#Hair Spa Services in Park Street

[salon85kolkata]

Spruce up your look at our hair salon with our Hair Spa Services in Park Street, Kolkata. Visit us now for more information about the services we offer.

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[centurypainting-nc]

Top Places to visit nearby Ballantyne East, Charlotte, NC

Ballantyne East is a neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina with a population of 2,020. Ballantyne East is in Mecklenburg County and is one of the best places to live in North Carolina. Living in Ballantyne East offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents own their homes. Many families live in Ballantyne East and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Ballantyne East are highly rated.

Quiet Ballantyne East is a sprawling residential suburb home to Big Rock Nature Preserve, a wooded area bisected by a stream, that has huge granite boulders plus diverse animal and plant species. The Golf Club at Ballantyne has a public 18-hole course as well as a driving range, practice area, and pro shop. Casual Asian and American restaurants are scattered around the neighborhood.

Big Rock Nature Preserve

This unassuming wooded area & wildlife habitat features 22 acres & large granite formations. Get to know this 1.0-km loop trail near Pineville, North Carolina. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. This trail is great for running and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

You don’t have to travel far to visit a historically and geologically interesting site. Big Rock Nature Preserve, at 6500 Elmstone Drive, is near Stonecrest at Piper Glen, a large shopping center in Ballantyne. When you follow the directions you might think you’re on the wrong path, since you have to actually enter a neighborhood to get there, but you’re not. The entrance to the preserve is on the right as you drive into the neighborhood. Just park along the street and walk in. You’ll see the sign. The significant feature of the preserve is impossible to miss. There are several clusters of giant rocks. “Giant” is no exaggeration. The rocks here are the largest known exposed boulders in Mecklenburg County, by a long shot.

Ballantyne Golf Academy

Treat yourself to an extraordinary golf experience at a Golf Magazine Top 25 Golf School in America! Ballantyne Golf Academy, a Golf Channel Academy, is a must for all those who wish to break 100, 90 or 80 or have always wanted to learn how to play. Year-round private lessons, Club Fitting, Adult co-ed and Women's Only Two and Three Day Schools, Short Game, Long Game, Get Golf Ready, New2Golf, Women's Beginner, Pee Wee (5-8), Junior (9-12) and High School (13-18) Camps/Clinics, USGA*LPGA Girls Golf (7-17) and Corporate Events. Located on the grounds the prestigious Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, its award-winning team of certified LPGA and PGA instructors, exceptional teaching approach, unmatched facilities, indoor training room and covered hitting bays, and use of the latest state-of-the-art technological equipment make it the best golf teaching and practice facility in the state.

The Spa at Ballantyne

With a menu inspired by nature, spa treatments are designed to nurture the mind and body through the use of ritualistic methods and healthy products in a calming environment. The Spa at Ballantyne located in Charlotte provides a sensory experience to soothe the senses and enhance wellness. Choose from a selection of spa services including massage, facial, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and hair salon services. Explore indigenous treatments like the Carolina Lavender Spa Collection. Enjoy spa dining, fitness, pools, whirlpools and lounges to complete your spa destination experience.

Spa treatments are designed to nurture the mind and body through the use of ritualistic methods and healthy products in a calming environment. The Spa at Ballantyne provides a sensory experience to soothe the senses and enhance wellness. Choose from a selection of spa services including massage, facial, body treatments, manicures, pedicures and hair salon services. Explore indigenous treatments like the Carolina Lavender Spa Collection, day spa packages, overnight spa packages and fitness experiences. Enjoy spa dining, pools, steamroom, saunas, whirlpools and lounges to complete your spa destination experience.

Century Painting is the best painting company Charlotte, NC. Our team of painters are highly-skilled and knowledgeable about the latest trends in interior and exterior painting. We guarantee your satisfaction with every job we do for you.

We offer free estimates on all projects and we work with homeowners who want to make their home look like a million bucks by painting it from top to bottom, inside and out. If you're looking for an expert painter in Charlotte then look no further than Century Painting!

Century Painting 6201 Boykin Spaniel Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277, United States +17042459409 https://www.centurypaintingnc.com/ https://www.google.com/maps?cid=1817105075853326938

[best-toluca-lake-ca]

Toluca Lake, CA, is Such a Wonderful Place

Toluca Lake, CA, is considered a wonderful place. No wonder why this location is highly sought to live. It's located in the San Fernando Valley; it offers a peaceful and quiet residential neighborhood with a variety of housing options, from charming single-family homes to modern apartment complexes. This area is also known for its beautiful tree-lined streets, lovely parks, and easy access to nearby attractions in Los Angeles. Toluca Lake offers a tight-knit community feel, where neighbors know each other by name and come together for events and activities. So, if you're looking for a safe and family-friendly neighborhood with a great sense of community, Toluca Lake may be the perfect place for you. You can also get a great deal of advantages regarding your health and beauty. FemCare Health & Beauty is the best choice. 

Intimate Lightening in Los Angeles

One of FemCare Health & Beauty's services is feminine or intimate lightening in Los Angeles, such as vaginal rejuvenation with Labiaplasty or intimate beaching in Los Angeles. FemCare is a physician-owned practice and medical spa in Toluca Lake, Burbank, CA. Their focus is on anti-aging, regenerative, integrative aesthetic medicine. Since FemCare was founded, it has provided males and females with a preventive approach by identifying symptoms or dysfunctions from the whole body perspective. Then, I love the aesthetic part of their services, which involves the latest rejuvenating technologies, radio frequency (RF) products, lasers, hair restoration equipment, IV therapies, platelet-rich plasma, exosomes, and more to improve your appearance by naturally restoring youth, addressing and improving wrinkles, skin elasticity, body contouring, muscle tone, hair loss, sports injuries, intimate lightening, and much more. For inquiries, call 818-357-5886. 

Los Angeles Medical Spa

FemCare Health & Beauty is the best and most trusted Los Angeles medical spa. FemCare is a physician-owned medical spa in Toluca Lake, Burbank. They practice anti-aging, regenerative, integrative aesthetic medicine. FemCare has identified whole-body symptoms and dysfunctions to prevent disease in men and women. I love the aesthetic services at FemCare because they use the latest rejuvenating technologies, products, and more to naturally restore youth and address wrinkles, skin elasticity, body contouring, and more. There are various services at FemCare, such as pain management: stem cell therapy and PRP therapy, feminine or intimate: vaginal rejuvenation with labiaplasty, and vaginal and anal bleaching. For hair restoration, SmartGraft FUE hair transplant, hair loss therapy, and vitamin infusion for hair growth in the body, face, neck, and more. For inquiries, call 818-357-5886. 

Mystic Museum Near Toluca Lake, CA

People interested in the occult, the paranormal, and horror themes will find the Mystic Museum near Toluca Lake, CA, an excellent location to visit. You may attend special events such as screenings of scary movies, readings of tarot cards, and seances at the museum, in addition to exploring the collection of strange artifacts, antique movie posters, and other curiosities the museum offers. If you're up to the challenge, you may even test your mettle by participating in one of their fully immersive horror experiences, such as the Ouija Séance or the Haunted Art Gallery. People interested in the eerie and mysterious will find it t exciting destination because of how unusual it is. 

Teen Suspect For Stabbing A Bus Driver

A bus driver was critically injured when a 17-year-old teenager stabbed him critically. The suspect's identity was withheld due to his age. He's a teenager, 17 years old. He is accused of an assault at Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Erwin Street at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Police claimed the teenager boarded the bus and argued with the 61-year-old driver about fee evasion. According to authorities, the driver and juvenile got off the bus and argued, with the boy pulling out a knife and repeatedly stabbing the driver. According to LAPD Chief Michel Moore, paramedics, and Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center employees treated the driver, who was in "extremely critical" condition Thursday. This is really sad. Read more. 

Link to maps

The Mystic Museum 3204 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, United States Head west on W Magnolia Blvd toward N California St 1.2 mi Turn left onto Cahuenga Blvd 0.5 mi Turn right onto Camarillo St 0.5 mi Turn left onto Vineland Ave 0.2 mi Turn right onto Hortense St 69 ft Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Vineland Pl Destination will be on the left 0.2 mi FemCare Health & Beauty-Burbank 4789 Vineland Ave Ste. 101, Toluca Lake, CA 91602, United States

[love-menzone]

Whether Laser Hair Removal Will Be Faster Than The Traditional Method 

Improving your fashion is not only to make yourself stunt in the group, it even for the self confide. In the fashion industry, many new trading hairstyles are developing, so develop your styles as that new arrival of hairstyles will be help full. Today, many methods of hair cut process are implemented, from the traditional base to laser. To get your hair cut at a fast rate laser will be the best option. With the help of the best laser hair removal in Mississauga, the individual can ring the perfect cut and shape, in addition, to the hair density of the styles faster. 

The top feature you can get from the leading salon services. 

Most customers will prefer to get haircuts a week, and at the weekend, the services will engage many customers. You need to stay at the link long to get your benefits. To avoid the line as you can go head for the pre-booking process. With the help of it, you can get the first services, so are you going to apply for your appointment and then link to the MenZone.ca it’s a one of the top 10 barbershop in Ontario. You can check the page to pre-book the services online. In addition, you have the feature to cancel the services before the 24 houses. So it will profit the customer to cancel their services at the peak. 

What is unique about the leading salon services? 

The best barber shop in Oakville is not only to cut you are hair; in addition, they will be helping their customer who is facing hair fall or other hair damage issues. To support these kinds of customer, the leading salon service offer not only tips even product. So you can bet the best natural hair solution products from the services are reasonable. They are tips or suggesting products that will help you sort the issues.  

For best barber shop in Oakville, Mississauga Canada to get best laser hair removal in Mississauga, Oakville Canada you need to visit the Men Zone Barbershop they have best barbers in town and as a recommendation we also suggest you for best barbers to get best mens haircut in men’s salon and spa, and also experience the best hair fades, beard services, manicure and pedicure services in worlds best barbershop in world in Oakville and Mississauga, Canada.

For more information about barber shop, Barber shop Near Me, beard Services, Best Barber Shop, best barber shop in Canada, Best Barber Shop In Mississauga, best barber shop in Oakville, best beard Services, Best Beard Services in Mississauga, best hair cutting salon in Mississauga, best hair cutting salon in Oakville, Best Hair Salon, Best Laser Hair Removal In Mississauga, best laser hair removal in Oakville, Best Salon, Best Salon Canada, Best Salon In Mississauga, Best Salon in Oakville, Facial Services, Facial Services For Men In Mississauga, facial services for men in Oakville, manicure and pedicure services, men's hair stylist, Men's Hair Stylist In Mississauga, Men's Salon and Spa, Mens Hair Salon, mens haircut Salon, Salon and Spa, Barber Shop Oakville, BarberShop Oakville, Fades Barbershop, Best hair Fades, best barbers, best barbers in town, hair cutting salon, laser hair removal services, facial services for men, worlds best barbershop in world, Top 10 Barbershop, Top 10 barbershop in Mississauga, Top 10 barbershop in Oakville, Top 10 barbershop in Ontario, Top 10 barbershop in GTA, Top 10 barbershop in Canada, Top 10 barbershop in World, please visit the - Menzone.

Reference taken from here.

Barber Shop – Oakville | Top 10 Barbershop in Canada | Best Barbershop in Oakville

Locations:-

MISSISSAUGA – EGLINTON – MAP LOCATION & STREET VIEW – Men Zone Barbershop

OAKVILLE – OAK PARK – MAP LOCATION & STREET VIEW – Men Zone Barbershop

OAKVILLE – HYDE PARK – MAP LOCATION & STREET VIEW – Men Zone Barbershop

Barber Shop – Mississauga | Top 10 Barbershop in World | Best Barbershop in Mississauga

[beachbreezeweddings01]

Costa Rica Yoga Retreats & Beach Breeze Weddings

Costa Rica Yoga Retreats & Beach Breeze Weddings

There’s something alluring about a beach wedding. Not only is the setting beautiful, but it’s a bit different from traditional weddings that take place indoors or in other elaborate outdoor settings.

Getting married on the beach will require you to have a permit and follow specific ordinances. Find out which hotels, bed and breakfast inns or short-term condo rentals can help you plan your beach wedding.

Ocean Breeze Nosara

When it comes to Costa Rica yoga retreats, few places are as renowned as Nosara. Located on the Nicoya Peninsula, between Samara and Tamarindo’s beaches, Nosara attracts wellness travelers, surfers and those looking for tranquility, balance and introspection.

The town’s quaint streets and boutique hotels are a welcome departure from the hustle and bustle of more developed beach towns, such as Tamarindo and Playa Conchal. Nosara’s pristine beaches, wildlife and low-key vibe have captivated the independent traveler for decades.

Nestled into a jungle hillside overlooking Playa Guiones, Casa Oolibka is the ideal spot for your next Nosara retreat. It is designed with open air living spaces, a yoga shala and climbing wall. You can enjoy a private pool, workout in the state-of-the-art fitness gym or take advantage of the beautiful ocean views. During your stay you will also have access to local amenities like restaurants, shops and spas. Guests can easily arrange for taxis to get around.

Tropical Breeze Resort

This beach hotel offers the best of both worlds – vacation rental comfort with hotel amenities. The resort is steps from the ranked #1 beach in the US and the lively Siesta Key Village with rows of restaurants, bars, and shops. Guests enjoy resort suites from 1 - 3 bedrooms with full kitchens, free bike rentals, beach chair rentals, resort pools and spa, a large tiki hut by the beach, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi, parking, and so much more.

This hotel's quaint rooms feature refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, and pillowtop beds with premium bedding. The bathrooms offer showers, free toiletries, and hair dryers. Guests can also relax on the sundecks around the three outdoor pools, which are skirted by lush greenery. One pool features a rock waterfall feature and a tiki hut. A continental breakfast is available, as well as barbecue grills and free beach towels and chairs.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota Opera, and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens are within a 15-minute drive of this property. Guests can also visit South Lido Park and Ringling Museum of Art.

Horizon Beach Services

The Horizon Beach Services is a family-owned business offering an array of furniture, accessories, and event rentals for weddings. The company was founded in 2010 and serves clients in Pensacola, Florida. Its extensive inventory includes tables, chairs, and altars/arches. It also offers lighting, floral arrangements, and photography services.

The hotel has 64 spacious, traditionally decorated family rooms with balconies overlooking gardens, pools, and sea views, mini-fridges, and sitting areas with sofa beds. Rooms feature flat-screen TVs and bathrooms with shower/tub combinations. Guests can dine at two casual family restaurants and enjoy international fare at the 750-seat main restaurant.

This upscale home is located in the gated Hibiscus community and features a chef quality kitchen and iconic curved wrap around decks with amazing views of the gulf and neighborhood boardwalk. The 2nd floor seating area, or observation room, is perfect for watching the spectacular LBI sunsets. Direct beach access via a neighborhood boardwalk is just steps away from this beautiful property.

Beach Breeze Weddings

Beach Breeze Weddings is a unique catering venue that offers affordable elegance directly on the beach! Located at Naval Station Mayport, the venue is an excellent location for wedding ceremonies and receptions, retirement celebrations, change of command events, and other special occasions.

Whether you're looking for an elegant sunset ceremony or something more classic, they have a package to fit your needs. Their "Nature's Breeze" wedding package includes a white birch wood arbor adorned with stunning silk floral arrangements and a draped white organza fabric. The aisle is lined with matching French flower buckets on shepherd's hooks.

Then you can enjoy your reception on the shores of Crescent Lake with a beautiful gazebo and plenty of photo opportunities along the wood-planked promenade. After your event, you'll receive a link to download all of the pictures, as well as a flash drive that contains high-resolution photos for print and digital use. You can also get a copyright release for $25 extra.

We focus on only one wedding per day.......Yours!!

Our Team works together regularly and wants nothing more than to ensure that you have the wedding of your dreams. 

Our destination wedding packages deliver personalized and dependable high quality styling with a pay-one-price approach.  With additional $$$ options of course 

Our niche is the underserved Destination Wedding of under 100 guests using our public beaches and one-of-a-kind reception locations.  No need for resort fees and management at exorbitant costs we self-manage and do things right...always!!!.

Our most familiar locations are in; Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, University Park FL, Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Lido Beach , Casey Key and Siesta Key, Venice, Bradenton, Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island, and Turtle Beach on Siesta Key.

Our simple goal; 

Your total satisfaction with your event and our services delivered!  

As a one-stop-shop,  we offer; 

Wedding ceremonies and Reception decor packages complete with everything you'd ever need including lighting and centerpieces.  

We also have bands, photography, DJ's , musicians, photo-booths, videographers, bartenders, catering, location suggestions and a variety of additional creative services.  

Beach Breeze Weddings

Address : Sarasota

Phone : +19414005504

Website :https://beachbreezeweddings.com/

[spaspace]

Medical Spa Procedures Philadelphia

Investing in with Abington Medi Spa is a chance to offer efficient minimally invasive non-surgical pores and skin and body care options to your existing patients or group at large. At Abington Medi Spa, we imagine that beauty starts from beneath the floor med spa philadelphia, and our mission is to uncover the underlying beauty ready to emerge from behind each face. Tucked away on a comfy Old City Philadelphia facet street, Abington Medi Spa, welcomes each client with heat and acceptance setting the stage for a skin care awakening.

Lydia a worker at Abington Medi Spa spent about 30 min of her time explaining me pre and publish care of my service and created for me a step by step treatment plan. She was sweet, attentive and knowledgeable lady and I am wanting forward for my future appointment. I posted my picture simply after the process.

We pledge to at all times provide one of the best experience with clinical excellence and a dedication to a long-lasting relationship. We’re here to help, with numerous patient assets designed to make your experience med spa philadelphia as comfortable as attainable. Read by way of the materials beneath, and don’t hesitate to reach out and arrange your consultation to study extra about what we will do for you.

This high-tech designed full-service hair studio, nail salon and day spa flawlessly built-in into our medical spa center. Our spa presents the newest in non-invasive skincare procedures in our private boutique setting in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. The tranquility room is gorgeous and serene and it was a pleasure to attend there till my facial began. Loved the situation in Wayne, and many parking. Online appointments make it really easy to schedule.

I all the time have a beautiful experience after I come here. My lip injection was superb it was my first time the doctor was very nice and pleasant and explained the process step-by-step and I love my end result thanks med spa philadelphia to Abington Medi Spa.

[sexykerlon]

Contour day spa plantation florida

Safety cleanliness Safety guidelines are provided by Contour Day Spa and were last updated on 11420. DESUAR is a private day spa incorporating a philosophy that is fundamental to the human experience the quest for a balanced lifestyle.Īd Pamper Yourself With Med Spa Services From LAs Top Treatment Provider. M Day Spa provides an exceptional spa experience to all its clients. Take a break from your long work week and enjoy a relaxing and nurturing facial at this spa. 455 Southwest 78th Avenue Plantation FL 33324. At Contour Day Spa in Fort Lauderdale, FL you can pamper yourself with a wide array of day spa services. The club NEVER communicated with its clients to keep up abreast of what is going on. for 1 month for sorely needed renovations.It is January and still not open. From the moment you arrive our.Įscape into total tranquility an discover serenity aahhh. The Plantation location was closed last Oct. Contour Day Spa This business is in a different timezone. Headquarters: 455 SW 78th Ave, Plantation, Florida, 33324, United States Phone Number: (954) 472-7733 Website: Revenue: 9 Million. Free Parking Upfront Pricing.Ĭontouring post-op cosmetic care wood therapy shape wear sauna yoni steam infrared therapy nurse owned and operated. Our services include facials Beverly Hills Spa natural face lifts massage therapy and many more. Balancing mind and body creates a new state of. Failure to do so may result in the voiding of your gift certificate if applicable or a charge to your credit card. Pin By Lori Bailey On Contour Day Spa Home Decor Home FurnitureĬontours Day Spa requires a 24 hour cancellation by phone for all appointments. With two revolutionary procedures - CoolSculpting the worlds leading noninvasive fat reduction treatment and. These staff members leave no limb unattendedtheir extensive menu of salon and spa services includes anti-aging facials, mani-pedis, and even doctor-supervised. Using the box provided below, you are encouraged to write your feedback on HomeGoods, and rate the furniture store using the star rating system.The Contour Day Spa helps clients feel more comfortable in their skin. Contour Day Spa employs a team of more than 80 technicians, including hairstylists, massage therapists, and aestheticians, many with 10 or more years of experience in their field. If you find mistakes in the location details or hours for HomeGoods in Plantation, FL, please let us know by making use of the report a problem form. We offer services from hair, nails, body treatments, massages. Help our site keep the information as accurate as possible. Contour Day Spa is an exclusive spa located by the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation, FL. Please peruse the wide range of excellent stores in The Fountains. To get detailed information about seasonal hours of business for HomeGoods Plantation, FL, go to the official site or phone the customer care line at 9544760505. In 2022 it covers Xmas Day, Boxing Day, Easter Sunday or Labor Day. national holidays the business times for HomeGoods in Plantation, FL may shift from established times proclaimed above. The total number of HomeGoods locations currently open in Plantation, Florida is 1.Ĭlick on the following page for the entire index of all HomeGoods stores near Plantation. HomeGoods Locations Nearby Plantation, FL In the vicinity you may visit Davie Golf and Country Club, Westfield Broward Mall, Westside Regional Medical Center, Pine Island Ridge Natural Area, Residence Inn, Pine Island Park, Contour Day Spa, Market on University and Jacararanda Golf Course. Sign up for our newsletter CoolSculpting is an innovative way to contour your body by freezing. If using GPS navigation devices, enter 801 South University Drive, Plantation, FL 33324. Contour Day Spa is situated nearby to Hampton Inn Ft Lauderdale-Plantation. Just a 1 minute drive from Southwest 5th Street, Exit 4 (Port Everglades Expressway) of I-595, Southwest 78th Avenue and Southwest 75th Terrace a 3 minute drive from Port Everglades Expressway (I-595), Peters Road and South Pine Island Road or a 12 minute drive time from Fl-84 and Broward Boulevard (Fl-842). Time For You Wellness & Esthetic Center is a Spa located at 201 N University Dr Suite 113, Plantation, Florida 33324, US. Contour Day Spa is a recreation area in Florida located on Southwest 78th Avenue. When Rabbi Mendy and Chanie Posner arrived in the upscale city of Plantation, Florida, nearly ten years ago, to what Chanie describes as a spiritual desert, a. Visit HomeGoods right near the intersection of South University Drive and Fl 84, in Plantation, Florida, at The Fountains. Getting Here - South University Drive, Plantation

[wellbafineline]

a very styles christmas

a/n Im aware this is the most cheesy title that i could’ve picked for this fic but pls forgive me this is the only thing i could think of 

I don’t really have much to say about this one but I want to wish a happy holidays and a merry christmas to everyone who celebrates - hope you enjoy this fiancé  harry one shot 

word count: 2.4k - ish

It felt as if you and Harry had only just gotten home when you started to pull the luggage out of the hallway cupboard again, you're not exactly excited to start packing for another trip, you always complained to Harry when you were trudging around your shared room that it was the worst part of any trip, to which he always chuckles and calls you dramatic but your point still stands in your eyes. 

You placed the two suitcases neatly next to each other at the foot of your and Harry’s shared bed, deciding to wait for him to get home before tackling that challenge of what to pack for the two weeks that you both were spending up north in Cheshire at his mums for Christmas. 

Just as you sat on the bed, reaching to check your phone Harry trudged back into your shared room still wrapped up in his coat and hat having just been loading the car in the cold London winter with the various gifts for family you needed to bring with you, the last of what needed to be loaded into the car staring back at you from the foot of the bed. 

‘No gonna pack themselves are they?’ Harry sighed, shrugging off his coat and throwing it on the chair that you so fondly had named the ‘chaos chair’ which usually housed a pile of washing that neither of you ever really put away just taking items of clothing till it reappeared after the next laundry cycle.

‘Wish they would, hate this bit, never know what to pack to take to your mums.’ Harry had now started to move around the room picking up some jumpers and sweatpants to put into his case. 

‘’M only bringing comfy stuff, if this weather keeps up doubt we’ll make it much further than the pub round the corner from mums’ He nodded towards your bedroom window where in true English Christmas weather the rain was bucketing down and wasn't looking like it was giving up any time soon. 

‘Now come on,’ he twists the t-shirt he was holding trying to swat at your bum where you were now standing by the window ‘want to make a move soon, hopefully get there before mum and Gem have broken into the Christmas wine supply, so we need to get a move on.’ 

•··°　• ·*　　·　·　★　.　✦　　　*　*　　.　 

It was about an hour and a half in your three hour drive from London to cheshire. You and Harry had just finished loading up his range rover with all of the presents and luggage that you two would need for two weeks up north in time that you could get the worst parts of the drive over with without there being too much of a traffic jam. 

‘Love,’ Harry shakes your shoulder lightly as he pulls the car to a halt into the car park, ‘dozed off on me there been out for about the last half an hour’

‘Mmm, no, was jus’ resting my eyes promise, want me to run in get some bits’ nodding your head towards the service station in front of you. You and Harry had driven up to his mums more times than you could count in the three years that you’d been together, always taking the same route, Harry insisting that it was the quickest but you joked that it was the only way that he could take where he wouldn’t get lost on the winding country roads. But either way you had become quite fond of the small service station that was just outside of Birmingham on the M6.

‘Yeah, can just get us a coffee please.’ He asks leaning over to put a kiss on your cheek before you grabbed your bag and made your way out of the car, pulling your coat tight around you, the weather having not gotten much better since the two of you left London earlier in the day. 

Although the service was pretty quiet with only two or three people lined up at the Costa Coffee and a woman browsing the WHSmith in the corner, you knew that it was Harry’s time off, so you always volunteered to go for the two of you. Not that he didn't love meeting people but driving up to his mums for christmas seemed like something he prefers to keep private, especially with you news, the two of you didnt want it plastered across social media before you had the chance to tell those closest to you.

Having gotten everything you think you’ll need for the remainder of your drive, just waiting for the barista to call your name to collect the coffee that you feel as though you desperately need now, even if you insist you weren’t asleep, as you wait you twist the new ring on your left hand, a habit that you picked up relatively quickly after getting the piece of jewellery.

It hadn’t been a flashy proposal, no room full of a thousand candles, no plane flying over head asking the big question, it was just you and Harry in your home, if he was being honest it wasn't even planned, Harry saw you making tea for the both of you after returning from a day of interviews and couldn’t describe anything that he was feeling except he felt calm and he knew he wanted to feel like that, with you, forever. And so the ring that had been burning a hole in his handbag now resided on your ring finger and had for the past week unbeknownst to any of his family members. You had caved and face-timed your mum that night but Harry had insisted on surprising his mum with her future daughter-in-law for Christmas, telling you ‘you’ll be the best present she could've asked for this year. You’ll well beat the spa weekend Gem’s got her.’

Your name being called pulled you from your reminiscent day dream as you collected your two coffees and made your way back to Harry waiting in the car.

‘Mum said Gem hasn’t even left yet so we’ve got loads of time, think we’ll be the first ones there.’ He tells you as you pass him his coffee and get settled back into the car for the rest of the drive. 

•··°　• ·*　　·　·　★　.　✦　　　*　*　　.　 

Harry was right, you were the first ones there, a stark change from previous years where you two were pulling into Anne’s driveway when the only lights on the street were the occasional decorative light and Anne's living room where she was waiting up for you two. But this year you were the only car in the drive as Harry pulled off the main road to pull into the space next to his mum’s car. 

As soon as she heard your car, Anne was swinging the front door open to welcome you, no doubt she’d been up all day preparing for you and the others to arrive, her favourite time of year being when she gets all her babies under the same roof again. 

 Harry parked the car, and you were quick to jump out going to help unload the ridiculous amount of stuff that you’d brought with you for the two weeks you were staying up north. You took the two suitcases wobbling slightly as you hauled them into the entry way as Anne helped Harry with the bags of presents.

 As they made their way toward you into the house Anne drops her bag of presents at the door pulling you into a tight hug. 

‘You two can’t stay away for so long next time, even if you have to drag my son up here by his hair.’ she told you pulling away from the tight embrace. 

‘Right you two go get settled upstairs, all the rooms are set up, and I'll sort these out by the tree’ She says motioning to the bags of presents that had been abandoned on the floor during your reunion embrace.  

•··°　• ·*　　·　·　★　.　✦　　　*　*　　.　 

Anne had moved since Harry was a child, but she had made sure that both her kids still had their own rooms no matter how old they were or how long they’d been out of the house. Harrys being in the corner of the second floor of the house, looking out into the garden which in typical english fashion was sort of frozen over from rain and frost and sort of coated in snow. The walls of Harry’s room were a dark navy blue with the bed pushed to the window where Harry had already laid himself across.

‘Get up lazy bones.’ You teased throwing a sweatshirt from the case open in front of you at him. 

‘M up ‘m up, promise.’ he groaned sitting up on the bed looking at you now. ‘Have we decided how we’re gonna tell her yet.’ He asks referencing the rock on your left hand. 

‘Thought that was your thing to plan, haven't done your homework Styles’ you teased ‘Guess i thought i’d take my chances, Styles.’ He threw back at you ‘’sides she's gonna flip anyway we tell her, been on me for months to do it.’

‘I’m not a Styles yet, not for another few months anyway.’ 

‘Good as one now, unless you're planning on running away at the altar on me? Are ya?’

‘Course not.’ You assure him. ‘Now come here, need to help unpack.’

‘No, you c’mere don't need to pack, need to lay down, at least till Gem gets here an’ then we can tell ‘em together’ His hands grabbing for you to join him on the bed where he's now positioned himself closest to the wall, perfect for you to slide in.

You cave, making your way over to him on the bed, placing his arm over your waist and keeping hold of his hand. Harry sighs into your hair from where his chin now rests on you head, you know you shouldn’t really be napping but when you start to hear Harry’s quiet snores you start to close your eyes too. 

•··°　• ·*　　·　·　★　.　✦　　　*　*　　.　 

You’re both awoken to the sound of who you presume is Gemma pulling into the driveway and talking to Anne in the entryway as you and Harry had hours before. Harry is the first to move, prompting you to sit up too, both of you taking a moment to rub your eyes but eventually silently moving to go downstairs to greet the rest of the family. 

Gemma and Anne were both sat at the kitchen table having a cup of tea when you and Harry joined them. 

‘There you are! Both of you were dead to the world when I went up before to check how the unpacking was going’ Anne laughed as Harry gave his sister a hug and went to sit next to Anne and you sat next to Gemma. Anne getting up to get you both a drink, knowing that Harry wouldn’t drink his but getting him one anyway, too while you caught up with Gemma. 

So far no one had noticed the ring on your finger, when Anne returns to the table with your two mugs and a plate of Christmas themed biscuits, you place your elbow on the table and lean your head onto your left hand, now this catches Anne’s attention almost shouting ‘Is this what I think it is’ as she grabs your hand to have a closer look. 

You and Harry don't really have the words so just nod while both grinning and Anne and Gemma, still both squealing over the ring and repeating congratulations as you hold your hand out to show them both a closer look at the ring. 

You sat back in your seat as Gemma turned to Harry finally pressing him for details of how he popped the question as you know he’ll talk about it for hours if given the chance, so you let him repeat the story this time just smiling and occasionally adding your perspective to it.

[cutie1365]

A Kid from Queens Part 20

Pairing: Peter Parker x Stark!Reader

Info: CA: Civil War Era. Tony Stark enlists his daughter to find the web slinging spider in Queens.

Word count: 2.6k

Warnings: Language

A/N: For my sweet, sweet anon- Happy Birthday my love! This is for you, as you wish.

Any and all feedback is much appreciated!

Masterlist linked in my bio. Taglist in the reblog.

- - - - - 🕷 - - - - -

With the gala a little more than a week away, you began to make your preparations. You’d already gotten your dress and had it fitted with your tailor. That left Peter. It wouldn’t be a stretch for you to assume that he’d never been to a gala before. Meaning most likely, he also didn’t have a suit. Or one that wasn’t a hand-me-down.

Of course, you’d already picked out the perfect Tom Ford black suit for him. You were the one that invited him and wanted him to come, the least you could do is get him a nice suit that he can wear for years to come. For that to happen, it would have to be tailored to perfection, and luckily you knew just the place.

Yes, you already had all of his measurements from his Spider-Man suit so you could just give them that, but where’s the fun in that? Everyone deserves a private audience with the best tailor in New York at least once in their life. The thrill of almost being impaled with tiny pins is completely worth the reward of having something made so perfectly for you. To have an item that no other person owns, and only fits you. Your body gets to be the canvas that the garment is painted on.

You’d already made the appointment when you texted Peter.

Are you free after school today?

Nearly an hour later, in what you suspected was a passing period, you got a reply.

Yeah, why?

You smirked as you typed your response, you wanted this to be a surprise.

You’ll see ;)

Peter shook his head with a smile at your cryptic message, if he knew one thing, it was to always expect the unexpected from a Stark.

As the final bell rang, he leisurely made his way from his locker out to the entrance of the school. He walked absentmindedly, hands in his pockets before he looked up and his eyes grew wide.

On the street in front of the school, you were leaning against your convertible. Sunglasses on, arms crossed as Flash stood before you. Your body language was a clear indication that you weren’t amused with Flash’s feeble attempts to flirt with you.

As you looked up and your eyes met with Peter's, a smile spread across your face as you wiggled your fingers in a wave. Flash whipped around to see what, or rather who, had drawn your attention.

“Penis Parker, your ride’s here.” Flash teased as Peter approached the car. You slowly lifted your sunglasses to the top of your head.

“You know Flash,” You took a long breath, drawing out your words, “For a straight guy, you really love to talk about Peter’s dick.”

Laughter erupted around you from the small crowd of Flash’s cronies that had gathered to watch him shoot his shot with a Stark. You lowered your sunglasses as you held your smirk, Flash’s face turned beet red and he stormed off with a huff.

“I think that was the greatest thing I’ve ever witnessed.” Peter beamed, a giddy smile on his face. You walked around the hood of the car and hopped back into the driver seat.

“I was just stating a fact,” You chuckled, “Hop in.”

Peter did as instructed, closing the door behind him. You kicked the car into drive and sped off.

“Did Flash ask why you were here?” Peter asked curiously, and you nodded in response.

“I told him Tony Stark needs Peter’s help on a project for his internship and asked me to pick him up right away,” You smirked, “That shut him up.”

Peter chuckled, imagining the look on Flash’s face when he realized that Peter wasn’t making any of this Stark Internship stuff up, and that Tony Stark actually knew who he was.

“So where are we really headed? Your text was very mysterious.” He smiled, you turned to face him once you’d reached the stop light.

You lifted your glasses and smiled at him, your eyes meeting. You couldn’t believe the two of you were here like this. A month ago you weren’t even speaking, and as much as that broke your heart it was worth it. The hiding and sneaking around was worth it to be here now with him, driving around New York with the top down, not caring who saw you.  

You reached to take his hand, giving it a squeeze. Peter leaned closer to you and you met him halfway, your lips meeting for a moment in a chaste kiss.

A honk from the car behind you forced you apart as the light turned green.

“Let’s get a move on!” The driver yelled.

“We’re having a moment here!” You yelled back, earning a middle finger in response as you took your foot off the break.

“I love this fucking city,” You laughed, and Peter joined in.

“Are you gonna answer my question or am I supposed to guess?” Peter smirked, his hand still in yours.

“Queens.” You answer, glancing at Peter and seeing him raise a brow, “We’re going to a gala, and you need a suit. We’re going to my tailor.”

“So does that mean I get to see your dress?” He wiggles his brows, causing you to laugh.

“No, it’s a surprise.” You shook your head, using the heel of your hand to turn the steering wheel, taking you onto the Queensboro bridge. The first place you’d met Peter. If your father hadn’t enlisted you to find the webslinger, you would have never met him. Or maybe you would have. Maybe you were destined to meet and no matter what path you followed it would always lead to him.

“Where is this gala again?” Peter asked after a moment, he had been glancing out the car at the bridge. You wondered if he was also thinking about your chance encounter.

“Inside Belvedere Castle in Central Park.” You answer, it had recently reopened but you’ve never been to an event inside. It normally housed exhibits or small private parties. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited, and a little nervous. You didn’t want anything to go wrong, you needed a good night, especially considering what had happened last time. You knew you’d be safe with Peter by your side, but you just wanted one smooth night with no heroes required.

“Cool,” Peter nodded, having never been there himself. How he got wrapped up in a life of billionaires and crime fighting, he’d never know.

“So I figured we could get some food after the fitting? And maybe bring May some, because we need to do some schmoozing.” You said, causing Peter to raise a brow.

“Why?” He asked, curiously.

“Soo... they always book rooms in a hotel near the venue for after the gala. They collect the most donations at the bar of the afterparty and this year they picked The Plaza. They gave me a room, so I thought we could stay there, order room service, kinda have a mini vacation.” You explained, hoping this wouldn’t be too much. A gala is one thing, but spending the night in a big fancy hotel is another.

“That sounds amazing!” Peter beamed.

“But,” You said, drawing out the word, “I don’t want May to kill me, so we kinda need her blessing.”

“Yeah that’s a good idea. I don't think she’ll mind.” He said casually.

“I’m prepared with more shoes if she says no,” You laughed, but you weren’t kidding.

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” Peter chuckled, shaking his head.

“I don’t know... If my son asked to spend a night in a fancy hotel with his girlfriend I’d be a little hesitant.” You shrugged.

That was the first time Peter had heard you refer to yourself as his girlfriend, and that was the first time you’d said it outloud. You liked the way it sounded, you could get used to that.

- - - - - 🕷 - - - - -

After a fitting full of laughter and you shamelessly checking out Peter’s ass, the two of you were sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner and chatting.

“Hey guys,” May says as she walks in the door, “Oo that smells good.”

“We got you some.” You smile, pointing back to the box on the counter.

“Aw, you guys.” She smiled as she made her way to the kitchen, ruffling Peter’s hair on the way.

“How was work?” Peter asked Aunt May while he tried to flatten his hair.

“Good, good. What are you kids up to?” She asked, taking a bite.

“We were just talking about that charity gala I told you about.” Peter said.

“Oh right, the childhood cancer one.” She nodded, chewing.

“Yeah, so Y/N was just telling me that they gave us a room in the Plaza for that night, but we wanted to make sure that was ok with you first.” He said, and this was the moment of truth.

“I don’t know Peter, let me think about it.” May said, just as you’d suspected.

Peter looked at you, worry evident in his eyes, he wasn’t expecting her to say that. You shook your head in a “don’t worry, I got this, follow my lead” kinda way.

You picked up your phone, and stared at it for a moment, forming your plan.

“Oh shoot,” You muttered, pretending to read and scroll through something on your phone.

“What is it?” Peter asked, looking over your shoulder, seeing the screen was black as you continued to tap on it.

“I forgot I had booked a salon and spa appointment for tomorrow but I have a meeting with the Robotics Board upstate,” You explained, turning and speaking directly to Peter.

“Can you get it moved?” He asked, playing along.

“No, it’s nonrefundable,” You shook your head, and went back to swiping on the blank screen before pretending like a brilliant idea just popped in your head, “Aunt May, why don’t you go?”

“Me?” She asked, surprised.

“I mean, it will just go to waste otherwise and I can’t make it. We’re starting trials on new nano-tech prototypes so it’s probably going to take all day.” You explained. If this whole engineering and CEO thing didn’t work out, you might have to go into acting, because you were killing this.

“Well... I guess if it’s gonna go to waste. I haven’t been to the spa in forever.” May smiled. Hook, line, sinker.

“Perfect, problem solved!” You smiled, and quickly changed the subject back to Peter’s day at school to not seem too suspicious.

Now we wait.

- - - - - 🕷 - - - - -

The three of you talked for hours, about life, about school, about work. It felt good, normal even. Like this was something you could get used to. Peter and his Aunt accepted you so quickly into their world and their lives. You felt like you’ve been doing this for years, like you’ve known each other for years. They didn’t treat you like the daughter of a billionaire, they just treated you like Y/N.

Before you knew it, it was late and about time for you to head home. When you were with Peter time seemed to fly by. You were gathering your things when May spoke up.

“When’s this gala again?” She asked Peter, and you knew your plan was coming to fruition.

“Friday.” He answered.

“The Plaza you said?” She asked, and the two of you nodded in response.

She sighed, knowing you’d both be safe there and it was close to the venue.

“Ok.” She nodded and both of your faces lit up. It worked!

“But no alcohol.” She pointed at both of you with a stern face.

“No alcohol.” You and Peter repeated in unison, nodding along. That wouldn’t be a problem, you’d learned your lesson from last time you were drunk around Peter.

“No drugs.” She maintained her protective stare.

“No drugs.” You both nodded.

So far the bar was pretty low. If it were your father he’d be saying ‘No hacking government agencies, no lazers, and don’t do anything I would do’ which really took a lot off the list.

“And use protection.” May said finally, your eyes going wide. Peter dropped his head into his hands.

“May....” He groaned in embarrassment. You hoped your cheeks weren’t betraying you and turning a bright red. You never expected that to come out of May’s mouth.

“I’m just saying. You’re both adults, I just want you to be careful.” She answered, and you smiled and nodded awkwardly.

“I’ll um, I’ll walk you out.” Peter pointed to the door, and you followed him.

Peter was silent on the trip from the apartment to the elevator.

“Told you we’d need the spa day,” You smirked, trying to cheer him up. He still looked mortified by May’s comment.

“You know, my father would have said something much worse, so you shouldn’t be embarrassed.” You tried, comfortingly grabbing onto his arm.

“I know, I just... I don’t want you to think that’s the only reason I want to go. Especially after what Thomas said-” Peter began to ramble, but you cut him off.

“Hey, hey. I know you Peter. I know you’re not like that. I don’t want you to worry about that. We’re in no rush. It’ll happen when the time is right.” You said, still surprised that clearly what Thomas had said was weighing on him so heavily. You knew he’d said it just to get under Peter’s skin, but you couldn’t let him win.

“Ok.” He nodded, seeming to be convinced by your words as the two of you stepped off the elevator onto the first floor.

“Now we can have a relaxing night out where you don’t have to lie about where you’re going.” You smiled, trying to lighten the mood as you were approaching the door.

“Yeah you’re right, I’m sorry.” Peter shook his head for even bringing up Thomas. You grabbed his arm once more, stopping him from opening the door. He turned back to you, and furrowed his brows slighting in anticipation.

“There’s no need to apologize for caring, Peter. It’s sweet.” You assured him, and he smiled. He bent down to kiss you before leading you out to your car.

“Text me when you get home safe.” Peter instructed as he opened your car door for you, a true gentleman.

“I will, I’ll see you Friday. I actually do have a meeting for the Robotics Board tomorrow. Now I have to go book May a salon and spa appointment. Maybe I’ll throw in a manicure for good measure.” You rambled as you got into the car and started the engine, lowering the window as Peter closed the door.

“You’re gonna spoil her.” He teased, leaning into the open window.

“Who else am I going to spoil? Unless you want some Jimmy Choos and a mani pedi?” You teased back, making Peter chuckle.

“Drive safe.” He kissed you once more before backing up back onto the sidewalk.

“Bye.” You smiled with a wink before pulling out onto the street.

Once you had returned home and gotten into your pjs you raised your phone to take a selfie. Snapping the picture, you sent it to Peter to let him know you’d made it home safe.

Proof of life ;)

Almost immediately you saw the three flashing dots appear as Peter typed his reply.

Cute pjs, goodnight, don’t let the spiders bite.

You chuckled, shaking your head at your phone screen.

I don’t think that’s how the saying goes lol, stay safe on patrols tonight x

Pulling your blanket over yourself as you settled into bed, you heard your phone ding.

I always am ;)

You shook your head, that boy was going to be the death of you.

- - - - - 🕷 - - - - -

Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

[notmuchofatail]

Has your pet jumped into the mud again? Or perhaps it’s just time for that regular trim. In any case, Vinny’s Ruff to Fluff Grooming Etc. is here to provide your pet with quality grooming and care. Need to take a vacation? Ruff to Fluff Grooming Etc. will also provide a kennel for your pet to be provided the finest of care. 

Ruff to Fluff Grooming https://ruff-to-fluff.carrd.co/ 10 Main Street, Swynlake Establish March 10th(?), 2019.  Ownership Transferred to Gregory Eeyore July 29th, 2019

Hours: 

Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm Saturday: 12pm-5pm Sunday: CLOSED

Available Grooming Services:

Full package grooming of all breeds big or small! This includes but is not limited to; dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc. 

Bathing, brushing, hair trimming, etc. 

Nail trimming, filing, capping and/or painting. 

Teeth brushing and scraping for plaque removal. 

Shedless treatment. 

Gland Expression

Pet-Safe Dye Services

*Full grooming packages include a seasonal bandana for them! 

Animal Spa & Post-Disaster Pampering:

Ruff to Fluff offers a relaxing pet spa for when your pet needs a good pampering! We also provide post-disaster comforting and kenneling for animals with anxiety disorders or general post-disaster angst.

Kennel & Boarding

Ruff to Fluff offers luxury boarding for your pet while you're away! Comfortable and stylish kennels provide your pet with comfort during their stay, equipped with clean bedding, toys and privacy!

Pets will be provided with enrichment, exercise, and plenty of owner-approved treats during their stay! Mainstreet Park is right next door and a perfect place for outdoor time! If applicable, your pet will also have the option to join others in pet play dates throughout their stay*

Pets must be non-reactive and good with other animals in order to be eligible for play dates

NOTICE

All pets must be up to date on their vaccines in order to stay at Ruff to Fluff. A dated record must be provided before arrival. All allergies, medical conditions, and temperament must be disclosed before a pet's arrival as well. Please bring enough of your pet's favourite food, medication, and treats to last the duration of their stay. A house kibble will be provided in emergencies, however we prefer to keep a pet's diet as close as possible to normal. Switching diets can cause tummy issues and more anxiety. Medications must be LABELED with names, dates, instructions and more.

Adoptable Pets

In memory of Vinny Santorini, the owner & founder of Ruff to Fluff, we decided to bring in adoptable dogs & cats from the NTO shelter for another chance to find their fur-ever homes! These adoptable pets are sponsored, meaning adoption is FREE with an approved adopter's application. Say hello to our current adoptable pets here!

Fill out an Adopter's Application to get approved for adoption here!

Adoption Application

Pet supplies: 

Custom Bandanas, Collars, Leashes, etc.

Small animal hide-aways, hamocks, and corner covers.

Homemade Dog, Cat, and small animal treats

Special Birthday Treats

Toys, pet-safe dyes, and general supplies

Headcanons/Aesthetic listed in the Ruff to Fluff Server: 

Lena’s OG floorplan:

The reception is a small corner desk at the front and the 'pet shop' stuff they sell is on the wall/on a display between it and the couch. This top picture is a good idea of what I imagine it looks like (minus the door behind the desk) and maybe a lil.. less fancy. The grooming room is a mix between these fancy tubs and normal grooming tables (2 and 2). So there's a place for full grooming with baths, and just a place for nail trims or what have you. The rehabilitation center is the biggest change since Vinny's ownership. Greg spent a lot of time trying to revamp it a bit to make it a very cozy area for animals and where adoptable animals stay (max like... 5 at a time, usually overflow from the NTO shelter), where animals stay when owners are on vacation or where animals needing a get-away after disaster or rehabilitation stay. The kennels are roomy and cozy and Greg makes sure to keep them stocked with blankets/beds/toys that he washes and disinfects every few days/between different occupants. There’s also access to an outdoor yard from here and a connection to Mainstreet Park. This room is basically a smol doggy day-care area now really. The kennels are floor to ceiling like in this picture but again... a lil less fancy. but general idea. 

There's a wall in the rehab center where Greg puts up pictures of all the animals  that have been adopted out with their owners to remember them & say thanks! There's more, but I'm only listing the in play characters/animals here, so - so far this wall consists of:

Tiny, previously known as Rusty - Adopted by Tito.

Frito, previously known as Amber - Adopted by Tony.

And don’t forget to say hi to the animals that tend to either stay at the shop or frequent it often! Clifford is the resident Betta fish hanging out in reception in front of the Rehab/Kennel room. You can also expect to see Tucker curled up in a bed behind the reception desk most days, or maybe even Evie (Greg’s rat) curled up in a smaller bed tucked safely atop the desk in a little nook. 

Random Headcanons: 

Greg removed the bell that used to be above the door because it would drive the dogs crazy whenever someone came in. There’s an electronic sensor now that either will vibrate Greg’s phone (or whoever’s working) in case they’re alone and no one’s at reception - or will sound off a much calmer alert noise within the grooming room. 

There’s one someone wrote about for a Wrimo where Ruff to Fluff’s building growled at people which I wanted to include but I can’t find the Wrimo it was in so I’ll update this when I sort through all of them and find it again. 

[notalwaysthevillian]

Hit Me Baby One More Time

Happy birthday, Maria! I know how much you love Dee, and Moceit, so I wrote you some! (Also some self-indulgence in there, but I can’t help it.)

Pairing: Romantic Moceit, Remile

Warnings: Deceit

“Pat, you’re going to love this place!” Emile said as he walked down the street with his roommate. “I know you’re not a coffee fan, but they have so many fun drinks. You can get a hot chocolate and get one syrup in it for free!”

“Oooh, do you think they’ll put marshmallows in it for me?”

“My partner will if you ask them.”

Patton let out a gasp. “ExCUSE me? Emile Picani, I did not hear about any partner!”

“It’s recent, I promise.” A pink blush started to form on Emile’s cheeks, and it had nothing to do with the chilly weather. “We met last week and really hit it off. I didn’t say anything because we haven’t exactly made it official? And we only went on one date.”

“When was this?” Patton scrunched up his face, immediately failing at pretending to be angry and giggling instead.

“When you went to Virgil’s.”

“Well, then I can’t wait to meet them.”

Emile gestured toward the coffee shop just ahead of them. “You’re about to.”

More than a little excited, since his love life was lacking, Patton ran ahead and pushed the door open.

Right into someone who’d been about to walk out. The door smacked them in the face, knocking them backwards onto the floor.

Patton’s hands flew to his mouth. “I am so sorry!”

“It’s not like my face can look worse.”

The stranger pushed themselves to a sitting position, letting Patton see their face for the first time. A birthmark ran along the left side of his face. His hair was long on one side, falling over the red skin as he sat up. The other side was shaved, showing off a few piercings in his ear.

“That is not true, I think you look handsome!”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Patton turned bright red. The stranger’s face reddened as well as he took in the compliment.

“Well, uh...thanks.”

“Oh! Let me…” Patton grabbed the stranger’s hands, helping him to his feet. Once they were upright, he gave a smile. “I’m Patton.”

“Declan. Nice to meet you.”

“Yo, lovebirds!” A barista called out, a smirk on their face. “You’re blocking the door!”

“Remy!” Emile swatted at the barista.

Dragging his eyes from his roommate to Declan. “Can I buy you a coffee or something? To make up for hitting you with a door?”

“I would love that, but I’m late for a meeting.” Declan gently took his hands back and grabbed his phone, holding it out. “But we could do dinner tonight?”

“Oh! Yes!” Patton grabbed the phone, plugging in his name and number, before texting himself a heart emoji. “Does six work for you?”

“Sure. Louie’s Pizza?”

“Works for me!”

Before Patton could head back over to Emile, Declan took his hand one more time, placing a kiss on the back. “I shall count the moments until we meet again.”

A squeak was all that made its way out of Patton’s throat before Declan was out the door.

“Someone has a date tonight.” The barista, Remy, sang as Patton walked up to the counter. “I’m Remy by the way. Emile told me a lot about you already.”

“Nice to meet you!”

Patton really did try to pay attention while he met his roommate’s partner, but his mind continued to wander back to Declan.

“I’d better get him back so he can get ready for his date.” Emile’s voice broke through Patton’s stupor. “Text me when you’re free?”

“Always and forever, babe.”

Emile waited until they were out of the cafe before he turned his smirk on Patton. “Someone is distracted.”

Blood rushed to Patton’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, I really was trying to pay attention!”

“Pat, it’s okay.” Emile nudged him gently with his shoulder. “After I met Remy I was up in the clouds for the rest of the day. I get it. Now, what do you say we do some facemasks?”

The afternoon passed quickly as the two of them had a mini spa session. When 5:30 rolled around, Emile was putting the finishing touches on Patton’s makeup, per his request.

“Are you sure you want to wear any of this?” Emile asked as he dabbed at Patton’s lips with a tissue to get some of the excess gloss. “You look great the way you are.”

“I know, but it’s a bit of a confidence booster.”

“Fair enough.” Emile took a step back, nodding at his handiwork. “Take a look.”

Patton swiveled on his stool, squealing when he saw his face in the mirror. His cheekbones were contoured ever so slightly, his lips had the barest hint of shine, and his cheeks had just a touch of pink. “It’s perfect!”

“Having sisters really is a gift.” Emile checked his watch, eyes widening. “Pat, you gotta go or you’ll be late!”

Grabbing his wallet, keys, and jacket, Patton waved as he ran out the door. It wasn’t too far to Louie’s pizza, so he’d planned to walk. At this point, it was a little more like a jog.

Once he reached the same block Louie’s was on, he slowed to a walk, hoping to calm his breathing.

“In a hurry?”

Patton jumped at the voice in his ear, his heart rate skyrocketing. He whirled around to see Declan standing behind him, a soft smile on his face. “What -”

“I saw you running from the parking lot.” He gestured to the area behind the restaurant. Patton turned a bright pink, opening his mouth to explain, but Declan continued. “You don’t have to be embarrassed about it. I think it’s cute actually. You really wanted to be on time. That’s...not something I’m used to.”

Frowning, Patton reached out and took Declan’s hand. “Hopefully it’s something you adjust to.”

He was happy to see that it was Declan’s turn to blush. Patton squeezed his hand and the two of them entered Louie’s. The host looked up at them, his customer service grin turning into a real one when he caught sight of their conjoined hands.

“Oh! A date?” He asked, grinning wider when he got shy nods from the two of them. “A first date from the looks of it. I’ll get you our best table.”

They followed the energetic man to a table near the back of the restaurant. It was just far enough away from the main chandeliers that it was cast in a dim glow.

“The perfect table for what I hope is a perfect date!” He said, handing them menus. “Oh, I just love love!”

Patton spotted a nametag on his shirt as he spun. “Thank you, Roman.”

“No problem.” He sent Patton a wink. “This is where my first date was, and so far our relationship has been smooth sailing. Your waiter will be up in a moment.”

Roman headed back up to the front, leaving the two to themselves.

“So, what kind of pizza do you like?” Declan asked, flipping through a menu.

“I really like Hawaiian, but all of my friends make a face when I tell them that.”

Declan glanced over at him, his eyes sparkling. “Hawaiian is my favorite.”

“I guess it was meant to be.” Patton suggested, feeling heat in his cheeks once more. It did make him feel better to see that he wasn’t the only one blushing.

Their date went as perfect as it could’ve. The waiter continued to refill their drinks, the pizza was the perfect temperature, and the restaurant remained fairly empty, leaving the two of them to their perfect little bubble.

Once they’d finished and split the leftovers, at Patton’s insistence, they headed outside. Declan shifted awkwardly outside the front of the restaurant, car keys in hand.

“If you want, I can give you a ride home. But only if you want me to. I know I’m still kind of a stranger -”

Patton placed a hand on Declan’s arm. “I’d love for you to drive me home.”

The drive was fairly short and before Patton knew it he was standing in front of his apartment door. “I had a great time.”

“Same.” Declan gently took Patton’s hands in his. “I’d be honored to call you my boyfriend, if you’d be so inclined.”

Words leaving him, Patton merely nodded.

Declan’s hand moved to cup his face. “Can I kiss you?”

“Please.”

Their lips met, fireworks going off in Patton’s brain. He couldn’t seem to get enough, moving closer and gripping Declan’s jacket.

It would be the first of many kisses they’d share together.

Patton was sure of it.

[singledarkshade]

Replaced

Summary: Rory Williams and Sara Lance find they've been replaced and their loved ones have no idea who they are. Through pure chance they run into one another and, as the enemy of my enemy is my friend, team up. They need to save the people they love and stop whoever has done this to them but first have to learn to trust one another and work together. Author’s Note: This was basically written for one exchange. Hope you enjoy.                                ********************************************* The rain had finally stopped, much to Rory’s relief, since he was only wearing a light jacket thanks to the Doctor bypassing August all together. It had been a fun few months running through time and space, but it was nice to get back to reality for a while.

Walking for the bus, since the Doctor dropped him off at the hospital and his car was at the house, Rory mused over what to get Amy for her birthday next week. He jumped when someone walked into him, not noticing the coin being slipped into his pocket.

“Watch it,” the man snapped before disappearing into the crowd.

Shaking his head Rory caught the bus, lost in thought which meant he almost missed his stop. Getting off the bus, Rory wandered the few blocks towards home hoping Amy had picked up something easy to cook otherwise it would be toast for dinner. As much as he loved her, Rory could not stomach her cooking. He’d seen a film once where one of the characters said they believed that ‘All Scottish cuisine is based on a dare’ and Rory sometimes felt Amy took that as a recommendation.

Reaching the house, Rory grimaced, remembering that he’d left his keys in the TARDIS. That was also the Doctor’s fault, he’d gone into a ramble about something Rory stopped listening to two sentences in, but it meant he got distracted and didn’t go back to the room.

Hoping Amy wasn’t upstairs listening to music, he hit the doorbell and waited.

The door opened and Amy appeared, frowning at him. She pressed her hand on his shoulder stopping him before he was able to walk inside.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Amy snapped, shoving him away.

Managing to steady himself and not fall backwards off the step, Rory said, “Coming into our house.”

Amy let out a snort of derision, “Wrong house. Go sleep it off, pal.”

Confused and worried he started, “Amy…”

“How do you know my name?” she snapped, before yelling, “Rory!!”

Even more confused Rory took a step forward only to stall when a man appeared at Amy’s side, good-looking with great hair and looked like he spent every waking hour at the gym. The kind of man Rory used to think Amy would end up marrying.

“I’ll deal with this,” he said, leaning in and kissing Amy’s cheek as Rory’s hands fisted.

Amy glanced at Rory for a second before flouncing away.

“Who the hell are you?” Rory snarled, his fingers twitching for his sword, “And what do you want?”

The man laughed and shrugged, “I’m Rory Williams.”

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with,” Rory said through gritted teeth, “Get away from my wife.”

“You mean my wife,” the man smirked, “And before you try to eject me from my lovely new home, I suggest you look behind you.”

Rory slowly turned and saw several people standing, all wearing black robes. They suddenly all began converging on him and, knowing he had no other choice, Rory ran slamming his shoulder into one of them to get through. Racing along the street he knew he needed to find a safe place to contact the Doctor or River and just hoped that Amy was safe until he managed to.

Rory ducked feeling the whistle of air above him as the man swung the bat at him. Using a move taught to him by his daughter, Rory slammed his foot into his assailant’s knee. The man went down, and Rory started to run again. He was exhausted, after a full day working in the hospital, he’d been on the run for about an hour. Life with the Doctor prepared you for extreme situations, and Rory had military training (in a way), but he still needed time to rest.

He had to call the Doctor, but whoever these people were, they kept appearing no matter where he went. Rory thought about contacting UNIT but dismissed the idea quickly because if Amy didn’t know him it was likely that something had happened here which would probably have affected them too. The Doctor or River were his best options.

Throwing himself around another corner, he pulled out his phone and quickly dialled. Surprised when one of the men appeared, knocking the phone from his hand. His mobile sailed through the air into the road and was crushed under a bus.

Cursing Rory pushed past his attacker, seeing a bus (the same one that crushed his phone) stop just a few feet from him. Rory ran, managing to get on and show his ticket relieved that the doors closed before any of those who had been chasing him could catch it.

Rory fell into a seat.

Now he had to work out what to do next.

                                 *********************************************

 It was a nice evening as Sara Lance sauntered towards the hotel where she was meeting Ava. She’d spent the past few days at a spa, a treat the guys had given her for her birthday, relaxing and being pampered. She was now looking forward to having dinner with her girlfriend, then spending the night at the hotel, before getting back to work. Ava was in London to meet a group that had a connection to aliens, who Sara had never heard of, but it gave them an excuse to have a night away.

Sara hummed softly to herself, surprised when someone bumped her, not noticing the coin being slipped in her pocket, she continued to the restaurant and smiled as she saw her girlfriend sitting waiting for her. Although still wearing her Time Bureau suit, her long hair was falling around her shoulders which Sara always loved.

Walking towards the table, she stalled when a brunette woman appeared at the table beside Ava who smiled and kissed her.

“What the hell?” Sara demanded, “Ava?”

Ava frowned, “Can I help you?”

Confused Sara stared at her, “Ava, is this some kind of game I’m meant to know about.”

Her girlfriend looked at the brunette, “Sara, is this one of your friends or have the idiots changed the timeline again?”

“What?” Sara blinked trying to work out what the hell was happening.

The brunette rested her hand on Ava’s shoulder, “Let me deal with this. We’ll order room service instead.”

Before Sara could do anything, Ava left and the brunette turned to her and smiled.

“You have ten seconds to talk,” Sara snarled, “And then…”

“Before you threaten me,” the brunette chuckled cutting her off, “You might want to make sure you know what you’re up against.”

Sara glanced around seeing everyone in the restaurant were wearing robes and surrounding her.

“Best not to fight,” the brunette said, “It’ll hurt less.”

“You don’t know me then,” Sara snapped before she swung and hit the other woman. Several people rushed at her and Sara ran.

All of a sudden there were several of the robed attackers surrounding her. Running to find a safe place to activate the courier someone ran into her.

“Sorry,” a man said, his hands on her shoulders to help steady her.

Sara looked up at him and stared in astonishment, “Rip?”

“What?” he asked before grimacing, “I have to go.”

Sara glanced round and saw her friends coming for her, the man who looked exactly like Rip had a look of panic on his face as more appeared.

“They’re after you too,” Sara realised starting them moving.

Rip’s lookalike nodded.

“I have a way out,” she told him, “We just need to get far enough away from them so they can’t follow.”

He stared at her, “Why would you help me?”

“Enemy of my enemy,” she noted, “Are you in?”

He nodded, “I have no other choice.”

“Then run,” Sara ordered, “And keep up with me.”

“Running I can do.”

 Rory knew how to run these days, you had to if you spent any time with the Doctor, so he ran alongside the blonde woman he was trusting for some reason. He glanced at her and saw she was tapping her watch, as they ran through the park.

“We’re far enough away,” she called, “Just keep going.”

Rory did as he was told before he staggered to a stop when the open park became woodland. Turning to look where he’d come from Rory saw a shimmering arc showing the park that he’d been in for a second before it disappeared, and the woodland took its place.

The blonde let out a sigh of relief and dropped to sit on a nearby log, “Hopefully that should give us some time.”

“Where are we?” Rory demanded as he took a proper look around, “What just happened? Who were they? Who are you?”

“I was going to ask you a few of the same questions,” she replied before introducing herself, “I’m Sara Lance.”

“Rory Williams,” he reciprocated, grimacing at her penetrating look, “What?”

Sara winced, “Sorry, you just really look like someone I used to know.”

“I’m not,” Rory said shortly, “What about my other questions? What was that and where the hell are we?”

“Let’s just call it a transportation door,” Sara told him evasively.

Rory decided not to ask any more on that and looked around, “And where are we?”

Standing up, Sara brushed the dirt off her jeans, “If I’m right then about a ten-minute walk from someone who can help us. I hope.”

“That isn’t helping me stay calm,” Rory noted annoyed before he sighed, “But it looks like I have no choice.”

Sara gave him a smile and a pat on the arm, “Come on.”

She started walking along the path on her right and Rory sighed, he had to hope that Amy was safe until he could get back to her.

“Hold on,” Rory called chasing after Sara. Catching up with her, he asked, “So who is this guy we’re going to ask for help?”

 John batted away an imaginary fly from his head, his mouth was dry, and he felt like someone had kicked him in the head. That was the last time he drank moonshine that bloody wizard had brewed.

He had a vague memory of karaoke before getting chucked out of the pub. Twice.

Groaning as he forced himself to sit up, John rubbed a hand over his face wincing at his headache and managing to get up. Staggering across to the small cool box he kept for emergencies, he opened it and found a bottle of water. He finally managed to open it and quickly downed the entire thing.

If he had been on the Waverider he would have asked Gideon to detox him which even with the lecture would be worth it.

He’d decided to come back to the Mill House for the few days the Waverider was berthed in the Time Bureau while Sara had her spa weekend. Mostly because he did not want to be stuck on board with the idiots when they had no mission to keep them occupied. Besides he had to check up on some things that had been sitting alone longer than he had originally intended.

As he made himself some coffee, John grimaced when the proximity alarm began to sound. John sighed, he could not be bothered with someone trying to attack him just now. The headache was pounding in his right eye, and John knew if he had to defend himself with magic there was no way he could conjure a spark never mind a fireball. Reaching the door, he frowned in confusion to see an unknown woman standing with a guy who looked like…

“Rip?”

“Not again,” the man groaned.

“John,” the woman said, “We need your help.”

He held up his hand stopping her, “No idea who you are, love.”

She let out an annoyed sigh, “I’m Sara,” at his confused look she clarified, “Lance.”

John started to laugh, “Good try, but you look nothing like her and I’m not in the mood for a joke.”

“Constantine,” the woman snapped stepping forward and hitting the shield surrounding the house.

John jumped as she changed to the woman she claimed to be for a few seconds before she fell backwards onto her ass.

Rip’s lookalike helped her off the ground as John focused on him.

“You wouldn’t want to try that, would you mate?” John asked.

The man frowned at him, “No.”

John mused for a moment, “Alright, you can come in and we’ll sort this out. But believe me just because I’m letting you inside all the security measures are not off.”

 Rory followed Sara inside the house they’d found in the middle of nowhere, frowning as he felt that the inside was bigger than the outside. It had a TARDIS like feel in some ways which concerned him because Rory knew that the other Time Lords were dead.

Unfortunately, he had no other choice because he knew if whoever was chasing him caught up with them, it would be the worst outcome.

Finally, they reached a large room filled with books, artefacts, a fireplace with a large mirror over it that Rory did not want to look in and a couch that looked as though it had seen better days.

“Alright,” John said to them, “Stand in front of the couch and don’t move.”

“Why?” Sara demanded.

He stared at her hard, “If there is a spell on you then I need to break it,”

John glanced down, Rory followed his line of sight and saw they were both inside a faint chalk outline.

“And the shield that you’re standing in will fry you if you try to step outside the line before I remove it,” John told them.

Rory knew his eyes widened in panic, he turned to Sara who looked concerned which didn’t comfort him any.

“And your spell to remove whatever means you can’t see me,” Sara said, “Is it safe?”

John shrugged and tossed a handful of what smelled like the mixed herbs Amy would put on pizza. Rory listened to the words being murmured, not sure if the instant translation was from the TARDIS or because he used to speak Latin. Rory jumped when a wall of light surrounded them quickly before disappearing and John stared at them.

“Okay, looks like I was wrong.”

 Sara took the mug John handed her relieved that he could see she was herself. The strange thing was the Rip lookalike, Rory, still looked like Rip and it was beginning to weird her out big time.

“Okay,” John took a seat, rubbing the back of his neck, “Why don’t you both tell me what happened?”

Drinking her coffee, Sara listened to Rory describe being jumped by the same people who had been chasing her and how his wife hadn’t recognised him thinking some strange man was Rory, before Sara gave her story which was almost exactly the same.

“Do either of you have any idea who these people are?” John asked thoughtfully.

Rory shook his head, “I’ve never seen them before in my life.”

They both turned to Sara who shrugged, “Me neither.”

“Well, this is a lot of help,” John sighed frustrated.

“Look I know we need to work this out,” Rory spoke up, “But some stranger is with my wife pretending to be me.”

“He won’t be able to do anything intimate to her,” John assured before adding, “Don’t get me wrong he probably would but unless they have you in custody then she’d know immediately it’s not you if he tries to get too close.”

Rolling her eyes, Sara punched John’s shoulder.

“What?” he demanded.

“That was not what he needed to hear,” Sara snapped at him, turning to Rory she soothed, “He can’t do anything to her. Focus on that.”

Rory grimaced, “I’ll try.”

“You look like you could use a shower and a change of clothes,” John told him.

Sighing Rory nodded, “And several hours sleep. I just got off my shift and it’s been a long day compounded by the time travel we did to get here.”

“Time travel?” Sara asked innocently.

“It was about 7pm when we ran into one another,” Rory stated blandly, “But from the newspaper on the table and the time, going with the clock in here as well as the position of the sun as we walked here, then we are in Georgia in America around 10am. If I remember right, the UK is 5 or 6 hours ahead of Georgia so that means we somehow jumped backward or forward a few hours.”

Sara and John stared at him.

“You seem pretty relaxed about that,” John noted.

Rory let out a sigh rubbing his eyes tiredly, “Honestly this is not unusual for my life.”

“We can put that on hold for now,” John told him, “Follow me and you can get freshened up then I’ll get us all breakfast.”

Sara watched Rory tiredly follow John out the room, still trying to work out why Rory looked so much like Rip. She was wondering if it could be another Phil situation, that had happened because he touched the time core and that was what he’d used against Mallus.

It was possible that his memory had been reset again and he met someone in this new guise he’d married. The time travel thing was possibly a vague memory, similar to when Phil wrote his movie. Except…

Phil thought everything in his script was a dream and made-up, but Rory had been completely unfazed by time travel not to mention his ease at deducing where they were.

Sara sighed; this was another thing they needed to work out.

 John showed Rory to a room where he could have a shower and freshen up, leaving him some clean clothes that would hopefully fit him. The poor guy looked exhausted and worried so while he took some time to rest a little, John knew he had to start researching what had happened to make him and Sara unrecognisable to their loved ones.

“You okay?” John asked as he found Sara sitting finishing her coffee.

Sara sighed, “Confused.”

“Anything specific, love or just generally,” John asked as he started scanning his books.

“Is Rory Rip?”

John glanced round at her and shook his head, “No.”

“You’re sure about this?” Sara demanded, “Because he looks just like him. The accent might be different, but Phil was American.”

“Because you recognised him,” John explained, “If he was Rip then the spell you two are under means we wouldn’t recognise him.”

Sara found confused, “Are you…how…”

“The spell transfers your identity to someone else and ensures anyone who knows you can’t see you as yourself,” John reminded her, “You wouldn’t recognise him if he was Rip.”

“But if he doesn’t know he’s Rip, it wouldn’t work,” Sara argued before asking, “Would it?”

Rolling his eyes John turned back to his books, “Just trust me, I know what I’m talking about.”

She fell silent and John continued to pull out books.

It was going to be a long day.

                                 *********************************************

 Rory closed his eyes as he let the warm water batter down on him. He was exhausted and worried because his phone had been destroyed so he couldn’t send a message to the Doctor or River to check up on Amy. Rory also didn’t know if he could completely trust his new acquaintances, who both thought he was someone else, since they also seemed to know about time travel as well as use it. And the talk of spells worried him too. The memories that he’d gained in the two thousand years included vague ones of sorcerers, but he didn’t remember having anything other than fleeting interactions with them.

Getting out the shower, he quickly dried himself before dressing in the clothes John had left for him. Closing his eyes, Rory tried to draw on all the military training he had, through the random occurrences that came from travelling with the Doctor, to keep himself calm and composed and to keep his worry about Amy in check.

Rory folded his clothes and left them on the bed, he grabbed his jacket to get his first aid kit, confused to find a strange looking silver coin in his pocket. It was about the same size as a ten pence piece with an odd pattern on one side only. He studied the pattern recognising it but not sure what it was, it was a vague memory from his time as the centurion.

Tucking his kit in his pocket, Rory headed out the room to rejoin the others, relieved to see John had left post-it notes with arrows guiding him the right way. From what he’d seen he did not want to be wandering around this place. Walking back into the room, he found Sara sitting staring at a book while John was bouncing about pulling other ones out.

“Feeling better?” Sara asked, looking up as he joined them.

Rory nodded, “Yeah but I found something odd.”

John turned, “Odd?”

Pulling out the coin Rory handed it to him, “I found it in my jacket pocket, and I know it wasn’t there earlier when I left the hospital.”

Flipping it over as he studied it, John frowned.

“What?” Sara asked at his expression.

John chewed his lip for a moment, grabbing one of the books he flipped through before looking up at Sara, “Check if you have one of these.”

With a frown Sara checked all her pockets and pulled out an identical coin. She placed it on the table in front of John.

Rory studied it seeing it was exactly the same as his.

“I have one idea, but it is a bit of a long shot,” John told them as he continued to flip through the book.  He motioned Rory without looking up and asked, “You wouldn’t happen to have died at some point?”

Rory winced before replying with a shrug, “Once or twice.”

John and Sara both slowly turned to look at him.

“You know that’s a question usually answered with no,” Sara stared at him.

Sighing Rory shrugged, “It’s a long story. Or several long stories.”

“Well,” John took a seat and looked at him intently, “Tell them fast and keep it to the relevant details.”

Taking a seat, Rory shrugged, “Well…”

“Hold on,” Sara said cutting him off, “Rory, you said they found you wherever you went.”

He nodded.

Sara turned to John picking up one of the coins, “Is that what these are for?”

John’s eyes widened, “Bollocks.”

“What?” Rory asked.

“If they’re using this to keep tabs on us then it’s possible that they know we’re here,” Sara told him.

Rory rubbed his eyes, “How good is your security system?”

“Good but,” John grimaced, “From what you’ve told me of these guys then even if they’re not strong there are a lot of them so we could be overwhelmed.”

“Do you have any other ideas?” Rory asked.

Sara folded her arms, she chewed her lip in thought, “Will the spell affect Gideon?”

John mused for a moment before shaking his head, “When it comes to Gideon, I wouldn’t be too sure of anything but it’s unlikely.”

“Then we head to the ship,” Sara told him, “We get it locked down so no one can get onboard then we can work out what’s happening and what we’re going to do.”

John nodded before the both turned to Rory.

He shrugged, “If you think it’s a safe place then let’s go.”

“Alright,” John said, “Sara, grab all the books off the table, there’s a bag in the cupboard. Rory, help me with the chest. It’s got everything I might need to break the spell.”

Rory gave a nod and helped him pick up an old wooden chest, carrying it over to where Sara was finishing packing the bag.

An alarm sounded and John swore.

“Get us to the ship when you know it was empty,” John told Sara, “We can’t afford to run into one of the team when you don’t look like yourself. I only broke the spell for me.”

Sara nodded and began to tap on her watch which Rory felt was a slightly fancier looking vortex manipulator, it seemed to do the same thing in a slightly different fashion. The portal opened and Rory saw a room in front of him, clean smooth lines it was brightly lit and looked futuristic. It reminded him of the space station they had been on a few months ago. Before Rory could take any time to contemplate where he was going, John grabbed one end of the chest, so Rory automatically took the other and they headed through the portal.

 “Welcome back, Captain Lance,” Gideon said as she stepped onboard making Sara sigh in relief. “Welcome back, Mr Constantine,” the AI continued before she stopped and in a steely tone stated, “That is not Captain Hunter.”

Sara caught John’s eye, that answered that question.

“This is Rory Williams,” Sara introduced, “Rory, meet Gideon. She’s the AI that runs the ship.”

To Sara’s surprise Rory simply nodded, “Cool,” before he glanced up in the same way she and John did, “It’s nice to meet you, Gideon.”

“And you, Mr Williams,” the pleasant tone returned, “I apologise for my earlier greeting. You resemble…”

“Someone you know,” Rory finished for her, “I got that.”

“Gideon,” Sara said as she slid into the pilot’s seat, “We need to go somewhere safe none of the team or the Time Bureau know about, and I need you to make sure no one can enter the ship using the Time Courier as well.”

“Of course, Captain Lance,” Gideon replied, “I can take you to a haven that no one will know of. If Mr Constantine and Mr Williams will take their seats we can leave immediately.”

John hustled Rory to one of the chairs and showed him how to fix the restraint. As Gideon started the engines Sara hoped that they could fix this because she had no idea what to do if they couldn’t.

Sara watched as they entered the time stream and exited into a large expanse of space into the orbit of a moon orbiting a red planet.

“Where are we, Gideon?” she asked.

“This is one of Captain Hunter’s refuges,” Gideon explained, “Used only in certain circumstances. No one ever knew of it and it is doubtful that he would allow knowledge of this place to anyone within the Time Bureau.”

“Why?” John asked.

“This is where he and Miranda Coburn would come when they were hiding their relationship from the Time Master to be alone,” Gideon stated.

Sara nodded, “You’re right, this is somewhere he wouldn’t have shared with anyone.”

“Then we’re safe here?” Rory asked.

Sara nodded as she released herself and turned to see the two men undoing their restraints.

“You may…” she started, trailing off as Rory stood and appeared to have no ill-effects from his first trip in the Waverider, “Never mind.”

“So, what do we now?” Rory asked.

Sara looked at him and could see he was just as exhausted as he had been before his shower, to be honest she was feeling the need to rest for a while too.

“We take the next four hours to sleep,” Sara told him, “You need it and so do I. John, if you can start working on breaking the spell and we can pick up on anything else once we’ve slept.”

Rory sighed, “I can’t sleep until I can find a way to contact someone to protect Amy.”

“If you know a phone number, Mr Williams,” Gideon spoke up, “I can contact whoever you need to talk to.”

Sara saw relief fill Rory’s eyes but also could see he didn’t want to contact whoever it was in front of them.

“I’ll show you to a room,” Sara said, knowing Gideon would warn her of anything in his call that was a danger to them “You can call whoever you need to there.”

 John dragged the chest he’d brought into the parlour, waiting until he was sure Sara and Rory had left the bridge.

“I’m sorry, Gideon,” he apologised as he grabbed the bag filled with his books, “I didn’t get a chance to warn you about Rory.”

Silence answered him for a few moments before Gideon replied, “It is fine, Mr Constantine. I merely required a few seconds to process the anomalous data.”

John smiled slightly, “Rory does look uncannily like him.”

“Yes,” Gideon said softly, “I thought for a moment that he had returned to us.”

The hologram flickered on and instead of the blue head she showed most people, the human form Gideon used only on certain occasions appeared before him. This allowed him to see the sadness in her eyes, the loss she only showed to him because Rip’s son had called him ‘Uncle John’.

“You still believe that Rip is out there somewhere?” John asked, even though he knew the answer.

Gideon smiled slightly, “Rip Hunter has been ‘dead’ numerous times. There was no body and he once used the time core to scatter himself. There is a chance that he has been sent though time. And if so, then I will find him.”

John smiled at her, “I don’t doubt it. But first we need to work out who came after Sara and Rory, as well as what they want.”

Gideon’s hologram disappeared and John took the hint, he had to get to work. Looking at the pile of books in front of him, he sighed. The headache from his hangover was still plaguing him and relief filled him when Gideon asked.

“Would you like to be detoxed?”

 Rory stepped into the room, nodding thanks to Sara who gave him a quick smile before leaving him to rest. As the doors closed Rory let out a long sigh and he dropped to sit on the bed.

“I can try to contact the person you wish to speak with,” Gideon said, making him jump as he’d forgotten about her.

“Thank you,” he stuttered.

He took a deep breath and rhymed off the number from memory. Rory paced the small room as he waited for it to connect, praying whatever had happened hadn’t affected her too.

“Hello?” the familiar voice came, interest in it that she’d received a call from an unknown number.

“River,” Rory said, “It’s me.”

“Rory?” a smile filled her voice, “This is unusual.”

Rory grimaced as he realised that she was right but just now was not the time to think about it, “I know but I need your help.”

“Anything,” River said instantly.

Relief filled him, “I can’t explain everything, mostly because I don’t know or understand most of it, but I need you to go to the house and look after Amy.”

“What happened to her?”

“Nothing,” Rory assured, “But there is someone there she believes to be me. It’s a long story, River.”

“Rory…”

“Listen,” he cut her off, “I don’t know if whatever is affecting Amy will affect you too when you get there so you need to find a way to remind yourself that he isn’t me and why you’re there.”

Silence filled the room for a second and Rory wondered if the line had cut off.

Finally, River spoke again, “Are you safe?”

“I am,” Rory promised, “I’m with people who can hopefully help stop whoever these people are. But for me to do that I need to know Amy is safe.”

“Okay, as long as you’re sure,” she said, “I’ll look after Amy.”

Relieved, Rory let out a sigh, “One more thing, don’t contact the Doctor. I don’t know if he’s the target but why else would they come after me except to get to him.”

“Be careful, father,” River said softly.

Rory nodded even though she couldn’t see him, “I will. And I’ll contact you again as soon as I can.”

“The line has now been severed,” Gideon told him.

Sighing Rory slid the jacket off and threw it over the nearby chair, pushing his shoes off before he dropped onto the bed.

Closing his eyes, he fell asleep instantly.

                                 *********************************************

 Sara lay on her back staring at the ceiling, she’d managed to nap and felt refreshed. She wanted to walk onto the bridge and John tell her that he knew what was happening.

Part of her was disappointed that Gideon had confirmed that Rory was definitely not Rip. She hoped he would appear, having somehow survived the explosion of the Time Core.

Taking a slow breath Sara got up and had a quick shower, feeling a little better when her hair was washed, and she was wearing clean clothes.

“Gideon,” she called as she left her room.

“Yes, Captain Lance,” Gideon replied.

Heading to the galley she asked, “Where are the other two?”

“Mr Constantine is in the parlour,” Gideon told her, “He is concentrating on specific books at the moment and may have an idea on what has happened.”

“That’s good,” Sara breathed, entering the galley to get some coffee, “And Rory?”

“Mr Williams is still asleep,” Gideon reported.

Taking a sip, she mused for a second, “Who did he call?”

“A woman who sounded to be a close family friend,” Gideon replied, “He asked her to watch over his wife.”

Relieved that he wasn’t a plant by whoever had done this to get on board the Waverider, Sara found a cereal bar to go with her coffee and headed up to the bridge.

“Good, you’re up,” John said looking up as she walked into the parlour.

Sara took a seat, “Do you have something?”

“A possibility,” John replied, “I need Rory to tell me about his deaths.”

“Is it me or is there something odd about that?” Sara asked as she picked at the muffin, “So I was an assassin with an ancient sect but, from what he’s told us, Rory is a nurse who lives a normal life.”

John shrugged, “That we know of. He did know a lot about time travel, our trip here did not affect him in the slightest which shouldn’t be possible. And there is something else about him I can’t put my finger on. Other than his resemblance to Rip.”

“Gideon,” Sara called, “Let us know once Rory is awake.”

“Yes, Captain Lance,” Gideon replied.

John looked up at her, “I don’t want to go through this more than once and I need Rory’s information before I can be sure.”

“Let’s leave him to sleep,” Sara said, “He did say he’d worked a full shift in the hospital before this.”

John nodded.

“I’m going to work out for a bit,” she told him, “Give me a call when you need me.”

 Rory appeared in the parlour almost an hour and a half after Sara had left. John smiled to see he looked a lot better than when John had last seen him.

“Gideon got you something to wear I see,” John noted, seeing Rory was wearing different clothes than he had been earlier.

Rory nodded, “And gave me breakfast too.”

John belatedly noted the two mugs Rory was carrying.

“She said you would want some coffee too,” Rory handed one to John who took a sip with a blissful smile on his face.

At Rory’s amused look John shrugged, “Gideon makes amazing coffee.”

“Thank you, Mr Constantine,” Gideon spoke up, “It is nice to be appreciated.”

Taking a seat Rory looked at him, “Do you know anything more than you did earlier?”

“I might,” John said, “But to be sure then I need to know about when you died.”

Rory sighed, “Which time?”

“All of them,” John replied testily.

Grimacing slightly before taking a drink of his own coffee Rory said, “Some of them weren’t in this reality.”

John stared at him thoughtfully, “Tell me everything.”

Taking a deep breath, Rory began to talk. John stared at him listening in astonishment as Rory described several events where he ended up dead.

“Hold on,” John stopped him, “You lived for almost two thousand years in one of these realities, and you remember it?”

Rory shrugged, “Sometimes.”

“What else?” John motioned him to continue.

When Rory finished speaking John leaned back and folded his arms as he thought over everything.

“Gideon,” he said after a minute of silence, “Can you tell Sara I need to speak with her now?”

“Of course, Mr Constantine,” Gideon replied, adding a few moments later, “She will be here soon.”

 Rory wandered the bridge while John checked a few things in his books, he turned when the doors opened, and Sara walked in.

“Please tell me you have an idea what’s going on,” she said the moment she entered the parlour.

John looked over and motioned Rory to join them before nodded, “I do.”

Rory took the seat beside Sara and they waited.

“Okay,” John said, “Both of you have died at some point and been resurrected.”

Sara glanced at Rory obviously wanting to know more but decided against asking and motioned John to continue, “And?”

“There is a spell that allows someone to capture the energy that comes from resurrection,” John explained, “It’s a really complicated and dangerous spell that I only know of one person who is stupid enough to try to do it. A wizard called Redburn. A sneaky little bastard who came off worse the last time we met up. This is his type of plan.”

Rory mused on this for a moment before asking, “So, why has he replaced us?”

“To control you,” John explained, “The spell needs you to surrender the energy. The bastard has got his little cult, who I’m guessing are under a spell, put their people in your place so that you know at any moment they can hurt the person you love. And by having you in custody then that part of the spell locks in your identity on the fake.”

Sara crossed her arms thoughtfully, “How do we fix this?”

“We give them what they want,” Rory stated flatly.

John and Sara turned to him confused.

“What do you mean?” Sara asked.

“We need to do something and sitting about isn’t going to help anyone,” Rory replied, “We need to take back control.”

Sara sighed, “You’re right but we’re also on our own since none of our friends will recognise us.”

Rory bit his lip for a moment before saying, “I may know someone who can help but I’m not sure if the spell will affect him.”

“It affects everyone,” John reminded him.

“Even if he’s an alien?” Rory asked, making them stare at him.

John hesitated, “No idea. I’ve only dealt with humans and supernatural creatures from earth.”

Rory grimaced, “Then I don’t know if it’s a good idea to contact him, besides Amy may have already called him about an ‘imposter’ Rory.”

“What would your friend be able to do?” Sara asked.

Rory hesitated for a moment before replying, “He has a habit of being able to help.”

“That’s it?”

“It’s hard to explain,” Rory said, not sure how to articulate how much he trusted the Doctor and how he was the person Rory was sure could help them.

“Then no,” Sara told him, “If we don’t know your friend will be immune to the spell so we’re not pulling them into this.”

Indignation filled Rory that she had decided this unilaterally, but he held his tongue, considering this was her ship and Rory knew he needed their help.

“What do you suggest we do?” Rory asked sharper than he meant.

Sara hesitated.

“I could probably recreate one of the coins,” John spoke up, “So, we can draw them to an area we control. Once there I am sure I can shatter the spells he’s using rendering him impotent.”

“Good,” Sara nodded, “I will work out where is best for us to draw them to.”

Rory frowned, “What about me?”

“You’re a nurse,” Sara said, “Gideon will give you some stuff to go over,” she clapped her hands together, “We have a plan, Let’s get to work.”

 John saw annoyance cover Rory’s face at Sara’s dismissal but he remained silent and left the bridge to presumably go down to the medical bay as she’d told him.

“That might have been a bad idea,” John said, “Telling Rory there was nothing he can do.”

Sara shrugged, “He’s just a nurse.”

“In this life,” John rolled his eyes, “But he has plenty of experience that would be useful in making a plan.”

“But we don’t know him,” Sara reminded him, “Not well enough to trust him for this.”

John grimaced, “That could be a mistake, love. But, it’s your choice. I am going to get on to making this coin. I’ll be in Ray’s lab.”

Sara nodded, “Let me know as soon as it’s done.”

Grabbing what he was going to need, John left the bridge. Setting up in Ray’s lab he pulled out the book he needed, this was going to take longer than he expected.

                                 *********************************************

 Rory seethed as he left the bridge, heading to the medical bay Gideon guided him to and he paced for several minutes.

“Gideon,” he called finally.

“Yes, Mr Williams?”

“I have another call I need to make,” Rory told her, quickly rhyming off the number. He waited as it rang, hoping it would be answered and he wasn’t out doing something mad.

“Hello?” the familiar cheerful voice filled the room and Rory sighed in relief.

“Doctor,” Rory said, “It’s me.”

“Rory!!!” the enthusiastic voice came back, “This is a surprise. You and Amy haven’t been fighting, have you?”

Sighing Rory replied, “No but something has happened. I need your help. But I’m not sure if you will recognise me.”

“You’re not making any sense, Rory,” the Doctor said.

“I know, it’s hard to explain,” Rory sighed, “Can you come here? And promise you won’t do anything until you hear me out.”

There was a moment of silence before the Doctor came back on, “I’m on my way.”

Rory slid to sit onto one of the medical chairs and watched as the blue box appeared before him, “Gideon,” he called, “This is my friend, so you don’t have to worry about the box that’s here.”

“Of course, Mr Williams,” she replied.

As the TARDIS settled Rory moved to stand in front of it waiting for the Doctor to appear. The doors opened and the Doctor frowned in confusion.

“Who are you?” the Doctor demanded staring at him, “Where’s Rory?” he tilted his head blinking in confusion, “Except you kind of look like…”

Before Rory could say anything a noise from inside the TARDIS made the Doctor frown and step back inside. Rory followed standing inside the door waiting.

“Rory?” the Doctor stared at him in surprise, “What is going on? Why did you not look like yourself and then look like yourself?”

Laughing in relief, Rory quickly explained to the Doctor what was happening.

“That was a risky move calling me,” the Doctor noted once Rory had finished speaking, “What if I didn’t recognise you?”

“I was pretty sure that the TARDIS would be able to see through whatever this is,” Rory told him with a shrug, “Telepathic circuitry, right? Not to mention she doesn’t exist in time the same as we do so would know who I am.”

The Doctor shook his head exasperated, “One of these days we are going to sit down and have a long discussion, Rory. But not today we have other things to do.”

 “I distinctly said not to call your friend,” Sara snapped, standing just inside the medical bay’s doors, arms folded across her chest, anger covering her face.

Rory shrugged, “And I decided it was the best idea.”

“My orders were…”

“Your orders?” Rory cut her off, “I am not one of your people, Sara and I don’t take orders from you. In fact, I don’t know either of you.”

“We helped you,” Sara retorted, taking a step towards him, “With no reason to.”

“You did it because you thought I was the guy you know,” Rory rolled his eyes dismissively, “It wasn’t about helping me. The Doctor is someone I trust, and I know can actually help.”

John leaned into the man standing beside him introduced as the Doctor, “Who’s your money on?”

The Doctor chuckled, “Rory is more stubborn that anyone I’ve ever known, with the possible exception of his wife and daughter. I wouldn’t count him out.”

“And I don’t know him,” Sara snapped back at Rory.

Annoyed he shrugged, “Then you two do whatever you were going to, and we’ll fix this ourselves.” Without another word he walked into the TARDIS while Sara threw her hands in the air and stalked away.

The Doctor sighed, “I’ll speak with him, you talk to her.”

John nodded and watched the strange man head into the box after Rory, shaking his head John decided to ask later about the police box.

Heading after Sara he found her in the library pacing looking annoyed.

“Gideon,” she suddenly called, “Why didn’t you warn us Rory had made a call and invited his ‘friend’ here?”

Leaning against the wall John waited interested to hear the reply.

“You ordered me to assist Mr Williams,” Gideon replied, “He needed to speak with the Doctor and assured me that the Doctor was his friend.”

John forced himself not to laugh, Gideon had clearly taken a liking to their Rip lookalike and was following Sara’s orders to the letter. It was something she used to do to annoy Rip by being that special kind of dumb, obeying orders to the letter. Usually after he had done something stupid.

“That did not go well,” John noted.

“If he can’t follow orders,” Sara snapped, “Then he’ll be a liability.”

Shaking his head John sighed, “Sara, Rory is not one of the Legends. And to be fair to him, you did dismiss any contribution he could provide.”

“He’s just a nurse, John,” Sara reminded him.

“And the rest,” John replied, “If you had held on and let us tell you everything then you would know he has military experience and, in a way, is older than the entire team put together several times. Look,” he continued before she could argue, “We need to work together on this. He’s not Rip, Sara and any animosity you feel because they look alike you need to get over it.”

Sara frowned at him, “This has nothing to do with Rip. I don’t know Rory and I learned a long time ago that I need to know who I’m working with.”

John sighed again, “Sara, the man coming after the two of you is extremely dangerous. The spell he wants to do is deadly and splitting up is the worst idea. So, I’m telling you now that if we do this alone, we’ll fail.”

 “We’re not leaving,” the Doctor said walking up the stairs to join Rory at the console.

Rory turned to him, “We’re obviously not needed.”

“I know you’re angry,” the Doctor said softly, “But I need you to control the Centurion just now.”

Let out a snort of derision Rory dropped onto the chair and stared at him in sullen silence.

“Rory,” the Doctor leaned against the console, “Listen to me. You called me to help but I can only help when I have all the facts.”

“Well I paid attention, Doctor,” Rory replied, “I’m sure I can tell you what you need to know.”

The Doctor smiled affectionally, “You always do, Rory but we still need to work with these people.”

Rory frowned.

“You’ve followed orders before, Rory,” the Doctor decided to change track, “As Captain Williams and Roranicus.”

“From people who had earned my respect,” Rory retorted.

Shaking his head, the Doctor sighed, “Why are you always so stubborn?”

“Maybe that’s what keeps me alive.”

“I’m not going to move the TARDIS,” the Doctor said softly, “Not until I know a way to get you and Amy out of danger.”

Rory frowned at him, “You know I can probably fly the TARDIS and get us back home without you. She likes me.”

“I do know that,” the Doctor replied, “The TARDIS also wants you to remain safe and I doubt would take you where you wanted to go if it wasn’t. Rory,” the Doctor rested his hands on his friend’s shoulders, “Look at me.” Reluctantly Rory looked up and the Doctor continued, “I want to protect Amy too, and to do that we need to work with your new friends.”

Rory let out an annoyed sigh, “Fine. But if she tries to order me around again…”

Following his friend out the Doctor sighed, he was going to have to watch Rory closely. The Centurion who’d lived for nearly two thousand years sometimes appeared pushing nurse Rory to the back of his consciousness and Rory became one of the most dangerous people the Doctor had ever known.

                                 *********************************************

 Gideon watched Mr Williams and the Doctor leave the blue box currently sitting in her medical bay. The TARDIS had connected to her the moment it landed and assured her that neither the Doctor nor Mr Williams were a threat to the Waverider nor the people her Captain had asked her to watch over. The TARDIS was completely different from an AI and Gideon was fascinated by her, having never met any Time Lord technology until now. The TARDIS also asked many questions about Gideon and her Captain, amused that the man the TARDIS called the ‘pretty one’ resembled Rip’s Captain so much.

Rory Williams resemblance to Rip Hunter had confused and alarmed Gideon at first, but after the initial thought her Captain had returned then dismissed, Gideon watched over and found she liked Mr Williams.

He was smart and listening to his story had learned how resilient he was. There were some similarities to Rip in how much he cared for people, but Mr Williams appeared to be much better at expressing it than her Captain had ever been.

If she was in her human form, she would have smiled amused at how Miss Lance stood in one corner of the room while Mr Williams took the other with Mr Constantine and the Doctor standing between them.

She just hoped they could all work together to solve this situation.

 “Alright,” the Doctor said all traces of the foolishness and light-heartedness he’d displayed earlier gone, “Sara, Rory you have both been targeted meaning not only are your lives in danger but so are the lives of people you hold dear. Now, I am not going to make you shake hands and make up,” he held up his hand sharply as Rory opened his mouth to speak, “Not that I don’t want to but we don’t have the time to listen to you argue with me.”

Sara glared at him demanding, “Who put you in charge?”

“I did,” the Doctor told her sharply, “So, hush.” Annoyance covered Sara’s face, but she remained silent as the Doctor continued, “Do you have any ideas?”

Rory took a quick breath, “John thinks he knows who is behind this, so we decided to draw them to us.

The Doctor frowned, “And you think that is a good idea?”

“If we can get them face to face on our terms,” John spoke up, “I’m we have a chance of stopping him.”

Confusion covered the Doctor’s face, “How do you plan on doing that?”

“I can recreate the tracker spell,” John explained, “We then choose somewhere we can control to put down so that when they come for Sara and Rory, I break the spell which should render him powerless.”

The Doctor nodded, “A good plan. Rory, do you want your sword?”

“Probably a good idea,” Rory sighed.

“Sword?” Sara asked intrigued.

Rory shook his head, “It is a long story. I’ll get it. I may need to go through some drills before we go.”

The Doctor nodded, patting Rory on the shoulder as he walked past.

“Sword?” Sara asked again before demanding, “What kind of nurse uses a sword?”

“One whose lived a few different lives and was a Roman Centurion in one of them,” John replied.

The Doctor turned to her, “Rory is so much more than he tells people. And although he can be one of the kindest people you will ever meet,” he sighed, “He can also be deadly.”

Confused Sara turned to where Rory had been before looking back at the Doctor and asking, “Him?”

“He told us he’s died a few times,” John reminded her, “You should have been here for the entire story. It was pretty incredible.”

 Rory entered the TARDIS and gently touched the console.

“Thank you for knowing me,” he breathed softly, “I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t.”

He felt a gentle vibration against his fingertips and smiled.

“She says your welcome.”

Rory jumped and spun finding a woman he didn’t recognise standing just at the top of the stairs, petite with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long chestnut hair.

“Who are you?” he stammered in confusion.

She smiled at him, “I’m Gideon.”

“Gideon?” Rory stared at her, “How…I mean why…no, I mean how?”

Gideon laughed, “The TARDIS and I have been talking, she gave me permission to use her holo-emitters to speak with you here.”

“Why?” Rory asked a little suspiciously.

She shrugged, “I enjoy talking with you.”

“Because I remind you of Rip?” Rory asked.

Sadness covered her face, “Actually your resemblance hurts me in a way I did not know existed until now.”

Rory winced, “I’m sorry your friend is gone. I wish I could help in some way.”

A sweet smile touched her lips and she rested her hand at his cheek, “It is kind of you but there is nothing anyone can do. If Captain Hunter is alive then I shall find him.”

Not sure what to say Rory breathed, “I should go get my sword. That’s why I’m here.”

“The TARDIS advises that she has placed it in your room,” Gideon told him with a smile, “And she says not to worry too much about the ‘Fiery One’ as the ‘Song of Time’ is with her. Do you know what that means?”

Rory nodded, “It means my daughter is with Amy. That’s good.” He frowned in thought, “The Fiery One?”

“It is the TARDIS name for your wife,” Gideon explained.

Rory nodded, “An apt description for her,” he chuckled before musing thoughtfully, “Dare I ask if she told you what she calls me?”

Gideon smiled, “The Pretty One. And I feel that is a perfect description.”

                                 *********************************************

 “You want to tell me what you’re thinking about?” John asked as he found Sara in the library staring into space.

“Just worrying,” Sara sighed, “I don’t like not being able to actively participate in protecting myself or my people.”

Sitting beside her he shrugged, “I get it. But I know what I’m doing, Sara and once we get you in position then you can beat the crap out whoever is doing this.”

She nodded.

“What else is bothering you?” John demanded annoyed.

“Why…”

“Because you’ve still got that look,” he replied, “I am busy, so therapy is only on offer for a few minutes.”

Sara grimaced before admitting, “It’s Rory.”

“What about him?”

“Having him here makes me think about what happened to Rip,” Sara told him sadly, “It was my mistake that meant Rip sacrificed his life. I let Amaya break time before we knew how to use the weapon, I gave Damian Darhk of all people one of the totems because I didn’t want to listen to Rip’s advice. Because I had to prove I didn’t need him.”

John folded his arms across his chest and sighed, “Sara, Rip could have taken the Waverider at any time and left you all to your fate. Gideon would have gone with him without hesitation. But Rip stayed back for you to take the lead because he trusted in you.” John shrugged, “Rip did what he did because he knew you would take the team and stop the threat. It was his decision to face Mallus, so give him the credit for it and stop trying to take the blame.”

“Okay,” Sara said softly.

“Are we done?” John asked.

She rolled her eyes at him before asking, “What about this Doctor? Do you know anything about him?”

“You mean other than the fact I’m pretty sure he’s a Time Lord?” John said.

“A what?”

John sighed, annoyance filling his voice, “Rip never told you about them?”

Sara shook her head.

“All I know is the Time Masters avoided them and you do not get on their bad side,” John replied, “But I think we can trust him. He’s obviously protective of Rory, so he’s on our side right now but from what Rip told me, or at least what I remember,” at her confused frown John explained, “We had drank a lot at the time, Time Lords don’t usually get involved. If he is then there’s a good reason for it.”

“So, be careful of the guy in the bowtie,” Sara noted, “Got it.”

 The Doctor walked through the Waverider looking for Rory. The fact that the other man had so readily agreed that he needed his sword was worrying because Rory never picked it up unless there was absolutely no other option. Finally, he found Rory in a cargo bay going through some drills.

It was times like this that the Doctor saw how much Rory had changed over the years. From the nervous nurse-boy who had followed Amy during the ‘Prisoner Zero’ fiasco completely bemused by what he was being told, who wouldn’t hurt a fly and had pushed the Doctor out of the way of a shot which killed him. To the man who held the memories of living the life of a Roman Centurion and spent almost two thousand years guarding the woman he loved. Those memories made Rory dangerous and the Doctor had seen him disappear into the Centurion on occasion but each time it had happened Amy had been there to pull him back.

The Doctor feared what would happen if she couldn’t because she didn’t know who he was. He’d never seen Rory go down that rabbit-hole completely and was hoping he never would.

“Doctor?” Rory said noticing him suddenly, “Is everything okay?”

“You tell me,” the Doctor said softly.

Rory took a deep breath, “River is with Amy and I just hope that my daughter did something to ensure that she isn’t affected by the spell. That was all I could do to protect Amy this time.”

“I know that Amy would remind you that she can look after herself,” the Doctor said, “And that you don’t have to protect her.”

Rory shrugged, “After two thousand years, it’s a bit of a habit.”

The Doctor chuckled, “I guess so.”

“I’m scared, Doctor,” Rory confessed softly, “I know how to fight but what if I can’t fight this?”

Wrapping his arm around Rory, the Doctor hugged him tightly, “I sometimes forget you’re younger and older than me.”

“Me too.”

Letting the other man go the Doctor took Rory by the shoulders, “We rebooted the Universe once. We can do anything.”

With a slight smile Rory nodded in agreement.

“Then let’s go,” the Doctor told him, “And see if our new friends have anything.”

“Doctor,” Rory stopped him before he could leave the room, “If something happens to me then you have to get Amy away from that guy.”

“Rory…”

“And tell her that I love her more than anything in the universe.”

The Doctor smiled, resting his hand on Rory’s cheek, “She knows.”

                                 *********************************************

 “Okay, John is sure he’s managed to recreate the coin with the locating spell,” Sara said, “Rory and I agree that it would be the best idea to go back to London to set the trap.”

“Why?” the Doctor asked thoughtfully.

“Because it’s where we ran into each other,” Rory explained, “Presumably that’d be the best place since we know they not only have a presence but…that’s where Amy and Sara’s girlfriend Ava are.”

“Rory said there is a park near his house,” Sara took over, “So, we to set up there. It should hopefully allow us to ensure Amy and Ava are safe by breaking the spells.”

The Doctor glanced at John who nodded, “Alright, I say we take the TARDIS since the Waverider is a bit big to land and if you use your portal things…”

“Time Courier,” Sara and John corrected in unison.

“They could follow us back through if something goes wrong and we need to retreat,” the Doctor continued as though he hadn’t been interrupted.

“Agreed,” Sara nodded, “John, get what you need, and we’ll meet at the TARDIS in fifteen minutes.”

 Rory followed the Doctor into the TARDIS and took up position by the console.

“Gideon,” the Doctor called, “Apologies we have to leave you here.”

The hologram of the woman appeared again, “I understand, Doctor,” she told him, “The TARDIS shall keep in contact with me, so I know what is happening.”

The Doctor nodded.

“Gideon,” Rory said softly, “If I don’t get a chance to talk to you then thank you for your help.”

“You are welcome, Mr Williams,” Gideon nodded softly.

He smiled at her before adding, “And I hope you find your friend.”

Giving him a smile Gideon suddenly disappeared as the TARDIS doors opened.

“Oh my God,” Sara exclaimed as she walked inside a few steps, turned walked out and Rory assumed, walked around the outside of the TARDIS before she walked back in. Turning to John she said, “Okay, I get why the Time Masters stayed away from them.”

Without looking up, the Doctor called, “Come in, close the door and come up here.” As Sara and John reached him, the Doctor looked up and frowned at the skin-tight white outfit she was wearing, “Oh, White Canary. I thought you looked familiar. Nice outfit.”

He glanced at Rory who said, “No.”

“Are you sure?” the Doctor said, “You would…”

“Not a chance in hell,” Rory cut him off, “I have my sword, I don’t need the rest of the outfit.”

“Outfit?” John asked with interest.

Rory closed his eyes in frustration as the Doctor noted, “His Centurion’s uniform.”

John’s eyes widened in a way Rory wasn’t sure he liked before looking Rory up and down, “Really?”

“Let’s go, Doctor,” Rory said frustration in his voice.

“I think the Centurion outfit would be a good idea,” Sara spoke up amused.

Rory grimaced at her before snapping, “Doctor.”

“And we’re off,” the Doctor threw the lever.

                                 *********************************************

 It was a cold morning, grey with a haze of rain when they stepped out of the TARDIS. They were in a playpark with a large circle of grass in the middle of the park where the TARDIS was sitting. Sara looked around getting the lay of the land while Rory turned and looked along the road to where his house was.

“She’ll be fine,” the Doctor assured him.

Nodding Rory took a breath and turned to John, “What do you need me to do?”

Handing him small tin of green paint, a brush and a diagram John said, “On the ground around the outside of the grass. Try to keep it as hidden as possible, we don’t want them to see it until the last possible second.”

Rory nodded, looking at the picture on the paper for several moments before he began to meticulously paint it on the ground, ensuring that he didn’t miss a bit and the circle was complete.

John started muttering incantations beneath his breath, building them a protective circle that would work with the symbols Rory was painting.

“There’s nowhere to hide,” Sara frowned as she joined the Doctor.

“I think that’s the point,” the Doctor replied.

Sara grimaced, “I just don’t like it.”

“Neither do I.”

 John finished his incantations as Rory finished painting the symbols.

“These are good,” John told him, “Have you had to do this before?”

Rory chuckled, “Amy was very specific about how we played as children.”

John frowned for a moment and pulled out the duplicate coin but before he unwrapped it turned back to Rory, “We’re coming back to that later.”

Rory gave him a quick smile and stood back as John slowly unwrapped the silver coin he had made.

Turning he asked, “Are we all clear on the plan?”

“Yes,” Sara and Rory answered in unison as the Doctor nodded.

John took a quick breath, “Here we go then.”

Starting to incant again, he tossed it in the air. The coin spun in the air before dropping onto the ground with a clink.

Almost instantly several people began to appear, surrounding the park, all wearing black robes. John felt Rory stiffen at his side, hand reaching for his sword automatically as Sara took up a defensive stance.

“I want to speak to your boss,” John called.

“You have no idea what you are interfering in,” one of the robes replied stepping in front of them, “If you know what’s good for you then leave and we will spare your life.”

John pulled out a cigarette and lit it, “I’ve never been one for doing what’s good for me. Get your boss here and we will have a discussion. Or,” he took a long drag before flicking the butt, “You will find out exactly how much I dislike your sense of fashion.”

The robe let out a snort of derision and stepped forward, John muttered under his breath and raised his hands so that when he hit the barrier Rory had painted they thought it was John that had erected it himself. He needed the barrier to remain undiscovered for now.

“So,” John said to the man, who had now lost his hood, “Are you getting your boss, or do I have to ask again?”

 Rory decided he was glad John was on their side as he stared down the man in the black robe. Finally, the man sniffed and stepped back.

“You only have yourself to blame for your destruction,” he stated before he turned and went down on one knee.

John rolled his eyes and turned slightly to Rory, “Hold your temper. He’ll do anything he can to rattle you and Sara. The Doctor is watching her, but I need you to be what the Doctor calls ‘Nurse Rory’.”

“I’ll be fine,” Rory murmured back.

After several minutes a small sickly-looking man appeared and walked slowly towards them.

“Reed Redburn,” John snapped, “I knew it was too good to be true when I was told you were dead, you smarmy bastard.”

Redburn turned pale washed out blue eyes to them, “Constantine,” he rasped, “You should not have become involved in this.”

“You came after one of my mates,” John shook his head, “I tend to look unfavourably on that.”

Redburn laughed, or that’s what Rory assumed it was, before turning to Rory, “Mr Williams, this will be easier on you if you just surrender yourself. I know you want no one to be hurt in a futile attempt to stop what is inevitable.

Rory chuckled softly.

“Is something amusing, Mr Williams?” Redburn demanded looking surprised at Rory’s reaction.

“You have no idea what you’ve done,” Rory stated softly but the menace was clear in his voice, “When someone abducted my wife, I picked up my sword and cut through anyone who got in my way.”

Redburn shrugged, “So?”

Rory smiled coldly as he drew his sword, “I’m the even-tempered one in my family. Just wait till my wife and daughter realise what you’re doing. Natural disasters have nothing on them.”

“Do you think that I need to worry?” Redburn demanded, “I own your wife, Mr Williams and you have no child. I did my homework before I chose you.”

He turned and motioned someone forward. Rory gripped his sword tighter as Amy walked forward with the same guy who had been in his house, River was with them looking as confused as Amy. River glanced at Rory and winked sending relief flowing through him. A few moments later a brunette woman appeared with who he assumed was Ava, Sara’s girlfriend.

“You really should have done much more research,” John said from Rory’s side.

“River, now,” Rory snapped as John activated the spell that Rory had painted around the circle for him.

River grabbed Amy pulling her to safety as the spell exploded outwards removing the camouflage surrounding them and shattering every other spell Redburn had cast on the group.

“What the hell?” Amy demanded as she turned to the guy who had been pretending to be Rory. Without hesitation she punched him in the jaw, sending him to the ground.

“Rory!!” Amy cried, running to his side but seeing the sword and stance knew not to hug him instead turned a fiery glare onto Redburn as River joined them.

“You were saying?” Rory asked with a smirk.

 Sara smiled in relief as Ava slammed the woman who had been pretending to be her to the ground before moving to Sara’s side.

“I’m guessing I’ve missed a few things,” Ava said.

Giving a slight shrug, Sara confirmed, “One or two.”

“So,” John spoke up again, “You were saying about having an advantage.”

Redburn glared, looking even worse than he had earlier as his control over Amy, Ava and all of the people in the robes was broken by John’s spell. The people in black robes were now wandering around looking confused leaving Redburn standing alone.

“The last time we met,” John continued, anger in his voice just below the surface, “I told you I would kill you if we ever crossed paths again.”

“No,” the Doctor snapped, “No killing.”

John turned to him, “I don’t have to. The reason he wanted Sara and Rory was because both have been dead at some point. He wanted the energy their resurrection granted them. He’s not got long and the energy he expended in this stunt,” he shrugged, “It finished him off,” turning back to the man standing there who was beginning to wheeze, “You won’t live much longer, Redburn. Go make your peace because that black soul of yours is destined for hell.”

“We should get him to a hospital,” Rory spoke up.

Ava stepped forward, “We have the medical facilities that will also be able to keep him locked down.”

“Are you sure?” the Doctor asked.

Sara nodded, “Ava’s right. The Time Bureau is the best option. John, we’ll need you to help keep him in line.”

John shrugged, “Fine by me. I want to keep an eye on the slimy little weasel.”

“Good,” Sara said before she turned to the Doctor, “Thank you for your help.”

He gave a quick nod, “I’ll have the TARDIS let Gideon know everything is fine and you’ll contact her soon.”

“Thank you,” she replied before turning to Rory, offering her hand she smiled at him, “I’m really glad we ran into one another.”

“Me too,” Rory took her hand, “Look after yourself.”

Before she walked away Sara caught sight of the woman with Rory, who was not his wife, “Ahh…” she started before trailing off.

“Something wrong?” Rory asked.

Sara shook her head, “No. It’s just…your friend looks like my mom’s twin sister, Aunt Catherine but,” she laughed, “Considering you look like Rip, must just be another coincidence.”

Rory glanced at his friend before replying, “Must be.”

As she joined Ava and John, Sara turned and watched the Doctor, Rory and the two women enter the TARDIS.

As the blue box disappeared, Ava demanded, “What did I miss?”

Sara chuckled, “I’ll tell you later.”

 Rory entered the TARDIS and caught River before she headed up the stairs to join the Doctor and Amy.

“Should I ask,” he said before adding, “Aunt Catherine?”

River smiled mysteriously before patting his cheek, “Best not to, father dear.”

Rolling his eyes, he climbed the stairs quickly and was caught by Amy in a tight embrace. She hugged him tightly before kissing him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Rory held onto her, “Not your fault. I’m just happy you recognise me again.”

“So,” the Doctor spoke up, “Where to?”

“How about home,” Rory replied, his arm wrapped tightly around his wife, “Get something to eat then decide.”

The Doctor nodded, “Sounds good.”

Rory smiled as he looked around the TARDIS, relieved to be home with his family once more.

                                 *********************************************

 The Doctor was sitting on the wall in the back garden when Rory found him after dinner. Taking a seat at his side Rory looked up at the stars in silence with him for several minutes.

“You’re thinking very loudly over there,” the Doctor said.

Rory shrugged, “Just everything that happened the past few days.” He paused and turned to his friend, “Did you let Gideon know what happened?”

“You were busy with Amy when I did,” the Doctor smiled, “She sent her good wishes to you.”

He sat for a moment before saying, “She wasn’t what I expected an AI to be.”

“No,” the Doctor smiled, “Not like one I’ve ever encountered before either. The TARDIS appears to have made friends with her too.”

“Can you help her find her Captain?” Rory asked.

The Doctor shrugged nonchalantly, “I may have thought of a few possibilities of what may have happened to him.”

“Well if you find him, I want to meet him,” Rory said.

“To see if you do look the same?”

Rory laughed, “That’s basically why.”

They sat in silence again for several more minutes, listening to Amy and River laughing inside the house.

“Thank you for coming to help me, Doctor,” Rory said sincerely.

Wrapping his arm around the other man, the Doctor smiled, “Anytime.”

“Oy, you two,” Amy yelled, “Get back in here. Dessert is served.”

Clapping his friend’s shoulder Rory led him back into the house with his wife and daughter.

He was home again.

[love-menzone]

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[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 3/47

If the receptionist was surprised by the disheveled, wide-eyed, young woman who was dragging a battered suitcase behind her, she had the grace not to show it. She greeted Rey with an amicable smile instead.

“Hello, welcome to Four Seasons, I’m Heather. How may I help you?”

“Hello, I have a reservation under the name Rey Jakku.”

“Sure thing, let me look that up for you,”

The receptionist wore a perfectly pressed uniform, her hair pinned up in a flawless chignon. Her fingers clattered against the keys of the keyboard and she paused, pursing her lips in dissatisfaction.

“I’m sorry—I’m not finding anything under that name. Are you sure about the check-in date?”

Rey was utterly embarrassed for a moment, but then she looked up with conviction:

“For Mr. and Mrs. Storm, please,” she amended, shakily.

The receptionist’s face lit up.

“Oh, right, Mr. and Mrs. Storm, five nights in our honeymoon suite. Congratulations from all of us, may I please have the credit card you entered for the booking, Mrs. Storm?”

Rey had been prepared for them to bring up the “honeymoon suite”, but definitely didn’t expect them to ask for Finn’s card.

“The credit card? What for?”

Heather must have gotten used to that question, her voice was gentle when she responded:

“Your booking was guaranteed by a credit card on which the first night will be charged ; I need this card to confirm your identity and charge the rest of the stay. This will also ease the check-out process, as you'll just have to put your keys in this box right here on your departure day and will be able to leave the hotel without having to go through the front desk again,”

“Okay, great, how can I cancel the other nights?”

Now she was taken aback.

“You want to leave sometime tomorrow? I can cancel the other nights without a fee, but I’ll need your passport please,”

Rey handed her passport over, and the receptionist began typing something out for the hotel records. Soon, she looked up at Rey again.

“The room is booked under the name Finn Storm. Without the credit card that made the original reservation or some form of corresponding identification, I can’t give you access. Do you have a marriage certificate?”

Rey felt like the fatigue had won over. Was this fate or something? Was Finn having fun poking needles into a voodoo doll in her likeness, was she headed for the gallows at this point?

She knew what she had to do but she really didn’t want to take it that far.

Boneless, she stepped back awkwardly and slumped into one of the overstuffed armchairs in the lobby. She had a headache. She was drowsy. She aspired only to a semblance of serenity, was it too much to ask?

Taking her phone out of her pocket, she unlocked it, scrolling mechanically past several apps, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…Contacts. In the Favourites section was “Finn Love”, accompanied by the photo of a charming young man with brown skin and soulful eyes.

She threw her phone onto a coffee table and got up, pacing. Finally, giving in to an impulse, she pressed the call icon.

Ring.

He didn’t answer.

Voicemail.

She hung up, dialing the number again.

Ring.

A faint voice answered, as though from millions of kilometers away…literally.

“Rey, peanut, is that you? Where are you? It’s three in the morning, are you okay?”

“Finn, I’m in Denver. At—at our hotel. For the honey moon.”

“That’s madness, peanut! You went by yourself? Oh, I’m so sorry babe, really sorry!”

“Stop. Just stop it. Don’t call me peanut. I’m not your babe. Listen to me. I’m at the hotel and I need you to talk to the receptionist. The room is under your name and she refuses to give me the key,”

On the other end of the line, she can hear his breath hitch. Behind him, she then hears Poe’s familiar voice, thick with sleep. He says something she can’t quite make out, and Finn brings him up to speed in a few words. Finally, Finn gets back to her.

“Get me the receptionist.”

“Thank you.”

Rey approached Heather again, who took the call. She wrote down some numbers on a notepad as she spoke. Finally, she thanked the mystery caller politely and handed Rey the phone again, smiling.

“It’s alright ma’am, I verified his credit card information and room number. Here’s your key, room 2187 on the second floor. The elevators are behind you, on the right. Breakfast is served from seven to ten-thirty in the morning. I hope you have an excellent stay.”

“Thanks,” Rey said, not smiling more than she had to.

She fiddled with the plastic keycard with one hand. She held her phone in the other.

“Finn?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for the room. Goodnight.”

“Rey, wait! I’m not okay with the idea of you doing this trip alone. Nothing good can come of it. I mean, you’re so emotionally unstable, I have a bad feeling about this—“

“Finn, I don’t even want to hear you say anything. Not anymore. It’s over. Rey, the sweet little damsel in distress— bollocks! I’m getting on fine without you. And don’t call me. If you want updates, go bother Jessica. Goodbye.”

She didn’t wait for him to respond before hanging up.

The room left her speechless.

A bay window as wide as her London apartment offered a gorgeous view, which glittered softly in the twilight. A huge bed was anchored in the center of the room, definitely a “king size”. Everything was ready to welcome a couple of newlyweds : a path of red rose petals led to the bed, and a tray carrying a bottle of champagne in a silver basin was seemingly waiting for them.

The sight of what should have been the scene for a magical wedding night clawed at Rey, but she felt she had shed enough tears for the day. She went to the bathroom, whistling in admiration in front of the Jacuzzi, and following an impulse, turned on the faucets all the way. She poured a whole bottle of bubble bath into the hot water, and added a few handfuls of rose petals (let’s have it all!).

After flicking through the room service menu, she phoned the front desk to order dinner. Everything would be put on Finn’s credit card. Was it not the most natural thing in the world to make him pay, literally, for this wedding night alone?

A flute of champagne in one hand and a strawberry in the other, Rey slid into the hot water with delight. She wouldn’t have the pleasure of such luxury from now on. The rest of her trip would be decidedly Spartan. She closed her eyes.

“There’s no time like the present, tomorrow it’ll all be over.”

Tomorrow she would have to find lodging that was within her limited means.  And where would she get a cheap rental car to drive to California? Her returning flight would depart from San Francisco exactly two weeks from now. At least she had time instead of money. She could indulge in some tourism.

Rey woke up at five in the morning, around noon in London time. She tried to go back to sleep, rolled over in bed without even reaching the other side, burying herself under the cushions, in vain. Finally, she got up, dressed, struggled against the twisted zipper of her suitcase, and repacked her things. Sitting at the end of the bed, she pondered what to do next. Was it better to wait until the restaurant opened for breakfast at seven? Or should she  go hang out at the spa, or return the key and get some coffee from down the road?

The spa seemed like the most comfortable option, but deep inside, her mind was already racing. She needed paper money, a new suitcase, a cheap rental car, and probably a GPS. Procrastinating—bubbling away until checkout—would give her nothing but another chance to wallow in her misery while rehashing the events of the past few days until she went mad. She had to be proactive, to set objectives for herself.

Right, then.

Objective A: find a place to get a coffee.

Dragging her suitcase - which was no longer rolling behind her - Rey put her key in the checkout box and went out into the street. The air smelled like sage and lilac, and the city seemed at peace. Taking a closer look, she could see volleys of delivery trucks, buses, and various other vehicles, as if the city had awakened after a good night's sleep.

Aimlessly wandering the streets, Rey spotted a neon sign, and painted letters on a window advertising "fresh coffee all day and night, come and taste our homemade cinnamon rolls!"

The idea of a home-made cinnamon bun and a hot coffee made her speed up. She paid no attention to the black pickup parked a few meters away.

The shop was warm and welcoming, the décor simultaneously rustic and cozy: refurbished wooden benches, weathered paint, exposed brick, hardwood, and rusted metal.

Rey put her suitcase down near a bench, and walked to the counter. Her stomach growled at the smell of hot pastries and freshly brewed coffee. She spoke to the waitress, a young Asian woman with a round face and a cheeky smile.

“Hello, I'll have a coffee ... Americano. Grande. With cream. And a cinnamon roll.”

“Excellent choice, they come out of the oven soon, tell me how you like ‘em. That’ll be six twenty-five please. Go ahead and take a seat, I’ll bring it around for you,”

Rey paid with card, and took a seat on the bench. Apart from her, there was only one other customer, a man with broad shoulders and very long dark hair. He was facing the other direction and she couldn’t see his face, but she wondered if he was anything like the bloke from yesterday, the one who had smashed her suitcase with his monstrous pickup.

It was probably a good time to call Jessica. Considering jet lag, it was early afternoon in London, and her friend was probably worried about her. It would do Rey good to talk to someone.

She pulled her smartphone from her bag and was stunned for a moment when the screen refused to light up. Well, it wasn’t broken, she knew that.

She realized she hadn’t recharged since leaving London. Nine hours of flight, a whole night after: the battery was dead.

She searched around for an outlet, and found several under the tables. The place was decidedly welcoming; everyone could charge their smartphone or laptop with a coffee, and now she could readily imagine the place would be overrun with college students in an hour or two.

Her smile froze. The outlet consisted of two tiny vertical slits, nowhere near the triangular kind that was used in England. She cursed. What would she do? The purchase of an adapter was thus added to the already long list of things to think about, and in the meantime, she had neither emails, nor service, nor Google Maps. How convenient it would be to find a rental car company now…

When the waitress approached, placing a steaming cup and a cinnamon bun on the table, Rey gently touched her arm to get her attention.

“Excuse me, do you happen to have any adapters for a charger like this?”

The waitress pursed her lips.

“No, where does it come from?”

“From England…”

The girl's face lit up.

“Oh, that explains the adorable accent! So charming…sorry, I can’t help you. There’s a mall like two blocks from here, you will definitely find an electronics store that sells adapters.”

“Okay, thank you very much.”

Rey stirred her coffee mindlessly, added a packet of sugar, and resumed stirring. She stared blankly at the shoulders of the man sitting at the other table.

Oh, bollocks, what did she have to lose?

She went up to him slowly so as not to startle him.

“ Sir?”

He turned to her. She paled. He was the guy in the pickup. But she kept her calm, maybe he wouldn’t recognize her.

“Hello, excuse me for disturbing you. My phone has no battery, may I use your phone to call someone?”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, as though considering her request carefully.

"Aren’t you the Brit who rammed her suitcase against my car yesterday?”

Rey blushed slightly, then frowned.

“Well, yes, but actually, no. I did not "ram my suitcase against your car"; it was you who barely failed to crush me, and ruined my suitcase, in fact.”

He raised an eyebrow, and turned slightly, propping an elbow on the back of his chair.

“And what do you want?”

“To call someone. Please. My battery is dead and I have to buy an adapter ... well it's complicated.”

“Call where?”

“England.” Her voice broke in the middle of the word.

She realized that it was too much to ask for a long distance call on a stranger’s phone. Then she began to talk very quickly, a habit of hers when she was embarrassed:

“I can send a text message and ask to be called back. Please, it's important.”

“Nothing is ever simple with you, is it?” His tone was glacial but she thought she saw him smile.

He handed her his phone.

“Go ahead, call. I have unlimited international minutes. Just don’t drain my entire battery, okay?”

Rey breathed a sigh of relief. She realized that she had been holding her breath and tensing her shoulders. She smiled gratefully.

“Thank you. I'll give it back to you right away. By the way, my name is Rey.”

“Ben Solo.”

===================

start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774

[xmagicxshopx]

⏳ Chaos ⏳

Genre: Idol Life, Fantasy Adventure, Romance, Comedy Rating: PG-13 Warnings: mild language, Tae’s dad is a jerk Pairing: Taehyung x reader Notes: demigod!bts au but also idol!bts. Single quote marks ‘ ‘ are for thoughts and double “ “ are for talking. Additional Notes: I know a lot of the idols’ activities are not chronologically correct but just go with it. XD

Tagging: @temptaestions because she’s a cutie who requested something fun~

Summary: Kim Taehyung of BTS just wants someone to go with him to the Seoul Fashion Week event. But when everyone else is busy, he’s left with no choice but to hire an escort.

“Sorry, buddy. I’ve got a movie I’m just starting to film. But maybe try Tiffany? She always goes to those. Never misses a year.”

“Ooohhh. Sorry, TaeTae. But I’m actually in America right now on tour. Maybe next year? I’m super bummed I’m missing it, though!”

“Hey, Tae! Ah--- Sorry, my friend, but I just started promotions for my solo. You’ve listened to it, right?”

Call after call, friend after friend, it all had the poor boy coming up short. All Kim Taehyung wanted was for someone to go with him to the Seoul Fashion Week event so he wouldn’t have to go alone. Now.....One would think that living with six other guys and a contact list long enough to circle the globe three times......Surely someone was available?

Namjoon was too busy being Bangtan’s amazing leader. Jin claimed he’d rather watch paint dry. Yoongi was napping and you don’t dare wake Min Yoongi when he’s napping. Hoseok was already treating himself to a spa day.

Jimin would have gone but Jeon “The Brat” Jungkook snatched him up first. They were off doing lord knows what. That of course left the youngest out too which was fine because he had horrible fashion sense anyway. The kid’s closet had to be nothing but t-shirts three sizes too big and baggy pants to go with them. Oh.....and bucket hats.......

Since his six brothers were unavailable, Taehyung resorted to his long list of idol friends. This proved to be futile as he went down the list faster than he expected. Everyone was just so gosh darn busy. Whether it be acting, touring, solo promotions, and even military service! It never ended! However, when he was just about to give up while on the phone with his good friend from VIXX, Hakyeon, it was then that the darker skinned male spoke up.

“Try hiring an escort. You can’t go wrong there.”

“An escort?”

“Yeah! Basically you contact a company who specializes in that kind of stuff. You know, someone to keep you company for an event of your choice. You tell them what you’re looking for and they’ll hook you up with one of their employees.”

The young man sat there at the end of his bed as he thought about it. Sure, Taehyung knew of those types of companies but he had never ever considered using one before. Then again, he never really had a reason to. He had always been surrounded by either Bangtan or his other famous friends. There was never any need for a complete stranger.

“I’ll think about it. Thanks for the idea, hyung. Stay safe out there, okay?”

“Will do, Tae. Good luck with everything! Gotta go. Duty calls.”

Just like that, the young lad was left alone once more. He sat there fiddling with his phone in his hands as he contemplated on whether or not he should seriously consider the idea of hiring an escort. A complete stranger. Granted, Taehyung could be quite the social butterfly, but still. Given his extreme social status, would it be safe? What if he got stuck with some employee who was a crazy fan? There was so much that could go wrong here.

Then again......There was also a lot that could go right. Just like with anything else. He had to weigh the pros and cons and decide from there. Even though he could get stuck with someone crazy, he could also end up making a new friend. Perhaps the person would be pleasant and professional? Not to mention he really really didn’t want to go alone.

“Oh why the hell not? I won’t know till I try, right?”

That was how Taehyung found himself just a few days later standing in front of his full length mirror. He adjusted his tie as he tried to decide if it was the one he actually wanted. Did it go with the rest of his outfit? Did it complement his suit jacket? His hair? Should he go crazy and color it before the event?

While he bustled around making sure he was completely ready, he thought about his escort. Upon calling, he had been 100% up front with the receptionist and explained that he had no idea what he was doing. They simply asked him a few questions and mailed him various forms to fill out and sign and poof, instant companion for the event.

During the small questionnaire, Taehyung was asked if he had a preference of male or female for this event and he spoke up honestly that it didn’t matter. He just wanted polite company that he could gush about fashion with. So it was no surprise to him when he got an email confirmation from the company stating details that his escort was a female in her early 20s.

The plan sounded simple and looked simple on paper. Have a nice meal in a secluded place to help break the ice, go to the event, have a good time, and part ways. But Taehyung was smart enough to know that it wasn’t going to be quite that simple. Again.....So much could go wrong or it could go right. Only time would tell. Speaking of, it was time for him to head out.

“I can do this.”

To try and keep things as secret as possible for as long as possible, the plan was to have a BigHit Ent vehicle take him to the back of the agency building where he’d meet his companion for the day. He’d then hop in to join the escort company’s vehicle where they’d drive to the restaurant of his choosing.

He wasn’t a complete idiot. Taehyung knew the minute he arrived at the carpet with the escort that the media would go crazy. All he asked was for a nice, quiet meal with this stranger beforehand. Being sneaky and secretive like this was the only way he knew how. Sometimes being a idol was very exhausting in the sense of trying to enjoy simple things such as a nice meal with someone.

The closer he got to the agency building, the more anxious and nervous the poor boy was becoming. He figured his companion for the day would be pretty but would they match? Hence why he kept his outfit fairly neutral as far as colors go. He appreciated the company but this was a fashion event and he really didn’t want to arrive looking like a mismatched pair of socks.

This was it. They were here. Time to get out and face the music. Taking a deep breath to help center himself, Taehyung climbed out of his agency vehicle and made his way for the back of the limousine where he carefully opened the door and climbed inside.

“Greetings, Mr. Kim. I am your escort for today.”

Whoa. You were absolutely gorgeous. Everything from the shape of your face, eyes, nose, lips. Despite you sitting down, he could tell you had amazing curves. That was when he finally took in your attire for the event. Thank goodness! It would appear either yourself or the company he hired you from was knowledgeable in the fashion industry. Dare he say, the two of could end up being the best matched guests there today.

“He-Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

You had to admit, when the company you worked for explained that you would be assigned to thee Kim Taehyung of BTS, you were a little surprised. Upon hearing that it was for the Seoul Fashion Week event, you did your research and was glad to see that it paid off. He seemed pretty impressed by the look on his face. You found it cute and endearing.

“It’s my understanding we’ll be eating first, Mr. Kim?”

“Ta-Taehyung is fine. There’s no need for being formal. But, yes, that’s right. I thought we could maybe take that time to smooth over any awkwardness.”

“You mean like right now?”

You smiled at him and couldn’t help how adorable he looked all flustered like that. It was more than obvious that it was his first time using such a thing as an escort company. Not that you were here to judge. The same warm smile still on your face, you decided to help break that ice cube of awkwardness and asked casually,

“Where to, Taehyung?”

That seemed to be enough to snap him back to reality. Blinking a couple times, he pulled himself together and with a soft cough to help clear his dry throat, he looked between you and the driver and said casually,

“Yes. There’s a nice place that’s secluded just down the road a few blocks from here.”

After stating the actual name of the restaurant, the driver instantly knew where the young man was referring to and so began driving from the back parking lot, out onto the streets. Trying not to seem as awkward as initially, Taehyung looked over at you and smiled a bit timidly.

“So how long have you been in the escorting business?”

It wasn’t till the words had already came flying out of his mouth that he considered the question might come across as being insensitive or rude. Just as he was about to backpedal and apologize, you perked up with a smile and replied casually,

“Not that long, actually. I’m in my early 20s and I applied as soon as I was of age. I still believe it was my looks that got me in and not my smarts.”

“Well----If I may say, you really are beautiful. Gorgeous even.”

You thought he was extremely cute with the way the tips of his ears were turning pink. After watching so many interviews and following BTS in the news and your free time, you never would have imagined that this young man would be nervous about anything. But then again......Even Kim Taehyung of BTS was human.

“Thank you, Taehyung. And you look handsome as always.”

The small talk ended sooner than the young man would have liked. Thankfully it wouldn’t be long before they could pick things back up as he was now carefully getting out of the vehicle and jogging around to help you out of the car but you had already beaten him to it; getting out yourself.

“What’s with the pout, Taehyung?”

“I was going to be a gentleman and open the door for you.”

You smiled warmly at him only to nudge your head towards the restaurant entrance; silently telling him to follow you. It was now more obvious than ever that the poor boy was a first time user. Still smiling, you explained casually but with a tone of endearment,

“I’m trying to keep you out of trouble, Mr. Kim. If you know what I mean.”

The gears were turning and you could practically hear them as the greeter out front passed along two menus to another employee and they had the two of you follow to somewhere further back in the restaurant. A place far more secluded to where no prying eyes could watch you.

Upon sitting down, the employee placed down the menus and politely explained who their server would be and was off in a flash. It wasn’t till he finally had a chance to sit down that he looked up at you sheepishly; understanding clearly hitting him now.

“Thanks for.......I never even thought about the media seeing us like that.”

“It’s okay, Taehyung. Your heart was in the right place and that means a lot. In my few years at the company, you’re the most sweetest client I’ve ever had.”

The way you worded things gave him a huge reality check. One that he probably needed. Client. That’s all he was. This wasn’t a date. This wasn’t a date. He had to keep reminding himself of that. It was his own fault, really. Choosing such a nice restaurant like this to have a nice meal before heading out. But.....did he want this to be a date??? Why was he even thinking about that right now? He knew darn well dating wasn’t plausible for him right now.

“I think I’m going to take the salad. It looks good.”

“Hmm. Sounds good. What else are you getting with it? Their steak looks good.”

“Oh I’ll be getting just the salad. Nothing else with it.”

For the first time since meeting, it was now your turn to become sheepish and nervous. Usually there wasn’t an issue. Mostly because your clients didn’t care. You were just a bag of flesh meant to look pretty on their arm for a number of random events. But this man right here......he was different. Kim Taehyung was definitely different.

He stared at you with furrowed eyebrows and a look that was the perfect mixture of worry and confusion. Sure he had said the salad sounded good but that was just him being polite. He had been here plenty of times and he’d seen the salad you were referring to. There was practically nothing to it. There was no way that was going to fill you up for the rest of the day.

“Wh----”

“I’m really not that hungry. So I’m going to eat light.”

As if higher power was against you today, your stomach growled an ungodly sound and you wanted nothing more than to fall through the floor and never see the light of day again. Oh how the tables have turned. There you sat with a huge pout on your face while he looked amused but was trying to remain cool about it.

“Look----It’s the company. I have to retain a strict diet and certain weight if I want to stay employed.”

It was highly unprofessional but the words just came flying out of your mouth before you could think it through. Not to mention Taehyung carried this aura about him that just made it so.......easy. He was so easy to talk to. He held a special warmth in his eyes that practically begged you to open up and spill all your worries and fears.

“Oh gosh---I’m so sorry, Tae. I should have never told you that. I----”

“Screw the company.”

“H-Huh?”

“I said......Screw the company.”

There the two of you sat. You in shock and him giving you a stern but......There was something else in his eyes that you couldn’t quite place. Regardless, you could tell he was serious about his words. Gosh were you blushing??? Kim Taehyung was definitely your most interesting client so far. That’s for sure.

“Eat what you want.”

“But----”

“No buts. Part of my request was that I have a nice meal with good company. You work for me today and I want to see you eating whatever you want.”

He had no idea where this sudden boldness was coming from, but he found himself leaning back into his chair with his hands clasped behind his head; cradling his skull and a smug smile on his face. Now this was the Kim Taehyung most people were used to seeing. In a warm but teasing tone, he asked softly,

“You wouldn’t want to disappoint your client now, would you?”

Oh he was good. You had to give him that. What a sly young man he was. Biting your bottom lip and glancing back down at the menu, Taehyung knew he had already won the battle. It was honestly ridiculous, though. What kind of......well.....who was he kidding? It was all about looking the prettiest and thinnest these days. It was sad but the harsh reality all the same.

“The steak does sound pretty delicious.”

“That’s what I was thinking. Good choice.”

With that, drinks were ordered and two steak meals were placed. You sat there in disbelief and it was evident all over your face. There was a split second where the poor boy thought maybe he had sent you into some kind of frozen state of shock. Blinking out of your stupor, you cleared your throat and spoke up softly, almost timidly.

“Thank you.....”

“For what?”

What exactly were you thanking him for? Even you yourself weren’t sure. But as you sat there and thought about it while sipping on your ice water, you cleared your throat once more and replied slowly as if still thinking about it,

“For treating me as a real person and not someone you hired to keep you company.”

The whole atmosphere seemed to soften as your words lingered in the air between you. Never before had you spoke such words during a job. Then again.....there was nothing normal or routine about this particular work order. No. Kim Taehyung made sure of that. Said male sported a soft and warm smile as he spoke just as much,

“That’s because you are a real person.”

The rest of the meal went by fairly well with no more awkward confessions about your job being less than perfect. Although Taehyung did learn that you actually went to school for cosmetology and that you’d one day like to try and get a job as either a hair or makeup stylist. The young man found you interesting and often found himself ignoring his meal just so his full and undivided attention was on you as you spoke.

The ice had definitely been broken and the two of you were on your way to the event. In fact, things were so chill between you two that you had actually started calling him Tae or even TaeTae. It was cute how his ears tried to turn pink every time you said it. Yep. Out of all the work orders how had ever fulfilled, this one was definitely your favorite. You could get used to being Taehyung’s escort.

“Wow......That’s the best meal I’ve had in.......”

“Since you became of age?”

The two of you looked at each other and soft laughter and chuckles filled the vehicle. Nodding, you sat there buckled up but gently patted and rubbed at your stomach. How long had it been since you felt so warm and full before? Gosh you could totally take a nap right here. However, sleeping would have to wait because you still had a job to fulfill.

“So are you into fashion? I hope this won’t be boring for you.”

You lightly waved your hand as if to swat at a fly while shaking your head. Wanting to further explain, you spoke up casually,

“I have specific tastes but I have no doubt that I’ll be able to appreciate the work we’re about to go see. Honestly I’ve always wanted to go to this event but I’ve always had to work.”

Relief internally flooded through the boy’s veins as he listened. Good. Good good. The last thing he wanted was to sit there next to someone who was incredibly bored with something that he found extremely interesting. Dare he say it but......It was almost like you were......perfect for him.

As he expected, the minute he arrived at the outdoor carpeted entrance, cameras were all over him. He wanted to give you a glance but fortunately one of the media employees was practically demanding that the two of you look at each other. Finally given the perfect excuse to check on you and see how you were holding up with his fame, he was surprised to see you doing very well.

Your smile was warm and bright and so.....natural. Was it a genuine smile or one that you reserved for work? If Taehyung was any kind of bold, he’d love to ask you the minute they got a moment alone but nope. Too chicken. Not gonna go there. The media kept asking who you were and how long you had known the idol but you kept things professional and just remained silent. You were good. Really good.

“Wow. Sorry about that. They were crazy out there.”

With soft laughter, you simply shook your head and leaned over to speak so that you could be heard over all the noise.

“You’re Kim Taehyung of BTS, it’s to be expected.”

The event went smoothly. Both of you just as adamant and into it as anyone else. The young man watched your eyes light up with the most beautiful kind of innocence he had ever seen. You were like a child as you watched model after model walk down the runway. Whenever Taehyung would explain a certain piece to you, he could tell you were listening with your full attention; genuinely interested in what he had to say.

Yep. You were perfect for him.

“Wow! That was so much fun, Tae! I had no idea fashion could be so exciting!”

You were giddy and it was one of the most adorable things Taehyung had ever witnessed. It was as if you were literally high on happiness. Your smile was brighter than the night sky as the two of you sat in the limousine driving back to the BigHit agency building. For some reason.....his heart was sinking the closer they got. It was then that he suddenly asked,

“You wanna go somewhere else? I........I’m not ready to......to say goodbye.....”

It was bold. He knew it. You knew it. You both knew it. Yet....You wanted it too. You weren’t ready to say goodbye either. This had been the most enjoyable day of your life in several months. Years even. It didn’t even feel like a job at this point and the young man certainly didn’t feel like a client. No. This.......This felt like a.......like a.......

Date.

And you were here for it. All of it. Shamelessly so. Even if you were playing with fire, it didn’t matter because clearly the young man wanted this too. Smiling widely, your eyes softened and you nodded gently before speaking up in an honest tone,

“I’m not ready either. Where do you wanna go, Tae?”

Call him crazy. Call him insane. But Taehyung knew exactly where he wanted to take you. It was gonna be a long shot but he was practically itching to show you. To show you a part of him that only few other people knew about. A part of him that sometimes.....He wasn’t always so proud of. But still. He wanted you to know.

“It’s something inside the agency building. But you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone, okay?”

Grinning widely and feeling more than adventurous, you held out your pinkie finger and the young idol immediately linked his with yours. It probably seemed silly but he held a lot of respect for the famous pinkie promise.

Before either of you knew it, the vehicle was stopping once again in the back of the agency building and this time you allowed the young man to open the door for you. Giggling like a schoolgirl, you allowed him to help you out and tugged down your dress to help keep it smooth against your skin. You had since then changed out of your expensive heels and into comfortable flats that still matched your dress.

“Come on. I can’t wait to show you. Under the impression that you’ll believe me, of course.”

“I don’t see you having a reason to lie so of course I’ll believe you, TaeTae.”

Oh you say that now but he couldn’t help but remain nervous. Thankfully his palm wasn’t sweaty as he held yours while guiding the two of you to the elevator located in the lobby. Your heart was pounding with excitement and anticipation. However, upon standing in front of the contraption, you watched him turn towards you and asked softly with the utmost sincerity,

“Do you trust me?”

For a slight moment, your mind went straight to the gutter. Despite his seriousness and sincerity, you couldn’t help but immediately picture the two of you making out and even going further in an elevator. But-----That was ridiculous! If he wanted to do that with you, it could have been anywhere far better than an elevator. Mentally shaking your head, you blinked up at him and nodded immediately.

“I trust you, Taehyung.”

His smile was bright and warm as he gave your hand a squeeze. It was meant to be reassuring but honestly you were still trying to get over the fact how.....comfortable, you were with the idea of making out with him. Where was your head? He was your client! Get your act together! Gripping his hand back in return, you watched him press the button and the doors immediately opened.

Walking in, still hand-in-hand, you watched him press a button that would have looked like a normal button.....Had it not looked like a pyramid. Hmm....That was interesting....and oddly familiar. You glanced up at him to see that he looked a bit nervous. As if he were second guessing his decision. But all he said was---

“Hang on tight.”

Still caught off guard, you ended up letting out a soft scream of surprise when the compartment suddenly jerked and started ascending at a much faster speed than a normal elevator should go. Not thinking anything of it, you latched onto the male and he gently encased you in his arms. If you weren’t so disoriented, you would have thoroughly enjoyed the embrace.

And suddenly-----It stopped. It stopped with a soft ding.

The doors opened and sand immediately started to blow into the compartment. There was a nice breeze and a warmth that encased you like a warm, fuzzy blanket on a cold winter’s day as you finally opened your eyes to look behind you. Whoa.

Sand. There was sand everywhere! And pyramids! Beautiful structures withstanding the test of time and all of them tipped with gold. Real, pure gold. The river flowed and the water looked crystal clear against the sun’s beautiful rays. Wow. Wow wow! You could hear people in the distance. Some trying to sell their merchandise while others were just having normal conversations about their day.

You were in Egypt.

“You’re a demigod?!”

“Wait----You believe in demigods???”

“Dude! I’m a demigod too!!”

“What?!”

Okay. Hold the phone. Stop the presses. Everything was happening way too fast and things were escalating quickly. The poor boy looked utterly lost and confused, perhaps even frozen with shock. Meanwhile, you were glowing. Glowing with happiness at this sudden realization. He was perfect for you. He was everything you wanted in a guy. Not only was he fun to hang out with, but he shared a secret same as yours. Well......almost.

“Yeah! I’m the daughter of Aphrodite! You know----The Greek Goddess. She’s my mom!”

Well dang. This was definitely not how the idol saw things going. Granted he wasn’t complaining. Heck, this was going to be way easier than he thought. But the whole idea that he was staring at someone who was just like him.....It was pretty surreal to say the least. Smiling a bit timidly, he spoke up with honesty.

“No wonder you’re so beautiful and pretty. It’s in your genetics.”

Despite having heard similar compliments, you still felt your face growing warm. It was just the way he said it. Or was it......the fact that it was him who said it? Either way, you enjoyed it and ended up smiling timidly. Turning around to face the view, you asked in an almost teasing manner,

“So----Gonna show me around?”

With that, he took your hand once more and this time you boldly laced your fingers together. This was definitely no longer an escort job and was a full blown date. Or at least that’s what you were calling it. Not that you’d tell him that. Thankfully he didn’t make a move to untangle your fingers. So perhaps he liked it too?

“Wow! This place is so cool! Look at all the pretty jewelry!”

“Kook???”

Taehyung had decided to take you through town first. Mostly to help buy him some time. The thing was.......while your Greek mother was something you could be proud of......The poor boy wasn’t exactly.....proud of his Egyptian bloodline. Of all the gods and goddesses that could have been his parent, he had to be the lucky guy who got stuck with the infamous god of chaos. Set. And he was not excited to tell you that.

Thankfully he found another distraction and it came in the form of one Jeon Jungkook.

The younger male turned around upon hearing his name and his doe eyes grew wider; clearly not expecting to see one of his band mates here. Let alone seeing him with someone else. Jogging over to the two of you, he sported a sheepish smile upon seeing you; clearly unsure of how to approach the situation.

“What are you doing here, Kook?”

“I um----Well I um........I’m here to see dad. I want to get my girlfriend a puppy for her birthday and I figured if anyone could help me pick the perfect pup, it’d be him.”

“Your dad is Anubis?!”

Before you could attract anymore attention than you already had, the two boys started to drag you off towards the palace entrance; both looking a bit embarrassed and maybe even a bit mortified. Oops. Well you couldn’t exactly help it. You were in shock. It was two for two now with both Bangtan boys being Egyptian demigods. What were the odds. Once inside the palace foyer, the two males turned to you and nodded with the youngest speaking first.

“Yes. Anubis is my father. But.....Who are you?”

“I’m a friend of Tae’s and also a demigod. My mother is Aphrodite.”

“Ah cool. Well it was nice to meet you. Have fun here in Egypt! I’m gonna track dad down. See you guys later!”

Taehyung stood there in surprise while you politely waved goodbye to the other boy. Why hadn’t you been more honest and explained that you were just a hired escort to keep him company? Furthermore, did you really consider the two of you friends? Why did that thought make his heart flutter? Gah. Too many questions.

“So---Who’s your Egyptian parent? You haven’t mentioned them yet.”

“Well I----”

“Ah! Nephew Kookie! Good to see you!”

Oh lord. Speak of the devil.

The voice came from just down the hall and it was the last voice Taehyung wanted to hear. And poor Kook. Glancing over at you only to see you wearing a confused expression on your face, he offered a sympathetic smile and stated softly,

“We should probably rescue him. Come on.”

Lightly jogging alongside each other, you were now more than grateful for switching into your flats. But your cocktail dress was definitely making you stand out among all the other town folk. Even in the palace. Actually, since when had Taehyung ditched his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves on his dress shirt? Wow......he looked really good that way.

Rounding the corner, you were met with a sight that you could only dream about. There stood small-looking Jungkook as not just one, but two Egyptian gods towered over him. It wasn’t that the youngest member of BTS was short. Heck no. He was one of the taller ones. It was just that the two gods were that tall.

There stood in all their sun-kissed glory, was the Egyptian gods Anubis and Set. Anubis, the god of embalming and determining who was worthy of the glorious afterlife. Head of a jackal. And then there was Set. Lord of chaos. Head of an anteater. You knew from your studies that these two gods had an.....interesting history. But it was the words that left the anteater’s mouth that rendered you speechless.

“Well, well, well. First I get a visit from my beloved nephew and now my own son graces me with his presence. To what do I owe this rare occasion?”

“Hello, Set.”

You should have kept your cool. But it was impossible now. Your initial reaction was to look over at the young man next to you. Oh poor Taehyung.....His father was Set? One of the most evil gods in Egyptian history??? Your heart immediately throbbed for him. It was true what they say, you can’t pick your family. Just as you were about to reach out for his hand, the mischievous god asked playfully,

“Are you here to tell me I’m going to be a grandfather? Hmm?”

Well that was a fine start to a father and son conversation. You were now extremely warm and it wasn’t from the sun’s rays. Next to you, Taehyung was on the verge of boiling over. But before either of you could say anything, the other god came to your rescue.....with the help of his godly staff in his hand. A staff made of pure gold with a jackal head as the topper.

“Ouch! What was that for?! It was a legit question!”

However, Anubis paid him no mind and Jungkook had to bit his lower lip to keep from snickering in amusement. While one god was gently rubbing at his head, the other was kneeling with his head bowed as he spoke with a grace that only a god could pull off.

“Daughter of Aphrodite. Allow me to welcome you to the glorious sands of Egypt. And furthermore, I would like to apologize for my......colleague’s inappropriate behavior.”

“Again---It was a legit question for a father to ask his son.”

You wanted to ask the jackal headed male how he knew you were the daughter of Greek decent but chalked it up to probably just being a god thing. Smiling sheepishly and subconsciously sticking closer to Taehyung, you nodded and spoke up a bit more timidly than you would have liked.

“It’s okay. I get it. A father’s curiosity.”

Just as the anteater shouted a thank you, the other three males in the room all said at the same time as if rehearsed,

“You’re being way too nice to him.”

“Oh come on! At least someone here likes me!”

“And now she’s leaving. Goodbye, Set.”

You could tell from the way the poor man’s jaw was clenched that now was not the best time to argue. With a sheepish smile, you gave everyone a wave and spoke timidly but politely,

“It was lovely to meet you all.”

Anubis had since then risen once more and was wrapping a fatherly arm around his son Jungkook who politely waved back at you. Meanwhile, Set just had to get one last jab in as he waved dramatically and shouted after your retreating forms,

“Likewise, daughter-in-law. Let me know if it’s a boy or girl! I love baby showers!”

While you were still a soft giggling mess and a blush to match, Taehyung waited till he was long out of ear shot and groaned with embarrassment. Now down a completely different hallway and even on a different floor of the palace, he pulled you to stand in front of him and you could see just how embarrassed he really was.

“I’m so sorry about him. I was really hoping we could avoid him.”

“TaeTae. It’s okay. He’s your father. The odds of us not running into him were going to be very slim to none.”

You could tell there was something else bothering him and your eyebrows subconsciously knitted together. Letting go of his hand only to gently rub at his upper arms in what you hoped was a soothing fashion, you asked with genuine concern,

“What’s the matter, Tae? Talk to me.”

“It’s just......You don’t think I’m like him, do you? That I’m like......Like my father?”

“What? No! Not at all! You’re nothing like him. What makes you say that?”

Rather than answer you right away, the young man instead decided to take your hand in his once more and started leading you both in a new direction. It was only until he reached a balcony that you realized the sun had settled and stars were starting to pop up in the night sky. Letting go of your hand so that he could lean on the railing, he finally answered your question.

“It’s just......demigods are supposed to harbor traits from their godly parents, right? You for example. You look absolutely gorgeous. And Kook? He has a way with dogs and I know it’s because of his dad. Me? What do I get? I get urges to create chaos. I want to cause trouble.”

He paused for breath before continuing.

“But I don’t want that. I don’t want to cause problems for others. I want to help people. That’s why I enjoy being an idol so much. Because I get to help people with my music. I sing and it soothes people. I don’t want to become a monster like my father.”

It was silent for what felt like minutes when really it was only a couple seconds. For a split moment, Taehyung felt that perhaps he had said too much.

“Oh Tae......”

The moment felt incredibly intimate for just being an escort but you could care less. Acting on pure instincts and emotions, you found yourself wrapping the poor man up in a hug. A hug that he returned immediately. There was something extremely comforting about being in each other’s arms like this. Again, probably too intimate for a client but it didn’t matter to either of you. This was what the both of you wanted. You wanted each other’s company. More than just professionally.

ONE MONTH LATER.....

“Kook----I swear. If you don’t sit still you’re going to end up looking like the bride of Frankenstein.”

“I can’t help it! It tickles!”

It had been one month since your day with Taehyung. You’d never forget how the two of you stood on that balcony in ancient Egypt and he asked you to quit your escorting job so that you could come work as a stylist for BigHit Ent. At first you played it off thinking he was just being silly but nope. He was dead serious.

There was a mutual attraction there and the two of you wanted to get to know each other better. Taehyung voiced his feelings about how he hated seeing you starve yourself just because of a job. Not to mention he had discovered earlier that day during the meal that you wanted to pursue a career in what you went to school for. So it only made sense for you to agree and take on a job at the very company he worked for.

Today your members were Jungkook and Yoongi. Out of the two, the elder was a piece of cake but the youngest always managed to squirm like a worm. Meanwhile, your boyfriend was smirking next to him as he watched you struggle. Catching his side glance, you whined and pouted while saying as you tried to apply more eyeliner,

“You hush over there. Or I’ll make you look ten times worse.”

With a sudden sigh of relief, you waved your hand that still had the brush and said with just as much relief,

“Okay, you’re finished, dog boy. Now go play with Tannie while I work on Yoongi.”

Just like a kid, the doe eyed male hopped out of the chair and started his search for his little distant cousin as he liked to often refer to the pupper as. While you watched for the cat eyed male to take a seat, you carefully leaned on your boyfriend who chuckled softly and rested a loving hand on your cheek.

“Being your guys’ stylist is exhausting. How do you all do this every day?”

“Eh. It’s not that bad really. It became a lot easier once you started working here.”

“You’re so cheesy. Shush it before I shove this eyeliner pencil up your nose.”

“That’s got to be the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

The two of you laughed and you itched to kiss him. But then again there were plenty of cameras and not to mention you didn’t want to mess with his makeup. Your coworker and fellow stylist was amazing at what she did and had taught you way more than any class would have. So you could appreciate her hard work and didn’t want to ruin it.

Taehyung couldn’t have been happier. He’d have to ring up Hakyeon and thank him for the suggestion of hiring an escort.

Who would have thought, right?

[fluffynexu]

Kaas City Districts

Dromund Kaas is the capital world of the Sith Empire. Although not a ecumenopolis like Coruscant or Nar Shaddaa, the planet’s Kaas City is a massive megalopolis in its own right that roughly covers 70% of the continent with a population in the billions.

Unlike other large continent or planet spanning cities in the galaxy, Kaas City has a reputation for efficiency and cleanliness. There are currently 25 districts within Kaas City. And while one can find the necessary resources such as schools, housing, hospitals, and food stores in all of them, each have their own “specialties” that gave rise to their unofficial district names.

1. The Citadel Not necessarily a true district, but the building itself is massive and integral to the whole city if not the entire Empire. It was rebuilt by Darth Nostrem in 937AE after a famously violent Kaggath destroyed the original building. The current structure houses all branches and heads of governing bodies as well as having a small enclave for the Mandalorians.

2. Capital The Capital District surrounds the area around the Citadel. It houses all other major Imperial buildings relating to governing bodies and an unbelievable number of bureaucratic offices that regulate every aspect of Imperial life. There aren’t many attractions in this district since it mainly functions to govern and thus presented in a fairly austere manner. All organizations found in this district fall within one of the twelve spheres. Few notable agencies are Imperial Revenue Service, Ministry of Imperial Aquaculture, Ministry of Imperial Agriculture, Imperial Department of Transportation, Office of Nutrition Distribution, Sith Cultural Preservation Council, Ministry of Trade, Imperial Security Bureau and so on.

3. Cultural The Cultural District subdivides into the visual and performing arts. This district is well known for the numerous museums, opera houses, concert halls, galleries, parks, and even some historical sites. It also has some of the more unique looking buildings with some having or being large, intricate works of art. Some highlights include, the Grand Opera House, the Historical Art Museum, Central Grand Park, Museum of Sith History, Bolâts Falls, Lords’ Concert Hall, the Imperial Gallery and much more.

4. The Nexus This district features the famous Nexus Room Cantina which was originally a large indoor-outdoor shopping mall. Over the years it turned into a large cantina since it served as the main hub, and thus the main waiting area, for the The Nexus which is an elaborate system of subterranean, planetary public transportation.

5. Trade The largest district in Kaas City, the Trade District has all of the best, top end shops and the largest warehouse stores. Anything from the entirety of the Empire and the greater galaxy can be found, sold, or bought here. Some of the foreign goods include items such as nuna meat from Naboo, krayt dragon pearls from Tatooine, killik-silk from Alderaan, and wampa pelts from Hoth. Some of the more common domestic products include the extensive meat and fish markets on Butcher Row, the stunning jewelry selection in the area known as the Gem Pocket, and even shops that sell special lumber from Ziosti oaks.

6. Spaceport Kaas City Spaceport is located on the far eastern region of the continent and is not directly connected to city. There is a small stretch of jungle between the spaceport area and the rest of Kaas City which is usually handled through public transport. Around the spaceport are many hotels and a few spas travelers can stay at to refresh before heading out into the city.

Having the largest populace in the Empire, especially within this one city on the planet, there are a number of residential districts where most of the citizens reside.

7. The Dens Most average Imperials live in the Dens. It’s a modest yet cozy residential area with everything a family could need or want.

8. Lake By contrast, the Lake District is known for the high property values being next to the lovely Crystal Lake. The lake floods twice every year, submerging the specialized buildings on the northwestern edges of the lake and allowing people to live with an underwater view. This feature and its clear, calm waters with unique wildlife draw in a lot of tourists from other Imperial worlds.

9. Outskirts People who live in the Outskirts have, as Imperial law mandates, everything one would need for a stable life. But it is the most minimal version of what one would find compared to the Lake District or even the Dens. The lowest and poorest of the Imperial population usually reside here, but unlike other worlds where crime go hand-in-hand with low income, the Outskirts remain virtually crime free just like any other city district.

10. Highrise The Highrise is known for the grandiose houses and mansions. Many of which float gracefully in the air with entire lawns and gardens of their own. Whether on the ground or in the air, the housing here can easily cost a fortune. Which is why it is mainly home to the Sith and high ranking Imperials.

11. Tech The Tech District is the center for Imperial innovation, technology, and information gathering. In addition to all of the usual research and development one can expect, the Sphere of Imperial Intelligence also has multiple, obscure offices within this district to monitor holonet activity of the Empire’s citizens. Activity from this district has attracted some non-Imperial ventures and one can see sites such as the Czerka Tower.

12. Scarlet More formally known as Qoshrajakzândor, it was established when the planet was resettled as a sanctuary for the Red Sith. It remains the only district to be surrounded by physical barriers in the form of large, imposing walls. There is an entrance on each of its five sides, all with their own pair of giant mowhef statues. Officially, there are no laws that keeps non Red Sith out of the district, but it is still heavily implied within Imperial society that only Sith (and preferably only the Red Sith) can walk freely in and out of this near-sacred place.

13. Temple Sitting right next to the Scarlet District is the Temple District. It is the main burial site for most Sith and houses many cemeteries and tombs. There is also a somewhat hidden passageway in one of the large crypts that leads to Dark Temple on the island of Mognosk. Around the burial sites are temples used for funeral ceremonies from where the district gets its name.

14. Medical Hub While there are many adequate clinics throughout the city all of the major hospitals, rehabilitation centers, psych wards, and treatment facilities are located in this district. The medical facilities here are the absolute best in the entire Empire.

15. Garden The Garden District is a combination of a residential area mixed with a recreational one. Nearly all of the buildings here are covered or decorated in plant life in some way. Not only are there a bunch of parks and botanical gardens, but this district also has the highest number of cafes and tea houses within the city.

16. Fashion It could be said that the only reason this district even exists is due to the fact that the Sith are known to be ostentatious. That assumption would be correct. The Sith spend a lot of time and effort into their appearance and some of that has influenced Imperial culture as well. The result is the Fashion District which has anything and everything relating to fashion and beauty. Top designers, Imperial brand names, make up artists, hair stylists, and body augmenters all thrive in this district. The major fashion show are also held twice a year to highlight the newest trends.

17. Education Although there are many primary, secondary, and boarding schools all over the city, the Education District has the major universities and higher learning facilities. As confusing at it may be to outsiders, there is Dromund Kaas University (DKU) and Kaas City University (KCU). Both are considered top tier schools that produce the Empire’s best officers. Other institutes include Kaas Military Tech, Kaas Medical University, Dromund Kaas Law School, and Dromund Kaas Sith Academy.

18. Little Csilla When the Empire allied itself with the Ascendancy during the last war some of the Chiss began immigrating into the Empire. They settled on the outer edges of the Dens, converting it into its own distinct area over the years. Now its own proper district, Little Csilla offers Imperials a chance of authentic Chiss food, art, music, architecture, and culture within the heart of the Empire.

19. Entertainment There are many places within the Entertainment District that are be considered “family friendly”. These places are the amusement parks, sports stadiums, specialized movie theaters, race tracks, and zoos. But this district is also known for some of its more adult-oriented entertainment. There are many bars, clubs, and cantinas that dot the area around the various Pleasure Houses and fighting rings. Prostitution is legal and heavily regulated within the Empire and is one of the bigger revenues of tax. Likewise blood sports are also popular but are heavily regulated to the point where a Hutt would lose interest.

20. The Grotto After the Old Town began to fade this particular area became neglected and eventually became its own district over the years. It can be said that this is the the only seedy part of Kaas City. Imperial citizens cannot become homeless but the streets of the Grotto are filled with people. These are usually “discarded” slaves who loiter and wander around. It seems that this district only exists only because no one seems to care renovating a dying part of a city filled with alien slaves.

21. Business Major corporations and business of the Empire situate their headquarters within this district. In addition to the usual administrations the Business District sees a lot of the banking and finance as well. There are aspects of Imperial culture that encourage forming friendly bonds with ones compatriots, as such the Business District also has a fair number of Singing Rooms for social gathering between coworkers.

22. Historical Also referred to as The Old Town because, as the name suggests, it is one of the oldest parts of Kaas City. It was quickly developed when the fledgling Empire came to Dromund Kaas and used to cover a much greater area. Ore was mined from the nearby jungle to be refined and power was generated with the surrounding river and waterfall. These factors helped to create the first Imperial fleet as well as the other districts. However, overmining in the area made it almost unlivable by human standards and it took decades of cleaning and reconstruction to restore the district. These days it’s seen as a historical heritage site for Imperials and serves as an educational tourist attraction.

23. Industrial The Industrial District sprang up from the remnants of the Old Town. Once the area around the Old Town was depleted production moved and settled into what is now the Industrial District. Originally the district mainly had factories that processed the raw ore, but over time different plants and refineries were built. There are even some slaughterhouses for fish meat production and facilities for textile manufacturing. A lot of the work here goes into producing goods that can be used in other ways for the Empire.

24. Military This is the main area for military training on Dromund Kaas. There are other camps and bases all over the planet but the bulk of the operations and exercises are held within this district. Soldiers here aren’t just from the local area but from all over the Empire since military units are expected to undergo survival courses in differing terrains. Despite being a training ground for the Imperial military and navy there are small comforts for those who live there in the form of cozy, specialty diners.

25. Expansion Kaas City is old as the Empire itself and it’s still growing in size. With the war in recent years the city is in flux once again. Currently it is unclear what kind of new development the Expansion District will turn into. It’s mostly filled with half finished buildings and large constructions sites digging into the landscape.

heyyyy... it’s done!

so uh, in case it wasn’t obvious.

you can obvs live in any of the districts. and all of them have like supermarkets, banks, hospitals, schools, etc. it’s just that the names reflect what each district is best known for essentially.

7-10 are the residential districts which are basically like the different flavors of suburbs. you got middle class (7), rich hipsters (8), poor ppl (9), super rich and important (10).

i hc that you can be poor in the empire but you’ll never starve or be homeless. like you’ll always have food and a roof over your head, but if you’re poor it’s the bare fuckin basics man. tiny apt with like one room and ration bars kind of deal.

12, the mowhef statues are a heritage site which means tourist trap lol. bc they’re BIG and Special and sith related... so you have your flocks of imperials from DK or other planets coming by to take selfies and what not.

19, yes prostitution is legal. no it’s not looked down on. it’s treated like any other profession. and it’s not always about sex (tho it is most of the time). likewise the ones participating in blood sports are top tier athletes and not desperate slaves tossed into a pit (which i imagine is what hutts do). blood sports also involve animal fighting but like... pokemon style and not rl dog fights (if that makes any sense). also, is gambling legal? yea, but it’s super regulated like everything else and your winnings will get taxed xD

20, “discarded” slaves are basically the ones who’s master died but also forgot to specify what happened to them. these ppl also have kids which are born into the state of poverty and homelessness.

24, i’m just saying there’s prob small mom and pop diners that serve ziosti comfort food.

25, idk man. i think this was in the game and it had a bunch of angry droids and def looked half finished so...