Ever. by DistantStar, mmeister911 Being soulmates isn't always easy and first impressions are lasting, especially when you meet fist to face. Lexa and Clarke meet in a very unexpected way. M, 7857 words, complete.

Good Samaritan by eternaleponine Law student Lexa accidentally hits med student Clarke with her car in a parking garage. Clarke decides Lexa needs to make it up to her. M, 4771 words, complete.

Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 1 Meet Ugly- Clarke doesn't hold the elevator for Lexa. NR, 1391 words, complete.

0300 by K17L53 Captain Woods has had a long day out on patrol. And all she wants right now is sleep and silence. But there seems to be someone in the communal kitchen being obnoxiously loud. Enter Private Griffin, who’s up at 3 in the morning making cookies. No one likeks being caught doing someone they’re not supposed to and Lexa is not at all impressed by her quirky little comebacks. But maybe, just maybe, they can work out a little deal so Clarke doesn’t get in trouble? T, 2653 words, complete.

Walk of Shame by Waxa They meet each other on a Saturday morning both doing their walk of shame. G, 1574 words, complete.

(You Stole My Heart) Like Stealing Candy from a Baby rsconne Another shitty Valentine's Day. Clarke and Lexa both just want to binge on chocolate and wine and nurse their broken hearts in peace. But a chance encounter in the supermarket changes everything.... M, 6281 words, complete.

Kismet by theproseofnight Clarke leaves a unique first impression on Lexa, though not the kind she was hoping for.
Lexa doesn’t mind her unconventional ways. She thinks they’re inevitable, anyways. G, 3500 words, complete. Drive! by imincharge by imincharge Clarke is being chased by the cops, jumps in a random car e yells "drive!" Except that she couldn't have chosen a worse car to do it. G, 4933 words, complete. With a quick wing she brushes (the wide world through) by iwhsotb by iwhsotb Clarke is bringing in her spoils for trade when something goes awry. Lexa is skiving off a trade meeting during her visit to a Trikru village to continue Aden's lessons. When world's collide it's not always pretty. G, 5202 words, complete. the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 1- Meet Ugly. Clarke Griffin meets the Commander of the Grounder army under less-than-ideal circumstances. M, 1,414 words, complete.

Clexa Week Day One: Meet ugly by HedaClexaKomBlackhill  It’s not technically their first meeting, but it’s the first time they bother to exchange names - and Clarke’s got quite the surprise. T, 5052 words, complete.

A Place to be Born by liminalsmith by liminalsmith The weird Clexa soulmates AU, with eventual library smut, that absolutely nobody asked for. “Are you laughing at me?” Clarke asks, full of mock offence. “I…oh my God. You are laughing at me. You are quite strange, Lexa Woods.” “Likewise, Clarke.” Lexa shakes her head, stares out the window, then back at Clarke. Her voice is soft when she asks, “What are you so eager to sell your soul for?” Clarke grips the wheel, bites the inside of her lip till she tastes blood. “You can’t sell something you don’t have.” T, 8430 words, in progress.

Collision by hlnwst Clarke is having an amazing day until a wayward skateboarder crashes into her. M, 3951 words, complete.

bang shui by AndiLand (AndiMarquette)by AndiLand (AndiMarquette) Clarke Griffin is a med student at Polis University. She and Raven Reyes are roommates who just moved into an apartment closer to campus, but their neighbors have extremely loud marathon sexy times and Clarke is just not getting the rest she needs. Finally, she runs into one of the neighbors -- Lexa Woods, a grad/law student -- and tells her to please move her bed away from the wall. Which is embarrassing, yes, but anything could result from that type of conversation... NR, 42568 words, in progress.

Hit you real hard by Cowmander by Cowmander Clarke hits Lexa with her car. For Clexa week 2018 day one. G, 1152 words, complete.

There are no Accidents by AllysonDark by AllysonDark Lexa just wanted to relax after exams but a paint covered blonde has other plans. NR, 2381 words, complete.

The Foolishness by SovereignChicken by SovereignChicken Indra can not deal with foolishness on a regular day but when her Captain and a fiery blonde burst into song and the rest of the campus follows suit, she especially can not deal. NR, 5379 words, in progress.

Laundry by thedenouementby thedenouement Clarke uses Lexa's laundry machine and Lexa isn't impressed. 2,486 words, complete.

Meet Ugly by theclosetcase by theclosetcase Lexa's just trying to get through her residency at the hospital when Clarke shows up, with terrible flu, high off NyQuil and making lewd comments. 1,826 words, complete.

My Knight in Dark Rimmed Glasses by Kai_Jean Clarke wasn't expecting to run into someone who intrigued her as much as Lexa. She's the most popular girl in school and yet she's never seen this girl before. What will running into her change for the both of them? T, 6418 words, in progress.

i see what’s mine and take it by contessellation  Horse show nonsense. They're rivals competing in the Amateur Owner Jumpers. Each one has won a division championship and a division reserve championship, and now they're tied for points for series end awards. Who will win this class? Clarke is oblivious. Warmup nonsense ensues. T, 1562 words, complete.

Falling, Falling as if From Far Up by MaloryArcher A story just as much about falling near each other as it is about falling for each other. NR, 2890 words, in progress.

A Slippery Slope by LadyKateRussell Clarke gets blown over in the high winds on the opening day of Pyeongchang and into the lap of a French Olympic skier. This is awkward. Or: The Pyeongchang Winter Olympic fic. M, 3391 words, complete.

Into the Wild Blue by DreamsAreMyWords Lexa works at her aunt's ranch every summer and has a simple job: watch the house. Then Clarke Griffin, a spoiled rich girl, drives her car straight into that house. Now Clarke has to work at the ranch to pay off her debt, and they both spend far too much time bickering to cover up the fact that they can’t take their eyes off each other. Meet ugly au where Clarke quite literally crashes into Lexa's life. T, 15,778 words, complete.

Can't Keep My Hands to Myself by jayenator565 Handball AU. Lexa Woods never dreamed she’d touch her girlfriend’s boobs before they even knew each other’s names.. Clarke Griffin never dreamed she’d meet her lover in such a compromising position. 1984 words, complete.

Heartlines by Bal3xicon Clarke is certain her mom and Raven are trying to set her up with a single mom, but which one of the women at the Fourth of July party is it? Octavia? Gina? Or Lexa, the woman with eyes she can't look away from who is making it had to think straight? High chance Clarke is going to fuck this up before it even starts. This story is a Clexa prequel in my The Way it Stops and Starts universe. G, 2801 words, in progress.

Day 2- Constantly Mistaken For a Couple

The One Where Everyone is Gay for Everyone Else by AllysonDark Everyone thinks the lead singer and the bassist are banging (even the rest of their band) but really they're just friends, right? T, 1639 words, complete.

A Life Like This by billet_doux "As the hours passed, an air of awkwardness encased the two, something that Lexa wasn’t used to. She worried, wondering if Clarke knew that Lexa was going to ask her out, instantly regretting even thinking about shifting the good dynamic between the two-- “I’m pregnant.” Lexa froze, unblinking. "What?" Or: the one where Clarke and Lexa are always mistaken for a couple, and there's a baby. G, 6452 words, complete.

Just Friends...Apparently by hlnwst Lexa and Clarke have been best friends forever - just best friends. Yet, everyone seems to think they're more than 'just best friends'... G, 3423 words, complete.

Always by Waxa They’ve been friends since childhood; some things happen that make them realize what they were to each other all along. G, 3999 words, complete.

Don't You Run Away by eternaleponine Everyone knows that Clarke and Lexa have been a couple since they met in freshman year... except Clarke and Lexa. Now they're seniors and Lexa is returning from a semester abroad. Will they figure things out before it's too late?M, 1870 words, complete. Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 2: No, she’s not my girlfriend. NR, 1427 words.

It Rained In Seattle by thedenouement The "I adopted a kid because I thought I was responsible but things got hectic and I'm a hot mess, and you're my neighbour who helps me with childcare but now the kid things that we're both their parents and I'm really in love with you" au, in which Clarke adopts a three-year-old and Lexa owns a dog. G, 4431 words, complete.

The Half Pipe by DistantStar, mmeister911 Lexa Woods was a rising star. The face of women's snowboarding until a terrible accident four years ago. In the Sochi Olympics it was all swept away by a terrible injury when she tried a trick that less than a handful of people world-wide had ever landed successfully. She was taken away by ambulance and is lucky to be alive. Some thought she'd quit. Some thought she'd never snowboard again. But now she's back at the 2018 Olympics, and she's brought the one person that kept her going from day one at the hospital, her best friend, Clarke Griffin, with her.
This time, she's bringing home gold. M, 10992 words, complete.

the world's tiniest wingman by almostafantasia When Lexa is babysitting her nephew Aden in public, a teenage girl accidentally mistakes her and a random stranger named Clarke for a couple with their adorable infant son. The girl seems so excited to see a happy gay family out in public and neither Lexa nor Clarke want to break it to her that they only met two minutes ago. G, 1673 words, complete. Future plans by HedaClexaKomBlackhill Five times Clexa weren’t together, and one time they were. T, 3038 words, complete.

the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 2: Constantly Mistaken for a Couple “So how long have you been boning the Commander, Clarke?” 1,872 words.

Of Iced Coffee and Rocks Shownkindness “You give me free coffee at the school cafe because you work there and I am the only one that talks to you like you are a real person” T, 2315 words, complete. leave the kids alone by 100hearteyes They've been dancing around their feelings. The students got used to seeing the two teachers walk down the hall together, always deep in conversation, with soft smiles and casual touches. Their couches got used to two pairs of butt cheeks instead of one leaving marks on the cushions several nights a week. Their bank accounts got used to sharing the brunt of constant meals for two. To anyone looking, they quickly became the perfect couple — and that, apparently, is exactly what their students started thinking. G, 3247 words, complete. Friends don't look at each other like that by theclosetcase Constantly mistaken for a couple. 2565 words, complete. Pirouette by kokkoro Clarke and Lexa have been dancing together since they were small and they don't really know what it's like to be apart. 1106 words, complete.

Day 3- At Work

Not So Grey's Anatomy by AllysonDark When Anya forces her to see to the doctor after a tumble in the yard, Lexa is a little put out to say the least, it didn't hurt that bad, really, but when she lays eyes on the doctor, she finds herself a little more willing to listen to her sister's common sense. NR, 2202 words, complete. Partners by Cowmander “These drug lords could still be targeting you, Lexa. You should probably not be so predictable. Just do the opposite of what you normally do.” “Oh, that’s too bad. I was totally gonna have sex with you today.” Or: Clarke and Lexa are partners at the LAPD. T, 1414 words, complete. Bend Over by Waxa The classic office smut fic. It’s just a PWP fic. M, 3049 words, complete. 

Office Fantasies by billet_doux Standing in front of the mirror, Clarke shook her head. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. She rubbed the thin lace between her fingers, letting it fall over her small baby bump, either side of the babydoll framing her stomach. She supposed she didn’t look bad--it was a cute babydoll, lacy and black. It suited her well, standing out against her pale skin and framing her curves. She figured it was now or never, really. Or: the one where Clarke is pregnant, and she really just wants to bone her wife. M, 3809 words, complete.

On the Clock by K17L53 Officer Woods, a new patrol cop who loves her job has the pleasure of meeting seasoned paramedic Clarke Griffin while on the clock. They seem to get along, Lexa’s good with everyone she comes across but she takes a special liking to the paramedic. So she can’t complain when Clarke happens to be the one called to a lot of the same scenes as her because it just gives her an excuse to talk to her. G, 2763 words, in progress. Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 3: Turn to page five, please. NR, 1072 words, complete. the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 3: At Work “Clarke,” Lexa murmurs, “I’m working.” “You’re always working.” “The job of the Commander is never over.” “Not even when you have a beautiful woman trying to take you to bed?” 3,849 words. The True Ninja Doesn't Make a Splash At All by rsconne Clarke's guest hosting stint on American Ninja Warrior takes an unexpected turn when professional rockclimber and Ninja Warrior phenom Lexa Woods hits the course. M, 3478 words, complete.

A Little Flirting Never Killed Anybody by Wallflower1313 The Clexa Criminal Minds AU we've always wanted. T, 7503 words, complete. All That Glitters by eternaleponine Clarke is a physical therapist/sports trainer fresh out of school who is lucky enough to be appointed to the medical team for Team USA at the Olympics. Lexa is an alpine ski racer who came onto the international scene out of nowhere and took it by storm. She comes looking for some help loosening up an old injury, and finds herself on Clarke's table. G, 3607 words, in progress.

A moment of unprofessionalism by HedaClexaKomBlackhill Clarke is adopting, Lexa is her case worker. Things get unprofessional. T, 4793 words, complete. You ain't nobody until you got somebody by clexaship In 2017 Lexa is 27 years old and works at her mother’s company after she got her Master’s degree in Engineering and Public Policy. Clarke is a Law student who got an internship at the exact same corporation to gain some practical experience. But things turn out to be a little more demanding than she first expected… NR, 4593 words, in progress. Galaxy by DistantStar, mmeister911 Clarke and Lexa don't get along, in fact they can't stand each other half the time. It comes to a head when they both compete for the same grant to succeed in their dreams to continue studying the stars. But there's always more than meets the eye. M, 4820 words, complete. journeys end in lovers meeting by almostafantasia Lexa’s literature project takes an unexpected turn when her partner Clarke accidentally sends her a racy selfie instead of a photo of their task sheet. Lexa has to try and find a way to finish the project without spontaneously combusting, but when Clarke realizes her mistake, all schoolwork gets forgotten entirely. T, 3589 words, complete. Inspiration by thedenouement The "I'm a writer with a deadline coming up and nothing to write about and you're an artist at the gallery where I've come to find inspiration teaching second graders how to draw mind if I join you?" au, in which Lexa's a writer without words and Clarke can see her coming from a mile away. G, 2134 words, complete. Lunch Date by theclosetcase At work au. 444 words, complete. Hands On by MaloryArcher Clarke co-owns an auto body shop. For years, she's preferred to stay in her office, clear of the customers and grease, but when Lexa shows up for hoping for an oil change, Clarke rethinks her approach. T, 3696 words, complete.

Day 4- Accidental Stimulation

Lipstick Stains On My Passport by DreamsAreMyWords Clarke and Lexa are two strangers who happen to run into each other in airports. The first time they undress each other with their eyes. The second time they decide to get hands-on about it.
Or: Lexa's a useless lesbian, Clarke's a useless bisexual, and this is a smutty, fluffy one-shot written for day 4: accidental stimulation for Clexaweek2018. E, 14192 words, complete. Galaxy (Written in the Stars) by DistantStar, mmeister911 After two weeks of working on the proposal together, Clarke and Lexa decide to take a break and things come unravelled. After all, being trapped in an office for so long with your crush can do things to a girl... E, 12162 words, complete. Crossing the Line by Sheisme Lexa is training hard for the annual Crossfit Games. She's determined, focused and refuses to let anything distract her. Enter Clarke, the new massage therapist at her gym. They both feel an attraction and decide to do the mature thing about it: avoid each other. That is until Clarke is tasked with massaging Lexa and things get heated. M, 3968 words, complete. Shifting Gears by eternaleponine It's the start of spring break, and Clarke's car has decided to quit. Lexa offers to give her a ride home. In the middle of an epic traffic jam, things gets a little... heated. E, 5814 words, complete. Nice Hands by hlnwst Remember that handball video? This is the Clexa version :) Clarke and Lexa are on opposite teams for their college handball championship game. It's close and competitive until the two start taking the game of handball quite literally... NR, 2090 words, complete. Come Play with Me by AllysonDark A little competition never hurt anyone. E, 2954 words, complete. The Commander's Doctor by billet_doux Clarke was a lost cause as Lexa’s hands trailed all over her body, positioning her into the right stances, sliding up and down her arms and legs, settling on her hips. Oh yes, training with Lexa was definitely her new favorite hobby. OR; the one where Clarke learns that observing the Commander during her training leads to some fun alone time afterwards. T, 2266 words, complete. the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 4: Accidental Stimulation- Whenever she sees Lexa take command of her people — direct a meeting between the Ambassadors, deliver serious yet heartfelt speeches to her Natblida, don her war paint, ride her horse into battle — Clarke can’t quite help the way her body physically reacts. It’s starting to get a little embarrassing. 2,721 words. downward facing dog by almostafantasia The way that Lexa’s body twists and contorts itself into each position with an effortless grace is honestly spank bank material. And no, Clarke isn’t going to get herself off while thinking of her yoga instructor, but the point is that if she wanted to then she wouldn’t have to try very hard to get herself into the right mood. Or: while Lincoln is away on a business trip, Clarke accompanies Octavia to her yoga class in what is supposed to be a one off favour to her best friend. But when she meets the instructor, Clarke can’t stop herself from returning week after week. M, 2676 words, complete. I didn't mean to turn you on.... by Tallgayfanny Clarke accidentally stumbles upon Lexa’s private tumblr account, where she talks about her feelings for Clarke. M, 1668 words, in progress. Cherub by theproseofnight Lexa tries to read. Clarke’s less-than-angelic ways make it very difficult. M, 5500 words, complete.

Grand Slam Thank you Ma’am by faithtastic No one took much notice of Lexa Woods as a scrawny little upstart, but flash forward a few years and she’s got a real shot at a Wimbledon Title. But when a recurring injury flares up before the Championships begin, she’s forced to seek treatment. What she wasn’t counting on when she walked into the clinic that day was for a sassy blonde physio to turn her carefully ordered world upside down… AKA Tennis!AU. M, 11261 words, in progress. Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 4: Pools and pretty girls. NR, 1279 words, complete.

Of Iced Coffee and Rocks by Shownkindness Chapter 2: Coffee Stains. This is day 3 and 4 mixed together because I don't write smut and I thought this situation was to perfect. T, 2315 words, complete. Polis Tattoo by TheSSClexa Clarke doesn't have any tattoos, but the moment Raven drags her into Polis Tattoo, her eyes transfix on the artist inside, a sexy green eyed brunette and Clarke can't help but decide on her first tattoo... on her hip. T, 2417 words, complete.

HSAU by clexa-hsau Accidental Stimulation au. 4968 words, complete.

Afterglow by liminalsmith Lexa and Clarke lead a diplomatic mission to the mysterious Trishanakru. The trouble is Clarke is distracting, Lexa is very very gay, Raven is a natural wonder, their hosts won't stop partying, and the forest is kind of psychedelic.

Day 5- Rivals in a Secret Relationship

Lane of Legendary Love by Serenity_Searcher Clarke and Lexa are the mid lane stars of two rival League of Legends teams. They play against each other on stage and are known as two of the best players in the legue. There is more than simple respect brewing between them though. It may revolve around League of Legends but its more focused on the people that are playing it. For Clexa week 2018 Rivals in a secret relationship. T, 2885 words, in progress. Ask Me No Questions (And I'll Tell You No Lies) by rsconne Clarke rejoins her trivia team after a long hiatus and discovers that her team's main competition is an attractive woman at the bar who beats them all by herself. Color Clarke intrigued.... Or, the Bar Trivia AU that not a single person asked for. M, 5600 words, in progress. the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 5: Rivals in a Secret Relationship The Commander does not fall in love. She is above such trivial, earthly matters. She is Heda; she is stone; she is incorruptible. She is also in love. 2,195 words. Pep Rallies vs. Art Galleries by eternaleponine Clarke and Lexa are teachers at the same school: Clarke is everyone's favorite art teacher, and Lexa teaches history, but is also the girls' soccer coach. The athletics department always seems to get what it wants, and Clarke is determined to change that... but at what cost? E, 3969 words, complete. Red, White and Blue in the Skies by thedenouement The "We've known each other since the fourth grade when you transferred schools and stole my crown and have been competing over spelling bee's and Valedictorian titles among the gossip mills of the Upper East Side ever since and somewhere along the way we became fuck buddies but I think I'm actually falling in love with you" au, in which Clarke and Lexa attempt to navigate each other against the backdrop of their last summer in the Hamptons and feelings are messy things. T, 4090 words, complete. Of Bad Flirting and Silly Rivalries by billet_doux Aden is exasperated at his sister's bad flirting attempts and just wants to practice baseball. Lexa's "best friend" has other plans on how to spend the day. Clarke and Lexa aren't fooling anybody. G, 423 words, complete. Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 5: My coffee is better than yours. NR, 855 words, complete.

You're so on by Waxa High school AU, something ticks off Lexa and of course it was Clarke. G, 1043 words, complete. For my Heda by HedaClexaKomBlackhill Alpha Clarke meets an omega shortly after landing on the ground, but until there is peace their people cannot know. T, 2962 words, complete. Sweets 'N Treats by DistantStar, mmeister911 Lexa and Clarke are both candy shop owners who are trying to compete against the other to be the best in town. Everyone thinks they hate each other as they spend more time arguing than anything else. But what they don't know is that are actually in a relationship... Nobody would have guessed that. M, 6474 words, complete. life's incredible again by almostafantasia Every city needs a superhero. This city has two. Fierce rivals by day and lovers by night, Clarke and Lexa learn the struggles of leading a double life, particularly when it becomes impossible to stop their personal and professional lives from becoming entangled. T, 8951 words, complete. Good Game by K17L53 Soccer rivals Clarke Griffin and Lexa Woods can’t seem to stand each other on the pitch and referees are tired of it. But what happens when they end up staying at the same hotel only across the hall from each other? Is their explosive chemistry only exclusive to the pitch? Or can it be…transferred to another activity that leaves them breathless? T, 3925 words, complete. Two Sides of the Same Coin by MaloryArcher Clarke and Lexa have been convinced for years that the only thing they have in common is their love for their mutual best friend Lincoln. When Lincoln meets the girl of his dreams and has less time to spend with his two wildly different besties, it's up to Clarke and Lexa to find out whether they've been wrong about each other all along. T, 3512 words, complete.

Day 6- Famous

celebrity crush by almostafantasia Everybody has that one celebrity they would go ride or die for. For Lexa, that person is famous lingerie model, LGBT activist, and all round feminist icon, Clarke Griffin. Lexa fantasizes about meeting her idol for way too long until one night, after a few too many drinks, she ends up commenting on Clarke’s latest Instagram photo with a corny chat up line. She wakes up the following morning full of regret, but also surprised to find a message in her inbox from Clarke asking to go for a drink. Lexa is convinced the whole thing is a prank until Clarke actually walks into the bar, and she can’t believe her luck when Clarke invites Lexa back to her hotel room and every fantasy that Lexa has ever had about her celebrity crush starts to come true. E, 7992 words, complete.

The Bachelorette AU by Waxa The Bachelorette AU: Clarke Griffin first stole America’s heart by becoming the most sold out artist/painter in the history of the world at only 22. This mogul has charmed her way ever since, with her charm personality and sweet, girl-next door wit and spunk. She has finally opened up about her desire to settle down and her desire to find her perfect soul mate. Clarke will embark on her own journey to find love when she stars in the 18th edition of The Bachelorette. G, 2410 words, complete.

(Why We Wear) Black by thedenouement The "I'm a fashion reporter going live from the red carpet at the Golden Globes and you're the famous actress, nominee and avid activist for women's equality that the world doesn't know I'm dating, so I'm going to bite my tongue through this interview and resist the urge to tell you I love you and we can make out in the bathroom at the after the show," au, in which Lexa tells Clarke why she is wearing black and Clarke can't hide her pride for her award winning girlfriend. T, 2866 words, complete.

Right Place, Right Time by DistantStar, mmeister911 Lexa Woods was just trudging through her day to day routine when she meets Clarke who turns her world upside down Clarke Griffin is a supermodel on a hiatus. They meet when they least expect it...sparks fly. M, 6428 words, complete.

the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 6: Famous- The Commander is the most recognizable figure within the 13 Clans. But Wanheda comes in a close second. 2,382 words.

The Queen and Me by HedaClexaKomBlackhill Dr Clarke Griffin is about to marry her longtime girlfriend, the Queen of Trigeda. It’s a loose “Prince and Me” AU that I’ve been playing with for forever. M, 1812 words, complete.

Clexa Week 2018 by kittymannequin Chapter 6: Soccer players and movie stars. NR, 1960 words, complete.

Skin to Win by rsconne Lexa Woods: the world's top downhill skier, multi gold medal favorite, America's darling. It might be her last Games, and she's determined that nothing will distract her from reaching the podium. That is, until an awkward run in with biathlete Clarke Griffin.... M, 6993 words, complete.

And The Day Came by eternaleponine Clarke and Lexa met as costars on a TV show, until the untimely death of Lexa's character. But they kept in touch after her departure, and occasionally communicate through items fans give them to sign... T, 5841 words, complete.

The Rockstar and the Care Worker by HedaClexaKomBlackhill As a favour to her manager, Clarke agrees to visit a group foster care home to visit a fan. She finds more than just a fan. T, 5665 words, complete.

Everything feels like a tragedy by Teroe That one where clarke’s a rock star and lexa’s an indie musician and sometimes life gets in the way. T, 4056 words, complete.

Good Look For You by femininenachos On the afternoon of a Very Important pitch meeting that could elevate Griffin+Reyes to the next level, architect!Clarke gets thrown off her game by a certain model with a muddy ‘European’ accent… Model!AU. M, 4808 words, complete. 

Day 7- Free Day

bend or curl by 100hearteyes Lexa's Norway and Clarke's USA are underdogs in the 2018 Olympic curling medal race, but both women are too competitive not to set their sights on the gold. They're also too in love with each other not to tempt fate with secret rendezvous, all the while stoking a mad rivalry between their teams. T, 3182 words, in progress. Why I Wake Early by kay_be Lexa and Clarke are working at a summer camp. If you had told Clarke at the beginning of the summer she would voluntarily get up before the bugle most mornings, squandering precious sleep, she'd have scoffed at you. Find out what gets Clarke out of bed in the morning. T, 1745 words, complete. The Bucket List by thedenouement The "Everyone knows the age they will die at birth and when we meet at a college party we both have two years left so let's liquidate our savings and go on a around-the-world trip because I cannot sit here one more moment and pretend I'm okay," au, in which Clarke and Lexa take a Bucket List trip and miracles can happen. G, 5619 words, complete. That Damn Brunette with Green Eyes by inadequatelygrey Your classic coffee shop clexa with Clarke being a gay mess. T, 1032 words, complete. Hang the DJ (Black Mirror AU) by Waxa A Black Mirror AU from season 4 episode 4 “Hang the DJ.” Paired up by a dating program that puts an expiration date on all relationships, Lexa and Clarke soon begin to question the system's logic. G, 12201 words, in progress. a heart spilled out in ink by anddirtyrain Clarke leaves the book under Lexa’s pillow.
The neatly folded pages upon pages, her heart spilled out in ink, a gift for the woman she loves. Or: an ode to Lexa. T, 2178 words, in progress. The Marriage Contract by HedaClexaKomBlackhill Lexa’s father won’t let her take over as CEO until she’s married. Clarke just wants out from her financial dependence on her mother - and Abby’s control. Raven suggests jokingly that Clarke sign up to be a trophy wife. M, 9859 words, complete. Love Alters Not by HowNowWit Up-and-coming actress Lexa Woods costars with Clarke Griffin on the new crime drama Locked and Loaded. The two became fast friends during season one. Nearing the end of season two, a routine encounter at an unassuming cafe launches Lexa into a spotlight she wasn't ever expecting to navigate, least of all with her straight best friend. NR, 3645 words, in progress.

Thumper Take Two by hedaclexuh Clarke is new at school. Her father is known for his investigational skills which brings them to a town overwhelmed with overdoses. She lets the mysterious girl who sits behind her in English copy off of her quiz which leads to an invitation to a little get together. Clarke soon realizes that Lexa is into more than casual drinks with her friends to unwind from a stressful week at school, however, Clarke is still intrigued. She accidentally gets mixed up in the mess and tries to find a way to get Lexa and herself out of danger. T, 2082 words, in progress. A Kiss for Charity by imincharge A man almost got to kiss Clarke for charity but sapphic hero Lexa saved the day and outbid him. G, 2405 words, complete. Quitters Prosper by MaloryArcher Lexa can't keep herself from staring at the blonde before her. G, 693 words, complete. These Fingertips Are Yearning by AnonBeMe Oh, how Lexa yearns to feel her skin, to find out if she is as warm and soft as she looks. So much that she aches. NR, 3796 words, complete. Like Seasons by TheCuddleMonster Some things come and go like seasons but Clexa is forever. T, 1391 words, complete. The Morning After by TheSSClexa Clarke wakes up the morning after, she can’t remember much, not even the woman’s name. Taking a peek out the bedroom door, last night’s lay is definitely hot - and, is she making pancakes? M, 9139 words, in progress. Living with the stars and the trees by Readomon Basically a straight up roommate AU. Hopefully some cute shenanigans. Both Clarke and Lexa are pure beans. T, 2715 words, in progress. Candlelight by RaspberryTree After Lady Clarke publicly rejects the king’s advances, he seeks to humiliate her by marrying her off to the ruthless commander of his armies. Clarke finds that there’s more to Lexa than the king knows. T, 3385 words, complete. the earth, that is sufficient by morningsound15 Chapter 7: Marriage- For two years, Clarke and Lexa have been living together in the capital, ruling mostly side-by-side. But some of the other Clans still oppose the amount of power Clarke seems to hold within the Coalition, and especially the way the Commander seems to listen to and even defer to her on important matters of state. In order to cement Clarke’s position as a ruler equal to the Heda, Lexa convinces her that they must go through with an elaborate political ceremony. A logistical thing, really. Simply for show. (But she’s very nervous when she asks and Clarke can’t quite figure out why.) 3,790 words. Total fic: M, 201050 words, complete. to help us grow by onemilliongoldstars Despite having no experience, Clarke and Lexa have managed to find a routine that keeps their three kids not only alive, but happy and healthy. Though their world is chaotic, it is filled with sunlit afternoons and sticky hands, sloppy kisses and bear hugs. When they are unexpectedly given back their twenties, the little family struggles to adjust to the changes within their home and they learn that DNA alone doesn't make a family. sequel to 'a hand to hold onto' T, 5829 words, complete. The Half Pipe (The Gold and The Girl) by DistantStar, mmeister911 Lexa had gotten the gold after an amazing victory on the halfpipe, but more importantly, Lexa got the girl. Clarke never thought she stood a chance until Lexa kissed her and now she got to enjoy the Olympics in a whole new way, with Lexa by her side as more than a friend. E, 11480 words, complete. Little Earthquakes by nosuchanimal Lexa’s no stranger to the mystical powers of pretty girls. She has accepted and moved on from the fact that they make her feel things beyond the scope of her normally stunted emotional range. But this – whatever she feels for Clarke – has ballooned into something huge and visceral and uncontrollable, and Lexa hates feeling out of control. She’s honestly not even sure when it started. For Christ’s sake, they’ve been going to the same high school for three years. It seems to Lexa like whatever this shit is could’ve started years earlier, when she at least had the excuse of being newly hormonal.Or:  The High School AU where Lexa finds herself in the improbable and unenviable position of having absolutely no clue and no cool. Clarke isn't helping. E, 18487 words, in progress. Your Eyes Are as Blue as the Ocean (And I'm Lost at Sea) by knich94 Clarke is on spring break in Polis, a small town on the Florida Gulf Coast known more for its wealthy, elderly population than for its beach parties. Lexa, a biologist at the local aquarium, is less than thrilled with how the influx of vacationers is going to impact her research on ocean wildlife. Their first meeting is, well, a little ugly. T, 2459 words, in progress. Cloudburst by almostafantasia Cloudburst – an unexpected heavy downpour of rain, usually brief but with devastating consequences. Long awaited sequel to Down Came The Rain. An unconventional friendship blooms into something stronger and Lexa prepares to navigate a web of lies so that her parents will approve of her rebellious new girlfriend. The two girls from opposite ends of the spectrum try to find a middle ground to become an ‘us’ and Lexa puts all of her efforts into trying to give Clarke a better life, only to neglect the storm brewing on the horizon of her own. And then comes the cloudburst… M, 9440 words, in progress. Let Me See Your Birthday Suit by potatogestapo It's Lexa's birthday, and Clarke can't seem to keep her hands to herself. E, 4569 words, complete. Nothing More Owed by eris223 After years and years on the ground, Clarke knows it's time.
Or my version of the perfect ending to the series as it stands. NR, 1303 words, complete. Moonlight by Clexaprecious Clarke is a famous celebrity who visits her friend Raven and they order a pizza and Clarke forgets she’s famous for a minute and answers the door and the pizza girl (Lexa) almost has a heart attack. M, 3226 words, complete. Falling by RiverTalesien Clarke and her BFF Raven take a nostalgia-fueled trip to Christmasy Sky Lodge for a little skiing, a little relaxation and the occasional snowy mishap. Fortunately for Clarke's sometimes clumsy self, there is a gorgeous Search and Rescue volunteer always around - but she has no idea how close they might be getting, thanks to some serious winter weather. M, 3013 words, in progress. The Girlfriend Trap by eternaleponine Clarke gets caught sketching a pretty girl in a coffee shop. The girl introduces herself as Lexa. Why, then, does Lexa not seem to recognize Clarke when she shows up for what she thought was their first date? M, 5327 words, complete.

My Destiny in a Green Flannel Shirt by mswarrior Lexa is a lumberjack on winter break when a new omega moves into her town. This is a different trope, where Clarke is unknown by the familiar characters in this story. E, 3397 words, in progress.

The Next Shore by Es0terica "In peace, may you leave this shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels, until our final journey on the ground. May we meet again." There's no perfect way to handle the apocalypse. Elyza Lex, badass zombie-killer, has given little thought to romance since the beginning of the apocalypse. Now, faced with guiding a lonely city girl through her darkest days, she must navigate her new feelings for her while also hiding her darkest secrets. T, 2533 words, in progress.

Into the Wild Blue by DreamsAreMyWords Lexa works at her aunt's ranch every summer and has a simple job: watch the house. Then Clarke Griffin, a spoiled rich girl, drives her car straight into that house. Now Clarke has to work at the ranch to pay off her debt, and they both spend far too much time bickering to cover up the fact that they can’t take their eyes off each other. Meet ugly au where Clarke quite literally crashes into Lexa's life. T, 35280 words, complete.

Wait No More by femininenachos Grumpy ball of rage Clarke Griffin has a bone to pick with the Commander, because they haven’t been, well, boning… (Post 307). 3000 words, complete.

put down your sword & crown (come lay with me on the ground) by possibilist Clarke rly wants lexa to rETIRE partially bc her wife is hurt & stubborn abt it. also they have a baby. its soft & theres not a lot of plot. G, 1906 words, complete.

where the days have no numbers (to slow among roses, or stay behind) by possibilist An equally cute continuation of 'put down your sword': lexa’s hip gets better n they go on VACAY! G, 2293 words, complete.

Sweety Tweety by dreamsaremywords Lexa never invites anyone over to her house because she has a pet parrot with a filthy mouth. Short one-shot.

Sweety Tweety part 2 by dreamsaremywords Abby has yet to visit the place her daughter lives and insists on coming over for dinner. Clarke and Lexa only agree because Anya and Raven are supposed to babysit their rude bird. Anya bails and Clarke and Lexa have to somehow make it through dinner with Abby without their pet bird traumatizing her with details about their sex life. Short one-shot.

Familiar, and Yours by theproseofnight Lexa sees her every Wednesday and Sunday. Same seat, same hot chocolate. Same beautiful blue eyes. They’ve never met before. But it feels like they have. Something so familiar about her. Or: An elaborate excuse to rewrite the traveller’s passage as something more hopeful, in honour of Lexa and the two year anniversary. My homage to Clarke and Lexa, and the persistence of love. M, 9675 words, complete.

Art:

Day 1- Meet Ugly

Clexaweek2018 by clexabrasil

Happy Clexaweek2018 by dreamsaremywords

Flower truck vs bike by elphnow

Pizza by whynotusesarcasm

"You're the one" by disneydatass

Library au by didiefs-world

Into the Wild Blue by dreamsaremywords

Meet Ugly by theclosetcase

Laundry by thedenouement

Day 1 by sabrinushka

HS au by waitingforshow

Let me make it up to you by almostafantasia

0300 by bottom-lexa

Pool by lecrumble

Can't Keep My Hands to Myself by jayenator565

Day 2- Constantly Mistaken For A Couple

Day 2 by quitensmile Batman & Robin by sabrinushka Friends don't look at each other like that by theclosetcase Pirouette by kokkoro Clarke & Raven by reallygroovyninja

The world's tiniest wingman Day 2 by didiefs-world Ice Cream & Donuts by dreamsaremywords Day 2 by morningsound15 Day 2 by elphnow

Day 3- At Work

At Work by reallygroovyninja Lunch Date by theclosetcase

At Work by didiefs-world

Day 3 by quitensmile At Work by thecrimsonknight At Work by sabrinushka At Work by elphnow

At Work by morningsound15 The True Ninja Doesn't Make a Splash at All by barbieliberationarmy

Day 4- Accidental Stimulation

Cuntribution by gramjams Accidental Stimulation by morningsound15 Downward Facing Dog by almostafantasia Day 4 by Sabrinushka Polis Tattoo by thessclexa Grand Slam Thank You, Ma'am by femininenachos "It's a giant clam" by wanderclexa Your Body is  a Wonderland by reallygroovyninja Accidental Stimulation by elphnow Crossing the Line by sheisme; moodboards by didiefs-world

Day 5- Rivals in a Secret Relationship

Xexa and Callisto by swan-heda Debs au by sabrinushka Alias by didiefs-world Red, White, and Blue in the Skies Rivals in a Secret Relationship by morningsound15 100m freestyle by quitensmile Rivals in a Secret Relationship by thecrimsonknight Life's incredible again by almostafantasia Rivals by alphacommander Of Bad Flirting and Silly Rivalries by gothamsgirlgang It all started with a junior surfing competition and a drop in on a wave by reallygroovyninja Rivals in a secret relationship by disneydatass Rivals in a Secret Relationship by elphnow Soccer Rivals by bottom-lexa Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies by barbieliberationarmy

Day 6- Famous

Griffin-Woods TIME by sabrinusha (Why We Wear) Black by thedenouement Everything feels like a tragedy by Kokkoro Famous by morningsound15 Famous by reallygroovyninja Famous by quitensmile Famous by elphnow Player 2 Has Entered The Game by gothamsgirlgang She's the Wan! by thecrimsonknight Skin to Win by barbieliberationarmy The Sex Tape by dieiefs-world Famous by disneydatass

Good Look For You by femininenachos

Day 7- Free Day

May We Meet Again, Outside of Space and Time by queersk

Horizon Zero Dawn AU by elphnow

Candlelight by lecrumble Marriage by morningsound15 Free Day by thecrimsonknight Route 66 Road Trip by reallygroovyninja

These Fingertips are Yearning by anonbemetoo

The Bucket LIst by thedenouement

Free Day by didiefs-world

Free Day by swan-heda

Free Day by tabatharich

My Destiny in a Green Flannel Shirt by mswarrior

A Disturbance in the Heda Force by clexstar

Falling by rivertalesien

Wait No More by femininenachos

Lexa’s mask + flowers by clarkspastlife

To help us grow by onemilliongoldstars

Clexa family by clexa-mafia

A crown seldom enjoyed by onemilliongoldstars

Ste Yuj by ichi-nuke

Sweety Tweety by dreamsaremywords

Sweety Tweety part 2 by dreamsaremywords

Clexaweek2018 Tattoo by dreamsaremywords Lexa Toasts to Clexaweek by sabrinushka

Happy Clexaweek2018 2 by dreamsaremywords

Fan playlist:

Clexa playlist by paththroughmirkwood

- Spotify

- Youtube

Fan film:

REAL by realshortfilm

[skygirl5]

Zenith Redux

A Castle Pornado One-Shot

This is a reboot of a universe from a Castle fanfic prompt over a year ago. The original 2 parts can be read under this tag; however since this is a reboot, reading the originals aren’t necessary.

Setting: Caskett AU Circa Season 3

“Ah, c’mon Kate—one more dance!” Richard Castle encouraged the moment his partner turned away from him.

“No,” she laughed as she tried to pull away from him as he scrambled to grab her shoulder, then her elbow, and finally her hand as she pushed her way through the tight dancefloor crowd. “My feet need a break, Castle.”

“Party pooper.” He grumbled at her, but she merely rolled her eyes.

“I never said you had to stop dancing too.”

“But it’s no fun if you’re not out there with me. We’ll break for two songs and then we’ll go back.”

“I make no promises.”

A few steps later they had reached their table in the seating area of the hotel ballroom and Kate turned her chair so she could sit and also watch the celebration on the dancefloor. Once down, she crossed her legs so her left shin balanced atop her right knee and she could examine the big toe of her left foot. Upon seeing the red mark, she grimaced; well that was definitely why her foot hurt. She rubbed gingerly at the angry mark made by the cross-foot strap and winced again.

“Yikes, Beckett; that doesn’t look good.”

“No kidding.”

“And here I thought you could run for miles in heels…you’re ruining the illusion.”

She let out a noise of derision as she continued to examine her foot. “First, those are heeled boots, not sandals. Second, I’m really not sure what’s going on because I’ve worn these before and they haven’t bothered me.” Granted, that was probably almost a year earlier, but how much could her feet have possibly changed between the ages of thirty-one and thirty-two?

“Want me to get you some ice?”

She shook her head and patted his arm in appreciation. “No, no; I’ll be fine. You can go talk to Espo if you want.” Kate pointed towards their coworker who was hovering by the bar, sipping his drink, and watching the crowd. As they had learned earlier that evening, Esposito was not a fan of dancing at weddings; evidently he wanted to use his time to scope out a date so Kate figured he could use a wingman.

“Nah,” Castle replied. “I’m fine right here.”

Kate settled back in her chair and gazed out at the dance floor where she caught a glimpse of the bride and groom dancing, smiling, and laughing; it made Kate smile, too. She was so happy for Kevin and Jenny and was so glad she could be there to celebrate with them. Toe pain aside, the evening had been entirely wonderful starting with a beautiful ceremony and continuing on through dinner and great speeches at the reception. Kate knew that at least in part her evening was enjoyable because of her chosen date.

When Ryan’s invitations arrived three months earlier, Kate had declined her “plus one” without second thought. She wasn’t with anyone at that moment, and didn’t want to waste time trying to find a date that might not enjoy the event at all. There would be enough people there she knew that she wasn’t worried about going solo; she knew she would still have fun. Then, the following day, Castle had asked her about her invitation and as they were chatting said, “Well, if neither of us is taking anyone, maybe we should go together.”

She hesitated for a moment before agreeing with, “Sure, Castle; we can go as friends.”

Though she picked up a brief flash of disappointment in his eyes, he quickly promised her that they would have a great time—and they had. By all accounts Castle had been the best friend-date she could have asked for. In fact, they had such a good time that it made her—no. She wouldn’t dwell on such things for she was not able to change the way the world worked.

After just another minute or so of resting her feet, Kate and Castle’s seclusion was interrupted by two women approaching from the bar with drinks in their hands. Kate recognized them as Jenny’s friends, but did not know their names. They sat at the table next to where Kate sat and she would not have thought of them again were it not for the loud and inappropriate conversation they began having.

“Oh my god, I just don’t understand how they could do this,” the first girl said in a disgusted tone.

“Sarah!” the other chastised.

“I’m serious,” Sarah continued. “There’s no way I could marry someone who isn’t my soulmate.”

“So you’ll never get married then.”

“Better than committing to something that won’t work out.”

“You can’t know that!”

“Unless they know for sure both their soulmates are dead, that’s a very high possibility. I mean, why wouldn’t you want to keep searching? I know I will and if that means I won’t get married, so what? At least I won’t throw it all away like Jenny is.”

“I kind of think it’s nice.”

“It’s stupid,” Sarah concluded.

Feeling her face flush, Kate leaned over to her partner and said, “I’ll be back. I, ah, need some air.”

“Let me come with you.”

As she wanted to escape the ballroom as quickly as possible, Kate didn’t argue. She merely stood, grunted at the return of the pain in her toe, and moved as swiftly as she could through the tightly packed tables and chairs. Once she reached the hall, she wasn’t entirely sure which direction to go, until she recalled the small sitting area tucked into one of the halls she’d traversed on her way to the ballroom. She retraced her steps back towards the lobby until she found it; mercifully it was empty.

“Sorry,” she said to her companion as she sat down on one of the vacant loveseats. “I just couldn’t listen to those women anymore.”

Castle nodded as he sat beside her. “They were being very rude.”

Kate pressed her lips together and considered his statement. She very much doubted Sarah and her friend were being purposefully rude. That was: she doubted Sarah expected her statements to be overheard. At the same time, what she said was unkind, but Kate would have been lying if she said she hadn’t had similar thoughts herself.

When Ryan announced his engagement, Kate was of course happy for her friend. With the way he was grinning so wide it would have been impossible not to be. Yet, at the same time, she knew for certain that he and Jenny were not soulmates, which caused her to wonder why they were choosing to get married. She understood that they loved together and were choosing to start a life together and she could respect that, but for Jenny in particular it seemed like merely accepting a life of disappointment, and Kate wasn’t sure she could make the same choice.

Gazing over at the man beside her, one who had chosen similarly—twice—she was curious. Clearly as Castle had married two women that were not his soulmates, he did not agree with Sarah’s statements. But at the same time she doubted there was any man in the world who appreciated the true moments of magic in life more than Castle. By that thought process, surely he wanted to find his soulmate as much as anyone, which made her curious as to why he’d chosen to marry—especially the second time.

“Hey Castle?”

“It didn’t bother me.”

“What?”

He turned to face her with a small smile. “You were going to ask if it bothered me to marry someone who wasn’t my soulmate; it didn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I loved Meredith and I wanted a family and when she got pregnant I figured…okay, this is how this is going to go.”

“And what about Gina?”

He cringed a little and turned away. “Well…that was different and not as thought out, if I’m entirely honest, but not because of anything that had to do with soulmates.”

Nibbling on her bottom lip she asked, “But…didn’t you wonder who she was? You of all people seem like you would.”

“Of course; I still do.” He assured her. “Someday I hope to experience that; I think we all do…right?”

“Right,” she echoed, though her tone was not even the least bit convincing. Naturally, her partner picked up on it.

“What does that tone mean?”

She huffed out a breath and leaned back against the sofa. “Soulmates…it’s just always seemed like a curse, somehow.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well it’s just like that girl said. Of course I would never call Jenny stupid. I actually admire her and Kevin for their choice, but I’m not sure I could ever make it. I…I already keep one foot out the door in relationships…”

“Because you want to find him?” Castle guessed.

Kate shrugged and nodded.

In her mind, the soulmate concept had always seemed exactly as she described: cruel. The fact that women could not climax sexually without their perfect worldly partner—their “soulmate”—seemed an immeasurably cruel fate that evolution should have fixed, but it did not. Humans would never know the exact reason, but the ‘ancient curse’ theory seemed about as reasonable as any of the others. Ultimately it didn’t matter how it had begun, because the fact could not be changed no matter how much they wanted it.

Every sexual experience Kate had since her first at the age of seventeen had been, on a basic level, disappointing. True, some had certainly been more fun than others, and she certainly didn’t hate sex, but as she’d yet to find her soulmate she had never fully enjoyed it either. That was why she shied away from long-term relationships. As much as the concept angered her and she wanted to maintain the, “I don’t need a man to complete me,” mantra she had through most of her life, she wanted that lifelong partner; she wanted happiness.

Some days, that want made her furious and she hated herself for it, which was why before Castle had showed up in her life she’d been a rather angry and bitter person. Really, it was a manifestation of jealousy. Only around one quarter of the population found their soulmates so her not finding hers actually put her in the majority, but that didn’t matter. Her parents had been soulmates as were her grandparents and her aunt and uncle. To her, being with a soulmate was a norm and damn it she wanted it too.

“It’s not wrong to want to find your soulmate, Kate.”

“I know that, but…it’s been thirty-two years.” She let out a rather bitter laugh. “It’s why I…it’s why I never bother starting things because I just know eventually they won’t last. There’s no point in getting too close.”

“But…if you don’t get close enough to find out if they’re your soulmate, you’ll never find him…”

She gave him a sideways look. “Emotionally close, Castle; I’ve vetted plenty in the soulmate category.”

“You haven’t vetted me.”

Kate’s heart stuttered in her chest and she gave him a sideways look. Had he really just said that? With her jaw slightly agape, she merely stared at him before he continued in a stunningly casual manner. “I mean, by the logic you just stated, we should have done it long ago.”

“I…well…” She stammered out for a moment, trying to make her brain work properly again. Finally, she shook her head slightly and cleared her throat. Turning away from him she said, “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

“You’re right; it’s not. I think—and forgive me if I’ve made the wrong assumption here—but I think you’re afraid of this thing for the same reason I am: what if we cross that bridge and we find out we’re not soulmates?”

As her heartrate sped, Kate felt the burning of tears in her eyes, for he had captured her exact thought process. She had thought about it so many times—so many times. If Castle had been any other man she would have dragged him into her bed to see if they were a match. Then, when she found out they weren’t, they would have both gone their separate ways. It had happened to her dozens of times and for each of those times she hadn’t cared. Except with him.

Because of his, well, Castle-ness she hadn’t wanted to drag him into bed for the first few months of their partnership; he was far too annoying for her to even remotely enjoy that experience. Then, things began to change. He became her partner, and then her friend, and then her confidant. She loved spending her days with him and didn’t want to give them up, for losing his partnership would be sadder than losing yet another chance to find her soulmate.

“That’s why it’s cruel.” She brushed a tear from her cheek before looking back to him. “We can either live here in the unknown forever…or have reality break our hearts.”

He moved his hand so it closed over one of hers. “You realize there’s a third option there.”

She breathed in a shuddered breath and he quirked his lips into a smile.

“I’m in if you are, Kate.”

“Oh god, I…” She sniffed as more tears fell from her eyes. Quickly using her fingertips to brush them away she admitted, “This is really not how I saw this evening going.”

His hand had fallen to her knee when she moved hers so he squeezed her there. “I know; me neither.”

“But I suppose it’s been a bit inevitable, hasn’t it?”

“For three years, actually,” he pointed out and they shared a quick laugh. Bringing up his other hand, he brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “So, ah, I should get us a room?”

She shook her head quickly. “No I’d rather be at home if it’s all the same to you.” That way when it didn’t work out, she didn’t have to move. She could just pull the covers over her head, cry, and mourn what could have been.

“Sure; I’ll call us a car.”

“So, ah, should we have a drink first?” Castle suggested once they had arrived at her apartment.

Kate shook her head as she took off her shoes and sighed with relief at the end of her toe pain. “Ah, no…no I think I’ve had enough tonight. You can have something if you want.”

“I’m fine.”

“Okay.”

They stared at each other for several seconds before Castle stepped forward and used his fingertips to gentle tilt her chin upwards. Then, he kissed her. The kiss was not their first as they had kissed the year before during an undercover assignment. As she had been mostly concerned about their safety at the time, she had not enjoyed the softness of his lips on hers as much as she wanted to. In that moment, however, she melted into him and wound her arms around his waist.

“Mm Kate.” He hummed before kissing her again and skimming his hands down her neck to the tops of her shoulders. From there, they roamed her back until his right stretched all the way down her spine and cupped the curve of her ass.

Kate gave a small yelp when her heartrate spiked. He asked her what was wrong, and she tried to brush it off, but she couldn’t; the reality of what they were about to do was settling into her gut too strongly and wreaking havoc with her insides. “Sorry I…Jesus I don’t think I was this nervous when I lost my virginity,” she confessed. Of course during that event she was certain the smoking grunge rocker she’d been casually seeing was not her soulmate, but she’d wanted to, as dumb as it sounded in hindsight, “get it over with.”

“Well that’s certainly not a good place to start. Do you want to just cuddle for a little bit?”

She nodded in acceptance of his offer and led the way to her bedroom. He shrugged off his suit jacket and let her hang it up in the closet while he untied his shoes. Then, they climbed onto her bed, both of them lying on their sides with him spooning his body against her back. He draped his arm over her waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and she shut her eyes, enjoying the feeling of him beside her, even if it would be for the only time.

“How do you have so much faith, Castle?”

“I guess I just do. I see the good in everything because it’s a better way to go through the world. If you were specifically asking about us: it’s because I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel like you do.”

She snuggled closer to him and shut her eyes. She understood that feeling as it was one she felt herself, but that didn’t make her any more confident that they were soulmates. She had seen the darker side of the world too often to have that level of faith. “How long have you felt that way—about me?”

“Awhile, but I knew for sure we were soulmates the moment we first kissed. How about you?”

“I haven’t…I never let myself think about it, because I was too afraid, but I…I finally acknowledged how I felt about you when I thought Jerry Tyson had hurt you.”

He hummed with his lips against her neck. “Yes it was thrilling to watch you burst into that hotel room.”

She let out a light laugh and turned her head so she could look at him. He was hovering over her, smiling, and her heart filled with more joy than she ever thought possible. She lifted her head enough to brush her lips over his, but that was the only indication he needed, because he immediately rearranged himself so he was laying half on top of her as they kissed. With absolutely no reason for hesitation or holding back, Kate parted her lips and took him in and—god—it was so much better than she imagined it would be.

As their kissing grew more heated, Castle’s hand skimmed down her body until he found the bottom hem of her dress. His fingertips delved beneath the fabric climbing higher and higher on her thigh until he stopped suddenly, pulled back, and moved his fingers back and forth on her leg. “What…what am I feeling? What’s happening?”

“What? Oh shit,” she cursed, a little embarrassed. “I’m wearing Spanx. Didn’t think anyone would be interested in my underwear tonight,” she added with a slight laugh.

He pulled his hand out of her dress. “For the record: I’m always interested in your underwear.”

“Perv,” she teasingly accused before rolling away from him and out of bed. “I’ll get ‘em off—hold on.”

“Let me.” He stood off the bed and joined her on her side so he could draw down the back zipper of her dress. She shimmied out of it and let it pool at her feet revealing her black bra and the black “tummy control” undergarment that went from just above her waist down to her mid-thigh.

“Sexy right?” she joked as she began to peel it down.

“You’re sexy no matter what.”

She gave him a small smile before turning her back so she could work the garment off. Fortunately, taking it off was easier than putting it on; stuffing herself into it was most assuredly an unsexy procedure, but off wasn’t as bad. It did, however, take away a bit of the mystery of the evening, as it left her completely nude except for her bra.

After tossing the Spanx into the hamper by her closet, she turned around to see her partner wearing an expression of awe. “You’re beautiful,” he told her. Then, he stood up, reached around her back and felt for her bra clasp. “And you no longer need this.”

She chuckled softly as he discarded her bra and once her arms were free she lifted her fingers to the buttons on his shirt. “I think we need to even this situation up a bit more.”

“Sounds fair enough to me.”

Once his shirt had joined her clothes on the floor they climbed back on the bed and lay side by side once again. While her hands roamed his bare chest, his began to map their way across her expanse of flesh, covering nearly every inch of surface space. As his kisses moved from her lips to her neck, he skimmed his right hand up her body and across her left arm until he found her hand. He linked their fingers together and held her hand down beside her head just as he found her pulse point. Kate let out a moan as she felt her body flush and her heart speed up again. God, he was amazing at that—just as she imagined he would be.

Castle’s kisses soon trailed down her sternum until he reached her breasts. He dragged his tongue over to her right nipple, swirled it around the tip, and then captured it between his lips. She gasped and arched her back, pressing herself against his mouth. He hummed and flicked his tongue over the stiff peak which had her rubbing her thighs together to reduce the tingling she felt there. God, it had been over a year since she’d had sex and she’d forgotten what it was like to be this turned on—to be this wet.

“Jesus…Castle…” She purred as he turned his attention to her left nipple, mirroring his actions on that side.

Her hands settled on the wings of his shoulder blades as he kissed the underside of her breasts and began trailing his lips southward. He glanced up briefly at her, winked, and he began to lavish her belly with kisses and soft nips of his teeth. Suddenly, Kate felt her chest tighten and tears come to her eyes as she had never felt such sensations before; it was truly incredible.

With nearly every encounter she had men had performed the same actions as Castle was—kissing her belly, paying attention to her nipples with their lips—but it had been so different. This was the man she had come to know over the years; the one she trusted above all else. He made her laugh; he made her feel safe. He was the one she trusted.

He was the one she wanted.

As though she’d surfaced from a long swim underwater, the notion poured over her like a breath of fresh air and for the first time Kate understood why a person might choose to be in a long-term relationship with someone not their soulmate. Sixty percent of adults still chose to get married even though less than half of them had found their mates and she knew why: because being deeply in love with someone changed everything. Everything.

“Castle,” she uttered out, her voice sounding more tearful than she had intended.

He quickly lifted his head and said, “Sorry—did I hurt you?”

“No, no I just…I wanted to say that I understand now—I understand.”

“Understand what?” he asked gently, brushing away one of her tears with his thumb.

She curled her fingertips around his shoulders and pulled his body closer to hers until their bellies touched. “I understand why Kev and Jenny got married. Why so many people do. I—I love you and it doesn’t matter how this ends because—because that won’t change; no matter what.”

A grin exploded across Castle’s face and he immediately covered her mouth with his. After a long kiss and two shorter ones, he pulled back. “I love you too, Kate. We deserve this.”

“I know.” She squeaked out.

As he trailed kisses down her body once more, Kate shut her eyes and quickly wiped away the tears staining her cheeks. She felt Castle’s hands against her legs and waited for the bed to shift while removed his remaining items of clothing, but it never did. Instead, his hands continued to caress her inner thighs and were soon joined by his lips. Her eyes popped open.

“What are you doing?”

He lifted his head and winked. “Trust me.” Then, he moved his lips back to her right thigh. Kate watched with no small amount of curiosity as he kissed his way out to the inside of her knee before switching legs and kissing his way back towards her centre. There, he settled down further against the mattress and, much to her surprise, he began to kiss her lower lips.

“Wha—“ she began, but her voice disappeared, mostly from pure shock as she had never had a man kiss her there before.

Soon, she felt Castle’s tongue sliding up and down her slit and, when it reached the top, she felt a small electric jolt that had her gasp, “Oh!” Again, Castle lifted his head and smirked, before returning to his dutiful work.

As his tongue worked her slit, she felt his thumb move up to the small bud at the crest of her pubic bone. She knew this bud was pleasurable to touch, but it always left her wanting more. In that moment, however, each time he touched it she felt a jolt that made her hips twitch and her belly tighten.

He caressed her with his tongue for several moments before moving his mouth to cover the area his thumb was touching. From that angle she could look in his eyes, but only for a moment, because as soon as he began flicking his tongue against her nub Kate was unable to stop her head from rolling back against the pillows. “God, Rick,” she moaned out. Jesus—if she’d known how amazing it would feel, she would have asked a man to do this to her ages ago!

She spread her legs even further as his tongue swirled and flicked—both of which felt incredible—but when he began to suck lightly, she cried out again and balled her fists against her pillow case. Her hips arched into his mouth and Kate felt a rush as though a wave was washing over her before a quick release of pressure left her crying out. Two tears slipped from her eyes as she lifted her head and gasped; she had no idea what the hell had just happened.

“Castle…” she managed, but he was already reacting, practically jumping on top of her and kissing all over her face.

“I knew it! I knew it! Kate, oh Kate.”

“Was that…? But, I…we—we weren’t even having sex!” She stammered out.

“Sure we were.” He grinned. “My buddy told me about that—his wife loves it.”

“I can see why,” she responded, still a bit in a daze. Then, she lifted her hand to stroke over his cheek. “Oh, Castle…”

He turned his head to kiss her palm. “I told you, Kate—we deserved this.”

Her chest filling with pure joy, Kate threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. Only when she did this did she feel her legs brush up against his pants and realized he was still half dressed. Pushing his shoulders down, she flipped their positions so she was on top and grinned a bit wickedly at him. “Now, let’s celebrate, by doing it for real.”

Her brain still functioning with limited capacity, Kate kissed her way across Castle’s chest and down to his belly while simultaneously undoing his belt and unfastening his pants. When she slipped her fingers inside she could feel how rock hard he was, clearly straining the fabric of his boxers to the absolute limits. Smiling to herself, she dipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his boxers and when she slid her fingers around his length he moaned out, “Jesus, Kate.”

She gave him a few strokes despite the restricted space before removing her hand. She crawled down his body and grabbed both pants and boxers to remove them together. When his erection popped free she let out a small sound of astonishment; so all the jokes about him being well endowed were not jokes after all. For a brief moment she wondered what he would feel like inside her. This was something she often did when she revealed her latest partner’s manhood, but then she realized she no longer had to wonder; he was guaranteed to feel incredible.

After tossing Castle’s pants off the end of the bed, Kate swung her left leg over his shins so that she straddled him. She used both hands to stroke her length, but as she dipped her head he stopped her with, “No—not tonight; I just want to be inside you.”

“Okay.” she agreed with a soft smile. Then, she scooted up his body until her centre hovered over him. With her left hand balanced in the center of his chest, she used her right to guide him inside her. As she slowly sank down, she met his gaze, and their jaws dropped together as she descended. “Shit, Castle,” she breathed out, feeling fuller than she’d ever felt before; he was incredible.

“Ah, Kate.” Castle grunted out. “You feel amazing.”

Kate arched her body over his, stretching out to press a sloppy kiss to his lips before she rolled her hips once, then again, and a third time before she felt him hit a spot inside her that made her gasp. She pushed herself back into a more upright position and rolled her hips again, but she didn’t find the spot. She began moving at even intervals, trying to find it again, shifting ever so slightly right and left until—

“Oh, shit…” she breathed out when she found it again.

Castle’s hands landed on her thighs and he held her tight while she thrust her hips into him again and again. With barely any thought she moved her left hand to the small nub Castle had been sucking earlier and brushed her thumb against it while she rolled her hips and—god—it was incredible.

“Rick…fuck…”

“Don’t stop, Kate—I’m right—shit—with you,” Castle groaned out.

Now almost frantic, Kate thrust her hips again and again, feeling a miniature fire burst inside her every time he hit the right spot until finally her belly tightened and the next fire burst was an all-out explosion. She cried out as her entire body trembled. Thrusting her hips once more only intensified the feeling and she was vaguely aware of her partner crying out as well, but Kate could barely move or breathe; pleasure had completely overtaken her.

Though she remained rather frozen in place, Kate was vaguely aware of Castle sitting up, gathering her in his arms, and rolling them both onto their sides so they could lay down, still connected. He dusted his lips over her brow and her nose before asking softly, “Are you okay?”

“No.” She laughed. Then, she opened his eyes to see his adoring face. Stroking his cheek she said, “It’s so totally unfair you could always do that.”

“Well now you can too,” he rationalized. Then, giving her a quick kiss he said, “So you liked it?”

She felt as though her eyes practically bulged out of her head. “Are you kidding me? Let’s do that every day!”

He smiled and hugged her close, sighing out, “For the rest of our lives, Kate.”

Tucking her head into the crook of his neck, Kate cuddled up to him and shut her eyes thinking she had absolutely no problem with that whatsoever; it would be perfect.

Thank you for reading!

[maxattack-powell]

Winter Break - Moving On

*This is an original fic that fits in between Winter Break - Going Home and Book 2/Chapter 1 (1-17d in my masterlist)***

Masterlist - go here for other chapters and related original fics

Disclaimer: The following are fics (adaptations from actual game chapters AND original works) to Choices: The Freshman and The Sophomore stories. It is a fictional adaptation. I do not work for Pixelberry Studios, the game developer or own the rights to the characters Chris Powell, Nicole or any other IN GAME character. All of the ORIGINAL characters, story-lines and events were developed for my adaptation of The Freshman story.

Comments: I enjoyed playing Choices The Freshman… and then I found this awesome group of people and their works - I’ve loved it all, very much so. Deciding that I wanted more interaction than the options allowed, I’ve gone through the first book, chapter by chapter (omg painfully slow) to follow the story (95-99% I’d say) and add to it as I felt would benefit. Now I am doing the same to Book 2 as well.

Basically, I wanted to include certain things that weren’t really full fic worthy, adding more substance to the story. However, I did add some full size fic moments also… some are included in cannon chapters and some are their own full chapters in between. I wanted to see MC and Chris through their freshman year… with more angst, fluff, sweetness, real life and overall detail. So, if you like that pairing then you’ll be satisfied, otherwise sorry James & Kaitlyn fans lol. I even added some parts from Chris’s POV, so that we have a chance to see what he’s thinking, knowing what she experienced.

There will be ADULT and/or NSFW moments in certain chapters - this is a warning lol. I will try my best to make it obvious as it occurs…

Paring: MC x Chris

POV: ~MC~ or ~Chris~

~MC~

MC has been at home for a few days now, and she’s enjoyed just about every minute of it. She’s been spending time with her parents, her lovely dog Max and her extended family such as her crazy Uncle Mike and his family. She loves her cousins. The oldest is 8 years younger than her, and the rest taper down from there. This means they tend to follow her around with wide eyes of adoration. What she loves about them is how much fun they are, how she can lose herself while she plays with them, once again experiencing her childhood through their eyes.

Today is Christmas Eve Eve and her uncles bookstore is actually quite busy for once. She spends most of the day running around pulling books for customers who can’t find it themselves or are in too much of a hurry to attempt it. The typical panicked holiday shopping customer.

In her limited moments of peace she can’t help but think of Chris. They have been in contact everyday since they parted ways at Hartfeld. Some days the interactions were brief, each having limited time to send a text or pic of some kind. Other days they spent hours together, either on a normal phone call or through FaceTime. They did it all, whatever style fit their situation best at the time.

One thing was always the same though. Every day, every single day, they sent or said to each other the same good-morning and goodnight messages. Chris had started calling her ‘beautiful’ in these messages too, increasing the butterflies in her stomach with each one. He had mentioned before, much earlier in the fall quarter, that he was falling for her. She still tries to push the memories away of that time in between, but he had come back in the end. Telling her the same thing again. Now she was wondering if she was falling hard for him in return.

MC had always felt a certain connection with him, she never denied that. But it was something new and much stronger than anything she had experienced before, even with Peter. She thought at one time that Peter was the one for her, but one day something just felt off. Even though he was the most attentive and loving person she had ever met. He had never done anything to make her feel otherwise, but it happened anyway.

Sure, she still found him attractive, but who wouldn’t. His looks rivaled Chris’s in almost every way though unique in his own. He was as tall, muscular and fit. Peter had a very handsome face with a strong jaw. It was just different. Most importantly, being with him never give her the same feelings that she has experienced with Chris. The electricity that is always pulsing between the two of them, in every touch, in every look. It was addictive, and she was starting to miss it during the long break.

Late afternoon, her uncle told her that she could go home, noticing that the activity was starting to slow around the store. She gave him a hug and said goodbye and climbed in her little truck and to go home. It was sometime after 3 p.m. and she didn’t have any plans until later so she decided to send Chris a quick message.

‘Hey, cannon. Not killing the fresh meat are you?’

It didn’t take long for her to receive a response. ‘Cannon? And no, not yet. Some are acting like it though.’

She laughs and sends him one back. ‘Yeah, isn’t that what they installed when they removed your right arm when you were a kid?’

‘Lol. Riiiiight.’

‘What, you don’t like that one? Hmm. I’ll have to think up a better nickname…’

‘we’re doing nicknames now?’

‘Yeah, you started it.’

‘I did?’

‘Yep. You say it at least twice a day.’

‘I do? ooh you mean beautiful?’

‘Uh, yeah… that wasn’t a nickname?’

‘I was just stating a fact but I’ll gladly make it more permanent ;)’

She drops her phone into her lap and covers her face, feeling the embarrassment creep up her neck. “Oh my god. What did I just do…”

When she doesn’t reply, she receives another message. ‘or… not?’

She quickly scrambles to reply, ‘No, wait.’

She takes a deep breath and sends another, ‘Sorry, you just made my face very red.’

‘really? I wanna see’

‘What! Why?’ She looks at her phone incredulously as she sends the text.

‘I’m not there to see it myself’

She sighs, then grins, before covering her eyes with her arm and taking a picture. She sends it without even looking at it.

~Chris~

Chris glances away from his phone while he waits. Looking at the activity nearby, he watches as the players run their drills up and down the field. He glances towards Ryan and Ethan, nodding to them so they can stop the guys and give them a break. When coach told him how many new players he had this year, Chris insisted his friends help. Easier to divide and conquer the large number of bodies on the field. His friends didn’t object when Chris asked for their help, both okay with the idea of hanging out more over break as well.

He turns and takes a few steps away, pulling up the text he receives. When he looks at the picture he can’t help but smile. Her cheeks are red and she’s biting her bottom lip, clearly embarrassed while her eyes are covered with her arm. Her hair is pulled into a loose bun on top of her head, some strands falling around her face haphazardly.

He chuckles and sends her a text back. ‘Where are my beautiful eyes…’

‘Hiding.’

He laughs and glances at the group a few feet away, knowing he needs to get back to work. ‘Can I see them later?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Maybe? Don’t tease me’

‘What if I want to…’

He laughs out loud. ‘Wait until I can do something about it. Play fair.’ He sends the text, knowing that he’s now the one teasing her, but he can’t resist.

~MC~

Her face is still hot when his next text comes through. “Oh my god…” She immediately blushes a deeper red as she reads it. She starts laughing and shakes her head as she types a response. ‘Okay. FaceTime me before bed?’

‘Can’t wait.’

She grins and puts down her phone before starting her truck and heading home. Halfway there, she decides to stop at her friend Gina’s house to see what she’s doing. MC pulls up to the house and shoots her a quick text, confirming that she was home. Gina replies, telling her that she and B are both there, and she should hurry up and join them.

When she gets inside, MC waves to Gina’s parents. They smile and her mother runs over to give her a hug. The pair feels more like an aunt and uncle than her friends parents. Even though they only met in high-school, MC and Gina had become close friends, like sisters. The same goes for B, the three of them have been very close since she moved to town. She really did miss them during the quarter, but was also happy for their wonderful luck getting into good schools.

Gina had been accepted to Harvard University and was doing extremely well there. MC knew she was going to become a doctor in no time. B had a more artistic side and applied to NYU. She was easily accepted after they saw the talent in her portfolio. She’s happy for them both, and now that they had started adjusting to their new worlds, the three were making plans to see each other as much as possible. Thankfully their colleges were all fairly close to each other, unlike some of their other friends who were scattered all over the south and some as far as out west. Each were close enough to drive within a few hours. MC just needs to figure out how to get some wheels to Hartfeld.

She hugs them both when she makes it down the basement stairs. They trio hang out together for a while, catching up on just about everything. There was so much to share between the three of them and they were having fun doing it.

At one point B looks at MC and raises her eyebrow. “So… Peter seemed interested in you the other night.”

MC glances between them both, noticing their curious stares. “Uh, yeah. He asked me out… actually.”

“Really?” Gina leans closer. MC knew she had always thought Peter was a good match for her. “What did you say?”

“I told him I was seeing someone…” MC makes a face at her sentence, again feeling like she didn’t really have the right to say that.

“What?!” Both Gina and B say in unison.

“Yeah, there’s this guy from Hartfeld…” She looks at them, and they just stare back, eyes wide, waiting. “He’s a quarterback. The quarterback, actually.”

B’s face lights up and she sits up straighter. “And..?!”

“Um, his name is Chris.” She looks down and picks at the hem of her shirt.

“Aaaand…?” Gina joins the interrogation.

“And…” She keeps her gaze on her shirt. “I like him. A lot.”

“More than you did with Peter?” Gina questions.

“Yeah, way… way more.” She looks at them both. “Remember how I thought Peter was the one junior year?” Her friends nod. “I had no idea how it could really be.”

Her two friends smile and give matching blissful sighs.

MC snorts out a laugh and shakes her head. “Oh come on guys…”

“What? This is amazing… I thought after you split from Peter that it would be years before you found someone. Like maybe even after college.” B exclaims.

“We’re not actually, uh, together though. I don’t think…” She grimaces at her own statement.

Gina frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we went to formal together… but there was a lot of stuff before that. I mean, he says he’s falling for me, but I just don’t know…” MC fades.

B shakes her head and grabs MCs hand. “You’re a smart one. Your heart knows what’s real and what isn’t. Just listen to it.”

Gina smiles next to her, nodding her head enthusiastically.

MC can’t help but smile at them both. “Funny, my friend Zack says the same thing.”

They become curious at her mention of Zack, so she tells them about her roommates. MC describes them in detail, telling them she wishes they can meet someday because she knows Gina and B would love them too. She gushes about Zack and Kaitlyn, her two best friends at Hartfeld. She complains about Professor Vasquez and her financial restrictions that are holding her hostage. And lastly, she babbles about Chris… how he makes her feel, the things he’s been saying and sending over the last few days of break, almost everything.

Her friends tell her more about their experiences as well, everyone becoming slightly wistful as they realize how different their lives are becoming. The three eventually make plans to go out later to meet some friends at a local pool hall they used to sneak to when they were younger.

~Chris~

Chris swings by and picks up Ryan and Ethan before heading out to their friend’s house for the night. Everyone had gone home earlier to get cleaned up after their long day with the fresh batch of football players. Now they were ready to spend the evening at their friend Alex’s house. He was throwing a party as his parents were visiting some family out of state for the holidays, and he had the house to himself.

They pull up and notice quite a lot of cars already there, more than likely all of their friends from the small town. As they go inside, the infamous trio are immediately bombarded by all their old friends and teammates. Some had come home from the holidays, others had never left, but all were glad to be back together again, even if it was just for one night.

The three friends mix and mingle throughout the house. Sometimes one would split off and go talk to another friend for a few minutes, but they always gravitate back together. This is partially because they are inseparable and enjoyed each other’s company above all others. But it is also a matter of safety in numbers.

Ethan has a girlfriend, so he is not at all interested in any of the girls near Cherryfield, even though many had expressed obvious interest in him. Ryan is single but he has no desire to hook up with any of his ex’s or their friends, and being a small town, that’s just about all there is at this point for him. While Chris and Ethan have been joking on Ryan about that exact thing, Chris honestly can’t agree with him more.

He now knows Nicole is in town, as she had found him the other night when they were at the pub. Ryan and Ethan did now too of course, and being the good brothers that they are, they have been keeping an eye out for her whenever the three are together. The trio wants nothing to do with her. What she did to Chris not only tore him apart, but it threatened his future. It threatened all of their futures actually.

Chris breaks from his friends and heads to the kitchen to grab a few beers from the fridge. Alex’s house has a huge living room and den, so most of their friends are in there, leaving the kitchen empty at the moment. He reaches in and grabs a few requested bottles and turns to head back. He doesn’t take a second step though, freezing in place as his eyes fall on the brunette in front of him. He quickly closes his eyes and clenches his jaw, this being the one thing he was trying to avoid.

“Chris?” She tilts her head and waits for him to acknowledge her.

He takes in a deep breath and opens his eyes, looking into her bright blue ones. “Hey, Nicole. What up?”

Chris tries to step past her and head back to the group, but she shifts in front of him, blocking his easy way out. He clenches his jaw again, this time breathing out of his nose forcefully. “What are you doing Nicole?”

She gives him a sweet smile, a smile that used to warm him throughout. “I just wanted to talk. You didn’t give me a chance the other night…”

He sets the bottles down on the counter, realizing she’s not going to let him pass anytime soon. “That’s because there is nothing to talk about. You made your decision back then, and things changed. It’s in the past and I don’t want to talk about it.”

She takes a step closer, forcing him to take a step back to avoid her. “I made a mistake.” She tries to reach for him, but he shifts so her hand falls off his chest. “I’ve missed you, Chris.”

Chris shakes his head, his expression turning dark, angry. “No, Nicole. You don’t get to do this.” He looks into her eyes with intense fire. “You crushed me. You dropped a bomb on me and watched for months as my world imploded.”

She reaches for him. “I’m sorry, I can make it better. Just let me–”

He moves out of her reach again, his eyes angry as he stares through her. “No. I told you the other night to leave me alone.” He shakes his head at her. “I’m finally happy, Nicole. Like really happy. It took me a while, but I found my place and I found someone amazing to spend my time with.”

Nicole frowns as he speaks, finally getting the point. “But you said you loved me…”

Chris lets out a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah, so did you, to me. And at the time I believed you. I thought that’s what it was.”

He looks up at her and shakes his head. “But I was wrong. In these last few months I’ve felt something about someone. It’s something that I’ve never felt before, and I like it. I’m going to do whatever I have to in order to keep it.”

He reaches past her and grabs the bottles off the counter. “And that means never speaking to you again. I won’t risk it, I’m sorry.” He looks at her with a sad expression, seeing her face fall with his words.

Chris moves around her and cuts through the living room to join his friends in the den. Ryan and Ethan immediately pick up on his mood and walk over, taking the bottles when he offers, his expression still somewhat dark and brooding.

Ryan studies Chris’s face as Ethan looks past him, towards the kitchen where Chris just came from. It doesn’t take long for the redhead to see Nicole. “Hell.”

Ryan then leans to peer around Chris as well. “When the hell did she get here? I’ve been watching the door all night.” His face contorts into an ugly scowl, shooting Nicole a deadly glare.

Chris lets out a strained laugh and pats Ryan on the shoulder, trying to reel him in. “It’s okay you guys. She cornered me but I took care of it.”

Ethan looks at him for a moment, then glances back over to Nicole, seeing her try not to be obvious as she watches them. “Hey, let’s go outside for a few. It’s not in the negatives yet, so we should be able to last a few minutes.”

Ryan nods and turns towards the door. “Yeah, we could use some fresh air.”

Chris smiles and looks down as he starts walking behind Ryan, Ethan pulling up the rear. The three grab their jackets and slip out onto the back deck. A few others were outside already, but they quickly head back in, unable to handle the cold any longer.

Ryan paces back and forth slowly in front of Chris and Ethan as they lean against the railing, facing towards the house. Occasionally Ryan looks inside, keeping tabs on Nicole's location.

Chris knows what he’s doing and lets out a light chuckle. “Ryan, chill man. It’s fine.”

He stops pacing and crosses his arms as he snorts in disagreement. “Oh it will be.”

Ethan shakes his head with a slight smirk on his lips. “Seriously Ryan, he said he took care of it.”

Ryan looks back and forth between the two for a moment, then sighs. His tense shoulders finally relaxing a little. “Okay, okay.”

Chris shifts uncomfortably, suddenly realizing how much Nicole affected them as well. “I’m really sorry you guys. I almost let everything crash and burn last year. I never really apologized for it.”

Ethan and Ryan shake their heads simultaneously as Ethan speaks. “You don’t have to say anything man. We understand, and it all worked out fine.”

Chris nods and remains silent as he clasps Ethan on the shoulder, giving him a firm squeeze. Ethan raises his opposite hand and pats Chris’s hand as it rests on his shoulder.

Ryan walks over and leans against the railing on Chris’s other side, giving him a playful elbow to the ribs, catching him off guard and causing him to gasp. “Ooof!”

When Chris turns to look at Ryan he sees his friend smirking back. As he stands from his spot on the railing, he lightly backhands his friend in the crotch as if it was nothing. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Ethan and Chris walk forward, laughing as Ryan folds over in mild pain. “I should have seen that coming…” He groans and sucks in a few breaths, forcing himself to stand up straight.

He lets out a strained chuckle as he takes a few awkward steps, eventually joining the other two. “Let’s not start that game again. I just realized that I’m too old to play.”

The trio laughs and heads around the side of the house, avoiding going inside all together. They drive around for a while before Chris drops them off and heads home himself. When he gets there he finds his mother, brother and sister in the living room watching the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer special on TV. He smiles and checks the time before hanging his jacket up. It isn’t too late, which means there is time to join them before he calls MC. It didn’t take long for his siblings to fall asleep, his brother leaning on his right side and his sister curled up against his left.

His mother gets up and turns the TV off before she helps him escape both of his guards. He easily picks up his brother and carries him to his room, a little surprised at how big and heavy he is becoming. Chris smiles, realizing that his brother is growing up and he too would soon be in college and finding his own way. He goes back to pickup his sister, receiving a thank you from his mother as she kisses him on the cheek before she checks all the doors and heads to her own room.

Chris walks down the hall quietly and places his sister in bed, tucking her in and laying her hat on the nightstand. He looks at her for a moment, noticing how much more mature she looks since he was here last. A sad smile crosses his face for a moment as he thinks about his family. He realizes that life will never be the same, that they will only become more distant as they grow, each going their own way as they make choices for their own lives. His sad smile turns a little more positive as he thinks about all the things they will do, or that he will make sure they get to do. He brushes a strand of hair out of her face and quietly leaves for his own room.

Once inside his room, Chris locks the door and begins to change, stripping off the layers of clothing needed to stay warm in Maine. Once he gets to his boxer briefs he stops and stretches. He hasn’t worked out much since he’s been home, which makes him worry that he’s getting soft, knowing that he’s had a few too many MoonPies. He decides to do a few hundred push-ups, crunches and squats before laying in bed and contacting MC. He quickly decides that tomorrow morning he needs to go for a run before work.

He’s about to send a text when he remembers that he’s shirtless, and the last time he was, MC appeared to enjoy it. He smirks and takes a comical Snap of himself pouting as he lays on his bed with the caption ‘I’ve been stood up.’

Chris’s phone instantly lights up with a FaceTime call, making him grin. He does his best attempt at looking upset when he answers.

He clearly doesn’t fool her as the first thing he nears is a sarcastic snort. “Really?”

Chris laughs and looks at the screen, finding her eyes and that smirk he loves so much. “Ah, there they are.”

MC blushes and looks away for a moment, but he waits patiently for her gaze to return, eager to see her eyes.

When she does look back she laughs at his silly expression. “What’s that look for?”

He shrugs. “I guess I’m just happy to talk to you, to see your face again.”

“Is that what it is?” She gives him a questioning look.

“Yeah. It’s been a long day…” His smile wavers for a moment, but he hopes she doesn’t notice.

She frowns as she sees it, his hope instantly disappearing. “What happened? Is everyone okay?”

Chris picks up on her concern and feels a little guilty as he quickly reassures her. “Oh yeah, everyones fine. I just uh…” He pauses and looks away from the screen, trying to decide if he should bring up Nichole.

She senses his hesitation and speaks softly. “Chris..?”

He looks up and sees her eyes, beautiful hazel chocked full of concern. It makes him feel warm and secure. He immediately knows the answer. He’s going to tell her. He knows now, that no matter what, he will always tell her. “Yeah, sorry. I just… ran into Nicole again tonight.”

He sees MC tense a little on the other side, her expression cloudy. “Oh?”

He gives her a warm smile. “Don’t worry. Nothing happened.”

“I’m not–” She begins, but he cuts her off.

“I know. I just wanted to say it. For both of us.” He gives her a soft smile, making her relax and smile back. Just what he wanted to see.

“The guys and I were at a friends house party and she just… showed up. She wanted to talk to me, tried to tell me that she still loved me and wanted to be with me or something… I’m not exactly sure.” He shakes his head as he tries to recall her words.

“Honestly, I didn’t want to hear any of it and cut her off by saying a few choice words.” He grimaces as he remembers some of the blunt things he said. He searches MC’s face, trying to gauge her reaction.

She chews on her bottom lip for a moment, also searching his face. “But you’re okay?”

He lets out a sigh of relief, glad she believes him and isn’t concerned with Nicole. “Yeah. I’m good.”

Chris rolls onto his side and props his head up on his arm, leaning his phone against his blanket so he can get comfortable. “I feel like I should tell you what happened, my senior year I mean. So you know why I behaved the way I did.”

She searches his face again before she answers. “Okay, but you don’t have to Chris. I know it was rough on you. You don’t have to tell me anything else.” Her voice becomes softer and quieter as she watches his face.

He smiles at her again. “I know, but I want to. I’m not going to hide anything from you MC. I never will.” He clears his throat and takes a deep breath. “Oh man, where to start. Uh, you already know that we were together three years.”

MC nods and stays quiet so he can continue. “The summer before our senior year, Nicole decided to go to a different college. We had talked about it before, that no matter where we went, we would figure it out. We would make it work.”

He swallows hard as he remembers that night. “So she told me where she was going and I told her how happy I was for her, because it was a good school and it wasn’t too far from Hartfeld where I had received a football scholarship.”

He shifts on the bed, rolling onto his back and no longer looking at the phone, but he continues. “She waited until the middle of our football season to tell me that she wanted to be free when she got there. That she was no longer interested in a long distance relationship. It broke me. We had said ‘I love you’ to each other, and that there would never be anyone else.”

He turns his head slightly to look into MC’s eyes. She gives him a sweet smile in return, her eyes also covered with a layer of sadness. “But she left me hanging, in the middle of football season, during senior year. The fallout was bad. I almost lost my scholarship, and just about took my team down with me. Including Ryan and Ethan. We were the only three to receive scholarships for football, and I almost ruined it because I had lost focus and had just about given up.”

He laughs and turns away from the phone, looking up at his ceiling. “I know, I shouldn’t have let a stupid highschool relationship affect me that badly, but at the time it felt like the end of the world.”

Chris turns over and looks into the phone again, finding MC smiling gently at him. “It’s okay. You loved her. It’s understandable.”

He shakes his head. “That’s the thing. When I look back on those memories now, it’s different. It doesn’t hurt like it did before. Now everything is just… awkward when I see her or talk to her. I mean, I’m angry yes. But only because the whole thing almost ruined my friends future. My own future. I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if they got stuck here because of my actions.”

He sits up and leans against his headboard, holding his phone in front of him as he continues. “I don’t feel the same way about her, at all. Actually, I’ve realized that what I thought I was feeling, what I thought was love… it wasn’t even close.”

MC frowns with confusion. “What do you mean? You said you loved her…”

He smiles. “Yeah well, I thought I did, until recently.” He quickly glances at her and then looks away, not ready to see her reaction if she picked up on it. “For the rest of our senior year, I was in hell. My family was worried, Ryan and Ethan were worried, my coach was worried. It was bad… I was always looking for some type of distraction. Did whatever it took to feel again.”

He shakes his head. “Ryan and Ethan made sure I didn’t go too far off the edge. But I just felt…numb. They helped me focus on football and my scholarship so I wouldn’t ruin everything. I spent a lot of time with my family, which of course made my mom happy from the sudden increase of time spent at home.”

He laughs when he remembers how ecstatic she had been, but he knew she was watching him too. “Luckily my brother and sister didn’t notice my erratic behavior too much.”

“Sounds like you have great family and friends.” MC gives him a warm smile.

He nods and grins back. “Yeah, they even liked me when I was a shell of a person.” His eyes become intense as he looks at hers. “And so did you, MC. When we met, I was still just a Chris shell…” He laughs quietly, almost sad.

She wrinkles her nose in the cutest way, making his smile grow. “You weren’t a shell. I could see you the whole time.”

He grins, his cheeks feeling warm. “You waited for me to come back. I know I almost made you wait too long, and I’m sorry… but you didn’t give up on me.” His brows clench together as he thinks back over the quarter. “Thank you for that.”

She nods at him, unable to speak at the moment. He notices that she looks torn, like she wants to say something but can’t. He quickly decides to change the subject, to focus on something a little more uplifting.

“So, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Are you excited?” He grins at her.

She rolls with it and laughs. “Yes, but I don’t think nearly as much as you are.”

He makes a humorous frown and nods. “You’re probably right. I uh, I had this idea but I haven’t had much practice yet so it’s probably going to be… bad.” He laughs at himself, obviously agreeing with his own statement.

“What is it?” She perks up, interested in the surprise.

“Ah, you’ll have to wait until Christmas. I need to make sure you’ll still want to talk to me, so maybe the anticipation will bring you back.” He lets out a soft chuckle.

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” She shrugs nonchalantly.

“Why’s that?” He looks at her curiously, one eyebrow raised.

“You have to say good morning and goodnight to me anyway. You started this, and I’m used to it now, so you can’t quit.” She smirks at him, making his chest swell.

‘My smirk.’ He just smiles and stares at her for a minute, trying to make sense of the feelings he is having as he memorizes her face.

MC laughs after a moment, realizing he was just gawking at her now. “Okay, I think maybe we should get some sleep. You look like you’re checking out on me already.”

He shakes his head and grins. “Not possible.”

She snorts. “Okay, fine. Then I’m getting tired, so…“ She looks at him expectantly.

His eyes crinkle with happiness as he laughs. “Goodnight, beautiful.”

He watches as MC bites her bottom lip, trying not to smile. She fails miserably, making herself blush and laugh. “Goodnight, cannon.”

Chris gives a hearty laugh and runs his hand through his hair. “Yeah, we’re going to have to fix that…”

They both laugh and say goodnight again, this time for real, before they end the call. Chris turns off his light and stretches across his bed, taking a long deep breath. He holds it for a moment, placing his hands flat against his taut abdomen. Slowly he begins to breathe out, feeling the tension of the day leaving him as his thoughts drift to MC. A pleased smile crosses his lips as he closes his eyes and falls into a deep sleep.